As there's no really no easy way to explain this within the story itself, this fanfic operates on the basic premise of "What if different characters from different stories grew up in the world presented in To Aru Majutsu No Index?". Certain details may also be a little bit different than to how they were in their original world, particularly with Yuriev's experiments.
This was written a while ago actually, the reason I'm posting it now is after hearing that an RP version I made of it was, without any of my permission or authorisation, taken over and continued on another site. I assure you that continued RP is not the real To Aru Museigen No Crossover, what you're reading now is.
This story takes place after the events of the anime's first season, that being when I originally wrote it, but in an alternate continuity to that of the manga and light novels. Also includes slight spoilers for the Ar Tonelico series.
Chapter I
There was a light mist when the sun rose this morning over the proclaimed science capital of the world, Academy City. Just outside city's limits a girl with long, black hair and the occasional red streaks was standing on a grassy hill.
"Huh, 'Level 0 Student Mysteriously Vanished'" she read out loud from the newspaper she was holding. "An entire city scared over a single disappearance, not exactly something you hear every day, isn't it?".
She tossed the newspaper away. "I bet the only people they're worried about are themselves, now that their security system has been penetrated. It's typical of humans" she snarled.
"Well regardless, I've got business here".
Nozomu hurriedly ran into the classroom, panting for breath as he placed his hands on the up again, he went to the blackboard and quickly scribbled his name on it in chalk."So, I take it that this is the class that disappeared student was in, right?" he said as he finished writing his name. "I'd hardly be surprised. His power was to negate other powers, correct? Surely that can't be beneficial in a city based around developing those powers. I bet they had a few of those Anti-Skills come around and..."
Nozomu then sensed the eyes of the entire class glaring at him."...Erm, take him away to a farm in the country with all the other power-negating power-users" he finished one of the students spoke out."How the hell can you just say something like that? Who are you to come in here and just starting saying those things about our missing classmate?" a girl shouted at Nozomu, standing up from her desk.
"Right, I suppose I should tell you. As your usual teacher, Komoe Izanami or whatever, has left to search for this missing student, I'll be your substitute teacher until she returns" Nozomu said."As you can see on the board, my name is Nozomu Itoshiki".Another student looked up and said "Huh, that's weird, The number of strokes in your name is...""An unlucky number, I know. Not important" Itoshiki-sensei almost immediately retorted. "Anyway, to start today off..."
"It's just that maybe if you wrote your name differently, like maybe on it's si-" that student continued."Not important!" Nozomu snapped back, covering up the board defensively.
"I thought today was when the ESP Evaluation Exams would be held" the first student said sternly.
"Ah yes," Nozomu replied "Thank you for reminding me. Today, I've decided to just skip all this unnecessary testing".
"Level 0. All of you".The entire class gasped in shock.
"I know it may not seem fair" Itoshiki began "and that's because it's not. You are all at that age when it's important to realise that life can be bitterly, inconsiderately unfair, entirely regardless of rules or expectations".
The first student spoke up again "But this is a complete violation of school policies. First you show up late, and now this!"."E-everyone oversleeps sometime" Nozomu said in reply to the first one."I'll at least admit, you all seem a lot nicer, for now anyway, than my other class. After I graded them, one of them tried to hit me with a shovel".
"Besides, with the exams out of the way this means we can knock off-" Itoshiki paused to check the clock "five hours and forty-five minutes early".
In one of the back rows of the class a blue-haired boy leaned back and said "I'll admit, he's not Komoe, but a day off's a day off. Looks like this guy may not be so bad after all".
"He's... rather unorthodox though" a blonde-haired boy sitting next to him muttered.
The blue-haired one turned to his other side, "Hey, what do you think... Oh. Oh yeah" he said, his upbeat expression fading away as he stared at an empty seat."Well, I guess that does it then" Nozomu said "Pity I'll never get round to the 'History's Greatest Disappointments and Failures' worksheet I had for you all though. Huh, and to think I was up all night creating and composing that assignment, now I'll have to wait... all through Christmas in order to hand it out..."
"I'm in despair! Interrupting holiday occurrences have left me in despair!"
The entire class, and even a few people walking by outside in the corridor, stared at Nozomu in dumbfoundedness.
"...What are you all looking at? Class dismissed".
The halls of the Annihilatus Headquarters had been abuzz lately, with the news of the "Imagine Breaker"'s inexplicable disappearance.
"We have decided to send the both of you to Academy City to obtain any information they can find about this incident" began a senior monk."Sasha Kruezhev, Vassilisa, as you have both encountered the Imagine Breaker previously you shall no doubt be of much help in possibly scouring out where he has gone" another monk said addressing the two nuns that had gathered there.
"Yet going by that logic, these are the same fools who are responsible for losing our eyes on him" interrupted a tall, white-haired man who had just entered the room. "A mission to that Academy place eh? I've been meaning to go there myself".
The senior monk then said "Ah, Sasha, Vassilisa, this is Albedo Piazzolla, one of our agents. I trust you have no doubt heard of him".
Vassilisa paused and then said "Yes, once, but it's hard to believe that..."
"Hard to believe what?" Albedo suddenly butted in "...Oh, you mean hard to believe this".
He reached down into a pocket and drew out of a sharp-looking knife. He held it up to his neck and-
Albedo's head dropped to the floor. Nobody let their shock show, but everyone in the room edged back a few paces. Then without warning the severed head began to let out a malicious chuckling sound, which eventually grew into a full-blown chorus of deranged laughter, which only ended when Albedo's foot came over and crushed his head to a pulp underneath.
Shortly afterwards, a light appeared around the gaping, bleeding hole between Albedo's shoulders, and when it had gone his head had returned back to its original place, as if it had never been... sliced off."...Ah yes, Albedo" the senior monk began nervously "and that was, of course, in demonstration of-?"
"That I am far more qualified to handle this task. After all, what power, psychic or otherwise, could possibly pose any threat towards me?" Albedo replied, "But since you seem more than happy to toss away this mission to a mere child and her babysitter, obviously you're not interested in my talents".
"Er, all three of you shall depart on this mission" a monk suddenly said.
Albedo sighed "Not what I had in mind, but..." he paused, leaving the room in an uncomfortable silence "...workable" he finished.
Vassilisa, placing her hand Sasha's shoulders to hold her back, replied "Well, if those are our orders. I think I'll be keeping him on a short leash though".
With practically everything school-related done for the day, Nozomu left campus grounds and made his way to a small park a few streets away. He sighed and sat down on a bench. In his hands was a rope, slightly frayed yet still fairly sturdy.
"Huh, no way am I going back to that 'apartment', euggh" he shuddered, "so I suppose I should just get this out of the way now".He stood up, firmly clutching the rope, and was about to go over to the nearest cherry tree when he turned around and noticed a young girl staring at him.
"What? Who are you? Can't you see that I happen to be in ther middle of something?" Nozomu barked, before saying "Ah, you're only just a girl. Look, would you mind leaving, you're far too young to see what's about to happen here".
"Eh?" the girl began, before pouting and saying "Hey! I'm not just some kid you know!".
"You sure sound like one" Nozomu muttered. "Why are you dressed like a nun anyway, I though people in this city were total atheists?" he asked, "Are you off to a fancy-dress party or something?"
"I am a nun!" she began "I'm in Academy City because I was with a friend, but he... well he's... vanished" she finally finished.
"You don't mean he was that disappeared boy, that 'Imagine Breaker' person?" Nozomu said as he flung the rope up onto a tree branch, tying it around as he stood on a small ladder.
"Yeah, exactly, but his real name's Touma Kamijo, he- wait, stop!" the girl suddenly burst out, seeing that Nozomu was about to take his own life with the rope.
"Didn't I tell you to go away before?" Nozomu shouted "Just leave me alone".
The girl suddenly jumped up and bit Nozomu's hand. The teacher squealed in pain and fell to the ground. Just then a strong breeze came and undid the knot, blowing the rope away with the wind.
"I could have died!" Nozomu exclaimed.
"Touma never would have let someone kill themselves, so I won't either!" the girl said.
"Touma this, Touma that, I don't care about your bloody Touma!" Nozomu snapped back as he stood up again "He's probably dead by now anyway"."N-no, he couldn't be!" the girl began.
"Bah, there's no use clinging to that emotion called hope, the world will only bring you more misery the more attached you are to it" Itoshiki snarled, dusting himself off "Why were you looking at me anyway?".
"Oh, it's just you seemed to match the description of Komoe-sensei's replacement I was given" the girl said "Thought you'd be a lot nicer though" she muttered under her breath.
Nozomu Itoshiki examined the bite marks on his hand, wincing as he glanced. Then he sighed, and said somewhat apologetically "I'm Nozomu Itoshiki".
"Okay, my name's Index-Librorum-Prohibitorum" the girl said, sounding more cheery now.
Nozomu just stared at her "...I beg your pardon?". Index just glared at him."Well, with that attempt thwarted I suppose there's nothing for me to do but go back to my designated home" Nozomu said, shuddering again at the end. "I'm grateful that you at least didn't go around calling the tree 'Pink Gabriel'".
"What? Of course not" Index replied. "Pink Raphael's a much better sounding name".
Itoshiki froze.
Finally Nozomu and Index came back to the apartment where the former was now staying, in Komoe's was plain to see why Nozomu was so reluctant to return here, the previous owner had left the place a complete pigsty, a total mess without order or reason.
Index giggled."I knew you were Komoe's replacement but I never knew you also got her apartment as well" she said. Nozomu didn't reply, he just sighed and slowly shrank back against a wall.
The nun entered the apartment and saw that there were two other people here besides Nozomu and Aisa Himegami, a student who had been living with Komoe. One of them was a boy of about eleven years, the other a man in a doctor's coat.
"Majiru and Mikoto Itoshiki," Nozomu explained before Index or anyone else could say anything, "My nephew and older brother. I'm looking after the first one, and the other one's here to medically inspect this godforsaken place and possibly get it at least cleaned up" he continued.
"Hrm, Mikoto..." Index hissed, but then said "Eh, just a coincidence. I'm Index Librorum Prohibitorum" she introduced herself.
The young boy named Majiru turned his head to one side. "Erm, right" was all he said. Mikoto was simply too busy with his inspection.
Index frowned at her somewhat cold reception, but then looked over at a girl dressed in Shinto priestess clothing that was standing away from the others, positioned by the window."Oh, that's the girl who was living with the previous occupant. Her name's..." Nozomu began.
"Aisa Himegami" Index finished. "We know each other, we first met when-"
"Don't care" Nozomu quickly interrupted. Index was beginning to get slightly annoyed.
At that moment a small cat walked into the apartment, and Index's face quickly turned to one of overecstatic joy."Sphinx!" she cried out, then ran over and embraced the feline in her arms. "Where have you been? I was so worried about you!".
Nozomu was considerably less pleased. "No cats! This place is messy enough as it is" he snapped, prompting Index to automatically chomp onto his hand, causing the teacher to squeal again in analysis done, Mikoto then stood up and said "Well, I don't think there's anything really contagious, it's likely you're just-" the doctor then noticed Nozomu and Index. "Erm..." he started.
Index finally let go and Nozomu stumbled back a few steps.
"I'm in despair! Girls with large teeth named after outdated groupings of books have left me in despair!"
Now Index's face took on a slightly more confused look "What do you mean 'outdated grouping of books'?".
"Ah..." Majiru began, "you said your name was 'Index Librorum Prohibited' or something like that?".
"The Index-Librorum-Prohibitorum was a collection of books and other writings removed from circulation by the Church. However, as time passed onward more and more books were made legal again, one banned author was even made a saint, and eventually the Pope declared the list invalid in 1966" Mikoto explained. "Read that somewhere on the internet" he sheepishly added.
"What?" Index said, "That can't be right! I have all the tomes here with me, inside my memory! They're all very magical and supremely powerful" she stated.
There was silence for a while, before Majiru said "No offence, but I think you could be a few steeples short of a church".
"She's telling the truth" Aisa spoke up. This was strange, the miko had almost been completely silent since the moment Nozomu arrived.
Again there was an odd silence, before Mikoto said "Erm, since I'm all finished here, you wouldn't mind if I went back to my clinic, would you? Apparently there's a particular case I've been called in for".
"Oh sure, go ahead" Nozomu replied as his brother left the apartment.
"..Well, I suppose this would all make a bit more sense if I told you about Touma Kamijo and everything that happened since I met him" Index suggested.
"That should be everything" Index said when she had finished, but in the end Nozomu was only sniggering. "What's so funny?" Index spoke up at him."Well, firstly I highly doubt supposed Puritan sisters would ever dress or act like that. Secondly, it seems to me that your 'hero' only ever was one because the enemies he faced were frankly total idiots" Nozomu said, "Izzard was especially difficult to believe. If he's such a genius, how come he barely knew one of the basic things about memory?".
The teacher then stood up and said, more seriously this time "But most of all it was sickening. It all sounds like something more out of an over-the-top shonen manga than real life" he spurted out."I want both of you girls to take in something very important. Sometimes..." Nozomu began "a hero doesn't arrive. Whether he's late, isn't heroic in the first place or doesn't even exist, sometimes he can't give everyone their happy ending"."My life has been nothing but misery and worthlessness" Nozomu muttered "a saviour like your Touma never once came and rescued me. So don't you dare ever talk to me about 'heroes'".
Yet again the room fell into silence, before Aisa muttered "Excuse me, there's something I need to attend to" as she left the apartment."Huh, what's with her?" Majiru said."Oh she's probably just mad that I graded her Level 0" Nozomu responded. Along with the rest of her class, he was at a crossroads. She didn't know whether to get angry at Nozomu and give him another good bite or just feel pity for him."You should at least apologise to her" she said in a more serious tone than usual.
"Well what am I meant to say to her? Sorry that my life hasn't been like some stupid romantic fantasy?" Nozomu snarled back. He continued to glare, but his gaze eventually softened and said "Maybe I should at least go find her, I guess this makes me her guardian now after all".
"You don't seem to like Academy City much at all, do you?" Index suddenly said, "So how come you're a teacher here?".Nozomu turned around as he was about to head out the door."...I've lived in this city since as long as I can remember. After I failed the Power Curriculum Program, I guess I just had nowhere else to go" he said.
"Satisfied?" he added bitterly.
As Mikoto Itoshiki entered the hospital, he heard a loud crashing sound from above. Then a figure suddenly came rocketing down through the upper floors, making an enormous hole in the ceiling as it did. As soon as it hit the floor it instantly span around and landed on its feet, with seemingly no damage taken from its most unusual entrance.
Mikoto stared in shock at this person, a scalpel-wielding giant wearing a bag on his head."Oh, Dr Mikoto, I see you've already met Dr Faust" said a nurse entering the scene. "He's normally a travelling doctor, but we called for him here to help with this particular patient".
"Erm, right" muttered Mikoto as the giant crouched down and shook his hand.
"Please, just Faust will do" the giant doctor said. "Heheh, I rarely come to Academy City but I hear you don't get many patients, now do you?" he continued."Well, I must admit, not really" Dr Itoshiki replied, "It's all because of that frog-faced person. They call him a 'miracle healer', able to cure practically any illness or injury imaginable"."It's because of him nearly every other medical worker in the city remains underappreciated, not to mention underpaid" Mikoto went on.
"Of course, and not because your name, when spelt-" Faust began.
"A person's name has nothing to do with medical ability!" Dr Itoshiki suddenly shouted out, somewhat uncharacteristically.
"But I can relate. It's been quite a while since I've had any patients either. Almost nobody comes near me anymore, they say the smell of blood is greatly discomforting" Faust said."I think it's a rather unfair criticism. As a doctor, the smell of blood on me should be perfectly natural, right? ...Right?" he added.
"Eheh, right…" Mikoto quickly replied. "Anyway, what's the problem with this patient we both have to work on?" he asked the nurse.
"She's been infected by the Imagine Scourge" the nurse explained."That new disease that cancels out Psychic abilities? But I thought only a small few had caught it so far" Mikoto replied.
"Exactly" said the nurse, "And this would be one of those few. She was brought here since Heaven Canceller, the frog-faced doctor, doesn't operate on brain-related illnesses, which is what the Scourge is. Faust and you were the closest Abilityless doctors around".
"I'd hardly call someone who plummets through that many layers of building 'Abilityless'" Mikoto hissed.
The two doctors and the nurse entered the patient's room, well Mikoto and the nurse entered while Faust sort of more frantically slided in riding on his umbrella, and while Mikoto knelt down to ask the patient how she was feeling and if everything was alright, Faust began chanting some strange words and produced a strange shining light out of thin air over the sick girl, which quickly fizzled out once it touched her.
"Huh, was that a healing power? I thought you said he was an abilityless" Mikoto said to the nurse."It's true, I am not an esper" Faust interjected, "What I just demonstrated was a healing spell".
"Erm, if you would excuse us" Mikoto said again to the nurse as he took Faust out of the room."A spell? You mean to say you're a wizard? To hear this twice in one day is ridiculous, everyone knows that magic cannot possibly-" Mikoto started.
"-Exist?" Faust finished. "First of all, the majority of us vastly prefer the term 'mage', thank you". The giant doctor then sighed. "Ah, but if the disease negated my spell, I suppose healing her won't be as easy as I thought".
"Of course it won't. Assuming that it affects... mages the same way it does espers, that means you could be putting your life in danger if you go anywhere near her" Mikoto said, his voice losing its calm tone."Ahah, yet regardless of my own safety, I am not one to just give up on my own patients. Not after..." Faust suddenly went quiet "Well, abandoning someone is simply not the sort of thing a doctor should do. Perhaps if you realised this, Dr Itoshiki, you might get more clients".
"Now if you'll excuse me, there's a patient I must see to" Faust said, heading back into the sick girl's room.
"Wait, of course I-" Mikoto began, but seeing as Faust had already left quickly he followed him back into the patient's room.
"Interrupting holiday occurrences have left me in despair!"
That sudden outburst was something Rei Ayanami had not expected as she walked along the school corridor. However, she reasoned it was of no real importance and continued on with the rest of her schoolday.
So far in the Esper Evaluation Exams her supervisors had said that she was at the very least a Level 3. Rei at most times was never truly concerned about what Rank she got, but lately her "commander" had been insisting it was of vital importance that she increased her psychic abilities to their utmost potential limit, and she knew that she could not disappoint his of all people's expectations.
Right now the exams had been put on hold for lunchbreak. Rei was sitting at the edge of the school courtyard, not because any other students were isolating her, but because she saw almost no point in interacting with others. It was as if the only thing that mattered to her was her commander's instructions.
Suddenly there came a loud blasting sound from the street outside. Rei slowly edged up to gate to see that a bloody fight had broken out. Already she saw that several Anti-Skills had become involved only to be slaughtered, she could even see some members of the student police Judgment among the fallen.
"You're both pathetic" a figure, white-haired and adult, in the middle of the carnage said, speaking to two people who looked like sisters of a church. "All that fighting against 'supernatural spirits that ought not to exist' has left you completely unprepared when facing a real enemy" he said as he began charging a sphere of crackling electricity in his right hand.
The spell was thrown directly at the younger of the two sisters, but the older one, dressed in reddish-orange clothing, jumped in front and absorbed the blow for her.
"Don't you dare hurt Sasha! I knew I was wrong to ever think I could trust you!" the older sister cried out.
"Bah, if those were your thoughts you should've disposed of me sooner" the white-haired one snarled, and glanced down to see his sliced-off arm completely regenerate. "Oh that's right, even if you tried you couldn't!".
"The girl you so strive to defend is only a mortal" he continued "She is destined to die, there is no escaping from that fate. If she dies before you, you'll be utterly devastated. If you die before her, she'll be the one devastated, if I've read things correctly".
"Therefore, I'm granting you two a very big favour. You shall both die together, and neither of you will have to despair over the other's corpse" the white-haired man went on "And in return, I'll finally have you both off my back".
Rei didn't know how she should act. The commander would not want her to become involved in such a situation, saying that acting here would serve no purpose to the goals she should be pursuing. But yet, Rei felt that...
Quickly she scrambled up and over the wire fence at the edge of the school and dropped down into the middle of the fight, brandishing a knife she had been given if she ever needed to defend herself.
"Huh, who's this? A fourth agent sent to spy on me, or just some unrelated bystander trying to get all heroic" Albedo said as he spun around. "If the latter, then you can just die along with your Anti-Skill pals here".
It was then he began to charge up a ball of fire, but Rei countered this by using her own psychic power. The temperature in the area began to rapidly lower, extinguishing the flame as it became truly cold.
"So you are an Esper" Albedo muttered "But like that's anything to be proud of. All it means is that you're nothing more than a doll, a mere hamster on a wheel running endlessly for the amusement of this city's officials. It's hard to even call your kind huma-"
Suddenly the younger of the two church maidens stood up and threw several weapons at Albedo, each being coated in ice. They all pierced into Albedo's spine, sending him falling onto the ground, but he just laughed and pulled each weapon out one by one.
"Hehehehe, I have long since transcended mortal perceptions of pain. Your little surprise attack, while a daring move, has nothing on me!" Albedo stated, before he unleashed an intense blaze of inferno upon the entire surrounding area.
"Now if you'd be as kind as to excuse me, I have a City Superintendent to murder. Farewell!" he announced as he jumped on top of a nearby roof.
"Are you alright, Sasha?" Vassilisa said to her partner as she tried to help her stand up.
"I'll be fine" Sasha muttered as she moved away from Vassilisa and got to her feet. Both the church sisters looked over at Rei, who had been closest to Albedo at the time of the blaze and had received the most damage from it.
"Okay then, if you say so" Vassilisa said after she'd finished hesitating.
"But please, try to get this girl to a safe location, leave the rest of this to me, got that?" Vassilisa continued.
"...Right" Sasha responded. Despite her very short height the Annihilatus girl was able to lift Rei with surprising ease.
"Aisa! Aisa!" Nozomu and Index called out as both of them ran down the street.
"I don't see any sign of her" Index reported back. "Do you think she's gone outside Academy City?"
"Hah, with how difficult it is to get in and out of this City, I think not!" Nozomu replied. "But you're right, we may need to try another direction, though really how far could she've gone?"
Itoshiki-sensei sighed and turned around, then instantly wished he hadn't. Seeing his face Index turned around too, to find herself looking up at a tall and frankly foreboding building, its gates tightly locked, sealing it off from the world outside.
"Huh, what is this place?" Index asked.
"That's the Yuriev Institute" Nozomu explained "It was the most exclusive school in the whole of Academy City. Still is apparently, though nothing's actually happened there for fourteen years, ever since its founder... was killed".
"I've never met anyone who attended it, but people used to say a lot of strange things about this place, hardly any of them all that good" he finished.
"Huh, Touma never took me past here, or even mentioned it to me" Index said.
"I don't blame him" Nozomu said shuddering "I had to walk past here every day all throughout my school years, it still gives me the creeps".
"...I'm in despair! Asking me all these irrelevant questions when we're meant to be finding someone who's supposedly your friend has left me in despair!" Nozomu blurted out.
"Okay, okay, you're right" Index said "I guess I was just curious, that's all".
The teacher and the 'outdated grouping of books' began running off again down another street, but there was still no sign of Aisa Himegami.
"I don't get it though, why do you always have to say that you're in despair or something like that?" Index questioned while running.
"Well, put it this way, why do you always have to bite people's hands… or heads?" Nozomu asked back, before quickly saying "On second thoughts, don't answer that".
"Hey, is this guy bothering you?" A voice suddenly said. Walking towards the two was a man with long red hair, wearing a black robe, holding a cigarette in his mouth and with what looked like some sort of barcode on his cheek.
"Ahaha, you're one of those delinquents aren't you? I warn you, if you lay as much as a single finger on me, I will personally..." Nozomu started saying as he flailed his arms up in the air.
"Can it, pops. I actually happen to be one of this girl's designated partners, by the orders of the Church of Necessary Evil" the stranger explained. "The better question is, who in blazing hell are you?".
"Stiyl!" Index cried out "Oh don't worry, this guy's Nozomu Itoshiki. He's Komoe's replacement; a bit eccentric, but practically harmless".
"...The Church of what?" Nozomu said.
"Heh right, guess I'll have to take your word for him" Stiyl muttered.
"But what are you doing back here, last thing you told me you were helping the Archbishop out with something important" Index said "Did something happen between you, has she..."
"Hey, everything's going fine" Stiyl answered, exhaling a puff of smoke "I was sent back here because I was told that Kamijo apparently got himself lost or something, and since Kaori's gone off to try and look for him I was the only one left".
"Heh, not that I'm complaining" he went on "Well, mostly not complaining..." he said as he glared at Nozomu.
"Wait, all that stuff this girl has said about having the Index-Librorum-Prohibitorum implanted into her memory, you mean that's all true?" Nozomu spoke up.
"Yup" Stiyl responded.
"But wasn't the Index abolished by the Pope in the year 1966 after..." Itoshiki-sensei began.
"Eugh, Mr Pedantic are we?" snarled Stiyl. "That's only partially correct. While it's true that every 'mundane' book lost its prohibited classification, the list remains in full effect for every book containing genuine magical properties".
Nozomu became silent for a bit, but then said "Anyway, you haven't seen a girl dressed as a miko running around here somewhere, have you?".
"You mean Himegami?" Stiyl asked "'Fraid not. Why, what happened? You didn't..."
"No, it's fine, she's just got mad after I said a few words to her... and that I graded her Level 0 may or may not have something to do with it" Nozomu said.
"So... you're her partner then. Huh, you don't look very Anglican" commented Itoshiki-sensei.
"You don't look very schoolteacher" muttered Stiyl. "Wait, from what I know of Japanese, doesn't 'Itoshiki Nozomu' read out as-"
"Eh, we should really be going. After all, Aisa's not going to find herself" Index swiftly interrupted.
"…I'm not even going to ask what that's supposed to mean" Nozomu said quietly.
"Two in one day?" Dr. Mikoto Itoshiki asked, suddenly having been called out of his current patient's room to examine another one. Considering how badly his medical business usually did this was practically a godsend.
"You're a doctor, aren't you?" a short blonde-haired girl dressed in black clothing asked. "Fix her".
Mikoto took Rei up in his arms and asked Sasha "Do you know what exactly the problem is with her?"
"She was hit full force by an area-based fire spell" the Russian girl replied.
What, magic again? This is beginning to get really strange... the doctor thought.
"Well, thank you for bringing her here, I'll make sure that she gets the treatment she needs and-" Mikoto started.
"Hmm, what have we here?" Faust said as he suddenly entered the reception room by apparently crawling along the ceiling.
"Hey, I thought you said you were-" Mikoto said but again was cut off.
"Erm, we're having trouble making any progress with the Imagine Scourge-infectee, but she seems to be at least resting peacefully for now" Faust responded.
Itoshiki didn't know how to react at first, but then said "Actually Faust, would you mind seeing to this girl now? I've been told she's sustained a magic-related injury, and I was thinking this sort of thing may be more up your alley".
"Very well, very well" Faust replied, "let's have a look at her, shall we?".
Rei was taken into another room, with Faust leaning over her examining several burns along her arms.
"Hmm, and I might have to bandage her along the forehead too" he remarked out loud.
Faust continued his examination of her for a few minutes, "Her heartbeat has dropped to, oh no, this isn't looking so well..." the bag-headed doctor was saying, when suddenly he was approached by four tall men in black-and-grey uniforms, serious expressions on their faces.
"We were informed that the girl Rei Ayanami was being held here, after receiving severe injury from a supernatural-caused explosion" the one in front said. "She is not of your concern, you will return her into our custody".
"Yes, I suppose that would be the correct thing to do" Faust stated. "Though alternatively I could just do this".
The man standing at the front received a sharp and speedy kick to the stomach, sending him flying into the corridor wall behind him. From there Dr Faust let out a piercing battle cry and impaled the next of the four into the ground with his scalpel. A short yet painful jab from his trusty umbrella sent the third of the men to the floor.
The last of the four pulled out a gun and opened fire upon the giant doctor, but Faust skidded away dodging all the bullets and pulled out, of all things, a jackhammer from seemingly nowhere and hammered his last opponent into the ceiling.
"Sorry, it appears I've forgotten-" Mikoto Itoshiki said as he came back into the hallway, only to freeze entirely once he saw what Faust had unleashed.
"What in hell have you done?" Dr. Itoshiki exclaimed at the sight of four men knocked completely unconscious, at least he hoped being knocked unconscious was the worst that had happened to them, all across the hospital floor.
"Shouldn't have interrupted a doctor analysing his own patient" Faust stated "Honestly, I find it incredibly rude when someone people just think they-"
Mikoto's expression only became worse once he noticed certain badges on the men's uniforms.
"Faust, do - you - know - who- these - people - are?" Mikoto said very slowly.
"Hmm, nope. Never had the pleasure I'm afraid" the bag-wearing giant replied.
"This badge-" Mikoto began "signifies them as high-ranking agents operating directly under incredibly high-ranking officials in the administrative department of Academy City".
Dr Itoshiki paused for breath. "And you've just-"
"Given them a lesson in manners and proper behaviour" Faust quickly said. "Now, why don't you just go and-"
"Do you have the slightest idea of how much trouble you've just gotten us in?" Mikoto burst out.
"I'm in despair! Random acts of slaughter and violence have left me in despair!" he wailed out.
Faust was a bit lost for words. Mikoto then turned to him and rasped "And it's all your bloody fault!".
The bag-headed giant then replied "Well, blood was technically only a certain-" But Mikoto had already fainted from it all on the floor.
Albedo strode his way into the central room of the dark, windowless building where the true administrator of Academy City was said to reside. Behind him lay countless slain bodies of the various people who had tried to stand in his way. He may have possessed no supreme offensive abilities, yet in defensive terms he was unstoppable.
In the middle of this central chamber was an unusual figure floating upside-down in a glass tube filled with orange liquid. He spoke when saw the white-haired figure enter the room "I do not believe I scheduled any appointments for this time".
"Well then, consider this a… surprise visit" Albedo replied as he walked closer.
"Who are you, and what is it you want?" the one floating in the tube hissed.
Albedo only smirked. "I am a flawless fusion of two otherwise endlessly conflicting paths. I am a being embodying both Science and Magic, and not only that but I have achieved, through glorious revelation after glorious revelation, the ultimate states imaginable on both sides"
"My common name is Albedo Piazzolla, my sorcery name is Simeon667, but you may call me… the Level 6 Esper, 'La Persona Superiore A Dio'!" he announced, "And now that that this level has at last been attained, there's really no more need for your miserable Academy City, now is there?" As he said this he began to create a bolt of pulsating dark energy above his head "And most of all there's no more need for you, Superintendent, there has never been for sixty-three years!".
Albedo tossed his spell directly towards the figure, but when it was about to smash into the glass tube shielding the Superintendent a voice from the shadows intoned "Silentium005".
A strange Japanese symbol appeared in the air, halting Albedo's spell in its path and dissipating it.
Slowly, Piazzolla turned around to see that a man with dark hair, a darker robe and empty shadows in the place of eyes had entered the room as well.
"Heh, well well well, another uninvited guest have we?" Albedo chuckled. "I'm not in the mood for entertaining visitors anymore, so I think I might have to kill you as well. Hold still, this shouldn't take long…"
"I have no concern over what happens to Crowley, but I will insist that you stop this meaningless chaos. What do you honestly plan to achieve, Unit #667?" the stranger spoke.
Albedo hesitated for a moment, but then said "Quite simply, the disappearance of the Imagine Breaker has threatened the very security of this City. The rise of the Imagine Scourge has threatened the very health of this City. Once I kill Superintendent Crowley, everyone, Esper, teacher, Anti-Skill, Abilityless, will erupt into panic, scared out of their minds from a power that threatens the very lives of this City!"
"But that's only the beginning. The first thing they'll notice about me is that I have magic powers, and once they learn that I'm meant to be employed by Annihilatus not only will the treaty between scientists and magicians shatter, but the hidden world of magic will finally be exposed!"
"This loathsome planet will degenerate into a beautiful symphony of war, fear and destruction, with yours truly as the conductor of this orchestra of pandemonium!"
The dark stranger wasn't very impressed. "Nothing more than the delusional ravings of a power-mad fool" he muttered. "You have no idea what it is you search for. Piazzolla, if you will just cease your idiocy, I can promise that I will guide you on the path towards what you truly desire".
This time Albedo looked offended. "Did you just call me an idiot?" he snarled, before shifting his face into a sinister smile "I wasn't born yesterday, what makes you think I have any reason whatsoever to trust you?"
"No thank you, now why don't you just be on your way?" Albedo said as sparks of lightning began to appear on his hands. "Heh heh, so many people have died at my hand today that I don't think one more is really going to hurt".
The sparks around Albedo's hands suddenly transformed into a five-pronged magical whip of electric energy. The white-haired esper-magus tossed it high then brought it swiftly down upon the dark stranger. Albedo had expected his unwelcome opponent to be fried to death underneath the crackling lightning, however this stranger was showing surprising resistance to what would've electrocuted anyone else.
The dark one was now emitting a limited force field of his own, using it to push aside the electric strands.
"Must you be forced to listen to reason?" he muttered, before leaping up to attack Albedo, his fist clenched. The white-haired one rolled to the side before the blow could connect, but the stranger had already gotten back to his feet.
So, that's how play it… Albedo thought, before springing upwards and unleashing forth a surge of spiritual energy from the floor of the room. Albedo knew there was absolutely no way his foe should be able to withstand this crushing flurry… yet, against all possibility, the stranger was slowly walking through the explosion of magic, seemingly not even wounded from it all.
The stranger leapt up and delivered a severe uppercut to Albedo's chest, knocking him up and down to the ground. The magical energy began to subside, the spells Albedo had created slowly fading away, but he just got up again and laughed.
"You're one of them aren't you?" Albedo said "I've heard about it, those who have 'awakened themselves to the Origin', that would explain why you think you can just shrug off anything thrown at you"
"Unfortunately for you, I was created an Anti-Divine existence, but you already knew that, didn't you?" he hissed "Then you've made a pretty big mistake in trying to confront me".
As he said that, a violet aura automatically appeared around Albedo. "Hold still, this won't take a moment now"
Albedo then lashed out with another bolt of energy, this one apparently dealing noticeable damage to his enemy. The stranger was staggering to recover, but was beginning to mutter a healing spell to cleanse his wounds.
Albedo couldn't afford to waste this chance. "And now for the finishing touch" he proclaimed as another magical bolt began to form, however from out of nowhere some kind of metallic creature appeared and sliced Albedo from behind with razor-sharp blades.
"Don't mind if I join in" said a voice from above, belonging to a black-haired girl standing atop a hovering machine, overlooking the chamber. The metallic creature sprang upwards to the girl and seemed to disappear in a green light.
Albedo was clutching his head in his hands, yet his inborn power was able to easily regenerate the scar on the back of his head.
"Well what have we here, reinforcements? Quite unprofessional of you I must say, not such the big, brave man are you now?" Albedo spoke again to the eyeless stranger. "Hehehe, I must say, I seem to be having the most awful luck with little girls today".
"Oh be quiet" the girl said as she leapt off the machine and landed gracefully on the floor.
"I did… not plan on your appearance" the dark one muttered at this new arrival.
"I have you now!" another voice shouted. It was then Vassilisa appeared on the scene, running up and punching Albedo in the side of his face. The nun then sharply kicked Albedo in the stomach, and with another punch to him sent him rolling across the floor.
"I've had enough of you…" Albedo snarled as he was cornered by his three opponents "All of you!".
A swirl of energy shining purely white appeared in Albedo's palm, the instant he released it everything in the area was blasted backwards by extreme force, and the glass tube containing the Superintendent… shattered into pieces.
With a scream the Superintendent Crowley fell face down onto the floor, into the middle of a pile of broken glass.
Albedo laughed as he stepped away "Finally, I have done it!" he said, "Yeugh, what is this liquid anyway?' he snarled, seeing as he had been drenched in the orange fluid the tube once contained.
"Well now, I'm afraid you'll all have to wait before we get a chance to finish this battle. For now, jus tell them that Albedo Piazzolla sends his love" Albedo concluded, teleporting away in a glowing spiral.
"I'll attend to Crowley" said the dark-robed man, "The two of you, leave this place, it'd serve no point for you two to be dragged down into this".
"He got away again…" muttered Vassilisa.
"You don't have time to be thinking like that. Now come on" said the dark-haired girl.
"Thank you for bringing him to me, I cannot believe something like this could happen" said the frog-faced doctor to the dark-robed one as they both stood over Crowley's bedside.
"I will remind you that I rescued him only because Academy City falling into disorder would serve as a hindrance to me" he replied "If not for that, I would have just watched him bleed to his death on the glass".
"Well, we're most grateful for your help nevertheless" the frog-faced doctor told him "Heh, your healing powers are really something, aren't they? People like you could put me out of a job" he joked.
The dark-robed one's expression did not change "They have been remarked upon. However, in this case I hardly needed to use them. Even without his machines, I can sense there is something within trying to keep him alive" he said.
"I see…" muttered the frog-faced one. "You're sure you aren't going to stay?"
"The only reason I came to this city was to track down that white-haired one, however it was futile trying to even communicate with such a deranged soul. I have no need to remain here any longer" the dark one said.
"I walk along a path that science dares not to, our roads will not intersect any time soon. Farewell"
"Well, I guess that's understandable" sighed frog-face. "But could we at least know who you are?" he asked.
The dark stranger stopped at the door.
"Sorcerer… Araya Souren".
Nozomu and Index sighed and both sat down on a bench in the central street, they'd been searching all day long for any sign of Aisa but hadn't come across anything.
"Maybe she really has run away from the city" Nozomu admitted "But where could she have gone, I was never told about any other family she had".
"Maybe she went to go find Komoe" suggested Index "Do you remember where she said she was going to?"
"Meh, hardly. Nobody has any idea where that Touma went, I have no idea where that his teacher thought to look" Nozomu said. "Looks like we're stuck".
"Hey! I'm sure if we could just think of-" Index began.
"Why bother? I say we just give up, it's what I always do. This world has seen more stories of failure than it has seen ones of success.
Besides, if Himegami thought to run off in the first place I'm sure she at least had some idea about how she's going to survive" Nozomu finished.
"Huh, what happened to Mr 'I'm her guardian now, she's my responsibility'?" Index said.
Itoshiki-sensei just leaned back and muttered "Children these days grow up so fast, perhaps it's time to just let the girl spread her wings and- Yeowie! Owchie! OWCH!" he screamed as Index was now biting on to his head.
"Do you act that way to everyone you meet? Honestly, you should-" Nozomu began, but was suddenly interrupted as a television broadcast came on without warning on several large TV screens in the area, one on a passing blimp.
"Today all of Academy City was nearly placed on the brink of collapse when a rogue agent from a Russian organisation attacked and almost killed one of this City's most important administrators, who we cannot show on live television due to… the horrible injuries he has sustained.
This agent claimed to possess both psychic and magical abilities, including instantaneous regeneration and powerful elemental spells, and insisted that he was a fabled Level 6. He single-handedly slaughtered large numbers of both Anti-Skills and Judgment members as it was impossible for him to be killed by any attack.
This agent would've killed the administrator if it were not for three previously unknown individuals, who were able to fend off this attacker and restore the administrator's health through their own unidentified powers. The first was another member of the Russian organisation who assures us that this man's actions were purely unauthorised and completely against the wishes of their superiors. The other two wish to remain anonymous.
However, this so-called Level 6 escaped and is still on the loose. All Academy City inhabitants are advised to take the utmost caution."
A picture of appeared onscreen, showing a man in his mid-to-late twenties with white hair, a white cape and black clothing.
"Esper-Magus hybrid? That's impossible! Espers can't use magic and magi can't use psychic powers without suffering extreme pain. There's absolutely no way someone like him can exist!" Index immediately exclaimed.
"Yet apparently he does. You saw the broadcast, right?" Stiyl then said as he came up to them on the street. "With some nutjob that like going around there's no way in hell I'm letting you stay in this City" he addressed Index.
"Hate to admit it, but Kamijo would be practically the only person with a chance of stopping that loon" Stiyl continued "But when the moment comes when we could really use the guy, he's apparently vanished".
"But where are we going to?" Index questioned.
Stiyl just shrugged and replied "No idea, but we definitely aren't staying here".
Nozomu was about to speak but Stiyl suddenly snapped "Oh no, there's no bleeding way I'm letting you of all people tag along. I appreciate you looking after Index so far today, but from here on you're going to let the professionals handle things".
Itoshiki-sensei then muttered "I was only going to say, 'don't worry about me'".
"Don't worry, there's no way in hell I'm going to" Stiyl snarled.
Just outside Academy City limits a black-haired girl was standing once again on a grassy hill, this time looking away from it all.
A few hours had now passed since the fight in the Windowless Building, since then the girl had gone on a data-collecting side trip just before she could be fully done with the City.
"So that's what happened to him. Heh, I'll admit that wasn't how I expected things to end up, but I'm not surprised either" she thought to herself.
At that moment, she felt she could sense something strange, like she wasn't alone here. Turning around, she saw that the man she had fought with against Albedo before was standing behind her.
"It's been a long time, Araya, hasn't it?" she said to him .
"For what reason were you following me before?" he stated simply.
"Huh, as if you're one to talk about following after someone. Unlike with you and Albedo I didn't come here because I was tracking you, I had other business at the time. Honestly, I never once expected to see you in Academy City, but when I saw you entering that building I just had to tag along to see why you were here" she replied.
She smirked and held up a collection of notes, "I stole all of these from the Yuriev Institute, the faction meant to be overseeing the place barely even noticed me".
Her face and tone suddenly became more serious-looking, as she said "That person, that Albedo, I guess he's…"
"Correct" Araya answered for her.
Changing the subject, she said "I guess this makes you a hero now, saving Superintendent Crowley like that and preventing an outbreak of war. Lots of people in Academy City and all over the world their owe lives to you".
"Not like you did all the work alone, he could've pulverised you at that last moment if it weren't for that nun and I" she went on "But still, very uncharacteristic of you".
"Terms such as 'hero' and 'villain' are meaningless to me" Araya responded "You also forget that a war just as meaningless would've only been a distraction for me from reaching the True Origin, not something I'd want or need".
"Keep your goals to yourself. I don't have the faintest idea what you have in mind, but count me out of it" the girl said.
"Why did you stop him, Mir? I know perfectly well you don't care how many humans die" Araya then spoke.
The girl apparently named 'Mir' was hesitant for a while, but finally said "Maybe I just wanted to join in the fight, but I guess my real reason was that I wanted you alive, if only to answer one thing. Now seems like a better place to than anywhere".
"Why did you abandon me?" she spoke up.
Araya replied "I wasn't in the position to raise a child, nor am I now or shall ever be. I believed that you would have easily figured that out for yourself. I told you that I can not afford distractions, and I'd hoped Amakusa could at least serve as suitable guardians".
Mir sighed, and responded "You are right to an extent, there was no point in me asking".
"But Amakusa, really?They're a complete shambles, their leader especially is an ignoramus I refuse to take orders from, if I should even be taking orders from anyone in the first place".
"Tatemiya is someone I can see great promise and potential within" said Araya.
Mir then had to stifle a laugh. "What, so you can use him as an extra in your little puppet show?" she blurted out. Snarling and turning around again, she called back over her shoulder "Fare thee well, Souren" speaking somewhat sarcastically, before heading away.
Araya just stood there and watched her leave. "Farewell, #014" he said "For at least the time being"
Nozomu, Index and Stiyl stood at the gateway out of Academy City, by an entrance that had recently been used often by 'visiting' mages. The schoolteacher and the girl had received one last chance to talk to each other, with Stiyl's very reluctantly, very graciously given permission.
"Well, guess this is goodbye then" Nozomu muttered "Though I honestly have no idea why you stuck with me for so long, at times you got so mad that I'm frankly quite surprised you didn't leave with the Himegami girl".
"I suppose it's as you said, I just had nowhere else to go" Index replied.
"Really? Well, going by that logic…" began Nozomu. A small gust of wind blew in the area, and Itoshiki turned to Index and said "Then together with me, will you follow me till the depths of hell?"
Index suddenly paused and stared. "What, how did you…?" she tried to say.
"Huh, how did I what?" Itoshiki asked.
"…Oh never mind" Index finally said.
"Hey, just so you know you've gotten off pretty lightly considering some of the stuff you've done" she suddenly spoke up.
"Hunh, lightly?" Nozomu said.
"Yeah, it's because of you I haven't eaten once since morning" Index angrily accused. The nun glared at Itoshiki-sensei for a long time, but eventually her gaze softened.
"…Do you think we'll ever see each other again?" she asked.
"I doubt it" Nozomu responded "If you're really as important to your magical community as your protector says you are, it was very unlikely that we ever met in the first place".
"Life is filled with all sorts of people you may wish to remain with but will never ever see again. 'I was in the same class as an idol singer in my sophomore year', 'Did I ever tell you about the time I met the Queen of the Netherlands' I've heard it all before. Face it Ms Prohibitorum, God's shunted us into completely separate worlds, there's no use waiting for the next planetary alignment" Nozomu went on.
Normally Index would've bitten him, but this time she just stayed silent.
"But as I said, don't worry about me. I told you before I wanted to die, being in the same city as some raving maniac doesn't frighten me at all" Nozomu added.
"Yeah, okay" Index murmured, before asking "Erm, you're the substitute teacher for Touma's class right? So… what about your old class? Did they find someone else for them, or-"
"They died" Itoshiki-sensei said a-matter-of-factly.
"…I see then" muttered Index "What happened, did they-"
"I don't like to talk about it!" Itoshiki suddenly snapped.
"Hey, we don't have all day you know" Stiyl called out.
"Coming" Index called back, running up towards Stiyl. She turned around one last time and said to Nozomu "You'd better find Aisa, do you hear?".
"Alright, sure, fine" Nozomu snarled. He then watched as Index and Stiyl walked away out of his life.
Maybe that could've gone better, he thought.
Itoshiki-sensei then just stood at that place for some time, watching some leaves be swept around in the air in the distance.
He was about to leave when he heard two voices coming his way, one of them definitely sounded familiar.
"I still say we shouldn't have left the blue-haired girl behind"
"What, and get in even more trouble by taking her along with us? I think not, besides we're at least taking the Scourge girl like you wanted"
Nozomu spun around and saw that his brother Mikoto, who was carrying some girl over his arm, and… some bag-wearing giant were frantically running towards him.
"Wait, what's going on-" the teacher tried to begin.
"Everything's his fault!" Mikoto burst out, pointing at the giant.
"What happened? Could you at least tell me what's going on?" Nozomu shouted over the chaos.
"Ahah, this should be the place!" Faust exclaimed happily as he elegantly (at least as elegantly as Faust could be) skipped atop several ledges and floated over the wall gliding on his red-and-white umbrella.
"Eugh, no time to explain now, I'll… fill you in later" Mikoto shouted hurriedly as he tossed Nozomu over his shoulder and dashed through the passage Stiyl had used.
"Wait! What about Majiru, what about-" Nozomu said as Mikoto ran.
"You'll see them again later, right now we've got to hurry!" Mikoto yelled.
List of named crossover characters introduced in this chapter in order of appearance:
-Jakuri/Jacqli, a.k.a Mir - Ar Tonelico series.
-Nozomu Itoshiki, Majiru Itoshiki, Mikoto Itoshiki - Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
-Albedo Piazzolla - Xenosaga series
-Dr Faust - Guilty Gear series
-Rei Ayanami, the MIBs - Neon Genesis Evangelion
-Araya Souren - Kara No Kyoukai