Dang, I was trying to get this out before the new year, but family, holidays and the normal real life obligations ruined that. My Beta's worked hard to look this over in only a couple of days, so we should give them our thanks. With this story having an end in sight, it's hard to decide what I want to put in it before the final battle. There's a lot of stuff I didn't add, and stuff I added I never planned. This story has been one wild ride, much like 2020. Who's glad the year is over? Maybe next year will be better once Covid is finally taken care of. Hope you all stay safe and again, thank you for reading after coming this far.
Anime-ted Life116: Yep, dead. Never coming back for sure. Sequal? Nah. Maybe a brief look into the future, but that's about it. It's not really set up for that. I had Jason's plan all laid out, but right now, it is open for interpretation, like most magic. They need more evidence. Jason has only one loyalty, everyone just thinks it's for their group.
JCarrasco: I will finish this story. It's a promise I made to myself.
ReyKingKaiser: His purpose was to help drive the plot, yes, but once that is done, he can be discarded.
Zim32: Sadly, no. Ending is planned out before they were introduced, so it would be too tough to squeeze them in.
general ironox: A lot of people seem to think Jason isn't dead.
Aminadab Brulle: …Damn, bringing that game into your comment? And here I finally thought I escaped that world. Wish we had more information about Kazari's transformation in Jailbreaker. That would actually work for something I have in mind.
D.N. Works: A lot of people are under similar impressions. Accelerator might be willing to kill, but Touma's the damn hero and won't.
Guest: 1) I like that idea. 2) Makes sense. The shadow is important. 3) Hmm, you're getting warmer. You're reaching in the right direction for sure.
The Wolf Paladin: Why would you want such a nice guy to die? Yes, the urn gender swapped Touma, but it did something else. The Urn was used to store a very important thing. You might need to look back and find it.
Gottoms: As much as Accelerator will deny it, he likes his friends. It makes him feel normal. I've been building it up for a while.
Mr. X: 1) Yeah, I wonder why? 2) No, I can assure you she's not. 3) Yes, but the reason isn't really explained. Since the two are connected, when one 'dies,' which is more them just being reincarnated, they know what took them out. Never came up. 4) When I typed it incorrectly.
Thor x Kamisato fan: I try, so it I do appreciate the compliment. I haven't finished NT yet, haha. No matter how strong you are, someone else can plot against you too. An important lesson for anyone. Men are awful. As one myself, I can verify this as fact.
Sentient Mop: Not yet. That's for in-between things.
SoulReaver267: That's actually a good idea. If I need to bring Kaori Kanzaki back for some reason, I could do that.
DanganMachin: Everything is an Undertale reference if you look hard enough.
AminadabBrullle: Hmm, interesting comparisons.
xaxiel1572: I get told I make him a little too naïve and I need to work on that.
Belial Hieronymus: Time to kill best boy then,
GunsAndMagic: Yep, lots of speculation since Jason is dead and obviously isn't coming back. Ever. FINALLY. Someone remembers what the urn was used for. Most people just remember the Touma turning into a girl saga.
TheDarkPublisher: Touma's going to give Lucifer the Touma Fist and make him go back on the right path.
madtad1: I'm just kidding about quitting. I'm going to finish this.
Keyblader XD: I am going to continue, don't worry.
Shinso: Nah, Ruiko and Accelerator will be just friends. Accelerator needs a female friend with no romantic attachment. Sadly, there's a limit to what I can do with the dragons. Was kind of hoping they would be explained by the time I got to this point which is why I haven't given any specific details about them yet. I have some ideas for them, but it might change.
Generation Zero: Everyone knows Jason enough to know he's planning something. No one knows exactly what yet. They have their suspicions and others like Mikoto, don't want to jump to conclusion, but admit it's suspicious. There's a lot of interesting stuff that could be involved with the war on Heaven. I haven't delved deep into Corazon in NT due to some… issues I have with NT, but I have an idea on how to make this situation interesting. Along with not just bashing Christianity but something outside the box in regard to 'God.' I gave hints about Carissa and Laura knowing what Stiyl was about to do and if he was caught, would deny they knew about it and punish as if he went rogue. He was caught, now he gets punished. Jason's abilities and Sin Marks are known to the church, so obviously they can come up with counter measures. This story doesn't center around Othinus, but I'm going to have her do something different than just the infinite hells. I don't want to just copy and paste that.
G: I was thinking of doing something with the dragons.
Ragnaccel: Honestly? In season 1, I was finding my style. This was my first real attempt at writing an epic story and I made a lot of mistakes doing it. However, I've improved a lot since then and most people agree the later seasons are better. Sadly, the ending was planned with the dragons and IT, not all the other stuff. I was thinking of using the Reverse Dragon in my other story though.
Disclaimer: Random people do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or any of the characters. Reading this story may cause you to burst out in laughter or start yelling at fictional characters. This may cause nearby people to assume you have gone crazy. Please read responsibly.
"YOU BASTARD!"
Touma's anguished cries were carried throughout the empty street, filling the otherwise quiet space with a deadly symphony of unbridled rage, revealing a fraction of the feelings that coursed through his veins. The sounds echoed and distorted, blurring from simple but meaningful words to incomprehensible roars of emotion.
Touma charged towards the red-headed magician before him, a look of shock, disbelief, and anger on his face. The attack was obvious and easily readable, lacking any thought or tactics in exchange for the raw and uncontrolled strength one found in rage.
Despite this, Stiyl didn't even try to dodge.
Rather, it would have been pointless. Using Innocentius took most of his mana and left his body exhausted. He could have attempted to avoid it but Stiyl knew the boy's fist would still land, so he simply stood his ground and braced for impact.
The strike landed viciously across his right cheek.
Subconsciously, Stiyl noted that the punch was almost identical to the blow he received when they first met, the only difference being the emotions stacked behind it. His very first punch from the boy was fueled by a desire to protect Index from the cruel, unnecessary hell they were subjecting her to. The blow today was backed by a combination of hatred and vengeance, common human emotions which Stiyl wouldn't have found surprising inside of anyone else.
However, coming from the Imagine Breaker boy, it was both unnerving and unusual.
As he laid on the ground, Stiyl realized he wasn't getting out of this one, so he didn't even try. He rubbed his cheek before slowly sitting up and looking around. Ignoring Leivinia, Lessar, Bayloupe, and Accelerator, his eyes focused solely on the spiky-haired boy in front of him. The boy was panting heavily and seemed to have lost all reason, his face pale from the reality setting in.
"You shouldn't be here." Stiyl spoke coldly, Irritation seeping into his words as he looked at the others.
"You can't be fucking serious…"
For once, the foul words weren't from Accelerator. No, Stiyl's words, lacking any hint of remorse or an apologetic tone seemed to snap Touma out of his blind fury, returning the spiky-haired boy to his senses. Shock and anger quickly transformed into disbelief.
"STIYL!" Touma shouted, once again finding his voice. It echoed across the street, yet again filling the air. He stepped forward shakily, as if part of him still refused to believe what happened. "What the hell have you done!?"
"My job," Stiyl answered bluntly.
"Do you understand what you just did?!" Bayloupe interjected, her eyes darting to her side where Accelerator stood, uncharacteristically quiet after his earlier outburst. "Do you seriously understand what you just did?!" She repeated. "A magician just killed a member of the science side— In their own city! This could instigate a war! The fragile alliance between the two factions has been broken!"
"Don't waste your breath."
Bayloupe, and everyone else, froze except for the slight movement in their eyes to look at the noise's source. Accelerator's face held a deep scowl, every emotion but scorn projected at the red-haired magician absent from his eyes. The two red orbs were cold, devoid of any of the warmth he showed in front of Last Order and Bayloupe. Seeing him with such an expression made Bayloupe feel uneasy but she held her tongue as he spoke.
"He knew exactly what he was doing."
"I did."
Stiyl didn't even bother to fight the accusation.
"What the hell is your problem?" The words burst from Touma's mouth. "You killed someone and you're acting like it's no big deal!"
"It isn't."
Stiyl said it so simply that Touma's anger was blown away, replaced by pure shock.
"Did you forget what my job is?" Stiyl continued. "I'm a Witch Hunter of Necessarius. If a magician goes rogue, it's my job to track them down and eliminate them."
"He wasn't rogue!" Touma countered. "You had no idea!"
"We know more than you," Stiyl growled. "Do you think I get sent out without any evidence? We know he was working for Eve, and have plenty of evidence to prove it."
"Then present it."
Everyone glanced at Leivinia, who stood there with her arms crossed. Her face was emotionless, nothing betraying her true feelings. As the leader of the Dawn-Colored Sunlight, she was used to remaining unreadable. At the same time, she needed to keep a cool head and not let her emotions get the better of her in situations of high tension. Not that she ever did, but she got down to business when it mattered. She was a professional. If she had to punish people, that was because of their own fuck ups. She had never trusted Jason but he hadn't done anything obviously stupid— which, in a way, was even more suspicious.
"He won't," Accelerator spat. "This bastard doesn't share anything with us if he can help it. No, he was planning to leave the moment he was done before we caught him."
His words were calm but the ground beneath him shook silently, the only indication of which being the growing cracks that slowly tore through the pavement, mirroring the anger stewing beneath the level 5's crumbling exterior. The magician would already have been dead had the attack been meant for anyone that Accelerator cared for. If she was harmed in any way, none would be left breathing.
"Damn it, Stiyl…" Touma muttered. He wanted to punch that red-haired asshole in the face again but he couldn't muster any strength. He was exhausted, far more than he should have been. They had only run a fraction of what he was used to doing but that wasn't what sapped his strength this very moment.
Lessar looked at him, then at Stiyl, then back to Touma. While she wasn't one to speak about dirty jobs like these, as she had done her fair share of them before, she still felt herself grow irritated at the Necessarius agent's actions. Not for the life that was lost but because of what state it left the unlucky boy in. Her eyes then glanced into an alleyway and she frowned. Everyone else was on the verge of killing Stiyl, so speaking up might ignite the powder keg, but she sensed it. There was something there. Not an enemy, but something unsettling.
"We're similar in many ways so it's no wonder you understand," Stiyl said to Accelerator. "Yes, I won't tell you anything. Even under torture."
"We'll see about that," Leivinia scoffed. "Everyone has their limits."
"What about Shokuhou-san?" Bayloupe asked, "Wouldn't she be able to help?"
Stiyl froze and his face finally betrayed an emotion: worry.
He was knowledgeable about all of the Imagine Breaker's friends who'd helped deal with the Second Princess' Rebellion. If it was any other mental ability user, he wouldn't be worried. The problem was, that girl had experience bypassing magical defenses. Even the ones placed on his mind wouldn't hold up for long, and there were a lot of secrets in his mind that the science side shouldn't be made aware of, not including secrets that other magical cabals couldn't be allowed to have. Secrets that Leivinia would give up a lot for, even if for only a handful of them.
"Probably…" Touma admitted as much but he didn't like the feeling in his chest that came with it. People's minds were safe spaces and Misaki's ability effortlessly invaded that sanctuary. He didn't like her using it on people if she could help it, just like how Mikoto electrifying people was wrong. Still, this would probably constitute an emergency where it would be acceptable to do such a thing.
A part of him didn't even register it as his hand dove into his pocket to pull out his phone. There was a numbness to the world around him, as he still hadn't fully processed what happened. Yet he stopped that hand from going further.
Suddenly, the quiet night was interrupted by the sound of heavy trucks converging on their location.
"What's going on?" Lessar asked, pulling out her Steel Glove.
"Company," Leivinia spat out, touching the Lotus Wand on her hip. "And I have an idea who."
"Academy City or…?" Bayloupe started to ask.
"Second."
Several covered convoy trucks had sped into the road from both sides, trapping them on either end. As they drew near, they quickly swerved to the sides, taking up the entire street as they encircled the group and indicating that they weren't going to allow anyone to leave. From the back of the trucks, heavy thuds were heard before men in full armor jumped out of the back. They surrounded the group with weapons at the ready.
"Shit," Lessar muttered. "You don't think they're just here as backup, huh?"
Leivinia, Bayloupe, and Accelerator rolled their eyes.
Once the knights were in position, Carissa emerged, wearing her familiar red leather dress with a sword strapped to her hip.
"We detected Stiyl Magnus fighting here." Carissa coolly informed them, her eyes taking in the scene, the aforementioned mage sitting on the ground with a bruised cheek. "What happened?"
"He killed a member of the city," Leivinia answered. "Normally, I wouldn't be too upset at this, but the person was not only an acquaintance of theirs…" She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder at Touma and Accelerator. "…but he's a high-ranking official here. The city isn't going to stay silent-…"
"It was Jason!" Touma bellowed suddenly. "He killed him right in front of us! Just because… just because he thought he might be working with Eve!"
"Is that so?" Carissa's eyes grew sharp as they focused on the magician. "What do you have to say for yourself, Stiyl Magnus? You understand what you have done is punishable by death. We have an agreement with the city. The Anglican Church and the Royal Family are both bound by this treaty."
Stiyl sighed, wishing nothing more than to light a cigarette for the coming headache.
"I did it."
That was it. He didn't try to explain himself or defend his actions in any way. The nonchalant attitude Stiyl carried as he spoke served only to make Touma even more furious.
"You bastard! After what you've done, how the fuck are you so calm?!"
Lessar lunged and grabbed the spiky-haired boy before he could do anything he would regret. She may be small, but, with the Steel Glove amplifying her strength, she was able to hold him back.
Meanwhile, Carissa was eyeing him closely.
Interesting... She thought. The boy who stood against her in England, both with a cool head on his shoulders and a determination to do what he thought was right, now stood on the verge of turning into a wild animal, the only thought on his mind being to beat some answers out of the downed magician. It seemed that when he said he would protect anyone, those words applied even stronger to his friends.
This was probably his first time losing someone close to him. He looked utterly exhausted, but the anger and shock he possessed was practically written all over him. The boy needed to get used to this, as life wasn't nearly as kind as he would want to believe. Weirdly, a small part of her wanted to console him, or at the least take advantage of his weakness by acting sympathetic. She wasn't entirely sure at the moment.
There was a different matter on hand that needed to be addressed first.
"Are you an idiot?!" Carissa growled with fury at Stiyl. "Do you know what you've done?"
Touma felt relieved that she was taking his side, an unexpected welcome to his uneasy mind.
"You're supposed to capture spies and torture them for information before you kill them!"
"...What?" Touma gaped at Carissa, trying to process her words, thinking that perhaps he'd heard her incorrectly in his tired state.
"Pretty much," Leivinia agreed. "The problem with Eve is that we haven't caught anyone who knows their plans, hideouts, or targets. We had the perfect opportunity to get all that, and this bastard went and ruined it!"
"Because England loves torturing captives." Bayloupe muttered to herself. Only Accelerator was close enough to hear the comment, glancing at her from the words.
"He was too dangerous to risk capturing," Stiyl replied calmly. "A surprise attack was the only way to guarantee success. Eve wouldn't let one of her subordinates fall into our clutches so easily, and he already proved he could defeat Knight Leader on our own turf. What do you think would happen if he was prepared for us on his? We already lost one of our strongest fighters, and she's only starting to pick us apart one by one."
"We didn't know that he was working for her yet!" Touma shouted, turning to the red haired boy. "He might have been planning something involving her, but we didn't know what."
"Of course he was planning something," Accelerator snapped, eyes also focused on Stiyl. The knights nearest to him stepped back as the cracks beneath him grew. It was taking a lot of self-control not to let loose. "Who did you think he was? He was always plotting a couple of steps ahead."
Which put Jason in the perfect position to be a spy, something they all knew and acknowledged except for Touma, who naively or just more hopefully held onto the possibility he wasn't what everyone was thinking.
"Do you even hear yourself?" Touma asked in shock. "He's been with us since before this craziness started. We've dragged him into stuff. The entire fight in England was because of a stupid game those idiots made us play, and I won it! Jason had no control over that. He was literally dating one, no, two of Mikoto's friends! How many times has he helped us with our problems, or even just hung out with us?"
"Clever," Carissa mused. "The mark of a true spy, putting himself in the middle of everything so no one notices him. People are always more suspicious of loners, but getting relationships as part of the job causes you to blend in."
She'd had limited interactions with the boy, but she did remember the time he disguised himself as her in England. The way he spoke to her, he seemed… off. Like he was older or at least more cunning than he let on. He was someone who seemed more interested in seeing if he could trick Curtana into accepting him as her double over actually defeating her. Then there was the fact he was dating some of the Imagine Breaker's friends, which was a red flag if there ever was one. He was right in the middle of the boy's circle...
Stiyl had been right when he asked for permission earlier to exterminate that traitor.
"You all are… are… I don't know the word but…fuck!" Touma grabbed his hair. "We should have confronted him! But now… you… you asshole, Stiyl…" He clenched his fist, wanting to pound that bastard's face in. Then, from the deepest recesses of his mind, he thought something dark.
Stiyl should be sentenced to death.
Touma's eyes widened at the thought. The ease with which the idea came was frightening to his very core. It was only a tiny, insignificant part inside of him that floated in the back of his mind for a moment, but it scared him. It wasn't him, it couldn't be— it was completely alien to him. Killing someone was the ultimate act, the one thing you could do that could never be taken back. If he lowered himself to that level, there was a chance he would never return. A life for a life. Something many would consider fair, yet the mere thought of it haunted him.
"A question I have is why he was out here in the middle of the night," Bayloupe spoke up at last. "Usually, unless you were up to something, there would be no reason. Was he trying to meet someone, find something, or what?"
Stiyl stayed silent. Everyone stared at him once more, waiting for his answer.
"Well?" Carissa asked Stiyl Impatiently, her foot tapping.
"I don't know," He answered. "He was waving some kind of handheld device, but I was focused on my mission: eliminate the target."
"Target!" Touma fumed, stepping forward only for Lessar to pull him back once again. "He was a person, you piece of shit!"
Leivinia and Bayloupe shared a look. It was quite common for assassins to dehumanize people they are supposed to kill, it made things slightly easier. Outside of crimes of passion, killing a human being was much harder than most believed. It weighed down heavily on a person's conscience, regardless of how messed up they were. The less human you thought of a target as, the easier the burden was to bear.
Lessar and Carissa both took note of how Touma spoke. Even Accelerator felt the hatred radiating off of him. Somehow it felt nostalgic, as he too had once experienced the edge of those words and emotions. Still, he couldn't let himself get distracted. The Hero could handle himself, and a more pressing matter was in his sights.
"So he was looking for something?" Carissa glanced at Accelerator, who was, by far, the most knowledgeable about what the city was capable of.
All the albino did was shrug.
Jason was someone who was involved in a lot of things. Without seeing what he was using, there was no way for even Accelerator to tell.
"I think he was tracking whatever was in the alleyway there," Lessar finally pointed out, the unsettling feeling she got from that direction gaining some relevance to what the rest were discussing.
Everyone spun around on the spot and stared at her.
"What?" She asked. "I barely noticed it while we were interrogating Stiyl. It's not like I know what's in there either— I'm just great at tracking."
"That's true." Bayloupe muttered in agreement.
"You two!" Carissa snapped her fingers and pointed to a pair of the knights. "Check it out. And you two!" She pointed to two more. "Bring this mage into custody."
Without any hesitation, Stiyl was lifted up by two men and restrained with runic handcuffs that were specifically designed to seal a magician's mana.
Touma looked like he was going to protest, but Lessar grabbed onto his collar and pulled him back. At the sight, Bayloupe felt a swell of pride for the girl. Lessar wasn't acting like a spoiled child anymore as even she could tell Touma was off-balanced from losing his friend. It's not an easy blow, emotionally, to take and the loss hadn't even fully sunk in yet.
"Maybe his death wasn't for nothing." Leivinia mused, peaking after the knights. She wasn't going to risk herself to follow them. Let the peons do the dirty work.
"We found something!" One of the knights called out. A moment later, they emerged carrying an object.
Carissa's eyes narrowed. It was a chest, a typical wooden one that you would expect to see in pirate movies, and it was eerily similar to the one near where they found the Saint body. The magical energy emitting from it was weak, but it was definitely Eve.
"Open it."
The order was harsh, and the knight who selflessly moved to open it saluted as the others backed up. In case it was a trap, only one victim would fall to it. The knight took a deep breath, all eyes on him, and opened up the chest.
"Shit!"
A blinding light emanated from the chest. The knight fell backwards onto the concrete as twenty different color sparklers shot upwards about ten feet before dying out. Eve's voice then rang out from the now empty container.
"Congratulations for finding my hidden treasure chest. You deserve a reward, but I know you don't need one. After all, the destination of your journey isn't important, it's the friends you make along the way."
It felt like a cold knife had just impaled Touma's stomach as those words sunk in. In the distance, he could swear he heard that girl's mocking laughter.
Eve clutched her sides, bursting out in laughter at the antics of those fools who danced to her tune. Those magicians, the Imagine Breaker, and even the Royal family were all stringing along, like loyal puppets to her machinations.
"Ahahahaha! It's hilarious how easy they are to manipulate, isn't it?"
"Indeed," Cain agreed. There wasn't any smile or even a hint of amusement on his face but, nevertheless, he chose to humor his master. "Should I start the next step now or shall we wait?"
He held up the urn in his hands. Eve grinned for a moment, perhaps thinking of her plan's beauty and the results it would bring. Alas, now was not the time— there was still a bit more to be done.
"No, no, not yet. Academy City hasn't rioted enough, and Eris has informed me she requires one more day. However, the moment night falls tomorrow, we will begin the final phase." There was a clear shift in her demeanor as she declared her intentions, a ferocity completely opposite of the jovial laughter she released just moments before. "The boy will be stuck mourning, while his friends try to comfort him, the princess will be dealing with Academy City, and Academy City will be dealing with the riots. Everyone will be too busy to interfere. Expect some opposition, but nothing major."
"Then the final wing will be ours and we can finally perform the ritual?" Cain asked, a glint in his eye.
"At long last, our curses will be broken," Eve told him. "That bastard will pay for everything that happened to us. Peace will be in our hands at long last."
"With only minor bloodshed left to remain."
"It really depends how much opposition the angels give."
The air behind the two opened up to the black void even darker than the night sky and they began to walk inside, leaving Academy City to deal with the problems they orchestrated.
There was a crunch.
"Gross!" Eve spat as she started wiping the remains of a large white insect off her foot against the edge of the roof. "Why are there so many bugs in this city? Can't they do something about them? Advanced city, my-..."
The split in space closed behind her.
Mikoto rolled in her bed at the noise, a small buzzing which dared to wake her from her slumber.
"…Ugh…" Mikoto groaned into her pillow.
Who's calling at this time of night?
Her phone had previously been off because she had been studying late that night. With everything going on, she couldn't risk her grades falling. It probably wasn't the smartest idea, but she couldn't afford to get distracted if Ruiko sent her a funny picture or something. Of course, Kuroko had ended up distracting her a bit anyway, but not with anything sexual like the old Kuroko would. Instead, they just enjoyed each other's company as friends. In the end, she fell asleep before remembering to turn the device back on.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Mikoto looked at who was calling.
The phone nearly fell from her hands.
Touma had been trying to contact her. There were a lot of missed calls, and now he was trying to reach her again. For him to call her in the middle of the night, it must be incredibly important. Mikoto wanted to smack herself for being so stupid.
"Hello?" Mikoto whispered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Misaka-san?"
Mikoto froze and sat up. This wasn't Touma's voice.
"Itsuwa-san?" Mikoto asked confused, her voice barely above a whisper, trying to avoid waking up her roommate. "Why do you have Touma's phone?"
"It's… complicated," Itsuwa explained weakly. "I can't tell you much over the phone… the situation's… complicated."
"Is everyone alright?" Mikoto pushed, anxiety rising in her voice. It was taking a lot of effort to keep from shouting. "Did something happen?"
"She made a move again."
The way Itsuwa emphasized that single word made Mikoto's blood freeze.
"What did she do?" Her horse voice was barely a whisper. "Is Touma…?"
"He's not hurt. At least, not physically." Mikoto thought Itsuwa's words were a little odd and then her suspicion grew as she continued. "Can you come to Touma's apartment?"
"What? Why?"
"Please…" Itsuwa's voice was desperate. "He needs you now, Misaka-san. You and Shokuhou-san."
Mikoto's face paled at Itsuwa's pleading tone.
"I'll be there in a few minutes," Mikoto promised getting up. "Kuroko can get us-…"
"NO!"
The sudden outburst caused Mikoto to flinch and pull the phone away from her ear. Itsuwa rarely raised her voice if ever.
"Itsuwa-san? What's wrong?"
"Don't… don't bring Shirai-san… or anyone else. You'll understand when you get here. Please, trust me."
Itsuwa didn't lie and had always been forthcoming with them, so Mikoto saw no reason not to believe her. Taking in a deep breath, she sighed in agreement.
"Okay. We'll be there in fifteen minutes, or so," Mikoto stopped before saying, "I'll get Shokuhou."
"Thank you… be prepared for a long night."
Before Mikoto could ask what the other girl meant, the line went dead.
Instantly, Mikoto was out of bed and changing clothes. It was tough to be quiet, but Kuroko wasn't a light sleeper unless something was bothering her. Perhaps thankfully, with the recent unrest in Academy City due to the Parameter List, Judgement has been running themselves ragged. Kuroko wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, so Mikoto was able to sneak out of the room without trouble.
She used her ability on each security camera she ran past, causing them to glitch out just long enough for her to sneak by unnoticed.
Outside of Misaki's room Mikoto paused for a moment, debating if she should knock or call. This was an emergency though and every minute she delayed in the hallway, the more likely she would be seen. One small jolt of electricity and a small clicking sound later, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The second she entered the room, a spark near her head went off.
"Ow!" Mikoto cried out before slamming a hand over her mouth.
"Misaka?" The lights came on, revealing Misaki, who was sitting up in her bed, a remote in her hand. "Listen, I know you have urges, but sneaking into a maiden's room in the middle of the night without warning is quite lewd."
For a second, Mikoto felt her cheeks flush, but the current situation pushed any embarrassment she felt from her mind. She couldn't let herself fall to her emotional outbursts again. Especially not now.
"Itsuwa-san called me," Mikoto quickly informed the blonde before any more jokes could be made. "Something happened with Touma… and they want us there. Specifically us two. No one else."
It was kind of unnerving how fast Misaki could move when it involved a certain boy. Despite her poor athletic and physical abilities, Shokuhou was already up and throwing on her clothes before Mikoto could finish speaking. Once she had her purse, those starry eyes, deep with love-filled determination, met Mikoto's and she spoke.
"Let's go."
With crazy mind control power at the girls' disposal, things like grabbing a cab and traffic weren't a problem. They made it to Touma's apartment in record time, rushed upstairs and Mikoto pounded on the door. It only took a couple seconds for someone to answer, but those few seconds felt like an eternity.
"Come in." Itsuwa stepped back as they entered. "A lot has happened…"
"Is Touma okay?" Misaki demanded instantly.
"It's… complica-…"
"No."
The single, authoritative, one-word answer came from Leivinia as she took another sip of her drink from her place on the kitchen's stool.
"W-What do you mean?!" Mikoto asked, the words almost choking her. "I thought he was-…"
"Physically, he's fine," Leivinia stopped her, not looking sorry for the unintentional worry her words caused. If anything, she looked lost in her own thoughts. "He just witnessed something tragic… far too tragic for him to be okay right now."
"Tragic?" Mikoto and Misaki repeated. Before Itsuwa had a chance to answer, Lessar entered the connecting bedroom.
"No luck snapping him out of it…" She let out a long sigh. "Maybe Index or Kyoka will have better luck—… Oh!" Lessar shouted slightly, only just noticing the newcomers. "About time you two got here."
"Tell us what happened!" Misaki demanded, her eyes narrowing. "Or so help me, I'll scan every one of your minds…!"
"There won't be any need for that," Itsuwa quickly assured her. "I only got the information second handed, but Eve paid Kamijou-san a visit earlier this night."
"WHAT?!" Both Tokiwadai girls gasped.
"If you keep interrupting, we'll be here all night..." Leivinia muttered, sluggishly rubbing her eyes. The lack of sleep was getting to her.
"We had similar reactions too," Lessar reminded her. "That's just how she is. She'll show up when we least expect it and trick us into doing her work for her."
"What did Eve say to him?" Mikoto asked Itsuwa directly before her eyes glanced over to the bedroom. It was odd Touma wasn't out here. Normally, he would have come out and greeted them the instant he heard their voices.
"Eve warned him the Anglican Church was after one of his friends in the city…" Itsuwa's voice was soft, like she still wasn't sure how to tell them what happened. "He, along with Birdway-san and Lessar went to check it out, when…" Itsuwa gulped. "They saw Stiyl kill someone."
Mikoto's mouth and throat went dry.
"Who…?" She said, words barely escaping her lips.
Itsuwa and Lessar shared a look.
"We're ready to hear this," Misaki stated firmly towards the pair, grasping Mikoto's hand in an attempt to comfort and assure the girl. "It's not doing any good if you keep it a secret."
"Told you so." Leivinia added triumphantly.
There was one more moment of hesitation before Itsuwa answered.
"It was Jason Kagere."
The room went silent.
"…No…" Mikoto whispered. Her legs went weak. "No… that can't be true."
"Are you sure?" Misaki asked, better holding onto her composure. Still, she didn't want to believe it. "Are you absolutely certain? He's the kind of person who would fake his death and show up again, you know. He's resourceful like that."
"Y-Yeah!" Mikoto shakily agreed, grabbing tight on the sliver of hope that Misaki's words presented. "Kagere-san wouldn't die that easily."
"We saw it." Lessar's words dashed their hopes instantly. "It happened right in front of us. Stiyl bound him and then used Innocentius. There... there was nothing left besides some melted street."
There was a thump as Mikoto collapsed against the table. Lessar leaped forward to make sure the girl hadn't passed out. Though Mikoto was still awake, her mind was in a state of shock, and it was written all over her face. Lessar couldn't do anything to comfort her aside from rubbing Mikoto's back.
It can't be…
Mikoto refused to accept it. Jason was both a friend, and the boyfriend of her two close friends, Kuroko and Kazari. They might not have known each other for very long, but they had been through a lot together. He was one of the few who didn't treat her like some unreachable and untouchable idol simply for being a level 5. To him, she was another good friend.
Mikoto felt like she was going to throw up.
Losing a friend was something Mikoto never wanted to consider. When her friends were in trouble, she could snap and do whatever it took to help, like with what happened between Juliet and Kuroko.
Now, he was gone because she had been sleeping, safe and sound, in her bed.
Misaki, on the other hand, was able to maintain her composure. While she was sad Jason had died, she wasn't as emotionally distraught as Mikoto was.
It was, in part, because Misaki was used to losing people. Her life had not been easy before meeting Touma. She had seen her fair share of death and fates that would make death seem like heaven. People not only tried to use her, they were afraid of her. Many were jealous to the point they wanted her to die, all so that the city would focus on them instead of her. Touma may have given her the will to live, but the scars from those times still lingered. Her heart was hardened by experience.
Now, if it had been Touma, that would have been a completely different story.
"And you're absolutely sure this wasn't an illusion or something?" Misaki questioned, not entirely convinced. "Or some kind of set up between Kagere-san and the church to fool Eve? It definitely seems like something he would do, if it was."
"If it was, we didn't detect anything," Leivinia huffed. "Which means it's incredibly unlikely. While something like that may have fooled the slut over here-…"
"HEY!" Lessar piped up, still patting Mikoto's back.
"…-or someone with no magical experience," Leivinia continued, as if she hadn't been interrupted. "I would have detected something if he was faking his death. No, the boy that entered that street tonight died in those flames."
"That's… I can't believe it..." Mikoto whispered, her face in her hands. "Out of all of us, he's the one who had the most experience dealing with magic…"
"Which is why he was probably the target." Misaki guessed through clenched teeth. "Eve wants to prevent Academy City from having any kind of real protection against her. First Kanzaki-san, now Kagere-san? Who's next?"
"That's the question we've been asking since forever," Lessar told her, still consoling Mikoto. "We have no idea who her next target is."
"And now we have another problem," Itsuwa explained. "Which is why we called you two over."
Both Mikoto and Misaki looked at her in response. Their confusion was all Leivinia needed before she started to explain.
"The boy is in shock." Leivinia sighed for a moment. "He won't snap out of it no matter how much we talk to him. Those two..." She pointed to Itsuwa and Lessar. "…think you two might be able to help. That, and they wouldn't let me slap him until he responded."
"Don't you dare!" Mikoto hissed, shaking her head before looking at Misaki. "I can't imagine Touma being in shock like that though."
"I can." Misaki admitted. Her gaze moved down to the floor. For the first time today, she had a look of true sadness on her face. "A friend of his died, right in front of him. He always said that he knew he couldn't save everyone but if someone was right in front of him, he wouldn't turn away…"
Mikoto's mouth tried to form some kind of words but ended up silent as the gravity of the situation sunk in.
Touma would have been upset no matter how Jason died. He'd be angry, sad, and depressed. The difference was, if it happened on the other side of the city, Touma might have kicked himself for not being there but he would have tried to move on and not give up on bringing the people who did it to justice. Here though, there was one key difference.
Jason died right in front of him.
Someone who needed help was killed right in front of the boy who had always promised to fight for everyone he laid his eyes on. All he was able to do was watch a close friend die, unable to do a single thing. This was a situation Mikoto knew all too well. They would be willing to give up everything to save someone and then fail to do so. She hadn't been able to stop the Level 6 experiment with Accelerator, and the guilt and regret she felt destroyed her from the inside every single day.
For someone like Touma?
It was probably a thousand times worse.
No wonder he was unresponsive.
"So the reason you called us…?" Mikoto said softly, suddenly aware of the unspoken request.
"We were hoping that talking to you two might help him snap out of it," Itsuwa answered with a nod. "I tried to contact Saten-san too, but we couldn't reach her." She twisted a towel in her hands. "I tried to tell him it wasn't his fault, but it didn't seem to break him out of his current state." Her expression betrayed how distraught she was.
"We'll try," Mikoto promised, patting her shoulder. Imagining Touma's pain broke her out of her own trance. "I… we understand what's going on. It won't be easy, but Touma's strong. I believe in him."
"He didn't look strong when we got back." Leivinia muttered, earning several dirty looks.
"Go ahead," Itsuwa gestured to the room. "If you need anything, let me know."
Mikoto and Misaki quietly thanked her before making their way into the bedroom. Slowly pushing the door open, they saw Touma sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out the window. Imouto, now Kyoka, was sitting next to him. She clung tightly onto his right arm, wordlessly comforting him. On his other side was Index, clinging even tighter on his left arm, consoling Touma and praying.
"…and God will make sure such a good friend will have eternal happiness," Index said with a small smile, though it was obvious she was holding back tears. "His Judgement will only be on those that have caused this evil. You did everything you could and no one blames you. So please don't blame yourself, Touma."
"Knock, knock." Mikoto whispered, tapping the door lightly. Index and Kyoka turned their heads to look at them, but Touma barely moved.
"Short Hair, Misaki." Index sounded a little shocked by their presence. The others must not have told her.
A twinge of annoyance went through Mikoto's mind as Index still wouldn't stop calling her that stupid nickname instead of saying her given name and yet, for some reason, would call Misaki by hers. Index was British too, so, unlike Japanese people, she didn't really use last names a lot either. Misaki had probably bribed her with food or something. Regardless, there wasn't time to worry about that right now.
Standing there, both girls could see that Touma was a shell of his former self. Just looking at his back, he looked so weak. When his head turned so he could see them, his face looked so much older than it should have been. One eye examined them for a moment before it turned back to the window.
His gaze didn't hold any of the strength that defined the boy they knew. The strength that would let him stand against any foe. The strength hidden behind his typically bored look whenever he effortlessly knocked away any of Mikoto's attacks.
It was gone. There was only a shell of that boy sitting on the bed.
The others were right. Right now, he needed them. Even if he didn't realize it yet.
"Index, Kyoka-san?" Misaki asked. "Do you mind if we have a minute alone with him?"
Index gulped and let go of Touma. Her hands were hesitant and rightfully so. This was the person she considered most precious in her life, and a part of her didn't want anyone to come between them in his time of need. Still, she resolved herself with a trembling lip and stood up, walking over to the two.
"He's hurt and there's nothing I can do." Index whispered, small tears now staining her face. "If you can, help Touma. Please…"
"It's okay," Misaki assured her. "Wounds like these aren't easy to heal, they take time and lots of support. You've done everything that you can, for now. I'm proud of you, so, please, get some rest. We'll take it from here."
Index gave her a hug before slipping past and leaving the room.
"Misaka believes you will need more than a minute, Misaka whispers with worry," Kyoka said to Mikoto. "The Savior is not responding to positive encouragement, and Misaka has even fully reconnected to the network for advice. Nothing seems to be working, Misaka adds, depressed by her failure."
"You're right, we will," Mikoto agreed. She put a reassuring hand on her sister's shoulder. "Listen, I'm glad all of you were here to help him. Thank you."
"Misaka will do anything for the Savior, Misaka states with determination. Seeing him like this..." Her hand made a fist. "…makes Misaka feel sick to her stomach and want to throw up."
"I know, I do too."
Mikoto gave her a quick hug before Kyoka followed after Index.
The door shut behind them as Mikoto and Misaki shared a look. Even without the others telling them, they knew this wasn't going to be easy. Without needing to share another word, the two middle school girls sat down next to the broken boy, one on each side.
Mikoto placed her hand on Touma's shoulder, while Misaki laid her head on the other. They stayed this way for a few minutes, simply finding comfort in being near each other, before the poor boy choked out some words.
"I failed…"
Mikoto wanted to say something, to deny his words, but the look Misaki was giving her held Mikoto back. He needed to vent. Keeping the pain bottled up inside would only make things a thousand times worse in the long run.
"He was right in front of me…" Touma's voice was coarse. "I let a friend die right in front of my eyes and I couldn't do shit about it!" His hands tightly gripped the cloth of his pants, threatening to rip the fabric from the force of his grasp. "If I was just slightly faster, if I was even a little bit smarter, if I had just left sooner… SHIT!"
Touma spat out the last word with such vehemence that it was barely quieter than a savage roar. The girls were startled, if just for a moment, by the display and the emotions contained in it. He was barely able to restrain himself, either from crying or going berserk, and that was terrifying to the girls.
"It's not your fault," Misaki whispered. The seemingly unbreakable composure she upheld on the outside was being tested greatly by the boy's agonizing cries. "We heard what happened. I know it doesn't make the situation feely any better, but you can't blame yourself. The only people responsible are Eve and Stiyl."
"I was right there." Touma repeated, bitterness and self-loathing staining his tongue. "I should have stepped forward and blocked the fire."
"Please… stop."
Mikoto couldn't contain her voice any longer. The image she held of the boy in her mind and the sight of that same boy beside her were clashing too much. This was not the same person, the same anchor of hope that was held so close to her heart.
The person sitting on the bed looked so weak… so vulnerable.
"You might not believe it, but I understand what you're going through right now," Mikoto admitted. "During the Sisters Experiment, I had learned what was happening to the clones made from my DNA. My sisters, in flesh and blood. I saw so many of them die, and missed so many more. I felt useless. I couldn't stop a single cog of that ruthless, unfeeling murder machine."
Touma was silent, but he was listening intensely to every word.
Misaki stayed silent as well. She'd discovered the Sisters experiment long ago and Mikoto knew that she knew about it too, but they normally never talked about it in any way. It was simply too uncomfortable of a subject to bring up in normal circumstances. These weren't normal circumstances.
"I wanted to help them," Mikoto continued quietly, voice growing steadier with each word. "I went and tried everything… I hacked into AC databanks searching for more information, I broke into and destroyed research facilities involved in the project, I even tried to convince the sisters personally to stop letting themselves be killed, and tried to fight and scare Accelerator out of continuing…"
There was a slight pause as emotions welled up in her throat.
"…but nothing seemed to work no matter how much I tried. I had all but given up, knowing that every time I failed, more of them were dead and I was helpless to stop it. I absolutely despised myself for not being able to do anything to help them. Even though part of me knew it wasn't my fault, I couldn't stop the emotions that constantly taunted me. My death wouldn't have stopped the experiment either, but I was willing to try anything as long as it felt like I was doing something for them."
She gulped and took a couple deep breaths, memories of a past she had wanted to forget come back with pungent emotion.
"And it was you who decided that my life wasn't worth throwing away— you saved me. You saved me from that rabbit hole of despair," the young girl continued. "And then you risked your own life to face off against the strongest person in Academy City. "
Her words grew stronger.
"You didn't even do it because you wanted fame or some reward, but because I needed help and that was all you needed to know and, even though you almost died in the process, you never once gave up or thought about stopping. You nearly paid the ultimate price, all for someone like me… someone who constantly caused all sorts of problems for you and was always annoying you in some way or another… and then… then you came out of it alive with this big, goofy smile on your face, and it seemed like everything was going to be okay."
Mikoto covered her mouth for a moment, holding back a sob as she tried to stop the tears from escaping her watery eyes.
"Because of that, I know that if there was even a tiny, insignificant chance you could have saved him, you would have. Because that's who you are… you're so stubborn you'll defy all logic if you have to… or even take on the entire world, because that's just who you are…"
Her words trailed off as she gripped his shirt tightly, burying her face within the boy's shoulder. She turned to that boulder of strength she remembered, that was so fragile at this moment, because no matter the state he was in, she felt safest and at most ease when she had him close by.
Touma's fingers on his leg twitched whilst he'd listened to the girl's story of their shared past, ever so slightly loosening his grip.
"Misaka is right," Misaki continued where Mikoto left off. "You've saved, not only us, but countless other people. Even when others gave up hope and wanted to quit, you kept going forward and showed us there was a way we didn't see."
The blonde leaned into him closer, placing a single hand on his arm.
"Please, you're not only hurting the two of us and those waiting outside of this room when you say it's your fault, but you're also hurting yourself with that lie, believing that all the blame should be put on your shoulders. There is no-one that expects you to take responsibility for the lives lost, because everyone knows that if there was a way to save a life, you'd have already found it."
"We can't bring back the dead," Mikoto declared, "But we can promise to stop Eve before more lives are lost. I promise, I'll be by your side and help anyway I can."
"I promise too." Misaki leaned deeper into his shoulder as her hand lightly tightened its grip on his arm. "So please, snap out of this. This isn't you…" It hurt to see him like this. It stung more than any pain she felt, yet her smile was as sweet as ever, beaming at him with its comforting shine. "This is what Eve wants and desires— to cause us to doubt ourselves and each other. You can't succumb. I know you're stronger than that." She looked at Mikoto for a moment before relenting, "We both do."
"We aren't trying to make light of it." Mikoto added, her hand trembling as she gripped his shirt. "It's just… we can't let her continue. If her plan succeeds, everyone will be in trouble. We need to work together. I… don't want anyone else to get hurt either, for the sake of those already in pain over her actions."
A single teardrop fell on her hand as she finished.
It took so much effort to remain calm up to this point, but Mikoto's tough outer shell was cracking. She had lost a friend and no matter how much she tried to remain stoic, she couldn't. She wasn't like Misaki, her true feelings always leaked through. Part of her believed they would all get through this if they worked together, but another side of her constantly reminded her of more Grimm possibilities. Now that those possibilities have been made reality, the small part of her which thought of them was lashing out, warning that her closest friends could be next.
She had almost lost Kuroko once and now Jason was gone.
In the face of such a cold reality, her heart felt like it was about to burst.
And yet, it went no further as a familiar warm sensation encompassed her senses.
Her hand was warmed by a larger, stronger hand that placed itself on top of hers, easing it atop the boy's leg. Mikoto blinked away the tears to see Touma's fingers squeezing her hand lightly, comforting. Slowly looking up, her eyes met his. In them, the pain was evident, but at the same time, the boy she knew, the boy she fell in love with, was still there.
Even when he was hurting, he still tended to her broken heart. She loved how compassionate he was, but it annoyed her to no end how he'd ignore his own troubles for her.
...She'd let it pass though, just this once.
Misaki noticed the small gesture and smiled to herself as she took his other hand and wrapped it gentle with her own fingers. The jealousy she had with Mikoto before they formed this weird relationship of theirs had pretty much vanished. Now both of those girls were here to console him, just like he would do for them if the situation was reversed.
...There would have been a lot more crying from Mikoto, and most likely a few dozen fried electronics.
"I keep trying to tell myself that this was all part of Jason's plan."
Mikoto and Mikoto looked up at the boy of their affection as he finally started to speak again.
"I kept saying how he always thinks ten steps ahead and maybe he made a plan with Stiyl to fake his death to spy on Eve… but then I saw the look in Stiyl's eyes." Touma's grip became tighter, barely able to stop himself from hurting the two, and yet they continued to hold him closely, not willing to abandon him in his time of need. "It wasn't fake. I've known him long enough to tell at least that. He was there to kill Jason… and that bastard succeeded. He must have been planning this for ages. Why though? What evidence could he have that proved Jason was part of Eve's forces?"
The two girls on either side of him remained silent. Their conversation regarding that question was pretty fresh in their mind from when Touma and Accelerator had discovered Jason's apartment. Misaki believed Jason was up to something involving Eve, but didn't have any evidence he was working with Eve. That was on the table until Stiyl got involved.
Mikoto didn't want to believe it.
"The church probably has something they consider proof." Misaki tried to start reasonably. "They just don't share it-…"
"That's the problem!" Touma interrupted loudly. "They keep us in the dark! They are the best equipped to deal with Eve, but we're the ones stuck in the middle of all this! If they don't tell us anything, we're the ones at risk. Itsuwa has at least been trying to get information on her side, but everyone's silent…! I bet Carissa's enforcing radio silence."
"She's involved?" Mikoto asked.
"The others didn't tell you?" Touma turned to them in surprise as they shook their heads.
"To be fair, they were more focused on what happened with…" Mikoto started to explain but couldn't finish her sentence.
"Carissa showed up and arrested Stiyl," Touma informed them bitterly. "We told her what we saw, and he admitted to it without even putting up a fight or resisting at all. Her forces are taking him back to England while she stays here. He's gonna be tried for breaking the treaty with Academy City."
"That's good," Misaki mumbled. "He didn't get away with it. Are they going to lock him up or…?"
She left the question unfinished, unwilling to state the alternative.
"When I saw his expression," Touma began slowly. "When I saw Stiyl act so casually about taking a life, a part of me, more than I'd like to admit… wanted him to go out, just like how he did to Jason— like some kind of sick atonement for what he's done."
There was a sharp intake of air from the girls at his statement. Shock didn't cover how they felt from that simple sentence. While anyone else might think that to be a normal reaction, Touma was always the voice who'd remind them of the incomprehensible value of a being's life.
"We all have-…" Mikoto tried to reassure and justify him of his reaction.
"You don't get it!" Touma didn't mean to snap at her. He was angrier at himself more than anyone. "For a moment, I wanted Stiyl to die! I wanted him to suffer, and I wanted to be the one to do it!"
Silence followed the boy's outrage, unbroken for a few moments before he started to speak again.
"I think that's the first time I've been afraid of myself." Touma continued, the feelings and resentment spilling out. "I've been afraid of others before, and I've never let fear define me. But this? I felt like I was about to take a step on the path I've always tried to get others off of. The moment I step on that path, it might be impossible for me to return. I couldn't stand thinking about it. I felt disgusted with myself... I felt absolutely terrified."
"Touma…" The girls whispered.
"You shouldn't say that."
The sudden voice from behind caused the three teenagers to turn around. Itsuwa was standing at the door, looking nervous in her body language but determined in her eyes.
"It's not unusual to have those types of thoughts," Itsuwa continued. "Especially after a traumatic experience. Stiyl… has always been firm in his beliefs. If he's given an order from the Church, he will follow it through no matter what. That doesn't excuse him though." She added the last sentence quickly. "But that feeling of anger, that's something everyone feels at least once. We're humans, not machines— we have feelings and emotions, and that includes things we don't like or even hate. There's nothing wrong with feeling like you did, the problem arises when you let those emotions cloud your judgment and you act rashly."
"I wanted-…!" Touma started to protest.
"But you didn't."
"But I-…"
"But you didn't."
Touma fell silent at her argument.
"She's right," Misaki added soothingly. "We all have those thoughts, but we don't act on them. I know you wouldn't do what you thought about, no matter how badly they wronged you."
"If it was either of you two…" Touma muttered and then silenced himself. The way he looked at the girls beside him said it all.
Misaki's heart skipped a beat from his words. It certainly made her happy to hear how much he cared for them, yet it also frightened her to think of how he would lose a part of himself if they were gone somehow. Her grip on his hand tightened slightly in response.
Mikoto heard this too and turned a few shades more pink than she was before.
"Honestly, if you hadn't thought of something like that at least once, I would have a hard time calling you human. Though I already do with how resilient you are." Mikoto added with a light giggle, hoping her amused comment might lift his spirits at least a little. "What are you going to do now?" She asked in a more serious manner.
"I don't know…" Hopelessness was evident in the boy's voice. "It feels like there's nothing I can really do about any of this… Carissa already arrested him and he'll be taken away soon. Academy City won't be happy with them either… though it's not about the loss of life for them, but because Jason was a high ranking scientist here."
There was no way he could keep the bitterness out of his voice. Mikoto and Misaki could hardly argue with him about it either. The scientists of Academy City didn't care about who died or got in the way, only about whether or not their experiments were successful in the end. They all knew that first hand from the various experiments that they participated in and interfered with. Jason may have said he always slacked off, but it was obvious he had a lot of sway in Academy City, so he must have been working on some important stuff. Fortunately, Accelerator had the data the boys had pulled from the ruins of Jason's apartment, so he might learn more about it given time.
"The church likes to pretend they're above stuff like that, but they'll do it too if the situation calls for it."
Yet again a new voice had entered the room, this time revealing to be Lessar. Weirdly, she didn't seem to be herself either. There was no humor, no sultry look as she tried to get Touma to have some fun, nothing of the fun loving girl they knew. Instead, her expression was a combination of seriousness and nervousness. In her hands, she held a tray with mugs of steaming liquids.
"Hot chocolate?"
They stared at her.
"W-what? It's what Bayloupe made for us whenever we were upset. It doesn't hurt to be hospitable at least!"
"Thanks." Touma muttered, accepting a cup. The others did too, to avoid being rude. He took a sip and looked up. "Lessar, Itsuwa, have you two experienced a lot of… death?"
Both girls averted their eyes. It was probably best they didn't say anything, but the depressed spikey-haired boy didn't get a surge of confidence from their responses.
"Does it… get any easier?" He asked instead.
"Do you want it to?" Came Lessar's response.
The words got caught into his throat at her meaning.
"Yes and no," Itsuwa supplied, taking a seat on the bed. "In a way, if you're unlucky enough to see it more often, you can suppress those emotions, at least for a bit. Soldiers are able to do that in combat. Eventually though, the weight does catch up on you. Those that don't feel anything when a life is taken… I don't want to get to know someone like that. Even Stiyl probably feels something, regardless what he tells you."
"He's a pretty good actor then." Touma spat out.
"He has to be," Itsuwa muttered. "His job… it isn't pretty. You know there are good and bad people in all groups, science and magic. He hunts down the magicians who, in some ways, are even worse than Eve."
"Even worse…?" Mikoto asked in shock, her hands cold, even with the warm mug she was holding.
"Do we want to know?" Misaki asked.
"Probably not," Lessar admitted. "If you think this city experiments on kids is bad, the magic side's been doing that for ages. Although these days we have some standards."
"It's more like a set of guidelines and, even then, some organizations ignore them." Itsuwa sighed for a moment. "It's why people like Stiyl exist in the first place. Bounty Hunters, Assassins, Special Forces... they all have different names throughout history, but for the tasks they perform, it's all the same."
"It's hard to imagine… not being able to see his smug face anymore," Touma muttered, his hands shaking again. "I would still be expecting him to pop up in a couple of days if I hadn't seen it firsthand." He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "I'm not going to be left in the dark anymore. I'm going to make sure Carissa keeps me informed, even if I have to march right in there and demand that she does it."
"We did that once before and it yielded results." Mikoto conceded.
Itsuwa might have chuckled at the absurdity of the statement if not for who was saying it. Thinking that the second princess would allow anyone to demand anything from her would normally be ludicrous— If anyone tried, they would be tarred and feathered. Literally in some cases. Touma was one of the few people who could even attempt something like that. Besides, the dark and gloomy expression still on his face took away any possible attempts at humor.
Misaki laid her head on his shoulder after setting her cup down.
It was going to be a long night and no one was planning to leave.
The following morning, Shizuri was reading a newspaper in her apartment while sipping a cup of coffee. Her eyes were slowly scanning through the information, most of it relating to the riots in Academy City. The explosions from yesterday were already investigated, and were in fact bombs being strategically placed at Anti-Skill buildings and the Ability Development Centers. They were specifically targeted because of the Parameter List.
To Shizuri, the information made sense.
People were not born equal. Some were smarter, stronger, taller, and so on, in comparison to others. It was just a fact of life. It only made sense that some people would be able to reach level 5 easier than others. Nothing in life was free, and you had to work and pay for what you wanted.
The people who complained about it being unfair were, in a way, correct, but it's not like that would change anything. If you don't have money for something, you don't have money for it. And it's not like you could just steal abilities. Even the drugs that were boosting said abilities had to be developed and distributed, which cost money. Stealing the finished products could only be done after the drug was created.
"…Anything useful?" Rikou asked from across the table, wearing her tracksuit-like pajamas.
"About what we expected." Shizuri answered absent-mindedly. "Obviously this Eris girl is the culprit. Assuming she works for Eve, all this chaos is most likely being used to cover up her tracks."
"Do you think you've punished Hamazura enough yet?"
Shizuri looked down at her feet.
Shiage was on his hands and knees, with Shizuri's feet on his back like a stool.
"No, he should know the proper chain of command."
Shiage kept his mouth shut, as anything he said would be taken the wrong way. Which would then lead to being kicked in the gut in most cases.
"He did inform you." Rikou tried to remind her helpfully.
"He told me about Eris after telling Kamijou," Shizuri snapped. "I should have been the first to know!"
Before Rikou could reply, the door to the apartment opened. Frenda and Saiai stumbled in with bags in hand.
"I can't believe how hard it was to find a place open for breakfast," Frenda complained. "Basically, those riots are causing sections of the city to shut down."
"How bad is it?" Shizuri asked, setting down the newspaper.
"Streets are super packed with protestors," Saiai explained, plopping down on the couch to dig into her bag. "Thousands, easily, and they seem to be growing. Kind of weird…"
"Weird, how?" Shizuri asked, a little curiously.
"You always find those groups of people who say Academy City discriminates," Saiai explained. "That's why loser groups like Skill-Out get formed." Shiage shifted under Shizuri's legs at this and he scowled at the small girl. "This time, they're actually gathering in large numbers. It's like they're super being led."
"They are," Shizuri informed her bluntly.
"Huh!?" Saiai and Frenda exclaimed.
"It's a magician working for Eve named Eris," Shizuri explained. "Hamazura here found out about her, but neglected telling me about something so important immediately."
"Idiot!" Frenda insulted, kicking the boy in the side.
"Knock it off!" He snapped.
"He's getting off easy because of how important this information is," Shizuri continued, digging her heel into his back, causing him to flinch. "I wouldn't have known about it without him, so good job on that."
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day." Saiai mumbled.
"Quite," Shizuri agreed. "I couldn't tell you all the details over the phone, but, until I was informed about a little meeting led by this Eris girl, I was going to wait until this blew over. It's not like the discrimination in this city is anything new."
"Who is Eris?" Frenda asked.
"History says she's a Goddess of strife and discord." Shizuri explained. "Which lines up with what we're dealing with. Academy City has been plunged into chaos, with all the security forces dealing with protests and bombings. This makes it a perfect opportunity for Eve to strike. From what we know about that bitch, she loves to take advantage of situations like this."
"Umm, how do you super know Eris is part of Eve's group?" Saiai asked curiously.
"I'm working with… a knowledgeable expert on magic in this city." Shizuri didn't want to give up FERRET's identity yet. "Due to the sensitive nature, we can't meet with them in person, but she's been keeping me informed about the different situations going on in the city. We are one of the few groups able to deal with magic side situations, after all."
"As expected of Mugino!" Frenda praised. "Always two steps ahead."
"So since Eris is a magician, do we know what magic she uses?" Saiai piped up. "We shouldn't run in blind if we are to take her down and ruin Eve's distraction. That's super what we're doing, right?"
Shizuri grinned maliciously.
"It is."
The other girls shivered at her tone.
"From what I can tell," Shizuri lied, revealing more of what FERRET told her. "She's using weak large-scale magic to heighten emotions in the people who are already upset with the city. Her appearance in this secret meeting not too long ago was to plant the proverbial seeds in the people attending. Hamazura here managed to avoid falling for her words." She looked down to the boy acting as her footstool. "Why don't you tell us a little more, Hamazura?"
"She's really good at appealing to emotions," Shiage admitted. "The way she talks, even subtle pauses, are all there to appeal to everyone in the crowd. She obviously has a lot of experience. If I hadn't given up that life and realized they were going about it wrong, I definitely would have followed her and the others. Shit, I almost did. If she was using magic to cloud our judgment, it might be why so many people followed her."
"So she just appealed to their emotions?" Saiai questioned. "Lame."
"There was evidence too. Enough to make her words ring with enough truth to silence the doubters," Shiage explained. "Releasing that Parameter List was already enough evidence for a lot of people once everyone started examining it. She just gave reasons why it happened, why they were being used. Honestly, it was like she presented everyone with the pieces of a puzzle and then guided them to reach the conclusion she wanted."
"That's pretty much how you convince idiots to work for you," Shizuri agreed. "Huh, maybe after we beat the shit out of her, might try to get her to join ITEM."
"M-Mugino?" Frenda couldn't believe it. "Are you… sure?"
"It was a joke." Mugino told her, rolling her eyes. "I'm going to leave her remains littered across the sidewalk."
"Phew," Saiai sighed and relaxed in her seat. "For a moment, I super thought Mugino had been replaced with Eve's creation, or put under mind control for that joke."
A green orb appeared in the air above Shizuri.
"I mean, it was a super funny joke!" Saiai amended.
"That's what I thought." Shizuri leaned back in her chair, removing her legs from Shiage's back. "Get us a car. We're moving out in 20 minutes."
"Is that smart?" The boy asked, surprised. "With all those protests against the city, wouldn't they possibly attack you, a Level 5, if you go out?"
"I'd like to see them try…"
A small grin formed on Shizuri's lips before she paused. That was the old her and that part of her wouldn't consider Level 0s lives as important, especially those that attacked her. However, Touma's disappointed expression formed in her mind and she frowned. He wouldn't like that, and if she publically shot people, he would learn about it soon enough.
"…not that it would matter." Meltdowner had changed her course. "I'm not as well-known as the others since I don't take part in any of those stupid public appearances. Everyone knows Accelerator, Railgun, and Mental Out now, but not me. As long as I don't reveal my powers in public, no one will know. We only have one target, Eris."
"Not Eve?" Saiai actually sounded disappointed.
"If Eve's there, we kill her too," Shizuri declared. "But right now, our goal is to fuck up her plans."
"Do you even know where Eris is?" Shiage asked quietly, grabbing some keys off the counter.
"As a matter of fact, I do!" Shizuri loved the surprised looks on everyone's faces as she pulled out her phone. On it was a map of Academy City and a blinking tracker. "This was provided to me by my contact. With this, we can track her down."
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.
UrsaMJR: Sad Touma appeals to my heart, as these emotional scenes always get me in the mood to read a whole bunch of suffer porn fics starring him… What? Everyone has their kinks. Blame the quality of that Touma Suffer Porn, too good to pass up.
BenFang322: Ah, sadness, anger, angst, and comfort. These four elements, when living together in harmony, form the lifeblood of certain authors. That said, after seeing all of that sadness and pain, I'm tempted to write fluff pieces just to make everyone feel a bit better. As for UrsaMJR's desire for more suffering!Touma smut, I guess I should have expected that. Well, I won't kink-shame. Anyways, as always, it's a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside Dark, and the other editors/betas.