Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 10
OP Song:
仮面ライダーBLACK RX (RIDER CHIPS Ver.) · RIDER CHIPS
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae - Animation OST: disce libens
The Itsuka Residence.
The home of Shidou Itsuka, Kotori Itsuka, and their parents. It would also be the home of Sona Sitri as well. When Rinne and Rio first stepped inside this house, they were in complete shock and awe. It was a whole lot bigger on the inside than what the outside appearance seemed to convey. As they pass through the entrance hallway, there was a large guest room that would be used to accommodate guests. A chandelier was seen from the top and there were statues and pictures of art that reminded one of the Renaissance period.
Since Rinne and Rio were more than just guests as they were Shidou's family as well, Sona thought that it was more than appropriate that they head to the living room which was on the left. Looking around, they find a large green sofa around the corner, along with a large television screen attached to the wall. There was also a brown medium size bookshelf where many of the books that are stored there are related to cooking and food, motorcycles, and mechanical engineers.
There was a white table nearby to the right where they could sit. It had over six chairs, with two being seen from the north and south positions, while the other two are in the west and east positions. Rinne would take a seat on the south chair, with Rio sitting on her lap. Shidou would sit on the west side, drawing his chair near to Rinne's position. Sona would grab a chair from the north side and sit right next to Shidou. Shinichiro opted to lean towards a nearby wall, keeping his distance a bit, and let the family have their talk, while he simply watches silently.
Right now, there was a complete silence. Rinne on her part would be thinking of the current situation that she and her daughter found themselves in; most importantly concerning one particular woman that she had seen alongside Shidou.
Who was this woman? She could not tell from her poker face and silent demeanor, showing an expression of professionalism that had been well refined and mannered over the years, showing a kind of aristocratic feel. Rinne would think that this woman, by her posture and attitude, was of the noble class...and based on her violet eyes, Rinne felt that she was not seeing an ordinary human. In fact, the woman's appearance would subtly nudge upon Rinne's sensible instincts, alerting her of a level of power that is concealed. The appearance of this woman also conveyed a kind of ethereal sensation, one that felt out of this world, based on the woman's natural slim figure. Even when this woman had glasses on, it actually adds to her charm and quirk.
"("...Wait a minute?")" Rinne thought to herself, having an epiphany of sorts. She noticed that this woman was seated near to Shidou, not somewhere else. Obviously, that didn't mean much and it could just be a random coincidence...but Rinne felt like there was something else...but she did not know what that something else is... Her heart was troubled by this.
The woman would speak, making Rinne and Rio pay attention. "Now then, to put things in order, I suppose it is appropriate that I introduce myself first and foremost. Shidou would not need to introduce himself since you already know who he is, but you would not know who I am. My name is Sona Sitri. I am not human and neither am I a Spirit like you or your daughter, but I'm of a different kind. I am what is known as a Devil."
"A Devil?" Rinne muttered with a curious eyebrow. A devil, as in an actual devil? Strangely, that may have explained enough for Rinne about how and why this woman, Sona Sitri, was a bit different. It basically confirmed her suspicions that this woman was not human in the slightest, and it shows based on the hidden aura that she carries, and the physically entrancing beauty that she exudes.
"To further explain, Devils are supernatural beings that have come from another dimensional realm called the Underworld, which alongside the Fallen Angels and the Gods of Hell, would be our home, an entire world that is of the same geographical size as Earth. So to picture an idea of my world, think of Earth, but with no water and a chunk of landmass, outside of lakes. As for where to place myself in this context, I am the next heir of the Sitri Clan, one of the remaining 32 Devil clans of the 72 Pillars, and one of the highest-ranking Devil families. Our society works with a specific hierarchical system that is split into four different ranks, and the ranking here refers to the hereditary title given to us Devils based on our classes and clans and reflecting on the nature of strength."
Sona brought her right hand and would close it, before releasing each finger, one by one, for the mentioned name. "They are: Low-Class Devils which are the commoners and those who have been reincarnated into Devils such as humans and this is where the Devils would normally start if they want to make their way up; Middle-Class Devils which are those who passed a certain promotional test and those who attain this rank are given one of the following titles: Baronet, Baronetess, Knight, or Dame; High-Class Devils which include the younger Pure-Blooded Devils from the 72 Pillars or the Extra Demon clans who have yet to truly master their power, or to strong reincarnated Devils who have risen in rank, and those who attain this rank are given one of the following titles: Marquis, Marchioness, Margrave, Margravine, Count, Countess, Viscount, Viscountess, Baron, or Baroness; Ultimate-Class Devils which are those who have the highest rank among us Devils, and this could be attained by training or being born with great power, and those who attain this rank are given a rank in the Underworld with the titles of Satan, Great King, King, Archduke, Archduchess, Duke, Duchess, Prince, or Princess; and lastly, the Special Class, which is quite new, and so far, only two individuals have managed to attain this rank. They are an entirely new class without any precedents, awarded to those who have appropriate abilities, and hold both social and political influence, bestowed upon those who have attained great achievements in the defense of the Underworld."
"And...where are you placed in this rank, umm...Sona-san?" Rinne asked. While she understood the general gist of things, she was also being unsure of what honorifics to use for Sona Sitri, but for the sake of providing respect where it is due in an act of prudence, went with the more neutral "san".
The woman smiled a bit. "Call me Sona, Sonogami Rinne, there is no need for honorifics when it comes to the both of us. And to answer your question, I have attained the rank of the Ultimate Class in spite of my young age, and I am a member of what is known as the Rookies Four, a generation gathered with promising rookies that are on an exceptional level. As by the title, it is obvious how many of us there are in the Rookies Four."
And then, the woman's smile would turn serious once more. "...Well, I suppose it is now Shidou's turn to speak up, seeing that this is the essence of the current discussion."
"Shidou...?" Rinne would look at Shidou, who looked like he was feeling guilty, as if he did something wrong.
"Papa?" Rio muttered, showing a concerned expression.
"Shidou...what's wrong?" Rinne would gently place her left hand on Shidou's right hand.
"..."
Shidou was rather silent, thinking about what to say. How does one break the news to them? That he is essentially married to another woman? It is a very difficult question for him to find some sort of solution to. I mean, he thought, it isn't like he cheated on Rinne...Rinne had been admittedly dead for many years, only remembering her and Rio and the rest of the Spirits when Gorgom turned him into the man he is today.
He glances at Sona, whose violet eyes turn to a more empathetic expression, noticeable by Rinne who could not help but pay very close attention. And the more she looked at this scene, the more it felt...familiar...those looks in the eyes, it felt like the two of them were silently communicating their feelings out, a familiar sight because Rinne also had that expression when it...came to Shidou...
"...!"
Rinne gasped a bit, widening her eyes a bit. Her heart was stopping as she bit her lip which trembled at the sudden thought of what she was thinking. Then again, something whispered into her mind, should you be surprised about this outcome? She almost felt like crying at this particular moment...but she could not blame Shidou for something like this...nor could she even blame the woman that she only just met.
There were a lot of things that needed a lot of clarification, a lot to fit in the large gap between the last time she saw Shidou and her world, and the brand New World of today. Shidou had been a Kamen Rider for about four and a half years, counting this present time, so there had to have been a long string of events that she either had no actual context of due to lack of information or the relationships that formed at this time were of a different sort.
"...(Sigh)," Shidou sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, as if he made up his mind, but still felt guilty which he would show to Rinne via his eyes that looked so worn out from everything, looking rather old. "...Rinne, there's...there's something I need to tell you...both of you..."
And then, Shidou would suddenly stand from the chair, gently letting his hand go from his first love and would walk towards Sona...and placing his hands on her shoulder in a gentle fashion, making Rinne's heart stop a bit and Rio slowly widening her eyes as they both slowly understood what was happening.
"Rinne...Rio...I'm...I'm married..." Shidou spoke with a troubled tone as the warring thoughts in his mind still felt like piercing darts.
"...!" Rinne and Rio would gasp in shock. As their eyes widened at the sudden news, Shidou felt like he was struck by another pair of arrows.
"...And...And this is my...my wife...Sona Sitri," Shidou, still speaking with a troubled tone, having a hard time trying to admit this, and it made Sona put her right hand on one of her husband's hands that were placed on her right shoulder.
Rinne, trembling for a bit and trying to process what she had just heard, would be silent for a moment. And nobody spoke...
"...Mama?"
Except for Rio of course, which made Rinne slowly turn to her daughter as she tried to give a warm smile...but is conceivably failing due to the troubling news. But even with this, she couldn't blame Shidou, whom she understood well. Shidou is many things, and one of those is that he is honest to a fault. Something had probably happened that lead to this outcome.
Trying to regain her mental footing, Rinne closed her eyes a bit, trying to prevent the tears from leaking out of a deep sorrow that filled her heart. Yes, she was hurt, but she reminds herself firmly that Shidou was hurting even more...and if what his story is true, and there was no real reason to think that Shidou was lying, especially when other people have more or less generally confirmed of the account, then this may perhaps be her chance to find out how and why.
"...Is that so...?" Rinne smiled a bit, although it felt like shattering, and Sona, who was seeing this, could feel the guilt as well. Rinne would look at Rio, speaking with a maternal tone. "Rio, would you mind hopping off from mama and head towards Shinichiro-san? Mama and Papa would need to have a little private talk, just the three of us."
"Umm," Rio nodded, understanding the situation. "Alright, mama."
And then, Rio would hop from Rinne's lap and would run slowly towards Shinichiro who would be called by Rinne.
"Shinichiro-san," Rinne smiled a bit, making Shinichiro pay attention. "Can you take my daughter on a tour around this house for the time being?"
"Of course, I know my way around this house like the back of my head," Shinichiro nodded, understanding the reasons why. He smiled at Rio as he offered his left hand. "Come along, Rio, let me show you around the place, you're gonna definitely love to live here."
"Hai!" Rio cheerfully added. "But..." She spoke as she would turn around and looked at Sona, looking into her eyes.
Rio had no clue who this woman is, and while like her mama was also surprised, she managed to get the gist of things. Rio would suddenly dash towards Sona, much to everyone's surprise, and would slowly hug Sona's waist as her pure, innocent eyes would look into the latter.
"Papa said that you were his wife...is that true...?" Rio asked with an inquiring expression.
"...!" Sona's eyes slightly widen a bit, looking at Shidou who also had his eyes widened. It was a little surprising for Sona due to the question that was never uttered out of any resentment. "...Y-Yes..." Sona spoke with an unsure tone.
"Then, can I...can I call you...umm..." Rio, as she grew with an exciting smile, pondered deeply of what she was going to ask, before eventually saying with a cheerful tone. "Then...can I call you...okaa-san?"
"...!"
Now...this was too surprising for Sona. She would look at Shidou, who had his eyes widened, not expecting what Rio had said. The same can be said for Rinne who had her eyes widened. How to proceed with this question, Sona thought carefully. Her actual mother, Sona thought, was sitting just right there.
"...U-Umm," Sona would take care to touch the bridge of her glasses for a bit before looking at Rio. "Umm...why would you ask that sort of question?"
"Because you're papa's wife, right? Then...you're also my mother too, the same as mama? Is that...Is that not so...?" Rio asked, tilting her head.
"...!" Sona would blink a bit at this innocent and unexpected question.
"...That's right," Sona would see Rinne responding with closed, resigned eyes, and smiling. Then Rinne opens her eyes which showered nothing except a maternal form of kindness. "Rio, you can call her that, I wouldn't mind, but...do you mind that she would call you that way, Sona?"
"...No, I...I do not mind her...her...calling me that..." Sona muttered softly as she softly place her right hand on Rio's hair and gently pats it.
"Ehehehehehe," Rio muttered softly with a cheeky smile. "Okaa-san...Okaa-san...Okaa-san..." She repeated a lot of times as if trying to savor the word.
Sona was...admittedly quite touched to the heart by this innocent and mature act. It just confirmed one thing in her mind. Rio Sonogami was...truly what her husband described her to be when she would hear him mention her name with a tone of sorrowful joy. A precious little daughter that he had the joy of being acquainted with, a symbol of the union between himself and his first love even if it was not through biological means, a sweet bundle of pure innocence that was too good for any sinful earth.
Sona would look towards Rinne who was now standing up from her seat and smiled at Sona, drawing near to her and Shidou. "Oh, you would have to forgive my daughter, she does the most surprising thing at times."
"I...I don't mind at all," Sona muttered softly, continually patting Rio's hair. "...R...Rio," She softly called her name.
"Hai, okaa-san?" Rio asked.
"I believe that you should listen to your mama...since this is the time for the grown-ups to start talking, do you understand?" Sona's expression had lost her trademark strictness and opted instead for a different kind of facial expression, the kind that was found in a mother...and Sona was aware of it...and felt a kind of happiness that she had not felt before.
"Hai, okaa-san, I understand," Rio nodded along as she would eventually let go as she was ordered, dashing towards Shinichiro. "Shinichiro-ojii-san, let's go!" She reaches her hand to Shinichiro, who looked surprised at her for the past few moments.
"Oh...uh...right, come on, Rio," Shinichiro would take Rio by the hand as they would walk away from the living room in order for Shinichiro to show Rio around the place.
And now, Rinne would follow her daughter's lead as she would suddenly take Sona's hands by surprise and hold it tightly to her hands.
"Thank you..." Rinne muttered a surprising tone of gratitude towards Sona, which made both her and Shidou surprised. "...Thank you...for being there for Shidou...when I and our daughter couldn't...or any of the Spirits couldn't be..."
"Rinne..." Shidou muttered in surprise as if he did not expect this type of scenario to happen.
Sona was surprised as well, not knowing what to say. She looks into Rinne's eyes and found nothing except a deep-hearted gratitude. Some part of Sona thought that she should have at least anticipated this scenario considering her intellect...of course, there is a difference between theory and practice. Rinne was thanking her, the woman who was now officially wedded to Shidou, to Rinne's technically speaking husband...? She did not know what to think.
"Don't be confused," Rinne muttered softly to her while slowly but surely, Sona would notice the tears in the latter's eyes. "I...I cannot fault you for...for marrying Shidou...I was not even here to begin with, so this could not really be counted as cheating, right, Shidou?"
"...!" Shidou lightly gulped a bit, as if the question struck close to home.
"Sona...I do not blame you for anything...so rest assured..." Rinne reassured as tears flow down her face, but she was still smiling. "...Shidou...is truly a wonderful man to be around with, so I cannot fault you for anything. He is an honest man, the kind of person who would want to save everyone, even the ones who people may think do not deserve salvation. That is my Itsuka Shidou, the boy...the man I love...and I still do. And I do not blame him for marrying you, Sona. Actually, I'm...somewhat glad."
"Pardon?" Sona asked for clarification, showing a troubled expression.
"I mean...that there was someone looking out for Shidou..." Rinne showed a serious expression while never losing her smile and tears. "After everything, Shidou told me back in Azazel-sensei's lab, I understood that Shidou needed a steady anchor in his life, someone who could pull him back from the brink of total despair when everything turns into a darker form of night. And...you would be it. You are Shidou's light, and for that, I cannot turn it off as it is living proof that there is still...hope..."
Rinne would slowly wipe the tears from her eyes, making Shidou and Sona worry for her. "...But even then...can I be honest with both of you...? Shidou...when you told me the truth...part of my heart broke..."
"...!" Shidou's expression turns into a grimace.
"But," Rinne clarified with a gentle, trembling smile. "Please don't...don't torture yourself for something that you clearly did nothing wrong over. You have nothing to feel sorry for. I'm just glad...glad that I can see you again...but..." Rinne's eyes were crying again. "...but it hurts because you hurt...because I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most..."
"Rinne, that isn't your fault!" Shidou would exclaim, drawing near to Rinne as he touched both of her shoulders, with Rinne letting go of Sona's hands. "None of us...None of us couldn't be at fault, even if I were to blame myself...which I did...the damn Time War took everything away from all of us...no one could have honestly seen it coming...I couldn't have seen it coming...It was my burden...I...Part of me felt that...that..."
"Don't finish that sentence, Itsuka Shidou," Sona spoke with a strict, but sad tone, as her face turned to worry, making Shidou a bit surprised. He sees her standing up from her chair and putting her left hand on his shoulder and embracing it firmly. "You couldn't have kept carrying all of this sadness by yourself. You just lost your entire world, your entire family, no one would honestly blame you for this considering these circumstances."
"But still..." Shidou muttered softly, with guilty eyes.
"She's right, Shidou," Rinne would slowly touch his right face with her hand. "...I'm honestly glad that you did not shoulder this alone. Who knows what would have happened if you keep pressing on like this, and by the time we would find you again, I have...I have a terrible feeling that you would have changed too much..."
"...Maybe I did," Shidou muttered softly, expressing painful mental scars just by the tone of his pale voice. What was he remembering right now, Rinne wondered.
"...Shidou, you don't need to feel guilty, you started to open up again, and you started loving again, that's a very good thing," Rinne reassured.
"...But..." Shidou muttered softly.
"You did not betray me, Itsuka Shidou," Rinne muttered with a firm tone while being gentle at the same time. "You did not. I know you, and I know that you can never truly handle being alone all by yourself without someone to care for you. Yes, there is your newfound family in this world who care a lot for you; yes, you may have made friends along the way, but...that wasn't truly enough for the pain to go away, was it?"
"...!"
Rinne's question jabbed into his heart, making Shidou very quiet as he contemplated about everything that was said. In truth, yes, it was not enough.
"You...You once explained to me back in Azazel-sensei's lab that every time you look at the Kotori-chan of this world, of your parents of this world, of Tonomachi of this world, of the familiar faces that belonged to the Spirits in this world, It. Would. Hurt, and that is because they remind you too much of your past, when you started remembering it, when you know that the lives of all of the people in our world are too different here. You couldn't find any consolation anywhere. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised that there may have been a time where you may have thought to have run away from all of this, maybe..." Rinne couldn't bear to mutter the last part, but it needed to be said. "...Did you...?"
"...Yes," Shidou muttered softly with a grimaced expression, making Rinne's heart feel like crashing down. "Yes, I've contemplated trying to take my own life. The temptation was there at least...there was a part of me that thought of making it subtle enough that it may not even technically count since I'm just playing Kamen Rider...but...but I couldn't go through with it...I...I tried to hide this from everyone...but..." He looks at Sona with a smile, that traced with a bitter feeling but was nonetheless filled with gratitude. "...But some people are just too smart to see right through me."
"Yes, and that was why Azazel would ask me to keep an eye on you, considering our relationship as friends before we had gotten married a year ago," Sona muttered softly, making a conflicted expression. "...You, you truly had me worried, you know..."
"...I-Hm!" Shidou would suddenly find his mouth unable to speak further.
"...!"
As Rinne looked on in shock as her eyes blinked, she would see Sona suddenly grabbing Shidou by the collar of his jacket and kissing him with a passionate lock...and then, they would slowly break off...
"...Forgive me, Rinne-san," Sona would speak with a tone that was filled with irritation and worry. "But this idiot is the type of person who would always try to be so self-sacrificing, and it admittedly worried me so much..."
"...Umum," Rinne, eventually recovering, would shake her head and smiled. "First, call me, Rinne, Sona, we're family now after all."
"...!" Sona sported a surprised expression.
"Or...well, I think it's safe to say that we're...more like sisters...not of blood but rather of a particular bond...of being married to the same man, right? The same stubborn man who always tries to never give up, no matter what...and is also the same man who would try to hide his own suffering from others and make others smile...isn't that the type of man we both fell in love with?" Rinne explained with an empathetic smile.
"...You're...You're right," Sona muttered softly, looking at Shidou with a great deal of care. "Yes...he really is such a stubborn old fool."
And then, it was Sona's turn to be surprised as she would suddenly see Rinne grab Shidou's collar and collide with her face, performing a passionate kiss for him...before letting go, making both Shidou and Rinne lightly gasp for breath, and the latter would suddenly embrace the former.
"For one though, no fair, Sona, for being the first to kiss him while I'm here," Rinne spoke jokingly as she let her head rest in Shidou's heart. "And second of all, Shidou, please don't drown yourself in these thoughts of yours, the kind where you blame yourself for this specifically complicated situation when this isn't even your fault...So please...just let this go...be happy, because I and Rio are here now...we're not going anywhere..."
"But..." Shidou would suddenly grab Rinne by the arms and gently dislodge Sona's hold from his left arm. "Have you forgotten all of those times when I kept forgetting you and our daughter? In this situation, it's not forgetting that's the problem...it's...it's losing you and Rio again...that's...that's my greatest fear..."
"Shidou," Both Rinne and Sona muttered softly out of worry.
"How would I know...? How would I know that this is permanent...? How would I know that you and Rio staying here forever is something concrete...something grounded...? I'm sorry, but I just cannot help but think that...that someday...one day...you and Rio would disappear again...Or if the other Spirits came back, they would also disappear...because...you were all...dead..."
Shidou's pained grimace made both girls worry for their man. "The last thing that I wanted to feel...is to hope again to see all of you...and now, it's happening, and I have no idea why? Is this some part of a sick twisted joke against me? Some evil plan against everything I stood for? I don't know, but...but...this...this situation is just too good to be true. You were gone, all of you, and now, one by one, you're all about to come back...but...what if you were to disappear for good this time...what if this was merely a temporary form of happiness...what if...what if the future turns bleak after all...?"
"...Then," Rinne, after listening, would smile. "Sona is here, isn't she?"
"...!" Both Shidou and Sona would widen their eyes.
"Shidou, you are right, we do not know how much time we have...but isn't that what others experience too when they lose their loved ones? We don't get to choose our time. There is a time set for everything. No matter how bleak the world is, there would always be another form of hope. I believe that Sona inspired and embodies that hope, that same hope for the future that you once had, which sparks in your heart," Rinne explained.
"..." Shidou could not make any comment, a bit surprised as tears roll down his cheeks.
"Shidou, I am well aware, painfully well aware that there may come a time when, if that day may come, I or Rio or the other Spirits may leave you again, no matter how much we do not want too...no matter how much you would not want it to be so...But...isn't that why Sona is here now? She took care of you, she gave you an open space for you to relieve your feelings, to let them flow away like the riverbed, to at least soothe the pain that you keep hiding from others. It isn't good for a man to be alone right, a man by nature needs a companion in the form of a woman, and that woman I believe would be Sona..."
"Rinne..." Sona muttered softly with a surprised and touched expression.
"...I am truly grateful that you are not alone, that you had someone that would be there for you. That alone reassures me enough...that even in the New World...there would always be someone who would inspire you with a new form of hope...that even after I and Rio and the others are possibly gone, you would not fall into the pits of despair..." Rinne muttered softly.
Shidou grimaced a bit when Rinne mentioned the term "despair". "Rinne, I can never nor want to succumb to despair...not to myself specifically...because I...I'm dangerous...I know how dangerous I am and what damage I am capable of. I...I've seen a version of Tohka that fell to despair, and that led to the destruction of her world...and in our main reality, I've seen...my own mother...commit terrible things just to bring the man she loved back...I...I knew what would happen if I succumb to that...I'd be no better than a wild animal for no reason...that I would hurt anyone that get's in my way...I...I don't want that kind of life...If I did that...If I fall...Right here...Right now...Then...I'd feel like I'd definitely betray you, our daughter, and the rest of the Spirits...and...I don't want anyone else to suffer the same pain that I feel constantly every...single...day..."
Shidou lowered his head in sadness. "...But...It hurts...Rinne...You...and Rio...and the others...gone...all gone..."
Rinne spoke softly with a smile. "We all carry our pain in our own way, right? I'm guilty of it as much as you are. But still, if for whatever happens, if that day comes...let Sona take good care of you..."
Shidou smiled a bit, looking at Sona who would already hug his left arm again. "I don't think I could say no to this woman even if I tried. She's way too stubborn and her anger makes Kotori's look like a summer breeze in Tenguu Park."
"Oh? Hmmm, is that so?" Rinne, wiping the tears from her eyes, would giggle a bit.
"Yeah," Shidou nodded, wiping his tears and smiled a bit. "If I'm stubborn, she's even more stubborn. OW-OW-OW-OW!"
"And this stubborn woman can hear you all the way from here just fine, a-na-ta," Sona made an amused expression that covered her slight annoyance, pinching her husband's left cheek with her two fingers.
"A-right, ah-right, yo win," Shidou muttered a bit before being let go by Sona who suddenly gave him a peck on the cheek, making the former blush a bit and for Rinne to look at this scene with slight amusement and slight comedic jealousy. 'All better now?" Sona asked sweetly.
"...Hai," Shidou nodded as he wiped his tear.
"...Well," Rinne would eventually clap both hands together, and make a cheerful smile. "With all this unnecessary grieving aside, considering what time it now is, we should at least fill up a couple of empty stomachs, but I wouldn't know where to find the kitchen."
"Oh, well then, I'll be the one to personally escort you to the kitchen which is just nearby the left corner," Sona looked eager as a smile graced her face, touching the bridge of her glasses. "I have heard stories from anata that you have quite the reputation in the kitchen. I would like to see it for myself if it is not a bother."
"Oh, thank you for the offer and I'm delighted to have a bit of company," Rinne gratefully accepted.
"Then-" As Shidou would try to speak, he would suddenly get cut off...
"You stay on the sofa and rest, Shidou."
"You stay on the sofa and rest, anata."
Both Rinne and Sona gave Shidou a smile and a tone of voice that told him that left no argument and that they won't accept no for an answer, making Shidou shiver a bit and wince. A thought occurred to rebel for his rather unfair treatment of being banned from the kitchen since it was practically like a second mini-home for him, being a connoisseur of various tastes, and of course, also getting handsomely paid for it along with his job as a helicopter pilot, but he would relent due to the expressions of these two stubborn and beautiful women. It felt like his heart dropped a bit.
"...Hai," Shidou lowered his arms down, exasperated and giving a heavy sigh.
"Good boy," They both said while they both kiss him on the cheek.
"Well, after you, Sona," Rinne said with a smile.
"But of course, Rinne," Sona said with a smile.
And then, Shidou would watch as the two women head to the left corner, leaving him alone as he would begin to pick up a book about cooking vegetables from the bookshelf in order to take his mind off of the kitchen. Now he sits down and sighs, and begins to turn a page and read.
But even when he is reading, worried thoughts entered his mind. This felt...a lot easier than he thought. Rinne was a lot more understanding of the situation than he could ever hope for. But..even then...he's gonna have to wrestle with the question...that dreadful question of "Why her...and not me...?" But...that isn't fair, Shidou thought. He...He didn't even know that Rinne would come back, in fact, by all rights, her being here is a practical impossibility. All original universes, including his original universe, had been destroyed. There is nothing left to bring back too. And yet, she came back.
He sighed...
He never did like playing two timing, it was just not in his character for him to do that. The harem shtick was really just not for him and he was not as enthusiastic about having two women for himself as a certain boy from Kuoh would probably pay no mind. Oh, sure, he thought, some could remind him of those escapades that he had in the past where he tried to capture the Spirits, open their hearts through many varieties that make up the concept of dating while dealing with a madman who had practically had the entire world under his very thumb.
Whatever the case, Shidou Itsuka has his own personal moral code, believe it or not. Yes, he tried to open the hearts of the Spirits, but it was all in order to save them and the entire world, and prevent any of them from dying, that was it, and all the while, he started to care for every single Spirit that he saved and considered them all his entire family. Well, the fat load it did for all of his efforts when the War burned his entire planet to nothing and his entire amount of sacrifices felt all in vain.
"EXTERMINATE!"
He can just the shrilling echo that came from a dreaded machine whose armor hides a creature of nothing except pure hatred. He can smell the greyish smoke on the horizon and the ash that was raining down on him. He can remember all of the dead bodies, and the various faces that were left behind.
He pinches his eyes a bit, trying to think of something else, making the raw mental pain go completely away. But it would never go away. It would stay with him for the rest of his life, a scar that could never fully heal. All that he had done and all that he could do is live with this pain, and use it as a driving force to protect the innocent, to save lives, to become, if need be, a hero for everyone else. Sona was rather right if she called him a self-sacrificing moron with a twisted sense of altruism. Maybe she was right, but...it was definitely in his nature to help other people in need...maybe...maybe the Spirits were like a foreshadowing of sorts to his eventual future destiny...
He sighs again, not wanting to remember the War and just focus on what he's reading. Now he wonders what his two wives are doing now. Are they discussing things in private, something out of his ears? Well, too bad as privacy isn't really possible when he was superhearing senses, and he can basically hear them talking and preparing the ingredients for what is most needed.
No, he thought, try to block it out. He does not want to hear the gossip of his wives, that would be rather ungentlemanly of him. But his superhearing senses don't really have a turn-off button, do they?
He sighs as he continues to read.
It was...quite peaceful and amicable for both Rinne Sonogami and Sona Sitri who were talking rather lively about everything they knew about Shidou. One would have thought that things would turn even more awkward and silent as the technical first wife (Rinne) and the official second wife (Sona) are in the exact same place. Make no mistake, the feelings of awkwardness are there, but they've been toned back down a bit, and instead, Rinne, resolving within her heart to know more about this New World, would want to learn everything about Shidou and what had happened to him long after she had...passed away.
"It's rather amazing," Rinne commented with a satisfactory smile as she would carefully ascertain the taste of the hot vegetable soup with a silver utensil spoon. She turned towards Sona, who had her white-colored cooking attire and handkerchief cooking hat on just like Rinne was. In fact, aside from cooking meals, they were actually sort of cosplaying, which Sona suggested as a way to heighten the realism and the professional experience. "If I didn't know any better, I was actually tasting Shidou's cooking."
"Well, Shidou taught me everything that I knew about cooking. That's not to say I am not knowledgeable about cooking, it's just that...well..." Sona made a regrettable expression.
"It didn't...work out a lot I'd bet...?" Rinne made an empathetic smile.
"But of course," Sona made a sigh of exasperation while flipping the pancakes with a unique skill that she never thought she could have managed to perform several years ago, and yet was doing it right now. "Back then, I was really truly terrible at cooking. I can remember the few times Shidou fell to the ground so suddenly after tasting my cooking...He was completely honest about it and of course, being the man who would not want food to be wasted, made it his singular duty to teach me how to cook properly from now on out of personal concerns and professional critiques. I swear," Sona shakes her head. "I thought: My husband is a cooking otaku even now, and this never rings more true than when he's always in the kitchen, even classifying it as his second mini-home."
"Oh really, hehehe," Rinne smiled as she giggled. "I guess Shidou's more eccentric tendencies at least had not changed."
"Well..." Sona muttered softly with a smile. "He does tend to make me laugh from time to time which made me a bit better, which I sorely needed after all of the student council work and devilish paperwork that were put into my desk."
"Just...make you laugh? Not much else to calm your nerves?" Rinne made a subtle question relating to a rather particular topic that she did not want Rio to hear at all, or maybe not ever if that is even possible in order to preserve her unique innocence.
"Ohh, that, Hmmm," Sona giggled a bit as she would place the well-made pancakes on the white plate nearby. "...Yes, well, we are married after all."
"No fair though, Sona," Rinne made a pout, making her rather cute, which would be something Shidou would probably remark if he was present in the kitchen. "...How many times?"
"Oh?" Sona made a suggestive smirk, touching the bridges of her glasses whose lenses reflect a bit of glinting confidence. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because..." Rinne was still in her pouting phase while continuing to finish making the soup by adding more vegetable flavors.
"Well, I can tell you this...he's quite the gentleman even when we rest for the night," Sona made a face that felt like she was daydreaming herself back into that event.
"Mou! Stop teasing me already!" Rinne would make an annoyed pout, with both hands clenched into a fist.
"Hmmm."
"Hmmm."
Insert Song: End
ED Insert Song:
MGS3 Don't Be Afraid - Elisa Fiorillo [With Lyrics] MGS3: Snake Eater OST
Start:
Both Rinne and Sona were simply giggling at each other. Yes, they both thought. This felt a bit better than what had happened recently. Maybe it was because they were getting to know each other better, and it was because of the fact that they can share a bond via cooking. With many different types of foods on the preparation table ready such as Gyoza, Kamaboko, Karaage, and a few others; both Rinne and Sona would smile in satisfaction, with Sona licking something from her index finger, and tasting the soup nearby.
"Well, close enough," Sona muttered softly, before eventually sporting a slightly annoyed expression.
"It tastes really good too," Rinne would chew on one Kamaboko with closed eyes and a smile of pleasure, putting her right hand to her face. And then, her smile turn a bit sad. "Ne, Sona..."
"Hmm?" Sona looks at Rinne with undivided attention.
"How...How exactly did you meet Shidou?" Rinne would ask with an inquiring tone.
"Oh, well, I first met Shidou at least three years prior, back when he was still Kamen Rider Black, and yes, it was that very early on too," Sona smiled a bit as she would begin to talk about how she and the man she loved more than anything met. "When I first met Shidou, it was during an official party that was hosted personally by Azazel-sensei in order to bolster the relations between the Three Factions, one of which included us and also of the Angels of Heaven and the Fallen Angels of the Underworld. Shidou would attend the party under Azazel-sensei's request and well..."
Sona would smile sadly a bit while Rinne became engrossed on hearing the story. "When I laid my eyes on him, I can...somewhat tell how different he carried himself. He didn't like to stand out and so opted to head to the table in order to drink something. It was funny that Shidou was about to request a beverage when at the last minute, he opted for milk instead."
"Milk?" Rinne raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, because Kotori-chan, my Kotori-chan, said and I quote: "No big brother of mine is going to end up like a lazy drunkard bum with no job or future to think of." or so she says..." Sona said, her smile turning sad. "It may have been somewhat of a joke, but based on the context of what Kotori-chan was trying to tell me that one time, knowing that I would immediately understand...Shidou was...Shidou back then was a lot more closed off, not to say that he was anti-social, far from it, it's just that he preferred solitude over anything when nothing was in need of him, burying himself in either his studies in middle school or in his work as a Kamen Rider. When I first met him that one night, he was simply staring at all of the people, specifically those who were husbands and wives, dancing to the beat of the music that was being played. And then, his eyes would look at the children that were there along with their parents...and...when I looked into his eyes, I can just...see it, the kind of pain that I would have thought would have been seen from those who have lost everything and yet...kept smiling even when the happiness just hurts."
Rinne's expression became worried if only because she was thinking back to everything that Shidou spoke with her in Azazel's Laboratory, and correlate with this specific conversation.
"I took a chance to see him actually," Sona said. "I was rather curious about this person who seem to be the only one who did not feel like he wanted to be here...and so I made the first step and draw near to him. When I called for his attention, he suddenly became surprised that I was there...and well, I can tell from the look on his face that he never expected something like me."
Flashback
Shidou Itsuka, a young thirteen-year-old with the mental age of a hundred, wearing his best that felt like going to a prom (to borrow a Western expression), wearing a black business suit with a red tie as he, with a glass of milk in hand, was simply looking at the all of the people that were dancing to the tune of the classic music. But he was specifically looking at those that he knew were married that were dancing to the tune. He can see Sirzechs and Grayfia dancing to the tune. And he can see Azazel and Natsuki Minamiya dancing to the tune. Those are the two main examples that he can think of. And then, he would look at the children that pass by, heading towards their parents and feel their gentle caresses and attention.
All in all, he did not feel a bit comfortable being here, but not because the party was bad, far from it, it was quite interesting that a lot of people associated with the Three Factions, those among the higher-ups especially, attended this gathering. Also, there would be others from different pantheons and other mythologies and urban legends joining in. It was like Azazel literally invited everybody to attend this party, to which he probably did.
Truth be told, he was reluctant in attending this party if only because he'd probably get reminded a bit..no, not a bit, way too much about his own past. In most cases, he preferred solitude after doing his part as a Kamen Rider or even in his daily life as a student at Raizen Middle School. He didn't really feel like getting too close to anyone, especially to those people who he knew back in his previous world. But Azazel, along with Millicas Gremory who also asked his father Sirzechs and his mother Grayfia that he would attend the party, had asked for him to come. Well, he just couldn't say no to Millicas and he couldn't say no to Azazel either.
Just when he thought that he'd finally get some beverage as is appropriate for his age, he would of course recall Kotori's nagging about how he, the stupid big brother, would never drink alcoholic beverages for the rest of his life if it is the last thing she does. He'd rather not deal with the comedic cliché of such a notion, so he opted to drink milk instead. Seriously, the only person who seems to drink milk would be just him...well, maybe that's not true because he can see some people drinking milk as well, but to him, this is getting a bit ridiculous.
Cursed the fact that he basically got reborn in a younger body!
Or...maybe he was cursed...
Cursed to forever wander as the last survivor of his universe. Cursed to never get to enjoy another party because...how can he when doesn't have his actual family here, the family that he made back in his world.
He hated this type of feeling. It would have been better if he went out on patrol as a Kamen Rider right now, whether if it was in Tenguu City or somewhere else around the world, just give him something to be busy with and get buried into working with. Gorgom and plenty of enemies are still out there, and some don't give a damn about festivities. But then, Kotori would say...
"Listen here, baka-onii-chan, you are basically being made the official representative of Ratatoskr for this party that Azazel-sensei is hosting which provides plenty of opportunity for Ratatoskr to gather available information from everyone around the room, and considering the reputation that you've practically built up for a few months as Kamen Rider Black that has me do a ton of paperwork, people from various pantheons are gonna want to see this Kamen Rider that they've been hearing about. You know, they're calling you The Savior of Three Worlds in the news headlines now, don't you recall?"
...Right, he's not only here to entertain the ones who've probably heard him and want his autograph but also essentially doing actual spy work right now, by simply observing the entire ballroom and examining every single detail. Let's see...well, at least he recognizes more than a few faces. There's Issei Hyoudou and Vali Lucifer talking to each other, and he can hear them arguing a bit per usual. Typical, considering they are the two Dragon Emperors. And then, he can see Sousuke Sagara doing guard duty somewhere from the door.
Sousuke was a young man from Mithril, an anti-terrorist private military company founded secretly by Azazel and by World War II war hero and veteran named William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz a.k.a. Iron Patriot and a few others, an organization that is even more of a secret than Ratatoskr, one without any government control and bureaucracy so that they can do what they please for the sake of global security, doing a bit of guard duty. Oh, right, Shidou can get along with Sousuke just fine...considering the latter had the worst hell of a childhood...
Let's see, who else...
He needs a good distraction so he's basically playing the mental game of finding all of the people he would recognize on sight. Yes, he needed this one. He didn't need another daymare to add to this problem. He glances around while sipping his milk until...
"Excuse me?"
"...!"
A couple of things would swirl around his mind as he would now notice something from the presence that had just spoken.
The voice, to him, was female, one that felt soothing and intelligent, one with a calculative touch that had a kind of...charm he supposed. The sensation of a greeting brought a soothing chill down his spine. It has to be a Devil, he thought. If there was one thing that made this kind of sensation, it would have to be them. The women among them in general...well, they are quite beautiful and well-mannered while there is a touch of seduction and grace in the way they managed to perform all of their actions, and the irony isn't lost on Shidou. Well, Devils are first and foremost the most skilled and shrewd men and women of every kind of business. And well, as Kamen Rider Black, he can practically sense a lot of power from this voice. If he could guess, and his power scaling senses at least never lie, it would be somewhere in the High-Class and the Ultimate-Class. She must be of noble birth then. And of course, there was the grape perfume that he can smell which made it rather soothing.
He would look to his right, with his cup still near his mouth, when...
"..."
His eyes widened as it behold a young woman with a very attractive face, and the dark violet spectacles that she wore only add to her charm and told him a lot about her personality. Her hair was of the style of a short bob haircut that reminded one of a dame with a face-flattering and fashionable look. Her clothing was modest and eye-catching, wearing a dark violet and blue dress that reaches to her legs which touch upon the aspects of the virtues of femininity such as wisdom and fairness, and showing a professionalism that befits her rank of nobility. He wondered how much practice that took There was also a dark violet purse that she wore around her, which made his first thought decipher that she's the type of person that seems to be extra-prepared. And of course, there was her pure white skin that seem like a spotless lamb.
"...Uh...Y-Yes," Shidou would try to speak as he lowered his cup, but ended up stuttering a bit as he grew rather...intrigue is what he'd call it because...admittedly, she looked very beautiful and attractive. Idiot, he thought to himself at the same time, she's a Devil, of course, she's beautiful. But...there was something a little...he couldn't find the right word except it relates to her unnaturally violet eyes that seem to look...or rather probe into his soul. It was like she seem to be trying to get a read of him.
Is this some kind of challenge, he wondered?
"Forgive me for prying, but...well, I just noticed that you seem to be the only one that I notice that isn't talking much if at all with anyone else here," the woman smiled, showing a touch of genuine concern.
"Oh, uh...well," Shidou looked a bit embarrassed. "Forgive me, my lady, but I don't really have much to talk too about."
"Not a gossip? Not a word? Nothing that would come to your mind for you to discuss with the other people in this room? Something must have piqued your interest in this party if only because I noticed you looking at some specific people," Sona would say as she would lean on the nearby table with both hands placed there and flashing a picture-perfect smile that was calculated and tailored to this specific situation.
"Ah, well, I was merely admiring the view of the families that were gathered here, plenty of great ones," Shidou simply explained, to which considering what one of his actual missions was on this night, was true.
"Yet it's the little ones that seem to be the catching point of your eye," Sona subtly noted with a confident and suggestive poker-face smile.
"..." Shidou smirked a bit. Oh, she's good, he thought. "Well, they make up the unit of the family, do they not? And they provide a bit of the fresh air of innocence and purity into the party, a kind of poetic hope if you will."
"Like a pair of feathers," Sona smiled a bit. Oh, he's good, she thought.
"Yes, quite like the poem called Hope written by Emily Dickinson where it spoke of a strong-willed bird that lives within the human soul—and sings its song no matter what. Essentially, the poem seeks to remind readers of the power of hope and how little it requires of people. The speaker makes it clear that hope has been helpful in times of difficulty and has never asked for anything in return," Shidou explained with a melancholic smile as he would raise his glass of milk. "I quite like the structure that was put into it, and I'd memorize it by heart."
"Oh yes, I'd love that poem as well, having read it and memorized it by heart too," Sona smiled a bit and then would start to introduce herself to the young man who she could decipher to be in middle school. She raised her right hand and spoke with a confident smile. "My name is Sona, Sona Sitri."
"Itsuka Shidou," Shidou smiled back as he would take Sona's hand and shake it with a kind of firm grip that was properly of good accord and of the gentlemanly action, taking Sona's notice.
"...It's quite a pleasure," Sona smiled.
Present Time
"...And well, when the singer started to turn for another particular song, he'd ask my hand for a dance in that suave charming voice that he had," Sona spoke with a reminiscent smile. Rinne in the meantime was heavily glued to the story.
"...Well, I naturally obliged as I took this as the perfect opportunity to take a closer look into this mysterious boy that seems to be quite captivating in spite of looking so young...and whose eyes look so old that you'd think there was something else hidden behind him," Sona continued further, her smile turning a bit sad. "And the more I tried...the more I realized...the more I understood that I was essentially looking into a very broken soul who tries his best to carry on...even after everything..."
Flashback
Shidou would notice the female singer, a blonde woman with a beautiful face and with nun clothing on stage which is accompanied by a professional pianist, would sing a particularly familiar song, there was something that urged him to do something for this particular moment. And he would first consume the last liquid of milk that was in his drink, and place it quietly on the table.
"...Say, does my dame desire a dance to be given in memory of this song?" Shidou, smiling a bit, raised his right hand towards Sona who looked at it with an intrigued expression.
"...If my dear connoisseur were to say so," Sona, smiling a bit all while looking a bit amused on a young man that she would peg for a first-year middle school student with an acceptable level of height was here asking a first-year high school girl like her, as she would raise her left hand and would walk together beside him.
And then, they would walk a few meters to the center stage along with many of the guests that would be there to dance to the rhythm. And then, with both eyes on each other, they would each get into their respective positions, placing one of their hands together and the other around the waist and arm, as the song was now in its first beats.
how can you say goodbye my love?
when we haven't even said "hello"
I see your face
I feel your sadness
I feel your pain suddenly
They took the first few steps as they would sway to the music. As they hold their hands firmly, Shidou would get loss into those dazzling violet probing eyes that was like a mystery. And many memories flash by Shidou as his heart remembers a young woman that his heart soared out too even now...and the daughter that they shared...
why are you so afraid?
how can you go on living in the past?
I see your eyes
I feel your pain
I feel your sadness suddenly
From one side...
"Oh?" Rias Gremory, somewhere from the chair along with a couple of her peers, would notice something. No, someone. "Sona?" Rias would be intrigued and surprised a bit due to the fact that this was quite a rarity, to see her childhood friend whom she both respected deeply as a friend and as a rival would dance to a boy that she would recognize to be the savior of her nephew.
open your heart and smile for me
you're not the only one afraid to fall in love
dance with me again and walk is the way
don't be afraid to love again
From one side...
"Huh? Sona-chan? And...that boy..." Serafall Leviathan, a beautiful young woman with black hair tied into twin tails and with blue, intrigued eyes, recognized the boy that was dancing with her dearly beloved sister Sona-chan. Normally, in these circumstances, she may have caused a bit of a fuzz, but...
"Itsuka Shidou's life...is not really a happy one, if one were to look beyond the surface that is and when one intends to dig deeper...there's a lot of battle scars that need a lot of care," Azazel's voice would echo within her as she recalled a little private meeting that she had with Azazel along with Sirzechs and two of the Four Satans.
And so, knowing this particular tidbit regarding the Savior of the Three Worlds, she let him be as her expression showed a deeper interest in the boy who she noticed was holding Sona with a proper reserve and the sign of a gentleman. Quite an interesting man that you are, Itsuka Shidou, she thought.
why can we start alone
how long can we go on feeling this lost of love
why are you so afraid to feel the pain of love
why are you so afraid to feel the joy of love
I see your face
I see your sadness
I feel the pain suddenly
And for Sona, still looking into those amber brown eyes of this mysterious boy that felt so...mature and courteous. He must have had a lot of practice in dancing, she thought. But where? She thought. She can tell from the movement of their feet that he had practice, but for what kind of purpose, she wondered. And his face only paid attention to hers while she likewise did the same.
And for Shidou, still looking into these entrancing violet eyes, made him a bit conscious of every step he took as he felt the warm feeling of her hand and the swaying movement of her body that felt like something out of a dream, a good kind of dream for once. It soothed his mind a bit, feeling a bit refreshed for what may have been like the first time of his life in...years. It had been that long for him, hasn't it?
why are you so afraid to start?
don't be afraid of killing me with pain of love
don't don't be afraid to fall in love again
don't be afraid to fall
I'm falling I'm falling love again falling love again
From one side...
There was Sousuke Sagara, a young man with somewhat tan skin and brown hair and eyes, wearing a formal attire of black and white with a bow tie, who noticed the two who were dancing, looking at it with silent interest.
And on another side...
"Hm? Madam President?" Tsubaki Shinra, a young bespectacled woman with long straight black hair that extends all the way down to her knees, with split bangs and heterochromatic eyes, with a violet left eye and a light brown right eye, wearing a dark blue dress, would notice the Student Council President with a boy that she does not know.
how can you say goodbye ?
when we haven't even had a chance to say
I love you
yes I do...
don't
don't be afraid
don't be afraid to love again
From one side...
There was a man that was hidden in the background that was leaning against the wall, looking at Shidou with solemn silence, with both hands tucked into his pocket. He was a handsome man with a tall, slim frame, finely boned hands and face, thick brown hair, pale skin scattered with freckles, and large, dark brown eyes that looked so old and full of empathy, wearing a light brown Duster-type overcoat. For his name cannot be anything else...except the Doctor.
"...Oh, Shidou," he muttered softly.
And as she tried to probe deeper with her violet eyes, Sona Sitri could only see nothing except sadness and an interior conflict. She noticed a not-so-obvious twitch that was present in his face. Her eyes felt more drawn into those amber-brown eyes...and could only see one thing.
Loneliness.
End:
Incarnation(s)/Regeneration(s) of the Doctor:
The Tenth Doctor - A: David Tennant
New Characters:
Sousuke Sagara (New World) - VA: Tomokazu Seki
Serafall Leviathan (New World) - VA: Ai Shimizu
Tsubaki Shinra (New World) - VA: Akiko Shimura
