『Chapter 2: To Woo a Princess Part 2』
Part 1
Shidou should've seen this coming. He really should have seen this coming. He sighed to himself as he looked at the wrecked school building and the yellow "Do not enter" tape around the school. It was entirely possible that he may have read the announcement last night, but it had completely slipped his mind.
Kotori had given him some lectures last night after Origami left as well as some devices. Shidou suppressed the chuunibyou within him to gush over all the spy equipment, like the small earbud, the floating cameras, and even an invisible cloak! He didn't get a spy car, but his disappointment wasn't immeasurable, and his night wasn't ruined over that.
"shidou," a voice called out to him, and Shidou spun around in surprise to see the girl with the codename of "Princess." She was still dressed in her "Astral Dress," the armor that acted as protection, and looked like a warrior-princess cosplayer straight out of a convention.
"What are you doing here?!" Shidou nearly shouted, his heart beating a thousand times a minute as he looked left and right. They were lucky that the school was closed, and nobody was in the area. All the security cameras looked to be down, if not damaged. Shidou counted his small blessings.
"I wanted to see you," she confessed with a small smile that sent Shidou's frantic heart into overdrive, erasing any sort of panic that her sudden appearance caused. Her smile looked so innocent and cute, Shidou couldn't help but wish to take her in like a stray dog.
Shidou shook his head and gathered himself. Now was not the time for him to be flustered! A Spirit appeared in the middle of town… and there was no spacequake? "How did you get here?"
"When I was asleep, I just dreamed that I really wanted to see you again, and I appeared here."
"I-I see," Shidou smiled stupidly. He couldn't help it. A beautiful girl had just said that she wanted to see him! It sent his heart into heaven. "B-But nevermind that! How are you here?" Shidou reached for her hand but she drew away. Okay… That hurt a bit. But understandable. He wouldn't want a stranger reaching for him either.
"Because I wanted to see shidou."
"That's the 'why' I'm asking the 'how,'" Shidou explained himself. "Shouldn't there be a large explosion when you appear here?"
"Mu," Princess nodded to herself, thinking about how she got here. "I do not know," she finally replied. "The means of how I got here does not matter, shidou," she said. "Do you have any more of that 'candy'?"
Shidou reached into his blazer pockets and found nothing. Nothing in his pants pockets either.
The world turned black and white as time stopped ticking.
Four options appeared in front of Shidou, and he took the time to observe them. The floating "buttons" were decorated differently from the Kotori's. The options that the power offered him were colored a silvery white with royal violet borders. The font of the purple letters was straight and had a serif.
『I don't… But I have another type of candy that you can suck on.』
『We could get some candy at the candy store later.』
『Have you tried other foods?』
『Follow me. I know a place to get candy. He he he』
Shidou ignored the first option and considered the other three. While the fourth didn't sound bad at first, the laugh at the end made it sound like he was up to something shady. As always, it left him with the two in the center. Now which to pick?
Shidou felt like the third was a good option. Since Princess didn't know about candies, there was a high chance she hadn't tasted other kinds of food. It was a little past breakfast, so it should be a good time to see if any stores were serving. Shidou usually cooked for him and Kotori, but he had been completely out of it this morning (which led him to school in the first place) and hadn't been able to eat properly before coming to a school that wasn't going to start anyway.
That being said… There had to be something that could be done with Princess's Astral Dress. He could bring Princess to a clothing store and pick out clothes for her to change out of, the other was to go back home and lend her some clothes…
Shidou suddenly felt grateful for the stopped time that his powers granted him. It gave him time to think.
Hey, power, a little help here?
Shidou sighed as he waited for the power to give him other options that he knew weren't coming.
The first option of the selectable two felt like the proper option for Shidou. He liked the second option more. If sweets brought her that much joy, what could proper food do for her? The issue was still, what clothes could he give the girl? Kotori's clothes? They were too small, especially around the chest area (It's ok, imouto! You're still growing!). He didn't want to rummage through his mother's closet either.
Shidou checked his wallet and found that he had some money. Not much. It was enough for some cheap clothes and a breakfast for two. Shidou nodded his head as he decided to bring Princess to a clothing store. The next question was where to store her Astral Dress. Could she take it off?
Shidou stared at the girl, who was still frozen like a mannequin. Her beauty made him take his time admiring her features. There was a sense of coldness in her purple eyes, and her straight poise made him believe she was royalty. It was eerie, though, seeing her standing so still that not even a strand of her dark hair moved.
However, that spark when she tasted candy for the first time almost made him jealous of the sweet for bringing such a great change to the armored Princess…
Shidou didn't know how much time he took to take in her grace and beauty before slapping himself back to his senses. He had decided. He'd buy her clothes first, then bring her home, so she can change into "normal" clothes.
Shidou glanced at her Astral Dress one last time, admiring how well it complimented her, how it hugged her slim waist and completed her royal look with a battle dress that glowed like it was enchanted with fairy dust. He closed his eyes and braced himself, planning his words, before choosing properly.
The brilliance of color returned to the world of stopped time as the clock hands started ticking.
"Have you tried other foods?" Shidou asked Princess.
"I have not."
"I'm sure you will love them," he promised. "By the way, we need to get you a different set of clothes."
"Why should I?" the girl tilted her head to the side, curious.
"So that the flying girls won't fight you," Shidou explained.
"So they were attacking me because of my clothes?"
"...not exactly, but that is part of why they attack."
"What will be a good look then so they wouldn't attack me?"
"Uhm…"
As Shidou picked his words to carefully describe the type of clothes she would wear, the Astral Dress glittered like a magical girl henshin. The light wrapped around the girl, shifting shape to something less royal and more skintight. In ten seconds, the girl was no longer dressed in a magnificent armor and dress but a sleeveless and pantless, gray skinsuit that looked translucent in the center. Matching gloves and greaves decorated her extremities and a mechanical crown sat on her head.
So this was the uniform that Origami wore. Shidou hadn't been able to get a good look at it in the chaos that was yesterday's battle.
…It was kinda hot.
…Shidou wanted to slap himself for that thought.
"Will this do?"
"No! Definitely not!"
"But I have adhered to their fashion sense?" confusion was written all over the girl's face. Shidou found it cute that her face was innocent while she wore a skinsuit that showed—
Bad Shidou. Bad. No looking at her delicious legs, flat stomach, or plump breasts… There were more important things to do right now.
Since the girl could change the look of her Astral Dress, Shidou could show her an image of something normal people would wear, and she'd change it to that. Shidou pulled out his phone.
"What is that?"
"This is called a phone."
"What does it do?"
"It makes you stupid."
"If it makes you stupid, why does shidou have one?"
"It has other uses."
"Like?"
The girl's answer came when Shidou showed her a picture on the phone. It was one of the few pictures of Origami that was actually decent. It showed her in her school uniform doing a peace sign in the middle of a snow storm. Just Origami things…
The girl's delicate eyebrows creased as she frowned. "Isn't she one of the girls who were attacking me?"
"I didn't see properly…" Shidou half lied. It made him feel a little bad, but his feelings did not matter at the moment. Calmly pulling Princess away from here was his main goal at the moment.
"Is there a back part?"
Shidou blushed at the implications of that. If Princess didn't see the back part would her Astral Dress only replicate the front? A school uniform that only clothed the front part of the body but exposed the back part… He shook his head. He will need to purify his mind later! Purification of the soul too!
Shidou scrolled through his gallery and found another decent picture of Origami in uniform, this time taken from behind. Unlike the first, which Origami took and forced on him, Shidou took this one. In the picture, Origami watched the bonfire during one of the school's festivals. She looked so pretty in the picture, Shidou couldn't help himself. So very pretty… and so alone; Shidou realized at that moment. She stood apart from the other students and was the sole person distinguishable in the picture, while the rest were like background noise. The light of the fire made it look like she had grown angelic wings and a halo. Origami looked like she would fly away… far, far away.
Shidou broke away from his dramatic musings and showed the phone back to the girl. The girl nodded, and her Astral Dress once again glowed a brilliant light. The skintight suit was gone, and in its place was a school uniform. Her skirt was pleated, her blazer neatly ironed, and a ribbon neatly tied up underneath her collar. Her dark hair was also held up by another red ribbon, similar to the on her blouse. She wore a pair of loafers and a dark pair of thigh highs. All in all, Shidou and Princess looked like a pair of high schoolers, on their way to school.
"It looks good on you," Shidou praised.
『Gained 10 points with ?』
"Humu," the girl made a cute noise in agreement. A happy smile spread on her pink lips, making Shidou smile along.
…what was Shidou's problem again earlier? Oh right, where to change her clothes and where to store her Astral Dress. It felt like a waste of time for Shidou if not for the fact that time was stopped.
Shidou would have spent a little more time sulking if it was not for the girl's smile of gladness.
"Well then, shidou, you said that there were other foods for me to try?"
"Indeed. Just follow me, Princess."
Whoops. Shidou made a slip. He glanced at the girl. She didn't seem to notice. Either she didn't know or she didn't care. Shidou was willing to bet on the former, since the girl wore her heart on her sleeve. Just the thought of her being so innocent made Shidou want to protect her.
…especially from the likes of the AST, where Origami was from.
Shidou shook the negative thoughts in his head and focused on the girl as he led her away from the school and into the shopping district, hoping that one of the restaurants were open.
He glanced at her info screen, his eyes narrowing on the barely visible letters. The floating letters grew more visible when Shidou paid attention to it, but faded out of sight when his focus was elsewhere.
『Name: ? 【Princess】』
『Heroine Summary: A nameless girl who is the cause of the spacequakes. Her powers are similar to Kotori but different. She is suspicious of you but has given you the chance to talk with her. You are her first contact with people who have not been hostile with her.』
『Relationship level: 0 【The Beautiful Princess】
Relationship points: 90/100』
What was going to happen when the relationship points hit a hundred?
Part 2
Shidou led Princess through the marketplace. At first, the girl kept eyeing the people left and right with a suspicious glare. Shidou had to calm her down, saying that no one here was going to attack her. After the first dozen or so people passing her and giving her warm smiles and greetings without a hint of suspicion, the girl cozied up and started smiling. It was adorable how she hid behind Shidou whenever someone looked at them, but Shidou much preferred it now that she walked beside him.
The girl's eyes had stars in them as she looked left and right. It felt like she had come from another time and place and into the modern world, getting a culture shock in the process. Shidou had lost count of the number of times she would ask: "What's that?" to a totally mundane item.
"What is that?"
"That's a cleaner robot. It takes away the trash it sees on the floor."
"What about that? It looks dangerous. It looks like those things that they use to attack me."
"That's a water gun. It is modeled after the real guns that some of them used on you, yes, but they only shoot harmless water for fun.."
It seemed not even the reminder of AST couldn't even bring down her mood as she swiftly pointed to the next object of interest.
"How about that?"
"That is kinako bread."
"Is it something to eat? It smells good."
"It is. Do you want to try it?"
"Can I?"
Who could say no to that smiling face? Her animated voice? The utter excitement she seemed to vibrate in? Shidou naturally said "yes" and brought the girl into the bakery. Breads of all sorts were on display, fresh and newly baked. Some even had a little steam wafting off of them. The girl was going to pounce on them, but Shidou thought something like this was going to happen, given her growing eagerness border lining feverish, and quickly took her by the arm.
"We will have to buy them first with money before you can eat them," Shidou explained. The girl tilted her head as she watched Shidou go about. "What do you want?"
"The kinako bread!" she exclaimed. Shidou mused that he had never seen anybody so excited for kinako bread. A part of him felt slightly embarrassed that a teenager was joyously shouting kinako bread in broad daylight. But her energy was infectious and Shidou found himself grinning along with her.
"Alright, alright," Shidou walked to the counter to find a middle-aged woman smirking at both of them.
"What can I get you?" she asked professionally, despite the amusement in her eyes and on her lips.
"I'll be having four kinako breads," Shidou scanned the other breads. "Four ham & cheese rolls, and four extra large sausage rolls." Since the girl hasn't tried other foods yet, Shidou will be sure to spoil her a bit. The codename "Princess" suited her in an ironic way. As if she was closed off from the outside world like in those fairy tales where a knight would have to save her… Although, this knight of hers seemed much weaker than the Princess in this fairy tale come to life. Shidou could only smile wryly to himself at that realization.
"Dine in or take out?"
"Take out, but we will be eating here," Shidou said. It was a comfy place and Shidou wanted to relax a bit after that stressful morning. It would probably be best for Tohka to enjoy the area a bit longer, too.
The woman nodded and pulled out a tray and a large platter. She neatly placed the breads on top of the platter. She pulled out a paper bag and placed it beside the platter before handing it over to Shidou. "Here you go. Anything else?"
"Two medium-sized milk tea please," Shidou knew how all the girls his age loved milk tea, he figured Princess would love it too once she tasted it.
"Flavor?"
Shidou was ignorant to the world of milk tea, unfortunately.
"What do you recommend?"
The woman gave Shidou a polite smile, and Shidou returned it with a "I don't know any of this, please help" smile. "I would recommend the classic or the anko flavored. We also have matcha."
"I'll be taking two classics then," Shidou quickly answered as he began to pay. "Thank you.".
"I will be right back," she said before she started working on the machine that made the milk tea.
Shidou carried the tray to a table and gestured to the girl to sit across from him. "What are these?"
"That one is the ham & cheese roll," Shidou pointed to the rolls beside the kinako bread. Powdered cheese covered the top and diced ham filled the inside. "And that is the sausage roll," Shidou gestured to the rolls opposite the kinako bread. They were larger and had the tips of a red hotdog poking out of both ends of the roll. "Thought you'd like to try the others."
The girl looked at all three kinds of bread in wonder. The kinako bread took priority, though. She took it in both hands. She rolled it a bit in her hands, squishing it a bit, before taking a bite out of it. Her eyes went wide as the chewing movements of her mouth sped up. She audibly gulped before taking another bite and repeating.
"This is so good!" she cheered as she reached for her second kinako bread.
"Glad you like it."
"Thank you shidou!"
『Gained 10 points with ?』
『Profile 【Princess】 updated』
『Name: ? 【Princess】』
『Heroine Summary: A nameless girl who is the cause of the spacequakes. Her powers are similar to Kotori but different. She is suspicious of you but has given you the chance to talk with her. You are her first contact with people who have not been hostile with her.』
『Relationship level: 1 【?】
Relationship points: 0/100』
"Mu— I promised yesterday that I will allow you to give me a name."
Oh, so that was what was going to happen when he leveled up the relationship level.
"So, please, give me a good name," the girl stated.
The world turned gray and Shidou wanted to scream "ZA WARUDO" at the top of his lungs.
Four options appeared in the air.
『Erokami Hentai』
Shidou swore that when he found the source of this power, he was going to pummel him up. And the source had to be a him, no girl would be THIS perverted!
…Except Origami.
But she was the exception that proved the rule.
Shidou felt like making a snide remark about Origami the next time the girl shoved something perverted into his hands, calling her "Erokami Hentai." On second thought, the girl may like it, so Shidou rethought about doing it.
『Jugemu Jugemu Go-Kō-no-Surikire Kaijari-suigyo no Suigyō-matsu Unrai-matsu Fūrai-matsu Kū-Neru Tokoro ni Sumu Tokoro Yaburakōji no Burakōji Paipo Paipo Paipo no Shūringan Shūringan no Gūrindai Gūrindai no Ponpokopii no Ponpokonaa no Chōkyūmei no Chōsuke』
Yes, coincidentally, Shidou's full name was also Jugemu Jugemu—
No! He was not going to do this!
『Itsuka Tenka』
『Yatogami Tohka』
Alright. Only the latter two were reasonable ones. Or more like, the last one was the only good one. Shidou glared at the other options. The first was outright outrageous. The second was a meme! And what was with the "Itsuka" in the third? He wasn't adopting this girl! That left Yatogami Tohka, and that was pretty on the nose.
Yatogami, [The God of the Night Sword] was referencing her midnight colored hair and the sword she hefted. And while Shidou would admit that it was pretty cool… It was pretty damn cool; no ifs or buts! Tohka [April Tenth] referenced the day they met. There was no Kanji beside the name, but Shidou knew damn well what the power was referencing here.
With no better choice, Shidou picked the last option. The buttons in the air disappeared without so much as a sound, and the dark color of violet returned to the girl's hair and eyes.
"Have you thought of one?" she asked.
"Yatogami Tohka," Shidou said.
"Yatogami… Tohka," the girl rolled the name around with her tongue. "Mmmm, does it have any meaning?"
"Well," Shidou gave her a wry grin. "Yatogami because of your sword and your beautiful, dark hair, and Tohka because it's the day we met," Shidou tried his best not to blush and failed miserably. Such a cheesy way to pick a name…
"Mu. I like it!" the newly-dubbed "Tohka" smiled brightly. "Please, from now on, call me Tohka, shidou."
She was cuteness incarnate. Shidou had to restrain himself from squealing like a young maiden… which is something that he would never do. Never ever in his life.
『Profile 【Princess】 updated』
『Name: Yatogami Tohka【Princess】』
『Heroine Summary: A Spirit you have met and named. She's a girl who has no clue about the world, innocent and pure. You have decided to teach her about the world, starting with all the delicious food. Despite not knowing about the world, she can speak and understand just like any girl her age.』
『Relationship level: 1 【The Princess and her Knight】
Relationship points: 0/100』
"Tohka."
"shidou."
Shidou blushed. There was just something about the way she called his name that made it so cute. The way she rolled the "s" in his name just sounded right.
"Here are your milk teas," the woman carefully laid down the plastic cups in front of them. "Thank you for waiting."
"Thanks," Shidou gave the waiter a thankful nod and smile as she left.
"Mm, what's this?" Tohka looked at the cold drink, cold perspiration already covering the plastic cup.
"This is called milk tea. You drink it like this," Shidou showed Tohka how to remove the straw from its wrapping, by pushing it out the sharp end, and piercing it through the top of the cover. Tohka followed Shidou's example stellarly and was extra careful not to jab the straw straight through with her epic strength. "Alright, now take a sip from it," Shidou demonstrated, putting his lips to the tip of the straw and sucking. "Don't suck too fast though!"
Tohka sipped from the straw and her eyes widened. "Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmmmm~ Puwah!" the happy expressions on her face made Shidou smile for the nth time that morning. "shidou! shidou! It's cold and sweet, and it's got some kind of small balls inside that are chewy!" the girl exclaimed in wonder as she sipped some more. "They're sweet like candy!"
"It's good, isn't it?"
"Mmmhmm!"
Shidou laughed. "Now, now, don't drink it too fast, or you'll get brain freeze."
Tohka did as told, but questioned, "What's that?"
"The drink will freeze your head."
"That's scary!" Tohka glared at the cold drink in her hand like it was an enemy.
"Don't worry, just as long as you don't drink too fast, it's harmless," Shidou said. He took a sip from his drink and a bite from the rolls.
"Umu," Tohka nodded as she took another large sip from her drink. She released the straw with a pop and took a bite of the ham & cheese. The expression of bliss on her face made Shidou wonder if not eating food for a long time made it much more delicious. "I envy you, shidou," Tohka said in between bites. "You are able to eat tasty foods like this every day, while I have to go back to sleep. And whenever I appear here, I am attacked by those girls." Her eyes looked despondent as she spoke.
Shidou knew exactly why she was making that face. Shidou's heart clenched. He hated that look. He loathed it. Just as long as she was a Spirit, she would be hunted down by the likes of Origami just because she existed. It wasn't her fault that the spacequakes happened whenever she appeared here. There should be another way. There was another way. The very fact that it happened without one today revealed that to him!
He knew what to do. He might not like the methods much, but it was a necessity. He was the only one who could do something about it. And, if he knew nothing else, it wasn't like his powers would give him a choice.
"Tohka," Shidou started slowly, swallowing back his feelings, "Do you want to stay here?"
Tohka tilted her head as she digested what Shidou said, trying to understand what he meant. "Here? You mean so I won't have to go back to sleep?"
"Yes. Stay here with me so you won't go back to 'sleep.' I will treat you to different foods that you will love! I will cook for you so you will be full every day."
"Really?" Hope filled Tohka's eyes. "I can stay here without being attacked by those other girls?"
"Yes. Please trust me," Shidou pleaded with as much sincerity that he could muster. He wanted nothing more than to see her hopeful eyes remain as bright as they were.
"I trust you."
Shidou smiled and Tohka smiled back. He promised her he would save her, and that was exactly what he was going to do.
Origami froze.
That person- No, that Spirit.. Wasn't that Princess? She recognized that midnight-colored hair anywhere. Didn't she fight with her yesterday? What was she doing with Shidou? Why was she with Shidou? How was she with Shidou?
Her emotions were in turmoil. Confusion since the spacequakes alarms didn't go off despite a Spirit being there. Increased dissonance because the Spirit was talking to Shidou of all people! Anger because a Spirit seemed to be laughing, blissfully unaware of the things it did. And beneath it all, pure, unadulterated hate because it was a Spirit, the very same thing that killed her family long ago.
Unforgivable! Unforgivable!
Origami stalked the two, watching and waiting for a time to strike. Her blood boiled, but years of training tempered her wrath, quenching it into a cool blade that she would use to kill the Spirit. She thought twice about calling her superiors and telling them about the situation. But what should she ask for? Back up? Cover fire? The whole platoon of AST under Captain Kusakabe?
Origami's usually stoic face was twisted in silent anger as she bit her lip. She didn't want to alert the Spirit, but realistically, she doubted that she could take it down by herself. It burned her miniscule amount of pride to admit it. She clicked her tongue and reached for her phone, careful not to let Shidou and the Spirit out of her sight.
She spoke coolly into the handheld when the line stopped ringing and her captain picked up the call, "Captain Kusakabe, I need a little help."
[What is it, Tobiichi?] came the professional voice of Origami's captain.
"Please check and confirm Reiryoku levels in the shopping district."
[Just give me a second…] the sounds of the mechanical keyboard clicking on the captain's end echoed through the mic. Origami heard a gasp. [Abnormal readings have appeared on the map! But there was no spacequake alarm?!] confusion filled the captain's voice.
"Please relax, Captain. I am currently watching the Spirit, codename [Princess], right now. It appears to be docile," for now, the girl somehow refrained from hissing in growing worry and agitation. "It is currently walking with a civilian. Requesting permission to kill."
Origami could imagine the calm captain biting the nail of her thumb as she thought. [Permission granted. Please exercise caution that no civilian is caught in the battle.]
"Roger. Requesting permission to use CR-Unit and tactical Anti-Spirit sniper rifle."
[Permission granted. I'm sending you backup to deliver your CR-Unit and rifle.]
"Roger. Please tell them to set up a perimeter and not interfere with operation. I will handle this."
[Understood. Over and out.]
"Roger. Over and out."
Origami dialed Shidou's phone. She watched as the boy paused and fiddled with his school blazer, before pulling his phone out.
"Shidou-san, there's no school for the day. Do you mind if I come over?"
[Uhm,] Origami watched Shidou scratch his head, probably thinking of a suitable lie to tell her. [I'm kind of out of the house at the moment.]
"That's fine. I'll just find you. Where are you right now?"
[I'm heading to the mall actually.] Origami was surprised that Shidou was honest with his answer.
"I'll see you there then," she cut the call, promptly, nor waiting for a reply.
Origami saw Shidou's trademark wry smile. It was the one he always wore when he didn't know what to say or when he was faced with an odd situation.
Origami apologized to Shidou, mentally. He may be an important person in her life ever since five years ago, but his presence wasn't enough for Origami to rethink her decision. All Spirits were to be killed, no matter what.
Part 3
So, as explained to him by Kotori yesterday afternoon, his power needed a key to be activated before he is able to seal a Spirit and their powers. This key was going to be bought with the hard work on Shidou's part and the cooperation of the Spirit. Yes indeed… Shidou needed the Spirit to fall in love with him. All so he could seal their powers with a kiss. He had no idea why it worked like that, or who decided that it should work like that, or how it even worked that way.
Somehow, he knew that it was his gal game power's fault.
Speaking of his power, he decided to give it the name of "Gal Game" since it was basically one. Shidou felt the power roll its eyes at him, but just shrugged. If he was going to have a lame eroge power as a joke, then he would name it as a joke.
"Erm… Mic check? Mic check?"
Thankfully for Shidou, there were more reliable things and reliable people he could count on, and not just his power. He was glad he brought along the earpiece that fit perfectly in his ear hole without being a bother. It made him feel like a spy in those James Boned movies– not that he would admit it aloud.
"Shin?"
"Murasame-san, it's Itsuka Shidou!" Shidou greeted. "I'm with Tohka right now."
"Tohka?" the sleepy voice came through the phone.
"I meant Princess."
[Nnnn…] the woman moaned rather sensually, sending chills down Shidou's spine. He really hoped that wouldn't be a common occurrence… [Hold on a moment, Shin, I'm getting your sister.]
There was a bit of white noise and clutter before the sound cleared a bit and came Kotori's commanding voice. [Shidou? Shidou? You said you're with Princess, right now?]
"I am," Shidou confirmed. "Her name is Tohka, Yatogami Tohka."
[I see…]
Shidou waited for her to say something else.
[What do you plan to do?]
"I plan on sealing her."
There was the sound of a stick breaking in two, and Shidou would wager that it was a lollipop stick. [As expected of my Onii-chan,] Shidou heard the smugness in Kotori's voice. [We will be supporting you from here! Go wild!]
"Thank you, Kotori."
『Gained 3 points with Kotori』
[Hmph! Enough diddle-daddling. Go out there and make Tohka fall in love with you!]
Shidou laughed. "Yes, Commander Kotori."
[Let this Date 『Battle』 begin!]
Shidou walked out of the bathroom and arrived at the table, where Tohka waited for him. "Shall we go?"
"Where are we going?"
"To the mall," Shidou told her.
"What's that?"
"It's difficult to describe," Shidou scratched his cheek. "It's like a place where you could buy different things."
"Like food?"
Shidou smiled in amusement. Tohka thought like a stereotypical shounen protagonist, it seemed. "Yes, they do sell some food."
"Mu! Lead the way!" she leapt out of her chair and kept in step with Shidou as the two exited the bakery and entered the now busy streets of the shopping district. Shidou knew this place like the back of his hand and led Tohka down the streets to the mall.
Tohka's eyes widened in childish wonder at the structure in front of her. Despite the fact that it was daytime, there were all sorts of new stimuli that flashed, blinked and made her ears twitch . There weren't as many people as he worried there would be, seeing that it was still early in the morning and a spacequake had just happened not too long ago, and Shidou viewed that as a good thing.
They finally approached the entrance, and Shidou glanced over at the security scanners with a bit of apprehension. He got through well enough, but was wary about Tohka. He didn't know whether or not her Astral Dress, now a school uniform, would set off the alarms.
However, his worries were for nothing as he watched Tohka stroll right through them without any issues.
"shidou! shidou! What are those?" Tohka pointed to the decorations that hung from the ceiling.
"Those are there for design."
"But why?"
"It is just nice to look at. Don't you think so?"
Tohka looked at Shidou before looking back at the springtime decorations that were suspended midair by invisible strings. "I guess so…"
"Don't pay that any mind though," Shidou said. The genius inside him remembered that whenever he kissed Kotori to seal away her Spirit powers, she would become naked because the Astral Dress was also dispelled with it. So, to prepare for that, Shidou decided to buy Tohka some clothes. "We will buy some clothes."
[Commander, they are going into the clothes section of the mall.]
[Send some of our men there.]
Shidou heard a commotion in his ear but decided to ignore it. It was just Kotori giving orders, after all. She had yet to order him further.
[Help is on the way.]
Tohka looked down on her Astral Dress. She frowned at Shidou. "Is this not good enough?"
"You see Tohka," Shidou thought up a good excuse. Fortunately or not, the world turned more than fifty shades of gray, and the rest of humanity stood frozen. Four options appeared, floating buttons decorated in a royal purple.
『I want to see you try other clothes.』
『When I seal you later, you will become naked.』
『Isn't it troublesome changing your Astral Dress every time you wanted to wear different clothes?』
『I wanna see you in a dominatrix outfit.』
Oh! So the first option wasn't degenerated this time! Huh!?
Also, that dominatrix outfit came out of nowhere!
Shidou palmed his face. The answer should be obvious. Anything but the first and last— but not this time! Shidou chose the first option, it was his first time choosing it in the five years he had this power.
"I want to see you in other clothes," Shidou said when time resumed her ticking.
"Mu…" Tohka put a finger to her lips in thought. "I don't understand, but I trust you, shidou."
Shidou felt the trust of a girl as beautiful as Tohka weigh him down instantly and suddenly. It nearly sent him tumbling to the ground due to its intensity. He wouldn't let the girl down, he swore, and brought her to a general clothing store. It contained no women's underwear and only outerwear.
He could ask Kotori to bring Tohka to a lingerie shop in the future…
Shidou shook his head. No! He did not just imagine Tohka in a violet, lacy undergarment!
A-Anyways…
"Woah. There are a lot of clothes…" Tohka spoke in wonder at all the kinds of apparel that were neatly folded, were clinging to the mannequins, or were displayed on hangers.
"Go ahead, choose what you want," Shidou urged the girl to go and explore.
"Dear customers," a familiar voice called out to both of them and Shidou turned to see the sleepiest pair of eyes he had ever seen. It was Reine with her disheveled hair, but this time in a common clerk's uniform. The nametag on her vest read out her real name. "Do you need any help?"
So this is what they meant by "help is on the way."
Shidou stared at the woman, who looked like she was about to topple over, and the woman simply stared back. He gave her a wry smile.
Of course, the world had to turn black, white, and many shades of gray again. Of course, time had to stop. And of course, four options had to appear in front of Shidou. Was Murasame-san going to become a Spirit in the future?! Gal Game, Shidou needed an answer!
『I need help with my pants. They are a bit too tight.』
『You are the one who looks like they need help!』
『Yes please. Could you find some good clothes for my companion?』
『I like your eyes.』
Her eyes looked like they were dead!
Shidou took this opportunity to gaze long and hard into Reine's eyes. She did have beautiful eyes. It may help if she got a little sleep, it would definitely make them look brighter and compliment her disheveled beauty even more… Come to look at it, she did look a little like Origami. Except swap Origami's stoic expression with a more "I am going to die from insomnia" look. Were they related?
Gah! What was Shidou even thinking!
Shidou chose the safest option, the third one. The results were as he expected and Reine brought Tohka to the women's section of the clothing store, leaving him to dawdle behind them.
The girl picked out some clothes and Reine pushed her to try them on. The girl entered the stall where she could put on the dress she picked.
"shidou~" Tohka called out as she pulled back the curtain. The boy turned to see her, and his jaw dropped. Tohka was dressed in a white one-piece dress with frills at the bottom. Heeled sandals graced her feet, and a bracelet glittered around her wrist.
"...you look very beautiful," Shidou finally complimented shyly once he recovered. The girl's face turned pink. A bright smile was her only reply.
She truly was cuteness incarnate.
The pair stayed like that for a moment before Tohka suddenly closed the curtain to hide herself and the emotions she couldn't quite name that bubbled to the surface. Tohka covered her face in the stall. Her face was beet red. Her heart thumped wildly. She never felt this feeling before! This sensation of electricity that coursed through her limbs. It made her want to sillily jump around.
She glanced at the mirror and saw herself. "I look beautiful…" she mumbled. It wasn't in vanity but more of a statement of fact. She wanted it, she wanted more of that giddy feeling that settled in her heart when Shidou complimented her. It made her feel… happy. Yes, that was the word. A silly kind of happiness that made her lips stretch into a wide grin, made her legs weak and shaky in the knees, and made her face burn from her cheeks to her ears.
"Mm!" Tohka nodded to herself. Shidou looked to enjoy looking at her in this dress, and Tohka enjoyed his compliments. She would buy these clothes and find other clothes that would make Shidou compliment her! It was a win-win!
And so, that was how their morning went, with Tohka trying on different clothes and Shidou dishing out compliments. There were some that he rejected like that one playboy bunny outfit for example, but that was not because Tohka looked bad in it. She could tell due to his cute reaction! She looked good in whatever outfit she put on. It's just that Shidou didn't want her to turn into a lewd girl…
A white-haired Origami crossed his mind and he wondered where she went. She told him she was coming over. It was already nearly lunchtime, and she was still nowhere to be seen.
When Tohka emerged from behind the curtain in the school uniform that was her Astral Dress, Shidou's thoughts of Origami disappeared . She neatly placed the latest clothes into the overflowing cart that Shidou pulled over earlier. He stared at the cart and wondered how much all that cost.
"Shin," Reine called out to him. "We will take care of this."
Shidou opened his mouth to protest, but Reine continued without letting him speak. "We have a budget exactly for things like this," she said. "We also will put all the clothes into the Fraxinus too so you won't have to carry it around."
Shidou could only offer her a thankful smile and a bow. "Thank you, Murasame-san. We'll go have lunch then."
Reine gave him a nod and a small smile as Shidou called out to Tohka and brought her to a restaurant.
Part 4
The day proceeded like so. After Shidou brought Tohka to lunch, he took her to a toy store (reasoning that girls liked plushies). Tohka did not like the plushies as much as he thought she would, but he ended up buying her just a purple bear. Shidou checked the time after that and found out that it was already getting late. Time had really passed so quickly when he was having a great time siphoning Tohka's infectious joy. Eventually, Shidou took Tohka to a nearby park before they went home.
The sun was setting, casting its beautiful golden rays all over the park. Tohka was watching the little butterflies flutter between the many beautiful flowers. "Tohka." He paused until he was sure he had her complete attention. "You said you wanted to stay here, right?" Shidou asked, breaking the pleasant silence between them.
Kotori was part of the Ratatoskr organization, and he figured letting Tohka sleep in the Itsuka house was not a bad idea.
"Hm?" Tohka stood from her crouching position and sat on the bench that Shidou was on.
"I mean, you told me earlier that you don't want to go back to sleep, you don't want to fight those girls anymore."
"Mu. I do. It is much more enjoyable here." Tohka spoke despondently, recalling some bad memories. "Whenever I go back to sleep, I wake up in the middle of ruins and those girls come and attack me every time. I try my best not to kill them, but they keep wanting to kill me…"
"I can help you."
"Hm?"
"I can make sure that you never go back to sleep in the other dimension. When you wake up, you will wake up, safe and on a soft bed. You will then eat breakfast and go to school and enjoy life here!" Shidou's voice slowly rose in sound, reflecting his determination.
"How will you do that?"
"I will seal your Spirit powers."
Tohka thought about it for a few moments. Shidou didn't know what she was thinking about, her usually expressive face turning stoic for a moment. She put her hands on her hips then nodded. "Mu! Of course, I would like to stay here, with shidou," she smiled, sending Shidou's heart into an erratic beating. "It's fun to be with shidou!"
Shidou smiled, and he closed the distance in between them. He reached for Tohka's hands, this time, she didn't retract them away from his touch. Her hands were soft, gentle… as if she didn't heft a six-foot sword half the time. Her hands weren't suited for battle… no… Shidou decided that Tohka was not a girl that should be in a fight to the death.
Tohka was an innocent girl who didn't wish to shed anyone's blood, even if they attacked her first. Shidou would protect her from the world that wanted to hurt her. All so that she would not have to kill anyone.
Origami never went to the mall and never met Shidou despite telling him she would do so. Instead, she camped on the high rises, waiting for the right moment. Sniping was a rather boring operation, but Origami didn't want to risk a battle with the docile Spirit.
There was no chance of killing the Spirit in the mall, so Origami and her squad waited for them to move into a more secluded spot with less civilians. It was a tedious wait, but Shidou and the Spirit finally moved into a park. Origami parked herself among the trees, unseen and unheard.
This was it, wasn't it? Her first Spirit kill. Her name would be on the board of those who have killed a Spirit, along with Mana Takamiya and Artemisia Bell Ashcroft. But, it wasn't the fame that Origami wanted. She just wanted all the Spirits to die. Every single one of them. It didn't matter how beautiful or innocent the form they took on, they deserved nothing but death.
Origami silenced her musings as she glared through the scope of her rifle. She took her finger off the trigger, lest she accidentally pull it— she had unknowingly placed her finger on it while a little lost in her thoughts. She steadied her breathing, letting her chest rise and fall at a slow pace.
The barrel aimed down at the Spirit's head, confident that she would kill it. Wind? Check. Angle? Check. Distance? Check. No civilians that could get caught? Negative. There was one in the vicinity.
Origami took in a breath and released it. She placed her finger on the trigger. "I'm sorry, Shidou."
She pulled the trigger, bracing for the recoil and the change in attitude from her crush.
Shidou saw it. For a split second, he saw it. It was a glare of glass straight into his eyes. The stray ray of sunshine shining against the lens of a scope aimed near him. Time did not stop. The world did not lose its color. Options did not appear in front of him. The mocking words of his power did not show.
Despite it all, Shidou moved. In a single split second, he made a decision.
"Tohka!"
Calling out to her was too late. His body moved as he shoved Tohka to the side. The girl stumbled to the side, more from surprise than pain, and Shidou saw it all
It was as if time had stopped. He saw Tohka's eyes widen as she fell. He saw the bullet narrowly miss her, not even cutting a single strand of her hair. He saw the bullet, as if in slow motion, go past Tohka and lunge further still in his direction. He was able to even capture the details. He saw the wind pushing hard against the spinning bullet's metal exterior as light trailed it. Shidou could only watch as the bullet inched into his eye.
It happened all too fast. And by the end of it, Shidou lay on the ground nearly a foot from where he last stood with his brains blown out, blood pouring onto the cement, and draped in the shadows of the tree.
Origami watched in shock. It happened too quickly. In one moment, the bullet was on its way towards the Spirit's head. The next? Shidou's body flew backwards, and blood exploded. His head had disappeared in a mist of red.
"No…" she whispered to herself, her cool mask slipping off. Panic filled her eyes and frostbite like never before coursed through her blood vessels. "No. No. No!" she dropped the rifle and scrambled to her knees, trying to get up. Her legs shook and fell unceremoniously on her behind.
What had she done?
She looked at her shaking hands, clean, but somehow Shidou's blood curled around her fingers.
"AHHHHH!"
Tohka watched. She could only watch. It happened so fast and yet so slowly.
"shidou?"
There was no answer.
"shidou?"
Silence once again greeted her.
"SHIDOU!?"
It was the painful roar of a beast. The terrible cry of a mother bear losing her cub. The scream of a woman whose heart was torn away from her chest.
"WHO DID THIS?!"
Tohka screamed. "HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Shidou! Shidou! Shidou! Shidou was dead! He was dead! Right in front of her! He died right in front of her! What happened?! What happened?!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Tohka tore at her beautiful face. Who did this?! They will pay! They will pay! Make them pay! "Sandalphon!"
The throne appeared, and the Princess stomped up to it. She drew her sword from its sheath, ready to cast judgment. The Princess wanted to scream once more, roar her battle cry of despair and wrath. The Princess raised her sword and coated it in power. She swung it down.
The ground split in half with a terrifying slice of power. The earth screamed as the air cleaved through wood, rock, and steel.
Her vengeful mind went back to the details of the event, replaying it in slow-motion. Based on the direction of the bullet, she knew where the shot had been taken from. The Princess, filled with wrath, swung the sword once more. She sent the wave of power in the other direction.
A figure flew into the air, dodging the destructive wave of power. "You—!" if the Princess knew any curse words, she would have spat them all at the white-haired girl. She would have cursed her to the ends of the earth. But, the Princess did not know any words to curse her with, innocent as she was, so she settled on cutting down and avenging Shidou with her sword.
With a jump that split the earth, Tohka flew at the white haired girl. With a swing of her sword, with all the wrath that Tohka never knew she could possess, she sent the girl straight down. Tohka roared, her scream piercing the heavens, as she descended upon the girl.
Tohka swung her sword and met the white girl's own blade in a flash of light. Tohka gritted her teeth as she shoved the girl back. Her opponent only defended blankly, staring not at Tohka but at the lifeless body that SHE caused. Tohka, even in her rage, saw the expression on the girl's face and nearly stopped her onslaught of slashes.
Why? Why do you look like you are in pain?
Those thoughts were drowned out as Tohka screamed once again.
You do not get to look sad! You do not get to look desperate! YOU KILLED SHIDOU!
The sword of the white haired girl flew out of her hands with a quick swipe from the Spirit, and she fell on her butt.
Tohka's eyes caught something in her peripheral vision. It was the girl's allies coming to reinforce. With a swing of her sword, she sent a wave of destruction their way and scattered them. Her eyes went straight back to the girl who was crawling away.
Tohka walked to the girl and kicked her.
"GAH!" she grunted as she bounced on the broken ground before skidding to a halt. She lay on her back, and Tohka approached her.
Tohka took sure steps. Her boots clinked against the ground. She stopped, standing right beside the girl. Tohka pointed her sword at the girl's throat.
"This is for Shidou…" Tohka whispered to herself. She raised her sword one last time and swung down, fully intent on killing the girl.
Sandalphon clanged against steel, and Tohka snapped out of her anguish.
『Protect Her Smile has been activated』
If Shidou was in a better mood, he would have sarcastically berated his power with a "you're late." But, he had no time for that at the moment. Tohka was in a frenzy, and Origami's life was in danger.
Fire crackled as his skull was reconstructed, followed by his facial muscles and tissues, and finally the skin and hair. Shidou grunted as he got up. He recalled something. Something his power said.
What was it?
Ah, right.
"Camael!" Shidou shouted, and the dying fire surrounding him turned into a crescendo. The fire may have licked, but it did not burn.
It was terrifyingly reminiscent of that night when fire covered the city. Shidou swallowed his fear and took a step towards the battle. What happened back then did not matter now. What mattered right now was getting Tohka to snap out from her rage-induced rampage.
Not that he could be blamed for such a response…
Shidou leaped. With an inhuman strength, he leaped to where Tohka and Origami with only three jumps. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Tohka kick Origami, sending the girl skidding away and onto her back. He saw Tohka raise her beautiful sword, about to commit the most horrendous act.
Shidou dashed forward and did the most unimaginable thing. He swung at Tohka. Or, more accurately, swung to meet her blade in midair. The force sent him to his knees, and yet Tohka barely budged. Sandalphon barely stopped, and Shidou gritted his teeth, forcing his whole body to halt the giant sword.
Shidou stood in between Tohka and Origami. Camael bared its flares, the spiked war club clashing with Sandalphon, the beautiful sword of Tohka.
"Haa… Haa…" Shidou tried to catch his breath. Sweat dribbled down his face. Despite that, he still gave Tohka a comforting smile. "I'm sorry I'm late. I fell asleep," Shidou said with a wry grin. Tohka was confused, before shock settled in, then finally, tears. They soon overflowed.
"shidou… shidou! You're… You're..!" the girl could no longer continue. She started crying. She dropped the sword and reached for Shidou.
"I'm alive. I'm sorry for worrying you, Tohka," Shidou whispered as he released Camael. Flames enveloped the weapon and disappeared with a small flash.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…" the wails of Tohka was all that Shidou heard as he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close to his chest.
"Shhhhh… It's okay now," Shidou whispered into her ear. His hand traced the length of Tohka's long hair, starting from the base of her head down her slender back and ending just at her hips. He repeated the gesture many times over as Tohka cries slowly dwindled in intensity and her quakes quietly disappeared. It wasn't long until the girl lay limp in his arms, still clinging onto his dirtied blazer, asleep. Shidou didn't blame her. It must have been very traumatizing and an emotional rollercoaster seeing him "die" and "live" in moments after
"Shi…dou?" Origami's shocked but barely audible voice echoed out.
Shidou shifted Tohka in his arms, so he could look at the other girl behind him. He gave her a wry smile. "Origami."
"What…" there was shock, confusion, and, Shidou noticed, a little hope in Origami's blue eyes. Her usual stoic exterior was broken, and emotions leaked out in a way that seemed alien to them both. The unbridled anger that Shidou saw in her eyes yesterday was no more, and all Shidou saw was a vulnerable young girl that had no clue as to what happened or what she should do.
"I can explain," Shidou glanced at the ruined landscape. "Although, that wouldn't be possible here. Maybe next time."
Origami nodded, dumbly. She wanted Shidou to explain everything to her, now. She quashed that notion though. She could wait. She needed time to gather her thoughts. She… needed the space to decompress. There was too much to digest, and she could not determine whether what she had just seen to be reality or a dream.
Shidou looked down at the sleeping Princess. He reached into his pocket and found his phone undamaged, but the earplug he had on was lost. Quickly, he dialed a familiar number, and didn't even need to wait a moment before the other end picked up. "Kotori, I may need a ride out of here," he said before pocketing his phone. Without a sigh or a second thought, he bent over and slipped an arm under Tohka and started carrying her in a princess carry.
Origami wanted to feel jealous but could not muster the energy to. Princess was asleep and could not enjoy the carry anyway. Shidou looked to her, and Origami averted her eyes, unable to meet his brown orbs. She placed a hand over one arm and fidgeted with her leg, swaying to and fro.
She knew not what to say. She had killed Shidou… Or at least, she thought she did. Origami gave a glance to his bloody blazer, the very proof that his head was blown to bits despite his cute face being spotless. It couldn't have been her imagination. Princess going crazy was further proof of that.
Was Shidou a…
No, it could not be, or else the Reiryoku scanner would have taken note of him long ago. Origami could not make heads or tails of what happened. All she knew was that Shidou was dead, she killed him, and yet he didn't die.
Shidou gave her a wry smile before a beam came from above, like one of those alien movies. His dress shoes left the solid ground just a moment after. He started levitating. It really looked like those alien movies where humans were being abducted by floating cylinders. "I'll see you Monday," Shidou said as he disappeared upwards.
Origami opened her lips, but it was too late. Shidou wouldn't hear her anymore. "I… I will be seeing you," she whispered, more to herself than to Shidou.
Part 5
Tohka woke up, and the world was swaying to and fro. Her sight was blurry as she tried to recall what happened. She remembered being angry, very angry. She directed her anger at the white-haired girl that killed shidou. Her eyes shot open, and her body jolted up. "SHIDOU!"
"Yes?" the familiar voice of Itsuka Shidou called out to her. It was warm with a note of intrigue. It sounded close enough to be right beside her. No, she corrected after getting over her shock, she was in his warm, strong arms!
"shidou!" Tohka's eyes squeezed shut as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're alive!"
"Yes! Yes," Shidou grunted. "I'm alive," he smiled fondly at her.
Questions like "How?" and "Why?" did not enter Tohka's mind. She was simply too overjoyed that Shidou wasn't dead.
"Where are we going?"
"I was taking you to the medical bay, so you could rest on the way home," Shidou spoke softly.
"Mu…"
"In fact, here we are," Shidou said as the doors opened automatically for them. Tohka looked around and found them in a white room. It was spotless and super tidy, with a weird smell to it that made her nose twitch more than a few times. Shidou entered one of the cubicles, the only privacy being a curtain. "I'm putting you down now," Shidou gently and carefully lay Tohka on the bed.
The Princess did not stay laying long and instead sat up at the edge of the bed, giving Shidou a look. Her eyes contained a mixture of confusion, happiness, and expectancy.
"Um, shidou," she started. "You said you were going to 'seal' me?"
If she was sealed away, the bad guys wouldn't hurt her anymore… wouldn't hurt Shidou anymore, right…?
『Princess could be sealed』
『Proceed?』
『Yes | No』
The world did not turn gray, but the icon and buttons appeared in front of Shidou. He read it but paid them little mind. He knew what to do. He was ready to do it.
"Yeah… That is, if you want to."
"I do want to."
"You will lose your powers though."
"I want to," Tohka could not be discouraged. "I want to be with shidou without that white-haired girl attacking us."
Shidou gave her a wry grin.
"Alright. So how this works is that…" Shidou flushed red. "We will kiss."
"How do we do that?"
"Well, we press our lips together like—" Shidou never finished that line because Tohka wasted no time. She closed the distance in between them and sealed Shidou's lips instead.
『Sealing Spirit: Princess』
『Chapter 1: Finished』
『Scene Saved』
『You will be able to view the scene from Gallery.』
『Profile 【Princess】 updated』
All sorts of annoying notifications popped up with the light and short buzz of a small bell. Shidou paid them no heed though, too enthralled by the soft feelings of Tohka's lips against his. He stared into her violet eyes as the kiss held for a few more seconds.
The Astral Dress of Tohka disappeared in fractals of light, leaving the girl naked.
"Um, shidou," Tohka said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can we kiss once more?" she asked. Her face flushed red. Even parts of her naked body joined the pink. Her innocent eyes, however, held something lustful, and Shidou shivered in place.
He could've denied her. He should've denied her. "Of course." But he did not. He enjoyed it as much as she did, after all.
Shidou wrapped his arms around the naked Tohka. He tried his best to ignore how her bare breasts pressed against his chest, and how smooth her unblemished skin felt under his touch. It was impossible though, and Tohka's body was engraved into his memory, body, and soul. His fingers memorized how tantalizing her bare skin felt, the curves on her waist down to her hips, her silky hair that tickled the back of his hand… It took all of Shidou's willpower to not squeeze and grope Tohka all over, to worship her body like one would a goddess.
Tohka closed her eyes and puckered her lips, waiting for her kiss. Shidou leaned forward, closing his own eyes and pressing his lips against her once-virgin lips a second time. Now that he was in control and not surprised, Shidou could feel Tohka's lips better than before. They were smooth like butter yet firm against his.
"Nnn~ shidou~" Tohka moaned into the kiss, sending chills of pleasure down Shidou's spine. Shidou was emboldened, and his fingers squeezed against her supple body. "shidou~ "
"Tohka…" Shidou sighed hotly as they caught their breath. He gulped. He knew hormones were running wild in him, but he couldn't stop himself. Tohka wasn't his sister… This was fine… There was nothing wrong with loving Tohka as a woman…
The door buzzed open, and Murasame Reine stepped into the room. Shidou and Tohka stood stock still, trying their best not to make a sound. The older woman went through the cabinets and pulled some pills out before leaving the way she came back in.
The two teens released the breath they had been holding simultaneously. Shidou released Tohka, and they separated, despite enjoying the warmth that the other provided. Tohka covered her breasts, and Shidou shoved his hands into his pockets, if just so he wouldn't fidget awkwardly. Both had huge blushes on their faces.
"So, uhm, Tohka, I will be leaving you for now. I will be back with your clothes so you could change," Shidou was the first to break the ice.
"Mm, I will wait for you."
"I'll be right back."
"shidou," Tohka called out to him and he turned around. That was a mistake, and he saw Tohka in all of her naked glory. He immediately moved to turn back around but Tohka held him in place. "Thank you, shidou," she leaned forward and stood on her toes, leaving a chaste kiss on his lips.
It was not as long as their first two kisses, but it communicated all the feelings that she wanted him to know.
Thank you for saving me from my anger. Thank you for the day, I had so much fun. I love you, shidou.
Tohka released him and shoved him out of the cubicle and its curtains, playfully, before jumping on the bed and coiling the blankets all around her. Once she heard the door close behind Shidou, she finally let out the squeals that she had been holding. She kicked the bed and hugged the pillow close to her naked chest.
There was an energy in her. Electricity that she had never felt before. It was unlike the force that gave her power and strength. This instead made her giddy with delight and stretched her smile so wide until it hurt. She could only stuff her face into the pillow.
"Uwaaa! shidou! What is this feeling in my heart!?"
Part 6
It was Monday. Shidou had a rather busy weekend. First, the blue-haired boy showed Tohka around the city more and taught her "common sense." He taught her street things, like walking when the light turned green, looking left and right when crossing the street, giving money when buying stuff, turning off the light and water when not in use, and always closing the door to the bathroom— stuff like that. Tohka took to it like a fish to water, eager to live in the world that Shidou lived in.
Secondly, he was taught by Kotori and Kannazuki how to actually use his gadgets. Tohka appeared rather suddenly yesterday when they were supposed to teach him over the weekend. They had to cram it into an entire day, trying not to separate him from Tohka for too long. They kept close watch, studying the new bond, and just in case, wanted to make sure the seal wouldn't threaten to break.
And finally, he trained himself to pull out and use Sandalphon. Shidou swung the blade left and right. They were novice strikes that were slow and clumsy. The highschool sophomore lacked Tohka's immense strength, but Shidou was determined to learn how he could use it in a combat situation. The AST was still targeting Spirits. There was no telling when he would be placed in a life and death situation. Shidou had to be prepared. With YuuTube open, he had watched longsword instructors swing their blades in beautiful arcs, trying his best to match their movements.
"—And so, Yatogami Tohka-san will be joining us today!" Shidou's thoughts were broken when his ever-youthful teacher, Tama-chan, announced that to the whole class.
Wait.
The door to the classroom opened, and a dark-haired girl entered, her long hair held up in a neat ribbon. A familiar, neat ribbon.
Wait!
"I'm Yatogami Tohka, pleased to meet you!"
The girl happily waved at the entire class. Girls and boys alike roared in approval as a cute girl joined their class.
What was she doing here?!
Tama-chan heard her name being called over the speakers. "Excuse me, I will be right back. Don't leave the classroom! Treat our new student nicely please!"
The entire classroom got up and crowded around Tohka like a pack of hyenas over some fat spoils. It was an uproar with questions being thrown back and forth. Tohka sent Shidou a troubled expression, and he returned her a thumbs up. The smile on Tohka's face turned wry, having learned the look from him, as she tried to keep up with the barrage of questions.
Shidou laughed to himself a bit. Maybe some of the girls could be friends with Tohka, he thought as he got up and approached Origami. The girl looked at him expectantly.
"About the other day," Shidou started with a smile. "Please forget what you saw."
Origami glared. That was a first for him. It took a good few moments before the girl's eyes lost their heat. If she were any more expressive, Shidou imagined her sighing. "You still owe me an explanation, but I won't tell anyone."
"Thank you."
"But in exchange, I will live in your house."
Shidou nodded immediately, "Okay." It should be easy to convince his parents and Kotori— "Wait. What?!" he yelled, gaining the attention of the whole classroom.
"I will live in your house," Origami repeated.
"No!"
"But you already gave your word," Origami pulled out her phone and clicked the "replay" button.
[But in exchange, I will live in your house.]
[Okay.]
Those were definitely the words that he and Origami spoke a few scant seconds ago. It was undeniable.
Shidou stared at Origami. The blank girl stared back. However, Shidou saw the smugness hidden behind her stoic expression.
"Fuck," Shidou didn't like cursing, but he seemed to be doing it more often lately.
"As I said!" came Tohka's loud voice from the front of the class. "I am shidou's girlfriend!"
Half the class settled a hateful glare on Shidou.
"Fuck."
『Profile updated.』
『Name: Tohka Yatogami 【Princess】』
『Heroine Summary: A Spirit you have met and named. She's a girl who has no clue about the world, innocent and pure. You have decided to teach her about the world, starting with all the delicious food. Despite not knowing about the world, she can speak and understand just like any girl her age.』
『Relationship level: 1 【The Princess and her Knight】
Relationship points: 0/100』
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