NOT DED! Oh and
@SoothingCoffee wins music with Symphony of Bones.
A quick flight later and you're touching down in the general neighborhood of the Accelerator's address. It still takes you ten minutes to find the place though. While you search you try and come up with how you should interact with Accelerator. There was that idea you had earlier about pretending to be his long lost little brother. Or maybe you should just start flirting with him. That'd throw him for a loop! Still, you want information and that's easier to get when people aren't trying to kill you (most of the time), and Accelerator doesn't tend to handle things well when they don't fit into the little boxes he has set up in his head. All that means is that you can't start trolling him in new and exciting ways. Oh well, there are plenty of old ways to troll him.
When you find the address you find a completely normal looking apartment building. Sort of disappointing really. If you had had nine years without your rival to stop you then you'd be living in the Windowless Building. But then again you always did have more ambition than Accelerator.
You buzz the apartment number. "Hello? Who is this?" It's the same voice that was on the phone when you called earlier. Time to pour on the cute.
"Yes, uh, hi? I called earlier? I needed Accelerator's help and you said to come by?"
"Oh, it's you." Her voice brightens with recognition. "Yeah, Accelerator's here now. Come right up." You here a buzzer sound and the door to the building unlocks.
And the Emmy goes to… you think to yourself as you enter the elevator and begin your ascension.
The elevator opens up to a hallway and you quickly find the right room number and knock on the door.
You hear someone yell inside the apartment, she sounds young and female, and then the door opens. Standing in the door way is a ten-year-old girl with shortish brown hair, brown eyes and red cheeks. She looks a lot like a younger Misaka Mikoto actually. You stare at each other for a few seconds before she yells back into the apartment. "ACCELERATOR! Somebody cloned you! Misaka Misaka yells as Misaka Misaka stares dumbfounded at the smaller Accelerator standing in the doorway."
"What the hell are you screaming about you stupid brat?" You recognize that voice at least. Older, deeper, but still distinctly Accelerator. He steps into view and begins staring at you as well. He's probably in shock, poor guy. You take the opportunity to get a good look at your rival. He looks exactly like the pictures you found. Same white hair, same red eyes, same rail thin body, different shirt but similar enough being gray designs on white instead of white designs on black, same cane… Wait what?! A cane? Why the hell does Accelerator have a cane?
Accelerator recovers from his surprise faster than you do. "Who the hell are you?" He demands. "And why the hell do you look like me?"
A smirk finds it's way to you lips. "Aw, you don't recognize me? I have to say, that really hurts, being forgotten like that."
Accelerator shoves the Mini-Misaka back into the apartment and then he gets in your face. "Don't play games with me you little brat! Who are you?"
"Have you honestly forgotten me? I know it's been nine years but I'd like to think I made a pretty big impact on you life Cel." You answer, calling him by your old nickname for him for good measure.
His jaw drops and you can't help but laugh at how dumb he looks right now? "Souske? Shouta Souske?! What the fuck? Aren't you dead? And don't call me that!"
"Hey, what's with all the shouting?" An older woman in a green track outfit and long, dark blue (Black? Purple? You can't really tell.) hair in a ponytail steps into view as well. You can tell from her posture that she's an authority figure. "Well?" She asks with arms crossed.
Before Accelerator can respond you switch back to adorable mode and answer her. "Hi, I, uh, called earlier asking for Accelerator's help? The woman on the phone said that I should come by around now. Oh, and Accelerator was surprised by how I looked, that's all."
"Oh, right. So you're the one Kikyou was talking about. Well, come on in. We were just about to start dinner and you look half-starved." She turns and waves you inside. Now that she mentions it you can smell food cooking. You stomach rumbles
Accelerator begins to protest. "Wait! What's this about helping him? Hey! Don't just invite him inside!" While he's yelling at the older woman you slip past him into the apartment.
The inside of the apartment is fairly average from what you can tell. There's a sofa, a TV, a table with food on it. The only thing special about it is how clean it is. It's spotless. Nice place over all.
While you were taking in the apartment Accelerator and the older woman had continued their argument. "He's just a kid Accelerator. We should at least hear what he wants."
"He's not just a kid. He's dangerous!"
Well, you're not going to turn down an opportunity like that. "Surely I'm not so dangerous that the great Accelerator can't handle me? Or are you finally admitting that I'm more powerful then you?"
"
And he's an asshole!" Accelerator yells.
"Accelerator calm down." Track Suit orders before sighing. "I believe some introductions are in order. I'm Yomikawa Aiho, you all ready now Accelerator, this," she points at the Mini-Misaka, who's now sitting on the couch. The small girl grins and waves at you at the mention of her name. "Is Last Order and in the kitchen is Yoshikawa Kikyou, whom you talked to on the phone."
"It's a pleasure. I'm Shouta Shouske, the Orbit. Currently the sixth ranked level 5 in Academy City." Immediately after your introduction you're barraged with questions.
"Level 5? Why would you need Accelerator's help if you're that powerful?"
"What's your ability? Why do you look like Accelerator? Do you manipulate vectors as well? Are you his clone? Asks Misaka Misaka, attempting to cover her caution at meeting another level five with enthusiastic curiosity!"
"Seriously, why couldn't you just stay dead and out of my hair?"
"Are you ready for dinner?" You turn around to face the voice coming from behind you. Coming out of the kitchen is another woman, with short black (blue?) hair and brown eyes. She's wearing a lab coat over a t-shirt and jeans. She's got a plate of food in her hands, which she puts on the table. Soon all five of you are sitting at the table and digging in to the meal, despite Accelerator's grumblings about your presence.
"This is really good! Thanks for the food." You say, maintaining your friendly and cheerful act.
"Thank you. I do my best." Yoshikawa replies. "Now why don't you tell us what you wanted Accelerator's help with?"
"Sure! It's a bit of a long story though." You say before starting to give them the basic explanation of your situation and a little about your past with Accelerator. "So, yeah. I mostly just wanted someone I could trust to help me catch up on the nine years I lost and Cel here was at the top of the list."
"I'm the most trust worthy person you know?" Accelerator asks in disbelief. "Also, don't call me that."
"Yep! Sure says something about the researchers at the Special Ability Institute, doesn't it."
Accelerator tsks. "Well here's the first thing you missed: the Special Ability Institute been shut down for years." Well, that's interesting. And a little disappointing to be honest. Not that you miss the place, that couldn't be farther from the truth, but if it had still been open then at least all the suspects for who might have sold you out would be in one place.
"Misaka Misaka has a question! If you're strong enough to fight Accelerator as an equal then why are you only the sixth rank? Misaka Misaka asks the question that's been bothering her since the you mentioned that you and Accelerator were rivals." Seriously, why does she talk like that?
"Well I have been in a coma for nine years. I plan on rectifying that as soon as possible, trust me." Whoops, did that sound menacing? Time to change to subject. "So, Cel," ("Don't call me that") "how exactly have you been keeping yourself amused with out me to keep you entertained? It must been pretty dangerous if you need a cane now."
"I got shot in the head while reprograming the brat's brain." THAT JUST RAISES FURTHER QUESTIONS! Either your confusion or frustration must have shown because Accelerator started smirking and Last Order started bouncing in her seat.
"Misaka Misaka can tell the story! Misaka Misaka volunteers to clear up any confusion!" Mini-Misaka blurts out before launching into a very long story. Between all the Misaka-speak and childish embellishments, you manage to get the gist of it. The basics of it are that the city got Misaka Mikoto's genetic code and started cloning her, with the intention of using the clones as disposable shock troopers. However that project fell apart as is common in Academy City and to prevent the resources created for the project, 20,000 clones, from being wasted a new project was proposed: Level 6 Shift. It was calculated that after fighting and killing all 20,000 clones Accelerator would reach lever 6…. somehow. Last Order didn't explain the reasoning behind that very well. However, when Accelerator was just over halfway though the clones he was defeated and the experiment was halted. Defeated by a level 0 whom his powers apparently didn't work on. You can't help but smirk at that.
After that the Sisters, as the clones were called, were separated, with only a few of them staying in Academy City and the others being sent all over the world. This was when Accelerator met Last Order. The Sisters have a sort of mental wireless network that they're all connected to and Last Order serves as the system manger and admin. One of the scientists that used to work on the Level 6 Shift Project uploaded a mental virus that would have forced all the Sisters around the world to commit acts of terrorism which would lead to them all getting killed. Accelerator worked with Yoshikawa, who was also a researcher on the Level 6 Shift project, to prevent that from happening. Which lead to Accelerator's short version. The slightly longer version is that while he was using his power to delete the virus from Last Order's head the scientist that put it there in the first place shot him in the head and Cel couldn't reflect it because all his focus was taken up by the reprogramming. Yoshikawa also got shot in the heart.
All of them made a complete recovery except for Accelerator who was left with minor brain damage, which is why he needs a cane now. You get the feeling that the little clone may have left a few things out on that front. Yoshikawa wanted to take care of both Last Order and Accelerator as a way to make up for all the shit she put them though but was out of a job which is why that all live with Yomikawa, who's a gym teacher at a certain high school as well as a Anti-Skill Lieutenant and an old friend of Yoshikawa's.
At the end of it you nod in understanding. "Okay, I think I get it. I just have one question. Uh, can I stay here for the night? I'm kinda homeless right now. Heh heh." You scratch the back of you head, pretending to be embarrassed.
"No." Accelerator says instantly.
Yomikawa shrugs. "Sure. It's not like I can just leave you out in the street."
"No."
"You'll have to sleep on the couch though. That okay?" Yoshikawa adds.
"No."
"It'll be just like a sleep over! Misaka Misaka gushes at the idea of having a sleepover because she never gets to have sleepovers because she doesn't have any friends and Accelerator doesn't count." No points for guessing who said that.
"Goddamnit." Accelerator finally gives up and heads for his room.
It seems you've obtained a place of residence, at least for the night, as well as some trustworthy sources of information, you got to piss of Accelerator and you have the rest of the evening ahead of you.
What do?
[x] Write-in.
AND DONE! FINALLY!
Two quick things. First is that in case you missed my earlier post I've decided that the "What Could Have Been" segments will be rewards for omakes and fan art, so if you want them you're going to have to start producing. And trust me when I say this: You want them. They're really good. Second thing is if anyone can come up with a better name than "Villain Quest" for the quest that would be awesome and worth another "What Could Have Been". I'll even let the person who comes up with the new title choose which of my ideas for the segment I'll write next.
Thanks for waiting so patiently guys. You rock!