Chapter 8: A Certain Secret Organization
"I can't believe you were serious about this" Toma muttered as Misaka pulled him along down the line towards the building. The two were in their usual casual attire, and were heading towards a large building, surrounded by security and other people, with all sorts of loud noises coming out of it.
But it was not a heavily guarded compound full of corruption and evil, but rather the place where a famous DJ was performing that had recently arrived in Academy City, and that Misaka made Toma take her to as payment for keeping so many things a secret.
Or, in words neither of them were currently admitting or fully considering it as, a date.
"But you know, with my luck, something will end up happening".
"Oh shut it. I am a Level 5!"
"...so, power through any problem is your answer then".
"N-not necessarily!" Misaka denied, even though that was what she had intended in case anything did go wrong and try to prevent them from enjoying the night. "Now come on! We are just about in!"
"Alright, alright. DOnt say I didn't warn you".
As Toma muttered that, the two went up to the guard.
"Tickets please".
"Here you go!"
"Alright. Thanks for coming. Enjoy your night".
And the guard, much to Toma's shock, let them in without incident.
"So? Who is the guy anyways? Must be some DJ to have lines like this".
"Indeed! Even though he is young, he is super famous! I hear people are practically mesmerized by his music! He has a perfect five star rating, excluding ratings given to him by bitter rivals. He apparently even rivals Sola".
The two conversed as they entered the building, and immediately became exposed to a party like envirornment. People were cheering as the DJ kept up the beats, and true to what was said, they were fantastic. As for the DJ, Toma was a bit surprised. It was a boy with long blue hair, short stature, with blue headphones and youthful appearance.
"Hey people! Are you ready to kick it into high gear!?"
""""""""Yeeeeeah!""""""""
"Then lets amp up the beats!".
"Azul Azero...he really is incredible" Misaka said, as she held Toma's hand. And it was so good, it made Toma forget all about his lack of luck.
"Whew" Azul said, as he got backstage and into the break room. Even though he enjoyed it, several hours of DJing was still exhausting for him. He kicked off his shoes, and laid down on the couch to fully relax as he closed his eyes.
"Azero-sama" a butler said as he entered the room. "Did you enjoy your performance?"
"Yeah, I did" Azero replied, not even bothering to open his eyes. "Is there any updates?"
"All of your belongings have transfered in to Academy City. As for suitable classes for you to join, we did find one school that looked promising. That said, the matter of Esper training..."
"Yeah, I know. They will want to do all of their own tests and stuff. That said, any other trouble I should know of? Any desperate fans trying to get in?" the boy asked, as he smiled calmly. "You know what to do with people who want to interrupt my me time, right?"
"Of course. There is one Level Five girl and her date, but otherwise there is no one".
The fact that the butler was able to stop a Level 5 from charging right in would be considered remarkable.
"I see. Then that will be all. You can leave for now, I want to get some rest before getting swarmed by fans".
"Very good sir. Then..."
Suddenly, a loud thud could be heard as the butler collapsed to the ground, and five people wearing motorcycle suits and helmets stormed in.
"Come quietly, or we...will..."
However, what they came to see was an empty couch in the center of the room. Followed by a briefcase impacting one of them in the head at high speed, causing the person to collapse to the ground. And standing there, in his signature blue jacket, shorts, and boots, was Azul Azero with his hands in his pockets.
"I am not sure who you fools are, but I should warn you. I only sign autographs if I want to, not because people order me to. So, would you mind telling me who you are?"
"Damn it...grab him, now!"
"Seriously?" Azul questioned, as the people charged towards him. "Are any of you even Espers?"
Even though they had guns, they didn't bother to shoot. Probably they did not want to attract attention, but then they should have at least bothered to bring silencers. It was rather dissapointing to Azul, who ducked underneath two of them and then sprung up and decked the third in the face as he twisted his body around to kick the fourth in the chin, and then landed on two feet.
"Seriously, if you wanted to capture...me...you should have..."
"Used oderless gas while wearing Motorcycle shaped gasmasks?"
"...huh...so it was for more then just keeping your faces hidden..."
"Alright, everyone! Now lets go quickly before the gas spreads and people notic..."
Suddenly, there was a shift in the air, and maybe a strange noise as well.
"Hey, what was that?"
"LEt me...what the...the gas we got from Brew is gone all of a sudden..."
"What the hell is going on here?"
As one of them was grabbing Azul, a female voice called out. The group turned, only to see Level 5 Esper Mikoto Misaka there along with another boy.
"Looks like assault and kidnapping" Toma said in his usual voice, and then he took a step backwards. "After you".
And in an instant, Level 5 Esper Railgun stepped in, and they all were zapped out of commision and to the ground.
"I cant believe that I am responding to you guys yet again" Hokari Haruka mentioned as she stepped onto the scene, looking at the mess. Five tied up and gift wrapped people in motorcycle helmets and outfits, and the near victim of kidnapping, Azul Azero. "Or that I am meating Azul Azero. Ai is going to be jealous, right Akari-chan?"
Hearing the name, Toma and Misaka looked behind Haruka, and saw that several paces away was Akari, who looked wary and somewhat paranoid. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. Akari didn't want to be anywhere close to Toma, or more specifically, Imagine Breaker.
"Sorry..."
"Its okay...even an accidental touch could kill him after all. I guess its only natural".
"Speaking of which, from what we were told, apparently Azul was taken out by a gas they deployed?"
"Whatever it was, it was an Esper ability I think, or produced by one. It was negated the moment I got close to the room".
"Well, good to know Imagine Breaker can affect gases, and not just solids. Anyways, we know why they targeted him? Its a simple ransom right?"
"Well, that is the weird thing. We cant remove their helmets, and they have not woken up yet either".
"You tried?"
"We did, the first responders did, nothing worked. Its not Esper or Magic, because Toma tried as well. Though, he thought there might be some sort of reaction, but they still have not woken up".
"I see...maybe we should bring in some dogs then to sniff around".
"They already tried that too, but they want crazy and no one could understand why. They think its some sort of deliberate Anti-Dog technique, but no one knows for sure".
"Hmmm...in that case...Akari?"
Haruka shouted back towards Akari.
"Yeah?"
"Erm...this is kind of difficult to say but...do you think Kota is available right now?"
"...probably. I think I can guess as to why you are asking..."
"Can you?"
"...I will see about it..."
As Akari went to make a call, Azul started to walk over.
"Thanks again for saving me".
"No problem!"
"Its not much, but here" Azul said, handing a pass to Toma and Misaka. "Its a pass to get you in to any event I do at Academy City for free. I hope you enjoy".
Misaka practically wanted to squeel when she got it, while Toma looked around.
"Why do you think they wanted you though?"
"Not sure" Azul said, taking out a small blue book. "It might be people against me taking up residence in Academy City, or maybe trying to steal my music notes here. Either way, I suppose I will have to be more careful".
"Huh...I see..."
Toma was not really sure about it, but...he got the strangest feeling that Azul was hiding something from them all the same.
"Hey, guys? I think there is a problem" one of the CSIs mentioned. "I am not getting a pulse on any of them. Or any heat".
"What?!" Misaka said, shocked. "But, I didn't zap them that much!"
"Well, no thats the thing. They have zero body heat, they are at room temperature".
As she got a bad feeling, Haruka motioned everyone back, and then took out her baton, and smashed in the glass part of the helmet. Inside the helmet however, was something far more disturbing then one could account for. There was a corpse inside of the helmet and suit.
"...this is going to be another really weird case, isn't it?"
"I knew something bad would happen".
"Do you think we can get tickets next time? asks Misaka Misaka with hopeful eyes" said a young girl's voice, to be exact Last Order's Voice, as she and Accelerator looked at the building from afar.
"Be quiet. Thats not why we are here. Anyways, are you sure your Misaka Network can confirm the information we got?"
"Yes! says Misaka Misaka triumphantly, showing pride even though she only delivered the information".
"So, it was true...but that still doesn't answer why CLASS was after this brat".
"Maybe they really liked his music! says Misaka Misaka knowing that probably isnt it and acting cheerfully".
"I doubt it. CLASS is only interested in three things that we know of. Powerful magic, powerful Espers, and creating weapons".
"Dont forget the Hybrid Weapon they created, Hokari Akari! says Misaka Misaka reminding him about a fourth thing they are interested in".
"Yeah yeah, I know. Tsk. We need more answers. Maybe I should try questioning that brat again".
"Aren't you just concerned about him? suggests Misaka Misaka, playfully revealing his likely true intentions".
"Tsk. He is just a damn brat. He made a sub par villain too".
The two of them continued to bicker as they walked down, their conversation going all over the place. However, it then got Accelerator curious about something.
"Hold on...if he only just arrived in the city, then why are they interested in him?"
Meanwhile, a normal looking high school girl went down a dark and eerie hallway, with no windows but otherwise looking like a normal school hallway. She looked about sixteen years old, about average height, and very cheerful with her pink hair and golden eyes. Approaching a set of double doors, she slammed them wide open and entered.
"I hear Piper-chan couldn't manage to do it!" she said energeticly, almost too energeticly. "And all her dolls got captured as well!"
"Stop calling them dolls, you overly smiling freak" a middle school girl replied, nearly of high school age with black hair and black eyes. "And I swear, Melody-san, stop using -chan with my name!"
"I doubt you could do any better either Melody" a high school boy with blonde hair and blue eyes mentioned, tossing a ball of pure fire up and down in his hand. "He easily would have overpowered you after all".
"Can you all be quiet? Especially you, Blaze-niisan" said a young boy with white hair and red eyes, about nine years old, holding a sniper rifle in his hands and wearing a cloak with a hood.
"Shut it, Shota-kun..." he started to say, only for a sniper bullet to impact the wall five inches from his head. "Sorry, I forgot yo uhated that name, Shiro-kun. It just sounds the same is all to me".
"Nevermind that! Where the hell is everyone else?!"
"Alice-chan mentioned she was busy working on an art project" Shiro replied, taking out a cloth and polishing his sniper rifle.
"And I heard that Torque-kun and Ivy-chan were out of the city working on their own project" Blaze added, looking over at the other two. "I think the others are currently in another session..."
"Not everyone, idiot" another boy's voice said, as he walked in. Carrying his signature weapon with him, Lance walked towards the front of the room. "Looks like most of CLASS that are available are here though, which is good to see".
"Cool. Can I kill someone now, Lance-niichan?"
"Sorry Shiro, but we only have capture targets right now".
"Surely there is someone? What about the Anti-Skill woman who raided that research lab? Hokari Haruka right? Can I kill her? Please please please?"
"No. She and her sister, along with that brat, are being heavily monitored by that army of Misaka Clones right now, probably at the request of Accelerator. You try and take them out, and you will end up being captured".
"Stupid assholes...they created a damn army of Level 5s that makes doing anything difficult now".
"Well, maybe for average people who tried to do what we do, but this is a CLASS full of capable individuals".
"And a gun toting brat..."
"Dont insult Shiro-chan! You will hurt his feelings!"
"What feelings, you idiotic moron! Seriously Melody, that guy is a psychopath!"
"How about you all be quiet, and let me, the teacher, decide the direction of the class" a man pointed out, stepping out from a door by the teachers desk and walking into the room. He was older then all of them, and had a dignified appearance around them.
"Sensei! Sensei! Give me an assassination job! Please please!" Shiro called out while raising his hand.
"Quiet Shiro-kun, unless you want to be punished" the teacher said sharply with a deadly glare, causing Shiro to sit back down and quiet down. "Now listen, this is a CLASS that is supposed to be the best of the best, people not burdened by morales that would stop them from doing what they need to do, made of all sorts of people with special talents and powerful abilities. Because of that, so long as you are obediant and successful, you get to enjoy certain freedoms. Now, Lance-kun...mind telling me why Vector-kun is not among us right now?"
"None of the Command Codes worked".
The first sentence Lance spoke sounded like an excuse, but it got Sensei interested.
"None of them?"
"Not a single one. It was as if someone swapped out his entire programming. But nothing worked the way it should".
"I see...that is a strange thing. I suppose I can forgive that failure...but, Piper. Why is Azul-kun not here either?"
"Railgun and Imagine Breaker were there for some reason and interfered. The gas I got from Brew was totally neutralized, and so were the expendable fodder".
"I see. How annoying. And knowing those two, they might try to poke around again. I think it might be time for a group project then. Lance, you take point...along with Shiro-kun and Melody-chan".
"Yay!"
"Woo hoo!"
"Shiro-kun, that said, no randomly killing people. And Melody-chan, no abusing Shiro-kun".
""Awwwwwwww"".
"Great...I get two of the craziest people. Well, so long as they do their jobs, I don't mind. That said, you better follow orders, Shiro-kun, Melody-chan".
""Yes Sir, Class President Sir!""
"...well, at least they sound believable".
AN: Me: And there is another chapter out!
Lance: Finally, I get to show up again.
Accelerator: CLASS is even more unstable then I expected...
Last Order: I also got an appearnace! Says Misaka Misaka, overjoyed that she got to appear!
Kota: ...you didn't wait to end the chapter till after I showed up...
Accelerator: Shut up, pup.
Kota: Who are you calling a pup?!
Last Order: Puppy!
Kota: !
Lance: ...well, at least Shiro and Melody are probably more stable then these lot.
Me: You really think that?
Lance: No, not really. Shiro is a murderous brat, and Melody is a perverted drama queen. They just happen to at least be good at their jobs.
Me: Well, lets leave it at that then! Hope you all enjoyed, and stay tuned for more!