Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Toaru Kagaku no Railgun/Toaru Majutsu no Index
The Trinity of Tokiwadai
Chapter Forty Four: More Trouble in Chinatown
Beta:
"So the Level Upper roll out has been quite the success, huh?" Kazari said as the Trinity gang sans Namikaze-san sat at Joseph's Coffee and Restaurant for one of their usual meetups.
"Yes, it has." Saten-san said with an annoyed huff.
"You're unhappy about it?" Shirai-san asked, sounding surprised.
"I still don't agree with rolling this out to the public again." Saten-san said as she took a bite from her parfait. "It's too dangerous."
"Even though it's going to make your family lots of money?" Misaka-san asked with a raised eyebrow. "That doesn't affect your opinion on the matter? At all?"
Saten-san waved her spoon dismissively. "Money is irrelevant. It's easy to make money if you know how."
"Of course it is, Miss Info Broker." Shirai-san said with an exasperated shake of her head.
Saten-san puffed her cheeks up out in anger and Kazari leaned over to pat her best friend's arm comfortingly.
"It's not like you can help it. The Level Upper I mean." The Goalkeeper said with a sympathetic smile. "The Directors ordered it didn't they?
"Oyafune-sama did, yes." Saten-san confirmed with a sigh.
"Then there's not much you can do." Misaka-san reasoned. "If it's your backer pushing this, it's not like you can fight this can you?"
"Not really, but that doesn't change how dangerous Level Upper can be."
"Well, at least you're there to make sure it doesn't get abused. You did say that there were plenty of safety checks in place too. So take heart in that?"
"I guess, Shirai-san." Saten-san said with a resigned sigh. "It's not like I have a choice."
"Now now, Saten-san." Kazari said, patting the Number 3's arms. "The real reason you're so upset is that Kiyama-sensei is so busy with the Level Upper project that she's got less time to spend with you isn't it?"
Her best friend blushed and looked away. She didn't deny it though, so Kazari knew she'd hit the bullseye.
"It's a shame the Chibi isn't here." Misaka-san said with a smirk. "If she was here, she'd make comedy gold out of Saten's behavior right now."
"Agreed Onee-sama." Shirai-san said with a nod. "Though where is she? She said she had something to handle but what exactly?"
"She's on a mission." Saten-san said with a shrug.
"What kind?" Kazari asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I can't say." Saten-san said as she looked down, pretending to give her parfait her full attention.
"That's code for it's classified, right?" Misaka-san said with a groan, leaning her head back.
Saten-san said nothing and Kazari sighed.
"You're probably right," the computer wiz said with a nod.
"Why don't we just enjoy our treats?" Shirai-san suggested, gesturing to the various goodies they'd been snacking on as they talked. "We can finagle what Namikaze-san did on her mission from her when she gets back."
"I wish you all luck with that." Saten-san said with a shake of her head. "Naru doesn't have loose lips."
"She's still better than you are when you're keeping secrets." Misaka-san countered.
Saten-san had the gall to smirk at that. Thankfully, Misaka-san didn't raise to the bait and just rolled her eyes before returning to snacking on her banana split.
"So anyone heard about that new art exhibition that's opened up in gallery over in District 6?" Kazari asked, hoping to shift the conversation away from sensitive topics. "It's supposed to be pretty neat. I was thinking of going to take a look. Anyone interested in joining me?"
"After this?" Shirai-san asked. "That sounds delightful."
"I'll call Shinobu-san to bring over the twins. Maybe Order-chan too if Yoshikawa-san is free. They need exposure to the fine arts."
"Think they'll be asking for their 'Naru-nee'?" Misaka-san teased, making Saten-san twitch and have a grumpy pout.
"They'll understand once I explain that she's busy." Saten-san insisted after a moment.
"The lengths you go to cover for that girl." Shirai-san said with a shake of her head. "Watch out Uiharu, someone is muscling in on your spot as Saten-san's best friend."
"Never." Kazari waved her cleaned spoon at the Level 4. "I will never be dethroned!"
"Hai, hai." Shirai-san waved her hand.
"Alright, enough with the chit chat." Misaka-san cut in. "If we want to get to that art exhibition in a timely manner we need to finish up our treats and get going. So focus everyone."
"Yes ma'am!" Saten-san said with a cheeky grin and a mock salute.
Kazari joined Shirai-san as they chuckled, even as Masaka-san blushed at being made the butt of the joke.
"Just eat faster." The [Railgun] insisted as she dove into her ice cream with abandon.
Laughing at their easily flustered Sempai's expense, the others nonetheless complied.
The next day, Kuroko and Uiharu were on duty and thus found themselves receiving their daily briefing from Konori-Sempai in the 177th Branch Office's break area.
"So last but not least," their bespectacled Sempai said as she began to wrap up the briefing. "We have a notice from the higher ups. They want all Judgement agents to be on the lookout for some suspicious persons."
"Suspicious persons?" Kuroko asked curiously as Konori-Sempai pulled out several photos of individuals wearing tall, poofy hats, strange clothing that were vaguely similar to traditional Japanese clothing and with large books strapped to their chests with thick cords.
It was a very distinctive look and had Kuroko immediately exchanging a look with Uiharu.
"Magicians?" Kuroko suggested.
"Magicians." Uiharu agreed.
"That's what I thought when I first saw the photos to be honest." Their Sempai said with a nod. "But we can't stereotype."
"It's doubtful they're Espers." Uiharu said as she outlined their reasoning. "Those get ups are too strange. They might be supposed to complement some type of Esper power. But if they were Espers then they would be in the Bank and wouldn't be suspicious persons."
Kuroko nodded and picked up the rest of the explanation. "The similar outfits suggests that they are part of one group and if the City is concerned, then they must be a threat. That means they have powers of some type and the outfits are likely related to those powers. Magicians can use Idol Theory, and based on what Saten-san and Namikaze-san explained, use similar equipment to allow them to use the same school of magic. So these people are almost certainly Magicians."
"Huh?" Konori-Sempai blinked in shock.
Quickly shaking her head, the High Schooler said, "I'm amazed, you two. Your deductive reasoning has grown leaps and bounds these days."
"Thanks Sempai." Uiharu said with a proud grin.
"Now the more important question is do we have orders to arrest these intruders? They have to be here illegally, right?" Kuroko suggested. "That should be grounds enough, shouldn't it?"
"Ironically the higher ups have instead issued clear instructions to not engage the suspects." The well-endowed Sempai informed them. "Judgement agents are to only surveil and report their movements if we spot them. Technically because despite their suspicious appearance they've not committed any crimes."
Kuroko and Uiharu exchange another look.
"Are they that that much of a threat?" Uiharu asked, biting her lip worriedly.
"Or are the Board of Directors just worried about the possibility of a confrontation leading to the revelation of the existence of magic?"
"But then why bring in Judgement at all?"
"I can answer that," Konori-Sempai offered. "Whoever these people are, they aren't being discrete. They're literally walking around in their strange outfits in broad daylight. That being the case, the Directors need to give us an explanation or sooner or later someone is going to find them suspicious and confront them."
"Leading to a situation the Directors would prefer to avoid." Kuroko concluded. "Much better to just label them as suspicious persons to be monitored but not confronted."
"Smart of them." Uihrau said with a frown.
"They are the City's Directors. You'd need to be quite smart to get that high up." Konori-Sempai reminded them. "Plus these are the same people who keep giving Saten-san and Namikaze-san the run around, so we know they're not to be trifled with."
"But they're not perfect." Uiharu said even as she nodded in reluctant agreement. "I can already see a big loophole we can exploit."
"Oh?" Kuroko said, looking at the partner curiously.
"It's simple Shirai-san." Konori-Sempai said with a grin. "The higher ups haven't strictly given any instructions on what Judgement agents should do if they encounter these suspicious persons while off-duty."
"Ah! I see what you mean, Sempai." Kuroko said as a grin spread across her face too. "I'll remember that."
"Thanks Sempai!" Uiharu chirped, sporting a grin as well.
Now we just have to wait till our shift ends and then get started investigating. Kuroko thought as they dispersed to get started on their duties for the day. There's no way I'm letting a bunch of no good Magicians run around my City doing who knows what without checking them out!
"So there's a bunch of Magicians in the City?" Mikoto asked as the group settled into the spare lab underneath Saten's house that the Number 3 had generously provided them. "Any idea what they're doing?"
"Not yet." Saten said with a roll of her eyes even as she used her electromastery to remotely access the lab's computers and bring up all the data her intel network had amassed on the Magicians. "That's why we're investigating aren't we?"
"So? Let's go help the Chibi finish off her current mission and drag her into this. It's not that hard to pull off." Mikoto pointed out. "We work better as a team, remember?"
"What part of Naru is on a mission don't you get, Sempai?" Saten said with a glare. "She's busy."
"Or maybe she's done with whatever mission by now. If she isn't, like I said, we can help her finish it up." Mikoto insisted. "Or, if we're lucky, she might even be working the same case we are. If so, wouldn't teaming up be a good idea?"
"Tell that to the Directors." Saten said with a shrug. "They gave her this mission. Not us. Do you want to cause trouble with them for her?"
"Okay, okay. I get it." Mikoto said placatingly.
Saten sure is prickly today. Wonder what's up with that.
"Don't be so hard on her." Uiharu said in a whisper as she came over. "Saten-san is having her period today and it's bad."
Mikoto winced. She knew full well how bad those could get.
Putting her hand on her pained Kohai's shoulder, she said. "There, there. You need a kairo?"
"...I don't need pity, Sempai. And no, my powers are acting as one right now."
Tch, lucky brat. Mikoto clicked her tongue. "How about some painkillers? I can go grab some for you."
Saten shook her head. "It's fine. I hate being drugged, reminds me too much of how the Kiriharas used to pump me full of drugs when I was their pawn. I'll manage without them."
"If you're sure." Mikoto said with a worried frown. This girl… She's pushing herself too hard. I'll have to get the Chibi on this later.
"Don't worry so much Onee-sama." Kuroko said, giving her a rare chiding look. "Saten-san can handle this."
Am I the only one that didn't know Saten is feeling like crap? Mikoto thought as she held up her hands in surrender, indicating she got the message.
"So let's get started. And you." Here she looked at Saten sternly. "You go rest if you get too uncomfortable. Got it?"
"I will." The girl said with a roll of her eyes. At least she wasn't fighting Mikoto on it though, so the [Railgun] counted it as a victory. "Though if I do, I hope you girls don't get into too much trouble whilst I'm gone."
"We're not that bad." Mikoto protested.
"We kinda are." Uiharu said in defense of her best friend. "Remember Shirai-san getting beat up by [Move Point] that one time?"
Kuroko winced at the reminder. "It was just that one time!"
"And then there was Misaka-san going all suicidal during the Level 6 Shift."
It was Mikoto's turn to wince. "Okay, so maybe we do have a bad track record. But you do too Saten! Remember the Level Upper Incident?"
"Of course I do." Saten said waving the rebuttal away. "But we work best as a team. Whenever any one of us runs off alone, things seem to almost always go pear shaped."
And then why are we letting Naru run off on her own again? Mikoto wanted to retort but held back. Revisiting that argument would get her nowhere and she knew it, so she refrained. Instead, she chose to focus on the incident at hand.
"Any idea what these Magicians are here for? I highly doubt they're here sightseeing."
"From the timestamps and the tracking information," Kuroko said as she looked over the half compiled data on the lab's main screen where Uiharu was overlaying the recorded sightings on a map of the City. "The Magicians have been reconnoitring art galleries around the City."
"They're art thieves?" Mikoto asked skeptically.
"Or they are looking for a specific piece of art." Saten said with a frown.
"You know something." Uiharu said looking at her best friend expectantly.
"The City has one very special painting. I don't know all the details but it was a high profile item of interest for a long time and I dealt in a fair bit of intel on its movements."
"It's magical, isn't it?" Kuroko surmised. "That's why these Magicians want it."
Saten nodded as with a bit of her electromastery she manipulated the lab's display to bring up a new set of documents about the painting in question.
"It's called the Painted World of Ariandel. With the right ritual it supposedly uses Idol Theory to somehow transport people to another world or Layer inside the painting."
"Sounds like something a bunch of Magicians would be after." Mikoto said as she looked at the painting of a bleak snowscape dominated by a series of mostly ruined castles. "Where is it?"
"This is the place." Ruiko confirmed as she, Mikoto-Sempai and Shirai-san arrived at the Monet School of Art in School District 9 where the Painted World of Ariandel was being studied in one of the school's labs. Accompanying them were a pair of combat drones through which Uiharu was supporting them.
The things were gifts of hers to her best friend. They were powerhouse machines equipped with sturdy armor plating, powerful weapons integrated into the arms of their humanoid upper bodies and which possessed high mobility thanks to mecanum wheels mounted on their three legs. Though said weapons, a pair of particle cannons on one machine and rotary cannons on the other in this case, were addons contributed by Naru.
"Think we beat the Magicians to it?" Mikoto-Sempai asked, only for explosions to rip through the building and answer her question.
"We have the worst luck." Shirai-san said with a sigh.
"Uiharu, where are they?" Ruiko asked, deciding to rely on the drones' sensors rather than waste the effort using her own emulated sensory abilities.
"North wing." Her best friend said over her machines' speakers. "There's six of them and they're fighting someone."
"Betcha it's the Chibi." Sempai said cheekily as they all rushed towards the fight, Shirai-san teleporting ahead to act as a scout.
It didn't take them long to reach a plaza that was being torn apart by explosions and the familiar bunny of their group landed on her feet in her Jager Frame next to them. The demonic Super Sentai armor looking as menacing as always. Across from them stood the Magicians with their pale face paint, long robes and other ornaments which made them stand out against the flaming backdrop.
"What are you lot doing here?" Naru asked, before pointing at Ruiko sternly. "Especially you."
"I'm on my period. Not an invalid!" Ruiko said, crossing her arms irritably. Why was everyone picking on her just because she was feeling a little under the weather? She'd dealt with worse, she could handle being uncomfortable for a couple of days!
"We're investigating these folks." Mikoto-Sempai said, gesturing towards the Magicians and the pack of animated ink paintings that had gathered around them at some point. "Think of it as a happy coincidence."
"Yeah right, Coincidence? Pfft. Like I'd believe that."
"Maybe we could talk this over later?" Shirai-san said as she teleported next to them. "After we've beaten the tar out of these idiots?"
"Fine. But you girls had better have a very good explanation for why you brought Miss 'Dying of Pain' to a fight!" Naru shouted as she charged the enemy.
"I told you that in confidence!" Ruiko shouted, as she blushed atomic red.
I'm never confiding anything with her ever again! The Number 3 thought as she primed a number of her favourite offensive abilities. She can't keep her mouth shut!
"There, there Saten-san." Uiharu comforted. "At least there are people here for you to beat up and vent your pain and anger on."
At least Uiharu gets me.
"That's true." The [AIM Sovereign] said with a bloodthirsty grin. "Time to massacre some Magicians!"
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless as always!
Alright, this was a small but fun chapter. The start of it makes one feel all warm and fuzzy inside. All the girls just letting Saten act far more normal now without comment is great and it feels like she reached a good CD point.
Nameless: And the concern everyone shows Saten because of her period is just adorable. Even if she's finding it a little stifling. Luckily like Uiharu said, she's got some idiots to vent her frustrations on. Pity the Magicians. They'll need it.
And then Saten dealing with Aunt Flow. Yep. Even Level 5s fall before that. At least she talked with Naru… who burst that bubble quick. And let's be honest, she's still going to confide in the blonde lol.
Nameless: Of course she would. She shared and will continue to share with both her best friends. Though, Uiharu hasn't had her first yet so wasn't much help. Naru though… Even if she hasn't, it's not like she'd admit it. She's all about wanting to be seen as mature after all.
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!