Hello my people! It's NeoShadows here with the latest chapter of A Certain Influx of Time Traveling Mishaps! Man! Did I come up with one hell of a name for this fic.
Gotta say, I didn't expect to get much reviews or favs and follows from the first chapter. As a new writer for this sect, I was expecting to not get much until I've had a few more chapters. But so far I've seen a positive response. Makes me want to churn out even more chapters!
So, next we have what I call the closing prologue. Consider the first chapter and this one the set up for this story. After this, things will be different with the new elements who've suddenly fallen into the past. The new Arc that will lead up to the Sister Arc begins on our next update. I've almost completed it and can already see the end of the arc in sight.
But before we get scrolling, let's answer some reviews to get the ball rolling.
BlueJack22: Competition you say? I say bring it on! Ah, this reminds me of my days in my very first sect with another author. Good times, good times. Glad to have ya on board.
Majin Othinus: That's what I'm aiming for, a nice old smile on my fans faces. And we'll be seeing our man Touma's kids soon enough. As for Othinus, well, can't say. That there is spoiler territory for this fic. We'll just have to wait and see what goes on.
Lordrednight: Yeah, once I got into Index during my first break with Multiplayer, a few fans suggested various animes to watch in my free time. A Certain Magical Index was truly the one that stood out from all the rest though! Oh, I fell in love with the characters, the world, the concepts, and the adventures of a normal high school boy. I just couldn't help myself but begin developing my own story and here we are. Glad to know I got Touma's character right. That's always a new writers biggest concern when stepping into a new fandom.
DigitalEmperor001: Glad to have ya on board. Ya won't regret it.
TheGamer24: Perdón por la decepción, tenía mucho trabajo que hacer antes de poder volver a escribir. Me alegra ver que todavía me sigues historias! En cuanto a la historia de pokemon que tengo en las obras, tomará algo de tiempo antes de poder lanzarla. ¡Pero me aseguraré de avisarte cuando esté listo!
ArmoredCoreNineBall: Told ya I would bring it out. Since the addition of the future kids to the past, new events will rise up to test out our boy in ways he's never been tested before! I have ya to thank for giving me the confidence to let this story go through.
AJ Cruz the Gemini: Ya like ToAru too? Nice. I didn't expect too many of my RWBY fans to read this fic, so it's a pleasant surprise to see a few of ya here. And yes, our boy has passed on in the future. But he lives in the present, much to his future misfortune.
WilliamZ0: ArmorCoreNineBall was a great inspiration who was one of the authors that lead me to finally tackle writing a fic of my own. I don't know if I'll some readers because of the M rating, I mean the LN itself ain't exactly rated T and has its fair share of blood and gore, but we'll see what happens. I couldn't have it any other way and felt I would have more freedom with the rating. The effects of Time Travel are a real thing, one that won't be brought up for a while, but that does bring up the matter of kind of Time Travel this is. There are many theories on the matter after all. And the children were the most fun to come up with. I'd rather have the fans guess on that. No spoilers. I'll be sure to have something worthy of your time with the next Arc that's to come up on the next chapter.
Jordinio: Oh, the Sister's Arc! That's a goody but we'll get to that after this new Arc.
DeoV: How many? HOW MANY!? HOW MANY DO YA THINK!? Just try and guess!
And that's that for reviews. I believe we got a story to get to. So, stop dawdling and get to scrolling already!
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to A Certain Magical Index. All rights are reserved to Kazuma Kamachi. Seriously, I don't even know how I have to time to even write fanfiction with my busy schedule. I'm constantly juggling coffee and sandwiches at work while trying to flirt with the beauty salon girls that work above my store! Seems I only have luck when it come to surviving near deaths rather than picking up girls. Man, I would trade that kind of luck for luck with woman in an instant! Even if it means that damn ice cream truck would finally be able to take me out.
Chapter 2: New Tomorrows.
Of_Lost_Comforts.
Aleister Crowley was many things to the world. Whether it was a world of Light, Darkness, Magic, or Science, the man who appeared as a child, a man, a woman, a saint or a sinner, Aleister's name carried a certain weight to it.
He was known as 666, The Beast, to the world of magic. A heretic who rejected the teachings and blessings of God. A man who thought little of sin and divulged in his own pleasures out of curiosity. The very man who had brought ruin to the greatest magical cabal of their time. He was also believed to be dead. A traitor who had turned his back to his own kind. A dark botch on the history of the magical world. He was a man who the magic side had rejoiced in his supposed death.
To the world of Science, he was known as the General Superintendent of Academy city as its leader. A man responsible for the Power Curriculum Program that created Espers, humans who surpassed their limits to perform feats that could only be described as miracles. Who's technological advancements in fields of technology had created a utopia for all matters scientific. His knowledge had gone so far to bear powers of supernatural nature to those who developed in his city. Though for all the Light his city bore, it was also responsible for the Darkness that hid beneath all the glamour and wonder.
He was a genius with no equal. A human who had turned down the opportunity to become a Magic God. A man who despised the idea of 'God' and wished to wipe out all magic. He had even been a husband and father once upon a time. Truly when one had learned all of what Aleister had done and been through, one could not deny just how human he was.
Aleister Crowley was many things. But one thing he hadn't been in a very long time was surprised.
Within the Windowless Building that housed and protected the man who manipulated the city from the shadows for his own wishes, the feminine and masculine faced man floated upside down in the large tube that kept alive with wide eyes. He actually couldn't recall the last time he had found himself surprised. Perhaps the first time would have been when he bore witness to the just how misfortune the new wielder of Imagine Breaker was when he entered his city. It was quiet odd to see a small army of cleaning robots, small dogs, and even a leopard chase down an elementary school boy over what had simply started as the boy bending down to tie his shoes.
It had also been the first time in a long time that the man known as The Greatest Magician in History had chuckled.
So, what exactly had been the cause for Aleister appearing surprised? Well, that would be in the person standing in front of his tube. Someone he did not recognize nor did he invite into his building. No one but those Aleister deemed necessary ever entered his stronghold. His building was impenetrable to any Magician or Esper who dared to even scratch a single panel. With the exception of one Teleporter, no other individual could enter. Yet the stranger had entered and bypassed all his defenses without a scratch on them. Even more curious was the fact he hadn't noticed anyone entering until now.
As for the stranger, she stood at 5'9 with a familiar shade of colorless white hair that was tied back in a professional bun that he would see on a secretary. The girl wore a white blouse with black buttons, a black business skirt that went to her ankles with fishnet leggings, and oddly enough, finger-less leather gloves that stood out to her professional attire. The girl wore rectangular glasses that she fixed after a moment out of habit. But what really caught his attention other than her appearance and presence, were her eyes.
The girl had a set of dark blue eyes that he could have sworn were black. He had seen those eyes before on a certain misfortune boy.
The business attired girl didn't seem to be fazed by his presence. If anything, she merely quirked a brow at him, taking his appearance as a slight surprise, before clearing her throat. He had to admit, he was impressed by the young woman. No one who knew him as he was, as the traitor to magicians, as the Superintendent of Academy City, ever regarded him so coolly. Not even the Backstabbing Blade.
It was only out of pure intrigue that the girl didn't feel the sting of his Spiritual Tripping.
"I assume that you would like to know of who I am? And what I want from the infamous Edward Alexander Crowley?"
The peaked intrigue Aleister had had been shattered like an illusion. The girl had all of his attention.
". . .Who are you, girl?" Aleister spoke softly with narrowed eyes.
The mystery girl smirked as she laid her left hand on her chest.
"I am simply proof that your wish will come true someday. Though you shouldn't be surprised that it's not in the manner that you had intended. After all, when one uses the Imagine Breaker in their strategy, they are bound to see their plans shattered and reformed to the reality of that boy. Kamijou Touma is not exactly known for failing to save a damsel in distress after all."
In the life supporting office inside the Windowless Building, not a sound could be heard. Aleister wasn't sure what to make of what he had just heard from the mystery girl. Currently, his mind was firing off all the meanings behind the girl's words, the neurons in his brain going off like a field of explosive mines. With his vast mind, he came up with hundreds of possible meanings and outcomes from what could be inferred. What he would do next would rest on what he attained from those four sentences. And the girl herself.
Aleister's lips turned up, a smile of curiosity growing on his normally expressionless features.
"Oh? And if so, what are your intentions, my sweet little proof?"
The spectacle mystery girl came closer to the life supporting machine to meet the eyes of the silver haired magician. Her features were determined, reminding him all too much of the boy who composed most of his plans. It was only when she had come closer to him that he found something startling on the girl's person. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, finding an odd miasma of magical energy that was completely new to him seeping into the girl's body. Annoyance painted his features as he began to analyze the foreign energy. It wouldn't do to have someone messing with something he found intriguing.
"My intentions are for that reality to become true."
Something was affecting the girl. That would not do. First though, he would have to take care of Secretary-chan. And discover what reality she wanted realized. Once he found out what she wanted, how she got here, and what use she was to him, Aleister would decided what to do with the white haired girl.
In the coming days, Aleister would find that many of his plans would have to go through heavy revisions.
Waking up in the hospital should have been alarming for a normal person. It wasn't everyday that you found yourself laying back in bed with an IV connected to your arm, stripped out of your clothes into a hospital gown, while wrapped up in several bandages, gauze, and a cast for your dismembered arm. But for one Kamijou Touma, it felt oddly. . . normal. An odd scent hit his noses randomly, reminding him of honey. Shutting his eyes tiredly while breathing the comforting aroma, Touma's head hit the pillow of his bed as he scratched his head. The scent helped to ease him a bit.
'Just what exactly had the past Kamijou done to be this use to a hospital bed of all things? This is my second time here and I don't even fell nervous! I actually fell comfortable here! Than again, I have been sleeping in a bathtub for two weeks now. I miss my bed.'
Sleeping in a bathtub for several days was not comfortable. And it did a number on his back too. Touma wouldn't be surprised if his spine was screwed up in the future. But what was he suppose to do when living with a silver haired nun with only one bed in his dorm? He was pretty sure it was a sin to force a nun to sleep on the cold hard floor. And he was a healthy teenage boy, so sleeping in the safe bed with a girl right next to his body was a big no-no. It already appeared that God didn't like him for some reason, why bother falling further in his eyes? He was sure his misfortune would double!
At any point he could have simply turned Index away. As a girl of the cloth, who followed God's teachings to heart, she didn't belong in a place like Academy City. It was a godless world without faith in what they could not see or prove. She was better off leaving to her home or somewhere that would accept her for the religious follower she was.
Except she had no where to go. He had come to learn much about the poor girl who found herself abandoned in a world completely alien to her. She was a girl who held thousands upon thousands of magical forbidden text in her mind and was constantly being chased by others who wished to abuse such power for themselves. And through a series of events he could no longer recall, Touma had found himself as her protector.
It still baffled him. He, Kamijou Touma, just a normal high school boy who possessed the worst kind of luck imaginable, was the protector of a girl who belonged to a magical side of the world with a literal library of forbidden magic in her head. He really had to ask himself what the hell kind of things the original Kamijou got himself in.
In the end though it didn't matter. Not as long as he could protect that precious smile that had greeted him when he awoke with nothing in his head. Sleeping in a bathtub was a small price to pay for her happiness. Maybe it was that bright smile that had the previous Kamijou protecting her despite the danger. Who would know? That reasoning was gone.
This Kamijou though would watch over the nun for his own reasons.
At the moment, said nun wasn't anywhere to be seen. Touma hadn't seen the head of silver-blue hair since the events of the Misawa's Cram school. This was actually the first moment he had opened his eyes. A moment that was full of aches, pains, groans and sores. It was a wonder he was alive after taking several magical bullets to the chest. And the loss of his right arm.
To Touma's shock and disbelief, said arm was now back on his shoulder. It was in a sling and any movement with it right now sent a spasm of sharp pain up his entire right side of his body. He couldn't help but stare at it in wonder, swearing he was going to wake up without a right arm. That would be his kind of luck after all.
"At least I won't have to learn how to write with my left hand now." Touma chuckled to himself tiredly while trying to flex his right fingers. He winced deeply, "Maybe they could have given me some kind of robot arm or something if I did lose it."
"Hmm, well it wouldn't be that complicated with my skills, but a cybernetic arm would bring with it its own problems and inconveniences. Let's now forget that bad luck of yours too. I'm sure a prosthetic arm would only bring you more troubles."
Hearing a familiar chuckle, Touma found the frog faced doctor who had greeted him on his first official day as Kamijou Touma. The frog faced observation wasn't an insult, the man really did have a face that resembled a frog's. Touma had half a mind to call the man Dr. Gekota at the this point. After all, the doctor never did give the high school boy his name. Only his title.
Heaven Canceler.
A light frown appeared on Heaven Canceler's face as he observed the bed ridden carrier of Imagine Breaker move his right fingers.
"I would refrain from stressing the muscles right now. Though it's been a day since the surgery, and you've recovered remarkably well for having your entire right arm severed, your still in no condition to be moving it around. You will be experiencing some pain for next few days but that's the only true negative I can speak of now." Heaven Canceler smirked as he began reading over the medical chart he had in hand, "Most people who had their body parts severed and attached have to go through months of physical therapy to be able to properly move a muscle, and that's outside Academy City. Here, it would take maybe a month to regain movement, and even than it's still not the same as before. You though. . .your arm seems to have attached itself with no trouble at all. Even your blood flow from your shoulder to your fingers seems to be running smoothly." he remarked fascinated.
Touma frowned lightly. Right, his right arm. The one that seemed to carry the odd power known as Imagine Breaker. It was hard to believe that he held such a thing in the first place. Wasn't he just a normal high school student? Again, he had to ask what exactly the past Kamijou Touma had been up to. At least the troublesome power helped him to save Himegami.
'Though I could have sworn I saw a dragon's head where my arm would be.' He must have been seeing things back then. Even with the power to negate supernatural powers, he shouldn't have been capable of summoning a dragon of all things from his arm.
Questions and more questions. That was all the current Touma was given with his new life. That and the bottomless stomach pit of a nun.
"You know, this marks the second time in two weeks that you've found yourself in the hospital, Kamijou-san." Heaven Canceler remarked out of the blue, seeming not all too surprised by the fact.
"Really?" Touma scratched the back of his head, "Is this common for me? Because it doesn't feel that strange to be here. It's actually kinda comfortable."
"Well, the old Kamijou-san did have a habit of getting into trouble with Espers on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis. I swear you were once admitted five times in one week. In fact this room you're currently staying in is famously known by the doctors and nurses as the Kamijou Ward. We're this close to simply putting up a plaque with your name on it."
"Seriously! Just what the hell was the past Kamijou up to!? Was I a delinquent or something!?"
"I wouldn't say that. Though," Heaven Canceler leaned in close to the bed ridden boy with a devious whisper, "Maybe it's the nurses? I do recall your previous self may have had a thing for nurses. Eh, eh?"
"Don't go making up assumptions on your own! This Kamijou may not remember anything from his past life, but his love for Dorm Manger Onee-san's will never be forgotten. Something as precious as that won't be erased from my heart so easily!"
"What about Onee-san's in nurse or doctor's uniforms?"
Touma flinched. The damn frog face had him there.
Chuckling, Heaven Canceler regarded the papers on hand with a hum, "Well, you'll be free to go by the end of the night anyways. Good thing too, that little nun that's been living with you has been visiting constantly since yesterday."
Made sense. Seeing as Touma was the only person Index knew, other than Maika, she would be checking up on him nearly every hour she could. Poor girl was probably lonely. And hungry. Soon his wallet would be as empty as as Index's stomach.
"I'll be sure to send you off with some pain killers to treat anymore discomfort you may feel. Though, knowing you, you probably won't need them. This isn't the worst that I've treated you for." Heaven Canceler said with a bitter smile.
"I've been through worse?" Touma sighed tiredly, finding himself not all that surprised. Was he some kind of shonen protagonist before his mind was wiped away?
No, seriously. That was a question this poor, unfortunate Kamijou wanted answered.
A random thought suddenly hit Touma, reminding him of something he had noticed when he had left the hospital on his first day in his new life. It was question that had been nagging at him, so better to ask now before he forgot.
"That reminds me, how much is this going to cost me?" Touma asked winced. Weirdly enough, he didn't get a hospital bill last time. He was sure he would be seeing some bill or something in his mail at some point during the last two weeks. Maybe it was lost? If so, than he probably owed a whole lot more than he could ever pay off in a month alone, plus late fees. That would be his bad luck.
Heaven Canceler surprised Touma, shaking his head with an amused smile.
"Don't worry about it, Kamijou-san. As with the past bills, it's already been taken care of. Think nothing of it."
"Already taken care of? By who?"
Heaven Canceler zipped his lip, only further confusing Touma.
"Can't say. Like I said, think nothing of it."
"How the hell can I not think nothing of it?! Knowing my misfortune, I'm probably in debt to whoever is paying for all my medical expenses! I don't want to one day find some suited goon knocking down my door, asking for a favor that I can't refuse!"
Sadly, Touma wouldn't get an answer. The frog faced doctor's back was already facing him as he headed out the door with a few words following him.
"I'll be sure to let your visitors in now that you're feeling well enough to sit up right and talk. We'll provide you some clothes before you leave as well. I believe you still have a few uniforms you've left behind that the nurses were kind enough to patch up for you to wear."
With the door shutting, Touma was left alone again. He couldn't help but sigh at the events that had passed, the knowledge that someone was taking care of his hospital expenses for unknown reasons, the thought of having to feed a very hungry Index, and the aches in his right arm that were slowly creeping up. At the very least, he would get some peace and quiet. That was something of a commodity he had come to treasure when he could.
Such peace would not come to the wielder of Imagine Breaker as the door creaked open.
Passing by a certain red haired magician heading for Touma's room, Heaven Canceler was ready to head for the next patient that needed his attention now that his favorite patient was taken care of.
'Losing a right arm now? That boy certainly knows how to keep me busy. But seeing as the arm in question holds Imagine Breaker, I'm not surprised that the surgery went well. Now we wait and see when the boy will be back again.' Heaven Canceler mused with a light chuckle. 'I believe the next betting pool is already up. I wonder who will win the pot this time.'
Since one Kamijou Touma regularly found himself in the hospital staff's care, they had one day decided to set up a betting pool that went on through out the week. A number would be given to a trio of the staff from 1-7, and all the gathered yen would be rewarded to those who's number fell on the day a certain unfortunate boy came in. Was it sad that they made a betting pool out of the boy's regular visits? Yes, but there was nothing they could do to stop him from being admitted. And it did no real harm. Especially since most of the female nurses used a good amount to assist with the unlucky boy's hospital bills. Someone else though took care of a good half of it already.
Heading for his office, Heaven Canceler's musing were caught off as he noted something strange in the halls. The halls were empty, completely devoid of anyone. At this time of day, he would expect to see guests on their way to visit friends and family, along with the hospital staff making their rounds. He narrowed his eyes before sighing.
"Shokuhou-chan, you know I don't like it when you take control of my staff for your own means. Even if its for a conversation. You could have simply waited for me at my office like a normal person."
From the right corner of the hall, a well endowed honey blonde haired girl stepped out into Heaven Canceler's sight. From her school uniform which included white laced stockings and gloves, he knew the girl was a Tokiwadai student, one of the ojou-sama's well known in Academy City. But unlike the other rich girls, this girl was different. Other than her strange eyes that held stars, and her impressive figure for a middle school girl that would belong to a mature woman, she was one of the seven Level 5's in the city of Espers.
Number 5, Mental Out. Shokuhou Misaki.
The golden haired girl pouted cutely as she walked over to the frog faced doctor. In her hand she held a remote that she put away into her star stamped designer handbag.
"Aww, but this is so much easier, Gekota-san~!"
Heaven Canceler's brow twitched slightly in irritation. He was a doctor, not a frog.
"I take it by the fact you're here that you've already visited a certain high school boy already. Tell me," he asked as he shut his eyes with a somber frown, "Has anything changed?"
The bright and energetic aura the girl carried with her died in that moment. Her starry eyes seemed to dim as a sad smile grew on her face. Shaking her head, she laced her fingers together behind her waist as she found her gaze staring up at the ceiling.
"Sadly, no. His memory ability is still as damaged as that day. Though I suppose he wouldn't remember either way now, right? His memory was further damaged two weeks ago in another of his heroic ventures. I shouldn't be surprised by now, but that doesn't mean I would be happy either." Misaki answered in melancholy.
On a certain day one year ago, Kamijou had saved Shokuhou Misaki from a gang of Level-0's known as Deadlock. But it had come at a price. The part of Touma's brain that held the long term memory that allowed him to keep her in his memories was crushed as she saved his life. A price had been paid in order for the boy who taught her how to smile honestly to live. And as much as it had killed her to never be able to walk alongside him again, she found solace in the fact Touma could continue living.
Yet, despite Touma no longer being capable of remembering her, she hadn't left his life. Knowing that she could no longer stand next to him, she had opted to watch over him from the shadows. Her ability Mental Out made it possible for her to have countless eyes and ears trained on him. Not a day went by that she didn't have some report made up of the boy by one of the many citizens she controlled, detailing all the trouble he got into and any injuries he may have picked up. That way she could do whatever she could in her power to subtly help him out and make his unfortunate life a bit easier.
One of such things regarded Touma's many, many, trips to the hospital. Her Prince had a nasty habit of winding up in the care of the frog faced doctor there in his heroic ventures. And such trips wound up with hefty hospital bills that would drain him of what little money he had. As a Level-5 she had no trouble taking up some of the tab for him. As one of the seven people in the city of 2.3 million students to have achieved such a high level, she was paid lavishly, never having to worry about silly things such as expenses or finances. Though she would admit that taking care of her Prince's hospital bills did make a noticeable dent in her pocket.
At one point, she did ponder on how Touma could live as he did when he spent as much time in the hospital before they met a year ago. From she had learned using her ability, some unknown and untraceable party had taken care of him. When Misaki had come into the picture and began paying for his expenses, the unknown party had backed off to let her take care of her Prince.
Today was just another day for her poor Prince. Caught up in saving another damsel in distress, followed by a trip to the hospital. Misaki's face grimaced at the condition Kamijou had come in this time. Full of bullet wounds, bruises, and a dismembered right arm of all things. Her heart had been caught in a vice at the state she found him in once the surgery was done. Covered in bandages as always, he laid back in a peaceful sleep that he deserved.
Misaki would have loved nothing more than for her Prince to wake up to the sight of her, smiling warmly and stroking back his spiky hair, but such an illusion would only be shattered. All she could do was caress his face softly before leaving at the signs of waking up and a sweet talk he would no doubt forget. Such was the extent of their relationship ability. And she would be happy with just that.
She looked past the frog faced doctor, seeing beyond the halls to the room Touma rested in with a small smile.
"I wonder if that girl knows just how lucky she is to be saved by him. Hopefully they all don't take their spots in his heart for granted. They don't know how fortunate they are to have their names in his heart."
Heaven Canceler wasn't sure what to say to that. The girl in front of him was by no means a saint, her powers allowing her to control and manipulate others like her playthings with but a thought and press of a button. But even she didn't deserve this kind of silent suffering, especially after she had grown into a proper person. Sadly, there was nothing he could. The damage done to Touma's brain was far beyond even his capabilities. He could bring just about anyone back from the brink of death, but the same could not be said to that which was already lost. Even memories.
"Well he has you to thank for the life he lives. Even if said life is only made up of two weeks of memories now." Heaven Canceler chuckled.
Misaki pouted when thinking back to the event that lead to Touma's recent memory loss, "Now that silver haired sister is staying with him in his dorm. Seems every time he ends up in the hospital for one reason or another, he gains another girl in his harem. I was the original, damn it!" she cried childishly.
"Were you?" Heaven Canceler asked with a grin.
Misaki crossed her arms over her impressive chest, looking away with her pout only growing. Even with her knowledge and vast network of informants, she didn't know the extent of Touma's supposed harem. One that her Prince never acknowledged. Which she couldn't complain. That dense head of his allowed her to hope that one day, if a miracle were to occur, that her Prince would become her King once he gained the ability to remember her.
"I'm the best girl at least."
"I'm sure others would argue about that."
As much fun as it was to mess with the Mental Out, Heaven Canceler knew the real reason she was here. Other than visiting her beloved Prince, she was here for information. He shook his head sadly with a tired old sigh.
"I'm sad to say that there is still no progress on Kamijou's condition. Recent studies in neurology haven't found any way to fix the damage to the part of his brain that had been crushed, nor have we found any Esper abilities that could repair or manipulate the brain as greatly as you could. Though there have been recent findings using several drugs and an intricate surgery to the parts that control episodic and explicit memory to partially regain what he had lost. But," Heaven Canceler frowned distastefully.
Misaki frowned at the look.
"But?"
"But the success rate of it actually working are 3%, and that's only a theory." he said regretfully.
What little hope Misaki had found was dashed in an instant. Her shoulders sagged, accepting the fact that today would not be the day for her Prince to come back into her life.
Heaven Canceler looked away, scratching his cheek awkwardly as he spoke again in a more thoughtful tone.
"While the other methods all lead to a low chance of success, the one that I've spoken to you before still remains the one to have the highest chance of-"
"No."
The curt and immediate response was predictable. As Heaven Canceler glanced back at the golden blond Esper, he noted the stubborn yet sorrowed expression she wore.
"Shokuhou-san, I know that you wish for a way to restore his long term memory of you with the highest chance of success, but 91% is as far as you can get. What you ask for is asking for a miracle from God himself to grace you."
There was a chance that Kamijou Touma could retain his memories of one Shokuhou Misaki. And that chance laid within the powers of Mental Out. Along with his expertise and advance medical technology, it could be possible to fix the damage to Touma's brain using Mental Out's control of the fluids in his brain. There was a chance. Keyword, chance.
"And if the 9% were to occur during the surgery, he could also lose the functions of not only his episodic, explicit, semantic memory, but also his cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. The damage would be worse than a memory wipe, he'd be no better than a vegetable before dying after losing function of his major organs." she said bitterly.
It was a small 9% chance of failure. Anyone else would have taken it if it meant the return of their most precious person. But Touma was cursed with misfortune. Misaki herself was never one for superstition, but after meeting the boy who lived his day plagued by bad luck, she had become a believer. And knowing his luck, that small 9% would occur. Even if it was but a 1% chance of failure, she could not take those odds with her Prince.
What Misaki asked for was nothing less that 100%. Nothing but the absolute would satisfy her. Because no matter how desperate she was, how much it tore her apart to walk by her Prince as some random faceless stranger in the background, how jealous she became of the girls that followed after him, she would never put Touma in any harm. She had hurt him enough by simply being his friend.
It was ironic when she thought about it. The only way Misaki could ever have her wish come true was for a miracle to grace her in a city that abandoned the teachings of miracles.
Heaven Canceler knew it was a long shot to suggest such a thing. Honestly, he understood her refusal with Touma's void of luck. The boy with an air of misfortune would not be so fortunate of a single chance.
"I suppose I'll just have to continue researching the matter on my free time." Heaven Canceler said tiredly as he rested his hands in his doctor's coat pockets.
Shokuhou couldn't be more than thankful. She knew the doctor had more important things to attend to than one boy's destroyed long term memory of one girl. She wasn't even paying him for it either. It was something he himself did on his own accord. In his mind, he believed he had yet to finish bringing the boy back from the battlefield of a year ago. But if he were to ever find that absolute solution, than she would give anything in this world to repay him for all his work.
"If you do find anything, let me know right away. I'll rush over as quick as possible!"
"Really? Has your running ability improved since last we talked?" Heaven Canceler asked dryly.
Shokuhou huffed with an embarrassed blush.
"Who said anything about running over?"
Heaven Canceler wasn't sure he wanted to continue this line of dialogue. Not unless he wanted to be dragged in the antics of a Level-5, which was never a good idea.
With nothing more to talk about, the frog faced miracle worker went on his way to his office. He still had much more work to do. He did pause as a frown marred his face.
"Shokuhou-san, by any chance do you know of the nature of the thunderstorm from a day ago? It seemed far too sudden and abnormal for it to be a natural phenomenon."
Since the destruction of Tree Diagram, weather casting was less accurate than before. But even with the lack of the super computer's computations to predict the weather using the molecules in space, even a an amateur meteorologist could predict off the back of their hand that not a drop would fall on a cloudless night, let alone rain lightning. Not to mention the nature of the bolts that struck that night.
Something wasn't right about the lightning that fell. Something had caused it. And when something big and flashy happened in the city, it usually involved a Level-5. Or Kamijou Touma.
Or worse. Both.
Shokuhou tapped her cheeks in thought. She was like many others who noticed the abnormal thunderstorm. It had been powerful enough to shut off the power to the entire city, something that had never happened before, for all but a split second. And while the power had returned, things such as security systems had failed to come online for several minutes. For a moment, she had honestly thought the Railgun could have been responsible for all the lightning flashing around the city, but even she wasn't capable of such a thing alone with her power.
"Sorry to say, but no. Though if anyone had any idea to the strange storm, it would be my Prince."
Seeing as the Mental Out knew nothing, Heaven Canceler shrugged his shoulders and continued on his way. He waved good-bye to the busty middle school girl with a promise to continue his research.
As strange as the storm had been, it hadn't done any permanent damage. City life went back to its usual flow, chalking up the storm as something that couldn't be explained at the moment, or wasn't worth their attention to look into. Other than the power outage, nothing had come up from the storm.
Still, Heaven Canceler couldn't help the nagging foreboding in his gut.
It would only be in the coming months that he wished he had prepared himself for the troubles to come.
"Touma!"
Touma blinked, his eyes turning to the entrance to his room for just a few seconds before he heard the flutter of the curtain of his window flapping. The tall red haired mage he was just speaking to, Stiyl Magnus, was nowhere to be seen. Did he seriously just jump out the window? Seriously!?Even a city of science that developed psychic powers, it still wasn't normal for people to be jumping out windows!What happened to subtlety?
Just earlier the red haired priest had walked in to talk about the aftermath of their fight with Aureoles Izzard. Compared to when Touma had first met the Stiyl, it was pleasant. You know, beside the fact they had both been mutilated just a day ago. Stiyl had even peeled him an apple! Though he had done it with a sour face the entire face, appearing irritated with the very action that left a bad taste in his mouth.
From what Touma had learned, Aureoles had lost his memories in the aftermath of his attack. Whatever Touma had done with the illusion of a dragon's maw had erased all of the Alchemist's memories along with his ability to use magic, leaving him a blank state. The wielder of Imagine Breaker couldn't help but feel sympathy for his enemy. Even if the green haired bastard deserved to be punished for all the suffering in the cram school, that didn't mean he deserved such a fate as losing what made him, him. He knew all too well how that felt.
But at least Aureoles was alive. The last thing Touma had remembered was the dragon stained with blood devouring the Alchemist with a sickening crunch.
Speaking of the dragon, Touma had wondered what it was. Stiyl had off handily said it was nothing but a creation of Aureoles's Ars Magna. Even when the green haired Alchemist's belief had been shaken, his fear had conjured the beast as his demise. The form of the dragon was nothing more than an illusion brought to life.
Touma felt an odd sense of foreboding when he thought back to the dragon. Just an illusion, huh? Hopefully that was all it was.
The conversation would have continued on if it wasn't for the sound of Index happily calling out his name. And with that, Stiyl took his cue to exit. Out the window. Someone was awfully shy.
A smile did grow on Touma's face as Index entered with a bright smile. It was good to know that she was safe and well. Nothing would have pained him more to find out that she had been hurt. Even the severed arm wouldn't have compared to that kind of hurt.
In his eyes, as he watched Index run up to him, he could see the background grow incredibly bright. Sparkles and bright orbs colored the background as he could swear time grew slow between them. The bright and happy nun's aura gave off a light that shined brighter than the sun outside his window. After sleeping for an entire day after the fight with Aureolus, this was exactly what he had wanted to greet him.
"Index!"
"Touma!"
"Index!"
"TOUMA!"
"I. . .ndex?"
"TTTTTOOOOOUUUUMMMMAAAA!"
Touma gulped dryly as the illusion his weary eyes had weaved had been shattered by the frightening shout. Index's slow run had turned into a flying leap, her mouth snapping open as her teeth gave off a dangerous glint. Sweat bullets ran down his paling face, knowing there was nothing he could do to ward off the incoming nun missile in his condition. All that he could do was lament.
"SUCH MISFORTUNE!"
The little silver haired nun chomped down onto the scalp of the high school boy with the force of a latching bear trap, refusing to let go even as the boy began to shake her off with a cry of misery.
"You think I wouldn't have heard about what you did?! Going off to save Aisa on your own, playing hero again, fighting a magician/alchemist who could bend reality to his beliefs, and losing your arm!? What do you take me for, Touma!?" Index shouted through her gnawing teeth.
"I-Index-sama! Please spare this poor Kamijou-san! He's still recovering from losing said arm! I don't want to have to stay another day because of injuries that would make a shark victim pale with pity! And how do you even know about losing my arm? Don't tell me that the pious nun has developed psychic powers in the city of science yet this unfortunate Kamijou can't even lift a penny off the ground with his mind after ten years!"
Index scoffed, letting go of her friend as she opted to sit down on Touma's bed. Still miffed about the whole ordeal he had got himself into, she gave the boy the stink eyes as she explained.
"Aisa told me, of course! As if a servant of God would develop such odd powers without his grace. Besides, did you think you could hid such a secret from me forever? I would have found out eventually." she gloated, referring to the mass knowledge she possessed from the 103,000 books ingrained to her memory.
True, such knowledge would make those in the field of magic bulk and bow to the sheer information they possessed on matters and powers that can bend reality. But having such knowledge funnily enough did not make a person intelligent on all matters. Touma couldn't help but stare at the innocent nun flatly. He was positive that she could have woken up the next day none the wiser. She wouldn't question a thing, only asking about breakfast. If it wasn't for her finding out by another person's word, she would have never found out about his fight with Aureoles. Hell, she still hadn't figure out that the Touma she spoke off in such a warm and familiar tone was dead.
Bitterness could be tasted on his tongue, causing Touma to hide a guilty flinch. No, it was better not to think of such things now. The original 'Kamijou' was long gone, replaced my some imitation. But this imitation had a responsibility. A responsibility to make sure that sweet smile on the silver sister's face never fell. And that the sad smile he had seen on her face never returned again.
Masking the pain, he smiled at Index, patting her head as the action caused her face to beam like a brilliant light.
"Yeah, sure you would have." he said in mock defeat before blinking as he thought back to what Index had said, "Wait, Himegami told you? The girl in the shrine maiden cosplay and sullen vibe? What happened to her?" he asked desperately, surprising Index as he gripped her shoulders.
While it was a bit of a shock to be held in such a position, Index didn't seem to care. Her eyes had wandered to the side of Touma's bed post to the plate of peeled apples. Her mouth watered with stars in her eyes. Such a simple little snack was nothing to be star struck by, but no meal in her sights was beneath her! She squirmed in the grip of the unfortunate boy, her arms flailing to reach the plate of yummy apples calling to her. Touma's eye twitched.
Sighing, he let go of the hungry nun, letting her gleefully munch down on his apples. A small snicker did escape his lips though, remembering who had given him the apples. He had to wonder if Stiyl had done it for him, or for the friend he could no longer stand next to.
"I'm not some sullen vibe, you know."
Jumping slightly in surprise, Kamijou spun his head to the corner of the doorway to find the soft yet neutral face belonging to Himegami Aisa, wielder of Deep Blood. The miko clothed girl leaned against the corner, her eyes slightly narrowed in a glare at the nervous spiky haired boy.
"Himegami? W-What are you doing here?" Kamijou spoke nervously.
Mouth full of juicy apple slices, Index answered in Himegami's stead, "Well, she wanted to thank you personally for all you did. I wanted her to stay back at our dorm and wait until you were out, she was very insistent on coming along. I couldn't just say no to that face! Just look at her!" Index cried, pointing her finger back at the Deep Blood possessor.
Following Index's finger, Touma flinched as if he was struck right in the heart. Himegami wasn't doing anything to really stand out, which seemed to suit her character, but that face of hers! So soft, so gentle, appearing sullen yet beautiful. Sensing that she may not have been welcome, her face had subtly grown more sullen. Kamijou clutched at his heart, feeling like a bastard for making the poor girl feel unwelcome in anyway. It was those subtle and almost unnoticeable changes to her face that just pulled at his heartstrings.
How the hell could anyone say no to that face!?
"I apologize if I'm intruding, Kamijou-san."
Sweating nervously, Touma waved off the vampire killer's concerns with a smile.
"No, it's fine, Himegami! I just wasn't expecting to see you after Aureolus was defeated. I would have thought Stiyl would have taken you to safety, out of Academy City."
"Touma, aren't you paying attention?" Index mumbled through a mouthful of apples, causing annoyance to paint over Touma's face, "With no where to go, I offered her sanctuary at our dorm! And after talking with the church, they've decided to take Aisa in! Isn't that great!?"
"Please, don't talk with your mouth full! You're spitting Index made apple sauce onto this unfortunate Kamijou! And yeah, I guess it is good that the church is taking her in, but what the hell do you mean OUR DORM!? Don't go bringing in other people into my dorm without my permission! Feeding the bottomless well that is your stomach, a cat, and myself is hard enough to do as is! And do you know what my dorm manager would do if they found out that this Kamijou is hiding to two girls and a cat in his dorm!? Let alone Aogami and Tsuchimikado finding out!"
Ready to go off into another one of his famous rants, Kamijou was stopped by the soft voice of a certain miko.
"Why?"
"Hm? Why what?" Touma asked with a frown as Himegami seemed to hid herself further behind her corner. Her eyes peeked around, stubborn as she spoke more strongly this time.
"Why did you save me? Why did you put yourself through so much suffering for me? You don't even know me." Himegami asked with a confused and frustrated frown. She looked down, away from those dark blue eyes that could be confused with onyx. The same eyes that had looked to her in concern, wishing nothing more than to protect her from harm. The same eyes that she had seen for only second after she had died, holding her with a death grip close to his chest. Himegami bit her bottom lip, still refusing to look back to the one who had saved her from her prison.
"Why would you do such a thing as throw your life away for a girl you only met once in a fast food restaurant?"
No one could be such selfless as to put their life on the line for a complete and utter stranger. This wasn't some fantasy her mother had use to read to her as a kid. Hearts of pure gold did not exist. There was always a catch. A reason for putting everything at risk for one person. A reward. A job that needed to be done and nothing more. In this world, no one would run head first to a path that would lead to their death for a person that had only just met that day.
"Well, Stiyl did drag me along to save you from Aureoles."
So, that was it? Himegami wasn't surprised. Still, she couldn't help the small tears that gathered in her eyes. For a just a moment, she had hoped he would be such a person. At least he had saved her, even if it was his job. She could at least be thankf-
"But why wouldn't I? What does it matter if I was dragged along to save you? Even if Stiyl hadn't brought me to help out, I would have done it regardless if I knew. Knowing that you were in danger was enough reason for me go in. Besides, it's not like I get some kind of compensation out of all this." Touma chuckled weakly as he scratched his cheek.
Himegami's eyes snapped up to meet the tired yet happy eyes of her hero. She took in the bandages wrapped around his chest from all the bullet wounds he had suffered, the gauze on his forehead from a nasty gash on his forehead, the right arm resting in a cast after being reattached and the bruises on his face that had yet to fully fade away. Her eyes shined with tears that had yet to be shed as she took in the plain boy's words.
"You did all that for no reward?" she said unbelievably.
Touma nodded absently, not seeing anything wrong with that.
"Pretty much. I mean, why would I want anything in return? I saved you because it was the right thing to do. As if I could just turn away from saving a girl who was in danger. I don't need a reason, nor a reward for saving someone. If anything, there is only one thing I would want in return for all the trouble." he said honestly as he kept his eyes on the miko girl. The simple smile on his face caused the girl to go red in the face as her heart sped up.
What could anyone want in return for risking their life for a stranger? What unimaginable reward could they possibly ask for?
"All I ask for is a smile. An honest to god smile that you can hold onto with your own hands from now on. That's all I could ever possibly ask for."
Himegami's eyes went wide in disbelief. That's all he asked for? No money, no acknowledgment for his efforts, nothing to flaunt or satisfy his own needs? Just what kind of reward was that? Kamijou Touma deserved nothing but riches for not only saving her, but stopping a man who could bend the world to his beliefs. And all he wanted was an honest smile in return?
The wielder of Deep Blood wasn't sure how to respond to such a request. Her face only grew redder as he gave her his own smile in return. She could see it in his eyes. Truly he asked for nothing more. He did it out of the kindness in his heart because he honestly believed that no one should need a reason to save another. In this city of science were everything was dictated by reason and thought, he followed his own heart rather than his brain. It was such a simple yet unbelievable way of doing things.
And it made Himegami's own heart stir.
"All you want is a smile, huh?" A shy, happy expression came to life on Himegami's face. Why something as small as a smile was causing her to feel such nervousness confused her. Maybe because it would be in the face of the boy who had risked a literal limb for her. But she had to reward him for all that he had done for her. For saving her life twice and grating her freedom to live her life however she pleased.
Moving out of the corner, she faced the spiky haired boy with a smile slowly growing.
"There you go again! Don't think I didn't notice all those nurses outside in the halls whispering your name with giggles too! Just how many girls are you planning on dragging along to your charms!?"
"What the hell are you talking about!? What girls?! I-Index-san, please put down those deadly teeth of yours! Aren't nun's suppose to abstain from violence?! Wait, what's that in your chest? Has the world of science miraculously caused your chest size to gro-Sphinx? You're not allowed to sneak in animals into a hospita-OW! HE'S CLAWING MY FACE! WHY SPHINX, WHY?!"
Himegami's smile vanished as she couldn't help but mutely stare at the strange sight before her. It wasn't everyday that you witnessed a boy in a hospital bed being mauled by a small calico cat and a ferocious nun of the church all while screaming about misfortune.
It seemed that honest smile of hers would have to wait another day. Which was fine, she wasn't going anywhere. Not when she felt she owed her hero more than just a smile.
"I'm surprised Kamijou-san can endure such pain even after all that's he's gone through. I suppose the stories were true after all."
In the midst of his suffering at the hands of Index and her cat, Sphinx, the sound of newcomer brought Touma's attention back to Himegami. His eyes grew wide as dinner plates as he gazed at the stranger standing right behind the Deep Blood wielder, his voice failing as he took in their appearance.
". . .Index?!"
Indeed, behind Himegami stood a near perfect duplicate of the silver haired nun on his lap. Just like Index, the girl wore the same white habit sans the bronze safety pins that held it together and possessed the same shade of green eyes as the nun. But that's actually where the difference could be stopped. While the girl did have just about the same length of hair as Index, her hair was black, not silver-blue. She was a few inches than Index as well and her. . .bust size being more notable. Nothing overly impressive, but enough to tell that she was not as young as her lookalike. And than their were her eyes and skin tone.
Strangely enough, the stranger shared the same skin tone as Touma. That, and her eyes were rather lax and sharp, unlike the innocent eyes Index had.
The stranger smiled politely at Touma. Something about her smile though caused him to frown internally. It seemed strained, as if she was holding back some greater emotion.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kamijou-san." The new nun bowed.
Blushing in embarrassment for his small outburst, Touma waved at the black haired nun.
"Its's nice to meet you too. . ." Touma trailed off weakly.
"Angela!" Index answered in the girl's place, looking to her fellow pious nun in confusion, "What are you doing here? I thought you would stay back in the dorm until we got home?"
"Wait. . .what was that? JUST HOW MANY FREELOADERS ARE YOU INVITING INTO MY DORM!?"
"Well I had to invite her over too! She didn't have anywhere else to go and it would be a sin against God to turn a nun away to the dirty streets of a godless city! Besides, she's the one who made sure your arm was brought back safely and in one piece. If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have a right arm!"
That piece of information caught Touma off guard. His eyes returned to the politely in wait raven haired nun who made no sign of being offended by the freeloader comment. If anything her lips did twitch in amusement.
"You. . .carried my arm back?" Touma asked slowly with a face twisted in guilt.
The complete stranger who he had never met before, possibly, was the one to carry his bloody dismembered arm to the hospital? Why? Was she one of the students that had been saved from Aureoles's manipulations? A long lost friend he had forgotten with his memory loss? Why would anyone go through with the sickening task of holding onto a blood limb of some random stranger?
Angela didn't seem to see anything wrong with that, tilting her head as she answered politely.
"Of course. I could not have left your arm behind to grow cold. It would have pained me greatly if you were to lose your arm after saving a fellow maiden." she answered simply before smiling brightly.
"If someone was in need of help, why wouldn't I lend a hand?"
Such a simple answer stumped Touma. It was strange to be on the other end of an answer like his own.
"Well, thanks." Touma said awkwardly, not sure what else to say for such a kind gesture. A puzzled frown did make its way to his face though, "I'm sorry if this sounds rude, especially after you helped me out, but who are you? I don't think we've ever met?" he asked nervously.
For just a second, an emotion flitted by Angela's face. One that for some reason twisted his insides in guilt. But why?
Resting her hand on her modest chest, Angela answered kindly.
"I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Angela, newly minted member of Necessarius of the English Puritan Church of England. Again, it's truly a pleasure to met you, Kamijou-san."
A member of Necessarius? The same group of magicians Stiyl was a part of that created the Collar to erase Index's memories every year? While Kamijou did lose his memories on August 28, Stiyl did give him a run down of what exactly he had done to save Index. If it wasn't for Touma's Imagine Breaker, the sweet nun would have lost all the memories she had gathered again out of fear of those who watched over her. He couldn't help but grow weary of the nun and what her presence could spell for them.
Not noticing Touma's weariness, Index smiled brightly at Angela.
"Angela's a representative of the English Puritan Church that was sent over to watch over me and help continue my training as a nun! Apparently she had arrived a few days ago but got lost in the city. She wound up finding me while I was searching for you a day ago and followed after me when I was kidnapped. Since then, she's been staying in our dorm, cooking in your place, keeping Sphinx from scratching the walls, washed and dried the laundry, and made sure sure the dorm's kept in good shape!"
Touma was again stumped. He knew nothing of the girl known as Angela, and he had every right to distrust her since she was part of the church that used Index as some forbidden library, but he grew thankful of the more mature nun taking care of Index. Not only had she saved his arm, but also took care of the two most precious things in his life: his dorm and Index. A bright smile began to form on his face.
"Oh, that reminds me, Kamijou-san." Angela interrupted flatly, stopping Touma as she withdrew a very familiar wallet from her person. The ebony nun flipped it open, fanning its empty contents out as she continued, "I'm afraid we no longer have any funds to make use of. Index-chan's appetite was more ferocious than I expected and we went through the last of your funds on breakfast this morning. Your fridge has also become barren like the waste of a middle eastern desert. And your money card has also been emptied completely."
"GIVE IT BACK! GIVE ME BACK THE GRATITUDE I JUST FELT! AT LEAST SHOW THAT YOU FELL SORRY FOR SPENDING ALL MY YEN! HOW DID YOU EVEN SPEND ALL THE YEN IN MY ACCOUNT!?"
Angela crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her chin as she began to explain the useless money card.
"Well, when I went out this morning to buy more groceries, I ran into this poor sweet Child Error that was staring off sadly at a stuffed bear in a shop. I felt so bad, I went in and bought him the toy. Than after earning a hug from the happy, adorable child, I noticed a man who's car had broken down with a flat tire. Naturally, I decided to run off to the nearest auto-shop to buy him a new tire since he lacked a replacement. When I came back, I also noticed a young couple eating out in restaurant patio, unable to pay for their meals since they both forgot their wallets. After handing the man his new tire, I covered their meals without a thought. While doing so, the waitress on staff accidentally slipped on an ice cube, breaking all the glasses on hand. Not wanting her pay to be caught, I paid the manager the cost of the damages. Once I was done there, I left back to buy groceries and passed by a fountain by the park. Wishing for luck and grace from God, I dispensed a few notes, exchanged them for change while buying ice cream for a group of children, and tossed a thousand yen's worth of change for good fortune."
Touma was left gaping at the very long explanation, his expression twitching as the very kind ebony nun continued expressing lack of regret for her various deeds. Angela's thoughtful expression grew lax as she shrugged.
"I don't know how, but by the time I reached the market, I was down to only a thousand yen."
"THE HELL YOU MEAN, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW?! THE WORST PART IS, I CAN'T EVEN BE COMPLETELY PISSED OFF FOR ALL THE GOOD YOU DID FOR COMPLETE STRANGERS! WAIT, WHY THE HELL DID YOU WASTE SO MUCH YEN TOSSING COINS IN FOUNTAIN!? YOU'RE JUST WASTING MONEY TO A GOD WHO WON'T EVEN PITY THIS POOR KAMIJOU!"
How did the nun even know how to use his money card? That was the more important question on his mind. Did she use some kind of magic to find out his pin or something?
Making her presence known again, Himegami stepped beside Angela with a sigh.
"I tried to stop her, but she kept insisting on helping those less fortunate and to never turn a blind eye to misfortune. She can be very stubborn."
With a dragged out sigh of defeat, the unfortunate Touma fell back to his bed. What more could he say? From what little he just learned, it seemed Angela was a good Samaritan, always going out of her way to help others in need. He had to admit, he liked that. Knowing that there were others out there who wouldn't turn a blind eye to those in trouble filled him with hope. He just wished the ebony nun hadn't used what little yen he had to help others. Now he was broke. He was still too injured and tired to be dealing with this right now.
"So, I'm guessing you'll be staying with Index for the remainder of your post?" Touma asked tiredly, getting a nod back from Angela.
"While you are her guardian within Academy City, the church thought it would be wise to have someone to assist and continue her teachings of god. She's not an official nun after all. If anything with the way she's dressed it's more like. . ."
"She's cosplaying?"
Angela snapped her finger's with a smile.
"Exactly!"
"What's cosplaying?" Index asked Himegami.
The miko girl, who was far from an actual miko herself, simply shrugged.
Clearly she was asking the wrong person.
"And there's nothing I can do or say to make you go back to London, is there?" Touma had to ask. He didn't want to be rude, that was the last thing on his mind, but he wasn't sure he could house three people in his dorm. And a cat.
"I'm afraid not! As long as Index-chan is here, I will be too!" Angela answered happily.
Two nuns, a miko, and a calico cat. How anyone would not notice them in his small dorm that should have only enough space for one unfortunate high school boy, he would never know. Little he could do to change that. As with everything in his very short life, which composed of two weeks of memories, he was just going to have to accept it. Though maybe he could see if Komoe-sensie could help him out. He was going to have to make a call later.
Shutting his eyes, Touma contemplated his ill fortune before he heard footsteps grow closer to him. He opened one of his eyes to find Angela by his bedside, her face coming extremely close to his own. He couldn't help but blush deeply as he found the ebony nun's green eyes staring directly into his. He would have shouted at the girl to get out of his face, lecturing her for her odd behavior and respecting the sacred privilege that was personal space, but found his words dying on his lips.
The expression on Angela's face was warm, incredibly warm. He could swear her eyes glistened with tears. She just looked so. . .happy.
"I'm sorry for the burden of my presence, but I hope we can get along from here on out. I'd love nothing more than to become a dear friend of yours, Kamijou-san!"
Touma looked away for a moment, not sure what he could say to such a beautiful and honest expression on Angela's face. They were strangers to another, yet she was willing to bear her own feelings so casually already. Apparently all she wanted to do was watch over Index, it was her job from what he could tell. So, why bother wishing to be his friend?
The girl, Angela, was a strange one. But he couldn't find anything wrong with that. In the end, Touma smiled back at the girl and offered his left hand. Angela looked puzzled at the gesture, only causing his smile to widen in amusement.
"It's Touma, Kamijou Touma. There's no need for honorifics with this Kamijou, I've never been one for those kind of things. And if you simply want to be friends, than I can't exactly turn you down."
Angela found her gaze glued to the hand of the high school boy. The boy who was known as One Who Purifies God and Slays Demons. The Invisible Demon. The One Superior to God. Imagine Breaker. Enemy of Magic. And The God of Pestilence.
But to her, Kamijou Touma was known as only one thing.
'. . .Papa.'
The hand reaching out to her had been lost in a future without its Hero. The Wandering Savior, Vagabond of Misfortune, Breaker, The Hero, The Antithesis, and The One Above All. The hand, whether it be the right or left, held so many names to it. But she would only ever recognize it as the hand that had on few occasions held her own protectively with love and care in their grip.
Slowly, her own hand reached Touma's and clasped onto it for dear life. Her grip loosened quickly before the boy could notice, her eyes shutting as her smile grew brighter.
Angela would have loved nothing more than to do more than hug him. She would have loved to recreate an old memory, one of a smaller ebony nun being spun around in those strong arms before being brought in for the tightest hug she had ever felt. The memory would have been complete with the second set of arms wrapping around them, her mother sneaking in for a hug of her own. But for now, this would have to do.
To reveal to not just Touma, but Index, who she really was would cause more problems then solve them. This wasn't a story where a child from the future drops into the lives of their parents, revealing to them they are their child to the ensuing mischief and zanny antics of the child making the two parents come to together. Such a thing could only be found in manga. And knowing her father's misfortune, she would only be putting more stress on his heavy shoulders. That was the last thing she wished for. No, for as long as possible, she must keep the secret close to her heart.
At least until the day Kamijou Touma could shatter the illusions that devoured her future. And the futures of many others who desired to be in her position.
In the hospital room that would soon be officially dubbed The Kamijou Ward in the coming months to come, the four individuals fell into idle conversations. None the wiser to the tomorrows that would follow the next day. All that mattered in that moment was the pleasant company between them. And the bonds that would be planted to hopefully sprout into a promising future. Even for one unfortunate high school boy.
"You fucking little-"
In the dark alleys of Academy City, several flashes of azure light illuminated one of the corners of the underbelly of the city of science. Shouts of pain, anger, and surprise bounced off the walls as sparks crawled along the air. Busting through several trashcans, a leather black thug smacked against a dead end with a hoarse shout from his bloody lips. His body slid down against the cracked wall to sit on the foul pile of bio hazardous filth stored in the metal containers. Struggling to keep his eyes open, he searched around the alley for his comrades.
To his frustration, his fellow Skill-Out's were strewn about the alley with their own wounds. Smoke wafted from their still sparking bodies, beaten down like dolls by a tantrum of a child. What they had believed to be just some random Esper had turned out to be a monster. One that wasn't afraid of showing them who was beneath them.
Still, that didn't mean this particular thug would go down so easily. Reaching into the inner pocket of his leather jacket, the thug brought the small handgun he kept hidden and fired at his enemy.
But before the bullet could exit the chamber of his gun, a small streaking spark of electricity slithered towards his weapon. A frenzy of sparks then malfunctioned his fire arm, rendering it useless along with erupting into a small explosion in his hand. Shrapnel dug into his left hand from the material, digging deep into the skin. Blood quickly spilled out his trembling hand, painting the ground red as he screamed.
"GOD DAMN IT! W-WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!? ARRRGGHHH!"
"Hmm? What, don't tell me you attacked an Esper without even taking into consideration what their ability could be? That's just poor planning. It's no wonder you Skill-Out punks are a dying breed. At least have some sense in picking up on your target's ability." a bored voice taunted with echoing footsteps.
Flinching one eye from the bloody mess his hand had become, the thug stared up at the Esper at the cause of the mess. The boy wasn't any older than he was when he became a Skill-Out, appearing to be about fifteen years old. The boy had chestnut brown hair that reached his neck with his forehead's bangs parted to the side, leaving only a stray strand to fall down the middle. He wore a light cream brown vest over a button up white shirt, dark dress pants and dress shoes. Other than his hair, he didn't look any different than your average rich boy.
But those dark blue eyes of his, sharp and cocky, never once showing a sign of fear or nervousness when jumped by seven thugs in the alley he passed into. The unfortunate thug was starting to believe that it was all part of the rich boy's plan.
The plain rich boy smirked down at the cowering thug. He smoothed back the hair falling over his forehead, seeming to comb sparks along his hair. All but a single strand went back as his hand trailed with small bolts of deadly electricity.
"If something like a computer is overloaded with power, it overheats. Your little handgun there is built with a mini computer, nothing overly powerful, but very helpful in targeting. With it, even an idiot can hit a bull's eye with one shot. But if said little mini computer found itself overloaded by, oh, say the abilities of a Level-4 Electromaster, than not only would it overheat, but detonate like a grenade. And something like that is easily within my power."
The thug sneered up at the Esper. Even if he was at the boy's mercy, he would not tolerate being looked down like some piece of trash. It was the sole reason he had joined Skill-Out in the first place. The boy made a mistake thinking he was just going to lie there. A small knife slid out his sleeve, ready to plunge into the boy's chest with one thrust.
A dress shoe planted itself onto the thug's face before he could make the fatal move. And to his horror, the hidden blade flew out of his hands to stick to the rich boy's open hand. Sparks bounced around the fine metal of the knife.
"Just so you know, you brought this onto yourself. I was simply taking a nice walk around the city, planning on how to met up with my big family I only just met, and how to finally speak with my no good bum of an idiot father. But than I had to find a couple of thugs up to no good. That's fine though, at least I've found something to take my frustrations out on now."
Electricity moved along the leg stepping on the thug's face, warning him that it would all be over. The thug wasn't even given a chance to scream before his body was lite up like a lightning rod, scorching his skin until he had passed out from the pain. His limp body fell back into the trash around him, left to groan with the rest of his comrades.
Hana Mikoto sighed as he relaxed his stiff shoulders. He gave the beaten thugs an annoyed pass before turning back to exit the alley. Before stepping out though, he glanced back into the alley, finding a sniffling middle schooled girl standing against the wall by the fried thug. He sighed.
"You should get going. It's not safe for cute girls to be walking by themselves out here." Hana said warmly.
The middle school girl quickly nodded, smiling gratefully to her hero before running out of the alley hastily. With an old habit he picked up from his lousy father, Hana scratched the back of his head.
"Tch, bunch of jack asses. As if my temper wasn't already sour, I got to deal with a bunch of idiots who think they can just abuse a girl just because she has an ability. To think there's an actual gang of thugs who go around harassing and abusing those with a level higher than zero. It's all that no good bastard's fault."
Kamijou Touma was regarded as the greatest hero the world had ever known in his time. A man who would answer to anyone who would call out for help when there was no one to save them. Somehow, someway, that man would charge in with only his fist and save the day of whoever stood behind to stare at his strong back. All anyone had to do was call out for help. The hero would surely save them.
But where was that hero when one girl found herself at the hands of cruel powerless thugs? When that single girl had cried out for someone to save her, the hero was absent. The so called hero had failed to save a single girl. Since no one else bothered to help, it was up to Hana to step in to take care of that lazy bum's responsibilities. Just as he had to when that idiot passed away and left the world's safety to one of his sons who didn't wish for the burden.
A sneer slowly formed on the future boy's face, something completely unlike him. As he went about his way in a city he was all too familiar with, but still aliened to, he couldn't help his thoughts falling onto a certain boy with a streak of bad luck. His lips twisted as a growl escaped his lips.
"Some hero you turned out to be. Guess I'll just have to do what you never did and take action."
Unknown to the Esper, an odd dark energy blinked around his iris's.
You are just a boy. A boy burdened with nothing but ill fortune. Yet you seek nothing but a simple life without riches, fame, or prosperity. The only wish that one, with no memories of his past and living the life of a dead boy, asks is for a normal life.
But you will come to do so much for this world. And mean so much to that world. In your death, you've left a world without a savior. And that world wishes to correct that unhappy ending.
A new story is born from the remains of a burning future in the present that was the past. Little do you know just how bizarre your life will become and the unbelievable adventures you are to go on.
And so the prologue to our new story is complete! From here on out, we embark on a new adventure and a completely new Arc to the story. I've already got the ending in the works with four chapters already done and awaiting editing and final touch ups. So, how about we get a summary for the new Arc?
Zeroes War.
It had started out as a nice breakfast after his bathtub's faucet had been broken. Than he had spilled water on a blonde girl who chased him out with kitchen knives. Which lead into being dragged by Angela to visit some Child Errors in District 13.
Que a certain Kamijou's misfortune and war between Zeroes breaks out in the streets of District 10, with a certain Imagine Breaker caught in the middle.
A war between those who call themselves Skill-Outs and those who bare the name for their own misuse has begun in the ignored streets of a certain district full of delinquents. A phantom from a past Touma no longer recalls lingers at his back in the ensuing war. All while a certain individual seeks to steal a certain weapon locked away that would give even a Zero the power to trample a Level-5. A fight for survival and for the answer to a very important question: What is a Level-0 capable of in a world controlled by monsters known as Level-5s?
No Abilities. No Magic. No Supernatural phenomenon. Just how will Imagine Breaker fight when it's power over even gods is rendered useless? All this misfortune just because he had seen Angela's panties.
Get ready for the new Arc! I had a whole lot of fun with this one, so I hope you enjoy it once we go in. Of course, we will get some future kids in on the action as we introduce another one in the midst. As we go on with each Arc, more and more of the kids will pop up and alter the story. How? One can only speculate. As for the kids identities and who their mothers are, you'll have to wait and see. I know I have my favorites that I can't introduce just yet and can't wait to show ya's!
That's all for now though. Just to let ya'll know, my updates can be a bit bizarre. But once I've completed the next chapter, edit it, touch up the rough patches, and got my other stories updated next, I'll be sure to update and get the ball rolling! All good things come to those who wait after all.
Read and Review! It's common courtesy.
NeoShadows fading in and out.