A/N: I feel like I should change my story summary. 'Cause, you know, it's what I came up a year ago.

Chapter 9:

You caused her…

To say that? I know. When Rei had been accidentally pushed off the stairs by a child, she fell 10 steps down to the bottom of the steps. She wanted to get up, but she was so tired, the shock of falling left her paralyzed on the ground. She could feel that her eyes were closed, but who knew if she was conscious or not if she could hear Dark Rei? And why was Dark Rei not saying anything to her again?

"Ryuuzaki-san, wake up, Misaka Misaka shakes her!" Rei felt a gentle shake on her shoulders. It can't be helped, she's just a kid. She's not strong enough yet. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked. "Last Order-chan?" She sat up and coughed. Falling on her shoulders and upper-back regions was pretty painful. Although it's a blessing that I didn't fall on my head.

"Sorry, Misaka Misaka apologizes! Misaka Misaka should have paid more attention to Ryuuzaki-san." Rei used her peripheral vision to look around. A small crowd had gathered, and Accelerator was a couple of steps back. He almost seemed like a passerby if it wasn't for his sharp glaring at the two of them. His hands were in his pockets; he was just surveying them.

"Doesn't she look like that girl from the manga?" A young woman gossiped with the woman next to her. Their mouths were covered by their mouths, but who didn't know better? I'm sure even Last Order can hear them. When she looked back at Last Order, she was amazed at Last Order's expression. What kind of a trance is she in? Is she concentrated on what they're saying? There were other people whispering- probably of other things- but Rei paid attention to the two women.

"Yuki Cross," the other breathed, "from Vampire Knight."

"That's who, Misaka Misaka remembers," Last Order looked at the ground in her trance. She stood up. As she did so, Rei also got up. "That's who Misaka Misaka was thinking of all along."

Last Order-chan?

人

"Croquette & Burger is on the first floor. Let's go." Rei looked at the mall's map. She stood on the escalator that was right next to the map. "I know where it is from the map, so I'll show you," she said, taking the lead. Last Order followed her, Accelerator once again taking the back.

Beep boop. Beep boop. Last Order turned around at the sound; Rei kept looking forward.

Last Order saw Accelerator look through his side jeans pocket. He pulled out a vibrating phone. Beep boop. Beep boop.

人

"Darn that Yoshi, leaving me here to clean out the trash that he brought in." Yomi growled to herself. Most of the apartment had been carpeted; the guest room just got a polish for its wooden floors. It was the least damaged out of all the rooms, so everyone became frugal when it came to the guest room. Yomi felt a bit embarrassed, though, because she hadn't cleaned the room in weeks and Rei had just slept there. That Yoshi! What kind of errands does she even have to do? I bet she just left on purpose so I'd have to do all the work! Surely she should help the New Year's Cleaning. Yomi was fuming no matter what. She had already vacuumed everywhere, mopped the kitchen, cleaned the bathrooms and even cleaned the toilets. I've started cleaning a week early, and I'm already almost done! Darn it, at this rate, I'll have to clean it again before the New Year even comes! But no matter how hard she tried, she was still a bit ticked at Yoshi. I hope a crisis comes along soon so I don't have to come home for a few days! She said angrily. Then Yoshi will have to clean everything for days on end!

Before Yomi got out the necessary supplies to clean the guest bedroom, Yomi first fixed the bed. Or at least, she tried to. Rei had already beaten her to it. Wow, she's on top of things. No wonder she got accepted to Toshiko. Guess I'll work on throwing the trash out. She clicked in disgust when she saw the pole and rope on the floor. She first quickly threw the pole into an almost-filled garbage and threw it out the door. Phew, now that that's out of my house, I can throw that away after I'm done cleaning.

She was doing a challenge, right? What did Accelerator tell her to do? What did he say? Oh right, vector change out of the rope without breaking i- Yomi lifted the flayed rope off of the floor. …

She tossed the rope in the garbage bag, washed her hands in the kitchen, and pulled out her phone.

Ringggggg….

人

"Hello?" Accelerator said out loud. In confusion, Rei turned around as she stepped of the escalator. Last Order almost tripped from the uneven ending- she still wasn't paying attention- but Rei jerked her away before she would have tripped.

"Thank you, Ryuuzaki-san, Misaka Misaka thanks Ryuuzaki-san." She turned back to Accelerator. Rei did the same. He was talking to someone. He got off the escalator and went a ways off in Rei's opposite direction, his back to them. Try as Rei might, she couldn't hear what Accelerator was talking about.

Rei put one hand on each of Last Order's shoulders. "Can you hear what he's saying, Last Order-chan?" Her curiousity sometimes got the better of her; Rei had a terrible habit of eavesdropping.

"…No, Misaka Misaka says."

人

"Hello?" Accelerator spoke into the receiver.

"Ey, Accelerator. I'm cleaning the apartment now. I decided to take a break now" Yomikawa said.

Once Accelerator got off the escalator, he completely disregarded the two "brats" and went off to the side. "Your point?" He whispered. Yomikawa wasn't the type of person to call for fluff.

"I was just cleaning the guest bedroom."

"And?"

"The rope was frayed, jan. It's a really messy split, though. Nothing neat that someone'd get with a knife. Unless she's terrible at handing sharp objects. Long story short, she didn't vector change the rope."

"…" Accelerator didn't say anything at first. "…Was Last Order with her?"

"I think so. When she tried to startle you, Last Order was in her arms."

"Out of all the people to carry knives, Last Order is the least likely of them all." Accelerator put his free hand in his pocket. He shifted weight to the right leg and arm- the side with his cane.

"…We'll talk about this later. Think I should tell Yoshi now?"

"Whatever. She'll have to find out eventually."

"Yeah. Well, bye." Yomi ended the call, the phone beeping to show no one was on the other side now.

Accelerator closed his phone's lid and placed it back in a pocket. He turned around to the girls and started walking forward.

He didn't do that without glaring at Rei first, though.

人

"Welcome to Croquette & Burger's Grand Opening. This is currently our third day in business in this location." A waiter with a striped blue and white hat and white apron came to Rei's table. His collared shirt was also white-and-blue striped. His pants were white with standard brown sneakers. It was a four-seater, the kind everyone saw all the time on TV. Rei and Last Order sat on one side while Accelerator sat on the other, facing Last Order on the inside. The waiter passed out three colorful menus with a smile and closed eyes. "My name is Suoh Yuu. I'll leave you three to make your decisions." He said, opening his eyes. He looked to Rei. Rei was surprised that he hadn't stopped smiling yet. How many happy waiters existed in the world, anyway?

"If the business has existed for three days," Accelerator crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, "then how is it a Grand Opening? That was two days ago."

Rei giggled a bit. "So what will you guys have? I'm thinking of the chicken croquette with noodles on the side."

"I'm not paying for that," Accelerator shot.

"Oh yes you are. I'll tell Yoshikawa-sensei and Yomikawa-sensei if you don't." Rei retorted back, pointing in an accusing fashion at him.

Now it was Last Order's turn to giggle.

"Misaka Misaka will order the Kids' Croquette Meal." Last Order covered her face with the large menu, searching through it. "What will Accelerator-san get, Misaka Misaka wonders."

Accelerator sighed. "I'll just get a beef croquette with rice on the side and a drink."

"I'm back!" Suoh Yuu weaved around tables to get to their window seat. As Rei listed off the items to Suoh, Last Order peered out the window. So many people, swarming everywhere like ants, Misaka Misaka thinks to herself…

"Okay, if that's it, please wait for a few moments." He bowed and then speed-walked off to the kitchen.

"Huh, the help is so polite now. Sooner or later, they'll stop doing such nuances." Accelerator said, turning to the window as well.

"I don't know about him…he certainly seemed kind." Rei shrugged. "But I suppose you're probably right."

"Why don't you date him and find out?" Accelerator said bluntly.

"What? That was very uncalled for!" Rei said, clenching her fist on the table. Last Order turned and laughed, first looking at Accelerator and then Rei. Accelerator smirked at her.

"Just a joke, just a joke." He said, but he didn't stop smirking. Rei hoped she wasn't blushing. She sharply looked away. She turned to face a stomach covered with a dark brown suit vest.

"Ah," she looked up at a face that was smiling at her and the rest. Well, he did at first. When he met glances with Accelerator, he severely frowned. "Hello all, I'm Matsumoto Tabito, the creator of the Croquette & Burger franchise. It's a pleasure to meet you all." His voice betrayed his glare at Accelerator. Rei looked at him closely. Everything about him seemed fat: his portly figure, moustache, and even his face.

"Hello…" Rei said softly. "Hello." She said louder, not wanting to come off as unresponsive

"Does your family come to this mall often?" He inquired.

"…" No one said anything.

"Uhm…" Rei whispered. "We're not a family…" She looked up at Tabito.

"Oh, so sorry." He looked a bit embarrassed at the question, but Rei was sure it was nothing compared to the shock he was seeing on her face.

"No, we don't come here. My dorm isn't near here either."

"Ah, so your school is further away? Which school do you go to? My daughter goes to Tokiwadai." He changed the subject. Rei was wondering when Accelerator or Last Order were going to join in- if ever.

"Toshiko." She said.

"Oh, that's another very well-off school. Hmmm." He stroked his moustache in thought. Rei had to stop herself from laughing at the odd action. He walked away and came straight back before Rei could say anything to anyone. He placed a paper on Rei's placemat.

Job Application, the title read.

"You're probably in high school right? We're still looking for workers. Are you interested?" He said.

"Oh, uh, I'm not sure…." Rei said, looking at the form. This is the first time I've been offered an official job before….

"We have flexible timing! If you can't come because of cram school or a test or studying, just notify us and you won't get in trouble!" He tried to convince her.

"Well…" Rei looked to Accelerator and Last Order. Last Order looked at her curiously, as if saying, "Misaka Misaka has no position to say anything in this. This is Ryuuzaki-san's call." Accelerator went back to looking out the window.

"Okay. I'll fill out the form and give it back to you later. Is that fine?" She looked up at Tabito. Was it her, or was his smile a bit forced?

"Oh, sure! Thank you for your acceptance!"