Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto or Toaru Kagaku no Railgun/Toaru Majutsu no Index
The Trinity of Tokiwadai
Chapter Eighty: Academy City Invasion - The City of Angels
As Naru teleported into the chamber deep in the Windowless Building where Aleister Crowley, Academy City's General Superintendent, its undisputed ruler and her boss, lived - If floating upside down inside a giant test tube could be considered living. - she was surprised by who was also there for the audience that the Silver Star had called her to attend. Having anyone else there at all was very surprising, since she usually met her boss alone but this time she was sharing her audience with not one, but two other people.
One of them was Kihara Amata, a blonde, short haired man with a tattoo on the left side of his face dressed in a pair of brown pants and jacket, a black shirt, and a long white lab coat. As surprised as she was to see anyone else there when she was meeting with her boss, Amata's presence was somewhat understandable. He was the leader of Hound Dog, one of most elite units personally under the [Silver Star]'s command and Naru could see her boss calling him in to join the meeting if whatever mission they were about to discuss would see them working together.
It was the other person present though that truly shocked Naru, for standing a short distance away from an amused Amata was a furious looking Rui-chan. Her best friend was so angry that she was visibly surrounded by the rainbow colored aura that she manifested when she was either at the end of her fuse or was tapping into the full extent of her power.
"Okay, Boss, what the hell is going on here?" Naru asked, shooting her visibly amused superior an annoyed look.
"We have received reliable intelligence that God's Right Seat is about to attack the City." Crowley explained, causing Naru to feel a strange mix of relief and heightened trepidation. Relief at the waiting finally being over now that the enemy was at last making its move, but also anxiety at facing this fearsome foe. "And I have gathered you three here to lead an operation that I've drawn up to defend the City."
"The three of us?" Naru asked as Rui-chan audibly grinded her teeth in anger, much to Amata and Crowley's amusement and Naru's growing worry.
Why is she even here? What part does Crowley want her to play in this operation and why is Rui-chan so angry about it?
Whatever it is, it can't be good. Kurama warned. Brace yourself, Naru. She'll need you to look out for her.
Naru sent her partner a mental nod, even as with a chuckle, Crowley answered her question.
"Yes, the three of you, Naru-chan. You and Amata-kun's Hound Dog will be the muscle as it were whilst Saten-chan will be responsible for triggering our secret weapon."
"Secret weapon?" Naru pressed, her eyes furrowed.
"I'll explain along the way, Naru-chan." Rui-chan said as she teleported to Naru's side and put a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."
"And what about me, [Joker], [Slayer]? Are you two going to teleport away and just leave me here?" Amata asked as Crowley looked on with the attitude of someone watching a particularly entertaining drama.
"We're headed to Hound Dog's base. You know the way. Catch up on your own." Rui-chan snapped as she teleported herself and Naru away.
Inside an office building that was outwardly indistinguishable from the others of its kind in the commercially focused School District 16 but which in actuality served as Hound Dog's fully equipped headquarters, Naru and Rui-chan had claimed a corner of its command center. A corner that the Hound Dog members in the center knew to keep a distance from and to not otherwise do anything to interfere with the two Level 5s and earn their wrath. A lack of interference that the two Tokiwadai students were using to discuss just what by Science was going on
"So what's this secret weapon that you're supposed to help trigger, Rui-chan?" Naru asked her calmer but still agitated best friend. She might not be surrounded by her aura anymore but she was still visibly tense.
"I'm supposed to activate my sister, Hyouka's Angel Mode." Rui-chan explained as she poured the two of them tea using the tea set, tea included, that she'd conjured using Dark Matter as they sat at the similarly created table set.
Naru blinked in surprise. "You can do that?"
Kazakiri Hyouka, who Rui-chan considered a sister on the basis of her being created from techniques developed based on studies of her own Angel Mode, was a being that Aleister had created out of the gestalt of the collective AIM field of all of the City's Espers. By virtue of that, she was theoretically an incredibly powerful being, but as far as Naru knew, she didn't even have a physical body most of the time. Only occasionally and at random was she able to manifest a body which allowed her to cross over from the Imaginary Number District, the pocket dimension of sorts which was made out of the same fusion of the AIM fields of all of the City's Espers that she was, that was her home. If she could manifest as an Angel… Naru knew she would be an immensely powerful defender for the City, one that she was sure if Crowley was willing to go so far just to awaken, was likely exactly what they needed to fight off God's Right Seat.
Finished pouring tea for both of them, Rui-chan sat down while looking a little embarrassed.
"I should. But to be honest, despite my best efforts I've not been able to pull it off." Rui-chan admitted. "Technically utilizing the computations that I use to manifest my own Angel Mode, Hyouka should be able to manifest as an Angel herself. But for some reason it's just not working."
Naru frowned. "From my observation, activating your Angel Mode isn't just about computations is it? You always seem to be in some kind of state of heightened emotion when you do, perhaps there is a mental component to it as well? Some kind of mindset that is required in combination with the appropriate computations?"
"That's my hypothesis as well." Rui-chan agreed as she took a sip of her tea. "And Hyouka and I are trying to duplicate the various mindsets I've been in whenever I have previously activated my Angel Modes, but to no success."
"You're trying? Now?" Naru said, blinking in surprise as she sipped from the startlingly nice tasting tea that Rui-chan had conjured.
"Yes," Rui-chan nodded. "I've been trying non-stop since Crowley tasked me with the mission. And that's been almost fifteen hours. He called me in as soon as it was confirmed that Vento of the Front was on a plane from Rome–Fiumicino International Airport to Haneda Airport. Even as we talk here, a projection of mine is in the Imaginary Number District working with Hyouka."
Naru nodded in understanding.
We should have expected that. Kurama said thoughtfully. Your friend is truly a master of AIM. I honestly do not think I'd be surprised by anything she does with it.
Yeah, I guess that's right. Naru returned. Though, I wonder why she's putting such an effort into this. I mean, she hates Aleister for good reason considering he condoned what Kihara Gensei did to her.
Maybe she's paying him back for his forces protecting her family during the Mercenary Terrorist Incident?
Maybe, but somehow I don't think that's all…
"Question though," Naru said, frowning slightly. "Rui-chan, why are you trying so hard with this mission? I get that you'd accept it since you owe Crowley for his help during the Mercenary Terrorist Incident, but that doesn't account for the effort you're putting into it."
"It's simple, Naru-chan." Rui-chan said with a bitter smile. "If not me, then Crowley would have to rely on the next biggest potential lever on the City's collective AIM field."
"'The next biggest potential lever on the City's collective AIM field'?" Naru asked as she racked her mind in a bid to figure out who that could be, only for the answer to hit her like a ton of bricks after only a moment of thought.
"Order-chan!" Naru gasped.
As the Heart of the Misaka Network, which was the single largest AIM field in the City, using Last Order as a means to influence the Misaka Network would make it totally plausible to influence the broader City field and achieve exactly what Aleister wanted.
Rui-chan nodded, her eyes ablaze with maternal determination. "To protect Order-chan, I must succeed in the task that Crowley has given me."
"Yeah, you better." Kihara Amata declared as he stepped into the command center, who unlike his Hound Dog subordinates had no qualms about interrupting the two Level 5s' conversation. "'Cos you're running out of time."
"You're running out of time." Ruiko heard Kihara Amata warn as he stepped into the Hound Dog command center in their headquarters and walked over to a console, pushing its operator aside, and quickly typed away at its keyboard to bring up an image of a woman who would have been attractive if not for her heavy make-up and heavily pierced face including a chain that was pierced at the bottom of her tongue that ended in a cross. A woman that was dressed in a yellow kirtle with the symbol of the cross over a brown collared undershirt reaching up to cover her hands, removable yellow sleeves that went from her wrist to her upper arms, brown hosiery, yellow shoes, and a yellow headpiece. An outfit that had a thorn design theme, which covered a piece of brown cloth which was part of her head wear and was also demonstrated by the thorn belt she wore around her waist. "This is Vento of the Front from God's Right Seat and she's just breached the City's walls."
The moment Ruiko saw the image of this mysterious Vento, she abruptly felt the majority of the oxygen be stripped from her body, leaving only the minimum necessary so as not to hinder brain and organ functions, forcing it to go into a state like an animal's hibernation period in order to preserve survival. Fortunately for Ruiko, she wasn't reliant on her physical body and she simply shifted her consciousness to her AIM body in the Imaginary Number District and turned to controlling her paralyzed body via electromastery and telekinesis.
"W-What the hell was that?" Naru gasped as she breathed hard. "The only reason why it didn't knock me out is I'm using a low level manifestation of my Recursive Temporal State to counteract whatever magic she's using to drain the oxygen out of my body."
"Huh, you can use your Micro Phases outside of your Hexe Demon Frame? Didn't know that." The blasted Kihara said with a shrug, ignoring how the entirety of the operators in the Hound Dog command center were knocked out by Vento of the Front's spell.
"I've been training with it. But even with that, I can only manage very basic utilization without my Hexe Frame. Only reverse things a second or two and basically only target myself." Naru dismissed with a shrug. "Now, answer my question!"
"Vento is using a spell known as Divine Punishment." Ruiko said as she pulled the information from the woman's profile that the City had built up and filed in the Bank. "It's her trademark spell. It symbolically mimics Jesus Christ's body during his crucifixion and uses Idol Theory to cast a spell that forces anyone who directs hostility towards her into unconsciousness."
"'Anyone who directs hostility towards her'!?" Naru asked, sounding incredulous. "That's Hax. Hax Magic sucks!"
"Deal with it, [Laughing Joker]." Kihara said with an uncaring snort, before turning to Ruiko. "So [Army Slayer], can you activate your sister's Angel Mode yet or not? You've run out of time."
"Wait! Amata, how aren't you affected by Vento's spell?" Naru cut in, clearly trying to buy Ruiko some time. A gesture that she deeply appreciated as she shifted her focus to her projection in the Imaginary Number District.
In said phantasmal reflection of Academy City, inside a ghostly replica of Hound Dog's headquarters Ruiko stared across the version of table she shared with Naru in the physical Phase at her sister, Kyouka.
"Is it still not working?" Ruiko asked, biting her lip nervously. "We've run out of time, Kyouka!"
"I know, Onee-sama!" Kyouka replied, looking on the verge of tears. "But it's just not working! The computations are correct! We've gone over them a hundred times! It's the mental component that we need to figure out, but we've tried emulating all the mental states you've recorded yourself being in when you've used your Angel Mode in the past and none of them have worked."
"Damn it!" Ruiko screamed as she slammed her fists onto the table in frustration. "Keep trying, Kyouka. I'll try to buy us more time."
Still looking like she was about to cry, Kyouka nevertheless nodded determinedly. "Go! I'll keep trying until I get it. I won't let them hurt Order-chan!"
"Thank you," Ruiko replied gratefully.
"No need for that, Onee-sama." Kyouka reassured her. "Order-chan is my niece, I'll do anything to protect her. To protect my family."
"I know, Kyouka. But thank you anyway." Ruiko said anyway as she returned her focus to the physical world.
"So [Army Slayer] can you activate your sister's Angel Mode yet or not? You've run out of time." Naru heard Amata demand harshly from Rui-chan and she rushed to intervene.
"Wait! Amata, how aren't you affected by Vento's spell?" She asked, desperately trying to distract the man and buy her bestie more time, even if it was just a few extra seconds, to get her sister to manifest her Angel Mode.
Amata shot her an amused smirk, clearly having caught on to her game. A smirk that had Kurama growling angrily from the depths of her soul.
This cruel bastard doesn't care that he's essentially threatening the Saten girl's daughter to get her to perform a miracle. To him, this is just a game. No, less than that. This is just an errand.
You got that from reading his emotions? How are you managing that anyways? I thought you were basically all tapped out just maintaining the Recursive Temporal State that's keeping us from being knocked out. Thanks for triggering it before I did, by the way.
No, you're right, maintaining your Micro Phase is taking too much of my effort to even do something as basic as interpret what my empathy is telling me, but I know people like this Kihara. I've met far too many of them for my liking. I can just tell what he's thinking.
Naru sent her partner a mental nod and a burst of encouragement. Hang in there, buddy. We'll beat the Magician behind the spell ASAP and then you can take a break.
No rush. It might require my full focus but it's not exactly tiring. Kurama told her with a mental shrug. Watch out though. Without me to support you, things like your Demon Frames are gonna be harder to use.
Don't worry. I'll be careful. Naru reassured the Bijuu.
Their conversation passed in only a blink of an eye and it was concluded by the time Amata decided it was time to reply to Naru's question.
"Why, it's simple [Joker]. I'm not affected by the Magician's spell because though I want to kill her, I don't feel any hostility towards her. Killing her, and anyone in the way of whatever mission I've been assigned really, is to me just like pulling out weeds. A chore. No more, no less."
Amata's confirmation of Kurama's assessment of his thought process had Naru growling. "You're a psychopath."
"Says the girl with a kill count an order of magnitude greater than my own." The Kihara spat back with a smirk. "But enough of your stalling. [Army Slayer]! Can you activate Kazakiri or not?"
"I need more ti-" Rui-chan began, only for Amata to harshly cut her off.
"You're out of it." The blonde man spat back without sympathy before he fiddled with the console he was standing at and brought up a vocal channel. "Get Team A into the APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers), we're going after Plan B after all."
"Yes, sir!" The flunkie on the other end of Amata's comms link replied like the good little slave that he was before the satisfied blonde man cut the call and turned to leave.
"And how is your team supposed to overcome the Magician's spell? They'll be operating with her in the field, there's every chance they'll run into her and run afoul of her spell? What then?"
"Oh, that? Not a problem." Amata said with a chuckle. "The spell is not a problem for them. They're all like me, you see. Took a while to find a whole platoon of them, but I like having a group of like minded people working for me. That it pays off in this instance is just a bonus."
"A psychopath leading a whole bunch of psychopaths, just great." Naru said with a grimace.
Amata just smirked and turned to continue taking his leave, only to discover Rui-chan had teleported to block his way out of the command center whilst he and Naru had been talking.
"I will not let you use my daughter." The mother said, glaring at the leader of Hound Dog threateningly whilst surrounded by her rainbow aura. "You'll touch her over my dead bo-"
"Don't go making promises you can't keep, [Army Slayer]." Amata cut her off with an accompanying chuckle. "And don't forget you have more than one daughter. A mother too. Oh! And a whole dozen siblings as well. You forgot about those? Try not to play favorites now."
Naru's eyes flared crimson as she teleported beside Rui-chan. "You did not just threaten the rest of her family just to get Rui-chan out of the way. Because if you did… Well, I consider a good chunk of them as my friends and I am very protective of those who I call that."
"Threaten?" Amata scoffed. "Nothing of the sort. Just reminding [Slayer] here of who will surely face the consequences if she keeps failing to do her job and standing in the way of me making up for said failure. You think the Superintendent will let her get off scot free for botching this op?"
"Maybe if you have some damn patience, we can work on a solution."
"Sorry, but we don't have time to hold hands and do whatever garbage you ojou-samas get up to. What part of 'the Magician has breached the City's walls' did you not get? Now move or I can't promise the results will be pretty."
Rui-chan flinched. How could she not when her whole family was being threatened? When she was forced to make the harsh calculus of whether to protect one of her daughters at the cost of putting everyone else in her family at risk? Naru was honestly a little surprised her bestie had managed to avoid breaking down from the impossible choice that she was presented with.
The Saten girl won't break so easily. She's stronger than that.
I know, Kurama. The reminder of her strength is still surprising, you know? A pleasant surprise, but still a surprise.
"Fine," Rui-chan spat at long last as she stepped aside, opening up a path for Amata to head to the room's door. "But if even a hair on my daughter's head is out of place because of you, I'll-"
"Make me suffer beyond my wildest imagination?" Amata asked with a smirk. "I'd like to see you try. Really, I do. But the Superintendent wants your brat unharmed by the end of this, so don't worry so much. He apparently has future plans for her and the Misaka Network and/or he doesn't want you to show off why you're called the [Army Slayer] right here in the City more than you already have. Plus, I promise, for what it's worth to you, that I won't touch the brat beyond what's necessary. Are you happy?"
Judging by Rui-chan's frown, she was far from happy but she nevertheless nodded.
His smirk getting wider at that, Amata walked past the two Level 5s but as he did, Naru reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Let me go with you." Naru demanded of him with a grim look. Not waiting for his reply, she turned to Rui-chan with determination in her eyes as she made her a promise. "I'll watch over Order-chan. You trust me, right? You know I'll do whatever I can to make sure she's safe."
The blonde felt pathetic that this was the best she could do for her friend. She just hoped it would be enough and could possibly mitigate any possible harm to Order-chan.
"Before you ask, no, you can't come too, [Slayer]." Amata spoke up. "You coming along will just make things more complicated. Besides, your time is better served focusing on trying to make Plan A work rather than worrying about Plan B, don't you think?"
"I-!" Rui-chan began, her face scrunched up as she grit her teeth. But only after a few deep breaths, the tension left her shoulders, only a little but enough that she was at least able to finish a sentence. "Fine, as long as Naru-chan is there with her. I'll call ahead…"
"See? Being rational people pays off." Amata nodded approvingly, yet somehow made it feel slimy.
"Just shut up and let's go." Naru said, just barely resisting the urge to rip the Kihara to pieces.
"And whose fault is it that we've wasted as much time as we have?" Amata replied snidely as pulling himself free from Naru's grip, he sauntered out of the command center.
Naru made to follow but not before shooting Rui-chan one last look. "Don't worry. I will keep Order-chan safe. Believe it!"
Rui-chan just nodded and in a sign of just how shaken she was by the situation she was trapped in, the former [Robot]'s hands visibly shook as she fished out her phone from her skirt pockets.
"Go," She urged Naru. "Go keep my daughter safe."
Naru nodded and raced off. She had a promise to keep.
"What the hell do you mean we need to hand Last Order over to Kihara Amata!?" Last Order heard her Papa roar at Mama in uncharacteristic response to what he'd just heard her tell him over the phone. "Do you know who that man is?"
Last Order was tempted to use her electromastery to listen into Mama's side of the conversation. Papa never got angry with Mama! Not since they became a couple. So who by Science was this Kihara Amata person that would make Papa upset enough to not just get angry with her but raise her voice at her!?
"I don't care if Namikaze's going to keep watch over her! The fucker will still do something even if having the damned rabbit being there is like having him over a cannon barrel! That's just the kind of person that asshole is!"
"Uh, Papa? What does this Kihara Amata person want with Last Order? Misaka Misaka asks cautiously, wary of Papa's reaction but unable to hold back her curiosity any longer." Last Order asked as they walked down the surprisingly empty streets of School District 16 where they had been out doing some grocery shopping - The stores had killer late night discounts! - when Mama had suddenly called Papa and set him off.
Sure it's pretty close to curfew for most students but it wasn't exactly past curfew yet, so why are the streets so empty? Last Order couldn't help but idly ponder, though she quickly discarded the errant thought for more important matters.
But even with the streets as empty as they were, Papa's ravings were drawing a lot of curious and reprimanding looks. Last Order really didn't want to be hauled off to an Anti-Skill station for Papa's disorderly conduct again, so intervening now before his ranting built momentum and caused more of a scene was a good idea.
"Nothing damn good, that's for sure."
"Okay, Misaka Misaka says with a sigh at learning nothing from Papa's response." Last Order said with the aforementioned sigh. "But Naru-nee will be there with the Amata person, right? And they'll be taking me to Mama? Misaka Misaka asks leadingly."
"Yes, but tha-"
"Then what's there to worry about? Misaka Misaka asks, cutting Papa off before he can start ranting. Naru-nee and Mama will keep Last Order safe. Misaka Misaka concludes with certainty."
"That's-"
"And didn't Mama say that the fate of the City is somehow at stake and that's why she needs my help? Misaka Misaka said, pressing her advantage. Last Order likes the City, plenty of Last Order's family and friends live here, so of course Last Order wants to help protect it. Misaka Misaka reasons flawlessly."
"Not you too, Ruiko!" Papa whined at his phone. "You and the brat teaming up on me like this is just unfair!"
"It's not unfair when we're right, Papa. Misaka Misaka points out reasonably." Last Order declared with the proper level of smugness.
"Argh! Fine! But if this shit blows up in our faces, I'm totally gonna say 'I told you so'!" Papa said in resigned frustration. "So where the fuck are we supposed to meet up with Amata and the Usagi?"
"Papa, I think they're already here. Misaka Misaka informs helpfully as she points to a group of APCs driving towards them."
Papa looked in the direction Last Order was pointing and frowned at the sight of the five wheeled armored vehicles that were driving towards them. Vehicles that thanks to her rudimentary knowledge of the City's various military and paramilitary units - A knowledge she'd gained entirely because of a certain sisters of hers' obsession with all things military. - she identified by their markings as belonging to Hound Dog.
"Yeah, I see them. He's working with Hound Dog, right?" Papa asked Mama and presumably got a positive reply before he continued. "Right, I'll call you again later. Gotta deal with the fucker Amata now."
Hanging up, he put away his phone. Finishing just in time for the APCs to pull to a stop on the road right beside the patch of sidewalk that Last Order and Papa were standing on and allowing their occupants to pour out. Most of them were paramilitaries and were dressed the part but among them were a couple of blondes that weren't in combat gear. One was Naru-nee and the other was a man with a tattoo on his face that must've been Kihara Amata.
"Oi, Amata, looking ugly as fuck like always." Papa greeted, baring his teeth in a sign of his frayed temper.
"Accelerator. How's the brain damage?" The scary man, any man that could unsettle her Papa, the City's Number 1 Esper, was undeniably scary, asked cordially.
"Go eat a cactus." Papa snarled as his grip tightened around her hand.
"Naru-nee, hello. Misaka Misaka greets trying to keep the conversation civil to hide her nervousness." Last Order said, fiddling with her lab coat - a gift from Obaasan for doing well in her latest biomolecular module of her homeschooling - nervously.
Naru-nee smiled softly at her, or at least tried to. It was obvious even to Last Order who really had no idea what was going on that the Number 2 didn't want to do this, whatever this was, but had been forced to by orders from the higher-ups. And that took a lot away from the Level 5's reassuring presence. Still, it put Last Order at ease that at least she'd have a familiar face around with what was going on.
"Hi, Order-chan, Accelerator." Naru-nee said, trying to be reassuring. "Both of you relax, okay? We're just here to pick Order-chan up and take her to Rui-chan so she can help her with something. That's all."
The Amata person chuckled at that, like it was a really funny joke and that made Last Order very nervous. But that paled in comparison to Papa's reaction as he pushed her behind him and physically became a barrier between her and the blonde man.
"She's not going anywhere without me."
"What? You don't trust Number 2? What a bad friend you are." Amata snorted and gave off a smile that reeked of cruelty. Last Order shuffled closer to Papa at the sight and that made him tense up even more.
"I'm not letting my daughter anywhere near you. Not without being there myself." Papa shot back defiantly.
"Is that so?" Amata asked, sounding amused. Though Last Order couldn't help but wonder why. Here was Papa, someone who terrified even the most powerful Espers and Magicians being all belligerent towards him and instead of being scared, he was seemingly finding it humorous!? Who was this man!?
"Yeah, so-"
Papa never got a chance to finish his sentence before suddenly the man lashed out at him with a punch. Last Order almost sighed in exasperation at what she expected to happen, namely the blow being deflected by Papa's infamous Redirection, but to her shock it somehow bypassed her father's automatic defense and landed square in his face, sending him stumbling back. But not without him pushing her towards Naru-nee.
"Amata! What are you doing!?" Naru-nee shouted even as she hastily caught Last Order and pulled her into a protective hug. Last Order's fingers tightened around the blonde's forearms as they leapt back a few meters.
"Time is of the essence and we don't have any to waste negotiating with this punk." Amata said with a sadistic grin on his face. "I'm only speeding things up. Besides, the only language he truly understands is violence."
"And we don't have time for you to brawl it out to measure your dicks!" Naru shouted at Amata as she desperately tried to defuse the situation.
Kurama might be too busy to interpret his empathy but she wasn't and she could easily tell that Amata was lying through his teeth. Not that she strictly needed it to do so, he was damned obvious about it. But it did give her a good idea of why he was picking a fight with Accelerator. He had been feeling insulted by the pseudo-albino's refusal to just hand Last Order over, like he thought the Number 1 was still his test subject and should obey him unquestioningly. And in a bid to put him back in his place, to reassert his superiority over Accelerator, he was going to pummel the Level 5.
"It won't be much of a contest." Amata said with a sadistic grin as he reached into a pocket of his lab coat, pulled out his phone and activated some kind of device attached to its strap that emitted a infrasonic noise that only Naru's superhuman hearing allowed her to pick up and which somehow disrupted the lance of air which should have impaled him that Accel had shot his way.
"Tsch." Accel said as he glared at Amata. "Using specially tuned sound waves to disrupt my vector control?"
"Oh, nothing so general. Just your emulation of Aero Hand." Amata explained as he rushed Accelerator and began lashing out at the cripple with a flurry of punches, none of which the Number 1's Redirection deflected. "Manipulating something with vectors requires very difficult calculations, so by adding an unknown element to the wind such as sound, it's possible to shut your Aero Hand down. Of course, doing the same for other forms of your vector manipulation will require other methods. Want to try and see my counters to those?"
"Naru-nee, I'm worried. Misaka Misaka whimpers in her arms." Order-chan said to the blonde, who tightened her hug of the girl. The both of them helpless as Amata beat the ever living crap out of Accelerator. It wasn't all one-sided, the psuedo-albino was doing a decent job of defending himself by either evading blows or using the bracer his walking cane was built into to block at least half of the blows sent his way, but that still meant Amata was landing half of his punches.
"I'm sorry." She could only lamely answer, frustration leaking into her voice. She very much wanted to help Accelerator now, but she couldn't. Not when she and Amata were on the same team for this mission. If she did… Well, she didn't want to think of the consequences Crowley would dish out. If this was a less important mission, she might've risked it, but on one as vital to the City's survival as this one?
If I do anything that contributes to its failure, Crowley will make my friends' lives hell.
Last Order whimpered more, closing her eyes as she tried to turn away from the violence.
"Amata! End this already so we can go!" Naru snarled out as her eyes flashed red in anger.
"Oh, fine~!" Amata said as he stepped away from Accelerator who crumpled to the ground, his whole body looking like one big bruise and his face a bleeding mess. Seemingly falling unconscious shortly after he did so.
"It'll be okay, I promise." Naru whispered to the little girl. "The Trinity will make the bad man pay after this mission for hurting your Papa."
"Oh, you think I don't have counters for you and your little friends too, [Joker]?" Amata said, shooting Naru a smug look.
Her eyes still an angry crimson, Naru offered him a fang filled grin. "Oh, I'm sure you do. But do you have a counter against us, Kazakiri Hyouka and all our friends? You remember the Jailbreaker Incident, right? That was what Rui-chan pulled together to rescue her other best friend. Think about who she'd call in for what you've done."
Kihara Amata paled. It seemed Kihara or not, he was a hotblooded idiot and really hadn't thought things through when he decided to beat up Accel. He'd signed his death warrant and hadn't even realized it. And all over being insulted.
What an idiot!
I will enjoy helping Rui-chan tear him to ity, bitty pieces.
Amata snorted, trying to sound defiant despite how pale he was. "Like she'd piss off the Superintendent by killing me."
"You won't be protected by Crowley forever, Amata." Naru reminded him with a crimson eyed glare. "And Rui-chan never forgets a grudge."
"Tch, take my fun out of it, why don't you? Fine, fine, in the APC." He said in a lackluster tone that lacked the arrogance that typified his voice, gesturing to the nearest vehicle.
Naru nodded, but not before gesturing to one of the Hound Dog medics and directing him towards Accelerator.
"Look him over. His Redirection might get in the way of actually treating him, but do what you can. Make sure he's as healthy as you can. Drag him to Heaven Canceler if necessary." Naru ordered. "If anything happens to him because of you, you'll have to answer to the Trinity when this mission is over. Got it?"
"Ma'am." The medic nodded, his face pale.
Satisfied that Accelerator wasn't going to die, Naru looked down at the crying Last Order and tried her best to be encouraging. "Come on, Order-chan. Let's get you to your Mama, okay?"
"But what about Papa? Misaka Misaka insists, looking at her Papa's beaten form worriedly." The Heart of the Misaka Network whimpered.
"I'm not taking him with us if that's what you're asking." Amata spat. "Sparing him one of my medics is all I'm giving him. I'm not about to take him along and have him wake up to try and kill me for revenge. That punk is like that."
Naru shot him a look to shut him up. She wasn't stupid. Of course she knew they weren't taking Accelerator along. Not only was what Amata suggested extremely likely. His sheer presence would be a major distraction to Rui-chan, especially in his condition. One that her bestie could ill afford if they wanted her to somehow pull off a miracle and carry out Plan A like they hoped.
"You'll see him tomorrow." Naru followed up quickly to assure the Sister. "We'll have a big breakfast together."
"Un." Order-chan nodded with a sniffle as she allowed Naru to guide her up into the APC.
Seeing Order-chan like this tore into Naru's heart and she just wanted this day to be over.
Sadly, despite her Micro Phases, Naru couldn't manipulate reality to make that happen. So as they sat down on the benches in the APC, all she could do was hug the upset Order-chan and do her best to calm her down. A task not helped at all by the sound of gunfire erupting outside.
"What the hell is happening?" She asked Amata as he popped into the APC to grab a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher off a weapons rack.
"The enemy showed up. Don't let the clone out. If she catches sight of the enemy, Plan B is done for. We don't have a Plan C." Amata told her as he casually strolled down the rear ramp of the APC with his newly acquired weapon.
"Of course I won't let Order-chan run out there and put herself in danger." Naru shot back even as she held Last Order close to her side as the girl's whimpering devolved into full on crying as the sound of gunfire intensified. "Just go take care of it."
"Working on it." Amata said as he stepped out of the vehicle entirely and disappeared from view.
An explosion, presumably courtesy of the RPG launcher that Amata had taken, boomed a few seconds later but surprisingly the sounds of fighting stopped moments later. And a short while after that, Amata returned with a squad of Hound Dog troopers in tow.
"What happened?" Naru demanded.
"She deflected all our attacks with some wind magic and then just bailed. Said something about finding more worthy prey or some tripe. Had a nice ass though." Amata commented with a sick grin.
Ew.
"If I wasn't so devoted to Science I'd tap that anytime."
"Oh Science, I think I just threw up in my mouth." Naru covered her mouth with her hand, looking green around the gills.
"Please, I know you've done worse with call girls."
"I'm an innocent maiden!"
"Yeah, okay. Whatever." Amata said dismissively as he took a moment to confirm that all the troopers were back on board before nodding and pressing the button to activate the intercom built into the partition between the vehicle's driver's cab and its rear troop compartment. "Driver, close the ramp and get us moving."
"Yes, sir."
Ignoring the driver and as the APC's ramp sealed itself, Amata turned towards Naru or more specifically Order-chan who she was holding in her arms.
"Let me see the girl," he said as he began stretching his hands out towards the Sister. "I want to make sure she's in working condition."
"Don't touch her!" Naru hissed warningly, spitting corrosive chakra at Amata.
"I'm not a lolicon, don't flirt with me like that." The Kihara joked as he casually ducked his head out of the way of the spray of corrosive chakra.
"Stop talking about anything else. You will walk us through what you need and we will do it. That's it." Naru told him sternly. "Say or do anything to Order-chan outside of what absolutely needs to be done and Crowley be damned, I will end you."
"Fine, kill my fun."
Thus began a very uncomfortable ride back to the Hound Dog base for Amata and his men. Not that Naru cared. Her sole concern at the moment was trying to comfort Order-chan. She could worry about eviscerating the lot of them for upsetting the girl after this mission.
"I will kill that man," Hyouka heard Onee-sama say with a growl, her body surrounded by her rainbow aura and the pair of skeletal wings of her incomplete but most powerful Angel Mode folding and unfolding behind her in clear agitation. "Accel didn't even antagonize him, not really. What justification did he have for attacking him!?"
"I don't know, Onee-sama." Hyouka said as comfortingly as she could. Her sister had calmed down immensely since they'd watched Kihara Amata beat up Accelerator, at least Hyouka didn't need to restrain her from rushing to smite the Superintendent's pawn anymore, but that she didn't dismiss her Angel Mode yet was a clear sign of just how on edge Onee-sama remained.
And Hyouka could totally understand why. Watching Accelerator get beat up through the hazy reflection of events that happened in the physical Phase that manifested in the Imaginary Number District had been painful enough. But Onee-sama had probably been watching it through her surveillance network in the physical Phase too and that gave her a much clearer picture of the pummeling her boyfriend got. And that was another factor too. Hyouka didn't even really like Accelerator all that much and she got pissed by the undeserved, one-sided beatdown Kihara Amata gave him. What more Onee-sama who loved him!?
It was frankly a miracle, in Hyouka's mind, that Onee-sama hadn't gone full on [Army Slayer] on Kihara Amata for what he had done.
I guess Onee-sama has more self-control than I gave her credit for.
A self-control Onee-sama further demonstrated as after letting out another angry growl, she began taking a series of deep breaths and quickly calmed down. Through all that though, she still did not dismiss her Angel Mode.
"I'm more worried about how Crowley intends to use Order-chan as an alternative to activate your Angel Mode, Hyouka." Onee-sama admitted. "Amata, I can handle after this. But not knowing what Testtube Man intends to do to Order-chan is…"
"He probably wants to insert some kind of virus into the Misaka Network via Order-chan and then have it spread to the Imaginary Number District and me. The Network does have a massive influence here." Hyouka said, gesturing at one of the many radio towers that dotted her world and which were manifestations of the Misaka Network.
"Yes, that would work." Onee-sama said thoughtfully. "Using a virus to reorder the Imaginary Number District's rules should be enough to force you to manifest an Angel Mode."
"But inputting a virus like that would be potentially very harmful to Order-chan and the Misaka Network. The new programming would inevitably cause some disruption to the Sisters' AIM fields and potentially even their Personal Realities."
Onee-sama nodded. "That's why we must avoid that outcome at all costs. Hyouka, has my entering Angel Mode here helped you in figuring out what needs to be done?"
"Some," Hyouka hedged as she allowed her body to be surrounded by a golden aura. "But even if I can manifest an Angel Mode here, which I haven't fully managed yet, that doesn't mean I can do it in the physical Phase."
"It's still a sign that we're making progress. We're moving in the right direction. But we need to speed things up. Order-chan is almost at the Hound Dog base. We're running out of time." Onee-sama observed with a frown. "What if I use my AIM Sovereign to duplicate the effect on the Imaginary Number District that Crowley is hoping to achieve with that virus of his."
"First off, we don't know if that's really what the Superintendent intends to do. And Second, even if it is, which I think it is, we don't know what it'll do or have you figured it out, Onee-sama?" Hyouka pointed out apologetically.
"No, I have not." Onee-sama said with a sigh. "I'm running the computations but I'm starting from scratch. It'll take time, too much time, for me to come up with what we need."
"Then we have only one real option." Hyouka surmised. "We'll have to succeed in activating me using a similar methodology to what you use to activate your Angel Mode."
Onee-sama nodded. "Alright, let's see how it is that observing me activating my Angel Mode led to progress when our previous attempts failed to achieve anything. If we can figure that out, then we can extrapolate that success to a full on activation."
Hyouka nodded. "Let's do it."
"For Order-chan." Onee-sama said with determination as she pulled up hundreds of floating holographic screens filled with observation data regarding their limited success.
"For Order-chan." Hyouka agreed wholeheartedly.
"Mama? Misaka Misaka greets with trepidation." Last Order said as she clung to Naru-nee's side as tightly as her little arms could as the two of them and the blonde man that beat up Papa, a man whose mere proximity gave her the shivers, walked into some kind of command center where Mama was sitting at a tea table and sipping absently at a cup of tea with a absent look on her face.
Mama's attention was probably focused elsewhere. She always got like that when she was looking at something through her surveillance network. Maybe she was watching over Papa?
But whatever she was doing, as she heard Last Order's voice, Mama immediately turned to her and gave her her full attention.
"Order-chan." Mama breathed out and hurried over, kneeling down to stroke her chestnut hair. "Y-You're okay, right? Nothing happened? Everything's going to be fine."
Mama sounded wooden, unsure and visibly nervous.
Mama was never like that. The situation was clearly critical if it had reduced her usually confident mother to such a state.
It was lucky then that Last Order was in talks with the Misaka Network to try and make sense of the situation at hand. Even if they hadn't been able to come up with anything useful yet. All they could surmise was that Academy City was being invaded by a special agent from the Magic Side. Beyond that, they knew little of value. The City had blocked all information regarding the attacker's identity and powerset for some reason, which when combined with the scary blonde man's mention earlier about how just seeing the enemy would lead to Order-chan being out of the game seemed to suggest that knowing the aforementioned information would somehow lead to coming under some kind of overwhelming attack.
What a scary power. Last Order couldn't help but think, receiving broad agreement from her Sisters. After all, it would be extremely difficult to fight someone when just knowing about them could automatically lead to your own defeat. Of course, as the scary man and his soldiers proved there were ways around it but until the Network figured out what those were, they had to avoid engaging the enemy at all costs.
Which was difficult when it was clear by the fact that Last Order was being brought in to help that the Network would play some role in the defense of the City against the Magician.
Last Order had (in)competently tried to suss out any information from Naru-nee, yet even with crocodile tears and promises of hugs, the twin tailed blonde had kept silent on the situation. That never happened. Last Order and the twins could widdle anything out of her with the power of their cuteness. That Last Order had failed was another sign of just how critical the situation was.
But even knowing that, seeing how frantic Mama looked. For her that is. Most people would probably count as being mildly nervous if they looked like Mama did now, but most people weren't formerly the [Robot].
Gotta calm Mama down a little. Mama can't operate at 100% if she's all panicky.
So, putting on a big brave smile, Last Order patted Mama's arm. "I-It's okay, Mama, Misaka Misaka says as she tries her best to be brave."
Mama looked stricken if her paling pallor and tense shoulders were anything to go by. Last Order cursed at her tactless words! Now Mama was even more worried!
"Enough of this, we have work to do." The mean man, Amata, said as he grabbed Last Order's arm, ready to pull her away.
Light filled the room as Mama's pretty rainbow wings - yes they looked skeletal but the rainbow colors were very pretty and more importantly, they were Mama's wings. Of course they were pretty. - appeared as she glared angrily at the man.
At the same time, a sickening, choking sensation filled the room as Naru-nee's cool blue eyes turned a murderous red, her nails sharpened into talons and she shifted her posture into one that was poised to strike and rip Amata to peices.
But that wasn't the scariest thing, not that Mama and Naru-nee standing up for her was scary. What made the small clone's stomach drop was the cool sensation of a barrel aimed to the side of her head.
Last Order dared not move, to breathe even. She was having flashbacks to how she met Papa and drew upon the experience of the Network. She calmed herself as best she could while a silent conversation was held by two thirds of the Trinity and Amata.
The injustice! How dare he take 20001 hostage!? 14091 shouted indignantly.
Why is it working though? 13579 asked, confused. Surely Saten-sama and Namikaze-sama can intercept any bullet. I mean, it's not like Amata's pistol is a railgun or a laser.
You underestimate the speed of a bullet, especially at the range we're talking about here. 13577 said as she presented the computations to the Network, showing how it was likely a bullet from Amata's pistol would kill Last Order before Mama or Naru-nee could finish the computations to do anything to save her.
But there's still a chance- 19090 argued, only to be cut off by 11118.
Namikaze-sama won't risk it. Even if the risk that she'd fail to act in time is tiny, she wouldn't risk it. 10287 opined. I imagine that's even more true for Saten-sama.
This was met with agreement from not just the Council of Misakas but the entire Network.
A conclusion that proved true as Last Order's family indeed lost the game of chicken with Amata and backed down. The light from Mama's wings dialed down their intensity while Naru-nee calmed and took a step back with a frustrated look.
Hang in there, Order-chan. We're on the way. Onee-san said over the Network suddenly. Sisters, grab your gear! We're going to save Order-chan!
That her sisters were rallying to save her would normally have buoyed Last Order but that was kinda hard to do with a gun to her head.
No! If Mama and Naru-nee can't make a move, you might set this big jerk off!
Don't look down on us, Order-chan. Onee-san shot back. There are things we can do that even your Mama and Namikaze-sama can't do. We will save you. So just hang in there.
Onee-san is right, 20001. Hang tight, we'll be there ASAP. 12873 added firmly before she took charge of organizing the Council of Misakas' preparations.
With that one last defiant series of statements, Onee-san and the rest of the Council of Misakas started ignoring her attempts to dissuade them from intervening. Even her other sisters on the Network were siding with them and egging them on!
The conversation over the Misaka Network lasted less than a second and even as her objections were brushed aside, Amata huffed in victory.
"Hmph, at least you understand." Amata said, his tone dripping with pride at having earned a victory over Mama and Naru-nee, as he began pulling Last Order along, much to her chagrin. All the while keeping the gun to her head. They exited the command center, with Mama and Naru-nee trailing behind them and entered a room dominated by a Testament machine that he pushed Last Order towards.
"Get in, we'll wire you up." He ordered whilst keeping his gun trained on Last Order.
At his order, Last Order climbed into the machine and laid down on the machine's bed nervously. An attending scientist came over and placed the heavy headset on her, covering her eyes as soft lights started to flash across the inbuilt screen facing her and tickle her vision as the machine turned on.
Whimpering fearfully about what could come, Last Order steeled herself.
Ruiko's heart was pounding. Rage at being such a failure of a mother to her daughter. Rage at not being able to help her sister. Rage at Kihara fucking Amata for being an apathetic monster. All of it burned her soul and in the Imaginary Number District, literally surrounded her in an intense rainbow blaze that scorched all around her. So hot was it that it reduced a whole block of the City of Shimmers to a burning, ashen wasteland.
"Onee-sama, I know how you feel but you need to calm down." Hyouka, unfazed by her anger, urged. "At this rate, you'll burn everything down and if that happens the City's AIM field will collapse!"
Ruiko knew that but right now, she didn't care! She was about to angrily tell Hyouka that but paused as she turned to her sister and noticed something.
"Hyouka, you have wings." Ruiko said, pointing at the golden tendrils that were now growing out of her older looking sister's back and writhing through the air.
Hyouka blinked and looked behind her, gasping in surprise as she noticed that Ruiko was right. "I do! But how? I'm not doing anything different."
"No, but I am." Ruiko said as she thought through things, she racked her brain, going through her current processes. "I've upped the intensity of the manifestation of my Angel Mode and you're responding sympathetically."
"Which means-"
"If I push my Angel Mode to its limits, it might be enough to allow you to manifest in the physical Phase in your own Angel Mode."
"Let's try it!" Hyouka replied enthusiastically and Ruiko nodded at her even as back on the physical Phase she teleported over to the operator manning the Testament machine that Order-chan was hooked up to and pushed him aside.
"Stop!" She ordered.
"What are you doing, [Slayer]?" Amata asked with narrowed eyes as he gestured with his gun in her daughter's direction in a pointed reminder of what was at stake.
"I figured out Plan A." Ruiko said by way of explanation as she poured all her will and devoted all of her computational power to her Angel Mode, determined to force it to heights she'd never pushed it before.
Blinding rainbow light filled the room in response.
"Rui-chan?" Naru asked, as she blinked the spots out of her eyes after the blinding surge of rainbow light that her bestie had unleashed. "What-"
The rest of her question died on her tongue as she saw what the [AIM Sovereign] had transformed herself into. She was surrounded by her rainbow aura like always but there was something different about it this time, it didn't just surround her and radiate power like normal. This time it seemed to give Rui-chan an inhuman quality, it was hard to put in words but it somehow made her seem like something that Naru's instincts just screamed at her was otherworldly. Like she truly was an Angel that had descended from the heavens.
An impression that was only added to by the brilliantly glowing rainbow halo that now floated over Rui-chan's head and the new form of her wings. They weren't the tendril-like wings of her earliest Angel Modes nor the skeletal wings she'd been sporting lately, instead they were a full set of massive feathered wings that had more mass to them than her body did and which filled up most of the room's empty space. Wings that glowed with a prismatic light almost as bright as that given off by her halo.
By Father! T-That… She became a true Angel!
What!? Rui-chan did what!?
I dunno how I know this, it's like an instinctive understanding, but looking at her now… I just know that's what she is. The Saten girl is a true Angel now.
Science…
"Mama? Misaka Misaka gasps." Last Order asked as she pulled the Testament machine's headset off her head and she looked at her mother in shock, an action that shook Naru out of her own surprise and she moved to help the clone down from the machine.
To Naru's shock however, Rui-chan didn't respond to her daughter. Instead, she just stood there in all her Angelic glory like some statue.
"Rui-chan?" Naru tried and got no response from her fellow Level 5 either.
"Mama? Misaka Misaka tries to call out to Mama again." Last Order tried again, running to her mother's side and shaking her but getting no response.
"Huh? So she actually managed it? Didn't think she would." Amata said, blinking in surprise as he put away his gun. "Now, let's see if her sister managed to copy her like the Superintendent hoped."
Pulling out his phone, Amata fiddled with it for a few seconds before letting out an impressed whistle.
"Looks like she did." He said as he walked over to one of the room's fancy windows which had been previously blanked out and toggling their controls turned them transparent, allowing them to see the City's skyline. One that was now dominated by a massive glowing golden mass with dozens of tendrils reaching out from it that were akin to Rui-chan's original tentacle wings but writ large.
Another Angel… To create two of those monsters… This city scares me…
That must be Kazakiri-san. Naru concluded. Why is she huge though?
She's less mature than her sister. She seems to be packing more raw power though, can you feel that?
Feel what?
Her Authority. Guess, you're not tuned into the higher Phases enough to sense it. Kurama said, sounding mildly surprised. Anyways, the Kazakiri girl is imposing her will over the City, think of it like she's applying her Micro Phase over it. It's not really affecting me so I've no idea what it does, but if I was a betting fox I'd say it's targeting anyone that might threaten the City.
Like the Magician that's attacking!
Exactly. The ancient bijuu said with a mental nod. This must be how Testtube Man intends to defeat her.
"To think a defective product could turn into a net plus. I love Science." Amata said with a delighted, borderline sociopathic grin.
"Mama! Mama, why aren't you responding? Misaka Misaka screams at an obnoxious volume!"
Despite the clone's desperate pleas however, her mother remained unresponsive.
"Order-cha-" Naru began only to be interrupted when her phone vibrated.
Considering she'd put it into Mission Mode, there were only a handful of people who could get through at the moment. And she had to answer this whoever it was, thus with a frown the blonde pulled out her phone to take the call, though all the while not taking her eyes off the building mass in the distance and keeping a side eye on her bestie.
"Yes?" She asked, already knowing who it was.
"Naru, your orders are to defend Kazakiri Hyouka's fledgling Angel form. Its passive effects are chipping away at the invading Magician's magic as we speak."
"That Piercing Nun is going to go ballistic because of that, isn't she?"
"Indeed. She probably also finds the fact that we've created our own Angel an affront to her God. To Catholics like her, Angels are His servants alone after all." Her boss said, sounding amused by everything that had transpired.
The dick.
"I'll head right over." Naru reluctantly obeyed and the ageless man hung up. Pocketing her phone, she gnawed her lip as she took stock of the situation around her.
Last Order was still futilely trying to get a response from the frozen Rui-chan and Amata was standing back looking on at the poor girl's heartbreaking attempts with sadistic amusement. She really didn't want to leave with things as they were… But she had her orders. Besides, if she didn't go defend Kazakiri-san and the Piercing Nun took her out… Then the blonde wasn't sure they had any other way to beat the Magician. From what she'd read up about this Vento of the Front's capabilities, she wasn't sure that she could beat her without Kazakiri-san draining her power…
I honestly dunno if I can do it with that support. Naru thought with a frown. The Walking Cathedral armor that the Magician was supposedly equipped with was top tier, basically Hax Magic in its own right and could probably tank anything Naru or the City could throw at her. And whilst her offensive power wasn't that scary outside of her Divine Punishment spell, that wasn't as limiting as it sounded. Not when they couldn't hurt her back!
Then it's a good thing we don't need to beat her, just hold her off until the Kazakiri girl's Authority drains her of all her power. Kurama reminded her encouragingly.
That's true. Naru thought, breathing a sigh of relief. But before I go do that…
"I've got to go. Amata, watch the girl." Naru said, pointing at Order-chan.
"Huh? She's irrelevant now. Why should I care?" He grunted in annoyance as he looked away from supervising the set up of some sensory equipment around Rui-chan's frozen form, clearly intent on gathering what data he could on her condition. "Let her run into traffic-"
At this threat, Rui-chan abruptly turned her gaze towards him and locked her eyes, now looking like prismatic jewels, with his own. The moment she did, Amata screamed and collapsed to his knees before curling into a fetal position and voiding his bowels.
"Look at that, actions have consequences!" Naru mocked with eyes gleaming with sadistic glee. "Science at its finest. By all means, finish that sentence and see what Rui-chan does to you."
Amata was naturally in no condition to reply.
Smirking at that fact, Naru turned to one of the nearby Hound Dog troopers. "If you don't want to end up like your boss, keep the kid safe. Got it?"
The man, and all his colleagues there for that matter, nodded vigorously.
"Good boys," Naru said in satisfaction before turning to Rui-chan who was once more frozen like a statue. "I've gotta go protect your sister now, Rui-chan, but I promise to be back ASAP to help you get over whatever's got you imitating a statue. Believe it!"
"Naru-nee? Misaka Misaka sniffs imploringly." The tearful Order-chan said as she turned to look at her.
Kneeling down to the younger girl, Naru gave her the biggest, reassuring hug she could. "It's going to be okay, your Mama is just doing her thing. We'll be drowning in ice cream when this is all over. Her treat."
Order-chan shot her a disbelieving look, but nevertheless nodded.
With a kiss to the girl's brow and a wink, Naru teleported out of the building to do her job, hating having to do so as she did.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless as always!
Wow, man this was a big buildup chapter huh? Personally, I love it. It just sets the mood, the scene and the stakes for those involved. What's to gain, to lose and all of that in-between.
Nameless: A surprising lack of action in a chapter of the WW3 arc, huh? I know I was surprised once we were done with it. Though like E4E said, it was really a buildup chapter so I probably shouldn't have been. Speaking of said buildup, hope you all liked it. It was mostly about how helpless everyone felt in the situation which is a big change of pace from other Incidents where the Trinity always at least could do something.
The girls always have a chance to make some difference in the grand scheme of the arcs. Big or small, depending of course.
Nameless: Yup. That's why it really was interesting to put them in a situation where they mostly couldn't for a good chunk of it and see how they react.
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!