Between the Lines: A Certain Circumstantial Meeting

"I can't believe this!" Hamazura sighed exasperatedly as Misaka Mikoto hacked into his computer. The electromaster wasted no time in bypassing all the security protocols he'd installed. Misaka glanced at him and offered a guilty smile. "I figured that you guys would have info on the kids in your own dabase."

"Of course, we do," Hamazura sighed, "But technically it's not supposed to exist. We're not supposed to let anyone see it."

Misaka shrugged and continued browsing through the boarding school's rosters. Hamazura glanced back at Takitsubo and Kinuhata, neither of whom were paying attention to Misaka. Instead, both girls were deep in dreams generated by some virtual Indian Poker cards.

Apparently, Judgement was busy mining through all the data found in GROUP headquarters, and they were unearthing decades worth of data concerning Academy City, its people, and all its dark-side projects. Some of the data were being dumped into the internet and going viral on social media. Other more sensitive bits of information were getting packaged into virtual Indian poker cards and passed along to Anti-skill and other select groups of people.

This access was the bargaining chip provided by Misaka, so that she could access ITEM's intelligence on the boarding school. Scrolling through the roster, Misaka couldn't find any information on Marie. Meanwhile, finding Fritz's information was much easier, and she wasted little time in forwarding the boy's profile to Kamijou Touma.

"I see that there's only data from before the Bank disaster," Misaka said, as she combed through the database, "Don't you guys have anything new?"

"Sadly, no." Hamazura sighed, "We've haven't had the chance to update it since Christmas."

Misaka grunted, nodding with understanding.

Suddenly, there was a sound of croaking, like frogs, and Misaka, blushing furiously, pulled up her phone.

"Moshi-moshi" she said, "Ah Kuroko? What's up?"

"Onee-sama!" Hamazura winced as a rather annoying voice brayed through the phone, "I just got a signal from a Judgement beacon. From what I can tell, it seems to be coming from you!"

"Ma-saka!" Misaka laughed, "I haven't even brought my own. It must be coming from somewhere close, though."

"Is that so?" the caller said, "Then would you do me a solid and take a look at the situation?"

"Ma-ta-ke!" Misaka rolled her eyes, "If this is a Judgment matter, shouldn't you be looking into it? Where are you, anyway?"

"Sadly, I'm still stuck with Uiharu, at the branch office," The caller sighed, "We have other Judgement members doing the data mining, but all the information is being vetted through our branch servers. I think this work is going to take all night to finish."

Misaka sighed, "Alright, send me the coordinates."

She hung up. Hamazura turned to her. "Is something going on?"

She nodded, "Yeah, apparently, someone activated their Judgement beacon, meaning that they're in some sort of trouble."

A croaking noise told them a text message had been sent with the beacon's GPS coordinates. She tapped the message, and a map of Academy city popped open. Her eyes widened as a pin dropped onto the map. "Oh no!" she said, looking up, "It's coming from inside the boarding school!"

Chapter 35: Case of the Nutcracker:

Act VII: Attack of the Mouse Queen

Remain calm! I thought desperately, as my heart was thumping in my chest. I could hardly breathe, especially as a hand was clamping down hard on my mouth.

"Don't scream," A voice spoke into my ear, "if you scream, then I will kill you."

Unable to speak, I nodded in response, and the hands released me.

Turning around, I saw the older maid standing, glaring back at me. She was still wet from the shower and was covered only by a long towel. She held my phone aloft and scolded me. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to not meddle in things that don't concern you?!"

I gulped. "N-no, b-but she also never told me to keep a little boy hostage, or to keep him tied up in a wardrobe."

I fumbled in my pockets, looking for something—anything—that could save me. My hands closed around the walnut. It was warm and throbbing, and it barely budged when I pressed on its surface. "How did you find out so quickly," I asked, "You were in the shower, and I thought I was being very quiet."

"Honestly!" The Maid snorted, "Did you think I wouldn't put some kind of tracker spell on my own keys? I knew they were gone the instant you left the shower room."

Desperately, I tried my other pocket, and soon I found something small and oblong, smooth like plastic. My thumbs pressed on a raised plastic ring, and I felt something budge. At that moment, I heard a little moan, and I turned my attention back to the boy. "Who is he?" I asked, "What did you do to him?"

"Oh, he'll be fine," The maid waved her hand dismissively, "He's just another meddling kid, trying to ruin all of my plans, kind of like what you're doing, right now."

As if on cue, the little boy stirred, and his eyes opened. He looked at me with surprise and struggled against his restraints. Carefully, I removed his gag, and he cried out to me. "Please! You have to help me! I'm so hungry!"

Then, he spied the maid, and he froze. Fortunately, the maid wasn't armed, nor did she appear threatening, so I took my chances.

"Don't worry, you're safe with me." Carefully I undid his bindings and checked his vitals. Except for his hunger and bound-up state, he was very well looked after. "What's your name?"

"Fritz," He croaked, "I'm Fritz Harper."

Excitement flooded my body, as I realized to whom I was talking. I hastened to ask, "Listen, I'm trying to find Marie Pasternak. Do you know where she is?"

Fritz hesitated, then he spoke slowly. "I don't know any Pasternaks, but I do know Marie." He pointed. "She's standing right behind you."

My eyes followed his finger, to find the maid on the receiving end. Confused, I stood and asked, "You are Marie Pasternak?"

She snorted. "That's not my last name. Who told you it was?"

"Rasp– I mean Drosselmeyer did," I said.

She swore something foul in Russian. "Parsnips!" she sniffed, "The nerve of that guy! Of course, he would rob me even of my true name, after he kidnapped me, forced me to marry the prince, and then spirited me away from my motherland!"

She sighed. "My last name is Guseva."

"Marie Guseva," I said, "So you're the wife of prince Alexei? Aren't you supposed to be a little girl?"

"Heh, miracles really can happen." She smiled a wry smile. "I took Krakatook, and I fed it to the Nutcracker, my husband. If I had him eat all of it, I would've been free from this curse! Instead, all I could achieve was crack the outer shell."

She sneered at Fritz, "Then, this brat just had to watch me transform and scream loud enough to wake the other servants. I had just enough time to silence him, hide him away, and put on my maid uniform before the others found out!"

"Yes, I am married to the Tsarevich, but I've been treated as a mere servant my whole life, even after the two escaped from Russia. I was never in love with the Prince. Instead, that man forced the marriage onto me, simply to spite my mother! He knew exactly who I was, and what he was doing!"

"Your mother?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes, my mother, Khioniya, was a devout follower of Rasputin's rival, a devout monk named Illiador, and she was a member of the SR combat organization. When she was the Tsarina's handmaiden, she funneled money to the revolutionaries, but Rasputin discovered her, and he ratted her out. In revenge, Mother tried to assassinate him, but that crafty trickster survived!"

Marie growled, "He was a peasant, and yet he sided with the royals against his fellow countryman. While the rest of us starved, he enjoyed the finest wines and tasted the choicest meats the realm had to offer! You can bet my mother wanted revenge, as much as I do!"

At that moment, there was a slight groan, and the bedroom door opened. My heart leapt with joy, as I thought Oni-chan had come.

Instead, we all turn to see a short, stocky figure appear at the doorway. He had a face of a bulldog, yet he stood straight at waist height, with his toy sword drawn. "My darling," The Nutcracker spoke as he walked in, "Please let the children go. They've done nothing to deserve this."

Marie's hackles rose, and her hands balled into fists. "I can't. They know too much. They both do!"

The Nutcracker sighed. "Were you seriously keeping them until New Year's Day? Did you honestly think that would work?"

"What happens on the New Year?" I asked, frowning.

"Everything turns back to normal," The Nutcracker responded, "Krackatook will heal on its own. I will become immobile again, and Marie will be turned back into a little girl. Everybody else will forget everything that happened."

"How are you even here?" Marie growled, "How is this even possible? Earlier, you were sitting in the playroom, but now you're here!"

The nutcracker cracked a large grin, revealing a huge set of teeth. "Servants have their own ways of moving around, unseen. You're the one who taught me that. Besides, it's not like you're the only one who benefitted from Krakatook."

Without warning, he lunged, and his sword made quick work of the maid's towel. Marie cried with shock as her only piece of modesty disintegrated. She dropped my phone and crouched down to cover herself. Then, the Nutcracker beckoned to Fritz and me, and we ran over to his side. I picked up my phone along the way.

"Honey," The Nutcracker pointed his sword at Marie, "Let's talk about this."

"I can't live this double life anymore!" She cried shrilly, "You've taken my family, and you've taken my life! At least give me back my future!"

The Nutcracker snorted. "Did you think that I enjoyed living as an inanimate doll? Did you think that I didn't want to break this curse too?" Quickly, he grabbed the bed sheets and draped it around Marie. "I know I have debts to pay back, especially to you, but this isn't the way."

"No," Marie stood, clutching at her sheets, "I've gone too far, I've done too much to go back now!"

She snapped her fingers, and all of a sudden, the whole room seem to have come alive. Everywhere I looked, little furry heads started peeking out from everywhere. Soon, an army of stuffed mice assembled, all carrying frighteningly real muskets with fixed bayonets.

The Nutcracker glanced back at me. "Child, what is your name?"

"I'm Otohime Tatsugami," I said.

He nodded, "Then Miss Otohime, I suggest that you get out of here."

Nervously, I glanced at the army of mice which were now pointing their muskets at us. I held out a hand and cried, "Come with me, Alexei! Run!"

The Nutcracker merely smiled, "The Tsarevich of Russia does not run."

All at once, a volley of toy muskets fired, and tiny musket balls, no bigger than BBs flew in our direction. Instinctively, I turned around, and crouched down, with Fritz in my clutches. The BBs hit me like a fistful of red-hot gravel, and I cried out in pain. With all my strength, I hauled myself out of Marie's bedroom and collapsed on the hallway floor.

"Otohime-chan!" Misaka's voice reached my ears, and I looked up with joy. The Ace of Tokiwadai was running towards me, leading a whole group of people including Hamazura-san, Rasputin, Oni-chan, and Index-san.

Wincing, I got onto my knees and pointed at the door. "The Nutcracker is in there! Please save him!"

Misaka glanced at the door, nodded, and charged towards it. As she did, she tugged at her collar and the T-shaped pendant dangled around her neck. She cried, "Mjolnir, I need your assistance!" and the pendant flowed around her hand, forming into a small shield.

Hamazura-san and Rasputin followed her into the chamber, but Oni-chan and Index-san stayed behind. "Otohime-chan," Oni-chan cried, "You're hurt!"

I wanted to say, "It's just a scratch," but my back was still hot with pain. I tried to stand, but that sent the world swimming around me. Then, I felt myself falling, and the world around me turned to darkness.