93Chapter 6 - The next step
As the morning progressed in Academy City, alive with the usual hustle and bustle of daily life, people from every corner were getting ready for their midday break. But one girl decided to take a contemplative walk before lunch. She still had free time after all.
"I don't understand," said the girl with short hair.
Her name was Misaka Mikoto, one of only seven level fives in that city of science. People like her were respected for being the pinnacle of esper development, beacons of aspiration for those harboring dreams of greatness. So as she walked near that wide river, she thought about something important that someone like her would think about.
"What on earth was that ending?!" she almost shouted, her hand dramatically clutching at her temple. "Why couldn't there be a double chapter this week? How am I supposed to hold out until the next one? I'm killing myself here!"
The complaints she threw to the wind were directed at the weekly manga she avidly followed. An important detail was that she never bought the magazine, instead she would stand in the store and simply read what she had to read and leave with a smile on her face. There were countermeasures against this kind of practice, but how would that stop her? Some poor clerk must have been crying right now.
During her introspective stroll, Misaka Mikoto was abruptly jolted from her reverie by the unmistakable sound of something slicing through the air. Lost in her own musings, she initially failed to notice the presence of another person on the riverbank.
"Hmm?" Misaka Mikoto's curiosity slipped from her lips. "An electric esper?"
The figure standing nearby seemed oblivious to Mikoto's observation, their demeanor nonchalant as they went about their business.
It was a girl.
Long strands of cerulean hair partially obscured her features, lending an air of mystery to her otherwise expressionless countenance. It seemed surreal how blank the look on her cute face was, as if she were a porcelain doll and not a person.
If Mikoto were to guess, she'd estimate the girl to be around 16, definitely older than herself. The girl wore daring attire, revealing her midriff, and a glimpse of a large tattoo adorned her back. Likely a troublemaker.
"Impressive," murmured Mikoto.
With her hand poised thoughtfully against her chin, Mikoto observed as the girl unleashed arcs of electricity from her left hand, directing them toward the water. The discharge varied in size, voltage, and amperage, a spectacle that resonated with Mikoto's own expertise as an electrical esper.
"That's kind of inefficient," Mikoto said aloud this time, which made the girl look in her direction and abruptly stop casting lightning bolts.
"What did you say?"
The voice that came out of the girl's mouth was calm, without any emotion, matching her expressionless face very well. Despite the interruption, tendrils of black electricity continued to course through the left side of her body, emitting an ominous hum.
"Doing it by brute force is inefficient," said Mikoto. She raised her right hand towards the river. "You're doing a basic routine, right?"
Electricity surged from Mikoto's outstretched hand, mirroring the actions of the enigmatic girl with blue locks, albeit with greater finesse and speed. Varied in intensity and form, Mikoto effortlessly demonstrated her mastery over her abilities. It was simple for her. She wouldn't be a level 5 if she wasn't, her hard work allowed her to do this kind of display without even trying.
"I've selected nine distinct types and executed a sequence of simple calculations," Mikoto explained, her index finger aglow with crackling energy as she twirled it.
"Huh?" The girl's confusion was palpable, though her expression remained stoic.
Mikoto noticed the girl's sharp teeth briefly revealed as she glanced at her left hand, then continued her attack on the river with a few more discharges, following the same pattern as before.
"Your raw power output is impressive," Mikoto acknowledged with a nod.
It was undeniably formidable, even a little strange. The power of the bolts she was sending towards the river was no joke. That girl could easily kill someone without even trying, perhaps explaining her choice of training location. But as said, it was strange. Her raw power didn't match the sloppy way she used her ability, as if she hadn't bothered to grasp the fundamentals.
"I can't tell the difference," said the blue-haired girl, stopping the light show. "I studied some of those theory books for electric espers, but it nearly killed me with boredom. Does it really matter? Practice makes perfect, regardless."
With that declaration, she unleashed a barrage of varied attacks at an alarming pace. Mikoto waved her arms in protest, grimacing.
"Hey, hey, hey, take it easy!" Acting on impulse, she reached out and grasped the girl's wrist. "Foundations are crucial, you know? You can't construct a solid structure without a sturdy base."
The girl glanced down at Mikoto's hand gripping her wrist, and in that moment, the younger girl realized she had gone too far and withdrew, feeling embarrassed.
"Nice tattoo," said Mikoto, pointing shyly at the other girl's wrist. It was an attempt to mask her own embarrassment, her cheeks tinged with a faint flush. "What's the story behind it?"
With a casual flick of her wrist, the blue-haired girl revealed the intricate calligraphy etched onto her skin.
"Everlasting. True love. I am Yours," she recited, a subtle smile gracing her lips. "I had it done for our one-month anniversary."
"Oh... wait, just a month?" Mikoto's surprise was evident.
"It's been a while, now that I think about it... almost a year," the girl replied casually.
Though Mikoto lacked experience in matters of the heart, even she couldn't help but recognize the unusual nature of the situation.
"You're dating a lucky guy," said the level 5 quickly, smiling too.
"You couldn't be more wrong." A weary sigh escaped the girl's lips. "But let's set aside that complicated topic. Since you seem to be an expert in it, what kind of cool things can I do with my powers?"
"Eh?" Mikoto's confusion was evident as she brought a hand to her chin. "I'm guessing you're already familiar with the basics… kinda. I mean, your power level is pretty impressive. I'd say at least level 4, right?"
It was a shot in the dark. Truth be told, those strange black bolts of electricity, with their toxic appearance, could easily match those of a high-level esper. Mikoto wouldn't have been surprised if the girl had said she'd just reached level 5.
"Officially, I'm a level 0," the girl replied with a nonchalant shrug.
The grimace that contorted Mikoto's features could have been mistaken for a Halloween mask. Her shoulders tensed involuntarily.
"What?" Number 3 rubbed her temple where a slight pain had begun. "That nonsense again?! Dealing with that idiot the first time was bad enough, now it feels like I'm stuck in some bizarre comedy skit."
"Can you skip the internal crisis? Just show me something cool."
"Okay, if that's what you want. How about this."
Mikoto was too excited for her own good. Bluish rays lit up the place, her hand pointed at the ground below. Black dust swirled around her and soon coalesced into a sword that she brandished like a whip.
"What about this?" asked Mikoto, cutting a leaf blown by the wind. "It's made with iron sand. I can vibrate it at a frequency that enhances its power, essentially turning it into a chainsaw."
"Oh... nice." The inexpressive girl nodded. "I could cut some vegetables with precision using this."
"Eh?"
"You know, multiple blades, less time. Do you use it to cut your hair?"
Mikoto couldn't tell if the girl was mocking her or not. Her voice and expression were so neutral that it seemed she wasn't even attempting to convey any emotion. Come to think of it, that tiny smile was the most the girl had shown, something vaguely resembling humanity. One might mistake her for an advanced android, especially in this city of science.
Seeing that he had failed to impress, Mikoto changed her strategy.
"Hard to please, huh?" #3 smiled as she reached into her skirt pocket. "Take a look at this then."
An arcade coin spun in the air and then landed on the girl's thumb. She imagined two rails hovering in the air and then wiggled her finger. The coin accelerated at three times the speed of sound, leaving behind an orange trail, dragging everything around it and causing controlled destruction.
"Cool," said the girl, now looking at Mikoto intently. "I should have guessed from your uniform."
"Hmm?"
"So you're the famous Railgun. Misaka Mikoto, right?"
"Your reaction is totally different from what I expected."
Mikoto said it without really thinking. But it was true. She had actually hoped, even if only deep down, for the girl to react more naturally when she found out. It wasn't exactly pride; it was more the fact that she had found a genuinely strong electric esper. Perhaps for a moment, Mikoto hoped that she had at least served as an inspiration to the girl, who had probably worked hard for years to achieve such a high level of power output.
"I have some free time now," said Mikoto, glancing away slightly. "If you want, I can give you some tips on how to improve your control. It's kind of my duty, don't you think?"
The blue-haired girl twisted her lip slightly, her eyebrows moving just a fraction. That expression was impossible to read. Was she considering it?
"You didn't tell me your name." Mikoto couldn't endure the silence, so she made a subtle gesture of greeting with her head.
"Shundan Kimi."
More silence. Mikoto anticipated her to say something more, but there was nothing. Literally nothing. What was wrong with that girl? Surely she wanted to say more but was holding back for some reason. That certainly wasn't the typical reaction of someone meeting a level 5. Even if she was strong, it was still peculiar.
"Strange, you remind me of a certain someone," Mikoto finally said, seeing the other girl tilt her head in confusion. "Anyway, I have an hour or two before lunch. We can practice a bit and have lunch together afterwards. What do you say, Shundan-san?"
"Unfortunately, I'm going to have to refuse this time." She waved her hand casually. Suddenly and quickly, she looked over her shoulder at a spot in the void. "Yes, I know, Angel-chan. It's not my fault you're such a gluttonous girl."
"Um... huh?"
The blue-haired girl continued to whisper something into the wind, as if she were conversing with an invisible person complaining in her ear. Mikoto already found her incredibly strange, but now she was adding an extra dose to it.
"Anyway," said the girl inexpressively, stopping to stare into the void. "I appreciate the help, Railgun, but I kind of have an appointment in a few minutes."
"Seeking professional help?"
"Yes... wait a minute, how do you know?"
For the first time, the girl actually made a reaction that seemed like that of a normal person. She was incredibly surprised, probably because she hadn't realized it had been a joke.
"You need to get rid of those voices," Mikoto joked, giving a smile. "No matter what, don't do what they say."
The corner of the older girl's lip curved into a tiny smile, which made Mikoto feel more comfortable.
"Screwing with me, huh?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You know, you're not bad at all, Railgun. For a spoiled Tokiwadai girl, of course. If we meet again, I'll take a few lessons. Angel-chan will probably appreciate it if I improve the efficiency of my powers. Until next time, I'm going to be late for my first therapy session... for real this time."
Shundan Kimi waved as she walked away, her gait nonchalant, as if she didn't care about the world or anyone's opinion. Once again, it reminded Mikoto of that person. The strange aura she exuded had an intensity similar to his.
But something lingered in Mikoto's mind...
"Angel-chan?" Mikoto grimaced. "Isn't she too old to have imaginary friends?"
x-2-x
"What did you call me, third-rate?" said Accelerator, his hands relaxed at his sides. "Do you have a death wish?"
"So it was you all along?" Kamijou sounded indignant. "Do you have any idea how much coffee I had to stock up on because someone mysterious, who is now no more, simply bought it all for some reason? Are you addicted to caffeine or something?"
"Are you my damn mother? And how am I supposed to know if a brand is worth it if I don't have a large test sample? "
"It literally made no sense. I mean, this whole little discussion is a pain. I think I'll just-"
Kamijou abruptly halted as he sensed a presence stronger than the others. Not a moment later, the person spoke in a melodic tone.
"Now, that's an interesting scene," the female voice emerged from behind Kamijou, prompting him to turn towards her. "But shouldn't you be elsewhere right now, #1?"
The woman who appeared had long black hair and wore a cheap-looking white lab coat. With a mocking smile on her lips and one hand on her waist, she regarded the two of them.
"Hmm?" Accelerator looked at the woman with a slightly confused face. "Are you one of the experiment overseers? Tch. Have you chosen to monitor me even at this moment?"
"That's not exactly what I'm doing," the woman replied, shrugging. "But you'd better hurry. There's no point wasting time with a level 0, is there?"
"Level 0?" The white monster even grimaced, narrowing his eyes in Kamijou's direction. "Such audacity, yet in the end, you're just another worthless piece of trash like the rest."
Losing all interest, Accelerator passed them both and strode through the crowd without a backward glance. He was accustomed to being targeted by fools who believed they'd gain prestige by defeating him, many of whom were level 0. Giving attention to someone like that was rare, and this certainly wasn't one of those instances. He simply walked away, dismissing Kamijou as a non-threat who wasn't even worth his time.
"I wonder if you're angry?" the woman asked the remaining boy.
"Why would I be?" Kamijou positioned himself beside her, both scanning the crowd in the direction the other boy had vanished. "I got a lot of coffee and got rid of a problem without having to punch anyone. That's a huge win in my book."
"Without punching anyone, huh?" She glanced at one boy who had fainted and another whose torso was in a dumpster, leaving only his legs visible. "Seems like getting into trouble is a specialty among people like you."
"Are you trying to judge me, Yuiitsu-chan?" Kamijou's voice sounded very cold now. "I'm not in a good mood right now, just a heads-up."
"Ooooh... scary." She recoiled playfully, waving her hands like an embarrassed middle school girl. "Maybe I should take Sensei's advice and stop trying to decode you. But that wouldn't be very Kihara-like."
"Noukan advised you to do that? It doesn't sound like him, honestly."
"You have a very narrow understanding of how my Sensei operates. He mentioned that there's been a lack of romance in your recent actions, but there's a glimmer of hope in your choices regarding a specific issue."
Kamijou pondered those words thoughtfully, recalling a recent conversation he'd had with a certain person. His gaze settled on a massive building at the heart of the district. He extended his hand as if to reach for it, then clenched it shut.
In silence, the two walked slowly through the crowd of people, with Yuiitsu trailing behind Kamijou as he navigated an alley, then another less congested street, and finally, they entered yet another narrow, grubby alley near a construction site. This route was once renowned as an escape path for delinquents, but its popularity over time had ironically rendered it completely unused by them.
"This spot will do," remarked Kamijou, gazing up at the sky. "Now, why were you following me?"
"Huh? Is that what you think?"
"It's difficult to believe that you just happened to show up at the right moment. Do you have something for me?"
"Perhaps, if you ask nicely," replied Yuiitsu in a polite tone. "Just kidding. Here."
Discreetly, she reached into her cheap coat and withdrew a large, yellowed envelope. The robust seal on it also conveyed the confidential nature of its contents.
"Did you find a way to open it without anyone noticing?" asked Kamijou, holding the envelope in his right hand.
"No, why would I do that? I have a certain curiosity as a Kihara, but my Sensei made it clear how unromantic that would be."
"I see."
He knew she wasn't lying. Not because he inherently trusted her—after all, she lied and schemed as effortlessly as she breathed—but because he held a certain respect for her Sensei and his worldview, and he knew that this wicked woman shared that feeling. That was enough.
"He's not watching us now, I presume," said Yuiitsu, in a more serious and formal tone than usual. "How do you do that?"
Kamijou's gaze rested on a spot that should have been empty. It was right next to him, above his shoulder. There was something there. Something invisible. But impressively, the woman seemed to look right into the eyes of that absolute predator. It wasn't the first time this had happened.
"Nothing is really invisible," said the woman calmly, as if guessing what he was thinking. "An attack that can't normally be detected can be easily avoided if you can feel the change in pressure in the air. Is that how you keep the Under_Line away? I feel like you're constantly using some kind of trick that changes the atmospheric pressure at periodic intervals. How much calculating power does someone need to do that?"
"You seem to know a lot about how that person operates, so can I ask you a question?"Kamijou's tone was deadly serious.
"Asking me a question before answering my own, that's a bit unfair."
"If Aleister wanted to eliminate me, what methods do you think he would use?"
Instead of getting caught up in the woman's jests, he straightforwardly posed his inquiry, leaving her with a pensive expression. It was rare for her to exhibit such uncertainty, at least not in his presence.
Kihara Yuiitsu was an obnoxious person. Kamijou had known this from the moment he had seen her with Noukan a few months back, when the mounting problems he had caused in the past had become impossible to overlook. Despite her demeanor, however, he believed she could prove to be useful. And when it came to a person's character, well, to a certain extent, he wasn't overly concerned. After all, he wouldn't consider dating a known criminal who had escaped from prison if there wasn't some truth to it.
"I think maybe the Exterior?" said Yuiitsu finally. She had a finger on her chin, her expression uncertain. "If a direct attack using raw power doesn't work, then the next step would be a mental attack."
"Exterior. Would that be?"
"A piece of equipment that reproduces #5's powers with a certain precision. I don't have complete information, but they say it's a giant brain grown from her cells."
"Hmm... Does Shokuhou-san know about this?"
"Not only does she know it, but she makes use of it from time to time."
Kamijou preferred not to ask how she knew something like that, even though the certainty in her voice bothered him. The two of them crossed the alley and returned to a quiet street. Yuiitsu pointed in a direction.
"Right there," she said. It was only a vague direction, but Kamijou paid close attention to the gesture. "I suggest you make quick work of it if you're so worried."
"Actually, I don't think something like that will be useful," he said, shrugging as he tucked the envelope into his jacket, a casual hand slipping into his pocket. "But you made a good guess."
"Did I?"
"A few months ago, I had some problems with my powers. Shokuhou found a way to resolve the situation by temporarily altering my perception using Mental Out."
"So I made a good estimate. Sensei would be proud."
"But in the end, it was only temporary." Kamijou clenched his fist and then stared into the void where the creature attached to him was. "It only made me stronger."
"Why does that sound like a problem?" She stared at him with a finger on her lip and a curious look.
"With Shokuhou's help, I've found a way to distort my own perception. Essentially, this kind of attack no longer works on me. And yes... being a ticking time bomb with no one to defuse it is indeed a problem. But there's no turning back now."
Yuiitsu remained lost in thought as she walked alongside him. Casually, she reached into the inner pocket of her coat and retrieved a piece of equipment that appeared to be crafted from papier-mâché. It was a telescope cleverly disguised, the sort she typically used for stargazing even in daylight, but now her attention was directed elsewhere.
"Was that your doing too? " asked Yuiitsu, still looking up.
"Hmm?"
"The Tree Diagram has been obliterated. I can discern fragments of it from this vantage point. That might be a slight exaggeration, but if I were bombarded by an orbiting satellite, I'd react similarly."
"I wasn't responsible. And how did you become aware of the bombing?"
"I have my connections. But I'm curious, how did you survive? I was under the impression the attack had been executed successfully."
"Kaguya wasn't at her best that day," Kamijou remarked with a shrug, a slight smile on his lips. He was joking; she had actually hit the mark. "This is where our paths diverge. Thanks for giving me those documents, I'll take a look at them later."
"A 'thank you' is all I get? What a waste of time." A weary sigh slid across her lips. "I'm not letting it go this time, #0."
"Okay. What do you want from me?"
"For now, answer me one question. The experiments in the white castle, what kind of things were they doing there? You went to the trouble of burning all the evidence, so it must have been something horrible."
"I had more than one reason. I prefer not to talk about the others, but when it came to me, scientists were conducting experiments to understand the human soul."
"Soul?" She put her hand to her chin. Something that didn't seem so scientific must have confused her. "And how were they doing that?"
"Killing me."
There was an awkward silence, but Kamijou was quick to continue.
"The methods varied, but the most common were to electrocute me sufficiently until my organs failed, and also to suffocate me to death in a closed chamber. The latter was usually on Mondays." He bit his lip and then turned around. "Is that enough?"
"Almost. One last question. I imagine they've asked you this several times, near-death experience is fascinating for some scientists after all, so... what did you see there?"
"Nothing." His answer had remained the same since those old days. "As white as the rooms and clothes we wore on the facility. Sometimes I hardly knew if I'd woken up or not."
"Interesting. Thank you for your cooperation. I look forward to next time." She seemed quite excited.
The woman walked in the opposite direction and disappeared into the crowd, while Kamijou felt with his hand for the envelope in his coat. He had to clean up this mess.
x-3-x
"That's too short. Nuns shouldn't dress like that."
"You're not a nun, Index-chan, stop complaining. Here, put that lipstick on too."
It was another day in Academy City, and Shundan Kimi had already started her daily routine of looking after Index and making sure she looked as presentable as possible for hours on end.
"My goodness girl, how cute you are," said Kimi excitedly, looking at Index's reflection in the living room mirror. "I knew it, lavender suits you perfectly. And your skin is so amazing that I'm not going to tarnish it with make-up, it would be a waste."
Kimi had bought Index a new outfit, one that bordered on scandalous. It was an expensive lavender dress, snug and short, revealing a generous amount of her fair skin. However, most of her exposed skin was covered by semi-transparent white tights. Initially, the church girl felt a bit uneasy, but now she paused to gaze at herself, adjusting the dress with both hands.
"Hmm... do I really look good like this?" asked Index with a hint of doubt in her voice.
"What kind of question is that? Come on, I want to see a bit more self-esteem."
"It's just... I'm usually always in the habit." Her gaze wandered to the white garment with gold details that was hanging nearby. "So I feel unprotected."
"You have me, so you're certainly not unprotected."
"But even so..."
"Think of your walking church as your battle attire. It's something you need, but also something you should feel relieved when you're not wearing. Look in the mirror again, see the potential you have. I think it's worth the risk."
Index paused for a few more seconds, turning around and examining her outfit in detail. You could see how much effort was emanating from that well-chosen outfit. When was the last time someone had gone to such lengths to look after her? And such a superfluous thing at that. For as long as she could remember, her life had always been about running away. It was hard to stop and contemplate the little things that would make her feel better, to appreciate the people around her, and to feel their appreciation for her too. Everything was too fleeting. Her being alive was all that mattered, to the point where she didn't know if she was living, or just surviving.
This introspection made her pause for just a second, which she did while staring at her own smile in the mirror.
"I look cute like this," said Index shyly, tugging at the hem of her dress to adjust it before meeting Kimi's gaze directly. "Thanks, Kimi. I think I feel better like this."
"Aaawww..." The girl enveloped Index in a hug from behind and then pressed her cheek against Index's. "That's the kind of confidence I want to see. Now come on, we're totally late."
The three inhabitants of the Kamijou residence had plans to eat out today. Kamijou had gone out to the library, saying he needed to buy a textbook, and complaining non-stop all day about how expensive it was.
Kimi decided not to tell Index that the black car waiting for them downstairs was driven by someone from the dark side of Academy City. A little luxury wouldn't go amiss at this time, so Kimi helped herself to a portion of fresh fruit and expensive cheeses from the small freezer inside the car.
Making it clear, that girl had no interest in the dark side of that city.
The trouble she had caused in the past, which had led to her being arrested, had attracted the attention of the people hiding in the shadows. But she didn't belong in that world at all.
In fact, those people were afraid of her.
That was the extent of their relationship, and Kimi never had any interest in going beyond that. Apart from asking for favors from time to time, of course. If that sounds hypocritical, it really is. She was well aware of that.
"3600 yen, goddamnit!"
The two girls barely stepped out of the car before they heard Kamijou's wails emanating from the front of the restaurant. He was vigorously thumping his study guide against his head, resembling someone engaging in self-flagellation, right down to his mannerisms. Blood would soon fly from his forehead if Kimi didn't do something.
"Hey, hey, hey. Take it easy there, handsome," Kimi consoled, rubbing his back like a worried mother. "Wasn't complaining over the phone enough? Come on, it couldn't have been that bad."
"I wouldn't be complaining anymore if that bastard Aogami hadn't shown up and laughed in my face. I swear to God I'm going to erase him from existence one of these days, Kimi, mark my words."
Kimi wasn't entirely sure who this blue-haired individual that her "almost ex-ex-boyfriend" was referring to, but those threats didn't sound very menacing coming from someone on the brink of tears. The boy had transformed into a child fearful of a stray dog, vowing revenge the next time they crossed paths, even if the outcome would inevitably remain the same.
"Oh... hey, Index."
When Kamijou said that, the girl in the lavender dress straightened her posture and gave a shy nod. Kimi noticed her embarrassment and then gave Kamijou a gentle nudge in the ribs as a silent warning.
"Um..." The boy scratched his head and looked away. "You're looking very well today."
"Really?" Index smiled and nervously gripped the hem of her dress, a habit she seemed to repeat often when feeling uneasy. "I don't think it suits me."
"There's no such thing," said Kamijou seriously. "You are what you choose to be, nothing more."
The three of them chatted about various subjects as they made their way to a cheap-looking fast-food restaurant. The topics involved Kamijou complaining that the clerk at the bookstore had told him that he had missed out on a huge discount, making him pay full price for the book, and also that Index had obtained documents that made her a real resident of the city. This last subject would be discussed once Kimi was alone with Kamijou, that look he gave her made it clear.
It was the afternoon, and the restaurant was packed with no empty seats in sight. However, that didn't deter Index from initiating her gluttonous spree. In her hands, she carried a tray holding three milkshakes - one vanilla, one chocolate, and one strawberry.
"Where does it all go, anyway?" asked Kimi, watching her sip her drinks while still standing up. "Wasn't this overeating thing supposed to be a manga protagonist trope?"
"There's that cute girl too," cut in Kamijou. "Was it a magical girl show? I'm not sure now."
In the end, one of the staff members warned them that they would need to share a table.
Despite the restaurant being as full as a train station at rush hour, there was a single four-person table with free seats, like a black hole gaping wide in the crowd of people.
Seated at the table was a girl with black hair and slightly old-fashioned attire.
"Huh, that's..." said Kimi in a whisper.
A shrine maiden was sleeping with her face down on the table.
Her long black hair was spread out like the tentacles of a beached jellyfish and completely hid her face.
It wasn't even a second after the three of them approached the table that something escaped the mysterious girl's mouth.
"I-"
Index was so happy that she ignored the girl as she sipped her strawberry milkshake, happily waving for Kamijou and Kimi to sit down at the table.
"—I binged."
The shrine maiden was around their age. With the standard red-and-white outfit combined with black hair reaching down to her waist, she looked like the mold from which other shrine maidens were created.
"You look like someone who's just witnessed a horrible accident, girl," said Kimi, her gaze directed towards the shrine maiden.
"Kimi, you're being rude again," complained Kamijou.
"Really? Damn, I forgot to put on a fake smile first to lighten the mood. My bad."
It wasn't exactly her fault. Expressing emotions posed a challenge for someone whose ability to feel them was less than perfect. In ordinary, everyday situations, Kimi often wore a completely expressionless face, her eyes devoid of life, lips always pressed into a straight line. While she could still function and interact like a typical person, it required heightened stimuli to evoke genuine emotion. For this reason, Kamijou was proud that she smiled so much when the two of them were together. It served as tangible proof that her feelings were authentic and not merely an illusion.
"Ah, erm... What did you mean when you said you binged?" asked Kamijou, taking a seat at the table with a certain care. Kimi sat down next to him, which made Index sit right next to the mysterious figure. "I hope it's not one of those situations."
"Is your misfortune radar beeping, Kamijou Touma?"
"What do you think, Shundan Kimi?"
"Why did you two start calling each other by your full names? I feel excluded. I want to be called 'Index Librorum Prohibitorum' from now on."
"It won't happen."
"It won't happen."
"I had a lot of discount coupons," the shrine maiden began, disregarding the banter of the three teenagers who seemed to materialize out of thin air from her perspective. "One hamburger for fifty-eight yen."
"That sounds like a great deal," said Kamijou. "Starting to save from a young age is something that—"
"So I went ahead and ordered thirty of them."
"You were being too economical, stupid!"
Kamijou retorted on reflex. Right then, the shrine maiden ceased any and all movement. Her silence tipped him off to a somber aura emanating from her body, like she had been very hurt by it.
"Look who's talking!"
"Look who's talking!"
It was Kimi and Index's turn to synchronize.
"Hey, don't judge me. 3600 yen is a lot. And I don't mean that you're stupid, Miss Shrine Maiden. Saving is something every high school student should practice. My parents always emphasized that—"
"I bought too much. Didn't plan ahead. Total possessions. Three hundred yen. It's not enough for me to pay the train fare."
"Forget what I said, you really are stupid!"
For the first time since their arrival, the shrine maiden revealed her face, which was remarkably beautiful. Her eyes appeared sleepy and devoid of energy.
"Anyway," Kamijou, feeling somewhat intimidated by the delicate-looking girl, cleared his throat loudly. "If you're short on cash, you'll just have to borrow it from someone. And no, that someone can't be me. Don't give me those hopeful eyes."
"Borrowed money?" Index suddenly seemed intrigued. "I'll take care of it."
The gluttonous girl pushed the milkshakes away and retrieved a piece of black plastic from one of the pockets of her dress. Kamijou recognized the card, his expression contorting with confusion and a hint of panic. Since when did that girl have a bank account?
"Here!" declared Index, slamming the card down on the table for dramatic effect. "I've got this thing that 'plinks and plonks,' and there's plenty of money in there. As a member of the church, it's my duty to assist those in need." She puffed out her flat chest in satisfaction when the black-haired girl looked at her with shining eyes. "Then go ahead, mystery girl, you can use your scientific powers to extract all the money you need from this thing."
"Extract?"
"Yes, yes." Index shook her head proudly, as if she knew exactly what she was talking about. She didn't. "Go ahead, don't be shy."
"Um..."
Seeing the girl's confusion from across the table, Kamijou intervened with a sigh.
"I'm sorry about that," he said, taking the card and handing it to Index, then turning to look the shrine maiden in the eye. "Please forgive Index, she's an idiot. I purposely taught her wrong, as a joke."
Kamijou seemed to have had a tough day, he was shooting venom everywhere. He still wanted to know how Index got a card like that, but he decided to let it go for now and look at the menu. Big eyes were staring at him, he could feel their intensity.
"Lend me one hundred yen since I'm beautiful."
"Are you starting to appeal to something superficial like that? Have you no shame, girl? And this Kamijou-san is immune to this kind of trick. I'm usually the one who gets money from a pretty girl."
At least he was sincere, but he realized too late that it didn't sound very good. The eyes of the girl dressed as a shrine maiden briefly narrowed into a judgmental look. Had she taken that the wrong way?
"He's referring to me," said Kimi, striking a cute pose with a peace sign, though her typically expressionless face didn't quite match the gesture. "I'm his 'sugar mommy'. Except I'm too young to be a 'mommy', and I'm a bit of a bitter person, so the 'sugar' is missing too."
"I'm not sure about the last part," Kamijou retorted, smirking at her while still holding the menu. "You're rather sweet."
Was that a passionate sigh escaping the dragon girl's mouth? If there was any doubt, the slight blush on her cheeks dispelled it. She even averted her gaze as if trying to conceal her now not-so-expressionless face.
"Foul play," Kimi whispered, twirling a lock of her blue hair. "Say that again when we're alone, and you'll see... hehe... yes, yes..."
"If you have money, then lend me 100 yen."
The girl hadn't given up. Luckily for her, Kimi was in such a strange stupor that she simply withdrew a 10,000 yen note from her purse without a second thought. Sliding it across the table toward the girl, she offered a smile.
"Keep the change," said Kimi, with a satisfied nod.
"Wow... that's quite a lot. Thank you very much, delinquent-looking girl."
"You're welcome, stupid shrine girl."
For some reason, those words sounded so sweet but so poisonous at the same time. It was like two completely opposite people who shouldn't get along being forced to say something good about each other, but here it really seemed sincere.
"By the way," cut in Kamijou, not paying attention to the scene. "Just so you know, that's dirty money, so accepting it will give you a good dose of misfortune. You know, karma and all that."
"Dirty money?" The girl examined the money note while raising an eyebrow.
"He doesn't know what he's talking about," Kimi explained quickly, coughing falsely. "That money came straight from my investments in a chain of restaurants in District 15, so—"
"Money from a money laundering scheme still counts as dirty money, despite the name, Shundan Kimi."
"Have you chosen now to announce to the world that you're dating a criminal, Kamijou Touma?" Kimi whispered through gritted teeth, as if practicing ventriloquism.
"That's the second time," interrupted Index, crossing her arms. She shrugged briefly when Kamijou and Kimi gave her a cold look. "Just 'Librorum Prohibitorum' would make me happy."
"What's all this about 'money laundering'?" asked the mysterious girl, confusion in her eyes.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Kimi waved her hand and picked up a menu as well. "Touma-kun here has a strange fetish. He's incredibly attracted to nasty girls, so he's deluding himself by putting me in that category. You have to see, he makes me dress up in prison outfits in a weird roleplay three times a week. Here, I've got photos to prove it."
"Give me that damn thing!"
Kamijou quickly grabbed the cell phone from Kimi's hands while blushing furiously. One important detail: that didn't count as cosplay, her prison clothes were in fact real. For some inexplicable reason, Kamijou found Kimi remarkably attractive in them, so she never discarded the garments. And the modifications she made to the clothes were excellent, hence the blush on his face.
"Um..." said the black-haired girl, bowing slightly to Kimi. "I thank you for the loan. I promise to pay you back when I can."
"Don't mention it." Once again Kimi waved her hand in a casual gesture. "You don't pay kindness back, you pay it forward. That's what I learned from a certain someone who saved my life."
Though Kimi spoke casually, her face reverted to its usual expressionless state, memories resurfacing, causing her to bite her lip until it almost bled. The situation might have escalated if Kamijou hadn't tenderly touched her shoulder. She was certain she heard him whisper something like "It wasn't your fault," even though his lips remained still. Verbal confirmation wasn't needed; the unspoken understanding between them was enough.
"Do you know these people?"
Kamijou's voice suddenly sounded, Kimi looked around, while Index tilted her head slightly. The shrine maiden on the other side of the table shook her head in affirmation of Kamijou's question.
It had happened very suddenly.
Approximately ten people had surrounded their table, staring at them intently at a distance a waitress might stand at to take their orders. Not a single other customer in this packed restaurant had realized anything was wrong. In other words, they had concealed their presence just that much, like assassins.
Kamijou was able to notice their approach because of his enhanced senses, and Kimi would also be able to do the same thanks to the Dragon that was using her as a host, but the strong emotions she felt clouded her thoughts. She kind of cursed herself at that moment for having her guard down, but the men didn't seem to be sending any hostility in the direction of anyone at the table.
"My cram school teachers," the girl finally elaborated on Kamijou's question.
She abruptly got up from the table, walked down the hallway and headed for the stairs leading to the first floor. The men followed, her shadows and her protectors, without a noise or a voice.
"Did you notice too?" whispered Kamijou to Kimi.
"Their eyes were emotionless."
The two exchanged a suspicious glance after this quick conversation. They reached a silent agreement.
"Maybe it's nothing," said Kimi quickly, but in an assuring voice. "We have no reason to get involved in any strange matter that comes up."
x-4-x
Summer's evening glow was upon them.
Kamijou and the others goofed off for a while and tired themselves out to forget all about the mysterious shrine maiden and the men in suits. Then, like little kids, they made the decision to go home at the five o'clock chime, and they upheld it.
"Ah!" Index exclaimed, abruptly coming to a stop.
"Eh?" Kamijou responded, his mood darkening as he followed her gaze.
At the base of a windmill turbine, a cardboard box caught their attention, inside of which a kitten cried out with pitiful mewing sounds.
"Touma! Ca-"
"No way!"
Kamijou interrupted Index before she could finish.
"...Touma, I haven't said anything yet!"
"Index, my dear little sister," said Kimi, with a smile so malicious it could belong to a criminal. Wait, wasn't that the case? "At such times, you have to use that trick."
"Huh? That trick?"
Kimi slowly nodded like a proud mother, and then they both looked at Kamijou and spoke at the same time.
"Pretty please!"
"Pretty please!"
Their eyes sparkled with innocence as they both adorned a cute pout that could melt anyone's heart.
"Agh... No, that's unfair!" Kamijou exclaimed, clutching his heart as if it might burst at any moment from the sudden injury. "And don't give me that puppy dog look! What kind of monster would I be if I said 'no' now? I mean, come on, two girls already living with me in a boys' dorm is pushing it. How on earth am I supposed to explain adding a cat to the mix to my dorm manager?"
"Don't worry, I've already bribed him," assured Kimi.
"Oh, that's just great. Now I'm the criminal. Damn it, Kimi! When did you bribe him? So that's why he greets me with a satisfied smile every morning, even though he knows I'm a walking disaster who's going to make him fix the filtration system for the fifth time this week?!"
"Hey, calm down Touma-kun, take a breather," she said soothingly, turning to her sister's strategy and gently rubbing her boyfriend's back. "I've made it clear that you have nothing to do with this. You're not a criminal in his eyes, so just relax, okay?"
"I can't," he was so tired. "I can't take it anymore, Kimi-chan. Everyone thinks I'm a delinquent at this point."
"You really are one."
"I'm not anymore. My life of brawling in alleys is over."
"We both know that's not true."
"But... but... damn, you're right."
"Here, here." She made him tilt his head, landing on her generous breasts. If that didn't relax him, nothing would. "There, feel better?"
Nearby, Index tilted her head in confusion as she had no idea what was going on. All of a sudden, she froze, like she just noticed something.
"...The attribute is earth, color is green. This ritual... uses the ground as a medium to introduce magic power and acts through conscious intervention..."
It sounded like her internal musings were coming out of her mouth like broken phrases.
"Hey, you two, something's not right here," warned Index, her tone grave as she peered down a nearby alley.
The seriousness in her voice was unsettling, as if she were someone else entirely at that moment. Kimi and Kamijou exchanged wary glances, feeling a strange chill creeping down their spines, their fists tightening instinctively.
"What are you talking about, Index?" asked Kimi, looking around for anything suspicious.
"Probably runes."
"More of that magic nonsense?" Kamijou sighed, and at the same moment, he gave a silent order to the Dragon King next to him. "I sense hostile intent. Stay close to me."
Just as Yuiitsu had told him, there was no such thing as a truly invisible attack, and the same applied to people. You couldn't completely hide your presence, after all, people are noisy by nature, and that noise comes in many forms. But this new "noise" in particular was something that rarely appeared on his radar.
"There truly is something here," said Kimi, her senses working at maximum capacity.
"Seems like someone set up a magic circle." Index was about to shoot into an alley, but Kimi's hand stopped her.
"You heard Touma-kun, stay close to us."
"It's been a while, Kamijou Touma."
A voice came from behind them. Kamijou had already turned around before the sentence was even completed, the only reason the speaker remained unharmed being the absence of a blatantly clear hostile intent. Focus on the "clear".
The person there wore black priest's robes and the smell of perfume he exuded was overwhelming. His long hair was dyed red, he wore earrings in his ears, every one of his fingers was decorated by silver rings and under his right eye was a tattoo that looked like a bar code. It all felt corrupt, like he was a priest of war or a religious traitor.
"Oh, it's just you." The first to say something was Kimi, uninterested. The girl relaxed her posture in an instant. "I feel like an idiot for worrying so much. It's been a while, matchhead. Where's Kanzaki?"
"You still refuse to treat me with the slightest respect... how annoying."
"I kind of agree with Kimi, you made me worry for nothing." Kamijou shrugged, both hands in his pockets, totally unconcerned.
Stiyl Magnus rolled his eyes, his hand reaching for another cigarette in his black robes. He needed it so that a vein wouldn't pop out of his forehead.
"Good grief. I suppose I'll have to figure out how to tolerate you two if we want this to work," remarked Stiyl, lighting his cigarette and inhaling deeply. The expelled smoke formed a curious shape before dispersing. "We need to have a serious discussion. The girl should stay out of it." With a swift, subtle nod, he indicated Index.
"Hmm?" Kamijou and Kimi synchronized.
"She's a non-combatant, so I'd rather she stayed out of it," Stiyl reiterated, his face serious.
The flame magician hadn't explained anything yet, but that was enough for the two of them to understand that a big problem had arisen, one that would be solved with violence. His request was reasonable, there was no fault in his thinking, but Kimi clucked her tongue at the comment.
"You've been here for two minutes and you're already trying to boss her around," said Kimi, her arms crossed defensively, her jaw stiff. The emotions she was feeling right now were strong enough to make her face contort.
"I prefer to use the word 'protect'."
"Yeah, yeah… 'protecting her'," cut in Kamijou, calmer than Kimi, but that was only external. "It's a noble thing, and I understand completely, but it's not for you to decide."
The magician's expression revealed his disapproval, but to everyone's surprise, he took another drag from his cigarette before flicking it away. A deep breath later, he looked at Index in a rather special way.
"Can I ask you to stay out of this?"
The way he said it seemed out of character from Kamijou's point of view, but it served as proof that the boy had learned a lesson.
Index shook her head in response.
"If this is a magical matter, then the grimoires in my head could give us an advantage. Let me in on it, Stiyl."
The dragon couple still didn't fully know what their story was, but it was easy to imagine that the flame magician's intentions weren't the worst. It must have been hard for him to face that request and consider how much he respected the girl's opinion.
A silence followed, as intense as the middle of a lake at night. The windmill turbines were rattling, echoing through the empty street like a skeleton laughing.
"Ehwaz," Stiyl said and flicked the oversize envelope he was holding from his index finger like he was flicking a postcard. The thick envelope spun like a Frisbee and slowly landed into Kamijou's hands.
A strange symbol was inscribed on the mouth of the envelope like it was some kind of seal.
"Gebo."
The moment Stiyl had muttered that, the words on the envelope started to glow. The seal opened right down the middle as if it was sliced apart by a knife.
"Have you heard of a cram school called Misawa?"
Stiyl's gestures and the laid-back question hinted that he had resolved to value the girl's opinion, albeit with some reluctance. Nonetheless, the group was ready to tackle any magical issue... and the name of that school rang a bell.
Author's notes: It took me a while, but here's another chapter.
Kimi and Mikoto met in completely different situations here, huh? As you may have realized, the Jailbreaker arc won't take place here, because it wouldn't make any sense. Kimi in this fanfic has already been arrested and released (actually she escaped, more details in the future).
Accel's cameo in this arc was interrupted by the arrival of a mad scientist. Kamijou told her a bit about his past experiments, which we saw a little of in chapter 4. I hope these extra scenes I'm putting in are interesting enough. As I said, I don't want to just rewrite what we've already seen so many times. That's why I created the extra parallel plot involving Kamijou's conversation with Aleister, and also his past with Kimi.
One thing you'll notice is that technically speaking, both Kamijou and Kimi are stronger than they are in the canon. They both have better control of the Dragons, and in Kimi's case, she's not literally dying because of the Angel Dragon being a glutton (that's the explanation?). And there was a little explanation in this chapter about who is responsible for Kamijou having better control of his powers here. I'm not going to give details about the whole "illusion turning" thing we saw in GT9 because we have no idea what it means exactly, but know that Kamijou has been affected by it in the past, but no longer today.
That's enough. Let me see your reviews:
5had0wHand: Yes, I'm trying to make it clear that the feelings are mutual. I also want to focus a bit on the dynamic between Kimi and Index, so expect more of that. Nah, they have a fight scheduled for the next arc. Laura will appear from time to time and we'll see what she's up to. Thanks for following.
Farrelspiral: I'm glad you're enjoying it so much. We'll have more moments of Kimi being a big sister.
Dauskawami3: Lol, I'm glad you liked my silly jokes. For the time being, these two are postponing the match.
mr gg: We didn't get another glimpse of their past in this chapter, but we will in the next one. Thanks for the compliments, I'll try not to rush things too much, but some moments will be much faster than in the canon.
5queso: Thank you very much. Strangely, I actually enjoy cooking in real life, random comment, just ignore it, lol. There's a lot going on in this chapter, and I'm glad that a lot of people seem to enjoy these quieter, more fun moments too. Kimi's a rather naughty girl, isn't she? Unfortunately, these two have a confrontation planned in the future, so you'll have to wait a few more chapters to see it. I guarantee it's going to be an over-the-top duel. The church doesn't know what they're dealing with. Thanks for your support once again.
Cainabel201X: Angel Fall, coming soon.
Amad0: Their relationship is a little more complicated than that, but you're right. I don't want to spoil anything, so just saying what I've already revealed, Kamijou made it clear that they were always fighting. It wasn't one-sided. It will make more sense in the future. I'm glad you liked the slice of life. There's more in this chapter and I intend to write at least one chapter between arcs dedicated to this, but not always, who knows. As for Kamijou's parents, they know that experiments are being done on him. We'll have more details, but from their point of view, this is a common occurrence in the city, and they're kind of right. They just don't know how horrible the experiments are. Yes, we'll have more details about the conversation between Kamijou and Aleister, for now it's a mystery. The Kamijou and Accelerator thing was just a small cameo. It serves as a little reference to my other story where Accel also appears in the last chapter, just as Mikoto appears in the opening scene of the new chapter of SaD. I do that sometimes. Thank you for following all my stories, it means a lot to me.
Guest: We'll probably have that in the next chapter. Their fight will be longer than in the canon, probably a whole chapter reserved for it. Kimi is on her way to better understanding her powers, just wait.
Kamenriderzio218: Thank you. The Delta Force doesn't know he was dating, he never told them, but they'll find out soon enough.
Kuroshiragami0: I hope the wait was worth it.
See you next time!
No extra comments. Just kidding. Two of my three stories updated, time to work on the third, wish me luck. That's it. NioMoon leaving.