The lights were blaring in the auditorium.

A certain first gossiper, known as Ai, spoke. "Here are the results of the nomination battle for our self-preservation! Said to work super hard even in a sweatshop, our committee member for this year's Tenou Festival is..."

A spotlight came in on our beloved protagonist.

"Shido Itsuka!"

"...eh?" Shido couldn't believe it. Why him of all people?

Tonomachi scoffed. "So Shido's the victim this year..."

Tohka turned, confused. "What's the Tenou Festival?"

"It's the joint cultural festival held by the ten high schools in Tengu City."

Shido groaned. "Those guys worked me to the bone from day one..."

Accompanying Shido was Yoshino and Mario.

Shido looked at Mario. "How'd you get to the island and back anyway?"

"We took a boat." Mario said, with his hands on his head like a pillow, while walking alongside Shido. "Got-a built by and repaired by Fraxinus." Mario shrugged. "Worked out in the end, anyway, so I'm-a not complaining."

"...sorry for making you come with us..." Shido looked at Yoshino.

"It's fine..." Yoshino spoke. "Tohka was so hungry, she collapsed anyway..."

"Ehehehe..." Shido chuckled at that.

Then... a spacial quake alarm.

"HUH?!" Shido and Mario heard the sound and on reflex looked up.

Buildings and car parks instantly went underground to avoid being blown to smithereens.

"It's the spacial quake alarm! Kotori!" Shido shouted.

"I know." Kotori responded via earpiece. "Withdraw to the Fraxinus immediately. We'll take you and Mario's circus to the scene."

"I'm not a-"

Shido slowly creaked open the door while Mario dived in and hid behind some auditorium chairs, readying his Bwahnzai Bill in case the AST shows up.

A female voice was singing within the empty stage.

"...remember..."

"Make me sing you a song, and let's sing along..."

"Like naming the millions of stars spread out one by one..."

A female in a yellow dress and indigo hair was dancing to herself and singing with the most beautiful voice.

"Could she be...?" Kotori couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Mario couldn't help but be reminded of Phantom from his Rabbids adventure.

"...Diva?!" Kotori finished her sentence. "A Spirit who's only appeared ONCE, six months ago. So basically we have no information on her, her stats, her abilities, or anything."

"So we're stranded without-a information!?" Mario quietly shouted.

"Keep your voice down. She thinks she's the only one here." Kotori commanded. "I'd advice extreme caution when approaching."

Mario turned his head to Shido and they both nodded. Shido took a single step...

and knocked over a soda can.

Diva stopped singing.

Mario gave Shido an absolute glare of death. Shido nervously turned to Mario and faked his best smile.

Kotori shouted within the communicator. "ARE YOU AN ACTUAL IDIOT?!"

"Sorry!" Shido quietly shouted. "It's kinda hard to see in the dark...!"

"BUT MARIO COULD DIVEBOMB HIMSELF BEHIND SOME CHAIRS WITHOUT BEING HEARD!"

"How's that scientifically possible?" Shido questioned.

"IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT HE'S BETTER THAN YOU!"

Diva finally spoke. "Oh? Do I have an audience?" She leaned around, taking a look around. Since the show stage was so high up, she had to lean to check if there was anyone. "Where are you? If you please, don't you want to talk a little?"

Shido was sweating. "Kotori..!"

"I get it. The options for your dialogue has come up."

Mario sighed. "Might as well reveal yourself."

Shido caved in and slowly walked up the stage.

Diva turned around. "Aw, you climbed up to see me? Good evening, I'm..." She slowly screeched her wording to a halt when Shido revealed himself.

"H-hey..." Shido introduced himself.

"Huh..." Diva couldn't belive it.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but your singing is beautiful..."

Kannazuki heard something in his earpiece. "Not to alarm you, Shido, but her mental stats are all going down.. FAST."

Kotori huffed. "Wrong choice, huh? Go with the other option!"

Shido turned back to Diva. "You're really pretty, I was surprised!"

Kannazuki heard some noises once more. "They're dropping even more! She's in the range of being disgusted by Shido!"

Kotori fumbled. "Last resort! Third option! Go all out!"

"The view from below was the best!" Shido blurted out.

Alarms came into Kannazuki's earpiece. "She thinks he's worse than chocolate chip raisens!"

"Maybe it's because he-a finished his line!" Mario peeked up from the chairs, and Diva was charging up something.

"Shido-"

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Diva yelled out and a tremor soundwave came out her mouth. Shido was sent WAY flying back. He quickly grabbed onto the curtains on the side of the stage, thank goodness, but he was dangling and helpless.

Mario crossed his fingers. Please let Diva find it in her heart...

Diva finally spoke when approaching the helpless Shido. "Huh? What's this? Why won't you fall? Why won't you die?"

"Huh...?!" Shido looked up.

"Please disappear from this stage, this world, this time and place, ASAP!" She loomed menacingly over Shido.

"What... did you say..." Shido was still struggling to get up.

"Why are you talking?!" Diva shouted more. "Please, don't waste your saliva. Don't even breathe! Don't you know by simply existing, you're contaminating the air around you?!"

"..." Shido sweatdropped. "Okay... that's rude.."

"It seems you're disobedient. You know the reason why I won't trample on your hand to let you fall off the stage? Because I care too much about the bottom of my sole to let it touch you!"

Mario lowered his eyebrows and aimed his Blaster at Diva.

Suddenly, part of the roof collapsed. Shido braced himself from incoming debris but was thankfully not hit at all.

"AST...!"

Diva was shielded by a Spirit Barrier, of course. She turned up to face the AST and smiled. "Ah, that's wonderful! Just the kind of audience I want!"

She moved at the blink of the eye and was right behind, who else but Origami.

Diva had a smug look. "Especially the likes of you."

Mario gripped his fists and then performed a jump to get up onto the stage. Mario landed with a fist on the stage. He quickly ran up and helped Shido up with his free hand.

"Thanks, Mario, but..."

"Right." Mario looked up at the ongoing conflict. They were getting mixed up between the battle with the AST and Diva.

Diva was right in Origami's ear. "Hey, you want to hear me sing?"

Origami responded with a laser sword backwards, but was rejected by Miku's teleporting.

"Oh, but you could have just said no instead!"

Meanwhile, a brown-hair member of DEM (named Jessica, this will be handy later) watched the fight.

"As expected, their team's useless. I'll have to deal with it then!"

Jessica flew in to stop Diva, but looked down to see Mario down there.

"That man, that's-!"

"Kotori!" Mario communicated. "Bring him back!"

"Right!"

Shido was warped out of the battlefield.

Mario took one last look at the fray, while Diva was charging up a powerful sound attack via her shield.

She released it. "HAAAAH!" Causing a gust of sound and wind...

and she abruptly vanished, like all Spirits could, she had the ability to get Lost.

Ryouko and Mario gritted their teeth in anger.

And Jessica just stared down at Mario.

Ah, yes, the building where Shido was forced to attend to practice for the ceremony. He yawned and lamented. "Why do I have to be here on a Saturday.. I hate Mondays more, too."

Yeah, in short, the three gossipers persuaded him to do this. Typical them. They also said they'd prepare escorts but...

When he looked at the purple-hair girl and the white-hair girl, he would much rather ask for a trade.

Tohka started complaining. "Hey, you're getting too close to Shido!"

Origami retorted. "You should also keep your distance."

He exhaled.

Another woman walked in, probably their teacher. When Shido looked up, both he and Origami gasped...

Long indigo hair and a sailor uniform this time, Diva returned. Everyone was fawning for her as she made her introduction.

"Good afternoon. Thank you for coming, everyone."

Shido was looking at a camera in Fraxinus. It showed Diva, bright as day, performing on a show stage.

"This can't be true..."

"We gathered hidden footage from a secret concert she performed-" Kotori began "And gathered her name is Miku Izayoi. Honestly I didn't think she was a Spirit."

"So she's Miku..."

Mario sighed. "A nice-a name but a pain in the neck in personality..."

Luigi, who was on the Fraxinus, looked at Mario. "That's who attacked you all last night?"

Mario folded his arms. "Yeah, she ain't-a pretty."

Shido got two and two together. "Wait, you know her?"

Kotori started typing on the computer. "I've HEARD of her. She's done songs for commercials and TV shows. She debuted six months ago and she's already had many hits. Her voice and talents are considered 'hypnotising'. Even thought she's well known..." The computer showed Miku's stats; all unknown "She's never made an appearance in public. She can perfectly blend in human society compared to Kurumi."

"Hold on." Shido leaned in. "There's also that glitch figure."

"Mario knows as much as I do," Kotori folded her arms, "And we both agreed that her code name is Phantom."

Mario looked at the TV screen, showing Phantom next to Kotori. He pictured it in his mind. Instead of Kotori on the screen...

he pictured Bowser instead.

Both suffered the exact same fate.

Kotori tried to piece together the puzzle on how to defeat Miku. "When we confronted her last night, she seemed to have an extreme distate for Shido."

Luigi thought for a moment.. "She only likes girls, does that mean she's a lesbo, by chance...?"

Shido turned to Luigi. "Woah, you're kidding right?!"

Kotori fumbled her eyebrows. "Lyle is right." During her speaking, Luigi went 'aaagh' as if to be suddenly offended, but Kotori continued speaking. "It seems Miku is a 'lesbo' that does indeed love other girls."

Shido turned red and blue at the same time. "Then I can't do anything about her, won't I?!"

"We have a plan." Kotori snapped her fingers and two Ratatoskr member picked Shido up.

"Eh?" Shido spouted out.

Kotori gave him a thumbs up. "Good luck!"

"...you'll need it, sister!"

Shido heard Mario frequently pace around the metal hallways of Fraxinus via his communicator while Shido was in Raizen High's changing room setting up.

Mario lamented. "Why why why why why-"

Kotori ignored all ramblings and instructed. "Contact Miku while they're setting up the grounds, understand?"

"Are you absolutely SURE this will work?" Shido was putting on new clothes...

Mario rambled more. "No. It won't."

Kotori ignored him. "It will if Reine is correct about all this. Don't worry! The crew has given your charm a 10/10."

Shido was still setting up a more... different approach.

"I didn't... I didn't... I apologise..." Mario was apologetic through his voice.

And Shido put on new makeup... And then HE rambled. "Why do I have to do this?"

"Voice changer." Kotori reminded.

"I know..." Shido put on a bandaid on his throat, closing up his uniform and exiting the changing room, looking at himself in the mirror.

Well... Herself, now. She had long blue hair and a more girly uniform, but this was still Shido.

"Alright, let's go!" 'she' said.

...and tried to weasel her way out of a conversation with the three gossipers.

"So, that Shido guy...? He said there was something that he absolutely HAD to do... And I was told to fill in all his positions in his place...!" 'she' lied.

Ai clenched her fist. "That bastard!"

Then Mai. "What a total jerk!"

Then Mii. "That's so lame!"

Everyone eased up as they looked at 'Shido'. "By the way, who are you...?"

'Shido' sank like a stone. Here comes a lie.

"I-I'm Shido's cousin! Shidomi- No, Shiori Itsuka!" Shiori made up on the spot.

Tohka crept up to Shiori. "Shido, what are you doing-"

Shiroi silenced Tohka and brought 'her' voice to a whisper.

"I'm on an important mission... can you pretend you don't know me?"

Tohka also whispered. "You can count on me...!"

Tohka shook hands with Shiori. "Nice to meet you, girl-that's-not-Shido-in-disguise!"

Camera flashing was then present. Luigi was watching through the Fraxinus monitors and felt his stomach churn. Did he just get deja vu to something that doesn't happen yet?

"Hm. Yes." Origami was the one taking pictures. "That's good Shiori. Bare with it all."

Origami was frequently taking pictures of Shiori while 'she' was screaming.

Shiori was then walking up to a large building where the festival would take place.

Kotori chipped into an earpiece. At the very least, she wasn't leaving Shido high and dry. "Psst, Shiori, Miku's booth is within the first building."

"Thanks..." Shiori gave a thumbs up and continued forward.

Shiori then gave chase towards Miku towards a 'no-entry' building.

And there Miku was, on a boringly-lit stage with no audience.

"Alright... as Mario would say it.. Let's-a-go." Shiori whispered quietly to 'herself'.

Shiori approached Miku nervously and Miku turned with a glare in her eyes. "Oh?"

Shiori gulped as tension filled the room.

Miku brightly lit up. "What's your name?"

"Oh, I uh-I forgot and-"

Miku glared again. "You forgot?"

Kotori repeated. "You forgot?!"

Shiori quickly went into panic mode "I freeze up when I get nervous!"

"There's no reason to be nervous." Miku giggled. "But your character type, I like it..."

Kotori was reading the charts. "No values have dropped so far. Apparently Shiori is 'quirky'. Choices, everyone."

A set of choices appeared on everyone's computer screen, and of course, Mario, on the Fraxinus, just had to see that third option.

"Oh god."

And the majority of the votes went for option three.

Mario and Shiori gulped.

Shiori went cold. "Are you sure about this...?!"

Kotori didn't change her tone. "Say it like a joke."

Shiori largely exhaled. "Hey-"

Miku answered. "Yes?"

And Shiori put on 'her' best smiling face. "Would you like to sell the panties you're wearing for 30,000 yen?"

Jumpcut to Mario, who was heavily breathing into a convenient plastic bag. Way to go, Mario's lost sanity.

Miku was shocked but smiled. "I won't sell them, but I could trade mine for yours!"

More heavy breathing came from Mario.

"Eeeh?!" Shiori was panicking.

Miku laughed. "That was a joke, silly. Anyway, shouldn't I be the one freaked by that question?"

"O-oh..." Shiori relieved 'herself'. "I was joking too.."

Miku walked up to Shiori. "Your uniform... Do you go to Raizen?"

"U-um.. yeah..." Shiori was uncomfortable when Miku was fiddling with the uniform's ribbons.

"Well, let's try this again." Miku stepped back and offered a hand to shake. "I am Miku Izayoi from Rindoji Girls' Academy."

Shiori stared. "Oh, it's nice to meet you. I'm Shiori Itsuka."

"...that's a very pretty name."

Kotori smiled. "Nice. Try asking her some questions."

Shiori began. "Uh, I thought this place was closed off. What were you doing here, Miku?"

Miku turned to face the empty audience seats. "I love the stage, you know."

"The stage?"

"Yes! I love feeling like everyone needs my song! I love that atmosphere!" She then turned to Shiori. "Except for you. Which leads me to believe you may never have heard of me."

"Uh, uh..."

Miku giggled. "It seems I put you on the spot. Don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone if you won't tell anyone. It could be our little secret." Miku put her finger on Shiori's lips as if to silence 'her'.

"Right..." Shiori was sweating all over.

"Now, it's about time we went back."

"Yeah." Shiori followed Miku but 'she' tripped on some wires that weren't seen before, like a certain klutz of a very weird harem anime.

Miku turned. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

She quickly pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around Shiori's bruised hand.

"O-oh.." Shiori looked at 'her' hand. "Thanks..."

"You're very welcome." Miku made her exit.

Shiori kept staring at the injured hand...

...which was replaced by a bandage on Shido's hand.

Kotori was finally in her white ribbons and inside Shido's house on the couch. Next to her were Tohka and Yoshino.

"Is the hamburger steak ready, big bro?"

Shido replied. "Almost! Get the table set up!" He exhaled. "Man, being a guy again sure is relaxing..."

Kotori suddenly leaned in with her black ribbons. "You say that but you actually enjoyed it, didn't you?"

Mario also leaned in cuz he was also in the house. "I bet you would-a like to be a girl forever, Shedo."

"Don't be ridi-wait what did you just call me." Shido dropped to a low tone.

"I said Shido. Are you-a alright?"

Shido shrugged. "Must still have a light head."

Luigi blinked. "To think Miku Izayoi and Shido Hersuka would actually meet IRL."

Shido snapped his head to Luigi. "I keep thinking you guys are calling me girl puns!"

Kotori turned back to the table. "We're lucky you have an excuse to see Miku again. She has tea parties with girls she likes once a week." Kotori looked at the handkerchief that Miku gave Shido. "That's what we're aiming for."

Speaking of the devil, a Miku song was playing on TV.

Tohka's eyes lit up. "I wanna try that!"

Shido turned to Tohka. "Karaoke?"

"No!" Tohka pointed. "The bahdums!" She was referring to the drums. "Badum! Badum!"

Everyone just sheepishly laughed while the hamburgers were finally ready. Mario passed up on this and went out to eat spaghetti, of course.

Woah. That was a big building that Shiori was standing in front of. A group of girls slowly approached 'her'.

"What is your business here?"

"U-um... I met Miku yesterday in Tengu Square..."

"What, are you a fan?" One girl leaned in.

"Not really-"

"That's what they all say. I'm sorry but you're gonna have to-"

"Ah, Shiori!" Miku interrupted.

"Y-yo...!" Shiori nervously replied.

Yep. Shiori got lucky. 'She' was in the middle of a tea party with 'herself' and Miku alone.

"You... didn't have to do this..." Shiori said as Miku was pouring tea. "I was just saying thanks..."

"It's fine!" Miku denied. "I just happened to have good tea. And I had to treat you since you made your way all the way out here to return my handkerchief."

Shiori still questioned. "But it was supposed to be for those girls earlier, no? Feels kinda wrong to take their place."

"Don't worry about it! They're good and obedient girls that always do what I say."

Shiori took no mind to this sentence and sipped the tea that Miku just gave 'her'. "Woah, this is amazing!"

"Ah, I'm glad!" Miku giggled.

Then they talked the day away, helping themselves to luxury treats, while Shiori's stories made Miku laugh.

Then it was sunset.

Miku was amazed. "Wow, you're amazing, Shiori. You're a type I haven't had before."

"Huh?" Shiori was confused.

"Shiori, I've taken a liking to you." Miku got up and then sat down beside Shiori. "Please transfer to Rindoji tomorrow."

"...eh?"

"Now, don't you worry about the grades or the cost. I will request it be taken care of."

"Hold on!" Shiori panicked. "I can't make a big decision so easily!"

Miku leaned in and got right into Shiori's ear.

"Please reconsider."

...Mario, who was on Fraxinus, felt his stomach churn.

"...what on-a earth...?" Mario blinked.

Shiori stayed calm. "E-even if you say it like that..."

"What?-" Miku was surprised... "Shiori...?"

"W-what...?"

"Please submit yourself to me." She did a weird voice again.

Luigi groaned, he's feeling it too. "It's some sort of paranormal voice..."

Shiori lowered 'her' eyebrows and still remained calm. "Sorry, I can't do that."

Miku let go of Shiori. "Why aren't you doing as I say? Are you, by chance, a Spirit?" Now Miku was angry.

"Huh?"

"Don't force yourself to hide it. Because there's no way any normal person could disobey me." Miku walked over to a large glass window. She then turned to Shiori. "So what ARE you? A Spirit? Or worse, a Wizard who's hunting me down?"

"That's.." Shiori struggled to find an answer.

Luigi thought to himself. "Now what?"

Kotori was also thinking. "If we cover it up, we'll have an opposite effect. It's a gamble, but try negotiating with her directly."

Shiori confirmed. "I'm not a Spirit. Nor a Wizard. I'm human."

"That's unfortunate. Lying isn't good for you."

"But I do have the power to seal Spirits."

"What do you mean?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like: I have managed to seal five Spirits so far. As long as your powers are sealed, the AST won't come after you. You can live peacefully in this world. If you will believe me, then let me help you.

Miku stayed silent.

Then she spoke.

"Okay, I believe you."

"Really?" Shiori leaned forward.

"BUT I don't need you to seal my powers."

"Wh-?"

"Because you know, I'm perfectly satisfied with the way my life is right now!"

Kotori grumbled. "That's her game? Keep convincing her, Shido."

Shiori continued. "Miku, you caused a spatial quake before, right? Doesn't that mean you don't have complete control over your powers?"

"Ara, you sure know a lot about me. Thank you for the thought, but there's no need to worry about me... because I started that spatial quake on purpose." Miku held a flower to her own lips.

"What." Shiori and Mario bit their lips simultaneously.

"I had never sung at Tengu Arena before. So when I passed by, I suddenly felt like singing. So I thought I'd just go for it!" She reached her arms into the air.

"..that was your reasoning?" Shiori was starting to get pissed.

"It can't be helped, can it? Because I wanted to sing, you know."

"If your friends were there, they could have died!" Shiori started to shout.

Miku put a finger to her own chin. "That would be troubling..."

"Yes-?"

"But the girls love me. They would be satisfied if they died for me."

Mario could hear his own teeth chatter in anger. He was this close to going there himself and just punching her square in the face.

Shiori closed 'her' eyes. "Because they love you?"

"Shido! Calm down!" Kotori commanded.

Mario raised his hand. "Let him rant."

Miku continued. "Yes! Everyone loves me! They do whatever I ask!"

Shiori lifted her head "If that's the case.. I hate you."

Miku snapped out of her delusions and looked at Shiori. "Oh?"

"You're prideful and arrogant and intolerable!" 'She' pointed at Miku. "If everyone in the world just accepts you, then I'll reject you and your actions more than they accept you!"

Silence filled the air once more.

Miku finally responded. "Hmmmm? Being told that makes me want you even more." She dropped the flower and stepped on it with her foot as she made her way to Shiori. "It's made me want to tease you until you come to me crying with your tear-streaked face-" She forced Shiori to sit down and loomed over 'her' "...saying 'I love you'."

Shiori retorted. "I will NOT become yours!"

"Then.. How about we play a game? If Raizen wins first place on the first day of the festival, I'll let you seal my powers." Miku stepped back from Shiori.

"At the festival?!"

"Yes! I will be performing there too. You should perform something too."

"Wh-?! But you have way too much of an advantage!"

"You think so? From my point of view, I'm sparing you by letting you compete with me." Miku went back to intimidating Shiori. "But if Rindoji wins, I'll have your sealed Spirits, and you, as my own."

Shiori got LUCKY 'she' did not once mention the Mario crew.

"What do you say?" Miku kept looming. "Do you want to quit?"

Shiori could not believe it.

"Are you SERIOUS?" Ryouko slammed down some papers. In the room, also, was Jessica. Told you she'd be important.

"Ha, if you can't believe it, shall I prepare some signed documents for you?"

"Even if we go out on a limb and say the plan to capture the princess is fine, why are there a list of humans to capture? And the location is Tengu Square, the location of the FESTIVAL? You want to duke it out with Spirits at a major gathering event?!"

"This is a ceremony. A greetings to our beloved adversaries."

"What are you saying?!"

"Wait! I forgot! Make sure Origami Tobiichii doesn't know about this."

"Huh-" Ryouko was confused.

Jessica slowly walked out. "That is an order from the higher ups. If you have objections, don't hold back."

"What in the world..." Ryouko was genuinely confused. She looked at the papers. Plans to capture Tohka. She recognised two names. "Itsuka Shido... Mario... Weren't they related to Origami...?"