NTS: ADD MORE environmental descriptions and the characters expressions!
I'm late again, heh. This chapter is long, since I wanted to put an end to this arc and get over it quickly. I was particularly rushing the ending so I can post it quickly.
Happy new year!
"E-Emilia, how can you be so sure?" Mikoto asked.
Emilia rolled her eyes. "Research. All I had to do was find her bio. Her full name is Therestina Kihara Lifeline."
Mikoto shook her head. "Wait, does that mean she's related to the creepy guy with the birthmark?"
"I suspected her the moment she said Kiyama was going to abandon the kids. I knew our scientist wouldn't do something like that."
Mikoto clenched her fist. "What's your point?"
Emilia turned to look at the glass window. "Therestina can't be trusted."
"But what does that have to do with anything!?" Mikoto shouted, leaning forward. "Are you trying to say we should just let her do her own thing? Letting her do anything more will only get worse! What if her plan fails? The consequences are worse than the benefits, and you know that!"
"But we can't particularly trust Ms Colored Candy, can't we!?" Emilia shouted back, turning her head around. "We can't just lose hope on the kids like that! I know exactly what it's like to-" Emilia cut herself off.
Mikoto gave a concerned frown. "Emilia… you know exactly what it's like to what?" She asked slowly.
"Tch! This is pointless, do what you want. Heck, kill all the kids for all I care." Emilia put on her mask again and began to walk away from the scene.
"Emilia! W-wait!" As if she would somehow grab Emilia from a distance, Mikoto reached her hand out, only to be ignored by the hooded girl.
Emilia stormed through a different exit of the facility. She sensed the Electromaster's heat waves outside the building, where Harumi's car was originally parked. It seems Mikoto was still looking for her, but to no avail. Though she is somewhat a hothead, her ability is something I may not be able to handle. I could only have negated her lightning bolt during that chase one time because she was holding back half heartedly, whereas I had to give it my all to negate it.
Emilia looked up into the street to find some big vehicles driving hurriedly to the facility. She deduced that it must be the MAR units about to take custody of the children. It's too late. The Kihara family is something that shouldn't be reckoned with. Well, it's not my problem anymore.
She sighed as she walked the long way route all the way back home.
4 girls and a senior were in the office without Emilia. Kazari and Ruiko sat on the couch as they thought about what Mikoto told them.
"So the ten children were admitted into the MAR facility?" Mii echoed.
"Yes." Mikoto softly replied. She shifted uncomfortably.
While Mikoto let her thoughts run around, Saten spoke up, patting Kazari on the back. "That's great news, Uiharu!"
"You said Emilia came with you, yes?" Kuroko asked. Mikoto nodded slowly. "Don't worry, I think you made the right decision there. Seriously, risking the world for the cost of ten kids is a bit extreme."
Mikoto smiled a little, feeling slightly comforted. There's definitely something more about Emilia than I imagined. I should give her time, and properly apologize. I shouldn't have been as hostile towards her. She felt Kuroko suddenly embrace her, not letting go despite Mikoto's struggles. "Argh! You and Emilia should be more careful next time! What if something were to happen to my beloved Onee-Sama?"
'She isn't worried in the least about Emilia…' Everyone except Kuroko thought simultaneously.
As Kazari left to see Erii, everything began to settle down. Emilia hasn't visited the office, and everyone felt at ease from the poltergeist issue being concluded. After Saten came back from escorting Kazari to visit her roommate, Mikoto was on her Gekota Themed phone, texting Emilia.
Her first apology didn't get a response, so Mikoto attempted a more, detailed and sincere apology since she knew Emilia wasn't the type to tolerate spam. She felt like writing a marked essay making up a large percentage of her grade in Tokiwadai; even going as far as using a thesaurus from time to time. She finally sent her revised message, but she didn't get another response. Minutes came by and she finally gave up waiting for an answer and shut her phone. Why do I feel like I need to make up with Emilia this badly? She probably just needs some time alone.
Mikoto looked up at the time. She had spent a questionable amount of time trying to send a single text. She sighed and felt herself melt on the couch.
"Have some tea." Ruiko kindly said, offering the chief a cup of tea.
"You seem to be in a good mood, Saten-san." Mii pointed out, happily accepting the cup.
"Well, the poltergeist issue is finally over with." Ruiko reasoned. "Now we can go out together again!" She said with much energy.
Mii leaned back in her chair. "That's true, you guys have been weird recently. But now I guess things are back to normal?" She sat up straight to look at Kuroko. "Right, Shrai-san?"
"I've been normal the entire time." Kuroko protested calmly.
"Here." Ruiko also walks over to Kuroko and hands her a cup of tea. "I know! Let's ask Uiharu when Haruue-san gets out of the hospital! It's summer for real now, so we got to enjoy it!" She calls Kazari using her cellphone.
"Very true." Kuroko agrees as Ruiko waits for Kazari to answer.
"Hello, Uiharu? Where are you?" Ruiko asks cheerfully. However, the smile didn't last long. Ruiko gave a concerned face as she was listening to what Kazari was saying. "Uiharu? What's wrong Uiharu? Uiharu!" She asked as she instinctively leaned the phone closer to her ear. "If you're going to cry, I can't tell what's wrong!"
After a lot of comforting, Kazari eventually came back to the office, continuously sobbing. Mikoto listened to what Kazari was saying in horror. Everything about what Telestina did and said, she immediately had a flashback from what Emilia said that night. She's a member of the Kihara family, I don't think she can be trusted.
"Telestina Kihara really said that? And what happened to Kiyama Harumi?" Mii interrogated.
"I-I d-don't know…" Kazari said, continuously in tears.
Ruiko rubbed her friend's pat to try and comfort her. "Calm down, It's okay…"
Mii hurriedly plopped down onto her search and began tapping away at it. "Telestina Kihara Lifeline, relative of the Kihara Gensei?" She echoed in shock.
"Yeah… that's what Emilia tried to warn me about." Mikoto said in a depressed tone, filled with pain and regret. She clearly warned me about it… Why didn't I stop to listen to her for once?
Kuroko and Mii jerked their heads at the Electromaster.
"What!?" Kuroko shouted in shock.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Mii asked at the same time.
"Emilia must've been implying that Telestina might be one of Gensei's assistants." Mikoto said, her eyes locked on the floor with shame.
"Wait a minute!" Mii said, continuing her research. "Telestina was the first subject of the crystalized Esper Essence experiments!?"
As everyone else began to find more things and panic, Mikoto clenched her fist, and kept recalling what happened the night before. This is all my fault… If I had been more mindful… this wouldn't have happened. Her thoughts were cut short as soon as she heard a quick and violent slap. Mikoto jerked her head forward to see Kuroko who just hit her sobbing friend. Kazari slowly looked up at Kuroko.
"How long do you intend to stay there?" She asked in a serious tone.
Mikoto began to snap out of it too. It's all the past now. I'm going to fix all of this. She turned to leave the room, without being noticed.
Mikoto finally walked to a building, with Telestina in a mech suit. Vans drove past her, and she continued to walk towards the woman in the mech. She was her target.
Telestina gave a smile. A completely different smile she gave earlier. A smug, taunting smile that would be on any prideful human being. "The kids were loaded in those vans. Are you okay just letting them go?"
"What are you planning?" Mikoto demanded, walking towards Telestina without fear, almost as if she was marching.
"Plotting?" Telestina echoed.
"A friend of mine already figured almost everything you're after. She already found that you were the granddaughter of Kihara Gensei. She knew that you were assisting him despite the fact that you were his first experiment. Now, you're transferring the kids somewhere. What the hell are you after?" Mikoto was now right in front of the woman in the mech.
Telestina gave a vulgar laugh. Wearing a completely different face she wore before. "That's quite a smart friend you had there! If she really did know, why did you let me have the kids? Unless she did tell you and you just flat out ignored her! Quite the heartless and idiotic friend you are!"
"Why you!" Mikoto ran at Telestina, sparks at the ready, but a horrible high pitched noise made her fall to her knees. "No way… Capacity down?"
"Oh, you do know about it."
"Don't tell me you…" Mikoto said as Telestina stomped her way closer to the Electromaster.
"Well, I am the one who created it after all!" Telestina boasted, then raised her left arm to smash Mikoto to the ground.
Mikot quickly rolled over to the side to avoid the attack, still remaining on the ground. "Created?"
"I got plenty of data after leaking my creation to Skill-Out. Thanks to them, I made countless improvements on it. Though, it did get a bit too big as a result. Even those Skillouts can be useful when used correctly."
Mikoto remembered the events with the "Big spider", and the injuries Emilia had to go through as a result. She released everything she had, but noise weakened her power, making the attack miss entirely.
"Don't get upset now!" Telestina teased, she pointed her left arm towards Mikoto, supposedly an arm cannon. She fired a projectile that zipped past Mikoto's face, hitting a truck in the background.
Mikoto knew she had to get moving if she didn't want a missile to the face. She got up with the little energy she had left and started to run off to avoid another attack. She barely avoided an explosion on the ground, and counter-attacked. Of course, nothing happened.
It was hopeless, all Mikoto could do was dodge the missiles and hope Telestina slips up. After running a full circle around the Mech, she leaned onto the pillar, barely able to stand. She fell to the ground, but Telestina caught her and began to choke her against the pillar.
She struggled, kicked, and tried to use her ability, but it was no use. Telestina began saying something, but Mikoto eventually began to black out.
"Here, have some tea." Emilia said.
"What? I don't want tea! Don't you have something like soda?" Azusa whined.
Emilia giggled. "They still aren't letting you out, huh?"
"Yeah… I don't know what's up with these doctors. It doesn't matter anyway! The food is pretty good here!"
Emilia stood up from the stool and stretched. She walked over to the window with a gloomy look.
"Had a fight with your friends?"
Emilia turned around, shocked. "How did you know?"
Azusa winked. "Call it a woman's intuition!"
Emilia smiled once more. "Idiot, you're not a woman yet. How did you really find out?"
"It was written all over your face."
"Nice and blunt huh?"
Azusa tossed the blanket forward, and sat up to face Emilia. "I know you guys aren't on good terms, but the reason you had a fight in the first place was because you were true friends right? I bet she didn't really mean it! So I say you should go make up with her."
Emilia blinked. Azusa was right. Mikoto did try to find her back in the facility. She didn't expect Azusa to be giving her advice.
"Okay. I'll go make up with her."
"That's my girl!"
"Shut up."
Emilia walked out of the hospital, and pulled out her phone. About to text Mikoto an apology, it turns out Mikoto already beat her to it. Mikoto sent 3 messages. Emilia scrolled through the 2nd message and gave a disgusted look. Why do you sound like a rich person? Can't you just text like a normal message? But Emilia froze when she read the 3rd.
"You were right." It said.
Emilia rushed towards her dorm and opened her "forbidden box". Emilia was almost sure the kids were in Telestina's hands, or else Mikoto wouldn't have sent the message. Then if Mikoto realises the truth, then she surely would have fought Telestina. She was going to have to get the kids back. Grabbed her laptop and booted it up and wore her hood, cape and mask as the laptop finished loading. She tracked the MAR vans, using a useful trick Kazari once taught her.
Once she got the location, she shut the laptop, put on her boots and immediately jumped out the window.
Emilia found herself riding a car on a highway. She sees a blue sports car chasing after two vans. Those are obviously decoys, no way Telestina is that dumb.
She loaded her pistol and pointed at the vans, hitting one of the van's tires. She pointed to neutralize the other van, but Emilia saw a familiar level 5, using her ability to destroy both van's simultaneously. Geez, the element of surprise is off the table thanks to miss hothead.
Naturally, the car she was riding made a quick stop to avoid the explosion, and Emilia flew forward from the momentum. She took advantage of that momentum and added kinetic energy to her moment, making her fly straight forward. Through the highway. She zipped past Mii and Mikoto on a motorcycle, and began to plan. Okay, I need to be careful if I don't want to hurt the kids. I barely did any missions involving saving people, what am I going to do? She caught onto the blue car, looking around. They should lead me to where the kids are. Though the car was moving at top speed, Emilia briefly felt an odd heat signature from below. Wait, she's underground!?
A huge robot emerged from the pavement, and Emilia reacted by freezing it's arms. However, as if, shaking bugs off the hand, the robot just crushed that ice into pieces.
"You better try harder than that!" A voice said through a megaphone. Emilia leaped at the machine, passing Mikoto who was landing at the car. Emilia gave a quick glance at the electro master as Mikoto flew past her again. Emilia threw a flame thrower, but it was no use. She latched onto the head, then climbed up on the mech, riding it.
"Get off you little insect!" The voice shouted, Emilia pulled out a pistol, and shot the moving thing a few times. It didn't even make a dent. She barely managed to avoid a metal arm swinging straight towards her, and barely managed to hand on. This thing is basically immune to everything, my attacks won't work on it. I need something with a little more firepower. She looked straight at Mikoto, standing on the blue sports car. That's it! I need to get her to fire off a railgun when this bulk is off guard. That'll be easy.
Emilia raised her arm, creating icebergs all over the road. I can't make the icebergs too big, or it'll create casualties like Konori-Senpai. She made several icebergs onto the road, still hanging on the vigorously shaking vehicle.
"Hah! You think this is going to make me trip?" The huge mech began weaving at extreme precise speed, already dogging half of the icebergs. However, Emilia predicted this.
This thing is moving about 94km/hr, I specifically put the icebergs in a position where the mech would be forced to move in a pattern of f(x)=(5)Sin(0.73x). Altitude of graph: 5m. Period: 0.73. She's cornered now! All I gotta do is accelerate this speed to 100km/hr when exactly 9 seconds elapsed, and she's going to hit the most fatal of all icebergs.
"Hah! Almost too- WHAT!?"
The mech only went slightly faster, but it made all the difference. She collided straight into the biggest iceberg created, and the machine fell off balance into the ground. Emilia leaped off the giant mech, and watched as Mikoto fired her ace move, straight into the Mech's weak spot.
The massive robot fell to the ground making minor damages and scratches all over the metallic cover. The blue sports car hit the breaks to see what happened.. The robot didn't look done yet, and it began to get up.
"Enough! I'll finish this!" The voice yelled.
But before, the robot even had a chance, Emilia froze the entire thing to the ground, effectively neutralizing it. What was left was a huge half-broken brown robot, almost completely encased in ice.
"Misaka-san!" Kazari called.
As it turns out, Kazari and Ruiko were in the blue sports car together.
"Are you okay? I didn't know you can freeze things too!" Ruiko said.
"Onee-Sama! I'm sorry I couldn't come to help you!" Kuroko said as she teleported to the scene.
Emilia put away her pistol and began twirling her dagger. She almost forgot that she was wearing a mask.
"It's you!" Mikoto yelled, pointing at Emilia. "How did you negate my attack earlier!?"
Emilia sighed and began to ignore her. She turned to walk out the highway in hopes of getting her friends to rescue Erii instead of asking more questions.
"Stop! In the name of Judgement!" Kuroko commanded.
Come on! You're going to miss your chance if you keep wasting your time with me!
"We need to go now!" Kazari said. "Let's go save the kids."
"Yeah." Harumi said. "And you. I am most grateful for what you did."
"Yeah, thank you!" Ruiko said.
Emilia nodded slightly, and accelerated herself out the scene.
Emilia got a text from X. He's back. The message only said "Hideout", but Emilia knew what that meant.
She arrived at the hideout as X told her to, and opened the creaky door. As expected, X was sitting in the office, with a trench coat and Fedora, luggage laying on the ground. He obviously just arrived from his trip.
"I see your arm is healed, up and about." X said.
Emilia looked at her arm and moved it back and forth. Though she hated to admit it, it was now fully healed.
X smiled. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"
Let the hell commerce again. Emilia thought.