Rainy Days: A Certain Magical Index Story

Chapter 5: The Truth

The storm that night sounded like a marching parade on the mall's roof, and like the moans of a winter storm, the wind howled without suspension. Even inside the building, traces of rain wafted upon every draft, reaching Touma as he listened to what Misaka 10032 had to say. Like always, she was curt and to the point as the other sisters looked on.

"'Misaka is not comfortable talking about the subject,' says Misaka, refusing to speak about her personal affairs."

"I didn't come out here for nothing," Touma argued. "You've been acting weird ever since you moved in, so I think you owe me an explanation. Spit it out."

10032 turned her head away in shame.

However, one of the other sisters spoke up: "It is not just one Misaka's problem, but the problem of all Misakas. We are connected, as I'm sure you know. But we are disappointed because she chooses to neglect our happiness for her own."

"'Misaka neglects no one,' says Misaka 10032, correcting you very matter-of-factly. 'Misaka is not that bad of a person.'"

Refusing to get off on a tangent, Touma asked again why she had been acting strange, why she ran out of the apartment in the middle of the night, and he made clear that he wasn't leaving until she gave an answer. A moment of quiet hesitation followed as she neglected to look him in the eyes.

"'Misaka will explain,' says Misaka, reluctantly giving in to your demands." She stood perfectly still with her arms crossed nervously in front of her. "You see, Misaka and her sisters are feeling lost. We are just toys that came out of a laboratory, but now that we are free, most of us have no place to call home. Not even this Misaka."

Touma squinted his eyes. "But you live with me now, don't you?"

"'While that is factually true, you view Misaka as someone you take care of not because you like her, but because you would feel bad doing otherwise,' states Misaka, knowing her words are the truth." She continued, "Misaka wants more than just a place to stay, she wants a family like other girls have. So, Misaka took part in a 'date' just over a week ago, hoping she might find a boy with which to create said family."

Listening intently, Touma didn't say a word, though he had trouble imagining what a date with one of the sisters would be like.

"'In short,' says Misaka, expecting brevity to make her words more digestible. 'Misaka met a nice young man who bought her dinner and took her to a movie that was quite romantic. He even invited Misaka back to a hotel, an offer which she accepted hastily.'" Before speaking further, she hesitated, bringing an arm up and clenching the fabric of her shirt as if thinking of a bad memory. "But Misaka became scared. The boy hit Misaka when she chose not to engage in a ritual one might describe as 'naughty', and so she ran way. She didn't understand and was forced to run through the rain to your apartment because she couldn't be alone anymore. Misaka still does not like being alone."

Those words left Touma shocked to the point of speechlessness, and just when he had mustered the will to say something, she continued:

"'Plus, there is something Misaka must make clear,' says Misaka with a very informative stare, hoping you will not judge her for what she is about to say. 'You see, Misaka held the traditional view of infant creation at the time. She believed that babies came from storks, not through scandalous acts involving the human body, and that storks only came to girls who possessed a ring. Misaka expected the boy to provided her with one, but he did not. Instead, he left her with this."

Without warning, Misaka pulled up the bottom of her shirt, revealing a large bruise on her left side that had mostly faded and healed.

"'Misaka was sad before, but she felt worse after being treated poorly,' declares Misaka with puppy dog eyes as to stimulate a better response. 'And she still doesn't have the family she's always wanted.'"