Mario clenched his fists together, grinning and baring his teeth at his opponent.

Origami, however, was clenching her teeth. She scowled at Mario.

They both had one shared thought, and so they said it together.

"I'm getting SICK of you!"

Mario immediately darted forward and dealt the first punch to Origami's stomach. She flew back a bit and retaliated with a sword strike. Mario avoided this strike by hopping over it. Origami went on the defensive end, floating back from the ever pursuing Mario. She whirred up her machine gun and absolutely hailed on Mario.

The plumber took a quick step onto a stone path within the park, the battle taking him uphill whilst Origami was still on the lower level. Mario saw this as an opportunity and jumped down, vaulting over the railing and aiming his boots at Origami.

"No, not this time...!" Origami whispered to herself and flew back, avoiding Mario as he landed on his feet, the hero using this momentum to jump up high again, arm raised in the air like he always jumped.

"Mama-mia!" Mario flailed his arms as Origami twisted her sword, Mario getting stopped by the blunt end of it. Origami kicked him down to the lower level, as Mario skidded on the ground and kept his pursuit.

Mario went to a nearby tree and grabbed a branch, now swinging like an acrobat, he rotated around the tree and launched himself in the air, his body twirling as he landed on the tip on one foot, now using that weight to tilt the tree and catapult himself to Origami.

"Hyaaaah!" Mario struggled to be in the air at first, but then smirked and raised his fist forward, knocking over Origami, who fell several feet down the air, readjusting herself before she hit the ground.

Origami took this time to check her gun. "Tch, these anti-Spirit weapons won't keep him down, I'm gonna be out of ammunition before I get to Yatogami..."

However, checking her gun was a mistake, as Mario proceeded to Ground Pound her, sending her plummeting to the ground. Mario bounced off Origami and landed on the ground, swaying his fists up and down and adjusting his cap. Like he always used to when he was idling in a certain fighting game tournament... Once he saw Origami get up again, he went to uppercut her chin, sending her airborne again.

Origami took flight, swinging her sword at Mario, the plumber literally diving on his belly to avoid the attack, eventually curling into a ball and rolling downhill. A move he learned back on his odyssey...

No. Before that. Back when he teamed up with a certain hedgehog.

Man, trip down memory lane aside, Mario curled back on his feet, a little dizzy.

However, letting his guard down for a single second was a big mistake, as he got pelted by bullets, a classic damage sound being heard. "Owie!"

It's only bullet wounds, right...? He needed to keep going! Besides, he already felt the wounds closing... He looked over. Miku had faintly reached her keyboard.

"Haaah... Tohka... Kaguya... Yuzuru..." Miku called out. "It's... going to take a while... for them to recover... even with Gabriel..." Miku finally found her footing, placing her heels on the ground. "While I'd rather have a lovely girl fight for me, you'll have to do... I'll heal you if necessary!"

Mario gave a thumbs up. "Thank-a you for the backhanded compliment!"

Origami growled again, aiming her guns at Miku.

Mario turned back to his battle. "Uh oh." His pupils shrunk as he went, dived, and DRAGGED the gun away, it shooting several bullets into the ground.

Mario used his legs to jump onto the gun and then kicked Origami square in the face, as she flew back again. He then let it loose, raising his hands to exaggerate his points.

"You'd really go that-a far to play dirty?!"

Origami kept her cool. "It's to meet an end for my revenge."

"Oh, your sweet precious revenge!" Mario's words were filled with spite. To him, consciously killing other human beings was too low for him. And so not only did he attack physically (whenever he could), he attacked verbally. "Your little-a innocent revenge! I'd-a believe your sob story... but..."

"ONE!" Mario jumped up, swinging a fist down to a dodging Origami. "You sniped Shido with an anti-Spirit rifle back when he was-a dealing with Tohka!" Clearly, Mario's memory was willing to go back that far just to teach someone a lesson. "Let's-a go back even further! TWO! When Shido and-a Tohka were conversing within-a school grounds, you ignored your-a captain's orders just to wildly swing at her! No-a regard for Shido's life THEN?" Mario started running after Origami again, sidestepping incoming bullets. "Oh, and-a lastly, can't forget the time you terrorized the water park, opening fire at a crowded place with-a no alarm activated!"
Mario grinned, staring at a twitching Origami. "But POOR YOU, am I-a right?!"

It was kind of strange in retrospect that Shido never brought up Origami's little stunts toward him and the Spirits. But thankfully, Mario was here, the happy-go-lucky wahoo guy to bully her.

How far things have fallen.

"All in all," Mario finally finished. "You really aren't a good-a person! Like, at all!"

"I'm not trying to be good." She immediately responded. "I'm making ends meet. I will stop at nothing to make my goals a reality."

Mario rotated his arms, cracking a few muscles. "I appreciate your-a enthusiasm. I really-a do."

Upon Miku's pressing of keys, Mario sprinted forward faster than ever before, glaring Origami dead in the eye, and jumped to give her a roundhouse kick to the face.

"Ghh-!" Origami spat again, switching to sword mode. "Engage close quarters comba-"

She looked up, noticing Mario diving in for a gut punch. She coughed up air as she swung her sword.

Mario jumped up, landed, and proceeded to uppercut her jaw.

Then her right cheek.

Then her left.

Then kicked her chest.

And then the finishing move - charging up in a flash of light and erupting a fire from his hands, sending a burst of fire that sent her flying into a tree.

Miku shouted playfully from her refuge with the still-recovering Spirits. "Awwwh! Don't beat her up too hard! I wanted to punish her myself!"

"Yo, Miku!" Mario sarcastically turned to Miku. "We don't-a have time." He pointed his finger up. "Considering our only other-a help is in-a danger too."

Suddenly, Ellen's voice boomed down to the surface from her DEM airship. "You. Mario. Surrender now. Origami is not known for laying down."

Mario slowly released his covered ears and looked at the distance. Origami was already reloading.

Miku panted. "J-just hold on..."

"I'm-a trying! Guys! Get up! Please!" Mario prepared to fight yet again.

Tohka's voice could be heard mumbling, slowly gripping onto Sandalphon. "Nearly... Just... keep... fighting..."

"Is anyone there?! Please help me!"

Believe it or not, Shido was still shouting for help. The chair's improved security allowed for no escape. "Dammit! I need to find a way out of here!"

Just then, the door opened and Shido stopped his struggling. He gasped.

It was Origami.

"Origami...?!" He asked the blank-stared girl as she stepped closer. "Did you change your mind?!"

Origami got real close and leaned her torso down, coming face-to-face with Shido.

Then she smiled.

Then she started laughing. Putting her hands on her hips, she absolutely cackled.

Shido couldn't believe it. This was... extremely out of character. "O-Origami...?"

She pointed. "Your face! It's just hilarious!"

She fell onto the floor, laughing comically. "It's so funny! Oh God, I can't breathe!"

"Uh..." Either Origami REALLY hit her head HARD or...

Luigi's voice echoed out. "Dude! We can HEAR you! Don't need to rub it in!" He berated as he came into light, running into the building. "Shido! There you are!" He was followed by Yoshino.

"L-Luigi?! Yoshino?!"

Yoshino jumped over the laughing Origami, checking in on Shido. "Are you alright, Shido...?!"
Yoshinon immediately came in for a quip. "Wow, you're really getting into the full hostage experience! Now, come on, Yoshino, you can do whatever you w-"

A fourth figure walked in, revealing to be Princess Peach. "Luigi! Don't wander off when alarms are activated! What happened here?!"

Shido called back. "Something's wrong with Origami! Everyone stay away from her!"

Luigi just sighed, staring down Origami. "Okay, okay, got it out of your system?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Origami got up, her figure disappearing in a jade light, being replaced by a young girl with green hair and eyes.

"Natsumi?!" Shido gasped.

"What? Got a problem with that? Mad that it's just me?"

"No..." Shido felt relaxed now that he was in entirely safe company. "But why are you four here?"

"Um..." All four rescuers looked at each other, wondering where to start.

Yoshino quietly raised her hand. "I was... um... showing Natsumi around town... Then we... ran into Mario..."

Natsumi continued. "I saw Origami acting weird earlier, so I ushered the two toward this building. I was all prepared and stuff, but of course, Mario had to ruin it by suddenly bolting off to deal with Origami. Took me a while to regroup with Yoshino. Which led to now."

Luigi jumped in. "Mario went missing! I just saw the two girls enter here not too long ago!"

Then finally, Peach. "I followed Luigi."

"Wait-wait-wait." Shido shook his head. "You mean to tell me Mario is out there ALONE fighting Origami?!"

Luigi put his fist to his chin. "Now that I think about it, haven't seen much of the other Spirits around either."

"So they're all out there getting picked off one by one by Origami..." Shido's worry creeped in again. "U-untie me from this chair, any of you? I can't just sit around..."

Natsumi raised her hand. "Right, right, I can help... Hhhgh... gotta..." She put fingers to her forehead, thinking real hard. "Yyyyyyyyoooooou-"

Peach put a shoulder on Natsumi's shoulder. "It's okay, we're all skilled, we can find a way to cut the-"

Natsumi suddenly burst out, screaming into the sky. "Go to hell, all of you!"

Shido's rope glowed green as it poofed in a cartoon manner. He raised his hands, gripping each other to make sure they didn't go numb. "Natsumi, was that-?"

Natsumi turned back to Shido and away from Peach. "I figured out how to get my powers back - things that make me upset."

"Upset...?"

"Yes..." Natsumi closed her eyes. "When I was in school, I didn't have any friends, so I just ate by myself in a bathroom stall. But one time I forgot to lock the door, so a classmate walked in on me there. Just had that thought in my head when saving you."

"Embarrassing." Shido spoke one word.

"And then when I got back to the bathroom, everyone started quietly laughing at me."

"ANYWAY!" Shido finally stood up, nearly losing his balance from how numb his legs were. "HOW ABOUT we get out of here?!"

And so they did, with Shido squinting in the sunlight and pulling out his phone, attempting to dial Kotori. "No dice. I can't contact Fraxinus." He turned to the party. "Do any of you know where Mario and the Spirits are?"

Luigi nodded. "Yeah. It's gonna take a while, though..."

Tohka was laying on the ground, slowly picking herself up. She finally had the energy to stand.

Miku's croaky voice called out to her. "Tohka-san... Are you healed well...?" Miku emerged, looking particularly damaged. Seems like Origami went for cheap shots when Mario was distracted.

She held her arm, smiling, then promptly collapsed on the floor.

"Miku...!" Tohka called out. She looked across to see Kaguya and Yuzuru fainted on the ground. Shen she heard rustling of the leaves, barely crawling out of the way to dodge an incoming Mario, slammed against the tree, sitting against the ground. "Mario..."

She looked to see someone perched on the fallen branches. Her enemy. "Origami... You wretch!" She slammed Sandalphon down.

"Do not interrupt me any further." She held out her hand, Yuzuru being picked up by an invisible force.

"Yuzuru!" Tohka shouted.

Yuzuru was still barely conscious. "Anguish: Master... Origami... why... GHA-" She choked once Origami used that invisible force to grip her neck with her physical hand. The monotone girl smiling as she prepared her sword.

Tohka prepared Sandalphon. "YOU..."

Then another shout from a victim. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SISTER, ORGIAMIIIII!" Kaguya yelled, reaching down and attempting to pierce her with Raphael.

Origami kept smiling, deflecting Raphael with her sword, knocking Kaguya back into the ground.

"KAGUYA!" Tohka broke into a sprint, being walled off and knocked onto the ground by a Territory. "Gah-!"

Origami was still chokeholding Yuzuru. "It's been a long road, but I'm finally here... I will finally kill all Spirits and end it all! And from this, I regain who I am...! Every last Spirit, every one who even does so much as hide... I'll kill them all...!" She aimed the tip of the sword at Yuzuru.

"Everyone... is..." Tohka despaired, looking around, gaining ever-so-slight memories of... a DEM tower...

She looked... and felt a lot different...

A different form... and also a much crueler form...

She shook her head. "No... they all need me... I have to finish this while I'm still myself! To keep everyone alive... And to keep Origami sane... Shido! If you're still around... lend me strength!"

Her grip on Sandalphon tightened as her dress emitted a purple glow. Origami noticed, lessening her grip on Yuzuru and looking down at the strange event. She gritted her teeth again. She gasped when she realized - Tohka's whole form changed. She gasped as she finally released Yuzuru, seeing what Tohka had become. A purple energy ball gently picked up Yuzuru and set her beside...

A fully unsealed Tohka.

"That form...!"

Tohka set Yuzuru down. "I don't like you, Origami. I've NEVER liked you. Not now. Not ever. But the hate I hold for you now is different compared to all the times before. Even so..." She pointed Sandalphon. "I won't hold back!"

Origami squeaked, seeing Tohka radiating in that same familiar Spirit energy.

Princess was back, and there was no mistaking that. She howled as she dived in again, sword clashing with Sandalphon, which sent Origami flying back a bit. Tohka dived in, clashing again. Her speed was increased too. A fray of swords clashing together, easily outpowering Origami.

Origami's battle suit crackled with electric as she changed forms yet again, releasing a spark into the sky.

Tohka's pupils shrunk as she jumped back from an array of explosives.

"RAAAGH!" Origami shouted again, clashing yet again with Tohka. And then another strike, continuing with their endless battle. "I can't give up... I'm so close...! I can kill you... I can kill all of you! I can.. I can..."

Origami's suit malfunctioned.

The whites in her eyes turning red, stopping inches before Tohka. The shocked girl falling into the ground.

And then hit with a full-force Sandalphon. Origami coughed up blood, plummeting into the ground and forest, skidding on the ground, getting cut up all over, and finally coming to a stop.

Mario slowly raised his hat from his eyes, looking at the downed Origami not moving. Then he noticed an unsealed Tohka, an injured trio of Spirits, and a whole lot of questions. "Guys-er-gals!"

Mario waved them over, looking at the unsealed Tohka. A lot of questions to be asked later.

"I hit... my operation limit...?" Origami spoke, with a trail of blood drooling from her mouth, staring hopelessly in the sky. "I... I wasn't close at all... I was sacrificing my own life in order to end theirs... No... Not even that... To match their power... But even... with all my hope... it still... wasn't..."

Origami reached into the sky, holding on to that tiny little thread of hope. "I don't... have anything left... I... I want..."

Origami's world turned white.

An anomoly so vague, so scary, so powerful... had finally caught up.

The mastermind behind it all.

Phantom.

"Hey, you. Do you want more power?"

In reality, Origami could mistake this figure as God.

"What... are you...?"

"Answer me. Do you want more power? A power so absolute that nobody will be able to stand against you ever again?"

Origami's breath shook. The glitchy voice drove a hard bargain, and Origami's alternative choices were all shut down ages ago. She closed her eyes and stared back into nothingness. "I... want that power..." Her eyes started to well up. "I don't... care... what I have to give or sacrifice... I want... an absolute power that will help me realize my dream... The... The ultimate power...! I want it!"

Origami's vision had returned to the waking world, with a glowing crystal right in front of her.

A Sephira Crystal.

"Is that...?"

Phantom was still there, encouraging her. "Reach out for the strength you desire."

Origami laid motionless, then weakly held out her arm.

"I give this to you."

And her hand touched the crystal. The crystal glowed a bright white light, hovering down and colliding with Origami.

Colliding soon to be the incorrect term, now ENTERING her. "What... was that..."

Origami's heart beat loudly. A surge that nauseated her. Transforming her entire being. "Ga-ah?! Aa-ah.. gh..." Origami started to float in midair, the very concept of what she was changing at that very moment.

"Ah, ah...?!" Origami herself began to glow, as she shrieked, finally transforming. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Alarms blared within the AST base, as Ryouko folded her arms. "Status report!"

"We're detecting strange magical energy. Nothing unlike any reports DEM warned us about."

"Impossible... Are you saying this is a new Spirit?! But there's no spacequake...! It came to this world silently? Or is there something more...?!"

Kaguya finally was caught up to speed. "Tohka... that form?"

The princess nodded. "Indeed. It seems in my determination to protect all of you, my full power returned."

Yuzuru was sitting on her knees, half-Astral Dress unlike Tohka, which applied to everyone else (except Mario). "Question: Where is Master Origami?"

Tohka turned to Yuzuru. "I hit her with the flat of my blade. She's still alive and nearby. I heard about Territories protecting their bodies."

Kaguya put a hand to her chin. "Mmm... So that leaves... Ah! Right! Miku!"

The three gathered around to Miku.

The idol was still softly breathing.

Still alive, thank goodness.

Kaguya simply giggled. "You ought to thank her when she wakes up! She really fought hard, boosting both you and Mario."

Yuzuru agreed. "Agreement: She was amazing."

Mario folded his arms, looking at an empty park, hearing Miku imitate the Yamai to try and get Tohka to kiss her, sounds of yelling can be heard as Miku began her assault on all three once she was caught. The bright sun causing him to tilt his hat down.

Wow, that was really bright.

...

It wasn't a yellowish glow like the sun always had. It was pure white. Mario raised an eyebrow. "Huh...?"

He got off his leaning position, now running to said empty section of the park, looking up, seeing a figure.

"That... no... It can't-a be..."

An angel had graced the lands. And that angel was now Origami.

And that Origami was now a Spirit, dressed in all white and gold.

And a gold halo and a bride's veil around her head. All floating.

She wasn't using techmology anymore.

She was a Spirit.

Tohka ran toward Mario while commanding the other girls "Everyone - get to safety! I can't fight and protect all of you."

After hesitation, the girls nodded, as Mario looked back at them, then at Origami.

Tohka put a hand on Mario's shoulder. "Mario. This is..."

And then, Mario let out a scream of fury.

"OR-I-GAM-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII?!"

The Spirit floated down towards them, still within her delusions. "You... All of you... I will finally kill you!" She then raised her hand to call out. "METATRON!"

The angel's Angel floated down, being a series of strange golden devices, hovering all around her.

Tohka also screamed. "WHY ARE YOU A SPIRIT?!"

"A Spirit...?" Origami looked at her silky white gloves and giant bow. Seems like she only just realized. "I see. But that's fine. I will use this power to kill other Spirits! One among them that kills them! And after all that's done, it'll end with myself!"

Mario's nauseating feeling never subsided. He queasily looked up to see Metatron spinning around Origami.

"Metatron: Shemesh!" Metatron picked up pace at her command, spilling out light particles everywhere.

Mario weakly raised his fist as Tohka whimpered, preparing Sandalphon to defend herself.

Luigi pointed. "They were over here!" His finger was aiming at smoke.

Luigi, Shido, Yoshino and Peach were all riding Yoshino's Angel, Zadkiel. Natsumi was riding on Haniel.

"They're over there...?!" Shido growled.

Mario bounced on Sandalphon's flat blade, trying to get a dropkick in on Origami, which the latter blocked with Metatron. Tohka went in for a swipe, only for Origami to teleport behind them.

Origami gasped at her own power, looking down at her form yet again. "I... I..." She aimed her palm again. "Metatron: Mal'akh!"

Beams of light started to home in on Tohka and Mario. Mario taking the hit as he was sent plummeting down to the ground.

"Uuuuuaaaaaaaah!" Mario screamed.

"MARIOOO!" Tohka yelled as she desperately tried to use Sandalphon to block Metatron.

"Metatron: Kadour!"

Tohka kept blocking with her sword, only for a precise shot to hit her torso as the princess coughed up blood. "Gah... gh...!" But she still kept fighting. "GaaaaaaaAGHH!" She swung again, only for Origami to teleport again.

Origami gasped only to see Tohka not use Sandalphon-

as Tohka straight up punched Origami in the cheek with her fist. She took a bit to recover, floating up again, taking Metatron with her.

Mario landed on the ground on his side, screaming in pain. "Gouf!"

Tohka landed gently, raising her heel and stomping it, causing Sandalphon's throne to emerge. The throne broke and it's metal attached to Sandalphon, becoming Halvanhelev. She still pleaded. "Origami! I'll ask you one last time! Can we really not talk this through?!"

Origami gritted her teeth, still floating in the air. "Don't be ridiculous! My wish will never change! My mission will never change! I will kill all Spirits!"

Tohka's eyes narrowed. "I see. Then you leave me no choice!" She jumped up, floating in the air. "I will hold nothing back! Prepare yourself!"

"Shut up!" Origami aimed both of her palms forward, Metatron taking a cannon shape, charging up.

Tohka's Sandalphon glowed purple. "Sandalphon: Halvanhelev!"

"Metatron: Artelif!"

Two unstoppable forces about to collide.

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"

They both gasped and looked down. The voice they recognized had finally caught up. Shido had finally caught up.

"Shido!" They both shouted.

"Why?!" Shido looked up. "How did it end up like this?! Tohka! Origami...!"

Origami's heart was heavy. All she wanted to do was -

She summoned Metatron to her side again, flying away.

"ORIGAMI!"

Origami fought back tears as she blitzed through the sky at abnormal speeds.

"ORIGAMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Shido's cries were no use.

Luigi caught up as well, immediately rushing over. "MARIO!"

Mario groggily blinked. "Luigi...?"

Peach panted, stopping to catch her breath. "What were you thinking...?!"

Mario used his brother's shoulders as a support.

"Ah, sorry, my-a fault for battling a determined-a kuudere who just so-a happened to become a newborn-a SPIRIT. Shoulda saw that-a coming..."

Luigi hunched, still supporting Mario, although he was scared out of his mind. "Hey, it's okay, I gotcha bro...? Now... Newborn Spirit...?!"

Moonlight reflected off Origami's Astral Dress as she landed on her knees on a platform, being very far away from the main group. Metatron faded.

Origami slowly got up on her feet and turned, walking over and looking down on the town from the safety of a simple railing. Smoke everywhere. Buildings in ruin. And there was one culprit for it.

"I did this..."

Origami's face paled, her harboring guilt finally taking the better of her as she coughed into her hand. She squinted at what she became. A Spirit. Just like them. But on the bright side, she could finally kill them all, right...? Her mouth opened at the possibilities. Tohka... To the lengths of Efreet, and maybe even Nightmare...

She heard a tick, Origami looking at the public clock, the time now 6PM. "If I can do that, then..."

Shido and Tohka regrouped back to Raizen High in the moonlight, where the school would be empty.

"I see..." Shido was brought up to speed. "So Origami became a Spirit...?"

Tohka sat on one of the infirmary beds. "I'm not entirely sure what happened. She was in her mecha suit... and then I knocked her down... and then she..." Tohka winced, holding her stomach in pain.

"You need to get some rest." Shido reassured calmly, drooping his face as he looked out the window. Everything was still up in smoke.

Shido perked up, looking to the right to see Yoshino attending to Kaguya and Yuzuru.

"Um... Are you all okay..."
And of course, Yoshinon. "You took some serious butt kickings!"

Kaguya exhaled. "Wh-whaaaat? This is nothing."

Yuzuru was more real though. "Sighing: Kaguya's only acting tough."

"No, no, I'm perfectly fine! A-aaow..."

Shido just gently smiled, looking down at a crouched Natsumi.

"I'm so ugly I could just as well be trash... But at least trash can be recycled, so I guess I'm lower than that..."

Then, from beyond the curtain...

Peach was gravely worried. "Mario... Don't make Luigi physically restrain you..."

"I... I can still go on.. Origami's still-a out there..."

Just then, they heard a door open. Shido opened the curtain to see Bowser Jr and Kamek. The former being all forms of bruised.

"Junior!" Mario and Shido gasped.

"Ellen got me good... I tried to get out..." Junior groaned. "One of her... stupid blasts got me!" He fell to the ground, to be gently carried by Kamek to the nearest bed.

Everyone fought so hard, as he balanced to make way for Miku. "Hey, Miku, you should really... don't push yourself..."

Miku weakly looked at Shido. "I'm happy you're worried, Darling... But I've still got work to do while I still have Spirit energy left..."

"Work...?"

Miku stepped to the middle of the infirmary. "Gabriel: Requiem!"

Small golden organ pipes formed around Miku as she announced. "Ladies and gentlemen! (especially the ladies) Welcome to this exclusive concert!" A comical spotlight was casted upon Miku. "Izayoi Miku on stage!"

Heavenly choirs played as Miku hummed. And just like that, Gabriel was emitting particles throughout the room. One of them landed on Mario, as he felt all wounds and pressures fizzled out.

The plumber jumped, peppy as ever. "Okiedokie! Time to-"

Immediately tackled by Luigi. He wasn't going anywhere.

Everyone looked at the light as their pain was fading away.

Miku was still humming. "This is a song that numbs pain. It's only good for taking the pain away though."

Gabriel faded away as Miku fell to her knees. Shido couldn't be any more grateful. "Thank you, Miku. We need to get to an actual hospital before the effects wear off... Can you walk, Tohka?"

Tohka got up from her bed. Shido could only gasp. The last time he saw her in that outfit was...

Back at the very beginning. Before he sealed anyone. Which meant... he needed to seal her again.

"What's wrong, Shido?"

"Um..." Shido blushed. "You have a sec?" He scurried to close the curtains.

Mario only heard all of this and just giggled, now being forced onto the bed.

Luigi patted the quilt. "Fingers crossed that-"

A bump could be heard as the door to Shido's side of the infirmary opened. A small brown-haired teacher with glasses. She quickly assessed the danger.

"Itsuka?! You're all badly injured! Don't worry, I'll call the hospital!" Tamae quickly ran off.

Shido breathed a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile...

A gothic twintailed Spirit crawled up the building, giggling to herself and landing on the roof, vaulting over the railing and stopping, looking over the roof.

The city looked so small... Spirits really had a world of difference in power.

And speaking of Spirits...

Kurumi felt her clone whack against the floor, her eyes following the source but not turning.

"Ara~? Well, what do we have here?" Kurumi's torso turned, fully facing Origami and a dead clone.

Things just got very, very interesting.

A change of fate was about to occur, and Kurumi knew it all to well.

"Pleasure to see you again, Origami."