A/N: Gutsy Girl reaches its third part. For this chapter and next, I've taken some liberties with Gunha, and... I guess Chapter 10 should also be considered important.

Also. Try to remember that this is a comedy. I sometimes forget that myself.


Audience

Sogiita Gunha and Otani Eiko (original character do not steal) were sitting on a bench. The two of them were having lunch.

( Mikoto: Move over. I can't see. )

( Teitoku: When's he gonna hold her hand? )

( Shizuri: He won't. Cause' he's a loser. )

The Number 7 spoke up.

"Today's weather is nice."

The girl nodded.

( Mikoto: Come to think of it, that whole thing with head pats… was all that just bragging?-! )

( Teitoku: Her hands are wide open. This is his chance. )

( Shizuri: He won't. Cause' he's a loser. )

The Number 7 spoke up again.

"Since we're together, is there anything you want to do?"

"Um… well…"

( Mikoto: Smug bastard! Just because he has a girlfriend, he thinks it's alright to look down on others?-! )

( Teitoku: Ah. Her hand moved. He blew it. )

( Shizuri: I told ya'. He's a loser. )

Sogiita Gunha turned his head toward the nearby bush.

( Mikoto: Ack! He's looking this way! Scatter! Scatter! )

Impressions

"I apologize."

Sogiita Gunha gestured eloquently.

"Not every Level 5 can be as tactful as me. Some of them just don't have the aptitude to read the mood."

Judging by his face, the Number 7 was pleased by the attention he was receiving. Those who have graduated from bachelordom overtly showed off to single people, and Sogiita Gunha was now a part of that elitist group. This would mean he would go on to make others feel bad for being alone and go through great lengths to remind them of this miserable fact.

But personal feeling aside…

Sogiita Gunha continued on.

"But… even so, once you get to know them, you would see that they're actually good people. They really aren't so scary."

Otani Eiko gave him a blank stare.

"…"

"Well… some of them."

"I see."

Sogiita Gunha was quick to concede.

Relation

The boy and girl resumed eating their lunch.

A rather normal conversation transpired.

"This is good. Did you make this yourself?"

"Convenience store… It was along the way…"

"Huh. Well, thanks. Thanks for coming out."

"Did… I catch you at a bad time?"

"Mmm? No. Nothing much ever happens in that room. I'd be lying if I said I was doing anything important."

"…"

"But yeah. Like I said. Since I'm out, is there anything you want to do? A movie? Amusement park? Aquarium?"

"You… should probably head back."

"Ah… another time then…"

Guard

The Number 2, 3, and 4 stalked from afar. Finding a place where they could observe and not be noticed, they watched the two figures in the distance having a normal lunch date.

To say the least, it was boring.

"Boring. This is booring."

Mugino Shizuri openly expressed her tedium.

"If you're bored, then leave. I didn't ask you come."

Misaka Mikoto didn't even pretend to care. She continued to adamantly spy through a pair of familiar-looking rectangular binoculars.

"…"

The Number 4 glanced at the Number 3. Her usual disinterested expression was the same as always…

But there was something underneath it…

Perhaps, it might have been discomfort. But it could have easily been annoyance.

Mugino Shizuri clicked her tongue.

Moistening her pinky in her mouth, she then proceeded to shove it into Misaka Mikoto's ear.

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAH?-!"

Expectations

Misaka Mikoto jolted away and began furiously rubbing the side of her head.

"WHAT THE- WHY- EUHHHHHHGH?-!"

Mugino Shizuri spoke low. One might have interpreted her words to be coated in malice, but in this instance, it was due to lack of energy.

"Thaaat's right. You didn't ask me to come. I came out of my own free will expecting to be somewhat entertained.

"However, the longer I'm here, the more it's becoming clear to me. This isn't interesting at all."

She stood up. Her coat slightly fluttered as she moved.

"I'll be going back."

With her back to the girl, she left a final thought.

"I don't know what you're hoping to find, Railgun, but you should consider doing the same."

The Queen's Stance

"…"

The Number 3 felt her hands clenching.

A recognizable sensation settled in.

( "Why are you being so familiar?" )

At the risk of drastically changing the tone, and making this chapter too wordy…

Let's take a second here and give some thought…

Whether Misaka Mikoto's motivations were comedic and thoughtless, or directed and spiteful, the motivations themselves should probably be addressed. After all, what was the relationship between Misaka Mikoto and Sogiita Gunha? For that matter, what was the relationship between her and the other Level 5s?

Quite easily, one can point out there is barely any whatsoever. These troublesome people were frustrations and thorns that got in her way and nothing more. Misaka Mikoto has a defined circle that she's protective of, and she perceives the other Level 5s to be possible threats. Given prior events, this is reasonable.

( "We aren't friends." )

So Sogiita Gunha has a girlfriend. But in what way does this impact her?

Is there anyone in danger? Is anyone she knows personally affected?

Simply put, there is no impact.

Misaka Mikoto's disposition is more or less the same as Shokuhou Misaki's.

Once again, the line of reasoning is clear: This is a matter that does not concern her.

( "Leave me alone." )

With that being said, Misaka Mikoto had gone as far as she could with her little "joke". The line before her was something she would not cross. And as quickly as she had made up her mind to go, she would just as quickly give in.

This was the obvious thing to do. But for some reason, this left a bitter taste.

Unclenching her fists…

The girl felt the Number 2 touch her shoulder.

"I feel like I should say this for clarification. I'm actually a mass of sentient Dark Matter in the shape of a Kakine Teitoku. I have no idea if I can procreate normally anymore."

"See. This is why I don't ever talk to you."

Musing

With the loss of motive, the stalking party had disbanded.

Kakine Teitoku, Misaka Mikoto, and Mugino Shizuri returned to the testing facility.

And left to their own devices…

Sogiita Gunha and Otani Eiko resumed their date.

As the Number 4 predicted, it was an uninteresting show.

There was no hand holding. No indirect kisses. They didn't try to feed each other their meals.

Such lovey-dovey antics were absent.

But that didn't make this occasion any less of a date.

It was still a date in the sense that… they were accompanying each other.

And maybe that's all Sogiita Gunha wanted.

To be with another person and not be reminded of Academy City's power curriculum. To not be identified as a "Level 5". Not as some monster of strength, but as a regular human being.

But who's to say what was really on his mind? Most likely, it was just GUTS anyway.

At the end of their outing, the two walked back to the testing facility, where the Number 7 met back up with the rest.

( Gunha: Huh? Is there someone missing here? )

( Misaki: Don't think too much about it. )

And so, this would mark the end of this particularly uneventful event.

And so, a new event would immediately unfold thereafter.

Before Otani Eiko could exit the facility…

A cane blocked her path.

The King's Stance

"Don't be in such a hurry."

Quiet as it was, the metallic voice rang throughout the hall. She was taken by surprise, and had she turned the corner any faster, she would have stumbled. Her eyes slowly followed the cane up to the white-haired boy that it belonged to.

"You seem uneasy. Is there a problem?"

The girl had half-a-mind to break away and run. But even if she turned around, there wasn't an exit. It was just a long stretch that led her back to the club room. There was only one way to get out. She had no choice but to face him.

"No… There isn't a problem…"

The atmosphere grew heavy.

The Number 1 hadn't even given her a glance, but she could feel his presence starting to weigh down on her. Quickly, she found her legs frozen to the floor. Her skin paling translucent. And her own heart trapped in ice.

It was this feeling that made the difference clear: He was a Level 5. She was not.

Accelerator spoke bluntly, largely indifferent to the effect he was having on her.

"Saying things like 'I don't need to get involved', 'This doesn't concern me', or 'It's not my business'… I really wish I could make those type of excuses.

"You see, the only people I care about are the contacts I have listed on my phone. But as of recent, the number of these contacts has increased by six. And unfortunately, until I'm able to delete these people, these new contacts are also under my care.

"I'm not one for long drawn out sequences, so I'll cut this short."

Otani Eiko finally saw it. The red glare that witnessed deaths upon deaths. A bloodied sea.

"Tell me what your relationship is with Sogiita Gunha."

Confession

Otani Eiko no longer looked like herself. Whatever spark she had that made her cute was watered down to a hanging doll. She lost her color. She lost her composure. What was left was something akin to worthlessness.

If the character for "guilt" had been written across her face, no one would notice.

With eyes drawn to the floor, she admitted something incredulous. Ordinary, but incredulous enough to make the Number 1 pause. He needed a moment, but eventually he accepted the ridiculous truth.

Accelerator released a long drawn out breath.

"So it's a punishment game then."

"…"

Putting all of the girl's words and actions into one sentence affected her in a way she didn't anticipate.

She felt the need to defend herself.

"It… wasn't supposed to go this far…"

She tensed up but dared not to raise her gaze.

"It… was supposed to end after I confessed, but…"

Sogiita Gunha's image came up. It was the moment before he could fully understand what was being said to him. It was the brief moment when confusion turned to realization. His expression didn't evoke anything powerful, but…

"He seemed… happy…"

The girl grimaced. She had been devastated at that outcome.

Message

"I… didn't know what to do after that… when everyone's encouraging me… when everyone's cheering for me… I just… hate it."

The girl was shaking.

"I hate it… I don't want this… I don't need this…"

Her voice trembled.

"I just want everything to end…"

The hallway began to darken as the first signs of evening appeared.

"But…

"When I found out that Shokuhou Misaki was here, I knew I had to-"

It finally became clear. The pieces came together.

The blonde-haired girl who distanced herself in the club room…

And the expression she had…

That even someone without telepathy could figure out.

The Number 1 snapped.

"Do it yourself."

Somehow, Otani Eiko became more frozen than before.

"Do it yourself. Don't bring anyone else into this FUCKING mess you've made."

Break

"…"

Otani Eiko felt her heart stop. There was an obvious answer she was supposed to make, but… the correct words wouldn't come out.

"I… I can't. I can't do it myself. I just-"

Accelerator didn't take too kind to this answer. He flipped the switch on his neck.

And he grabbed her.

In a swift motion, he slammed her up against the wall. A dull sound rang throughout as the girl's breath escaped.

"…ck!"

His face was cold.

"Do you really expect anyone to sympathize with you? Because there were others involved with your actions, you think you can play the role of victim now?"

Pressure.

"Let me tell you. No one gives a SHIT about your situation. At the end of the day, just who do you think is going to pick up the pieces?"

More pressure.

"This may come as a surprise, but I'm actually being real kind. Those other guys in that room there? They won't be. But since it looks like you've failed to grasp how deep of SHIT you're in, I'll tell you what you're going to do now."

Almost enough to cut through skin.

"You're going to walk back over, call Gunha out, and break it off with him."

Consequences

With what little strength Otani Eiko had, she managed to squeeze out an answer.

"I… can't…"

Accelerator maintained his position.

"I'm not asking you."

"I..."

Her eyes were filling with tears.

"Do you understand me?"

"…"

...

Silence…

And…

Briefly…

Killing intent.

"…?-!"

Versus

Accelerator barely had any time to react. He dropped the girl and-

[ SFX: CRAAAAAAAAAAACK-! ]

The boy flew back from a punch made at twice the speed of sound.

That noise wasn't from the impact but from all the windows in the hall shattering at the same time.

Dust and debris exploded as Accelerator crashed against the end of the corridor. And… through it all, he heard a voice.

"Don't you dare..."

Stepping closer.

Stepping menacingly.

With increasing speed.

"Touch her."


Timeline: 10, 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, x, 3, x, 12, 13, 14, x, 5, 6, 7, x, 11

Next Chapter: Sogiita Gunha won't receive a happy ending.