What is a spacequake? Inaba Tsukiyo doesn't know much about it.
The last time she and Yoshino descended, the spacequake had disappeared, and the surrounding buildings had been destroyed by the spacequake.
This time, she has the opportunity to take a good look at what a spacequake is all about? Why does a spacequake cause so much damage?
A spacequake is when a Spirit appears, it will cause violent shaking of the space, and a huge explosion will occur during the shaking process.
After a spacequake breaks out, the buildings and ground facilities centered on the spacequake will be completely destroyed, and everything around will also be damaged due to the explosion.
"Is this the spacequake that will be caused when a Spirit appears? It's really serious, Yoshino."
"..."
"If Spirits cause such damage every time they appear, then it is not unreasonable for humans to be hostile to Spirits. However, ordinary people don't know the existence of Spirits, only certain special organizations know that Spirits exist."
"..."
"Yoshino?"
Not hearing Yoshino's reply, Inaba Tsukiyo turned around and found Yoshino bowing her head, pulling down her Astral Dress's hood to cover her face, her small body trembling slightly.
"Are you alright, Yoshino?"
"Tsukiyo… Tsukiyo-chan. When I appeared before, did I also cause this kind of destruction?"
"Did I… did I also hurt many people?"
With tears in her eyes, Yoshino asked in a choked voice, looking at the destruction caused by the spatial quake, her mood downcast.
The kind Little fellow was a little afraid that when she had manifested in the real world before, the spatial quakes she caused might have harmed innocent people.
"Honestly… why do you like to think about such chaotic things so much?"
She gently pressed Yoshino's small head, then reached out and ruffled the rabbit-eared hood of Yoshino's coat, pointing to the underground shelter facilities.
As a high-incidence area for spatial quakes, Amamiya City naturally had facilities to deal with them.
Each time a Spirit manifested, there would be a specialized agency issuing spatial quake warnings. Residents who heard the alarm would gather at designated shelters, waiting for the alarm to be lifted.
"Besides, with your ability to control your spiritual power, you don't need to worry about spatial quakes. Yoshino is so kind, how could she intentionally harm others? If something unexpected happens, just call my name. I'll appear by your side immediately."
She held Yoshino's right hand, and beneath Yoshino's flushed face, gently kneaded her delicate palm.
Twin Spirit… this was the conclusion Inaba Tsukiyo had recently come to. She understood why she had appeared in the neighboring world where Yoshino was hiding.
They possessed the same power. According to the giant tree she had seen back then, she had obtained the power of the fourth sephirah. Drawn by this power, she came to Yoshino's side, becoming her Twin Spirit.
Yoshino looked shyly at Inaba Tsukiyo, who was holding her hand.
According to her usual personality, she would definitely let go of Inaba Tsukiyo's hand and hide to the side.
But this time, she uncharacteristically held Inaba Tsukiyo's hand, recalling the dreams she had had over the past few days.
She dreamed of strange scenes, of another version of herself. This self was also timid, but she had many companions around her.
Although these companions liked to tease her and do strange things to her, she envied herself for having so many companions.
Each time she wanted to understand the dream further, she found herself in another place, where there was only one tree, a very giant tree.
And the blue glowing fruit on that tree was calling to her, as if it had some connection to her.
The dream would end the moment she was about to touch the fruit, and when she woke up, she would find herself caressing the cheek of Inaba Tsukiyo, who was sleeping beside her.
"Hey, Tsukiyo-chan. You… you'll always stay by my side, right?"
"Hmm? Isn't that obvious? Only when we are together are we complete. And it's possible there are other parts too, who knows."
"Other parts? What do you mean, Tsukiyo-chan?"
Yoshino tilted her head. She didn't understand what Inaba Tsukiyo meant. What exactly were these "other parts"?
"Nothing, just pretend I didn't say anything. Now, let's watch together and see how Shiori-san saves the Spirit."
In the central area of the spatial quake, there was a long-haired girl, standing on a throne, holding a greatsword, wearing beautiful armor, with a skirt as transparent as cicada wings.
This should be the Astral Dress owned by this Spirit Girl. She remembered when Yoshino put on that green rabbit-hooded dress, it felt similar.
As Yoshino's Twin Spirit, should she also manifest a similar dress?
But her fighting style wasn't suitable for a dress. Perhaps she should think of other decorations for her Astral Dress.
She felt that, having been defined as a Spirit, not having an Astral Dress didn't quite fit her character. She had forgotten about this before.
"Someone I don't know. This person is also a Spirit. There is indeed a spiritual power reaction."
"Yes, I just don't know where Shiori is right now. Those people should have already observed the Spirit's location."
To avoid being discovered by others, Inaba Tsukiyo and Yoshino hid in the Imaginary Space to observe the situation outside.
This feeling was like watching a movie with 3D glasses in a cinema; it felt very exciting.
Soon, Shiori's figure appeared there, still in her uniform, still dressed as a The Boy.
Shiori had just appeared near the Spirit Girl when the latter raised her greatsword and pointed it directly at Shiori.
In her amethyst-like eyes, there was only lingering sorrow. Even though the greatsword in her hand was pointed at Shiori, there was no killing intent whatsoever.
This was a Spirit, like a wounded Animal putting on a fierce facade when a stranger approaches, to prevent others from getting close.
In unseen corners, the Spirit would lick her wounds, grieving why the world had to treat her this way.
The sorrow in the Spirit Girl's eyes was seen by Shiori, and Shiori felt as if her heart was pricked by a needle.
Recalling the scenes she had seen earlier in the narrative space, Shiori felt as if she could see what the Spirit Girl had gone through when she first appeared.
"Are you… also here to kill me?"
The Spirit Girl said with a sorrowful tone. Although she was used to being hunted, she couldn't get used to this feeling.
"No! I want to save you! I want to save all of you!"
This time, Shiori did not follow the instructions Kotori gave her, but instead told the other party what she truly felt in her heart.
These undisguised words made a strange glint flash in the Spirit Girl's eyes.
Every time she manifested in the real world, the humans she faced all had expressions as if they wished she would die immediately. This human seemed different from the others.
The Spirit Girl's personality was actually very pure, but it was precisely this pure personality that made her understand who was good to her and who was bad.
Unconsciously, the Spirit Girl lowered her weapon, looked around somewhat flustered, and then lowered her head.
"You're really… really not here to kill me?"
"No, I want to save you."
"Really, you won't deny me? You really won't hurt me like those other humans?"
"I really won't deny you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Really, really?"
"Really, really."
"...Why does this scene feel like a plot from a TV show you watch, Yoshino?"
Scratching her head, Inaba Tsukiyo thought the scene reminded her of the male and female leads in a TV show she had watched with Yoshino.
The plot was roughly about young Boys and girls, their hearts blossoming with first love, asking questions before confessing, all set against the backdrop of a sunset.
The Spirit Girl was positioned as an innocent girl, and Shiori as a gentle Boy, even though both of them were girls.
"Ahaha~ I really wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't said anything. It really is very similar, the way this big sister is acting. Could her so-called method of 'capturing' Spirits be straight out of a TV show?"
"A TV show plot? I remember she and the organization behind her seemed to be planning for us to go on a date, but what was the final step of the date? Was it a KISS? Or something even further?"
"KI... KISS, something even further...?"
If it had been the old Yoshino, she might not have understood these things, but after watching those soap operas, Yoshino's knowledge had significantly improved.
Just a few words, and the child began to fantasize about such scenarios in her mind. Her tender face instantly flushed red, making one want to pinch her cheeks.
"Huh? Yoshino, what's wrong? Your heart is suddenly beating so fast."
That heart rate must have reached over a hundred beats per minute. What on earth was this child thinking?
"N-nothing, I wasn't thinking anything, nothing at all."
Yoshino waved her hand, not telling Inaba Tsukiyo what she had just been thinking.
KISS, something even further—these two phrases reminded her of the dreams she had had a few days ago.
Her other self, wasn't she being frantically KISSed and having all sorts of strange things done to her by those companions?
The thin-skinned Yoshino couldn't quite handle such images, but her inner curiosity, even as she covered her eyes with her hands, couldn't resist peeking through a small gap, feeling both shy and surprised by what these people were doing.
They were girls, so why were they doing such things? And... and they didn't even have expressions of dislike; it was as if they were very... very much enjoying it.
What on earth was going on? Would she... would she also become like that?
Thinking this, Yoshino secretly glanced at Inaba Tsukiyo's profile.
If Inaba Tsukiyo intended to do such things to her, what should she do?
Should she refuse? Or accept?
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