So for this chapter begins the Deep Blood arc, as I said previously this is where major changes occur, also some elements in here to the next chapter are borrowed from Animan10 author of A certain strange Addition, so I want to give a huge shout out to one of my most favorite Index fanfic writers as an homage.
You already know the drill. Fate/Index belongs to Kamachi and Nasu respectively. Onto the story.
Chapter 10: Foxes Alchemist and Vampires Oh My!
Stiyl Magnus, Fortis 931, magician of Necessarius walked through the dark room of the Windowless Building in the center of Academy City, the yellow glow of circuits running through the floors and walls being the only light which fed into a tube, linked up to a preservation chamber holding director general Aleister Crowley.
"Stiyl Magnus, you are no different from the others. Every person that comes here has the same reaction to my rather unusual appearance, but it makes sense, if machines can sustain my life, why make my body do it?"
"Yes director general Aleister." Stiyl said.
"I believe you are already aware of the reason you were called back here from England, a situation has developed."
"If you mean 'Deep Blood', I know." Stiyl confirmed.
"We have indeed located a young girl with the ability to kill a certain creature, a creature we aren't even sure actually exists, though given the recent discovery of a fox spirit I begin to wonder. But here is where it gets complicated, sorcerers are not allowed in the city and yet one has involved himself in this."
"In Academy City?" Stiyl asked confused.
"Crushing a sorcerer is no problem. If pressed we will handle it though I would like to avoid such a conflict. Pitting members of the magic and science communities against each other is a dangerous game."
"I'm well aware Aleister, though recent developments are starting to blur that line in unprecedented ways, and many agents on the magic side are trying desperately to put a lid on it."
"I am already taking measures in regards to it, but for right now the alchemist situation takes immediate precedence."
"I understand, but do you believe the problem can be solved by sending a fellow member of the magical community to deal with the sorcerer." Stiyl deduced.
"That is my plan, I also have at my disposal one of the natural enemies of sorcery."
"The Imagine Breaaker? You plan to involve him in this?! I would understand more if he was alone but as we both know an unknown element is present with him."
"Yes, the fox, I believe she will prove a useful ally wouldn't you agree?"
"Tch, I can't bring myself to be around her, something about her is just off."
"There is certainly more to her than meets the eye, I believe she is of higher presence."
"Are you saying she's a magic god!!" Stiyl said panicking.
"That dear Stiyl is something to be determined, but her presence can be comparable to one, we just have to see."
"I don't like it, but If I have to I will do it, however there is the issue of the other people he associates with, I believe one of them is one of your prized espers, a level 5."
"They can play role of support to avoid clashing with magic, what you see as high risk, I see opportunity to get a better layout of the task by having all bases covered, one of the judgment girls in the group is the best hacker known, she can grant you a layout of the location you are infiltrating." Aleister explained.
"Whatever game your playing here certainly goes above 4d chess, I hope you know what you're doing." Stiyl responded.
"Rest assured everything will be taken care of, regardless of how good the girls hacker skills are my defenses are more then she can handle, and as for other concerns this shouldn't escalate to combat if played correctly, think of spy thrillers but with extra elements."
Tamamo POV:
Tamamo was hanging out with the railgang as per Saten's request, they were walking about planning different things to do, Saten had her baseball bat for when they decided to hit the batting cages, then they spotted two peculiar individuals.
"Kamijou, Index!!" Saten called out.
"Hey girls." Touma waved with a smile.
"What a coincidence to catch you guys here Touma." Tamamo said.
"Have you done anything fun with the girls at all?"
"Not yet, we're in the planning stages. What's going on here?"
All parties turned to look down at a box that held a calico cat inside.
"Index found this cat here and wants to bring it home, I kept telling her no but she kept insisting." Touma sighed.
"Why not Touma Sphinx needs a new home, why can't we keep him?!"
"Don't you already have Pickles, considering he's magic you don't need to take care of him like a regular pet!" Touma explained.
"Yes but I think he deserves a friend so he won't be lonely at home, and I'll be responsible for him!!" Index countered.
"Tama help me out here, you agree this wouldn't work right? Also wouldn't it be a cat and dog scenario?"
Tamamo went up to him and flicked his forehead offended by the question.
"I'm a fox Touma, more dignified than a dog." She said bluntly.
"Sorry Tama, noted for next time."
She responded by leaning her head to his shoulder, then she walked up to Index with a stern look in her eyes.
"Index, do you mean what you say about being responsible for Sphinx?"
"Absolutely, I'll take good care of him."
"Very well, I think this is a boon to teach you more responsibilities."
"Yay!!" Index cheers.
Touma sighed defeated, he left most of the proper judgment to Tamamo and trusts her completely.
"Alright Index, you win but don't take this as a sign that we'll spoil you, ok?"
"I think it's clear who wears the pants in this dynamic don't you think?" Saten whispered to the other girls, who nodded while stifling their laughter.
"Did you hear that Sphinx, you get to come home with us! Sphinx?"
Everyone looked to see the cat writhing in discomfort.
"What's wrong with Sphinx!" Index panicked.
"I'm sorry, it might be my ability, as an electro master my body produces an electromagnetic field, meaning animals like cats are very sensitive to it." Misaka explained embarrassed.
"Wait wouldn't you be affected Tamamo?" Uiharu asked.
"I definitely feel it I just don't let it bother me." She replied.
Sphinx had enough of the discomfort and jumped out of the box running away.
"Sphinx come back!! Look what you did short hair your ability scared him away!!" Index accused.
"I wasn't trying to silver sister!!" Misaka shot back.
"I also heard that there's a Japanese instrument that is partially made out of cat skins, how can Sphinx not be scared when stuff like that is going on!!"
"Well if you're gonna go there, don't the English chase foxes?" Touma argued completely forgetting who was next to him when he said that.
"Fox hunting is a noble spo-"
She stopped when she felt a chill go up her spine, her head creeks over to see Tamamo with a sickeningly sweet smile sported on her face.
"Um." Was all Index could get out.
"Go on Index, I'm not gonna stop your explanation, I'm listening."
Index gulped, but before it could escalate she felt something else, as did Tamamo.
"What's that? I can feel magic flows coming together nearby."
"Huh?" Touma and the railgang responded.
"So can I, the accursed Earth element." Tamamo added.
"Yes, it's color is green, a runic formula?"
Index sped off tracking the mana source.
"Index get back here!" Touma shouted.
"God damnit, don't just run into a situation without knowing the full scope, honestly that girl!" Tamamo added.
"You guys really are like her parents." Shirai said.
Touma then felt something was off as his eyes narrowed on the streets.
"What's wrong Kamijou?" Shirai asked.
"Do you girls feel that? I'm not entirely sure, but something doesn't feel right."
"You're right Touma, it feels similar to a boundary field." Tamamo said, releasing her fox features and going on guard.
"I guess that's one way to describe it, those runes are designed to keep people away."
The group recognized the voice and turned to see none other than Stiyl Magnus.
"Long time know see Imagine Breaker, I see you take your pet with you where ever you go."
Touma didn't react right away to Stiyl since he has no memories of him, he did put a hand up to Tamamo as she did not take being called a pet lightly.
"What, I don't even get a hello?" Stiyl asked mockingly.
"You have a lot of nerve coming back to this city Stiyl Magnus, you don't even deserve a hello after everything." Misaka growled as her bangs began to spark.
"Good, I didn't want any of you to think I was your friend or anything."
"Where's Index?" Saten asked as she drew her bat.
"Don't worry about her, she went off to investigate the magical force she and the fur ball here discovered right? Besides I didn't come to pick a fight with you espers."
Stiyl pulled out a rune card from his robes.
"However I'm not above attacking the boy!"
Stiyl threw the rune card which instantly burst into a torrent of fire, it was making its way to Touma who was going to put his right hand up, however the fire was intercepted by an ice attack curtesy of Tamamo's talismans.
"Damn yo-"
He didn't get the chance to finish as he found himself on the end of spear tip held by the aforementioned fox, a murderous look in her eyes.
"Bad move sorcerer, you think you can up an attack my beloved like that. Give me a reason to not castrate you where you stand!" She uttered every word with pure venom.
Sweat dripped down Stiyl's forehead, he choked on his words as he didn't want to anger her further, this was the same woman who stood against Kanzaki, a saint.
"Look as much as I don't want to I need you and the boy to help me with a mission!"
The group raised a respective eyebrow, they were curious as to what he needed help with if it required Touma and Tamamo together.
"Alright then, explain everything." Tamamo demanded still keeping her spear on him.
"Before I do let me ask something, what do any of you know about Misawa Prep School?"
"Misawa Prep school is here in district 7 under the 177th branch of Judgment's jurisdiction." Uiharu explained.
"There is a girl that's being held captive there. Apparently the school has had some changes, it's become the base of a pseudo religion based on the worship of science. We don't know the details, what we do know is that the schools been taken over. They are now led by a bonified sorcerer. To be more precise, an alchemist of the Zurich school of Alchemy."
"An alchemist huh? Curious." Tamamo said.
"He's the real deal?" Uiharu asked.
"I know, it sounded far fetched to me too." Stiyl then realized something.
"You all are accepting this to easily."
"Well if someone's in trouble we can't just sit back and watch now can we." Touma stated.
"So is that all or is there more." Tamamo pressed still not dropping her spear.
Stiyl would go on to reveal the alchemist's name is Aurelos Izzard. He disappeared three years ago and came out of hiding after discovering a girl who held a power called Deep Blood.
"Deep Blood?" Tamamo asked.
"It's the ability to kill vampires."
The group was shocked to hear of the existence of vampires, though in Tamamo's case she knew they existed, the undead apostle ancestors were a prevalent group once, and she remembered encountering and fighting Arcueid Brunestud on the Moon Cell.
What confused her though was that in this world magicians have yet to prove the existence of vampires, if they truly existed, if they didn't then why is something like Deep Blood a thing?
"Anything else?" Touma asked.
"Word on the street is the flower girl here is a wiz at computers, if any of you middle schoolers want to provide assistance then set up some wiretaps to keep communication with us, if you can provide the equipment."
"And you expect us to go along with it just like that?" Shirai asked suspicious.
"Do what you want, choice is yours."
Silence befell the group as they absorbed the info, Touma was the first to decide.
"Tamamo, drop the spear, we'll help."
She did as she was told and dispelled her spear letting Stiyl breath.
"Be grateful fire boy, you have your help and get to keep your balls."
Once Stiyl left, the streets of Academy City were filled with the sound of traffic. The group made it back to the Kamijou residence where they found Index who had managed to bring Sphinx in, Pickles eyed the new pet as he and Sphinx circle each other inspecting one another, it was an adorable sight.
"We all are going to pick up some computer parts we'll be back in a bit Index, stay put." Tamamo instructed.
"Gotcha!" Index replied.
They opened the door to leave only to find Stiyl kneeling down placing rune cards across the walls and floors.
"Stiyl, what are you doing here?" Touma asked.
"I thought I would add extra protection to this place, not that I don't have faith in these girls to keep watch over her while they communicate with us."
"Do you have a thing for Index?" Touma asked out of the gate.
"What!! Of all the stupid things to ask!!" Stiyl shouted dropping his cigarette while blushing.
"I think he does." Saten replied, making three of her friends giggle. Tamamo's pupils went into a slit upon hearing that though as she quickly went in front of Index guiding the confused nun behind her holding her close.
"That's creepy considering the age gap between you two." Uiharu stated.
"First of all it's not like that, I'm simply looking out for her, second of all the age gap between us is not that big to begin with."
"To use magic to make you look older then you actually are, tell me are you compensating for something? Also as far as wanting to court Index no matter how much you deny it, I do not approve!!" Tamamo snapped putting her foot down on the issue.
"I already told you, it's not like that!! And since when the hell did a flee bag like you become her mother?!"
"Deny it all you want, you like her." Saten said egging it on more.
"Aah, bastards!! All of you!"
After getting the supplies they needed the group set up the equipment in Touma's dorm as the rail gun crew got on station and Index sat back watching.
Stiyl, Touma and Tamamo stood in front of Misawa Prep School, Touma was equipped with surveillance systems, a miniature microphone was wiretapped to his shirt so he could talk to the girls, an earpiece to help them talk to him and a miniature camera on his left ear which was linked to Uiharu's computer cross referencing data on the building's floor plan, Tamamo didn't want to be wiretapped as the equipment would get in the way, Stiyl was not a big fan of technology so he was a no go.
The three of them would infiltrate the school under Uiharu's guidance, Misaka and Shirai would be standing gaurd to make sure the work wouldn't be interrupted, or Index Kidnapped, Saten would act as additional eyes for anything her best friend happened to skip over.
Stiyl would then reveal that the goal of Aurelos was to manipulate reality with a thought. Of course Uiharu would talk irony about alchemy and it's failure which created gunpowder. Needless to say Stiyl didn't take the observation well, especially when Tamamo laughed at him.
Stiyl then presented a picture of the girl Aisa Himegami, to which Touma was shocked stating he met her earlier today when he was forced to treat Index, Tsuchimakado and Aogami to burgers and milkshakes at a restaurant.
"You're still friends with those two, even after the false rumors from before?" Tamamo asked befuddled.
"With friends like them, who needs enemies."
The trio finally walked inside, and Uiharu thoroughly scanned around the media feeds for anything specific.
"What have they found so far?" Misaka asked.
"It's too soon to say, they just walked in." Saten replied.
"Hold up, we got something. Looks like a robot of some sort, looks broken." Touma said through the earpiece.
"That's not a robot love, it's a dead body." Tamamo corrected.
Everyone besides Tamamo and Stiyl looked on in horror as they got a better look.
"Judging by the armor this was a knight of the Roman Catholic Church." Stiyl deduced.
Windowless Building:
As Aleister watched the events unfold, he caught sight of a figure standing on top of the dorm that held the Kamijou residence.
"Well, this is unprecedented, they actually exist, to think one would manage to invade this city, however it appears he is not going after the Deep Blood."
Dorm Rooftop:
The figure was a man who looked 20 years of age, long flowing black hair, a fully zipped black trench coat, grey pants, and dress shoes. The most striking thing about him was his pale white skin and piercing red eyes, he sported long sharp fingernails, his mouth opened slightly to reveal fangs.
He then crawled along the walls until reaching the edge of the window of a certain dorm room and peered inside, he saw the 4 middle school girls and Index all peering at the computer, however his eyes focused only on Saten.
AN: Well it seems as though we have another type of trouble brewing, things might get a lot more hairy then expected, can the crew get through this, or will it all go wrong. Find out next time. Also what do you think of the family dynamics with the main trio?
Next chapter: Chaos and Paranoia