The moon.
What a lovely place for a stroll around for a tiny lone satellite.
Except, within our layers of oxygen, there were two warships going at it.
Firing lasers, activating shields... Fraxinus going visible and launching attacks, and worst of all...
Yoshino's TV was off.
"It turned off...!"
"Hey, what's going on!" Yoshinon banged it's head against the glass. "We were just getting to the good part too!"
Shido and Tohka, Mario and Luigi.
They were looking up at the unstoppable fight between the Yamai. It... could not be stopped, like I just said.
"You've always been like this!" Kaguya yelled. "You always try to take things on yourself and deal with them yourself!" She charged her lance and fired a wind blast at Yuzuru.
"Rebuttal: I'll wrap those words in pretty paper and ribbon and send them back to you." She launched her chains at the wind blast, cancelling each other out.
"Why did it come to this?!" Shido yelled, protecting Tohka. "Don't you two love each other?!"
"Shido." Tohka's spirit sense kicked in. "Something is here-! Everyone.."
Mario, Luigi, Tohka and Shido both looked within the dark forest of Arubi Island.
...green lights surrounded them. And then a voice was within radius. "Model number DD007... Bandersnatch." There was a pale-hair woman. Mario and Shido recognised her.
"Ellen?!"
"Thank you for coming to a place without too many people. Tohka, Mario."
Mario gasped. "I'm on her hit list too?!"
"However, I am surprised. I didn't those two were spirits, and Berserk at that." Ellen looked up.
"What are you and what-a do you want?" Mario stepped forward. "AST? I've-a had enough of those."
"You know about the defense force's Anti Spirit Team? Unfortunately, you are mistaken." She raised her hand as the Bandersnatch closed in on them. Tohka instantly transformed into her limited-edition Astral Dress and hacked her sword at the Bandersnatch.
"Are you all right, Shido?! Mario?! Green guy?!"
Ellen didn't change her tone. "It appears you are the real thing, princess. Tohka, will you please come with me?" She offered her hand while smiling. "Mario, too, you will be a bonus. You two will receive the warmest of welcomes."
"Silence!" Tohka pointed her sword and Mario pointed his finger.
"Hey, guys!" Shido stepped in. "No matter what she's, you can't use your weapons of mass destruction on anybody!"
"No.." Tohka spoke, and her eyes started to glisten. "After facing her like this, I realised... This woman.. I have a VERY bad feeling about her! She's like a very buffed version of the AST!"
Ellen started to glow, and then she was equipped with very similar equipment as the AST. Ultimate Spirit destroying armor. "That's an interesting way to put it. Bandersnatch squad, stay back for a while." She drew her laser sword. Mario felt his stomach churn. A similar laser sword to cut up Kurumi's guts... "I'll test the princess and the famous 'Mario Bros' to see if they can survive as much as they look cool."
"Don't even bother breathing!" Tohka ran in and jumped up. Mario simply looked at Luigi. "Let's-a-go!"
"Right!" They both ran towards Ellen. A 3v1. This should be fun.
Meanwhile, with Kannazuki's battle...
"The ship sustained no damage with that cannon again!"
"If Protect Territory is applied to a pinpoint location, its intensity will increase massively... Just as we experienced right now."
"But then the rest of the ship remains completely unprotected! If we're hit in a specific place..."
Kannazuki spoke up with a grin. "Next pinpoint location, same direction; 50, 69. (nice)"
"That range is way too narrow!"
"Hurry up or we'll die. But you know, dying isn't that bad. I've always wanted to experience something that hurts like hell.." He let his masochist side kick in.
"Range: 50, 69. Deploy!"
The small barrier was set up, and the attack from the opposing airship was completely blocked.
"It was blocked?!"
"And that attack was much stronger!"
"That's why the range was much smaller than before..."
Everyone looked at Kannazuki. Could he actually DO it?
Tohka and Ellen clashed swords. The sheer force of Ellen sent Tohka back. Mario dived onto his back legs and delivered an uppercut. Ellen stepped back.
Meanwhile, Luigi jumped up from above and tried to stomp on Ellen. She simply jumped forward to make Luigi land behind her and then clashed her sword with an incoming attack from Tohka again.
"Is this all you three got? I even equipped Pendragon for this fight. What a disappointment." Ellen said smugly. "Let's end this." She pushed Tohka back and swung her sword into Sandalphon.
Everything turned white. Tohka, Mario and Luigi were frozen with fear. No way... Did Ellen just...
break Sandalphon?
Crystals were in front of their eyes. Mario tried to grasp the shards with his gloved palms, but they were too tiny to grasp... "What... no.." His eyes watered as he watched the crystals float by.
While Tohka was in shock, Ellen elbowed her and she rolled onto the ground in front of Shido.
"Tohka! Tohka!" He stepped forward but was blocked by 2 Bandersnatch. "Dammit!"
4 Bandersnatch surrounded Mario and Luigi. Ellen smirked. "I suppose you two are too late. Goodbye."
A Bandersnatch unit was about to swing it's sword at Mario, but then
as Mario
gracefully accepted
his death
Luigi came in and straight up weaved between attacks and punched Ellen in the face.
"...huh..." Mario opened his eyes. Ellen was looking at Luigi.
"I didn't know YOU still had it in you. I thought you'd run away by now." Ellen looked at Luigi.
"I prefer not to run away when my bro is in danger." Luigi looked at Mario, and gave him a reassuring nod. Mario got back on his feet.
Ellen sighed. "I would've preferred Tohka be knocked out quickly. But you saw Sandalphon breaking, Mario. Surrender before I break your entire body."
"Well, my-a fist hungers for justice!" Mario brought his fist out... and his stomach rumbled.
"..." Everyone looked at Mario disappointingly.
"That was my... fist."
"Right." Luigi gave an unamused tone as everyone else got in their fight pose.
The Bandersnatch squad charged at Mario.
"Come on!" The Mario Bros.
They ran up to take one Bandersnatch unit each. Mario went up to his unit and swish-dodged the barrage of sword swings, making poses and faces as he kept dodging the close range attacks.
Shido was impressed.
"Hyah!" Mario used his fat weight to knock the Bandersnatch towards Ellen, to which she simply leaned out of the way.
Luigi jumped on top of his unit, dodging an incoming sword swing and karate chopping it's head. "Hyah!"
Mario charged in full tackle and rapidly punched his unit. He delivered two punches before jumping up and Ground Pounding a Bandersnatch, knocking it back.
Luigi kept kicking at a Bandersnatch, which was countered by multiple sword blocks. When it was open, Luigi delivered a kick. "Wah-hah! Luigi time!" He then noticed the Bandersnatch was coming right back for a dive attack. "Wuh oh!"
Mario jumped and leaned his body backwards, and delivered a backwards roundhouse kick. Using his foot on the ground, he backflipped and stomped on the Bandersnatch that was attacking Luigi.
Ellen sighed. "I've had enough of this." She drew her sword.
Mario nodded to Luigi. "Let's-a finish these guys up!" Mario curled into a ball and Luigi pulled out his hammer. They used Knockback Bros and Mario bonked on four Bandersnatch at once. "Yahoo!"
Mario's celebration was cut short as he was SLICED by Ellen's light sword.
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He let out the most bloodcurdling scream imaginable. He was knocked on top of Tohka.
"MARIO!" Shido yelled.
"Ah!" Luigi, yelled while defending himself. "MARIO!" It was looking grim at the moment...
"Spoilsports." Ellen commented. "Knock Tohka and Mario back and bring them to the airship ASAP."
One of the Bandersnatch units grabbed Tohka's hair with it's robotic arm.
"Tohka! What are you bastards doing?! Get out of the way! Tohka! Mario!" Shido yelled.
But all was helpless. The other three were struggling against the Bandersnatch, Mario was definitely unconscious, and Tohka closed her eyes to accept her fate.
"Is there... nothing I can do.." Shido thought. "I'm the only one here who can't fight... I don't want to feel helpless again!" He had flashbacks of Kurumi's army of clones absolutely bodying everybody. He looked all around. Kaguya and Yuzuru were still fighting in the air. THEY couldn't help... So Shido raised his hand into the sky.
"TOOOOOHKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.
All went black and a silent movement was made.
And at that instant, a Bandersnatch unit was cut in half. Tohka fell to the floor, unable to see Shido.
But Ellen saw him... and she was massively shocked.
Luigi looked at Shido and couldn't believe it. No way... That certain item couldn't POSSIBLY be in Shido's hands right now... but it is...
He's weilding Sandalphon himself.
Meanwhile, the Fraxinus was just barely surviving with their tiny shields.
"I wish for them to attack more, but Commander Kotori would be mad if I damaged her little ship... Very well, prepare the cannon at the ready!" Kannazuki commanded.
The ship prepared a yellow-glowing cannon blast towards the enemy airship with a giant green Territory barrier surrounding itself. Sure enough, they managed to pierce the Territory and damage the ship!
Shido couldn't believe his eyes.
Tohka sat up. "Shido.. why do you have Sandalphon?"
"What are you, Shido Itsuka?" Ellen showed no sign of backing down.
"I'm human. More or less." Shido firmly gripped Sandalphon.
"I've changed my mind. You'll be coming with Mario and Tohka. Resisting is not welcome."
The airship crashed into the enemy's airship's Territory. It kept clashing, with a radiating green light flowing throughout.
"Bandersnatch, take him into custody. If he resists, break his arms. If he resists more, break his legs."
"SHIDO!"
Shido did not flinch. The only muscles he moved was to swing his sword to finally defend himself against the Bandersnatch squad. The moon glistening between the battle of the airships and down below.
And then, a satellite was seen within the moon's light. As if without warning, the Bandersnatch stopped moving just inches with it's hand from Shido's face. "W-what...?"
Luigi got up and looked at Ellen.
Ellen was already contacting DEM. "The reactions of the Bandersnatch are haywire. Mind filling me in?" Voices were heard and Ellen was shocked. "The control room is on fire?! What do you MEAN you're battling an airship? I don't remember ordering that command!"
Shido grabbed Tohka's hand. "Now, Tohka!" They booked it out of that forest. Luigi picked up Mario and ran out.
"After them!" Ellen commanded. The Bandersnatch struggled to push in but quickly collapsed due to their power outage. "What are you doing?!" She scolded as if she were treating incompetent villains after slipping on a banana peel. Ellen sprinted after them herself but then... her foot slipped. Right into a trap.
"This can't be true... I'm the strongest Wizard of humanity... Crap!" Ellen finally was defeated.
Meanwhile, with Ai, Mai and Mii...
"You remember all those traps we set up? I think there was one that nobody got caught in."
"Maybe it was in a bad location?"
"That's so lame..."
Partly being on fire, the enemy airship started retreating.
"T-the enemy airship is retreating?!"
"What was that just now?!"
"That tiny little satellite?" The cameras zoomed in to a tiny lone satellite being reflected on the moon, surrounded by a green Territory.
Kannazuki was smug. All according to plan.
Shido and Tohka ran to the beach. Accompanied with them was Luigi with an injured Mario.
Luigi ran to the side, towards the ruined ship. "Didn't want to use this ever, but Mario's on the line here!"
He dug through the rubble until he found an emergency 1-Up Mushroom. Thank heavens it hadn't been stolen. Luigi forcefully opened up Mario's mouth. "This might hurt, Mario, but please...!"
He chomped slightly. Then he opened his eyes.
"Lui...gi?" His mouth coughed out.
Shido looked up at the midst of the tornado. The two sisters were still fighting. "KAGUYA! YUZURU! Stop it, you two! There might be a way for both of you to survive!" He yelled while the two sisters were out of breath.
...but they didn't listen. Shido gripped Sandalphon. "I know! I'll get their attention with this..." He raised it up and waved it about, Sandalphon glowing in the dark. "Dammit! Over here! OVER HERE! Can't something be done?! Look this way once, please! Kaguya! Yuzuru!"
Tohka eventually put her arm on Shido's shoulder. "I'm jealous that you can talk to them like that."
"Tohka... What should I do?" Shido turned.
Tohka grinned. "You summoned Sandalphon with your desire, Shido. So who else is there to fulfill that?"
"I did...? But..."
Tohka rested her hand on the handle of Sandalphon. "Calm your heart and remember. What do you want to do right now? What is it you are wishing for right now? Nothing else matters, throw it all away. Just picture your desire with your heart and swing the sword. If you do that, the angel will definitely respond."
Shido put a tiny bit of thought into his one wish. He gasped a bit when Sandalphon started to glow. He screamed out and swung Sandalphon with the help of Tohka. There was an energy beam that came out of the swing that pierced the dark clouds and then the bright moon illuminated onto the beach.
THEN the Yamai turned to them. Kaguya noticed Mario's brutally injured body thanks to the light of the moon.
Yuzuru looked down at Shido. "Unease: This is..."
"Kaguya! Yuzuru!" Shido started now that he had their attention. "Please, stop fighting!"
"You're saying that now?" Kaguya complained. "It doesn't have anything to do with you anymore."
"Agreement: Please do not get in the way." They both turned to face each other to battle once more.
But Shido continued. "I still haven't given up on deciding your duel! I will choose the Spirit most worthy of being the true Yamai!"
Both the Yamai paused.
"I choose you! BOTH of you!" He made his decision.
Of course, he was met with wind to the face.
"What the hell? Are you stupid?"
"Scorn: That answer is worse than the lowest filth." Yuzuru mocked Shido, in which the latter still kept his ground about his answer.
"Well, it can't be helped, can it?!" Shido still persisted. "You both have your amazing good traits, so it's impossible to choose! Kaguya! You care for Yuzuru more than she does herself! Yuzuru! You hold Kaguya dear more than Kaguya holds herself! You have the right to choose what will happen next! Choose!
1: Yuzuru takes in Kaguya and becomes the true Yamai!
2: Kaguya takes in Yuzuru and becomes the true Yamai!"
Kaguya sputtered. "That's-"
"3: In exchange for losing your Spirit powers, you both survive! Sorry, but I'm used to having three choices. I can't tolerate only two choices!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Doubt: That's not..."
"Please! Believe me!" Shido's grip on Sandalphon got slightly shaky. "Just once! Just give me a chance to let you both survive!"
Kaguya spoke after a moment of silence. "Don't be so ridiculous. You're just a human. How could you do that?"
"Who split that wind you're so proud of?" Shido responded. "Did you forget?! If I fail... you can kill me for all I care. Unlike Mario, I appear to be mortal. So please..." Sandalphon faded and Shido dropped to the ground.
Kaguya and Yuzuru just looked at the scene.
"Well, Yuzuru? What do you think?"
"Disbelief: I do not believe any human could have that kind of power."
"Yeah, right? We have to do something about Shido. That's twice he interrupted our duels."
"Agreement: I was just about to win and have you survive."
"Unfortunately, I can't have that. I was gonna win and have YOU survive!"
They squinted once they took in each other's words.
Their fists loosened a bit.
"H-...hey... Yuzuru?" Kaguya questioned.
"Reply: What is it?"
"This is all hypothetical, but what would you think if what Shido says is true?"
"Reply: I think that would be wonderful."
"Oh? You're unusually romantic."
"Protest: What about you, Kaguya?"
"What a coincidence. So am I."
"Question: If we could both survive, what would you want to do?"
"Me? Let's see. Oh! There's that kinako bread that Tohka mentioned! I wanna try that!"
"Agreement: That sounds delicious."
"Although there's one other thing I want to do..." Kaguya looked down at the slowly waking up Mario. "Befriend that guy. He looks like he's suffered a million deaths!"
"Reply: I wish to bond with the bunny too."
"What else do you want to do, Yuzuru?"
"Answer: I would like to try going to school."
"Oh, that sounds wonderful! I'm sure all the boys would be chasing you due to how beautiful you are!"
"Negative: I don't think that'll happen. You will be more popular than me."
"M-me too?"
"Affirmative: Because this is hypothetical."
"Oh, right. If that's the case, let's stroll around town after school."
"Agreement: I'd like to go to a cafe."
"Alright, but we're splitting 50-50!"
"Negative: That is not fair. You eat way more than I do."
"There's not THAT much of a difference!"
"Doubt: Really?"
They both paused as the night sky was flooded with shooting stars, and Kaguya and Yuzuru were above stormy clouds.
"Yuzuru...?"
"Reply: What is it?"
Kaguya's face... was streaming tears. "Sorry.. I lied... I... I don't want to die... I want to live... I want to be with you longer!"
"Reply: Me too." Yuzuru's face was also streaming tears. "I don't want to disappear... I want to keep living with you, Kaguya!"
"Yuzuru!"
"Kaguya!"
They were reaching their hands out to each other but something intervened.
A flying airship.
Luigi looked up and sighed. "That must be the airship that was controlling those weird robot monsters!"
Mario was back on his feet and MUCH worse for wear. A bleeding stomach and his clothes were mostly torn.
"Where is-a the airship."
Luigi pointed up pointed up.
Kaguya sighed. "What the heck is that?"
"Agreement: I wish they would take a hint."
"Hey, Yuzuru?" Kaguya smirked. "Shall we?"
"Affirmative: Let's!"
They finally held each other's hands and they both glowed. Their weapons started fusing together, creating more chains and a stronger wind. They made, essentially, a bow and arrow.
"Raphael, El Kanaf!"
They fired one giant arrow that pierced through most Bandersnatch units, easily went through the Territory around the airship, went through the entire airship in one blow, and effectively destroyed it.
The sunset was looming... and the words THE END appeared on screen.
"Huh.."
"uuuh..."
Yoshino practically missed all of it because of the power outage.
Origami waked up, and tilted her head to face Reine.
"Oh, you are awake?"
"Ms. Murasame..." Origami muttered. "What happened..."
"After you lost consciousness, the robot stopped moving for some reason. I was saved, thanks to you. Thank you."
"More importantly, Shido is..." Origami had a look of genuine worry. She tried to get up but had a clear struggle.
"Don't push yourself. He'll be back soon."
"I want to become stronger..." Origami looked like she was almost about to cry. "Strong enough to protect Shido..."
Now Shido and the Yamai were alone. Mario and all the rest were on the beach.
"Shido." Kaguya started. "Um, well, thanks. For everything."
Yuzuru continued. "Thanking: Thanks to Shido, I don't have to fight against Kaguya anymore." They both bowed in respect.
Shido raised his hands dismissively. "Oh, it's nothing."
"So anyway." Kaguya beamed. "it's not much, but we'd like to give you a token as thanks."
"Petition: Please close your eyes."
"Huh?" Shido was confused. "Right..." He closed his eyes, like the gullible idiot he is.
And then the seal was planted as a kiss.
On both Yamai.
At the same time.
Shido completely backed up.
"Whoa, what are you guys doing?!"
Kaguya giggled. "I told you, didn't I? It's to thank you."
"Apology: Did you not like it?"
The Astral Dresses they wore started to glow and vanished. Of course.
Kaguya screamed.
"Dismay: How indecent!" They fell to the ground on their knees.
"Calm down...!" Shido panicked himself. "It was necessary to seal your powers and-"
"Shido? What was that light?" In comes Tohka. And she observes the scene. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
"Tohka?!" Shido panicked more. "Nothing, I'm not doing anything..."
"Shido suddenly took off my clothes.." Kaguya made it sound bad.
"Tears: Now I'll never find a suitable husband..."
"No, I told you that's not it-!" Shido shouted.
"SHIDOOOO!" Tohka yelled.
"I have confirmation." Ellen managed to get out of the trap. "There's no doubt about it. Princess is Tohka Yatogami.
"I see." Another voice spoke on her intercom. "Just confirming that the plan was a success. Good work. Return to base."
"Yes sir." She paused for a long while. Then she continued. "May I ask a question?"
"What is it?"
"Do you think a human exists who can handle the power of Spirits?"
...Mario almost felt like he could pass onto the afterlife. Sure, he was on the bed in the hotel room, with the muffled screams of Luigi being barely audible to Mario's poor ears.
But there he saw the glitch figure, in his subconsciousness.
Mario tried to reach out to the glitch figure, but ultimately separated the distance between there, and he felt like he could drown.
He would swear to even KILL this figure if it meant his torment could end.
Kotori, who was gone on 'business errands' was talking to an older man.
"I recieved a report." The man started. "It seems your brother manifested an angel."
Kotori gasped a bit but kept quiet. "Is that so? Already..."
"If worst comes to worst, we may be forced to deal with him as needed. If not, calamity could befall the Spirits - and those strange phenomenons from another dimension entirely."
"I understand."
"I'm sorry to force such an unpleasant task upon you."
"It's something that cannot be helped. If the worst possible scenario does come up.. I will kill Shido Itsuka."