Date A Re:Live
Chapter 26: Movie Chapter: Date AST Re:Strike, 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]
Oh yeah, final chapter time! XD
Last chapter, we had the story behind how Artemisia befriend Ashley and Leonora, the survival of Rinne and her nerf, then Shido and the Spirits (which may or may not include Rio and Mayuri, that's up to you readers :3) all got sick with only Mana and Maria unaffected which was finally topped off by Elliot revealing the information about Artemisia's memories that set the AST into action. *blinks* Oh, and Yoshinon's starting to disappear ^^;
In this chapter, you're gonna see the stories of how both Ryouko and Katie were led to Ratatoskr, and unlike Ryouko and Mikie I've yet to mention anything about how Katie joined the group in the slightest. There's also a bit about Maria's past, and we'll be starting this chapter with the memory of Artemisia and Cecile's first meeting upon her arrival in the SSS.
Along with that, we'll be seeing the SSS trio and Mana as they go to fight Minerva, and to anyone who's familiar with Date AST Strike's story... I don't think it's any surprise this will be a fight to the death, when this ends there's going to be someone dead because Minerva will literally fight to her demise or until she succeeds in killing her opponents.
What will be the highlight of this chapter is I've had Mana's Murakumo slightly upgraded after the damages it took during the Rinne arc, but most of all... there's something else you'll see with her that I actually hinted from the opening theme. You'll know it when you see it, and boy will it be awesome, let's just say it became possible due to a previous event. I can't say which because it'd spoil you no matter how I hinted it.
Finally, I think we all know of one event that will happen by the end of this chapter... so I won't say anymore, but I'd advise tissues if you're a fan of Yoshino and/or Yoshinon, especially the latter.
Artemisia Memory File 03, Subject - Cecile O'Brien
Leonora fired at multiple targets with her rifle, scoring direct on the bulls-eyes of each one in only three seconds. Minerva stared in shock as her record was shattered so easily, Leonora sighed and smiled before Ashley and Artemisia ran over and each gave her a high five.
"Yeah! You showed those targets who's boss, that's why you're our ace sniper!" Ashley shouted, turning to Minerva with a 'take that' look to SSS Ace's irritation.
"I can't take all the credit, Artemisia's support when I falter has helped me become more focused. I'm not as distracted about my image all the time." Leonora replied, making Artemisia blush slightly as she scratched her cheek. Soon everyone saw Karen walk in, causing all four SSS members to turn to her. "Oh, do you need something Miss Karen?"
Karen removed her glasses real quick and cleans them slightly.
"Yes, she's currently in the process of changing into her Wiring Suit, but I thought I should let you know that the SSS has now gained its fifth member." Karen replied, getting their attention. "I want you all to be supportive of her, she has great potential but suffers from some self-doubt about herself. Try to help her confidence best you can."
"Yes ma'am!" Everyone replied, although Minerva gave a 'not gonna care' look in response with Karen only failing to notice cause Minerva's head as turned slightly.
"Thank you, now if you'll excuse me." Karen replied, soon leaving the room while Minerva groans and goes to get a drink.
The rest of the group waited for a moment, and soon their new member came in through the door, revealing Cecile to the three of them for the first time, but none of them aware of what her Wiring Suit was doing for her.
"Hey there, so you're the new girl?" Ashley asked.
"Oh! Uh... yeah, my name is Cecile O'Brien, it's nice to meet you." Cecile introduced, soon noticing Minerva from afar, drinking some kind of bitter beverage. "Uh... is she OK?"
Ashley snickered.
"Oh, just ignore her. Minerva's just a bitch." Ashley said, waving her hand a bit. Minerva had a vein form on her head. "What? You know it's true, right... Alice!"
"How did you find out my old name!?" Minerva screamed angrily, her face going red.
"Because you left your license out when you were changing the other day, on obvious view. Didn't even need to try looking, I walked by it on the way out." Ashley smirked, making Minerva pale while still looking angry. She threw the empty drink can at Ashley as she walked out. "And she just proved it there."
Cecile sweat dropped at the sight.
"Eh, don't mind me too much. I'm a bit of a rebel. Name's Ashley Sinclair, I'm the youngest here and our melee combat expert. The jerk who just left was the so called SSS's ace, Minerva Riddell." Ashley introduced.
"Leonora Sears, sniper and long-range expert... don't let my usual look fool you. You might see me cry a few times." Leonora followed up.
"And I'm Artemisia Bell Ashcroft, and I'd say I'm best at all all-around rather than one focus. It's nice to meet you." Artemisia smiled, offering a hand which Cecile accepted.
"It's nice to meet you all." Cecile smiled, any nervousness she had about her teammates gone... at least for everyone but Minerva. "My strength I guess is in defense, support and trickery. I'll... I'll do my best!"
The five SSS wizards were doing a teamwork exercise, Artemisia and Minerva both slashed at some of the training dummies while Ashley rushed by and punched at others, giving Leonora opportunity to snipe a few.
"Hmm?" Ashley said as she noticed Cecile's position, a training dummy about to whack her. "Cecile, heads up!"
"Huh?" Cecile said, turning to see it, she attempted to move away, but made a big miscalculation and was hit before she really got the chance to. Ashley winced as Cecile was hit across the floor and a sound signifying they failed the exercise went off. "Ow... I'm OK."
Ashley helped her up.
"You sure? You didn't exactly really try to dodge that one, no need to lie." Leonora noted.
"No really, I'm OK. I just messed up my timing." Cecile chuckled, rubbing her head a bit. She soon got up and walked to the drink machine. "I know I'm bad at that sort of thing, don't worry too much. We can't succeed at everything."
Cecile soon grabbed a flavored water and began drinking it. Ashley scratched her head a bit and looked at her two friends.
"Artemisia, Leonora, something feels off... I don't know why but her timing at dodging? It's almost like what we saw and what she saw were completely different things." Ashley whispered, getting their attention.
"What do you mean by that?" Leonora asked in a whisper.
"Well... it almost seemed like she saw the dummy further away, and maybe even moving slower than it actually was for both." Ashley answered in a whisper.
Minerva secretly listened in on them, with Cecile still distracted, getting a second drink due to feeling a bit more parched than she expected. Minerva soon secretly edged closer without them noticing.
"You sure? I think she's just having trouble in that area like she said." Leonora replied in a whisper.
"Actually... about that." Artemisia whispered, getting Leonora's focus and making Ashley pay attention.
"I didn't want to say anything since I had no way to prove anything and I didn't want to hurt Cecile's feelings by accident... but I've noticed her eyes seem a bit dimmer, and the way her legs move? It's almost like she isn't moving them, or at least not with her leg muscles. It's like she has a limited reaction in both areas."
Minerva suddenly made an odd face at that, thinking a bit. Soon Cecile noticed the clock.
"Oh crud! Sorry guys, I gotta hurry and leave or I'll be late for my job. See you all tomorrow!" Cecile shouted suddenly, quickly running out of the room. At this point, Cecile had to leave earlier than her teammates due to a job she had, so no one saw her change in the locker room. Minerva looked at her as she left.
'...Let's see what your hiding." Minerva thought as she smirked.
Minerva followed Cecile to the locker room, and after some time once she went inside... Minerva soon gave a cruel grin and opened the door. Cecile, who lacked hair braids at the time, gasped as she heard the door open, and she turned where Minerva was looking.
The SSS ace stared before giving a cruel smile, having just discovered Cecile's secret. Her eyes were completely closed and she was sitting on a wheelchair. Now it made sense about what Artemisia said, Cecile tried to push herself out of the way, but Minerva grabbed the wheelchair and knocked her off of it.
"So, this is your big secret? Oh, how rich is this, and they actually let you into the SSS? Hah!" Minerva laughed, soon tapping a speaker. "Hey Arty, Ash, Leo! Cecile got herself a bit hurt in the locker room, how about you come help her?"
Cecile turned her head to the direction of Minerva's voice before she walked out of the room and laughed, Cecile tried in vain to reach her wheelchair, but without the use of her legs... she couldn't reach it before the others had all rushed in to see the truth.
"Hey Cecile, we're here! What-" Artemisia began, before everyone saw the wheelchair. They all gasped before Cecile's closed eyes began to shed tears and she cried. The secret she had tried to hide had been revealed because Minerva was a jerk.
Everyone had helped Cecile back onto her wheelchair, and soon they were all sitting in a lounge area of the base as Artemisia put a nice cup of tea down in front of her. Cecile drank it before sighing.
"...So now you know, this is the real me. A paralyzed and blinded cripple. I lost my legs and eyes a long time ago." Cecile said sadly, her usual cheeriness completely shattered from being exposed.
"I knew Minerva was a jerk, but this was just cruel." Ashley replied, clearly angry at the stunt Minerva had pulled. "You don't have to feel bad, we don't think any less of you. You're still the same Cecile we became friends with. Though I do admit, I'm confused how you can move and see while wearing a wiring suit."
"If I had to guess, it uses the power of her mana core and channels it to her eyes to create fake replacements to the damaged areas that caused her blindness. For her leg movement, my guess is that she's using her own territory to move her legs in place of her leg muscles, so she barely has any muscle atrophy." Leonora theorized.
"Is that right?"
Cecile nodded, taking another drink of tea.
"...Cecile, if it's not too much trouble. Could you maybe tell us what happened? I don't know too many kinds of accidents that can take both away from someone." Artemisia asked, making Cecile stop and 'stare' at the tea she held for a moment.
"...If I'm to be honest, the result of that accident was considered lucky. I should have been killed." Cecile answered, making the trio flinch. "That accident... was I was caught in a Spacequake's radius."
-Flashback Start-
Cecile was running to the nearest shelter along with everyone as the Spacequake alarm went off, as she began running up an area on a hill to make it, she suddenly takes a moment to catch her breath... only for her to suddenly end up tripping and falling back down the hill.
"Oh no!" Cecile cried out, tumbling back towards the ground.
Right at that moment, the spatial distortion finally hit the ground and a blue Spacequake went off. Cecile got up to see it coming, but before she could run away... the quake managed to hit her, and she screamed in pain as it struck her right in the face and flung her forward across the landscape into a building, before she could register everything... some debris from what she hit fell on her and she was knocked out.
After the time of the Spacequake ended and the Spirit had already left, everyone had come out of the shelters. After they did, an old man soon noticed the debris to notice Cecile. They gasped as they ran over, and saw she was still alive.
"Hey! Someone's caught in the rubble, they're still alive!" The man shouted, attracting others as they worked together to move the debris off Cecile. They all look in horror as they saw the state of her legs. "Oh my god... it's a miracle she's still alive, but I don't think she'll walk ever again."
The man helped her up, Cecile's hair covering her face as he did.
"Hey miss, are you awake?" The man asked.
Cecile shook a bit before coughing, soon she looked up to reveal her eyes were closed, a bit of dried blood coming from them like she had cried it out.
"Huh? Who's there, get this thing off my eyes, I can't see you." Cecile replied, making everyone watching gasp in horror. "What? I just said get this thing off my..."
Cecile tried to remove what was off her eyes, and felt nothing there, she gasped as she tried to open her eyes but failed. That's when she learned the horrid truth... she had become blind. The Spacequake had shot her eyesight for good.
"No..."
Cecile soon began crying, not even aware she lost more than her eyes.
-End Flashback-
The three all stared in shock at that, it wasn't uncommon to hear someone who failed to reach shelter survived a Spacequake... but she was outright struck by one and still came out alive. Though it seems not in one piece.
"Yeah, I was hit by a Spacequake and lucky it was a small one. However, my legs were completely shot to the point I couldn't even try therapy to regain them... and my retinas were heavily damaged from the energy that struck my face." Cecile said, tears flowing down my eyes.
"When I heard that I could regain those, even if only for short periods as a Wizard... I was happy. However, I needed to train hard, they said I had potential, but look at me. I can barely react to what I see, nor am I able to properly move in response to it."
Cecile covered her eyes and cried louder.
"I'll never be strong enough for this, never be strong enough to somehow prevent more situations like mine! I didn't want anyone to know because I knew someone like Minerva would mock me for it! I shouldn't... I should just resign." Cecile replied, soon attempting to drive her wheelchair away... however she felt Artemisia hug her.
"A-Artemisia?" Cecile asked.
"You're better than you think you are, look at you. You lost so much and yet you haven't given up, nor have you lost your kindness. Most people wouldn't be able to keep standing up like you have." Artemisia replied, making Cecile gasp. "It may be hard, but... don't forget you're not alone. You have us. No matter how long it takes we'll be here."
Cecile cried more and looked at her.
"...You all really have that much faith in me? Do you really believe in me this much?" Cecile asked, almost begging to know they were being honest.
"Yeah, we're with you! Truth is me and Leonora are just as odd and out of society as you in our own ways." Ashley chuckled, looking at her current outfit. She soon points at Leonora who was already in tears. "And look, miss tough sniper's already crying!"
Leonora playfully hit Ashley, and Cecile sniffles before Artemisia brought the four into a group hug.
"Whatever comes next, we'll do it as a team." Artemisia smiled.
Maria whistles, getting every AST member's attention before she turned around slightly.
"Everyone get ready... we're about to reach our destination." Maria stated, a serious look on her face. Everyone nodded as they all tightened their seat belts as the Sagittarius has a final burst of speed before landing on the ground and engaging its Invisibility realizer to hide itself.
"Alright everyone, we've arrived at our location. Get your CR-Units deployed and we'll head out."
Everyone nods and summon their CR-Units, soon leaving the ship and seeing they had found themselves on an island. Mana blinks and looks around.
"An island? This seems like an odd place for a mission, wonder why Minerva was heading here?" Mana asked herself.
"Hmm... hold on guys, I'm going to try registered our GPS location." Maria answered, her android body's eyes flashing as she processed some data... and then gasped as she saw the location to her horror. "Oh... shit... guys, I think we're in trouble."
"Why, where are we Maria?" Ryouko asked, but Maria didn't reply. She tapped the AI's android body to get her attention. "Uh... hello?"
Maria turned to everyone, a strange look of fear on her face.
"...This place is a spare headquarters Westcott uses if the Arbitel needs repairs that Tohka kindly required it to take. Everyone, this place is Arubi Island!" Maria exclaimed, while a few members like Mana and Saya were clueless, the rest all knew and gave reactions filled with horror. This place... it was DEM territory!
"Uh... what?" Saya asked, scratching her head.
"OK, since some of you aren't aware... right now we're basically on the front lawn of Westcott's spare house while he's currently using it!" Maria answered, and now the remaining members suddenly gained the same fearful looks the others had. "Yeah, in fact I think at any moment we'll-"
Suddenly at that moment, Ryouko suddenly fired at something, and everyone turned to see a Cheshire unit sparking before it crashed to the ground.
"We've been spotted, which means now this is an all-out war." Ryouko grimaced, and her words timed the arrival of a bunch of DEM automatons including the familiar Bandersnatch, Jabberwocky and Alice units. "Alright AST, give them Hell! Don't hold anything back!"
"RIGHT!" Everyone declared.
As everyone got ready, Maria jumped by Mana and the SSS Trio.
"You four, I need you all to go find Minerva, if we have walked into a trap... she might flee at any time. For all we know, she might be leaving to attack the others while they're still recovering at Tenguu City. Don't let this chance slip by us!" Maria ordered, and the four nodded.
"OK, we're going!" Mana replied.
The four quickly flew off, all of them looking for signs of a Wizard among the chaos of the automaton army. Maria opened a panel on her android body and input a specific code.
"Emergency Astral Dress activation code accepted, transforming now! Go Ex-Celsior Sephira!" Maria declared, screaming as her android body took its Astral Dress form. "Time for you to meet a Machine among spirits you mindless Mecha rejects!"
Maria's crystal attachments dug into the ground, and suddenly a bunch of vines sprouted out and attacked the Bandersnatch that had rushed at her, either piercing through or tearing them apart. As this happened, she suddenly saw quick moving automatons she couldn't recognize rush by.
"A new type of automaton?" Maria asked, she soon felt her spirit mana shielding her as these automatons rammed her. "Dang it, I can't see them! These must be speed based!"
Katie fires a shot when she notices Maria in trouble.
"Oh no. Saya, Mikie! I need some cover give me an opening to help Maria!" Katie requested, the two turned to her.
"You got it!" Saya smirked, jumping up and drawing her sword. "Go Tyrfing!"
Saya swung it around, causing a brief bit of fire to surround her and Katie, giving Mikie the chance to hide from view and gouge all her claws into the nearby Bandersnatch and Alice units. A trio of Jabberwocky charged at them, but Saya grabbed Dyrnwyn and shot at them, causing them to tumble over each other.
"Bigger they are, the harder the mechanical bastards crash in an epic fail!" Saya smirked.
Katie adjusted her sniper rifle, and soon closed her eyes and breathed. She slowly opened them as she felt her focus intensify, the world around her feeling like it had suddenly began slowing down.
'This isn't the first time, I've had to fire in this kind of situation before. It was back then... back on that day.' Katie thought, feeling the memory flash through her mind.
-Flashback Start-
At Raizen High, Katie was seen playing a game of basketball in girls' gym class and was dribbling the ball as she neared the net. She suddenly stopped as Claudia and Sarah got in her way, trying to make sure she couldn't make the last shot her team needed before time ran out.
"You're not getting past us!" Claudia stated, her and Sarah blocking off Katie's movements.
Katie looked around, noticing no way to get through or at least past them with the remaining time. Taking a look at the net, she focused her eyes a bit.
'I think I can make it, just gotta aim this right.' Katie thought.
Katie soon shifted her foot and shot the ball high up, surprising Claudia and Sarah as the ball flew high enough to pass over them and then land in the net, not even needing to swirl around the rim. The whistle blew right after.
"That's three points! Game over, the Red Team wins!" The gym teacher declared, and Katie's team cheered as they all gathered around her.
"That was amazing Katie, no one can beat you when it comes to accuracy!" Hannah praised, making Katie blush a bit. "We're gonna go hit the showers real quick, think you can put everything back in storage?"
"Sure thing, I think it's my turn today anyways." Katie replied, soon grabbing the basketball and everything else as the others head back inside to shower. As she did that, she suddenly heard the sound of someone crashing into the wall, surprising her. "Huh?"
Katie comes outside, and soon notices a girl with green hair had hit the wall, soon flying away into the sky and dropping a small rifle to her surprise.
"W-w-what!?" Katie suddenly stuttered in shock, soon seeing that same girl being attacked by people in flying suits.
"We have [Witch] in our sights, preparing to annihilate her and collect the Sephira Crystal!" A DEM Wizard declared, opening fire with the same guns as the one that fell by Katie, the girl tried to dodge, holding her shoulder.
"That girl... they're hurting her, and she's not fighting back. I need to help her somehow..." Katie said worriedly, and soon noticing the rifle near her. She picked it up and looked at it. "...Would this be enough?"
Katie soon looked again and suddenly found herself breathing, calming her nerves as she looked around, to her surprise... the world around had suddenly felt like it had become slower, but she was still moving at her usual speed. Not just that, but she felt her focus intensify. It was like when she had her usual deep focus, but more.
'This is so strange, it's almost as if I'm projecting my desire to insure my accuracy to affect my senses. Is this how I've been so accurate before? Is this an ability my mana core has?' Katie thought, soon slowly motioning the rifle in her hand. 'OK... don't shoot to kill, those devices on their back are letting them fly, so I just need to disable them.'
Katie positions herself best she can, and then... she fires at each DEM wizard, quickly moving to hide herself after. Each wizard suddenly felt Witch drop high out of their view as their flighty realizers suddenly malfunctioned.
"What the? What's going here, why are they failing now!?" One wizard roared, the Spirit in question looked where Katie was and smiled before zooming off and escaping. "No! She got away, we finally had her too!"
Katie stared at what she achieved from behind the wall and was shocked.
"Amazing... I hit all of them, and I've never even used a gun before." Katie gasped in a whisper, unaware that Sarah, Claudia and Hannah had all seen what she did and looked at one another.
"Guys, I think we finally found the AST a sniper." Sarah smiled.
-End Flashback-
'That's what lead me to the AST, where my accuracy can do some good. Sometimes I falter and stumble, sometimes I panic and get nervous, but... when people need me to hit something, I'll always step up to fire the shot.' Katie thought, soon readying her shot as her scope locked on. "Here goes."
Katie fired three shots, and Maria was about to get another blow, only for Katie's shots to hit the automatons now revealed to be based on Centaurs.
"Whoa! No wonder you're a sniper on this team, that shot was sick." Saya replied, this having been the first time she saw Katie's skills firsthand. 'And Leonora's considered better than her, these girls? All of them are definitely trained to be able to defend themselves from the DEM or a Spirit.'
"Thanks Katie, now I can figure out how many of these Centaur units we've got." Maria smiled, scanning the automatons to update her data with them and soon find how many more were present. "We've got another 5 Katie, look alive!"
Katie nods and re-positioned herself before firing 5 more shops and taking the remaining Centaurs out.
"All clear Maria!" Katie smiled, giving a thumb's up. Maria nods and motioned a few more vines to constrict the eight Centaur units and make them explode. Right at that moment, the Jabberwocky trio Saya had temporarily taken care of and she turned to look.
"Aw snap, I forgot to break those three!" Saya panicked.
As the trio of Saya, Mikie and Katie all were about to be struck by the three Jabberwocky, Ryouko suddenly drops down and takes out her C-C-C while putting a normal energy sword in it, and shouts as she slashes forward. Suddenly all three Jabberwocky explode instantly.
"Take that you mechanical scrap piles! This is the power of the AST leader, so let those DEM pansies know we ladies are gonna fight back while having fun breaking your toys!" Ryouko declared, the trio staring at her.
'She's having way too much fun with this!' They all thought.
Ryouko rushes ahead as some more Jabberwocky units appear, and she slashes down on another.
'True, it may seem like I'm having a blast... however, I have a reason to psyche myself into going full out, because I know that if I'm not at my best then I'll be dead if I ever have to deal with someone like Adeptus 1-3' Ryouko thought, recalling 15 years ago.
-Flashback Start-
A 12-year old Ryouko was currently inside a barren construction site that was currently having no work done, sitting under some beams as she had a relaxing snack in the shade they provided.
"Ah, who says that it isn't relaxing to eat in this scenario? I know I'm not one of them." Ryouko giggled, right as she was about to take another bite, she suddenly heard a crash and blinked at the sound of it. "Huh?"
She looks up through a crack in the beams to see a girl wearing Kurumi's Astral Dress, her predecessor, crashed on the ground. She coughed as she got up and the Spacequake alarm went off, making Ryouko gasp as the sudden timing.
"Right as she landed... is that girl related to the Spacequakes somehow?" Ryouko wondered to herself.
At that moment, a woman wearing a purple and gray CR-Unit named Gawain dropped into view, a cold look in her eye as she grabs her weapon which was named Galatine and holds it out as it formed and energy blade like a chainsaw. This was the former Adeptus 2 who had since met her demise in the 15 years since this day.
"Victoria Bailey... the mother of the current Adeptus 3, Jessica Bailey. This was the first time I saw her... and I'm still surprised I didn't take her threat seriously."
Other DEM wizards landed besides her, and the current Nightmare stood up and prepared Zafkiel, ready to fire at the group despite clearly looking afraid. Ryouko noticed that, she had just summoned a weapon from nowhere and she was the one that was terrified.
"Get ready to die monster." Victoria said without emotion, holding Galatine out.
The current Nightmare soon flew off, the Wizards going after her, with the Spirit only firing Zafkiel to defend herself from the wizards as they fired and slashed at her., however Victoria smashed her back down. At that moment, Ryouko shook as she saw Victoria's face look monstrous.
'She's calling that strange girl a monster, and yet...' Ryouko thought, seeing the KOd form of Nightmare on the ground. Victoria's eyes were cold and devoid of emotion... and as terrifying as a snake staring someone up close. 'She looks like the real monster.'
At that moment, Ryouko covered her mouth, knowing how she'd react as Victoria swung her sword down. A loud slash sound was heard, and Ryouko turned away after that. The only thing keeping her from being heard was her hand covering her mouth.
The scene comes to 6 years later, a now 18-year old Ryouko was donned in her newly acquired Lynx CR-Unit as she found herself face to face with Victoria herself. Ryouko had an eye closed as it had begun to slightly bleed, making her unable to properly see with it open, and she could barely move her left arm or either of her legs.
"This is all you have? Pathetic, you green horns are just that, green horns. I'll do good and well to expose your secrets and have you all ruined further. First however... I'll kill you." Victoria said lacking emotion, and soon rushed forward holding Galatine to swing down.
"No, I... I can't die here!" Ryouko stated, seeing her nearing her end, she tried to move only for her to tumble back. That's when she noticed the device she was near. Right as Victoria neared her, she suddenly used her one good arm to yank it out and revealed it was an electrical wire.
Victoria suddenly stopped moving as Ryouko stabbed the wire into her body, the emotionally void Adeptus 2 didn't react for a moment as her body was electrocuted. Soon her body suddenly fell to its knees, and she shook before holding Galatine tighter.
"I'll have to make your death twice as-"
Before Victoria could finish, her CR-Unit gave a fast warning signal, and Ryouko soon rolled to the side as Victoria was covered in a bright light as it exploded. Ryouko breathed and turned away as she saw a piece of the now destroyed Galatine land before her.
"...Adeptus 2 is finally gone, but I nearly died. This isn't a game anymore." Ryouko breathed, resting at what she just survived.
-End Flashback-
Ryouko turns around as the remaining Jabberwocky automatons all explode, and she looks at the trio.
"I know what you're thinking girls so let me tell you something, even if not intentionally, and even if it was only the chain reaction to what you did and therefore can't truly be consider your action... have you been the reason someone died?" Ryouko asked, making them all go wide eyed.
"Let's just say that 12 years ago I met the Adeptus 2 that came before Artemisia, and it was a fight to the death. I think you can tell who came back alive. Even then it was luck, you can't expect to win because your opponent's CR-Unit exploded while they were still wearing it."
The three turned as Ryouko flew by at some Alice units.
"...Whoa, sounds like the Captain's strange behavior is more of a story than a hobby." Saya noted, wondering what Ryouko experienced that day.
Mana and Ashley cut through a door before Leonora and Cecile blasted it apart, finding themselves in a room full of a bunch of undeveloped or failed Realizer technology, even ideas that were noble but only used to develop more weaponized or personal realizers.
"Whoa... this must be where they make the DEM's Realizers." Mana stated, soon noticing some of the ideas mentioned. "He invented a device that kept the world from falling apart due to a near-Armageddon he made... if only he used all these ideas for humanity as a whole. Let's take these and see if Ratatoskr can use them."
The quartet began gathering notes, and during their collecting, Mana looked she found one note of interest. It was for a Realizer that could heal disabilities caused by accidents. Accidents like the one that caused Cecile's legs to be paralyzed and blinded her.
"Cecile, you see this?" Mana said, showing her the notes. However, rather than excitement... Cecile looked fearful? No, more like worried. "What's wrong, don't you want to be able to see and walk again without a CR-Unit aiding you?"
"...I do, it's just that I only want to if I can have one thing." Cecile replied, looking at Mana. "I want Artemisia to be the first person I see when I open my eyes again, and walk to her and tell her 'thank you for believing in me', she was the reason I became the Wizard I am now."
Cecile cried slightly.
"If it didn't work, I'd be terrified. So, I decided I'd never try it. Truth is Ratatoskr's already made that Realizer... I've just refused to use it since it was made."
Mana stared in shock, while it might sound odd... she knew just how much that decision was symbolizing her friendship to Artemisia. She smiled and put a hand on her shoulder to the blind wizard's surprise.
"I think I get it, but word of advice? Look at what Artemisia's had to go through since. I won't force you, but... maybe you should welcome her back by letting her wake up to see the sight of you looking at her with both eyes." Mana smiled, making Cecile stare at her. Before anymore could be said however...
"Look there!" Ashley shouted, pointing to a certain shadow rushing through the hallway... a human shadow. "That might be Minerva, hurry!"
The SSS trio rushed forward while Mana just grabbed everyone note, stored them away and ran after them.
Artemisia Memory File 04, Subject - Artemisia
Soon half a year passed by, and the five SSS members were all standing by Karen who had since ditched her glasses and grown out her hair which she had kept in a small up-do at the moment. She was looking at the status reports for the SSS's growth.
"Congratulations, while it's still too early for personal CR-Units, you've finally achieved status as official wizards." Karen smiled, making everyone smile in their own ways.
"Ashley Sinclair, your close combat ability and melee skills are exceptional. Leonora Sears, you've been able to handle and long-range weapon from any distance with almost 100% accuracy. Cecile O'Brien, your territory control and defensive capability is one of the most refined, you've come a long way. Minerva, hard to say where you improved except you do well in all areas."
'Of course, I am the SSS's ace member after all' Minerva thought, a smug smile on her face.
"Oh, and Artemisia?" Karen added, making said wizard focus towards her.
"I want to congratulate your personally. Your skills are so high in each area they've nearly topped the charts, not to mention we think there's something special about your territory. You get along with the whole team as well. I think it's no surprise that your skills have proven you've become the new Ace of the SSS."
Hearing that claim suddenly made Minerva's eyes widen in shock.
'What!?' Minerva thought in horror.
"M-Me? Are you serious, I'm the..." Artemisia replied, shocked at the revelation. At that moment, her friends all gave her a tackle hug in excitement. Minerva stared with rage, her fist shaking and her teeth gritting... this was the day her jealousy of Artemisia formed.
'How dare she waltz in and take what was mine, I will prove I'm better than you Artemisia!' Minerva mentally growled.
After a bit, they ran into a room where the floor was suddenly shifted onto the ceiling. Once they arrived, they all heard laughter as they saw a certain wizard with two scarred eyes clap at them.
"Well, well, it looks like you've finally made it. Well then Ashley Sinclair, Leonora Sears, Cecile O'Brien, and Mana Takamiya... prepare to meet your end!" Minerva declared, giving a sadistic glare as her eyes glowed. "I've been looking forward to this day forever! Four of the five people I hate most, and now I get to kill you all!"
Mana glared at her.
"Damn it Minerva, you've always been pulling this kind of crap! You got jealous at Artemisia for being nice and getting where she was from hard work rather than the fear you used on us! You deserved losing the spot of SSS ace like you deserved your first scar!" Ashley roared.
"Deserved? Exactly, I had power, I had everyone unable to oppose me! I had power and Artemisia was the naive idiot who didn't get that! Made you agree with her... now it's time I murder you all." Minerva laughed, drawing both of her swords. "But first I'll kill the little girl who dared to mimic her!"
Minerva rushed forward holding Hrunting and Naegling before swiping both towards Mana, seeing them coming she activates Murakumo's sword mode and slashes at her as well. After a few seconds, Minerva saw the Naegling burst into pieces to her complete surprise.
"What!?" Minerva declared, making everyone look in shock as they saw Mana's swords had expanded and revealed eight energy daggers within it while the swords themselves became longer.
"Like it? You should, it's one my new trump cards... the Orochi Blade!" Mana smirked, making Minerva cackle as she held Hrunting. She rose it up as it drew in the shards of its broken comrade and grew stronger, soon changing form.
"Alright you cocky rookie, let's dance!" Minerva smirked, Mana and the SSS trio all got ready as Minerva rushed ahead. "Taste my Beowulf!"
Minerva rushed forward at the four as they fly at her in return.
Maria shouts as the last of the Alice units were smashed by her vines, leaving only the Bandersnatch units left. She pants as she wobbles and falls on her butt, her Astral Dress form being undone as she reverts to normal.
"You did your part Maria, leave the rest to us." Sarah replied.
"Yeah, we've got this!" Hannah followed up.
The rest of the AST all begin their attacks against the remaining DEM automatons while Maria watches. She pants tiredly, and soon smiles a bit.
"...Look at them, these are mostly kids and yet in a world where they were once powerless, they become bigger than themselves for the sake of protecting what they know only they can protect. This takes me back to that day when I first became aware."
-Flashback Start-
The members of Ratatoskr were all examining the program that had helped them escape the Arbitel and show it had suddenly evolved into someone more, hoping that their attempts to get serious and spring back against the DEM even stronger in the future would be aided by this newly evolved program.
"It's incredible, this small emergency program faced off against an AI and evolved. In fact, I think it's mimicked and replicated some of the programming from it." Kannazuki noted, looking at it up close.
"Hmm... hello?" A young Ryouko, who had yet to become the AST's captain at the time, asked the newly sentient program.
At first... nothing, Ryouko sighed until a static sound was heard.
"He...llo?" The program replied back.
"Hey, you spoke!" Ryouko said happily, Reine watched closely as Ryouko tried talking to her.
"What is... speaking exactly?" The program asked. "I am... aware I am more than what I was, but... I don't feel I understand anything yet. Is this what it means to... ask for aid? To receive... help?"
Reine looked at the simple program, it was becoming more than it was but it also seemed so... human, alive.
"I believe we can help you, if you'll be willing to trust us in helping you develop." Reine asked, and the program has some of its hologram move like a hand resting on Reine's own.
"I... will try this... trusting." The program replied.
Reine, Minowa and Shiizaki were all seen working together on programming new data into the currently nameless AI, using an image of Marina as a basis. Reine thought for a bit and then looked at the old Fraxinus' colors.
"Let's replace the black with white and the gold-yellow with blue." Minowa suggested.
"It might also be a nice change to make her expression softer and her clothes fully less technological looking at the ends. Give her a feel of being more than just some technological manifestation." Shiizaki added.
"Alright, we'll go with that." Reine answered, typing quickly and applying it to the body design. "And with this spirit data in her, for her Astral Dress... we'll have it chosen by the Fraxinus' successor model."
Reine types it all in.
"Personality basis module completed, and archive link formed." Minowa stated.
"And we've linked her to all Ratatoskr systems, here it goes..." Shiizaki breathed, hitting the enter key. Soon all the data was transferred to the nameless AI, and it felt its body twitch as it suddenly gained a physical form and blinked as her eyes opened.
"This is..." The AI gasped, soon realizing her awareness. "I feel like I'm alive!"
The trio smiled at their work and the AI's happiness.
The nameless AI soon moved around in an android, or gynoid if someone wanted to be specific, body based on her hologram form for her to walk around in. She moved her arms and shook her hair before smiling.
"Thank you, I love it!" The AI replied with a smile.
"You look great in that, you may not have flesh in blood but I think your soul makes you alive enough for an AI." Ryouko complimented, having since become the AST's Captain. The AI blinks as she thinks a bit. "What is it?"
The Nameless AI blushed a bit.
"Well... I just realized I don't have a name after all this time, can you give me one?" Maria asked, making everyone blush embarrassingly at this good up.
"Hmm... a name, what should we call you?" Reine thought.
"I have a suggestion." Kannazuki interjected, making everyone look at him. "Considering her outfit's similarity to a nun, and the fact she gained this form by copying the other AI whose name was Marina... let's use a bit of that name to link it to an important church figure."
Kannazuki showed a picture of the Holy Mother Mary.
"One form of the Virgin Mary's name is Maria, so... how about we call her that?" Kannazuki asked, looking at the AI. "Do you like it?"
"Maria..." Maria replied, soon smiling and nodding. "I love it! From now on, I'm Maria. My full name will be Maria Arusu."
Everyone smiles at that.
-End Flashback-
Maria smiled before turning to where Mana and the SSS trio went.
"Good luck you three, all of us here... we're rooting for you." Maria replied, looking up at the sky. "Because... we're Ratatoskr, and unlike the DEM we won't let one of our own be left behind."
Soon an image of Artemisia turning and smiling at the group was seen.
"You can save her, I know it... we all know it." Maria smiled.
Minerva screamed as she smashed the Beowulf into the ground, making Ashley dodge as she reached behind her and grabbed her double-bladed swords, the Asura's backside opened up to reveal the eight Arm Blades as Mana had come to define them.
"Go, Vairochana! Mahabali!" Ashley declared, rushing forward as she swung all her blades at close range. Causing Minerva to quickly swing the Beowulf to block them. However, Ashley soon kicked her in the gut.
"Ack!" Minerva cried out in surprise, and soon Ashley thrust all her swords forward like spears, forcing Minerva to block them with her Territory field, but even then... the barrier was slowly cracking under Ashley's overwhelming melee force. "What the hell!?"
Cecile landed behind her, readying the Longma's wings to attack.
"Activate Territory Jamming!" Cecile declared, and the wings shake as her CR-Unit emitted the field. Minerva sees her barrier begin to fail and jumps out of the way as Leonora had moved behind her and readied the Horus to fire.
"Ouroboros Storm!" Leonora shouted, each of her suit's wings open and reveal the red gems ready to activate their blasters while she extended her arms to focus their blasters.
Minerva turned as a bunch of red lasers suddenly quickly shot before slithering around like snakes, and soon the arm cannons fired a blue beam, making all the red lasers converge. Minerva screamed as they pierced through her and knocked her back, and Cecile spun at that moment to allow the blades on the Longma's wings to slash at her.
Minerva was thrown back as she screamed, the Basilisk torn and full of holes that had some blood on them from Leonora's shots before cracking slightly as she crashed into the laser field acting as the arena walls. Minerva stared and got up, ignoring the bit of blood trickling out of her mouth.
"Damn you... damn you all!" Minerva screamed loudly.
Soon, she saw Mana had already rushed in front of her, aiming her blasters at her directly as she shoved her swords in their Orochi forms into two new slots, combining them with the blasters.
"Susanoo Bazooka!" Mana shouted.
Minerva was shot at point blank, and the force sent her flying up the barrier walls. She grabbed Beowulf and swung it down at Mana as she ran up the wall to block her next attack.
"DIE YOU!" Minerva screamed, slamming Beowulf against Mana as she formed a territory to defend herself. Soon Mana breaks it and shifts the swords into her blasters, pulling them off with the blasters still attached and surprising Minerva. "Cheater! Where did you get all these new tricks!?"
"Training and effort, you should try it!" Mana declared, swinging her blades like a roundhouse kick as beams charge in the blasters. "Tsukuyomi!"
Mana hit Minerva and the sword swings exploded, making her scream in pain as she was flung towards Ashley at sonic speeds.
"Hey Cecile, catch!" Ashley smirked, swinging her fist at Minerva, decking her right in the face as she flew over to Cecile, who readied the Longma's blades again. She slightly turned her foot, spinning a bit.
"You're up Leonora!" Cecile smiled, slamming the blades into Minerva, sending her spinning towards Leonora who ducked and pulled out a rifle barrel from her arm cannon. Pointing it up and back towards where Mana jumped. Minerva gasped at what they were about to do.
"...Bam."
Leonora fired the shot, blasting Minerva into the air as a concentrated blast of magic burned her skin, and soon Mana moved her blasters one side of each sword as she slammed them together. Minerva's eyes widened as the now single sword doubled in length.
"This is it Minerva... AMATERASU!" Mana screamed, slamming the blade down and sending the scarred wizard into the ground so hard, she made a crater, and Minerva actually coughed out a handful of blood. Mana soon landed on the ground, and slightly collapsed. Luckily Cecile caught her.
"...And we've got her. Come on, let's take Artemisia's memories back. Best we don't risk them being destroyed if we break that suit."
Three SSS trio all smiled, it wouldn't be too much longer to save their friend. Ashley walked over and ripped the Basilisk open, revealing a white and blue realizer. She rips it out and feels it, Artemisia's essence.
"Artemisia... hold on, you'll be back home soon enough." Ashley smiled.
"All that's left now is-"
Suddenly Minerva's eyes widen as she smirked, the Basilisk opened a few slots and fired four shots at the group, Cecile noticing this pushed Mana out of the way. Mana stumbled and turned back to see Ashley, Cecile and Leonora all hit by the what looked to be poisoned realizers.
Mana stares in horror as the realizer with Artemisia's memories slid towards Mana's feet, and all three of them cough heavily as their CR-Units were forcefully dispelled, and purple markings showing that they were poisoned began to spread through them. Minerva gets up, her bloody face showing a complete loss of sanity as she cackled.
"I don't think so, I'm impressed you knew leaving me alive would be fatal... but you were too damn slow! This is a fight to the death, and I intend to make it fun! If I'm going to die here, I'll drag all of you to the grave with me!" Minerva cackled, her eyes stuck in a shocked state as they twitched and glared at Mana.
"Oh Mana... Mana Takamiya! You actually did it, you've actually made me finally hate someone more than I hate Artemisia! I'm glad you weren't poisoned, I want my hands to be what rip you into pieces! Best of all, I'll do it like this!"
Minerva takes out a switch and presses it, soon from the crater on the arena floor, a door forcefully opens to reveal an automaton in the form of a Mecha suit. However, wires and needles were inside of it.
"This is what real power is, sacrificing your inhumanity to become a Demon!" Minerva said viciously, soon giving an insane cackle as she stabbed the needles and wires into her, and her laughter gets distorted as the soon crawled and devoured her body, soon enough it mutated.
Mana stared in horror as the sight of Minerva transforming into a cyborg like creature and form, but... it was clear by the end anything that was flesh and blood... that made her human at all, was gone. She was looking at a mechanical monster, a chimera of sorts. (A/N: This is the same machine from the final Date AST Strike Volume)
"My... my god." Mana breathed, staring at the horror before her. Panicked a bit, she raised her hand. "Come to me, White Licorice!"
Mana's White Licorice formed on the Murakumo and she instantly unloaded every bit of ammunition it currently had stocked simultaneously, but in a mere moment... she felt something stab her through the smoke. She held where she was stabbed as the Murakumo and White Licorice both vanished, the intense damage turning them inoperable.
"No..."
Mana collapsed to the ground unresponsive with the Artemisia memory realizer still in her hand, the SSS trio all looked at her in horror.
"MANA!"
Everyone on the ground heard the shouting as they saw the mechanical monstrosity.
"W-what is that!?" Mikie asked, shaking in fear.
"Let me see..." Maria replied, scanning it... and sensing Minerva's signature in the entire thing. "Oh... my god, I don't know how, but I think that's Minerva!"
Everyone gasped at that.
"I think Mana and the SSS trio are in trouble! Come on, let's get up there!" Saya declared, she zoomed ahead... and soon crashed into the barrier field. "Damn it! There's a barrier, I can't shatter it!"
Everyone sweated and Maria thinks.
"Saya, the Salamandra's special ability is it can make barriers without using a territory or one's mana! That's why no one could use it! Try countering the barrier with the Salamandra's own and you might get through!" Maria shouted.
"Really? Alright, better than nothing I guess!" Saya shouted.
Saya soon focused and formed the barrier, and soon she feels the barrier's energy burn into her skin. Luckily, she shrugged it off.
"Thank god for letting me be Efreet once, this burning's nothing from the flames that healed me in the past!" Saya shouted, soon ramming into the barrier with her own. 'Come on... please work!'
Minerva's mechanical laughter is heard as Mana was still laying on the floor immobile, appearing to be dead from the attack and the only thing preventing confirmation being no one could move to check her pulse.
"You... you bastard!" Ashley screamed, soon feeling the poison knock her back onto the ground.
"Now all I need to do is wait for the poison to kick in and kill you! Oh man, I was hoping to tell her killing me would purge it from you three so she'd attack me in anger, that way leaving her in state would be even better! Too bad, guess that was too much to ask for!" Minerva replied, still laughing in her mechanical form.
"This... this can't be it, Mana, Artemisia... we're sorry." Cecile stated weakly, coughing as the poison kept spreading.
Meanwhile on the ground, Mana's immobile form began thinking of some thoughts as she felt the life fade from her body.
'Is... is this it? Am I going to die, leaving everyone here to die with me? Leaving Artemisia comatose, and my brother and mother crying?' Mana thought, trying to force her body to move without any luck. 'No... I can't let it, I need to move! Come on, something, please... give me the strength!'
'You won't give in, just like me.'
Mana's eyes widen slightly, recognizing the familiar female voice, and soon...
Mana soon found herself in a mental landscape, and looked around the area which was a field full of flowers on a vast grassland. After looking for a bit...
"It's nice to finally meet you, Mana Takamiya." Artemisia replied.
Mana turned and saw Artemisia appear in front of her, walking closer to her with a smile on her face.
"Artemisia..." Mana gasped.
"You carry a heavy weight on your sword, and you're willing to fight even if you lose your life... but you also refuse to give it up either. The power of a Human, and the power of a Spirit is within your body." Artemisia stated, as Mana watched her senior's words. "Even in certain defeat you refuse to give in."
"Of course, I already know what it means to lose, what it means to fight and protect. My brother and I... we fight for our world, and everyone who's come and gone. For the Spirits and Humanity." Mana replied. "A burden I willingly carry."
Artemisia nodded and put a hand on her shoulder.
"I know, and you've hit your limit... so now let me lend you the strength. So, I hope this once, you don't mind a little help. You have it in your hands already. Not just that though..." Artemisia began.
Mana blinked confused until she saw a cyan energy begin to well from her body, just like when she wore the Murakumo.
"This is... a spirit aura? But how, I'm only Half Spirit!" Mana gasped.
"True, but... you and Shido hold the potential that can stop Westcott. Perhaps being half isn't a disadvantage, but a late blooming. Now it's time you blossom!" Artemisia said with determination.
Mana soon saw the sight of a certain CR-Unit.
"For this brief moment, my power and yours will be one. You can win." Artemisia said as she fades into Mana and the landscape brightens.
At that moment, Mana grips the Artemisia memory realizer and soon slams her other hand on the ground, making the SSS trio and Minerva gasp in shock as she slowly pushed herself up, her eyes soon regaining their light as she glowed brightly with a cyan aura. She held out her hand and a cyan sword made of spirit mana formed.
"W-what? No, that's impossible!" Minerva roared in shock, and Mana walked forward slowly.
"Artemisia... thank you, I feel it. Even if I lack the Murakumo right now, I can still fight! I can still win... no matter what, I will never give up! To save this world, that is my wish, for the sake of the father I've lost! For the sake of his dream!" Mana declared, her aura glowing brighter. "Please... lend me your power."
At the hospital where Artemisia was resting, her unresponsive body suddenly twitched slightly.
"...CR-Unit Bahamut, ID Registration: Artemisia Bell Ashcroft." Artemisia's body suddenly spoke, as if reacting to something. "Activate control reassignment, single usage. Link to ID Registration: Mana Takamiya."
With that, Artemisia's body goes silent again.
Back at the Ratatoskr base, Reine suddenly sees the computer suddenly give an alert.
"What the... wait!" Reine gasped, looking over at it. "This is..."
It mentioned the Bahamut CR-Unit was activating.
"Artemisia's CR-Unit is activating... but how, and who's using it? Wait, better yet how is it being used?"
Soon she saw who was given access to a single use of it.
"Mana?" Reine gasped.
Soon Mana gasped as she felt the realizer with Artemisia's memories being equipped to her body, and soon closed them.
"I feel it, your strength! I promise to use it well!" Mana declared, soon raising her hand as she felt it respond to her. Artemisia's CR-Unit shined from its place in Ratatoskr and soon... she called for it. "Bahamut!"
Soon a bright light blinded everyone, and Saya who was still ramming the barrier soon gasped as she saw the sight Mana had pulled, making her stop and drop her barrier from the shock of event.
"Mana?" Saya whispered in surprise.
Soon the light ended, everyone saw Mana not wearing the Murakumo, but a CR-unit that took the form of a futuristic white and neon blue armor. Part of it was translucent and showed the skin under it, almost like the fins of a fish.
In fact, parts of the CR-Unit resembled parts of a fish, but also a Dragon at the same time, referencing how the true Bahamut of myth was a fish but also had common depictions in present day fiction as a Dragon.
A similar sword formed in Mana's hands as the strongest Ratatoskr made CR-Unit was now being worn by her. (A/N: This is the CR-Unit Artemisia wears as of her LN debut, only without the part that look like cat ears.)
"This is the strength I've been lent... the power me and Artemisia use together for this single moment!" Mana declared, making the SSS trio look with happy tears while Minerva roared in anger. "Minerva... this is the end for you!"
"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'LL MEET THEIR END!" Minerva screamed, her voice heavily distorting from her volume and rage. Her mechanical body thrust forward in an attempt to smashed Mana apart. Mana soon moved her body, Artemisia's spirit beside her. "Mana! Artemisia! Both of you... just die!"
Mana closes her eyes and readies herself as her sword glowed brightly.
"Nandaka!" Mana shouted, swinging the sword alongside Artemisia's spirit. In a single moment, Minerva's entire arm was cut and then shredded apart. Minerva screamed in pain and looked at the mechanical stump of an arm she had left.
"N-No... this can't be! I'm better, I'm stronger! Why is it that I can't exceed you!?" Minerva begged, her mechanical body sparking as she screamed that question.
"Because..." Mana began, rushing forward as she cut through every weapon and limb that Minerva fired off at her. The silhouette of everyone Mana knew following behind her to Minerva's surprise. "...Unlike you I'm not alone, I didn't get here by stepping over others and knocking them down! As they grew so did I!"
Mana rushed through Minerva's body, causing a slash mark to appear everywhere, and Minerva's voice cracked as her mechanical form shook. She screamed loudly as oil squirted out and the body emitted light, glowing red from overheating.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Minerva screamed, and soon she exploded with her final screams echoing. The greatest traitor of Ratatoskr... had finally met her demise!
Mana turned around and panted, and soon collapsed to her knees as the Bahamut unequipped from her and went back to the Ratatoskr base, she looked at the SSS trio who saw their poison makes fade as Minerva's defeat destroyed the Basilisk's poison.
"We... we won." Mana smiled, panting from exhaustion. She saw the barrier disappear and then everyone in the AST flew up and gathered her and the SSS trio in a group hug. "And not just us, you were with us too."
She looked at the realizer and saw Artemisia's smile.
"Come on everyone... time to go home."
Marina suddenly got a status update from Arubi Island right as the AST left, leaving a surprise behind. Marina suddenly screamed and got the entire Arbitel crew to look at her. Westcott, Jessica and Ellen also gave an odd look.
"No way, this isn't possible!" Marina shook.
"...Oh god, you only do that when something bad for us happened, what is it? It can't be that bad." Jessica asked.
Marina gave a 'you are so wrong look' before answering.
"The entire trap we left at Arubi Island for Minerva to take care of completely failed! Everything we had there including the base itself is gone! Worse... Minerva is dead and they got back Artemisia's memories before we could finish the Ashcroft Gamma's with all her data." Marina grunted, making everyone look in shock.
"Oh, and that's just the icing on the cake, the Spirits? They didn't even show up! That damn AST alone took out all we had set up! That damn AI clone Maria was even there too, if I had been there..."
Marina screamed so angrily she disconnected her hologram.
"...Damn it, such a large defeat? Just how strong did Ratatoskr become in the last 12 years since our invasion?" Ellen asked, gripping her fist angrily.
"It seems I've underestimated them one time too many, and they used that against us. We can't do that anymore. For, now we'll need a new Adeptus 2... no, Adeptus 3, after this it's clear." Westcott answered, looking at Jessica. "Jessica, consider this a promotion. You're the new Adeptus 2. I think it's time you inherit the legacy your mother left."
Jessica gasped as Westcott walked out of the main room.
'I can't let this go on, I must obtain that boy's power and bend it to my will.' Westcott thought, thinking of Shido's power and connection to the spirits. 'Seigo Takamiya... you and your family have been a thorn in my plans for too long now.'
~The Next Day
Everyone was in the Ratatoskr base, the Spirits and Shido were still a bit out of it but now no longer sick, and Artemisia's body had been brought to begin the procedure to hopefully wake her up. Cecile had bandages on her face, and on her legs.
"So, you really did it Cecile? You got the treatment for your eyes and legs?" Mana asked, and Cecile nodded.
"You told me yourself, and after I thought about it... that's when I remembered why Artemisia said I should braid my hair. A sign of a promise, when I finally gain the strength I need I can remove them to show I kept it. So... I want her to wake up and see me walking and seeing again without a CR-Unit." Cecile replied with a smile.
"Thank you for making me remember that."
Mana smiled, and soon everyone gathered as Maria began the process.
"Here goes everyone, if this works... we can finally welcome Artemisia home again." Maria smiled, and soon began the transfer.
The realizer glowed as the memories within them began to transfer. After about a minute, everyone waited and watched... and saw Artemisia's hand twitched slightly, making everyone gasp. At that moment, Cecile undid her bandages and readied herself to stand.
"..." Artemisia blinked a bit, and soon saw everyone looking at her. What she noticed first was her three friends standing in front of her, and gasped a bit. "Ashley, Leonora, Cecile? And... all of Ratatoskr? Then that means..."
Her three best friends all began crying, and Cecile soon managed to move her legs before she opened her eyes... and clearly saw Artemisia, who gasped as she realized Cecile's eyes were open without a CR-Unit, her braids having come undone.
"ARTEMISIA!" The three cried, all hugging her close. She hugged them back as she began crying happy tears as well.
"I don't believe it. After so long... you never gave up on me, and Cecile... you're walking and you can see." Artemisia replied, sniffling a bit. "This is a miracle, thank you... I'm home! I'm finally home again!"
Soon everyone gathered around, and Artemisia met everyone, including the Spirits. She soon noticed Mana.
"Mana... thank you, this is all because of you." Artemisia smiled, making Mana blush a bit. Soon she felt Artemisia hug her. "I owe you more than I can ever repay, but... at the very least I can start helping the AST again soon."
Everyone smiled at that... and then, everyone heard Yoshino gasp. That's when everyone saw Yoshinon was starting to turn into blue spirit mana and flickering away.
"No... Yoshinon, Yoshinon!" Yoshino cried, it was finally time for her disappear. Everyone all gave a sad look. Rinne kneeled by Yoshino and put a hand on her shoulder, and looked at her.
"Yoshino, don't hide how you feel. Let Yoshinon know your sad. That way, she can at least go in peace knowing you cared and will always remember her." Rinne stated, and Yoshino sniffles before nodding a bit. She stepped back.
Yoshinon soon weakly moved her head, and after a long silence since she kept getting worse and worse...
"Yoshino... I'm sorry, but... it seems like it's time for me to go. I was... never met to be here, it's time... I gave back... what's yours." Yoshinon cried, her one eye shedding some tears. "You have... others here for you now, you... won't be alone... without me."
"Yoshinon... please, don't leave me. Everything I have now is because I had you. It's not fair... why can't you be here too!? Why do you have to disappear, I care for you so much, you're... you're like my sister." Yoshino cried, hiccupping a bit. Everyone tearing up as they watched.
Yoshinon weakly rubbed Yoshino's cheek.
"Leave? Yoshino, you silly... I am you... I won't be leaving because I'll... always be inside of you. I just won't exist as... my own being. So, stay... strong, no matter what... you have to be what I was for you... on your own." Yoshinon continued, soon hugging her. "I love you... Yoshino. Goodbye."
At that moment, Yoshino hugged Yoshinon back before she dispersed into blue particles fully, all of which float into Yoshino. At that moment, Yoshino cried loudly and everyone else begin to shed tears as well. Soon, Artemisia kneeled by her, and Yoshino looked at her sadly.
"Let me, I think I know what needs to be said, what she needs to hear." Artemisia requested, both Rinne and Reine nodded in approval.
"Yoshino... I know exactly how you feel. My mother and father were both members of Ratatoskr, they were great people, but... 12 years ago during the DEM's mass invasion, they were both some of the people who were lost that day."
Cecile, Leonora and Ashley all showed surprise at that. Artemisia never told them that... but now it was clear how she had strong empathy and knew how to reach them. Because she knew that loss better than anyone, and it stung because of how kind they likely were.
"I know how much you miss Yoshinon, because I still miss my parents, and I miss them every day I'm still alive and remember they're not here anymore. It hurts, trying to forget doesn't help, but... you still have us. You have Shido, the Spirits, the AST, Ratatoskr, all of us. We're your family Yoshino... and that's why now is when we really need to stick together."
Yoshino looks at her, sniffling a bit.
"Yoshino, you and Yoshinon go back a long time. Years' worth of time that was precious... time you wouldn't wish to disappear no matter what." Artemisia continued, soon rubbing her head. "And I know that every second Yoshinon spent with you was the happiest time of her life."
Yoshino sniffled, and looked at her.
"You... you mean that?" Yoshino asked, and Artemisia nods.
"And that's why ever though it hurts, you need to keep going. Don't forget the sadness or the tears, just live, because that's what Yoshinon wanted... because as long as we remember her, part of her will always be with you... with all of us." Artemisia smiled. Soon Yoshino cried again and hugged her.
"That's right, let it all out. It's gonna be OK... nothing's gonna break up this team. Don't be afraid to let out how you feel."
Soon everyone hugged her together.
[That day, we saved Artemisia and brought her back to us... but we also lost Yoshinon. It was sad and hurt us all, she was important to us too. However, we also gained a stronger bond. A bond that would be important for what came ahead, I have 5 more Spirits to seal, and everyone here right now would support me through this. This is our story, and we'll fight for our happy ending.]
After a bit, Yoshino was still crying... but smiled as she found some piece in this moment.
And that's it for Date AST Re:Strike everyone, Minerva's finally kicked the bucket, Cecile's no longer blind or paralyzed, and Artemisia finally woke up and has rejoined Ratatoskr. However, at the same time... Yoshinon has finally disappeared, while Yoshino's body hasn't regained its true form yet (that'll be when Season 2 begins), the impact is still there.
So, the AST's destination point was Arubi Island, the very place Westcott has been using as a temporary base due to the damage left by the Arbitel? No wonder Westcott needed such important timing for when he sent Minerva on the 'mission', it was a trap for Ratatoskr all along! Unfortunately, none of his intended targets came because of what he indirectly caused in Rinne's arc... that had to sting him pretty hard.
This is also why he and his Co-Dragons had already left the island, aside from the Arbitel having been fully repaired, because with how powerful the AST members are currently... both Ellen and Marina are out of their league. If had either of them there during the fight, the AST would have been dead... literally. Sucks for Marina even more because she lost a chance to get revenge on Maria.
I hope you liked Katie story and getting to see Ryouko's in full. I did mention back in Yoshino's arc she saw Adeptus 2 kill the prior Nightmare 15 years ago, but I never said it was Artemisia who held the position at the time. Surprised to learn it was Jessica's mother? I bet it's no surprise, but her death is what lead to Jessica leaving her job as a torturer, which lead to her eventually becoming a wizard for DEM.
So how do you like Maria's plant based powers, you might be asking why I chose this? It has to do with the Fraxinus' name origin, for those who don't know, the Fraxinus and its upgrade form, the Fraxinus EX-Celsior are named after the scientist name of the European Ash: Fraxinus excelsior, which was believed to be Yggdrasil, the Norse World Tree. Since Maria is the AI for this ship, plant based powers felt the most fitting.
Plus, this helps fit the Ratatoskr and DEM's opposing goals, as Marina has the opposite ability, where Marina can make plants growth and flourish, she causes them to wither with poison. A good example of these powers would be Kusano and Shiina from Sekirei who have the same elements, Kusano herself even states their powers are opposites.
With this chapter, Season 2 of Date A Re:Live can finally begin, I want to thank everyone for their support through Season 1, the Rinne Utopia movie, the Encore series and even Date AST Re:Strike.
Until then... stay awesome everyone, the next part of this story journey is coming soon! ^v^
-Spirit Bond Levels-
Tohka - 85%
Origami - 78%
Yoshino - 73%
Kotori - 79%
Kurumi - 69%