Hey! Once again, Spoiler alert. I guess if you've made it this far, Spoiler won't stop you, but I feel duty-bound to warn you anyway. In this case, a revelation in this chapter only makes a much deeper sense to someone who has read the entire New Testament. I will give a brief explanation in my end of chapter notes for those who have not read or have read it a long time ago.
Chapter 39 - The Way She Sees It
In a dimly lit room in ruins, a girl gazed at the moonlight touching the palm of her right hand. She lacked a name, possessing only a determination. Like the one who came before her, she was merely fulfilling a role.
"For a moment, I thought you wouldn't come," she said, lifting her head towards a sea of serene colors.
"It seems you encountered several setbacks today," Aihana Etsu commented, observing the scar-ridden girl.
"Can we skip the pointless probing? I need to borrow your power again. As you can see, our connection has weakened due to the Imagine Breaker."
Something akin to a distorted sigh escaped the lips of #6, who suddenly fell into contemplation.
"What do you intend to do, after all?" Aihana inquired, starting to walk impatiently.
"I believe we've had this conversation before."
"Yes, you told me what you want to achieve, but not how. I was supporting you because you were excellent at serving my justice, but now I wonder if everything you're doing is truly beneficial to me or this city," #6 paused abruptly as they approached the window, looking downwards. "What's your purpose in gathering all these people here?"
"I need an angel," she casually revealed, examining the other scars on her body. "Actually, more than one. Three, perhaps? That would suffice, but four is ideal. Black, white, yellow, and red are the four stages needed to attain ultimate wisdom. Reaching the third stage would be enough, just like many. Of course, I could go further if I wanted to. I am not human, so I have no mundane desires to distract me."
"Occult nonsense," Aihana spat angrily. "Was this your plan from the beginning?"
"Oh! I apologize if I misspoke." She put on a fake smile. "Although the methods may appear similar, I won't use the other side you so despise in this ritual. Does the term 'artificial angel' ring a bell? I intend to use them as my knights. They will be the executioners of this world while simultaneously becoming the progenitors of the next."
"I don't see how this benefits my objectives."
"He will come to me," she promptly replied. "Even if I fail, you'll still have a chance. Doesn't seem like a bad gamble, don't you think?"
April's words seemed to have cast a spell of uncertainty over the Level 5, causing a subtle but undeniable hesitance to creep into their thoughts.
"I'll give you a couple of hours," Aihana said with a dry voice. "I will lend you my name until then, so make good use of it. If you fail, may it be in a way that brings me closer to finding someone truly worthy of carrying my name."
x-x
The problem was that merely having the willpower was not sufficient at that moment. Shizuri only realized this when she arrived in the living room and noticed that there was nowhere to go, and no one to trust. She could still seek help from her contacts on the dark side, but how helpful would they be? That information expert girl would not be easy to locate, she was certain of that.
Lost once again, like a boat adrift without a compass, she sat down on the comfortable sofa and clutched her own head. A sigh echoed through the tennis court-sized room.
"That's a little anti-climactic after all that speech."
The sigh from earlier had not escaped Shizuri's mouth, and neither had that tired voice. A shiver ran down the girl's spine, as her body automatically turned in the direction from which the 'voice' had come.
There she was once again. Mugino Shizuri, dressed in her warm winter clothes, looking at her with a straight face.
"No... it can't be!" Shizuri exclaimed as she got up from the couch in desperation. She clutched her head again, though the pain from before had not returned. "How did you get here? You shouldn't be in my head! Get out!"
Another sigh was the only response she got. 'Mugino' remained silent for a few moments, seemingly deep in thought.
"Calm down, it's not what it looks like," 'Mugino' said, without looking in the direction of her other self. "This place... It's a little bit different."
"Go...away...go away, now!" Her breathing became unsteady. "This is my body now, why are you still here? Haven't you done enough in the other world?"
"Don't worry, I won't bother you for long. You can feel it, the sensation is different than before. The ritual must have left a trace, but it's obvious that my voice in your head is nothing more than an echo from another world. My existence here is slowly fading away, so just calm down."
A "trace", but still Shizuri could not relax. She never in her life thought that looking at her own face would make her blood boil like that. If that girl sitting there unconcerned was real, she would be trying to kill her right now.
"I want to take a look at your room," 'Mugino' said casually. "He doesn't share it with you yet, does he? I won't get a chance to see it redecorated to the taste of the two of you, but you can give me some tips on how it would look."
Shizuri couldn't help but wonder why the girl suddenly started smiling. Was it mockery? It had to be, or at least that was the only thing she could think of."
"I don't have time for your little games," Shizuri said, turning her back on the girl and pulling her cell phone from her pocket. "If you're slowly disappearing from my mind, then I'll just ignore you."
"I'm sorry," the girl replied.
Upon hearing that voice full of sincerity, Shizuri turned towards the other girl, giving up on dialing a number on her cell phone. Her other self's face was clearly stamped with pain, despite the smile that was there just a second ago.
"I was wrong about you," 'Mugino' continued softly. "I was wrong about him. In the end, you were absolutely right."
"And only now you tell me this?" Shizuri said, smiling gracelessly and tapping her foot anxiously. "Do you have any idea what you made me do? You showed me all of that, whispering in my ear like a demon. I almost blew it!" Her voice suddenly rose, and her fingers began to tremble. "There's a chance that things between us will never be the same."
They let the sharp silence take over for a moment, while Shizuri paced around, thinking about everything she had done.
"We were perfect," muttered Shizuri, looking piercingly in the girl's direction. "Our 'fights' boiled down to silly things, little games between us, mere disagreements on how to go about our life as a couple. But then you came along and had to fuck it all up!"
"Are you sure that's not better?"
"Don't try to get your ass out of the road right after you apologize." Shizuri's anger flared up as she punched the coffee table, causing a glass jug to shatter on the floor. "What's better? The fact that I insulted him for no reason? That I showed him that I don't trust him? That, thanks to this mistrust, I forced him to make a choice that proves nothing?"
"That the whole time he didn't even care what the fuck I was or pretended to be," 'Mugino' cut in a serious tone. "It's true that one day you would find out for yourself, but if I hadn't done that, he wouldn't have said that to me."
Shizuri's mouth hung open, but no sound escaped. Since that was a "trace," it was hard to know what that other girl was feeling, unlike when she was in the other world.
"The truth is, I was jealous," 'Mugino' said, getting up from the couch. "You must know better than I do how hard it is to change, to be someone you shouldn't be. So how would you feel in my shoes? What would your reaction be to meeting a girl who is supposed to be you, but who made choices you wanted to make but didn't have the courage?"
The silence on Shizuri's side remained, her gaze alternating, unable to keep it steady. She had never stopped to think about it. Her initial judgment of her other self had been harsh, partly because of what she had called her, an inferior version of herself. But in her place, wouldn't she do the same?
"You seemed genuinely happy." 'Mugino' walked toward her, her steps slow but steady. "Seeing you that day, smiling beside him while doing the simplest things… that shook me deeply. How could this other person that I am be that far away from me? It would be okay if you were someone from the future, a version of me that was way ahead of the path I chose to follow from that day forward, but to think that you accomplished all of this without even going through all that...and on top of that, you were in control of my body. I had to find flaws, I couldn't just accept that another me was living such a perfect life. It had to be fake... you had to be fake.
Finishing speaking, she stood right where the shards of glass had splattered. She was only a "trace," so she wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt, even if her feet were bare and unprotected. She waited there, as if expecting the other her would say something, but the words never came.
But Shizuri had listened carefully to everything, every word filled with pain, every feeling that poured out before her. Instead of responding verbally, she turned away from 'Mugino', yet she was not running away.
Crossing the hallway, she opened the door to her room. The decor with simple colors yet full of luxurious furniture came into view, which she shared with that other person.
"It's no big deal," Shizuri finally said. "Your decoration is actually better than mine."
"Yeah... it's more like a blank slate than anything else." She came into that room, stooping down next to the bed. "This is where you keep your manga, isn't it? Love really changes people."
"It wasn't just love. Even if I don't like to refer to him like that, you could say that Touma besides being my boyfriend is my best friend...but I'm already changing that."
"Makes sense, considering how much you two like to tease each other...although any couple with decent chemistry would do the same… I guess. How would I know." She shrugged and walked over to the curtains, looking at the city outside. "I feel our connection is at its limit, I think it's time for me to go. Thank you for letting me see your room. How I wish it was mine."
"It still might be." Shizuri stood beside her, looking in the same direction as the girl with the same face. A moment of silence passed before she spoke in a soft voice, but with a steely determination in her tone. "Nothing erases what you've done, but I know you'll be able to look back one day and stop feeling that way."
The imaginary girl shook her head and put a tiny smile on the corner of her lip.
"You know, you're too good to be me." 'Mugino' stared at the stars above her, the ones that were beginning to fade. "Damn Kamijou Touma of my world, where were you all this time? There was a bad girl right in the city you live in but you decided to move in with another bad girl from another country. Does he prefer blondes or something?"
Now it was Shizuri's turn to put a smile on her face, but this one was much bigger than the other version of her.
"Hmm... someone seems pretty interested." She tried to nudge the girl's shoulder, but received no feedback.
"I'd be lying if I said he wasn't an interesting guy." Her smile widened as well, but only a little. "I took a good look at your memories of him."
"Did you like what you saw?"
"Hehe..." 'Mugino' smoothed her hair, biting her lip immediately afterwards. "The one of you watching him interrogate that guy... his fight against Kakine too... that time you two scared the shit out of SCHOOL, those are my favorites. That was pretty hot."
"Huh? I love it when he gets so scary too, but I'm a little concerned about your focus here. "
"It makes an excellent contrast to how kind he is. What he said to me at that moment made me see what you were trying to show me. One question, do I still have a chance with him?"
"If it's any consolation, you are more or less his type, at least you have that going for you. Although you probably know that by now. The problem is obviously the army of girls after his ass. By the way, will you remember our conversations? My memories? There's a lot of useful stuff in there that might help you.
"I'm not sure." She brought her hand to her chin. "And you asked #5 to erase Takitsubo's memory. Very selfish of you, now it should be a while before Touma and I have any interaction."
"Are you calling him by name?" Shizuri almost laughed. "It's a shame I won't get to see the end of that story. What an unfair life we have."
The artificial lights had gone out on the horizon. Maybe they were still shining, but it was hard to see with all the lit-up city below. Shizuri felt as if a weight was being lifted from her mind. The girl next to her was disappearing, just like those stars on that long night.
"My time is up," announced the other Shizuri. "Before I go, once again, I am sorry. I shouldn't have acted that way. It seems that my obsession keeps getting the best of me."
"In your place, I think I would do the same...so I forgive you." As if realizing something, Shizuri tilted her head and put on a serious expression, looking right into the eyes of her other self. "I forgive you, Mugino Shizuri."
Not another word was said, a slight nod of the head and a smile from the other Shizuri was enough. Those two were the same person, but the difference between them was as clear as day. Two versions of the same girl, who in the end followed the same path, and ended up falling in love with the same person.
"Come to think of it..." Shizuri stared at the horizon once again. "Maybe we're not that different... at least not anymore. Good luck there, you still have a long way to go."
x-x
It was late at night in that city, but Frenda Seiveilun didn't have to worry about stupid things like curfews. After spending the entire day in the company of her new friend, she was now going back to the apartment she shared with four other people, one of them a boy who was the main subject of the conversation she had with Saten.
"I haven't apologized to him yet," muttered Frenda, exiting the elevator and walking to the apartment door. "Is just apologizing enough?"
Unlocking the door with her electronic key, she heard the voice of her group leader. She was on the phone, apparently talking to some contact from the dark side of the city. Frenda didn't want to get in the way, so she decided to wait for the leader to finish whatever she was doing, but before she could go to the sofas, Shizuri looked at her and stopped talking on the phone.
"Frenda." Meltdowner had a strange expression on her face, one that Frenda couldn't remember seeing before.
"Hi." She tilted her head and took a step back. "Basically, don't look at me like that. I had a rough morning and ended up spending too much time with a friend."
Another step back was taken as Shizuri began to walk in a hurry toward her. Now Frenda was sure that she was not able to avoid the landmine around that girl's abrasive personality, the next step was to apologize to make the punishment more reasonable.
"Mugino, I'm so sorry!" She almost screamed, giving a little jump when the tea-colored haired girl stopped in front of her to look her in the eye. "I should have come when I saw your message earlier but -"
Frenda's voice faltered as she felt warmth around her. Her expression went completely blank when she felt the arms of that creepy level 5 around her, and for an instant, she brought her hand to the back of her skirt out of instinct. However, she realized that Shizuri's goal was not to hurt her.
"Eh? Mugino... what's going on?" She asked that still undecided whether to return that hug or not. "Is this some new kind of punishment that I still don't understand how it works? Basically, say something, this is scary."
"I'm sorry," Shizuri said weakly. "Nothing will happen to you, I promise."
"Mugino?!" She tried to pull away, not understanding what she was talking about, but something wet had brushed against her clothes. "Are those... tears? Basically, why are you crying? Please stop it, I'm really scared right now. W-what, wh –"
The weight of the big, wet tears rolling down her shoulder made it hard to find the words she wanted. She felt so bad for her leader that she eventually reached out with her small arms and gently wrapped them around her. Shizuri stayed there for a few seconds before pulling away, and when she did, her face was an emotional mess. Her brown eyes showed signs of fatigue and pain, like someone who had lost a beloved person.
But Frenda was still unable to understand what had caused this.
"Is Touma okay?" asked Frenda. "Did something happen to him or... did he break up with you?"
"No..." Shizuri rubbed her eyes, wiping away the remaining tears. "It's nothing like that. He's in his room, sleeping... and drunk."
"You two must have had quite a night." Frenda took a deep breath, inhaling that peculiar smell she had noticed a moment ago. "Basically, that's cognac. You didn't get him drunk to sleep with him, did you?"
"Almost that."
"Don't admit it in such a nonchalant way! It was a serious question, damn it." She pouted and began to play nervously with her beret. "So, you two... you know... did that happen?"
"Don't go assuming things. And right after seeing me cry. Frankly." Shizuri gave Frenda's forehead a light tug. "I won't punish you this time for not obeying my orders, but don't push your luck."
"Huh? You don't intend to punish me?" She rubbed her forehead where she was hit and took a step back. "You're too generous. Basically, Touma must have done something you liked while you were drunk. If you guys didn't get that far then it can only be - Ouch!"
Shizuri pinched Frenda's cheek, causing her to stop talking and put on another pout.
"You're still jealous of us, aren't you?" asked Shizuri, putting one hand on her waist and letting the other hang at the side of her body. She looked like a mother about to scold her daughter. "If I were you I think I would be too, but it would be nice if you would accept it soon. Can you do that for your friend?"
Frenda froze in place, although Shizuri's tone was not responsible for this.
"Yes, I can." She shook her head vigorously. Whatever had happened to her boss, it was best to agree while she was being kind. "Basically, stop being creepy now please."
"Wait... what are you talking about?"
"Don't tilt your head while looking at me like that, for the love of god!" Frenda put her hands together and began to pray to all the ancient gods. "Stop acting weird, I didn't prepare for this moment. It's like the final stage of a secret boss, I need help here!"
"Maybe Index was right about my eyes after all," Shizuri said, looking toward a nearby mirror. "Anyway, we're wasting a lot of time here. I have to stop that pink-haired bitch."
"Basically... that pink-haired bitch?"
"Oh, that's right, you weren't here."
The two sat down on the couch for Shizuri to give Frenda a summary of what had happened that day. She also didn't leave out the part about how somehow both she and Touma had their consciousnesses sent to a parallel world. It was a little hard to believe, but Shizuri had no reason to lie about something like this.
"Takitsubo is in the hospital...that's a big problem," Frenda commented. "With her help, we could locate this 'April' person. You had no luck with who you were talking to when I arrived?"
"No. That girl simply doesn't exist, so covering her tracks shouldn't be hard. Maybe she even went to the trouble of putting cameras on a loop or some trick like that. She could be anywhere."
Frenda was silent for a while, thinking about something interesting she had heard earlier. It was important that Shizuri heard this.
"Mugino, today I met that flower girl from that day at the Mall, remember?" Frenda sighed as she saw that Shizuri was having trouble remembering someone as usual. "Basically, she's from Judgment, and a pretty suspicious person too."
"Yes, yes. She was in the hospital that day. There's something about her that bothers me, I'm pretty sure she's involved in the darkness of this city."
"I can't confirm this, but I spent the day in her and her friend Saten Ruiko's dorm, drinking and having fun, talking about boys -"
"Frenda, is that important?"
"Sorry, I got a little sidetracked." She nervously played with her beret again. "Basically, for some reason Kami-kun called that 'Uiharu' person earlier. They seemed to be talking about something important."
Shizuri's eyes suddenly narrowed, and her face twisted into a grimace. It was evident that she was not just a jealous girl. She seemed to have thought of something.
"Why would he call her right then and there?" The level 5 pondered, bringing her hand to her chin. "I suppose dwelling on it won't be productive." She rose from the couch and reached for her phone in her pocket. "Frenda, let's go."
"Eh? Where are we going?"
"To your new friend's apartment, of course."
"Basically, I barely got home after spending the whole day there."
"We have to talk to that Judgment girl. Something tells me she's going to be of great help, considering that Touma ran away from me just to call her in secret."
It's not like she didn't want to see her new friend again, but honestly, if she knew this would happen she wouldn't even leave, a phone call was enough. But now she could only sigh and think of an excuse to give Saten when her creepy boss knocked on her door.
"I called a car," Shizuri said. "Call your friend and tell her we're coming." She turned and walked toward the hallway.
"Basically, where are you going?"
"I need to change my clothes." She turned around with a smile. "I can't risk ruining this one, I need it for a certain special moment."
Even though she couldn't see it, Frenda felt that she continued to smile in a silly way as she walked back toward her room.
x-x
Shizuri had harbored suspicions about this person named 'Uiharu' for quite a while. On the day she and Touma went out together, before officially becoming a couple, the glance Uiharu gave her conveyed all she needed to know. If she were to hazard a guess, she would say that this young girl was the one who supported her boyfriend in the field.
"This is it," Frenda announced, coming to a halt in front of her friend's dorm room. "Basically, promise me you won't be scary. I don't want to freak out my new friend."
"Come on, don't be boring."
Frenda gave her a judgmental look and started tapping her foot.
"Okay, don't look at me like I don't know how to behave. We came here to talk, it's not like I'm just going to throw my Meltdowner at the girl out of nowhere."
"If only your Meltdowner was the problem."
After knocking three times on the door, Frenda made another sign for Shizuri to behave. Normally, she would have refrained from acting like this, as it would have angered her, and that was never a wise thing to do when dealing with Mugino Shizuri. However, she had gained some confidence after seeing Shizuri cry.
The door swung open, revealing a girl with long black hair, dressed in pajamas, and with a sleepy expression on her face. Frenda must have disturbed her sleep with the phone call.
"Hey, Saten. I told you I'd be back." Frenda laughed ungraciously, receiving a tired look from the girl. "Basically, can we come in?"
"If you wanted to have a slumber party, then why did you leave?" Saten, with a sleepy face, still didn't seem pleased. "Uiharu made me get rid of that non-alcoholic champagne. She claimed it was contraband."
"Damn," said Frenda. "That stuff wasn't cheap, you know."
"Alright, you two have been going on about this for too long," Shizuri's patience seemed to be wearing thin. She forcefully pushed the door open, causing the other girl to stumble out of the way.
"A bit rude, don't you think?" asked Saten, putting on a crooked smile.
"I would be kind, but I have a city to save."
Shizuri entered the dormitory as if it were her own and started looking around.
"What do you mean save the city?" Saten had now fully awakened, her voice even sounded excited, a little too much for Shizuri's liking. "Frenda, explain yourself."
"Basically, we don't have time. We need to talk to your friend, Uiharu, where is she?"
"Well... about that. After you left, she left too, probably for the Judgment business, and so far she hasn't come back. Do you want me to call her?"
"Do it," Shizuri ordered this, leaning against a wall.
There was no time to waste, not while her friend was in a hospital bed. There was still the chance that the girl with the pink hair would activate that thing from earlier again, hurting Takitsubo once more. She couldn't let that happen, not after all she and her otherworldly version had done for Shizuri.
"Hello, Uiharu?" spoke Saten, with the phone to her ear. "Frenda and Kamijou-san's creepy girlfriend came into our apartment and -"
"Let me speak to her," Shizuri requested, extending her hand for the girl to pass her the phone. Saten realized she didn't really have a choice in the matter, so she handed it over without hesitation. "Thank you." At least the Level 5 acknowledged the startled girl with a small nod.
"Mugino-san, it's been a while." The familiar voice sounded on the other end of the line. "If you want to talk to me...does that mean what I think it means?"
"Cut the talk into codes, we don't have time. Listen girl... Uiharu. I don't know how aware of the situation you are, but if Touma trusted you in that instant, then I do too. I need you to tell me what you talked about a few hours ago, be quick, lives are at stake."
There was a moment of silence at the other end of the line, probably caused by the girl pondering whether to trust Shizuri.
"Where is Kamijou-kun? He's not answering his phone."
"His cell phone is either defective or has been destroyed, I'm not sure." Shizuri realized that the girl was trying to reel her in so she cleared her throat loudly. "I understand that you don't want to betray his trust, but please believe me when I say that he will feel even worse if you don't assist me now. He trusts me, and you're aware of that."
More silence, the girl really was loyal to Touma, which was admirable in Shizuri's opinion. In another situation, she would have stopped pushing right here, but she couldn't, not now.
"I'll talk to him later and explain the situation," Shizuri stated, ensuring her tone remained composed yet resolute. "I can even tell him you were under threat if you want, which isn't too far from the truth, since I'm in your apartment and your helpless friend is right next to me. Now, spill the beans and give me something that will help."
"You're not serious are you?" The little girl's voice suddenly became deep.
"Can we stop wasting time? There are lives at stake, and my friend is one of them."
"I'm already working it out."
"By yourself? You certainly won't get very far," pressed Shizuri, slightly impatient.
"I am with two friends...although both of them are not so up to speed with the situation. I need to explain a lot if I want Shirai-san to cooperate with -"
"Tell me where you are." Shizuri made that sound like an order, her patience running out.
The girl on the other end of the line seemed to be in an open-air location, judging by the audible gusts of wind coming through the phone. It was difficult to determine whether she was truly with friends or attempting to handle things alone, or perhaps stalling until she could speak with Touma. However, the sigh she released hinted at someone who had reached a decision.
"I'm in District 16," Uiharu rushed to say. "I'll send you the precise coordinates to your phone. Hurry and come over."
The call was abruptly ended, leaving Shizuri staring at the phone screen.
"Basically, did you get anything?" Frenda looked in Shizuri's direction as she handed the cell phone back to Saten.
"Let's go to District 16, it looks like that's where April is." She was interrupted by a message arriving on her cell phone. "Hmm... interesting girl."
With a slight smile on her face, Shizuri opened the door and left without saying goodbye, causing Frenda to run desperately toward her.
x-x
The place Uiharu had indicated was surrounded by towering, imposing walls. Shizuri sensed immediately that something was amiss within those formidable barriers. Thoughts of storming the area and swiftly taking action raced through her mind, but she exercised patience, waiting calmly for the arrival of the girl and her companions.
Luckily, it didn't take long for Uiharu to show up. Shizuri had no problem with that girl, with the only exception of that little prank in the hospital, the problem was her company.
Two girls from Tokiwadai came walking toward Meltdowner, while Uiharu seemed distracted checking a laptop.
"Oh my god... not you again!" Shizuri muttered disappointedly. "Why didn't you tell me this brat was one of your friends?"
As if the universe conspired once again, Academy City's #3, the girl known as "Railgun" was standing right there, with a somewhat too excited expression. Shizuri was already getting to the point where she couldn't stand to see that girl's face. She almost fired a Meltdowner bean out of pure instinct.
"Onee-sama, do you know this rude girl?" asked the other girl from Tokiwadai.
That face and twin-tailed hairstyle Shizuri knew, but she was still having trouble remembering a name. This girl was someone she had only met in the other world, but the impression she had left wasn't too bad.
"Unfortunately, yes." Railgun took a step toward Shizuri, kicking a tin can off the sidewalk as if sounding the gong of a coming fight. "Where is that idiot? He still owes me a duel."
"Do me a favor and leave my boyfriend alone, Railgun."
"What? Don't tell me you're afraid I'm going to hurt him badly. Don't worry, I know how to hold back."
"That's not what I'm worried about, he can handle himself just fine." Shizuri also stepped forward, walking towards the girl. However, surprisingly she simply walked past her and tossed her hair aside. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to someone useful."
"Hey, don't ignore me like that!"
"Onee-sama, you promised to behave."
"Let go of me Kuro - don't hold me there, you idiot!"
Shizuri didn't even bother to watch the scene behind her, but it seemed to be painful for the girl with twin tails, or was it pleasurable? Her cries were quite ambiguous. Anyway, she walked over to the girl sitting on a deactivated cleaning robot.
"So, Uiharu, give me the details." Shizuri leaned toward the wall and crossed her arms in an intimidating manner.
"Where is the rest of your team?" Uiharu was not looking in Shizuri's direction, she preferred to continue examining a video playing on her laptop screen. "We're going to need some firepower."
"You have everything you need right here, but Frenda and Kinuhata will arrive soon. Until then...show me what you're looking at there."
"Those are security cameras... technically. See all those people? They seem to be in some kind of trance."
The laptop screen displayed a desolate courtyard, overrun with discarded debris and remnants of rusty metal, giving the impression of an abandoned wasteland. From various angles, the scene revealed several students aimlessly wandering amidst the clutter, their movements appearing strangely orchestrated. Whether it was an unintentional pattern or a deliberate formation, Shizuri couldn't ascertain, but it held no relevance to her at that moment.
"I don't give a damn," spat Meltdowner, pushing the screen back. "The pink-haired girl is in there somewhere, isn't she? Tell me where, I'm going after her."
"Does every level 5 have a hot head like this? I guess I feel a little sorry for Kamijou-kun."
"You're treading on a fine line little girl. Although something tells me that's just another chronic case of jealousy." Shizuri smiled nonchalantly.
Disregarding the teasing, Uiharu focused on her laptop, typing away without paying much attention.
"She's in that ruined building," Uiharu announced. "I checked some videos, it looks like she's been there for hours. Do you know what she intends?"
"Not exactly, but I have a vague idea," Shizuri responded, placing her hand on her chin as her pensive gaze shifted towards the building being renovated, as pointed out by Uiharu. "The Gokusai theory can't be completely wrong. There's a strong possibility that the wretch must be there, engaging in some kind of ritual to amplify her powers."
"And what would that look like?"
"How would I know?" Meltdowner shrugged. "She must be snorting a huge line of Body Crystal or some shit, who cares? We have to stop her, before she creates another world or destroys this one or whatever she intends."
"You sure are the type who acts before you think."
"Actually, not so much." Shizuri gave a long sigh, her face displaying a grimace. "My best friend is in danger of dying in that hospital if the resonance gets there, so I have to hurry. That bitch is going to be stopped even if I have to die for it."
"Umm... you're not exactly the kind of person I thought you were." Uiharu even looked at her more intently than before. "Was that all the effect of Kamijou-kun?"
"No," Shizuri said immediately. "He's definitely an important part of all this, but this is still just myself." Her gaze went to that ruined building stretching opposingly toward the sky. "I just want all this crap to end...I just...I'm tired...of everything. It has to end tonight. Tonight. So I can finally devote myself to something that really makes me happy."
Shizuri didn't even realize that she was starting to talk too much, something that had begun to become commonplace for her. In the past, she liked to define herself as a girl of few words, a professional who spoke what was necessary and didn't like to stick to or appeal to useless feelings. But even this was not true, and she knew it. Almost everything that was happening to her was the fault of that boy, the person she loved. He seemed to have a talent for cultivating the best in people.
How many people have had an outcome similar to hers?
"Hey, Uiharu," Shizuri called out, her gaze shifting upwards to the night sky where the false stars had dissipated. "How did you meet him?"
"You mean Kamijou-kun?" Uiharu turned her head towards Shizuri and observed her nod. "It was in the summer of last year, near the mountains of District 21, you know, the geothermal valley."
"Yeah, I'm familiar with it. There's a beautiful view there. Maybe I should take Touma there one day, have a picnic or something."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
Shizuri's attention swiftly turned to the little girl sitting next to her. The expression on Uiharu's face was as rigid as a frozen lake, causing a flicker of unease in Shizuri, even though it didn't seem like she had hit a nerve.
"It seems Kamijou didn't tell you about her," Uiharu said, stowing the laptop in a backpack. Her gaze locked on Shizuri's. "I met him that night by pure chance, or almost. I mean, I was out on patrol that night and had gotten separated from my partner when I bumped into him. He seemed in a hurry, and since I'm from Judgment, I wanted to make sure he was okay. He dropped his cell phone that night, so I lent him mine, as he said he needed to make an urgent call. Unfortunately, he didn't have the person's number memorized."
"Good thing he has mine memorized." Shizuri smiled slightly. "Sorry to interrupt. This person, who was she? Another girl from his fan club?"
"Is that what you call it?" The little girl tilted her head and let out a sigh, her tone tinged with a hint of nonchalance. "Her name was Mitsuari Ayu. Since he didn't have her number and it seemed like an urgent situation, I used my skills to track down the area he mentioned. It was a simple scan, really. The place was pretty isolated, so it was supposed to be just her there. Lucky for us, I made that choice. It turned out to be a close call, averting a tragedy that day."
That story honestly didn't interest Shizuri at all. It just seemed to be another one of Touma's adventures on the dark side. However, the fact that it took place in the summer of last year piqued her curiosity. He had mentioned being involved in the dark side for about nine months, so this incident must have occurred a little earlier, if Shizuri's understanding was correct.
"So you helped Touma save this Mitsuari person and you guys became friends from then on?"
"Yes." Uiharu nodded, her expression carrying a tinge of sorrow. "When Kamijou arrived at that lake, Mitsuari-san was already on the verge of death from ingesting so much water, but we managed to rescue her just barely."
"Huh? So someone tried to kill her by drowning or something? Not a very effective murder attempt," Shizuri remarked with a hint of skepticism.
"It wasn't an attempted murder."
Now, a grim expression overtook the girl's face. Her lip curled in an unsettling manner, her arms tightly embracing her own body as if warding off an unseen chill. Her gaze turned distant, as if peering into a realm beyond the present moment.
Shizuri didn't need to hear why she is uncomfortable.
"She tried to take her own life," muttered Shizuri to herself. "May I ask where this Mitsuari Ayu is now? If Touma saved her from such a grim fate, she must have at least tried to keep in touch."
"Mitsuari-san died nine months ago." The quick, cold way she revealed that made it clear that the subject had already stretched too far and she wanted to stop talking. "And honestly, I feel rather bad knowing that he never mentioned her to you, considering that, in a way, you were alike."
The words lost their meaning in Shizuri's head as soon as she heard that revelation. Her mind was now focused on that car conversation, the one before Touma and her had even started dating, in fact they could barely stand each other at the time. She had asked him a question, the reason he had gotten involved with the darkness of this city.
'I saved a girl once. And then I failed to save her soon after.'
Uiharu was wrong. Touma had revealed at least some of this to Shizuri, she just didn't care enough to know the details. Come to think of it, she could have gone deeper after they started dating, but she was too busy with her own happiness that she had forgotten such a crucial detail. Now she wondered how much it affected that boy.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Shizuri expressed, placing a comforting hand on Uiharu's shoulder. "You're a hero too, just like him. I know it may sound cliché, but please don't blame yourself. I'm certain both of you did everything you could."
"At least one of us did," Uiharu responded, removing Shizuri's hand from her shoulder and rising from the robotic seat. Her expression turned pouty. "That's enough talking. Your friends have arrived."
The conversation had reached an unfortunate point, but Shizuri knew she needed to maintain her focus. Yet, her thoughts refused to comply. The revelation of another world's existence presented a significant problem. After all, in that other world, Touma didn't appear to have a close friendship with the little girl, indicating that this could be the pivotal point of divergence. It was this particular moment that had compelled him to follow the path that ultimately led him to Shizuri.
x-x
"That sounds like a super problem." Kinuhata was stretching as she peered over the thick walls that led to their goal. "How much do we need to hold back?"
"Basically, Mugino didn't say anything about holding back." Frenda was reloading a grenade launcher that she had taken from who knows where. "But I'll start in non-lethal mode, he'd prefer it this way."
Meanwhile, Shizuri seemed to be counting her silicon cards, pulling one at a time from the pocket of that purple dress. Every now and then she would cast a glance in the direction of the little flower girl surrounded by Railgun and that other girl with the perverted aura. She needed to focus. If Shizuri would finish this soon, she could have a good talk with Touma once he recovered from his intoxicated state. Maybe he wouldn't even have to fight today, that would be ideal, at least that was how that girl felt.
"Okay, I think we have a strategy," Railgun said, approaching Shizuri and punching the palm of her own hand. "Uiharu said we can flank them and -"
"Uh-huh, good luck with that." Shizuri put the cards away and gestured with two fingers to the rest of her team. "Girls, time for an ITEM-style entrance."
"That's what I'm super talking about."
"Basically, does that mean I can at least make them scream in pain?"
"Hey, you three, don't ignore me!" Railgun stepped into the path of the three girls moving into that courtyard full of espers without any fear.
"Onee-sama, don't go ahead without me."She teleported over to join the group.
"It's like they say. The shortest path between two points is a straight line." Shizuri spoke, playing with the one card she keep, twirling it in her fingers. "Time to draw the line."
The air was cut mercilessly as several beams of light illuminated the night, the smell of burning flesh wafting up everyone's nostrils. The battle had been started by that girl with a strange smile on her face.
x-x
Meanwhile, oblivious to all that was going on, a spiky-haired boy was tossing in the thin sheets of his comfortable bed. It was as if tiny needles of brightness pricked at his vision, disrupting his peaceful slumber. Strange, he was sure that the light was not on, he knew that his girlfriend had put his head on a pillow, tucked him into bed with all her care, and then turned off the light so that he could sleep peacefully. He really wanted another kiss on the forehead... or on the lips.
"Come to think of it, she shouldn't hold a grudge about what I said, right?" he mumbled to himself, his eyes still shut tight. "I hope the idiot here didn't blow it after less than a month of dating the first girlfriend he got. Where the hell would I get a girl like her? So beautiful, so sweet, and a little crazy too... shit, my first girlfriend set such a high standard that I can't even imagine myself with another girl. I look like those weirdos who have an unhealthy obsession with 2D girls."
"You are without a doubt a weirdo," said a male voice, coming from near the entrance to the room.
"Yeah, even my conscience agrees." Touma clutched his pillow and then thought for a moment. "Wait, that's not the voice of my conscience. But it is familiar to me."
"I'll make a mental note never to ally with idiots again. Now come on, get out of that damn bed. And what's all that cognac smell? How can you drink in a situation like this?"
Touma's 'conscience' voice was starting to get annoying, so he turned towards it and opened his eyes, which took a while to focus due to his intoxicated body. In fact they remained somewhat unfocused, but he could see a certain blond boy standing there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
It seems that #2 from Academy City decided to pay a visit, but he was already regretting it.
X-x
The abandoned courtyard was spacious, enclosed by tall, faded walls that gave the impression of an ancient prison. The broken concrete ground created a rough and uneven texture beneath their feet, while low-growing vegetation sprouted freely from the cracks and crevices.
This was likely one of the places where Skill-Out gangs used as a base or hideout. In this city, such locations were nothing more than wasted space, yet it seemed as if the city authorities allowed such places to exist. It seemed like they were inviting this type of situation to happen here. Academy City was a shitty place.
The battlefield stretched out as a realm of ruin, a graveyard of discarded and forgotten objects. Piles of scrap metal sprawled like misshapen figures, each one twisted and contorted in a grotesque and twisted pose. The rusty remains of old cars and broken machinery stacked upon one another, creating a surreal landscape of twisted metal and debris. But none of that could serve as decent cover against that girl.
Beams of electrons flew in various directions, striking with precision the army of people guarding the place. Meanwhile, bolts of lightning were hurled from the Railgun's bangs right beside Shizuri, knocking down several enemies as they fell to the cold ground with smoke escaping from their bodies.
"They're running straight at us," Shizuri said, launching a silicon card and making it rain on the horde of approaching enemies. "Good, if it keeps up it will be easy."
The smell of burning flesh was beginning to become unbearable, the same for the cries of pain from the poor boys and girls hit by that girl's beams.
"Hey, don't you think you're using too much force?" The teleporting girl, who was holding darts in her hands, was somewhat concerned about Shizuri's approach. "I shouldn't agree to bring civilians into this situation, so know that whatever you do may fall on my responsibility."
"Feel free to leave then." Shizuri threw more than 20 Meltdowner beams at once, making fun of the horde that stood closest to the girls. "Honestly, I don't know why you're so worried. We're in the City of Science, which means it's okay if I blow a limb or three off, or even if I fill their bodies with holes until they're unrecognizable, isn't it? They'll be fine as long as they're alive, that doctor will only have a little more work tonight."
Ignoring the twin-tailed girl's pleas, Shizuri began to take the situation more seriously, in this case, she started firing her Meltdowner even faster, almost like a machine gun. The numbers on the other side didn't mean much if they couldn't get to her.
"Kinuhata, go ahead and distract them, let me take care of all these idiots." She looked over, seeing Frenda moving out of position. "Don't move away. I don't want you to get hurt, so hold that line, let's work together and defeat them from a distance."
"Eh? Basically, count me in."
Frenda's grenades were also making short work of her enemies. She had plenty of room to work with Shizuri in preventing attacks from coming her way. Almost all the enemies there seemed to be level 0, and adding this to the fact that they looked more like zombies with no strategy, they were easy targets. Frenda didn't even need to aim directly, which would kill them for sure, just pushing them away or hitting them with indirect grenades was enough to defeat them.
"They have some stronger espers with them," said Shizuri, blocking a fireball by shooting it at the center with her Meltdowner. "I think that's a level 2. Kinuhata!"
"You can super leave with me."
It was the bob-cut little girl's turn to have fun. Racing forward in a straight line, she plowed through anyone in her path like a relentless steamroller, her gaze fixed on the espers who were shooting from afar. This close-range monster delivered a powerful punch to a hapless girl who had been manipulating rocks with telekinesis, sending her soaring through the air for several meters. The girl's fate remained uncertain, though with a stroke of luck, she might have survived.
After that, Kinuhata continued her slaughter. She ripped out a metal pole as if it were a joke, and began swinging it like a baseball bat, knocking down half a dozen espers that surrounded her, but were unable to penetrate her Offense Armor. With a few more nitrogen-charged punches, she decimated the ranged line in a matter of seconds.
Meanwhile, Shizuri kept firing her Meltdowner non-stop, mercilessly tearing off limbs, piercing the flesh and bones of the unfortunate mass that stood in her way. But for some reason, they didn't seem to be slowing down for some time now.
"Where are they coming from?" asked Railgun, using a large piece of a nearby container to protect herself from the approaching attackers.
"From everywhere," replied the teleporter, practically flying into the night sky with her esper power. "If it keeps going like this, it will never end."
Shizuri clicked her tongue upon hearing that. Her powers seemed to have improved overnight, thanks to the change in her personal reality, a consequence of having practically merged with her otherworldly self. She felt so powerful that she wouldn't mind facing the whole horde of useless people that kept increasing, approaching her, but her goal was not those weaklings.
"I am advancing, Kinuhata give Frenda cover," she ordered, throwing herself into the midst of the enemies without fear.
"Wait. Basically, have you gone crazy?"
"What about the super formation?" Kinuhata did her best to retreat from her offensive position that gave them the advantage.
"I don't have time to deal with that bunch of useless people." Shizuri pointed with her forefinger at the ruined building, while making an electron shield with her other hand, blocking a punch coming towards her. "That bitch is there, which means this is all just a distraction. You guys stay here and support those two. I'm going over there to have a little woman-to-woman chat with the one responsible for this mess."
That ruined building was not even close to being a fortress. Shizuri could simply bring the whole building down if she wanted to, that wouldn't even be difficult, but she doubted that the girl hadn't foreseen something like that. She had to settle this in a direct confrontation.
"If that's so," Railgun said, landing near Meltdowner. "I'll help you clear a path."
From the pocket of the girl's pleated skirt emerged an arcade coin. What followed was an orange bolt of destruction aimed skyward, as the coin accelerated to three times the speed of sound. The girl's precise aim unleashed a devastating shockwave that reverberated through the area, causing people to be knocked out and incapacitated. Remarkably, amidst the chaos, no fatalities were observed, which was practically a miracle.
"Try not to get in my way, Railgun," Shizuri remarked, positioning herself back to back with the girl, who inexplicably wore a smile.
"I could say the same, Meltdowner."
With this brief exchange, the two electromasters, both possessing the coveted level 5 power, commenced a dazzling display of their abilities, illuminating the surroundings as adversaries closed in from every direction.
The air crackled with energy as arcs of lightning danced across the battlefield, illuminating the darkness in brilliant flashes. The #3 hurled debris and shattered fragments of the environment towards their assailants, turning the very surroundings into weapons of destruction. Shizuri's beams of electrons sliced through the enemy ranks with surgical precision, incapacitating foes in a single burst. The scent of ionized energy was filling the air as each beam found its mark, unleashing small explosions of light and sound upon impact.
"This is where we part ways, go help your friend." Shizuri melted the metal door of the building like soap.
"Be careful there, their leader must have a lot of tricks according to Uiharu." Mikoto continued firing lightning bolts from her bangs, preventing the enemies from advancing toward the two.
"Yeah... sure she has..." Before taking a step forward, she looked in the girl's direction shielding her and curved her lip slightly. "You know, I kind of like your style. You're not at all bad, Misaka-san."
"Huh? Was that a compliment?"
The question went unanswered, as Shizuri had already shot off toward the stairs. It was time for the real fight.
x-x
The walls of the building were in a state of disrepair. The paint was peeling off, revealing the metal supports jutting out like contorted branches reaching for the moonlight. The ethereal glow seeped through the gaps in the walls, casting eerie dances of silver throughout the space.
Shizuri could still hear the screams and explosions of the rampant fighting outside. Whether defeating April would bring an end to the fighting downstairs was uncertain, but it held little significance. Once she concluded her task here, she could readily return to aid her friends.
"A little late, don't you think?" The familiar voice echoed through the ruined room. "I'm surprised he's not with you."
There she was. Aihana Etsu, the girl who didn't exist, April. Nothing mattered to Shizuri what she wanted to call herself, she would finish this and go back to Touma, it was time for that girl to get out of their way.
Shizuri paced the room, her eyes scanning the surroundings, while April stood at a distance, her expression concealed behind a sleek modern mask. Leaning over a table, April focused her attention on a state-of-the-art computer resting upon it.
The dimly lit place became brighter when a small blue electron sphere with pink edges appeared in Shizuri's palm.
"Last words?" Meltdowner pointed her palm at the carefree girl there.
"Do you intend to kill me?" asked April, her voice as soft as ever. "I don't think he would be happy with that attitude of yours."
"I'll try to hold back, but you never know when an accident will happen, that's what I think."
Shizuri was not to be trifled with, but she held back as long as she could subconsciously. A beam of light ripped through the air and went straight at the pink-haired girl, who didn't even seem to react to the attack.
A huge hole had formed in the girl's right shoulder. It was so clean that not a single drop of blood was spattered. The reaction to that attack without hesitation was a soft sigh echoing through the room.
"Really? Haven't you learned anything?" April stepped forward and covered the wound with her left hand. Like a magic trick, there was no longer a wound there, even her white blouse was intact. "Something like that doesn't work for me. It's impossible to hurt someone who doesn't exist, don't you think?"
"Shit." She clicked her tongue. "I'm forced to hit lethal points by the looks of it."
This time Shizuri hesitated, but her ability was activated anyway, this time aiming right between what would have been the girl's eyes. With the sound of snapping flesh, the pink-haired girl fell backwards as her brain was decimated by the electron beam shot from the girl's palm.
It had been some time since she last ended someone's life, and she had hoped it would remain that way. The burden of having to meet the boy's gaze after taking yet another life, despite her promise that things would change, weighed heavily on her heart.
But her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a voice.
"Do we really have to do that?"
It sounded behind her. Turning as fast as she could, Shizuri felt a twinge in her stomach. The pink-haired girl had appeared like a teleporter and kicked her as hard as she could, which made her stagger backwards, feeling the air leave her lungs.
The counter attack didn't take long, an electron sphere was made and soon a white beam of light shot towards her opponent, but this time, she seemed to disappear before she was even hit.
"You call that holding back?" April spoke up, now from across the room, where she was just now when she 'died'. "Having my head blown off is not a very good feeling."
"What the fuck are you anyway?" shouted Shizuri, causing several spheres of electrons to hover around her. "Is that an esper power? Or is it that magic thing?"
"That's a good question, but I have a better one for you." She began pacing back and forth nonchalantly around the room, as if she didn't have a level 5 right there trying to kill her. "Do you desire a new world?"
"Huh?" Shizuri put a grimace on her face. "You mean that place where you sent my conscience? No, thank you."
"I didn't send you anywhere, really."
"What?"
That revelation put everything Shizuri had believed until now into shadow. Her theory was that this girl was responsible for her going to the other world, and that she had probably done it to save time or something, which was rather stupid, she knew that.
"I imagine you have at least some idea of what I'm trying to do here," April said. "This ritual was interrupted by an external factor, but it seems that you and Touma did something that reversed that. I'm not sure."
Shizuri even had an idea of what the girl was trying to do. If she had "created" this world in the past, then maybe she was trying to do the same thing now. Under normal circumstances, a single person doing such an extraordinary feat as bringing a world into existence seemed ridiculous, but those people down there were connected to her somehow. An AIM resonance, a phenomenon to amplify that girl's power. But was that all?
"Why are you doing all this?" asked Shizuri. Her guard was still up, but her ability was not activated. "Don't you like the world you created? Or do you want to go back to your original?"
"I don't intend to go back anywhere. The only desire I have had since I was born is to fulfill the task assigned to me by him. You could say that I am not doing it by choice."
Her rather empty voice made Shizuri suspicious. April was forcing herself to keep her composure, but it was easy to feel something breaking inside her as she revealed this.
"My goal is to create a 'perfect world'," April continued, "but the problem is that the definition of 'perfection' is a strange thing, don't you think? Does anything like that even exist?" She walked with slow steps away from Shizuri and then sat down at the table behind her, removing her mask but keeping it in hand. "If a world where all the people in the world were happy, except for just one, would that be a perfect world?"
"No," Shizuri replied dryly. At that instant, it crossed her mind to shoot the girl while she was without her mask, maybe that would change something.
"What if in that same world, the unhappy person killed himself? Would it become a perfect world?" She began rubbing the scar in her right eye. "Maybe for the people left in the world. If the definition of perfection can be bent that way, then I have a chance, don't you think?"
"You are completely out of your mind, that's what I think. But I'm curious, who was the person who gave you that silly task?"
April rose from the table in one elegant leap. She stroked the scar one last time before putting the mask back on her face, which made her serious expression a moment ago confused by the strange smile on the mask.
"An obvious question," April said. "I bet you have a good guess."
Thinking about it too much would get her nowhere, the answer came into Shizuri's head as if it had been implanted. Who did that girl's thought patterns belong to anyway?
"Kamijou Touma," muttered Shizuri, almost inaudibly.
"Correct. A perfect answer from the perfect girl, Shizuri-chan." April clapped her hands twice. Her voice feigning excitement. "I'm here because of a wish...one he made a long time ago, from my perspective of course. It's amazing what conflicting desires from powerful people can do, don't you think?"
"Conflicting desires?" She repeated only to herself, rolling her tongue, testing the words. "So this is all his doing? You said it was something subconscious, so how much does he know?"
"Everything." April paused, watching Shizuri grimace. "And nothing."
"Stop doing riddles."
"What if I told you, that the Kamijou Touma of this world and the one in the other world that you visited, are technically one and the same?"
It couldn't be true, that's what she wanted to answer, but there was something strange that she had noticed. Those headaches. She had no way to be totally sure of that, but they were the same kind of headaches she felt in the other world, the burden of having two minds inhabiting the same body. She only started to feel that when she went to the other world, unlike Touma.
"But this world and the other coexist," Shizuri said. "That wouldn't make sense."
"Nothing that quantum physics can't solve, don't you think? The big obstacle here is that messing with Kamijou Touma's head directly is always a problem. That must be why the Magic Goddess Othinus didn't go that far. The memories he has of the other world were rejected, yet they remained there, like a splinter driven deep into his brain. I think you may have noticed at some point, maybe he has shown you knowledge about things he shouldn't know. That's the reason for his headaches, the useless resistance that makes him hurt himself."
If that was the case, then her goal was not about just acquiring a perfect world. If she went to the trouble of ensuring that this person would be the same in two worlds, then he was the focus, it was using the lens of his vision that she would define what 'perfection' was.
"Solving this problem would be the first step in reaching my full potential," April continued, walking around the ruined place, yet her feet made no sound. "I think you understand how Idol Theory works, don't you? My thought patterns are the same as his, or almost. It's not an exact copy, so I must solve this by either changing him, or changing myself. I chose to do both just in case."
Sending and receiving information, that's what she said during the interrogation, more precisely, human brains, thought patterns. If the Kamijou Touma of this world was exactly the same as the one in the other world, maybe she wouldn't need it. But that still left a doubt.
"You said you were born out of a wish, so what exactly are you?" Shizuri was already totally engrossed in that conversation, even her guard had relaxed.
"I am an ability, nothing more than that," April revealed, her voice failing. "Just something that distorts quantum physics. I shouldn't be more than that, my personality, my desires, my way of acting... it's all molded to his wish. And I need to fulfill that wish, there is no choice."
"You... were you created by him?"
Thinking about it seemed utterly absurd. Shizuri found it impossible to elucidate the boy's power, no matter how hard she tried. Even if she employed her entire academic standing as an honor student in Academy City, it was an unattainable feat. All she could manage was to theorize.
However, the sight of the girl standing before her, a creation of his ability, surpassed even her most elusive theories.
"Don't look so surprised," April said. "A scientist who was once known as the 'strongest Kihara,' explains that one's soul is nothing more than bioelectricity running through our vital organs. According to him, creating life is not that difficult, nor would you need to use the other side of the world to do it. It's impressive of course, but we're getting off the subject here."
The pink-haired girl now went to one of the destroyed windows, her body being bathed in moonlight, leaving an eerie emerald glow as lines drew on her body. It seemed as if she was watching the situation outside.
"Time is running out," April announced, with her back to Shizuri. "My knights should appear soon, and so I can complete this ritual."
"You're not going to do that. I won't let you." The level 5 stepped forward. "What you intend is madness, you can't create a new world from scratch, just bring one that already existed into an ambiguous state. I doubt you can find the diagram of 'perfection' there."
"That's why I plan to use a slightly different method this time. I bet I can add my own artistic touch to that messy picture painted by those gods."
"And you intend to use those people down there for that? If the same thing that happened to Takitsubo happens to them, how many do you think will survive?"
"Considering that I need every ounce of power I can produce, probably none."
There was no emotion in her voice, not a shred of empathy. She spoke of the potential death of all those boys and girls down there as nothing more than a necessary sacrifice.
Anger was beginning to form in Shizuri's chest.
"I'm not going to let you continue this madness." She almost activated her ability again, but stopped suddenly when the girl turned to her once more.
"You haven't answered my question yet." April casually smoothed the mask on her face and walked to her starting position, as if she didn't care about the hostile presence there. "I am offering you a new world, accept it and leave this imperfect world behind."
"Why are you trying to convince me? Or are you just trying to buy time?"
"I don't need to buy time, you have no chance of defeating me after all." She shrugged, totally unconcerned. "But you happen to be an important person to him, so my instincts say I need to negotiate with you first, that's all. Listen to the proposal I have, there's no reason to throw your life away so quickly, don't you think?"
"Proposal? Whatever it is I refuse -"
"You were his first," April interrupted, causing Shizuri to narrow her eyes. "In that world, or any other. The first girl he took on as a lover. I was genuinely surprised when I found out."
"Any other world?"
"Yes, or do you think this was the first time I brought a new world into existence?"
As Shizuri frowned, the girl brought her hand to her chin thoughtfully. The expression on her mask was serious now, but you couldn't tell if it accurately displayed the girl's face, probably not.
"Honestly, I can't explain what happened here," April continued in as neutral a voice as possible. "In this world I was stuck for a long time thanks to that stupid project, so I couldn't watch or manipulate much. That's so weird, why of all the girls, were you the chosen one? I have formulated a theory, but I think focusing on that is irrelevant now, you are important to him so I need to take you into consideration as well."
"I was his first," Shizuri repeated. She displayed a small smile on her face as she spoke a few words softly as if savoring them. "Even in other worlds, he chose no one but me."
"Exactly." April's tone was interested now. "You will serve as a good reference point for me. I feel like I'm getting close finally, I just need to make some adjustments."
"What kind of adjustments?"
"Simple." Her mask again displayed a smile, but this one was much bigger than all the others. "Let's start by ensuring that the two of you become acquainted earlier in the next world."
Upon hearing this, Shizuri froze. Wasn't this precisely what she yearned for? To have Touma by her side before she made all the regrettable decisions in her life? Contemplating it, her heart filled with warmth.
"How much earlier I am in doubt," April continued, crossing her arms and staring at Shizuri intently. "Maybe a few years should be enough? Before you come to Academy City is a good idea. With my new powers, I can manipulate the world enough to make that kind of change. The two of you as childhood friends would be excellent, don't you think?"
It would be a lie if she denied that it didn't sound like music to her ears. The world around her seemed even colorless when she imagined this other world, this one where the two of them had met so early, this one where she could be happy without worrying about the darkness of her past tormenting her.
"Can...can you do that?" Shizuri asked that almost automatically. Her obsessive mind focusing on only one point, her happiness. "Would it be real? Not just a dream?"
"It would be as real as this world you have lived in until now, or the other one you visited." Now April was walking toward her, getting closer little by little, the shadow of her body made by the moonlight engulfing Shizuri's. "It's all you've ever wanted, and all you need to do is just turn your back and walk away. If you're still alive when I complete the ritual, it will make it easier to implant at least some of your consciousness from here, so it's as if you've earned a fresh start, a new chance to follow the perfect route."
"A perfect route." Saying that made her feel good, her heart quicken.
"Yes." She nodded her head several times. "You've convinced me that you can make him happy, so I can't change that. Taking you out of his life would be a step backwards, one away from the path of perfection."
"So, that day at the restaurant." Shizuri locked her gaze on the girl's hidden face, searching for something she didn't know. "What was that conversation? Was it a 'job interview' or something?"
"Strange way to put it, don't you think?" April even giggled. "You impressed me that day, I won't deny that. So mature, so honest...although some adjustments were still needed."
"That's why you gave me those hints. It was all a test to see how far I would go."
"Unfortunately, I didn't give you that much time to prove how well you would do. But I'm convinced, you have plenty of time ahead of you after all." April held out her hand to her, as if seeking to seal a deal. "What I offer you is happiness at his side. Leave this imperfect world and go to the next, I'll make sure it's different this time, I'll fix everything that's broken, remove your imperfections. That's what you want, isn't it? To be the girl he likes?"
Shizuri's heart was pounding, so she took a deep breath until it calmed down. This didn't even seem like a decision to make, it was more like an unexpected gift offered at such a vulnerable moment of hers. To think of turning this down was foolish, something the current 'Mugino' could not think of.
One of the first things she thought of while getting ready for Touma in the other world was that she wanted to make a new first impression, one that didn't involve her unbridled violence that she had once been so proud of. It was her chance to make it right, to have a healthy and cute love story, just the way he liked it. So why was she hesitating so much now?
Shizuri looked at that outstretched hand, covered by the dimness. Her decision was signaled non-verbally, just a slight nod, but she felt that this alone was not enough.
"No." Meltdowner looked into the eyes of the girl in front of her, into those eyes as blue as that boy's. "This world is enough for me."
"W-what?" Her disbelief was almost palpable, like that of someone who has done something a thousand times getting the same result, but now everything was different. It seemed crazy in her vision. "Do you understand what I am offering here? Don't try to fool me by saying you don't want it, I can see it...in your face, in your eyes. Desires like that don't fade so easily."
"You're not wrong. Frankly, you almost won me over." Shizuri took a step back, feeling the burden of temptation lift from her shoulders. "A world where he and I met so early...where our bonds are not supported by pillars that seem so fragile. It is a dream...and it had better stay that way."
"It doesn't make sense."
"Maybe not for a coward like you."
Shizuri's harsh, contempt-filled words made April clench her right fist, the expression on her mask seeming to adapt to how she felt.
"Striving for perfection can be a good and bad thing at the same time," Shizuri said seriously. "I can say that with all the assurance in the world, I have been there after all...maybe I still am. I was always a fighting fanatic, I believed that the city's system of categorizing people based on a vague concept such as usefulness to those deceitful adults was flawed, and that only firepower and absolute violence were what mattered. And that's why I ran and ran, for so long. But what path did it lead me down? I saw the end of it." She looked down at her left hand and then touched the right side of her face. That was surely humanity she felt. "I saw it... with my own eyes. So don't come telling me that I or my relationship with him is 'broken' and that you're going to fix it using your magic. What I have here is more than enough, this idiotic 'Mugino' who believed such ridiculous things built this, and you can be sure she is proud of it."
This time she took a step forward, and April staggered back, causing her shadow to move away from Shizuri.
"But what about you?" asked Shizuri, also clenching her right fist in front of her body. "It's like a writer who has a great idea in their head but when they finally put it down on paper, they convince themselves that it's not good enough. They rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, time after time... and in the end, never end up with anything. But this here is much worse. Do you think that all this here is a mere game that you can keep trying until you get a perfect score? Playing with people's lives as if they were your toys and then throwing them away, locking them up like rats in a maze and then running away, hiding, lying, manipulating... repeating."
"And what choice do I have?" Nevertheless, April sounded calm. "If this world is imperfect, then I'll try the next one. Do you think I can just stop? Do you think I even have anything like free will?" But she seemed to tremble as she said those words. "I was born this way, and this is the way I'll stay. Don't pretend you can understand me, because there's nothing else here."
"I thought the same thing." Shizuri had to bite her lip as she said that. "And that's why I have to refuse your proposal. Nothing guarantees that the next world will be the one you seek, and I definitely don't want to destroy everything I've built so far and go for a dream that might not even last as long as the one I'm living now."
"Is that your last word?"
"Yes." There was no hesitation in Shizuri's voice, nor in her expression. "It's past time for me to put an end to this once and for all. For me...for him… and for you." That tight fist before her was extended toward the other girl, like a sword raised toward the enemy army. "That illusion of perfection, mine and yours, will die tonight!"
And with those words, the place was lit up once again. A dream would be shattered today.
A/N: Hello again. There is too much in this chapter, I admit, but I really don't want to split chapters when we are already finishing this arc.
We had the last conversation between the two 'Shizuri', here the "room" is more a symbolism than anything else. In the other world, 'Mugino's' first appearance was in her room, and when she called Shizuri her roommate, she was talking about her body, not literally her room. I hope that made sense.
And Shizuri cried in Frenda's arms. Initially, I wrote this scene from Shizuri's point of view, but then I changed my mind and made it from Frenda's point of view. I think it fits better with the title of the chapter, since I always try to make it have more than one meaning.
We have had some action, it has been a while, but most importantly, it has been revealed what April is. The short explanation for those who have read the novels, think of her as a "Female KnT", but not exactly. She is an outgrowth of Touma's conflicting desires, while her predecessor represents his regrets. Yes, I know it's more than that, just to keep it simple.
For those who haven't read it, trying to give as few spoilers as possible so as not to ruin the experience, there is a character who calls himself "Touma's ability". This character has Touma's thought patterns (the narration says so implicitly), and is represented by the colors shocking pink and emerald, which as you've noticed, are the two predominant colors on April's body (the hair and the scars). I don't know if that was a good foreshadowing, honestly. Did it cross anyone's mind that it would be this?
Let's look at the reviews:
KHVSFF: About the problems, do you mean the canonical adventures of Touma? Unfortunately, we won't see that in this fic, since we are almost at the end. But you can imagine Shizuri being overprotective with Touma, but as she herself said, she doesn't mind having a dumbass boyfriend who gets into danger often, but that doesn't mean that she will just stand by and watch. I am the kind of person who detests the trope of the couple breaking up in the third act, so I understand where you are coming from LOL. You will find this out soon enough. The new artwork is a delight. Shizuri in exercise clothes and in a negligee looks great. I'm also interested in what color her Meltdowner will be represented there. Probably the purple/pink/white-blue in the center that we got in the novels. Here in this fic, she uses all colors, lol. Poetic license of course. Thank you very much as always.
5queso: And this one was even bigger than the previous one. And the next one is about this size. Touma was built differently, fantasy body as a certain doctor would say, and mind too. Thank you very much. I am somewhat in doubt whether the final fight of the arc will end in the next chapter or not. Probably not, since it has two fights going on, but the conclusion will come soon anyway. See you next time.
Xellos540: ;Accel calls Touma "third-rate" at least twice in GT, from what I remember off the top of my head. I'm lazy to go check the novels but their phone conversation in GT5 is one of them. That's the #1 fan of Kamijou Touma being Tsundere, something pretty common since NT.
;Touma accidentally groped her in a bar, so she needs to act with absolute caution, IB is a side issue LOL.
;Her screen time here was short, but she usually acts like this in the novels as well. One of her characteristics is to "tease" and praise Accel all the time, who responds by "tickling" her. I didn't have time to write that here.
;They are not broken up, Shizuri is being dramatic.
;It depends on what we count as "killing".
;Will helped too, obviously, but she was not the one Qliphah was referring to.
;As I often say, this is told from Shizuri's point of view, it is what she thinks, not me.
;Seeing someone treating Touma well or really caring about his well being is always great.
;This line from Othinus was not only an irony, but a reference to the novels as well.
;Yes. The Mugino family is canonically a big name in the criminal underworld, although they manage to hide it very well.
;The whole Touma screwing up by looking the wrong way is a pretty funny scenario lol.
;This about Hamazura is something I really wanted to happen in canon. I know it's kind of out of character and will probably never happen because of... status quo, but honestly, Takitsubo and Hamazura don't have a good reason not to live alone. Shizuri seems closer to Kinuhata than Takitsubo these days, and Hamazura has to understand that he doesn't need to be anyone's "babysitter", he is better off alone with the girl he likes. Hot take, I guess.
;Qliphah is just messing with Touma, no big deal.
;He will tell her a little about his adventures.
;I think I have gone too far in my word choice here.
;So this fic of mine is quite long in your opinion?
;That was a... few months ago so it makes sense. Bye.
By the way, this is the first chapter of this Fic that we don't have any kind of interaction between Touma and Shizuri. I thought about keeping the streak to the end, but it's better this way. Well, well, there's nothing more to tell. NioMoon leaving.
