Author's note: For those of you are confused about the repost, let me explain. I made a fatal error when writing the last part of this chapter. I accidently used the name Kumokawa Seria, when I was actually meant Fukiyose Seiri. I apologize for the mix-up
Omake: Binding of Fenrisulfr
Sometime in the night, between 10 PM Dec 28 and midnight Dec 29, a viral video popped up in the notorious "Urban-legends" website. It showed a group of espers facing off a grizzly man in a dungeon-like chamber, somewhere in Academy City. He was bound to a chair with heavy chains, which electrocuted him whenever he strained against them. Among those facing him directly was a spiky-haired high school boy. Though his face had been blurred, the boy was clearly talking to the man in chains. Whatever he said was known only to the people in that chamber and to the video's producer, as the audio had been stripped and replaced with some techno music.
Suddenly, the man grew ten times his size. His face elongated into a snout, and his body was covered in black fur. Despite the electricity coursing through his body, he broke free from his chains, turning into a giant black wolf. All the espers were set on attacking the monster, but the spiky-haired boy held them back with a wave of his hand. Inexplicably, he put his right hand into the wolf's open maw, as if daring the beast to bite him.
A golden thread wound around the monster's body, binding him tightly. Enraged, the beast bit down hard, severing the boy's arm. At first, he screamed as blood came pouring out of his stump, but then it stopped and something else came out. Commentators watching the video would say it looked like a snake had sprouted from the stump. Others would say that it looked more like a dragon.
Whatever that thing was, it struck the giant wolf like a cobra, tearing off chunks of the beast's flesh and blood. Seconds later, the dragon or snake thing disappeared, and the boy's arm reappeared. Meanwhile, the wolf had reverted back into his human form. He remained bound in the golden thread, and his body was covered with gashes from where he had been attacked.
The boy too had collapsed and lay in a pool of his own blood. All the people in the room rushed to his aid, and the video feed was cut off.
In the last frame was a single line of text that read, "There he shall lie until Ragnarök comes and frees his shackles."
Chapter 16: Case of the Nutcracker: Intermission
"Oh, you're finally here! I was beginning to think that you were never going to show up." Stiyl Magnus was waiting by the elevator, smoking as he leaned against the fire alarm control box. Seeing this, Kuroko immediately teleported in front of him. "Really? You're doing this here of all places? In a hospital no less! What gave you the impression that this sort of behavior was acceptable?"
It was comical to see Kuroko tell Stiyl off. The man with flaming red hair easily towered over the twin-tailed girl, and his dark robes made him look like some sort of caped crusader. Indeed, Saten and Uiharu were too busy gawking at his overall build and size. Yet it was Kuroko who stood her ground while Stiyl balked. He rolled his eyes.
"What's the harm?" He said, "It's not like I'm going to set the place on fire!"
"That's besides the point!" Kuroko snapped, "Don't you know what second-hand smoking is? We're in a Hospital! Haven't these patients suffered enough? Do you really want to lay an additional burden on them? Tanomu-yo, you can smoke in the courtyard!"
"Tsk! Fine!" Stiyl dropped the cigarette and crushed it under his foot, but before he could walk a step, Kuroko had picked up the stub and shoved it into his hands. "You're a big boy! Dispose of this properly!"
"Tch," Styl grimaced but complied with Kuroko's demand, tossing the stub into the trash can. Then, he stepped into the elevator to go downstairs. As the elevator doors closed, Saten laughed nervously. "Eh-heh-heh. He's not going to be happy when he comes back."
"No Indeed." Kanzaki Kaori walked up to us. As usual she wore her denim jacket and despite the cold, her midriff was completely exposed. Meanwhile, her nodachi hung on her back, clinking with every step she took. Saten and Uiharu were openly gawking at the tall girl, but she paid them no mind. "That Stiyl Magnus would be reprimanded by a thirteen-year-old girl may be beyond what his ego could bear."
Kuroko shrugged. "It's not my job to placate his emotion or appease his self-esteem. As a member of Judgement, my duty is to preserve and protect the inhabitants of this city. If his ego stands in the way of my duty, then I will take it down."
Misaka-san rolled her eyes, but Kanzaki smiled. "You're principled and resolute. I like that about you. Come, he's waiting for you."
The door was open to room 221B, and we walked into… a rather absurd scene.
Oni-chan was sitting up in his bed, being spoon-fed by a girl sitting on the bed. She had black hair worn in a bob cut with short fringes, and she was wearing a dark brown cardigan and tan capri pants. Yet she wasn't the source of the strangeness. Oni-chan was handcuffed to the gurney like some criminal and was being gnawed on by Index. All of them—except for Index—froze at the sight of us at the door.
The girl shrieked and then jerked back violently, pulling on the spoon in Oni-chan's mouth. Unfortunately, that also pulled him forward until he was on top of her. All three bodies tumbled out the bed with aloud thud.
"YAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Oni-chan screamed as his handcuffed arm twisted around horribly. Meanwhile Index was thrown to one corner, and the girl landed on her back. Wincing, she looked up and saw Oni-chan, still in his hospital gown, hovering over her.
"Ii-iaahh!" She screamed and then shoved him off violently, such that his head hit the bed frame, and he bit down on his own tongue.
"GAAHH!" I winced as he cried out again in pain. Fakouda, I thought.
Misaka-san was already sparking from her brow, and she struggled to keep her temper in check. "I'm sure there is some reasonable explanation in this," She growled, "Is no one going to explain what is going on?"
At that moment, the door slid open again and in stepped the doctor. He was a bald-headed old man who looked like a frog, especially as he was wearing a green shirt under his lab coat. Coming in, he was holding a bundle of clothing. He took one look at the room and sighed. "Just what I needed. More excitement in my life." He turned to Misaka-san and said, "Young lady, can you not make too big of a mess in here? After all, this is my hospital."
At the sight of him, Misaka-san turned off her powers immediately. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to…"
"It's quite understandable," The frog-faced doctor said, one corner of his mouth rising slightly. "I'd be shocking him too if I had the power."
"What do you mean?" I asked, shocked at how nonchalantly the doctor had spoken those words.
He merely shrugged. "He had been caught trying to sneak out in the night, probably so he could help out someone in need. We had confiscated his clothing, because we feared that just this scenario would happen."
Walking over to Oni-chan, he unlocked the handcuffs, and Oni-chan rubbed his wrists tentatively. He laughed nervously as the doctor scrutinized him.
I cringed. Was it because of Fremea's case? Kuroko was knowingly elbowing Misaka, who in turn was massaging the bridge of her nose. Saten was whispering into Uiharu's ear. Index had sat up and was rubbing her head gingerly.
The doctor went on. "I don't know what possessed him to trudge out into the snow wearing nothing but a hospital gown. Needless to say, the nurse who dragged him back found him passed out in the cold. A few more minutes in the snow, and he would have died of hypothermia."
What? I stared dumbfounded at Oni-chan, not even sure what I wanted to say next. Everyone else were either sighing with exasperation or facepalming as though this was his typical behavior.
But the doctor wasn't finished. A faint smile crept up his face as he said next, "They say that unfortunately, his gown had come loose and was flapping in the wind. In the end, everyone got to see what a manly nut he was."
I covered my face, mortified as the imagery came unbidden, flooding my head. Uiharu, Saten, and Kuroko were all doubled over and trying to keep their giggling quiet. Misaka-san just stood there, blushing furiously. Chuckling to himself, the frog-faced doctor dropped his bundle on the table, then left. After he was gone, Misaka-san stomped over Oni-chan, pulled him to his feet, and then slapped him across his cheeks.
"What were you thinking?" She demanded, "How could you be so stupid? Were What made you think it was a good idea to do that?"
"I…I…I…" He looked away, ashamed.
"Is this about Fremea's case?" I asked point blank, "I thought that you were going to stay here and meet with Fremea later today!"
"Of course, I was going to leave it for tonight," Oni0chan said, "But then you got involved, and I got worried for your safety! I didn't want you to get hurt!"
"Let me guess, you were going to play the hero again! You were going to come at the last hour and save us?" Misaka-san growled, "I told you that Otohime was safe with me and Index! There was no way for her to get hurt!"
"Yeah, but I thought…that…" Oni-chan blushed, "I thought that…given your abilities, I thought that you wouldn't be able to handle the situation."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, Misaka-san was like a spark plug, and Kuroko had appeared besides her with white spikes in one hand.
"Onee-sama," Kuroko said, "How about I teleport these needles into his acupuncture points? I'm sure there is some way we can cure his stupidity."
"W-Wait! Let's talk about this, Shirai-san! –iitai!" Oni-Chan's back slammed against the hospital equipment as he tried to back away. His voice was quivering as he stammered out, "Acupuncture needles aren't that big! Surely I'll bleed to death if you stab me with all those spikes!"
"Actually, I have a better idea," Misaka-san said as sparks leapt from her brow. "How about you teleport some into his thick skull so I can give him some much-needed electroshock therapy!"
"Please! Don't even joke about something so horrible!" Oni-chan cried hysterically, "I don't want my limbs dancing like a frog with electrodes stuck in its head!"
"Who says that I'm joking?" Misaka-san jeered, "It's not like you're in control of your senses anyway!"
"Ehh?"
At that moment, the black-haired girl jumped in front of Oni-Chan, pushing the other girls away.
"Don't come any closer!" She snapped, "I will not let Kamijou-kun be harmed in any way!"
A long three-pointed spear appeared in her hands. Both Kuroko and Misaka-san backed away in shock, but Oni-chan placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"It's okay, Itsuwa. Let them be." He assured her. Once again, I was reminded of the power he wielded. How can someone so dumb be so popular!?
"I'm sorry," Oni-chan, "I didn't mean it in that way. I wasn't trying to put you down or belittle your abilities. There are aspects to Fremea's case that I felt uncomfortable exposing you to. Index told me a little of what you found last night, and it confirmed my suspicions."
"Suspicions?" I asked, "Of what?"
"Of the fact that the magic side is involved in this case." Everyone jumped as Index stood up. Gingerly, she rubbed her temple while saying, "That little box we found in Marie's trunk…it was meant to carry something powerful and magical."
Oni-chan sighed, "I thought that maybe the whole thing would go over your head, since magic isn't something you're used to."
Saten, Uiharu, and Kuroko all looked confused, but Misaka-san just rolled her eyes.
"Tak-er!" she said, mussing up her hair, "At least give me some credit! I'm not as ignorant as I used to be. Not since that incident with the Chairman…" She blushed. "Honestly, it's obvious isn't it? That all the principle actors in the case—Marie, Friz, and Dorsselmeyer—have something to do with 'The Nutcracker' story?"
"Exactly," Oni-chan said, "And I suspect that they're all based on one version of the story." Saying this, he pulled out the paper-bound book he'd been carrying around all day yesterday.
"The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," Misaka-san read the title. "Wait, Isn't that the original novel? What was the author's name again?"
"Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann," Index said, "It's the only version where the protagonist is named Marie! All the other versions called the little girl Carla or Mary."
"That's right," Oni-chan said, "It's the only version that tells the story of how the prince was turned into the titular Nutcracker."
"Wait a minute!" Misaka-san asked, "You can create magic out of literature? I thought that magic could only have been created from things people believed in, like religion or superstition."
"Yes," Index nodded, "Certainly, religion is the most powerful source of magical power, and the most powerful cabals have something to do with it. However, anything can be used as the basis, as long as people believe in it, whether it is mythology, legends, or fantasy."
"Hold on!" Everyone turned to look at Saten Ruiko. Her head was tilted to the side as she was trying—and failing—at processing everything she was hearing. "What are you talking about? Magic? Religion? What are you talking about?"
"Huh? Oh right," Oni-chan said, looking at her, Kuroko and Uiharu, "There's no way you would know about the magic side, would you?"
He gave a look towards Kanzaki Kaori, who at that moment was guarding the door. She nodded and approached the girls. "Come," she said, "I will explain as much as I am permitted to. Itsuwa, come with me."
"At once my lady."
Together, Kanzaki and Itsuwa escorted the girls out, leaving me, Misaka-san, and Index behind.
Oni-chan sat back down on the bed and covered his legs with his duvet. Then, he motioned us to sit in the chairs left in the room.
"So?" Oni-chan said, "Have you brought it?"
I didn't know what he was talking about, but Index did. "Of course," she said, "I've kept it safe in my Walking Church."
Saying this, she reached inside the sleeve of her robe and pulled out a small wooden box. I recognized it immediately as the same box we found in Marie's trunk. Smiling, she handed it off to Oni-chan.
"Here it is," she said. Oni-chan reached out for it with his right hand but then stopped at the last moment.
"No," He said, pulling back his hand, "If I touch it, I'll destroy it."
Misaka-san took it instead. She opened it and pulled out the little cage. I gazed up at it in wonder as Misaka-san dangled it over me. The golden lacework formed a brilliant sphere, only slightly bigger than a ping-pong ball. It was studded all over with jewels, each individually crafted to sparkle in the daylight.
"What an intricate little device," Misaka-san mused, "Each of the threads must have been so carefully cast, and the rubies are so inlaid craftily! This is no ordinary cage!"
"No," Oni-chan agreed, "It's been shaped to exactly fit whatever it was supposed to fit. For someone to have this item custom made, he or she must have been very wealthy."
"Hang on! This reminds me of something!" I said, suddenly remembering, "Last year, I went to St. Petersburg on a cruise and saw one of these in a museum! The tour guide said that these were given to the Russian royal family!"
"The Fabergé eggs." Index said, "They were gifted to the Royal Family between 1885 and 1917. The last one, called Constellation, was being made just as the Russian revolution was heating up, and Czar Nicholas II had already abdicated."
"Constellation, huh?" Misaka-san said, gazing at the little cage, "I guess you can say that these studs resemble stars, but it doesn't remind me of any constellation I know of.
"True," Index said, "But then again, is it really the Constellation? As you know, there are two other eggs that lay claim to that title. One is in Moscow in the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, while the other is in the Fabergé museum and under the protection of one Alexander Ivanov. Also, this little cage is rounder and more similar to a turtle's egg. All imperial eggs were supposed to have been made from birds' eggs."
"Right, it's possible," Oni-chan said, "That this cage is in fact not the Constellation and has nothing to do with those eggs. We won't know for sure about that. However, we can know one thing for certain."
"What's that?" I asked.
"That whatever was inside, whatever object the cage was protecting, was—or still is—far more valuable to Marie than this piece." He said.
"Or even its container!" Misaka-san said, putting the little cage back into the little box. She picked it up with both hands. "Look at the trimmings and the decorations! They are not merely painted on, but inlaid pieces of decorative wood! And the lacquer! I've only seen this patina on a Stradivarius violin. The craftsmanship on this box is amazing!"
"But what could be so valuable?" I asked. "What could be so amazing that Marie would toss this aside for it?"
Oni-chan shrugged. "I don't know," he said candidly, "But I think we can find clues in the Nutcracker story itself."
Saying this, he pulled out his book and opened it to an earmarked page. "Here's the passage that may be key to our investigation."
The story of Princess Pirlipat and Madame Mouserinks, aka the Mouse Queen, was a long one. According to the story, the Mouse Queen had tricked the princess into allowing her to gobble up the lard that was supposed to go into the sausage for the King. Enraged at the Mouse Queen for spoiling his supper and upsetting his wife, the king had Drosselmeyer, his court inventor, create traps for the Mouse Queen and her children.
The Mouse Queen survived all attempts on her life, but her children weren't so lucky. Swearing revenge, she focused her wrath on Pirlipat's son, the crown prince and sole heir to the throne. She magically turned the boy ugly, giving him a huge head, a wide grinning mouth, and a cottony beard like a nutcracker. According the story, only way to cure him was to have him eat the nut called Crackatook.
"Crackatook?" I said, after hearing Oni-chan read the passage, "Is that what was in the box?"
"Perhaps," Oni-chan said, "But is that what really happened? We don't really know."
"Magic based on Fairy Tales are tricky," Index said, "There are much more embellishments to the story, and a lot of it is just fanciful storytelling. Was there really a woman named Madame Mouserinks? What was so important about the lard in the sausage? Was that an analogy to something else? There are so many questions."
"Aside from this, what about all the other people involved?" Misaka-san said, "Miss Clavel and her staff clearly knows more than they let on. How could the headmistress be so blasé about two children disappearing under her watch? Also, if it's true that all the people involved have something to do with some prince-turned-nutcracker, then where is he? Where is the Nutcracker?"
"I think I know where he is," I said, "We never got to visit the third floor, now did we? Maybe he's still there, waiting for us."
"Or maybe he's already been turned back and is now on the run?" Oni-chan chimed in, "We can't know for sure until we see him for ourselves."
"Or see the children," Index said.
Throwing the covering aside, Oni-chan stood up and adjusted his hospital gown. "Anyway, we probably won't be able to visit until tonight. In the meantime, we can visit Dorsselmeyer's toys store."
Misaka-san nodded. "Um, Miss Clavel said it was in the underground shopping center."
"I remember that place!" I said, "It's that place with the toy band!"
"You mean where Fenrisulfr attacked?" Oni-chan asked as a shadow crept up to his face, "I hear that entire section has been closed off to the public. There's no way we can go there now."
"Kuso!" Misaka-cursed, "Every second, those children are sinking into the darkness! It's unacceptable!"
"I know," Oni-chan sighed. "Fukouda deshu-no?"
He walked over to the little table and picked up his clothing. "Speaking of misfortunes, unless you want to see more of Kamijou Touma than you wish," he said, smiling wryly, "I suggest that you all clear out so I can get dressed."
"How does he do that?" I said, walking out the door.
"Do what?" Misaka-san said as she came out behind me. Her cheeks were rosy red, and her lips were slightly puckered. I could feel my own cheeks burning, so I guess I wasn't that different.
"Say something so outrageous and get away with it?"
"Hmph!" Index huffed as she closed the door behind her. She tucked the little box inside her sleeve. "It's unfair! He's seen me naked so many times! Why don't I get to see what a manly nut he is?!"
At that, we were all giggling hysterically. Honestly! How many times has oni-chan walked in on girls dressing?
Before I could ask, however, there suddenly was a commotion in the hallway. Fukiyose Seiri was struggling with Kanzaki Kaori. Behind her walked a whole posse of people. There was Takitsubo Rikou, Yomikawa Aiho, and Aogami Pierce, the only male in the entourage. Also, with them was a short pink haired girl.
"Let me go! I'm here to see Kamijou-kun!" Fukiyose was shouting as she pulled against Kanzaki Kaori.
"Dame-desu!" Itsuwa was screaming, "He's in an important meeting right now! He can't be disturbed!"
"What meeting!?" Fukiyose snapped, looking at everyone around her. "All I see are girls standing in a hallway! What is this? A certain series of conjugal visits?"
Conjugal visits? My cheeks were burning. I wasn't the only one either. It didn't help when Oni-chan's door opened and he peeked outside.
"What is it?" He asked, "Is there a fight?"
"No!" Misaka-san snapped. Her whole face was now beet red, "Have you finished dressing?"
"Not yet."
"Then get back inside!"
Too late, Fukiyose had broken free from Kanzaki's grasp. Before Oni-chan could close the door, she reached for the vertical bar and wrenched it open.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you! How the heck did you get injured? What do I see now? A whole gaggle of girls just standing around? I thought you were some kind of deviant before, but now I…see…it…all…now…"
Like an old-fashioned record player, her tirade wound down as her brain processed what she was looking at. She looked down, and her face went scarlet.
We were all looking down; I've never felt my cheeks so hot before.
Faintly, I heard someone whistle and say, "Damn son, no wonder you have so many girls waiting for you! Now I know where Kami-yan disease comes from!"
Fukouda! I thought.