Kamijou watched as the last of the festival stands were dismantled by the staff, surrounded by men in grey Powered Suits. It was a short while after the sudden Tremor earlier, and after the fireworks show MAR (short for Multi Active Rescue) had the whole thing stopped for safety reasons. He saw several men and women, with most of the latter dressed in yukata ranging from ornate to simple, exit through the plastic gate which resembled a torii. Beside him he could hear the bespectacled woman from earlier talk to some of her men on her phone, relaying orders of some kind.
Kamijou sighed. He looked up to where the damage was, wincing as he wondered what could've happened hadn't he showed up at the last second. He shook his head, deciding to look around even more. Away from where he was, he saw Kuroko and Zapper talk to the woman from earlier, and turning his eyes he watched as several men and women moved around to continue the cleanup of the tragically cut short festival. His thoughts went to the young couple he escorted, and how bummed they must have been to see the big event they've undoubtedly spent a whole day preparing for, only for things to go to shit in the worst way possible.
A yell from afar took his attention, seeing the long-haired girl calling out to Zapper and Kuroko about taking someone to the hospital. He watched as the ambulance left, with Zapper and Mikoto left behind. He walked over, a smile hidden in his mask.
"Y'know you could've just gotten in and joined them, there's no harm in that," Kamijou said.
"Yeah but it would get us in trouble with the dorm manager. It's a thing with Tokiwadai, with all their bullshit policies and rules, but what can you do," Mikoto groaned.
"I would rather you not use such profanities to express your disdain for the curfew policy of our dorm. Even as you complain it is for the best of its students, security and all that stuff," Kuroko sighed.
Kamijou smiled to himself, watching the girl's brief banter.
"Although I have to say, we could've met again under less extreme circumstances but life is funny that way," he turned to see both girls looking at him. Kuroko Shirai wore a bemused smile on her face, while Mikoto Misaka's was surprisingly blank. "Like why is it that almost every time we meet stuff hits the fan in a spectacular fashion? I almost think you had a hand in this."
She meant it as a joke, but Kamijou's mind didn't take it that way. But he couldn't let her know that. "Careful now, you're gonna sting someone with those words y'know? Besides could you see me make a tremors with these puny hands? Get real, Ms. Shirai."
The pigtailed girl only chuckled, "Don't worry, we'll get you on that. Mark my words." Then she sighed, her playful demeanor disappearing. "Still, to think something terrifying could happen tonight, in here of all places... I don't like to be pessimistic, but I fear for the worst. We need to find the one responsible for these Poltergeistings and contain them fast."
"Okay then, how can I help?"
"...No need, we have this under control."
"Look, I can help out like, just point me in the right direction and then-"
"As much as we appreciate it, we have this under control. The sooner we find the Poltergeist culprit the better," Kuroko spoke, before coming near up to Kamijou's ear. "Plus do you even know where to start looking? I doubt you know how to handle investigations yourself?"
Kamijou said nothing, though he took note of the pigtailed girl's... rather strong perfume. Was she hoping to court someone tonight with that perfume? Kamijou blinked away those thoughts as Kuroko went back, but not before giving him an apologetic smile.
"Don't feel down there Red," Mikoto spoke up. "We can't hope to do anything by ourselves. Take it from a Level 5, you're better off having some someone to help you out on whatever than just doing things yourself-"
"A bit rich coming from you don't you think so Sissy?"
"-and trying to worsen things up in the process. Especially when it comes to you friends." Mikoto finished, her thoughts going to a series of somber events from a while ago.
Kuroko realized the implications of her words, but said nothing, only placing a kind, gentle hand on the older girl's shoulder.
Kamijou was mostly unaware of the girl's implied meaning behind her words. But he figured out that she might've failed to save someone at one point, and it was eating her up. It was something he was familiar with, though it admittedly, probably wasn't the exact same as what Zapper was going through.
"I get the feeling," Kamijou said, surprising both Kuroko and Mikoto. "But if it can help protect more people in the process then I'm willing to help out in any way I can. All hands on deck, and all that right? I don't know the exact words of that but you get my point. Hopefully."
Mikoto and Kuroko looked at each other for a while before cracking up, falling into giggling fits. Kamijou frowned beneath his mask, resisting the urge to smack their heads into each other.
"S-Sorry about that. You really are that earnest huh?" Kamijou furrowed his brows at that. "That being said we really appreciate you jumping in in the nick of time. If you hadn't they could've been seriously hurt. We are forever in your gratitude," Kuroko said as she bowed towards Kamijou, with Mikoto following as well.
"As long as people are safe, that's all the thanks I need."
"If only most were half as modest as you," the woman from earlier who wore glasses walked over to the trio, pocketing her phone. "To be honest when I noticed a tremor from where I was standing on, I was fully prepared to step in. But you did my job easier, and for that you're an okay guy in my book. Whenever you need MAR's help we'll be there in any way we can."
"Oh thanks for the offer but-"
"Just ruminate on it. I mean with all the good you've been doing around District 7 you're very popular, especially with the youth. I'd like that man in my group if I'm being honest."
"Sounds like you're propositioning him there. I mean you don't even know who's he under the mask," Mikoto spoke up for the first time.
"Eh, doesn't bother me. Well you better think about it anyway. I'm a bit busy right so I'll see you around when I see you k?" The woman waved them goodbye as she went back to work.
"She seems rather nice," Kamijou said, careful not to drop his gaze down to a couple centimeters.
"When it comes to any sort of natural, man- or Esper-made disaster Therestina Lifeline has made a name for herself. Her group helped out in the rescue efforts of Spaceplane Orion and its passengers when it crashed into District 7."
"Wait, isn't that the "Miracle of the 88" thing wasn't it? It was a pretty huge thing back in the day, three years ago wasn't it?" Kamijou recalled when he was in his dorm, studying on his homework in his dorm the moment several news groups in Academy City and beyond flocked to the crash site, hoping to show live footage of the destruction, to his disdain. He then heard the news reveal the surviving passengers climbing out of the wrecked plane, all unscathed. All 88 passengers, including the staff and flight crew, miraculously survived the horrific crash. Though there were apparently some reports of a single casualty, but there were unconfirmed, and eventually revealed to be false.
"Yeah. To think that something that terrifying could've happened in our city. But it is a miracle they all managed to survive the crash," Mikoto said.
"I would congratulate the efforts of the pilots who flew the plane. If it weren't for their efforts, they all could've lost their lives in that near-tragic crash," Kuroko opined.
"I don't know, I mean the damage the plane sustained would've been too much for just two pilots to handle. I doubt their piloting could've made a difference."
"The Spaceplane's equipped with a reinforced aluminium-carbon framing around the body of it to minimize impact force, plus the pilots rigorously trained for years on top of their advanced experience. It is just a combination of those factors that made such a thing possible, Sissy."
"Maybe. But to be in that situation… I don't even know what I could've done in that scenario, even with all my strength."
"It's best not to think too much about it, and be thankful for the time we still have," Kuroko said. "I think he would agree with me, right Red?"
"...Hmm? Oh yeah, no point in crying over past things and all that? I, uh, I gotta go now," Kamijou said as he started to walk off but he found himself held in his right hand by a small yet firm grip.
"Oh don't worry about it. Here, I'll help you out," Kuroko said as he grabbed Mikoto's shoulder and calculated her position and coordinates in space before he began her shifting into 11th-dimensional space and teleported them out of the park-
"...Huh? That's weird, I could've sworn I inputted the correct coordinates and accounted for telefrag…" Kuroko mumbled in bemusement.
They weren't going anywhere.
"Maybe you should take a little breather there Kuroko, I mean a lot of things happened tonight and you might be-"
"I'm fine Sissy, I'm not a Teleporter for nothing. I just need to," Kuroko said as she focused on her powers again, and shifted out of- "Why isn't this working?"
Unbeknownst to Kuroko, Mikoto shifted her gaze to Kamijou, her eyes narrowing. The masked man made a motion which seemed to signify a sigh, before he let go of Kuroko's hand. "Don't worry about it. I'll find my way back to the city. But thanks for trying anyway."
"Uh, okay," Kuroko muttered before she went and focused again.
Before teleporting, Mikoto looked over to Kamijou, and mouthed a "Thanks for tonight" with a slight smile on her lips.
That settled it, Kamijou thought. "She knows who I am. What am I gonna do?"
It was only a couple kilometers to the city. There were a very few vantage points for him to swing unto.
"Guess I'm walking home then."
"I could help you out," he flipped out and turned to face Therestina Lifeline, with a friendly smile on her face. "Free of charge."
10 minutes passed and he found himself back on the city limits, seeing several vantage points from where he was. He turned to thank the woman for the drive but she waved it off.
"No need for thanks. Just doing my duty for a fellow citizen," she said.
"Okay," he said. After a moment of awkward silence he raised his hand to fire a line unto a nearby building when his attention was called again.
"My offer stands. We could really use some help. I've seen the reports about you, and while Anti-Skill and Judgement have been giving you a hard time, I think we need someone like you to aid this city out. A bit amateurish, but it's something I guess."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. But I'm good with where I am. You're doing a lot of good helping the city out, and I respect that but I don't see myself hanging out with guys like you, no offense."
"None taken."
"It's just… someone's gotta help out the little guy, you know?"
"...Hmm. Well, if you change your mind, you know what to do," Lifeline said as she handed out a card. He took it, and saw a phone number on it, with an insignia emblazoned on the front, with a large "MAR" slanted on the side. "See you around Spiderman. It's a shame actually, you could've made for a great partner, especially with what I've planned for this city."
"I'm sorry what was…" he turned only to see the car drive off, a slight trail of dust followed. "That? …Must've been nothing. How long has it been since I last slept?"
And with that he swung off for home, for a good night's sleep.
X
Next day came, and after a night of stringing up muggers and gangs off the alleyways and streets Kamijou went for a short walk along the mall, looking for something else to do than just punching the crap out of thieves and street punks. But he honestly had no clue what to do today. He had already stocked up on groceries a couple days earlier, did his summer homework (which he hoped didn't escape the dorm while he was away), and did his daily community service a while back.
It was early onto the afternoon when he changed out of his costume, took a short shower, and put on his casual clothes for a walk. Sighing he looked around even more, searching for something interesting to do. He was in Seventh Mist, and he passed by the place where he saved Uiharu and Mi-Bugzapper from that blast-
X
"Achoo!"
"Something wrong Sissy?"
"Oh it's nothing," Mikoto said as Kuroko turned from the computer and looked at her senior in concern. Kuroko then shrugged and went back to the Database, looking for their mutual new friend.
Mikoto didn't know why, but she really really really wanted to go look for that idiot and have a nice long chat with him.
X
Ignoring the impending sense of doom in his gut he wondered what Uiharu-san was doing today. Probably with her friends hanging out, although he also remembered her being a Judgement Officer, so she might be in her office doing Judgement work.
"Don't you have anywhere else to be than just walking around slacking off?"
"Hey now," Kamijou turned to meet his classmate Seiri Fukiyose, who was wearing a loose white blouse and an indigo sundress underneath it, and beige sandals, long hair loose, her face with slight makeup, and a fierce eyebrow raised, "if you must know Ms. Fukiyose I've done my homework a while ago so I would prefer if you didn't pester me about it every time we meet thank you very much!"
"You better," she said before walking alongside the boy. "Anyway it's good that we meet again. I need your help with some things for the upcoming Daihasei Festival."
"Still working on that? Don't you have any off-days?"
"Yes. That was yesterday, and the day after that, and after that, so on and so before. I'm not a machine, you know."
"Could've fooled me."
"What was that?"
"Nothing," Kamijou looked away trying to whistle. Thankfully Fukiyose sighed before continuing. "Well, I don't have anything to do, so what do you need?"
"Well, I need some clothes, and a couple tents, and then some notebooks and pens for recording, then-"
Kamijou paid too much attention to Seiri's list he felt a soft sensation bounce into him. "Oh sorry about that Miss are youuuuuuu…"
He trailed off as a quite beautiful woman with long blonde hair, porcelain smooth skin, a quite buxom figure, a perfectly framed face and sparkling eyes (are those… stars) looked up at him, a strange look on her face. It was… quite the alluring sight-
SMACK! went his head as he was brought into reality as Fukiyose glared from the side, her arms pushing up her chest as she kept glaring.
"...What?"
"Apologize. She could've fell on the floor and hurt herself, so you take responsibility and apologize to her right now."
Kamijou really really really wanted not to do what she said. He was planning to apologize but her demands shrunk out that need.
"You don't have to speak on my behalf ability Maam, besides it is my fault I collided into Kamijou-san here so carelessly. I apologize for causing any unneeded distress upon the both of you. If it's any consolation I could escort you to any restaurant of your liking."
"Oh no, we wouldn't want to impose on you, thanks for the offer but we really shouldn't-"
"You'd pay?"
"KAMIJOU!"
"Joke! It was a joke, I'm just kidding! Anyway, I should be apologizing to you instead, I wasn't watching where I was going. Touma Kamijou, by the way," he held out his hand.
"Misaki Shokuhou, at your service. And like I said, you shouldn't shoulder the blame by yourself because it was also my fault."
"Then I guess we're both at fault."
"It appears so," Misaki Shokuhou said as she took his hand and shook it.
Kamijou blushed at the soft touch of her white silk glove, which he now realized she also wore one on her left hand as well. He also noticed the white silk stockings covering her legs, with the same design as her gloves. And the uniform…
"You Tokiwadai?"
"Is that a problem?" she asked rather flirtatiously.
Kamijou blushed. "Uh no, it's just that-" he was about to ask her if she knew a certain electric bugzapper when-
NATURE PARK.
Kamijou's breath hitched as Instinct blared within his mind, goosebumps running down his arms and legs as the feeling sunk down from his head down to his feet. He knew what he had to do now.
"Um?"
"Kamijou you can let go of her hand now."
"I'msorryIrememberedthatIgotsomethingimportanttodoFukiyose-samamaybesomeotherdayI'llhelpoutandit'snicemeetingyouShokuhou-sanIhopetoseeyouagainsometimeBYEEEEEE!!!"
"SERIOUSLY YOU'RE FLAKING ON ME RIGHT NOW!? GET BACK HERE YOU AAAaaand he's gone. Typical Kamijou, he gets to do something productive and he escapes responsibility, making excuses. I'm actually not too surprised he didn't realize you called him by his name. Now I don't know how you know him, and I frankly don't care but you better watch yourself around him. Girl to girl, a guy like him's bound to cause trouble wherever he goes. …Although he can be quite dependable at times. Anyway what I'm saying is-"
"You talk too much."
"What's that supposed to me-"
BEEP!
X
Kamijou swung over to Nature Park as fast as he could, feeling the blaring grow more and more powerful as he neared the place. Landing on a nearby building he almost lost his grip as the ground shook violently, causing the building he clung onto to shake as well. He luckily kept his grasp on the wall, and looked below.
Several people were clinging unto trees, their balance failing them as the Tremor continued on. Cracks formed on some parts of the ground alarming Kamijou.
"GYAH!" He turned to the side, seeing a young girl about to be crushed by a tree. He swung over, and building up momentum into the swing kicked the tree away, sending it flying afar. He grabbed the girl into his arms and leaped up into the air, placing her down unto the building he was on. His equilibrium was affected as well, but he didn't care. He had to act fast.
By the time he finished, the Tremors stopped. He had saved over 72 people from the quake. Looking over everyone for any injuries, he sighed a breath of relief when all weren't seriously injured when he saw a familiar face. He was so focused on saving everyone that he didn't check their faces.
She was currently supporting her friend, who he vaguely remembered from last night's events.
"Don't worry Haruue, help is coming. And Spiderman saved us as well, so it'll be okay
"What's wrong with her?"
Kazari Uiharu turned her head to the masked man's visage. She didn't know why, but the way he acted seemed like he was worried.
"Haruue's unconscious again. I thought she was fine at first but…"
"Let me see,'' he said as he removed one of his gloves, and placed the back of his hand to her forehead. "She seems fine to me. What do you mean she was fine at first?"
Uiharu opened her mouth to say something, but a sound from below took her attention, and so did Spiderman's. They both looked down as Eri Haruue, with glassy eyes, sweat running down her face, and a pained grimace, muttered in hushed and feverish whispers.
"Where are you? Where are you? Tell me, who is hurting you…"
X
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed it so far let me know in the comments down below. Vote and share this story, feedback is greatly appreciated.
And I'll see you all in the next chapter. Until then, stay tuned, and stay safe.
Sincerely,
Komigakuo.