A/N: A quick update, because I really wanted to make this chapter before Thanksgiving. The "test" in the last chapter will no doubt come up again, and to those who have taken it… you pass! You all pass! Some passed more than others, but yeah! Congrats! It was a silly spur of the moment thing I put at the end, and I'm surprised people even tried it. To those of you who did, thanks. And I also apologize since there really is no pay off to that. Welp.
3:00 PM/X Years Earlier
Three.
…
"What?"
I'll grant you three wishes.
…
Don't look at me like that. Just so you know, I'm actually pretty amazing. Really, I am. And like a genie, I can make your dreams come true.
…
Fine, fine. I understand your skepticism. But at the very least, take this.
…
Again, you're too cautious. I just happen to like you a lot. So please take it.
…
…
"Thanks…"
...
『 Divergence Levels: Relatively Stable 』
6:00 AM/Present Day
Accelerator's fingers brushed through the contents of a heavily laden portfolio. His red eyes quickly scanned paragraphs upon paragraphs as well as included charts and diagrams.
Before laying it down, he lightly tapped the folder on its end to straighten out the ruffled edges.
…
The boy cracked his knuckles and sat back.
Speaking aridly to the person in front of him, he cast a daunting glare.
"So tell me."
Accelerator began emitting pressure.
"In your own words, why should I give a shit?"
Researcher A
"Currently, I'm working on something that will fundamentally change Academy City. As you can see from my already extensive research, I've only just begun scratching the surface."
"Is that so."
"Yes. This is groundbreaking stuff. It'll shatter the scientific community to pieces. I'm talking about the world's most perfect banana peel. Something so pure and simple, and yet complex beyond words. In the first place, I don't even understand why my team got downgraded to Low Priority after our project was green-lit."
"Me neither."
Accelerator nodded thoughtfully.
"You just mentioned that you were actually sent down a level grade. I'm curious… exactly what kind of funding were you receiving previously?"
"I believe it was… around 2.6 billion yen. It really was a shock when-"
"Hold up."
In the middle of his statement, the white-haired boy choked on his words.
Without knowing it, he raised his arm awkwardly. Touching his forehead, he stared at the researcher with a wide-eyed glance.
"I… what?."
The researcher nodded.
"I know. It doesn't make sense, right? I feel like we're both on the same wavelength. Here. Take a sample."
"I don't want it."
Researcher B
"So imagine this."
The researcher laid out a scene as if he were pitching an action movie.
"You're a girl. You're in middle school. And you've got a baseball bat. So obviously, you're set to blow shit up, right?"
"No. Why would I-"
"Now you're in this lab filled with all this computer-y stuff. No choice, right? You start swinging away!"
The researcher began swinging an imaginary weapon.
"Boom! Bang! Clang! Crash! Glass is everywhere! Sparks are flying! Everything looks like it's destroyed! Job well done, right?"
He slammed his hands on the table.
"Not!
"All you did was smash a bunch of monitors, and when you hit a monitor, it does jack shit to the actual computer! Screens are peripheral devices that have no bearing on data and data storage! Attach another monitor, and we're back to square one!
"To that, I say NO MORE!
"Give me back my funding, and I promise I will install software on every computer in Academy City that will brick entire networks when a monitor gets destroyed."
"…"
Researcher C
"You know what's hot? Tomboys. In particular, sporty tomboys. In particular, particular… sporty tomboys with big breasts. In particular, particular, particular… sporty tomboys with big breasts who are also embarrassed of said big breasts."
"I don't like where this is going…"
"My research is addressing this untapped market. Clothes that somehow warp space so that large knockers… just disappear! Or so it seems!
"Here's an example of application."
"You and your rival are battling it out. He's strong! You say. And he says back. Too slow! Suddenly, you're tackled into a river or a pool. It doesn't matter which. What matters is that the two of you get drenched in water.
"For some non-homoerotic reason, you decide to strip your rival because… well, you don't want him to get a cold, right? That's dangerous! But when you do that… WHAM! Where'd those bazongas come from?-! No, more like, your rival was a girl the entire time?-!"
The researcher crossed his arms confidently.
"I got this idea from an anime."
"I'm sure you did."
Final Verdict
Researcher A:
"After much deliberation, I'm terminating your project immediately. Also, I'm noticing signs of mental retardation. You should probably have that checked with your doctor."
Researcher B:
"First off, you get nothing. Second, you're clearly insane and a threat to yourself and others. Please wait outside and the proper authorities will come by to pick you up."
Researcher C:
"To put it briefly, you need to get out. I honestly don't want to deal with you right now. Or ever. If you attempt to talk to me again, I will rip out your teeth one-by-one and shove them up your ass."
As the day went on…
Accelerator rubbed his head in irritation.
"How many more of these do I have to do…"
Nunotaba Shinobu replied in kind.
"There are around 17 more. Not counting the ones who wanted to reschedule."
"Holy fuck..."
Researcher T
Time dwindled away with the coming and going of people. Eventually, only one remained waiting.
Accelerator took a deep breath.
"Is something wrong?"
"Let's not kid ourselves. If something was going right, you and I wouldn't be here right now."
"A-Ah… I see…"
The white-haired boy tossed a portfolio on the table.
"I already looked at the research, and my answer is still no. I'm not changing my mind."
"W-What?-! But I haven't even stated my case yet!"
"It doesn't matter."
"I've created a machine that protects the Law of Conservation of Mass."
"You created a machine that does nothing."
…
The researcher seemed struck by the comment.
"W-Well, that may be true… but if I had enough funding to make another one-"
"That's not going to happen."
"…"
He glared at the boy.
"F-For your information, I didn't make this out of my own volition. I was given these schematics by an upper echelon. And when they hear about this-"
"I'll probably receive a stern lecture later. But until that happens, you're to cease all operations."
…
He didn't take this well.
Dogs of the City
The researcher stared at Accelerator.
…
The air grew oddly thick.
And a hatred emanated.
…
A movement-
His hand quickly moved to his inner coat pocket-
"…!"
Hamazura Shaige grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't."
[ SFX: Click. ]
The researcher glanced back and saw Nunotaba Shinobu holding a pistol at her side. Along with the feeling of nails, the girl's blank stare dug in as well.
"…"
Slowly…
The researcher pulled out a cigarette.
"You know… I was told things would be different. But I guess that makes you and me fools."
Shoving the dropout aside, he left the lab. But not before uttering his final grievance.
"Fucking brats…"
3:45 PM/Present Time
With appointments finally over, the lab returned to normal. As normal as it could be, anyway.
"It'd be nice if you didn't try to make enemies out of everyone you meet."
Hamazura Shiage locked the front door for safety. Nunotaba Shinobu agreed with the sentiment.
"He's right. That attitude is a real problem. There are those that might find it charming, but for most others, it's a thorn."
"No one got hurt. I don't see a problem."
"Yeah, but something could happen. And unlike you, we can't reflect bullets. At least, I can't reflect them. Can you?"
"I can't."
"You see! There you go!"
Accelerator flat out ignored the boy's complaints.
"More importantly, it seems you guys found something interesting, haven't you?"
"Oi."
The girl frowned.
"Letting your eyes wander isn't good manners. You should pay full attention to the people in front of you, not to those in the back."
"Just tell me what it is."
Sphere
The three stood in front of a computer monitor. A strange image was being captured. Nunotaba Shinobu described it as such.
"It's a hole. You can also call it a rip or a tear if you want. For the past 45 minutes, it's been static above Academy City."
"Is it one of ours?"
"It shouldn't be, but it could be from an experiment from someone above our level."
Hamazura Shiage made an observation.
"You say hole, but… it doesn't look like that at all. It looks more like an orb. It's kinda creepy too…"
…
"Is… there any rational basis for this?"
The real question Accelerator wanted to ask was whether it was Science or Magic, but none of those around him probably would have understood.
"I can't say. It seemed to have appeared out of nowhere."
"Hey! Zoom in a bit. If it's really a hole, maybe we can see what's on the other side?"
…
As soon as that last statement was made…
"…"
"It… disappeared. Did the camera move?"
"Wait, wait, wait…"
Hide And-
"The camera is static. The hole must have moved."
Nunotaba Shinobu began searching for coordinates.
"Haa? What do you mean? How the hell is a hole supposed to move?"
The girl hastily tapped her fingers on her keyboard. The boys stared as she worked.
"It's not like it can grow legs-"
Hamazura Shiage's yammering was getting on her nerves as she frantically scanned the surrounding areas.
"And walk aw-"
…
And then…
She stopped.
Everything stopped.
…
Sound drained.
Light faded.
Color sapped from each corner of the room.
They understood. Without looking.
It was an alien feeling that took ahold of their brains, sending signals of impossible comprehension, even if they couldn't understand why.
…
The hole they were looking for didn't need to be found.
It had found them.
Seek
Taking the entire height of the room…
The sphere was mirror like, reflecting everything in black and white.
It pulsed organically but still seemed lifeless.
And as humans…
The three could only hold onto the strong feeling…
That this situation was dangerous.
[ SFX: …kkkkzkzzkkkk ]
Something was going to happen.
Something bad was going to happen.
[ SFX: …kkkkkkkzkkzkkkkkzkkkzkkkkk ]
Subtle movements were unsafe.
Anything could set it off.
[ SFX: …kzzzzkzzzzkzzzkkzzzzzzzzzzzkzzzzz ]
Instincts set aflame.
Don't move. Don't breathe. Don't blink.
Stay still.
[ SFX: … ]
Stay silent.
That, or...
Panic.
Rip
Flipping the switch on his collar…
Accelerator grabbed Hamazura Shiage by his arm. And he pushed him and Nunotaba Shinobu with a flush of air.
"…hgh!"
And in the half-second that this happened-
The orb expanded.
One of the last things Hamazura Shiage saw as he flew away…
Was a thin outline disappearing into white.
And then blackness taking over.
4:00 PM/Present Time
Following the disappearance of the sphere…
Light, sound, and color returned. But…
The entire front wall of the lab had disappeared.
Chunks of the ceiling and floor were gone as well.
"…sfff."
Finding it hard to breath, Hamazura Shiage spat stilted breathes. He struggled to move.
"S… S-en… Senpai…"
Gathering his bearings, he turned himself over to see Nunotaba Shinobu.
"Hey… Hey now…"
He tried shaking her, but she was out cold.
"C-C'mon…"
With his returning senses, he noticed.
[ SFX: Crk… ]
An unnatural sound…
Someone took a step.
"…"
Hamazura Shiage turned his head.
Standing in the middle of all the destruction…
There was…
"Eh?"
A small child with white hair and red eyes.
『 Divergence Levels: Dangerous 』
Nth-child Displacement Arc start.
Timeline (condensed): 1̨0, ́1,͘ 2, 4͝,̶ 8̨,͜ 9,̨ 19-2̛8̴, ̸3, ͝x́, ̸1҉2-17̵,̡ ͟x͠, ̛5͜-7̛, ͢x, ͘1́1
