[SS] Intensify

"Yes. We can't just let people take the law into their own hands. If you want to help you need to sign up as a volunteer...Not that I can let something like this lie either..."

After taking a moment to consider what the girl had just said, Trystan began speaking.

"Then...where would this one go in order to sign up as a volunteer?"

Honestly, it wasn't a bad deal. One thing that he had learned from his Master was that while individual excellence was one sort of the strength, the strength that one could gain from having trustworthy and able companions was on a whole different level; it was this belief, after all, that had driven his Master and his companions to form their close-knit circle of partners. Furthermore as an official group sanctioned by Academy City, Judgement was bound to have information that he could not as easily obtain for himself. On top of that, by signing up as a volunteer, there was no real obligation for him to continue working with them if, for some reason, their ideals run counter to his own Justice. However, if it came to that, then he would certainly have to be more careful of his own actions so as to not give them any reason to come after him later on. Of course, he had no intention of doing such a thing to begin with, but one could never be too cautious.

"Thank you!"

‘What is she thanking me for?’

Mikoto blinked in confusion before the realisation hit.

It was always like this: the politeness, over-enthusiasm, too-much-respect…

Mikoto got used to it and had accepted it a long time ago. But it didn’t stop her from inwardly groaning every time such situations occurred.

As they walked out of the Arcade Center, Mikoto noticed Mai stealing nervous glances at her. She could feel the excitement and tension the girl next to her harboured, teetering between anxiousness and joy.

Jeez…

Mikoto herself felt awkward and rather nervous even though she didn’t show it. She had never really had close friends whom she could truly relate to, minus Kuroko- although the Teleporter herself took pride in being the Electromaster’s ultimate fan, much to Mikoto’s despair.

Walking to the School dorms together with another girl as if they were close friends was a rare occurrence indeed.

She sneaked an awkward glance at Mai, wishing that the girl would feel more at ease so that Mikoto herself could feel comfortable.

‘I should say something… But what?’

Mikoto gulped.

She could be herself when it came to Kuroko, but with Mai… She didn’t know anything about her. Except for the fact that she liked cute white teddy bears from claw machine.

Then that had to be her starting point, her logical thinking informed her.

Hiding her own nervousness behind a smile, Mikoto attempted to strike a conversation.

“So Kashiwagi-san, do you go to the Arcade Center often?”

It seemed the object's similarities to an emergency syringe hadn't passed the others by. The rest of their conversation was muffled but Touko was able to make out the look on Kuroko's face that told her all she needed to know. Touko's face hardened into a stern frown as she followed after the two youths.

"Hey, you two!" She called out from afar as she caught up to them both. "You're planning on finding out what happened here, aren't you?" She asked, clenching her fist. "Well I can't just stand by and ignore something like this happening right in front of me." She levelled her eyes at Trystan and Kuroko in turn. "Let me so something to help." She asked sincerely.

"Then...where would this one go in order to sign up as a volunteer?"

Kuroko opened her mouth to speak only to be interrupted.

"Hey, you two! You're planning on finding out what happened here, aren't you? Well I can't just stand by and ignore something like this happening right in front of me. Let me do something to help."

Kuroko's eye twitched in irritation as she the other girl joined in. Was everyone trying to make her life more difficult? She crossed her arms.

"As I was just saying. If you want to help then you need to sign up with Judgement." She huffed with exasperation. "If you're really serious about helping then you'll need to sign the appropriate contracts." She tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing in a haughty expression of superiority. "There's nine of them in all. Then there's thirteen try-outs to pass, including training." She listed off the various requirements, counting them off on her fingers as she watched their faces for signs of fading interest. "All in all it takes around four months." She smirked with self satisfaction. It wasn't an easy task to become a member of Judgement and certainly not one for the faint of heart.

"So if you think you can handle all of that, then come to the 177th branch headquarters tomorrow at seven. We can handle registration there."

***

“So Kashiwagi-san, do you go to the Arcade Center often?”

The sudden question jolted Mai from her nervous admiration and she took a moment to answer.

"Yeah." She nodded enthusiastically. "I come here whenever I'm bored really. I've gotten pretty good at the dancing games." As she spoke Mai seemed to relax and before long she was talking excitably with the older girl. "I suppose I spend most of my time here. I don't know many people here..." She admitted, lowering her eyes. Her fingers around the stuffed bear tightened. "I guess I'm not used to being on my own just yet."

"Not like Misaka-san. I bet you've got hundreds of friends." She smiled weakly.

Mikoto felt more comfortable as Mai visibly relaxed and talked with much enthusiasm. As she listened to her chatter, Mikoto decided that Mai was very excitable, easy-to-get-along-with and friendly. She almost wished she had had a chance to meet Mai and talk with her earlier. Well, now that Mai had mentioned it, Mikoto realised that she had seen the younger girl around the Arcade Centre a few times in the past. Since Mikoto usually visited the Centre to let out steam and be alone, she left everyone else alone. She grudgingly accepted that it was probably her own fault that she had never got properly acquainted with Mai.

Mikoto noticed Mai suddenly looking tense once more.

"I guess I'm not used to being on my own just yet."

At this, another realisation dawned upon Mikoto.

Everytime she had seen Mai, she had been alone. Mikoto had never thought much about it, but it was true. She briefly wondered why that was before a sudden statement interrupted her thoughts.

"Not like Misaka-san. I bet you've got hundreds of friends."

As Mai smiled weakly at her, Mikoto felt her heart constrict. A look of uncertainty and annoyance crossed Mikoto’s face as the younger girl’s words rang in her mind.

‘hundreds of friends… hundreds… friends… friends’

Friends?

Mikoto almost felt a bitter laughter bubbling up her throat but quickly forced it down. Instead, she quickly rearranged her face into a smile and replied in a light voice.

“Ah~ well, I like getting to know people. Most of the girls at Tokiwadai are really very nice.”

A half-truth. A white lie. It didn’t matter either way. She never liked dwelling on it; she had Kuroko and that was enough.

Mikoto quickly flipped the direction of the conversation away from herself.

“Kashiwagi-san, are you pretty new around Academy City?”

It only seemed logical that such a friendly girl with such few friends was new. Mikoto assumed it was safe to assume.

*****

In a certain dark alleyway…

A battered figure moved slowly but steadily, leaning his full weight against the wall for support. His entire body ached, but he gritted his teeth against the pain and moved.

After the Railgun had left him, Karl had blacked out from the overwhelming pain and emotions whirling around. When he came to his sense, he found himself lying face down on the ground, alone. It was obvious his mates had left him, but he bore no grudge against them. It was an unwritten rule between the level 0’s; personal survival came first and one had to have the ability to fend for themselves. Although Karl himself would never leave his friends helpless, he understood completely.
The natural instincts of self-preservation were what kept them all alive.

Karl stumbled momentarily, almost tumbling to the ground. Finding his balance again, he let out a shuddering sigh of pain before continuing. Flashes of what had happened invaded his mind and he felt his anger beginning to rekindle, calling for revenge and justice.

He had watched so many suffer because of those espers- those people who threw around their powers needlessly and recklessly to hurt and taunt, believing they were superior. He had seen his own friends fall into despair at their lack of power, and he himself had experienced this failure. No matter how hard he tried, it had never been good enough. Karl had soon realised that he had been destined to be a failure from the very beginning.

But Karl was not the kind of person to accept that. If there was no hope, then what was there to hold on to? He wanted to set things right, to fight for equality and justice.

There had been frowns and heads shaking in disapproval when Karl had dropped himself out of the Power Development Curriculum and School. He could almost hear those people’s thoughts and decipher the implications hidden under the fluffy words of kindness: This person is a lost cause.
That was nowhere near the truth. Karl never believed himself a lost cause, he had just found a better path towards something he truly believed in and was worth fighting for.

In his mind, revenge and justice had merged to form the same concept.

Reaching the edge of the alley, Karl looked out to the main streets, keeping himself hidden in the shadows. He watched with solemn eyes as people walked by with smiles and laughter. He wondered what they were so happy about. How could they be so carefree when there were so many things wrong with the place they lived in? Were they blind? Did they not care? Or did they pretend?

It was all the same anyway. Perhaps Karl cared too much, held onto too much, expected too much. Although losses and pain were familiar to him, he was still affected by them, trapped in their never-ending cycle. He wanted to break this cycle, to live as he wished, free of the unfairness and discrimination.

For a very special person, who had suffered all this, he would fight.

“Onii-san, I want you to be happy, okay?”

Karl leant his head on the wall, closing his eyes for a moment at the familiar, vivid voice.

"I know that…" Karl whispered forlornly to the empty air. His shaking voice sounded broken to his own ears. "I know that… but…”

Finding himself struggling to justify his feelings to a mere ghost, his eyes snapped open, filling with renewed and calm determination.

“I have to do this.”

Just as he was about to head out into the streets, something caught his eyes and he immediately leant back onto the wall, sticking to the shadows.

Railgun…

A spark of anger lit up again at the sight of her with another girl by her side, chatting happily. He saw the smiles, the friendly gestures, the warmth they shared. A picture of naivety and innocence.

Railgun…

Someone who had everything she could have in Academy city. Someone who thought she could do anything she liked because she could get away with everything. Someone who just got lucky and probably never experienced any kind of pain.

And the most unforgiveable of all- a murderer.

Forcing aside his mounting anger, he looked at the girl next to Mikoto. How could she even bear to stand next to such a monster? Was that girl like the level 5?

He wondered for a moment if Railgun had ever lost a friend or a close person. Probably not. If she lost that girl- her friend, would she fall into despair and be able to survive as Karl did?

His dark musings twisting in his mind, Karl watched the pair with brooding green eyes from the shadows.

"Hey, you two! You're planning on finding out what happened here, aren't you? Well I can't just stand by and ignore something like this happening right in front of me. Let me do something to help."

Who was that?

Trystan turned to look at the girl approaching them from behind. She had short, dark hair, and...well, aside from that there really wasn't anything that stood out about her. Actually, that was a lie; in truth, he had almost mistaken her at first for a male, as she had approached from the darkness. With no real womanly curves to speak of, coupled with the short hair, it was a mistake that anyone could have made, right?! However, his gut told him that this observation was probably best left buried deep within the recesses of his mind. Regardless, from her expression, and from the general aura that he felt around her as she approached, Trystan could only say that she appeared as genuine as he was in her desire to help. As he heard the girl from Judgement heave an exasperated sigh, he turned back around to face her.

"As I was just saying. If you want to help then you need to sign up with Judgement. If you're really serious about helping then you'll need to sign the appropriate contracts."

Contracts?

"There's nine of them in all. Then there's thirteen try-outs to pass, including training. [...] All in all it takes around four months."

The corners of Trystan's mouth twitched slightly as he smiled to himself at the slight hint of pride that came through the girl's voice. Certainly, it would be a trial to pass all the tests and training. However, she was sorely mistaken if she thought that a mere four months of testing and training were enough to deter him on this task. He had no idea what the contracts would be for, but he would deal with them as they came. To be as unshakable as a mountain when met with opposition, and yet, at the same time, as fluid and transient as the mists on its peak - this was the epitome of his Master's Arts, and he fully intended to apply this to his lifestyle as well.

"So if you think you can handle all of that, then come to the 177th branch headquarters tomorrow at seven. We can handle registration there."

Nodding his understanding, Trystan then turned his attention back to the task at hand.

Literally, at hand.

Turning slightly red from the prolonged amount of time their hands have been clutched together, Trystan coughed awkwardly before speaking again.

"Er, this one wanted to know if...we were still going? Leaving? Er-"

His mind flustered from the unfamiliar and pleasantly soft feeling of a young female's hand, Trystan started tripping over his words.

What an innocent child.

"As I was just saying. If you want to help then you need to sign up with Judgement."
"If you're really serious about helping then you'll need to sign the appropriate contracts."
"There's nine of them in all. Then there's thirteen try-outs to pass, including training."
"All in all it takes around four months."
"So if you think you can handle all of that, then come to the 177th branch headquarters tomorrow at seven. We can handle registration there."

Touko's expression dropped.

"Uh, that sounds like a load of hassle." She said dismissively. "I think I'll pass." She waved off the suggestion. It wasn't that she was lazy, she assured herself, it's just that between school and her makeup classes with Komoe she didn't really have the time to volunteer. Which was all really just an excuse. The job did sound pretty boring after all.

She glanced between Trystan and Kuroko, noting the obvious discomfort on the boy's face. Only then did she notice that they had been holding hands this entire time. Realisation dawned on her.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" She asked, pointing back and forth between the two of them.

"Uh, that sounds like a load of hassle. I think I'll pass."

Kuroko shrugged. She doubted there would be yet another person so eager to take up vigilante justice. Let alone one so easily deterred.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

"Er, this one wanted to know if...we were still going? Leaving? Er-"

Kuroko released his hand, oblivious to his flustered reaction to her touch.

"Well, as things are there's nothing to do except keep our ears open for anything suspicious. I'll get someone at our department to do some digging." She flicked her long hair over her shoulder once more. "If you plan on going any further then meet me tomorrow. Until then stay out of trouble." She shot them both pointed glares before flickering away into thin air.

***

“Ah~ well, I like getting to know people. Most of the girls at Tokiwadai are really very nice. Kashiwagi-san, are you pretty new around Academy City?”

Mai nodded.

"I only arrived this year. It was quite a surprise actually." She said, smiling at the memory. Her parents had been so proud. "I thought Academy City only accepted younger students." She closed her eyes. "I suppose I should be thankful. Most girls wouldn't be lucky enough to get sent to Tokiwadai." She sighed.

"Onee-sama!" Mikoto would feel the familiar weight of her roommate latching onto her shoulders. "I've come to escort you back home." Kuroko declared happily, landing on her feet beside Mikoto.

Mai blinked, surprised at the teleporter's sudden appearance. Using one's powers unsupervised was usually forbidden. Not that it stopped most. They simply learnt to be careful or ignored the consequences.

Mikoto listened with interest as Mai explained her situation.
It was quite rare that they accepted older students into the Academy City- most people entered the Curriculum when they were young.

Nodding at Mai, Mikoto opened her mouth to respond when a familiar weight suddenly latched onto her back and its associated voice sang into her eardrums.

"Onee-sama! I've come to escort you back home."

Mikoto stumbled forward, managing to re-balance herself just in time.

That Kuroko-!

She spun towards her roommate, irritation etched deep into her face. Her outburst was full of threatening undertones, emphasising the violent blue sparks emitting from her bangs.

“KUROKO!! How many times do I have to tell you to STOP doing that!! You IDIOT! I’ll-“

She stopped suddenly, realising Mai was still standing next to them. She took a deep breath to calm herself as the electrical sparks faded away.

‘This is so embarrassing! I’m gonna give Kuroko HELL when we get back to the dorms!’

Mikoto quickly turned back to Mai, pointedly turning her back on Kuroko and ignoring her completely. She smiled at Mai, eyebrows twitching slightly.

“Sorry Kashiwagi-san, as you were saying before you got so rudely interrupted?”

“KUROKO!! How many times do I have to tell you to STOP doing that!! You IDIOT! I’ll-“

Kuroko smiled sweetly back at Mikoto. Perhaps she thought Mai's presence would save her from the older girl's wrath or perhaps she simply didn't care.

"Oh Onee-sama, I'm glad to see you too." She said coyly, as though intentionally testing Mikoto's patience.

“Sorry Kashiwagi-san, as you were saying before you got so rudely interrupted?”

Mai stifled an amused laugh.

"It's OK." She waved. "You two are quite close, I see." She beamed.

"It's OK. You two are quite close, I see."

Mikoto’s cheeks flushed slightly in agitation.

“Hmph,” she merely snorted, not really wanting to reply to that statement. Feeling grumpy, she turned back to Kuroko with a glare, her hands on her hips.

“How did you know where I was anyway?” Mikoto’s voice was on the verge of aggression and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “That’s kind of creepy you know! You better not have been stalking me after making me think you were doing Judgement work!”

“How did you know where I was anyway? That’s kind of creepy you know! You better not have been stalking me after making me think you were doing Judgement work!”

Kuroko laughed loudly.

"What kind of room mate would I be if I didn't know where my Onee-sama was?" She fluttered her eyelashes. She maintained the facade for a moment before sighing. "The real question is why are you out so late?" She squinted, raising an eyebrow curiously before casting her suspicious gaze sideways towards Mai.

The other girl jumped as though spooked.

"The time!" She grimaced in fear. "The Dorm mother'll kill me!" She bowed apologetically to Mikoto and Kuroko. "I've got to get going. I can't get in trouble again!" She ran off.

A strange sensation passed through Kuroko's body at the mention of that woman. A shiver of fear that seized her in an icy grip, locking her limbs and spine straight.

Getting caught out after curfew would surely be a fate worse than death.

***

The next morning at the Judgement 177th branch, Konori Mii stretched in a yawn and adjusted her glasses. In the other corner Uiharu Kazari was busily tapping away at her keyboard despite the early hour. It was difficult to tell in fact if she had moved at all since last night when Konori had left the office. In her short time since joining Judgement the girl had become a fixture of the office, as indispensable as any of the machines.

Mii sipped on her coffee, still not fully alert, and savoured the early morning peace.

Trystan stood outside the door to the office, scratching at his head while scrunching his eyebrows together, deep in thought. He had actually arrived a full hour earlier than had been instructed, as his original plan was to be here earlier than normal to show his determination. However, as evidenced by the fact that the sun was now bright and shining above them, it had failed to occur. He had hesitated simply because, after arriving in front of this door, he had remembered yesterday's fiasco, and had, for better or for worse, remembered his half-baked reasoning for justifying his application.

He honestly wanted to help, but when he thought of the fact that he had justified it to himself yesterday by thinking that he would only join since they would have more information was one that was not only unfair to himself, but also unfair and disrespectful to the organization as a whole. Furthermore, just between this narrator and himself, he had actually been really convinced only when he had heard that there was a four month trial and training process. What had sealed the deal was the thought of further training; he had simply become overly enthused by the thought of hard work.

What a hard-working youth.

Sighing again, he suddenly scratched at his head a bit harder, before just as suddenly coming to a stop. He had accidentally pulled out several strands of his brown hair while scratching. Squinting his eyes in disapproval, he gingerly plucked the strand that was stuck between his fingernails out, before blowing it into the wind. This really wasn't getting anywhere. He rubbed his hands on his pants before reaching his hand out towards the door, knocking it just hard enough for a clear rap to be heard.

"Excuse me, is this office already open? This one is here to inquire about joining Judgement."

“KUROKO!!!!”

A furious yell shattered the peaceful morning silence, and a heavy thump could be heard from within the walls of a certain student dormitory room. A flock of birds resting on a tree nearby outside flew into the sky, spooked by the sudden cry. Perhaps they also sensed the pure fury behind the single word and felt the urge to flee as fast as they could.

However, the rage had not been directed at them but towards a single girl.

A furious brown-haired girl stood in the room whence the sound had originated, face aflame with anger and embarrassment. She glared at her younger roommate, blue sparks dancing in her hair menacingly.

“Stick to your OWN bed, you pervert!” She roared.

Mikoto just managed to restrain herself from zapping her junior senseless. After all, she had done plenty of that already last night after the stupid act Kuroko pulled in front of Mai. As much as Mikoto thought Kuroko deserved another round of punishment for her perverted actions, she decided that being zapped so much would not bode well for Kuroko’s health.

She snorted aloud at that thought.

More like her sanity, Mikoto corrected herself.

Indeed, the teleporter had appeared to thoroughly enjoy the electrocution.

"Well, as things are there's nothing to do except keep our ears open for anything suspicious. I'll get someone at our department to do some digging."
"If you plan on going any further then meet me tomorrow. Until then stay out of trouble."

"Great." Touko watched the girl depart. "Well I guess it can't be helped." She shrugged, turning to Trystan only to realise that he too had vanished, leaving her alone and, apparently talking to herself.

Sighing with resignation, Touko began the long and lonely walk back to her dormitory. This was one she could sit out with a clear conscience. At least that's what she told herself. One week where maybe she could avoid being nearly killed for once. Still, she couldn't escape the nagging feeling in the back of her mind.

Kuroko shook violently from the electricity, before sighing contentedly as the shocks stopped. She lay, twitching on the floor with a look dazed bliss for a few moments before bouncing to her feet. She examined the smoking remnants of her night gown with disappointment.

"Another one ruined..." She sighed.

***

Mai woke slowly and it took her a moment from her eyes fluttering open to focussing on the stuffed bear next to her pillow. She smiled to herself before the flickering numbers of her alarm clock caught her attention. A jolt of adrenaline jump started her heart as the girl leapt from her bed and to the cupboard.

Mai had already reached full speed by the time she reached her door and, in a moment of uncharacteristic boldness, she closed her eyes and held her breath, emerging on the other side of the door at full speed as she literally 'blinked' through the door.

***

Mii opened the door to Trystan.

"Excuse me, is this office already open? This one is here to inquire about joining Judgement."

"Um, yes." She nodded, a little surprised. It was unusual for anyone to turn up this early besides herself and recently Kazari. Much less a civilian. She blinked hard to ease her itching, aching eyes. "Please, come in." She gestured for him to enter the office.

It was small inside, with filing cabinets, desks and other office furniture crammed into seemingly half the space they were meant to occupy. What remained were narrow corridors barely wide enough for a single person.

"So what made you decide to sign up?" She asked, rummaging through the drawers of one cabinet for the necessary forms.

"Um, yes. Please, come in."

"Then, please excuse this one."

With that, Trystan pushed open the door and entered into the small office. As he entered, his eyes gave a cursory scan over the various nooks and crannies of the room. In it was seated a single female behind a cluttered desk, who had hurriedly gotten up as he entered the room. The various cabinets and furniture were arranged haphazardly, but given the constraints of the dimensions of the room itself, he had to say that it was quite admirable already that there was still sufficient space to move around in. However, he didn't linger long upon this thought; as he had already been invited in, it would be rude to simply stay at the entrance. As he moved in, closing the door shut behind him, the girl started speaking to him once more.

"So what made you decide to sign up?"

Grimacing slightly to himself that the topic the woman chose was exactly the same as that which he had been pondering earlier, Trystan opted to go for a simple, straightforwards answer. While he spoke, he carefully maneuvered his way towards the guest table, taking extra caution to not knock over any of the precariously balanced piles of paper scattered about the room. As he had not yet been invited to take a seat, he simply stood near the center of the room.

"This one was motivated by the incident which occurred yesterday. By chance, does this honorable lady happen to know which this one is referring to? This one believes a certain teleporting esper belonging to this branch of Judgement was dispatched to the scene..."

"Another one ruined..."

As her junior sighed, Mikoto could not help but face-palm out of pure desperation.

“Hey! Are you even listening to me?!” She growled fiercely, “You stick to YOUR OWN bed like a normal person would, got it?!”

Grumbling, Mikoto turned away and sighed. Her anger suddenly disappeared, leaving her in a rather gloomy state.

This better not turn out to be a shitty day… Mikoto thought moodily.

Mikoto glanced at her timetable- a couple of morning classes and the whole afternoon off. Well, maybe today wouldn’t be so bad… Maybe she could head to the arcade center after school and search for the white stuffed bear in the claw machine again. They might have restocked…

She brightened a little at the thought.

“Anyway Kuroko,” Mikoto said, her tone considerably lighter as she made her bed, “You never told me what you had been up to yesterday afternoon- if you hadn’t been stalking me, that is. You were gone to take care of Judgement duties for longer than usual.”

**

Karl groaned as he stretched out his arms. He could almost hear his muscles screech in protest. His body ached worse than yesterday; he had not bothered to go to a hospital and wasn’t planning to do so. The cheek where that Level 5 girl had punched him was tender and had a pale blue hue.

Glancing in the mirror he swore loudly.

Karl didn’t care much about his appearance and he could deal with the pain, but he did care that his pride had been wounded.

By a mere school girl.

Annoyed, he tore his green eyes off the mirror and put on some fresh clothes- a simple shirt and pair of shorts. Feeling refreshed by this simple act alone, he decided to head out.

Peaceful morning walks by himself were something Karl always enjoyed. The fresh air cleared his mind as he strolled at a leisurely pace down the street, not heading in any particular direction. A small but rare smile lingered on his lips as a gentle breeze ruffled his black hair.

He passed a small café and paused, considering his breakfast. Karl took out his wallet and grimaced, wondering if there was anything worth buying that would not compromise his tight budget. His green eyes scanned down the menu list as he stood in the middle of the street, a slight crease on his forehead the only outward sign of his pondering.

“Anyway Kuroko, you never told me what you had been up to yesterday afternoon- if you hadn’t been stalking me, that is. You were gone to take care of Judgement duties for longer than usual.”

Kuroko frowned as she began dressing.

"There was an incident late last night while I was in the area. A whole intersection got demolished and we still have no clue why." She explained. "Our only lead is paper thin." She referred to the strange pen-like syringe. She finished by tying the loose cascade of hair into her signature twin tails. "As a matter of fact I need to visit the office this morning. I have business relating to the case that needs taking care of." She stated, opening the door and waiting for Mikoto.

***

Mai turned the corner sharply and at full speed. She barely had time to notice the boy standing in the middle of the pavement until it was too late. She slammed into him hard, tumbling to the floor with a frightened yelp. Mai was already apologising by the time she hit the floor.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She repeated.

Though most Espers in her position would have acted instinctively, activating their ability to avoid injury, Mai was not most Espers. She landed hard on the floor and winced, rubbing her backside.

***

"This one was motivated by the incident which occurred yesterday. By chance, does this honorable lady happen to know which this one is referring to? This one believes a certain teleporting esper belonging to this branch of Judgement was dispatched to the scene..."

Mii cocked her eyebrow.

"Kuroko huh? She didn't mention anything to me." She thought, tapping her chin as she set the papers down in front of Trystan. "This is the first set of waivers and contracts." She smiled innocently. "Now. This incident you're talking about. I hope you're not planning on using Judgement as an excuse to get into fights." Her eyes narrowed slyly. "Most of your duties for the time being will be paperwork, community services like litter patrol."

"Kuroko huh? She didn't mention anything to me...This is the first set of waivers and contracts."

That...was a lot of papers.

It was literally a stack of papers piled about half an inch tall. Just what was he signing and why did he need to sign so many of these things? His eyes narrowing, he began to intently read the instructions on the forms. However, just as he was beginning to get into the flow of things, the female who had handed him the papers began talking once more.

"Now. This incident you're talking about. I hope you're not planning on using Judgement as an excuse to get into fights. Most of your duties for the time being will be paperwork, community services like litter patrol."

His head jerked up sharply in reaction to these words, his writing utensil stopping mid-stroke and body tensing visibly. While there was probably no ill-intent behind what she said just now, it was still...annoying that somehow his first impression would have led her to thinking that he needed these words of caution. Taking this into account, he steadied his voice and tone, before relaxing his body and looking her straight in the eyes.

"Rest assured, honorable lady. This one's intentions are far from those you are implying just now."

Turning back to the papers at hand, Trystan's hands moved in a blur as he simply signed and filled out as many as he could while keeping a bare minimum of understanding of the questions being asked of him. He seriously hoped that his duties here would involve more of the litter patrol and less of the paperwork. As he continued to fill out the forms, he spoke up once more in an attempt to fill the silence with a sound other than the scritch-scratch from his writing utensil.

"If the honorable lady would like to share, what were your own motivations?"

“Hmm?” A spark of interest glinted in Mikoto’s eyes as she listened to Kuroko’s words. She picked up her school bag and slung it over her shoulder, making her way out of the door.

“A new case?” Mikoto muttered to herself. When she next addressed Kuroko, her voice had the edge of restrained excitement. “At which intersection did the incident occur? It was demolished you say?”

Her eyes suddenly widened at some realisation and her volume rose a few notches in panic and worry.

“Wait, did anyone get injured?!”

**

Karl let out a loud yelp as someone crashed into him from the side. His body’s already fragile state only worsened the pain as he stumbled sideways by the momentum. Luckily, he managed to maintain his balance before he hit the floor. In sudden anger, he spun around to face the assailant.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He blinked at the sight in front of him, the anger momentarily forgotten.

Another girl? He glanced at her uniform in distaste. Another Tokiwadai girl had attacked him. His already wounded pride bled freely. Just as he was about to tell her off, he realised the girl looked very familiar.

Karl frowned, studying her face. Where had he seen her before?

Within the briefest of moments, it suddenly hit him- this girl had been with the Railgun when he had last seen her. She was, no doubt, Railgun’s friend.

The fury reignited, but he held it back. Perhaps he could learn more about the Railgun’s weaknesses through her friend. He didn’t like hurting and using people (except the ones that deserved it) who could help it, but the fact was that the struggles of war required innocent casualties and sacrifices.

So be it.

“Are you alright?”

He extended a hand to help her up, his expression serious as he carefully considered her.

“Sorry, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have stopped in the middle of the street like that.” He apologised with sincerity.

“Hmm? A new case? At which intersection did the incident occur? It was demolished you say?"

"Onee-sama. Before you go any further, I must warn you not to get involved." Kuroko spoke imperiously, as though lecturing a child.

"Wait, did anyone get injured?!”

She fell oddly quiet at that question. She shuddered at the memory of the scene, and of the piles of ash that littered it. All that remained of the innocent bystanders who had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

They arrived shortly at the Judgement office as Kuroko hurried to assure Mikoto that the stop wouldn't take long.

***

“Are you alright? Sorry, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have stopped in the middle of the street like that.”

Mai reached out, taking his hand and lifting herself up with his help.

"Thank you." She rose to her feet. "But really, I should have been looking where I was going." She dusted herself off. "I didn't hurt you did I?" She asked, noting what she thought was a hint of pain in his grim expression.

***

"Rest assured, honorable lady. This one's intentions are far from those you are implying just now."

Mii didn't reply, gauging the man by his odd response. He was certainly tense, though whether it was her pointed questioning or the prospect of mundane day to day work she couldn't tell.

"If the honorable lady would like to share, what were your own motivations?"

Mii's expression was half way between fond smile and pained grimace.

"It's a long story." She said simply, sipping on her coffee.

"Oh? I didn't expect you to actually turn up." Kuroko said with more than a hint of audible surprise at Trystan's presence. "I see that girl didn't bother to show." She sounded far less shocked by that fact. She turned to Mikoto with an apologetic expression that read 'this may take longer than expected'.

"It's a long story."

A slight twinkle came to his eye as he heard the reply. Well, if she didn't feel like sharing with him, that was fine as well. He decided to respond in a manner that would, hopefully, leave her feeling at ease whether she actually did share or not.

"As are most stories worth listening to, this one is told."

However, before this conversation could continue any further, the door to the small office opened again. Looking up, the form of the teleporting girl from yesterday appeared in the doorway, followed closely by a familiar figure. From their body language, it looked like they were quite close. Actually, now that he looked closer, the girl from behind looked really familiar. Just what about her was....

"Oh? I didn't expect you to actually turn up...I see that girl didn't bother to show."

As she turned to give the girl following behind her a look, it finally struck him.

He was almost entirely certain that the familiar figure was that of the legendary Misaka Mikoto, the one that Academy City used in almost all of its propaganda. If the stories were to be believed, she was one who had crawled her way up from being a Level 1 to a Level 5 through sheer hard work and willpower. Just this alone was more than enough for her to have earned his respect. Turning his gaze away from her figure, Trystan returned his attention to the girl who was at the scene from before. Standing up so as to not be rude, a small smile came to his face as he spoke.

"Yes, indeed, this one has come; this one hopes that the effort will not end up in vain."

"Onee-sama. Before you go any further, I must warn you not to get involved."

Mikoto pouted, her irritation very visible as Kuroko admonished her like she was a mere child.

“Jeez… I got it already… I was just asking...” She muttered under her breath.

A cold shiver ran down her spine at Kuroko’s sudden silence at her other question. Mikoto felt her throat tighten and could not find it in her heart to push Kuroko to speak about it. She noticed that her junior looked slightly pale and disturbed by some memory Mikoto could not phantom.

Whatever it was, it must have been terrible.

A new determination arose- Mikoto would help solve this no matter what Kuroko said. As they entered the Judgement office, she decided to stand back and listen for any clues that she could investigate on her own. To hell with what Kuroko said. If this wasn’t a chance to use her powers, she didn’t know what was.

Mikoto smiled a friendly greeting to Mii and turned her head to see an unfamiliar person stare at her. She regarded him with equal curiosity, wondering who the new face was. After a brief moment, a sudden expression that Mikoto vaguely recognised as respect and admiration appeared. A slight blush crept up her cheeks and she averted her gaze away, feeling rather self-conscious.

Urgh, I think he just recognised me… And I don’t even know who the heck he is. Why is it always like this??!

She tensed, not knowing what to expect. She’d had lots of experiences with fan girls, yes… But guys? She cringed inwardly, expecting the worst.

Mikoto was pleasantly surprised however, when he wordlessly turned away and gave his full attention to Kuroko instead. Almost breathing out a sigh of relief, she leaned against the wall in an aloof and relaxed manner, but proceeded to listen intently to their conversation.

**

Karl observed with careful eyes as Mai rose to her feet and dusted herself.

"I didn't hurt you did I?"

He shook his head quickly.

“I’m fine,” came his short reply.

He gave her a sideways glance, wondering what to do next. A moment of awkward silence ensued, leaving him sweating slightly. He didn’t want this opportunity to slip through his fingers.

“So… You seemed to be in a rush. What’s the hurry on a fine morning such as this one, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Karl cocked his head to the side, his voice friendly but unsmiling.

"Yes, indeed, this one has come; this one hopes that the effort will not end up in vain."

"I even had him sign the relevant papers already." Mii added, nodding politely to Mikoto as she joined them. Though she hadn't met the girl formally she, as with most people in the city, knew the reputation of the Railgun. Then there was her tendency towards what the higher ups so generously called 'acting out'. She returned her attention to Kuroko and Trystan. "Now, what happened last night that got you all so shaken up?" Mii asked, lifting her glasses to rub her itching eyes.

Kuroko nodded and called over to Kazari.

"Uiharu, have you found anything?"

The meek girl jumped from her seat like a startled rabbit. She had been hiding in her corner of the room in the hopes of not being noticed. She hurried over to Kuroko's side, nearly stumbling clumsily over the stacks of papers that surrounded her already small desk space.

"Good morning, Misaka-san. I didn't expect to see you here this morning." She greeted the other girl as she returned to her seat and tapped away at her keyboard. Kuroko took a deep breath and began to explain.

"Yesterday at around 2100 hours a large scale explosion occurred in the lower District 15." She let that simple assessment stand alone for a moment. "In addition to localised damage to the city's infrastructure, there were a number of casualties." Her jaw clenched as she delivered her next words. "In total we estimate there to be between twelve and eighteen dead." The teleporter took a second to compose herself. "Right now our only lead is an item discovered at the scene." She described the small injector pen. "I asked Uiharu to look into any similar incidents, but it looks like this is the first. As far as we can tell at least." She set the papers on the table so that everyone would see.

"The only remains found at the scene belonged to Sadamitsu Norio." Kuroko gestured to the young man's picture. "A level 0 and known member of Skill Out." She continued. "I recommend we start there."

"Shirai-san. Before you get ahead of yourself, remember it's Anti Skill's job to investigate possible crimes, not ours." Mii placed a hand on Kuroko' s shoulder as she repeated Kuroko's own warning back to her with the sweet tone of a mother. The twin tailed girl's expression cracked with an awkward smile.

***

“I’m fine. So… You seemed to be in a rush. What’s the hurry on a fine morning such as this one, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Mai laughed nervously, unused to receiving attention from such a handsome boy. Her face reddened and she started to stumble over her words again.

"W-well I was late for class." She explained, trailing off into a quiet mumbling.