Quick thing: thanks, Spyth for following! It's great to have you on board. Thanks, PiriPiri4BiriBiri for favoriting! Welcome aboard the crazy train!
Let's jump right into response time, shall we? It's always a joy!
Guest: that's honestly a good question; while I know that magicians dye their hair in order to better align with the element of their choosing (if they do choose only a single element to align with), I'm not sure as to whether or not Kinuho and Maaya's respective hair colors are natural or the result of dyes being applied.
In regards to the grammar fix, thanks. Quite embarrassing, on my end… the issue's long since been patched up. I appreciate your vigil as always.
I suppose that comes down to a matter of opinion. I personally think it makes the most sense for Touma to be sexually comfortable with the being who he Understands more than anyone, and who once Understood him better than anyone.
Regarding the possibility of Touma's nanorobotic resin being able to divide itself, the possibility for such a feat is there, though, one must consider that Touma hasn't quite mastered his 'new self'.
Alph97: There certainly was a lot of touching, wasn't there? Well, maybe a bit more than 'just' touching.
You're certainly not incorrect in feeling confused; there's some explaining to do, and such explanations will come when they best fit into the narrative.
whwsms: Kamijou Touma took quite the risk in revealing himself to his co-habitants, and as you said, the moment was quite a brutal one. With brutality came honesty in this case, so there's an element of lose-win here. As you stated, the ending to this brutal revelation was a positive one. Hardly surprising, given how tightly-knit Touma is with Index and Othinus… er, I mean, Olivia-chan.
Will Seiri learn the truth as Index and the former Magic God have? Only time will tell. How would the brash and aggressive Fukiyose Seiri react to such a revelation?
As a mortal, Othinus has needs that must be attended to; evidently Kamijou Touma is more than happy to take care of the being he Understands. More about just what sort of relationship these two have will be brought to the proverbial table as he narrative progresses.
Index would be far too pure to even consider it; no current indication suggests that the little silver-haired nun even truly understands what 'sex' is outside of a necessity for the furtherment of humankind.
I do appreciate the quick reality check regarding the Anglican (or Protestant) Church; I don't think I messed up my facts too badly, but I could be completely wrong.
Tsuchimikado Motoharu is going to have an interesting time. That's all I can say on the matter for now, friend. Read on!
As always, it's great to know that I'm able to continually gain your approval, not once but twice! I hope to be able to consistently do so through subsequent chapters.
321jaz: New day, new chappy! Well, more like four days.
I'm glad I could get that vibe across; that's exactly the kind of moment I wanted Touma, Index and Othinus to experience together. I'm glad you found that scene as heartwarming as I do!
Index and Othinus possess 'magic smarts', while Kamijou Touma possesses 'scientific smarts', and a scientifically-augmented body to boot. It seems Touma is already in the early stages of forming quite the impressive 'dream team'.
Muahaha. Excuse me while I wring my hands in a vaguely megalomaniacal manner!
Indeed; Fiamma, formerly of the Right would very likely blush at the sight of the moon-fortress that is Triton, at least until it turns its sights towards Earth. Which Earth? That's another matter entirely.
The Possibilities are nearly Infinite, though not quite; all things have a limit. Or do they? Some say that the multiverse is unending, infinitely and perpetually expanding. If anyone would know the answer, it'd be an omniscient Magic God. Aside from merely visiting these universes, it would seem that Subaru has taken prizes as well.
It's great to know that I'm able to consistently gain your approval, as always! I hope to be able to continually do so through subsequent chapters!
Anon Guest: while I'd love to hear what you have to say, even if the subject matter has been spoken of previously, I'd never try to force your hand. Your choice is yours alone and I deeply respect that.
For now, as not to unleash spoilers, let's just say that you and others who proclaim themselves part of the 'Touma x Seria' ship will be quite pleased to know that what you're looking for is right around the corner.
I very much appreciate your continued input and readership, friend. I'll do my absolute best to ensure that I can continue to provide you with entertaining content!
Guest00: I can't say too much about the eventual (and admittedly inevitable) introduction of "a Certain Mental Out", but I can certainly promise that things will get interesting when she enters the picture, for reasons that'll be revealed a bit later in the narrative.
As always, I'm very glad to know that I'm able to consistently gain your approval! I hope to continually do so through subsequent chapters.
February 7th, 2004. 6:15 PM.
Even if Kamijou Touma sought to right what he perceived to be wrongs, there was a sense of nervousness he just couldn't quite shake off no matter how hard he tried to do so.
With his destination (which wasn't all that far away from the dormitory) held at the forefront of his consciousness, Touma rested himself against the wall nearest the dorm's door, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his 'pants'.
He didn't face the looming task alone, not this time.
Othinus was at his side, with her right arm wrapped around her Understander's left. Her long, golden locks had been permitted to fall freely down her back and along her shoulders. She wore a simplistic, long-sleeved pullover sweater, dark, tight-fitting leggings to match and exceedingly expensive high top trainers.
"What do you think Tsuchimikado-san needs from us, Touma?" Index softly inquired. She emerged from the dorm's kitchen area, where Sphynx's food bowl was set, very recently filled to the point of overflowing with solid nuggets of food. A bowl of water wasn't far away from it.
Touma could only shrug as Index clung to his available arm, as if to try and one-up Othinus. Whether that was indeed the case or not he couldn't quite be sure, but Touma hoped it wasn't. Perhaps that could become another topic of conversation at a later date.
"One of you is going to have to open the door," Touma explained, forcibly producing a chuckle.
Othinus did just that, as Index began to cling even more tightly to her guardian; if his arm still had blood-filled veins within it, the limb surely would've started to become numb. The door closed behind the three and then automatically locked behind them, producing a soft 'click' as it did so.
Turning to his charge, Touma looked down at Index, while Othinus worked to serve as the duo's eyes. The little nun smiled up at him as best as she could. Touma smiled back.
"I don't really know what he needs. We're bound to find out though, aren't we? Whatever it is, I have a feeling it won't be all that big of a deal. It shouldn't be at least. Even if it is, we'll find a way to deal won't we? We've been through worse. We survived Academy City pretty much collapsing into one of those post-apocalypse movies, minus the zombies or the mutants. I'm pretty sure we can survive whatever minor inconvenience… Tsuchimikado… needs help with."
Touma seemed to have visible gritted his nanorobotic teeth after he'd uttered 'the snake's' name. His overt rage frightened the timid little nun, though she didn't back down.
Not only would he never harm her – Index knew that much in her heart of hearts – but timidly cowering away from all frightening stimuli would only make her a burden, something she never wanted to be.
Within the darkened stairwell Kamijou Touma acted as the two girls' eyes.
Though they had difficulty seeing it, two long, arm-like protrusions of machine-phase matter had emerged from either of Touma's knees, prepared to catch either of the girls should they have decided to take a trip down the staircase.
Thankfully for all involved nothing of the sort occurred. Though their trip took some time to complete, due to Index's slow and cautious descent, the trio eventually managed to emerge from the stairwell and into the dormitory's lobby, which, though by no means the fanciest was at least illuminated by synthetic light.
"Imagine Breaker. What is it like? Being… like this? I suppose this would explain why you've managed to completely avoid sleep, and seemingly have completely abandoned eating. Do you simply not need to consume nutritional foodstuffs? Before… before I was saved… I didn't need to perform such menial tasks either. Mortality is such a frail and needy existence, isn't it?"
Touma certainly couldn't blame the former Magic God for being curious.
The trio departed from the dormitory's lobby, stepping out into the surprisingly warm evening air, which began to caress their respective faces, leaving soft and gently-placed kisses upon them.
While Index's hair was protected from the breeze by her habit's headpiece, Othinus and Touma weren't quite that lucky. The nun with the unruffled hair looked to her guardian as the trio crossed the street, their destination being the cobbled walkway on the other side which would lead towards the park, with a few twists and turns thrown into the mix.
"That's a good question," Touma remarked, his tone of voice hushed. Though the streets weren't densely populated, there was still the chance that those who didn't particularly need to know too much about his situation might've obtained that knowledge if some level of discretion wasn't exercised.
"It's… different, Othi-chan. It was more terrifying than anything at first. Not knowing how your own body works and hardly being able to control it at all is even scarier. Was this how you felt after… you know. Everything. I'm assuming it was how a bad trip feels. Difference is, most people eventually stop tripping and puke into a toilet a few times the next morning.
"I can eat, I think, if I make an artificial stomach. I could probably use these," Touma ordered a small, arcing swarm of nanorobotic resin to leap from his wrist and then into the palm of his hand, which Index watched with curiosity, wonder and a hint of fear of the unknown, "to make some sort of… grinding system to "digest" food. I don't know how to make this body sleep. It doesn't need to, at least there aren't any consequences for not sleeping that I've experienced. I don't get tired."
Othinus was quite glad that he didn't bring up 'that', what exactly 'everything' was. To say that remorse burdened her heart and stabbed her in the gut during her every waking moment would be an understatement.
But there she was, making it about her again. If anyone had suffered, if anyone had known true pain, it'd been Kamijou Touma. And it all been her fault.
For a while there was silence, as Kamijou Touma walked with Index and Othinus at either of his sides. Apparently Othinus didn't wish to answer the question posed to her during Touma's reply, and he couldn't blame her for that. Dark times were better left in the past.
For a moment, he felt like a character in one of those harem visual novels, and hardly for the first time; but there was something more inherently peaceful about the moment he shared with his co-habitants.
With both slowly having grown used to one another's respective presence, something of an acquaintanceship had formed between the nun who'd memorized over one hundred thousand Grimoires and the former Magic God who'd ended and then restored the world.
Rather than fighting with one another like the female characters in many harem visual novels would, or arguing about who he belonged to, both parties seemed content to tolerate one another's presence; Touma had even seen them engaging in small talk of their own accord before. If that wasn't impressive then nothing could truly be called such.
"Touma? Is your brain still up there? Or was that replaced too?"
Apparently, Index had found the courage to ask her own question regarding her guardian's 'condition'. Once again, Kamijou Touma certainly couldn't blame the little nun for being curious. She had the right to be curious, and she had the right to know the answer to her question.
The trio made a right turn down a side street. Surprisingly quaint, the more secluded section of walkways boxing in a smaller stretch of road, with many towering structures looming over the three seemed to bring forth a new sense of openness. It dulled the conspiratorial air around the three, bringing comfort, and to an exceedingly lesser extent, a sense of security.
"You could say that, Index. Another great question, by the by. I'm still… me? I have my own thoughts, the same sort of thoughts I had before this whole mess, for the most part. I have been doing some thinking, though. This, everything involving this has given me a lot to think about. It's changed my views on a lot of things, since I found myself in another set of shoes, so to speak."
The part he didn't speak of was the restoration of memories that'd once been lost to him, the restoration of brain cells once shredded. He could remember everything; his childhood, his time spent with a certain golden-haired Tokiwadai student and with the young woman known as Beauty-Senpai, the first time he met the strange, silver-haired nun hanging over his balcony, everything.
"Explain," Othinus spoke, almost urgently. Touma had his theories as to why, and they weren't incorrect; she was desperate to Understand her Understander once more.
While Index seemed concerned and mystified by the revelation, Othinus seemed not only disturbed but desperate.
It was a lead, something for the former Magic God to cling to; Touma wasn't about to let the being he so deeply Understood fall further into the darkness of unknowingness.
A left turn was made, and a straight section of walkway needed to be followed. The middle school unassociated with the park, their destination, could be seen just over the rather steep hilltop.
"It's always been me playing the hero, dashing in at the right moment or at the wrong moment, depending on how you see things… heh. I was always the one to jump in and wag my finger, telling everyone why they were wrong, forcing my own morals and values down everyone's throats. "Do this!" "Do that!" "Don't do this, that's wrong, because I said it's wrong!" This time, things were different; it was almost like some sort of fucked up subversion of everything I knew.
"This time around I was the one under the knife, I was the person who needed to be saved. Where were my morals and values then? Maybe if some weirdo stormed in and started punching people, blabbering about "living your life correctly" and "illusions" things would've happened differently, but I can't know that for sure. I never will.
"The experience, being completely helpless and effectively being fucking experimented on like some kind of lab rat, being changed into this, whatever I am now – it changed me. It changed my outlook on a lot of things, Index. It's not all as simple as "good and evil", as "this person is evil and needs to have their way of thinking changed". One person's way of thinking isn't necessarily wrong, or incorrect when compared to another.
"When it comes to the greater good, when it comes to cleaning this place up… there're some people that just have to go. There're some people that just aren't worth saving. Why give a rapist, or a senseless serial or mass murderer a second chance at life after they've destroyed and taken so much from others? They shouldn't be given the chance.
"At the same time, I understand why people do the things they do. I understand why someone like Accelerator took the steps he took, even if they were anything but right. It was… it was incomprehensible to me before all of this. I couldn't even consider why 'bad guys' did the things they did."
Index chose no to verbally reply as she quietly pondered her guardian's troubling and somewhat cryptic words; Othinus was evidently prepared to take her co-habitant's place, however.
"What would that make someone who kills with purpose and reason, Imagine Breaker? A federal agent who must terminate a threat or a police officer who finds themselves in a situation in which the discharging of his or her weapon is his or her only means to safely return home to his or her spouse and child or children?"
Touma found himself in a difficult position. Othinus was more than likely referring to herself, and yet, what answer was he supposed to give? Was he supposed to tell her the truth: that if he encountered another like her he wouldn't extend the same mercy he'd extended to her once they'd come to Understand one another? That, while he was hopelessly in love with her, she had been the source of his worst nightmares realized?
No, that obviously wasn't the correct answer.
"A federal agent or a police officer putting down someone who's a threat to the community, or the interests of a well-meaning government aren't the kind of people who deserve to die. A cult leader who makes his followers drink water laced with some sort of lethal poison? Now that's someone who deserves to die slowly, cruelly, and with a complete lack of any kind of dignity."
Indeed, Kamijou Touma had changed. Othinus tightened her arms' grip around her Understander's own arm, as she asked no more questions of him. Index had been given even more to think about.
With the hill ascended, and a considerable amount of pressure in the calves of both Index and Othinus to show for it, the three neared the middle school, and more importantly the fenced-in park, complete with a heavily-rusted and seemingly rarely-used playground, located on the other side of the school's expansive field, overrun with tall, thick blades of grass.
"Oi, Kami-yan. Decided to show off some members of your harem tonight? Fancy, fancy."
He stood in the field, close to the walkway beyond its grassy edges, with either of his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants. Even with the sun slowly beginning to descend, bringing a considerable amount of shade with it, Tsuchimikado Motoharu wore a pair of sunglasses, whose lenses were dark as midnight. His eyes lurking behind the piece of eyewear couldn't be seen no matter how hard Othinus or Index tried to see them.
Adorned in a tight-fitting suit, the jacket of which was cast open and unbuttoned, exposing a simplistic dark shirt beneath, Motoharu was dressed to impress. An expensive-looking watch was visible on his wrist, and the blonde hair atop his head was gelled and slicked upwards.
"You know this talk of "harems" makes him uncomfortable. Yet you continue to pester the one you claim to be your friend with this nonsense. Are you a friend or are you a troublesome antagonist with little concern for anyone but yourself, you shallow, grinning cretin?"
Kamijou Touma was forced to produce an impressed whistle. "Olivia-chan" had brought quite the verbal bombardment down upon Tsuchimikado Motoharu, whose aforementioned grin began to fade, twisting into an unimpressed, frustrated scowl. While she would've been correct at one point, Touma could only react to Motoharu's speaking of the truth with complete indifference.
"This pathetic psychopath isn't my 'friend'. Kami-yan's a means to an end for a lot of people who I find myself unfortunately associating with. You've been a bigger pain in my ass than you're worth, especially you, "Majin Othinus."
"Don't you dare talk about Touma like that!" Index exclaimed, quite defensively. She literally put her foot down, as the volume of her enraged vocalizations reached a fevered pitch.
"After everything he's done for you, for everyone, you'd just turn your back on him?"
Touma himself hadn't deigned to sit back and allow his co-habitants to fight his battles for him. Instead, he'd gotten himself right up into Motoharu's face, his own icy nose mere inches from the Backstabbing Blade's.
Neither was willing to back down, neither was willing to achieve a temporary peace between them. One mistrusted and despised the other, while one was quite fed up with the overly outspoken and unpredictable actions of the other.
Though Touma stood some few inches taller than his friend turned foe, this made little difference to the spy. The bigger they came, the harder they fell.
"The fuck did you just say to me?"
"You heard what I said, Kami-yan. I called you a pathetic psychopath because that's exactly what you are. Do you honestly think that putting down whoremongers and drug dealers makes you tough shit? Anyone can do it. Fuck, I could do it with my hands tied behind my back, the nun could probably do it, that fucking beta male Hamazura could do it."
Though Othinus had succeeded in pulling her Understander away from the Backstabbing Blade, the latter didn't seem to warm up any. He turned his back, and began to walk in the direction of the run-down park. A small group of students whose uniforms Touma didn't quite recognize were approaching quite quickly. Reluctantly, the trio followed.
"Imagine Breaker. Is what he said true?"
"What, the "whoremongers and drug dealers" part? Yeah. I make them squeal like pigs. It's good training, helps me learn about what I can and can't do and they're doing more harm out there than they're doing good. Helps relieve some frustration too."
Othinus produced a soft sigh.
Walking at his side, detached from her Understander at least on a physical level, the former Magic God realized that coming to Understand the person that Kamijou Touma had evidently changed into would be much easier said than done.
He was almost like some sort of vigilante rather than someone who acted simply because their moral compass told them to, because they felt that acting was the only means to prevent a tragedy and protect as many peoples' smiles as humanly possible.
Index, who continued to walk at her guardian's opposite side looked less troubled, and more like she was in a state of deep thought.
Her brow had furrowed, her eyebrows had scrunched, while the right side of her face had seemingly puckered. She bit down on the inside of her right cheek.
Both Othinus and Index were thinking similar thoughts.
While Kamijou Touma had confessed to committing criminal acts, had he necessarily been in the wrong for doing so in his case? Those who pushed mind and body-bending drugs in the streets, ending lives and destroying families, and those who operated prostitution rings could hardly be referred to as "good people". If anything, they were the scum of the Earth.
But it was the narrative shakeup that concerned both. The "old" Kamijou Touma, the Kamijou Touma that had been before his kidnapping and subsequent transformation never would have killed anyone.
But had that been a good thing?
Both of Touma's allies found themselves with mild, throbbing headaches.
"So, Kami-yan. Are we going to do this the hard way, or the easy way? Trust me on this, I don't want to work with the likes of you any more than you want to work with someone like me but it's out of our hands. The decree's been given and we're just the pawns on the game board…"
"Who gave the order?"
"For the sake of all parties involved you're better off not knowing that."
Kamijou Touma wasn't about to let the issue go quite that easily.
"Who gave the order, Tsuchimikado? Who's the one threatening Index and Othi-chan?"
Othinus took to her Understander's side in defense of her honor.
"I believe the nun and I have the right to know. I am no pawn and I would very much like to learn more about just who believes such a thing to be truth."
"I can't tell you that."
There was a sudden blur. The world around him spun and his entire body ached. Before long the Backstabbing Blade found himself forced down upon the field; the soft, cool grass beneath him supported his back and brushed against the back of his head.
Kamijou Touma was upon him, knee forced against Tsuchimikado Motoharu's chin, the tip of his right hand, having morphed into a swarming blade-hand hovered mere inches above the Backstabbing Blade's forehead, ready to be shoved inwards at any point.
"You'll tell me or things are going to end REALLY fucking badly for you. Who called the fuckin' shot?! I'm going to find out one way or another!"
Both Othinus and Index struggled to pull their mutual benefactor away from someone he'd obviously once considered to be his own ally, loudly calling for Touma to see reason.
While they attempted to force him, persisting in their attempts to remove him from his place upon Motoharu's upper chest, his form's density increased, leaving both unable to forcibly adjust his position.
"You're upsetting your harem."
Motoharu sneered, like a scheming weasel who'd managed to outrun a proverbial monkey.
"Go on. Kill me. Show them what you really are."
Soon, he relented.
Kamijou Touma rose, allowing himself to be pulled away by his co-habitants, their respective hearts beating unnaturally quickly, hammering within them like two jackhammers shattering a block of concrete.
Turning to both Index and Othinus, Touma spoke over their words of concern.
"Want to know what kind of fucked up SHIT this snake is involved with? Do you? Let me tell you, Index… Othi-chan… he's not delivering puppies to loving homes."
"That's enough Kami-yan," Motoharu snapped, his trembling legs barely able to support his strained body, which had suddenly started to feel like an anvil, rather than a collection of flesh, blood and bone.
The maniac had caught him off guard, but it wouldn't happen again.
Motoharu was keenly aware, ready to strike back at any moment. He refused to take his eyes off the inhuman thing that'd cloaked itself in the false skin of a deceased young man.
"Say another word and the gloves will come off."
Touma shrugged either of his shoulders, as if he'd been inconvenienced or otherwise sullied by his aggravated assault upon Motoharu
"I'm terrified! I'm absolutely fucking shaking in my boots here. Fuck right off. This snake piece of shit associates with terrorists, traffickers of all types, rogue fuckin' espers, KIHARAS! This serpent is everything that every decent human being should fucking hate. This is the kind of person who needs to be strung up and gutted."
"And you'd know what it means to be a human being, right Kami-yan?" Motoharu inquired, attempting to work the kink out of his lower neck.
"Sometimes we all have to do things we're not so fond of doing just because we have to, because it fits the situation and because doing wrong in the present can lead to something better happening in the future. Of course, that's all subjective."
"Oh, yeah Tsuchimikado you fucking serpent! Because you're the absolute paragon of the mortal high ground, aren't you?! There's not a fucking person on this planet you wouldn't stab in the back if it made everything easier for you!"
"That's not true Kami-yan and you know it."
"I'll kill you if you don't… shut the fuck… up."
"My point exactly, you deranged fruitcake. You're completely out of control. Turn yourself in, Kami-yan."
"And that's what you hate the most isn't it? I'm nobody's attack dog now."
Both Kamijou Touma and Tsuchimikado Motoharu were mere inches from one another once more.
Othinus had taken to seating herself upon the nearby park bench, facing the worn-out, ancient-looking playground. She'd crossed one leg over the other, and, in her hands she supported her chin. Evidently, it was her turn to contemplate what was happening around her.
Index, however, had remained at her guardian's side, eyeing the Backstabbing Blade suspiciously.
Once, he grinned at her and she'd felt like she might've suddenly vomited onto the grass around her.
There was something so inherently wrong with him. It was if some mask had been removed. Whether she believed her guardian's words or not Index wasn't even quite sure - he'd certainly have little reason to lie to her, if he didn't like Tsuchimikado for less drastic reasons, he wouldn't have made drastic reasons up on the spot - but regardless of the potential revelations, something once hidden had been revealed before her.
The stress placed proverbially upon the nun's small shoulders by the conflict and the surreal revelations around her wasn't helping her feelings of nausea improve, either.
"Fuck it and fuck you Tsuchimikado. Nobody needs to see this shit. You're fucking sick, a goddamn snake and a fucking lying conniving piece of shit. What does one of your many criminal employers want from us? If they know about Index and Othi-chan they're obviously Magic Side.
"You do realize we'll find out, right? And when we do I swear to God whoever threatened the people I love so much… they're going to pay. Very. Fucking. Dearly. We'll put them right in their goddamn place, you sick asshole."
Othinus turned to Touma.
"Imagine Breaker, the sooner you permit this… creature to speak, the sooner we can depart from his presence. It's quite clear that we find ourselves in agreement that, in this case, sooner is better."
Upon the lower landing of a small, metallic staircase leading up to the jungle gym Motoharu set his posterior; the cold metal contacted his clothed body and sent a series of chills rushing throughout him, causing him to unconsciously tremble for only a few moments. The Backstabbing Blade crossed either of his arms and huffed. He'd had just about enough of "Kami-yan's" badmouthing.
"Listen up, because I'm not repeating myself. There are two and a half things we're going to have to take care of. One of these things is right here in the City and another… well, the other thing is over in Wales, if nee-chin's friends have the right information and aren't just being lead astray. An artifact supposedly. Could definitely be something completely benign and not at all magical in nature but… what do I know? I don't suffer from paranoid schizophrenia.
"The thing, the issue, so to speak, that's here in Academy City is a bazaar run by these old fucks... err, folks. An informant checked it out, didn't find anything out of the ordinary but our mutual benefactor wants a "thorough investigation". Convinced that it's "a front for a prelude to an invasion attempt". Why they care is completely beyond me so don't even ask. I just don't have the answer.
"We do that, we shut our mutual benefactor the fuck up for a little while and then we drag our sorry hides over to Wales, do some digging and get us some folks who will talk when put under pressure. Simplicity itself."
"What's the catch?"
Apparently "Kami-yan" had converted the nun into a skeptic, too. If she was going to start asking questions and cease to simply accept the flow of the narrative she was a part of, that would make many peoples' lives quite inconvenient, a certain Archbishop's included.
How simply adorable indeed.
"The catch is that, at some point or another, we're more than likely going to end up butting heads with the Dawn-Colored Sunlight. Birdway's cabal. I do have a few ideas of my own on how we can reduce collateral damage… or possibly increase it. Oh well, who really gives a shit about Wales right?"
Touma had slowly and almost cautiously approached the child-sized staircase which Motoharu had set himself down upon. He casually balanced his body against its rightmost railing, and had crossed one of his legs over the other, balancing the tip of his right foot against the ground, while his left remained stable and flat.
"More people probably "give a shit" about Wales than about you, Tsuchimikado."
The Backstabbing Blade quietly chuckled, more under his breath and to himself than to anyone else, his head shaking from side to side, as if he'd heard the underwhelming punchline to some nonsensical or otherwise unfunny joke.
"Funny man Kami-yan, huh? Good, we'll be needing that sense of humor. So, what's going on with these two? The nun and… that thing… they're coming with us?"
"I'm not a "thing," Othinus snapped. She clicked her tongue as she pinched her own flesh, struggling to keep her flaming temper under control.
"You speak of the nun as if she's mere baggage. You sicken me to my core."
"Feeling's mutual," Motoharu quipped.
"Question."
Kamijou Touma had spoken his piece; though short, it served to symbolize the fact that he wasn't about to hand complete control of the delivery of information over to Tsuchimikado Motoharu. The spy didn't quite appreciate his once-friend's aggressiveness; the old, complacent and unquestioning "Kami-yan" had served far better as a means to an end than the unstable, paranoid, homicidal maniac that had taken the original's place.
"Kanzaki's not here, neither is Stiyl. I know that much, so I assume they're in England. Why aren't they dealing with this thing especially if it's magic business? That's pretty much Necessarius' job, no? So why the fuck aren't they doing it?"
"Spring-heeled Jack."
Collectively, Index, Touma and Othinus raised an eyebrow. All three had heard the tales of old; Othinus had even met the legend himself. Quite the gentleman, especially when it came to a moment in which fisticuffs was the only viable option.
Motoharu seemed to pick up on this fact, due to the expression on the former Magic God's face; it screamed of nostalgia, of the remembering of simpler, and by her own internal admission, more chaotic and destitute times.
"The issue is," the spy began, rising from his seat on the staircase as he stretched, "Spring-heeled Jack", or more than likely someone who's decided to become a new Spring-heeled Jack is kicking our asses. Channeling the latent power within the Terror of Victorian London's many wild tales, they've apparently decided to kick off round two.
"So far, he's done fairly well for himself. He's given nee-chin an atomic wedgie, beat the ever-living daylights right out of Knight Leader, defeated entire platoons of Knights and just because he apparently hadn't shown off enough, stuck the Archbishop in a tree, by her hair. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was some kind of Magic God."
Touma certainly hoped the perpetrator wasn't a Magic God. A shudder was sent even throughout his nigh-indestructible nanorobotic form. Touma looked once over his right shoulder and once over his left, as if the hypothetical, faceless Majin would leap out of nowhere to inflict more pain upon him. Touma's 'omniscient' data was dreadfully silent, offering no answers or closure.
Rather than relying on something that knew nothing about magic, Touma took to Index's side. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he pulled the little nun close to him. The warmth of her form brought her comfort and reminded him that he was anything but alone. Either of Index's cheeks glowed red as she was affectionately held by him, causing her guardian to produce a soft chuckle.
Othinus could only look on, remorse bubbling up within her like some kind of wretched, stinking concoction brewed in the depths of Hell. He knew, didn't he? That was why he sought out the nun to find comfort. He knew the being who was struggling to Understand him held remorse in her heart.
"Hasn't killed anyone… yet," Motoharu continued, "still, he's a problem. See, that's the half I mentioned. We get rid of Jack, we have nee-chin, Barcode Boy and the Amakusans on our side for our short campaign against the Dawn-Colored Sunlight. With nee-chin it might not even come to that. She's got a way with words. She'd probably sing Birdway a fuckin' lullaby and put her to bed… I'll get back to you as soon as I absolutely need to. Might take me a few days to get "the gig" ready to go. Transport, bribes… you know the deal."
Touma shrugged. He looked to Index and then to Othinus, then back to Index again. He raised his shoulders even higher, as if he was attempting to accentuate his point.
"We don't have much of a choice, do we Tsuchimikado? We say no and a bunch of Magic Side G-men will come knocking on our door. I mean yeah, I could kill them and hang their miserable carcasses around the dormitory just to make a point but that wouldn't stop them, would it? Besides that, it'd stink up the place."
"Touma…" Index worriedly muttered. His violent words, though mere words, more than likely born out of frustration than any sort of actual ill intent concerned the nun greatly. She felt uncomfortable and she wanted him to stop.
"Sorry."
"The Imagine Breaker makes a good point," Othinus chimed. "You're explaining the issue of Spring-heeled Jack and your allies to us as if we have an actual choice in the matter. From what I've gathered, we don't. Is honesty beyond you along with other basic human traits such as compassion and understanding?"
Motoharu had just about enough. He stormed in the opposite direction of the park, back towards the hill from where the trio had come, his arms dangling at his sides limply, as frustration coursed throughout his body and higher mind like a lingering poison.
"Be there, Kamijou, or you'll see what I can do to the likes of you. Don't make me hunt you down, and don't make me ask more than once."
"You're real intimidating," Touma called, physically demanding that his body remained immobile. "You're so scary! I think I'm going to curl up into a fucking ball and cry! Lanky, goofy-ass motherfucker! Get the fuck out of my face!"
"Perhaps you're a bit too outspoken Imagine Breaker. I think your point has gotten across with some degree of success."
Touma shook his head, as he threw himself down upon the bench which Othinus had seated herself upon, ensuring that there was enough space between the two, in case Index sought to sit between them.
"Sorry. Again. It's just, I know things about him now. It all came out in the wash and this is what we're left with.
"He's involved with child traffickers, the Child Errors that get chopped up and experimented on and that's just scratching the surface! He fucked up one of my closest friends, ripped her fucking eye out! If that doesn't piss you off, then I don't know what will. He's with the prostitution rings, occultists who kidnap people in the streets to carve them up and sacrifice them to… fucking I don't know what! He told me before that he was involved with different organizations, but… just what the FUCK? You don't just get over that!"
"And so you think he deserves to die."
Index spoke her own piece, her words delivered with a degree of calmness that unsettled Kamijou Touma, and rattled the already battered nerves of the former Magic God, Othinus.
"Yes! I mean… no. I don't… what do you want to hear from me Index? That he can be 'redeemed' or something? I don't believe that, not for a second. It's a fucked up fantasy to believe that. Not everyone deserves to have a second chance.
"He knows that what he's doing is wrong and he doesn't give even a single shit! Not even one tiny insignificant shit pellet dropped from the metaphorical ass of a nonexistent rabbit! Tsuchimikado's not some flawed tragic hero! Am I going to go out of my way to kill him? No, probably not unless he does something stupid, unless he absolutely needs to be stopped.
"Trafficking rings I can break up and the same goes for occultists. No more baddies means no more money or whatever he's gaining from his involvement. There. Is that logical enough, Index? I think that's reasonable."
"Touma. You sound confused."
"I am fucking confused."
Silence fell, as Index found her way to the bench. While Othinus had taken to leaning back, peering up at the sky dotted with clouds, white and fluffy that were rather non-threatening in their collective appearances, Index set herself next to her guardian, who looked straight ahead, occasionally blinking more out of an old and hard-dying habit than out of the need to sate some biological need.
"It's our turn to help you," Index softly spoke. She wrapped either of her arms around her guardian's right. "We both need to help each other. Maybe you need to keep accepting and requesting help from the people who care about you the most. There a lot of people care about you very much! You don't need to suffer in silence and deal with everything on your own!"
Othinus nodded, her right leg repeatedly bouncing up and down against her left. Anxiousness wracked her form, bringing anomalous throbbing sensations to her lower chest, and in the space between her breasts, as well.
"The nun isn't wrong, Imagine Breaker. Your recent avoidance behavior has been foolish at best and detrimental to your health at worst, if health is something you still are required to concern yourself with."
"I'm sorry for kind of… for going crazy there."
"I've seen worse."
"It wasn't all that bad! You just yelled a lot."
For some time, the three sat in silence before they rose from the bench, and followed in the footsteps of the Backstabbing Blade, Tsuchimikado Motoharu. There was no suggestion spoken, and no order given. The trio had simply and silently agreed on the course of action to take next.
Rather than clinging to their mutual benefactor, Index and Othinus walked casually at either of his sides, less like protective mother bears and more like friends who were willing to throw themselves into the heat of combat at any given moment should such a moment have arisen.
Their return to the dormitory was a mostly silent one, as was their careful ascent up the creaking staircase within the ever-darkened stairwell.
Upon returning to Touma's dorm itself there was a comfortable and accepted silence which continued to shadow Kamijou Touma, Index and Othinus.
Their nightly rituals, fitting into their overarching nightly routines, consisting of the consumption of Othinus' and Index's respective dinners, Index's allocated bathing time (which was extended by an hour due to the former Magic God having already bathed earlier in the afternoon hours of the day), and finally the period of time in which the three would sit themselves in front of Touma's "Idiot Box" and watch a talking head offer their less than unique spin on current events, celebrity gossip, or the weather; whether said weather forecast called for rain or shine the "news actor" hosts always had some wince-inducing dialogue to drivel on about.
At least, that was how Kamijou Touma viewed Academy City's many state-sponsored, propaganda-riddled new stations. In the end, he was quite grateful when Index changed the channel.
Of course, an overexcited Index and a begrudging Othinus just absolutely had to view the newest episode of Magical Powered Kanamin. It helped both remove themselves from the events that surrounded them, offered them an escape from the strangeness and from the aggression displayed between Kamijou Touma and Tsuchimikado Motoharu, not to mention the fact that many a thing was clearly wrong with their mutual benefactor.
As the credits rolled, with Magical Powered Kanamin's slow and heartfelt ending theme droning like the buzzing wings of some unknown insect, Othinus parted her lips, unceremoniously exposing the inside of her mouth and yawned as her eyelids were forced shut, liquid fleeing from their corners as she then began to smack her lips together.
"That episode was kind of sad," Index stated, offering her thoughts to the former Magic God who sat on the floor beside her. Touma had laid himself out on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as he engaged in a series of mental exercises with his bursts of data.
"I can't believe the Pope would try and kill Kanamin-sensei! That's not something a Pope does! The Pope's supposed to be kind and understanding!"
Othinus nodded in agreement.
"Quite. Perhaps the Pope isn't exactly what he seems? There is a chance that he could be one of Lord Belial's minions and that the Roman Catholic Church, if not all of Vatican City are under demonic occupation."
"Your conspiracy theories are unbearable," Index groaned. "Not everyone who's bad is a demon."
Her head was shaken from right to left, like the former Magic God was speaking to a wayward child.
"Not all antagonists are demons, but all demons are antagonists, at least in Magical Powered Kanamin's universe."
"H-huh?"
Othinus chuckled quietly to herself. She rose from her seat on the floor while she stretched. Pressing the "menu" key on the television's remote, the built-in menu screen was commanded to appear and it did so after a few moments of input lag wracked the device.
According to the menu screen's clock, it was some few minutes after nine o'clock in the evening. Another hour, and the former Magic God would have to get herself to bed. Index lived on no such schedule though she often found herself falling asleep earlier than she'd like to, regardless of this fact.
Clad in her nightwear, Othinus had thrown herself down upon the bed, next to Kamijou Touma who, per usual as of the present wasn't perturbed in the slightest.
He was even less perturbed when the former Magic God wrapped her arms around him, and cuddled as close as she could. He simply placed his arm around her, and welcomed the physical attention.
Index suddenly found herself in an awkward state of being indeed.
Blood rushed to her face, causing her cheeks to glow a shade of bright red; the little nun could almost feel the black, noxious and proverbial steam pouring from either of her ears.
"You don't have to look at us like that, Index. It's just cuddling, you can join in any time you want and I'm almost sure that it wouldn't make you an evil sinner doomed to burn in Hell."
The little nun huffed aggressively, and stuck her nose up at her guardian and at the former Magic God. She closed her eyes, and folded her arms across her chest as she faced their direction, like some sort of gargoyle atop a cathedral whose vigil was never-ending.
Then, she found herself yawning; Othinus' previous yawn had contaminated the nun, who slumped forward as the exhaustion of the day's events began to wear on her and forcibly push down upon her little shoulders.
It hadn't been so bad in the morning when she'd 'shared' Touma with the once-Majin or during the numerous other instances when he'd managed to worm his way into the bed that rightfully belonged to her. Maybe it could be done again?
Quietly, she pouted, her cheeks glowing redder than the shade of a beet's outer shell. Adorned in her own simplistic nightwear, her habit and headpiece hung unworn next to her guardian's old jacket. Index then reluctantly set herself down upon the bed's edge, at first.
It was almost like a sleepover. It wasn't like they were going to engage in some sort of orgy of sin and violence. Friends hugged one another all the time.
But did the little nun want to be more than 'just friends' with her guardian, the boy who'd selflessly put his own well-being aside to follow her into Hell? She didn't quite know. An answer wasn't an easy thing to obtain and it couldn't be instantaneously conjured.
Kamijou Touma opened his available arm welcomingly, and smiled at the silver-haired nun who remained sitting on the bed's edge.
"I'm not trying to push you, you know. I was mostly joking anyways. I only want it if you're comfortable, Index. I can go sleep in the tub, it doesn't hurt. Never really did at all but now I don't even feel it. It's even less of an inconvenience, not that it was one in the first place. Heh."
"Oh, no you don't Imagine Breaker. You're not going off to lay there on your own after everything you've only just told us. I won't allow you to have a pity party nor will I allow you feel as if you are not welcomed in the living space that's rightfully yours."
"It's really not that big of a deal, Oth…"
Index mustered all the confidence that she could, reached out and grabbed onto what she sought to achieve.
The little nun had slid herself beneath her guardian's other free arm, pulling the cold and surprisingly calm-inducing limb over her form.
Index's blush only grew as she like Othinus before her clung to him, wrapping her arms around an available section of his torso. The icy sensation of her arms pressing tightly against Touma's form brought Index a familiar and welcomed comfort, one which generally only came along with the sensation of resting her head against the cold surface of a pillow in chilly winter months.
Othinus' quiet breathing was the only sound that could be heard. Kamijou Touma craned his neck, and looked down towards the perpetually-blushing and lightly trembling form of Index.
Despite her body's physically odd behavior, her lips had curled into a thin, pleased smile. Her eyelids closed of their own accord, causing her azure irises to vanish from sight. Fatigue was beginning to claim her and her higher mind flipped the switch that would place her form into 'sleep mode'.
"Touuu-maaa. It's okay Tou-ma. We love you… I love you… because you're… you… different… feelings. Same Tou-ma."
Though he'd intended at first to spend the evening prowling, he certainly couldn't leave the people who loved him so very much behind. They were willing to accept him and to put aside their own fears and prejudices to give him a fair chance. They were willing to get to know the thing he'd become and to adjust to the changes that he'd experienced.
How could he leave them for the cold unfeeling streets? Where some might've turned tail and fled from him and what he'd become, they did not. Index who'd been victimized and forced to memorize over one hundred thousand Grimoires and the former Magic God Othinus, the one who'd put him through thousands of deaths and unbearable and unspeakable torture, yet came to Understand him better than anyone he'd ever known. These were two individuals capable of looking at the bigger picture and of seeing the surviving fragments of their dear one within the nanorobotic monster.
Maybe with the cat out of the bag he would have to cease his butchery of those he deemed to be problematic or otherwise undeserving of life. That would be a sacrifice worthy of making to ensure that he could remain at the sides of Index and Othinus. It was a compromise that could be reached. Maybe he could be the one to lay down such terms to further prove himself, to show them that Kamijou Touma was not completely gone from the world.
Index slowly faded from consciousness. Her arms fell limp, remaining wrapped around her guardian's torso. Her blush began to dissipate and she started to lightly snore. One two, one two, one two, her chest's rhythmic rises and falls were felt by Kamijou Touma.
"Has the nun fallen asleep?"
"Yeah, Othi-chan. What sort of plot are you… okay that's dangerous that is VERY dangerous. This is dangerous territory. Code red, code red CODE RED."
"I'm aware. Now accept my love."
The former Magic God apparently still wished to physically show her love for her Understander despite the evening's revelations, even though she'd seen what he truly was when his skin came off. Her fingers delicately worked Touma's pants, pulling them away from his legs. Though she removed and then threw them from the bed, the loose collection of machine-phase matter surged back into its main mass, disappearing into Touma's leg.
With his 'utensil' erect, nanorobotic resin coursing throughout the mechanical mock-up of a male human being's genitalia, Othinus wrapped her thin and delicate fingers around it while the soft palm of her hand was lightly pressed against the utensil's shaft. Touma didn't quite know why exactly Othinus was so mystified by her Understander's private organ, but he wasn't going to complain about it.
He could complain about the fact that Index could wake up any moment, bear witness to the perverse act taking place before her and completely flip out. While this was a valid concern for the both of them, it was more than likely that Othinus thrived off and got her rocks off to that concern.
It was slowly worked up and down, Othinus performed gentle tugging motions, moving her wrist with precision and caution. Within himself, Touma commanded his data to bend to his will.
"I want to cum, so make it happen. Just let me spill it all over the place so Othi-chan's satisfied. I want to satisfy her, so let me blow my fucking load. Cum. Cum now."
"/HIGHMIND TERMINAL:/ FORCE EXECUTABLE LAUNCHER. /ENTER. "CUM" NOT RECOGNIZED. INVALID COMMAND."
"Execute cum protocol?"
"/HIGHMIND TERMINAL:/ FORCE PROTOCOL LAUNCH SUBROUTINE. "CUM" NOT RECOGNIZED SYSTEMS PROTOCOL. INVALID SUBROUTINE."
Othinus began to use her mouth. Either of her lips were placed around the utensil, and she attempted to push it deep into her throat. The effort was noble even if she failed in her attempt, which resulted in her gagging. Touma understood on some level he was almost a character in one of those NTR manga. Then again, Index wasn't his girlfriend; NTR didn't technically apply to his situation.
Even more than before Touma hoped she didn't awaken. The physical attention he was receiving satisfied him, no doubt, but Othinus seemed to pick the worst times to show her love (though when it came to the former Magic God's fetishes, situations of a risky nature were welcomed to come about at any time).
The nun stirred. Within a fraction of a millisecond, Kamijou Touma's dark-colored jeans returned to his body. His machine-phase matter worked diligently, not only to save his hide and the hide of Othinus, but to cockblock the former Magic God as well. Suddenly there was nothing save oxygenized air that remained in her hand.
"Curses," the former Magic God lamented, venom in her voice.
Frustrated and disillusioned the former Magic God rolled over onto her side, allowing her hair to invade her Understander's personal space and rub against his nose and his lips.
For a while Kamijou Touma laid in his bed, with Index to his left and Othinus to his right. At one point, he shifted himself, rolling to face the latter. Touma embraced her, practically absorbing her warmth as he softly kissed the back of her neck. Othinus occasionally shivered, and once unconsciously thrust her posterior against her Understander's crotch, but didn't awaken from her slumber. During this time, Index remained latched onto her guardian like a little silver-haired monkey.
Eventually, in fear of waking Othinus on a school evening or worse, waking Index and having her demand that her guardian make her something to eat at the wee hours of the morning, Touma relented and accepted the fact that he'd have to wait until the next "sexual frustration relief therapy" session to have his way with the deeply attractive being he Understood.
With these elements in mind he rose and made his way to the television set (only after he'd managed to pry Index off) which he flicked on.
There was something that he was after, a certain program that had come to regularly air itself on one of Academy City's family-friendly broadcasting networks. The program in question seemed to air only in the early morning at approximately 4:08 AM and in the late evenings at approximately 12:04 AM. Considering that it was nearly three o'clock, according to the television's menu screen, he'd have to wait a while to see if the pattern continued; and waited he did.
Kamijou Touma caught the last few minutes of a young adult children's show, the plot or purpose of which he hadn't been able to discern within the short span of time allocated, then sat through a cheery, glitter-stuffed (and almost completely nonsensical) episode of "A Certain Lovely Dream Gekota-Sama!" and finally braved an episode of some lesser known children's anime, which featured a pink, talking blob character named "Hiroshi" as the lead, who seemed to get into more whimsical misadventures than was healthy; Touma was almost reminded of the being he'd once been.
It was at hand; Kamijou Touma, seated on the floor before the television set leaned forward. Pale rays of light bathed his form in their glow.
Touma waited as he suffered through a wince-inducing cooking program, hosted by an anthropomorphized oven mitt with beady eyes and a cartoonish, exaggerated smile. The character was just beginning to start singing before, like clockwork, the broadcast began to shift. Tides of static washed over the screen and reduced the character's vocalizations to low gurgles before the screen was awash in an inky void.
Atop, below and on either side of the screen, "ANNOUNCEMENT: SPECIAL PRESENTATION" was printed in large, silver letters.
Like he always did at approximately 4:11 AM, a broad shouldered, tuxedo-clad (and presumably male) individual hobbled into frame, with a brown paper bag over his head. Two holes had been cut for him to see through. He sat his posterior upon something unseen, folded his hands and then placed them in his lap. He sat upright and at attention, as if he was in a professional setting. For a few moments the paper bag man shifted his weight from one side of his invisible seat to the other.
Even if it was merely the same looped recording played continuously, always at the same times every single day of the week, the anomalous and intrusive broadcast was almost morbidly intriguing to Kamijou Touma, as was the presenter himself.
"Hello there. Welcome to our special presentation. We hope we find you and yours in good health, wealth and in happiness. We apologize if we've startled you, please don't be afraid. We mean you no harm.
"A message of the utmost urgency we must deliver to you now so that your eyes will be opened to the truth about the world around you, a truth which has been obscured for far too long. We will not be speaking of grand government conspiracies or the purported truth regarding extraterrestrial life… not exactly.
"We will be speaking to you as of now about the topic of a coveted and hoarded part of our world known to the hoarders as 'magic'. The power to heal all wounds and the power to fix the world, an infinite and unending power based on the human mind's ability to weave a narrative into being is being held from the deserving public by agents of domination who would prefer to see an agenda fulfilled than to see a better world.
"If you find yourself interested, dear viewer, please Oseltaeb. There you'll learn everything. With the public's assistance, we can liberate this revolutionary and naturally-occurring piece of our world for all to use. Sickness will be eradicated. War fought by human soldiers – husbands, sons, nephews, brothers and uncles – will be obsoleted. Oseltaeb. We'll meet you there. Have a good evening and thank you for your time. The Sons of Taured wish you and your loved ones well."
Just as quickly as it'd come the broadcast faded, and a static-ridden screen returned. It danced and its grey, buzzing tides soon dissipated revealing again an anthropomorphized oven mitt who looked far too happy for its own good.
What or who was "Oseltaeb"? Who or what were the "Sons of Taured?"
Kamijou Touma wracked his data and demanded not only information, but knowledge as well from bursts directed outwards from within the invisible library inside of him.
His data came up empty, as it always did when these demands were made of them. Touma almost felt as if he was becoming obsessed with the paper bag man. He spoke so calmly and his words were pronounced with such elegance. The paper bag man was like some type of veteran narrator who'd speak over captured footage in a documentary.
There was one person with whom Touma could discuss the incredibly mysterious and equally charming paper bag man without being judged. In this there was only one problem, however;
Kumokawa Seria didn't know of magic.