"I'm just saying, that was a lot of damage for a rogue esper ability."
Four middle-school girls were walking down a sidewalk. All four wore coats in order to combat the cold winter air, but two of them were notably higher end brands. They were supposed to be spending the day at the park, but the girl with twintails had gotten hungry and suggested a bite to eat, a decision nobody questioned. Hunger was a cruel mistress.
"I know you like urban legends and conspiracy theories Saten-san," said a girl with flowers in her hair, "but there really isn't anything else to it. An out of control esper ability destroyed the school, and a little while later some failed experiment tore up most of the district. It's horrible, but it's what happened."
"I went to that school after the level upper incident. From what I heard, most of the students are level 0's like me."
"Wait, that was the school you went to?" A girl with chestnut hair interjected on her friends' conversation.
"Huh? Yeah. Why, is there something special about it?"
"It's...nothing. There's just…someone I know who goes there."
It took a few seconds, but Saten's eyes quickly lit up.
"Wait, is it Kamijou-san? It's him, isn't it?"
"Well...yeah…"
"Aww, I feel so sorry for you. You must have been so worried about what happened to him! If Tokiwadai was suddenly destroyed, I wouldn't be able to rest until I knew you guys were okay."
"N-No, it's just...I wasn't expecting you to have gone to his school is all...(plus, that doesn't even come close to what happened in Russia)."
"What was that last part?"
"N-Nothing!"
As the four approached the entrance of their chosen restaurant for the day, Saten ran ahead, holding the door for the other three.
"You know Misaka-san, you're so adorable when you pretend not to care about him."
"I-I don't care about him!" Misaka's face had gone red, something Saten had gotten very used to seeing whenever Touma was brought up. "I just keep happening to run into him, that's all. I mean, with my luck I'll find him by chance by the end of…"
Misaka had trailed off. One of the larger tables in the building, meant to seat ten, was
located near the front entrance.
However, the table was not filled with food as a large party enjoyed their afternoon. While there was some food, most of the table space was taken up by scattered paperwork. Only three people were actually seated, leaving most of the chairs empty.
Saten was the first to speak up.
"...James?"
"So, you mean to tell me I can get anything I want?" The silver-haired nun looked less like a child of God and more like a 7-year-old about to open her birthday presents.
"Anything," replied the blonde boy with blue eyes. I'm paying for it, after all. Eat all you want"
"Yay!" Index immediately began tapping at the screen in front of her. The restaurant they were at did not use traditional waiters. Instead, each table came equipped with a tablet that could be used to browse the menu and order food at any time, which would then be brought directly to the table.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Asked a certain spiky-haired boy.
"After all you've told me about that nun's eating habits? I take this as a challenge."
"I don't know how I feel about having my roommate drain the bank account of someone who agreed to help me with my homework…"
"First, don't worry about my finances. Trust me. Second, this is nothing. You should see some of the stuff I've had to help my father with."
"Well, I guess it's too late now…"
Sure enough, Index had already ordered a boatload of food, which was already starting to arrive.
To give some background: Touma was infamous for his horrible attendance at school, as well as his horrible grades that came as a result. It truly wasn't his fault- things like World War 3 and Gremlin took priority over schoolwork. Of course, he couldn't just say that he missed class because he was too busy fighting some magic cabal overseas, so his grades suffered for it in the end. His teacher had given him the opportunity to make up some of the work he had missed in hopes of him at least managing to pass and not be held back a year. However, given he had also missed the lessons that the work was on, he had no idea what he was doing, and had recruited James for help.
And that was where they were now. At a restaurant, taking up a ten-person-table with make-up homework. Index was enjoying the chance to fill up the black hole in her stomach to its maximum capacity, James had ordered a simple cheeseburger, and Touma had just gotten a sandwich. He didn't like the idea of having another person pay for his food, but James had insisted. And by "insisted", I mean he secretly changed the payment method to his own money card when Touma wasn't looking, and didn't say anything until Touma had already finished his food.
The work was going surprisingly well. Touma had actually managed to complete most of it fairly quickly, even when he did need assistance. Except for one page he had spilled his drink on earlier, which he attempted to salvage, only for it to rip in half. Their peace, however, was eventually interrupted.
"...James?"
The two practically jumped.
"S-Saten? You scared me there…"
"This is an awfully large table for only the three of you. Are you expecting others?"
"No, we just needed the space. I'm helping Kamijou here with his homework. Feel free to take a seat. Most of it is done and packed up now, so there's plenty of room now."
Saten, Uiharu, and Kuroko took a seat next to James. Misaka did not sit down right away.
"Why do you have so much homework? I mean, I've gotten a lot of homework before, but enough to fill a ten-person-table?"
"...My attendance is atrocious. Most of this is make-up work…"
"Well, that's what happens when you constantly disappear around the world without telling anyone."
"That's rarely ever my choice!"
"Whatever."
Nobody had any idea what they were talking about.
Mikoto took a seat next to Touma, looking down at the paper he was currently working on. This caught the attention of Index, who had moved to the opposite end of the table much earlier as to not have her food get in the way. The nun gave a subtle glare. It also caught the attention of Kuroko, who immediately teleported over to the seat next to her Onee-sama.
"So James," Asked Saten, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you at school for over a week?"
"Huh? Didn't I tell you? I'm pretty sure I told everyone on my contacts list…"
"You never gave me your number."
"...Oh. Well, that does explain it…"
James reached into his pocket and pulled out a smartphone. A smug grin came over Saten's face.
"You know, that's pretty smooth, getting a girl's number like that."
"...You know what? I don't think I need your number after all…"
"Wait! No! Please! I'm joking! I'm joking!"
The rest of the table could only watch as the two struggled over James' phone. After over half a minute, James finally relented, and Saten successfully added a new contact. James knew better than to resist Saten's attempts at being your friend. Speaking of which…
"Hey Kamijou-san, did I ever give you my phone number?"
"Huh? I don't think so. I mean, we don't really see each other a lot. It's not like we're exactly close friends…"
"Too bad. We're friends now. Gimme your phone."
Touma, having seen what happened with James, decided it was best to simply go along with what the girl wanted. Mikoto's mood seemed to become noticeably sour at how willingly he gave in, but Touma didn't notice.
Kuroko was getting annoyed.
"Hey, if everyone is done saying hello, can we please eat? I'm starving."
"Good point," replied James. "Hey Index, are you done with that thing?"
Index nodded, her mouth too stuffed with noodles to speak.
"Thank god." Kuroko teleported to the other side of the table, touched the tablet, and teleported back to her seat with the device in hand.
"Oh, by the way, my card is already put in. Just order whatever you want."
"Oh, that's okay," said Misaka. "We can afford our own food."
"Seriously, it's fine, I'll pay for everyone, it's just quicker. I can afford it, trust me. My father is one of the better researchers in the city, so we aren't exactly broke. To be blunt, I could probably buy the entire restaurant, and he would be more concerned as to why I wanted a restaurant than the actual money spent."
Kuroko raised an eyebrow.
"What level are you?"
"Level 4 thermokinesis, why?"
"I heard Saten mention seeing you at school. So you come from a wealthy family, and have a high level, yet you go to a public school?"
"I do. Your point?"
"While Tokiwadai is an all-girls school, there are plenty of high-end coed and all-boys schools that provide a much better education. Why aren't you enrolled there?"
"Because those fancy high-end schools are ripoffs. Seriously, I looked into them. How does a school have so many damn rules? You are literally paying tremendous amounts of money to have less freedom. It's bullshit."
"They're strict because they're teaching you to behave properly in life, so you don't turn out like this ape here."
"Hey! Don't bring me into this!" Touma's protest was ignored.
"That's rich, coming from a Tokiwadai student. 'Learning how to be a proper lady' my ass. Most of the students there are the daughters of big CEOs who plan to have them married off to some other big CEO and expand their empire. They have no freedom, probably never will, and trying to get some will probably have them disgraced and abandoned by their family. I'm not ignorant of this city's darkness, I know what the rich assholes at the top are like. And how I act outside of school is none of my school's business. I go to school to learn, not to have my entire daily life dictated. I may have moved here from America when I was five, but I still have American blood. I enjoy my fucking freedom, and I am not paying some shitty institution to take it away, I don't give a damn how good their curriculum is."
Kuroko, naturally, did not like what James had said. But she had absolutely no response on hand, and was far too hungry to care enough to come up with one. She simply sighed and began ordering her food.
Mikoto, however, couldn't help but think over his words.
I mean, I guess I can't deny that he's right about some of the students there. But my parents aren't like that. They wouldn't judge who I fell in love with for their wealth...right…? I mean, if I wanted to marry that idiot...I mean, I don't want to actually marry him! But hypothetically speaking, would they ever approve of someone like him? A level 0 with barely a dime to his name? I mean, I don't think they would disapprove of someone for their power or money… but still… What would marriage even be like anyways? I mean, I guess I am a bit young to be thinking about this stuff, but it's still something I have to consider eventually. Do they make Gekota wedding dresses?
"...isaka?"
Huh? Is someone calling me? Why is the world suddenly tilted? And why do I feel so comfortable? Did something happen?
"Um, Misaka, do you think you could take your head off my shoulder?"
Misaka quickly realized what had happened. While she had gotten lost in her thoughts, her head had ended up leaning on Touma's shoulder. Her face instantly did its best tomato impression as she sat back up straight.
"S-Sorry…!"
"I-It's okay, really, I just wasn't expecting it is all…"
In truth, Touma didn't necessarily mind her head on his shoulder. She smelled nice, and seemed calm enough that she wouldn't suddenly send an electric current through his body. However, the death stare he received from Kuroko was enough to make him decide that letting his shoulder take a part time job as a pillow was a bad idea.
"Onee-sama, you can always lean your head on my shoulder!"
"I think I'll pass. I'm just tired, and got lost in my own thoughts for a moment. I'm fine now."
Another death stare was shot at Touma, and a chill went up his spine. Teleportation was not an easy ability to fight with Imagine Breaker.
"So James," said Saten, now that the table had finally gone quiet. "You didn't answer my question, why haven't I seen you at school recently? I mean, I know you're my senior and all, but you just kinda vanished…"
"I already told everyone in my contacts, but apparently that didn't include you. I'm participating in a new, experimental program that the city is trying out."
"Experimental program?"
"Essentially, in recent years, students have been doing too good in school, and people are starting to think the curriculum is falling behind. The obvious solution would be to just update the curriculum, but that's a pain, not to mention people like Kamijou here who are already struggling…"
"Hey!"
"...so a solution they're trying is a program designed to let students skip grades mid-year."
"That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen," scoffed Kuroko.
"That's why it's experimental. Anyone is free to sign up for it, but they aren't actively advertising it to students in fear of too many trying to participate."
"So how exactly does this 'program' work?"
"Well, the first thing you gotta consider is whether or not you're changing schools. I was in my last year of middle school, so even skipping to the next grade up would throw me into a new school. If you just want to go up to the next grade in whatever school you're already in, things are a lot easier. To elaborate, if you're staying in the same school, you take a test created by an algorithm that takes into account the grade you're in, the grade you want to get into, and the time of year. If you pass, you're in a new grade, and that's that. If you're changing schools, however, the school you're currently in, as well as the school you want to get into, are also taken into account by the algorithm. The new school also has to accept your request to transfer in."
"Sounds like a long process."
"It really isn't, it goes very quickly. Anyways, if you pass the test, things are still kinda complicated. Since this is still experimental, nothing is necessarily permanent. Officially speaking, I am still considered enrolled in middle school, and am only taking classes at a high school. If I lived in a school-provided dorm, I would still be staying there. I can also choose to return to my old school at any time. Some people are abusing this part to 'trial' a new school. Spend a few weeks at whatever high school you're looking into, then return and finish middle school normally..."
That seemed to catch Mikoto's attention. James continued his explanation.
"...It's an interesting idea, though I don't plan on going back. Honestly, I probably would have skipped multiple grades if I had the patience for that test. That thing was long. And if you skip more than one grade, the test has to pretty much cover the entire curriculum for any grades you skip in their entirety, so the size gets very big very quickly. it's not exactly an easy test either."
"Well, I guess that does explain where you've been. I'm assuming you're in Kamijou-san's school now?"
"Yep. I'll have to introduce you to some of our classmates one of these days."
"JAMES! HOW COULD YOU!"
"Huh. Speak of the devil."
A boy with blonde hair and sunglasses ran up to the table, and slammed his hands on it.
"BRINGING ALL THESE GIRLS AROUND KAMI-YAN? YOU'RE BASICALLY TRYING TO GET THEM INFECTED WITH THE KAMI-YAN DISEASE! HOW CAN THE REST OF US GET GIRLFRIENDS IF THEY'RE ALL PART OF HIS HAREM?"
"His…harem…?" Kuroko raised an eyebrow.
"I don't have a damn harem Tsuchimikado! And why are you even here?"
"Actually, I was here to catch up with an old friend, nya! But since you're here, we might as well join you, nya!"
Touma's danger alarm went off.
Wait, and old friend? Does he mean...but Mikoto is right next to me! This is a terrible idea!
"Oi!" A hoarse voice cut off Touma's thoughts. Sure enough, the white-haired level 5 stepped into the restaurant on his cane. "Why the hell did you run off like that? You're almost as bad as the damn brat."
"It turns out we already have some friends here, nya! So I decided we might as well join them!"
"'Friends'? What the fuck are you talking abou-"
He looked at the people at the table.
Specifically, he caught Mikoto's eye. The two seemed to have a mutual feeling of "I'm not putting up with you right now."
"I'm leaving. We can talk later." Accelerator turned to leave.
Touma let out a sigh of relief.
Crisis averted.
Or so he thought.
"Come on now, nya! Yomikawa says you've become a complete shut-in! It's about time you learned to live a little! Get a social life!"
He grabbed Accelerator's shoulder, and forced him into one of the seats at the table.
"At least have a bite to eat, nya!"
"I'm not fucking hungry."
"Then get a coffee, nya!"
"I'm not paying fo-"
"I'm paying for everyone here. Get as much coffee as you like."
Accelerator let out a frustrated growl. Tsuchimikado was practically holding him down in his seat, and the sunglasses idiot was much stronger than him without his ability.
"Fine. You win. But I'm not holding back on the coffee."
"Dude, I paid to feed that nun over there. I can handle your caffeine addiction."
Accelerator clicked his tongue. As much as he hated to admit it, James was right. He had fed Index before, and even his insane addiction to coffee couldn't beat the cost of all the food that nun would consume.
"So don't worry about it. You're all taken care of…"
Hold on, something is wrong…
James had a huge grin on his face, his expression radiating smugness. Accelerator couldn't figure out why.
The truth was actually quite simple. James knew a few things. He knew the next word that was going to come out of his mouth. He knew the impact it had. And most importantly, he knew the black-haired girl sitting next to him.
"...Accelerator."
For a moment, Mikoto thought that Shokuhou had found them, because there were definitely stars in Saten's eyes.
"Wait, do you mean the Accelerator? As in, the top ranked esper in Academy city?"
"What of it?" That was all he managed to spit out before the girl was right next to him.
"I can't believe I'm meeting the top ranked level 5! Can I have your autograph? Can you show me your power? Has anyone ever beaten you?"
Accelerator was dazed at the barrage of questions. His powers were fantastic at keeping people away, so someone trying to be around him was still fairly new. Especially this girl, who somehow managed to rival the energy of Last Order.
The scene felt like something straight out of a nightmare for Mikoto. She wanted to drag Saten away from that monster as fast as possible. If he hurt her, she could never live with herself. She felt Kuroko get close to her ear.
"I think Saten has a crush..."
The very thought of it terrified the #3.
"...Wait, what is that?"
"Huh?"
"That thing on your neck?"
"None of your business."
"Oh! Is it some fancy pair of headphones? Do they play music directly to your brain? Does it help you with your power?"
Accelerator was very good at ignoring people, and even better at telling people to fuck off, especially when he felt they were getting too nosey.
That being said, not even he could resist the raw power of a curious Saten.
"...ugh. A while back I had a sort of brain injury. This piece of shit hooks me up to something of a computer to compensate for my reduced calculation ability. There, I explained it. Are you satisfied?"
"Something of a computer, huh? Is that all it is?" Mikoto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"What? Do you have a better term for it right now?"
In Hawaii, Worst had explained Accelerator's situation to Mikoto during her stop at Cupid Arrow. Specifically, she explained that circumstances had led to Accelerator taking a bullet to the head, resulting in brain damage. In order to keep him from being a human vegetable, he was hooked up to the Misaka network to borrow its calculation power. Worst also said that Accelerator was now looking after unit 20001 Last Order, the command tower of the network, and the mini-Misaka she had seen in the underground mall back in September.
Mikoto had obvious objections to this. In truth, she wanted that kid as far away from him as possible. She had hoped to discuss the matter in Hawaii, but never got the chance. In the end, she decided that, as long as he was relying on the network to survive, he would keep the kid safe as to not have his own lifeline put at risk.
However, her biggest fear is what would happen if he stopped needing the network to survive. Last Order was said to have the personality of a child, and children tend to get attached. What would happen if he no longer needed her? What if he decided to abandon her? Could Last Order properly cope with the loss? What if her mental state affected the network as a whole?
Of course, Mikoto's biggest mistake was trusting Misaka Worst as a reliable source of information. While Mikoto had trusted her to tell the truth, and she technically did, Mikoto never considered the possibility of the clone literally named "Worst" purposely holding back information. If Mikoto had pressed for more information, such as why Accelerator took a bullet to the head in the first place, or perhaps how Worst had actually met Accelerator, her perception of the situation would have likely been changed, if not completely shattered.
But she did not have that information. She still saw Accelerator as a ruthless monster, and Saten practically hanging off of him put her on edge. And when he referred to the clones as a computer, it felt to her like he was still dehumanizing them, which bothered her immensely.
But despite all of this, she couldn't deny the fact that he was right. Without revealing anything about the existence of the clones to the people around the table, "something of a computer" was probably the best way to describe them.
"No, I suppose not."
The entire table could feel the tension between the two level 5s, despite Touma and Tsuchimikado being the only other two there to know their history.
Saten, however, was too interested in her new toy to notice.
"Man, that's actually really sad. But the fact that this thing allows you to function normally with a brain injury really shows how advanced the technology is here! Is there a timer on how long you can use your ability? And what's with the cane? It looks custom…"
Man, this girl is fucking annoying. Does she ever shut up?
…
Wait a second.
Don't I already…?
"Oi, hold still for a second." Accelerator put a hand on top of Saten's head, causing her to freeze. Mikoto subtly got ready to pounce, even if attacking would kill her. She would not let that monster hurt her friend.
"Huh? What's gotten you so worked up? Did we run out of sweets again? If so Misaka is gonna be pissed."
"Misaka feels like her position is being stolen, says Misaka as Misaka describes her unexplainable sixth sense!"
"That's dumb as hell. Stop trying to give Misaka a headache with that shit."
Accelerator stared into Saten's eyes for a few seconds, the entire table in suspense as nobody had any clue what the #1 was doing.
"I've seen your face before."
There was a collective look of confusion across the entire table, including Saten herself. However, after a few seconds, something appeared to click.
"Wait a minute, you're that guy from the park!"
The park? Was that where…oh.
"On second thought, forget I said that." Accelerator removed his hand from the girl's head.
"Wait…." Mikoto felt something turn in her stomach. "You've…already...met before…?"
"Yeah, I met him briefly at the park. He was going through rehab. Speaking of which…" She turned back to the albino. "You never told me you were a level 5!"
"I don't exactly go around announcing my rank. Hell, most people end up figuring it out themselves."
"Still! I asked your level, and you said something about you 'not being sure' about it. How could you not be sure about being a level 5?"
Ironically, Mikoto was the one most affected by Saten's words. In a way, she lived in a much different world than her friends. To them, level 5 was the top. They truly believed Misaka Mikoto was the third strongest being on the planet.
But she knew better. She had fought Gremlin in Hawaii and Tokyo bay. She had seen the High Priest, a being that made her feel as insignificant as an ant. She was the third ranked level 5, yet that title meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. She saw something far beyond the limits of "level 5." Something she had to reach. Because if she didn't, could she really stay by the side of that boy sitting next to her?
No, focus, this isn't the time nor place to think about that.
She chose to remain silent.
"It's a long story, and I'm not telling it."
"Also, you had said something about a level 0 beating a level 5. Does that mean…?"
A chill went down Touma's spine, and for a brief moment, his eyes met Accelerator's.
"Figure it out yourself."
"You're no fun."
"He's just messing with you," said Kuroko. "A level 0 can't beat a level 5. It just isn't feasible."
"Still, I can dream…"
Saten finally sat back down in her seat, much to both Accelerator and Mikoto's relief.
However:
"That's a good start Accel-san, but you have a long way to go if you wanna beat Kami-yan's hare-UUMF!" Accelerator had flipped the switch on his choker and touched a napkin on the table, causing it to fly into Tsuchimikado's face at a fast enough speed to knock him to the floor.
"Why the hell is everyone here anyways?"
"Kamijou's homework," replied James.
"Why the fuck do you need this many people to help with some goddamn homework?"
"It was actually just me, him, and Index. The girls showed up later, and we happened to have enough space for them."
"If there were only three of you, why did you need this big of a table?"
"He had a lot of make-up work."
Accelerator raised an eyebrow.
"I don't care how fucking stupid this moron is, there is no way you need a ten fucking person table to fit all of it. I refuse to believe it's even possible to get that bad."
A new voice spoke out.
"Unfortunately, it is that bad."
This was yet another surprise, as the voice almost seemed to be coming from the table itself.
On a second glance, the voice was not coming from the table, but a 15 centimeter girl in the middle of it, looking down at some of Touma's work.
"If he's struggling with this, it will take more than a miracle for him to not be held back."
"Othinus! When di-"
"If you don't start checking your coat pockets, I'm going to keep sneaking into them. That's simply how it is."
Oh no! How am I supposed to explain this? Nobody here except Tsuchimikado knows about magic, and he is definitely not gonna have my back here! Such misfortune…
"Is that...a doll…?" Kuroko sounded genuinely disturbed. "And the way it's dressed...Onee-sama, I really think we should leave, there is clearly something wrong with this guy..."
"We shouldn't judge other people's hobbies, Shirai-san. Even if they are...unconventional." Even Uiharu seemed uncomfortable.
Touma could feel the judgemental stares. He knew his fate: Kamijou Touma, the guy with an interest in small, high-tech dolls wearing lewd clothing. His future was over. Of course, he knew this was coming - Finally reaching the end of his adventures, marrying a girl he loved, living out the rest of his days in peace… it was never going to happen. Not with his misfortune. He was always destined to die alone after having his reputation destroyed.
But.
However.
"Wait a fucking second..."
All heads turned to the #1. His tone had become even more aggressive than normal.
"Weren't you that fucking terrorist behind the shit in Hawaii? The one this bastard protected from me in Denmark?"
Othinus looked up at the albino's glare.
"Oh yeah, weren't you the one he knocked out with a rock?"
Accelerator clicked his tongue and his glare turned to Touma, who started nervously rubbing the back of his head.
"About that...Sorry about the whole 'leaving you unconscious in the middle of Denmark' thing...no hard feelings, right?"
"Whatever."
"...Is...is it bad I kinda wanna hear that story?" James was quickly shut up by the #1's glare.
"Hold on," Mikoto had also recognized the barbie doll of a god. "What happened to you? I remember you being more...human sized."
Othinus sighed
"None of you are going to understand this explanation, but I'll entertain you with it anyways"
As she spoke, she climbed up to Touma's shoulder and crossed her legs.
"When Christianity started to dominate the world, they took the gods people had previously believed in and turned them into wicked, powerless fairies. Based on this, Ollerus was able to develop a spell specifically designed to counter magic gods such as myself. Due to circumstances, I ended up being hit with this spell, and it started to destroy me from the inside. The reason we went to Denmark was to retrieve my eye. I had thrown it into a pond as part of the ritual to become a magic god."
There was a collective cringe at the thought of removing your own eye.
"If I reinserted my eye, I would reclaim my humanity. It would strip me of my power as a magic god, and the fairy stake would no longer destroy me. However…"
She pointed to her tiny eyepatch that looked like it belonged on a pirate doll.
"As you can see, I did not reinsert my eye. I did not reclaim my humanity. As a result, the fairy stake destroyed me. Or, at least, 99% of me. It seems like Imagine Breaker managed to nullify the effect and allow for 1% of me to remain, which took this form. So I'm small, and I no longer have any power, but I am alive."
Kuroko, knowing nothing about magic, had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.
"So...99% of you was destroyed...and the 1% that remained was able to reform into a smaller you? That makes no sense."
"The anatomy of a human does not apply to a god. An eyeball thrown into a pond and left there for thousands of years would normally not be able to simply be taken out and put back into its socket, yet it was still an option for me."
"Regardless of how crazy this all sounds, you were a terrorist, shouldn't you be in a maximum security prison?"
"Due to my size, imprisoning me would be difficult. I also lost my power, so I wasn't exactly a threat anymore. And, most importantly, I never reinserted my eye. I never reclaimed my humanity. I am still a magic god, even in this state, and, by extent, immortal. A thousand years in prison would have been nothing more than a minor inconvenience for me. In the end they gave me to him, so you can essentially consider him my jailor. Is that a good enough explanation?"
"I suppose I don't have anything to counter it with right now. International terrorists are far outside of Judgement's jurisdiction. I find most of this story to sound like a fairy tale, and it seems much more likely that you're some kind of doll, but both of the level 5s here seemed to recognize you, including my Onee-sama, and I have to admit that is a pretty good backing for your story. So I suppose I won't question it for now."
"Good. Then that's over."
"In that case," said James, "what was that about Kamijou knocking out Accelerator?"
Saten perked up at this, but it was Kuroko who responded.
"That doesn't make any sense. The ape here is a level 0. There is no way a level 0 can beat a level 5 unless the level 5 loses on purpose.
Accelerator let out an annoyed sigh. "Hey, third ranked, which one of us is giving them the demonstration?"
"Demonstration?"
"You know what I'm fucking talking about."
Mikoto sighed. "I'll do it. He's used to it anyway."
Touma's "danger" alarm went off. His chair started backing away from the table.
"Wait, demonstration? I'm used to it? W-What are you talking abo-"
A spear of lightning shot towards him from Mikoto. He reflexively held out his right arm. With a sound of shattering glass, the lightning spear vanished.
Saying that Mikoto's friends were speechless was an understatement. They looked like their entire perspective of reality had just been shattered. James, however, was not as amused.
"You could have at least given him a warning. What if he didn't block that in time?"
"Please, he's used to it by now."
"That's even worse!"
"He usually deserves it."
"Doesn't make it any less of a dick move."
Their conversation was cut short as Saten came back to her senses.
"You're the guy from the urban legend!"
"Urban legend?"
"The guy who's power allows him to cancel other powers!"
"Hold on!" Kuroko interjected. "That doesn't make any sense! There's no such thing as the power to cancel out other powers! The only people who should be able to stop Onee-sama's lightning would be the #1 and the #2! And maybe the #7 due to the unusual nature of his power! But this ape is a level 0! Even if he has this mysterious power to cancel other powers, he should be at least a level 4, if not a level 5!"
"Well...it's not really an esper power. It wasn't developed by the city, I was actually born with it…"
"Then you're a gemstone! It doesn't matter. You are clearly not a level 0."
"Well...actually…"
"Okay," interjected Othinus, "as your understander, I know for a fact you're going to completely botch this explanation, so I'll take over from here."
Othinus moved over to his right shoulder.
"He is completely right, it is not an esper ability. The proper name for his power is 'Imagine Breaker,' and as you may have figured out, it's concentrated within his right arm. Imagine Breaker is considered to be a 'reference point' for the natural world."
"The natural world?"
"Imagine if the world was represented by a set of values. We can rearrange these values in any way we want, such as cutting down a tree and using the wood to make a chair. But everything can be broken down into materials that find their origin in nature. In other words, no matter how much you rearrange them, the values themselves stay the same. This is the natural world. But what is the opposite of natural?"
"Artificial?"
"In a sense, but not the word I'm looking for."
"Supernatural?"
"Correct. Supernatural phenomenon, such as magic or esper abilities, work by modifying these values, rather than simply rearranging them. In this comparison, Imagine Breaker is like a formula that reverts any modified values back to their original value. In a more literal sense, esper abilities work by generating an AIM diffusion field, and creating a 'personal reality,' a sort of bubble in which an esper can twist reality based on their ability. Think about it, there is no logical reason why a bolt of lightning shot out of the #3. But her personal reality allowed her to distort reality so that a bolt of lightning appeared anyways. But the moment it came in contact with Imagine Breaker, the modified values were set back to their original value. In other words, the distortion in reality was undone, and the lightning was erased."
"Is that why I'm unable to teleport him?"
"Exactly. Let's look at the #1. There is no logical reason for everything to reflect off of his skin. But his personal reality allows him to distort reality in a way that causes the direction of anything not on a whitelist to be reversed when it makes contact with him. Or, in other words, it gets reflected. However, trying to distort reality to alter the direction of this hand is impossible, because said distortions are instantly erased. In other words, this right arm can touch the #1, despite his reflection. Speaking of which, how many times have you beaten the #1 in combat?"
Touma was not expecting that question at the end.
"I...um...I don't think that really matt-"
"Three."
It was the Accelerator himself who answered, and it was not an answer anyone was expecting.
"He beat me for the third ranked here, he beat me in Russia, and then he beat me in Denmark protecting that terrorist on his shoulder."
"You're…surprisingly open about that…"
"Because you keep claiming you're some normal-ass high school boy, when you clearly fucking aren't, and it pisses me off. Anyways, you're saying that since esper abilities work by distorting reality, and his right arm automatically corrects said distortions, none of our powers work on him?"
"Precisely. The thing is, he himself is no exception to this. Imagine Breaker automatically nullifies his own AIM field, and by extent his personal reality, so he is incapable of developing an esper power. This is why he is considered a level 0, despite being able to stand against level 5s. And he can't get rid of it. Imagine Breaker seems to find some sort of significance in being this boy's right arm, and will stubbornly continue to do so. Multiple people, such as Fiamma of the right during World War 3, as well as myself in Baggage City, have removed this arm. It will either reattach itself, or, if that isn't an option, simply regrow."
"It also hurts like hell, so please don't try ripping it off…"
Mikoto seemed to be processing this information.
"I see...so that explains...that time...but it still doesn't explain…nevermind…"
"I know what you're thinking about, and all I can say is that I honestly don't have an answer for you. I crushed it easily, so it is not at the level of a full-power magic god. However, I heard that it horrified Fiamma of the right during World War 3, even after he achieved the position of 'the one above God,' so it's nothing to scoff at. Still, I was unable to properly identify what it was or what its relationship to Imagine Breaker is."
"What are you guys even talking about?"
"Um…" Mikoto hesitated, "I'm...honestly not sure if we should really be discussing this…"
"We shouldn't. There is likely only one person who truly knows what it is, and they are not someone we want to provoke right now. Unless we end up in a position where it gets out, it's best to just drop the discussion." She briefly met Tsuchimikado's gaze, although nobody had noticed. He knew what could happen if Aleister decided they were looking too far into places they shouldn't be.
As much as Mikoto wanted to know what those dragons were, as well as what that was when High Priest was coming down on his comet, it was clear she wasn't getting answers here. Though, the explanation on what that boy's right hand actually was satisfied her enough for now.
Most of the table was still trying to process the information they had just been given. Kuroko finally spoke up.
"This all seems very far-fetched. But, if we assume that what you're saying is true, and his right arm interferes with esper abilities because it nullifies any unnatural distortions, that still doesn't answer the question of why. There isn't anything special or significant about this ape, so why does he have such a strange power? Why is it localized entirely in his right arm? Why would such a below-average person be given such an unusual power?"
Mikoto looked like she was about to say something, but she stopped when she noticed Touma's expression.
Specifically, it had darkened.
Why did he have Imagine Breaker? Terra of the Left had suggested that his amnesia resulted in the loss of crucial information about his right hand. Did the old Kamijou know why he of all people had it?
Of course, this in itself didn't really matter to Touma. Normally, he would have simply shrugged his shoulders and agreed that it made as little sense to him as it did her. He was exactly how she described him - a below average high school student, so it was likely random chance that he had that right arm.
Except that viewpoint had been challenged.
'I am not saying anything you have done caught our eye. That is getting it all backwards...From the very beginning, you were the scorer meant to view the world...Imagine Breaker is merely an addition to your true nature…'
Touma was an ordinary high school student. But he wanted to help those around him, and he had a special right arm. Those two factors led to him being at the center of global conflicts, but it didn't have anything to do with him being special as a person. That was what he believed. But the High Priest, a magic god who had transcended humanity, someone who was equal to or above Othinus who destroyed and recreated the world billions of times with almost no effort, had said otherwise. He believed that it was not Imagine Breaker that led Touma to be at the center of these global conflicts, but rather, it was always Touma's destiny to do so, and Imagine Breaker had chosen him because of that.
Was it that special right arm that put him at the center of the universe, or was it because he was at the center of the universe that he had that special right arm in the first place?
Did Touma know the answer to that question?
Did he want to know the answer to that question?
Something else nagged at the back of his mind. Kuroko always berated him. She called him an ape, said he was ordinary, a below average person. In truth, Touma agreed with her to an extent - His self esteem was surprisingly low.
But…
Could she really say those things if she knew what he had been through?
Touma had met Mikoto's friends before. But they had been brief meetings. He barely even considered them acquaintances. They simply knew him as that random level 0 Mikoto was into for some reason (Although he didn't know that last part).
But…
What would they think if they knew that he had stopped an entire coup by punching Second Princess Carissa in the face?
What would they think if they knew he was at the center of World War 3? That it was his right fist that dealt the final blow to end the conflict?
What would they think if they knew that the small entity on his shoulder had used their lives, alongside the lives of all 7 billion people on the planet, as nothing more than puppets for the sole purpose of tormenting him?
What would they think if the broadcast hadn't been censored for his own privacy, and they knew that he was the one who took on the entire world to save a single girl, and won?
Would they still be able to call him average? Would anyone still be able to call him average after knowing these things? Was he simply deluding himself by calling himself normal when he clearly wasn't? These questions tore at him, threatening to tear away his very identity.
He had only just realized how hard his heart was pounding.
"...Othinus? Can you get back on the table? I need to use the bathroom…"
"..."
Othinus' eyes narrowed, as if she could see right through him.
"...Please…"
The tiny magic god finally obliged, sliding down his arm to the table. Touma stood up before hurrying to the men's room. Mikoto watched him leave.
"...Something's bothering him…"
"He probably just got upset that I called him below average."
"Kuroko!"
"What? It's true."
Othinus snorted before giving her own opinion.
"It's likely the opposite."
"Huh?"
"His problem isn't being called normal. In fact, it's the complete opposite. His problem is likely the fact that he's being forced to consider the possibility that he may not actually be normal."
"And what makes you think that?"
"I don't call myself his understander for nothing."
Touma stood in the men's bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror.
Who am I?
The answer was obvious: He was Kamijou Touma. But what did that actually mean?
He looked down at his right arm.
If Imagine Breaker didn't reside in that arm, would he have ended up in the same situations as he did?
The obvious answer was no. His desire to help those around him, even if it meant putting himself in danger, would not have changed. But would it ever have escalated to the levels it did if it weren't for that strange power? It shouldn't have. But, if what High Priest said was true, Imagine Breaker wouldn't have chosen him if that was the case. If his right hand was the only thing responsible for him dealing with issues on a global scale, then he wouldn't have that right hand to begin with, as Imagine Breaker would have never chosen him.
So which was it?
Did that right hand drag him to the center?
Or did him being in the center attract that right hand?
The answer was obvious:
It doesn't matter.
He was Kamijou Touma. He was someone who would put himself in danger to protect the smiles of those around him. It didn't matter if he was destined to be at the center of the world or not - it didn't change what he did, or what he would do in the future.
Of course, deep down, he knew it wasn't that simple. Jesus was not the son of God because he turned water into wine; it was because he was the son of God he was able to do so in the first place. The implications were completely different, and the same type of implications were there with Touma and his right arm. But he couldn't dwell on that any more than he already had - doing so would drive him to insanity. Putting it aside and saying that it "doesn't matter" was no better than procrastinating household chores, but he didn't care. It calmed him down enough that he could go back to the table, and that was what mattered.
And back to the table he went.
Except…
Something had changed. By the time he noticed it, he had sat down, and it was already too late.
"~Loverboy~!"
A certain British magician hand jumped on top of him, wagging her tail-like magical item like a dog.
"L-Lessar?"
"If I had known you were in the bathroom I would have joined you! Doing it in a public restroom is risky, but where's the fun if there's no risk?"
"Please get off of me…"
The commotion woke Index up from her food-induced nap, and her sharp teeth were becoming visible. Near her, Mikoto's complexion had gone pale and sparks were visible coming off her bangs. In short, this was not a good situation for Touma.
Oh come on! I just got through having an existential crisis, and now I'm gonna be bitten AND shocked to death! Such misfortune!
However, before the flames of jealousy could consume the unlucky boy, a small fist hit the top of Lessar's head before dragging her off of him.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"You're embarrassing us. Cut it out."
"Oh? Are you jealous that the Imagine Breaker is gonna be working for New Light instead of the Dawn-Colored Sunlight?"
"Jealous? Please, if I wanted him working for me he would already be doing so."
"HA! Like you could 'convince' him with your cutting board of a chest!"
"Unlike a pervert such as yourself, I know ways of recruiting people without using my body. And don't insult other people's appearances when you go around in public with that freaky tail waving around."
"Hey! My tail is not freaky!"
Touma felt that if this argument was allowed to continue, it would likely escalate to the point of the building burning down, and decided it was best to change the topic.
"So why are you guys even here?"
"It's pretty simple," replied Birdway, "Nine out of ten times something happens it ends up being centered around you. So, given the lack of information to go on right now, we decided to just jump the gun and come here now before you inevitably get involved."
"Has...Has it really become that predictable?"
"You have no idea."
To Touma's surprise, Accelerator was the next to speak.
"I'm assuming this 'situation' is referring to that Bruce Roberts bastard?"
"Oh?" Birdway looked impressed. "I see someone has been doing their homework."
Accelerator pointed his thumb at Tsuchimikado.
"This bastard was explaining it to me."
"Well then, let's see how good his explanation was. Tell me, do you know what a Saint is?"
"A Saint is someone who's body shares similar traits to the Son of God, allowing them to channel some of his power or whatever. Basically, they have superhuman strength and can move at supersonic speeds."
Touma was pretty sure they shouldn't be having this discussion, given that half the table had no experience with magic, but Birdway paid them no attention.
"Very good! Yes, Saints can be quite a nuisance if you have to face one. That being said, there are less than twenty in the world. Essentially, they're the magic side equivalent to your level 5s."
"Magic side, huh?" Mikoto appeared deep in thought, which caught Birdway's attention.
"Yes, the magic side. You should be familiar with it, after Hawaii and Tokyo Bay."
"I mean, not really. I was completely lost when those happened…"
Birdway's expression became one of concern.
"Touma did tell you about magic, did he not?"
"Huh? No. Was he supposed to?"
Birdway let out a frustrated sigh, walked right up to Touma…
...and slapped him in the face.
"Hey! What was that for?!"
"Let me get this straight, you dive headfirst into World War 3, make all these girls cry by having them think you died, and then drag one into a magic warzone in Hawaii without telling her about magic?"
"How am I supposed to explain this stuff? Even I barely understand any of it!"
"Bullshit!" Spat Accelerator. "We were literally in your fucking dorm when she explained this shit to us."
"Touma…" Index looked disappointed. "You brought short hair to the conflict against Gremlin in Hawaii, and didn't tell her anything about magic? She could have seriously gotten hurt!"
It became blatantly obvious to Touma that nobody was going to take his side. Birdway shook her head in disapproval before turning back to Mikoto.
"I feel bad for you, so I'll tell you what. One of these days I'll give you a proper explanation on magic. You deserve that much after this idiot put you in danger."
"Actually...I was the one who requested to go to Hawaii, it really isn't his fault…"
"It still doesn't excuse him not saying a word about the enemy before we arrived. I'll give you my number, so when you want to learn about the side of the world this city has kept hidden from you, just let me know."
Touma's head perked up.
"Wait a second...how long are you guys going to be here anyways?"
"Who knows? Maybe a few weeks."
"A few weeks?! Where are you staying? The last time you two showed up I woke up to find you sleeping in my bathtub!"
"Relax, we have a hotel this time. A nice one too."
"I'll text you the address," said Lessar, "You can come any night you want. I'll be waiting for you~"
"Text me? Hold on, I don't recall giving you my number…"
"Birdway gave it to me."
"'Gave it to you?!' You took my phone while I was in the shower!" She turned back to Touma. "Speaking of which, if you get any pictures from an unknown number, don't open them."
"Hey! Don't spoil my surprise for him!"
"Also, she has aphrodisiacs with her, so don't consume anything she gives you."
"Wha-? There's nothing wrong with aphrodisiacs!"
"I agree!" said Kuroko, who finally heard something she understood. "Aphrodisiacs are a legitimate way to show one's love!"
"Um...as a fellow Judgement member, you really shouldn't go around saying things like that…" Uiharu's plea went ignored.
"See? This girl gets it. There's nothing wrong with slipping a few into some food and giving it to someone. I mean, with how guys are naturally, it barely makes a difference!"
"You say that, yet you've completely failed to seduce him at every turn."
"Last I checked, you haven't been able to seduce him either!"
"I haven't been trying to."
Mikoto was watching this discussion in somewhat of a panic.
I knew he had a lot of girls around him, but this is something else! She's just as bad as Kuroko! How do I compete with someone that forward? Wait, apparently she's failed so far. Is he just THAT dense? No, he's likely just not into her. Wait, what IS he into? He has to have some kind of preference when it comes to girls! Wait, why am I even thinking about this? I don't care about him! I mean, I do, but not like THAT!
How she could even think that with a straight face when two Cupid Arrow rings sat in her drawer was a mystery.
"Oi!" The albino's voice demanded the attention of the entire table. "You can talk about getting into that bastard's pants later. We have something far more important to discuss, do we not?"
"About that," replied Birdway, "there are some others I want to discuss this with, so I'm gonna hold off on this discussion until tomorrow. That being said, we need a place to meet." She looked at Touma. "Your room better be clean."
"Actually," the boy next to Touma spoke up. "You can use my place. It's a lot bigger than a student dorm."
Birdway raised an eyebrow.
"And you are?"
"Um...James. I'm Kamijou's friend."
"Hmm. On one hand, cramming that many people into his dorm would be a pain. On the other hand, having this meeting in an unfamiliar location comes with its own risks…"
"I trust him," said Touma, "And even if this was some sort of trap, do you really feel like you would be in danger?"
"Good point. Fine, we'll use your place. Does tomorrow evening at six sound good?"
"It's not like I have anything else going on. I'll have Kamijou text you the address."
"Then it's settled." She turned to Mikoto. "I would recommend showing up, Railgun. Otherwise you'll continue running blindly into these conflicts."
"I'll...think about it."
And with that, Birdway took Lessar and left the restaurant.
Mikoto lay in bed that night, wearing her usual gekota pajamas. The only light in the room came from the moonlight seeping in through the curtains. But she couldn't fall asleep.
"Onee-sama?"
"Yeah?"
"You're not...actually considering that offer, are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Magic? the 'Other Side'? You don't actually believe this stuff, do you?"
"..."
Mikoto remained silent for a moment, her gaze fixated on the ceiling.
"I do."
"Wha-? Onee-sama, you can't be serious! You're the third ranked! The Railgun! The ace of Tokiwadai! If you just start believing anything you're told, do you realize how many people will manipulate and use you?"
Mikoto let out a soft chuckle.
"The third ranked, huh? You know, when I was promoted to level 5, and given the title of the Railgun, I was told I was the third strongest being on the planet. That nobody except the top two could ever challenge me. And you know what? I believed them. Until I met that idiot."
"Regardless of how it works, that right hand of his is...unusual. You can't let that throw away your common sen-"
"That's not what I mean."
Mikoto felt her lips curve into a soft smile.
"That idiot would take the burden of the entire world on his shoulders. When I was faced with a situation even I couldn't find a find a way out of, he showed up out of nowhere, and charged in headfirst. And you know what? he won."
"It involved Accelerator, didn't it? He mentioned something about them having a fight involving you."
"..."
Mikoto didn't want to answer that question. She didn't want to go back to that experiment. But…
"Yes."
"Was that… related to what happened during the summer? You practically vanished. You barely ever made curfew, assuming you showed up at all. None of your friends could get in contact with you, and when we did see you, you seemed…distant. And then one night, that boy shows up here, disappears, and then it was like everything just went back to normal."
"...I can't tell you the full story. Maybe one day, I'll be able to. Maybe one day I'll be ready to fully relive that hell. But...there were thousands of innocent lives at stake. And it was my fault. And no matter what I did, or what I tried, I couldn't stop it. I finally found a solution, a surefire way to put an end to it…"
Mikoto trailed off, like she was struggling to get the words out of her mouth.
"What...what was the solution…?"
"I had to fight Accelerator, and let him kill me. That was the only way to save them."
"Onee-sama!"
"I had no other option. If I didn't sacrifice myself, thousands of innocent people would have been killed on top of those who had already died. There was no other way."
"Surely you could have told me! Told someone! We could have gotten Anti-skill involved!"
"It isn't that simple. This was the dark side of the city. The higher ups were in on it, so trying to expose it would have just put you and everyone else at risk. I had to do it alone. And the only way was to kill myself at the #1's hand. And then...and then...and then he showed up. He found the information I had hidden away about the situation. And then he…"
"He didn't want you to kill yourself, so he fought Accelerator for you?"
"I couldn't stop him. We were barely acquaintances at the time, and he knew why I had to do it, and yet...he wouldn't let me. The way he saw it, it didn't matter if it was me or thousands of innocent people - as long as somebody died, it wasn't a satisfying conclusion for him. And in the end, he did it. He saved thousands of innocent people, as well as myself, when I couldn't do it. And you know what? It wasn't even a big deal to him. He fought the strongest guy in Academy City and saved thousands, and he acted like it was just another day for him. And in a sense, it was. He's always doing this, charging headfirst into danger because someone he may not even know might get hurt. It doesn't matter who you are, or what you may have done in the past. If he finds you with a burden on your shoulders, he's going to take it on himself whether you like it or not. But…"
Mikoto frowned.
"...But he won't let anyone do the same for him. The closest I ever got to him asking me for help was when he called me from Britain and asked for advice with an electronic. All I wanted was for him to understand that he didn't need to do everything alone, that all he ever had to do was ask and I would have been there for him. And then World War 3 happened, and I thought… he… I thought he had died."
"I suppose that explains why you acted the way you did when you came back…"
"When he did return, I made a promise to myself. I wasn't going to let him charge into danger alone anymore. Even if I had to force myself in, I would be there. And that's exactly what I did."
"And then what happened?"
"And then I saw it. The 'Other Side.' People with powers fundamentally different from esper abilities, phenomenon I couldn't explain even with all my knowledge of science, terms being thrown around like 'magic' and 'spells' that made no sense to me. And worst of all? My title meant nothing. The moment I entered these battlefields, it felt like all the time and effort I had put into becoming a level 5 was for nothing. I struggled against pretty much every opponent I faced..."
Mikoto went silent for a few moments before speaking again.
"Saten was right, you know. It wasn't a rogue esper ability that destroyed that school."
"Huh? What do you mean? What was it then?"
"That small girl that was with that idiot, Othinus, what did she call herself? A magic god? It was one of them. This...thing...It was a literal mummy. Yet it breathed, moved, and spoke like a normal person...I think his name was something like the High Priest. This thing was chasing that idiot, and I got caught up in it. But...I couldn't do anything to it. Even my railgun barely tickled him. And then...High Priest...he…"
"Onee-sama? What did he do?"
"He told him that I was a burden to him, that it was my fault we were losing the fight, and that he should have discarded me a long time ago. He said that if that nun or Othinus were in my place, it may have gone differently. In the end, we launched him into space, and that thing came back around on a comet. That was when...something launched from the city, and seemingly finished him off. I'm still not sure what it was."
"It may have been some kind of automatic defensive system for a possible attack from space. But I'm not sure if that could destroy an entire comet, nevermind some kind of enitity that even your railgun couldn't touch."
"I don't know. But...while he was still chasing us, we ran across two more magic gods. Apparently they wanted Touma...something about him being their 'scorer' in return for a guaranteed prayer. High Priest's rampage was something like going rogue, and they offered to stop him themselves. The problem was that doing so would be a direct confrontation between magic gods, and it would likely result in the entire city, if not the entire country, being caught in the crossfire. And I don't think they were exaggerating. And to top it all off, they mentioned that they were weakened due to circumstances. These things...these magic gods...made me feel like a poweless child, and they weren't even at their full power."
Mikoto's hand formed a fist.
"I'm not sure what to believe. My common sense is telling me it's all bullshit. But I've seen it. A stage far higher than level 5, and it's connected to this Other Side. And it's a stage I have to reach. Because if I don't...then…then…"
She felt a pain in her chest.
"Then I'm going to lose him. One of these days he's going to charge into a fight he can't win, and that'll be it. So I'm taking her offer. I'm going to learn about this Other Side even if it contradicts everything I know, even if I learn I'm actually incredibly weak, even it makes me look like a fool. None of that matters to me anymore."
The two girls sat in silence for what felt like an eternity
"Then I'm going with you. If this is as serious as you say, I'm not letting you do this alone."
Mikoto did not respond.
If anyone else had told Kuroko this stuff, she would have scoffed at them and insulted their intelligence. But this was her Onee-sama, and she trusted her. So she made a deicison: she would keep an open mind. She would follow her to the depths of hell. It didn't matter what Mikoto might say. If her Onee-sama was this determined to stay by that boy's side, than she would do the same to stay by her side.
As silence filled the room once more, the two girls who had made their decisions finally drifted off to sleep.
The television was playing some kind of anime, but he wasn't watching it. It was just background noise to him. He was leaning over his dorm's balcony, looking at a certain building in the distance. Even now, in the middle of the night, he wore sunglasses. He was busy thinking. Thinking about problems he wasn't sure any other person could understand.
Well, there was one.
His thoughts were interrupted as his the his television speakers were filled with static, before going silent. And then, a voice.
"I assume you have questions?"
Tsuchimikado was surprised. Not by the fact that he was being watched, or by the fact that this voice had taken over his television. What surprised him was that he had bothered to contact him in the first place.
"Those two sneaking into the city is nothing new. But this? Being able to get a hotel room and stay here for weeks on end? Letting this happen isn't normal for you."
"It is quite simple, really. While there is no concrete rule saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, there are times where it can be applicable. For example, when you both have something in common to protect."
"...Imagine Breaker."
"While I have no intention of actually handing it over, I am willing to let them see it as a potential asset if it means they will expend their own resources to keep it safe."
"So, this is all about saving resources by outsourcing the protection of an asset to them? Caring this much about resources isn't like you."
"Whether it be managing a city or warfare, resource management is always vital. Rest assured, I am keeping an eye on them. If they get on my nerves, I will deal with them. However, that is unlikely to happen."
"And what makes you think that?"
"Fear is a powerful tool. With things in their current state, they will likely avoid making an enemy of me. As long as their only purpose here is to assist the Imagine Breaker, I see no reason to waste my time driving them out."
"Still, this isn't like you, relying on outside forces like that. Aleister...you wouldn't happen to be afraid, would you?"
"Do you think I am?"
Tsuchimikado did not bother answering.
"What do you think about the third ranked getting involved in magic? I understand that the balance between science and magic has started to collapse, but you've been surprisingly silent on the matter."
"The #3 finished being useful to me a long time ago. What happens to her is not my concern. As long as she does not use this knowledge to poke around where she doesn't belong, I could care less."
"And if she does?"
"I think we both know the answer to that."
"She means a lot to him, you know. If you hurt her, he will find out. And I'm not sure even he would forgive you for it."
"I am aware of the risks I take. Not to mention this is purely hypothetical."
"If you say so."
Static filled the speakers again, and the sound of anime returned. Tsuchimikado didn't even turn around.
So, even Aleister is on edge. I guess things really are about to heat up. But as long as she's safe, it doesn't matter.
The person on the other end of the call was just as deep in thought.
He gave off a unique presence that could only be described as contradictory.
Both male and female.
Both young and old.
Both saint and sinner.
Aleister Crowley looked at the screens around him from the glass tube deep inside his fortress at the center of the city. They displayed calculations and statistics, among other things nobody but him would comprehend.
That "human" spoke out loud.
"The reappearance of Bruce Roberts is concerning, especially in his current state. Run the calculations in relation to the main plan."
A computerized voice responded.
"With what information is available, there is a 67.4% chance that Imagine Breaker will be targetted. If so, there is an 83.2% chance that the main plan will be affected. Exact deviation cannot be calculated with the current data."
That "human's" expression did not change.
"Bring up the file of Iwasaki Tadashi."
"Iwasaki Tadashi, 16 years of age, level 3 teleporter. Was declared missing three years ago, at 13 years of age. No traces were found until five days ago, when the individual's AIM signature was located within Great Britain, with confirmed ability usage recorded. Chance of being related to attack on vault: 98.6%."
Author's note: So, I personally feel like Saten was a little OOC here, which is something I hope to fix in the future. It's also debatable as to whether or not her meeting with Accelerator in Imaginary Fest was canon or not, but I personally don't care.
Another thing I want to reiterate is that while James may have a heavy presence now, I plan for that to change over time. To be blunt, he isn't gonna have a huge impact on the story overall. His power is kinda weak in the grand scheme of things, and I don't plan on him carrying any fights. I know this is a big concern when it comes to OCs in these types of stories, so I just wanted to state that again.
One of the things I dislike about the main series is Touma's mental state. The events of NT9 are implied to have traumatized him, as they should have, yet it's rarely brought up. Similarly, High Priest has him question his position as a "normal high school boy," and then it's almost never brought up again. I do plan on actually covering these things at least a little bit.
Finally, I plan to have Othinus actually interact with others. Not much to say besides that.
I hope my writing didn't hurt to read. At least, I hope it didn't hurt too much. Next chapter will be out whenever I get around to it. In other words, anwhere from a few hours from now to a week from now.