Well this is another original!

Oddly enough, I don't know if you guys realise this or anything but most of these ideas are something I can easily put into ACUL0 and probably will at some point. Although I never actually put too much thought into "I could use them for XYZ scene", they always end up being something I can actually use as development points in ACUL0 if I choose to do so.

In this sense, I wonder where the fine line between BTL and ACUL0 ends? I realise that the former is set up so you can just jump into it and the latter is longer but somehow, having the lead up to development scenes in ACUL0 sticks out to me a lot more than this. But then again, it doesn't mean that these scenes are inferior in any way.

Just a little thought into what I think of the process. You can ignore it if you like but if you see something like this is my other works, you'll be able to say "Ah, I see. So he had that idea and bounced it around earlier before refining it and putting it here!".

At any rate, let the party begin!

Here is the usual Q & A:

whwsms: I can imagine Aogami enjoying Last Order no matter what forms she takes! OHKO techniques are not to be underestimated! They truly are fearsome! I don't think that there was much 'walking the way of the TouMAN' this time around because of the illusion that was broken being made by Touma in the first place, but it is amusing to think about! I'd dare not think about what Touma would look like in the aftermath of this incident. Personally though, as much as I regret to say this, I have no idea how to continue this idea given that it really felt to me that it would only last for one chapter if you know what I mean.

Purifies Miracles: I hope you enjoyed it though when you did manage to read it!

Guest: I've already gotten the PROS and CONS down but I don't imagine it will appear again for a little while. Please hang on though, because it HAS been done, but there are other things to post in the process. Your request though IS done, it just needs to be posted.

Red Glasses: I-I hope that whatever problems there were you managed to solve as that one-shot was for you!

wildarms13: Balancing them out isn't really that tough mainly because I'm writing BTL 30 or so chapters ahead much like ACUL0. So even though you read this, I'm up to Chapter 88 for this meaning that the chapters I release only so happen to coincide with a lot of different themes. Glad you felt it was a good ice breaker though! Although your idea is pretty great, Worst can disconnect from the network and is more of the outlet for negative feelings so I don't think that something that positive in terms of emotions would ever flow to her if you know what I mean. Hopefully we can get another short chapter out there and that the weekly updates will continue for some time!

Guest (another one): Glad you enjoyed it! It was nothing more than a fun idea but I'm happy that you managed to get the full experience from it! I don't think that Touma would ever figure out the reason because his actions mainly because I can't see him NOT saying something stupid like that on the fly.

ArmoredCoreNineBall: I get the feeling that crack rally suits the one-shot structure… But, as always, it ends up biting Touma in the ass!

fencer29: I actually wonder if Mikoto hearing about what happened would 'influence' her in the same way as the rest of the Sisters. It might be an interesting thought having a bikie Mikoto doing things and wearing leather. But I agree that the mere thought of it would be enough to inspire the cries of 'Such misfortune'!

Bluejack222: I'm actually unsure whether or not to say he had it coming or not…

Kami: Well, you DO have to remember that this happened because Touma was overheard and thus he did not think that his remark would be even paid attention to, let alone taken literally. But then again, if he did everything thinking of the consequences, he would never go outside! No, I've never heard about the J-pop group Puffy AniYumi, I thought it was some character from a weird anime! As for their introduction, I'm not too sure about how to even introduce them in the first place! Definitely, in terms of raw determination, I can see Touma having similarities with John Wick, but Touma as a hitman would be a recipe for disaster! Ah, I can see the connection you made with Touma and crows now, it's much clear although I can't believe I couldn't remember that crows are a symbol of bad luck… I see the reasoning and for those reasons, I can really see the things you were trying to say and I have to say, I somewhat agree with you!

Formboy1: Hahahahaha, I'm glad that you enjoyed the Zero Swap! I think that the ending of it more emphasises how chaotic the lives of both ITEM and Touma are and when bringing them together only results in more chaos than normal. But who knows, maybe there will be another one! As for the Lessar false confession, you should never mess with the heart of a pure high school boy! I think Lessar truly learnt of what the dangers of angering Touma are on that day… And your response to the Silent Screams… I'm glad that the chapter kicked you in the gut, it was really what I was aiming for when it came to that one chapter. And having Index being the lens and killing Touma through biting was meant to be on purpose and give an additional twisted nature to it, so I'm glad that it impacted you in that way! And I'm in agreement that Touma needs a break. I do remember that request and it IS on the backburner but I have so many that I haven't even reached it yet! It WILL be done though, so keep that in mind the next time that you look at this project and know that I haven't forgotten. I imagine that Touma finally settling down though would definitely give him the 'normal' type of life that he would so want and deserve, as well as being the perfect way for him to truly experience a happiness of his own. And there's nothing wrong with feeling happiness or pride in giving the idea to me: I'm more than happy to get it down but the only thing that I would have to say is that there would be a waiting game involved in such, something that I fully apologise for. Although, if you wanted to do something lie the Hangover, it wouldn't exactly be sunshine and rainbows… And I'm with you fully on that Touma needs to be rewarded for what he has done! Let's hope that when it comes round to that chapter that he can get what he fully deserves…in the good sense! As for the long review though, I think it really captured what I was trying to have with the Silent Screams; cries that Touma needs, and deserves, better.

ShadowBloodedge9396: I'm glad I haven't lost my edge with the humour chapters…and that you managed to get a laugh out of it too! The craziness of the idea I think was the appeal so I'm glad that it resounded within you as just being nuts in its own way! I only hope that whatever Accelerator 'said' to Touma that it was not on the same level of pain that he felt. I'm pretty sure that most of the things you said on Worst are right, although the two of them had already met in NT 2, in which Worst feared Touma because of how he saved the Sisters, but in doing so felt as though it was rejecting herself given that she was the negative outlet for their emotions. That's not to say that she will not play a part…but we will have to see! I don't think that the doctor lady (Shinobu) would have seen the fight, mainly because she was already captured by the Dark Side by then and sold off to STUDY. I'm pretty sure that while she would have been relieved to know about the ending of the experiment, she was caught up a lot in the events of others things that happened afterwards, I'm sorry to say so I'm not too sure that the one-shot idea you proposed would work time-line wise.

Agent Nine: Bwahahaha, well, that's what you get when you give an impression to Last Order. I only hope that you mentally censored the image of Gangster Last Order if only because of how ridiculous and wrong it would have felt. A picture of it would definitely destroy some part of her innocence, I would have to say! As for the motorcycles and the torture chamber, I'm more of the thinking that the Sisters would have done their research into the details of what constitutes a 'Badgirl/Badboy' image and then let their imaginations go from there, resulting in the tools that they acquired. As for where they got them…let's just say that the Sisters clearly knew how to 'appropriate' the right tools for the job. Touma wasn't so much saying that 'villains' get girls but rather 'badboys' in terms of their image and the like being the ones to pick up chicks, so reversing that, it would be being a 'badgirl' that would attract a normal high schooler like him.

pop2ww: I'm not too sure why this hasn't been done before but I think it fits because of the way Accelerator and Misaka Worst act in the first place and how impressionable Last Order is, meaning that it's not impossible that she would pick up on the ideas that are spread around and copy them. I have to completely agree with Index and Last Order being pure so I'm just glad that the complete opposite of her personality was used in this way and made you laugh. Although, I have to say, imagining Last Order sitting on Accelerator and calling everyone crash makes a rather amusing sight to imagine; I laughed out loud myself when you suggested something along the lines of it! It was a sort of surreal sort of cute, wasn't it!? I don't think that it's going to become a fetish, although I'm sure there are some people out there who enjoy getting kicked between the legs… I get the feeling that if Yomikawa and Yoshikawa walked in, they would just leave and pretend they saw nothing. Of course, when something smells, it's usually the misfortune! Somehow, a day without misfortune is about the most out of character thing you can do for Touma, depressingly enough. The things that the Sisters are willing to do that would make even Lessar pale are surprising…! Although that goes in complete contrast to what happens with Accelerator and what he has planned for our spiky haired hero. Although what would have to be destroyed for Aogami to get over his fetishes?! It helps that the Sisters can also share information over a network too. There was that, although whoever Touma chooses to adopt would surely be the best daughteru! Although, to be honest, there already is a mini-Othinus in the world.

Markoz89: Creo que definitivamente, tienes razón, en eso la forma en que Kamachi usa la comedia de anime para retratar cosas es bastante divertido en sí mismo. En cuanto al capítulo del punto de vista de Fukiyose, ese será breve dado el tema y el enfoque, pero espero que ilustre cómo progresan las cosas para Fukiyose en la forma en que piensa y ha pensado en Touma en el pasado. ¡Realmente encontré la manera en que pensabas que Index y Othinus eran los mejores "logros" de Touma para resonar realmente dentro de mí como una idea, como tengo que estar de acuerdo! Y dada la conexión que tiene con ambos, creo que realmente demuestra que, a su manera, ¡también se puede pensar en Touma como lo mejor que les puede pasar a esas dos chicas! Me alegro de poder sacar una sonrisa de ti después de tanto tiempo. ¡También espero que tengas ganas de capítulos futuros con ArmoredCoreNineBall y espero que el placer que disfrutas con los capítulos de Misaki sea tan bueno como el que tienes con el mío!

FreakFactor: Huh. A chapter about heroes… It sounds interesting but given the timing, it probably won't be out for a while if that's fine with you because if it is, then I'd be more than happy to do it! I think it might be a bit of both: there is a chapter I've done that introduces such a concept in the future so maybe you might get a kick out of that: it's basically Academy City = Gotham. I can imagine a super sentai show being something Aogami and the others would have to dress up in for the lols. Storytelling is pretty hard in its own right but achieving the right mix is always good for the reader and the overall feel of the story too! I think that most superhero stories nowadays try and get that across; the light and the dark being put in the story: I've noticed that most superhero movies have a lot more humour than older ones. Yakuza Fremea and Mafiosi Index are terrifying, just the latter along would cause a worldwide famine by withholding food from the masses.

And before I start, I'd like to thank my beta reader PokeRescue18. Without his work on this I think that you'd be looking at strange typos that make no sense and would add humour to an otherwise serious scene. So thanks.

And to you, the reader. You've made it this far but even if you didn't read everything, you have my gratitude for reaching this far.

And from me, I hope that you enjoy.

Mr Question Mark.


A Forgiveness Wanted and a Hate Unfounded. Silent_Desires.

Seeing two Level 5s within the same five metres of each other, let alone sitting at the same table was an event that surely would have broken the common sense of many espers living within Academy City.

But even so, the fact that Kamijou Touma could call on and create such an event just by calling two such Level 5s was something that perhaps truly made that misfortune filled spiky haired boy the weirdest person in the City. And that was saying a lot, irrespective of the amount of misfortune he faced on a daily basis.

Both Misaka Mikoto and Accelerator said nothing as they sat at the table, not even looking at each other as Kamijou Touma, wearing a hospital gown sat in between them on the round table. No one said anything and the strained atmosphere could be felt radiating off the two Level 5s. Kamijou sat tensely in between them but the fact that they were sitting at a round table meant that circling around on either side of the Level 5s would make them meet each other and cause whatever tension between them to erupt into the air.

The date was currently near the end of November and to say the least, a lot had happened.

While the events surrounding the manhunt for Magic God Othinus were not things that could be summed up with those few words, the fact that the one at the centre of it all, Kamijou Touma, felt that that was the only thing he had to say on the matter right now was surprising in and of itself. Given that he had faced infinite hells passing over an infinite time period, only to Purify a God and fight the world to save her, he still felt that it could be summed up with those few words despite what he had faced within the past few days for the entire world.

The fact that he could say that alone after what he had faced truly made the boy weird when it came to an external perspective but when it came down to it, Kamijou himself was just happy that he had managed to hold onto something he had felt he had lost.

And that person was Othinus, currently in her 15-centimetre form.

There was a lot to be said about her new form. She was slowly adjusting to it although doing so with a lot of complaining when it came to the cute (read vicious in the eyes of Othinus) calico cat Sphynx. Currently, the former Magic God was taking a crash course with Index in how to control the cat itself, however, given that she could not feed the cat without becoming food herself, Kamijou felt that that was a lost cause.

Naturally when he had said that to her, the poking she had done near his eyes had almost been as bad as that of Index's biting. It was clearly a landmine for her and something that she was having trouble adjusting to, but the fact that she could worry about things like that truly made it seem as though she was fully alive and not an illusion.

And for that alone, Kamijou was happy for her.

As his Understander and him hers, there was a lot that they could speak about and connect with and perhaps even allow Index the chance to have an insight into the girl, not the Magic God that was Othinus.

But that was to be for another time.

There had also been something that had happened around the girl known as Mitsuari Ayu, however, Kamijou felt that the details surrounding that one incident were rather hazy, like something was not connecting within his brain and thus making him unable to perfectly recall what had happened or who he had saved.

He knew that the incident had ended well but the fact that there was a blank space in his brain where the incident should have filled bothered him a little bit. However, the more that he thought about it, the more that that blank space refused to be filled, only giving the boy a bitter taste in the back of his mouth whenever he recalled it.

What he was missing?

What was he forgetting?

Whatever the case, he knew that it could be put to the side. The memories were not coming back and they stubbornly refused to do so meaning that the only thing he could focus on now were the two people in front of him, looking away from each other meaning that he was not able to gather the attention of them.

With his right arm in a sling as a testament to what had happened over the past few days, the boy who had faced the world and hundreds of billions of hells yet still summed it up as 'a lot had happened' sighed as he looked at both of the Level 5s sitting and facing the other way, acting like small children who had not received the presents they wanted for their birthdays.

Even though he had called them here and expected this type of reaction from them both, seeing that some of the two strongest Level 5s were acting like bratty kids only made the boy somewhat feel sorry for anyone who had to deal with them. While Mikoto had come first and sat in silence waiting for Accelerator, when he had arrived, Kamijou himself had struggled to even make the boy and Mikoto stay.

Through some means (mainly Kamijou threatening to brag to the entire world that he had defeated them both which had deeply stained their pride and sent death threats and glares that would have frozen ice his way), he had 'persuaded' the both of them to stay. But the fact that neither of them were willing to talk in the other's presence only suggested that what Kamijou had planned for them both was going to be hard to push forward.

If anything, there was something he had to do with the two of them otherwise his mind would just explode from the pressure. It had been on his mind for several days after the chaos that was the manhunt for Othinus in Denmark, and he had had to deal with the issue with Mitsuari beforehand so the only time he felt he could really get this issue down and dusted was now.

The silence that would have normally have been broken by him was not; the issue at hand being something entirely selfish and only there to satisfy his own expectations and selfish wishes. Given that he knew the history between both Level 5s and the reason for the hostility between them, having them come here and stay here against their own will made Kamijou feel as though he was doing something terrible.

And maybe he was. At the very least, he could accept that fault within himself and had come to terms with his uglier side when it came down to it.

But for the issue that came to his mind right now that even he was struggling to deal with, he felt that this was something he wanted to do. He wanted to create this tense atmosphere and he wanted the two Level 5s to sit together in this strained and hellish aura surrounding them. It might have seemed cruel and it might have seemed like he wanted to bring up bad memories between the both of them when he made them do this, but this was something he truly wanted to do.

If anything, the issue he had come to face right now that had led him calling these two was something that could only be solved when the two of them met and were faced with each other with no way out. In the end, that was the only solution he could think of given his own nature and while he knew it was cruel and cowardly, this was something Kamijou felt he wanted to do.

Even if it failed and even if it all fell apart, he knew he wanted to do this.

Because of what he had once seen and destroyed, he knew that the illusion of endless conflict between the two of them could be destroyed, not by him but rather by their own hands.

They had 'put up with each other' when it came to Hawaii and that was the first step to resolving this issue that had come to Kamijou's mind right now. And for that alone, he was willing to do anything to see the resolution he wanted where everyone could go home smiling. Even though there was nothing wrong with what they had now and pushing things like this was nothing more than something Kamijou himself wanted and was going for, there was something missing.

And that was something Kamijou himself had once seen and destroyed.

Was this his own way of making amends? Fixing his own mistakes and ensuring that he could make everything better after he had smashed it all to pieces?

Looking at himself, Kamijou knew that it was a sickening and cruel idea that he had to push onto others but was not going to deny it. Perhaps, to some extent this was his own redemption. Perhaps to some extent, this was nothing more than a bonus stage for him.

But for the life of him, this was something Kamijou Touma wanted to do to ensure that both Level 5s could go home and smile with each other despite their conflict and their differences.

It might be impossible.

It might be naïve to think that the two of them could smile after everything they had been through.

It might be nothing more than a pipe dream.

But if anything, Kamijou Touma was willing to believe in the Level 5s sitting with him that they could make such a resolution possible when it came down to the very heart of the matter.

And the only way to get to that heart was to deal with the atmosphere surrounding them now.

Both Level 5s were actively trying not to look at each other, seen in how the both of them were turning their heads away from the table and looking in the opposite direction of each other. They were sitting outside and the cool breeze of November tickled against them, but for the most part, the tension in the air seemed unavoidable and there to stay.

Neither party wanted to say anything and the inability to see a way out of the situation created this atmosphere in the first place. Kamijou had said nothing to start a conversation and that in itself had meant that none had started, the silence being the only thing that came between everyone, acting like a silent barrier.

And being the one who had called them there, it was up to Kamijou to break through it.

"Nice weather we're having, isn't it?"

Unfortunately, when it came to reading the mood and finding the right thing to say at the right time in an awkward atmosphere Kamijou was not the expert at breaking things like this atmosphere apart. One could almost hear the patience and the rationale of the two Level 5s snapping at the idiotic words that gave no thought to the situation and how the two of them were feeling.

But as the boy had persuaded them (more threatened them) to stay, the only thing that they could say in response was their half-hearted replies.

"It's alright."

"It's going to get colder next month."

"…"

"…"

"…"

While Mikoto and Accelerator gave their replies, the only thing that followed them was a cold silence that seemed to match the winter weather. There was nothing there to even go on when it came to something he could use, even as a joke, but the fact that Kamijou wanted to say something as a joke to alleviate the situation perhaps gave an insight into his mindset of wanting to make everyone here get along.

He blinked once, tilting his head and crossing his arms as he tried to think of something, anything to say. He only seemed to radiate intensity that was noticed by the two Level 5s as they took the opportunity to tilt their heads and stare at the boy clearly racking his brain over something.

Neither of them particularly wanted to know what it was and turned their heads away, speaking at the same time in order to get the strained atmosphere to disperse even though they had been sitting here in silence for some time without anything happening.

"Don't think too hard about whatever it is you are thinking about, you idiot. You might hurt yourself." Mikoto said in a carefree tone but the amusement in it could not be denied.

"If you want to say something, then fucking say something. Give me an excuse to leave so I can get back home. I had no intention of coming out today, let alone sitting at a table where nothing was going to or is going to happen. Just spit out what you want and let me go home." Accelerator said impatiently but neither Level 5 turned to face the boy they were speaking to.

Kamijou himself though only narrowed his eyes, the aura of intensity around him reaching its peak as he seemed to give up in some aspect concerning his internal state. Coming to some conclusion within himself, he leaned forward, gaze and aura surrounding him entirely serious.

That in itself immediately put the two Level 5s on edge. The atmosphere up until now had been strained and something no one had thought could be broken and the tension of sitting in silence was getting to them both as well. They had felt as though they had to say something but the history the two of them had meant that neither of them felt like saying anything worth discussing in front of the other.

Naturally, they had put their differences aside when it came to Hawaii because there were lives at stake but the same was not said for this situation. This was something Kamijou had created himself, so they had left it to him to deal with when it came down to it. However, it seemed that the conflict between the two of them could not be resolved even by the boy who had saved 10,000 Sisters so the two of them had just sat in silence.

But the tension surrounded the boy right now was something the two of them had seen before themselves.

It was something Misaka Mikoto had seen on an iron bridge in District 7.

It was something Accelerator had seen in a switchyard in District 17.

It was the face and gaze of someone who was determined to do something, determined to move forward and determined to face whatever opponent that was in his way for the purposes of ensuring everyone came home smiling. It was the expression of a boy driven and a boy focused and the expression itself only made the two Level 5s go on edge as they instantly put their entire bodies on alert.

They shifted their position to look at what the boy was looking at, a nurse wearing scrubs and looking at a sandwich that was wrapped, having bought it at the hospital café. She seemed entirely out of it and a sweat was covering her forehead as she leaned backwards in the chair she was in.

Her chest was emphasised in that one action that made Mikoto feel a twinge of jealousy, however, it was something that she could not focus on given the situation. The air and the entire feel Kamijou was giving off told the story of a boy who was intently focusing on the scene in front of him and at the nurse sitting inside the café.

Was there something about her that was off? Something she had done wrong?

While the two Level 5s had said those things about wanting to go home and for Kamijou to not think too hard about whatever he was thinking about, those thoughts had entirely been thrown to the wind. Instead, they only sat there and slowly waited for a word, a signal or a command of any kind to move forward and to explain the situation.

It was rare that the Level 5s were people that felt they were underneath anyone or took orders from anyone at all. Merely thinking that one could control them was usually the sign of someone's impeding death and they all had enough pride to think that they were people who stood in a place usually unreachable to anyone and thus carved their lives forward by themselves.

But even so, the #1 and the #3 sat, waiting for the words of Kamijou Touma, someone who had saved them in his own way and for that alone, they owed a debt to. They respected him more than they felt they respected anyone and the words he spoke, even though they might have seemed small, were powerful enough to move those two into going in a country halfway across the world all for the purposes of stopping evil and saving the innocent.

It was not something that could be denied from Kamijou and the power he had with his words alone was immense. He only sat there, staring at the nurse as the two Level 5s did the same but in the corner of their eye to avoid attracting attention.

They might not have said it or thought it, but there was a silence presence making its form clear on that table in the hospital exterior and it was something both Mikoto and Accelerator were a part of.

The Kamijou Faction.

A silent body and organisation that was even denied existing by its current 'leader' but something that definitely had form in the hearts of those a part of it. And for those individuals, they would definitely note and carve into their hearts the nature of the connection the Faction gave them and why they stood for it.

They each lived their own lives and they each acted in their own way, however, there was someone connecting all of them and someone connecting their hearts and minds. When called to arms to save even one person, they would all move and act in order to save that person based on the words of one person leading them.

And that person was Kamijou Touma.

They each had their own motivations for following and listening to that person but the bonds formed in their hearts because of Kamijou were not something they were willing to deny when it came down to it, even as much as they wanted to. They were not willing to overlook the things he had done for them even though he might pass them off as unnecessary and for that alone they were willing to stand by his side and fight with him when it came down to it.

Their motivations were not all the same but for the life of them, they all stood for the same thing and were more than happy to stand on the same stage as that boy. They were willing and more than happy to acknowledge the connection they shared with Kamijou and even though it had no form, were more than willing to openly state they were a part of something bigger than themselves.

They might not do so immediately, and it might be something they would only acknowledge when push came to shove but it was definitely something there and could not be denied.

The Faction itself had no form, meeting times or proper structure but even so, on that table, it was coming together in the face of the crisis slowly forming. There was something Kamijou Touma saw as a threat and it was enough to make both Level 5s go on edge and the prospect of what was going to happen and who was going to be in harm's way.

And their respect and connection with Kamijou itself was all that they needed in order to stand by his side and fight so that he could bring as many people's smiles back onto their faces as possible.

But before they even did, they had to analyse what was to happen and the risk it posed.

"What is it?"

"Is there something about that nurse?"

Both Mikoto and Accelerator said those words while the concentrated face of Kamijou only seemed to edge itself to the side, as if ready to respond to the questions the two of them had raised. His gaze was dark and his mind in turmoil as he narrowed his eyes and spoke, the words flowing out of his mouth and only identifying the threat that was to be the target of the Kamijou Faction whose bonds were slowly forming to take on the threat he saw.

"Do you think nurses wear sports bras?"

"…What?"

"I'm sorry. …Could you repeat that?"

Both Mikoto and Accelerator's eyes turned to dots as they blankly said those words that only registered and gave way to their confusion and lack of comprehension. They had a feeling they knew what he had said but the fact that he was looking so serious and the bonds of the Kamijou Faction were coming together to strike a threat to make people happy and keep the smiles on their faces only made it seem like the question Kamijou had asked stepped on all of that.

They had been seriously about to take on whatever threat appeared before them so had Kamijou really said that!? Had he really just said those words when his gaze was as serious as when he had faced Mikoto and Accelerator back on August 21st?!

Kamijou blinked as if he realised what he had just said, however, upon realising that he literally had nothing else in his head to say to allow the tense atmosphere to be crushed continued, his gaze still with that seriousness he held when he had taken on the world just because he wanted to save the life and smile of a single girl, speaking once more.

"I-I'm asking whether nurses wear sports bras or not. If you think about the operations and the important medical procedures they have to do, you'd imagine that they don't want their breasts getting in the way when they perform their work. But then you see those nurses with large breasts as the staple mark for genres and they clearly don't wear sports bras or something to support them. So how do nurses with large breasts support them when it comes to important medical dealings they have to d – M-Misaka-san?! W-What in the world are going all Biri Biri for!?"

Sparks suddenly flew from the bangs of Mikoto as she sat down, her face red as it seemed that all the tension in the air had dispersed from the stupid comment made. Mikoto (who never wore a sports bra because of her lack of breasts) only twitched, the sparks coming from her bangs telling how pissed she was.

"I-I seriously was ready to take on the world just then, but in the end, all I hear is something about breasts? Are you mocking me!? Are blobs of fat really that interesting to you, you idiot?!" Mikoto yelled that as she grabbed Kamijou by the collar, his pale face only indicating he had no idea why in the world she had reacted in the way she had given what he had said.

"Wh-Where did this come from!? Don't tell me that you know the answer of whether nurses wear sports bras or not?! Even though – " Kamijou stopped what he was about to say, going wide eyed as he realised the words that were about to leak out of his mouth. The fact that Kamijou suddenly averted his gaze was enough of a hint for Mikoto to guess what he was about to say. Red entered her eyes that was dangerously close to Accelerator's eye colour.

"Even though…? Do you want to finish that statement?"

"Y-You're too close! Too close! I'm seriously scared here from that expression on your face! This Kamijou-san is sorry for what he may or may not have said regarding your breasts and the lack of them!"

"So in the end you just take the opportunity to make fun of me for it anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay?!"

"That's seriously dangerous, Misaka-san! This is a hospital so are you seriously thinking of doing that kind of thing here and now!?"

The sparks flying from Mikoto's bangs suddenly decreased in intensity as she looked around, only to see that the staff of the hospital were looking at her rather worriedly and in concern at the use of her power in a public space. That and given that the fact that she was holding someone whose arm was in a sling by his collar and acting like a tyrant only gave the impression that she was the one in the wrong. She stared at the people who stared back at her.

"I don't want to ask, but what the hell possessed you to ask that question in the first place?" Accelerator asked in a pissed off tone that indicated he wanted nothing to do with this while Kamijou in his surgical gown went wide eyed.

"Y-You mean that using the sure-fire conversation starter I had kept hidden to discuss with Aogami Pierce and Tsuchimikado to break the tension had no effect at all!?"

"I want nothing to do with something you want to discuss with the sunglasses wearing pervert so keep me out of it."

"A-And what do you mean a conversation starter!? How is talking about sports bras even remotely going to start a conversation!?" Mikoto, despite Accelerator's cool response only gave that exasperated comment. She hissed it out, looking at the newly found pervert Kamijou Touma with eyes that spoke of the ways she was going to exterminate him.

"No, no, Misaka. What you have to say next is 'It's not the sports bra that's the appeal but rather the fact that you can have a clumsy nurse with large breasts who wants to do her best with her job but is unable to because of' – W-We're still in the hospital grounds and I'm injured so can you at least stop with the Biri Biri?!"

Mikoto's sparking was entirely involuntarily and almost like a response created in response to Kamijou alone and the stupid things he said. She did her best to tone down her anger at his comments no matter how inferior they made her feel. She let go of him (although with that slight glare in her eyes) and returned to her chair she had knocked over when she had gone to confront Kamijou over his comments.

Kamijou slowly returned to his seat as well while Accelerator put a hand to his head.

"I feel a migraine coming on. I have no idea how in the world you beat me three times now but what in your right mind thought that what you said would start something of a conversation?" Accelerator gave that fed up tone while Mikoto went wide eyed at something she had never heard before. She stared at Kamijou and his arm in a sling in wonder at the fact that he had fought the #1 three times and won all three when she hadn't even gotten off one victory against the boy. The scale and the gap between them seemed immense but for Kamijou himself, he only stared at Accelerator and did something the two Level 5s did not expect.

He grinned.

"We're having a conversation now, aren't we?"

The two of them blinked, narrowing their eyes as they stared at the other and reflecting on the interactions in the last few seconds.

If anything, they had to accept, it was the fact that the air of tension surrounding them was entirely gone. The comments of the boy had completely destroyed their pace and meant that they had started conversing when they had not before, giving way to a pleasant atmosphere instead of the previous strained one. They were talking, even though it had just started right now and the flow of the conversation meant that it was not something would be stopped until it reached its end.

Accelerator and Mikoto turned their gazes to the grinning boy who seemed oblivious to the fact that what he had done was essentially manipulate them into having a conversation they were avoiding at all costs with nothing but a passing comment about sports bras.

It was ridiculous, stupid and perhaps bordering along the lines of perversion, but at the same time, it was that comment that had destroyed the tension around the trio before and led to the trio talking. If anything, just like it was natural, the darkness surrounding them had entirely been blown away with a carefree comment and had indeed facilitated the start of a conversation when none seemed possible.

In that sense, maybe sports bras could be underestimated.

Realising that, once again, Accelerator had been caught up in the boy's pace without thinking about it, he clicked his tongue, however, did not turn his body away as he did before, instead taking the time to fully face Kamijou and Mikoto. He did so with an air of uncaringness but if anything, the fact that he was paying attention in the first place only served as the silent signal for Mikoto to do the same.

Although it was something to be said if Kamijou had started to conversation without really thinking about it (it did seem as though he was desperate for anything to talk about and had only grabbed desperately so he could to start the conversation without really thinking about the consequences), Mikoto at the very least had to respect the fact that the conversation had started and was progressing along with or without her.

For that alone, she also faced the other two boys with her focus entirely forward and her posture facing them to join in in the conversation started because Kamijou had said the one thing that came to mind without thinking about what he was saying. There was something to be said about that when it came down to it though.

"So? You've started this conversation and you brought the two of us here. What did you even want to discuss anyway, you idiot?" Mikoto said those words, however, the smallest hint of a grudge could be heard behind them as she recalled what Kamijou had implied about her breasts only moments before.

Kamijou though, realising how ungentlemanly he had been when he had only spoken on reflex and given no thought to what he had said, held up the one hand he could and gave a small bow in apology to Mikoto.

"…I can feel the poison in your words, so please forgive this feeble Kamijou-san, Misaka-sama."

"…It's fine. Knowing you, you probably just spoke whatever came into your head without any thought about it whatsoever to bring the conversation forward. I don't mind, so at least tell us why you called us both here."

"…You're fine with it?"

"Not really but I'm going to focus on what I want to so that I can forget what you said."

"So…you're fine with it?"

"I'm not!"

"Can you two shut the fuck up and stop bickering like some married couple!? Hero, you're going to spit out what I want to know and you're going to do it fucking now otherwise you'll be going in again with more injuries." Accelerator spat out those words with impatience.

In response, Kamijou's face went white as a sheet although in contrast, Mikoto's went red as a tomato. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out as she hung her head in embarrassment while Kamijou only cleared his throat to get his own thoughts together and organise what he wanted to say in his head. The threat to his life seemingly had erased any concept of what Accelerator had said first from his head even though Mikoto only focused on what had been said first in contrast.

Steam came from Mikoto's head as Kamijou nodded, leaning forward and looking at both Accelerator and Mikoto in turn.

His face twisted as if he was trying to think of some way to approach the conversation he was about to have without stepping on any toes, but he seemed to give up on the matter. It was as if the conversation he was about to have was a Band-Aid he had the option of ripping off to get it over with quickly or easing into for the sake of making the wound about to be exposed less harmful.

There was a small silence, however, the boy sighed, putting his left hand on the table and looking at both Level 5s with a serious gaze, much like the one he had before he started to talk about sports bras without really thinking.

No, this time it was different.

The gaze Kamijou had right now told the story of someone who had decided on something and was going to go for it no matter the consequences. It was something he had sported so many times before when he decided to save someone, but seeing it when it came to a simple conversation made the two Level 5s somewhat nervous about the topic about to be discussed.

Mikoto gulped somewhat and Accelerator slowly moved his head so that he could reach his choker a bit faster if he needed to. Those two reactions were their own way of dealing with the topic of conversation to come.

And without even waiting and without even giving a hint of what was to come, Kamijou Touma unleashed the bombshell with nothing but his own words.

"I want to talk about what happened between you two during the Level 6 Shift."

If anything, the reaction from both Level 5s was the same and happened at the same time.

The same intense and murderous aura coming from the both of them seemed to permeate the area itself. Kamijou had noted that the weather was nice but the sudden change in the atmosphere only gave way to a sickening feeling, like something oppressive was weighing down on the minds and bodies of those listening in on the conversation. It wasn't killing intent, but rather the sickening nostalgia of what the two Level 5s had been through during that time in August and the things they had seen and done made the two of them have that murderous aura.

Who was it directed to?

Themselves?

Each other?

Kamijou for bringing up the topic of conversation in the first place?

It was hard to say but the oppressive atmosphere of restrained aggression did not seem to faze Kamijou one bit, as if he had acknowledged and accepted that this was the response he was going to get from the two of them when they were presented with the topic with no lead up whatsoever, like a Band-Aid ripped off to minimise the pain that came with it.

"Specifically, I want to talk about you, Accelerator. And what you did during it. And also about you Misaka and how you dealt with it afterwards." Kamijou turned to both Level 5s as he addressed them in turn, but the only thing the two of them did was stare at Kamijou with gazes telling of their rage and hidden anger at the fact that something they had never once discussed in front of anyone was being brought up so casually like it was a Friday dinner.

But those gazes did not faze Kamijou.

No, perhaps it was that they did faze him. But because of one particular fact, he could not let that show in his face.

And that was because he was the only one who could have this type of conversation while still maintaining the role of the outsider.

Accelerator and Mikoto suddenly realised the position they held and the nature of the parties at this table now.

The Mother, the Father and the Hero.

The three of them had been embroiled and were at the heart of the Level 6 Shift and it was only them who had the ability to have this conversation in the first place. No one had thought it would ever be raised and for good reason; it was a massive landmine no one wanted to address.

And Kamijou had mercilessly and without hesitation ripped off the Band-Aid been covering those wounds. It was unbelievably cruel and sickening, but the reason why it was the case was something neither Level 5 could understand. He had never once shown an interest in what had happened or letting the events of the Experiment be fully realised or talked about in depth but for some reason he was doing that now.

Did this have something to do with the manhunt for Othinus and Denmark and how the boy had seemingly switched sides when it came to dealing with her?

The two of them could not say, but then again, they did not care. Instead the only thing they wanted was to drop this line of conversation immediately and for it to never be brought up again. It was something neither of them wanted to discuss in front of the other and the hidden feelings of hate and rage fostered were brought to the surface by Kamijou himself.

Accelerator clenched his fists as he stared at the boy, the cold that entered his eyes being something that many people on the Dark Side had seen before their last moments, in particular, one Kakine Teitoku.

"I'll say this once. Because there is no way I am saying this again. Drop this line of questioning. The only reason I don't kill you where you stand is because you are injured and because I owe you one. Don't think for a minute I won't do it because if you even think of raising this line of questioning in front of me again, I will rip you to shreds like I should have done when we first met. Do I make myself clear?"

Accelerator's words came out like knives. They stabbed into the skin of the injured boy and he slightly jumped at them. But even so, he stood his ground and turned to face Accelerator directly.

"Not at all."

Those words were the trigger and Accelerator stood up, reaching for Kamijou and grabbing him directly by the collar. Kamijou stood to accommodate for the feeling of being grabbed and Accelerator moved his other hand to touch the injured arm of Kamijou.

Kamijou winced slightly but that was the only sign of weakness he allowed to show on his face as he stared at Accelerator who stared back.

"I can easily break your arm for you. I can rip it off with ease to the extent that you'll never be able to use your right hand again. So, say what you did to me again. I dare you." Accelerator hissed in his face, Kamijou only staring back at him as if looking right into the boy's eyes and soul.

And he responded.

"I'm not dropping this, Accelerator. There's something that has to be discussed and there's something that has to be resolved right here and now. I'm not standing for anything else or for anyone here. This is something only I want. I admit that and accept that fully. But at the same time, there is something here I cannot let be. And that is that while you guys might have come to your own conclusions regarding what happened during the Experiment, you never once have taken the time to discuss it with one another. And - !?"

Kamijou immediately spotted talking as Accelerator dug his fingernails into the boy's arm. Kamijou's eyes went wide with the pain before Accelerator threw him to the ground roughly. Kamijou knocked over the chair he had been sitting in and Accelerator without another word moved to the side of the table and grabbed his cane.

He took it roughly without even looking back and started to walk off, heading for the entrance to the hospital, spitting out words in his wake as he did so.

"I'm leaving. There's nothing to discuss here and there's nothing that has to be said in regard to what happened. I've come to my own conclusion about it and there's no way I'm going to be spending the time to discuss it with the Third Rate here."

Accelerator started to walk off, Mikoto only watching him go without any expression on her face. Kamijou on the ground only looked at the holes in his sling after Accelerator had grabbed at it and dug into it with his fingernails, slowly looking at the wound and the seriousness behind those words. There was something there that Accelerator had silently threatened, and it was clear what it was, the pain Kamijou was feeling right now a testament to that.

…But for the life of him, there was something here he had to do.

There was something here he had to resolve, if only for the fact that it would only satisfy him and no one else.

He grabbed at the ground and slowly stood up, facing the other boy's back and speaking words he was sure that Accelerator would be able to hear and comprehend. What he was about to say might be cruel, might be cowardly and might be entirely unlike him…

But this was his bonus stage. This was something he had to see through and even if the result did not change, then that in itself was something he was willing to accept.

Yet the only way to see if nothing was going to change was to push forward that change itself. If nothing was going to change, then he could accept that. But if there was nothing that was even going to start the change, then Kamijou was sure that his own mind was going to crush underneath the pressure of what could have been if any change was possible.

This was something only he wanted and there was no one going to be happy about this but him.

…But even so, a small part of Kamijou felt that this selfishness was fine. That it was OK to want to have something only he saw the value of and that no one else knew the worth of. He could explain it, but he was sure that no one else was going to understand the worth of what he was trying to do for both Level 5s.

No, that was nothing but an excuse and Kamijou himself knew it.

This was for nothing but himself and would probably only make him happy. The hornet's nest was being poked at and only Kamijou was the one doing the poking while Accelerator and Mikoto knew better than to prod at this topic of discussion.

But if nothing happened, then that in itself was saying that they were not willing to compromise and not willing to come to some conclusion about the nature of the issue at hand. The feelings of hidden rage and anger behind the Level 6 Shift was an issue that had been resolved internally by the two of them, but not resolved when they looked at each other and confronted what they had done and what they had seen others do.

Sure, they were able to put up with each other when they were in proximity of each other but that was not the same as a resolution. It was nothing more than a false smile put on for the sake of avoiding the issue entirely.

But Kamijou Touma had poked at the hornet's nest.

There was no going back now.

And that in itself was clear in the next words he spoke.

"Then you running away is the extent of the problem at hand, Accelerator."

Accelerator froze in mid-step, slowly turning his head and watching the Level 0 stand up and regain his balance. He was not assisted by Mikoto who only watched him with wide eyes, her own fists clenching as she watched Kamijou speak whatever the hell he liked and whatever he felt like saying. But he did not stop, only looking at Accelerator as if peering into the boy's soul and spitting out those words.

"…What did you say?" Accelerator whispered, barely audible and the red eyes looking at Kamijou contained so much hatred it would have made anyone else freeze.

But he had committed himself into coming this far.

So Kamijou Touma was not going to stop.

"Is it that scary? Talking about the Level 6 Shift I mean. There are things you did, Accelerator. Inexcusable things but they have turned you into the person you are today. You might want to take them back, reverse them, but you can't. They are merely the remnants of what is left on your path and you can't take them back for the life of you. If…If you are just going to wallow in your own sorrow and think of yourself as nothing but the villain because of what you did, then that in itself is not brave. It's not heroic and it's not accepting what you did. It's ignoring it and never looking back on it again. You're running, Accelerator. Whatever you have now, it makes you think that what you did can be forgiven. That it's your redemption."

Kamijou leaned forward and supported himself on the table in front of him as he unleashed the final words to the #1 Level 5 in front of him.

"But. If you run away from what you did, can you really be redeemed for it? How can you seek redemption for something you can't accept? Which means that if anything, we have to take the time to look at what you did, analyse it and come to a conclusion as the parties at the heart of the Experiment itself. It might result in nothing, it might result in something, it might resolve nothing or everything, but you can't do anything without first looking at what you did, Accelerator. So stop running!"

Kamijou slammed down his left fist onto the table, staring at the boy across from him with determined eyes. He spat out the horrific words Accelerator and Mikoto did not want to hear ever again but had accepted in their hearts as cruel facts.

"Ten thousand people died because of you, Accelerator. You killed them. Accepting that fact isn't redemption. It's what comes after that that is. And discussing it here with the rest of us is what is going to result in some kind of c - !?"

Accelerator's eyes went wide, however, not because of what the boy was saying.

It was because Misaka Mikoto had just struck him in the face.

Her open palm lashed out and slapped Kamijou across the face in a vicious and uncontrolled assault. Kamijou's face recoiled and burned from the pain, Kamijou standing there stunned at the sudden attack from the Level 5 that had come without warning. Both boys slowly turned their heads and looked at the girl with chestnut hair with her bangs covering her face.

She trembled, looking down at the ground as she let out words that quivered along with her body.

"…I realise that this is entirely like you. It's the same as with the moments before we fought. You say whatever the hell you like, chose a method that steps all over other people's feelings and move in some way that attempts to choose a solution you think in your mind allows everyone to be happy. …When I understand that very basic point, when I look at what you're doing, what you're trying to do and how you're trying to do it, there's only one conclusion I can come to about your intentions today."

Mikoto stared at the ground for only an instant as she clenched her fists, not even looking at the boy while both Kamijou and Accelerator stared at her.

"So why?"

Mikoto rose her head, spitting out the words with uncontrolled emotions flying out along with what came out of her mouth. She pointed at Accelerator and she gave voice to the emotions within her heart.

"Why are you trying to create a situation where I can forgive that bastard?!"

Accelerator went wide eyed at that, turning to face Kamijou who was looking at Mikoto below him, not even responding with words. His cheek throbbed in pain as Mikoto spat out her words at him, her eyes and words tearing into him viciously as she desperately gave voice to the concerns within her heart.

"You think that because we can discuss what happened that there is even a remote chance I will forgive him for what he did!? I have no idea what you were talking about in Denmark but in the end, the only thing I can think of is the bits and pieces that did make sense to me! Are you saying that that naïve world where all 20,000 Sisters were still alive and no one had to die was really something you wanted?"

This time it was Kamijou's eyes that went wide as he was viciously reminded of something. Accelerator slowly put the pieces together.

He had no idea what the context was, what the reasoning behind it was and what the motivation behind that thought process in the very first place was but if what Mikoto was saying was true, then there was something there, a world where all 20,000 Sisters had not died and they had the opportunity to live out their lives without being killed for the sake of the Level 6 Shift.

But that in turn only meant one thing.

That in such a world, Misaka Mikoto and Accelerator had no reason to hate each other. They would likely have walked side by side with the Sisters into the sunlight and with the happiness that came with it. In such a world, there was no reason to hate and there was no reason to despise.

In the end, there was only forgiveness and connection in what had been formed and what had been created.

Kamijou Touma had seen such a world. The cruel kindness the Omega World had given him had shown him a world where everyone was happy and where everyone had the chance to smile and be happy for what they had and what they had been given. In such a world, they had been given the opportunity to live with smiles on their faces and with no thoughts of hate or the like in their hearts.

And Kamijou himself had taken that world and utterly destroyed it.

Every smile, every hope and dream that had existed in that world had been destroyed by him and his own selfishness. He was happy to have even survived all the hells Othinus had put him through and he was happy he had managed to reclaim his own world in the end.

But even so, he had regrets. He had the feeling of hopelessness and guilt whenever he saw sadness in the world. He knew he was not to blame and Mikoto herself had openly told him that it was not his responsibility to bear the weights of the smiles of all 6 or 7 billion people in the world because of his own position as someone who could do something. He was one person and bearing the weights of all those people he could not handle nor was expected of him.

Even so…

Even so…

Even so…

Was every single sadness in the world his fault to an extent? Was there someone sad because he had chosen to destroy the Omega World and claim back the world he was born into? If Othinus had saved the world when she had created that world, then Kamijou was no doubt the evil that had destroyed it. To an extent and taking that statement further, it suggested that for every sadness, for every tragedy and for every crime committed, it was the fault of Kamijou because he had chosen to destroy that very world.

It was hardly the case and Kamijou himself knew that taking on the burden of the entire world he could not bear. He had never had such a grand goal of achieving world peace or ensuring that the world would be saved with his actions. There was nothing that grand in scope in the boy's mind.

Yet, doubt remained.

A small seed of doubt in his mind and was going to sit there for all eternity no matter what anyone else told him and no matter what anyone else did. It would stay with him for the rest of his life and while he might forget about it, it would always come crawling back up into his mind whenever he didn't want it to.

When he was in class, when he was eating, when he was sleeping, when he was walking down the street, when he was shopping, when he was in hospital, etc.

Kamijou knew that at some time and some place, that small seed of doubt would come to his mind without warning and always think the same thing.

'You destroyed the world. You destroyed people's happiness. If it wasn't for you and your selfishness, everyone would be happy. You would be better off dead for the happiness of over people.'

Kamijou had accepted those thoughts and knew how partially true they were. He was ashamed and regretted his actions, but at the same time, was shameless and felt no regret. Would he go back and reverse what he did?

Surely not.

After all, he had acted for himself and by himself and he was proud of that alone. He had managed to reclaim the world he had been born in and he was more than happy at having being able to have done that.

Yet, was everyone else happy because of that choice? Was everyone else smiling because of what he had chosen to do?

It was a small doubt, but it was going to weigh down on him for the rest of his life, of that Kamijou was sure.

And because of that doubt, there were things he felt he could see and things he could grasp within his hand to at least reclaim what the Omega World had been. He could not reverse the past and he could not raise the dead so there were things he knew he could not do.

He could not save Terra of the Left.

He could not save Agnese Sanctis' parents.

He could not save the 10,000 lives of the dead Sisters.

But…could he pick up after the pieces?

Could he fill the gap that had been left by Terra? By Agnese's parents? By the Sisters?

He did not know. But if anything, he knew that there was one thing he could easily grasp onto and push towards given the contacts in his phone and what he knew to do.

And that only started with Misaka Mikoto and Accelerator, the ones at the heart of the Level 6 Shift.

He could not bring back the lives of the dead Sisters.

However…

Could he give and create the forgiveness and happiness the two of them had shared in the Omega World? They had truly been smiling and there had been no hate between them and that was a beautiful thing. But it was now lost, gone because of the two individuals and their choice to not talk to each other about what they had done and what had been committed back then.

Was forgiveness possible? Was the chance for them both to be happy possible with each other?

Kamijou did not know and there was no way for him to guess if what had happened in the Omega World where there was no hate between the two could exist.

But sitting around and thinking that it might or might not exist was not like him. For the purposes of seeing if there was a possibility of forgiveness and redemption possible for the both of them even remotely in the world that had been reclaimed, Kamijou Touma wanted nothing more than to try it out and see for himself what would happen if he attempted to close the gap between the two.

It might be pointless and he might be faced with aggression.

But the only way to even see the slightest hint of what could be gained when they had a talk was to have it in the first place.

This was Kamijou Touma's bonus stage. His own selfish attempt to regain what had been shown in the Omega World as to allow those that did not even remember it the chance to face the happiness experienced within. The seed of doubt in Kamijou's brain was the one that had allowed this entire conversation to take place and to form the hope he had in his mind that some kind of resolution could be reached between Mikoto and Accelerator.

If something could be gained and something forgiven, then that was perfect.

But if something could not be gained and nothing forgiven, then that was fine too. If anything, that would only serve to destroy the illusion of how pure the Omega World had seemed and how perfect it had been laid out.

But the only thing that had to be done was to try i to see if something, anything could be forgiven.

"What the fuck?"

Accelerator spat out those words, turning around and facing Kamijou fully now as he glared at the boy. His eyes narrowed, staring right at Kamijou as they tried to gouge into him for all their worth.

"A world where 20,000 sisters didn't have to die? I don't know what kind of fucking delusion or hallucinogenic drugs you were on when you dreamt that up, but you felt that the world that that created was something that meant there was the possibility of forgiveness for someone like me? Are you fucking serious?"

Accelerator approached Kamijou and his hand shot out, grabbing Kamijou by the front of his hospital gown and lifting him up once more. Kamijou was lifted and stared down at the two Level 5s underneath him, his gaze never wavering and never once turning away from the people beneath him.

He shook his head.

"You're misunderstanding what I want here. Misaka, I get why you are concerned but this is not what I'm looking for. 10,000 Sisters died and there's no reversing that fact. Turning away that world was perhaps for the best when it comes to the sins you guys want to hold onto for the sake of defining who you are. I'm not going to turn that away from you and I'm not going to reject that in any way."

"Yet you want me to move to forgive this…this monster!?"

"…Maybe not forgive," Kamijou said but cast his gaze aside as if there was something there he knew that the two would never compromise on when it came to things. After all, he had seen exactly what Accelerator had done to one of the Sisters and did not really want to think about what he had to others.

Was he looking for a total forgiveness? No, maybe he wasn't. When it came down to it, Accelerator was guilty of murder. And there was no way he was totally going to be freed from the stain of those crimes.

What Kamijou though was looking for was perhaps something else entirely, not just forgiveness of the crimes Accelerator had committed. Given the difference between this world and the Omega, forgiveness was a tall order. No, when it came down to it, there was perhaps something else Kamijou wanted from the both of them in order to have some sort of semblance when it came to the Omega World.

And that was….

"But rather, acceptance. The both of you…you are running away from looking at the other when it comes to the Experiment. The Level 6 Shift was a stain on the both of you but you're turning away from the aftermath of that!"

Kamijou felt his voice rising as he looked down from where Accelerator was holding him and at the two of the people below him who had been through a personal hell he could not even begin to describe.

"Sure, the two of you went through so much in the Experiment! Sure, there were things you can't forgive yourself for and there are things you call your sins as you try to wash away those stains. I'm not stepping on that and I'm not saying that the both of you have to be forgiven for that. That's not what redemption is, at least for me. No, the only thing I'm asking is for the both of you to look at each other and everything you have done after that for the sake of those Sisters after that Experiment! I know the both of you have carved your way forward when it comes to those girls! Yet you've only thought and looked at the other when it comes to the Experiment only! You've only thought and judged the other using the standards back then and only then!"

Kamijou said those words out loud and his voice grew louder, addressing the both of them with his words that only spoke of someone who had seen a world he had destroyed, only to want that one thing he destroyed no matter how much he was glad he had destroyed it and returned here.

"You've never even addressed what the both of you have done! Misaka, Accelerator, are you satisfied with that?! Playing and putting the other in the roles you have, never to change them!? You saw Accelerator back in Hawaii, Misaka, as you did with Misaka, Accelerator! Are you telling me that that horrible incident didn't change something within you? That you didn't look at each other and maybe think that something was different about the other than when you first met!?"

"That's got nothing to do with fucking anything." Accelerator spat out those words with venom as he looked at Kamijou with the same cold eyes as before.

"Who are you to decide that when you've done nothing to confirm that for yourself? Are you happy with that? Are you happy, Accelerator, with forever being in the role of the villain in the eyes of Misaka? And Misaka, are you happy forever being in the role of the victim for Accelerator? You've never once taken the opportunity to discuss the remnants and the things the both of you have done after the Experiment for the Sisters. You're living your lives stuck in that shell without ever breaking out of it!"

"There's nothing to say, you idiot! He…He killed them! He killed 10,000 of them! A-And you want me to just, what, have a sit down over a cup of coffee to reminisce on that hell!?" Emotion filled Mikoto's voice as she replied, pointing at Accelerator with an accusatory finger that only told of the horrors she had seen and the fact that she had no intention of forgiving those who had harmed her Sisters so.

"Not on the Experiment. The aftermath! The things the two of you have done for the Sisters you don't want to look at because the both of you are satisfied with only looking at each other with the standards of back then. It doesn't have to be forgiveness. But at the very least it can be acceptance of the good the other has done for the Sisters after that hell. Acceptance that maybe there is something else beyond what you think of each other after the Experiment ended!"

It wasn't forgiveness. That was asking too much.

But perhaps there was something else that could be done that would be able to bridge the gap between them to allow there to be something along the lines of what had been there in the Omega World no matter how much of an illusion it was.

The events of the Experiment and the Level 6 Shift would never be forgotten in the eyes of those two. There had been so much pain and suffering that the two of them would never be able to forget what happened for as long as they lived.

But at the same time, there was something they never once looked back on when it came down to it.

And that was what had happened after.

The two of them had 'frozen' after the Experiment. Sure, they had moved together in Hawaii, but they had only done that because of Kamijou. They did not forgive, they did not reflect and they did not even consider that there was something else that could have been done for the Sisters. Sure, they had acknowledged that there was something but that was the extent of their feelings.

Accelerator was perfectly fine with playing the role of the villain when it came to the Sisters.

Misaka Mikoto were perfectly fine with playing the role of the victim when it came to the Sisters.

In Hawaii, Accelerator had said that he had no intentions of apologising for what he had done to Mikoto. That in itself only told the story of someone perfectly fine with being regarded as the villain for the sake of someone else and not turning their back on the role they had there.

And Mikoto had responded in kind that she did not want to hear about 'repaying debts' from the villain. She was stuck in the role of the victim forevermore in the eyes of Accelerator and she was fine with that, after all, it had been her Sisters who had been killed.

But it was November.

The Experiment had ended back in August.

A lot had happened in between and there were so many things that had happened to the Sisters in that time period. What hells had been faced and how had Mikoto and Accelerator been involved respectively? How hard had they struggled, for what had they struggled for and how much pain had they spared the clones in the process of that struggling?

Sure, the Sisters themselves likely saw a different side to both Mikoto and Accelerator but was the same thing shared by those to Level 5s? They were only looking at each other as they had seen each other after the Experiment and they had never looked at the actions of what the other had done for those they wanted to protect the most in the world.

Blood had been spilled and the bodies had piled up.

But at the same time, those Sisters had also been saved afterwards.

And the ones that had surely saved them had been both Misaka Mikoto and Accelerator.

When looked at it like that, was there not something there that could change how they saw each other?

Maybe in the process of learning of what Accelerator had done for the Sisters, Mikoto could see him as more than just someone who had murdered more than half of them. And in the process of learning what Mikoto had done for the Sisters was it not also possible that Accelerator would treat her as something more than a victim but as someone who cared for the Sisters just as much as he did?

But they had not done any of that. Instead they had just looked at each other with the labels they had given the other during the Experiment and been satisfied with that. Refusing to talk about the Experiment and what had happened afterwards meant that they never once had the chance to learn about what each had done for the Sisters.

And thus, they had never once allowed the other the chance for acceptance but not forgiveness.

Was there scope for that?

Was there something in their hearts that would allow the chance for that acceptance?

They had come to terms with what had happened during it, but not the aftermath. And for that alone, it would do nothing but spurn hatred and further conflict between the two that would never be resolved because of how they never once saw past the veil they had placed over the other.

Was it time for that to change?

It wasn't to the extent of walking together into the sunset, but was there the chance that they could at least acknowledge there was something they had for the Sisters that the other did not know about?

If not for themselves, but at least for those Sisters they wanted to care about and had protected so much by themselves?

"I…" Mikoto started to say but hung her head down, Accelerator refusing to meet her eyes and only stared at Kamijou who he was holding up still.

"What's your play on this, Hero? What do you get from this? There's nothing in it for you and you've never once had or shown any care for this. Why in the world do you do so now?" Accelerator asked, his mind turning and looking at the boy in front of him to try and see the ulterior motive contained within what the boy was doing and talking about.

"Why?"

Both Level 5s turned to look at Kamijou who only grinned at the question.

"It might have been an illusion and it might have been entirely false…but in that world, the both of you were smiling together. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow, but at the very least, I just wanted the two of you to realise that there is more to the other than just what you saw during the Experiment. If anything, I can attest to that."

Kamijou Touma spoke those words while smiling, something that seemed so far removed from what had been done to him in the past few minutes.

Instead the only thing Accelerator did in response was slowly let the boy to the ground. He took a large breath after being constrained in his throat for so long. It was a welcome breath and Kamijou sighed in relief, turning and looking at the two Level 5s in front of him.

"Well?"

"I can't forgive you."

It was Mikoto who said those words out loud first and foremost, without giving Kamijou even the slightest chance to say anything. She had spoken outright and without pause, as if feeling that letting her emotions cool over would mean she would never let the words inside her heart come out of her chest. She spoke with pride, fear and honesty leaking from her heart in its entirety, something received directly by Accelerator.

He only stood there but if he was listening, he gave no indication of it. Mikoto took the time to continue speaking, the words flowing from within herself only making their way forward without pause.

"You…You killed them. I don't even need to repeat that, but you killed them. And for that I can't forgive you. I'll never forgive you for that alone. But…with Worst back in Hawaii, at the very least I can acknowledge that there is something else around the Sisters that maybe I don't know about at all that you have done. I can acknowledge that and accept that at the very least." Mikoto said those words out loud and directly at the boy across from her, only making it seem as though she had wanted to say these the entire time but had never had the chance, constantly and always being stuck in the role of victim with no way out whatsoever.

Accelerator said nothing for a small while before clicking his tongue.

"I…I'm not going to apologise to you. It's the clones I have to repay my debt to and the clones I have to work hard for to make their lives better."

Accelerator spoke softly, caught up in the situation and his words clear but at the same time weighty, as if there was something he was hiding and trying his best to convey to others despite not knowing how to say it. But even so, the words coming out of his mouth now recognised and showed the effort he was making to that cause.

Even if he knew he would never be forgiven and even if he knew he would never make it in the hearts of anyone else to be forgiven, at the very least he knew that this was something he had to say.

"But…at the very least, I can acknowledge that even someone as shitty as you, Third Rate, may have allowed me to repay that debt even the slightest fraction."

Accelerator refused to look Mikoto in the face as he spoke, something that was perhaps a rarity when it came down to it. Mikoto herself, while having spoken directly to Accelerator's face was thankful herself for the fact that he had been looking away when she had said her words as it allowed her to say them without once looking at him.

There were no words of thanks. They had nothing to be thankful for when it came to the end result and they were merely sitting and looking at what had been given as a whole.

They were not going to be something as sappy as hug it out. Their hands were too stained and their lives too messed up to even think about doing such a thing after all that had happened.

There were no apologies. This was not forgiveness and the both of them knew that their sins would never be washed away with those mere words.

But for everything that was not there, there was something that stood out among everything else.

And that was acknowledgement, acceptance and understanding.

Acknowledgement that maybe there was something the other had done for those they cared for and thus were not the villain or the victim they had played the role of being.

Acceptance that there was something more to them than just those roles.

Understanding that there was something they could compromise on when it concerned their emotions that did not have to do with forgiveness.

They could not be forgiven.

Yet, they could be accepted as being something more than they had been beforehand.

And that in itself was more than enough for the boy watching the two of them as they conversed right now with those awkward faces and looking away from each other.

Kamijou had known that it would be hard. He knew that accepting both of them and accepting that there was something more to them after everything they had been through was going to be no easy task and there had been some damage done to him in the process. It wasn't going to result in what he wanted in the sight of the two of them being able to walk together with smiles where they could work together to protect the Sisters, but he knew more than anything that that was asking too much.

He wasn't going to be greedy.

So, in the end, this was more than enough for him as he looked at the conclusion they had come to and what had happened for them to reach this stage where they could have that acceptance of each other for it all.

But this was just the tip of the iceberg.

"Do you guys…want to talk about it?" He asked slowly while looking at the two of them who were still avoiding the others' gaze.

"I don't do this type of fucking 'expression' of 'feelings'. I'm not you, Hero, so I just can't get used to this type of thing. Emotional arguments aren't what I do." Accelerator said that simply as he hung his head, turning around and starting to walk off.

But even so, he did not disappear entirely.

He reached the table that had been knocked over in the struggle between the three of them, lifting it up with his cane and picking up his own chair. He sat in it cross legged, staring at the other chairs toppled over and glaring at the boy and girl pair staring at him with surprise.

He clicked his tongue, turning his head away at their gazes and spoke while facing away.

"But we've come this far and as the #1, there's no way I'm chickening out from a simple conversation about things I've done for those clones without you knowing and villains I've punished. If you want to hear it, Third Rate, so we can compare notes or whatever, then you better take a fucking seat."

"I'm not so sure we can have a civil conversation when you're mouthing off like that." said Mikoto with a deadpan tone. Accelerator took the time to glare at her, his gaze icy and his tone hard.

"Did you fucking say something?"

Mikoto froze up on the spot before sighing and placing a hand to her forehead.

"Honestly, you don't have to be so roundabout with the way you say things, you tsundere."

Accelerator only narrowed his eyes. Kamijou looked away, trying to hide what he was thinking from appearing on his face.

(That's the pot calling the kettle black.)

Kamijou had that thought, a chill from next to him making him turn that way and seeing that Mikoto was glaring at him in a very Accelerator-like way that sent shivers up his spine. She narrowed her eyes as Kamijou gulped in fear.

"Wh-What?"

"What's up with that 'pot calling the kettle black' look on your face?"

"Ehhhhh!? S-Since when did you switch powers from being Electromaster to Mental Out!?"

"I have no idea why you suddenly brought up Shokuhou, but I can only think it ties back into the sports bra topic we started with!? Are you still mocking me!?" Mikoto shouted that out with a desperate tone as Kamijou went wide eyed, waving a hand in front of his face to show that it was not the case.

"I'd forgotten entirely about that so it's all on you! B-Besides you're only in middle school so I'm sure that there's time to grow."

"Y-You're the last person I want to hear that from, you idiot!"

"Misaka-san, I've taken enough damage for today because of you so if you could please stop with the Biri Biri!"

The sparks coming from Mikoto's bangs instantly died as she looked at the bruise on Kamijou's cheek from when she had slapped him. Guilt filled her even though what Kamijou had done was not entirely noble but still something he had done for the betterment and the sake of making the two Level 5s come to terms with the good they had done for the Sisters but did not know the other did. He had done it in his usual way, but it had come full circle and resulted in something that had hurt him in the end, something that had been caused by her and Accelerator as well.

She looked at the bruise on the boy's face and turned her gaze to the side, mumbling something underneath her breath.

"(Sorry.)"

"Hm? Where did the sparks go? Misaka-san, did you say something?" asked Kamijou as he had put up his left hand to protect his face after Mikoto had started sparking furiously in response to her embarrassment.

This was only added to it given her nature. She grew flustered and embarrassed at the prospect of having to repeat the words again, her face red as she moved over to the table and lifted up both chairs on the ground after they had been knocked over. She sat in one and indicated with a wave of her hand to the other.

Kamijou though only blinked and pointed at the chair put up by Mikoto that no one seemed to be looking at with any apprehension.

"Um, Misaka-san, what are you setting up that chair for? This is something that has to be discussed with just the two of y – "

"How can you even fucking say that when you're the one that created this situation in the first place?" Accelerator now took the time to face Kamijou now, impatiently turning his head as he looked directly at the boy standing there stunned.

"I have to agree on that point. Besides, since we've got the key players for the Experiment already here, it makes sense that you have to contribute as well. There might be some merit in listening to these stories, you idiot." Mikoto said that with a slight grin as she lightly kicked the chair Kamijou was to sit in, the boy staring at the two of them and blinking once.

Seeing that the both of them were not budging an inch when it came to this point, the boy had to concede. He bowed slightly in thanks and moved to his chair, pushing it backwards and thanking Mikoto for getting it up for him given his arm (which she blushed about given how sincerely he had thanked her despite her slapping him in the face previously) and sat down in it, leaning forward and looking at the both of them.

And he began what was to be a very long day for the three of them.

"So, who's first?"

There was to be no forgiveness in the conversations about to take place. There was no avenue for it and it was something that could not been so easily retrieved for both of those Level 5s for the things they had done and the things they had caused.

But at the very least there was an avenue for acceptance that there was something beyond what the both of them had traditionally thought about each other after the Experiment was done. The heart-to-heart talk about the things they had done and the things they had achieved for the Sisters was something that had never been covered by the both of them merely because they had been satisfied with treating each other as either the victim of the villain and not bothered moving beyond that line of thought.

It was incredibly shallow but the two of them had taken that first step forward, something they were doing for the purposes of ensuring they could see the other in a new light for everything they had done.

This was not redemption in the purest sense. Doing this and getting to learn about what party had done what for the Sisters and when was not going to wipe away the sins accumulated overtime. It was not something that could be washed away so easily, and it was not something that could be dispelled like an illusion broken.

That alone only signified that unconditional forgiveness was not the point of the stories about to be shared. They were only going to be stories that told of what they had done and for who they had done them for, the conditions and the things that connected them being nothing more than the clones they had all come across and acted for or against in some way or another.

While it was somewhat cruel that there was to be no forgiveness, instead, there was only the remnant of a destroyed world that made its presence known that it shone through despite the darkness that surrounded those people.

And that bright world was one where everyone was smiling.

Perhaps because they could not have the heart to forgive each other that there was no room for that here in the original world.

But even so, the fact that they were willing to accept that there was something more to them than they had originally thought was only the first thing that allowed the presence of the Omega World to shine through. For the purposes of kindness and of matters of the heart, forgiveness not being shown was definitely a cruel thing even though it was understandable.

But the acceptance for sure was something that had its own light.

And that light only had to be conveyed in words.


And that's the end.

Damn this was tricky. This was something I've wanted to do for a while (and will probably cover in my own way in ACUL0) but even so, it was damn tricky to actually nail the feel and the overall flow of the one-shot itself. For all intents and purposes, while it feels as though this was a 'forgiveness' themed one-shot, it was not. Instead, it was focused entirely around the concept of acceptance allowing for the themes of forgiveness to shine through but ultimately to be rejected when it comes down to it.

In this one-shot, if there was anyone that had the villainous role, it was definitely Touma hence the bashing that he received. Here, he is acting entirely because of his own selfishness. While that can be viewed as something that is good, the topic he wanted to discuss and how he delved into it without any preparation on the part of anyone else was extremely cruel on his part. The fact that he acknowledges such but moves forward anyway only shows that perhaps while he played a role unlike him here, he was still the same Touma at his core.

The smiles of both Accelerator and Mikoto together. It's something I doubt we will see because of their past and it was something I really wanted to cover because of said past. While in the Omega World we know that the both of them were happy, in the true world, it is not the case. They each have their own sins and they are constantly trying to find ways that they can make up for it to those that have been punished and for that alone, their position of 'not being able to forgive the other' is perhaps the right one.

Mikoto cannot forgive Accelerator for obvious reasons but likewise Accelerator cannot forgive Mikoto as she is the one that allowed those clones to be formed in the first place. Because of this alone and the divide that separates the two of them then and how it cannot be carved through, it is important to note that forgiveness just can't happen between the two of them at this stage.

And I think that was the point here.

Instead, what Touma was going for was something along the lines where the both of them have the capacity to understand what it is that the other has done to allow the Sisters' smiles to form. It's not forgiveness that leads to the both of them walking together but maybe that they can accept that there is something beyond what they currently have that changes perceptions of them in the eyes of others. It's never really been covered before and I felt that no matter what happens, Accelerator and Mikoto will always associate the other with the Experiment which makes sense.

As such, I felt that there would be nothing but lingering feelings behind it. Because of the association, Mikoto would see Accelerator as nothing but a villain and him, Mikoto as nothing but a victim. In turn the only way to break that stalemate that has formed around them when it comes to the other completely rejecting what the other stands for is to see what they stand for in the first place which is the exact same thing. I ended the one-shot where they were about to have the conversation mainly because it's not the conversation that's important.

What is important is the fact that the two of the Level 5s are making a conscious decision, with the help of Touma to go beyond the hell of the Experiment and to see the good that they have done for the Sisters, leading to mutual respect and thus acceptance of the other for the GOOD that they have done while also realising the BAD that has been done as well. It is this point, this acceptance that maybe there was more to them than the other realised that is the catharsis of the one-shot with Touma's despair of the Omega World pushing it forward above anything else.

I hope then that as you looked at this, you felt that while forgiveness for what Accelerator and Mikoto had done was not something that could be achieved, that there was scope for acceptance of the good that has been done by both parties for the Sisters which would then foster the realisation (but not forgiveness which is important) that the other party has also sacrificed things for the Sisters as should be done instead of where they could not accept that good because of the association with the Experiment they had for each other.

But that was the overarching theme of this one-shot, and with it, I hope you fully came to enjoy it.

And as always,
Review if you please.

And I'll see you when I see you and I won't if I don't.

Apparently, nurses really do wear sports bras in real life though….