I'm going to respond to some reviews of chapter 3 now, so first up:
Bluejack222: Nope, nice try though
Guest(1): Depends on what you're talking about
"Index, listen up. You remember the event that landed me in the hospital for the first time after I met you, right?"
"Uh-huh." Index replied nodding her head.
"Well... I don't."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Index asked.
"Index, there's a secret that I've been keeping from you, and it's time I finally spill the beans. Whatever magic spell hit me back then, it really did cause me to lose my memories." Index's face fell in horror. "I'm sorry, I know it was a terrible thing I did, and for my own selfish reasons, you can bite me as much as you want." Kamijo said, head down.
"Wh-wh-why? Why did you lie Toma?" Index asked with a stutter.
"I didn't want to see you unhappy. I wanted to see you smile. So I lied! I pretended to be the person who saved you, but in reality I'm not. I don't deserve to have you with me."
"T-T-Toma..." Index said sadly. "Then that means... you really didn't remember me that time in the hospital. I-"
"Allow me to interrupt." Etrig cut in. "Kamijo lied, he was a real jerk not letting his family and friends know about his memory condition. However, he is still a very similar person to who he was, and he made that choice for you Index." Index's head rose with that comment. "It must've been real difficult for Kamijo here, but he still kept up appearances to make sure no one discovered his memory loss, especially you Index. I can't say I understand how you must feel Index, but remember, Kamijo's still been very nice to you. He's taken care of you for no reason but he cares about you. That says a lot."
"Toma... I'm sorry!" Index shouted suddenly.
"Huh?" Kamijo replied stupidly as Etrig smirked.
"I'm sorry, you've been so good to me, despite not even remembering me, and yet all I've done is burden your wallet and bite you. I know I've been a big burden to you, I should leave now."
"Your apology is appreciated, but unnecessary. I've taken care of you because I care about you. And getting to know you once again has only deepened that feeling. If you leave, it's understandable, but don't leave for my sake. I want you with me!" Index blushed.
"Keep it down." Etrig said. "Tsuchimikado is right next door."
"You know about him too?" Kamijo asked in surprise.
"Yep. But don't ask me who's side that super-spy is really on. Even I don't have a clue." Etrig replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm glad you two have sorted this out, but don't worry you two, there is a way to bring back Kamijo's memories."
"Really?!" Both Kamijo and Index replied at once.
"Yep. Probably, I don't really know, but there's bound to be a spell or something that can bring his memories back. And even if there's not, I'll make one with my own two hands!" Etrig said loudly, putting a fist in Kamijo's face.
"Now who needs to keep it down?" Kamijo said.
"Heh, heh." Etrig scratched his head sheepishly.
"How are you going to make a spell if you're a esper?" Index questioned.
Etrig was struck in the chest by a proverbial arrow. "You're really shooting down my credibility here, you know that?"
"So Index, ... do you think we can move on as before, now that we've reached an understanding about my memory loss?" Kamijo asked nervously, reaching a hand out.
"Yes." Index replied, nodding, then giving a smile while grabbing Kamijo's hand.
"Great. I'm glad we've got that settled. I'm leaving, see you tomorrow Kamijo." Etrig said, leaving the room.
"Huh?"
Accelerator was walking through town towards the meeting place that boy had specified. Normally he wouldn't even bother giving the idiot a second thought, but he knew about Last Order, meaning he was dangerous. Interestingly enough, the place he had specified was a tunnel that, according to his knowledge of the secret cameral system of Academy City, was completely unmonitored from the inside.
Accelerator arrived and walked into the tunnel. Halfway through, he saw the boy and the boy saw him, and started waving.
"Hey!" He could hear the boy call.
"Don't 'hey' me, we're not buddies." Accelerator spoke as he stopped in front of the boy. "You better tell me what you know about Last Order, or else I swear I'm going to-" Accelerator's rant was interrupted, as he suddenly felt his body pushed to the ground. He was laying on his front, and for some reason couldn't get up.
"Now, now. Let's keep things friendly okay?" The boy said, holding his fingers in a position as if he'd just snapped them.
"Ugh..." Accelerator could tell he was dealing with someone with the ability to manipulate gravity, so he reached for his choker to attempt to reflect the gravity vectors away from him.
"Don't waste your battery life, I already told you, I have no intention to harm you." Accelerator felt the gravity on him lighten and he pulled himself up. "Since I already know your name, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Etrig."
"Don't care." Accelerator replied simply.
"Harsh, but anyways-"
"Anyways, what do you know about Last Order? More importantly, how do you know about Last Order?"
"Take a few wild guesses to how I know, I'm on a tight schedule, and I have my own agenda here."
"Tch. You understand that if you mess with Last Order I kill you, right?"
"Wow, you really are the perfect villain." Accelerator tensed but didn't flinch at that comment. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Anyways, to start with, do you believe in magic?"
"Magic?" Accelerator started to laugh. "Here I was, thinking there was actually something to worry about, when really, it's just a self-righteous, high born kid who still believes in fairy tales and magic!" Accelerator started laughing harder.
"Suppose if magic did exist?" Etrig calmly interrupted Accelerator's laughter.
"This is the city of science, no one here believes in magic."
"Fairly true, but elsewhere, many believe in magic. If magic did exist, what rules would it follow? Would it be like our own esper abilities? Would it basically be Multi-skill? These are questions I ask myself, in an attempt to understand the other world, not just prove it wrong."
"It's an interesting point you bring up, but I'm not interested. I hope this isn't what you brought me here for."
"No, no. Just a mere side conversation. Tell me, what do you think of when you hear level 0?"
"Pathetic weaklings. Oh, and I suppose there is that one that beat me up."
"Really? Well I happen to be a level 0 too, interestingly enough."
"What? How is that possible? The ability to manipulate gravity with that type of precision should be at least level 3."
"But gravity manipulation isn't all my ability can do. And no, it's not multi-skill or dual-skill."
"I see, so you're saying have one of those rare abilities that most level 5s have that allows for multiple applications. But how then, did you get sat at level 0?"
"I don't know. It appears they couldn't detect my ability. Just like Toma Kamijo, the 'hero' who beat you up, I'm considered a level 0 with no abilities to speak of, despite that being overwhelmingly, obviously untrue."
"Like heck, that stupid hero doesn't have an ability! So, you know about him too? You really are a pretentious high born kid."
"Fall." Etrig said as he snapped his fingers, causing Accelerator to plummet to the ground from the increased gravity again. "You're really being rude, you know that?"
"Says the one pushing my face into concrete." Accelerator replied smartly.
"Oh yeah, here you go." The gravity let up on Accelerator, and he stood up again.
"You know, you don't actually make any noise when you snap your fingers. It's just ridiculous." Accelerator commented.
"Heh, heh. Yeah, I don't know how to snap my fingers." Etrig replied sheepishly. "Anyways, let's get to the reason I'm here. You'll do anything to protect Last Order right?"
"Yes." Accelerator replied without hesitation.
"But you don't believe you can be redeemed. You think no matter what you do, you're still on a one-way trip to hell, don't you?"
"As if I could be redeemed." Accelerator sneered at the thought.
"But you'll make Last Order sad."
"Huh?"
"You can't protect Last Order forever, unless you follow her to heaven."
"Your point?"
"Killing is the worst crime one can commit. You've killed many. That makes you beyond redemption, that's what you think isn't it?"
"Maybe, what do you care?"
"Well, it doesn't matter what you do, you can always be forgiven as long as you're truly sorry, and you work to be redeemed. If you redeem yourself with your actions, and not just your words, you truly can protect Last Order forever."
"But I'm not like that. Leave me alone."
"You can be. You will be. It is possible to protect what you hold dear without killing, you know this yourself, now you just have to do it."
"For some strange kid I just met, you're meddling in my life way too much." Accelerator said with disdain.
Etrig clutched his heart. "Ow... that hurt. Anyways, you may be right, but do you really want to protect Last Order?!"
"Yeah."
"Then prove you have the resolve to protect her forever, with your words and your actions, do you promise to try to redeem yourself?!"
"Making promises with a little kid, boy, how the mighty have fallen."
"If you have the will, you have the way, prove you have the will and you will redeem yourself."
"Fine kid, if it'll make you leave me alone I sincerely promise to redeem myself by not killing, that work for you?"
"Yes, as long as you actually do it."
"Great." With that, Accelerator turned to leave.
"Wait." Accelerator turned around and Etrig walked up to him. "Stand still." Etrig told him.
"Wha-" Etrig put his hand on Accelerator's head. "What the he-"
"My ability allows me to perform any action that's part of a game. I can fix your brain and allow you to use your ability again."
"What?!" Accelerator shouted. "Why didn't you mention that in the first place, you little brat?"
"You brain got shot, weakening the electrical signals of your brain and severing the ties between your brain and body. An easy remedy. All I've got to do is reconnect everything, like a puzzle game." Etrig said, giving a smile.
"Are you treating my brain like a game?"
"I have to, or my ability won't work. There, done." Etrig backed off a few feet. "All right now. I'm going to throw a fireball at you, and you use your ability to reflect it into that wall." Etrig said, pointing to his right. He then gathered a small fireball in his right hand. "Remember, don't use that choker of yours." Etrig threw the fireball at Accelerator. Accelerator quickly and instinctually made the required calculations and reflected the fireball to his left.
"Whoa. You actually managed to fix my ability."
"Yep. I'm glad it worked, that's the first time I've used my ability like that."
"Wait, you mean I was your test rat?!" Accelerator asked indignantly.
"No, no, no. Well I guess technically you were, but that wasn't my intention, I fully and sincerely wanted to help you."
"You said your ability allows you to perform any action that is part of a game. That doesn't make sense. Esper abilities are based on science, an ability being based on human terms is unheard of."
"Well, what ability can you think of that allows me to increase gravity, create fire, and fix brain damage?"
"...I'll believe you for now."
"Great."
"Well I hate to follow a cliché, but I seriously owe you my life now, or maybe just a large debt."
"Huh?" Etrig replied dumbly in complete confusion.
"Now that you've fixed my ability, I can protect Last Order. And I don't have to go to school now. Not to mention, honestly, I don't know if I could take one more day of that annoying brat's whining. I've spent over 10 million yen on coffee the last month alone."
"You do know coffee doesn't help with headaches right?"
"Of course I do, let me finish. Now that I don't have to worry about saving my battery power I can finally reflect sound vectors away again."
"Yep, although I recommend keeping that choker of yours, it could come in handy again. I'm not really sure about you owing me a large debt or anything, but remember this:" Etrig's face turned dark. "I can take your ability away anytime I want, I just have to recreate the situation that lead to you losing it in the first place."
"That better not be a threat to Last Order."
"As long as you're a good boy it won't be. However, as far as the whole debt thing goes, I can only think of 2 things for now."
"And what are those?" Accelerator asked, very annoyed. Now that he could reflect sound vectors again, he really needed a nap, not to mention this whole ordeal with an annoying brat really tuckered him out.
"First... please be my friend!" Etrig said happily and childishly as he bowed.
"What?" Accelerator's face fell as he was utterly dumbfounded.
"Let's be friends, you seem like a real interesting guy, I think we would be good friends. Pleaseeee?" Etrig started begging with the long face, child voice, and puppy dog eyes. Honestly, he was almost as good at begging as Last Order.
"Fine, whatever, it's not like I have a choice."
"Yay!" Etrig shouted in joy, his voice being as high as Last Order. Seriously, how was that even possible? "Now for the second thing. I would like for you to drop out of GROUP."
"I can't do that. If I do, Last Order will be in danger."
Etrig's face returned to being completely serious. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that the underworld can't touch you."
"Can you do that?"
"Life is a game, a game that I don't lose." Etrig smirked. "Of course I can."
"Very well, if those are your requests you've got it. I'm going home now." Accelerator said, turning around and walking out.
"Okay, see you tomorrow!" Etrig happily shouted, waving at Accelerator's leaving figure.
Me: See Accelerator? You found out anyways
Accelerator: Let me get this straight; I'm dealing with 2 brats now?
Me: Yep
Accelerator: Rotten luck
Kamijo: Hey! You can't be the first one to use my catchphrase in this story
Tsuchimikado: Have him repay you by joining your harem
Kamijo: I do not have a harem! And what are you even doing here Tsuchimikado?
Accelerator: Take that back you (censored) before I kill you!
Me: Tsuchimikado, you're not allowed down here! At least, not yet
Tsuchimikado: I'll be taking my leave now! Teleportation-jutsu! (throws a smoke bomb)
Me: Where'd he go?
Accelerator: I'm done with you all, the chapter's over!
