Chapter 29: The Conflict

Inside a café at lunchtime. Tables crammed with customers were covered with all sorts of food, but his table alone stood empty. Only a big hodgepodge of printer paper was stacked there; not a single coffee mug was in sight. The man was staring at the papers spread out on the table, his hands stuck in the pockets of his white coat. Printed on the dozens of sheets in this bundle was AIM diffusion field data on espers from the Bank. A girl in a red sailor-style school uniform, sitting across from the man's seat, looked at him dubiously. "What do you think you're going to find by looking at them?" "All sorts of things," he answered without looking up. "You may not know this, given that you're a 'magician', but this has all kinds of information in it. It's not just a weak power that vents from espers—it's them unconsciously interfering with reality. By examining the infinite variety of types and strengths of powers, one can explore the minds of espers, too." "Unconscious interference...?" repeated the girl, not understanding. "If we advance our understanding of AIM diffusion fields, we can highlight the outline of an esper's Reality and use them for data by investigating their personalities and behavioral patterns. Though, I think the resulting parameters would be much more utilitarian and easy to understand than psychological profiles." A silvery beast was next to the chair where the man sat. It was a quadrupedal animal made of titanium alloy and synthetic resin. It had the basic form of a carnivore in the Felidae family, but its nose was unnaturally long, like an elephant's. The metallic creature had a seeing-eye dog walking program installed, so it blended into human society with surprising litheness. The beast opened its mouth. "Professor." The voice didn't sound synthesized—it was the voice of a young man with rich enunciation. "It appears the clone is leaving District 15 toward District 9. She already took out several small groups from the dark side alongside the snipers the higher-ups hired." (Not toward District 7? Interesting....) The man called Professor looked over at the mechanical creature. Its speech functions weren't produced with a robotic AI; someone in another place was simply speaking through it via a wireless network. One could think of it as a slightly more complicated telephone. "What happens to ITEM?" "There is no sign of them inside District 15. It appears they gave up, or maybe it's just a part of their plan." "Hmm." The professor sighed just once. "What about the other parties?" "There's no apparent move from either of the big dogs. However, what we know is that 'School' is now somewhere inside District 9..waiting... It seems they somehow anticipated her movements. 'Block' seems to not have made any move yet, even though they are inside District 15. As for 'Group'... there is something weird about their movement." "A small group that exists in the underworld, working to defend the mainstream society..." the professor said, his tone relaxed, "If they were after the clone too, it sure wouldn't be because of the money or research..." "Then perhaps the time is ripe." Suddenly, a voice appeared from directly behind the girl in the red uniform. Nobody had been there a moment ago, but now someone was there. It was a boy covered in a big, baggy-down jacket. It was like he'd appeared out of thin air. "Yes," the professor said languidly, placing a hand on his nearby creature's head and stroking it lightly. He didn't seem surprised at the boy's appearance. The girl sitting across from him watched their exchange with a lack of interest. Her expression suspicious, she asked, "How do we know exactly how She's moving? The intel from higher up could be wrong." "They have tech that makes it possible to know with accuracy... And even if she used her electromagnetic abilities to sneak around, the AIM Stalker is still something." The professor's hand stopped petting the synthetic animal. He was staring at the sidewalk across the street from the café. A girl, in what might colloquially be called maid clothing, was passing by. But the professor wasn't looking at her. That girl was sitting atop an oil drum–shaped cleaning robot. He watched its very smooth procession down the sidewalk. He nodded to himself. He was honestly impressed. "I never thought of an idea like that." "Professor, please keep your mind off strange ideas." Part Extra: Informatios The professor: (real name unknown) is a character introduced in Toaru Majutsu no Index. An elderly man, he is the leader of 'Member', an underworld organization that answers to the Academy City Board of Directors and Aleister Crowley directly. An elderly man, he is the leader of 'Member', an underworld organization that answers to the Academy City Board of Directors and Aleister Crowley directly. The magician girl with the professor: Xochitl, Shochitoru? is a character introduced in the Toaru Majutsu no Index series. She is a member of the Aztec magic cabal known as 'Return of the Winged One'. Originally a girl who was not used to hurting people, her life turned around in during their cabal's attack in Liberal Arts City, where she played a supporting role but then disobeyed some commands. As punishment, she is merged with an original grimoire and is then sent out to deal with Etzali(The leader of 'Group'), her senior in the cabal, who has defected. The backstory of her downfall was originally referred to in passing in Toaru Majutsu no Index, but is later expanded in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City. The boy with a baggy down jacket: Saraku, a minor character introduced in Toaru Majutsu no Index. He is an operative of Member and uses his unnamed esper ability, referred to by Accelerator as Kill Point, for his missions. Group: an Academy City-based underground organization. They are composed of four main field operatives: Tsuchimikado Motoharu, Accelerator(who hasn't joined in this timeline yet), Etzali (disguised as Unabara Mitsuki), and Musujime Awaki. The organization is referred to as "a small group that exists in the underworld, working to defend the mainstream society." The group is referenced during the invasion of Academy City where Accelerator becomes its newest recruit. They are later properly introduced during the Skill-Out uprising to deal with Komaba Ritoku's troublesome plans against the city. Although much of their appearance has them act on the orders of the higher-ups of the city, they chafe under the yoke of the Dark Side of Academy City and the higher-ups that control them. The faction often works behind the backs of their superiors to undermine them and eventually free themselves from their control. Part 2: (I already wasted half my stock of dolls, and she ate the whole thing without flinching!) thought Frenda as she violently scratched her hair. It was noon, and they were at a family restaurant in District 7, but the girl known as Mugino Shizuri was sitting at one of the tables eating a convenience store bento she had bought elsewhere, and she wasn't even trying to hide it. "Huh? This salmon bento seems different from the one from yesterday. Huh?" Even inside the restaurant, she was wearing a bright autumnal short-sleeved coat. She crossed her stocking-covered legs as she sat next to the window and muttered those words of puzzlement. Frenda responded silently in her heart with, "It's the same damn thing as yesterday." Everyone at that table was rather eccentric. "In the end, I'm getting kind of tired of canned mackerel... But anyway, I'm not hungry... My pride has been scratched..." The blonde-haired, blue-eyed high school girl known as Frenda, sitting next to Mugino, said this while poking at the contents of a can. But she must not have been good at using a can opener because there was something that looked like PVC tape stuck around the can, and the top had been burned off by an explosive with an electrical fuse stuck in it. Anyone would have thought at first it was a tool usually used for blowing the locks off doors. Kinuhata Saiai, the girl sitting across from Frenda, was an obedient-looking girl of about twelve wearing a fluffy knit dress. She was paying no heed to the actions of the other eccentric girls (not because she had the good sense to ignore them or because she was broad-minded; that was just the type of eccentric person she was) and looking through some movie pamphlets. "An ultra-problematic C-movie by the Hong Kong Red Dragon Film Company... It sounds like you'll be on the edge of your seat for more reasons than one. I'm super interested. I have to check that one out. What do you think, Takitsubo-san?" Kinuhata was speaking to a lethargic girl sitting next to her named Takitsubo Rikou. She wasn't touching her food and was sluggishly sitting in the sofa-style seat with her arms and legs sprawled out limply while her gaze aimlessly wandered around. "...A signal is coming from south-southwest... She's moving out of District 15 toward District 9." These girls were ITEM. ITEM was one of Academy City's unofficial organizations, and its primary duty was to stop the "upper classes," including the board of directors, from getting out of hand. There were only four of them, but they could influence the direction the city and the science side as a whole took. They were a unit with the same level of secrecy as GROUP and SCHOOL. "Those clowns have already been wiped out? In the end, I should've taken the lead and finished the whole thing already," Mugino Shizuri said, having finished eating her usual salmon bento. "But it's super suspicious that the big parties haven't made any moves yet. Could it be that they're waiting to snatch our prize from us?" The girl in the short-sleeved coat said, casually taking a sip from her drink. Mugino leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms, "I'd love to see them trying." Frenda glanced at Mugino, scratching her head, "Well, some parties aren't after the clone or the money. I heard rumors that some are using this chaos to make a move against other groups on the dark side. Like, they see an opportunity to weaken their rivals while everyone's distracted." Mugino smirked, "Heh, that sounds like something 'School' would do. Those bugs love sneaking around, playing dirty." "What a boring method," Kinuhata added. Mugino Shizuri forcefully stood up from her seat as the rain finally stopped. She spoke to Kinuhata without ever looking over toward her. "Kinuhata, call for a rid. It looks like we're going to need to head out soon. And make sure to keep track of this clone." Part 3: "Ohh, it's raining again, observes Misaka as Misaka looks up into the cloudy sky. But Misaka wanted to see the warm sun, she says with a bit of disappointment" Last Order caught the raindrops on her palms along the dark street. Most of the residents had disappeared from the streets, seeking refuge from the cold wind and rain inside their homes. All that remained were the gutsier types who liked the rain and did not feel the need to head home that day. The rain continued to fall. It was not enough to require an umbrella, but it was still enough to keep the students enjoying the rainy day life. They must have entered some store or another rather than hanging around outside. Accelerator's bored eyes followed Last Order around as she restlessly wandered from place to place. "That's getting annoying, so stay put." "Oh, is that the puppy that's been wandering around this area taking shelter from the rain at that bus stop!? Says Misaka as Misaka dashes over to begin pursuit!!" "Do I need to put a collar and leash on you, you damn brat!?" He grabbed the back of the small girl's neck with all his strength. He did not have the energy to chase after her again if she ran off. If she did, it was entirely possible he would knock over a nearby building in his anger. Last Order shook her arms around. "Misaka doesn't need you to be so overprotective, says Misaka as Misaka asks for freedom and liberation." "What kind of frontier spirit bullshit is that? And if you want to see how 'protective' I am, just keep it up. I'll punch you in the gut so hard you pass out. That would make this a lot easier." "Now, now. You don't have to be that shy, says Misaka as Misaka taps her index finger against—Wait, why are you clenching your fist? asks Misaka as Misaka brings out a big smile to soften your harsh emotions." "What a pain in the ass," Accelerator muttered under his breath with a sigh. Not everything about this tidy everyday life was bright and shiny. Every world has things to be dissatisfied with. A perfect world where everything worked the way you wanted it was a solitary place that ignored the circumstances of others. These languid annoyances could be thought of as the contract fee required to live in this world. Accelerator understood that. He let out a sardonic grin inside his heart. The effects of growing used to something were frightening indeed. Just who did he think he was to not only accept this environment as normal but to make complaints about it? How could he after everything he had done? He needed to thank the god who supposedly resided above the clouds for the mere fact that he was standing there at that moment. And as Accelerator gave deep thought to these issues, a voice reached his ears. "Ow!! ...Misaka tripped, says Misaka as Misaka reports from the ground." "You're just complaining." "I scraped myself, says Misaka as Misaka looks at her palm." As Last Order got up from the roadway that was wet with rain, her slightly wet and muddy palm had a slight scrape. Some red blood could be seen, but it was just seeping out slightly. "Misaka might need disinfectant, says Misaka as she grows a bit teary-eyed" "Just spit on it." "Misaka might need disinfectant!! Shouts Misaka as she cries out the same line!!" "...Just how annoying can you get? We can find something back at Yomikawa's place—?" "..." Last Order suddenly fell silent. Accelerator looked up as he noticed someone approaching. In the distance ahead of them, he could hear several ambulance sirens, just behind the approaching man. Last Order faced forward and did not glance back at the wound on her palm. However, it seemed like she had to actively avoid the approaching man's eyes. This man had brown hair and features like a stone statue. His clothing closely resembled blue golf wear, with several small tears around. The rain had already soaked his form, though Accelerator noticed the redness of the rainwater dripping from his right hand. It appeared there was some blood on his right arm, and the rain did its job to clean it. With a sigh, hands in his pockets and his back slightly bent forward, he continued walking forward. Last Order kept her mouth clenched shut and said nothing as she stood to her feet, closely following behind Accelerator. (The same face, wrong size, and no white hair color... she's not the target.) They were about 5 meters apart, and the distance closed with each moment. The man's eyes—Acqua of the Back—moved silently away from Last Order toward Accelerator, and they locked eyes. Acqua's gaze was steady, and Accelerator's glances weren't certainly friendly either. Acqua of the Back walked towards Accelerator with a steady pace, rain dripping from his brown hair. He kept his gaze locked onto Accelerator, his stone-like features showing no emotion. Accelerator glanced at him with a sense of nonchalance, continuing to walk, his hands remaining in his pockets. Last Order, sensing the tension, stayed close behind, unsure of what was unfolding. Until the moment there was less than 2 meters between them, Acqua moved to the side, and they both crossed each other without a word, each going their way. "Tch, that old man bothers me. Should I just kill him?" Accelerator thought as he continued walking without looking back. "Wah!—That was scary," said Misaka as she gasped for air, having held her breath in nerves. The idea left Accelerator's mind as Last Order let out a relieved breath, her small form bending forward slightly, mimicking an old man with bad knees. Without sparing a glance at the little girl by his side, Accelerator spat on the street. With an annoyed click of his tongue, "It's his lucky day then...", he mumbled to himself. As each step forward, the siren from the ambulances grew thicker and louder. Soon, They could see the red and blue lights of the ambulances reflected off the wet street ahead of them. The emergency vehicles were closing in on the scene, transporting several men, all wearing Anti-Skill armor outfits, with more of them scattered around the wet ground, unconscious. If one focused on their forms, deep fist traces on their armored chests could be noticed. Looking further around, there were several cracks in the ground, Broken shards of glass from shattered windows littered the ground, and Several vehicles lay strewn haphazardly, their metal frames twisted and contorted, Some were still engulfed in flames, dancing wildly against the backdrop of the rain-soaked surroundings. And yet, amidst the desolation, Accelerator, showing no interest, continued walking with Last Order by his side. Their path came to an abrupt halt as they approached a section cordoned off by security tape. A man, evidently from Anti-Skill, stood behind it. The Anti-Skill officer raised his hand, signaling them to stop. "Sorry, but you can't go any further. This area is restricted due to the ongoing investigation," he informed them, his voice carrying the weight of the recent events. Accelerator glanced at the officer, unamused. "Investigation? I don't think someone needs a brain to know someone beat the crap out of you guys. Now move out of the way; I still have stuff to do." The Anti-Skill officer hesitated for a moment, glancing at him with a mix of annoyance and reluctance. However, he knew better than to argue further with some random brat. He didn't bother to answer, remaining blocking their path. "Hey..." Accelerator's tone grew more aggressive as he took a step forward, "Move-out-of-the -way." The officer didn't respond once again, but for some reason, he felt a little uneasy. There was something different about that boy, and yet... (W-Wait... White hair?) And just then... "No violence, says Misaka as Misaka warned the angry Accelerator" With her small hand gently pulling him from his arm, Misaka-Last Order tried to calm the brewing storm. The officer, still confused, took a cautious step back, realizing who the guy he was dealing with was—The academy's number one Esper, Accelerator. Accelerator's glare remained fixed on the officer before he sighed, allowing Misaka to guide him in a different direction. "Tch, imagine training and studying your whole life just to end up as a punching bag for some random old man. I wonder if you have any achievements other than being some random NPCs," he said as they moved away from the scene. Though he stole a quick final glance inside, noticing a few Anti-Skill members gathered together, discovering something. He then heard something interesting. A boy seemed to be captured in the conflict, which led to him ending up with major injuries, sending him hastily to the nearest hospital. (A level 0 brat... They had one job and didn't do it right) The accelerator was on his way toward the Frog Face Hospital, not aware of the future meeting with a certain spiky hair boy there...