Here we are again! Today, I give you the penultimate chapter for the Silent Party Arc. For those of you who have been enjoying this arc, it's almost over! Get ready for one of the largest scale battles Academy City has seen, demonstrating the strength that rises when high level Espers and regular folk work together! For those of you who have not been enjoying this arc, it's almost over, so you don't have to suffer through this anymore.
Honestly, I'm kind of sad its almost over. I for one liked this arc and tried to my best ability make it more appealing for the general audience. But at the same time, I know I can't force anyone's opinions on this arc to change, even for my own take on it, so I'll just have to accept whatever you all think of it in the end.
For now, let's get your reviews replied to so you can all see what you actually came here for.
JayMyBoy: Don't worry. I don't plan on giving up on this story any time soon!
Anti-Mage 29: Yup. You never want to get caught by your older sister, especially if she can fire laser beams with her mind. It's Tsuchimikado, you really shouldn't expect any less from him. Actually, Touma's summer homework is a non-issue for him in this story. In the original continuity, he forgot to do his homework because he got amnesia during the start of the summer and had a lot of stuff happen to him in quick succession with no real breather. plus he has to pay for a second set of remedial classes since his amnesia made him forget to attend the first set. In this story, the Railgang are with him as soon as he wakes up with amnesia and set his straight early on, making sure he completes his homework by the due date and having him attend the first round of remedial classes so he doesn't pay for the second set. Don't worry though. I have something very special planned for the Three Stories Arc, just you wait.
ahsoei: That was more of Touma being cautious than anything else. After all, he knows that Aritomi is a genius that would have several contingencies in place. Plus, the multiple layers of concrete within the build would mess with wireless communications so he would be going in blind if he tried. Actually, Accelerator having met Last Order at the of the Silent Party Arc is a continuity error. At the beginning of the Silent Party Arc, Mikoto is still being stalked by Etzali. Touma deals with Etzali and Accelerator meets Last Order on the same day. Since Mikoto is clearly dealing with Febri throughout the entirety of the arc, that means Touma has yet to deal with Etzali and thus Accelerator and Last Order could not have met yet.
Herox100: That was actually one of my favorite things to write in that chapter. It's just such a Touma moment and all the more satisfying given that my incarnation of Touma has to take a lot of the darker dealings of Academy City much more personally.
RedSS: You call it BS, I call it in character for Touma. Now, my interpretation of Touma as a character may be a bit off, but I've always seen him as a very straightforward and direct person. He does and says what he wants regardless of what people may say is "wrong" or "not normal". He's not bound by traditional morality or logic. He just does what he believes is right regardless what others might say. Really, it's not a matter of him unable to understand gray morality, but rather he's above morality and simply seeks to help people he needs help. That's why the discussion of Touma's inability to understand gray morality is ultimately dropped so suddenly, because it ultimately doesn't matter for Touma. He see's someone in trouble, he's going to help, the rest of the world's view on the subject be damned.
Healthcare: Glad you liked the chapter so much. I'll try to work on being more descriptive with scenes in the future, but I'm not sure how well easily or obviously the results will look for the time being. Slow learning process.
hexmaster23: Yeah, I realize that this isn't one of the better liked arcs. I hoping to at least make my version of it a bit more enjoyable.
Rajarshi Sarkar: Ah, so you want more Touma misfortune do you? Sadly, I tend to pull back on the misfortune in higher tension scenarios, but I do try my best to give Touma a reason to say his catchphrase at least once per chapter. How bad the incident that prompts the catchphrase is will vary.
Aminadab Brulle: Oh wow, I haven't even read the Indian Poker Arc in my own leisure time yet. I've got some serious catching up to do.
jonathanblade00: Thank you so much! Blending the spin-off and the main story is something I always aim to nail whenever I write one of these chapters, so I'm glad it's paying off.
mohamadstar94: Thanks for the kind words.
OnePunchPlayer: Believe it or not, I actually have a plan for an explanation of what that thing beyond the right hand is. Of course, it won't come into play for a long time, but the plan is in place.
Anycartoon123 (Guest): Thank you for the kind words. I am planning on covering as many events that are covered in both Index and Railgun, potentially including Accelerator if I feel it to be necessary. Won't reveal too much on what happens in the future, but I will say that there are some really big changes from canon.
Kamijou Touma (Guest): Because you're world doesn't include the brilliant mind of Doctor Roku Bakuya (My OC, do not steal)! With out him, ODD would have never become a thing! That, and you never joined Judgement.
O (Guest): Yes and no. Certain members of ITEM will fall for him but will keep from making a move due to Shizuri. Others will not for one reason or another. (And yes, that includes Shizuri herself. I'm not a degenerate.)
Isokage (Guest): Don't worry, I'm not planning on stopping soon. I've got big plans I need to see come into fruition. No plans for specifics on that interaction in particular, but I do have some very special stuff planned for the Daihasei
ArcaRoz: Thank you so much for the kind words. I'll be sure to keep going with this story far into the future. It will take a couple of years, but I've got plans that got at least into the end of OT, so I've got to make them happen!
SolanaLeonhart: Good to be back. Yes, the Three Stories Arc does revolve around Mikoto, Touma, and Accelerator. The events being Mikoto and Touma's fake date and her Mikoto's stalker, Accelerator meeting Last Order, and Touma rescuing Index from a magicial trying to get a Grimoire from her head to save his cursed wife.
Generation Zero: Yeah, hindsight is 20-20. The interrogation felt redundant at times, especially since I had Tsuchimikado in the chapter later on, but it served its purpose. Plus, it gave me an excuse to write a Touma speech, which is always a plus. Fleshing out Aritomi's character is actually a major point in this chapter in particular. A closer look at his past than what the anime originally gave should help make him a more sympathetic character, but I'll let you be the judge of that. You might just be surprised by what you see.
Berix: Sorry for all the spelling errors. I'm really am trying to get better at it. As for fixing preexisting one... not exactly on my priority list. Glad you liked the chapter and the shipping.
GENO BERSERK: That will actually be revealed to the audience next chapter. How you may ask? You'll just have to wait and see.
janjakennen: Glad you like the story so much. I actually have something planned out already for the start of the Three Stories Arc. It actually feeds in from an original arc I have planned in between Silent Party and Three Stories. Touma will actually learn about what happened to Accelerator after the events of the Kazaki Arc. You got to let those rumor mills turn first. Already the plan with Accelerator's portion of the Three Stories Arc. It's really more of a character analysis of my new take on Accelerator/Yuri Suzushina. For the time being, Shizuri will try to keep ITEM away from Touma as she's trying to keep her two lives separated for Touma's sake. Exploring new character dynamics is a major part of this story, so Index and Last Order developing a deeper friendship is a given. I'm actually not too sure about Kazakiri since I haven't looked at that arc in a while, but I will say it will be an overall positive experience. Most relationships stay the same unless they are directly impacted by changing events or character dynamics. For example, Touma might have a slightly lower opinion of Hamazura post WWIII since he would have wronged him considerably more since he would now be responsible for Shizuri missing an eye and an arm, on top of him trying to kill Misuzu given his closer relationship to Mikoto. As of right now, Touma's harem isn't really that massive (massive being used loosely considering all the Sisters) but the basic plan is for Mikoto to be a constant front runner (because I'm Kamikoto trash) with other members still regularly making moves in the event that things don't work out for Touma and Mikoto. I actually have something similar to what you have suggested for Misaki planned for much earlier. When it will show up is a surprise. I'm not stopping this story any time soon, so expect more.
ArmoredCoreNineBall: Yeah, I honestly believe the plot of the Silent Party Arc was decent enough to warrant not changing too much and that it was the antagonists that were the bigger issue as they themselves are generally disliked, especially Aritomi. A more detailed and hopefully more sympathetic backstory is something I hope will fix that issue and make the story as a whole more enjoyable.
ParadoxReader (Guest): Yeah, I try to make character inclusions feel natural, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. That's pretty much why I had Index relegated to house arrest during the Poltergeist Arc since she would have absolutely zero reason to be involved in any of the events. I have a whole ton planned for the future, especially with the prospect of how many characters can be connected just from the slight change in character dynamic I've created. I just don't want to spoil the surprises.
LegallyRestricted: All Kiharas eventually learn to fear Touma Kamijou. Since Therestina is trapped behind bars, I had to give her the chance to learn that now or never. Aritomi is a genius, as Touma knows very well from his school papers on the guy. He's just being cautious as to avoid falling into a trap like Mikoto ultimately did.
And that's all of them. Wow, there were some really long review this time around with so many question! Hope this level pf responsiveness continues moving forward.
For now, you all know the drill.
Disclaimer: All characters and plotlines of the "A Certain" franchise are credited to Kazuma Kamachi.
Chapter 49: A Hand in Reach
Two Years Ago
"The idealist will say that no man has inherent superiority, that we are, all of us, beings of equal worth. While the spiritualist will argue, no effort goes unrewarded. So endeavor we must, for it is the process itself that is important."
These were the words Aritomi spoke when accepting his first-place award at the Academy City Research Form Assembly. They were his acceptance speech, a celebration of his efforts in the name of scientific research. They were words that he had always believed in, the beliefs he upheld ever since he started his studies in Academy City as a researcher. However, looking at the audience before him, he couldn't help but feel that faith waver.
Here he was, giving a speech in a massive auditorium, only to see that the room was nearly empty. The room was made to occupy hundreds of people, yet those attending numbered in only the couple dozens. Of those couple dozen people, most were researchers, with only a handful of the other attendees being students doing extra credit assignments. The applause from the minimal crowds was quiet, only audible thanks to the structure of the auditorium. To see such little interest in the process of research was more than a bit discouraging. One would think that the city of science would be filled with people with similar views to his own; the view that research should be done in the pursuit of knowledge, regardless of what the results may be. Sadly, the miniscule crowd suggested otherwise. It was clear that most people within Academy City were far more interested in the final results of research, namely the Esper powers it spawned, than research itself.
Stepping off the stage, Aritomi was greeted by his friend and partner, Jun Sakurai. She was a brilliant young woman whom he had met in school, and one he had the utmost respect for. While he was the mastermind behind their project, it was her expansive knowledge of microbiology that made it possible. They wouldn't have won if it wasn't for her contributions.
"Excellent speech, Aritomi," Sakurai complimented, "I'm sure everyone who heard it agrees with your sentiments."
"Thank you, Sakurai," Aritomi replied with a melancholy smile, "I only wish more people could have heard it. As you can see, the auditorium isn't exactly what you'd call 'packed'. You'd think that a few more fellow researchers would spare an hour to celebrate their profession."
"Come now, we all have our own projects to work on," Sakurai encouraged, "I'm sure they're all just caught up in their own research, that's all. Now, are you going to help me clean up the presentation, or are you going to give people the chance to steal all our hard work?"
"Very well," Aritomi chucked, "Lead the way."
Leaving the auditorium, the pair of researchers returned to their presentation booth to see that it was just as they had left it. In the back of the booth was a large screen showing a slideshow on loop, explaining the basics of their project. One of the slides was of a diagram showing the structural similarities between common microorganisms and the nanobots created using said microorganisms as a blueprint. In the front of the booth was a table with two disk shaped capsules small enough to fit in the palm of someone's hand and two masses of nanobots. These nanobots were running on programming transmitted to them form their capsules. A mass was creating multiple shapes of different tools of varying complexity. The other mass was accompanied by a pile of trash, slowly eating away at it and using the consumed mass to create more nanobots.
However, the lack of even a single spectator was a bit discouraging for the researchers. They expected at least a small handful of people to stop and look it their display out of curiosity, but no one had bothered to spare it a glance. The issue was further made apparent by the fact that the only people present at the venue were Anti-Skill and Judgement Officers and a few other researchers cleaning up their own projects.
Reluctantly, despite the lack of attention their award-winning project was receiving, Aritomi and Sakurai got under way cleaning up their booth. Pressing a singe button at the top of each capsule, the two masses of nanobots were signaled to return and deactivate. Once the signal was sent, the nanobots immediately returned to their capsules, disappearing from sight.
"You know, it really is disappointing that not a lot of people will know about this innovation of ours," Aritomi mused as he placed the capsules in their custom suitcase.
"I agree," Sakurai replied, disconnecting her laptop form the large television screen, "It really is a shame. Maybe a new project idea will pique some interest. Perhaps something related to Esper abilities? That is what most people know Academy City for."
"Perhaps," Aritomi agreed, "but the process for creating Espers is so inconsistent and getting approval to run tests with one of the higher Level Espers is no easy feat."
'But,' Aritomi thought to himself, 'what if there was a way to make powerful Espers even a bit more consistently?'
"Um, excuse me," a third voice said, making itself known, "Are you cleaning up now?"
Looking up from his work, Aritomi spotted a middle school boy standing just outside their presentation booth. He was a rather unremarkable young man, his only real notable trait being his spiky black hair.
"Yes, we are cleaning up our presentation," Aritomi replied, approaching the boy, "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes, actually," the boy said, pulling out a pen and notebook, "I'm doing a report on a Reach Assembly project of my choice, and I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me, if it wasn't too much trouble."
Present Day
After having apprehended the traitorous Nunotaba and the nosy Railgun, Aritomi had called in the rest of STUDY Corporation to properly detain them. With the assistance of several Powered Suits operated through Janie's Diffusion Ghost ability, Aritomi had their two prisoners transported to one of STUDY Corporation's more inconspicuous facilities to keep them under lock and key. That should keep either of them from interfere any further.
Now all that was left was to prepare for the Reach Assembly tomorrow. Finally, after so much effort and development, Aritomi and the rest of STUDY Corporation had a project that people could not just overlook. After being ignored by the general populace and disgraced by his idols in research, he had something that could prove his worth, a creation that could compete with the fantastical powers of high level Espers. All he needed to do now was start this revolution.
When Mikoto woke up, she saw that she was in a completely different location then where she was before. She was now above ground in a room illuminated by sunlight from the massive windows. She was laying on her belly on top of a stretcher with her head turned to face the windows, in front of which Nunotaba was sitting on the ground. From the clock on the building across the street, she could see that the time was 3:40 PM, well into the afternoon. When she tried to get up, Mikoto noticed that she couldn't get her muscles to move, no matter how much she tried.
"Don't bother trying to move," Nunotaba instructed, "Only your eyes and your mouth will respond. Your body is still paralyzed by the drug Aritomi had me inject into you. It blocks the transmission of commands across your nervous system. You won't be able to move a finger for at least another two hours."
"Is that so," Mikoto mused, "I'm curious, how did you get involved with these people? I remember what you said about my sisters; how you stopped seeing them as things and were trying to shut down the experiments. After all that, why get mixed up in something like this."
"During the Sister's Case, I made a mistake," the prodigy researcher explained, turning her head away from the paralyzed Electromaster, "I was caught by an underground organization and sold to STUDY. That was when I was introduced to the artificially created twins, Janie and Febri. Their involuntary neuroactivity was based on a thesis I had written a long time ago, the same one that lead to the creation of Project Level 6 Shift. That particular sin is one that will follow me for the rest of my life. Even so, I must keep trying. I must atone in whatever way possible. That was all I could think when I saw those girls. Janie, Febri's sister, only has enough neuro-programming installed to allow her Diffusion Ghost Core to function properly."
"Diffusion Ghost?" Mikoto inquired, having never heard the term before.
"That is Janie's ability," Nunotaba explained further, "I planned to give her consciousness comparable to that of a normal girl. I'd get my hands on the neutralizing agent, and then I would run away with her. But now things have gone too far and that isn't possible. I have to get the formula from Aritomi. That's the only choice since he's the one who came up with it. I'll do whatever I can to get it from him."
'Yes, I see,' Mikoto thought to herself as she watched Nunotaba get up, her mind wondering to memories of Project Level 6 Shift.
"I don't care what happens to me," Nunotaba declared, "I will save those girls, no matter the cost."
'I get it,' the Railgun mused, 'I understand her guilt.'
"Hey," Mikoto called out, "my sister never got the chance to, but she wanted to tell you thanks."
That simple message from one of 9968 Sisters was enough to get the guilt-ridden researcher to break from her tirade.
"You think you have to do this by yourself, but if you take a look around, I think you'll realize you're wrong," Mikoto continued, "You're not alone. There are people out there who want to help you if you let them."
"And you're one of those people, I suppose!?" Nunotaba yelled angerly, turning her back to the Railgun, "But how do you think you can help me right now!? You're effectively paralyzed! Thanks to me, the only thing you can move is your mouth!"
"Oh really?" Mikoto grunted, accompanied by the sound of electrical buzzing, "Just my mouth, huh?"
Turning to face the paralyzed girl, Nunotaba could barely believe what she was seeing. By using her electrical powers, Mikoto was manually and forcefully transmitting electrical signals throughout her nerves, allowing her motor control. Such a process should surely be causing extensive pain and damage throughout her entire body, yet she was pushing though it like it was nothing.
"Let me tell you what I've come to realize recently," Mikoto said, sitting up on the stretcher, "Other people count on you, but you can count on them too. If you work with someone instead of on your own, your combined strength can make all the difference.
"When I first found out about my sisters, I reacted the same way you are. I just kept thinking, 'This is all my fault. I have to do something'. However, it took a while, but I finally stopped thinking like that. That's why…"
Suddenly, a loud explosion could be heard from somewhere inside the building, cutting Mikoto off. It was quickly followed by several alarms going off, causing quite the ruckus.
"Here they come," Mikoto mused proudly.
In the building's lobby, several Security Robots had been reduced to smoking piles of scrap metal. Some had steel pins teleported inside vital parts, while others had been punctured through and had their internal circuitry fried beyond repair. I was none other than the work of two of Judgement's finest, Kuroko Shirai and Touma Kamijou.
"Uiharu, Kamijou and I have the entrance under our control," Kuroko called over her commlink. "Are you certain there are no civilians in the area?"
"Yes, the building is clear," Uiharu replied, typing away at her computer in the 177th Judgement Branch Office, "You can do whatever you need to. Come in, Saten. What's the status outside?"
From the roof of the building across the street from Mikoto and Nunotaba, Saten had a watchful eye on STUDY's facility. With a pair of binoculars in hand, she kept watch for any suspicious characters.
"Looks good," Saten replied, "No suspicious activity so far."
"I've got Mikoto's location," Touma called out over the commlink, "Shirai, I'll leave the rest of security to you!"
When the alarms started going off, Nunotaba was completely thrown for a loop. It was clear that Mikoto's friends had come to rescue her, but the researcher had no idea how. The facility they were in was a completely inconspicuous office building; it was one of the last places anyone would suspect to be used as a prison for an underground organization.
"How did they know where to find you?" Nunotaba asked, utterly confused.
"I had this GPS tracker on me," Mikoto replied, pulling out a small black box from her shirt, "My friends and I may not look it, but we've had some experience in espionage. With was a piece of leftover equipment from the last operation we conducted. It was a simple plan, really. I told my friends to come looking for me if I was gone for too long. Plus, it helped to have a certain idiot watching my back and reporting everything in real time."
"So, you actually dragged your friends into this mess," the researcher huffed under her breath.
"No, that's not true at all," Mikoto rebutted, "I explained the situation to them and then I asked. I asked for help. And without hesitation, they agreed. They care about Febri too. Although, it looks like Febri might need more help than my friends and I can give. So now I'm asking you, do you think you can help us save her?"
"But this is all my fault," Nunotaba argued, "You can't trust me."
"Yes, I can," Mikoto said reassuringly, "I trust you completely."
For a moment, Nunotaba was at a loss for words. After everything that happened, everything she had done wrong, Mikoto was still willing to trust her. Not only that, she had complete faith in her. It didn't make any logical sense, but at the same time it did. It wasn't a matter of looking at a person's past actions and predicting their behavior based on them. It was a matter of knowing and understanding that person and believing in their character. For someone like Nunotaba, who has always looked at the world with a cold and calculated perspective, it was one of the sweetest, most heartfelt things she had ever experienced.
"No, this is all wrong. You shouldn't be saying that," Nunotaba finally spoke up, "I'm the one who should be asking you. So now I am. I'm asking. Please, help us!"
"Of course we'll help you," Mikoto replied with an affirmative nod, "Of course, there is one idiot among us who doesn't even need to be asked to help someone. You might know him."
As if on cue, the door to the makeshift prison cell flew open with a crash. Standing in the doorway was none other than the misfortunate wielder of Imagine Breaker, Touma Kamijou.
"You okay, Mikoto!" Touma called out before flinching and clutching his left shoulder, "Probably shouldn't have shoulder charged that door at full speed."
"That's what you get for being such an idiot, idiot," Mikoto smirked, silently giggling to herself.
"It's you," Nunotaba gasped in awe.
"Oh, you're here too, Nunotaba?" Touma asked absentmindedly, "Didn't think we'd find you locked up in here too."
"It's a long story," Mikoto cut in, walking up to meet her crush, "But that doesn't matter right now. What's important is that she wants us to cooperate with her with saving Febri and her sister Janie."
"Really? That's great!" Touma cheered, "Come on, let's get the two of you out of here!"
"No," Nunotaba cut in with a firm voice, "I can't leave."
"What are you talking about?" Touma asked in confusion, "This is a jail break, and you're one of the prisoners. Why can't you leave?"
"Aritomi is cautious. He does not want to be discovered," Nunotaba explained, kicking over a potted plant, giving the room the guise of having a struggle, "He's relocated Janie to someplace else. If I leave, we won't be able to find out where she is now."
"But you…," Mikoto tried to argue, but was cut off.
"Don't worry about me," the enslaved researcher continued, "I still have at least a little value to them. They won't be so quick as to dispose of me right away. I just need to bide my time. I'll locate their base and get the formula we need."
"I guess that makes sense. However," Touma said as he drew his ODD and approached one of the windows, "if you're going to make it look like there was a struggle, then you have to make it look authentic!"
Without any other warning, Touma smashed in the window with his ODD's baton mode, scattering glass across the floor. He then turned towards the stretcher Mikoto had been laying on minutes ago and flipped it on its side. Finally, he threw his ODD at the other potted plant in the room, shattering the pot and spilling soil everywhere. By the time he was done, the entire room was a total mess, like a massive fight had broken out and smashed everything in sight.
"If you're going to say behind for espionage, you got to sell your story," Touma explained, patting his hands clean of dirt, "Keep them thinking they still have the advantage. These guys are genuine geniuses, so you need to use every trick in the book to fool them."
"Hm. You're a lot smarter than you make yourself out to be, Kamijou," Nunotaba mused passively.
"That sounds like a compliment, but somehow I can't help but feel insulted," the unlucky Kamijou deadpanned.
"Just be careful, alright?" Mikoto requested of the gloomy eyed researcher, "By the way, our investigation as lead us to believe that STUDY is planning to do something at the Reach Assembly tomorrow. Do you have any idea what that might be?"
"They haven't given me too many details, but I do know they have something planned tomorrow morning," Nunotaba confirmed, "Using Janie's Diffusion Ghost ability, they're going to launch a large-scale attack on the Reach Assembly venues. From there, they'll widen the range of their attack to include the rest of Academy City, throwing everything into chaos."
"I'm sorry, you said that they were going to use this Janie's Diffusion Ghost ability to launch this attack, but how exactly does this ability work?" Touma inquired.
"Her ability requires hair for a medium," Nunotaba explained, "With it, she is able to convert the AIM Diffusion Fields in an enclosed space into virtual matter and achieve control. Normally, this ability requires active control of whatever Diffusion Ghost is being manifested, which limits how many units can be controlled at once. However, for the purpose of this large-scale attack, simple commands are programmed in ahead of time that can be easily be exploited. For example, 'Eliminate any opponent who attacks.'"
"So that explains it," Touma pondered, "That's how all those Security Robots and Powered Suits were able to operate without any power sources. They were basically possessed by scientific ghosts. Once I touched the Powered Suit with my right hand, the ghosts were dispelled, and the suit stopped functioning."
"That is correct," Nunotaba nodded, "You in particular were chosen for testing as a benchmark, to see how Janie's Diffusion Ghost compared to other Esper abilities when pitted against your Imagine Breaker."
"I've actually been wondering about that," Touma added, "How did STUDY know about Imagine Breaker? Sure, I've told a couple people about its existence, but most people just brush it off as a rumor."
"During the early stages of the project, STUDY hacked into certain higher priority databases within Academy City, specifically those of the governing board. A form of rebellion against the society that shunned them, if you will," the enslaved girl explained, "Among the files stolen was a profile on you, Touma Kamijou, which went into considerable detail on yourself as a person and your little-known ability. It was from that file that STUDY learned of Imagine Breaker."
Touma could hardly believe what he was hearing. There was actual documentation of Imagine Breaker within Academy City? All this time, at least according to what his journal said, he had believed that the city was completely unaware of Imagine Breaker's existence. It never showed up on any scans and it was the reason he had been labeled a Level 0. If someone higher up in the bureaucratic ladder of Academy City knew, how much did they really know? And more importantly, how much more did they know than Touma himself did?
"Was there anything in that file that went into further detail regarding Imagine Breaker itself?" Touma asked desperately.
"If there is, I wouldn't know," Nunotaba lamented, "They never let me look at that information. Just the parts regarding your personal information."
"That's not creepy at all," Touma deadpanned.
"Anything else you can tell us that will be useful?" the Railgun inquired, "Like how you intend to tell us STUDY's location when they have you under such tight surveillance."
"It's true. I won't be able to contact you through traditional means, but you should be able to track down the location with Febri's help," Nunotaba explained, "Once Janie activates her ability, Febri should be able to lead you in her general direction."
"This is a lot to take it," Mikoto mused, "Is that everything?"
"Everything I know," Nunotaba replied, "I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more."
"Don't worry. This is plenty. Come on Mikoto, let's not keep the others waiting," Touma said, reaching for Mikoto's shoulder with his right hand.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the Railgun protested, taking a step back.
"What? Why?" Touma asked in confusion.
"Aritomi forced me to inject her with a neurotoxin that left her temporarily paralyzed," Nunotaba explained, "The effects have yet to fully wear off, so she's using her ability to force the electrical singles in her nerves to work, effectively turning her into a walking bug zapper."
"Seriously? Doesn't that hurt?" Touma asked in concern.
"It's nothing, really!" Mikoto insisted, attempting to wave off the issue.
However, Touma wasn't having any of it. Despite Mikoto's protests, he reached behind her and touched her right shoulder with his right hand. With the sound of shattering glass, Mikoto's ability dissipated, leaving her paralyzed again. Before she could collapse form the loss of her motor functions, Touma swung his left arm behind her legs and scoped her up, picking her up bridal style.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing, idiot!?" Mikoto cried, blushing profusely.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Touma asked rhetorically, "I know I nicknamed you after a bug zapper, but that doesn't mean you should go and literally turn yourself into one. I'll carry you out of here, okay?"
"That's not the issue here," Mikoto mumbled, trying to look away to hide her blush, but failing to do so since she was still paralyzed.
"I see why you like him," Nunotaba remarked flatly, finding something to find humor in despite the grim situation.
"Shut up," Mikoto huffed weakly, "Just be careful alright?"
"I will," the enslaved researcher nodded.
"We'll come back for you," Touma vowed, "That's a promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep," Nunotaba warned, "There's no guarantee that all of us are going to get out of this in one piece."
"You see, there's something you need to know about Touma Kamijou," Mikoto giggled, "He always keeps his promises. Once he makes a promise, whatever he promised is as good done."
"How can you be so certain?" Nunotaba asked, confused as to where all this faith was coming from.
"See once promised me he'd fight Accelerator, save my sisters, and come back alive," Mikoto replied with a smile, "Seeing where we are now, I think its pretty clear what the end result was."
"So that explains it," Nunotaba whispered wistfully.
"Alright, enough of that," Touma interrupted, turning towards the door, "Let's not keep the others waiting any longer."
Leaving Nunotaba in her cell, Touma and Mikoto made their way through the building the same way Touma arrived. Soon enough, the pair ran into Kuroko effortlessly fighting off a small handful of Security Robots. When the pigtailed girl saw them, she had more than a few words for the pair.
"What in the world is the meaning of this!" Kuroko cried, "Why is Kamijou carrying Sissy around like she was his betrothed!?"
"Don't get the wrong idea," Touma sighed, "She was temporarily paralyzed and was using her ability in a very dangerous way to get her muscles to move, so I'm helping her move around for the time being."
"Is that true, Sissy?" Kuroko asked, seeming a bit more intrigued than necessary.
"Unfortunately, yes," Mikoto lamented, "But enough about that for now. Let's just get out of h-"
Sadly, for Mikoto and Touma, Kuroko was quick to use the situation for her own benefit. As soon as she heard that Mikoto would be unable to fight back, Kuroko teleported herself into Touma's arms and on Mikoto's lap, cutting her off from what she was about to say.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Touma asked in complete confusion.
"Hitching a ride, of course!" Kuroko cheered, wrapping her arms around Touma's neck, "If we're like this, Sissy has no way to rebuff my affections and the three of us can share some quality time together."
"Kuroko! Get off us this instant!" Mikoto demanded, desperately trying to zap her roommate despite being affected by Imagine Breaker.
"Seriously! I can't carry both of you at once!" Touma begged, his muscles starting to burn.
"You can handle it just fine," Kuroko waved off the topic, "Let's just get going! I think we can all agree we've overstayed our welcome."
"I hate this! I hate this so much!" Touma whined with pained breathes as he ran out of the building, "Damn my rotten luck!"
By the time everyone returned to the 177th Judgement Branch Office, the neurotoxin Mikoto had been injected with had completely worn off. At which point, she shoved Kuroko off of her and jumped out of Touma arms, once again allowing her access to her ability. With the usual power dynamic restored, Mikoto wasted no time unleashing on Kuroko some much deserved electrical punishment. Sadly, the pigtailed girl's masochistic nature meant the punishment was far less effective than is should be, but it did make Mikoto feel better. Touma, for his part, simple watched, not feeling like getting in between the feuding Tokiwodai students.
After that little incident was taken care of, everyone gathered around the branch office's coffee table to recap everything they have learned regarding STUDY's plans and discuss their next move. Needless to say, everyone was quite shocked to hear just what exactly STUDY had planned and how massive the potential attack would be. The thought that this single organization would drag the entire city into their personal vendetta was simply unthinkable.
Even if the news was hard to bear, it at least gave the Judgement team more to work with and potentially enough evidence to get Anti-Skill involved. Now that they knew what STUDY was planning, they had a better idea for what to look for regarding suspicious activity. Specifically, they were on the look out for Powered Suits at the Reach Assembly venues. With this in mind, Uiharu immediately got to work on looking for any Powered Suits stationed at the sites. While she was doing that, the rest of the group contacted Yomikawa to inform her of STUDY's plans in hopes of getting Anti-Skill involved. Sadly, the results were not what they were hoping for.
"I'm sorry. I really am," Yomikawa said sadly over the speaker phone, "but I don't think Anti-Skill can get involved in this case."
"But why not?" Kuroko asked in shock.
"The STUDY Corporation, huh?" the Anti-Skill officer mused, "Now that I hear that name, things are starting to make sense. They're fairly new, but they've quickly risen to prominence, forcing out the competition to become our equipment suppliers. They've even put Dr. Bakuya on hold. Their swift assent has been bothering me, but I guess this explains it."
"Is Dr. Bakuya okay?" Touma asked in concern.
"Whose Dr. Bakuya?" Saten inquired curiously.
"Doctor Roku Bakuya is one of the Disciplinary Committee's best equipment researchers and developers," Touma explained, "He's the one who invented the ODD that I'm field testing. Last I heard from him he was working on getting a working hoverboard prototype."
"Wow," Mikoto said in awe, "Hard to believe STUDY is so collectively smart that they could outperform someone who could create something as versatile as your ODD."
"Well, his prototypes do have a rather high failure rate," Touma admitted, "But hey, that's research and development for you."
"Don't worry about the good doctor, Kamijou. He's doing just fine. The funding for his research was just put on hold and he was put on leave," Yomikawa explained calmly, "Actually, I was suddenly suspended myself."
"Suspended!? Are you alright?" Kuroko cried in concern.
"Yeah," Yomikawa replied nonchalantly, "I'm weathering the storm at Komoe's place. You've met her before, right? Don't worry about me, I'm fine. I'm more worried about you guys. Don't do anything crazy."
After than unfortunate call, Uiharu had found even more bad news. After looking into the records relating to deliveries from STUDY Corporation and the Reach Assembly sites, it was discovered that they had a multitude of bulk containers delivered to all of them. In addition, there were blackouts in each area during each of the deliveries and many of their records were incomplete, coinciding with the multiple blackouts occurring across the city over the last few days. To make matters worse, based on the number of bulk containers and their carrying capacity, the number of Powered Suits armed with Janie's Diffusion Ghosts numbered well over twenty thousand. This number was confirmed when Kongou and her friends arrived soon afterwards, having reached this conclusion by following Kongou Airlines documentation channels.
"The thing is, since they went through official channels to deliver the suits to all of the various sites, we can't take any preemptive action without Anti-Skill's cooperation," Uiharu explained, "If we do, there's a good chance we'd be arrested."
"Essentially, it doesn't look there's a whole lot that we can do until they make their move," Konori summarized.
"The we have to find this Janie girl and stop her somehow," Saten protested.
"Yeah, but we have no way of knowing where she is until she activates her ability," Kuroko pointed out.
"Which means we have to allow the attack to begin," Uiharu lamented.
While everyone else was arguing back and forth for any ideas as to how they would deal with the incoming threat, Mikoto was completely lost in thought. STUDY was constantly several steps ahead of them. They seemed to have an answer for everything Judgement and Anti-Skill could possibly do. The people of STUDY claimed to be geniuses, and they had the foresight in their plans to back up that claim.
"What's on your mind?" Kuroko asked in concern, noticing how quiet Mikoto had become.
"Please, tell us," Kongou begged, equally concerned.
"I just want to save Febri," Mikoto admitted, eyeing said girl, sleeping peacefully, "and her Janie as well. I want to save Nunotaba, who right now is still imbedded with the enemy. And, of course, I want to protect Academy City. I also… I want to keep every single one of you out of danger. So I wonder, am I just being selfish?"
"Well if you are-" Kongou began to say but was quickly cut off.
"Well if that's the case, I have to admit I'm selfish too," Saten cut in, "And actually, I may be worse, because I want all of that and on top of it, I want you to stop looking so miserable."
"Me too! I've been able to make so many happy memories after meeting all of you," Index poured out, "I want to make even more happy memories. I don't want to see you so upset."
"Saten and Index are right," Kuroko added, "Even when things are going as well as they can, you still seem to find something else to worry about. It makes it hard for the rest of us to really relax, you know?"
"That's true. Cheer up. We can do this if we all work together," Konori encouraged.
"That's right," Uiharu agreed, "Together, there is nothing we can't do!"
"I-I believe so as well," Kongou stuttered, "Together, we are unstoppable.
"It won't be easy," Awatsuiki noted, "But when this is all over…"
"We'll still be standing shoulder-to-shoulder," Wannai finished the thought. We'll have a happy ending, you'll see."
Looking around her, Mikoto couldn't help but be grateful to have such wonderful friends. Upon seeing her concern, they all did whatever they could to encourage her and cheer her up. Everyone except Touma, who simply stood across from her, smiling. She knew very well why he didn't say anything; because he didn't need to. He had told her everything he needed to a long time ago.
"I'll make sure everyone can walk away from this with a smile."
These were the words he told her all that time ago during the Level Upper Case. It was a promise he made that day that he made sure to keep. It was a promise he kept with every crisis he had faced since then, even after he lost his memory. It was a goal he always reached out for, even if it seemed too far away to grasp. Yet somehow, he always achieved it, despite his opposition, his powerlessness, and his luck. It was the simple wish to see everyone survive a crisis satisfied, and it was a wish Mikoto now held as her own.
"Thank you, everyone," Mikoto said in a near whisper, more at ease than she had ever been in a long time.
At that moment, the sleeping Febri woke up, mildly surprised to see all of her friends gathered in the office.
"Oh hi," Febri said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Everybody's here."
"That's right," Mikoto smiled at the little girl, "We are all here, and we're about to see if we can get Janie. Would you like to come along with us?"
As soon as she heard her sister's name, the little girl beamed like a ray of sunshine.
"Yeah!" Febri replied jubilantly.
With that decision made for them, the group of students immediately got to work preparing their final countermeasure against STUDY's attack. Konori made a few calls to some close friends and allies. Among that list of people was her roommate and fellow Judgement Officer, Aomi Yanagisako, someone who the Judgement Chief knew she could always count on. Kongou contacted her father, asking him for a favor that most parents would be out of their minds to fulfil, but not the patriarch of the Kongou family. After all, he was sure his daughter had a good reason for making such a request. In Saten's dorm, the girls currently living there were busy as bees, with Uiharu helping Febri making a gift for her sister and Index and Saten furiously studying a set of booklets gifted to them from Kongou. Mikoto and Kuroko were making preparations to seek out early in the morning, as interception was key to their plan. And finally, Touma was ensuring that his equipment was all set and ready for the fight ahead. It was the biggest fight any of them had faced yet, so it preparation was key.
When Touma got up early that morning, the sun had yet to rise and it was still dark out. Seeing as he had managed to not run late so far, he quickly gathered his equipment, clasping his ODD bracelet to his wrist and tucking his four-leafed-clover pendent under his shirt for safe keeping. Quietly, he tiptoed his way through the apartment as to not disturb his sister. After all, this was a fight with an underworld organization he was picking; definitely the worst kind of fight she wanted him getting involved in.
However, as he reached the front door, Touma noticed something peculiar. His Shizuri's shoes were missing, suggesting that she had left even earlier than he did.
Something didn't add up. Normally, she texts him ahead of time if she's going to be busy on a job. Of course, she never goes into the specifics of what the jobs are, but she at least tells him enough to know that its nothing to worry too much about.
"What could she be doing right now?" Touma mused to himself before pushing the thought aside and moving on his way.
It was clear from the shoes being missing that she left of her own accord and was not kidnapped or anything of that nature. Even if something bad did happen, she was a Level 5 and was more than capable of handling herself. For now, Touma had to focus on someone else he knew was in need. Someone who needed his help right now.
Deep within STUDY's base of operations, the disgruntled researchers were eagerly making final preparations. Sunrise was ten minutes and way, more than enough time to do final checks and ensure everything runs according to plan. After so much hard work and research, they were finally going to be able to show Academy City what exactly they were capable of. After years of having their own efforts and abilities overlooked in favor of those whose natural talents were far more fantastical, they would be able to present the fruits of their labors in a way that no one would be able to ignore.
The only person not reveling in this moment of triumph for the organization was Nunotaba, who was making final preparations on Janie while under close observation. Just as she predicted, STUDY was not so quick to eliminate her, but they were not gullible enough to allow her the same freedom she had before her betrayal, not that it was much freedom to begin with.
Deep down, Nunotaba knew that the things she had done were unforgivable. Her past sins would continue to follow her as they lead to more humane crimes. However, she has resolved to do whatever it takes to make up for them, even it is ultimately not enough.
"Now then, time for confirmation," Aritomi announced among his group, "All in favor to proceed as planned?"
A five true members of STUDY raised their hands in response.
"Okay, we're ready," Aritomi said with a satisfied smirk, "Let us begin our Silent Party."
As the sun rose upon Academy City, Mikoto and Febri waited apprehensively on one of the city's many rooftops. This particular building was located directly in the middle of all of the Reach Assembly venues. If STUDY was planning on attack all the sites at once, this would be the best place to start looking for them.
"You know, you look very nice in that outfit," Mikoto complimented, admiring Febri's new White Gothic Lolita dress, "Is that the gift Kongou gave you?"
"Mhm!" Febri replied, "It's pretty and it reminds me of the one from before."
"One from before?"
"From Shinobu!" the young girl cheered, "She picked it out for me!"
"Is that so?" Mikoto mused with a smile.
Checking the time, the Railgun saw that it was officially sunrise. Standing up, she prepared to engage in one of the biggest fights she and her friends have ever faced together.
"It's time now," the middle school girl declared.
All across Academy City, thousands of Powered Suits activated simultaneously in response to the activation of Janie's Diffusion Ghost ability. They had the same directive programmed into them long before they were delivered to the Reach Assembly sites. That directive? Exit the Reach Assembly sites that they were deployed in and cause as much havoc across the city as possible.
However, that directly was almost immediately put on hold as soon as the Powered Suits reached their respective Reach Assembly venue exists. in the first venue, Kuroko stood proudly on top of the closed gate with two large duffle bags in hand. At the second venue, Konori stood definitely in the Powered Suits' path, sporting her red leather jacket from her days in Big Spider. At the third venue, Kongou, Wannai, and Awatsuki stood side-by-side equipped with nothing but a set of thermoses of water and a short surfboard. And finally, at the fourth venue, Uiharu, Saten, and Touma faced the army of Powered Suits with an army of remote operated Security Bots. Saten sported her faithful baseball bat and helmet, while Touma was equipped with his both is ODD Mark 1 and ODD Mark 2, as well as a single left Kevlar combat glove.
With her sister now using her ability, Febri could sense Janie's presence from anywhere in the city. Eager to see her sister again, Febri frantically directed Mikoto in the proper direction.
"That way!" Febri yelled, point forward, "My siste-"
"Here," Mikoto replied, sticking a lollipop in the little girl's mouth, "Don't forget this."
Now sure that Febri wouldn't grow ill from her body's naturally occurring toxins, Mikoto picked the little girl up in her arms and held her tight. This was their last chance to save Febri, Janie, and Nunotaba from the cruel fate imposed upon them by the darkness hidden within Academy City. If they failed, then those three girls will not be the only ones made to suffer. They had to make this last chance count. With her goal in site, Mikoto ran forward, jumping into the fray to do what must be done. She and everyone she knew had a party to crash.
Special End Card Segment: Animan Temple
"Welcome back everyone!" Animan cried with gusto, "It's your favorite end card segment, the Animan Temple, hosted by me, Animan!"
"Priestess Number One here to assist as always," Himegami greeted with a bow, "It's a pleasure."
"Quite a bit going on this chapter, huh, Himegami?" the master of the temple mused, leaning on his sword for support, "Lots of exposition and a deeper look at Aritomi's backstory then what was originally given. I'd say that's a much improved set up for the character as a potential sympathetic villain, right?"
"It's certainly a start," Himegami admitted, "But it's going to need a pretty massive payoff to make it worth it."
"Well, the final chapter is next time, and I've got big plans for a payoff, with the big battle and everything, so well just have to wait and see," Animan concluded, "We'll see you next time for the final chapter of the Silent Party Arc, 'Party Crashers'."
"See you all then," the shrine maiden said with a polite bow.