Date A Re:Live

S2 Chapter 28: Natsumi Inverse, 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]

OK, before we start things off... I need to apologize, I completely forgot to mention what the emotion of the Natsumi arc was during the last chapter, so let's fix that now ^^;

This arc's emotion is Doubt, seems like an obvious choice considering Natsumi, but there's an added layer of flavor in the arc's name to spice this said "doubt" up. Oh, and I guess I should give everyone a heads up, since the Natsumi arc is two Volumes, this is the first of two Natsumi arcs, the second will be covering the Volume 9 half. I won't say its name until it's out, but I will say the emotional theme will still be doubt.

Now this is the point where Tohka taking the protagonist role for the season will start showing, I probably could have done this earlier if I had Tohka go with him, but I had to keep her behind so Natsumi wouldn't be suspicious. Plus, the sealing point is Shido's thing, I gotta at least actually show him in deuteragonist status for the season, and that's gonna be hard if he doesn't have some solo shining moments.

Also... get ready everyone, a data sheet's incoming, and I think you all know what that means will be showing up in this chapter. So here it is ^^

-Inverse Natsumi, Code Name: [Sorceress]-

Demon King: Baal - Haniel's Demon King counterpart, Baal takes the form of a more zig-zagged shaped futuristic broomstick, almost like a lightning bolt, with the same end as before. However how the crystalline broom has become dark green in color with the crystals now possessing spiky edges that can actually extend and strike at enemies through piercing and slashing strikes. These extending broom ends also allow Baal to have a greater speed and turning than its Angel counterpart, but without the difficulties in slowing and stopping it possessed once before.

- Alternate Form: Izanami - The inverse counterpart of Haniel's Yata no Kagami form, the mirror now taking a dark reflective surface and a spiked frame that harms anyone other than Natsumi if they simply touch it, making it impossible to be stolen or manipulate to another's will without great risk to themselves. Along with the same storage stasis field abilities, the mirror now has a pair of even darker abilities behind it. The first is that she can teleport within a radius of half a kilometer... and setting a time limit within the mirror that will cause anything inside to be absorbed into Natsumi's spirit mana, permanently.

- Alternate Form: Izanagi - The inverse counterpart of Haniel's Kaleidoscope form, it retains the ability to copy another Angel's form, but now there are some changes in the rules of what she copies. Natsumi can now copy an Angel at its full strength, and use any alternate forms provided she's seen their use or captured that Spirit using her Izanami. She can also copy Demon Kings this way, but the restrictions Kaleidoscope had for Angels applies to the Izanagi as well, and they're only as strong as their Angel counterparts.

- Alternate Form: Shinigami - By shifting the crystals that act as its broom brush and the jagged broomstick that make Baal's body, the Demon King changing into a staff-like magic blaster that fires off dark spirit power, and using her illusion powers, she can erase something from physical view and existence by mere sight and contact. The object(s) hit by this form's blaster aren't actually erased however, and will eventually return if Natsumi chooses to, after some time, or if its forcefully dispelled.

- Powers: While in her Inverse Form, Natsumi is no longer limited to her 1 km radius when using her power, with her range now being decided simply by how much spirit mana she has, how much she intends to transform, and what she'll transform everything into. Natsumi's level of mimicry even increase where simply seeing one's body language can let her learn, mimic and keep the skills of that individual, and when mimicking an individual, she can even read their closest friends' body language to be aware of recent events and avoid exposing herself. However, like her normal form, being knocked unconscious or losing her concentration will cause all her transformations to be reverted afterwards.

Risk Factors: AA

Spacequake: B

Spirit's Astral Dress: C

Angel Rank: AA

Strength: 92

Consistency: 83

Spiritual Power: 222

Agility: 111

Intelligence: 190

"You're pretty cute." The girl giggled, and soon got closer to Shido who was blushing nervously due to how close she was, both through her face and figure. "What's your name little boy?"

"Uh... I'm Shido Takamiya, and yours?" Shido asked. The green haired Spirit giggled as she winked at Shido.

"My name is Natsumi. Although to most of your people, I'm called [Witch] due to the obvious appearance." The Spirit, now known as Natsumi, answered. She soon floated a bit closer as she rode on Haniel like a broomstick. "So tell me Shido, why would you come here when most people would flee a Spacequake alarm?"

Shido sweated a bit, unsure how to answer. As a result of this, Maria brought up a response option that said {I actually didn't, I was late in running away and panicked, running without seeing where I was headed. When I noticed my surroundings... I was over here.}, making Shido breathe a quickly.

"W-Well I actually didn't, I was late in running away and panicked, running without seeing where I was headed. When I noticed my surroundings... I was over here." Shido replied, making Natsumi fly closer as she looked at his face.

"...Yeah, that's a lie." Natsumi stated, making Shido flinch in worry. "Though now that I think of it you seemed kinda used to seeing me here out of nowhere, not to mention you've had to noticed I'm on a flying broomstick, why would you be so calm about it? Unless..."

Natsumi got a closer look, and soon she gasped in glee.

"Of course, that's it!" Natsumi gasped, suddenly hugging Shido close... into her breasts, and based on her expression she knew this. "You know about Spirits, and since you didn't attack me that means you're friendly, aren't you!?"

"U-Uh... yeah, and just to be clear you know my face is touching your boobs, right?" Shido asked.

"Yes, yes I do. What about it?" Natsumi teased, making Shido blush before Natsumi laughed and let him go. "What's with you boys and thinking every girl hits you for touching their boobs? That's so dumb!"

Shido sweat dropped a bit, but that did give some good signs to his chances since so far. She was clearly choosing to be social, already could tell he had no intent to harm her and knew what she was, and... well based on where he had willing had his face hugged, he had a good feeling she was very understanding.

"Uh... well, I guess there are exceptions every once in a while." Shido answered, scratching his head. Natsumi soon got closer to Shido.

"Hey Shido, I have a question to ask if you don't mind." Natsumi requested, soon giving a somewhat somber face to his surprise. "...do you think I'm beautiful?"

Now that question was odd, both Shido and everyone watching back at the base gave a similar blink in response to it. Usually when most girls said that they had looks that made them doubt this due to the words of others. Natsumi on the other hand? With an appearance like hers, that was the last thing anyone could doubt.

"Uh... is this a trick question? Because I'm pretty sure you've seen enough yourself to know you are." Shido replied, though in a more question like tone than an answer.

"What about me is beautiful?" Natsumi asked again.

'This is getting strange, it's almost as if she doesn't believe she's beautiful.' Shido thought, while also thinking of an answer that didn't sound strange or too perverted. "Your silky hair, the cute look of your eyes, and you have a sweet looking smile."

Natsumi blushed a bit at that, and soon to Shido's surprise... Natsumi suddenly made a lonely face, and opened her mouth softly.

"Yeah... as expected, this me... is beautiful..." Natsumi replied.

'No way... does she actually not think she's beautiful!?' Shido thought to his surprise, his eyes widening in response to said surprise.

Meanwhile back at the Ratatoskr base, everyone gave a similar response on their faces.

"OK, this is weird..." Maria stated, checking her emotional state which showed her happy and somewhat sad. Making her scratch her head. "Why would she say that? You don't think she feels Shido's being dishonest, do you? Or what if it's the fact she can tell he already has girls and can't take his comments a seriously!?"

"I don't know, but me and the others can confirm this. When I once asked Shido how he's able to reciprocate all of our feelings he said... [Its simple girls, when I save you I've had to have the mindset of working for a harem, and why is that?]." Kurumi began, posing in a way that made her body sparkle and look like she was in an anime.

"[The answer's quite simple, because when I try to save a Spirit, I feel that I need to fall in love with that Spirit as much as I tries make them fall for me. Love isn't love if both sides don't give it their all, and I refuse to half-ass it just because of the reasons behind it!], it was really sweet."

Saya blinked at her best friend.

"...Did he really say it like that?" Saya asked, making Kurumi sweat drop and chuckle.

"Well he said the same words, the rest was me just being a little hammy." Kurumi admitted with an embarrassing blush and smile, making Saya chuckle and smirk at her usual antics. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Ten years hasn't change that part of my personality."

Rio makes an exaggerated thinking face, causing Mayuri and Rinne to look at her oddly.

"Uh... Rio, why are you doing that?" Mayuri asked, getting the young Spirit's attention as she turns to her mother and sisterly figure.

"Rio feels she's forgotten something, but Rio can't remember what Rio forgot." Rio answered, soon making her thinking face again as Rinne and Mayuri look at each other before they both shrugged. "What could Rio be missing?"

Shido blinked for a while as Natsumi fidgeted her fingers after occasionally looking at Shido, and right before he could ask her anything... the sound of something familiar entered both their ears as a familiar group of DEM wizards, namely Adeptus 4 through 12, flew into the area with their weapons ready and willing.

"Oh great, the DEM had to show up now?" Shido groaned, he was prepared to Spirit Ascend when Natsumi held a hand out. "Huh?"

"Not sure what you're trying to do there, but I can handle this. Let's get this going Haniel." Natsumi stated, giving a playful smile.

[Aye master!]

Natsumi jumped up high into the air, grabbing Haniel at the start of her jump and smirking as the Adeptus wizards blasted a barrage of missile fire at her, she twirls Haniel before holding the broom brush end at them.

"Sorry, but I think we should switch these missiles out with these!" Natsumi declared, Haniel's crystals glowing as they blasted out dazzling green light that hit the missiles... and turned them into gumballs! Shido stared as said gumballs hit the ground and gave off harmless comical explosions from cartoons. "Much better!"

'She transformed those missiles into gum, and made them like anime bombs? No way, can she actually change the whole nature and existence of a non-living object?' Shido thought, suddenly looking at the amusement park's Halloween like nature.

"Damn it, swarm [Witch] before she can pull off that trick again!" Adeptus 4 declared, making the other eight Adeptus wizards draw their energy swords and rush at her. Natsumi looked at them and smirked, soon tapping her finger against Adeptus 4's blade before... "What are you-"

Natsumi giggled as she swung Haniel and knocked all nine of them away.

"And now it's time to open Natsumi's petting zoo!" Natsumi declared, making Shido confused until suddenly... all nine of the DEM wizards were changed into something else completely in one instant! Shido saw a rabbit, dog, cat, baby panda, ferret, chicken, pig, koala and a duck. "Aww, isn't everyone is cuter this way?"

"H-h-how did..." Shido suddenly stuttered, it worked on living things too? 'I already thought some of what Kurumi could do was incredible, but she's making even her abilities seem like they're nothing! Although I don't get it, mom didn't mention her powers were like this. Did she learn this herself, or is it something about Earth?'

Shido began muttering to himself as he tried to figure it out, while Natsumi giggled, unaware of something falling towards her from above. Shido looked and saw one missile was still about to hit her!

"Natsumi, above you!"

Natsumi stopped and looked, but was too late as the missile hit her and knocked her to the ground. Shido gasped as a smoke cloud went off and a green sparkle was briefly seen, implying Natsumi at least survived the missile.

"Oh no, are you OK!?" Shido asked, waving to keep the smoke from nearing him. However, at that moment... his headset suddenly gave a flash as it stated [Category E] in bright red as Natsumi's emotional state suddenly dropped into negative readings in an instant. "What the, she's Inverting?"

Shido suddenly jumped back as dark green spirit power suddenly shot off, making Shido stare nervously as Natsumi suddenly came out of the smoke riding a more jagged and dark version of Haniel... obviously her Demon King. The Astral Dress she wore in her Inverse Form was also more than just more revealing, it actually became more terrifying as well.

The witch hat on her head now had glowing eyes and a mouth with a green glow inside, though it was motionless and didn't appear to be alive, while the glowing rim had turned green and had a spikier jagged edge. Her semi-transparent suit became black with dark red stair patterns, but now her skin was exposed to fully show her cleavage, her midriff, and most of her arms and legs, now being less a suit and more like a short sleeved tank top and shorts.

Her cape now had many holes on it, and was ripped near the ends, its color whitening the more it neared said end, becoming ghastlier in appearance. She now gained toe-less boots and dark green fingerless gloves on her hands. her hair had also gained a similar theme to Inverse Tohka, but rather than a lightening gradient, it was a darkening one.

What Shido noticed most however? Natsumi was outright glaring daggers at him, her face was blushed red for some strange reason as her looks of detest kept glowing out like a targeting light aiming at its target.

"...Did you see?" Natsumi asked angrily, making Shido blink confused. The smoke had been too thick to see... oh boy, now he was starting to get what happened. Whatever happened with that brief flash of light was what set off the Inversion.

"No! I didn't see anything, I swear!" Shido replied, waving his hands for emphasis, unfortunately for him...

"Don't play a fool! Just now my... my... YOU SAW IT!" Natsumi screamed, her eyes flashing red for a brief moment as the Amusement Park attractions all wailed and shook in response. "Now that you have seen it, I cannot afford it to end it like this... I will end your life!"

Shido's eyes widened at that.

"W-What, but weren't you and I-" Shido never got the finish as Natsumi's Demon King, Baal, shot the crystals that made its broom brush at him. They stopped only centimeters away from his face, making it clear Natsumi left him alive as a threat.

"Your days are numbered Shido Takamiya, I will never forgive you for seeing my secret!" Natsumi screamed, and just like that she disappeared somewhere with tremendous speed as his headset registered her as "Lost". The still transformed DEM wizards all walking around in animal form.

"What... just happened!?" Shido asked, looking up at the sky blankly.

Soon Shido was beamed back to the Ratatoskr base, where everyone else was just as shocked by what they had just witnessed with Natsumi and her Inversion, Maria was currently looking at the data she gathered from the event and was stumped.

"Oh come on..." Maria muttered, soon playing the video where the missile hit her and using every filter to try and see what the smoke hid. Unfortunately for her, whatever happened in it was blocked by the flash of light and Inversion too fast for even her abilities to identify. "No!"

Maria's hologram face faults onto the ground.

"Uh... Rinne, do you have an idea on what could have happened?" Yoshino asked.

"Afraid not Yoshino, the powers of Haniel don't work on Earth the same as they did back in my world. I think due to the fact this world isn't made of energy, her body's nature may have actually evolved its abilities." Rinne answered, scratching her head. "I'm as lost as everyone else."

Everyone sighed at that, with Shido looking at the video's feed of the brief flash, not seeing anything in the silhouette that fit this secret of Natsumi's she believed him to have seen. He bit his lower lip over this.

"Whatever freaked her out, it was clear that it wasn't until that missile hit her. So it had to have only been for that one moment." Tohka thought aloud, looking at Rio. "Rio, you gave her the crystal, do you think you have any idea what happened? Maybe her wish is related?"

"Rio doesn't see anything odd from what Rio remembers, if only Rio remembered Rio's last meeting with her 3 years ago." Rio replied, scratching her head.

Everyone sighs knowing this Spirit's saving attempt was gonna be just as hard as the rest.

"At this point, I feel as if we're in one of those long running manga stories where it seems like something's gonna be easy mid-way, but it somehow gets harder without warning." Rinne stated, suddenly causing a nearby wall to have the plaque hanging on it, which was labeled with the number 4 on it, fall over. "Huh? Why'd that suddenly break off?"

The next day at school, the attending Spirits, Mana and the other Ratatoskr agents who attended class were already in homeroom with everyone else, Shido on the other hand was running a bit late due to something he had to take care of related to Rinne and... well, apparently it had to do with her not being aware about something with the bathroom.

'I wonder how it must feel for Shido, it's like he's the actual parent and Rinne's his daughter with how out of place she is.' Origami thought mentally sweat dropping. At that moment, Shido walks in the door and gets her attention. "Oh, hey Shido, is your mom doing OK now?"

Shido looked at Origami, making her blink as she gave an odd face.

"Uh... Shid-Oh!" Origami exclaimed, feeling Shido suddenly grope her to her surprise. Kurumi suddenly flinched in surprise while the whole class reacted in some manner, especially the guys who all got extremely angry/jealous. "W-W-What are you doing!?"

"Oh yeah, that's some splendid breast. The feeling of fondling a natural genius is different from that of an airhead." Shido replied, making Origami go red as she soon only became capable of muttering gibberish. "This time for one round, is it okay if I fondle directly? I will be gentle too."

Origami's head emitting steam at that.

"Shido, what are you doing? This isn't like..." Kurumi began, and soon saw Shido stare at her as she covered her chest. "...No wait, don't do it! I'm not ready for this sort of thing!"

Kurumi's pleas were unheard as Shido quickly sprinted over and groped her from behind, now the guys all seemed murderous.

"Shido, cut that crap out right now!" Ashley roared, only to notice her standing in front of her as she sweat nervously. "Uh... I know martial arts and I'll break your arms with them if you don't stop!"

"I understand you want to be looked after Ashley, but don't shout so much. Should I seal those lips of yours?" Shido asked, making Ashley instinctively try to kick him in the kisser, only for him to react with a counter movement. "Was that a yes?"

Ashley gulped and the guys all tried to jump at him, forcing the trouble trio to hold them all back.

"Hey, don't maul him! That's not solving anything!" Ai panicked, her feet skidding.

"Come on, don't be killers!" Mai gasped, barely holding them back.

"Can't... hold them!" Mii breathed, her limbs shaking.

Soon Hiroto walked up to Shido and let Ashley move away.

"Now, now Shido. No need to get crazy, just tell your old buddy Hiroto what's got you shaking." Hiroto asked, and Shido suddenly gives him an odd smile. "Uh... Shido?"

"Why Hiroto, I didn't know you felt that way about me. You wanna kiss?" Shido bluntly stated, and at that moment the mob of men stopped as they, Hiroto and the rest of the class all suddenly stared at Shido in shock... and then they screamed as any non-Ratatoskr affiliated students moved to the walls.

"N-no way... Shido's bi!?" A male student stated.

"Not just him, so is Hiroto?" A female student added, making Hiroto's eyes widen at that. "Such a scandal! That rumor actually was true!"

Hiroto quickly waved his hands.

"No! I do not swing that way, I swear! I don't know what Shido's doing!" Hiroto denied, his voice extremely loud as he flailed around. Everyone hadn't even noticed Shido leaving the class, and when they did, his eyes flashed green.

'The dominoes have tipped Shido, prepare to have your life utterly ruined!' Natsumi thought, chuckling while still in Shido's form and went somewhere else.

While short on breath from running, Shido began walking up the stairs after finally making it to school.

"Oh man, who knew it would be that hard to teach someone how to not flush a whole roll of TP?" Shido asked himself, soon walking into his class... only for everyone to suddenly glare at him angrily. "H-Huh? What are you all doing, why are you looking at me that way?"

Three of the male students soon walked up to him and yelled.

"How dare you came back here shamelessly Takamiya!"

"You should know what you have done!"

"Through the sense of pain, we will make sure you regret you were born!"

Shido gave a panicked look of confusion as he held up his arms.

"W-what are you talking about!?" Shido asked confused, and soon more of the class swarms him angrily, with Shido covering himself as they try to hit him.

"Don't deny your crimes! We saw you grope Origami and Kurumi, you sicko!"

"Then you tried to hit on Ashley, and made us all think you and Hiroto were gay for each other!"

"Enemy of all men AND society!

Shido kept holding his hands out, and soon tried to back away, only for Saya to kick him from behind and push him back forward as she came out of the neighboring classroom.

"Shido... I heard you groped my BFF without permission, I don't care how much she cares about you. Because you did that, I'm gonna rip your head a new one!" Saya roared, making Shido scream like a girl. As the class rampaged on him, the Ratatoskr allied students and Tamae all had their headsets react as Reine replied.

"Uh... OK, ignoring all that chattering and yelling, something you should all know. Shido didn't get into the school until just now. I don't know what, but whoever that was... it wasn't Shido, so something's up." Reine stated, surprising them. "Origami, lie up something scientific quick. I'll tell Shido to follow your lead."

Origami quickly nods and soon whistles loudly, getting everyone's attention. She feels some of Shido's body and makes a certain look at him.

"Hey, wait a moment... Mana, didn't you bring some cheap mushrooms back for the dinner Shido was making you two?" Origami asked, making Mana think as the former winked at Shido.

"Oh yeah, I did. You did say one seemed a bit too pale, didn't you?"

Shido blinked.

"Really? I didn't notice, I must have cooked them all too fast." Shido replied, playing along. Origami sighed at that.

"That brand of mushroom if not properly grown long enough, which makes it pale, can emit a hallucinogenic gas. Shido, you were acting so weird all of a sudden most likely because you ate that mushroom. It's no wonder you don't know what just happened." Origami explained, making the students all sweat drop at the situation.

"Everyone, we owe Shido an apology, this was a complete accident due to circumstances we couldn't control. Let's just take you to the nurse and make sure everything's cleared up so this doesn't repeat."

All of the students bow apologetically, while the Ratatoskr sighs at that in relief as Origami takes Shido to the nurse. Around that same time, Tohka began rushing over to Shido's school, carrying his usual bento box as her feet moved so fast, a dust cloud formed behind her.

"Come on Tohka, hurry! Shido's school starts lunch break in a few minutes!" Tohka shouted, managing to go faster. Soon she rushed past the gate and into the school building... and then crashed into someone, making her spin a bit. She blinked until she saw Shido was who she ran into. "Oh, sorry Shido!"

"Ow! What the hell Tohka, what speed were you running at, Mach 20!?" Natsumi replied, rubbing her head. Tohka bowed apologetically at that. "So why were you in a hurry to find me anyways?"

Tohka blinked and held out the bento box.

"You forgot your lunch, so I-" Tohka began, only to see Shido leaving the Nurse's office after a small talk with the Nurse about the 'mushroom' hallucinations, making Tohka blink as she looked at the two of them. "T-There's two of Shido!?"

Soon the two Shido's look at each other, and point at each other, yelling at the same time.

"Why are you using my look!" Shido demanded.

"Me, I'm the real Shido, how dare you say it's your look you fake!" Natsumi countered, making Tohka even more confused. At that same moment, Origami came out and stared in shock before tapping the headset.

"Uh... guys, have Tamae call you out to help with something. You might wanna see this." Origami stated, paling at the sight from pure shock. "...I think my brain is broken."

Soon the others all walk as they carry some boxes from Tamae's sudden aiding task and noticed the same thing.

"Uh... we're all seeing this, right!?" Kotori panicked.

"I'm the real Shido, admit it you fake!" Shido and Natsumi stated in unison, making Mana faint into Ashley's arms. The two growled and looked at everyone. "Tell this phony I'm the real Shido!"

Everyone looks at the two, unable to find the real one out of the duo. The two waited, and then suddenly, everyone noticed Tohka sniffing both of them, making everyone sweat drop.

"Uh... can we help you?" Natsumi asked, a bit confused by Tohka's behavior.

"I know who the real Shido is!" Tohka declared, shocking everyone but the two Shido's, and soon... she points at Natsumi to the Mimicry spirit's surprise. "This one's the fake!"

"What? How do you know that, where's your proof!?" Natsumi demanded, and Tohka held up her finger.

"Shido always makes a lot of yummy and delicious food for us, so much that it's part of his unique scent now." Tohka explained, and Ashley sweat dropped at that strange logic due to its mildly gross nature. "Not only do you lack that scent, you smell to pretty. The kind of pretty smell... that only a girl should have!"

Natsumi's eyes go white as she flinches at that, if there was one chink in her ability to disguise herself, that chink was she couldn't mimic something so minor like smell. No one had a strong enough nose to be specific enough to notice the difference though, even a Spirit... Tohka however was an exception.

"Damn it!" Natsumi declared, smoke puffing as everyone saw her change back and reveal it was her. "You'll regret this for as long as you all live! Now you're all involved, all of you!"

"Quick, catch her!" Kurumi shouted, everyone tried to jump at her, only for Natsumi to turn Baal into a mirror.

"IZANAMI!"

She jumps in, teleporting out of the way as everyone's heads collided. Everyone's eyes became swirls from the result as they slowly got back up, holding their injured heads as they each give their own cry of pain.

"She... she got away, and now my head stings." Tohka said, rubbing the swell bump on her head. She soon blushes as she feels Shido pat her head.

"Thank you Tohka, if it wasn't for you then worse would have happened." Shido smiled, soon blinking a bit. "Oh yeah, why are you here right now?

Tohka chuckles and holds up his bento to him, causing Shido to blush.

"Aw man, I forgot my lunch?" Shido said embarrassingly, taking it as Tohka giggled at him. Tohka soon began heading back to the Takamiya household as everyone headed back to class. As she did...

"That look in her eyes..." Tohka said to herself, recalling the moment she saw Natsumi's eyes up close. However, it wasn't the emotions or the expressions that they made she was thinking about... it was what she saw when she looked at them, what her eyes reflected. "...Why did they have so much pain?"

Tohka wondered this as she walked home, only for a sudden splash of dirty water to suddenly spray her as a car drove over a puddle right as she walked by. She coughed at the sudden soaking.

"Eww!" Tohka squealed, clearly disgusted by the end result. She soon took a look at her butterfly ribbon which got a bit dirty. "Aw man, now I've gotta have Shido clean this."

The day after the school incident with Natsumi, Ratatoskr was still searching for the Inverted Spirit of Mimicry, but with little success. Shido was yawning as he began cooking omelets for breakfast. Tohka was playing a video game against Mana, her ribbon flapping happily as it was now fresh and clean again.

"And take that!" Tohka exclaimed, cheering as she beat Mana who gasped in shock at her defeat. Right at that moment however, a package suddenly formed over her head and bonked her to her surprise. "Ow! What the, where did this come from?"

"Huh? What is it Tohka, what came from where?" Shido asked, finishing the last omelet. Everyone looked as Tohka held up a package. "A package? I don't think anyone ordered anything that needed one as of recently... no one did, right?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"OK, then what is it?"

"I don't know, who's this even from-" Tohka wondered, soon noticing a certain name on the side... Natsumi. Everyone paled as Tohka showed them this. "OK... I'm gonna open it since not opening might be dangerous if not more dangerous."

Everyone backs away, while Tohka, being the Spirit whose mana barrier came up naturally, opened the package. Luckily it wasn't anything big. Just some letter and a pair of 12 photographs.

"Hey, wait a second, these are..." Rinne stated, looking at the pictures. It was one of Tohka, Origami, Yoshino, Mana, Kotori, Kurumi, Mayuri, Rio, Rinne, Reine, Kannazuki and Maria in some various situation where the person in question hadn't been aware that the camera had focused onto them.

Rinne blushed at hers, everyone seeing a picture of her trying to figure out how to use the toilet.

"Why'd she take my picture there!?" Rinne asked, completely embarrassed and covering her face with her hands. Mana patted her back as Rinne cried a little. "That was mean, really mean."

"Hey, there's a letter too." Tohka mentioned, finally noticing the letter below the pictures. She opened it up and soon the message inside got everyone on guard.

[I am inside one of these. So, can you guess which one am I?

You better hurry and guess right, because if you don't... then you and everyone here disappears.

~Your Enemy, Natsumi]

Everyone gained a sudden trickle of sweat from the message, getting worried.

"Rio's confused. If Natsumi took Shido's form while Shido was around, then wouldn't Natsumi take a non-Natsumi form when who Natsumi chose to become isn't around?" Rio asked, making her mother shake her head.

"I have to agree with Rinne on this, Natsumi's not stupid. Considering how that ended and the fact she knows that Tohka has a chance to see through the disguise can only mean one thing..." Mayuri began, looking at the others and sweating."...One of these people is a fake, Natsumi swapped places with them."

Rio gasped, looking around at everyone in the photo, even herself.

"Worse than that, Natsumi was able to act so much like Shido when we saw the real him and his clone that even after seeing them together we couldn't tell them apart. Tohka being able to smell them was a lucky accident and one that only worked because it was Shido. I don't think she'll notice the fake this time, and if Tohka is the fake she could easily lie."

"That means Shido has to find out who's the fake before Natsumi takes him out and kills him, a dangerous hide and seek game." Mana gulped, soon blinking a bit. "I'm confused though... why did she choose only 12?"

Origami thought a bit.

"Well... this is only a theory, but maybe it's a reference to a clock hitting midnight? I do think one form of midnight can mean the end after all." Origami replied, sweating slightly as the idea. "Natsumi clearly seems like a Spirit who likes to play tricks, and this shows how cruel of one it is."

[Ooh, seems like we've got a smarty here.]

Everyone looks to see the Izanami mirror floating before them, and Baal speaking to them before Natsumi's silhouette is seen.

"I came to wish you some BAD luck Shido, I'm hoping you lose my little game. I'm already confident about it. Get ready to pay for learning my secret, I swear!" Natsumi declared, the mirror disappearing.

"I didn't see your secret!" Shido replied, but the mirror had vanished before he could finish. "Damn it!"

Shido soon took a thinking pose.

'OK Shido, think... what do you need to pay attention to? What traits about each do you know? The ones I'm closest to are Tohka, Mana and Kotori so if it's one of them my chances are good. Though I don't know Mayuri, Reine, my mom or Rio that well due to circumstances so... if its them, Natsumi's got me cornered. Especially with my mom's unfamiliarity with Earth. I hate to say it, but out of these 12... Natsumi's knew what she was doing, I can't even believe that Tohka isn't the one she replaced now.'

Shido sweated at this.

'Looks like I've got no choice, I'll need to use this time to hang out with everyone and use it to try and discover the odd one out. Even Natsumi can't be perfect, she'll likely be bound to make a mistake I'll notice... I just need to find it in time.' Shido thought, making a determined face.

Inside the dimension of the Izanami mirror, Natsumi giggled as she watched her game begin and Shido already with a plight on who she might be, unaware of the surprise twist she had for him.

"Get ready Shido, the truth is the one thing you'll never be able to see coming. So, I hope you don't cry over this when... oh wait, you won't cry. Cause you'll be joining them!" Natsumi stated before laughing loudly, making an aroused looking motion as she did. "The clock's counting Shido, and soon... there will be none."

Natsumi aimed the Izanami mirror, and soon... focused on Origami as she held it closer.

"Now... then there were 11." Natsumi declared, as the Izanami shined.

As she began thinking, Origami suddenly began glowing green to everyone's surprise.

"W-what!?" What's happening to me-" Origami asked, but her sentence would never finish as she disappeared in green sparkles to everyone's shock and horror. At that moment, Natsumi's voice is heard laughing like an actual witch to be mocking.

"Oh yeah, did I not mention this? For every hour that you fail to guess correctly, or can't make any guess at all... I'll be removing one of your candidates. Oh, and before you think this aids your chances, just because I take one of you away doesn't mean they weren't the right replacement." Natsumi explained, laughing further.

"It seems I was accidentally a bit late in sending that package, so you already lost an hour. You only have eleven, and now can't spend any time with your white haired friend to see if anything's off with her. Oh, before I forget..."

Natsumi has the Izanami mirror appear, showing Origami in a stasis within the realm shown inside the glass.

"Izanami has a wonderful ability I saved for the occasion, the moment that you fail... everyone inside the mirror will be absorbed into my Spirit powers, effectively erasing them forever! If you can't find where I am, then all of you will disappear!" Natsumi exclaimed with a smirk, making everyone's eyes widen. "Tick Tock Shido, before it's too late."

"Oh my god..." Shido muttered, and soon mumbling something to himself in fear.

Worse of all? He had every reason to, after all... the game had changed in mere seconds from this revelation. He had only 11 hours left to find who was the fake among the people closest to him, and one of the 12 would disappear each hour he failed, even if it was Natsumi.

The most chilling prospect was failure meant all of them and himself would be killed. Shido didn't have the time he'd normally need for a situation like this, in just one moment... Natsumi had caused his usual confidence to be pushed into doubt as his greatest strengths were now in an environment that acted as their mortal enemy.

"What do we do?" Shido asked himself, his eyes shaking as Natsumi's voice was heard laughing one more time.

And with a single move, this entire game of hide and seek that Natsumi's thought up just became even more dangerous... how will Shido find the real culprit? I'll tell you this, in canon the culprit was Yoshinon, but since she's not with them anymore, that makes the clues that Shido had once before less effective, even then a certain scene he had with Origami didn't happen in this story so that still wouldn't have happened. Just who among the twelve did Natsumi turn into?

Also, hoped you all liked the debut of Inverse Natsumi, she managed to Inverse so easily because she had been cheery and happy at first only for that sudden shift upon her thinking that her secret had been discovered. Shido wasn't going to hurt her and she knew that fact once she figured everything out... but that was exactly the problem. She knows the DEM wizards are bad and not to trust them, but she was actually trusting Shido in that short time, so seeing her secret was the equivalent of breaking that trust.

Oh, and that scene with Rinne's comment about long running manga (or a shonen manga if you wanna get technical) and the wall plaque falling? Yes, that was an indirect variation of "Breaking the 4th Wall" right there. Considering Rinne's only been part human for a short time, she's quite out of place with everything, I felt a manga related comment was perfect for that moment, and then I wondered if there a way to pull off that joke without actually breaking the wall. That was the result :3

Wish Shido luck everyone, because with Origami taken out from the start of Natsumi's game... he's lost his harem's smartest member, and that itself makes things that much harder in trying to figure out the truth, however now that leaves an even bigger question. What did Tohka mean by seeing pain in Natsumi's eyes, is this related to her secret or something else? What is Natsumi hiding, and is it an explanation to how she's acting now?

Find out next time, so until then... stay awesome! ^^

-Spirit Bond Levels-

Tohka - 86%

Origami - 80%

Yoshino - 78%

Kotori - 79%

Kurumi - 72%