"Morning, Kurumi. You're early."
"Good morning, Shidou-san. It's my first school day—oversleeping and being late would be a waste, no?"
Smiling brightly, Kurumi explains her early arrival. Shidou wonders if school's fun so early, but as a Spirit and transfer student, maybe it's different. Sleeping in doesn't suit her image anyway.
Relieved to see her, Shidou exhales. Tohka spots Kurumi and greets her.
"Morning, Kurumi!!"
"Good morning, Tohka-san. Your energy lifts my spirits."
"Really? Look all you want!"
Like a big dog and its owner? Shidou's rude thought—Tohka's skirt practically sprouts a wagging tail. Their quick bonding, post-yesterday, delights but confuses him. They chat so naturally.
"…Morning, Origa—Origami."
Close call—nearly triggered her pressure again. Origami, unusually late, enters. Shidou greets her. Her iron mask holds—
"Good morning, Shidou. —!?"
Her mask cracks into shock. To others, it's subtle, but Shidou, used to her poker face, sees her eyes widen at something.
Frowning, he follows her gaze: Tohka and Kurumi chatting happily. Tohka wouldn't shock her. Then…
"Hey, Origami, something up with Kurumi?"
"…Nothing."
She looks away, heading to her seat. Unlike her usual self, but Kurumi seems unchanged from yesterday. Shidou's left puzzled, tilting his head.
The answer comes soon.
"What's this about? You said you had something to show…"
Lunch break. Kotori summoned Shidou to the physics prep room—now a Ratatosk base. Kotori and Reine Murasame, analyst and physics teacher, await. Shidou ditched Tohka with an excuse, hoping to lunch with her and Kurumi. This room revives bad training memories—he wants this over quick.
"Something unexpected happened… First, Kurumi came to school normally today, right?"
"Yeah, earlier than me. Why?"
Kotori's serious expression deepens. Shidou's gut twists.
"…Kotori, something happen with Kurumi?"
"…It's tough, but brace yourself and watch."
Reine activates a display. Shidou's eyes widen at the footage.
"Kurumi? And… Mana? Why're they…?"
Kurumi faces Mana, his self-proclaimed sister. But others are there—AST, including Origami, in mechanical armor, surrounding Kurumi.
Dread hits. Mana glows, donning white mechanical armor. Kurumi transforms—shadows envelop her, revealing a crimson-black dress wrapped in light. Stunning, even on-screen, but Shidou realizes it's her Astral Dress.
His mind blanks.
"What—!"
Mana's light pierces Kurumi's body—twice, thrice.
"Kurumi!! Kurumi!?"
"Calm down, Shidou!"
"But—! She's…!!"
He reaches for the screen, repeating her name like a tantrum. Kotori's words barely register. His heart races. Light pierces Kurumi repeatedly, her body crumpling in blood. Unacceptable—her existence fading tears at his heart—
"—Shin, calm down."
Reine embraces him, her warmth soothing, nostalgic. The footage lingers, but her words continue gently.
"Shin, this was yesterday. Kurumi appeared before you today, right?"
"…!"
Right—he spoke to her this morning. No illusion, it was Kurumi. Breathing deeply, he calms as Reine releases him.
"…Sorry, Reine-san, Kotori."
"No need. Anyone would be shaken seeing a friend like that."
"It's fine… I was a bit reckless."
Kotori's rare concern makes Shidou smile, regaining his composure.
"I'm okay. Continue, please."
"If you feel ill, say so. Use me anytime."
"Thanks…"
Odd phrasing, but Reine's help is undeniable, so he thanks her. Kotori glares—jealous?—but he ignores it. Not hating it, though.
Reine resumes the footage. Mana, emotionless, aims her blade at Kurumi's fallen form. Shidou grips his clothes, suppressing the urge to look away. He needs answers.
"Here's the issue," Kotori says.
"!?"
Shidou's face freezes in shock. Mana's blade, meant to finish Kurumi, stabs concrete instead. Kurumi vanishes. Mana and AST, stunned, scan the area.
"What happened…?"
"Here's a slow-motion still."
Reine switches to an image: a white-robed figure carrying Kurumi, leaping away. Shidou, Reine, and Kotori know her.
"The one who saved me…"
"Right. The Spirit who appeared when Yoshino went berserk, saving you. Yesterday, she saved Kurumi."
"No clue why," Kotori grumbles. The robed girl who questioned Shidou saved Kurumi—for what?
Why? Couldn't bear a fellow Spirit's fall? Or… did she know Kurumi all along?
"Even if she escaped, Kurumi should be gravely injured."
"Yeah. No Spirit heals that fast. Either her Angel has that power, or there's another trick…"
Shidou ponders. Kurumi showed no wounds or strain today, acting as always. Origami's morning shock makes sense—Mana's fatal blows, Kurumi's vanishing act, and her casual school appearance. A mystery.
But more than that, Kurumi's near-death torments him. Was it Mana's cold attacks or Kurumi's pain? Both. He won't let it happen again.
"Time's short. Whether the white Spirit's tied to Kurumi or not, we can't assume a second save. AST and Mana know she's alive. Before they target her again—"
"—Charm Kurumi."
Charm her, seal her power. Same as always, yet everything's different. Failure risks her life. But he's undaunted.
He doesn't want her hurt. He needs her purpose, to prove she's not the worst Spirit.
"You know what to do. Then it's settled." Kotori grins, meeting Shidou's resolved gaze. Ratatosk backs him. One mission:
"Let's start our war date."
"…Um, is something up? I was about to lunch with Tohka-san…"
Kurumi frowns anxiously as Origami glares silently. At the rooftop entrance, a secluded spot, it looks like a timid girl being cornered.
Her charming gestures could stir protectiveness, but Origami knows this transfer student isn't so innocent.
"Why are you unharmed?"
"…?"
"How did you escape that scene?"
Origami saw it—Mana, newly transferred, landing fatal blows on Kurumi. Yet, slipping past Mana and AST's encirclement, Kurumi vanished instantly. Those were lethal wounds—she shouldn't be at school, unscathed. Even Mana, who's killed Spirits and seemed to know Kurumi, was shaken. Too unnatural.
"…Oh, you were with Mana-san yesterday—Origami Tobiichi, right?"
"!"
Instinctively, Origami leaps back with superhuman reflexes. No clear reason—just Kurumi's aura shifted, unlike her warmth or yesterday's self.
But something seizes Origami, choking her breath.
"Guh…!?"
"Sorry, I've no time for trifles."
Hands—white, slender, countless—crawl from a shadow on the wall, binding Origami's limbs, neck, mouth. Her strength can't budge them; only her thoughts and eyes remain free.
"Kihi, hihihihi! Knowing me, yet approaching alone? More careless than I thought. Or did you think I'm no threat after seeing Mana?"
"—!"
Origami curses her mistake. Kurumi's easy defeat bred complacency. Worse, living near Tohka dulled her view of Spirits as threats.
"Or did you come to offer yourself to me?"
Kurumi's words ignite Origami's mind, rage flaring. Offer herself to a Spirit?
"—!!"
Nonsense. Spirits are the world's enemy, humanity's foe—calamities that took everything from her, to be killed. Murderous intent fuels her, slightly pushing back the shadow's hands.
Kurumi's crimson eyes flicker with surprise at Origami's resistance, then soften, as if understanding.
"You… are like me."
Her eyes mirror killing intent, burning rage. They must destroy it, erase it, because it's their reason to live. Their only difference: whether the beginning can be undone.
Suddenly, the hands release Origami.
"…cough… What do you mean…!?"
Freed, exhausted, Origami collapses, coughing, but glares at Kurumi. Ignoring her, Kurumi turns to leave.
"Wait—"
"I've changed my mind. I'll let you go… A warning: if you want your purpose, don't be reckless."
"—!!"
"You're not one to listen, though. Neither am I."
Spared and advised by a Spirit—humiliating. Rage surges, but Origami's body won't move.
Weak. She vowed to kill Spirits, to prevent others like her, yet she's too weak.
"What's your purpose…!"
Half-conscious, she shouts at Kurumi's back. Kurumi pauses on the stairs, turning. Her hair shifts, revealing her left eye—a golden compass, twelve markers, two hands. A clock counting time.
"Purpose… Indeed."
She considers telling her—Origami can't stop her. But seeing Origami's appearance, she recalls that girl's words: Origami Tobiichi, fixated on Shidou, beautiful, his classmate—
"I won't tell you."
Surprising herself, Kurumi speaks. Origami collapses, conscious but immobile. Lips tight, Kurumi hurries down the stairs, as if fleeing her own stirred emotions.