This story is a derivative fanwork written by GodandMen for the Toaru Majutsu no Index/とある魔術の禁書目録 franchise.
REMISSION
-x-
Fucking magicians.
Jim squinted his eyes as he brought the screen of the ¥3,500 ($35) camera closer to his face. The magic lines on the wall were a bit indistinct, but he could still make them out. Meanwhile he did his best to refresh his memory of the previous night.
Yes, he was right.
When he had taken pictures of the magical lines on the walls of the warehouse, Jim had noticed something: in addition to the five lines of script there was also a drawing of some sort. Back then it had simply looked like an incoherent jumble of lines and shapes.
But now he realized that it was just hiding the true message.
It was just like those picture books where you could find a hidden object if you looked hard enough. In this case beneath all the chaotic lines and shapes there was also a hidden object.
It was the sigil.
The sigil Jim had saw last night was hidden within the drawing.
To be fair, he only realized this after he already saw the sigil. It was highly unlikely for him to be able to pick out the shape if he hadn't seen it. Maybe a trained magician might be able to do it. Someone good with that stuff. But Jim was not that.
So…
The sigil was on the warehouse all along…
This meant whoever that drew those lines knew about what the serial killer was doing. They knew that the serial killer was going to kill five times – hence the five coordinates.
Jim remembered back then that there was a question mark next to the fourth line of script. This made sense because he had discovered the warehouse on Sunday; the killer hadn't killed his fourth victim yet.
He bit his cheek in annoyance.
Fucking magicians.
He slowly placed his camera down onto his lap, shifting slightly on the toilet seat.
Well...what now?
Jim was out of clues.
He had gone away from the garden maze with only the image of the sigil and some piece of brochure. That's all he gained from the night of work.
Is the ritual finished?
Is the girl gone now?
Did they catch her?
Did they catch the killer?
Jim had lots of questions, but no answers.
He remembered how he saw that there were five points on the sigil in the hut's stone floors. The fifth victim's limbs were positioned over each of the points. Clearly the five lines of script in the warehouse were pointing to those five points.
But there was also a sixth point…in the center of the sigil.
It was the same on the warehouse's drawing as well; there was also a sixth point in the center.
Jim fished the brochure from his backpack. Just like he thought, it was a pamphlet for some sort of a museum in Academy City.
Is this the sixth…
"Jim-san! Jim-san!"
He was not sure what startled him more, her voice or the sound of her banging on the bathroom's door. Either ways he was caught off guard so badly he almost jumped to his feet from the toilet seat. Even the camera fell from his lap. Luckily for Jim he managed to catch it at the last moment.
"Jim-san! Jim-san!"
Jim started to form a long string of elaborate curses in his mind. However all of that disappeared when he realized who it was directed against. Really, he couldn't.
She was the last person he'd…
"Yes, Tessou-senpai, what is it?!"
"Ah, Jim-san! Are you done with cleaning the bathroom?"
Jim looked around the spotless bathroom of the Anti-Skill station.
"No! Not yet! Please give me some more time!"
"Okay…but when you're done please come find me at the front desk! We need to clean the armory today."
"Yes, Tessou-senpai!"
He heard her footsteps fade away in the distance.
The cadet sighed heavily as he got up from the toilet seat that he had been hiding in all morning. As he was rising to his feet he felt the terrible sensation of his bandaged ribs brushing against his Anti-Skill uniform. The slightest touch was enough to give him shivers of pain.
What the fuck am I doing here?
That was a very good question.
And honestly, Jim himself wasn't sure how to answer that.
He had come to the station early in the morning. After signing in with Tessou he had immediately fled to the bathroom under the pretense of cleaning it. And that's where he had been all morning, cleaning the toilet and mentally digesting the events of the previous night.
What was he going to do if he met her in the hallway?
What was she going to do if she saw him?
Maybe…
He quickly shook his head.
No. No.
I'm not here for that bullshit.
I don't care about what she thinks.
His right hand curled into a ball.
I need to get the most out of this Anti-Skill cover before they kick me out.
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."
"Really? The sandals. The footprints on the grass. The fingerprints on the glass. Or the –"
"Nothing. We did a full analysis of the victim's house. There was nothing. Well, nothing aside from the victim, her son and the killer. There is no traces of a fourth person – little girl or not – as you said, senpai. We did find the boot prints, but that's beside the point."
"DNA?"
"None."
"You're telling me that –"
"– that there was no DNA on the slippers. Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, senpai."
The aluminum coffee can creaked and crumbled into a disfigured mass in Yomikawa's hands. The other man shuddered at the sight of it. He coolly adjusted his glasses and took another sip from his juice can.
"Well, fine. Never mind the fourth victim then, what about the garden maze?"
"We're questioning everyone who was at the party, but they are…well-positioned members of society. It will be difficult to force them to cooperate fully. We are, of course, combing the garden for clues, but given its size and complexity it will take some time…"
He glanced at her through his thin, wire-framed glasses.
"Yomikawa-senpai, you may be the best witness we have…"
She scoffed.
"Have they interfered yet?"
He shifted uneasily on the bench. Both of them discreetly glanced around the public park to ensure that there was nobody within earshot.
"They've sent a sizeable liaison to HQ, all in the name of cooperation. But they've refused to let us interview their team members. In fact they deny any involvement. It seems like our friends have taken a very keen interest in our little investigation."
"Fucking snakes."
Her words unsettled him. So much so that he cleared his throat loudly, hoping to mask her muttered comment. He took another sip from his can.
"It's a mess right now. Complete media circus. Our friends are playing their games, the killer is nowhere to be found and we're stuck in the middle."
Yomikawa threw her flattened can towards the trash bin. It hit the lid once before dropping into the bin with a loud clang.
"It's time you stop working in the dark, Yomikawa-senpai. The task force would benefit greatly from you coming onboard. It's time for you to come back to HQ."
He saw that his words had little effect on her. So he tried something else.
"We need to stop the next killing."
"There won't be another killing."
He stared at her.
"And you know this because…?"
She shrugged.
The handsome man sighed and shifted his glasses.
"Sometimes you are just as bad as they are, senpai."
He shook his head resignedly and also threw his can towards the bin. However unlike Yomikawa he missed; the can bounced off the lid clumsily and fell onto the nearby grass.
Yomikawa quietly stared at the can leaking its remaining juice into the dirt. Her thoughts about the latest developments were swirling around her mind as well.
The killer had access to so much information.
How?
Never mind the radio broadcaster. Or even the homeless man. It was plausible for the killer to know about the first two victims.
But then there was his knowledge of some girl's school life, a woman's personal life, and now the past history of a socialite. Yes, someone who used to blackmail others for a living, but it was still guarded information.
How did he know?
How did he know such secrets?
Yomikawa remembered the mongrel's words. Indeed, he had a point. It was difficult to imagine a single person having access to all this information.
She turned to him.
She looked at the man in his clean, form fitting suit walking up to the trash bin and picking up his juice can.
He was a handsome man whose face embodied the typical features of Academy City's intelligentsia; some sharp young mind from the City's top universities. Immaculate academic records. He was young too, quite young to be the commander of such a task force. Quite young to be in such a high ranking position within Anti-Skill as well.
"How're things in the task force?"
"Office politics, different people vying for favor and promotion, you know how it is. Another nest of serpents. Less lethal ones, perhaps, but still quite bothersome."
"The usual, then?"
"Of course."
She slowly tapped her fingers against the wooden bench.
"Take care, Yuji. Be careful, the HQ –"
"– might be compromised? By our lovely friends in grey? What shall you tell me next, that water is wet?"
She smiled.
"No, be careful about the coffee machines at HQ. They'll blow up any day now, those old fucks. That's why the coffee from HQ always taste like shit. But I see you've already experienced that first hand, given the small stain on your left collar…"
Indeed, he looked down at it and saw a scandalous brown speck on his high-end shirt.
"Damnit…"
Yomikawa smiled as she watched him try to brush off the stain. It seemed like there are things that one cannot learn from the sterile classrooms of universities and laboratories.
She knew that lesson all too well herself.
With that, the Anti-Skill officer stood up from the bench. She shook hands with the commander of the Task Force A before biding him farewell.
However, if a random passerby saw this scene this would not be so obvious. One might struggle to recognize them as two Anti-Skill officers.
Instead, they would simply see a slim handsome man in a suit talking with another woman. And she certainly did not seem like an Anti-Skill officer, not with her battered and oversized sports sweater that came down below her waist.
As Yomikawa walked away she shifted her torso slightly, readjusting the shoulder holster underneath her clothes. The Walther PPK shifted slightly in its holster tucked below her arms. She also readjusted her sports sweater so that the tactical belt, the magazine pouches and her knife would remain hidden underneath.
She smiled.
Just like old times.
"Ah…?"
"It's number 45!"
Jim scratched his head and looked over the steel lockers again. Eventually he found the one with the number 45 on it. The cadet shifted through the couple of keys that Tessou had given him and, having found the right one, quickly opened it.
He looked over the contents.
"Did you find it, Jim-san?"
"Yes! I did!"
"Can you tell me what's in there? The inventory for that section hasn't been updated yet!"
Part of the space was taken up by several pairs of tactical boots. However what caught his eye were the paper boxes stacked in another section of the locker. He glanced over the labels written on them:
"Type 119 Fire Extinguisher Grenades."
There were eight boxes stacked infront of him.
She called out to him again, her voice ringing across the armory. Tessou was on the other side of room. She was also checking the contents of the lockers and taking out some old equipment that needed to be replaced.
"Jim-san?!"
"Tessou-senpai, there's some boots here and 7…uh…fire extinguishers here? That's what it says on the box. Which one did you want me to take out?"
"Are they the Type 119s?"
"Yes!"
"Ah okay! So…7 Type 119s Fire Extinguisher Grenades …alright, can you take them out? We need to replace those."
"All of them?"
"Yes, all 7 of them!"
"Yeah, got it!"
Jim took out all 8 of the boxes and placed 7 of them onto the platform trolley. The last one was placed on top the metal lockers in a dark corner of armory room.
"Where do I go next?"
"Can you go to…ah…locker number 21? Yes, 21!"
"Okay…I'm there, Tessou-senpai!"
"There should be some headlights in there, do you see them?"
"Headlights…oh, these ones I guess. Yes! I see them! How many am I supposed to take out?"
"How many is there, Jim-san? The inventory sheet I have is outdated. Can you tell me?"
Jim glanced over the 4 'headlight' devices that were crammed into the locker.
"3! There's 3 of them!"
"Okay, take those out please!"
His eyes caught sight of something interesting as he was removing them from the locker. In the section right above the headlights there was a row of keys hanging from a rack.
Each of keys was given a label above the rack. Strangely enough the labels were all the names of major car manufacturers in Japan: Honda, Toyota or Suzuki, etc etc.
They looked like car keys.
"Jim-san, that's it for today! Can you come meet me at the door?"
The cadet bit his cheek and quickly picked a key from the Toyota batch. He chose that because it seemed like that stack had more keys than the others. Therefore having one less there wouldn't be as noticeable. Hopefully.
"Yes Tessou-senpai, I'm coming!"
The two Anti-Skill members met at the door of armory with their trolleys filled with boxes and plastic wrappings. They had both been removing old equipment from the metal lockers to be replaced.
Tessou held out her hand.
"Keys, please!"
Jim handed back the locker keys that she had given him earlier. He greedily watched her take them and reattach them to the big ring of other keys on her waist.
The key ring was securely fastened to the belt of her Anti-Skill uniform.
If only she had it in her pocket…
"Alright, now we just need to update the inventory log digitally. Then we'll be done. Let's go!"
The two of them exited the armory room. But just as Tessou was closing the door the cadet suddenly gave out a startled cry.
"Oh shit! I think I forgot my cadet badge in there! Tessou-senpai I'm so sorry! Can I go in there?"
She was caught off guard by how animated he seemed to be.
"Um…do you know where you left it?"
"I'm not sure…I need to look through it I guess?"
For some reason Tessou felt a degenerate happiness take hold in her heart. Especially when she saw the younger cadet bowing his head regretfully and apologizing profusely.
She tried to resist the temptation. But it was too strong.
"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!"
Tessou shook her finger at him and raised her head up high. The older Anti-Skill officer than gave out a dramatic sigh, like a master who was sorely disappointed in her ward's negligence.
"Jim-san! Anti-Skill officers need to be meticulous with details! It is very unbecoming of an Anti-Skill officer to be so careless and clumsy. If you forget small things like this, then one day it might something important, like…for a case! That would be terrible! Do you understand?"
"Y-yes, I'm so sorry, Tessou-senpai…I'm such an idiot. Please forgive me…"
A dark, perverse happiness swirled in her heart when she heard his words. But she tried not to show it, instead shaking her head some more.
"Alright, alright…you can go back and find your badge. I'll wait here."
"N-no! No! I feel bad to have you wait for me. Please, Tessou-senpai, you go on ahead! I'll find it and come after you! Please, I don't want to cause you anymore trouble!"
Tessou actually did consider it. But the way he kept bowing his head was just too alluring.
"Okay, okay…fine, Jim-kun. Here, this is the key to the armory. You can come down to the front desk after you're done. But don't take too long! We have a lot of work to do!"
"Yes! Thank you so much senpai! I'm in your debt, forever and ever!"
Tessou fought back the urge to smile smugly as she handed him the keys. Then she turned around and pushed her trolley down the hall.
The moment her back was turned to him – so that he did not see her face – Tessou started smiling ear-to-ear.
The moment she turned around the corner – so that she did not see his face – Jim raised his head and the apologetic grimace melted away.
The mongrel quickly slid into the armory and went to work.
He checked the corners of the armory again, just like what he did when he first stepped into the room an hour ago.
Yes, he was right.
There were no security cameras.
"And…that's it!"
Tessou closed the file triumphantly just as she entered the last piece of data into the computer. She quickly put away all of the paper work and stood up. She turned around with her coffee mug, already thinking about –
Jim was standing behind her.
"Eeek!"
She gave out a surprised cry. Her startled jump almost spilled the coffee onto her white officer's shirt. The coffee did indeed spill out of the cup, but luckily it went onto the floor.
Tessou had not expected him.
"Jim-san! You scared me! How long have you been standing behind me…?"
"Oh I'm sorry, senpai. I was just looking at what you're doing. Curious about the computer stuff, that's all."
"Oh…well, why didn't you say something?!"
"I didn't want to disturb you…sorry…"
She had noticed it earlier in the day. Now here it was again. At first she didn't know what to think of it, but now she was sure. Tessou made up her mind.
He's creepy.
It unnerved her how sometimes the cadet could just walk up behind her without a squeak of sound. She would not notice his presence until she turned around and saw him. Or worst, until he tapped her on the shoulder.
So creepy!
"I'm sorry, Tessou-senpai…I wasn't trying to be creepy or anything…"
A red blush materialized on her face. Were her thoughts really so obvious? But before she could say or do anything to hide her embarrassment, the cadet helpfully took the coffee cup from her.
"Shall I go refill it for you?"
"Ah…no, no it's ok –"
You are his senpai!
The little voice in her head prodded at her pride.
He is your kohai!
You're older than him!
He's just a kid in first year of high school!
"– I mean, yes. Yes. Yes! YES!"
Tessou basically shouted the last word.
The sudden rise in her voice made him take a step backwards. Tessou's face reddened even more. But she managed to compose herself somewhat and say the next words in a semi-normal volume.
"I meant yes…Jim-kun. Here, take my mug and you can refill it with coffee. But don't take it from the cafeteria! Or from Yomikawa's brew in the hall! That stuff is terrible. Go to my desk and take the blue thermos, I have my own coffee in it. Okay?"
He nodded.
She remembered how hungrily he had eyed her udon the other day.
"Also, if you want some as well then you can go get a cup from the cafeteria..a-and I can share some with you…"
His eyes burned brightly with animal interest.
Tessou was suddenly frightened by her own genius.
"…also while you're at the cafeteria can you c-can buy some donuts as well? Right?! I'm feeling a little peckish…Tell the cafeteria lady to put it on my tab. Would you like some as well?"
He nodded so eagerly that she could hear the sound of his neck creaking.
"Alright, alright! Okay…I'll treat you, Jim-kun. I'm your senpai after all. Now go!"
"Thank you so much, SENPAI!" Jim hollered.
And thus the cadet went off on his great adventure to retrieve Tessou's thermos and buy some donuts from the cafeteria.
She waited until he had left the front desk – and was out of sight – before she broke into a fit of excited giggles. Unfortunately her repeated triumphant fist pumping got a little out of hand when banged her elbow on the desk.
She was still rubbing his elbow when he returned. As soon she saw the cadet turning the corner of the doorway, Tessou immediately put away her stinging elbow and began typing away at the computer.
"Here, Tessou-senpai! Coffee and donuts!"
She made a show of nodding slightly but did not turn to face him = "I'm working here!". In the face of her hard work the cadet sat down quietly and observed his mentor.
"Tessou-senpai, what are you typing into the computer?"
Tessou realized she was typing gibberish into the spreadsheets.
She quickly deleted the random numbers and letters and turned off the screen, jabbing the power button with her finger. The she turned around and cleared her throat.
"You see Jim-kun, I'm inputting the latest inventory list into the program!"
He nodded slowly, digesting the information.
"So…why did we take all these stuff out? Are we going to use them?"
"No, no. These items are being replaced with newer equipment. Unfortunately, since they were issued to us before we began keeping electronic records, it's necessary to input the data before we ship them out for replacement."
The cadet quietly exhaled a sigh of relief.
"Ah, I understand now, senpai."
"Indeed! Now, did you bring the food I asked? You did? Good, now let's dig in!"
She wrinkled her nose.
The madame – an overweight woman in her fifties – looked up from her desk and glanced over her. Clearly she was not someone who fit the mold of her usual customers. But the old lady still put on her best customer service, rubbing her hands together. Her silver tongue was put to good use.
"Well, well! How can I help you? We got lots of girls here; if any of them catches your eye we can arrange something. For the right price, of course…"
She waved her off.
"No. Give me a booth."
The old lady raised her eyebrows but the woman's steely gaze slowly met her eyes. The smile was quickly wiped from the receptionist's face. There was a familiar glint in her eyes.
The lady waited for her to say something.
As for the woman, she knew what to say – they had briefed her – although the words felt alien on her tongue. But really, what difference did the make? Just meaningless words.
Another day at the office.
"Do you have anything with nuns?"
Her words slowly registered in the old lady's head.
"Yes…we do. Go to booth 5, at the end of hall. Then knock on the wooden pane. Someone will answer you."
The woman nodded noiselessly and went on her way. She swiftly walked past the booths, ignoring the moans, the sound of slime rubbing against skin, and most of all the wretched smells.
Another day at the office…
What difference did it make? None, really. Whether if it was in a narrow, suffocating alleyway of Rio de Janeiro's favelas, or the somber, weathered cobblestone sidewalks of Prague, or even under the ancient shadows of St. Peter's Basilica…it was all the same.
The same shadows.
The same cloak and dagger.
She finally arrived at the booth and parted the curtains. There was a faded leather seat parked in front of a small TV screen. The leader seat was flanked by a bottle of lubricant on side. And a big box of tissues.
A groan escaped her lips.
A part of her wanted to be careful: to gingerly and carefully place her hands on the cleanest spots, avoiding stains and what not. But it was not going to help. So instead the woman simply propped herself down onto the seat in one quick motion. Ripping a bandage slowly was only going to make it worse.
Let's get it over with.
The booth was located in the corner, with solid walls on two sides – her left and her back – of the booth. Behind her there was only a poster of a naked woman. Out of habit her hands went up to feel it, to double check, but her fingers only met the cold walls.
This meant that it had to be the wooden paneling on her left.
She knocked it once, slowly and loudly.
No response.
She gave out another groan.
To keep up appearances she even fished out one of the DVDs and inserted it into the player. She impatiently skipped forwards to the parts where the actors were being most vocal. And vocal they were. To make it even louder she turned up the volume as far as she could.
She waited.
Then she heard it.
It started with wooden paneling slowly shifting. Someone was manipulating it from inside the wall.
Finally, the challenge came.
"Who is this that comes from Edom, from Bozrah in garments stained crimson? Who is this so splendidly robed, marching in his great might?"
"It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."
"Why are your robes red, and your garments like those who tread the wine press?"
"I have trodden the wine press alone and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath. Their blood splattered on my garments and stained all my robes. For the day of vengeance was in my heart and the year for my redeeming work had come."
A short pause followed.
She was left alone with incessant moaning on the screen, but her ears could only hear the deft pair of hands behind the wall. Eventually the wooden panels began shifting and a small hole materialized in the wall. They somehow managed to push forwards a small ledge in front of the hole as well.
She realized what it was.
It was a confession booth.
The opening was relatively low, on the level on her sofa. It was just big enough for his hands to slide the headphones over the counter. His finger briefly pointed at a headphone socket on the sofa's handle before disappearing back inside the hole.
She plugged it in.
Instead of connecting to the audio of the video in front of her, it was linked to another channel. A secure channel. The world immediately faded away in the noise-cancelling headphones.
"Welcome sister, to this humble abode. We here, too, serve His name."
She bit back the sarcasm.
"I must admit sister, I did not expect to see you here. I've heard that your ventures have not been well. Is that so? How goes your task?"
"Yes brother, my companions have proven to be foolish and inept. Such is what happens when we rely on outsiders. I am the only one who still lives."
"Truly...? And yet I have heard disturbing news. It seems that your mercenaries have died under mysterious circumstances…what do you say of this?"
The hands on her lap grew warm.
"Indeed. We were attacked by an assailant, whose power I have never seen before. Truly, it is strange. It is as if it could consume all forms of the Art, rendering all to have no effect."
"The lesser forms as well?"
"…yes, mine as well."
She did not like the pause that followed.
"Strange indeed…but it is not that to which I am referring to. Word has reached us that some of your mercenaries have been killed...with their backs turned to their foes. How is this so?"
Her jeans began to rise with a hint of steam.
She would need two seconds to pull out her Beretta from under her jacket.
She thought about sticking her hands into the hole in the wall. But maybe be unwise, at least not until she was sure the fire could hit them in a stream. Better to draw the Berretta first.
The pause grew longer.
She tried.
"Brother, the jackals and serpents have been hot on my trail. My men were no match for them. Such is why they have been destroyed in such a pathetic manner, for even I am unable to help them. They were surprised and did not have time to react in good order. This why they were slain with their backs turned to the enemy."
He didn't believe her. She knew.
"And the girl? What of the dagger? Did you retrieve the dagger?"
"I was in hot pursuit. Indeed, I can confirm that the dagger is in this city. But she is not in possession of it. Instead it is in the hands of another summoner."
"Then have you taken the dagger from this summoner?"
Her tongue was caught in her mouth. She remembered the night at the pavilion. She had every chance to retrieve the dagger if she wished to, and yet the thought never crossed her mind. Instead she had completely focused on the girl. Even though she didn't need to…
She smiled ironically.
I am not even pretending anymore, am I?
"No, unfortunately the serpents prevented me from retrieving the dagger. But I know where to go next. Worry not brother, I am hot on his trail."
He did not push the issue any further.
"Very well, sister. But I pray that you remember in whose name you serve. And remember, you do not walk the path alone. There are other souls who would grieve greatly at your untimely demise."
A hint of flames flared up from her hand, burning through her jeans. The smell of burnt fabric wafted to her nose.
She struggled to keep her anger in check.
Veiled threats. Just another day at the office. Another day.
Another…
She held her tongue.
"Well, sister…I trust that you have not come here simply to report your progress? How can this humble brother assist you?"
Her reply was curt.
"Silver. Silver and blessed water"
Even through the wooden panels, she could hear an weighty pause. He shuffled his feet anxiously.
"Holy water? Are you sure? For what would you need such a thing?"
"Yes brother, holy water. The foes have taken the dagger and plan to do great evil. I fear that I may have to do battle with demons. As such, I am in need of His blessings."
Another pause.
"But sister, surely you remember that you…are forbidden in practicing the Higher Arts? It is not only against custom, but also against the very laws of nature, as is His will. Have you forgotten this?"
Of course she knew.
The Lesser Arts.
Those who were born with the gift, but also cursed to never advance it. Those whose existence is a sign of evil on earth, send downwards by His will to test the temptations of men: the gift underserving. Those who were unworthy to be granted such blind strength, without faith or study of the Art.
The Lessers who needed to be guided by the Higher Arts.
The fire in her hands faded like kindle in snow.
"Indeed brother, I remember. I remember. But does His grace not extend to all who worship Him? Even if I am unable to perform the Higher Arts in His name, surely I am no heathen...? May I not call upon His help in time of need, and in His defense?"
He was uncertain.
She shook her head.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. So many years, and yet…and yet…? What for? Faith, they had told her once, faith and piety. Fear – fear of Him. Fear his wrath!
Wrath? For what?
For simply being?
"I am the flash that cuts…"
She could no longer tell the light from the dark. Lost track of it a long time ago.
"Very well, sister. I shall provide this assistance to you, even though my heart is heavy and it goes against established norms. But I recognize that this may be an extraordinary case, where exceptions should be given. I'm sure He will understand."
The years of bitterness had already seeped into her tongue. Too little, too late.
"Bless Him! Truly, I am grateful. Truly, a humble soldier such as myself is undeserving of his grace. I weep at my foolishness in His light."
There was a slight shuffle and she heard him reaching for something. Presently, the panel opened again and a piece of paper – with an address scribbled on it – slid out onto the wooden pane.
"Of course, sister. One must remember that He divided the Lesser and Higher Arts for a reason. We here on earth are only His servants, we toil only to deliver His will. Here, this piece of paper will tell you where to go."
She quickly placed it inside the pocket of her jacket. But he was not done yet.
"But remember, sister. Remember! You must be careful not to invoke the Higher Arts. A Lesser being such as yourself is unsuited and untrained in such matters. Know your place, or you will be destroyed by opposing His law. Please, for your own sake, soldier."
Fire and brimstone, huh?
Wrath, wrath, wrath…
She stood up tiredly from the booth. The headphones were ripped out of their cords without much care – she just wanted to get out of this suffocating booth. She had nothing more to confess. Nothing left. But before she went away, he gave out his last blessings.
"Victory to you, blessed soldier. And may God's grace go with you."
Malyana walked out alone.
"So what is this thing anyway?"
Jim toyed with the device in his hands, which looked like a headlight of some sort from a car. It was one of the items they had taken from the armory.
"Oh that? That's a handheld searchlight, Jim-kun. It's used when you need to shine light on a suspect over a long distance."
"So it's really bright?"
"Yeah."
That sounded pretty useless.
Better than nothing, I suppose. Maybe I can sell it or something.
He placed the searchlight back into the box, noting that it used commercially available high power batteries. Next, he reached for one of the "fire extinguisher" grenades that he had taken out from the armory.
"So it this…some sort of bomb?"
Indeed, it really did look like a grenade, with a safety lever, pull pin and all. However the body of the grenade was some form of transparent plastic. And instead of explosives it was filled with some sort of swirling fluid.
"Well, kind of. It is a grenade filled with a special type of condensed aerosol mist, designed to put out fires. After you pull the pin there is small explosive mechanism that will bursts open the plastic. In four seconds, I think. Theoretically it douses the area in the substance and puts out the fire."
Tessou took a sip of her coffee.
"Theoretically, is very versatile, but in practice it's only useful for specific circumstances. Most of the time a regular fire extinguisher will do the same job."
Jim nodded approvingly.
It would definitely be more useful that the searchlight. He carefully set the grenade back into its foam covering, then back into the paper box. It was settled it alongside the other equipment due to be replaced.
Then he remembered the rows of keys.
"Oh Tessou-senpai, when I was taking the stuff out I saw some rows of keys with car names on them. What was that?"
"Oh! Those! I didn't know we still had them. They're universal car keys, Jim."
His eyes widened as he took another bite of the donut from his hand.
"What?! Universal car keys? What the…"
"Well, almost universal. It was an arrangement Anti-Skill made with several major car manufactures in Japan. We wanted a universal car key that could be used to open all – well, most – models of car in Academy City."
"All models? So all the cars in – ?"
"No, not any model. I think they're only good for cars made a decade or so ago. The manufacturers stopped making them for Anti-Skill when they were hit by a lawsuit. And really, when it did work it was only cars from Japanese manufacturers. Legally, it would be a lot more difficult to do the same with foreign ones."
Jim's leg pocket tickled with excitement.
Finally, some luck!
That would definitely be useful for Jim. He remembered that he had taken the…Toyota key? That's not too bad. There should be a lot of Toyota cars in Academy City. It means that he'll at least have transport.
"So I guess we're just waiting for the Anti-Skill HQ guys to pick this stuff up?"
"Yes, that's right. Here, have another donut, Jim-kun."
It tasted bitter.
Jim brought the donut to his lips again, chewing through its texture. The chocolate coating of the donut melted in his mouth like cotton candy. It's been a while since he's had so many desserts in one sitting.
Tessou handed him another cup of her coffee with which he washed it down his throat. Unlike Yomikawa's brew, her coffee was light, creamy and sweet. They flowed through his mouth like fresh water from a stream.
And yet it all tasted so bitter.
"So," he began again, "I guess you were inputting the data into the database? How does that work?"
She puffed her chest up, brushed her nose proudly and began to explain. Tessou was quite enthusiastic.
"Well you see Jim-kun, Anti-Skill is very high tech so we always keep track of our equipment digitally. However, even then, there are still old pieces of equipment that gets left behind. So sometimes we have to clear it out manually and register them."
"Ah so you're saying the stuff we pulled out wasn't in the database?"
"No, not digitally anyways. It used to be on paper but I heard that the armorer lost it somewhere . And he was dismissed for it. So there is some stuff missing from the records."
A smile stretched itself across his cheeks. He did his best not to make eye contact; it would give him away. It's always the eyes – the corners – that gave false smiles away.
Another sip of her coffee. The sweetness became insulting.
It's a bit too late for that.
"Ah okay. So I guess we're taking them out to be replaced? After this these equipment will be disposed?"
"Yes, that's right."
Jim took another bite of the donut and pretended to listen to her talk about the database. Instead his eyes were alternating between the front door and the stairs. But nobody came in. He tried to remember how her footsteps sounded like. But he quickly realized how stupid it was.
He had known her for less than a week.
Fuck's sake, stop thinking about her.
What the fuck difference does it make to you?
"– so when Yomikawa-san took over as commander she started to –"
He perked up…and mentally smacked himself.
You pathetic, pathetic –
" – organize everything with digital database as in accordance to the newest Anti-Skill regulations. It was so difficult! I spent the whole day with her just installing the programs. But it was worth it, because afterwards Yomikawa-san treated me to some drinks."
She looked over at him.
"Oh yes! Jim-san should come with us – oh…right you're a minor."
He had to force the smile this time.
"Well…I'm going to be 18 soon."
"Alright then! When you turn eighteen we can go drinking together. I'll treat you!"
But Tessou stopped herself when she realized that she was talking to a boy in high school.
"B-but drinking is…not good! Your studies are more important, okay? Don't become a street thug! You must take your studies seriously so that…so that you have a good future!"
Jim rolled his eyes.
"Yes, mom…can I go play outside now?"
Tessou giggled and hit him lightly on the shoulder for the joke.
"Hey! I am not an oba-san. At least twenty years too early! And neither is Yomikawa-san!"
There was a brief silence as Jim just stared at the donut in his hand. The chocolate filling was dripping onto his fingers. It felt like a familiar sight, to see his hands covered in black…
It all became quite nauseating: the smell of the coffee, the taste of the donuts, the words coming out of her mouth. His mind was spinning with a dull headache, and the seat of his chair seemed to shrink every moment. Nowhere for him to hide.
Jim wanted to sit down under the desk.
"By the way, senpai…where is Yomikawa today? I haven't seen her all morning."
He was too tired to feel pathetic anymore.
"Oh, she had some business and went out early in the morning. She said she probably won't be back in the station today."
Ah.
He bit his cheek.
Better that way, I guess…
"By the way Jim did you hear about the killer? The latest news is that he made another kill last night! It's so terrible. We really need to do more, before the school year starts…"
Something sharp prodded at his tongue.
"Oh really? I didn't know. Wow. I hope Yomikawa catches him."
"Indeed…but…are you alright, Jim-kun? You've been staring at the floor for some time. Do you have a headache? A fever?"
He shook his head slowly.
"Sorry, Tessou-senpai. It's just that…"
He went through the roulette of excuses.
"…my back ache a little bit. I didn't sleep very well last night."
Jim was rudely reminded of his fresh burn across his ribs as he shifted in his seat. He suddenly remembered about some of the bruises he must have on his face. And the bandaged cut on his hand as well. There were even spots of blood on it.
He couldn't help but chuckle internally.
Does she not notice?
Or does she notice, and not…
"Is the chair uncomfortable? You see, your back gets sore after leaning against it for a long time. I have the same problem when I man the front desk. So what I like to do is to put my vest up against the back post for comfort. Like this!"
He glanced at the Anti-Skill stab vest that covered the back of her chair. It seemed to be wrinkled from extended period of being leaned on. But otherwise it was in relatively good condition.
It seemed like the vest didn't leave the armory often.
"But Jim-kun…aren't you going out with her today? With Yomikawa-san, I mean."
He looked up, surprised at her tone of voice. It was quiet. She was staring at the handheld radio in front her on the desk, not meeting his gaze. Didn't want to.
"No…ah…I'm…"
He struggled to find the words.
"I'm kinda of useless…wasn't much help to her. So she left me at the station here."
"Oh hahaha," she laughed out loud, "so you're just like me then. We're both useless!"
Before she could say anything else, a shrill crackle of radio static cut through the air. Tessou quickly turned to the radio on her desk, plugged it into a larger receiver module and began speaking on air.
She was receiving some transmissions from other officers of the station as well the general Anti-Skill frequency. After she was finished relaying the messages, she turned back to him.
Tessou stopped herself when she remembered what she had said. Her face turned to a light shade of red, embarrassed and abashed at what she had just said to her kohai.
Jim didn't look up, pretending that he didn't hear it or saw her face. When he reached for another donut he realized that she was staring down the coffee cup in her hands.
Jim racked his mind.
"Oh Tessou-senpai, Yomika – I mean, the lieutenant said that you were really good…at, ah…she said that you were really helpful. At the armory, a-and stuff. So…"
He trailed off lamely.
Real anger flared up inside Jim.
Of all the things that could've come out of your fucking mouth…
How is it you lie without blinking, but this…
But this you can't fucking even –
Tessou blinked quickly, glancing at the rim of her coffee mug. Her lips quivered.
"Really? She said that?"
"Yeah, yeah," he added hastily, "she was really grateful. She kept talking about you in the car."
Tessou wistfully looked up at him. There was a sad, wane smile on her face.
"Well, thank you Jim-san. I appreciate it. But really…it's not good to lie, you know."
"No! No! I'm not kidding! She said that! She kept hitting my head saying things like 'why can't you be smart and organized like Tessou!' and 'I should have brought her instead you lazy twat'"
She was chuckling now.
"Oh, you mustn't say things like that. Yomikawa-san is strict but fair. She would never hit a cadet, not without reason."
The stinging pain in his nose, his jaw and his twisted arm and the festering burn in his ribs and boot print on the back of his neck all agreed with her.
"And really, there's no need to be so humble, Jim-san. She talked about you, you know."
Jim shut his eyes.
"After your first day she said you that were very useful, although a bit unmotivated. She didn't want to tell me specifically what you guys were doing…but she said she felt better to have you around. To watch her back. You know…I do notice all those marks and bruises on you. I know you must have been helping Yomikawa-san a lot…"
Jim wanted to stop existing.
"It's okay, there's no need to pretend. Yomikawa-san took me out on patrol when I first joined as well. But I wasn't…very good at it. The physical side, I mean. I…I u-um…"
"Tessou-senpai, it's –"
"…m-messed up. Didn't do my job properly. Put other people in danger…so Yomikawa-san said I should refrain from going out until I'm more confident. So here I am…stuck in the armory and the front desk. Even a cadet on his first day is better at the job than…"
Tessou's fingers slowly traced the outline of the handheld radio's buttons. The only sound in the air was the droning hum of the air-conditioner overhead. The two Anti-Skill officers sat in their chair, silent.
"I messed up too, Tessou-senpai."
His voice was tired, but there was note of relief in it. Jim couldn't help but smile sardonically as he glanced at her. Tessou's glistening eyes stared back at him through the rims of her glasses.
Fresh moss, he thought, her eyes are like fresh moss in the morning, wet with the night's dew.
"I messed up really bad. I did something…something I shouldn't have. Well, a lot of things actually. I think that the lieutenant…Yomikawa, I mean…"
Tessou looked at the tired high school boy in front of her, with his eyes downcast and defeated shoulders. He was so tired. Crushed. Resigned.
"I think she's really mad at me," he confessed in a whisper.
Jim gave out a long, drawn out sigh as he leaned back into his chair. His entire body felt lighter. The pressure in his chest lifted like fog in the morning sun, and first time that day his head felt clear. He put the coffee cup away and gingerly wiped his face with his hands. The boy remained there like that, with his face covered by his hands, staring up at the ceiling.
"I think Yomikawa will kick me out of Anti-Skill once this investigation is over."
Tessou drew a sharp breath.
"Is it that bad?"
"Probably, yeah. That's why I'm at the station today, not out on patrol."
"What..w-what did you…"
He just shook his head. She didn't pry any further.
The two shared the silence between themselves, each savoring the moment of peace they had with each other. They both understood. Each in their own way.
No need for words.
In the end, Tessou sniffed and wiped her eyes with the cuff of her shirt. She smiled brightly and refilled her coffee mug. The smell of fresh, steamy coffee wafted up into the air.
"Well, don't worry Jim-san," she said, "I'll put in a good word for you."
Jim chuckled.
"Really? You would do that? And what exactly would you say, Tessou-senpai?"
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"Well, let's see…I will say that you're very, very good at the cleaning the toilet. But you also forgot your badge inside the armory. Also, you really like sweets, especially chocolate donuts, and that you eat so much that you always smudge on your lips."
An uncontrollable blush crept up his face as Jim frantically tried to wipe it away with his shirt. But he was stopped by his wise senpai.
"Hey! Don't do that with your white service shirt! It'll stain it. Stop!"
He complied.
She quickly produced a handkerchief and approached him. The boy couldn't help but draw his head back, although out of what he couldn't tell – fear, apprehension, embarrassment. All of it at once, perhaps.
"Oh calm down, Jim-san. I won't bite. Come here…"
She gently pulled his face closer to her hands. Then she pressed the folded napkin against the edge of his lips and wiped away the smudge of chocolate. As she looked down at his face, Tessou noticed the dark bags under his eyes. He didn't look like a teenager anymore.
His skin felt weathered and leathery under her fingers.
Her napkin felt smooth and silky against his face.
She wanted to say something, but she did not know the words. And he just shook his head. No need for words. He didn't need it. It is what it is. He had made his peace with it a long, long time ago.
She chose to respect his silence.
When she was done, Tessou turned back to her desk and put away the napkin. Jim spent some time shifting his jaws about – like he was chewing – to try and hide the blush on his cheeks. The two spent a moment in silence. She stared at the radio on the desk.
"Well," she began slowly, "regardless of everything, I'm glad that you are here, Jim-san. It's fun to work with you."
"Me too."
"Whatever you did wrong, I'm sure that Yomikawa-san will be fair and give you a chance to make up for it. She's not the type who would just dismiss someone. At least not without hearing their side of the story first."
"…"
"Whatever the case is, I'll stand up for you. Even if I've only known you for a few days…I know that Jim-san isn't a bad person. Although you seem to be uninterested sometimes, you always try your best."
Jim bit down on his cheek. There was only the sharp taste of silver in his mouth.
Lies, lies, lies…
"You shouldn't, Tessou."
"I don't care, Jim. It might not be my business, but I won't let you be on your own. I think you deserve to have someone speak up for you. Even if it's just me."
He began snickering, but then the snickering turned to chuckling and soon he broke into a shaking laugh. Jim couldn't help but laugh. After all, he couldn't cry. He didn't remember how to.
So he just laughed.
She accepted it.
When he was done, the cadet stretched his shoulders and raised his chest. He quickly readjusted his uniform as best he could and straightened out his back.
Tessou nodded approvingly.
"That's right! Moping around has never done anyone any good. Let's face every day with optimism and energy! Don't give up! Let's do our best, Jim-san!"
"Yes, Tessou-senpai! Let's do our best!"
-x-
First uploaded: 5/3/2022
Last modified: 6/3/2022
Word count: 8,615
Author's Notes:
Gemstone =/= Magic (?) will be touched on in later chapters.
Also, things are getting pretty rough over here. There's a real chance that I literally won't be around much longer, never mind updating some shitty fanfic lol. So pushing out whatever half-baked shit I have now, as soon as rough edits are done.
Also edit notes/records are a mess. Maybe will sort out later, if I'm still alive in a year kekw.
Don't be surprised if you never hear from me again. Cheers, and thanks for reading.
Okay. Bye!