Author's Notes: It's been a while. Internship round 2 is on and its really hectic. Night hours for 6 days a week (Sometimes on a Sunday yeah) is very tiring. This chapter took a while since it had to be inserted relatively fresh out of the mind. It's a long one that's for sure.

Anyway, I wanna ask you all. This will not affect the final ending of Time Index Prismal Reflections but do you want a trilogy? Condition of that trilogy is that it will be a Crossover with another game (You can guess what it can relate to in the epilogue). Additional condition is that, it will heavily focus on the other side instead of Index (There will be parts dedicated to Index) since the main character focus of this third will be Yori, my OC here. I aim to work on character detail, expression with a lot less fighting involved. It also will be rather short at only 8 chapters at best (but aiming for 6k words or so)

Please let me know what you think and thanks for reading and reviewing.

Chapter 16: My Saviour

Misaka Mikoto closed her eyes. An image of Kuroko rose to mind. It hurt her like the wounds underneath those bandages. Darn it. She released herself from the photographic bind. She was standing near the park. The vending machine she frequently utilized was there in its glitch like state. It looked like it begged Misaka to take a can of soda from it. Being reminded of Kuroko took her thirst away.

Darn it. She cursed silently. Normally by now, she'd be pestered by her roommate to no end and then she'll zap her. Now it is just cold silence. She felt at a loss. The silence is unnerving. That stupid idiot had to intervene with her goal to find Kihara Jiro. She was interrupted from her thoughts by a phone call. She answered it. "What is it?"

Yori's voice filled the speaker. "Misaka. You have to get to the hospital right away!"

Her heart skipped a few beats. "What happened to Kuroko?" Don't tell me that Kihara had something up his sleeve.

Yori warned. "Nothing yet but if you don't stop me in thirty minutes, I will be killing her!"

She had a shock. "What are you talking?"

"Kihara has me under his control! You have to hurry or it'll be too late!" The call ended as that.

Misaka tightened her grip onto her phone. First Kuroko, now Yori's been attacked. That blasted Kihara…he'll regret it when I'm through with him!

ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: 4 MINUTES

Yori didn't like this fact. It has been only twenty minutes since he warned Touma and Misaka. If he assumed Touma and Misaka were at their dorms, then they would take at least thirty minutes to get there. He's moving way too fast for them to intercept him. He tried to buy time by accelerating the time flow relative to him. It's still not enough yet. Damn it all!

Meanwhile for Kamijou Touma, his legs are warning of the lack of oxygen in his body using the good old fashion pain. He had been running nonstop so far towards the hospital. Even without this as a problem, it will be difficult for him to stop Yori when he gets there. How on earth is he going to fight a cyborg that can crush his head easily? His Imagine Breaker is entirely useless against Yori excepting the esper abilities. It however will not be coming into play so the point is moot. He has to face the deadly blade and the twin pistols. Skilled as he may be, there's a limit to how much he can avoid.

Adding to that is the young nun running behind him. Index was very adamant to stay away from this. Knowing that time is short, Touma just let her tag along. In the meanwhile, he needs to figure out how to keep her safe. In his mind, he honestly doesn't have much of a clue. Fukou Da.

"What happened to buffet boy?" Index asked as she was struggling to keep up with Touma's pace.

Touma kept it simple. "Yori can't control his body right now. He needs help." He met an unexpected guest, running alongside the other side of the street. He raised a hand to get her attention. "Is it about Yori?"

Misaka replied as they ran. "Yeah! It's about him."

"We have to hurry or Yori might reach the hospital before us!" With two of them together, they can clearly work out a way to stop the out of control cyborg. "How long would it take Yori to get there?"

"I don't know! Where did he start running from?"

"I don't know either! He might be closer to the hospital than we are!" Touma felt a bad premonition. An imagination flashed by his mind. Misaka on the ground with her insides cut open with Yori's blade sticky red with blood. It sent a shiver down his spine.

Misaka looked for a boost. There surely must be something that can be of use. She found it lurking in the corner of an alley. A long rusted piece of metal rested by the wall. She pulled it forward and flat on the floor to her use. She called the two to climb on and they did.

"Hold on!" She magnetized the metal and created a strong magnetic potential between the metal and the light post forward. That pulled them to accelerate forward at a much faster pace. She alternated between light posts as the distance closed. This'll shave a few minutes off the clock. Just how much of it is enough?

Yori felt disheartened when his not so goody two shoes passed by the hospital sign. It would be only a minute or two before he would reach to the intensive care unit. After that, it would take only several seconds before everything is over. He held onto the large sign board outside but his real hand just doesn't have the power to match against the might of the machines.

ZOOM!

The last thing he knew he was flying off his feet to slam hard into the road. He rolled several times before his legs counteracted the roll back to standing form. Even though it hurt, Yori smiled. "You're just in the nick of time."

Misaka shook her head in a motherly disappointed manner as she brought the metal board around. Index was holding tight to her waist. "You're quite a troublesome boy Yori." Touma stood up from his successful body slam. "Now fess up how to stop that damn body of yours."

Yori being the unwilling contender shot forward towards Touma. A bolt of lightning intercepted between them, forcing a halt. Yori's mechanical eye darted between the two targets to the front and side. The program made its decision, propelling the legs forward to strike with a one hit kill. Misaka shot again another bolt of lightning s Index gave space but Yori's mechanical arm struck forward to take the hit. Electricity pulsed throughout the entire cyborg, bringing pain and instability to the two elements of bio and mech.

Misaka cursed her discovered problem. Any attacks they use on Yori will hurt Yori in the process as well. Given that Yori is still standing and appears to be not in control, she can assume that the voltage of a thousand isn't enough to knock him out.

Touma followed up her attack with a hard push to the chest. He appeared to be already aware of the problem. His fists won't be able to break metal but he can't hit the flesh either. He must act as the support to bring down the true cause of the problem. Yori's mechanical arm counterbalanced the push with a back flip and lunging towards Misaka.

Misaka created a shield of magnetism to forcefully repel Yori back. It barely worked, forcing him back in time for her to dodge the attack. The program contemplated a new attack. It has more weapons than just its fists after all. The arm immediately retrieved Speagle and fired multiple shots. Misaka repelled them away using magnetism without problems. Yori's attacks aren't efficient against Misaka. Misaka tried to disable the gun by pulling it away but the gun would just not fly free from the tight grip. She must end this quickly or they all might be hurt one way or the other. "How can we stop that stupid body of yours?"

Yori was figuring the answer. "A reboot of the system could work. There's no manual trigger for it though!"

Touma avoided a blow to the face as he pushed the arm forward. "Then how else can we reboot it?"

Index called out "G C E A U." Her words garnered no effect to Yori. She needs a different technique. Spell Intercept doesn't work on machines.

Yori mulled it over while his mechanical arm tried to swat Touma from behind. "I don't know…this thing doesn't come with a manual!"

"This is so troublesome!" Misaka griped. The longer they prolong the battle, the more collateral damage will occur. That will involve innocents as well. "I wish I can zap that stupid thing of yours!"

Yori noted. "That might just work! You'll have to try something higher from the previous jolt." Dude Yori…are you mad? Three hundred volts is already dangerous and you want to up the antics? You mad bro…you're mad.

"That might just kill you!" Touma warned. He was also a recipient of Misaka's electric shocks although Kuroko is the regular customer. He nearly had a heart attack from it. He then had to fight Accelerator in an injured condition to save the Sisters.

"I don't have any bright ideas! Take it or leave it!" Yori gave them the freedom of choice.

Touma avoided a set of jabs. "We're not going to kill you!"

Yori gave the other option. "Then cut my limbs off!"

Misaka refused. "That'll cripple you for life!"

Yori said back. "I will be a cripple or potentially a dead man. So just take the first option!"

"Kihara is so going to get it when we find him!" Misaka shot bolts after bolts of electricity at her friend. All of it was avoided with robot speed. She switched her approach to an old trick. She created a trio of lightning bolts, all intersecting to form a triangle. It cut off the freedom of movement. She used the moment to force a semi sphere contain of electric atop of Yori. It was the way she used to win Yori the first time. However, Yori wasn't inside the electric contain.

Yori was already up in the sky, gun trained to fire. The bullet went its way to be deflected but it was only a follow up for a close up fight. The blade extended ready for a stab. Touma knew what was going to happen.

"NO!" Touma screamed as a melody played in the background. Yori's body froze for a moment. Eyes turned to see Index singing a melody. Despite it being a song, it appears to have some special elements for it stopped Yori's movements. Touma didn't understand how the 103,000 grimoires could affect a machine but he is just damn glad it could. "Good work Index!"

ANALOG SIGNAL DETECTED

MULTIPLEXING INTO DIGITAL FORM

PROGRAM CONFLICT DETECTED

LOCOMOTION ERROR

ERROR
ERROR

ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR

Misaka knew it was her chance to setup another contain. This time, it was a success. Yori was stuck inside and the mechanical systems will take damage if it attempts to break out. Even so, the system appears to know its predicament and began forcing its way out the electric barrier. "I'll try to shut it down!"

Yori informed as he took on the pain. "When you shock me, make it 3000 volts!" He appears to found out about the system's maximum safety limit.

Misaka yelled back. "That'll definitely kill you!"

"Just do it!" Yori snapped.

Touma stood beside the electric contain. "I'm ready!"

"Then…good luck!" Misaka strengthened the barrier up to 3000 volts. Now the tide of pain really began. Voltage alone normally does not kill a person. It is the amperes or current that comes with it that shuts down the heart. Electric current as small as 45 mili-amperes is lethal. However when the voltage is so great, it can burn anything it touches.

HIGH ENERGY DETECTED

ENERGY THRESHOLD BREACHED

EMEREGENCY TERMINATION ENGAGED

SYSTEM SHUTDOWN

The cyborg collapsed to the floor in a midst of sparks. Touma immediately rushed in and cancelled out all the remaining esper electricity in Yori. Misaka rushed in and tried to feel for the pulse of life.

Academy City Hospital

Yori Tamotsu walked slowly along the hallways of the hospital. The time is night. The receptions are empty. There is no injured waiting for help. There is no sick waiting for a cure. There is only the nurse and the doctors. The nurses are making the regular rounds throughout the wards. The doctors continue the bustle through the necessary paperwork. There will be no interference from Yori's objective.

His dark coat shrouded his features. He disappeared from sight of any passerby's. In his hand, he carried a failsafe. He will not be caught. He will not fail. He will complete his mission. His target should be in place. In his hands is a refined weapon. The Gemtech P229 pistol has a suppressor attached to nullify most of the noisy gunfire. It will be disposed of accordingly. The door to his target was closed but it is definitely not locked.

Yori rapped the door like any good nurse or doctor would do. The voice beyond the door replied. "Come in." Yori obliged, entering the door as he raised his silent gun. The doctor had his back turned to him, the piles of paperwork clearly was his attention. The Heaven Canceller turned around to attend to him. What waited was the black round barrel of death. His response was….anticlimactic. "Oh my."

"You've made some very bad enemies. Clearly, they are bad enough to warrant a hit on you." Yori made no attempt to fake his voice. The doctor will know who killed him and it will be his secret.

Heaven Canceller rectified. "A doctor's enemies are only disease, injury and death. There are no other enemies."

Yori bobbed his head with a bit of cockiness. "You talk like you're a real grand doctor alright. I can understand the job a little better now."

Heaven Canceller calmly refuted it. "A doctor will never hurt anyone else. It is the Hippocratic Oath that all doctors follow. That applies especially to his patient."

"You still remember me. Good cause that perhaps will be the last thing you will see." Yori pulled the firing hammer of the gun, priming it ready. "Do you have any last words?"

The doctor made his case. "My time isn't now. There are many people that still need to be treated and nursed to health." The doctor made a counterattack by asking. "Is there no people that deserved to be saved?"

Yori replied. "There are certainly plenty of them." There are thieves, traitors, murderers and many good examples. He is one of them.

"I believe otherwise. A doctor's role is to save everyone regardless of their background. The police and the law will handle that."

Yori's finger hugged the trigger. "Even if he's a doctor killer?"

"Yes, even a doctor killer."

Suddenly, the lights went out, turning the entire hospital pitch black. Emergency backups turned the lights back on within seconds. By the time the lights came to, the boy was gone. With Yori vanished, the doctor gave a sigh of relief.

Yori walked down the 7th District. He is at a loss. Why didn't he take the shot? What happened to him being the Demon? The Demon, the cruel, merciless hit man has done many atrocities in the past two years. Shit has hit the fan. He mulled over as the streets is filled with adults for it is already very late.

"Oi oi, aren't you suppose to respect your elders?" Yori turned to his left to see a young man dressed in fancy and classy club wear. He was talking with several other guys. The age difference is there but with the growth of the new generations, it appears to just not matter.

"Shut up. You aren't that much of an old man!"

"I certainly am old enough to kick your ass." Is the guy just asking for trouble?

"What did you say again?" The head of the group challenged.

"I can whoop your ass to hell and back easy as pie." Oh he's really asking for it.

That really stirred the rowdy group. Another four joined the bunch of troublemakers. Yori figured.

This is going to get complicated.

"That's right…fighting with numbers. That's very chicken of you." Tempting the devil indeed.

"Why you!" The leader wanted to throw a punch but was interrupted by a flying short sword. The wakizashi had struck the wall just beside the man's head. Add an inch more and it's certainly sayonara.

"Leave the premise or die." With that, the little troupe of troublemakers disbanded quickly.

"Ah, thanks for the help. It was starting to get tricky." Tricky doesn't cut it. Painful is the befitting term.

"You just have some luck." Yori pulled the blade free from its perch.

"I won't forget this. My name's Charles Kazuo. If you need anything from the Messengers, feel free to come by me." The cocky dude offered a handshake.

Yori stared a little at the extended hand. He accepted it. "My name's Yori Tamotsu."

Clack

Yori closed the door to his apartment. He leaned against the door and pondered over it. Tonight had been quite an odd night. His entire life's goal could be hidden beyond the door of Heaven Canceller. He had closed it away. He had even helped a random passerby. What exactly did he get? Why did he do it? He doesn't know it himself. Just…why?

Maybe he needs to see a shrink after all. He sighed at the possibility. That will just create a lot of complic…

CRACK!

Yori was thrown off his feet to smack into the kitchen table. He grunted pain as he attempted to recover. The door had been completely blown off its hinges. What stood before the now open gap was a surprise. The dark skinned tall man in the twenties said with arrogance. "Ah, the young brat."

"I'll be damned. It's you." Yori stood on a knee as he recognized the voice. He saw the shotgun gripped tightly in the man's hand. He knew that gun had torn into his body pretty roughly.

The shotgun was cocked. "I'm here on a job."

Yori stood up fully with pistols in hand. "How the hell did you find me?"

"That info will be from me." Masaru Akihiko entered from the door.

Yori didn't believe it. His very own teacher had betrayed him. "Masaru? How could you?"

"This may be an unwritten rule but I'm sure you're clearly aware of it." Masaru's gaze sharpened. "You either choose yes or no to a job. You never back out in the midst of one."

Yori did know about that rule. He knew about it but he chose to throw it aside. After all, he is also a well invested resource to the Wolf Hounds. They won't dispose him so easily. "You're going to beat the nuts out of me I presume?"

Masaru broke the convictions. "No, we will kill you."

The dark skinned dude added "And then we'll finish the job. You left me, Aaron Rex jobless after all from that hit. "

Masaru closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall. "You know Yori, I'm disappointed in you."

Yori pulled the firing pins of his pistols. "I'm sorry to disappoint but I won't make this easy."

Masaru wasn't surprised. "Of course Yori, I know exactly what you are capable of."

Aaron claimed. "That piece of thrash will be real thrash by the time I'm done with him."

Yori said. "You're rather cocky…for an idiot."

Aaron raised the shotgun. "I'll show you to the door of death!"

Yori triggered his time flow and sped to the right. The shotgun pellets struck the table, shredding the cloth surface. He fired back but the bullet missed for Aaron also moved parallel to him. Aaron shot another burst at a lower aim towards the lower chest.

Yori taunted as he leapt up to avoid it neatly. "You have such bad aim!"

"You're the one who's been fooled!" Aaron shot forward at a sudden surge of speed. Yori felt the full force of ninety kilograms of meat and bone smash into his frailer body. The young esper was thrown to smash into the wall. Some of the old paint cracked as Yori felt the tremors of shock.

Damn, he's fast! He remembered clearly how fast the guy went, being capable of pursuing him two weeks ago. To think that someone was capable of being faster than him was very discouraging. It must be something else.

"One hit is all it takes huh. You really are just bones." Aaron challenged.

Yori spat some blood as he leaned against the wall that bared his imprint. From the looks of it, he's strong and fast. All I need to do is a single alpha strike to kill him. He is human after all. He challenged for critical information. "Well bird brain, I'm sure you are only fast since they gave you nifty tools to use."

Aaron answered as he expected. "This prototype Hard Taping might be useful but my speed and strength is already beyond what you can handle kiddo. I am an esper of speed after all."

Yori primed his muscles. Bingo. That explains his speed. Isn't Hard Taping that new military release? How did he get that? No matter. Now these two factors are my only considerations. Yori trained his pistols and fired. It's time to rev it up. He chained his gunfire into a human gattling gun. In tight spaces, there aren't many places to dodge and you have that many bullets….

Aaron was a blur as Masaru took cover behind the other side of the apartment. Bullets struck the walls in a fiery haze but it was for naught. Aaron somehow managed to bust through the entire wall to the side and escaped the barrage. Yori stepped forward, maintaining his barrage albeit at a slower rate. Yori paused for a moment. "Come on! I thought I'm just a little brat."

"You are one!" The wall behind the gunslinger broke and Aaron charged in with his shotgun prepped ready to fire from the hip. He knew a point blank shot was incoming. Yori thrust his Devil's Trigger to slam against the barrel of the shotgun, bending the aim to fire beside him. It still didn't save him from again another body slam.

Yori smacked against the cabinets that stood beside the door. Yori felt small tremors along his spine. His feet feel stone cold. Seriously…another hit like that and I think I'll be crippled. Just that one hit…The barrage failed at that. Now Aaron has many ways to dodge his attack. He needs a final strike!

"What's wrong with you kid? Cat got your tongue?" Aaron teased as he cocked a shotgun round into the chamber.

I think I see it now. Then…Yori trained his pistols and started to step to the right. He fired his pistols at a slower pace. Aaron lunged to the side and avoided the shot. Yori stopped immediately after, his pistols steaming hot.

Aaron lambasted. "You're really an idiot! A straight forward attack will not hit me!"

"I think the game's on you." Yori fired again. Aaron dodged the same way. Yori stopped again as he grinned. "How about now?"

Aaron stared measly eye at the young boy as blood spilled from the seven gunshot wounds on his chest. "How…?"

Yori casually reloaded his pistols. "You like to dodge to your left. I simply deflected half of my shots with the other half towards where you would go."

"Damn you…to hell." Aaron collapsed to the floor in his own blood. Masaru stood beside the cabinets.

Yori commented. "He may have skill but he is still an idiot."

Masaru nodded as he pulled out a M1 pistol and a stiletto. "I agree and now it's my turn to finish you off."

Yori tightened the grip on his pistols. "I hate to fight you but if that's the case, bring it on."

They both started it slow. They moved step by step in a dangerously slow pace. Their shoes took the footprints of blood as they circled each other. The first move is a dangerous one for both did not wear body armour. Yori knew the details of Masaru's weapon. The M1911 Guncrafter Industries variant, it packs a punch similar to mine. It has the same magazine size of seven too. Masaru also knew about Yori's weapons well enough, removing any secret weapons out of the equation.

Masaru took the first step by firing the smaller gun. Yori pulled his head left, avoiding a clean headshot. Yori replied with his own pistol but Masaru too was unnaturally fast. The bullet grazed past Masaru's eyebrow into the cabinet. Yori asked. "Is that Hard Taping?"

Masaru answered. "You have esper ability. This is something to even things out."

"Well met then. Let's have a really good fight." Yori intensified his fire rate to four hundred rounds a minute. Masaru vanished into a blur, avoiding the bullets with assistance of military technology. Yori's sharp eye managed to see the movements heading out the open wall and out of the apartment. Yori reloaded in a flash before pursuing. Masaru fired at Yori from the roof of the adjacent building. Yori focused and slowed down time to shoot past the projectiles. With a strong leap, Yori crossed the distance and went into close combat.

Masaru defended with his stiletto, acting to divert any gun away from him while using his pistol to counterattack. Yori was pushed into the defensive with the stiletto's long range despite being within the dagger class. I'll just have to get point blank range! Yori let Masaru slash his gun outwards and used the moment to lunge forward. Masaru reacted by pointing his pistol for a point blank shot but Yori was already expecting this.

He slammed his pistol into Masaru's, throwing the aim off. Yori is now in the sweet spot for an attack. He trained his other pistol to fire when he met Mr Knee into the gut. It was enough to stop his attack and advance. Masaru now retreated a few steps, bringing the stiletto back into play. Yori ignored the pain and defended with his own weapons in close quarters combat. Pistol barrels act as miniature hammers as they collide to prevent reaching the sweet spot. Yori knew however that the hand with the stiletto will overpower his hand with its strength and designed role. He must change tactics.

The younger gunslinger traded his Devil's Trigger for the wakizashi in the midst of a leap upwards to even things up. Their blades clashed in the middle as Yori landed onto the ground. Despite Masaru's greater age, strength and experience, Yori was still holding up. Masaru said with a chuckle. "You're still staying strong."

"Thanks to a regime of the Devil that you made." Yori complimented.

"I suppose it has come back to bite at me this time." Masaru gave his disappointment. He broke the clash, swinging forth his pistol for a quick follow up. Yori stepped low, aiming to slash the lower abdomen. His sword was cut short by the stiletto which then twisted hard to deflect the forward momentum aside in order to tempt Yori forward if he overcommitted his strength. Yori however didn't take the bait and pulled back. He tried to slash again but this time it met the M1's barrel. Yori stepped closer as he spun around with an elbow blow to Masaru's face.

Masaru counterattacked by head butting Yori's skull. They both separated, assessing the depth of their pain. Yori rubbed his head. "That hurt."

Masaru wiped the blood off his nose. "You asked for it." Yori triggered his time flow and trained his pistols for a heavy barrage.

Masaru was faster, already throwing the stiletto toward Yori's heart. Yori cancelled his attack and bent to the side. Masaru was already following up the throw with a lunge. Yori could not react and was subjected to a sixteen combo melee strike all over his chest. The student skidded across the dirty roof to hit into the concrete barrier. Yori felt shock down his spine. The previous injury with Aaron are coming back to hit on him. Yori felt his hands go shaky as he pulled himself up.

Darn it. He can't lose. Otherwise, the doctor won't live through tomorrow. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to find Takeo. Otherwise, all this is just for nothing! He trained his pistols and focused. Concentrate! Time slowed down but he knew it won't be enough. Concentrate! Yori could see a small dagger flying towards him. This is it. He fired his pistols, the bullets striking the tip of the dagger. The bullets and the dagger stopped cold in midair as Yori tossed his own shortsword like a dart.

"Ugh." Masaru felt at the bloody red mess he had on his chest.

Yori closed his eyes. They both knew the battle is over. There is no need to fight. There is only time for a goodbye. "All I have to say is….thanks for training me."

"You've been…a good student." Masaru's voice was raspy and weak.

"I appreciate the thought. Now rest easy." Masaru collapsed backwards to the floor as the blood spread itself slowly. Yori pulled his short sword free and knelt beside what was once his teacher. He put away his weapons and began to clear the incriminating evidence.

Hours later, Yori walked down the streets of the city. The remains have been disposed and will not be found for several days. All fingerprints, blood and various fluids have been eliminated from the crime scene. It would take painstakingly a long time to do that but Yori had managed it with his esper ability. Now alone in his trench coat, Yori has time to think within the anonymous midst of society.

Now with Masaru gone, the Wolf Hounds will likely be thrown into disarray. They will recover eventually one way or the other. As for me….how am I going to find Takeo? He must move to a new base of operations. He needs a new fake identity for that. He must find a new contractor of death. He must…

This isn't going to work. It's been two years and still he isn't even close to finding anything about Takeo. Just how much more will he need to do before he achieves his goal? How much more pain and killing must he inflicts and suffers before he can finish his mission? There's nothing such as a progress chart for this quest like a video game. He is chasing a phantom that killed his family.

He plopped himself against the glass pane of a shoplot. The clouds threw its tears of pity and thunders of rage. Just what am I going to do…

Misaka entered a room in the Academy City hospital. There, Yori was on the bed, still unconscious. Touma was waiting by the side, reading some news on the phone. He noticed her entrance. "How is Kuroko doing?"

"She's still asleep. There's still no inkling as to when she'll wake up." Misaka took a seat on the other side of the bed.

"They're a strong bunch. They'll live through it." Touma assured.

"Touma…I'm hungry." Index presented another issue.

"Hai hai, let me get something for us to drink." Touma showed himself the way out. That is however before he was handed a thousand yen note.

Misaka made a pre-emptive strike. "Knowing your financial issues, this'll make sure our refreshments arrive."

"Fukou da." Touma said as he left the room with Index. Now, Misaka is alone with the sleeping boy.

"What a headache…" Yori slurred awake.

Misaka leaned closer to the waking boy. "Are you feeling ok?" The diagnostic machines showed he was physically fine but there are more things to consider.

"A bit shaky and tired but I'll be fine." Yori propped himself up against the back of the bed.

Misaka said as she poured a glass of water from the available jug. "Now, is your other half ok?"

Yori took a moment before he nodded. "Diagnostics show a full reset. The altered program doesn't exist in my anymore."

Misaka was glad as she handed him the glass. "That's good."

Yori drank it all in a single pull. He then asked. "Can you come over here for a bit?" Misaka complied when his flesh and blood hand pulled her in.

She asked in surprise. "What are you doing?" Yori kissed her forehead, creating silence from the electric princess.

Yori rested her head against his chest. She can feel his heartbeat pulsing in a regular rhythm. "I just want to say thank you. You've stopped me from committing one of the most dangerous mistakes in life. If it was a minute later, I don't know what would have happened to me now." Her face was becoming red. She never been this close to Yori. The patient was glad. "I am very grateful for what you did."

Misaka pulled away shyly. This is unprecedented of Yori. "Uh…you're welcome."

Touma and Index returned with several drinks and snacks at hand. He brightened to see Yori awake. "Are you ok?"

Yori grinned as Index cheered in the backdrop. "I'll be good and ready to fight before tomorrow."

Misaka clamped her fists tight. "That Jiro will certainly get his dues!"

Touma smiled. "We'll make sure of that."