A Certain Hospital, the place where healing miracles reside in, the #1 esper in Academy City was in his bed yet again, wearing the green hospital gown that they always provide.
It has been a few hours since the end of Isaac's and D.A.'s rampage in Academy City. D.A. has disbanded, bringing an end to an upcoming era. However, after the #1 had thrown a wrench into Isaac's plan, news reporters are now flocking around outside his ward.
But they were not there for him.
It was strange that they were outside his ward but not there looking for him.
After the incident, helicopters from news stations and Anti-Skill flew above Ester as she held the white boy in her arms.
Yes, they were there looking for Ester.
"The saviour of Academy City."
The rumble in the ground before the explosion occurred, not only shook the whole ground they were on, but also the whole of Academy City. Everyone felt the ground shook beneath them and the news soon spread like wildfire.
This caused the people at the news broadcasting centers to look for the source that caused the shake in the ground, and they soon saw Ester.
News like...
"Girl saved boy from explosion."
"New potential level 5 saved the top esper in Academy City?!"
"Huge disaster hit Academy City last night, but a hero was here to stop it."
"#1 esper defeated by a girl?! Is she a new level 5, or is she level 6?!"
"#1 suffers an embarrassing loss against a girl!"
And on the streets, people could be heard saying...
"That new level 5 must be so strong to even defeat the #1."
"I feel bad for the #1. Even the new level 5 had to hold him in her arms to let him rest. How pathetic."
"Is this the rumoured #6?"
"The new level 5 is such a kind person, she also looks the part."
-5th September 12:04p.m.-
"M-Master..."
"What do you want?"
"Th-There's a lot of people outside..."
"They're all looking for you. The hero."
"But I didn't do anything..."
Accelerator only sighs at what she says because he too knew that nothing had changed. She did not help much, and that was a fact. Also, that conversation had happened 5 times in the past 10 minutes, and he was tired of retaliating.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
A vein had popped in his head as the banging on the doors continued on and on.
"Can't a patient just rest..." Accelerator whispers as he looks down.
Last Order was in her incubator, resting and being maintained by Heaven Canceller. She was found in one of the coffins, unharmed. Anti-Skill found her still unconscious when they did a sweep through of the place, and they moved Ester and Accelerator to A Certain Hospital on their helicopters.
"Well, at least that brat is not here to bother me."
Suddenly, the noise died down.
"?"
The both of them looked at the door, and then, a simple knock came from the door.
"I wonder what made them quieten down." Ester says as she looks at Accelerator.
"I don't care, the fact that they've finally sewed their mouths shut means I can rest now."
Accelerator turns his whole body towards the window with his hand under the side of his head as he closes his eyes.
Then the knock came again.
"I'll go see who it is."
"Oi!" Accelerator shouts at her, but it was too late.
She reaches her hand for the lock, unlocks it, and slides the door open. In front of her, was a woman wearing an Anti-Skill vest who had blue hair and perfectly sky blue eyes.
"Oh, it's you!" Ester said elatedly.
"Hm?" The Anti-Skill woman tilted her head in confusion to what Ester meant by that, and Ester tells her,"You're the woman I saved!"
"Oh! So it was you who saved me."
She bows her head to Ester and says,"Thank you."
"Oh, no, it's okay! Please raise your head!"
"My name is Yomikawa Aiho. What is yours?"
"Ester. Ester Rosenthal. Nice to meet you, what are you here for?"
"I'm here to speak to Accelerator in regards to the events leading up to last night. Of course I wouldn't mind interviewing you, since you're quite famous too."
"Uhhhh..."
Ester looks over to Accelerator who was already sound asleep, and she agrees to do the interview with her.
"Great. So, about what happened last night, what was that all about?"
"..." Ester paused for a while to think about what happened, and eventually, she tells Yomikawa,"It was all my fault. I was too careless and acted recklessly. I taught Mikihiko the Rosenthal style of necromancy, and saved Hirumi."
Ester showed a very bitter face before continuing.
"I thought I was helping him, but...that...that only made him more desperate!"
Then she feels a hand on her shoulders. She looks to her right, and sees Yomikawa's sweet smile.
"It's okay. At least it's over now, right?"
"Yeah...yeah."
"And it's all because of you. You were the hero last night. You should enjoy the attention you are getting."
"...Uhhh well you see..."
Ester then proceeds to tell Yomikawa what actually happened after Isaac was defeated.
"And that's basically what happened. So, I'm not the hero here. He is."
Ester thought that Yomikawa would have been shocked, but she was surprisingly calm.
"You were still there to take responsibility, right?"
Those words had made her feel something.
"It's time to move on, don't you think?"
Ester looked at Yomikawa admirably.
"Thank you...thank you so much..."
"You've been suffering this whole time, haven't you?"
Ester didn't reply, but she felt extremely happy. While this was going on, the boy who had supposedly been sleeping the whole time was wide awake, listening to their whole conversation.
He could relate to her. She was just like him.
Blinded by the dark side. Inadvertently brought in by the scumbags inside.
He turns over to them, acting like he had woken up by rubbing his eyes and yawning, he told her,"Get out."
The both of them looks at him in confusion, but soon they got the message.
"Oh, right. Sorry Master, I guess we were too loud. Sorry! We'll come back later."
"No, I mean, get out of Academy City. No one wants you here. You're just a burden to me."
They both looked at him in shock, especially Ester who was still feeling indebted to him. That was a mental attack.
Accelerator had no feelings for her.
That's what he thought.
He was not afraid to dispose of her. He wasn't about to grieve about her disappearance. He has no feelings for her.
He was sure of it.
Ester. The timid girl who wouldn't move. The innocent girl who believed in everyone.
She finally steps up to him.
"Hey, don't you think you're being a bit too--"
Before Yomikawa could finish her sentence, Ester walks up to Accelerator and turns the battery on his choker on.
"I know I'm useless. I know I was of no help to you. I know I've already completed my mission to save Hirumi and Mikihiko."
Then she places Accelerator's right hand on her neck.
"However, that was all because of you. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to do it. I owe you a lot, and thus, I am ready to die for you as well. So, if you really mean it when you say I'm useless, then kill me."
She looks at him dead serious in the eyes as she says that.
He squeezes her neck, slowly and slowly, tighter and tighter, till the veins in her eyes were reaching her pupils. She did not struggle. She looked at him still, no pain was reflected in her eyes, just acceptance.
Yomikawa puts her hand on his wrist and it loosens up.
"Don't do this. You still have a bright future ahead of you."
"...Tch. Mind your own business."
"No, I am a member of Anti-Skill. It is my duty to protect others, including you."
"What can you even do? All you adults ever did for me was point your guns at me. Are you going to do it again?"
*smack*
Yomikawa raises her hand against him. There was a red mark on his cheek.
"Have faith in me. I will protect you. So can you please let her go?"
"...Tch, get out."
He lets go of Ester's neck and goes back to 'sleeping'.
"Thank you, Master. I'll stay by your side and repay my debt to you."
Both Yomikawa and Ester leave the room, leaving Accelerator all alone in the room. He rested in the bed for 5 more minutes, but couldn't fall asleep as he thought about what Yomikawa had said.
"Like hell you can protect me. It's no use trying, no one can escape the dark side."
He goes out of his ward, and to the vending machine which sells drinks in the hospital, and as expected, there was no more black coffee. He bought himself a fruit juice and then he walks out of the hospital, still wearing his green hospital gown. At this point, they forgot to bring back his cane, so he didn't have his cane with him. But of course, it was not like he NEEDED it. It was just there to help make walking easier for him. Moreover, there was one more reason...
—5 September 12:39p.m.--
"I'm supposed to have a spect scan right now, but because of all that commotion, I couldn't get a hold of the nurses. *sigh*
Accelerator sat on top of a communication tower which was under construction, located near the hospital. It was in the shape of an Eiffel Tower. He was thinking about what the both of them had said.
"Tch, I'm not a hero. How long am I gonna be hospitalised? I can't be a proper villain if I'm stuck in a hospital."
He takes a sip of his fruit juice.
"As long as I remain in this city, I'll stay a villain, because if I don't—ahn?"
He pulls the can away from his mouth as he notices a drone wielding a large briefcase flying around the tower. The drone crashes into the tower and the briefcase hangs itself onto the ledge.
"Seriously, just give me a break already..."
He gets up from his spot and pats himself off before walking away. Then, a few more drones come flying around and started firing down on the briefcase.
He turns his battery on, ready to go down the 400metres tall building, just when all the drones started firing down on him.
"What the hell did I do to you?!" He thought as he redirects all their bullets back.
The drones were shot down and they all crashed downwards into the dirt below. He turns his back to the briefcase, ready to go down when suddenly...
*Click*
The briefcase had opened up and then a girl with blonde hair hung out of the briefcase upside down, still passed out. She was wearing a white princess-like dress.
"Seriously, what the hell am I supposed to do when shit like this drops on me...?"
"Uhhnn..." The girl was almost conscious as she moans.
He looks at the sky, then glances back towards her.
"*sigh* Oi, you!"
He shouts at the girl, and in an instant, she opens her eyes wide at the sudden wake up call. She moves her head upwards, and sees the deadly 400 metres drop down.
"GYAHHHH!!!"
She immediately sprung up and pulled herself out of there and once she got up, she was on all fours panting hard. She lies down on the steel platform, relieved to have survived that incident. And finally, she heaves a sigh of relief before turning to Accelerator.
She shows a shocked expression as she holds on to her dress at the chest area, feeling wary about the white boy in front of her.
"You touched me, didn't you?" The girl asks him as she stands over him, the girl probably stood at about 156cm.
"Ahn? What are you talking about?"
"Don't act like you didn't want to touch me. You look very young."
Then she slaps his face.
"Oof! The fuck was that for?!"
It was the second time someone slapped him in one day. What was up with him?
"With a beautiful girl like me passed out in front of you, there's no way you can hold yourself back. That's what it says in mangas."
"I don't understand what you're saying, but you seem like a very shitty person. If you're awake now, get lost."
"Are you sure you should be talking to me like that?"
At that point, Accelerator heard enough and decided to get down from there. He wanted to get away from the delusional maniac in front of him. He starts to walk away from her.
"H-Hey wait! At least help me get down from here. A cute girl like me can't climb down on her own!" She runs after him with her hands extended out.
"I don't care."
"Wait!"
She touches his shoulder, then Accelerator slips on the slippery platform, unintentionally taking the girl with him.
"AHHHH!!"
"Tch, don't shout in my ears."
Accelerator had his back turned to the ground as they fell 200 metres above the ground. Before he acted, he could hear her heartbeat. However, it was not the natural thumping sounds that normal humans make. Hers went "Tick, tock, tick, tock"
"What's up with her heartbeat?" He thought, but he didn't have much time to figure it out as they were going to fall to their deaths.
He faces the palm of his hand to the ground, accumulated the air around them into a single sphere, and he releases it, blowing up the entire ground beneath it, and slowing his descent. He lets her go and she falls to her knees.
"W-What? Not even a single scratch?"
"What? You wanted down, right?"
"An esper? And at least a level 3...I can use him!" She thought as she stood up and called out to him.
"W-Wait a second!"
"Ahn?"
She freezes up from his gaze for a second but recollects herself as she delivers the biggest line that anyone can say to a level 5.
"I will give you a chance to repay me!"
"The hell is this?"
"Do what I want and I'll forgive you for touching me."
In the most chilled way, he turns his back to her and continues walking away, and tells her,"I don't care."
This annoyed the little princess who was on the brink of losing her patience. As a last ditch effort, she tells him the most untrue statement of all time.
"If you don't do what I want, I'll yell as loudly as I can to the whole world. No, the whole universe! That you touched me!"
"*Sigh* Do whatever you want, go somewhere and practice your yelling."
Her face brightens up immediately from his statement as she does what she wants.
--5th September 1:07p.m.--
"THIS BOY TOUCHED ME! THIS BOY TOUCHED ME! THIS BOY TOUCHED ME!"
That incessant shouting came from the 'princess' who chose to do what she wanted and followed him while shouting. All around them, there were people taking videos of what was happening, and that "boy" who supposedly touched her.
A vein had popped in his head as he stops and turns to face her.
"Why the hell are you following me?"
"You told me to do whatever I want, and I chose to follow you."
"Then I told you to practice your yelling somewhere, why are you practicing it here?!"
"Because I've finished practicing and have already mastered my yelling." She says as she turns her head to the side ignorantly.
"Tch." He turns back to the path ahead and continued walking, hoping that she would go away but she continues to follow behind. She sticks her tongue out as she pulls both sides of her mouth to taunt him.
"Are you hungry? Cause' I am."
"Shut up."
"A cute girl is telling you she's hungry!"
"I don't care."
"What's up with your hair?"
"None of your business."
"Aren't you honoured to have a master like me?"
"No, just shut up already."
She kept blabbering on and on about random topics and eventually he stopped answering her. Once they have reached the hospital, the 'princess' commented,"Oh, a hospital? I thought you had the worst taste in clothing, but that explains it."
"..."
Still no response from the #1. His reputation was already destroyed the moment he passed out in Ester's arms. People outside his ward looking for Ester. Then now, videos of him supposedly molesting a girl in her sleep.
He was too tired of it.
He just wanted to get back and go back to sleep. He was tired of fighting already.
"So you were just like me. You ran away too, didn't you—wait...I mean...uhmmm...I didn't run away, I flew away like a majestic swan..."
Accelerator didn't care about her past story. He simply walked into the parking area of the hospital, a few more metres ahead and he would reach the hospital.
"WHY ARE YOU IGNORING ME?!" She shouts at him as he continues walking.
—5th September 1:18p.m.—
In ward 203, the ward Accelerator was temporarily being hospitalized in, were 3 people.
"Um Master? Who is this?"
Instead of the #1 responding, the 'princess' responded instead.
"You see, this person is indebted to me. So he's my slave until he repays me! Ohohoho!"
Ester was shocked as she stands back a bit.
"M-M-Master is indebted to someone?! How?!"
"You see, he touched me while I was sleeping, and since my body is the most beautiful and most majestic of them all, one has to pay a bountiful amount of money to touch me. But since he doesn't have what it takes to repay me, I have mercifully made him my slave! Ohohohoho!"
"So what you're saying is that, you're my mistress?! And how could you do something so vile, master?!"
Accelerator still didn't respond to anything as he leaned against the wall. He was supposed to be resting on the bed, but since the 'princess' was on his bed, he couldn't even lie down.
"Master, answer me!"
Ester shakes him for a bit, but then she stops when she hears something crashing on to the bed.
When she turned her head to the bed, she saw the 'princess' lying on the bed, panting hard.
"I'll go get the doctor!" Ester says as she runs off.
"*sigh* Why does this always happen to me..."
Soon, a bunch of nurses come in and lifts her all the way to the doctor.
"Finally, I can fucking rest..."
*BANG**BANG**BANG*
The banging on the doors happened after Ester entered the room and locked the door.
"Master! Those people are looking for me!"
"Just go out and greet them if you want."
"...If you say so, I will do it, master." She says as she faces the door.
He showed a very annoyed face and then he tells her,"Tch, if you open the door, they'll come in and annoy me even more. Use your damn brain."
"Oh, that's right...but master, you just told me to..."
Then she notices the expression on his face. It was like the face of a 7 year old who didn't get what he wanted for Christmas.
"Tch, just forget about it. If you wanna do it, then do it." He lies down on his bed with his back facing her. She smiles. She had an idea on what he was feeling.
"Master, are you...by any chance...worried about me?"
"No. Who the hell would even care about you?"
She still kept smiling as she knew how he actually felt.
"Oh right, I forgot to give you something, master."
"Tch, stop calling me that, it's annoying."
"Oh, sorry master."
He could only sigh at her overwhelming stupidity. She takes out a red foldable paper from her pocket and blows air into it. It expands until it was almost like a lantern used in Chinese festivals.
She presents it to him with both of her hands out.
"Here you go Master."
"The hell is that?"
"It's a symbolization of offering one's blood to their master, to show their loyalty."
"I don't need that shit."
"But still, please accept it!"
She goes on one knee with the inflated paper ball in both of her hands.
"Tch, you're annoying..."
"I'm sorry..."
He gets up and plugs out his battery to slot it into the charger. However, he struggles yet again. His hand trembles after taking it out, and he drops down on his bed.
"Master, I'll help you."
Ester takes the battery from his hand and slots it in for him, leaving the red ball on the table. She strokes his hair back and tells him,"Rest well, master."
Though he couldn't understand her, he felt annoyed by what she just did.
—————————————
—5th September 6:23p.m.—
Accelerator got up from bed after tirelessly trying to get the battery back into his choker. It had probably taken him 1 hour to do so.
Once he got it in, he looks to his side to see Ester sleeping right beside him.
"You really are hopeless..." He whispers under his breath. His cane was lying against the wall. He walks over to his cane and picks it up, and starts walking out of the hospital again.
There was really nothing to do, he wasn't even tired anymore. But he figured that rehabilitating is better than nothing.
"I don't even know how I ended up here..."
He was in the playground that was near the hospital. It was a quiet and peaceful place to be in.
"Well, whatever, at least it's nice over here. *Sigh* Imagine the strongest esper in this state. It's laughable."
In the middle of the empty playground was a girl wearing a sailor school uniform. She had long black hair that extended all the way to the middle of her back and hair covering her eyebrows just a bit.
"Right, just like this...U•I•HA•RU!" That girl shouted out loud.
"Ahn? Who's that girl? Is she crazy or something? Shouting outside a hospital."
"Errr...I don't have to be like the railgun, but maybe being able to control wind? Maybe one try wasn't enough. Okay...U•I•HA•RU~!!"
"My god, just shut up already. There's no use...wait...ah!" Accelerator thought in his head as he hits his foot against the side of the bench and falls down.
"Gah! Damn it...!"
"You, over there, are you okay?! Are you hurt?" She tries to help him up but he brushes her off and shouts at her.
"Don't touch me!"
"Uwaa...scary. But, if anyone is injured, I have to help them. Come on, grab onto me." She says, still putting up her smile. She obviously did not know who this boy was. Anyone who heard him shout would run away immediately and ignore him, but she didn't.
"Tch, sorry, but I don't need anyone's help to get up. I can do it alone."
"Oh, are you by any chance rehabilitating? Then, sorry for bothering you when you're trying your best. For now, I'll watch over you. Please sit on this bench here."
Accelerator sat down next to that girl on the bench, and he recalls what she just did and makes fun of her for it.
"You're the world's largest idiot...Just now, when you were shouting, you looked like an idiot."
"Shouting...?...Ohhhh, did you mean... ah, you saw that? Ah hahaha... I thought I could use an ability if I did that, you know?" She laughed awkwardly as she rubs the back of her head.
"Huh? You're not an esper?"
"Yeah, I'm a level 0. I can't use any abilities yet. That's why I thought that if I practiced more, eventually I would be able to use an ability."
"You really want to use powers that much?"
"Yes...all my friends are espers and I thought that their abilities were pretty useful. That's why if I practiced more, I would be able to use it as well. Also, I would really like to lend a hand to others. Protect the city, save everyone in Japan."
"Heh, just like a hero?" Accelerator mockingly asks her.
"Not a hero, but just a useful person in general. Since I cause nothing but trouble for them..." she says with a slight tinge of embarrassment.
"..."
"What about you? What is your ability?"
"Well...it's pretty useful."
"Right?! What is your level?"
"Heh, me? Well, I am level—"
He pauses mid-sentence as he thinks about what his true value is.
"Wait a minute...I almost lost to a level 0, and I have a head injury. Can I even call myself a level 5...? And how would she feel if a level 5 like me talked to her? It would feel like I was making fun of her."
Then he looks at her and continues,"Errrr... who knows? I don't even know how strong I am either."
"I see. So you don't know your limits either. But I am still jealous that you have an ability."
For someone who doesn't have an ability, she's still living a normal life and smiling like a normal person. Truly, in his eyes, she was the definition of an innocent and normal person.
"It's not about whether you have an ability or not, one should not rely on their abilities too much."
"Is that so? I don't have an ability, so I can't relate, but even then, I would really like to have an ability."
"All you've been saying is ability and ability. It's not like a level 0 can't do anything. A level 0 managed to beat a level 5 you know?"
Accelerator had accepted his loss on that night. If he had really won, he would have continued killing the clones until he had reached level 6. But even then, he had lost as a person. On that night, he had realized his own humanity was long gone. While that level 0 maintained his humanity and sanity. The #1 was beaten in terms of values.
"HUH?! IS THAT REALLY TRUE?! Please tell me more!"
"Tch, I don't know the details. I just heard it from somewhere."
"I see...How unfortunate. Well, I'm sure that that level 5 was doing something wrong somewhere along the lines."
"That may be the case. But you know, that level 0 made that level 5 look like an idiot. Level doesn't matter, that's why you're fine the way you are now."
"Fine the way I am now...? You may be right. Umm...do you think I can ever be like that? A person who can save others without caring about level...?"
"As long as you're not shouting like an idiot."
"Eh heheh...that's right. Then, I'll find out what I can do by myself. But that doesn't mean I'll stop training! Even if it's level 1 or level 5, I would still want an ability. Evolving from a level 0 to a level 1 is not impossible right?"
"Who knows? Do what you want, on your own accord."
"Yes! Thank you for listening to what I had to say. I feel energized now, I'll keep trying my best! Oh no, it's getting late. My friends are waiting for me, so I'll get going now. When we meet again, I'll update you on my progress! Good luck to you on your rehabilitation as well! Goodbye!"
She runs off from the playground, her figure getting smaller as she continues.
"Trying your best huh? Well, guess I'll do the same as well. I have to rehabilitate faster."
He gets up from the bench and continues walking to the nearest convenience store, in hopes of buying black coffee. However, when he got there, it was as expected. There was nothing left.
But it didn't matter, after what he had heard from that girl earlier, he wanted to focus on his rehabilitation, so he's just walking around Academy City.
When he got back, it was already late.
7:30p.m.
In the middle of his room stood two girls. Both of them were half-naked. Ester and the 'princess'. They had their bras and panties on.
"...Slave? May I know what you are doing...?" The 'princess' clenches her fist as her fist shivers uncontrollably in place.
"Entering my room?" Accelerator calmly answers back.
"Are you trying to molest me?!"
"Master, are you trying to molest her?"
"Tch, call me back when you guys are done."
"JUST GET OUT!"
He slides the door back and walks off into the main lobby.
"Seriously, what's with them..."
As he was sitting down, a delivery man accidentally slipped a box off, from the 3 metres tall boxes stacked above each other. The box hit Accelerator on the back of the head with the corner of it.
The box was extremely heavy. Like there was a machine inside it.
From that box, he blacked out.
——————————
"Tch, what fucking misfortune..." Accelerator rubs the back of his neck as he walks back down to the playground again.
"This place again...why here of all places..."
He lazily walks with his metal cane clanking down on the ground.
"Seriously, what's up with them? It's just body with parts made up of muscles and fats. Is it that big of a problem?"
He sits down on one of the benches again as he leans his head on his cane, in an attempt to rest. However...
"Ahhhh! Stop!" It was a girl's scream, followed by two male voices.
"Oh come on, won't you entertain us for a bit?"
"Yea, we're pretty confident in our abilities. We can protect you. Here, the both of us are level 3's!"
"I-I don't care! I just want to go home!"
Accelerator turns his head to the loud commotion going on and he sees a girl wearing a Tokiwadai uniform being bullied by two guys wearing a blue shirt underneath a loose buttoned up white shirt.
"Tch, can't a man just have his damn rest?!"
He gets up from the bench and walks over towards them as he shouts,"Oi! This whole time you've been making loud noises and speaking loudly! Just fuck off and let me rest!"
"Huh? Who are you? Wait...white hair...red eyes...I-Impossible! Could you be...Accelerator?!" One of the boys asks.
"Oh, so you've heard about me. Well, this makes it easier. Get out. Do it somewhere else, just not in front of me."
"Wait...but you were shot in the head, you should have lost your powers. Yes...that's right, and the both of us are level 3's! We can easily take you down!"
"Yeah! You're so weak that you lost to a girl!"
"*sigh* If that's what you think, go ahead and try."
One of the boys threw a fireball at him, and he redirects it back at his friend. Then, in a snap, he got behind the boy and kneed his back so hard that blood came out from the boy's mouth.
"Ehehehe! Too weak, too slow!"
While the boy was on the ground, he ran up and kicked the boy's head like a ball. Teeth came flying out of the boy's mouth as Accelerator laughs at the unholy sight. Then he looks at the girl.
Immediately she froze up.
"H-Help me! Someone help me!" She scurries back before standing up and running for her life.
"*Sigh* Yeah, that's all I am. A useless pathetic villain. Why did I ever think I could become a hero? Save someone by hurting others, you become a villain. Hurt no one but yourself while saving others, you become a hero. Pretty self-explanatory. This is how society works, we are all selfish creatures who act like we are doing things for others. But ultimately, we are doing it all for ourselves. Even me."
He fell into a pit of endless void. There was nothing around him, just darkness and the light at the top. Suddenly, that light started to turn red, and behind that red curtain, was Last Order. Around her were a bunch of older guys in lab uniforms.
"Stay away from her! The only person who can mess with her is me!"
They started to hook her up to machines using wires and electrodes. It was just like that time. That time with Amai Ao.
He manipulated the vectors under his feet and burst forth towards her.
He blew through the curtains and reached her.
He placed his hand on her, and started to delete the viruses in her head.
17,056.
So close.
11,078.
Hands started grabbing onto him, but he ignored them.
They whispered,"What do you think you're doing?"
4,012.
"You killed us, and now you want redemption?"
1,011.
"Disappointing."
340.
He was held at gunpoint, and when he looked up, he saw the face of a bloodied Sister. No, not 'a', but many of them. They all held onto the trigger and they fired. The last number shown was...
1.
"Don't think you can easily forgive yourself. Just because you're repaying your sins by fighting for a brighter future, doesn't mean Misaka will forgive you. WE will torment you until you break."
He fell down.
Those words flooded his mind over and over again.
"Leave me alone! AGHHHH!"
He sat back up, sweating. He looked around and saw that he was in his ward.
"It...It was just a dream." He heaves a sigh of relief as he regains his composure.
"There's no one...wait no, the doctor will probably come in later and check on my condition. For the time being, I'll just rest. No, it's unusual to sleep this much..."
Then he looks at the cane leaning against the wall.
"Guess I'll go find the doctor myself."
When he grabs the heavy metal cane and slammed it on the ground, a crack could be heard. However, it was not coming from the floor, it was coming from his cane.
"Seriously?"
Then, he heard the door slide open and multiple footsteps could be heard. He had expected them to appear from the corner, but someone else came out instead.
"ACCELERATORRRRRR!!"
"God damnit." He thought as all life in his soul was sapped away.
"When are you going to pay me back?!"
"Mugino...we're in a hospital..."
The small blonde girl, Frenda, stood next to the #4, Mugino.
"*Sigh* Let me find my credit card first."
He digs through his mini desk to find his card, and then he heard something drop down. He moves his cane a bit and slams it down, and then...
*Crrrrck*
"?"
The three of them looked at the source of the sound, and they see a yellow credit card smashed into pieces, and bits of metal breaking up and falling to the floor.
His cane had broke too.
"Well? What are you gonna do now, Ac-cele-rator?!" Mugino clenches her fist tightly as a vein had popped in her head.
"*sigh* I'll pay next time."
"You'll pay me now!"
Then the door slid open again, and this time, Heaven Canceller came in.
"It's lively in here again, isn't it?"
"Tch, what do you want?"
"I came here to give you a report on that girl you brought in."
"?"
"It seems like she has a rather troublesome condition."
Then Mugino cuts in.
"Don't you think you're bringing in too many girls?"
"Ha? Do you think I want to bring them in? That annoying brat followed me here."
"Oh yeah, come to think about it, you were defeated by that Ester girl, and you also touched a girl in her sleep. You must be pretty daring and weak."
"Oh yeah? Shall we test our strengths?"
"No problem!"
The two of them stared each other down, both grinning at each other until Heaven Canceller interrupts them.
"Sorry, but can the two of you do this somewhere? I have other patients who need to rest here."
"Tch, fine."
"Oh yeah, by the way, last two nights ago, it seems like the #2 got into some altercation with D.A. as well. And they had a small girl with them. Also, it seems like they've recruited a new member into their team." Mugino informs him.
"And? What do you want me to do?"
"Appreciate the heads-up, you arrogant #1..."
"*sigh* So? You gonna join in on this investigation too?"
"Nah, ITEM has better things to do."
With that, she walks out of the ward.
"Let's do this, doctor."