Chapter 17: A Normal Day

"Three large Cheeseburgers, one gallon of soda, Crispy Chicken Tenders with macaroni and cheese, a Spicy Chicken Sandwich with onion rings, and a milkshake. Also, a Grilled Chicken Wrap with a side salad and a fruit smoothie... and umm, bring those while I decide what more I need." "Uhh... But ma'am... are you sure you can eat any more? I think you've already eaten enough... more than enough." "Just bring her what she wants; she is not a normal human being, Informs Misaka." "Y-Yes..." Inside a certain fast food restaurant somewhere in the east part of School District 7, four girls sat at one of the restaurant tables, although three of them were just watching as a certain girl swallowed food like a black hole. The whole table was filled with empty dishes, all of them belonging to one certain girl with long black hair - Himegami Aisa. Misaka was sitting beside her, with Shirai and Mikoto on the other side. After Aisa fainted because of her hunger, Misaka quickly gave her a small donut to provide some energy until they reached a closer restaurant. She always carried one just in case like those, and it proved to be a good decision. The four girls sat in silence, the clatter of cutlery and dishes filling the void while Aisa continued to eat her food with fervor. Shirai folded her hands up on her mouth, her eyes motionless, locked onto Misaka with deadly seriousness. Mikoto, feeling the tension in the air, let out a soft sigh and absentmindedly scratched the back of her head. "Well, how can I say this... do you remember those rumors about clones of me back then..." Shirai's stoic facade remained unchanged, her eyes still fixated on Misaka. "...well, I think you've already figured it out by now. She's a clone made by the Academy City from my DNI tree diagram..." The revelation hung in the air like a heavy fog, yet Shirai's reaction remained elusive as if she was processing the information in silence. "I was stupid enough when I was a kid, and I permitted them to use it... I thought they would use it to help those who were unable to use their muscles, but their goal was different..." Mikoto's voice wavered with regret as she admitted her past mistake. The weight of her decision weighed heavily on her, and she wished she could undo the choices she made as a naive child. "Umm, sister, Misaka thinks there's something wrong with Shirai-san. Inform Misaka," the clone interjected This made Mikoto's eyes shift to Shirai, but the girl didn't show any reaction until now. "Kuroko?" Mikoto called out, while the clone extended a hand toward the girl's nose. It had been a while, but she noticed that her chest wasn't moving at all, and she knew the reason as her hand reached her nose. "Sister... she doesn't breathe..." "Huh? W-Wait, Kuroko, are you okay? Don't die just like that, answer me," Misaka pleaded, her voice trembling as she shook Shirai violently, desperately trying to rouse her. And in a sudden moment, the girl gasped for air, her eyes tearing up, and she leaned on her back, trying to catch her breath. "Hey, what happened to you suddenly?" "Hee~Hee~Hee~~ I can't choose which Onee-sama to take Hee~Hee~Hee~~ Don't worry, My body has enough love for the two of you Hee~Hee~Hee~" Mikoto didn't receive her answer. Instead, what she got was a mischievous smile on Shirai's face with a drooling mouth. Shirai was mumbling something as if it was a black magic spell. "Akh... That is not the time for your childish jokes, KUROKO!" "Y-Yes!! W-What?!" Mikoto exclaimed, which made Shirai jump from her place. She blinked rapidly as if trying to bring her mind back to reality. The mischievous smile faded, and her breathing began to stabilize. "Ahem... Sorry about that..." (I let myself sink into my imagination at the worst timing...Did i just forget to breathe just now?) "Anyway..." Shirai adjusted her seat as she gathered her thoughts. "Onee-sama, is that the reason you were spending the night outside? To stop the academy from whatever they were doing with your DNI tree diagram?" "Yeah..." "I promised myself not to be involved in something you don't want me to be in. I confess that I felt kind of betrayed, but that's just my opinion." Misaka nodded, understanding her friend's feelings. "Yeah... I am sorry. I was the reason for this mess. I thought I had to be the one to clean it up." "...Did you succeed? Because if you did, I think you were kind of late..." Shirai took a glance at the clone, to which the clone responded with a sheepish lowering of her head. "Everything is over now, though I wasn't the one to do it... for now, the clones were spread around the world, with just a few of them remaining in the Academy City under rehabilitation." "C-Clones? She's not the only one! T-There are more of Onee-sama out there Hee~Hee" The mischievous smile returned to Shirai's face, "I can get my harem of Onee-sama Hee~Hee - Kgh!" "I said enough of your childish jokes," Mikoto interrupted, her patience wearing thin. In frustration, she knocked Shirai's head against the table. "Ow! Onee-sama, that hurts!" Shirai exclaimed, rubbing her forehead. In the opposite seat, Misaka watched in confusion, her mind racing with one question - what kind of relationship do those two have? Aisa was just... being Aisa, not caring about what was happening, instead focusing on filling her stomach. She was engaged in a long chat with the waitress, deciding what more she could eat. Mikoto reached for her forehead, sighing. She had been expecting a serious conversation with a dramatic revelation scene, but she had forgotten what kind of girl Kuroko was... "Hmm?" "What's the matter, Kuroko?" "Ah, no, it's just..." There was a message notification sound, which made Kuroko reach for her cell phone. As she opened it, her expression shifted, piquing Mikoto's curiosity. "...It's a message from Uiharu. She's with Saten right now, and they are heading toward where we are..." "Wait, how did they know we are here?" "One word... Uiharu..." "Oh... right...." "Sister, should Misaka leave? Misaka doesn't want to cause you more trouble, says Misaka as she doesn't want to impose on her sister's time with her friends." "Hmmm..." Mikoto reached for her jaw, pondering what she should do. "You didn't tell them anything about the clones, right?" Shirai asked "Yeah... I didn't want to drag them into such dangerous things..." Mikoto replied, rubbing her jaw as she considered the situation. "It will be better for them to not see you. There is no need for them to know anything about your existence," Misaka continued, rising to her feet. "I'll guide you to the back exit. You can leave from there with your friend." "I think you are a little late, Onee-sama," Shirai chimed in, pointing toward the window toward the outside. "Huh?" Curious, Mikoto followed where Shirai was pointing and saw both Uiharu and Saten standing in shock, their gazes shifting back and forth between her and the clone. ... "Ah... Uiharu, is it my eyes tricking me, or am I seeing two Misakas right now..." Saten stammered in disbelief. Uiharu blinked rapidly, trying to process what she was seeing. "I-I think... I think there are indeed two Misakas." They observed the scene inside the restaurant through the window until they noticed Mikoto waving her hand, signaling for them to come inside, which they did. Uiharu and Saten pushed open the door and entered the fast-food restaurant, approaching where Mikoto, Shirai, Aisa, and the clone were sitting. "You guys came quickly," Shirai was the first to speak, taking a sip from a juice she had just ordered. "Y-Yeah, well Uiharu suggested we eat lunch together, as there is no school in the afternoon, but..." Saten swiftly shifted her eyes toward the clone, and Uiharu did the same. They both held uncertain expressions, trying to figure out why the girl with the long white hair had the same face and body as the Misaka they knew. "Umm, is she your missing twin sister or something, Misaka-san?... I don't mean to be rude, by the way," Uiharu waved both her hands, sensing she was kind of impolite. "Ah... close, she's my cousin. She just moved recently here to continue her education about three months ago, and I just met her today. It seems she was planning to surprise me," Misaka answered with an unchanged face, as natural as breathing. Uiharu and Saten exchanged glances, and Saten couldn't help but let out a giggle. "Oh, that would explain the similarity. I thought she was kind of a clone of yours, though her hair is different." "Y-Yeah... that would be funny," Mikoto followed with an awkward laugh, while Shirai just sighed, shaking her head. "That would also explain those clone rumors back then," Uiharu remarked. "Exactly, even the timing of her coming to the academy city and the rumors first appearing is perfect. I wonder why they didn't mention anything about the white hair though. Did you just dye it recently?... Oh, By the way, we didn't ask for your name. Mine is Saten, and this is Uiharu. What about you?" Saten asked, her eyes shining with the potential of a new friend. The clone, Misaka, hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth. "Mizuki Misaka, informed Misaka." "Mizuki-san then. I hope you don't mind if I call you by your first name. We're friends now, and it will also avoid any confusion with Misaka-san since you both have the same family name," Saten said, taking Misaka's hand and helping her to her feet. "No problem with Misaka, says Misaka" "Even your way of talking is interesting... Now, let's move out of here. We have so much to do!" As Saten was dragging the clone outside, Shirai suddenly teleported in front of them, folding her arms across her chest. "Where do you think you're going?" "Oh, you should be the first one to figure out what I am planning to do," she said with a mischievous smile before leaning in to whisper something in Saten's ear. "It's our chance to see what Misaka would look like in some clothing that she wouldn't usually wear. The cousin girl also appears more feminine than the Misaka we know. So think about it." Shirai gives it a pause, her mind racing - Imagining Her Onee-sama in several clothes, Maid uniform, cat cosplay, shameless warrior armor...and a mischievous grin spread across her face. "Oh, I see what you're getting at. This the best idea you've come up with till now" "Hey, you two, what are you mumbling about, also leave my cousin out of your games," Mikoto interjected, raising an eyebrow at their mischievous expressions. Shirai and Saten exchanged knowing glances, trying to suppress their laughter. "Oh, don't worry, Misaka-san, we just discovered our plans for the afternoon," Saten said with a mischievous smile. Mikoto narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Nothing good comes when you two discover something together." "Oh, come on, don't be like that... Oy Uiharu, what do you think you're doing?" Saten shifted her attention as she noticed Uiharu taking a seat at the table. "Ummm, ordering something to eat? We came here for lunch, remember?" "Nah, we changed the plans. We are heading for a shopping journey!" "EHH! But I didn't eat my lunch yet." "Just come on, we can eat something once we reach the mall," Saten insisted, catching Uiharu's hand and making her rise to her feet once again. "Are you coming with us, Misaka-san?" Saten turned to Mikoto. Mikoto just sighed, "Is there any other choice? I can't leave my cousin alone with you guys." "Cool, NOW LET'S GO!!" "Ummm, sister, I feel Misaka is in danger..." "So am I, little cousin," Mikoto replied to her sister with a wry smile, following Saten and Shirai as they hurried off to their shopping adventure. They took the exit of the restaurant, Misaka#10000 a step behind the four girls. (That feels wrong somehow, sometimes I ever forget that a part of me is still a boy... does that consider a harem?...) She reached for the back of her head, rubbing it, and it was the moment of realization. (Wait, I forgot about Aisa. Why didn't she follow us? Did she stay because she was still hungry? Or does she just not want to be in contact with so many people... Either way, I have to apologize to her later.) Meanwhile, back in the restaurant, Aisa had just finished her lunch and was wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Thanks for the meal. Sorry for the wait, Misaka. We can leave now... Wait, where is everyone?" Aisa looked around, puzzled, as she noticed that the seats were empty. The group had left without her, and she was now alone in the restaurant. "Well, that's not something new... I think I'll eat more to feel better... excuse me!" Part 2: The mall was bustling with people, the air filled with a mix of excitement and anticipation. The bright lights and colorful displays of shops beckoned the students to explore every corner of the vast shopping center. "This place is huge, says misaka as she is amazed by how large the place is" "Yeah, it's one of the biggest malls in the city," Saten replied, leading the way with a confident stride. Mikoto, Misaka, Shirai, and Uiharu followed closely, taking in the sights and sounds around them. The chatter of shoppers, the aroma of delicious food from various eateries, and the cheerful music playing in the background added to the vibrant atmosphere. "Here we are," Saten came to a sudden stop, her gaze fixed on the clothing shop in front of her. (Ah, that's so wrong...) A colorful space with girly clothes lined up came into Misaka's view as soon as she approached the girl. She didn't know how to feel. It's not that she hadn't visited such places before, but being with a group of girls made her feel a bit like an imposter. She hesitated, about to say something, but stopped when she felt both her hands being captured by someone. On either side of her stood Shirai and Saten, both wearing mischievous smiles. "Time for the fun to begin," They both said in unison, as they dragged her inside the shop. "Shouldn't you stop them, Misaka-san?" Uiharu asked, to which Misaka answered with a sigh before speaking up. "I'll see first what they are planning before doing anything. Also, are you okay?" "Y-Yeah, of course, I am, why are you asking?" It had been a while, but Mikoto noticed that Uiharu seemed kind of weak. It seemed like she needed to eat something before she collapsed. Shifting her gaze between the three girls and Uiharu, she decided it would be better to guide her to get something to eat first. "There's a food stall nearby. Let's eat something before joining them." Uiharu nodded, grateful for Mikoto's concern, and they headed towards the food stall to grab a quick bite before rejoining the others. .... "Welcome!" A high-pitched voice called out from the department store. Misaka had just entered the shop, while both Shirai and Saten had spread out somewhere, though they hadn't told her why. (Well, a little shopping will not harm.) Glancing around for anything good to get, she spotted a cute pair of pajamas with Gekota faces all over them. Surprised, she realized that she found something she loved to buy quite fast. Taking the pajamas from the clothes hanger, she headed for a private fitting room to try them on. Inside the fitting room, she closed the door behind her, relishing the peaceful moment. Slipping out of her current outfit, she slid the Gekota pajamas on, feeling the soft fabric against her skin, The pajamas were in the perfect size for her. Satisfied, she started to dress in her previous outfit again. (I wonder what those two doing) Little did she know that outside the fitting room, those two were plotting something mischievous. As she stepped out of the fitting room, she was met with the sight of both Shirai and Saten, wearing their usual mischievous smiles, and holding some clothes as if they were offering them to her. Misaka's curiosity was piqued, and she focused on the clothes they were holding. (Crap, those two are even bigger perverts than I am!) Shirai was holding a maid outfit alongside a revealing swimsuit, while Saten was holding a cat outfit with cat ears and a tail. They kept extending their hands, waiting for Misaka to grab the clothes from them, to which Misaka responded with silence. She moved to the side slowly before running as fast as possible.