"Oh, it's Touma…"
Index suddenly stopped while standing next to Accelerator.
She was looking down the passageway.
"Is that the person you were looking for?"
"Yeah."
Accelerator looked vaguely in the same direction, but the crowd was too large to tell who she was talking about. In fact, he did not even really know who it was she had been looking for.
Index looked up at Accelerator's face.
He said, "Go."
"But what about your friend?"
"Don't worry," spat out Accelerator. "I just found her."
He spoke those words while looking in the same direction that Index had been looking. He could see a small girl running his way through the crowd of primarily middle and high school students.
Accelerator knew her name.
He had no idea if it actually counted as her real name and he had no idea how much value there was in a name thought up by researchers to make the paperwork more convenient. But the same went for Accelerator. He doubted anyone knew his real name.
And since everyone referred to her in the same way, it was effectively her name.
And so Accelerator called out that name.
"Last Order!"
When she heard her name called, the small girl started running even faster. Her face was covered in a ridiculously happy expression.
Meanwhile, Accelerator heard small footsteps next to him.
"Okay, I'll be going then. Thanks," said Index. "Touma!!"
The slight footsteps grew stronger. That girl who had been with him for just a few dozen minutes ran off into the crowd.
She did not turn back.
In the same way, Last Order did not look back.
The two girls approached the same spot of the underground mall, crossed paths, and then headed off in opposite directions without ever noticing each other.
They continued on to their respective destinations.
It took less than 10 seconds for Last Order to reach Accelerator.
"Misaka is back, says Misaka as Misaka gives the usual greeti-…Ow! Why are you silently karate chopping Misaka again and again!? shouts Misaka as Misaka holds her head and pretends to cry!!"
While he repeatedly struck the girl's head, he let out all of his displeasure.
"Where they hell have you been?"
"I was playing, says Misaka as Misaka gives an honest answer."
"Hmph," said Accelerator.
He gave one last glance into the crowd, wondering what had happened to that nuisance of a nun.
But he could see no sign of her.
All he could see was a vague crowd.
Everything was back to normal.