Author's Note:
I had some setbacks last week so I couldn't post anything. But this week I managed to prepare this One-shot.
Ps. I had crazy luck at FGO, I got:
Karna - Lancer, one of my all-time favorite Servants.
Okita Souji - Saber, the third Saberface on my team, she's not my favorite, but she's capable.
Tamamo-no-Mae - Caster, the first Five Star Servant Caster I've gotten so far and one of my all time favorites. If anyone's wondering, I have a soft spot for Miko Foxgirls.
XXX
Story Title: The Upgrade: Matrix, Six Hearts, Railgun (One-shot)
Plot: The adventures with Academy City are over, but that doesn't mean Bruce Belmont can take a break.
Taking advantage of a period of peace, Bruce decides to upgrade himself using a DNA Stabilizing Matrix and the Jester Karture Magic Technique.
XXX
POV Narrator
Today on Earth-2126 is December 14, 2018.
There are exactly 10 days until Christmas and 16 days until New Year's Eve.
As the holidays approach, most people fill their calendars with duties and plans.
Some are preparing to travel to distant relatives, others are looking for the perfect gift for their loved one and so on.
A good part of the population is taking out from the closets and old boxes everything necessary to decorate the house to celebrate Christmas.
In this sea of commitments and Christmas preparations, there are people so busy with their work and duties, that celebrating Christmas is not among their priorities.
In some special cases, they won't realize that Christmas has arrived until they wake up one morning to find a decorated tree with presents underneath.
Unfortunately, Bruce Bahamut Belmont is one of those special cases.
Bruce, despite being almost 19 years old, is known throughout Boston and the rest of the world as The Occult Detective, the greatest detective in the entire world, actively trying to solve the strangest, most morbid and macabre cases in the world.
Over the past year, Bruce has spent a good portion of his time working in Japan, specifically inside Academy City, on behalf of the British Royal Family.
Four days ago, after the final battle with Coronzon, and a private party at Windsor Castle to celebrate the victory, Bruce returned to Boston, having personally finished business with Academy City, Imagine Breaker, Index, Railgun, and Accelerator.
XXX
Somewhere in a mid- to upper-middle-class neighborhood in Boston, there is a townhouse, a type of building characterized by the juxtaposition of multiple residential units, one next to the other.
Among the many houses in this place, one of them is particularly special, a seven-story sandstone building.
The most iconic element of the building is a shop window, decorated with the writing: B&L Detective Agency.
At first glance, the detective office is closed, the neighborhood thinks that the famous detective is going somewhere in the world to celebrate the holidays or has disappeared again to work on an important case.
The truth reality is much stranger than their imagination.
XXX
Few people know, but underneath the seven-story building that functions as the home and detective office of Bruce Belmont and his associates, there is an underground lair.
The owner is Bruce Belmont, who in addition to being a detective is also a Batman fan, having taken inspiration from the Dark Knight at various points in his life.
Those who know him well are not surprised that his underground hideout resembles a strange combination of the Bat-Cave, a Warlock/Mad Scientist's laboratory, and a Fallout Vault.
The underground hideout is a large bunker, consisting of six floors, divided into several rooms, each with its own purpose.
A characteristic feature of this hideout is the cold temperature, if a normal person entered here, he would undoubtedly say that it is warmer outside.
It is right now, it is snowing outside and the wind is blowing hard.
One or two people in the past have mentioned that Bruce's preference for the cold makes him more similar to Mr. Freeze than Batman.
At the moment, our point of interest is floor number five, the Biomancy chamber.
This room contains a vast inventory of alchemical materials and high-tech scientific equipment worthy of Academy City laboratories.
A smart and capable enough person could use the materials at hand to create a Homunculus, which actually happened here, or recreate Frankenstein's Monster, something that almost happened within these walls.
This lab is full of stuff that can be divided into three categories: common, strange, and disturbing.
One of the most normal things in the room is a metal desk with medical records on it, notes on an experimental procedure.
In one corner of the desk, on top of a stack of old books detailing complex body modification procedures, is a human skull reworked with mithril and runic inscriptions.
On the left side of the desk, on the floor, there is a kind of indoor dog house.
In the dog house, a strange ferret is sleeping that resembles Kudamon, a character from the cartoon, Digimon.
On the right side of the desk is a silver three-legged stand from which extends a fine silver staff in the shape of an inverted J from which hangs a silver birdcage.
The cage door is inside which is a female crow with silver claws and beak.
The female crow is sleeping, keeping her blue eyes closed.
One of the strange things about the Biomancer lab is a half-meter tall futuristic machine with a glass dome on top containing an obsidian Black Cube.
One of the most disturbing things in the chamber are seven large glass capsules, each containing a luminous fluid and a human brain in each capsule.
The owner of this place, Bruce Belmont, is in the center of the room, lying on a futuristic operating table, almost naked.
An interesting detail of this operating table is that underneath it is a cylinder-shaped tank containing a black-purple slime-like substance.
At the moment, Bruce has the appearance of an effeminate 18-year-old, with pale skin, black hair tied in a ponytail, and a strong resemblance to Artoria Pendragon or Morgan Le Fay.
Bruce's private parts are covered by a simple white blanket, around his wrists and ankles are futuristic-looking silver bracelets, the lower part of his face is covered by a mask that releases an anesthetic gas.
The most disturbing thing about Bruce's situation is a metal tube that is located in Bruce's left eye socket, the tube is connected to the tank that contains the mysterious slime.
On a less science-nightmarish note, Bruce isn't completely naked, and in addition to his bracelets, he's wearing three magical trinkets.
In the sleeping Detective's hands is a small, archaic-looking book bound by thin chains.
And around Bruce's neck is a thin chain with a sword-shaped pendant.
Normally, in such an operation the patient should not wear any personal effects.
But these three trinkets are magical and help keep Bruce's magic in check, as are the bracelets around his wrists and ankles.
Let's shift our attention from the patient and focus on the equipment and the pair of "doctors" responsible for the experiment.
On the left side of the operating table are large floating metal discs filled with surgical instruments and Mystic Code for medical purposes.
High above the operating table is a small floating robotic being.
Its disc shape and the metallic tentacles dangling underneath give it a jellyfish-like appearance.
This mechanical unit is piloted by Bruce's scientific and tactical support artificial intelligence, named Shockwave, after one of his favorite characters from Transformers: Prime.
Shockwave is one of two "doctors" who are busy performing the operation that Bruce plans for himself.
On the left side of the operating table is Misaka 12115, aka Misaka Hudson, the "doctor" girl who will make the first incision.
Misaka Hudson is basically a copy of Misaka Mikoto, but there are some slight differences that distinguish her from her Onee-Sama.
First of all, Misaka 12115 is slightly taller and physically fit; Misaka Hudson's skin is more tanned; her brown eyes are slightly more sparkly especially in the dark; her hair is brown but much longer with some red streaks, and held in a bun with a black bow.
Last and biggest difference between Misaka Hudson and Misaka Mikoto, the first one has an average breast, while the second one is completely flat.
Currently, Misaka Hudson is dressed in the attire of a surgeon preparing to operate on a patient.
"The Creator is asleep, the custom anesthetic gas is working, we're looking at at least three hours before the effects wear off. We need to proceed with the operation." Shockwave states in a robotic voice that mirrors David Sobolov's tone.
Shockwave's robotic body's tentacles grab a pair of futuristic devices, while Misaka Hudson grabs a scalpel made of vibranium.
"Misaka is preparing to start the Onii-Sama body upgrade.
Her heart is racing, but training and practice keep Misaka from cracking under the pressure.
Misaka will complete her task, she will make the Onii-Sama happy." Misaka Hudson said with a robotic voice and a blank look, as the scalpel approaches Bruce's chest.
When Misaka Hudson made the first incision, Bruce's body changed shape, the physical and facial structure remained identical, but there are many differences, as if he had changed species from human to an elf-dragon hybrid (?).
"Misaka will not let herself be distracted by the effects of the anesthetic gas on Onii-Sama's body, she must complete the operation that has been planned for months." Misaka Hudson said, taking a tool similar to a surgical chainsaw.
Shockwave's futuristic devices power up, beginning to emit sparks of energy.
XXX
Brief explanation of who Misaka Hudson is.
Misaka Hudson is one of 9,970 Sisters alive worldwide who were part of the Radio Noise Project or Sisters Project.
Misaka 12115 is one of the many Sisters, or clones, of Misaka Mikoto, a Level 5 Esper girl, classified as the third strongest of the only Seven Espers in this category.
Among the 9,970 Sisters, Misaka 12115 can be considered one of the most unique, because her life was saved by Bruce Belmont, then she was taken under his wing as his all-purpose assistant.
Misaka Hudson's story can be summed up like this, she and 10,030 other Sisters had to face the strongest Esper, Accelerator.
The results of these clashes are quite obvious, 10,029 Sisters died at the hands of Accelerator.
Misaka Hudson was about to become victim number 10,030, having been bisected horizontally and left for dead.
Miraculously, the smell of Misaka 12115's abundantly spilled blood attracted Bruce Belmont and his Doberman, who was trained to detect the scent of fresh blood.
Using his skills and knowledge, Bruce managed to preserve the life of Misaka 12115, then took her to his secret laboratory, where he continued to repair/cure her.
For a short period of time, Misaka 12115 was Bruce's primary patient and project, receiving treatments customized to her cloned physiology, which helped her heal quite quickly.
Once Misaka 12115 was 100% recovered, it was time for her to get to know one of the less nice sides of her savior, the side of the businessman who never does anything for free, including saving lives and providing near-miraculous cures.
After an argument between patient and doctor, Misaka 12115 had "earned a debt" of $1,000,000 to Bruce.
Misaka 12115 being a girl who doesn't officially exist and all she had at her disposal were her body, her mental faculties and the Level 3 Esper power, well, she had to repay her debt through uncommon means.
Before she knew it, Misaka 12115 had become Misaka Hudson, a girl with a job as Bruce Belmont's 24-hour handyman during his time in Academy City.
Misaka Hudson as Bruce's assistant received a personal bedroom, a closet full of clothes, a trunk full of weapons, false documents, three meals a day, a monthly salary, private education in many fields related to her work.
Some might say that Bruce is the Kiritsugu Emiya and Misaka Hudson is the Maiya Hisau of their relationship.
In a few months, Misaka Hudson had learned a lot, experienced adventures full of ups and downs.
Then, one day during the outbreak of World War III, Misaka Hudson's 'debt' was paid in full, her services were no longer needed, and she received a severance package, including a $1,000,000 bank account in Switzerland and a plane ticket to Los Angeles.
Misaka 12115 realized that the "debt" thing was an excuse to give her a temporary reason to live, while she learned to fend for herself and how things work in this crazy world.
After this revelation, Misaka Hudson exchanges her ticket to Los Angeles for a ticket to Moscow, intending to not accept her "retirement" and return to work for the Occult Detective.
The rest is too long a story to tell (and will have to be written and published in the future).
XXX
After 180 minutes, or three hours, Misaka Hudson put down the scalpel and took off her surgical mask.
"The operation is complete, according to the biomedical analysis it falls into the success category." Shockwave said, putting away all the instruments he has used in the last few hours.
"Misaka is mentally tired, she wants to go back to her room and sleep all day, but she is also proud of having finished the most complex operation of her career." Misaka Hudson said, sitting on a stool, looking rather exhausted.
"Warning, tachyon particles detected!" Shockwave said, noting the unannounced arrival of an amount of tachyons proportionate to that of an adult human body.
At the same time, a male voice coming from behind clone number 12115 said, "You did a great job, Doctor Hudson, you too Shockwave."
"Misaka turns around in surprise and sees, as usual, Onii-Sama's annoying scribe has appeared uninvited." Misaka Hudson said completely emotionless.
"Welcome back, Councilor Woz, the creator cannot welcome you at the moment, his body is recovering from the effects of the anesthetic gas." Shockwave said, knowing this individual had appeared without warning.
The scribe wears a faded gray jacket with off-white cuffs, silver buttons, black trousers, strappy leather boots, and a gray-purple scarf.
He also wears a hood, which is part of the tunic, with which he covers his face and hair, but his mouth and nose are visible, albeit barely.
The person in gray looks toward an invisible audience that only he can perceive and interact with.
"Greetings, dear readers, I am Woz, scribe and chronicler of the Future King in Black, the greatest ruler who has ever lived, past, present, and future." Woz declares, his tone proud, before lowering his hood, revealing his slicked-back black hair and gray eyes.
"Misaka looks in the same direction as Woz and sees nothing but a wall. Misaka is thinking about taking a tranquilizer and x-raying the scribe's brain." Misaka Hudson said, tempted to put her ideas into action.
Woz ignoring Misaka Hudson approaches the operating table, looking at the final result of this operation.
Shockwave floats behind the scribe, recording everything that happens, as he always does.
Bruce's appearance is no longer that of a human being, humanoid yes, normal human no.
Bruce's skin is mostly ivory colored, but several sections are turning a light purple color.
Her hair, instead of being completely silver-white in color, about 30% of it is light lilac in color.
A couple of bony protrusions are starting to grow from Bruce's head, at the moment they are so small they are barely visible.
The right ear is slightly pointed like that of a half-elf, while the left ear is long and pointed like that of a true elf.
Bruce's entire left arm - much of it from the shoulder and shoulder blade - is completely covered in black, scale-like skin, except for the glowing crimson and amethyst streaks that run across it entirely.
These scales are appearing randomly in other places on the body.
"My Waga Maou is going through a difficult time in his growth, everything he has faced over the years has left its mark.
It is now that his body is maturing to a new stage, and unfortunately, it is showing unpleasant side effects." Woz said, aware that his Waga Maou's biology is becoming unstable, showing chaotic characteristics.
"The counselor is right, the creator's genetic structure has been developing according to an irregular algorithm over the last year.
The exact cause is unknown, there could be many factors of origin such as: the implantation of Mutant and Esper DNA; heavy metal poisoning; the abuse of experimental drugs; prolonged exposure to different types of energy and radiation; the practice of dark and forbidden magic; prolonged physical and psychological stress." Shockwave lists the vast number of possible causes of the condition.
"Misaka is aware of Oniisama's problem, the main purpose of this operation is to insert a stabilizing matrix into his body." Misaka Hudson said, approaching Woz.
The Scribe, the AI, and the Doctor look at the new physiological addition to Bruce's chest, a metal device shaped like a Y inside a circle.
At the three ends of the Y are small crystals of purple, red and black that shine faintly.
Around the edge of the artifact are six incisions, three on the left, three on the right, a sign that something has been implanted.
"Dr. Hudson, you don't know, but this is the most important operation of your life, your contribution to the cause will be remembered forever." Woz congratulates Misaka Hudson on her work.
Woz, in addition to the words, gave Misaka Hudson a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Misaka rejects the strange scribe's praise. Misaka merely followed Onii-Sama's written instructions and used materials created by Adeline Jones and Amelia Blight." Misaka Hudson said in a monotone voice, considering herself just a mechanic assembling a futuristic machine designed by three true geniuses.
"Warning, biomedical scanners are showing that the creator's system has finished metabolizing the effects of the anesthetic gas. He is going to wake up any second." Shockwave said, making this announcement in a robotic voice, but there are faint traces of... joy (?).
Before the Scribe and the Doctor could say anything, Bruce opened his good eye, revealing an eye that was part gold and part amethyst.
"Misaka is happy, Onii-Sama has woken up!" Misaka Hudson exclaims, clapping her hands in joy.
"I never worried, according to this book everything will follow its correct path." Woz said, holding up his prediction book.
People aren't the only things that react to Bruce's awakening, the black-purple slime in the cylinder tank begins to move.
In an instant, the slime had risen up the tube, entering Bruce's body through the empty eye socket.
Bruce quickly and firmly stands up on his butt and removes his anesthetic mask, then rips out the tube.
Once free, Bruce opens his mouth, revealing sharp teeth, and takes a deep breath, as if he had run out of air.
"Misaka moves quickly towards Onii-Sama, wanting to help but not knowing what to do." Misaka Hudson said, not knowing if she should get an oxygen tank or medicine or something else.
"Calm down, Hudson. I'm fine, I just need to breathe." Bruce said, gesturing for Misaka Hudson to stay still and be good.
"Update, biomedical scanners show that the oxygen level in the blood is coming back to normal. But the creator's biology and its Symbiote are interacting with the stabilizing matrix." Shockwave said, using his sensors to analyze what is happening in his creator's chest.
Bruce ignores Shockwave's notification, simply continues taking deep breaths and inhales.
At the same time, with each breath, the Y-shaped device in a circle is sinking into Bruce's flesh, becoming assimilated into his body.
Soon the only trace of the operation is a large, new tattoo on Bruce's chest, the mark in the shape of a diamond from which six wings extend, all colored in crimson red.
"I just got something in common with Iron-Man and it tastes like cherries." Bruce said, feeling a strange fruity taste in his mouth.
A smile appeared on Bruce's face, as he could feel the effect of the device implanted inside him.
The horns, the fangs, the scales have retreated, disappearing as if they had never happened.
The good eye has returned to being completely gold, and also, the skin has returned to its normal ivory color.
Finally, his ears have both returned to being symmetrical and similar to those of a half-elf.
"The surgery was a success, my body will continue to change over time, but it won't be anything chaotic or painful." Bruce said, running a hand over the tattoo on his chest, feeling much better than before.
'Next time I do something like this, I'll have to come up with a new method that doesn't require me to separate from my Symbiote, Lovecraft.
Each separation becomes more and more painful, not to mention the clear difficulty of breathing without Lovecraft.
Unfortunately, I've reached the point where my symbiosis with Lovecraft has become not just a mutually beneficial collaboration, but a necessity.
I don't think I could live without her for too long,' Bruce thinks, reflecting on his health.
The problem of unstable DNA that is mutating uncontrollably has been solved.
But the biological need to have Lovecraft inside him to function properly has no solution yet.
Putting aside yet another problem he has to solve in some way, shape or form, Bruce turns to Misaka Hudson.
"Hudson, thank you, I know it wasn't easy to study all the material I gave you and do the operation.
But, among all my acquaintances, you are the only trustworthy woman who could do it.
I also have to thank your Sisters and Rette Misaka for their support, a hive mind of 9,970 people is nice to have." Bruce said, congratulating Misaka Hudson for all she has done.
In fact, Bruce could have asked his twin sister, Adeline Jones, to perform the surgery, as she is a biological genius and responsible for 1/3 of the procedure.
But Bruce preferred to entrust himself to the hands of Misaka Hudson, who in some ways has become his doctor/nurse, even if officially she occupies the role of personal driver.
"Misaka is very happy to hear these words coming out of Onii-Sama's mouth. Misaka wants to leave the lab and go back to the surface to eat some sweets." Said Misaka Hudson, I want to consume a lot of sugar to recharge.
Finishing talking to Hudson, Bruce looks up at Shockwave.
"The more time passes, the more I appreciate the fact that Amelia Blight and I created you, you are becoming more and more irreplaceable Shockwave.
You can go have fun on the internet or develop one of your personal projects for the rest of the day, but I want you available at midnight." Bruce said, giving his AI the day off.
The jellyfish-like robotic body lands on one of the room's floating tables.
"Creator I will return within the time you requested, you can find me in the SHIELD or Academy City servers." Shockwave said, before leaving his jellyfish-like robotic body, sailing through cyberspace.
Bruce raises both wrists so he could see the Grimoires before his eyes.
"Sora, Ilias, I have you two to thank for keeping the magic in check as well. The same goes for you, Judecca." Bruce said, touching the sword pendant.
Finishing thanking the participants of the operation, Bruce turns to Woz.
"I'm not surprised to see you, Woz, you have a habit of showing up when something interesting happens or when I wake up from a medical procedure.
According to your book of omens, when will my new ability be important?" Bruce asks, running his fingers over the wings of his tattoo, each wing representing a core that has been placed inside him.
Woz got down on one knee with his head bowed and one hand over his heart.
"My Waga Maou, you have taken an important step towards fulfilling your future, the Six Hearted will serve you well, especially when the Grand Order begins." Woz declares, knowing what the young adult before him will face in the future.
Detective Occult rises from the operating table, unconcerned about his nakedness or Woz's forebodings.
Misaka Hudson being a clone girl has no notions of modesty in her brain, this also goes for all her sisters, but over the course of this year she has developed a certain pleasure in observing the form of her Onii-Sama and experiencing contrasting sensations.
' Misaka unsure where to look is thinking of talking to the Misaka Network again.
Maybe Misala 10032 (Misaka imouto) could give me some advice?
Has she made no progress with Touma?' Misaka Hudson thinks, trying to get the image of a certain unlucky boy and a certain Occult Detective out of her head.
Oddly enough, there are also images of a certain albino boy using a crutch to get around.
Being connected to a hive mind made up exclusively of teenage girls has its drawbacks.
Discussions on forums about who has the cutest protagonist or the best ship are nothing compared to the discussions within the Misaka Network.
'Misaka wonders if she could set up a triple date on her next adventure in Academy City?
Misaka would be a girl happy to go to an arcade with Onii-Sama, accompanied by Misaka 10032 (Misaka Imouto) with Touma and Misaka Worst accompanied by Accelerator.
However, Misaka is scared of how Onee-Sama might react to this scenario?' Misaka Hudson thinks, fantasizing a scenario where her Onee-Sama disapproves of their relationship.
Cloned girl number 12115 stops imagining her own sitcom when she sees a smile that promises ill appear on Bruce's lips.
"Misaka is not happy with what she is seeing now. Misaka wants to leave, but if she leaves there is a risk that Onii-Sama will overdo it and the house will explode." Misaka Hudson mutters, grabbing a syringe containing a powerful tranquilizer.
"I'm not exaggerating, I'm just in a good mood for having solved a problem that has been tormenting me for several months.
Now I want to see what my upgrade is capable of, will it work exactly as I designed it to or will it be better or worse?" Bruce asks with a voice full of interest and curiosity.
" Misaka is not convinced by Onii-Sama's words. Misaka remembers that whenever Onii-Sama gets bored, he starts creating something potentially explosive or disastrous or revolutionary.
In many cases, all three options." Misaka Hudson said, trying to hide the syringe inside her sleeve, in case she needs to put Bruce to sleep.
The scribe finally stood up, no longer sitting on his knees.
"Dr. Hudson is not entirely wrong, my Waga Maou is a creature that thrives on conflict.
Momentary peace helps him sharpen his claws, while long-term peace makes him restless and explore new ideas, regardless of the risks." Woz said, knowing more than well the habits of the Occult Detective and how he reacts to certain environments or stimuli.
"My motivations may be difficult to understand for those who do not share my vision, but my results cannot be ignored.
Not only did I manage to solve my genetic problem, but at the same time I replicated and improved the magical technique, Six Hearted Revolver, of Dorothea, also known as Jester Karture." Bruce said, with an unreadable smile on his face, minimally annoyed by Misaka Hudson and Woz's comments.
"Misaka is a little frustrated, her Onee-Sama is childish, and so is her Onii-Sama." Misaka Hudson said, knowing that Bruce has a tendency to buy or replicate anything that catches his eye.
The cloned girl shifts her gaze to a certain cube-shaped artifact that is placed inside a complex machine.
That artifact is Bruce's Mystic Code Supreme, the Cudo of Daedalus, a device capable of performing multiple functions, many of which are replicas of certain rituals, spells, and abilities of adversaries Bruce has encountered.
"Everyone has their favorite pastime. I like to study my opponents' unique abilities or weaponry, then try to create my own customized version." Bruce replies, still being happy and positive, something that doesn't happen often or last very long.
"I agree with Waga Maou, this is one of your greatest talents, the ability to analyze a technology, a spell or a technique in great detail using only your eyes, then adapt it to your abilities and needs." Woz said, praising Bruce's talent.
"Misaka has studied how to perform the surgery, she understands why Onii-Sama needs to implant the matrix.
But Misaka doesn't understand Onii-Sama's need to insert six artificial spiritual origins into you or what they are truly capable of doing." Misaka said with an emotionless tone, but with a curious look.
Misaka Hudson despite being the assistant/nurse/driver of an Occult Detective, her knowledge of the World of Magecraft is still lacking.
The cloned girl has over time developed a certain sense of understanding some of Bruce's mental processes, a necessity if you want to be close to him, but that doesn't mean she can understand him completely.
What goes on inside Bruce's head is a mystery that even the greatest minds can't hope to solve.
Bruce shakes his head, surprised that Misaka Hudson didn't understand why he decided to include an extra in the operation and not just the stabilizing matrix.
"Hudson, don't you remember one of my first lessons?
A person can never have too much money, bullets, or backup plans." Bruce replies in a neutral voice, as if he were talking about a topic so obvious it was boring.
"Misaka lowers her head slightly, ashamed of having forgotten such a simple and vital rule." Misaka Hudson said in a low, monotonous voice.
With Misaka Hudson embarrassed, Woz steps up, taking a front row seat.
"My Waga Maou if it's not too much, may we be the first to receive the honor of seeing your upgrade in action?" Woz asks, as if asking permission to witness an event of historical significance.
Bruce, still in a good mood, nods to Woz's request. Then, he raises his right arm high, as if he were the protagonist of a Tokusatsu series.
"Six Hearted - Jaula Mode." Bruce said, twitching his fingers, starting his magic trick and proving that he has watched too much Anime.
The exact moment Bruce moved his fingers, the tattoo on his chest emitted a strong blinding light, releasing powerful magical energy and equally complex magic.
FLASH !
A flash of red light engulfed the entire room, forcing Misaka Hudson to cover her eyes with her hand for fear of blinding herself.
Instead Woz remained with his eyes fixed on his Waga Maou, willing to give up his eyes to watch this event.
"REJOICE! REJOICE! REJOICE!" Woz shouts loudly, throwing one of his usual tantrums.
"Rejoice! For the birth of a new power of our king!" declares Woz, speaking to his "audience".
When the flash of light faded, Bruce remained in the same position, but gained a change in appearance and physique.
Bruce went from being an effeminate, 5'8" (171cm) tall, almost 19-year-old boy to an androgynous, 5'10" (150cm) tall, 15-year-old teenager.
Bruce's facial structure has mostly remained the same, just younger, prettier, and with softer features.
Her white hair is now red/orange, shoulder-length, and with a wild quiff.
Long eyelashes and thin eyebrows are the same color as hair.
Bruce now has two functioning eyes, both light red in color.
The body is designed to be small and slim, kept in perfect shape.
The skin has gained a more normal color, making one more likely to be considered Caucasian than an albino or someone who avoids sunlight.
The skin is smooth and healthy, free from blemishes, completely pure with no signs of tattoos or scars.
The form has some oddities, such as the lack of secondary sexual characteristics and the fact that it has the physiology of a doll.
Finally, the crimson tattoo remained identical on his chest, despite the rest of the changes.
"Lovecraft, try to create an outfit suitable for this form." Bruce (?) said, using a younger, more childish voice than his normal androgynous voice. The thin British accent remained, though.
The mysterious slime came out of Bruce's pores (?), manipulating his shape to become clothing.
Now, Bruce (?) wears a long, open sleeveless leather coat with the sides tied together with ropes, inside pockets, and a corset-like vest at the front.
He also wears black pants with a silver chain made of skulls on the right side of the belt, a fingerless glove on his right hand, and black sandals.
Finally, the silver bracelets on the wrists and ankles remained.
"Hudson, Woz, what do you think of Jaula Mode?" Bruce (?) asks, spinning around.
The first to respond is Misaka Hudson, who doesn't understand why all this is happening.
"Misaka is a girl confused about Onii-Sama's choices. If Misaka understood correctly, Onii-Sama could have designed these extra forms from scratch.
So why did you choose to be a younger, asexual version of yourself?" Misaka Hudson asks, not trying to hide her incomprehension.
"Dr. Hudson, our Waga Maou is not referring to the aesthetics of his current form, but to his abilities and the magical signature he projects." Woz said, having a deeper understanding of Bruce's words.
"Actually, I was referring to both, aesthetic sense and innate ability of this form." Bruce (?) said, putting his hands on his hips.
Misaka Hudson is about to say something, but Bruce already knows what she's going to say.
"This Modality has this aesthetic because of my attempt to achieve a balance between biological functionality and my tastes in male beauty.
Plus, Nero and Astolfo really enjoyed the illustrative sketch of this likeness." Bruce (?) said, striking a cute and attractive pose on the operating table.
Misaka Hudson looks down on her Onii-Sama's current form for the second time.
Misaka Hudson's slight blush on her cheeks is a clear answer to her personal verdict on the aesthetics of Jaula Mode.
"Before I talk about functionality. I want to give a little summary. You see my greatest ambition is to learn every form of magic that has ever existed. Unfortunately, I have two great enemies: time and the limits of my own body." Bruce (?) said in a calm voice, holding up two fingers of his right hand.
"Despite my many talents, there are systems and magical arts that are impossible for me to learn, being incompatible with them." Said Bruce (?), speaking of his ambition and his obstacles.
Misaka Hudson is about to say something, but Woz signals her to shut up and let Bruce speak.
"Of course there were drastic solutions to this problem, but I didn't use them because they were immoral or not worth the cost. But eventually I found the right solution." Bruce (?) said, placing a hand over his six-winged tattoo.
"Gain six extra forms or hyper-specialized modes, each with its own unique biology, set of magical circuits, origin, and elemental affinity that I do not possess.
Each form is ultimately designed to master a specific type of magic.
Six modules won't allow me to learn everything, but it will greatly expand my study department." Bruce said, rising from the operating table.
"The great bonus of this procedure is that the six spiritual cores and the magics associated with them grant me the equivalent of six extra lives. Combined with my real life, I have seven lives at my disposal, like a cat. Ironically, I prefer dogs to cats." Bruce (?) said, adding a little curiosity to his monologue.
"Waga Maou as always you are an innovative genius." Woz declares, starting to applaud.
"Misaka is confused by Onii-Sama's words, Misaka is quite sure that cats have nine lives." Misaka Hudson said, believing that Bruce might be wrong.
"I can answer that. You see, Dr. Hudson, the number of lives a cat has varies from country to country.
In Italy and Spain, cats are said to have seven lives. Arab and Turkish legends, however, attribute only six lives to cats. In other countries, cats have nine lives.
Despite the differences in numbers, the underlying belief is that cats live more than one life at a time." Woz explained the solution to Misaka Hudson's question.
Bruce calls Woz and Misaka Hudson's attention, still having something else to say.
"As mentioned before, this is the Jaula Mode, the Spirit Core is based on the Einzbern Homunculus, but improved according to my criteria and findings.
Nero and Astolfo will surely find him attractive and cute. But he has some special talents that I find more than useful." Bruce (?) said in a calm voice, opening his hand, creating a hellish blue flame.
The flame begins to glow brighter, growing larger, shaping into a demonic snake-like creature combined with a centipede.
"Enter low level cage." Bruce (?) said with a mischievous smile.
The creature coiling around Bruce's arm is buried in his skin, as if it were an asteroid in a black hole or a snake sinking into quicksand.
After the creature disappeared, a thin, jet-black abstract tattoo appeared around Bruce's forearm.
Then, a small portion of her orange/red hair turned inky black.
" If you don't know, Jaula means cage in Spanish. This form was designed to interact, subdue and house spiritual entities.
Demons are easy to summon and just as easy to lock inside of me and make them do what I want." Bruce (?) said, explaining some of the qualities of Jaula Mode.
"Misaka's eyes widen in surprise, Misaka remembers that Servants are Spiritual Entities." Misaka Hudson exclaims in a monotone, but with impressive speed.
"This form should theoretically allow me to do new tricks with Servant Saint Graph and Class Cards.
If I ever participate in another Holy Grail War I would be curious if this Form could pass as a Lesser Holy Grail." Said Bruce (?), quite interested in the possible uses of this form.
"Misaka is not an expert in magic, but even she can imagine that the Jaula Form can do great things. Misaka approaches Onii-Sama, wanting to use her feminine charm to convince Onii-Sama to tell her the details of the other five forms." Misaka Hudson said, using the questionable advice she received from Adeline Jones and Kuroko Shirai.
"As much as you want to see our Waga Maou in action, you shouldn't force the transformation right now. The operation took place less than 10 minutes ago." Woz said, trying to instill some caution in the group.
"I agree with Woz, I don't want to try one module after another. But I can tell you a few things about the remaining modes." Bruce (?) said, walking toward a table containing his personal effects, set aside when he prepared for the operation.
Bruce (?) touches the crimson tattoo on his chest, the result was a blinding flash of red light.
Misaka Hudson is forced to close her eyes again, unable to stand such a strong light.
Bruce has returned to his original form, but the clothes he previously created have vanished.
"Two of the five extra forms are based on myself or a hypothetical variant of myself if it were a single race instead of being a hybrid." Bruce said, while putting on his black leather pants and boots.
"Hunter Mode - A human form almost identical to me when I pretend to be human, theoretically a mix of my Belmont and Pendragon/Morgan blood. The X-Gene will likely remain active." Bruce said, while putting on his white shirt.
"Fairy Mode - a form devoid of my human blood, a concentration of my heritage from Morgan Le Fay and Merlin, with the influence of my Bahamut blood. I would basically be an Artificial Phantasmal Species or a high-level Artificial Fairy." Bruce said, while wearing his black vest and red tie.
Araña Mode - A form that can be described as "Demi-Human", aesthetically based on Airachnid from Transformers: Prime.
Its purpose, besides stealth and Assassin operations, would be to allow me to use healing magic and Biomancy, which I normally can't do." Bruce said, while putting on his black leather coat.
"The penultimate form could be perceived as either a tribute or an insult to the Misaka Network.
Coilgun Mode - A form based on a special Homunculus, a combination of Victor Frankenstein's blueprints for the creation of Francesca (Berserker of Black) and Misaka Mikoto's genetic map.
I admit that this mode is not designed for magic, but rather a personal interest to see what Misaka Mikoto would look like if she were modified using the science of Victor Frankenstein and the alchemy of the Einzbern." Bruce said, as he began to put on all of her accessories: rings, bracelets, pocket watches, brooches, earrings.
"Finally, Tsudzurao Mode - a form based on a Fox Yokai, known as Kitsune, but with the characteristics of Tamamo-no-Mae's Saint Graph. The purpose of this form is to allow me to use Yata no Kagami, even just a fraction." Bruce finishes listing the modes granted by the Six Hearted.
"Misaka is surprised by Onii-Sama's confession, however Misaka won't say anything until she sees the Coilgun Mode in action." Misaka Hudson said, crossing her arms, holding back from making a judgment.
The only two things left on the table are a small black box and a customized high-tech smartphone.
"Dr. Hudson, I think it's time to let our Waga Maou be alone, he'll need some private time to check on missed calls." Woz said, placing a hand on Misaka Hudson's shoulder.
XXX
In less than a minute, the scribe and the doctor were gone from the Biomancer Chamber, leaving Bruce alone.
"What do I do to keep it a secret?" Bruce mutters, grabbing the small box from the table.
The Occult Detective opens the box, revealing that inside is a glass eye.
Bruce picks up the glass eye and doesn't put it into the eyeball, instead he unrolls it, revealing that it is hollow and inside is an ancient-looking coin, emblazoned with the symbol OOO.
"Fiammetta, you stayed in your place, that's a good thing." Bruce said, rolling the glass eye, hiding its contents.
"Reading The Crystal Stopper by Maurice Leblanc was filled with inspiration to find a hiding place in plain sight." Bruce said, as he moved the fringe covering his empty eye socket, inserted the glass eye, and put the fringe back in its place.
RING RING RING !
In the Biomancy chamber, Bruce's high-tech smartphone started beeping.
"Who's looking for me?" Bruce mutters, grabbing the phone from the table.
The screen reads: Olga-Marie Asmleit Animusphere; followed by an image of a white-haired woman who is two years older than Bruce.
"I wonder what else Olga-Marie wants from me?" Bruce mutters, preparing to answer the call.
"Bruce, this is Olga-Marie, I need your services, tell me how much it will cost me to bring you, your sister and your team to Antarctica?" Olga-Marie asks in an alarming tone.
"Normally, you ask me to come to London or pick you up from the airport in Boston. Where exactly should I go in Antarctica?" Bruce asks, curious to know what Olga-Marie wants from him this time.
"Right in the center of Antarctica in a laboratory-observatory, built 6000 meters above sea level in a mountain range, hidden by an endless snowstorm." Olga-Marie answers, giving some directions.
"I think I could get there in a day, but what do you want me to do?" Bruce asks, wanting to get an idea of his future assignment.
"I need you to join Chaldea, become a Master, summon a Servant, and travel through space and time to save the world." Olga-Marie replies in an alarmed voice, needing all the help she can get.
"I have a feeling this is going to be a long and complicated job, and I'll ask for a very high fee." Bruce said, taking the whole situation in stride.
"I will give you my hand in marriage or my firstborn. Just come here as quickly as you can." Olga-Marie said sounding slightly desperate.
"Antarctica, it's a good thing I like the cold and snow." Bruce said, leaving the room, going to pack his bags.
"These are more of a reward for you and not for me. But we'll talk about the payment face to face, until then don't go crazy." Bruce said, ending the call.
The End
