Hey guys! So I got some positive response asking for more, and so I thought to myself: Why the hell not deliver? I'm really invested in the Toaru-verse currently as I am GMing a homebrew set on the universe. The mechanics are still a bit cluncky, but it's working out fine.

Table is full, though. Besides, I'm pretty sure most of you don't live in my city.

Anyway, this is just my way of saying I am very invested in the universe, and consequentially, this fic is the one I am finding the easiest to write. It'll probably the one I update the most.

I won't post an Author's Note on every chapter anymore. No one complained, but I'm thinking it's getting a bit obnoxious since I do it everytime.

So without further ado:

Chapter 2

"It's no use; we'll never find Accelerator, Misaka states as Misaka lowers her head in dismay"

As much of an optimist Rito tried to be, he was starting to lose a bit of hope himself.

He and little Misaka had been looking for this Accelerator guy for the better part of three hours, with no sign of the guy.

From the description the sunny girl had given him, her guardian should not have been that hard to find. A crippled, albino-looking guy, in a white and grey shit, and a black choker around his neck should really be sticking out in a crowd.

And if he was a responsible guardian, as Misaka claimed, he should have already started looking for her.

So with that, Rito came up with two possible theories. Either the Accelerator guy was actively hiding from the little girl, or they were having a horrible streak of bad luck.

Considering the happenings of the last couple of weeks, Rito was really leaning towards the latter option. He suddenly felt the urge to utter one very specific phrase, for some reason. A phase that worked both as a lamentation for his bad luck, but also as a mantra to keep him attuned to his reality.

He never felt the need to say this phrase, but it simply felt like he was resonating with a kindred soul that urged him to simply say what was running through his mind.

Just as these thoughts were passing through his mind, he and Misaka had been waiting for the green light for them to cross the road.

As they waited, a large bus sped down the street, passing right in front of them, and running over a very big puddle on the ground, despite the fact that it hadn't actually rained in Sainan during the whole week.

As he and his small companion got drenched by the incident, the dam was ruptured, and the words spilled out of his mouth faster than his brain could register them.

"Such misfortune!"

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In Academy City a certain spiky haired teen stopped walking as his ears perked up and started looking around, causing the fair-haired nun walking behind him to collide with his back.

"Touma, Touma; why did you stop?" said nun inquired with a huff, but also eying her companion with a curious visage.

"Eh?" Touma eloquently replied, seemingly snapping out of a trance "Ah, Index. It was… nothing actually" he looked back and gave her a smile "I just got a weird sensation. As if… someone was calling out to me"

"Calling out to you?" Index tilted her head, seeming a bit confused. After a bit her visage started to darken as well as her aura "Someone like… a girl?" She mumbled low enough for him not to hear.

"Eh… Index-san?" Touma questioned, raising his hands in placating manner, not really understanding her attitude, but not liking at all where this seemed to be going.

Then, in a fraction of a second, pouncing faster than a cat, Index lunged herself onto Touma, and started biting his head.

Not being able to do much but flail around, trying to get her off of him, Touma could only shout out his famous words for the whole universe to hear.

"Such misfortune!"

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Not much time after their little incident, Rito felt a weird sensation of a companionship being formed as his ears suddenly perked up a bit. He felt that the weird resonance from earlier was being answered, and that a bond was formed.

He couldn't really delve further into the sensation, though, as he was currently occupied by being drenched to the bone with dirty street water.

"Oh no! Exclaims Misaka as Misaka realizes she is drenched. These are the only clothes I have on me, says Misaka as Misaka remembers that she left all her stuff with Accelerator. What am I going to do?"

Rito couldn't help but sympathize with the little girl. He learnt from her that she was only in Sainan for visiting purposes, and since she wasn't really carrying anything with her, he had already deduced that this Accelerator guy was probably the one with their bags.

And being drenched was already an unpleasant experience, but being so with no prospects of having a chance to change clothes seemed a tad dismaying.

And so Rito, ever the kindhearted person, patted little Misaka on the head, smiled and said "Don't be sad, Misaka-chan. Here, I have a suggestion for you. Why don't you come home with me so you can change into something while I wash your clothes? I got a little sister not much older than you, and I think she may have something that might just fit you. After that we can resume looking for Accelerator-san. What do you say?"

Little Misaka looked at him starry eyed for a second and beamed "You are very kind, Rito-nii, Misaka says as she makes her appreciation for your gesture clear. Thank you very much for the opportunity of cleaning up Misaka's favorite dress"

"You're welcome Misaka-chan. It's the least I can do to help you out with your situation. Plus, I want to go home and change clothes myself, so it's no problem at all" he offered her his hand "Now let's go home, shall we?"

"Hai! Exclaims Misaka as Misaka is excited to go to Rito-nii's house" the small girl said as she grabbed his hand and let herself be guided to the Yuuki household.

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"Accelerator-san" Mikan looked with a bit of concern to the white haired boy beside her "If you're tired of carrying my groceries, you can give it back. It's been almost three hours, after all. You don't need to push yourself too hard"

"Tsk, it's fine" Accelerator waved off with a gesture, despite his left arm feeling a bit strained "You don't need to get worked up just because I'm a cripple. I can do this much with no damn problem" was his prideful response. He would never admit to being tired when the brat has been carrying roughly the same amount of stuff as him this entire time, and didn't seem even a bit winded.

"You say that, but I can't help but feel bad for forcing you to do this for me" Mikan spoke sounding a bit regretful "I was mean-spirited of me"

Accelerator actually chuckled in response to that statement "Brat, you couldn't force me to do anything. No one can. If I do something, it's because I want to, and right now I feel like carrying your stupid damn bags. Are we clear?" he asked with a growl.

Mikan actually smiled at his response, finding his stubborn nature amusing.

Accelerator was an amusing person in general, she found out.

During their search for his charge, she had the opportunity of talking to him for a bit.

When she asked about his charge, his response was to complain a lot about the 'brat' named "Last Order". If one didn't really pay attention to what he said, one would think he hated the kid and probably verbally abused, or even hit her, every day. But, if you payed close attention to what he said, you would figure out that he probably cared about the kid way more than he'd let on.

Behind every rant was a concerned undertone. Behind every irritated tick was a hint of worry. And behind every rough word was a kind intention. Accelerator was just weird like that.

So her impression of him was simply that despite being rough around the edges, Accelerator was a kind person with a soft spot for his charge.

Overall a great older-brother figure.

That thought brought her mind to her own unreliable older brother.

Sure, Rito was kind and selfless and cute, but he was also an accidental pervert, childlike in many ways, not really good at accomplishing his goals, good only in doing useless stuff, and overall a very oblivious boy.

How long has been attempting to confess to Haruna? Mikan honestly didn't remember, but it has been a long time he has been trying, only to chicken out in the end. To make things worse, it was painfully obvious the girl already has feelings for him.

Seriously sometimes Mikan wished she had been born first. Rito is more like a younger brother than nii-san material. She even had to cook for him!

"Oh shoot, I forgot!" Mikan spoke up, looking alarmed.

"What is it, brat?" Accelerator gave her a lazy, but curious, side glance.

"I should have gone home more than an hour ago! I had to make dinner for Rito." Knowing her brother he was either starving silently at home, waiting for her return, or he had Lala make him something, which was a recipe for disaster.

She had to go home right now.

Accelerator clicked his tongue "And you only remembered that now? What a terrible little sister you are" he mocked "I guess that you'll get what you wanted, though. Here's your stupid bag" he finished with a teasing tone as he held his arm out.

Mikan's reaction was one of motherly indignation as she pulled her hands into fists and put one on each hip, standing her ground and making a statement.

"There's no way I'm just gonna leave you here and just leave. You're coming with me, mister, and I'll make dinner for you too. Then you we can resume our search for little Last Order. Are we clear?"

Accelerator looked like he was going to throw himself into a rant, but managed to stop before he started.

Instead he smiled wickedly.

"You're inviting a strange man you just met today into your house for dinner, Mikan-chan~? Are you sure this is wise~? You may end up with terrible things done to you, you know~?" He said in his best "Number One" voice. One he used to intimidate people so that he didn't need to fight…

To her credit, Mikan didn't even flinch at his creepy statement. Even if she didn't really know just who he was, that's quite the accomplishment. Instead of being intimidated, she just smirked, her stance unyielding.

"I can tell you won't do anything like that. You're too kind for that." She stated boldly "Now, do you feel like that another try, or are you coming with me?" she cocked her head in a challenge.

Accelerator scowled at her stance and her words. The damn brat… "You're a terrible judge of character. You know that, right?" he taunted with another wicked smile.

The girl didn't even move.

Accelerator actually started to get a bit frustrated at that. He scratched the back of his head in defeat and just sighed. "Fine; I'll go have dinner with you"

Some passing old couple giggled as they heard that, saying something stupid along the lines of "Oh, young love these days"

Accelerator's finger twitched at the commentary, and Mikan had the decency to blush a bit, but not for long as his words sunk in. So then she simply smiled "Great! Now, come on, I'll lead the way. Don't get lost!" she said happily as she started walking in a specific direction, trusting him to follow.

Accelerator grumbled at the situation at hand and started walking after her.

"It's your funeral!" he yelled out before falling into step with her again.

"Yeah, yeah… now, what do you want to eat?"