Date A Re:Live

S1 Chapter 08: Yoshino Duality, 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]

Time to begin the next chapter, and time for Yoshino and Yoshinon to make their next moves. As you've probably already noticed, Yoshinon is a lot more connected and bonded with Yoshino then in canon. How much so? Let's just say while Yoshino was willing to trust Shido when Yoshino had gotten lost in canon, in this story she's not as trusting to others aside from Yoshinon just yet.

She's still kind and timid like her canon self, it's just that Shido's got a bigger barrier he needs to shatter, and unlike canon... Yoshinon getting lost or separated from her is only a temporary issue, for Yoshino that is. I won't say more because you'll see what I mean pretty early in the chapter, so saying it here would kinda be the equivalent of repeating myself. For everyone else, well... you'll just have to wait and see to find out, I did say that fear was the emotion that best represented this arc after all :3

Also since some of you keep telling me this... I unfortunately have to crush the dreams of many now. This fanfic is being similar to canon ON PURPOSE, that's why it's called Date A Re:Live, it's sorta me if I had written the canon story instead of Tachibana. If I had truly wanted it to be unique from canon, I'd have given the story a different name. I'm sorry if this upsets anyone, but I'm afraid this is how the story has been planned since day one, do I will apologize for not properly explaining it. I thought the title and summary were enough to imply it, but they weren't.

The only salvation I can give you is that it's being more different from canon than A Dragon's Heavenly Bonds currently is. My writing style works better with using a reference of some kind than being completely from scratch due to the fact I have Autism, ADHD and OCD. Don't get me wrong, I'm not using them as an excuse, and I can still make original content, but I'm honestly just the kind of person who does better when it comes to creations like fanfics by changing something that's already made or improving upon it, rather than starting from zero.

Oh yeah, to anyone who thought Origami changed back from her Inverse Form too easily? Let me assure you now, there's an actual reason for why she changed back so easily, but it's not going to be revealed until the Kurumi arc which isn't until after Kotori's. Let's just say the Vanargandr did what it was meant to, but neither Jessica and Westcott knew a spirit would change back so easily, the Inverse Form's origin is not the same as canon recently revealed, nor is it the same in the first place. That's the reason why the Spirits are still themselves, yet more unstable.

The only thing I can explain about this right now without giving anyone spoilers is that in this story, the Inverse Form only exists because of events that happened during the time of the Prologue's flashback scene and not actually part of the Sephira Crystals. Basically, the power of the Qlipha Crystals only exists in this story because of this, and by extension are only a minor part of the Spirit's powers as a whole. At best, the most often you'll see anything Inverse Form related in a constant manner is via Yoshino being able to freely do it.

Finally, one last promise from me. Since I just got back into the writing game, while I'm in "serious mode", I'm not in my "prime" mode. I honestly don't have the skills I used to and it will take time to recover, if I were to compare my skills now to at their prime... I'd say I'd score only 25/100 points by my prime's standards. However, when they do, all the chapters in this story and every other one I've made will be redone so they'll be expanded and made to be the best they can be. So for now, please bear with my chapters being done with the skill level I have now.

So, here we go!

S1 Chapter 08: Yoshino Duality, Part 2

-Flashback Start-

"Kill her! Take that Spirit down, no matter the cost!"

Yoshino flew through the skies of Okinawa as a whole squadron of DEM wizards chase and fire at her, as usual she was only dodging and evading while avoiding attacking them back despite the danger presented at her. Soon one rogue missile flew in front of her, and she gaps as it hits.

"AH!" Yoshino cried as she was flung away, she heard a scream and turned to see Yoshinon flew off her hand. "Yoshinon!"

Yoshino was soon fully terrified, without Yoshinon by her side she was now in a complete panic and began flying low to the ground, soon being hit by a few more missiles. Making her tumble, as a whole group of them began flying behind, soon she closes her eyes and screams as she slams her hand onto the ground.

"ZADKIEL!"

Suddenly a huge flurry of ice shards fly out as a mechanical white rabbit puppet with red eyes forms from the ground, Yoshino jumps on t's back and slides her hand into one part, making the Angel roar in response.

[DON'T HURT MASTER!]

Zadkiel blasts beams of ice that cause the wizards it hits to have their territories frozen, trapping them within. Even now the timid spirit refused to truly fight back. It did little good as the remaining DEM wizards just flew around and began firing capture nets, the amount that gathered on top of Zadkiel soon caused it to become immobile and fall to the ground, trapped in place.

"Yoshinon... Yoshinon!" Yoshino cried.

"We've got it, destroy her and capture the Sephira Crystal now!" The squad captain roared, and every Wizard aimed their weapons at Yoshino. Meanwhile on the ground somewhere, the puppet housing Yoshinon was un-moving... until it's eye glowed and it twitched.

"Yoshino... you're bullying Yoshino, she's crying!" Yoshinon suddenly spoke, her movements in a spasm due to not being on Yoshino's hand. "I will not let you... bully Yoshino!"

Soon Yoshinon 'breathes in' and shouts.

"YOSHINO! LET ME IN!" Yoshinon yelled loudly, catching Yoshino's attention, having somehow heard it.

"W-what?"

"Let me in Yoshino! I will keep your safe, I'm your hero right!?" Yoshinon asked, and the frightened Yoshino nodded from where she was and closed her eyes. "I'm coming Yoshino!"

Suddenly, Yoshino floated into the air, and with her one red eye glowing, she suddenly zoomed towards Yoshino. Right as the DEM wizards were about to fire, they suddenly saw the puppet fly by and the confusion of the sight distracted them for just long enough to have Yoshinon bop her forehead onto Yoshino's, making her gasp.

At that moment, the entire squad suddenly gasped as a blue orb of spirit power formed before becoming a dark blue in color, when it disappeared, from within the sphere the sight of Yoshino jumping out was seen... but she was different now.

The timid looking blue haired girl with blue eyes was now gone, replaced with a pale light blue haired girl with an eye patch covering her right eye to only reveal her single glowing red eye. Her hood had now become black with the bunny ears sharper, a button eye on the left with a stitched 'eye' on the right. The mouth of the hood now seemed more like sharp teeth in shape as well.

The jacket area of the hood had opened up and transformed into a cape with a glowing blue tuft of fur lining the ends, and under it was a black two-piece bikini. Her left arm was still with a sleeve, holding the new Yoshinon which now had closed girl eyes and a upside down V shaped mouth while her right arm was sleeveless and had a fingerless glove, an icy shaped ring on her pointer finger, and finally toe-less black boots with the same puffball on her Astral Dress' "tail".

"You... you all bullied poor Yoshino." To the surprise of anyone who knew her, Yoshino was speaking in Yoshinon's voice. Now her puppet's new face and her eye patch were explained... Yoshinon and her had swapped bodies. "And now you'll be paying the price for it!"

"W-what? Did Hermit... just undergo an Inversion?" One of the wizards stuttered, and Yoshinon give a dark smirk at him and the others as her visible eye glowed.

"Y-Yoshinon... please don't kill them." Yoshino requested, making Yoshinon pet the puppet's head.

"Oh, don't worry, I won't kill them. We're not them... but I will do something to make them regret bullying you." Yoshinon replied, giving a cold look at the Wizards, never dropping the smile she had to a disturbing degree. She raised her hand into the air.

"ASTAROTH!"

Suddenly a huge blizzard began blowing, Yoshinon laughing as a black mechanical rabbit like that of Zadkiel appeared, only it's eyes glowed a fierce light blue, and its maw along with parts of its body emitting similar colored fire that was actually a heat sucking plasma that drained any warmth nearby. Yoshinon got on top and put only the hand with the puppet in the control section.

"Now, how should we take care of this... I know. Astaroth, freeze them into this entire area!" Yoshino shouted, the Demon King roared with a ghastly shriek before ice pillars formed, and the Astaroth along with the pillars fired off concentrated blizzards, making all the wizards screamed as they and the entire district of Okinawa they were in be completely frozen in ice. The only thing that could be heard was the sounds of Yoshinon's laughter.

"Let the world know this, if anyone bullies Yoshinon... I shall freeze this whole world to protect her!" Yoshinon said darkly.

-End Flashback-

Yoshinon chuckles darkly as she remembers that moment, she would show no mercy to this group if they were gonna hurt Yoshinon. Soon however she felt Yoshino's other hand tap her on the head.

"Huh? What is it Yoshinon?" Yoshinon asked, the shy girl looking at her a bit scared.

"Um... you scare me when you do that." Yoshino said, making the puppet close her mouth and cover it with her hands.

"Sorry." Yoshinon replied.

Yoshino and Yoshino followed the group from far behind, not wanting to let themselves be seen. As the group was walking, Tohka and Origami were having a conversation with each other about a Spirit related thing.

"So Origami, has Shido managed to use your powers for his Spirit Ascension trick yet?" Tohka asked, making Origami blink at the name she just used. Tohka blushed realizing she hadn't told anyone yet. "Oh, uh... that's what I named that thing he did where he imbued my power into his body. You know, when he took out the machine holding your prisoner?"

"Oh! Well..." Origami began, soon looking down and sighing a bit. "No, not at all. According to Reine we don't have a strong enough bond for it to work. I feel so useless, while you still can recall your powers yet, at least he can borrow your power from you... I'm just a burden to everyone right now."

Tohka panics as she sees Origami start tearing up, threatening to become a full blown cry. Not sure how to make her feel better, Tohka panics and swings her arms around, looking left and right before slamming her fist onto her hand as she gets an idea on what to do.

"D-don't cry Origami! It's not as bad as your thinking it is, I mean Shido and I have a strong bond, but we knew each other for years by then." Tohka stuttered, soon getting Origami to look at her. Her ears still full of tears.

"Plus, me and Shido made a promise to protect one another, until I get my powers back we're both in the same boat. I promise you that we'll both work hard to do it. After all, we both love Shido right, as long as we believe in each other we can make anything happen!"

Tohka's eyes sparkle and she grabs Origami's hand as she says this, Origami stares a bit before laughing. Making Tohka's eyes briefly becoming cartoon-ish dots in confusion before Origami smiles and uses a finger to wipes the tears off her eyes.

"Tohka, don't ever change. OK?" Origami laughed, Tohka's words combined with her theatrics near the end had helped her stop focusing on her worries and doubts. Tohka blinked having no idea what was going on, but then just closed her eyes and smiled since Origami was happy again.

Soon the group makes it inside the grounds of Tokyo where they saw the effects of the district being frozen firsthand, everyone struggling to try and remove the ice or continuing their usually daily routines with the ice and snow effecting how they were done or could be done. Mikie shook a bit as she recalled the damage Tohka had left from the time she had seen her. What Yoshino had done was very different, it was like comparing an earthquake to an avalanche.

"My god..." Mikie said, she hugged Ryouko close as the AST captain patted her head. She could understand the feeling. Just because they knew the Spirits weren't doing this of their own free choice didn't mean they didn't fear their power, especially if one made Humanity their enemy.

"To think Hermit did all of this? She's such a docile spirit normally... just what is her Inversion like?"

"I don't know, so we better find the source of where she initiated the attack that froze this entire district." Ryouko replied, breathing to calm her nerves. Knowing they had to focus on saving Hermit before this could continue elsewhere in the world. "If our information network's right, there should be at a shopping complex where this happened."

Mana looks around and soon notices an area with a lot of ice congregated by it.

"Hey Captain, I think I found it." Mana stated as she pointed to it, making everyone else notice the focused mass of ice.

"Good eye Mana, let's check it out then."

Everyone got closer, though noticed a bunch of police tape and guards blocking the way over to it.

"Great, now how do we get over there!?" Kotori moaned, hating how much this felt like one of those movies were the police made things harder for everyone.

"Mikie?" Ryouko asked, looking at her. The young wizard nods and walks into an alley before equipping her yellow and sand colored CR-Unit and motioning the others over. Everyone saw a territory form around them as they mimicked a Realizer's Invisible function.

"Mikie's CR-Unit, the 'Sphinx', allows her to mimic a Realizer's ability to hide a ship. While it lacks the ability to phase through some objects like a real one we can use it to sneak through undetected."

"Wow, that's a useful ability Mikie." Origami noted, making Mikie briefly blush a lot in response. "Mikie?"

"N-Nothing!" Mikie quickly replied. 'Why am I so embarrassed by her comment?'

Soon the group slipped by a gap in the police barriers and got closer to the mass of ice, and after getting far enough inside the area, Mikie dispelled her territory and everyone was once again visible to the world.

"Alright, so is this the place?" Shido asked. Rather than an answer, Ryouko soon equipped her own CR-Unit, the "Lynx", and it deployed some weaponry the scanned the area. "Ryouko?"

"Just a moment Shido, I'm scanning the area of any clues or traces." Ryouko replied, looking at the information on her suit's wrist until... a beep goes off as they found something. "Looks like we've got a lead. Now, time to take a look into this ice."

Ryouko pulls out an energy sword and cuts into a chunk of the ice, revealing a hole in the shopping complex. She and Mikie, followed by Mana as she equipped the Murakumo all fly in closer.

"Whoa... this place is a wreck, so is this really it?" Mana asked, she looked as Ryouko checked her wrist and got a long repetitive beeping alert before nodding.

"...It is, she definitely underwent an inversion here."

"I'll get the others up here, keep an eye out." Mana replied before flying down to go pick them up, none of them aware of Yoshinon staring at them from behind a mannequin.

'Hmm...' Yoshinon thought, curious to what they were doing. 'It seems like they're looking for me, the question is it for trouble or something else?'

Soon after all the others get inside, the group looks around.

"Whoa... this feels like one of those scary movies." Tohka commented, shaking a bit.

"D-Don't say that idiot!" Kotori said, now suddenly terrified.

Shido walked around for a bit, only for a puppet to suddenly appear in front of his face upside down.

"Hey."

Shido quickly screamed in response to the puppet's sudden appearance, falling over a bit. Everyone soon notices Yoshinon was standing on the ceiling before floating down and turning over.

"Oh? Well, if isn't the lady from before, it seems you've returned for more!" Yoshinon commented.

"Uh... hi, your names were..." Tohka said, the sudden entrance made her forget.

"Oh, how rude of me. Did we not properly introduce ourselves before? Well then..." Yoshinon soon waved her arms in a circle. "My name is... YOSHINON! And this is my best friend Yoshino, aren't our names cute!?"

"Uh... yeah, they are." Shido quickly replied, feeling a bit odd. 'Crap! What am I supposed to say to a puppet!?'

Suddenly Shido's phone lights up and Shido sees some stats appear, he showed some shock before a screen with Maria and Hiroto appeared to the side.

"Hey Shido, don't be afraid of what just came up. We noticed you're unsure and now the headset and I, with Hiroto's aid, will be helping you decide on how to respond to Hermit, or rather Yoshino, at this moment." Maria explained, noticing Shido's shock.

"The stats to your left are a sign of a Spirit's emotional state and what feelings are showing high and low numbers." Hiroto followed up, pointing towards them. "Normally they'll be all you see. If you need it we'll offer you a suggested response or multiple choices."

Shido lightly nods, and soon a suggested response came up. It said {Glad you have each other, a friend is always good to have when you don't know where you are}. Shido breathes a bit and gets ready to make the reply.

"I'm glad the two of you have one another, it's always better to be with a friend when in a strange place like this." Shido replied, and soon Yoshinon giggles as he sees her happiness levels increase.

"Aw, that's so sweet mister. Though now I have a question..." Yoshinon replied, getting closer to Shido. "Why did you come here?"

Everyone flinched at that, and soon three choices appear via the headset.

1. Honesty Response - "Because I was interested in you."
2. Situational Response - "We were just interested on where the source of the ice had come from."
3. Funny Response - "Oh me, I'm just a wondering Vagabond!"

"Uh... Maria, I'm still not sure what to say here." Shido whispers.

"Not to worry Shido, if this is still an issue, we have Ratatoskr agents at the ready to recommend their choices." Maria explained, soon sending the request over. "You'll see voting results soon, this should help you decide."

1. "Because I was interested in you." - 51%
2. "We were just interested on where the source of the ice had come from." - 16%
3. "Oh me, I'm just a wondering Vagabond!" - 33%

"I did consider option 3 to be funny, but perhaps being honest would work well. Option 2 is a no go for sure because that sounds too suspicious." Hiroto added, adding his two cents. "Either 1 or 3 works Shido, go with the one you think."

"...Because I'm interested you." Shido replies, catching Yoshinon by surprise.

"Ooh? I didn't realize I was so popular, it's nice to be appreciated!" Yoshinon claps, soon she and Yoshino jump on some monkey bar like structure and Shido panics as Yoshino barely keeps her balance.

"What the hell is that doing in a store!?" Kotori screamed, the others all nodded in agreement. "I mean it's a store, not a playground or gym!"

"Hey mister, tell me what you think!" Yoshinon giggled, enjoying herself while Shido panics to be ready to catch her. "Am I cool or am I the coolest!?"

"Yoshinon, get down! That's not safe!" Shido panicked.

"I don't recall asking you if it was safe, I asked if I was cool or the coolest- Ah!" Yoshino soon fell forward, prompting Shido to kick his legs forward and catch her. The way he does causes them to accidentally kiss.

"Ah!" Tohka and Origami both steam up at that, kinda wishing it had happened to them instead... however nothing happened to Yoshino.

"Wait, nothing happened?" Mana asked.

"That's strange, I guess kissing alone must not work. It can't be willing kisses since you didn't do that with Tohka and Origami... maybe it has to do with your trust?" Maria wondered, considering how the Spirit Ascension relied on their bonds, Yoshino likely didn't trust Shido enough for a sealing to commence.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry about that!" Shido panicked, and Yoshino got up and brushed herself... only to see Yoshinon had fallen off. Making her panic a bit. Shido sees her emotional state suddenly drop into the low area. 'Oh no, this is bad!'

Shido looks around for Yoshino but can't find it.

"Everyone, find her puppet quick! She's starting to freak out!" Shido replied, but unfortunately... that was a bad word choice.

"I'm sorry... did you just call me a puppet?" Yoshinon asks, suddenly floated as everyone turns to face her, suddenly shocked it was moving on its own.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were alive. I mean it's just that you've been the only one talking and-"

"I knew it, all of you... the reason you were here is to bully Yoshinon! Taking her first kiss is proof lucky lecher!" Yoshinon growls, her eye glowing. "No one... bullies... Yoshino!"

"Yoshinon... help me!" Yoshino said, curling up by the monkey bar like objects.

"I'm coming Yoshino!"

Suddenly everyone saw Yoshinon fly towards Yoshino and collide their foreheads.

Back at the Sagittarius, Mildred suddenly sees the jet's readings detecting a massive influx of spirit power coming from Yoshino. She suddenly screams and makes Hiroto nearly drop his phone from the surprise shouting.

"What the hell Mildred!?" Hiroto panting, gasping for some air.

"This is bad... Hermit's just registered a Category E! It's an inversion!" Mildred panicked, making Hiroto and Maria via his phone begin to panic alongside her. "Come on, we've gotta get the ship back up in the air now!"

"Everyone back now!" Ryouko screamed as she began running, the others followed as everyone outside ran as the Spacequake alarm sounded off. Soon, Yoshinon jumped out of the building in her Inverse Astral Dress. Staring at the group before her.

"You're not running away, no one bullies Yoshino and gets away with it!" Yoshino smirks darkly.

"W-what the? Isn't that the puppet's voice?" Tohka gasped, surprised by the fact.

"Wait... the puppet moved on its own, didn't like being labeled as a puppet, and then the inversion happened when their heads..." Origami mumbled before she widened her eyes, realizing what happened. "Yoshino's inversion... she can do it freely because her inverse form's personality IS the puppet! They've switched bodies!"

Yoshinon looked at them before raising her hand.

"ASTAROTH!"

The black mechanical puppet rips out of the shopping complex and give sit's signature roar before Yoshinon got on its back and put the Yoshino puppet inside. Soon breathing a powerful frozen beam at the group. They all gasped as it neared them before Shido took the front of the group.

"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, Tohka's signature sword appearing before him.

Shido grabs it as his hair and eyes assume Tohka's color, and he swings the Angel down to cut through the icy beam aimed towards them, slashing it into two. Yoshinon stares at him annoyed.

"So, you're gonna keep bullying Yoshino and me? Alright then, if you want me serious then you've got me serious!" Yoshinon screamed, soon raising her free hand up into the air, making Astaroth's body glow. "HRAESVELGR!"

Soon Astaroth's outer armor breaks off and takes the form of triangular pieces that looked like paper airplanes with bunny ears and blue eyes, soon burning with the ice flames behind them as they flew. From Yoshinon's fingers, blue threads of spirit power appear, she motions her fingers and the Hraesvelgr puppets all move in towards the group.

"Now dance to the rhapsody of my song of frozen solitude!" Yoshino chuckles in a joking manner, making Shido hold up Sandalphon.

Mikie and Ryouko all begin firing their CR-Units' Audlist guns at the Hraesvelgr puppets, but they quickly dodge and soon rush at them. The two use their territories to defend themselves from the blasts.

"Suck on these!" Mana shouts, her Murakumo's shoulder gear shifting to fire energy strings, Mana using her finger to guide them. While the Hraesvelgr puppets were still easily dodging them, she was able to at least hit a few. Dodging the others that tried to strike her. "Damn it, these things are so unfair!"

"At least your hitting them!" Shido yelled out as he tried swinging at them, but they moved too fast for him to swing Sandalphon at them. He growled at the fact he wasn't able to do anything. "I don't think I could even get near the Demon King with its puppet minions right now."

"Come on Origami, we gotta try to do something!" Tohka shouted, sweating at the situation before them, neither of them noticing Kotori as she suddenly walks off without their notice. Origami panics and nods slightly. "Come on... please, just lend me a bit of my powers! Anything!"

"Me too... please Metatron, I need you!" Origami shouted.

Both of them have their outfits take some traits of the Astral Dresses for a moment, but after that moment they end up changing back. Both Spirits sweat dropped and growled at the result before them. If only they could push just a bit more power out and recall their Spirit mana.

"Now my Hraesvelgrs, finish this!" Yoshino called out, laughing madly as she did. Soon the Hraesvelgr puppets all begin flying around in circles around the group, as their speed picks up, a huge blizzard forms, the three wizards of the group saw their territory begin to freeze.

"Dispel your territories! If you don't you'll freeze up!" Ryouko ordered, making Mana and Mikie nod as they did so and forcing all three to land. The group soon stood back to back... and that's when Mana noticed their absent member.

"Oh no... Shido! It's Kotori, she's not here!" Mana panicked, catching everyone's attention.

"But she was here a second ago, where'd she run off to?" Origami paled, worried something bad happened. At that moment, the Hraesvelgr puppets all get pulled back and re-forge Astaroth's armor to its original form. Soon the Demon King roars heavily and pillars of ice begin to form around the blizzard.

"Now... let's see how you like the permanent cold shoulder!" Yoshino smirked, preparing to have Astaroth freeze them. At that moment however, a black fire blasts at the blizzard and melts through the entire blizzard cyclone surrounding the group.

"What the? What did you all just do, if your trying to annoy me then know you've already succeed with that!"

"...Actually, that was my doing."

Shido and Tohka quickly froze up as they remembered that voice, and soon the sight of a large flying machine that looked like a mix of a ship and a Bandersnatch's flying form with four red eyes and a more reptilian appearance soon flew into the area before hovering in place.

"Oh, so now we have a big bully?" Yoshinon asked, looking quite bored and unimpressed with the machine before her.

"Don't try to resist [Marionette], as you just saw, try to resist me and the Nidhoggr will make your death painful instead of painless." Ellen's voice projected through the giant machine, the Nidhoggr soon charges up it black flames and fires them again. Yoshinon simply smirks and holds her hand out and Astaroth breathes out ice that counters it.

"What!?"

"You really thought I was being serious before now angry lady? If I went all out from the start, I wouldn't have fun breaking everyone into not bullying Yoshinon anymore." Yoshinon chuckles, but soon frowns and gives a serious look. "I'll make an exception for you though."

Astaroth roars and soon it and the pillars of ice all fire at Nidhoggr as it blasts fire to defend itself. Yoshino smirks darkly and soon has Astaroth rush behind Nidhoggr's backside. Yoshino swipes her hand and Astaroth brutally rips its claws into the machine before chomping onto it and ripping it to shreds.

"Ha ha! See that, you ended up being all talk!" Yoshinon laughed, kicking her legs up in down while laying her back on Astaroth.

"Y-Yoshinon, look!" Yoshino spoke, catching Yoshinon's attention.

Everyone soon showed shock as mana threads suddenly sprouted out and began reconnecting the destroyed machine, and in mere moments the Nidhoggr was repaired as if Astaroth never did any damage.

"Do you honestly think we didn't prepare for this? The Nidhoggr is like the beast it's named after, it can survive even the deadly winter of Ragnarok." Ellen projected through the machine, soon blasting black fire at Yoshinon who has Astaroth dodge its fire again.

"Then that machine is indestructible?" Mikie gasped, this Nidhoggr weapon couldn't really be unbeatable... could it?

"No, it has to have a weakness. For it to be able to repair itself there's a source." Ryouko replied, making Mikie sigh in relief. "The question is it using that allows it to repair itself from such near-irreparable damage?"

"Well let's find out, come one everyone let's-" Shido began, but soon an icicle nearly missed him.

"Stay out of this!" Yoshinon shouted, Astaroth's ice and Nidhoggr's black fire colliding with one another. "You bullies... get away from Yoshinon. Stop making her cry, stop scaring her, stop... STOP BEING MEAN TO HER!"

Suddenly Astaroth roars incredibly loud, actually knocking everyone to their feet and disorienting the Nidhoggr's flight systems for a moment.

"ABSOLUTE ZERO!"

Suddenly a powerful burst of ice flung out everywhere, like an icy volcano erupting within a blizzard.

Meanwhile the Sagittarius finally managed to begin taking off, but once it however...

"Huh?" Maria suddenly blinked, looking around.

"Maria? What is it, something wrong?" Mildred asked, curious to the AI's sudden actions. At the same time, she admitted it was getting chilly. "Say, is it getting colder or is it just me?"

"Guys, I have a bad feel-" Maria suddenly gasped. "Mildred, watch out!"

Mildred turned and soon the flurry of the icy storm began to hit them, the ship began to tumble as it was tossed and turned as the two passengers and the AI inside all screamed in fear.

"Oh no, something tells me something went wrong on Shido's end!" Hiroto tried to say through his screams.

"Everyone hang on, I'll try to keep us from crashing!" Mildred yelled, soon having to turn the ship sharply as the controls went haywire from some ice breaching into the ship.

Nidhoggr stayed steady and kept burning its fires to keep it from freezing while the others were barely able to keep their ground against the intensity of the icy flurry being emitted. Grunting a bit, Shido tries to get closer to Yoshinon.

"YOSHINO! YOSHINON! PLEASE STOP THIS!" Shido screamed, hoping his voice would reach them. However, Yoshinon ignored it, completely obsessed over the rage that the thought that everyone wanted to hurt Yoshino filled her with.

During this, a large portion of the icy attack began flying at Shido, causing Tohka and Origami to gasp and run at him.

"SHIDO!" They both cried out, pushing him out of the way. Shido turned at that moment as the attack hit them. Shocking everyone, Shido's sudden shriek at the whole thing caused Yoshinon to briefly regain her focus and look. When she did... everyone saw Tohka and Origami frozen in a block of thick ice.

"No... this can't, this can't be real." Shido stuttered, trying to tell himself it was a bad dream. "Come on you guys, please tell me this is just you hiding behind the ice. You're not really frozen... right?"

Yoshinon could only stare as Shido began acting similar to Yoshino would when scared or hurt.

"What... what have I done?" Yoshinon breathed, her only movement being brief shakes. Shido kept staring, his fake smile soon shattering as tears flooded his eyes before he screamed up towards the heavens.

"TOHKA! ORIGAMI!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

Uh oh! Kotori suddenly walked off and is now missing in a battle zone, Ellen's remotely controlling the Nidhoggr, the weapon briefly seen in the prior chapter... and now Yoshinon, who's the Inverse personality of Yoshino's spirit powers, just frozen Tohka and Origami in incredibly thick ice. Now the Nidhoggr only has her to fight it and it seems that while they're even, the Nidhoggr's regeneration means it's got the advantage and will outlast Inverse Yoshino.

What will Shido be able to do now? He's gotta fight against a flying enemy when he lacks the power of flight himself, the Sagittarius is coming, but due to the storm there's no guarantee that they'll even manage to make it through to give them aid. Most of all... will Tohka and Origami be alright in that icy tomb, or is being frozen inside actually dangerous for them despite or even because they're Spirits? Guess we'll find out in the next chapter, until then, pray that these two will manage survive being frozen.

To anyone that wonders why I chose the machine to be named Nidhoggr? For the very reason actually stated, in Norse mythology, Nidhoggr is a Dragon that will survive Ragnarok, which is also known to be a giant and longer winter. As Yoshino is the spirit who commands ice and water, I felt this was the perfect opportunity. For that same reason, the Nidhoggr was made to repair any damage it takes as long as it's core isn't destroyed, as for why it creates black fire? Nidhoggr's part of Helheim, which is like Norse version of the Underworld, and black represents death.

Here are Inverse Yoshino's stats in case anyone wants to know them, as a friendly reminder, remember that these stats are exclusive to the story:

-Inverse Yoshino (aka Yoshinon)-

Demon King: Astaroth - Zadkiel's Demon King counterpart, emits incredibly powerful heat sucking plasma in the form of light blue flames that consume all heat within its vicinity, freezing anything that it makes contact with.

- Alternate Form: Hraesvelgr - By shedding its armor off into triangular pieces, Astaroth halves its defense in exchange for tripling its speed, with each detached shard of its armor taking the form of miniature flying rabbits known as the "Hraesvelgr puppets", being commanded by Yoshino's right hand through threads of spirit mana.

- Alternate Form: Trishula - The Inverse counterpart of Zadkiel's Siryon technique, the only differences are rather than an armor of ice overlaying her Astral Dress, the ice flames overlay it instead. Less of Astaroth is "worn" by Yoshino as well.

- Powers: Unlike the original Zadkiel, Astaroth is able to form ice from long distances and transfer its will into pillars of ice briefly to attack from multiple areas at once. This will only work if Astaroth is immobile, leaving it and Yoshinon vulnerable.

Risk Factors: AA

Spacequake: B

Spirit's Astral Dress: B

Demon King Ranking: AA

Strength: 135

Consistency: 104

Spiritual Power: 217

Agility: 185

Intelligence: 177