A Certain Scientific Experiment (Arc 3 Main Story)

Misaka walked into the alley. The first thing she noticed was a strange doll propped up on the wall. It didn't quite look the same as the doll Misaka was looking for, she approached the doll cautiously anyways to investigate.

While walking up to the doll, Misaka was scanning the area for any signs of the person with the orange hood. there were no signs of anything living in the area. just strange lines on the walls and floor. They were starting to send chills down her spine. "The sooner I find this doll the better... " Misaka mumbled to herself.

The deeper she went…the deeper the darkness would grow.
As the day had come to its end, the sunlight had disappeared. In this very alley there weren’t even streetlights. Only lit by the few emergency exits’ lamps and what came from the buildings around, this labyrinth was turning into quite a challenge.

Once the strange lines had grown invisible…nearly everything had. One couldn’t even see the many dolls hidden behind various objects in the darkness along the passage way. It was dark and it seemed as if it would grow even darker with every step one took.
The entrance was long since gone, however the goal appeared to be right in front of her. The orange hood showed up again, just to disappear into the shadows right afterwards. It was like a game of hide and seek that was going on and on. The sound of heavy breathing began to echo throughout the back alleys. Was that orange hooded girl growing tired or was that merely an act again?

In the end what was it Misaka Mikoto was supposed to find after following the orange hood’s trace for so long?
A dead end. Well, it actually wasn’t. After all she would find what she was looking for all along. It wasn’t the orange hooded girl that had run into the exact same direction. It wasn’t the culprit, but the thing she had stolen. Illuminated by another emergency exit’s green light there was a doll sitting in the alley ways centre. The weak lighting made it hard to recognise but it actually was the exact same doll she had seen before, the one she was told had been stolen from that very blonde she was doing all that for.

More of those dolls were around. There were many, like 10 maybe even more. They filled the road in front of her as well as there would be some behind her. She was encircled. Their dead eyes were staring at her from all over. Staring. Staring. One could only describe this scene as creepy.

What would she do? Would she run straight at it or would she remain cautious already realising that something was off?

It didn’t matter. The path ahead was a dead end filled with dolls. The path behind the same. Those dolls were everywhere. And even if it was probably too late for that realisation to come: Those lines she had seen before had been closely linked to those dolls. Wherever there was a doll there were also those lines.
The next thing she would notice was the smell of fire and the bright flames quickly running across those lines, a reminiscence of a bomb’s fuse. However it wasn’t only one flame. There were many. Nearly as many flames as there were dolls. The trap snapped shut.

The big bang came. An explosion followed by another followed by another, just like an orchestra.
All those dolls’ secret features had been the same: They were bombs. Bombs powerful enough to blow a human being into pieces. And now those bombs were all around Misaka Mikoto.
Everything had been set to make sure to erase her existence. The enemy knew who she was. The enemy had prepared everything so that not even a Level 5 Electromaster would be able to defend – at least that was what they believed. There was no electric detonator, no metal parts used and the amount of explosives used would even bring down the heaviest military tank easily. They however seemed to have been thoughtful about the surroundings, only causing detonations within an area of 15 meters around their target.
Everything should be blown to pieces without an exception. The bright lights were merciless. The street, the buildings, everything about that dead end alley would disappear into rubble and flames.

As the darkness would disappear the light of destruction would appear.

Explosions, rang out, Misaka pulled herself to the rooftops overhead with her magnetism. The explosions raced behind her, a violent, fiery blast chasing her up to the roof. The blast had managed to singe Misaka's clothing and the tips of her hair. The worst of the explosion was the pressure wave. Misaka had caught the pressure wave straight in her chest and she flung herself towards the roof of a nearby building.

Misaka gasped for air as she landed on the building. The force of the blast had knocked the wind for her lungs. After a brief moment, Misaka caught her breath and started to run on the top of the building away from the sight of the explosion that had nearly killed her.

Running was a bit hard, her breathing was labored. Misaka's chest felt compressed from the blast. Misaka carried on running at a slower pace.

Kinuhata Saiai had somehow managed to escape the blast. She had taken one of the many escape paths ITEM had prepared beforehand. It wasn’t anything special, but a direct line through one of the nearby buildings. Of course she was forced to hurry, as the damage to the buildings around was rather severe, it was only a question of time before the first would begin to collapse.

Back on the empty main road, she found only two people around, both were waiting for her. One of them was the blonde beret girl and the other the pink track suit girl, Frenda and Takitsubo Rikou.
”That was super close. You super overdid it there Frenda.” ”What? Of course I had to! Our target is a Level 5, did you forget!? And I definitely gave her the finishing blow with this!” Puffing out her chest with pride, the blonde was bragging about her great deeds.
”But that super wasn’t the plan! Do you super want Mugino to kick your ass that badly?!” A cold chill ran down Frenda’s spine.  

She remembered. A disastrous realisation. This time she was about to cry real tears of agony. She had forgotten about the most important fact…


A flash of green light, nothing more nothing less.

Having barely escaped the merciless destruction caused be the explosions, Misaka Mikoto wasn’t even left a moment to catch breath before the next calamity’s arrival.

The beam of inevitable destruction was aimed straight for the left side of her head. An instant kill for any normal human being. None was able to survive a direct hit, as the human flesh would simply be reduced to nothing but ashes while the attack itself travelled at the highest speed imaginable.

”So you survived Frenda’s little trap? I didn’t expect anything else of the #3. But that isn’t bad in any way…”

She had arrived. A distance of about 12 meters away, standing on the rooftop of another building, there was this woman in the violet dress, her hair was tea coloured and her face filled with a models beauty. Many would agree that her grown up body was rather well built and that her way of gesticulation had a noble feel to it; it really gave her an overall superior atmosphere.
”However to be honest: I’m a little disappointed. I expected you to be more amazing. But this is truly is a disappointment. Nothing else to expect from a spoiled little brat. Frenda actually did a good job at proving that.
I guess that even makes things easier. So would you please be so kind and die, Railgun?”

As the woman had never estimated her first attack to connect – the odds weren’t that well after all with the Electromaster probably having a good sense for that kind of attack – she fired the next one. Another green beam, this time aimed for the target’s upper body, short and quick.

It was about time to kill the Railgun.

"I guess that even makes things easier. So would you please be so kind and die, Railgun?" The woman spoke from a building across from the Tokiwadai ace. Misaka couldn't process how fast it had all just happened. The woman was pointing her arm at her, ready to kill her.

A green flash emanated from the woman outstretched arm and raced at Misaka's chest. In a panic, Misaka threw a quick burst of electricity infront of her, and not a moment too late. The green flash colided with the electricty and deflected off to the side, buying Misaka a moment to get up.

'As i thought... I knew this power felt familiar!' The power the woman was able to be influenced by a strong electromagnetic field, Misaka's specialty.

With a renewed hope, Misaka picked up and flung a small section of a metal I-beam at the woman, sending it barreling at her body. Using this as an opportunity to escape, and reassess the situation, Misaka jumped down into a section of a collapsed building where she pulled the I-beam from and began running towards the back exit at ground level.

There was no need to be astonished. It was rare, but not impossible for the Meltdowner’s beams to be deflected. Only a few people were actually capable of that deed and that girl, the Railgun, was the perfect example for that group.

However, before Mugino was even able to produce a sharp comment meant to accentuate her superiority, the counter attack was launched.
A big chunk of steel was headed straight for her, an attack capable of crushing any ordinary human, somewhat close to a sure kill. Yet Mugino Shizuri was no ordinary human, not even an ordinary Esper to point out. So a proper human’s reaction wasn’t necessary. All she did was raising her right hand in front of her and her problem’s solution appeared from thin air.
Just when the attack was about to connect, a sphere of green light had manifested a few centimetres in front of her, causing the mass of pure steel to simply disappear into nothingness when it came into contact. Blocked. No, annihilated.

”That’s all…? All the legendary #3 can do is toy around with magnetism like a little child in physic’s class? What a letdown! Come on, show me something else. Show me something at least worthy of being killed by me!!” Too caught up in provoking, Shizuri was blind to her opponent’s next actions. A grave mistake, as she would figure out once the shield of green light had been dissolved again.
She realised: There was no one else left, besides her.
ITEM’s leader let out a groan; she was unable to stop her hands from trembling and the vein on her forehead from pulsing. The disappointment was slowly but surely turning into rage. ”…you little shit…running away like this...I’m going to…I’ll get you…” Silence. She continued tasting the situation for a few seconds. Usually she would have laughed, but given the person she was facing, this was rather humiliating.

Next she started running, jumped across the gap between buildings and attacked, unleashing her characteristic destruction. ”You think you can run from me? Don’t make me laugh! Don’t take me…no us…too lightly. Learn for yourself what it means to challenge ITEM!”
Another wave of destruction. The night sky was illuminated by green light. Beams shot out into every direction below, piercing through the buildings’ rooftops, as if they were made of mere paper.
She wasn’t aiming. There was nothing to properly aim at, as the target had left her range of vision. All Mugino knew was that that girl would probably have tried to escape towards ground level, using the buildings as a cover in order to create as great a distance as given. No need for more information. No need for any proper plan. Everything would be destroyed, the escape paths would be cut off quickly and maybe there would even be the occasional lucky hit. The game of blocking and dodging couldn’t continue endlessly after all, as someone would surely run out of breath sooner or later.

”Cooooome ooooooouuuuuut!”, she shouted, moving forward slowly.

"Damn it, this escalated really fast." Misaka swore under her breath. She became quiet for a moment, listening to her surroundings, trying to ascertain if she had been found or if she could take a quick breather. After a moment, she heard a crash in the distance, accompanied by the sound of twisting metal and falling debris. The building that Misaka was at was under attack. The attacks didn't seem to be well aimed. Almost random in their pattern.

Misaka's suspicion was confirmed when she heard a almost hysterical yell. ”Cooooome ooooooouuuuuut!” It seemed to mock all who could hear it. Daring the world to take her on. "I can't let her just destroy everything in sight!" it was a split second decision to get moving. In the next moment, a random beam had struck where Misaka had just been standing. It was time to get moving.

Running up the side of the metal building, she could hear the general location of the woman wreaking havoc upon the surrounding area. Jumping up from behind the limited cover of the building and into the air, Misaka fired a bolt of high energy electricty at her opponent. There was no holding back, this girl was dangerous. "Take.... THIS!" Misaka grit her teeth as she hissed out her response to the green frenzy the other woman was unleashing.

With a simple right hand’s sway the lightning bolt’s path had been obstructed, as if it were as easy as brushing a fly away, leaving Mugino without any trace of harm.
”So there you are…” A slight grin had formed on the Meltdowner’s lips as she faced her target’s direction, aiming. There was still no surprise in those events. Of course there wasn’t. If one side was capable of influencing the other’s attack, it’d also work the other way around.

One step forward. Her answer was about to follow. Another two beams were fired. One was meant to intercept the opponent’s path of flight, using the girl’s falling motion as the crucial advantage. The second was aimed at her stomach’s current position. A fierce combination when considering a falling person’s little movement options.

Tokiwadai’s Railgun wasn’t to be considered a normal person, though.

A moment later a great barrage of beams was bound to follow.

More, more, more. Mugino didn’t hold back the slightest. It seemed to be an infinite loop of aiming and firing. One beam fired after the other, sometimes even two at the same time. A daring challenge to her opponent’s high class defending abilities.
No matter how good she was at obstructing the beams’ paths and no matter how great her ability of prediction, there was a limit to everyone. More and more attacks would wear her down bit by bit and slowly but surely bring her resistance to an end.

Nothing else mattered. The destruction caused to the surrounding buildings? She didn’t care. The damage done to civilians? She didn’t care. The possible danger of hitting her team mates? She didn’t care. Her own position in the middle of this great disaster? She didn’t care.
There was only one thing for her to care about…

”Come! COME! Bring up a FIIIGHT! Show me your aces!! Your Railgun!! Anything! Just put up some RESISTAAAANCE, you little SHIIIT!”

”Come! COME! Bring up a FIIIGHT! Show me your aces!! Your Railgun!! Anything! Just put up some RESISTAAAANCE, you little SHIIIT!” The other woman screamed at the Tokiwadai ace.

Two green bolts were released at Misaka, one aimed at her head, the other at her chest. Misaka intercepted one beam with a quick bolt of burst of electricity, then twisted out of the way of the second. Misaka grimaced, this was becoming a pain. The attacks were only getting more intense with every passing second.

A moment later, Barrage after barrage of green bolts were fired from the woman at Misaka. The barrage was intense, almost a curtain fire of green bolts aimed at Misaka. she couldn't dodge them all. Dealing with a few of the more immanent bolts with another jolt of electricity, giving her space to slide back and narrowly avoid a few of the other incoming threats.

"You want a fight?! I'll give you a fight!" Misaka fired out a intense bolt of electricity at the woman, intending to end things quickly.

Again, only a quick sway of her right hand and the dreadful bolt of lightning missed her by a great margin. There was no change in the outcome, only an immediate but short interruption of her furious attack streak.
It wasn’t a fact to be happy about, though. The meaning behind it was crucial: Defending against the younger girl’s attacks would mean she had to actually put full focus into the act of defence and that also meant she had to decide between taking an offensive or defensive stance. Her choice was obvious, even though it still felt somewhat troublesome.

“Don’t you ever learn? Your little lightning attacks won’t work on me, no matter how hard you try, little shit. Your brain is probably as small as that elementary school student’s chest of yours, but realise it:
There is no way for you to land a hit on me relying on such cheap crap.”

As she spoke three orbs of green light had appeared right behind her. This was one sided after all. There was no need to feel agitated about anything any more. She had tried to provoke the girl into action, yet there was no change to be seen, which only meant it was over. Her temper had returned to the bottom once again. It had been swaying during this whole battle, but now it finally seemed as if it had come to a stop.
Mugino Shizuri wasn’t even smiling or grinning anymore. Most of this battle had been an utter disappointment after all.

”Before I end this, I want to ask you something.
Not that I care about little farts like you or anything, it’s not even interesting or worth listening to, but…
I simply wonder what kind of outright stupidity would bring some little rich and happy go lucky shit like you into a situation where someone wants to see you dead. I mean what did you do? Didn’t you want to take of your skirt for some old horny paedophile from the Board?
Or was it maybe that you decided to simply give a fuck about this society’s rules because you are a fucking Level 5 shithead believing you’ve got the ultimate power above anyone else and messed with the Dark Side itself just to prove that you are the best?!”

Agitation. A pause. Another orb of green light, the fourth, had appeared. All four started to grow brighter and brighter second by second, as if they were stuffed with more and more energy. The Meltdowner was charging. ”Well, whatever it may be. I don’t give a fuck anyway. So please do me the favour and die, so that your seat gets finally cleared for someone more deserving to take the #3.”
A deep hatred could be felt coming from those words. So her temper still wasn’t done swaying.

The woman's words rang in Misaka's ears. Prove herself? That was an absurd thought to the level 5 Railgun. Why would she have to prove herself to anyone... let alone this violent woman? Brow's furrowed, Misaka spoke "There is nothing i need to prove to you. The only thing I am trying to do is save innocent life, not something i would imagine you could understand."

Misaka took a moment to look at the green light behind the woman, it seemed to be getting brighter and brighter as time went on, and this worried Misaka. The girl thought that she should probably find resolution to this quickly before it got too far out of hand. Taking a quick glance around, scanning only with her eyes, Misaka could see the support structure of the building a good 5 meters behind the woman. The girl had an idea. She put her hand into her skirt pocket.

Misaka needed to strike first. if this was going to work, she needed an opening. "All i need to do is settle things with you. If you think you're good enough to 'clear' my spot, try and prove it!" Misaka, flung her hand out of her skirt pocket skywards and fired off two more quick burst's of electricity, hoping for the split second she needed.

“Innocent lives, huh? So it’s the second option.“

When ITEM was hired they have never been told the exact reason as to why they were asked to kill the Railgun. They probably never really got any explanation about their job anyway. Sometimes they decided to ask about what their tasks were all about, but in most cases the reasons of the ones hiring them were left in the dark, just like right now.
Mugino never had really cared. A kill is a kill, nothing more nothing less. Even this case wasn’t so special after all. However this time it actually had pissed her off to hear. Had really been for such a foolish thing like that? Was that all the reason this joke had had? She would have loved to laugh it off, but it simply pissed her off.

The #4 had taken a step towards the #3, followed by those four orbs of light behind her. She was approaching slowly, closing the distance, making it easier to aim. ”So much stupidity just for the goal of saving a few lives? Did you really think you would survive this? Did you really think it would pay off some day? Don’t make me laugh. This is just ridiculous.
You probably don’t know. But let me tell you, dumb shit, all you have done till now is most certainly effortless.
There is no way the Dark Side of this city would ever fail to take any form of life. Just realise it already. You made a grave mistake and now you are going to die, as well. Feeling all high and mighty because you’ve been living in a world left from any harm, any tragedy, any real blood, stepping down into this and believing you could ever accomplish anything…for such a foolish reason!?
You underestimated us and now it’s time for you…

TO DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!”

As Mugino exploded four powerful beams of instant death shot out at all at once, all aiming for Misaka Mikoto and the various angles of movement she would have left. This time Mugino Shizuri was as serious as she could get, her temper growing out of hand once again. She would launch an attack to challenge the Railgun’s dodging and blocking abilities even harsher than she had before, targeting four different angles and then controlling the beams forcing them to move in the exact same direction until they would unite at a single point. And while the girl would attempt a dodge like the many times before, Mugino would prepare the next even more powerful strike.
Once the four beams’ light would fade, a single fifth beam of outrageous power would be launched covering a large area while emitting a strong enough force to send the girl flying either way. Mugino on the other hand would also be hit be force, throwing her back by a few metres.

This was the merciless way of the Dark Side’s servants. Would the girl be able to overcome this madness? Or would she sink like the many that had come before her…?

Misaka moved deftly as the beams shot after her. The Tokiwadai dived out of the path of one beam, narrowly avoiding jumping into another beam just ahead of her landing. two more shots raced at her, almost like they were competing to see who could hit the Railgun first. Misaka rolled out of one of the beams, passing a mere centimeter below the beam. Misaka twisted to avoid the last shot and dived to roll back into a fighting stance. 

This had to end, it was about to end in one way or another. She had to try and end it with one final blow, one last hope. Misaka couldn't leave the sisters alone to die, she couldn't leave them all to be condemned to a cruel, twisted death. Reaching in her skirt pocket again, Misaka felt for her coin, a small silvery coin.

Misaka could feel her anger surge inside of her, "If you think it will be this easy to take me down, you were wrong! TAKE THIS!!" Misaka flicked the coin into the air, a silvery gleam reflected off the coin into Misaka's eyes. Misaka surged with a final burst of power, an intense crackling came from the level 5 Railgun's body as the ethereal tendrils of the electricity arced across her body. The coin seemed to float in mid-air for a moment as it neared the Railgun's hand, the sun glinting off the coin into the other woman's face for a moment.

Misaka felt calm, she focused the electricity from her body and into her hand, charging her hand with an immense electromagnetic field. the coin flipped once more and just above her hand before a flash was emitted. The coin rocketed off at hyper-sonic speeds, leaving behind a fiery trail ignited air and ablation, tracing the path of the coin turned projectile as it sailed towards the woman.

The instance the girl had taken out the coin there had been a strange sensation coming over Mugino. This tension was something she had never felt before. Her blood was boiling, her emotions overflowing. She was unable to keep the excitement from overpowering her senses. She had realised what was about to happen. She had realised that the moment she had been waiting for was about to come. The moment of the truth was closing in.

So here it cooomeees! Finallyyyyyy!!!

Everything had been only for that one moment, that very decisive moment where both their abilities would clash. If the #3 would release her strongest shot then the #4 would answer with her own. Both had outstanding destructive capabilities, both were listed as two of the strongest abilities to be ever seen. Both represented the ideal form of electron based Esper abilities.
Yet only one would be allowed to prove that they were superior.

The shots were fired.

A green beam vs. a fiery trail.


Mugino Shizuri had always been proud of her ability.
It had capabilities unmatched by most Espers ever seen. Her Meltdowner was said to be the ideal form of destruction and by that something unmatched by any other long distance attack, even from military standards’ perspective. She was said to be capable of breaking through defences of any kind, raising her tactical value high enough to deserve the ranking as a Level 5, the third in the whole ranking.
It was perfect, she was perfect. Mugino Shizuri stood above all others. The scientists would go as far as to call her the “Princess of Electrons”.

And then there had been a new Level 5.
They called her the “Railgun”. She had taken the spot of the #3 on a whim. Just like that her ability was to be ranked even higher; above Mugino’s. The strongest Electro Master to ever appear and therefore the strongest Esper with an electron based ability making her the new “Princess of Electrons”. She was outstanding, too outstanding.

The Railgun was above the Meltdowner. It had become the #3.

The humiliation would not end there.

Scientists had told Mugino that her ability held the potential to kill the Railgun with only one single blow, a shot capable of taking back her lost position in this world. Then they however added that it would only remain a potential, as her body’s basic instincts would prevent her from ever accomplishing this strongest attack.
And even if she was ever to make it, it would kill her the instance it was used.

Her hatred towards Misaka Mikoto had been exploding ever since. Not only had she taken her position and placed an impossible hope right in front of her eyes, no, this girl was just an ordinary girl like any other. Never had she stepped into the city’s darkness. She shouldn’t even know about it! Never had she experienced what real combat did feel like! Never had she had gone through anything Mugino had been forced to face!

Mugino Shizuri had lost what had defined her very existence; lost it to someone logically inferior to her: a girl living the life of a princess, unharmed by the all too sadistic reality.

She would never forgive Misaka Mikoto. She would take her life and aim for the moment of revenge.


And as their blows collided the battle was to be decided.

You’re fucking…joking…!!!

There was no surprise in the results, had they been obvious since the beginning.

The green light was eaten way by the supersonic bullet.

The Railgun would always overpower the Meltdowner. This decision had been made a long time ago.

In the next instance the mighty shock wave hit her full force.
Luckily her instincts had already taken over long ago. From the start on she had used her Meltdowner’s beam to divert the Railgun’s path while also attempting a jump to the side enforced by her attack’s recoil. She had given her all to evade a straight hit. Her common sense had saved her from the greatest disaster. However that was all it had been able to accomplish.
The shockwave’s strength had blown her away a great distance and even sent chunks of the surroundings to accompany Mugino in her flight. She was launched off the building, hit by shrapnel in mid air, just to crash into an already heavily damaged nearby building, coming to a standstill after a few times of rolling over on the hard concrete floor.
She had been knocked unconscious in the process, her body had taken heavy damage, she was bleeding, her clothes were torn in places. It was highly unlikely that she would move anytime soon and even if she did, her movement ability would most likely be heavily restricted.

The damage report would underline the outcome: The battle was over. Mugino Shizuri had lost.

At the sight of the destruction occurring in a building in her line of sight, Mikoto thought it might be better to scram just in case this still hadn't taken Mugino down.

But taking a closer look, she didn't think that Mugino was going to be able to move for a little while with all those injuries. For a minute, she considered helping her out to at least a safer place, but common sense told her to run away from danger instead of trying to help it.

Jumping off the opposite border of the roof, Mikoto used magnetism to cling to any kind of metal scraps she could find on the next rooftop, roof-jumping her way back to the safe place that was her dormitory.

"Wait..."


This was a set-up, even an idiotic child could figure it out; a girl loses her precious doll and Mikoto ends up ambushed while looking for it? Such a chain events could hardly be called anything else with Mikoto's recent terrorism on the facility building.

(But why? Did they send them to get some kind of revenge for destroying the project? I don't get it...)

Before she knew it, she had stopped roof-jumping and stood still on one of the rooftops. She didn't know who sent those girls or why, but was there really a safe place she could run to if they wanted to go after her? What if returning to the dorm made them go after her friends?

Mikoto bit her lip, she couldn't return to her room until she made sure no one would come after her again. And to figure that out, she needed to ascertain why people came after her in the first place.

A dark expression formed on her face as she realised that her troubles still weren't over yet, yet still unaware they were far from being over as she resumed roof-jumping.

The phone was ringing.

A few hundred metres away from the devastated battle field was a little ownerless apartment. It was indeed little, cramped even. The queen size bed, a closet and a small table plus chair were enough to take up the studio’s entire space. Hence there weren’t that many people interested in actually renting it for a longer term; but it was enough for one night.
At this time late at night there were three girls waiting in the apartment. Kinuhata Saiai who had conquered the room’s only chair, Frenda Seivlun who was sitting on the bed and Takitsubo Rikou who was staring out of the window in her usual lethargic manner.

”This is super bad. I super can’t get through to Mugino!” Holding a cell phone up to her ear the girl had tried calling her ally ever since the explosive noise had disappeared about 15 minutes ago, yet there was no reaction, no one would pick up the phone.
All three were rather nervous about the current situation, yet none wanted to speak out the thing they all feared. The loss of a comrade wasn’t anything to simply accept.

Another attempt. The same result.

”She super doesn’t answer…”

”Come on! As if Mugino would ever lose to such a brat! It just can’t be, right? Right!?”

No matter how much Frenda would try to raise the mood, this gloomy atmosphere wouldn’t simply be brushed away. This situation was just too bad for such a thing to happen. And after the next failed attempt Saiai was close to dropping her phone discouraged. There was no real point in trying after all.
It was then that Takitsubo had decided to cut in.

”…should I use AIM Stalker now…?”

”No. Not yet. Let me super try one last time…”

There was no hint of belief left anymore, yet the girl with the orange hood had decided to press the “call” button again for a final attempt that was most likely to be in vain anyway.

The phone was ringing.

The ringing stopped.

…someone had answered

Kuroko had waited anxiously that night for her roommate to return. But there had been no sign of her. It had been the early hours of the morning before she finally succumbed to the siren call of sleep. It had been a short and restless one.

***

"Eh!? She's not been back all night?" Ruiko exclaimed between mouthfuls of scrambled eggs. Kuroko stirred her lunch around the plate. Her appetite had left her.

"No one has heard anything from her." Kuroko looked frazzled, her eyes ringed by deep, dark bags and her hair tied into a lopsided approximation of her usual twin tails. "I'm losing my mind!" She slammed her head down into the table and half growled, half groaned.

"Well she was with her relative the other day." Ruiko recalled, waving her fork around. "Maybe she's visiting them for Summer?" She offered. "Perhaps she forgot to mention. Or it was short notice?" She knew it was unlikely, but seeing Kuroko so highly strung made Ruiko concerned for her own safety around the other girl. "Besides, Misaka-san is really strong. What's the worst that could happen?"

Those words seemed to calm Kuroko at least somewhat.

This was Misaka Mikoto they were talking about.

She'd be fine.

Kuroko forced a smile.

***

Days had passed now, and that smile had long since faded.

Word had spread that Mikoto had returned home for a family emergency. And yet if that were the case why hadn't Kuroko received a message? The doubt gnawed at her stomach.

Monday, August 2nd, Tokiwadai Middle School.

Elsewhere, Natsumi calmly marched towards her destination, phone in hand as she sometimes peeked upwards to make sure she wouldn't run into something. As Summer vacations had started, the only people remaining in the school were the teachers taking care of papers while the students were currently enjoying both Summer and its assigned homework, so Natsumi's footsteps resonated throughout the frighteningly deserted and silent corridors.

Having heard that Mikoto disappeared for days now without warning, Natsumi felt the first place she should start with was the staff room, surely teachers would be aware of a leave from their students even if they didn't announce it to their classmates.

"And now word is spreading on online boards, lovely." She muttered ironically, assuming this to be the result of a Tokiwadai student trying to do well and help, but utterly failing by not understanding the tool internet was.

Though why she was this concerned about Mikoto's disappearance was anyone's guess. In fact, why she had concerned herself with Mikoto's issue, despite a lack of will to help her out herself, to a point where she considered hinting others about it so that they could help her was also anyone's guess. Perhaps boredom, or genuine concern?

Either way, she soon arrived to the staff room some girls at Tokiwadai feared... What if the dorm mistress was there? Natsumi had a huge need to run away at the thought, but slowly opened the door regardless.

Only papers being shuffled around and pens scratching text onto sheets of paper could be heard despite the fact that multiple teachers were currently in the room, sign that they were diligent as always as expected from people employed at such a prestigious school... At least most of them.

The young teacher was casually whiling away another tedious day of preparations and make up classes. Behind the pile of papers steadily encroaching on his desk he absent mindedly folded a stray document into a paper plane, tossing it over the room towards his coworker. It wedged in her hair and the young teacher reached up to remove it with a look of disgruntled weariness.

Unfolding the note, she found herself cracking a smile that spread infectiously into a quiet snickering. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and turned away with a coy smile.

The Summer was boring for a teacher. While their students were enjoying their vacations teachers still had to work hard preparing for next semester, grading papers and other dull tasks. And for Guy this time was made duller for the absence of his students.

He leaned back in his chair and balanced his pencil on the tip of his nose.

Surprisingly peaceful of a staff room, she thought, but Natsumi was mistaken. As soon as she opened the door room enough to be clearly seen, the sound of a mechanical pen breaking could be heard, a head slowly lifting to stare at her with a glare bearing the intensity of a thousand suns.

“...What is it that you need?” Asked Yuki Ayane, her voice filled with dread at the thought that Natsumi would make her way to the staff room just to ask something. In her mind, Natsumi would never go there unless she was in trouble, or wanted to cause trouble.

Slowly, Natsumi raised her hands to appease the animal-like glare that was being shot at her, looking all around the room for 'someone, anyone else to ask', until her eyes fell on someone that made her regret the thought despite being the best option.

She audibly groaned and brought down her hands, approaching Guy's desk only to see him play around like a teenager doing their best to /not/ listen to classes.

“...Where's Misaka?” She asked him with a frown.

His attention remained fixed on the pencil even as Natsumi addressed him directly.

"Why would I?" He asked flatly. "We heard the same story as you. Something about a 'family emergency'." He replied. "Let me guess, you've got a conspiracy theory about where she is, right?" He looked at her out of the corners of his eye. "Like she's on a secret mission overseas or on the run like Harrison Ford in that one movie..." He trailed off.

"Well wherever she is I'm pretty sure she can take care of herself." He frowned as the pencil tumbled down his chin.

"Let me guess, you've got a conspiracy theory about where she is, right? Like she's on a secret mission overseas or on the run like Harrison Ford in that one movie...”

Natsumi sighed, with a solemn expression admonishing herself for thinking that she could've expected some help from him. "Well wherever she is I'm pretty sure she can take care of herself." Looking around only to exchange glances with Yuki, Natsumi quickly snapped her head back to Guy before the woman exploded, only to see the pencil losing balance.

She caught it, and played around with it as she left the office after a final sentence whispered. “Conspiracy, indeed. I just hope you're right, there's a chance we might not see her again otherwise.”

"What was that about?" Yuki asked, not really expecting an answer. Guy only watched Natsumi withdraw with heavy lidded eyes of suspicion. The woman slapped him across the head with a rolled up pile of documents.

In his mind's eye he recalled the night in the park following his encounter with Kamijou, Index and the others. The girl who always seemed full of life, whether it was ecstatic joy or hysterical sorrows, instead seemed weathered.

***

Night found him in the ruins of a research facility. The rash of 'accidents' recently had little to interest him, save for the involvement of one boy. One boy whom Guy already knew was neck deep in the shady underworld of the city. That same boy had been admitted to hospital with numerous injuries. Including electrical burns...

In the burnt out husk of a building he came upon something. A tiny object, a little dirty. He knelt to pick it up. It was a small Gekota keychain. The kind he had given that girl as a bribe. Coincidence didn't seem to cover it.

Had she gotten in this far over her head? He frowned, pocketing the keychain. He may not know the full picture but he could put two and two together. If the Railgun was fighting against an agent of the 'Dark Side' then she was fighting against the whole city.

He prayed that he was wrong.

The sound of footsteps, sometimes stepping on the debris that was left over and breaking it, resonated in the destroyed facility as a young woman clothed in a Nagatenjouki uniform with a white lab coat atop of it walked up to Guy, a flash light in hand which she suddenly directed straight to his face.

Some part of her clothes had a thin layer of dust, showing she had most certainly not arrived just now, and was in fact about to leave. "For a civilian to be here... I thought they had covered up the incidents better than this." The young woman said, her odd and fairly intimidating eyes analysing the intruder. "What business do you have here?" She continued.

Guy as he stood in the centre of the empty dark ruins, tensed up lightly upon noticing the sound of footsteps drawing in. Only a moment later he would feel the sudden sensation of intense bright light attacking his unprepared eyes. Just like a cat struck by a car’s front lights the man turned his head, facing his new company.

It had taken quite some effort for him to force his eyes to overpower the strong surge of light in an attempt to achieve a glimpse at the other party. While their figure was still barely visible to him, he was at least able to tell that the person on front of him was a girl. A short moment later he was able to take in a few more details. A famous school uniform, a lab coat and an appearance that reminded one of the nightmarish image of a dried out NEET.

Answering that girl’s intimidating glance with eyes of confusion, he had taken himself quite some time to give a proper reply, creating room for an awkward silence.

«Sight seeing. …?»

His long awaited reply sounded more like a question than something straightforward, covering him in some air of innocence. Further he would also avoid eye contact, even now that he had finally grown used to the light. It was obvious what kept him.

Another lengthy pause.

«What about you? On the way to a secret romantic intermezzo with a charming professor? Or are you also here to enjoy this landmark’s beauty?»

He had not only spoken jokingly in order to lighten the mood, but in a slick attempt to feel the other party out. Judging from their overall behaviour up until now, there was a good chance that they wouldn’t be hostile. Well at least with a high probability.

Otherwise…no it was too early to get into trouble here.