Date A Re:Live

S1 Chapter 16: Kurumi Fallacy, 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]

At this rate, I'm just gonna say that I usually get things done faster based on how much I want to do something, and I've been wanting to get to this arc since I started the story and I'm just too much in the mood to write some chapters for this story right now! To anyone who reads A Dragon's Heavenly Bonds, my apologies for making you wait. I'll make sure to at least add a new chapter to it before I make part 4 of this arc.

Get ready for a change of focus here everyone, because most of this chapter is based on exactly what I said in the end notes of last chapter. Ashley didn't join the group to learn about Kurumi's true self and is heading out with the SSS to meet a certain individual who's in town. Guess it would be pretty accurate to say Ashley was aware something happened to Kurumi, but focused more on who did the deed.

Not to say that we won't get some clues about Kurumi in this chapter, in fact there's one as soon as the first scene. So, let's bring out the next data sheet with Origami and then get this chapter started!

-Origami Tobiichi, Code Name: [Angel]-

Demon King: Metatron, the "Angel of Extinction" - Metatron is a horizontal edged crown that works as a control point for the true body of the Angel, a group of golden feather like pillars that charge and fire beams of light on Origami's command by using the crown to command and guide their actions and movements. Metatron doesn't change forms by altering its appearance, but shifting the position of the pillars into one of five formations to adapt to a given situation.

- Alternate Form: Shemesh, The Sun - This formation is considered Origami's rapid fire or surprise strike formation. By having the floating pillars spin around her, she can gather light particles in which she can then release as a rain of energy blasts.

- Alternate Form: Mal'akh, Heavenly Wings - This formation is considered Origami's speed formation or wing formation. By shifting the pillars to take on a wing-like formation and then folding them behind her back, Origami is able to fly and achieve greater speeds than usual, but at the cost of having to attack without the pillars until she detaches them.

- Alternate Form: Kadour, Sword of Light - This formation is considered Origami's combat formation or lack of formation. By breaking their positions, Origami can make the pillars each attack its target or different targets individually, making it look as if each pillar has a will of its own. According to Origami, this formation is the most difficult one for her to use since she has to focus on each pillar differently.

- Alternate Form: Artelif, Crown Cannon - This formation is considered Origami's beam formation or sniper formation. By making all of the pillars take on a circular formation around her and then pointing their tips in the same direction, Origami can shoot out a beam of pure shining light by making the pillars fire simultaneously and amplifying their power.

- Alternate Form: Zohar, Holy Gate - This formation is considered Origami's shield formation or guarding formation. By making the pillars surround her and move in front of her after linking their tips on both ends or just a single end, Origami can use their gleaming light to create a barrier that can block incoming attacks. The level of defense, and if the guard is more of a shield or a barrier, depends on how their ends are touching.

- Powers: Origami's elemental affinity as a Spirit is Light, she can gather photon particles from the air and convert them into her spirit mana for her attacks, as a consequence she is weaker at night where the amount of photons are few and therefore she has less to gather unless in a well-lit area. When about to be attacked, Origami will automatically be teleported a few meters away by Metatron, but can't do this continuously and its implied Metatron has to predict the attack to avoid it, as would an attack with a large enough radius to strike her teleportation distance.

Risk Factors: AAA

Spacequake: AA

Spirit's Astral Dress: AA

Angel Rank: AAA

Strength: 158

Consistency: 152

Spiritual Power: 219

Agility: 206

Intelligence: 243

Origami walked back into class, and soon walked up to Kurumi's desk, getting the Shadow Spirit's attention.

"...Kurumi, I need meet me by the door to the roof, and I need you to meet me there now. I have something I need to talk to you about in private." Origami requested, soon walking towards that location and confusing the other students in the room.

"How interesting Origami, alright then." Kurumi said to herself before getting up and following, soon she saw Origami waiting for her at the rooftop's door and she turned to see Kurumi come into view. "Hello Origami, you wanted to see me about something?"

"You were supposed to have died yesterday, so how are you still alive Nightmare?" Origami replied, squeezing her hands into a fist so her trembling hands looked more like a shake of anger and not let Origami see how terrified she was.

"I was?" Kurumi asked, giving a smile that chilled Origami to the bone by how unnatural and creepy it felt. "Oh yeah, I remember now. I think you were on the bus that was riding by right as Artemisia murdered me if I recall. Isn't that right... Angel?"

Origami's eyes widened and she jumped back a bit as Origami spoke her Spirit code name, that mean... Kurumi knew about her and most likely Kotori. Worst case scenario she knew who Tohka and Yoshino were too.

"E-"

Origami never even got the chance to try summoning her Astral Dress as Kurumi's shadow extended and white hands suddenly extended out to grab her, soon pinning her to the wall. Kurumi smirked as she saw her trapped and helpless, her spirit strength completely useless against the restraints on her.

"Don't bother Angel, not even your strength is enough to break those bonds. I'd calm yourself down before you get hurt." Kurumi stated, getting closer with the same chilling smile on her face. Origami's eyes shook a bit as she got closer. "To answer your question though? It's simple... I. Can't. Die."

One of the ghastly white hands reaches to Origami's throat, and she stared at Kurumi.

"Go ahead, try and kill me! If you do Shido will notice my power vanish from him and know it was you! You'll expose just what you really are!" Origami choked out, however Kurumi giggles in response to that.

"Oh, I'm not gonna kill you, truth is if I did that would go against exactly what I plan. Take a look." Kurumi answered, soon shifting her hair a bit to reveal the left eye she kept hiding all this time... and it was revealed to not be red at all. It was gold, and it looked just like an old-fashioned clock face using Roman Numerals for each hour.

"You have a clock for a left eye?" Origami gasped, she had never seen a Spirit with such an eye before. She wasn't sure why... but her instincts told her that clock wasn't right. What was wrong about it however, that's what she didn't understand.

"Beautiful isn't it? It isn't just a lovely decoration either, it's exactly why I'm here." Kurumi replied, soon getting closer as Origami saw her eye glow, finally revealing her whitened pupil she had somehow been hiding all this time.

"Remember what I told Shido the other day while you were listening? Well guess what Angel... that wasn't a lie, it's just how I said it that I doubt you fully understand. We both crave him, you crave him out of love, but for me? But my craving goes much deeper, and let me assure you, the only reason I don't kill you right now is because you can't do a thing, and I unfortunately need all of you and those other Spirits alive."

Origami gulped in fear.

"You... you really are a yandere, aren't you?" Origami breathed.

"A yandere? Oh I'm sorry, I think I've implied things poorly, I do love him... but not a romantic love. I love him for what he has. For his power, the power of four Spirits welled up inside his body." Kurumi smirked, making Origami's eyes widen.

"Oh yes, it's absolutely delight. Just being near all if makes me feel amazing. Most of all... it looks very delicious. So that's why I'm going to take it all for myself, I'll take all that spirit mana welling inside him the way I can. You've seen me kill already haven't you, can you figure out how I do it?"

"Oh my god..." Origami stuttered, realizing just what Kurumi wanted to do to Shido. "Y-you're gonna, you'll... you'll"

"That's right Origami, I'm going to eat him!" Kurumi declared, soon taking a few steps back before her red eye glows brighter and she starts laughing in a crazed manner. A shadow covers the top half of Origami's face as she shows pure fear at the spirit before her.

'This is no Spirit, she's... she's a living nightmare!' Origami thought, still staring at Kurumi before her laughter finally fades.

"Oh, but don't think that means I'll be leaving you on your own. I simply need to eat Shido first. One I do... you and the other four are next, and then I'll finally accomplish the goal I've set out for all this time." Kurumi said, rubbing her hands across Origami's legs, making her try to shift away in vain.

"Go ahead and try to resist me all you want, it's a lot more fun than surrendering to me. So go ahead, show me what you, Shido and all your friends can do... I'll be waiting. Though first, I think I should give them a warning through you."

Origami glared at her.

"Talk big, but I already know... I already know how Kotori beat you 5 years ago!" Origami exclaimed, making Kurumi's eyes widen before her face took an angry look.

"Excuse me? Are you implying that I'm weak?" Kurumi asked bitterly, and Origami keeps staring at you.

"5 years ago, the Tenguu Fire was started at the result of Kotori beating you when attacked her! She had just gotten her powers, and you lost to her!" Origami shouted, suddenly Kurumi's eyes widen and they shook as she suddenly recalled the memory.

-Flashback Start-

"Camael... MEGIDDO!"

Kotori raised up Camael, shocking Kurumi as her Yud Aleph's connection was cancelled out before it could finish. Camael taking the form of a cannon, scaring the girl before her.

"That's..." Kurumi breathed, suddenly full of fear.

"Turn them all to ashes..."

Suddenly in Kotori's place, the sight of a similar dressed girl, one who looked to be about 17-years old with brown hair and the same blue eyes. Her blue eyes were met more slit in comparison to Kotori's, and she had a vicious smile, the kind you'd see on someone or something that was hungry for blood.

"Saya?" Kurumi breathed, almost as if seeing a Demon stare at her. Suddenly Saya's image was replaced with a being covered in fire, looking like some kind of burning monster, and that monster suddenly got closer and closer to her. "Stop... stop it."

Kurumi was suddenly seen running away from some kind of flaming monster, it rushed by trying to attack her, only to miss as Phantom rammed into it and knocked it aside. The invisible spirit brushed off the burns she sustained and panted, looking at Kurumi.

"(Come on, we gotta kill this Spirit before it breeches into your world!)" Phantom called out, and Kurumi nodded as she readied Zafkiel to fire at the monster. The burning spirit gives a distorted cry before rushing at Kurumi. "(Now!)"

Phantom rushed forward again and rammed the burning Spirit from the front, knocking it back and off guard before it tumbled across the ground and. Kurumi rushed forward at that moment and jumped into the sky before aiming her Angel at it.

"ZAFKIEL!" Kurumi shouted, firing the tow guns and striking the spirit in its vital points, it stood motionless for a moment... and soon fell over as the flames laid on the ground. Kurumi panted before panting.

"(Alright! Nice job Kurumi, we killed another one and now Humanity has nothing to worry about for today. I'll clean up, you head home now.)"

"R-Roger that Phantom." Kurumi breathed, soon getting up a bit. She felt a bit dizzy but just ignored it as a temporary spell that would vanish in a few minutes as she made her way back home.

"What... is... this!" Kurumi gasped, the sight before her looking like a bad dream.

In her attempt to leave the Spirit Dimension and then return home, Kurumi's dizzy spell had caused her to end up going a full 180 and took her back right to where she killed the spirit alongside Phantom. However, what she saw there had horrified her. Phantom was still present, a red gem of sorts in her hands, but... where the burning spirit had been before lied the dead body of a brown haired girl wearing a kimono.

"(Damn, should have known that you might end up coming back here. It was a mistake to make you leave in a hurry.)" Phantom grunted, looking annoyed at the situation before her as Kurumi looked at the body.

"Why... why is Saya here? Why is she..." Kurumi breathed, soon laughing weakly as if she heard a joke. "Come on Saya, you're just sleeping, right? You're just resting, you'll be OK. You... you really aren't dead, I know it-"

"(Stop that gibberish, you're just being annoying now!)" Phantom spat out, making Kurumi suddenly freeze up. "(Since your thick skull won't accept it, I'll have to crush reality into you. The girl is dead, deceased, killed, murdered! And the one who did it... it was you Kurumi.)"

Kurumi's eyes shrunk at that.

"N-No... I would never, she's my best friend. She's-" Kurumi stuttered.

"(The same burning spirit I had you kill.) Phantom declared, making Kurumi suddenly go still as those words echoed through her.

"(In fact, truth is every one of those monsters we kill is a human I gave these fancy little gems like I'm holding right here. I'm having your kind refine these things so they can be fully used by the First Spirit when I take them back so she can get her revenge on that madman Westcott, but the toxicity in them drives them berserk and mutates them, just like her. Most of all, I don't even care how many it takes. Face the facts, because I made you one too!)"

Kurumi soon falls onto her butt.

"No... no! NO!" Kurumi screamed, tears flooding into her eyes before she made and angry face and summoned Zafkiel. "How dare you use me and Saya! You're gonna pay for everything you've done to Humanity!"

Kurumi rushed at Phantom, and soon the invisible spirit's mosaic flared and in moments, Kurumi felt her entire body struck and cut, leaving her with multiple slash wounds as she fell to the ground, weak and bleeding.

"B-but how...?" Kurumi mumbled.

"(You think I'd really use my full strength while keeping an illusion like this one up. Wrong you little brat, I've never even bothered. Now... I need to keep you behaved, maybe those DEM brats will do. First off, I need to make sure you never remember any of this.)" Phantom stated while grabbing her face. "(So I'm erasing all your memories.)"

Kurumi tried to get away, but her whole body was limp and unable to move as Phantom tightened her grip, she screamed as her fingers dub into her face, and in moments... she screamed louder as she felt her mind crack... and then shatter as her memory was completely destroyed.

Kurumi outran another platoon of DEM soldiers as she vanished through a shadow, finally getting them off her tail.

"...I finally got away, thank goodness." Kurumi panted, rubbing her head. "Why are they chasing me though? Better yet, who am I? Why can't I remember, do I even have memories to remember?"

[...Yud, use it.]

"Huh? Who said..." Kurumi looks at her Angel. "You can... speak?"

[Use Yud, use your Tenth Bullet on yourself.]

Kurumi links and soon looks at her Angel, soon aiming one of the guns at her head.

"...Y-Yud!"

She fires at herself, and suddenly the shattered pieces of her memories piece themselves back together, causing Kurumi to gasp as she recalled everything. Suddenly her face contorts into one of anger.

"It was her, it was always her! She took it all from me! My happiness, my innocence, my best friend!" Kurumi screamed, crying as she slammed her book into the wall, kicking it fiercely.

"...Wait a minute, I remembered something. She mentioned it was all for this First Spirit and her revenge. That's it. I'll gather power to use Yud Bet, go to the past, and take one of their lives to undo all the suffering Phantom gave me. I will ruin her dream with my own two hands!"

"No... don't... don't do this! Please!" Kurumi breathed, her voice shaking.

Kurumi saw a flash between Kotori, Saya, and the monster form she killed Saya in as Kotori's charge finally completed.

"...do it Camael!" 'Kotori' shouted before she fired at the girl, hitting her heard and sending her flying forward. At that moment, Kotori's eyes reverted to normal.

-End Flashback-

"No, you... you... you!" Kurumi panicked, starting to breathe heavily and hold in her face.

Feeling the hands' grip slip slightly, Origami slips out her hands and fires a blast of light. Kurumi noticing this jumps out of the way as the blast smashed into the wall behind her. Origami fell to the ground, coughing as she held her neck, trying to breath again.

"This... this isn't over!" Kurumi panted, soon sinking through the wall and disappearing.

Once she disappeared, Origami pants and holds herself as she cries, finally letting the terror she felt flood out as she could stop being strong for the moment. That was probably the scariest thing she had ever experienced, not even her parents' death had felt as traumatizing as this.

"I honestly thought I was gonna die, thank god. Thank god I'm still alive." Origami cried, soon crying out all her tears before breathing slowly and calming herself. "Shido, I think I found her weakness... the question is will it be enough, or even better... have I just made us walk into a trap?"

Ashley headed to her locker and swapped out her school shoes for her usual ones, soon grabbing her bag and her usual clothes. After checking the area, she knocked on a nearby trash can to open a secret passage to the Ratatoskr base, soon landing back inside her original outfit as Leonora and Cecile notice her arrive.

"Ashley, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class right now?" Cecile asked, making Ashley grunt a bit.

"Du, I'm skipping. Besides that, I think you'll wanna see this." Ashley replied, tossing a USB over to Leonora. "Broke into a private observation unit. Apparently, something interesting happened around after-school hours the other day. How about we sneak a peek?"

Leonora sighs and scratches her head.

"You can be a troublesome munchkin at times, but guess we'll take a look." Leonora replied, making Ashley glare at her for a moment before calming down after Cecile pet her. Leonora puts the USB into a terminal and shows the same video about Kurumi the others had seen.

"That's the Spirit at your school right now, isn't it?" Cecile replied as she partially activated her CR-Unit so she could see it. Soon they saw the consumption of the three men after the static screen. "...For some reason, I don't think that was just a coincidence."

"Yeah, someone didn't want us watching and I'm thinking that girl's the likely culprit." Ashley stated boredom, until she suddenly noticed someone. "Wait, hold up!"

Leonora and Cecile noticed it too, prompting the former to pause it.

"It can't be, can it?" Leonora wondered, shifting the screen position until they could view the face of the girl... a familiar blonde haired girl they knew.

"Artemisia!?" The three stated in unison.

"She's... she's in Tenguu City, since when?" Ashley shouted as she slammed her hands on the console, her eyes shaking and her arms before running out. "I'm gonna find her, I'm not losing this chance!"

"Wait, Ashley!" Leonora called out, preparing to follow when...

"Um, Leonora, don't forget about me?" Cecile asked, making the black haired wizard look to see Cecile struggling to follow due to how fast she could push her wheelchair.

"Oh, sorry!" Leonora panicked as she ran behind the wheelchair and grabbed it, helping Cecile as they went after Ashley. Right as they did, Reine finally came back to the base after the incident the day before and soon noticed the video feed.

"Hmm?"

Reine wondered what was going on before playing it, recognizing Artemisia's face and then seeing what happened next. Making her shock a bit in worry the moment she replayed it fully and noticed the static, almost like she recognized the source."

"This is... Oh god, what have we walked into?" Reine sweated, soon getting her phone to send Mildred and Ryouko an emergency message.

Ashley ran around the city, tapping some buttons on her phone as she got herself access to the emergency observation device.

"Alright, one two..." Ashley muttered, aiming it around until she noticed a girl in a one-piece dress and sandals, soon moving the device to see Artemisia's face was on her. "I've found you!"

Leonora and Cecile finally caught up and noticed Ashley run off a certain way.

"Did she find something?" Cecile wondered, looking at Leonora.

"I think she did, come on. Just hold tight." Leonora reasoned, Cecile nodded and did so as Leonora pushed her wheelchair faster.

Ashley soon ran near an open field clearing within the city's forest. Artemisia was there with a bird perched on her fingers, only for her to see it fly away as she suddenly heard Ashley run into view and scare it off. Artemisia blinks at that.

"Artemisia, it's..." Ashley breathed, soon having tears begin to form in her eyes. "It really is you, where have you been all this time!"

Leonora and Cecile soon catch up and see the same.

"Artemisia, I don't believe it." Leonora gasped.

"You're... you really were alive, we always knew." Cecile cried, even though she couldn't actually see her right now. Artemisia blinked at their replies.

"I'm sorry, but who are you three?" Artemisia asked, suddenly surprising the trio as her strange reply.

"W-what the hell are you talking about! You know us, we're your friends! Don't act like we're strangers!" Ashley shouted, her force contorting with anger as some of her tears shed out. "You were the reason we even kept going and became great wizards!"

Artemisia felt a tingle in her head, but ignored it.

"Seriously, what are you talking about?" Artemisia questioned, honestly confused by what they were talking about. Leonora suddenly began crying at that.

"You can't have forgotten! Don't you remember the encouragement you gave Ashley when she thought nothing matter? How often you comforted me when my tough act fell? How you kept Cecile from giving up and teaching her to use her CR-Unit and territory despite her conditions!? Was our time in the SSS that little to you that you forgot it like it never mattered!?" Leonora cried out, making Artemisia's eyes widen a bit.

"I..." Artemisia breathed, before suddenly feeling her head. Though another tingle went off and she just ignored it. "I don't know what you're saying, is this some kind of trick? The fact you just said you were wizards though..."

Artemisia soon equips her Shiva and the others get on guard.

"...I've never seen you at the DEM, so I'm going to have to assume your enemy wizards allied to Ratatoskr. I have no choice but to take care of you as my job being Adeptus 2." Artemisia said, a somber look on her face.

"Adeptus... 2?" Cecile breathed, that only meant one thing... and Cecile shook as it hit her. "No, that can't be true!"

Cecile forms the Longma and jumps off her wheelchair, flying at Artemisia.

"Cecile, no!" Ashley called out.

"How could you betray everything you taught us, how could you!?" Cecile screamed, her CR-Unit's weapons flying forward from her back to strike Artemisia. Unfortunately, the Adeptus 2 of DEM drew out Masamune, and fired a beam from it, Cecile dodged and activated her territory jamming as she rushed in again.

"No good, that won't work on me." Artemisia replied sadly, looking away slightly.

Artemisia raised a hand and deployed her territory, suddenly cutting through Cecile's field to her shock as the beam twist sand turns before blasting right through Cecile's chest.

"CECILE" Ashley and Leonora cried, running towards her. Cecile fell to the ground, clutching her stomach in pain. Luckily her CR-Unit had limited the damage to the equivalent of a phantom stabbing.

"Guess that's it, and now... I have no choice but to clear the witnesses." Artemisia stated as she readied Masamune to fire again. Cecile simply turns to her though and gives her a dark glare.

"You're right, we don't know you... the Artemisia we knew wasn't some cruel murderer like you!" Cecile screamed, making Artemisia suddenly stop and gasp silently. Cecile struggling to move as Ashley and Leonora held her.

"Why did you become what you hate, why did you join the DEM when you wanted to protect the Spirits? When you never wanted innocent people to die or have to kill... so why did you become just like Minerva!?"

Artemisia suddenly shook at that claim, and suddenly noticed a few forest animals nearby, but the moment she looked they all ran away from her like seem some savage predator rather than letting her get close like usual.

"I... don't know, why?" Artemisia gasped, suddenly feeling her head in pain again. This time it was no tingle, it was burning, and the others saw it as she did. "SSS... Ashley... Leonora... Cecile... Minerva... DEM... my..."

Artemisia suddenly screamed loudly and her eyes opened, suddenly flashing before the burning suddenly vanished, she gave them the same somber stare.

"...I don't know what you did, but I'm in no mood to face it again. I need to find Nightmare now. Get in my way and I will have to finish you." Artemisia replied, soon using her CR-Unit to jump into the forest and vanish. Leaving the others to stare at her.

Cecile soon collapsed and fainted, her CR-Unit Vanished.

"Hey, Cecile! Stay with us!" Leonora called out, tearing up again. Ashley checked her wrist and sighed as her pulse was unchanged.

"She's alive, but we should have where she was hit checked." Ashley replied, soon looking where Artemisia flew off to. "More important, she recognized us for a moment... I swear it. That can only mean one thing."

Ashley closed her eyes, making a sad and angry face as she cried.

'Something happened to Artemisia when she went missing, and whatever happened doesn't want her to remember who she really is!' Ashley thought before crying, making Leonora wrap an arm around her as she took a few minutes to sob.

Mildred and Ryouko were seen running around the city, trying to find the SSS trio after Reine's message warning them to find the three immediately. Mildred tried checking her phone and typing in something but got a disconnection error.

"Seriously, where are they? I still can't use the observation device to find them!" Mildred grunted, sweating at the fact they couldn't seem to do anything. Ryouko soon however noticed Leonora and Ashley walk into view, Ashley moving Cecile's wheelchair while Cecile was being carried in Leonora's arms.

"They're the are!" Ryouko shouted, getting Mildred's attention as they ran towards them. Leonora notices them and looks at them sadly. "What happened? Is Cecile OK, are you any of you hurt?"

"Cecile's alive, but she got struck a bit. She needs checked out and..." Leonora began, soon shaking as she teared up to Mildred and Ryouko's surprise.

"...Artemisia's no longer MIA. Tell Ratatoskr to update her status, she's..." Ashley answered, closing her eyes and looking away. "...She's become the DEM's Adeptus 2!"

Ashley soon ran off, making Ryouko and Mildred turn towards her with the former gasping at the information she just heard. While Ryouko looks at Leonora who was still tearing up... and she soon sighed as it was clear what happened and the truth.

'She's with them now? Damn it, how many people are going to end up falling over to the enemy's side?' Ryouko thought to herself, clutching her fists tightly.

Artemisia soon landed near part of the forest panting a bit as she landed on the ground, dispelling her CR-Unit and resting up against a tree.

"...What happened to me? For a moment, it was as if I knew them, but why? I haven't seen them before, have..." Artemisia panted, suddenly feeling her head burning again. "...have I?"

Artemisia screams again, as she did, a certain spot on her head began glowing in response as if there was a suppressant there, but this time it's task to subdue it was failing as Artemisia felt something leak back into her mind.

-Flashback Start-

Artemisia was with her friends at the SSS with the exception of Minerva who didn't want to hang out with them, the four doing a small training spar with everyone in training CR-Units, having not yet been given personal suits to use. In mere moments, everyone but Artemisia were soon groaning on the ground as their ace wizard giggled at them.

"Oh come on, how is it even three on one isn't a fair fight for us to defeat you!?" Ashley complained, hitting the ground with her fist after she got up.

"She truly is the ace of this team, not even I can get close to her." Cecile panted, too tired to open her eyes despite she could while wearing the CR-Unit. Soon she and Ashley heard Leonora begin to sniffle.

"Don't... cry... don't cry!" Leonora quietly told herself, Artemisia soon kneeled down and hugged her close.

"There, there. It's fine. No one else is here to see it." Artemisia smiled, rubbing her head. Leonora soon began crying, and felt Artemisia pat her back. Ashley and Cecile smile a bit before the sound of someone walking into view caught their attention.

"So what's this freaking sob story about, pitiful!"

Everyone saw Minerva, before the days she had either of the scars on her eyes, and saw her with an unknown CR-Unit equipped that the group knew wasn't her training suit, but a stolen personal suit. She drew her sword.

"Artemisia, we're going to settle this here! I'm going to beat you and humiliate you, finally prove I'm the strongest!" Minerva grinned wickedly, Artemisia only looked and sighed while the others gave her glares.

"Get off your high horse and stop acting like a bitch, you're taking this superior fighter crap way too far!" Ashley spat, purposely gagging a bit for emphasis.

"Oh shut your whining you wimpy tyke." Minerva replied, making Ashley form a vein, and prompting Cecile to hold her back and she shouted gibberish and attempted to attack her. "Come on Artemisia, draw your sword and prove it."

"...Minerva, I don't care who's the strongest or not. If you wanna tell everyone that then you can. I just wanna be here to help people." Artemisia replied softly, not wanting fight. Unfortunately for her, Minerva didn't accept that answer.

"If I don't beat you then I can't call myself the strongest, you will fight me! If not... then I'll make you!" Minerva screamed, soon looking at the others. Ashley, Leonora and Cecile all saw Minerva rush at them with her sword held out. "Maybe you'll fight me if I turn you into an avenger!"

The three gasped as Minerva prepared to swing her sword down, making Artemisia gasp. It seemed Minerva would make it to her when...

*SLASH!*

"AAAAAAH!" Minerva screamed in agony, the CR-Unit she was wearing was destroyed as she suddenly held her right eye, a trickle of blood escaping through her fingers as Artemisia was seen over a slightly scorched ground with her sword in hand.

Her friends stared in shock at the speed she had showed, and Artemisia herself panted as she turned to Minerva, for once giving an angry look.

"Minerva, I'll make it clear now. I'm not here to humor your superiority complex. I don't try to be better than you, nor do I intend to make you jealous..." Artemisia began, soon sighing as she sheathed her sword. "But if you ever try to attack my friends again, I can't guarantee that next time I'll avoid dealing you a fatal blow."

Minerva turned and glared at Artemisia, moving her hand revealing the nasty cut that would become her right eye's scar, her eyes full of hate as she let the blood staining her eye represent her newfound hatred in the girl.

"You bitch, I'll make sure you regret this one day!" Minerva spat out, soon running somewhere. Artemisia soon collapsed to her knees, crying a bit as the others comforted her for what she had to do.

"I don't want to hurt anyone, I... I didn't have a choice." Artemisia cried, feeling awful for how she had to make Minerva stop.

-End Flashback-

Artemisia gasps a bit, the memory possibly setting back in.

"What, I think I do-" Artemisia began, but suddenly screamed as the suppressant finally kicked in, and the memory vanished. "...Dang it, why did that group affect me so much? I think I need to rest before I deal with Nightmare again."

Artemisia gets up and heads back home.

Back at Arubi Island, Marina was in her projection form as she stared at the readings for Artemisia and scowled slightly, right as that moment she noticed father walking by and turned to see him.

"Father, a moment if you will?" Marina called out, getting Westcott's attention.

"Something wrong?" Westcott inquired.

Marina sighed and pointed to the screen she was examining.

"It's the memory control realizer, Artemisia's stress levels are getting too high. The realizer's nearing the breaking point, something keeps making her true memories return and at this rate the entire device will dissolve into her cerebral spinal fluid and she'll remember the truth." Marina sighed, making Westcott take a look.

"So, what should we do? We won't be having her as our Adeptus 2 much longer, we can't just ignore this."

Westcott things a bit, and soon smirks as he gets a plan. Marina's eyes widen and she gets giddy as she recognizes that look.

"Strengthen it to maximum for now, that way if she does remember it'll knock her comatose. I think we can use her memories like a trap for a different plan I have in mind. In regard to a replacement... how about you give Minerva a call?" Westcott reasoned.

Marina begins to giggle evilly.

"Father, you are sick sometimes! I love it!" Marina smirked, turning back to the screen. "I'll get right on it, and should we prepare the next phase of [Material A]'s work? We're getting close to the main event, and I've already gotten word we've finished the warm-up too."

Westcott smirked and chuckled at that.

"Go right ahead, I'd like to see where this game will go before I claim my prize. In fact... let's get ready to deploy [Material B] by tomorrow." Westcott added, and Marina showed surprise at that.

"What, this early? That seems daring... but I know better than to question you if you smirk. It always means you got something interesting planned." Marina smirks, Westcott ruffled her hair before walking out. "Alright, time to begin this little game."

Kurumi soon walked out of the bathroom stall she had hid herself in, moving to the sink and splashing her face. She breathed as the stress of what Origami had managed to pull fully sunk into her and she breathed.

"Damn it, I can't believe she managed to pull a trick like that. I underestimated how clever she was. Should have considered that when she chose to face me alone." Kurumi panted, soon splashing her face again.

As she did, she looked at the water, seeing it ripple as she saw her old self, she closed her eyes and unintentionally drifted to an early memory from long ago, back at the day... when everything had changed for her.

Kurumi and Saya were both coming home from Rindouji High, both of them talking about their day, and after a bit... Kurumi finally brought out the elephant in the room and turned towards her.

"Saya, why is your hair a different color today?" Kurumi nervously asked, and Saya looked at her currently maroon colored hair and blushed.

"Oh this, well... little Chestnut decided to be a bit funny when I was trying to bathe him and it ended with red food coloring landing all over my head. I've been washing my hair every chance since yesterday and it still hasn't gone back to normal." Saya replied, soon sighing. "I'm worried I might need to get it cut if I want my natural brown back."

"Aw, Chestnut's so adorable at times, isn't he?" Kurumi giggled, she always enjoyed playing with Chestnut, Saya's pet kitten she had brought home after finding him on the streets a few months before they first met.

"You know Kurumi, if you like cats then why don't you get a little kitten yourself?" Saya asked, making Kurumi sad. Saya suddenly realized it. "Oh no, did you have one?"

"O-Oh no! There's just no way my family can have one, you see... my mom's allergic." Kurumi replied, sweat dropping a bit from the confusion. "She'd really like to get me one, but even she can't risk her health for my sake."

Saya sighed in relief.

"I see, well just know if you ever wanna come play with Chestnut just give me a call. We could share him, he does like you after all." Saya giggled, making Kurumi blush lightly and smile. Saya soon turned and stopped. "Oh, here's my house Kurumi, see you tomorrow."

Kurumi nodded as she waved to her, Saya entered the gate to her house. As Kurumi headed home through the park, she suddenly noticed some black mist in the area.

"Huh, what... what is this?" Kurumi gasped, suddenly afraid. At that moment, a giant machine that revealed itself as a DEM Jabberwocky walked into view. She saw it leaking out the black mist through an oil leak that was heated up by its inner components. "A robot?"

She suddenly heard a heavy cough, and saw something near the trees on the other side of the park, something... no, someone invisible was coughing in pain, and the Jabberwocky was coming right towards them.

"Is this machine hunting her?" Kurumi said to herself, suddenly look at the machine and seeing her fear, and then the girl and seeing her fear, Kurumi stood there thinking of what she should do. That's when she remembered what she wanted to do most, help the innocent across the world. Dropping her bag, she rushed in front of the machine.

"Leave this person alone!"

The invisible figure gasped at her courage, and the Jabberwocky's eyes glows as it registered Kurumi aiding the Spirit, it soon raised up an arm and prepared to slam it down and crush her. Kurumi closed her eyes before she felt herself moved out of the way, looking to see the invisible being had saved her.

"(You... you helped me, and you don't even know me. Why?)" Phantom asked, surprised anyone would do what she chose to do in this situation.

"Because... I can't stand seeing people being hurt, I hate having to see anyone suffer." Kurumi answered, and Phantom's eyes widened at how pure this girl was as she noticed a glow from her pocket. She took out the Zafkiel Crystal as it glowed brightly.

"(I don't believe it, I've never seen Zafkiel glow like this in years, it's as if you both chose each other.)" Phantom gasped, confusing Kurumi. Phantom saw the Jabberwocky aim at them again and jumped away with Kurumi in hand.

"(I can't tell you my real name, but I call myself Phantom, and that thing is after me because I have a power that in the wrong hands could doom this world... and the one after this power wants to cause this. This may be a stretch to ask but... this power wants you to accept it because of who you are. Please, I beg you to help me keep it safe, I've already gotten you involved because you saved me, so at least let me give you the strength to protect yourself.)"

Kurumi looked at the crystal, and with no hesitation, she grabbed it to Phantom's surprise.

'(No hesitation, I've never seen someone so sure to walk down this road!)' Phantom thought, suddenly Kurumi transformed into the Spirit know as [Nightmare] to the DEM. Though her Astral Dress didn't look like as it did in the present.

"What the? Phantom, why am I wearing this?" Kurumi asked.

"(I'll explain later, but know that by accepting this crystal, that monstrous machine has even more reason to attack you now.)" Phantom explained, surprising Kurumi. "(Sorry. I didn't think you'd accept it that easily and still had more to say. For now, just believe in your power and the crystal's strength will protect you.)"

Kurumi stared for a moment before she shakily nodded, the Jabberwocky soon jumped at the two.

Kurumi soon slipped slightly from the wet sink, snapping back to reality and making a sad face.

"...I honestly thought that she was a good person, but in the end, she manipulated me." Kurumi stated shakily, soon looking at the mirror darkly. If she was any angrier she'd have punched it. "Not to worry, it's only a matter of time before I'll rewrite the past change everything with my own two hands."

Suddenly a familiar alarm blared to her surprise.

[WARNING! THERE HAVE BEEN PRECURSORY SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING SPACEQUAKE!]

"Hmm... it seems the DEM wants to make their move. I guess I should watch how little Shido takes care of this." Kurumi smirks, giggling as she prepared to head out.

Meanwhile at a certain area of Tenguu City, Phantom suddenly slid around the area as she tried to find something, and after a bit she did as she appeared by a large containment building with the DEM logo on it. She tapped her hand on an access panel and overloaded it to make it think her DNA was registered and open up.

"(Here it is.)" Phantom told herself.

Phantom walked in and soon saw a pod inside, and on it was a label saying [Material-B].

"(Don't worry, I'm here to make sure you'll be unshackled rather than chained.)" Phantom smiled, soon putting a hand on a nearby access terminal and altering some of the data inside as the pod opens up, making mist come out as the being inside slowly rose up and saw her.

"(It's good to meet you.)" Phantom giggled.

"Who are you?" The being asked, looking at herself and then Phantom.

"(I have everyone call me Phantom, but my real name is...)

Poor Cecile, poor Ashley, and poor Leonora... their best friend's memories have been tampered with and the realizer that's doing it wants to ensure she can't remember. Worse part of it though is that Westcott's abusing it for his own amusing sick pleasure! What's gonna happen to Artemisia, just what is this Material A that he's kept mentioning?

And we got to see the first meeting between Kurumi and Phantom, though how much of it is accurate considering we're clearly seeing parts of her memory don't match what we've seen from Saya's memories? Whatever's happening, Kurumi intends to see what Shido and his friends do with the DEM threat that's about to come next chapter.

It also looks like we've gotten to see a bit of what Phantom's been doing in Tenguu City, she did have a reason for being there and could this be the reason, or is it just part of it? Whatever it is, this new Material B has been freed, and Phantom's made sure they're no DEM puppet... but who is it she freed? Also... sorry, but you're not officially learning who Phantom is yet. *giggles* You'll have to wait a little bit longer for that revelation ^^

Get ready for next time, when Shido and the others prepare to face the newest DEM machine, and Shido ends up experiencing something new that unfortunately gets Kurumi even more determined to catch him as he finally proves that she has the power she's searching for.

-Spirit Bond Levels-

Tohka - 75%

Origami - 57%

Yoshino - 42%

Kotori - 67%