Date A Re:Live
S1 Chapter 05: Origami Unchained, 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]
Poor Origami, she gained Spirit powers and beyond her control, her parents were taken from her... and poor Tohka, she blames Shido for getting hurt in trying to protect her and now she's in tears over it. This is just a small sign of how this arc of the story will be full of tears and sadness. I'd honestly say at this rate, a certain emotion or feeling may play a role in each arc.
In Tohka's arc that emotion was happiness, centralizing how Shido gave it to her both before and after she got her memories back. As you'll notice for this arc and the next few until the Yamai twins appear in the story, the DEM will be showing up in more small scale attacks, this is because due to what happened in the prior arc.
The Arbitel's under some repairs, the heavy loss of Bandersnatch units means they can only send so many of them or other attack machines at once, and not to mention that Ellen's without a CR-Unit due to her signature Pendragon's destruction and therefore can't help at all until a new CR-Unit's made for her. I will however be making a certain DEM member mentioned in Tohka's arc show up, one I feel never truly lived up to her full potential in canon.
S1 Chapter 05: Origami Unchained, Part 2
"Hey, Tohka! Come on open up!" Shido said, knocking on her door. "Please, I just wanna talk to you."
Shido soon heard a loud thump on her door as Tohka threw something at it her superhuman strength, making Shido pale as he saw the impact point.
"Go away! Leave me alone right now, just go..." Tohka scream, and soon Shido could hear her crying behind the door. Tohka wasn't mad at him anymore and the misunderstanding with Origami had been cleared up, the problem now however?
Well... Tohka took him getting even slightly hurt really hard, he had only been a bit bruised and Ratatoskr got that healed up pretty fast. However, to Tohka, it mattered how little as much as that it had happened at all. She quickly ran home after Origami had vanished, and Shido couldn't get in to talk to her.
"...Oh Tohka." Shido sighed to himself, wishing he knew how to help her. Not just her either. "How can I help both of them?"
Shido soon got a call on his phone and answered it, soon Ai's voice reaches his ears.
"Shido, I think I've got a way for me, Mai and Mii to help Tohka out. For now, go meet up with Reine and see what you can do for Origami." Ai replied, and while Shido would rather help Tohka, he sighed knowing right now Tohka might need to talk with someone other than him.
"OK, I'll head over to Ratatoskr now." Shido nodded, soon hanging up, He walked to a certain wall and knocked it twice to reveal a hidden door that lead to Ratatoskr. After about 5 minutes, Tohka suddenly heard a knock on her own door.
"Hey Tohka, it's Ai. Mind opening up for a second." Ai asked. "And no, Shido isn't here for when you open up."
Tohka hesitated for a moment, but decided to open the door and see Ai, and only Ai like she had claimed, standing there.
"Hey girl, I thought maybe you might wanna go get some lunch? You need a distraction." Ai said, and held up a bag by her. "I also brought some clothes to lend you so we can go shopping and get you your own."
"...I guess, I do need more than just this." Tohka said quietly, noting she still only had the one outfit Reine had given her and some sandals she borrowed from Mana.
Origami focused on the sounds of the voice she heard, trying to see if she could find the young girl she was sure had made the sounds of the voice she was hearing. She walked around a bit as she tried to see if she was getting closer or further away when...
"Sis... big brother..."
Origami finally found the source, and turned to see an entire building that was burning quite badly from flames engulfing the city. When she began to near it, she noticed by the intense fire present that it wasn't only as if this building was where the entire fire had begun, but was producing more flames for every second it was burning. At that moment however... Origami got a small glimpse of the person inside.
It was a red-haired girl with short twin tails tied by white and black ribbons with red tips, wearing some kind of kimono outfit, and something that looked like... Origami could only compare them to streamers having never seen anyone wear such a thing on any clothes she was familiar with. The girl suddenly turned as she saw her, and Origami noticed to her surprise that her pupils were whitened instead of black.
"Is that you, big brother... sis?" The girl asked, still crying.
Origami kept watching the burning hell fire before her, and soon realized that she was standing directly in flames without being hurt... no, she wasn't standing in them, she was creating them! It was even possible didn't have control of the flames she was creating, shocking Origami that this whole fire was being caused by this lost little girl.
"(I was too careless, I should have considered how well she'd be able to control it. She's not like her predecessor was after all.)"
Origami turned around and suddenly saw... no one? No, after a moment she noticed that something was there, but it was like the static in some bad video feeds she had occasionally seen before.
What surprised Origami most was that she could clearly make out this weird clear colored mosaic's shape, and it looked like a person. One that wasn't much older than herself or the girl inside the building. It wasn't just the appearance either, it's voice sounded both male and female, making it hard to know it's gender.
This figure slightly shifted, suddenly noticing Origami.
"(Oh? I'm sorry, I didn't notice you there little one. I'm guessing you're looking for your family in this mess?)" The being asked, Origami lightly nods, while this unseen... child based on Origami presumed, seemed friendly... he or she was scary to Origami because she couldn't see their face.
"(...I must apologize to you then, I indirectly caused this entire mess.)"
"H-huh? What do you mean, and... who are you?" Origami asked, this being was apologizing? The girl in the building seemed to be doing that, and by this point Origami could tell it was clearly by accident since her two siblings had to be in just as much danger.
"(I can't share my real name with you, but in the disguise of this nearly unseen form before you, I go by the name of Phantom.)" Phantom replied, introducing itself. "(This fire, I'm the reason this girl can make it. She had a wish she wanted to grant, and I gave her a gift... this blaze was the consequence of that act.)"
Origami showed surprise saw the figure pull out a white colored crystal and showed it to her.
"(I gave a crystal like this one, only red in color, hoping with its power she could achieve her desired wish... but she didn't have full control and caused this as a result. I've been trying to find her brother and sister for her since, hoping it might calm her down.)" Phantom answered, making Origami gasp. "(...I didn't mean for this to happen, not again.)"
"A-again?" Origami asked, suddenly feeling like Phantom's voice was... sad, guilty.
"(That little girl before you? She's not a Human anymore, she's something evolved from one... a Spirit.)" Phantom replied, making Origami blink.
"(Spirits are humans who've obtained one of these crystals, a power that is responsible for the Spacequakes. Over 30 years ago, a single man brought the original Spirit to our world, and rather than fear what damage it did... he craved more of it. That Spirit fell, and she shattered her power to keep it from him, and tasked me to make sure they're given to proper wielders that can protect them from that monster of a man.)"
Origami's eyes widened a bit.
"(However, I'm not very good, I've seen dozens of holders die, and I barely manage to keep the crystal safe and out of his hands. I recall Camael's previous wielder, and how painful it was to see someone so full of life to live lose it to someone who cares nothing for it. Now I've possibly subjected another to this fate, and this is just the first sign.)"
Origami was in shock, the Spacequakes were being caused by beings like this girl... but not because they wanted to. They were trying to protect something and like nature made it rain, those powers led to indirect problems.
"I... I want to help you!" Origami quickly said, surprising Phantom with her words. "Y-you said you didn't mean this right?"
Phantom nods.
"T-Then I want to help, if it means I can find my parents and save them then I'll take the burden of those powers! Please!" Origami shouted, once again surprising Phantom.
"(...I will if you truly want to, but I must warn you. The moment you take these powers you can never be an ordinary human ever again. If you're not careful with your powers...)" Phantom began, looking at the flames. "(This disaster is what could happen.)"
"I'll be careful, I promise." Origami replied.
"(Alright then, first let me see if your compatible with Metatron's crystal.)" Phantom held the white colored Sephira Crystal up to Origami, and once it did, it saw it glow brightly showing a strong capability to bond with her. "(...T-This is! I've never seen such a strong reaction! Alright then, it can work, touch this crystal.)"
Origami did so, and then at that moment... there was no turning back as Origami's pupils whitened.
Origami's Demon King, Satan, began firing its dark white beams of light across the entirety of the nearby town area. The blasts throwing around dirt and smoke which extinguished the flame, but did a lot of damage to the surrounding area. Origami's screams kept violently escaping her mouth, unable to calm down over the result of her actions as tears kept flowing down her face.
This would quickly stop as a mosaic shaped like a person appeared by her and suddenly tapped her head, a strong pulse suddenly making her Spirit power retreat inside her body like a lock and reverting her eyes back to normal, making Origami look like the human she had been only a short while ago. The being gave Origami a hug, it's body shaking before Origami heard crying from them.
"(I'm sorry little one, I never meant for this to happen. I didn't mean for your parents to die.)" Phantom cried, another failure and sin being weighed onto it's already guilty consciousness.
"P-Please... bring them back, you have to have a way to, right?" Origami asked, the figure only cried more and looked away, making Origami scream and shed more tears. "Just kill me... please, I don't wanna live anymore! Not with my mom and dad!"
Suddenly Origami felt herself be slapped by Phantom.
"(DON'T EVER SAY YOU WANT TO DIE!)" Phantom yelled with incredible answer, stunning Origami.
"(Please don't... I can't bear to hear that again. I want you to listen to me, OK? For a while you may be lonely, but I swear to you that there's people out there waiting, friends that will become like family to you. Your parents would want you to live, so find those people and keep living for their sake!)"
"D-do you mean that?" Origami stuttered, still crying.
"(I do, no one's born just to die. We're all born to live... live with others we care about.)" Phantom replied, hugging her closer.
"(I know for you it's not me, I've taken too much from you. I've even pushed your power to undergo an Inversion. For now, I'll give you the means to stay human for just a bit longer... but it won't last forever. I just hope by then those friends will find you... what's your name little one?)"
"Origami... Tobiichi." Origami cried.
"(Then live Origami, because someone's waiting for you out there. You just have to find them!)" Phantom shouted, soon waving her hand above Origami as she fell asleep. Phantom took the ashes of her parents into her hand and using her powers, imbued them into Origami.
"(May your souls hopefully watch over your daughter, please protect her from the struggles she has to face due to my mistakes today.)"
Origami suddenly gasped as she woke up within an abandoned building area she was hiding in, panting as the stress of her powers still fully returning to her, beginning to overwhelm her. She had switched her Astral Dress into the outfit she had been wearing prior to reduce the stress on her slightly.
"I knew this day was coming... and I still can't accept it." Origami weakly said, almost swearing her sweat was because of a fever. Origami slightly laid down against the wall as she tried to rest her body.
"Phantom... I wanted to believe you, but now I think you were just lying to me." Origami stated to herself. "No one's waiting for me... I'm just a murderer who killed her own parents. It would be better if I just disappeared here and now, after all I'm no Angel, I'm the Devil."
Origami began to shed tears before she began crying, at this point she just wanted the DEM to arrive due to her powers alerting them and end her misery already. No one could help her... not even Shido who said he'd be there for her if she ever needed it.
"You can't help me Shido... you may have said that now, but the moment you learn what I did... even you'll think I'm beyond forgiveness."
Tohka was sitting in a restaurant alongside Ai, Mai and Mii who were sitting in the opposite side of the table. She had only gotten a small salad, her usual appetite fully absent. The trio began looking at each other knowing something was wrong.
"Uh..." Ai began.
"Err..." Mai replied, also unsure of what to say. Ironically it was Mii who sighed, knowing what they needed to ask her.
"Tohka, we'll get right to the point here. You've been really irritated lately. Please tell us what's going on." Mii stated, soon leaning a bit closer to the trouble Spirit. "But if I had to take a guess, this is related to Shido isn't it?"
"No! No, you're wrong! This has nothing to do about how Shido got hurt trying to protect me!" Tohka shouted.
"Tohka, no one denies like that if they aren't bothered by what they denied." Mii said as she slid back, Tohka suddenly realizing she only proved what was bothering her. Tohka stared for a moment before bemoaning as she grabbed her head and lowered her head, her hair covering her eyes.
"I don't know what's wrong... I'm in the worst mood ever and I don't even understand why." Tohka said sadly, the bottle on her feelings finally popping open to let them all flood out. "I've never doubted Shido before, I know he loves me... I've never believed he'd leave me. He proved that when he came to save me from those DEM jerks."
"Go on, let it all out." Mai urged, knowing Tohka was still keeping something held in.
"It's... it's just when I saw Shido had been alone with that girl, it felt so wrong. Nothing I believed stayed with me for that one moment as my anger flooded my head." Tohka said, tears flowing from her eyes. "That's never happened to me, I don't understand it at all. I'm so worried something's wrong with me."
The three sighed in relief, turns out Tohka's problem wasn't as serious as everyone thought. In fact, all she said answered just what the problem was.
"Tohka, nothing's wrong with you. You just don't understand what it's like to be a teenager." Ai answered, making Tohka's head lift up as she looks at the three. "Think about it Tohka, the last time you remember seeing Shido and Tohka you were still considered a kid. Now you've suddenly come back with a gap of memories missing."
"Transitioning is a hard part to growing up, each year and the memories of what you learn is important." Mai followed up, putting a hand on Tohka's. "You just never got to have that, or it's been taken away from you. You're an innocent and naive girl, but that's not why this happened. It's because you don't know how to react to what's changed."
Tohka stared at the three.
"But... then why'd I get so mad at-"
"Tohka, you said it yourself, right? You love Shido. For the last few years, neither of you knew where each other went and lost your memory of each other. Wouldn't you be scared if you felt anything could make you lose him or take him away again?" Mii asked, making Tohka gasp.
"See? That's why you got angry, and why you got so sad when you got hurt. You've just had to experience a lot of changes you never got ready for. I'm sure Shido would tell you the same. That's exactly why he didn't hesitate to protect you, he doesn't want to ever let you go again."
Tohka stares for a moment before crying again, this time with the three patting her head.
"Now come on, let's go help you buy some clothes and then go see Shido so he can see your smiling face again." Ai replied, after she let it all out, Tohka nods silently. She may have not known the three very long, but it nice to see so many people who cared about her well-being.
In a building far away from Tenguu City, stationed on a mass of land out in the ocean called Arubi Island, a building holding DEM's logo was present with Westcott in his temporary office as he gets off a video chat with the official DEM board of directors at the main branch building back in England.
He had just had to tell them due to recent events he would be unable to return until the Arbitel was repaired, and he had to hide his real expression under a fake smile as he was still angered how badly the plan to capture Tohka had gone... all because of one single boy. Soon from a spot on the table, Marina appeared.
"What is it Marina? I have you know right now I have no patience for things that are unimportant." Westcott said grumpily.
"Good news and bad news I'm afraid. The good news is that [Devil] has resurfaced father, but the bad news is she's appeared at Tenguu City." Marina answered, Westcott nearly snapped the holo-tablet he was holding.
"Damn it, it's as if we're being mocked." Westcott muttered, knowing they lacked the resources to launch another group to subdue her. Right at that moment...
"If it's a problem for you, how about I deal with it."
Westcott turned to see a familiar red haired girl with a smug look on her face walk in the room, he was quite familiar with her. While Westcott knew Ellen was the strongest Wizard in the world, and the top member of the DEM's wizards, there were other powerful Wizards in what he named the Adeptus numbers.
There were twelve Wizards who possessed this ranking. Though even among them the top three, Ellen being Adeptus 1, were all considered to be monsters for being the only ones to have actually killed a Spirit despite the failure to obtain their Sephira Crystals.
The woman before him right now was the one known as Adeptus 3: Jessica Bailey, an ex-torturer before becoming a DEM Wizard. What made her a powerful was that knowledge she had as a torturer, allowing her to kill the previous [Diva] two years ago by striking all her vitals and breaking her mind with mere words, giving her the nickname of "Scarlet Killer", especially once she became the only one capable of using a weapon series called the Scarlet Licorice.
"Jessica, I'm surprised you knew where to find us." Westcott said, seeing one of his strongest wizards helped amend the issue. "I take it you'd like to capture [Devil] then?"
"Of course, and it doesn't hurt that I stopped by and picked up a little extra muscle on the way here." Jessica smirks, snapping her fingers as a light glowed at the nearby hall. Westcott looks as the sound of a machine moving to the room is hard, making him smirk a bit.
"Jessica, you always seem to know just what you'll need." Westcott said with a chuckle. "Very well then, I'll leave everything to you. Take the Heptameron and bring everyone you need over. Perhaps a small force will avoid attracting that boy's attention to us."
Shido soon made it to the Ratatoskr base, Reine turning as he appeared.
"Shido, thank you for making it." Reine said, holding a bit of coffee in her hands and drinking a bit before continuing. "Just to ask, no problems after your earlier healing? Better we be safe instead of sorry."
"Yeah, nothing's off." Shido answered, soon he noticed the AST training nearby in the battlefield simulator and saw Mana with them wearing a blue CR-Unit. "Wait, is that Mana in there?"
"That she is, we learned her mana works well for the same purpose as a Wizard so the AST is helping her train so she can fight with you and Tohka." Reine answered, taking another sip of her coffee. "She's doing quite well with the Murakumo suit we made just for her. I'd say it shouldn't be much longer now."
Mana blocks an attack from a few wizards using her territory, then notices Shido and waves.
"Hey big brother!" Mana said, soon dropping the territory as everyone looked tired.
"Alright, take 5 everyone." The AST's captain, Ryouko Kusasabe announced. Once she did the AST members all went to have a lunch break while Mana walked over to her big brother alongside Mikie and Mildred.
"You looked like you were having fun here Mana." Shido chuckled, soon noticing the two who came up with her. "So, who are these two friends of yours?"
"This one is Mikie Okamine, she's your teacher's younger cousin. Mana stated as she motioned to her, and then Mildred next. "And this is Mildred. She's not a wizard, but she used to work for the DEM until something made her leave for Ratatoskr. She helped make the suit I'm using now."
"Hello, it's nice to meet you in person." Mikie smiled as she waved hello.
"Same here, if you need any help with a machine just let me know." Mildred said, giving a playful smirk as she put her arms behind her head.
"Nice to meet you both. Hey Mana, have you... you know, heard about Origami?" Shido asked, and noticed his sister give a somber look as she nodded. "I'm really worried about her, before she left she said for me to not help her."
"That is strange, but I know you can help her. She just has to be scared right now." Mana said, putting a hand on Shido's shoulder. "You didn't give up on Tohka so don't give up here."
"Yeah, thanks for that Mana. I needed to hear it." Shido smiled before walking over to where Reine went, Hiroto and Maria beside her. "So, what should we do to try and help Origami?"
"Well I've been comparing Origami's current situation to some of my dating sims and Maria's been helping me figure out what are some red flags." Hiroto replied, making Shido raise his eye brow. "What? This may be real life, but usually the best way to solve a problem is to know what not to do."
"Maria, is that his job here or something?" Shido asked the AI, who chuckles a bit.
"I'm not human like the rest of you, so Hiroto often helps me gather data for responses both good and bad by playing dating sim games and the like." Maria answered, scratching her cheek.
"I compile all of that data so if there's ever a situation with a Spirit we don't know how to respond to, I'll be able to help. While Hiroto and a few others give human input for situations I can't predict. Ratatoskr's got someone for anything because anything may happen with the spirits. We've gotten some results so it works."
Shido blinked, and then just gave a shrug.
"Alright, if you think it's working then I guess there's really no reason for me to question it." Shido replied, even if he was still feeling odd about it. He soon makes a determined look as the four begin discussing a plan.
'Plus, if it helps Origami, then I'll use whatever I can take' Shido thought.
Origami was still laying down in the abandoned building she had been resting in, still panting as her spirit power kept stressing her body as it tried to stabilize from the years being sealed and contain, her Demon King - Satan floating around her protectively in case danger came by.
"Just let it... just let it end." Origami breathed, just wanting all of her pain to end.
[Master...]
Origami ignored the concern Satan tried to show her, but she was soon forced to notice something as she felt a mess of power gathered together near Tenguu City, she got up as she realized what it was.
"...They're here." Origami said, she soon rubbed her Demon King floating over her head. "This is goodbye, may your next wielder be someone without the curse I have. Phantom, regardless of if you were telling me the truth or not... I'll never find them, it's time I end this suffering."
[Master, please don't do it...]
Ignoring Satan again, Origami reformed her Inverse Astral Dress and flew off towards the area where her final battle would begin and end, and where death's embrace was waiting to finally end her sad story of a life.
Shido was seen waiting outside near the statue fountain area where Mai had told him to wait for Tohka at, wanting them to finally clear up things after the earlier incident which they helped resolve at least for how Tohka felt so they could both apologize to one another, and to also have Shido see her in one of the new outfits they helped Tohka pick out. He checked the time on his phone when...
"Shido!" Tohka called out.
Shido turned as he saw Tohka running towards him, and his eyes widened when they did.
Alongside her signature butterfly ribbon, Tohka was wearing a frilled pink dress shirt with a second white layer of thrills underneath and slightly poofy sleeves, a simple string necklace with a gold ring charm and a small turquoise gem hanging from the chain link holding the ring, pale blue jean shorts and brown sneakers. She also had a yellow purse hanging over her left shoulder.
Once Tohka stopped near him, she smiled briefly before making a confused face at his reaction.
"What's wrong Shido? Are you alright?" Tohka asked, worried if she had done something.
"I'm fine, it's just..." Shido began, trying to make sure what he said next wasn't dumb, stupid or weird. "Just seeing how you look in those clothes made me realize... how beautiful you've become since we were kids."
It takes Tohka a second to register that before her face goes red with a blush and her eyes go white, facing teenage bashfulness and embarrassment for the first time that she could remember.
"U-uh... thank you Shido, that's really sweet." Tohka said, hoping she didn't sound strange or odd. The two took a moment to look away and recollect themselves, and once they did... "Shido, I owe you an apology for a lot of things. I felt a lot of things I didn't really know about... I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
"No, I'm the one who should apologize. You were the one I should have explained everything to." Shido replied, shaking his head. "I don't know why you were out at the time, but I should have at least said everything. Anyone would have found it weird and questioned me in that situation."
"Shido..." Tohka said softly, soon feeling Shido pet her head.
"Tohka, by now I think you know that for me to help the spirits they need to trust me like you do, possibly feel the same way as you. As painful as it may be..." Shido began, hoping he didn't screw up with his next words and make Tohka feel worse.
"...I just want you to know regardless of what happens, you'll always be the girl closest to my heart and most special to me. We have a bond I don't share with anyone else. We've known each other since we were kids and were sure about what we felt without any doubts. You'll always be first no matter what kinda girls become part of my life. That's something no one else can ever take away. So... never doubt what we have, because no one can take that."
Shido watched as Tohka blinked a bit, her eyes widened slightly... and then with a smile on her face, she sheds a few tears before hugging him close.
"Shido... thank you so much, this is exactly why I love you." Tohka sniffles a bit, a huge weight lifted off of her shoulders. Shido smiles and hugs her back. No matter what happened he would never abandon Tohka, or anyone else precious to him.
"We're stronger together than we are alone. That's why right now, I need your power, I need it so we can save Origami. The girl you saw with me earlier." Shido explained, catching Tohka's attention as she nodded a bit. "She's... she's a Spirit like you, and I don't know why but she doesn't want to be saved."
"She... she doesn't?" Tohka asked as if she thought her hearing had been shot, someone who didn't want to be saved? It made no sense to her.
"I don't know why she said that either, but... she's like us." Shido continued. "Just like neither of us can remember our parents, Origami's lost hers too, but unlike us she'll never get them back because she saw them die before her. I can't bear to watch her suffer anymore, but I can't reach her alone."
'Shido, your heart is so... good. When someone's in pain you can't turn your back on them. Just like how you didn't turn yours' back on me.' Tohka thought as she smiled, remembering how much Shido did and risked for her against the DEM. 'Now it's time I do the right thing and finally pay you back, I want to save her too.'
"You can count on me Shido. Like you said, we're stronger together than alone."
Shido smiled and took her hand in his.
"Thank you Tohka."
[WARNING! THERE HAVE BEEN PRECURSORY SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING SPACEQUAKE!]
Both of them suddenly gasp at the sound, knowing exactly what that meant. Both tapped their headsets in response.
"Reine, is Origami reappearing? If so then where?" Shido asked, although it was Maria who replied.
"It's not, the DEM's set it off!" Maria said panicked. "Origami's spirit wavelength definitely being detected, but no Spacequake is going off. It must be like with the battle against Tohka, they're making the public leave so they don't have any witnesses for what happens next. You need to go and help her!"
Maria soon appeared on Shido's phone and showed him a location on his GPS.
"Quick, both of you need to hurry to this spot. Origami's mental readings..." Maria said slowly, knowing how Shido might react. "I'm not fully sure, but I think she might be trying to purposely meet her end. Her will to live seems like it's almost dead. Please hurry!"
Shido's eyes widened at that, and soon he picks up Tohka bridal style, making her blush a bit from the sudden act.
"S-Shido!"
"Come on, let's hurry!" Shido shouted, charging mana to his feet he quickly runs towards the location while Tohka screamed a bit from the shock of his speed and holds on tightly to keep herself from falling off. "Anything else I should know Maria?"
"Just this, remember that Ellen girl you fought?" Maria asked, she sees Shido nod via the visual screen the Fraxinus was using right as Reine finally came back from what she was doing. "Ellen is the strongest of DEM, but due to a few factors. There are two others like her who've accomplished the same thing of... killing a spirit."
"Dang it... so one of them is part of the group that's coming?" Shido asked.
"That's right, though it's more like she's leading an entire group of attack drones like the Bandersnatch you've fought." Reine answered, typing something as she does. "Her name's Jessica Bailey, she's Adeptus 3, making her the weakest of this trio officially but not any less dangerous. Do not drop your guard."
"Right, now planning too." Shido replied, soon going faster as Tohka screams more from the speed, her eyes now watering from it.
Origami landed in some abandoned building that was planned to be demolished but had little work on it done cause of occasional Spacequakes as of recently, Origami walked across the ground before her and soon heard someone cackle a bit before Jessica walks into view in her CR-Unit, Mordred.
"So, we meet in person [Devil], I hope you don't mind this but I'm gonna kill you and take your powers for myself." Jessica cackled, not noticing Origami's blank look.
"...Go ahead, just kill me." Origami said monotonously, shaking the wizard. "I don't have any reason to live, not after spilling the worst kind of blood any person could splatter. I'd rather you end it so just do it."
Jessica stared oddly but soon laughed a bit.
"A spirit who wants to die? That's a twist, I guess a large force wasn't necessary at all, so I'm lucky I didn't bring one." Jessica said, snapping as a bunch of cat like versions of the Bandersnatch appear. "Go get her!"
The cat like robots all pounce forward towards Origami, at that moment...
[Master! I will not let you just kill yourself, even if you refuse I will defend you!]
Before Origami could stop her Demon King, Satan summoned the black feathery pillars and aimed at the cat like robots before it fired at them. One was suddenly hit and smoke formed, making Jessica smirk.
'She's smirking, why?' Origami thought, unaware of a shadow suddenly reappearing behind her. One of Satan's pillars turned, but was too slow to stop whatever it was, and Origami suddenly screamed in pain as a claw slashed at her Astral Dress. "What happened?"
Origami turned to see the cat robot that got shot with only a missing arm before it disappears from view entirely.
"Meet one of the many brethren models of the Bandersnatch, the Cheshire." Jessica said, a smug smile on her face. "Where the Bandersnatch like to fast and swarm you, the Cheshires are sneaky and stealthy. If you try to find them, they'll play cat and mouse with you before they massacre you like the rodents you are."
The hidden Cheshires soon all rushed at Origami, disappearing and reappearing as Satan's pillars moved erratically, unable to predict their movements before they all rushed and began striking Origami. Each time Origami was hit, she screamed in agony, and Jessica laughed as she decided not to finish off Origami slowly, refusing to grant any mercy.
Soon as one of the Demon King's pillars finally locked on, a Bandersnatch rushed and gouged its claws into it.
[Augh! M-Master! Look out, they're...]
Origami saw Satan slightly crack above her as each of its pillars were struck hard by the Cheshires' flurry and left damaged and unusable on the ground. Soon enough she felt the Cheshires begin to attack her again, soon causing her to fall to the ground un-moving.
"So, you really did wanna die, didn't you? I didn't even see some of your more impressive techniques or that blade form trick." Jessica giggled cruelly, stepping her heel on Origami's head and making her cry out.
"Well... then I guess this is the best fun I can have killing you, but maybe I should strike this city a bit in case I hit [Sovereign] during it."
Origami didn't even respond, just waiting in place for her to be killed, her Demon King too weak to help her in any form. Jessica frowned at this as she knew it wasn't any fun for her now.
"Hmm... yeah, I'll use your power to hurt more people. That'll be more fun than just killing you like you want." Jessica said, smirking dangerously as Origami gasped a bit at the claim. "Yeah, that's it! Now it's fun again! We'll do that!"
Jessica motions for a certain machine to come into view, and suddenly it suddenly grabs Origami by her hair. Right as Jessica was prepared to laugh again, she suddenly felt something crash through behind her and saw none other than Shido with slightly disoriented Tohka still in his arms.
"Who the hell are you!?" Jessica growled.
"We're this girl's friends, and for what you've done... we're going to make you pay!" Shido said, with Tohka regaining her senses and shaking off the daze.
"Yeah, you're in for it now!" Tohka added.
"Oh really? I'm in for it? Hah, I think it's time you dealt with the Cheshires'!" Jessica smirked, the cat like robots vanishing from view again. At that moment Shido looked at Tohka directly.
"Tohka, are you ready? It's time we your power together." Shido asked, and Tohka nodded.
"I trust you Shido." Tohka said.
Shido soon closed his eyes and began to focus, about to do something he recalled Reine telling him about before leaving to meet up with Tohka.
-Flashback Start-
Shido looked as Reine sat down with him at a table.
"Shido, recall how I said you can also call upon Tohka's powers?" Reine asked, Shido nodding in response. "Similar to how Tohka's powers flow back into her when she gets emotional or depending on her will, the latter of which she's still yet to fully master, you can do a similar thing with her power sleeping within you."
"So how does it work, is it like when I used Sandalphon?" Shido wondered.
"It is, but more. By letting her power within you flow to the essence of the mana sleeping within yourself and linking with it, while you won't gain all of her powers like flight, you will gain her strength." Reine explained, showing it via a visual she drew on a tablet. "What depends on it working is your desire, what you wish for at that moment."
"So, saving a Spirit would be one way to draw it out." Shido realized, gasping slightly. "Alright, I understand."
-End Flashback-
As all of the Cheshires began to rush at Shido, he suddenly holds out his right hand and his mana aura glows a bit.
"I call to the power welling deep beyond my heart, now break the dimensional bonds before me..." Shido began, Tohka feeling something warm well up as Shido's aura became purple like her spirit mana. "And let the spiritual force sleeping within be seen!"
The source of the mana welling within Shido's body was seen before purple strings of spirit mana all cross and surge through his entirety, soon amassing and swirling towards his mana and connecting to it, making it glow brightly before it turned purple and burst out through his entire essence.
Back outside of Shido's body, he raised his hand up and grabbed the air before Sandalphon appeared in his grasp. Following this, hair and eyes soon took the same color as Tohka's did as her spirit power settled into his being, making her stare in shock, as well as Jessica's who saw the Angel in his hands.
"Shido..." Tohka breathed, completely amazed.
At that moment, with Tohka still in his arms, Shido rushed forward at the Cheshires and swung Sandalphon forward as a purple glow enveloped him.
"Hang on Origami, I'm coming to save you!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
And the battle to save Origami begins! I hope I had a good flow for the romantic interactions between Shido and Tohka, as I hope I did for helping flesh out some of the characters who are ascended extras in this story like Ai, Mai and Mii who had a good dose of it in this chapter. I had them take Reine's place in trying to help Tohka feel better over her slight depression for what happened to Shido, it felt right since I don't plan to use the whole triple date idea during Kurumi's arc.
While some of the other characters still need an opportunity to flesh them, I assure you I'll work on that in follow arcs. I'd say for the next Spirit's arc, I'll bring Hiroto and Tamae into a stronger spotlight, as I will some members of the AST such as Mikie, Mildred and Ryouko. Mildred especially since I've got a surprise twist for her reason behind leaving the DEM, one that'll be important during a certain arc.
I hope you like the Cheshire units I made, in DAL the name is used as "Cheshire Cat" via a CR-Unit that only appears in Date AST Strike, but since Artemisia's not comatose in this like in that manga, I've made it so that particular suit was never invented in this story, and I figured since there's already a Bandersnatch robot... why not make a Cheshire?
I did mention a Jabberwocky robot in Tohka's arc briefly for a similar reason. They'll be a slower, but bulkier, and more powerful and armored version of Bandersnatch. So expect to see more robots like that used, and not all will be named after Alice in Wonderland stuff either, I might throw in a few Norse creatures or such depending on how well their names first.
See you next time when Origami's arc finally reaches its finale, but unlike with Tohka's arc, the fight won't be the end. There's still one more hurdle for Shido and Tohka to overcome to save Origami... herself.