Rainy Days: A Certain Magical Index Story

Chapter 2: Captain on Deck

"Okay, ladies," said Touma, shutting the door to his apartment with box in hand. "Prepare for a major dose of what it's like to be an average person."

Index was sitting seiza on the bed while Misaka 10032 stood longingly before the window, turning around only when Touma announced his presence in the room. She looked empty, like always.

"I found something I think the two of you will like."

Like a rabbit hopping toward a field of carrots, Index sprung from the bed and skipped toward him. "Is it food? Please tell me it's food. I'm so hungry, Touma."

"Nope, not food. It's something even better."

She squinted her eyes suspiciously. "What could possibly be better than food?"

After his remedial class, Touma left school in the pouring rain and couldn't take another boring day inside the apartment. All three of them had been cooped up for so long, watching movies and playing with Dog and Sphynx. Thus, he determined a slight change was necessary, something that could get them through the remainder of the summer storm without their minds turning to goop. He placed the box on the table as Misaka 10032 sat across from him and Index puffed her cheeks in disappointment.

"It's a boardgame—The Pirate's Flag. Here, I'll read the description for you." Touma picked up the box and read the message printed on its side with a valiant voice: "It's been weeks, nay months since anyone has heard from the Dread Captain or her crew. Without her keeping the rest of the pirates in check, The Dread Sea is descending into chaos and madness! There are rumors she sailed into The Serpent's Pass searching for treasure but never returned. No one knows what happened. But she had the flag... The ship that flies it is able to command the rest of the pirates! Will you go after it? Will you be the one to return with The Pirate's Flag?" He sat the box down. "So yeah, it's basically—"

"'I most definitely will,' says Misaka, interrupting the boy as she is truly determined to be the most formidable pirate of them all. 'Misaka will not allow the other pirates to claim the flag, not while she is fully capable of destroying every last one of them herself.'"

"W-Wow," stuttered Touma. "I thought you'd like it, but I didn't think you'd take it so seriously."

"Serious is all Misaka is when pirates are involved."

However enthused Misaka may have been, Index was ruffled by the fact food had yet to be presented to her. "Touma!" she screeched. "I've been waiting all day for you to bring home food! All day! Now, being one of God's precious sisters, I will forgive you this time but only on the condition you go out this instant and buy me something yummy to eat!"

He sighed, groaning like a yawning sea lion. "There's food in the fridge, you know. Can't you just eat that?"

"No," she replied, crossing her arms. "I can't eat it because it's not there! I ate most of it this morning."

"What? All of it? There was enough in there for two days at least!"

Index snickered like she was proud of herself. "Clearly, you don't know me that well. It takes a lot of snacks to keep a wonderful brain like mine happy!"

He dreaded going out again, especially with the weather being so sour. But if all their food was gone, he'd be forced to go to the store at some point whether he liked it or nor. Either that, or he'd have to go hungry and listen to Index's tantrums all night, and who knows—maybe Misaka 10032 would start getting crabby as well.