Level 0

[ACSRS: Ketsui to kakugo]

A moment passed as Touma regained some breath. He then continued "Answer me."

GV stepped forward but Misaka held up a hand to him and he stood back to let her talk.

It was barely there but a shudder could still be heard in her voice as she talked to Touma "What's it to you? I can do whatever I want, whenever I want." She leaned against the rail that was behind her that separated the pathway from the road and she continued "You're out here too so why don't you mind your own business and leave me al-"

Touma cut her off "Cut the crap."

Misaka looked worried but she kept her voice calm "What's the deal with you tonight?" Just before she continued, Touma held up a stack of paper that was clipped together.

"I read all about the project," Touma spoke clearly "about all of your sisters, the experiments and everything. So like I said, let's cut the crap."

"That paper how did you-" Misaka started.

She leaned back and after a moment spoke "Well, well, well. just who are you anyway? You only met my clone yesterday and you already got your hands on this top secret information. You could be a detective."

Everyone else remained quiet for a moment. It looked like Misaka was going to continue but Gunvolt finally stepped forward.

"And? What is your opinion?" He spoke quietly but firmly. Misaka threw an angry glance at him but he just shrugged back "He told us to cut the crap."

Touma looked dead at Misaka and spoke "I'm here because I'm concerned." That surprised her.

She turned her head "It's kind of nice to here someone say that, even if it's not the truth."

Touma tightened his grip on the paper "It is the truth."

There was a pause before Touma continued in a raised voice "I mean what I say!"

GV could here the sobs from Misaka before she controlled herself.

Once Misaka had calmed down she looked away so she couldn't see either of their faces, She explained how the sisters identify themselves as lab rats.

"It's my fault their in this mess so it's my duty to help them and make sure the rest survive."

She turned to walk past Touma and he asked "Where are you going now?"

"There is another experiment being held tonight. Before it begins I'll track down Accelerator and fight him with every ounce of strength in my body."

Touma held out his arm to block her way and GV spoke quietly but still loud enough for Touma to here "No you won't. It's not your full strength if you die in the first move."

Touma looked to her "Having him kill you?"

Misaka looked down "He is expected to win in 185 moves. If I lose in one it will throw off the experiment."

GV walked over to the two of them "We've discussed the flaws in the plan but it is the only plan we have right now."

Touma looked disappointed "You think she should do this?"

"No," GV replied tersely "But we can't find another way."

"So will you step aside?" Misaka tried to walk forward but Touma raised his arm again.

"No way, I know you've convinced yourself you are doing the right thing here but I'm not just going to let you march off to your death!"

Suddenly Misaka's temper flared and the paper in his hand was scorched by a sudden bolt.

"Oh really, are you saying you have another solution to offer?" Misaka's emotions were really growing now. GV looked at Touma and waited a moment as if waiting for an answer.

The moment passed and Misaka's anger grew "Yeah, I didn't think so. Now take your idealism and stuff it. There isn't time for this."

Touma shook his head "Say what you want, I'm not moving"

Misaka began casting of lightning "This isn't getting us anywhere. What, are you heartless and don't care about them because they are clones? If you don't move I'll shoot right through you, If you don't want that step aside!"

"So," Touma hadn't said anything so Misaka continued "you want to settle this through force do you? How many times have I tried to fry you now? I'm still not sure what kind of power you used against me, but I can't afford to lose to you today. So you better be ready to fight for your life. Because if you don't, You will die!"

A bolt from her broke a nearby lamp, but Misaka was more shocked that he was raising his hands.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Just standing. I'm not going to fight you." Touma replied.

"What?" Misaka was more suprised but then he replied "I won't fight you."

Misaka's anger now had her surrounded by arcs of lightning.

"You can stop playing the noble idiot now. Do you think I would give up on saving them just because you put your hands up? There is no other route, I'm not bluffing, I'll fry the life out of you."

"Go ahead then," Touma calmly replied "I won't fight."

Misaka yelled "Damn it!" and threw a bolt that hit the metal column next to Touma. "You want to stop me fight like a man, if you don't want to fight get the hell out of my way! Don't just stand there calmly while you doom another of my sisters to death."

Touma just closed his eyes. GV had to agree, if he wasn't suggesting anything else then he was just asking her to leave tonight's experiment alone.

Misaka's eyes were wild "This is the last time I'm going to say it," The electricity arced out as she yelled "Fight Me!"

They struck Touma's torso and he flew back. Falling against the ground a few meters away from where he had been standing.

Misaka seemed more surprised that she landed the attack then anything else. Touma was climbing to his feet though.

"Do you understand now, I will hurt you." Misaka threatened him but now on his feet, Touma raised his arms again.

"I already said, I refuse to fight you." He was in pain but he spoke clearly.

"I don't get it!" Misaka was still angry but her powers had calmed down.

She continued to yell at him "You know these experiments are wrong don't you, I'm trying to end them! Why are you trying to stop me?"

Touma took a breath "Yeah, I know they are wrong. What they are doing is crazy. Evil and disgusting."

Misaka began to yell again but Touma cut her off "But, the way you have it planned, you are going to die tonight. So I won't move."

As Misaka stood in shock, GV stepped forward. "I know Joule would likely say the same, your other friends would too. None of them would let you walk to your death."

A moment passed.

"Shut up, both of you." Misaka spoke quietly "Saying nice things, trying to reassure me. I don't deserve it. There isn't a happy ending here, Either I die or they die, there isn't a good ending to all of this."

GV looked to Touma "That is the underlying truth, If you can't suggest another way then there is no other option. You can't just tell someone to 'Not save their family'"

Touma closed his eyes to think before opening them "What if Tree diagram were wrong about something else."

The other two looked at him like he was mad and Misaka spoke "No, don't try to say something like that." Her anger grew again "Ten thousand of my sisters are dead, they only died because they were needed for this. I hold the duty to protect them."

Touma looked at her "And? Will they thank you?"

Misaka's anger spiked "What? Are you saying that the saving of the other Ten thousand isn't worth it? If my one life can save their ten thousand then it is a good thing."

GV looked at her sadly and Touma saw the expression. They both knew, she was feeling guilty because she allowed them to be made in the first place. She didn't think she deserved any thanks after everything that had happened, this was just a happy coincidence to her, she could die to save them.

"It's not much but maybe it's enough." Her voice was quiet and almost begging. "Please just go!"

"I'm not moving." Touma said quietly.

Misaka's face twisted in pain and GV felt the charge building, he threw himself out of the blast, making the electric bust carry him to where it was too weak to hurt him.

There was the sound of an explosion, and the lights around town went dark.

In the end the bridge held a powerful charge. GV walked back towards the two to see what had happened. Misaka was holding off sobs and the cat from before was meowing at Touma's body on the ground.

[ACSRS: Sou, Kimeta]

Misaka rushed over to him and held her hand to his chest. She set a bolt towards it and GV realised she was restarting his heart.

She sat there besides him for a while before he moved slightly, she then lifted his head so her legs could support his head.

GV didn't say anything, it had always been her choice to make. They waited for a few minutes more before he opened his eyes.

Misaka spoke, her voice cracking "You really are a complete idiot aren't you? This had nothing to do with you, you could have easily turned a blind eye and pretended you knew nothing. You could have just continued living your normal life."

Touma tried to move but from the look his muscles were paralysed.

Misaka was tearing up "Why would you put yourself through this. You look like hell, Your heart even stopped for a few moments there."

Touma laughed softly as the first of Misaka's tears dripped onto him

Misaka had lines of tears all the way down her face now "How can you smile like that after everything that's happened?"

"I was just thinking," Touma admitted quietly "'I'm glad I am on her side'"

His arm moved shakily but he patted her head "Come on, stop crying."

If anything that made her cry more.

A moment passed but Touma continued "I've got an idea. A way to force them to stop."

Misaka wiped her tears as GV sat next to them to hear more clearly.

"Think about it. The reason Accelerator was choosen as the subject was that he is the strongest Esper. What if that were wrong, what if he was defeated by a level 0. The experiment's basic premise would be shown to be flawed."

GV asked the required question "How? I don't know much about Accelerator but if you truely are a level 0 you might not even make it past the first move."

Misaka was still tired so she only got the meaning now "Wait, you want to fight him? that's impossible. We are talking about someone strong enough and arrogant enough to fight an army! He would kill you for sure! Don't do this, I won't let anyone else die for me."

[ACSRS: Stand still (Ending 2)]

Touma stood and looked towards the end of the bridge "How about this? work with me. I know you have your own goals, mine is seeing everyone get through this alive."

He turned to face both of them but he was trying to convince Misaka, he had already guessed correctly that GV would help.

"So lets work together, so maybe we would both win."

He turned back to the bridge "I'm going to stop the experiment and bring your sisters back." he glanced back "It's a promise."

He began to walk away as Misaka's tears fell again. GV helped her to her feet.

End of chapter

So an interesting chapter.

The issue is it is very similar to canon, I wanted GV to have more of an impact but many of the scenes were important for the development of the two characters.

Either way, we are finally getting to Accelerator, aka the bit I have been waiting half of this story for.