Mikoto Misaka and Shirai Kuroko were standing inside of a very spacious cubicle. Until now very few students had been inside of this room, ever since the Tokiwadai was founded Sumireko didn't allow anyone into her own personal quarters, a stereotype of a hermit sacred cow, a term used for respected researchers and professors. They were invited, and they didn't know how rare that was, there was a picture of her with a white haired girl on one of the shelves. They looked at more of the pictures at found what seemed to be her mother years ago, long hair, round face, she was smoking from a long pipe.
–Your mother is a pretty lady Miss Usami –my mother? She died when I was born… –Who is this then? –Kuroko was looking around, interested to see what secrets the true third lvl5 ESPer in Academy City held. –Futatsuiwa Mamizou… You know I made the psychic ESPer basis programs out of what she taught me? –Misaka giggled –Still with the tanuki joke teacher? –Sumireko sighed –I know it's hard to believe, but the ESPer development programs I made were based off from the ways youkai teach –Misaka and Kuroko both knew magicians existed, even gods, but youkai?
–Why won't you believe me? –Because you don't want us to know the truth –Kuroko was back as being as sharp with words as she was before the incident –And that's why I didn't tell anyone… It wouldn't be too hard to think an ESPer with many abilities is insane –Misaka and Kuroko didn't want to answer that one, but they agreed with that opinion. –Before you train your bodies I need to you train your minds –she placed a cup with flowers and leaves on the desk –You have 30 seconds to look at it.
–she counted the time –Close your eyes and describe me the object. –That kind of exercise was one of those Mamizou first left her, to see every detail in a glimpse, so you could know your surroundings in little time. She knew Yuuka defeated them easily because of that, she saw their actions before they did them. The phone rang, she left the girls writing down every detail they remembered about the cup while she spoke. It was her daughter.
–Mommy when are you coming home? I'm finished with Lehmann's algebra can I play with Apostol now? –Why don't you try playing a video game dear Renko? I think you did enough math for a day –Some children are forced to become geniuses, her daughter, Renko was forced not to overdo it and enjoy her childhood. –But mommy! You said you'd teach me the proof of Laplace's theorem today. I'm bored, video games are boring –Dear do whatever you want, just don't eat too much candy, I'll be back in a couple of hours. Tell your nanny to put Cosmos on the TV that always cheers you up. –I love that idea mommy! –Misaka and Kuroko were completely confused by the conversation, how old was that girl? Even at their age they had heard of those books, but weren't able to understand a bit of them.
–Is Renko an ESPer too? Why isn't she a lvl5? –Misaka now wondered if those abilities were inherited –I had made every effort possible for her not to be. An ESPer life is painful, why do you think I keep it hidden? –Both the girls sighed. They agreed with Sumireko to free her daughter from the burden of having her powers developed. Another reason hidden to them, was that Sumireko had tried to use magic before in her life, and painfully learned the limitations of having such abilities. Worst case scenario she would need to send her daughter to Gensokyo, magicians were well accepted there.
–When are we going to learn how to defend ourselves? –Misaka was hasty as always –When your mind is sharp enough… or do you prefer to learn with pain? –So there was a way of development for ESPers that didn't involved pain, both girls also saw that this method involved more effort and patience, something many researchers lacked of. No wonder why Sumireko had become a hermit.
–I have to leave, close the door when you are done, hand the exercises in the morning. Slip them under the door please –Kuroko spoke up –Why don't you bring your daughter here? I'm sure it'll be more practical to you –Sumireko smiled while leaving –Because my dear, I am afraid she might learn something from you two… When she is old enough she can choose if she becomes an ESPer or not. –She left and closed the door.
A cool nice afternoon, winter was starting to end as the month ended too. Soon enough spring would start and flowers will grow, she knew this were the last moments of privacy she will have. This would be the first spring she would be afraid of flowers, who knows if Yuuka was peeking on her? Maybe she should call for help, she felt a bit of fear for teaching those two ESPers, not because she would fail. She feared that their new knowledge might bring them troubles, for the strong seek challenges for fun.
She saw Yuuka and a white clad girl walking on the streets. Maybe finally she was going to apologize to Hyouka.