Author's Notes: Ok this one took a bit of time since I wasn't satisfied with my editing beforehand. Now I'm done and moving on to the next chapter. Enjoy the read and review. Thanks.
Chapter 3: Resurrection
Two months ago in an undisclosed location…
Installation of Physical Locomotion complete
Installation of software and driver systems complete
Initializing Cybernetic functions
Optical systems online
"What is your name?"
"My name…."
"Yes. What is your name?"
"My name…is Demon…"
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
The Beep continued its routine as a slow but steady signal of life. Yori Tamotsu is soundly asleep in the intensive care unit of the Academy City Hospital. Outside the room, Kamijou Touma, Misaka Mikoto, Last Order and Accelerator awaited results on the sleeping prototype. It had become entirely still and unmoving ever since its uncertain collapse two hours ago. They are now waiting for a certain frog faced doctor to finish his diagnosis. The doctor has been stringent in his examination, taking his sweet time in the meticulous task. It's already been half an hour of waiting so far. Accelerator has been rather impatient and irritated by the wait. Maybe it has something to do with his defeat by Yori. Nevertheless, he has to wait due to insistence by Last Order.
Things are just too messed up for Kamijou Touma and Misaka Mikoto right now. First off is their relationship issue. Second would be the construction of a prototype weapon which turned out to be possibly Yori. Right now, they both sat across each other in a quiet manner. They could feel each other's presence but they made no move. There is much to deal with.
A few minutes later, the door to the quarantined room opened and the doctor exited, dressed in a surgical uniform meant to maintain a sterile environment in the intensive care units. Answers were already expected from him. The doctor shook his head. "In the short version, physically, he is completely fine. His brain waves are fine and without interruption. However, the readings show that he's in a self induced coma." The doctor now turned to Accelerator "The Sisters generally have bruises, concussions, some broken bones or ribs and they will recover fine in due time."
Misaka asked. "Why would Yori put himself in a coma?"
"About that, I will need to ask you a few questions for answers." The doctor looked at his regular customer, Touma. "The patient knew you as his friend in the past and tried to kill you, yes?"
"Yeah…" Touma's reply was short.
"And he collapsed after seeing you." He handed the next question to the Railgun.
"After some mumbling…yes he did."
"Hmm…" The doctor contemplated possible scenarios. "It is possible that he has lost some of his memories." Memory loss certainly answered to why he isn't a friend but it didn't answer the second part.
"Then why did he stop? He wouldn't remember me…" Misaka wondered on the second fallacy of the problem.
"What if it wasn't lost but replaced?" Accelerator suggested. He knew it is certainly possible to program humans. In the past, he had saved Last Order's life by deleting a virus program installed into her by Amai Ao. His price for rescue was a bullet to the head by that scientist. Now he's forced to wear a choker in order to make use of his abilities through the MISAKA network.
"That seems more logical." Their guesswork is leading somewhere.
"It sounds likely." Touma agreed. He heard the robotic mumbling prior to a self knock out. Even the time when it declared he was a target, it has a programmed feel. It sounded just like a program with a human shell to latch on. The Sisters at least sound more natural despite their odd inclination of third person views.
The doctor noted. "Memories are not stored just in the mind. They are stored in multiple parts of the bodies in both chemical and electrical forms. That is why constant training hones the memories of muscles for the trained tasks. With respect to that, seeing you Misaka Mikoto must have caused a self induced psychological shut down in order to avoid fighting you." He pondered a bit more. "It's likely he'll be this way until his memories recover if this is the case."
"Assuming this is the answer, how do we solve it?" Touma wasn't that up to date on medical technology available in Academy City.
"You will most likely need a Testament." The doctor advised. The Testament is a device related to human memory. It utilizes the use of waveforms to add, modify or delete important elements in such memory. The Sisters are born in mind by the Testament. Without the Testament, the Sisters would never exist except as teenage sized babies.
Touma asked. "Where can we get one?"
"That, I do not know." The doctor shook his head in a sorry manner. The Testament is only being used for research and development for now. Medical usage is barred as it is still undergoing further research into human memory. Any mistake would lead to dangerous consequences.
"My old workplace used to have one but it's already shut down." Accelerator spewed old facts.
"Then we'll need to find a new place with one." Misaka iterated their new objective. She was slightly bewildered when Accelerator began walking away while tugging Last Order along. "Where are you going?"
Accelerator waved a hand behind him. "He's not a danger to the Sisters anymore. This matter is now your own business." The Guardian and Last Order in a begrudging manner left the three to themselves.
The doctor continued his report. "I would like to inform you both additionally that I also made an interesting discovery about your friend." It brought back their interests towards the doctor.
"The X-rays show unnatural anatomy for his lower body, arm and right side of his skull. Without going under the knife, I cannot determine exactly why it is so. Even so, I would avoid that option for now since there appears to be no physical injury. As for his memories, I can do nothing for him right now. Not without the Testament." The doctor clarified.
"Is it perfectly fine to move him anywhere?" Misaka asked an important question.
"Yes, it will be fine. If you excuse me, I have other patients to attend to in the meantime." The doctor left politely in return to his tasks. Now, there are two. Moving onward with the problem, where can they get a Testament? Those devices are rare even in Academy City. It is a dangerous device especially when misused. This is step one to bringing their friend back.
"He's alive?" Kuroko said in shock. She nearly fell off her chair in her dorm. She had been busy dealing with some paperwork regarding their dorm room.
"If it isn't him that's sleeping in the hospital here, then he's dead." Misaka answered. "He needs a Testament. Judgment should know where they are right?"
Kuroko knows what the Testament is as well. "That information is classified even to us Onee Sama." Kuroko clarified and then added. "However, I do know who to look for about it. I'll set the arrangements for tomorrow morning. It's too late for an appointment now." The clock shows six in the evening.
"Okay. We'll bring him tomorrow." Misaka hung up. Touma was waiting at a chair beside her. She put a hand and turned her face away. "We'll deal with this another time." She walked away to leave Touma alone. He watched silently with his eyes from his seat. He didn't blink until she disappeared from sight. He didn't agree nor disagree to their plan for tomorrow. He will comply. With a decision made, he got up and left the hospital using another exit.
The sky is almost done turning dark when Touma returned to the apartment he called his home. He opened the door and entered. There isn't anyone around. He noticed something sticking out. A plate of poorly made noodles was on the table in the open air. The colour appears bland; the food feels a little warm. It hasn't been touched for at least some time, a very odd thing considering Index would just eat anything even if it's uncooked or at least attempt to. Maybe she's in the bathroom. He glanced at the bathroom. The door's open and lights are off. There isn't anyone around.
He felt something's very suspicious. It doesn't add up. Then it's worth to just give this try. "Come out now. The gig is up." A moment of pause and another before a small figure emerged from the bathroom. It was Index with the pet cat Sphinx.
"How did you know I was hiding?" The nun asked meekly. She appeared to be a bit …frightened?
Touma answered by explaining the clues. "The food here is left here in the open. This means either bad practice or someone was intending on eating it. Besides, who else besides you have access to our room?" An assassination attempt wouldn't go with a poorly made food for a last meal or as poison.
"Uh…Maika could have cooked it for me and forgot about it." Index gave an excuse.
"Maika's cooking wouldn't be this uncooked and be lacking in aesthetics." Touma gave his counterarguments. Tsuchimikado's stepsister, Maika is a maid in training. Cooking is part of the course, thus ruling this type of shoddy cooking out of her performance ratings.
Index surrendered in defeat. "I was worried about you Touma. So…" She hesitated a little. "I thought I'd try to cheer you up by making something for you."
Touma chuckled, no, turned to full laughter at that. Index pouted at his response. Before Index could say a word, Touma already began his reasoning. "I get what you mean. I've not been myself for the past few days." The rest of his classmates noticed as well and warned about it. It took a little bit of time to realize how he is casting everything aside. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."
"Really?" Index remained unconvinced.
"It will. To prove that, I'll cook this properly and we can share it together, ok?" Touma smiled as he took the plate with a pinch of his fingers. Index cheered as the Sphinx mewed before taking a nap.
Index said as Touma started up the stove. "We'll play later after that right?"
"Hai hai." Touma said in a relaxed manner. Even in the worst cases of misfortune, there is always a hidden fortune behind them. All it takes is just the willingness to look for it.
The next morning….
Creak…
Splash!
"Geez…you kids never get bored of such tricks." Kiyama Harumi observed her water drenched clothes in the midst of laughing boys. In return, the girls jeered back at the boys at their mischievous plans. The classroom of twenty give again is in its daily uproar. "I'll need to take this blouse off to not get a cold." She began unbuttoning her blue blouse as the class door opened.
"Sensei! Some people are looking for you!" Misaka, Kuroko, Touma with Yori in a wheelchair came to view. Kiyama was already done unbuttoning her blouse as Misaka, Kuroko and the girls screamed unanimously.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Kuroko gave a hard kick to Touma's face. Touma's face was slammed hard into the door. "Don't look you pervert barbarian!" Yori in his coma state is fortunately left untouched. Then again, maybe a hard hit to the head might just fix everything.
"Oh…" Kiyama said it bluntly. The other schoolgirls were dealing with the boys. "Common sense is still a new field for me."
Misaka is in disbelief. The amount of klutz this woman elder than her age could do is just unimaginable! "Isn't common sense something everyone has?" She exclaimed.
The brain expert explained her stand. "Animals and babies do not have common sense developed in them. They depend on experience with the environment to develop the best course of action." Kuroko banged her head repeatedly against the blackboard at that notion. I'd say she would get brain damaged by that. Or maybe Kiyama's antics already did that. Never mind…
Misaka said with grim resignation. "I give up."
"So what is it do you want to see me for?" This time, they are at her small office of a primary school. All were seated in fine leather seats except for Yori, still on the wheelchair. The teacher's office is empty of anyone else, being busy with their classes. This primary school is one of the few schools that cater primarily to Child Errors in Academy City. It isn't very well funded. The white paint on the wall feels caked. The door and windows feel old and cranky. The classrooms are still using regular blackboards and white chalk. Still, it appears to have everything they need. That is enough for the kids apparently, having lived a life generally without anything.
Kuroko pointed at their sleeping friend and went straight to the point. "We need the Testament to remove his replaced memories and restore them."
"The Testament…" Kiyama went into deep thought. She knew instantly that this is a serious matter. "I know where you can find one but that alone isn't enough." Eh?
"What do you mean it's not enough?" Misaka asked. It's just as simple as taking the replaced memories out and its all good and done, right?
Kiyama explained. "What good is it to have the device but not the memories themselves? It's akin to playing a computer game without the computer." This is a development to the problem. Not a good one that is.
The next question was predictable from Touma. "How are we going to find those memories? What if they're gone?"
Kiyama plotted a course for her ideas. "It is likely stored where the original memory change took place. If it is gone…then your friend will forever be a stranger."
"How can we find the Original Testament?" Kuroko pushed the next question.
"I can try something but I have no guarantee it will work." She reached for a small music player inside her desk drawer. "This is a synthesia version of hypnosis. I was intending on helping an associate of mine in the field of psychology. Using this, we may be able to derive the original place from your friend here." The ex neurologist inserted an earphone over Yori's ear. She let it play a series of incomprehensible audio waves. If it went onto radio, it could probably be rated as the worst played music ever. Then again, it wasn't made for entertainment purposes.
After the song stopped abruptly, Kiyama began her work. She said her questions slowly and clearly. "Tell me your origin."
Yori remained dead silent. A moment, he spoke in a robotic like manner. "Information unknown."
Kiyama Harumi moved on to the next question. "Tell me who you are."
That gave an instant response. "Project D-752 Prototype phase, Call sign Demon."
"Where are you made?"
There is a pregnant pause. "Unknown."
"Give me your program identification code." Kiyama Harumi took another approach to solving the problem.
Another instantaneous reply, "1081 DEG666"
Kiyama inputted those values into her computer. The computer processed the numerical data and spewed out the facts almost immediately. "From this, the programming was done in a research facility at …the Tenth District." A map appeared on screen. "This is where your friend's memories are if it still exists." She removed the music player. "You best hurry before they delete it. Can you operate the Testament device?"
"We should be fine." Misaka acknowledged her ability to work with machines.
"Are you sure?" The former scientist remains unconvinced. "Can you make sure that you will make no mistakes at all? One mistake and your friend might be forever changed." Misaka hesitated a little. Can she operate the Testament flawlessly? Kiyama Harumi got up from her seat. "I'll come along just to be sure. We can use my car as well. However, the time to start is not now. The security would most likely be very stringent in the morning. In the evening approaching night, the place should be a bit lax." In the meantime, that too would give them time to prepare anything necessary for the operation.
The new schoolteacher handed over her contact details to Misaka. "I do recommend you return to your classes. It would complicate things if you three were to be detained for detention. As for your friend, I'll take care of him for now."
They began to make their move to return to life for only a few hours. Suddenly, Kuroko called out. "Kamijou, I need to have a word with you, in private." The two women went on with Yori in oblige to Kuroko's request as Touma and Kuroko held back a bit for their private talk.
"What is it?" Touma asked the teleporter in a curious manner. He had a feeling that this wouldn't be something nice.
Kuroko began her agenda. "Remember, this little truce of ours is only and only for Yori's sake."
"And what are you implying?" Touma asked for the follow up to that beginning.
"Once this is over, you will never ever see, touch or hurt my Onee Sama again." Kuroko warned. "Do you understand?"
Touma bit his lip in pause. How does she have the right to do anything like that in Misaka's stead? Sure, she might be her kouhai but he's been in a relationship with Misaka for three months. He certainly should be able to at least interact with her, to put things right or at an end. His mouth simply replied. "I understand."
"Good. Otherwise, I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and kill you." The teleporter left the office. Touma Kamijou shook his head. This is going to be really troublesome. Now, time to deal with trouble number one.
"We haven't met for some time." Misaka recollected a fact from the passenger seat of Kiyama's car, the same blue Lamboghini Ballardo. Kuroko, Touma and Yori are at the back as they underwent a half hour drive in Academy City. The time is now 5.30 PM.
"It certainly has been some time." Kiyama answered while following the map displayed on the monitor installed at the dashboard of her car. "I presume it's the same routine for you girls, excepting maybe your boyfriends."
"They aren't our boyfriends!" The Tokiwadai girls exclaimed very strongly. Touma merely leaned his head against the window and looked outside. Any intervention now would cause a moment that will lead to the curse of Such Misfortune.
"I get the point. I was rather surprised when Kuroko suddenly wanted to meet me all of a sudden." Kiyama related.
"It was necessary." Kuroko replied. "This friend of ours here has been missing for three months and apparently missing his memories as well. It is also a surprise to see you return to be a school teacher."
"Ah, yes. After the Poltergeist incident, I decided to take some time off from research. After dealing with the atrocities Telestina was planning on those kids, I have perhaps taken an aversion to it. So, in the meantime to support myself I have returned to teaching those blasted kids." There was a slight chuckle from the former scientist.
"That's good. Those kids are looking up to you despite what those naughty boys are up to." Misaka mentioned.
"They better be. Otherwise, who knows what trouble they might get themselves into?"
"You can't be serious are you?"
"Yes, I am."
Thud happened, the sounds of a flesh smashing against the car window.
"Isn't it part of the joke?" Kiyama cracked.
Thud Thud Thud
ATTEMPTING ACTIVATION OF TRACKING BEACON
PROJECT DEMON BEACON ACTIVATED
BEACON DETECTED AT FULL CAPACITY
INITIATING TRACKING OF TARGET
….
….
LOCATION FOUND
"They're on their way there. Let's roll."
Zap!
The two guards and a small patrol robot went down. Security at this unnamed building is minimal. Minimal considering it has one of the most valuable machines in Academy City. The tenth district consists mostly of reformatories, nuclear energy research facilities and the city's only cemetery. The building they're in is one of these nuclear energy research facilities. That was what had been written on the door. On the inside however, it doesn't appear to be the case. What secrets lie in here? Perhaps there are answers that will lead to Yori's disappearance for three months. So far, they've knocked out and destroyed eight guards and three patrol robots. They met none of the working staff excluding the security. It is due to the fact its after work hours.
The building is not that big. Give it a sixty by sixty meter size with three stories high. There are many labs within the building, presumably for testing of different elements for nuclear technology and development. There should however be a special lab according to the provided information. The undisclosed location had been found by Misaka through tapping the security network. Within minutes, they entered that secret chamber in the centre of the building. Kuroko surveyed the lab. It is empty. She spotted the Testament device. The system is off but it appears just fine. Misaka turned it on as Touma placed Yori into the transparent cylindrical device and put the helmet on him. Kuroko observed the large console for any data. She wasn't able to understand the complex operations of the machine. There are just too many buttons, too many variables unknown to her. It is just as Kiyama Harumi suspected.
Kiyama Harumi sat at the console. She began accessing its databanks. "His memories…are still here. It will take ten minutes to reverse and restore his memories correctly." The Testament hummed and began pulsing red and purple as it began its Testament. In the meanwhile, Misaka was looking through the cameras using her netbook that still remains spliced into the security system. She noticed a commotion outside. "Whoever they are, they're coming."There is a van with men disembarking. They are armed not just with conventional weapons but portable speakers as well. That can only mean one thing. Capacity Down…darn. She can't take on twelve men, not with Capacity Down in the picture. Kuroko too would be unable to help. Kiyama and Touma are unarmed and do not have capabilities to fight such a force, not without equipment.
"We'll need to make an escape." Touma observed the screen as well. Kiyama's Lamboghini is outside. It's safe but out of their reach. Any attempt to get past that way is certain suicide. Misaka flicked through the security cameras for options. "Wait, go back." The picture turned to a vehicle. It is a Mitsubishi Galant, a four seated car. It has a silver surface to combine with its smooth curves. The Gallent was made in consideration for the middle class populations of society. Nevertheless, it's is fast and certainly a capable escape vehicle. The car's parked at the other end of the complex. They can get there safely. "We'll leave in that."
The Testament stopped, its task completed. It gave a white pulse of light, awaiting a new user. Touma pulled Yori out of the Testament device. His friend remains asleep. I hope it works. They have to hurry out of there now.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What is my purpose?
…
What am I seeing?
I am seeing a house. It is a reasonably made house for living. There is nothing grand or nothing of poverty about it. It is just….home. Is it my home? Where is it? I can't remember…I see a flag with red and white stripes on the roof. A blue box is at the top left corner with many white stars. Is it something important?
Why am I entering this house? Why is my body moving on its own whim? Why am I here?
What am I doing here? What is my goal? Who am I? I still don't know.
I see myself opening the door. I felt my vocal chords pronouncing "Uncle…" My heart stopped as I saw a body. It is my uncle's body on the floor. He is dead from the gaping hole on his back. How is he my uncle? I don't remember my family. How would I know? I remember my fingers chattering against the doorknob that I held. On the polished wooden floor written in red blood, I read the words.
I'm here...by Takeo.
I feel my heart panic. I can't control myself. I don't know this Uncle but why am I so scared? Why am I losing myself? I don't want to see this! I want it to disappear! Hell, let everything just DISAPPEAR! The world around me turned white at my demands.
…
"Everything will be alright" I hear a soothing voice. I turned around and I see. Questions plagued my mind. Who is this brunette girl I'm seeing? Why is my heart beating so fast? Who is the boy with black hair appearing beside her? Who's that girl with those ponytails? I don't understand it at all!
"Why...?"
"For the fun of it…"
"Hi….my name is Takeo."
Takeo….
"It is. So always remember to follow the code of the bushido."
Father….
"Don't hurt him!"
Mother…
Takeo…Father…Mother…now I know who I am.
I am Yori…Yori Tamotsu.
Kuroko kicked the door open as they hear the drone of a helicopter. "I can't believe this!" The group of five made their way to their planned escape vehicle. Misaka used her skills to unlock and start up the car.
Touma said as they got in. "Can we outrun a helicopter?" Kiyama's the driver, Misaka had the passenger seat. He and Kuroko had the back with Yori in the middle as usual.
"If we get among the skyscrapers, we can." Kiyama was confident of that. Those buildings are only one or two districts away. That would mean a minimum drive time of ten minutes. She put the car to the maximum, breaking through a wired fence and onto the road. The UH-60 Black Hawk noticed their attempted escape and pursued immediately.
At this time, it is already night. The streets are empty and to Touma's perspective, a bad thing. All of a sudden, a small non visible explosion occurred behind them. Fragments of rock broke through the rear window. Neither of the glass cut into their skin but it was a warning of sorts before the real deal. Touma could barely see their pursuer due to the street lights but whoever's in that helicopter must have a rocket launcher or something! Misaka reached for her stack of coins when a loud noise echoed from loud speakers. She cursed at the Capacity Down disabling her capabilities.
Kiyama swerved the car back and forth in an attempt to avoid any direct hits. Tires screech as it avoided explosives as well as several cars in the light to nonexistent traffic. Kuroko had a heart attack when a hand grabbed her right arm suddenly. Yori's emerald eyes were wide open. His eyes met hers. He said two words. "I… remember." He looked around the tight confines of the car. He appears to be back to his usual self "It's good to be alive and all but what's going on right now?" Kuroko pointed at the helicopter behind them. "Ah…that."Seeing the not so kind situation, he began formulating his own plan. He turned around to face his seat and raised his right hand up. "Let's see our luck in the car boot."
KA-ZING!
A white blade the width of his arm, thirty centimeters long extended from the upper side of the wrist. He stabbed it into the back seat, prying the leather seats off. He pulled out a long black box. "You guys are lucky. Some top notch car you jacked." He opened it to see a composite made bow and stacks of high grade plastic arrows. "Rather old but it'll do." Yori switched seats with Touma and opened the car door. "Keep her steady for a few seconds."
He rested his leg against the open car door and stood out. He raised the bow, slid an arrow into place and aimed into the night.
Thermal vision activated
A grenade round struck just in front of the open door, breaking the windows and damaging the outer surface. His focus remained un-swayed as he fired. The helicopter shortly backed away in a retreat. Yori tossed the bow back into the boot. "Let's get out of here." The Galant accelerated faster into the night.