A/N:
Well, shit. Oh sorry, excuse my language. I just had kind of a tough time writing this chapter. Trying to think of a good reason for Kuroko's absence was a real thinker. Luckily, thinking is my specialty. Plus... Writing Mikoto through first-person is HARD.
Alright, enough of the idle chit-chat.
Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, or the like. All rights go to J.C. Staff and Kazuma Kamachi.
Blood-Stained Roses Chapter 5: A New Love Blossoming?
A week ago, I stood before my best friend, Shirai Kuroko, as she was dead. Gone from this world, mentally, at least. Not physically. But now, I am sitting before her, and she is alive. At least I think.
It's not that it makes me mad. On the inside, I want to jump up and hug her as tight as possible, but I can't bring my body to move. Why is she alive? It doesn't make any sense, unless it's all in my head... Unless she never died.
That one gets me. Could it be that... Kuroko was never dead? Was it all just in my imagination?
You've got to be kidding me.
Before I know it, Kuroko and I are sitting side-by-side on my bed, neither of us saying a word. I don't dare utter any noise. I just sit there with my hands folded in my lap, twiddling my fingers around nervously. What can I say? There's nothing to say. What do you say to your best friend who you thought was dead when they're mysteriously standing in front of you, alive and well?
She doesn't look hurt at all. Physically, at least. She still has her usual pale white skin, her pinkish-reddish hair tied up into its usual curly ponytails, and her clothes are all intact and clean. No bloodstains or dirt whatsoever.
Emotionally, though, I'm not sure. She has a troubled look on her face, like she's thinking about something. Her mouth curved into a frown and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Just what has happened to Shirai Kuroko?
She looks at me and raises an eyebrow. It is then that I notice I have been staring at her too long. Flushed slightly, I turn my gaze away and stare at the white rose that sits on her bed.
I feel her hand move and fit itself on top of mine. Her skin is warm, much warmer than it was the last time I touched her, when she was supposedly dead. Out of instinct, I move my hand and grab hers tightly, intertwining our fingers, and feeling her heartbeat through her palm. At least she has a heartbeat.
"Onee-Sama," She says, catching my attention. "You've been delving your eyes on that flower for quite a while now."
I look at her without moving my head. "It's very pretty."
She raises her palm to cover her mouth as if she's stifling a laugh. I sigh. Now is not the time for jokes.
"You need to explain yourself, Kuroko," I say. "Why aren't you dead?"
Her grip on my hand tightens suddenly, to the point of where it hurts me. I say nothing, though.
"You see, I was never dead." She says. Yeah, no duh, Kuroko. I think.
"Was it all... in my imagination, then?" I ask hesitantly. She shakes her head. "Not all of it." She says. I nod my head, a signal for her to enlighten me.
She sighs, leaning her shoulder to touch mine. I scoot away slightly. "It all started with a Judgment case, and then it all just kind of... Blew up from there."
I nod again, wanting her to continue.
"I hope you like long stories." She says.
"It better be a good, long explanation." I say back.
Warning: This is a flashback... Which means third-person! Yay!
Shirai Kuroko, a level 4 teleporter and member of Judgment, ran through the back alleys of Academy City, chasing three grown men.
They ran into a dead end and looked back, finding no sign of the pigtailed girl.
"Looks like we lost her," One of them said, panting heavily.
"Yeah," Another one replied. "She was fast, for a schoolgirl."
"Ha! Not fast enough!" Laughed the third one loudly. The other two joined in, but their laughter diminished quickly after Kuroko suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of them.
"Found you." She said slyly, grinning.
The three men gasped and tried running past her, but were caught against the wall by metal spikes. Only one of the men was left standing. He raised his hands up in the air as a sign of peace.
"I do not wish to fight a schoolgirl." He said.
Kuroko frowned. "Scared? Hmph. I should expect nothing less from three lowly level 0 criminals like you."
The man clenched his teeth tightly. "Tch. Never said I was scared, did I? I have no intention of laying a hand on a young lady."
Kuroko let a grin form on her lips once again. "Oh? Based on your criminal history, I beg to differ."
The man she was facing was a leader of a little gang targeted Tokiwadai students for their money, sometimes even killing if they had to. They were a group of homeless people who were level 0s, and blamed the more powerful espers for hogging all the money. And lately, they had been targeting the one person who Kuroko had devoted her life to protect: Misaka Mikoto. The Level 5 Railgun.
"Tell me, young lady," The man said. "Are you any better than I am?"
"Hm? Of course I am. I would never stoop to your level of idiocy. Or hypocrisy. You act all good, but in all honesty, we both know who the real good guy here is." Kuroko replied, pulling her spikes out from the loop on her thigh.
"You're a teleporter, right?" The man asked, changing the subject.
"No duh."
"Young lady, have you ever killed a man?" He asked.
Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "No."
"Have you ever wanted to kill someone? Or thought about it? Or.. almost have killed someone?"
All of the above. Kuroko thought, remembering that dastardly excuse for a woman, Musujime Awaki.
"Yes." She said.
"Then we are the same, are we not?" The man said.
"We aren't," Kuroko stated. "I had a good reason to. You do it for your own selfish desires."
Silence followed the teleporter's bold statement. Kuroko wondered why. Was it because he thought she was wrong? Or because he knew it was true, and didn't know what to say?
Kuroko grinned at the latter. He's speechless. How stupid. She thought.
"...Can't argue with that, I guess." The man said, scratching the back of his head.
Kuroko crossed her arms. "Exactly. Ready to just admit defeat already?"
"What is your name, young lady?" He asked, completely ignoring her question.
The pigtailed girl sighed loudly. "Now why should I tell you that?"
"Because I want to know." Was his only response.
"Really? Why else would you ask, stupid?"
"Stupid?" The man retorted. "Now that's just plain rude."
"Shirai Kuroko." Kuroko said, to get him to shut up.
He simply smiled. "See? That wasn't so hard, now was it? I guess I'll tell you mine-"
"I already know your name. Otherwise, I wouldn't be chasing you." Kuroko said, flipping one of her pigtails. "Jingai Inu, right?"
The man nodded. "Correct."
Kuroko clenched her fists tightly. She did not like the way he was acting, so casual and uncaring. It was annoying. For a man who steals from little girls for a living, he was very... intelligent-seeming. He seemed to show no remorse for his actions, as well. Kuroko observed from his criminal record that he had killed at least 7 or more girls from Tokiwadai. Which is actually impressive, considering the school.
Still... Kuroko thought, looking him up and down. Targeting Onee-Sama is basically a death sentence.
"Since I answered your question," Kuroko said. "Can you answer one of mine?"
Inu shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Go ahead. It's only fair."
Kuroko took a deep breath before proceeding. "Why are you after Onee-Sama?"
Inu tilted his head to the side out of confusion. "'Onee-Sama'?"
"O-Oh, I mean... Misaka Mikoto..." Kuroko muttered, embarrassed at her use of the nickname.
"Ah..." Inu said, smiling slightly. "Because she's a level 5. She's bound to have tons of money."
Kuroko shook her head. "Do you have a death wish? Going after her is suicide. You're a level zero. She'll just fry you."
Inu's soft smile turned into an evil smirk. He reached into a bag he carried on his shoulder and took out a gun. "It may be a pistol, nothing special..." He said, chuckling. "But it kills."
At that, Kuroko lunged at him, pointing out one of her spikes. He simply grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Whoa, now, young lady."
Kuroko placed her other hand on his shoulder and teleported him to the ground, jabbing a spike in each of his arms. Inu cringed in pain. Kuroko noticed the blood trickling down his arms and backed away slightly.
It's just like that other time... She thought. I'm out for blood.
Inu let out a long, halfhearted laugh, pulling the spikes out of his arms as if it didn't hurt him at all. "You're good." He said, picking up the gun. Kuroko raised her spikes in attempt at intimidation, causing the man to smile softly yet again.
"It's not loaded at the moment. As I said before, I do not wish to lay a hand on a schoolgirl."
Kuroko scoffed, "You say that, but you're out for Onee-Sama, and willing to kill her, even. Sounds pretty hypocritical to me."
Inu stepped towards Kuroko, causing the latter to back away. "Let me tell you something, young lady... Lately, money has not been my concern. What has been my concern is the level 5s here in Academy City. You know them, right?"
Kuroko nodded. "So you're not after money any more, you're after the level 5s?"
"Precisely," Said Inu. "I've vowed to kill all seven of the level 5s here in Academy City."
Kuroko's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened. Suddenly a rush of fear ran through her body. No way he was going to hurt her Onee-Sama. No way. I'll kill him first. She thought.
"Wh-why?" She choked. "What have any of them ever done to you?"
"They are a selfish kind who only care about themselves, just because they are of the strongest here in this city." Inu explained. "I believe selfish people should be punished."
It's just like that other time... She thought. I'm out for blood.
Inu let out a long, halfhearted laugh, pulling the spikes out of his arms as if it didn't hurt him at all. "You're good." He said, picking up the gun. Kuroko raised her spikes in attempt at intimidation, causing the man to smile softly yet again.
"It's not loaded at the moment. As I said before, I do not wish to lay a hand on a schoolgirl."
Kuroko scoffed, "You say that, but you're out for Onee-Sama, and willing to kill her, even. Sounds pretty hypocritical to me."
Inu stepped towards Kuroko, causing the latter to back away. "Let me tell you something, young lady... Lately, money has not been my concern. What has been my concern is the level 5s here in Academy City. You know them, right?"
Kuroko nodded. "So you're not after money any more, you're after the level 5s?"
"Precisely," Said Inu. "I've vowed to kill all seven of the level 5s here in Academy City."
Kuroko's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened. Suddenly a rush of fear ran through her body. No way he was going to hurt her Onee-Sama. No way. I'll kill him first. She thought.
"Wh-why?" She choked. "What have any of them ever done to you?"
"They are a selfish kind who only care about themselves, just because they are of the strongest here in this city." Inu explained. "I believe selfish people should be punished."
"You're the one being selfish." Kuroko countered, her voice cracking.
Inu's lips formed a sad frown. "I do not wish to hurt you, young lady. But if you intend to get in my way, I will have no choice but to do such." He held up the gun, pointing it at Kuroko, who gasped.
"I thought you said it wasn't loaded-"
Just as Kuroko uttered those words, a shot was fired from the weapon, and the bullet penetrated her in the stomach. She fell to the ground, bleeding and in pain. Inu casually walked over to her and knelt down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner.
"This is a warning. That shot should not kill you. But I suggest you get some help." Before Kuroko knew it, Inu and his comrades were gone. She was alone, bleeding.
I'm going to bleed to death... She thought. Onee-Sama...
She closed her eyes and let darkness overwhelm her being.
Kuroko was not sure if she was awake or not. All around her was darkness. She couldn't see a thing, but she could feel something underneath her. She was lying on her back on what seemed to be cold, hard metal. It was not comfortable at all.
She blinked a couple more times, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. She could make out a couple of faint walls and doors. She tried moving her body, but everything except for her neck was wrapped up by something.
She remembered what had happened, and wondered why she wasn't dead, and why she didn't even feel weak in the least possible way. I'm in a... body bag? She thought. She lifted one of her hands out of the bag and unzipped it, allowing herself to sit up. She sat for a couple seconds, before getting off whatever she was sitting on and trying to find a light switch.
Her wish was granted. Once she had the lights on, she looked around and finally figured out where she was. An autopsy room.
She gulped. What was she doing in such a place? Did people assume that she was dead?
Suddenly she heard a quiet whispering in her ear, an all too familiar voice.
"Kuroko... You can't... Don't do this to me, Kuroko..."
"Onee-Sama!" Kuroko shouted aloud, then covered her mouth, hoping no one heard her. She needed to get out of here, wherever she was.
She slid through a set of doors and came to two hallways, one that led to an elevator and one that led to a staircase. An elevator would make too much noise. She thought. With that in mind, she started quick but quiet bounds up the staircase until she reached a door.
Slowly, she opened the door. When it was cracked, she peeked through, finding an empty hallway. I'm in a hospital, aren't I? She pondered. In that case, there's definitely people here, regardless of what time it is. Whatever time it is.
She opened the door fully and walked out, casually walking down the hallway until a doctor approached her.
"U-Um, Miss?" The doctor said. "May I ask what you are doing here at such a time?"
Damn. Thought Kuroko. "Ummm... I was.. visiting my sick grandmother, you see." She lied, biting her lip nervously.
"Ah... That's okay, then. But you should hurry home." The doctor suggested, then walked away swiftly. When he was out of earshot, Kuroko sighed of relief, and continued her expedition to find her way out of the hospital.
Once she was finally outside, it was dark, obviously the middle of the night. She sighed, looking at her surroundings to see if she could figure out where she was. When she looked at a map, she realized that she was at the hospital not far from Tokiwadai.
With that in mind, Kuroko started teleporting her way back to the dorm. Onee-Sama thinks I am dead... She thought angrily.
I'll just have to show her that I'm not.
When Kuroko made it back to the dorm room, Mikoto was in the bathroom. She wanted to just burst in there and yell, "Here I am!" But she didn't when she noticed a small white rose laying on Mikoto's bed.
Kuroko raised an eyebrow and walked over, picking up the rose and twirling it between her index finger and thumb. She lifted the rose to smell it. It smelled an awful lot like Mikoto, and it made the teleporter wonder how long she was gone.
Of course, her first assumption was that a certain level 0 boy had decided to comfort her Onee-Sama in her loss, and he was the one who gave her the rose. But Kuroko was keener than that. She had a different feeling coming from the rose. She felt love coming through it.
Not like a simple flower could give you an emotion or anything.
When she heard the doorknob on the bathroom door rattle, she panicked and looked for a place to hide. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like it was the wrong time to see her Onee-Sama right then. She crawled and squeezed herself under the bed as fast as she could, and put a hand over her mouth to keep her from uttering any kind of word when Mikoto came walking out of the bathroom.
Kuroko allowed enough space for her to peek at the electromaster. Her short brown hair was disheveled and messy. On one of her hands, there was a blood-stained bandage wrapped around it. All the teleporter wanted was to reach out and comfort Mikoto, but she decided to leave her be when the lights went off in the room and she climbed into bed.
Kuroko lied there all night, watching Mikoto.
Kuroko awoke in the morning to soft voices in the room. It took her a moment to piece together things. That's right... I remember... She thought, trying not to hit her head on the bottom of her bed when she heard who was talking. Mikoto and Ruiko.
"Stop dreaming?!" She heard Mikoto shout, almost making her jump.
"I-I'm not dreaming..." Ruiko said softly, obviously confused.
"No, that's what Kuroko told me!" Mikoto exclaimed. "In my dream."
Kuroko had to rethink about that one. Huh? I did no such thing... Does Onee-Sama have some sort of feeling that I'm not dead?
When she heard Ruiko say her goodbyes and Mikoto roll over in her bed as if she was going to sleep, Kuroko decided it was time to take action. Slowly, she crawled out from underneath the bed, and quietly made her way over to the level 5, watching her sleeping face, peaceful, yet sad at the same time.
It's my fault... Kuroko thought, brushing a hand through Mikoto's hair. It's my fault you're like this... I've hurt you... "Forgive me, Onee-Sama." She whispered. It was then that Mikoto jerked her eyes open and noticed Kuroko standing above her.
"...I thought I told you to stop dreaming." Said Kuroko, taking Mikoto's hands in hers. "Stop dreaming about me being dead."
"So, did you get all of that, Onee-Sama?" Kuroko asked, looking at Mikoto with determination.
"Yeah... I guess so..." Mikoto said, rubbing the back of her neck. Honestly, she wasn't sure, wasn't sure how all of this played out to all of the dreams, all of the pain she had went through, but she didn't really care. Kuroko was alive, and that was all that mattered to her.
"Kuroko..." She whispered softly. Kuroko tilted her head as a sign for her to continue.
"What now?"
The level 4 blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked.
Mikoto dropped her gaze away from her kouhai's eyes. She couldn't bare to look in them right now. They held so many emotions that she could not deduce, and she was already full of her own emotions that she didn't understand.
"I don't know... I'm just... Confused, Kuroko." She said softly.
Kuroko frowned at her Onee-Sama's actions. I'm the one who caused this... She thought. "I know..." She replied, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
Mikoto looked at her, studying her expression. It was one of sadness, guilt, and even longing. Changing the subject, she asked, "So, you don't know what happened to that Jingai Inu or whatever and his lackeys?"
Kuroko shook her head in response. "No. It was odd that he spared my life, though. You never ran into him?"
"Nope," Said Mikoto. "Someone who's aiming to kill all level 5s? That's dumb. No level zero can do that..." She cut herself off when an image of Touma popped into her head. Except maybe him...
"I suppose you're right." The teleported said, leaning against Mikoto. The level 5 simply blushed and scooted away some.
"Are you... Not happy that I'm back, Onee-Sama?" Kuroko asked out of the blue.
"Wha- That's not it!" Mikoto assured, taking her kouhai's hands. "It's just- I am happy, but... I'm just kind of... speechless."
"I know, Onee-Sama..." Kuroko whispered. Before the electromaster knew it, Kuroko's arms were wrapped tightly around her, embracing her. "I'm here now." The teleporter whispered into her ear softly.
Mikoto returned the hug immediately. She brought her face to the younger girl's pigtailed hair and inhaled, taking in the familiar scent. She couldn't do anything to control the tears streaming down her cheeks, either. She wasn't even sure if they were tears of joy or tears of sadness. She didn't exactly care. All that mattered to her at the moment was that Kuroko was back, and in her arms.
They stayed in their embrace for a while, Kuroko wiping leaking tears off of Mikoto's cheeks, and rubbing her back comfortingly. This is so dumb. Thought Mikoto. I feel like such a kid.
Kuroko pulled away from the hug and flashed Mikoto a gentle smile, tears streaming down her face as well. "I'm sorry I scared you," She sniffled, wiping away her tears. "I'm so sorry."
Mikoto, in turn, genuinely smiled for the first time in a while. "Don't worry, it wasn't your fault." She said. "I'm just glad you're back." With that, she pulled the younger girl into her arms again.
"You know, Kuroko..." Mikoto whispered into the pigtailed girl's ear softly. "While you were gone... I felt guilty. I started to... Feel like I never said things I wanted to say to you, and since you were gone, I felt like it was bad to leave you in the dark... But now, I want to tell you..." She took a deep breath. "Kuroko, I think-"
She paused when she looked down and saw that her teleporting roommate wasn't even listening. In fact, she was asleep, resting her head against the older girl's chest.
Damn it. Mikoto cursed in her head. So close. She smiled down at the sleeping girl and moved to lay down herself. Almost instantly, Kuroko attached herself to Mikoto's arm. The electromaster shrugged it off. I'll let it slide. She thought. Since... I don't even mind it one bit.
A/N:
If you're curious, "Jingai" means "Criminal", and "Inu" means "Dog". "Criminal Dog"... LOL. English is funny.
Ahhh... Young love... Now that Kuroko's back, where the hell do I go with this story? Oh whatever, I'll just make it up as I go. And somehow, or course, the main bad guy ends up as an OC. Hahahaha... Originality. (NOT.) Luckily, I only had to write in first-person for like, a couple paragraphs. Next chapter might be first-person again, idk... I like challenging myself... 'Cause I'm like that.
Oh, I put this on my profile, but I guess I'll put it here too. I'm a beta-reader now! Yay? I had been qualified for like, a long time, but I just noticed the other day when I was poking through my settings and whatnot. So, if you want, send a PM if ya need a little beta-ing done. I'm free besides of course school and all that hullabaloo (Not to mention this story).
Anyways, review and all that junk. Stay on the lookout for chapter 6!