Requests, here we come!
Some of you might seriously wonder the amount of time I have on my hands to do all of this. I've wondered myself the same thing but for the most part if you can simply read what I have to offer and imagine some guy typing on a keyboard and getting everything down, then that's me. I hope the image of me in your head is something you can reasonably expect.
Today's request comes from Guest00 who asked:
In advance of "The Rumour III" ... perhaps as a future BTL chapter, you might do your own take as to why Tsuchimikado and Aogami are the ones primarily fanning the flames regarding the idea that "Kami-yan" is amassing a harem, even in the face of Touma's own admission that he has no such intention, and never did (at least based so far on what I know of the light novels). When did it all start? What do they hope or expect to get out of it? How long will they keep at it? ... and other questions that don't come to mind right now.
How you may go about dictating that scenario I leave in your very capable hands.
Firstly, thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate them and I hope I can meet your expectations to the fullest. It might be hard to believe but these harem chapters are the hardest for me to write, mainly because being lazy and simply saying 'harem shenanigans this and that' feels like a complete bore to me despite loving them to bits when reading them. Diverting away from this and doing the above idea is definitely pretty challenging, at least for me.
But we'll leave how well I did to your capable consideration.
Before we head into the fray, here is the Q & A:
Aminadab Brulle: Yeah, last chapter was a weird one for me. But even though there had elements of edgyess (I love poking fun at this in its own way given how dark ACUL0 has become) and drama, in the end, I love the idea of Mikoto being a bit of a delinquent to Touma. It's how they started after all! To be honest with last chapter the chapter itself was strange from the get go and part of me wants to make another chapter… As for your idea for a meth lab, if Mikoto was the Phantom Thief, then Kakine would have been the Chemist. Who doesn't want a sniff of some Dark Matter?!
Animan10: Thanks for your kind words there! I wanted to try and get the 'feel' for a different yet similar type of interaction between Mikoto and Touma so I'm glad it worked out there. But then again, the fact that last chapter's Mikoto says 'thank you' in a city of crime suggests a lot of things, right?! Undertones here from someone who also supports Kamikoto. Hope you enjoy Railgun's Daihaseisai arc for that!
whwsms: …Now that you say it, some jazz in the background would be perfect for this. I think that despite how different I tried to make the story, the characters were roughly the same in various ways. After all, if I made them too different, it wouldn't really be a fanfic then and just an original story with similar character names. Touma is INVINCIBLE amiright!?
DNWorks: Thanks!
shiroryuu012: Hahahaha, that does sound like a neat idea, but the execution would have to be on point. But in terms of request, I'm pretty sure I have one from you in the back log so I don't think I can commit to this. Sorry.
Anime-ted Life116: …D-Did you just call Academy City a lawful place!? Are we talking about the same Academy City here?! I'm glad that you liked the chapter though; there were various things that I wanted to have a play with in this chapter so I'm glad it worked out for you. For the revolver point though, the reason that I chose it has to do with the fanart that was the inspiration for the chapter: Mikoto holds a revolver in it. That's the only reason so sorry to disappoint you if you thought there was some massive reason behind it. I have to say though, I want to use a magnum for this now! I'm not too sure about the shield function though; it doesn't sound very portable! As for the Rumour, let me tell you that something IS coming up! But if you had another request, I'd be happy to comply.
Kaichou9779: !? I hadn't thought about Accelerator too much apart from being a mass murderer but I can imagine him with an Iron Man suit.
Pokedexter: Hahahaha, I'm glad that I managed to get your interest. Thank you for your thoughts as well as the time you've spent reading my works. Hopefully I can continue to craft stories that catch your interest. I believe the image was referencing a series called Lupin Third though. Never seen it myself so you might find the anime different from what I've crafted.
Sagnik Deb: Yuriko is coming but will be a bit of a while. And whether you want a Part 2 will depend on whether that's a request or not!
ArmoredCoreNineBall: Yeah, I got a lot of people telling me it was a 'nice' story given that the themes didn't lend that to it at all. I think Touma is still a misfortunate character in this; it just so happens that this time, the thing he wanted to do to help another person was steal something that Mikoto had her eyes on so his role wasn't really that of a Gentleman Thief. Glad you liked it though!
WwEpsilonwW: Thanks so much, I'll try and keep up this work!
And finally, the thanks. Firstly, to my beta reader PokeRescue18. Seriously man, thanks so much for all your work. I've said it so many times and I've meant it each and every time so I hope the words I give you you take to heart.
To you, the reader as well. I've put you through some crazy ideas in the past few years haven't I? It's pretty insane to say the least so I hope you can enjoy this idea as much as the last ones.
And also to you, Guest00. I've finally gotten someone to change their standard Guest name so for this! I truly want to thank you for everything you've done and hope I can meet the expectations behind the idea you have graciously provided me.
But in other news Railgun T has started up and Genesis Testament is only a month away!? It feels so weird that we're in the season for thirds, but who knew things would get up to this stage?! Although Railgun T started off strong, let's see if it continues and whether the source material of Index can do the same with Genesis Testament.
And from me, I hope everyone does what they always do with these stories:
Enjoy.
Mr Question Mark.
Friendship Being the Main Problem. Unwanted_Explanations.
"Tsuchimikado-chan, you know if you don't explain yourself, you're going to get expelled!"
Tsukuyomi Komoe sat at her desk and said that with an angry tone as she regarded one of two students standing in front of her, both students looking as though they had every right to be given a lecture by the small teacher based on how they were dressed and held themselves.
But then again, with the way Tsuchimikado Motoharu and Aogami Pierce were, that dress scene and not giving a damn attitude about what anyone else thought of them was merely an expression of the free souls (read: idiots) they were.
Both students stared with nonchalant faces at the small teacher who pouted given their lack of response before shaking her head and grabbing the documents on the table in front of her. She held them up so both individuals could see them. She waved them in front of their faces for emphasis and spoke, although the tone she was using indicated the things she was speaking about were of the utmost importance to her.
"This is a serious issue and Sensei is extremely worried for the both of you. Sure, seeing problem children such as yourself even choosing to come to school during this dark time in world history is commendable in itself, but given how tense Academy City is during this time, it's going to take a lot of work for me to try and sort this out with everyone else!"
Komoe-sensei had a worried expression on her face and while the scene of her telling off two out of the three main problem children within her class was not exactly an odd thing, what was odd was the fact her expression right now suggested this was an issue she could not think of as being 'more of the usual'.
The date was October 25th.
And currently, World War 3 had erupted throughout the world.
Academy City had been at its core and the events leading up to it had escalated after the coup d'état in England, the events of such apparently being deeply rooted in the actions of the Second Princess Carissa. Throughout the month of October, it seemed the world and controlling the powder kegs of political conflicts had entirely lost any and all meaning. It was all Komoe-sensei could do to keep herself together during this rough time.
Academy City being at the centre of WWIII had meant that while she did not really approve of the idea given it meant students should have been getting an education were not receiving it, parents of students within the City itself had pulled their children out of classes and demanded they come home. The students of A Certain High School were no exception and it had been with teary eyes and a frantic schedule that Komoe-sensei had fought back with everything she had against the decisions of the parents being flooded to her.
By no means was she an unreasonable person. She understood exactly why the parents were choosing to pull their children out of the education program as provided by the City and fully supported that. After all, even if they were no longer her students, she still held in her heart the love for them that came from an educator to the lambs in her care.
No, what she objected to was the fact there had been nothing in the form of a counterplan for those parents. The only thing they were thinking about was the short term future and given WWIII was currently being waged across the snowy plains of Russia, the front line, the desire and the need for a plan for the future of those children was one Komoe-sensei had wanted the parents to keep in mind as they took their children away.
Yes, the parents had every right to take their children away from Academy City. It was unknown whether the weapons that were the espers of Academy City would be asked to fight on the front lines. While next generation weaponry was mainly being used in the skirmishes on the battlefield, it was unknown how long the War would last and whether it was the children who were going to be asked to pay the price for that. Seeking the safety of those children was of the utmost importance, Komoe-sensei agreed, however, to do it at the cost of their futures?
Who knew how long WWIII would last? And if the espers were taken out of Academy City, what type of life would await them on the outside? The curriculum within Academy City was entirely different to the one provided by the rest of the world so unleashing those children back into society of the outside would mean they would be treated as the outcasts they were, not only for their abilities but also because of the things they knew and had been exposed to.
The students from Academy City would be exposed to a different type of war, a psychological one that meant they would be pressured from all sides as the world constantly tormented them with how different they were for having entered Academy City in the first place.
Yes, the safety of the children was important. But it was the case in both the short term and the long term. Taking them away from Academy City in the hopes to make them safe was the correct decision but not thinking ahead and thinking 'it would be alright' was naïve and only made Komoe-sensei desperately ask those parents what the plan for their children in the future was.
Komoe-sensei loved those lambs under her care. The way they struggled, the way they did their best; she loved them and she would do anything she could to make sure they were protected. So, when she had received the calls from numerous parents to 'release' their children, the heated arguments she had entered as they discussed the future of those lambs had ended in a slammed phone and another bottle of beer opened.
The last few days for Komoe-sensei as she considered and thought about the future of Academy City and the students in her care were days that had meant her body was suffering, both from lack of sleep and the increase in the alcohol and cigarettes she had been taking. She had even popped open a rare Cuban cigar the other day, although had been arrested over it because of a mistake in her age.
Dealing with issues from the outside was hard enough let alone issues on the inside and it was the issue created because of the two students in front of her that had immediately taken her interest and focus for her usually quiet lunch break. With a frustrated glance at them, both students whistled without a care as if it had nothing to do with them at all.
"D-Do you even understand what you two did wrong? Although Kamijou-chan has disappeared over the past few days and has not gone to school, that does not mean you can do what you have been doing in his absence! S-Sensei is already dealing with calls for parents trying to pull their children out of school and this type of thing does not exactly help!"
"Komoe-sensei…" Aogami Pierce spoke with a shake of his head and placed a hand to his forehead as he did so. "Although it might be hard to comprehend, the things we did during class were meant to reveal to everyone the benefits of staying in this wonderful City."
"Exactly nyah. What we were doing was expressing ourselves and applying our freedom of speech to truly make those in the class understand what they have been missing out on."
"Wh-What everyone has been missing out on are the mannequins you have been stealing from the science classrooms! Do you know how many you even stole over the past few days and put on the roof of the school in some kind of occult-like circle? Not to mention the help you were getting from everyone else too. We had to send our science teacher home because of the state you put those mannequins in!"
"We were merely applying our own education towards an otherwise narrowminded secondary system. Without the synergy created by our expression of opinions and tastes, how else were we supposed to enhance awareness of the idiosyncrasies we hold?!"
"I-I'm not entirely sure you know the meaning of all the words you are using in that sentence b-but stealing mannequins with the help of the student body and putting them on the roof is not going to help. N-Not to mention the things you did to them! If this gets out, I'm not entirely too sure how the rest of the students' parents are going to respond."
"…Let them eat cake."
"I'm not entirely too sure that famous historical quote applies in this situation Tsuchimikado-chan! And doesn't that also imply you don't understand or care for the things you did!?" [1]
"Come on sensei! What exactly did we do wrong? …Although getting lectured on this by you is by no means something I am against!"
"Wh-What did you do wrong? Judging from what Fukiyose-chan says and what I've seen here in this report filed by the student chancellor, quite a lot. Even if World War 3 is in the background, seeing my students being this lax makes me worry quite a bit. I-I mean look at the state of the mannequins after what you and the other students put them through!"
Komoe-sensei laid out the documents she was holding onto her messy table, the first of which was labelled 'Exhibit A'. On it, with a length report contained beneath, was a picture of the roof of the school building, laid out for everyone to see although in the picture was perhaps one of the strangest things Komoe-sensei had seen for some time.
A gigantic wooden arch (wonders knew how it had gotten up there) was laid out in front of the entrance to the roof and in large letters spelled the following:
KAMI-YAN'S MIX-AND-MATCH HAREM.
The letters and Japanese characters looked as though a lot of effort had been put into it, effort which Komoe-sensei wished would be put into the Ichihanaransai although she had no idea if it was even going to go ahead given what was happening in the world right now. The large wooden arch had been extended over the roof and what lay beyond it was the subject of another photo and report, aptly named 'Exhibit B'.
It was the science class mannequins.
They all had been taken apart into their individual pieces; the head, the arms, the legs and the torso and been divided up into various areas: one part of the roof being a rather eerie collection of mannequin heads (the way they stared into space with their blank eyes had terrified many a student), another part being the arms, another the legs and finally, another, the torsos.
Exhibits C through to F gave a picture of the numerous parts the mannequins had been split up into and Exhibit G was a picture of what had laid in the centre of the roof, a mannequin put together using various parts of the other mannequins that had been stripped apart.
Although while the heads of the mannequins staring into space as if lamenting and silently cursing their fate was indeed something that looked as though it belonged in a horror movie, Exhibit G held the most fearsome sight of it all.
It was, as Aogami Pierce had called it, a 'masterpiece of integration of genres'.
For anyone else though, it would have been terrifying.
The head had cat ears and the eyes had been rather artistically redefined to shine with a green light when the camera had taken a picture. Blushes were painted on the mannequin's face and the eyes were drawn to look away with embarrassment as one of the cat ears seemed to droop in a rather cutesy way.
The torso had somehow been fitted with breasts, although they were just pillows (the student who owned them had been rather let down they had been returned). They were modest breasts (or was it more correct to call them pillows?) with a shirt open in the front to show too much cleavage that seemed reasonable.
The arms were of different 'genres' as well; the left holding what looked to be a longbow while the right had numerous goth tattoos along the surface, interwoven with patterns that seemed extremely intricate and also seemed to shine in their own way.
And the legs…well, there weren't any. Instead, what seemed to be a mermaid's tail had been attached to the torso with a metal stick holding the entire thing up. What this resulted in was a rather lifelike looking girl mannequin of something Komoe-sensei did not exactly know how to describe.
"I-I mean, what exactly is this anyway?!"
"Hah, Aogami Pierce, take it away nyah!" Tsuchimikado said, posing and looking at the blue haired boy who similarly posed, putting a hand under his chin and smiling deviously.
"Ah, this girl is perhaps one of the more unique girls of the Mix-and-Match Harem for Kami-yan. Firstly Sensei, notice the head. The cat ears are artificial of course, although it's interesting to note they originated from this girl working at a cat café. As you can see, since she is part mermaid, the natural fear of those that eat fish is the reason why she holds them on top of her head; to conquer her fear and get closer to the humans that live with such beings. However, as seen with the longbow in her hand, she is also half-elf, interestingly enough being a half-elf from a longline of goths who spread their teachings through the sea which eventually reached the mermaids and hence, gave her her hybrid status. The tattoos on her arm give her that sense of gothness that does not come from your typical goth loli, no, she is so much more than that. Even though she acts like a kuudere, she in fact, a tsundere, more appropriately evidenced from the top half of Exhibit G with the cat ears. Cold, yet also endearing and wanting to get along better with the humans who live with the creatures she naturally fears given she is half-mermaid, Exhibit G is a girl who I believe ranks high in the rankings of the genres that can be combined in such a way to properly meet the tastes of Kami-yan. Not to mention there exists the dark backstory meant to give our heroine here a more refined sense of accomplishment, making her seem more like a little sister rather than a childhood friend you have known for ages. As a result, she is aptly named the Not Goth Loli But Goth Anyway Little Sister Cat Eared Half Elf Mermaid Tsundere. Truly, truly an expression of genre expansion that had not otherwise been pursued before, is it not!?"
Komoe-sensei felt a migraine coming on and missed her friend the sake bottle as she looked down at Exhibit G, the Not Goth Loli But Goth Anyway Little Sister Cat Eared Half Elf Mermaid Tsundere. Why was that even the name of her anyway? And what did this have to do with Kamijou Touma in the first place?
Exhibits H onwards listed the numerous other combinations that could be formed with the Mix-and-Match harem. During lunch break as World War 3 had gone on in the world, it seemed students from A Certain High School had 'fled' to the roof, making their own 'heroines' with the parts of the stolen mannequins and then determining to what extent they would meet the preferences of one Kamijou Touma.
Given the pieces, there were more than 1000 possible combinations but the fact it had even started in the first place was beyond the comprehension of the small teacher as she stared into space without understanding a thing. Part of her wished she had never discovered this, however, once Fukiyose Seiri had caught wind of this everything had fallen to pieces and had been uncovered.
While that begged the question why that girl was not on the Disciplinary Committee, the only thing Komoe-sensei felt coming along was regret as she opened her mouth, knowing she was not going to enjoy the question that came to mind but saying it anyway.
"What exactly does this…"
"This being the Not Goth Loli But Goth Anyway Little Sister Cat Eared Half Elf Mermaid Tsundere." Said Aogami Pierce with a fraction of pride.
"…have to do with Kamijou-chan?"
Both boys in front of the woman, the two members of the Delta Force, tilted their heads and responded in the same way and at the same time.
"We're designing his harem for him. What else?"
"We're designing his harem for him. What else?"
Yes.
Their answer, as they had been interrogated, more 'tortured' at the hands of Fukiyose, had not changed and Komoe-sensei felt a wave of exhaustion coming over her as she sat at her desk. If there was any student that had ever caused Komoe-sensei more trouble than ever before, it would have to have been Kamijou Touma.
While that naturally got her heart racing and adrenaline coursing through her body as she found out a way to deal with such a problem student, it was the thing directly centred around him right now that was causing her head to hurt and a groan to escape her throat. Yes, she loved problem students but somehow, the expectations she felt she needed to have when it came to the utter ridiculousness of what surrounded Kamijou she had never removed from her mind.
No, the fact she had kept thinking she could explain and 'limit' the things that happened with Kamijou after he had blown off the roof of her house told her she had been in the wrong this entire time.
It seemed the KAMI-YAN'S MIX-AND-MATCH HAREM was exactly that; a place where the students of A Certain High School would gather and form 'heroines' which would then be ranked based on whether they would appeal to Kamijou or not. A high enough score and they would be added to an as-yet unofficial 'harem list' that currently consisted of numerous girls who had already been made up until this day.
They were idiots.
Whether it was Aogami Pierce and Tsuchimikado Motoharu who were the idiots or Kamijou Touma (who would probably say there was no 'dorm manager' setting for the mannequins) who were the bigger idiots in this case, Komoe-sensei did not know but as she sat there at her desk and stared at the two members of the Delta Force, the only thing that came to her mind was a single question.
No, come to think of it, why had she never asked this before? Why had no one ever asked this before? Things usually just seemed to happen and everything exploded way out of proportion. That was how things usually were and it was on that understanding that she had never once questioned this. However, now that she thought about it, Komoe-sensei frowned, facing the two idiots.
"Why?"
Perhaps it was her nature as a teacher that she was so blunt and direct, the two boys not even bothering to hide their confusion. Their faces looked as though they were just as confused as Komoe-sensei who repeated her question once more.
"Why exactly have you two been doing this for Kamijou-chan? I realise I've never asked but why have you been pursuing this so called 'harem' for Kamijou-chan? After all, to be honest, although he has disappeared, it does seem to be rather bothersome to him."
Komoe-sensei, as the teacher and researcher inside her wanted to find the answer to a question in the most efficient and the fastest way. So, she asked that question to the two idiots. They paused for a minute, turning to each other before turning back towards the woman and responding.
"Well, it's because he deserves to have his dreams fulfilled."
"Well, it's because he deserves to have his dreams fulfilled."
Both boys answered that without once holding back, Komoe-sensei confused now as she tilted her head. Tsuchimikado and Aogami frowned this time, tilting their heads as they said words that would have damaged the pride of any teacher, however, made the woman stare at both boys in shock.
"Although, the fact we have to tell you this is more of a surprise to me."
"D-Does this mean the reversal of the positions I hold between student and teacher gives me the chance to unlock an event that would have otherwise been hidden from me!?"
"Wait, does that mean if I do the housework for Maika, I'll be the maid!?"
"No one wants to see that when you aren't even a trap."
"H-Hang on there!" Komoe-sensei cut in before something she knew was going to explode eventually did. "What does this harem thing have to do with Kamijou-chan whatsoever? I mean, of course he doesn't exactly have the best of lives going around but the way he holds himself and acts around others is the same as everyone else. Just limiting the achievement of dreams to just Kamijou-chan ignores your own position as dream havers yourself!"
Komoe-sensei protested that more from the position of someone who believed all children had the chance for a better life and felt that identifying and limiting that scope to just one person prevented the others in a particular group from having the ability to fly. The optimist and the woman who wanted to make sure everyone had the chance to spread their wings said that in protest before Tsuchimikado and Aogami started what was clearly going to be a rather comedic fight.
Both boys stopped and frowned now, looking more confused that they had to explain themselves.
"Kami-yan acts the same as everyone else? You're not wrong about that whatsoever, Komoe-sensei." said Tsuchimikado with a tilt of his head, staring at the woman beneath him with a shine of his sunglasses.
"But that's exactly why he is the one we believe to be first in line if there is a dream he can achieve. If someone was handing out the opportunity to have their dreams fulfilled, it should be Kami-yan that stands first in line before anyone else." Aogami cut in as well, Komoe-sensei feeling something in the words, a small tug of acknowledgement as if she knew there was some form of truth to what was being said.
"You're talking about Kamijou-chan's misfortune…aren't you?"
"See? You do know." Tsuchimikado said that while nodding and folding his arms.
"Kami-yan's misfortune. Jeez, how much have we been put through because of it, Tsuchimikado?" asked Aogami as he stared at his friend, folding his own arms and nodding much the same way Tsuchimikado was doing. "Remember the opening ceremony? And Golden Week?"
"Best. Golden Week. Ever. Nyah." Tsuchimikado grinned to which Aogami nodded and turned towards Komoe-sensei with the same grin on his face as he continued to talk.
"Say what you want about Kami-yan, but the things that happen around him are too crazy to even note. Seriously, if you were to take his life and document each and every event that happened to him, you'd end up with a novel series. And that's just considering the day to day happenings with his misfortune."
"But amidst it all, Kami-yan aims and strives to live out his normal life. He aims and focuses entirely on making sure he can live that normal life and that others have the chance to do so as well. For the person who has the worst position in life, the fact he can even live out his life in Academy City like everyone else when his life is hardly like that…say what you will about the two of us, but Kami-yan is the biggest idiot of them all."
"Grinning like an idiot, living like an idiot, Kami-yan definitely is the idiot of all idiots. And yet, the ultimate example of that idiocy is how he aims to live out his life in the same way and in the same fashion as everyone else despite the things he gets up to. He wants to hang out with his friends, he wants to do normal things and he wants to have a good time with everyone else, no matter what his misfortune does and dictates for him. Even though everything he has been through, everything he has seen and everything he has done, Kami-yan strives forward to do the very best he can and grab whatever his hands can grasp in the moment."
Aogami spoke, Tsuchimikado choosing now to lean against the desk nearest to him, grinning like a fool the entire time but now shaking his head.
"But more than that, Kami-yan will never let you down. Sure, he'll complain endlessly about it and yell and scream about it but you'll never find anyone else who you would rather want on your side when you're in a pinch. For that normal life he wants to grasp, it's entirely normal for that spiky haired idiot to think there is nothing wrong with wanting to help out a friend or someone else in need nyah."
"Normal… For Kami-yan, that word is the last thing that describes him. For the misfortune he has faced and the things he has seen and done, the word 'normal' describing Kami-yan is entirely inappropriate. But he manages it and wants it with everything he has and that thinking doesn't expand to just himself. You've seen it Komoe-sensei, haven't you? How that king of idiots wants the best for everyone else, even if it means he has to give something up himself?"
Indeed, she had.
No, if anything, Tsukuyomi Komoe was the last person who needed to be told about the way and nature Kamijou Touma was. The way he wanted a normal life for himself was ridiculous given his misfortune, but it was how he strived to make sure he gave everyone else the chance to live a normal life was equally as stupid and equally as pointless.
When his position was the worst in the world for the things he did and got up to through nothing but his misfortune, he wanted the best for everyone else. The normality he wished upon everyone else and for everyone else to grasp, even if it meant he had to cut away part of his own normality in the process, was something Komoe-sensei had seen many times before.
Someone who had nothing wanting everything for everyone else. No, it was someone who wanted something yet had nothing wishing the best for himself but also wishing for everything for everyone else. Through the misfortune and through the pain Kamijou had experienced and pushed forward because of the things he had been through, there was still the desire, the wish to ensure there was someone else who was smiling, even if Kamijou had to give something up to make sure that person smiled.
How stupid was that?
How completely idiotic when someone faced misfortune day in and day out? When Kamijou should have been thinking about himself and should have been considering the things he had to deal with, he still took the time and had the patience to want to help others, want to assist them and want to make sure he could do what he could for the 'normal' person despite wanting to have that normality himself.
Thinking endlessly of others and being the person to throw himself into whatever circumstances there were for the sake of another person and trying to better their position despite having the worst position himself…just how endlessly idiotic was that?
"When the world has given you the worst position in the world, it's only natural to want to focus on yourself and nothing else. But Kami-yan…seeing how he takes that misfortune and uses it to help others, you really can't look down on him for it. …You really can't. Despite being the king of idiots, Kami-yan is the person you know you can turn to when you want it and know you can count on him. If everyone else turns you away, there is one idiot out there in the world who will hear you out when you need it and listen to the story you have." Tsuchimikado's voice was quiet now, as if thinking, reminiscing on something within his mind.
"When you're in the bottom of an endless pit, you go to someone deeper in that pit than you. Someone who will lift you higher on his own shoulders in that same pit, giving you the chance to drag yourself out as that idiot stays behind and waits for the chance for someone else to fall in, only to push them out. Kami-yan has lived his life like that, Komoe-sensei, living for others. He's…got the worst role in life, always giving and giving and giving despite having the type of lifestyle that would allow, hell, even condone taking. But Kami-yan, being the endless idiot he is, chooses to give. He chooses to give kindness that has never really been given to him in the first place." Aogami's voice entered a melancholic tone, holding a hidden meaning behind the words. Komoe-sensei did the same thing as well, falling silent as the other member of the Delta Force spoke again.
"Kami-yan doesn't hold dreams entirely for himself. They are based on the dreams of others and validated only through whether others achieve them or not. You said we are dream havers as well, Komoe-sensei. In my eyes though, we're dream takers. Taking a dream from Kami-yan and using him for the purposes of allowing ourselves the chance to achieve our dreams."
"And that endless idiot won't complain about it. He won't say anything and he won't utter a word about it either. He'll just let it happen with a stupid smile on his face."
"So…"
"If that's the case…"
Tsuchimikado and Aogami grinned once more, looking livelier than they had before as they jabbed at their own chests with their thumbs.
"Then we'll do it for him, nyah!"
"We will dream that impossible dream for Kami-yan and give him the chance to grasp the dreams everyone else takes from him in the kindness he shows to others, kindness he has every right to hold to himself because of his misfortune!"
Komoe-sensei felt a blank coming to her mind, something that felt entirely different given what the two idiots had been saying. The things they had seen and pitied in Kamijou were things Komoe-sensei had noted herself but while her heart had felt heavy when they had said those things, looking at it now, the things they were saying were so at odds with that heavy atmosphere that she could only stare in complete confusion at the two of them, slowly feeling her mind catch up.
"Hang on… So, the reason you're pursuing this harem idea for Kamijou-chan is because…?!"
"Naturally, it's because Kami-yan doesn't have the chance to dream himself given how he is always about other people due to his misfortune. So, the only thing we can do, as his friends, is to dream for him, nyah~!"
"And what better way to do that than with pursuing the ultimate route in the 2D genre for him!? It's gotta be a hareeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem!"
"Then again, we're also covering our asses in this way because if we don't do this, Kami-yan will manage to capture the hearts of every girl. So by limiting ourselves and slowly managing things, we can ensure Kami-yan doesn't go out of control!"
"Because the Kami-yan Disease is a never-ending pathogen that cannot be controlled! So, if that's the case, we may as well use it to ensure Kami-yan can achieve a man's dream, as he is the one who surely deserves that dream! Because that's what the world of dating sims dictates!"
"It shall be a harem nyah!"
"The world's greatest harem!"
"We shall meme it into existence!"
"And it shall be gloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooorious!"
"For Kami-yan!"
"For Kami-yan!"
"…"
Komoe-sensei stared at the two boys silently.
There was a sweet message inside the words of the two boys and what they were saying, words that touched at the heart of anyone who would have heard it.
The two boys, Tsuchimikado Motoharu and Aogami Pierce, had had enough of the position Kamijou had set himself. Always giving and never taking when he had the worst position of everyone in the world, they had had enough of the pain Kamijou was feeling when he only thought of others and did nothing for himself. They had felt nothing but pain at that existence, an existence that helped the dreams of others and never got the chance to pursue a singular dream for himself, one not reliant on others doing things for him.
They had wanted Kamijou to have something for himself. To hold something in his hands he could rightfully call his own and rightfully own when there was nothing else he wanted. For someone that wanted nothing, it had been those two who had wanted something for him, wanting something Kamijou had never even said he wanted in the first place.
For the opportunity to give something back to the boy who was endlessly giving, Tsuchimikado Motoharu and Aogami Pierce had wished to give something back to Kamijou. They had wanted to give something to someone endlessly giving and for that alone, there was a comradeship and a pure connection held in between the members of the Delta Force.
Because no matter what anyone else said, that one wish, that one wish held by two boys to give back to their friend who was endlessly giving and never receiving…
They were true friends.
They had pitied the boy who had given endlessly, given them good times and given them the opportunity to have fun and for that alone, they had wanted to give back. They were true friends who had wanted the best for a single boy and wanted to give him a dream that allowed him the chance to feel happy and reward him for the good he gave to other people when he receive nothing in return. They were true friends who wanted to see their friend happy.
It was nothing more than their goodwill, their desire to ensure Kamijou got the chance to feel rewarded for the things he did.
And it was Kamijou Touma who was blessed with dear friends like that, dear friends who wished the best for him and wanted to give something back to him who had done so much for so many despite his worst position.
…
Too bad they were idiots when doing that.
Komoe-sensei held her head in her hands as she looked as Exhibit G, the Not Goth Loli But Goth Anyway Little Sister Cat Eared Half Elf Mermaid Tsundere.
This.
This?!
This was what they dreamed for Kamijou?!
Sure, yes, the message was nice. The message of wanting to give back to Kamijou for the things he did for others threatened to bring a tear to the eye of Komoe-sensei but when they disclosed what they had planned and dreamed for Kamijou, the only thing Komoe-sensei wanted to do was cry for Kamijou.
Because, in front of her was only one aspect of the dream those two idiots had for Kamijou Touma.
The Not Goth Loli But Goth Anyway Little Sister Cat Eared Half Elf Mermaid Tsundere.
This was the pinnacle of the dream they dreamed for Kamijou Touma.
Even if he was the king of idiots, there were those who were his subjects and as Tsukuyomi Komoe-sensei stared at the pair of the Delta Force of Tsuchimikado Motoharu and Aogami Pierce, there was only really one thing she could think.
The friendship, as confusing as it was, between the members of the Delta Force was the main problem here.
So much so it was hard to determine whether the idiots that made up the Delta Force was the worst or the best thing to happen to Kamijou Touma because of his misfortune.
[1] "Let them eat cake" or "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" as the French would say where it comes from. Although it is associated with Marie Antoinette, interestingly there is no actual official record of her saying it. What it basically implies though is a lack of understanding of the situation of others or having disregard for the situation. In this context, Tsuchimikado uses it to basically says he does not really care what others think and just does as he does…in a very relevant and historically factual way!
And there we have it! What did you think?
In a number of ways, I felt there were ties in this one-shot to oneI did a few chapters back where Touma reveals why he felt that dorm managers were his type. I took that type of theme and applied it here although the focus here was a bit more on just Tsuchimikado and Aogami talking about what they saw in Touma and for the nature of their attitude towards him. In a way here, if you take everything above the ellipsis near the end to be something that really delves into the heart of the one-shot and what it was made for, you get what I think is perhaps a more optimistic view of the reasons why Tsuchimikado and Aogami do what they do.
So I think I'll start by talking about everything that happened above the ellipsis for the sake of the one-shot and the message trying to be said.
I think for me and for many of you reading this, Touma deserves the best. I realise that sometimes, it might not seem like that but really, at my core, I think this is true. Touma is a character who has a good heart, the best of intentions and is constantly barraged by things he never asks for or wants and because of it has constantly been made to push himself past the limits he hold for the sake of protecting that which he loves. His life is shit but he holds the best optimistic outcome for those around him and if he can get the chance to make someone else's life less shit then there is nothing stopping him, even though he has all the right in the world to be as selfish and cynical to the world as he wants.
But, for the hopes he has in others, there is a light there. There is a constant light in the way he looks and thinks of others and for this alone, despite the things he has suffered, he truly is one of the characters I really feel deserves the best for the things he is put through and endures. Yet, in the world of Index that is a rarity not really given to him and because of such, Touma has to move himself forward with the things he has because of how precious the things in danger in various incidents are to him.
Such a realisation is one I really think most of the characters in the series recognise. They recognise Touma's life isn't the best but that he does what he can with what he has, all the while thinking about how he can make the lives of others better in a world where there is suffering. They recognise there are things that happened to him and that giving him a small refuge is perhaps the greatest thing that can be done for him. So, taking that idea, I sort of pushed that a bit forward and had that be the focus for Tsuchimikado and Aogami here.
Despite the idiocy they get up to, they are Touma's 'rock'. The normalcy they provide is one I think everyone loses themselves in and is something we can all enjoy. Put the Delta Force into a room and have them open their mouths and you are sure to have a great ride ahead of you; it's that sort of thinking we can all acknowledge. It shows connection and friendship and also the importance of the ties Touma has with those other characters; the 'normalcy'. Yet within that normalcy, there is a single wish to allow Touma the chance to be happy, to return to something he loves, a dream within that normalcy where he can laugh and be happy. The normalcy Touma holds is one thankful for the things he has done and because of it, wants nothing more than to reward him with a dream.
It is a measure of thanks, worth and gratitude for the spiky haired boy that is Kamijou Touma. For everything he has done for that world and for that normalcy, both Tsuchimikado and Aogami want to give something back to the spiky haired boy that has given so much and has the worst position of all. To give something back to him, to give him a dream he can think to be proud of, to thank him for all he is done is the reason why both Tsuchimikado and Aogami act in the way they do: as a way of saying thanks.
Everything above that ellipsis gives that sort of warm message. That sort of message that the ridiculous actions of both Tsuchimikado and Aogami need to be taken seriously because they form this aspect of thanks for the spiky haired boy who has done so much. Optimistically, looking at everything they have done, I really feel this desire to thank Touma can be seen as the basis behind their actions.
But at the same time, you also have to recognise a rather amusing fact, which is the entire bit below the ellipsis.
And that is the fact that, in all honesty, the Delta Force are a bunch of idiots that just like to have fun. The way they want to 'reward' Touma is based entirely on 2D logic that makes little sense and filled with links between thoughts that prove their idiocy. Their actions are entirely ridiculous and we love them for it, but I really wanted you to sort of look at the message and a possible reason behind that idiocy which made you stop for a moment, smile and think to yourself "…You know, Tsuchimikado and Aogami aren't really that bad of friends. They care and they want to thank Touma…so that's a really nice message" despite the stupid things they do.
In a way, perhaps it is also Tsuchimikado and Aogami who are kind hearted idiots, caring for Touma in the way they do and wishing to give him a harem for the sake of giving him the chance to have something he can be happy with and enjoy, even if such thinking is perhaps rooted in limited intelligence.
This sort of gave two answers to "Why does the Delta Force constantly push a harem onto Touma" (to be honest, this happens more in fics that the canon, especially with mine) and the answers I gave here were the serious one which was most of this one-shot and the idiotic one in that they were both idiots. You can think of both as working together but as you looked at it and saw the reasoning provided, I hope that you came to realise that while their friendship is the core of the problem, perhaps that kind of kind hearted friendship isn't that bad.
I hope you can leave with that sort of optimistic message in your heart, as well as a smile as you realise that maybe the Delta Force are really just a bunch of idiots.
And as always,
Review if you please.
And I'll see you when I see you and I won't if I don't.
Now, let me tell you the backstory of the Not Goth Loli But Goth Anyway Little Sister Cat Eared Half Elf Mermaid Tsundere and why she's perfect for Kamijou Touma…