Entry 6: Terror Tokisaki 1 – The Girl in the Darkness

The month of June rolled around, and all was relatively peaceful.

In class on this day, both Origami and Tohka sat at their desks with their faces pressed against the surface. At a glance, one might have just thought 'oh, they're tired', but much to the envy of every male student at that school, it was the worst kept secret that there was something between the two of them.

Most could only speculate. Only the trio of Ai, Mai, and Mii, as well as Tamae and Mikie, knew the truth. Or, at least, they were the only ones who knew where to look to find the hickeys.

"This has been happening every week now," Ai commented, standing between the two desks. "I get that you two are all lovey-dovey and all that, but is a bit over the top."

"It's nice that you're not doubting yourselves about this and all," Mai added, "but you've been getting a bit carried away with it, haven't you?"

"That's so lame," Mii finished.

"I am aware of that," Origami responded. "But, I just find myself overwhelmed at times. Tohka is..."

"Yes, we know," Ai cut in. "Tohka is simply the best. No other girl can quite compare to her in terms of stunning beauty."

"Honestly, I'm more surprised by just how horny on main you are about it," Mai added. "You had this whole Ice Queen thing going for you before."

"That's so lame."

Tohka turned her head to the side. "Do you mean the Ice Queen part, or the horny on main part?" she asked. "Because I take exception to one of those on Origami's behalf."

Mii thought for a moment. "Little bit of both?" she offered. "Which one are you taking exception to?"

Tohka sat upright. "Not the Ice Queen one."

The Ai-Mai-Mii trio were the only ones to have the decency to look mildly embarrassed at that.

At the other end of the classroom, the door slid open. "Okay, everyone!" Tamae called out. "To your seats please. I have an exciting announcement to make!"

As everyone moved back to their seats, there were murmurs all around about what this announcement could possibly be.

Once everyone had settled down, Tamae motioned for someone else to come in. "We've got a new student joining us today," Tamae said. "Please, give her a warm welcome."

Ah, that would explain it, then. People always got excited about transfer students, and this was their second one since Tohka two months ago.

The new student stepped in, and... Huh. Origami was hit with a wave of deja vu. That raven-black hair which covered one eye, the other eye a blood-like crimson colour, and skin that seemed almost as white as snow. Where had she seen this girl before?

Then, it occurred to her. The middle of April, while she was training to seal Tohka. After that... disastrously successful attempt at wooing Tamae-sensei, Reine had offered to run another trial on that one nameless student. Wasn't that this same girl? But, transferring in... Something about that was confusing to Origami. Wasn't she already a student at Raizen? Or, was she swapping classes? Too many questions.

"Okay, go ahead and introduce yourself," Tamae said to the newcomer.

"Certainly, sensei," the girl responded. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am Tokisaki Kurumi, and I'm a Spirit."

…

WHAT-

On this day, Ryouko was overseeing the delivery of a large piece of DEM tech that they had salvaged from the ruins of Arquebus HQ, following its complete desolation.

"The White Licorice," she muttered. "How the heck did something like that fall into Arquebus' hands?"

The White Licorice was a large, single person weapons platform, equipped with two massive blades, twin laser cannons, and eight containers dubbed 'Loot Boxes', used to carry a large assortment of weaponry.

"These things always looked like they came straight out of Gundam," Mildred commented. "What's the plan with it?"

"It's far too powerful for any of us to safely use," Ryouko said. "Perhaps we should pawn it off to some mercs. Make a decent buck off of it. Gods know those jackasses supplying us from Balam are gouging their prices out the ass."

"Sounds like an absolute waste," a new voice said. "You'd be better off leaving it with me, you know."

Ryouko grimaced as she and Mildred turned around to see a young looking girl with deep blue hair.

"Um, Ryo-chan," Mildred muttered. "Who is that?"

"A Raven," Ryouko replied. "Freelance mercenary type. This one just so happens to be among the five best Wizards, and one of the most violent out there."

"That's a bit rude, captain," the merc said. "Aren't I on your payroll?"

"Plans have changed, Takamiya, and so has your contract," Ryouko said. "The higher ups can bitch all they want, but..."

"What, you expect 'the power of love' to be a viable solution?" Takamiya retorted. "They're Spirit, Kusakabe. Fakers wearing human faces. They wouldn't know what love was, even if it bit them on the ass."

"Evidence suggests otherwise," Ryouko stated. "And believe me, the evidence is damning. You have your orders, Takamiya Mana of the Raven Corp. There will be no fighting unless deemed absolutely necessary, and that will be our call, not yours. Got that?"

Takamiya Mana saluted, but the disdain was plainly evident in it.

Origami stayed sat in her chair, even when the break period arrived. Frankly, she was too dumbfounded to move at the moment.

That girl, Kurumi, had just openly admitted to being a Spirit. That just seemed completely antithetical to the notion of survival. At the very least, the other students didn't seem to think much of it. Gods bless humanities innate weirdness censor.

Reine had returned to the Fraxinus in the interim, in order to check the scans and confirm Kurumi's claim to being a Spirit. Given the circumstances, though, bets were on the claim being true.

In the corner of her vision, Origami could see Tohka sizing Kurumi up. She was a strange one, that Tokisaki Kurumi, after all.

Then, at a seemingly random moment, Kurumi staggered a bit, clutching her head. "Apologies, everyone," she said. "I'm afraid my condition is still not as good as I would like."

"That's no good!" one of the miscellaneous male classmates, Origami believed his name was Tonomachi Hiroto "You should probably check in with the nurse." The other students nodded in agreement.

"I shall take your advice, Tonomachi-san," Kurumi replied, before standing up... and walking over to Origami. "Tobiichi-san, yes?" Kurumi asked. "Apologies for imposing on you, but might I ask your help in getting to the nurse's office?"

There was a moments pause, before Origami responded. "Certainly," she said. "But why me?" She could hear the not so quiet mutterings of the other students, saying things like 'Of course Tobiichi would be the one asked, she had serious harem protag energy all year'.

Was that really what people thought of her? Sure, it wasn't hard to say that Origami and Tohka were a thing, but the only other girls you could really paint in the same brush was Mikie and Yoshino, with the former being more of a normal friend these days, and the later...

(A few days ago)

Origami opened the door, having returned home after a rather dull day at school.

"That you, Origami?" the voice of Yoshinon called out, as the white rabbit sock-puppet poked its head around a corner, followed closely by Yoshino.

"W-welcome home, Origami-san," Yoshino greeted hesitantly.

There was a flash of movement from Origami, and before anyone was any the wiser, Origami had pulled Yoshino into a tight hug.

"Again, huh?" Yoshinon commented. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say your addicted to Yoshino's smell."

"I merely find this comforting and refreshing," Origami responded. "That's all."

"I-" Yoshino barely managed to mutter between blushed stuttering. "I'm... glad I could help, Ma- Origami-san."

(Present)

Origami hadn't picked up that 'Ma-', and thus hadn't pieced together what it could have meant, but you'd still be hard pressed to call them an 'item' in the same way as Tohka.

"I suppose I'd like the chance to know more about you," Kurumi answered. "I would hate for my weak constitution to get in the way of making a new friend."

Origami shared a slight glance with Tohka, before nodding. "fair enough, then," she said, rising from her seat. "If you need my shoulder for support, please do not hesitate to say so."

As the two walked down the school halls, Origami couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was abnormally wrong.

Something about Tokisaki Kurumi bothered her, and she honestly couldn't say what. For all that she claimed to be feeling unwell at the moment, Kurumi was walking around perfectly fine.

And that eye. That crimson eye was looking at her, as if it were unravelling her entire history.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Origami said.

"Certainly," Kurumi replied.

"When you introduced yourself, you called yourself a 'Spirit'. What does that mean, exactly?"

"Oh my?" Kurumi said. "I'd have thought you'd know the most about that, Tobiichi-san. Or, may I call you Origami-san?"

There was that chill again. "Call me whichever you're most comfortable with," Origami said. "But what are your plans if that belief of yours is verified?"

"What, indeed?" Kurumi muttered. "Tell me, Origami-san..."

"How is your shoulder doing?"

Origami's hand instinctively went to her right shoulder in a panic. Over the past months, she had gotten relatively comfortable with the state her arm was in. Not ideal, by any means, but it was normal to her now. She didn't try to keep it secret, nor did she draw attention to it. If anyone asked about it, she would just say that she was caught up in an accident saving someone during a Spacequake (which was mostly true), and that all the scars were from the reconstruction surgery.

Nobody questioned the two bullet-sized scars in her shoulder. They could have easily been explained as the scars left behind by the metal brace used to keep her bones in place while they healed. Nothing weird about that.

And yet... Kurumi drew attention to it. A small part of a large injury. A part of the injury that was covered up nearly all the time. A part of the injury that Kurumi had no way of knowing about.

"... Who are you?" Origami asked. "Really?"

Kurumi let out a low, almost ominous chuckle, as she approached Origami on her left. The air shifted, and beneath her bangs, Origami noticed a faint hint of yellow in Kurumi's hidden eye. "Let's say," Kurumi began, "that I'm someone who has your long-term preservation in mind. After all..." Kurumi's hand made its way to Origami's right shoulder, and lightly poked the exact spot the bullet scar was. "Tell me, don't you find it interesting? How a shot with that much power, going at mach speeds, wound up only leaving a small wound like that? A shot like that would normally blow an entire limb off, wouldn't you say?"

Origami felt a chill run throughout her entire body. "How do you know this?" she asked.

"How, indeed?" Kurumi laughed. It was a laugh that found amusement, but Origami found it more terrifying than anything. "You modus operandi is a date, yes?" she asked. "How about this Sunday, then? 9AM at the central park? See if you can't win me over as easily as you did Hermit?"

Kurumi's finger traced along Origami's chin, and with a giggle, she walked on. "I'll see you then, Origami-san."

With Kurumi gone, Origami slumped against the nearest wall, and released the breath she didn't realise she was holding.

The sun was starting to set over Tengu City. Auburn light flooded the streets, as Tokisaki Kurumi made her way down them.

"That was a bit much, wouldn't you say?" a voice with no earthly origin said. "I thought the plan was to try and keep on her good side."

"And we are," Kurumi replied. "But I just couldn't resist teasing her a little, you know?"

"What, considering the last time we met her?" the voice asked. "Kurumi, you need to remember that, at this moment, she's the only chance this world has. The only chance you have."

"I know," Kurumi said darkly. "Because heaven knows you don't want to make this easy on me. We're very low on power because of your conscious, so the only me's I have available are us younger, naiver versions. For all that we have our older selves' skills, the odds of one of us getting wooed is non-zero at the least."

"There you go, acting like it'll be the end of the world," the voice sighed. "It'd do you some good, you know. Falling in love. It'll make up for the strength you've lost."

"Strength I also can't get back because you refuse to let me feast on anyone," Kurumi pointed out. "Because of that, I only have five bodies to spare."

"Lucky you! Some of us only get the one."

At that, Kurumi giggled. "I so enjoy our talks," she said.

Then, something in the air changed. A murderous intent filled the streets. "I guess I'm going to have to make that 'four', then," Kurumi sighed, as she looked up at the sky. "Hello again, dear Raven."

A round table conference had been called. Seated in this circle was Origami, Kotori, Tohka, Yoshino, Reine, Kyouhei, Mikie, and Ryouko.

"We've completed all the necessary scans," Reine said first. "We have confirmed that Tokisaki Kurumi is, in fact, a Spirit. More than that, we have identified her as the Spirit Nightmare."

"Sheesh, what an edgy name," Yoshinon commented. "So what's her deal?"

"Nightmare is one of the most hostile Spirits out there," Ryouko answered. "Out of all the Spirits we've recorded, she's probably the only one with an actual kill count. At least, until a few months ago, where she suddenly went silent."

"Nightmare completely dropped off the map," Kyouhei continued. "For a while, I'm sure everyone was thinking that a Raven had gotten to her."

Tohka raised a hand. "Sorry, but... what do ravens have to do with this? Are those birds really that strong?"

"Raven refers to a particular brand of freelance mercenary Wizard," Kotori explained. "Mostly made up of former DEM Wizards, at that. As I recall, there are some on the AST's payroll now, right?"

"Just one, and they're a very recent addition," Ryouko answered. "Weren't even hired until after Hermi- sorry, Yoshino-san was sealed. We figured it would be better for everyone to keep her on the roster, and try to rein her in, but she's proving quite problematic in her own right."

"So, it's going to be tender footed, going forward," Kotori muttered. "Then, all we can do is plan out this date between Origami and Kurumi."

"I never thought this was where my life would go, joining the AST," Mikie muttered.

"You and me both, Private," Ryouko agreed.

"Now, then, with formalities out of the way," Kotori said. "Let's get this date plan started!"

Hours passed. Slowly, Origami, Tohka, and Yoshino, all trudged home.

"That took... much longer than anticipated," Origami muttered. "All that to plan out a date."

"Is it just me," Yoshinon said, "or did it feel weird for us to be there? Like, is it weird to be playin' wingman for this?"

"It was like that for my first time, too," Tohka told her. "Well, this is only round two for me, but it's not so bad!"

Origami felt a certain peace of mind at Tohka saying that. It felt quite reassuring to know they were in her corner, after all.

Spirits, in Tobiichi Origami's corner. Once again, she had to marvel at the strangeness of the idea. But, it wasn't a bad feeling.

As they passed by a seemingly ordinary alleyway, an ominous chill wormed its way up Origami's spine. A familiar smell tickled the edge of her nose.

Blood. Lots of blood, if it smelt that strong. Something was very, very dead right now.

On the edge of her hearing, Origami heard Tohka and Yoshino call out to her. It was hard for her to focus on their voices, though.

Slowly, Origami stepped down the alley. Every instinct, every fibre of her being, was screaming at her to turn back now. However, curiosity has killed many a cat in its time, and it has shown no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Something splashed at her feet. Origami looked down, and- Yup. That's blood, alright. That's a whole lot of blood. Whoever previously had this blood was probably a very dead body right about now.

… Origami was very concerned for her state of mind right now, she had to be honest.

"Oh?" a voice said from up ahead. "I did not expect to see you here, ex-AST Wizard Tobiichi Origami."

A figure could be seen, illuminated by the remnants of the setting sun and the gleamed energy blade in her hand.

She was a young girl, probably around Yoshino's age, with dark blue hair. The Wiring Suit of her CR-Unit was a mostly transparent blue with patches of both black and white, and was splotched with blood all over.

"Raven..." Origami muttered, recalling the earlier briefing. This was the Mercenary that Ryouko was talking about. Worse yet, Origami recognised this person. She had seen the dossier on all mercenaries going by the title of Raven, and knew that most of them were high-ranking DEM Wizards. And this was ranked pretty damn high on those lists.

"Takamiya Mana," Origami said. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" came the response, followed by the sound of Mana kicking something heavy. "My job."

Something rolled towards Origami, and bumped into her leg. With terror working its way through her body, Origami looked down... at the severed, desecrated, brutalised head of Tokisaki Kurumi.

A/N:

And now, we start the Kurumi arc... with her death.

Nah, let's be real. It's Kurumi we're talking about; you know it ain't gonna stick. Or is it? Maybe I'll through a massive curve-ball and kill off the most popular character in the franchise.

Though, in my personal opinion, while Kurumi is a very good character, I really feel that she's just a little over-hyped.

But, again, just my opinion, and a rather minor thing.

Well, let's just press on, shall we?