Chapter 11: Words That Never Reached You

"Now you have the truth," Kurumi somberly said to Minato. "I'm certain you must have questions, so feel free to ask away."

He had plenty, though he was sincerely taken aback. There was a lot to digest. Regarding Kurumi's past, while he had been curious, he did not expect to receive answers today. Her well-being had taken precedence over solving mysteries, and he berated himself for possibly rushing things. But what was done could not be reversed. After a moment of deliberation, one topic in particular felt the most appropriate to touch on before anything else.

"Your best friend… what was she like?" Minato couldn't help asking.

Kurumi smiled slightly.

"Yamauchi Sawa was her name. She was one of the sweetest people I knew — always so kind and supportive, especially if I was over in my head. I still remember those halcyon days of us going to school, talking about the silliest things, and playing with kittens…"

Cracking a smile, Minato was glad that Kurumi's fondness for cats persisted. Yamauchi Sawa sounded like a pleasant individual. He was afraid his next words would come off as a hollow gesture, and it was apparent enough that Kurumi noticed his discomfort and urged him to speak up.

"I would've liked to meet Yamauchi-san."

"Funny," Kurumi mused, "I was just thinking how well you and Sawa-san would've gotten along if given the opportunity. The two of you are similar in some ways." Were they now? "You might have also been her type, to be honest."

Her last sentence was somewhat hushed.

"Hm?" Minato tilted his head. "I didn't catch that last part."

"Oh, nothing~" the black-haired girl teased. "Anyway, it was nice imagining a scenario with the three of us, no matter how fleeting. I often wonder what my life and Sawa's would be like… if it weren't for the Spirit of Origin."

He was able to detect the venom in her trailing words, at least.

"This Spirit of Origin — you said she turned you into a Spirit?" Minato recalled.

Kurumi nodded with a serious expression.

"I was promised power that would allow me to protect people and save the world if I helped her exterminate Spirits, and I… I foolishly accepted. I was implanted with a Sephira Crystal by her that contained Zafkiel, not knowing I would become a Spirit myself."

'A Sephira Crystal?' Minato thought, consciously placing a hand on his chest. He hadn't heard of the terminology before. That was the catalyst for humans altering into Spirits?

"The Spirits I killed back then," Kurumi continued, "they appeared to be monsters — not humans like you or I. I took her words at face value, and kept eliminating them over and over again while she had cleanup duty. I felt as if I was a hero of justice, making a difference in the world. This I believed from the bottom of my heart."

Kurumi bit her lip. The sorrow on her face was visible and, somewhat unexpectedly, painful to witness.

"Then one day, I discovered the ugly truth. I… I killed a flame Spirit that turned out to be Sawa-san."

Oh no.

"How horrible…" Minato grimaced.

"I nearly lost control of myself when I realized what I had done." She stared at her own trembling hands. "The Spirit of Origin played me like a damn fiddle! All that time, I was killing those who were given Sephira Crystals for the sake of her 'purification' so that eventually they're refined enough to be compatible with humans! She never even told me why it all had to happen!"

Kurumi clenched her fists in anger.

"She tried erasing my memories, but I used Yud from Zafkiel to remember everything. I haven't seen her since that day. However, I swore to myself that I would not rest until she lay dead at my feet so that no one would have to suffer from her existence. I swore…"

The black-haired girl locked eyes with him. The fury that enveloped her had altered into melancholic fatigue.

"I've been seeking revenge for so very long. I still abhor her, with every fiber of my being. But now… I tire of killing, tired of this path I've walked. And it feels wrong. Because if I stop now, it will be an injustice to everyone I've slaughtered. All that time… amounting to nothing…"

Her tears slowly flowed down her face, unable to hold some back. Stoic as he may be, seeing her in this state hurt Minato more than he anticipated.

"I'm sorry, Minato-san…" Kurumi wiped the tears away from her eyes. "You shouldn't have to see me like this... I don't think I even have the right to cry after all I've done…"

No. That couldn't have been further from the truth.

He could feel his heart racing for so many reasons.

She dropped her gaze.

"I'm a monster — the title Nightmare suits somebody like me."

He disagreed, shaking his head inaudibly.

"Perhaps… it was a mistake to have saved me, Minato-san…"

He couldn't take it any longer.

"Stop it," the bluenette said under his breath.

"Eh…?" Kurumi looked at him in confusion.

Crossing his bed, his body moved on its own toward her. His arms wrapped around her slender frame, and he pulled her in close. Her gasping ceased when her head found itself perched on his shoulder.

He hugged her.

"M-Minato-san?" Kurumi was speechless.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Wh-What for?" She asked, stunned.

"I didn't mean to dredge up painful memories," Minato elaborated.

Kurumi shook her head.

"Please, you've nothing to apologize for…"

Her motive for vengeance and the lengths she was willing to go to finally made sense. Losing someone close and being manipulated would do it. She had carried such a tremendous burden. After listening to everything she said, he found it difficult to fault her. Though her sins couldn't be truly erased, he believed in her nonetheless.

He didn't care if this act was unusual for him. He just couldn't stand seeing her suffer anymore.

"You've been alone all this time… I'm sorry you've had to endure this pain for so long, Kurumi." He held her tighter, but was mindful about being gentle. "Thank you, for being honest with me. You're kinder than you give yourself credit for, so… it hurts me seeing you like this."

"Minato-san…" Kurumi whispered softly.

"Whatever you decide to do, Kurumi," Minato spoke with a soothing voice, "I'll be with you every step of the way. I promise. Just be true to yourself. You'll never be a monster in my eyes."

For a while, the two Spirits said nothing to each other, creating a pregnant pause. Minato then allowed his body to relax when he felt Kurumi's arms encircling him and her face buried against his shoulder. He maintained his embrace on her as he heard her sobbing.

"I don't regret my choice, Kurumi," he reassured. "You… matter to me."

Her hold on him became tighter as her cries increased in volume.

They spent a long time together.

When Minato had been first informed about Spirits by Shido and Kotori, he speculated the Eurasian Sky Disaster was caused by a Spirit. The destruction that the spacequake wrought was almost unfathomable to him at the time, and the notion of a singular Spirit possessing such power made him shudder. He wasn't explicitly told about it back then, but he made an educated deduction. So once Kurumi eventually calmed down, it wasn't terribly shocking when she clarified that this Spirit of Origin was indeed the cause for the event.

What was shocking was the name of the aforementioned Spirit she disclosed with tranquil indignation.

Takamiya Mio.

That was just the tip of the iceberg.

Additionally, an unknown entity — Phantom was the name Ratatoskr settled on in the meantime after Minato shared what he learned with them — somehow knew about both Minato and Shido's capabilities, tipping Kurumi off. From how Kurumi described them, they were able to completely mask their appearance and voice, so it was next to impossible to provide other key features regarding them.

Questions were answered, but even more were raised.

Who and where was Phantom? How did they acquire knowledge about the two blue-haired boys?

Where was Takamiya Mio, the Spirit of Origin? Why was she creating Spirits, and why did she share the same surname as Mana, Shido's blood sister?

Everybody in Ratatoskr was naturally bewildered from these revelations. The Itsuka siblings, in particular, were affected the hardest, strangely enough.

Shido, an individual Minato would typically classify as one of the most optimistic people he personally knew, was uncharacteristically despondent, and the human had requested to be left alone for a bit. It was concerning. Worried, Tohka predictably followed him and promised to take care of him. Since they had each other, Minato let them be for now.

Kotori had shown a contemplative look that wasn't too dissimilar from the one he had seen her wear from the night before Yoshino was rescued. The commander had then left in the opposite direction of her brother, presumably wanting to be left to her own thoughts as well.

It was just Minato, Kurumi, and Yoshino who had remained from their group, but that didn't last long either.

Yoshino had been getting sleepy, but she and Yoshinon refused to leave Fraxinus unless everyone else regathered. The female staff members — Minowa and Shiizaki were their names, if he recalled correctly — in the command center had offered to talk with her. The subject of TV soap operas was brought up for some reason, but Yoshino was eager to communicate upon that mention, in contrast to her usually timid self. Good for her, he thought.

Kurumi, despite her clone status, was in the middle of an examination with Murasame Reine. The black-haired girl hadn't gone through the procedures yet like he, Tohka, and Yoshino did when they were recovered since she was adamant about staying by his side until he woke up. Kurumi was hesitant initially, but he was in earshot to barely discern Reine vowing to share photos of him to her if she complied, to which the Spirit changed her tune quickly with a jubilant smirk.

But what photos of him did Reine even have? The only conclusion he could draw was from when he was examined by the analysis officer and she took photos of him for data. And he was told to be shirtless for that, so he didn't understand why Kurumi would—

Ah. Now it all fell into place.

Both Kurumi and Reine had already entered the examination room prior to his realization, and he had sighed while running his fingers through his hair.

Whatever.

While they were taking their time, Minato had wandered around Fraxinus, as per Kannazuki Kyouhei's suggestion. His presence on the airship had been limited in the past, so he never actually explored every nook and cranny of the massive, technological marvel. The maps of the interior he occasionally saw plastered in the hallways were quite helpful. After a while, he found himself in a secluded section of Fraxinus that housed, what seemed to be, a room divided by laboratory equipment in one half, and the other an enclosed apartment-like setting with a transparent glass exterior.

The occupant here turned around and saw him.

"Oh, it's you, Minato," said Kotori. She squinted at him. "Hold on, how did you even get in here? There's supposed to be an electronic lock in effect that only crew members can bypass."

He shrugged in response.

"The door opened as soon as I approached it."

Clicking her tongue, the petite redhead allegedly found her answer.

"MARIA, you rascal…" He heard her mutter. "Ah, forget it. Since you're here, do you mind if we talk for a bit?" She pointed her thumb to the glass room behind her. "I want to go over some details in private."

He obliged and followed her inside, idly pondering what the purpose for this area was. At the polished wooden table, they sat across from each other.

"So, congrats on saving Kurumi," Kotori broke the ice, intertwining her fingers together. "I'm aware our business with her prime self is far from finished, but this is undeniably a great start. We've received some very useful information too from her clone. We couldn't have done this without you, Minato."

The blue-haired Spirit nodded.

"I'd love to say things will become easier after today," Kotori breathed out a sigh, "however… I do have some concerns." She looked him in the eye. "Be real with me: will your future performance be impacted after the prime Kurumi took your gun away?"

Her concern was valid, to be fair. Since he had lost his Evoker, he was unable to make any guarantees in upcoming battles.

"Somewhat," Minato admitted. "I can't summon my Personas as efficiently. Without my Evoker, I'll have to concentrate harder. I also noticed after my fight with Kurumi that I felt more exhausted than I normally do from using a Persona."

Kotori began frowning from this.

"Well, I suppose things could be worse. What you've said does align with your mental state levels while we were monitoring you. You were pretty stressed out this time, to say the least."

He couldn't help admiring that technology had advanced enough to accurately ascertain a person's level of happiness and such. It certainly was a boon for Ratatoskr.

"Still, you did your best," Kotori prattled on, "and you even summoned a god, for crying out loud. We didn't know what would happen when… when Kurumi stabbed you." Her face contorted with anger as she stood up and slammed her hands onto the table. "You've no idea how worried we all were! Don't scare me like that again, Minato, you idiot!"

Okay, he might have deserved that. Though her sudden shouting did make him recoil.

"You may be powerful as hell, but you're not immortal! Geez, why do you and Shido act like you've got a death wish? Saving Spirits is important, but so are your lives!"

He did feel guilty for his brashness. But the situation was critical, so he justified it a little.

"It was a miracle you didn't die! I mean, seriously, I thought I had to save your ass with my Spirit powers!"

So this was what it was like to get chewed out by Kotori. His sympathy for Shido grew.

…

Wait.

"What did you just say, Kotori?" Minato arched an eyebrow. "You're… a Spirit, too?"

Once she realized what she exclaimed, Kotori's eyes became dots, and she stared at him sheepishly.

"Ah crap…" She bemoaned. "Cat's out of the bag now..."

"So to reiterate, you were a human until five years ago," Minato spoke slowly, "and one day you were given fire Spirit powers. But… you have no recollection of how or why it happened."

"That's the gist of it," Kotori confirmed solemnly, pushing her two index fingers together.

Suddenly, the conversation they had that one evening didn't sound as random. So the twin-tailed girl was also a human-turned Spirit. Her testimony of having fire abilities also did not go unnoticed to him. Inferring the Spirit of Origin had created each Sephira Crystal to be diverse, Kotori may very well be in possession of Yamauchi Sawa's.

He had wondered, though, of what made his own Sephira stand out. So far, it granted him flying capabilities, but perhaps he had yet to tap into its true potential. It was a prospect worth considering.

"Does anyone else know?" Minato inquired.

"Mainly the Ratatoskr staff," Kotori confessed, "so Reine and Kannazuki are aware."

How much did Shido know, if he knew anything at all? She practically read his mind as she then brought up what he wanted to say next.

"Minato, please don't say anything to my brother," Kotori begged. "He actually sealed my powers five years ago, even though he can't remember. He already has a lot to deal with… The last thing I'd want is for him to become more stressed because his little sister is also a Spirit."

That was considerate of her, but leaving her brother in the dark didn't feel right.

"This is Shido we're talking about, though," he reasoned, "and he would want to know the truth, especially if you're involved."

Pouting, Kotori crossed her arms.

"Why do you have to be right about things so often?" He honestly had no retort for that. She fidgeted slightly. "I'll… try telling Shido someday, okay? Just give me time."

He supposed if there weren't any immediate issues involving Kotori's condition as a Spirit, then it was probably ideal to leave the rest to her discretion. She did raise some compelling points. But that didn't deter him from inwardly worrying about the siblings.

"Alright," Minato acquiesced, sighing lightly. "I'll keep this a secret, Kotori."

"Thanks…" She smiled bitterly. "It's bizarre… For the life of me, I couldn't remember my transformation into a Spirit. Eventually, I came to terms with it. I once wondered if somebody had erased those memories… And I guess we finally have a potential culprit."

They exchanged stern glances.

"We know now that this…" Kotori paused briefly before continuing, "Takamiya Mio can turn humans into Spirits by granting them Sephira Crystals. Considering how every one us so far has, or in Kurumi's case, had no memories from our lives before becoming Spirits — in my case it was only the transition — and being unable to recall the process of how and why, everything starts to point to the Spirit of Origin. However, her whereabouts are currently unknown, and there's not much else I do know about her beyond what Ratatoskr has provided me."

"I want to know her intentions," Minato replied, scrunching his brows. Kurumi's tale was fresh in his mind. "Why would she go through the trouble of purifying Sephira Crystals and giving them to humans like us?"

"Beats me…" Kotori stared at the ceiling. "What is her endgame? Is she behind Shido's sealing ability too? We still aren't sure why he has it to begin with. And then there's Phantom. What connection is there between them and the Spirit of Origin?"

All they could do was speculate again. There wasn't enough to go on at this moment to make proper conclusions. On the bright side, Minato was grateful to even have this information. Takamiya Mio may be enigmatic, but she was a lucrative lead in this whole conundrum. Gaining intel about her was another goal to strive for.

"In any case," the redhead began, "Ratatoskr's mission hasn't changed in the slightest. In fact, I think today will help motivate us in saving the remaining Spirits out there."

On that, they can agree, because Minato himself felt more galvanized than ever.

"This probably goes without saying, Minato," Kotori addressed, "but I still would like to have your assistance in spite of your present handicap."

His "traded" Evoker was a minor hindrance at best. He would have to make do for the time being until he could retrieve it from the prime Kurumi. Maybe he could become acclimated with sufficient practice.

"Nothing will stop me from helping you and everyone," Minato affirmed, smiling.

"I like your attitude," Kotori grinned, "but for now, let's round up the others and head home. Don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Dinner did sound good right now. All of his fighting earlier had worked up an appetite.

As they were exiting the room, Kotori placed her hand on his shoulder. Inclining his head, her face was a mix of amusement and worry.

"Uh… try to not charm other Spirits before my brother can."

He was bemused. She was likely joking, but her fear was unfounded.

Kurumi was, is, and will always be the only exception for Minato.

After spending an abundant amount of time constantly moving from one safepoint to another with her prime self, Kurumi had missed having a place to call home. Literally living in shadows or in abandoned buildings wasn't comfortable whatsoever. She couldn't help occasionally recalling her old life prior to becoming a Spirit, where she resided in an affluent and loving house with her parents. Regrettably, those days were but a thing of the past.

And now, she had been offered to live with Ratatoskr's affiliated Spirits in their lofty abode. She would have her own space and could ask for anything she coveted within reason.

With that in mind, Kurumi assumed she was being reasonable for this one request she had, but Itsuka Kotori didn't seem to think so.

"For the last time," Kotori was at her wits' end, "you can't sleep in the same room as Minato!"

At the Spirit apartment, the girls were debating on which room Kurumi could live in. When she was given a choice, her suggestion had been immediately shot down by Kotori. Sharing a room with Minato sounded eminently enticing, and it was perfectly sensible.

"Why not?" Kurumi tilted her head innocently. "It would be easier to keep tabs on me if I were near Minato-san as much as possible. I've seen how spacious his accommodation is, so he and I can live together just fine."

"That's besides the point!" Kotori protested. "Do I really have to spell it out for you?"

Kurumi chose to say nothing to the redhead's query, simply staring at her with a thin smile, so the latter was forced to vocalize her stance.

"It's just improper, okay!?" Kotori blurted out. "I know we don't have any rules forbidding cohabitation, but I didn't anticipate any female Spirit wanting to live with Minato, much less fall for him!"

Seeing the smaller girl's ahoge twitch, she thought it was adorable.

"Is that all?" Kurumi was thoroughly amused. "We both know what type of man Minato-san is, so there's no need to fret, Kotori-san."

The Ratatoskr commander sighed loudly.

"Minato isn't who I'm worried about, in that sense…" Kotori raised an eyebrow in suspicion at her.

To Kotori's credit, she was correct in the blue-haired Spirit not being the focal issue. Arisato Minato was an exemplary gentleman — calm and altruistic.

Au contraire, Kurumi was merely inquisitive, for lack of a better term. A part of her couldn't help but fantasize the variety of reactions he would show her if she were more… proactive with him, especially if they were to reside with each other. If their first moment together on the school rooftop was any indication, he was surprisingly bashful when she took the initiative. She would never forget that memory. He was so cute.

Tohka, who had been silently watching the debate unfold on the sidelines with Yoshino while munching on kinako bread, appeared to be confused.

"I don't get it, Kotori," she said in between bites. "If Kurumi wants to sleep with Minato, then I don't see the problem. It sounds like they can have lots of fun together."

Directing their gazes to the ponytailed Spirit, Kotori flushed. Kurumi tittered. The youngest girl of the bunch, however, seemed to be just as puzzled as the bread-loving Spirit.

"I don't… think I understand?" Yoshino murmured. Her attention was then grabbed by her rabbit partner.

"Here's the thing, Yoshino…" Yoshinon whispered into her ear. Once the message was delivered, Yoshino joined Kotori in blushing bright red.

"O-Oh my," Yoshino muttered. "Kurumi-san is so bold."

Tohka looked around her, bread in mouth, and couldn't comprehend the various reactions her fellow women were displaying. Her brows wrinkled.

"I feel like I'm missing something here…"

Smiling, Kurumi walked over and stood by Tohka, gesturing to her.

"Listen to Tohka-san," Kurumi pleaded to Kotori. "Minato-san has told me he's lonely since he's the only male Spirit living here. And I can help ease his loneliness."

She may have been embellishing the truth just a smidge. Minato had offhandedly mentioned to her in private that "it could get lonely" if he were the sole male Spirit in the world. Kurumi was fully aware that he didn't dwell on it, but what Kotori didn't know couldn't hurt her.

"Kurumi-chan is something else…" Yoshinon mumbled in awe. Yoshino nodded in agreement.

Kotori glowered at the black-haired girl, but before she could provide a response, the talk of slumbering spurred another thought for Tohka.

"If Kurumi is sleeping with Minato, then can I sleep with Shido, Kotori?" Tohka asked naively.

Still red in the face, Kotori then groaned vociferously, and her noise created an echo.

"Nobody is sleeping with anyone!"

Kurumi had to suppress her own laughter. Teasing Shido's little sister was a lot of fun.

Although, she was quite serious about moving in with Minato.

It didn't sit well with Minato to see Shido in a blue funk. Since the moment they met, the two boys had interacted with each other every day, becoming nigh inseparable. This remained true even after his inclusion into Ratatoskr and switching to living in the Spirit apartment. He believed he understood Shido well by now. Shido, at times, could be anxious and impulsive, but his determination and kindness were some of his greatest qualities. It was discouraging to observe him behaving otherwise this evening, as the human was forcing himself to smile when pulled into conversations. Something had been continuing to weigh on him after departing from Fraxinus.

Lending an ear to a close friend was the least Minato could do. The girls had left the Spirit's room once they finished their dinner due to Kurumi wishing to discuss a private matter apparently, leaving the boys by themselves. There were dishes to wash, and Shido had offered to help him. Now was as a good time as any to check on him since they were almost done with the chore.

"What's on your mind, Shido?" Minato initiated, having just completed his half of plates to clean.

Shido blinked.

"Heh… Am I really that easy to read?"

Minato didn't answer that question and instead opted to pick up Shido's slack, taking additional dishes to scrub. Whether or not Shido felt like discussing anything was his choice. The Persona-user just wanted to let his friend know that he was willing to listen.

Shido released a tiny sigh and resumed cleaning his remaining share. Seconds elapsed, as dried ceramics kept piling on, and he then broke the silence while focused on his task.

"I guess… I'm having doubts."

Minato made a noise of acknowledgement, allowing Shido to explain himself further.

"I'm not strong like you, Minato." The human chuckled bitterly. "When I think about what you had to go through for Kurumi, I just can't fathom how I would've handled things. Sure, we don't know what the other Spirits will be like until we find them, but… it's unlikely everything will always go swimmingly. You can defend yourself against Spirits, and hell, the AST too. You have the strength to protect. Meanwhile, all I got are my convictions, hoping I can reach out and no one gets hurt."

Shido set aside another stack of plates on the kitchen counter, drying his own hands and leaning by the sink. He turned his head to Minato, looking crestfallen.

"There may be occasions where pretty words won't be enough to save anybody," he said wistfully, "and seeing you get injured made me understand just how helpless I am when shit hits the fan… What good am I if I can't even prevent the people closest to me from being harmed? I can't stand the thought of you or the others in pain… Failing to protect you guys scares me more than anything."

Empathizing with him, Minato frowned. They absolutely shared the same qualms.

"What should I do, Minato?" Shido nervously consulted. "What can I do for everyone?"

Despite Shido's concerns, it was admirably prudent of him to take his role quite seriously. Becoming complacent in aiding and guarding Spirits would be detrimental. It was improbable to expect missions to go off without a hitch — unknown and unforeseeable variables could occur spontaneously.

Without any other known methods for him to contribute to skirmishes involving Spirits and the AST, his safety was crucial. However, his lack of combat capabilities didn't necessarily equate to powerlessness.

"To me, strength isn't just defined by raw power or access to armaments," Minato said calmly. "Having the courage to stand up for yourself and others in defiance of danger is a perk you already have, Shido. That kind of strength is special in its own right — one we all certainly appreciate you for."

It was clear that Shido had been overlooking his own virtues, given the boy's currently dumbfounded facial expression. If he wasn't troubled by his extraordinary circumstances in the slightest, then that would have been legitimately surprising. Dread can make any individual lose sight of themself, and to counter that, sometimes all it took was a reminder.

"Don't forget about your special ability," Minato added, tapping Shido's chest with a finger. "You were chosen by Ratatoskr for a reason. I might be powerful, but only you can seal Spirits' powers."

At most, what Minato was doing was making things safer in Ratatoskr's operations. After all, he was Shido's wingman — a defender for Spirits and humans alike. He had genuinely welcomed the role.

Shido stared at him curiously, as if he wasn't totally convinced.

"You can't replicate what I can do, even with your Personas?"

That wasn't a question he foresaw. His numerous Personas were individually exceptional with varying skills, but none actually possessed anything reminiscent of Shido's ability.

Although… there was one possibility that hadn't crossed his mind until now. It was no Persona. Rather, it was a power Minato himself wielded, and he was certain it didn't originate from his Sephira Crystal. He had always considered it to be a last resort.

Unfortunately, his amnesia stopped him from remembering how he obtained it in the first place, similar to him acquiring Messiah. It was annoying. Takamiya Mio was very meticulous with erasing Spirits' memories, he had to admit.

Regardless, he immensely doubted he would be able to utilize it as frequently as Shido's ability. It was not without its drawbacks. And this was assuming he desired to make use of it to start with.

"There is… something I could do," Minato divulged hesitantly, "but I don't think it would be… healthy after more than once, if you catch my drift."

Upon finishing his statement, Shido appeared to be stricken with guilt.

"I'm sorry, Minato," the human replied softly. "You're already doing a lot for me and Ratatoskr. I shouldn't be taking my frustration out on you. I'm better than this."

The Spirit wasn't offended by this but kept silent.

Shido shook his head.

"I just wish I could protect you and the girls, is all. Being a helpless bystander when lives are on the line really sucks." The frown on Shido's face then turned upside down. "Still, you helped me remember that I'm not just deadweight to everyone. You, me, the girls, Ratatoskr — we're all a team. I really appreciate you listening to me vent, Minato… Thank you."

There was the Shido he knew, bouncing back with optimism.

"Anytime, Shido," the stoic bluenette gave a thumbs-up.

Nodding, the oldest Itsuka sibling seemed satisfied from their conversation. There was an awkward pause that soon followed, though. Judging from how diffident the teenager suddenly looked, he apparently had another topic on his mind.

"By the way…" Shido sheepishly scratched his cheek. "Are you… officially going out with Kurumi?"

Minato blinked.

"What?"

"Well… I know she's a clone. But now, she defected from her original self because of you." Shido smiled warmly. "You gave her that choice of free will, Minato. And if you ask me, I think you two get along really well."

Shido shrugged his shoulders.

"Of course, maybe I am being too presumptuous. You did say before that you were just filling in for me since she had greater interest in you."

That… was the case initially. Hearing it again, however, rubbed him the wrong way. It had indeed been his mindset until he actually took Kurumi's feelings into consideration.

Processing those spoken words, Minato was lost in thought. The proverbial elephant in the room was just addressed. He had been admittedly distracted by how eventful today was. With things finally settling down, there was much to contemplate.

Kurumi was going to be around him and everybody else more for the foreseeable future. Her treatment would likely be no different from himself, Tohka, and Yoshino. Ratatoskr had been rather gracious to them by making Spirits feel comfortable with amenities, food, etc.

He had yet to inquire with Kurumi as to what she currently wanted to do after their exchange in Fraxinus. It didn't feel appropriate to bring up at the time, plus he thought it was best to give her space to ruminate about everything.

There was also her prime counterpart to bear in mind. She was still on the loose — obstinate and vengeful. At the very least, he comprehended her behavior now. She had promised that they would meet again, so it was simply a matter of time until then. No doubt she would be more cautious than ever around him.

Even so, Minato was looking forward to their next encounter. If he was able to come to an understanding with her clone, then there was a sliver of hope. She wasn't a lost cause.

Perhaps… there was a chance for the prime Kurumi to have redemption as well.

But that, he would save for another day. Right now, he had to figure out his own feelings.

"I…" Minato awkwardly struggled to piece together a non-vague response, "...did tell Kurumi that I wanted to get to know her better. And spending time with her has been… enjoyable."

The blue-haired Spirit stood firm with taking romance seriously. He couldn't say he was in love with Kurumi… yet.

Kurumi was a conventionally beautiful girl — he can concede to that. The way she styled her long, black hair was striking, and her bangs were like a mirror of his own, covering a single eye. Her voice was pleasant to hear, too.

Still, what really was important to Minato was her personality. At first, she was hard to read. As they spent time together, he recognized that she was overall brave and confident in accordance with her objectives. She was also a clever girl, if her previous actions with him weren't apparent enough. And she had a soft side when animals were involved, most notably cats. All of her traits were appealing on paper.

He didn't have it in him to be upset with her, in spite of her transgressions, such as her attempted murder on him. Once she told him about her life, their morals were largely the same as it turned out. Both yearned to make the world and its people happier, but Kurumi had become jaded from Takamiya Mio exploiting her. He could even interpret her ultimate goal of journeying thirty years into the past to kill said Spirit to be noble to an extent, because it would potentially undo all the deaths that befell humanity. But he could sense that she considered herself anything but kind. The memory of her self-loathing and eventual breakdown continued to persist inside his head, and it vexed him to see her hurting. He disliked seeing her make such a sad face.

He had accepted her, and despite their odd beginning and circumstances, he wasn't… opposed to seeing where they would go from here. Before, the idea of dating had been frivolous to him. And at this moment, connecting with Kurumi more sounded nice. It was quaint after musing over it.

Was he… starting to become attached to Kurumi?

Unsure, Minato expressed his collective thoughts to Shido, who then smiled after patiently listening.

"Sounds to me like you've taken a shine to her, bud."

A/N: We've now reached the proper conclusion to Kurumi's first arc. Minato will appreciate some respite as he tries to sort out his feelings. Kurumi may have already fallen for him, but Minato might require more time. He's compassionate, but awkward. My goal is to make this pairing to be as nuanced and believable as possible, instead of glossing over it or letting the ship set sail immediately.

The next chapter will begin a new arc. If it wasn't already obvious, then yes, I will be skipping Kotori's. I'm sorry in advance to fans of her and her arc, but with the cast's newfound knowledge about Mio, I've technically given them way more than what they should know at this point in canon. Kotori also isn't suffering from instability because she didn't join the fight with Kurumi, so Shido has no need to seal her again. However, I'm not jumping to Kaguya and Yuzuru just yet, since there's roughly a month gap until that meeting. I have something else in mind that could suffice, and no, it's not Rinne Utopia.

I'm eager to finally start introducing ideas I've been holding onto for years. I don't know if I'll update in time for this fanfic's 9th anniversary, but I'll try. And if I can't, then c'est la vie.

Until next time, take care.