Kita a Live!

by KamisetaRX

Cosmic Energy, the energy of the universe! Reiryoku, a power that fuels beings known as Spirits! These two forces will be combined through the efforts of two. With their comrades, these two young men will go on an incredible journey to save the world! (Updates every two weeks)

8. Yoshino Masquerade: The Rain Falls Again

Preface:

Welcome to Chapter 8, and we are finally getting to the events of the second LN. Like Tohka's arc, you'll know what to expect if you've read the source material. However, there are some pretty significant changes. What those are? You'll have to read and see.

Responding to Questions/Reviews:

ogatokusatsu: About the topic of Tomoko (or an OC similar to Tomoko), I will most likely not integrate her into the main cast of characters. Not to say I hate the KRC members, but I've already planned out who will be joining the KRC, and none of them are gonna be OCs (or Fourze characters). Still, it doesn't mean an expy of her can show up in an arc.

Guest DCDGojira: No, Meteor's user will not be an OC. It will be an established character. Now, the fun part is figuring out who it'll be.

Caballero lector rojo: (Disclaimer: I've translated your review via DeepL). Thanks for the positive words! I'll try to balance juggling everyone, though I can tell that it will be a very difficult task. I will also be keeping up with the pacing structure of Fourze (namely 2 chapters per arc). Tohka's arc will probably be the only anomaly because of how long that arc ended up being.

kyle152091: Yoshino's a fun character. One of my goals is to utilize her more in my fic since I found that she was pretty underutilized in the source material.

This is also my longest chapter I think. Around 20k words? Don't worry, this isn't going to be three chapters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

---

Chapter 8: Yoshino Masquerade - The Rain Falls Again

Third Person POV

May 11th

"Shido! I made something called cookies!" Tohka burst into the classroom, still wearing her pink apron from home economics class. She ran up to Shido and promptly shoved the blue tin container in her hands up to his face.

"O-oh, Tohka." Shido nervously responded as Tohka's entrance had attracted a lot of attention. Attention directed straight at him.

"Take a look at this!" Tohka opened the box. A sweet aroma filled his nose as he gazed at the pile of adorable cookies that Tohka had made.

"I had some instructions, but I made all of these myself!" Tohka smiled brightly as she cheerfully rambled about her time to Shido. "Here! Have one!" Tohka then suddenly grabbed one of her cookies and held it in front of Shido's mouth.

Shido felt a chill run down his spine. He could hear the hushed cursing of most of the other boys in the class. All their envious eyes glared directly at him with spite. Of course, there were two exceptions. The first was Kengo Utahoshi, who was reading his textbook in preparation for the next class, desperately trying to ignore the commotion in the room. The other was Asher Seung, who had one earphone in, nodding and humming to the music he was listening to.

Shido looked back at Tohka, who was beginning to get a little antsy as her smile slowly faded away.

"Shido? What's wrong? Don't you want it?" Shido felt a sharp pang of guilt in his heart. He either makes an enemy with most of the boys in the classroom or Tohka. He didn't like choosing between either, but there was only one correct course of action here.

"I-I'll have it." Shido nervously got out as he opened his mouth. Tohka beamed with life as she slowly brought the cookie to his mouth.

FWIK!

Suddenly, a small metal pellet flew past his vision. It pierced the cookie, causing it to crumble into dust, before hitting the wall with a slight bang.

"Hnn?!" Tohka cried out in shock as the two turned their heads to see who had fired the pellet.

Standing in the hallway was Origami Tobiichi, wearing the same apron as Tohka. Her right arm extended, and her thumb still pointed upward after she had flicked the pellet at the cookie.

"Origami, you!" Tohka muttered under her breath as the white-haired genius approached Shido's desk. She then calmly pulled out a yellow tin container and opened the lid to reveal a perfect uniform stack of cookies. Compared to Tohka's irregular cookies, all of Origami's were perfectly uniform. It wouldn't be that much of a stretch to assume these were all machine-made.

"You shouldn't put those cookies in your mouth. If you are going to eat anything, eat mine." Origami grabbed one of her cookies and quickly brought it up to Shido's face.

"H-Hey! You can't do that! I was here first! Shido's going to eat my cookies first!" Tohka argued as she grabbed into the container, pulled out another cookie, and shoved it in front of Shido's face. Shido could only feel the contempt from the other boys grow more and more palpable.

"Silence. Shido cannot consume your cookies. You committed numerous sanitary violations while making your goods." Origami explained.

"What?! Name one!" Tohka's face became flustered as she angrily looked at Origami.

"You spent only 14.4 seconds washing your hands with soap instead of the recommended 20 seconds. Afterward, you clumsily cracked two of the three eggs, resulting in some eggshells falling into the batter. You then sneezed three times when inhaling flour dust, spreading germs on the dough." Origami calmly listed off, with Tohka becoming more and more embarrassed with each infraction listed off.

"S-so what! Shido's strong! Something like that won't hurt him!" Tohka fired back.

"Additionally, you failed to accurately measure your ingredients and mix the batter properly. You also pulled the tray out of the oven too early." Origami closed her eyes as she listed even more of Tohka's failings.

"What?! Why didn't you tell me!" Tohka spouted out in shock as she looked at her cookies again.

"I'm under no obligation to guide you on where you went wrong. Regardless, there is only one conclusion that one can make. My cookies are more satisfactory than yours." Origami remarked. Tohka let out a slight growl before suddenly chomping on the cookie in Origami's hands.

Tohka began to chew on it, though her face shifted from an expression of anger to one of pure bliss and ecstasy. However, she gasped before shaking her head from side to side to regain her composure, as Origami wiped her fingers before grabbing another cookie from her box.

"T-They aren't that good… Mine are still better." Tohka spoke, though with less bravado than before.

"Learn to accept the truth. Mine are better." Origami replied, which reignited the fire in Tohka's eyes.

"What did you say?!" Tohka angrily shouted back.

"You two, calm down, please…" Shido spoke up, trying to defuse the situation. However, the two girls looked at him before shoving their cookies into Shido's face.

""Shido, which do you think is better?!"" The two girls demanded in sync. Shido could only nervously dart his eyes between the two cookies. He felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. No matter which option he chose, he felt death would swoop in shortly afterward.

He gulped hard as he decided on a third option that he just devised. He took the two cookies and threw them both in his mouth at the same time. He gnawed on them for some time before swallowing both cookies whole.

"T-They're both great, really!" Shido nervously proclaimed, hoping it would be enough to appease the two girls. The two narrowed their eyes as they looked at him suspiciously.

"Hmph! Shido ate mine first!" Tohka triumphantly declared.

"Incorrect, Shido put mine in his mouth 0.17 seconds before yours." Origami replied. The two rivals glared at each other again as Shido could do nothing but helplessly brace himself for the ensuing match.

However, before it could come to pass…

"Everyone, please get back to your seats." A female teacher with long brown hair walked into the class. She wore a simple white shirt and a dark grey skirt. "Class is starting soon." The teacher sweetly said as she walked up to the podium.

"Now, Yatogami and Tobiichi. You two should be getting along. It isn't good for students to fight with each other." The teacher calmly spoke as she looked at the two.

"I understand, Sonoda-sensei." Tohka replied as she returned to her seat, though not before shooting a quick glare back at Origami. Origami, in turn, glared back as she sat back down in her chair.

Thus, the next class period would begin with Sonoda educating the class about the meaning of an excerpt from classical literature.

---

Asher's POV

"Wow, these cookies are good." I mumbled as I took the cookie Tohka gave me and chewed on it. She had a pleased expression on her face before she ran back to Shido, offering him another cookie.

"Man! It's really impressive how Sonoda-sensei always manages to get along with everyone! She's nearly as popular as Tama-chan-sensei! Her sweet yet mature allure, ahh, how intoxicating." Tonomachi remarked as he sat on a newly installed beanbag chair he had purchased.

It was now shortly after school, and all the members of the Kamen Rider Club were inside Rabbit Hutch. To be more precise, it was more like all of us were hanging out inside as Kengo worked in the computer lab.

"Tch. That Origami! I'll best her one of these days!" Tohka resolved as she shoved another cookie down Shido's throat, who didn't have the willpower to refuse her offerings. The poor dude must be feeling bloated, given how many cookies he's eaten.

"Man, Itsuka, how come you get all the ladies… it's not fair. I wished some girl would feed me their home-baked treats as I opened my mouth like a baby chick waiting for their mother…" Tonomachi grumbled as he opened his mouth. Tohka only looked at him in confusion while she shoved another cookie down Shido's throat.

I guess she was oblivious to what Tonomachi wanted her to do.

"Ah, damn it!" Kengo suddenly shouted from the computer lab.

"Kengo?! What's wrong?!" I rushed over as the others followed behind me. I could see the monitor filled with screens with numerous lines of code as wires hooked up to another blank switch.

"Nothing, everything's fine." Kengo reassured. "It's just that this new Astroswitch is proving to be a lot more difficult to complete than I initially expected."

"Really? What's wrong with it?" I curiously asked, prompting Kengo to sigh a little.

"The Cosmic Energy doesn't seem to want to coalesce, regardless of what I attempt. I think I'm underestimating how much power this Astroswitch needs." Kengo theorized. I pondered the implications of his words before coming to a realization.

"If it needs more power than expected to complete… then doesn't that mean this Astroswitch will be super strong?" I asked.

"If that solution appears to solve the problem, then yes. Astroswitch #10 will most likely upgrade the arsenal at our disposal." Kengo explained.

"Sounds exciting…" I spoke in awe, curious about what kind of power could come out of this new switch.

As we all wondered about the potential of the new Astroswitch, someone's phone began to ring out. Turning around, I realized it was Shido's phone. He put the phone to his ear, though after only half a minute, he hung up and put it back in his pocket.

"Sorry, everyone, I need to get going. Kotori called. She says I need to get some groceries since we're running out." Shido replied.

"Ooh, then I'll come with!" Tohka happily responded as she grabbed Shido's arm, causing him to blush.

"Itsuka…! How could you?! Flaunting your lovely dovey status with Yatogami right in front of my eyes! And going grocery shopping together?! Do you guys live together or what?!" Tonomachi cursed as he clenched his hand into a fist.

"Tonomachi, it's not like that! And we don't live together; her home just happens to be on the same way as mine!" Shido argued back.

"But Shido… Kotori and Reine said—" Before Tohka could finish, Shido began pushing her toward the exit of Rabbit Hutch.

"W-well, in any case, we have to get going! I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Shido nervously spat out before the two of them left Rabbit Hutch. Tonomachi looked a little despondent before he pulled out his phone.

"At least I have you to make my life less lonely…" Tonomachi tapped on an app before a 2D sprite of an anime character popped up on the screen.

Tonomachi, one day, we'll get you some more friends.

---

Third Person POV

"You have to be careful, Tohka. Tonomachi can't know about Ratatoskr or anything related to Spirits." Shido reminded Tohka, who pouted a little.

"I understand…" Tohka mumbled as the two continued walking down the pathway toward the shopping district.

"By the way, Tohka, you mentioned earlier that Kotori said something. What did she say?" Shido asked.

"Oh! Kotori told me that… muu?" Tohka looked at Shido with bright, big eyes, though she suddenly stopped herself when she felt something cold and wet hit the back of her neck. Touching the spot on her neck, she looked at her fingers, only to see it coated with water.

The pair looked up, only to see that the once sunny and bright sky had seemingly transformed into a cloudy, downcast sky out of nowhere.

"Rain?! Are you kidding me? The forecast said it'd be sunny all day!" Shido complained as the droplets of rain fell on them. Shido and Tohka put their bags over their head for protection as they ran down the path. However, as the seconds passed, the rain only poured harder and harder.

"Tohka! Let's go to my house! We'll wait for the storm to pass before we go out again!" Shido shouted out, having to overcome the tumultuous noise of the raindrops.

"Umu!" Tohka eagerly responded, not wanting to spend more time than necessary in the soaking rain.

The two ran through the streets as they held their bags over their head. To Shido, what annoyed him most wasn't the soaking wet feeling but the fact he'd have to spend even more time on household chores. After all, now he needed to wash and dry out his uniform before the next day.

However, distracted by his thoughts, he suddenly bumped into Tohka, who had suddenly stopped for some reason.

"Tohka? Is something wrong?" Shido asked as he scanned his surroundings. The pair were at an intersection. On their right was the entrance to an old shrine. However, what was abnormal about the area was that it wasn't empty.

"Is that… a girl?" Shido questioned. In the middle of the walkway was a short figure wrapped in an oversized green raincoat, with the most distinctive features being the two large bunny ears on the hood. In her left hand was a hand puppet that looked like a rabbit.

The girl continued to dance and twirl without a care in the world, as if unbothered by the downpour that fell upon her.

"Something about her… feels familiar…" Tohka muttered to herself, which got Shido's attention. Shido looked at her. Tohka's eyes looked vacant, as if she was in a trance. She slowly approached the shrine, causing Shido to follow behind her nervously. After all, he was also quite curious about the young girl.

However, as they walked closer to the girl…

THUD!

The girl fell face-first onto the muddy ground with a resounding echo. The puppet in her left hand flew and landed several feet away.

"Huh?! A-are you ok?!" Shido cried out as he ran up to the young girl. The loud sound also snapped Tohka out of her trance, causing her to run up to catch up with Shido and the young girl.

The two knelt beside the young girl and slowly turned her over. Shido could see that the girl was quite young, around the same age as Kotori. Her fluffy hair was colored a rich blue hue, like the surface of the ocean.

Slowly, the young girl's eyes began to flutter open, causing Shido and Tohka to sigh in relief. However, the moment the girl's eyes noticed the two figures, her face went pale as she scrambled to get away from the two.

"S-stay back!" The young girl meekly cried out as she hid behind one of the nearby statues for protection. Shido and Tohka looked at each other curiously before Shido took a few steps closer to the girl.

"Eek! P-Please… d-don't hurt me…!" The girl squeaked out. Instantly, Shido retracted his foot, unsure of how to proceed in this situation. Perhaps to the young girl, Shido looked like a predator looking for his next meal.

"Hey, Shido? What is that?" Tohka pointed at something on the ground. Shido followed her gaze, spotting the hand puppet the girl had, which was now face down in a puddle. He knelt and picked it up before extending his hand to offer it to the blue-haired girl.

"T-This is yours, right?" Shido softly spoke, trying to come off as unthreatening as possible. The girl froze in place as if unsure of what to do. After some time, the girl carefully left her hiding place and walked up to Shido.

She slowly reached out her hand while staying as far as possible from Shido. The moment she got close enough, she quickly snatched it and stuffed the puppet back on her left hand.

"Pwah! I'm saved! You really helped me out, buddy! I appreciate it!" The puppet suddenly sprung to life and spoke in a high-pitched voice. It sounded completely different compared to the timid timbre of the girl's voice. Shido could only wonder if this was some form of advanced ventriloquism.

"Huh?! The rabbit! It's talking!" Tohka cried out in shock, though Shido wasn't sure if she genuinely believed the puppet was a rabbit.

"Yoshinon's not just any rabbit! Yoshinon is Yoshinon!" The puppet declared before making a gesture as if coughing into its hands.

"Anyways! You've got good eyes! Much better than that plain old guy over there." The puppet motioned over to Shido, who recoiled a little in shock. "If you hadn't found Yoshinon sooner, I might've drowned!" The puppet giggled a little as its body rocked back and forth.

"And you! You so brutishly manhandled poor Yoshinon when you picked me up…" The puppet looked towards Shido, who could only look dumbfounded. "Well? Didja like it? My alluring body? I'm sure it's ten times better than that girl's. You can be honest with me. I won't tell a soul." The puppet questioned.

"Huh?" Shido could only respond in complete disbelief at what he'd just heard. He glanced back at Tohka, who looked equal parts confused and jealous. Did Tohka really think she was being compared to a puppet and losing?

"Ah, playing dumb, I see. Don't worry. Yoshinon can sniff your pervertedness from a mile away." The puppet giggled once again. "You two helped Yoshinon out, so I'll let this slide for now. Thankies." When the puppet finished speaking, the young girl turned around and sprinted out of the shrine.

"Wait!" Shido cried out, though his efforts were in vain. Shido and Tohka stood in the empty shrine's courtyard as rain continued to fall around them.

"What in the world was that?" Shido mumbled to himself as he stood up. He looked down at his pants, only to groan when he saw that mud covered his trousers. Great, even more work for him.

"Tohka? Come on, let's get going." Shido turned around, only to see Tohka pouting for some odd reason.

"Tohka? Is something wrong?" Shido worriedly asked as Tohka fidgeted a little.

"I-Is that rabbit really better than me?" Tohka anxiously asked. Shido could only be taken aback by how ludicrous of a possibility that was.

"What are you saying, Tohka? You don't need to worry about that." Shido responded, trying to alleviate Tohka's worries. Tohka's pout softened a little, though it was still noticeable.

"Come on, let's go!" Shido called out, which snapped Tohka out of her daze. With that, the two resumed their journey back to Shido's home.

---

Shido and Tohka panted a little as they finally reached the door of Shido's house. Shido pulled out the key and went to unlock the door but found it had already been unlocked. Shido frowned a little before quickly realizing that Kotori must be home. After all, why else would she have asked him to get groceries on the way home?

Since Tohka appeared in their lives, Kotori's appearances in their home have been sparse at best. At times, Kotori didn't even come home for a couple of days due to all the work that Ratatoskr swamped her with. Still, for Kotori to come home this early? It was highly unusual. However, Shido chalked it up to her workload being lighter for the day.

"Kotori, I'm home! I need to take a shower, though." Shido announced as he opened the front door. As the two took off their wet shoes, Shido could hear the sounds of the TV coming from their living room.

However, as Shido walked toward the bathroom, Tohka followed behind for some odd reason.

"T-Tohka? What are you doing?" Shido nervously questioned.

"I-I need to take a shower too! I'm dirty as well!" Tohka cried out, causing Shido's face to blush immensely. Of course, Tohka was as wet as he was, but to allow Tohka to shower in his own home? The thought made his heart race.

"T-Tohka, wouldn't it be better for you to shower on Fraxinus?" Shido gulped. Tohka had been living on Fraxinus since she was sealed, so it practically became her home.

"I can't anymore." Tohka casually responded.

"You can't? Why not?!" Shido questioned.

"Because I don't live there anymore."

"You don't?! T-Then, where are you staying from now on?!"

"Here! Kotori and Reine told me the other day!" Tohka happily chirped out. Shido's mouth went agape. Tohka Yatogami, one of the most beautiful women Shido's ever seen… would now be living under the same roof as him.

"Muu? Shido? Are you okay?" Tohka asked. Shido froze as his mouth opened to speak, but all that came out was faint stammering. His body was as still as a statue. His mind was unable to comprehend this revelation.

"If you aren't going to take a shower, then I'm going in first!" Tohka declared though Shido remained completely frozen. "You better not peep…" Tohka added on before opening the door to the bathroom and closing the door behind her. Shido stood silently, the only sound coming from the living room TV.

After a minute of standing…

"KOTORIIIII!" Shido yelled out as he barged into the living room.

"Oh, welcome home, big bro. You look soaked. Go take a shower!" Kotori happily replied as she took the lollipop out of her mouth, her white ribbons tied proudly in her hair.

"I would if I could! Why is Tohka going to live in our house from now on?!" Shido loudly demanded.

"Hmm, for training purposes?" Kotori innocently replied, which just annoyed Shido even more.

"What training purposes?!" Shido cried out.

"...Calm down, Shin." A sleepy voice called out from the kitchen. Shido turned around, only to see Reine Murasame, Fraxinus's Chief Analysist and Physics Teacher at Raizen, dropping sugar cube after sugar cube into her cup of coffee. However, she wore a casual blue one-piece dress instead of her standard military uniform or doctor's lab coat.

"Reine?! What are you doing here?!"

"...I stopped by for a little while… and sorry about the sugar." Reine replied though Shido could feel his sanity slipping with each new turn.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?!" Shido pleaded, desperately searching for the answers he needed.

"...Before we do, you should probably wait and take a shower. You're dripping rainwater all over the floor." Reine pointed out, snapping Shido out of his confusion. He looked down and saw that Reine was right. Shido groaned, not looking forward to cleaning this mess up as well. He grabbed a towel from one of the cabinets and waited patiently for Tohka to finish up with her shower.

---

"So then, what's exactly going on?" Shido grumbled as he sat on the floor, rubbing the towel on his still-damp hair.

Reine, Kotori, and Shido sat in a circle in Kotori's room. The pair elected to hold their conversation upstairs, away from Tohka. After all, they'd be discussing something they'd rather not have her hear. To distract Tohka, in the meantime, Shido turned the channel to rerun some old anime, so she'd be preoccupied for the next 20 minutes or so.

"As of today, Tohka will live with us from now." Kotori bluntly spoke, having switched to her black ribbons a while ago.

"I know that, but why?" Shido questioned, having calmed down enough not to go into another frenzy but still feeling annoyed.

"...Broadly speaking, there are two main reasons. The first is for Tohka's aftercare." Reine explained.

"Aftercare…?" Shido repeated.

"...When you kissed Tohka last month, you sealed her Spirit powers." Reine explained, causing Shido to blush a little upon recalling those memories. "From that, an invisible link between the two of you was created. We call this a 'Path.'" Reine summarized.

"A Path…?"

"...Shin, you've already seen this phenomenon in action, even if you didn't realize it. This 'Path' allows part of Tohka's Spirit power to flow back to her when she becomes mentally unstable." Reine's words caused Shido to reflect on the past couple of weeks. The time part of the school's roof collapsed and the explosion occurred during his date with Origami. That was caused by Tohka's powers coming back?

"...Tohka's mental state is always being monitored by us. Her stress levels are higher when onboard Fraxinus than at school." Reine continued.

"T-They are?" Shido responded in confusion.

"...Tohka doesn't seem to like the multiple tests we conduct daily. Statistically speaking, Tohka's stress levels are always the lowest when she's with you." Reine concluded.

"Since Tohka's test results have stabilized, we've decided to shelter Tohka at our house for the time being. Don't worry, Shido. Ratatoskr's currently working on building a special residence specifically for Spirits, so this won't be a permanent change." Kotori explained as Shido nodded along to her words. Shido felt put in an awkward position. While he felt super uncomfortable because the two would be living together, if it meant helping Tohka calm down and be happier, he'd have to endure it.

"...This is also to help acclimate Tohka to resist becoming too afflicted by stress. Tohka's spirit powers have already returned multiple times. Ensuring her mental state remains positive for a longer period should make it harder for her powers to return to her in case something troubling occurs to her." Reine explained.

"So, that was you meant by training? Tohka's?" Shido let out a sigh.

"No? God, you're naive. We said there were two reasons. One was to help and train Tohka. The other was to continue training you!" Kotori retorted.

"Train me too? For what purpose?! I already sealed Tohka, didn't I?" Shido questioned.

"Who said Tohka was the only Spirit out there?" Kotori responded. Shido felt like the wind was knocked out of him.

"Y-you can't be implying…" Shido paused for a second before continuing. "How many more are out there?" Shido nervously asked.

"Excluding Tohka, Ratatoskr's confirmed that there are seven more Spirits in total that need to be saved." Kotori responded.

"So, if I understand correctly, there are eight spirits in total?" Shido asked. However, this caused Kotori to awkwardly freeze up momentarily, though she soon regained her composure.

"T-That's correct." Kotori stiffly answered. It seemed like she avoided giving a straight answer, though that was the least of Shido's worries.

"Seven other Spirits…" Shido faltered. Doubt and anxiety filled his mind. Would he be able to do this? If he wanted to save them, he'd have to take each one out on a date.

"Is there really no way to save them by dating them?" Shido questioned.

"How many times have we told you this? You're the only one who can seal Spirits, and to do that, you have to take them out on a date and get them to fall in love with you!" Kotori annoyedly responded. Shido bit his lip, his anxiety not being diminished at all by that answer.

"Why?! Why am I the only one who can do this?! How did Ratatoskr even find me?! How did Ratatoskr even find out about Spirits in the first place?!" Shido desperately questioned. The saddle of responsibility was crushing the young man's heart. Kotori and Reine looked at the poor boy sympathetically.

"You're right. Shido, you deserve some answers." Kotori sighed as she pulled out another lollipop and shoved it into her mouth. This was going to be a long talk.

"Ratatoskr was formed shortly after the Eurasian Sky Disaster 30 years ago. Its founding member discovered the existence of Spirits and created Ratatoskr in order to protect, save, and help them lead a normal and happy life." Kotori explained.

"That long ago… then when in the world did you join the organization?" Shido asked.

"Five years ago, I was recruited and appointed commander of Ratatoskr's combat unit." Kotori bluntly stated. Shido did the math on his fingers and came to a frightening discovery.

"Five years ago?! But that means you were eight years old! That can't be true!" Shido cried out in shock.

"Even when the truth is right before you, you still choose to deny it? You must be more delusional than I thought." Kotori coldly remarked, causing Shido to go silent. He couldn't believe this was the same person as his cute, adorable, cheerful little sister.

"Around the same time as I was appointed, Ratatoskr discovered the existence of a young boy who could seal Spirits with a kiss. With this discovery, Ratatoskr now had a way to defuse the threat of Spirits upon the world effectively. The organization underwent a major shift as policies were implemented to ramp up efforts on saving Spirits." Kotori explained.

"And that person was me?" Shido questioned. Kotori gave a simple nod, affirming his deduction.

"How come I have this power, then?" Shido asked.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you. I genuinely do not know." Kotori sternly asnwered. Shido felt his heart sink at that answer.

"Y-You don't…?" Shido could feel his mind drifting more and more as the mystery behind the truth of his powers consumed his mind.

"Then how did Ratatoskr know about my powers five years ago when I wasn't even aware of it until last month? What happened five years ago?!" Shido demanded. Oddly, Kotori simply looked downward. Her face washed over with grief as if recalling a painful memory.

"K-Kotori?" Shido nervously called out to his sister to see if she was ok.

"Hmm? Oh, uhh, Ratatoskr checked you out with, uhh, one of the measuring devices. It's how I found out about it, too." Kotori awkwardly explained, as if she was dodging telling him the truth. Yet, Shido didn't feel like he could press her more. Not after seeing that pained expression on her face.

"So. That's everything about Ratatoskr. Now you know. Will you continue to work with us to save Spirits? Or will you abandon them and leave their fates to the AST?" Kotori asked.

Shido found himself deep in thought. He was the only one who could save these Spirits and give them everyday lives, but all of them had immense power if Tohka was anything to judge by. Could he save them all? Sure, he already saved Tohka, but what if that was just luck? What if he meets a Spirit that he can't save?

"I… let me think about it… I'll be honest and admit that I don't know if I can do it." Shido answered.

"Well, that's what we're here for. To train you so you can do it." Kotori shot him a comforting smile. Silence filled the room. After a couple of seconds, Kotori turned to face Reine.

"Well, Reine, are the preparations ready?" Kotori asked.

"...Of course. All that's needed is your approval." Reine answered.

"Preparations? For what?" Shido tilted his head.

"Isn't it obvious? Tohka's room! She's gonna be in the guest room from now on!" Kotori snarkily replied. Shido could feel his heart race again. The reality of the situation was dawning on him once again.

"Wait, wait, wait. I'm not mentally prepared!" Shido desperately waved his hands out in front of him. Kotori just grinned, seeing her brother's pathetic reaction.

"Ohh? Tough luck. Until the special housing unit's built, there's nothing else we can do." Kotori replied.

"B-B-But, a young man and woman living together? In the same house?!" Shido cried out, insinuating some specific implications by that statement. Kotori seemed to catch on as she gave Shido a disapproving look.

"If we thought you could be that bold and have an intimate relationship, we wouldn't have put in all this work to move Tohka in." Kotori retorted. Shido gritted his teeth. He couldn't argue against that, much to his humiliation.

"B-But—!" Shido attempted to cry but stopped when he noticed Tohka opening the door next to him. Shido could see an uneasy look on her face.

"S-Shido… do you not want me here…?" Tohka anxiously asked. Shido stammered a little, though eventually sighed. He couldn't say no to that face.

"F-Fine! I'll accept it!" Shido cried out. Tohka's face suddenly shifted into a great big smile. She ran over to Shido and hugged him, much to Shido's embarrassment and Kotori's amusement.

---

Shido and Kotori sat on the living room couch, watching an old rerun of a movie that was currently airing. Tohka was probably unpacking her belongings after Fraxinus had sent a couple of boxes in front of their house. Shido was quite shocked at the number of boxes. When did Tohka get so many belongings?

"H-Hey, Kotori…" Shido quietly asked. Kotori raised her eyebrow and let out a faint hum in response.

"Everything you told me today… is that something I have to keep a secret?" Shido asked. Kotori contemplated for several seconds before taking the lollipop out of her mouth.

"If you're referring to whether to share this with Seung and Utahoshi, go ahead. They already know of our activities. But I'm warning you. Only those two are permitted to know." Kotori explained before letting out a sigh.

"What were you thinking by adding your perverted friend to that club? That just complicates the whole situation." Kotori questioned. Shido felt slightly guilty, but Tonomachi joining the KRC was a group decision. It's not like he could solely be blamed for it.

"A-anyways, about that training? What exactly am I supposed to be doing?" Shido switched topics, not wanting to linger any further.

"Oh, that? It's simple. Just continue living your daily life." Kotori bluntly responded. The unexpected simplicity of the task caused Shido to hesitate.

"...that's it?" Shido cautiously probed. Surely, it can't be that simple? There must be some catch to it.

"Remember, your goal is to go on dates with these Spirits. You can't be getting flustered every time they look in your direction. This time you'll be getting good hands-on training by living with a woman. You should remain calm and act like a proper gentleman, no matter what eyebrow-raising situation you're thrust into." Kotori explained. Shido nodded but stopped himself upon hearing the last part of her sentence.

Shido really didn't like the implications of those words.

Seconds later, Kotori suddenly tilted her head and spoke hushedly.

"Hmm… right… understood…" Shido could barely make out what Kotori said before she seemingly returned to normal.

"Kotori? Who was that?" Shido asked.

"Ah? It was nothing." Kotori spoke with complete composure. "Anyways, Shido, I need to go to the bathroom, but the light's burned out. Can you go and replace it?" Kotori requested.

"Huh? Why can't you do it yourself?" Shido asked, causing Kotori to pout.

"Ohhh, but what if I trip and fall? What if I hit my head and my brains splatter everywhere? Would you really risk your own little sister's life because you didn't want to do the task yourself?" Kotori sarcastically remarked.

"Fine, I get it. I'll do it." Shido groaned as he got up. A little smirk appeared on Kotori's face as he did so. Something in the back of his head told him something was off, but he had no choice but to ignore it.

Heading into the main hallway, he grabbed a spare lightbulb and stool from the cupboard before arriving at the bathroom door. Shido opened the door, though he immediately froze in place. It took everything he had not to drop the bulb.

Inside was Tohka, sitting on the toilet. Her panties and bare thighs were completely exposed for Shido to see.

"T-T-T-T-TOHKA?!" Shido cried out as Tohka covered her legs with her hands. Her face became redder than the sun.

"CLOSE THE DOOR!" Tohka shouted as she grabbed a nearby toilet paper roll and chucked it at Shido. It hit him with such force that it knocked him down on his back, and he could hear the bathroom door close once again.

"What just happened…?" Shido asked himself as he just lay and stared at the ceiling.

"What happened to remaining calm and acting like a gentleman?" Kotori snarkily insulted. Of course. This must've been her work. Shido just shot her angry look while still lying on the floor.

"Tohka's mental status is constantly being measured, but the same goes for you, Shido. We can tell whether you've succeeded or failed in your response. Naturally, you failed." Kotori explained. She then pulled out a small radio and finetuned one of the knobs. The static eventually morphed into an audible noise.

"[Fraud rules the world. Corruption consumes its adults. We must resist following their path.]" A voice echoes from the radio, reciting something off. Shido listened to the words, only for his blood to run cold when he realized what this was.

"NOOOO! TURN IT OFF!" Shido demanded as he reached for the radio, though Kotori just jerked it away. Described on the radio was an old poem that Shido had written back in junior high. He thought its contents had been burned away.

"You really thought there wouldn't be penalties if you failed?" Kotori questioned. "Well, as long as you don't fail at everything, the author won't be revealed. I'm telling you, Shido, this is for your own good. The faster you can get used to staying calm, the better." Kotori explained before leaving to go back to the living room.

"...Did it have to involve such a cruel method…?" Shido sobbed as he knelt on the ground. However, he turned his head when he heard the bathroom door open behind him.

"Umm… Shido… can you give that back to me…?" Tohka peeked her head through the door, her face still red. She pointed at the roll of toilet paper she had thrown earlier. Shido snapped back to his senses and grabbed it before handing it back. Tohka then nodded in appreciation before closing the door.

Shido could only scratch his head. He'd have to be on guard for whatever Kotori prepared next.

---

Third Person POV

May 12th

"[...Kotori. Kotori. Wake up. It's time.]" A voice rang through Kotori's earpiece. Slowly, she opened her eyes, a bit annoyed by her sleep being ruined, though the voice wouldn't let her go back to sleep.

"Reine?" Kotori groggily asked as she checked her phone. It was around 3:30 AM, meaning everyone was asleep. Well, except for her.

"[...Everything's ready, Kotori.]" Reine informed Kotori. Kotori slowly reached for one of her special mint-flavored lollipops. The moment the candy hit her tongue, a cool, refreshing wave coursed through her body, waking her up fully.

"Alright, I'm up. Let me take some time to go downstairs." Kotori responded as she got out of bed and quietly tip-toed out of her room, carefully not to make a sound.

"[...Do you really think this plan will be successful? The "Trap Shin and Tohka in the Bathtub" operation resulted in a failure.]" Reine questioned as Kotori made her way to the front door.

"Don't worry. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, it just means Shido will have to toughen up faster." Kotori quietly whispered as she unlocked the front door and opened it. Outside was a group of men dressed in black combat gear.

"Target's upstairs. You know what to do." Kotori instructed a group. The group nodded before quietly creeping into the household and upstairs. Kotori sucked on her lollipop, anticipating what would happen when the morning sun arose.

---

Third Person POV

"Mm… five more minutes…" Shido groggily spoke as he reached his hand outwards to turn off the morning alarm. However, due to still being in the process of waking up, Shido couldn't determine where exactly the alarm was. He waved his hand aimlessly, desperately searching to turn off the annoying sound.

"Hmm?" Shido felt his hand grab something soft and squishy. The odd texture caused his senses to return faster. His vision began to return more clearly, allowing him to determine what was before him.

It was Tohka.

And at that moment, Tohka's eyes began to flutter open. The moment their eyes met, a brief silence filled the room before…

"EEEEEKK!" "AAAHHH!" The pair screamed in sync as they jumped out of bed in a panic, unsure of what had led to this situation.

---

Third Person POV

Kotori sighed as she took out her lollipop upon hearing the duo scream.

"Yep, that's definitely a fail." Kotori groaned as she pulled out her phone. "Well, might as well prepare the punishment." Kotori remarked as she began typing an anonymous message on some of the other Raizen students' social media, talking about a recent amazing radio program with life-changing content.

Kotori pressed "Send" as she heard a loud, reverberating slap from upstairs.

---

Asher's POV

"Shido? What's up? You've looked out of it this entire day." I called out to Shido just as the lunch period began. When Shido entered class today, he looked like he had just run a marathon or something. Plus, he had a giant bruise on his forehead, which wasn't there the day before.

Not to mention that when Tohka came in only seconds after Shido, her face was tinged red. Something definitely happened between the two of them.

"I-It's nothing, really… I'm fine…" Shido nervously responded though I felt he didn't want to discuss it.

"Well then, if you're all fine, then maybe you can help me with something!" Tonomachi announced as he slid into view and held a manga magazine in his hand.

"Nurse, maid, or shrine maiden? Which one?" Tonomachi asked. The question took us both for a loop.

"...why?" Shido nervously asked. Tonomachi sighed as he flipped open the magazine to the pinup page.

"They're doing a poll to determine the theme for the next edition's pinup page, but I just can't decide. I need second opinions. So, gimme your answer!" Tonomachi demanded as he thrust the page in front of Shido's face.

"Eh? Umm… well, maybe maid?" Shido nervously answered. Tonomachi looked at him disapprovingly.

"Oh… so you're a maid type of guy. I see how it is…" Tonomachi shook his head. Shido could only look at him in complete confusion.

"Hey, Seung. Nurse, maid, or shrine maiden. Which one?" Tonomachi moped as he turned to face me.

"Huh? Well, I guess if I had to choose… a shrine maiden?" I weakly responded. I didn't have any strong thoughts about the matter. Tonomachi looked even more dejected as he hung his head.

"Why does no one understand the power of nurses?" Tonomachi pitifully cried out.

"If you have a preference, why don't you just vote for that?!" Shido called out, though Tonomachi just ignored him. Tonomachi walked up to Kengo, who was currently already eating his lunch.

"You must be delusional if you think I'd ever answer such a ludicrous question." Kengo callously spoke before Tonomachi could even open his mouth. He shot Tonomachi a disgusted look, causing him to nervously back away and slink back into his seat.

With the situation over, Shido sighed as he pulled out his lunch and set it on his desk.

"Maids…" Origami muttered to herself.

"Tobiichi? Did you say something?" Shido turned to look at her.

"It's nothing." Origami bluntly responded as she proceeded to pull out her lunch.

"Shido! Let's have lunch!" Tohka cried out as she entered the room after returning from the restroom. She ran up to her desk and moved it closer to Shido's. Upon seeing this act of aggression, Origami immediately stood up and moved her desk closer to Shido's.

"What are you doing?!" Tohka cried out as she glared at Origami.

"I could ask the same as you." Origami responded.

"Now, now, let's just eat together in peace… okay…?" Shido nervously requested as he tried to defuse the situation. The two of them sat down, still grumpy with the other's presence. The three of them opened their lunch boxes at the same time. Origami looked at the pair's lunches, and her eyes widened upon noticing it.

I looked at the contents of the lunch boxes for several seconds, and then it clicked. Oh, I see.

Shido also began to sweat upon realizing Origami knew the implications of what was going on.

"Muu? What's wrong?" Tohka asked as she looked at Shido and Origami, unaware of what was wrong.

Shido and Tohka's lunch boxes were practically identical. Neither of them looked store-bought either, so this could only mean…

"What is the meaning of this?" Origami demanded.

"A-ah, well, this is— I just happened to buy lunch at a store this morning, and Tohka was the—" Shido stammered.

"Liar. You've been using this exact lunch box for 154 days when you bought it for ¥1580 at a discount shop. You couldn't possibly have gotten it at a store." Origami cut off Shido before he could continue, revealing information that could only be gained through a terrifying breach of privacy.

"H-how do you know…?" Shido could only fearful stammer. Note to self: Never piss off Origami.

"That's not the issue. The real issue—" Origami deflected, but before she could continue, a loud blaring noise filled the entire school.

"This is not a drill. I repeat. This is not a drill. A Spacesquake has been detected. All residents, please…" The Spacequake's warning system echoed in the air, instilling panic in all students still inside the class. Origami tilted her head upward before standing up and immediately rushing out of the classroom.

That's right, she's part of the AST, isn't she? I know she's just doing her job, but Spirits aren't just mindless killing machines. Part of me wished there was an easy solution to all of this, though there wasn't much I could do other than hope for the best.

"...Everyone, hurry and evacuate to the underground shelter." Reine opened the doorway and pointed down the hallway. Slowly but surely, the students in the room calmly got up and formed a nice uniform line outside the room.

Kengo, Shido, Tohka, and I all made our way out of the room and into the hallway, joining the other students. However, as Tohka was distracted by the sight of so many people in such an organized manner, Reine came up from behind us and tapped the three of us on our shoulders.

"...Shin. Utahoshi. Asher. I need to quickly talk to you three and only you three." Reine asked, causing the three of us to turn to look at her.

"...Shin, you're coming with me. I know our discussion from the other day is still lingering in your mind, but that's why I want you to witness the Spirit and the situation she's facing." Reine told Shido before turning the two of us.

"...Seung and Utahoshi. I want you two to accompany Tohka down into the shelter. Outside of Shido, she trusts you two the most, so I expect she'll listen to you both." Reine explained.

"That's a fair request. Besides, there's no point in the two of us leaving the bunker anyways since there hasn't been a Zodiarts' sighting for the time being." Kengo replied.

"H-Hey! The five of you! Itsuka, Yatogami, Utahoshi, Seung, and even you, Ms. Murasame! Please don't just stand there!" We heard Tamae cry out from a distance, causing me to turn around and spot her waving at us as the crowd began to move.

"...We don't have much time. We need to move now." Reine stated. Reine and Shido headed in the opposite direction, though Shido couldn't help but look back at Tohka with worry.

"Muu? Shido? Where are you going?" Tohka cried out as she turned around to follow Shido, though I stepped in and blocked her path.

"Ah, about that, Shido says he has something important to do. Don't worry, he'll be fine." I reassured Tohka, though the expression of worry was still evident on her face.

"Let's go. We'll be in more danger the longer we stay idle." Kengo spoke up as the two of us encouraged Tohka to follow us and the rest of the crowd down into the shelter. However, during the whole time we walked, Tohka looked behind her as if silently hoping Shido would come with her.

Shido, you better be safe.

---

Third Person POV

Shido watched the main monitor with apprehensive eyes. Displayed was the predicted area of where the Spirit would appear. He could hear the alarms blaring through the speakers as ripples in space slowly spread out from the area.

Then, a small orb of light appeared in the center before suddenly explosively expanding, filling the screen with a bright light as the sounds of rushing wind echoed from the speakers. Seconds later, the light died down, and all that was left was a massive crater in the center of the area.

"So, how was it? This is your first time seeing a Spacequake appear in person, isn't it?" Kotori asked, though Shido was too stunned even to respond. Seeing this, Kotori sighed as she refocused her sights on the monitor.

"Still, the scale of the explosion is pretty small. About 20 meters in diameter from a glance?" Kotori remarked, causing Shido just to sweat even more. An explosion of 20 meters was considered small?!

"I'd like to say that we got lucky, but Hermit has always acted like this." Kannazuki spoke up from Kotori's side. As the monitor zoomed in on the Spirit in the center of the crater, Shido couldn't help but gasp out as his chest tightened.

"T-That's…!" Shido cried out as his eyes saw the appearance of the Spirit. A familiar young girl with blue hair, wearing a green hoodie with bunny ears and a rabbit puppet on her left hand.

"...? What's wrong, Shido?" Kotori asked, noticing the sudden shift in her brother's demeanor.

"That's the girl Tohka and I met the other day!" Shido cried out, surprising the entire crew.

"What?! When did you meet her?" Kotori demanded.

"I-It was yesterday after school, just after it began to rain suddenly…" Shido said in shock as Kotori immediately ordered the crew to look up Reiryoku levels during the estimated time period.

"Our data shows no disturbance in Reiryoku levels at all yesterday." Kannazuki reported, causing Kotori to ruffle her hair in annoyance.

"So, it's the same as Tohka?" Kotori mused before gritting her teeth. "Why didn't you report this to me immediately, Shido?!" Kotori berated her older brother.

"How was I supposed to know she was a Spirit?!" Shido retaliated, which seemed to have worked. Kotori reluctantly sighed as she laid back in her chair.

Suddenly, the sounds of continuous gunfire echoed from the monitor. Turning to the screen, Shido saw as the AST descended on the young girl, firing their Gatling guns as they flew around her location. Hermit immediately jumped into the air and flew away, causing the AST to fly after her. Hermit continued to flee as the AST rained hellfire down on the poor girl.

"This is… too cruel…" Shido whispered out as anger took hold of his heart. "She's just a young girl. Can't the AST see that?!" Shido cried out in frustration, though Kotori just swiveled her chair to face Shido.

"That's the AST for you. They don't care what the Spirit looks like or does. As long as it's a Spirit, they'll hunt them down until they become Lost or slain." Kotori remarked with a severe expression as the footage showed one of the AST missiles hitting Hermit, causing her to fall back to the ground.

"...!" Shido nearly let out a yell, though he saw the Spirit recover and continue flying at a much lower altitude. Despite this, the AST didn't stop shooting, causing collateral damage to the buildings in the way of their assault on the poor girl.

Shido clenched his hands. The soft and shy girl he met the other day was now being ruthlessly pursued by the AST. He remembered this feeling. This feeling of being useless. He felt it when he watched the AST attack Tohka a month earlier. Right now, Shido didn't care whether he could save the remaining seven spirits or not. All he cared about was reaching out and helping the poor girl he saw suffering right in front of him.

"Kotori… if I seal the Spirit, the AST will stop attacking her, right?" Shido questioned. A slight smirk appeared on Kotori's face, seeing the resolve in her brother starting to shine through.

"Yes, that's exactly right." Kotori responded. With that, Shido clenched his hands even tighter as he gathered all his courage.

"Then, please! Help me! I want to save her!" Shido earnestly announced. Kotori's smirk turned into a full-blown smile.

"Heh-heh. That's what I was waiting for. Alright, you heard my brother! Everyone, prepare for a type-one capture!" Kotori yelled out, as the crew immediately responded with a unified "Roger!"

"Now, then, let's get this date started." Kotori grinned as she pulled out one of her favorite lollipop flavors and put it in her mouth.

---

Asher's POV

The three of us were sitting inside the bunker, having found one of the less noisy areas to try to relax. I glanced over at Tohka, who still looked very anxious.

"Umm… Asher. Kengo. Where are we?" Tohka nervously asked us.

"This is the Spacequake bunker underneath Raizen High School. Its purpose is to shield and protect us from the potential threat of a Spacequake." Kengo bluntly explained as he continued reading the book he brought into the bunker to pass the time.

"Spacequake…? What is that?" Tohka tilted her head as she asked. This took me for a loop. Despite causing Spacequakes, she didn't know what they were? Either that or maybe she didn't recognize the terminology.

"Oh, Spacequakes are basically giant explosions in the air. They're really dangerous and deadly, so that's why we go deep underground to avoid them." I explained, trying to give an explanation that anyone could understand.

"D-Dangerous?!" Tohka's eyes widened as she knitted her brows. "T-Then where did Shido go…?" Tohka questioned as I felt myself gulp. I couldn't just tell her that Shido was out there, but at the same time, I couldn't just lie to her.

"Tohka, don't worry; I'm sure Shido will be back so—!" I attempted to calm her down, but before I could finish, Tohka turned around and sprinted for the exit.

"Tohka!" I cried out, trying to call her back, but she just continued running.

"Well, this is troubling." Kengo closed his book and stood up.

"No duh!" I annoyedly responded as I began to panic slightly. We had one job, and we messed it up!

"Asher. Follow after Yatogami. Have the Fourze Driver on you in case you get into any trouble. Its defenses may protect you from a Spacequake. There's no reason for me to put myself in unnecessary danger, so I'll stay behind." Kengo explained. I nodded in response and unzipped my bag, preparing to put on the Driver when I got out of the bunker.

"Don't worry, I'll bring her back." I assured Kengo before turning and ran up the stairs after Tohka.

The moment I reached the surface, cold rain hit my head. I looked up and saw dark clouds all over Tengu City, as rain poured incessantly.

"Ah, it's raining?!" I groaned as I put the Fourze Driver as a precautionary measure. Ugh, I better find Tohka and fast. I'd rather not get a cold.

---

Third Person POV

"So… Hermit is in here?" Shido questioned as he quickly dried himself off. He was on the first floor of a massive department store.

"[Yes, she should be on the fourth floor, according to our data. Unfortunately, the AST cut power to the building, so you'll have to do it the hard-fashioned way.]" Kotori remarked through the earpiece. Shido let out a groan as he slowly began his ascent up the stairs.

Apparently, the AST's CR units don't work well in indoor combat, so the AST was currently on standby outside the department store, waiting for Hermit to come out naturally. Of course, there was a threat of the AST destroying the building to drive out Hermit, though for now, the AST were content with waiting.

As Shido climbed another flight of stairs, his mind reminisced on the last time he had done something like this. Shido found it hard to believe that his life had changed forever only a month ago when he found himself stuck on a literal battlefield. He has the power to seal Spirits for some reason, and he could use this power to save these Spirits. Although, he still couldn't get over the fact that the only requisite to this power was by seducing and kissing them.

"The fourth floor." Shido mumbled to himself as he finally reached his destination. He carefully explored the floor, looking for any signs of the girl. However, despite his best efforts, the floor seemed completely empty.

"Kotori, are you sure this is the right floor?" Shido questioned as he continued scanning the area.

"[Hmm? According to the signal, Hermit should be right in front of you.]" Kotori answered, causing Shido to tilt his head. He looked in front of him, but there was nothing there. However, as he slowly looked upwards…

"Are you here to bully Yoshinon too?" A stern voice rang out as Shido spotted an impossible sight. Hermit stood upside down on the ceiling, the puppet dangling only inches from Shido's face. The unexpected sight caused Shido to scream as he fell backward.

"Pfft, ahahaha! That's what bullies like you deserve!" The puppet laughed as the girl spun around and landed on the floor. Shido quickly got to his feet and dusted himself off, a bit annoyed at himself for getting so startled at such a sight.

"Oya? I thought you looked familiar, but who would've guessed it was the lucky pervert from the other day!" The puppet clapped its hands together.

"[Shido, standby.]" Kotori instructed from her earpiece.

On Fraxinus, the crew was presented with three possible responses.

1. "Oh, it's been a while. How are you doing?": Greet her casually.

2. "Lucky pervert? What do you mean by that?": Make a lighthearted jab.

3. "Heh, got no idea what you mean. I'm just a passing-through stranger.": Go hard-boiled.

Kotori ordered the crew to vote. Seconds later, the results came in—a perfect three-way tie. A fierce argument arose as each member began to defend their choices and persuade the others.

"Hmm, this is annoying…" Kotori mumbled as she listened intently to each of the arguments presented by the three factions.

"[Shido, go with option three.]" Kotori ordered, causing Shido to sweatdrop. Of all the choices, why the weirdest one?

"Ahem…" Shido coughed into his fist to mentally prepare himself as the puppet cocked its head to one side.

"Heh, I think you've got the wrong person. I'm just a passing-through stranger, going wherever the wind takes me." Shido spoke as cooly as he could, even tossing his hair a little to add to the vibe. Unfortunately, Shido knew all too well how awkward this must've looked.

"...Pft! Ha! Ahahahaha!" The puppet burst out laughing at the odd sight. "Mister, are you trying to act funny? Nobody speaks like that anymore!" The puppet giggled as Shido could only look defeatedly at the puppet.

"Man, it's nice to see a familiar face around these parts, though. And a friendly one at that! Every time poor Yoshinon gets yanked out of that place, those evil, evil people start going 'pew-pew-pew' at us." The puppet jested. Despite talking about such a traumatic thing, the puppet was oddly upbeat about the whole thing.

"So, is Yoshinon uh…" Shido questioned, causing the puppet's mouth to open wide in shock.

"What?! Did Yoshinon forget to introduce Yoshinon?! Man, Yoshinon could've sworn Yoshinon introduced herself the other day. Seems like ol' Yoshinon's getting a little forgetful. Ahahaha!" The puppet laughed once again before calming down.

"Yoshinon is Yoshinon's name. N-A-M-E. Cute, isn't it?" The puppet said, emphasizing the "cute" part with much intensity.

"Y-yeah, it's a good name." Shido nervously responded, unable to keep up with the puppet's fervor.

"[So, Yoshinon? Hermit already has itself a name?]" Kotori pointed out, causing Shido to note the oddity mentally.

"So, lucky perv? What's your name?" The puppet asked as it slowly got closer to Shido's face.

"Hmm? Oh, right. I'm Shido. Shido Itsuka." Shido introduced himself.

"Shido? Pretty cool name, but not as great as Yoshinon." Yoshinon responded.

"Y-yeah, sure… but umm… is Yoshinon the name of the puppet or you? Why are you speaking through ventriloquism?" Shido curiously asked. The moment the last word left his tongue, he felt the room temperature drop several degrees.

"[Shido?! What did you say?! Her mood is plummeting drastically!]" Kotori warned as he could hear several alarms go off in the background.

"Huh? All I was asking about was why she was using ventriloquism to speak…" Shido nervously replied though he could see the puppet loom closer and closer to his face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Shido. What in the world is ventriloquism?" The puppet spoke with the same tone it had previously, though Shido felt he would suffocate at any moment.

"[Nevermind, just cheer her up and fast!]" Kotori ordered through the earpiece.

"Y-You're right! Yoshinon is Yoshinon, and that's all there is, right?" Shido nervously replied to the puppet. Just like that, the pressure dissipated as the room temperature returned to normal.

"Good grief, Shido, you're such a joker!" Yoshinon light-heartedly said with none of the venom it had previously. Shido let out a sigh of relief. Thank god that worked.

"[Shido, don't just stand there. Do something so Hermit doesn't run off.]" Kotori berated Shido through the earpiece. Shido could only just respond in confusion.

"[This is such an obvious scenario. A young girl and boy, together in a large department store. A perfect opportunity for a date. Just say, 'Hey, if you're free, let's go on a date.' or something like that. Don't give her the choice to decline.]" Kotori advised. Shido gulped, feeling a little daunted by the sudden task.

"Uh… Yoshinon…" Shido nervously spoke as he turned to face the girl. "H-hey, if you're free, let's go on a date." Shido stated.

"[...I didn't mean for you to follow my words literally.]" Kotori exasperated. However, despite her annoyance, Yoshinon looked extremely amused, clapping its hands together.

"Ooh! So you can be bold after all! Hoo-hoo, of course! You bet I'd like to go on one! Yoshinon can finally let loose and talk all she wants!" Yoshinon cackled with laughter as Shido let out an uneasy smile. This was… a lot easier than he expected.

"[Well, you don't turn down blessings. Come on, Shido. You need to build a relationship with her as soon as possible. The battle's only just begun.]" Kotori advised.

Hesitantly, Shido ushered Yoshinon to follow him as the two began walking through the department store.

---

Third Person POV

Origami checked her gear once again. All weapons were fully reloaded, and her laser blade was at max power.

She must've done this at least five times already. Origami could only hold her breath as she eyed the department store, waiting for the moment she spotted that familiar green hoodie flying through the sky.

"You antsy?" Origami perked up as she heard the reassuring voice. It was her superior, Ryouko.

"I must say, it's quite odd for Hermit to be in one place for this long. She's always zipping through the air." Ryouko commented.

"Can we not simply flush out Hermit by destroying the building?" Origami questioned. Ryouko simply responded with a shake of her head.

"I've sent in a request to raid the building, but no word yet. I suspect the higher-ups want to avoid paying unnecessary damages if they can help it. After all, compared to Princess, Hermit is a lot less destructive." Ryouko explained. The mention of that codename ignited a small rage within Origami.

"Speaking of Princess, isn't it weird? A girl suddenly transfers into your class and looks exactly like Princess, but we couldn't detect any Spirit signals coming from her. What's more, her family tree seems to be completely standard…" Kyouko rambled.

Origami grit her teeth. She knew that Tohka Yatogami was Princess and got the feeling that the higher-ups knew that as well. Yet, for whatever reason, the higher-ups simply ordered that everyone stand down instead of investigating her further. Why? The enemy was right there. Why were they holding back?

"And to make matters worse, those weird monsters, along with Apollo, keep showing up at your school." Ryouko added on. Apollo, that white-armored individual. Information about whoever they were was sparse among the AST. Yet, Origami had some suspicions about who could be behind that mask.

After all, when they first met, Apollo seemed to recognize her.

"Hmm?" Ryouko suddenly peeped out.

"What is it?" Origami questioned.

"Oh… it's gone… Sorry. I thought I saw some signal show up on the radar. It seems to have just been a blip, though." Ryouko replied though that answer didn't sit well with Origami. AST technology should be top-of-the-line. Something like that shouldn't be prone to throwing out false errors.

"Anyways, continue to stand by. We'll hopefully get orders soon enough." Ryouko concluded before turning her eyes onto the building. Origami did the same, gripping the handle of her gun tightly, waiting for the moment Hermit would pop up.

---

Asher's POV

"Huff… huff… where in the world did she go?" I panted out as I took the time to catch my breath. I was wet, exhausted, and annoyed out of my mind. I know Tohka's a Spirit that has the power to end the world, but did she manage to get that far away from me in that short amount of time?

As I scanned my surroundings, I noticed one of the sliding doors of the nearby department store begin to close. Hmm? Could it be?

With no better options, I ran into the department store, though to say it was unnerving was an understatement. The storm knocked out its power, so the entire building was quite dark.

Suddenly, I heard a loud, reverberating noise from one of the upper floors. It sounded like a gunshot. Resisting the urge to let out a girly scream, I steeled myself and ran to the staircase in the distance.

"H-How could you be making out with some girl!" I heard someone angrily shouting from above as I made it up the first flight of stairs. It sounded like it came from two floors above me. Powering through the exhaustion, I ran up the stairs again since I had an awfully good idea of who the voice belonged to.

"...so sorry about this! You know how it is. Yoshinon is just too attractive. You can't blame Shido for ditching you to meet Yoshinon secretly. Right, Shido? I bet he's already made plans to throw you out of your life and start a new one with me. Pufufufu!" I heard a high-pitched voice smugly teasing as I reached the fourth floor.

"Aaaahhhh! Shut up! That can't be true!" Tohka's shaking voice echoed as I drew closer to the area.

"Alright, what's going on!… oh." I declared as I turned the corner, only to see a sight I was not expecting. Shido was currently sweating bullets as Tohka fiercely stared at a young blue-haired girl with an oversized green hoodie and rabbit puppet in her left hand. Tohka looked extremely flustered, with tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

Everyone turned to look at me as I entered the scene. I gulped. I was expecting danger, not something straight out of a daytime soap opera.

"Oya? Who are you? Another one to become entranced by Yoshinon?" The puppet sensually moved its body as if to attract me. I gulped, unsure of what was weirder. The fact that the puppet just spoke or that it thinks that would attract me.

"Ahahaha, I think I've entered a very sensitive situation here…" I cautiously laughed as I slowly approached the trio.

"Name's Asher Seung. Could I ask who you are and what you're doing?" I responded to the puppet as I stopped a distance away from them.

"Yoshinon is Yoshinon! Yoshinon just wrapped up one fabulous date with Shido over there. Ahh, Yoshinon sure showed off her skills. Yoshinon's sure that Shido's absolutely smitten by me now. Why else would he ditch Tohka?" The Puppet happily remarked. A date, huh? Tohka's eyes filled with rage. She turned her attention back to the puppet and walked closer to the young girl, but I grabbed her from behind.

"T-Tohka! Let's not do anything aggressive! Calm down!" I nervously held Tohka back as she struggled to escape my grasp. I was genuinely worried that she would knock the daylights out of that poor girl.

"A-Asher, what are you doing here?" Shido nervously spoke up.

"O-Oh, just trying to bring Tohka back to the bunker, but I guess it's a bit too late for that, huh?" I responded as I let go of Tohka, who seemed to have finally calmed down.

"So, uhh… Yoshinon?" I stood in front of Tohka, trying to act as a mediator between the two.

"Yesss?" The Puppet exaggeratedly turned to look at me as if trying to be showy.

"What did you mean by Shido ditching Tohka?" I questioned. The puppet began swaying its body as if letting out a boisterous laugh before returning to normal.

"Ohh, that! Well, it's obvious, isn't it? Shido left Tohka to come to visit me, Yoshinon! That must mean Shido doesn't want anything to do with Tohka now that he's seen the beauty that is Yoshinon." Yoshinon smugly remarked, though, from its attitude, it sounded more like a kid trying to show off rather than trying to be malicious.

"T-That's not true! Shido would never abandon me!" I heard Tohka cry out from behind me. Ah. I see. So that's the situation. Yoshinon's been trying to rile Tohka up for amusement, and it's working.

"Ahh, Yoshinon, I think you're misunderstanding." I spoke up.

"Hmm? What could be misunderstood?" The puppet looked at me.

"It's complicated, but Shido wouldn't abandon Tohka for any reason." I responded. The puppet tilted its head, genuinely confused at the situation. I turned to Shido, who was still on the ground in shock.

"Right?" I asked Shido, hoping he understood. In an instant, he regained his senses and looked at Tohka.

"Y-Yeah, of course! Tohka, I would never abandon you!" Shido adamantly stated. Tohka's face washed over with relief.

"Shido…" Tohka spoke, yet her tone sounded a little hurt though. It was like something was still gnawing at her heart.

I let out a sigh of relief. The tense atmosphere seemed to have finally died down. It took nearly everything I had to stay standing. The pressure coming from Tohka felt like it would've knocked me out at any moment if I let my guard down. Still, it seems like nothing rash will happen no—

"I've finally located you… Hermit." A booming voice came from the distance. We all turned our heads to look at where the voice was coming from. My heart filled with dread when I saw the robed silhouette with the familiar scorpion-themed head in the distance.

"Shido! You have to take Tohka and Yoshinon and get out of here, now!" I desperately instructed them as I quickly put on the Fourze Driver and flipped the four switches.

【THREE】【TWO】【ONE】

"Henshin!" I pulled the lever and transformed as Scorpion walked fully into view. He removed his giant robe and let it drop to the floor.

"UCHU KITA! Kamen Rider Fourze! I'm sure my strength will bring about a miracle!" I cried out as Scorpion ran up the four of us. I blocked his punch and held him back before turning to look at the three people behind me, frozen in shock.

"Well?! Hurry up and get out of here, now!" I screamed at them, causing them to snap out of their daze. Shido nodded at me before grabbing Tohka and Yoshinon's free hand and bolting out there.

"Huh?!" Tohka screamed in shock at having her hand suddenly grabbed.

"Going for the both of us? How bold!" I heard Yoshinon jest as the voice slowly faded in the distance.

"Why in the world are you here?!" I turned my attention back to Scoprio and interrogated him for answers.

"Tch. You annoying little pest. No matter, your life is not my target for now." Scorpion stated before hitting my chest hard with the palm of his hand, staggering me back quite a distance.

However, before I could rush back in, Scorpion pumped its chest out, causing a cloud of dust to shoot out suddenly. The cloud of dust slowly morphed into the shape of humanoid figures before materializing completely.

"What?!" I stepped back. Scorpion had just summoned around five or so masked grunts out of nowhere. They were all dressed in black and equipped with short swords.

"My loyal stardusts, the Dustards. Some of you distract him. The rest follow me." Scorpion ominously spoke. With a synchronized nod, the Dustards threw several smoke bombs, obscuring my vision for several seconds.

The smoke cleared, though I found that Scorpion and his henchmen had all disappeared. Before I questioned where they all went, however, I felt a sharp slash across my back, sending me to the ground.

"Argh!" I groaned in pain before getting back up and turning around. Of the five, it seemed only three stayed behind.

【CHAINSAW ON】

"I don't have time to deal with you lot!" I grumbled out as I activated Chainsaw. Scorpion was still out there. I had to finish this fight quickly, or else who knows what terrible things could happen.

---

Third Person POV

"[Shido, you've got to get out of there, now!]" Kotori warned Shido, who just reached the bottom of the department store with Yoshinon and Tohka in hand. He could feel his hands sweat as he grasped each of their hands tightly. From what he heard from Asher and Kengo, Zodiarts was basically one of their generals. What kind of power were they up against?

"I won't let you run!" Shido heard the booming voice come from above. He quickly looked up to see Scorpion having jumped from the fourth floor and falling to where they were. Shido quickly tackled Yoshinon and Tohka to safety before Scorpion impacted the ground, creating a large cloud of dust.

Shido coughed as he got back up, the dust obscuring his vision. He looked to his left and right, only to see Yoshinon and Tohka getting up, though both were in a daze. However, Yoshinon began to panic as her senses returned to her. It soon became apparent why. The puppet on her left hand was nowhere to be seen.

"Hermit… That great man has plans with you." Scorpio's voice boomed as the dust cleared. Shido could see that in addition to the Zodiarts, two ninja-like figures now stood beside the Zodiarts. Perhaps its minions?

As Scorpion approached them, however, Shido noticed something on the floor in front of them. It was te puppet, lying face down. Yoshinon must've noticed this too, as she nearly ran out to grab it, but Shido held her back.

Yoshinon's eyes widened as she let out a terrified gasp as Scorpion stepped on the puppet. Her body began to tremble as tears started to well in the corner of her eyes. Without warning, she raised her right hand before slamming it to the ground.

"『Zadkiel』!" Yoshinon screamed out. Suddenly, what could only be described as a metal giant white rabbit emerged from the floor behind her. Shido noticed this and grabbed Tohka to get back to a safer distance. Yoshinon then lept on the giant rabbit's back before shoving her hands into it. The rabbit then let out a low roar as freezing white smoke began to ooze out of the body.

"So, this is the power said to rival ours?" Scorpion looked at the monstrous beast in mere amusement.

"Kotori, what's going on?!" Shido cried into the earpiece as Tohka looked utterly stunned.

"[This is bad, that's her Angel! It's a Spirit's ultimate weapon! Each one can inflict massive amounts of devastation, just like Tohka's 『Sandalphon』!]" Kotori warned through the earpiece.

Suddenly, the windows of the building shattered, allowing rain to pour in. However, the incoming rain quickly hardened into icicles, landing indiscriminately without any warning. Shido took Tohka and ran behind some cover, as Scorpion simply jumped out of harm's way, though it seemed that his Dustard minions weren't as lucky, being subjected to the onslaught of icicles without respite.

The moment Scorpion let his foot off the puppet, the giant rabbit surged forward, grabbing the puppet with its mouth before kicking off with its feet, breaking through one of the nearby walls, and escaping.

"Oh? Think you can run?" Scorpion mused to himself before running out of the hole Yoshinon made and giving chase.

Shido breathed heavily to calm his nerves and also because the cold air rushing into the building made him shiver. He held Tohka close to him, mainly out of fear and for warmth.

"T-Tohka, are you ok?" Shido questioned. Tohka looked at him, though oddly averted her gaze for some reason.

"I-I'm fine…" Tohka spoke, her voice sounding conflicted and unsure.

However, as they stepped out of the cover they were hiding behind, they could see one of the Dustards Scoprio had with him still standing. It must've survived somehow, though it was clearly in a weakened state.

The moment the Dustard saw the pair, it flashed its short sword before rushing straight at them crazedly.

"T-Tohka!" Shido cried out before putting Tohka behind him and using his body as a shield. The Dustard slashed Shido across his back, causing him to let out a scream of pain before kneeling to the ground.

"SHIDO!" Tohka cried out as she held on tightly to Shido. Though, before the Dustard could attack the pair once again…

"Rider Great Chainsaw Kick!" Asher cried out as he descended through the air. Letting gravity do the hard work, he slashed the Dustard clean in half with Chainsaw as he landed. It exploded into what seemed to be bright, shiny black particles.

"Shido! Tohka! Are you two ok?!" Asher worriedly called out to the two as he ran up to them.

"I-I'm ok, but Shido…!" Tohka warned Asher as he inspected the wound on Shido's back. However, Shido began to let out another scream of pain, though the reason for it was clear. A bright flame suddenly engulfed the wound, though it soon dissipated as quickly as it appeared.

The moment the flame disappeared, Asher and Tohka could see that, miraculously, the wound had now completely healed.

"S-Shido… are you good?" Asher nervously called out to the kneeling boy. Slowly, Shido stood back up. He was a bit shaky as he did so, though he managed to reorientate himself and turn to face the pair.

"Y-Yeah… at least, I feel alright. More importantly, Tohka, are you ok?" Shido worriedly asked as if not even realizing he was the one that got injured, not Tohka.

"I am… but…" Tohka responded. She didn't even look at Shido directly. An expression of shame was present on her face.

---

Third Person POV

"What the?! It's Hermit! All units, prepare to engage!" Ryouko suddenly cried out as the sound of the department store walls exploding and the sight of a giant white rabbit jumping out of it caught her attention.

Origami gripped the handle of her Gatling gun as the rain had now evolved into a torrent, though thankfully, her Territory shielded it from her. Even though Hermit was now seemingly piloting a giant rabbit monster, her agility seemed to be just as nimble as it was previously.

Every AST member dumped hundreds, if not thousands, of bullets collectively at the giant beast, causing plumes of smoke to arise and cover the area.

"[Captain, there seems to be something else here— GAAH!]" One of the members alerted over the comms before suddenly screaming in pain. Origami looked over at the source of the signal, only to see a large extendable stinger having impaled itself in the stomach of the member. As the stinger retracted, Origami followed the trail back to see a humanoid scorpion-themed monster in the air.

"[AAAAAAAAHHHH!]" A nearby AST member panicked, switching targets and aiming their Gatling gun at the monster. Unfortunately, the monster dodged every shot before jumping off the side of a nearby building and leaping directly at the soldier. Before the girl could switch weapons, the stinger at the back of the monster's head suddenly extended and lunged straight at the member. Her Territory barrier shattered like glass, and then the stinger skewered the girl.

Origami watched in shock as the stinger once again retracted, causing the soldier to fall back to Earth, as the monster once again leaped off the side of a nearby building towards the direction of Hermit.

"[Backup Squad, focus your efforts on this Scoprion freak! Everyone else, continue focusing on Hermit!]" Ryouko's commands rang out in Origami's earpiece. Redoubling her efforts, Origami pursued after Hermit.

As the direness of the situation grew with each passing second, Origami opted to utilize the heavy artillery at her disposal immediately. Sending commands with her mind, the missile pods stored in her legs suddenly deployed before firing 20 homing missiles in total at Hermit.

Hermit turned her attention to the incoming missiles and pulled her hands back. In response, the giant beast she piloted suddenly lurched upwards, narrowly avoiding the missiles. However, several AST members had now surrounded Hermit. Unable to dodge, Hermit could only guard herself as the soldiers freely fired upon her with bullets and missiles.

"Eek!" Origami could hear a shriek as an explosion lit up the area where Hermit once was. Seconds later, the enormous beast emerged from the cloud of smoke, falling downwards through the air and plummeting back to the ground. However, before anyone could aim at Hermit, the Spirit and beast slowly melted into space, leaving nothing behind.

"...She's Lost?" Origami landed on the site where Hermit would've hit the ground, yet nothing was there.

"Tch. So, she got away?" The scorpion monster suddenly landed several meters away from Origami and eyed the girl. Origami immediately raised her weapon at the creature. The two were at a standoff, Origami's finger hovering over the trigger, waiting for the being to make a move.

Unexpectedly, the scorpion creature just jumped straight into the air before leaping off building after building. Eventually, the monster was out of sight.

Origami relaxed from her battle stance and let out a sigh of relief.

"[Origami, are you ok?!]"Ryouko worried voice rang out over the comms.

"I'm fine. The mysterious scorpion individual seems to have fled." Origami responded.

"[Good. Everyone, find and transport the injured back to base.]" Ryouko ordered. Origami could hear the sound of other members flying overhead in search of the members who were injured. However, before Origami left to join the others, she spotted something peculiar nearby mixed in with the rubble.

---

Third Person POV

"Scorpion, have you completed your task?" An older man asked as he sat back in his chair.

"Unfortunately, I have not." Scorpion reported back as he knelt, gritting his teeth.

"That's a shame… I hoped to tell my partner the good news." The old man spoke, though his voice sounded neutral. Neither disappointed nor angry.

"If I may ask… why are we cooperating with him? These tasks have nothing to do with achieving our grand dream!" Scorpion looked up at the man.

"Like the assembly of a rocket, our grand dream requires much collaboration to be achieved. It is a mutual exchange, with both sides benefiting from working together." The old man responded, though his answer still didn't quell the confusion inside Scorpion.

"Scorpion, for the purpose of maintaining this beneficial partnership with that man, do not fail my expectations once again." The old man ordered.

"I will do as you command." Scorpion stood up and left the room. The old man simply laid back and looked up. However, instead of a ceiling, a starry night sky filled the area, showing numerous constellations.

"Regardless, when the moment of truth arrives, only one can board that vessel and launch into the great beyond, leaving the other to wallow in nothingness." The old man spoke, his eyes turning red again as he looked at the stars above.

---

Third Person POV

Shido stood in front of the door to Tohka's new room. He debated whether to knock on the door or not, his knuckle hovering mere inches away from the wood.

It had been about five hours after the encounter with Yoshinon and Scorpio. The duo parted ways with Asher, who left to inform Kengo of what had happened, as they boarded Fraxinus for a quick check-up. However, as the pair returned home, Shido noticed that Tohka was acting quite strangely.

Outside of the occasional "Yes," "No," or "Thank you," Tohka hasn't spoken at all to him. Additionally, Shido noticed that Tohka did her best to avoid looking at Shido when they ate dinner together. Shido could spot an expression of guilt and anger on her face, yet he couldn't understand why.

"Hey? Tohka?" Shido called out and knocked on the door. Yet, no response came from inside. Shido sighed, wondering why in the world Tohka would be avoiding him.

"[Shido, you got a sec?]" Kotori's voice echoed through his earpiece.

"What is it?" Shido responded.

"[You kissed Yoshinon back then, right?]" Kotori bluntly asked, causing Shido to sputter out in shock.

"W-W-What?! What kind of question is this?" Shido cried back.

"[Just answer the question.]" Kotori responded, a bit annoyed.

"Well… I mean… yes, but it was a complete accident!" Shido defended himself. His mind recalled the moment he attempted to catch Yoshinon after she fell from a jungle gym during their date in the department store. He had accidentally kissed her as she fell on top of her. Of course, this happened to be when Tohka walked in, starting that whole conflict.

"[Hmm. If that's true, then Yoshinon's Spirit powers weren't sealed at all despite you kissing her. It does bug me that you couldn't seal any of her Spirit powers, though. I'd think it would be at least 20 or 30% of her powers…]" Kotori thoughtfully rambled on.

"H-Hey, Kotori. More importantly, what about…" Shido turned his eyes back to the door with a piece of paper that read "Tohka" on it.

"[Ohhh, Tohka. Looking at the numbers, it seems all her power's returned to being sealed, but her mood is definitely in the dumps. It'd be best to get it back up as soon as possible.]" Kotori explained.

"[...Shin. If you don't mind, maybe you could leave that to me? Tomorrow's a Saturday, so just make some excuse, such as that I'll take her out shopping."] Reine's voice suddenly popped in.

"Well, I don't mind, but why?" Shido questioned.

"[...A woman's heart is intricate. Remember that. If she's been avoiding you, then it'd be best if the source of her problems isn't there.]" Reine responded.

"O-Ok…?" Shido could only nervously scratch his chin in confusion.

---

May 13th

"...Then, we'll be off." Reine spoke as Shido waved Reine and Tohka goodbye, though Tohka still refused to look at Shido directly.

It was now around 10 AM. Reine arrived about 15 minutes earlier to convince Tohka to go with her. Thankfully, Tohka acquiesced pretty easily, so Reine simply waited for Tohka to get dressed before they headed off.

"T-Thank you for the help!" Shido shouted as the pair walked underneath an umbrella. He watched as the duo faded from sight, though he sighed upon realizing that he had no plans for the day.

"Hmm. Maybe I should go shopping." Shido remarked to himself. After all, their food supplies were getting a bit dire since he couldn't go shopping the previous two days.

Changing his clothes, he quickly grabbed an umbrella before stepping outside and locking the door behind him.

However, as he walked towards the nearby shopping district, he heard the sounds of rustling nearby. Curious, he headed towards the source of the noise, only to see a familiar sight. A young girl with a giant green hoodie was digging through the rubble for some reason.

"Y-Yoshinon!" Shido cried out, though the shock may have made his voice a bit too loud, as Yoshinon suddenly turned to look at him, fear in her eyes. She quickly stood up and ran away. If Shido didn't act soon, he'd lose her again.

"W-Wait! Calm down! I'm not here to hurt you, I swear!" Yoshinon suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Shido. Her face was still apprehensive, though at least it seemed like Yoshinon wouldn't flee. However, Shido couldn't help but feel like something was off about the girl. As his eyes drifted down to her hands, it suddenly hit him.

The puppet that used to be on her left hand was missing.

"Were you looking for your puppet?" Shido nervously questioned. Instantly, Yoshinon's eyes flew open as she trotted over to him and grabbed his head. She shook his head somewhat vigorously as if trying to wring out where the location of her beloved puppet was from him.

"Hey! Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow! S-Stop it!" Shido cried out, which caused Yoshinon to release her grasp.

"Does that mean you were looking for it?" Shido questioned. The young girl nodded intensely.

"S-Sorry… I don't know where it is either…" Shido admitted. Yoshinon's head drooped downward, her face making an expression as if she'd just found out her dog had died.

"Uwaah… Aaaahh…." Yoshinon began to sob a little, causing Shido to tense up. Remembering what happens if a Spirit gets too emotional, he racked his brain to try and figure out a way to calm her down.

"W-Wait! Don't worry! I know someone who can help!" Shido assured the young girl. A brief expression of relief washed over her face as Shido pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He prayed to god that the recipient would pick up.

"[Mmnn... yello…?]" Kotori's sleepy voice reached his ear. Shido let out a breath of relief.

"Kotori, it's me. We have a situation. I found Yoshinon. She's lost her puppet and is trying to find it." Shido answered. A couple of seconds passed by. Shido could hear the intense ruffling of sheets and covers.

"[Ok, give me the full explanation, now.]" Kotori demanded, her voice showing signs she was completely that, Shido briefly explained the circumstances that led to him meeting Yoshinon, occasionally looking back at the poor girl to reassure her. It was also to make sure she hadn't run off in fear.

"[Alright, I can see the full picture. Shido, you have your earpiece on you, right?]" Kotori asked.

"Of course."

"[Good. Put it in and stand by. I'm heading up to Fraxinus right now. In the meantime, get more information about where Yoshinon last saw her puppet.]" Kotori explained before hanging up. Shido shoved the phone back into his pocket before inserting the earpiece into his right ear. Yoshinon just looked at him, completely baffled.

"U-Um, Yoshinon. If you'd like, I'll help you find your puppet, so could you tell me where and when you lost it?" Shido turned and faced the young girl. Her face immediately brightened upon hearing those words, though her mouth began trembling as she attempted to speak.

"Y-Yes…terday… Scary people attack… and then… gone…" Yoshinon whimpered out. It only took a second for him to realize what she meant by that.

"[Shido, I'm here. Any information you gathered?]" The earpiece buzzed in Shido's ear.

"Yeah. Seems like she dropped it when the AST attacked her yesterday." Shido responded.

"[We'll send out as many cameras as we can to help look. In the meantime, try to talk with her as much as you can while you look.]" Kotori informed. Shido tapped the earpiece to indicate his approval before facing Yoshinon once again.

"Ok, Yoshinon. Let's start looking together!" Shido exclaimed. The girl nodded slowly. However, her mouth began to move slowly.

"I… am… not… Yoshinon…" The girl softly spoke. Shido raised an eyebrow as he bent down to hear her better.

"Yoshinon is my… friend… My name… is… Yoshino." Yoshino explained before turning around to leave.

"W-Wait, hold on!" Shido cried out, causing Yoshino to look back. Shido walked up to her and handed her his umbrella.

"I know this isn't much, but here. It'll keep you dry from now on." Shido explained as Yoshino nervously took the umbrella. She looked like a curious child, bobbing her head up and down as if analyzing the device carefully.

"I'll be fine, so you can use it." Shido reassured Yoshino. The girl looked back and forth between the umbrella and Shido before bowing.

"Thank you…" Yoshino softly stated. The two walked deeper into the battlefield ruins in search of the lost puppet.

---

Shido stood up and stretched, taking the time to wipe the rain that landed on his face. He was wet, cold, and exhausted. Yet, he couldn't stop. The pair had been searching for the puppet for two hours at this point, but their efforts continued to prove fruitless.

"...Kotori, any updates?" Shido spoke as he pushed back his rain-soaked hair. He looked over at Yoshino, still rummaging through the rubble. Her poor hands were bruised from all the work she'd done. He couldn't help but frown at the sight of it. At least the umbrella he lent her kept her relatively dry.

"[Unforunately not. We've been combing through yesterday's footage as well. We can confirm that the puppet was not with Yoshino when she was Lost, but that's it. We're still looking through the footage taken after she went Lost, so we'll keep you updated.]" Kotori replied. Shido let out a sigh before walking up to Yoshino once again.

"...Yoshino?" Shido quietly said as he knelt next to her. The girl flinched briefly before calming down upon noticing Shido. Shido took this as a sign that she had gotten used to his presence, which was a good sign.

Suddenly, a loud grumbling noise came from her stomach. The girl's face flushed red as she yanked her hood to hide her head completely.

"...Hmm, what should we do?" Shido tapped the earpiece for advice.

"[How about you take a little break and get something to eat?]" Kotori suggested. Shido looked around but found all the nearby shops and restaurants closed. At this point, there was really only one place they could go.

"Yoshino, how about we take a little break? Want to come to my house? I'll make you something to eat." Shido offered, causing the girl to look at him in confusion.

"[I look away one second, and you suddenly get all bold.]" Kotori quipped. Shido could only grumble as he ignored the comment.

"Well then, shall we get going?" Shido said. Yoshino slowly nodded her head and stood up.

---

Third Person POV

"...Tohka, forgive me for being blunt, but may I ask what exactly is troubling you?" Reine spoke as she stirred the ice in her cup of water with her straw. The two sat in a family diner, waiting for their orders to arrive.

"..." Tohka remained silently, deeply contemplating something in her mind.

"...Does it have to do with Shin?" Reine asked. Tohka inhaled sharply as her eyes widened, though her eyes went back to looking nervous and worried.

"I… I don't know." Tohka responded.

"...You don't know?" Reine looked at her quizzically.

"When I saw Shido leave me and kiss that girl we met the other day… my chest began to ache for some reason." Tohka explained. Reine slowly nodded her head understandingly.

"...but when Shido got hurt protecting me from that monster, my chest began to ache in a different way. I… don't know what I should feel. I know Shido cares about me, but… why did he see that other woman then? When Shido left me to be with Reina, it was because he was brainwashed, but now he seems to be normal. What if Shido leaves me for her…? When I think about that, I…" Tohka held her breath and stopped talking. Despite not finishing her sentence, Reine understood the gist of the issues. Tohka didn't hate Shido or the girl, but she couldn't help but feel anxious about the possibilities.

"...Tohka. Shin would never leave you. If he didn't care about you, he wouldn't have risked his life to save yours multiple times." Reine spoke. Tohka's eyes widened, relief washing over her face. Of course, Shido had saved her numerous times in the past before, and yet…

"...Tohka? Is something still troubling you?" Reine asked the girl once again, frowning a little. She didn't realize that the troubles ran deeper than she expected.

"When Shido protects me… I can't help but feel angry at myself for some reason. Shido endangers himself, but I can only sit back and do nothing. He gets hurt because of that… I don't want to fight, but at the same time, I want to protect Shido… what can I do?" Tohka admitted.

"...Tohka. This a question you'll have to answer for yourself." Reine replied, causing Tohka to widen her eyes in surprise.

"...There's nothing wrong with fighting if you don't want to. In fact, we would prefer if you didn't and simply lived a normal, happy life. But it doesn't change the facts. You have a powerful yet dormant strength lying within you. How you wish to utilize it… depends on you." Reine cautioned, Tohka heeding her words carefully.

Suddenly, the server arrived at their table, hauling a cart filled to the brim with food. Reine had only ordered a simple cup of coffee with extra extra sugar. Meanwhile Tohka…

"And for you, the Double cheeseburger set with extra rice, fried chicken, fried oyster set, the grilled meat plate, a Margherita pizza, and spaghetti Bolognese." The server recited as he laid out the dishes in front of Tohka.

"Oooohhh!" Tohka happily cooed. Reine smiled. It was the happiest Tohka had looked since yesterday. Though, she always wondered how the girl could fit so much food in her body.

"...Eat first. You'll feel better after a good meal." Reine advised. Tohka happily nodded before chowing down on her food. Even if Tohka was facing demons only she could fend off against, this brief respite should calm her mind.

---

Third Person POV

"...Say, Yoshino." Shido called out to the young girl sitting on his couch. He felt quite nervous since minutes earlier, she had nearly skewered the TV with an icicle when he turned it on and loud laughter blared from it. It's not like he had ill intentions. He just wanted Yoshino to be entertained while he cooked a simple dish of Oyakodon. It seems like he'd have to make do with the tried-and-true tested conversation.

"...Hmm?" Yoshino hummed as she tilted her head.

"That puppet, Yoshinon, I can tell it means a lot to you. Can you tell me more about it?" Shido asked as he cracked some eggs into a bowl and began stirring it.

"Yoshinon is… my friend… and also my hero." Yoshino nervously admitted.

"Hero?" Shido replied curiously.

"Yoshinon is everything… I'd like to be. Strong and cool, not weak or hesitant like me."

"Your ideal self, in other words? But I like the Yoshino here with me." Shido admitted. Recalling his first encounter with Yoshinon, while it was true that Yoshinon was more friendly and easy to get along with, at the same time, Shido felt as if it was a facade masking Yoshino's true self.

"Besides, I think you're already strong. Not many would spend hours soaked in the rain looking for something dear to them." Shido added on. While he took several breaks during their search, Yoshino never once ceased, continuously looking through rubble after rubble. In that respect, she was more impressive than him during that search.

"...Waaah!" Yoshino let out a nervous gasp as she hid her face.

"What's wrong?" Shido turned around, only to see that her face was quite flushed from a glance.

"N-No one's ever said that about me before…" Yoshino admitted as she timidly raised her face.

"[Shido… did you plan that?]" Kotori dubiously questioned her older brother.

"Plan what?" Shido answered, completely clueless. Kotori could only let out a sigh of disbelief.

"[Seems like your training with Tohka is paying off then.]" Kotori responded.

"Mmm, perhaps?" Shido replied as he finished laying the dishes on the tray before bringing them to the table.

"Okay, Yoshino. The food is served. Let's fill our stomachs before resuming our search for Yoshinon. It's a little hot, so blow on it first." Shido instructed as Yoshino sat on the other side of the table. She took the bowl of Oyakodon and scooped a mouthful of it. Carefully blowing on it, she then took a small bite.

Immediately, her eyes flew wide open as she slapped the table. Shido looked at her in confusion, though she then shot him a thumbs up.

"Seems like you like it…"

---

Third Person POV

Tohka strolled down the street with an umbrella in hand. After a filling lunch with Reine, she opted to head back to Shido's house instead of shopping with Reine. She felt the urge to apologize to him for avoiding him for the past day and a half. Reine, understandably, let Tohka go, and the two parted ways from the diner.

Yet, Tohka couldn't help but feel uneasy. She knew Shido would always care for her but felt so guilty. Every time her mind flashed back to when Shido got injured or hurt when trying to protect her, an irrational anger filled her heart. If only she had done something, but at the same time, neither Shido nor Tohka wanted Tohka to use her powers once again.

What was the answer? She didn't want to recall those bad memories of being hunted after by those "mecha-mecha" people and using her powers to hurt and destroy things. However, at the same time, she didn't want to see Shido get hurt because of her. Tohka ruffled her hair, unsure of what to do.

"Hmm? Tohka? Is that you?" A familiar voice called out to her. She turned her head only to see Asher wearing a casual blue jacket and pants, holding an umbrella in one hand and a bag of groceries in the other.

"Asher! What are you doing here?" Tohka asked inquisitively.

"Oh, I'm just shopping for some groceries. Nothing too much. Anyways, is Shido alright?" Asher asked. Tohka's eyes widened upon realizing what he was referring to, the events of yesterday flashing back to her.

"Mmm… yea, he is." Tohka replied, though a little dejectedly. Asher tilted his head, noticing something was off with the usually chipper girl.

"Tohka? Is something the matter?" Asher questioned worriedly. Tohka fidgeted a little. The guilt over seeing Shido getting hurt protecting her weighed down on her mind. Yet, perhaps maybe this was the best person she could talk to.

"Muu… Asher…" Tohka nervously spoke.

"Yes?" Asher titled his head.

"Why… why do you keep fighting?" Tohka questioned. Asher flinched a little, not expecting such a profound question from the lively girl.

"What do you mean by that?" Asher asked further.

"Well, I mean… isn't it scary? Getting hurt all the time, fighting mean opponents, not knowing any peace…" Tohka somberly remarked. Asher closed his eyes, contemplating what to say, before sighing.

"You're not wrong, Tohka. I won't lie and admit there are times when I want just to run away and flee. But, if I had to say what motivates me to continue fighting, it's quite simple. I just want to reach out and help people. That's all." Asher answered.

"But don't you feel bad for fighting? I mean, all it does is just hurt others…" Tohka questioned.

"Hmm… you have a point. Fighting can hurt others, but I think it can also save others." Asher replied.

"Save… others…?" Tohka repeated the words thoughtfully.

"Of course! The Zodiarts are a good example. They're corrupted by the influence of the Zodiarts Switch, so I fight them. I don't beat them up to protect myself. I fight, intending to save them. If I use my powers like that, then in a sense, fighting becomes… rewarding. Even if it hurts me, as long as I know I can save others with my power, I'll continue to fight." Asher explained.

Tohka's eyes widened as she digested everything she heard. Fighting… to save others? Of course, she knew that Asher used his powers to save people, but his powers seemed much more benevolent than hers.

"But, my powers… it's destructive. It's nothing like yours. I could never use it to help others." Tohka sadly remarked.

"What are you saying? Of course you can!" Asher immediately countered. Tohka gasped a little out of surprise as Asher continued.

"Listen, even my powers can be misused to cause destruction. Yet, they don't. Power by itself isn't good or evil. The person who wields it determines whether it helps or hurts others. Tohka, the only one who determines what you do with your power is you. If you want to use your powers to help others, you can!" Tohka's mind suddenly clicked in realization upon hearing those words.

"I see… thank you for the advice, Asher!" Tohka happily remarked, causing the man to smile. Sadness had no business being on Tohka's face.

"So, where are you going now? Back to Fraxinus?" Asher asked Tohka.

"No, Shido's house! I'm going to apologize to Shido. I've acted a bit cold to him in the previous days." Tohka shamefully admitted.

"Hmm, I see. Well then, I guess I'll be seeing you later then." Asher commented. However, as they walked, Asher started to sweat a little as the two began walking in the same direction for quite a while.

"S-Seems like my apartment is in the same direction as Shido's house, huh?" Asher nervously commented. The weirdness of having said goodbye too early haunted his mind.

"Umu! Seems so!" Tohka happily replied, unaware of the mental struggle going on in Asher's mind. With that, the two walked together and chatted as they headed in the same direction.

---

Third Person POV

"Yoshino, did you enjoy it?" Shido asked the young girl as he washed the dishes. Yoshino nodded and shot him another thumbs up. Well, it should've been expected that she liked it given she ate the entire thing in less than 10 minutes.

The two probably wouldn't head out for several more minutes. If that's the case, might as well ask more questions, right?

"So, umm, Yoshino. You never fight back when you get attacked by the AST. Is there a reason for that?" Yoshino hung her head as she tugged the hem of her dress.

"I… hate painful things. I hate scary things… and I think those people also hate painful and scary things." Yoshino whispered. Shido listened intently. The sadness in her tone felt like it would gouge his heart out.

"...but I'm weak and afraid. When things get so painful and scary… my head gets all confused… and I worry that I'll go crazy and do something terrible…" Yoshino sniffled as she painfully spoke each word.

"That's why… Yoshinon is my hero. When I get scared, Yoshinon tells me that everything will be ok. And then… it really becomes ok… S-so…" Yoshino whimpered. Shido clenched his hand as his heart tightened. This poor girl, she was too kind. Her dislike of suffering made her treat everyone nicely, even her enemies. That must be why she didn't try to fight back.

How could someone like her be described as weak? To show kindness in the face of hatred… is there anything stronger than that?

Shido sat beside Yoshino, unconsciously stroking her head to calm her down. At first, Yoshino flinched as she blushed, though before long, she acquiesced and allowed Shido to continue to do so.

"Yoshino… I am going to save you. We will find Yoshinon, and I'll ensure no one tries to hurt you again." Shido adamantly stated. The fact she was a Spirit didn't matter. Shido couldn't stand the idea that Yoshino had no hope of escaping such a terrible life. Not when she was this kind.

"I will be… your hero." Shido declared. Yoshino darted her eyes in surprise, but after a moment, her lips began to move.

"Thank… you…" Yoshino responded—a sound of hope underlying those words. However, as Shido gazed upon her face, his eyes naturally found themselves looking upon her small lips. His mind flashbacked to the moment he accidentally kissed her back at the department store, causing him to flush. How could he have done something so important without warning?

"U-Um… Yoshino. About what happened yesterday. I'm sorry kissing you so suddenly…" Shido nervously confessed. However, Yoshino just tilted her head in confusion.

"Kissing? What's that?" Yoshino asked inquisitively. Shido was once again flabbergasted. Could it be that all Spirits just don't know what human culture is like? Well, Kotori did say they were beings from another dimension.

"O-oh, well, a kiss is when two people touch lips together." Shido explained. However, Yoshino still looked confused. She moved her face closer to Shido's, her face still having that innocent expression.

"Like this?" Yoshino asked. Shido could feel his breathing becoming more ragged as he felt the blood rushing up to his cheeks. Just a couple more inches, and their lips would be touching. Shido was surprised that he hadn't screamed out or backed away. Perhaps that training with Tohka really was paying off.

Yoshino's face inched closer and closer when suddenly…

DING DONG

The doorbell buzzer suddenly rang out. The two of them flinched as they retracted in shock. Water burst from the sink, though before Yoshino had a chance to manipulate it and turn it into an icicle, Shido managed to calm her down before she could do so.

"Stay calm. I'll see who it is. Don't worry. It won't be someone who'll hurt you." Shido reassured as he stood up. He turned off the sink again before leaving the living room and heading to the foyer. Shido opened the front door and saw two people—one he expected to see, while the other shocked him.

"Tohka… and Asher?" Shido stated.

"Hi, Shido! I'm home!" Tohka happily chirped.

"...Hey, Shido…" Asher nervously spoke. From his tone, it seems like he wasn't expecting to visit either.

---

Asher's POV

Tohka and I had been walking together much longer than I expected. Despite every corner I turned, Tohka turned in the same direction as I did. Were our residences that close by or something?

Still, it was a good opportunity to talk about what's been happening. Tohka was now living at Shido's house for the time being. I guess that explains why they had the same lunches. I did raise my eye at the notion of Shido and Tohka living under the same roof, but I trusted Shido. I don't think anything bad would happen.

Aside from that, Tohka also talked about the young girl with the giant green hoodie. Tohka spoke about how she summoned a huge rabbit and shot ice crystals at Scorpion. Judging from that and factoring in Shido's reason for leaving, it's safe to say that that girl's a Spirit. Though, it seems Tohka still hasn't connected the dots, judging from her words.

"This is it!" Tohka happily stated as she stood in front of a house. Huh, it seems like Shido's house was in the same direction. My apartment is a bit farther down, so I guess this was where we split ways.

"Muu? Asher? Don't you want to say hi to Shido?" Tohka asked. I titled my head and thought to myself. There wasn't any harm in just popping and saying hi. Still, showing up at his house unannounced…

"Well… I guess I can stay for a couple of minutes…" I responded. Tohka shook her head before grabbing the doorknob and twisting it.

"W-Wait!" I cried out. Tohka immediately stopped and turned to look at me.

"What's wrong? I'm going to let you in." Tohka stated.

"I can't just enter someone's house unprompted! Hang on…" I walked up to the door and searched for a familiar square button. Pressing it, I could hear the muffled sounds of the doorbell ringing inside.

"What did you just do?" Tohka asked me.

"Ah, I rang the doorbell. It's a polite way of letting someone know there's a visitor at the door." I explained.

"I see…" Tohka slowly nodded her head in understanding. I waited a couple of seconds before hearing the sound of footsteps approaching the other side of the door. I gulped as I nervously thought about what I'd say to Shido.

Suddenly, the door opened. Shido's expression widened in shock as he noticed me.

"Tohka… and Asher?" Shido questioned.

"Hi, Shido! I'm home!" Tohka happily chirped behind me.

"...Hey, Shido…" I nervously responded.

"Asher, what are you doing here? And why were you with Tohka?" Shido asked me.

"Ahh, well, I met Tohka while returning home from shopping. Your house and my apartment were in the same direction, and Tohka wanted me to say hi to you so…" I nervously explained. Shido nodded in understanding.

"I see. W-well, if you'd like to come in, you can… it's still raining hard after all…" Shido nervously spoke before looking at Tohka. "Also, Tohka… I just wanted to let you know that we have a guest…" Shido warned, though we heard the sound of a door opening.

The head of a familiar girl in a giant green hoodie popped out from what appeared to be the door to the living room. My eyes immediately recognized upon seeing the girl.

"I-I-It's you! Why are you in our house?!" Tohka cried out as she pointed her finger in her direction. The blue-haired girl hid briefly behind the door before slightly peeking out again. Shido could only sweat nervously as Tohka's eyes darted between the girl and Shido, an expression of confusion and betrayal on her face.

Oh boy. Something tells me I've just gotten involved in something rather complex…

---

The four of us sat at the living room's dining table. Tohka and I sat on one side while Shido and the mysterious girl were on the other. Tohka crossed her arms as she glared at the duo on the opposite side. The blue-haired girl had pulled her hoodie to cover her face. Meanwhile, Shido had his hand on his right ear, most likely listening intently to Kotori's instruction on what to do next.

Before long, Shido put his hand down on the table before taking a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to say.

"T-Tohka and Asher… this is Yoshino. Yoshino, these two are Tohka and Asher. They're people I can trust, so you can also trust them." Shido introduced us to the girl and vice versa. Slowly, Yoshino let her grip go, allowing the hoodie to return to its natural state. She apprehensively eyed the two of us, her expression filled with fear, doubt, and hope. She looked like a poor puppy… how could anyone hate her?

"Umm, Yoshino is… a Spirit. She's like you, Tohka…" Shido explained. Immediately, Tohka's eyes widened as she glared at the other Spirit. Her face twisted into an expression of understanding and pity.

"You're… just like me…?" Tohka stammered out, as Yoshino also looked at Tohka in shock. She too, was probably surprised by the revelation of another Spirit existing as well. Yoshino slowly nodded, causing Tohka to gasp in surprise.

"The AST attacked Yoshino, and she dropped her puppet, Yoshinon. It's really important to her, so we're trying to help find it and give it to her." Shido continued. When Shido uttered the words "AST," Tohka clenched her hands tightly as she pursed her lips.

"I'm sorry for hiding this from you, Tohka. I thought it was best if you didn't get involved again and continued living a normal life." Shido explained. Tohka just continued staring at the blue-haired girl in pity.

Seconds passed before Tohka slowly opened her mouth again.

"How long…?" Tohka asked. Shido and Yoshino flinched a little, though the two realized that Tohka was talking to Yoshino, not Shido.

"How long have those AST people attacked you for…?" Tohka somberly questioned. Yoshino's eyes widened as her head tilted downwards.

"For… for as long as I can remember… they've been there. The only thing I had with me was Yoshinon… he was always there for me, but now…" Yoshino's eyes started to water. "I don't know what to do without Yoshinon… I don't know what would happen if I faced them again… I don't want to fight them… I don't want to get hurt again… I'm not that strong without Yoshinon…" With every passing breath, Yoshino's voice become more strained. I looked over at Tohka, her hands clenching so tightly that I worried that she would draw blood.

However, Tohka suddenly stood up, startling the shy girl.

"Ok! Then leave it to us! We'll help you!" Tohka announced as a determined look washed over her face. A surprised expression popped on Shido and Yoshino's faces, though before long, Yoshino looked relieved.

"...Thank you, I'm… I'm so glad that you all were the first people I've talked to…" Yoshino gave a weak smile. I shot a comforting smile back at the girl, though a part of me couldn't help but grimace at the implications of her words. Just like Tohka, this girl has been hunted ever since she could remember. We were probably her first human interaction in god knows how long.

"And Shido… I'm sorry for how I acted the other day I've been ignoring you." Tohka turned to Shido as a gloomy expression filled her face.

"Tohka, you don't have to worry. As long as you're ok, that's all that matters to me." Shido replied. Tohka's eyes widened before a soft smile filled her face.

"Sorry for ruining the mood, but I'm just curious about one thing, Shido." I spoke as Tohka sat back in her chair, everyone's eyes turning towards me.

"How many other Spirits are out there? If Yoshino is another Spirit, then it can't be a stretch to assume there's more of them." I asked Shido. Shido flinched a little, though he put his hand to his ear before listening intently. Perhaps Kotori was giving him some kind of instructions. Seconds later, he rested his hand on the table before taking a deep breath.

"According to intelligence gathered… there are at least six other Spirits, excluding Tohka and Yoshino." Shido explained. My eyes widened at this revelation, as did Tohka's and Yoshino's.

"S-Six?!" Tohka cried out in shock. "Do those AST people know about them as well?"

"Unfortunately, most likely. According to Kotori, at least eight Spirit entries are registered in the AST's database. This probably means that the AST have at least fought with each of them in the past…" Shido continued. Tohka put her hands on her lap, both slightly trembling at this revelation.

"However, it's not only the AST we should be worried about…Scorpion is also targeting Yoshino for some reason…" I reasoned. Yoshino gasped before covering her head with her hoodie once again. Seems like the mention of the scary monster gave her bad memories.

"Well, we don't have to worry about that for now. Let's just focus on finding that puppet first. Yoshinon, wasn't it?" I quickly shifted the topic, not wanting to make her any more uncomfortable. "Don't worry, we'll protect you."

Yoshino slowly looked upward at me, the paranoia in her eyes fading away. However, I heard a faint knocking sound coming from the door. The four of us turned our heads to look at it as two new figures walked in.

"Unfortunately, that's gonna be harder than expected." Kotori articulated as she walked in with Reine. Yoshino immediately cowered in fear at the sight of the two new people. Kotori looked at her, a bit in shock, before sighing. She turned to Reine, who nodded in response. Reine slowly walked up to Yoshino as if approaching a cornered animal who could lash out at any second.

"...There, there. We're not here to hurt you." Reine soothingly spoke as she patted the girl's head. Slowly, Yoshino lifted her head and looked at Reine with a very relaxed expression. The two looked like mother and daughter, given how calm Yoshino looked with her.

"Shido, Seung, you two with me. Tohka, stay with Reine and Yoshino. She wants to talk to the both of you." Kotori commanded. The three of us looked at each other before giving each other an uncertain nod. Shido and I followed Kotori out of the dining room as Tohka stayed behind.

I followed the siblings up the stairs and into a standard plain room. Judging from the decorations, I presumed this was Shido's bedroom.

"Kotori, why did you call us? And why is Reine here again?" Shido asked as we all sat on the floor.

"Well, I'll tell you why Reine's here before you two are here. Reine's here to brief Yoshino on the situation and what Ratatoskr is. Of course, we'll also explain our goals, with some details omitted for your dignity." Kotori emphasized, causing Shido to blush a little.

"We're also taking the opportunity to inform Tohka about the full scope of the situation. In honesty, we thought it would've been best had Tohka been kept in the dark, but after seeing her resolve, we realize that she has the right to know everything." Kotori continued.

"And why you called us?" Shido continued.

"Well, it's good news but also bad news." Kotori ominously stated. "The good news is we already know where Yoshinon is."

"And the bad news?" I asked as Shido gulped in worry. Kotori let out an exhausted sigh.

"The bad news is that it's in the hands of Origami Tobiichi." Kotori revealed. Shido's mouth opened in shock, yet no words would come out.

"Is that bad news, though? Can't one of your agents just steal it from her?" I reasoned. Kotori shot me an annoyed look.

"You think I wouldn't be here empty-handed if it were that easy? Two of our agents were sent to the hospital already during their unsuccessful attempts to sneak into her apartment. The entire place is filled to the brim with traps to keep any intruders out. Honestly, what kind of person is this Origami girl to safeguard her apartment like it was a secret government facility?" Kotori ranted.

"So… what does this have to do with us?" I asked.

"Well, while we could practically overwhelm her with sheer numbers, sending a thousand men to steal one little puppet becomes a bit excessive. So, for that reason, Shido, you're going to ask Origami to invite you to come over as soon as possible." Kotori revealed.

"HUH?! Me?!" Shido cried out in shock. I had to tilt my head away, given how loudly he screamed. No wonder we were upstairs.

"Well, yeah. Who else could it be? You're the only one who could garner an invitation from her anyway." Kotori rationally explained. "Now get to it! You have her number or something, right? Shoot her a text!" Nervously, Shido took out his phone and scrolled through his contact list. As he typed up a message, I recalled when Origami flat-out demanded Shido put her number in his contact lists. It was shortly after Tohka got her phone, if I remember correctly.

"What's wrong? Getting cold feet? You can't be whimpering out now!" Kotori ridiculed as she glared at Shido. I noticed Shido's finger nervously hovering over the send button as his eyes scanned the message repeatedly.

"God, did you learn anything from the training? How do you manage to go out on dates but not have the guts to send a girl a simple text message?" Kotori mocked as Shido's finger hesitantly moved closer to the button. Swallowing his resolve, Shido closed his eyes before pressing the send message button.

"See, now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Kotori jested as Shido slowly opened his eyes and lifted his finger. However, only ten seconds passed before an audible buzz came from his phone. His eyes widened in shock as he looked at his phone.

"S-She said… 'I'll be waiting for you tomorrow morning.'" Shido responded. I was completely taken aback. There's no way Origami responded that quickly.

"This is perfect! Shido, tomorrow you'll infiltrate Origami's apartment to retrieve Yoshinon from her clutches. In the meantime, Seung, I want you to watch and protect Yoshino while Shido's out." Kotori smugly explained.

"So, that's the reason you wanted to talk to me? Just to tell me I'm on bodyguard duty again?" I questioned, though I smirked before Kotori could respond. "Well, I don't mind. Especially knowing that Scorpion's after her for some reason."

"Well, it's settled then! Tomorrow, Shido goes out and grabs Yoshinon while Seung watches over Yoshino. Then, once reunited with Yoshinon, Yoshino goes on a date with Shido. Then Shido seals Yoshinon, and everything's wrapped up!" Kotori explained. I felt a little flustered, given how easily Kotori threw around the notion of a date. Still, I knew whatever I felt was insignificant to whatever Shido was feeling at that moment.

"U-Um, Kotori… what exactly is gonna happen to Yoshino in the meantime?" Shido nervously asked.

"Ohh, that. Hmm, bringing her up to Fraxinus is a bit risky, especially given how volatile she is. It could be possible that the act of bringing her up there might cause her to go Lost. So for now, she'll be staying with us, though she'll probably sleep in Tohka's room for the night." Kotori explained.

"Huh?! What do you mean she's staying here?!" Shido cried out in shock.

"What? Is it not to your liking? Unless you're disappointed by the fact that Yoshino's not sleeping in your room?" Kotori retorted. Shido's face went red as he stammered to respond, though he ended up just closing his mouth when he couldn't argue against her.

"...In any case, if that's everything, I should probably get going. Still need to put away the groceries after all." I nervously spoke as I stood up, not liking the awkward atmosphere due to their banter.

"That's fine. Just be on standby until I contact you tomorrow." Kotori responded.

With that, I said my farewells to Shido and Kotori, though I told them to also pass along my farewells to Tohka, Yoshino, and Reine, given how it sounded like Reine was still talking to the two. Grabbing my umbrella and bag of groceries at the front, I exited the Itsuka household and returned to my apartment.

Putting the food away, I sat at my desk, contemplating everything that had happened in the past few days. Yoshino's situation, the fact that six other Spirits existed, and Scorpion going after Yoshino. Many questions lingered in my mind, yet no answers came to fruition. I sighed as I laid back in my chair. Well, at least one thing's sure. I'll do whatever I can to help Yoshino. I'm sure Shido would agree with that sentiment.

I looked over at the calendar on my desk. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, isn't it?

---

Author's Note:

So we've got some changes compared to canon. The biggest is that Yoshino and Tohka start off on much better terms.

Regarding Tohka, I wanted to tone down the whole "Tohka worried Shido wants to leave her" drama and instead focus on another issue that troubles her: her hesitancy to fight against others. From my viewpoint, Early Tohka loathes fighting, as it constantly brings up bad memories of using it to survive.

It's also why I decided to have Yoshino and Tohka interact much earlier than in canon. The whole sequence of "Tohka gets over her worries and then immediately goes back to worrying upon seeing Shido with Yoshino again" felt odd. And thanks to Tohka not being rude to Yoshino in the department store, she doesn't flee when the two meet at Shido's house. Yipee.

Also, you may have noticed that I weirdly mentioned that there were only eight Spirits in total. Don't worry. This is not a mistake. I know there are ten (mainline) Spirits. However, let's just say one hides her existence from Shido, and the other hasn't even been created.

Finally, I've got to talk about progress. It's been really slow. I'm not sure whether it's due to me graduating or just the fact that I've got a lot of stuff going on, but my motivation to write this has been down in the dumps. This is not to say I will drop this fic, as I don't want to. I might take a brief hiatus or extend the time between chapter drops since I haven't even written half of Chapter 10. Overall, we'll see what happens in two weeks. Who knows? I might be able to catch up and blaze through the next couple of chapters.

Anyway, I wanted to give a small heads-up in case things start to slow down. I'll see you in the next chapter, and we'll wrap up Yoshino's arc there.