Coming Conflict
[ACMI: Into Darkness]
As he dropped beside Touma, the boy looked around to see him.
GV stood up properly from his crouch and looked at the boy.
"Touma."
"GV?" The boy seemed surprised to see him.
"Good evening." The adept greeted him properly with a nod.
There was a pause then. A few moments of awkward silence before GV had to speak again.
"Well then. How did last night go for you. Is your friend okay?"
"Kazakiri? I guess? She's back to normal at least."
"Good. Good." GV nodded again and silenced settled. This time though it was broken by a chuckle.
They turned to see Tsuchimikado at the bottom of a set of stairs. GV had missed the sound of his quiet footsteps as he'd approached. He climbed the stairs to join them before looking between the both of them.
As he looked, he asked "So, is this about the war?"
"Then it's true?" GV asked "There's a war coming?"
"Yep." Tsuchimikado popped the p on that to emphasise the point before continuing "A war between science and magic. The line's been stepped over too many times in the last few months."
"By me..." Touma began but his friend shook his head.
"No. It's not because of you. You've been protecting those around you for all this time."
"I guess." Touma gave a half-hearted agreement.
GV then looked to Tsuchimikado.
"Then why is it happening now. Why not a year earlier or a year later?"
In other words, why was it all happening in the same year that he and Joule had got here. It was unfair in a way.
"It's happening because the people in charge screwed up this year. It could easily have happened on any other year. At least, assuming each side was ready for it."
"What do you mean by that?" Touma asked him.
"Academy City, the Church. Both of them have been preparing for this war for over a decade." Tsuchimikado noted simply "This is a year when they both decided that war was worth it because they were fairly sure that they'd be the one standing when the fighting was done."
...
"And what do you think of that?" GV asked the Magic-using Esper.
Tsuchimikado didn't say anything at first. Finally, he sighed.
"The Church has been ready longer. They're older and have their own powers on par with the Level 5s. But this city has its own aces too. The question is just how morally bankrupt will it need to be to win? This war will be on a scale that we've never seen. It isn't a question of just getting by on luck anymore. During the cross of peter incident, many people got badly wounded. In this war, those caught in the crossfire would be dead."
GV himself was badly hurt in that attack. That was the scale then, if caught by surprise, any one of them could drop dead.
He thought of himself as an Assassin, not a soldier. He slipped past and through guards with violence but he wasn't able to take on a whole army. And in a war, that might very well be what he'd have to do to keep Joule safe.
What would life be like after this? How could he keep her safe.
He'd need to be stronger. He'd need to not let himself be caught by surprise. He needed to have people at his back.
That might just bring whoever he asked to help him to an early grave though. No one would be safe on that battlefield.
"So what are you going to do?" GV pointed this question at Touma. After a short time, he answered.
"I'm going to learn English."
...Well. That was a non sequitur.
Tsuchimikado had been just as shocked to hear it and he sighed.
"Explain Kami."
"I've been letting other people translate for me. If I brought them with me in the future, they could get hurt."
...Well. it wasn't a horrible idea.
It seemed though that Tsuchimikado had a different idea.
"You'd probably want to learn Italian first. But it could work."
...
Well. GV had heard all he'd come here for.
"Good night then you two." He turned away "And remember, I'm willing to help with things to keep our lives safe and happy."
Our, in this context, refered to everyone. Joule, Misaka's friends, Touma's friends. Everyone.
It wasn't a matter of protecting Academy City. It was keeping this place that had become a home to him and Joule safe. Their home was with these people. The place was just where they'd all met.
...Or something like that at least. He felt the meaning was explained enough.
End of chapter.
A little short but it is important to keep note of so that during the later arcs, GV has an In with Touma's side.