Nikko curled up in bed that night replaying the conversation she had with Daisuke over and over again. I have a strong spirit capacity that attracts those demonic creatures called Vallista? They will keep hunting me down as long as my heart still beats? The only way to put an end to it is if I die and be reborn as an immortal? And if the Vallista somehow manages to consume my spirit, I will turn into one of them?

It was all so crazy, but Nikko seemed to have no trouble believing everything that Daisuke had told her considering what she just experienced alongside the many bizarre and unreal stories she’s seen from all the fantasy manga, anime and video games she was exposed to for the majority of her life. Seems like being an otaku wasn’t so bad after all in her case.

Despite her odd comfort with her whole situation, she felt that her new life would not be so static and straightforward as to running into the occasional Vallista and having Daisuke take care of them for her as he had promised. Nikko crawled out of bed and made her way to the living room downstairs.

“Mom?” she whispered as she peeked her head past the living room door.

“Yes, Ni-chan?” Ms Sugimura looked up from the book she was reading on the sofa.

Nikko trotted towards the sofa and gently sat down next to her mother. “U-Uh… how do I say this?”

“Is there something you wish to tell me, dear?”

Nikko gazed at her mother, trying to put her words together. Why did she feel as if this would be the very last time they’d ever speak with one another?

“I…” Nikko murmured. A single tear rolled down her right cheek.

“Oh dear, what’s wrong Ni-chan?” Ms Sugimura put her book down and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

“M-Mom… I… I just w-wanted to say… that I l-love you… and I’m so g-grateful for everything you’ve d-done for me,” Nikko began to sob. Why am I saying all this? Why do I feel so…?

“Aw baby,” Ms Sugimura warmly comforted Nikko between her arms. “I love you too Ni-chan, and I’ll always be here for you.”

Nikko cried quietly as she held onto her mother. The recollected herself and rubbed her tears off with the palms of her hands. “S-Sorry… I just t-thought… I should say that to you, you know?” Nikko managed a smile, but deep down she felt that this would be her final chance to do so. She would have said more, but she did not want her mother worrying about her.

“That’s ok, Ni-chan. There’s no such thing as a correct time or place to let someone know that you love them.”

“Y-Yeah,” Nikko said softly, getting off the sofa. “Goodnight, mom.”

“Goodnight, dear.”

Nikko woke up the next morning. Nothing happened. No nightmare. No random Vallista attack. She also woke up as her 7:30am alarm rang. Did Daisuke take care of everything without having to wake her up? Or were there no attacks at all. Nikko drew her window curtains to the side to have a peek outside, but just saw the casual morning street of her neighbourhood. Somewhere out there, Vallista are crawling amongst the shadows, and Daisuke was making sure she was safe from afar.

What a relief, she thought. She genuinely felt as if last night would be the final moment she shared with her beloved mother. Nikko washed up, got dressed and moved downstairs.

“Morning mom!” she cheerfully said as she entered the kitchen. There was no response. “Mom?” Nikko’s voice grew concerned as she called out after waiting a few seconds.

Nikko noticed a note resting on the kitchen counter.

Sale at supermarket till 9am. Gone shopping. Will prepare your favourite dinner tonight. Don’t forget your school bag!, the note read, with a couple of love hearts scribbled on the bottom corner.

“Oh mom,” Nikko smiled in relief as she slotted a slice of bread into the toaster. I guess I won’t be seeing her till after school.

She won’t be seeing her till after school?

That means the last time she was with her mother was last night.

Does that mean the last time she’d be with her mother was last night?

Nikko suddenly panicked. Was her intuition correct? Surely not. What if it was? Was she just getting paranoid? The Vallista only attacks the individual with the spirit capacity and not their family, right? What if her mom had a spirit capacity too? No, because it would have shown when she was 16.

Nikko had flashbacks of 2 years ago, of the reason her and her mom had to return to Kujo. Her father, a researcher who brought his family over to Tokyo because he found a job there, died tragically in a freak accident in his research facility. Since Nikko and her mother had no reason to stay in Tokyo any longer, they moved back to their old home. Dad…

Nikko glanced at the wall clock. It was 8am. She should start heading to school. But she didn’t. All she could think about is her mother’s safety. Should she go to the supermarket to make sure that her mother was fine? Where was Koduro Daisuke?

“Koduro-san!” Nikko yelled and waited for him to magically appear. He never did.

Where is that silver-headed, sword-swinging ‘guardian’ when you need him?

Nikko grew tired of waiting and left her house to go to the supermarket. She walked past Arii on her way.

“N-Nikko-chan?” Arii called out. “Where are you g-going? School is t-the other way!”

“I’ve got something important to do Arii,” Nikko said as she hurried in the opposite direction and was soon out of her side.

“H-Huh?” Arii wanted to follow her but was stopped in her tracks.

“Don’t,” a soothing male voice said.

Arii looked over her shoulder to see the silver-haired man. “H-Huh? Y-You’re… uh, have we met before?”

“That doesn’t matter,” Daisuke replied. “You’re gonna be late for school.”

“O-Ok, sir,” Arii walked off, looking back every couple of steps.

Daisuke followed Nikko’s trail and eventually caught up with her. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked as he grabbed Nikko’s shoulder.

“K-Koduro-san!” Nikko jumped. “Don’t scare me like that!”

“That’s not the way to school.”

“I know. I’m… just worried about my mom.”

“Your mom went shopping.”

“Yeah that’s what the note said. But I can’t help but feel… wait a minute. You’ve got you ‘immortal’ look on.” She said as she looked at Daisuke from head to toe.

“I can’t reappear as the persona I had before, especially when there is the chance that the people I’ve met before can see me. I’ve removed the memory of myself from them, and if they see me in that appearance again, their memories will come back.”

“That’s a problem?”

“I’m not from this world, Sugimura,” Daisuke said. “Spirit chasers can only blend in with mortals for so long. We aren’t supposed to create a lasting memory of ourselves. That applies to mortals who have chosen to be resurrected. They become one of us. That is why their existence as mortals are removed.”

“I see,” Nikko murmured. “Either way, my mom…”

“Your mom will be fi-“

Suddenly, the space surrounding Nikko and Daisuke began to distort.

“A Vallista attack?” Nikko shrieked.

“N-No…” Daisuke replied.

It was not a Vallista attack. From her memory, the sky would turn dark, a fog would appear, and the temperature would drop. However, their surroundings just seemed to shift, stretch and compress.

“W-What is this?”

“This is…” Daisuke looked weary. “… a mini alternate space.”

Nikko looked at Daisuke, waiting for a further explanation.

“A mini alternate space is a void created in the mortal realm, covering a small area to conceal the events that happen inside it to the mortal world. There aren’t many who know how to cast this ability.”

“Who’s responsible for this?” Nikko asked.

“I…” Daisuke looked hesitant to say it. “I’ve only ever met one person who can do this.”

As if on cue, a shadow formed on the ground in front of the them. The shadow began to rise and form its own mass, creating the figure of a woman. Moments later, the figure solidified, revealing a young woman with black hair cut in a bob who wore a black skin-tight tank top, black shorts and white leggings. She stood chest out and had her right arm on her resting on her waist. She looked straight at Daisuke with blood red eyes, and with her left hand, flicked a parting of her hair to the side. “Hello, Ke-kun.”

Nikko glanced at a stunned Daisuke, who was fixated on the woman.

“Aw, nothing to say to me after God knows how long?” the woman pouted.

“You…” Daisuke managed to get a word out.

What was going on? Nikko wondered. “K-Koduro-san, who is she?”

“Mina,” Daisuke replied, eyes still on the woman. “Hanabei Mina.” Daisuke gritted his teeth before finally saying, “The person responsible for eliminating the entire Mabaroshi SCS.”