Date A Re:Live

S1 Chapter 14: Kurumi Fallacy, Part 1

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 everyone, the long awaited Kurumi arc! Naming this arc was the hardest, I had to finding a fitting word that also wasn't completely obvious to the theme but still had the right definition to define it since unlike the others, Kurumi's arc has something... special about it. Now this arc? Just a reminder, but it's going to be HUGE! How huge is it? Well, usually when I plan the scripts for each arc, I only get about 5 paragraphs, but for this arc... I managed to write a total of 13!

And that 13 paragraph total was for the prototype script to help make the layout, things like Artemisia, the other members of the SSS, even Kotori already being sealed (Kotori's arc was originally planned for Season 2 until I threw Minerva in) and Saya's presence weren't in the prototype. This arc may very well hit the double digits in the total number of parts.

I forgot to mention this last chapter, but Yoshino's last name of Mizusagi? Ratatoskr gave it to her, and it's a combination of Mizu and Usagi, the pronunciation of the kanji for Water and Rabbit. So Yoshino's last name literally means "water rabbit". Natsumi will also get a last name when she shows up, but I still need to decide on what it is. Also, I'll warn you now that Mizusagi may just end up as a place holder and could be replaced at any time.

Now, what's the emotional theme of this arc? So far, we've had Tohka's arc represent happiness, Origami's represent sadness, Yoshino's represent fear and Kotori's represented anger. This time, I'll give you the answer to this emotion with a question, "How does a Spirit enter their Inverse Form?", that's right, the emotion is... DESPAIR! How will despair fit? I won't say, except it will in multiple forms... and everyone will face it at least once :3

Also, since there are some differences with the Spirits as of this fanfic, and I kept forgetting to show them before now, I'll be bringing up the data sheets for Tohka, Origami, Yoshino, Kotori, Inverse Tohka and Inverse Origami during this arc.

Let's start with our main heroine herself , and once you finish reading it... then let the Kurumi arc begin!

EDIT: Yoshino's last name was decided to be changed, it's now Mizui instead of Mizusagi.

-Tohka Yatogami, Code Name: [Princess]-

Angel: Sandalphon, the "Throne of Annihilation" - Sandalphon is a powerful two-handed sword that Tohka is strong enough to wield with only one, namely her dominant left hand, that appears from a golden throne. Sandalphon's power comes in the form of pure mana and powerful enough some of the strongest defenses in the world. Shido comments that if Tohka can focus her willpower and emotions, Sandalphon has the potential to do even more damage than if she swung Nahemah.

- Alternate Form: Halvanhel ev, the "Sword of the End" - By shattering her throne into pieces, the shards can combine with Sandalphon to transform the sword into a massive single-edged zanbatō-like sword. While the sword's larger size decreases the speed at which Tohka can swing it, it gives it the power to equal a Demon King's base form. Tohka mentions she must be careful not to use too much power from Halvanhelev at once, or the mana inside of it will overload and cause an explosion.

- Alternate Form: Chrysaor - Not an actual form of Sandalphon itself, but Sandalphon can be used in conjunction with it. By kicking her throne, Tohka can shift it into a flying vehicle form and drive it using her willpower. This allows Tohka to use her powers without any limitations from flying normally, if Sandalphon is sheathed in the scabbard area, Tohka can spin the throne to make a slash wave or rush forward for a piercing attack. For some reason, this alternate form allowed Tohka to learn how to drive without training or practice.

- Powers: Tohka's elemental affinity as a Spirit is pure Mana, though she has constantly shown to possess slight earth based abilities, however unlike other Spirits with multiple elements, she can't actually manipulate earth and is limited to seismic waves and summoning her throne from the ground. She can utilize energy blasts with her hands or fingertips, as well as create shock waves with a mere arm swipe. She also has supernatural strength and speed even when not using her powers, the ability to sense if she's in danger, and a sense of smell even more potent than a dog's.

Risk Factors: AAA

Spacequake: B

Spirit's Astral Dress: AAA

Angel Rank: AAA

Strength: 230

Consistency: 178

Spiritual Power: 201

Agility: 168

Intelligence: 100

"So, know any good high schools?" Kurumi asked, making Phantom stare at her for a moment before she purposely fell backwards to be dramatic about her question.

"(Excuse me!?)" Phantom asked, completely dumbfounded by her question. "(Why are you trying to go to school after what you just told me? That sounds contradictory and like you're not even being serious!)"

"Oh dear, I guess I forgot you don't hear what my shadows tell me." Kurumi giggled, making Phantom give her a blank stare on her unseen face. "The one I'm looking for is a high school student. Since you tend to hang around that city, you should know where any odd ends are happening."

"(Oh... and you didn't say that in the first place because?)" Phantom groaned, sighing as she slid her hand across her face.

"(Never mind, I guess if there's one school you should focus on its Raizen High. One time when a Spirit showed up, I saw one of the teachers enter some secret entrance. The school must have links to the Ratatoskr organization. They do want to aid the Spirits unlike those vile terrorists in the DEM.)"

"Raizen High, I see. Have a reference I can borrow in that disguise repertoire of yours?" Kurumi asked.

"(I keep telling you it isn't a disguise, it's just focused mana as a... oh what's the point you'll ignore me.)" Phantom sighed, soon shifting her mosaic to appear as a Kurumi in a Raizen High's Summer Uniform, her voice included. "This should do, and I even suggested how you should wear your hair."

"Aw, you're such a sweet child." Kurumi giggled, soon shifting her Astral Dress to match appearance Phantom had changed into. "Now, time to find this boy."

Kurumi giggled as she twirled and faded into a shadow through the wall, once she was out of sight and out of hearing distance...

"Shido, you're nowhere near ready for this, but I don't have a choice now." Phantom stated to herself, her Kurumi disguise showing sweat trickling down her face as she shakes in fear.

"Kurumi intends to kill you, if I had waited any longer... you'd have no chance to survive. You have to pull a miracle, so prove you can turn 10% into 100%! I have face in you, just like-"

Suddenly Phantom throws her arm back as she catches a sword that had thrust itself at her. She looks to see it was a black sword with white designs.

"Ah, Masamune is it?" Phantom answered, soon pushing her hand out and tossing her attacking back to reveal Artemisia in a red and white CR-Unit, known by the name of Shiva. "It's been a while, hasn't it Artemisia Bell Ashcroft?"

Artemisia readied herself.

"Don't try to fool me [Nightmare], I'm not sure why you aren't at Tenguu City like Westcott stated you were, but I will deal with you here." Artemisia declared before rushing forward and thrusting her blade out rapidly, but Phantom dodged too quick for her blade to even near.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It seems I've kept this form up too long and distracted you." Phantom stated before dropping it and revealing her mosaic form to the wizard's surprise. "(Sorry, but you already missed Kurumi. No one here but little old me.)"

"The Phantom..." Artemisia breathed, soon charging mana into Masamune. "I guess I'll just need to deal with you first."

Artemisia rushes forward at a speed she expected not even Phantom could react fast enough to avoid, but to her surprise the veiled Spirit jumped into the air and fly up.

"(Sorry sweetie, but I've gotta go take care of business. Hopefully I'll see you again soon.)" Phantom giggled before she disappeared, Artemisia sighed as her CR-Unit showed on its wrist reader that Phantom had been marked as "Lost".

"...Well I was after Nightmare for this mission, I can't be sidetracked just because I saw the Phantom." Artemisia sighed, soon taking off again into the sky as she continued her path to Tenguu City.

In a simulated battlefield that made up part of the Ratatoskr base's training arena, most of the AST were on the ground defeated. Only Mana, Mikie and Katie were seen standing against the new trio of wizards that had joined the AST shortly after Kotori's powers had been sealed.

The most amazing sight was seeing Cecile who side from having her hair unbraided was actually on her feet with her eyes open due to her CR-Unit and her territory temporarily giving her both back to her. Mana shifts Murakumo's swords to her hands and readies them, getting Cecile's attention.

"So, you still want more then? I can respect that. Leo, Ashley, let's finish this up, shall we?" Cecile asked, getting a nod from the both of them. "Alright then, I'll take the prodigy wizard on."

Mana rushed at Cecile who soon vanishes, the normally blind wizard smirks and holds her hand behind her.

"Alright, activating Territory Jamming." Cecile stated simply. Mana suddenly crashed into a thick mana distortion that blocked her attack while weakening her territory field.

The signature ability of her CR-Unit [Longma] was its power to use mana create anti-territory fields by distorting the area, using Cecile's powerful territory manipulation to attack weapons built onto the CR-Unit itself. Mana was pushed back as Cecile motion the suit's wings to fly at and strike Mana.

"I won't let you, try this!" Mana exclaimed, jumping into the air and aiming her blasters at Cecile. "Blaster Mode!"

Mana fires at her, the energy strings fly off at Cecile, but to Mana's shock, the normally blind wizard managed to move fast enough to dodge them all and then appear before her, holding her hand up to catch her in another Anti-Territory field. Cecile grabs her by the throat and then slams her onto the ground. Leaving Mana there defeated.

"So powerful..." Mana breathed. Mikie shook at the sight before preparing at Ashley rushed around her, giving an intense look. She deployed the Sphinx's claw weapons and prepared to pounce Ashley and surprise her, but gasped as Ashley instead rushed at her directly.

"Sorry, but getting up close? I relish fighting like that!" Ashley smirked as part of her CR-Unit, the Asura, shifted to her hands as she masterly struck certain spots of her body with martial arts blows. Flinging Mikie across the ground a bit, luckily the normally scattered high school girl got back on her soon after.

"OK, let's try this then. 'Illusive' equip!" Mikie called out, deploying her CR-Unit's ability to make her invisible.

Ashley raised her eye brow at this, looking around as Mikie attempted to sneak up on her and use her CR-Unit's claws to strike the punker wizard. Ashley's ears notice a crunching sound on the battle and smirks.

"I'll give you an A for the effort kid, unfortunately..." Ashley began, reaching back and revealing two doubled bladed energy swords she held via the middle while the back of her wiring suit revealed more 'blades' coming out of it. Slashing them at the ground to creating dust and let Ashley notice Mikie's silhouette as she covered herself to avoid being blinded.

"For someone with a stealth based CR-Unit, you have some really loud feet giving you away. Too bad for you."

Ashley rushed forward and slashed against Mikie's invisible form, and soon Mikie falls over and returns visible, her eyes spiraling as she was defeated like Mana had been. Ashley smirks as she tosses her swords which fly back into her suit's storage spot.

Meanwhile with Katie, the now nervous wizard brought up her blasters and focused on the scope lens of her CR-Unit, Unicorn, as her right eye saw the reticle appear on it and fired at Leonora who moved quickly and dodged them easily.

"Ah, oh no!" Katie panicked, trying to adjust her aim and swap to a different blaster as Leonora got up close. "She's got me!"

Leonora neared her face, only to jump back a few yards to Katie's surprise. At that moment though, Leonora snapped her fingers, and her CR-Unit, Horus, opened up its "wings" and the blaster circles.

"I believe the term is... 'psyche", correct?" Leonora replied, soon firing laser blasts at Katie. The young wizard screamed as the blasters hit and she was tossed up high in midair before falling and feeling a bit dazed from the landing.

"[Battle over! Cecile O'Brien, Leonora Sears, and Ashley Sinclair are the winners.]"

Ryouko and Reine watched from the sides, the AST Captain surprised at the new recruits handling every member of the AST and winning, something even Mana's prodigy level skills as a wizard had failed to do since she had joined them.

"Incredible, how did the three of them beat everyone by themselves? The only that's even still conscious in any form at this point is Mana." Ryouko asked, still unable to believe what she witnessed. "These aren't your ordinary Wizards, aren't they?"

Reine nodded.

"You're correct Ryouko, these three and two others were originally members of the group that was the precursor to what would eventually build the ground for what would become the AST. I believe they were called Special Sorcery Service, or the 'SSS' for short." Reine answered, making Ryouko gasp.

"Are you serious? These three are part of that group?" Ryouko asked incredulously, and Reine nodded.

It wasn't too big of a surprise that Ryouko had been amazed by the revelation, the wizards of that group were legends along the Ratatoskr Wizards. At least... four of them were this, the fifth member of the group was considered a grim reminder of their enemy organization. Mana, who was slowly getting back on her feet, heard the two talking.

"Hey Reine, if you don't mind me asking, what was this group like?" Mana asked, dispelling her CR-Unit as some of Ratatoskr's staff helped the other girls get back on their feet.

"Not at all Mana, they are in all sense your upperclassman." Reine answered, soon grabbing a chair and a coffee as she sat down.

"To best explain this, let's start how the group first came into light. Originally when the AST was first formed in Ratatoskr, back around the time Ryouko was about your age, it was just a small group of people who could use CR-Units and it was a small group. However, at one point, the DEM... nearly destroyed our entire organization, the Fraxinus crew included."

Mana gasped at that.

"Back then, the Fraxinus you've come to know wasn't even created, it was the successor to a now scrapped ship. The original Fraxinus wasn't anything like the current one. We kept our job monitoring the Spirits and trying to find ways to help them. The one time, and this was long before Maria had been created, we got close to helping the current [Witch] or Spirit No. 7 and right when we thought we'd be able to save her... the Arbitel attacked us."

-Flashback Start-

Through the night sky, the Arbitel's main weapon was seen glowing before it suddenly fired at a blue and white ship that was the original Fraxinus, everyone inside the ship suddenly felt themselves get shaken by the impact.

"What just happened!?" Kannazuki called out, in response to the attack, Mikimoto typed on his screen to check the damages.

"Territory's been reduced by 20%!" Mikimoto replied, and Nakatsugawa checked the ship's damages. They didn't look good either... part of the side was smoking badly.

"No damage to the interior, by the right haul is shot!"

Reine made a more serious face and bit one of her nails, they were being attacked.

"I'm picking up more heat waves, another attack is coming!" Minowa shouted, making Reine remove the binding that held her ponytail as she dropped her stoic expression.

"Shiizaki, what information do we have on the enemy ship?" Reine ordered.

Shiizaki began typing and soon a visual of the Arbitel came into view, making Reine glare at the ship slightly as it was clear who it belonged to.

"Information confirmed commander. This is the DEM's flagship, Arbitel. It's threat ranking is labeled at a AAA-Class according to the ship's analysis." Shiizaki revealed, making Reine sigh and turn to Kannazuki.

"Kannazuki, drop all autopilot for the ship's weapon systems. I grant you full authority in their usage." Reine stated, making Kannazuki nod as he put on a pair of headphones.

"I'm good at taking pain, now let's show them how I give it." Kannazuki smirked, tapping the headphone's sides. "Kawagoe, drop Invisible and focus everything on the protect territory!"

"Roger Vice-Commander!" Kawagoe replied loudly.

The Fraxinus' cloak dropped as it came into view of the Arbitel... only for an entire warning reading to cover the ship, and unlike most the entire ship flashed red showing this was a very serious warning sign.

"Something's not right here, how's the ship in this much danger already?" Shiizaki paled, soon noticing something. "Wait... something's invaded the ship's controls! It seems like it's some virus!"

"Oh, I believe that might be me?"

Everyone looked as they suddenly saw all their screens get replaced with a face showing Marina on them as she gave a cruel smirk and laugh.

"Who are you?" Reine asked, visibly sweating.

"Ah, that's right. I was born only fairly recently so none of you have actually met me yet. My name is Marina Arusu, and I'm an AI created by my wonderful father Isaac Westcott to further enhance the Arbitel. However, shooting you down felt too boring so..." Marina began, giving a dark smile.

"I went a step further to torture you, my father doesn't like the quick and easy path and neither do I. I'll make you see what it's like to futility fight back as your ship stays in my control and gets blasted until you all die! Enjoy it while you're all still living."

Soon the Arbitel fires multiple rapid fire shots, the Fraxinus was hit and had no way to defend itself, a majority of the ship began smoking as various parts of the haul began smoking and catching on fire.

"We can't regain control of the ship, not even to deploy protect territory! We're defenseless!" Minowa called out, making Reine grit her teeth. Marina simply laughed as she watched their pitiful struggle.

"...Kannazuki, activate the emergency program!" Reine ordered, making him gasp before nodding.

A secret hand print pad for both of them opens and they put their hands on it. Marina yawned within the virtual realm of the Fraxinus' systems, turning the white colored environment black as she took it over, she suddenly noticed some white mass appear nearby and fly towards her.

"Really? An anti-virus defense? Sorry, but I'm an AI. A virus killer ain't gonna stop me." Marina mocked before throwing out her arms.

Her outfit suddenly morphed and opened up across the middle and the sleeves. The bottom area becoming like cables as her legs gained an intentional buggy look to them while the top section of her opened outfit had her threads unravel. This was the 'Astral Dress' that belonged to Marina, and soon she attacked the program.

"Let's see how you like it as I infect you and then delete you!" Marina cackled, her eyes glowing a scary shade of gold.

Meanwhile outside the virtual world, the Arbitel prepared another blast as its crew prepared for another attack, James at the ready for an authorization to any requested weapons they needed.

"Sir, permission to charge the main canons with Ashcroft Alpha devices 1 through 5?" A crew member asked.

"Permission granted, we'll destroy that ship's functions with one blow and let it crash! Then we'll capture [Witch] and end her as well!" James agreed, looking confident in himself and Marina's plan. 'We've already won this battle.'

The Fraxinus crew kept checking readings as they began seeing systems in the ship spark.

"Commander, if we get hit again then even if the ship holds we won't be able to do anything. We'll be dead!" Mikimoto said as he turns to Reine, the silver haired woman trying to do her best to keep as calm an appearance as she could.

"...We have to have faith that program will save us, please work." Reine whispered to herself, grasping the wing on her necklace tightly. "I can't die here, otherwise all of your sacrifices and his will be in vain."

Marina kept laughing as she attacked the program in the virtual realm of the Fraxinus, seeing it start to glitch op as she kept attacking its data.

"That's it, time for you to finally die!" Marina smirked before throwing her cables back as they charged electricity, and then launching them forward to stab through the white mass of a program... however said mass suddenly extended to grab them to her shock. "What the?"

The white mass' glitches soon cause its shape to altar, and the program begins shifting into a more humanoid form, but one that didn't have any definite features and seemed more like a mannequin made of white data.

"Don't... hurt... friends. Leave... alone!" The program spoke in a female voice, surprising Marina.

"Impossible, my attacks caused you to copy my data and evolve!?" Marina shouted, her eyes shaking in disbelief before the white program attacked her, making her own body glitch. " No, damn you... damn you stupid program!"

The white program screamed as Marina suddenly saw most of the virtual realm's color change from the black she painted it from invading back to the original white, signifying her losing control of the ship's systems.

"This can't be!" Marina screamed, trying to push the black back, but only briefly stopping it before just slowing down the white program's efforts. Back inside the ship itself, Shiizaki saw the Fraxinus' systems starting to recover.

"Commander! I think it worked, we're regaining some of the ship's systems!" Shiizaki declared happily, making Reine sigh relieved.

"Shiizaki, we have no choice to retreat. This ship won't make it otherwise so... Kannazuki, deploy all the Yggdrafolium realizers! We're gonna kamikaze our way into escaping." Reine ordered, and Kannazuki nods.

"Sorry girl, you did us well but it's time for your last stand." Kannazuki breathed before making a serious face, slamming a hand on the headphone's left side. "Yggdrafolium, parallel driving force activate! BAND UP!"

The Fraxinus' rear side shakily deployed all of the realizers used as its energy source and sent them all flying towards the Arbitel's location, attracting the attention of a crew member right as he gets readings about Marina's condition.

"Captain! Marina's suddenly lost grasp on the enemy ship, and it seems they're retaliating with some unknown weapon!" The analyst responded, getting James' surprise and attention.

"What? What happened, what's going on here!?" James wondered angrily, soon they felt the Yggdrafoliums phase through their territory as they were too late in deploying it and soon feel their ship attacked like they hit a mine field. "We've been hit, status update!"

"It seems that something's pelting the ship, damage is minimal but it's disrupting the systems without Marina's support!" The crew member replied, typing fast as the data reached them. "Wait, it looks like they're realizers being used as bombs."

This got the entire crew's attention, and at that moment Marina suddenly reappeared in her original form via the ship's projector area, her body glitching out.

"...Call a retreat now, those bastards got away but we completed the mission at least. That ship will never be able to fly again after today." Marina panted, angry and glaring at its retreating form. "I hate to call it as such, but it was still a victory."

-End Flashback-

"Holy..." Mana softly replied, to think that the ship she saw Tohka fight in her Inverse Form and barely overcame her had managed to accomplish such a devastating blow to Ratatoskr. "And that was just what your group faced?"

"It was." Reine replied, sipping the last of her coffee and sighing. "Ratatoskr's base at the time was destroyed and we lost a lot of good people, the damage left us too inactive for a while that many spirits we could have saved met their deaths by the DEM's top three Adeptus wizards. Westcott called us greenhorns back then... and we really were."

Ryouko put a hand on Reine's shoulder as she shook a bit, Mana giving a sad look.

'How many lives has that corrupt organization taken just for the sake of power? How was 6 billion not enough, what's going to satisfy that... that inhuman bastard! No, even implying he was or has any relation to a human is too good for him!' Mana thought, her fist trembling.

"After that crushing blow, we knew we couldn't stay like this. So we learned from our mistakes. The one who helped us do that, well..." Reine continued, holding up her phone and showing Maria form as she waved at Mana. "It was Maria here, see we lost a lot... but Marina's invasion of our ship gave us an ember to make us burn brighter."

"That program in Reine's story? Well... you're looking at her." Maria giggled, making Mana's eyes widen in shock.

"Yep, when Marina attacked me, she corrupted my programming, but she had been too careless and I was able to take the data she in herself, the Arbitel, anything that ship had at the time, and used it to evolve. The DEM doesn't even know that their info was taken after all these years."

"Using this, we helped complete Maria's new body by removing her irregularities. Then made a new Fraxinus, the Fraxinus Ex-Celsior you see today, using the Arbitel's technology and schematics but in our image and made multiple bases to trick the DEM into which one was the main branch." Reine continued.

"Without DEM even seeing us grow, they kept underestimating us and rather than expose it, we let the illusion stay until the day come we'd show the organization we did fall from defeat but surpassed them without them even knowing it. The biggest step was the creation of Asgard Electronics as our research and engineering division, and forming the SSS."

"So that's how this group formed?" Mana asked.

"That's right, the SSS was our attempt at finding a strategy to train our wizards. It worked well and the five wizards that joined showed the new potential of the custom CR-Units and our training techniques. That eventually led to us making the AST an entire division with hundreds of wizards stationed across the world." Ryouko explained.

"Ah, I get it. You started small but made yourselves even bigger." Mana nodded, she was honestly impressed how Ratatoskr responded to their heavy loss the more she heard about it. Then she noticed something, they said the SSS had five wizards, but only three had joined Ratatoskr's Tenguu City branch.

"Wait, where are the other two at right now?"

Suddenly Reine and Ryouko go silent, and Reine sighed as she got a new cup of coffee before sitting back down.

"...They left us, and not in the sense of being retired." Reine replied monotonously, making Mana suddenly sweat. "One of them went missing and we've yet to find her since, the other became part of the DEM."

Reine chugged another gulp of her coffee, soon breathing with her eyes still closed.

"You've already met the DEM traitor, her name is Minerva Riddell."

"WHAT!?" Mana screamed, surprised at the revelation. "Y-you're joking right, that insane bitch is an ex-Ratatoskr member? That can't be, how can anyone like her have been our ally once!?"

"...It's a sad truth, but it's not a lie." Reine answered, her fist clenching. "The missing member of the team, Artemisia b. Ashcroft, when she joined quickly became the best of the five wizards. Before that, Minerva sought to be on top, but Artemisia was always better. Minerva hated that and tried to kill the others, that's how she got that scar."

Mana recalled the scar she had over her right eye before she gave it a match, in fact she even recalled Minerva shouting the same after she landed a blow to the insane wizard's arm with a rage filled voice.

"Jealousy, it's a dangerous emotion. That's why Minerva left. To her it was her way or the highway, and she became one of the worst examples of what those we trust can become if we aren't careful." Ryouko added, giving a somber look.

"Artemisia went missing sometime after that, the only reason we even know she's still alive is because her CR-Unit and its weapon have their DNA lock. All we could confirm is Minerva had some involvement." Reine sighed, getting up and walking past Mana, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Mana, in the coming days you may have to stand higher on your feet than you ever had. Be the hero instead of your big brother. I just hope you'll be ready for it when the time finally comes. Right now, this world seems peaceful to the public... but that could reveal itself as an illusion if we don't hurry. I intend to make sure that this illusion turns into reality somehow."

Mana blinked as Reine continued walking by, getting a weird feeling from what Reine have just told her. As she did she suddenly noticed that the teddy bear Reine always had was on the floor, having fallen out of her pocket.

"Hey Reine, you dropped your-" Mana began to say, picking it up. Yet the moment she did...

-Flashback Start-

In some strange glowing realm, Mana held out her hands as she given a teddy bear that looked just like Reine's but without the damages it currently had.

"Wow! You made this for me, really?" Mana asked.

The one who gave it to her was revealed to be a man with blue hair and brown eyes like her big brother, he even had her beauty mark, but by his other eye unlike her own. He also had shaggy, spiky hair and a more muscular body tone.

"That's right, mommy helped me make it. Do you like it?" The man asked.

"Of course, I love you daddy!" Mana smiled, jumping up to hug him. Her father smiled and hugged her back, twirling her in the air as he laughed happily with her.

-End Flashback-

Mana's eyes shook as she began to pant, getting Reine and Ryouko's attention.

"Is there a problem Mana?" Ryouko asked worriedly, suddenly Mana's eyes widened before she suddenly collapsed onto the ground. Making the two gasp. "Mana! Mana wake up, what's wrong? Please say something, Mana!"

Mana breathed weakly on the ground, her face suddenly flushed with a fever. Reine checked her head and quickly moved it away from how hot it was.

"This is bad, I think she's got a really high fever. Get her medical attention immediately!" Reine ordered, making Ryouko nod as she ran off with Mana in her arms, Reine picked up her teddy bear and her mouth quivered as tears slipped down her face.

"...Why couldn't I have just kept this thing locked in my room? Why did I let her have a way to touch it? Mana, please be OK."

Back at the Itsuka household, Tohka was carrying some laundry over to the wash when she heard the phone ring. She answered it as she saw it showing the Ratatoskr base's number.

"Hello, this is Tohka speaking." Tohka answered, soon listening before she suddenly heard Mikie's panicked voice and gasped right as Shido walked by. "What!? Mana got really sick and had to be rushed to the hospital?"

Suddenly Tohka felt Shido squeeze her face near hers to get close to the phone, making her blush as he got close enough to reply.

"What happened to her, please tell me she's OK!" Shido screamed, going into his worried big brother mode.

"It's just a really high fever, and the doctors already said they've stopped it form increasing any higher. Still... to suddenly collapse and get a 103-Degree fever made us worry. We've got some people in Ratatoskr making sure she gets proper treatment." Ryouko explained, making Shido relax slightly.

"Sorry this ended up coming up like it did, but it was strange to me too. She simply bent down to pick up something Commander Reine had dropped and then suddenly she was sick. I hope she didn't overexert herself during training, better yet it's not a side effect from her spirit powers awakening."

"...OK, just make sure you call my cellphone immediately if anything changes." Shido answered before hanging up. Once he did, he walked over to the other wall and slumped down before sitting and covering his face with his hands and shaking to Tohka's concern.

"...Please Mana, please be OK. You're all I have left of my biological family physically or memory wise, I can't lose you too. Don't die, please don't die."

"Shido..." Tohka said softly as she teared up a bit, soon kneeling by and hugging him as he cried and then shed her own tears. "It'll be OK, she's going to be fine. She'll be OK."

During that same time, Kotori was seen laying on the couch was she had a ghost of herself floating out of her mouth. Origami and Yoshino stared at the sight before Yoshinon decided to ask a question.

"Any reason your partially dying?" Yoshinon bluntly asked to the two Spirits' surprise, Kotori's ghost is swallowed back into her mouth as she tiredly turned to look at the two.

"Because I look older, and Mana is smart enough to do so anyways. Reine suggested we get bumped up to Raizen High. I've been cramming what's probably years' worth information for the last 4 hours!" Kotori exclaimed tiredly, sliding off the couch in the process. "I'm dying here... save yourselves."

"...Eh, she's fine." Yoshinon giggled, making Kotori get up and stare at the puppet.

"You and Yoshino don't even go to school, how can you claim anything like that!?" Kotori cried, sliding onto the table fully. "I finally look my age and look where it gets me."

Origami rubbed Kotori's head, making the Flame Spirit feel slightly better.

"W-well you'll at least be in our class, so..." Origami replied, trying to make Kotori more comfortable. "You can always ask me or Shido for help."

"Thank you Origami, I'm glad you're actually here for me!" Kotori cried happily, soon noticing Yoshinon looking up at the ceiling as if deep in thought. "What's wrong with you?"

"Huh? Oh nothing, I've just been thinking of something that hasn't felt right to me since the other day." Yoshinon answered, crossing her arms as she looked back at the ground.

"Ever since we've been sealed, I haven't thought much about Shido being able to or how he can use our powers. I always just it was a weird coincidence. Especially since he, Mana and Tohka had all been prisoners to the DEM. Seemed like a happy accident he learned how to do that. Yet now... Mana suddenly has spirit powers? Sorry, but that isn't a coincidence. Especially if Shido's ability is considered a spirit power itself."

"Huh... you know, I never really looked into it that way. Yet since you mention it now that does feel strange." Kotori noted, scratching her cheek. "Do you have any thoughts Yoshino, Origami?"

"Ah! U-uh, well..." Origami began, soon sweating nervously before bowing. "I've never thought I should worry over that kind of thing! I'm sorry!"

"I don't think it has to do with the DEM at all, it's always felt... like Shido was no different than us to me. I kinda felt... that Mana was too even though she seemed more normal." Yoshino admitted, making Yoshinon nod.

"Yeah, something feels wrong. I think there's more to this than we realize." Yoshinon agreed, and Kotori suddenly stared before Saya's consciousness flowed through her.

"Kotori, I have to agree. I've been checking your memories and I noticed Phantom seemed to have an odd reaction to learning you knew Shido. Not to mention Mio's presence... something isn't adding up." Saya replied.

All the spirits made thinking faces, and then Yoshino's stomach growled. She blushed in embarrassment.

"I... haven't had a snack yet." Yoshino blushed more, and Kotori giggled a bit.

"Alright, let's go get something to eat then."

Yoshino smiled as the others headed into the kitchen, and soon noticed Tohka and Shido walking back, and Kotori noticed the tear stains by their eyes.

"Hey, what happened you two?" Kotori asked.

"We... just got told Mana was taken to the hospital, she's got a dangerously high fever." Tohka answered, making the others gasp. "She's stable, but she might not be home for a few days. We think it's her powers or stress, maybe even both, that did it."

"Poor Mana, I hope she'll be OK." Yoshino said softly, Yoshinon grabbing her hand for support. Origami only stared as she understood Shido's feelings all too well.

'Hmm... something doesn't feel right here' Yoshinon thought. "I know! Let's make her a get well soon meal while we prepare a snack, that always makes Yoshino feel better."

"Yeah, that'll cheer Mana into recovering in no time!" Tohka cheered, Shido looked before nodding a bit. His smile slightly returned.

"Alright, let's make her some get well muffins then." Shido replied.

Kurumi soon twirled into view on a large building within the center of Tenguu City, giggling as she finally arrived in what she was hoping was the promised land that the boy she had learned about lived. She looked around and noticed that there were many schools, making it hard to know where to look. The only one familiar to her was her old school of Rindouji High back in her days as a human.

"So here we are, Tenguu City. To think I'd be back home after all these years. I guess it's true what they say, a story usually ends back where it began." Kurumi told herself, soon frowning at the various schools. "Unfortunately, it seems that I don't know where I'm supposed to go."

"(Sorry, I guess I forgot to mention that part.)"

Kurumi suddenly turned as Phantom dropped into view, rolling the arm she caught Artemisia's weapon with to make it un-stiff.

"(Raizen High is that school over there. Notice the white horizontal building on the mountain side with a blue roof, the field on the right and a brown clock tower in its center?)" Phantom asked, pointing towards it. Kurumi looks and soon sees the very school.

"Ah, I see it now. Thank you Phantom. I'm surprised you came here all the way to tell me that, so thoughtful to do that." Kurumi giggled.

"(Actually... that was secondary, I have my own business here. Be careful out there.)" Phantom replied before walking and vanishing from view, and Kurumi soon took a closer look at Raizen High.

"Alright, let's things started. Time to enroll and scout around." Kurumi stated as her shadow extended out and she soon slid into the wall and vanished.

At Tenguu General Hospital, a room in special wing reserved for Ratatoskr had Mana resting inside with her face flushed red. She soon opened her eyes, her head so heavy she could barely focus or think. She saw Ryouko and Reine looking at her and smiling as she woke up.

"Thank goodness, you finally woke up." Ryouko said, sighing in relief.

"W-what happened to me? I can't remember." Mana asked.

"You suddenly got really hot and were burning up, we took you to the hospital and had you checked out. At first you seemed to have a fever, but that was wrong, your body just heated up too much and rose your temperature to 103 degrees." Reine answered, petting her head.

"Don't worry, the heating up stopped so you'll make it through. Though you'll need to rest for today and the next three days. I've already told Tamae about it so your absence will be excused. Just rest and recover for now."

Mana nodded weakly.

"OK, I will. I can barely think right now anyways. Including what I remembered before I passed out." Mana replied, soon relaxing into bed. Soon hearing Shido and the others come in. "Big brother?"

"Hey Mana, how are you feeling?" Shido asked, making his sister chuckle.

"Lousy, but Reine says I'll live. Though three and a half days in here's gonna suck." Mana replied, making the others relieved. She soon saw Shido give her some muffins. "Aw, a get well gift. Thanks guys."

[I kinda wish I could have physically helped, I only gave moral support.]

"It's OK Mio, I'll count that in making them." Mana smiled, making her unseen face blush through Shido's aura. "If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get some sleep now."

"Alright guys, let's have her get some rest now." Ryouko ordered, clapping as the others nod and leave. Mana falls asleep with a happy face, but before she does... Reine leaves the teddy bear by the table with a note in its hands saying, 'I'm here to keep your company.'

"...Get better soon." Reine said, kissing Mana's forehead before walking out. Mana feels it in her sleep before smiling more.

The next day, everyone was headed to school as Origami and Shido walked into class. As they did, they saw Kotori and Ashley already seated.

"Hey Kotori." Shido greeted as he took his seat behind her, Kotori blushing a bit.

"O-Oh, hey Shido. Guess as of today we're class mates, huh?" Kotori replied nervously, soon blushing as Shido pet her head to calm her down. "Sorry, I'm just nervous about suddenly jumping up a few grades."

"Hey, let Origami told you. We're here to help you out with anything." Shido replied, making Kotori blush and smile.

Some of the nearby guys all stare at him with jealousy, thinking he was stealing another hot chick like he did with Origami. At that moment the bell rang, and everyone got to their seats as the bell rang and Tamae walked in.

"Good morning class, I think you've noticed today we have some new faces. We have three students who skipped from middle school to high school that have joined our class. One of them however is unable to attend due to illness, so for the two who have..." Tamae began, looking at Ashley. "Ashley, would you like to introduce yourself first?"

Ashley shrugged and sat up.

"Ashley Sinclair, that's it." Ashley said before she sat back down, making everyone sweat drop. She was kinda wearing her school uniform as punk like as possible without violating it after all so that attitude didn't help dispel the thought.

"Uh... OK then? Kotori, please introduce yourself to the class." Tamae continued, making Kotori gulp and stand.

"Uh... my name's Kotori Itsuka, I was formerly a 2nd Year in Middle School. I can get nervous a bit easily so... please be gentle with me for a while!" Kotori introduced, bowing a bit. Some of the guys all blushed at how cute she looked from her introduction... or from staring at her chest to Shido's irritation.

"Alright, with that now it's time to-"

Suddenly a knock was heard on the class as someone cleared their throat.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, I almost forget!" Tamae panicked, soon clearing her throat a bit. "Are you ready for a surprise everyone? Along with the three new students who advanced from middle school, a transfer student is joining out class today."

Everyone showed surprise at that, transfer students were usually interesting, especially to high school students who wanted to possibly get an exotic boyfriend or girlfriend.

"OK, come on in."

Soon from the door, Kurumi Tokisaki walks into the room, as soon as all the boys saw her they went nuts. Kurumi wrote her name up on the board and then turned to the class. Surprisingly, her whitened pupils were absent for some reason, so Shido and the others didn't notice what she really was.

"Hello everyone, my name is Kurumi Tokisaki."

There you have it, the first part of Kurumi Fallacy has begun, this chapter was a bit different from most since the plot in this case focused not as much on the Spirit of the arc, but to other events this arc is connecting to. We learned how Maria was born, connecting to the eventual Ars Install arc, had Artemisia show up in action and saw the other SSS members show their skills to connect with the Date AST Re:Strike that'll happen after this season ends.

As you'll likely notice, Mana is current out of action for the next 3 days in story, that's the day Kurumi makes her big move in canon, so Mana will not be able to help the others until then. That memory she recalled was the biggest reason I've temporarily written her out, with what the flashback showed, I think you all know why I can't let Mana properly think of that memory or let Shido know about it just yet.

Also, it has to do with how back in Yoshino's arc, I made it clear Reine knows a bit more about Shido and Mana than she's letting on. I'll confirm this at least, Reine is NOT their mother unlike my Kurumi Fearful short story. This arc is going to bring the revelations to this, Phantom's real identity, and most of all... you're all finally going to learn who Mio really is!

This is why the arc might feel slow with its progression, there's so much I need to have you see for it to all make sense, the reveals this chapter gave are just one piece of the puzzle that the arc's final few chapters will culminate into. Not to mention these are just the reveals for Season 1, I have another whole stack of revelations reserved for Season 2 I'll be teasing.

I'll also finally be putting Tamae into a bigger spotlight, out of Ratatoskr's new additions, I haven't been able to put her in the spotlight as much. Though since Kurumi's arc take places at Raizen High, I don't need to worry about that since her teacher job makes her perfect, in fact she'll basically be mission control in Reine's place since Reine will be focused on Artemisia by request of the SSS members.

Overall, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the rest of the Kurumi arc. So stay awesome everyone! ^^

-Spirit Bond Levels-

Tohka - 75%

Origami - 54%

Yoshino - 36%

Kotori - 67%