A New Path Forward

New Year’s Day

January 1st, 2051

Tennojima Research Institute

It has been over two and a half weeks since Rei won Daiki Tennojima’s challenge and earned the man’s final bequeathal, his life’s work and final research on the Infinite Spectrum theory.

Yes, theory. Because as it currently stood, only Satoru, Daiki and Rei himself had the chance to see the infinite spectrum of alternate realities. Daiki Tennojima may be a well-respected scientist, but the existence of other worlds was too big for people to immediately accept. And of course, there were others who think that the great scientist was delusional and therefore everything he talked about was nothing more than fiction.

On the issue of the bequeathal itself, Rei didn’t actually get anything. He technically, and illegally, joined the competition as Reiji Shimomura, a person whose actual whereabouts was up in the air. So, Rei simply told Daiki’s easily bribed and totally dubious lawyer, that he, still posing as Reiji Shimomura, would transfer all his winnings to Ruby Tennojima. Souichiro had a lot to say about that, but Ruby easily took care of any monetary compensation the man required to keep his mouth shut.

And with that, Rei’s role in the Tennojima case was over.

At least, in his capacity as an employee of the Ninomiya Investigation Agency. Because the whole thing, including his forced participation to the competition, was nothing more than another job assigned to him by the chief. All deceptions and life-threatening situations included.

As for Rei Tsukihara, the exalt with the ability to peer into other worlds, and the only person to ever damage the chromatic clouds, he became a part-time research subject and consultant to the Tennojima Research Institute. Minus the shady dealings, of course, now that Ruby had taken over the company.

“That should be good for the day,” Professor Inoue said. He was a cheerful, young scientist working for the institute. “You cleared all of the tests, except for aether retention. But that’s mainly because you have so little of it.”

Blunt much, professor? Rei put on his yellow-plaid jacket—a new one gifted to him by Ruby because it ‘was now his style’—then layered it with his black coat. “Thanks, I guess,” Rei said as he got off the large bell-shaped machine they used to scan him. “It’s literally the New Year and we’re out here working. Did you know I don’t get paid doing this?”

The professor laughed. “That’s why it’s called voluntary. Thanks for all the hard work! Anyway, an acquaintance of your happened to pass by.”

“I see her.” Rei waved the good professor goodbye, then hopped out of the room to chat with Lucia.

“Still in Japan, huh?” he asked.

“I’m… not super fond of flying,” Lucia replied as they walked down the hallway of the institute. She wore a proper laboratory coat, much like the other scientists, and it actually looked good on her. It was easy to forget she was one of them. “Because, you know, there’s a cosmic disaster up there come to destroy our world. That and Japan’s holiday season is pretty fun. I loved seeing the fireworks last night. They looked fantastic against the blackness of space between the clouds.”

“You’re welcome,” Rei said with a slight bow. “Any, uh, update on why the bronze sky is out to get us? Daiki had his theories, but…”

Lucia rolled her eyes. “It’s been two weeks, Rei. Humanity’s been studying the ascension for fifty-one years. If anything, you should know more than I do after peering into other worlds.”

“Only that different realities clashed and sandwiched our world in the middle,” Rei said. “Just like Daiki explained.”

“Maybe we’ll just never know why it happened then,” Lucia said with a shrug. “It just did.”

“That’s… rather pessimistic for a scientist,” Rei replied.

Lucia chuckled. “That’s one way to look at it. But that’s really how a lot of things work. We can explain how the sky is blue in the mornings, but why is it blue? It just is. Maybe it’s by design or maybe it just happened to be. There are many adjacent realities to ours that have the same problem, right? Maybe this clashing of worlds is more normal than we think. Maybe it happens all the time in the infinite spectrum of worlds. It is infinite.”

“Huh… I don’t think I’ve thought of it that way.”

Lucia’s eyes sparkled. “I’m writing a paper on it. Don’t tell anybody yet.”

They chatted for a while and Lucia offered to give Rei a ride to the nearest station. She apparently had plans to meet with another friend to discuss everything that happened.

Rei rode the sky train to downtown Shinjuku, stopped by the shop for some burgers, then finally swung by the Agency. He was surprised to see a limousine parked outside the office. Since they were closed for the holidays, he found the people who visited on the upper floor.

Yukari and Kiyotaka were in the dining room having tea and chatting with Airi Ninomiya. Like always, the chief’s daughter slouched on the table dressed impeccably like she was in a fashion shoot, all while glued to her video game console. Eccentric like her father? A little bit. But sane like her mother, at least.

“Welcome home,” Airi said.

Kiyotaka and Yukari echoed the words, though the latter was quiet and looked awkwardly to the side. She still felt bad spying on Rei for her boyfriend. Or ex-boyfriend, rather. Apparently, Souichiro skipped town immediately after getting his money. Poor Yukari. At least she made a new friend with Airi.

“You know,” he started, hefting the bag of burgers in his arm, “I’ve seen another reality where technology is so advanced, their game consoles have holographic screens you can play with. I think you’d love that place, Airi.”

“Really!?” the girl said in shock. “Do they have more than ten save slots in their memory cards?”

“Uh… maybe?”

“Why must I suffer in this one!”

Okay, maybe more than a little bit eccentric. Cute though. Kiyotaka seemed to really think so, at least, based on how red his face turned.

“So, why did the great Tennojimas pay us a visit today?” Rei asked. “Don’t tell me it’s a job. We’re closed.”

“It’s not a job,” Yukari mumbled. “Boss wants you at the mansion. She says she found time to spare and has updates for you.”

Glad to know I’m still at her mercy, Rei thought, but chose not to say. They could’ve just called him and picked him up at the institute, but… Kiyotaka probably really wanted to visit the office.

Poor Yukari. Dumped and a third wheel. Hopefully, things will look better for her this new year.

“Do I get to eat first?” Rei asked.

The answer was no.

Late Afternoon, New Year’s Day

January 1st, 2051

Tennojima Mansion

Ruby flipped through the documents Issei handed her.

She spent the past two weeks, even Christmas, dealing with lawyers, the police, and even the government poking holes in her grandfather’s company while making sure it stayed afloat. Many of Keisuke’s conspirators already jumped ship the moment they heard of his untimely demise, while several objectionable projects came out of light.

Ruby and the police would see the criminals burn, but lawyers and the government need the institute to save face and make sure trust between it and the citizens remained intact. Now wasn’t the time for the world to lose its foremost leader in ascension theory when several developments just came out thanks to Daiki Tennojima’s research.

It was a delicate game Ruby had to play, and she was only getting started. At the very least, grandfather had a contingency plan with the Nevada Circle and Lucia’s company, just in case Tokyo Sky came crashing to the ground.

“So, he’s really dead,” Ruby said, eyeing the report on Hidenori Matsumoto. To think he became the enigmatic leader of the Anti-Exalt Faction at such a young age. He led both the uprising several years ago, and the recent attacks at the Tennojima family. Both attempts ended in failure, but the amount of damage done was a complete and utter disaster. It might even spark attention to other rebel groups all over the world.

“The police confirmed the body they found,” Issei said. “The majority of the Anti-Exalt Faction that we know had also been arrested.”

“And the city?” Ruby asked. “What’s their reaction to this?”

“The… approval rating of exalted individuals in the government rose dramatically from what I hear,” Issei answered. “It’s only been a short time, but the momentum is on the side of the exalted.”

We really need to do something about this ‘us and them’ mentality, Ruby mused. People are already talking about the drug that could force exaltation into regular humans.

People knew the drug was a failure, and those who knew more understood that the only successful drugs worked on pre-existing exalts. But it was only a matter of time before the science was perfected.

“If the world could fully ascend and everyone becomes an exalt, would you make this choice?”

Did grandfather ask that question knowing this would eventually happen? Or was it something he already saw in another reality?

Ruby could still feel the abundant aether stirring inside of her. Unlike Rei, she hadn’t used any of the aether she acquired and after several testing, it didn’t seem like it was going away unless she purposely exhausted it.

“Boss?” Issei started. “Have you decided on how we’re dealing with Ayane Kujo?”

“At some point I’d like to leave the matter to the police,” Ruby answered. “Our resources are already spread thin. I don’t think we can find her easily given what she can do.”

“But, ma’am,” Issei insisted, “there’s still the possibility she might take revenge on you or the institute.”

“Perhaps,” Ruby replied. “But to be honest, there’s already a lot of that going around. And you heard what they say about the night on Heaven’s Reach Shrine. After escaping police custody, Ayane Kujo reappeared at the final battle and fought the insurgents from a distance. She might’ve been trained as an assassin, but having her own freedom might mean something else.”

Issei didn’t look convinced. “We can’t just rely on these rumors, ma’am.”

“Probably not. For now, we can increase my security.” Ruby looked at her phone as a message popped up. “Now that I think about it though, there’s a detective I can hire who happen to be good at perceiving aether.”

*

Rei arrived at the Tennojima mansion just as the sun started to set and the chromatic clouds began appearing with its iridescent glow. The part that he cut open was still there in the middle, as if the clouds refused to fit itself between the fabric of space. He heard people calling it ‘the great tear’ recently, but he wished someone else came up with a better name than that.

“Is that for me?” a voice echoed.

Ruby Tennojima stood at the entrance to her mansion, slightly leaning on the doorway as she hugged herself to fend off the cold. She wore a burgundy shawl over a black top and a long white skirt, while her hair was tied up in a tail. It was only her eyepatch that remained bright red.

Rei lifted the bag of burgers he bought earlier.

“We’re splitting it perfectly down the middle this time,” he said.

The mansion looked the same as he remembered. Polished wooden floors, traditional paintings, warm ambience, the overwhelming presence of aether packed in a confined space. That last part was actually new, and it radiated from the queen of the house herself. How long was she planning to keep that?

Rei felt nostalgic walking in this place and seeing the security team in blue going about their day. It started as a bad time, but he had to admit, it was exciting playing the role of Reiji Shimomura.

Eventually, they settled into the living room that connected to a veranda overlooking the city. The bronze sky, Shinjuku’s bright neon lights, as well as the amber glow of the other wards and beyond looked better than it did at Shibuya Peak. It was picturesque against the harsh aesthetic of winter. Other realities may not have the threat of world destruction, but did they have a view like this?

The two of them sat in front of each other next to a fireplace, its crackling embers providing warmth and ambience.

Rei placed the burgers on the table in front of them, dividing the portions equally at three-three. He didn’t actually expect Ruby to eat, but she was quick to grab one and unwrapped it.

“We haven’t seen each other since the funeral,” Ruby said.

Rei nodded solemnly. It was the service held for all who died during the attacks. “I noticed some of your team still looked down,” he whispered.

“It’s the first real threat they faced,” Ruby replied. “At least of that scale. I’m not saying they should get over their grief, but they’d have to move on eventually. Masa and the others would want that for them.”

And when would she get over hers? Ruby masked her emotions with sly amusement, but call it a detective’s intuition or gut instinct, he could sense a bit of pain lingering in her smile.

Her security team, her grandfather, even Keisuke who turned out to have a nefarious side… surely, she still cared for him.

“How’s your wound?” Rei asked, awkwardly changing the topic. “You’ve actually seen a doctor, right?”

“I have,” Ruby replied, quickly going through half her burger. “You’ve nothing to worry about. It is as we initially thought. Healing with aether is slow, but in the case of full exaltation it was practically instantaneous.”

“Kisaragi and I did last a while beating each other up,” Rei agreed. “Meanwhile, your aether is still very much there.”

“I think it’d be a waste to just use it on mundane things,” Ruby said. “Though I admit, it’s actually kept me from using aether at all. It’s weird not being able to just burn things whenever I liked.”

“Yeah…” Rei chuckled. “I don’t know about that one.”

Ruby picked up her second burger. “Did Yukari brief you on why I asked you to come in today?”

“Something about confidential military stuff,” Rei replied after a bite. “Something that can’t be said over the phone. Kind of a weird thing to be called for, but hey.”

Ruby laughed softly. “You say that, but I imagine you already have an idea what it is.”

Rei moved his head around as if to articulate that he indeed had an idea. But he was too busy chewing.

“The government is trying to pass a bill that legalizes the manufacture of aether-based weapons,” Ruby explained. “It’s still in the early stages but seeing as our institute already have simple but sanctioned prototypes, as well as combat-ready unsanctioned prototypes, they expect us to spearhead the development.”

Rei sipped his soda. “And then you told me the part where I’m somehow related to this,” he said. “Is it because of my aether blade?”

Ruby smiled. “It is. I’m sure the military have other reasons why they want this bill passed, but the root of the idea is to build a machine large enough to replicate your ability and effectively clear large swaths of the bronze sky.”

“Which they’ll power using aether from the bronze sky,” Rei followed. “Poetry in plain sight. But… so, what? They want me to teach exalts how I do it? I already explained it to the lab guys at the institute. Heck, I explained most of what I know.”

“And you’ll explain the rest,” Ruby said. “Not even he best exalts of Tokyo Sky could replicate your aether blade, from what the professors told me. At least not perfectly.”

Rei moved his head again, articulating how the process took a lot of concentration and practice. But also, it’s only been two weeks.

“Do you think…” Ruby started, leaning back on her chair. “Do you think other worlds will now look into ours for the solution?”

Rei have thought about it many times. “There’s no way to check unless I can get back to the infinite spectrum. Unfortunately, without the aether boost, it’s hard for me to do. But Daiki did it, right? I know its possible without the drug, so I’ll just keep practicing. More importantly, Ruby, the institute is already drafting plans to officially teach other exalts how to develop Alter Eyes.”

“I’ve been told,” Ruby confirmed. “You’re against it?”

“It’s just…”

The memory of a different Daiki Tennojima doing horrible things to Ruby in order to achieve the eyes… he still haven’t gotten it out of his head.

Ruby touched her eyepatch as Rei recounted the memory.

“Grandfather was never like that,” Ruby said, her voice tender, her left eye a reflection of the past. “I lost this eye in an accident. Nothing grand or dramatic. Just a child doing things she shouldn’t. My parents were furious and grandfather blamed himself. He became protective of me. Perhaps that’s why.”

It made sense. One thing led to the other.

“Don’t worry, Rei,” Ruby said. “I won’t let the institute do anything that’d result in tragedy. Not yours or the other Ruby.”

“I know,” he said. He went to grab his second burger and realized there was only one left.

“Did you only get one drink?” Ruby asked. She took the only cup of soda in the table. “I suppose we can share.”

“Please,” Rei said, begrudgingly eating his burger, “help yourself.”

Ruby shrugged. “Now that I remember, I spoke with your chief recently.”

“You hired him, didn’t you?”

“I tried. He was busy.”

“Was he? Huh, I was so sure you’re the reason he’s running around the city. What do you need him for?”

“Just to follow some leads in the company. Nothing particularly interesting.”

“Ah, then he wouldn’t be interested.”

“Is he always that… whimsical?”

“That’s one way to put it, yeah. Known him for seven years and he’s never lived his life differently.”

“I’m surprised he and Detective Miyabi got together. The two couldn’t be more different.”

“You tell me. I still haven’t cracked that mystery the entire time I’ve known the guy.”

Rei finished his burger, so Ruby handed him his drink back. She was kind enough to leave him at least a couple of sips.

“Now that you reminded me,” Ruby said. “Your chief looked down in the dumps when we spoke. When I asked him why, he said it was your fault.”

“Mine?”

“Said you still haven’t figured out the ‘third reason’ why he made you go through all the trouble of pretending to be someone else and acting like he was abducted. All so we could work together.”

Rei groaned, crumpled the wrapper he was holding, then threw it in the bag.

“Did you know he was the twelfth member of grandfather’s challenge?” Ruby asked. “They weren’t particularly close, but grandfather was fond of the man in the few times they worked together. Kazuo could’ve simply joined the competition and made things easier for us.”

“Now there’s the problem,” Rei said. “That word ‘easy’. Tell you the truth, Ruby, I did, in fact, figure out his third reason. But it’s so stupid. The chief being insane was the definitive answer. But if you want to know why he—”

Fireworks started crackling outside the window. The two of them stood up and walked close to the veranda to watch. “I guess they still had some fireworks left from yesterday,” Rei said. “I never got to see it actually.”

“Neither did I,” Ruby echoed. She then opened the sliding door and summoned a bit of her fire to fend off the cold bite of winter.

“I thought you didn’t want to waste your aether on mundane things,” Rei said.

“This isn’t one,” Ruby replied, then she took a step outside.

The two of them moved closer to the railings and watched the pretty flowers of light blossoming at the great tear in the sky.

“Actually, Rei, there’s another reason I called you here,” Ruby said. “I had Issei search the institute for all the files they had on all their projects. He just came back earlier with a report about your biological parents.”

“Oh…”

“Are you interested in meeting them?”

“I am,” Rei answered with certainty. “Though, I think I’m going to do it more for their sake. I’m sure they’ve wanted to know the truth after so long. They deserve to know.”

“Has Professor Kousuke hinted about them at all?”

“I did ask once, if I had a mother. Father told me ‘When things settle down, I’d make sure you meet them.’ I suppose now that I think about it, he probably meant my biological parents. He probably wanted to put distance between us for a while in case the institute was looking.”

“That makes sense…”

Rei looked at Ruby and nudged her a little. “Come on, you had nothing to do with it.” He looked back up at the sky. “I wonder if I’ll see an alternate world where I was never separated from them. Curious what that is like. But speaking of, do you want to see the moon?”

Ruby blinked back at him in surprise. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“Well… when I was lost in the infinite spectrum, I saw another version of me who had a better handle of his powers. I doubt this other Rei knew he was seeing alternate realities, but he had the knack of sharing his vision with others. To be honest, I’ve never even considered it.”

“Have you told the professors about this?”

“Not yet… I wanted to try if it works first.” Rei held out his hand. “Take it. We’re supposed to mix aethers or something.”

Ruby awkwardly took his hand. She might’ve even blushed.

“Now look at the tear.” Rei used just a bit of aether on his eyes and made that flow straight into Ruby. The woman jumped the moment the moon appeared above them—a view from a world without the ascension or the bronze sky.

The moon looked bright and majestic.

Ruby was at a loss for words. Her hand tightened on his as if intimidated by what she was looking at. Eventually though, her expression eased, as if she finally let go of her burdens, even if for just a little while.

“Lovely, isn’t it?” Rei said. “Sometimes I’d just look at it. It helps calm the mind.”

“I can see why,” Ruby replied. “But what was that third reason? Why did Kazuo Ninomiya go through all that trouble while you confronted your past?”

Rei laughed. “I’m afraid it’s not that deep. You know how the moment the case started I was forced to keep playing someone other than myself?”

“You did, didn’t you?”

“To everyone’s amusement. And the chief, well, he really wanted to con the con artist.”

Ruby stared at him for a long time… then burst out laughing. “Well,” she said, “you did a good job detecting the detective in the end.”