Date A Re:Live
S1 Chapter 03: Tohka Return, Part 2
By : Tohka_Yatogami
...
Summary
Even a similar story can take it's own path. Shido and Mana are amnesiac siblings living with their friend Kotori, however the past catches up to Shido when he nearly runs into a space quake, and his world changes as one girl asks... "Are you here to kill me?" (Stronger Ratatoskr, weaker DEM, games & movie are canon to story) [Shido/Tohka/Harem]
I hope you're all ready for this, because... uh... hold on. *thinks* What's the saying I'm looking for? *thinks more and then gasps* Ah, now I remember! All of hell is about to break lose in this chapter! The DEM is going to begin their attack and Shido has to somehow go save Tohka from them... and he has to do so all on his own. Yeah, you heard me right, all the Wizards, the Bandersnatch, and even Ellen herself. Shido has to fight every single one of them by himself and win, he's literally facing what's the closest to impossible odds right now.
Also after a long absence, and having no mentions since the very beginning, I'm happy to tell you all that Kotori and Mana are finally going to be returning into focus since their disappearance and they'll finally have what happened with them since Shido found their phones on the ground near Danny's explained, while Ratatoskr's existence finally gets revealed to Shido. I think you'll all be surprised by some of the members I've added into the organization in this story.
Also, get some tissues ready before you continue reading, because I'm pretty sure what I've written here is about to hit you all in the possible feels it can around the last few scenes in this chapter.
S1 Chapter 03: Tohka Return, Part 2
Finished up their fun at the arcade, Shido and Mio had ended up back at the viewpoint area, the Inverse Spirit currently staring at the now setting sun. She watched as some trains passed by the tracks and smiled at the sight. She wouldn't admit it to Shido just like not using his name, but... she had fun.
"So how was today Mio?" Shido asked, still holding her pillow.
"It was... more than I expected it to be. It wasn't a wasteland, no one tried to kill me, and most of all... I realize why they try to kill me now. I thought I was the victim, but I'm not, people don't understand me because my presence keeps ruining this world." Mio answers, making Shido gasp before he tries to say something, but Mio shakes her head.
"Don't try to fudge it servant, I know what I've seen. Besides... now I know how to not end up like her."
"Huh?" Shido wondered.
"That other girl, the one like me... she's already fallen too deep. I can try to clear this misunderstanding but it may not happen, but at least now I know I'm not a monster. That's all that matters to me." Mio replied, making Shido stare.
"You can't make it sound like that's it for you Mio! There has to be a way you can live in this world, and not just you either! Devil, and all the others... they all have a right to live here too!" Shido shouts, Mio stares at him in shock. As she did she suddenly sensed something and closed her eyes before she opened them again, a shadow over the top half of her face.
"...You should learn to watch your tongue servant, do you realize that fact!?" Mio said boldly, Shido surprised by her bluntness. He was about to reach out to her when... "Adonai Melek!"
Shido was knocked back by a bolt of dark purple mana as Mio's Astral Dress reformed around, and she soon began floating into the air.
"Mio!" Shido shouted.
"Stand down Servant, you're a mere mongrel. I'm only going to tolerate Humans like you I know have no knowledge of me. I don't seek to be accepted. So... either stay out of my way, or you will be a blood stain on Nahemah next we meet." Mio said coldly, Shido shook his head as he refused to believe what he was seeing. He tried to reach her as he prepared mana to boost his jumping skills when...
"Know your limits!" Mio fired a mana sphere at him, and Shido felt it knock him off the viewpoint cliff while shredding the bread pillow she had won. Mio became too far away for him to properly see as he ended up crashing into some trees and blacking out.
Mio pants after what she did, and after it fully sunk in... she gained a horrid look on her face. She knew what she had chosen to do what she had, but that didn't mean she enjoyed having to have done the act in the first place.
She soon walked to the punctured bread pillow, staring sadly and longingly at the damage, almost as if it represented the pain she gave herself. Why did she did it, she tried to lie to herself and say she didn't know, or that she still believed Shido had been trying to trick her from the start... but those would be lies. She knew danger was coming, and Shido would throw himself into it, she couldn't let him do that.
"I honestly believed that... maybe with you here, things would change. It's so strange, I've only known you for this one day, but it's been like I knew you before that. My servant, when you were by my side, I felt like... I could do anything I set my mind to." Mio began, soon beginning to shake as tears began to stream down her face for the first time since she had undergone her Inversion.
"But it's no use, what I felt coming... if you were here with me you'd just end up dying. You don't have the right to throw your life away for my sake! So, I had no choice, you must be gone from my life so yours doesn't end! Just like before, I must stay on my own, even if the whole world rejects me!"
Mio raises her hand, and suddenly a couple of familiar ripples form across the city, and in response to their appearance, the Spacequake alarm goes off across most of the city. Everyone quickly to rush to evacuate for what had been the third time that day. Mio's hair covers her eyes before she raised her head, she would fight this next battle... and she'd do it alone, so no one else would have to suffer because of her choices.
"I know you can hear me..." Mio suddenly said, noticing the sun finally begin to sink over the horizon and the night begin to start.
Suddenly the Arbitel gets warnings of a Spacequake incoming, catching the interest of Westcott.
"Interesting, do I mean to take this as [Devil] returning?" Westcott ask, turning to Marina who had walked into view in an android body she used under special circumstances. Marina's eyes glow and detect they were Mio's readings.
"Not even close, it seems that [Sovereign] is creating Spacequake signs. I wonder... it sounds odd, but could it possible she's sensed our approach?" Marina answered, before questioning the choice of the Inverse Spirit's actions.
At that moment, the Arbitel's screen suddenly picks up on Mio directly, while she didn't see them she was on the screen as if she saw them directly. She frowned a bit as the sun began setting.
"I know you can hear me..." Mio coldly said. "...So, may I ask why you've come here?"
Westcott suddenly smirked, he waves towards the others so they'd move to the side as he walks closer to speak with her directly. For some reason, she felt his presence as an illusion in front of where she was standing, almost like he had been touched by a Spirit, but in a negative manner that made him... well, she best described it as being less human than she was.
"I'm excited to finally meet you [Sovereign], I'm Isaac Westcott, the managing director of DEM Industries, or perhaps you know it as Deus-Ex-Machina Industries?" Westcott says as he introduces himself, Mio only gives a near silent growl at him.
"Strange, I wonder why you already don't like me? True most hate me eventually, but that was surprisingly fast."
"The name is Mio, not Sovereign. So, are you the one behind the Mecha Mecha Squads attacks on me? What exactly do you want." Mio asked coldly, Westcott simply ignoring her name. He didn't care for a Spirit having an identity, to him she was only [Sovereign].
"Oh, so is that what you call the Wizards I send after you on occasion? A good question though, the answer's quite simple. I want to harness the powers you have as a Spirit. Once I do, I'll use them to unleash complete chaos." Westcott says, giving a cruel smirk.
"...You sick bastard, I should have known. The only human I should have ever worried about is you. You're the very thing I thought all humans represent." Mio sneered, this man couldn't be human anymore. He was just a shell that had the same look as one.
"Unfortunately for you, I have reason to focus on you and another Spirit first because aside from the both of you... the powers of all other Spirits are just too stable." Mio's eyes widened slightly as Westcott said that.
"Compared to what you have, they won't do me good unless I discover what was the perfect trigger that pushed you towards the despair that made you Inverse."
"What do you mean?" Mio asked, confused by what he meant by 'Inverse' exactly. Westcott soon chuckles as he remembers his fight from 30 years ago with a certain pink haired spirit and the result.
"You don't know? It's simple, that power is your true form from the Dimension your kind came from. I still remember making contact to it, and the primordial Spirit there at the time. I wanted her power... but she didn't like my ideas, left me in this decrepit husk of my former self. If I want what I'm after, I need you all as you are in this state. Though I still don't know how to make it happen perfectly. What is it that causes it?"
Mio sweated a bit, but didn't let it show.
"Let's see... what did I try on that one Spirit we had before she managed to get away? Remind me Marina?" Westcott said as he turned to the AI.
"There was physical pain, from the skin down to their very bones. Then extreme electric shocks. We then deprived her of all oxygen. We thought of removing her fingernails and toenails after." Marina listed off, making Mio gasped silently at the sick torturous ideas one of her own had to experience.
"I even think you tried destroying her dignity as a woman, and attempted to find a friend or lover of hers. Too bad she didn't remember if she did, unfortunately we ended up killing her, all I remember is that she had been the one who originally had [Diva's] powers. Such a shame interference kept us from keeping her Sephira Crystal."
Mio sweated a bit, what the hell was wrong with these people.
"Actually sir, I believe I've found the clue. Recall how she underwent inversion due to meeting [Devil]? There's never been an incident where two different Spirits met with one another until then, imagine how [Sovereign] felt to meet another of her own kind and expect someone to trust?" Ellen began, making Mio's eyes shake.
"Ah, struck a nerve I see. Then this theory of mine must be correct then? You gained hope from meeting [Devil], but she ended up trying to kill you as well only moments after you expected a friend. Perhaps she even managed to actually push you near the point of death? The sudden shift of hope to despair, that's most likely what did it."
Westcott gives a cruel smirk, and Marina gets a giddy smile and giggles while Mio's eyes shake at how easily Ellen had figured out her story, she tried to not respond to make it sound like she was wrong... but it was a doomed effort.
"A strong sudden shift from hope to despair, VERY interesting. I think we now have a few ways to twist the Spirits' hands closer into ours now. It won't be long before we invert all of them." Westcott said, and Mio finally snapped.
"YOU SCUM! I won't let you do that, I'll take all of you out before you ever do that! Your dream is going to die today!" Mio screamed, her powers flaring around her.
"I look forward to it, it's time to see how you've inherited one of the ten pieces of 'her' power." Westcott smirks, actually looking forward to what Mio will offer in her attempts to resist. After all, it was more fun when they struggled in vain than if they surrendered.
Mana's eyes soon scrunch as she begins to regain consciousness, she looks around and realizes she's in some kind of medical room, though it looked like it was more of a laboratory area than a place to treat the sick or injured. She got up and soon noticed Kotori rubbing her eyes as she woke up on another bed.
"Kotori, where are we?" Mana asked.
"I don't know, I already remember things got crazy when we had to head for the shelters and... I think we blacked out. We should call Shido to let him know we're fine." Kotori said, however when she went to grab her phone she saw it was missing. "AH! My phone, it's gone!"
Mana feels around and Kotori sees her pale, she gives a look and Mana nods to confirm she also doesn't have her phone. The two little sisters both sweat in worry as they were sure that meant Shido was panicking. In fact, they didn't know what time it was.
"Wow, you two sure are in a panic."
"Yeah, losing phones isn't enough of a problem to get you all worried over."
"That's so lame."
The two suddenly blink as they heard those voices, and turned to see a familiar trio of girls looking at them.
"Shido's fine if you ask, but right now I think we've got something more important you should know about." Ai replied, shocking the two girls even further.
The night sky over Tenguu City was quiet as the Spacequake alarm had ended yet everyone was kept locked up in the shelters like it was still going for one reason alone... the DEM warship Arbitel was going to be arriving soon, and the Inverse Spirit Mio, all by herself, would be fighting them off as they would do all in their power to capture her and use the power she had for her own game.
"Shido... you might not be here right now, but please lend me your strength." Mio said to herself, soon holding out her hand as a nearby clock rung as it became 7 PM.
"NAHEMAH!"
A dust tornado dropped the silver throne into view, and soon it flipped upside down as Mio grabbed the sword's handle and unsheathed it, the throne disappearing afterwards until Mio needed it.
"Even if my life ends today, I will not lose to these bastards!" Mio said, making a determined face.
Right as she said that, the sight of a ship flying overhead as it removes its invisibility and reveals its red plated structure. Multiple areas on the ship open up and soon a swarm of monstrous looking robots with claws and a single eye form, taking their shoulders conjoined as they flew through the sky, some that land disconnect them.
Mio looks as the Bandersnatch units surround the area, and in an instant, they all begin to charge at her with strong speed and ferocity. Using her free hand, she forms a sphere of her spirit mana and then fires it, it starts as a single sphere but then spreads into multiple smaller ones that cute through most of the nearby Bandersnatch.
"Fall to my strength!" Mio shouted, spinning around and creating a strong slash wave that cut through even more of the Bandersnatch. She soon jumps into the air and unleashes a flurry of slash waves that cut through the flying Bandersnatch units. Mio smirked thinking she got their best, but suddenly thousands more units of Bandersnatch suddenly appear to her shock.
"You've gotta be freaking kidding me!"
Soon Mio was suddenly hit by a beam from behind, and knocked around a bit from the result. She soon noticed a bunch of DEM wizards attacking her, Mio rose her sword and screams loudly creating a burst of power that spread everyone apart.
As she breathes out to recover from the sudden shock of having been caught off guard, she looked around and suddenly noticed a particular Wizard on the ground with pale blonde hair. Mio noticed she felt more dangerous, especially as Westcott was by her side.
"Well played [Sovereign], your power is truly impressive. Your time while inverted has been short but you've already managed to master your abilities. You'll be a fine match for Ellen, so you'd like to get start now?" Westcott asked, looking at his trusty number two and secretary who gave a fierce look.
"I'm ready." Ellen said, brandishing her special sword, the laser blade "Caledfwlch". She quickly rushed directly at Mio with all her speed and strength.
Westcott watched with a hand to his head to hold down his hair from blowing into his eyes, watching as lights of orange and purple cross between the two as their swords constantly clash and collide with one another. Ellen takes a brief moment to step back and charge again, however Mio was still able to counter all her sword strikes.
"Fine!" Ellen said, pissed off at the fact she felt Mio was mocking her. Mio soon jumped to dodge a leg sweep Ellen attempted, but at that moment part of Ellen's Pendragon suit shifted and revealed itself to be a hybrid of a spear and a cannon, and in this case, she was using the latter ability.
"Go Rhongomiant!"
Suddenly a giant yellow laser blast struck at Mio, and soon it hits her hard, destroying any Bandersnatch that managed to get in the way while impressing the nearby Wizards with the power behind the cannon's blast. Seeing the smoke, she smirked triumphantly alongside Westcott, even if she died, the fact she was Inverted meant her Sephira Crystal was still a Qlipha Crystal and would suit their needs. However...
"I see, so you're not all talk."
The two of them looked surprised and saw Mio swing Nahemah to clear the smoke, only slight damage had happened to her Astral Dress. However, her hair now flowed freely as her ribbon had been undone and was now flying through the sky, sparkling as it began changing shape as it began blowing to a certain area. She raised Nahemah into the air again.
"I won't let you!" Ellen shouted, flying at her. However, it did nothing as Caledfwlch was blocked by Mio's free hand and soon swung her Demon King towards... Westcott! The man looked surprised, but luckily Ellen flew down and took some of the hit before using her territory to protect him.
"Thanks for the save Ellen, so be honest. How strong would you say she is?" Westcott asked, curious how accurate his guess had been.
"You once said your opinion of her strength compared to her AAA-Rank when she was Princess had increased to an S-Rank after her inversion, I disagree with that claim. In truth, she must be at least a SS-Rank at this point." Ellen said, begrudgingly admitting that this Spirit had been more difficult than she had expected.
It wasn't completely her fault though, she had never fought a Spirit with more power than Nightmare, so the DEM never expected to encounter a more power Spirit unless the First Spirit were to somehow return. The Pendragon was a strong CR-Unit, but hadn't been made for this situation.
"So admittedly I'm at a slight disadvantage against this spirit."
"I see, still... strength like this proves how much it'll be worth the desire of claiming her power as our own. Do you think you can still win?" Westcott replied, confident that Ellen was still capable.
"I'm not sure, not on my own at least. I won't get anywhere if I simply keep using my Rhongomiant over and over." Ellen answered, she didn't like the fact she needed any aid to fight a Spirit. However, her and Westcott's dream was standing before them. She wouldn't let her pride deny it, plus she could accept she may be a bit rusty for having not fought in a while.
"As loathe as I am to admit it, I will need the aid of the Bandersnatch if we're to beat this spirit. Marina, can you focus them all onto her?"
"Sure thing, I'd really love to see some carnage as she tries to resist everything we have." Marina said, smirking as she sat onto a chair and integrated with the ship. "Command, link all systems to the Marina control program now."
"YES MA'AM!" The entire control room staff shouted.
"Activate the Ashcroft Beta realizers from numbers 1 through 10, send all the created magic power to the Bandersnatch!" James shouted, some of the nearby staff nodded as they did so. Marina's eyes beginning to glow as she links to the systems, and gives a cruel smirk as she prepared to go all out.
Mio looked around as Ellen prepared herself in the air again, and soon noticed the soon empowered Bandersnatch units and the other DEM Wizards surround her. She gave a forceful look at them all as she held Nahemah with both hands. Ready to fight what was basically a war.
Shido feels himself in the strange pink realm again, the mouth of his unknown friend appearing before him.
[Shido, are you alright?]
"Yeah... at least mostly, is this gonna be a thing where we talk when I get conked out?" Shido asked.
[I apologize about that, truth is I can talk to you beyond that, but the time I should is something else. As you can't physically move it felt best to wait until moments like this. At least for the present situation we're facing.]
"I guess that's fair, although... Mio, I thought I had managed to reach her. Yet she pushed me away so easily, I think all I've done is force her into solitude." Shido said solemnly, recalling his fall and how she caused it. Most of all destroying the pillow she had won.
[You don't get it, do you Shido? She didn't push you away because you forced her to solitude. She pushed you away... because she understood you too well and because she expected something.]
Shido blinks, confused by what his mystery friend meant.
"What do you mean?" Shido asked, what did they mean about Mio's actions?
[She was protecting you, she sensed danger that was after her. She knew you'd risk yourself. You became something important to her, that she wanted to hold on tight, so she did what she did so you wouldn't walk into the danger ahead. Take a look through my eyes.]
Shido soon appeared by Mio after she shot him off the cliff, and she saw her sad face and her tears. Even how upset she was for ruining the pillow she had won and had him carry.
"Mio... she wanted to keep me safe, how could I have been so blind? But how was she willing to protect me so easily?" Shido wondered, how could Mio already be that close to him?
[Don't you remember what I told you Shido? You must remember... remember the person most dear to you.]
"Yeah, so you're saying it's a similar case? Has she become that important to me? I thought you meant about who I... I..." Shido began, soon holding his head in pain. The image of that friend who had her face and name blocked off from his memories burned his head as he thought of it.
"But who is it!? Why can't I remember her, please... I need to know! Who did I make that promise to?"
Shido's mystery friend didn't have her face visible, but she was clearly saddened by Shido's reaction and wish she had more ways to help. As she thought that, she suddenly noticed something, and soon Shido felt himself regain consciousness, but moments after he did...
[It looks like the winds have heeded your wish Shido, look up.]
Shido blinks before he looks up, the sight of Mio's ribbon which had fully changed back into its original form after it's long flight through the wind. The moment Shido held it and looked at it... his eyes suddenly widened.
"This... this is!" Shido gasped, suddenly feeling part of his mind shatter apart. Not because it had just been broken, but because of something more, something he had forgotten had finally been remembered. In his mind the memory from before began to surface.
Shido found himself within the memory as he watched his younger self and the girl whose appearance was still hidden.
"Hey, Shido?"
"What is it?" Shido asked, curious what she wanted to ask him.
"What I want most in life is to protect you, so I can always hold you close like right now." The girl smiled sweetly, making Shido blush a bit.
"Your welcome, it only felt right. Consider it a promise from me too, cause I'm gonna make sure to protect you too! We'll always be together, and when we get older, then we'll get married." Shido said, holding out his pinkie to her. "Promise?"
"Yeah!" The girl smiled as she nodded, wrapping her pinkie around his. "I'm happy, very happy Shido. I love you... let's always be together."
"I loved her, I... I need to see her again, I have to! I have to keep my promise! I beg of you... let me remember her!" Shido shouted, the ribbon in his hand glowing brightly. He was suddenly surprised as it began shining towards the darkness covering the girl.
"Of course, we'll always be together..." Shido began, looking at her shadowed face. The light hit her figure straight on, and suddenly the hidden gift in her revealed itself to be the ribbon he was holding in his hand in right now! Soon the shadows around the girl broke, revealing what looked like Mio if she was seven, but more like her previous form as [Princess], the present Shido's eyes shook at the sight.
"...Tohka." Shido finished, the girl now revealed as Tohka gave a large opened mouth smile.
"Toh...ka?" Shido said quietly, and soon his eyes shrank as he remembered two words.
Shido gasps as he becomes truly focused into reality again, and suddenly he connects all the dots he had just seen.
"Tohka Yatogami... that's the name of my friend, my best friend. Not just that, she's the girl I fell in love with and..." Shido muttered to himself, soon seeing an image of Tohka before seeing Mio in her normal and Inverse Forms shift place as she turns to face him in his mental image. "...she and Mio are one in the same! I can't believe it, she was right there the whole time, without me even realizing it."
He recalls seeing Mio... or rather, Tohka's said face that he had been shown and the one he saw from their reunion.
"What I want most in life is to protect you, so I can always hold you close like right now." Tohka's voice echoed.
"Consider it a promise from me too, cause I'm gonna make sure to protect you too!" Shido's voice also echoed.
Shido's fist tightens as he holds Tohka's ribbon close, and soon a DEM wizard is tossed back across the ground, he struggled to stay conscious. Once Shido saw his sword, he knocks the Wizard out and grabs it before running towards the tallest tree branch he could see before her.
"I finally get it, I remember. Now I know what I have to do!" Shido shouted to himself, soon imbuing mana into his body and jumping to the branch and swinging before slingshot himself up into the sky. "I'll always be there for you, and this time I won't fail to keep my promise! I'll protect you..."
Shido soon lands on the ground of the viewpoint, and rushes forward with the sword out, striking down any Wizards in his way as his inner mana multiplies his speed into an extremely fast sprint.
"TOHKA!"
"Take this you bastards!" Mio screams, swinging Nahemah against all the Bandersnatch and Wizards as they charge her with a blitzkrieg tactic and the occasional act of trapping her in a territory she had to shatter apart, Ellen also rushing in and striking her hard and quickly while her guard's down and focus is distracted. Soon a lucky hit from Ellen pushes her back a bit.
"Damn it, getting tired... I need to finish this. No more choice now. Nahemah, let us finish this."
While silent to all but her, the Demon King lights up in agreement as if it spoke a message to her.
[Agreed!]
Mio screams loudly making a wind push everyone back as the dust cloud drops her silver throne into view, thrusting Nahemah up, the throne shatters into pieces that swirl around the black blade before changing its form into a much larger sword. One that had a tip that looked like the head of what resembled a dragon or shark.
[PAVERSCHLEV!]
"Now face my Sword of Demise!" Mio shouted, the giant blade's 'mouth' opened and its 'eye' glowed red as it gathered a huge amount of her spirit power as a maelstrom surrounding her body. Marina notices this.
"This attack will be trouble. Captain, move the Arbitel into range, we'll use the territory to defend against it. Divert all power back from the Bandersnatch and activate all fifty Ashcroft Beta channels, focus the territory to the ship's front and defend the attack!" Marina ordered.
"Right, you heard her! Follow the instructions on the Marina program's screen on the double!" James shouted, pushing everyone to divert all their power around ASAP.
Soon all the Bandersnatch units begin to land before they all droop silently, their power shutting down as it floods back into the Arbitel and forms its territory before preparing to focus it to the front once Mio began her attack. At that moment, Mio's eyes glowed as she began.
"PAVERSCHLEV... IT'S TIME TO DIE!"
Mio swings down and screams, a huge wave of her spirit power cuts down, ripping past the Arbitel and spewing across the areas of Tenguu City positioned near it's sides as if gouging into the Earth itself, any Bandersnatch units there were destroyed while all Wizards moved out of the way. The Arbitel's territory having already moved solely to the front to defend against the attack and hopefully keep the ship intact.
"Arbitel's helm is holding, but the attack's output is even, success of defending is only 50%!" Marina said, her eyes glitching as she feels the strain. "Requesting attack time predictions, acknowledging re-confirmation of success rate!"
The control room crew all began typing as they gathered all the data they could, and soon one member found something.
"Sir! Way to increase success rate to 80% detected! Overload the control room sector and form a burst of power and then rush the Arbitel forward at the point of contact, requesting permission to execute?" Said crew member asked.
"Permission granted, we are not running like cowards or falling here!" James shouted, throwing his hat off. "We shall overwhelm that Spirit at all costs!"
The Arbitel's one control room instantly exploded at the side as the territory's power gives off a short burst, soon moving forward. Mio is surprised as she feels Paverschlev begins being pushed back. Everyone watches the two forces push... and soon the Paverschlev was the first to explode apart, causing Mio to gasp as the recoil flings her backwards. She screams as she crashes into a building, Nahemah reverts to normal, now a bit cracked.
"This is the Arbitel, status update in progress." Marina asked, smirking as her eyes go back to normal. "Condition yellow but operable, all Bandersnatch units have lost their link unit to the ship and will be turned onto autopilot. We'll be on standby for evacuation when requested until further notice."
Westcott smiled, their victory against [Sovereign] finally nearing itself. He began using a Bandersnatch to fly up to the large and vast rooftop of the city's tallest and widest building. The perfect ending battleground for their victory.
[Forgive me... master...]
"Nahemah... no, don't give up. We're still in this..." Mio said weakly, barely able to move. Right as she was able to get off the building, a sudden territory surrounds her and forces her to the bottom of its barrier, slowly rising towards the building top. Mio screams at the pain, she had never been in a territory like this one before.
"My territory is one of the three most accurate and powerful of all DEM Wizards, unlike the others you've been in so far all attempts to resist it will be futile." Ellen said, giving a bloodthirsty smirk at the helpless Spirit within her territory. Mio who was barely staying conscious gives her a furious glare.
"You think this will hold me!? Fat chance, just watch me break it!" Mio screamed before swinging Nahemah at it, but the Demon King's tip simply breaks off, some other shards of the blade also chip off to Mio's horror.
She couldn't believe it... her Demon King was useless, and with how easily it shattered she even doubted it would have worked if had enough power to restore Nahemah to mint condition. At that moment, Mio began feeling herself barely able to stay awake, and fully collapsed.
"...I'm sorry Shido, we won't be meeting again. This is it for me." Mio weakly said, only having herself hear it as she lays on the ground, still conscious but unable to even move anymore. Ellen prepares Caledfwlch again.
"So, do you want her alive, or should we just take the Qlipha Crystal now? I may not have Artemisia's territory but it should be intact if I kill her." Ellen asked, hoping for the latter.
"It's your victory today, and it's been quite a while. You can go ahead and make the choice this time. After all, her power matters more than she does." Westcott answered, somewhat curious to see how an Inverse Spirit about to die would act.
Ellen prepared her blade and was ready to swing when...
"TOHKA!"
Suddenly Ellen and Westcott turn at the sight of someone on the ground slashing a DEM issued energy blade to cut across any Bandersnatch or Wizard in his way. Soon he charges mana into his feet and jumps up and slashes the building, using the debris and any nearby Bandersnatch to make it to the top. He lands and holds out his sword in front of the two.
"Toh...ka?" Mio wondered. She was confused why Shido had said that. Was she referring to this dangerous woman before them?
"This boy's just a normal human with an unusually high amount of mana, he's no threat to us." Ellen noted to herself, admittedly the amount of mana he had impressed her, it was rare for many people to be born with that many. However, without a Realizer or CR-Unit, she felt it would do him little good against them.
"Am I to assume you came here for the girl like in those damsel in distress stories?" Westcott asked with sarcastic surprise, then gives an insane laugh at the craziness of what this boy had done. "You're quite insane, do you honestly believe you can stop us and save this Spirit? I assure you that it's a fool's errand."
"We'll see who the fool is-"
Suddenly Shido was pushed to the ground by a second formation of Ellen's territory, his sword knocked away as it fell from the building top and out of his reach. Shido couldn't move and was only able to watch as Ellen neared Tohka, ready to end her life.
'Damnit! No... I can't let it end here like this!' Shido thought.
Ellen gave a bloodthirsty look, and Mio could only look as the image of Devil trying to kill her flashed in her place briefly. Only this time... no deeper power would save her, and it would be by the hands of a Human that she met her demise. Her eyes shook as the fear of death slowly approached her for the second time in her life that she could remember.
'Tohka... Tohka! TOHKA!' Shido thought, as the feeling of powerlessness began to overflow him, he struggled to move somehow. He wouldn't give up, he wouldn't lose her now after finally reuniting with her. "TOHKA! I NEED YOU!"
Without him knowing it, Shido's pupils whitened as his eyes become golden in color. Suddenly a bright flash goes off in front of Ellen right at that moment.
Kotori and Mana stared in shock, they were sorta familiar with Ai, Mai and Mii but they were confused how they were somewhere like here.
"What's going on? Please, tell us!" Mana suddenly shouted. Like her brother, the worry of the current situation got her into a panic because she wasn't able to personally confirm Shido's safety herself.
Soon the three grab the two and begin to lead them somewhere else, confusing the two sisters as they headed to their next location. Soon they were brought to a room where a bunch of other people and a bunch of technology was seen being developed.
"What the heck? Where are we!?" Kotori screamed, not even sure she was awake anymore.
"Oh hey, glad you two sleeping beauties woke up."
The two turned to see none other than Hiroto wave hi, surprising them as much as seeing the trio. However, that surprise changed into even bigger surprise as they looked to see Shido's homeroom teacher Tamae, a few other students from Raizen High, most being female, and most of all... a familiar silver haired woman with dark spots under her eyes walked into view wearing a suit.
"Forgive the sudden shock, I do believe you have a lot of questions. However right now I believe you'd like to help your big brother?" Reine asked, standing before the two shell shocked sisters.
A huge bright flash of light appears in front of Ellen right as she was about to cut Mio down, however instead she shows surprise as her sword breaks. After a few seconds both her and Westcott can't believe their eyes as a powerful looking sword forms in front of them. The same one Mio had used in her prior form.
"An Angel? That's impossible, she's still in her Inverse Form! She shouldn't be able to manifest this right now!" Ellen yelled, wondering what was going on. Why was this happening right as they were about to succeed?
Soon the Angel moves towards Shido and phases right through Ellen's territory to both her and Westcott's furthered shock.
"What... what are you?"
[I am... Sandalphon.]
Shido blinked as he felt it, this sword was like Nahemah, but... there was no negative feelings of anger, fear, sadness or despair. This blade... it was a representation of Tohka's will. Her desire, her believes, what she wanted most. However right now it had come to him.
[You've done it Shido, it may only work just this once, but let me lend you my strength here and now.]
"What? What's going on, why is this sword here?" Shido asked.
[Don't you get it? This is Tohka's Angel, Sandalphon it answered your call and came because of your desires. It wants to save her, and now it's allowing you to have the power to command its strength. So... let's save her together!]
Shido smiled, while still in the territory he managed to move slightly and reach for Sandalphon.
"Alright, let's go and save your master." Shido said, grabbing the Angel in his hands. A strong aura blows out and a chill reaches Westcott and Ellen, in a brief moment, Shido feels the power of his mysterious ally flow to him, and readying Sandalphon for a swing... "THIS IS IT!"
Shido screams at the top of his lungs as he swings Sandalphon forward, and against all odds and expectations of the two before him... he completely shattered the territory holding him, and the energy wave he created as a result struck all the remaining Wizards, knocking them out. All the closest Bandersnatch to the building were all cut apart and exploded.
Shido panted a bit, his first time using Sandalphon having exhausted him more than it should have. Knowing she couldn't just let him do what he wanted anymore, Ellen rushed forward and used what was left of Caledfwlch to stab him right in the heart, making his eyes widen. Ellen smirked thinking he was dead, however...
"Get out... of my way!" Shido yelled, managing to slash her and knock he back a bit. Ellen noticed the cut and wound across her abdomen in surprise before seeing Shido rip the blade out, a purple glow flared out of his body and healed the damage to him.
"Try everything you can to stop me, but know this... I WILL. SAVE. TOHKA!"
"No... this isn't possible, how the hell are you still alive!?" Ellen gasped, soon taking out Rhongomiant in its spear form now that her sword was useless.
[I don't know why Shido, but I know those two are a threat, so promise me this... show them the taste of defeat they can't claim any victory or success from!]
Shido nods, and soon Westcott grunts a bit. Actually, slightly worried now.
"Ellen, don't hold anything back against this boy. I don't know why, but... he's achieved what I've failed to do, he's convinced the power of the Spirits to aid him." Westcott said seriously, something Ellen rarely heard from him as he only did so when things weren't as easy as he expected. He snapped and soon all the remaining Bandersnatch took flight mode and flew at him.
"Of course, I'll kill him without any hesitation or delay!" Ellen shouted, feeling insulted by the fact this normal human boy was actually daring to stand against her. Shido readies himself, and soon Ellen and all of the Bandersnatch rushed at him that instant. Shido feels the flow and both he and his mysterious ally focus their power together, Shido opens his eyes and they glow brighter.
"Hear me Sandalphon, respond to me..." Shido said as his entire body glowed with mana before it became purple like Mio's, and then covered him entirely. "With the power of my will to protect Tohka, let this savage force before me be sealed by their defeat!"
Sandalphon glowed brightly and the crystallized edge of the blade glowed with an iridescent hue. At that moment, Shido shouted at his loudest and rushed forward, swinging Sandalphon multiple times in a row.
Needless to say, in that one moment, Westcott actually felt fear for the first time in his life. In that one instant... all the Bandersnatch except the one that flew him up onto the building stopped moving before being slashed in half and exploding, and then Ellen herself froze before her CR-Unit broke and ripped to shreds, and she collapsed onto the ground barely able to move, Mio being freed of her territory.
It wasn't just him either, all the members on board the Arbitel crew all stared in shock that Ellen had lost. No Spirit had ever managed to defeat her before... and yet this boy who wasn't a Spirit or trained as a Wizard just made the impossible become a reality and beat her. Shido was exhausted, but he stood with Sandalphon held out, so by all means... he had won.
"This isn't possible... I'm the greatest Wizard. I can't lose, not to... anyone..." Ellen soon lost consciousness and collapsed. Westcott grabbed her form and soon held onto the surviving Bandersnatch.
"Westcott to the Arbitel, we're coming back and leaving... we're been utterly defeated, all our loses amounted to nothing." Westcott sneered, and soon everyone on the ship went silent at the admittance before obeying his orders. Westcott soon gives a dark glare at Shido.
"You there boy... know that you've made a very dangerous enemy today, and this is far from over."
The Bandersnatch takes up and flies back into the Arbitel and once they do, the ship disappears from view as it becomes invisible again. Shido stares as he realizes the fight was finally over.
[We did it Shido... thank you, I may not remember why, but I feel at peace. Like part of a regret has been lifted from my chest.]
"You're welcome... and thank you for the strength you lent me." Shido replied back smiling, sighing in relief. Mio stared at Shido and what he had done. She had left him to protect him, but in the end, he was the reason she was still alive. Right at that moment however, the part of the building underneath her collapsed and she began falling, causing Shido to gasp at the sight.
'So... this is it for me? I guess that's it, yet I don't have any regrets.' Mio thought as she fell, her eyes closed as she accepted her feet. 'I never had anything before... I had nothing but my sword, and my powers, but I was still alone. I thought when I was about to die... that I just didn't care anymore.'
The memories of her day with Shido suddenly flashed by her mind.
'Despite that, I had been lying to myself. Deep down I wanted to find at least one person who would accept me. Shido, that was you... in the end, I'm glad I got to find you before I met my final moments. So... thank you.'
"...TOHKA!"
Mio's eyes suddenly flashed back open, and she saw Shido jump off the building rooftop and dive at her, Sandalphon still in hand. Soon that name rings through her ears as she saw a familiar scene to this one rush through her mind.
"TOHKA!" Shido's voice echoed, the sight of him catching a young girl as they tumbled down a hill together was seen.
"Who's... Tohka?" Mio muttered, right as Shido caught up to her and caught her before tossing Sandalphon which began falling alongside Nahemah. "What are you doing servant? You'll die with me!"
"Because... I'm here to save you Tohka, just like I said I would." Shido answered, making Mio confused again. Her name wasn't Tohka, she was sure of it... right? "Remember Tohka, it's me. Like we promised, I'll always be here for you."
At that moment, Shido closed the gap between them and kissed her, surprising Mio as her eyes widened, and their descent to the ground suddenly slowed as if her powers and his mana mingling together were protecting them.
'I don't understand, what is this man doing? He's... kissing me as we're about to crash into the ground.' Mio thought, suddenly feeling a burning pain in her head.
'Why? None of this makes sense, my... head is spinning!'
Soon an image of Shido and Mio watching a newborn chick hatch.
"Shido!" Mio's voice echoed.
'Wait, was that... one of my memories?' Mio mentally gasped.
The sight of Shido and Tohka walking in their Kindergarten uniforms, meeting for the first time.
"Tohka!" Shido's voice echoed.
'Tohka... every time I hear that name I feel strange, but...' Mio's thoughts continued, her eyes suddenly scrunching themselves closed.
Her memory of Shido smiling at her during their date earlier today, and her brief smile back.
"Tohka..." Shido's voice echoed softly.
"Shido..." Mio's voice echoed quietly.
'...It puts me in a good mood!' Mio's thoughts finished, her eyes finally opened again as Shido stops the kiss. However, they were now the same as they had been before her Inversion, and at that moment... everything came back to her as she stared into Shido's longing eyes.
Their descent slowed further and soon they had begun falling while upright rather than upside down like before, and soon Mio... no, Tohka's eyes shake before tearing up as she saw Shido looking at her with a smile.
"How could I have forgotten you? The boy who stole my heart, the man who turned my existence upside down... Shido!" Tohka cried out, hugging him as she finally remembered her best friend, the boy she had fallen in love with.
"Tohka!" Shido smiled, hugging back.
Soon the two twirled in midair as they soon landed in the ground, except for the ribbon Shido was still holding close, Tohka's entire Astral Dress and both Sandalphon and Nahemah soon dissolved and faded away into mana, forcing Shido to hold her close so he didn't see her cloth-less form. Neither knew it yet, but Tohka's powers had been sealed away.
"Are you OK Tohka? What happened to you, how'd you gain these powers?" Shido asked, holding her close while blushing due to the odd circumstance that just happened.
"Uh..." Tohka blinked, trying to search the memories she regained but not finding anything. "I don't know, all I remember is helping Mana escape from somewhere and then getting captured. Then... nothing, I don't remember a thing past that."
Shido soon pet her head, making her blush.
"Never mind about it then, that's not important right now. What is important on the other hand is this. Welcome home Tohka, and.." Shido started before holding out Tohka's ribbon, the one he had bought for her long ago. "...Happy birthday, I hope you don't mind getting the same gift again."
Tohka grabbed it and smiled as she held it close.
"This is the only gift I could ever want. I'm back Shido, thank you so much." Tohka smiled, closing her eyes as she rested her head on Shido's shoulder. Shido smiled and closed his eyes as he rested his head against hers.
'And I'm never letting you go again.' Both thought, the holes in their hearts finally vanishing.
Everyone at the unknown location Kotori and Mana were at all went silent from the video feed they saw with what Shido did, and soon the two sisters all got surprised as they heard everyone cheer at Shido's success.
"Now that's how you do it man, and he did it all on his own without our aid in the slightest." Hiroto smirked, quite impressed at what Shido managed to do to the DEM forces.
"Amazing... big brother managed to do all of that just for her?" Mana breathed, she still couldn't fully believe what she had just seen as real. She knew that it was though, and that she wouldn't fool herself otherwise. Kotori on the other hand moved a hand near her heart, as if seeing this awoke something within her.
"He did good, now that the danger has passed... come on everyone, let's go pick them up." Reine said, all the nearby crew nodded as they did. At that moment, the two sisters saw a ship take off towards Shido and Tohka's location.
Shido and Tohka were still in the wrecked battleground of the city they had just fought the DEM in, with Tohka's ribbon tied back into her hair and wearing Shido's coat so she had something on at least.
Shido was still unsure why kissing her lead to her Astral Dress vanishing, but he was sure as hell not letting his girlfriend go without something to wear. As they continued their trek, the two suddenly heard something.
"Shido, do you hear that?" Tohka asked, looking around for the source.
"Yeah, I do." Shido answered, though no matter where he looked he couldn't find the source of the sound. However, after he recalled that the ship from earlier could vanish from view... "Oh no, Tohka stay close to me!"
Shido hugged Tohka close, and soon the sight of a blue and white ship appeared overhead, while not the same one the two were still cautious of the fact it may be affiliated to the DEM like the Arbitel had. Once it flew directly above them, the two suddenly felt themselves vanish from the spot they were in and appear inside the ship. Shido was apprehensive while Tohka held on closer when...
"You can relax, we're not your enemies."
Shido recognized the voice nearly instantly, and turned to see none other than Reine Murasame as the one who walked into their view.
"Ms. Murasame!?" Shido said, shocked to see her on the ship and in a military like outfit.
"Please, just call me Reine." Reine replied, preferring to be informal. "I'm guessing you'll want some kind of explanation? My apologies, but you'll need to wait until we reach our next destination before I can tell you anything. Plus, I think your lady friend here would like some clothes?"
Tohka blushes at the blunt reference to her wearing only Shido's coat.
"Y-yeah..." Tohka said softly, blushing in embarrassment. The two following Reine as she leads them somewhere else.
After getting Tohka some clothes, a plain white shirt and a blue short sleeve jacket along with matching shorts while being lent Reine's bear slippers, Shido and Tohka learned that the ship they were currently on known as the Fraxinus EX-Celsior, or just Fraxinus for short, was taking them somewhere.
"So... what exactly is this place we're being taken to?" Shido asked, curious to why no one was saying anything yet.
"Just be a bit more patient Shido, it should only be a little longer now." Reine answered. "I can at least tell you this. Mana and Kotori are both there waiting for you, and they're perfectly fine."
"They're alive? Oh, thank goodness!" Shido said happily, finally gaining some much needed relief he had needed in the past few hours.
After about another 20 minutes, the Fraxinus finally reached its destination and turned invisible as it landed inside of it, one the ship had finally docked and landed on the ground, Reine and the others all got up.
"Follow me you two." Reine replied, catching their attention as they followed. After a long trek, the two soon entered a large room where Kotori and Mana both ran up to Shido and hugged him tightly.
"SHIDO!" Both cried out in happiness and relief.
"Kotori! Mana! I was so worried, thank god you're both OK!" Shido said, hugging them like he never wanted to let go. Once Tohka saw Mana she gasped happily.
"Mana, it really is you!" Tohka said happily, getting the girl's attention as she didn't recognize Tohka. "Come on, don't you remember this face? It's me, Tohka!"
Mana blinked, and then suddenly after hearing that name and seeing her face... her face widened in surprise before she covered her mouth, tears beginning to glow from her eyes as it came back to her.
"You... you finally came back, I never thought I'd see you again..." Mana cried, barely holding it together before she hugged her tightly. "Tohka!"
Tohka hugged back, glad they were reunited. Kotori looks at Shido surprised, giving him a 'what am I missing?' look. Shido chuckled and rubbed her head giving a 'I'll explain later' look in return. That's when he saw everyone else from school.
"Ms. Okamine!?" Shido called out surprise before seeing the others as well. "Hiroto? Ai? Mai? And Mii!? What's going on, why are all of you here?"
"Allow me to answer that for you Shido." Reine said, walking in from behind him, his sisters and Tohka. Soon she clapped her hands twice, and most of the room shifts to the surprise of the four, becoming more like a futuristic base of operations. Soon a symbol showing what appeared to be a green squirrel came into view.
"Shido and Mana Takamiya, Kotori Itsuka, and Tohka Yatogami... we welcome all four of you to Ratatoskr."
TO BE CONTINUED...
And we finally made it, we've made it to the end of the Tohka arc. I hope you liked the twist I made with Tohka being Shido's childhood friend, this is why she's the main girl of the harem in this story, because Shido already had feelings for her. It's rare, but there are some people who can fall in love at such a young age like that, the old elementary school crush I believe?
Now that was an awesome fight and turnaround that Shido brought, Westcott tasted defeat for the first time since his battle with the First Spirit over 30 years ago and it felt satisfying to have him so close to success but have it snatched by the one thing he couldn't expect or plan for and ultimately ended up underestimating in the end. I will mention this though, Shido didn't summon Sandalphon because he had yet to seal Tohka, but it did respond to him and summon itself so he could save Tohka. Now that Tohka is sealed, he actually can summon it if he needs to.
I hope you enjoyed the first part of the story, consider it a gift because today was a Monday and April 10th like in the actual novels, so I felt it was right to plan all these chapters in advance for the last few days to give you the entire first arc so you'd see what direction this story would go, and I hope I did NOT disappoint with it. So, get ready when for next time, because we'll be making a twist and have the second Spirit that Shido needs to rescue be none other than Origami Tobiichi herself!
I'm excited myself for how her appearance as a Spirit before Yoshino appears will affect the volumes ahead of now, and that's just the basis of my ideas. I've already got a twist for when Kurumi shows up that will truly turn the future of this story on its head. I can't wait to reach that far into the story, and I hope when I get to it you'll be excited for it.
Until then, thanks for reading this story's entire first arc, I hope you enjoyed it. Remember to stay awesome everyone ^^