Date A Re:Live
S3 Chapter 55: Nia Storybook, 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]
Man, I'm excited for this, this is the first time I've taken one section of DAL's story and moved it somewhere else in the story. Before anyone mentions me using Vol 16 info for Kurumi's arc, I'm not counting it because I planned this story before it came out... and there's the fact the translation isn't up yet, so I really only applied certain points summarized about it ^^;
Before anything else, I'd like to give a shout out to fellow author Cyrocene, I just learned Cyro's currently under physical therapy and is currently almost completely unable to do any writing. Let's all wish Cyrocene good luck in recovering.
Anyways, for Nia's second arc, I've moved the events of Volume 14 which were originally part of Mukuro's arc. My reason for this comes from the fact it was caused by Westcott who had gained Beelzebub in the volume prior and used it himself rather than Nia, however I feel he's been way too OP since gaining it so... *hits wrong buzzer* nope, I ain't letting him have it when he keeps spamming new abilities that Raziel's never had.
OK, ignoring that little canon plot point that steams me a little... at this point of the story, I doubt spoilers matter cause you've already seen them from reading Season 2's first arc, so nothing wrong with explaining things to anyone who doesn't know here. Beelzebub's Ashufiriya technique put everyone in a world that had everyone become a fairy tale character... except Nia, she became her manga's antagonist, and they have to find a way to escape.
Kinda the same general theme here, though there's more characters and Kurumi's actually with them, plus I swapped the Fairy Tale that was Shido's (Three Little Pigs) and added some more, plus the goal is Shido needs to get to Nia and seal her since Nia's not gonna let them leave. What are those Fairy Tales? I'll mention those at the end notes, I can say the additions are mostly Japanese tales.
Now, time for this arc's emotion and it's one I think the ending scene of last chapter helped give you a clue to: "Hatred". Rio's managed to realize the why Nia reacted the way she did, but she didn't have a chance to bring it up because of her and Rinne's failed attempt to stop Nia's inversion. Once the group finds her, you'll finally learn what happened to make her lose her hope in Humanity and react like she did last chapter.
And to answer a guest review from Vol 17: "Oh yeah, it's much worse than it was in canon... or I guess another way to look at it is more like I'm showing what the event was since canon doesn't exactly say what it was, and Rio's already connected the dots and remembered. The moment the group finds her you'll get to hear the story of Souji Hasegawa."
"I actually did consider that, mainly cause a lot of the villains in those stories show up during Vol 14. However, I recalled how Origami is smart with these kinds of things, but Nia is clever and would know if she made the stories like that, then the group would know how to overcome them. Nia said she wouldn't let them change her story, so Nia's gonna do something... more than that."
"I actually saw them already, but thanks for sharing regardless. In fact, I think I'll share that right now for anyone who hasn't heard it yet."
Everyone, Volume 17 was announced a while back, and its title is... "Kurumi Ragnarok", the fact a Norse term has been used in the name seems to hint something big considering it fits Ratatoskr's naming theme. For the synopsis, it implies the other Spirits are finally going to learn they were once human, the secrets about Spirits will be revealed... and Shido's (maybe even Mana) going to regain his lost memories.
Also, the DEM and Ratatoskr are finally having their full-scale war, unlike their small battle in Vol 15. I don't know where things are going yet, but I recall Tachibana stating that Vol 10 was 'around halfway', based on the heavy Sephirot references... I'd say we'll have 22 volumes overall. My reason for this guess is that's how many lines connect the tree's Sephira, and each Volume cover has that line with a background that fit their directions.
I guess we'll all find out soon enough. So, with all of that out of the way, let's begin the Nia Storybook arc!
-Nia & Souji's Story, Prologue-
Nia stared ahead as she saw her mentor, Souji Hasegawa, on the ground with her body's bleeding form on full display for her to see. Raziel was resting on the ground nearby, some of its pages bloody and the words: {Before my death, allow me to keep-*splat*-of Nia for-*splat*-no matter how much it shortens my remaining time}, the two splats of blood blocking two whole sections of the written sentence.
The whole scene was like a bad dream, Nia had been with Souji at an event when she heard the sounds of something being destroyed, she came out to see people staring at the chaos as something attacked Souji, but she couldn't instantly defend herself since she couldn't let people know of the Spirits.
Eventually she got away, and likely managed to use her Spirit powers without that worry... but apparently it wasn't enough. Whatever was chasing her managed to overpower her, decimate her, leaving her... in the horrible state Nia was staring at firsthand.
"SOUJI!" Nia screamed, running up to her.
Souji coughs a bit, she looked at Nia, her eyes without light as the last of her soul slowly began to leave her body.
"N-Nia...? Is that... is it really you... that I hear?" Souji asked.
"Shut up and stop talking, save your strength! I'm gonna get a doctor and-" Nia screamed in a panic.
Souji grabbed Nia's hand, getting her protege's eyes to widen as she shook her head.
"It's... no good, the... people Phantom warned us about... warned me to be careful of... they came, and... showed they'd do anything for my power. I was too weak, and... now I've... paid the price... I'm not gonna make it Nia. I'm... sorry." Souji smiled, crying as she did.
"No, don't say that! Please don't... please don't die Souji, promise me that!" Nia screamed.
Souji cried a bit, coughing violently, with blood now coming out of her mouth. Nia could only stare as Souji took off her glasses, and put them in Nia's hands.
"You know I can't promise that, Raziel... can't change fate. Writing for me to survive won't... work, that's the rule. That's why, all I... can do is... make sure this power is inherited by someone who knows it and Raziel trusts. I leave... the rule of the Spirit... [Sister]. in... your... hands... now..." Souji breathed.
Souji's hands slowly fall to the ground, and soon gave a loud thud as her face fell with it, her eyes closed with tear streaks and her mouth showing a frown of regret as the silver-gray sphere known as the Raziel Crystal bounced out.
Nia looked as it landed in her hands, soon glowing as it absorbed itself into her body, making Nia cry as Souji's Astral Dress faded and manifested on her. Nia soon hugged her body, and the glasses that were formerly Souji's before wailing loudly.
"WHY!? WHY DAMN IT, I... I saw it, people were there, they saw it happen... they saw you running away, and they didn't do a damn thing! They didn't care about anyone but their own goddamn selves!" Nia screamed, soon holding Raziel close as she cried.
[Nia... I'm so sorry that I failed to protect her, I'll never forgive myself for being unable to save Souji.]
"No, don't Raziel... it isn't your fault... it's theirs, the one who killed her and the ones who refused to help her at all! This is their fault! All of it, why... why did I ever have faith that Humans could be any more than selfish bastards who care for their lives more than the lives of their fellow kinsman?" Nia sobbed, an angry look on her face.
Nia soon flew through the air, getting Phantom's notice as she saw her fly by.
"(Phew... looks like Souji's OK, but next time I feel that ghastly chill I should be weary. Mama was right, the DEM... they're not stopping, the very people I'm entrusting the Sephira Crystals will be killed. I need to be wise who I give them to, that way they'll survive.)" Phantom said to herself.
'Souji, I will keep your legacy alive! I swear it!' Nia thought while crying, holding an unfinished piece of Silver Bullet in her arms.
In some unknown realm, the sight of Inverse Nia's eyes shedding tears was seen, she looked up before turning to look behind her.
"...It is time for my story to begin, and I intend to shape everything the way I know it. This world will showcase the unbreakable reality that it is to them. I'll make them know, I'll make them all know how Humanity truly acts when faced with the world!" Nia screamed.
The scene quickly changes into an area of a bamboo forest, by one particularly large piece of bamboo, the sight of Shido who had taken the form of Shiori was seen. However, instead of his usual outfit, Shiori was wearing a long, elaborate pink, white and red dress that looked like an outfit worn by royalty during the Edo period of Japan. After a few moments, Shiori finally found herself waking up.
"...Hmm?" Shiori mumbled, blinking a bit.
Shiori stretched a bit as she woke up, and quickly noticed her outfit, looking to the side and noticing her long blue hair... she sighed, almost if she gave up or somehow expected the result that had just happened.
"And I'm Shiori again, this doesn't surprise me anymore." Shiori said to herself.
After getting past the stage of her current gender, Shiori actually took the chance to see what outfit she was currently wearing.
She was quickly surprised to realize that it was royal looking kimono, something she didn't expect. She stood up as she noticed the thick forest of bamboo around her, feeling something familiar from the entire scene, yet not sure what it was.
"What... is this place? Where... am I?" Shiori wondered aloud.
Shiori took a moment to recall what had happened before she blacked out. Nia had appeared with a very shaken and scary appearance, got very angry, forced her own Inversion... and then used her Demon King, Beelzebub, to swallow them into a dark pool.
That was when Shiori's eyes widened, Raziel was a tome, which meant that what swallowed them must have...
"This forest... am I inside a story? If I am, which one, just who am I to be dressed like this?" Shiori asked herself.
"KAGUYAHIME!"
Shiori's eyes widened at that shouting, and soon turned to see a bunch of people wearing outfits similar in nature to her own, and a certain symbol of a crescent moon located on part of their outfit's center area.
It all came together now... a bamboo forest, a royal looking dress, the name Kaguyahime and a moon symbol. There was only one Japanese tale that fit that.
'I'm the main character from The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter! That means those are the people of the moon, and since I don't see any of the others... oh crap, I don't like where this is headed!' Shiori mentally gasped.
"Kaguyahime, you've waited long enough. Return to the moon with us." A moon soldier stated, extending a hand.
'I don't think I've got a choice, but I'll have to act like I am Kaguyahime. That doesn't mean I'm following the same story's path. After all, I don't see her parents anywhere, so this can't be exactly same... I just hope that's not or will become a bad thing.' Shiori thought.
"I refuse!" Shiori exclaimed.
The moon people show shock, surprised by Shiori's claim.
"I've lived on Earth for years, and it is my home now, not the moon. I will not abandon it or the family that raised me when I was left here in the first place!" Shiori shouted.
"She's gone mad! Everyone, grab Kaguyahime and force her back to the Moon!" The same soldier declared.
Shiori soon sweated and held out her hand... only for nothing to happen, making her panic as her version of Uriel didn't form.
'Oh no, I can't use my Spirit powers! I don't remember if Kaguyahime had any either! Well, then there's only one solution here... run away!' Shiori thought.
Shiori quickly began running, quickly abandoning the shoes that were slowing down her movement.
She looked back, and noticed all of the moon people catching up to her. Some of them firing blasts of energy to try and disable her or at least block her escape route.
"They're too fast! This is bad, if only I could somehow gain more speed!" Shiori panicked.
As if answering her cue, Shiori's hair and eyes suddenly became the Yamai twins' color, and she felt herself moving at twice her normal speed as the sight of stardust under her feet suddenly propelled her without the need for her to run across the ground.
"Whoa! OK, not sure what happened but I'll take it!" Shiori exclaimed.
"No, Kaguyahime's getting away!" The same soldier screamed.
The moon people tried to chase her even faster. Unfortunately, Shiori was soon too far away and they all became too tired.
Shiori eventually stopped and breathed as she reached a house, putting a hand on it to take a few breaths as her hair reverted back to normal.
"I made it... I was able to get away, oh thank god that was terrifying. Though I guess despite lacking my usual powers I have whatever Kaguyahime can do." Shiori sighed in relief, unaware she had managed her Spirit Ascension, though only in the form of speed.
"Hey, this house looks familiar... wait, if I'm a fairy tale then it must be. Which one though." Shiori wondered.
Shiori took a few steps back, and soon enough the house in question became a lot recognizable to her, it was the grandmother's house from the Little Red Riding Hood story. Realizing she recognized it, Shiori looked for signs of anyone.
"I don't see any of the others, I wonder who could have ended up in this story... hey wait, if the Moon people from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter were, here, doesn't that mean the-" Shiori wondered.
"The better to... eat you with!" The wolf cackled.
Soon the sound of Yoshino screaming from within the house was heard, catching Shiori's attention.
"That voice... Yoshino? Oh no, then that means she's Little Red Riding Hood!" Shiori gasped.
"Don't worry, I'm coming!" Shiori exclaimed.
With a mighty kick, Shiori smashed down the door to the house, and she covered her mouth at the sight of the marking to the grim fate of the grandmother on parts of the house.
Most kids would never see this part of the story due to it being too mature for a kid, but it was common for fairy tales to have their darker natures removed in some adaptions, not to mention various books told alternate tales and stories. It seems Nia specifically chose a version with the grandma dying to make the wolf more dangerous, in fact, the moon people having soldiers was likely for the same reasons.
"Crap, I need something... ah!"
Shiori found a broom stick and broke off the brush to turn it into a makeshift staff.
She soon rushed into another room, the wolf jumping at Yoshino who was wearing Little Red Riding Hood's outfit and holding her basket while ducking. Shiori shouted before slamming the staff forward, causing it to glow and explode with lunar energy against the wolf who crashed into the wall.
"What the hell, how'd you escape your story!?" The wolf demanded.
"Let's go Yoshino!" Shiori shouted, grabbing her hand.
"S-Shiori?" Yoshino asked surprised, being pulled outside.
"Yeah, it's me. I'll explain after we get away from that hungry wolf." Shiori nodded.
The wolf soon rushed out of the house and chased after them.
"You're not getting away, I'll devour you both right here and now!" The wolf declared as he chased them.
"Shit, that wolf's fast! Hey Yoshino, by chance does the basket have anything in there that could help?" Shiori asked.
Yoshino quickly rummaged through the check, pulling out some fruit, then a few cookies, and then a glass of milk... and that was it.
"Uh... do wolves like milk?" Yoshino asked worriedly.
"I'm afraid not. While I have some abilities, I don't completely know how they work, guess I'll have to gamble on it a bit-Look out!" Shiori yelled.
Yoshino gasped as Shiori pulled them to the ground, the wolf pounced them, only for Shiori's hair to take Origami's colors as she stabbed a point on his chest, briefly making the hungry canine tumble over and miss them.
The wolf quickly got back up, growling at them as Shiori's hair reverted back.
"That trick won't save you again!" The wolf growled.
The wolf lunched itself again, but suddenly a dumpling was thrown from afar, and the wolf suddenly eat it before blinking a few times. After a bit, it yawned before walking towards a tree and curling by it, surprising the two at the wolf's suddenly docile nature.
"What just happened?" Yoshino asked surprised.
"Impressive throw Momotarou, I told you the dumplings would work!"
"Glad you were right Inugami!"
Shiori and Yoshino both recognized the familiar voice, and turned to see none other than Tohka dressed in a female version of the attire of the boy in a story named after himself that was born from a peach and traveled with a dog, monkey and a pheasant... Momotarou!
It wasn't just her, it seemed that being Momotarou caused the same three animals that aided the original character to be by her side, the first fictional characters that were actually on their side and not trying to harm them.
"Tohka!" Shiori and Yoshino claimed.
"Yoshino! Shid-oops, Shiori!" Tohka cheered, hugging them both.
"Now I get it, Momotarou's dumplings are effective against dogs. We're really lucky you showed up when you did." Shiori smiled.
Tohka giggled at that before smiling with her teeth showing.
"I recognized Yoshino's character, but... who are you Shiori?" Tohka asked.
"I would be Kaguyahime... how odd, we're both characters who came out of something you can grow in the wild." Shiori chuckled, recalling how Kaguyahime came from bamboo and Momotarou a peach.
"Are you friends of Momotarou's?" The pheasant, otherwise known as Kijigami, asked.
"Yeah, more or less. I'm Kaguyahime and this is Little Red Riding Hood." Shiori replied.
Shiori winked at Yoshino, telling her to not use her real name when talking with any of the fictional characters on their side.
It made sense since they didn't seem to respond at all when they called Tohka by her real name instead of her character's name, Nia had probably made it that way to limit or even prevent the help any actual story characters would give them.
"We really saved you from a pinch right there, didn't we?" The monkey, better known as Sarugami, chuckled.
"Yeah, that wolf was crazy-" Shiori replied.
Suddenly the sound of rumbling was heard, attracting the two trios, everyone slowly looked to the left or right depending on where they were facing... and soon the sight of an eight-headed snake came into view!
Screams rang out as everyone started running, Tohka drawing out Momotarou's katana as she swung against the snake heads coming after them, her animal companions on her shoulders.
In some kind of castle, Rinne suddenly blinked at the princess like dress she was wearing and the crown on her head, having no idea what was going on.
"...OK, what just happened to me? I was trying to stop Nia from Inverting by holding her down for Rio to lock her powers, but Raziel moved to her pen and she was able to stop it, we got swallowed in something my immunity couldn't act against, and... now I'm a princess? What's going on here?" Rinne asked herself.
There were a few things about Humanity that Rinne was still completely lost about, and out of those things, one of them happened to be the various fairy tales. Sure, she had read Rio a few books before bed, but they were all just random short stories.
As Rinne walked further through the castle finding answers, the sound of something spinning is heard as Rinne opens the door and sees an old woman with a spindle in her hands before she turns to notice Rinne looking at her.
"Ah, hello there princess Aurora." The old woman greeted.
"Uh... I think you have the wrong person, my name's Rinne." Rinne replied, unaware of the story world's rules.
Various accounts had the name of the princess unknown, but Aurora was one name often used for the Princess of Sleeping Beauty, the spindle's presence was a clear indicator of the same one that was cursed to put her to sleep.
Rinne who saw the spindle wondered what it was, but at the same time... didn't exactly get a good feeling from the sight of it.
"Ah, I do believe you've never seen anyone spin before. Would you like to try it? The worst that could happen is you pricking your finger slightly." The old woman offered.
"Uh... thanks, but no thanks. I need to be somewhere." Rinne replied, trying to leave the room.
"Oh, don't be like that sweet Aurora, it won't take that long." The old woman said, trying to go after her.
"No seriously, I need to go... and now you're giving me a strong feeling that you want me to prick my finger!" Rinne said worriedly.
Suddenly the old woman's face went hostile, and she changed into a dark looking fairy.
"This isn't right, you're supposed to prick it! I'll make you prick it no matter what the cost!" The evil fairy screamed.
"Fairies are real!?" Rinne said in shock.
Rinne looked around and soon saw a window, taking a deep breath... she jumped out to the evil fairy's surprise.
Rinne screamed as she fell, soon landing on the ground intact before running off.
"Damn you Princess Aurora!" The evil fairy screeched.
"That lady's crazy." Rinne said to herself as the scream reached her ears.
As Rinne ran, she eventually found herself exposed to a strange stone that was emitting poison gas in the form of a white mist that hid its true toxic nature, though luckily despite having no access to her powers, Rinne being a spirit wasn't harmed by this level of toxicity.
She looked at it confused before knocking her hand against it, trying to figure out why it was making 'mist' like it was.
"This is one weird stone, what's with this weird mist? Maybe I should break it open and find out." Rinne wondered.
Rinne held up her hand to form Uriel.
Nothing.
...Still nothing.
...And after long enough, Rinne sweat in worry.
"Something's not right here." Rinne panicked.
"...Wait, is that your Rinne?"
"Huh? Who said that, and where are you?" Rinne asked, looking around the area.
"In here, it's me, Kurumi! I'm inside this rock!" Kurumi exclaimed.
"Kurumi? What the, how'd you get in there? Better yet, how do I get you out when I can't summon Uriel?" Rinne asked.
"The rock's not that strong, the danger's the poison gas around it, since you're near it that means your safe. Just... push it to the ground!" Kurumi answered.
Rinne blinked before shrugging, pushing against the rock before it fell down, crashing into the ground a few times before a nine-tailed fox popped out and soon howled, quickly changing into Kurumi wearing a regal kimono.
"I'm free, finally!" Kurumi sighed happily.
"Wait, since when have you been a fox?" Rinne asked.
"I'm not, this world has me as the character known as Tamamo-no-Mae, a fox spirit from an old Japanese fairy tale. It looks like you became Sleeping Beauty. That makes sense considering what you were like until half a year ago." Kurumi answered.
"Wait... who and what now?" Rinne asked confused.
"When I awoke, I found myself in a story as one of the characters. Everyone thought of me as such and my real name didn't register to the characters. That can only mean the place Nia sent us was a world based on story's. For an author like Nia, this is her ideal battleground, we only have the powers of the characters we've become in these stories and the stories may not go the way we know them. In my case, I was deceived and caught at the first stage of Tamamo's journey... and I don't think I even saw the antagonist towards my character." Kurumi explained, biting her teeth slightly.
Rinne's eyes widen slightly.
"So... we're basically in an environment where Nia's free to screw us like an omnipotent god!?" Rinne shouted worriedly.
"Well I don't think we can really say she's omnipotent, otherwise we would have died long ago. Though she does control this world of stories at the very least. We'll need to find the others before anything else, alone we're in trouble but together we might make it through." Kurumi replied.
"Alright, so... where do we go?" Rinne asked.
"I don't know, but as I'm a Youkai right now, I can feel some things. I don't know how it fully works, but I feel like I'm sensing something to the East of us." Kurumi answered.
"OK then, let's go East." Rinne nodded.
The two quickly ran off towards the East, hoping they would find their fellow friends in the direction they were heading.
The group continued running away, the eight snake heads of Orochi still chomping at them as the serpent's body continued to slither after them.
"Why the hell is Orochi here!?" Tohka screamed in a panic.
"I don't know! I don't think I remember a story about this, right now just shut up and keep running before he/she/it eats us!" Shiori replied all panicky.
The six kept running until they soon reached a dead end by a cliff face.
The entire group turned, giving white eyes and blue faces in fear as the snake heads got near them, all of them lunging to gobble them up when.
"Back you fiendish serpent!"
Suddenly, a giant container of sake fell from the sky, hitting the multi-headed serpent on the head before sake splashed out, the snake heads all accidentally drank a bit and quickly got themselves drunk as a lightning bolt struck the ground.
From the lightning, the sight of Mana appeared, dressed as the Shinto God Susanoo and already with the Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, aka the Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven or the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the Grass-Cutting Sword as it was better known nowadays.
"MANA!?" Shiori exclaimed.
"Oh, hey big br-wait, you're Shiori again?" Mana asked surprised.
"Bigger issues Mana." Tohka chuckled nervously, pointing at Orochi.
"Oh right, prepare yourself for the might of Susanoo you slimy monster!" Mana exclaimed.
A smirk plastered itself on Mana's face as Orochi dived at her.
With a mighty yell, Mana swung the Kusanagi before the serpentine monster even neared them, the power behind the swing showed the sword living up to its name as despite not hitting anything but air, all the grass was cut to ribbons and Orochi was sent flying into the sky while slightly bleeding from a few slashes.
Everyone stared in awe as Orochi was flung through some clouds, causing holes to form within them as Orochi vanished from sight.
"Woo! Oh yeah, I've always wanted to try something like that in real life instead of a video game, now I finally have!" Mana cheered.
"Mana, that was amazing!" Tohka said with sparkling eyes.
"Thank you Tohka, or should I call you Momotarou right now... and really Shiori? Kaguyahime?" Mana asked.
"Like you're one to talk, you became Susanoo!" Shiori groaned.
"Susanoo's a god though." Mana smirked.
Shiori sighed at that, making everyone by the animal trio laugh as said trio just looked at each other confused.
"Hey! Don't forget about me Mana, show them!" A squeaky voice shouted.
"Huh?" Everyone said confused.
In a few seconds, the sight of a tiny girl only an inch high was seen on Mana's shoulders, Mana chuckled embarrassingly before moving her hand and walking closer, showing the tiny girl was none other than...
"RIO!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Yeah, it's me!" Rio said in a squeaky voice due to her small size.
"I'm confused, why is she so small?" Yoshino asked.
"Well, since my confused older sister doesn't seem to remember the story about Orochi is considered a Japanese Fairy Tale, I'll explain it." Mana replied, emphasizing the word doesn't to Shiori's embarrassment.
Rio giggled a bit at that, making Shiori blush even more.
"Rio's turned into Issun-Boshi, the character from The Inch-High Samurai, and while the story does have something that makes her more normal sized... we haven't found it yet. As a result, she's still only an inch tall." Mana explained.
"I nearly got stepped on! I'm lucky Mana heard me, I get the scary feeling we can actually die in here! I mean, that happens in stories... right?" Rio whimpered squeakily, making Shiori pat her head with her pinkie finger.
"Considering Orochi dies in his story..." Shiori replied, not finishing her sentence intentionally.
Rio gulps at that.
"...Oh wait, that's right! I know we're still separated from everyone else, but I need to tell all of you something, it's about Nia." Rio suddenly said.
"What is it?" Tohka asked.
"Right before she trapped us in here, at the moment she said the name Souji Hasegawa, I remembered something. My memories still fuzzy at times since I was younger until recently... but it's coming back easier, I can remember things easier and remember a lot more related info. I also figured out why nothing seemed odd originally when Nia first introduced herself to us. The reason for that? Well... I honestly thought it was only you before now Tohka, but the truth is you're actually not the only Spirit who lacked a predecessor." Rio explained.
"Really, I'm not the only one?" Tohka said surprised.
Rio nodded in response.
"Yeah, there were two others, and they're both the Spirits that you haven't sealed yet Shiori... or at least I thought that was the case with Nia. Now, I think she's had one and only one predecessor... the very first person I ever made into a Spirit, Souji Hasegawa." Rio revealed.
The other four Spirits gasped in shock at that.
"My god... I knew it was weird when she said that name, but at the time I thought she might have just been someone close to her. So she was actually her predecessor? Hey... wait a second, you always knew when a Spirit died right? Wouldn't you have recalled giving it to Nia afterwards?" Mana asked.
Rio shook her head.
"I don't know when a Spirit dies, I know when they could die. That way I could rush over and maybe help save them in time... I never did, but the main point is I couldn't sense their actual deaths. Although, I do think the first time I felt that warning was with Souji, but I quickly noticed Raziel calm, and I saw who I thought was her fly away safely. Though I was still young when we first saw her a few months back and may have subconsciously thought Nia and Souji were the same person, so maybe... just maybe..."
Rio gasped.
"That's right! I did meet Nia when I first met Souji, she was Souji's student, and Raziel actually noted Nia had the same potential to wield her, if Nia was present when she died... Raziel would have accepted her instantly if she touched the Raziel crystal. That moment, Souji must have actually died, but since it was the first time I felt that feeling and Raziel was calm after, I didn't consider Raziel had immediately found another host." Rio realized in horror.
"So that would mean the DEM killed Souji, and before they got her crystal, Nia took it and became the next [Sister]... but based on what Nia said, there must have been people who could have helped her that didn't. She couldn't believe we'd save others other stopping the Dainsleif because-" Mana gasped.
"Because no one stopped to save Souji from dying, but... wait, something's not right here. Mom revived everyone, shouldn't have Souji come back to life like the others too? Why would she still have such a grudge against mankind if we helped bring her back?" Shiori wondered.
Everyone was stumped at that.
Taking a minute to think, everyone tried to figure out what was making Nia still act this way if Souji was alive. Kannazuki had mentioned back when Rinne revived everyone the only failures were Seigo and Isamu, and that was because they were without souls.
No answers came for a few more minutes, and then Tohka suddenly gasped as she recalled something Nia had said to them earlier.
"...I will avenge the only former Spirit who didn't revived, because even if she regained her body... her memories were lost forever, effectively destroying who she was!" Nia's voice echoed.
"Hey Shiori, how does one remember and forget things? I know it sounds weird but tell me." Tohka asked.
"Uh... well, let's see here, I think memory is a cellular action. When you get amnesia, I think the cells with the associated memories don't respond, but they're still present and why you can regain your memories later." Shiori answered.
"So... hypothetically, what if those same cells were destroyed?" Tohka asked again.
"Well then there's no way you could remember the memories that were-" Mana answered.
Suddenly, everyone froze in place, looking at Tohka.
"Oh my god... Tohka, are you suggesting what I think you are?" Rio asked.
"Nia mentioned something about 'memories being lost forever' right before she Inverted, I don't know what else it could be." Tohka replied.
"I think the only way we'll get answers is to find Nia herself and ask her, and to do that... we need to find the others, and try getting out of this world." Shiori stated.
Everyone nods at that.
"I think the first thing we need to do is figure out where the others are at." Mana replied.
"How do we do that though?" Yoshino asked.
"Hmm... hey Inugami, we still have friends of mine to find, think you can find anyone who has my scent on them?" Tohka asked.
"I think I can do that, let's see..." Inugami replied.
Inugami sniffs the air a bit, and soon rushes ahead as he got a scent.
"Alright, good doggy!" Rio smiled.
Everyone followed Inugami into the unknown, and as they did... Nia was seen floating in the air above them with a strong glare aimed towards their backsides.
Taking a black page from Beelzebub, she started drawing something inside of it and once she was finished, threw it forward to create a vampiric like creature.
"...Enjoy your game now, you'll face reality soon enough." Nia whispered coldly.
-Nia & Souji's Story, Chapter 1-
Souji Hasegawa sighed as she stared at the work before her, she was looking at her most recent concept idea for a story series she wanted to call "Silver Bullet", a manga series that was going to be about monsters and machines in a setting that normally seemed dark and apocalyptic, but was actually from the world's final days and hopeful despite the dark atmosphere.
The problem was her concept idea, despite all she tried... she couldn't make anything from the ground up happy, and if she didn't figure out something soon not only was her idea gonna be scrapped... she could lose her entire job. Even with the Spacequake threat still doing heavy damage to the world, when things settled her idea was expected to help inspire the survivors in the world's time of recovery.
"Damn it, what can I do!? How am I supposed to proceed from here?" Souji said, biting her lip in worry.
"H-Hey, you can't go in there you crazy little-"
Souji turned as she heard her bodyguard complain, and soon the sight of a teenage girl of either 15 or 16 with long silvery-gray hair like her own come into her room, holding a sketch pad and showing an excited look before the guard grabbed her color.
"Oh no!" Nia gasped.
"Forgive me Ms. Hasegawa, this little fan girl rushed through security. I'll take her out right-" The guard answered.
"No, she can stay." Souji sighed.
"B-But Ms. Hasegawa, what about your work!?" The guard stuttered.
"I can't get anything in my head right now, there's no work to interrupt. Maybe this will distract me enough to get something... I'm that desperate right now." Souji explained.
"O-Oh... well, alright." The guard replied.
The security guard put Nia on the ground.
"This ain't something you'll get again, so you better behave or else!" The guard stated before closing the door.
"Y-yes sir!" Nia replied.
Nia walked up to Souji.
"So, you're a fan. I'm guessing you want an autograph?" Souji sighed while smiling.
"Yeah, I'm sorry." Nia apologized.
"Oh, it's fine, not like there's a fan who doesn't-" Souji answered, taking her sketchbook as she put her name on it... only to notice what it was.
"A sketchbook? Oh, do you wanna make a manga like I do?"
Nia nods.
"Yeah, I don't think I'm that good though." Nia admitted, twiddling her fingers as she blushed.
Souji opens her sketchbook and saw a lot of well-made designs.
"Not good? Are you kidding me, while not the pro level stuff, you've clearly got designs and technique down. These are well made." Souji admitted.
"You really think so?" Nia gasped happily, her eyes sparkling.
"Yeah, you'll go far one day... while I might have finally washed out all my ideas. How sad, this might be what kills my career, a manga meant to encourage the world when this Spacequake disaster finally has some solution to prevent the deaths that have taken out half the human race." Souji replied, chuckling a bit before covering her eyes as they shed tears.
Nia blinks at her looking worried, and soon noticed the ideas of Silver Bullet.
Souji soon hears a pencil sound, removing her hand to see Nia adding details to it, she looked a bit panicked before she noticed what Nia was adding.
"What the?" Souji gasped.
"-As the story's silver bullet, the protagonist having silver guns would be a good choice, and the dark atmosphere yet hopeful tone needs a signature line such as [There is no darkness if no light casts its shadow. This sight doesn't mean there's no light, it just shows how brightly its shining to cast this shadow to protect us!], and this black outfit theme works too. In fact, having some of those monsters be a power source and change sides against the machines would-" Nia muttered as she added details.
Souji looked surprised, as she looked Nia's ideas the blockade she had been facing was broken as she agreed with the ideas she herself couldn't create.
After a minute, Nia stopped to think and Souji tapped her shoulder.
"H-how did you... how'd you do all this?" Souji asked.
"Oh, well... I like dark and edgy designs but a hopeful undertone. Too bad that's mostly fanfiction. I kinda made my sketches off that concept, I just tried the same here. Don't worry, I didn't add anything of mine in here." Nia admitted.
Souji stared at her in shock.
"...Wow, you saved my job kid. I bet your parents will be proud to hear this."
"...I don't have any parents." Nia said sadly.
"Oh my... did the Spacequakes kill them?" Souji asked.
"No, I never knew them." Nia answered, shaking her head.
"Ah, they died when you were really young then?" Souji realized.
Nia shock her head again.
"No, I was abandoned, I'm an orphan." Nia answered.
"W-what? An orphan? Wait, so you like this theme because..." Souji gasped.
"Thanks for letting me meet you, it was fun. Well... goodbye then." Nia said as she prepared to leave.
"...Wait." Souji suddenly said.
Nia stopped and turned, looking at Souji.
"What's your name kid?" Souji asked.
"Oh, I'm Nia Honjou. Why do you ask?" Nia wondered.
"Tell me, would you like to be my protege?" Souji asked.
Nia's eyes widened, and with just those nine words... her entire life changed forever.
Now that's one way to tell a story within a story. *starts laughing* I'm sorry everyone, but I had to tell that joke at least once during this arc, so I figured I'd do it now and get it over with. As usual, I've slipped Shiori in over Shido, it's part of how she's learning how being Shiori boosts her Reiryoku, like she unconsciously did last arc.
Anyways, I decided to make Shiori into the Moon Princess Kaguya from "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" since I want her to actually have some power like a few of the others. While I won't reveal who the characters in the original Volume 14 became until they show up, but I will at least say that the characters everyone became in the story world in Volume 14 are all unchanged.
Now, why did I choose the fairy tales that I did for the other characters exactly? Here's why:
For making Shido/Shiori into Princess Kaguya, or Kaguyahime as I chose in this instance to avoid the issue with DAL already having a Kaguya, it was because of how in this story, Shido was born in the Spirit Dimension and isn't a normal human.
For making Mana into Susanoo, it's because of her CR-Unit's name origin coming from the Kusanagi's original name which includes "Murakumo" in it, making it the obvious choice. Especially since two of Mana's techniques had Susanoo and Orochi in the name.
For Kurumi, I chose Tamamo-no-Mae because it fits the story of how Tamamo eventually becomes repentant after being freed from her stone prison. In this story, Kurumi was imprisoned by the DEM without knowing it, and once free she's repentant for what happened while the Cassiopeia was influencing her.
For Rinne, as she was without a body for a while and needed a kiss to regain it, even though the kiss itself wasn't what did it... it led to her regaining her body in the end. That sounds like a Sleeping Beauty to me.
And for Rio, the choice of Issun-boshi came from Rio originally being small and having little to no offensive skill, but eventually growing up into her current appearance, just like how Issun-Boshi becomes normal sized after finding a special mallet.
For this arc, I've also added the story of Nia and Souji's tale between the chapters, it's kinda an indirect method of making the main story look like we're reading between the lines as the characters' efforts to reunite is progressing Nia's backstory and slowly unraveling the mystery behind it, all starting with how Nia indirectly helped become Silver Bullet's co-creator.
Well, that's the first chapter of Nia's Storybook... *blinks and giggles* oh! Unintentional pun there, that's a new one :3
See you next chapter everyone, until then... stay awesome! ^^
-Spirit Bond Levels & Passive Abilities-
Tohka - 100%, MAX (Form a mana barrier automatically)
Origami - 99% (Teleport Dodging)
Yoshino - 99% (Dampen enemy territories)
Kotori - 99% (Healing from fatal wounds minus losing his head, doesn't work on wounds caused by blunt force)
Kurumi - 99% (Hide in his shadow, and only his)
Rinne - (Summon a weakened copy of Uriel)
Natsumi - 99% (Transform into Shiori)
Kaguya - 96% (Flight)
Yuzuru - 96% (Weight Manipulation)
Miku - 90% (Pain Reliever)
Maria - (Restore dying/withered/dead vegetation and plant life)
Marina - (Remove toxins or other harmful substances, either from a living creature or an object)
Rio - (Create a soothing aura of Reiryoku to reduce a sealed Spirit's anger)
Mana - (Allow Mana to use Spirit Ascension at its weakest level without Angels)