Toaru Majutsu no Index belongs to Kamachi Kazuma
(1) This is a fictional work, elements of the original work can be altered for better compatibility with this story.
(2) English is not my first language.
I hope you enjoy!
Last Order ran across the park, splashing water. The fine drizzle soaked her brown hair and made the white shirt she wore over her dress almost transparent. She ran and laughed, and twirled in the rain with her arms open, as if she were trying to catch the falling droplets. Accelerator stood behind her, umbrella in one hand, cane in the other. Feet soaked from having stepped on several puddles of water, face frowning. His desire was to make her swallow that damn umbrella.
Last Order loved rainy days. She loved the sun, the wind, day and night and she loved rainy days. That gray, cold weather always made people melancholic, even Accelerator, but not her. Rain served as a way to wash away the impurities of the world, she said, and the boy had no idea where she had heard such a thing.
So, every time it rained, Last Order would run out of the apartment and go to the park, play in the rain, spin around, roll on the wet grass like a happy dog and then return home, muddy and happy, with a renewed spirit... And she got a cold. And Accelerator was scolded by Yomikawa for not taking proper care of the girl.
He wondered how he had become her guardian when he still had his own guardian. And that also explained his presence in the square on that rainy day, carrying a large umbrella with the Anti-Skills emblem on one side. No matter how much he screamed or scolded the brat, she would run and roll until she was satisfied.
"Accelerator should play in the rain too, says Misaka as Misaka brushes her wet bangs out of her face."
"Give me a good reason why I want to get wet?" He snorted.
"To renew your energy, Misaka explains wisely while Misaka lets herself get wet in the rain. The rain washes your body and washes away the bad energy, leaving you as good as new, says Misaka, continuing the explanation."
"I can wash myself in the shower if I want."
"But it's not the same thing, says Misaka as Misaka stamping her foot on the ground and making the water in the puddle fly everywhere. Rain is sent by the sky and is sacred." Accelerator arched his eyebrow at that answer. They were in Academy City, where everything was scientific and explained, that magical and religious argument in no way matched the environment.
"Don't be stupid, brat." He replied. "Rain is nothing more than a natural phenomenon-."
"Misaka knows how rain forms, interrupts Misaka as Misaka faces the big rain clouds." Her eyes stared at the formations that crossed the sky, being moved by a slow breeze. "But Misaka likes to think that some things are sacred, says Misaka as Misaka takes on a more serious tone." That serious look didn't match at all with the childish face that was always happy and smiling. It gave him goosebumps, it was almost as if he were looking at someone else. It was almost as if she knew something he didn't.
"Anyway" he rolled his eyes trying to eliminate the disturbing feeling that invaded him. "You'll catch a cold."
"Misaka won't get sick, says Misaka as Misaka shows that she is healthy."
"You say that every time and you always get sick, brat." He stretched out his arm, covering the girl with the umbrella. The cold, fine rain settled on his thin, light hair and slowly ran down his face and soaked the collar of his shirt.
"It's not fun with the umbrella, complains Misaka as Misaka takes a step back and comes out from under the cover." There was that laughing, childish expression she always had when she didn't follow an order. Accelerator clenched his hand around the umbrella handle and gritted his teeth.
"Come back here."
"Misaka hasn't finished playing in the rain yet, says Misaka as Misaka takes another step away."
"Last Order!" His scream echoed through the empty park without being answered. The girl had already taken off running and was looking back with an amused look, just to see if he was keeping up with her.
It didn't take long for the duo to get into a game of cat and mouse, revolving around the fountain. The girl ran and laughed outrageously, while the teenager followed her. Until Accelerator got tired of that game and cut the corner, closing the passage. The brown eyes looked at him askance, but Accelerator simply thrust the umbrella into her small hands and gave her a look that he would squeeze her neck until she actually saw something sacred, if she protested. He turned his back and marched back to the apartment, with the girl at his heels.
"What is this sacred story?"He asked, breaking the silence between them.
"Misaka knows that there are things that not even science can explain, says Misaka as Misaka remembers the Hound Dogs invasion."
Accelerator stopped and turned, looking at her. It was true that many strange things had happened that night and if it weren't for the girl dressed as a nun, maybe Last Order would never have recovered. But the girl had been unconscious the entire time, she had no way of knowing what had happened.
"The frog-faced doctor told me some things, says Misaka as she peers at Accelerator's reaction from the umbrella" . Accelerator furrowed his wet eyebrows but said nothing. He had no idea what the girl knew and preferred not to go into the subject, because it might encourage her to find out more. "And Misaka had a memory or a dream, says Misaka as she remembers and becomes sad."
Accelerator faced her again, pushing the umbrella to see the girl's face. There was a mixture of a serious and a melancholic look.
"Misaka dreamed of an angel, says Misaka as she tries to remember exactly. He had black and broken wings, even though it was scary, Misaka wasn't scared. But I know I can't get close to him, because he will die and leave me alone." Her hands shook while holding the umbrella.
"Angels don't exist." He replied in a bad mood.
"But Misaka's angel looked like you, says Misaka as she pulls out her umbrella and hides her shyness."
Accelerator lowered himself, leaning on his cane, until he was at the girl's height, then slowly pushed the umbrella aside, freeing his vision.
"This is just a dream, understand. Angels don't exist, I'm not an angel and I'm not going to die so easily." He said the words very slowly, as if he was trying harder to convince himself than the girl in front of him. He didn't know if angels existed, he didn't know what it was like after the strange events of his fight with Kihara, and he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't die, not with all the problems he had, not with his activities with GROUP. When the girl finally looked at him she gave a half smile.
"Now, enough of this nonsense." He pulled the umbrella back, covering her from the rain. "Let's go back." He got up, walking alongside the little girl.
=8=
Achim!
The sneeze echoed through the apartment. Last Order looked up from the television and stared at Accelerator, sitting on the couch and wrapped in a blanket. His face was flushed, there were huge dark circles under his eyes and his nose was red.
"Misaka said she wouldn't get sick, Misaka confirms while showing that she is healthy."
The boy didn't respond, just cast an unhappy look at the girl sitting at his feet.
"You could have reversed the rain vector and not gotten wet." Yoshikawa chimed, coming from the kitchen, bringing a cup of very hot tea for the boy. "Don't tell me the mighty Accelerator didn't think of that?" She provoked.
"Shut up!" He said while accepting the offered cup.
As he sipped the strong, hot drink, he saw Misaka's eyes shift to the window. The glass was being washed by a fine drizzle, similar to that of days ago.
"It's raining, says Misaka as Misaka jumps up." The girl was ready to run towards the door, but Accelerator grabbed her by dress, making her sit on the sofa.
"Quiet there!"
"Misaka wants to play in the rain, I need to purify myself, says Misaka as Misaka struggles on the couch trying to free herself and run outside."
"You don't... Atchin!" The sneeze caused his hand to escape from the girl and she took the chance to escape and run to the door. Accelerator could only see the wooden leaf close and Last Order's happy laughter disappearing into the hallway.
"You better go after her." Yoshikawa settled on the sofa, enjoying her own cup of tea. Red eyes moved toward her, she had to be joking, right? But Yoshikawa didn't even flinch at the look she received, she raised eyebrows and indicated the door with head. "Aiho will be furious if she gets lost or gets sick."
Thank you for reading. If you like, please comment!