A Certain Missing Esper (Arc 4 Main Story)

«Cut it, Hamazura!»

Hanzou shut his friend’s outbreak down with a strong voice.

«I don’t buy it. Once a Fuuma always a Fuuma. That’s the creed, right?»

However, that didn’t mean the silver haired girl’s words had done anything to reach him. To them he remained a stone wall.

«Besides, even if your story is true, that doesn’t change the facts. We’re enemies. Sworn enemies as you’d like to have it. I told you I didn’t want to get involved with this shit anymore, but you still came after me. That’s what you chose.»

After everything that had happened, any compassion he may have held had been overwritten.

As a result there was no pain in his rejection. It was cold as ice.

Kisaragi Anko had come to understand that. In fact, she had known it would turn out this way. However, the had tried nonetheless, knowing the lack of options before her.

Even then, the disgrace hurt. More than the three hits she’d taken to her chest.

«Kohaku, let it be…It was my mistake to assume I had a chance…»

The girl at the bottom of the world spoke, as she slowly attempted to raise her body from the floor. Still in pain she shook all over.

«Yeah. Go now.»

At least she was granted one kind of mercy. The right to escape without any further harm. A honourable gesture in itself. That was the kind of man Hattori Hanzou was. An act worthy of praise yet at the same time entirely insufficient given the circumstances. After all, he’d still throw them out at the core of it.

«Thank…you.»

Barely having made it back onto her legs and under heavy breaths Kisaragi faced the boy at the centre of her attention one last time. Bowing to honour his good will.

«Enough.»

To both their surprise the third boy who had sunken into the background spoke up.

«They obviously have no place to go to. And they are obviously not your enemy right now, Hanzou.»

Komaba Ritoku was a strange boy. Tall and broad like a mountain he stood above everyone else in height and strength. He was the kind of person normal people would try to avoid out on the streets because they assumed he’d be a troublesome company just from his looks. However, that was only the outer shell. That boy was a born leader on the inside. One who didn’t need any of that authority his appearance gave him, instead gaining his followers through compassion and trust.

He was good at heart. Hanzou knew. That’s why, after hearing and seeing everything unfold there was no longer any way to sit still.

«…leader Komaba…»

«We’re going to help you. But only once.»

Struck by disbelief Kisaragi would take a moment to process.

«So what happened to the two of you?»

That gorilla of a man asked, directing his attention not at the injured girl, but her companion. Likely in an attempt to hear the unfiltered truth and to spare the injured one’s chest further strain.

«You tell us.»

The phone rang, its vibrations being absorbed by the firm yet fluffy mattress that the long-haired brunette was sprawled over.

It was daytime. She was in her uniform, as perfectly readied as one would expect from a young “lady”, yet she had felt like dedicating her day to the indoors, and spend perhaps a little time reflecting on recent events which was what brought her to simply idle on her bed.

Not that this meant that it took her any real amount of time to pick up the phone, it seemed she was always at least half-expecting something to ruin her plans, and found a certain sense of satisfaction whenever she was proved right.

She answered the call, fairly uncaring of who could have been the person on the other side of the line; clearly it wasn’t the phone she used when she was able to make a choice between answering and not answering, so what did it matter?

“Oh Hujisaka-san, so you are alive after all~ It's usually polite to inform your associates when you escape captivity. It's not nice to make people worry about you. If you're quite done playing the damsel in distress, perhaps you could get around to doing a job for me?"

Coming from Miyako, this was quite odd behaviour. Though it didn’t take long for her to discern the voice she had grown very familiar with since arriving in this city, it was very much the intonation and seriousness of her words that slightly caught her off guard. Usually she acted like an idiot for a while longer before getting serious… and what the hell were her words supposed to mean, anyway?

“Yes, I clearly have what it takes to be a captive damsel in distress, despite the fact that I’m pretty certain my “saviour” would toss me off a bridge after finding me. What the fuck are you even on about so early in the day?” It was a double question, both to ask what was it that she meant with this captivity nonsense, and what was the job in question.

“Yes, I clearly have what it takes to be a captive damsel in distress, despite the fact that I’m pretty certain my “saviour” would toss me off a bridge after finding me. What the fuck are you even on about so early in the day?”

The creaking sound Natsumi could hear was coming from the straining plastic of Miyako's phone as her grip threatened to crack the case.

"I'm talking about the fact that a girl matching your very. Distinctive. Description was last seen being bundled into an unmarked van earlier this morning after falling for what appears to be an embarrassingly amateur misdirection ploy. So please, Natsumi, don't be coy with me." The fact that she had started using Natsumi's given name told the other girl that Miyako was no longer in the mood for pleasantries. "Unless you're telling me that you have a double roaming the city it'd be best to own up to your mistakes." With that said, Miyako let out a sigh and her personality seemed to switch tracks. "In any case. The job is simple. Or it appears to be at least. One of our assets has been taken off the board in a more permanent way." She was using thinly veiled euphemisms not to sanitize the facts of the matter, but merely to provide her with some degree of plausible deniability should anyone be eavesdropping on their call. "We need you to find out why and to deal with the culprit in an equally permanent fashion."

Find out who killed Ichigo Ai and eliminate them.

An eye for an eye.

***

"I'll be frank..." Hana began as she walked alongside Touko. Their route had taken them away from the main streets and the roads here were quiet. Every city had its focal points where activity and people gathered and they were heading away from all of them. Even a densely populated metropolis like Academy City had its dead zones. "You're not at all what I was expecting. I had not anticipated the one who wields Imagine Breaker would need so much persuasion to correct an injustice. Especially one on this scale." A small sigh escaped her lips, perhaps the only real indication the girl had given that things were not proceeding according to her plans. "Still, it's rare but it wouldn't be the first time our predictions have deviated." A small hint of bitterness crept into her voice.

Hana's eyes darted sideways and she spoke quietly to the girl beside her.

"I mentioned earlier that someone was in grave danger." As she spoke the shapes surrounded them. An all too familiar sight for Touko, who had to deal with this particular brand of nuisance on a day to day basis. They were Skill Out. Thugs and delinquents who harassed the vulnerable while claiming to be fighting the system. Three of them. Two behind, one in front. They clearly judged their numbers sufficient to deal with a pair of girls. This was no ordinary shakedown. The violent looking youths weren't grinning confidently or barking mocking comments. Their faces were hardened and stern. They were here to conduct business.

"What I didn't mention was that someone was me." She stated solemnly.

***

Guy awoke to a world of darkness. At first, he thought he might have gone blind. But the darkness fluttered with his breathing, light bleeding from the edges of his vision and he reached up lazily to feel for whatever it was that was covering his face. A slip of paper, taped into place on his forehead. Turning it over in his hands he read the scrawled note in English.

"Hey sensei. You're still asleep but thanks for the food. I like pizza, so get some for tonight.

And you're welcome.

-Rachel"

Guy looked down at the cast on his arm. A scribble of a signature decorated the surface alongside a cartoon bunny.

"Nice one, kid." Guy groaned with a grim smile. He made sure to check that was the only thing she'd drawn on him before leaving his apartment.

***

"Don't worry, I'm still with you, hopefully the others didn't fall behind."

Aiko's voice was like a salve to Reina's strained nerves. Her tightly wound body relaxed a little and she stared up at the door.

"Was this the place you escaped from?"

Reina nodded. A palpable sense of dread loomed at the sight of that door. Not because she could remember what terrors lay beyond but precisely because she couldn't. It was fear of uncertainty.

“If retracing her steps led the subject back to this door… then it will be likely this is where she was held captive!”

Saito's voice was another reassurance. But his words shook her a little. He was probably right. This was where they had kept her, surely? Her delicate fingers reached for the metal lever that was the door handle.

"HUUUUUUUUUUH?!"

Reina's hand pulled back from the handle like recoiling from touching hot metal. Tsubasa's exclamation had startled her from her commitment.

"Wait wait wait wait! Just wait a minute!! Why are we taking Reina-chan back to this place?! I thought we were going to keep her away from here and take her back to where she lived or something?! Was this the plan that you guys put in place with that idiot Aizawa all along?! What the fuck is going ooooooooooon!"

"I can't remember where I live." Reina muttered quietly. "This is where my memory ends." She held her hand close to her chest and continued. "If I'm going to get home, I have to go through this door." She said decisively and reached for the door handle once more.

What lay on the other side was...

An empty space. Bare concrete in all directions. Reina felt relief and disappointment all at once, mixing into a curious cocktail of emotions. There was nothing to fear. But there was nothing to answer her questions either. She pressed on into the derelict complex. Knowing the others were with her gave Reina some measure of confidence.

The construction site was bare except for sheets of plastic that covered the walls and floors of the interior rooms. It was the only sign that it had been used at all. The lack of activity was almost conspicuous. But not as conspicuous as the muffled voice from the next room.

"Yeah. We're almost done here. Just got a couple more of those ECGs to move and it'll be like we were never here." The boy with golden hair was talking into his cellphone while another pair of Skill Out lifted the machines into the back of a van marked with the logo of a small laundry company.

Reina hovered by the doorway, trying her best to remain quiet, but her footsteps rustled against the plastic and the owner of that voice turned.

"Huh?" The boy looked back to the doorway. "Hey boss. Looks like we're not going to have to look far for that runaway after all." The response couldn't be heard. "Yeah. I'll take care of it. The boys'll deliver the rest of the goods to the store. Send another van and I'll come around with the stray." He patted the back door of the van as it closed and it sped off.

The boy smiled at Reina with his blood red eyes.

"Thanks for making it easy for me. You really saved my neck." His eyes flashed with two pinpricks of crimson light.

“If retracing her steps led the subject back to this door… then it will be likely this is where she was held captive!”

"HUUUUUUUUUUH?!"

"Wait wait wait wait! Just wait a minute!! Why are we taking Reina-chan back to this place?! I thought we were going to keep her away from here and take her back to where she lived or something?! Was this the plan that you guys put in place with that idiot Aizawa all along?! What the fuck is going ooooooooooon!"

It seemed the rest of their party had managed to keep up as well. Not that Aiko was expecting anything different. If she had been able to keep up surely the rest could too. Aiko wasn't terribly fast.

"I can't remember where I live. This is where my memory ends. If I'm going to get home, I have to go through this door."

"Well said, I'll be right here next to you."

With that, the group opened the door and stepped into what was honestly a very anticlimactic sight. An empty concrete room with nothing to show.

"Huh, I'm not sure what I was expecting but nothing wasn't it..."

Aiko continued through the facility, following Reina though the halls. It was mostly concrete and plastic sheets everywhere. If it was being used, it felt like they were done with this place and cleaned it up to not leave behind evidence. As they continued walking however, it seems like it wasn't completely abandoned. From the next room over, Aiko could hear a voice speaking to someone, but could hear any replay so assumed they were on a phone. It was likely that this person was a threat, so Aiko shifted her field to "Laser mode" and gripped the laser pointer in her skirt pocket ready to react.

"Yeah. We're almost done here. Just got a couple more of those ECGs to move and it'll be like we were never here."

It was a blond boy talking on a cellphone talking about something called an ECG, though Aiko had no idea what that could stand for. She could however assume they were the machines that were being loaded into the van. Before she could give it further thought, Reina moved into the doorway making a bit too much noise and giving herself away.

"Huh? Hey boss. Looks like we're not going to have to look far for that runaway after all. Yeah. I'll take care of it. The boys'll deliver the rest of the goods to the store. Send another van and I'll come around with the stray. Thanks for making it easy for me. You really saved my neck."

At that moment, they boy's eye's started glowing slightly and that was definitely not a good sign. Aiko grabbed Reina's arm and pulled her out of the door frame quickly firing a laser back at the boy. With any luck his shirt would begin to combust and distract him.

"Are you okay?" Aiko whispered to Reina, while look back to make sure the others were aware of the situation.

Hirashi observed from behind No More Hoodie Girl and the Subject as the former fired off a beam of energy at Blondie. Judging from the peculiar colour of his hair, it is likely that he was the speedy esper Hirashi had encountered during the car chase.

Their immediate surroundings were bare and mostly concrete with little cover. Judging from what Hirashi had seen so far of No More Hoodie Girl, this was a good environment for her power. This environmental advantage was not one sided however, as the lack of obstacles can easily work in their enemy’s favor as well. Hirashi was not sure how much control Blondie had over his speed, but it would be wise to assume the worst.

Something was mentioned about sending a van to “collect” after all this is over, this meant that even if the Gown Girl was lost, it would not be the end of the world. In fact, it may even bring him straight to whoever is behind all this. Hirashi backed away from the doorway and once again readied his nails, he had no intentions of facing Blondie head on. Without knowing his opponent’s power Hirashi would very likely lose a direct engagement.

Hirashi would try to get out of the building from the same way they came in, planning to circle around the outside, where he’ll be able to get a view of the entrance from where the van sped off.

It didn’t take long for Kohaku to tell that negotiations were breaking down. Between how much she had clearly put herself on the blonde thug’s bad side and how little headway that she and Anko had made with the person who bore the most hostility, it was clear just how dire the situation had become for the two girls.

But, they couldn’t let it end like this.

Anko was in pain. Even if she was wearing bullet-proof armor, she was still shot. Even if nothing penetrated her body, it was still like getting hit by a truck.

«Kohaku, let it be…It was my mistake to assume I had a chance…»

She didn’t like this one bit. Anko’s safety was threatened by the boy who would not let up if they tried to stand their ground. But, her safety was still going to be threatened even if they walked out. It would simply be trading one predator for another.

She could scowl and glare at the armed boy as much as she wanted, but that still wouldn’t change that reality.

However, a ray of light peeked through the din from the unlikeliest of sources as the largest (and previously most silent) among the three spoke up to the point where the one with the greatest objections had calmed down at the sound of his words. Even the blonde thug did the same. If there was a leader in this group dynamic, it was clearly him and he was willing to hear them out.

It was enough to make Kohaku smile enough.

“Thank you.”

But before she could explain anything, she placed a hand on Anko’s shoulder and helped her stay in a sitting position. There was no need for her to get back up. “Just get some rest for now. Don’t force yourself.”

Once she was done, she faced the mountain man referred to as Komaba and took a deep breath.

“Anko-chan was being targeted by, what I assume to be, a persistent mercenary group. We were able to throw off their tail for now, but she’s generally been leading the way since I really have no experience with this kind of thing. But, we’re completely on our own and this was the only place we could turn to. Even her usual support networks have cut her off.”

Kamijou Touko and Tanimoto Hana. Their wandering through the nighttime streets had hardly been like two friends taking a walk while chitchatting. It may have appeared like that, but the reality was that it still felt beyond strange. There was no describing the oddity of this situation. It just wasn’t relaxing, calming or natural.

Not simply because of the reason that had led them down that path. There was more to it.

«You keep talking about Imagine Breaker as if it is some holy sword or something. But all I am is just an ordinary high school girl you can find anywhere. With a right hand isn’t of much use in everyday life.»

Those were the facts. At least how Kamijou saw them. So what more was there to it? As she had said, she wasn’t some superhero or saint who had descended upon the earth to fight evil. All she was was completely normal. In fact, that’s all she had wanted to be.

However, before she could get to the bottom of why Tanimoto had assumed differently, that girl shared a different truth with Touko.

«I mentioned earlier that someone was in grave danger.»

And as if to underline that statement’s impact familiar presences had gathered around them.

«What I didn't mention was that someone was me.»

That changed everything.

It had been Tanimoto Hana all along. She hadn’t come to ask for Touko to step in to save some unknown stranger. No, she had called for help herself.

Faced with the three ruffians that had emerged from the shadows, the damsel in distress’s supposed protector clenched her fist for the very first time in a while.

She could handle three, but only if the conditions were right. Surrounded like they were just now, that wasn’t given.

«I guess you’re not a fighter, are you, Tanimoto-san?»

They needed a plan. But was asking out in the open really that helpful to develop one?

You see, sometimes even forcing an assumption could help set an advantage.

«Don’t worry! I’ll protect you for sure! They won’t be any match for my Imagine Breaker!!»

She made that overly dramatic and cocky declaration upon stepping between the group of two and Tanimoto. She had made it clear: She was ready to fight! And that was all she needed to shift the odds.

Now all they had to do was attack.

Komaba Ritoku had been a born leader. Not just the leader in this group of three. But someone standing atop a number of delinquents referring to themselves as ‹Skill-Out›. He hadn’t been the sole leader of the entirety of Skill-Out, of course. However, the group he lead was quite large in itself. Unlike most leaders his leadership wasn’t built upon power or authority. He may have looked the part, but his true strength was the care and goodness in his heart, alongside the ideals he cherished.

That’s what Kisaragi Anko had heard about him when investigating Hattori Hanzou and those close to him.

Still, meeting the boy like this certainly left an impression on her.

Enough of one, to follow his request and fall silent, while her caretaker would speak.

In a sense, it was now time for Kohaku to shine.

«A mercenary group? She’s been completely cut off? You’re fucking kidding me!? That’s a shit pile of trouble! We need to kick them out now!»

Naturally, panic from the one who’d been opposed to all this from the bottom line was inbound.

«Hanzou.»

Only to be blocked off by that leader’s stone facedness.

«There is no denying that this sounds like a mess. But why did you tag along? You said she was the one being chased. Unlike her, you don’t seem to be the type to get caught up in things like that.»

That mountain of a boy was facing Kohaku directly, his eyes meeting hers, seeking to probe the truth hidden behind.

Nothing else mattered. Not his two delinquent friends, not the former enemy of one of them, not the siren blaring somewhere in the far distance.

There was no urgency.

Only a crossroad between intimacy and reserve.

After Tsubasa's freakout, Reina answered her question:

"I can't remember where I live. This is where my memory ends. If I'm going to get home, I have to go through this door."

This made the biker feel guilty about the shitshow she had caused.

"Ah, yeah, you're right, sorry..."

As the group stepped into the empty room, Tsubasa felt chills running down her spine. She had a bad feeling about this place.

"Huh, I'm not sure what I was expecting but nothing wasn't it...", the middle schooler said.

"Nothing, huh? I hope this isn't some kind of trap."

A few feets in and they could hear someone whispering. Tsubasa couldn't really discern the exact words he said, but she assumed it was bad news. Someone here could only be an enemy, and this meant trouble for all of them. Just, the big question was, who could this individual be?

She didn't need to ponder much longer on the question, because as soon as she finished that thought, a certain boy appeared in view.

He had honey-colored hair and red eyes, which had started glowing slightly.

'Oh... it's this fucker again.'

Immediately, Aiko fired one of her lasers at the figure ahead. Tsubasa hoped it was enough to distract him and buy them some time. But she knew it wasn't enough to take him out of the picture completely.

She was taken by surprise by Saito's actions however. He....

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You're running away?!", she yelled back at him.

It's not that she felt betrayed or anything like that, because honestly, she still didn't open up to either of the duo helping her to feel a connection with either of them. But she had to admit it was a dick move... unless he had some sort of miraculous plan that would make up for leaving them behind like this.

"Well, whatever. We can deal with this without him. Hey, Aoki! You protect Reina and focus on distance attacks, I'm going melee. Back me up in case you see an opening, I'll try to create one for you. But do not let Reina out of sight. No matter what. Got it? Be careful you two!", she said as she nodded to the two girls before she dashed towards honey-boy, aiming for a punch to the face.

'I know this is far from enough to take him down. Heck I'll probably get my ass kicked hard. I need to find a pattern to his attacks, and his weak points. I need to bait him into action. And there's no better bait than a frontal attack!'

It was a twisted, admittedly illogical, reasoning, but it was fitting of Tsubasa's straightforward personality.

“To be frank, Anko-chan pulled me into this involuntarily. If I had to guess, I was the first unlucky person she could find to help her get out of the hospital when she had to make her escape.”

Kohaku shrugged and hung her hands to her side. There was no point in being dishonest here and she particularly disliked dishonesty beyond all else. Granted, the hulking man who was conversing with her would probably have hated to hear any lies as well, but that was a non-issue here.

“I’m doubt there were many points where I could honestly back off.” When she thought about it, even the chance with Ai earlier had been a failure in that regards. If she was more keen to what was going on around her, she could have probably found a way to split off. “Even the out that Anko-chan tried to find me was a dead end.”

She really had zero connection with Anko at this point. She had zero investment aside from her life being in danger.

Anko was hardly a friend.

That 12 hours with her should never have been enough for her to push Anko into that category.

Nevertheless.

“But, even if there was some sort of workable exit, I can’t leave her alone like this.”

Was she hard-headed? Stupid? Or some person with a messiah complex?

“Until the two of us are safe, I don’t want to give up on her. Not in the slightest.”

Or perhaps, it was all three at once.

"I'm talking about the fact that a girl matching your very. Distinctive. Description was last seen being bundled into an unmarked van earlier this morning after falling for what appears to be an embarrassingly amateur misdirection ploy. So please, Natsumi, don't be coy with me. Unless you're telling me that you have a double roaming the city it'd be best to own up to your mistakes. In any case. The job is simple. Or it appears to be at least. One of our assets has been taken off the board in a more permanent way. We need you to find out why and to deal with the culprit in an equally permanent fashion."

Half-way through that descriptive, angry monologue that Miyako was giving her, Natsumi had completed tuned out. Whether the woman had noticed her sudden and uncharacteristic docility or not, the fact remained that a specific sentence in her accusations had been the only thing her mind had really gotten caught up on.

At the idea of a “double roaming the city”, the vivid image of a blonde hobo sleeping in a park came to mind. The vivid idea that there was someone who knew about this “double”, who was “roaming the city” ; and that hobo served as a very fair assumption that her “double” was proceeding to the exact same occupation…

“Oiiiiiiii, Hujisaka Natsumi-san, if you’re going to ignore me again, can you at least be more subtle about it?”

“I’m listening, I’m listening…” Natsumi hurriedly brushed off her concerns; she didn’t want Miyako to catch on more than she already might’ve from her silence. Thus, she gave her best attempt at trying to recall the latter half of her argumentation. “How does an asset get taken off the board externally in a way that the culprit needs to be dealt with? What the hell is going on with those “assets” of yours this time?”

Hearing Kohaku’s explanation up to its conclusion, Kisaragi could feel her jaw drop ever so slightly. There may have been quite many things to say or think in this situation, but no matter how many times one would go over this reasoning, it was just so blatantly naive.

That girl had simply gone ahead and voiced all of that with no restraint.

Even if she didn’t have the right to speak up right now, there was no denying that it had dealt her a strong jab. Admittedly, not exactly a painful one. No…

«I see.»

Komaba’s meagre choice of words paired with his stone face facade robbed any interpretation of a stable foundation. Even her ever deep digging glare couldn’t accomplish that.

«I respect that.»

The dice had been cast. And it seemed to have landed on a favourable side.

«Holding onto someone you only just met like this is rare. One could say many things about this. But in situation it is a sign of good character.»

He continued to express his thoughts in return. An unneeded but much appreciated act. After all, it did showcase the true nature of the speaker as well. Something that was in particular hard to read in Komaba’s case.

«You two don’t have anywhere to go, right? We’ll give you shelter for tonight. Rest yourselves.»

The decision had been made. Paired with an unasked for offer.

«Wait!» «Wait!»

One to meet opposition from both sides of the negotiation.

«We never asked for shelter…That’s none of your concern…We came for something different.»

Surely, the pressure born from the pain in her chest didn’t help dull the sharpness of her tongue.

«Look at yourself. Look at her. It’s obvious you’re at your limit. Nobody can continue this long without a break. Anything else can be discussed later.»

Komaba would not allow for this to be argued. No. This was a definite decision.

«Tch…»

She wasn’t happy. But at the same time her pride and respect for the boy did not allow her to ignore his wishes. He had accepted them here, even though technically they had been enemies. He had accepted Kohaku’s feelings. He had made the decision to help them, on his terms. Taking any of that for granted or even disregarding it was inexcusable.

Thus, she had no other way around but to accept it.

«Hamazura, come with me. We need more food and blankets.»

Following the rules of hospitality the lord of the house had decided to increase the offerings for his guests by more than just the remaining scraps the party had left on the makeshift table. A task he’d immediately commence to pursue by dragging along one of his two friends.

Now, with everything settled the two thugs simply left the room and building in search of something more appropriate to offer the two girls they sheltered.

Still, had leaving the greatest skeptic in the fold behind been that wise a choice?

“I’m listening, I’m listening…How does an asset get taken off the board externally in a way that the culprit needs to be dealt with? What the hell is going on with those “assets” of yours this time?”

Miyako pinched the bridge of her nose to alleviate the growing headache she felt forming.

"That's part of what we'd like you to find out.  We'll continue doing our own digging, but my guess is; It's the nature of the business." Miyako shrugged. The death of a subordinate or colleague was nothing unusual, and to some extent, Miyako expected she'd meet the same fate at some point. "I'll send you the details. Last known coordinates are all I have at the moment, but give me time and we should be able to narrow down her movements and communications."

***

"Who's that?" The Skill Out gestured towards the body of the girl in a Tokiwadai uniform.

"I dunno, we grabbed her in the 2nd district." The other thug answered confidently as he flipped a glance over towards the hospital bed where Natsume lay. They hadn't had time to process her, so her uniform was still intact and she had been given a mild sedative to keep her docile. The straps around her wrists and ankles would have seen to that alone, but when dealing with Espers it was best to take precautions.

"She wasn't on the list?" The first boy raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, we went out fishing for one to make up for the runaway." The second looked pleased with himself.

"Shit."

"What?" The smile faded from the second boy's face.

"Kurama's gonna be pissed." The first boy rubbed his chin. "You know the reason we have a list is that they're the ones who aren't gonna be missed." He looked closer at the girl fastened to the hospital bed. "Goddamn, that's a Tokiwadai uniform. That means she's at least a Level 3, probably rich, too." He looked up at the bright, bluish flourescent light that had been hastily erected in the empty storeroom.

"So what do we do? Dump her somewhere and forget about the whole thing?"

"I dunno, just... let me think."

***

The boy with yellow hair vanished for an instant and Aiko's beam scorched along the wall behind him. A golden trail of light traced his movement forward towards the door and Reina.

But his path became blocked by another Watabe Tsubasa. The briefest flash of concern appeared on his face as he came to a rapid halt in front of the androgynous biker, their faces almost touching.

"Too slow." He muttered as he ducked around Tsubasa in a smooth motion before disappearing in another golden flash. He arrived at the doorframe with the smell of burning rubber wafting from his trainers. "Too slow by far." He chuckled.

***

«Don’t worry! I’ll protect you for sure! They won’t be any match for my Imagine Breaker!!»

As if answering her declaration with one of their own , the Skill Out unveiled their weapons. A heavy-looking wrench, a tire iron and a crowbar. Tools were cheap and easy to come by in any city and unlike a knife or gun, wouldn't attract unwanted attention. If law enforcement caught one of them they'd get off with only a reprimand.

But those tools were no less deadly when put to violent ends.

The first attack came from in front. The wrench arced up towards Touko's jaw from underneath in a lazy underhand swipe. But almost a split second after the pair of thugs behind them charged forward with their makeshift weapons raised toward Hana.

***

"Aww, that's really cute. Did your girlfriend sign it for you?" Michiko, the female teacher sitting across the desk from Guy, pointed to the scribbled signature and cartoon bunny on his cast.

"No, one of my students." He laughed.

Guy Ashton Li was the kind of person who aimed to turn any situation to his advantage. If one could think quickly enough and act with good judgment, then a problem could become an opportunity.

"I think she felt sorry for me, you know since I've only just moved here and I'm on my own..." He laid the bait.

"Oh? Could it be that Guy-sensei is single?" Michiko looked surprised.

"Yeah. It's true, I'm afraid." He confirmed bashfully. "But I'm trying to change that, so if you're free tonight..." Just as planned.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! You're running away?!"

Hirashi did not respond, partially because there was no time to explain himself, and partially because even if given the time, discussing his plan in front of the enemy was a questionable strategy. The overall objective of this expedition was to investigate, and a more immediate objective was to escape, holding ground did not have to form a part of either goals.

Unfamiliar with the scavenged nails and bolts, Hirashi fidgeted with a few of the pieces to map their exact shapes for his power as he sneaked towards where the van left. From previous experience, they are fighting a speedster. That meant that most frontal attacks will not have much success. Sneak attacks from beyond his field of view will have a much higher chance of inflicting damage. Static traps work even better as it turns his speed against him.

Hirashi managed to circle around to the vehicle exit just to catch Blondie’s showy maneuver around the Mad Biker.

"Too slow by far, hehe."

Hmm, it seems like he is quite a cocky one. Hirashi noted before turning his eyes towards the plastic sheets nearby. Hirashi made his way towards it, defined its shape, and applied shearing force on the sheet, cutting it into wide strips.

Hmm this could help.

Taking a few nails, Hirashi attached them to the sides of the strips by piecing it. He also placed most of his uncalibrated nails and bolts on top of the strips before retreating back to the vehicle exit and hiding behind the door way. After locating the anchor nails with his power, he sent them flying in between the pillars of the warehouse, sinking the nails into the beams and showering the floor with scrap metal.

The plastic will not hold against a charge from Blondie, but rather wrap itself around him due to his high speeds. He will have to either avoid them regardless or take time untangling himself from it whilst under Hoodie Girl’s fire.

As for the spilled junk all over the floor, most of the scattered shrapnel will not pierce Blondie’s shoes, but just one, or even the prospect of one that can, will be enough to force him to take more time to identify his path. As an added bonus, thanks to all the friction softening up his sneakers, they will also stick to his soles and decrease traction.

Hidden from view, Hirashi threw a bolt into the warehouse, and at the apex of its arc, fired it at one of the pillars near Blondie. He could not risk exposing his location by peeping out to aim so he was firing blind, but hopefully Blondie does not realise that.

"Too slow by far."

Aiko was not surprised to see her beam miss the target completely. She'd seen just how fast this guy was earlier and even if he was slower than the light speed of a beam, it didn't take a genius to know that the beam would come from the laser pointer and move in a straight line. The boy appeared to be charging right for where her and Reina were standing. Even if she could tell his intent though, his speed was too much to keep up with. If it wasn't for Tsubasa's presence, he may have been able to take Reina back at that moment. Though now he had been forced to jump back to the door frame.

"Stay behind me Reina, I'll do what I can to keep you safe."

Aiko said this with a smile on her face in an attempt to reassure Reina that things would be fine, however she had no real method of dealing with this speed. Aiko gently nudged Reina between her and the wall. It would be best to keep both Reina and the wall behind her at least so the speedy boy couldn't come from behind. It was at this point that Aiko noticed what Hirashi had been doing. Setting up obstacles and traps to ensnare their speedy foe. If Aiko was able to force the boy into a position that he'd have to start springing these traps, that would put them in a good position.  

"All right, time to get serious!"

With her grand deceleration, Aiko reached her off hand into her skirt pocket to produce a second laser pointer. Wielding one in each hand, Aiko fired the lasers repeatedly at the speedy boy. Her aim was a bit different this time around however. Rather than just aiming to hit the boy,  one laser was aimed at him to force him to move, the other was aimed at a spot she didn't want him to move to. Aiko's hope was that forcing him to move in direction he didn't want to go, she could steer him into an obstacle or trap. Doubling the number of lasers would also serve as a good distraction for the others.

District 7, 11:53 P.M.

There was not a single type of building in District 7. Naturally, most people only thought about schools, their dorms and standard establishments like department stores that were demanded by such neighbourhoods. But that wasn’t all there was. Some things, however, could only be found if you dug deep enough. For example not all dorms here belonged to single schools. Some were independent and of private nature. Of course, their kind wasn’t easy or cheap to rent, given that most of the students making up the population of Academy City had to either abide strict school rules or weren’t that wealthy.

Ichigo Ai had been one of those exceptions. While, officially she lived in Kirigaoka Girls’ Academy’s prestigious dorms, she also had rented out a space in one of said private dorms. In fact, based on her movement data one could argue that the latter was her primary place of residence.

From the outside the private dorm was a hardly outstanding block of concrete. It did not have any distinguishing features, allowing for it to blend in with the neighbourhood perfectly well. There were no balconies and late at night all one saw from the many windows was shut curtains. Nothing said anything.

The inside was slightly different, though. The entrance door already demanded a security code and a key card swipe. The same went for the access to the elevators or staircases. Cameras were visibly installed all around, while security robots circled about the building in a fixed pattern.

Ichigo Ai’s room was located on the fifth of ten floors, a good walk away from any staircase or elevator. However, even unlike the neighbouring apartments, this one was hidden behind a reinforced door with alpha numerical keypad and a classic lock. The reports would mention the fact that the keypad didn’t simply require one to type a specific code but to do so in a distinct key stroke pattern that was unique to Ichigo Ai or the dorm’s management staff. A fact that wouldn’t matter to tonight’s guest.

«Ah, there you are. You’re Hujisaka-san, right?»

The moment the girl arrived the door would be carefully opened from within and out peeked a young man wearing a navy hoodie jacket.

«Come in, please.»

He was polite but hardly remarkable, much like the underlings one oftentimes encountered in this line of business. Interchangeable as people like that were it could be that she had met him before. However, none of that mattered.

«It only happened about an hour ago. They sent me to keep away curious neighbours and Anti-Skill until you arrive.»

After only a few steps past the entrance, the true crime scene would unfold. A scorched smell had been in the oddly humid air ever since the door had opened, but once the state of the apartment itself came into sight, its origin was clear as day. The entire thing was a mess. Everything had been dyed black by fire and drenched by water. Hardly anything was recognisable anymore. Tables, chairs, shelves, lamps, a TV, computers, books whatever there was, it had been knocked over, torn apart or burned.

The deeper one went into the room, the more damage could be found. Until at its centre there lay an unrecognisable body. Burned strongly, pierced, cut and ravished by a visibly strong force. The victim. Ichigo Ai.

A breeze could be felt where she lay. It originated from a window at the end of the room. However, it wasn’t simply open to let air in and out. It had been broken. That was what became evident at the sight of the remains extraordinarily thick and robust glass shards all over the floor.

Lastly, among the scorched and ravished interior other shards could be found. Unlike the glass those pieces of metal polycarbon hybrid had spread all over. Some laying around, some stuck in surrounding structures.

Kohaku could clearly see the gaze of pure displeasure that the blond thug wore on his face. But, among that, there was a clear reluctance to speak up at this point. As good friends as they seemed, was there still some level of hierarchy involved or was it a question of trusting the better judgment of the person who they had designated to be their leader?

The bigger man had made his decision and while he didn’t speak with the level of some great orator, he held enough of a presence that his voice had been enough to force Anko to calm down and begrudgingly accept the reality that she needed to rest (after all, being shot after running around a city for well over 14 hours was hardly an indication to keep on moving).

If it was enough to keep that blond thug who clearly wanted to get a word in edgewise reticent, then the trust held between those three must have been a beautiful thing, whether they wanted to admit it or not. So, she watched as the blonde one had followed the big one.

“Come to think of it, I forgot to ask their names too...”

The fact that she was referring to them by their physical characteristics alone should have been a bad sign.

“Just accept their offer and rest for now. We’ve been running around the city with minimal leads for the whole day. We’re not getting any further if we push it now.”

As much as she would have rather continued to get everything done and wrap up the incident as quickly as possible, Kohaku knew that she could not avoid the necessity of proper pacing.

So, she relaxed herself the best she could and turned to face the one boy who had stayed behind.

“So, what’s your name?”

And she did what she did best. Traipse all over the atmosphere as if it didn’t exist.

The boy had dodged her punch.

"Too slow by far."

He was mocking her.

"Tsk."

He really, truly, irritated her. He was cocky. But, he was strong. So she, a mere level zero, was in no place to tell him anything. His cockiness was justified, at least.

However, she could swear she saw a hint of panic on his face for a second there.

His trainers had been burned.

This wasn't hopeless.

Yes.

Tsubasa wasn't alone in this fight.

Not anymore.

Aoki was behind her back.

Even Saito, who she mistook for a coward, was doing something, whatever it is - she didn't really understand - but it seemed like he had some kind of plan. Honestly, he did look like the smart type. She should have given him the benefit of the doubt earlier.

They would overwhelm him with attacks, and one of them would surely land on its mark. Surely...

The three of them united can take this guy and the bastards behind him down.

And more importantly...

They can keep Reina safe.

They had to protect her, no matter what.

There was no way she would let it happen again.

No way in hell was she going to lose someone again.

Suddenly she started to grow aware of the cold sweat soaking her, the tightness in her throat, the chills running down her spine.

She had to stay calm.

Everything will be okay. There is no need to worry. Have faith in yourself.

She was certain: this is what he would've told her, had he been here.

"All right, time to get serious!"

Laser girl's confident declaration finally shook her off enough to regain her full concentration.

She had to give her all if she wanted to achieve what she promised herself, what she promised Reina.

Then, Aoki reached into her pocket and took out what seemed like another laser pointer.

'Double lasers? Cool!'

And the shooting began.

Tsubasa took this opportunity to launch her attack as well. Honey-boy was distracted by the lasers, trying to dodge both of them at the same time. So Tsubasa anticipated this and aimed for the empty spot created by her ally's attack. Logically, he should be forced to move there if he wished to escape the lasers unscathed. Her kicks would land right on his face before he could even understand what was coming for him.

'Jumping Windmill!'

Hopefully, this will hit its target.

Words of course weren’t always meant to work. Especially not with dumb thugs who couldn’t measure their value and would swing their fists or – in this case – wrenches.

To someone with Kamijou’s degree of experience in back alley brawling, the swing’s lack of striking intention was enough to shrug it off. At the same time, her focus would switch to the pair behind them, as these formed the bigger threat. Both, due to their overwhelming number and position.

Thus, the spiky haired girl would take a quick step aside, grab Tanimoto’s hand and pull her along with the intention of removing her from harm’s way. To do so, she’d attempt to not only manoeuvre her out of the centre but also behind her very own back. After all, standing amid a circle of thugs wasn’t going to lead one anywhere in a three vs one situation.

With that being said, Kamijou would position herself to become the wall between the target and her three pursuers.

I can’t simply attack. Otherwise I can’t protect Tanimoto-san. But I need to defend myself as well.

No human could continuously work like a machine. Not even Kisaragi Anko. At least not in her current state. There had been the chase, the gun shots and the aftermath of that incident. None of which were anything to endure under normal circumstances for a normal person. But she had done so. Up to now. Kohaku was right.

«We’ll stay until morning.»

That was the most she could afford. Not simply for due to her pride.

Thus, at long last she would close her eyes and allow her body to relax…

An act even the biggest skeptic had to accept. No matter how questionable Komaba’s decision may have been, seeing the state of the girl on the floor was shocking. Especially for someone who had experienced her true self before.

Call it mercy or whatever, but Hattori Hanzou could muster good manners as well. Even towards someone whom he had only treated as a sworn enemy the entire time.

He’d accept the situation.

«So, what’s your name?»

However, without dropping his guard.

«Hanzou.»

Even now his responses fell flat. There was no reason for him to engage with those two further than tolerating their presence.

At least, that was what that delinquent had been trying to achieve by keeping a physical distance of a few metres.

And yet, in the short moment his eyes met the silver haired girl’s, the warmth of her innocence may have molten the cold barrier he’d built. So after a while of lingering silence, he was the one to make the next move.

«You sure are crazy, y’know? Making friends with that one over there of all people.»

Being the one to speak up under this pressure felt quite awkward. Especially the part where you attempt to pick up a topic out of thin air. Still, in such situations it was best to resort to the things that had been on your mind the longest. So why not say it?

«To think even she would have a good side to her…»

«We’ll stay until morning.»

Having heard those words, that was enough for Kohaku to finally relax herself a bit. One of the bigger obstacles when it came to patient care was the consent of the patient. When the patient couldn’t acknowledge that they had a problem that needed to be fixed, they would more often than not reject any mode of treatment. At the very least, Anko was willing to acknowledge that they needed to rest. For the time being, that was plenty.

She could direct her attention to the other boy, Hanzou.

«You sure are crazy, y’know? Making friends with that one over there of all people. To think even she would have a good side to her… »

Kohaku really did not know what past the two of them shared. They were clearly hostile to each other. Those kinds of feelings obviously made it hard for the two of them to see any good in each other.

It was only natural.

But, that wasn’t any reason to simply just toss the humanity of the other person away.

“Some people just have hidden sides to them.” She had no need to disparage Anko. She’d already done that earlier when she had answered the big one earlier. It would be in poor taste to run on the same playbook.

“But, everyone has the capacity for kindness or whatever other qualities comprise a good person. Sometimes it’s not as easy to see, but it will eventually reveal itself if you don’t give up on it all.”

One could call those words hopelessly naive. But, it was the core of Kira Kohaku’s philosophy and there was no way she would toss that all out no matter how readily anyone called her out for it.

For one living in Academy City’s back alleys philosophies like those were strange encounter. Having to worry about dagger that could end up stuck in one’s back any moment could drive one adrift. However, in Hanzou’s case his world view may have also been built upon a rather harsh upbringing. Ultimately, what that meant for him was clear as day.

«Even if there’s a good guy in all of us, there’s no saying how much people are willing to let it out. Some just can’t. Some just don’t wanna.»

People only sometimes had a choice. Oftentimes they weren’t even given that. Being good was something that could be described as an achievement, not simply a natural aspect of everyone and everything. At least not one easily available to everyone equally.

It was a privilege.

«People like you or Komaba always surprise me. You make these decisions not thinking of the consequences. Like you believe you can always live with them, no matter what. Even with things like this.»

At one point in his speech, Hanzou had knelt down in front of the makeshift table, picking the single remaining yakitori skewer up from it. It had already lost its warmth, but its saucy roasted smell still lingered in the air among that of alcohol.

«But somehow you folks always end up making the good calls. That’s the even more surprising thing. Hell, if I went out there and did something remotely good, I’m sure someone’d knock a crowbar into my head or plunge a pullet into me belly.»

However, instead of taking a bite, he’d point the not greasy delicacy the silver haired girl’s way.

«It can’t be helped. So, let’s see how fucked up I’ll end up tonight.»

It was hard to describe, the sensation he felt when his 'gift' was charged. But as one of those lucky few who had once known what it meant to possess an 'Esper ability', Hamada Yosuke knew that whatever the origin of this mysterious 'power' might be, it was not born of Academy City's science. Its parameters, limits, and conditions for use were known to him as if whispered into his ear by an unforgettable voice.

A frightful pain pierced the blonde boy's head as he reached for Reina's wrist from the doorframe. When the pain caused him to falter he was left clawing at empty air. His target had retreated behind her protector, the girl with the laser pointer.

Unlike an Esper's psychic ability, his 'gift' was capricious and unreliable. It seemed to follow its own whim. It answered to his commands, but it also demanded a high toll from its wielder.

Yosuke winced and popped a small candy into his mouth.

Immediately that presence returned. He could feel it with him. Behind him, beside him. Within him.

It was like having a guardian angel watching over him.

The girl had produced a second laser, and was firing it in careful bursts to seal off his movement. Yosuke was confident that even if he couldn't outrun light, he could at least outrun her aim. And that biker; they were charging in again. At least that would be a simpler matter to deal with.

Yosuke ran towards Tsubasa, but this time he did not call on his 'gift'. He ran at the normal speed for a normal teenager. And as he drew close enough for Tsubasa to strike...

His eyes shone with red and the golden blur shot forward, interrupting the timing and distancing of Tsubasa's kick. Instead, his fist swung up to meet her ribs at a tremendous velocity. He didn't spare the time to observe the result. Disabling her, even for a moment would be a bonus. But if he missed, there was no need for concern. He carried on after Aiko and Reina.

The further into the building they went, the smaller and more interconnected the rooms became, with the honeycomb-like pattern presenting more opportunities for an ambush from an unexpected angle. A burst of speed took Yosuke through another of these doorways and he came to a skidding halt for a split second before correcting his trajectory to sweep around Aiko's back. He would eliminate her from behind and take Reina while the rest of these fools-

The strip of plastic tripped Yosuke and he tumbled to the floor in an ungainly fashion.

***

The wrench gave a deep whistle as it ripped through the air where Touko's head had been a moment earlier. The other weapons missed Hana by inches as she was spun away from the thugs with the graceless movement of an amateur dance student tossing their partner about. She found herself between a wall and her saviour.

Tactless, clumsy, reactionary. This girl was hardly a world-class fighter. She was barely amateur level. And yet somehow that intrigued Hana more than the alternative. Somehow this girl had become host to Imagine Breaker. And yet she displayed none of the qualities necessary to make full use of it. What could that mean?

Touko's rapid repositioning had palced them on one side of the trio of thugs. But they were still in danger of being penned in against the wall. A nearby alleyway offered a way to funnel them into a narrower space where they would be unable to make use of their numbers.. As it was the Skill Outs advanced confidently but without hurry. Two held back while one ran in with an overhead swing that would crush Touko from left shoulder to right hip.

“Sure, but that doesn’t make it necessary to give up on someone even if they don’t want to let their better halves out.”

Both Kohaku and Hanzou were from two different words. That was reality. That was why Kohaku could speak without deference to the world that she had gotten herself into. She had not been unaware of the gravitas of the world around her. Far from that, she had been acutely aware of the world where the atmosphere had changed from her normal everyday.


“After all, you’re not denying that even the worst of people still have a kinder and warmer side to them. You just need to reach out and that warmth will eventually reach through.”

One could liken that single-mindedness to an aberration. Perhaps that childish giggle of hers as she smiled at Hanzou was the biggest show of that distortion. Few people would be willing to take the worst of people and still see the glow peeking through the cracks of the murkier exterior. Even fewer would go out of the way to try and reach out to that.

To a certain extent, one could almost call that a denial of self.

Even the mud that caked the soul was a part of a person. To ignore that in exclusivity of the glowing core was more than folly. It was twisted.

But, that twisted kindness was the esper named Kohaku. No matter how aware of it she was. And perhaps it was that ignorance that allowed her to make the ‘good calls’ that Hanzou had judged her to make.

“But don’t worry. I’ll make sure she doesn’t sneak around and do anything shady like that, right, Anko-chan?” Kohaku patted Anko’s head gently. It wasn’t like Anko would respond, but she couldn’t help but do something like that. But, the focus on that was more than enough to distract her from her tiger of a stomach growl that had been brewing since Hanzou had pointed the (cooled) food at her.

Barely making it was good enough. Fights don’t give you the easy way out. As a result any success was a success. Now, they would face the three thugs with their dangerous collection of makeshift weapons all the while a wall was pressed to their back. But with an open alleyway inviting them as an escape path conditions hadn’t been that bad.

Communicating only using a nod, Kamijou Touko attempted to signal Tanimoto to move into the direction of said escape path. As she did, one of the three attackers charged forward for another merciless strike.

Surely, each and any of these attacks made her break a sweat. There was nothing to shrug off. All attention had to be fixated on those enemies. That was the law of the alleys. After all, no matter what power her right hand may have held. It was utterly useless in a simple fist fight. So useless that while it could rival a Level 5 Esper with the might of an entire army, it probably couldn’t even finish one of those delinquents in a single strike. Let alone take one of their attacks.

With that on her mind, she attempted another evasion by stepping to the side of the open alleyway. This time even swifter, in hopes of making the attack not only miss her body but instead have it ram straight into the wall behind her, possibly damaging the other boy’s weapon or stunning him – if only momentarily.

From there she wouldn’t hesitate…to take the retreat path.

Of course she could have counter attacked, but when was reality ever kind? This wasn’t some turn based RPG where the mobs would only attack one after the other. In fact, attacking your victim while they were busy dealing with another target was a perfectly sound strategy.

Minimising the risks to herself and the girl she had to protect Kamijou Touko would slowly step backwards into the alley, hoping Tanimoto had taken the lead, all the while keeping a close eye on her three enemies, as well as her surroundings.