Author's Note: Read and Review please.

Chapter 3

I never thought trying to save all of them would be so hard...

An explosion filled the dark silence, metal debris and solid concrete chunks flew in every direction. Flying cylinder metallic robots flew about, laser focuses honed in on the lone target standing in the middle of the chaos. With their dual mounted machine guns, they let loose a barrage of bullets, spraying down the area. Bullet holes were forged deep in the tile flooring, but no blood followed with it. The target lifted her hand, and one by one, the metallic guards were struck down faster than anything could anticipate.

Every night since then has been focused on nothing else but my current objective.

A lone girl ran through a neat corridor, doors opened after every pass, revealing sick and hidden secrets behind each one. She ignored every single one, she had only one destination in mind. With a determined stern face, she unleashed a devastating blast towards an armored electronic door. The armor stood no match against her power, and was destroyed in a matter of mere seconds.

I am growing tired, anxious... I'm hard to keep up with, even for myself, but I know I can't stop now... I have to keep going to the end, no matter what it will end up costing me.

One monitor after another was set ablaze by an inward explosion, an overload of its circuits. No kind of safety hazard could prevent the equipment's inevitable destruction, she would not stop, nay, she would never stop until it was all over.

I hate these facilities... I hate these researchers... I hate myself for what I allowed to happen!

An image of girl's leg came into the girl's mind, blood and innards left hanging out, then a blood pool. Her face twisted into agony, her eyes widened at the memory. She couldn't let it happen ever again, she didn't want it to.

"Farewell, Onee-chan..."

Sparks started to eminate from the girl, her hair started to static and float apart slightly as she stood in the room full of expensive equipment, each monitor displaying various read outs. Then, as lightning and electicity started to destroy and set ablaze to everything around her, the girl let out a rage filled scream, crying out so loud as if to reach the heavens. Nothing will stop her, absolutely nothing.

"Good morning, Onee-sama..." said a light voice.

Mikoto Misaka, who lied face down in her bed, her face buried in her pillow, grumbled at the sound of her roommate as the other girl placed a soft hand on her shoulder.

"Onee-sama, it is time to get up..."

Slowly, Mikoto opened her eye. Her initial sight held a blur in it, but it soon focused so she could see the close up figure of her roommate's face, Kuroko Shirai, who was slightly bent over with another hand keeping her up on Mikoto's bed. Mikoto slowly rolled over and looked Kuroko in the eyes. "What are you doing?.."

"Getting you up again. Onee-sama, you really need to conduct yourself better..." Kuroko straightened her posture with crossed arms as she looked down at the level 5 electromaster. "As the Electric Princess, Tokiwadai's Ace, you need to continue to set an example for all the other girls here in Tokiwadai. How would it look if you were to go slumping and dragging yourself to class like you do day after day, now?" Mikoto could only blink at the statement, her fatigue settling in.

Kuroko could see no answer was coming forth as Mikoto slowly looked to her bed. She sighed and let her hands slowly fall to her sides. "Onee-sama, we really do need to go to class..."

With a hand to her hair, Mikoto only looked away to the window. "Kuroko... I don't think I can go the class today, I don't exactly feel up to it..." Mikoto's body felt like it weighed a ton, her body ached and was sore all over the place. Her mind was weak and she was exhausted from the lack of proper sleep.

Kuroko blinked. "Onee-sama, are you sure you don't want to tell me what is going on?" Mikoto looked over at her. "It's no puzzle that you are obviously strained and tore up from some unknown cause, what with all the late-night adventures and all you've been having. Every morning, I find you laying exactly as you are now and sometimes you have small scrapes or bruises, and-"

"It's okay, Kuroko..." Mikoto said, working up a smile as she turned to face her friend. "I'm not doing anything rash, okay? I just... need some rest is all, okay?"

Kuroko worriedly looked at her princess, then obliged. I guess she still doesn't want to tell me what's going on... She nodded and smiled lightly at Mikoto. "Alright, I'll cover for you back in class. You just get some sleep..." Relunctantly, Kuroko turned to walk out of the room. Mikoto tried her best not just fall back into the mattress as Kuroko reached and turned for the doorknob, and instead just slowly slumped back down. Her body screamed relief when she finally just lied comfortably flat into her bed. The mental stress of all of her clones being killed off right now was starting to get to her, and her body just couldn't keep up with it.

"But, Onee-sama..."

Mikoto was surprised to hear she was still in the room. Mikoto turned her head to look at the teleporter at the door as she faced her as well.

"Do you think you could atleast come to the Judgement branch and spend some time with us today? You've been staying away for quite a while now, and we all have been really worried about you."

Mikoto blinked, pondering on the possibility of whether or not she should stay in the bed until nightfall again. Of course they've been worried about me, I don't even talk to them that much anymore. Mikoto turned her eyes to the bed sheets, slightly clenching them. All I ever do is tell them everything is alright, that nothing is going on... I am continueously lying to them, and yet they tell me the same thing... I hate troubling them as much as I have been lately... She closed her eyes, thinking of their cheerful faces, Saten, Uiharu, and Kuroko. Their smiles gave her hope, they gave her comfort when she most needed it, but... There is no way I can let them know... They will only end up getting dragged in and get hurt in one way or another... I can't let that happen to them, not with what I've done. I can't let them get injured in the situation I created, I won't... Even if I have to keep telling them little lies every now and then, I love them all too much to let that happen to them...

"Onee-sama?" Kuroko tilted her head slightly. Mikoto snapped open her eyes. Kuroko could see a slight glimmer in them. The esper on the bed finally gave a small nod with what Kuroko knew was a fake smile.

"I'll be there..." Her voice was almost hoarse and faint, the teleporter could tell she was very exhausted from the night's ordeals. "At what time?"

Kuroko gave a caring look, then she smiled at her. "How about I just come and get you?"

Mikoto shook her head. "No... I'll just be there by four."

Kuroko sighed. "Fine, but I'll be coming back to check on you during lunch, alright?" Mikoto absently nodded as she closed her eyes, shifting her head to a comfortable position. "Onee-sama..."

"Just please leave me alone..."

Kuroko just let her head look to the carpet. "Alright..." And with that, Kuroko shut the door and Mikoto was left all to herself, with nothing but her thoughts.

"I can't let them know anything... I can't, it is just not an option..." Mikoto told herself. "They don't need to trouble themselves with a problem I created... I need to put an end to it... Only seven facilities left to go... Only seven left..." Her world started to slowly dim dark, her mind was fogging up, and before she knew it, she was dead to the world.

A phone rang on her desk, jolting Mikoto awake violently. She shook in her bed and spazzed out, looking around for the sudden loud noise. "What the!?" Nobody was in the room except her shadow. She blinked sleepy eyes, trying to fight off the drowsiness, then she turned to the phone laying on the dresser next to her bed. She grabbed it and looked at the number, then her face dragged slightly. "Kuroko..." she said to nobody in particular. The electromaster flipped it open and put the phone to her ear. "Hello..."

"Onee-sama, where are you?"

"Hmm?" Mikoto sat up in her bed with a heavy head. "What are you talking about?"

"Onee-sama, you said you would be here, it is five o'clock right now..."

Mikoto yawned, she obviously didn't get enough sleep. "So... It's not like I had anything planned or something."

"Well, maybe you were just so tired you didn't pay attention, but you were supposed to meet Saten, Uiharu, and myself down here at the Judgement Branch so we could all go window shopping together an hour ago." Kuroko complained over the phone. "Are you really feeling that bad?"

Mikoto shot up. Was it already that late? It only felt like I was asleep for minutes. "Oh, yeah, that's right." Mikoto forced up a laugh. "Don't worry, I'm okay... I'll be over there in a few, just let me get myself situated..."

"Onee-sama..."

"Look, I said I'd be there, alright." Mikoto began to get aggrevated and her voice was starting to show it. "Just give me some time..." Silence befell the conversation, and Mikoto stood up holding her phone, until finally she caught her tone. With a sigh, she repositioned the device to her other ear. "I'm sorry, Kuroko, I just..."

"I know, Onee-sama... We all know..." Mikoto blinked, her eyes drooped from the guilt she was feeling from nearly yelling at her friend. How can I blame her, that's my fault too... "Listen, Onee-sama, if you do not feel well enough to come today, we can all just hold off on it until later-"

"No, just... No... I'll be there, I promise." Mikoto looked to the floor, she didn't need to worry her friends anymore, despite how her body protested against getting up and running about. "I'll be there." And with that, she hung up the phone and turned towards the bathroom. After taking a quick shower to ease up the tension in her muscles, she dried off and slipped on her night uniform.

I can't afford to waste energy coming back to put this on today. After I spend some time with Saten and the others, I've got to get back to work... She wrapped her hair into a small pony tail and clipped the back of her hat onto her blue shorts. She then came to the mirror to take a look at herself with a stern face. I'll have to take it easy tonight to conserve some energy for tomorrow's school day. There is no way I can skip another day like I have and not recieve any kind of attention for it. Things just get harder from here on out...

Mikoto turned away from herself and opened up the door, taking one last look at her bed before slowly shutting the room up, disclosing any kind of relaxing thoughts out of her head. It was that time again.

The electromaster approached the door entrance into the Judgement Branch Uiharu and Kuroko worked in, branch #177. With a heavy sigh, she knocked on the door and later heard footsteps coming from the otherside. Mikoto straightened herself up as the door opened to reveal Kuroko, who at once brightened up with a smile. "Onee-sama!"

Mikoto only gave a brief smile in return. "May I step in, it is quite hot out here..."

"Oh, yes, come on in. And my, must I say, Onee-sama, you look quite sexy in that outfit..." Kuroko chuckled rather sinisterly as her mouth drooled. Mikoto could see the temptation of sexual molestation in her eyes, but she would rather not have to shock Kuroko today so she could conserve her energy. She would need all she had for tonight's strike as well as tomorrow's school day.

"Kuroko, please, not today..." And with that, Mikoto walked past her and into the main room of the building where Saten and Uiharu were stationed. As usual, Uiharu was typing away at a computer, but she happily turned her head to greet her friend.

"Hello, Mikoto. It is good to finally see you with your head held high."

Saten, too, gave a warm smile. "I'm glad to see you are doing well, today..." Saten watched as Mikoto took a seat next to her.

"It is good to see you guys again too..." Mikoto could feel her drowsiness settling back in, was she getting tired again already? No, that couldn't be it, it just couldn't! Mikoto forced another smile up. "So, what has been going on with you guys, I'm sorry we haven't spoken in a while."

Saten smiled at her. "Nothing really, we've just going here and there, doing some shopping and going out to eat at places." The level 0 of the group looked at Mikoto, giving a warm smile. She could tell Mikoto was stressing a lot, and she knew that if she was to let her know what she was worrying over her, Mikoto would only stress more. "So, uh... You get enough sleep today?"

Mikoto nodded. "Yeah, I got a good bit in today. I really feel better now." Uiharu nodded.

"Well, that is good to hear. Would you like something to drink, Mikoto, you know... before we all go out?"

Mikoto did not like the idea of going walking around. "Yeah, I'd love some water. I'm a bit parched at the moment." Uiharu happily nodded and got up to attend to Mikoto's need as Kuroko took her place beside her.

"So... do you think you might find something you like?" Kuroko leaned in close to the electromaster, who in return almost let a spark fly, warning the girl to stay at a distance.

"Remember what we talked about... personal space, Kuroko?" Mikoto said, her head ticking in annoyance slightly.

"Oh yeah." Kuroko scooched away. "I'm sorry, Onee-sama." She watched her as Uiharu came back with a clear glass of water.

"Here, Mikoto. This should do you some good." Uiharu handed the glass over to her friend, who gladly took it and drank a big sip. Saten smiled as she watched some of the water disappear from the glass. Mikoto then let the crystaline cylinder fall from her lips and held it infront of her. Saten smiled a bit more to show attentiveness.

"So... is everything going okay, are you having trouble at school?" the girl asked her. Mikoto slowly nodded, still staring at the cup in her hands. "Are you feeling well? You seem to have been pretty stressed lat-"

"I..." Mikoto said lowly, interrupting her question. Kuroko and Uiharu as well ceased their small activity to listen to what the esper had to say. "... am just fine... I mean it..." Mikoto wanted to ease their feelings for her, she did not want them all worrying over her situation, she did not even want them involved. It would be too much for them to handle, much less understand. "I really do..."

Saten watched as Mikoto continued to stare at the glass left in her hands. She had never seen the level 5 Railgun in a position quite like this. Saten always remembered the girl being energetic and always the first to jump to a risk to save someone or something. She would smile or be optimistic about her situation, even when faced with the direst of circumstances... She was strong, but now... She looked troubled, unsure of the challenges ahead... Mikoto was always tired now, and she was becoming harder to stay around. She was continuously pushing them away, almost as if she did not trust them with whatever heavy burden she was going through...

What sat infront of the only level 0 in the room was a disturbed and scared girl who was contemplating some obviously heavy thoughts, but what Saten saw was a scared and troubled friend, and she knew deep down that Mikoto wanted to tell them what was going on... She just did not know how to... So, with a kind smile, Saten reached out to her.

Mikoto was delving into her thoughts, literally transfering them into visual signs to see what she thinking inside her head, the world was dead to her, all she could think about was her clones, the ones that were needlessly sentencing themselves to death... For what? A stupid experiment?! She gripped the glass harder, the thought, the revelation angered her, and all she could do was try her best to shut it down, but she never imagined it would be this hard, nor would it take this long. And every second she wasted here was just another second for those scientists to set up another experiment to kill one of her many clones. They may not have been human, but they were still alive, they were still hers, and she'd destroy anyone who supported this project... anyone and everyone who would benefit from it.

Mikoto suddenly jumped, the water in her glass lightly flying out and landing her her hands. Her eyes widened slightly as she felt a warmth on her hand, a reassuring peace. She shifted her eyes to other hand present on her right one, then she followed the arm to find Saten smiling at her. She blinked, confused for a second until she remembered where she was.

"I'm... sorry, you guys..." Mikoto said, letting her head fall slightly.

"Don't worry about it, alright?" Saten told her kindly. Mikoto looked up to her. "We are here for you whenever you need it. When you feel you can tell us, any of us, just let us know..." Saten gripped her hand slightly. "That's what friends are for, right?"