Date A Live: Starting as Acheron

"Eh?" Shidou's eyes widened as he laid eyes on the camera footage of the short blue-haired girl. "That's… I met that girl yesterday!"

"What?!" Whirling around, Kotori shot him a withering glare. "When? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, how was I supposed to know back then?" Shidou rebutted weakly, holding his hands up as he began to explain the story.

——————I am the dividing line that flashbacks——————

An incessant rain poured down from the sky, much to the chagrin of an annoyed blue-haired boy. 

"So much for a ten percent chance of rain," he sighed to himself. Adjusting his soaked school uniform, the sound of a splash caught his attention. Across from him, hopping around in a lonely abandoned park, was a girl clad in a green bunny-eared raincoat. A cartoonish rabbit puppet covered one of her hands as she hopped around in the puddles formed on the ground, until-

"Ah." The girl slipped and fell flat on her face, the puppet flying off of her hand and onto the ground a few meters away. Shidou winced in pain before quickly running over to help her up.

"Hey, are you-" Before he could so much as finish her sentence, the girl jumped up and scuttled back, her hands desperately searching the ground beneath her while her eyes were glued on Shidou. 

"Don't… don't come closer. Don't hurt me. Don't… take her away from me…" Her trembling voice brought a wave of pity to his heart. Gently raising his hands in the air, he slowly took a step forward. The girl's blue eyes widened, and it almost seemed to Shidou that the air grew colder. Is that just my imagination?

Shaking off his doubts, he slowly walked over to the puppet and picked it up. 

"No… don't…" The girl was nearly in tears by now. Shidou unconsciously quickened his pace, making his way to her and presenting her with the puppet. 

"Is she the one you're looking for?" She froze, looking at Shidou, then to the puppet in his hand. Then, before Shidou could register any movement, the puppet had somehow found its way back onto the girl's hand. Without another word, the girl jumped up and ran away. "Hey, wait!"

The girl paid him no heed, disappearing down a street within seconds. Shidou scratched his head. What… just happened?

—————I am the dividing line that flashes forward—————

Kotori's eyes flashed with concern as Shidou finished his recount. "Our surveillance team was already tracking her Spirit waves yesterday. Although there seemed to be a slight fluctuation, it didn't nearly reach the threshold for manifestation... well, whatever. For now, we need to move out. After all, we're not the only ones with our eyes on her."

As if on cue, a squad of flying figures suddenly appeared on the cameras, aiming small cannons on their backs at [Hermit]. The Spirit in question seemed to hold up the puppet on her hand for a moment before an eerie white mist covered her figure, shielding her from the fire of the AST squad. 

"That's the new ability [Hermit] has shown since they met [IX]. It seems that she freezes the moisture in the air around her, creating something like a thin yet remarkably strong shield. Although, in response…" 

Shidou watched in horror as the AST's cannons finally fired, sending rounds of flaming projectiles down at the Spirit. [Hermit] immediately took to the skies, but Shidou could still see the massive clouds of steam rising from her already-faltering shield and the terrified expression on her face. His fists clenched in anger as he turned to Kotori. 

"How could they fire like that on a little girl?!" 

Kotori shrugged, an impassive look on her face. "Do you think what she looks like matters to the AST? To them, every single one of them is just a monster that needs to be killed, regardless of shape or size." Turning to see the look on Shidou's face, she sighed. "Don't just sit here and pity her. That'll only make you weak."

In response, Shidou glared back with defiance. "Then let's move. Let's save her."

"That's my big brother." Kotori finally cracked a small smile before addressing the crew of the Fraxinus. "You heard him. All members, prepare for a Type One capture!"

"Roger!"

————————I am the dividing line that skips time————————

"[Hermit] has just entered this department store. The AST seem to have been ordered to station themselves nearby and await an opportunity to attack, so this is your chance." Kotori's voice sounded through the earpiece. Shidou crouched on the ground, a doubtful look on his face.

"Hey, are you sure [Hermit] will appear here?"

"Based on our analysis, there's no doubt that this is the floor she'll end up on. Get ready."

"If you say so…" Shidou glanced nervously at a mannequin in a nearby clothing shop. Because of the spacequake alarm, all electronics had been shut down, including the ceiling lights. Shidou swore he saw a shadow move from behind one of the featureless figures. "Uh, hello? Is anyone there?"

CLANG!

"EEK!" Shidou felt his heart leap from his chest as one of the mannequins fell over, seemingly of its own accord. 

"Shidou? SHIDOU! What's wrong?" Shidou's ear rang with the sound of Kotori's concerned questions, but his focus was on the sound of something else. A high-pitched laugh emanated from the ceiling.

"Hahahahahaha!" Vaguely, Shidou saw a small silhouette of a rabbit puppet descend upside down from above. "You're not all that brave, are you?"

"What-"

"Don't move." Shidou immediately froze as the voice suddenly became colder. Then it changed back, as though the previous sentence was never uttered. "Hey, hasn't Yoshinon seen you before? Hm… ah, right, at the park! Say, mister, how did you appear here again. Think carefully now~"

"I-"

"Hold it." Kotori's voice sounded in his ear. After a few tense moments, she spoke again. "Ok, tell her this: 'Heh, I don't have a clue. The life of the traveling vagabond is ever fickle… perhaps our paths crossing once more is fate?'"

"What the hell is that?" Shidou whispered back.

"Eh? What was that?" The rabbit puppet silhouette asked.

"Oh, er…" Shidou struck a pose, stepping onto a nearby bench and covering an eye. "Ahem, I have no idea! For the life of the traveling vagabond is fickle.. so perhaps our paths crossing again is fate!" 

Silence pervaded the air as Shidou internally cursed Kotori and awaited the verdict.

"...AHAHAHA! You're a funny one, mister!" The silhouette moved closer and righted itself onto the floor, revealing itself to be attached to the right hand of the [Hermit]. "I mean, no one seriously talks like that."

"Hehe… glad you found that funny," Shidou chuckled nervously.

"Mhm mhm, but I do hope you won't be trying any more funny business, mister. It was nice talking, but you'd better leave now." [Hermit] moved the rabbit puppet into his face and stared its soulless eyes into Shidou, causing him to sweat nervously. For some reason, I feel like that wasn't a suggestion, but a threat…

"You can't give up now, Shidou. Find some way to convince her to let you stay," Kotori reminded.

But how? He cried wordlessly as the puppet continued to stare him down.