Mistaken To Be A Spirit

Departure➜ Next: VetoDimension

Location Change: Fraxinus, Kotori's Office
 
Time: 23:01 p.m.

 
After the whole debacle with Veto, everyone finally arrived home.

And since everyone was so drained, after they all went back, they all promptly went to sleep. As both Yoshino and Neptune, who were still staying at the Fraxinus, teleported together with Kotori.
 
For Shido, Tohka, and the still unconscious Peashy, Shido slept directly on the couch after he took Peashy in his room, and Tohka fell dead asleep in her own room without much of a fuss.
 
Even though Kotori was exhausted like everyone else, she still continued to work and reported to her supervisors diligently, leaving out some information regarding Neptune and Veto. Following her report, Kotori and Reine silently walked towards her office.

After entering, Kotori turned on the light and noticed that her desk had been neatly arranged with a stack of documents. Kotori sighed and slumped into her chair as Reine just stood there by her side. They then began conversing as Kotori took out a pen and began writing while she related the events that had taken place when everyone had been disconnected.
 
All the while, Kotori was secretly lamenting the fact that their Christmas was ruined.
 
But at least everything went well.
 
"I... see... This Veto's personality really is that difficult to control." Reine muttered, her brow wrinkled at the thought.

"Huuu... You don't even know half of it; in fact, after Neptune seized over, I saw something odd."

"Oh...? What exactly did you find?" the woman inquired of her commander.

She leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed, as she placed her pen on her desk. "Well, her skin," Kotori says, closing her eyes to elaborate. "Do you recall the condensed energy we detected throughout her entire body? Well, I felt it was gradually slipping, and I saw some... scars littering her left foot, slowly appearing, but the owner in question does not seem to know it herself."

"I am curious. Whose personality is the original of the two? I recall Croire telling us that she locked Neptune's memories, but... if her personality was split from the beginning, do you think Veto's memory would be sealed as well?" She pressed Reine with questions.
 
"Hmmm, it's indeed difficult to say, but would it truly be inappropriate to suggest that the original personality is Veto? While I'm not sure, and it is still challenging to really know without studying her specific history and the right chronology to pick up some proof," Reine stated, but then gained a contemplative face. "But that is all irrelevant now; what is done is done; now we are dealing with two spirits in one body, which does not change anything in the long term. But... If the illusion dissolved... how would Neptune react?"

Reine then gave Kotori a look while tapping her fingers on Kotori's desk. "Remember, Neptune is a blank slate; if Veto's personality is like that without amnesia, what do you think would happen if Neptune was triggered and remembered everything?"

Hearing her words, Kotori slumped at another dilemma.
 
"Well, let's just hope for the best then." Having no real answer, Kotori gave up on the matter, as she then suggested that she head home after she finished all the paperwork. Reine did offer to help, but Kotori only waved her off.
 
So when Reine was about to leave, unbeknownst to them, a shadow that was behind the door quickly disappeared. And the cameras from those particular hallways were jammed with the same substance that they acquired from Neptune.
 
___________
 
Location: Itsuka's household

 
*RIIIIIIIINNNGGG!!
 
 
"I'm up! I'm u-up..!" Shido, who heard the obnoxious loud ring, was startled wide awake as he sat up grumbling. Seeing that he was sleeping on his sofa, Shido briefly tilted his head in confusion.
 
"What.. the? Oh.. yeah.." Remembering all that happened in just one day made Shido sigh in relief that everything was all done and over with. But... He then remembered the holiday they were supposed to celebrate.
 
 
"But... Christmas Eve had already passed.." Shido muttered to himself with a frown, but he shook his head soon after. "But it's still Christmas..! Who cares if we didn't celebrate it on Eve!"
 
Finally getting his spirits back, Shido stood up and rolled up his sleeves in determination. "Yosh..! Okay time to...ehhh...???" But when he looked at the living room, the teen was taken aback when he saw many decorations wafting through the room.
 
"I... Huh?" Shellshocked, Shido dashed upstairs to find the same decorations.