Author's note: I've decided to add some references to why I get Touma to do the things he does, in case some people aren't familiar with the novels. It gives me a excuse to go back to the novels and check I've got the events right anyway.

For this chapter, look up Vol3 Ch1 Pt2 where it shows Mikoto's conversation with Touma after their 'first' meeting after Touma's memory loss. I will be referring to that in this chapter.

Chapter 3 - Misunderstanding

-][-

With the bells signalling the end of another school day, Kamijou Touma starts to pack up his bags. The Daihasei sports festival is coming up soon, and like many other classes in their school his own one is starting to get excited as well.

As he left the classroom and is about to return home, someone called out to him.

"Hey, Kamijou-kun! Do you mind helping me out here?"

Touma looked back, and saw one of the upperclassmen beckoning him over to help her. She's laden down with quite a large pile of documents and looks to be struggling with them.

"Kumokawa-sempai? Sure, I'll help you carry them, but I'll warn you first that it's more likely I'll trip and we'd spent the next hour or so gathering everything up with my luck." Touma warned her.

"I'll worry about it when it happens, just take some of these documents from me for now; I'm supposed to deliver these to the staff room." The older girl said thanks as Touma took half of the documents from her hands.

"Why are you carrying all these by yourself anyway? And for that matter, why did you get me of all people to help? Surely there are other people that would be happy to help you carry these apart from me." Touma asked curiously as the two of them set off towards the staff room.

"What, you're complaining about spending some time with a girl that asks for your help? Maybe it's because I'd like you by my side, haven't you considered that?" Seria winked and smiled slightly.

"Very funny, sempai." Touma deadpanned. He already knew it's not going to end in some kind of relationship by helping out, this isn't some kind of dating sim where by raising enough flags he'll get a beautiful girl at the end. No way it will be that simple for someone with his luck. Plus Seria's already labelled as 'hard to figure out' by him, further reducing his chances with her so he decided to just get this over with. It's not like he has anything urgent to do at the moment.

He failed to notice the murmurs of dissatisfaction from others around Touma as he walked along with a pretty girl. And none of them, except maybe Seria with her small knowing smile at the edge of her lips, know just how badly Touma's love life will be turned up-side down from agreeing to help.

-][-

Touma was delayed from leaving school due to Kumokawa's intervention (thankfully, his own prediction of tripping and making a mess of the documents did not happen), but by the time he left the school gates there were still quite a few people around. He barely took a few steps out of the school gates and on his way home before someone caught up to him from behind and grabbed his left arm.

"Huh?" Touma looked to his side, before his jaw dropped slightly in surprise.

The one holding on to him was the girl that approached him yesterday, the one with long blonde hair. Her clothing today was strikingly different from the last time he saw her though, instead of dressed in Tokiwadai's uniform she's wearing a white one piece dress that went just pass her knees. Though having a simple design with frills even someone as amateurish in discerning female clothing as Touma knows it would have cost quite a bit. The dress didn't show much skin, but it accentuated her figure and made the wearer looked grace and mature. Still wearing the kind of long gloves she had yesterday and having the same bag, she put her arm around his own and told him "Come with me for a moment."

"Hey, wait a minute…!" Without given a chance to comment he was almost literally dragged away behind the girl's quickening steps. Those who are still around the school at this time gaped at Touma's luck and began to lament on the unfairness of the world.

With that, another Kamijou Legend was born at a certain high school, and it will neither be the first or the last of its kind.

-][-

The girl stopped after a while and they are no longer in sight of the school, released her hold on Touma and turned to face him.

"I'm glad I managed to catch up with you. It took me a while to get here from the School Gardens, even with a taxi, so if you left early I would've been hard pressed to find you." She said with a grin.

"Why did you grab me in public like that?" Touma groaned. "People are going to start talking about this, you know? I'm sure you don't want to be identified as someone that goes up and grab boys like that."

He did think of trying to go find her after yesterday, but he didn't think she'd just come back to him like this and drag him away in front of his school.

"Don't worry, I've changed their perceptions a bit: all everyone within sight of us will remember is you being approached by a attractive young blonde woman and dragged away by her, they won't be able to describe me accurately in any rate." She smiled pleasantly.

"Oi, then what about me? I don't want to get piled by my friends for keeping secrets like having a attractive girl hidden away." Touma twitched. Index doesn't count, as Tsuchimikado already knows the white-dressed nun is freeloading in his place so she's not exactly 'hidden'. Plus, he's not into little girls her size. He tries to be a law abiding citizen, getting into fights aside.

"Eh? I thought you already do that, what were your friends saying yesterday?" She said in a bemused tone. "Something about 'another girl'?"

"I don't do that! That assumes I have a girlfriend to begin with!" It took all of Touma's strength for his words to not come out as a wail of despair about his lack of encounters. The good kind where a romantic relationship are born anyway, not the ones where he meets girls that inevitably bring trouble with them and lands him in a hospital.

"So if you did have an attractive girlfriend you'd keep her a secret anyway? They're pretty accurate on your behaviour then." She chuckled, and Touma brought his right hand up to his head to try and contain a building headache.

"Urgh… can we talk about something else? Like who are you, and why the hell did you come after me yesterday?" Touma finally said.

The girl with long blonde hair curtsied in a way Mikoto would probably not be able to match despite also being a ojou-sama, before answering Touma's question:

"I'll formally introduce myself - My name is Shokuhou Misaki, currently attending Tokiwadai Middle School; people also know me as the 'Queen of Tokiwadai', 'Mental Out', and the 5th Level 5 in Academy City. It's a pleasure to meet you.

I'm here to apologise for my actions last time we met. Please, accept my apology for my rude actions yesterday, when I tried to force my way into your mind to gather information."

This is the 'direct method' she was thinking about yesterday; forgoing all politicking and manoeuvring, and personally come out to say things in such a way that misunderstanding is impossible. It's not a method Misaki uses often, as misinformation is a asset she uses often to keep other people unbalanced as she keep control of the situation.

Misaki smiled at what she took to be shock on Touma's face at meeting another Level 5, while he kept his right hand to his head as he shuddered once while checking if he has been influenced in any way. He can't tell for sure if Misaki has done anything to him without him noticing.

"And as for why I approached you…" Misaki kept her smile on her face as she returned to his left side and held onto his arm once more. "Let's talk about that somewhere a bit more private, hmm?"

-][-

-][-

Where the hell is that guy? Mikoto seethed inside.

She's been searching everywhere in the 7th district, dashing out as soon as class had ended. She's been checking the usual places she'd find him one after another, but to no avail. As she searched her temper got worse and worse, but a small part of her can't help but worry:

Did Shokuhou go after him again? What if he's already tricked by her and forgot about me completely…

Wait, why out of all the things I can worry about I'm focusing on that! Mikoto shook her head violently. This is about his safety, not about my connection with him!

"Misaka-san?" A voice disrupted her thoughts. Mikoto looked at the source of the voice and found Uiharu Kazari and Saten Ruiko both looking curiously at her. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah, no, nothing's wrong…" Mikoto hastily replied. "I was just looking for someone, that's all."

"Well we aren't doing anything too important right now, do you want some help?" Saten asked. Uiharu and Saten was just hanging out as Uiharu is off duty from Judgment at this moment, so they're just wandering around.

"Um, I don't think that's necessary…" Mikoto glanced to the side. "I don't want to trouble you guys when this is personal…"

"Personal?" Saten blinked, not quite expecting this answer. Then she started smiling knowingly "Ooh…"

"What?" Both Uiharu and Mikoto asked Saten, not quite understanding why the other girl started to smirk like that.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Saten declared in a triumphant manner. "Misaka-san's en route to a rendezvous with her boyfriend and she doesn't want other people to know about it!"

"Eeeeeeh!" Uiharu squee'd with stars glittering in her eyes. "Is that true, Misaka-san?"

"NO it's not!" Mikoto shouted back, slightly red-faced. Realising she's drawn other people's attention to herself she phrased her next words in a quieter but flustered voice. "How did you come to the conclusion it's a meeting with a boy? That's not the case!"

"Then why don't you want others to come with you?" Saten pointed out.

"Um, well…"

"And Shirai-san is conveniently in hospital too… which means you won't be interrupted if you're meeting with a guy." Saten continued. "I mean, if Shirai-san noticed Misaka-san had a boyfriend she'd freak out for sure."

"Hmm…" Uiharu said thoughtfully. "Yes, Shirai-san would have quite a fit if she knows about this, won't she?"

"It's not about a boyfriend!" Mikoto hissed. Heaven knows what would happen if Kuroko got wind of her Onee-sama being in a stable relationship with a guy and extending the distance (both physically and emotionally) between the two girls. "Fine, you two can help, just don't say anything like that in front of Kuroko."

"Okay!" Both Uiharu and Saten said cheerfully.

"Really, Misaka-san." Saten added. "You should know by now you don't have to do things alone. If you need help we'll gladly lend a hand." The events over the summer, such as the Level Upper and the Poltergeist incidents come to mind.

"Well, since Kuroko's around all the time I just wanted to do something by myself for once. For a change of pace." Mikoto defended her actions.

"But weren't you looking for someone?" Saten asked. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of doing something by yourself?"

"Um…"

"Never mind that." Uiharu took out a small laptop from her bag and started to type into it. "So who are we looking for?"

"Hey, are you allowed to just look from the surveillance cameras like that?" Mikoto questioned the flowery girl.

"This is important for Misaka-san right? This way we'll find the person you're looking for easier than just running around the entire district." Uiharu shrugged. "As long Misaka isn't using this to do something bad we should be alright. So what does he look like?"

"He has spiky black hair, wearing a normal white shirt and black pants like a average high school student, probably holding a standard issue school bag-" Mikoto stopped talking suddenly as she realised something. "Wait. I never said it was a guy. So why did you ask 'what does he look like'?"

The other two middle school girls merely gave a broad smile each and looked away, with Saten whistling innocently and Uiharu's face blushing bright red as she continued to search. Mikoto's face soon blushed even redder than Uiharu's face as she realised they set her up for that slip-up.

"Don't worry Misaka-san, your secret is safe with us." Saten winked at the electromaster. "We'll pretend this never happened and we won't tell Shirai-san."

"…!" Mikoto tried correct what she saw as them blowing this out of proportion. "It's not like that! Sure the person I'm looking for is a guy but that doesn't mean I like him or anything so don't get the wrong idea…!"

"Sure, sure." The other two girls chorused, Uiharu's blush not subsiding one bit while Saten is trying to hold her chuckles in but failing.

-][-

-][-

Touma and Misaki ultimately ended up at a café. Summer has ended already so Touma thought Misaki ordering a ice cream sundae was a bit unusual, but apparently the girl has a bit of a sweet tooth. Even after Misaki said it's her treat so he can order whatever he want from the menu, he opted for a slice of relatively cheap cake. Worst case scenario, something bad will happen and he will have to pay for the food anyway so he's not taking any chances.

While Touma is considering money problems, Misaki took control of the café and gave everyone present the impulse to leave the two of them alone. It wouldn't do for others to overhear their conversation. As such, after the waitress gave them their ordered food Misaki dug in without worry. Touma didn't notice anything unusual happening to his surroundings.

"So? Why did you come after me yesterday?" Touma asked, taking a bite from his cake while Misaki is steadily demolishing the sundae in front of her. The cake wasn't bad, to say the least.

"I've heard you were the Railgun's boyfriend so I decided to find out what you know about her. Half way through that I found some other things and changed my focus onto you instead, before your power negated my search." Misaki said, putting her spoon down for the moment.

"So what did you find? Nothing embarrassing, I hope. And I'd really prefer if you don't use whatever you find against Misaka, that's just not nice."

"Putting your words another way, you're asking me if I know about the 'Experiment', as Misaka-san put it, and would I use that knowledge against her?"

Touma tensed, before nodding once.

"Relax. I don't know the details, just that you and her fought each other once because of that 'Experiment'." Misaki went back to devouring the sundae at a pace that's almost inappropriate for a lady. 'Almost' being the key word here. "And I don't plan on looking further into it either; something from the Darkness should stay unknown by us mortals, lest it drags those who know of it back down into the abyss as it retreats from the Light."

"Was that from a poem or something?" Touma tilted his head.

"I have no idea. That's just something I said on a whim." Misaki finished her sundae and brought the napkin up to her lips to wipe off any stray bits left on her immaculate face. There wasn't much, despite how quickly Misaki finished her dessert.

"Ah, you missed a spot." Touma told Misaki, and brought up his own paper napkin to wipe it off. Misaki flinched slightly at his touch and retreated, wiping the last bit off her face herself quickly. Touma paused, not quite knowing how to respond to Misaki's action.

"Sorry about that, I overreacted a bit." Misaki said. She was reminded of that Dragon head Touma had in that vision, before putting it out of her mind.

"No, I should be the one apologising." Touma bowed his head slightly. "Guess it was a bit rude of me to do that without asking."

"No, really, it wasn't your fault." Misaki said again. "Anyway, you have any more questions?"

"… Yeah, I do." Touma nodded, but hesitated to ask after that last exchange of words. "Um… just what else did you see? I have a few things that I wouldn't want other people to know about…"

"Your secrets are safe with me." Misaki quickly added, before realising she spoke too suddenly and surprised Touma. Nonetheless she continued. "I won't speak of what I saw, I promise."

Hard to believe a promise like that when you were disregarding secrecy and entering other people's minds to begin with. Touma thought but didn't speak it out loud. From how Touma's face stiffened slightly Misaki knows he would probably think something like that, and doesn't blame him. As convenient as mind reading is, Misaki doesn't rely heavily on it and uses her instincts to guess just as much as using her ability. If she guessed wrong she can always just check the thoughts of the other person or just wipe the person's memory if she messes up.

"After seeing what I saw… even if I did speak of them nobody would probably believe me anyway." Misaki looked away and out of the café.

"Like what?" Touma pressed. "What did you see?" He wanted to make sure Misaki didn't see something like his fights with magicians. Or, worst case scenario, sees enough to know about his memory loss.

"… Half of it was some normal, day-to-day moments you had experienced within the last few months I think." Misaki said quietly. "The other half… well, often you did something I would have thought impossible, but just as often they were bloody scenes. There was much pain, much hurt on your part… yet you fought on for somebody you promised you'd help every time, in spite all the pain you had to go through, without regrets."

Touma sighed. So she did see some of his fights, it seemed. And a lot more than the one or two events he thought she'd see at most in the few seconds she touched him; guess she wasn't a Level 5 for nothing.

"You did say you'll keep whatever you saw secret for me right? Then just forget about everything you saw, and leave them alone. I've done a lot of fighting, I'll admit, but I've always come back to my daily life. Misaka did as well, after her incidents. Just go back to whatever you were doing, before you encountered all this."

"… You're just going to let it end like this?" Misaki asked, not quite understanding his logic. "I had thought you'd be furious with me."

"You already apologised. And there's nothing to be gained from getting angry at you. I can't do much else except hoping you'd never speak of those things again. Anything else I do might get you in deep trouble, so just go back to your daily life like nothing happened." Touma emphasized the last part.

"You're more worried about me getting in trouble than my invasion of privacy?" Misaki said disbelievingly.

"Well, I am hoping you'd stop looking into other people's mind like you have been doing with me." Touma said seriously. "Some people have things they'd like hidden, and others have things you just wouldn't want to see. It's better for you to stop abusing your powers like that, but it's not like I can just force you to comply."

"You're thinking about how Mikoto keeps attacking you with lightning, aren't you?" Misaki pouted. "Not everyone in Tokiwadai is as trigger-happy as she is, you know. I wouldn't use this on everyone I meet."

"…" Touma doesn't quite know how to reply to that. After his memory loss Mikoto don't attack him on a regular basis, but when he 'first' met her by that broken vending machine he negated her lightning on reflex like he was used to her doing that. Their talk afterwards only cemented his view as he heard about how he had fought her several times and just blocked everything she had.

"I'll take your word for it." Touma gave an ambivalent response. "If you Tokiwadai students aren't that trigger-happy then it's a good thing I guess."

Misaki felt something isn't quite right. Sure, it could just be him trying to be polite and not trying to disagree with her, but her skills at reading other people is telling her that might not be the case. Still, who is she to start trying to challenge the one that took down almost half the Level 5s of Academy City in one vs one scenarios? Looking for more info on him has gotten her attacked by a Dragon head once and a warning by Kumokawa, she's not going to take any more chances with a guy that's like the Pandora's Box. Approach him due to curiosity will result in nothing except bad things.

Well, not taking chances in the information aspect at least.

-][-

"Um…" As they paid for their dessert and left the café (Misaki also remembered to remove the impulse she put upon everyone there), Misaki brought up her other reason for approaching Kamijou Touma today. "May I ask you something?"

"… What is it?" Touma looked at Misaki questioningly. She had already asked him a few things during their conversation, so if she's asking it like this it must be important.

"Just like how you helped Misaka when she was in trouble, if I ever get into a similar situation would you come and save me as well?"

A lightly trembling voice, shy-looking posture, along with a timid glance to the side. It's almost a shame Misaki never considered acting as a career with her performance right now, trying to get Touma onto her side. Publicly having him allied with her would be a problem, if all the things he did in the past caught up with him he might drag her down with him, so it's definitely not an option. But just having him as a hidden trump card to save the day when all else have failed her, and she has nothing left to lose? That probably won't cause too much trouble. Part of the purpose of a clique is to gather people that can help one another with their skills, so Misaki knows the value of having connections. As much of a risk as being affiliated in some way with Kamijou Touma is, it might be worth it in the end if she doesn't go completely over her head and mess up spectacularly.

"…"

Touma considered her question for a bit. Misaki could easily bring more trouble to him just like Mikoto can. But if push comes to shove and the young lady in front of him is in trouble and calls out to him for help? He can't possibly leave her to die or something similar, if that happens.

And seeing how Misaki is trembling like that, Touma felt he really can't refuse. He felt responsible in a way, that maybe this ojou-sama in front of him is only asking this because of the things she saw he experienced and wanted some assurance a similar nightmare won't be able to devour her.

Like in Mikoto's case, when despair took over her and she tried to end it all by sacrificing her life against Accelerator.

"Alright." Touma answered, looking directly at Misaki. "If you ever get in trouble, due to no fault of your own, then I will come and help you if you ask me to. This Kamijou Touma promises to do that much."

The bit with 'no fault of your own' had to be added. He didn't want to help out if she was in the wrong and is just using him to escape punishment.

In spite of that, Misaki started to smile. A bright smile that rivalled the full moon's radiance in response to his promise. Like she was truly happy someone would go that far for her if she needed help desperately.

Touma gently smiled back at Misaki, as she reminded him of Index in that moment. Someone so trusting towards him, despite he wasn't a person that's very reliable and only simply tried his hardest for what he felt was right.

Unknown to both of them at this time, another maiden's heart started to shatter as she looked onto this scene.

-][-

It took a bit of time, but Mikoto finally tracked down Touma. Uiharu's skill with a computer was superb, and they actually spent more time walking to his location compared to the time they spent searching.

"You two can stop here. I want to go see him alone." Mikoto told Uiharu and Saten.

"Eeh? Come on Misaka-san, we want to see just what kind of person you've fallen for." Uiharu begged.

"We've helped you find him, can't you let us come as well?" Saten added.

"No, it's too dangerous." Mikoto said firmly. Uiharu and Saten was too focused on discussing what kind of person Mikoto would fall for, so they didn't see what Mikoto had saw:

Shokuhou Misaki. Her blonde hair and long gloves was visible as she walked next to Kamijou Touma as they entered into the café, while Uiharu didn't see that as she was too busy refuting Saten's idea that it was some kind of muscular hulk that caught Mikoto's eye.

"Dangerous?" Saten repeated, before starting to smirk again. "What, are you afraid we'd fall for him as well or something?"

"That's not it…" Mikoto really wanted to tell them they'll be controlled by Misaki if they get too close, and that she by herself will be fine since her AIM field will stop any attempt to control her. But that would probably just make them more determined to come and help.

Any excuse she wanted to give disappeared as she saw Touma and Misaki coming out of the café. Hastily Mikoto dragged the two friends she has with her back around the corner of the building before they're discovered, and gestured to Saten and Uiharu to be quiet.

It made her feel like a voyeur, but Mikoto didn't want to risk Saten and Uiharu getting caught by Misaki. While she thinks she might be able to take down Misaki, she doesn't think she can protect her two friends if this get into a fight, if in the worst case scenario that idiot did get himself brainwashed.

"Just like how you helped Misaka when she was in trouble, if I ever get into a similar situation would you come and save me as well?" Mikoto and the other two hiding around the corner heard Misaki ask Touma. The three of them poked their heads around the corner as discreetly as possible, and found Misaki looking as innocent as possible while she tried to charm Touma. Uiharu gasped at Mikoto's 'boyfriend' being with another beauty before Saten hushed her.

Mikoto didn't notice Saten and Uiharu's interactions as she was petrified with the implications of what Misaki's words meant. Did the 'Queen' took control of Touma and made him tell her everything? Or did she somehow figure it out herself?

Even those thoughts are blown away as she heard what Touma said next. Though the words he gave were nowhere near as embarrassing as the ones he said to the fake Unabara, the emotions present here is probably just as deep.

Those were the words of someone that would risk everything he has for another person.

It hurts, Mikoto thought, as she looked at Touma said the words not unlike the promise he made back on August 31st. She gripped the chest of her uniform, bit her lips as she struggled to come to term what her emotions. Why does it hurt to see him act this way?

Mikoto knew what Touma said back on that day didn't mean she held a special position in his heart. She knew she was misunderstanding his words, and blamed him for making it so easy to misunderstand his words. Unbidden, another set of words came to her mind:

"You don't hold a special position in his heart. Give up now before you hurt yourself trying to achieve the impossible. Only heartbreak and misery await you along the path of chasing after a Hero, even if you do succeed in capturing his heart."

Mikoto felt she can somehow understand what Misaki meant now. He would help anyone that asked him, no matter who it was. She was not special to him, just another girl he had saved. To constantly stand by his side, as the words he said to her being repeated to another, over and over? Does she have absolute confidence that she can bind him to her, and know no matter who he saves or what heroic act he performs for the sake of another, the woman Misaka Mikoto would always be the most important person in his heart?

No.

No, she does not.

That nun, Index, once told Mikoto 'Touma will always come back'. Even as she worried Touma would be in danger the sister was confident Touma will return… return to her side. Even as Index just found out minutes before Mikoto was also someone that Touma has saved, Index had absolute confidence Touma will be alright, and will be back with her.

Mikoto never thought she would envy that white-wearing nun, but she is now. Envious at how confident Index is. Confidence that she herself lacks right now.

"You idiot…" Mikoto whispered, something Saten and Uiharu barely managed to hear.

Is she saying that to the young man that's currently smiling warmly to a young lady that shined like star the two ordinary girls could never even hope to become? Or is she saying that to herself, mocking her own delusions as it collapsed upon her?

Saten thought in shock as the somewhat older girl looked like she was going to cry, and she could only come to one conclusion:

Misaka-san's boyfriend betrayed her, and she was looking for him to give him a piece of her mind telling him what she thought of his unfaithfulness. She didn't want Saten and Uiharu to come along, saying it's personal, because she didn't want them to see how weak she is.

And 'Dangerous'? Very. A guy that toys with a maiden's heart deserves to be called that, among many other names that would not be suitable in public or coming from a girl's mouth.

Saten's blood rushed to her head as she thought of how unfairly Mikoto has (supposedly) been treated, and she couldn't tolerate hiding away while that fiend chats happily with his new target.

She stepped out despite Uiharu's efforts to try and pull her back and walked up towards the guy that was the source of Misaka Mikoto's problems. Uiharu failed to hold Saten back since her attention was split between trying to ask Mikoto what was wrong and keeping an eye on her rash friend.

This promises to hurt. A lot.

-][-

"YOU!"

Touma broke off his conversation with Misaki as they exchanged cellphone numbers to see a furious girl approaching him with hell in her eyes. For a split second his eyes moved behind her to find Mikoto with another girl stepping out from the corner of the café, before his attention was forcibly pulled back to the approaching girl as she raised her hand.

SLAP!

Touma was smacked right across the face and he stumbled back, stunned surprise in his eyes. Misaki was equally as shocked, as while she could control minds she was focusing too much on Mikoto's state to stop Saten's attack on Kamijou. She can't remember the last time she saw the Railgun's eyes filled with tears, except that one time in Kamijou's memory.

Misaki has no idea what is going on right now. And she wasn't about to control another person's mind in front of Touma just so she can find out, in case she gets on his bad side. A café filled of people Touma isn't paying much attention to is one thing, a girl in front of him suddenly loses focus mid-rant is another.

"How dare you play with Misaka-san's heart like that! Scum like you are the lowest of the low!" Saten yelled, accentuating each of her sentences with a physical blow to Touma that he barely dodges. "You two-timing bastard!"

"Hey, wait…! Just what in the world are you talking about?" Touma didn't want to hurt the girl that's trying to tear him a new one, but he also have no idea what is going on. At least when it comes to Index and Fukiyose he's certain it was something he did (even if he thinks that the punishment in response was over the top most of the time), but to have an girl he has never seen in his life come up to him and trying to smash his face in? He has bad luck, but nothing like this has happened to him so far. Nothing he remembers having been through, anyway. "Misaka, what is she babbling on about?"

"Don't talk to her!" If Saten had a baseball bat she probably wouldn't hesitate to have used it on Touma. Ironic then being the target of feminine rage at this moment is actually considered getting off easy in this case, with less weapons around. "You don't deserve that-"

A bolt of lightning shot past Saten as Touma jumped back to avoid being kicked. Instantly Touma raised his right hand, and with a *Crack!* the lightning was negated. Saten paused as she saw that and Mikoto ran in to stand in between Saten and Touma.

"Saten-san, stop! He's not the one at fault!" Mikoto tried to calm her friend down.

"You don't have to protect him, Misaka-san!" Saten said from gritted teeth. "He's the reason you looked down like that right?"

"That wasn't it!" Mikoto tried to cover that up. If she said that yes, he was partly the reason but it's not for being a two-timer like you think it might have only made it worse, so Mikoto tried to think of another way to explain.

"As much fun as it is to watch the drama unfolding," Misaki said dryly, "You people do realise we're on a public street and everyone can see this right?"

Everyone present stopped what they're doing, and saw there's quite a few bystanders starting to gather and murmuring about what they thought was happening. Saten gulped as she thought about being the one that started all this.

"Sigh…" Misaki shook her head at all this. Apparently Misaka Mikoto's friends are just as violent as the Railgun is. "I'll handle the damage control, so just calm down and we can talk this through peacefully like civilised people. You don't mind me doing that, do you Kamijou-san?"

"Huh?" Touma doesn't quite get what Misaki is proposing until it finally clicked in his head. "Wait, you mean…"

In response, Misaki took out a remote from her bag and pressed a button. With a 'Pii-' sound the bystanders' eyes glazed over for a second, before turning around and went back to whatever they were doing before Saten jumped out. The customers from the café Misaki and Touma was just in that came outside to have a look at what's going on went back inside like nothing has happened.

Saten, Uiharu and Touma were surprised at how many people just left them like that. Mikoto however shot a dark look at Misaki for controlling other people like that at her whim. People are not dolls to be commanded. It reminded her too much of her Sisters accepting their deaths by Accelerator's hand.

"Now, let's talk peacefully somewhere else. And you," Misaki pointed one finger at Saten. "If you try to attack him again I'll do what I just did to about 30 people to you, wiping your mind and force you to leave."

"Hey now, Shokuhou-san, that's enough." Touma warned. "Controlling other people like that isn't something you should do often."

"You were slapped in the face by her a moment ago, and she insulted you many times; how can you be so lenient towards her?" Misaki sighed again. "I don't really understand you, Kamijou-san."

"Look, let's just go somewhere else so we can tell each other exactly what's going on." Touma said, before looking towards Mikoto. "How about that park that's close by? It's pretty close, and at least there's nobody around there to get dragged into all this."

Mikoto nodded mutely, and turning her head away just in case there is still some trace of her earlier turmoil on her face. Saten fumed at how things turned out as the two-timer is getting out of this unscathed and Uiharu timidly looked at how things turned out from the side.

Touma groaned at how complicated things are turning out to be.

"Such Misfortune…" Touma muttered as everyone started to walk towards their next destination.

-][-

-][-

*End Chapter 3*

Author's note: So, what does everyone think of this chapter? Too much angst? Just about enough of it? Did I get the characterisation of Saten and Uiharu about right? Some feedback would be nice.

And Misaki having a sweet tooth is something I just felt like throwing in. It has no importance on the plot, and it's possible later events will prove me wrong. I might retcon that if necessary.