P.A.N.D.R.A.'s Messenger (5) is the fortieth chapter of Takashi Shiina's Zettai Karen Children.
Synopsis[]
Mio Tsukushi's berserk clone, standing on an excavator, claims to be the real one. Mio commands it to return to its senses and continue the fight with The Children. The other clone in Aoi Nogami's arms disappears, Mio realises that it was absorbed by the disobedient clone. Shiho Sannomiya struggles to comprehend the situation, and Kōichi Minamoto explains that the clones were not illusions but separate entities created by Mio teleporting her body's particles evenly into separate bodies. Doing so created separate consciousnesses which if Mio loses her composure can take control from her.
Mio fights her clone, both trying to make the other disappear with their spatial abilities. Mio becomes hesitant when the clone starts talking about her insecurities of not having friends or a family. Minamoto tries to encourage her to keep fighting but is unsuccessful. Kaoru Akashi, who so far has been annoyed by the conversation, destroys the excavator's arm, throwing the clone from it.
Mio finds herself enveloped in Kaoru's power, taking form of ethereal wings. Kaoru tells the clone the shut up, and gives a speech of them as Espers having the power to do anything they want. Aoi questions why she is helping Mio who was trying to kill her not much earlier. Kaoru explains that she can't help but step in when she sees and Esper who has given up on themself, and then charges at the clone. Mio notices that Kaoru is much faster than earlier, Aoi comments that even she may not be able to keep up over short distances.
Kaoru strikes the clone with her move "Psychic Afterimage One-Hundred Furious Fists" and commands Mio to finish the fight, who recombines herself with her clone. The resulting Mio is injured, having retained the damage from Kaoru's attack, but cries tears of happiness having regained control. Kaoru takes the opportunity to ask Mio why Kyousuke Hyoubu calls her "Queen". This angers Mio due to being reminded that Kyousuke favors Kaoru over her. She responds by using her Teleportation ability to cover Kaoru in insects and then flees.
Shiho uses Psychometry to read the spot where Mio disappeared but is only able to find two pieces of information: that she took Koremitsu Yamada with her, and the Minamoto had washed her panties.
Mio sits atop a spherical gas storage tank. Kyousuke asks her what she thought of Kaoru. Mio tells him that she is nothing special, but makes obvious her jealousy. Kyousuke offers her a new home and training.
Minamoto has been forced through a tree, now stuck halfway. Sakaki reads Minamoto's thoughts to find that he will never again wash someone else's underwear. Kaoru tells him to only wash those of allies, and Aoi tells him even those are off limits. Shiho warns the men not to meddle in the affairs of girls.