Greetings to all!
Fun Fact: Did you know that Ami Koshimizu, the voice actress of Mugino Shizuri, was the same VA for Holo from Spice and Wolf?
I can't get the mental picture of Mugino with those ears and that tail out of my head. So, to those of you who have a vivid imagination like me, you are welcome.
Now can someone please make this happen?
There's a saying somewhere that, in life, there is no such thing as coincidence.
Wait...this opening has already been used.
Oh well, it is worth repeating given the circumstances.
We would all like to believe that something, such as fate or destiny, has placed us on the path we are on for a real reason. Our existence, our individual lives, must have some great meaning to it. We, as individuals, would much rather believe that there is a scheme, a bigger reason, or a role in our lives that we are meant to accomplish. Sure, we may never know what exactly that reason is. We could spend our whole lives searching for that answer and all-the-same turn up empty handed at the end. But maybe, just maybe, we have a greater purpose in life than we ourselves can realize.
Such a belief is enough to get some people out of bed every day.
Holding on to faith and hoping that, one day, they find an answer to that ever elusive question.
So what did Misaka Mikoto believe?
What was her answer, her reason?
Truthfully that question was fairly difficult for the Ace of Tokiwadai to answer. She could go through the routine motions of day-to-day life without too much care. The goal of reaching the status of Level 5 had since been achieved. Beyond that, there hardly stood any short-term goals or motivations. For all intents and purposes, she had attained her goal and everything that followed it served as a means to maintain it. She hardly had a reason to dwell on matters regarding her place in the world. She hardly cared enough to wonder if there was a greater meaning to it all either.
Simply put, she lived her life one day at a time.
For her that was enough.
It was something worth asking considering everything that had happened today. The Level Upper incidents caused by Kiyama Harumi had been a matter she personally criticized. Initially the Electromaster found the practice behind the whole ordeal to be distasteful and a cheap means to an end. It was a spit in the face of every person who had worked hard to achieve their rank legitimately. Misaka herself had started out as a Level 1 and had eventually risen to be one of the seven Level 5's in the city. She did not have to, in essence, cheat her way to achieve it either. She truly worked for it and she was thus rewarded accordingly for her efforts.
So, in her mind, if she could achieve such a status then, theoretically, anyone could do it too.
But it's easy to talk about success after you have already achieved it. It's also easy to tell a stranger they just are not working hard enough towards their goal. What is not easy is identifying with someone who was, in fact, powerless. Especially when one considered how long Misaka has been a Level 5 in addition to not starting out as a Level 0. She always had power, no matter how weak it was. She still had something to work off of.
Her friend, Saten Ruiko, did not have that foundation.
Which is what made her collapse from succumbing to that temptation such a harsh pill to swallow.
Even now, with everything seemingly returning back to normal, Misaka still blamed herself for it. Blamed herself for carelessly dismissing the feelings of those lesser than herself. The feelings of those who were trying just as hard as she had, yet saw no signs of change or improvement. Their aspirations, their hopes, all of that and more were expressed through the network designed by Kiyama Harumi. That massive cognitive network which eventually gave birth to the AIM Burst. Through that creature, that monstrosity, the Railgun came to understand the woes of those who had lost hope.
Her insensitivity for their struggles justified the resentment she and other high level Esper's often received.
For that reason, Misaka had opted to keep her visit with Saten short. Not from guilt per se, but rather for the sake of clearing her own head. To reevaluate her line of thinking and the beliefs she had held on to up until this point. Although, in all honesty, there was still some lingering guilt that remained. And so, despite being bruised and fatigued, Misaka took to roaming about District 7 as her mind wondered. No set destination in mind and no place she had any real desire to visit. She just aimlessly walked around while successfully ignoring the minor aches and pains from her previous escapades.
Eventually she found herself in a familiar environment; specially in front of magazine rack in a convenient store.
"Looks like the manga section here hasn't been updated yet." Her tone spoke volumes of her fatigue. That or it was disinterest in this particular pastime of hers; it was hard to say which it was. "Strange, they're usually pretty good about that...or maybe they're sold out."
With a weary sigh, Misaka's gaze shifted up towards the window to view the flow of human traffic outdoors. Despite the danger presented from the AIM Burst, everyone was carrying on as if nothing had happened. Shoot, it had not even been that long since then and yet things were proceeding as they normally did. Then again it was possible that the incident may have been contained well enough by Anti-Skill and Judgment to prevent mass panic. It made sense for the masses to remain ignorant of an incident of such nature. Keeping public order was necessary, less the students begin to act irrationally out of fear or panic.
Logically it made sense, but it was still bizarre.
Dismissing the feeling, Misaka turned away from the window as she prepared to take her leave. However, in the moment she went to turn away, something caught her attention through the glass window; or rather someone. Someone she had not seen in almost a week and an individual she was not happy to see again.
"...it's that hag again."
This supposed 'hag' being referred to here was, of course, Mugino Shizuri.
Despite it being only in passing, that was enough to make Misaka display visible displeasure. Given how unpleasant their last meeting was, it was reasonable to say that some lingering animosity remained. Hence why, upon vacating the store, her eyes remained fixed on the other girl's back. Pedestrian traffic was light at the moment so it would only take a fleeting glance back for the older woman to spot her. Yet it seemed that the fellow Level 5 had not seen her in the store. In fact she appeared to be in quite a hurry given her brisk pace.
Typically speaking, this would be the point where Misaka Mikoto would have simply carried on with her day. Normally, she would have shrugged this off without issue. However, two things prevented her from considering acting in the typical or normal fashion. First was the absence of the mutual acquaintance to whom the older woman was apparently dating. The second was something a bit more obscure than the first. given the source it came from. That blonde haired girl, Frenda if she recalled correctly, had little credibility to her, but she had been apparently shadowing the couple on a number of their dates.
That served as the only reason she did not immediately disregard what was said.
Based on what she was told, Mugino had been meeting the boy in secret for almost five months now. The fact that the blonde only recently came to find out about her relationship was a demonstration to how careful she was about it. Now Misaka was not one to condone stalking but that sort of knowledge painted a rather strange picture in her head. A picture that did not match the characteristics the Meltdowner had displayed when they first met. This made her question why she was so adamant about hiding it from her friend. Fortunately enough she was not forced to put too much thought into it as the answer quickly dawned on her at the time.
Any girl would be embarrassed about showing off that idiot to their friends.
Which, on a semi-related note, was a pretty mean thought Misaka-san.
Admittedly, Misaka found this knowledge beneficial for this particular occasion. Given that the older girl was alone at the moment, it meant one of two things. Either she was on the way to meet up with the blonde and the rest of her friends. Or, alternatively, this was another case of the older girl 'sneaking off' to go visit her partner. Given her pace and the lack of peripheral awareness, Misaka strongly believed that it was the latter. There was no hard evidence to prove it, but the Electromaster was willing to take a gamble here. If such was to be the case, then this implied that she was heading towards the moron's residence.
In spite of her fatigue and general dislike of the young woman, Misaka's sour expression began to change. Before long, the girl's once unpleasant demeanor was replaced by a contemplative one instead. During which, Misaka's legs began to move automatically, following after the older woman from a reasonable distance away.
Kamijou had pissed her off not long ago and that was on top of the rematch he still owed her. The problem with challenging the spiky haired idiot was she only ever encountered him by chance. More often than not, during those random meetings, he would find some way to avoid fighting her. That problem could be alleviated if she knew where his place of residence was located. It was hard to escape from someone who knew where you slept. Of course she could have hacked into Judgment's records and find out that information if she wanted to. Doing that, however, was bound to catch up to her at some point; Level 5 or not.
Because breaking into a restricted database used by law enforcement was apparently frowned upon. Doubly so if the matter is only for personal interests and has no relation to any current cases being looked into.
There also stood the fact that Kuroko would not let her hear the end of it if she were to find out.
Letting Mugino Shizuri lead the way, on the other hand, was something she would not feel too guilty about. Was this method a better means of acquiring that information? Morally no, stalking was still stalking no matter how much you dolled it up. Legally, however, it was the far better choice than the alternative. Besides, Misaka was not truly stalking her or anything. The two just happened to be heading towards the same destination. Once she found out where the boy lived, she would take her leave; simple as that. To which, if she had said that last bit aloud, most would disagree.
Because it is not ever that simple.
Also that same excuse was used in the last chapter, Misaka-san.
Stalking is still stalking.
"This is the best chance I've got to catching that idiot." With a small devious smile, Misaka affirmed her choice of action by slamming her fist into her open palm. "Alright then, lead the way you damn hag."
Oi, biri-biri, are you trying to stalk or to pick a fight?
Huh...how...unexpected.
"I didn't think he could afford an apartment."
The building that the Meltdowner had led Misaka to was far from what the young girl had expected. In the same vein, it was also something she could see him living in given what she was looking at. The old-style apartment building was of stark contrast to the much taller, modern-looking, buildings that were towering around it on all sides. It also looked quite substandard by comparison to her surroundings as well. That design flaw was what made it all the more believable for this to be the place of residence of that spiky-haired youth. Based on appearances, it stood to reason that the rent would not be as exorbitant as the other apartments she had seen on the way here.
To clarify, that was not meant to be a jab at the boy per se; although it could easily be taken as such.
In saying that, Mikoto's unintentionally harsh criticisms would surely make the property owner cry.
What also added credibility to her target living here was the fact that Mugino could freely come and stay at this place without concern. Such was the benefit an apartment had opposed to a standard dorm a school would provide for its students.
All the same, it made that cow's relationship with the nitwit all the more confusing.
Further musings were put aside as she observed the fellow Level 5 ascending the steps to the second floor. Once she was out of sight Mikoto followed suit; keeping her back flush with the wall once she reached the top. She was somewhat thankful that the platform was metal and thus could hear the girl's shoes clapping against it as she walked. Only after she heard them stop did she dare to peek her head out from behind the corner. Lo and behold, there the girl stood; full front profile facing the last door at the end of the hallway.
Jackpot!
Not only did she find his apartment, but she now knew exactly which one belonged to him. Now she could afford to leave in satisfaction with the knowledge she had acquired.
...so why are you still here, Misaka-san?
A valid question that, for some reason, was not registering in her own brain at the moment. Instead of leaving like intended, she watched on as the older female's hand hammered against the door. Closer inspection of the girl's face showcased her irritation; likely born from impatience. A sentiment that Misaka shared in some respects as there did not seem to be a response the first time around. When she knocked a second time, however, someone did answer. Proven by the obnoxiously loud squeak of the door hinges as it was opened. At which point, all that Mikoto needed to hear was his voice to ring out to confirm her findings.
That was all she needed, then she would leave.
"Ah, Mugino-chan!"
...wait, why did that lethargic teenage boy suddenly sound like a little girl?
"Eh, Shizuri's here!?"
Ah, there he was...
Hang on, why was there a little girl in this twit's dingy-looking apartment!?
Disregarding the scathing commentary for the moment, Misaka could only watch and listen as the screeching door opened further. Lo and behold, there the spiky haired boy stood, partially out in the open and dressed in casual wear. Beyond that, he looked genuinely surprised to see his girlfriend standing here; based on his dumbfounded expression. Though it could have been her imagination, she could swear she saw him briefly eyeing her from top to bottom. Which, to be honest, caused a mild spike of agitation to surface on the Tokiwadai maiden's expression.
She was not the only person annoyed by it either.
"What?"
"N-nothing, I just wasn't expecting you to be here all of a sudden."
Misaka could see how he took to scratching his cheek, complete with that usually dumb sheepish expression of his. Irksome was what it was, so much so that she had to bite her bottom lip to keep from vocalizing her thoughts. As much as she wanted to cry out how he was lying to save face, she knew that this was not the best opportunity to do so. That would defeat the whole purpose of what she was doing here. Which, by the way, was not stalking; let that distinction remain clear. This was only a means to acquire irrefutable proof that this was the boy's place of residence and nothing more.
"Uh-huh, sure, whatever." Of course Mugino was unimpressed by his response; having rested a hand to her hip for added effect. "So, care to tell me what the hell you've gotten yourself into this time jackass?"
"Saying it's...complicated would be putting it lightly." Eluded the boy, although it was probably regarding to the little girl currently in his apartment. "Actually, before I get into that, why are you-"
"Touma, it isn't safe to be out in the open like that!"
Was that a third voice?
Was that third voice coming from yet another girl further inside the apartment!?
The answer was yes, that was a third voice and it was coming from further inside. Whatever it was he had to say died in his throat as his lips closed shut. He had good reason to, based on what little she could see. No one, by any stretch of the imagination, could miss or ignore what was blatantly obvious as he met the gaze of the Meltdowner. Tacking on the initial attempt to dodge her question and you have a girl who's emotions spiked passed the irritation threshold. On the surface it did not quite seem to be delving into the territory of rage. Yet, based on the girl's expression, it was close enough to dip into a heightened state of aggression.
In fact, if she were to squint, Misaka was almost certain she could see a vein protruding from Mugino's brow.
"Who's that?" That simple question could not have been any more terrifying. "Who the fuck is calling out to you by your given name?"
If Mikoto had to venture a guess, backed by the support of her past experiences, she would assume the jackass was sweating bullets by now.
"...Shizuri, before you get mad, please be sure to let me fully explain."
"Oh-ho-ho yes; yes you are going to explain. I'll be more than happy to let you explain every last detail. Juuust before I bash your skull into the fucking pavement!"
"M-Mugino-chan, please don't fight!"
All forms of potential violence came to a grinding halt as the source of the voice came running outside. Just as she sounded, it was a little girl no older than twelve with pink hair, sporting a cute white and pink dress. It was almost adorable seeing her running out in an effort to quell the situation. In a way, she sort of did; as Mugino stopped trying to drag the boy by his hair over towards the side railings. She was likely intending to pump out as much information from him as she could. Instead, both her and the spiky haired boy shifted their gazes downward as she stood at the base of the mature woman's bare legs.
"Sensei messaged you because she felt that you deserved to know too and thought you could help." Mikoto could not see her face at the moment, but if she had to guess then it was most likely her pouting. "Someone tried to hurt Kamijou-chan and his friend once already and sensei is worried that something else might happen. But he won't listen to me and go to Anti-Skill or Judgment for help! He might get into some trouble here and there, Kamijou-chan isn't a bad boy. He wouldn't do something this reckless if he didn't have a good reason for it!"
The last part of that was said in a huff as she stomped her foot down to emphasize her point. It would have been adorable if not for the apparent seriousness of the situation that was currently in play. Her words did instill a stillness into the air as the fellow Level 5 digested the words she was being told. One thing had to be said though was that this little girl clearly had some spunk to stand up and defend someone being pressured by a Level 5. Then again, the naivety of children was something else that needed to be factored in as well.
Maybe a little bit of both was being applied here.
"In my own defense, if I could have called you, I would have." Piped in Kamijou, still hunched over with his face locked into a painful grimace. "My phone was broken as I was trying to get away. I couldn't remember your number off the top of my head either."
"Kamijou-chan is pretty forgetful–"
"Oi!"
"–which is why sensei saved your number on her phone so he could call you."
"Don't make it sound like you expected this to happen!"
Suck it up Kamijou.
Truthful jabs hurt for a reason.
"Tch, he forgot, I'm not even surprised." Grumbled the girl with a sigh as she let go of his hair while simultaneously pushing his empty noggin away from her. "Explains why I haven't heard from you at all lately. Here I was thinking you'd lost your damn phone charger or something."
"Believe me, I wish it was something that simple."
"When is anything that simple with you?"
Understandably, he did not respond and instead shrugged his shoulders. Not the best answer, but it would suffice since Mugino did not immediately follow up on it. Actually the girl looked to be content with that sort of answer which, in itself, was a little strange. Especially since she looked as though she was about to throw him over the rails just a moment ago. Why would she readily accepted this sort of response? Despite having virtually no idea what in the hell was going on here? If it had been her, Mikoto would have continued to press for an explanation and not stopped until she got one right then and there. No excuses, just straight details right there on the spot.
...okay, that was a lie.
She would have relented too if that little girl got involved.
So credit had to go to the hag for yielding there.
"Touma, why is everyone outside? That flame magician is still out there somewhere you know!"
Magician?
What in the world was that third voice shouting about? It also sounded like it was drawing closer; implying that she was approaching the door. This was fine, having a face to associate with the voice made everything much easier. Mikoto was not alone in that thought. Mugino tilted her head passed Kamijou to try and peer inside the apartment. One person, however, reacted much faster than the rest of the group did. That person was not Touma, though his attention was drawn to the source of the voice. It was the little girl who, in a state of panic, rushed back inside without further notice.
"Don't come out here dressed like that! Your fever went down half an hour ago, so don't be hasty and rest."
"But it's not safe for Touma to be outside!"
"Neither is it safe for you!"
Mugino must have given up on trying to get a glimpse of the proceedings through the cracked door. As the voices inside grew increasingly faint, she turned her attention back towards the idiot. Who, in response to her less-than-patient stare, let out a weighted sigh as his shoulders fell. Before he could go about explaining the situation, the door creaked loudly again as the little girl's head popped out from between the gap.
"Why don't you go fetch sensei and the rest of us something to eat Kamijou-chan?" Her suggestion was accompanied by a sheepish smile. "You can explain everything to Mugino-chan along the way. Maybe even come up with a solution to this whole mess."
The poor sap did not even look surprised about being sent on a food run. Upset to a mild degree yes; indicated by the aggressive clawing of his scalp. But he was not surprised, which is why he eventually slumped in place once he finally calmed down.
"Are you fine with keeping an eye on her until then?"
"Sensei will call if anything happens, so don't worry. I have Mugino-chan's number, remember?" Mikoto could not help but think of how heart-meltingly adorable that little girl's smile was. "Be sure to keep Kamijou-chan out of trouble Mugino-chan."
"...I'm standing right here you know..."
"Tch, can't make any promises." For the first time since she arrived, Mugino showed the sightings of a smile as she looked down at the little girl. "But I'll do what I can to keep this dumb ass in line. He still might end up getting bruised though; hope that's fine."
"Mhm, sensei knew Mugino-chan was a good girl."
"Pff, yeah, sure." Mikoto could not help but scoff quietly from her position by the stairs. "About the only thing good about the hag is the act she's putting on for people."
Smell that Mikoto?
That smells like hypocrisy .
"Literally standing right here in front of both of you."
Stop bringing attention to yourself Kamijou!
It's only going to make them-
"We know."
"We know, smartass."
...team up on you.
Well, what is done is done; now give each other five.
Or bump fists.
Do something.
It is about the only thing missing from this scene.
Tragically no such thing happened. Kamijou took to sulking while the little girl gave them both a friendly wave farewell. The gesture was returned by Mugino, albeit with less enthusiasm, before the door was closed. Her hand fell lifelessly to the side after that and her attention shifted back towards the spiky haired youth beside her. Which was about as much as Mikoto saw before retreated back behind the corner and down the metal steps. Those two would be leaving here shortly and this was the only way up to the second floor. The last thing she wanted was to be caught peeking around the corner like some persistent stalker.
Remember, Mikoto had a healthy curiosity; nothing more.
Yup, totally normal and not unusual in the slightest.
"–times I feel like you and Komoe-sensei get along a little too well."
She would recognized that pathetically dismal sounding voice anywhere.
"Quit complaining, we just know you're a Weirdness Magnet."
Woman, would you please stop it with the Tropes!?
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means shut up, deal with it, and move along." Mikoto could just picture the girl rolling her eyes as she avoided the question. "I'm still waiting for that explanation by the way. And don't you dare try and sum it up by saying 'its complicated' again. I want the full fucking story; not some oversimplified cliff notes."
"Right, right, I know; but it is sorta complicat- ow!"
The sight of the boy rubbing at the back of his head was what the Electromaster came to witness. Along with the visage of an irritated Metldowner beside him as they completed their descent down the steps and moved towards the main road. As for Mikoto herself, she was posted up in a nook between the roof overhang and the stairwell covering. A perk of being a Level 5 Electromaster, she had far more freedom of movement than most thanks to magnetism. It did a good job at putting her in ideal places to observe without being seen; provided she maintained physical contact.
What also helped was that nobody ever seemed to look up.
Not that she was staying in that spot for long once the two had left her sight. Using the same method as before, Mikoto scaled down the wall until her feet were once again back on solid ground. Less than a second after touching down, the girl was back on the move. The gap in distance may not have been great, but she did not want to take any chances. As all it would take to lose them was one intersection and a throng of people. Something she surely did not want to have happen; not when there was something of clear importance going on. One way or another, the Railgun was determined to find out what that something was.
She might not care too much for the idiot or the witch. But if it was true that someone tried to hurt him for no valid reason...
...well, he was her rival!
She would not tolerate him losing to anyone else except her!
Some measure of good fortune allowed Mikoto to catch up with the two before much of the exposition could be provided. Granted that came with its own set of issues considering they were now in the open. The influx of human chatter and environmental noise them made listening in difficult. At best, Mikoto could only make out bits and pieces of what was being said. Worst case, she could not hear anything since it became apparent that he was trying to keep it discreet. This could have been alleviated by drawing closer, but the jackass and cow alike had come to be more aware of their surroundings. Often sparing a few moments to glance around for reasons unknown to her.
Consequently, getting closer to the two was practically impossible.
Maybe next time she should wear something less conspicuous?
There were a few details she was fortunate enough to pick up on. For instance, a tall man with shoulder-length red hair and a bar-code tattoo on his face. Characteristics that, mostly, would make him easy to catch if she were to go digging for answers in the Judgment databases. Outside of those details, everything else just seemed...jumbled for lack of better term. It was due in large part to only being able to make out half of what the boy was saying from afar. Things like a big fire, a terrace, something about cards, and an index. Out of context, about half of it made sense, but everything else simply sounded odd.
Based on what she could make out, the guy with red hair caused a fire. This led her to believe that the individual in question was an Esper who specialized in Pyrokinesis. It further narrowed down the list of suspects who she would later check into once she had the chance. The terrace was likely his means of escaping the flames, which was perhaps the dumbest idea but also one she could get behind since the fall obviously did not kill him. Beyond that though, what did cards and an index have anything to do with any of this?
Was this some delinquent stealing bank cards?
And what the hell did an index have to do with any of this?
Needless to say, by the time the couple reached the convenient store, Mikoto was quite confused. So confused, in fact, she did not even hesitate to go inside and risk being caught. At the very least she waited a good minute or two before going in. Thankfully the shelves in the isles were high enough to her out of view without forcing her to crouch. From there it was about finding them as well as picking the ideal place to listen in.
"What in the world did you stick your nose into idiot?" On some level, Mikoto was aware she was muttering to herself. With that same level of awareness, she also acknowledged that she did not care. "Honestly, don't you have anything better to do besides getting into other people's business? I'd almost feel bad for that cow putting up with your crap if it wasn't for her damn attitude."
Careful biri-biri, you might blow a circuit.
Also, why are you trying to make yourself mad?
"You think Komoe-sensei will be against me just getting some Yakisoba?"
Voilà, there they were, just two isles away from her. Both their backs were turned as the former was busy looking over the selection of cheap easy-make goods.
"In case you haven't figured it out yet, I don't think she cares what the hell you bring back." There stood the crone behind him, her arms crossed, and her tone laced with boredom. "She only asked you to run this errand so you could explain shit to me without interruptions."
"Is that right? Well, in that case, yakisoba it is then."
Good lord he is thick!
The hag, apparently, had a similar thought as well. It may have explained why she abruptly kicked him in the posterior shortly thereafter. The kick must not have had much strength behind it because he hardly reacted to the action. Sadly it was not enough to pry the boy's attention away the shelves. Choosing instead to sift through the consumable items available; much to the disappointment of the fellow Level 5. This prompted her to suck her teeth loudly before leisurely venturing away from him to do some browsing for herself. Thankfully she did not wander off too far from the idiot; remaining within his and Mikoto's collective line of sight.
Seconds ticked by and the two continued to act on their own accord.
And yet...something was off.
Despite how calm things seemed it felt...static.
Like something was wrong but neither party was addressing the elephant in the room. Something was going on that neither were willing to talk about. Either because they did not know or they did not want to breach the subject and openly discuss it. Obviously it involved this whole ordeal that was currently in play. The very same ordeal that Mikoto had a very limited understanding of. Clues were everywhere; the silence, the distance, the lack of focus and casual dismissal of one another. It was plain to see, even for a careless observer, that a rift had formed between these two.
To what extent, sadly, the Electromaster did not know for certain.
Then again, Mikoto may have been be dead wrong about all of this. She was ignorant in regards to how their relationship functioned under normal circumstances. Her only encounter with the two together, prior to today, had been about a week ago. So she had no idea what was to be considered 'typical behavior' for these two. For all she knew this was their normal behavior; even though it may not appear that way from her perspective. What made her doubt this, however, was that she was relying purely on hazy cues spoken through body language. Perhaps if she could see their facial expressions she could come to a more definitive conclusion.
Suffice to say that she was not likely to achieve that without being caught.
"Huh, salmon bento...your paying for this, right?"
Just like that, the boy's interest drastically shifted as his head shot towards her.
"Huh!?"
Mikoto's thoughts exactly.
"...eh?"
Okay, not exactly, but it was close enough.
But why was that the thing that caught his attention!?
"Komoe-sensei said to get food for all of us. By extension that includes me too. So buy this for me."
That was not a request!
"But I've got enough yakisoba here for all of us!"
Yeah, what is wrong with yakisoba?
"I hate cheap yakisoba, Kamijou."
What is wrong with cheap yakisoba!?
"Please spare this Kamijou some slack! I'm just a struggling student here Shizuri! And that bento by itself costs as much as everything I've got here!"
Five hundred and eighty yen for convenient store bento? Yeah, that sounds about right for someone as stingy with their money as Kamijou was.
"Hear that? That's the sound of it being your problem; not mine."
Watching this exchange as it took place was downright painful for the Misaka. Indicated by the deadpan expression on her face as she observed from afar.
It was amazing how many emotions the boy could display in such a short amount of time. Even more amazing was that he was able to convey them so clearly that Mikoto did not even need to see his face to decipher them all. First was disbelief, the second was denial followed by frustration before finally settling on acceptance. Pathetic acceptance at that as his body deflated like an untied balloon. As for the crone, her reaction to this submission was far harder for Mikoto to get a read on. Where Mikoto was expecting to find satisfaction or contentment she found neither. An air of monotony was what surrounded her and his acceptance of her demand did not change it.
Of course that last bit was only a guess.
Gauging someone's state of mind using only body language was not easy.
"This isn't how I was expecting to spend summer vacation Kamijou."
Um...that came out of left field.
This will not end well.
Apparently she was not the only person thinking that. It came and passed like a flicker of light but Mikoto still noticed it. She saw the boy's shoulders tense and that was all she needed to see. He did not look at her and all the same she did not look at him. Their individual postures exuded neutrality making anyone not attentive enough to mistake them as being composed. Mikoto herself would not have thought much of this had she not seen the nitwit's reaction. Such awareness was what kept her from being ignorant to the immanent tempest that was encroaching upon them. Much to the misfortune of the boy who did not appear to have packed an umbrella.
"Shizuri..." Like an individual resigned to their fate, the dingus had no other choice but to step into the rain. "Listen, I'm sorry this happened; really, I am-"
"But..."
Cue number two that this was not going to end well.
The underlining irritation in her tone served to make it more obvious.
"...but..." Hearing the thunder, however, must have made him lose his nerve because he was now hesitant to continue. Ultimately, all he could do was release a heavy sigh. "Look, this isn't the best place to have this conversation. Let's wrap things up here first, then-"
"Then what? Put it off until later where it's nice and private?"
"Yes, actually, and I'd appreciate it if you would stop interrupting me!"
This was a first.
Since that evening they met, Mikoto had not heard the idiot sound legitimately angry. Annoyance sure, she had heard him express that particular emotion plenty of times. Maybe frustration from time to time, but never anger and never at Mikoto specifically. So it was a little surprising to hear him speak with tinges of suppressed anger mixed into his words. The fact that the hag's head finally shifted towards him proved that it was not her imagination. Kamijou was not happy, not even a little bit, and was not taking kindly to the girl scoffing at him.
"I get it, you're upset, okay? But if you think you're the only one who's frustrated here then I have news for you; you're not." Apparently he was not done either, although it seemed that he had regained some of his composure. He sounded much calmer than he did a second ago, but he still came off as annoyed. "I'm not too thrilled about all this either, believe me I'm not. If anyone has any reason to be mad or upset about all of this it's me. Remember that the next time you wanna get snappy, alright? Now hand me your overpriced bento and let me pay for this stuff so we can head back to sensei's apartment."
Perhaps not a wise move on his part, putting off the conversation like this. However, much like Mugino, Kamijou had an underlying emotion in his tone. Excluding the anger expressed there was something else there as well. Exhaustion, weariness, fatigue; any of those words would suffice as far as descriptions go. Usually this sort of tone would annoy her since it made him sound like some weary old man. Unlike those times, however, Mikoto truly believed that he was worn out. As if he had been drained of every speck of energy he had and was now running solely on fumes.
That may have explained why he snapped just now.
Physically he may appear fine and normal, but maybe that was not the case with him mentally.
Not once during his tirade did he turn his attention towards the girl. Mugino, however, was likely gaping openly at him since her head did not move an inch. At this moment the two were locked in a state of pause; the crone too flabbergasted to respond with any sort of retort. This caused the silence between them to make its return. Only this time it was accompanied with a tension that was previously absent the first time around. Said silence lasted for the better part of a few minutes until it was eventually broken.
Only to be broken by Mugino huffing loudly whilst snatching the bento from the shelf.
"...fine."
Such was the clipped and straightforward response that served as testament to the crone's own ire. Such a simple response and yet it carried with it an edge sharp enough to cut steel effortlessly. Oh yes, she was angry, perhaps more so than she previously was. Mikoto had to assume that, to some extent, the girl knew that this was not the proper time or place. Not for...whatever this was. An argument? A robust discussion? Regardless of what it was, it had indefinitely been postponed until a later point in time.
Having said that, the Meltdowner did not linger about afterwards. Choosing to move instead towards the front counter with her promised meal in hand. Moreover she did not even spare the boy a fleeting glance as she left. As for the idiot, despite having collected his items, he remained unmoving for a few moments. Not too terribly long but long enough to determine what was obvious to her. He was not looking forward to whatever was to come. Forestalling it was pointless, she knew that and by default so did he. Did he regret lashing out like that out of nowhere? Most likely, but there was no taking it back now. One way or another, he would have to face the music eventually.
Letting out yet another sigh Kamijou finally started trudging along to meet his girlfriend at the register.
"Such misfortune."
Fancy that.
For once that saying did not piss Mikoto off.
The trip back to the apartment complex was a silent affair.
Given what had taken place, it should not have come as a surprise. They were walking side-by-side yet the gap between was large enough for a person to slip right through them. Neither of the two spared each other so much as a glance; at least it did not look that way. With such a sour atmosphere staining around the two, even a casual observer would be able to tell that something was wrong. From an outside perspective it was as if they were trying to ignore the presence of the other person beside them. A behavioral pattern that has been in effect since they had left the store.
Well, truthfully that was all based on how Mikoto had come to perceive it.
Whether or not it any of it was true or not remained to be seen.
Fact remains, however, that the two were not talking. They were not looking at the other. There was no conversation or any other form of communication expressed between them. Simply silence; pure, tense and bitter-laced silence. The only noise made by the two were the soles of their shoes on the pavement and the rustling of the shopping bag. That was all and it was a very hollow and jarring experience to behold. Even someone as ignorant as Mikoto knew that this scene felt out of place.
As the distance to their destination lessened, Mikoto spared the sky a glance; realizing then that dusk was steadily approaching. The telltale hues of orange and purple gradually growing more pronounced in the sky above. Street lamps were beginning to light up. People were starting to head home while businesses beginning to shut down. Not that those details were relevant to the couple she was tailing. They had more important matters which needed to be addressed. So it stood to reason that they did not care much for the splendor of nature.
Difficult as that was for any student in a place so technologically advanced as Academy City.
That included her.
No surprise there.
"Alright Kamijou, this is far enough."
What did turn out to be a surprise was the abrupt outburst. The hag's movements came to a immediate halt just as they were on the final stretch of road leading to the apartment. They had rounded the corner not long ago but were still close enough to the corner. Thankfully the main road they had branched off of was empty save for a few stragglers on their way home. Otherwise someone would have found it strange to see a Tokiwadai student with her back flush with the wall. Sadly she could not risk taking a peek; not this time. They were far too close for her to safely do such a thing. Furthermore, given how narrow the path was, it would not be hard for anyone to see her.
"...does it really have to be here?" Idiot did not bother to feign ignorance at this critical moment. Hence the exhausted and dismayed manner of voice he used just now. "Can't this wait until later? We're practically there and I don't feel like arguing outside in plain view."
Undoubtedly he would have liked to have had that luxury right now.
Alas words like 'luxury' did not ever mix well when used in the same context as 'Kamijou'.
"Guess how little I care about what you feel like fuckin' doing." Feisty...wait, this was a bad time to be joking; this is getting real. "After everything you've told me, you think I'm gonna just accept all of it like some yes-man? Am I supposed to just smile, nod, and agree all petite and polite-like? Do I need to remind you that I'm not like those ignorant little whores in the School Garden?"
"Ignorant little whores, huh?" Repeated the girl quietly, the vein in her forehead throbbing as sparks danced along the fringes of her hair. "Oh-ho-ho you must be going senile if you think I'll let that comment slide, damned hag."
Temper, temper!
Please refrain from going full biri-biri again!
"I wouldn't call them that, but I get the point." Hard to tell if he was defending them or not. For the sake of her temperament, Mikoto chose to assume that he was and let it go for now. "Let's get one thing straight. I shouldn't have snapped like that at the store. I know that, and I also knew you would get upset about everything I told you. I mean, come on, I know you Shizuri. I'm not the smartest person around but even I know what does and doesn't get on your nerves."
"Then why in the actual fuck didn't you call me as soon as you found the brat?"
"It was early. I didn't think you were awake; plain and simple." Mikoto could picture him now shrugging his shoulders as he swiftly answered that question. "Even if I had, all I did was give her something to eat before she up and left. I didn't think it would escalate to this extent. I don't think you would have thought so either if I had told you about it. So...what would you have done differently that I hadn't already done at that time?"
Well...he was not wrong.
Granted Mikoto had no actual clue as to what he was talking about. From the sounds of it, however, he did strike up a valid point. It would be unreasonable for him to have expected something bad to happen from a chance encounter.
"...tch, well shit. I can't argue with you there."
"See?"
Yeah, see?
Mugino herself had to concede to that; albeit it sounded like she was doing so begrudgingly.
"Nevertheless, you could have at least texted me afterwards. Anything that was informative would have been good enough for me. Hell, I would've taken something like 'weird shit just happened' rather than getting nothing at all. For fuck's sake Kamijou today is the first time I've seen you in four days. Four-fucking-days; that's ninety-six hours without any form of contact at all! You expect me to just accept that shitty excuse without being a little pissed off?"
"N-no, I don't actually, that's completely understandable." And it was, so surprise, surprise, it was the crone's turn to have a point. "As far as that part goes, I'll go ahead apologize for that. All-the-same, you apparently didn't think much of it yourself either. You said so yourself. You thought it was something like a lost phone charger or something, didn't you?"
"Oh for the-is that supposed to be funny?! You think I'd honestly believe it was something that obviously fraudulent?!"
"Whether or not you actually did or not isn't the point. My point is that you didn't go to extreme lengths to contact me either Mugino. I'll admit, I rely on the contact list on my phone and yes, I forgot your number. But until today, I didn't know that sensei had your number from the start. Doesn't that mean you have hers too? If that's the case, why didn't you call her to see if something was wrong? It's not like I have any other way to get in touch with you beyond texts and phone calls. We've been dating for four months and you still won't let me go and see where you live."
"Don't fucking twist this around to make yourself look like the victim here!"
"I'm not! I'm pointing out the fact that we both fucked up Mugino!"
O-kay, Mikoto was now officially uncomfortable being here.
Hearing the idiot use such coarse language did not help matters either.
"Why in the hell would I assume that loli teacher of yours knows where the hell you are? Is she supposed to be your keeper or something?"
She might as well be.
"That little girl is his teacher!?"
Now is not the best time to be surprised by that knowledge Misaka-san!
"She'd have a better handle on where I was than anyone else would have! If you tried you would have known that days ago, wouldn't you!?"
"You don't get to be a patronizing smartass Kamijou!"
"And why the hell not!? Is it because I pointed out what you neglected to do as well? Or is it because I'm actually right and you just don't want to admit it!?"
"You want me to admit that I was wrong? Fine, I didn't do enough either; happy!?" Too easy...that admission of guilt came out way too easily. Meaning that this was to be a catalyst to a much deeper reason. "But that isn't the fucking issue here, ass clown! The issue, Kamijou Touma, is that shitty hero disposition you've got in that damn spiky head of yours. Instead of telling me, you kept it to your-fucking-self like you always do!"
There it was; the root of the problem that was festering inside the girl since the start. Her words, booming in volume, echoed down the vacant path and beyond it. Had anyone else been around, they likely would have been startled by it. Mikoto surely was, although it was fortunate for her to have been the only person around to hear it. Otherwise everyone would have caught wind of what was happening around the corner. Such was the only solace to be had here. The Railgun's unease at eavesdropping on the two had not diminished in the slightest degree. Fact of the matter was that it was growing worse the more she listened to them argue.
Said argument was not what she had intended to listen to.
Which made the question of 'why was she still here' much more prominent.
"Oi, take your little spat somewhere else!"
Whoever was shouting at them was a brave soul. At least they were up until the backstreet became illuminated by a bright flash of green light. As much as she wanted to see what had happened, Mikoto refrained from risking a look. Whatever happened was followed by the sound of something slamming shut shortly thereafter.
"Mugino-!"
"No, you shut the fuck up and listen to me!" Nope, that was no request. "Did it ever cross your mind that maybe, when weird shit happens, you should tell someone about it? This wasn't some street punk or crook trying to steal some yen from your empty wallet. This person came to your fucking home and attacked you! Over, what, some damn brat who fell out of the fucking sky? A brat that you knew next to nothing about. The same brat who you could have told me about the very second she left. My god Kamijou have some sense! Just the fact that she showed up on your balcony of all places should have been clue enough that the bitch was not normal!"
"Okay, yeah, that should have been the first clue idiot."
Why are you suddenly siding with your enemy!?
"But no, instead you kept it to yourself and look where it got you." Within her mind's eye, the #3 could picture the crone gesturing to the area around them. Suffice to say it was not too terribly inaccurate. "Tell me something. Did it ever occur to you that you've put someone else in a shitty situation? Has the thought crossed your mind that someone completely unrelated to the incident is now wrapped up in your mess? Someone who is incapable of properly defending themselves? What would have happened if that flaming fuck-muscle decided to show up again and you weren't there?"
Vulgarity aside, Mugino once more brought a solid topic to the table. A topic which, apparently, the boy had not thought about. The girl had even given pause to her tirade as a courtesy for him to speak up. The fact that he did not do so in that span of time served to demonstrate his lack of foresight.
"This is why I can't stand you and your white knight bullshit. Because you don't ever think things through. You don't think about the consequences! All you do is go through the motions and expect shit not to go sideways on you. Ever think about what would happen if it did?"
"Of course I have; I thought about it every-single-day!" The strain and stress that had accumulated over the past couple days was evident in his voice. It made admitting to having those thoughts entirely genuine. "What would happen if that guy came back? Would I be able to stop him again as well as keep those two safe? What about the other tenants here? Was it a mistake to come to sensei for help? You make it sound like I hadn't thought of any of those things; when the truth is that I have. It's been constantly on my mind since the moment I brought her here."
As he rambled, the tone of his voice grew increasingly somber. He did not try to disprove the points that the witch had presented. Contrarily, he was adding further to it by acknowledging the flaws in his own decisions. Rarely did someone openly admit to their faults. Most would rather pin the blame on someone or something else rather than be held accountable. Touma was not one of those people; of that Mikoto came to understand. He understood he had made the wrong choices. Understood that people were in danger because of the choices he had made. Nobody else was to be held accountable for his actions except him and he knew that.
Kamijou's willingness to own up to those mistakes served to demonstrate his integrity.
Which may explain why Mugino did not take this moment to drill into him further.
"She was hurt, I had no phone, and was running on adrenaline. I wasn't thinking rationally, given all that had happened at the time. So I rolled with the first idea that came to mind; that's the truth. After everything was said and done, that's when it hit me. That's when it occurred to me that I had screwed up in a big way. By that point it was too late; I was already stuck between a rock and a hard place. We leave he finds us faster or we stay and he finds us eventually. Neither option is a good one but I wasn't given much choice on the matter. It also doesn't help that she hasn't been in the best of health lately."
"Throw as many excuses as you want. As far as facts go, you still got other people involved in this shit storm." Guess someone forgot to tell the hag to be empathetic. On the plus side, at least she was not yelling. That had to count for something. "A sob-story isn't going to make a damn bit of difference in the end. Good on you to own up on your failures but that also doesn't change anything. You're fucked and now here we are; cleaning up your mess."
"It's not my mess. It's our mess."
"Oh, well excuse me. I didn't realize I was part of-"
"I wasn't talking about you." Idiot, why are you interrupting her so firmly all of a sudden? "You weren't involved in this at the start. I told you everything because you deserved to know what was going on. I never said anything about wanting you to get involved."
Ah, this marked the third time today that the awkward silence made its appearance.
"He can't be serious." Muttered the #3 to herself, her mouth agape in utter disbelief. "Did that idiot really just say that?"
Yes, yes he did.
"I'm sorry..., what?" Clearly Mugino was astonished by this as well. So much so that a few incredulous chuckles managed to slip out. "You don't want me to be involved? Is that supposed to be some shitty joke, Kamijou?"
"Does it sound like I'm joking?" No, no it does not; but that only makes it sound so much worse. "I already dragged Komoe-sensei into this whole mess. That's one more person sitting on my conscious than I'd like to have. I don't want to have to worry about anyone else."
"Oi, dipshit. You know who you're talking to right?"
"Yup, I know exactly who I'm talking to, Mugino. Which is exactly the reason why I don't want you or anyone else getting mixed up in all this. If it wasn't your problem originally then it shouldn't become your problem now."
"What kinda bullshit reasoning is that!?" Shouted the girl in pure outrage following the dismissal of disbelief. "Did you crack that empty skull of yours on something and go retarded on me?! Has your dumb-ass forgotten that I'm one of the seven Level 5's in this city?! My Meltdowner is the most destructive ability that you can come across! I'm literally standing right-fucking-here in front of you! And you're telling me to stay the hell out of it?! Are you delusional or just god damn stupid!?"
"Yup, saw that coming."
Of course you did Misaka-san.
Because you would have most definitely reacted in the same exact way.
...give or take a few blown electrical circuits...
"Level 5 or not, I don't want to have anyone else I care about getting dragged into this."
"And I say that's utter bullshit!"
"Why is it bullshit!? What's wrong with trying to limit the amount of people who could get hurt!? I'm responsible for my own actions and so it's my responsibility to make it right! Being accountable isn't having someone else come by and picking up after you. It's cleaning up the mistakes you yourself make. If I can't even do that then I might as well do nothing when things don't pan out the way I want them to!"
"You say that, but who's the one always sticking his nose into other people's business!? Who's the one always going out of his way to play hero all the damn time? Even when it's shit that doesn't concern you, you always go and pick up after everyone else! So don't feed me that crap and don't you dare say that it's any different from this. Admit it, you're a fucking hypocrite and you fucking know it!"
The more she listened to this argument, the more Mikoto grew to understand. Not just from one end of the spectrum but rather from both sides.
Idiotic as it was, Touma was holding himself accountable; just as he said. Minimizing the number of people who were drawn into whatever mess this was. She understood his reasoning in that respect and, to some degree, she agreed with him. Pride was not the driving motivation behind that choice either. Based on what she came to understand, this was just a matter of principles. His principles, a characteristic that was as stupid as it was admirable. He would much rather take care of a matter himself than loaf others into it. Easier as the latter would make it, it would only promote a reliance on others.
Which, ultimately, diminishes any form of growth in a person. People need to have an opportunity to learn from their past mistakes. Take that away and they will end up constantly placing their burdens onto others.
On the other hand, however, the Railgun had to concede to what the hag was saying as well.
Annoying as it was to admit, Mugino was also correct. Given how serious the situation apparently was, her status as a Level 5 was invaluable. Only the presence of another Level 5 would give the girl much trouble. While it remains to be seen what she could do, the witch was well above empty boasts. She could have been of great assistance to him and they both knew it. Yet she was being told not to enter this endeavor. Coming from someone who readily intrudes on others' problems, being denied in this way was flat out insulting. Furthermore, given their relationship status, this rejection may have perhaps added injury to insult.
Henceforth, with a generous amount of contempt, she agreed with the crone. He was being a colossal hypocrite by rejecting her help. Good as his reasons were, they were not good enough to dismiss that grave defect.
All in all, it was tough to deduce who was truly in the wrong or right. Both parties had a compelling points in their respected arguments.
What was not difficult to figure out was that this exchange of words was nearing its end. Neither had spoken up for a few moments now. Unlike the last pause, nobody braved a peek outdoors to yell at them. Nevertheless, the light above was growing increasingly dim as the sun descended beyond the horizon. Night was approaching by the second and yet not a single care appeared to be given.
Despite herself, Mikoto's mind pictured this moment looking like those classical western movies. Sun setting, two individuals locked in a fierce face-off. Their words were their weapons, the environment lifeless and still; trapped in a single moment. All it would take was a single sound to break the silence and the two would draw. Within that instant something irreplaceable would form then or be broken. Throughout this, only one spectator would serve as the witness to this moment. A witness that was not even brave enough to take a peek. Yet it all came to her so vividly that she almost thought it was playing out the way she was envisioning it.
All that was missing was a modern tumbleweed to make the scenario truly authentic.
Finally, after a long period of silence, someone spoke.
"Maybe you're right, maybe I am a hypocrite." Offered the boy, his throat hoarse yet still coherent enough to be heard with relative clarity. "But I stand by what I told you before; I don't want you getting into this. It's my mess, my responsibility, and I need to clean it up."
Unlike the times before this, Mugino did not immediately vocalize her ire. Perhaps it was the level of commitment in his voice that dissuaded her. Maybe it was how resolute he was in handling the matter on his own. Hell, it could have simply been the absurdity of it all that cast the spell of silence upon her. Whatever the cause may be, it served its purpose in delaying her response for a time.
"...you know what, fuck it!" Until she abruptly snapped and the sound of her shoes clapping against asphalt reached Mikoto's ears. Worst yet, they were drawing closer towards to where the #3 was. "It's been a waste of my time arguing with you and I'm done. Fuck it, I don't care anymore. Do what you want you stubborn, hypocritical, jackass."
Hag didn't spare a second glance as she rounded the corner of the backstreet. Her pace was calm, but brisk and her expression remained unreadable. Reason for that may have been because Mikoto was at a much higher elevation. Which, again, was all thanks to magnetism. Well, she was not sticking to the side of the complex's exterior wall this time. Instead she was a couple stories up and hidden behind the waist-high walls of an outdoor patio. Hidden was also a term used loosely considering her head was still poking out from behind cover.
Once the crone was a reasonable distance away, she exposed herself more. Her vision shifting between the gradually retreating back of the Meltdowner and the area she had vacated below. Unsurprisingly enough, there stood the moron watching the #4 as she left.
"Geez, isn't that what you wanted?" Uttered the girl mostly to herself as her expression contorted into mild annoyance. "You told her to back off and she did what you asked. You don't get to regret the choice you yourself made just a few minutes ago. Make up your mind and stop being indecisive, idiot."
To be fair, this result might not have been the way he wanted things to play out.
Friends fight, siblings fight, spouses and couples too. Disagreements were bound to happen and when they did it hardly ended on a positive note. Mikoto had not been in a romantic relationship with a boy before. Consequently there was no way for her to truly understand how hard these fights were to those involved. Bitter was probably the first and best description of what the aftermath of it was like. Whether you came out on top or not mattered next to nothing. Somebody in the exchange would end up leaving hurt or bothered by what was said. That was common logic and this scenario was clearly no different.
Mikoto was not remotely involved in any of this. Yet, inexplicably, she herself felt a bit disheartened by what she heard.
"After all of that, I still don't know what is even going on with him." Groaned the girl, sighing as her head slumped down to rest on her now folded arms. "...I shouldn't have listened to that."
Hmm, that realization came a bit late there biri-biri.
Her moment of reflection came to a swift end at the sound of light tapping. Tapping that came from behind her against the glass on the sliding door. When the young Tokiwadai maiden turned around, she saw a middle aged woman, garbed in a plain dress and apron, staring at her with a huffy expression. Only after she saw this did Misaka Mikoto remember where she was. From there, after providing a few apologetic bows, she excused herself.
Had she been more attentive Mikoto probably would have noticed.
Noticed that someone else was standing at the top of the adjacent building.
Welcome to the bottom!
We are now in the Index Arc of canon. Suffice to say, shit has gotten real and now science and magic are clashing. But enough of that, it's time to be brutally honest. I hated writing this chapter, truly I did. It had nothing to do with the fact that Mikoto was involved in it. Let's make this part clear; it's not Mikoto that I hate, it's the KamiKoto pairing that I can't stand. That said, this chapter was genuinely vexing to me for some reason. The only saving grace that I had was that a portion of it had already been written.
Had that not been the case, then you'd best believe I would've scrapped this whole idea in favor of something else.
Nevertheless, I do acknowledge the fact that this chapter was necessary. Hate it as I do, it's still important for many reasons; some more obvious than others. As I have shown previously, Touma and Mugino don't always come to an agreement and do have verbal spats. Unlike last time, this outcome ended on a less than positive note. Which I trust most of you will understand why that is important here. Is it predictable? Yes, yes it is, to us as the audience. To them, not so much; which, regrettably, is just the way life is sometimes.
Now let that sink in for a moment...kay, moment's over. Time to carry on with the next chapter. Damn this arc for making my rom-com all serious 'n shit. Don't expect this 'arc' to be long nor future arcs. to be as serious. Given how this is the beginning of canon, I felt it appropriate to give it some semblance of seriousness to it. It won't last and I'll do my best to pepper in some humor here and there.
Shout-outs to FrodoFighter and Darkbetrayer for beta-ing and confirming whether or not there is any dignity left in me. Jokes on them, I don't. Jokes on you if you believed I had any to begin with. Okay, wow, that got way too real, this chapter really has gotten to me; please send help.
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.