Author: I'll apologize in advance, at the time of this upload I have much less time to work on my stories. I'll still be uploading the chapters of this up until it's completion but any new stories will be significantly delayed (especially with my preference to not upload anything until I'm a few chapters ahead.) Not to worry though, I still think about my stories a lot so I have time to polish them in my head long before I start typing, I may even think up new ones as time passes.

XXX


"Yeah I see the case," Isolde talks over the radio. "There's a couple guys walking towards it. They don't look like the business type."

"Just keep an eye on them," the voice on the radio responds.

XXX


Misaki takes another sip of her tea. She breathes hard for a moment and begins to calm down. She takes out her phone and looks at the time.

"Will you be okay?" Isolde asks.

"I'll be fine," Misaki quickly composes herself. "I'm a specialist on mind and memories after all. We can't afford to waste any more time here, anyway. According to the data we found on you, the max speed that you can blow your mist is 50kmph."

"The stats that you have are all Lilian's numbers. I've never been tested, but I can assure you that my numbers would be much greater than hers. Even then, that's the max speed that she can control, she can blow mist even faster than that but the faster it is the harder it'll be to control."

"As I thought," Misaki pulls out paper and pen from her bag. "Now tell me, does your mist actually come out from your body or does it manifest a little outside of it?"

"A little outside of myself," Isolde answers. "I can create extremely strong winds of mist without blowing myself backwards. It's also how I can emit mist without getting my clothes wet."

"Then..." Misaki starts drawing. "What if you had something that you can push your mist against, so that it can also push you? Here." She hands over her drawing. It was a stick figure with a pair of triangles pointing out of its back.

"Wings? How will these make me fly?"

"I know about your hollow ice," Misaki informs her. "Basically, you make these wings on your back, and start blowing your mist from inside them. The compressed mist will then blow out from the gaps at the bottom of the wings here, which will push the wings, which will push you."

"..."

(Wow, I've never seen you this... impressed.)

"Well?" Misaki leans forward.

"I'm thinking," Isolde responds.

(You're jealous.)

"You're the one that slides around on a jet boosted ice board and you didn't think of doing this at all?" Misaki asks.

"... Alright alright, I think I can make this work. And I think I figured out what you want me to do. You want me to follow someone from above, using my mist to cover myself in a cloud."

"I never thought about covering you with your mist to look like a cloud. Impressive."

"I'm going to have to be pretty high though."

"That's what this is for," Misaki pulls out some high tech binoculars. "Also." She pulls out an earset. "This is a radio, so that we can keep in touch. I want you to report on everything you find."

"Where do I go?"

"There's a big metal case that's going to be picked up not too far from here. I want you to follow the ones that's picking it up."

XXX


"They're picking up the case," Isolde reports.

"Think you can describe them? We may find out they are."

"Hard to see from here. They look like normal thugs."

"They probably are. Just stay on them."

"Yeah, they just put the case in a van and are driving off."

(Hey Isolde.)

"What is it Lilian?"

(That metal case, it looks familiar.)

"That's because it is. It's the same case that the Magneto used to store everything that was stolen."

(Really? Are you sure?)

"Yeah, I'm certain."

(Then, do you think Rutile's pendant is in there?)

"It most likely is."

(We gotta get it back to her!)

"We will, after we finish this."

"You know, it really does sound weird when you two talk to yourselves."

"You could just not listen."

"So, was something taken from you?"

"Not us, but a friend of ours."

"Is it that new transfer student?"

"Rutile, yeah."

"I've read up on her. She's registered as a Level 3, but her power-"

"Stooop!"

"What?"

"I don't want to know yet. Our teacher wants our class to try and figure it out."

"Oho, so it's kind of like a game is it?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Good luck trying to figure it out though. It's quite an interesting ability to say the least."

"Hmm...? They stopped."

"Where?"

"A building near the edge of the abandoned part of the city. This is seriously one place I did not want to come back to."

"Was it because of your involvement with the double meteors that crashed there?"

"Auugh..."

(Ohhh...)

"I didn't even have to read your mind to figure that out. There was a torn Tokiwadai uniform on the scene, as well as several pieces of melting ice. But the school covered up those facts so it was never reported, at least publically. Luckily for you, there wasn't enough evidence to actually make you suspicious. Of course I helped out a bit."

"Are you going to make me owe you for that as well?"

"No, we're still calling it even after you're done there."

(This person must be really important to Miss Shokuhou.)

"It's not just her."

(What do you mean?)

"You'll find out, for now, I need to land," Isolde flies over to a rooftop of a nearby building, she shatters her wings as she ride to the side, lies on her stomach and uses the binoculars to zoom in. "They're taking the case inside."

"Forget the case, scan the building, do you see anyone you recognize?"

"Not on this side. I'll fly around."

"Don't get seen."

Isolde sprouts icicles on her back as she gets up. She runs off the roof, her icicle wings shoot out jets of mist to push her forward. She flies around and lands on another building, breaking her wings apart. Isolde takes out the binoculars and looks at the building again.

"I found him," Isolde relays her observations. "And he looks really weak."

(K-Kamijou?)

"Shokuhou, I'm going in. Just make sure they can't call Miss Misaka."

"I suppose there's no way for me to stop you. Do you at least have a plan?"

"Yeah, pay those guys back, and hard."

"Make it extra hard. I'll be on my way. Don't let him die."

Isolde sprouts icicles out of her back once again and flies towards the building.

XXX


Mikoto solemnly walks on the bridge, replaying the events of the last few days in her head.

Mikoto's phone rings. She sees the number of a certain idiot displayed on screen.

"H-hello?"

"Well, what do you know? It really is the Railgun."

"Who is this?!"

"Whoa whoa, calm down, I just want to talk. It's not every day we can talk to a Level 5. Especially one that we've kept an eye for a while now."

"What do you mean?"

"We accidently discovered your... shall we say, 'weakness', the night the double meteors crashed. We've had a long time to plan this encounter. I bet you're now trying to track us down. But as you can tell, I've set up several relays and false stations. It'll take you about an hour to trace this signal to an end, even then the place you check out likely won't be where we really are. Hehehe..."

"Ngh!"

"Let me tell you though, we really underestimated how though this guy was."

"You...!"

"Now now, we tried not to hurt him too much. He's our hostage after all."

"Rgh..."

"Of course, being a hostage, his freedom comes at a cost. And don't bother trying to find out where we are, like I said, we had a long time to plan for this. We have a special radar that can detect any Esper using their powers. Don't tell any of your friends either, the consequences could be... fatal..."

"Don't you dare touch him!"

"Well... why not? I'll comply with that, just make sure you get the money. And make it solid; coins, paper, cards, or even anything that we can pawn. I don't want any strange digital traces hunting me down now."

She leans over the bridge's short wall to look at the skyline of the city.

"You're going to have to work faster than that, Railgun. I think he's going to starve to death."

"What did you do!?"

"Nothing, as we promised. Well, we do give him a bottle of water at least 3 times a day. We don't want him dying on us too soon now, right? Oh, but don't worry, it's all freshly bought from the store. Though, if it's all the same to you, at this rate he won't make it before you reach our agreed sum."

Mikoto hung her head down. (Someone... please... help me...)

"Ah!" There was a loud yelp behind her.

Mikoto turns around to see a Tokiwadai student swatting away a newspaper.

(T-that's...)

"Oh? Who's your friend?"

"She's a transfer student," Lilian steps aside so that the two girls can see each other. "Miss Misaka, this is Miss Katherine Rutile Sopheria."

"N-nice to meet you, it is" Rutile bows nervously. "M-my name's Katherine Rutile Sopheria, it is."

"You're... Miss Misaka, right?"

"Wait!"

(Hmm? Who-?) Inside the purple Magneto armor, Mikoto turns to see Rutile flying towards her. Mikoto magnetically rips off a piece of railing and wraps it around Rutile's body, then pins her against the wall. (That's... the transfer student?! What's she doing here?! Never mind that, why is she still in the mall? I set off the fire alarm to get everyone out!)

"Rutile!"

(Is that... Lilian? Isolde? They're here too? No, can't worry about that now. They're good enough to give me trouble. I just need to get as much as I can and get out. Hopefully I can scare them away.)

...

"Give back my mother's pendant!"

(Your mother's pendant? ... I'm sorry, I really am. But I can't right now... I have to do this!)

...

Mikoto floats through the hole in roof. (I'm out. Thank goodness I didn't have to fight that hard.) Mikoto hears a loud banging noise. She turns around and looks up, a roof turbine is flying towards her. Mikoto lifts up a hand to stop it, her radar detects something else, coming in much faster. Her chest is hit with a flying kick, her body bounces along the roof until it stops. (D-damn...) Mikoto gets up slowly. (That was a heck of a kick. Where's the case?) Mikoto sees Rutile right next to the case, she uses magnetism to retrieve it to her side. (I'll have to knock her out, but with what?) Mikoto opens the case magnetically and floats out a single coin. (If I use the shockwave from my railgun, I can take her out without hurting her too much.) Mikoto poses, ready to fire. "Come, Esper!" (Just aim my attack slightly away...)

The very instant that Rutile moved, Mikoto fires. The attack flies from her hand... but Rutile had managed to make it just out of reach of Mikoto's arm. (S-so fast! B-but the shockwaves at this range-!) Mikoto saw for an instant the determination in Rutile's eyes, but the determination disappeared in a flash as Rutile's body flies away. (NO!)

"Rutile!" Lilian's voice rings through the air. The ice girl catches Rutile's body.

(Thank goodness...) Mikoto lowers her arm slowly.

"What did you do to Rutile?!"

(I'm so sorry...) Mikoto turns around, runs then flies away. (Please forgive me...)

(It looks like she's okay, that's a relief.) Mikoto starts to smile.

"Hello?"

"That's right!" Mikoto suddenly gets talkative. "And you are, Miss Rutile?" (That's strange, where's Lilian?)

The other girl bows, "My name is K-Katherine Rutile Sopheria, it is."

"Oh, sorry, I only heard Lilian call you Rutile a lot, so I thought..."

"But when we met earlier, Lilian didn't call me Rutile, really."

"Ah-ahh... really?" (D-damn!) "I must have remembered it wrong." (W-what should I-?) "But I was just talking to her right now, so maybe that's why-."

"Miss Lilian's supposed to call me as soon as she was finished at the Judgment office, really."

"S-she's at the Judgment office?" (Crap...)

"We're supposed to come back to the school together. That's why I'm waiting for her here, really."

"I-is that so?" Mikoto drops her head a little and turns to the side. (Now what do I do...?)

"Miss Misaka..." Rutile interrupts her thoughts "Is there something wrong?"

Mikoto silently leans back on the bridge wall. "Heh... I'm sorry. I've just been too busy lately, my head's a little messed up." (Everything's messed up right now.)

"Miss Misaka... Are you... the Magneto?"

(She... she figured it out somehow?) Mikoto pushes herself from the wall and smiles. (No, it doesn't matter anymore. I've gone too far to hide it now.) "Yeah... I am."

"But... why?"

"Heh, before I answer that, why don't you tell me how you found out?"

Rutile holds out a hand, "Your aura, the magnetic aura around you. I didn't have time to think about it then, but now I know, it's the exact same aura as the Magneto's. Also," Rutile puts one foot back and held out an arm, "When you used that one attack against me, the Magneto's pose was exactly the same as yours."

"If that's all you have, then even with my admission, I won't be charged and arrested." (Now that you know, what do you think of me?) "What's this thing about feeling my aura anyway? You think you're some kind of cat or something?" (Will you berate me?) "Well, I guess that is kind of what you're going for." (Will you antagonize me?) Mikoto points at Rutile's hair. "You said your given names were Katherine and Rutile? Lilian already calls you 'Rutile', so I'll call you 'Kat'."

"That's fine, really. But I don't want to get you arrested, I just want to know, why?"

"I got tired of being a goody two shoes, so I decided to have some... fun..."

"Fun? You had fun stealing other people's money and belongings?"

"Let me tell you, it was quite the rush! Don't worry though, it's just a bunch of pranks. I'll return everything once someone manages to catch me. Oh but I have absolutely no intention of getting caught." (At least, not until he's safe.)

"Why...?"

"I already told you."

"Why are you lying?!"

Mikoto's eyes widened for a moment. She then smirked. "Lying? What makes you think that I'm lying?" (Please, don't get any friendlier to me... I... I don't know if I can take it anymore!)

"What you were doing, I can tell that it wasn't a prank."

"What makes you say that?" (Just stop. At any other time, I would want to be your friend. But not now, especially not now.)

"You were the one that set off the alarm in the mall, right?"

"Bingo." (She's not as naive as I thought. Well, she is a student of Tokiwadai, even if she just arrived here.)

"You wanted to make sure that no one was inside before you started stealing. Any regular prankster would've just set off the alarm and got away. But what you're doing, isn't a prank, it's something more serious."

"Impressive, though that doesn't really prove anything." (But you're right on the mark.)

"When we tried to stop you, you attacked us. But also, you tried to avoid hurting us as much as possible if your attacks went through. So, what I think is-"

"Stop," Mikoto interrupts suddenly. "That's enough..."

"Miss Misaka?"

"Since you figured it out, I don't want you to get any more involved in this."

Rutile shakes her head. "It's too late, I'm already as deeply involved as you are now."

"What?"

"Like you, I've also lost something precious to them. And I want to get it back."

Mikoto stays quiet for a moment.

"Don't tell any of your friends either, the consequences could be... fatal..."

"Then, I can't let you go any further..." (Lilian, wherever you are. I'm sorry.)

"Miss Misaka? What are you-?" Rutile sees a spark flash in Mikoto's hair.

"You're right, I didn't want to harm anyone. I did my best to make sure no one got seriously hurt. But if you insist on getting involved, then I have to stop you. I can't afford to let anyone try and get in the way, otherwise they might... they might..." Mikoto's voice trails off and hung her head.

"What they have... is that important to you?"

Mikoto steps back, completely stunned at the question. There was nothing but silence for a long moment.

"If it's that important, why didn't you tell someone?"

"What? I just told you that if anyone were to challenge them, especially if they're connected to me, then... then...!"

"You don't trust anyone?"

"?!"

"You don't believe in anyone? Including your friends?"

"N-no! It's not that! J-just what are you talking about?"

"Are you that scared to lose it? Or is it so important to you that you can't rely on anyone else to get it back?"

"W-what the hell is with these questions?!"

"If I promised you, to get both our precious items back, would you trust me?"

"I promise, I'll come back with your little sister. So wait right here."

"No no no no NO!" Mikoto sparks up. "You think I haven't tried?! You think I want continue doing what I'm doing?" Her body emits powerful bolts that encircle around her. "I HAVE to do this! I've got no other choice! Now, stay out of it!"

Rutile breathes deeply. She takes a step back, she raises her arms up to her chest level, with one arm slightly pulled in and the other slightly stretched out.

"Is that... a fighting pose? Are you... going to fight me?"

"There's something that I want to get back too. If this is the only way to convince you to trust me, then..."

"You really don't know what I'm capable of, do you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It really does matter! If you fight me, right here, right now, you could die!"

"A friend is a friend, it doesn't matter how strong they are."

"We are NOT friends! We've only just met today and already I've stolen your precious pendant! I almost seriously hurt you on that rooftop! Now I'm going to use my full powers against you to force you to stop. Why would you call me your friend?"

"Because, at this moment, we have so much on common. If this was just a regular day, we wouldn't have known so much about each other." Rutile, still in her fighting pose, gives off an extreme smiley face. "It's a pleasure to be your friend, Miss Misaka! Really!"

Mikoto's eyes show a slight shock, then intense sadness as tears swell up inside her. "Goodbye... Kat." The electromaster grabs a handful of electricity and throws it with all her might.

XXX


Author: Now we know who it is that Misaki wants retrieved, and also why Touma was missing for the past few days, not to mention the reason that Mikoto was acting so strange. But can Lilian and Misaki save Touma before Mikoto or Rutile seriously get hurt?