Chapter 7 - The Beginning of Something Great

"Alright, if you'll sign here please," Doctor Heaven Canceler hands a discharge form to Kuroko, already signed by Frenda. Kuroko signs the form and hands it back.

"Alright Frenda, if you'll come with me please," Kuroko says to the blonde girl.

"Why are you the one here? Are you going to arrest me Judgement Officer?" Frenda sneered slightly, her normal lack of trust in police returning.

"Actually, right now that's Anti-Skill Deputy. No, you aren't being arrested. I'll explain everything when we get back to the others." Kuroko walked towards the room they were staying in. After they arrive, she begins to explain, "We got a call from Saiai - apparently someone attacked your… associates. She thinks they may be after you. At my request, I've been ordered to place you under protective custody."

"And if I refuse your protection? Are you going to arrest me then?" Frenda asks.

"If you refuse then that is that. You aren't being charged with anything, so you'll be free to go. The chief in charge of the incident wishes to speak with you to confirm some details of what you've told me, but other than that you're on your own," Kuroko explains, "However, you wouldn't have the protection of Anti-skill any more than usual. I don't know how well that will go, depending on who's after you."

As they enter the room, both Ruiko and Misaka are looking in their direction. Ruiko starts smiling when she sees the blonde. "Is this to be my protection detail?" Frenda asks, staring at the level 5, "I feel safer already. I don't know if I can accept the protection of Anti-skill. Plus, I don't have an apartment anymore, so you won't have a place to stay."

"I've already offered my place. If you don't have a place of your own, that's all the more reason," Ruiko pleads, "Please Frenda. With what you've said to me… I don't know if I can lose you."

Frenda looks back and forth between Kuroko, Saten, and Misaka, sighing. "Alright, but I can't lose you either Ruiko," Frenda then turns to Kuroko, "If it comes to it, I want you to protect Ruiko over me. Promise me that and I'll agree to what you want."

Kuroko nods her head, then reaches to grab Misaka and Frenda's hands, "Saten-san, grab onto Frenda. I'm going to teleport all of us at once." Once Ruiko had done that, she concentrates to begin the teleport. However, the area doesn't change. "It's not working, I can feel I'm over my limit. I don't understand. I teleported the four of us here no problem. Something I'll have to fix later, I guess. Saten-san, I'm going to take Frenda and Misaka first. That way she'll have someone guarding her while I teleport back to get you."

Ruiko nods and lets go of Frenda's hand. The three girls then vanish, leaving her alone.

About a minute, and a few teleports later, they arrive inside Ruiko's apartment. "Alright Misaka, keep an eye on her. And don't try anything either. That won't go well for you, understood, Onee-sama?" Misaka just nods to the teleporter before she vanishes, leaving her with the girl who had tried to kill her once.

After a good 30 seconds of silence, with noticeable tension, Misaka decided to speak, "So, you told Kuroko about the incident, then? During the Level Six Shift Project?"

"Have some trouble with your girlfriend, Railgun?" Frenda teases, earning her a look that was some mixture of confusion and death glare, "No. I just mentioned the name when she asked about our… previous encounter. What you told her about it is on you. I don't even know the full details, just that we were hired to stop you from destroying one of the facilities for it."

"And that includes blasting me to the moon and back?" Misaka counters, "And what was that you meant about 'Girlfriend'? Kuroko and I aren't like that."

"Really? You don't know? You are as clueless as Kinuhata-san said," Frenda responds and facepalms, "Anyways, I won't apologise for trying to kill you there. All I will say is that when Mugino tells you to do something, you do it. Meltdowner is no joke. But, now that she's dead… I've got no reason to do things like that any more."

Misaka is about to question Frenda further when Kuroko and Ruiko teleport in, breaking the tension between them.

"Alright Frenda. Now that we're here…"

"You want me to snitch, don't you. I have no love for Mugino, but I won't narc on my friends." Frenda answered sharply.

"Not ITEM. I mean, some of your past ops maybe, but I want information on Project Level Six Shift. Ideally, who hired you, up as far as you know." Shirai explained, "This is a tentative offer, as my chief wants to speak to you first, but if you talk, we can give you immunity for the two buildings you razed in the Warehouse district. Perhaps more if the information is good."

"Level Six Shift? Why would you want to know that?" Frenda sneered at Kuroko, "Hoping to get some dirt on your 'friend'?"

"No. From what you and Misaka have told me, I think there's corruption going on here," Kurokou explained, "City officials covering up crimes, or offering resources to criminals to further their goals. I, and Anti-skill, want to see those officials brought to justice."

Frends started snickering, "Oh Shirai-san, you haven't a clue. Corruption? A few officials doctoring reports or providing aid? Bringing them to Justice? Only Mugino knew the full extent, but from what I heard, this was more than just a simple case of a few corrupt officers…"

Frenda's explanation, and her laughter, was interrupted by Misaka's phone ringing. The display listed an Unknown Number, and Misaka picked up, to the slightly concerned voice of Saiai, "Are you and Frenda still at the hospital, Misaka-san?"

"Kinuhata-san?" She asked, and Kuroko looked confused, "Why do you ask?"

"Someone just attacked it. No casualties among the staff from what I can tell, but the ICU area was hit. Should be obvious who the target was."

"Do you know who?" Misaka asked, confused, then addressed the group present, "The Hospital was just attacked. Kinuhata seems to think blondie was the target."

"No, I don't know who. Wasn't us though." Saiai paused for a moment, "You're with Frenda right now? Where are you?"

"Can you hold on for a minute?" Misaka asked, then muted, "Kinuhata-san wants to know where we are."

Kuroko was the first to answer, "Definitely not, too risky. Even if we trust her, and I don't know that we should, anyone could have tapped the line."

"I trust her," Frenda said, "we spoke at the Hospital and I trust her, and the others. Bring her here, she can help."

"I don't know that we can take that word, Frenda, especially after someone just tried to kill you," Kuroko replied, somewhat apologetically.

"I can, Shirai-san, " Ruiko speaks up, "if Frenda trusts her, then so do I. She's the one who let us know about the threat in the first place, isn't she."

Kuroko paused for a moment then replied, "alright, if both of you are sure. We can't give her our location though. The line could be tapped, or she could be followed. Ask for her location and I'll teleport her here, after I report to my supervisor."

Misaka nodded and resumed the call, "We're at a safe location, I can't tell you where. If you want to, give me your location and I'll send Kuroko to teleport you in a bit."

Kinuhata replied, "Opsec protocols, I understand. In 10 minutes, I will be at the place we first met with a common goal. I'll know its your friend if she mentions that goal" Saiai then hung up.

"The place we first met? Kinuhata-san?" Misaka questioned before realising the call had ended. She thought for a bit, before remembering the one Indian Poker stand, and the Bust-Upper card the two of the, had both sought. She gave directions to Kuroko and told her that Saiai would be waiting there in 10 minutes, and what to say. Kuroko snickered and gave a snide remark, "Onee-sama, I like you just the way you are," before teleporting off to report about the attack to Anti-skill.

After she left, Frenda had a deadpan stare, "Seriously Railgun, you don't know what she means?" The question left both Misaka and Ruiko confused, "You aren't the Railgun, you're hecking Dark Matter, with how dense you are."

"What do you mean Frenda?" Ruiko asked the question.

"Not you as well, is it not as obvious as the sun? I'll tell you later, Ruiko. It's not my place to tell Railgun though. I ought to pull that Salmon-head aside later and have a talk with her." Frenda grumbled at the cluelessness of both of the people here.

“Can you not talk about me as if I'm not here,” Misaka asked, receiving another deadpan from Frenda, “Fine, I'm going to go take a nap, since I was up until heck o'clock last night.”

Ruiko directed Misaka to a bedroom, and Misaka left, leaving the former alone with Frenda, a palpable tension hanging in the air.