So here we are at the fourth installment of this fanfic, I'm glad to have made it this far and I feel I've done a better job with this one, but I'm not gonna boast, or maybe it's my growing excitement, or maybe I'm just shitting out words at this point, ok I will stop now /

You all know the drill, Index/Fate belong to Kamachi and Nasu respectively. Lets go!"

Chapter 4: Catching Up

Morning came in Academy City as a certain spiky haired teen was just in the mist of waking up, Touma Kamijou, the weakest level 0 in the city was rubbing the Sandman's sleeping powder from his eyes.

'I must have been dreaming, there's no way Tama showed up last night, I don't have that kind of luck.' He thought dejectedly.

He then registered his surroundings properly and when he looked beside him and his breath hitched, there was Tamamo laying next to him wearing one of his pajamas, and she was cuddling him.

'It wasn't a dream.' His subconscious voice said as his face turned beat red upon looking at Tamamo's pronounced chest pushing up against him looking ready to pop out of the blouse.

A memory began to jog in his mind about how he got in this position.

Flashback:

Touma finally woke up after being passed out for 10 minutes from a major nosebleed, and found himself laying on his bed, he then noticed Tamamo sitting on the edge wrapped in his blanket.

"Thank goodness, I was wondering when you would wake up, I never meant for that to happen on such joyful reunion." Tamamo spoke.

Touma blushed a bit as he recalled earlier events, he quickly got out of the bed and ran to his closet and began rummaging through it finding a pair of his pajamas and quickly handed them to Tamamo.

"Sorry Tama, I hope you don't mind these, just bare with me, I never expected to have a guest here."

"It's fine Touma thank you." Tamamo replied.

"I'll be in the bathroom while you put those on."

It didn't take long when Tamamo got done and called Touma to come out, he was surprised to see that his sleep wear actually hugged her just right, the only thing was she just did the two middle buttons only.

"Uh Tama, maybe you could button up a little more." Touma said.

"This is comfortable, why? Like what you see?" She teased.

Touma cleared his throat but couldn't clear the red from his face, but that didn't stop him from asking important questions.

"Tama, how did you find me?"

"I was living in a cave a ways away from here, I was sleeping when I heard a cry of rotten luck and I needed to know if it was really you." Tamamo explained.

"You heard that?" Touma asked in disbelief.

Tamamo pointed at her fox ears to get the point across without words.

"Oh, I see."

"I'm so glad to see you again Touma, not day went by where I wondered if we would ever see each other, and I'm glad that incident from a decade ago hasn't changed you one bit, how's your back by the way?"

"It's been a long time since then it's just fine." Touma said.

"Let me see." She asked.

"Um." Touma uttered nervously.

"Don't be shy, it's just me after all." Tamamo reassured him.

Touma then turned around and lifted the back of his shirt just enough to see the scar, just to the right of where his spine would be, the scar had faded a bit since that day, Tamamo stared at it with a solemn expression as the memory of the stabbing played in her head.

Unconsciously she reached her hand out and touched the edge of the scar then traced her finger along it, she noted he was of lean developed muscle, her face had shades of pink dusting it.

Touma felt a shiver up his back when he felt Tamamo's finger tracing the scar.

"I wish I could've done more, I wish I wasn't so weak back then." Tamamo whispered.

Touma turned around after dropping his shirt to face Tamamo who sported a sad expression on her face.

"Tama we were kids then, there wasn't much we could do then without exposing your secret more then it already had been, and I can tell your a tough girl, tougher then I could hope to be, hell you have something I don't have, power."

"Well there's your right hand." Tamamo pointed out.

"True but it only affects the supernatural, not physical weapons, I can try to right hook someone and they would just whip out a gun and I'm dead, and I'm only good with street fighting, other then that I'm useless."

Tamamo went up and flicked him in the forehead, a frown adorned her face.

"Ow Tama wh-"

"Quit being so down on yourself your not useless, I don't think you're useless, unlucky sure but from what I'm looking at has that stopped you?"

Touma didn't say a word, she had a point, sure he struggled more then others but he still managed to get by.

"Alright Tama, I get your point, well I need to get to bed, do you have a place to stay?"

"Well I have a workshop back at the cave I lived in, but I'm not going to go back there after finding you so it will act as an emergency spot, so guess what, I've decided to stay here with you."

"Hold on Tama, you can't just decide to live here in Academy City, it's a place of science and I don't think it will take kindly to someone like you." Touma countered with avid worry.

Tamamo simply put her hand to his cheek and smiled not caring about that.

"So this is the place you told me about then, and you said we would never see it, but I'm not gonna let a repeat of 10 years ago happen again, I'll be fine."

"But I don't think you would be happy living with me as I am right now."

"Oh? Do explain." Tamamo said crossing her arms as she looked undeterred.

Touma summarized the esper level system and how he was the weakest level 0 giving him a bare minimum stipend to barley afford essentials for himself alone.

"Touma I had to live from scratch for an entire decade, this won't bother me one bit."

Touma couldn't come up with anymore excuses, but he asked one more question.

"Why do you want to live with me so badly Tama, it's not that I don't want to be around you but I'm curious."

Tamamo merely gave him a gentle look as she responded to his question.

"Because I don't want to be apart from you anymore Touma, you're the only one I can really trust, and I don't want to be alone."

Touma couldn't help but consider her words, he didn't want to be apart from her too, especially with having just reunited with her, he faltered further when he looked her pleading eyes as her tail swished from side to side and her ears occasionally twitched, he sighed but a smile graced his lips nonetheless.

"Ok Tama you got, welcome to my home."

"Our home, Touma."

"I have a spare futon I can sleep in on the floor while you take the one over there."

"Nope, you and I are sleeping together." Tamamo declared.

"What?! Tama hold up a sec-"

"My mind's made up Touma, and besides before you're parents brought me to that church we cuddled together in your room at night remember."

"We were little then, and…well…you know." Touma stuttered blushing and looking away.

"Know what?" Tamamo asked before it quickly registered what was going through Touma's head.

"Oh I see, I totally get it, your a growing teenage guy in the presence of a sexy girl who's willing to not only live you but sleep beside you."

"Uh, um." Was all Touma could utter out.

"I completely get it, you don't have to explain to me, but can at the same time if your feeling any urges." She walked up and put a hand up to one of Touma's buttons unbuttoning it in the process. "Then I can help you to satisfy them." Tamamo said in a seductive manner.

Touma was just about to act when Tamamo suddenly backed up sporting a teasing look on her face, was it wrong that he wanted her to continue?

"I'm only teasing, I can tell how innocent you actually are and I wouldn't do something you wouldn't feel comfortable with, but my stance still remains." Tamamo said resolutely as she patted the bed.

"Alright Tama you win." Touma relented as he joined her in the bed, she then proceeded to cuddle up to him, it felt nice and she had such a glamorous body.

"Good night Touma."

"Good night Tama."

Flashback end:

At present Touma was trying to get out of bed, he tried waking Tamamo up but she clung to him even more.

He tried to gently nudge her off without waking her.

"Mikooon." She blurted out in her sleep as she nudges her head closer to the crook of Touma's neck.

"Tama, Tama please wake up I have to get ready for school."

Running out of ideas he acted desperately, he took his free hand and started petting one of Tamamo's ears which got her to react so he kept going.

"Mmm no more." Tamamo wined.

"Got her." Touma comments.

He then went and started to scratch behind her ears which further roused her, as she loosened her grip on him, just one more push.

"Mm, mmm, to much, can't take it." She still wasn't letting go and her face was blushing red.

Well desperate times call for desperate measures as he leans in and gently chewed on the corner of her ear.

Tamamo: "MIKOOOON!!!"

Touma: "AAAAAHH!!"

Touma jolted back now free from her grasp but he felt awkward as Tamamo sat up awake looking at him while blushing.

"Hi." Touma greeted awkwardly.

"Hi." Tamamo responded in a similar manner.

The two stared at each other trying to find words to say, and Touma would be the one to break the silence as he scratched the back of his head.

"Look Tama I'm so sorry, I just needed to get up so can get ready for school and you wouldn't let go of me."

"It's ok."

"Really? I mean I don't want to feel like a jerk."

"You're fine, don't fret to much about it, you should probably get ready, don't let me hold you up." Tamamo said with a gentle expression on her face.

"Alright Tama, but what are you gonna do while I'm gone?"

"I'll just relax here till I feel fully settled, if we can we should go clothes shopping so I don't risk my mystic codes."

"Sounds like a solid plan, well, I'll get ready now, so just take care of yourself till I get back."

"No problem Touma, I'll be just fine."

And with that Touma was dressed and out the door but not before giving Tamamo a hug before leaving.

Tamamo then stretched out and walked to the bathroom to take a quick shower before flashing into her spring casual mystic code after drying herself, thankfully it seemed she could still conjure it up despite initial destruction via Touma's right hand.

"When are you going to tell him the truth?" Said a sinister voice.

Tamamo was alerted and looked around for where the voice came from before looking at the mirror to find not her reflection but her origin self staring back at her with an amused smile on her face.

"Amaterasu!! Get out of my head!!" Tamamo snapped.

"Hahahahaha!!! How? I'm you, and you're me, so you're stuck with me."

"What makes you want to bother me after so long?" Tamamo growled.

"That anomaly that brought us here knocked me unconscious as I was reduced in form, but the touch from that interesting boy stirred me, and the more you came into contact with him I finally woke up to this interesting development. But you still didn't answer my previous question one tail."

"What do you mean?" Tamamo incurred.

"He doesn't know a thing about you, where you came from, your actual age, the things you did."

"Shut up!! Just shut up and go away, and leave Touma alone he's just a human!!"

"Are you sure he's human, cause I can tell there is something…more, to the boy then just his hand, but I just can't put my finger on it." Amaterasu said.

"Take your interest and shove it up your ass you god damn yandere!!" Tamamo yelled.

"My what a vulgar tongue, so long as he remains with you he will meet me, and oh it seems the eight other facets agree." Amaterasu said amusingly as the mirror shifted from Amaterasu to the 8 other members of the Tamamo 9, Cat, Vitch, Gucci, Koyanskaya of Light and so forth.

Eventually Tamamo had enough and punched the mirror cracking it in the process but it stopped what was happening.

Tamamo could just hear the goddess laughing in the deep reaches of her mindscape.

"Touma." Tamamo whispered.

"Touma POV:

Touma sat at his desk at A Certain High School as normal, his teacher Tsukiyomi Komoe who despite being an adult looked like a little girl, was giving a lecture on esper theory which as usual he struggled to grasp, eventually his mind drifted as looked back on his reunion with Tamamo, it still felt so surreal to him that they were together again, he never felt more joyful in his life, it still amazed him that the adorable fox girl he found just outside his old hometown had become an absolute bombshell of of women, and even after a decade she was still as sweet as back then.

As his mind wondered about the subject his face sported a bit of pink and his heart raced which felt strange to him, he was going to mull over these feelings when his bad luck kicked in.

"Ms. Komoe, Kami here isn't paying attention to the lecture, he's probably thinking about the girls tennis team, I see the blush on his face." Yelled a blond teenager with indigo sunglasses, his name was Motaharu Tsuchimakado, and he was one of three members of the class's Delta Force which consisted of Touma, himself and another friend of theirs named Pierce Aogami.

Touma was immediately alerted by the new developments and before he could say anything he already saw Ms. Komoe crying, and it earned scathing looks from every member of his class as they pointed out that he made her cry.

Touma could only plop his head on his desk in exasperation as he faced the full brunt of scrutiny from his classmates.

"Rotten luck."

Yes for all that had happened it in no way stopped his misfortune from messing with him for that was the norm of the life of Touma Kamijou.

Eventually school ended and luckily Touma was let off with a lecture from the loli teacher, so he immediately made his way home so that he can bring Tamamo to go clothes shopping.

"I'm home!" Touma called out.

"Welcome home Touma, how was school?" Tamamo responded as she came up to greet him.

"It was nothing special, this Kamijou is merely just trying to get by to the next year, but besides that let's get ready to do some clothes shopping shall we."

And so the duo begun their trip to the underground mall, of course Tamamo made sure to hide her fox features before leaving.

"I never did ask, how are your parents?" Tamamo asked.

"My parents are fine, I write to them all the time, did you know that ever since you left they thought you were missing, for almost two months since that disastrous day authorities have been searching high and low for you, my Mom and Dad were very worried about you." Touma said.

"Really? I never would have guessed, but they have been good to me, maybe if you get the chance to visit them bring me along."

"I'm sure they would be happy to see you Tama." Touma replied.

Eventually they made their way to the entrance of the underground mall and proceeded to descend the steps.

"Well Tama, here we are."

Tamamo looked around in wonder at the massive complex sporting all manner of shops and items.

"Let's go for anything on sale, as you know with my meager budget I would rather not have my funds run dry."

"I understand, but don't your parents send you money to help?"

"They do but they can only send so much, but it does help a little bit." Touma explained.

And so Touma and Tamamo went on to pick out various articles of clothing from whatever was on sale, as they walked about they got various looks from other people especially when they were directed at Tamamo, a lot of guys whispered about how hot she was and why he was with some loser. Tamamo was able to hear all the whispering and she didn't like it one bit.

They finished getting what they needed and Tamamo wore one of the outfits she bought, she wore a pink button up shirt with a white tank top underneath which both allowed for some midriff, black skintight pants and white sneakers, a simple look but she looked good in it.

"Looks like we still have enough to buy some ingredients for some ingredients to make dinner, you up for one more errand run before going home?" Touma asked.

"Lead the way." Tamamo responded.

As the two went to a grocery store to pick up any on sale ingredients, Tamamo helped Touma pick out some good stuff for healthy dishes, and through Touma's experience agreed with her.

They were now all set to go home, and as soon as they did it was Tamamo who took up the task of cooking, Touma was curious as to how good a cook she was so she let her do her thing, as she cooked the smell of food was intoxicating and upon finishing, was presented with yakitori and a side of sashimi, it looked really good, Tamamo then took a pair of chopsticks and took a piece of the sashimi and decided to feed him the first bite which stunned him.

"Come on aah."

He tried the dish and found himself in an endless sea of bliss, the explosion of flavor, it was like it was made by the heavens itself.

"Tama that was incredible, I never tasted something so good in my life, you can make a man very happy with this alone."

Tamamo blushed at the compliment, her tail moving back and forth in happiness.

"Well…I already made one happy right now."

Now it was Touma's turn to blush.

"Touma, how would you feel if I said I wanted to become your wife one day?"

Touma was just drinking water when he heard the question and choked starting to cough.

"I…don't know, I mean, would you really want to?"

"Just a hypothetical question." Tamamo quickly said.

Touma felt a little awkward at the question but decided to answer anyway.

"If you wanted to be my wife, I would be the happiest man on Earth Tama."

Hearing that made Tamamo's eyes glisten, as a joyous smile appeared on her face, her heart beat a million miles an hour.

"You ok Tama?"

"I'm fine Touma, let's just eat."

And so the two ate peacefully together and eventually turned into bed with Tamamo cuddling him once more.

"You know our little outing can be considered like a date Touma." Tamamo said slyly, which made Touma feel embarrassed.

"Do you really have to be such a tease Tama?"

"Only to you Touma, only to you, good night."

"Good night Tama." Touma finished as he drifted to sleep.

A bright light, Touma found himself awake and hit with a super bright light that he had to put his arms up.

"So we finally meet, I have been waiting for this moment boy, do make this entertaining for me will you."

The light died down and Touma's jaw dropped at what he saw.

"Come on boy, talk to to me, I don't bite...much hahahahaha!!!"

"Tama?"

AN: and here is where things begin to get interesting, for those who followed the prototype story you all knew who was coming soon.

Next chapter: The Origin

Until next time!