Greetings to all!
To Aru Fanfiction...the Final Frontier.
These are the voyages of the character ship: "Kamigino"
It's continuing mission: To provide an alternative option to the so-called 'Kamikoto' pairing...to seek out new scenarios and new character interactions...to boldly go where no pairing has gone before.—whwsms
*Sniffle* Beautiful...*Salutes*
Typically when one thinks of darkness, naturally, they attribute the negative qualities. By association everything 'bad' or 'evil' or 'unjust' is categorized as part of that spectrum. We fear the dark not for the void that it creates, we do not fear the void because of what may lurk within it. We fear the void, the darkness, not because we know what lies within. We fear those things, judge those things, because we lack an understanding of what lies beyond our sight.
Society likes to think that the darkness is evil, something to be feared, and despised.
The truth of the matter, however, is that we require its existence. Darkness, regardless of how cruel or frightening it may be, is a necessary quality of life. Rather it is because of darkness that we, as individuals, can come to relish in the light. Never mind the fact that the earth would be a scorched wasteland if not for the earth's well-paced rotation around the sun. Although, if humans as a species had developed in such an environment, those concepts could be easily inverted as well as their meanings. An example of this could be how a vampire finds comfort in the dark and casts the light as being evil. Another, less fictitious, example would be how a shut in enjoys the dark confines of their abode and is frightened by the very concept of stepping outside.
The point here is that, while easy to view negatively, not everything that comes from the darkness is evil, bad, or unjust.
Good things can come from any source at any time provided one puts forth the effort to seek it out.
That was Frenda's interpretation of the post written by some wannabe philosopher's blog. Whoever this person was, they weren't spouting anything phenomenal or informative since everyone already knew all of that already. Just because everyone knew it, however, did not imply that everyone lived or wanted to live by that sort of belief. Having said that, the girl did not even bother reading the rest of the person's post as she closed the app on her phone, rolling her eyes as she did so.
Somewhere, somebody had their feelings somewhat hurt by someone's lack of interest.
But that was not too important at the moment.
"Basically, I feel like we might be taking this to a new extreme. I know we're curious but...basically is this whole setup really necessary?"
Frenda was of course addressing to one of three members of the Stalking Trio. But those two girls were oddly absent which was unusual all things considered. That is unless one was able to take notice of the wireless earpiece that was hidden beneath the long locks of the blonde's hair. A soft blue light blinked in steady intervals as it picked up the signal from the mobile device in her hand. The quality of the device was nothing to scuff at either, even by Academy City standards, as a voice on the other end of the line responded with a clarity matching the quality of the device.
"We've traveled as a group twice already and that's made it super hard for us to sneak around. Going about with the three of us all together wasn't accomplishing much anyway. So, if we look at it that way, then this is one of those cases where less equals more overall. Besides, we look super conspicuous as a group so going the single player route is the best alternative we have at the moment."
"Mhm, yeah, basically I already came to the same conclusion when you first made the suggestion."
Frenda had to refrain from fiddling with the appliance as her eardrum of her right ear was being stimulated by vibrations caused by the earpiece. Supposedly the device had the double effect of blocking out background noise while also providing clear sound quality that worked both ways. Proof of its quality lay in the fact that the blonde could stand in a crowd and still hear and be heard clear as day. In the basic sense of the word, Frenda could hear Kinuhata as if she were right there next to her and vise versa. Functionality-speaking it was superb, but in the fashionable sense it was downright terrible.
On top of being an un-cute fashion accessory it was also uncomfortable to those who were unaccustomed to it.
"Then you should understand why it's necessary." Hence why Frenda twitched slightly when Saiai spoke up once again. "Mugino will be on super guard if we were to get spotted as a group. Getting caught even once will make any future attempts to eavesdrop on them difficult. This is all to minimize the risks of being discovered and by keeping us from standing out too much. "
"That's twice now you've told me something I don't already know Kinuhata."
"Then why did you bother to ask if this setup was super necessary?"
"Basically, where are you right now?"
"Takitsubo and I are at your seven o'clock so you don't need to worry. We'll be right behind you and act as your super second and third set of eyes." There was pause after this that lasted a total of four seconds before the girl finally resumed speaking. "You still didn't answer my question though. Was it supposed to be a super rhetorical question or did you forgot that the headset was on?"
"No no it wasn't, I was talking about something else." From there the blonde took a deep breath through her nostrils whilst moving the receiver closer to her lips. "Like how, basically, it's still my ass that's going into the single player campaign on the hardest difficulty!"
She could hear the sound of Kinuhata's anguish through both ears as she rose her voice near the end of her sentence. A quick glance behind her was all it took to find the Dark May Survivor standing up, roughly thirteen meters away from her current position, clutching at her ear. Again, the device was un-cute as all hell, but functionally speaking it was superb.
"That wasn't nice Frenda..."
Takitsubo, being the only one who didn't have an earpiece, (there were only two) stated the obvious the old fashioned way. She may not have been directly at the receiver but the blonde could still hear her quite well despite that.
Frenda, however, did not seem to be paying Takitsubo's words too much mind.
As indicated by the fist pump and as well as her snickering laughter.
The day was Wednesday, the weather still relatively comfortable as far as temperature was concerned. While there were clouds looming overhead threatening to develop into storm clouds, Tree Diagram had already predicted the forecast of the week and today was not the day for rain. That was reserved for tomorrow, which was fortunate since that would have made things mildly annoying for everyone. Nevertheless there was the occasional gust of wind that could potentially succeeded in uplifting a few skirts of those who were ill-prepared.
Outside of that the day was relatively fine minus the slight chill that was carried by the wind.
"Basically, it's looking like that Kamijou-guy is running late again."
"At this point that doesn't super surprise me."
Much like before, Frenda had found Mugino out in the open as she waited for the spiky haired boy's arrival. Unlike the last time she was standing with her back against a vending machine, a canned drink in one hand with her phone in the other. Also, unlike last time, she did not look all too displeased which implied that she must not have been waiting there for very long. What now stood as the biggest issue was the growing threat of being discovered by the Meltdowner.
Where exactly was this ideal place of cover?
Why, obviously, it was opposite side of the same vending machine.
"I gotta say though, you sure are gutsy with your choice of cover Frenda. Especially for someone who had loudly complained about it being her super ass being put on the line."
"Basically, I don't want to hear that from someone who's safely sitting fifteen meters away."
To be fair Frenda had done a remarkable job getting to this point, mostly thanks to a few factors which served as a benefit to the blonde girl's quest. For one there had been a large influx of students traversing around them due to being released from classes. This allowed her to move about with just a sliver more freedom, especially now that she was on her own. Secondly, the #4 had been busy with her phone at the time of her advancement to this spot, which tied into the final aspect which the blonde used to her full advantage. It was perhaps the most critical part to her success and it was that, generally speaking, Mugino did not pay anyone who was lesser than herself much mind.
This trait was part of who she was and it was the most dominant part of her personality. Shizuri never failed to talk down to those who were inferior to her, regardless of time or place. She was the type of girl who would consider it cute if a hundred Skill-Out member's attacked her before blowing them to pieces. As a Level 5 she had that right to be confident as well as the luxury to not be afraid of an otherwise imposing threat.
And Frenda had exploited that Level 5's superiority to her advantage.
She did not know if she should feel proud or sad about that.
Even so it was not the most reliable means of exploitation as it was possible that Frenda may have been an exception to that ruling. Any other time she would like to hope that she was whereas now, on the other hand, being omitted would not end with a favorable outcome. Reason being was that there was still the trifling issue of the contingency plan in the event that Mugino was to catch sight of her. Or, to be blunt, the lack of a contingency plan in the event that she was discovered. For if that were to happen then the only plan she had to respond with was both unoriginal and painfully boring.
And that option was to run away.
Utterly brilliant.
"Basically, are there any signs of that Kamijou-guy yet? I-I'm getting antsy sitting here waiting with Mugino less than a two feet away from me y'know."
"Nothing yet, stay calm, don't super panic, and stick it out."
"Basically, I demand a switch!"
Fortunately Frenda did not need to wait too much longer. Following her hissed outcry she took note of some movement coming from the gap between the buildings to her right. Upon noticing it she almost wrote it off as being a cat or even a few brazen delinquents lurking in the shadows. Closer inspection showed that she was half right, there certainly did appear to be someone who looked less than pleasant in the alley. He wasn't facing the street, and by default her, and yet his form gradually got closer and closer towards her and the rest of the populous.
Only a few seconds after noticing this oddity did she realize what was going on.
And shortly after both the delinquent and a familiar boy came barreling out of the alley. The back of the gruff looking teen collided with the rear side of the vending machine, causing it to tilt forward a bit. A grunt of pain followed suit before he was released from his attacker's hold. After that primitive actions of violence ensued for about a few moments; coming to an end as quickly as it began.
Details regarding those actions were largely discarded as, one must remember, this is a romcom and not an action oriented story that is being told.
"...basically, you saw that right? "
That question was answered before she even finished asking.
"Now that's how you make super entrance."
Frenda wasn't the only person who was surprised by this sudden development taking place out in the open. People who had watched this unfold had a mixture of reactions regarding this scenario. Some had taken out their phones to record events as they occurred. Others began dialing Anti-Skill and Judgment to alert them of the public disturbance. As for the spiky haired youth himself, he was too busy catching his breath to pay any of that too much mind. Oddly enough Kamijou was still holding his school bag up throughout most of that and he was still decked out in his school uniform.
Sweaty and a few bruises aside, he looked like he had just gotten out of class like everyone else. So the question that stood as the dominant though in the blonde girl's mind was pretty straight forward.
That question being:
What the hell is all this about!?
"Hi there Kamijou."
Ah, it changed to something else:
Why are you so unbothered by this Mugino!?
Due to the positioning of her person, Frenda was at least able to peak over just far enough to stay out of Mugino's sight. What she found was an out of breath teen standing over a now groaning and swollen mess of a boy who just got the crap kicked out of him. He wasn't unconscious but based on how beat up he was it looked like he wished he was. Not that Frenda was all too impressed since this was the same boy who flipped out over a knife last time she saw him. Hardly his fault since he did seem like an overall normal guy in every way minus the hair.
But all of that was beside the point. Mugino had greeted him and his response to that casual statement had yet to come. Probably because he was too busy catching his breath to properly respond. That was amended when Frenda saw an outstretched arm extend to him a canned beverage to which he wholeheartedly accepted. Some casual observer seemed to make a big deal out of the indirect kiss from him drinking after the girl who offered it to him.
Frenda promptly rolled her eyes at the sheer childishness of it all.
Steamy, grabby, body pinning kinda kissing on the other hand, now that was something to make a big deal out of.
"Gha! Thanks Shizuri, you just saved me big time." Refreshed and reenergized, Kamijou's attention fell onto the girl in question with an expression best described as being sheepish. "Sorry for running a little late, I ah...had to take care of something first."
Go on, explain, explain this right now you enigmatic drittsekk!
The last one did not count because it was not a question. All the same it was worth addressing in spite of it being screamed mentally and not verbally.
Lastly, she called him an asshole for those wondering.
"I can see that, but don't worry you spiky head about it." Don't carry on with the conversation so casually! At the very least be a little upset about being forced to wait! "For right now, let's get going before things get annoying. The last thing I feel like doing is having Judgment or Anti-Skill wasting our time."
"I want to agree with you, but I can't. The reason this happened in the first place is because he stole someone's pocket book. So the least I could do is—"
"Kaaamiiijooou."
To most observers, the action of dragging out pronunciations might not have meant too much and easily dismissible. But to Frenda, as well as Kamijou, this action served as a clear indication that Mugino was not pleased. Evidently she was not too keen on the idea of waiting around and Kamijou's reluctance to move was impeding on her 'date time' with him. Hence why, upon hearing the telltale signs of aggression, the spiky haired youth's frame tensed up.
From there sweat of the panic verity began to be produced from his pores as the Meltdowner's gaze found itself stuck to his tense form.
Sympathy would have been provided by the blonde if she too was not in a state of heightened alert herself. As someone who regularly was exposed to that sort of behavior as well, she could relate to what Kamijou was feeling. Hence the reason why she too had tensed up and her body started producing the same panic sweat. She was not even in the target of this treatment and yet her body still responded like this.
So yes, she could relate to what the boy was feeling right now; sadly not everyone else shared this level of understanding.
Case in point being the males observing from the sidelines who were all too quick in labeling him as being p-whipped.
Although there was some truth to that.
"...y-yeah, okay, I'll just um." Scared out of his wits (like her), Kamijou shot his gaze around briefly before settling on the worst possible person of all; her. "S-sorry, but can you make sure Anti-Skill gets this when they come by? I'd do it myself but...well."
Not. One. Word.
She could not say a single word, only nod, as the boy reached down, picked up the stolen property, and passed it over to her. His apologetic expression was all he could provide in response before stepping over to join his Level 5 Lover who was already a few paces ahead of him. All that remained was Frenda, holding a wore denim pocketbook, as the observes all gradually dispersed with the commotion now settled.
"...are you super okay over there Frenda?"
For the first time since putting on that un-cute earpiece Frenda was almost glad to hear Kinuhata's voice.
Almost.
However there was a bit of a disconnect since Frenda was still recovering from a mild case of shock. With everything that happened all at once the poor girl's brain had nearly short-circuited as she tried to process it all. In the moments it took for her mental systems to reboot due to overheating, the girl could only respond with the first thing that came to her mind.
"...basically, he has kind eyes..."
Saiai, unsure how to respond to the off-the-wall comment, wisely chose to remain silent.
"Remember how I said I'd tell you if you do something I don't like?"
Fortune had smiled on the Single Player Stalker after she had agreed to carry out the task presented to her. Apparently Judgment had a much better response time than Frenda had initially believed. What she thought would take another ten minutes took less than four as a girl with twin-tails abruptly appeared on the scene. A light explanation and confirmation of the perpetrator's theft of personal property did the trick and thus allowed the blonde to go about her business.
Some time had been lost in providing a brief exposition, but the girl was able to catch back up with the couple in no time.
With Kinuhata and Takitsubo keeping tabs on their location, the possibility of losing the two was naught. Which brings us to where things currently stand as the two traversed with Frenda not too far behind. Evidently she had caught up at the best possible time too. Made more evident by the fact that she had arrived at a critical point in the couple's conversation.
"Ah...I see where this is going."
Conversation, however, didn't sound like the proper term to be using here. Rather it was sounding more like an argument or maybe even a simple scolding.
Hard to tell given she showed up late for the buildup leading to this point of their spat.
"Well that white knight hero mentality of yours, that's one of those things." Another apparent fact was Mugino had elected to ignore her lover's wry comment. Opting instead to click her tongue whilst stepping up her pace a bit. "I'd understand if it was something related to you or people personally associated with you. But for other people you've never met or will ever meet again, really? Is your fucking CHS that bad Kamijou, huh!?"
Someone's a troper.
Chronic Hero Syndrome for those who missed that.
Also, please refrain from using acronyms people might not understand Mugino-san.
"Are you saying it's a bad thing for me to want to help people?" Refuted the boy, now clearly invested into the discussion and thus transforming it from a scolding into an argument. "I don't see anything wrong with doing what any other would do in my position. So what if they're strangers, who cares if I do or don't know them or ever meet them again? Those things don't matter, in fact they should never matter to begin with! What does matter is that someone needs help and if I can then I will; simple as that!"
They were openly yelling out in the street at this point. Nobody said anything, an argument between a couple was not something most people were brazen enough to interject. It was one of those things that people see and hear, but wisely keep a distance from. The less involved they were the less likely they were to catch the ire of those involved in the heated engagement. A lot like how people pretend not to see a middle school girl getting harassed by rough looking older men.
Not like this was a better sight to behold out in public, especially when one takes into account the possibility that both are espers.
If such a thing turned out to be the case then things can get very dicey in a matter of moments.
"Don't give me that shit! If you're really doing what anyone else would do, then let someone else deal with it! That's what law enforcement is paid to do, it's their fucking job, not yours!"
"We both know Judgment and Anti-Skill can't be everywhere for everything! And I'm not leaving something like that up to chance in the event that someone really does need to be saved!"
"Saved!? Sounds to me like your banking on the idea that a purse snatching turns into a god damned back alley shoot out!"
"That's happened before, just not with guns; it was an esper being a dick to Level 0's."
The last part there was spoken a bit lower for one reason or another. Mugino, having heard him, only stared at him in mild disbelief, though it was largely overshadowed by her frustration regarding this particular topic. What took Frenda off guard was how Mugino didn't immediately call that claim into question. Like she wholeheartedly believed him despite how ludicrous it sounded from her perspective.
Believable, maybe, but the coincidence of it being him who stumbled upon that sort of encounter were too absurdly low to be possible. Unless, of course, he was actively looking for it in the first place. Despite the absurdity of it all, Kamijou's words served to somehow lower the Meltdowner's temperament by a slight margin.
That, however, did not imply that the #4 had conceded to the point he had made.
"So what? You're saying its perfectly fine for you to go charging after every single purse snatcher? Are you telling me you'll answer every fucking cry of help you hear?"
"As long as I can do something, then yes."
"Even if your with me!?" Rebuked Mugino, whom Frenda noted looked far more agitated by this than normal. "You gonna ditch me to go play hero for someone else!?"
Yet another instance of a lacking perspective on the situation in play. None of the Stalking Trio had really done any in-depth research into the Kamijou boy since discovering his name. Frankly it was just a matter of not wanting to do all the extra leg-work for someone so average. Hoops needed to be jumped and some favors needed to be called in to acquire someone's personal information. Depending on how detailed it was those hurdles can get pretty steep and even then you probably would end up with more questions than answers anyway.
No part of that had to do with the group's own laziness regarding the issue; nope, not at all.
Although there was bound to be a shift in resolve after today. Mugino's consistent use of the term 'hero' and the lack of denial from Kamijou was doing a good job at instigating her to do a background check.
"Oi, Frenda, what's going on!? What are they super arguing about!? Talk to us here!"
Back at the situation at hand though, Kamijou and Mugino were seemingly in a deadlock as both had long since stopped walking. The latter's latest inquiry, however, seemed to have put the former in a tough place because he had yet to formulate a retort to it. Difficult as it was for her to follow, Frenda still strained her ears so as not to miss a single word. This explained why she did not respond to the Dark May Survivor on the other end of the earpiece. Nevertheless, Kinuhata's barrage of questions was starting to get annoying to the point that she contemplated turning off the un-cute device.
"Well, what are you waiting for, answer me Kamijou!"
"Why!? You already know the answer to that question! Why do you want me to say something that's obvious from the start!? I'll say it, regardless of if you like it or not I'll still flat out tell you the truth if you ask for it! My answer is yes, I would, I would gladly put aside my own fortune for any person who cries out to me for help!"
Challenging it was to determine the full impact this declaration had on the Meltdowner's mind. Always aloof, always appearing calm except for in her most private of moments. That was who Mugino Shizuri was supposed to act as someone immersed in the Darkness of Academy City. She was supposed to remain composed, in control, unless provoked to a degree that triggered her more malicious emotions to surface.
Rare was it for that facade to crumble into dust before her eyes. Rarer did the emotions that surface differ from murderous glee or unyielding rage.
However these 'observations' had been nothing but a series of firsts and the exposing of rarities.
This time was no different.
This time she saw what looked to be indisputable hurt surface on the beautiful features of that young woman. Not to the degree that threatened to bring about tears. Just...hurt, pain, and all around displeasure upon hearing such a straightforward response. One must note, however, that the term 'briefly' was used for a reason. Not because she concealed or replaced it behind another facade.
No it was because Kamijou, despite the harsh truth he delivered, was not done speaking.
"I'm not about to say I won't do something when both of us know is a lie. What's more, I won't say doing that comes easy to me either! Believe me, the last thing I want to do is make you feel as though you've been abandoned. But if that happens, if I have to leave you behind, then I'll gladly prostrate myself on the spot and apologize. Doesn't matter if I have to do it one time or a thousand times, in public or in private, I'll do it whenever and wherever."
The area had been heavily thinned out due to the high tension that was built between these two.
Good thing too, surely the term 'p-whipped' would have resurfaced again in the minds of this listening in.
"I'm not the forgiving type Kamijou."
Shizuri was not lying, she truly was not, and never had been for as long as ITEM had known her.
Nevertheless Kamijou did not stall in the slightest with his response.
"Then I'll do whatever I need to and more to earn that forgiveness. It could take weeks, months, even years but, until you tell me otherwise, I'll keep trying. And if you never do...then maybe I don't deserve to be forgiven and I'll take that as yet another lesson in humility."
A pretty bold statement and by no means did it appear to be lacking in terms of conviction. And for the second time Frenda felt her heart flutter a tiny bit as a result of hearing him speak in such a manner. Why he was so adamant about this subject Frenda did not know. Regardless, the flames of ire that had been burning within the heart of the #4 gradually began to quell. Although she was still maintaining the image of anger, it was utterly ruined by the biting of her bottom lip.
Shizuri almost looked like she was pouting after Kamijou had used some unfair trick to beat her. Like some secret cheat code to unlock the good ending at the starting screen without having completed the story campaign. In the end, however, she gave up on trying to maintain that image and settled for mild frustration rather than the blazing fury that it once was.
"Tch, I swear, dealing with you can be such a headache sometimes." Admitted the girl, letting loose a relenting sigh as her hand combed through her soft-tea hair. "One of these days that white knight bullshit is gonna get you killed or worse. Honestly, though, where the hell do you come up with the shit you say anyway?"
"Life experience?"
"Shut up!"
Guess Kamijou failed to realize that last question of hers was meant to be a rhetorical one. Still, for better or worse, he closed what gap there was between them before tentatively extending his hand out to her. Noticing the gesture the girl's gaze first went to the offered appendage, then up to the boy's face; showcasing the dirty look she had and was giving both. At which point the spiky haired youth could only laugh awkwardly whilst retracting the limb. He didn't get far before Shizuri took it, though her heated gaze remained as she maintained eye contact.
"I'm still mad as fuck at you."
"I know."
"I'm not the forgiving type; be sure keep that in mind."
"I'll remember."
"Good, cause you are going to be flat broke by the end of the day."
"...my bank card is an innocent bystander, show mercy."
"No mercy, no compromise, no forgiveness. Consider it a compensation fee for being late."
"...such misfortune."
And just like that, with no lasers and no hurt feelings (minus Kamijou's) the two set off. Despite the aura of 'bad mood' stagnating around the two, they did not release their hold on one another. Granted it wasn't the usual posture Frenda was accustomed to seeing from those two. In a way that was a plus since it meant that they had resolved the matter without any further issue. Normally that would be something worth celebrating. Sadly it wasn't, not to Frenda anyway, who had only just finished processing the outcome of this little squabble.
How was that possible?
How was that fair?
How did this odd declaration of his warrant such a reaction from the Meltdowner of all people!? Bullshit, Frenda mused, it was complete and utter bullshit! This whole 'deredere' nonsense was just too out of character for someone as cruel and twisted as Mugino. Surely she must have been thinking along the same lies as well, right!? Somewhere at sometime that thought must have occurred to her, it had to have come to mind at some point. True as it was that there was someone out there for everyone, this sort of reaction was just too uncharacteristic even for someone that was in love.
"Huh!? Wait, don't leave yet, you two were so clooooose!"
Blinking, Frenda quickly came to the realization that she was not alone and thus turned to find the source. What she found was someone to her left peeking out from behind the cover that was unknowingly being shared. It was a girl, red hair tied up in a ponytail, sporting a cap and dressed like a track runner. Awkward as that in itself was it seemed the girl felt her deadpan stare and met it head on as if she were a deer under a spotlight. That analogy, though accurate, was short lived as the red-head gave her a guilty smile and even waved to her like they were acquainted.
Frenda never met this girl in her life.
"Khehehe."
"Go away you stalker."
You're one to talk Single Player Stalker!
Having ditched the (other) stalker, Frenda resumed her observation (stalking) of the traversing couple. At least, that is what she should have been doing during this particular moment in time. In some respects she had maintained a safe distance from the two and was indeed tailing them. But it was clear to even the casual observer that her heart was not as into it as it should be. She was attentive enough to note that the couple were still traversing hand-in-hand. Yet the amount of distance between them and her was too vast to effectively eavesdrop on any sort of conversation.
Easy as it was to amend this, the girl did not.
Even a stalker, it seems, needs a break every now and then.
"I don't get this." And Frenda had more than a few thoughts that she wanted to get off her chest. "Basically, there's too much we still don't know about those two."
"Aren't you supposed to be super saying 'that guy' rather than 'those two' here?" Inquired Saiai, to whom Frenda was certain was sporting an expression of skepticism. "Wasn't that Kamijou guy the person we knew next to nothing about in the first place?"
No part of this relationship made sense. None of the things she had witnessed should have held any sway over that Mugino.
It shouldn't.
It couldn't.
It didn't.
Yet, inexplicably, it did so long as it was coming from Kamijou.
Such reasoning in itself should have been sufficient enough to put their focus squarely on him. He alone should have been the subject of their attention as he had been since the beginning.
Now, however, Frenda was beginning to think otherwise.
"Basically, I'm not sure who's the bigger stranger to me at this point." Her little confession was met with silence, which the blonde interpreted as a sign that an explanation was needed. "You've seen how differently Mugino has been acting when she's around him. You know that a lot of her behavior patterns don't match her personality. While some parts are still the same most other's aren't. It basically doesn't add up; two plus three does not equal six."
Basically, what was really eating away at the poor girl, was the unknown. Specifically, she didn't know if this Mugino was the her real, true, self that was hidden and locked away in the recesses of her heart. Was this Mugino who she really was inside when the job is done and the blood was washed away? Or was this all a beautiful lie, a fake life, a layer of false smiles and false happiness she weaved for the sake of maintaining her sanity? Frenda liked to believe, wanted to believe, that what she kept witnessing was her true self; the side herself that she never showed.
But the ambiguous nature of her secret love life served to keep her from reaching a definitive answer.
It was like how a side character's back story in a novel remained unknown despite being around since the beginning. Said side character could come out of nowhere and do various things, yet the 'hows' 'whens' ect. would still remain a mystery.
The mystery beyond the mystery; the failure of knowing which was true and which was not.
That was what was troubling her so much.
"In simple addition it super doesn't, but it does if you use multiplication."
Logically there was a legitimate explanation behind it all; the reason was there somewhere.
"Not what we're talking about smart a—ah...actually that's a good segway. Basically you made my point, if we focus all our attention on one side of things, we run the risk of ignoring everything else. That's why I'm saying we shouldn't discount the possibility that we may not know enough about both of them."
Lack of focus was not the withstanding issue, rather it was a lack of perspective; a lack of context.
"Sooo...your saying we've been putting all of our focus in the super wrong place?"
Therefore, if what they lacked was context, then the only sensible option for them to take was to broaden their perspective.
"Exactly, we've been so hung up on that Kamijou guy that we neglected to look at anything else."
Odd how perky Frenda seemed to become the more they discussed this.
A possible reasoning for this may have been due to find some sick enjoyment from this whole ordeal.
Stalkers are a creepy breed of folk indeed.
"Okay, I'm starting to follow your train of thought." Apparently Frenda's enthusiasm was starting to spread. Bird's of a feather everyone; birds of a feather. "What you're saying is that, instead of just that Kamijou guy, we need to start looking at the picture as a whole. Meaning that, if we want to make sense of all of these odd behavior patterns, then we need to focus on Mugino as well. For that we need details, super specific details, like how they met and things of that nature. Does that sound about right?"
"Yup, basically, that's what I'm saying. And now that we're both on the same page, the subject of how they met would be the best place to start."
Yet, despite coming to this conclusion, there was still one question that needed to be asked. How do they go about finding those details in a discreet manner without Mugino finding out. Better yet, how would they go about doing that without having to directly ask the Meltdowner or her lover personally? Factors such as 'who was involved' or 'how did it happen' were things to also be taken into consideration. Although they could stick it out and hope that the two decided to discuss the matter during a trip down memory lane. Unconventional as that was it would stand to be the most reliable source of information.
There was also the other factor one had to take into account here.
And that was how they had come to hear Kamijou address their tyrannical leader.
Shizuri, not Mugino, Shizuri was the manner in which the boy used when he chose to address her. There were no honorifics, no cute pet names, none of that was present at all. Although she may occasionally refer to those of ITEM on a given-name basis the same treatment was not something that was shared. They called her Mugino, always had and even after today they would still continue to call that. Some would like to believe themselves to be the Level 5's friends or at least something more than just business partners. Was such a thing possible? Could that Mugino Shizuri see the girls of ITEM as anything more than just coworkers?
A few of them liked to believe so while others couldn't care less about the matter. Regardless of which side one stood on, with the amount of time shared between them, it became clear that Mugino was not concerned for friendship or companionship in general. Such was what she had led them to believe anyway. That had long since been disproven and Kamijou's casual approach to saying her given name was a testament to their deep bond. In spite of the fact that, as far as they collectively knew, he hadn't spent nearly as much time with her as they have. Which meant that something big had to have happened between them.
Something so big that it had a phenomenally strong impact on Mugino at the time.
Conversely it could be a case of the two having good chemistry and just 'clicked' in the most fundamental of ways.
Pfft.
In all seriousness though, all variables needed to be put into consideration; even the unlikely ones. For in the grand hypothetical spectrum of all things deredere, no theory was to be dismissed. All the same nothing was to be taken as being absolutely true until it is proven or otherwise.
"Basically, before I forget, what's Takitsubo doing?"
Oddball question to throw out there, sure, but she could not help herself from being curious. Considering she had not heard much from the girl she assumed that she was dosing off like usual. Not surprising since there were only two of these un-cute earpieces, leaving one member of the Stalking Trio out of the loop.
"Huh? Oh right, you can't hear her right now, hold on a sec." A few minor adjustments later and Frenda was exposed to a series of unfamiliar sounds from the other end of the line. "She's been super busy popping bubble wrap for the past half hour. She's also being super stingy with it too, won't give me a sheet."
Pop! Pop! Popopop Pop!
Boaster.
Dirty, stingy, bubble-wrap hoarding boaster.
"...basically I can't get a read on her."
"Me either but she looks like she's super enjoying herself. Figured it was better to just leave her alone...after she lets me have a turn."
Pop! Pop! Popopop Pop!
What?
Who doesn't like popping bubble wrap?
Spiritually refreshed, Frenda's resolve to recommence her stal—observations of the couple was restored. With that being said, she once again moved herself accordingly to follow their line of conversation without being too close to warrant much suspicion. However, after reestablishing her former positioning and maintaining said distance, she found nothing. No words, no comments, just a stained silence that was eating away the atmosphere surrounding them as they walked. So great was it that she could practically see the trail produced by the cloud of displeasure hovering above them.
That or Frenda took note of the looks of discomfort coming from people passing them by.
Mugino must not have had the most pleasing expression right now.
"...I have no place to ask this, but where are we going Shizuri?"
"Shopping."
A brusque answer; yup she's still mad.
At least that answered the question Frenda was asking herself around this time. Partially answer anyway, the vagueness of her respond did not indicate any specific location but the meaning was still clear as day. Coupled with the knowledge that she was going to ruin his bank account and you have a pretty clear understanding of Mugino's intentions. No place was off limits, food, clothes, accessories, any one of those things would suffice. It was all about finding a good place with a large verity of those things and more. After using those parameters it became pretty obvious to blonde where the set destination was going to be.
District 7's Underground Shopping Center.
That labyrinth of a place would surely run the boy dry on funds in no time. No amount of optimism would save him (his wallet) from the grim fate that awaited him. Especially with Mugino leading the charge, who's tastes were so demanding that nothing but the best would satisfy her. That was the sort of girlfriend the spiky haired boy had attained somehow. Speaking of which, Kamijou appeared to have come to the same conclusion that Frenda did in terms of their destination. As such he awkwardly tried to fish out his wallet to check on the amount of money that he had on hand. It was awkward because he was using his left hand instead of his right to get to it.
Shizuri had still not let go of the appendage.
It proved to be a far greater hassle when one takes into account that his school bag was still on his person.
Thus the inevitable occurred as he dropped the aforementioned school bag. Not only that but he also dropped his wallet, which he had almost managed to retrieve moments before. In his haste to retrieve them his body jerked around, causing him and Mugino's arms to grow taut like a leash on a dog. The abruptness of the action almost caused both parties to stumble out of sheer surprise. Instinct, mainly Mugino's, was what stopped this from happening. That instinct was to let go of the appendage that was causing this resistance. Unfortunately that meant it was time for centrifugal force to take over as he lost balance.
And fell face first into the exposed valley of a sports bra-clad chest.
"..."
Frenda had too little to say about this.
"..."
Mugino had too much to say about this.
"...such misfortune."
Kamijou had one thing to say about this.
"Hehe, stop it, that tickles."
And the chest did not seem to give a damn about this.
Said owner of the chest handled the matter pretty calmly all things considered. Gripping him by the shoulder and giving a light push was all it took to remove him from her personal bubble. Yet the dark haired girl showed no signs of animosity in spite of the freakishly awesome accident. She just zipped up her sweater, adjusted her cast, and crouched down to pick up some of the items he had dropped. It went without saying that Kamijou was red in the face from the encounter, but was nevertheless responsive enough to do the same as some of the contents of his bag fell out.
"S-sorry about that, I ah—"
"It's fine, it's fine, don't sweat it Hun."
For some reason that wasn't explained, Kamijou skin rapidly went from flushed to pale.
"Not my usual way of making a beautiful memory, but I can settle with this." This unnamed girl, still in a crouch, looked up to face him with a smile that Frenda was quite familiar with. "Thanks for providing me that, Hun."
The exchange only lasted by a few moments, no less than fifteen seconds. Then it was over, the girl passed along the items into the pale boy's twitchy hands, stood up, and continued on her way. Normal as this exchange was (mostly), Frenda knew better than to think that the woman was anything but ordinary. Admittedly not a huge threat to someone like her or Mugino, but to a normal person she was something definitely someone to be afraid of.
She was like them, yet another part of the dark underbelly of this city.
And somehow that spiky haired teen knew this.
Why else would he be so pale if he didn't?
"Hun, huh?" Oh, right, that could be a reason. "You're 'misfortune' as you call it, that's another thing that I don't like. I also don't like the fact you basically motor boated some cunt and got complimented for it."
"...oh please don't kill me Shizuri."
He still did not have the courage to face her.
Or stand up for that matter.
Frenda almost wished she was in his shoes...only so she could avoid seeing her.
"Oh no-no-no-no, killing you won't do at all." Strangely that assurance was not so assuring. "In fact, it's occurred to me that I know of a muuuch better place to do some shopping."
Kamijou's already pale face turned white; completely white.
He knew where she was going with this.
And he did not like it.
"...oh please kill me, Shizuri."
"Toooumaaaaa~"
A chill ran down the Single Player Stalker as the Meltdowner's tone took on a sing-song tone. She wasn't alone either for Kamijou had also tensed up a bit at the sound of the #4's voice. It was a song suitable for mistress death herself, a hauntingly lulling tune that could turn grown men into sniveling, trembling masses of former masculine flesh. Touma's body stiffened as a flawless hand secured itself tightly on his shoulder from behind him. He knew he was screwed, knew it in his bones, knew it in his DNA. Yet, like a rusty cog in an outdated machine, his head cranked around slowly to peer up at the owner of that hand.
And there she was, Mugino Shizuri, armed with a smile that did not reach her cold dark eyes.
Imagination was a terrifying thing especially for those who were cursed with misfortune like he was. For he had to bear witness to the massive dark apparition in the shape of a hyena masked demon behind her. Despite how illogical and unscientific that sounded it was what his mind had conjured as he took sight of this woman that stood as the #4 Level 5.
"Get up, the tram station's not gonna come to us now will it?"
God is dead in the City of Science.
So who does one pray to when they seek salvation?
Incidentally, throughout the course of this conversation, Frenda was busy cowering behind her respected cover. An angry Mugino was a terrifying thing and distance did not matter. Certainly this would not have had a significant impact on her since she was not the target of her aggression. One must remember, however, that Frenda had already gotten her first strike for trying to snoop into the Meltdowner's private business. Case in point, this scenario would most certainly play out should the girl ever know that she was here.
A terrifying thought.
"Jeg så djevelen."
...she reverted back to speaking her native tongue.
That only happened when she was scared out of her wits or when she was extremely satisfied with herself.
Take a guess at which of those reasons fits this scene.
"...what does that mean...?"
Frenda answered that question immediately.
"Basically, it means fuck you we're switching."
Welcome to the bottom!
Before I go any further: f99 I'm hoping by the time of this update that you have power again. Stay safe, I hope things are turning out okay for you, and don't scare your parents like that. XD
Okay, so, I had my own set of mixed feelings here. I wanted to kinda demonstrate the fact that the Kamigino ship isn't perfect. They argue and vocalize their disagreements like a real couple would. Sadly it feels...forced in some parts to me and not sure if I'm being too critical with myself or if its a legitimate concern. Either way, feel free to let me know if it felt that way to you guys so I can learn from this.
Also, yes, my OC's from ACWOD showed up in here. Don't worry, its just a cameo, and canon characters will be making appearances later on. Next chapter actually and I'm hoping to surprise you with who I have in mind.
On a minor note, I don't speak Norwegian and I only trust Google Translate as far as I can throw it. So if that translation is wrong then I apologize and I blame Google. Seriously though, if its wrong, correct me; I like having accurate translations; OCD is a bitch.
Oh, on an unrelated note: Stop. Asking. For. Lemons. We're three chapters in, only three, and if that's all your here for then you're gonna have to wait.
Please and thank you.
Lastly, if you haven't guessed by now, this is part one of two and Saiai's coming up next. This flip-flop method was something I decided on a whim and so far I kinda like it. But I like having a web-response to my whimsical nature so feel free to let me know if you guys approve of this or not. I still get the final say but I do want to appease you guys the best I can when I can.
As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.
Goodbye for now.