Hey, I'm back. As I said, I was going to take a little longer to update. But this chapter is long, so it is kind of made up for it. I wish you good reading. "Toaru Majutsu no Index" does not belong to me. That's it.
Chapter 11 - The First Step
"Hokaze, this is my friend, Mugino Shizuri"
"Nice to meet you, Mugino-san" The curly haired girl bowed subtly
Meltdowner was somewhat confused by everything that was happening. How long had those three been following them? She also wondered if Takitsubo was hiding her presence somewhere as well. These thoughts made Level 5 ignore the Tokiwadai maiden completely and ask an important question.
"Frenda, was that your idea?" Mugino had a cold tone in her voice, enough to make the blonde emotionally unbalanced for an instant.
The poor blonde girl tried to answer, but she stammered and then took a deep breath to try to gather her courage. But before she could formulate a sentence that would keep her from being punished by the scary level 5, the level 0 boy made an announcement.
"So, it looks like you guys have a lot to talk about" Kamijou walked over to Junko and made a slight gesture with his hand, indicating for her to follow him "If you'll excuse us, I have something to talk about with Hokaze-chan. Let's go?"
"Of course, Kamijou-sama" Answered the girl with a simple smile.
The two of them walked away from the three girls. Kamijou was hoping that they would not be in mortal battle when he returned. After he was far enough away, the level 0 boy looked at the girl next to him. He was a little worried about someone as pure as that girl, walking around with two professional assassins.
"So how long have you been with them?" Kamijou tried to speak as quietly as possible, so that only that girl would hear.
"Just a few minutes ago" she answered in a sweet tone, but taking care to keep her voice as low as the boy's "I was going towards the hall of mirrors as you asked me, and then I met these two. I noticed that they were looking at Kamijou-sama and his company, so I asked if they were your friends"
"Good to know you're still the same" He shook his head negatively and sighed. That girl was as naive as ever, but she was somehow right this time "I hope they didn't treat you badly"
"No, actually they were very nice" She shook her head positively and looked at him smiling. "That's why I took so long, they asked me not to come to you yet, because it would be rude to disturb you while you were enjoying your company. We had a very nice chat in that mirror maze. They seemed a little nervous every time the enviroment started to change, they even hid their faces to try to disguise their nervousness.
"Never change Hokaze-chan... never change" As he said this, the boy subtly glanced around his surroundings, and then began to speak in a more serious tone "So, about the reason I called you here. I need to ask your queen a favor. Can you tell her that?"
Upon hearing those words, the girl lost the rhythm of her walk for just an instant. Kamijou had to confirm something, and the fastest way to do this was to contact the person known as the "Queen of Tokiwadai". The boy didn't know the name of such a person, but he knew that she possessed the 'Mental out', the most powerful telepathic ability in all of Academy City. But he wasn't exactly interested directly in this ability.
"As you wish, Kamijou-sama. But I don't understand, you could have warned me by message or called me."
"I know, but it's been a while since we've seen each other, so I took the opportunity" He paused, remembering something "I ran into a girl from Tokiwadai recently, I told her to send you a 'hi'. I hope you guys are getting along well"
"Yes, we are getting along very well. I would never have imagined that the 'Ace of Tokiwadai' was a Gekoer" The girl was Genuinely happy about all this "Speaking of which, it seems that this amusement park has partnered with Gekota. Maybe I should invite Misaka-san to support that initiative"
At that instant, the boy's mind locked up for a moment. The girl's voice sounded distant and muffled the moment a chill ran down his spine. Had her friend just said that she would invite another level 5 to that very park? That very night? Kamijou didn't know what the relationship between levels 5 was, but somehow he knew that he couldn't let another powerful person near his explosively temperamental teammate. Maybe his 'Misfortune Sense' was actually a real thing.
"I don't think that's a good idea" He said, trying to maintain a relaxed pose "I mean, my friend, Mugino, is a level 5 too, and she can be a little violent sometimes"
"I don't understand your concern, Kamijou-sama" The girl tilted her head in a cute way as she looked at him with confused eyes "The Levels 5 actually usually get along quite well. My Queen and Misaka-san even seem like childhood friends sometimes."
This naive girl said it so naturally that anyone would believe her words. But Kamijou had known her long enough to know that she had certainly read the wrong mood between these two Tokiwadai maidens. Not satisfied, the girl spoke again.
"Besides, there is a good chance that Misaka-san is in this park, or on her way here, She is a legitimate Gekoer after all"
"What?" Kamijou couldn't keep his voice down this time
xxxx-xxxx
"Basically, what are they talking about?" Frenda asked Kinuhata, as the two snuck up behind those two
"I super don't hear anything" Kinuhata looked in the direction of the two teenagers, finally getting to hear something "Huh? That super reaction came out of nowhere. Did the airhead confess to him or something?"
"What?" The blonde looked indignant now "Basically, I'm losing to an airhead like her?"
"You are the super worst person to say that" Kinuhata looked right into her eyes as she said this, to make her point as clear as possible "Besides, that girl is a Tokiwadai maiden. I think she's more his type"
"Quiet. I may not be a Tokiwadai maiden, but I am many steps ahead of that drill hair" The explosive blonde crossed her arms while giving a pout "Basically, he and I are exchanging messages every night. I bet he keeps dreaming about my perfect legs."
"Exchanging messages? Bombarding someone with dozens of messages while he super ignores you doesn't count"
"He doesn't ignore me. Basically, He consistently replies to me every 15 or 20 messages."
"Can't you two just be quiet for a second?" Spoke Mugino, who was also interested in the conversation between Kamijou and the girl with the curly hair "Who is that bitch from Tokiwadai anyway? Don't tell me she's an agent of the dark side too?"
The two other girls stopped their discussion and looked again at the two talking a few meters away.
"Basically, that doesn't seem to be the case"
"Or, she just fakes it super well" Kinuhata added "I mean, you can't judge just by looks or the way she acts. Kamijou is living proof of that."
"Stop it, he's coming our way" Mugino announced, straightening her dress.
Kamijou Touma came to the girls after saying goodbye to his friend. He was certainly not calm at that moment, and all three girls could see that. With one hand in his pocket, he sighed and tried to relax his posture.
"Well, things are not going exactly as I expected" He looked directly at the two 'intruding' girls as he said this "You must have a good explanation for this, I suppose"
The two girls looked at each other. Kinuhata shrugged, making it clear that she would not make any lame excuses, but Frenda acted a little differently.
"Basically, what was your response?" The blonde was clearly interested in something else "You rejected her, didn't you? I mean, she looked sad when she left" That was a little lie, but the blonde could dream.
"Eh? What are you talking about? You made it sound like Hokaze-chan had confessed or something. I don't remember raising that flag" He said it casually, but the blonde girl breathed a sigh of relief. She would jump for joy if her leg was already fully healed "Anyway, Hokaze is on an important mission. I could say that her success will ensure that this park stays in one piece until the end of the night."
The three girls, for sure, thought something completely far from the truth at that instant. After all, there was no way of knowing what kind of chaos that normal high school boy wanted to avoid.
'Please Hokaze-chan, help me keep that electric girl away from the scary laser girl. Preferably forever.
But Kamijou Touma could not leave such an important mission in the hands of his friend. He would need to help her keep the chaos out of that amusement park. His plan to accomplish this was quite simple. He would keep the 'Scary laser girl' busy on a long ride. But his main mission could not be compromised, so it was time for him to reveal a secret.
"Kinuhata, Frenda. I need your help" He alternated his gaze between the two girls, who had mixed reactions "You've come all this way to try to figure out what we're doing, so I'm not going to waste any time and I'll explain to all of you what I came here to do"
The two girls just nodded. If their leader was still there, then it must be something important. The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a device that looked like a flash drive. It was black with sky-blue details and very compact.
"I have received information that there is something hidden in this place" Began the spiky haired boy, while having the full attention of not only the two 'intruders', but also Meltdowner "And I need your help to find out what they are hiding here"
"Does that have something to do with that super information on that clipboard?" Kinuhata deduced, but she was looking in Mugino's direction now.
Offense Armor was suspicious. She was sure that her group had not received any 'official' missions, which meant that this was something personal. The ITEM leader seemed to have agreed to whatever this strange mission was, which was a bit weird on her part.
"Yes, it has to do with that information that Mugino-san and I got" The boy spun the device in his hands before continuing, he was clearly choosing what he was going to say "Remember that weird sequence of letters and numbers? That was some kind of 'encryption key'"
The three girls were suspicious when they heard this. They waited for the boy to give them more information so that they could make the decision to help him or not. But the one who was most intrigued by this was Mugino, since he had kept this information from her until then. Level 5 had deduced that those strange notes could be something like that, but if it was a key, where was the treasure chest? That was something she would ask when she had the chance, but probably not today, she already had a subject in mind for tonight.
"I can't explain everything here, it would take too long and we don't have all night" Kamijou was vague again, which irritated Mugino, but she didn't let on "If you guys don't want to help, that's fine by me"
"Basically, I'm in" Frenda said, a little too excited, noted Kamijou "What do you need me to do? I'll try my best with that leg of mine"
"Really? I didn't expect it to be so easy, but I won't complain. Thanks Frenda" Kamijou raised his thumb to the girl, who struck a cute pose upon hearing that thanks "What about you, Kinuhata-san?"
"I really wish you wouldn't be so super vague" Level 4 thought for a moment, still looking at her leader "But if everyone agrees, then I'm in. What do you need from me?"
With the two girls agreeing to help him in his undetailed mission, he reached out and handed the device to the blonde girl, who held it in her small hand with a confused expression on her face.
"I need you two to search this area for a suspicious location. There's probably an entrance to the underground here."
"Underground?" It was Mugino who asked that, making Kinuhata even more suspicious. So, their leader didn't know the details either "You mean a lab or something? Come to think of it you talked about Ability Body Crystal, are they producing that here?"
"Yes to both questions. Although I'm not sure if this is exactly a lab." He pondered for a moment, but then continued, "Frenda, this device in your hand is not a flash drive. I mean, it can be used like one, but it's more than that. I didn't give it to you to help you look for what I asked for, but it will be useful for covering your tracks"
"Huh? Basically, how is this going to cover my tracks?"
"Well... I'll try to explain it in a quick way, so maybe you won't understand everything. I promise to explain everything another time."
After Kamijou said this, he paused for a long time, which made the girls focus all their attention on him. Mugino seemed to be the most interested there, even more than Kinuhata, who now only looked confused.
"This device is capable of emitting and detecting a variety of signals from the electromagnetic spectrum, such as infrared and radio signals, among other things. The basic function of it, which I often use, is to interfere with surveillance cameras that use the basic software for security in Academy City, which is more than 90 percent of the cameras in the entire city"
Mugino narrowed her eyes as she heard this. She knew that this boy used to cover his tracks by putting cameras on loop, but it was hard to believe that the explanation was something so simple.
"Where did you get this device?" Mugino asked, looking intensely at the spiky-haired boy. She didn't want to miss a single gesture, no matter how brief or subtle.
"I bought it on the internet" He replied, shrugging. There was nothing Meltdowner could analyze there
"Bullshit" Level 5 had a slight trace of irritation in her voice
"It's serious. It wasn't cheap, especially for someone like me, but it's definitely worth it"
"So you do the super trick with the cameras using something you bought over the internet?" Kinuhata was also skeptical.
"I think you are focusing too much on this part" Kamijou crossed his arms and raised his forefinger, like a college professor about to give an important explanation "The hardware is not the most important thing here, but the software. This device carries with it a complex algorithm, made especially for this purpose. It is fully customizable, and can even rewrite itself automatically if the situation calls for it, such as adapting to cameras that do not use the standard system, although this is a time-consuming process and not recommended. Without this algorithm, it is just another gadget you can find almost anywhere. Besides that it is idiot-proof, since all you need to do to use the 'looping camera' function is to press the little button on the bottom of it"
Upon hearing this, the blonde girl looked at the device, locating the button the boy had mentioned. The others also glanced briefly, but soon turned their full attention to Kamijou.
"It still seems implausible" Mugino commented, bringing her hand up to her chin "I've seen that you cover your tracks very well, but this so-called 'algorithm' seems too convenient. Writing an algorithm of this level would require a deep knowledge of programming, and even then it wouldn't be fully effective, considering that the software used by the cameras use an almost procedurally generated encryption. Add this to the fact that these cameras do not use an open source code which makes it incredibly difficult to program something like this, especially assuming that some kind of reverse engineering had to be done"
Faced with such an elaborate argument, from someone who clearly knew what she was talking about, the boy didn't flinch when answering.
"Yes you are right, but what if I had access to all the source code?"
Meltdowner didn't answer. She could retort that even if he somehow had access to the source code, it would still take a long time to be able to write such complex code, but the boy sounded convincing enough.
The truth is that in that instant, Kamijou Touma was cornered. The fact is that the pointy-haired boy had no idea what he was talking about. He barely knew how to use all the functions of his Smartphone, let alone how to write algorithms capable of such an extraordinary feat. But he didn't have to be a computer genius to give an Oscar-worthy performance. After all, he had a friend who was probably the best expert on the subject, and she made him memorize every word of the explanation he had just given. He was feeling like an actor playing a scientist in a science fiction movie, explaining how a wormhole works using only a pencil and paper. Whether all that acting felt natural or not, he would never know for sure. And then there is the fact that he did not tell the whole story, since that algorithm did not work exactly like that. The whole process was not automated, he still needed his friend doing all the hard work in the background. But even a simple trick can be considered a miracle if people believe in it.
"By the way, be careful with the device. I only have two of them and they cost me an arm and a leg. And one more thing, don't abuse that feature, it can draw attention too."
"That looks like something straight out of super science fiction" Kinuhata took the small device from Frenda's hands "Or a gadget from a B-movie spy"
"Basically, don't start with that movie stuff again" Frenda took the device back, as if that was the last memory of a deceased loved one.
"So you like movies? What kind?" Kamijou asked a genuine question, not knowing what he was getting into.
Kinuhata's eyes sparkled in that instant, while Frenda crossed her arms and Mugino shook her head negatively. The two were ready to shut her mouth and gag her if necessary. There was no way those two could listen to that girl talk about movies for more than a minute without having suicidal thoughts.
"How much time do you super have available to talk about this?" That question sounded so innocent, it didn't even seem like the girl was about to make yet another victim of her peculiar tastes
"Well, like I said, we don't have all night, so if you can be brief" Kamijou said that carefully. This was a bad time for the boy to ask something without thinking twice
"Hmm... I can't keep it brief when talking about something super important. In fact, I don't even know if you are worthy of my precious time" The girl crossed her arms in a snobbish manner, but Kamijou realized that she was not entirely serious "The best thing to do now is to recommend you a movie that I super like, and then after hearing your opinion about it we will discuss it so that I can prove that my taste is superior to yours"
" Okay, that's probably the most presumptuous thing I'll hear today, but go ahead "
"I'll leave your super dismissive comment aside for now. Someone who clearly has a negligible knowledge of the low-budget cinematic universe would not be able to understand the greatness of a film like 'Quantum Piranhas from Nowhere,' so I'll play it safe and recommend you 'Intertwining of the Last Couple on Pluto'"
"Oh my god. Basically, she recommended that thing again" Frenda looked like she was about to throw up and have an existential crisis, in that order.
"Thank you Kamijou, now I have 'that scene' in my head again" And Mugino seemed to have a strong migraine remembering such a scene.
"Looks like only good things await this Kamijou-san" Said the boy sarcastically, putting a smile all crooked on his face.
"I don't expect you to like my super recommendation. It is not for small minds. But at least make an effort to understand the message behind that masterpiece."
"I'll do my best. But don't expect too much, I'm a level 0 after all" He scratched the back of his head nervously. What new kind of misfortune was that? "Anyway, now we'd better split up. And when I say we split up I 'really' mean we split up. So no starting to follow us around for some reason I still don't understand and I don't care either."
"Basically, don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Kinuhata while I accomplish my mission... and I have to be better than that girl with the drill hair" The blonde muttered the last part of the sentence.
"Yeah, sure. You'll super pretend that this spying wasn't your idea to..."
"Basically, you're coming with me" The blonde said that as she began to frantically push the level 4 "See you later, Kamijou"
Level 5 and Level 0 watched in silence until the two girls turned a corner in that 'city'. Kamijou turned toward Mugino. He put both hands in his pockets and took a deep breath.
"This certainly isn't going as planned" Kamijou said, shaking his head negatively.
"You're not really going to tell me exactly what you want me to do, are you?"
"Actually, I kind of just need you to stay by my side tonight. I promise I'll give you all the details you want tomorrow."
"You can't be serious" The tea-colored haired girl raised her tone of voice as she said that "What about all that stuff about not trying to wind me up? That's not what you promised me"
"Well... to tell you the truth I just said I would tell you what I knew about my Imagine Breaker"
"I'm really going to kill you one of these days you smartass"
"I'm glad that day won't be today" He walked over to her and in a nonchalant manner offered his left arm "Allow me to guide you, my lady. We are going to the future now"
"Kamijou, you really think you're fucking funny, don't you?" Even though she complained and rolled her eyes, the girl held his arm.
"It's not supposed to be funny. We are in Victorian London after all. I'm just being polite"
But as he said this, the boy suddenly froze. Only now he had realized what he had done, which is a common problem for someone like Kamijou who acts without thinking most of the time.
"Hey, Kamijou, is there a problem?" Mugino was genuinely confused as she noticed the motionless boy.
"Mugino-san, that's not exactly what I was planning. This wasn't supposed to be like this...I mean why the hell are you holding my arm?"
As the Meltdowner deepened the confused expression on her face, the boy took a deep breath to contain his embarrassment. The truth is that the boy had only made the exaggerated gesture as a joke, he didn't expect that the girl would actually agree to walk around holding his arm like a couple in a period movie, or at a wedding party. This time it was the turn of the level 0 boy's brain to overheat with that girl so close to him.
"Are you having trouble keeping short-term memories or something?" Mugino's question came flooded with sarcasm "You're the one who started this stupid roleplay, so 'guide us to the future' or whatever shit you said"
"But that's clearly wrong. Shouldn't girls be embarrassed or blush when they get so close to a boy? You don't even seem affected" He said this as he began to guide her out of that 'town'.
"What nonsense did you just say? I've held your arm to make sure you don't run away at the first opportunity. Besides, I already dragged you around once in that mall, I don't see the difference"
"What do you mean there's no difference? Don't act as if what you do is the most normal thing in the world"
"I really can't understand you" She grimaced as she said this "It must be the fault of that strange power of yours"
"Okay, who's not making sense now? What does my Imagine Breaker have to do with it?"
The two of them were now walking back to the center of the park. Kamijou was still bothered by having such an attractive girl holding his arm as they walked, especially with the looks he was getting from the other guys. For some reason, after seeing the envious expression on their faces, he let a smile escape on the corner of his lip, although even he didn't realize it.
"I still have doubts about how your ability really works" Mugino said. That low voice so close to Kamijou's ear was not helping him calm down "How is the distinction made between what is 'supernatural' and what is not? Reading AIM fields? Or does your ability just see a quantum distortion caused by a personal reality and return it to zero?"
"I don't know. Your friend Takitsubo might be able to explain it better. By the way, what was that about 'destroying' your AIM field. I'm not hurting you every time I touch it with my right hand, am I?"
"I'm not sure, I just said what was going through my mind at that moment. I'm not ruling out that it might have a permanent effect, so I'd like you to keep that right hand away from me before I cut it off and send it to a lab."
"I really wouldn't recommend that" Kamijou spoke that seriously, almost losing the rhythm of his walk. The girl had noticed how tense he was.
"Relax, it was a joke" She cracked a small smile to lighten the mood a bit "And to tell you the truth I'm pretty sure it would be useless. An esper ability doesn't work like that after all. It's not like your right hand is responsible for the whole 'negating' thing"
"Well... I'm inclined to say that statement is incorrect"
"You said yourself that you're not sure how it works, so we'd better assume that this 'Imagine Breaker' of yours is in your brain, not in your right hand. You are just doing complex calculations in the background 24 hours a day. Maybe that's why you can only affect your right hand, maybe with a little practice you can affect a larger area of your body."
"You really... really refuse to believe that my ability is not an esper power, don't you?"
The two teenagers were in a line now. Mugino let herself be led without even bothering to give an opinion on what they would do next. That boy had the uncanny ability to suck all her attention with his mere presence.
"Maybe your power doesn't fit one of the five basic attributes and so it can't be identified?" The girl was not satisfied "But that doesn't make sense, even more unique abilities can be identified. What's wrong with you anyway?"
"Five basic attributes? I think I remember them... almost all of them at least. Wait, wasn't there six? I really should stop skipping class."
"Clairvoyance, Psychometry, Telepathy, Psychokinesis and Precognition" Said the girl, as if she were reciting a poem she had rehearsed all her life.
"Precognition? I kind of have something like that. Or at least that's what my senpai says."
"What?" The girl suddenly raised her tone of voice "But you said the system scan couldn't detect anything"
"Yes, that's what I said. And I wasn't lying if that's what you're thinking."
"But that doesn't make sense. Your ability doesn't seem to fit that attribute. That's like saying you're a Dual-Skill user, which is another hypothetical thing that doesn't exist and probably never will."
The line was moving slowly, so Kamijou took a breath and looked around. He didn't want to be in an area like that, since the chances of those two level 5s meeting were higher. But he had to be careful not to give the impression that he was trying to dodge the questions.
"You said you had already told me everything" Level 5 looked indignant now.
"I said I had told you everything I knew about my Imagine Breaker"
"Don't be a smartass" Mugino almost started tapping her foot at that instant "Explain everything to me, now"
"Yeah, yeah... whatever you say Ojou-sama" He sighed, scratching his head with his free hand and then checking the slowly moving line again "My senpai explained to me once that after so many fights I got into, I ended up acquiring a sort of 'sixth sense' that allows me to accurately predict attacks coming my way. The correct name is 'premonition perception' but she said 'precognition' is shorter and rolls off the tongue better, whatever that means."
"So it's not an esper skill? That again? Did she explain to you exactly how it works?"
Just when the girl thought she couldn't be any more intrigued, the boy brought something new to the table. At that moment, she was even happier that she was not leaving as she had planned.. She waited anxiously for those long seconds the boy used to formulate his answer.
"According to my senpai, I can perceive small changes in the environment subconsciously. Somehow I am also able to perceive any involuntary movement made by a person, such as muscles tensing, blinking rhythm, and even breathing. My brain uses this to calculate the trajectory of the attacks, but apparently I have almost no control over this. She also told me not to try to understand how it works while I fight. Instead of trying to focus completely on the enemy's attacks, the best plan of action is to try to understand how someone's ability works and also take the opportunity to check out the environment so that maybe I can get some advantage. This strategy has worked very well so far"
"So that's how you manage to get my Meltdowner away so casually" She brought her hand to her chin "I take it all this stuff you've told me is pure speculation isn't it?"
"Mostly, yes" He shrugged
"You really are a walking question mark"
The line was finally moving forward. At this point, Mugino decided to see what kind of ride they would go on next. She hoped it wouldn't be something like a roller coaster or anything like that, since it would be impossible for them to talk.
"What is that? Some kind of futuristic attraction?" Meltdowner asked, taking a good look at all that decor that looked like it came straight out of a science fiction.
"I think so. Looks like we're going through that giant tunnel over there" He pointed to the metal structure that snaked through the place "I really need to pick the rides better, I have to make the most of my day pass"
Finally their place in line had arrived. This time there was nothing too elaborate like cards or anything, just a relatively normal ride. Of course, they would probably have a more futuristic-oriented experience, which was in contrast to the theme they had just experienced.
"What is this, some kind of glorified Tunnel of love? Are you trying to give me a subtle message here, Kamijou?" The girl put a sneering smile on her face as she made that teasing.
"You're not funny either, Mugino-san" He said dryly.
Level 5 and Level 0 sat in what looked like a boat, since that vehicle had no wheels, but was not in the water either. That thing that looked like an aluminum boat dyed black, only had seats for two people. Kamijou obviously realized that he really needed to choose his rides better.
"At least it's comfortable here. There's plenty of room too." The boy stretched his arms and lounged.
"Ooh... you're about to try the legendary 'lounging while subtly putting your arm around the girl' technique. Kinuhata was right, you do like the classics."
"Don't make me repeat myself, Mugino-san" He looked at her with a bored face.
The 'vehicle' began to move at that instant. Kamijou put a confused expression on his face when he realized that the 'boat' was floating in mid-air, then half a second later he remembered where in the world he was and returned to his usual casual expression. Mugino didn't look impressed, not even when the tunnel went dark and images that looked more like holograms began to hover around them. The holograms were abstract images, something reminiscent of modern art. They changed subtly over time, and sometimes suddenly.
"I don't quite understand what they are trying to do here" Kamijou said "Is that supposed to mean something?"
"Probably not. Think of it as a modern version of looking at clouds. They are just stimulating our imagination. I bet they must be using an AI to randomize it all, that way each person has a different experience."
"You're pretty smart Mugino-san, you figured it all out in such a short time" It was a sincere compliment, but for some reason the girl rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, what a surprise. Sometimes I get the feeling that you forget that I'm a level 5"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mugino-san, I forgot that Level 5 are literal gods who possess all the knowledge of the universe in their heads"
"Kamijou, don't you get tired of being a fucking smartass?" Meltdowner didn't look annoyed, maybe just a little "So, since we're here on this boring ride, let's continue our conversation"
"You seem excited, but as I've already made clear, I have nothing more to say to you"
"That's what you think" Spoke the girl, with a somewhat enigmatic tone. She casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned slightly in Kamijou's direction "There is a theory that esper powers are reflections of a person's personality. I don't believe it one hundred percent, but it would be interesting if you told me a little more about your past, maybe we can learn more about your nonsensical power."
The boy ignored her demand. Instead he sighed and moved a little away from the girl. Mugino took this as a way for him to dodge her questions again, so she moved even closer, trying to corner him.
"Mugino-san, could you back off a bit, 'they' are almost touching me" He said, trying to be as casual as possible, but inside he was almost freaking out.
"You seem perfectly okay with that, so I'll stay wherever I feel like staying"
This time he let out an even bigger sigh. It seemed that this girl had enough of being teased by him and was now going on the attack, and the worst part was that she was still holding back.
"I'll let you in on a secret then" Kamijou spoke, turning to look the girl in the eye "I know I tend to act calm and casual most of the time, but the truth is that's just a mask I force myself to put on every day"
The Meltdowner turned away a little from the boy when she heard that, even she didn't know why. The girl forced herself to look at the increasingly psychedelic holograms as she tried to process the information she had received, but she decided the best way was to hear from the boy himself what he wanted to say.
"Does this have anything to do with that story you told me?"
"Yes" Kamijou immediately replied "When I was a child, the other children... didn't treat me very nice"
That big pause in his sentence made Meltdowner raise an eyebrow. She really almost never stopped to listen to anything anyone had to say to her, but now she looked at that boy as if he was about to reveal the location of a treasure she had been searching for all her life.
"And to make matters worse, their parents did nothing to stop it. In fact some of them even encouraged it." Kamijou took a deep breath right after saying that. He was clearly uncomfortable. "But I never fought back. And that only made it worse, but even so, I still didn't fight back. Even if everyone was against me, I would hold my head up high and pretend that everything was fine. I decided that I wouldn't give them what they wanted. I would lock up everything I was feeling and even put a smile on my face if I had to"
Kamijou clenched his fist at that instant. This time he decided to look the girl next to him right in the eye. The boy realized that he had her full attention, although he was sure that this story would not have such a great effect on a person like her.
"But in the end, it's still just a mask" He kept his eyes on hers, who also didn't flinch "Even though I look perfectly calm and relaxed, I might actually be feeling nervous, or embarrassed to have a pretty girl so close to me. How do you think I was feeling when I realized I might die in our fight in that alley? I made jokes, I acted casual, I teased you, but the truth is that my heart was still racing, and I'm sure it wasn't just the adrenaline's fault"
"And yet you decided that you would continue to tease me and make me mad at every opportunity you had" Mugino commented, her gaze getting more intense "Mask or not, you are still more interesting than anyone I know"
"You're giving me too much credit. I'm just another face in the crowd, a normal high school boy. If you see through the surface you'll see that I'm no different than anyone you've ever met" He paused for a long moment for the girl to comment, but she just kept looking at him "So, I guess I've already said too much about myself. Which reminds me of a certain talk we had. If I remember correctly, you told me that you would tell me something more about yourself if I told you something that you found interesting"
"Okay, what do you want to know?" She shrugged, finally letting go of her intense gaze.
"Really? Easy like that?"
"I am a woman of my word" She smiled devilishly at that instant
"If that's so, then I'd like to know why you were involved with the dark side of Academy City"
The smile on the girl's face was wiped off as quickly as it had formed. She stared at him for only a moment, until she decided to look at the show of smoke and mirrors in front of her. Kamijou waited patiently until she was ready to speak.
"I know what you're trying to do" Mugino said this without even looking in his direction "Why would a girl like me, who comes from a rich family and is even a level 5, get involved with something like this? And I also know that I won't be able to fool you by saying something like 'I wanted more money to maintain my luxurious lifestyle'. If you're just going to read me like a book, then I'd better get it out of the way." She looked determined now, as her eyes peered into that bluish darkness again "The truth is, Kamijou, I was bored"
Level 5 said this with almost no emotion behind it. It even seemed as if she was discussing a trivial matter at a breakfast table. Kamijou narrowed his eyes when she felt the coldness in the girl's expression. But she was still not satisfied, she wanted to make it even clearer.
"I could stop working for the dark side today if I wanted to, and I'd probably still have money to afford my lifestyle with no problem at all. But why would I do that?" The girl's voice was getting more and more aggressive as she continued her monologue "Do you know what I feel when I kill someone, Kamijou?"
That question was meant to shake him. If what the boy had said was true, then Mugino was sure that the answer to that question would bring his 'mask' down. It was time for her to show that naive boy what true darkness looks like. The Meltdowner didn't wait for the boy to comment, she coldered her expression even more and then said almost in a whisper.
"Nothing" One word only. She thought that just that word would be enough to get across the surface "I don't feel anything. At first I might have felt something, but even that feeling that warmed me up disappeared after a while. That's why I had to start playing around a little, trying to be creative, to relieve some of the boredom I feel. Do you understand now? Kamijou Touma. Do you understand what I really am?
"Yes, I understand"
The answer came so fast that the girl barely had time to finish her question. What she felt at that moment was something between confusion and anger. But this didn't last long, as she soon calmed down. That was it, this boy had heard what he wanted to know so badly, and now it was time for someone like him to shrink at that angelic looking monster.
"I should have known from the start" The boy looked away. He even sounded disappointed "So this is what it's like to be alone?"
"What?" The girl's calm face now became confused again. What did that boy mean? "Did you hear what I said? I just said that I don't have a plausible reason for doing what I do, and that's the best thing you could say?"
Those words were full of violence. The girl practically screamed the last part at the top of her lungs. She was not lying, that was obvious. Meltdowner wasn't interested in putting on a mask, she would say exactly what this boy wanted to hear, without backing down, without trying to trick him. If he wanted to stay away from her after that, that was fine with her. This boy was her toy now. All she had to do was find another way to manipulate him, just like when she first got him into ITEM. Everything would go exactly as she had planned, she would win again, she had no doubt about that. But... still.
"I guess it took me too long to realize how lonely you were" Kamijou didn't back down. "I'm not going to lie to you, my opinion of people who always had everything ,without the slightest effort, has never been good. But still... I wonder what it feels like to be able to run, while almost all the people around you can barely walk"
Mugino Shizuri's mind stopped working just for an instant when the boy said this. Her face displayed an expression she didn't usually display: Fear. She could not explain why, but she felt she would not like what she heard next.
"Get out of my head" The girl couldn't help biting her lip as she said that.
"Being so far ahead of everyone. It must feel good at first. Maybe even addictive. And you must have felt that feeling for as long as you can remember, right?"
"Stop it" The girl's voice came out weaker than she planned "That's just a trick, there's no way you could know how I felt"
"Your life was comfortable after all, so there was nothing to stop you from running faster than everyone around you" He ignored her request. No, he just judged that the girl wasn't really wanting him to stop "But you wanted to be able to go even faster. Even without realizing how many you were leaving behind"
"You don't know what you're talking about. Stop trying to read me. Just be quiet before I start shooting my Meltdowner toward the people outside" She had to try to resist, even though her cards were running out "Or do you want to be responsible for so many deaths?"
"We both know you won't do it" Kamijou replied, as sure as the fact that there is a sky above him and ground beneath his feet "And I'm not saying that because I can stop it with my power".
" Don't tempt me "
Upon hearing those words that sounded more like a growl, the boy turned away from her. He was not afraid, not even close to it. In fact, his only reason for moving away was to make his point clear. He did not plan to use the Imagine Breaker.
"You can start shooting if you want, but I'll take that as a sign that I'm right" The dark blue-eyed boy didn't even give the girl, who was gritting her teeth, time to retort "Now, the most important part of all this was when you came to Academy City. I have no way of knowing if it was your idea or your parents', but I am sure that this is where you started your real journey to loneliness"
Mugino Shizuri was reaching her limit, but the boy still did not seem satisfied. Worst of all, she had already lost control. Her threats had no effect on him, and trying to argue was a useless task, since he would use her own words against her. This was the first time in years that she had felt so powerless.
"It must have been amazing to discover that you had so much potential" He continued, watching the girl who remained silent "And it must have been even better when you reached level 5. It was at that moment that you discovered that you didn't have to run anymore... since you could fly now. And you did just that... spread your perfect wings and flew into the perfect sky. And now the people who were still trying to catch up with you, finally decided that it wasn't worth trying anymore. You had come so far... and left everyone behind. But eventually you would realize how empty it was, and then your flight would end, and you would fall from the sky, but no one would be there to help you up"
At that moment, the sound of clapping was heard. It was no other person than Mugino Shizuri herself who was responsible for that monotonous sound. She put a strange smile on her face and shook her head.
"Wow, my congratulations" She said sarcastically "You made it Kamijou, how amazing you are. I hope you're feeling great now.
"Actually, not yet" He didn't even lost his rhythm in front of that little show "You said you were bored, correct? No wonder. After all you are a beautiful, rich, intelligent, powerful girl. Pleasing you is like trying to find the perfect birthday present for a man who already has everything. In a way, you are unreachable"
"Thank you for the compliments. I'm glad you understand the huge difference between me and the others. You can stop talking now" She wasn't even trying anymore. The girl just wanted to say something and hope that the boy would stop.
"It gets hard to relate to someone when you know they're not exactly interested in you" But the boy wouldn't stop, and she knew it too well "By the way, I don't think I've ever seen you call your teammates 'friends'. At least not in a genuine way"
"Very observant" She said this in a mocking tone and then immediately rolled her eyes "There's no point in trying to befriend someone if I know it's not going to be something sincere. Calling them 'colleagues' is still a strong word. Tools is the most appropriate. But don't worry, I take very good care of them."
"It's a little strange to think that someone like me can be so much happier than you"
Upon hearing such words, the girl bit her lip in frustration for the second time in such a short period. What was happening here could not even be called conversation. From Level 5's point of view, this boy had no intention of listening to her. Not because he didn't want to, he simply didn't need to. Mugino was cursing herself in that instant, she wished at that moment that she had never tried to play with that enigmatic boy.
"That's enough" She finally snapped "You understand perfectly how I feel. I'm an unhappy girl who doesn't give a shit about anything or anyone. Now give me a fucking break. What are you trying to do here? Save me? Redeem me? Don't give me that shit. I know I'm a horrible person, and I'm the one who dug the hole I got myself into." Those almost shouted words were being directed more at herself than at the boy "So what? What more do you want? For me to regret what I did? That I apologize? That wouldn't change anything. People would still look at me the same way, treat me the same way. There is no light at the end of this damn tunnel I'm in"
The girl's voice echoed. She was no longer holding back. Mugino took a deep breath, expecting the boy next to her to give another one of his quick answers, or to just ignore her and keep saying whatever he wanted, which would make her feel even worse. But he did none of these things. He just stood there staring intensely at her, and for some reason, this made her even angrier. The girl hated how he wasn't even trying anymore. In that moment she was sure that he saw her as a bad loser, asking for the hundredth rematch in a row, even though he knew she had no chance of winning.
"Say something...anything" She grabbed her head with both hands and then looked down "Tell me I'm beyond saving, yell at me, tell some bad joke or call me by that stupid nickname...anything...this silence is just too cruel"
Meltdowner didn't know what to say anymore, or what to feel. She just wanted it all to end. Why did she have to go through all this? She was supposed to be unreachable. Nothing could affect her, nothing could stop her. She was so far away from everyone around her in so many ways that it seemed like a joke that someone could corner her like this.
"All right then" He finally spoke. That very casual sentence was enough for the girl to pay full attention to him again "That's a good start"
And that was all he said. Level 5 waited for him to elaborate, but he was silent again. She understood what he was doing. It was obvious what he expected her to say. The girl wanted to fight at least a little longer. And yet she said exactly what he wanted.
"Don't you understand? There is nothing left to save"
"It's not up to you to decide"
"Yes, I'm the one who decides. I don't want to be saved. I don't deserve to be saved. Use your efforts on someone worthwhile" The girl didn't wait for him to answer. She wanted to make her point clear "The path of someone who has already killed is too long. Even if I become a completely different person from now on, even if I live my life dedicated to helping others, it doesn't change anything. I am already doomed."
"You don't decide that either"
"I cannot walk that path, Kamijou. Even if I tried, I would have to stay on it until the end of time to have any chance of redemption. I don't have the willpower for any of it. And even if I did, there is no guarantee that I won't simply abandon it when I get bored again"
"You don't have to worry about that"
"Why?"
The boy shortened the distance between them in that instant. Mugino noticed when his fingertips naturally touched the backs of her hand, which made her feel something like static electricity flow through her body. She knew that it had been an accident, that the boy had not touched her hand on purpose, but...
"Because I will be by your side on this path"
... she wished it hadn't been. And in that instant she had to fight to keep her hand from sliding toward his.
"Will you stand by me? Even after you've heard all this?" The question asked by the girl sounded almost like a plea"
"Yes, I will"
"You understand, don't you? I'm just a psychopath who can't even remember the faces of those I've killed"
"I understand"
"There is no redemption for someone like me"
"But you still have to try"
"Even if I do this, even if I try to change, nothing would erase what I did. I will have to keep looking back, and every time I do that..."
"I will be there to comfort you"
He didn't even let her finish her sentence. The girl didn't know what to say. In fact, she just couldn't understand why this boy was still insisting on trying to save someone like her. His will was unshakable. Trying to push him away was useless, trying to convince him was useless, trying to intimidate him was useless... it was all useless...
"I will stay by your side, even if you ask me to leave" Kamijou gave the girl no chance to continue torturing herself "Even if you have to continue on this path until the end of time, I will not abandon you"
It wouldn't be an easy path, but she didn't have to walk it alone. In that second she decided that she would no longer try to resist. She just sat still, silently wishing that the boy would keep saying what she thought she didn't want to hear. She also wished that this ride had been a little longer. But the tunnel was over, which meant that it was time for them both to go back into the light.
"I..." The girl began to get up reluctantly from her seat, while trying in every way to get her brain to work.
"Come on Mugino-san, this night has been long enough" Kamijou said, offering a hand for the girl to stand up.
Out of pure instinct, Mugino reached out to accept the boy's help. Level 5 and level 0 walked side by side again. And for several seconds, the girl still didn't know what to say. She felt so strange, so... light.
"So, Mugino-san, do you want to go on another ride, or are we going to get together with the others and call it a day?"
There was still something bothering her. In fact there was more than one thing, but she would take care of that other thing another time. Right now, she had to solve something less important. So she shook her head to try to return to her normal state.
"I've been noticing something strange" Mugino said, trying to sound natural, and failing miserably "I mean, I thought this was another elaborate way of teasing me, but you're really calling me by my surname"
"Huh?" The spiky-haired boy scratched his head in confusion "You talk as if you expect me to call you something else. Would you rather I call you Ojou-sama? Or do you actually want me to go back to calling you bad girl?"
"Actually, how about 'Shizuri'?" She hid her smile as she said that
Kamijou stopped walking at that instant. He looked at the face of the girl next to him, who seemed unable to contain something he was also unable to identify.
"Are you serious?" The Level 0 tried to keep walking, but he stopped again soon after "You know I didn't mean to call you by your given name, right? I was just teasing you"
"I don't know what kind of argument you are trying to make, but I really don't care. If you're going to be by my side for so long, then I'd rather you call me that. It's better than that stupid nickname."
"Okay, I'll call you 'Shizuri' from now on then. Or do you prefer Shizuri-san?"
"Just Shizuri... and don't even think about putting 'chan' in my name" She tried to sound annoyed, this time she was reasonably successful.
"Yeah, yeah... I get it, no 'chan'. By the way, does your name mean anything? I can't identify any meaning behind it"
"No big deal. Not everyone can have such an imposing name as 'The one who purifies God and slays demons'"
"You know my name isn't spelled that way, right? We had this conversation before, if I remember correctly"
"Really? I don't remember" She brought her hand to her chin to pretend she was thinking. Technically, they didn't have that exact conversation.
"Anyway, we'd better warn the others. If they haven't found anything yet, we'll have to start looking too"
The pointy-haired boy picked up his cell phone and sent a short message to his friend Frenda. He just hoped she wasn't too busy. Meanwhile, Mugino looked at the boy with a happy expression on her face. It was hard to believe that this was the same guy who had pushed her over the edge a few minutes ago. Without realizing it, she moved her body closer to him and grabbed his left arm, which made the boy almost jump at the unexpected approach.
"Shizuri, you're a little too close" He said, putting the Smartphone away, while trying to keep his posture relaxed as much as he could "Don't tell me you were trying to see what I was typing?"
"Actually, I just thought we should continue as we were before we went into that tunnel. And it's always fun trying to get a reaction out of you, too" The girl put a big smile on her face and leaned dangerously toward him.
"Eh?" Kamijou almost pulled away as he felt something soft touch his arm "Shizuri..." He braked for an instant.
"Yes?" She pretended that nothing had happened
"You know" It took all the boy's willpower not to stutter at that instant
"Know what? Don't tell me you're uncomfortable with that? You're the one who said you'd stand by me, aren't you? Now keep your word."
"That has nothing to do with what I said"
Looking away, the boy forced himself to keep walking. He calmed down after a few seconds, but the problem was that Shizuri was still not satisfied.
"You really recover pretty quickly. That's quite a mask you've got on. As a girl who values the scientific method, I hope you don't mind if I test your limits." Saying this, Shizuri completely closed the small distance that existed between them.
"Eek!"
Kamijou had received a critical hit, and from a type of attack he was weak in. His HP turned red the instant he felt that soft sensation again in all its glory. The girl took the opportunity to turn slightly toward him. She was not holding back, those two 'mounds' were hitting Kamijou with the legendary pincer movement.
"Now that's a reaction" The girl smiled satisfied, as she stepped back a bit so the poor boy could breathe "You're a really tough guy, but you're no match for me when I stop holding back"
"Don't you think you're being a little mean, Shizuri? This poor Kamijou-san's heart can't take so much teasing in such a short time."
"Really? You seem to have recovered very well" Shizuri couldn't keep the smile off her face
"We've had this talk, I only look okay on the outside. You have a much greater effect on me than you think."
"Do I have such a great effect on you? Now I'm curious. Am I your type of girl or something?"
"Eh?"
Now he had reached his limit. Shizuri was NOT satisfied yet, she was going straight to the kill. The poor boy had barely recovered from such an overwhelming blow, and now the girl was approaching the 'truth of the world'. Kamijou could not keep his eyes from scanning the girl next to him.
'She gives off that "Onee-san" aura, doesn't she? Besides, no matter how you look at it... she's beautiful from any angle. Damn, what am I thinking? Resist Kamijou-san, she's just teasing you. A girl like her never...'
"Is there a problem, Kamijou, have you finished your detailed inspection? Or do you need me to do some posing?" Shizuri would leave no room for the boy to defend himself. The weapons she had were too strong to be used so carelessly, but she didn't give a damn "Come to think of it, I guess you said I was pretty at least twice. So does that mean that you usually examine my body like this when I'm not looking? That's not behavior worthy of a little 'hero' like you. I'm feeling a little dirty now that I'm thinking about it"
"Are you done yet?" he suddenly got serious "Or are you going to take the rest of the night off to tease me?"
"That's what I'm planning actually" She replied as quickly as he usually did at decisive moments "After all, you are far more interesting and fun than any attraction in this park"
Hearing this, the boy sighed wearily. He could muster what strength he had left to resist this, but he decided it wasn't worth it.
"All right then, I guess I deserve that after all. You win."
"Hmm... really? You're not even going to try to fight? I'm sure you still have a bunch of smart-ass comments you can use against me" Shizuri was a little suspicious.
"Maybe, but it's not worth it. I've already won too much tonight, I can take this defeat and still go home with a smile on my face."
And just as he said it, a warm smile broke out on his face. Shizuri couldn't think for a few moments as she looked at that silly smile. Even after giving up, the boy was still able to hit her so hard. Meltdowner looked away. She was about to say something, but she stopped when she saw two familiar people approaching.
"Basically, why are you guys so close?" Frenda wasted no time. She crossed her arms and gave a pout "Is that why you asked me to stay away?"
"Hey, why am I the target of your complaints? Just so you know, Shizuri is responsible for this... although I kind of started it"
As he was scratching his head trying to find an explanation for their proximity, the two girls made strange looks. They looked at each other and then widened their eyes.
"Did he just super call her by her given name?" Kinuhata's voice was one of pure incredulity. "And she didn't even care?"
"Basically, I think we misheard. I don't want to think about the implications this involves, so I'll stick to this lie" Frenda replies, her eyes watering.
"I don't think I'm quite understanding what's going on here" Kamijou said "But I'll leave that aside for now. Frenda, Kinuhata, have you found anything suspicious?"
"Yes. And we don't even need to look very hard" Level 4 reached into her pocket, pulling out her Smartphone "This is footage of some sort of warehouse we found"
The bob-cut girl held her cell phone in a way that everyone there could see what she had filmed. In the recording, security agents were entering a place that looked like an old building from 19th century England, completely normal in that 'Fake City'.
"Basically, we saw people carrying wooden boxes up there, and some of them didn't come back" The blonde commented, pointing at the screen.
"Maybe we should take a look" Kamijou said.
"We've already super done it" Kinuhata announced, switching the video that was being shown after the recording ended "There was nothing there. No people, no boxes. It looks like there really is something super underground there."
"You guys were careful not to be seen weren't you?" Asked the dark blue-eyed boy
"Basically, there was virtually no one there. Sometimes a person or two would walk down the street, but it was a rare occurrence. I also used this thing of yours that messes with the cameras. Are you sure this thing works? Not that I doubt you, of course," the girl corrected herself as quickly as she could.
" If you followed the instructions correctly, yes it works almost one hundred percent of the time "
"These guys are not kidding" Shizuri took the cell phone from the brown haired girl's hands "Now it makes sense why they waste so much space. That's an interesting way to hide something in plain sight. They went to the trouble of putting in all that occult nonsense and building a city scenario around it just to control the flow of people" She handed the cell phone back and then looked at the only boy in the group "Kamijou, what's the plan?"
The attention of the three girls was now focused entirely on the boy in the group, who put his hand on his chin. He had to make a decision now, but he didn't have enough information to be able to make an appropriate one. What kind of defenses would they find? He was pretty sure that those girls could handle almost anything that was thrown at them. But there was still a splinter in his mind, something that was bothering him. So his decision was obvious. But he didn't have the chance to open his mouth.
"This place is really interesting" A male voice sounded through the people in that futuristic area of the park "I really didn't expect to find the entire ITEM gathered here"
That first sentence had not caught their attention, but the second had put all four people there on high alert. Turning around, they got a good look at the owner of that voice. The approaching boy had shoulder-length blond hair and exuded a vulgar sense of style.
"I mean, almost all of them. Looks like there's still one left" The one who spoke was none other than Kakine Teitoku, The #2 of Academy City. He displayed a smug smile on his face and had both hands in his pockets "The tracker girl isn't here,.. so aren't they on a mission?"
That question had not been directed at them, the blond boy was just thinking out loud. In that instant, Kamijou realized something important, not about this guy, who seemed to be someone powerful when judging the reaction of his companions, but about his tea-colored-haired friend. She was clearly annoyed, judging by her grinding teeth. She stepped forward.
"Shizuri" Kamijou said only that word, and then held her hand tightly.
The effect was almost instantaneous. The girl didn't even look in Kamijou's direction, she just relaxed her posture and changed her expression to something more neutral.
"It's quite a coincidence that two Level 5s meet like this, isn't it #2?" Shizuri casually used her free hand to smooth her hair.
"Indeed. Just a big coincidence."
The blond guy aimed his attention at the spiky-haired boy, who didn't shrink from that intimidating look. #2 noticed the way Meltdowner reacted when the spiky-haired boy spoke her name. They looked pretty close, so instantly Kakine assumed that this was a high level esper, since there was no way that someone like that proud level 5, would allow a nobody to call her by her given name.
"A new member of your group I suppose" Dark Matter spoke, looking at the boy's right hand, which was still holding the level 5's hand "I wonder what horrible kind of monster he is, considering how close you two are"
"A much better kind than you and me," the girl replied, squeezing that right hand even tighter. She had even temporarily forgotten the effect it had on her "I'm not going to lie and say it was a pleasure to see you. Come on girls. Kamijou"
The whole group started to move away from the blond boy, who still kept that smug smile on his face. He just watched them blend into the small crowd. When they were finally out of sight, he turned and put a doubtful expression on his face.
"Kamijou, right?"
xxxx-xxxx
"So that was number two in the Academy City?" Kamijou asked
The group was leaving that futuristic area and heading back to the central area of the amusement park. Kamijou had realized the effect that this guy had on all the girls there.
"Yes. Kakine Teitoku, also known as Dark Matter" Shizuri replied. She was no longer holding Kamijou's hand, but she was still walking very close to him "He is dangerous, and his group, SCHOOL, has some with problematic abilities"
"I see. So that's why you were all so alert. To think that I was going to meet Kaibi-chan's boss at an amusement park."
The boy revealed that bomb without even bothering to change his tone. Kinuhata and Frenda turned to him with confusion on their faces. Shizuri wasn't shaken, she already knew that the boy knew a SCHOOL member, so she just watched the boy explain the situation.
"You're super friends with a SCHOOL member?" Kinuhata looked in the direction of the tea-colored haired girl as soon as she finished speaking "And you seem super aware of that"
"Basically, you didn't think that was an important thing to tell us?" Frenda asked, trying as hard as possible not to sound annoyed "There's a very good chance she sold you out to this guy now that you've joined ITEM"
"So what?" said Shizuri, approaching her friend instinctively "If she did that, we just need to kick the ass of any idiot who dares to mess with ITEM"
"I don't think it will come to that" Kamijou was with a firm tone in his voice "I trust Kaibi, I know she won't betray me. So don't worry about it"
"There is no such thing as 'trust' on the dark side. Basically, I'm pretty sure this girl will hand over all the information about you if that creepy level 5 pushes her hard enough."
"We'll just have to wait and see then" Kamijou said "Now back to business. I think our mission here is over for today. Breaking into whatever they have here, with a level 5 that may or may not be on our tail, is not very smart"
"Then we'd better get back to the apartment" Shizuri took that moment to grab Kamijou's left arm, which was already getting used to that arrangement "And you're coming with us"
"I can't yet. My stuff is still in my dorm and it's getting late."
"Kamijou, do I need to remind you of your promise?"
"Shizuri, don't you think you're taking this too literally?" He turned his face in her direction before continuing "How about this, help me bring my things to your apartment tomorrow so I'll be by your side as soon as possible. And as a reward, I'll prepare a special dish that I've been practicing? Deal?"
"Deal"
"Deal"
"Deal"
"Huh?" The boy stopped walking when he heard the three voices who responded in unison "I didn't expect this to be so effective"
After saying this, the boy reached into his pocket. The reason was that his Smartphone started playing a special tune that only played when a certain person called him. This was a rare occurrence, so he was quick to hold up the phone and look at Shizuri.
"Sorry, I have to take this call" He tried to move away from the girl, but she wouldn't let go of his arm "Shizuri, it's important"
With a sigh, the girl finally let go of him. He turned away from the group before finally answering. Kamijou still decided to look over his shoulder to make sure that there was no one suspicious looking at him.
"Hello. Is there a problem, Kumokawa-senpai?" Said the boy finally, still checking his surroundings.
" Actually, I have a solution, boy " replied the enigmatic girl, in a rather sweet voice "Remember that unfinished business? I've made a lot of progress on it. This is a good time to pay me a visit"
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Welcome to the end-of-chapter notes. In this chapter, Kamijou decided that he would stand by the side of the 'bad girl'. Actually, he reiterated his decision. I didn't want to give something like a 'tragic past' or come up with a non-canonical justification of Mugino doing what she does. What we know from canon is that Mugino seems to enjoy that, so I somehow didn't change that trait of hers. I could talk a bit about her arc in the new testament, but I have decided that I am spoiling the novels too much in my notes. So I will just say that I wanted to make both a contrast and a parallel between Mugino and Kaguya. They both come from rich families, and they both have killed many people, but Shizuri is the one who is the furthest from redemption. But Mugino now has Kamijou Touma on her side, so there is still hope for this bad girl. I took some liberties here and there when writing the character of Mugino in this fic, and from here on, expect even greater changes, after all, our spiky-haired 'Hero' usually has a strange effect on bad girls.
Let's move on to the reviews:
theporgs0910: Thanks to you as well.
Jaya2002: Kamikaze is the ship with the best name without a doubt xD
5queso: He will make his return, but it will be a while yet.
Elementalgaming30: Shizuri was taken by surprise. Kamijou at least was 'gentle'
genghis chan: In this chapter one of them had her illusions broken. I hope you enjoyed it
Kai: Trying to explain how Imagine Breaker 'really' works is not as easy as it sounds, so thanks for the compliment.
DarkMatter69:Your wait is over. How was the chapter?
Xellos540: It was pure science, it will be a while before magicians appear. Well, from what we can understand from the novel, Seria is canonically a 'knower' of that right hand xD The 'effect' was supposed to be a video game analogy, like 'stunned', I know, it was terrible. I think I'll take that advice, I better slow down. Thank you, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Mikoto and Shizuri are destined to meet. But that day was not today. We're done here. Nio leaving.
