And now we have officially gotten farther than my previous crossover story ever got, so there will be no more mention of it from this point on. We are also further than most other Familiar of Zero crossovers get, from what I have been told by you all. I assure you, despite any long layoffs from chapter updates, I intend to see this story to completion. As the semester winds down and summer starts, there will be a return to two-week updates to stories.
That all aside, now to talk about this chapter! A small issue I had with the original Familiar of Zero was that we never got a single look about how Saito's family was doing. The Light Novel did include a brief mention at how worried his family was, but the Anime and Manga made not even an inkling at it; he just showed up at his house at the end of the series. Therefore, we are going to start this story back in Academy City, and return to it at several occasions to check in with a certain scientific teleporter…there will also be a little tweak to one of the characters in Tristain, but I think you will know it when you see it. I hope you enjoy!
- Ketchum Kid
EDIT: I had been mistaken about Imagine Breaker, forgetting that teleporting Touma involved teleporting his right hand. Therefore, I have corrected a part below to stay in canon with character. (5/13/14)
Chapter 4: Two Different Kinds of Possessives
"Haaaann…"
Shirai Kuroko placed her head down on her desk at the Judgment 177 Branch office. The pigtailed girl had a depressed look on her face, and was in no mood to do any work whatsoever. Despite the piles of urgent paperwork littering the office, she barely moved, shuffling only to adjust her position in her chair. aEven a sloth seemed to have more energy than she did at this moment.
"Shirai, are you feeling alright?" The auburn-haired girl slowly turned her head around, until she was facing her friend and Judgment partner, Uiharu Kazari. About the same height as Kuroko, Uiharu had short black hair, golden-brown eyes, and a headband made up of artificial flowers. She went to a different school than Kuroko, and instead was wearing a white blouse with a blue and red scarf and a knee-length skirt.
"Misaka didn't return last night," Kuroko stated in a deadpan voice. Uiharu gasped.
"Eh?! But it's been two days since we last heard from her!" she explained.
"Yeah…" Kuroko sighed. She turned her head back around, looking out a window facing the street.
"You don't think…that this could be related to another attempt to recover Tree Diagram, is it?" the flower girl asked.
"Impossible," responded Kuroko. "Accelerator destroyed the original core; we have the traffic camera footage as proof of it. From what I have heard, the cost to create a new core and load it onto a new satellite is too much even for the most desperate of scientists." She paused for a few seconds. "Besides, when Misaka disappeared over those days, she at least returned in the daytime to sleep. She hasn't been back at all, and I'm running out of ideas to keep the dorm manager at bay. I might even have to ask Misaki for a favor if this keeps up."
"I see…" Uiharu stated. The two girls sat in silence for several seconds. A tear fell down from Kuroko's cheek.
"I had to snap at her..." she mumbled sadly.
"Eh?" Uiharu said, getting up from her chair.
"I snapped at Sissy when she interfered with our mission that day…" the Teleporter explained. "We got into an argument about Judgment's effectiveness. I told her to go where she couldn't interfere with Judgment's work…I…I was only meaning to say that to protect her from what we do, even though she does help us on numerous occasions. I-I didn't think that she would take it literally…" A few more tears fell down her face.
"Please, hang in there Shirai," urged Uiharu. She placed a cup of tea on Kuroko's desk, causing the auburn-haired girl to look up. "I know you're upset with yourself, but I'm sure that isn't the reason for her disappearance. She values you as her close friend; a simple spat over Judgment's work wouldn't break that bond. Besides, we are talking about Mikoto Misaka, the third-strongest Level 5 in Academy City. Wherever she is, I imagine she is healthy and fine, wherever she may be." Kuroko let out a small smile.
"I guess you're right, Uiharu," she conceded. "Sissy's survived so many events in the past year alone. It wouldn't take a simple kidnapping for her to be taken out." She took out a pen, and began to take the piles of paper to a slow but significant pace.
"Still, that does pose the question of what did cause her to go off the radar," Uiharu noted. "Whoever did this, or whatever reason caused her to voluntarily leave Academy City, would have to be at least on a magnitude as big as the World War." Without a concrete reason for why Misaka had disappeared, they could only speculate to her whereabouts, or more importantly, her well-being.
At the moment, Misaka's well-being was in the hands of a white-haired, elderly man with the name of Old Osmond. The Headmaster paced back and forth in his office, making the brunette shuffle in her seat. It was not common for the Railgun to be nervous about much of anything, aside from the Dorm Supervisor. However, the Headmaster seemed to carry an air of importance; not completely different from Louise, but without the arrogance or highly strung attitude. He was a man that commanded respect and authority, just like the Dorm Supervisor.
"U-Um, is there a problem, sir?" she asked. Osmond continued to pace back and forth. "It's about the duel today, wasn't it?" Osmond stopped, then turned to look at the window.
"You know, a person in your position would normally be expelled from this academy," he stated. "Not only is dueling a student not allowed by our rules, but it is also a serious offense to cause serious damage to the academy walls, which are there to protect our students in the case Tristain comes under attack from outside forces."
"I see…" Misaka stated, looking down at her feet. "I'm sorry if I caused you too many problems. If you want, I can leave the Academy and try to find a way home on my own." Osmond let out a small grunt.
"Nonsense," the Headmaster stated. This caused Misaka to raise her head. "You are not one of the students, nor are you using any powers of the Pentagram, so the rules do not exactly apply to you in specification. That last reason is paramount for you staying at this Academy. If we were to cast you out, you would be approached by many powers of the outside, all wanting to use you. Many people would literally kill to have somebody like you fight for them."
"I only fight for somebody if they're worth fighting for," the Railgun stated. "I fought Guiche because I couldn't stand seeing him and the rest of the students mistreat Louise. Ah, Again, I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused."
"No, no," said the white-haired man. "If anything, De Gramont was the one who started it all. I think you may have given him a sense of humility, as well as show the others that Miss Valliére is not as incompetent as she looks. You have my thanks for making life hear at Tristain Academy a little easier for this old man."
"Er, you're welcome?" replied Misaka. She was not really sure how to reply to that extension of gratitude.
"Still, word will undoubtedly leak out soon, especially with the upcoming Familiar Presentation to the Princess," Osmond noted. "I know you would do fine, what with the power of your lightning technique, but I must ask you to stay here as Miss Valliére's Familiar for the time being, if only to protect others that try to take your power by force." Misaka nodded in agreement.
"It's not like I have much of a choice," she replied to him. "After all, I have no way to get back home from here. I might as well learn from this academy about where I could fit in this world." She heard something scurry underneath her chair, most likely a mouse or rat.
"Ah, thank you," Osmond stated. "As a means of compensation, I will furnish Miss Valliére's room with an additional bed and wardrobe, so that you do not have to sleep on an uncomfortable straw mat like you have been for the past few days." Misaka wondered how the old man could have known about her living conditions; however, before she could ask him, the man bent down underneath the table. When he returned upright, in his right hand was a small white mouse. "Being a Familiar of unknown potential and abilities, we cannot treat you like a salamander or dragon, or like Motsognir here."
"I would take it that is your Familiar, sir?" Misaka asked. Osmond nodded.
"Yes, Motsognir and I have been together for a long time," the Headmaster stated, reminiscing thoughtfully. "Like any familiar, he has been a lifetime servant and friend, as well as an extra set of eyes and ears for me." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small brown nut, which he gave to the mouse.
Misaka smiled warmly. "Well, I'm not sure that Louise and I can try, although I think that we won't be able to get as close as you two can." The Headmaster nodded.
"At least not right away," he stated. "Louise has a very abrasive personality, as you might be aware, but she has been very hard working, considering that she has failed every magic test thrown to her before the 'Summon Servant.' And given that she was able to summon a Familiar, no, a person like yourself here proves that she is not the Zero that she has been dubbed for so long. I must entrust her to your care, for like yourself, she is very much a valuable asset to us."
"You can leave her safety to me," Misaka assured him. "I'll show her as much care and protection as you are to your Familiar."
"Excellent, excellent!" Osmond declared, smiling. "It seems that even though your personality makes up for your poor taste in undergarments!"
Misaka's smile turned from warm to awkward.
"Eh?" she pronounced.
"I mean, to wear shorts instead of something pure as white or alluring as black puts you off as childish!" clarified the Headmaster. "Actually, white probably suits you better. You're not yet old enough to be engaging in such acts anyway." Misaka went red in the face very quickly, although she somehow was able to hold her smile.
'W-W-W-What the heck?! H-How was he able to see through the desk and skirt?! Is this part of this world's -?!' She paused, and remembered what Osmond had just said ("Like any familiar, he has been a lifetime servant and friend, as well as an extra set of eyes and ears for me.")
"What do you think, Motsognir?" Osmond asked. The mouse chirped. "Ah, yes! If Misaka does that, then she'll have no problem being married in the future!" Suddenly, Motsognir twitched nervously. Without warning, he leapt out of his master's hand, and scurried away. "Ah, Motsognir, what's the matter?"
"I guess he's just sensing the electricity in my body," Misaka explained. Osmond noticed that her smile was now akin to Longueville's after she caught him trying to feel her up. "After all, I'm not really happy right now." A spark arced from her hair to her waist.
"Ah, oh dear," Osmond stated, sweatdropping. "I-I just remembered an important faculty meeting is starting in five minutes, and I must really-!"
"You're not going anywhere, you perverted Headmaster!" the Railgun said, cutting him off. "Let me show you how I treat lecherous perverts like yourself back at home!"
"Ha-CHOO!" Kuroko's sneeze was so unexpected, that she teleported several feet back behind her desk. The Judgment officer promptly fell on her rear. "Ow!"
"Ah, Shirai!" Uiharu gasped, turning around. "Are you alright?" The Teleporter was quickly on her feet.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Kuroko stated. She walked back to her desk, and sat down. "I would hate to be that person, though." Uiharu was confused.
"Um, I don't follow," the flower girl said.
"Well, I got a feeling with that sneeze, that Misaka was speaking of me like how she does when she rejects my advances of love," the auburn-haired girl explained. "Therefore, I could imagine that Sissy had just dispatched a pervert with swift and noble justice, so that only I can have her love when the time is right."
Uiharu could only smile and nervously laugh, thinking of how silly that assertion was.
The explosion could be heard over a good portion of the Academy. Many of the students in the court stopped and stared towards the source of the blast.
"Was that another explosion?"
"It came from the Headmaster's office."
"Don't tell me Zero failed at a remedial lesson again!"
"How could it be me when I was standing out here this whole time?!" Louise exclaimed. The group of three jumped, not expecting her to be shouting out a window from the opposite side of the tower.
"A-Ah, so sorry!" they apologized. The pinkette grunted, and went away from the window.
"Jeez, I don't even need to hear what they were saying, and I know it's about me!" she huffed. Her reason for being outside of the Headmaster's office was for Misaka. Even though both had been summoned to speak, only Misaka had been allowed in the office. So when the brunette walked out, she was more than curious as to what had just happened. "So what were you talking about?"
"He's agreed to let me off the hook for that match, so long as I remain here at the Academy and not go off to another governing body," the brunette replied. "He's also going to have someone bring over a bed and another set of drawers for myself." Louise looked towards the door into Osmond's office. She barely got a glimpse of the Headmaster's charred body before Misaka quickly closed the door. "H-He's doing some important research into how to get me back now, so if you want to speak to him, you'll have to wait."
"Really…" she says, trailing off. "I could have sworn I heard your lightning crackle in there." Misaka went slightly red in the face.
"N-No way!" the brunette laughed nervously. "A-After all, what reason would I attack such a kind and noble gentleman as Old Osmond?" Louise seemed unconvinced, but decided not to pursue the subject any further.
"Anyway, I was thinking about a reward for you," the noble stated. Misaka returned to normal, and looked at her master strangely.
"A reward?" she asked. Louise brushed her hair with her hand.
"You did happen to prove me wrong about you," explained the pinkette. "You appear to be the strongest Familiar summoned out of the class, not the weak one I originally perceived you to be. Besides, anyone who puts Guiche squarely in his place is worth praising." The last part elicited a smile from both of them.
"I see…" the brunette followed. "Then, what do you have in mind?"
"I think it's a little obvious to see," Louise stated. "Or rather, it's obvious to smell." Misaka raised an eyebrow.
"Er, I don't follow." Louise pulled on the brunette's shirt.
"You've been wearing this outfit since before you got here yesterday, today, and in your battle with Guiche," the noble explained. "No doubt you want something that will be able to be worn when your current outfit needs to be washed." Misaka looked at her clothing. She was feeling rather grungy in clothing that was being worn twice, and noticeable sweat stains had formed around her armpits, producing a strange, unpleasant odor.
"You do have a point there," she admitted. "But where do you go to shop? From what I can tell, there aren't any towns nearby that we could walk to."
"Tomorrow is a Day of Void," Louise stated. "We can go to the capitol then to do some shopping." She noticed Misaka's expression, which still showed confusion. "Each week there is a Day of Void, in which there are no classes, and we can rest and relax."
"Oh," stated Misaka, whose face changed to one of understanding. "So it's like a Saturday or Sunday on Earth."
"If that is your equivalent, then that is what you can use," Louise said. "Anyway, we should be heading back to my room. If the Headmaster is going to bring in some furniture, you better be moving some of my stuff out of the way so that they don't break it."
"Alright," the brunette stated, initially not registering what the noble had said. "Hey, why am I moving your stuff, but you aren't giving any indication that you are going to help me?!"
"It's simple, really," said the pinkette, smiling. "We may be friends now, but that doesn't change the fact that I am your master, Familiar." While Misaka did register the positive change in Lousie's tone, she did not like the fact that she had not changed her beliefs all that much.
It was late in the evening, almost to the time in which Judgment officers were to return to their dormitory buildings before curfew. Kuroko and Uiharu were both packing up there bags, and were ready to close the office for the night. Despite the earlier pep talk from Uiharu, Kuroko still had a long-off gaze, still worrying about Misaka.
"Hey, Shirai?" Uiharu asked.
"Yeah?" the twin-tailed girl responded, still not showing any signs of enthusiasm.
"I have a feeling that Misaka's doing alright, and that we don't need to worry too much," the flower-band girl stated. "This could be like World War Three, where she had to go to Russia to stop the fighting. Maybe Academy City has some sort of top-secret mission for her, and she couldn't tell - !" Kuroko suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Shirai?"
"I know you're trying to cheer me up, Uiharu, and I thank you for that," thanked the Teleporter. "However, even Misaka would tell me that she's going away, though she couldn't tell me what it was about. She would tell me so that I would be able to worry about her well-being, because secretly she does have feelings for me!"
"Eh?" Uiharu asked, suddenly very confused.
"Nobody who doesn't have feelings for somebody would tell even a friend about something that secretive!" reasoned Kuroko. "Maybe it's that Misaka got captured by one of those magic people she says that gets involved with that ape! Maybe they're holding her hostage for him!" The Teleporter began to furiously grit her teeth. "No, it has definitely the smell of that person, the one that has taken Sissy's heart by storm! Argh, I'm going to kill that stupid ape!" Uiharu sweatdropped.
"U-Um, I don't think that whoever you're talking about would be happy about that…" she said nervously. At that moment, the door to the branch office opened. Stepping in was a girl, who was taller and older than both Kuroko and Uiharu. She had short shoulder-length black hair, and wore a blue vest over a white blouse, a plaid grey skirt, a small yellow scarf tied around her neck, and a pair of glasses over her eyes. Like Kuroko and Uiharu, a green Judgment band was worn on her right sleeve.
"Sorry to force you guys into overtime, but we have one last-minute case," the girl stated. Kuroko and Uiharu both turned to face her.
"Oh, hello Konori," Kuroko greeted. "What seems the matter?"
"We have a young man here who found a student's bag on the street the other day," explained Mii. "He's here with the bag now." From behind the Judgment officer stepped forth a teen who was only a few inches shorter than Mii. He ruffled black hair, and wore a blue and white jacket, along with blue jeans and blue shoes.
"I'm sorry that I didn't come here as soon as I got the bag," the boy apologized. "I needed to go to class as soon as I found this bag. I haven't found a good time to come here until now, and even then, I almost missed it."
"At least you caught us before we closed for the day," said Uiharu, putting on a kind smile. "Can we see the bag?"
"Sure thing," the boy stated. He handed the black bag to Uiharu, who took it. "I haven't opened it, so I don't know whose it is."
"Well, we'll apologize to them later," stated Konori. "Right now, we need to find out where this bag has to go to." Uiharu was already opening the bag. She took out a notebook, and opened it up.
"Ah!" the flower-band girl gasped. She suddenly dropped the book on the floor, attracting the attention of Kuroko and Konori
"What's wrong?" Kuroko asked. The twin-tailed girl went to pick up the book, and gasped when she saw the writing in it. "No way…"
"What is it?" asked Konori, her shoulders tensing.
"T-The book…" Uiharu explained. "It…It belongs to Misaka!"
"What?!" the senior Judgment officer gasped.
"Wait, this belongs to Mikoto Misaka, the Number Three Level 5 in all of Academy City?!" the boy gasped. "No way!"
"Are you sure it's hers?" Konori asked. "Check all of the other books, see if that one book was just planted there."
"There's no need to," Kuroko explained. "Her Gekota strap is on this bag, right there." Konori looked at the bag. On one corner of the bag was a strap, which was holding onto a figure of an unusual and childish-looking green frog.
"Yes," she stated. "That is something that Misaka would have on her bag..." Kuroko walked up to the teen.
"You," she asked flatly. "Where did you find this?" The boy was lost in the flurry of the girl's distress over the bag.
"U-Um, what's all the commotion behind this?" the boy wondered aloud. "Aren't one of you from Tokiwadai? Couldn't you return this to her?"
"I am an officer of Judgment," the girl reminded him sternly. "You will answer my question, or I shall have to detain you further for obstructing an official Judgment investigation."
"Alright, alright!" he conceded. The boy thought back to when he found the bag. "Um, I believe it was near an alleyway on one of the main streets," he recalled. "I could take you there, if you want." The gesture was ignored.
"Good," she stated. "You're coming with me and showing the location." She grabbed the boy's forearm.
"H-Huh? Wai-!" In an instant, both the boy and Kuroko disappeared from the room. A rushing sound could be heard outside, presumably from teleportation.
"Jeez," groaned Konori, clutching her head. "How many times do I tell her that she can't teleport out of the office?"
"Maybe we should forgive her this time," proposed Uiharu. "After all, finding something about someone who's been missing for over two days, especially someone of Misaka's caliber, is extremely unusual." Konori placed a hand on her head.
"Maybe, but I think Kuroko's taking it a little too far…" the senior officer thought. Just then, Uiharu lifted her head up.
"Oh, that's right!" the flower-band girl remembered. "We didn't ask for his name! Don't we need to make a log of this incident?"
"Don't worry, I've got this," Konori assured her junior officer. "I took his statement when he came in, so I have his name, rank, and essential items." The girl went over to a computer. Turning it on, she began to fill in an online report form. "Let's see…name is Hiraga…Saito…Rank…Level 0…"
Poor Saito was being dragged along for the ride of his life; however, it was more of a terrifying drag than a wild ride, considering the only safety harness was a hand grabbing the back of his shirt. In one instant, he was high above the street, held from death only by the limber hands of Kuroko. The next, he was much further ahead, teleported by the girl's esper powers. They only stopped at street corners, in which Kuroko would deposit them on the sidewalk.
"Can't we just walk?" pleaded Saito, panting hard. "Your teleportation is making me think that I am going to fall onto the street below!" Kuroko ignored the teen's comments, while looking around the corner at the possible directions they could go.
"Which way, young man?" the Judgment officer demanded, her voice tense and with a sense of urgency.
"Um, I think we make a left and continue for a few blocks," the black-haired teen replied. "But can you please call me by Sait-OOOHH!-!" His thought was finished about a hundred feet ahead, well above the street, with his life in the hands of a girl several years younger than him. The two slingshoted down the streets of Academy City, until they were going down a fairly large street in a business district.
"Stop!" Saito yelled out. In an instant, Kuroko teleported the two of them onto the sidewalk, in front of a supermarket. The black haired teen shook his head, however. "No, not here! On the other side!"
"Jeez, stop being so bossy!" the twin-tailed girl complained. She teleported the two onto the other side of the street. "Honestly you should respect your-oof!" Someone walked right into the two of them, pushing Kuroko down to the sidewalk. "Ow! Hey, watch where you're going, you ape!"
"You might want to watch where you teleport to, then," Saito replied in a deadpan voice. The teen then looked at the person that had bumped into them. The person, a guy who was almost as tall as Saito, had messy black hair which appeared to end in spikes, and was wearing a blue zippered sweatshirt, khaki pants, and red and white sneakers. Saito was surprised to see the person. "Touma?"
"Eh?" the teen wondered, looking at Saito. "Oh, Saito. What are you doing here?" He then looked down at Kuroko, who was getting up from the sidewalk. "And more importantly, what is Misaka's friend doing here?" Hearing Touma's voice made Kuroko instantly jump up, and point a sharp finger at Touma's face.
"'Misaka's friend' has a name, you big ape!" the Teleporter shouted at him. "It's Shirai Kuroko, unless you have forgotten! And don't use the name of the Princess of Tokiwadai so lightly!" Touma jumped back slightly.
"Hey, hey!" he stated, putting his hands up in a defensive wave. "I'm only stating what is the truth! Aren't you and Misaka good friends?" The auburn-haired girl puffed her face out, and turned around to look away from him.
"If you had an ounce of knowledge in that tiny gorilla brain of yours, you would know that we are much, much more than that!" she huffed. "Anyway, how do you two know each other?"
"Touma and I go to the same school," replied Saito. "We aren't in the same class, but I do see him from time to time, and we talk when he isn't scurrying around Academy City. Speaking of which, why are you here?"
"Well it isn't by my own choice," Touma replied. "I'm following my friend here under orders to investigate something." He looked to his right, expecting somebody to be there. However, he was surprised when he found that nobody was there. "Although, it seems that she has run off somewhere…"
"Orders from who?" Kuroko asked, now suddenly confused.
"TOUMA!-!" The three looked from where Touma had come from, towards the source of the shriek. Down the sidewalk, with her hand in a robotic trash can, was a young nun. The nun had waist-length blue-grey hair and green eyes, and was wearing a white habit with gold trim that seemed to be held together with safety pins. "Help me get my sandwich back from this rugged beast!" The three sweatdropped.
"I believe I've seen this girl before," Kuroko murmured. "Seems she still doesn't know a thing about technology…" Touma facepalmed.
"Index, I can get you another sandwich after you've seen the area," he reasoned to his friend. "If you dropped yours on the ground and it got sucked up, it is as good as gone." The black-haired teen went over to try and help his friend. However, as he did, his right foot caught on a crack in the sidewalk. Touma stumbled forward, trying to stop before crashing into the robot can and Index. "Woah!"
"Watch out, Touma!" Index cried, just before he fell onto the can. Kuroko and Saito could only cringe as a collection of thuds and clatters resounded from the sidewalk. When the pair looked again, they saw that both Touma and Index were scattered on the sidewalk, lying on their backs. The robotic trash can had been knocked sideways, and was now rolling in a semicircle pattern on the ground, bumping into both Touma and Index as it did.
"T-Touma, you idiot…" Index groaned.
"Such…misfortune…" Touma sighed.
"These two are certainly peas of a pod," commented Saito. Kuroko nodded in agreement, and walked over to the two.
"Saito, can you help me with these two?" she asked. "I have a feeling that they may know something about our investigation." Now it was Saito's turn to be confused. He walked over to catch up with the Judgment officer.
"Investigation? What investigation?" he asked. "I don't remember being dragged into some sort of undercover operation." The Teleporter sighed, and decided that it would be easier if she move the bodies herself, specifically Index's towards Touma.
"It has nothing to do with you," she explained, easing Saito's concerns about being dragged into something he wanted no part of. "Frankly, what I needed of you has already been answered. Bring the ape to the Judgment Branch 177 office, and you can go home. Just don't stay out too long past curfew, or bring him anywhere else, or I will see to it that there is hell to pay."
"Huh?" Before the black-haired teen could say anything more, Kuroko placed a hand Index, and teleported the nun along with herself back down the street, towards the Judgment 177 Branch office. Saito watched her for a few seconds, before she teleported out of view, leaving him with his unconscious classmate. "Okay…so that just happened…" He knelt down, and slung an arm over Touma's left shoulder. He then began to slowly struggle on towards the Judgment office. "Really, there never is a dull moment in this city..." At least there was a decent view of the sunset on the street he was on.
After sunset in Halkeginia, most of the inhabitants of Tristain Academy had gone to their rooms to sleep. Misaka, however, was walking the hallways of the student dormitories. She had just finished washing her school uniform for the first time since she arrived in the Academy. In the meantime, she was wearing one of Louise's nightgowns, given by her master after she had moved everything around for movement of the brunette's new furniture. It was the movement of the furniture, however, that had gotten Misaka worked up about the pinkette at the moment.
"…and she had the nerve to not only say that we didn't need the help in moving the furniture, but then make me move the new furniture after finishing moving the old furniture!" Her right hand curled into a fist. "Man, if it wasn't for the fact that we are living together, I'd show her what it's like to move furniture!" She stopped walking. After a few seconds, she uncurled her fist. "Then again, it's not like I've moved furniture in the past; Kuroko would usually teleport it if wasn't moved less than a few inches. Plus, Louise did lend me her night garb…" The gown did not fit perfectly; since she was slightly taller than Louise, it exposed a little more of her legs. In addition, while Misaka had nothing close to even a moderately sized chest, it was still more than what Louise had, making it a little tight.
'Louise has changed more than a bit since I first arrived here,' she noted to herself. The abrasive, sassy teenaged girl that the brunette exploded on the first night because of insults still gave Misaka orders and demands, and would force her to do her bidding. However, there was now a smile behind those orders, a smile that had not been present before. It wasn't a wry, sadistic smile, but the smile that one gives to friends of close ilk. There was also more of a lighter, cheery tone behind the words of the orders. Maybe that was because of the fact that she no longer needed to do heavy lifting, but Misaka thought that it was more towards what one would say to a friend than what one would say in satisfaction to a finished task. Finally, Louise now considered Misaka as a friend, maybe even moreso that as a Familiar; she had outright said it to her earlier that day. If that was not a sign of progress in the right direction, then that salamander further down the hallway was just a figment of her imagination.
Hold on. Salamander?
Misaka stopped. She had just climbed the spiral staircase to Louise's floor. Waiting at the other end of the hallway was a red fire salamander. The brunette quickly identified it as being Flame, the Familiar of the big-chested magician Kirche, whom she had met earlier today. The two stared at each other for several seconds.
"U-Um, hi?" Misaka stated. She was unsure what to say in this situation.
"Kyurukyuru," growled Flame. Without warning, flame took off towards Misaka, eying her head in the process.
"Wa, hey, stop!" Misaka exclaimed. Before she had a chance to counterattack, Flame leapt for the brunette. Instead of opening its mouth wide, the salamander did a full-body tackle, knocking Misaka to the floor. The Familiar then moved downward, and bit onto Misaka's sweater, tugging her towards the way that Flame had come from. "I said, stop!" Misaka released a small electric shock out of her body. Nothing lethal, but enough to make Flame let go and cringe in pain.
"Kyru!" it cried, now suddenly nervous around the brunette.
"What the heck was that for?!" Misaka asked, visibly upset. "Is it survival of the fittest among the Familiars?" Flame furiously shook its head. Misaka calmed down. Knowing that it wasn't aiming for her throat was a relief. "Then, is there somewhere you want to take me? Kirche's?" The salamander nodded, making the brunette frown. "Then I can go there following you under my own power, rather than in your mouth." Flame seemed to be apologetic, bowing its head, before leading Misaka to a room a few doors down from Louise's.
The first thing Misaka noticed about the room after she entered it was that it was rather dark. The main lights had been blown out, and the only sources of illumination were from a few candles and the moonlight coming from the window. It was the moonlight that helped the brunette see Kirche. She was standing in front of the window, clad in a dark purple robe and facing away from the door. Other than these two things, it was otherwise the same as Louise's room.
"Close the door, please," asked the redhead. Misaka obliged, but not before Flame scurried out of the room. "My, I know most animals are afraid of lightning, but I didn't think Flame would be so panicked around you so soon."
"It might have something to do with needing some self-defense around your lizard," Misaka replied. Kirche chuckled.
"Yes, I do think that was probably the reason. Still, that's only more of a reason for you to be a person of interest to me." As Kirche said this, she turned around, making Misaka a little red in the face. The robe that Kirche was wearing covered the fact that the only other garments on her were her two-tone purple underwear, the bra portion of which was frilly and had a small bow. It did nothing to make her enormous assets any more modest.
"A-A person of…interest?" Misaka repeated. A smile appeared on Kirche's face.
"I see you like my choice of sleep wear," she commented.
"Ah, n-no," Misaka covered, trying to bring her mind under control. "It-It's just it's very similar to something that a friend of mine has…"
"I wouldn't be surprised," the redhead stated. "The original design of this was supposedly from a world unlike ours. Do you know what that means?" Misaka didn't follow.
"Um, are you trying to impress me?" she asked bluntly. Kirche chuckled.
"Relax, Misaka the Railgun. Just because I'm interested in you doesn't mean that. My preference is for older men anyway." The brunette gave off a mental sigh of relief. "It's a sort of hobby, actually. I'm fascinated by the Artifacts that come over."
"Artifacts?" Misaka repeated.
"It's the term the higher-ups give to anything found that doesn't originate from our world," defined Kirche. "Every so often, a traveler discovers a garment or a pamphlet; a warrior on a quest discovers a powerful weapon; strange food appears before a starving traveler on the verge of death. 'We can peg many of Halkeginia's recent advancements on these artifacts coming from the other world'; that's what my father told me." Now Misaka lost all sense of nervousness, and gained a sense of curiosity.
"Hold on," she interrupted. "Are you saying that there are other things from Earth that have made their way to Halkeginia before I did?"
"If that is where the artifacts are originating from, then yes," responded Kirche. The redhead took two steps towards Misaka. The brunette took one step back away from Kirche. "But nobody has ever heard of a person crossing over to our world before."
"Eh?" Misaka was surprised by this fact. "But if what you say is true about artifacts, wouldn't there be a fair chance that a person would be just as likely to come over to your world?" Kirche furrowed her brow.
"Yes, you would think that," she stated. "However, you came over via the 'Summon Servant,' the contract by which all mages of the land gain a Familiar. The other objects, nobody ever confirmed." Kirche began to advance on the brunette. For some reason, Misaka was frozen in place this time, as the Verdant placed a finger on her face. "That's what makes you interesting to me."
"D-D-Does it, now…?" Misaka replied.
"Yes," the redhead answered. "I am just fascinated by the Artifacts. They have ideas and materials that our world could only dream of. Just thinking of it makes my heart burn up with excitement and passion befitting my runic name! And now, I have someone here that can tell me all about the world in which they came from, and, maybe, help me recreate some of these ideas here." Kirche advanced even closer to her, now practically breathing on Misaka. The outfit that the redhead was wearing was not helping the brunette distinguish intimidation from lust, as her original thoughts about the redhead returned to forefront. She hoped desperately that something would come to help her get out of the room.
"Hey! Miss Kirche!"
She did not think that help would come in the form of a hormone-drunk man on the windowsill.
"B-Berisson!" Kirche exclaimed. She clearly was not expecting anyone.
"I came here because you didn't come at the prearranged time and place," Berisson stated. Okay, maybe she was.
"This is the third floor, right?" Misaka said aloud, before remembering that these people can fly using magic.
"Hey Berisson, I'm kinda busy with one of my hobbies right now, so meet me in two hours, same place," the Ardent instructed. Berisson got visibly upset at the request.
"Hey, that's not what we agreed on-waugh!" A flame spell cast nonchalantly by Kirche knocked the man away from the window (and presumably to the ground below) using the flames from one of the candles as a medium.
"A-Ah, I hope he's okay," Misaka stated. She was somewhat in shock that Kirche had dispatched what she presumed was her lover so quickly.
"Oh him? He can handle it," Kirche replied, brushing off the young girl's concerns. "Anyway, about your powers, how-?"
"Kirche!" The two turned to the window. Another man was levitating outside of the room.
"S-Stix?!" Kirche responded in shock. Misaka was surprised as well.
"Who is that woman?!" Stix demanded. "I didn't know you were like that! I thought you wanted to burn the passion in m-EEEEE!" Another calm spell, another body on the ground three stories below.
"W-Who was that?" Misaka asked, slightly less disturbed by the redhead's actions.
"Just an old friend," Kirche calmly replied. "But enough about me, I want to find out more about you, specifically-"
"KIRCHE!" This time there were three guys outside of the window.
"Manican! Ajax! Gimli!" Kirche exclaimed, although there was more of an annoyance in her tone this time. Misaka simply went cat-eyed; while she had gotten the impression that Kirche got around the male dormitories, she didn't imagine it would be to this degree.
"You said that you didn't have any lovers in your life besides me!" all three exclaimed at the same time.
"Look, you can come meet me in six hours!" the red haired girl stated.
"THAT'S THE MORNING!" the three protested. Misaka decided to use the distraction to get away from Kirche, and towards the door.
"Ah, wait Misaka!" the Ardent called out, as she heard the door open.
"I think it's time to me go to bed," the brunette stated, even though she was not tired in the slightest. "I'll leave you to your boy troubles, okay?" She quickly slipped out of the door.
"Wait! But there was so much I wanted to ask you!" Kirche called out. It was no use; she could hear Misaka's hurried footsteps getting farther away. The red haired girl sighed. "Oh, and I was so interested in learning about her powers…" She took out her frustration by blasting the three lovers onto the grass below.
Misaka returned to the door that marked the room she shared with Louise. Surprisingly, as she reached out for the door handle, it twisted and opened on its own accord, revealing the pink-haired girl on the other side. "Oh, Louise!"
"Misaka?" Louise was surprised. The noble had her wand in hand. "You were taking so long! I was about to go looking for you."
"No, I was about to come back in a reasonable time," the brunette stated. "However, I then had a run-in with the unholy combination of Kuroko's lust with me and Uiharu's obsession with all things Tokiwadai." Despite all of her prior knowledge about Kirche, it took some explanation before Louise realized who Misaka was talking about.
"Ha-CHOO!"
"Oh, God Bless you two," stated Index, who briefly took her face out of a bowl of buffalo rice noodle soup to pay respect to Kuroko and Uiharu.
"Wonder who's talking about you two," opined Touma, who was eating a bowl of salmon soup much more slowly than his companion.
"Probably Saten," suggested Konori. "She's usually around Kuroko and Uiharu when they aren't here...and even when they are..." After Index and Touma awakened at the Judgment 177 Branch office, they were given microwaved soup by Mii and Uiharu. Touma initially declined to take a bowl, but after some insistence took one…if only to prevent Index from scarfing down a sixth serving. For their credit, the two Judgment officers tried their best not to look surprised or annoyed as they watched the nun consume their lunch that had been saved away for the week. Kuroko, meanwhile, was on the phone with the maintenance workers for the trash can robots. After several minutes, she placed her phone down, finished with her call.
"So you two are off the hook for the damaged can," she explained to the two guests. "I told them it was accidentally involved in one of our branch operations, so it will be paid off by Judgment under reimbursements."
"Ah, thank you very much," Touma stated warmly. This was met with a stern stare from the Teleporter.
"Don't just say, 'thank you very much!' as if it was no big deal, you baboon!" she grunted, causing the boy to cringe slightly. "As if fraternizing with Sissy wasn't enough, you now show up at the very spot where she was last seen claiming to be on some sort of investigation, with another girl no less!" Touma went wide-eyed in shock.
"Huh?! Misaka disappeared?" he exclaimed in surprised. Kuroko reached to her desk, grabbed a stapler, and teleported it over the boy's head. The two blunt objects met with considerable force. "Ow!"
"Don't take Sissy's name such lightly!" Kuroko exclaimed. "But yes, Misaka has disappeared from Tokiwadai Academy for the past few days, although that is not supposed to be common knowledge…" The teleporter calmed down, but only slightly. "But that's why I'm suspicious of you, monkey! What were you doing there with your 'investigation' that your sister friend brought you on?" Uiharu went over to her friend, in an attempt to calm her down.
"Shirai, just because they were doing something in the area Misaka disappeared doesn't mean that they were involved in Misaka's disappearance," she told her. Kuroko shot her friend a deadpan look.
"From what I've gathered, Uiharu, this gorilla is always around when Sissy is in trouble," the auburn-haired girl muttered. Index looked up from her sixth soup bowl.
"We were there because I felt some strange magic in the area," the sister stated plainly. "I had to investigate it, since it didn't feel like any of the magic I have memorized in the grimoires that I carry." The three Judgment officers stared blankly at the nun.
"Magic?" Konori repeated, as if the word was new to her ears. Index raised a finger.
"Well, technically it wasn't Eng-!"
"A-Ah, there you go, running off your imagination again!" Touma suddenly blurted out. He shuffled towards Index, and covered her mouth with his left hand. "This girl always drags me on these strange scavenger hunts across Academy City, looking for random stuff she thinks is 'magical!' Really, it's really a toll on me! I mean, come on, magic isn't real!" All this time, Index struggled with trying to speak, but was unable to through Touma's hand.
"Is that…so…?" Uiharu stated, unsure of how to react. Index finally resorted to biting Touma's hand.
"Ow!" he yelped. "Just my luck you would try that!"
"Well, don't cut me off like that next time!" the nun stated matter-of-factly.
"It was only because you were confusing these poor Judgment officers!" the boy countered. "Honestly, who would believe that there was bona fide magic in a world where espers are the norm?"
"That is true," concurred Konori. "Perhaps you saw an esper ability that you never saw before?"
'No,' thought Kuroko. Unlike Konori or Uiharu, she was not buying what appeared to be a quick coverup by Touma. 'Given that he has the power of his right hand to cancel any esper power, yet is classified as a Level 0, magic may not be that far off. It's also not like I haven't been affected by strange incidents before; in fact, a lot of what Judgment has investigated recently have had strange qualities to them. And many of those have been following Sissy's involvements with this ape! Kamijou Touma, you may have been able to fool Uiharu and Konori with your quick deception, but you will not fool Shirai Kuroko that easily.'
To Be Continued…