August 31st 3:43 PM.
It had been a while since they walked into the restaurant, but Accelerator and Last Order finally started to eat.
Last Order couldn't even use the spoon and chopsticks well, let alone a fork and knife. For some reason, she stabbed the fork into the rice, tilting her head as she wondered.
Accelerator ordered meat, but as the meat was tough, and as the small metal board that was used to hold the meat didn't seem to fit the wooden plate holding it, it started to move about, and he couldn't cut the meat properly. He paused for a while, and then reached his hand out to grab the metal board properly, terrifying the waitress who just so happened to be walking by.
Accelerator could reflect all the heat, and so he wouldn't be scalded at all.
To everyone else who was watching, it was an incredible scene.
"Delicious delicious, says Misaka as Misaka gives this conclusion."
"This is just frozen food; who knows how many weeks they stuffed those things in the storage."
"But delicious food is still delicious, says Misaka as Misaka feels really contented."
"...I say."
Accelerator released the sizzling hot metal plate.
"I wanted to say something since yesterday. Do you have a screw loose or something? Don't you remember what I did to you people? Don't you feel painful, unbearable, tormented, and spiteful about this?"
Right before the experiment ended, when that Level 0 had rushed into the depot, the Sister (that Level 0 called her Misaka Imouto) had glared at Accelerator, seemingly giving him an antagonistic look.
Maybe the Sisters finally got that personality at that moment. And maybe that was just something that occurred in that Misaka Imouto.
"Hm...Misaka can use brainwaves to connect all 9969 Misaka's personalities together."
"Ah? So what?"
"The connected brainwaves will form a mental network, says Misaka as Misaka tries to explain."
"Like how humans can have a collective consciousness or something like that?"
"Hm...it's a little different, says Misaka as Misaka denies it. The brainwaves linking the Misaka units are like brain cells that have nerves being touched suddenly, says Misaka as Misaka gives an example. More accurately, the Misaka Network is like a huge computer that can control all the Misaka's, says Misaka as Misaka explains."
Accelerator remained silent.
During this time, Last Order continued to explain.
"The death of a Misaka unit won't cause the Misaka Network to vanish, says Misaka as Misaka tries to explain. Using the human brain as an example, a Misaka is a brain cell. The brainwaves link is the nerves that link all the brain cells. When a brain cell vanish, the data of the memories and experience will vanish, which of course is a pity, but this doesn't mean that the Misaka Network will completely vanish, unless every Misaka is eliminated..."
Accelerator suddenly felt disgusted, as if he was being stared at by a large spider.
Of course, that didn't mean that Accelerator was afraid of the person in front of him. He could kill this Last Order instantly. There were only ten thousand Sisters; if he was willing to spend the time, he could kill them all.
But that was another thing altogether.
The fear lay deeper. That girl, who was trying her best to savagely fight against the food in front of her, now seemed like an alien that was of a completely different build from a human...
"—At least that was what Misaka thought, but Misaka seemed to change Misaka's mind."
"?"
"Misaka learned something new, and that's a Misaka's value, says Misaka as Misaka is confident. It's not just Misaka as a whole, every Misaka unit's life is valuable. Nobody can replace a Misaka. If someone dies, someone will be crying, says Misaka as Misaka proudly declares what Misaka learned. So Misaka won't die, Misaka won't let another Misaka die, says Misaka as Misaka thinks."
The girl said.
She was staring at Accelerator with an ordinary and human look.
That was a declaration.
A declaration that she would not forgive Accelerator for whatever he did.
A vengeful declaration that Last Order would never forget about this.
"Ha..."
Accelerator inadvertently let his back sink into the chair. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
That was the first time he actually felt like this.
He did have a vague feeling about it in the past, but he had never heard the person involved complain about it. Thus, this was the first time Accelerator felt such pain. And it wasn't until everything had ended, that he found out that the Sisters he had treated as toys were humans who could bring pain to others like this.
"—"
Accelerator opened his mouth and moved his lips, but he was unable to say anything.
He couldn't say a word.
"But Misaka is really grateful to you, says Misaka as Misaka explains. If it's not for you, the experiment wouldn't have started. The bottlenecked Radio Noise plan wouldn't have so much attention on it, says Misaka as Misaka continues. You're a savior and a killer, you're Eros and Thanatos, you're life and death—says Misaka as Misaka is grateful, because you helped give life to the Misakas who didn't have any life."
Last Order said that.
With a gentle voice that accepted Accelerator.
However, that made it even more unbearable.
For some reason, he couldn't stand it.
"What is this?"
Accelerator muttered.
"This is completely illogical. Giving life to people and killing them, what kind of credit do I get? What are you thinking, why are you thanking me? No matter what, I voluntarily became a killing monster that enjoyed killing you people."
"You're lying, says Misaka as Misaka concludes. You didn't want to join in the experiment, says Misaka as Misaka makes the hypothesis."
That made Accelerator even more confused.
At this moment, it wouldn't have been strange if Last Order was crying and shouting. But she chose to speak to Accelerator, and that was completely illogical.
That inexplicable situation caused Accelerator to feel frustrated.
"Hold on, are you trying to casually rewrite your memories just to prove your point? No matter what you do, you can't possibly have this conclusion. Do I look like I was forced to do that? Since I continued to follow the directives of the experiment, it means that I don't give a damn about your lives, it's just that simple."
Accelerator sounded like he was lecturing Last Order.
Why must he try so hard to lower himself? Accelerator started to wonder.
"It's not that, says Misaka as Misaka tries to retort. If that were the case, why did you try to talk to Misaka throughout the experiment? asks Misaka as Misaka inquires."
Last Order didn't sound panicky, remaining as calm as ever.
She sounded just like a gentle elder sister.
"Remember what you did, the situation you went through, says Misaka as Misaka tries to beg. You tried to talk to Misaka a few times, why is it so? says Misaka as Misaka asks a question that has such a clear answer."
Accelerator sunk into silence.
He didn't even know the reason why he had wanted to talk to the Sisters.
"—Ha ha! What's with those fleeing hips? Why are you shaking your ass like that!? You're just asking for it!!"
"—Well, I may have no right to say this as someone forcing you to take part in this experiment to make me stronger, but you sure are calm. Don't you feel anything about this situation?"
"—Dammit, after ten thousand times, this is getting really fucking old. I was hoping to kill some time, but no. There's just no having a conversation with any of you."
"—Hah. What!? Are you just walking around casually without a plan? If you like pain that much, I'll make you cry so much you might as well take a cough drop now!"
"—Now for a question. How many times have you been killed!?"
"Think about it calmly, you words aren't too natural, says Misaka as Misaka analyzes further. The basis behind talking between people is to understand others and to make others understand oneself—which also means forming a relationship with others. In this experiment that only emphasizes killing, if you wanted to just let the experiment succeed, there's no need to have a conversation, says Misaka as Misaka makes her point."
"...Ah? Those rough words don't sound like what one will say when someone wants to create a relationship with others."
"That's right, and that is the second point, says Misaka as Misaka raises two fingers. What you said are crude words that thoroughly despise Misaka, and those don't relate to building a relationship with others, says Misaka as Misaka continues on."
Last Order finally said the most important point.
"But maybe you said those words because you wished to be refused?"
"Ah?"
Accelerator was stunned.
"Before the battles in the experiment started...you always said those words, says Misaka as Misaka recalls. It's as if you wanted to make Misaka afraid, to make Misaka unwilling to battle, says Misaka as Misaka depicts."
"What?"
Accelerator gasped.
"But the Misakas couldn't understand what you were trying to say at all. Not even once, says Misaka as Misaka feels really regretful about it. If, just if that day, what would you do if Misaka said that she didn't want to fight? says Misaka as Misaka asks in regards to a choice that can't possibly be taken back again."
"..."
At that moment, Accelerator felt like even his heart stopped.
That's right, if...
On that day, at that time, if the Sisters had said that they didn't want to continue the experiment, didn't want to be killed, what would Accelerator have done? Could he have done anything?
Of course he could.
There were no such problems. The experiment was aimed to evolve Accelerator into a Level 6, so Accelerator himself was the main cog in the experiment. He just needed to say something like 'I don't want to cooperate', and they would stop the experiment. Nobody could replace him. Even if the researchers tried to force him by capturing him, they would be wasting their time.
Because he was the strongest esper in Academy City.
Because he was invincible, he could be called the strongest in Academy City.
If...
Just if, if he took action right at the beginning of the experiment.
At the initial stage, when no Sister had been sacrificed.
If twenty thousand Sisters had stood in front of him, looking fearful as they begged him not to do this...
What would he have done?
That was his wish.
That was why he had continued, and continued, and continued to ask. But no matter what, he couldn't get a response. In the long run, the way he had questioned became even more radical, until he had lost all sense and became a bloodthirsty murderer.
He had wanted someone to stop him.
He had wanted someone to have a reason to stand up against him.
Accelerator always wondered, after that experiment, after that battle at the depot, after that fight he had against that Level 0, what had changed? That question had troubled him for a long time, but maybe he could get the answer here.
He recalled that fight at the depot, that Level 0 who overcame all odds. In regards to that, he must have exaggerated it as much as he could. But even so, Accelerator still wondered.
What was he thinking about?
About what?
"...Damn it."
Just like that, he closed his eyes and lifted his head as he said that.
He just said that.
Right now, no sugar-coated words were going to convert him into a good guy. That had already been proven in the fight at the depot. At that moment, the Sisters who had been saved by the Level 0 had already understood that they should refuse to sacrifice themselves for the experiment, but Accelerator continued to insist on killing them. That was a cold, hard fact that wouldn't change.
Last Order remained silent. Accelerators wondered what expression was she showing now. Right now, he continued to close his eyes, close his eyes, close his eyes...after a while, he suddenly realized that something was not right.
It had been so long, and yet Last Order hadn't said anything.
Accelerator opened his eyes suspiciously. At this moment, he heard a heavy 'dong' sound. Last Order collapsed onto the table. Her head didn't hit the table though, as a spoon was stuck between the table and her neck.
Anyone could tell that she hadn't collapsed just because she wanted to sleep or was feeling tired. She didn't even have an ounce of strength in her. Though she was trying to suppress her breathing volume, she was panting as loud as a dog. It was as if she had a fever.
"Oi."
"Ah...haa."
Last Order had a thoroughly tired voice.
"Misaka wanted to contact the researchers before Misaka became like this, says Misaka as Misaka is dizzy and lets out a bitter smile."
"..."
"Misaka's serial number is 20,001, which is the last number, says Misaka as Misaka adds on. Misaka's body is still incomplete, so Misaka shouldn't be outside the incubator, says Misaka as Misaka sighs. But since Misaka managed to hang on, Misaka thought that it would be alright, but now..."
Last Order was talking very slowly now, maybe because her consciousness was wavering.
It was possible that if she lost consciousness, then she wouldn't be able to wake up again.
"Oi."
"—Hm? What is it what is it? asks Misaka as Misaka wonders."
Last Order responded three seconds later.
Even so, the girl was still smiling.
Accelerator's face gradually lost all expression, as if he had lost all emotions.
In that situation, he couldn't do anything. Even with the strongest power in Academy City, Accelerator was just the strongest esper in the city. His power couldn't save others. Even if someone asked him for help, he could only hide inside a power that was like a nuclear shelter. That was his power. He couldn't protect others, he couldn't save others, he could only live on alone, watching everything get destroyed silently. It was like this when his room was ransacked, and it was now like this when the girl collapsed in front of him.
"..."
Accelerator silently stood up. Last Order remained sprawled on the table, only looking at him.
"Eh? Where are you going? asks Misaka as Misaka questions. You haven't finished eating."
"Not hungry."
"Oh...Misaka wanted to try saying 'Gochisou-sama', says Misaka as Misaka sighs."
"Really? That's a pity."
With a cold expression, Accelerator took the bill to the counter.
Leaving Last Order alone.