Yoshikawa Kikyou

Yoshikawa Kikyou (芳川 桔梗) is a character introduced Toaru Majutsu no Index. A researcher for the Level 6 Shift Project, after the event of the Sisters Arc, she is forced to reassess her life, and later becomes a guardian for Accelerator, Last Order, and Misaka Worst.

Etymology
The characters in her given name (桔梗) can be translated as.

Appearance
She is often seen casually wearing her labcoat over a plain T-shirt. She wears faded jeans and sneakers. She is an adult, and has straight black hair cut short. Her build and bust size are average.

According to the artist, since she is a researcher, despite being fired, she does not care too much for things like clothes, and is the reason why she wears the same thing inside the house as the outside. It is probably the reason why she wears the same clothes for much of her appearance. Although, in Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 05, she wears new clothes, along with sandals for her autumn and winter attire.

Personality
She is described as someone that is naive, not kind, and this can be attested to the fact that despite trying to know each and every one of the Sister clones, she still has them perform an experiment that they will not walk out alive in, or allow Accelerator to continue to walk a path of blood despite him still being a child. She is described as doing things for her own welfare instead of genuine concern for others, and weighs the risks and rewards of the decisions she takes. Like Aiho, she doesn't feel embarrassed or shamed if seen naked by teenagers as she regards as kids. One example is when Accelerator walked in on her, Yomikawa and Last Order while they were taking a bath, she nor Aiho felt embarrassed about it and were cool about it. Yomikawa told a surprised Last Order that she and Yoshikawa were adults and Accelerator was a kid, and that there was no problem for a child to see an adult naked.

However, she is someone who desires to change her ways, and become kinder. She has a cool head, and doesn't force others to do what they should do, and can be considered as an older sister, or a parent to Accelerator and Last Order. She is a practical person (choosing to use cheap panties for clones, knowing that they are unimportant variable to be considered in an experiment), and is a brilliant researcher and programmer.

She also has a habit of collecting things that changes the body in quality.

Background
Little is known about her, except that she wanted to be a kind teacher but became a researcher instead. She later becomes a researcher for the Level 6 Shift Project, and was concerned with the manufacturing of the clones and of Last Order, as well as the maintenance of Accelerator. In her naïveté, she names all the clones in the experiment, and was as well, apparently, the one who chose their panties.

She also has a lifelong friendship with Yomikawa Aiho, though it is unknown how much she knew of her involvement in the Level 6 Shift Project. She also seem to have knowledge of the amazing skills of the Heaven Canceller.

She is one of the first adults Accelerator seem to trust, being able to casually chat with and even care for him.

Three Stories Arc
Even after the project was put on hiatus, Yoshikawa kept herself in the research facility, awaiting for the restart of the Level 6 Shift Project. However, a week before August 31, she and fellow researchers discovers that Last Order has escaped her incubation tube, and she, was left alone to investigate the matters of her disappearance, as well as the fact that Last Order has been invaded by a malicious code that would force an order though all Mikoto clones in the Misaka Network to indiscriminately kill humans, by the time Accelerator returns to her, she has already suspected Amai Ao to be the culprit, and was in the process of writing a vaccine against the virus.

Accelerator later visits her after meeting Last Order, and wanting to fix her of her queer condition, and after a bit of talk, convinces Accelerator to redeem herself by saving the clones. She gives a choice to Accelerator to either capture Amai Ao, and force him to talk about how to stop the virus, or retrieve Last Order, with him choosing the latter. She guides Accelerator throughout his operation to retrieve Last Order, as well as during his operation against Amai Ao, who has capture her. She shows her practical side by telling Accelerator to kill Last Order, as the virus would activate sooner than expected and that there would be no time to destroy the virus, which she has yet to finish writing. She hears Accelerator's defiance, as well as his eventual downfall in the hands of Amai Ao, after concentrating his powers to save Last Order. She later arrives in the spot where Amai Ao took Last Order, calls the ambulances, and later shoots Amai Ao, but is unable to shoot him in vital spots. She is shot point blank in the heart by Amai while trying to protect Accelerator and Last Order but the Accelerator manages to use his ability to keep her from dying until she entered internal care, even though he was unconscious.

After getting a successful surgery from the Heaven Canceller, she is later told that Last Order is fine and is being looked after by Misaka 10032. He also tells her that Accelerator has lost his calculation abilities, basically making him cripple, but said to her that he will make use of the Misaka network to compensate for what he has lost, using them for his calculations. He tells her that she was saved easily, because Accelerator used his powers, despite being unconscious, to keep blood from spilling from her after getting shot Amai Ao. Before leaving Heaven Canceller tells her that she has been fired, as the Level 6 Shift Project, due to heir little display with Amai Ao, has been permanently closed, and that she should choose another path that is not that of a researcher, amongst the many paths. Kikyou says that she will not forgive the Heaven Canceller if he fails to save Accelerator, and he reminds her who he is, before leaving to operate on him. Here, she is proud that Accelerator was able to save instead of destroy.

Tree Diagram Remnant Arc
Kikyou asks Yomikawa Aiho to take care of Accelerator and Last Order as she is still recuperating, however she later falls unconscious, much to Aiho's dismay, as she cannot complain to her.

Academy City Invasion Arc
With Kikyou, Accelerator, and Last Order, finally released from the hospital, she takes them to A Certain High School to meet their new guardian, Yomikawa Aiho. She meets with her, as well as her colleague, Tsukuyomi Komoe. After Yomikawa convinces Accelerator to let her help him despite his reluctance in involving other people in his life, they go to the Yomikawa Residence, to which here, she notes that Aiho was probably forced to make some report recently, as the room is clean, to which Aiho replies that she shouldn't say that as she is helping her find a job.

She, Aiho, and Last Order, take a bath together, to which Accelerator accidentally intrudes upon, however, she and Aiho pay no heed as they think Accelerator is only a child. They later scold Last Order for mentioning that they are old ladies. Later, when Last Order accidentally locks herself out of Aiho's apartment and decides to trick Misaka 10032, and later stops Accelerator from throwing a tantrum after he discovers Last Order having fun. She is later tasked to look after the apartment after Aiho and Accelerator go outside to look for Last Order.

At the height of Vento of the Front's and the Roman Catholic Church's assault of Academy City, she tracks down Yomikawa Aiho, and later discovers that Accelerator is wanted for murder. It is unknown what happens to her afterwards, but it can be presumed that she too is affected by the Vento of the Front's Divine Punishment.

Skill-Out Uprising
In the anime adaptation, she, Aiho, and Tsukuyomi Komoe, enjoys a small get together in Aiho's apartment, not knowing what Accelerator is doing in the dark side during the attack on the Dangai University database center.

Eve of the Festival
Kikyou first appears in Aiho's residence, preparing dinner for both Last Order and Accelerator. She tries to call out for Last Order, who is still busy playing with the Misaka Network in a video game. As such, she calls out to Accelerator, since he's her guardian, much to his chagrin. Kikyou reminds Accelerator that she cannot stay like a housewife in training, to which Accelerator asks if she has found work somewhere. Kikyou says that she is still making preparations, and states that she has been invited as a special lecturer in a college of science, though it is only temporary as she wants to get back in college. Kikyou says that she wants to be a teacher, and states her enthusiasm into becoming a Student Keeper.

Then, Kikyou remembers that she doesn't have green onions for the flavor of her mizutaki, to which Last Order, who was taking a break from her video game, that she would be willing to buy them. Seeing this, Kikyou tells Accelerator to go deal wit her. And as Kikyou analyzes which between Last Order and Accelerator holds the reins in their relationship, and the latter's subsequent irritated responses, they fail to notice that Last Order has stopped shouting and has gone off on her own. Kikyou then tells Accelerator to take care of it, much to his irritation.

However, Kikyou is later forced to accompany and help Accelerator in finding Last Order, and when they found nothing, they head back to their apartment. Much to their surprise, Last Order is already there, eating some chocolate. Last Order explains her little sojourn with Fremea Seivelun, then their eating competition, which reminds both Kikyou and Accelerator that they have yet to eat dinner.

Day of the Festival
The next day, Kikyou tries to feed an obstinate Last Order, who wants to go to the festival. Kikyou tries to push the problems towards Accelerator, but is turned down. As Last Order continues talking about the festival, Accelerator asks her what her plans about having Last Order go to school. Kikyou gives a researcher-like response, that since Last Order shouldn't technically exist, she cannot go to school, however, she can get all the education she needs through the Misaka Network. Falling silent, Kikyou asks what's up with Accelerator, to which he simply states that she should be prepared to overcome that part of herself. Accelerator then tells Last Order to hurry up and finish eating because they will head out, making an excuse that he just wanted to find some winter boots, and that if there are any schools nearby they can make a stop. Both Kikyou and Last Order fall silent at their surprise, but Last Order breaks it by trying to dash towards the door, prompting both Accelerator and Kikyou to restrain her.

She comes along with Accelerator and Last Order, and comes upon Fremea Seivelun, Hamazura Shiage and Takitsubo Rikou. They are however quickly attacked by Fräulein Kreutune, tackling down Hamazura Shiage, to get to Last Order and consume her brain. Last Order tries to cling Kikyou's leg and are quickly saved by Accelerator, who launches far into the air. However, Fräulein is implacable and approaches again. This time however, before Accelerator could attack, a shell from the revived Kakine Teitoku's Rhinoceros beetles bends her body, allowing for Accelerator to launch her far away. As the beetle relayed Kakine's speech to Accelerator, he asks Accelerator if he thought that he only knew to create puppets from Dark Matter. Kikyou muttered her thoughts, to which Kakine confirms that he can replace his organs through Dark Matter. As the beetles surround them, Accelerator whispers to Kikyou that he is going to destroy the ground in order for them to escape. Kikyou then asks what he intends to do, to which he will stay behind to crush Kakine. Immediately after Accelerator launches towards the spot he thinks Kakine is, the ground collapses, and Kikyou and Last Order fall underground.

Kikyou, Last Order, and the others land in the subway tunnel, with Accelerator taking special precaution in not hurting Last Order and Kikyou when they landed. Yoshikawa Kikyou then gathers attention towards her, and states that Accelerator has bought them time and that whatever issues they might have they need to escape. Shiage agrees, stating just being in the same same place as them could get them smashed into pieces, but adds on how it would be dangerous to support him without a plan. Yoshikawa asks if he would support if he did have a plan, but Shiage just averts his gaze. Just then, the White Beetles come before them. But their attack never comes, a beetle malfunctions in trying to check the order of "Destroying any and all elements that obstruct our mission," due to the presence of Takitsubo Rikou and her AIM Stalker. As he rechecks his orders, he asks his fellow Beetles to assist him. Here, they list down what they think their mission objective is: "to defeat Fräulein Kreutune and eliminate the objective behind her actions, eliminate anyone who would obstruct the battle between Accelerator and Kakine Teitoku, secure the battlefield, eliminate the recent continuing threat to the City by defeating all dangerous elements," and finally, "to protect the residents of the City from all anticipated dangerous elements." However, they then shortly fire at each other, concluding that they, as well as Kakine Teitoku, are "also" dangerous elements in the City.

As the beetles attack each other, the group brace themselves from the impacts. Kikyou comments on how their friend/foe identification and destruction priority order have been thrown out of order thanks to a difference in interpretation over their orders. However, she doesn't know how it could've happened. Suddenly one of them, Beetle 05, is somehow felled, becoming the other beetles' target. It falls near Shiage and the others, asking what he was doing, to which Shiage replies not to ask him. It tried to target Last Order again who was clinging to Kikyou's leg, prompting Fremea to come between him and Last Order. But the malfunction has taken hold, and determined that Last Order and the rest of them are not a threat. Beetle 05 tells them that he will save them in order to protect his order list from a fatal contradiction. Getting back up, Beetle 05 eyes' turn from green to red, indicating that he has indeed been lost from the will of the original Kakine.

Underground in the subway tunnel, the group flees, whilst Beetle 05 holds the other beetles off as long as his strength could bear it. The beetles concentrated their fire on Last Order, for they determined that she was the quickest method in robbing the reason for Fräulein's actions. When they came upon a locked door, and Beetle 05 opened it for them, telling them to go as he fires another shell upon the ceiling, collapsing it upon the other beetles. And when all of them have escaped into another hall, they discovered that the door was too small. However, Beetle 05 paid no attention to this for he did not intend to beat the other beetles in the first place. Beetle 05 slammed into the door, shutting the egress from the other beetles with his body. Shiage questions his judgment, to which Beetle 05 states that's his plan, and that since he has left Kakine Teitoku's control, he can no longer renew his Dark Matter, and will break apart. He tells them that the only way to escape from the enemies that can regenerate infinitely is to block their path. But Shiage would not stand for it and demands for him to come as well, but Beetle 05 will not yield. And Shiage could only feel helpless, as Beetle 05 acts as a wall against the other beetles for them. He is later forced by Yoshikawa Kikyou and Takitsubo Rikou to leave. However, the group finds out later that they have lost the children.

Outside, Kikyou tries to contact Last Order, but she wouldn't answer, and is relieved that she did not, as it eliminates a means for her pursuers to track her location. Shiage asks what had happened, to which Kikyou says that it is most likely that there is someone protecting them from the beetles, to which Shiage assumes as the irregular beetle. As they try to figure out how to find them, Kikyou asks what they should do even if they did, as the beetles are ever close in their pursuit, citing their firepower and armor as a deterrence to their actions. As Kikyou, Shiage, and Rikou brainstorm on how to get pass their armor, Mugino and Saiai appears before them. Saia explains how they got here, to which Shiage explains to them the situation in "30 seconds." Mugino was polite in the beginning but became displeased as Shiage's story went on, and had grabbed Shiage by the collar. She is angry towards Shiage for having no idea where Fremea is, and allowing her to leave with a probably dangerous out-of-control weapon (Beetle 05), and the fact that he has no idea why she was being attack or who was behind all of it. Rikou and Saiai frantically try to stop Mugino from making Shiage worse off in her anger, but later tosses Shiage aside near a tree. Mugino tells that him believing that he will be defeated once he is spotted from whether he's 4 kilometers or 1mm away, as well as his plan on opposing the beetles as nonsensical. She is further enraged after he asks where they could find a means of attacking from kilometers away that can break through the beetles' armor. She tells that they all need firepower that can take out the likes of those beetles 5 kilometers away, and states that it is easier than spinning a pen in her fingers. Shiage still doesn't understand, to which Mugino asks if he thinks the 4th Level 5 is cheaper and harder to use than a rocket launcher, as Mugino as she continues to step on Shiage as punishment. While Shiage goes through all that, Kikyou tries to contact someone else, but is unable to. Seeing Shiage's punishment however, Kikyou sighs on she too will be punished for inadequate supervision.

Tagging along with Shiage, Rikou, and Mugino the GPS tracker they had for Fremea leads them near the multi-level overpass, and notice Fräulein Kreutune there. Then, Cendrillon comes up to them, who rudely tells Mugino to point her to their apartment again, angering her. Cendrillon ignored their reactions and tells them that she has left some of her ingredients back in the apartment, and that she needs them in order to resolve a large problem in the city. Mugino is annoyed and not wanting to deal with the situation took Shiage and told Cendrillon that he will show him the way to the apartment. Then, with all this commotion, Yoshikawa Kikyou tells them that the girls are together and are with a large rhinoceros beetle, though she says that they are safe for the moment. Mugino, unused to having information being given without compensation in return, is surprised with Kikyou's actions, which she points out. She tells them that Kakine Teitoku is trying to kill them, and asks for their help. Mugino says she doesn't care as long as she gets Fremea away from Last Order, but Kikyou notes on what Fremea would feel if that were to happen.

Shiage tries to diffuse the situation, saying that if Fremea's friend is about to be killed, there's nothing wrong with fighting to save her. With that, despite her displeasure, concedes, and asks where Kakine is, to which Kikyou states that they are in the underground passageways of the multi-level overpass, noting on the behavior of Level 5s fighting. She also states that she also has to deal with Last Order being eaten. Cendrillon then speaks up on how she will be needed to keep the girl from being eaten, surprising Mugino. Cendrillon states that to protect Fremea's friend, they also must protect Fräulein, as is the will of Kamijou Touma. After Mugino translated her words, Shiage recalls the softhearted mood that pulled others together in Hawaii after hearing Touma's name. Shiage says to Rikou on how he is completely annoyed with the situation, but cannot overlook it. They then ask Cendrillon on how they could stop Fräulein Kreutune, to which Cendrillon says that Fräulein Kreutune will eat a specific person's brain, and that she left the materials needed to use against her back in the apartment. With that, they all went their separate ways in order to protect Fremea's friends.

Since Kikyou can't find it, she accompanies Shiage and Rikou as they lead Cendrillon back to their apartment. After Cendrillon takes out the ingredients, Kikyou questions the validity of Cendrillon's claim of it making a human body. Kikyou for the rest of the Shiage and Rikou follow Cendrillon's instructions, translate French for them. Kikyou states that she can help because she knows the structure of the brain. Shiage questions if this is truly was Kamijou Touma's instructions, to which Cendrillon states that she doesn't know, but states that there would be a problem if they were create a too perfect a replica. They then began making a second replica based on candy instead. Her efforts later help save Last Order by freeing Fräulein from eating Last Order.

It is unknown where Kikyou went afterwards, but after the events of the arc, Kikyou returns to the apartment with Accelerator and Last Order. The narration states that there is doubt that Kikyou will report what had transpired during the day to Aiho.

Magic God Othinus Arc
In the final recreation of the world by Othinus created specifically to break Touma's spirit, known as the Version_Omega world in-text, where several characters from the original world have been "saved" or have not experienced great tragedy, both Kikyou and Ao have a friendly relationship with each other as well as with Accelerator.

Later, after Touma's spirit has been finally broken and is trying to decide on how he should have himself killed, Last Order, several of the Sisters, and Misaka Worst are in the festival in the Academy City accompanied by Accelerator, Yoshikawa Kikyou, and Amai Ao. Accelerator complains on being in the festival, to which Kikyou states that there is nothing wrong with getting a little excited, as someone who saved every last one of the 20,000 plus Sisters deserves at least that much for him. Amai Ao however, comments on how it costs a lot. He points to Accelerator on how the clones are staring restlessly on food stands, while Misaka Worst is egging them on.

Magic God Invasion Arc
Aiho is with Kikyou in a subway station during the High Priest's rampage. Kikyou assumes that Aiho is going home but she tells her that she is trying to start up an investigation after her colleague Shiosai, got his P-Phone and handgun stolen by someone. Hearing Aiho getting pulled around by her job makes Kikyou consider getting a real job, though she says that she'll just keep volunteering for the meantime, much to Aiho's chagrin.

Akikawa Mie nearly runs into them during her flight to take the Liquid Diamond to her mother, much to their confusion.

Coronzon Arc
Following the evacuation of Academy City on December 12th, Yoshikawa, along with Last Order and Misaka Worst, left the city on a cargo ship, heading for Alaska.

Kamijou Arc
As Academy City was recovering, the group returned from Alaska via the bay, having not seen any auroras during their trip, to Yoshikawa's annoyance.

Dream Ranker Arc
Kikyou's dream is visited by Misaka Mikoto through an Indian Poker card. Here, she is seen complaining about her lack of development in her breast since her teenage years, as well as the fact that she has gained some fat with her waist increasing.

Toaru Anbu no Conference
In a short omake comic, a bunch of scientists attempting to create the perfect imitation of Mikoto's physical appearance, discover that they have yet to learn what underwear Mikoto wears. After exhausting all their options, even using Tree Diagram and Hound Dog, Kikyou appears with a bunch of cheap striped panties in boxes. The scientists protests, but Kikyou points out on how they are wasting resources to something as trivial as panties, to which the concede, and began to take a liking to the panties Kikyou brought.

Character Art Designs
Haimura somehow lost the digital design sketches for Kikyou, Amai Ao, and Last Order, though it can be found from Haimura's artbook rainbow spectrum colors.

In her appearance in the 5th Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index light novel, Haimura drew for Kikyou a new attire, and later drew an entire sketch for her new look in the event that she would appear in 6th light novel. Haimura refers to Kikyou as a researcher, not too concerned of her, as such she wears the same thing around the house as outside. This maybe the reason why Kikyou retains her laboratory coat for the entire part of the original light novels.

Quotes

 * (Kikyou giving Accelerator a choice, from Index Episode 19 ) "Pick your poison."
 * (Said to Amai Ao before being shot, from Index Episode 20) "It's over, Amai Ao. You're afraid of dying alone, right? Then choose my life to take along with yours. I will not let you choose a child's life, and I swear that by the kindness that lives in me just this once in my life."
 * (From Episode 20, referring to Accelerator saving Last Order) "See? He was able to do it... if he tried."
 * (From NT6) "I do not hesitate to get students involved in actual battles just because they are strong. I may be naïve but I really am not kind."

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