Date A Re:Live

S1 Chapter 06: Origami Unchained, Part 3

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]

Here we are, the conclusion of Origami's arc, and boy will there be a powerful moment at the end where the greatest enemy has to beat is Origami's own self that's insistent of being beyond saving due to what happened in her past. Now it's time for Shido to deal with the Cheshires and the rest of Jessica's army before she takes the stage and fights herself.

I'm sorry if I'm making Tohka seem like a damsel that's just along for the ride right now, but I'm not intending to. The reason I'm only having her being held by Shido right now because this is his first time using the... *thinks* let's call it his "Spirit Ascension" technique since I don't have a better name for it, so he needed her close by. Likewise, Tohka hasn't trained enough to be able to temporarily call back her powers to fight alongside him.

That and I need her there present so Jessica realizes she's [Princess]/[Sovereign] and the DEM becomes aware that Spirits are being sealed, shifting their plans as now the Inverse Spirits that Westcott has been after not only reverted back, but now he can't claim their powers the way he wants. This will slowly change his plans once Season 2 of the fanfic comes along where he starts going a much different, AND much darker, direction with his plans...

With that out of the way, let's continue on with the chapter now as Shido shreds some scrap metal with Sandalphon!

S1 Chapter 06: Origami Unchained, Part 3

Shido took a deep breath, and focused his gaze towards the enemies standing before him.

"I call to the power welling deep beyond my heart, now break the dimensional bonds before me... and let the spiritual force sleeping within be seen!" Shido shouted!

Shido 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 as her spirit power settled into his being. At that moment, with Tohka still in his arms, Shido rushed forward at the Cheshires and swung Sandalphon... and suddenly a Cheshire was cut in half!

"What!?" Jessica screamed in shock, she soon turned her head as she kept hearing this same sound. Multiple shredding sounds were heard as Shido somehow found each hidden Cheshire and cut them apart, soon destroying every one that was left. "This is impossible, how?"

"Is it?" Shido asked, making Jessica look behind her as he was there with Sandalphon still held out.

"Shido... that was amazing. It's like your even stronger than when Sandalphon let you wield it last time, but how?" Tohka breathed, amazed by what she just witnessed

[That's easy master.]

"Sandalphon?" Tohka said surprised, she and Shido hearing the voice of the Angel only the two of them could hear.

[It's the bond between the both of you, your power is within Shido right now. It's not just me aiding him, it's you.]

Tohka stares at the sword in shock before looking at Shido who smiled back before returning his gaze towards Jessica who suddenly pieced things after taking a good look at Tohka's face firsthand.

"That Angel, that color of mana, that girl's face... of course I get it now! That's [Sovereign] you're holding in your arms right now!" Jessica growled, annoyed that this boy was ruining her plans. However, he hadn't noticed Origami's presence yet which she'd use against him at the right moment.

"If that's the case I'll just capture her now! Come to me my Bandersnatch forces!"

Soon a bunch of the familiar Bandersnatch robots appear around the two.

"Bandersnatch, capture [Sovereign] now!" Jessica ordered, the Bandersnatch scanned for her presence... but suddenly turned to Jessica and flashed off their error code. "Error!? What the hell are you talking about, she's standing right there!"

The Bandersnatch continue blinking their eyes, stating they don't detect Tohka's spirit mana, as [Sovereign] or [Princess]. Jessica's eyes pale at that revelation.

"Impossible... are you telling me this girl doesn't have Spirit powers? No, not just that, is she not even Inverted now!? That can't be, the appearance she has, it's too similar now that I've recognized it!" Jessica screamed, at that moment she snaps her fingers. "Come to me my army!"

Soon more Bandersnatch and Cheshires, along with a robot with appendages that folded into dress like cloaks when they landed appeared.

"Let's see how you do against these along with their barrier model counterparts, the Alice!" Jessica cackled, sure they were turn the tide as a united force. Soon they all rushed at Shido who shifted his feet. "Now die!"

Shido rushed and dodged the claws of the Cheshire and Bandersnatch units, followed by evading the mana shots the Alice models were firing. As he did he jumped into the air and then landed, soon moving fast and slashing at each of the machines before him. Once he hit an Alice model, a territory formed to protect them and some of the nearby units near them.

"See that? The Alice's territories are unbreakable barriers made by the Ashcroft Beta devices, you can't pierce or break them!" Jessica smirked, snickering at the sight. However, Shido decided to take a closer look at how he hit.

"A slash attack didn't work, how should I deal with this?" Shido wondered aloud.

"Shido, try a thrust. Just give it all your might." Tohka replied, making Shido look at her before nodding with a smile. "Now go get them!"

Shido rushed ahead again, this time he thrust Sandalphon forward like Tohka had suggested, and to his joy and Jessica's horror, the Alice's territories couldn't handle the more focused strikes and shattered before Shido cut through them.

"No way..." Jessica breathed, not able to believe the Alice's barrier was overcome that fast, or even at all. "This isn't possible... it's a nightmare. This isn't real at all!"

"Game over, you've lost." Shido said, pointing Sandalphon at her. Jessica growled and decided she needed to bring out her trump card.

"Not yet, it's not over until I say so!" Jessica claims, snapping as a huge amount of smoke forms as something jumps from the ceiling floor. Shido and Tohka cover their eyes as Jessica runs off to meet the Cheshire that had taken Origami to the area she was planning to use her for something... 'special'.

Once the two could see again, they see a quintet of giant bulky reptilian like Bandersnatch models. Unlike their brethren models, they were about four or five times bigger overall and moved on all four limbs instead of just two.

"BEHOLD! This is our juggernaut unit, the might Jabberwocky, now my gargantuan monsters... take him down!" Jessica's voice echoed. Soon the five behemoth machines all begin to slowly walk before forcing themselves into run at the duo. Tohka soon moves one of her hands onto Sandalphon to hold onto it with Shido's.

"Tohka?" Shido asked in surprise.

"We wield the same resolve Shido, let's bring them together into one strike." Tohka said, her face showing her readiness to fight. Shido stared for a moment before nodding and tightened his grip.

With a might shout from both, the two run forward and the closest Jabberwocky swings down its fist, Shido dodges it's strike and then appears by the side of its arm.

"Here we go, Sandalphon... STRIKE!" Shido screamed, swinging the broadsword together with Tohka. They slashed through the behemoth machine before Shido jumped across its arm to the next, and then began cutting down on it.

When the third swung towards them, Shido slid under before slashing upwards and doing a spinning cut across its chest area. Then he zig-zagged around the fourth before the two swung again and then once they reached the fifth that was about to swung both hands down on them.

"That won't be... enough!" Both Shido and Tohka shout together, the strike it hard with a thrust and through it into the other five as cuts dig into all of them and they have trouble moving. Shido kicks his foot to launch himself before they thrust one final time... and soon all five glowed purple everywhere from the overload of Tohka's spirit power burning them from within and explode!

"We did it Shido!" Tohka cheered, making Shido give a toothy grin back to her.

"Now come on, let's find her and help Origami." Shido said, the two rushed ahead. After they ran for a bit they saw Jessica on the top level of the entire building's structure. By that point, they saw a Cheshire hand Origami to Jessica. "Hey!"

Jessica turns around at his shout.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid I can't listen to your complaints. Because..." Jessica begins before smirking and shoving Origami into a device that restrains her and starts draining her power from her. Jessica stands on top of it with a deranged smile before it's revealed to be a machine more massive than the Jabberwocky units form before.

"Now I'll use this spirit's precious power to murder your worthless existences out of this world for good! Let's see how you like Devil's power when it's inside this, the Spirit killer weapon Vanargandr!"

Using the broke shards of Satan's pillars from before, the Vanargandr turned them invisible and hid them throughout the field and as Shido tried to get near Jessica, the burst ended up knocking the duo back a bit as a result.

"What the?" Shido said surprised, Jessica laughed with her mouth wide open as they were now caught in her trap. "Shit... I think we're in trouble. I bet there's something we can't see around here."

Shido tried to think of a way around as Jessica suddenly blasts Origami's spirit power at her from, he takes a small hit to his arm and yells in pain before he starts dodging out of the way. As he did however, he causes a few more bursts to form from the unseen shards.

"We're sitting ducks like this!" Shido growled, but then Tohka touched his cheek and surprised him.

"Then don't trust your eyes Shido. Believe in more than what you can see, what do you feel?" Tohka replied, and that made Shido's eyes widen. With that he closed his eyes and breathed before he began walking again.

He knew unlike the Cheshire units they were almost too small to touch and immobile, so he couldn't rely on their size and movements to hit them... he had to go beyond his normal senses. Jessica looked at him strangely and then cackled.

"Are you insane from damage to your brain now? Good, then I can kill you for irreparable mental damage!" Jessica mocked as she summoned the actual pillars using Satan's powers and aimed them while preparing the Vanargandr to fire at them.

As Shido began to walk, he swung Sandalphon and suddenly cut the shards apart, making them visible as they dropped to the ground and their explosive energy dissipated away. Jessica stared in shock as this kept happening, then growled.

"So what if you can see them, I'm still gonna blast you out of existence!" Jessica screamed, soon aiming the Vanargandr's arm cannons and firing a pair of dark white beams at them. She smirked as the bright light of its force hit them. "And now you're dead!"

Her words were spoken two soon as Shido slashed through the light, showing the two unharmed as Sandalphon shimmered in the light of her beams briefly before they fully faded away. Jessica's eyes shook in disbelief. This nobody of a human boy before her, he was ruining everything!

"Strike him down now!" Jessica yelled, the two sword sections on the two pillars flew out and vanished, but Shido simply blocked them by parrying with Sandalphon and soon enough he swung one towards the other and sliced them in half. "What... no, no, no, no! Alright, time for the big guns now!"

Soon Jessica shouted loudly and forced all the power out of Origami she could, soon charging all of Satan's pillars with more power than they could normally wield, making it seem like multiple dark white suns were shining intensely in the sky before the two.

"They say the sun's the most dangerous thing in our solar system when it comes to its searing heat and radiation! Let's see you try something that takes its form to mimic the same result!" Jessica screamed with a deranged smile, the pillars near beginning to fly near them while the actual Vanargandr began charging its own blast.

"How ironic the one spirit who wants to die will have her powers kill you both! Now... let's see you be incinerated beyond death to a point that even if reincarnation exists, you never will again after I'm done with you!"

"Oh man... Sandalphon could cut them but at the range we're at... we'd probably get killed." Shido said, sweating as he became unsure how to deal with this. Tohka soon shifted out of Shido's grip and stood on the ground beside him. "Tohka?"

"There's something more Shido." Tohka began, getting her boyfriend's attention. "Remember the throne you saw me draw Nahemah from? Sandalphon has one as well, when neither sword is enough on their own... the thrones that hold them can be destroyed and combine with them to reveal their full potential."

"And this potential may be what we need?" Shido asked, having never seen her Paverschlev to know it's power. Tohka nods in response.

"Stomp the ground and summon Sandalphon's throne, trust me. Do this and we'll prevail." Tohka replied, and Shido nodded as he saw the confidence and belief in her face. He stomped the ground forcing a golden throne to rip out of it before the two slashed it. The shards form around Sandalphon in no time at all.

[HALVANHELV!]

Soon an incredibly long golden sword was in their hands, making Jessica's eyes widen at the sight. Shido looked at Halvanhelev before turning to Tohka who gave him a smile, and both put both their hands on the sword's handle.

"Take this!" Jessica shouts, sending the pillars after them while the beam from Vanargandr kept charging to its maximum capacity for a charged blast.

"You won't stop us!" Shido and Tohka shouted together! They both pulled Halvanhelev back a bit before give a side swing at the pillars, cutting through all of them and splitting them into two. As the split halves kept flying forward, the swung another two times and cut through them too.

Soon the Vanargandr fired off a huge beam that covered most of the rooftop, the two raised the Halvanhelev and swung down with a large vertical slice! Jessica gave a frozen state as they did, soon cutting through the Vanargandr slightly, making its cannons fall off and spark a bit.

"S-so what if you beat me! I'll just take this spirit and still call it my victory!" Jessica claimed, preparing to run off as she ejected the destroyed Vanargandr's core which still had the captive Origami inside of it.

Upon closer look however, Origami's Astral Dress was now pure white and her spiky black crown was replaced by a golden one that was held horizontally instead of vertically, it was as if Jessica sapped away all of her Inverse Form's power and forced her back to normal.

"No, Origami!" Shido screamed, cursing the fact that imbuing Tohka's spirit power into his mana didn't give him her ability to fly. Just as it seemed like Jessica was about to get away, suddenly from behind, Mana appeared wearing the Murakumo, making Jessica turn in shock while surprising Shido and Tohka.

"Mana!?" Tohka thought out loud.

"It's strange, I've only just met you and piss me off enough to hate you!" Mana claimed, giving an angry look at her. She reeled back her fist as one of the Murakumo's swords attached to her left hand. "Then I hope you don't mind if I do this!?"

Jessica only gave a blank stare before Mana thrusts her right fist forward, punching her in the face and leaving a huge indent in her cheek as she was suddenly launched off the Vanargandr core's seating area. Soon she slashed at the core itself, freeing Origami from captivity. Jessica soon caught herself in midair, looking at Mana with eyes full of rage.

"THIS IS NOT OVER!" Jessica screamed, now full of nothing but loathing towards Mana for daring to strike her like she did. "I hope you like having an arch-enemy you little brat, because you've made one of me! Next time we meet, I'll make sure you suffer the worst possible death and fate you could ever imagine!"

With that, Jessica furiously flew off with the fact that the entire plan to capture [Devil] had failed. Mana soon landed by the two, unaware of Origami suddenly feeling from the area and away from the three.

"Mana, when did you... how did you know to come here? More than that, why?" Shido asked as he releases his power, making his hair and eyes go back to normal. Mana smiles and giggle at them after her big brother's question.

"Oh that? Reine called me over, said you may need someone who can fly just in case." Mana replied, making the two both laugh as they realized just how much someone who could fly had been what they needed at that last moment. "She called it right."

"Good thing she did too, thanks to you we saved Origami..." Tohka said, but then then suddenly realized something. "...Guys, where is Origami?"

The two siblings suddenly gasped as they realized this, and all three looked for the now freed Spirit with no success. Soon enough, Shido's phone rang and he answered it to find Maria materialize from the screen with a worried look.

"Shido! Tohka! Mana! This is really bad, right after you freed Origami she just flew off!" Maria shouted all panicked, making the others worry. "It seems her readings changed too, she's not in her Inverse Form anymore and unlike Tohka, we never had the chance to register her regular state. We don't know where she's going!"

"Oh no, this is bad! I think I heard that crazy girl say she was 'the one spirit who wants to die', what if she tries to kill herself while we can't find her!?" Tohka suddenly panics, surprising the other two.

"I knew she was suffering, but to want to die? Did she come here just to let the DEM kill her?" Mana mutters loudly, turning to her brother. "Shido, what do we do?"

Shido knew Mana only called him by name when she was truly in a panic, and soon he bites down on his nails in thought. He didn't know where Origami might go... until he recalled the place that he and Tohka had been when she had been revealed as a Spirit to them.

"I know where to look! Come on, let's hurry!" Shido suddenly shouted.

Origami Tobiichi, now once again the Spirit [Angel] instead of the Inverse Spirit [Devil], was standing at the viewpoint area where Shido had seen her and officially discovered she was a Spirit and the one who had fought against Tohka.

"...Why am I even still here? It should have ended for me there." Origami said, holding herself as she shivered. "Why is this world keeping me alive just to suffer?"

[Stop it master, don't do this. It's not-]

"Shut up!" Origami yelled as her eyes teared up, shutting up the Angel instantly. "How could you understand, it was because I even had you that my parents got killed by one of my light beams!"

Origami punches the guard rails slightly, and a certain memory returns to her.

-Flashback Start-

Origami's eyes suddenly widen as they become a lighter blue and her pupils whiten, appearing on her form was a white outfit before a golden horizontally aligned crown appeared. When it was over, the young Origami looked at herself and then the crown which felt like the crystal she had just touched.

"This is..." Origami breathed, in awe at what she had become.

"(Congratulations Origami, you are now a Spirit.)" Phantom answered, knowing she was curious about the change that happened to her.

"(That outfit you are wearing is called an Astral Dress, a form of clothing that acts as your shield and armor to protect you from all harm and damage that come towards you, maybe enough to breach the flames without them burning you if they aren't spread too far in one area. Also, that crown of yours? It's called an Angel, your ultimate protective weapon to fight against those who try to hurt you. Yours is called Metatron, or the 'Angel of Extinction', a crown that controls feathery pillars that commands holy light.)"

"I feel... different, but I still feel the same." Origami replied, unsure why.

"(Like I said, you're technically still human. You've just evolved past being a normal one. Spirits are able to contain and wield more mana than humans can since the First Spirit's presence brought it into the world.)" Phantom explained, then kneeled to Origami. "(So be careful with it, promise?)"

"Yeah, I'll protect everyone with my new light powers!" Origami replied, knowing she'd keep this power and her parents safe from harm.

-End Flashback-

Origami's eye ere shadowed as she stared forward at the horizon.

"...And I failed in mere moments." Origami muttered. "Maybe if I flew up as high as I could and just let myself fall, I might finally end it, and instantly so nothing delays or prevents it."

Right as Origami began considering the idea, Shido and Tohka both ran up the stairs, Mana tried to follow but couldn't due to being unable to keep up without flying as the quake alarm had finally stopped and she had to go back to avoid drawing suspicion.

'I know she's here, she has to be. Please... let me be right, don't let me be too late!' Shido said, soon reaching the top as Origami was about to consider her drop from the sky idea. Once he did, he stopped running and took a deep breath.

"ORIGAMI!" Shido screamed, catching the light Spirit's attention as she turned around. Origami looked as Shido and Tohka were standing before her on the opposite side of the viewpoint's ground.

"Shido? No way, but... how did you know?" Origami wondered, completely shocked they knew where to find her.

"How could I not know, I mean this is the place where-"

"Stay back, get away from me!" Origami shouted, catching the two off guard. "Stop trying to help me, I don't deserve it! If you really want to even attempt to do so..."

Origami cross her hands, causing the golden feathery pillars that were part of Metatron form from out of the ground before them. Soon they lowered themselves to the ground, surrounding the area behind Origami's sides, aiming at the two with pure white light charging to fire.

"Then I won't hesitate to force you away with my power if I have to!" Origami finished, she wouldn't kill them, but if she had to knock them to the point of unconsciousness to keep the away then she wouldn't hesitate to do so.

"Origami, what are you talking about? Why don't you want us to help you!?" Tohka asked, still not understanding why Origami refused to let anyone help her. "How can we understand what's wrong you if you won't tell us."

"...Fine, maybe once I do you'll want to stop trying of your own choice. I know you won't." Origami said, her ears tearing up. "Because who'd help a murderer!?"

This surprised the two a bit, why was Origami calling herself a killer? Even Tohka knew she had never killed while she had been in her Inverse Form. Shido tried to wrap his head around it, but nothing came to mind despite what he thought.

"You honestly never pieced it together Shido? I told you before, didn't I?" Origami replied, her whole body shaking as she kept Metatron aimed at them with her one arm.

"5 years ago, during the Tenguu Fire, I met a Spirit who created the flames. Shortly after when I met my parents again... I saw them die as another Spirit hit them with a beam of light and burned them into ashes. Don't you get it yet?"

Origami's eyes closed as her hand twitched, the memory flashing by again.

"Tohka, when you and I fought in our Inverse Forms, what was a common attack that I hit you with? And you Shido, during the entire time you fought that woman using my powers in that machine... didn't that bright light not clue you into anything!?" Origami shouted, almost as if trying to tell them to stop being so blind.

At that moment, both Tohka and Shido suddenly gasped as it pieced together. A spirit who killed her parents with a beam of light, and Origami's Spirit powers included... using a beam of light!

"Origami... are you saying that Spirit who killed your parents was-"

"That's right, don't you get it now? I'm the one who killed me parents!" Origami screamed, tears flowing from her eyes. "I accepted these powers from some being called Phantom to protect them and my parents, but the first thing they did was kill them! That's why... that's why I deserve to die!"

"Don't a loud of crap and you know it!" Tohka suddenly shouted, surprising Origami who looked at her. "So you're telling us you're a murderer because you accidentally killed them? Or are you telling us you actually wanted to do it!?"

"N-no, I didn't want to..." Origami stuttered, her body now shivering a little.

"Then you're not a murderer! No murderer would cry tears of remorse, even if they took a life in self-defense that's not considered murder because you didn't want to do it!" Tohka said, tears beginning to shed down her face. "Heck, you're even lucky you remember your parents! I can't even do that!"

Origami stared in surprise, Metatron's charge slowly faded as doubt began to hit her.

"She's right Origami, me and Tohka's memories are in shambles. We even forgot each other for a while!" Shido said, his face showing Origami it was the guiltiest thing he had ever done to her. "And then we learned we were captured, our memories probably erased! For all we know... maybe our parents were killed and we don't remember it!"

"Shido..." Origami breathed.

"And that's why we can understand your pain Origami, it's why we want to help you!" Shido shouted, making Origami gasp. "So please... let us help you!"

Origami stared at the two, and her whole body shakes as the shock settles in. As this was happening, she suddenly felt two hands on her, and she shifted her look to see the spirits of her parents, smiling and nodding at her that it was OK before the vanished.

"(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!)" Phantom's voice echoes out, ringing through Origami's head.

"Phantom..." Origami muttered to herself, shedding some tears. "I'm so stupid, you were right all this time. They were standing in front of me and I was too blind to notice."

Origami soon lowered her hand, and Metatron's pillars stop charging before they vanish.

"Shido... Tohka..." Origami cried, crying 5 years' worth of tears as she finally felt she had found her place in the world. Shido soon smiled and began walking near her, only for white spirit energy to suddenly surge from her to Origami's surprise, it flew into Shido and knocked him back.

"SHIDO!" Tohka screamed before diving to catch him, neither noticed their headsets had fallen out, now too damaged to work. "Are you alright!?"

"I'm fine... but what was that?" Shido asked, looking at Origami who was suddenly afraid and unable to stop her spirit power as it kept flooding out and she felt herself burning from within. "Origami?"

The crew in the Fraxinus and those at Ratatoskr's base all looked in horror at the result of Origami's current state.

"What's going on, why is Origami sending out all that power all of a sudden?" Maria asked.

"This is bad... there is too much power flowing within her, since I realized her powers hadn't been fully present until today I was afraid this might happen." Reine replied, catching everyone's attention.

"What do you mean commander? Do you have an idea of what's happening?" Vie-Commander Kannazuki asked, knowing that Reine usually only kept something to herself if she thought it might be important later. She likely hadn't had time to confirm or deny it.

"A slight one. Because her powers had been sealed away to a degree that she was a normal human at times, too much of it built up, and now with her Inversion having been forcefully undone due to Adeptus 3's actions... it's now overflowing." Reine replied, and soon gave a grim look for everyone to see.

"At this rate, the overflowing spirit power will destroy all of Tenguu City... and then Origami herself."

Everyone gasped, that means everyone was within a blast radius that would take out the city, and probably before anyone could get to a shelter, even then they might not be able to handle the force. Kannazuki tried to connect to the headsets but failed.

"It's even worse, that first wave must have destroyed their headsets. We can't even tell them anything. Should we retrieve them to discuss a way to keep everyone safe?" Kannazuki asked, but Maria shook her head.

"No good. We don't have that kind of time, and no matter what neither Shido or Tohka can disappear right in front of Origami's eyes. We don't know how that might affect her." Maria said, clearly panicked but unable to express her terror. "All we can do now... is hope Shido can seal her, and do so right now!"

Everyone looked at the screen again.

"Come on Shido... we believe in you, so please save her." Reine stated, clasping her hands tightly as if to send her strength over.

Origami whimpered in fear, unable to understand what was going on.

"Shido... what's happening to me? I swear I'm not trying to do this!" Origami cried out, more waves of spirit mana coming out of her.

"I know... don't worry, I'm coming!" Shido said as he got up, Tohka held him and soon the two pushed forward, even as another wave of spirit mana struck them both.

"No! Stay back, it isn't safe!" Origami shouted, not wanting to see them hurt any more than they already were.

"Don't you dare say that Origami, there's no way... that we won't make it over to you!" Shido declared, making Origami gasp before giving a longing face as they kept braving the waves of power striking them. "You've suffered for so long, back then you claimed I saved you, but I couldn't even see your worries!"

Origami kept staring, unable to believe they'd risk so much for her.

"That's why... that's why we'll make it to you! You're not alone anymore Origami!" Tohka replied, making Origami shed more tears.

"Tohka... Shido..." Origami breathed.

"Origami! Take my hand, that's all you need to do and everything will be fine!" Shido shouted, reaching out his hand. Origami slowly reaches out to him... only for her spirit mana to heavily surge and launch her into the air, flinging her away from them. "ORIGAMI!"

Tohka stared before making a determined fast and grabbing onto Shido tightly.

"Shido... GO!" Tohka screamed as she threw Shido up towards Origami with a mighty toss, after catching himself, Shido reached out his hand again and Origami managed to grab it. Shido struggled as her powers kept trying to force them apart.

"Origami, do you trust me?" Shido asked.

"I do... I trust you Shido!" Origami cried out, wanting to believe in him.

"Then that's all I need, I can finally save you!" Shido replied, and soon Origami felt Shido pull her in closer, soon nearing her face, making her blush as he suddenly kissed her. Tohka watched as the suddenly rampaging spirit power swirled around them before Origami's Astral Dress faded away as her powers were sealed.

"You did it Shido..." Tohka said, smiling as the two began to float back down to the ground.

"Shido..." Origami said, blushing at the fact that Shido had been her first kiss and her powers felt like they had faded away... and then fully going red as she looked down and noticed she was now naked. "Ah! W-where are my clothes, I know I was wearing some before this!"

Shido quickly closes her eyes and gives her his jacket to cover her.

"I'm so sorry, I know this is weird but that's what happens when I seal a Spirit's powers! Though I did think you'd just go back to your old clothes too!" Shido said, looking away while Origami kneels down to make the jacket cover her fully while still embarrassed.

Jessica soon returns and stands before Westcott, giving her report on what happened. Needless to say, Westcott wasn't just angry over the fact that another Spirit's capture was thwarted, but by the same boy as last time no less?

Not to mention the fact Jessica had clearly seen [Sovereign], now once again [Princess] from somehow undoing her inversion, but the Bandersnatch couldn't tell she had been present because she seemed to have lost her powers? He broke the glass he had been holding and ignored the bleeding.

"Are you kidding me!?" Westcott said, clearly angered. "So not only was that same boy from before present, but Princess has both undone her inversion and her powers are gone? Is this what your telling me!?"

"Not only that, but it seems like this boy had been able to use the powers she lost and completely ruined everything." Jessica growled, holding an ice pack on her face. "If it hadn't been for this... sister I'm guessing by her appearance, I would have been at least able to bring [Devil] to us."

Right at that moment, Marina suddenly came into view.

"It's worse than that... right after you sent me the data I did a check... [Devil] both undid her inversion and she's no longer registered either." Marina stated, making Westcott's eyes widen with even more rage. "I don't know how, but the Spirits we've tried so hard to catch are losing their powers. It must be those bastards from the Ratatoskr organization."

Westcott growled, almost as if the First Spirit's words had begun to mock him from the grave.

"Now we have no choice, we must find the other Spirits and force them into inversions." Westcott said, and soon Marina cleared her throat. "What is it Marina?"

"Well... I did have some good news." Marina said with her eyes closed, opening them again before she said it. "Tell me father, how would you react if I told you we've managed to discover a Spirit who can apparently undergo an inversion yet switch back at will?"

Soon enough, Origami had found herself at the Ratatoskr organization, and lent a similar outfit to the one Tohka had been given by Reine, where Reine was explaining things to her about their mission and what Shido had done.

"So... my powers are gone?" Origami asked.

"In a sense. You can't permanently lose them, but unless you get too emotional or will them into you if needed, by all means you're just a normal human with unique eyes." Reine answered, and Origami nodded. "So... how are you feeling?"

"A bit... overwhelmed I guess." Origami answered honestly, she didn't know what else to say. "Especially since my classmates and teachers are all part of this."

"You'll get used to it, it's not too bad after a bit." Hiroto commented from afar, smiling as he did. Origami sweat dropped a bit.

"We'll be having you move in with Shido soon enough, it's best for the Spirits to all stay close to Shido." Reine continued, soon taking another sip of her coffee. "I can't fully imagine the losses you had to face. Just know we're all here for you now."

"...Thank you, Ms. Mur- oh sorry, Reine." Origami smiled. Reine gave a smile and rubbed her head a bit before she walked off to do some work elsewhere, Origami soon got up and bumped into Kotori by accident. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Origami suddenly gasped as she saw Kotori, who in turn paled once she saw Origami, both recalling the other quite clearly.

"It's you, you're the Flame-" Origami tried to say, but soon had Kotori cover her mouth so much, she nearly felt like she was choking form it.

"No! Don't you dare say it, I can't tell anyone... not yet at least." Kotori shouted quickly, soon looking sad. Origami, managing to breathe again as Kotori loosened her hold slightly, looked at her a bit confused. "You wouldn't get it, but I beg you... don't tell anyone I'm the Flame Spirit Efreet."

"...I don't get it, but since you honestly don't want me too..." Origami replied, soon putting a hand on Kotori's hand. "For now, your secret's safe with me."

Kotori blushed a bit, but smiled before walking off. Leaving Origami to wonder why she wasn't willing to mention about her powers, though now that she thought about it... her eyes weren't whitened like before and she had actually aged, something she recalled Phantom telling her doesn't happen to Spirits unless something like what Phantom did to her occurred.

"Did Phantom do the same thing to her? If so, then why?" Origami asked herself, now having a new question about the mysterious child she met long ago.

Shido and Tohka were currently both outside, the two walking together after the whole ordeal to have some relaxation time together. Shido sighed at the end result's toll on him finally set in.

"Who knew things would end up like that by the end?" Shido asked, soon looking forward. "Hey Mio, did you figure out sealing Origami's powers effect you yet?"

[I did, and... I know why I can talk through you now Shido. I was left here by someone.]

"You were? Who was it?" Shido asked.

[...Your mother, before she went off somewhere and never returned. That's all I can recall from Origami's power being sealed, I'm sorry.]

Shido gasped for a moment, but rubbed his shoulder to let Mio know it was alright.

"Thank you Mio, it just means she's watching over me somehow. Maybe if she's still out there with dad, you'll let us find them." Shido replied, and Mio made his aura glow to tell him that he/she was smiling in response to his words. Soon Tohka stops in place, and Shido notices her with a slightly annoyed look. "Tohka?"

"...Shido, didn't you tell me earlier that you should have told me everything?" Tohka asked, making Shido tilt his head confused.

"So why didn't you tell me having to seal a Spirit meant kissing them!?"

Shido suddenly flinched at that, he had forgotten that Tohka didn't have her Astral Dress disappear immediately like Origami's had, so she might not have realized kissing equals sealing. In fact, Reine hadn't mentioned the kissing part either.

"Uh... it's not what you think Tohka." Shido said, sweating a bit as Tohka gives him a look saying 'I'm waiting' in regards for an explanation. "I just forgot you didn't know OK? Honest mistake."

"You forgot... really?" Tohka replied, she wasn't buying it to Shido's dismay.

"Uh... I'll make it up to you, I'll buy you anything you want." Shido said, Tohka's ribbon shifts slightly in response, but she turns away.

"Not gonna work." Tohka stated, turning her head and giving a small pout.

"Uh... I'll buy you all your favorite foods! How does that sound!?" Shido panicked, sweating as he was worried where this would go. Tohka's ribbon shifted again, but this time she turned at him with a smile.

"Alright fine, I guess for a little while." Tohka smiled, making Shido sigh in relief. However, as they were walking, Shido looked back to her and... saw she was giving a cat smile in response.

'No way... she had known all along, hadn't she!?' Shido thought

[Hey Tohka, 'had' that not been real and you 'had' actually known about the kiss thing. I'd 'have' totally praised you for getting Shido to buy you all the food you wanted.]

"What the... really!?" Shido replied, not realizing Tohka giggled. 'She totally guilt tripped me! Great, now I have to or she'll make me get her something bigger.'

'Don't underestimate the power of women Shido.' Tohka thought.

During the night in another area of Japan, a blue haired girl wearing a raincoat with a puppet on her hand was seen fleeing from a group of Wizards flying alongside some Cheshire units. As she flew away from their attacks, one of them hit and caused her to land in a building.

"Yoshinon... I'm scared, what will they do to me?" The girl asked her puppet, the puppet rubbed her head.

"Don't you worry Yoshino, Yoshinon will take out those bullies for you. Just rest for a bit." Yoshinon said, soon tapping her forehead against hers as the girl suddenly took a nap on the ground. The Wizards outside prepared to rush in attack the young Spirit, but suddenly were pushed out as a mass of blue spirit energy turned a dark blue color.

The same girl soon jumped out of the building, the main difference was the puppet's face was now different and the girl's blue hair had become a ghostly pale blue that was nearly white, a smile on her face as her one visible red eye glowed intensely.

"...Astaroth"

Suddenly many screams were heard as the entire area for the next hundreds of kilometers suddenly was encased of a tomb of ice.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Well, I think we all know who the next arc is about, and now Origami's discovered Kotori is a spirit... the question is why is she hiding the fact from everyone and not letting Shido seal her? Is it related to why she was acting so off around Tohka when the arc began? I guess we'll just have to see, because it looks like for right now the possible next Ice Age starting in Japan will be a bigger worry soon.

Since I mentioned this the last chapter, the emotion that I'd say would be in focus for Yoshino's arc is fear, and I can at least hint to everyone here that Shido's going to face such an instance of this during the arc. The biggest question for Shido's group though? It's quite simple... how can a Spirit have free reign over switching between their Inverse state and normal state, and why hadn't such a Spirit shown this ability before this point?

The Inverse Form is only gaining more mysteries in this story, and I don't plan to stop with it here. So I hope you anticipate the answers and further details about Yoshino's when her arc finally begins.