Chapter 17 Tag Team: Envoys of Destruction
As expected, Akiha didn't leave any traps or try sneaking into my bed when I returned. In fact, all I got from her was a stare and a nod before she turned over and went to sleep.
Although I was still guilty for angering her, that night I was more worried about Misaka than my problems with Akiha. She just had a giant burden placed on her, and no doubt she's feeling guilty for her part in their creation and destruction.
Maybe I'll go talk to her tomorrow morning...
-Timeskip 6 hours-
Waking up early the next morning, as expected I didn't sleep very well... It didn't help that the dream I had was so vivid and real... Misaka picked another fight with Accelerator and lost, dying in a manner too horrible to describe.
With the time only 7am, I might as well go out to one of those 24 hour fast food joints for breakfast. Akiha is still fast asleep and disturbing her would be the fastest way to shorten my lifespan.
Eating a burger meal at the first joint I arrived at, I waited until 9am, earning a few weird stares from the staff as I sat at the seat for nearly 2 hours after only buying a burger, shake, and fries.
9am on the dot, I left the place, taking a shortcut to Tokiwadai's outer dormitory, passing the place where I left Misaka last night... Hmm? Isn't that Misaka and the fish eyed girl?
Sitting on a nearby bench and sneaking peeks at the both of them, Misaka finally stood and started walking in my direction, tapping my shoulder as she walked past, "I knew you were there last night. Why did you come after watching what happened?"
The real answer screaming to be let out, I quickly averted my gaze as I lied, "I couldn't move, with a fight like that, I'm merely collateral."
Nodding her head as she accepted my answer, Misaka continued, "So why are you doing this? You don't have to do this, if you turned around now you could probably live a normal life. Why get involved?"
Is she trying to make me confess at her at every sentence she speaks? Dammit!
"Because I've come across the experiment several times, and to create living things to be sacrificed as cannon fodder is just wrong. Also, some of the laboratories you plan to destroy have data on another project that I'm interested in."
"So you have something of interest too huh? That makes sense." Misaka said, ignoring the first part of my sentence.
To be honest, that is a half truth, they might or might not have any data on my past, but to be sure I might as well find out.
"So... How are you going to destroy them?" I asked.
"With this." Misaka answered, pulling out her PDA, "I'm going to hack into their computers and destroy them from there."
"Alright, I'll go get the data now." I said, standing up and powering up my own phone, searching for the nearest institution.
"There's no need. I'm hacking into their computer databases right? I'll just download the data before I destroy them. Just bring a few data storage devices."
"How many...?"
"Several terabytes." Misaka replied, a look of determination on her face that I burned to memory before we parted ways.
I want to help her... I really do... But now... It seems like I'm only being a burden to her...
Too preoccupied with my thoughts, I accidentally bumped into a Tokiwadai girl before realising where I was going.
"S-sorry! My bad, I wasn't looking!" I quickly said apologetically, taking a step back before I realised who I bumped into.
"M-Misaka?" I stammered, unable to believe who I was staring at, trying to figure out how I can possibly bump into a girl I just said goodbye to.
"Good afternoon. MISAKA says, greeting the person who just walked into her."
"Uhhh... You are... MISAKA right...?" I muttered, wondering how to differentiate one from another.
"Yes, MISAKA is MISAKA. MISAKA says, adding the serial number #11337 for reference."
"Oh, so you all have serial numbers?"
"Yes, to tell us all apart. MISAKA answers."
Another clone huh...? Might as well let her enjoy her last days... It's the least I can do for someone who was born just to die in the most cruel way imaginable, at the hand of that monster...
"That sounds logical... I'm Ryusuke. Ryusuke..."
"Ryusuke Isha 16. Level 2, ability name: Proximity Trace. MISAKA says, leaking the information she knows at the appropriate time."
"You know me? That makes things easier... Well... Are you hungry MISAKA? Wanna grab a bite to eat?"
"MISAKA does not understand. MISAKA responds plainly, what is a bite and how do you grab it? MISAKA asks for confirmation on a phrase she is unfamiliar with."
"Oh! I mean, would you like to eat lunch?"
"MISAKA would like to, lunch is necessary in nourishing the body is it not? MISAKA says, asking the obvious question."
Ok you dumb ass, pick holes in this.
"MISAKA are you hungry? Would you like to eat lunch with me?"
"MISAKA is supposed to use the money she was given to buy her own meals, but MISAKA is not sure where 500 yen can be well spent. MISAKA says, stating her fears."
"Wait, you only have 500 yen?" I said, slightly shocked at the paltry amount.
"Actually, MISAKA has been given enough to last until her time to participate in the experiment, and MISAKA has 10000 yen. In order to last until the day of the experiment, MISAKA has to use 500 yen a day. MISAKA says, demonstrating her arithmetic skills."
Twenty days huh? If only I could do this for the rest of the clones. To do it for only one of them... It's more like I'm using this girl to get over the guilt of not being able to save them all. Disgusting isn't it? To think I'd do something as despicable as this just to sleep better at night while people die.
"It's alright, I'll pay. So do you want to go?"
"Alright, where are we going? MISAKA says, asking about the destination."
"Well..."
In the end I settled for a small udon restaurant in the 13th district. I had been meaning to try that place and as it turns out, Kuromaru wasn't that bad at picking good places to eat, this place being the third place that he recommended.
It makes me wonder how he knows all these places while stuck at the Judgment branch during almost all of his free time.
"Well... How is it...?" I asked slowly, worried over whether MISAKA enjoyed it or not.
"The noodles are made from fine quality wheat flour and have been boiled and cooled before the soup is flavoured. This adds to the contrast in taste.
MISAKA says, stating her observations.
"Well I'm glad you liked it." I muttered, not understanding a word she said.
After lunch, I paid for our meals, (the owner gave me a wink and a thumbs up to my eternal embarrassment), and led MISAKA out back onto the street.
Walking down a few blocks aimlessly, the silence started to get to me although the clone seemed fine with it.
"Well... I heard there's a theatre showing old movies... Would you like to go?" I asked, trying to start a conversation.
"It shouldn't affect MISAKA's schedule too much. MISAKA says, after checking her schedule via the MISAKA network, but why are you doing all this? MISAKA asks, trying to find the reason for your kindness."
So this is the rumoured MISAKA network, but can it really be used to check scheduled as well? Interesting...
"Well, you looked a bit sad there so I thought I'd cheer you up." I said, lying trough my teeth.
"MISAKA looked... Sad...? MISAKA asks, wondering how she looked."
"Well, not exactly sad... Troubled is a better word for it."
"MISAKA does not understand. MISAKA says, tilting her head to the side as she tries to comprehend your previous statement."
Oh gawd, she really tilted her head, and it looks so cute! Someone shoot me, I'm looking at a freaking clone this way!
"Oh, well... Uhhh... Never mind what I said, would you like to go? I heard this week they're playing science fiction movies."
"If you insist. MISAKA says as she accepts."
Once again enveloped in an uncomfortable silence, I quickly made my way to the theatre as fast as possible and bought the tickets, not even paying attention to what movie I was buying until MISAKA and I entered the theatre. It was only then that I realised my mistake.
It wasn't science fiction week, it was a series of movies called Star Wars that was being played, one movie in the series playing every day. Today of all days was "Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones".
Of all the movies to watch... I'm such an idiot...
To my surprise MISAKA seemed to enjoy the movie, and even cringed slightly during the more scary parts though her face was still as deadpan as ever.
After the movie ended, I was extremely hesitant to ask about what the movie was like, but MISAKA saved me the trouble by speaking out first, "MISAKA wonders if you chose this movie because of MISAKA. MISAKA says, wondering aloud."
"Well... It was actually by accident. Sorry if I offended you or anything."
"The plot was planned out to romanticise the idea of forbidden relationships, made unrealistic by the amount of violence without any blood and on a whole, ruined by those energy weapons that can cut through anything, reflect energy and that only certain people can use them. MISAKA says offering her criticism."
So she didn't like it after all huh.
"But... This is the first movie MISAKA has ever watched..." MISAKA said, looking down to the ground, "MISAKA feels strange. MISAKA says trying to explain herself."
She probably feels happy. At least that's what I hope she feels...
"Well, Uhhh... MISAKA... I have to go now, maybe I'll meet you again sometime?"
"Farewell, Ryusuke-san." MISAKA said, bowing slightly before walking off.
Dammit... She's just like a naive version of Mikoto... Its bad enough I have feelings for her... Now...
Pushing my feelings aside for the moment, I met up with Misaka at a phone booth in the 7th district near her dormitory, skipping dinner because I didn't feel hungry.
"Did you bring the portable data storage devices?" Misaka asked as I reached the booth panting slightly.
"No... The twenty facilities that are conducting the experiments are not facilities that I am looking for." I wheezed.
"Then why are you still here? You have no more reason to be involved."
"I got involved. I'll see it through until the end."
That and I get to spend more time with Misaka... But why do I feel so guilty while doing so...?
"Well, the only thing you can do right now is get away and watch the fireworks. I'm taking them all out tonight."
"What? How?"
"Watch."
As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Misaka focused her attention on her PDA, and a few seconds later, it started.
It started with a small explosion in the direction of the 23rd district, but then the explosions started elsewhere towards the south and started chaining in every directions until they all suddenly stopped.
"Done? That was fast."
"No... They noticed a lot sooner than I expected... I got about 70% of them but... Guess I have to raid them directly now."
"We. Not I."
"This isn't something you can do. Can you destroy an entire facility without leaving a trace of you ever being there? Open electronic locks and erase yourself from security cameras?"
"I'll admit, my control is still average at best, and I definitely don't have the fine control that you do. But isn't there safety in numbers? I can back you up and help you if needed. Believe it or not, destroying things is something that's easily done with or without fine control."
"You can't just destroy everything in your path haphazardly! If you leave a trace, anything out of the ordinary, they can track you using that. Believe me, I'm better off doing this alone."
"This isn't a debate. I'm coming, whether you like it or not."
"Dammit! Why must you be so damn stubborn..!"
"Why must you? Lives are being lost here! No, not even lost. Wasted! Lives are being WASTED here! Why can't I stop that huh? Why?"
Looking away after I practically screamed at her, Misaka's volume dipped a considerable bit from shouting back to normal, "Fine, but don't drag me down."
Arranging to meet near the Ryuden Sports Human Development Engineering Centre, Misaka and I said our goodbye's for the night heading back to our respective dormitories.
I didn't sleep well that night... I dreamt of girls being slaughtered, all with not just Misaka's face but Tsubaki's, Akiha's and even Ruiko as well. I woke up with a start, the time on my alarm clock 3:43am, displayed by the eerie luminescent green colour most digital alarm clocks used.
On the floor beside my bed, a pair of eyes watched my movement before flashing red for a second before disappearing again. No doubt Akiha was checking my vital signs before going back to sleep... At least she cares.
Early in the morning on the same day, I quickly left the house as the new norm started to sink in, I started to miss having meals with Akiha, the morning banter that always lifted my spirits was now replaced with an unhealthy breakfast in a 24/7 burger joint. All these calories are definitely going to make me rounder.
I could remove them... But wouldn't that be cheating...?
At the cost of great mental fatigue, I can regulate my energy expenditure and intake. By doing this I could eat without growing fat, or not eat at all. But the micro control needed to perform these feats were not only tedious and complex, they had to be adjusted on a minute by minute basis. I'd basically be sitting still with my eyes shut while trying to control my own homeostatic functions. Definitely not how I want to spend my day.
Well, whoever says weight control is as easy as taking pills needs to be shot in the face... And again for good measure.
Misaka and I had agreed to meet in the evening in order to destroy the facilities that much is certain. But in order to not be a burden to Misaka, I definitely need to find a way to boost my own output or manage the way I control my abilities with greater efficiency. The thing is, the idea is easy. Implementing it... That's the hard part.
"Increase the amount of electricity that I can generate an attack with" simple goal, easily enough to formulate, now the middle part between the idea and the finished product was a real blank. It's not as if I could just run around with a vest with thousands of AA batteries strapped to me like some kind if battery terrorist would work, heck, the vest would weigh too much and by myself I could produce enough electricity to power all those batteries.
I might look into other power storage devices... But by the time I find something worth using this whole affair would likely blow over already... So that leaves controlling my abilities with greater efficiency... I have been looking into using Energy Manipulation to fine tune the use of energy that I expend while fighting, but I haven't got anything concrete from it yet. I'd end up sacrificing raw power for precision that way, as I diverted mental calculations into focusing the attack.
As energy cannot be created or destroyed and only converted, I could convert energy from another source and weaponise it. But lobbing pure energy is pointless, it's like throwing a balloon filled with air and expecting it to fly from one side of a field to another.
Converting is easy... But how would I weaponise energy? The most obvious would be sound, but kinetic energy in air is difficult to control and would require concentration wasted on protecting myself. Another option would be light...
Wait, there's the idea right there. Light.
Focusing photon energy emitted from electrons, light can be focused by using lenses and amplified as it travels. But how do I get to the point where I can produce light?
Research must be done for this.
A few hours of exhaustive searching later, I had a decent idea of how to bend beams of light through prisms, the angle it must hit in order to refract, the density and shape of the glass and other factors, meaning I have learned... Nothing.
That's right, nothing. As far as I'm concerned, this has all been taught to me in Physics class so the net knowledge I've gained is zero.
I'm running out of time, and options here.
To use light as an attack medium... I need to find a way to produce it, electricity could be the key here, as electrons produce photons of light when excited. I'll practice in an abandoned park in case it becomes too dangerous.
Concentrate, charge electrons in the air with the same amount of energy and forcibly align them and in the shape of a beam by using Energy Manipulation to sense the presence of electrons that are excited, and Telekinesis to align them.
The micro calculations used just to align the electrons are insane, I'll have to come up with a estimation formula if possible in order to ease the burden of the multiple concurrent equations needed in this area.
A few seconds later, a small beam of light started to become visible as it darted around the trees finally being absorbed by one of the trunks with nothing happening to the trunk I hit.
Alright, either I need to increase the strength of the output, or I need to increase the time spent on gathering energy. The former is more feasible since light travels way too fast to control without faster reflexes or some kind of medium to slow it down, but the latter is easier. Either way, more practice is required.
Placing several prisms in a circle around me, I continued to practice, maintaining a steady beam of light around me for as long as possible Before I lost focus. The time spent controlling the beam slowly increased by the hour but unfortunately, I ran out of time before I could control anything that could be used in combat. It wasn't a total loss though, the energy contained in the light beams I could now use were strong enough to cause the target to ionise, albeit slowly. So far it has yet to burn through even a small leaf.
Meeting up with Misaka at the appointed place, she had a blouse and shorts on with a baseball cap she was using to hide her face. It was actually a good idea since she can't possibly do the raids while wearing her Tokiwadai uniform.
My own choice of attire was less revealing but still different from the usual with my jeans swapped for short pants that covered up to my knees and a sports t-shirt that absorbed the sweat and heat of the wearer; a costly purchase from a sports shop I happened to walk by.
"The Ryuden Sports Human Development Engineering Centre, a facility that is part of the 'Level 6 Shift' program, I've checked out its interior and security before the communications lines were cut, all that's left is to wreck anything."
"If you say so, so shall I act as a backup battery so you don't have to use so much power on your end?"
"Do what you want, I don't care how or what happens, the facility must be destroyed. Together I think we can crush three locations tonight." Misaka said as she fell to one knee.
"Misaka-san! Are you alright?" I yelled, running forwards to help her up.
"Dammit, my body's not listening to me... I've been moving nonstop for several days now."
"Are you nuts? Have some rest, we can do this tomorrow!"
"No!" Misaka yelled, getting to her feet again, "I'm not allowed to stop before the program!"
Shakily getting to her feet again, Misaka leapt off the roof we were standing on and broke into a quick run towards the facility.
With a slow rumble, the bulkheads on the outside unlocked themselves without Misaka even needing to touch them.
"I'll remove any traces of us from the cameras and sensors so stay close." Misaka said, walking in slowly, the sound of her footsteps dimming to a mere fraction of what they were on the run in.
"Our target is any electrical equipment that looks important and data storage devices. Most of the equipment can be destroyed from the first floor so we don't need to physically wreck every single thing in here."
"Alright, just let me know when you're starting."
"Right... Now."
Swinging her right hand from right to left, Misaka shot a bolt of lightning from her hand letting it arc through the air before frying the large data processor she was aiming at.
Without stopping the current flow, she swung her hand across, the lightning destroying machinery and leaving dark scorch marks on the wall.
This is my cue.
Placing a hand on Misaka's back, I started generating electricity as well and funnelling it into Misaka for her to use.
Half an hour later, the facility was in ruins, smoke rising from the destruction Misaka had wrought. Although what I did wasn't much, at least the burden of fatigue on Misaka won't be as high than if she had done it alone.
"Now, on to the next one!" Misaka yelled, jogging out the entrance we came in from to the next facility.
Another facility down 45 minutes later, Misaka fell on one knee again, sweating profusely, "Dammit..."
"Misaka-san! Just go back to your dormitory and rest! I'll take out the last facility."
"No... I can manage it! Just... Give me a few minutes..."
"We don't have a few minutes! The last facility has a security shift change in less than ten minutes, we're supposed to break in while the shift changes remember? Come on!"
With Misaka on her feet but still shaky, there was only one thing left to do.
"I'm going ahead Misaka-san, just go back, I'll destroy the whole facility. I promise."
"But the security... The equipment..."
"Will be avoided and destroyed. No problem."
Leaving before she could protest, I quickly shook any traces of doubt in my mind. This isn't a time for doubt, this is a time for action. And I'll be damned before I decide what I can or cannot do. Avoiding the cameras huh? That's going to be problematic... I can't erase myself off electronic systems like Misaka... But i suppose there must be more than one way to avoid detection.
Now to arrange the destruction of the facilities... My control over Electromaster is barely enough at best, but I also wanted to try using my experimental use for Electromaster and Energy Manipulation: the manipulation of light as a basis for attacking.
I have the prisms on my still, but how would I place them? Making separate pieces of glass float while I manipulate them isn't exactly an ideal way to control them... Not to mention the fact I'd have to calculate the minor angle adjustments while levitating them... Not ideal...
And I'll need a few iron sand swords too... Wait.
Put the prisms in the iron sand swords! That way I don't have to levitate them while generating light from electrons!
Slowing my run to a quick jog, I gathered the iron sand from the area, speed forging them with a prism rapidly placed in while the iron cooled, I had six swords ready by the time I raised the bulkhead with Telekinesis and Electromaster.
Now, by forcing the cameras into weird angles with Telekinesis, I'm free to do what I want to the facility as long as I remember to push each camera before I go past.
Starting with a few bolts left and right, I made quick work of most of the equipment I ran across, avoiding staff members or anything that was not mechanical. They might recognise me or realise who I am, but I'm not going to let that stop me. Anger is an emotion that I've been holding back for quite a while, and now is a good time to let it out: Anger at this twisted program, anger at the programs that involved me, anger at the lives lost and being thrown away while I'm trashing this facility.
Nothing will stop me as I go on this rampage. Nothing they could throw at me at the very least. Security robots? Cameras? No. I won't stop until this place is in ruins and nothing is going to change that... Until I arrived at what could only be the centre of the facility.
The mainframe of this screwed up place should be housed just beyond that door. Once I get that... My mission should be over for the night. But... There's someone there...
Oh no...
Staring at the silhouette that emerged from the shadows, any hopes of destroying the mainframe was lost the moment I saw who it was...
"You..."
-End of Chapter 17-
And that's all for this chapter! Decided to end with a cliffhanger for once, you know the drill, read and review!