A Certain Divine Visionary

Crash Course

Judgement Branch 177, August 4, mid-morning

"What do I do..? Miss Kuroko is going to be very mad!"

"What's the problem, kid?"

"I don't know what to do with these documents, Miss Uiharu!"

"Ah, you poor boy! Here, Shulk, I can help you! You just put this one here, and that one there. Done!"

"Oh, thank you, Miss Uiharu! I'm so glad that you are here to help me!"

"Heheheh," Uiharu is distantly giggling to herself, much to the chagrin of Kuroko.

"Uh, Kuroko?" Shulk asks, looking to Kuroko for some sort of reasonable explanation. "What's wrong with Miss Kazari?"

Within her reverie, Uiharu hears her name being called.

"He called me 'miss', Shirai-san! Heheheh..."

"Just ignore her," Kuroko says, irked.

Shulk looks around the office, which has multiple boxes neatly placed on racks. There is a potted plant sitting in the corner of the office, and upon one of the walls, there are sets of photos. Uiharu sits at a desk in front of a computer, still looking a bit too happy. One could barely hear her murmuring "I'm a senpai" to herself.

Kuroko claps her hands together with a smile. "Shulk-kun, I welcome you to Judgement. You should actually consider yourself lucky when it comes to getting in." She rustles about a small box filled with papers.

"I am?" Shulk steps up to the group of photos and inspects them. They all have people he doesn't recognize, but they all seem to know each other.

"You'd usually have to go through months of training. Considering your ability and physical competence, however, all you have to do is sign a few contracts. Here." Kuroko hands Shulk a thin stack of papers. "Just sign all of these, and you'll be officially an official Judgement Officer."

"Alright," Shulk chuckles to himself. He talks to Kuroko as he signs away. "You know, you seem way more mature when you're not around Mikoto."

"Obviously. I am required to be mature and always attentive when I'm on duty (which is always), but I can't resist myself sometimes." Kuroko clears her throat. "Pardon me."

Shulk sets the papers down on a desk and takes a pencil he set on his ear. While signing the papers, he and Kuroko continue their conversation.

"Is being in Judgement especially dangerous?"

"Depending on how much trouble you get yourself into, it can be fatal."

"Judgement officers have died?" Though curious, Shulk doesn't seem very surprised.

"We haven't had any Judgement members die in some time, but the ones that don't check their limits often can get themselves in deep trouble. We have protocols to get ourselves out of danger, though. As long as you follow them and recognize when you should run away, you'll go untouched."

A bit ironic, isn't it? Kuroko felt like muttering the phrase to herself, but Shulk was quite the attentive listener.

"I noticed a lot of Judgement members aren't especially strong espers, like Uiharu. If Judgement officers can't handle a threat, then who does?"

"That would be the job of Anti-Skill. They're essentially Academy City's SWAT team."

"What's a 'SWAT' team?"

"...Forget I said that. Essentially, Anti-Skill are armed forces tasked to defend Academy City in much more dangerous situations." Kuroko takes the signed papers from Shulk. "Well then, Shulk-kun!" She shakes his hand. "You are now an official Judgement officer. Take this armband. You'll be wearing it from now on unless the situation calls for you not to."