The sound of electronic interference could be heard, and pixels began to appear on the table in front of Tsukuru.
The pixels clustered into the shape of another large buffet-style serving tray. However, this time, it had twenty-four rounded triangles on it.
There was a bright flash of light.
When it faded, the metal plate with the twenty-four onigiri rice ballscame into existence.
After they were done, Tsukuru then activated his Ability again.
The sound of electronic interference could be heard again.
This time, when the pixels clustered together, they took on the shape of a circular plate covered withchunks of varying size.
There was another flash of light, and the plate filled with bite-sized raw meat appeared in front of Tsukuru.
He activated his Video Stasis Skill, causing the plate to become enveloped in an aura of glitching pixels.
The next second, the plate took on the likeness of a hologram, which then glitched out of existence.
It then reappeared in front of Quinn.
Quinn looked down at the plate filled with bite-sized pieces of raw meat, and his mouth began to subconsciously salivate.
He had been enjoying this "wagyu meat" of Tsukuru's for the last few days, and it had quickly become one of his new FAVORITES.
The fact that raw meat was one of the only things that he could still eat being irrelevant to the conversation.
Vorden watched as Tsukuru's three "Summons" all clapped their hands together and closed their eyes.
"Thank you for the food," they all replied in unison.
Vorden raised an eyebrow in confusion, and turned to Tsukuru.
"Hey, what's with the prayer?" he asked.
An amused smilecrept across Tsukuru's face.
"It's a Japanese custom," he explained. "It's meant to give thanks to not only the cook and procurer of the ingredients, but also honor the ingredients as well."
Vorden tiled his head.
"But, then, why didn't you do it?" he asked, Tsukuru's answer only making Vorden more confused.
Tsukuru let out a snort.
"I may be Japanese biologically, but I was never raised in a proper Japanese household," he replied.
A look of lamentation appeared on Tsukuru's face, and he glanced to the side.
"Even when my birth parents were still alive," he muttered.
Quinn stopped shoveling raw meat into his mouth as he heard Tsukuru's words.
He felt a phantom pain pierce his chest, as he remembered his own parents.
Looking back and forth between the two, Vorden saw the look of gloom on their faces.
He let out a nervous laugh.
"So, it doesn't matter which row I take them from as long as I only take three, right?" he asked, in a desperate ploy to change the subject.
Starrk looked over at Vorden with a smirk.
"Just make sure you don't steal somebody else's portion," he replied, in a clearly joking manner.
The group at the table continued eating their breakfast.
Once Kujaku and Slyvia had finished their portion, Tsukuru dismissed them and replaced them with Gobkiko and Raksharta.
But…after they had finished, Tsukuru felt a lump forming in his throat, and felt a pit in his stomach.
It was time to bring out his newest Summon.
Tsukuru dismissed Gobkiko and Raksharta with a wave, before he then let out a deep sigh.
Hearing it, causing Quinn and Vorden to look at him in confusion.
They were confused why Tsukuru had the look of somebody who now realized that he had to "bite the bullet"as it were.
"Summon," Tsukuru replied, holding his arm out.
The sound of electronic interference could be heard again, and pixels began to appear.
Although, strangely enough, they were appearing in the space to the side of the table, rather than above the empty chairs.
The pixels clustered into a humanoid shape, but this one was noticeably larger than the others. With a set of curved devil horns and large bat wings coming out of its back.
There was a bright flash of light, and Demona manifested.
Just like before, as Demona appeared, she spread her wings wide before folding them together in front of her chest at the "knuckles", causing them to drape over her like a cape.
Quinn's and Vorden's eyes both widened upon seeing her.
It was one of the veryfew times that Vorden had to look up at someone.
And it wasn't just them. They heard gasps and murmurs from all around them.
***
In a different section of the canteen, Layla's fork dropped out of her hand, and clattered back onto her tray.
On her face, a look of wide-eyed shockcould be seen.
Erin, meanwhile, had a completely different reaction.
Her eyes narrowed, and her hands clenched into fists, her hands so tight that her skin was turning pale-white along her knuckles.
Seeing Demona's form was filling Erin with a burning hatred.
***
Back with the two Sergeants, Shizuka had a look of deep amusement on her face.
"Well, would you look at that?" she asked. "That's a big one, isn't it Faye?"
But Faye remained silent.
"Faye?" Shizuka asked again.
As Shizuka turned to her friend and fellow Sergeant, she saw that the girl's eyes were narrowed, as she looked at Demona with a fierce intensity.
"That Beast," she replied, a deep growl in her tone. "It looks reminiscent of a Dalki."
Shizuka blinked a few times, as she took in Faye's words.
She looked at Demona with a hard, discerning eye.
In some ways, she could see it.
Demona had the same imposing figure, long tail, and sharp claws.
But there were also differences, as Demona lacked the Dalki's black, scaly skin, possessing a pale-blue complexion instead.
"Dalki are like humanoid Dragons, Faye," she replied, causing the girl to turn to her. "That looks more like a winged Demon."
***
Back at Quinn's, Vorden's, and Tsukuru's table, Demona reached her large claw over the table, and grabbed a group of three riceballs.
Though, due to her size, it looked more like a person grabbing a handful of cherry tomatoes.
Demona brought her claw up above her head and craned her neck backwards. She opened both her mouth and her claw, allowing the three riceballs to slide out and fall into her mouth.
The whole canteen watched in rapt silence, as Demona chewed the three riceballs before swallowing them.
Once she was done, she promptly exploded into pixels, dismissing herself.
Despite Demona being now gone, those sitting at the tables around themcontinued to stare.
Tsukuru noticed that even his friends were staring at him.
"...What?" he asked,
***
Eventually, everyone calmed down, and Tsukuru decided to spend the rest of the breakfast hourreading his book.
Although, every once and a while, Tsukuru would look up, and see that Quinn and Vorden were still staring at him.
Seeing the looks, Tsukuru let out a sigh, and did his best to ignore them.
At one point, the shrill ringing of the bell filled the room, indicating that it was time for the transitionary period between Breakfast and Homeroom Class.
Hearing the bell, everybody looked up towards the ceiling.
They all began moving frantically, gathering up their belongings and taking care of their garbage from breakfast.
As Tsukuru got up, he turned his attention to Galina, who was still pouting on the floor.
"Alright, Galina," he replied, as he picked Galina's special "Bag"off of the floor, and held it out in front of him. "Time to get in the bag."
Galina let out a "humph!", and turned her head to the side.
"Why can't I follow you around like Uncle Starrk does?!" she asked.
Tsukuru let out a sigh.
"Because Starrk doesn't look like a nine-year-old girl," he replied. "If people see you like this, they might tell me that I can't Summon you during school hours, lest you be a distraction to the other students."
Galina just sat there, unresponsive as she kept pouting.
After a few minutes, Galina's body began to spasm and contort, her liquid metal shooting out in random directions.
Then, it began to compress down.
Quinn and Vorden watched in amazement, as Galina's Humanoid form transformed back into the oval-shaped blob that they were both familiar with.
Galina leaped off of the floor, and jumped into the "Bag".
Tsukuru's arms involuntarily jerked downwards from the sudden weight.
"Jeeze!' he thought. 'Maybe I should have just let her stay in her Human form and just dealt with the consequences!'
Reiju's voice echoed in his head.
"Or, you could have just dismissed her," she replied in a deadpan tone.
Tsukuru slung the bagonto his back, and turned to the others.
"Alright," he replied. "Let's go,"