______________________________________________________________________________________________________
"You? You think you can actually pull this off?"Misaka Mikoto eyed Ethan suspiciously, as if doubting whether he was even capable of helping her.
"Hey, hey, that's kinda rude, don't you think? Whatever—honestly, I'm too lazy to argue. If you don't think I'm up to it, you can just cancel the request. That way I get to nap longer."Ethan waved his hand weakly and dropped his head onto the table, his whole body slumping like a limp noodle.
"And you are...?" he asked, voice muffled by the table.
"I'm Misaka Mikoto," she replied.
"Mind if I call you Mikoto?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"Mikoto-chan," said Sayuriko with a cheerful smile, her big round eyes curving like crescent moons. "My master's actually really strong, you know. If he says he can help you, then he absolutely can."
"R-Really? I mean, he did block my attack earlier... that's not something just anyone could do. But..." Mikoto glanced hesitantly at Ethan, who still looked half-asleep and about to drift off any second.
"Don't worry! My master's strength is the real deal. Besides, this is your only option left, isn't it?" Sayuriko said gently.
"Yeah..." Mikoto nodded, resolve returning to her face. "Alright then, let's go!"
"Hold on a sec!" Sayuriko suddenly stopped her.
"Since this is the Time-Space Odd Jobs Agency," Sayuriko continued with a grin, "you'll need to pay a fee for the request."
"Of course," Mikoto said quickly, fishing something out of her pocket. "Here's my wallet—everything I have is inside: cash, cards, all of it. Take whatever you need. If it means saving my sisters, it's all yours."
She held out a frog-shaped wallet (a familiar green face—Gekota, of course).
"Sorry, that won't work," Sayuriko said, shaking her head. "Different worlds, different currencies. Your money's worthless here, I'm afraid."
"Huh? But... but I don't have anything else!" Mikoto's face went pale with panic.
"There are actually two other ways you can pay," Sayuriko said, raising a finger.
"Two... ways?"
"Yep. Option one—your ability. A Level 5 esper's power is valuable enough to serve as payment. But once you give it to us, you'll lose your powers permanently."
"What? My... my ability?" Mikoto's eyes widened. Then she clenched her fists. "That's fine. If it'll save my sisters, take it. I don't care."
She said it without a hint of hesitation. Sure, it stung a little—but compared to her sisters' lives, her powers meant nothing.
"Option two," Sayuriko went on, smiling a little too sweetly, "is to sign a contract of employment. You'll work here at the Time-Space Odd Jobs Agency to pay off your debt. Based on your request... you'd need to work for a hundred years."
"A hundred... years?" Mikoto blinked, stunned.It sounded ridiculous—but honestly, it wasn't a bad deal. Losing her powers forever felt far worse than a long work commitment.
"Let me think..." she murmured.If she chose the first option, she'd become a normal girl. Maybe life would be quieter, safer.But the second... working here sounded kind of interesting. A hundred years was long—but maybe not unbearable. And she'd get to see more of this bizarre place.
Finally, she took a deep breath."I'll take the second option."
Typical Mikoto—too proud to live without her powers. Besides, the idea of working in a place that handled different worlds sounded... kind of fun. A hundred years? She'd deal with it.
"Then please sign here," Sayuriko said brightly, producing a contract as if she'd had it ready all along.
Mikoto read through it carefully. No hidden traps—other than the hundred years of service, which was kind of impossible to ignore. Still, she didn't hesitate. She signed her name with a flourish.
"Wait—hold up. That means she's our employee now?!" Ethan sat up suddenly, staring wide-eyed at her.
"Hmph." Mikoto crossed her arms, chin tilted high, giving him the full tsundere treatment.
"Well... technically, she'll only become our employee after you complete her request," Sayuriko corrected.
"Ugh, what a pain," Ethan groaned, scratching his head. "In that case, maybe I shouldn't complete the job. I mean, who'd want an employee who only wears safety shorts under her skirt?"
"Say that again, you pervert!" Mikoto's face went dark. She snatched up a pillow from the couch and hurled it straight at his head.
"Ah, violent too. Yeah, definitely not hiring material," Ethan muttered, rubbing the spot.
"You ready?"
"Of course."
"Then let's go."
"Yeah."
Mikoto stood by the door, hand on the knob. Ethan joined her, still looking half-awake but clearly resigned to his fate.
"Master," Sayuriko called, "one last reminder. When you enter Mikoto-chan's world, all your memories of that world will be sealed. You'll forget everything you know about it and start from scratch."
"Huh?! Wait—what?! You mean I'll lose all my knowledge of the Railgun world?!" Ethan shouted in disbelief.He had been planning to jump straight into Academy City, beat the hell out of Accelerator, and force him to stop hurting the Sisters. Simple, fast, efficient. But now?
"That's right," Sayuriko said gently. "Different world, different rules. If you carry your memories in, that world's consciousness will notice—and reject you. So once you enter, you won't remember Mikoto or anything about her world. But don't worry—once you finish the job and return, your sealed memories will be restored."
"Wait, wait! If all my memories get wiped, won't I forget the mission too? How am I supposed to complete it then?!" Ethan cried.
"Sorry, Master," Sayuriko said with a teasing smile. "Anything related to Mikoto-chan's world will be sealed. You won't even recognize her when you meet. As for how you'll complete the task... well, that depends on your luck. But I believe in you!"
Her bright, innocent grin made Ethan's face twitch.Somehow, that smile felt more annoying than reassuring.
"..."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________