The Ginza Date and the Shadow of 2036

Anton Hitsugaia stared at the girl in his room. The morning sun was peeking through the curtains, but it didn't make the situation feel any more normal.

"Okay, look," Anton said, rubbing his temples. "It’s the first day of summer break. I don’t have school, which is great, but I can’t exactly walk around Tokyo with a girl wearing... whatever that is. You look like you escaped from a secret government lab."

Alice looked down at her white plating and glowing blue circuits. She tilted her head. "Is this not the current fashion for defenders of humanity?"

"No. Not even close," Anton sighed. "And the silver hair? You’re a walking neon sign. Can you... I don't know, look normal?"

Alice smiled. It was a small, knowing smirk. "Normal is easy, Anton."

She lifted her left wrist. A small panel flicked open, revealing a series of buttons and a miniature interface that glowed with a faint red light—it looked hauntingly similar to the tech used by the Predator in those old movies his dad liked. Her fingers danced across the buttons with mechanical precision.

Suddenly, a soft hum filled the room. Anton watched, mesmerized, as a dark pigment began to crawl from the roots of her hair down to the tips, turning the ethereal silver into a deep, glossy raven black. At the same time, her armor didn't just disappear; it seemed to fold into itself, pixelating and restructuring.

In seconds, the warrior was gone. Standing in her place was a classic Tokyo beauty. She wore a long, flowing white sundress that reached her calves, paired with crisp, brand-new black sneakers.

"How’s this?" Alice asked, spinning around. "Does this fit your 'normal' criteria?"

Anton fell back onto his chair, his heart doing a frantic little dance in his chest. She’s... she’s incredibly beautiful, he thought, his face heating up. "Y-yeah. Better. Much better. Let's go before I lose my mind."

As they stepped out of the apartment, Anton felt a strange sense of pride. He was a loner—the "Kyoto Boy" who spent his money on games and manga because he had nobody to spend it with. His family back in Kyoto were master kimono makers for the Imperial Court, a legacy stretching back three hundred years. He was wealthy, but he hid it. He hated the fake friends that money attracted.

But walking next to Alice, he felt different.

The Tokyo of this world was... sharper. The skyscrapers were taller, covered in transparent solar glass, and the air was filled with the quiet hum of electric drones.

Alice stopped near a digital kiosk. She tapped her wrist again, and a holographic screen flickered into life. Her eyes scanned the data, widening in shock.

DATE: JULY 21, 2036.

Ten years, she thought, a chill running down her spine. It’s been ten years since I jumped. The world had moved on. Daisuke was likely a memory, his children grown up. The guilt of her crime felt like a heavy stone in her stomach, but she quickly masked it.

"Is something wrong?" Anton asked, noticing her sudden stillness.

"Nothing," Alice lied, closing the hologram. "The layout of the city is the same, but the vibe... it’s different. Faster. Let's keep moving."

They walked toward Ginza, the heart of Tokyo’s luxury. The district was a dazzling labyrinth of high-end boutiques like Chanel and Dior, mixed with ultra-modern architecture. The streets were packed with tourists and businessmen, the air smelling of expensive perfume and roasted coffee.

Alice stopped abruptly in front of a restaurant: Makiyaki Ginza Onodera. It was an intimate, French-inspired spot with a warm, sophisticated glow.

Her breath hitched. She remembered this place. This was where Daisuke had taken her for their very first date. He had held her hand across the table and told her she was the most special thing in his life.

Bastard, she cursed silently. All of it was a lie.

"Do you want to eat here?" Anton asked, checking the menu. "I’ve never been, but it looks fancy."

Alice shook her head quickly, pulling away from the memory. "No. Not here. Besides, this place is too expensive for a high schooler, isn't it?"

Anton gave her a confident, lopsided smile. "Alice, I told you. My family is loaded. I just don't like showing it off because it attracts weirdos. If you want to eat here, the bill isn't an issue."

Alice looked at him, then at the restaurant. A wave of nausea hit her. "No. This place makes me sick. Let’s find somewhere else."

She grabbed Anton’s hand and started walking fast, almost skipping with a forced cheerfulness. Anton’s face turned bright red—it was the first time a girl had ever held his hand. Her palm was soft, but he could feel the incredible strength beneath the skin.

They settled for a mid-range steakhouse. Nothing too flashy, just good food.

But as the food arrived, Anton realized Alice wasn't a normal girl. She ate like a soldier on the front lines. Plate after plate of premium wagyu disappeared into her mouth.

"Uh... Alice? You okay there?" Anton asked, watching her finish her fourth steak.

"Android bodies require massive caloric intake to maintain the energy cells," Alice explained between bites. "Think of it like high-octane fuel. If I don't eat, my combat systems won't stay at one hundred percent."

As she ate, she began to explain his reality. "You are a descendant of the Hitsugaia line. You carry the 'Sacred Blood.' To the humans, you’re just a kid. To the Underworld, you’re a bridge. If they kill you and harvest your blood, they can dissolve the Veil—the energy wall that separates our worlds. If that happens, Tokyo becomes a slaughterhouse."

Anton leaned back, trying to process it. "It sounds like a bad movie, Alice. I’m just a guy who likes games. I don't feel 'sacred.' I think you’ve got the wrong guy. Maybe you’re just a confused girl who—"

Suddenly, the world went silent.

Anton looked around. The bustling restaurant was frozen. A waiter was tipped forward, a glass of water suspended in mid-air, the droplets hanging like diamonds. A man’s cigarette smoke was frozen in a grey swirl. Time had stopped.

BOOM!

The brick wall of the restaurant exploded. Dust and debris flew everywhere, but they moved in slow motion. Through the hole stepped a nightmare.

It was seven feet tall, with the body of a muscular man but the head of a demonic tiger. Its fur was matted with dried blood, and its claws were the size of kitchen knives.

"Sacred Blood..." the beast roared, its voice vibrating in Anton’s very bones. "Give it to me!"

Alice didn't hesitate. In a blur of motion, she kicked the table over to create a barricade, shoving Anton down. "Stay down! Don't move!"

Her white dress shimmered and dissolved, her battle armor snapping back into place in a flash of blue light. She reached for the air, and a katana hilt materialized in her hand. With a sharp Sring!, a long, gleaming blade of celestial steel slid out.

"I’m trying to enjoy my lunch, you overgrown housecat," Alice hissed. her eyes glowing with a faint, dangerous red. "You want his blood? You’ll have to go through my steel first."

The Hell-Tiger roared and lunged.

The fight was brutal. The demon moved with terrifying speed, its claws tearing through the floorboards, but Alice was faster. She parried a blow that would have crushed a car, the sparks from the metal-on-claw collision lighting up the frozen room.

She dived under the beast’s sweep, her katana slicing a deep gash into its thigh. Black, foul-smelling blood sprayed across the walls. The demon howled, swinging wildly. Alice took a hit to her shoulder—a deep scratch that tore through her armor—but she didn't even flinch.

"My turn," she whispered.

She leaped into the air, spinning like a cyclone. The demon tried to catch her, but Alice used the wall as a springboard, launching herself behind its neck. With one clean, violent arc of her blade, she decapitated the beast.

The tiger’s head bounced across the floor, its body collapsing into a heap of black ash that quickly evaporated into the air.

Alice landed gracefully, her breathing slightly heavy. She tapped her wrist, and her white dress returned instantly. The blood on her face vanished as if it had never been there.

Wosh.

Time snapped back to normal.

The waiter finished pouring the water. The man took a puff of his cigarette. Then, the screaming started. People looked at the shattered wall and the ruined tables in horror, but there was no monster to be seen—only the wreckage it left behind.

"Let's go," Alice said, grabbing Anton by the collar and dragging him out the back exit before the police could arrive.

They stood in a quiet alleyway a few blocks away. Anton’s heart was hammering against his ribs so hard he thought it might break.

"Now do you understand?" Alice asked, her voice calm as she looked at him.

Anton nodded slowly, his hands shaking. "I... I saw it. Time stopped. That thing... it was real." He looked at Alice, his eyes wide. "But why me? Why am I the one?"

Alice looked up at the towering skyscrapers of Ginza. "I don't have all the answers, Anton. I’m just the shield. But your family? The ones in Kyoto? They know. They’ve known since the day you were born."

She reached out and patted his cheek, a small, sad smile on her face. "Ask them. But for now, stay close to me. Because that tiger was just a scout. The real monsters haven't even started yet."

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