Hey yo guys! Time for Chapter 5!

So far, I don't know how my Internship days would go. Not really want to go into details, so let's just leave it at that.

I noticed that the archive's almost dead now? There are like only few people visiting the archive (Not that I really know, just a gut feeling). I wonder why.

To Telstra: Thanks for the offer, but I received a copy from my friend of the LN Volumes 11-13. I've read everything, including the side stories, aside from these three.

To Bulldan: Thanks for the encouragement!

Anyways, I wanna thank the people who were still following my story. I'm gonna finish this fic in a short way possible but not rushed. There should be at least one or two more chapters before the trip but I decided to do a timeskip and get to it already.

So, I'm sorry if anyone didn't like the sudden timeskip. I really don't have any attachment to Date A Live anymore (Though Mayuri and Kurumi were still pulling me back :D ). Maybe if I go back to reading the novels, since I just got a PDF copy of Volume 11 to 13 from my friend. (The novels in Baka-Tsuki got taken down by the way)

By the way, I don't remember how Miku calls Yoshino (with honorific –chan or –san) so I'll go with –san since she calls everyone like that.

So onto the chappie now, Khorosho~!

"Got everything you need?" A certain blue-haired young man asked his so-called cousin, who was already pulling her luggage out of her room.

"No problems here."

The blue-haired boy nodded. "Let's go."

~o~O~o~

After a few moments, they went out of the house, and was greeted by 5 girls outside their gates.

"Shidou! Shiori!" One of the girls, who has a dark-night colored hair, called as she waved at the two people going out of the house.

"Good morning, everyone." Shidou and Shiori greeted as they got out of the gates.

The rest of the girls greeted back. They seemed to be pretty excited about this trip. Well, they held back for a week; couldn't really blame them.

"Now we just need Reine-san to-"

Speaking of the devil, a car, no, a van stopped by them.

"…Hop in."

"Reine-san! You're coming also?" Shidou asked.

"…No, I'll just take you to the airport." Reine said as she stepped out of the van and went to the back. "…Put your luggage here." She said and opened the back of the van.

The vehicle is quite big. It's a van, after all. This was different than the one they used before when there were only Tohka and Yoshino present. It was the time when they were on the trip to the hot springs, or something like that.

Where and when Reine did acquire this vehicle is something that Shidou didn't bother to ask.

After a few minutes of organizing, everyone hopped in the vehicle and they drove to the airport.

~o~O~o~

After a few minutes, they arrived at the airport. Reine helped them with their luggage as they checked in.

"Thanks for everything, Reine-san." Shidou said as they're ready to cross the waiting area.

"…Don't mention it." Reine said as she tried to give a smile to the boy. "…Keep your earpiece just in case, okay?"

Shidou nodded.

Reine then left the airport as the seven high schoolers bid her goodbye.

"Confirm. Time for the waiting game." Yuzuru said as she sat down on the bench.

"This ain't a waiting game, Yuzuru." Kaguya said.

"Refute. But we're still waiting, aren't we?"

"Well, you're not incorrect…But-"

Shidou sighed. He could've wished that the plane would arrive already before the bickering of these two would get bigger.

"I know what you feel, Shidou…" Shiori said as she sighed.

Shidou didn't reply. Waiting for the plane to get ready is really long when you're paying close attention to it.

~o~O~o~

After more or less half an hour of travel in air, their plane landed off on Arubi Island Airport. They took care of their respective luggage before heading out of the airport and climbing up a cab to their designated hotel. The cab could only fit three passengers, so they occupied three cabs as well. Three in one cab, and two in the other two. Nobody wants to ride in a cab alone, anyway.

"Is it alright to put Kaguya and Yuzuru in the same cab?" Shiori asked as she got Goosebumps.

"Those two are inseparable, whatever the circumstances." Tohka said.

"I can't agree more." Shidou said.

Meanwhile, in the said cab,

"Oi, Yuzuru! You took my potato chips again?!" Kaguya said as she rummaged on her luggage. "I was saving it for-!"

"Interject. I was hungry last night. I couldn't help myself." Yuzuru sneered.

"Why, you…!"

The driver just sighed and didn't bother silencing them.

~o~O~o~

The third cab is where Miku, Yoshinon, and Yoshino were together. They weren't saying anything to each other, probably because they're not really that close, or nothing to talk about.

Things couldn't get more awkward more than it was already, and the three of them knows it as well.

So, the older girl decided to break the ice.

"Say, Yoshino-san, how did you and darling meet?"

The younger girl was startled with Miku's sudden question. Well, they really haven't much talked to each other since she moved to the apartment complex. That's why she didn't know how to respond to her.

So, her puppet, Yoshinon, decided to speak for her.

"Well, Miku-chan, Yoshino and-"

Immediately, Yoshino covered Yoshinon's mouth.

"Ara?"

Yoshino decided to speak for herself.

"S-Shidou-san… and I… met in a… shrine…" Yoshino said.

"Oh? How was darling back then?"

Their conversation continued. Yoshino told Miku everything about her encounters with Shidou, about how Shidou helped her in finding Yoshinon when she went missing.

"A-And, I decided to… trust Shidou-san… because he saved me… from the AST…" Yoshino continued. "And… risking his life… for me… when we were… just strangers…"

Miku smiled after hearing Yoshino's story. She learned that Shidou has never changed, from before and after she met him.

"That sounds like darling, I see."

With that, both of them flashed a smile.

~o~O~o~

It was around eleven in the morning when they arrived at their destination. The hotel they were staying is far better than the one they occupied during the school trip. Probably because the school's short on funds or they really can't afford to reserve a hotel like this for all the students.

What's more, this hotel is near the seaside, so all is well.

"Kuku, this place is not half bad." Kaguya said as she stared at the hotel with sparkly eyes.

"Agree. This place is great." Yuzuru said with same sparkly eyes as her sister.

Miku stepped behind the twins and pushed them. "Alright, stop staring at the front door and let's get going now."

They then went inside the hotel and checked in. As their rooms were assigned, Shidou was somehow gloomy, but he kind of expected it.

"Don't worry Shidou, I'll visit you from time to time!" Tohka said.

"Ara, Darling, want me to stay in your room?" Miku said as she licked her lips.

"You…! What are you planning?!"

They aren't helping at all.

They've been given only three rooms, with Tohka, Shiori, and Yoshino in one room, while Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Miku in the other room.

For Shidou, of course, he's alone. It's obvious why.

In an instant, Kaguya and Yuzuru grabbed Miku by the arm. "Don't worry Shidou, we'll make sure that this girl will behave properly." Kaguya said. "Let's go, Yuzuru."

"Accept. We're going to our room now."

Miku was protesting but she couldn't break free from the twin's chains.

"Will she be alright?" Shiori asked as she stared at the direction where the three have gone.

"She will be. That's not enough to bring her down." Shidou said. "I'll be in my room. Let's meet back here in half an hour, and then we can go to the seaside. Don't forget to tell Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Miku, okay?"

Tohka, Yoshino, and Shiori nodded and they headed to their room as well.

Shidou wandered around the second floor of the hotel, as his room was designated here. He's not really a directionally-challenged person, so there would be no problems in finding it.

"Let's see… room 216…"

He looked at every number plate attached on the doors, and stopped as he finally found the said number.

He then unlocked the room with the key he received and opened the door, but the next event is seriously not something he was expecting.

"Ara, Shidou-san?"

In an instant, he closed the door.

"I didn't make a mistake, did I?" He asked himself. He then double checked the room number, and it clearly said 216.

With that, his face turned red.

Well, he just saw a girl wearing undergarments only, on the bed. Anyone would panic if they saw something like that.

And what's more, he knew this girl personally.

"Shidou-san~ Come in here, or else I won't be able to guarantee your safety~" A seductive voice spoke from inside the room. "We both know that you can't escape from me~"

Shidou gulped. His sweat's running down on his cheeks, and feeling nervous about abiding with the order.

But he had no choice.

He touched the doorknob, turned it, closed his eyes and opened the door. He went inside and closed the door.

"Ara, Shidou-san, open your eyes, I'm not naked anymore."

Shidou didn't want to believe it but he had to follow the order. He then slowly opened his eyes, and sighed in relief as he saw the girl wearing a black one piece dress, which she usually wear most of the time.

"For the love of God, don't do that again, Kurumi…" Shidou said as he leaned on the door.

Yes, the girl inside Shidou's room was Tokisaki Kurumi. The spirit deemed to be the cruelest and most dangerous spirit of all times.

Shidou put his stuff inside the closet and sat down on a chair before initiating a conversation.

"So, what business do you have here, Kurumi? And why are you in my room, of all places?"

Kurumi snickered. "Ara, getting straight to the point already? I'm pretty disappointed, Shidou-san."

Shidou narrowed his eyes as he stared at the heterochromatic spirit girl. She just had this smile on her face as she stared back at him.

Shidou sighed.

"It would be bad if Tohka saw you in here." Shidou said.

Kurumi was surprised with his reply.

"Ara, you're concerned about my safety?"

Shidou blushed. Well, of course, Kurumi is too powerful even for Tohka to handle, but knowing about the spirit's inversion, he couldn't be more cautious.

"That's one thing, but I'm more concerned with mine." Shidou said.

Kurumi chuckled. "That's true."

"So, what brings you here? You wouldn't be here just to hang around, right?"

Kurumi stood up and walked to the door. She then locked it and went back to the bed, giving Shidou some slight shivers down in his spine.

"I'm interested with a certain someone in your gang." Kurumi said.

Shidou crossed his arms before speaking, "Let me guess, Shiori, isn't it?"

"Ara, you're quick to catch, Shidou-san."

"Well, she had been the center of attention since she got here." Shidou said. "So, what piqued your interests to her?"

Kurumi fell silent for a bit. True, she was indeed interested with the mysteries around the said girl, but at the same time, she doesn't have the slightest idea about her; why she's here, and her objective.

"First of all, Shidou-san, do you believe that she's not from this world?" Kurumi asked.

Shidou recalled back what Kotori said to him. She said the same thing as Kurumi, but there's no proof of it being true yet.

"Kotori said the same thing, but there's no evidence yet, so I don't." Shidou said.

"I see."

The room went silent for a few moments, before Shidou broke the ice.

"Uhm, I want to ask something, if you don't mind, Kurumi…" Shidou said.

Kurumi tilted her head.

"What makes you think that she's not from this world?" Shidou asked.

"Want me to spell it out for you?" Kurumi grinned.

Shidou immediately regretted asking that. "Aside from me crossdressing as her before, yes please."

Truth to be told, it was just Kurumi's hunches, as there's no solid evidence that proves that she's really not from this world. She just based every hypothesis she had from the past events, as the timing's too perfect to be called coincidence.

"I have no solid proof, but if I could peek inside her memories, then-"

"Hey, that's crossing the line already!" Shidou interrupted Kurumi before she could finish her sentence.

By peeking inside her memories, Kurumi will use the power of Zaphkiel's tenth bullet, Yud. It gives her the ability to peek inside her target's memories; his or her past.

"I know Shidou-san, but I'm doing this for her sake, for myself, and especially for you." Kurumi said with a serious expression.

Shidou was surprised with Kurumi's words. He never thought that she's doing something for someone's sake. Unlike before when she helped him infiltrate DEM to save Tohka; this time, she's asking for nothing in return.

In the end, he failed to say anything as a reply.

"Think about it, Shidou-san. If my hypothesis is true, who would be responsible for sending her here?" Kurumi asked.

Shidou gave it a thought. Actually, he didn't need to think about it further, as the answer's already right in front of him.

"You…" He said in a low voice.

"Yes, the 'me' in the future. But, in a different world line." She said. "I want to confirm if that's really possible."

"Will you help me, Shidou-san?" Kurumi asked.

Shidou didn't know how to respond to that. It was the first time that he received a request from Kurumi. It's true that she revealed her every intentions to him, but he couldn't shake the idea of her still hiding something from him.

But he can't leave things as it is right now. He wants to know the truth as well.

"But… we have a problem." Shidou said.

Kurumi tilted her head once more. "What is it?"

"She doesn't have any memories of her past."

Kurumi's eyes widened after hearing his answer. Well, that seriously would be a problem. She wouldn't be able to peek inside her memories if she doesn't have them to begin with.

"Oh my, that's really a problem." Kurumi said.

"I just said that, you know?"

They didn't say anything afterwards as they thought of a way to handle the problem they have in hand. Recovering or restoring someone's memory isn't an easy feat, especially when the root of the loss is unknown.

"I don't have the power to do that, so I'll leave it to your hands, Shidou-san." Kurumi said and winked at him. "You're close to her, and I bet that you've been working towards that goal as well."

He couldn't disagree with that.

"But why would you need to peek in her memories, when she would tell us everything once she have it back?" Shidou asked.

Kurumi swung her head before answering his question. "No, Shidou-san. I don't think it would be that simple. There must be something more than meets the eye on her memory loss."

Shidou didn't quite understand what she meant by that, and Kurumi knew what he was thinking.

"I know you're confused, Shidou-san. It's hard to explain it right now." Kurumi said as she made a small frown. That was a look of concern, to Shidou, at least. "I'll fill you in once I have my answers, so please just help her in recovering her memories."

"Easier said than done…" Shidou said.

"I know, but you're the only one who could do it." Kurumi said and smiled.

Shidou could feel his heart fluttering every time she smiles. He didn't know why, but he couldn't refuse her request if she made an expression like that.

"Alright, I'll do my best."

"Thank you, Shidou-san. I owe you one." Kurumi said. "I'll be off somewhere, I didn't mean to keep you from having fun with your girlfriends." She said as a shadow appeared behind her.

"I'll see you later, Shidou-san." She then winked at him before disappearing from the room.

Shidou sighed. He seriously had no idea about what Kurumi was implying. And he wasn't sure if he wanted to know it either.

He fixed his stuff before heading back to the lobby.

~o~O~o~

The gang ate their lunch before going to the seaside. No one wants to pass out from hunger while swimming in the sea, right?

They brought their necessities; whatever they needed in their leisure.

"It's the ocean!"

"It's the ocean!"

Kaguya and Tohka shouted in unison.

"Kyah! I really wanted to do that!" Kaguya said and jumped in to the seawater. "Wooh, the water's cold."

"Ask. Are you a kid?" Yuzuru asked as she walked in the water.

Kaguya just sneered at her sister.

Shidou just smiled unconsciously as he stared at them. This is the peaceful daily life that he had been wishing for all of them. And for him as well.

"I wonder where Shiori is." Shidou said as he counted the numbers. Shiori was definitely nowhere to be found.

"She said that she's not ready yet, and told us that we should go ahead." Tohka said.

Shidou wondered why though. Well, she'll be here in a few moments, so it's no problem having a head start first.

"Why don't you girls join them? I'll set the umbrellas up." Shidou said to the other girls.

The rest of the girls nodded at him and ran to the seawater, leaving Shidou alone. He stuck the umbrellas on the sand, making it stay in place. Snacks and drinks were all set as well.

"Phew, that should do it." He said as he wiped the sweat on his forehead. He then took his earpiece from his bag and wore it, followed by a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright, Shidou?" A female voice suddenly spoke behind him. He turned around and saw a girl with long, blue-hair, wearing a yellow two piece swimsuit, along with a very short skirt.

Shidou found himself staring at her for a few seconds, making the said girl embarrassed.

"S-Shidou, you're staring at me too much…" She said as she covered her body with her arms.

Shidou snapped back as he realized what he was doing. "A-Ah, I'm s-sorry, Shiori!" He then averted his eyes from her.

Shiori blushed. "A-Aren't you g-going to say s-something to me…?"

Shidou knew what she meant by that. Of course, it's a common thing to say 'that' after what just happened. He slowly turned to Shiori, which made him blush as well. Her curves fitted on her swimsuit perfectly; she looked like a gravure model with that outfit.

"Y-You look… great."

Shiori's heart thumped. "I-Is that so…? T-That's a relief- Kyaaah!"

The next event made Shidou avert his eyes once more.

"Oyaa, what do we have here?" A certain orange-haired girl said as she grabbed onto Shiori's chest.

"K-Kaguya…! What a-are y-you d-doing- A-Ahnn!"

Shiori tried to break free, but Kaguya's arms were too strong.

"Ugh, w-what is this…!" Kaguya said as she slid her hands under Shiori's top. "I didn't know you're this big…! You're even bigger than me!" She said as she fondled her mountains of heaven, embarrassing the blue-haired girl more.

"W-What a-are you s-saying?!"

After a few moments, someone pulled Kaguya away from Shiori. "Order. Stop it now, Kaguya. That's sexual harassment."

It was Yuzuru. Kaguya's twin sister, who grabbed her by the arms as she got pulled.

Kaguya didn't say anything and just clicked her tongue, leaving the blue-haired teenage girl troubled.

"What's going on-" A girl with indigo-colored hair appeared from nowhere, who stopped on her tracks as she saw Shiori in her swimsuit.

"M-Miku?" Shiori called. The said girl was staring at her with blank expression.

Miku didn't say anything. The atmosphere around them became tense.

"Yoshino-san, camera please." Miku said as she extended her right arm. In an instant, Yoshino appeared from behind Shidou, surprising him, and went to Miku, giving her the camera.

Shiori gulped. She's got a bad feeling about this.

As the camera was turned on, Miku disappeared from her place.

""""Eh?""""

The next thing they knew was Miku's already taking insane amount of photos of Shiori from different angles.

"Ehehehe~ This is heaven…!" Miku said as she kept on flashing her camera to Shiori while drooling.

Shiori couldn't be more embarrassed than she was already as she tried to protect herself from Miku's camera.

"H-H-Hey, Stop it, M-Miku!"

Despite Shiori's orders, Miku didn't stop. Most likely she couldn't hear her cry.

But that didn't last long. Tohka appeared from nowhere and hit Miku on the head, stopping her sexual assault to Shiori.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Tohka said as she grabbed Miku by the arms, who was half-unconscious.

Seeing that as an opening, Shiori immediately ran to the water.

"Hey, get back here!" Kaguya said as she followed Shiori.

"Not a chance!"

Shidou just stared at them. He couldn't help but smile at the scene playing in front of him, despite of it being a chaotic one, as they're attracting too much attention from the people around them.

"…-in?"

Shidou didn't quite hear what the noise was. It probably came from his earpiece.

"…Shin?"

It was Reine.

"Reine-san? What's up?" Shidou said as he focused on the earpiece.

"…I need to have a word with you." Reine said through the earpiece. "…Meet me back in the hotel lobby. This is urgent."

"Alright, I'll be on my way." Shidou said.

He then turned to Tohka, who was still attending on the unconscious Miku. "Tohka, I need to make a phone call. I'll be back in a few." Shidou said.

"Uh, okay?"

"Thanks. Please do tell the others." Shidou said and walked away as he put on his jacket. "I'll be right back."

Tohka was left dumbfounded with Shidou's words.

~o~O~o~

Shidou got back to the Hotel's lobby in less than five minutes. He looked around and saw Reine sitting on a bench. She's not wearing any summer nor beach outfit, implying that she's not really ready for this trip. Well, she did say that she's not coming anyway.

"What's going on, Reine-san?" He asked as he approached the said woman.

"…Sit down, we have a lot to talk about." Reine said as she patted the seat beside her.

Shidou knew that this was a serious matter, so he abided with Reine's request.

"…I overheard your conversation with Kurumi earlier." Reine said.

Shidou was startled. "W-What…?"

"…Don't worry, I have no intentions of leaking whatever private talks you had with her." Reine reassured the boy.

So she did know.

"…Anyways, getting back on topic…"

Shidou paid more attention.

"…With what Kurumi just said that Shiori's not from this world, is something that we cannot simply ignore, even without evidence." Reine said.

Shidou knew it. It's true that even if Kurumi just said it without proof, just by her mentioning it is a piece of evidence already. Because she could manipulate time, it's possible that her future self in another world line is the one responsible for sending her here. Actually, it was the only plausible thing that they could believe on.

But how and why did 'she' send her here is a different matter.

"I didn't want to believe it either, but Kurumi herself said that the possibility of it happening is not zero." Shidou said. "Most likely, that's really the case."

"…Then you know that her memories are the key to knowing it?" Reine asked.

Shidou nodded. "Yes, I know, but recovering it is not an easy task."

They went silent for a while and thought for a way to recover Shiori's memories. In the big picture, Shiori's memories were sealed; that's the only possibility that could happen. Because the memories that she doesn't remember were too specific.

Until Reine thought of something.

"…In that case, how about this?" Reine said and ordered Shidou to come closer.

Shidou nodded and abided with Reine's request. The older woman then whispered something on his ear. Afterwards, Shidou tilted backwards due to surprise and shock with Reine's idea.

"A-A-Are you s-serious, Reine-san?!"

Reine's expression didn't show anything other than serious. She's definitely serious with her idea.

"…It's the only way I could think of, unless you have a better idea, then we'll roll with that." Reine said.

Shidou couldn't say anything in return. It's true that he doesn't have the slightest idea about recovering Shiori's memory, but doing that of all things?

Shidou took a deep breath to calm his heart down. He tried sorting everything in his mind, but seems like he couldn't.

"L-Let me think about it for a bit, Reine-san."

Reine didn't say anything and just let Shidou do what he wanted, for now.

Alright, Chappie 5 is done!

Okay, if you haven't read my status in my FB page, chapter 6 won't arrive soon. I need to read Volume 12 of the novels first as my ideas might have contradictions with it if I don't read it. I haven't started it by the way, and I don't think I could in the next few days. But if not, then it's good.

I might retract what I said in the first chappie that this would be a slice of life fic. Still no fighting though.

Just so you know guys, the story's near the end.

Anyways, please do drop your reviews/comments/suggestions/violent reactions! It does help me improve my writing.

Until next time, See 'ya!