Good Company [Raildex AU]
Interlude 1
75% Certain
25% horse thief
Interlude 1
Kami-Amakusa, Kumamoto, 06/08/1988
Tatemiya Saiji fought the fish and the fish won.
Isahaya sat stoically until an afro-topped head surfaced once more, sputtering seawater like a desperate bilge pump. He leaned gracefully over the pier. "Need a life jacket?"
Saiji took an outstretched arm and let the older man hoist him back on to dry land. "Did you get the number on that fish? I'm of half a mind to report him to the ministry of public safety."
"I didn't," Isahaya admits, "but you might try checking with Jonah, maybe join forces for a civil suit."
"That's funny," added a third voice, "I thought that the church was supposed to be good with fish or something."
"Oi, Nomozaki." Saiji met the newcomer with a welcoming nod. "We're fishers of men, not fishers of fish. And that's what I'll insist if you ever mention what you saw here to anyone."
Saiji, the youngest of the three, was a physical oddity who somehow managed to be with wiry yet built like a truck. Facing him in a contest of strength carried the same appeal as taking a rototiller to the face: most people pass.
Isahaya, on the other hand, was an older man of such a prototypical form that you'd have considerable difficulty picking him out of a crowd were he your very own grandfather. That unassuming facade just happened to hide a magical powerhouse; you don't reach advanced age as a magician without getting a thing or two wildly right.
The third man was a walking enigma. Few outside of their close circle could account for the man or his capabilities, making him an ideal choice to manage the more covert interests of the Amakusa organization. While he wasn't as unassuming as old Isahaya, there certainly wasn't anything outstanding or magnetic about him either.
"Nomozaki, surprising to see you." Isahaya reached down into the cooler and plucked out a beer before tossing to the brown-haired man. "Have a drink."
He made the easy catch and raised the bottle in appreciation. "You know exactly what I like, old man, and you made sure to grab anything but that."
"With age... comes wisdom. Tsushima Lager is better for you; it has fewer calories."
Nomozaki belted out a good hearty laugh. "It's a real shame, but I didn't come up here on short notice for a social call."
"Good thing too, because we haven't caught dinner," Saiji said. "Good news?"
"It really depends on how you look at it. The Church of England's station head in Japan -- Necessarius-backed, of course -- has apparently gone rogue, infiltrating Academy City without orders or any assigned mission."
Isahaya's eyes danced with amusement. "Quite inconvenient for them. Necessarius has been making a real mess of things, haven't they?"
"Ah." It took a second longer, but Saiji grasped what the two men were getting at. "Without any reliable assets in the area, you're thinking that this could be our golden opportunity."
Nomozaki nodded. "Those pricks have been leading us along with 'probationary' status for too long. If they want to leverage our strategic position like they so plainly do, they should be willing to accept us into the fold with all of the benefits that entails."
Saiji wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Do we have assets in place?"
"We have a sleeper agent in close proximity to that wayward library of theirs, and she's almost certainly the target in this mess."
Isahaya elected to be the voice of caution. "Are we certain that they're good for it?"
"Reasonably," Nomozaki said in his most confidant tone. "Remember, she was their station chief. She knows all about England's own capabilities in the region, and she'll be prepared for them. On the other hand, we haven't shared any intelligence regarding our own infiltration program into Academy City. It's our strongest bargaining chip, and this is the perfect moment to rub that in the Archbishops' faces."
"Sounds like a plan," Isahaya said with a shrug.
Saiji concurred. "This might be the best break we Amakusa have had in 200 years. You have my full support, but the details remain at your discretion. Now, for a more important question: are you any good at fishing?"
Nomozaki met his eyes. "Not at all."
They all ate at McDonald's that night.
Kami-Amakusa, Kumamoto, 06/08/1988
Tatemiya Saiji fought the fish and the fish won.
Isahaya sat stoically until an afro-topped head surfaced once more, sputtering seawater like a desperate bilge pump. He leaned gracefully over the pier. "Need a life jacket?"
Saiji took an outstretched arm and let the older man hoist him back on to dry land. "Did you get the number on that fish? I'm of half a mind to report him to the ministry of public safety."
"I didn't," Isahaya admits, "but you might try checking with Jonah, maybe join forces for a civil suit."
"That's funny," added a third voice, "I thought that the church was supposed to be good with fish or something."
"Oi, Nomozaki." Saiji met the newcomer with a welcoming nod. "We're fishers of men, not fishers of fish. And that's what I'll insist if you ever mention what you saw here to anyone."
Saiji, the youngest of the three, was a physical oddity who somehow managed to be with wiry yet built like a truck. Facing him in a contest of strength carried the same appeal as taking a rototiller to the face: most people pass.
Isahaya, on the other hand, was an older man of such a prototypical form that you'd have considerable difficulty picking him out of a crowd were he your very own grandfather. That unassuming facade just happened to hide a magical powerhouse; you don't reach advanced age as a magician without getting a thing or two wildly right.
The third man was a walking enigma. Few outside of their close circle could account for the man or his capabilities, making him an ideal choice to manage the more covert interests of the Amakusa organization. While he wasn't as unassuming as old Isahaya, there certainly wasn't anything outstanding or magnetic about him either.
"Nomozaki, surprising to see you." Isahaya reached down into the cooler and plucked out a beer before tossing to the brown-haired man. "Have a drink."
He made the easy catch and raised the bottle in appreciation. "You know exactly what I like, old man, and you made sure to grab anything but that."
"With age... comes wisdom. Tsushima Lager is better for you; it has fewer calories."
Nomozaki belted out a good hearty laugh. "It's a real shame, but I didn't come up here on short notice for a social call."
"Good thing too, because we haven't caught dinner," Saiji said. "Good news?"
"It really depends on how you look at it. The Church of England's station head in Japan -- Necessarius-backed, of course -- has apparently gone rogue, infiltrating Academy City without orders or any assigned mission."
Isahaya's eyes danced with amusement. "Quite inconvenient for them. Necessarius has been making a real mess of things, haven't they?"
"Ah." It took a second longer, but Saiji grasped what the two men were getting at. "Without any reliable assets in the area, you're thinking that this could be our golden opportunity."
Nomozaki nodded. "Those pricks have been leading us along with 'probationary' status for too long. If they want to leverage our strategic position like they so plainly do, they should be willing to accept us into the fold with all of the benefits that entails."
Saiji wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Do we have assets in place?"
"We have a sleeper agent in close proximity to that wayward library of theirs, and she's almost certainly the target in this mess."
Isahaya elected to be the voice of caution. "Are we certain that they're good for it?"
"Reasonably," Nomozaki said in his most confidant tone. "Remember, she was their station chief. She knows all about England's own capabilities in the region, and she'll be prepared for them. On the other hand, we haven't shared any intelligence regarding our own infiltration program into Academy City. It's our strongest bargaining chip, and this is the perfect moment to rub that in the Archbishops' faces."
"Sounds like a plan," Isahaya said with a shrug.
Saiji concurred. "This might be the best break we Amakusa have had in 200 years. You have my full support, but the details remain at your discretion. Now, for a more important question: are you any good at fishing?"
Nomozaki met his eyes. "Not at all."
They all ate at McDonald's that night.
Last edited:
Episode 2 Part 1
75% Certain
25% horse thief
Misaka Mikoto's doppelganger (or is it Misaka Mikoto herself?) is something that you just can't ignore. You slip out your earbuds and silence your phone. Stealth mode enabled. The streets around here are pretty empty so hiding in a crowd isn't an option, but this girl doesn't seem to be checking very vigilantly. As long as you hang back thirty meters or so, you should have no problem following her without giving yourself away.
By now, you're well across the border and into the Churchill neighborhood of District 2. It's one of the older parts of the city, mostly a thicket of smaller buildings that date back to Academy City's inception. While many of them were originally residential, most are now used for storage or industry. You suspect that the only reason it hasn't become a haven for gangs is that there are so many other corners of the south that are even more appealing to them.
A few blocks in and you're starting to feel a little frustrated. You were expecting something weird or unusual to happen by now, but she hasn't done a single thing that strikes you as out of the ordinary.
It doesn't take long for you to get your wish.
Up ahead, every single alarm bell in your head goes off at once when you spot a pair of guys hanging out on a corner, right where what looks to be a well-trafficked alleyway branches off. It's the oldest one in the book: the two of them who are 'hanging out' in the street act as spotters, and their job is to signal their buddies (in a building down the alley, no doubt) when worthwhile prey stumbles into their trap. Then, they catch their victim in a pincer.
Common sentiment in Academy City holds that it's such an obvious ploy that anyone who falls for it deserves whatever they get. (This always struck you as a rather callous opinion.) Your jaw drops when Mikoto walks into the trap alley without sparing the lookouts so much as a single glance. By the looks of it, they can barely believe it either.
Holy shit.
You don't even pause to think before you sprint after her. She might be able to handle herself, but the way you're built, doing nothing isn't an option. They're in no hurry to draw in on her, but they're close enough to where she'd spot them easily if she only looked back... but she's in no hurry to do it. I know how the change that.
You let out a primal howl as you race in on the pair, and they freak out a little -- what, did they not see me earlier? -- but this only makes in easier to get in a good early hit. The guy on the left is turning in the perfect way, so you buckle the leg he has his weight on and catch his head from behind with your bag as he pitches forward, slamming his face into the wall. His pal springs at you with a very ungainly hug-looking attack and his reach is wide enough to where you probably won't be able to dodge it. You do better, letting your bag fall and grabbing on to him with both hands, using his momentum against him to propel him forward while you sink to the ground and slide beneath him.
He's able to raise his arms to cushion the impact, but it still dazes him slightly. You should have pulled harder, though, because he's still able to draw a knife in a shaky, fumbling motion. This... is bad. These guys have at least fifty pounds on you and you seriously doubt your prospects in a fair fight, let alone hand-versus-knife. The best you can do is position your arms to better block your vitals and move back as fast as you can, leaving more ground for him to cover and thus more time to react to his attack.
"You stupid bitch," he spits as he steps forward. he's left handed, so you shift to your right to hamper any swinging motion while desperately scanning for an opening or a flaw in his attack. He's no rank amateur, though, and you fall back on the desperate gambit of rushing him at the very last second.
You're shocked when that last second never arrives. His arm is intercepted by Mikoto as he raises it into a high swinging position and she spins about, hyperextending his arm before a final twist outright dislocates his shoulder. He collapses backwards, screaming until Mikoto silences him with a kick to the head.
That's when the rest of them arrive, and there are a lot. You count seven at first, and then realize that there's a eighth one that you missed. Your feet are glued to the pavement, totally split between fight and flight. Mikoto doesn't have that problem. She rushes in to meet the first one with a spinning kick to the side of the knee, flowing perfectly into a second flicking kick that disarms the second before he has a chance to even properly raise his knife. The third tries to take advantage of the commitment but gets a claw to the eye for his trouble, and he falls to his knees with an anguished cry.
Fuck it. You jump in behind her, hammering on the first one while he's down and before he can pick himself up. The second sees this and launches a punch, but you notice what's inbound and dodge enough so it just grazes your shoulder. While his back is turned, Mikoto snaps a kick to buckle his knee while fending off three of his friends. You take this as your cue to bury your elbow in his face, snapping his head backwards and sending him to the asphalt.
Two more were downed while you were busy, and suddenly the odds aren't looking so brilliant for the thugs. They know a losing battle when they see it and four of them still standing bug the hell out, grabbing a pair of their wounded comrades but abandoning those they can't reach.
You brace yourself against a wall, panting heavily and heart pounding in your ear. It takes a long moment for your thoughts to clear up and for you to properly comprehend what just happened. You're can't decide whether you're horrified or invigorated, so you go with an awkward mix of both. I'm such an adrenaline junkie, and I'm pretty lucky that I'm not bleeding out on the ground right now.
Mikoto -- when did you start thinking of her as Mikoto? -- is going from body to body, checking that they're actually unconscious. Finally, she turns to you, looking a little put out. "That wasn't smart. You should value your own life more."
Not sure how to respond to that, you default to a nervous chuckle as you scratch the back of your head. "Eheheh... that was pretty crazy of me." Hold on... if this is Mikoto, why isn't she using her ability?
You're about to ask as much, but when you try to talk nothing happens. In fact, your body isn't following any orders you send at all. You're not paralyzed so much as locked out of your own flesh. It's the second most terrifying feeling you've experienced in your life.
You hear a male voice, smooth but interrupted by the occasional tremor. "You two girls had to go and fucking ruin it. You had to go and fucking ruin it. It was such an elegant plan! Those dumb zeroes act all threatening and then I swoop in and rescue you with my ability. But you ruined it. Nooooow I'll just have to use my ability on you, and WHERE'S THE ELEGANCE IN THAT?!"
When he enters into your frozen field of vision, you're almost disappointed. He's an auburn-haired runt barely taller than you are, flashing his status with designer labels without knowing how to actually make a decent ensemble out of them. No wonder he's pulling this shit. Even girls at a club would have better sense than to give a tacky little prick like him the time of day.
Suddenly, he seems to take keen interest in you. "Oh, do you have something to say?"
Your mouth, throat, and lungs become responsive. "Yeah. Fuck you."
He responds with a disgustingly self-satisfied laugh, but whatever he planned to say is cut off when thunder explodes right next to him, accompanied by a blinding blue flash. It sends the bastard flying into the side of a dumpster.
"What a fool, trusting in such an easily thwarted power without verifying its effect."
Your jaw hangs open. "I think-- I think you killed him."
Mikoto -- is this really Mikoto it can't be Mikoto can it -- regards him distantly. "Perhaps. He made his bed, now he gets to sleep in it."
No way, is she really saying that? You shake your head. "That's not right." As you walk over to check his pulse, she stops you.
"What makes his health your responsibility?"
"What, did he suddenly stop being a person while I wasn't looking? Let me help him!"
"Don't be a fool. Are you trained in medicine?"
"W-what does it matter!" you shout, trying not to falter.
Not-Mikoto fixes you with a cold stare. "Any severe injuries sustained by him will have been internal. If you move him, you're likely to make them worse. Furthermore, if you're so insistent on helping him, what about the others here who are similarly unconscious? They might very well be suffering from life-threatening injuries also, but did you even consider helping them? What makes them different from him?" You try to find the words to explain, but you can't. "They didn't even attack us. You struck them first. Sure, their intent was apparent... but," she points at the bastard, "wasn't his?"
Unable to press that point, you attack from a different angle. "You didn't have to hit him with such a powerful attack! It's different because we weren't just defending ourselves there, it was... it was... over the top!"
"He's a psychic, and we don't know how strong he is. Are you aware of what they're capable of? I couldn't take the risk that he'd have even a moment of consciousness in which he could use his powers to wreak havoc in your brain. I would have had more leeway if you weren't hear, but the attack I used was what I judged necessary to incapacitate him immediately."
"Bullshit." You're smarting a little from her insinuation, and it gets the better of you. "I know for a fact that electrokinesis can instantly stun without physically harming someone!"
"Not all of us are Misaka Mikoto," she snaps back. "Do you understand what makes her unique and respected among advanced elecrokinetics, or the so-called Electromasters? She has enough control to use her power to its fullest potential without ever killing a single person! I might look like her -- I know you're thinking that -- and I certainly respect her, but let me be perfectly clear: I am not Misaka Mikoto."
You shrink back involuntarily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--"
"Of course you didn't. I don't hold anything you've said here against you. But let's be clear: if you really cared about his survival, you'd be calling for emergency services instead of arguing with me about things that don't matter." She raises up a hand to stop you when you move to do just that. "I've already sent a message to that effect outlining what they'll find, and it would be in our best interests that they don't find us."
"Wait, what -- why? They'll get away without any punishment unless we explain what happened!"
She 'hmph's at you. "It's our word against theirs, and they can honestly argue that we provoked them. Besides, they've already received a degree of 'punishment' that exceeds anything that Anti-Skill would foist them with."
"But--" you're interrupted when she grabs your wrist and starts physically dragging you out of the alley back the way you came. "What are you doing!"
"What's best for you." She grabs your bag as you pass by it, which you'd forgotten about. When you're out she lets go of you, only to use her free hand to find your student ID with remarkable precision. "Saten Ruiko," she reads. "I see."
You snatch it out of her hand and then return to grab your bag. "I'm right here, you know. If you want to learn my name, just ask me!"
She looks you straight in the eye, expression 100% even. "What is your name?"
You open your mouth, close it, open it again, and close it again. "Ru... Ruiko. Saten Ruiko."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Saten Ruiko. You can call me Kanako."
The sound of a siren meets your ears. You've already made it maybe 40 meters from the alleyway entrance, but... Ah, what the hell. This time, you grab her wrist. "C'mon, you wanted to be somewhere else? Let's go somewhere else. Where were you heading, anyway?"
"Irrelevant, now. I've missed an appointment."
Well, whatever. I can't get a read on her at all, but I'm stupidly hungry and probably a little shell-shocked. I can sort this out later. "Do you like ramen?"
There's the small problem of you not knowing how to get there from your present location, but you luck out and spot a ramen place that you assume is the right one. (You forgot the name of the place you're looking for, so it's not like you'd know.) You're actually surprised by the interior, which isn't anything like the stereotypical ramen shop in your mind's eye. It's just a simple one-room eatery with a few plastic tables and matching chairs set out, with more stacked in the rear to place outside in the event of a rush.
You don't have to worry about anything like that, because there are only three other patrons. (One of them is from your school, and she gives you an odd look. Well, fuck.) The proprietor takes your order immediately, and offhandedly asks if "you girls have been having fun." You don't realize until you're seated that your shirt has blood on it and that's probably what he's talking about.
All the while you're talking the opportunity to talk with Kanako, but you aren't actually getting a ton out of her. You're not sure if she's playing coy or if she's just that bad at picking up on what it is you're digging for.
Y'know what, I'm gonna get this girl to loosen up and spill her secrets if it kills me.
The entire reason you followed her in the first place was because you felt like there was something suspicious about her, and that feeling has only grown more deep and abiding. You haven't forgotten that she introduced herself with a 'call me' instead of 'my name is', and considering how common it is for those involved in Academy City's shadier affairs to adopt an alias...
It could just be grasping at straws. It could be nothing at all. But maybe -- maybe -- it's something huge. You remember the weekend where Kuroko constantly messaged you with her thoughts on and reactions to Don Quixote when she had to read it for a school assignment, and one of her messages jumps into your head: "Academy City sure has a lot of windmills."
You remember to drink the remaining dregs from the bowl (At least, you think that's what you're supposed to do? You don't actually watch so many Japanese imports, so your knowledge here is kinda hazy) and see that Kanako is finishing hers as well.
Secrets. If it kills me. You set your jaw, and declare that your next stop as a pair will be an arcade. She shrugs.
You get off of a bus 20 minutes later -- It's 3:15 already? -- and find yourself face-to-face with a symphony and blinking lights and boopity-beep noises. Playland GAU is your arcade of choice, and with good reason: as long as you pay membership dues, you can play unlimited games and even get a friend in pro bono once a week. Usually that means Kazari, but... well, no sense in wasting an entitlement, right?
It's easy enough registering Kanako, and less than a minute after showing your ID, you're strolling through the atrium. She looks around, taking in the exotic sights. "Nice place."
"It's right next to the Garden of Education, so you'd better believe it is," you agree. "There's nothing in that stuffy place to actually do, so the ones who don't survive on distilled essence of tea party like to come out here. When your clientele is largely Homo Richgirlensis, nothing but the best will do."
So close to the Ganden of Education, you have no choice but to bow before the supremacy of ye olde traditional wayes, so you start out with the same thing you always do: a lively bout of air hockey. It starts about a bit, ah, lopsided, as apparently Kanako has never played air hockey before. After the fourth goal in five shots, you relent and fall into teacher mode.
"It's all in the flick of the wrists. If you let it shoot out like, uh, like the head of a snake trying to bite you, you can slice it across so hard that the other guy doesn't have time to react."
She gives it a try. "Like... this?"
"Yes, exactly!" You return it without much effort and it slides into her goal.
"That didn't work and now the table shut off," she says, sounding a little dejected.
She's barely finished talking when you've started another game. Camping on a game is considered rude, but there are other air hockey tables open so you don't feel at all guilty. "No, you were doing great! Just follow Ruiko-sensei's advice and you'll be set in no time. You can shoot all you want, but you also have to have an instant defense if you want to kick it with the big girls. See the way I'm using my finger to anchor the rim, giving it wider side-to-side motion?"
The lesson continues, and true to your word, you actually get Kanako to the point where she can score a time or two before you mercilessly obliterate her.
Success.
That's when you get a message. It's from Shunichi.
Anyway, you have a good couple more hours before you should depart. What game should you introduce Kanako to next?
OBJECTIVE UNLOCKED!
♦ A Personal Windmill
Goal: Crack Kanako's secret, if she has one
"Kanako may not be Misaka Mikoto (brainwashed Mikoto? Maaaaaybe...), but that doesn't mean she's on the level or exactly what she appears. By god, you're gonna find out everything about this girl you can."
Saten Ruiko
Current Mood: Distracted
By now, you're well across the border and into the Churchill neighborhood of District 2. It's one of the older parts of the city, mostly a thicket of smaller buildings that date back to Academy City's inception. While many of them were originally residential, most are now used for storage or industry. You suspect that the only reason it hasn't become a haven for gangs is that there are so many other corners of the south that are even more appealing to them.
A few blocks in and you're starting to feel a little frustrated. You were expecting something weird or unusual to happen by now, but she hasn't done a single thing that strikes you as out of the ordinary.
It doesn't take long for you to get your wish.
Up ahead, every single alarm bell in your head goes off at once when you spot a pair of guys hanging out on a corner, right where what looks to be a well-trafficked alleyway branches off. It's the oldest one in the book: the two of them who are 'hanging out' in the street act as spotters, and their job is to signal their buddies (in a building down the alley, no doubt) when worthwhile prey stumbles into their trap. Then, they catch their victim in a pincer.
Common sentiment in Academy City holds that it's such an obvious ploy that anyone who falls for it deserves whatever they get. (This always struck you as a rather callous opinion.) Your jaw drops when Mikoto walks into the trap alley without sparing the lookouts so much as a single glance. By the looks of it, they can barely believe it either.
Holy shit.
You don't even pause to think before you sprint after her. She might be able to handle herself, but the way you're built, doing nothing isn't an option. They're in no hurry to draw in on her, but they're close enough to where she'd spot them easily if she only looked back... but she's in no hurry to do it. I know how the change that.
You let out a primal howl as you race in on the pair, and they freak out a little -- what, did they not see me earlier? -- but this only makes in easier to get in a good early hit. The guy on the left is turning in the perfect way, so you buckle the leg he has his weight on and catch his head from behind with your bag as he pitches forward, slamming his face into the wall. His pal springs at you with a very ungainly hug-looking attack and his reach is wide enough to where you probably won't be able to dodge it. You do better, letting your bag fall and grabbing on to him with both hands, using his momentum against him to propel him forward while you sink to the ground and slide beneath him.
He's able to raise his arms to cushion the impact, but it still dazes him slightly. You should have pulled harder, though, because he's still able to draw a knife in a shaky, fumbling motion. This... is bad. These guys have at least fifty pounds on you and you seriously doubt your prospects in a fair fight, let alone hand-versus-knife. The best you can do is position your arms to better block your vitals and move back as fast as you can, leaving more ground for him to cover and thus more time to react to his attack.
"You stupid bitch," he spits as he steps forward. he's left handed, so you shift to your right to hamper any swinging motion while desperately scanning for an opening or a flaw in his attack. He's no rank amateur, though, and you fall back on the desperate gambit of rushing him at the very last second.
You're shocked when that last second never arrives. His arm is intercepted by Mikoto as he raises it into a high swinging position and she spins about, hyperextending his arm before a final twist outright dislocates his shoulder. He collapses backwards, screaming until Mikoto silences him with a kick to the head.
That's when the rest of them arrive, and there are a lot. You count seven at first, and then realize that there's a eighth one that you missed. Your feet are glued to the pavement, totally split between fight and flight. Mikoto doesn't have that problem. She rushes in to meet the first one with a spinning kick to the side of the knee, flowing perfectly into a second flicking kick that disarms the second before he has a chance to even properly raise his knife. The third tries to take advantage of the commitment but gets a claw to the eye for his trouble, and he falls to his knees with an anguished cry.
Fuck it. You jump in behind her, hammering on the first one while he's down and before he can pick himself up. The second sees this and launches a punch, but you notice what's inbound and dodge enough so it just grazes your shoulder. While his back is turned, Mikoto snaps a kick to buckle his knee while fending off three of his friends. You take this as your cue to bury your elbow in his face, snapping his head backwards and sending him to the asphalt.
Two more were downed while you were busy, and suddenly the odds aren't looking so brilliant for the thugs. They know a losing battle when they see it and four of them still standing bug the hell out, grabbing a pair of their wounded comrades but abandoning those they can't reach.
You brace yourself against a wall, panting heavily and heart pounding in your ear. It takes a long moment for your thoughts to clear up and for you to properly comprehend what just happened. You're can't decide whether you're horrified or invigorated, so you go with an awkward mix of both. I'm such an adrenaline junkie, and I'm pretty lucky that I'm not bleeding out on the ground right now.
Mikoto -- when did you start thinking of her as Mikoto? -- is going from body to body, checking that they're actually unconscious. Finally, she turns to you, looking a little put out. "That wasn't smart. You should value your own life more."
Not sure how to respond to that, you default to a nervous chuckle as you scratch the back of your head. "Eheheh... that was pretty crazy of me." Hold on... if this is Mikoto, why isn't she using her ability?
You're about to ask as much, but when you try to talk nothing happens. In fact, your body isn't following any orders you send at all. You're not paralyzed so much as locked out of your own flesh. It's the second most terrifying feeling you've experienced in your life.
You hear a male voice, smooth but interrupted by the occasional tremor. "You two girls had to go and fucking ruin it. You had to go and fucking ruin it. It was such an elegant plan! Those dumb zeroes act all threatening and then I swoop in and rescue you with my ability. But you ruined it. Nooooow I'll just have to use my ability on you, and WHERE'S THE ELEGANCE IN THAT?!"
When he enters into your frozen field of vision, you're almost disappointed. He's an auburn-haired runt barely taller than you are, flashing his status with designer labels without knowing how to actually make a decent ensemble out of them. No wonder he's pulling this shit. Even girls at a club would have better sense than to give a tacky little prick like him the time of day.
Suddenly, he seems to take keen interest in you. "Oh, do you have something to say?"
Your mouth, throat, and lungs become responsive. "Yeah. Fuck you."
He responds with a disgustingly self-satisfied laugh, but whatever he planned to say is cut off when thunder explodes right next to him, accompanied by a blinding blue flash. It sends the bastard flying into the side of a dumpster.
"What a fool, trusting in such an easily thwarted power without verifying its effect."
Your jaw hangs open. "I think-- I think you killed him."
Mikoto -- is this really Mikoto it can't be Mikoto can it -- regards him distantly. "Perhaps. He made his bed, now he gets to sleep in it."
No way, is she really saying that? You shake your head. "That's not right." As you walk over to check his pulse, she stops you.
"What makes his health your responsibility?"
"What, did he suddenly stop being a person while I wasn't looking? Let me help him!"
"Don't be a fool. Are you trained in medicine?"
"W-what does it matter!" you shout, trying not to falter.
Not-Mikoto fixes you with a cold stare. "Any severe injuries sustained by him will have been internal. If you move him, you're likely to make them worse. Furthermore, if you're so insistent on helping him, what about the others here who are similarly unconscious? They might very well be suffering from life-threatening injuries also, but did you even consider helping them? What makes them different from him?" You try to find the words to explain, but you can't. "They didn't even attack us. You struck them first. Sure, their intent was apparent... but," she points at the bastard, "wasn't his?"
Unable to press that point, you attack from a different angle. "You didn't have to hit him with such a powerful attack! It's different because we weren't just defending ourselves there, it was... it was... over the top!"
"He's a psychic, and we don't know how strong he is. Are you aware of what they're capable of? I couldn't take the risk that he'd have even a moment of consciousness in which he could use his powers to wreak havoc in your brain. I would have had more leeway if you weren't hear, but the attack I used was what I judged necessary to incapacitate him immediately."
"Bullshit." You're smarting a little from her insinuation, and it gets the better of you. "I know for a fact that electrokinesis can instantly stun without physically harming someone!"
"Not all of us are Misaka Mikoto," she snaps back. "Do you understand what makes her unique and respected among advanced elecrokinetics, or the so-called Electromasters? She has enough control to use her power to its fullest potential without ever killing a single person! I might look like her -- I know you're thinking that -- and I certainly respect her, but let me be perfectly clear: I am not Misaka Mikoto."
You shrink back involuntarily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--"
"Of course you didn't. I don't hold anything you've said here against you. But let's be clear: if you really cared about his survival, you'd be calling for emergency services instead of arguing with me about things that don't matter." She raises up a hand to stop you when you move to do just that. "I've already sent a message to that effect outlining what they'll find, and it would be in our best interests that they don't find us."
"Wait, what -- why? They'll get away without any punishment unless we explain what happened!"
She 'hmph's at you. "It's our word against theirs, and they can honestly argue that we provoked them. Besides, they've already received a degree of 'punishment' that exceeds anything that Anti-Skill would foist them with."
"But--" you're interrupted when she grabs your wrist and starts physically dragging you out of the alley back the way you came. "What are you doing!"
"What's best for you." She grabs your bag as you pass by it, which you'd forgotten about. When you're out she lets go of you, only to use her free hand to find your student ID with remarkable precision. "Saten Ruiko," she reads. "I see."
You snatch it out of her hand and then return to grab your bag. "I'm right here, you know. If you want to learn my name, just ask me!"
She looks you straight in the eye, expression 100% even. "What is your name?"
You open your mouth, close it, open it again, and close it again. "Ru... Ruiko. Saten Ruiko."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Saten Ruiko. You can call me Kanako."
The sound of a siren meets your ears. You've already made it maybe 40 meters from the alleyway entrance, but... Ah, what the hell. This time, you grab her wrist. "C'mon, you wanted to be somewhere else? Let's go somewhere else. Where were you heading, anyway?"
"Irrelevant, now. I've missed an appointment."
Well, whatever. I can't get a read on her at all, but I'm stupidly hungry and probably a little shell-shocked. I can sort this out later. "Do you like ramen?"
There's the small problem of you not knowing how to get there from your present location, but you luck out and spot a ramen place that you assume is the right one. (You forgot the name of the place you're looking for, so it's not like you'd know.) You're actually surprised by the interior, which isn't anything like the stereotypical ramen shop in your mind's eye. It's just a simple one-room eatery with a few plastic tables and matching chairs set out, with more stacked in the rear to place outside in the event of a rush.
You don't have to worry about anything like that, because there are only three other patrons. (One of them is from your school, and she gives you an odd look. Well, fuck.) The proprietor takes your order immediately, and offhandedly asks if "you girls have been having fun." You don't realize until you're seated that your shirt has blood on it and that's probably what he's talking about.
All the while you're talking the opportunity to talk with Kanako, but you aren't actually getting a ton out of her. You're not sure if she's playing coy or if she's just that bad at picking up on what it is you're digging for.
Y'know what, I'm gonna get this girl to loosen up and spill her secrets if it kills me.
The entire reason you followed her in the first place was because you felt like there was something suspicious about her, and that feeling has only grown more deep and abiding. You haven't forgotten that she introduced herself with a 'call me' instead of 'my name is', and considering how common it is for those involved in Academy City's shadier affairs to adopt an alias...
It could just be grasping at straws. It could be nothing at all. But maybe -- maybe -- it's something huge. You remember the weekend where Kuroko constantly messaged you with her thoughts on and reactions to Don Quixote when she had to read it for a school assignment, and one of her messages jumps into your head: "Academy City sure has a lot of windmills."
You remember to drink the remaining dregs from the bowl (At least, you think that's what you're supposed to do? You don't actually watch so many Japanese imports, so your knowledge here is kinda hazy) and see that Kanako is finishing hers as well.
Secrets. If it kills me. You set your jaw, and declare that your next stop as a pair will be an arcade. She shrugs.
You get off of a bus 20 minutes later -- It's 3:15 already? -- and find yourself face-to-face with a symphony and blinking lights and boopity-beep noises. Playland GAU is your arcade of choice, and with good reason: as long as you pay membership dues, you can play unlimited games and even get a friend in pro bono once a week. Usually that means Kazari, but... well, no sense in wasting an entitlement, right?
It's easy enough registering Kanako, and less than a minute after showing your ID, you're strolling through the atrium. She looks around, taking in the exotic sights. "Nice place."
"It's right next to the Garden of Education, so you'd better believe it is," you agree. "There's nothing in that stuffy place to actually do, so the ones who don't survive on distilled essence of tea party like to come out here. When your clientele is largely Homo Richgirlensis, nothing but the best will do."
So close to the Ganden of Education, you have no choice but to bow before the supremacy of ye olde traditional wayes, so you start out with the same thing you always do: a lively bout of air hockey. It starts about a bit, ah, lopsided, as apparently Kanako has never played air hockey before. After the fourth goal in five shots, you relent and fall into teacher mode.
"It's all in the flick of the wrists. If you let it shoot out like, uh, like the head of a snake trying to bite you, you can slice it across so hard that the other guy doesn't have time to react."
She gives it a try. "Like... this?"
"Yes, exactly!" You return it without much effort and it slides into her goal.
"That didn't work and now the table shut off," she says, sounding a little dejected.
She's barely finished talking when you've started another game. Camping on a game is considered rude, but there are other air hockey tables open so you don't feel at all guilty. "No, you were doing great! Just follow Ruiko-sensei's advice and you'll be set in no time. You can shoot all you want, but you also have to have an instant defense if you want to kick it with the big girls. See the way I'm using my finger to anchor the rim, giving it wider side-to-side motion?"
The lesson continues, and true to your word, you actually get Kanako to the point where she can score a time or two before you mercilessly obliterate her.
Success.
That's when you get a message. It's from Shunichi.
Well, that's good to know. You were privately afraid that they'd want to attend a big viewing party at one of Academy City's clubs, which are a little more intimidating.
Anyway, you have a good couple more hours before you should depart. What game should you introduce Kanako to next?
OBJECTIVE UNLOCKED!
♦ A Personal Windmill
Goal: Crack Kanako's secret, if she has one
"Kanako may not be Misaka Mikoto (brainwashed Mikoto? Maaaaaybe...), but that doesn't mean she's on the level or exactly what she appears. By god, you're gonna find out everything about this girl you can."
Saten Ruiko
Current Mood: Distracted
[ ] Write-in
[ ] A racing game
[ ] Skee-ball
[ ] The claw machine
[ ] The trivia competition
[ ] A fighting game
[ ] That dancing game
[ ] A shooting game
[ ] Whatever game you're best at
[ ] Why not let her pick which one she wants?
[ ] That game where you mow down all those clones
♦ Spread Your Wings
Goal: Find something worth living on for
"There's a tradition in Academy City -- or perhaps more of a cliche -- of a hopeless Level Zero throwing themselves off one of the city's many towers in a desperate attempt to bring their latent ability to the forefront. It's not the perfect comparison to your present state, but it is a serviceable one."
♦ The Big Game
Goal: Meet Shunichi and his friends for dinner
"He seems like a nice guy, and heaven knows you need more of them in your life. Plus he's clearly not wanting for cash, so it probably means that you're getting two free meals in one day. The spendthrift inside of you is leaping for joy."
♦ A Personal Windmill
Goal: Crack Kanako's secret, if she has one
"Kanako may not be Misaka Mikoto (brainwashed Mikoto? Maaaaaybe...), but that doesn't mean she's on the level or exactly what she appears. By god, you're gonna find out everything about this girl you can."
♦ Explore Academy City
Goal: Expand your horizons
"It's a big place out there. Find someone interesting. Go somewhere new. Why do you think you're so depressed when you're cooped up in that cage of yours?"
♦ Minor Objectives
Meet Kuroko Accomplished! +1 OP
Akemi's gift(?)
[ ] A racing game
[ ] Skee-ball
[ ] The claw machine
[ ] The trivia competition
[ ] A fighting game
[ ] That dancing game
[ ] A shooting game
[ ] Whatever game you're best at
[ ] Why not let her pick which one she wants?
[ ] That game where you mow down all those clones
♦ Spread Your Wings
Goal: Find something worth living on for
"There's a tradition in Academy City -- or perhaps more of a cliche -- of a hopeless Level Zero throwing themselves off one of the city's many towers in a desperate attempt to bring their latent ability to the forefront. It's not the perfect comparison to your present state, but it is a serviceable one."
♦ The Big Game
Goal: Meet Shunichi and his friends for dinner
"He seems like a nice guy, and heaven knows you need more of them in your life. Plus he's clearly not wanting for cash, so it probably means that you're getting two free meals in one day. The spendthrift inside of you is leaping for joy."
♦ A Personal Windmill
Goal: Crack Kanako's secret, if she has one
"Kanako may not be Misaka Mikoto (brainwashed Mikoto? Maaaaaybe...), but that doesn't mean she's on the level or exactly what she appears. By god, you're gonna find out everything about this girl you can."
♦ Explore Academy City
Goal: Expand your horizons
"It's a big place out there. Find someone interesting. Go somewhere new. Why do you think you're so depressed when you're cooped up in that cage of yours?"
♦ Minor Objectives
Akemi's gift(?)
Last edited:
notthepenguins
Neither Spherical Nor Frictionless
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
[x] That dancing game
[X] That dancing game
75% Certain
25% horse thief
This is tied. Gimme a tiebreaker.
Edit: Whatev, rolling for it.
Dancing it is, unless someone swoops in with a legit vote in the next 30 minutes or so.
Edit: Whatev, rolling for it.
Dancing it is, unless someone swoops in with a legit vote in the next 30 minutes or so.
Last edited:
Episode 2 Part 2
75% Certain
25% horse thief
Kanako looks askance at the contraption in front of her.
"It's for dancing on," you explain. "Instructions scroll down the screen, and you try to match them with your own feet."
"I don't get it."
You stare in disbelief. "How can you not get dancing?"
"Dancing is a social ritual used to express yourself to other people. Hopping around on a metal box to the instructions of a machine is not dancing."
"Well..." you lean back on the metal rail as you figure out how to best explain. "It might be a game first, but that doesn't mean that there's not expression involved. Think of it like--" you almost say basketball, but decide on something more accessible. "Er, think of it like playing music. Just because you're following instructions doesn't mean that you're not putting yourself into it, right?"
Kanako nods in comprehension. "I see." She raises her arms and starts stretching them. "This will require me to apply myself."
"Do you want me to do a song on my own so you can watch?"
She shakes her head. "No need."
"Oh-kaaay, we'll go ahead with the first one, then." You climb up and start scrolling down through the options with your feet, looking for something you like but aren't bored of. "Do you like any of these bands, Kanako?"
"I'm not familiar with any of these titles."
That's... actually pretty odd. There are a ton of classics here. "Really, not a single one?"
She tilts her head. "Is it really that unusual?"
"What bizarre alternate-reality Academy City have you been living in where people don't listen to music?"
"It... was never a part of my upbringing. However, I'm looking to expand my horizons," she says.
You end up just going with one of your usual choices, a fast-paced song with a lot of synth and a heavy beat. "Just follow my lead if you're feeling lost, 'kay?"
She nods, and you're off. Arrows cascade down at an alarming rate, but you don't even have to concentrate to blaze through like it's nothing. To you, it really isn't. Footwork is a forte of yours, and it'll take a hell of a lot more than this to throw you.
You're not sure what exactly you were expecting from Kanako, but whatever it is, you got it. She's downright adroit, although you get the feeling that she's moving with the instructions and not really with the music. It's sort of like someone read poetry with a static monotone. A few songs in, though, and you'd almost swear that she's introducing more of a personal touch.
It's a little disappointing that you weren't able to school her at what you consider a specialty, so you move right on to the next one: basketball. You're not actually as good in the arcade as you are on the court -- if possible, you prefer to actually handle the ball; your catch-and-shoot game is iffy -- but you have a secret weapon: you don't miss from the free-throw line. It's a gift that was granted to you directly from God Above.
When the game starts, you go full robot, falling back on a shooting motion that's engraved on your very soul and leaning on it so that it goes even faster. Kanako shoots well, but she's too much of a perfectionist. Instead of the instant touch-raise-shoot motion that you're fully embraced, she pauses for an instant to get the sure shot instead of trusting on her instincts to do the work. That hesitation adds up something fierce, and by the end of the game you've buried her.
You learn something new and vaguely useful with each game you take her to. On racers, Kanako takes a very consistent and efficient line and doesn't attempt risky overtakes. She's an absolute beast with shooters, eliminating targets with ruthless accuracy the moment they appear, often before you can react at all. Fighting games baffle her; she just can't grasp the unintuitive combos, while the small 2D stages give her fits. Eventually, she's so frustrated that she's mashing down on the buttons and casting a death-glare when it doesn't do what she wants. You actually have to drag her away from the machine, because you're afraid that she's gonna blow up and zap it Mikoto-style.
In retrospect, though, you probably could have chose something better than the claw game to distract her with. Kanako actually does electrocute it after the tenth false-start in pursuit of a Killbear plush. Mikoto actually saves the day here: because she shocked the claw machine so often in the past, they replaced it with a specially-built one incorporating a Faraday cage, among other countermeasures.
All the while, you've taken the opportunity to pepper her with questions. Does she play sports? (No.) Not even at school? (Don't attend one.) Why not? (There's no need.) What level are you? (High three or low four, depending on the test.) What's your favorite place in the city? (The beach.) It goes on, but for some reason you're having trouble really getting a grasp on her. It's not that she's evasive, either... just hard to pin down, even inconsistent.
Finally: "Do you have any questions of your own?"
"Just one," she says. "Do you believe in God?"
You give her a skeptical look. "You aren't trying to recruit me into the Cult, are you?"
"I'm unaffiliated with any religious organization," she asserts.
What the hell, roll with it Ruiko. "The God? I don't think so. A God? ...Maybe."
"What about the idea of a divine creator?"
You consider the complexity of the world and the mysteries of life. "I'm not sure I buy that we're all here randomly, but I won't claim any more than that."
Kanako nods appreciatively. "Understandable. If you're willing, I'd like you to join me in a hypothetical. Imagine that you have a creator, one that is intimately and undeniably responsible for giving you life and shaping who you are."
"I do," you deadpan. "They're called 'parents.'"
She laughs. "Sort of like that, but consider it to be of a far greater magnitude. Academy City is testament to how human parents aren't always a major influence on their offspring."
You think back to vague memories of yours. Yeah, that one struck close to home. "So, like a painter or an author? Someone who is invested in every part of his work?"
"Yes, exactly like that. Would you feel indebted to this being?"
"Hmmmm," you vocalize as you lean backward, thinking deeply. You almost knee-jerk into an immediate 'no,' but the question proves more complex than it first strikes you as. "I think I would, actually. When someone gives me a gift, I treat them special because of it, even if they don't want me to. If everything I am is one big gift, that's... a lot of special treatment we're talking."
Kanako twirls her hair absentmindedly. "What if this being -- your creator -- asks you to kill someone?"
You stare at her slack-jawed. What kind of hypothetical is that!
Perhaps sensing your reticence, she continues: "If there's a line to be drawn, where do you draw it? If something or someone created you, where does their influence over you end?"
"Whatever philosophy club you're in, they're pretty hardcore," you comment, a little nervous. "That's... a tough question to answer." Kanako looks like she's about to say something, but you cut her off with an upraised hand. "But if I had to answer it, this is what I'd say: the scenario you're posing is wrong. Even if this creator is behind everything, he's not the only one responsible. As long as you have an independent will to make decisions about your life, you have just as much of a claim to your own life as this creator does. You might still owe him, but you also owe yourself. Any choice you make should honor both of those obligations. At least, that's what I think."
"I see," she says. "I'm glad I chose to talk with you... it's given me many things to consider. I look forward to our next meeting."
You frown. "You're leaving?"
She nods. "It's come to my attention that someone is searching for me, and I shouldn't leave her waiting. I've scanned the RFID of your phone with my ability, so you can expect a call at some point." Kanako gets up to leave. "Thanks for the company, Ruiko. It was pleasant."
"Well, you'd better call me sooner rather than later," you half-demand, a little miffed you haven't gotten your answers.
Kanako looks back and smiles cryptically. "We'll see."
You decide to swing back and play one last racing game, savoring the feeling of running every car you encounter off the road. I'm gonna wake up any moment and find that today had been some weird fever-dream, I just know it.
As you get up, you encounter yet another surprise. "Saten-saaa... err, Ruiko?" Everything about the greeting just smacks of someone new to Academy City and likewise to the fundamentals of Academese, from the honorific to the way he fails to say your name with a hard 'R.' But that only makes sense, as the voice belongs to your fresh-over-the-wall homeroom teacher, Daigo Minoru.
"Daigo-sensei? What are you doing here?" If you were pressed to make a list of people you were least likely to randomly encounter in an arcade, this man would be headlining it. He was nice, he was dedicated, but he never made a point of having fun.
He scratches his head nervously. "Research. I know it sounds silly, but I'm doing my best to try and understand the things that kids here do so that I can relate to them better. I knew that it'd be an uphill struggle, coming in as an outsider, but I underestimated how different it would be to my own experience with school and adolescence. I'm eternally thankful that you wonderful students of mine are so patient and haven't laughed me out of the classroom yet."
You can't help but smile at his good-natured earnestness. Academy City needs more men like him. "That's not silly at all, and there's no way the class would turn on you. You're the best teacher I've had, no question about it. I think that it's good that you're an outsider; it lets you see things in ways that the rest of us might not."
"I can't help but think about all the things I don't see, though. You children are expected to look after your own affairs even at this young age, and to a shocking degree. I never expected to see schoolchildren wearing wedding bands, for instance."
"It's not like they mean anything," you say with a shrug. "It's just something that the Cult pushes, nothing official to it. It's a lot like how some of us will call each other siblings without any real relation. Play-acting, mostly."
He grins, but there's something distant to it. "I wouldn't look down on those of you who play-act as adults, Ruiko. You'll find that adults are only play-acting as adults, too. Not all of us are very good at it."
"I, uh..." you pause. "I guess? I haven't met many adults."
"That's one of the big reasons I came to this city. I realized that all of you young ones should have an adult that you can rely on, if you need one. I'm just trying to play the part as best as I can."
"I think you're doing an amazing job, Daigo-sensei. I'm sure the rest of the class agrees," you say.
He looks almost a little bashful. "That means a lot coming from you, Ruiko. And... I don't mean to pry into your own life, but are you doing alright?"
Ah, he's noticed. You focus on chipper-ness. "Don't worry, it's not like really on the ropes. Even best friends have fights every now and then."
"Be that as it may," he sort of mumbles, "I was speaking more about the blood on your shirt."
Oh right, I do still have blood there. Oops. "Ohhh, that stain? It's just sauce that I spilled at lunch."
"Uh-huh. I just want my best student to take care of herself, and I'm sure you want that as well. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm willing to listen. Even if it's just about marinara sauce. Okay?"
"Don't worry, you'll be the first to know if I ever have a marinara crisis," you joke.
"Stay safe, Ruiko," he says as he walks off, obviously with someplace to be. A quick check of your phone reveals that you do as well.
It's 5:37, so you should probably get moving. Playland GAU is close to the Sakugawa campus but not so close to the temporary dorms, nor is there a convenient bus route back home, so you fall back on the metro. The nearest station, Morgan, is only a two-minute walk and it's a short wait for the next train on the South Line. (It's an Akagi-Taylor 700; not the newest piece of rolling stock, but the one with the most comfortable seats.) Crowds aren't bad either, since you slipped in just before the dinner rush really picks up.
You bury yourself in "Stranger Days" by the Black Suns and check online to see if there's any news about that ACES list. Sure enough, the moment you log in to your Clarion homepage you see a 'New high-priority message' indicator flashing. A user with the screen name "I'm Sorry", one of your most trusted contacts.
After a moment's thought, you decide that you probably shouldn't watch a video like that on a crowded train. Or before dinner. They talk about being the voice of Level Zeroes and then go around doing shit like that. Disgusting.
The walk from Red Cross back to your dorm is pleasant; the sun is out again, but the cool evening breeze balances it out nicely. Better yet, nobody is around in the hallways to comment on the blood. Naturally, the first thing you do back in your room is to pull it off. Really, changing clothes would be a good thing to do, blood or no blood. Shuninchi's friends might be People Who Matter, and the best way to open doors in Academy City is to know the right people. First impressions matter.
With that in mind, you open your closet and search for a better outfit.
Saten Ruiko
Current Mood: Antsy
[ ] What are you going to wear? (Write-in)
♦ Spread Your Wings
Goal: Find something worth living on for
"There's a tradition in Academy City -- or perhaps more of a cliche -- of a hopeless Level Zero throwing themselves off one of the city's many towers in a desperate attempt to bring their latent ability to the forefront. It's not the perfect comparison to your present state, but it is a serviceable one."
♦ The Big Game
Goal: Meet Shunichi and his friends for dinner
"He seems like a nice guy, and heaven knows you need more of them in your life. Plus he's clearly not wanting for cash, so it probably means that you're getting two free meals in one day. The spendthrift inside of you is leaping for joy."
♦ A Personal Windmill
Goal: Crack Kanako's secret, if she has one
"Kanako may not be Misaka Mikoto (brainwashed Mikoto? Maaaaaybe...), but that doesn't mean she's on the level or exactly what she appears. By god, you're gonna find out everything about this girl you can."
♦ Explore Academy City
Goal: Expand your horizons
"It's a big place out there. Find someone interesting. Go somewhere new. Why do you think you're so depressed when you're cooped up in that cage of yours?"
♦ Minor Objectives
Meet Kuroko Accomplished! +1 OP
Akemi's gift(?)
QM's Corner
Sorry about the delay there. I tried to get this out before work yesterday (not enough time) and after work (too exhaused), but here it is. This update doesn't exactly have the most open-ended vote, but the plot will allow for more freedom soon and I'm certainly hoping to reach that juncture sooner rather than later. As it is, think of this as being an extended prologue.
"It's for dancing on," you explain. "Instructions scroll down the screen, and you try to match them with your own feet."
"I don't get it."
You stare in disbelief. "How can you not get dancing?"
"Dancing is a social ritual used to express yourself to other people. Hopping around on a metal box to the instructions of a machine is not dancing."
"Well..." you lean back on the metal rail as you figure out how to best explain. "It might be a game first, but that doesn't mean that there's not expression involved. Think of it like--" you almost say basketball, but decide on something more accessible. "Er, think of it like playing music. Just because you're following instructions doesn't mean that you're not putting yourself into it, right?"
Kanako nods in comprehension. "I see." She raises her arms and starts stretching them. "This will require me to apply myself."
"Do you want me to do a song on my own so you can watch?"
She shakes her head. "No need."
"Oh-kaaay, we'll go ahead with the first one, then." You climb up and start scrolling down through the options with your feet, looking for something you like but aren't bored of. "Do you like any of these bands, Kanako?"
"I'm not familiar with any of these titles."
That's... actually pretty odd. There are a ton of classics here. "Really, not a single one?"
She tilts her head. "Is it really that unusual?"
"What bizarre alternate-reality Academy City have you been living in where people don't listen to music?"
"It... was never a part of my upbringing. However, I'm looking to expand my horizons," she says.
You end up just going with one of your usual choices, a fast-paced song with a lot of synth and a heavy beat. "Just follow my lead if you're feeling lost, 'kay?"
She nods, and you're off. Arrows cascade down at an alarming rate, but you don't even have to concentrate to blaze through like it's nothing. To you, it really isn't. Footwork is a forte of yours, and it'll take a hell of a lot more than this to throw you.
You're not sure what exactly you were expecting from Kanako, but whatever it is, you got it. She's downright adroit, although you get the feeling that she's moving with the instructions and not really with the music. It's sort of like someone read poetry with a static monotone. A few songs in, though, and you'd almost swear that she's introducing more of a personal touch.
It's a little disappointing that you weren't able to school her at what you consider a specialty, so you move right on to the next one: basketball. You're not actually as good in the arcade as you are on the court -- if possible, you prefer to actually handle the ball; your catch-and-shoot game is iffy -- but you have a secret weapon: you don't miss from the free-throw line. It's a gift that was granted to you directly from God Above.
When the game starts, you go full robot, falling back on a shooting motion that's engraved on your very soul and leaning on it so that it goes even faster. Kanako shoots well, but she's too much of a perfectionist. Instead of the instant touch-raise-shoot motion that you're fully embraced, she pauses for an instant to get the sure shot instead of trusting on her instincts to do the work. That hesitation adds up something fierce, and by the end of the game you've buried her.
You learn something new and vaguely useful with each game you take her to. On racers, Kanako takes a very consistent and efficient line and doesn't attempt risky overtakes. She's an absolute beast with shooters, eliminating targets with ruthless accuracy the moment they appear, often before you can react at all. Fighting games baffle her; she just can't grasp the unintuitive combos, while the small 2D stages give her fits. Eventually, she's so frustrated that she's mashing down on the buttons and casting a death-glare when it doesn't do what she wants. You actually have to drag her away from the machine, because you're afraid that she's gonna blow up and zap it Mikoto-style.
In retrospect, though, you probably could have chose something better than the claw game to distract her with. Kanako actually does electrocute it after the tenth false-start in pursuit of a Killbear plush. Mikoto actually saves the day here: because she shocked the claw machine so often in the past, they replaced it with a specially-built one incorporating a Faraday cage, among other countermeasures.
All the while, you've taken the opportunity to pepper her with questions. Does she play sports? (No.) Not even at school? (Don't attend one.) Why not? (There's no need.) What level are you? (High three or low four, depending on the test.) What's your favorite place in the city? (The beach.) It goes on, but for some reason you're having trouble really getting a grasp on her. It's not that she's evasive, either... just hard to pin down, even inconsistent.
Finally: "Do you have any questions of your own?"
"Just one," she says. "Do you believe in God?"
You give her a skeptical look. "You aren't trying to recruit me into the Cult, are you?"
"I'm unaffiliated with any religious organization," she asserts.
What the hell, roll with it Ruiko. "The God? I don't think so. A God? ...Maybe."
"What about the idea of a divine creator?"
You consider the complexity of the world and the mysteries of life. "I'm not sure I buy that we're all here randomly, but I won't claim any more than that."
Kanako nods appreciatively. "Understandable. If you're willing, I'd like you to join me in a hypothetical. Imagine that you have a creator, one that is intimately and undeniably responsible for giving you life and shaping who you are."
"I do," you deadpan. "They're called 'parents.'"
She laughs. "Sort of like that, but consider it to be of a far greater magnitude. Academy City is testament to how human parents aren't always a major influence on their offspring."
You think back to vague memories of yours. Yeah, that one struck close to home. "So, like a painter or an author? Someone who is invested in every part of his work?"
"Yes, exactly like that. Would you feel indebted to this being?"
"Hmmmm," you vocalize as you lean backward, thinking deeply. You almost knee-jerk into an immediate 'no,' but the question proves more complex than it first strikes you as. "I think I would, actually. When someone gives me a gift, I treat them special because of it, even if they don't want me to. If everything I am is one big gift, that's... a lot of special treatment we're talking."
Kanako twirls her hair absentmindedly. "What if this being -- your creator -- asks you to kill someone?"
You stare at her slack-jawed. What kind of hypothetical is that!
Perhaps sensing your reticence, she continues: "If there's a line to be drawn, where do you draw it? If something or someone created you, where does their influence over you end?"
"Whatever philosophy club you're in, they're pretty hardcore," you comment, a little nervous. "That's... a tough question to answer." Kanako looks like she's about to say something, but you cut her off with an upraised hand. "But if I had to answer it, this is what I'd say: the scenario you're posing is wrong. Even if this creator is behind everything, he's not the only one responsible. As long as you have an independent will to make decisions about your life, you have just as much of a claim to your own life as this creator does. You might still owe him, but you also owe yourself. Any choice you make should honor both of those obligations. At least, that's what I think."
"I see," she says. "I'm glad I chose to talk with you... it's given me many things to consider. I look forward to our next meeting."
You frown. "You're leaving?"
She nods. "It's come to my attention that someone is searching for me, and I shouldn't leave her waiting. I've scanned the RFID of your phone with my ability, so you can expect a call at some point." Kanako gets up to leave. "Thanks for the company, Ruiko. It was pleasant."
"Well, you'd better call me sooner rather than later," you half-demand, a little miffed you haven't gotten your answers.
Kanako looks back and smiles cryptically. "We'll see."
You decide to swing back and play one last racing game, savoring the feeling of running every car you encounter off the road. I'm gonna wake up any moment and find that today had been some weird fever-dream, I just know it.
As you get up, you encounter yet another surprise. "Saten-saaa... err, Ruiko?" Everything about the greeting just smacks of someone new to Academy City and likewise to the fundamentals of Academese, from the honorific to the way he fails to say your name with a hard 'R.' But that only makes sense, as the voice belongs to your fresh-over-the-wall homeroom teacher, Daigo Minoru.
"Daigo-sensei? What are you doing here?" If you were pressed to make a list of people you were least likely to randomly encounter in an arcade, this man would be headlining it. He was nice, he was dedicated, but he never made a point of having fun.
He scratches his head nervously. "Research. I know it sounds silly, but I'm doing my best to try and understand the things that kids here do so that I can relate to them better. I knew that it'd be an uphill struggle, coming in as an outsider, but I underestimated how different it would be to my own experience with school and adolescence. I'm eternally thankful that you wonderful students of mine are so patient and haven't laughed me out of the classroom yet."
You can't help but smile at his good-natured earnestness. Academy City needs more men like him. "That's not silly at all, and there's no way the class would turn on you. You're the best teacher I've had, no question about it. I think that it's good that you're an outsider; it lets you see things in ways that the rest of us might not."
"I can't help but think about all the things I don't see, though. You children are expected to look after your own affairs even at this young age, and to a shocking degree. I never expected to see schoolchildren wearing wedding bands, for instance."
"It's not like they mean anything," you say with a shrug. "It's just something that the Cult pushes, nothing official to it. It's a lot like how some of us will call each other siblings without any real relation. Play-acting, mostly."
He grins, but there's something distant to it. "I wouldn't look down on those of you who play-act as adults, Ruiko. You'll find that adults are only play-acting as adults, too. Not all of us are very good at it."
"I, uh..." you pause. "I guess? I haven't met many adults."
"That's one of the big reasons I came to this city. I realized that all of you young ones should have an adult that you can rely on, if you need one. I'm just trying to play the part as best as I can."
"I think you're doing an amazing job, Daigo-sensei. I'm sure the rest of the class agrees," you say.
He looks almost a little bashful. "That means a lot coming from you, Ruiko. And... I don't mean to pry into your own life, but are you doing alright?"
Ah, he's noticed. You focus on chipper-ness. "Don't worry, it's not like really on the ropes. Even best friends have fights every now and then."
"Be that as it may," he sort of mumbles, "I was speaking more about the blood on your shirt."
Oh right, I do still have blood there. Oops. "Ohhh, that stain? It's just sauce that I spilled at lunch."
"Uh-huh. I just want my best student to take care of herself, and I'm sure you want that as well. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm willing to listen. Even if it's just about marinara sauce. Okay?"
"Don't worry, you'll be the first to know if I ever have a marinara crisis," you joke.
"Stay safe, Ruiko," he says as he walks off, obviously with someplace to be. A quick check of your phone reveals that you do as well.
It's 5:37, so you should probably get moving. Playland GAU is close to the Sakugawa campus but not so close to the temporary dorms, nor is there a convenient bus route back home, so you fall back on the metro. The nearest station, Morgan, is only a two-minute walk and it's a short wait for the next train on the South Line. (It's an Akagi-Taylor 700; not the newest piece of rolling stock, but the one with the most comfortable seats.) Crowds aren't bad either, since you slipped in just before the dinner rush really picks up.
You bury yourself in "Stranger Days" by the Black Suns and check online to see if there's any news about that ACES list. Sure enough, the moment you log in to your Clarion homepage you see a 'New high-priority message' indicator flashing. A user with the screen name "I'm Sorry", one of your most trusted contacts.
After a moment's thought, you decide that you probably shouldn't watch a video like that on a crowded train. Or before dinner. They talk about being the voice of Level Zeroes and then go around doing shit like that. Disgusting.
The walk from Red Cross back to your dorm is pleasant; the sun is out again, but the cool evening breeze balances it out nicely. Better yet, nobody is around in the hallways to comment on the blood. Naturally, the first thing you do back in your room is to pull it off. Really, changing clothes would be a good thing to do, blood or no blood. Shuninchi's friends might be People Who Matter, and the best way to open doors in Academy City is to know the right people. First impressions matter.
With that in mind, you open your closet and search for a better outfit.
Saten Ruiko
Current Mood: Antsy
♦ Spread Your Wings
Goal: Find something worth living on for
"There's a tradition in Academy City -- or perhaps more of a cliche -- of a hopeless Level Zero throwing themselves off one of the city's many towers in a desperate attempt to bring their latent ability to the forefront. It's not the perfect comparison to your present state, but it is a serviceable one."
♦ The Big Game
Goal: Meet Shunichi and his friends for dinner
"He seems like a nice guy, and heaven knows you need more of them in your life. Plus he's clearly not wanting for cash, so it probably means that you're getting two free meals in one day. The spendthrift inside of you is leaping for joy."
♦ A Personal Windmill
Goal: Crack Kanako's secret, if she has one
"Kanako may not be Misaka Mikoto (brainwashed Mikoto? Maaaaaybe...), but that doesn't mean she's on the level or exactly what she appears. By god, you're gonna find out everything about this girl you can."
♦ Explore Academy City
Goal: Expand your horizons
"It's a big place out there. Find someone interesting. Go somewhere new. Why do you think you're so depressed when you're cooped up in that cage of yours?"
♦ Minor Objectives
Akemi's gift(?)
QM's Corner
Sorry about the delay there. I tried to get this out before work yesterday (not enough time) and after work (too exhaused), but here it is. This update doesn't exactly have the most open-ended vote, but the plot will allow for more freedom soon and I'm certainly hoping to reach that juncture sooner rather than later. As it is, think of this as being an extended prologue.
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I am not very skilled at describing or selecting clothing but I believe that something like this would serve as a good choice for a casual date.
ps: The image above looks good on my computer but as others are not seeing it I will also give a link.
http://4nabs.com/upload/local0/dres...irai_ruiko_saten_kazari_uiharu_Q3C6YXIdCW.jpg
ps: The image above looks good on my computer but as others are not seeing it I will also give a link.
http://4nabs.com/upload/local0/dres...irai_ruiko_saten_kazari_uiharu_Q3C6YXIdCW.jpg
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- Pronouns
- she/her
I think Saten will be fine on the impression front as long as she doesn't look like a slob.
[X] Striped shirt + light hoodie + jean shorts. Make sure the clothes are clean and have no stains.
[X] Striped shirt + light hoodie + jean shorts. Make sure the clothes are clean and have no stains.
image is brokeI am not very skilled at describing or selecting clothing but I believe that something like this would serve as a good choice for a casual date.
Huh, well this looks messy. Will be lurking.
75% Certain
25% horse thief
Sadly, most of your clothes have faded blood stains from a year of vigilante street justice this is a joke
Question for everyone: what would you like to see the next interlude focus on? Whether it be a character, an event, a certain piece of plot or information, or even just background detail, I consider all options to be on the table and am very interested in hearing what direction you'd like me to take.
notthepenguins
Neither Spherical Nor Frictionless
- Pronouns
- He/She/They
Mugino.
75% Certain
25% horse thief
What exactly do you mean?
Those large scale events like Vento of the Front, FUZE=KAZAKIRI, AIM Burst, Accelerator going batshit with the plasmaball, etc, that almost wrecked the city but for intervention
75% Certain
25% horse thief
Putting aside the paucity of city-wrecking events to choose from in this AU, this sort of thing is a bit beyond what I'm trying to do with the interludes. Really, any one of these would likely require their own arcs to handle properly.
That said, you guys don't need to be so restrained about this. @veekie has the right idea: if something strikes your fancy, put it out there. I'm probably going to be adding interlude topic as an additional voting option on the next update, so I'm curious as to what you're most interested in hearing about.
I know it's just my first gut reaction
There was one of those in canon where Uiharu was at ground zero of a fight between Accelerator and Dark Matter.
Interesting and approximately in this timespan....Uiharu defending against the Mysterious Hacker(who's Misaka trying to find out about the Sisters Project)?
There was one of those in canon where Uiharu was at ground zero of a fight between Accelerator and Dark Matter.
Interesting and approximately in this timespan....Uiharu defending against the Mysterious Hacker(who's Misaka trying to find out about the Sisters Project)?
75% Certain
25% horse thief
The sisters arc has undergone some... fairly radical changes that -- among other things -- have Mikoto learning things through a different method. I should probably clarify a little what I mean by 'event' here: if the event you're thinking of is something specific that happened in canon, there's a very decent chance that things have changed to the point where it never occurred, or at least nothing close enough to match what you're thinking of. You'll have more luck if you operate with broader terms.I know it's just my first gut reaction
There was one of those in canon where Uiharu was at ground zero of a fight between Accelerator and Dark Matter.
Interesting and approximately in this timespan....Uiharu defending against the Mysterious Hacker(who's Misaka trying to find out about the Sisters Project)?
75% Certain
25% horse thief
Yeah, those are better examples.