Date A Re:Live
S2 Chapter 31: Natsumi Refresh, Part 5
By : Tohka_Yatogami
...
Summary
Even a similar story can take it's own path. Shido and Mana are amnesiac siblings living with their friend Kotori, however the past catches up to Shido when he nearly runs into a space quake, and his world changes as one girl asks... "Are you here to kill me?" (Stronger Ratatoskr, weaker DEM, games & movie are canon to story) [Shido/Tohka/Harem]
Here we go everyone, Shido and Natsumi are going on their date and the Humpty Dumpty satellites are about to reach Tenguu City leaving everyone to somehow destroy all three of them before they smash onto their home and destroy everything and everyone in it. So, I guess it's pretty accurate for me to say that this is the final chapter of Natsumi's arc.
I hope the date seems nice, it felt a little tricky due to Natsumi's personality at the moment, not to mention despite how she and Shido first talked, she's still feeling all awkward over her whole overreaction to mistakenly believing he saw her true form. I think I did well, but that doesn't mean I don't feel it might be a bit awkward for situational reasons.
The time for Natsumi's hidden secret, and what the Haniel Crystal has been doing all this time to cause the irregularity in her confidence and why it did (the one thing I'll confirm now is that it was doing it for Natsumi's benefit), and just what is this secret? Well... I guess you'll learn that soon enough, but maybe some of you have already realized it ^v^
Now, let's bring this arc to an epic finale it can be proud of!
Shido was currently waiting at the Tenguu Station's statue area, which by this point could effectively be the official meet up spot for Shido and his harem whenever they went out on dates. Shido was looking the time as he waited.
"I hope she's alright, she's gotta be nervous about this." Shido said to himself, crossing his arms a bit. "Not that I blame her. Usually the dates happen before the Spirit moves in and after she's already been sealed, but this time it's between the two periods."
"Um... Shido?" Natsumi called out.
Shido turned and saw Natsumi had finally arrived, she was wearing the same little dress that Kurumi had put her in during the makeover from the other day. Though this time rather than having the same hairstyle as Kurumi, she had her hair tied up in a ponytail, her face was blushing as she struggled to not make direct eye contact.
"...This outfit looks bad with the ponytail, doesn't it?" Natsumi replied, only to feel Shido pet her head.
"Not at all, it actually suits out you." Shido smiled, making the Mimicry Spirit blush a bit and fling the ponytail over her eyes to hide it. Shido chuckles a bit and moves it back "Hey, no need to hide it. You look fine."
"...OK, I'll take your word for it." Natsumi answered, nervously taking Shido's hand as they walk somewhere. "So where are we going, and what are we doing exactly? I mean with how I look, aren't people gonna give us weird eyes?"
"Not to worry, back when Yoshino was still de-aged, I treated any dates we had like I was taking my little sister out. No one's gonna stare at someone for that." Shido answered, making Natsumi look forward with a look of awe.
"Huh, that's actually pretty clever. Guess being small has its own tricks." Natsumi admitted.
Soon the two walked into a small festival area where people were playing a lot of games at stands, mostly for some cheap prizes kids would like, but it still got some older kids playing as well just for the kicks and due to the grand prizes available.
"A festival?" Natsumi asked.
"I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I figured I'd get a good idea through here... I hope you don't mind?" Shido asked.
"It's cool, I haven't exactly been social with anyone but Tohka so far." Natsumi answered, the two soon walking over to one of the game stands. The said stand had BB guns to shoot targets with. "I wanna try this one first."
Shido placed some yen on the table.
"Alright, go ahead-"
Before Shido or the stall keeper could properly prepare a reaction, Natsumi had already shot every target in seconds right in the bullseyes. Soon Natsumi points to one of the items on the grand prize shelf.
"I'd like that PS7 console." Natsumi asked, the stall manager sweated at the result before giving it to her.
"Natsumi, how did you do that!?" Shido asked surprised.
"Oh yeah, guess I didn't ever tell you guys that part." Natsumi realized, the two heading to the next stall she wanted to try. "When I copy someone's form, I gain their skills. You can't really be a master of disguise if you can't truly act like the person in every manner."
"So... you once disguised yourself as a sniper?" Shido wondered.
"An archer technically, though shooting arrows and guns isn't too hard to adjust for." Natsumi answered, making Shido's eyes widen as they reached a goldfish catching stall. "I think I've had too much free time."
Shido chuckles as that, soon seeing Natsumi catch a total of 20 goldfish in a bowl to the surprise of everyone watching. Soon she placed it and pointed to the grand prize shelf like at the previous shelf.
"Can I have the tablet?" Natsumi asked, making the stall manager give it to her, still in shock.
'Well at least she's only trying for one prize per stall.' Shido thought, worried they'd get kicked out if Natsumi tried to get every grand prize from a single stall. "Which one next?"
Natsumi points to one where you had to pull out water balloons without popping them.
"Oh boy, that's a hard one... Mana and I always kept popping them as kids." Shido chuckled nervously, only to notice Natsumi had already pulled out a dozen without any effort. "Huh!? H-How are you doing that!?"
"All in the wrist." Natsumi answered, soon getting 30 out to the stall owner's surprise. She pointed at the grand prize shelf once more. "I want that special realizer please."
Soon Shido and Natsumi were on a bench, the latter holding one grand prize from each stall she played at. After she saw no one was looking, she had Haniel transform into her mirror form and stored them all inside.
"That explains all the stuff you got your room set up with, I can't wait to see what you'd do when you try to bargain." Shido chuckled, making Natsumi blush a bit. "So... are you at least having fun."
"...Yeah, a little bit." Natsumi said, taking Shido's hand to the latter's surprise before he smiled. "I kept worrying about the worst, and yet so far nothing bad's happened between us. I just wish I could feel this way all the time."
Shido looks at her, and soon scratches his head a bit.
"Hey Natsumi, this may be a bit too much to ask, but what exactly did you go through to make you feel how you do about your appearance?" Shido wondered, making Natsumi gasp a bit. "You don't have to tell me if you don't to. I know I'm already asking a lot, I don't wanna force anything."
"...Tohka keeps mentioning how good a person you are, and I trust her. So, I'll be willing to share that story with you. At least, what I remember of it." Natsumi replied, making Shido look as she breathed and looked up.
"I know I was human once, and... as long as I could remember, I've been alone. I don't remember having any parents, but the place I used to live in before I could teleport places as a Spirit looked like it was in ruins."
"Ruins, do you think that..." Shido asked.
"Yeah, I think that was a hot spot for Spacequakes at the time, so it's likely my parents were casualties when I was still too young to remember them." Natsumi confirmed, soon resuming her story. "I barely had food, or even money to get it. Sometimes I'd try to see if someone would spare a little of either... guess where that ended up going?"
Shido gave a sad look, considering how she was so sure her current formed had looked ugly before her makeover, it wasn't too hard to realize what had happened to her. Not to mention Tohka had been able to tell she was in pain just by looking at Natsumi's eyes.
"I was constantly abused, beaten, and ripped off. Eventually I couldn't convince myself their words were just lies. Eventually... I started lashing out in the worst ways against those kinds of people, I didn't consider anything I did as taking it too far." Natsumi continued, shaking as she barely kept herself from crying.
"Eventually I met your younger sister and became a Spirit, I don't remember everything about our meeting. I do know that sometime after that, I saw a lot of people taking photos of what were likely models, I figured in that form I'd finally feel like I was accepted instead of treat like... like I was just trash."
Shido held her hand tighter, making Natsumi look at him as he gave a sad look.
"I'm guessing it didn't work like you thought it would?" Shido asked.
"Yeah, it didn't. I finally got what I was looking for as people looked at me like an actual person. Yet, no matter how often I got a compliment or was told how nice I looked... it was hollow, empty, blank. Eventually it became clear to me, because I knew I'd never look this way, especially after I became a Spirit." Natsumi continued, her lip quivering.
"I kept trying, hoping I'd find someone who could tell me that and make that feeling genuine, but it never happened. Then I met you and you knew I was a Spirit and... I wondered if maybe this was finally that time. Yet all I did was lash out, and we're here now, you didn't care and forgave me... but I still feel as empty. Maybe I've suffered too much to feel true happiness."
"Natsumi, don't-" Shido began, hoping to make her feel better... but Natsumi soon quickly teleported off the bench and suddenly began running off somewhere. Her eyes shedding tears the whole time she did.
"Natsumi!" Shido shouted, running after her.
Natsumi kept running, wiping her eyes as she did, unaware of where she was going as she did due to her teary eyes blinding her a bit. Though by this point wherever she had run to was far away from where she had left Shido.
'It won't last! I know it won't, no matter how good things are right now I'll just end up back where I was! Every time I think I've found my place, I learn just how wrong I was!' Natsumi thought, still crying. 'Even if Tohka accepts me now, one day she'll-"
Soon Natsumi suddenly ran into someone and fell back, she held a hand to her face as it began to sting with pain.
"Ow..." Natsumi winced.
"Well look at that, who thought we'd see her here!?"
Natsumi's eyes suddenly shook, she recognized the voice she heard all too well, she looked up as she saw a few High School boys she remembered as part of a group who had abused her during her earlier years as a Spirit. They got closer and gave cruel smiles at her, and Natsumi just sat there frozen in fear.
"Look at that, did you try getting a makeover? Do whatever you want, but that won't change what you really are under it!" One boy began, laughing at her. Natsumi just shook and did nothing as they insulted her. "Hey, are you listening? You should be, because...
The same boy suddenly hit Natsumi across the face, sending her across the ground as she held her cheek in pain.
"...We're talking to you!"
Natsumi only cried more as they get near her, another of the boys suddenly grabbed her shirt's collar. she looked around hoping someone was seeing this and would stop it, but once she saw where she was, it was clear no one would come here unless they intended to.
Without even thinking, she had let her emotions cause her to run away from Shido and end up into the territory of these horrible men, and now she was at their complete mercy. While she could have acted, fear had fully taken her over and she couldn't move, or even speak.
"Stop your whining already, the truth is the truth after all!" The main boy chuckled as he walked up to stare at her, and Natsumi could only cry and shake which annoyed him before her. "Not good at listening to instructions? Fine then, I'll make you shut up and listen myself!"
Natsumi closed her eyes as the boy prepared to punch her, when suddenly...
"You leave her alone!"
The boy suddenly stopped, and Natsumi's eyes opened as she saw Shido walking towards them, and his face clearly showed he seemed angry.
"Oh look, if it isn't the class Casanova!" The one boy growled annoyed. Natsumi's eyes widened a bit at that, and after focusing for a moment... noticed a lot of the guys present were Shido's classmates she had seen when disguised as him. The others who weren't likely still attended Raizen themselves.
"You got some nerve coming here, are you trying to win another girl's attention for yourself!?"
"I'm here because you're attacking my friend! Now put. Her. Down." Shido said, his expression more serious than Natsumi had ever heard it.
"Oh please, you think we're just gonna listen? You've already got that girlfriend who visited during that one event and you've got Kurumi, Origami and even Kotori wrapped under your thumb!" The same boy yelled, the other guys in the group giving similar looks and scowling. "Maybe we should take care of you now, you want me to kill you!?"
The guy smirked as he took out a knife, hoping to threaten Shido with it and making Natsumi shake at how close it was to her. The rest of the group gave similar smirks, thinking Shido would back off.
"...Alright, if you wanna kill, then go ahead and do it." Shido replied, no hesitation or signs of fear, in fact he smirked at them. Natsumi gasped while all the guys suddenly became afraid, it had been only a mere threat, and yet Shido had actually told them to really do it? Shido walked towards the boy holding Natsumi who shook as terror overtook him.
"S-Stay back, I will use this thing! This isn't a joke-"
Suddenly Shido's hand shot out and grabbed the boy's hand before he wrangled the knife out of his grasp.
"You'd do best to learn this lesson, knifes aren't for threats. If you draw any kind of weapon you have to be ready to face the consequences of using it. Now..." Shido replied, giving an intense look. "Put... Natsumi... down!"
"Y-You... you'll regret this Takamiya!" The boy screamed, dropped Natsumi as he and the others all ran away. Natsumi stared at the situation, completely flabbergasted at what she had just seen. Shido breathed and soon looked at her as he checked out her injured cheek.
"I can't believe they actually did that, I always thought they were just jealous but to think they were actual jerks? Can't believe so many students at Raizen behave like this." Shido stated, soon taking out a small cloth and rubbing Natsumi's her cheek to lessen the pain on it. "At least you're safe now Natsumi, that's what matters most to me."
Suddenly, Natsumi began to whimper and tear up.
"Natsumi?" Shido asked, soon feeling her hug him and cry.
"I'm so sorry!" Natsumi cried, hugging him closer and sobbing more. "I shouldn't have run off like that, my worries got the better of me and I nearly paid for it! Yet you followed me, you... you came to save me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Shido returned her hug, and held her close as he rubbed her back.
"Y-you... you actually came for me, I ran away but you didn't just let me go. You came... you came back!" Natsumi cried, hiccupping slightly as she did. "But why? Why did you follow me when I ran, why did you... why did you-"
"Natsumi, didn't we tell you already? You're not alone anymore." Shido answered, making Natsumi's eyes widen. Shido rubbed her head as he continued.
"I don't understand everything you've gone through and I might never will. What I do know is that I, and neither will any of our friends judge you just for how you look, what matters to us is who the person in your heart will become."
"Shido..." Natsumi breathed.
"Long ago I met Tohka when we were both only 7, I had no idea she'd grow up to be a beauty. What made me fall in love with her was who she was. She wasn't the smartest, nor the strongest, she wasn't the bravest either. Despite that she was always so cheerful, full of life, she made me smile and she never gave up." Shido continued.
"That's the girl she was back then, and the girl she still is now. I know it's been hard for you... but you have the right to look forward. Whatever you were and dealt with back then? You don't have to be it if you don't want to, because you can choose who you get to be now."
Natsumi whimpers more, and soon her quivering mouth smiled as she cried again. Shido held her close as she let everything out.
'I was so stupid... the place I've been looking for, it was here all along. I was just too afraid that I'd lose it all. So afraid, I never realized they didn't want to let me go either.' Natsumi thought, sniffling as for the first time in her life...
...She felt someone tell her something good, and this time she didn't feel hollow from it, she felt Shido's words truly reach her.
"...Thank you, thank you so much Shido." Natsumi replied, her sniffles dying down.
"You're wel-" Shido began, but soon a familiar alarm sounded off to their shock and the entire city began evacuating to the shelters.
[WARNING! THERE HAVE BEEN PRECURSORY SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING SPACEQUAKE!]
"What? Is there another Spirit coming, are we in danger!?" Natsumi asked worriedly.
"No... I don't think so, there's one other way for a Spacequake alarm to go off. Either one of the others sets it off so civilians aren't caught, Ratatoskr itself activates it, or the DEM uses it to prepare an attack without anyone seeing it." Shido explained, making Natsumi gasp. "The question is, which one is it?"
Soon Shido hears his headset beep and taps it.
"Natsumi, put you ear by my left ear, you'll need to hear this." Shido requested, and Natsumi nodded as she did. "This is Shido and Natsumi, what's wrong?"
Maria soon appears on the headset's screen.
"Shido, we've got bad news! So bad I can't tell you it here! You need to get back to Ratatoskr's base now, right now we're facing a fight that may be as dangerous as the battle with the Deus!" Maria answered.
Shido gasped, while Natsumi was confused.
"The Deus?" Natsumi asked.
"You know those automatons the DEM make to attack Spirits, right?" Shido asked, Natsumi nods. "We've dealt with some supersized ones before. The Deus was the worst of the worst, it was dangerous enough if it had even stepped on the city the damage would leave casualties. We almost failed to stop it in time."
Natsumi's eyes widen at that.
"...And now I'm officially freaked out by what could be just as bad as that." Natsumi whispered worriedly, grab's Shido. "Let's go!"
Before Shido could mention a nearby secret passageway, Natsumi teleports the both of them.
Everyone sees Natsumi and Shido teleport into the Ratatoskr base, with Shido's eyes spinning briefly before he hits the side of his head and readjusts them. He stands on his feet and looks at everyone.
"Alright, we're here now. So what are we dealing with?" Shido asked.
Maria nods before her eyes glow and reveals that high above Tenguu City, there something rapidly descending onto the city. That's when everyone gasped to see the three Humpty Dumpty satellites.
"What the hell is that!?" Saya shrieked.
"Based on the data, they're a trio of realizer based satellites owned by the DEM that share the code name [Humpty Dumpty], and I think this situation tells us exactly what they're meant to be doing... they've been dropped above the city!" Maria declared, making everyone nervous. "We only have 10 minutes before the first one makes impact!"
"No way, is Westcott that desperate to take us out!?" Rinne asked, everyone looked trying to figure that out.
"This isn't Westcott's doing."
Everyone turned to see Karen and Elliot come in, the latter's wheelchair being pushed by the former.
"The DEM's involved, but it seems someone else has their own agenda. I do believe we're still the reason for it... but Westcott has no part in this, he's the kind of man who wants to see those who oppose him suffer. Our deaths would be too quick and too merciful." Elliot answered, making Reine sigh.
"What's scary is that makes complete sense, so its likely true." Reine answered, soon looking at everyone and whistling. "OK, listen up everyone! We've never had to face a threat like this before, but the danger is as real as the Deus. Maria, bring up the schematics!"
Maria nods and reveals the Humpty Dumpty's designs and abilities.
"The three satellites are dropping one after the other, so it's likely that if one gets destroyed, the next will take its power. They'll be using Realizers to defend themselves, and possibly there's a weapon system or various automatons stored inside to guard them." Reine began, soon swapping to another screen as she types.
"So our plan will work like this, we'll deploy the AST to attack the first of the Satellites and destroy it. Once that's done, the second one will take its power most likely, so the Fraxinus and all the Ratatoskr' vehicles will all focus their weapons to destroy it. That's when the third satellite will become the biggest threat."
Reine turns to the Spirits.
"Shido, Mana, Rinne, Tohka, Kurumi, Origami, Kotori, Yoshino, Natsumi... it'll be up to you to destroy it. At this point we'll likely be exhausted taking out the first two and you're the strongest we have. If we fall... Tenguu City and all its people are going to die."
"Don't worry, we can do this! Come on everyone, let's save this city!" Rinne declared, and all of Ratatoskr's members rush off to prepare. Only Shido, Mana and the Spirits, Elliot, the still recovering Artemisia and Karen were left.
"It's been a while since I've been in action, time to make it count." Karen breathed, soon slightly undoing her color. "Time to clean up this mess."
Karen walked off towards to where the AST went and got ready.
~Humpty Dumpty 1, time until impact: 8 minutes
Meanwhile high above the skies of Tenguu City, the first of the Humpty Dumpty satellites followed by the other two of the group falling above it a noticeable distance. Ryouko and the rest of the AST soon fly into view of it.
"This is Captain Ryouko Kusakabe! The AST has reached the first Humpty Dumpty's vicinity, we'll be beginning our attempt to destroy it now!" Ryouko replied though her CR-Unit's headset. She soon brings out the Cry-Cry-Cry and gets her serious face on, smiling viciously. "AST, attack and destroy the enemy!"
"Roger!" Everyone declared. Saya and Cecile fly towards the bottom area of the satellite, and Saya grabs the latter tight as she formed the Salamandra's energy barrier.
"Hang on Cecile, I'm breaching an opening for you!" Saya declared, screaming as she accelerates and smashes her barrier into its tip. Soon she throws Cecile up. "Get ready, here it comes!"
Saya grabs Tyrfing and thrusts it forward, causing a burst of fire to shoot out at the tip of her barrier, Cecile flies towards it as she taps the Humpty Dumpty's tip.
"Thanks Saya! Now... Territory Jamming Field, activate!" Cecile shouted, causing the Longma's wings to shake and vibrate, while the entire territory on the satellite wasn't dispelled, many hexagons that formed its barrier disappeared.
"Alright, let's smash this thing apart!" Ashley smirked.
Ashley shot herself forward, and all the Asura's arms began slashing and striking the Humpty Dumpty, at that moment some small turrets began to fire as many Bandersnatch were released and flew out of openings formed at the sides.
"Katie, shoot those automatons down!" Leonora ordered, making the latter nod as both began firing at them.
"Mikie, sneak around and deal with those turrets!" Katie yelled, and Mikie nodded before tuning invisible and flying at them. "Come on, we can do this!"
As the Bandersnatch prepared to swarm the group, everyone suddenly heard Ryouko laughing as she tore them to shreds with the C-C-C's bullet hell, smiling the whole time she was doing it.
"You mechanical freaks think you can destroy our city? Well, then prepare to say goodbye to the scrap heap because we'll be sending you to machine hell!" Ryouko grinned with a fierce smirk, soon tossing some grenades she had on hand at them, and hundreds of Bandersnatch got swallowed by the explosion.
"Oh boy, the captain's crazy again." Katie sweat dropped.
Meanwhile the turrets began to fire at the AST members, however one was suddenly ripped apart and the others all turned to the spot of the unseen force that destroy it. Mikie's invisible form smiled as she ran, causing the turrets to attack each other and miss her entirely.
"Everyone, fire around the spots of the destruction line!" Ryouko ordered, and everyone fired their guns at the turrets, destroying a whole side of them in mere moments. Mikie soon jumped off and regained her visibility.
"This is Mikie, you're all clear Karen!" Mikie replied, smiling.
"Roger." Karen stated.
Soon from far below, everyone saw Karen fly up from the ground at sonic speeds while wearing her CR-Unit, the Valkyrie, as she prepared her sword energy unique mana sword and focused her eyesight.
"One strike is all it'll take... Mjolnir!" Karen shouted.
Karen dug her blade into the side of the Humpty Dumpty that had been skinned clean of its turret, and her body and blade shook as she cut through the armor plating like butter.
"Everyone, attack the opening I've made now!" Karen declared, soon jumping off as she gathered all the used mana in the air around Mjolnir. Everyone nodded and focused their attacks at the area while Karen herself sharpened her eyes and thrust Mjolnir forward to discharge all the power in it... and the first Humpty Dumpty satellite exploded!
"Yes! The first satellite's been destroyed!" Saya exclaimed victoriously, and at that moment everyone saw the remaining power suddenly being swallowed up by some of the second Humpty Dumpty's realizers. "And the second one's definitely sucking up all that first one had packing, get ready guys!"
All of the AST, now fully exhausted from destroying the first satellite, quickly begin flying down back to the base as the next phase of the retaliation against the satellites began.
Murdoch watched as an alert for the first Humpty Dumpty being destroyed reached him.
"So they got one, but everyone knows the first plan doesn't work." Murdoch smirked, looking at the second one become stronger. "That's why a backup plan, and even an alternative are needed."
The second satellite's speed suddenly got faster as the power transferred.
~Humpty Dumpty 2, time until impact: 9 minutes
The Fraxinus EX-Celsior took off into the sky, while everyone else began getting ready with the other Support Vehicles and ships. As they began taking flight, Maria suddenly noticed something and gasped.
"Commander Reine, we've got a situation! The second satellite... it's starting to accelerate! The ETA of impact has been reduced!" Maria shouted worriedly, getting Reine's attention as she looked at her.
"What? Maria, what's the new ETA?" Reine asked.
Maria began to calculate and soon the end result she got stated that it was...
~Humpty Dumpty 2, time until impact: 6 minutes
"We only have 6 minutes!" Maria stated, making everyone gasp at the revelation. "We gotta hurry, otherwise the last satellite may accelerate too fast for the others to stop in time! In fact, let's try to attack both and hopefully push the final Humpty Dumpty back enough to buy us more time!"
"You heard her, I authorize the use of... the Ragnarok!" Reine declared, making Maria pale a bit. That was the Mystletainn when pushed to full power. "We have no choice Maria, can you handle it?"
Maria nods.
"I can, I was more surprised that you actually authorized it. Everyone, begin attack and push the satellite back, we're firing the Ragnarok!" Reine shouted through the speaker, surprising everyone as they prepared themselves.
The support vehicles began their attack, while the Gemini focuses on the Fraxinus to help accelerate its charging and reduce the time needed to fire the Ragnarok. The Sagittarius moves into position and prepares its own magic canon.
"FIRE!" Mildred declared, causing it to blast the satellite. The second Humpty Dumpty shook as the force ripped its turrets and stored Bandersnatch units apart, the force even hit the third Satellite and pushed it slightly back.
"Charge complete!" Maria declared.
"Alright, motioning for Ragnarok Cannon blast!" Reine declared, looking at Kannazuki. "Get ready to fire at the weak spot!"
"Of course, if requested of me I could shoot an apple of someone's head blinded folded while still on the ship." Kannazuki nodded, putting on his headset as he aimed. "Firing the Ragnarok Cannon! Activate parallel driving force, shift into fully blaster form!"
Soon the Fraxinus' Yggdrafoliums move and attach to the cannon area as the ship opened up to its mobile form before further bending its frame to shift itself into a cannon built from space. Soon the normally light green-blue beam began to prepare itself before shaking and taking an erratic vivid blue color.
"FIRE!"
The Fraxinus unleashes the beam, and all the nearby ships suddenly feel the recoil push them as it smashes into the second satellite, ripping it apart as it hits the third and knocks it back even further before exploding. Soon everyone saw the third resume its descent as it absorbed the second satellite's power.
"That's it, the second one's down... Shido, it's up to you and the others now. The rest of us have used up everything we had." Reine replied, panting a bit from the adrenaline rush fading.
Murdoch watched as the second satellite met its demise as well, and soon only one was left.
"And now... time for the real game to begin." Murdoch stated.
Murdoch prepared some buttons and disabled the turrets before replacing them with a program he installs moments after, changing the last satellite.
"Prepare to face true terror, because this time... victory is guaranteed." Murdoch smirked.
The screen showing the third Humpty Dumpty turned red as it announced the upgrade had completed itself, and Murdoch chuckled darkly.
~Humpty Dumpty 3, time until impact: 11 minutes
Inside the Ratatoskr base, Artemisia noticed the second satellite disappear.
"Alright guys, that's your cue!" Artemisia cheered, turning to them with a smile as her encouragement. "Now go smash that satellite apart!"
"We will, come on everyone!" Shido declared, and everyone began running to the secret passageways and going outside. "OK, here we go!"
The moment they reached the surface, Shido held out his hand and jumped up.
"I call to the power savage force rampaging inside my will, now break the dimensional boundaries before me... and create a new potential in this reality!" Shido shouted, while inside his body the sight of black, blue and white mana stretches throughout his veins as it reaches his mana core. "Zadkiel! Zafkiel! Metatron!"
Natsumi gasps as Zadkiel appears under Shido while he holds Zafkiel in his hand and the crown of Metatron rests over his head, the pillars surrounding Zadkiel.
"Wait, is Shido holding..." Natsumi asked surprised.
"Yep! That's his Spirit Ascension, it lets him use up to three different Spirits' powers to aid him." Tohka smiled, making Natsumi gasp. "He can even fuse the Angels he's using for an attack."
"Whoa... sounds like my Kaleidoscope form, but better." Natsumi blinked, soon following Tohka as she took to the sky. "Still... I'll give it all I've got!"
As the others fly after, Mana looks at her mother real quick.
"I'll be right there, first time I've tried it." Rinne stated, and Mana nodded as she flew after the others. Rinne soon breathed as she held out her arms and placed one fist atop the other. "Come to me, the little power I have left! Grant me the strength I need for this one moment! Elohim Da'ath!"
Rinne's hair and eyes transform back into her Spirit form while her Astral Dress overlays with her current clothes as it takes its Limited Astral Dress form. Rinne spreads her fists apart as she forms Uriel in her hands.
"Alright, I'm probably only around Yoshino and Natsumi's levels of strength, but I think this will be enough!" Rinne smiled, soon flying after the others. Soon the satellite began swarming out all of its Bandersnatch units at them.
"Alright guys, go for it!" Shido shouted.
Everyone nods.
"Adonai Melek!" Tohka shouted, assuming her ballgown shaped armor, and forming Sandalphon in her hand.
"Ehyeh!" Origami shouted, taking on a similar outfit to Tohka's but in a wedding dress like appearance, Metatron's crown formed before her pillars appeared around her.
"El!" Yoshino shouted, her new... or rather True Astral Dress forming as a green and white outfit with a hat that had a pair of bows shaped like bunny ears. (A/N: Think her outfit on the Encore 2's cover, but more fanservice-y, cloth made of light and green boots) She landed on Zadkiel as the mechanical rabbit puppet manifested.
"Elohim Gibor!" Kotori shouted, a kimono with flaming sleeves forming on her and showing some of her cleavage. Camael burns into existence as she stretched out her right arm.
"Elohim!" Kurumi shouted, spinning as shadows swirled around her into a fancy rich girl's dress, she crossed her arms as one of Zafkiel's guns appeared in each of her hands. She soon makes a post and winks at the situation. "The Spirits are here!"
Natsumi sweat dropped a bit before shrugging, deciding to just go with it.
"Adonai Tzabaoth!" Natsumi shouted, her unique witch girl outfit forming before she falls back and lands on Haniel who flies right under her. Rinne and Mana soon catch up to them, and the Bandersnatch all prepare to attack. "I've got them!"
Natsumi grabbed Haniel and spun before shouting, sending out green light that turned all the Bandersnatch before them into eggs. Said eggs all fell the ground and cracked apart, effectively destroying them.
"Well, that's one way to beat the eggs." Rinne replied, making Mana groan at her unintentional use of a joke. Soon she held Uriel forward and charged a beam from it. "Let's take this thing down now!"
The beam hits the satellite and clashes with this territory, but then... the rocket suddenly ignites and it accelerates faster.
~Humpty Dumpty 3, time until impact: 7 minutes
"It just got faster! Hey wait... guys, notice how this one didn't fire its turrets at us?" Origami asked.
"Yeah, that did seem kinda odd, not to mention the AST did have to deal with them." Mana noted, suddenly looking at the satellite before gasping. "Wait, are you saying?"
Origami nodded.
"Yeah, I am. I think this one had its turrets disabled and replaced with something else. A realizer of some sorts that must take the mana we hit it with to reactivate the rocket at the top. Its gonna accelerate each time we attack it!" Origami shouted, making everyone gasp.
"Then we need to hit it from below, any second we can buy we need to take!" Shido reasoned, and everyone soon began to fly under the satellite. "Try attacking it at once, it may only register the increase by hits!"
"Right!" Everyone replied.
Tohka shouts and spins, swinging Sandalphon to unleash a storm of crystal shards, Yoshino shifts her arms and Zadkiel fires out a typhoon of water and ice, and Kurumi blasts a shadow blast using Zafkiel's Bahamut form.
"Take... this!" Rinne shouted, crossing her arms and unleashing a storm of pink orbs that blast beams as they flung themselves at the final Humpty Dumpty.
Origami spins Metatron's pillars around before using the Artelif formation to fire a simultaneous beam attack from all of them, and Kotori pulls out toe Megiddo to unleash a beam of fire. Natsumi soon holds up Haniel.
"KALEIDOSCOPE!"
Haniel's form glows before becoming a copy of Sandalphon, Natsumi swings the copy Sandalphon down and creates a green slash wave. Mana soon shifts her blasters and charges them to create a powerful burst of multiple cyan laser blasts.
"Here goes!" Shido declared.
Shido soon jumped onto the real Zadkiel and his copy breaks before h attaches the shards around both of the copy Zafkiel's guns, soon breaking Metatron's crown in half, the Metatron pillars begin spinning so fast they created a ring of light and darkness from their rotation.
"Twilight... BLIZZARD!" Shido screamed, and fired Zafkiel's guns, causing them and the pillars to create a black and white blizzard. All the attacks hit the satellite together, doing some damage... but not enough, and it keeps falling with new speed.
~Humpty Dumpty 3, time until impact: 5 minutes
"Damn it, how much more is it gonna take!? At this rate, it'll be too close for stopping it to matter!" Rinne sweated, and Natsumi shook before she gripped Haniel and reverted it back to normal. She screamed as she flew at the satellite.
"Natsumi!" Tohka called out, the Mimicry Spirit soon got close to the satellite and aimed Haniel at it.
"I will stop it... for the sake of everyone, for... the people who've finally accepted me! Taken me as I am!" Natsumi shouted, soon firing off a green light to try and transform the satellite... but a powerful energy surge soon counters it and Natsumi gasped before she was suddenly flung to the ground.
'I... I couldn't do anything, I'm... sorry Shido. At least, I chose who... I wanted to be, even if it was right before the end.'
Natsumi soon smashed into a building, making Tohka and Shido look in horror.
"NATSUMI!" Tohka screamed.
As Natsumi lay on the ground unconscious, Haniel began to glow.
[Master... master... you finally get it, so please... remember! Remember who you are and what I was trying to teach you!]
Natsumi's unconscious form had her hand twitch.
-Flashback Start-
It was late at night, and while the shadows were hiding her form from visible view, a crying Natsumi was seen as she sat on the ground as she cried her heart out. She didn't even notice a certain mosaic covered being walk by her until she spoke up.
"(What's wrong?)" Phantom asked, causing Natsumi to look around for her to no success until she tapped her shoulder. Natsumi turned and gasped at the sight. "(Calm down! I know this seems weird, but I'm not here to hurt you. I saw you crying and was curious why you were sad.)"
"Who... who are you?" Natsumi asked.
"(I don't go my real name right now, but you can call me the Phantom.)" Phantom introduced, bowing a bit. "(I'm walking around here trying to find a specific person, but no luck so far. So, I'd like to listen if you don't mind.)"
Natsumi stared at her for a moment, and soon patted the ground next to her as Phantom sat herself down.
"I... I was just trying to be nice, to be friends with some people. I never had an ulterior motive, and yet... and yet..." Natsumi began, sobbing some more. "...just like always I'm rejected and insulted! Just because of how I look, it's not fair! I hate it... I hate it!"
Phantom showed surprised at that, and took a closer look at her appearance.
"(Wow... that's the whole reason they push you away? That's cruel, but it shows that even if the Spacequakes brought everyone together, there are still some people who refuse to change for the better.)" Phantom replied, feeling anger at the way Natsumi had been treated. Suddenly she blinked. "(...Hey Natsumi, what's your greatest wish?)"
"I... I just want to be accepted, that's all I want. People who will accept me. I've never had any friends, I don't even have a family. I just... want a place that accepts me." Natsumi answered honestly, and Phantom soon pulled out the Sephira Crystals she had on hand. "Huh?"
Natsumi looked at them as she saw the green colored one light up, and at that moment... the glow revealed Natsumi's form.
Surprisingly it wasn't the child like form that Natsumi had come to know in the present, it was her older form, albeit not as tall and at a teenage age rather than an adult one, but her proportions, curves, that ideal form she had her adult form adult? They were pretty much one and the same.
"What is that?" Natsumi asked.
"(This is a special gem called a Sephira Crystal, I'm tasked with watching them until I can find Humans willing to bond with them. The Haniel Crystal wants to bond with you. This crystal... can make your dream come true.)" Phantom explained, making Natsumi gasp.
"(There's a catch though... there are people who want this power, the DEM, and they will hunt you if you accept it. If you don't want to accept that risk, then you have the right to deny that path now. If you are willing to risk it... touch it and take it. The choice is yours.)"
Natsumi stared and soon reached out to touch it, bonding with the Haniel Crystal as she's transformed into a Spirit.
Natsumi walked up to some of her classmates at school who were talking about something they'd be doing, and she walked up to them, feeling confident now that she had the Haniel Crystal.
'That's right, my wish... Phantom said it'll come true.' Natsumi thought, soon walking up to said students who noticed her. "Hey... I heard you talking about something, is it alright for me to join in?"
"Oh look, the pompous pretty's trying to weasel into things again through her looks. Back off and go away you freak!" A girl suddenly claimed, making Natsumi look distantly as she heard that... again, just like before.
The world around Natsumi felt like it was going black to her, and she only stared at the blackness before her.
"Again... they pushed me again, just because of my looks? Why?" Natsumi breathed, her eyes shaking. "Why does everyone think just because of how I look I want something from them? That I'm trying to abuse them, I... I just wanted to have fun alongside them, experience what they do together."
Natsumi began to cry.
"Why does no one accept me!" Natsumi screamed.
Soon enough later that day, Natsumi ran through the rain as she soon found herself in an alleyway and curled up against the wall. Sobbing more as she shed every tear she had in her body.
"I've been blessed with a beautiful body, but it's nothing but a curse! If that's all it is, then... then I don't want it! I'd rather look like a child, I'd rather look ugly! Maybe then, at least a single person will accept me!" Natsumi screamed, yelling loudly at the sky... and then feeling herself getting woozy. "W-what's going on?"
[Master... forgive me, but you'll only hurt yourself more if don't help you, you need to see... you have to see it!]
Natsumi soon fainted onto the ground, and the Haniel crystal soon shines as Natsumi's true form shifted into the childlike one she had today. Natsumi soon woke up, and looked around.
"Huh? Wait, did I fall asleep here?" Natsumi wondered.
-End Flashback-
Natsumi soon gasped as she woke up in her mental landscape, looking around as her missing memories finally revealed themselves.
"That was... no way, then I'm really..." Natsumi breathed, looking at herself before seeing a green light representing Haniel. "Haniel, why? Why did you make me a child? What were you trying to do?"
[Master, you were so sure that your appearance was the cause of your problems... I could feel it, where your path would have gone. I couldn't bare for you to head down that road. To risk hurting yourself, just because people judged you on your appearance alone. That's when I realized to understand, you'd need to see the world through a different view.]
"What do you mean?" Natsumi asked, Haniel's light representation flew closer to her.
[As a child, you only looked different in age, and yet people didn't accept you just because of that. They simply changed their definition. I admit, maybe my method wasn't the best, but you saw it didn't change anything, subconsciously you began using your old form and feeling accepted... but it never felt right until Shido spoke those words to you.]
Natsumi gasped.
[That's right, who you choose yourself to be. People can sometimes push you away for stupid reasons, and maybe you can somehow keep running into them... but you should never let that change who you are. Natsumi, your kind, sweet, and while a bit teasing you're so full of cheer. I was scared of you losing that, but... Shido, and Tohka, they showed you just that. That true beauty is in the inside, and that a truly beautiful person is someone who's personality shines not for their sake, but for others'.]
"Haniel... I get it, the reason you did all of this." Natsumi gasped, suddenly crying. "All this time... you were looking out for me the best you could, you wanted me to realize I shouldn't be ashamed of how I look because of what others told me."
Soon the small bit of memories she formed with Shido and the others began to shine, shattering through all the bad memories she had. Haniel's spirit swirls around her and makes her body glow.
[Thank you Natsumi, for never giving up, and now... it's time I give you back what you've rightfully deserved. Now come on, we have a city to save! We can do it, no... you can do it!]
"I can... do it... I can do it! No, I will do it!" Natsumi declared, and Haniel's light orb goes in her as she feels herself glow.
~Humpty Dumpty 3, time until impact: 3 minutes
Everyone stared as the satellite got close.
"We're not gonna make it!" Rinne screamed in horror, and everyone sweated at the grim situation before them... and then out of nowhere, some of the buildings turned into large masses of strong fiber threads and began pushing against the Humpty Dumpty, and its descend was forcefully changed into an ascent.
~Humpty Dumpty 3, time until impact: Unable to calculate, ERROR
"Wait a second, isn't that..." Tohka breathed, soon looking to see from the rubble, Natsumi's small hand shook as she held up Haniel which glowed green. "Natsumi!"
"She's giving us a chance, we need to break this satellite before those threads give out!" Origami shouted, soon getting a message from Reine on her headset. "Reine, what is it?"
"I think we found a way to finally shatter that satellite. Tohka, Natsumi, Shido and Rinne, by combing two Sandalphons with Uriel, the force of their strikes might just be enough break through and destroy the satellite." Reine explained.
Shido looks at Natsumi's weakened form.
"Natsumi can't do it, she's too weak. There's no way should could-" Shido began, only to see Haniel suddenly tossed at Tohka as it changed into a copy Sandalphon again as they saw Natsumi make a fist to tell them to go for it. "Natsumi... OK, let's try this! Mom, think you can remove my recharge time?"
"Yeah, I'll try it. If we wait for the after effect of using the Angel Fusion Overdrive to vanish naturally we might be too late to save Tenguu City." Rinne nodded, she touched Shido and focusing her power... manage to dispel the block on his Spirit Ascension. "Yes!"
"Alright!" Shido exclaimed as he felt his power flow again, Shido screamed as he used his Spirit Ascension with Tohka's powers to form a copy Sandalphon in his hands, he gripped it tightly as he gave a focused look. "Alright, all at once!"
With Tohka holding both Sandalphons and Rinne holding Uriel, all of them swing their blades before giving a mighty shout as they swing at the final Humpty Dumpty, smashing all the force they could into the satellite.
"Come on... come on! We can do this!" Tohka exclaimed, shouting more as she tried pushing more power into her blades.
Meanwhile on the ground, a certain silver haired Spirit walked into view and noticed the satellites, and looking at them she opens her book again as she turns to the falling satellite in the sky.
"Raziel, how likely will they stop the satellite from falling?" Nia asked, soon seeing the text reveal the answer as {0%} before vanishing from the page. "Hmm... I don't like that odd, and this city has grown on me, let's alter those odds."
Nia suddenly grabbed a unique pen from nowhere and began writing in the book. She left a single message in it that said...
"The final Humpty Dumpty suddenly gains a fatal crack where it was hit by the four swords, and this crack makes the satellite vulnerable enough to destroy."
"So now how likely will they destroy it?" Nia asked, and smirked smirks as she sees Raziel state {100%}, and just like that... the Humpty Dumpty gains a crack in that very spot!
"Hey guys, look!" Tohka shouted, making them notice the crack.
"I see it, that might be it! Tohka! You've got the most power out of us three right now, smash it! Smash it to pieces!" Rinne ordered, and Tohka nods as she flies towards it.
Tohka flies forward at the satellite, and with a might swing of Haniel-Sandalphon leaves a huge gouge before preparing the real Sandalphon.
"This! Is! It!" Tohka declared, shouting loudly that she didn't even notice the crystal edge of the blade glowed for a brief moment, and finally she struck the Humpty Dumpty hard... causing the entire thing to glow with purple cracks as it began meet its destruction. Though at that moment... Tohka's eyes widened.
The sight of Tohka's Form stood in Tohka's landscape, her eyes shadowed before she slightly lifted her head up and showed her left eye glowing brightly as the other covered her right eye behind it.
"Humanity... they must pay! All of them must pay for destroying our world, for destroying us!" Inverse Tohka screamed.
She grabbed Nahemah and swung down, causing the area to be enveloped in a bright purple flash.
Tohka blinked as the scene that flashed in her mind faded.
'What the... that was my Inverse Form, but it wasn't me either.' Tohka thought, watching the final Humpty Dumpty explode. 'Who was it that I saw just there?'
Soon enough, everyone flew to Tohka and cheered for her as they gave her a hug.
"You did it Tohka, you just saved us all! We stopped all three satellites!" Origami cheered, realizing she could think about what she saw later, she smiled and nodded knowing for now this victory was all that mattered.
"Yeah, it was... wait, Natsumi!" Tohka gasped, flying to where she crashed.
Nia watched as Tohka flew close, and soon she turned to look at Natsumi's downed form as it glowed and soon walked away.
"Hmm... so for that one second you channeled your true power Spirit No. 10, hopefully you realize what's held you back soon." Nia stated before she teleported away, Tohka soon landed on the ground and began moving the rubble away.
"Hey, Natsumi! Are you OK?" Tohka called out, and soon Natsumi managed to get up out of the rubble. Tohka showed surprise when she did however.
"Yeah, I guess I'm sturdier than I thought I was." Natsumi chuckled, rubbing her head. She noticed Tohka's stare and blinked. "What?"
The others landed as well, and also showed shock to what they saw, Rinne had to grab Mana who suddenly began shaking at the sight. Realizing they were staring at herself, Natsumi looked at herself and gasped.
She was once again in her 'older' form, with only her height being different as she was much shorter and closer to Shido and Tohka's heights, though it actually seemed to make her more attractive (and told her Mana's reaction was clearly cause her assets didn't shrink from it).
Though the biggest surprise was her Astral Dress, rather than any of the forms it had taken before, it was now a hot witch outfit that kept the spiky rims of younger form's hat and the emerald/gold belt, but that was all that was the same. (A/N: Think the outfit she wears in Encore Vol 6's Spirit Offline story, but with the bottom rim of her true Astral Dress' hat up to the par with the emeralds)
At that moment, she felt her memories and her mental talk with Haniel flow back into her head and she gasps.
"I remember now... I remember why I couldn't remember how I met Rio, this is my true form!" Natsumi gasped, making Mana pale.
"Wait, huh?" Tohka asked, Rinne kneeled by Haniel and listened to it whisper to her.
"That was the irregularity! Haniel made her true form the child form because of her past, and through it learn she should be proud of how she looks and not let how most see her destroy her kindness." Rinne answered, soon chuckling at everyone's surprised faces. "Man, at this point I guess the Spirits are all really gonna be teenagers."
Rinne soon sees Mana shaking, and Shido gasped in horror.
"Oh no, everyone cover your ears!" Shido shouted, making everyone do so as a loud noise came out of his sister's mouth.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Meanwhile at DEM industries, Murdoch had brought the video feed to show everyone their victory... only to see the final satellite destroyed to their shock. Murdoch shook at the result as he dropped the very decide he had holding his leverage against Westcott, making it slide towards the door.
"Impossible! They destroyed three satellites empowering each other on the prior's destruction! This is an outrage, there's no way the Spirits should have defeated that!" Murdoch roared, smashing his hand on the table. "Forget this, I'll just-"
"Sorry, but I think you dropped this?" Marina said, making everyone look as she held the leverage device in her hand before crashing it. "Sorry, you played your game and lost. So now... I'm about to give you all your punishments."
Marina's Astral Dress formed as she constricted everyone and sprayed venom to reveal a secret prison.
"From this moment, DEM Industries is run by my father alone, and you're all both fired and now forever imprisoned for your treason. I hope you're all proud, father only wants me to spare you because he's impressed. Had he not been, you'd all be dead." Marina stated before dropping them and soon tapping a button to repair the hole.
"And that's taken care of, so... ready to make things official Adeptus 3?"
The girl that Westcott had his eye on walked in, and soon nodded with her unseen face.
"...Yes, and I shall kill those Spirits myself if I have to." She replied with a cold stoic voice.
Soon back at the Takamiya household, everyone watched as Natsumi snuggled against Shido close, making the latter sweat slightly.
"Uh... Natsumi? Is there a reason you're doing this, just out of curiosity?" Shido asked.
"That's a silly question, but since you don't seem to get it..." Natsumi answered, soon kissing Shido surprising everyone by how sudden it had been. "I'm only trying to show my new boyfriend some tender love and care."
Everyone stares before Kotori suddenly giggles, and Shido struggles to find his coat.
"What?" Natsumi asked, soon noticing her clothes vanishing as Shido got the coat on her. Natsumi blinked at the sight. "Wait, so when you seal a Spirit this happens? I don't see the problem. I mean remember what I did when we met?"
Kotori suddenly begins laughing, while Shido just blushes as Natsumi snaps and uses her powers to transform the coat into the same outfit she had just been wearing.
"Well, I guess that makes haremette number six." Kotori giggled, while Tohka scratched her head in confusion at the whole situation.
"Hey Shido?" Natsumi sang, making him look at her... only to see a handcuff attached to his hands as Natsumi suddenly assumed a sexy police outfit with her powers. "You're coming with me downtown, for a personal date! No one else allowed."
The others all went wide eyed as Natsumi ran out of the house with a panicked Shido, all staring and blinked.
"She... she just stole Shido!" Tohka finally screamed after a delayed reaction, her ribbon flapping like crazy.
"After five sweet Spirits, we have one who's a bit bolder and possessive apparently." Rinne stated, chuckling a bit. The other Spirits all pouted at that. "3, 2, 1..."
"AFTER THEM!"
The other Spirits all rushed out to chase Natsumi, the Mimicry spirit giggling from far away. Things were looking brighter for her and she finally got her wish granted. Finally, she had a place that she belonged.
And that's a rap! There you have it, the secret was connected to what I said about aging up Yoshino and Natsumi way back in the start notes for Kotori's arc! Natsumi's powers were perfect for pulling it off, I just made it so her older form had been her true form, though I did shave off her height, otherwise she'd be taller than everyone and look older than a teenager. *chuckles*
Poor Mana, once again she's in last place... and I'll say right now Nia will NOT subvert that, I think by now some earlier chapters have shown that firsthand, not to mention what Rinne said about why Mana might be a late bloomer. Well, now this arc is done and the Yamai twins are finally gonna appear! Also, why is Nia showing up so much? Well... sorry, but for once I'm not telling you guys anything! *giggles* ^w^
Now the DEM is under Westcott's entire jurisdiction, and he's got his new Adeptus 3 officialized. Things are going to get more serious from here, and we still don't know what Westcott might want with Shido other than it isn't good. I think the biggest question of all however? Why did Tohka see a brief flash of her Inverse Form, and why did it speak like someone else was the one speaking? Worse is the familiarity of her words...
Well if you wanna find out, the Yamai arc may just give you those answers. So until next time everyone, stay awesome!
-Spirit Bond Levels-
Tohka - 86%
Origami - 83%
Yoshino - 78%
Kotori - 80%
Kurumi - 75%
Natsumi - 40%