Misplaced Hate
Battle_Preparations

November 19th. The day of the Ichihanaran Festival, an event where schools compete in various competitions against each other. Considering it was a city wide festival among schools with cutting edge technology, it was a busy day for everyone involved. Though, even for the ones not participating, it was still busy.

Ollerus, the man who had given up becoming a Magic God, had just finished dropping off Kamijou Touma and was on his way to meet some people that he saw as integral to stopping GREMLIN, the organization dedicated to bolstering the One-Eyed Othinus's powers. He needed a method for getting close enough to Othinus to use the Fairy Spell crafted from the inspiration that someone had given him short of a month ago. For that, he needed to convince one of the major players in their organization to let him take their place, as it were. Which is why he wasn't surprised to see Thor, a member of GREMLIN, sitting at one of the tables in the restaurant they had agreed to meet at. What was surprising was that the one that had given him the general concept to create the Fairy Spell, Kumagawa Misogi, had just gotten there himself.

"I hadn't expected for you to show up early. Or at all even."

[Heya Olly! Haven't seen you since that little scuffle I had back in Hong Kong.]

"You call slaying a vampire on the verge of becoming a Magic God and fighting an elite unit from Annihilatus, little? Never mind fighting with Silva and I on top of all that. I'd really hate to see what you consider large."

Ollerus wears a genuine smile as they reminisce about their first meeting at the end of WW3. It's an unusual sight to see someone speaking with Kumagawa like an old friend would, but the quality of the stressful situation they had found themselves in on that day was enough to strengthen the bond they shared.

"Oh? You two know each other?"

Thor's words were nearly lost as they exited around the chow mein he was eating as Ollerus and Kumagawa sit down at the table.

"Yes. He's the other member of our anti-GREMLIN force, as it were. Well, I had invited him but I wasn't honestly expecting him to come."

[Geeze, Olly! Aren't we friends? If you ask me to come help, of course I'd come running!]

"Really? So you aren't here because you expected a free lunch?"

[...Anyway! So what did you need me for? I gave you the idea for that spell so I can't imagine what else you might need a guy like me for.]

Ollerus laughs at the first comment but his expression gets serious.

"Even if I hadn't expected you, we do need you for this plan to work. Othinus is very close to attaining her goal of becoming a perfect Magic God. For this, it seems she needs to capture someone that hasn't been dyed in the colors of science or magic."

[Um.]

"No, she doesn't seem to be aware of your existence yet. Though even if she did know about you, I doubt she'd use you. Your abilities exist from outside of this world and thus, outside of her plans that are based in this world. She'd have to scrap everything and start over with your Skills being the foundation. Although, I doubt there are many magicians that can understand well enough about your system to be able to gain a Skill to begin with. At any rate, the one that meets these conditions is Fraulein Kreutune."

Thor, finished with his bowl, frowns slightly.

"Othinus wants her for more than just her lack of color or whatever. From what we could gather Kreutune has lived for centuries and according to records dating from the dark ages, no form of torture or execution could harm her. With that kind of durability, she'd easily survive whatever designs that Othinus has for turning her into a holistic esper. So, Ollerus, what exactly do you intend to do about that?"

"On the surface, it will appear as though my side is making a last ditch effort to stop Othinus and will do everything we can to force a change within Kreutune so that she can be killed in her new form. But that's just the appearance. My actual plans involve a bit more than that. I want to have a massive gathering of powerful magicians so that Fiamma and I can infiltrate GREMLIN and take it all down from the inside."

"So you plan to just let her take Kreutune then?"

"No. You must find a way to rescue her so that I may bring in a substitute I have in mind so that I may influence the creation of Gungnir. But regardless, she needs to have her attribute that separates her from the concept of what we view as human neutralized before we can bring that substitute up to Othinus. For that, we need Kumagawa here."

Thor looks over at Kumagawa's beaming face as he waves.

"And how do you plan on removing that from her? Do you have some sort of spell for that?"

[Spell? No, no. I may technically be at that age where I can be called a wizard but for the girl that exists outside of y'all's common sense, I will strike her down with with a Skill to match!]

"You guys have mentioned that Skill thing for a bit now, what the hell is it?"

Ollerus drinks his water and motions for Kumagawa to explain.

[Well, you won't believe me, but I come from another world. One where people have inexplicable powers called Skills. Now powers and results vary but with me, I have the perfect way of bringing that Kreutune girl down to being a regular human. Though, I can't really say it'll be good for her but at least it'll get her out of this whole crazy thing. That all being said, is that all there is to her?]

"Well, another thing that we were able to gather was that she's trapped in this city's Windowless Building because she has some kind of insane learning ability. Not that we know specifics. Why?"

[She just seems...rather like someone else I know.]

Ollerus raises an eyebrow.

"Like that Ajimu you spoke of?"

[No. Well, sorta. It almost sounds like she's a prototype of sorts to Medaka-chan. None of you know her or understand that much but she's someone that could learn any Skill she happened to come across. Which makes me wonder if maybe Anshin'in was trying to do something around Medaka-chan's concept in mind. Though, it's apparent she abandoned the idea but still. Hearing about Kreutune gives me something of a chill down my spine.]

"I would have thought her immortality would be more in common with you."

[Maybe. Maybe she was made as something like a hybrid of Abnormal and Minus. But that just sounds retarded so I doubt it. It's like some shit some nerd would make up as the background for their super cool original character in some shitty fanfiction. Hell, maybe he'll have some fetish for sex, drugs, and murder because that's super mega cool and edgy! Although I guess I can't really talk so much when I have at least a third of that covered but I still haven't actually murdered anyone so it's fine!]

Thor has completely lost track of the conversation and Ollerus scratches the back of his head and laughs awkwardly.

"What?"

"Don't pay him any mind. He seems to like going on these rants that no one can understand. But still, that's the plan here. Thor, you go find and rescue Fraulein Kreutune before anyone else can get to her so that Kumagawa can turn her into a normal girl."

"And what about that Birdway girl? Isn't she helping you?"

"Yes but...we aren't exactly as close a group as GREMLIN is. She's acting on her own but within our shared interest in stopping Othinus. The last I saw her though, she seemed to be planning to do something rash as far as Kreutune goes so you may want to hurry on that front."

"Geeze. Gotta play double agent while having to contend with enemies on all sides. You really know how to sweeten up a deal for me. But I'd like to ask for something on top of that if you'll excuse my greed."

"I would give out some cliched threat but you are doing quite a bit of work here. What is it you want?"

"I want to fight Kamijou Touma after this is done. If you can promise me that you and your people won't interfere, then I'll agree to do as you ask."

"As long as you don't kill him, I'm fine with it. He's going to be someone that'll play a big part in the effort to take Othinus down so keep that in mind. Oh. You may want to enlist him in helping you rescue Kreutune actually."

"Yeah, think I'll do just that. See you guys around!"

Thor rushes out of the restaurant, leaving Ollerus and Kumagawa as they order their meals. They remain silent until the food arrived.

[...What's with that guy?]

"Him? Thought you would be able to understand Thor's love for battle considering you seem to like fighting strong opponents yourself."

[Not him. Why is that Kamijou guy at the center of so many of these situations? No matter who I meet, they all seem to know him. Even for a main character, the quantity of crazy stuff he's gotten into is ridiculous.]

Ollerus puts down the fork he was using to eat.

"Well, that's just the combination of his right hand and general nature, I'd say."

[I've heard about his right hand but what does his nature have to do with it? Is he a battle crazed idiot too?]

"Heh, no. For him, if there's someone in trouble in front of him, he'll stop at nothing to save them."

[Yeah. Guess that's just like a main character. It irritates me.]

"Why?"

[Even if my intensity as a human has diminished, I still hate the ones that have everything I don't. Main characters always have friends, talent, smarts, luck, looks, everything. I'm just too petty to accept someone like that when I have none of it.]

"I don't think you have that quite right about him."

Kumagawa gives Ollerus a side glace with a frown.

"He does seem to have plenty of friends, sure, but as far as I've looked into him, he's in danger of repeating his grade in high school, he gets little time for sleep and food due to all the situations he throws himself into, he's in the hospital more often than not, and even in his childhood there was a time where he was so persecuted for his lack of luck that he was nearly stabbed by a man that went bankrupt and blamed him for it all. He is somewhat intelligent and surrounded by friends but his luck is absolutely terrible. Honestly, I'd say that he's at least a decent example of what you had once described as a Minus, wouldn't you say?"

[...And that isn't just because of that hand? I heard it negates all kinds of supernatural stuff so wouldn't it do the same with luck too?]

"Maybe. But I'd say his luck was horrible to begin with when he was born with that power fixed to his right hand. Either way, you've got an entirely wrong idea of who Kamijou Touma is."

Kumagawa puts his eyes back on his bowl as he gets lost in his thoughts.

He had considered that maybe Ajimu had given the Main Character of this world some form of Hundred Gauntlets so that she could use him to stop Kumagawa when he went after her. But now that no longer seems to make sense. She never had All Fiction and he doubted anyone else could distort Hundred Gauntlets into anything resembling it. It would require someone with Kumagawa's exact personality to do. Plus, that spork girl had Hundred Gauntlets when they fought in that frozen city. So it would stand to reason that the Main Character and Ajimu have nothing to do with each other. Which would indeed mean that the guy was born with his shitty luck and power without any interference from that vice president. There shouldn't be anything more that could make Kumagawa have a problem with him.

Even so he frowns as he suddenly picks up his wooden bowl and, with a gusto that surprises Ollerus, slurps up all his chow mein in under a second, slapping wood onto wood as he stands.

"What's wrong with you?"

[A guy that was born with that much bad luck becoming a Main Character. I bet he believes himself to be the most unfortunate guy to live. I bet he whines and moans about his luck whenever and wherever possible. I can't accept that. I can't accept someone that actually thinks they're the most unfortunate when I exist. If I see him, I'll screw all the way through that illusion of his.]

With that, he leaves in the same determined manner that Thor had. Ollerus chuckles softly.

"I wonder if he knew about that phrase of Kamijou's? I suppose not but...well it's fine. It's high time he gets over that childish perspective of the world he sees. Though as things are, I can't imagine that it'll be done and over with in the first encounter but as long as it comes before Othinus makes her final move, it'll be fine. It has to be or else I don't know if Kamijou can do it alone if I fail."

Ollerus grips a bit onto his cup before pulling out the money to cover the meals and vanishes from sight a second later.

Though he had declared all that with such certainty, Kumagawa honestly had no idea of what he was doing. He wanders about the city like a homeless man in search of some aluminum cans to sell for chump change. Though in case it wasn't just like one.

With all that's happening however, he doesn't really have the luxury for going off on side quests. He owes Ollerus that much. In order to combat the parties involved, he needs to raise the value of Skill holders. This isn't referring to the Terminals that Ajimu had set loose upon this world but to natural born Abnormals and Minuses. Well, Enshuu's Skill may not have been given in a natural manner but there's no denying that all she had needed was that push. All the other prerequisites had been met.

He may not like the idea of Abnormals but they're needed to match Minuses. It's a matter of balance. Both sides need the other to complete the coin they exist on. Without good, there can be no evil and vice versa. Plus, she's sure to send those Terminals after him eventually. The insurance would be good. But the problem was how he was going to be able to do it.

He could just go around the city using Bookmaker liberally on the population but that wouldn't net much results. Out of the 2.3 million students, only 40% or so had esper powers. Meaning that the 60% that remained at level 0 were likely just mostly normal people incapable of receiving the attribute of Abnormal or Minus. It's not certain that they're all this way but it provides a decent picture.

If he did just go slamming screws in whoever, it's not certain that they'd gain powers from it. He wasn't even sure of the ones that already had esper powers gaining Skills. Hell, if what he saw from Misaki's memories was anything to go by then it may be possible that the one in charge of this place may have planned for Skill holders and made it so that none of the students here could get one.

But he's not someone who likes to think that far. In all honesty, he just thought it'd be too much of a pain to do and wanted to find an easier way to go about the whole thing. Or else he was just going to drop it.

He gives a sigh before a gasp for air as something hits him in the stomach. The force wasn't great but the unexpectedness of it shocked the air out of him. When he looks down, he sees that a blonde haired little girl with a bag of marshmallows had been the one to wind him.

"Oi! Fremea! I swear to all that is holy, I will pay the dentist at the Hero's Cave extra to make sure he lays out all kinds of torture tools for him to sharpen while you have to watch from the chair with your ass tied down! Drop those damn things!"

[Whoa. Zura-chan, you've become quite the lolicon in my absence. I'm so proud of you, my student!]

Kumagawa hugs tight onto Fremea's squirming little body as Hamazura rounds a corner.

"Kumagawa! What- never mind. Just get her away from those sugary things!"

"Nyahh Nyahh! In the first place, these are my reward for surviving that torture you tricked me into!"

"You aren't supposed to reward yourself! You got yourself in that mess anyway!"

[Now, now. This poor girl has just been through a traumatic experience, right?]

Fremea jumps a bit at being suddenly addressed.

"Y-yeah."

[Then of course she deserves a reward for all that hardship, right?]

Hamazura's turn to be slightly surprised.

"W-well...I was meaning to give her a little something for her troubles but that doesn't mean that she can just run off like that and give herself more cavities for her to get drilled out."

[Is that so? Hey, hey Fremea-chan.]

"Yes? In the first place, I don't even know your name."

Under his breath he remarks that such verbal ticks are a bit annoying but soldiers on.

[It's Kumagawa Misogi. You can just call me Misogi-chan, if you'd like! But if you let me sleep in your room from now on, I'll use my special ability to make it so that you'll never get cavities again. What do you say?]

"Nyahh! That's great, Misogi-chan! Now I can drink as much hot chocolate as I want! Nyahh!"

"No. No. No. No. If I could go for about 20 years of just saying no without eating or sleeping, I would just to press that on you. You were already kicked out for this exact kind of perversion."

"P-perversion!? In the first place, you're a pervert!?"

Kumagawa clicks his tongue as he grips tighter on her.

"Gahhh! He just clicked his tongue at me! In the first place, save me!"

Hamazura already knew exactly the kind of evil he was up against right now. This was someone that was strong enough to spit on the idea of the idea of being a level 5. This was someone weak enough to put that same level 5 in a sailor uniform, grope another's breasts, and otherwise sexually harass anyone regardless of how strong they were.

But even if Hamazura couldn't stand a chance, he had to make a stand against this monster here and now. Just as he had when he saved Takisubo. Just as he had when he saved Mugino. And just as he had when he saved Fremea the first time.

"Hey Kumagawa. Check out that cute girl over there."

[What!? Where!?]

With his attentions elsewhere, Hamazura drives a fist right for Kumagawa's face.

Kumagawa sits beside Hamazura with a cold can of coffee set on his cheek.

"...Sorry. I honestly thought you were going to dodge."

[Yeah. So did I. Fremea-chan's flailing about threw me off though.]

"I see."

Fremea was now playing with some friends on the park equipment while Takisubo went off to get food for everyone. The two simply sit there and watch Fremea play for a time. Kumagawa plays with his empty can by flicking his index finger against it to tune only he knew.

[Say, Zura-chan.]

"Hm?"

[Do you know someone named Kamijou Touma?]

Hamazura looks over at Kumagawa's melancholic expression and thinks for a minute before answering.

"Hmm. Yes? We know each other but why are you asking?"

[Just heard a bit about him. Wanted to know some more.]

"Oh," Hamazura replies slowly, "Well, we met when I had been acting as the temporary leader for Skill Out."

[Skill Out?]

"Enshuu hadn't told you? Guess that makes sense considering they've been more or less wiped out. It's a group of misfits that couldn't gain esper powers so they fight the ones that abuse their abilities. Or at least that's what most of the factions say. My group at least was definitely for that cause. At least, until our original leader, Komba Ritoku, got assassinated. Anyway, that guy stood up to me when I was going down the wrong path and gave me what I deserved so I could wake up. If he hadn't done that, well I don't know what I would've done."

[…What did he say at that time?]

There was no longer any trace of a smile. All there is is disgust. If Hamazura had been looking at Kumagawa's face then, he definitely would have chosen to forget what was said to him.

"Eh? What he said? Uh, think it was something like, 'I may be a level zero but at least I'm not a minus!' Wait. Was that it or-"

[I see. Yeah, that's exactly how I had imagined that guy to be.]

Hamazura winces at the pure hate he heard oozing out of Kumagawa's mouth as he crushes the can in his right hand, missing when he tries to shoot for a nearby trash can.

"Kumagawa?"

[Say, Zura-chan. Wasn't it because of that Parameter List thing that made those Skill Out guys get denied the chance for powers?]

His sudden change of topic nearly made Hamazura do a spit take.

"W-where did you hear that from? Actually, why are you asking me?"

[You know why it's you. As far as to where, Enshuu-chan told me.]

"Well, ok. But yeah, that's right."

He looks over at his companion, nervously.

[A group of misfits huh. That's perfect actually.]

He gets up to go but Hamazura stops him by grabbing onto his arm.

"Wait a minute! I'm not really liking the weird trail our conversation left. What are you going to do?"

[...It doesn't concern you.]

"Yes it does! How can you say it doesn't when it involves my friends?!"

[Ah, yeah. Don't worry I won't hurt your Skill Out friends. Oh, but I can't promise much when it comes to-]

"I'm talking about you too, idiot!"

Kumagawa flinches at his words but still yanks himself out of Hamazura's grip as he walks off. Hamazura yells but he doesn't listen. He's never been very good at that when he's got a good rage going. Especially when the perfect outlet for letting all that anger out has made himself so apparent.

The remnants of Skill Out gather in District 19, something of a failure when it came to development. It's a district marked by it's abandoned looking buildings, cracked roads, and people of an unsavory sort wandering about here and there. The Skill Out members were all from various factions each with their own spin on the original goal that Komba Ritoku had wished for but nearly all were of a violent sort.

They all murmur amongst themselves within the abandoned office lobby. Each of them had received a text from various people that they personally trust to come there. It was looking more and more like a trap set up by Anti-Skill but they weren't the sort to shy from a challenge given from authority. That and they were already caught in it, if that was indeed the case.

"When are these assholes going to show themselves? I was hoping to at least break some of their limbs before they can take me but it looks like they may not have expected so many to come."

"I don't know. We all got texts from people we trust the most right? They have power but I doubt they have that much. Would they even go so far if they had that ability?"

[Probably not. The powers that be don't really care that much about our sort.]

Everybody looks to the new member to their waiting party, Kumagawa, who sits on top of a table.

"Fuck are you?"

[Kumagawa Misogi. A fellow misfit that would like to kick at the heads of this vile snake. I have something of a proposal for you.]

A leader of one of the factions walks over.

"Yeah? Well we don't care. What we do care about is how you got that information."

[Well, I'm not sure of how many recognize the name, but Kihara Enshuu was the one who helped me set that up. She had looked all of you up on the database and ran a program to give out a text to each of you with words chosen based on what they usually send you in texts.]

It was mostly the leaders but several others within the crowd wince at the name. The one that had approached narrows his eyes in a sour expression.

"You say you want to kick some heads but the Kihara name is known for being real cozy with those bastards."

[And?]

"And I think we're going to have to say no to that offer."

He swings his right hand at Kumagawa. The instant before it strikes, a screw breaks out from the ground and pierces his chest.

"What the hell?!"

"I knew this was fucked!"

[Now, now. Calm down. This is all a part of the deal I'm offering.]

The screw disappears along with the white hair that had appeared. The boy blinks several times as he comes to terms with his mortality.

"What did you do to me?"

[Those elites have been cheating all of you of your rightful destinies. They knew that they wouldn't be able to get anything out of you when you got here so they abandoned you all for someone they knew to be a sure bet. They passed off what could have been to those elites. I want to give that back to you.]

"Fuck you!"

Despite what had happened, he swings again. However, this wasn't a show in the definition of insanity. The moment Kumagawa's next screw struck, it exploded into a fine black dust and Kumagawa began to cough up something black. The boy looks at the event before him. He, himself, was unharmed and his opponent had just been injured somehow.

[Guh. That's a pretty good one actually. Let's call it, 'Black Magic'.]

"W-what?"

[I have a special ability to grant other people abilities. That one was a freebie. Oh, I guess this one too.]

Another screw impales someone in the room. They've more or less gotten used to the irregularity but seeing someone gored by something so outlandish wears a bit at the nerves. After her hair returned to it's previous color, she gasps.

"What? Why is everything...so clear? It's like I can see every detail in HD or something."

[And there's our first Abnormal, I think. It's such a hard thing to tell sometimes. For that one, 'Clear Eyes.' No, that's stupid. How about, 'Fairy Vision'? Yeah that's a little better.]

Everyone had looked at him with anger and hate. Then fear. Now there's hope. Though, that isn't necessarily a good thing.

[Follow me and you will all gain the powers you wished for. You can give up fearing the ones above you because you'll have the means to bring them all down to our level. We'll teach those bastards about what misfortune really is.]

They all yell as though they've already won some huge battle. They have, after all, found a way to get back at those that sneered and laughed at them. The one that put such a fire in them smiles grimly to himself as he watches them. There was something that Kumagawa had left out of that speech.

By making everyone special, no one is.

Having found the previously missing Fremea, Hamazura and Takitsubo walk home with the little girl on his back. Or at least they had tried before Fremea had complained about food and had dragged them into a restaurant but that's done now.

He really did mean it when he said that Kumagawa was his friend. They may not have known each other for long but he could tell that he was a good guy. It may have been a particularly sentimental thing but he didn't want to see him fight Kamijou Touma. It wouldn't be good for either of them regardless of who won. He may have confidence in Touma's abilities but Kumagawa was in a bit different category of enemy. He sighs.

"Hamazura."

At some point his track suit wearing girlfriend appeared right in front of him.

"Ah! Takitsubo? What's wrong?"

"Your face is ugly. What's wrong?"

"What?! Wait. Wait. You meant to say that I had a weird look on my face right?"

He looks at her with all the vanity he had in him. She tilts her head and looks up at the sky before she answers.

"Yes."

"...Ignoring that odd pause, I'm just worried about my friends."

"You mean Kumagawa?"

"Yeah. We had something like a fight and I think he's about to do something bad. I don't know wh-"

A stirring from the small creature latched to his back interrupts his thoughts as she cries out while pointing at some people across the intersection from them.

"It's the kid!"

"What was that you child!? says Misaka as Misaka lets out a roar!"

"Found you," a human-like monster whispers to herself with all the desire of a man lost in a desert finding an oasis as she gazes over at the group of odd men and women.

"...Found you," mutters a monster-like human from a rooftop nearby as he looks at the woman with heavy disinterest.

[Found you,] a third party utters at his unsuspecting friends while being painfully aware of the modern recreation of the OK Corral that he had watched them wander into.

Kumagawa may have quite a bit of hate built up but given the situation, he can't ignore the danger that they'll face in just a few moments. He's not worried about it though. He's already brought a substantial answer for when some smartass tries asking, 'You and what army?'

Though, it's more likely that he would be the one to say it.

Sorry everyone. It's been a little bit, I know. Between work and some other stuff, well, to say the least it's been hectic. Updates will more than likely be as often as this one but hopefully I'll be able to put another one out sooner. We'll see. Anyhow, I figured that if Kumagawa was to have a science side expert then he may as well have a magic side one as well. Ollerus had met Kumagawa when he first entered the world in Hong Kong, during the last few days of WW3. Details on that to come later and stuff. Needed to build up a proper situation where Kumagawa would feasibly go after Touma by introducing the latter to the former as such a contradiction to what he's known that he'll have no choice but to hate him with a passion. Also to start building up the Skill holder army that'll be backing Kumagawa at later points in the story. The next segment will have a hopefully more competent Kakine fighting everyone. I really hate how they made someone with a power as strong as his get his ass kicked so hard. As far as Kamachi has shown, Kakine's Dark Matter doesn't really have limits to it other than the user. So hopefully I can make that portion more entertaining as Kumagawa, Accelerator, and friends fight off against him.