Chapter 1: On Tubes and Tigers

Misaka (serial number 10032) woke from her slumber.

It was that strange time of day that tended to get either called very late or very early depending on the person and the context, to be precise it was 4.32am and 27 seconds standard Toyko time and the date was April the 17th , 2026AD.

Touma was sleeping, but Misaka was not. This was not a unusual state of affairs for the two of them, while Misaka was fundamentally human, she had been Tubeborn and additionally was part of the MISAKA network, (with its constant chatter) leading to complications in her biology and less than smooth sleep patterns. It was annoying, but Misaka had developed a method to cope with it to a degree.

She smile softly to herself. Tubeborn hadn't always been the way she had described herself, it was a description first coined by Index all those years ago, she remembered it like it was yesterday...

Index was humming both cheerfully and loudly as the group that contained her, Misaka and Touma walked towards the fair. She was in high spirits and was a rather expressive person, so it was hardly surprising behaviour. The likely cause was the high opportunity for delicious food and entrainment over the estimated next 3 hours.

Misaka would rather she had not been there, but Index was under Touma protection and shared his home, leading Misaka to fail to calculate a scenario where she could invite Touma to the fair alone, therefore she had gone for the next best scenario, invite the two of them to the fair as "friends". Instead of inviting Touma to the fair for a "date". It was less than perfect, but it was still a way to move her friendship with Touma in a positive direction, one that might eventually turn into the certain something she desired.

Index existence was simply a complication that Misaka would have to overcome in time. Misaka had calculated a probability of 96.5% that any attempt by Misaka to forcefully push Index out of the picture would result in a loss of standing in Touma eyes. Therefore logic dictated that Misaka would have to "get along" with Index, if only for the time being.

"Right" Touma said as he finished getting there tickets. "What do you two want to do first then?"

"We could go on the rollercoaster and grab something to eat after says Misaka, her tone friendly as she suggest a diplomatic option that will please all parties." Misaka explained this but of course she didn't mention that her 'preferred' course of action was to take Touma into the "tunnel of love" that she could see was approximately 164 meters away to the south west, but she felt that suggesting that likely came under 'forcefully pushing Index out the picture'.

"Hey Imouto , that actually sounds like a good plan!" Said Index as she rapidly grabbed Touma by his hand and pulled him towards the rollercoaster. "Lets get the front seats Touma!"

So they got front seats, with Misaka getting a seat just behind the pair, and feeling mildly annoyed at the situation. It was Index who was getting the chance to make romantic memories with Touma. It was Index who was getting closer to the point were Touma thought of her as his lover.

Misaka wanted romantic memories with Touma and Misaka wanted him to think of her as his lover, it was simply how things should be. Perhaps mildly annoyed was putting it lightly after some thought, Misaka's plan was going badly wrong, Index was treating it like a date with Touma, with Misaka being the tag along friend, in fact this day was turning into the very opposite of what Misaka planned and it annoyed her greatly.

The ride came to a stop.

"That was fun!" Index shouted loudly as she got off the ride, her smile bright and wide. " Imouto your idea's are the best!" and with that the green eyed girl ran over to Misaka and fluffed her hair. Misaka felt some sparks jump around her head, but clearly there been too subtle for Index to detect, as that same bright smile of joy was retained on her face. However Misaka's feeling of annoyance only grew, She was bring treated like a helpful younger sibling, did Index not even realise that Misaka was a rival for Touma's affections?

"Now lets eat!" Index shouted as she ran towards a hot food store.

They ate some so called 'all American hot dogs' (Misaka doubted the validity of this name) and Index chatted mostly about some of Sphynx's antics early in the day and some general light worries about him being at home by himself (She claimed deep worry, but analyse of the data suggested this was a overreaction, Misaka often left Dog alone for extended periods and he coped fine).

It was Touma who brought up the next idea.

"So girls." He began, waiting for Misaka's and Index's attention. "I was wondering if we could erm..."

He then had strange coughing fit. It was most peculiar, especially considering he seemed to avoiding both of the girls gazes and was motioning towards a store a little way away with many fluffy toys (including a incredibly cute and large tiger).

"Try that." Touma finally managed to finish. Misaka noted his perspiration levels were also slightly higher than expected, it was most odd.

The group wandered over to the store, closer investigation by Misaka revealed a rifle (none military grade, poorly maintained, Misaka suspected it would verve slightly to the left if fired due to this.) Some plastic targets moving along on a belt and off course the fluffy toys (including previously noted incredibly cute and large tiger, Misaka felt this was worth noting twice).

"Right I like to take a shot at the targets" Touma stated to the Store Owner.

"That be two tickets please." the Store Owner replied. Touma passed him said tickets and moved to pick up the inferior rifle. Misaka was struck by the wrongness of the situation.

"Touma, Misaka calls out suddenly." He turned to her, a look of mild surprise on his face. "Why are you picking up the subpar weapon for, Misaka inquires?"

"Well I'm planning to shoot those targets and win a prize." Touma replied confidently.

"But you are neither lucky nor trained in firearms, points out Misaka, who's knowledge of firearms is well known to the boy who often shouts about misfortune."

"She knows how to handle firearms?" The Store Keeper asked with a suspicious air.

"Ahh yes, Misaka explains, She know how..." Misaka was going to explain about the knowledge from Testament, but Touma interrupted her by rudely putting his left hand over her mouth.

"..from her father, who a Japanese American airman who's stationed at airbase not to far from Tokyo! Sometimes they go visit her family state side and go on hunting trips and such!" His tone was nervous and panicky, his words were lies, but lies not so easily to spot without knowledge of Misaka, therefore logic dictated that they were lies with purpose and Misaka trusted Touma's purpose... if not his aim.

She pulled his hand away.

"And this is why it be best you it be to let Misaka handle the shooting, Misaka points out sternly to the somewhat foolish if kind boy." With that Misaka picked up the rifle and took a ready stance, correcting for the weapons weakness.

"You get three shots. One hit get a bronze prize, two a silver and three a gold prize... all clear ?" The Store Keeper asked. Misaka checked the prizes, the tiger was a gold prize, there was no margin for error.

" Imouto..." Touma spoke softly, his hand moving towards the rifle.

"The three shots will be rather difficult, Misaka points out as she admires the adorable and fluffy tiger."

"Ah." Touma continued softly, his mouth was rather close to Misaka's ear. " I guess your a bit like your older sister in that once you set your mind on something, you see it through to the end. So good luck with your shooting Imouto".

He pulled away from her with a smile. She took the shots, compensating for the shoddy workmanship of the subpar weapon and other environmental factors. Fortunately the targets were close, and Misaka had knew how to use a rifle well (Testament had whole sections dedicated to less than ideal firing situations) and she struck three goods hits, through the first one had only just hit.

"Seems you won your prize young miss!" The Store Owner said with a somewhat surprised air, clearly he was not use to seeing a trained marksman shooting (Misaka suspected he may have also sabotaged the weapons aim deliberately too).

"Meow, Misaka shouts out happily as she picks up the incredibly cute and large fluffy tiger toy"

Touma smiled softly, before speaking rather brashly with his eyes close "Oh come along you"

So Misaka did so.

"Imouto" Index asked curiously as they walked along. "You've never been to the fair before have you?"

"This is Misaka's first time at fair yes, says Misaka as she hugs the cute tiger toy she earned through skill."

"Didn't you go to the fair when you were younger?" Index asked, her tone suggested surprise.

"Misaka has yet to have her first birthday, Misaka says as she dreams of jelly and ice-cream".

"What!" Index shouted in shock. "That's imposable! You look exactly the same age as Short Hair, I thought you were twins!"

"I am a clone of the original Misaka Mikoto created in a lab from her DNA, says Misaka before reluctantly adding, through I only have a mere fraction of her original power."

Index seemed angered at this statement and spoke with shockingly passionate words.

"But you only look like her and act nothing like her at all!" Index shouted loudly while shaking her finger at Misaka "You're calm and collective, open with your emotions, even if you convey them in that weird third person way, and whatever you are, your certainly not some Short Hair clone, your you!"

"We both like cats, Misaka says weakly.."

"As do I" Index said firmly. " does that make me your 'clone'?"

It was Touma who spoke next.

"Imouto." His voice was quiet, but strong. "You are unique. There is only one of -you- , even if you have a big family with strong similarities to each other and a really good way to keep in touch. You have your own mind, your own feelings and your own soul."

Misaka opened her mouth to speak, to rebut his words, but he wasn't in a mood to let her get a word in.

"And don't you dare use the excuse 'I was created artificially at the touch of a button in a tube and therefore your not worth as much as other people'. Because even if you were born in a tube and those scientist told you that your not a human being, you -are- a human being with a heart that beats and a mind that thinks and dreams as much as Index and mine does."

He hadn't raised his voice, but he hadn't needed too. Touma's strength was a strength that didn't need volume, he was the Illusion Breaker, his strength was Truth. What happened next was the longest 60 seconds of thought in the history of the MISAKA network, before finally...

"We are alike, but unique, we all are human, but have different specifications. From 10032 to 20001, from Accelerator to Index , we are all singular units.. even if some of us have better network compatibility than others, Misaka honestly observes."

Touma looked at her with a look of relief and a bright smile before he did something that caught Misaka by surprised. He pushed forwards, placed both of his arms around her waist and pulled her lower back towards him, before placing his chin on her right shoulder... Misaka was hugged by Touma, it was a tight hug and she could hear his breathing very clearly in her right ear.

"Touma!" Index shouted angrily. "What are you doing with Imouto!"

Touma broke the hug suddenly, his face was very red.

"Ah erm," Touma said uncomfortably as he turned to face Index. " I just got a bit caught up in the moment there Index-hime!"

"Caught up in the moment... caught up in the moment.. " Index repeated in a dangerous tone. What happened next was fairly predictable...

"CHOMP!"

That was the sound of Index's displeasure.

While Touma recovered from Index's displeasure, the conversation continued.

"Forgive Touma, young Imouto." Index said in a tone that was considerably more serene than the one she had been using 30 seconds ago. "He sometime forgets himself around members of the opposite sex."

"I don't understand, Misaka points out."

"You wouldn't." Index replied calmly before continuing "Your a less than a year old Tubeborn human, you lack experience in these things."

"Tubeborn? Misaka asked, her tone suggesting she desired for clarity on the new term."

"Touma said you were created in a tube, so for you that tube was a womb, and when you came out it you were born and God gave you a soul. True you weren't born the normal way, but you were -born-, and that's the important thing, regardless of what those science idiots might think."

Misaka nodded softly.

"So Misaka has discovered the superior term Tubeborn to referee to herself as and has also won a very cute and large tiger toy through skill. Today has been a good day, Misaka says happily as she hug said tiger."

Index smirked slightly.

"By the way for future reference, the whole point of the shooting challenge is to give the prize to someone you care about and impress them with your skill, not win it for yourself." Index pointed out.

"Ahh, Misaka says in a embarrassed tone. Its best I correct my error then."

So she went over to the bite covered teenage and pushed the incredibly cute tiger toy into his arms.

"Misaka hopes you enjoy her gift, as she believes it was the best prize available, Misaka says as she gives the kind hearted boy her gift."

He looked shocked and embarrassed as she gave him the toy, Index on the other hand looked furious.

"TOUMA!"

Misaka smiled at the memory. She had been a rather foolish and naive young girl back then., but she had certainly done the right thing by giving Touma the tiger toy, a tiger toy they still had... in a very special place.