Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 11
OP Song:
Adele - Skyfall (Lyric Video)
Insert Song: Start
E.S. Posthumus - Harappa
PART 1
Somewhere in the deepest corners of space was a special and significant type of planet not found anywhere else.
On the surface, it may appear to look quite ordinary despite the large size that was almost thrice as Jupiter. The vast red skies between the morning dawn and the evening twilight in the upper atmosphere communicate the grey clouds of various shapes and sizes. The cool and dusty deserts that brought the necessary breeze even in the times of winter and summer further reflect the barren surface of the planet.
What was this planet?
What was its significance in the Multiverse?
A lot of historical and important events in the Whoniverse - the specifically designated multiverse cosmology named after the oldest question in existence - are centered around this planet which is considered to be the central lynchpin of history itself; the one keeping everything in tip-top shape and orderly fashion.
Gallifrey. The Main Homeworld of the Time Lords.
It of course is greatly distinguished from every other alterward, paraward, and otherward variation, including the many countless cloneworlds throughout the Whoniverse that were reinstated and replicated in the case of the latest official term of the latest Lady President Imperiatrix herself.
With this planet consisted the penultimate and near-impenetrable defense known as the mighty Transduction Barrier consisting of four specific types of barriers.
The First Barrier was a force field of such staggering power that it could rip open the hearts of atoms. The Second Barrier was a barrier of ideas - it refused to let anything through because it did not believe that was possible. The Third Barrier was a barrier of reflection - it countered any approach with an equal and opposite idea. Then there was the Fourth Barrier of Stubborn Philosophy. This barrier refused to believe in the existence of the alien craft, and reiterated it until, exhausted, many fleets would slink away, announcing that they'd suddenly remembered another appointment.
But this was barely scratching the surface of the many countless defenses that were in store for perhaps one of the most powerful races in existence. Known and feared beyond proper and common sense.
Standing from the edge of the Capitol building, there was the presence of the Lady Imperiatrix herself. Lady President Romanadvoratrelundar or Lady President Romana for short. The War Queen. The Mistress of the Nine Gallifreys. She was once and still is the blessed heir to the Houses of Heartshaven and Dvora of the Prydonian Chapter. She was one of the literal few to be blessed and cursed to watch her Homeworld burn in the fires of war and had also borne witness to its eventual and glorious return once more at the hands of none other than her very old friend. All thirteen of said old friend that is. And perhaps many more. Who can say?
Petite, with black hair, and a snub nose. She is described as a beautiful and lovely-looking woman, sunny and perky in her usual disposition. As of now though, her face was grim and serious, her eyes staring somewhere in the distance as both of her hands were placed on top of the balcony, with two members of the Chancellery Guard on stand-by attentively doing their duty to guard the President, wearing their standard armor bearing the iconic symbol of power known as the Seal of Rassilon, and with armed and advanced staser rifles on the ready.
Something was wrong.
Why was she looking like that?
In fact, her demeanor is in great contrast to the most beautiful view of the midnight sky on Gallifrey wherein one can see the sparkling stars and the orange-tinted skies. It was more of a magnificent painting that is worthy of the greatest of artists.
But the view was not comforting to the high ruler of Gallifrey. She in fact was concerned. Disturbing reports from many of the allies among the Temporal Powers Alliance regarding the growing familiar shadow to the east. All eyes are turned to the east and are preparing themselves for war in a scale that had not been seen since...the Time War.
"My Lady President."
Romana glances backward at the mention of her own name, spotting a man with a beard, wearing black and white robes, standing attentively with his hands behind his back, his expression being just as grim as the President was. She immediately identifies this person as none other than one of her closest associates, Narvinectralonum or Narvin for short, currently serving as the Coordinator of the Celestial Intervention Agency (CIA).
"The highly advanced and sophisticated War TARDIS Battle Fleets on several of the installed automated factories are ready and on standby throughout specific sectors of the Vortex, awaiting your full command to proceed accordingly."
"And what of our allies?" Romana asked, but the question was less of a question and more of a statement for something else in relation to what is coming.
"The Xeelee and the Downstreamers are more or less reported to do the same thing from their respective territories. Prepare for the worst," Narvin spoke with a grim tone.
Somewhere was a cosmology named after them specifically. A sector in the multi-complex cosmology consisting of mysteries of life and mind.
The uncontested Baryonic Lords of the Universe. Known, envied, and even feared across the whole cosmos for good reasons. Overall benevolent and yet strict and swift when pushed with the act of divine justice.
Cube-shaped vessels, with sizes comparable to Earth-like planets, were on stand-by. All of them were containing something more than an infinitude of fighters created in casual spades at the full command of the powerful race whose one of its main shticks is the manipulation of black holes for a variety of purposes. The nearest of equals to the Time Lords of Gallifrey.
The Xeelee.
And the fleet itself is massive. This is in fact one of many war fleets that were simply just content to wait.
Why?
Of course, like any higher race of importance, they too would know of the coming threat and they also prepared accordingly for what is about to come to pass. And the Nightfighters are more than prepared to be launched across multitudes and multitudes of multiverses that may appear to surpass the speed of light.
Another part of the multi-complex multiverse was a distant region. Space and time are meaningless in this place. Physical description matters little or just falls so short that the analogy could not just compare to a single drop of the ocean. A powerful race of evolved humans from the very far future downstream who have made the infinite possibility of the manifold possible as much as it can be comprehended for mere mortals and what lay beyond the mind that could not help but be driven mad of its search for the fundamental truth of existence itself.
The Downstreamers.
Most beings don't even know what they truly look like as they are as far from the norm of a human being as they ever can be from their moment of existence. Not really a surprise for their physical appearance is less that and more of a metaphorical one. Or rather, they are what you might say a metaphor that is the only thing to be comprehended.
For with the efforts of the will and the intellect, they can push their way into their own head, throwing up an infinite set of analogies for a multitude of experiences.
They were like the landscape. It was dark, but over that velvet ground lay patterns of light, like a system of roads untaken, a glowing threadwork in multiple colors that connected a multitude of brilliant points. The floor below was like a starry sky, but inverted, with a vast constellation map written over it. Here and there the links gathered more closely around tightly connected clusters of nodes, which glowed like cities. The map was not infinite. It closed on itself—not like a sphere, that would be much too literal for this dreamy vision, but with every point connected to every other. The map was dynamic, the links sparking, twisting, reconnecting, and changing constantly. The constant flux was part of the pattern, too; this was a map in time as well as space.
And though the topology of the network changed constantly, none of those shining points was ever left isolated. Each was always joined by two, three, four links to its neighbors, and through them to the totality.
These were the Downstreamers, the shining nodes of human minds, the links that joined them with channels of shared thought and memory. This visual map was a crude analogy, and incomplete, for the merged mind was greater than a simple aggregate of individuals.
They are quite the mostly hands-off type of civilization capable of the greatest of feats. The penultimate creators of life and mind, ultimately responsible for the creation of the manifold of manifolds, a greater tapestry that consisted of the furthest recursion of structure, and no end to the hierarchies of life and mind.
Having set out to what they have accomplished which was the creation of an infinite set of multiverses, beautiful and true, they had begun to expand further for more discoveries at the instinctual possibility of other domains, not of their own. Known to be the great mappers of creation, mapping them one by one, designating each sector, and studying each unique property that they could find that appear to have no end in sight.
It was known as the Great Exploration.
And thus were the Downstreamers a similar experience to that of awe and excitement at discovering an infinitude of possibilities even beyond their own territorial borders. Explorers at heart, they set out like the great explorers of old to set sail upon the ocean of the void and peer into the vast horizons.
And this was once foretold by one of the Downstreamers who represent his kind. His speech cannot just be comprehended and so he must stoop down and adapt to a language fully understood for translating the unfathomable experiences.
This speech was once recorded when a specific meeting had taken place in one of the senate buildings of the Temporal Powers Alliance.
"As many of you as it can be comprehended fully and to accommodate what is necessary, we of the Downstreamer race share quite the similar desires and visions as some of you do, and I'm of course respectfully addressing the ones who carry the concept of Hegemony in their fullest capacity."
A Downstreamer Representative has now begun his speech. Among the higher individuals and gods, there were special types of visitors who were present as well who were formally invited by a Lord of Time by any other name to attend for a very significant rarity, and of course, it was one that he would sadly miss as he has other priorities to attend to.
The Hadou Gods. Consisting of at least eight of them in total. And they occupy a special place among the senate at this time alongside a few others, both respected and feared in due reverence. Some of them in fact could not help but be intrigued, even more so was The Mercury who could not help but smile at the similarity of their finest taste.
"Hoh, perhaps this would be an interesting meeting after all," spoke the god, glancing at his old friend. "What say you, my old friend?"
"Yes, I suppose that it is so, Karl," The Golden Beast addressed The Mercury with a shrewd smile, his face leaning to his right hand as he watches the presentation of a metaphor incomprehensible for mere mortals.
"Yes, it is so that we are quite similar, but for us specifically, our desire is to birth, grow, and mature more of our younger kind into us as well so that they may forever join us in the highest planes of existence, all made equal in life and mind. And it is through this that all may bear witness to the cosmos for themselves."
Yes, it was this specific meeting in the past that had everyone in the senate pay close attention. The Downstreamers coming to a TPA Official Meeting was a rarity. To have them come here would mean either the greatest or most terrible of news. And it was a little bit of both as a kind of complex geometrical map that ran in a type of simulation difficult to achieve for normal humans with 3D technology. It may as well be complicated but is no less incomprehensible. The landscape consisting of many cosmic structures of entire planes and structures of creation; all of them floating in harmony and balance.
If the Downstreamers had made the Manifold of Manifolds, then what may suppose started the beginning of it all?
Perhaps when the iconic biblical phrase was said: "Let there be light!". That was where it truly started, but the phrase itself implies an even greater mystery as the transinfinitely expanding Multiverse can attest. For even the Downstreamers are, to give an imperfect analogy, in awe at such magnificence and design, intricate and beyond.
"The one at the center is my home existence where my kind rule with a firm and just hand. We have the largest domain, one of few, special mention of course goes to the Gods of Hegemony and the Witches of the Senate who also have such domains, laying far from ours by more than great inter-transversal distances across the grand metaphysical silver seas, far away from the rest of the structures, discovering them as the most unique of a kind that cannot be overstated."
"Oh my," the one who spoke was none other than the Legendary Witch herself - Featherine Augustus Aurora - who could not help but smile courteously at the compliment of her home domain. "You flatter us greatly with your praise, my Lord of the Downstream Domain."
The Downstreamer Representative did his equivalent of a respectful bow to the Great Witch herself. "As it is right and just, Lady Aurora. As to continue my explanation, we have been set to the task of the Great Exploration, a goal that my people accomplished greatly by mapping out the cosmologies that cross our path. As you can all see, we have mapped many cosmologies delivering in the 10th to the 303th in terms of the lower estimation and many more well within the way. However..."
The last one of course drew the attention of the more powerful members at the senate. For wasn't this the main topic of this proceeding in the first place?
"...This is what we have found in our explorations as of late."
And so, from the map was found a mysterious ominous dark scarlet aura shadow is seen expanding on the other end of the map which expanded as it updated to the currently recorded consuming entire cosmic domains and areas where that happens the shadow expands dramatically like water absorbed into a towel before slowing down. More than one-third of what was known to exist by the Downstreamers is consumed into the shadowy mass's form. It was not all of the Multiverse as it was more than a drop in the bucket, but it was something that is being heavily noted with interest, especially in relation to the many multi-complex multiverses consumed by this aura.
"Ren..." The Twilight spoke softly, concerned at the ominous aura.
"I know, Marie," The Moment confirmed, reassuring his spouse, narrowing his eyes at the specific part of the map that had the ominous aura.
"This is the current map of known creation. Heeding the Lord Doctor's timely and sagely advice, my people begin to take off more into the expanding furthest outermost borders that comprise existence. We discovered more and more and more cosmological domains to add to our table for mapping and kept searching...until we came across this dark and silver barrier in our direct path. This is far from the only one of course as there are other signatures just like it."
And so, the map expanded further, revealing areas where the mysterious scarlet aura was seen. The red shades cover its territories. What was felt was a type of shuddering dread throughout many who were present in the senate.
"The areas that have been completely absorbed by the scarlet darkness are what we have entitled the term "Dark Zones". Their properties, while unknown, are something of a dramatic expansive undertaking from an overall malevolent force that seeks to bathe everything within its colors, cosmological domains that are highly hazardous to most forms of the life and mind. Even the most extra-dimensional entities cannot survive dwelling within these types of realms for too long as it is dangerous to all foreign existences that are alien to them. The sudden expansion of these realm's borders has resulted in the cataclysmic loss of countless cosmic clusters that we once observed and explored that resided within the territories the great darkness has expanded to. Along with the beings who seemingly are from this existence and besieging all the other clusters which are manifesting the dark zones furthering the devastation which is catastrophic. Specific boundary lines are acting as a wall for whatever was on the other side of it, containing the threats before they spread further. But even from the other side, we could sense many distinct powerful auras, but didn't know what despite our great knowledge of what would be of the unknown. So we monitored it with our own technology and power and tried to see through the barrier to observe what could be on the other side of the cosmological boundary. All we observe was blurry or hazy to mention the least. Through many trials of expertise and adjustments we eventually bust through the haze and what we witness was a large tree-shaped cosmological structure with a great many roots and branches that extended above and below it. A truly cosmological structure larger than any we previously discovered throughout our observations. But there was something wrong with it, it appeared as if it was sick, dying, and yet being kept to live on. We saw a darkness on the bottom of it that gave off a feeling of malice and suffering from a scarlet aura and darkness above the tree that felt cold and uncaring that looked down on those below it with a dark gray aura. The first wild and wrathful, the latter calm and apathetic. Not the mention all the harmful haze that was affecting us unknowingly as we observed it. And thus, we took it upon ourselves to be the ever-present watchmen who must warn all of you of this great danger to our own respective territories, one that cannot be ignored."
Of course, at this point in time, it was the Downstreamers who sounded the well-grounded alarm of a threat that had in the distant future ahead of this meeting's time and after it would become the greatest cosmic conflict in all meta-history.
The Downstreamers were the watchmen who decided to keep an eternal watch upon the Kingdom of the Darkness Above and Beneath in order to curb their influence as much as it is possible.
It would not be totally different this time as these beings of pure metaphorical rhetoric eternally stood to watch with attentive eyes of far-sightedness.
"Inform Lady Michael of this latest development, immediately and not a moment too soon," one Downstreamer said to his fellow Downstreamer.
"As you wish, my Lord," responded the other Downstreamer, responding as a lesser to a superior.
And it would appear that such was fate as they had foreseen once again of the terrible calamity that awaits everyone else.
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae - Animation OST: Amantes amantes
PART 2
A father meeting his daughters.
That was the simple encounter between Touma Kamijou and two daughters from two different universes.
While they all sit down on the sofa, Kamijou was closer to both Angela and Miyoko, and the rest would take their seats as extra chairs were set in place, ones that were wooden chairs with metal parts. Othinus, having made more tea, decided to place it on the circular table, with most of everyone taking a sip or two, enjoying and savoring the taste.
Angela was happy. In fact, it was quite apparent based on her face that was as bright as the morning sunshine, and of course, there was the fact that she had been holding unto his left arm and refused to let go, something that Kamijou took note of as he added it to his list of concerns, recalling the deep sadness that he had felt and was thinking of something to help her. And he had more reason to help her given that by technicality, she was his daughter, even if it is from another reality.
"How was the tea that Othinus prepared, you two?" asked Kamijou, beginning the conversation with a smile.
The two sisters looked at each other, smiling thoughtfully and brightly, showing their joy based on their current interactions. Then they turn their attention to their father, with Angela saying. "It's quite good actually, um..." she made a hesitant expression, wondering what to call him. She can't really call him father as that was a title that was reserved for none other than her actual father that passed away on the night of Christmas. And yet, Angela couldn't help but call him father if only because his attitude and demeanor from earlier were just something that was unique and could only relate to that of fatherhood. And that was what was also noticed by Miyoko who couldn't really help but see her father in this variant of Touma Kamijou.
The only difference the two Kamijou women supposed aside from the fact that his physical appearance was different and that he was married to a woman that they both haven't even heard of before, there was that sense of acceptance and maturity that even they couldn't find in their own fathers. He was more of an adult, an old man to be exact. What was unique about him was that he somehow managed to accept the main fact between them without any form of hesitation.
"What are your names?" Kamijou once asked them; speaking in the gentle tone that was in line with his features and expression.
"I am...Angelicus Communis Universalis...But...you can call me Angela..." Angela spoke softly, happy and cheerful in a genuine sense that amounted to what appeared to be the very first time ever since she came to this universe.
"And I'm Kamijou Miyoko...This may sound a bit weird but-" Miyoko was about to explain, but Kamijou managed to continue further, his gentle and understanding smile never leaving him, and gently cut off any further explanations.
"I know," he said, with that knowing expression and tone on his voice. "You two are my daughters, correct?"
"Y-Yes," Miyoko slowly smiled brightly.
And that was where it truly started. They in fact were surprised because of the fact that he could totally guess their origin and where they came from without any further explanations. Two alternative futures from two completely different realities. He took all of this in stride, focusing on the fact that he would need to be here with them for now. He may not be their father, but he sure feels like it to them. In fact, he was more fatherly than normal.
Does this Touma Kamijou have children? They asked themselves.
If he does, it might have made sense seeing as how he is married. If he doesn't, that only adds further to the mystery of this person who was by all rights an alternative variant of their father.
"You know...um...father?" Angela hesitantly tried to call this Kamijou of ACMI Earth-Prime 'father' if only because of the fact that she could not help but make a connection to this Kamijou because of the fact that he basically accepted her just as she was; her fears and anxieties, her thoughts and her concerns.
"Yes?" Kamijou looks at Angela, his eyes steady and looking at Angela out of attentiveness and consideration.
"Pardon me but you don't seem to be shocked about the fact that you have actual daughters from two different worlds," Angela asked out of concern.
Kamijou simply smiled. "Oh, I'm less surprised about this fact. I'm actually more concerned about the story of you two as I'd like to hear it. Just how was it that you came to my world all of a sudden?" he asked the last part, looking at both Angela and Miyoko.
"Well..." Angela made a hesitant expression, glancing at Miyoko who was shrugging and slightly smiling.
And so, the two Kamijou women begin to start their explanations in a summarized form that is understandable and comprehensible enough that the basic elements can be established. And Kamijou listened. So did Index and Misaka who were seated side by side. And so did everyone else who was listening in as the tales were described.
Miyoko's world was simple and straight to the point. From the time and universe she had come from, it was a world where Touma Kamijou is apparently hailed as a hero that had practically saved the world dozens of times and had eventually married her mother, the Mikoto Misaka of her universe. That last part was what shocked Mikoto Misaka of ACMI Earth-Prime who was currently blushing like a tomato, stuttering in embarrassment and with jumbled up words made on the fly, with many of the others just laughing at the predicament of the Level 5. For Misaki Shokuhou, both of them that is, the Prime Shokuhou took this more or less in stride, simply raising an eyebrow of intrigue and of course could not help but join in on the fun of making fun of Misaka.
The Misaki Shokuhou of ACMI Earth-511 however was a different story based on the recently brushed experiences that surrounded the relationship between herself, her Touma Kamijou, and Mikoto Misaka. To even hear of the fact that in one world, Misaki Shokuhou wasn't the one who had ended up with Touma Kamijou, was one thing in and of itself. Having heard and even seen living proof of the union between Touma Kamijou and Mikoto Misaka was another. She had mixed feelings about this. She was starting to become uncomfortable, not by the fault of the future daughter, Miyoko, but through the common experiences that she has with her mother's alternative self from Universe-511. It was one bitter rivalry that had begun with Dolly and developed even further with Touma Kamijou.
She felt...mixed. Of course, it was not truly the fault of the young Miyoko Kamijou who was innocently telling her tale to everyone, including the Kamijou of the Prime Timeline, but was nevertheless subtly vexed at the mere prospect of losing her Prince forever to the less graceful Level 5.
Maybe she was being prejudiced and unfair for a bit, she supposed.
Unbeknownst to Shokuhou (511), her Prime counterpart was watching her every movement, no matter how subtle, and wouldn't escape her sight as she takes note of the following in order to eventually report it to her Prince. In fact, Shokuhou (Prime) was very sure that her Prince was not dense of this delicate situation as she could see his subtle glance from the corner of his eye, recognizing the subtle analytical look, probably taking note of this and would ask her opinion on the matter, to which she is more than willing to provide for this occasion.
"...I see," Mikoto Misaka was still blushing, embarrassed, and slightly daydreaming about what had been discussed, the sound of ringing bells and the old wedding song being heard from within her imagination. Her posture was that of slightly lying down as her eyes grew dizzier and foggier. And then there were slight sparks of electricity coming from both of her sides which prompted most of everyone nearby to stay clear.
"Misaka-san, Misaka-san," Keiichi Maebara, concerned, begins to check on her and waves his left hand slightly in the direction of her eyes.
"Oh dear, I think your story broke her, Miyoko-san, Hmmm," Othinus could not help but giggle softly as she was looking at the Electroshock Princess's behavior.
"Acha...Sorry about this, umm...mama..." Miyoko muttered softly, despite the fact that she was looking at an alternative variant of her actual mother, couldn't help but call her that as she doesn't really want to call her mother by her first name as it felt off for some reason. Her expression was one of contrition, placing both hands together in a soft clap, her face appearing to twitch from the nerves for the unintentional setting of a broken fuse.
"Hmm, so I ended up with Mikoto in your world...That's quite interesting," Kamijou smiled only, less bothered and more curious than anything. He glances at Othinus who was making an expression that said with a tinge of humor, "Don't ask me about your future love life, even I cannot answer that.", and of course, the silent advice based on the expression alone was more than enough. Kamijou of course turned towards Angela who was silent, respectful, and attentive. There was that same bright smile, no less cause by none other than yours truly.
Kamijou of course was thinking about what was the story behind this other daughter of his. Miyoko's was more or less the straightforward type. In her world, Touma Kamijou was a hero who swooped in and saved anyone without discrimination, even the villains are being given second chances at redemption. The man who stepped in and put an end to a global conflict that lasted for a few days miraculously or misfortunately enough. The man who faced off against a Magic God, to which Kamijou (Prime) could only glance at Othinus who smiled knowingly, as they both knew the very thing that Miyoko was referring to as it was that event where Kamijou proved that he would even fight the entirety of the world for the sake of one person. And of course, all of this is described in a sort of summarized variation of events as Miyoko doesn't know literally everything that had happened in these conflicts.
So aside from Miyoko, what was Angela's story?
Recalling the last time Angela was crying, he would need to tread this topic very carefully. For what was now the very first time, Touma Kamijou felt a feeling of fatherhood arose in a way not known or shown before. Yes, Angela isn't his daughter, but he couldn't help but see her as his daughter, semantics aside. And he wants to help his daughter from another world in any way she could. She of course is her own person. He cannot and will not replace her actual father as that is not something that is his right. Rather, he would resolve to be the father figure for Angela as a way to give comfort and warmth to the obviously suffering individual who hides her sufferings from everybody else which painfully reminds him of himself.
"What about you, Angela?" Kamijou asked. "What's your story?"
At that moment, Angela stopped mentally from her tracks, her smile subtly cracking like a delicate pane of glass, and her hold of Kamijou's arm tightened and clenched along with her hands that were no doubt shaking. What concerned Kamijou however was her emerald eyes, once shining brightly with unadulterated and pure joy, now replaced with despair and desperation as if she was begging him, her father, to not leave her.
"("Don't leave me...")" Angela thought, and this single thought was repeated in her head as the events of the nightmare of her world are repeated like a recorder. The many deaths and screams that followed. The ruins of her own future that is nothing but accursed ashes. The grim reminder of the one major fact that without Touma Kamijou to truly be there, the entire world itself would have been brutally annihilated several times over by the mistakes of mankind's own undoing. Whatever one could think of with regards to Touma Kamijou are a discussion diversified with many countless opinions. But one cannot deny the impact that Touma Kamijou has had in her world, both locally and globally.
And of course, there came the ultimate question of the risks that were buried in her head.
Was time travel truly the answer to the main problem of the world without Touma Kamijou?
Yes, there are benefits, but there are also risks. And these risks were something that Angela of course would take into account.
Would the interference of the BREAKERS do more harm than good? Were they just delaying the inevitable by attempting to travel into the past and correct the rights and wrongs of those that had gone before them? Were they even thinking properly at that specific point?
Angela would contest that last part. They weren't really thinking things through as they were desperate for a way for their future to be restored to the way it was. Returning life to its normal beginnings. And maybe, just maybe, the sparing of Touma Kamijou's life.
But then...
Weren't they just delaying the inevitable?
Touma Kamijou, at least in Angela's world, is someone that isn't immortal. He will die someday just like any other human, that cannot be denied. So what happens when someone else or something else kills him. The cycle of misfortune starts all over again. It was almost as if fate itself was mocking her and her brothers and sisters' efforts. Despite everything, either they would cause much collateral damage to the point where their own future is no more, or of course, one would delay the inevitable fact regarding the demise of the one they all commonly called 'father' thereby leading to the cycle turning all over again and another misfortune befalls the world.
It seems that her world had grown into this complacent world where it can no longer survive without its hero to save the day.
And Angela hated this inevitable truth. For this was one of many things that made their father leave her and her brothers and sisters to grow up mostly without him by their side. The world depended on him far too much to the point of familial neglect. The world trying to take their father away from the true joy and happiness awaiting him.
Angela in turn never blamed her father for anything unlike the rest of her siblings, being one of the few of his children to understand the burdens of the man behind the legend. She knew that her father wasn't perfect and felt grateful to even spent even a single drop of time worth living for when it came to his rare visitations. She cherishes them. More so than most. And that was the reason behind her magic name: "Lux777 - Be the light of those who do not want to reach out for salvation!" For it meant that this line of the ideal was basically copying and emulating her late father. She will be the light of those who do not want to reach out for salvation as much as he once was. She was a legacy that is built upon the misfortunes that bore fruit across the world. And of course, she will respond in kind with her own sense of resolve and branch out even in places where her father could or may not take all while remaining true to who she was inside her own core.
The others of course are more than aware of what is going on, most of them, in fact, grew quite concerned. Shokuhou (511) raised an eyebrow, wondering about the poor shaking nun whose expression denoted such darkness and dread that was almost as if it were showing to her and to everyone in this room a specific raw point of her entire structural dilemma.
Index immediately took note of it as she was to the left of Angela's position, holding Sphynx by her lap. She grabbed Angela gently by the hand, placing it beside hers, which was noted by the latter as she glances towards her alternate mother and her concerned expression.
"Angela," Kamijou softly muttered, concerned as he slowly raises his left hand and took great care of his right hand, focusing all of his energy to not let a fraction of Imagine Breaker loose and it was his to control as practiced via training and meditation techniques honed and ingrained with the help and assistance of IT. His left hand was placed on the shoulder of Angela who turn to her father, her emerald eyes were still pouring out her feelings of helplessness and wishing for her father to remain where he is, alive and well. "Angela," Kamijou called out again, to which Angela brought her lips inward and her teeth softly bitting it, almost hesitating as to what she was being asked to explain. "If you have a problem with explaining, then we can postpone this another time," Kamijou reassured.
Angela only shook her head, smiling reassuringly and burying her feelings of misgiving aside, which made Kamijou worried as this type of behavior was not exactly healthy and he had seen veterans that had this kind of similarity, but for Angela, it was more raw and new, meaning that these were new types of experiences not weathered over the years.
"No...father...I...I can explain for myself...No need to worry..." she said.
But Kamijou was neither agreeing nor disagreeing with this. He only said with a level of concern. "Are you sure?"
And the response was a simple affirmative from the nun. Kamijou acquiesced. "Alright, but if you are having trouble speaking about this, know that you can always stop at any time."
"Right," Angela nodded.
And so begins the topic of dread that came with it.
"...I...I do not need to introduce myself as you all know who I am," Angela said with a bitter grimacing smile that was not matching her beautiful face. "But I will tell my story..."
And it was the story that began with this.
"...Kamijou Touma...died..." Angela spoke so softly that it almost felt like it was something that she doesn't want to say. She in fact doesn't want to explain this in front of her father's Prime counterpart.
"...!"
It brought the attention of everyone completely as a certain tale is being told regarding the universe that Angelicus Communis Universalis came from.
ACMI Alpha Universe-000777.
It was a universe whose time is set in the not-too-distant future. And it was a world where Touma Kamijou had died on the fateful night of Christmas. The irony of this was not lost on everyone. Just as the First Messiah was born and lived, so was the Second Messiah to be doomed to die on the night.
It was a Christmas that had the entire world in a state of perpetual warning. But it was only a few days later on December 29, 2039, the Christian feast of the Holy Innocents is to be celebrated, the very first martyrs for Christ. Now...the same thing happens on a widened global scale as a sinister force, a new Magic God that had arisen to power and took advantage of the situation, almost as if it were somewhat planned accordingly, and was the time when the world has turned to dust and ashes; the fires of the inferno spread out and people suffered tremendously at the hand of this Magic God whose name was an unknown, a God of Ruin.
It was a life filled with fire and suffering. Every major force of the magic and science side was powerless against this monster as many fell against their very own and twist the laws of the world as is befitting of the power of the Magic God. The phases were all his to command as every Magic God before had already passed away. And this incident was prompted Angela and her brothers and sisters to travel in time.
But...
"...!"
One would need to understand the horrifying experiences of Angela on the very Earth that had one month experienced full of hell. All she sees from her own eyes were people nonsensically fighting against each other as if driven mad. And she was forced to defend herself as much as she was able to. And she saw from her own emerald eyes the untold and unwarranted and callous destruction of pure chaos that happened throughout the entire world as it fell. Fighting was found everywhere; men, women, and children fighting amongst each other. And there was darkness everywhere despite the sun that was once a source of light and comfort which was now a burning ray that was likened to that of a giant magnifying glass, turning many to dust and ashes.
And then, a repeatable process. A judgment day as a groundhog loop forever. Each judgment was different for the purposes of mere entertainment. Or perhaps by sheer unadulterated boredom. Or perhaps malicious intent. Or perhaps a desire to strike back at every side with not a hint of remorse. The world was an ant hill and the ants were the humans who think that they could challenge a god of magic. Fools, the God of Ruin thought as he allowed the days to repeat without end.
It may have chronologically lasted a month or so, but it seemed like an endless hell that was more reminiscent and yet not so much of the Infinite Hells of the Magic God Othinus.
And no one stood a chance. Not Magic. Not Science. Not anyone. And it was truly over. The future was lost.
Every death occurred. And nothing remained as the cycle continued on and on and on.
And that was what made the children of the late Touma Kamijou make one desperate attempt to change the future by hijacking a special type of spell that the Magic God had intended to use in his quest to mold everything to his liking: past, present, and future. Conquering the universe wasn't enough for this God of Ruin. He wanted more. And thus, this type of spell was his very own undoing when the BREAKERS used it against him, trapping him in a sort of stasis. It wasn't easy to trap him like this as it required a delicate set of planning on all sides, contributions and all.
And thus comes the present time...
"And so thus ends my story, father," Angela spoke last, her breath steady and never wavering, and yet her suffering was greater than most as she saw horrors untold which unsettled many of the occupants of the second floor who sit down and listened to the tale. The raw pain that was felt with each word uttered by the nun who was becoming pale and displaying certain types of emotion at very specific moments such as the time when her father died and the time when The End had truly come for the world and suffered for it.
Most members of the Higurashi Gaming Club: Keiichi Maebara, Satoshi Hojo, Rena Ryugu, Mion Sonozaki, Shion Sonozaki, and Hanyu Furude had mixed and common reactions. All of them were in fact outraged at the sheer callousness that this Magic God had inflicted on the world where Angela came from. For Dr. Stephen Strange, Sota Mizushino, and Othinus who already pretty much knew the specifics of this story as it had been explained to them before, but even then, it was something that still made their eyes narrow at this turn of events. The same outraged and concerned reactions were present in Mikoto Misaka who couldn't help but listen from the beginning to the end all while looking at Angela with concern as she can definitely tell that the poor girl had been through much in her lifetime. The same reaction from Mikoto was present in Index who took this rather personally because semantics aside, it was her daughter that was suffering these things and grimly thought of the possible despair of the next generation. Misaki Shokuhou, with arms crossed, was also listening and taking note of every word, her starry eyes narrowing in concern. And from the corner, there was her other counterpart, Misaki Shokuhou (511), whose expression was one of empathy for the poor girl that had to explain this tale to them, her complicated feelings aside.
It was a world without and devoid of hope. For hope itself has long since passed away. The irony was that this hope - Touma Kamijou of ACMI Alpha Universe-000777 had saved others, but not himself. His last breath on the night of Christmas. A holiday spent with families turned on its head.
Touma Kamijou was silent. His expression was blank. But he did not let go of the nun whose tears were soft and leaking from her emerald eyes. The only thing that he can do was this.
"Eh!" Angela muttered softly, her eyes almost on the verge of crying.
He embraced her. Without any hesitation. He felt that no words were needed at this moment. This daughter of his from another world...No! His daughter should not have had to suffer something like this. And one of the main problems with this is that this dilemma was something Touma Kamijou of ACMI Universe-Prime can relate to a little too well.
What can he say in this situation?
In fact, when thinking about what Angela had said to him regarding his counterpart in the reality she came from, describing him as much as she could from what precious memories she could gather, there was a sense of a heavy disagreement and understanding as to why his counterpart did what he did, but he couldn't just accept the fact that in some world, there was the possibility that he made the choice of staying away from his family. Yes, he can understand the reasons, but that didn't mean that he had to like it and how it eventually turned out. Children needed their parents. Work is one thing in order to provide for the family as he knows plenty of people that have those problems. But this specific problem stemmed from another.
Misfortune.
It was a word that felt quite familiar to the old wandering spiky-haired man who had been brushed up with such a concept in a multitude of ways. And he can attest to this based on the fact that he was mentally well over passed the thousand-year mark of age.
Understandable but no less pleasant.
Kamijou never spoke a word. And yet, why did it feel comforting for Angela, especially when she was being embraced by her father?
Yes, he wasn't really her father. But at the same time, she could not help but see him as such, especially with how he is handling the situation. He was surprisingly understanding of her, never speaking a word, and only responded with a hug that would not let go, as if it were a promise to keep to the very end.
And thus, Angela couldn't help but cry softly which was mixed with a grateful and happy smile as some part of her becomes reassured that this may perhaps be the closest that she can get to actually embracing her father. And of course, Index took the initiative, being the closest to Angela, and patted the back of the crying nun, empathizing at least with her sufferings as it was in her nature.
"...I...hicc...I'm sorry..." Angela softly muttered, apologizing for acting this ridiculous.
"Don't be," Kamijou embraced the teary-eyed raven-haired nun and reassured her. "You don't have to be sorry for anything, Angela. You never did anything wrong. And you don't have to be ashamed of crying in front of me or to anyone. For not all tears are an evil."
And so, Angela listened to her father as she cried softly and embraced the spiky-haired young man who was giving her a kind of warmth that she had been deprived of for a very long time. A father to whom she can turn whenever she feels down.
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
E.S. Posthumus - Harappa
It was a form of break time at least.
While Miyoko Kamijou, Index, Mikoto Misaka, and most members of the Higurashi Gaming Club were tending to Angela in order to make her feel better, Touma Kamijou was somewhere else. He was currently on the rooftop of Fensalir's Wonders alongside Othinus, Misaki Shokuhou - both Prime and 511, Dr. Stephen Strange, and Sota Mizushino.
And his face was grim as his arms were crossed, pondering deeply what had transpired. And everything was quiet. The flowers that were all gathered here whose wonderful and fragrant scents that should have been a comfort were something that bespoke something about sobriety.
"Strange-sensei," Kamijou turns to the Sorcerer Supreme. "I need to report to you on the following incident that is currently happening in the city."
"I'm listening," Dr. Strange nodded in understanding.
And so, Kamijou would explain to him and with everyone listening. It was about the latest incident where people from different times and universes are getting sent here against their will. He, Mikoto Misaka, Kakeru Kamisato, and a few others had managed to deal with an Emotionless infestation that had happened on the highway connecting District 7 and District 2. Of course, he'd mention the fact that the other Misaki Shokuhou who was with them was present in the list of potential individuals that got sent to this world.
"I see," Dr. Strange spoke softly, his right hand placed on his chin. "That is concerning indeed. This incident that you speak of and how you're two alternate daughters coming here to this universe is no mere coincidence as I fear."
"What do you mean, sensei?" Kamijou asked.
"The Crimson Monarch," Dr. Strange answered gravely with a name, or rather it was a title, one of many, and it was one that made Kamijou's eyes widen in dread. The same can be said for Shokuhou (Prime) who understood the title immediately, having heard of the monster behind it.
"You mean...he's involved in this?" Kamijou uttered, his tone being one of care, alarmed at the given context of the situation.
Shokuhou (511) looks at everyone's reactions who appear to know of a subject that was quite delicate and sensitive to talk about. "The who?" she asked, looking at her counterpart, and what she found was concern and dread, something that had Shokuhou (511) surprised and concerned.
Shokuhou (Prime) was hesitating for a moment on what to respond as she glances at everyone. Dr. Strange only nodded at her which was more than enough for her to guess as to what she needed to do. She turns to Shokuhou (511) and said. "Shokuhou-san," she uttered which brought the attention of her variant who noticed that she was seen carrying a remote, no need to grab it from her bag, much to her surprise, almost as if it suddenly teleported to her right hand automatically. "With your permission, what I'm about to show you is something that you may find to be quite unbelievable to the already unbelievable set of circumstances that are happening right now."
"Even more unbelievable than getting whisked away to another world?" Shokuhou (511) asked in a doubting tone.
"Probably. And that is depending on whether or not you're religious, and of course, whether or not your fortitude of mind is worth considering," Shokuhou (Prime) still spoke seriously which made Shokuhou (511) greatly consider if there was no sense of humor involved.
After deeply thinking of this for a moment as well as taking note of the serious no-nonsense tone of her counterpart, Shokuhou (511) answered softly in a muttering tone and gave her official permission. "Alright, you can do as you will."
And then, Misaki Shokuhou (Prime) slowly raises her remote to her counterpart and presses a button.
"Category 666: Memory Information Transfer."
And then, it was a summarized version of a file concerning the dreaded topic that is being talked about on this rooftop that is being transferred into the mind of Shokuhou (511) who reviews it for herself.
Nothing...
What is nothing...?
Who is nothing...?
Why is it nothing...?
Information passes on to her from one mental user to another. Classified files and documents that all speak of religion, mythology, and legend relating to a devil figure. Influences and ideas of such are as old as man himself. Or perhaps even the universes themselves. For many religions, mythologies, and legends to speak of a such a figure with different characteristics and identities and titles, one wonders.
And then, she sees something.
And yet, she felt something else. It was like she was watching a metaphorical example in real-time. Analogies are meaningless. Symbols are but an afterthought. What remains however is something else.
Once, there was a certain monarch.
The past, present, and future are but a shard of glass to something like him. His goal is simple. Order in the midst of nothingness.
Ancient? Modernity? Such folly. Such incomprehensibility to describe the monarch.
He is more than just an idea. He is more than just a manifestation between the pre-modern and modern. He is more than what the thoughts of lesser men can comprehend. You cannot catalog him. You cannot describe him without going mad. He is someone who...
"Lat cannoav mushof ("You cannot hide.")"
An echoing voice was heard to resound in all directions with no sense of escapism. It was a chittering sound of a billion infinitesimal insects all swirling and constantly moving, the turn of sounds being neither high nor low nor cacophonous nor methodical, simply just being. It is regal to the point where Shokuhou (511) considered herself to be just a tiny ant in the presence of a giant that could step on her. She was no longer a queen but a mere peasant in the presence of the King. All of her power as a master of manipulating the mind is but for naught as this...monster exceeds even the power of the mind.
Scenes play out in real-time. Powerful kingdoms of the ancient past fell as the skies turn into blood. Corpses litter and gather in droves, humans and non-humans alike. The dead are restless and scream and howl. The living suffers as they complain of their bitter sufferings that have no end. Wings of pure abominations, with glittering gold armor, arise and hail in terrible screeches like midnight bats. Scratches from material surfaces were heard which grind the ears of Shokuhou (511) who covered her ears as her heart remained cold and still.
"Jiak ukee lat ("I see you.")"
Evil marches everywhere with the sounds of drums of war, the same familiar feeling of darkness that Shokuhou had once felt when she entered her world to the next. She watches in horror as she sees the once beautiful cosmoses of the intricate and complex design fall one by one in a simple recursive grand tapestry. Prophesies of doom and goom pervade her being.
And then...
She sees...something that she would forever fear. To describe this being is impossible. How can she? It was like a nightmare made true. Several of them. All of the nightmares of mankind seem to find their origins in this being.
Existence is nothing. Ancient is nothing. Modernity is nothing. His entire purpose is nothing if not order for himself and for his master. He must be the correction of the world of broken sin. Only he can bring everything to order. For that is what is truly right and just. He is GOD-KING. Not just some mere god of blood as other texts attest, he is beyond the belief of cults and societies. Atheism means nothing as it is his Law to use. For, after all, he was the First to deny The One Who Is Above All Others.
"Be cold. Be hungry. Be starving. Be very, very afraid."
A silent sharp instinctual and subservient voice came and spoke in her language as it draws back like a servant and its master speaks once again in a terrible corrupted tongue.
"Mimba ro Eru Ilúvaavar ("Child of Eru Ilúvatar.")"
"...!"
Misaki Shokuhou (511), by the time she was given the information that was presented to her, was left shaking and standing completely still. It was almost as if life from her sparkly eyes were dimming, replaced with a sense of dread that she felt familiar with an intensity that she hadn't experienced before. Or rather, she felt that this was but a fraction of this intensity that she'd rather not want to know in full as it felt completely in the realm of the impossible.
Her lips trembled and closed altogether as her teeth softly bit at them. Her expression was pale and was clearly terrified of what she had borne witness to. What kind of reaction can even be appropriate to describe her experience?
Her arms gave way as they joined together to cover her chest as if trying to find warmth, her eyes are desperately in a state of denial as if to rationalize what she had just seen. But her heart tells her otherwise. It wasn't a lie. It wasn't a deception. She knows this to be true.
She has lived in a city of science all her life. She knows the dark side of human nature better than most that have carried into her personality and experiences and memories. She knows that there are evils in many shapes and forms. One would only have to look at the corrupted Parameter List and other protocols created for the manipulation of a Darwinist-like system of higher and lower levels as unofficially acceptable so long as it doesn't cause problems for the uncaring adults from on high on their scientific towers of Babel.
Ethics? Morality? It wouldn't matter to a regular ordinary citizen of Academy City.
And of course, she had lost all sense of hoping for things to become better before her Prince came along all of a sudden in her life.
And she could still recall it as clear as day.
But now...
"Please..." Shokuhou (511) muttered softly, her expression appeared desperate as her dimly starry eyes spoke of nothing except terror as turn to Shokuhou (Prime) who could only look at the former with a sense of empathy as she more or less did have the same reaction in the past when she and her two co-workers among Kamijou's Angels, Seria Kumokawa (Prime) and Ayu Mitsuari (Prime), had once been shown this memetic document for them to read and keep within their minds. "Please...tell me...that this is merely just a mind trick..." Shokuhou (511) pleaded if only to make sure that what she was given was but an illusion.
But Shokuhou (Prime) shakes her head. "Unfortunately, what information that had passed on to you is all but true. It is in fact the threat that is the driving force that is now currently acting indirectly through his many followers throughout the Multiverse as he is still locked away in a prison separated from everything else."
"Followers?" Shokuhou (511) asked, dreading this topic.
"Yes, Shokuhou Misaki-kun," Dr. Strange answered in turn, his hands behind his back. "His followers. And I fear that some of them have been the direct cause behind the random happenstances that have occurred such as you and the two daughters of Kamijou Touma from two different worlds coming here. You felt it did you not, the moment when you stepped away from your world to another, you almost felt as if-"
"As if my life was ripped out from the inside," Shokuhou (511) softly muttered, continuing the line where Dr. Strange left off. "This is more than just people getting sent to other worlds, isn't there?"
"If what I can guess from everything that had happened so far, yes, there's more going on here than just people randomly getting sent here against their will," Kamijou confirmed, his arms crossed. "Which of course begs the question regarding Angela. She said that she tried to go back in time along with her siblings. Could it be possible that they as well have ended up here?"
"If that is the case, Kamijou-san, then it would be easier to find all of them since you could pretty much use your Force senses to tell the difference," Sota proposed.
"However, if some, in fact, have been sent to other realities as Angela did say that the time travel spell was corrupted..." Othinus said.
"Then we may as well have a much harder time to deal with finding them as I can sense from my mind's eye that chaos has already started to spread in other worlds," Dr. Strange said as he floats and maintains a meditative stance, raising both of his hands to the front center of his body and opening the locket of the Eye of Agamotto, revealing a green stone that harnesses the power of time. An emerald color that intrigued Shokuhou (511).
"What is that?" Shokuhou (511) asked.
"This is what is called the Time Stone," Dr. Strange explained. "It is one of six stones or gems formed out of singularities that originated from the Zeroeth Cosmos of my home dimension. With this stone, I can access and view the past, present, and future in the Multiverse and perform multiple checks so to speak. From what I can tell..." his eyes glow into a deep emerald color as he spoke of this. "Many universes, countless in number, are getting affected by the multiplying phenomenon that has everyone's attention. Timezones from the past, present, and future are being corrupted. The first line of prophecies that had once had myself and eleven of my colleagues concerned is now slowly coming to fruition. And now..." he ends his words with a final note that has many of them stand at attention. "The Enemy is preparing for War."
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
[東方Vocal] Eternal Melody - Scarlet Serenade (sub. español & japonés)
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Suddenly, there was a beeping sound that came from the wristwatch of Touma Kamijou which alerted everyone.
"Hm?" Kamijou noticed the beeping sound from his wristwatch as he begins to press the side and instantly activates a holographic projector screen showing Ayu Mitsuari who was smiling in exasperation. When Shokuhou (511) saw Mitsuari, she still couldn't get used to the latter's presence as she experienced a great ordeal with her Mitsuari (511) in the past. "Ayu, what's the problem?" asked Kamijou.
"Sorry to disturb you, Kamijou-san, but Shirai-san is calling for you right now. I'll patch you through to her line and location now," Mitsuari smiled as she begins to type from her keyboard and another screen separates from Mitsuari, revealing an exasperated Kuroko Shirai, her Judgment armband still in her right arm, showing that she was still on duty.
"Kamijou-san, can you please head to the building of the 177th Branch? There's...something that you might need to see for yourself. And bring onee-sama with you. She also might need to see this."
A few moments ago...
"You fucking little-"
In the dark alleys of District 7, several flashes of azure light illuminated one of the corners of the underbelly of the city of science. Shouts of pain, anger, and surprise bounced off the walls as sparks crawled along with the air. Busting through several trashcans, a leather black thug smacked against a dead end with a hoarse shout from his bloody lips. His body slid down against the cracked wall to sit on the foul pile of biohazardous filth stored in the metal containers. Struggling to keep his eyes open, he searched around the alley for his comrades.
To his frustration, his fellow Skill-Outs were strewn about the alley with their own wounds. Smoke wafted from their still sparking bodies, beaten down like dolls by a tantrum of a child. What they had believed to be just some random Esper had turned out to be a monster. One that wasn't afraid of showing them who was beneath them.
Still, that didn't mean this particular thug would go down so easily. Reaching into the inner pocket of his leather jacket, the thug brought the small handgun he kept hidden and fired at his enemy.
But before the bullet could exit the chamber of his gun, a small streaking spark of electricity slithered towards his weapon. A frenzy of sparks then malfunctioned his firearm, rendering it useless along with erupting into a small explosion in his hand. Shrapnel dug into his left hand from the material, digging deep into the skin. Blood quickly spilled out of his trembling hand, painting the ground red as he screamed.
"GODDAMN IT! W-WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!? ARRRGGHHH!"
"Hmm? What, don't tell me you attacked an Esper without even taking into consideration what their ability could be? That's just poor planning. It's no wonder you Skill-Out punks are a dying breed. At least have some sense in picking up on your target's ability," a bored voice taunted with echoing footsteps.
Flinching one eye from the bloody mess his hand had become, the thug stared up at the Esper at the cause of the mess. The boy wasn't any older than he was when he became a Skill-Out, appearing to be about fifteen years old. The boy had chestnut brown hair that reached his neck with his forehead's bangs parted to the side, leaving only a stray strand to fall down the middle. He wore a white dress shirt coupled with dark blue pants and dress shoes. Other than his hair, he didn't look any different than your average student.
But those dark blue eyes of his, sharp and cocky, never once showed a sign of fear or nervousness when jumped by seven thugs in the alley he passed into. The unfortunate thug was starting to believe that it was all part of this boy's plan.
The plain high school student smirked down at the cowering thug. He smoothed back the hair falling over his forehead, seeming to comb sparks along with his hair. All but a single strand went back as his hand trailed with small bolts of deadly electricity.
"If something like a computer is overloaded with power, it overheats. Your little handgun there is built with a mini-computer, nothing overly powerful, but very helpful in targeting. With it, even an idiot can hit a bull's eye with one shot. But if said little mini-computer found itself overloaded by, oh, say the abilities of a Level-5 Electromaster, then not only would it overheat, but detonate like a grenade. And something like that is easily within my power."
The thug sneered up at the Esper. Even if he was at the boy's mercy, he would not tolerate being looked down on like some piece of trash. It was the sole reason he had joined Skill-Out in the first place. The boy made a mistake thinking he was just going to lie there. A small knife slid out his sleeve, ready to plunge into the boy's chest with one thrust.
A dress shoe planted itself onto the thug's face before he could make the fatal move. And to his horror, the hidden blade flew out of his hands to stick to the boy's open hand. Sparks bounced around the fine metal of the knife.
"Just so you know, you brought this onto yourself. I was simply taking a nice walk around the city, planning on how to meet up with my big family I only just met, and how to finally speak with my no-good bum of an idiot father. But then I had to find a couple of thugs up to no good. That's fine though, at least I've found something to take my frustrations out on now."
Electricity moved along the leg stepping on the thug's face, warning him that it would all be over. The thug wasn't even given a chance to scream before his body was lit up like a lightning rod, scorching his skin until he had passed out from the pain. His limp body fell back into the trash around him, left to groan with the rest of his comrades.
Makoto Kamijou sighed as he relaxed his stiff shoulders. He gave the beaten thugs an annoyed pass before turning back to exit the alley. Before stepping out though, he glanced back into the alley, finding a sniffling middle schooled girl standing against the wall by the fried thug. He sighed.
"You should get going. It's not safe for cute girls to be walking by themselves out here," Makoto said warmly.
The middle school girl quickly nodded, smiling gratefully at her hero before running out of the alley hastily. With an old habit he picked up from his lousy father, Makoto scratched the back of his head.
"Tch, bunch of jackasses. As if my temper wasn't already sour, I got to deal with a bunch of idiots who think they can just abuse a girl just because she has an ability. To think there's an actual gang of thugs who go around harassing and abusing those with a level higher than zero. It's all that no good bastard's fault."
In the universe that he came from - ACMI Alpha Universe-000777 - Touma Kamijou was well regarded as the greatest hero that the world would have and had ever known in his time. A man who would answer to anyone who would call out for help when there was no one to save them. Somehow, someway, that man would charge in with only his fist and save the day of whoever stood behind to stare at his strong back. All anyone had to do was call out for help. The hero would surely save them.
But where was that hero when one girl found herself at the hands of cruel powerless thugs? When that single girl had cried out for someone to save her, the hero was absent. The so-called hero had failed to save a single girl. Since no one else bothered to help, it was up to Makoto to step in to take care of that lazy bum's responsibilities. Just as he had to when that idiot passed away and left the world's safety to one of his sons who didn't wish for the burden.
"Well, well, you sure made a mess out here."
"Hm?" Makoto turns around, looking to find...someone very familiar. It wasn't often that Makoto Kamijou is afraid and intimidated by someone. Quite frankly, there were few people that actually can do that. His mother was one of them. Despite his misgivings, his father was also one of them. And then there were other few people on the list such as the one that is currently standing a few meters away was one such person.
A young woman wearing Tokiwadai's summer uniform, with a Judgment armband on her right arm. She has naturally curly hair that needs to get a straight perm for it, a type of tawny hair tied into two curly pigtails with a red bow each; the rest of her hair is left to hang as two rows of fringes divided in the middle. Her eyebrow was raised, almost as if she wasn't surprised and her expression was a mixture of amusement and bewilderment.
Kuroko Shirai.
In his future, she was the Anti-Skill Officer, one of the best of the best in fact, that usually kept a close eye on him and that includes his knack for taking the law into his own hands just like his mother before him. And now, even when this is a younger version, Makoto Kamijou couldn't help but sweatdrop at the young girl.
But there was something else that he took notice of eventually when he decided to pay close attention to his Aunt Shirai, there appeared to be men in white armor wearing T-shaped visor helmets, carrying marks of blue and armed with rifles that were sci-fi and futuristic-like.
"...Huh?" Makoto Kamijou muttered in bewilderment.
"Ma'am, I'm getting a confirmed live reading," one of the men in white armor, speaking English (actually Basic), was talking to Shirai, his helmet scanning Makoto Kamijou's biodata signature. "It would appear that the biodata signature of this young man matches IU Coordinates: ACMI Alpha Universe-000777; identified as Makoto Kamijou, son of Touma Kamijou and Mikoto Misaka."
Kuroko blinked in bewilderment as she turn to the trooper on the left, saying. "Eh?"
Insert Song: End
ED Song:
Terminator Salvation - Break The Silence (Soundtrack)
12 Core Members:
Dr. Stephen Strange - A: Benedict Cumberbatch
Main Companion Protagonists:
Touma Kamijou - VA: Atsushi Abe
Sota Mizushino/Kamen Rider Decade - VA: Daiki Yamashita
Ren Fujii - VA: Kousuke Toriumi
Main Love Interests:
Marguerite "Marie" Breuil - VA: Yui Sakakibara
Main Heroine Characters:
Index Librorum Prohibitorum - VA: Yuka Iguchi
Othinus - VA: Asami Seto
Mikoto Misaka - VA: Rina Satō
Misaki Shokuhou - VA: Azumi Asakura
New Characters:
Romana III - A: Juliet Landau
Narvin - A: Seán Carlsen
Featherine Augustus Aurora - VA: Michiko Neya
Mercurius - VA: Kousuke Toriumi
Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich - VA: Junichi Suwabe
Makoto Kamijou
Kuroko Shirai - VA: Satomi Arai