Chapter 15

[Reminiscence] More importantly, it's OneShota (Part Two)

The anime Fairy Savers only had one theatrical release.

It was part of a project called "Japan Anime Festival." At that time, in Japan, it was a common event to release a few children's movies together during long holiday seasons, like summer vacation.

Theatrical Release: Fairy Savers - Awakening of Fairy Burst!! Break Through the Darkness was one of those films, shown alongside other anime movies. It was only about 20 minutes long, but the quality was stunning, showcasing En and the others' heroic efforts fitting of a theater release.

Here's the story:

Due to the trauma of losing her mother, a girl named Arisu loses control of her special ability, the "Curse of Darkness".

The darkness grows to engulf the town, transforming her home into a dark castle, like a dungeon. Her brother, Kakeru, barely escapes and ventures into the castle alone, even though he has no abilities, to save Arisu.

The familiar Savers task force is deployed. En and the others team up with Kakeru to confront the rampaging Arisu. In the middle of their fierce battle, En activates his awakened form “Fairy Burst”—the one used to defeat the first cour's boss—and, through various events, purify Arisu’s darkness!

But... I can’t remember exactly what that “various events” part was. My memory of this movie is hazy.

It wasn’t that the movie was boring—far from it. It’s just that this work faced several unfortunate circumstances in terms of media distribution.

Although it was Fairy Savers' only theatrical release, it was overshadowed by the main attractions at the Japan Anime Festival, especially by other popular anime. Worse still, there was no re-release on DVDs or streaming platforms after it ended, so once the airing was over, VHS was the only way to watch it again.

It wasn't a bad movie, but it didn’t leave a strong impact either, and because it wasn’t part of the main story, not many people felt the need to watch it.

Even the timeline in the film was a parallel world scenario, where the characters were the same age as in the first season, but they were already teamed up with Akari and Chesed, which didn't make sense. Since it didn’t tie into the main plot, skipping the movie wouldn’t leave any gaps in understanding the story.

Even though I definitely watched it back then, my memories of it have faded as I grew older.

When I saw Arisu’s house turn into a pitch-black castle in my dream, I thought—"I’ve seen this before… just where was it from?"—but I couldn’t quite place it at the time…

My dream continues

When Kakeru-kun took me to his house, it had already begun.

His home was engulfed in darkness, transformed from a regular house into a sinister castle. It was so magnificent that it reminded me of Cinderella’s Castle. For a moment, I thought I’d wandered into a fairy tale kingdom. Haha.

“Is this your house? It’s quite an impressive place,”

"No! This is... Arisu's supernatural ability...?"

I joked with a dry laugh, but Kakeru-kun dashed off with a pale face.

I see... so this is Arisu-chan’s ability. How ironic. It's exactly the "dark attribute" I’ve been searching for.

“Dad!”

“Kakeru?!”

Under normal circumstances, I’d be thrilled, like hitting the jackpot in a gacha game. But in front of the kid, I restrained myself. After all, while the original protagonist is arrogant, he can still read the room.

Kakeru-kun ran ahead and found an older man was slumped in front of the castle. His haggard face told me everything I needed to know about his emotional state.

“Dad, what’s going on here?”

“…It’s Arisu. Her ability went out of control and engulfed the house. I was thrown out by the darkness... Kakeru, it’s dangerous here. The Savers will be here soon, so you need to leave.”

“No! I don’t want to!”

“Kakeru…”

Still, this ability is truly something else. According to Kakeru Papa, Arisu-chan was responsible for turning the entire house into this dark castle. Not only could she manipulate the darkness itself, but she could reshape the objects consumed by the darkness at will.

But this out of control supernatural ability… Supernatural abilities change their form and strength based on the user's consciousness, which also means they’re influenced by negative emotions.

For example, if the user thinks, “I don’t want anyone to come near me,” or “I don’t want to talk to anyone,” and those thoughts push them to their emotional limits, the ability grows beyond the user’s control. Only those with outstanding qualities can unleash this, and it is known as “Burst State”.

“So Arisu-chan is in a Burst State…”

A supernatural ability user in a Burst State can't control the excess power and, in the worst cases, continues releasing it until they burn out. Although it’s rare, once someone reaches this state, it’s extremely dangerous.

Only a few users, like En and the others in their awakened state during the second cour of the story, can fully control such overwhelming power. Incidentally, this Fairy Burst was precisely what Holy Dragon Ein Sof was aiming for… but I’ll save that explanation for another time. Spoilers are a no-go for the original protagonist.

Everyone here knows the cause of Arisu-chan’s burst.

Kakeru-kun looked his father in the eyes and shouted.

“This darkness was made by Arisu, wasn’t it!? She doesn’t want us to come near her! She doesn’t want to talk to anyone!”

“…!”

It’s painful… In the anime, there were episodes where En and the others fought to save people who had lost control of their abilities.

If Arisu’s situation is left unchecked, she’ll not only hurt herself but also cause damage throughout the town. As Kakeru Papa said, this is clearly a job for the Savers.

There's no way an ordinary family could handle this. They should evacuate quickly and wait for the Savers to arrive without getting in the way.

However, Kakeru-kun refused to accept the idea of running away alone in that moment.

"I won’t run anymore! I can't run away... because Arisu is my precious family... she's my little sister!"

"You..."

Such naive, yet manly bravado.

Kakeru’s father’s eyes trembled at the sheer determination in his son’s words.

...

──No good, I got caught up in the moment!

Feeling a bit out of place as the only outsider here, I decided to strum my harp to announce my presence. Don’t leave onee-san out, now.

"!"

Both Kakeru-kun and his father turned around, suddenly noticing me standing behind them. Ciao!

To calm them down, I gently spoke to them with soothing words.

"It's a tough situation, but from here on out, it's a job for a thief... leave it to onee-san."

"Eight-san!"

"You’re...!"

This is where my naturally soft-spoken whisper voice comes in handy.

The heated atmosphere between father and son quickly cooled down with just one word from me. Yeah, this might just be my greatest cheat skill. Sorry for being such an cheat original protagonist who can’t help but read the room too well.

But just as I was about to head toward Arisu’s dark castle, the young Kakeru—who I'm sure will grow up to be a nice guy in the future—called out to me, stopping me in my tracks.

"I’m coming too!"

"!? Wait, Kakeru!"

Hearing his words made my excitement rise, and I turned back with a satisfied grin.

But while he had bravely taken a step forward, his fear was still evident in his pale face.

I had a bad feeling about bringing him along just like this...

Hmm... I know!

Seeing his unease, I casually took off my top hat and gently placed it on his head.

"Wh, uh... E-eight-san?"

"When you wear this, you'll transform into a hero."

"...!"

I gave him a reassuring wink as I spoke.

Of course, it was just for comfort. My top hat has no such power.

But there was still a little bit of my body heat left inside the hat. Human warmth has a way of making people feel more relaxed. Even if he can’t become a hero, I thought the hat might at least give him some comfort.

"Shall we go, Hero Kakeru? Let’s go rescue Princess Arisu."

"...! Yes!"

With that, Kakeru’s face lit up brightly as he happily agreed to come along. That smile could easily melt the hearts of all the older sister types out there... yeah, boys his age shouldn't have gloomy faces. I smiled back, and he quickly turned his face away, flustered. Oh dear... was I wrong to treat the hero who’s going to save the princess like a child?

In reality, it’s incredibly reckless for someone without abilities to get close to an ability user in a Burst State.

If I were a responsible adult, I should’ve stopped him right then and there, but unfortunately, I’m not a responsible adult—I’m a mischievous big sister.

Sorry, Kakeru Papa. This Eight-chan is only designed for one passenger. I can only ensure Kakeru-kun’s safety inside the castle, so I can’t take you along too.

"Kakeru, you..."

"I’ll bring Arisu back!"

"..."

Unable to fully process his emotions as a father, Kakeru’s Papa couldn’t stop his son from running off.

It tugged at my conscience to see the sorrowful look on his face, but don’t worry, good sir. As a phantom thief, I’ll be taking care of your son for a little while. Adios!

The inside of the castle was pitch black.

It wasn’t just dark, but completely black.

Everything within was ominous, with an almost horror-like atmosphere. I asked if this was the usual aesthetic of the Yamikumo family’s home, but Kakeru-kun quickly denied it as if it were obvious.

So, it’s their home, yet not really their home.

Wow, this ability is something else... Is the darkness that Arisu-chan controls creating a unique barrier?

Her talent and the depth of her inner darkness are truly terrifying.

In supernatural abilities that directly reflect their user's mind, this dark castle seems to represent Arisu-chan’s own inner shadows.

It’s a bit inappropriate, but I really want this ability.

An ability of this magnitude... it’s worthy of being paired with Mea’s light. Seeing its immense scale, I even wondered if Arisu might be an original protagonist like us.

But listening to how Kakeru-kun describes her, that seems unlikely. Still, I’m impressed that someone like her exists.

"Ahahahaha!"

Ah, a wild black rabbit appeared. What’s with this thing? Laughing so creepily.

"That’s one of Arisu’s dark doll! She can freely shape the darkness she emits and control it!"

Thanks for the explanation, Watson. It was worth bringing you along... Ah, that’s what a detective would say.

I began jotting down the outline of the supernatural ability that Kakeru-kun had just explained to me on the blank page of my Phantom Thief Notebook.

Bringing Kakeru-kun into this dangerous place was partly out of kindness, but mostly for this purpose.

To steal Arisu-chan’s ability, I need to record a detailed description of it in the thief’s notebook. Since Kakeru-kun knows her ability better than anyone, he was the perfect source for gathering information.

"C-careful!"

"It’s fine."

As soon as the black rabbit roaming the dark castle noticed us intruders, it bared its gums and attacked.

Its appearance was grotesque and menacing, far from cute. Standing about 200 cm tall and walking on two legs, it was clearly a monster.

Made from the darkness that covered the castle, the monster turned its arms into blades and charged at us, but I remained calm.

Eight-chan’s psychokinesis! The black rabbit fell!

"...!?"

I could feel Kakeru-kun behind me gasping in shock.

I had just destroyed one of the dark rabbits with my “Telekinesis” ability. (tl note: if it's in katakana, then psychokinesis, and if it's in kanji, then telekinesis)

In response, the castle seemed to raise its alert level. More black rabbits—one, two, three—started popping up from nowhere and charging at us.

It was like a monster house of RPGs.

An endless spawn is great for experience points, and it’s also a perfect chance for an original protagonist to show off their strength.

While I kept Kakeru-kun behind me with my left hand, I held up the thief’s notebook with my right hand, flipping to the necessary page and casting a spell through my telekinesis.

"Judgment, Lightning Spear."

I felt like a sage from a hero’s party. Female sages are nice... but don’t search that.

The lightning unleashed from my notebook struck the black rabbits one by one, knocking them away as it slashed through them.

Lightning really is the best element! I stole this ability from an A-class warrior in the arena. While not all the abilities I’ve stolen are SSR-level, many of them are incredibly useful.

"Amazing...!"

Fufun, more! Praise me more!

As you might know, I’m a TS girl with a ridiculously strong need for approval. To be honest, it’s even stronger than my appetite or sexual desire. The more I’m praised, the more power I unleash.

So having a bright-eyed kid cheering me on from behind is a genuine buff for me.

──This feels so GOOOOOOD!! Honestly, being unrivaled in things that have nothing to do with the original story is the best!

Since there was no need to hold back this time, I unleashed my full cheat abilities, dominating the enemies without restraint.

And these enemies, they’re perfectly strong and not even living creatures!

I didn’t have to worry about killing them, so I could unleash my most powerful techniques without hesitation. They were perfect opponents for testing new moves.

That said, I couldn’t afford to waste too much time, as I was concerned about Arisu-chan’s condition.

Cutting down the dark puppets that blocked my path, I pressed on, searching for Arisu-chan, the master of this castle.

Clairvoyance activated—ah, is that it?

At the very top floor, there’s a pitch-black room, so dark you can’t see anything inside.

The oppressive atmosphere radiating from it is clearly different from the rest of the place, so it’s safe to assume that’s where Princess Arisu is being held captive.

The spiral staircase is beautifully crafted, but walking all the way up would be a pain.

Alright, I’ll just fly straight up.

"Pardon me."

"Eh… wait!?"

As soon as I had the thought, I acted. While Kakeru-kun was still mesmerized by my fight, I scooped him up in my arms and made a giant leap.

"Wa, wahhh!"

I then activated my psychokinesis. By using it to lift myself, I gained a pseudo-flight ability.

"And, we’re here."

"Ye… yes…"

Sorry for the sudden floating sensation, but we made it to Arisu-chan’s room in the shortest possible time, so I hope he forgives me.

In an RPG, this would be a shortcut that ruins the atmosphere, but I’m more interested in Arisu-chan, the treasure, than in clearing the dungeon. So there’s no need to stick to the prescribed path.

"Um, Eight-san…"

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

"... No, it’s nothing… I wonder what this is, this feeling…"

After I set Kakeru-kun down from the carry, he looked like he had something to say, but in the end, he just pressed his hand to his chest, unable to find the words, and closed his mouth.

Ah, was he embarrassed? Certainly, being princess-carried might have hurt his pride as a boy.

In that case, it’s probably best to pretend I didn’t notice. Since Eight-chan is a considerate person, I just tilted my head and gave him a puzzled look. Kakeru-kun, hiding his eyes under the brim of the hat I gave him, quickly walked ahead.

"Alright! Let’s go! To Arisu!"

Nice, you’re pumped, bro.

That’s the spirit. I’ll take care of neutralizing her ability, so you focus on convincing your sister!

After I told him that, Kakeru-kun looked straight ahead, his face full of determination.

"This is… Arisu’s room…"

I can feel it… the power of a demon lord! The pressure emanating from the dark door was that intense.

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