Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto or Toaru Kagaku no Railgun/Toaru Majutsu no Index
The Trinity of Tokiwadai
Chapter Ninety Three: Spooky Festivities
It had only been a day since World War III ended and the major participants in the conflict from Academy City had finally returned home. And to celebrate and mark the occasion, the Trinity of Tokiwadai had sent out an invitation. At the instigation of their shortest member, they had the brilliant idea to host a Halloween costume party.
Oh course, not everyone was receptive. Especially in light of the short notice. However, somehow Naru had worked her magic and in the end almost everyone they had invited had eventually accepted the invitation. Something helped immensely by the fact that Naru had used her connections to ensure all the attendees had costumes. Between that and the blonde using her immense charisma to soothe tensions between some of those attending, Naru had practically worked a miracle.
Naru is practically a Magician when it comes to social manipulation like this. Mikoto thought, as alongside Kuroko, she walked through the vestibule of the party venue, a small ballroom in one of the City's top hotels. Walking as she did, past the rack of generic costumes that Naru had prepared for those who couldn't find one before turning up for the event.
"Senpai! Kuroko-chan! Welcome!" Naru greeted Mikoto and Kuroko as the [Railgun] stared at her blonde kohai in disbelief.
Mikoto couldn't believe her eyes as she realized that Naru had chosen to dress as, of all things, a succubus. Or more specifically, Lilith Aensland from the Darkstalkers franchise. She'd not only put on the character's iconic shoulder baring red and lavender bodysuit with bat print decorating its leggings, fake wings that hung from her back and a headset adorned with a smaller set of fake wings, but had also cut her hair into a bob cut and dyed it purple to further complete the look.
Eyeing Naru's costume up and down, Mikoto deadpanned, "Yeah, that seems on point for you, Usagi."
Her kohai was a hyper deviant after all. If she could, the blonde would no doubt be a succubus in real life. She did however frown at how tight the outfit was and thus how much of Naru's budding curves it put on display. "Still, isn't that a bit much for a thirteen year old to wear?"
"I'm just at that age. I'm sure you'll understand one day." Naru said as she dismissed the concern away with an elegant wave of her hand worthy of an ojou-sama. A move that just made Mikoto want to bonk her.
Oi oi, Sequenzia-san, try not to stare too hard or you might have to arrest yourself. Mikoto thought as she noticed the older girl leering at her kohai. Or maybe it was Meigo-san doing the lewding? It was hard to tell these days.
"And what are you going to do about your hair after this? You're not abandoning your iconic twintails are you?" Kuroko asked with a concerned frown.
"No way!" Naru said, shaking her head. "I'm gonna shave all my hair off after the party and use my regeneration to grow it back into my usual twintail style."
"Cheater!" Alice-san shouted in an outraged outburst that was uncharacteristic of her usually taciturn attitude and showed her age as she wandered past whilst dressed in a dress straight out of medieval Europe. A costume that consisted of a burgundy gown with puffy shoulders and tight sleeves that was decorated with gold embroidery and green accents.
Alice-san is not wrong though. Mikoto thought. Regeneration was a busted power and Naru abused it well.
"If you have it, flaunt it~!" Naru shot back teasingly at her fellow blonde who just huffed and looked away as she wandered away, carrying the tray of goodies from the nearby refreshment table that she came over to collect in the first place.
"Naru," Sequenzia-san scolded her girlfriend in a sweet, chiding tone that sounded uncharacteristic of her and made Mikoto think that it was likely Meigo-san who was in the driving seat at the moment. "You're the hostess tonight, act it. Don't act like a little brat."
As Naru rightfully acted like a scolded child and apologized, Mikoto smirked. Hiding it from her kohai to avoid the Chibi inevitably getting on her case for 'picking on her when she was down', she turned to take a look at Sequenzia-san/Meigo-san in the guise of satisfying her curiosity on what she had chosen for her costume for the day. Looking at her - or was it them? - Mikoto could not help but let out an impressed whistle.
It seems the horny blonde had gotten her girlfriend(s) a hybrid witch/vampire outfit that consisted of a black and red dress with a long slit in the skirt, a white cravat that was secured to the bodice by a gold and ruby brooch, and a black capelet that included a high collar. It also included a set of fake vampire teeth, a stereotypical witch's hat, and a broom with a twisted handle.
Let it never be said that Naru wasn't one to go overboard. Just look at the costume she'd help her get. Thanks to her, Mikoto herself was wearing a cute black and white frilly maid outfit with a white apron, a matching headpiece, a separate collar with a bowtie, a dress with a plunging square neckline that showed plenty of her newly improved cleavage, short sleeves and a sexy short skirt, the latter two of which showed off the muscles of her athletic frame.
As cute as it was, the costume would have normally been a little too sexy for her. However, Ruiko had helped Naru convince her to wear it after Naru had suggested it by guilting her. [Multi-Skill] having argued that after all the hell she had gone through during her time in Russia, Mikoto wearing it would "help her feel better".
I bet she just wants to tease me. Mikoto thought with a tired sigh and an amused smirk. As much as being the target of her kohai's teasing pissed her off at times, she did enjoy it. It showed they cared for her, they just didn't tease everyone, and she appreciated that immensely.
Though there are limits to things. If Naru expects me to act the part of my costume, there'll be a stern cheek pulling in her future!
"Yes, Naru-san." Kuroko said with a shake of her head. "Please do not forget that you are a student of Tokiwadai and the manners which befit a student of our school."
"'Kay, 'Kay." Naru said with a pout. "I'll be good."
Taking a deep breath, she straightened and offered Mikoto and Kuroko a welcoming smile.
"Welcome Senpai, Kuroko-san." The [Elemental Empress] said with a dramatic bow. "I hope you enjoy tonight's party. Your costumes are quite nice."
"Thank you, Naru. Your costume is great too. Sequenzia-san and Meigo-san's too." Mikoto returned honestly.
"We are glad to be here." Kuroko said, offering Naru her own bow. Something that was incredibly fitting considering her costume, that being a female butler's outfit that consisted of a brown tuxedo tailcoat with a matching tie, a cream skirt, and a white shirt and waistcoat. An outfit that she had claimed she had chosen to match with Mikoto in an act of comradery. "Like Onee-sama said, your and Sequenzia-san and Meigo-san's costumes are very impressive."
"Thank you for the praise, Senpai, Kuroko-chan." Naru said with a smile.
"Yes, thank you." Sequenzia-san added. Or at least Mikoto thought it was Sequenzia-san. With her serious tone, she was pretty sure that was the case anyway. "But we are hardly the only ones with impressive costumes tonight."
"Oh?" Mikoto asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Anyone with a particularly good set of costumes?"
"Have a look at Rui-chan, Accel, and Frenda-chan's." Naru said, gesturing towards the trio. "They went for a matched set."
Glancing in the direction that Naru was pointing, Mikoto could see what [Maniforce] meant. The trio were dressed like Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf and the Woodsman from the old fable but with a twist.
Did they pick it on purpose? I mean, Red Riding Hood was a cautionary tale. Is she trying to tell us something? I mean considering what the girl and the wolf represent…
Then again, Ruiko probably wouldn't go that far reaching for a reference. Maybe Seivelun-san picked it out for them. If so…
She wants to protect Ruiko's innocence from Accelerator!? Hah! If anyone's innocence needs protecting it's her own and Accelerator's! I love her, but Ruiko's the nymphomaniac in that throuple.
Despite her thoughts, Mikoto did appreciate her friends' choice of costumes and how good it made them look. Dressed in a red one piece lolita dress with white highlights and plenty of frills and a separate red, hooded cloak that completed the look, Ruiko looked the picture of sweet innocence. Considering what she knew of her kohai, that was pretty far from the truth and that contrast just made the costume more appealing
It was certainly effective on her significant others if the way that Accelerator and Seivelun-san were practically drooling as they looked at her was any indication. She certainly looked cute and almost fey-like, this despite the haughty look of triumph the information broker was wearing.
Since she's getting those kinds of looks from her significant others, that look is definitely well deserved.
"That drooling look Accelerator-sama is sporting really does fit his costume." Kuroko joked with a snort of amusement.
Mikoto nodded in agreement. It makes him look very much like a hungry wolf.
Said hungry wolf was a Number 1 adorned in an ensemble that included a gray-blue shirt, wide necktie, a hat that featured attached wolf ears, pants that were printed to look like timber wolf fur, and a matching jacket that had faux fur along the neck and lapel. A costume that was completed by a pair of gloves and matching shoe covers that gave the hands and feet the appearance of a wolf's clawed paws. Oh! And there was a fake tail poking out from his back. Mikoto most certainly could not forget about that.
"Oh, looking most dapper Sir Big Bad Wolf~!" Angelica-san from the Giarraputo Social Welfare Agency wolf whistled at him as the throuple walked past her as they headed towards where Mikoto and the others were standing, much to his annoyance.
He was stopped from doing anything untoward however as Ruiko grabbed his arm to restrain him and she leaned in to whisper something to him that had him blushing and nodding.
Betcha she promised to do something NSFW (Not safe for work) for him if he was on his best behavior tonight.
Ruiko was just that much of a nymphomaniac.
"Hello, Ruiko-san, Accelerator-san, Seivelun-san. Ruiko-san, do I want to know what you promised Accelerator-san?" Kuroko asked her yearmate as she and her significant others walked towards them.
Accelerator-san blushed crimson at the question whilst Ruiko just smiled coyly. "It's a secret~!"
Seivelun-san broke into a laugh at that whilst, impossibly, the Number 1 blushed even harder.
Deciding to ignore that line of conversation entirely, Mikoto shifted things down a different track. "Hi, Ruiko, Accelerator-san, Seivelun-san. Nice costumes. Ruiko, did you pick them out?"
"Good evening, Mikoto-senpai, Kuroko-san. As for your question, actually, Naru-chan picked them out." Ruiko pointed out with a small smirk. "She ran the theme by me and I okayed it. Beyond that, I left the specifics to her since she's amazing with costumes."
Wait? What did that mean? If Naru was the one who picked out the costumes for them then was she the one sending the message? Or was it still Ruiko since she selected the theme?
Mikoto just put her hand to her forehead, she decided that her brain was done trying to psychoanalyze her kohai for now. She needed her energy for whatever fun Naru had designed for them during the rest of the party.
"Though I am certainly not complaining." The Number 3 continued as she looked Accelerator up and down with a look. "I like the dapper look."
And of course the tsundere that was Accelerator blushed.
"And the wildman look too." Ruiko continued as she leered at Seivelun-san.
The aforementioned Norwegian was dressed in a costume that consisted of a flannel shirt that she had left mostly unbuttoned and thus revealed how surprisingly busty she really was - Did she use Bust Upper? -, a denim and plaid suspender dress that she wore over the shirt and only just barely preserved her modesty, a knit toque hat that replaced her usually ubiquitous beret, knee high leg warmers, and a very real ax.
Why does she have a real ax? I swear, Dark Siders are weirdos.
Kazari-san looked flabbergasted as she came in from behind them. "Seivelun-san, that's, uh, wow… you are really um, d-developed."
"Fufu!" The foreigner puffed out her chest, smirking all the while. "I might not love secrets as much as Ruiko-sama, but I've got some of my own~! After all, every girl needs a few of them~"
All the girls around them, even Mikoto herself, couldn't help but giggle in agreement.
In response, Accelerator looked like a lost lamb in the middle of a pack of wolves. The irony of which was not lost on Mikoto. He was looking left and right in search of a way to get away of the ensuing possible gossip gab and finding none, hastily spoke up to head it off instead. "Hey, Frenda, why the hell did you bring a real ax?"
Huh, that was actually a sensible question.
The blonde girl simply shrugged. "The costume didn't come with one, so I raided one of those emergency firefighting cabinets. You know, the ones that are all over the place?"
"You mean the ones for fire emergencies?" Naru asked with a look on her face as if she was trying not to laugh up a storm.
Seivelun-san snapped her fingers at her fellow blonde whilst sporting a goofy grin. "Exactly! It just completes the look, ya know?"
Ruiko applauded, radiating her own amusement. "Now that's what I call dedication!"
Everyone else, save for the other giggling blonde, just let out exasperated sighs.
The Number 1 stepped up however and stuffed his hands in his pockets, and once more tried to change the topic. "Yeah, well, for Ruiko's sake, you alright now? I didn't get a chance to check during you know, World War Three. You finally all mended up?"
"Oh yeah," The crazy ax-toting girl assured with a nod. "Heaven Canceler is one heck of a medical care package. Whatever I had was gone as quickly as one, two, three."
"That's good. I heard a lot of people were injured in the war and are still recovering." Kuroko said with a nod. "I'm glad you are alright, Seivelun-san."
She got a victory sign and a grin in reply.
"Yeah, I'm glad you're alright too." Ruiko smirked with a sly look. "So, how would you like to help me engineer some revenge against [Measure Heart]? After all, she hurt you and I just can't let Naru-chan dole out my wrath for me."
"Who?" Naru asked, blinked in faux confusion. Mikoto did not believe for one minute that Naru forgot the girl from SCHOOL that had injured Seivelun-san. The blonde was a professional Dark Sider after all and they didn't abide by 'forgive and forget'.
"The girl that injured me?" Seivelun-san reminded the Number 2.
"...That unimportant mouse?"
Seivelun-san cackled, slapping her knee, "Man, Naru-sama, you are priceless!"
"We just got back." Accelerator deadpanned.
Ruiko, with sheer ojou-sama power, lifted an eyebrow and asked. "So what?"
The Number 1 could only hopelessly sigh as Seivelun-san giggled at his misery.
Mikoto took her own slice of pleasure from the look, she wished she had a camera.
"Ruiko-sama, Ruiko-sama, Ruiko-sama." Seivelun-san wagged her finger with a Chesire grin. "As much as I'd like to add on to your revenge plans. You won't have to worry about [Measure Heart]. The punishment I gave her is already more than enough. Just knowing that she's going to be suffering from chronic diarrhea for the next few months as her idiot reward, even with a slight delay, is more than enough."
Yeah, no, Seivelun-san was going to fit right into that duo of crazies. Or was it a trio now? Why did all her kohai need to be in throuples?!
"Are you sure, Frenda-chan?"
"Definitely." Seivelun-san said with a nod and a cheerful smile.
"Then that's good enough for me." Ruiko conceded.
"And why the hell are you being so forgiving?" Accelerator looked annoyed as he looked at his girlfriend.
"Accel, relax. Gokusai Kaibi is a perpetually overdressed attention whore," She spat with venom. "She enjoys attempting to look sophisticated. For someone like her? The need to constantly run to the toilet will not only greatly hinder, but outright ruin, her attempts at acting above her station."
"Yep yep~!" Seivelun-san cheerfully agreed. "That's even more cruel than beating her up and breaking every bone in her feet while tossing her out naked into District Seven at lunch hour."
That was oddly descriptive.
"And even if she went to Heaven Canceler, with her symptoms as tame as they are? He'd just give her antidiarrheals." Ruiko added, causing Mikoto to pinch the bridge of her nose. Why was she thoroughly unsurprised that Ruiko had figured out the details of Seivelun-san's revenge already despite only hearing about it even existing seconds ago? "But that won't help if she's getting poisoned."
"Yeah, but wouldn't the doctor just figure out she was being poisoned?" Accelerator argued.
"Oh, he will! But~ He will also figure out it's a prank and not interfere. He's neutral after all." Ruiko cheerfully informed them with a vicious smile. She was even rubbing her hands together like some cliche anime villain! "Besides, I'll arrange for the poisons to be rotated. He can't give [Measure Heart] antidotes to all of them after all."
"Awww~! Ruiko-sama, you're the best!" Seivelun-san gushed.
"Meh, I would have rather just broken all her limbs and be done with it." The wolf costumed boy shrugged.
Some of the girls exchanged looks with one another and shook their heads. Ruiko and Seivelun-san just looked disappointed. ""You have no taste.""
At the synchronized statement, the white haired boy looked like he was slapped. Though that look soon faded and was replaced by a pout. Something that had all the girls laughing.
Even as they all chuckled at the Number 1's expense, Ruiko turned to her best friend.
"Sorry for forgetting to greet you, Kazari." The Number 3 said as she offered her a curtsy. "Welcome, Kazari."
This triggered a round of greetings between Kazari-san and everyone else. During the process, Mikoto took a moment to look over the [Goalkeeper]'s costume. She was rather smartly dressed up like Tsunemori Akane, one of the main protagonists from the Psycho-Pass franchise. Specifically, she had shown up in a dark gray blazer, white blouse, thigh-length skirt, brown loafers, and a mockup of the iconic firearm from the franchise, the bulky Dominator.
"Oh, nice choice of costume, Kazari-chan! You're an anime fan too, huh? I knew it!" Naru complimented the girl with a blinding smile.
"Eh? Just because I like Akane-san, doesn't mean I'm an Otaku." The usually flower crown wearing girl defended herself with a pout.
"Oh, I never said you were." Naru backtracked quickly as she tried to soothe the insult she had inadvertently given to Kazari-san.
Leaving Naru to handle that - She had Sequenzia-san/Meigo-san as back up so Mikoto wasn't worried-, the [Railgun] turned to Ruiko instead.
"Ruiko, did you bring your girls?" Mikoto asked curiously. "It's a school day, right?"
"It is." Ruiko said with a nod. "But Order-chan is homeschooled and the twins are preschoolers, they can afford a late night. If anyone has to worry about it, it's us. Tokiwadai takes absences seriously. That's why Naru-chan arranged for all the attendees to get a note excusing them from school tomorrow from Oyafune-sama."
"Yeah, I got it too. I'm a Tokiwadai student too, remember?" Mikoto replied with a roll of her eyes. "How did she manage that anyway?"
"She asked. Oyafune-sama wanted to reward us for all the work we did for the City during World War Three and a single day off school is a beginning for that."
"I guess." Mikoto nodded. "So where are your girls?"
Ruiko just pointed across the ballroom where her three daughters were being pampered by who Mikoto recognized as the Number 3's extensive family. It seems the [AIM Sovereign] had dressed her girls up to look like the three good fairies from Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty. Last Order-chan, the clear leader of the munchkins, was dressed in a red gown, hat and cape clipped with a yellow square. Continuing the set, her younger sister and the older of Ruiko's twins, Janie-chan was dressed in a similar green gown, a green hat, and a green cape clipped with a green triangle. Completing the set, Febrie, Ruiko's youngest, wore a blue gown, a blue hat, and a blue cape clipped with a blue circle.
Chaperoning the trio was their grandmother, Kiyami-sensei. And seemingly as a part of a broader fairy tale theme, Ruiko's mother was dressed as Mother Goose. Her costume consisting of a vintage dress with a straw hat and a plush goose that was decorated with a scarf.
And as part of the same theme, Ruiko's throng of siblings were dressed up as Disney princesses and princes.
Damn! How did Naru get all these costumes!? Just what kind of connections did she have to get them? Mikoto thought with a shake of her head. Trust the little fashion diva to manage something like this.
Shaking her head in bemusement at that thought, Mikoto turned her attention back to Ruiko to resume their conversation. That was better than pondering the nebulous connections of the Number 2. That way led to madness.
"So Ruiko-"
Dressed up like Belle from Beauty and the Beast in the Disney character's most iconic outfit, Edasaki Banri found herself attending a costume party organized by the Number 2, Namikaze Naru-sama. Sometimes having the Number 3 as her sister had its perks. And getting dressed up in a golden ball gown with a simply designed bodice, wrapped off-the-shoulder sleeves, a wide-hemmed floor-length skirt made of eight triangular panels and small round yellow ornaments, long yellow opera gloves, round yellow earrings, a multiple-layered white petticoat with scalloped edging on the hemline, and yellow high-heeled shoes; whilst attending a fancy party was definitely a great perk.
"You're staring at your dress again." Shinoda Ai-nee teased Banri as she caught her marveling at her costume for the umpteenth time for the night.
"Can you blame me?" Banri replied as she offered her elder sister a smile.
A sister who was dressed in a green sparkling strapless sleeveless ball gown with a light yellow color petticoat, light green opera gloves, green shoes to match the gown, a light blue diamond necklace with matching earrings, and a lily pad tiara to top it all off. With her hair pinned up in an updo bun, she was making a fair attempt to look like Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.
Ai-nee rolled her eyes before shrugging. "I suppose not. But be careful or you'll end up like Ruiko and her obsession with being an ojou-sama."
"Well, we are ojou-sama now, what with Eden Corp. Plus Imouto-chan can be forgiven for her obsession with dressing up. I mean she is a Tokiwadai student and with their rule on having to wear their school uniform all the time, she rarely gets the chance to properly dress up so she has to appreciate every chance she can get."
"Okay, I'll give you that." Ai-nee nodded. "But what about her over the top ojou-sama mannerisms?"
"Uh… No comment?" Banri said with a helpless shrug. There really was no defending Ruiko on that front. It was kind of chunni in a way.
"You always say that when we bring up Ruiko-nee's weirdness." Park Hye-kyo-chan, Banri's youngest sister, said as she walked over and joined the conversation.
Banri shrugged. "After everything Imouto-chan has been through, she deserves us cutting her some slack."
"I suppose so." Ai-nee said noncommittally.
"Hey! You two are really unfair." Park-chan said with a pout as she crossed her arms. "You always give Ruiko-nee slack, but why can't you give me some too!?"
"You're just saying that because we agreed with Sensei that you shouldn't be allowed to dress up as Jasmine from Aladdin." Ai-nee told her, shooting her a glare.
"You bet I am." Park-chan, who was currently dressed as Snow White from the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, shot back angrily.
"Considering how provocative Jasmine's costume is, it was most inappropriate for all of us, much less you, Park-chan." Banri scolded her sister.
Considering all the skin that the Jasmine costume showed, the iconic Snow White costume that Park-chan was currently wearing was much more appropriate. It consisted of a navy blue bodice with gold piping down the center and along the waistline; a high white collar; a pale yellow skirt with a white, lace-edged petticoat that stopped at her ankles; short, puffed sleeves in a lighter blue color than her bodice with a red cloth poking through that gave it a "slashing" design, which was very fashionable during the Renaissance era and with gold cuffs that matched the piping on her bodice; and a red headband with a bow in the center.
And in Banri's opinion, it suited Park-chan better anyway. Her little sister was adorable and the Snow White costume emphasized that amazingly!
"Yeah, gotta agree with Ai-nee and Banri." Damdin Khulan said as she wandered over.
"You're one to talk, Khulan-nee! You got to pick an outfit that you wanted!"
With her costume consisting of a sheer turquoise gown with gold trimming and a square neckline, Khulan had dressed up as Merida from Brave. A choice that she had made because in her opinion, Merida was the most tomboyish of the Disney Princesses and thus she thought that dressing up as her would fit her personality best.
"You think I like this getup?" Khulan asked Park-chan with a snort. "I'm an unabashed yankee (juvenile delinquent), you think I want to wear a fancy dress like this?"
"You really shouldn't be proud of being a yankee, Khulan." Fujii Maki, the last of Banri's sisters outside of Imouto-chan, said as she too came over and joined the conversation.
A sister who was dressed up as Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon. A costume that consisted of a yellow shirt, a brown vest, a brown belt, olive green jeans with light green stripes, dark brown boots with maroon cuffs, a red cape with a thin turquoise stripe, a yellow necklace around her neck, and a salakot on her head. An outfit completed by a blue band above her elbow and a thick brown wristband on her right arm.
"Meh! I am who I am." Khulan said dismissively. "Besides, it's not like Sensei gets on my case about it. Not when I know to not cross the line and really get in trouble."
"That doesn't mean she approves either, Khulan-chan." Ai-nee reminded her.
"Yeah," Park-chan added. "Did you forget the scolding she gave you the last time you got in trouble?"
Khulan shrugged. "It was worth it. I got a date out of that."
"We remember." Banri nodded before adding snidely. "But that didn't exactly lead to anything, did it?"
So she was a little bitter that some of her siblings were getting some romantic action whereas she remained stubbornly single. Sure, it wasn't like she was out there looking for a boyfriend or anything but that didn't soothe her bitterness at all.
"Banri-nee, that's a little unfair, no?" Banri's younger brother, Izumi Kenta, chided as he too joined the sibling confab.
Kenta-kun was masquerading as Li Shang from Mulan, which was fitting considering his obsession with kung fu. Wearing black-and-gray Chinese warrior armor that resembled Genji armor with gold trim, an off-white long sleeve inner tunic, khaki pants, and black-and-white Chinese warrior boots, and a red cape that was tied around his neck, he looked every bit a medieval Chinese warrior.
"Yes, Banri. Apologize to Khulan." Wu Shengxi-nee, Banri's oldest brother, said as he arrived.
Dressed up as John Smith from Pocahontas in a conquistador uniform consisting of blue conquistador armor, a light blue long-sleeved button shirt with the sleeves folded into cuffs, blue pants, and dark blue boots with folded sleeves, he looked quite imposing. Enough at least for Banri to gulp at his brotherly disapproval.
"Hey! No need for that! I mean it was not like the date was serious! He was just making up for insulting me! I'm totally fine that it led nowhere and am not pissed off by what Banri said."
"Still Banri-chan should not have said it." Ai-nee insisted despite Khulan's attempts to de-escalate things.
Khulan looked ready to continue arguing but Banri preempted things. She refused to let things devolve into an argument as it likely would if she did not.
"Sorry, Khulan."
"Now that that's settled, I have a question." Namikaze-sama said as she suddenly teleported into the midst of Banri and her siblings.
Everyone was startled at that, but quickly settled themselves. It wasn't the first time a Level 5 suddenly teleported in on them. Imouto-chan did it all the time. Banri did however do her best not to stare at the risque costume. Geez ojou-samas were bold!
"Uh, Namikaze-sama, what did you want to ask?" Shengxi-nii asked on behalf of them as befit his role as their eldest brother.
"Well, I was wondering why Izumi-san is dressed up as Li Shang when Wu-san is Chinese? Isn't he a Chinese prince?"
"He is." Shengxi-nii agreed. "But Kenta insisted. Something about how since he's the one who is the kung fu practitioner, he deserved to be the only Prince who knew kung fu."
"I see, I see." Namikaze-sama said, nodding her head in amusement at the whole thing.
"You came over here just to ask that?" Harada Akihiko, one of Banri's brothers who shared her age, said as drawn by the Number 2's presence, he wandered over too.
Like all her brothers, he was dressed up as a Disney prince. In Akihiko's case, he was dressed up as Prince Henry from Cinderella and was wearing an outfit consisting of a cream jacket, red pants with a gold stripe, a golden belt, black boots, and opera gloves.
"Why not?" Namikaze-sama replied whilst tilting her head cutely. Wah! What a deadly technique! No wonder she was one of the most popular Level 5s. "I mean, we're at a party. So long as we don't cross any lines, do whatever you want."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Namikaze-sama." Hoga Ryo, one of Banri's younger brothers, said as he arrived with the last of Banri's brother, Sato Takeshi. The latter of whom was also accompanied by his girlfriend, Utagawa Shizuka-san, who he had brought to the party as his companion.
Like with the rest of her family, all three of them, even Utagawa-san, had dressed up as Disney princes and princesses. Ryo-kun had chosen to dress as Prince Philip from Sleeping Beauty which amounted to him wearing a sleeveless grayish-tan tunic over a black turtleneck shirt, dark brown pants, black boots, a red cape, and a hat decorated with a purple feather.
In Takeshi's case, he had chosen to dress up as Eugene Fitzherbert from Tangled and donned a dark turquoise vest with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath, coupled with dark cream pants and brown bucket-top boots.
Lastly, to match her boyfriend, Utagawa-san, had dressed as Rapunzel from Tangled. Her outfit consisting of a dress with a lavender corset top laced with a pink ribbon; a purple skirt that was decorated with swirling and floral designs in pink, dark purple, and white as well as a white petticoat underneath, and had a hemline above her ankles but well below her calves; and had sleeves which were puffed, and striped with pink and lavender at the top but had the rest of its long length in a pale baby pink and decorated with white lace at the hems.
At Utagawa-san's presence, Ai-nee immediately began to make a scene.
"Argh!" Banri's oldest sister grunted in anger. "Why? Why is it that I couldn't get Hisao-kun to accept my invitation to this party?"
"Uh, I wouldn't know?" Utagawa-san said warily.
"Sorry, Utagawa-san. I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that. I was just frustrated." Ai-nee said, offering Takeshi's girlfriend an apologetic smile.
"Hey, Rui-chan, why did Ai-nee fail to get that boy to come with her anyway? I mean she's pretty. All your siblings are." Namikaze-sama said from next to Banri, her words causing her, and those of her siblings that heard her too, to blush. "Is he gay?"
Everyone turned to look behind Banri, prompting her to do the same. As she did, she was unsurprised to see that yes, Imouto-chan had indeed teleported behind her at some point. She thus joined all of them, none more so than Ai-nee, as they all looked at Imouto-chan questioningly.
In reply, Imouto-chan sighed and nodded. "Yes, he is."
"What!?" "Really!?" "Whoa!"
This and a multitude of other flabbergasted replies met Imouto-chan's response. Banri ignored them though and instead turned her full attention to Ai-nee.
For a moment, her elder sister reacted to the news that Imouto-chan had dropped on them by being stunned into silence. However, that soon faded as her face crumpled into sadness and she burst into tears.
At her first sob, Banri jumped to Ai-nee's side and immediately wrapped her arms around her. She wasn't the only one either as all of her sisters did the same. Only Imouto-chan stayed back, which considering she was the deliverer of bad news was probably for the best. Her Level 5 little sister looked torn at having to do that though but Banri took a moment to shoot her a reassuring nod and gestured her to stay back before turning back to comforting Ai-nee.
"There, there, Ai-nee. It isn't the end of the world. There are other guys for you out there." Banri offered as she began comforting her sister.
"Rui-chan, how did you even know the guy that Shinoda-san was crushing on was gay?" Naru asked as she led her bestie away from where the Number 3's siblings were collectively comforting Shinoda-san. As Edasaki-san had indicated, as the bearer of bad news that had triggered her eldest sister, it was best for Rui-chan if she did not join in.
Forcibly turning away from her distraught sister, Rui-chan instead turned to Naru. "I identified him and researched him as soon as I heard that Ai-nee had a crush. And I found that his browser history was full of gay porn and that he frequents gay forums online, including some role-play sites."
"Okay, that flags him as gay alright." Naru agreed. "But you do realize how much of a gross invasion of privacy your research into him involved, right?"
Rui-chan shrugged unrepentantly. "I've done worse for my family and friends and will do so again in the future in a heartbeat."
Naru sighed even as in her mind, Kurama laughed in amusement. "That's… so you!"
Rui-chan just smirked at her.
Rolling her eyes at her, Naru changed the topic. "So, do you have any particular person you wanna go chat with? Want to check in on your girls?"
"Not particularly and no need. Kaasan is looking after the girls and I sent Accel and Frenda-chan to help her before heading over to meet with my siblings." Rui-chan replied with a shake of her head. "Let's just see who we run into as we make our way round the ballroom, shall we?"
"Sure." Naru agreed easily enough.
They walked side by side, chatting amicably about random school matters until they spotted Konori-senpai. The senior Judgment agent was dressed as Aoi Kunieda from the Beelzebub franchise. Since the character was a female delinquent, this translated into her costume consisting of an open white trench coat, cargo pants, bandages covering her chest - which were barely contained - that revealed her stomach, white boots, and a black string around her neck with a golden ring hanging in the middle.
Clearly Konori-senpai's choice of costume was made to match with Kurozuma-san and the rest of Big Spider's costume theme. The former Skill-Out group having chosen to dress up like stereotypical bosozoku in jumpsuit-like tokkō-fukus, which resembled WWII kamikaze pilot uniforms or those of manual laborers, all of which were covered in embroidery and included army slogans in kanji, patriotic rising sun patches, ancient Chinese characters, or even manji.
"Yo, Konori-senpai, Kurozuma-san, Big Spider guys, having fun?" Naru asked the group who were all clustered around a table that they had covered in plates full of food and drinks which they had collected from the refreshment table, enough of it to create one of them all their own.
"Good evening, everyone." Rui-chan said, offering everyone a curtsy. "How are you enjoying the party so far?"
"Always so polite nowadays, Saten-san." Konori-senpai said with a shake of her head.
"Well, she is a bona fide ojou-sama now." Kurozuma-san added with a chuckle.
Murmurs of agreement at Kurozuma-san's statement were made by the rest of Big Spider and Naru just nodded in agreement. As a proper ojou-sama, it was entirely right for Rui-chan to behave the way she did.
"Thank you for all the support." Rui-chan said with a roll of her eyes. "Let us move on shall we? How is everyone enjoying the party?"
As Rui-chan began getting replies, Naru slipped away. Yes, she was the hostess but she trusted her bestie to serve as her proxy and help her canvas opinions on how things were going. In the meantime, she had just spotted her girlfriends and catching back up with them was a greater priority for her than being a good hostess. Something that Rui-chan acknowledged if the nod that she offered her as she slinked away was any indication.
That Saten girl really is a good friend. Kurama offered.
Definitely! Rui-chan really is the best bestie ever!
"Naru, welcome back." Shutaura offered her girlfriend as the blonde returned to her side whilst she was mingling with her Black Crows, all of whom were dressed for the party as characters from the Metal Gear franchise. All the Snakes and Bosses were being represented, as were Meryl Silverburgh, Raiden, Dr. Hal "Otacon" Emmerich, and many other recognizable figures besides. Her men having proven themselves to be quite dedicated to looking the part for the party.
"Yes, Naru-chan, glad to have you back." Arisa, her other half, said as she took control of their shared mouth and took her turn welcoming their girlfriend back.
"Glad to be back." Naru offered as she waved at them in welcome and teleported next to them and leaned up expectantly, eyes fluttering shut and puffing out her tantalizingly pink lips.
Knowing what she wanted and more than happy to oblige, Shutaura and Arisa acted in unison and leaned down to meet Naru halfway and pulled her into a passionate kiss. A kiss that felt like it lasted for a euphoric eternity but could not have lasted more than a minute or two before they pulled apart.
"Captain, Namikaze-sama, drinks?" Crow Two, who was dressed in the bodysuit and bandana of Solid Snake, one of the major protagonists of the Metal Gear series, said as he came over and offered them a pair of glasses full of fruit punch.
"Sure." Naru said as she took a cup. "Thanks, Crow Two."
"Much appreciated, Crow Two." Arisa replied for them as Shutaura nodded politely at their subordinate and took the other cup.
"Glad to have been of assistance." Crow Two said as he offered them a smile and stepped back to give them some privacy.
Not that they really needed it. Even Arisa, who was the most ahem!frisky one among the three of them, knew better than to do anything too untoward in public and a Halloween party like this was most definitely a public place. Thus neither she nor Arisa were surprised with the safe nature of Naru's choice of topic to start their conversation.
"So Shu-chan, Arisa-chan, I've been so busy preparing for the party that I have totally forgotten to check in with you about what happened to you during the final fight of World War Three. So what happened? How did you and your Crows deal with Gabriel's meteor showers and God's Purge spell?"
"Well, unlike most of the other forces there, when we heard you calling for us to retreat, we, and the rest of the City forces, heeded your suggestion. Of course, we didn't have time to fully pull out and avoid taking hits but we were on the lookout for whatever had you so spooked so most of us got into cover the moment we saw the first meteors incoming. As a result, City losses were light."
"That was especially true for our Black Crows." Arisa added. "None of them got hurt all that badly. A few have to spend a day or two with Heaven Canceler but nothing major."
Naru breathed a sigh of relief at that and her concern for their men warmed Shutaura and Arisa's shared heart.
"What about the other allied forces?"
"They, unfortunately, did not come out as well."
"Why?" Naru asked with a frown at Shutaura's reply. "Didn't Princess Carissa and the Maiden of Versailles order an evacuation like I asked them to?"
"They did." Shutaura assured her before Arisa took control of their mouth and completed their reply. "Sadly, not everyone listened."
"Idiots." Naru grumbled before shaking her head in annoyance. "Okay, enough about fools too stupid to take care of themselves. Whatever happened to the Necromancer that escorted me to the frontlines, Captain Davy. Did he make it out okay?"
"I knew you would ask after him." Shutaura said with a giggle. "You make friends far too easily."
Naru shrugged. "Yeah, I do. It's one of my charm points."
"I agree. It is." Arisa chirped.
Shutaura chuckled. "So do I. As for your Necromancer friend, there is no need to worry, Naru. He is fine."
"His ship got pretty banged up." Arisa elaborated. "Based on intel's estimates, he'll be spending quite a while fixing it but he's otherwise fine."
"You guys talking about World War Three?" The Trinity's newest runner, Seivelun-san, asked as she overheard their conversation whilst seemingly walking past them after returning from what looked like a visit to the ladies' room.
"Yeah, we are." Naru confirmed with a nod. "Shu-chan and Arisa-chan just finished telling me about what they had to go through whilst I was helping to fight Gabriel."
"Oh? Did they tell you about how Fiamma's supposedly world remaking magic manifested as giant golden arms around the world? Arms that just started smacking anything and everything around them?"
Naru blinked in shock at that even as Shutaura and Arisa nodded their head.
"You're joking right? 'Cos I know magic is bullshit but Fiamma's spell doing that is just lame. What? Were they like projections of his Holy Right or something?"
"Nah, not according to what I could tell. One popped up outside the Elizalina base I was defending and it was just a giant arm. Outside of being like a couple stories tall, seemingly invulnerable, made of golden energy, and had the power to disintegrate everything it touched, it was pretty much a normal arm."
"Seivelun-san, no offense, but that's nothing like a normal arm." Arisa pointed out in a deadpan.
"No, it isn't." Naru agreed. "And it's nothing like Fiamma's Holy Right either so how the hell did his spell create them?"
"You need to take the mechanics of the spell into account to make sense of it. They are emulations of the Holy Right, just incredibly dumbed down versions. They are stripped down versions with just the capabilities needed to carry out the task they were conjured for, the destruction of the world." Accelerator-sama, of all people, said as he walked over, causing everyone to look at him in shock.
"What!?" He barked. "I learned quite a bit about how magic worked during World War Three. You got a problem with that?"
Everyone shook their heads at that but before anyone could say anything, Ruiko-sama teleported next to him and wrapped her arms around one of his own. "Of course not. In fact, I couldn't be more proud of you for having done so."
The Number 1 preened at the praise. A sight that had Shutaura having to use all her self-control to stop herself from doing a double take. Whilst this was hardly the first time seeing how utterly whipped the dread Accelerator-sama was by his girlfriend, the sight never stopped being a shock.
Yeah, it's scary. Arisa agreed in the privacy of their mind. Accelerator-sama being whipped is bad enough, but when it's Saten-sama doing the whipping… Grr… Just thinking about what the Number 1 and 3 can get up to if they put their minds to it terrifies me.
Indeed. Shutaura echoed as she suppressed the shudder that Arisa almost sent down their spine. There was no need to let Naru know how uncomfortable her best friend and her boyfriend made her and Arisa feel at times.
"Well, you've gotta teach me some of that, Accelerator-sama. If I'm gonna help out the Trinity, it's a good idea to know what to expect from Magicians. According to their records, they face them a lot." Seivelun-san said, seemingly sharing none of Shutaura and Arisa's unease.
"Sure. Suggest a time and I'll make it work." Accelerator-sama offered even as Saten-sama turned her and her boyfriend around whilst gesturing at the Norwegian to follow them.
"By the way, why are both of you here anyway? I wasn't gone long enough that both of you needed to come fetch me."
"You were gone long enough that the brats were wondering where you went and sent me looking for you." Accelerator-sama said with a shrug.
"And what about you Ruiko-sama?"
"I met up with the girls, where you should have been, and found you both missing. Of course I came looking for you."
Seivelun-san rolled her eyes at them even as she followed after the two Level 5s and Shutaura and Arisa could empathize. Seriously! Seivelun-san was a veteran Dark Sider. She could take care of herself. The overprotectiveness on display in Accelerator-sama and Saten-sama's gesture was beyond coddling. They knew if Naru treated her like that, they'd be having some rather heated words. Though since she didn't make a fuss out of it, Seivelun-san did not seem to mind it quite as much.
"Well, she is a lot squishier than you are, Shu-chan, Arisa-chan." Naru piped up. "And she did get pretty hurt recently. I'm sure it's just lingering worries over that and they'll get over it soon."
Shutaura shot Naru a questioning look even as Arisa voiced their question. "Naru-chan, did you just read our mind?"
"No, just inferred what you were thinking from your expression. You're a bit of an open book."
"We are, are we?" Shutaura asked, just a tad affronted. She knew she had an excellent poker face. It was something she took pride in!
"Well, to me at least."
"Nice save." Arisa said as Shutaura relaxed.
"Nice enough to get a reward?" Naru asked cheekily.
Rolling her eyes, Shutaura gave Arisa a mental nod as her other half obliged their needy girlfriend and pulled her into a kiss.
After arriving and exchanging greetings with the Trinity, Kuroko-san, Sequenzia-san, and Meigo-san, Kazari had wandered off to see what the other guests to the party had been dressed as. It was a Halloween dress up party after all and she was mighty curious about what all her friends and acquaintances had chosen as their costumes.
And so far, she had not been disappointed in the slightest. The Kiyama brood, including their future members in Accelerator-san, Frenda-san, and even Utagawa-san, had all put in a great effort to look like various fairy tale characters with many of them from various Disney movies. Then there was Naru-san, Sequenzia-san, and Meigo-san continuing the mystical theme with their succubus and witch/vampire costumes. And last, as far as Kazari had taken note of so far, there was Kuroko-san and Mikoto-san in their matching butler and maid outfits.
Everyone really put plenty of effort into their costumes! Kazari thought approvingly as she scanned the crowd of partygoers for anyone else with stand out costumes for her to admire.
An effort that had her eyes soon drawn to Kuriba-san, who was, expectedly, dressed as a mad scientist. However, as predictable as her choice of costume was, it was nevertheless stunning. She was garbed in an old fashioned lab coat, which when combined with a pair of bolts secured around her neck with a transparent choker and her own stitched together skin, came together to give her a look that was an awesome hybrid of both Dr. Frankenstein and his monster.
Wow! Kuriba-san really knows how to play to her strengths.
She certainly looked better in her costume than Kiyama-sensei who she was talking to, presumably over some scientific experiment or other if the snippets of their conversation Kazari heard as she walked past them was any indication.
It's not that Kiyama-sama looks bad in her Mother Goose costume but she just didn't put in as much effort to make it work as Kuriba-san. Kazari thought as she moved on from the two scientists and spotted a group of girls dressed in pinstripe three piece suits, long overcoats, and fedoras that made them look like they were straight out of a Godfather or similar mobster movie.
That's a little on the nose, isn't it? Kazari couldn't help but think with a snort of amusement as she identified the quintet as the five girls from the Giarraputo Social Welfare Agency that Mikoto-san, and by extension herself, had worked most extensively with whilst defending the City during World War Three. I know the name of their outfit is named after an Italian and they're gunslingers but this is a bit much.
Though as on the nose as the Agency girls' outfits were, they at least weren't as over the top as those being worn by the Black Knights they were hanging out with. Said group was led, as was to be expected, by Zero, who thankfully had dressed normally for the occasion. Or as normal as his usual costume was. Though since it was reasonably close to medieval European attire, he did not look out of place with his group's theme. Not counting the helmet at least. And what theme had the Black Knights gone for, you might ask?
Well, it seemed that in recognition that Zero, Shirley, and Alice were European nobility - Kazari had read their Bank profiles - and that their unit's name was based off an medieval myth, both the younger and older Fenette, Nishikigi-san and Inoue-san, which alongside their leader made up the entirety of the Black Knight contingent in attendance, had all chosen to dress as medieval European aristocrats.
The older Fennette was standing behind Zero as he sat across from Claes-san of the Agency as they played a game of chess in silence, all whilst looking gorgeous in a black gown with a long skirt that was decorated with velvet elements, small white ribbon knots, and detachable golden inner sleeves that peeked out of its long, open outer cape sleeves.
And standing next to the orangette was Nishikigi-san. The Precognitive, in keeping with her outfit's theme, was wearing a bright red gown with a Sabrina neckline, long trailing sleeves, and a short train. A costume that made her waving around a pair of poms poms as she enthusiastically cheered her leader on appear quite jarring.
Standing a short distance to the side, to avoid getting hit by Nishikigi-san as she waved those pom poms, Inoue-san looked at her lover's antics with visible fond exasperation. A look that did nothing to detract from how stunning the markswoman looked in the dress she was wearing. It was a deep blue frock with a deep round neckline that dipped just a little below the shoulder. It had a straight cut, a narrow petal stitch from the waist, and a small flower pattern attached to both shoulders.
"Is Nishikigi-san always like that?" Kazari asked as she walked up to stand by Alice-san, who was dressed in a green and burgundy gown, as she stood next to Inoue-san and watched Zero-san and Claes-san's chess match with everyone else.
""Yes,"" the aforementioned blonde's two teammates said in unison.
"I don't know how you can stand it." Kuroko said as she teleported beside Kazari and without prompting handed her a glass of fruit punch. "I'm sure it would drive me insane in a matter of days."
"Thank you, Kuroko-san." Kazari replied as she accepted the drink. She was getting a little thirsty after all that walking around so the drink was appreciated.
"You get used to it," Alice-san said with a shrug in reply to the Teleporter's question.
"I love Chisato enough to overlook it." Inoue-san offered. "Besides that energy of hers has its benefits."
"Takina, if you start talking about the things you and Chisato get up to in the bedroom, I will shoot you."
Even as Kazari blushed hard at the implication of what was being said, Inoue-san just smirked. "Then I won't. Not that I need to if you already get what I was saying."
"Takina~! Just stop! Please!"
"Actually, Inoue-san, if you're willing could you share some of wha-"
"Kuroko-san, no." Kazari said, shooting her Judgment partner a quelling glare that thankfully stopped her in her tracks.
Honestly! For a Tokiwadai student, Kuroko-san could be so incorrigibly perverted at times!
"Aww~!" Matsumura-san from the Agency said teasingly from where she and her three sisters - Hilshire-san, Ogino-san, and Seki-san - stood watching their leader play against Zero-san. "I wanted to hear what Inoue-san had to say."
"Um, Ange, aren't we being distractions to Zero-san and Claes by being all loud like this?" Ogino-san said after tugging on Matsumura-san's sleeve lightly to get her attention.
"As if this would be enough to distract Claes." Hilshire-san said with a snort whilst Seki-san nodded. "I'm sure nothing short of a full scale battle would be enough to distract her from a game of chess."
"Same for Zero." Fennette-san said with a nod. "We've tested this."
"Really?" Kazari couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Yup!" Nishikigi-san said as she took a break from cheering her leader on to have a drink of the cup of punch that Inoue-san passed her. "He says it hones his ability to concentrate under pressure so every so often he sets up an online game and has us do everything in our power to distract him."
"So far nothing's worked." Alice-san said with an exasperated shake of her head. "The only thing that gets him to turn away from a game is if he needs to go help lead a mission or something equally serious. Otherwise, at worst, he multitasks."
"Wow!" Kazari couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
"That is most impressive." Kuroko-san added as well.
"And he just keeps playing in this eerie silence?" Hilshire-san asked, looking shocked. "'Cos not even Claes manages that. She usually only gets all quiet like this when she's really concentrating."
"Mostly." Fennette-san said with a teasing smirk.
"Oh, and when does he break his silence?" Matsumura-san asked, looking at Zero-san's wife/fiancée with a knowing glint in her eyes.
"When he needs to give orders or answer a question and the like if we try to distract him with something to do with work or a conversation." Nishikigi-san answered. "But when it's Shirley-sama's turn to try to distract him, she has an extra tool in her arsenal that the rest of us don't have."
"Please tell me it's not what I think it is." Kuroko-san said with a groan even as Kazari prepared herself for the worse. She had a fairly good idea about what they were talking about and she wasn't going to like hearing it confirmed.
"Yup." Fenette-san said with a broad grin. "Even if it doesn't fully break his concentration, having sex with Zero when he's trying to have a game of chess does wonders at breaking his silence."
"Fenette-san! Too much information!" Kazari scolded the orangette.
"Yes, Fenette-san, please keep the things you get up to with your husband in your bedroom to yourselves." Kuroko-san added, earning her a chiding look from Kazari for her hypocrisy. So the Teleporter was okay about finding out about the sex lives of lesbians but was disgusted by those of heterosexuals? Really!?
Before Kazari could address the matter however, Claes-san pushed her king piece over and conceded her game with Zero-san.
"That's 2-2." She announced with a sigh.
"Yes." Zero-san nodded. "One last game to decide the winner?"
"Happily." Claes-san replied as they both began resetting the board.
As they did, Kazari shot her partner a look. "Kuroko-san, I think we need to have a talk."
The Teleporter gulped but complied. "Of course, lead the way, Kazari-san."
Taking firm hold of the tawny haired Level 4's arm, Kazari pulled her away from the combined Black Knight and Agency group and once she was out of their earshot began laying into her.
She'd scold the hypocrisy out of her partner or her name wasn't Uiharu Kazari!
After about half an hour of mingling with the other guests, Mikoto spotted the Number 2 standing alone by the door and surveying the crowd, probably comparing a mental list of who had RSVP'd that they'd be coming against those actually in attendance. Naru looked a little lonely doing that so Mikoto made her excuses to Kuriba-san who she had been chatting with and made her way to join her kohai.
As she approached, Naru clapped and with a delighted look on her face muttered to herself. "Alright, I think that's almost everyone."
"Almost everyone, Naru?" Mikoto asked the blonde as she got within speaking range. "Who else did you invi- Wait! You didn't!?"
As if Science demanded it, Mikoto had barely finished the question when the door to the ballroom opened with a dramatic bang. And stepping through it was none other than that big boo-er, the bimbo Shokuhou.
Damn! Naru had invited her too!
"Hello everyone~!" [Mental Out] exclaimed, arms stretched out with a sparkling smile on her face, as she let her bulky winter coat fall from her shoulders. "The stars for the evening have arrived~!"
As the winter coat fell away, it revealed Shokuhou's excuse for a costume. One that consisted of several rolls of bandages wrapped around her body and nothing else. Bandages that showed plenty of skin, to the point that it barely protected her modesty. Apparently the Number 7 had chosen to dress up as a slutty mummy.
Trailing behind Shokuhou was of course Dolly-chan and Kouzaku-san, the former of whom looked amused by the Level 5's antics while the latter just sighed in exasperation. Considering Dolly-chan was one of Mikoto's clone sisters, that she was more in tune with Kouzaku-san spoke volumes of the corrupting power of the bimbo's influence.
A corruptive power that was on full display as Naru teleported to the Telepath's side to marvel at her slutty attire and greet her with a hug.
Oi! Don't you know you're being a bad influence?! The Chibi's impressionable!
"Senpai! That's so bold! Wow, to get that all together in such a way… though, isn't it a little too daring?"
Did the world stop? Did Naru just find a line not to cross? Mikoto pinched herself just to be sure. Nope, this wasn't a dream. Perhaps there was hope for the Chibi's innocence after all.
"Tsk tsk, Naru-chan~ Don't underestimate my bold power!" Shokuhou exclaimed and pulled a remote from a pocket of her coat, which had been picked up by Kouzaku-san to hang up in the conveniently placed coat rack in the vestibule. A remote that the Number 7 promptly pointed at the party before she pressed one of its buttons.
Mikoto winced as her Electromastery automatically negated Shokuhou's use of her Mental Out by rewiring the electrical impulses in her brain that the older Level 5's ability attempt to manipulate her brain chemistry had messed with such that despite the Telepath's efforts, her thoughts remained unaffected. Same as her, Naru, Ruiko and Accelerator looked unaffected, which was to be expected, Mikoto knew that their powers had also naturally allowed them to resist whatever the Number 7 had done. And whilst she couldn't be sure, she doubted Mental Out worked on Sequenzia-san/Meigo-san or Mikoto's sisters either, the latter's unique Saint/Esper hybrid nature was just that bullshit and her sisters could neutralize any effect that the Number 7 wanted to impose on them with external help from the Misaka Network.
Which reminds me, I really should go meet up with the Sisters soon.
"As you can see, I can make it so people don't notice what I don't want them to."
"Ah, so that's why you came last, so you could hit everyone here at once!" Naru deduced quickly. "Sneaky, sneaky."
"Bing-O~! As expected of my adorable kohai!"
"But yeah, the exceptions to it are kind of a lot."
Mikoto had to hold back a smile to be polite, as the other second year looked struck, but rallied quickly. With a shrug that made her still bigger boobs - And that despite Mikoto having used Bust Upper! - bounce in quite the eye-catching way, she replied. "I know those people and trust them not to be lewd. Besides, as Misaka-san has no doubt learned by now, if you've got it, flaunt it~"
Don't bring me into this, you cow! Mikoto fumed with an annoyed look. Oi, Naru, you have girlfriends, don't ogle her! Heck, you'd be better off ogling-
She cut that thought off with a shiver. Feeling as she did as if she just walked over her own grave. If she completed it then she would be too much like a second Kuroko. And as much as she loved her roommate, the world didn't need two of her. One was already too much sometimes.
"Well, as long as Misaki-senpai is sure."
"I'm sure," Shokuhou assured the Chibi as she gave their junior a head pat.
An action that had Sequenzia-san shooting the Telepath a murderous glare! Geez, was that yandere levels of possessiveness or what?
Ignoring the look entirely, Shokuhou tossed her remote at Kouzaku-san. The other girl had twitched in annoyance but nevertheless caught the device and obligingly put it back into a pocket of the Number 7's coat, "Now, come along my cute kohai, you have a party to play with~"
This maternal side of Shokuhou was strange.
"Hey Onee-sama~" Dolly-chan greeted as she cheerfully walked up to her, apparently deciding that she was tired of waiting for Shokuhou to get done having fun with Naru.
"Oh, Dolly-chan, hi! You look great!" Mikoto complimented the oldest of her cloned sisters.
"Hehe, don't I?" She giggled, spinning around and showed off her costume.
In accordance with their group's Ancient Egyptian theme, Dolly-chan was sporting an Ancient Egyptian Queen costume. It mainly consisted of a long white dress that went all the way to her ankles where they almost hid her slippered feet, but also included a belt at the waist that was decorated in an Ancient Egyptian style and that had a portion hanging down past the knees. The dress was further complemented by a capelet decorated similarly to the belt from which an actual light blue cape hung. Said cape was also anchored by a pair of bracelets that were elaborately decorated, again, in the Ancient Egyptian style. And last but not least, she wore a crown of the same style on her head.
"Though I have to ask, are you okay with what Shokuhou is wearing? I know you're close with her." She asked as a worried big sister. Though the fact that a sister of hers and Shokuhou were getting involved really made things screwy for her.
Dolly-chan shook her head, "If Misaki-chan is okay with it, it's fine! What she chooses to wear is up to her."
Mikoto frowned at this and hoping for a more reasonable response turned to Kouzaku-san who had followed after her sister.
However, contrary to the [Railgun]'s expectations, Kouzaku-san just shrugged. "Ditto."
Defeated, Mikoto could only sigh in resignation. Though she quickly remembered herself and pushing aside her feelings, she offered the Level 4 a greeting as befit a well mannered Tokiwadai student.
"Good evening, Kouzaku-san. Nice costume you've got there."
Mikoto was honest about the costume even. Dressed in an Anubis costume as part of Shokuhou's group's Ancient Egyptian theme, Kouzaku-san did look good tonight. It consisted of a staff capped by an ankh, flats with laces that criss crossed across her lower legs all the way to her knees, a two piece outfit in black and gold that included a short skirt and a triangular bikini style top which were decorated by lots of golden jewelry and plenty of Ancient Egypt iconography, and to top it all off, a large face mask in the shape of the god's canine head. On its own, the costume might've been called goofy, but somehow Kouzaku-san wore it with a carriage that made it seem almost noble.
Must be from all that experience cosplaying. Mikoto concluded. Cosplaying was after all a known hobby of Kouzaku-san's, up to the point where she'd included elements of her favorite costumes into her combat outfit during her time as part of MEMBER.
"Oh, Senpai, I just have one final question before I leave you in peace!" Naru asked with a cute head tilt, speaking loudly enough that it caught Mikoto's attention.
I wonder what she's going to ask…
"Oh? Well, if it is within my brilliant brain's ability to answer, I'll do my best."
With a smirk on her face, one that could only be seen when the Chibi was about to pull some sneaky prank, she asked. "Misaki-senpai, how are you going to cope with no support for your breasts tonight? After all, they're so big. It's going to be a real pain!"
Mikoto nearly bent over and cackled at that. Ah, there was a reason why she loved Naru so much and it was for moments like this!
"Boo," Shokuhou retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Letting my bosom hang free for one night should be fine. It's nothing new to me. I sleep braless after all."
Mikoto could only share the pout Naru had, "Aw, I wanted a rise out of you, Senpai."
"Yes, I know that. That's why I didn't give you what you wanted. It's not good to spoil cute kohai after all~"
"Meanie." The currently purple haired Level 5 said with an adorable pout.
She got another head pat for her troubles. One that earned the Number 7 another murderous glare from Sequenzia-san, this time accompanied by a growl no less!
Shokuhou really should watch it or she'll be torn to shreds before the night's done.
"Well, all the same I hope you and your guests enjoy the party. Please mingle and enjoy the food!" Naru said, directing a bow towards the older blonde and gestured to the party.
Huh, it was pretty cute to watch Naru play hostess. She really knew how to pull a fun time out of nowhere.
"Why thank you, Naru-chan~! I look forward to enjoying your hospitality."
"Onee-sama, do you know what's good to eat at the buffet?" Dolly-chan asked, pulling Mikoto's attention back to her immediate surroundings.
"Not really. I haven't tried it yet myself." Mikoto confessed. "But why don't we investigate together, Dolly-chan, Kouzaku-san?"
"We'd like that! Wouldn't we, Mii-chan?" Dolly-chan asked, shooting a look at her friend - Or was Kouzaku-san her romantic partner? Mikoto wasn't sure and she doubted Dolly-chan did either. - and wordlessly asked her for permission to follow Mikoto.
"Yeah, why not? Lead the way, Misaka-sama."
"Right. Follow me." Mikoto said cheerfully as she happily played the role of hostess for her sister and her friend(?).
With the arrival of Shokuhou Misaki and her little entourage, the party officially started and that meant dancing. And, of course, that meant Ruiko-sama had dragged Accelerator and her onto the dance floor where the three of them had spent a good half hour dancing to the series of pop songs that had been selected for the musical accompaniment for the night.
It was a wonderful experience. Especially when Frenda got the chance to grind against Ruiko-sama. Or when they both tag teamed to grind Accelerator at once. A move that had the Number 1 suffering a veritable mental BSOD (blue screen of death) and begging off from more dancing to catch his breath. Or, if he was just a little more honest, so that the visible tent in his pants had a chance to cool off and deflate.
And being the generous woman that she was, and feeling a little responsible for helping to put her crush's boyfriend in the position he was in, she had offered to go get them drinks. Ruiko-sama had suggested she come with her but with the couple's daughters all but ambushing them the moment they'd left the dance floor, Frenda had thanked her for the kind offer but told her to entertain her kids instead. Besides, it was not like their Papa was in the right frame of mind to do that when he was sporting a steel rod in his pants.
Now though, Frenda was regretting that decision. Because upon her arrival at the refreshment table, she found herself sucked into a most uncomfortable conversation between Sequenzia-san/Meigo-san and Shokuhou-sama.
"If you touch our Naru like that again without our permission we'll kill you." The Esper/Saint hybrid bluntly told the Number 7 as she pointed the broomstick that was part of her costume at the Level 5 threateningly.
"Slowly." The paramilitary commander added in a softer than usual, but no less threatening, tone that Frenda guessed was a result of Meigo-san taking over for a bit.
"No need to get your panties in a bunch, Sequenzia-san, Meigo-san." Shokuhou-sama said dismissively as she continued filling up her plate with sweets. "I wasn't flirting with her or anything like that. I was just showing her affection as her senpai, no more than that."
"A likely story." Sequenzia-san said, at least Frenda thought it was likely her considering the sharp tone of her voice.
"We don't believe you." Meigo-san added in a softer but no less hostile tone.
"Believe what you want. It's the truth." Shokuhou-sama said with a shrug. "You agree with me don't you, Seivelun-san?"
"Uh, could you just leave me out of this?" Frenda begged as she filled up the cups of punch she'd come here for as quickly as she could. "I'm just here for some drinks."
"Maybe, but help a girl out and give your honest opinion would you? I'd owe you a favor if you do." Shokuhou-sama cajoled.
A favor from the Number 7? Count me in.
"Okay, then if you insist, yeah, I think what Shokuhou-sama did was fine."
"Are you sure?" Sequenzia-san said with a frown.
"Yeah." Frenda insisted with a shrug. "I mean it wasn't flirting, just a little affection."
"I guess…" Meigo-san said with a pout.
"See," Shokuhou-sama said with a smirk. "Though, Sequenzia-san, Meigo-san, your little split personality is fascinating, you know."
"I am sure it is." Sequenzia-san said with a quirked eyebrow.
"What is so fascinating about it?" Meigo-san added.
"Why, how it is a demonstration of Naru-chan's incredible flirting ability of course! I mean how many people do you think can manage to get themselves two girlfriends? That's not exactly easy, you know."
"Uh, pardon me, Shokuhou-sama, but don't you have two girlfriends too?" Frenda pointed out.
The [Queen] froze at that, her eyes widening with what Frenda imagined was shock before sputtering out a reply. "Dolly-chan, Mii-chan and I ar-aren't l-like that! We're just friends! Friends! Honest! Truly!"
Frenda and Meigo-san, the soft look in her eyes told the Norwegian exactly who she was dealing with, shared a look. Turning back to the Level 5, they offered her a smile and addressed her at the same time. ""Welcome to the throuple club, Shokuhou-sama!""
"Bullies! You three are a bunch of big bullies!" The Number 7 said with a pout as she turned away and stormed off with her plate full of goodies, presumably in search of her 'friends'.
Frenda and Meigo-san burst into giggles at the Level 5's childish behavior.
"Oh, I betcha those three will be dating by the end of the year."
"No bet, Seivelun-san. That's a losing bet and I am not in the business of making those." Sequenzia-san said in her typical no nonsense tone. "Also, since when were you in a throuple? Your costume tonight and what you three were doing on the dance floor notwithstanding, it was my understanding that you are not currently dating Saten-san and Accelerator-san."
Frenda just smirked. "Maybe not now. But if all goes well, I will soon."
Sequenzia-san nodded with all the stiffness of the military commander that she was even as Meigo-san replied. "Then all the best, Seivelun-san. Shu-chan and I look forward to hearing the happy news soon."
"Thanks!" Frenda said honestly as with a grateful wave she left to deliver the drinks she promised to her prospective romantic partners.
Even as Misaki-chan had gone off to get a fresh plate of food for them, Dolly had decided to wander off from where the Level 5 had left her and Mii-chan despite specific instructions not to do so. Why? You see, Dolly had a mission and she was willing to defy her beloved Misaki-chan to fulfill it.
"Dolly, where are we going?" Dolly heard Mii-chan ask even as she trailed after her without even trying to stop her. Mii-chan was an adorable pushover like that.
"To satisfy my curiosity!" The first of the Sister clones declared fervently as she headed for where she could see Accelerator-sama and Saten-sama were entertaining their daughters.
"Onee-san. Misaka Misaka greets her elder sister with a wave." Order-chan said as she sported Dolly and offered her a tired wave.
""Dolly-nee~!"" The adorable Chemicaloid twins, Janie-chan and Febrie-chan, said cheerfully, adding on to their big sister's greeting.
"Hi, Order-chan, Janie-chan, Febrie-chan." Dolly returned with a wave and a wide smile.
"Hiya kiddos." Mii-chan added belatedly with her own wave.
"""Hello, Kouzaku-san""" The three little girls returned, though with a little flagging enthusiasm.
She wasn't the only one who noticed it though and Saten-sama, like the good mother that she was, was soon on the case.
"Girls, you're looking tired. I think it's time that you called it a night."
The trio whined and wheedled but Saten-sama stood firm. "My decision is final, girls. You have been up the whole day getting your costumes ready and otherwise playing. You need to go to bed so you can be well rested for tomorrow."
"Papa! Say something! Misaka Misaka pleads. Mama is being unfair! Misaka Misaka reasons." Order-chan said, appealing to her till now silent father.
"Did you three take a nap like we asked you to?" Accelerator-sama shot back instead, receiving guilty shakes of their heads from his three daughters.
"Then your Mama is right and it's about time you head home."
His decision was met by three sets of adorable pouts that would have broken the resolve of lesser men but the Number 1 had more backbone than that and just turned to Saten-sama. "You taking them home, Ruiko?"
"Yeah." Saten-sama nodded. "If I teleport I should be back in under five minutes. Shinobu-san is home and I've already called her to let her know to expect them-"
That would explain the burst of electromagnetic energy that Saten-sama gave off earlier.
"-so I'll just drop them off and head right back."
Accelerator-sama nodded and turned to his daughters.
"Good night, brats."
"""Night, Papa.""" The trio chorused even as Saten-sama pulled all three of them into a wide hug before teleporting away.
"Well, that happened." Mii-chan commented with a smirk. "So, Accelerator-sama, let me guess, the twins' nanny not attending was just so you could pawn the girls' off on her like you just did?"
The Number 1 snorted. "Yeah, right. That fish eyed Nunotuba just said she didn't want to come, something about not wanting to dress up and preferring to catch up on her reading. That she's home to take care of the kids when they got too tired and had to be sent home is just a happy accident."
"Oh? And what about Yomikawa-san and Yoshikawa-san? I don't see them here tonight either." Mii-chan pressed.
If the Number 1 was annoyed by Dolly's friend's pushiness, he didn't show it. Instead he just shrugged. "They said they had to do something. I bet a thousand yen on them being on a date."
"A bet? With whom?" Dolly asked curiously.
"The brat of course." Accelerator-sama said with a roll of his eyes as if it should've been obvious. "Who else would care what those two got up to besides the two of us living with them? If I lose, I've gotta spend a thousand yen according to what Last Order wants."
"And if you win?"
"Then she owes me a thousand yen worth of chores." Accelerator-sama said with a smirk.
"I see." Mii-chan said with a nod. "And what exactly did Last Order bet on them doing tonight instead of coming to this party?"
"Catching up on work." The Number 1 said with a shrug. "She's unimaginative like that."
Dolly should have been offended on her little sister's behalf but she had to agree with the girl's father. It really was rather unimaginative of her to assume that's what her nannies would be doing.
"So, what brings you two over?" The pseudo albino asked, reminding Dolly of her mission.
"We're here because I wanted to ask you a few questions, Accelerator-sama." Dolly said, shooting the young man with a look of intense scrutiny. "I've heard a lot about you on the Misaka Network you see and so I wanted to talk to you."
"Okay. Ask away." Accelerator-sama said, nodding at her to continue.
"Thank you, Accelerator-sama." Dolly said with a grateful smile. "So, first of all, can I ask you about the costumes you and Saten-sama chose? I mean, if you're the Big Bad Wolf and she's Little Red Riding Hood doesn't that make you a predator targeting her?"
At her question, Accelerator-sama just looked at her like a deer in the headlights even as Dolly looked at him expectantly. Mii-chan however reacted to it far more strongly as it caused her to palm her face.
"Dolly, what kind of question is that?"
"A totally valid one, Mii-chan." Dolly insisted. "I mean there had to be a meaning behind their choice of costumes, right? Even if it's as simple as Saten-sama liking the Little Red Riding Hood dress and Accelerator-sama and Seivelun-san simply picking matching costumes to humor her like we did for Misaki-chan. Oh! That reminds me, Accelerator-sama, what's with Seivelun-san choosing to match her costume with you and Saten-sama? Does it mean you're adding her to your harem?"
"H-Harem?" Accelerator-sama hissed out in something that was barely above a squeak.
"You don't like the term? Then how about throuple instead?" Dolly offered innocently.
All the Number 1 did was stare at her blankly for a long moment before shaking his head. "And I thought Last Order was strange when she gets it in her head to be bratty."
"Order-chan gets bratty? What does she do? Does she spy on you, Saten-sama and Seivelun-san as you three ha-"
Before Dolly could finish her question Misaki-chan appeared right next to her. She had moved so fast that if the prototype Sister hadn't known any better she'd have thought she was a Teleporter.
"Mii-chan, hold this plate. I've got Dolly." Misaki-chan shouted as she passed Mii-chan a plate full of goodies and began bodily dragging Dolly away from Accelerator-sama.
"But Misaki-chan, I still have questions for Acce-"
Again Dolly was cut off. This time by Mii-chan shoving a cream puff into her mouth.
"No more questions, Dolly. Enjoy a cream puff." Mii-chan cajoled with a strained look on her face.
Dolly pouted but obeyed the demands of her two best friends, allowing herself to be dragged away by Misaki-chan even as she ate the cream puff that Mii-chan had fed her. As she did however, she saw Saten-sama teleport back from sending her daughters home and Accelerator-sama turn to her.
"Our extended family is weird." The Number 1 told his girlfriend, who just giggled and nodded in agreement.
I'm not weird! Dolly wanted to protest but before she could, Mii-chan shoved another cream puff into her mouth. Oh! This is really nice!
Her indignation forgotten, the prototype Sister instead turned her attention to enjoying the sweets that Misaki-chan had procured for them.
As the night and the party wore on, Kiyama Harumi found herself increasingly exhausted by the antics of the children that made up the majority of the party's attendees. A number that included a not insubstantial number of children masquerading as adults among the ranks of the legally adult attendees. Which was why she had sought solace in the company of two of the precious few actual adults, Ylva-san, the leader of Maniple; and Crow Two, the vice-captain of the Black Crows.
The latter of whom was dressed up as Solid Snake, whilst the former was, like the rest of her fellow Maniple attendees, dressed up as a Skitarii, the cyborg soldiers of the Adeptus Mechanicus faction from the Warhammer 40,000 franchise. All of whom were dressed for the occasion in what looked like Powered Suits to simulate the cyborgs they were cosplaying as, over which they wore long, hooded red overcoats. Ylva-san in particular was dressed as an Alpha, one of the commanders of these Skitarii as the other woman had explained it, and was wearing a more elaborate version of the standard Skitarii costume that her subordinates were sporting.
"Three!" Harumi said in exasperation as she nursed the snifter of whisky that she had managed to get her hands on. "I had to pull one of my children out of some secluded corner where they were trying to make me more of a grandmother than I already am a total of three times."
To be fair, Harumi was exaggerating. The incidents that she had interrupted had not involved actual sex but were limited to, at worst, heavy petting. But to a mother like her, catching her children engaged in such was bad enough!
"Saten-sama?" Crow Two asked with a commiserating look.
"No, amazingly, it seems Ruiko is behaving well tonight. Outside of some suggestive dancing with her boyfriend and girlfriend, she's been good."
"Then who exactly?" Crow Two asked, surprised.
"I caught Takeshi and Utagawa-san twice."
"And the third time?" Ylva-san asked, curious.
"Ai." Harumi said with a sigh. "She got so upset over finding out her crush is gay that she overcompensated and basically threw herself at one of the Big Spider agents."
"You want me to have a word with the man in question?" Ylva said, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"No need. Kurozuma-san has it handled." Harumi assured the sniper. "Besides, he was one of the younger agents. He's only a few years older than Ai, so she didn't completely take leave of her senses."
Ylva-san nodded in satisfaction but Crow Two just shot Harumi a worried look. "And what about Shinoda-san? Is she alright?"
"Yes," Harumi assured the concerned man. "I have all her siblings watching out for her. She won't be sneaking away and getting into trouble again, not with Ruiko also watching out for her."
"She wasn't when she ran off with that Big Spider boy?" Ylva-san asked with a frown. "To my understanding she keeps an omnipresent eye on all her loved ones."
"She was giving her sister some privacy after being the bearer of bad news about her crush." Harumi explained. "Ruiko was being thoughtful but Ai just had to prove why her sister is right to keep a constant eye on all of us."
Ylva-san nodded whilst sporting a slight frown. "I hope that doesn't detract from Saten-sama's enjoyment of the party. The children don't have enough chances to take a break as is. I would hate to see tonight spoiled for the Number 3 by her having to watch out for her sister."
"Thank you for your concern, Ylva-san, but there is nothing to worry about." Harumi assured the other woman. "Ruiko is always watching out for her siblings, it doesn't affect her ability to 'take a break', as you put it, at all. And before either of you comment about how she shouldn't need to do that, I challenge you to try and convince her not to."
Ylva-san and Crow Two exchanged a look before shaking their heads. "If you, her mother, are not able to stop her, then it's doubtful anyone could manage to do so."
"Crow Two has the right of it."
Harumi just grunted in agreement and took a sip of her whisky.
"Speaking of the children enjoying the break, your leader appears to be in rare form tonight, Crow Two." Ylva-san said as she nodded towards the dance floor where Sequenzia-san and Namikaze-san were dancing, or more specifically where the two were happily grinding against each other.
Crow Two let out a good natured laugh at the sight. "Ha! It seems Namikaze-sama has it bad."
"It certainly seems like it." Harumi agreed with a smile. "If those three are not careful I won't be surprised if Meigo-san accidentally uses her magic to put a baby in either her and Sequenzia-san's womb or Namikaze-san's."
Crow Two shot her an alarmed look at that. "That's not a genuine possibility is it?"
"Your Crow Leader is the Saint of Miracles, of course it is." Harumi told the man with a smirk.
The grizzled paramilitary paled at the thought even as Ylva-san chuckled at his expense.
It felt good to not be the only one who had to worry about the risk of their children making them grandparents far too young. It was true what they say, "shared sorrow is halved."
Even as the majority of her focus remained on the physical Phase and the party, where she was currently sitting down at one of the ballroom's tables and having a meal and chatting with Accel and Frenda-chan, a sizable minority of Ruiko's attention was directed to the Phase known as the Imaginary Number District.
"You know Hyouka that you didn't need a costume, right?" Ruiko told her sister in a deadpan as she took in the silly costume that the fellow AIM Angel had chosen. "I mean, you would if you had manifested into the physical Phase and could properly attend but seeing as you're just watching it happen from the Imaginary Number District it's not really necessary."
"I know, but I wanted to dress up. It makes me feel like I'm actually part of things instead of watching things from another Phase like some ghost." Her sister replied from under the bed sheet ghost costume she had worn for the occasion.
"I suppose I can see the logic in that." Ruiko allowed. "But then why go with something as lazy as using a bed sheet with eye holes as a costume?"
"Well, it's a ghost costume isn't it? And what's more fitting for me than dressing up as a ghost? I mean, like I said, I'm practically acting like one as is."
Ruiko just shot her sister a look. "You're just going to be defensive about this no matter what I say, aren't you?"
The [AIM Sovereign] might not have been able to see it from under the sheet that her sister was wearing but she could practically feel the teasing grin the other Angel was shooting her.
"Since when did you become so cheeky, I wonder."
"We all have to grow up sometime, Onee-sama."
"Is that so?" Ruiko said, a teasing smile spreading across her face as an idea blossomed in her mind. "If you're growing up, does that mean I should worry about you being a voyeur and using the fact you live here in the Imaginary Number District to spy on people when they get up to NSFW activities?"
The unique nature of the Imaginary Number District meant that it overlapped with the physical Phase so closely that it allowed the latter's inhabitants, which really only consisted of Hyouka, to essentially view things happening in the physical Phase without the inhabitants of the latter even being aware of their presence.
"You ask as if I haven't already." Hyouka shot back with a huff. "It gets boring here with only me and the occasional visit from you, Onee-sama. So of course I've spied on people in the physical Phase as they get up to all kinds of things."
Despite her earlier teasing, Ruiko wasn't actually surprised by Hyouka's reply. Considering her sister's situation she almost expected it. She thus just nodded.
"So, have you seen anything interesting?"
With a smirk that Ruiko could hear in her voice, Hyouka began regaling her with some of the kinkiest sexcapades that she had the privilege to have spied upon. Things that Ruiko filed away to try once she turned sixteen and Kaasan's request for her to abstain from actually engaging in sex expired.
I can't wait. But until that day comes, I'll have to stockpile ideas to try out.
Ruiko was not however the only one among the Trinity who was taking the opportunity offered by Naru's Halloween party to spend time with her sisters, as Mikoto had chosen to do the same. Thus she found herself seated at one of the ballroom's tables alongside the Council of Misakas as they sat down to have dinner.
"Did you all have to dress as maids?" Mikoto asked her sisters with a sigh as she eyed the costumes that her ten sisters were all dressed in. Costumes that were all variants of maid uniforms, six of which being of the Pleiades, the combat maid squad of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, from the Overlord franchise; whilst the others were generic maid outfits that her sisters wearing them had complemented with their own guns to transform into battle maid costumes.
"We wanted to match your costume. Misaka says earnestly." The Council's de facto leader, Military Otaku-chan, said with a smile.
"I guessed as much." Mikoto said with a sigh. "Where did you girls hear the fact I was wearing a maid costume anyway?"
"Misaka called up Saten-sama and bought the information from her. Misaka explains unabashedly." Conspiracy Nut-chan, the Council's resident spy, said with a shrug.
"Wait! You paid Ruiko to find out what I was going to be wearing?"
"We wanted to surprise you, Onee-sama. Misaka offers honestly in the hopes of soothing Onee-sama's anger." 10039-chan said, a little hesitantly.
Reining her temper in, Mikoto ran a hand down her face in irritation. She didn't blame Ruiko for selling the info to her sisters. Her kohai was an information broker. Selling information was what her business was all about. She was annoyed however at her sisters for paying for it!
"You know you could have just called me up and asked me what I would be wearing, right?"
"But then it wouldn't have been a surprise, Onee-sama. Misaka points out." 19090-chan said, looking confused.
"Yeah, but then you wouldn't have had to pay whatever price Ruiko charged you. And I know whatever it was, whether it was cash or a favor or whatever, it wasn't cheap."
"Actually, it was, Onee-sama. Misaka corrects." Neko-chan said with a shake of her head. "Saten-sama always gives a big discount when we buy things from her. Misaka adds. This time all she asked was that we have to help her babysit 20001 and the twins twenty times. Misaka explains."
Mikoto blinked. That really was a good deal. Damn! Ruiko really was going easy on them if that's all she charged them.
"Is that the kind of thing she usually charges you guys? Promises to help her in the future?" Mikoto asked, feeling curious.
"Pretty much. Misaka says in agreement." Mecha Fan replied. "For example, she has Misaka and 10032 use Misaka's Powered Suit and 10032's [Super Kuro] to help with Maniple's training sessions as payment. Misaka adds, offering specific examples."
"Huh. That's nice of her." Mikoto mused out loud. "I hope you girls appreciate how generous Ruiko is by offering you sweetheart deals like this. She's hardly so nice to everyone."
""We know, Onee-sama. Misaka assures."" All ten of her sisters that made up the Council chorused.
Nodding in satisfaction, Mikoto turned to one of her sisters in particular that had caught her eye.
"Tsundere-chan, are you growing out your hair?"
"Yes, I am, Onee-sama. Misaka admits readily. I want to try and emulate Onee-san's hair based railguns. Misaka explains."
"Dolly-chan's hair based railguns? That's a good technique to emulate. Having those in your arsenal would give you a lot more firepower."
"Maybe, Misaka allows. But that's hardly the biggest reason that 10287 is growing out her hair. Misaka adds." 13579-chan said, shooting Tsundere-chan an amused look.
"Exactly. Misaka affirms. The main motivation for 10287 to grow out her hair is because she overheard Namikaze-sama compliment Saten-sama's hair and she thinks that having long hair will help her win over Namikaze-sama. Misaka adds."
"Wait! When did you overheat that!?" Mikoto asked, shooting Tsundere-chan a questioning look.
Whilst Naru did indeed compliment Ruiko's hair every so often, something that the Number 3 rightfully deserved considering how wonderfully she took care of her long locks, she didn't do it regularly enough for Tsundere-chan to just pick up at random. Her sister didn't interact with her kohai that much.
"10287 did it whilst she was stalking Namikaze-sama. Misaka explains." Nut-chan supplied. "10287 does more stalking than Misaka does nowadays and all directed at one target no less. Misaka says with an exasperated sigh. Honestly, sister, you should just be a big Misaka and pull up your lacy butterfly panties-"
"Oi! Nut-chan don't go revealing to the whole world what kind of panties your sisters' are wearing!"
Ignoring her scolding, Nut-chan just continued as if Mikoto had not even spoken. "-and just tell Namikaze-sama how you feel. Misaka urges her sister earnestly."
Blushing terribly and looking like a mess as a result, Tsundere-chan shook her head and pressed her hands to her cheeks as she replied. "Misaka can't! Misaka exclaims. With Sequenzia-san and Meigo-san in the picture, Misaka would never stand a chance. Misaka laments."
"You never know, sister. Misaka offers encouragingly." Genki Girl-chan said as she reached across the dining table, grabbed Tsundere-chan's hands and gave them a comforting squeeze.
"11118 is right, 14091. Misaka adds supportively." Sentai-chan told Tsundere-chan. "You never know until you try. Misaka offers as further encouragement. Misaka is sure that if you give it your all, the sincerity and strength of 10287's love will reach Namikaze-sama, sister. Misaka assures her lovestruck sister."
The other Sisters all added their two cents as well but despite their efforts, Tsundere-chan just looked more anxious at the prospect of confessing her feelings to Naru.
"B-But what if Namikaze-sama rejects Misaka? Misaka frets. What would Misaka do then!? Misaka laments! If Namikaze-sama doesn't accept my love then what can Misaka do!? Misaka asks worriedly."
"You won't know the answers to those questions unless you do confess, Tsundere-chan." Mikoto told her sister bluntly.
"Onee-sama…"
"But," Mikoto continued. "I'm not going to be like the rest of your sisters and badger you into confessing before you're ready."
The other Sisters all looked ashamed at Mikoto calling them out so she hastened to soften the blow.
"That is not to say that I think you girls were wrong to encourage Tsundere-chan per se but you should have just toned it down. The odd bit of encouragement is fine, but badgering like just now isn't. I know you meant well, but these things should be allowed to develop organically. Tsundere-chan can confess when she is ready. And if she never works up the courage to do so that's fine too. The choice is hers to make."
Mikoto didn't know if she was talking about Tsundere-chan and her feelings for Naru or her own for Kamijou-san. But whatever the case, she felt what she was saying was right and that, in her mind, was all that mattered.
"But Onee-sama, what if the worst outcome happens? Misaka asks insistently."
"Naru rejecting you is hardly the worst outcome, Tsundere-chan." Mikoto said with a sigh. "It just means she wasn't interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you and that you should go searching for someone else to be your romantic partner. That's hardly the end of the world, even if it might feel like it. Though even if it does, don't fret too much. We'd be here to support you through it. Won't we, Misakas?"
""Of course, Onee-sama. Misaka affirms."" The rest of the Council chorused dutifully.
A display of sisterly camaraderie that brought Tsundere-chan to tears.
Frenda was once more returning from a visit to the ladies when she spotted Naru-sama standing alone. Seeing that, a smirk spread across the Norwegian's face and she quickly glanced around and was pleased to note that there was no sign of either Sequenzia-san/Meigo-san or Ruiko-sama anywhere in sight.
Chance! She thought as she took a moment to leer at the Number 2. Sure, her heart was set on the Number 3 but that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate beauty when she saw it. And all dressed up in that Lilith cosplay, Naru-sama was undeniably beautiful. She had such a nice spankable butt!
Though even as she admitted that, her mind betrayed her true feelings as it inevitably strayed away from how Naru-sama looked to imagining how Ruiko-sama would look if she had dressed up as Lilith's sister, Morrigan. The thought of her crush dressing in a similar outfit to the one that the blonde Level 5 was sporting now but in various shades of purple was drool worthy. Especially since Ruiko-sama's bigger boobs would be practically spilling out of the bodysuit!
Frenda's leering had not gone entirely unnoticed however and between a blink of an eye, the subject of her attention disappeared and rematerialized next to her in a teleport.
"Like what you see, Frenda-chan?" Her fellow blonde asked with a smirk. "You're drooling."
"Can you blame me?"
"Nope, I'm just that sexy."
"You are." Frenda agreed. "But honestly, I wasn't drooling at you. You just inspired my imagination a little."
"Oh? Imagining Ruiko dressed up as Lilith Aensland too?"
"Morrigan actually." Frenda corrected. "She's bustier and, no offense, so is Ruiko-sama."
Naru-sama took a moment to glance down at her bust before playfully pouting. "True."
Looking up, her eyes zeroed in on Frenda's own impressive rack which for once she wasn't hiding the size of.
"I can't wait till mine reach full size too."
"You think you'll be getting a growth spurt in the boobs department?"
Patting her boobs confidently, Naru-sama nodded. "Yeah. My mama wasn't exactly super busty but she was reasonably well endowed, so I'm thinking I have a good chance to be the same."
"Well, if your mum was like that then it's a pretty good indicator of things. My mum was supposedly petite but was stacked, which pretty much describes me as well."
"'Supposedly?'"
"I don't remember her all that well." Frenda said with a shrug. "She and my father abandoned me and Fremea here in the City when I was just a toddler and Fremea was just a baby. They still pay the minimum stipend to the City so we're technically not Child Errors but since we've not even received a letter from them since we got here, we might as well be. I only really know who they are from their details in our Bank profiles."
"I'm sorry." The Level 5 said sincerely.
Frenda just shrugged. "It's nothing for you to be sorry about. It's not like you abandoned me and my sister."
Naru-sama just nodded.
"But I am thankful for those deadbeats for one thing though." Frenda said, hoping to change the course of the conversation back onto something more upbeat.
"Oh, what's that?" Naru-sama asked, taking the hook.
"Their European genes of course!" Frenda said with a smirk as she patted her boobs. "It's thanks to them that I have these babies. When it comes to breasts, European genetics just trumps Japanese ones! I mean just look at Shirley-san! She's just as busty as I am."
"True." Naru-sama nodded. "But Alice-san is European too and she isn't exactly bursting her bras."
"Maybe but she's not exactly flat chested either." Frenda countered.
Naru-sama tapped her chin consideringly for a long moment before adding, "And actually she might be a little bustier than most Japanese girls of her age and with her build."
"She is," Frenda agreed. "So you see, we Europeans have the Japanese beat when it comes to breast size."
""I would prefer if you did not discuss breast sizes with my girlfriend, Seivelun-san."" Sequenzia-san and Meigo-san both said in a creepy dual toned voice as they stalked over to join them and shot Frenda a glare.
"Why? Are you jealous, Shu-chan, Arisa-chan?" Naru-sama asked her girlfriends teasingly even as the two older girls wrapped the arms of their shared body possessively around the blonde Level 5.
""Yes."" Sequenzia-san and Meigo-san said unashamedly in that two toned voice of theirs.
"Aww~! There's nothing to be jealous about. Frenda-chan and I were just having a friendly chat, it wasn't flirtatious at all."
"I don't recall friendly chats involving discussions about breast sizes." Sequenzia-san insisted in her almost masculine tone.
"At least not without a hint of flirting to it. Especially when both parties involved in the conversation are attracted to women." Meigo-san continued in her more feminine voice even as she shot Frenda a glare.
A glare that prompted the Norwegian to raise her hands in surrender.
"I didn't intend it that way. The conversation just veered into that direction before we knew it."
"That is a good reason to forgive her this time, isn't it, Shutaura-san, Arisa-san?" Ruiko-sama said as she suddenly teleported next to Frenda and before she could react, wrapped an arm possessively around one of the Norwegian's own.
The Saint/Esper hybrid didn't seem inclined to agree and shot a glare at Ruiko-sama who met it with a calm stare of her own. Her look was deceptive though. Frenda knew the Number 3 well enough to tell she was furious and was a hair's breadth from shooting particle beams at Naru-sama's girlfriends. Thankfully, Frenda wasn't the only one who noticed this.
"Shu-chan, Arisa-chan, cut it out." Naru-sama said as she elbowed her girlfriends' shared body lightly. "Frenda-chan and I didn't mean to flirt, it just happened. So forgive us already."
The Saint/Esper hybrid looked down at the Level 5 they were holding in their arms searchingly at this before after a long moment just sighed. Without so much as another word to Frenda or Ruiko-sama, they picked up Naru-sama in a princess carry and carried her away. Though not before shooting the two of them a glare over her shoulder.
"Well, that happened." Ruiko-sama said with a sigh. "Frenda-chan, word of advice, don't do anything that might even be remotely misconstrued as flirting with Naru-chan. As you can see, Shutaura-san and Arisa-san are very, very possessive of their girlfriend and are liable to do something unpleasant to anyone who they deem to be trespassing onto their territory."
"Got it." Frenda nodded before glancing down at their still linked arms. "Um, speaking about being possessive…"
"What about it?"
"Aren't you going to release my arm, Ruiko-sama?"
"No, I don't think so." The [AIM Sovereign] said airily as she began tugging an unresisting Frenda towards the dance floor. "Tell me, Frenda, do you know how to dance the Salsa?"
"Um, no?" Frenda said, blinking in surprise as the music being played suddenly changed from the familiar sounds of a pop track to an unfamiliar, Hispanic sounding song.
"Then let me take the lead." Ruiko-sama said as she shifted them into the starting position of what Frenda assumed was the dance she had in mind. A shift that was helped along by gentle uses of telekinesis on the Level 5's part to move Frenda's limbs. Something that gave the Norwegian a good idea as to what [Multi-Skill] meant when she asked Frenda to let her take the lead.
"Go ahead, Ruiko-sama. I trust you."
The smile that the Level 5 offered her in reply was dazzlingly enough to make Frenda need new panties. Something that was made a certainty as under Ruiko-sama's skillful guidance and tender telekinetic assistance, they proceeded to share the most sensual dance of Frenda's life.
Kuroko was sharing a table with Kazari at the edge of the dance floor and had just watched as Ruiko-san led Frenda-san through the most sensual dance she had ever seen.
"Okay, I concede." Kuroko said as the Salsa song they had danced to ended and the couple broke apart followed by the Number 2 giving Frenda-san a hug before teleporting away. "I think Onee-sama is right after all and Ruiko-san is courting Frenda-san."
"I think the only people who can't see that by now are either blind or are Accelerator-sama, Kuroko-san." Kazari shot back with a roll of her eyes.
Normally, Kuroko's Judgment partner wasn't quite so harsh with her. Or anyone for that matter. Kazari was, in fact, a rather sweet girl who couldn't bring herself to be rude to anyone except the most incorrigible people imaginable. However, after Kuroko had let her hypocrisy get the better of her earlier in the evening and Kazari had been forced to reprimand her, her usually mild mannered partner was in a foul mood that unfortunately brought out her dark, as it were, side.
"I suppose I was slow on the uptake." Kuroko replied with a wince, all the while wary of further setting off her currently surprisingly volatile friend.
"Yes, you were." Kazari said curtly even as she waved a staggering and dazed looking Frenda-san who was walking in their general direction towards their table.
"Frenda-san! Come have a seat! You look like you need it."
"I do." The blonde Dark Sider admitted as she accepted Kazari's offer and slid into a seat at their table. "That dance was… tiring."
"It certainly looked like it would be." Kuroko agreed. "And that was just from our perspective watching it, I can't imagine how much more exhausting it must've been for you."
Frenda-san just nodded and reached for the carafe of ice water and one of the glasses at the center of the table, there was one at every table, and poured herself a glass.
"And yet it seems Ruiko-san is up for another round." Kazari said as she gestured back towards the dance floor even as the music once more changed to a Salsa track.
Turning towards the direction her partner indicated, Kuroko and Frenda-san saw Ruiko-san teleport onto the dance floor arm in arm with Accelerator-san and proceed to share a salsa dance with him.
"Well, at least he won't kill me for dirty dancing with his girlfriend anymore." Frenda-san quipped.
"Do you honestly have to be worried about that?" Kazari asked, shooting the blonde a skeptical look. "Surely Ruiko-san will protect you."
"Yeah, but I want to not have to rely on that if possible."
"Then get Accelerator-sama up to speed."
"Things aren't that easy, Kazari-san." Frenda-san said with a shake of her head. "Ruiko-sama and I haven't even decided what we are, if anything, yet. How can we get Accelerator 'up to speed', as you put it, until we do?"
Kazari just made an exasperated sound that Kuroko was too polite to call a grunt.
"Well, you three better work things out soon." She warned the blonde. "Or you're liable to break someone's heart and I don't think anyone wants that."
"We know." Frenda-san assured her. "We're trying our best."
Kazari nodded in satisfaction and changed the topic. "Frenda-san, I was wondering if you have heard anything about your former outfit's current whereabouts? And if not, would you like to?"
Frenda-san blinked in surprise at that. "No, I haven't had a chance to check. We just got back to the City this morning. Are you telling me that you did?"
"Kazari might not be Ruiko-san, but she is a master of information gathering in her own right."
"Thank you for the praise, Kuroko-san. I try." Kazari deflected the praise with a blush. "But all I really did was look at the latest listings in my intel aggregator before I arrived for the party and saw something about ITEM is all. Since it was listed as only an hour or so before the party began, I thought there was a good chance you hadn't heard it yet, so I mentioned it."
"Well, I haven't heard it. Tell me."
"The exact details are still unclear but it seems our analysts have been able to piece together the broad strokes. It seems that whilst everyone was busy fighting Fiamma of the Right, Gabriel and the Star of Bethlehem, Hamazura-san and a freshly healed Takitsubo-san crossed back over the Russian border from their sanctuary in the Elizalina Alliance to check on a village just on the other side whose people had helped them immensely when they were on the run from the City."
"Hamazura was in charge then. No way Takitsubo would've given a hoot about some random Russian villagers."
"Intel agrees he was the one taking the lead." Kazari said, confirming Frenda-san's assessment. "Anyway, the couple had barely crossed the border before they were ambushed by Mugino-san. Somehow, they were not only able to beat her but also seemingly reconcile their differences in the aftermath, though nobody knows how or why."
Frenda-san just looked at Kazari like she was an alien. "You're serious?"
The [Goalkeeper] just shrugged. "It's what the intel said."
The blonde turned to Kuroko for confirmation but all the Teleporter could do was shake her head. "I can't say anything. I didn't see the reports for myself."
"I'm gonna have to read them myself to believe it." Frenda-san said with a nod. "But for now, is there anything else, Uiharu-san?"
Kuroko's partner nodded and continued. "It seems Mugino-san was not the only force sent after Hamazura-san and Takitsubo-san, as shortly after the fight with her, the three of them were confronted by a group of City assassins which they dispatched by working together. However, this seemingly left them exhausted and they were almost overwhelmed by a follow-up force only to be saved by the villagers that Hamazura-san and Takitsubo-san had ironically originally set out to help."
"Okay, that the City would send out wave after wave to retrieve Takitsubo I can believe. She might not look it but her AIM Stalker is the second most powerful AIM manipulation ability in the City. Only Ruiko-sama's AIM Sovereign is superior. And many power brokers would love to get their hands on Takitsubo in the hopes of advancing her Esper Power to rival Ruiko-sama's."
"Second most powerful?" Kuroko scoffed. "I would think that title belongs to Febrie-chan now."
"Not really. Febrie-chan's power is, as far as we can tell, limited to disrupting AIM fields unless supported by extensive external support like the Misaka Network.," Frenda-san said with a shake of her head. "Don't get me wrong, that's still incredibly powerful but compared to Takitsubo that's still a step down. All she needs to both enhance and disrupt AIM fields are some Body Crystals."
"Didn't overuse of that almost kill Takitsubo-san?" Kuroko asked pointedly, having recalled this fact from her limited reading on ITEM's dossier.
"Yeah, Kinuhata and I kept asking her to cut down but she never listened to us and with Mugino pushing her to use her power whenever she needed it, she never got incentivized to stop." Frenda-san said with a frown. "But more importantly, it doesn't matter that using too much Body Crystals would kill her, to the higher ups that wanted to retrieve her, Takitsubo was nothing more than a pawn. Her welfare wasn't even a consideration to them."
"It's good then that they didn't manage to retrieve her." Kazari said with a firm nod. "And that after some aggressive negotiations with the City, Hamazura-san managed to get himself, Takitsubo-san, and Mugino-san back in its good books on his terms."
Frenda-san frowned, clearly worried about her former comrades.
"Frenda-san, are you-"
"I'm fine, Uiharu-san." The former ITEM operative assured them. "I'm a little worried about them but I'll just look into how they're doing later. Are they back in the City yet?"
"Last I checked, not yet. Though the City has already made arrangements for their repatriation. They should be back by tomorrow or the day after."
Frenda-san nodded. "Then I'll check in with them when they're back. Maybe call up Kinuhata and we can go see them together or something like that."
"That sounds like a plan." Kuroko offered encouragingly.
"Yeah, it does." Onee-sama added as she slipped into a seat next to Kuroko, something that was almost enough to make the Teleporter squeal in delight. For the sake of her dignity, she managed to suppress the urge. If only just barely.
"Thank you, Mikoto-sama. Back from hanging out with your sisters?"
"Yup." Onee-sama nodded. "Saw your dance with Ruiko from over there too. You two look as made for each other as Ruiko and Accelerator are. Act fast to seal the deal, Frenda-san, or things may go awry."
"Argh! Yes, I know. We talked about this already." Frenda-san said with an exasperated groan.
"You did? Sorry then. I stand by my advice though."
"Right, I get it. But let's drop this topic, okay? Please."
"Sure." Onee-sama graciously allowed. "What do you want to talk about instead?"
"Well, since we were talking about the whereabouts of missing friends that might've been caught up in World War Three, I was wondering if you'd heard anything about Kamijou-san, Mikoto-sama?"
"Kamijou? Why would you be asking about him?"
Does Onee-sama really not know? Kuroko couldn't help but think as she shot her beloved with a disbelieving look. Surely, she realizes that considering his track record that Kamijou-san would almost certainly be at the heart of World War Three.
As if to prove this point, a confused looking Frenda-san dropped a bomb that seemed to shatter Onee-sama's world. "Uh… Because intel from just after it came down says he was on the Star of Bethlehem when it did?"
"What!?" Mikoto shouts in shock.
"Hey, Senpai! Why are you looking so grumpy?" Naru asked as she approached the [Railgun], who for some reason decided to seclude herself in one corner of the ballroom whilst the party was still continuing in full swing.
"'Cos I just realized that Kaimjou was on the Star of Bethlehem and not only did I do nothing to help him but I didn't even try to make sure he got home. Heck, from what I've heard, he's currently missing."
Did she just learn this? Kurama asked with a disdainful snort. She claims to have feelings for this Kamijou and doesn't even realize his tendency to get into the heart of danger every single time.
I get why not realizing that might make it seem strange but what does it have anything to do with her not helping him?
If she didn't realize he was on the Star then of course she wouldn't know he needed help or that he might need help getting back to the City.
Hmm… True.
"Yeah, you should've kept track of the intel reports better." Naru said with a shrug. "Even I figured he'd be on the Star when I got there and that was based on outdated intel from before I lost contact with the City for days whilst hitching a ride with Captain Davy."
Mikoto-senpai winced at the mild rebuke and Naru was glad she wasn't trying to defend herself. She had screwed up and her recognizing that fact was the first step in making sure it never happened again. That said, Naru was willing to throw the [Railgun] a bone.
"To be fair though, nobody knew Kamijou's exact whereabouts during the Battle of the Star of Bethlehem and more importantly, you were too busy helping to fight Gabriel at that time to help him even if you somehow did."
"No need to sugarcoat things for me, Naru." Senpai said with a sigh. "I should've known that Kamijou always finds his way into the heart of any Incident he's involved in. And I did read the intel from before the battle that pegged him as heading to pick a fight with Fiamma, so I should have known. But I just didn't make the connection! And yeah, I'd give it to you that I was in no position to break from the fight against Gabriel to help him. But I should've at least done something to make sure he got home safe. Search for him at least!"
"If so then I have news that should cheer you up, Senpai." Rui-chan said as she teleported in like some kind of fairy godmother. Considering her costume was a fairy tale character, she looked it too. "The City just received verification that Kamijou-san has been safely rescued from a piece of the downed wreckage of the Star by elements of the magical cabal, Dawn-Colored Sunlight, who have been providing him medical treatment and an opportunity to rest. And most importantly, they will be repatriating him to the City shortly."
Mikoto-senpai seemed to get a shot of adrenaline at the news and she immediately rounded on Rui-chan. "When was his location and well-being confirmed?"
Hmph! Kurama snorted disdain at Senpai's reaction.
Kurama, what is it?
Nothing, I'm just fed up with the railgun girl's little crush.
Crush? I would think Mikoto-senpai's feelings for Kamijou-san are a little stronger than that.
There can be passion despite a lack of a strong foundation. I never said that the railgun girl's feelings weren't intense, merely that they are built on weak ground.
Hmm… Naru hummed thoughtfully in reply as she refocused her attention to the world around her rather than the depths of her soul.
"The first reports came in about an hour ago." Ruiko informed the [Railgun], prompting their upperclassman to breathe a sigh of relief.
Watching her, Naru could only shake her head in exasperation. She was beginning to see what Kurama was getting at.
To have such a strong reaction for someone she barely knows? I mean, what does Senpai know about Kamijou outside of his heroics? When have they interacted outside of an Incident? Yeah, Kurama is right, this is a crush.
Told ya. Kurama replied smugly before his tone turned disdainful. Honestly, the railgun girl should know better. Two of her closest friends are in stable, loving, true relationships so she should be able to use them as references and see the differences. Both you and your girlfriends; and the Saten girl and her boyfriend have known each other well long before they chose to become romantically involved.
Well, I wouldn't say I knew Arisa-chan well before we started dating.
Semantics. The Arisa girl is just another side to your Shutaura and you two have known each other for years. Besides, setting that aside, you have been trying your best to get to know her as well, have you not?
Of course. Naru agreed instantly. How could I not? Especially when I want to- Oh!
Exactly. Look at the Saten girl and her new prospective girlfriend. The attraction between them is palpable but do you see her jumping her like I'm sure she wants to? No! And I'd bet good money on that being because she wants to get to know her better first. To be sure if they're really compatible before she takes the next step to bring her into her life as a romantic partner.
And Mikoto-senpai is doing none of that with Kamijou. Naru added damningly. But playing Devil's Advocate here, maybe she's thinking she can do that after they've started dating?
Do you honestly think she has thought that far ahead?
Naru winced mentally. No, I honestly can't say that I do.
And that's why I find her feelings for the hero, Kamijou, disdainful.
I get it. Naru replied with a mental frown. But humans are rarely rational about their feelings.
Which is why your kind so often suffer because of them.
Yeah, gotta give you that too. Naru admitted. But just to be sure, is it your empathy telling you that Mikoto-senpai's feelings are a crush?
Kurama snorted. You'd know this if you actually tapped into it and used it more but no, it can't do that. Not even telepathy can. The love involved in a crush is as real as a genuine love, the difference is in the foundations that underpin it. A crush's are fragile and shallow and a true love's tends to be firmer and deeper. You can't tell that by knowing what a person feels or thinks, though it helps a great deal. It takes experience understanding the situation to get the full picture. And from what I can tell, the railgun girl's feelings for Kamijou are based on nothing more than a mix of gratitude and hero worship. It could become something more but not without plenty of hard work that I'm not seeing either of them, as they are now, ever putting into it. So yeah, the railgun girl is just being an idiot.
When you put it that way… Yeah, I guess Mikoto-senpai really is being a dunce about Kamijou huh?
Glad that you agree but don't tell your senpai that. Not unless you want to risk damaging your friendship. People get defensive about their feelings.
Of course I won't tell her. I'm not stupid. Naru retorted with a snort. I'd only tell her if she asks.
Not that Naru ever expected Mikoto-senpai to do that. Her Senpai seemed intent on pursuing Kamijou without so much as talking the matter through with anyone, trusted or otherwise. That kind of blind courage was admirable in some ways, but in this case, Naru just found it foolish.
I never said you were stupid. It was just a reminder.
So you say. Naru replied with a mental snort of disbelief before turning her attention outward, where scarcely a few seconds had passed, and offered Mikoto-senpai a smile. "Since your worries are assuaged now, Senpai, you can stop being so grumpy and enjoy yourself. It's a party. You should be happy and having fun, not moping around!"
"I have to agree with Naru on that." Rui-chan added, backing her up like the wonderful bestie that she was.
For her part, Mikoto-senpai just grudgingly nodded. She did not however resist as Naru pulled her to her feet and dragged towards the dance floor.
And that was enough for Naru to count this little intervention of hers a win.
Omake: A Fever Dream
Kazari was utterly ecstatic. She was with her kaa-san out on an investigation as a part of 'Take your daughter to work' day at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) where her kaa-san worked hard to keep the peace. How much better could things get for an investigative girl like herself!?
A lot apparently! Because right now, the CID had assigned kaa-san to hunt down a serial killer and execute him.
It was why, as she joined her out in the field, Kazari was decked out in full tactical gear, bullet proof vest, helmet and all.
"To keep you safe." Kaa-san said as she had helped her put it on.
Which made it a bit difficult as she chased after the suited woman to witness her corner the malcontent. But with dogged determination, she somehow kept up with her kaa-san.
"Ah, Kaa-san!" Kazari cheered as her mother pointed her gun at the killer and the Dominator's lower portion underwent an elaborate transformation which included swiveling, sliding and rotating parts.
"Enforcement Mood: Lethal Eliminator." The gun announced in an almost cheery voice. "Aim carefully and eliminate the target."
"Stand back, Kazari." Kaa-san ordered as they both ignored the cornered killer's pleas for mercy. "The blood goes everywhere when they explode."
"Hai, Kaa-san!" Kazari chirped as she happily obeyed and stepped behind her mother, who glanced down to check that she was safely out of the splash zone, as it were, before she pulled the trigger.
This sent a concentrated burst of energy shooting from the Dominator that upon impact on the killer's chest, caused it to swell rapidly before it ruptured in an explosion that sent blood and viscera flying everywhere.
It was with this shower of gore still fresh in her mind that Kazari woke up and realized with a breath of relief that it was all a dream. Getting all that blood out of her clothes would be an absolute pain!
"I have to stop eating so much cake or watching my favorite anime before bed." Kazari said to herself, even as she pushed aside her comforter to head to her fridge to enjoy a little comfort cake.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless as always!
Nothing but a pleasure to write some R&R time for my characters. Doing so in a party setting was tough getting all the people in the swing of it, but it paid off well. Having characters that don't normally interact with each other do just that was a blast! World building, character building, relations expanding and evolving. Just so much fun! XD
Nameless: So this chapter was mainly a bit of a filler to allow our characters a chance to unwind after the chaos of World War 3 in the kind of slice of lifeish kinda way that E4E loves. It also gives us a chance to have our secondary characters have a chance to comment on things a little and/or have a chance to build on their relationships with other characters. Hope it was entertaining enough to keep the attention of even the action junkies among our audience.
To be fair, we just finished one of the biggest arcs in the series with the most action. So we can give them some time to rest. After all, the next arc is going to be… cathartic in a way. Time to show why the top characters remain at the top and teach the guppies the pecking order. Mwahahahaha!
Nameless: Now I'm sure some readers might not agree with our take of Mikoto's feelings as outlined by Kurama and Naru's conversation in the last scene. To them, I would like to point out that this is the opinion of characters in the story. Characters with incomplete information. Please take note that before you make your judgments on this matter, you need to compare what Kurama and Naru said against Mikoto's own thoughts on her relationship with Touma. Basically, Mikoto thinks attempting a passive pursuit is best whilst Kurama and Naru feel this is a sign of a lack of depth to her feelings. Both sides might or might not be correct in their assumptions, you'll just have to wait and see. Well, unless I've already spoiled it to you in a previous PM. You know who you are. ;)
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!