A/N: Despite how I'm presenting it, this arc has a very simple through line. I don't want people to get bogged down by mystery, so there won't be any sudden "twists" like with previous arcs. In fact, the epilogue already exists in the beginning of 'Gutsy Girl'. You can probably guess what'll happen with that much already spoiled. But even so, there are things I'd like to explore. And while there are already a lot of "child conversion" stories out there, I've got my own spin on how this type of story can work. So…

Let's begin.


Nth-child Displacement

「Sᴘᴇᴀᴋ ɴᴏᴡ. Wʜᴀᴛ ɪs ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇsɪʀᴇ?」

"I… don't want anything…"

「Yᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴇɴʏ Yᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ, Fᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏs ʏᴏᴜ.」

「Wʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇsɪʀᴇ, ᴄʜɪʟᴅ?」

"I…"

"I want to be taken away…"

"…somewhere else. Anywhere but here."

[ SFX: *snap* ]

Restart

The door to the clubroom abruptly slammed open with a stilted bang.

"Y-Yo! It's me! Hamazura Shiage! Yeah, long time no see! Ha ha ha ha ha! I don't know why I'm laughing…!"

Hamazura Shiage was disheveled.

"…"

The three currently present: Kakine Teitoku, Mugino Shizuri, and Shokuhou Misaki. They all turned their heads to the delinquent in the white coat.

Composing himself as much as he could…

"I've… got a huge favor to ask. Mugino. Can we talk outside for a second?"

The Level 5s lowered their gaze from Hamazura Shiage's panic-stricken expression to the child standing right behind him.

"…"

"Eh?"

Reasonable Assumptions

Hamazura Shiage had taken Mugino Shizuri out in the hall to speak privately with her. From inside the clubroom, bits and pieces of their muffled conversation could be heard.

[ ...wsss… nnmm… hhhk… mmh… ]

"…"

With those two outside, this meant that the Number 2 and Number 5 were currently alone with a somewhat familiar-looking kid with absolutely no context.

[ SFX: *cough* ]

The small child raised a closed fist and cleared his throat. Avoiding eye contact with the other two residents, he found a place to sit down.

"…"

The Number 5 gave the Number 2 a baffled glance. She mouthed silently.

"…Little brother?"

The Number 2 shrugged while shaking his head.

"…Clone?"

The Number 2 shrugged while shaking his head.

"…Dark Matter duplicate?"

The Number 2 shrugged while shaking his head.

"…Aren't you a little too useless?"

The Number 2 nodded.

Long Story Short

Hamazura Shiage took a deep breath.

While he technically had no basis to believe in the urgency of the situation, the subject of time weighed heavily on his mind. If the time frame to reverse the previous incident was short, then he would need to cut through the fat with maddening haste.

"Okay…

"I know I have a lot to explain, but please trust me when I say that it can all wait."

"Explain what? That after your little accident, you started working with the Number 1 with useless side projects and experiments, that of which includes this experiment here. Project Super Seven, was it called?"

Hamazura Shiage blinked a few times.

"That is… extremely on point. Just how-"

"You're a terrible liar. And I've also bugged you."

"W-WHAT?-!"

The boy immediately took off his coat and started patting himself down.

"Ah. That second part was a joke."

"DAMN IT, MUGINO! IT ISN'T FUNNY IF IT SOUNDS WAY TOO REAL!"

Long Story Short II

Mugino Shizuri slightly cocked her head to the side and twirled her hair in a visual display of boredom.

"Jeez Hamazuraaaa. If you're that desperate for money, I'm mooore than willing to give you a loan."

"Sorry, but no. That sort of deal sounds like it would have a lot of strings attached."

The boy put his white coat back on.

"If you knew, why didn't you tell me?"

"Hmm? I wonder why… Because I receive infinite joy from seeing you suffer under the guilt of hiding a secret? Something like that, maybe?"

"I see…"

Hamazura Shiage was relieved with the rather tame response. But still, he sighed.

"So, I guess that means you've known this entire time then… even during the movie…"

He caught himself going on a tangent.

"No, this isn't the time to get hung up…"

Raising his glance…

"Mugino. I need you to do something for me."

Safe House

"So that kid back there really is…"

The girl's eyes were drawn back to the clubroom door.

"I can't say for sure, but Nunota-… my supervisor… should know more about what's going on. Right now, she's in the hospital…

"And until she wakes up, I need to keep him safe, away from public exposure. I think… it would be extremely dangerous if any more people were to find out about what happened. Just call it a bad feeling."

The Number 4 pointed out a fallacy.

"Yet… you decided it would be best to take him here? Where the most dangerous individuals of Academy City are all inexplicably gathered?"

"When you put it like that, you make it sound like I've made huge mistake."

Meanwhile…

Kakine Teitoku decided to break the ice with the small child.

"Hey. Wanna see something cool?"

The Number 2 grabbed his head with both hands, and then…

He split his upper body into two.

"…"

Strangely, the child was more horrified than entertained.

Safe House II

Shokuhou Misaki took over where Kakine Teitoku failed.

( Teitoku: That's odd. Those girls seemed to have loved it when I split myself apart before, so why didn't he… )

The Number 5 attempted small talk.

"Ah… um, it must be tough having an older sibling, huh?"

"…"

The child stared blankly.

"Erm… that's right! Kids these days shouldn't talk to strangers! In that case, let me properly introduce myself! My name is Shokuhou Misaki and this Eldritch abomination beside me is Kakine Teitoku. Try to ignore him if you can."

Shokuhou Misaki made an embarrassing idol-like pose.

"So now then, what's your name~⭐?"

"…"

The child stared blankly.

Safe House III

( Teitoku: Think he's mute? Or maybe he's dumb? )

( Misaki: You just grossed him out with your parlor trick! He's obviously on guard! )

The Number 5 snapped a glare at Kakine Teitoku.

Once again, Shokuhou Misaki attempted to warm the icy heart of a distrustful child. Digging through her purse…

"Um… I'm sure I have some candy somewhere…"

"…Eh?"

The girl pulled out a wooden train whistle.

[ SFX: *toooot* *tooooooooot* ]

[ SFX: *tooooooot* *tooooooooot* ]

"What is that? Why are you doing that?"

The Number 2 was confused.

"S-Shut up! People love it when I blow this whistle! It makes people go crazy!"

"Is this foreshadowing? If it is, no one's going to get it, and I doubt they will for a long time."

"Don't act like your opinion matters!"

As the two Level 5s bickered…

The child with white hair and red eyes glanced at a nearby clock.

4:15…

How long am I supposed to put up with this…

Mental Out and Meltdowner

Mugino Shizuri reentered the clubroom along with Hamazura Shiage, who was gloomily following behind.

( Misaki: Finally! What were you two talking about?-! Do you know how awful it is playing opposite of someone with no personality?-! )

The Number 4 spoke with some authority.

"For the time being, the experiment will continue as normal. Don't ask questions. Just pretend everything's the same as always."

"Haaah?"

Shokuhou Misaki seemed most upset by that answer.

"Continue as always? Is that even possible?"

The Number 5 placed a hand on the small child's shoulder.

Eh…?

"I think a proper explanation is in order. This child clearly resembles the Number 1. There's a relationship here that you aren't disclosing, isn't there?"

The Number 4 placed a hand on the child's other shoulder.

E-Ehh…?

"For now, just assume he is the Number 1. Thus, everything is perfectly normal. The experiment will go on as planned."

Shokuhou Misaki pulled him back towards herself. Various body parts were rubbing against the back of his head.

S-Soft…?-!

"Experiment? You're talking like one of those researchers now. Could you be more involved than you've been letting on? A mole perhaps? Come to think of it, during that movie, you were barking orders left and right then too."

Mugino Shizuri pulled him forward. She smothered him.

W-Wah…?-! Wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wah…?-!

"That's unrelated. I assure you that I am in the same position as you are, but I just happen to know that knowing more won't benefit either you or me. The less you know, the easier it is to accept the situation."

Sandbag

Hamazura Shiage and Kakine Teitoku watched the back and forth.

( Misaki: That's some insane logic you're using…!)

[ SFX: *glomp* ]

( Shizuri: It's called 'understanding without having someone spell it out'.)

[ SFX: *glomp* ]

The dropout made a comment.

"Must feel nice."

The Number 2 added.

"Dark Matter doesn't have the same elasticity. Texture always ends up feeling like a volleyball."

"…"

Unsurprisingly, their conversation ended.

Damned and Damned

"My 'cool beauty' levels outmatch yours by a landslide!"

"That's something only a person with low 'cool beauty' levels would say."

"Aaaaargh!"

The two girls seemed to have completely forgotten about the original subject matter. That said, the original subject matter was dazed and confused, face as red as a cherry.

"Enough of this!"

Mugino Shizuri and Shokuhou Misaki turned to the small child.

"Eh?"

The two demanded an answer.

"Between me-"

"Or me-"

"Who would you rather have as your Onee-san?" (2X)

The boy looked toward the back where Kakine Teitoku and Hamazura Shiage stood.

The Number 2 shrugged while the dropout gave him a farewell salute.

"…"

Full Circle

"..."

Stalling as long as he could…

The child came to a hard conclusion.

I have to run.

Taking a step back…

He sprinted toward the exit!

"DON'T LET HIM ESCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPE…!"

The Number 4 and Number 5 made a tackle! Hamazura Shiage also leapt out in a 'oh fuck, I probably shouldn't let this kid get out' moment.

Numerous heavy thuds resounded, and a dog pile was formed.

...

As this happened…

Misaka Mikoto opened the clubroom door.

"Eh-tet-tet-tet... Ouch…"

Shokuhou Misaki was on top of this strange scene.

"Eh…? Misaka-san?"

"…"

...

Quietly...

Misaka Mikoto shut the door with a soft click.


Timeline (condensed): ͝10, 1͟,̷ 2̷, 4̷,͘ 8͠, 9,̡ 19͜-2҉8, ̸3, ̛2̢9, ͢x̨, 12͏-1̕7,͏ x̶,͡ ̸5̢-̨7, x̵,̷ 11̧