“Wh-whoa?!” Shido reflexively shrank from the projectiles that came flying at them.
But Kotori showed no signs of panic. “Territory, protect!” she ordered.
“Yes, sir!”
The image of Fraxinus shown on a sub monitor glowed faintly. At the same time, the stones flying toward the airship bounced back and shattered just as they were on the verge of making contact.
“Th-this is…” Shido stared in disbelief.
“A direct attack from the Angel might be another story, but this little peashooter thing can’t even scratch the upgraded Fraxinus,” Kotori said with a satisfied sniff, and spun her captain’s chair around to face him. “So, Shido. Do or die here. You ready?”
“Yeah. Of course.” He nodded firmly, letting his resolve show, and her eyes widened slightly.
“I don’t know what you talked about with the Shido over there, but that’s a good look for you. Excellent. Let’s get this mission going, then.”
She jerked her chin toward the sub monitor. A diagram of a circle radiated outward from the image of Fraxinus shown there.
“We’re going to extend Fraxinus’s Territory to Mukuro’s position. This way, you’ll be able to just go without having to worry about air or cosmic radiation. A date in space, though. Kinda ridiculous, huh?” She shrugged and chuckled before continuing. “You can just leave the basic controls and defense to us, no worries. We should be able to stop attacks like the one just now with the Territory. You focus on getting close to Mukuro and start your attack.”
“…”
Shido looked once more at Mukuro floating in the center of the main monitor and let out a sigh.
“…Uh. Um.” Natsumi abruptly spoke up from where she stood hiding behind Yoshino.
“Hm?” Kotori turned to her. “What’s up, Natsumi?”
“…Oh, no. I mean, if that’s what’s happening, that’s fine,” Natsumi said haltingly, avoiding Kotori’s eyes. “But I was just sort of thinking…she seems kinda rowdy and maybe it’d be better if we were there, too…or maybe not, I don’t know…”
As if the dam had been broken, the other Spirits also raised their voices.
“Oh. Um. I. Would like to. Help, too. If I can. If Mukuro attacks with something the Territory can’t block, Zadkiel could…!”
“Gooodness, that’s such a bonne idée! My Gabriel’s wall of sound might be useful, toooooo!”
“Ooh! Then I’m going, too!”
They spoke up one after the other and turned pleading eyes on Kotori.
Kotori got a troubled look on her face, but eventually, she sighed in resignation. “…Okay. If you all insist. But you only step up if Shido’s in trouble. This is, after all, a mission to make Mukuro weak in the knees. A whole crowd out of nowhere’s gonna put her on edge.”
“Okay!”
The Spirits nodded firmly.
Shido couldn’t help smiling at the group all coming together like this. “Thanks, gang. But I’m going to try to not need your help. That’s the best route, if I can manage it.” And then, on firm feet, he stood on the spot where he had been transported to the bridge earlier. “Okay, Kotori. Please and thank you.”
“Yup. We’ll transport y—,” Kotori started, when suddenly, red lights lit up the bridge, and a shrill alarm began to ring. “What is it?!”
“…! It’s…the enemy! Three—four DEM ships from earth!” Minowa shouted as several enormous ships popped up on the monitor.
“…Now of all times.” Kotori scowled in annoyance. “I expected this. So they’re really here. But no matter how many small-fry ships they—” She stopped abruptly, her eyebrows shooting up. She stared at the smallest of the four ships on the monitor, and her expression grew hard, until it transformed into something with the slightest hint of excitement bleeding into it.
Compared with the rough silhouettes of the other three ships, the fourth had a distinctive platinum streamlined form. Given its appearance here and now, this airship was no doubt built for the purpose of war, but its refined lines suggested a ship for ceremonial use for nobility.
Kotori flicked the stick of her Chupa Chups up and down as she gave voice to its name. “Goetia…!”
“Wha—?!” Shido’s eyes flew open.
Goetia. This was the first time he’d seen it with his own eyes, but he’d heard the name from Kotori a million times. It was Ellen Mathers’s personal ship, probably the most cutting-edge high-speed ship in the world. And it was also the ship that had felled Fraxinus in the previous world.
Sweat trickling down her cheek, Kotori licked her lips. “…Isn’t this just perfect? A revenge match on the day of the new Fraxinus’s arrival in the world.”
“Are we okay…?” Shido asked, brow furrowing slightly.
“There is no need for concern,” Maria replied over the speakers. “I am not the same ship as before. We will make them learn the name of the world’s top airship.”
“You said it, Maria.” Kotori tugged her lips up into a grin and barked orders to the crew. “Deploy duel Territory! Expand layer one to point six-two-two, set attribute to space control. Set layer two to defense! We’re going to war!”
“Yes, sir!”
The crew began to tap at their consoles.
“Woh-kay. You take care of Mukuro, Shido. I pray for your success in battle—wait, not that. I pray for your success with the ladies.”
“Ha-ha! What even is that?” Shido smiled at Kotori’s strange and yet entirely appropriate parting words. “You, too, Kotori. Stay safe.”
“You bet,” she replied briefly, as his body was transported outside of the ship.
His view changed from the inside of the bridge to the emptiness of space, and a sense of buoyancy enveloped him.
“Whoa…?!” he cried out reflexively. His body had been abruptly freed of gravity, and it felt like he would start spinning around on the spot. But just as Kotori had said, he felt a curious stability, like he was being supported by an invisible hand. No doubt they were keeping Shido upright with the Territory.
Naturally, he had never swum through space without protection before, so he couldn’t push aside his misgivings entirely. But he could indeed breathe, and the air around him felt like it was the usual temperature. He wouldn’t have any trouble having a conversation like this.
“Woh-kay.” He nodded to himself, bent his knees slightly, and then moved as if to kick against space. His body gained propulsive force and moved toward Mukuro.
“Hmmm?” She noticed his approach and turned her gaze in his direction. As soon as she saw his face, however, she narrowed her eyes slightly. “You… You gave your name as Shido. I believe I told you to never show yourself before me again?”
For the first time, he was hearing Mukuro’s actual voice, not her voice filtered through any devices. With a faint anxiety and excitement, and a sense of mission and resolve, he met her eyes.
“I’m honored you remember my name,” he said sincerely. “Did you maybe miss me?”
“…Hmmm?” She cocked her head to one side. But her confusion didn’t seem to stem from a lack of understanding of his words. It looked more like she was doubting his sanity.
But he continued, heedless of this. “Brace yourself, you spoiled brat. My ego is unfathomable.”
In a world of everlasting darkness looking down on heaven and earth, the curtain opened on the rendezvous between Spirit and human.
✦ ✦ ✦
To be continued.