Answers at last

[ACMI3: Usual Bath]

The bathing area was full of steam from the hot water. GV looked around to see where Touma had gone. Ah, he was in one of the large pool-like baths.

GV looked carefully at the water. Hopefully it didn't have any strange salts in it that would further mess with his ability.

Now, don't let all of this careful planning make you think that GV didn't wash himself. He did, he just normally had showers though.

With a cautious movement he stepped down onto a stair leading into the large pools.

...Nothing went wrong instantly. At least that meant it probably didn't have any out there compounds in the water that would matter.

Slowly he headed down the rest of the stairs until he was in the water properly. It came up to his chest.

He slowly walked over to Touma who looked to be relaxing well enough. GV didn't feel like distracting him at first so he just allowed himself to sink slightly more into the water.

Finally though, Touma did look over.

"You enjoying it?" He asked.

GV popped back up slowly but shrugged "About as much as I can. I don't normally like large bodies of water."

"Like a cat?"

GV snorted "My powers are disrupted by liquids, and I've had bad experiences with it in the past."

"Here or...?" Touma didn't want to say something like "Back on your homeworld."

"The latter." GV remarked "I was once caught in an underwater base as is was being flooded. Specifically to kill me, I should note."

Touma looked away "Sorry I brought it up."

"It was a long time ago now." GV lied, it had been earlier that year but he was basically over it so it didn't affect him "But it's just another reason I don't really like soaking that much."

"Can you swim?" Touma asked.

GV thought about the question before answering "Yes and no. I was taught how to paddle, but I can't really do that very well when carrying all the equipment I normally do on a mission."

He probably could learn to swim with the extra weight but... well he didn't want to.

After a moment of silence between them, GV asked his own question.

"Misaka's third question." He began "Touma, you have memory loss, don't you?"

Touma didn't answer. GV waited to see if he would change his mind but when he didn't, he continued.

"Misaka overheard it on her phone call. She's worried that you forgot something important."

He remained silent, his eyes closed.

GV Sighed "On what day did we meet?"

"When we met bugzapper's sister."

He remembered till about then. That was mid to late August. But...

The boy scratched his head "I'm sorry but when did we meet, my memory isn't that good."

Maybe... He'd said that at the time so...

[ACMI: Alchemy]

"We'd met before that actually, do you remember Misaka's chainsaw? It was pretty memorable after all."

"Where did she even get it?" Touma asked lazily.

GV's eyes narrowed "Off the floor, remember?"

"Who'd leave a working chainsaw on the floor for anyone to pick up?" Touma glanced over before catching GV's expression.

GV finished weaving the net of words "It was quite easy, she created it with her power and iron sand after all. And yet you believed I was talking about a normal chainsaw."

Touma shut his mouth at once and looked away.

"You're aware of it and hiding it?" GV suggested "That's the only way I can find to explain your actions."

With Touma not giving any feedback, GV just had to continue with a monologue.

"If you're hiding it for a purpose and not just because it doesn't matter. This purpose... there is either a person or a group you don't want to become aware of your lost memories. A person or group that would care about the fact those memories were lost. You lost your memories of some period that includes July. Something important happened in July and person or persons that you're keeping it from would care."

"Stop." Touma asked.

GV did. He stopped dead. But when Touma didn't continue, GV followed a different tactic.

"Misaka is worried, so for her sake allow me to ask this question: When did you first meet her? Was it in July by any chance?"

Touma leaned over in the bath and stood up.

"I did. There, I remember July. Now leave this matter alone."

Touma was... oddly aggressive. For him at least. Before GV could say anything else though, Touma left the bath. Apparently he was done.

GV sunk back down into the water and blew some bubbles. This conversation had gone nowhere really.

Well, that wasn't true. It had gone somewhere. While Touma denied it, GV was sure he'd lost his memories of at least a large chunk of July. Possibly his first meeting with Misaka too.

Of course, he wouldn't be able to get him to admit it unless he had a key. Someone who knew him beforehand...

Wait, when had he gotten involved in magic things? That might be a good place to start his investigation.

GV stood up properly and headed out of the bath.

End of chapter.

Another chapter slightly shorter than I'd like but I didn't want to open a new scene when we're already at 900 words.

Now I just have to figure out how Misaka would actually respond to knowing exactly how much he's lost. This might be me just failing to remember but does she ever learn that he doesn't remember their first meeting? If so, when?