Chapter 2: The Strange Girl

Misaka quietly walked out of her and Touma's room. She wasn't a good sleeper, but she prided herself on not disrupting the rest of others. Also Touma had worked very hard all week, 'troubleshooting' a rogue magician guild in Southern China... and of course rescuing a innocent girl from a fate worth than death. Misaka 14436 had wisely been on hand in the aftermath to show the girl all of Touma and Misaka's wedding photos. In the networks experience, it was one of the most straight forward ways of ensuring no problems would arise from Touma's work following him home. That business with the American Heirless had resulted in far more explosions than Misaka really liked all by itself and it had hardly been the only incident.

It taken a lot of hard work to get Touma... Misaka had been lucky she had found help.

It was several months after the day at the fair. Misaka had certainly strengthen the bonds of friendship she had with Touma and was spending a lot more time with him, but she wanted more than the bonds of friendship, she wanted to be able to hold his core, be his lover.

Misaka guessed the feeling had first started in her heart when Touma had come across her and Dog. He had decided to get involved in her problems, despite the fact it was quiet a lot of trouble for him, despite the fact it was nothing to do with him and he hadn't stopped even when he found her problems were of a greater magnitude than most. He couldn't walk away from seeing another being in suffering, he wouldn't back away until he had ended it, no matter how small the life, no matter how great the suffering, no matter how terrible the danger, he wouldn't let the suffering continue. Misaka wasn't sure exactly why this made her heart beat faster when she thought of him, but she wanted to explore that feeling but the problem was she had no idea how to get into the position to do so.

Misaka continued to muse about this as she walked down the street, which is likely why she wasn't as alert as should have been.

"ONEE-SAMA!" Was the sound that brought Misaka out of her thoughts, she looked towards the source of the noise and was surprised to see not a demon, but a pigtailed girl of about 13 years falling towards her from about 2 metres up.

"What the..." Was all Misaka could get out before the teenage girl smashed into Misaka, her face in her chest.

"What are you doing, a shocked Misaka asks the Strange Girl who oddly seems to be rubbing her face in Misaka's chest."

The girl suddenly jumped off of Misaka with that remark, looking rather embarrassed and guilty about the whole matter.

"Your not Mikoto-sama are you?" The Strange Girl asked in a guilty tone

"I am not my Onee-sama, Misaka states clearly to the Strange Girl, her tone suggesting curiosity as to her identity."

The girl paced for approximately 22 seconds with a worried expression before finally turning back to Misaka.

"So you must be one of the Sisters created for that Radio Noise project..." the Strange Girl observed. "And I must have left you with such a bad first impression, that I, Shirai Kuroko, am the sort of girl to cheat on Onee-sama behind her back!"

Misaka did a double check of the all the information that she had compiled on Kuroko. One, she was a girl. Two, she knew the original. Three she knew about the experiments and four it seemed she was in a romantic relationship with the original?!

Something was wrong here, so Misaka realised she was going have to ask some questions.

" Kuroko is a girl, who in a romantic relationship with my sister Misaka Mikoto, Misaka asks the strange girl in attempt to find the hole in her logic."

"Not quiet." Kuroko quietly replied. "She's not fully opened her heart to me yet."

Misaka was even more confused. The Testament had explained human biology in some detail.

"You are both girls, Misaka points out the obvious and problematic fact."

"I can do very pleasant things to your sister if she lets me." Kuroko said with a smirk.

"Oh like buying large and very cute tiger toys as a sign of affection, Misaka theorises?"

This seemed to cause Kuroko to giggle slightly.

" I could do that yes." Kuroko replied, her smirk growing wider.

"Then why does Onee-sama not let you do pleasant things? Misaka asks in honest curiosity."

"Well there a few things in the way, but the main problem that spiky haired boy with a tendency to save people and that weird hand." Kuroko lamented. "Onee-sama seems fixated on him and pushes my sincere affections away as a result."

"You speak of Touma perhaps, Misaka asks as she keenly notices a familiar combinations of details?"

"I do... " Kuroko said with a thoughtful expression before adding "and what do you think of him Misaka?"

"He makes my heart beat faster, Misaka admits with open honesty."

This statement cause Kuroko clear and considerable delight.

"So you like Touma in that way..." Kuroko stated before suddenly rushing up to Misaka, talking softly as she took both of her hands tenderly. "Little Misaka. You have my most sincere and solemn word that I will help you win that boy's heart!"

Misaka wasn't sure how to react to that.

"Your my future one and only destined partners little sister Misaka" Kuroko spoke as she continued to hold Misaka's hands. "When you say you love someone completely, that mean you must be willing to carry there burdens and responsibilities with the same seriousness as your own. And that includes looking after there younger siblings!"

"And that means you will help Misaka and Touma become lovers? Misaka asks, her voice full of a daring hope."

"Of course!" Kuroko shouted loudly as she moved her hands to her hips before adding in low tone. "Especially since your big sister is really emotional immature at the best of times."

"She has great difficulty even admitting she likes Gekota, Misaka adds in conspiracy like tone."

Kuroko nodded before adding in a more normal tone. "Anyway, you know somewhere we could talk more privately? Personal matter shouldn't be discussed in the street."

"We could talk in Misaka's current residence, Misaka adds helpfully."

It wasn't a terribly far to Misaka's home, a rather modest one room flat. Originally all the Misaka's based in Academy City were going to live in one large apartment, but the Misaka's has decided ominously that they would rather have there own spaces. It was due to a desire to have more room to develop there individual personalities, so they wanted there own territory, places were they could do things that the other Misaka's couldn't. For example 13577 had a fondness for a certain library on the other side of the city, none of the other Misaka's ever went in that library out of respect for 13577, through of course they knew of all the books she read, but fundamentally she had been the one to read them, which was important (especially to 13577).

The flat was 10032's, it had her tastes. Dog was presently likely hiding behind the sofa, he wasn't very good at dealing with strangers.

"Gekota bed cover?" Kuroko said in questioning tone while examining Misaka's bed. "Very in Onee-sama more childish taste.. if she ever ask where you got it, please don't tell. Our room already got more Gekota in it than I like."

"You don't like Gekota? Misaka asks while wondering how anyone can dislike such a cute thing."

Kuroko sighed deeply.

"It not that I got anything against the frog." Kuroko explained. "It just Onee-sama fondness for him is more a symptom of her desire to hide in her childhood... It the same thing with the shorts, she afraid to embrace womanhood, I find that desire rather annoying to say the least."

"And you rather she stop being afraid? Misaka inquires."

"Very much." Kuroko replied without delay. "I want to show her heaven, but she must give me the first kiss. She must open the gates of love..."

Kuroko paused a moment, her face seemed rather red and her expression was rather odd.

"But for now, and I hope your paying attention because this applies to Touma too, I'm trying to give her what she -honestly- wants." Kuroko explained sagely.

Misaka decided to pay very close attention.

"What people say they want and what they honestly want are often quiet different" Kuroko explained before adding. "Your Onee-sama often calls me a pervert. She often calls me annoying and when I show her my affection, she often returns it with electric shocks."

"She electrocutes you? Misaka asks in a horrified tone as she worries what her Onee-sama does when she not around."

"Don't worry, I can handle it and its ok with me." Kuroko replied in a tone that was clearly meant to be reassuring. "Through I wish she take things forwards with me past this close friendship we share...I understand right now it easier for your sister to say 'Oh that Kuroko, she so annoying, she jump on me in the shower, She leaves flowers for me on my bed and tries to share my ice-cream, just so she can have a indirect kiss with me!' But you know what, for someone who finds my behaviour 'annoying' she seems to enjoy giving me a lot of opportunities. She always gets the shower next to mine, she often like to leave herself in defenceless position when I'm around and in fact, if she finds me such a 'annoying pervert', why are we still roommates? No one would bat a eyelid if she requested to have a room separate from mine."

"So you believe she want such things to happen to her? Misaka inquires."

"Completely" Kuroko replied confidently. "Because by just letting such things 'happen', so can have her fill of enjoyable, but deniable, mischief and she doesn't need to face the two L words which scare her silly."

Misaka reflected on Kuroko's words. Through she had been speaking about her own feelings towards Mikoto and Misaka didn't quiet understand all of it (what were the two L words exactly?) she did get the general idea. She now understood that people covered there feelings with excuses and deceit, and part of truly loving someone was dealing with those feelings and the reasons for the deceit. The real question of course was how this applied to Touma?

"The Art of War?" Kuroko said questioningly as she examined a nearby bookshelf, breaking Misaka's train of thought." You've got a book on warfare on your bookshelf?"

"Its a book on strategy, Misaka corrects as she goes to her kitchen unit. Would you like a drink of tea with milk, Misaka adds as she offers hospitality."

"Can't say I've ever tried tea with milk... but sure." Kuroko replied after a brief moment of thought. "And why the correction?"

"Sun Tzu may have designed the text with war in mind, Misaka admits as she readies refreshments, but the framework of thought is flexible, the data can be changed and adapted for different kinds conflicts and the principles have fundamental truths in them. For example knowing both yourself and your enemy is important in any conflict, regardless if its war between nations or competing with another business, Misaka explains sagely."

"Or say.. romance?" Kuroko said with a sly grin.

"The framework is very adaptable, Misaka says mischievously."

Misaka finishes off making refreshments.

"So Misaka must understand what Touma truly desires if she is to capture his heart? Misaka asks as she seeks clarification."

Kuroko nodded.

"It's also important your know why -you- love Touma and if what your feeling is truly love. People like throwing around the term love, but half the time they put way too much stock in meaningful glances and a bit of lust isn't love, real love is a strength that won't leave you in your darkest hour, and is often a complicated mix of emotions and feelings that can be tricky to unpick..."

Kuroko look ahead into empty space for a few moments, with a serous expression on her face.

"The nature of Onee-sama heart shock up my whole world view with far more force than any railgun." Kuroko explained seriously. "I had so many idea's in my head that she blew to bits and changed, and in quiet a few case a full 180 degrees. She is amazing person for far better reasons than being level 5... and I will follow her till I die."

It was a bold statement, and it had resounded with Misaka.

"I always have the same image in my head when I think of Touma, Misaka says thoughtfully."

"Oh?" Koroko asked curiously.

"It is of Touma carrying Dog on the day we first met, Misaka recounts."

"A dog?" Kuroko asked before sipping her drink.

"No my pet cat named Dog, Misaka corrects"

"You name your cat 'Dog'" Kuroko said with a tone of disbelief. "Why would you do such a ridiculous thing?"

"Originally for irony, but latter I felt it was a good name to keep as it was unique, like Dog is to me, Misaka says firmly."

"So why that mental image of him carrying the small animal?" Kuroko asked curiosity.

"That was also the day I first met Dog, being a electromaster, he found me hard to trust, Misaka explains. But Touma helped me and Dog make a bond."

"And you are thankful?" Kuroko asked, this time with a deep seriousness.

Misaka nodded in reply.

"It was not something he had to do, but he did it anyway. He is cursed with misfortune, but decides to always extend a kind hand to those who need one, even if means greater misfortune for himself, Misaka explains with great admiration clear in her tone."

"I see..." Kuroko said softly. "And your happy to admire such greatness?"

"No, Misaka replies firmly. Touma should not always be on the receiving end of misfortune when he shows such kindness to others , Misaka refuses to let this be."

"Seems your in love alright." Kuroko said with a bright smile, then after a brief moment of thought she added with quiet a scary look. "Those words are strong words, Operation 'Only My Railgun' is going to work!"

"What is Operation 'Only My Railgun' Misaka asks in a worried tone?"

"Oh nothing for you to worry about my future little sister-in-law!" Kuroko answered as she reached forwards and ruffled Misaka's hair. "Lets instead focus on helping you get Touma as a boyfriend!"

Misaka sipped her tea.

"I suspect you have hidden motives, but I am happy to accept your aid anyway, Misaka admits."

"You won't regret it, trust me." Kuroko replied. "But now lets focus on what you need to do to get that boys heart..."

It was a surprisingly simple plan in hindsight, Misaka mused as she walked pass the houses armoury (very securely locked for obvious reasons). But good plans often were. She still thought Kuroko was a pretty strange person, but being strange was hardly a good reason not to call someone friend, and Kuroko had proven herself to be a good friend indeed.

A/N: So here we have the end of chapter two :) I thought it be interesting to have one of Raildex's more innocent characters meet one of the least innocent, especially since they haven't met in cannon yet (probably to Mikoto's relief). While this chapter is very much two people having a chat, next chapter got a bigger cast list and considerable more action!