Each drop of rain was a kaleidoscope, distorting the world like a malformed mirror should one get close enough to look through such a miniscule drop of liquid. Hundreds had formed on the window, and beyond them was a city laced in gray, with the upper portions of skyscrapers veiled by fog and wandering haze. Car horns beeped at random intervals, raincoats shuffled up and down the streets, hiding the faces of all those walking beneath them, and a light drizzle wafted from the sky, showering Academy City like a sprinkler left on the 'mist' setting. There was something wistful about rainy days, something tranquil, and Touma stared out his apartment window with contented eyes as the clouds drifted overhead.
Index had volunteered to fetch dinner by herself, a task that could quite possibly prove too much for her, but he had faith she'd make it back safely-and without spending all his money. Meanwhile, he and his newest roommate, Misaka 10032, were sitting at the table and watching 'Pirates of the Mizushima', a movie which truly left her captivated. He had made popcorn, a snack she had just tasted for the first time, and already she had consumed an entire bag, and was now munching quietly on her second. Like a little kid lost in their favorite videogame, Misaka 10032 couldn't take her eyes off the screen.
The sisters were unique, that was for sure. And though it was ironic to say ten-thousand clones were unique, individual people, Touma already noticed how distinct 10032 was from her identical sisters. For instance, she had taken a liking to t-shirts and pajama pants, which she had worn around his apartment for the last four days, and through her communications with the network, he discovered most other Misakas preferred something a little more childish like their big sister. She enjoyed hot cocoa with mint-flavored marshmallows, while few others shared the same palate when it came to chocolate-flavored beverages. And of course, there was her newest penchant: pirate movies. Just watching her stare at the screen so intently, Touma knew he'd be forced to buy every swashbuckler film he could get his hands on.
"Girls," he sighed, falling backwards to the floor and staring up at the ceiling. "They're so complicated. It's just too much for one guy to handle."
"'What was that?' asks Misaka, hoping you were not speaking about her in a rude and insulting manner."
He sat back up, propping his body up with his arms. "It was nothing. Don't worry about it, okay?"
She didn't hesitate to return her focus to the movie instead of him, nibbling on popcorn one piece at a time.
It was a mystery why he agreed to let her stay there. Maybe it was in the way she had asked. On a rainy afternoon four days ago, Misaka 10032 came to Touma's apartment door soaking wet and filthy. She had a cold and was sniffling, staring at the ground. All she did next was pop the question, and of course, Touma stepped aside and allowed her into the apartment, at which point Index screeched at him for allowing a mysterious girl into their abode. Even after four cloudy days had gone by, he didn't know what happened to her that day or why she was out in the rain, but even so, he didn't have the courage to ask. She was safe and that's all that mattered.
Out of the blue, the doorbell rang, startling Touma and breaking him away from his daze. Maybe it was Index. If he had to guess, she had bought too much food and was unable to open the door herself, thus requiring his help to get back inside.
"Geez," he said, rising to his feet as Misaka 10032 paused the movie. "What a hassle."
But upon opening the door, Touma was greeted with an unexpected surprise: another of Bug Zapper's sisters-two of them, actually.
"Oh. I wasn't expecting this," he began, stunned by their presence.
Immediately, one of the Misakas stepped forward, inserting herself into Touma's personal space, though she remained utterly emotionless in both expression and tone of voice. "'Misaka does not approve of what is going on here,' informs Misaka, drawing near to the boy for extra effect."
"Wait, huh? What do you mean?"
Touma stepped back, putting distance between him and the unnumbered sister. Meanwhile, Misaka 10032 stood up and came to the door, planting herself between the two of them.
"'What is the problem?' asks Misaka, uncertain of why her annoying twin sister has barged into her new home. 'You should know I am quite busy.'"
The sister answered her: "'Misaka does not believe this to be fair,' says Misaka clearly upset by the fact you have found residence with a boy."
"Misaka agrees," added the other sister.
"You see, Misaka thinks Misaka should also be residing with the boy, since she currently does not have a proper home,' states Misaka, expecting you to take pity on her."
But Misaka 10032 responded: "You will not be allowed to usurp Misaka's good fortune. She and the boy are indeed living together, and Misaka hopes to one day receive a ring, should the boy put on his grown-up pants and provide her with one,' says Misaka, glancing over her shoulder at the boy to make her innermost desires absolutely clear."
Touma jolted and scratched the back of his head, embarrassed by 10032's blunt assertion.
"'Then I'm afraid Misaka will have to declare war,' insists Misaka jealously," stated the sister who was most determined to stay with Touma. "She is valuable too, and also deserves a ring from a boy."
"As does this Misaka," said the accompanying clone, going along with whatever the other said.
"Therefore, Misaka challenges you to a rigorous war of thumbs to see who will stay with the boy."
10032 cocked her head. "Misaka does not understand."
The other sister explained: "A war of thumbs. Misaka has studied in great detail how these wars are commonly fought. The opposing forces must clasp their hands together and attempt to lock the enemy's thumb in place for a predetermined amount of time, thus being victorious. I believe two world wars were fought in this manner."
Touma slapped his hand over his face. "Hold on a sec. That's not right. Not right at all, actually..."
Misaka 10032 glanced back at him. "'Silence,' says Misaka, fully prepared to accept the enemy's challenge. 'Misaka will protect that which is hers, even if she must defeat her own sister in unfettered combat.'" She faced her sister again and held her right arm forward, thumb in the air. "'Shall we begin?' asks Misaka, knowing her victory is assured."
With empty eyes, the rival sister nodded her head and clasped hands with Misaka 10032. For several seconds, neither of them moved a muscle.
10032 declared, "The time for which one's thumb must be held down will be set at 8.351 seconds. Is that understood?"
"Yes, but wait. Misaka feels we must broadcast this to the rest of the network. That way, they will all know who the true victor is."
Pausing for a second, 10032 thought carefully, then answered, "Very well. Misaka approves. When you lose, all 9,969 of our sisters will be watching and your embarrassment will be most intense. You will be too ashamed to approach the boy, and it will be Misaka who acquires the ring. It will be Misaka who wins."
The sister did not respond, but rather, she nodded her head to begin the battle as Touma and the third Misaka watched carefully. And indeed, Misaka 10032 and the other sister fought hard, writhing their thumbs about and clashing multiple times like combatants on a faraway battlefield, each trying their hardest to earn the right to stay with Touma. But at long last, a victor emerged, and it was not who was expected.
To her own dismay, Misaka 10032 had lost.
After her thumb had been held down for more than ten seconds, the match was over, and 10032 stayed quiet, looking down at their hands with no emotion in her face. Finally, however, she tore her palm away from her sister's grip.
"'Goodbye,' says Misaka, refusing to acknowledge her defeat."
10032 shut the door in her sisters' faces, then calmly ambled back to the table and sat down, where she grabbed another handful of popcorn, unpaused the movie, and resumed her quiet munching. He just stared at her, dumbfounded by the encounter he had just witnessed. After a while, she stared back.
"'What?' questions Misaka, pretending that what just happened did not actually occur."
He replied, "Oh, it's nothing. Just..."
"'Just what? Are you perhaps thinking Misaka is not true to her word and would back out of a deal made between her and her sister, thus indicating she is unreliable and bad?' interrogates Misaka, staring deeply into your eyes as if to examine your very soul."
"No really, I wasn't-"
"'If that is the case, Misaka will gladly state that what you just witnessed was not reality, but in fact an illusion brought on by sudden psychological trauma that vanished as soon as Misaka shut the apartment door. She is quite reliable and good,' affirms Misaka with an innocent smile, expecting you to play along or else face the consequences."
Touma began to sweat nervously while under her gaze. Don't her sisters know she lost the match? They'll be out to get her if she ever leaves my apartment. Wait...she is planning to leave, right? RIGHT? Oh God no, please tell me she isn't planning on staying here forever. That'd be just my luck.
"'Well?' says Misaka, checking to make sure you understand the situation."
"Yeah," he answered. "I get it. I experienced a hallucination and totally imagined you losing to your sister in a thumb war. It happens all the time, really."
"'Good,' states Misaka. 'Now if it's okay with you, Misaka would very much like to continue watching the movie. She finds the idea of pirates sailing the ocean without a master or body of government to control them rather fascinating.'"