A/N: Does anybody know the answer to the following question: When you edit and re-upload a chapter of your story, does the updated date below the summary change? I would much appreciate an answer. I can't stop listening to a Len cover of Mr. Taxi. I'm serious.

Chapter 20:

Stop haunting me. Stop smiling at me when I dream. Stop repeating words, what you say only confuses me. Stop those taunting words, why won't you leave me alone? What's your reason for staying here with me? Am I going insane? Stop being a burden to me. So far I have only taken one of your suggestions. And the answer to that question is...

"That's funny," Accelerator continued to nonchalantly sip on his coke, "Like hell I would."

"But I don't mean a to-the-death kind of fight. I just wanted you to practice alongside me. You're always instructing me from the sides. Maybe a couple of times you've shown something, like when you made the cup fall or when we had that snowball fight…"

I really enjoyed that, sensei…Did you have fun, even if just a little? Did you lighten up in the slightest?

"There's a different between an all-out fight and making a cup fall." Now Last Order was giving them nervous sideglances.

Restraint? But what's the point of teaching if you refuse to go the farthest you can to help the student…Accelerator-sensei, why did agree to teaching me? Did you agree because it was an overall good thing to do, or…

"But you formed icicles at me and you aimed a steel beam at my head!" Rei looked at him, although Accelerator was far more invested in the condensation on the glass he was holding.

You can't be honest to anyone…

"That's because I know you're going to respond back in time. It's not they would've actually hit you if you became a retard in the moment, anyway."

"What?! Can't you take your student a little more seriously?!" Now Last Order was giving full attention, her eyes slightly widened.

Accelerator looked at her. Without a word, he got close to her face. "You want me to take you seriously? Then become the strongest level 5 ESPer. Oh wait, that's me." Every word he said was practically a snarl. "There's nothing you can do to make me agree to fight you. It's either you stay alive and find another way to commit suicide or you die a pathetic level 4."

The tumbler to do the door sounded. The anger on Rei's face became evident, her teeth gritting hard.

"I'm back with some vegetables for dinn-" Yoshi said, carrying two heaping tote bags of groceries.

"OH SHUT UP you passive-aggressive excuse for a glass-of-iced-coke teacher! What's with that reason, you don't fight unless it's to go all out to kill? Frankly, I find that hard to believe coming from YOU." She started backing away. "Why won't you fight with me!? It's such a simple request!" She reached the door. "I'm going! You better enjoy eating that coke! That's right! I said eat! Good night!" She opened the door and closed it with more energy than needed to be polite.

"Although that should have been very serious, that closure sounded very silly, Misaka Misaka gives out her opinion in a tense and awkward atmosphere."

"Bitch." Accelerator barely spoke.

Yoshi took the grocery bags and started to organize them in the kitchen. "Do you want to explain what that was?" She said in a tone that was more commanding than it appeared.

"Rei-chan wants to practice-fight Accelerator, Misaka Misaka answers because Accelerator would have probably made this conversation difficult."

"You brat…"

"I see. And, Accelerator, you won't fight her because…"

"Because I'm out of her league. Go easy on someone? Ha, I don't know that feeling. If she wants restraint she should find a better sparring partner."

"You'd think that the number one ESPer in Academy City would have learnt restraint a while back…"

"What the hell of a request is that? I want you to have a serious fight with me, but I want it to be a practice one and it'd be nice if you actually didn't go all out." He put the glass on the table and put up his feet.

Yoshi sighed. "With your 'reasons' this argument should be very petty. But if you're worried that Rei could die, I think you should have more confidence in her and your restraint. If she were to fight you, she would put up a fight, a long fight, before going down because not only does she have your ability, she's a 4 bordering on 5. She's like Awaki only less insane, nicer, and probably stronger…okay, she's less like her than I thought I abolish that comparison." She looked up from her vegetables in thought of what she could actually compare to Rei. "Actually, I have nothing on that aspect."

"Well, they're both bitches so it doesn't matter. And I'm not worried at all. I'm not going to fight her, end of discussion."

"If you say so…You know, if Rei were to have asked that when we first met or any point other now, I most likely would have agreed. But she's been training for half a year now, and I don't think she's going to get permanently injured-or die- from a fight." Once finished with putting away the groceries, she headed toward the hall's bathroom. "You could always fight her after the system scan. There's still time to come around."

人

"Rei, are you okay?" Haruhi looked at her. Haruhi said that phrase all the time to her, so Kiri and Reika had gotten used to it and weren't nearly as concerned. "You seem very angry."

Rei had already gone through the entire 20-mechanical pencil she had bought the day before. In fact, she had broken all 20 before lunchtime. She had borrowed some of Haruhi's, Reika's, and Kiri's only to have all of those break before the hour was up. Giving up on notes, she just sat back in her seat and watched the teacher. She was just too mad at what happened the day before. Hopefully she would cool down in time. Getting mad right before midterms would probably hurt her grades, but she couldn't help it. Midterms were the next day and it didn't seem like she would cool down anytime soon.

"Now that you mention it, you do seem rather pissed off, Rei-chan…" Kiri folded her arms. "Someone giving you trouble. Or midterm stress? You know, it's really boring to just be worried about studies. Get some hobbies besides studying and your ability. I'm sure you could manage."

"You could say that…" Rei shook her head. "It's just…I've broken so many pencils recently." She brought out one of her smaller but still annoying problems.

"Maybe you're so stressed out that that's happening. But yeah, that would suck." Reika concurred. "Thankfully I don't have to worry about that. Even though I'm a shape-shifter, I haven't really gotten the ability parts down, so even if I were to change as you…" In that moment Reika's image blurred as she turned into a spitting image of Rei. "I wouldn't be the level 4 you." Reika-turned-Rei smiled a little and transformed.

"Ah you shouldn't have used your ability like that, Reika-chan!" Haruhi grew alarmed.

"Haru-chan, is it just me or are you always the hyperactive, worried one in our group? Ehe.." Kiri laughed a little.

人

The physics midterm was beginning. Rei, although mad, spent more time then she would like to admit trying to calm down. Trying in vain, Rei just had to focus on not breaking her pencils in addition to prevent her from floating out the window during the midterms in even more addition to the actual material on the final. She had no choice, though. This was only a temporary remedy. She would work this out all later.

As she took the test, Accelerator's words would occasionally flash in her mind, and it was at these points that Rei had to make sure her pencil didn't snap.

"There's nothing you can do to make me agree to fight you. It's either you stay alive and find another way to commit suicide or you die a pathetic level 4."

I hate you, Accelerator-sensei. I hate you!

And then Rei heard a low chuckle in her mind. Rei visibly facedesked in annoyance. Her problems just wouldn't magically disappear. A soft facedesk, but one that garnered a concerned look from the teacher.

Silly Rei, you'll just work around it! You'll get what we want eventually, you resourceful child you!

人

Girls were chattering in the locker room. Some were putting on their gym shirts and shorts. Others were putting on tracks suits or something of the sort. Other girls were still in their uniforms but stayed around to chat to their changing friends.

Rei faced her locker and unlocked the lock. Her face remained unchanging, ever determined, and put on her track suit. She reached further into the small locker and took out a plastic baggie. Inside the bag were several hairties. She took and tied her hair into a thin, long ponytail.

She definitely got some looks as she stiffly walked to the door.

As if I can be perfectly calm on this judgment day.

人

The day was colder than the days before. Rei shivered a little as she marched out to the dirt circle far away from the baseball field.

Argh, stupid Accelerator-sensei. You were just teasing me about thermal control. Now I need that skill and I don't have it and I hate you. Now stop making me think about you before my system scan! This is an important day that I-by the way- never got to really practice with you!

As she stepped onto that orange dot, she noticed a great deal more camouflaging rings. They had added fifteen more, more than they had ever added by Rei's memory. Wow…Does this mean they have confidence in me to achieve level 5 status?

"Ryuuzaki Rei, your level testing is about to begin. The first part of your exam will take place on this field. Step on the field when you are ready."

She took a deep breath and exhaled. She imagined the orange dot was Accelerator's face as she pounded her right foot on it.