Miku Izayoi felt like she was dreaming today. After being nearly driven to suicide by so-called "unspoken rules," but was saved by a phantom who handed her a strange crystal.
After she fused with the object, she suddenly arrived in this strange place. This wasn't Japan at all, but a Western city.
But that wasn't the most terrifying part. She could sense that this was an entirely different world from her own.
Earlier, she had landed out of the sky wearing strange clothes and was immediately surrounded by a group of rough-looking thugs. Instinctively, she used her newly acquired power to defend herself. After all, New York at night wasn't exactly peaceful.
But things quickly escalated beyond her control. Somehow, she ended up taking control of a section of the city. For her own safety, she subconsciously gathered everyone around the perimeter of her position.
That finally gave her a sense of security, but even so, she was lost and completely unsure of what to do next. That's when she saw a girl she'd never imagined she'd meet, even in her dreams.
This girl stood out starkly in this Western world, and what drew her attention the most was the girl's armor. The bluish-purple armor glowed even under the night sky. Her dark purple hair was tied behind her with a matching bow. Even while wearing a battle skirt, the aura she gave off was not inferior to any man.
"This girl sure made a scene, but fortunately it doesn't affect me,"
Tohka muttered as she descended from the aircraft. She could feel mental energy blanketing the entire district, but to her relief, it didn't affect her at all. Just to be safe, she rushed toward the center at top speed. She was certain that Miku Izayoi was at the center of it all.
"….."
"....."
Soon, Tohka came face-to-face with a girl in a princess dress. Tohka had seen plenty of Westerners recently, but this was the first time she'd encountered an Eastern beauty here. And since all Spirits were stunning, Tohka was momentarily taken aback. Both girls stared at each other, falling into an awkward silence.
"Tohka, Tohka, are you okay? You should be in the center now—have you found the culprit?"
Tohka's earpiece suddenly came to life with a voice in her ear.
"Yes, I've found her." Tohka nodded instinctively nodded in response.
"Phew, that's good. Now quickly find a way to get her to stop. Her mental energy is continuing to spread. If this goes on, all of New York will be covered by it."
Nick Fury's anxious voice came through. Things were clearly getting out of control.
"Who are you?"
However, Miku Izayoi didn't hear the conversation between Tohka and Fury at all. Her eyes were locked on Tohka, clearly captivated.
"Tohka. Yatogami Tohka." Ignoring Fury's orders, Tohka answered Miku's question without hesitation.
"Hey, don't forget our..."—Clearly, Tohka wasn't taking things seriously, which made Nick Fury anxious.
In his eyes, the priority was subduing the opponent. Psychic users weren't good in close combat, and Tohka's immunity to mind control meant she could quickly end things.
He feared the enemy might command civilians to launch suicide attacks—if that happened, it'd be a disaster.
"Ignore that guy—go, Tohka! Pursue your happiness!"
But before Fury could finish, Tony interrupted, clearly having hijacked the communications console. He enthusiastically encouraged Tohka in his own flamboyant way.
"You're not helping! And didn't you notice the target is also a girl?!" Fury snapped back.
"It's fine—it's legal now. What, you planning to break the law?" Tony shot back.
"….."
Listening to the bickering in her earpiece, Tohka was exasperated. What was even happening? Was this a team of idiots? She couldn't help but wonder if S.H.I.E.L.D. had the same kind of useless teammates as Kotori's crew—always saying the wrong thing at the worst time. Why did all of this feel so familiar?
"Ahem... what's your name?"
Tohka coughed to hide her embarrassment. Even though she already knew Miku Izayoi's name, she couldn't say it outright or she wouldn't be able to explain herself.
"My name is—"
Just as Miku Izayoi was about to speak, she was suddenly struck by intense pain in her head. She fell to her knees, clutching her head.
Meanwhile, on the Helicarrier, everyone observed the entire city fall into chaos. All the previously controlled people regained their senses, though they now looked completely bewildered—wondering how they even ended up here.
"Are you okay? What's happening?"
Startled by the sight, Tohka realized things were getting bad when people began pointing at the now-collapsed Miku. Without hesitation, she flew down, scooped Miku up in a princess carry, and brought her to a nearby rooftop.
"Ow, my head hurts... it feels like my brain is about to explode..."
Miku didn't resist being carried like that. She didn't have the energy to care—she was overwhelmed by pain.
"What the hell is going on? Who did this?! Come out here now!"
Tohka immediately suspected foul play. In a world full of black tech and powered individuals, she assumed someone was trying to control or kill Miku.
"Tohka, calm down. It looks like the girl in front of you just lost control of her powers,"
Fury's voice came through again, helping Tohka cool her head before she went berserk.
"What should I do? Come up with something quick!" Now at a loss, Tohka could only turn to Fury for help.