Chapter 8:
"Accelerator will be delighted to go right now. Enjoy, young ladies. It's his treat, after all." Yoshikawa smiled as she put her plates away.
"Good one, Ryuuzaki-san." Yomikawa laughed at the table. "Clever Ryuuzaki-san. Clever, clever Ryuuzaki-san."
"Thanks." Rei put Last Order on the ground. Last Order went to the front and put on her snow boots. "I don't think it's snowing outside, is it? There might be some ice, but nothing sneakers couldn't help."
"December's almost over, and Christmas has already ended. Snow is scarce, though. Huh." Yoshikawa said, drinking some water.
"Global warming and whatnot," Yomikawa waved her hand. "But I don't think boots are necessary."
"Misaka Misaka prefers her snow boots over her sneakers."
Rei looked over to the doormat. Bright pink snow boots were next to grey and brown laced sneakers. "Ah, your boots are pink with yellow dots. I can see why you like them."
Accelerator got up and stretched his arms. "Fine. Let's go already."
"Oh yes, you need to stretch for reading a magazine." Yomikawa joked.
"Eh, you know Yomi. It's very challenging for youth these days to sit still." Yoshi joined in. Rei had trouble stifling a giggle. It was only Accelerator's near presence that suppressed her urge.
"Okay, we'll be leaving now." Rei slipped on her own sneakers: they were black with white strips and white laces. She loved her exercise shoes. They beat her uniform shoes any day.
"Bye!" Yoshi called, heading to her room. "I have to go out to do some errands, too."
"Enjoy your lunch, jan!" Yomi said. She finished off her food with her drink.
と あ る 臨 時 の 人
Rei and Last Order held hands as they walked alongside a water body. On one side was a clean metal railing, preventing people from falling into the water. On the other side was a line of shops and restaurants. The crowd was fairly crowded. It was the crowdedness that lead Last Order to hold Rei's hand. Accelerator followed behind, not motivated to move at all.
"Misaka Misaka wonders if you're new to Academy City?" Last Order asked politely when Rei almost got cut off from her when a crowd of tourists walked past. After that, Rei instinctively searched for Last Order. It was embarrassing to Rei, but Last Order had more of her bearings here.
"I believe I've always been here." Rei said louder than she normally would. The chatter was bearable- it reminded her of lunchtime at school- but she hated the fact that she had to speak louder to be heard. She had been told more than once that she had a soft voice.
"'I believe'? Misaka Misaka repeats, confused." Last Order continued looking in front of her, weaving around groups of people when necessary. Rei was slightly impressed. How many primary-school girls had such dexterity?
Girl? She's a clone. A voice in her said. A girl's voice. Her voice.
Ah? I didn't come up with that sentence. Is a mind-reading ESPer nearby? Playing pranks? Hello, voice? No response.
"Ryuuzaki-san? Misaka Misaka asks, as Ryuuzaki-san never responded."
"Ah, sorry! Well, a few years back, I woke up in a hospital. The doctors told me I had suffered from a serious case of amnesia. I can't remember anything before that. They had my history in a computer, though, and they tried to help me remember and told me information." Rei spoke softer now. It felt weird, telling her past to someone, especially this young girl or clone or whatever.
"Oh, that's so unfortunate! Misaka Misaka says sympathetically!" Rei could see a large shopping center coming into view. We're going to eat there? She thought. "Does not knowing your past bother you or infringe your current life, Misaka Misaka asks?"
"Not really. Once I got out of the hospital, I got sent to a far-away part of Academy City. The hospital helped fill in my forms for my junior high school. That school has four divisions: a primary school, a junior high school, a high school, and a college. I just use the step-program. No point in moving away. Toshiko- that's the name of the school- is a pretty good school and I like it there. Even though I'm just a sophomore there, I like it. There may have been a couple discussions on family now and then…but it was okay. I'm apparently an orphan as well," Rei added the last part so Last Order wouldn't question it, "but since my junior high had dorms, I've never stayed in an orphanage. Toshiko also has dorms, too."
"Ah, one of the prestigious high schools, Misaka Misaka recalls. I hear it's Tokiwadai's greatest rival, Misaka Misaka recalls some more."
"Un," Rei nodded. "Say…" Rei. "Have you ever been to school?"
"No, Misaka Misaka was programmed with basic knowledge. Misaka Misaka's knowledge wasn't fully encoded in, though." Last Order spoke with a systematic drone. It's as if she planned to say that.
"Uh…programmed?" A feeling in Rei's mind felt as if it was completing itself. The thought that Last Order isn't human…I was right? Where did I get that from?
Last Order stopped moving and looked at her. A serious, sincere look on Last Order didn't fit her, Rei thought. "Misaka Misaka is a clone. Clone 20-…." She stopped abruptly, looking up at Rei. It took Rei a few seconds to realize Last Order wasn't looking at her, but-
"Where are we going, anyway?" Accelerator drawled.
Rei took notice of her surroundings. Huh, I should be a bit more attentive next time. The last time I wasn't paying attention, Haruhi-
"Ah, look." She said. "We're here."
と あ る 臨 時 の 人
The building loomed over them. Colorful banners of sales and events hung from all sorts of windows and edges. People came and went, by themselves, pairs, drones. "I'm fine with anything. I'm not really from this part of the city, but I've heard of a good croquette place here. Let's go." Rei started climbing up the several, small steps.
と あ る 臨 時 の 人
"Damn it, brat. What were you going to tell her? What?" Accelerator hissed at Last Order, his red eyes filled with more knives than usual
"I wasn't going to tell her all about Project Radio Noise, Misaka Misaka justifies her action." Last Order looked steadily at Accelerator. She seemed to lapse into a look of her sister clones. Neither she nor he noticed Rei walking away. Then again, she didn't notice them either.
"Hell, with the way you were going, you'd have to spill. Even a bit of that knowledge begs for the rest." Accelerator narrowed his eyes. "We don't need her to know. Now she's going to press for more. It was a sudden question." Is she after something else?
Now it was Last Order's turn to narrow her eyes. "Misaka Misaka trusts Ryuuzaki-san. Even though Misaka Misaka has known Ryuuzaki-san for less than 24 hours, she has the trustworthy air around her. Ryuuzaki-san won't press Misaka Misaka for information. Ryuuzaki-san knows her place; Misaka Misaka knows she will be kind."
"She also has the Level 5 air about her," he retorted. Last Order held her ground, but she said nothing.
"Accelerator-san has been listening in on what Ryuuzaki-san has been saying, Misaka Misaka proposes?"
"She's not the average Academy Student, now is she? Amnesia? Vector Change? Level 5 but Level 4? What on Earth makes you think she's to be openly trusted?"
Thud. "Oh my!" Some people cried behind them, but the two were still focused on each other.
"Nothing's wrong with Ryuuzaki! Misaka Misaka says knowingly. If Ryuuzaki ever asks Misaka Misaka, she will receive a trustworthy answer!" Last Order raised her voice, clenching her fists.
Accelerator looked down to her fists. He seemed bored yet serious again. "And," he said so the people near him wouldn't hear, "if she does something with that information, I'll end her."
"Huh, Misaka Misaka exclaimed! Misaka Misaka would like to see Accelerator-san try!" She turned to start walking. "RYUUZAKI! MISAKA MISAKA IS ALARMED! WHAT HAPPENED, MISAKA MISAKA ASKS AS SHE LOOKS AT REI'S FALLEN BODY!"
"Seems kinda obvious to me…" Accelerator muttered.
No response from Rei came.