July 16, 2008 ACT
District 7, Green Mart
"Judgment!" announced one of the two Judgment members who entered the store, a short-haired girl with a riot shield, "Please evacuate the area at once!"
"U-um, is something happening in my store?" asked the cashier, scratching his head.
"We've detected accelerated gravitons around here."
"Gravi-what?"
"It's possible there could be a bomb in this store."
"B-Bomb!" That got almost everyone out the door as the handful of customers scrambled to leave. The Judgement Boy started going through the shelves.
"Damn, where is it?" Nevermind that they don't know what the bomb even looked like. He heard a very gentle wince and looked to see a female student with mousey brown twin tails and a bit of freckles across the bridge of her nose. "Are you alright?"
"I'm sorry, I tripped."
"Come on," he picked her up by the arm and headed for the door, "let's get you to safety-" His eyes then caught sight of a stuffed bunny below one of the shelves. The air around the toy seemed to warp in on itself, the bunny folding and spiraling inward into a tiny ball of nothing- "Don't tell me!"
BOOM!
The entire store shook and smoke filled the air. By the counter, the Judgment girl was kneeling, holding the shield up for herself and the cashier. Thank heavens most everyone cleared out. Now what about her colleague? Wait, wasn't there another girl there too? She got up and hurried to where- there! The twin-tail girl was sitting against one of the ruined shelves, a look of shock on her face.
"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
"He-" the Judgment girl saw her partner lying on the floor, bleeding profusely. "He shielded me..."
July 18
District 7, Judgment Office
"It couldn't be a case of criminals with the same MO, could it?" Konori wondered, half knowing the answer.
"Don't be silly," said Kuroko.
I was just thinking out loud, since I don't see any connections here.
If we don't hurry, we might have another victim.
If only we had something to go on. Nine of our co-workers have been injured.
Nine?
Something the matter?
Isn't that an awful lot?" pause then they both gasp
"You don't think Judgment is the target, do you?!"
Seventh Mist
"Uiharu," Misaka asked as they rode the escalator to the fifth floor, Saten running ahead a bit, "is there anything you want to look at first?"
"Um... I haven't decided."
"U-i-ha-ru!" Saten called out, "Come here, come here!"
"What is it?" Uiharu asked her friend at the underwear section.
"Ta-da!" Saten proclaimed, holding up a pair of red panties. "How do you like these?" Uiharu cheeks flushed rose red.
"No-way!No-way!No-way!" she stammered, waving her arms back and forth, "I couldn't possibly wear those, could I?"
"You could show yourself off proudly to everyone around when I flip your skirt," said Saten with a mischievous grin.
"Please don't show me off!" she insisted, putting her hands on the back of her skirt. "And PLEASE don't flip my skirt!"
"Aw, what a shame." She put the panties back on the shelf. "Ah, Misaka, anything you're looking for?" Misaka crossed her arms in thought.
"Let's see... I could use some pajamas."
"Well, we've been around but I don't see any-" she caught sight of and stopped short of a pink pajama set with a button-up top with a light pastel floral pattern and a frilled line around the waist. Misaka's face instantly lit up. "Hey, look look, these are so cute-"
"Woah, check these out Uiharu!" said Saten, sounding somewhat boisterous. "Nobody wears those childish things nowadays, huh?" Err...
"I wore something like that in elementary school, but not anymore."
"How is that childish?" The three of them turned to see Mikey, without his field jacket and hefting a cardboard box with a bold blue and red EEE logo.
"Oh, Mikey!" Saten greeted cheerfully. "How've you been doing?"
"Not bad," he said with a shrug, "I'm keeping myself busy. Honestly, nothing interesting has happened ever since what happened with you guys-er-girls, sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Misaka said. "So what are you doing now?"
"I'm actually short of pocket change, so I'm helping out-"
"Hey, Michael!" Mikey flinched as another young man, much taller with sandy blonde hair and apparent muscle obscured by the purple button-up shirt he was wearing. Also on his person were light gray pants, a pair of Nike Vandal Supremes and a Seventh Mist employee nametag labeled: Brandon. "What are you bothering customers for? Come on, you're on the clock."
"I'm not bothering anybody," Mikey smarted, his ears turning red, "I was just saying: hi."
"Yeah, sure," he turned to the others, "I apologize if my little brother is causing you problems."
"Oh no, not at all," Misaka explained.
"So you're Mikey's brother?" asked Uiharu.
"That's right."
"So you were the one on the phone when we were looking for Misaka." Mikey's brother blinked and their was recognition was in his eyes.
"Misa-oh! You're those girls from Judgement?"
"Yep," Uiharu answered, her armband perfectly visible. The brother offered a hand to each of them.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Brandon Walsh, but since you're friends of my brother, you can call me Brand."
"Likewise," said Misaka as she shook his hand. Goodness he's tall, at least a full head taller than his little brother, and they had to be only two years apart! She could only imagine what Mikey would look like after his inevitably growth spurt.
"Are you looking for anything in particular?"
"Oh, Misaka is looking for some new pajamas," Saten said before Misaka could stop her.
"Hmm, well then..." he looked to Mikey, "which box is that?"
"It's," his little brother strained to see a label on the top of the box, "F-SW 3?"
"Female-SleepWear, bring it over here." Brand led them to the back of the department and set the box on the counter; small type beneath the triple-E logo read: Eternal Exchange Enterprises. He got a pair of scissors and opened the box. Inside were six square stacks of pajama sets, neatly folded and tightly packed.
"How the heck is a box of clothes so frick'n heavy?" Mikey complained, messaging his arms.
"Don't complain. You'll get rid of those puny arms eventually."
"Puny!"
"Of course, they would actually go away faster if you worked them." Brand now addressed Misaka. "So what are you looking for? Something fancy? Or perhaps something more simple?"
"Definitely not fancy," Misaka said, right away, "but... I don't want anything plain... if that makes any sense."
"It does," Brand replied, setting out one of each set. "Any of these catch your eye?"
-sky blue with thin white stripes
-orchid purple with mint green flower outlines
-red with golden embroidery and white lace frills
-turquoise with blue and white bird prints
-jonquil yellow with vermillion and carmine prints of the sun and flowers
and
-azure blue with malachite green frog faces and saffron irises
"The purple one is nice," Saten said.
"Don't you think it's rather regal?" Uiharu pondered.
"You think so? I would think the red one is more regal."
"Hmm... what do you think of this one with the birds Misaka? Misaka?" Misaka, who was looking in awe at the azure set, blinked before turning to her friends.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"This one, with the birds." Misaka frowned, scrutinizing the option.
"It's nice, but..." she held up the button-up top of the azure set, "I think this is rather cute."
"That? It's more childish than that flowery one from earlier."
"How is it childish?" asked Mikey, scratching his head. "Aren't children's pjs more frilly with teddy bears and such? How can you tell if something is childish?"
"Wow! That's so cute!" Everyone's attention snapped to a little girl with a pink shoulder bag accompanied by a young man with spiky black hair.
"Oh, hi everyone," Touma greeted.
"Kamijou!" Misaka started, "what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I'm just helping her out," gesturing to the little girl. The girls then recognized her.
"Kana-chan!"
District 12
A black Tucker 48 drove into a neighborhood parking lot. After parking, Randall Draven stepped out and opened one of the back doors.
"Alright, end of the line, get out." The bitch in the back, garbed in a hooded black duster over her own clothing and blue cloth wrapped around her hands, started to awkwardly slide over to the door, gingerly putting her foot on the edge of the door frame-Randall scoffed, grabbed her by the arm, and yanked her out. She stumbled and staggered on the concrete. "Come on, the sooner I hand you off, the happier I'll be."
Fridays were always surprisingly light for the Ledgers, especially JJ. Jason James Ledger had just returned to the townhouse shared between himself and his siblings. Kicking off his shoes at the door, he lumbered into living room and collapsed on the couch. His sister, Patricia was fiddling with something on the kitchen stove when she noticed her elder brother.
"Was today that tiring for once?" she asked as he untucked his shirt.
"Not overall. Just that there was this one problem before I left. There was this trade deal-"
"Errg!"
"-discussion between two parties." He rolled his eyes, forgetting how Patricia somehow took offense to hearing anything to do with their saviors. "We went back and forth and back again for about half an hour, only to learn of a technicality that meant: nobody was getting anything."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah. Couple phone calls later, everything was sorted out, and everyone goes home, happy with the revelation that we wasted almost an hour over nothing."
"At least it's Friday," said their younger brother as he swaggered in. Derek Ledger, unlike their sister, had no qualms about the Facinus; in fact, they both figured that he was purposefully reducing what scruples he had before they were rescued.
"Hello Derek..." JJ paused, frowning, "we are talking to Derek, right?"
"Of course it's me!"
"Okay, just had to make sure."
"Well make sure you don't look surprised."
"Why?"
"Draven's here, walking up to the door."
"Lord Almighty, give me some peace today," JJ smarted, subconsciously fingering the Luther rose pin on his shirt's collar. There was a solid knock at the door and JJ went to answer it. The door opened to show Randall Draven and someone else with him.
"Jason."
"Brother, come in." The two entered, JJ gave Randall a hug and Derek shook his hand. The other person, a young woman, did nothing; probably because her hands seemed to be tied together.
"You alright Jason? You seem haggard."
"Ah, just some frustrations at work. Who's this?" Randall waved a hand.
"Inside, inside." They closed the front door and moved into the living room, Randall leading the young woman by the arm. Patricia noticed them and nodded at Randall in greeting, but then grimaced at the sight of the girl and returned to the stove.
"Here, take a seat," JJ said.
"Naw, I'm good."
"Suit yourself. And the girl?"
"Oh no, she's going to stand for as long as possible."
"Okay." Well this isn't normal, even for those of the Facinus. He and his brother sat themselves. "So what's going on?"
"You got yourselves a border brothers, Dillinger's orders." Dillinger.
"What, her?" Derek asked incredulously. Randall answered by removing the girl's duster, and then whipping off a black hood that the two didn't notice earlier.
The young woman had dark brown, almost shoulder length, hair with golden blonde tips and sullen brown eyes. Randall unwrapped the girl's wrists, showing a pair of steel handcuffs. Aside from the cuffs, her ensemble was made up by a rosy brown overcoat, purpura shirt, brown leather belt, white pants and brown, loafer-like shoes.
"Yeah, this witch."
"Witch? Wait, hold on!" All three of the Ledgers perked up at this. "You don't mean to say." JJ forced himself to take a breath, adjusting his browline spectacles. "Is this one of those *ahem* out-of-realm situations?"
"Not anymore, now that she's here." Randall reached up and grabbed her by the ear and yanked, causing her to wince. "Isn't that right?"
"Just tell us why she's here Randall." Randall released the ear.
"Well," he cast an eye over at Patricia, knowing that she was squeamish on certain matters, "to make a long story short, there's a thriving city in this fantastical realm where some friends of ours had business, legit business. But then, one of the many kingdoms in the region decided: 'we don't like this new city here,' and sent an army to destroy it, like reasonable adults often do. And, as a first strike, they sent this bitch and two others, resulting in many deaths, including 4 of our brothers!" He latched onto the girl's hair and pulled. "Why the Boss didn't kill her then-and-there is beyond me."
Yeah, why didn't they kill her?
"Does she have a name?"
"Yeah," Randall released the girl's hair, "her name is Kirara, Kirara Vox Mortem."
"Vox... Mortem...?" Derek repeated softly, frowning in thought. A fantastical realm, he had said. Hold on.
"I pray to God you're not being literal," JJ said, actually sounding concerned. Randall waved his hand.
"No, no, I told you, she isn't a threat anymore."
"You called her a witch."
"She was."
"But not anymore?"
"Not since we cut her tongue out."
"Good grief!" Patricia exclaimed from the kitchen, "what in God's name is wrong with you!?"
"Hey, it was either that, or let her coax us into killing each other by just speaking! Again, I would rather we just kill her, but the Boss and Dillinger said otherwise."
"Alright, alright," JJ spoke up, rising to his feet, "so we just need to keep an eye on her? Anything else?"
"Pretty much." Randall reached into his pocket and fished out the handcuff key. He tossed it over to JJ. "Do whatever you want with her, keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't go off-realm, that's pretty much it. Can you handle it?"
"Oh, of course, we can handle that much."
"Okay then," Randall clapped his hands together, "I guess that's that. I'll be going now." He turned to leave- "No, wait, one last thing." He turned back to the mute Kirara, grabbed her, then lunged his knee into her stomach, making her double-over. Then he brought his fist across her face and she crumpled to the floor. "That's for a friend of mine."
"For the love of God, Randall!" Patricia exclaimed, "she's had her tongue cut out, for goodness sake!"
"Fine, I'm going, I'm going. Have a good day brothers."
"You too brother," said JJ.
"God speed Draven," said Derek. And Randall left.
District 7, Seventh Mist
"So... something is only considered childish if a child likes it?" Mikey attempted to clarify.
"It's um..." Uiharu had to chuckle, "kind of hard to explain." Not that it mattered as Misaka waved goodbye to Touma and Kana-chan. Kana had immediately supported Misaka's choice of sleepwear, and who could refuse the will of a cute little girl, especially now, with Misaka hugging the new pajamas close to her chest.
"Well," said Brand after putting the other sets back in the box, "come over to the register, I'll ring you up."
"On second thought," said Saten as Misaka gladly made her purchase, "those kinds of things actually suit her." Mikey then recalled something.
"Saten, you like urban legends, right?" She perked up.
"Absolutely."
"Well, have you heard anything about something called: the 13th24th?"
"Thirteenth-twenty-forth..." she repeated as a phone started going off, "No, I don't think so." That phone still continued to ring softly. "Uiharu, your phone's ringing."
"Oh, you're right." Uiharu pulled her phone out of her pocket and answered it. "Yes, hello-"
"UIHARU!" Kuroko's voice sounded through the earpiece, causing Uiharu to recoil and jump at the same time. Misaka looked over as Brand bagged her purchase. "Update on the graviton attacks! Academy City's surveillance satellite has picked up an acceleration of gravitons!"
"Is something happening?" Mikey asked, only for Brandon to give him a "shush" look.
"W-where was it spotted?"
"Antiskill officers in the area are responding, but you need to come back here at once!"
"But where is it?"
"A clothing store in District 7, Seventh Mist."
"Seventh-oh! That's perfect! I'm already here! I'll start an evacuation at once!" She quickly cut the call and turned around, a determined look on her face. "Listen carefully and don't panic. We know where the attacker's next target is."
"You mean that Gaviton Bomber?" Uiharu nodded.
"It's this store!"
"It's what?" That got everyone's attention.
"Misaka, begging your pardon, but please help with the evacuation."
"Oh, sure."
"Saten, you get to safety."
"Mm-hm. You be careful too, Uiharu."
"Saten," Misaka quickly said before they split up, "take these with you," and handed over the bag containing her new pajamas.
"Oh, of course. I'll take care of them."
"You get out too Michael," Brand ordered calmly.
"Me? What about you?"
"There's a fireproof box in the back. The least I can do is put the new merchandise and cash in there. I'll be out after that."
There was now a massive crowd outside. Misaka was actually breathing hard a little after ushering all these people out the doors.
"Biri-Biri!" Touma ran up to her. "Have you seen that girl?"
"Huh? I thought she was with you!"
"She was, but I lost track of her on the way out." A certain horrifying thought hit her with a jolt.
"She's not still inside is she?" She immediately ran back in.
"Hey wait!"
Uiharu looked left, right and everywhere around the fifth floor. Was that everyone? She thought that was everyone. Her phone went off again; Kuroko.
"Kuroko," she reported to her partner, "evacuation of everyone is complete."
"DAMNIT UIHARU! GET OUT OF THERE NOW!"
"Huh?"
"Listen! The only human casualties incurred in the past attacks were Judgment! The culprit's true target is any Judgment in the area!" Uiharu, as she was listening, felt the walls and shelves beginning to close in. "THEIR TARGET THIS TIME IS YOU, UIHARU!" Me? But where was the bomb? Which floor was it on? Surely the bomber can't blow up the entire building, can they? How can they target her, let alone any first responders?
"Uiharu-san." What? Oh! It was Kana-chan, steadily jogging toward her while holding an oddly shaped frog doll. Uiharu breathed out, calming herself and regaining at least some composure.
"Kana-chan, you're still here?" Kana held the doll out.
"A guy wearing glasses told me to give this to you."
"Oh, I see-" she did see. As she reached out to receive the odd thing, she perceived a tiny orbular dot in the middle making a mirage-like shimmer. The air around the toy seemed to warp in on itself- horror struck! She grabbed the doll and threw it down one of the corridors, taking little Kana in her arms- the toad folding and spiraling- hugging the girl close, Uiharu turned around, hoping to shield her from the impending blast- spiraling inward into a tiny ball of nothing-
"Uiharu!" Misaka skidded to a halt between them and the imploding gravitons. She pulled a coin from her pocket-dropped! Oh no!
"Hey Mikey!" Mikey looked over his shoulder as Clark came over.
"Clark."
"What's going on?" A massive explosion erupted, blowing out a half-dozen windows fifty feet up and shaking the ground beneath the crowd's feet. "Santa mierda!"
Misaka had her arms raised as fire roared past them. Squinting, she saw a familiar figure standing before her with his right hand outstretched. The flames slowly dissipated, cindering smoke still choking the air. Misaka looked behind her.
"Are you two alright?" she asked Uiharu, kneeling and clutching a shuddering Kana.
"I... think so?" She looked back at the young man in front of him.
"Touma..." Touma visibly relaxed, turning to look at them.
"Is everyone alright?" he asked, panting somewhat.
The crowd outside was just recovering from the initial shock.
"Fifth floor," Mikey observed with worry, "that's where Brand works."
"Don't worry," said Clark, "he's not an idiot-oompf!" Whilst pacing somewhat, Clark bumped against a guy with glasses and gray hair. "Sorry man!" The guy grunted, nodding his head before moving on. "I'm sure he made it out."
"GAH!" The four of them heard an agonizing cry from a corridor to the left. The rushed down the way and found Brandon Walsh, sitting against one of the shelves with intense burns on his left arm and leg. "Son of a bitch!" He smarted, gritting his teeth. "So this is what it feels like to get blown up."
"Easy Mr. Walsh," Misaka tried to sooth, "are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No, just an arm and a leg!"
"Kana-chan," Uiharu probed as Misaka and Touma laid Brand down, "who gave you that doll?"
"I told you, a guy wearing glasses."
"Was he tall? Short?"
"Well... taller than me with grayish-brown hair."
"Well this is has been one heck of a day," Brand seethed, pulling out a cell phone and hitting a number on speed-dial. "Hey, Mikey. Yeah, I'm fine, sort of. The merchandise is safe, but I got toasted by that bomb. Don't worry about me! Your brother was just burned by a gray-haired asshole with glasses! Just take care of business, got it?"
"Gray hair with glasses?" Mikey wondered aloud. Clark quickly tapped his shoulder and gesture to a young man with glasses that seemed to be the only person who was A: the only one NOT looking at the wreckage from the bombing, and B: was briskly walking away. "Yes... I will definitely take care of business. And you?"
"Those Judgement girls are with me. Just take care of business."
"Got it," he replied, reaching a hand into his Marble King bag, "just take care of yourself."
District 7, some distance away from Seventh Mist
Kaitabi Hatsuya could barely hold it in. Down one street and then left into a random alley. He began to laugh aloud,
"I'm almost there. Once I can handle a few more of them, I'll take Judgment and those punks and blow them all awa-" BLAM Kaitabi cried out and fell forward as white hot pain pierced through his lower calf. He looked up in agony at Mikey and Clark, each pointing a pistol at him. "Y-you! You shot me?! Why-" Mikey pulled back the hammer of his gun.
"This is what happens when you burn one of our brothers you mad bombing bastard!" The two of them opened fire.
Blam! Blam! Bla-Blam! Bla-Blam!
Kaitabi fell back, limp and lifeless. Mikey and Clark both finally took a breath.
"Well, that's that," Mikey said, stuffing his gun back inside his Marble King bag.
"Not just yet," Clark clarified, stowing his piece back inside his coat. "Come on, this way!" And the two of them ran off, down the alley. The bomber's body laid there, riddled with bullet holes. A gust of wind blew through the alley, rustling scraps of trash.
Someone teleported near the entrance of the alley.
"Honestly Big Sis, that guy could be anywhere."
"That doesn't mean we can't look."
"We know what he looks like," Kuroko continued to point out while following Misaka down a random alley, "we'll notify Anti-Skill and they'll track him down in a matter of-mmphf!" She had run into Misaka's back, her roommate having stopped in her tracks. "Misaka?"
"What is...?" Kuroko looked ahead of them and saw it too. The bullet-riddled body of a young man with gray-brown hair, glasses and blood soaking his clothes and pooling the ground before them. "That's... that's him... right?"
"Yeah..."
"Oh my god..." Misaka felt a sickening feeling rising in her stomach as Kuroko tentatively approached the bomber's body. She stepped around the warm corpse and gingerly picked up the school bag. Careful not to touch any blood, Kuroko opened the bag and looked inside. "There's a lot of metal utensils in here." She looked at the body. "So... who killed the bomber?"
Misaka felt sick.