It's been a while since the last chapter, and for that I am sorry. Also, I will try to pace this a little slower, problem is, I have all of this in a notebook, and I'm simply editing and uploading, so please tell me in what way can improve. Now, without further delay, I present unto you all, Chapter 3. Chapter 3 A cold breeze stirred Kinji from his painful slumber. He pulled his body off the frozen white floor. Kinji noticed he was in an icy town where everything was quite literally made of ice. With crackling noises, several entities rose from the solid snow covered floor. Single twigs took the forms of humanoids with no faces, save one who slowly walked towards Kinji. The teen took a couple steps back and the sky caught his attention. There was no sun… A bright red and yellow super nova shed delicate purple light upon the frozen world. Kinji attempted to summon Kori no Shi, but he felt no response from the ice around him. This shocked him, his eyes widening in surprise. He looked back at the town that had increased in size around him. All of the icy men had begun to shift toward him, arms replaced by sharp blades. "What the hell is happening…?" A single humanoid swung at Kinji. He dodged and struck an uppercut, his fist colliding with hard, cold ice. The ice man burst in shards, and Kinji's flesh opened, spilling brilliant red across the white landscape. Two more of the humanoids rushed forward bearing spears. The closest one attempted to skewer him like a fish on a hook, but with a spinning kick, he shattered its head and broke the others spear. Hayabusa then grabbed the spear in his right hand only to feel a cold burn rush up his arm. He grunted in pain and threw the spear at a random humanoid in the background. The disarmed humanoid engaged Kinji in a fist to fist fight. The being swung at Kinji's face, and he grabbed the arm with his burned right hand and elbowed it where its face should have been, shattering it. The humanoids where all around him. There was no escape, and already these burns on his arms where hurting him with a pain he never though he would feel. He didn't even draw a breath when the next one walked forward. But this one was different from the others. It had no weapons, and didn't seem hostile in any way. The closer it got, the more its appearance changed. From looking identical to the other icemen, it gained Kinji's features, mirroring him completely. Kinji took no chances. He ignored the pain and lifted his arms in a combat pose, left foot first. "You're abilities have grown, young Kinji Hayabusa. But if you are here, in this world, then it can only mean one thing. You are dead, and your power is lost. And yet, a warm pulse shakes this frozen world. There is hope yet, but your survival all depends on you; so tell me, why do you fight, Hayabusa? Is it for justice? For glory? For attention? Love? Peace? Chaos? Ask yourself, why do you fight?" "I don't know…. For justice?!" Kinji replied after a second of thought. The reflection of him chuckled and crossed his arms behind his back. Then he walked around Kinji several times, his pupil less eyes upon him. Kinji lowered his arms, his eyes never straying from the pale blue mirror. "How would I know Hayabusa? I am just a collection of your thoughts. I know all you know. And I know that deep down, you know the answer. You just can't see it yet. And if you don't see it soon, you will disappear from all existence. Look into yourself…" "Wait!" The reflection shattered, the other icemen and the town crumbling and fading with him. Kinji was alone in an endless wasteland. So he began to walk after some hesitation. "Look into yourself… that's what it told me… I wonder what he meant…" Kinji uttered to himself. There was no time. No rest. No darkness, and no true light. It felt like four days had passed, but he was too lost in his mind to truly focus on the passage of time. Eventually, Kinji became exhausted and collapsed in the snow. He felt the cold rough substance pull him under, his body sinking 4 centimeters into it. He rolled over, his blue and white eyes landing upon the dead sun. "Look into yourself… look… into your heart…" He murmured and closed his eyes. All light faded from his consciousness, as did the cold and the hard snow below. He felt suspended for a few seconds, and then the ground solidified, warm and soft. His cold flesh felt the soft rays of the sun touch his skin along with the smell of flowers rising into his nostrils. "My name is Uiharu Kazari." Kinji's eyes shot open and he rose to a sitting position instantly. His eyes took in the new surroundings, a warm plain of grass and flowers. Occasionally, a tree with green leaves rose to the summits, and a little over 40 feet in front of him stood Uiharu in a beautiful white dress. Her brown eyes where directed at Kinji, and he felt his pulse quicken. Sudden realization hit him. "Uiharu…" She smiled at him when suddenly a flaming red katana pierced her through the heart. She rose up off the ground and a cold blizzard hit them. He was back in the snowy wasteland, and Uiharu had come with him. The blade retracted, and she fell to the floor. Before she impacted, Kinji lunged forward and caught her. She was limp and cold, eyes closed and dead. Warm tears streamed down his face. "NOOOOOO! UIHARU!" He looked up at the super nova, "Please don't take her from me… I… I… need her…" And then her body erupted in harmless flames. "That girl… he…." Kinji lifted his tear stained face and saw the image of his brother, blade drawn, regret and anguish written across his face. Kinji recognized those words. They were the last words he heard his brother say before he began to repent. Kinji hugged Uiharu closer to his body, the flames extinguished. "I finally know what those words mean… After all this pain…" "That girl. Kinji loved her." Hiroshi's image said before fading into snow scattered by the wind. Kinji looked down to his arms. Uiharu's body was dispersing as flakes of snow, leaving, in exchange, his rapier, Kori no Shi. In the center of the guard, chiseled into the ice was the kanji for water, and at the end of the chain hung a delicately carved cross. "You were wrong, Onee-chan. I didn't love Uiharu. I still do!" He rose to his feet, rapier in a reverse grip and eyes trained on the super nova, "I WILL RETURN TO YOU UIHARU!" "How is he, Doctor?" Saten asked as she held Uiharu gently. "It has been four days. He should be fine, simply recovering his strength. Luckily Miss Kuroko brought him in when she did, or he probably wouldn't have made it. Most of his capillaries and veins where torn, but through the power of science, he won't even have a scar. Give him a little longer." The Heaven Chancellor told the girls. "Good. He's alright." Mikoto said, her face a deep shade of pink. Not too far from her stood Touma and Index, just as worried as the rest of them. "Indeed he is. If you girls would like, you can go see him now. No more than two at a time, please." The frog faced doctor turned and walked away. Misaka looked at the teary eyed Uiharu and her best friend who comforted her. "Saten, you and Uiharu can go first." "Thank you, Mikoto." Ruiko lead her friend through the hall to a small room. ` The door opened smoothly, without a sound. There was a single, large window, a flat screen TV, a bathroom/restroom, and two chairs. Kinji was in the only bed in the center of the room, his body linked to several machines and monitors. The nightstand was covered with two gift bags. Uiharu placed a third, larger bag next to the others before turning towards the unconscious Kinji. "Oh Kin-kun… why you? Why did it have to be you?" She stroked Kinji's bangs out of his face and kissed his forehead. Then she turned around. "Let's go, Saten-san." The two girls turned to walk out if the room when suddenly Uiharu was pulled back. She turned towards the source of the pull and saw Kinji's hand on top of hers. "Silly me, I forgot to pry my hand from his…" Uiharu reached to lift his hand when Saten's fingers closed around her wrists. "Uiharu, wait. Did you even grab his hand?" "Saten-san… I can see your breath… Is it just me, or did it get colder in here?" "I…" Saten was about to speak when a crackling noise filled the air. The surrounding walls and objects developed a film of ice on the surface, surprising the two girls. The seats, the machines, the floor, the walls, everything developed a layer of ice. Then she felt the twitching in her hand, forcing her to redirect her attention to Kinji. His crystal blue and white eyes slowly opened, his gaze from the start on her. "Uiharu…" She slapped him across the face. "Owe! What was that for?" She knelt down and pulled him into a close hug. He felt his face bury into her chest, and he instantly shot up 212 degrees. "That was for making me worry! I thought you were going to die. I thought I would never see you again…" She said between tears. "I promise, I will never leave again…." Kinji returned the hug, pulling her closer to his cold body. He could feel her shivering and slowly looked up to see the walls coated in ice. "What the…? I've never done this before…." Uiharu helped him into a sitting position when she felt him try to rise. His eyes wandered across the room, curiosity shining in them. Just about that time, the door opened, and the frog faced doctor, along with the others walked into the room. They were all equally shocked to see Kinji awake, with everything coated in ice. After a brief moment of silence, Uiharu pulled away from Kinji and Misaka spoke. "What the hell is going on…?" "See, I told you he would be fine!" Kuroko nudged the Rail gun playfully. But she ignored her roommate and looked at the cryomancer, "Kinji, you realize what you have done, right?" "No. Can you please tell me, cuz I haven't the slightest idea." "This ability has only ever been observed once, a really long time ago… only a level four could do it…" Touma, standing far in the back with Index, leaned onto the wall and made the question everyone was wondering. "So are you saying he 'leveled up', Biri-biri?" "I can't be sure, idiot, but that might just be the case. They say that the level 4 cryomancer could also freeze his blood if he began to bleed, automatically… I wonder if you can do it, Kinji." Hayabusa leaned back, closing his eyes. "Who knows…?" "Well, let's find out!" Kuroko shouted and grabbed the IV on Kinji's wrist and pulled. He gave a grunt of pain, and a single, crimson drop of blood forming and freezing on the dot. At the same time, a ball of ice slammed into her shoulder. "OWE!" "Whoa… I didn't even need to use my hands…" Everyone was lost for words, save the Heaven Chancellor. "It seems you have, indeed, leveled up, Mr. Hayabusa. However, that does not mean I will let you leave the hospital just yet. But don't worry, we corrected your injuries. It shouldn't even scar." Kinji dropped the bed sheets that covered his upper body and saw that his upper body was spotless. Uiharu turned away, a dark blush on her face. Kinji's body was slender, but very well sculpted. It was attractive… Uiharu shook her head and saw the doctor fill out some papers and place a clip board on the edge of the bed. "Thank you, Doc. And don't worry about me, I won't leave the room until you give me the go." "Alright. But kid, I see you are friends with this guy," the frog faced doctor pointed at Touma," Try not come here as often as he has." With a chuckle, the doctor was gone, leaving the friends alone. Uiharu grabbed the largest gift bag and passed it to Kinji. He thanked her, and opened the bag to find a blue shirt with two white stripes down the left side, black jeans, a new school uniform blazer, black socks, and his sneakers. He excused himself, got up, and quickly changed into the outfit in the restroom. He sat down on the bed, and she passed him a second, smaller bag. He opened it, and inside was a brand new, tactical hard case enclosed smart phone. He pressed the button on the side, and the screen lit up with a background of him and Uiharu, along with Saten and Misaka standing next to a crystal clear fountain. They were both smiling, and Kinji felt his heart warm. Uiharu blushed. "Your last phone broke in the fight, so I got you a new one. I hope you like it…" "Uiharu, I love it. Thank you." A new conversation started among the friends, mostly an argument about which Manga was better (Misaka's or Touma's) when Uiharu slipped him a smaller, thinner box. She leaned and whispered in his ear, "When everyone is gone, I want you to open this. There's something on the back, just for your eyes only…" After about an hour of conversation, the four girls decided to leave. With a "Get well and goodbye", they were off, leaving Kinji alone with Index and Touma. The level 0 was about to close the door when a new visitor arrived. It was Konori Mii, the last person Kinji would expect. And she had papers with her. "Hello Hayabusa, I see you are doing well. I know this isn't the best time, but better now than later. Here read these and sign." She handed him the papers, and he realized they were Judgment forms. He read and signed as Konori spoke. "Hayabusa, it seems that your brother will be released. Someone, somehow managed to prove his innocence. It turned out the fires were started by a gas leak, and that you had rushed off to help your brother, only for another explosion to lodge a burning hot spike of metal to nearly pierce your heart. It must have been painful, but your brother is fine. He looked a little guilty for you getting hurt, but once he sees you are alright, I bet he'll cheer right up. Also, I'm told that he decided to stay here in Academy City." Kinji could smell a lie, but he saw Touma make a signal and decided to hold his words for another day. Instead, he passed her the papers and smiled. "I'm so relieved that he made it out safely. I'll go see him later. And thank you." Konori looked through the pages and smiled, producing a green armband in the same motion. "Congratulations, Kinji Hayabusa. You are now a member of Judgment, under my jurisdiction. Report to the Branch when you are ready. You'll be working with Uiharu and Kuroko, so if you have questions and I'm not around, just ask them. Now I must be off. Get well soon!" She passed him the armband, smiled and waved, and was off. Kinji looked at the armband with renewed joy, and gently folded and placed it in his left jacket pocket. Then he stood up and stretched. "You better go Touma. You'll miss the curfew." He cracked open a soda on a tray of food that a nurse had brought him. Touma looked at Index, and she nodded at him. Touma came forward after closing the door. "Yeah, but first, there's something you should know." Kinji looked at the setting sun, turned around and faced them. "Go ahead, I'm all ears." "Your brother didn't attack you on purpose; he was, in fact, possessed by a magician." Kinji laughed," Magic? Isn't that something created for children's entertainment? You know card tricks and optical illusions?" "Just another ignorant science boy! Why can't your kind comprehend our existence?" Index pouted angrily. "Ignorant science boy?" Kinji was slightly baffled by her out break when a thought came to him. She couldn't possibly be a…. "Well, if you choose to believe us or not, it is not up to us. Point is, we managed to find a way to prove your brother innocent. As for the magician, we didn't find him." "He most likely teleported away when the job was done. When we got to the site where he had set up, we only found runes for possession and teleportation. It was ancient magic, but it works." Index explained. Kinji was surprised beyond words. He didn't know what to think. It was because of these two that his brother didn't get incarcerated. And he had no doubts that the girl, Index, was the responsible. "Well, magic or not, you proved my brothers innocence. I know that Hiroshi isn't the kind of guy to try an kill, plus it goes against Hayabusa code to take a life. So tell me, why me and my brother of all people?" Touma looked at index, who promptly nodded. There was no going back, Touma knew. It was tell him everything, or tell him nothing, and Kinji already knew a lot. "He or she may have been after the 103,000 grimores. The grimores are books of magic that no one save index can read without suffering the side effects. She has memorized every last one, and while she can't use the dangerous magic that resides in the books, there are many who can and will stop at nothing to obtain the knowledge. They must have thought that you were part of a group sent to protect Index." Kinji was silent for a few minutes, making Touma think that his audience had fallen asleep. But the luminous blue and white eyes never closed. They blinked, and Kinji unfolded his arms. The small box he held fell down, causing the top to come off. He knelt down to pick it up when he saw what was inside the red box. It was a picture within a polished oak frame of him and Uiharu. They were together and alone in a library, sharing a book. His eyes were trained on the book, but hers were on him, and she was blushing. Kinji held the picture close and looked up. "I value my friendships, Touma, Index. I promise, I will help. You can rely on me, simply point the way." "Thanks, but…." "It's better if I don't get involved? These magicians messed with my brother's mind. They… they made Uiharu cry! I cannot forgive that! Even if you don't ask for my help, I will find them, and they will pay the price." "How can you be so certain that what we tell you isn't a lie?" Index couldn't help but ask. "Like I said, killing is against the Hayabusa code. Hiroshi would never break that code, he's too honorable to even try the slightest. The real Hiroshi can be an ass, but he would never actually try to kill me." "I see. Well thanks for the support, Hayabusa. We'll be leaving now. With my bad luck, if I don't leave now, whatever I run into will make me miss curfew." "Sure, and take care you two." Touma left the room, but before Index followed, she looked at him and said, "Welcome to a new, more complicated world. Take care Hayabusa. I'll make sure Touma tells you if we find any leads." With that she was gone, and he could hear her complaining to Touma about being hungry. He smiled, and closed the door before kicking off his shoes and sitting down on the bed. He held the photo of Uiharu and him up and starred at it. Then he turned it around, remembering that Uiharu told him to, and undid the clips. The cardboard came off, revealing a note. It read: -Dear Kinji, I always hear Saten taking about boy troubles with Miss Misaka. I never knew why Misaka would turn dark red nor why she would begin to stutter and deny things. But then, Miss Saten asked me all that she asked her, and I began to act that way. Now I know what Misaka felt like; my face was so hot, my voice began to stutter, my heart began to accelerate, and I ended up phasing out. So I decided to write this down, hoping that you never read it, yet wishing that you will. I don't know, but lately, my heart beats at the sound of your name, and all I could dream of since what happened with your brother was you. Kinji, you are the first boy to ever make me feel this great. You're kind, heartwarming, and funny, at least to me. I won't judge if you choose to stop being my friend now that you know all this. From Uiharu Kazari- Kinji reread it a few times, just to make sure he wasn't imagining a single part of it. The clasps closed on the cardboard, sealing the note away. The lone boy looked at the photo, feeling more alone than ever. "She didn't say it, but she meant it…" He laid back into the bed, moonlight washing upon his face, adding drama to the moment. After placing the photo on the nightstand, he looked up at the roof with a warm heart, and fell asleep. That's it for this chapter! Please follow or review, it really means a lot. Stay tuned for Chapter 4!