Date Acceleration II (Complete)

Chapter 18

Accelerator awoke in the hospital bed again, in the infirmary of the DEM Japan branch building, based on the color of the walls and the architecture of the room. His vision flickered in and out.

This was starting to get old. It felt like he was some protagonist in a generic shounen media.

He sighed, staring at the sterile white ceiling. His mind scrambled to make sense of what had happened the previous night.

He wasn't sure if that Sister who popped up and vanished was real or a figment of his imagination. The words she spoke could either be some higher-up manipulating him, a rogue, empathetic Sister, or just his subconscious.

Was that girl something like Misaka Worst? Someone trying to mimic a Sister? Something he tried to cover up, like a Jungian shadow? Who was she? Was she real? So many questions for what was supposed to be an answer.

One thing was clear: Academy City had found him. What were the people in Academy City doing? He couldn't deal with them. He couldn't deal with a world that prospered from their power. He felt a darkness hidden behind all the peace, all the fortune, and every smile in the world.

And it was a clear sign that he couldn't escape the darkness. There was no point. He could wreck Deus Ex Machina Industries and even Academy City if he wanted to, but something else would just take its place.

The darkness was set in stone for him.

The Academy City higher-ups had plans for him that even went beyond dimensions. Then there was DEM copying their methods.

He did not want to live in such a rotten world, and he did not think he could change a world that rotten. The world was done for. It wasn't at a level where a human could do anything about it. If it would take him from that world, it might be better to just end it all.

"This was all a plan by every bastard—those Academy City higher-ups, DEM, the Spirits, Aiwass, everyone—they're all fuckers. Each of them confidently telling themselves how smart they are, how I am some pawn in their fucked-up plans."

Accelerator wanted to yell this out loud in his room but could only yell it in his mind. His fists clenched, gripping the blanket that gave him warmth and comfort. 

The demon known as Accelerator was tired and scared.

His emotions boiled up as he yelled out a quiet but loud declaration. Those emotions were the driving force needed for him to act as a human.

"I—I just..."

Accelerator thought as he felt as if he were falling backward. Not sure of what to choice to take anymore.

◈

In a dark, empty room of Fraxinus EX, Kotori and Origami were seated in what seemed to be an unused office. Origami, in her school uniform, was setting up the holographic screen projector. The screen displayed an image of a city damaged by a Spacequake. However, the image appeared distorted, as though it had been converted into a mosaic blur filter.

"This was the work of the Spirit of Origin," Origami declared coldly and seriously to Kotori, who was dressed in her commander uniform and sucking on a Chupa Chups lollipop.

"Why would the most powerful Spirit create this chaos?" Kotori asked, massaging her temple.

"I was unable to get a closer look, as the wizards within a specific radius passed out. I tried various drones, but they glitched out. All I could do was watch using old-school gear. The Spirit of Origin was trying to interact with the White Reaper, also known as Accelerator," Origami replied.