Clearing it up?

[ACMI: Calm Days]

One thing led to another and they all ended up sitting down around Touma's very small table.

They hadn't sprung right into the main question though, it still felt impolite to mention it in such a peaceful atmosphere as they ate the supper that Itsuwa cooked for them all.

Index was asking for refills of rice every few minutes while Misaka and GV ate at a more sedate pace.

With the warm and homely feeling, Itsuwa asked them about who they were.

Misaka took the lead.

"Mikoto Misaka, Electromaster."

Itsuwa had blinked at that but hadn't commented anything specific.

"How did you meet Touma?" She asked instead.

Misaka waved "Knowing how he is, probably the same sort of way you did. He decided to be a hero and it ended up saving me and my family."

Itsuwa had nodded at that with a sigh before she turned to GV.

"And you?"

"We first met each other in passing, but our first proper meeting was during the same incident that Misaka mentioned." GV shrugged.

Itsuwa nodded but it seemed she was waiting for an answer to her earlier question.

"Ah yes." GV noted "I generally go by GV or Genki. Elecromaster."

As Index continued to eat, Touma cut her off as she finished her eighth bowl of rice and told her to get back to cleaning the bathroom.

Index wasn't here any more, but this question was still better asked to Touma while alone...

As if she could read his mind though, Itsuwa prompted them.

"So, the third thing you wanted to ask Touma?"

GV and Misaka glanced at each other before GV took the lead.

"While we could talk about it openly, we think it would be the kind of question Touma shouldn't be forced to answer with people who might not already know about it. Think of it like we're asking about a medical condition."

"A medical condition?" Touma asked, thinking back "I didn't think I had any wounds you guys would worry about."

He did sound... unsure though. Okay, how to talk around this without letting Itsuwa know more?

Misaka took over "I became worried after that phone call the other day, the one where you asked about Avignon."

There was a slight shift in the room. Touma paused and GV could swear he saw a flicker of something on Itsuwa's face.

"Hmm?" Touma acted unconcerned "What about it? I wasn't over there or anything."

"You weren't in Academy City though." Gv noted "The information was everywhere, you couldn't walk down the street without seeing something about Avignon."

"I was just inside." Touma bluffed.

"Touma." GV had to be direct here "I remember the talk with Tsuchimikado before. Did you end up learning English? Or Italian for that matter?"

Misaka looked over at GV's non sequitur but Touma gave a shrug.

"It's... passable. With a phrase book."

"Do you have a phrase book?"

Itsuwa, having been left out of this interrogation, raised her voice very slightly "Now hold on, be more direct. What exactly are you accusing him of?"

GV and Misaka once again shared a look.

"I'll blunt." GV finally went "Touma, do you trust Itsuwa? Completly I mean, because if our suspicions are right, you might not want anyone knowing it, and our suspecting it was only because of an accident."

Touma's eyes sharpened, he glanced at Itsuwa and he checked something for clarification.

"It's related to something you learned on that phone call?"

Misaka nodded and Touma sighed "Then Itsuwa probably already knows it, she was nearby when I made that call."

"Oh." Misaka was surprised but she nodded.

"Then here's what I wanted to ask-"

An explosion could be heard from the bathroom, interupting Misaka's question. Touma burst to his feet and ran to the bathroom.

"How on earth did you break the bathtub with just a sponge and detergent, Index!?"

Indeed, when GV and Misaka poked their heads around Touma to see, yes, they saw index and a damaged bathtub.

So, it turns out that Index didn't know how to clean things and thought just pouring detergent in the plughole would work. One thing led to another and she'd damaged the water heater.

Itsuwa forced a laugh and made a suggestion "Well, isn't it good to go out to a bathhouse and change a bit of the atmosphere? This isn't that bad."

The vaguely unknown woman pointed out that Academy City had a lot of bath houses.

"As it's the current topic, Itsuwa, how do you know so much about bath houses in Academy City?"

At Touma's question, Itsuwa paused and whispered something into his ear.

Right. GV had his suspicions now.

"For the sake of transparency and because Touma trusts you I'll ask this simply; Itsuwa, are you a mage?"

Itsuwa paused, surprised. Touma gave her a nod.

"They've interacted with the magic side before."

"Oh." Itsuwa's voice was quiet, but she did nod.

Misaka looked over at her "Is something magical happening in the city?"

She hesitated but nodded "But it's not something that will affect the city itself." She explained to Misaka "You don't have to worry Lady Railgun."

"Lady Railgun?" Misaka raised an eyebrow at that "If you wanted to make it clear you've heard of me, there are ways that don't sound silly. Just Misaka will do."

GV nodded "So you're just... guarding Touma?"

She nodded while still looking at a map of Academy city hot springs.

If something was going on, GV intended to at least find out what it was before he'd head home.

Author note.

And yes, in the confusion, Misaka did forget to ask. She'll remember later.