The Beginning of The End

by Daiten

The resident's of Academy City returned from war in England. Ready to reintegrate back into their regular lives in the City of science. But a dark shadow has already been looming over the city ever since Aliester Crowely took his Last breath. Let us follow the story that lead up to the End.(NT onward spoilers)

4. Hanging out

A girl with purple ringlet curls and a slender body frame walked along the dormitory corridor; carrying with her two bags, one filled with dessert-like dishes, beverages, and snacks while the other held two lunch meals.

She was the third-year student, Junko Hokaze-a girl with bright purple hue eyes and whose actual bust size was not fully portrayed through her clothing.

As she continued her way down the corridor, the constant clit and clatter rhythm of her and other students' footsteps mellowed out. They were not that chaotic to start with, barely conjoining with the other students present. And that whimper of resonance was simply due to the skimp numbers, as most of the students still in the dormitory were only there to drop off or pick up something.

Junko came to a steady halt near a door on the left. The metal signboard on it reading kitchen. She knocked and entered inside, meeting the sharp gaze of the dorm supervisor while the other two figures, whose duty was split between washing and drying, continued on cleaning.

"Hey, I'm back." She announced.

"This is your final run, Miss Hokaze." The dorm supervisor declared, referencing Junko's intent on attending to Shokuhou's wants.

"Huh, but the queens have been preoccupied with her work, the least I could do is help her whenever."

"You've been doing that even before her punishment, Miss Hokaze. There's nothing wrong with a little break, you know. Haven't you been here since morning? Why not enjoy the remainder of the day, hang out with friends in a mall, watch a movie, buy stuff. Do whatever, as long as it does not require your presence here."

The dorm supervisor turned her attention back to the two girls before continuing. "Because I will tell you this, their punishment hasn't concluded yet. Far from it."

"Umm, not to sound resistant or anything but, don't you think that's a bit much." Misaki somewhat pleaded, hoping the faint drop in tone would appeal to the dorm supervisors' soft side.

"..."

It didn't. Of course, it didn't. That side of her was well hidden. At the epic failed attempt, Misaki could only smile weakly.

"That was just pitiful." Mikoto sighed and shook her head. "To think you really thought that would work."

"Oh shut up, at least I tried something. A brute like you doesn't have the mental capacity to do anything but act on impulse."

"Just take your punishment like the lady you oh so claim to be, you whiny cow for brains."

"I'm more of a lady than you, you flat-chested gorilla."

"Watch it." Mikoto sneered but just as quickly as she did, she meekly silenced after hearing the dorm supervisor clear her throat.

Junko, watching this fighting unfold from the sidelines, smiles happily as she interprets the bickering as them bonding.

"That's enough talking for you two." The dorm supervisor clapped her hands."Restraint and obedience." She then continued. "Those are the lessons I want to hammer into you both, but clearly I need to be a bit more forceful."

"No, no, no, there isn't any need for that." They both said timidly.

The dorm supervisor sighed, tired of the two discord, before leaning off the silver table.

"Now, Miss Hozake, I trust you will not help Miss Shokuhou in any way while I go and buy lunch for Miss Misaka."

"I bought lunch for both of them actually," Junko said, lifting the food bag.

"Eh? Wait, really? You didn't have to." Mikoto said, surprised.

"Oh, it's ok, I wanted to. Besides, you are preoccupied with helping my queen. It is the least I can do for your hard work."

"She isn't doing this out of the kindness of her heart!" Misaki bellowed out outraged. Her hand moved animatedly as to stress the point.

"I am thankful that you did that Miss Hozake, but you're still to leave."

Junko opened her mouth to protest but instantly shrank under the dorm supervisor's piercing gaze.

"O-okay."

Shortly after saying that, Junko exited the kitchen, closing the door behind her.

Instead of prancing about School Garden and becoming absorbed in the winter break atmosphere, like any other student, Junko instead opted to travel into District 15.

She wanted to buy something of importance for her queen. Christmas is right around the corner after all. But, the problem is, what can she buy for the girl who could have it all?

Yes, that is what had her stumped.

She had considered many things. Bracelets for one. The perfect gift to show her heartfelt gratitude for the girl who helped her and signifies the deep friendship they share. The problem with that however is the fact that Tokiwadai is very strict about its school wear. None of their students are allowed to wear anything but the assigned dress code unless it is for an Academy exclusive event or some official queries it for a special occasion. Not even during the holidays. Of course, there are a few instances where this is disregarded but those fall under special circumstances.

Nonetheless, materialistic possessions that can be bought were out of the question. And that led to her other consideration, woodworking. There was the option of Baking/cooking before that but Junko felt like that momentary action couldn't quantify her feelings. Though, she still will attempt it to please the queens' love for sweets.

That was why she was crossing through district 7 to go to district 15. Not to necessarily buy something but to use it as a reference to construct her gift. And what better inspiration would there be than to craft it from a Christmas special design. Not the coloring of course but the sheer craftsmanship. She has been practicing for the past few months now to completely master that expertise.

She moved through the crowded streets, her mind wondering which shops she would be window shopping from, yet still, from the streets with over a hundred people bustling about their business, Junko spotted a phone on the ground.

She had caught sight of something so easily overlooked the instant she registered that it had a gekota phone strap attached.

The phone didn't even appear to be anything special, just a regular flip phone. But simply because it had that, on sale, a couples edition gekota strap, Junko's selective sight demanded she take notice of it.

Thoughts of how the owners must be freaking out over their lost phone flooded her mind and her face quickly drained of its vibrant colors because of it. Those straps were only on sale for couples. So it stands to reason, there was someone else with a matching pair. If one of the pair gets lost then the semimetal value of them both becomes lost as well, and the young couple may even break up because of the little mix-up misunderstanding.

So, Junko ran towards the phone, hoping no passerbys steps on it as she guided people to pass. She took it up and, while holding it close to her chest, looked around the area for anyone acting frantically.

As one would expect, no one was. This was most likely a timely event. All she could do for them now was just to report it to Judgment and have them search for the owner.

But, she was already too far from Tokiwadai to report there. So, her best option was to go to the judgment office at Sakugawa Middle School since it's the closest one she knew.

Stuffing the phone into her pocket, Junko continued her path down the road, taking a detour at the second intersection and several more along the way until she made it to the Sakugawa Middle School.

Junko strolled up the stairs to the 177th branch office but before she could even do anything, the office door opened.

"Hmm? Hokaze-san?"

And, of the three girls that stepped outside, only Kuroko sounded her name.

"Ahh, it's nice to meet you again!" Uiharu greeted her and Saten did the same as well.

"It is good to see you all again."

"...Am I missing something? Since when did you meet Saten-san?" Kuroko asked.

"Oh, it was during-"

"So, you came here to hear more urban legends?!" Saten enthusiastically interrupted.

"Sorry, I'm actually here to hand over this," Junko said as she immediately pulled out the phone and handed it over to Kuroko. "But it seems you all were leaving?"

"Nahhh, it's alright. We can just deliver it to the owner tomorrow. Nothing wrong with that. Hey, umm, is onee-sama still not done yet? I've texted her several times but she hasn't responded back."

"Oh. About that, I'm afraid you won't be able to see Misaka-san till tonight. That's the impression I got from the dorm supervisor at least. "

"I guess it was asking too much to have high hopes." Kuroko sighed. "Well, it's not like there is any need to rush. Wanna grab something to eat with us Hokaze-san?"

"Umm, I-"

"Ahhhh, that's a great idea! I can inform you about more interesting urban legends!" Saten squealed with excitement.

"If you aren't busy, we would love to have lunch with you."

"I don't want to be an inconvenience?"

"No, not at all," Uiharu reassures her.

"We could use some good R&R." Saten smiles.

"...We kinda had a long day," Uiharu adds and both Saten and Kuroko agreed.

"Hmm. Alright, if I'm not going to intrude."

=o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o=

Tsukuyomi Komoe, a 135cm pink-haired teacher, could be seen walking through the streets of Academy City.

She was exhausted, both physically and mentally and it was not just because she had to take the long trudge from her apartment to the student boys dormitory, nor was it because of the fact she was forced to walk to said destination. Instead, it was from her lack of rest after returning back to Academy City.

But, if she was being truthful and had to choose which exhaustion outweighed the other, then mentally carried the most weight. For good reasons. Rather than it being from her staying up late writing out her book notes for two delinquent students, it was because of a few piled-on bad coincidences.

The two most prevalent being the printer locations not being open that time at night, and her car getting completely totaled during that three-day heatwave by those element creatures.

The added bonus of it becoming, even more, worse seeing that her vehicle was custom built to allow her to drive it through the use of buttons and a joystick. So, unlike other people who just had to switch parts or buy from an already stock, Komoe-sensei had no choice but to do a special order.

Had Touma Kamijou come to class regularly none of this would have been necessary, but Ms. Komoe was passionate about teaching. The fact that she gets extremely dejected whenever she feels she has lost an opportunity to teach others is indicative of such.

So of course, it comes as no surprise she wants to help them succeed. What is a teacher who cares for her students to do but gives them a second/ twentieth chance.

Ms. Komoe pulled out her phone and attempted to call Kamijou for the third time.

"Not picking up again, huh." She said as she looked down at her cell and sighed.

Komoe had hoped this time Kamijou would pick up but just like the previous tries, he hadn't.

She's been trying ever since this morning, right after she got up, which wasn't that early really, but still, she failed to make contact.

Seems it's becoming extremely difficult to get into contact with her students. Hopefully, she could get in contact with Tsuchimikado before Christmas, and hopefully, Kamijou is still home.

With how much he complains about expenses, he should be.

Though, there was no point in continuing to worry. She was only a couple of blocks away from his apartment.

Still though, it would be a problem if he wasn't there.

Putting the phone away after the fifth ring, Komoe continued her strode, when, a familiar voice called out to her.

She turned around and saw three girls.

Apart from the girl she knew as Last Order, the first person who stood out to her was a blonde girl dressed in a fluffy white and pink dress, wearing a miniskirt with thick, wine-red tights and a pink beret hat on her head.

Next to her, was a silver-haired girl in black tights. Her hair, unkempt and long enough to reach her ankles and obscure her face. Underneath her white lab coat was a blue pinafore dress which she wore over a black sailor top with a fluffy white bow.

(...)

Komoe stared at the holographic anthropomorphic amalgamation between a human, a bat, and a jellyfish.

`Weird design for a hologram but to be expected from children.'

"...What? See something you like?" The creature responded with a toothy grin.

"...Uhhh..."

The comment surprised Komoe, leaving her expression dumbfounded. Would such an AI that acts like a person be given to a child?

Komoe then gandered some guesses.

'Perhaps it's an esper ability? Some kind of telepathy maybe? This would be a first though. Or maybe it is an AI robot that uses some kind of gel but is with these three to learn socialization and gain human behavioral information on the simplest level? It can't be acoustic levitation. Static electricity, magnetism, or maybe air cushion, which does it use to float?' At first, she had given the creature no mind; Thinking it was some mundane beta test that doubled as a promotion scheme, children do make good marketers, but it seems she was wrong.

"...Strawberry," Fraulein said with a tilted head.

"Who's the kid?" The blond girl who was known as Fremea asked Last Order. To which, Komoe responded by saying:

"Hey, I am not a kid! I'm an adult I'll have you know."

"Hmmm...You don't look like one of those small people." Commented the floating demon named Qliphah puzzle 545.

"That is because she was part of an experiment to find a way to stop cellular aging, says Misaka as Misaka tells Komoe's sad story while wiping her tears with her sleeve."

Upon hearing that the two young girl's expressions changed.

"Uhh, You poor soul."

"Poor strawberry."

"No I wasn't, this is how I've always been! You and that boy were the ones who made up that story!"

"That's even sadder!" Fremea cried out; to which Komoe groaned in embarrassment.

"It's ok, none of us here will judge you." Fraulein, who was massaging Fremea's back, told Komoe. Following that, the two other loli's shook their heads and gathered around Ms. Strawberry for a consoling hug.

"Well, I will." Said Qliphah puzzle 545.

Wiping her tears away, Fremea made an announcement.

"Ok! It has been decided! As of today, you are now an honorary member of the Hamazura brigade!"

All three girls threw up their fists, cheering for their newest member but partway through...

"But first, you must be set through a trial says Misaka as Misaka shares her epiphany."

"Trial?"

Hearing her companion's confusion, Last order pulled the bewildered Freama and Fraulein aside, whispering her idea and selective sweet persuasive comments towards the two.

Qliphah puzzle 545, the mischievous demon hovering over them, began to snicker.

"Ohh. I see."

"Brilliant."

The same smile began to tug at the edge of each girl's mouth.

"I don't like those looks..."

Komoe staggered back. She had to wonder, were kids always this devilish?

"Relaxxx. It's nothing, nehehehe."

"Starting right now you have to listen to the biggest authority here, demands Misaka as Misaka lets you know what's expected of you!"

Komoe stared at Last Order, both worried and confused.

"I'm older than everyone here." She rebuked.

"I'm older than everyone in this city." Fraulein refutes.

"And, I'm taller than you." Fremea rebuttal proudly.

"That's because of your shoes."

"Excuses, excuses, have you no respect for your superiors, greenhorn, Misaka chastises you as Misaka shakes her head in disappointment. "

'She's Yomikawa's ward alright.' Komoe drew up the mental image of her friend laughing at her.

"Fine. I'll join your group." She said with a sigh.

At the end of it all, Last Order wasn't the only one smiling and posing triumphantly.

'The best I can do is just agree to play with them.'

But first...

"I have to deliver some work to one of my students."

"Sure. We'll follow you."

A short minute passed and they were on the seventh floor of an 8-story male student dormitory.

They were next to a residence door. Kamijou Touma's to be informative.

Komoe knocked and a brief while after, the door motioned open.

"...Komoe and..."

"Index!"

Fraulein exclaimed, before quickly running into Index. she was like an eight-year-old, with how tightly she was hugging Index and smiling as if she was given a long-awaited gift.

Index reciprocates the gesture, gently stroking the head of the child-like girl and smiling as she felt herself being nuzzled by her nose.

Some time may have passed but to them both the memories they shared at the Kamijou residence were still freshly kept.

"Hey." Greeted Index with a wider grin.

Considering that Fraulein's existence was based solely on her absorbing information and Index holds within herself 103,000 magical grimoires, it shouldn't be that surprising that those two have gotten really close, but to the people not in the know...

"Woah, I've never seen Fraulein that cheerful when food isn't involved."

"Yeah. She seems even more cute than usual, observes Misaka as Misaka thinks of tons of secret plans to see even more of her friend's adorable face."

"...You and Kamijou... knew her? Sigh, of course, he does."

"Mmm. He brought her to stay with us one night."

"Sounds just like him." Komoe exhaled but couldn't help but smile. "Speaking of, where is Kamijou? Is he busy? I have some work to deliver to him."

"Touma's... not here right now." Said Index as she was released from Fraulein's grasp. "I'm just watching the house till he gets back."

"Sounds just about right." Komoe sighed again.

Last order gave a puzzled look from outside the apartment door.

"Well, that doesn't sound like much fun. Why not come with us. Join the Hamazura brigade and come on a fun adventure. I promise you'll like it says Misaka as Misaka really wants you to join."

"Mmm Mmm.'

"Yea! Totally!"

"Is that alright?"

"Of course it is, says Misaka as Misaka is super ecstatic for a new member," Laster said with a bright smile which also made both Index and the other two members smile as well.

"Well aren't we the perfect bunch." Qliphaph puzzle 545 sniggered.

'Why doesn't she have to do the trial? It's because they know each other, right?'

As if remembering something important, Komoe's eyes widened.

"...I still don't know what you want me to do?"

=o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o=

The door to the shared group's apartment opened.

It was quarter past twelve. Normally an inconsequential time for the blonde teenage delinquent boy but the change in the season made it hit differently.

Because, today, this End of the Century Emperor was on a mission. A really important one in fact. One he would even go as far as saying could make or break the entire fabric of reality in Academy city, as he knows it carries with it the hopes and dreams of every single high school boy's deepest desire.

Hamazura closed the apartment door and descended the complex, leaving the elevator instantly after and making a haste journey to school district 15.

That was the only location where his mission could be completed.

His objective was a clothing store. Not one store in particular but any of those noteworthy establishments he had already scouted online through meticulous examination; A future defining creation that can revolutionize a teenage boy's Christmas experience does deserve the best designers after all. Not to say that the others that weren't included were trash but if Hamazura wanted to start this Santa bunny suit trend in Academy City then this prototype project deserves nothing but perfection.

However, seeing how things are panning out, those unlisted stores might be an option.

Hamazura exited his seventh clothing store. Unlike the previous ones, which didn't have the required fabric to create the bunny Santa costume, the store he just departed did. In spite of that, however, they were unable to fulfill his ordered request. The last of the needed fabric was for a pre-order for a customer, but the events of the past few weeks pulled them behind schedule.

'Maybe I should have placed an order.' He wondered. By the time the fabric gets here, there should be an adequate amount of time to finish the costume and mail it to him. However, in matters that concern Academy City, anything can go wrong. Hence his reluctance.

But the same can be said regardless. Hamazura just thinks he'll feel more at ease if there was a semblance of reassurance. He was yearning to see his girlfriend back in a sexy outfit similar to during the A. O. Francisca incident.

'You know what, it doesn't matter. Any clothing store would do really. As long as they do custom orders. I just want to see Takitsubo in a sexy bunny Santa suit!"

When Hamazura concluded that, a certain Santa outfit in a store window caught his eye.

He came to a halt.

As he stared past the storefront glass, his mind began to wonder.

His girlfriend looked exceptionally sexy in that, miniskirt, midriff-baring, kneesock-equipped, green-ribbon-like rubber-suspenders-to-accentuate-the-chest edition Santa outfit. So, what if he incorporates it in his design. She did say she went out of her way to wear it for him. But since he was preoccupied with the processor suit and Lilith incident, had little time to appreciate it.

Problem was...

"How would I add it in though? There would be a loss in meaning if I don't make it stand out."

All Hamazura needed to do was add one aspect of that outfit to his blended design. A simple task really, but the vision he had in mind required more class than elementary changing the color scheme or swapping/changing out the costume base.

He wanted to mesh the two costumes together without ruining their individual integrity. Something he felt the online mix repeatedly does. At that point, they already lost the interest of any true connoisseurs.

"Argh! Dammit. This is so frustrating. It was already hard blending a new school Santa outfit with an iconic playboy bunny suit! How am I going to add an aspect of this to it without revamping my design!"

"Ohh...Uh-huh, I get it. That does sound difficult."

A blue-haired boy, who stood next to Hamazura, nodded with his eyes closed. His right arm, which held a small yellow shopping bag, hugged softly around his waist while his left, pinched his chin lightly; Both small gestures accommodated each other as if saying, "Understood", "Yes", and "Of course".

"Ehhh?!"

Hamazura swung his head to gazed at him.

The boy opened his mouth to speak again.

"Hmmm...It's nothing new, mixing a bunny suit and Santa costume, but every designer seems to always fail in capturing their essence. "

The mysterious boy in question was looking at the same thing as Hamazura was, as he spoke casually. He shrugged his shoulders then continued once more.

"They just completely disregarded what made those two costumes special, you know? I don't have anything against the changed color scheme or a redesign of the wear but there exist rules to follow and weighing the pros and cons is the biggest!"

At first, Hamazura was confused. He froze in place, dumbstruck by the sudden presence of the mysterious person standing beside him. After hearing the embarrassing words that left Hamazura mouth, any passerby's first impression of him would be some random weirdo, and they would have avoided him. However, this boy, right here, ignored that general response and walked straight up to him. The look on his face showed he was truly fascinated. Not only that but the words that he spoke shared similar viewpoints to Hamazura.

And so.

"Right! You get it! All of them have the cons outweigh the pros. Using that as a set guideline they could have created a costume that gets the best aspects of both without ruining what made them great as a compromise!"

Simply put they wanted the clothing designers to stop making them too much of a one-note theme costume. If they are going to blend them then at least create a balance. Do not shift the overall design due to the influence of the occasion.

"Indeed. That's the biggest reason why bunny Santa suits are so little everywhere. You can't even say it is a part of the niche market when barely anyone buys them. However, I think you got your work cut out for you. There is a reason why they always fail in creating the perfect balance."

"I would be lying if I told you I didn't fall in the same trench as everyone else but I kinda already overcame that. Even if it is somewhat."

Saying that, Hamazura brought out a folded printer paper from his jeans pocket and gave it to the mysterious boy who then scanned the pencil-drawn blueprint.

"It was difficult but I got help from a friend who excels in analysis and research."

The boy was awe-struck and amazed with the level of thought that was put into this design. Most bunny Santa suits you see online would either just add a few fabrics to the bunny suit, only apply bunny ears to a Santa costume, or just change the overall dress and give it a Christmassy style with bunny ears and tail.

His was closer to the former but with more thought behind it. At its base, the blend costume was a bunny suit. The Christmassy aspect comes from the color scheme and ornaments.

The bunny Santa costume had the obvious bunny ears, which Hamazura added ribbons to at their base, and a fluffy bunny tail.

Drawing inspiration from those miniskirt Santa outfits, he had fur-trimmed ends added to the leotard-not the crotch area of course- and detached thumbhole arm sleeves. He even tied small ribbons to the fur ends of the arm sleeves to make it more Christmassy.

In replace of the traditional Christmas hat he swapped in an instrumental string headwear with golden embroidery; a bell was attached to two mistletoe leaves on one side of the string and golden bracelets with cotton wool covering both sides of the head.

A Christmas theme thigh band was also added, but that was beneath the right-leg thigh band pantyhose. And, on the topic of the thigh band pantyhose, a slip of the suspender belt seems to be peeking out a little from the crotch area of the leotard.

This wasn't a level the boy was expecting. He looked at the Santa outfit in the glass window, and then investigated the blueprint more thoroughly before responding.

"Amazing! And you want to add an aspect of that in as well?" The boy asked with his finger pointed at the Santa outfit through the window.

"Yea."

"Well, here's an idea, what if you expose a bit of the stomach and display the ribbon-like rubber suspenders through that and the unused bareback area of the bunny suit. It could be done in a crisscross pattern."

"That's genius! By doing so I can utilize all aspects."

"But,... I doubt this shop has any material to spare. Almost all of their reserve raw fabric would be used for pre-order Christmas outfits. I know a perfect place where you can get this made though. They're not big so they can't compete with the fancier shops but they pump out just as good products."

"That would be such a big help," Hamazura said and they left for the store.

As they walked through the crowd, the blue-haired boy decided to explain a couple of details about the shop. He went on to tell Hamazura about how there are only two people actually running it. And that the girl behind the designs was mega hot and super talented. According to him, the stores' main source of income comes from selling to markets, shops, convenience stores, and schools but they also do repairs and private requests.

A short time passed and they entered the clothing store.

"You brought a friend this time, Aogami." Said the shopkeeper behind the counter; Slim man, mid-twenties, oil back slick hair, and looks like he should be in a monthly men magazine.

"Yo." Aogami greeted him then laid his weight on the counter. "This guy right here is a special customer." He pointed towards Hamazura, and the man's gaze drifted to the blonde.

"Oh?"

"Check it." With one of his hands scrummaging through the right pocket of Hamazura's pants, Aogami pulled out the outfit blueprint sheet and presented it to the man at the desk.

"Hmm. Interesting. Nice design." The man smirks with a shake of his head.

"I know right!" Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Aogami continued to invade the man's personal space. "So what do you say?!"

"...Well... it is our job to design clothing." He pushed Aogami away and shrugged.

"You have the materials?!" Hamazura asked.

"We do. We're not exactly in high demand so we should have those fabrics in stock. "

"See! What did I say?! Oh, before I forget he wants a little gap to show some stomach. He's planning on having a suspender strap exposed through there."

"Don't you think you're a little too excited? It's not even your project."

"I'm contributing to such greatness, so why wouldn't I be?"

The man gave a resigned sigh. Then asked Hamazura for his contact information before seeing him and Aogami off.

"I rather choose a tomboy over a high-class lady." Aogami shrugged. Shortly after leaving the clothing store, he had asked Hamazura to have lunch with him. Hamazura didn't have anything else planned for the day, so, though he already ate a couple of hours ago, decided to join him.

They had been walking around for a while, having nonsensical conversations one after the other until four middle school girls ahead of them caught their eyes.

That is what led to this particular conversation. One which would be classified as anything but normal by anyone except for these types of perverts.

"Don't get me wrong they are my fetish, with those cute dresses and shy innocence, but if I were forced into the position to choose then I'd go with a Tomboy. They're like tsunderes, you know? But with boyish mannerisms which should be weird but it isn't. Kinda like traps. Something about seeing them dress in the opposite sex clothing is enticing."

This had first started with an observation made by Aogami on those Tokiwadai and Sakugawa Middle School girl's skirts. Then it started devolving from there into several other types of degenerate topics until it shifted to this one.

Hamazura shook his head in disagreement.

"I don't know man. Maybe if it was a tomboy tsundere who doesn't feel the need to bludgeon me every time they're embarrassed, then I might go for it but I highly doubt that would be possible. Almost all girls of that tomboy nature are extra extroverted. Chances are, they would beat my ass for trying because they're the dominator type."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The abuse is the added bonus. Where is your sense of adventure? That just makes them ten times more attractive. Besides, the unveiling of their hidden nature results in more satisfyingly cute and adorable ojou-sama moments."

Hamazura didn't ponder that for long before answering.

"I guess, but those beatings would be par for the course for me. Look at me, I'm frail. I just don't see the appeal of Tsunderes."

"What?! C'mon man. I expected better from you. How can a man who appreciates the teasing allure of skirts not seize the opportunity to break through the self-building firewall of a tsundere."

"I'm not saying I won't enjoy the hurdles, I just don't see the abuse as worthwhile to experience that adorable side. I don't mind bashfulness but not if it means getting beaten until black and blue-"

"I can no longer look at you the same anymore. I thought we were brothers in arms." Aogami said with a bit of a disappointed tone.

Leaving it at that they entered inside the family restaurant and took a seat near a pillar in the center. Soon after doing so, a waiter came and took their orders. Hamazura wasn't really hungry so he ordered a plate of gyoza dumplings while Aogami ordered a surf and turf dish with heavy seasoning and a can of coke soda.

"!?"

That was when Hamazura caught sight of someone. By the time he had rested his head on the table and hid behind his right hand, the waiter had already left and so the only one there who was looking at him bewildered was Aogami.

"Ahn?"

Confused, Aogami looked in the direction Hamazura glanced at last.

And

"Ahh..."

=o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o=

Last Order and the others couldn't believe their eyes.

Among the many locations to visit in Academy city, leisurely, Last Order, and Fremea found this was the best and only option for their one time no restraints free day visit.

Seeing that they've tried countless times to come here but would always be prevented from doing so because of different circumstances happening, of course, they would choose this landmark.

"Woah," Freamea exclaimed, looking at the many attractions with suspenseful excitement. For her and Last Order this was like a dream come true.

The group was standing outside the entrance to the huge amusement park located in school district 6. The giant spectacle brimming with an astonishing amount of life despite the events that happened prior.

And, Last order found that this made for an atmosphere that was plentiful in exuberance, perfect for what she had first in place for the group today.

Unlike the two foreign girls beside each other, rather than being overwhelmed by the spectacle before them, Last Order and Fremea ran delightedly beyond the park entrance.

"What are you guys waiting for, Misaka asks as Misaka ushers the others to follow."

Once they did, they made their way to a guide map near a lamp post.

"What should we do first, Misaka asks as Misaka ponders the difficult question?"

"Well, just like you this is my first time coming here, but according to what I've seen on television and in comics, we should definitely save the Ferris wheel for last."

"Naturally. It was meant to be that way! A Ferris is most enjoyable when it works in tandem with a lavishly tranquil sunset! Doing it any other way would be sacrilege to this sacred region cut off from time. The moment you set foot in here you already unconsciously agree to set that at the end of the day, Misak enlightens everyone as Misaka spits facts!"

"Well, I guess that makes sense...some of it at least." Komoe somewhat agreed to the twisted logic, trailing off that final sentence in an awkward murmur.

The others, Index and Fraulein, 'Eeh?' and 'Ohh' respectively while Qliphah puzzle 545...

"I found myself surrounded by weirdos." Concluded thus.

"I never knew that." Index said in wonderous thought. "What about everything in-between though?" She asked, curious about the order of events.

"That doesn't matter. You can do just about any combination you like just as long as you save the Ferris wheel for last." Fremea responded. She then decided to ask the fourth recruit for her input.

"What say you, greenhorn?"

Komoe ignored the nickname and answered in stride.

"Hmm...What about a merry-go-round?" 'It used to be my favorite.' She recalled the fond memories.

A muddled 'What' broke the momentary silence.

"Are you one of those adults that think text abbreviations like LMAO, LOL, and TBH are slangs that kids use in everyday verbal conversations ask Misaka as Misaka consider-"

"No, no, no!" Komoe flailed her hands in denial. "That wasn't what I meant!"

"Pf...pff, bwhahah, oh god I can't contain this." The demon above them laughed. "Hey, Sensei, are you so far out of touch with kids that you don't know the new generation detests kiddy rides."

Out of touch didn't have anything to do with it. Komoe just thought a mild ride like that would be a good starting point for a ramped-up exciting first experience, but it seems those girls don't see it that way. Well three of them that is. Index and Fraulein were just as confused as they were at the start of this conversation.

Qliphah puzzle 545 however wanted to add a little spice into this day so she put forward a suggestion.

"Hey, What about a rollercoaster?"

"A rollercoaster? Hmmm..."

"That's another high energy attraction admits Misaka as Misaka mulls over the suggestion." Last order said giving it

"I wonder how it would feel riding one of those." Index too put it under consideration.

"What's a rollercoaster?"

"Nooopeee. Nuh-uh. No way. Even if Academy City has safety measures on safety measure, that's too much of an alternating experience for them to try out. "

"Ohhh? Sounds like you tried one out. I'm surprised! Don't you have to clear the height limitation first before getting on that kind of ride on the outside world, sensei~" Qliphah puzzle 545 teased her.

Komoe stiffened, that wasn't far off from what had happened, less humiliating at least, but when she was going to protest to the joke, she caught a glance of how enthralled Fraulein and Index were into the map.

She took a deep breath to calm her embarrassment, then spoke.

"Ok. How about this, we each get to pick whatever ride catches our eyes and the whole group partakes in each individual one. But rollercoasters are out of the options."

"That sounds like a good suggestion, says Misaka as Misaka nods her head in agreement."

The crowd there was thin so attractions in the near distance were easy to identify. The group strolled from area to area along the path, admiring the various features, events, rides, and games sprinkled in that region, until someone, Fraulein, picked a ride.

Her facial expression wasn't anything removed from the norm but the bright glint gleaming from her eyes and the still silence that hanged when she ceased her saunter, displayed her unconscious interest.

The attraction could be described as childish.

It was one of those coffee cup rides that were commonly used by friends to help hook up couples and bond with parents and siblings alike. That's what Qliphah puzzle 545 thought at least. And so were the only things she cared to highlight.

There was no one occupying the ride at the moment, so the pink-haired seedling, dubbed sensei by Qliphah puzzle 545, moseyed her way to the unmanned ticket stand where she paid the required amount of digital coins.

Payment for rides was only possible through downloading the amusement park app from their official website. It was a mandatory requirement for all Visitors. And so, the only accessible way to acquire the park-specific currency of pick coins.

Similar to gacha games, new members of the app are offered a complimentary pack. In this case, 300 pick points to their free membership. And since this is Komoe's first trip to the amusement park, the machine took payment from that allotted amount. Barely causing a dent in her membership account which she converted and transferred some of her real money into.

While Komoe was busy paying the group's fee, the dastardly demon of the upside-down tree was having an irritating time antagonizing the small girls.

For a while she had them, bringing up reliable factions and certain hypocritical quotes made offhandedly, but that moment of triumphantly was ruined by the girl's steadfast camaraderie which had them stand behind Frauleins childish choice.

When Komoe returned back to the group the argument seemed to die down; And Last Order, after shouting a doting 'LET'S GO!', grabbed and pulled both Index and Qliphah puzzle 545 by the hands towards the open space spinning attraction.

Academy City's School District 6 was a specialized area that primarily focused on recreational facilities for research and experimentation into the service industries and the field of amusement.

It was an amusement park filled with many high-tech facilities like pools, hotels, and theaters, and most importantly-well in this case-innovative attractions.

One of these said innovations being the coffee cup ride in front of them that was similar in design to those reusable coffee cups that came in different colors. The coffee cup attraction is still composed of the same turntable mechanics and holds a maximum capacity of 36 people.

Appropriated to its base simplicity, the coffee cup ride was of the myriad of few attractions/rides that didn't require human assistance.

Hence why, after the elegant mechanical voice announced the ride's safety instructions, the ride began remotely spinning.

Coffee cup rides relied on the mechanical rotational energy of the platform to begin revolving. When the attraction's maximum resolution speed is met, passengers are then able to/ or inclined to rotate their specific coffee cup by manually turning the central steering wheel fixed in the middle.

But

If that was all there was to it, then would academy city really be recognized as being years in advance even in the recreational technological field?

This was a district whose sole purpose was the research and experimentation of recreational facilities for service industries after all.

Therefore, the thing that set this apart from the regular was that it was a magnetic levitation floating coffee cup ride that utilized an electronically controlled magnetic system.

The frame of the cups was made of ABS material. This thereby gives it high tensile strength and makes it very resistant to physical impacts and chemical corrosion, which allows the plastic frame to withstand heavy and adverse environmental conditions.

A thin flat circular magnet, where the thickness does not exceed the diameter, was also wrapped around the cup as a singular 24cm ring. That allowed for the cups to slide off from one another whenever they touch; Thus giving it the ability to perform smooth multi-directional turns. Think of it like the bombarded movement of atoms in space.

As to guarantee the contents of the ride were contained and as an extra safety measure, the attraction was held within a large circle boundary made from the same ABS material and utilized opposite in polarity. LED lighting was also installed into the circular walls to make for a cool aesthetic in the dark as it would be reflected from the frosted shell surface of the cups to cast a clear and non-fading scene.

All of this was relinquished just to say, case in point, a ridiculous amount of technology was put into the typical ride.

The cups glide and skimmed over the magnetic platform utilizing static electricity.

Last Order was in a coffee cup with Index and Qliphah puzzle 545 while Komoe occupied another with Fraulein and Fremea.

It used the same principle as bumper cars but the thin flat 24cm magnet rings were used in place of the special rubber linings on the outsides of the cars. Due to this, the type of chaos present here was more controlled and provided better protection against collisions.

This could be seen by how all 12 coffee cups slew, slithered and wormed freely and complexly above the giant metal platform as though they were levitating Chinese boarding balls used to improve finger dexterity.

Last order looked around, easily overcoming the normally limited field of vision of 95°, and saw how the jumbled mishmash of cups seamlessly but aimlessly rolled off one another.

What fun this was. She hopes Yomikawa and the others could visit here someday. But for now, she would take in as much information as possible to relay to the sisters and become more experienced and knowledgeable for whenever that day may come.

"Ahhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!"

"Ahhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhh!"

Within that nauseated 360° field of vision, she heard two familial screeched-out voices overturn the others.

Last Order twirled her head around, not bound to the simple roller coaster seat belt holding her in place, but even as a blur she couldn't really make out the familial silhouettes of her other friends.

However, she didn't give up. Last Order came up with the idea to turn down the cup's volume of acceleration via the central steering wheel in the hopes of connecting with them, and within a couple of seconds, she caught a glance of the other group.

The screams belong to her friends, Fremea and Ms. Komoe.

While Index and Qliphah puzzle 545 were overcome and elated by the swerving movement of the cups, Komoe and Fremea were both frightened and disoriented by the shared complex maneuvers and overwhelmingly veracious accelerated rotations done by Fraulein.

This made Last Order laugh and so...she accelerated their cup's speed.

Doppler effect screams cried out for a while after that.

"W-w-waohh."

The duration of one and a half minutes was over.

"My head won't stop spinning. So this is one of the powers of Academy City technology."

Qliphah puzzle 545 and Index paid for Last Orders' childish whims.

"Pant...Pant...I love you Fraulein but I'm never doing that with you EVER again!"

"Maybe you went too enthusiastically there Fraulein-chan." Komoe pants with her hands on her knees.

They too have also become tipsy in bearings.

Fraulein wobbled out the ride soon after and so too did a slightly drunken manner Last Order.

Well, it was a good thing they listened to Ms. Komoe about holding off on snacks. Things would have gone down a whole lot differently if they didn't. Even Qliphah puzzle 545, who was leaning against the wall boundary, had to admit that much. And she always births herself into a tornado to get summoned for goodness sake.

Last Order shook off the last bit of her disorientated ness then scanned through her phone. She was looking over the amusement park's map for something in particular and once she got its route...

"Alright! Misaka knows what she wanna rides next, says Misaka as Misaka lets everyone know but refuse to say it to not spoil the surprise." She said hyperactivity after putting the phone away.

"You think I'm gonna trust you after what just happen." Qliphah puzzle 545 snapped back holding a grudge.

However, the chipper brown hair girl's insistence didn't waver but instead became more saturated.

"Come, come! Hurry, hurry! Misaka doesn't know if anyone is using it or not but she wants to hurry before a new game starts Misaka says as Misaka rushes everyone. Onwards to the non disclose location!" Last Order said as she runs off.

That didn't last long. Last Order took off without any hesitance, leaving the four slump girls there in a daze.

"...W-wait, hold on."

Index however was the least caught off guard. She picked up her pace and followed behind the giggling girl, getting held by her hand not long after catching up as she was led onwards.

Komoe, Fremea, Fraulein, and even the very reluctant demon girl followed Last Order soon after. A bit concerned about just what it was that brown-haired girl had in store for her choice.

They cut across a Mystic Mansion Horror House and passed through a Tilt A Whirl ride as well as several other attractions as they traveled to a giant building with a big go-kart poster.

"Of all the things I was expecting, this was not one of them."

The floating demon of the upside-down tree stared at said poster before entering inside. As soon as they did, they traveled past the lobby and trekked up four sets of stairs.

"Maybe because it had fit so perfectly well within the realm of possibilities that's why. But this is very much suited to her personality type." Komoe said in agreement.

"What's that supposed to mean, Misaka asks as Misaka looks at Komoe intently."

"I can see where Komoe is coming from." Index said, after considering Last Orders personality.

Fraulein seems to come to the same implication on her friends' personality as she shook her head as well.

"I would have to agree with that as well."

Last Order was flabbergasted. She looked towards her nearest and closest friend before entering inside the waiting room.

Fremea however didn't have anything to contribute to that topic.

"Oh. This could make for a helpful driving experience!"

She ignored all that was said and pursued the thought that lingered in her head but was only realized as she watched the display on the large television screen.

Yes, once they entered the waiting room they saw that other people had already arrived before them.

But

"I'm already exceptional behind the wheel but the more you do something the better you get at it."

"Misaka isn't even going to question that blatant delusion of yours, says Misaka as Misaka mutters under her breath."

Last Order didn't care about the wait. She was a bit salty so she decided to throw those careless words back into the blonde hair girl's face by saying that loudly.

"It is not a delusion. It's the truth. Hamazura and Komaba taught me how too."

"Even if we entertained the idea that you sat atop thick textbooks and wore a peer of child stilts, no one in their right mind would believe that a brattish person such as yourself was a good driver" Qliphah puzzle 545 told her.

"They were probably lying to you to make their suffering stop, Misaka says as Misaka concluded the reason." And last Order jab the blade even deeper.

"There, there. You don't have to listen to those two, it's alright as long as you know it to be true."

Fraulein didn't even get to pat Fremea's head for long before it was tantrummy swatted away.

"Err! I'm telling the truth! Stop ganging up on me!" Fremea yelled, flustered.

"Sigh, I know that feeling. No matter if the words leaving the person's lips are sincerer or not, it always comes off as them patronizing you." Komoe said even more audibly.

"Speaking of, how do you even overcome the limitation of overlooking the dashboard, Komoe?" Index asked and the other girls looked in the teachers' direction.

Fortunately for Komoe however, she had avoided the embarrassing explanation. The group who was ahead of them had just finished their track race so it was time for them to enter the vacant racing track.

None of the girls -not even Komoe- knew why the room was pitch black.

All the lights were turned off except for the ones that illuminated the automated vehicles from below and lined the underside of them.

However, it was purposely done so to hide the race track room's correct dimensions.

Just like the magnetic levitation floating coffee cup ride, an exceptional amount of technology was used to design the racing track. This includes both the use of advanced Virtual Hologram technology, used in school district 9 and Graviton Panels that help form sturdy solid structures during construction business.

After everyone strapped themselves in, a solid meter length white light formed a starting line.

The entire room then goes plain white and a holographic timer begins to count down.

Five seconds before Go.

3

2

1

An instantaneous zoom ranged out. Soon after leaving the starting line-Komoe in the leading first position-the entire studio harmoniously transformed into a desert rock land.

It caught the girls off guard for a second but right after the four girls quickly adapted to the shift.

This was the type of attraction the Go-Kart ride was. A virtual reality racing ride that makes use of virtual holographic technology to set the scenery and combine it with the many graviton panels below to construct and invent the intricate race track roads. Moreover, thanks to Academy City technology, every other outside material is actually displaced into the created environment to make for a more realistic experience.

So in accordance with this setting: The room turned hot and the track kicked up dirt.

Every other environmental condition change that will take place from here on would all rest on the randomly selected race track setting. Because once a group scans their phones for payment, three different tracks are picked at random from the studio's internal system.

Komoe had a substantial head start but Fremea and Last order were right behind her, fighting neck and neck to see who could overturn the other to pass Komoe.

Qliphah puzzle 545 wasn't that far behind them though. She flew by with accelerated speed under the guise of the whipped-up dust that had formed from those girls brawling and overturned them, irresponsibly swaying her car horizontally from left to right to scourge up a dust cloud as payback.

"Later suckers" She taunts them with her toothily devilish grin.

Due to that dust forming a cloud and inhibiting their vision, Last Order and Fremea slowed down their haste. And luckily so because they managed to braked in time for a hurried maneuver around a somewhat large rock formation when they had veered off course during their brawl.

While that was going on and everyone was competing, however, Index and Fraulein were 30 meters behind cruising around and crashing into everything; Well Fraulein was cruising, Index was... let us just say creeping along meekly with a face that read she doesn't want to go into that scary house with her friends but since shes so much of a scaredy-cat she might as well.

The studio switched territories again and this time it was a Winters mountainous road in Switzerland with three curved roundabout slopes and a steep incline.

Komoe didn't have much trouble piloting her way through the many twists and turns but the other three girls, not so much.

Drifting was an art only the most experienced were privy to; Where drivers would purposely swerve their cars sideways to smoothly and fluidly overturn a steep corner. Obviously, Fremea, Last Order, and Qliphah puzzle 545 don't have the technique to fluidly pull that off.

"Errrr." Qliphah puzzle 545 growled. She was now in fourth place as the blonde hair doll Fremea Seivelun, who was previously in it, sped past her.

There is no way video game experience could equate to real life, right? She questioned.

This was supposed to be a good opportunity for her to get payback for all those losses last night. Last Order was a better racer than her in video games, she begrudgingly accepts that, but like seriously? In real life too?

No way. Qliphah puzzle 545 refused to accept that. This was different from when she loses to Worst. That girl was on another level. She just races circles around them both. Thankfully, however, Last Order was nowhere close to Worst skills.

With the way things are now, there's no way she can make it to even third place. If that's the case, then she will not try to push it. Once they reach the final setting then she would pull out all the stops. Especially that one move that Worst and she performed on Last Order.

Right after reaching the leveled top, the scenery switched to a long resort white beach shoreline in the country of Australia.

Qliphah puzzle 545 made sure to keep up the short distance between her and Fremea just to give herself a chance to ruin Last Order's win.

She bumped the tail-end side of Fremeas' car to get her attention.

" Yoo-hoo! Yo blondie wanna get a guaranteed win?!" She said, hitting the bumper again.

"What?! No! You don't think I'm stupid enough to fall for that obvious trap right?"

"I also thought you were being delusional when you said you had driving skills and look at you now, I was right. The only reason why you are in front of me now is because I suck at turning the steep corner." She laughed at the memory.

"You only managed that because Last Order was getting in my way."

"And now she's going to score a long stretched second."

That got under her skin.

"Why would you wanna help me?"

"Because I would rather lose than let her hover another win over me. So, what do you say?"

Fremea went silent. She hesitated for a bit, mulling over every possible outcome but a slight head nod affirms her response.

'Well, that saves me the headache of actually possessing you. Master would be pissed if he found out I did that and Worst would probably laugh at me.'

Qliphah puzzle 545 directed Fremea about everything she had to do.

And

Now.

It was time for that slingshot move Worst taught her.

Fremea decelerated her car and moved it behind the demons. The slingshot move was an actual technique used by pro races on the last laps of a race.

A car behind trails a driver in front to steal the leading car draft. It uses that reduction in pressure to ease its movement through the air when they then decide to mash the gas and use the extra power to slingshot ahead for the victory.

And so, not long after doing so, Fremea's go-kart whizzed from behind Qliphah puzzle 545's and blew past Last Orders.

She was now in second place but sadly not by a large margin.

That didn't seem to bother the demon of the Qliphoth though.

"Neheheheh!~"

The farther Last Order tried to get, the quicker Fremea recovered the distance.

They were neck and neck again. Locked once more in an intense battle to see who could overturn the other.

But

In the end.

...

...

...

Fremea won the struggle and crossed the finish line second.

And

Apart from the small argument that ensued between Fremea and Last Order nothing major happened while they laid in wait for the other two members.

"That was foul play, Misaka says as Misaka won't stop referring to it as such."

They were now outside and aimlessly walking around.

"Awww, is someone a sore loser? Hehehehaha. "

"Wow, last Order."

"You had to cheat to get past me, Misaka says as Misaka states the truth!"

"Umm, no. The slingshot maneuver is defined as a rule regulating move used in actual racing. Just face it, I'm a better driver." Fremea recites as she recalls what Qliphah puzzle 545 told her.

"I don't think I want to do that ever again." Index sighed exhaustedly.

"I thought it was fun."

"Really, Fraulein? How could you not get scared of everything that just suddenly popped up? The gas paddle was so sensitive that I couldn't stop hitting everything in my path."

"Well, it's not ending here! I already know what I want to try next." Fremea said singsong.

"Ok, after this we're going to take a break and grab something to eat before we start back up our journey." Komoe clapped and they all simultaneously shouted 'Aii!.

The Mystic Mansion Horror House. They had passed it already on their way to the go-kart attraction but now here they were, back again to the ride no one gave any attention to.

Fremea also didn't pay that attraction any mind on their previous pass-through, but she didn't bring them here because of some childish whim.

The time she had spent waiting for Fraulein and Index was put towards looking for a ride that can carry a similar boastful energy. And what better than one that caters to her curious taste for violent video games.

The Horror Mansion part was self-explanatory, but a Mystic Mansion was an indoor interactive ride that had the riveting gameplay of blasting the creepy monsters lurking inside and doing so in a competition against other tourists.

This attraction was first made to be a family friend but adhering to those constructs severely limited the high technology Academy City had available. Consequently meaning no one from Academy City tried it. And if no one enjoyed it that meant no data was provided.

Hence why they decided to blend the first idea of a mystic mansion with a horror one. People came in waves to try it out and unsurprisingly, it was a massive hit. To the extent that even elementary kids wanted in. Of course, there were regulations against that but delinquent cases kept on popping up about kids always trying to sneak in.

It was thanks to that pressure though why Index and the others were allowed to enter.

Mystic Mansions revolved around one-shot story plots. This one was about a biohazard incident that morphed dozens of workers into gruesome creatures. The 50 researchers who first checked out the scene never returned back. The last contact they sent out was a mysterious report about creatures appearing. 3 investigations were deployed out to ascertain what happened and validate the claims but on the third, things quickly went south. Now, the player's objective is to survive the 15-minute wait until extraction.

Gameplay gear includes a smartwatch, the same length as a geometry box set, that reshapes itself into a wrist blaster, and the high-tech smart glasses that see theirs and the monster's health bars as well as double as a countdown timer. A protective wearable suit that calculates and distributes damage to minus from the health gauge was also included but its superhuman aspects were locked away because of the high sensitivity.

Before the games could start, players were explained to by the game attendants that the attraction was made up of 15 different scenes all of which have monsters with various score points ranging from 1 to 15; And, depending on how much they are worth, their difficulty of beating is also raised by that much.

To accommodate for those numerous scenes, the game was held in a giant dome-shaped architecture with an artificially cultivated environment that nowhere else but Academy City could realistically create.

Indeed. The amusement park executives created a large landscape and fashioned in all sorts of structures to be used for playability.

The mansion was still the main focus that tied in with the storyline but it was only a fraction of the diverse staging areas like the stables, chapel, catacombs, and even a lake beyond the surrounding forest.

The entire 7.9-acre estate was a gameplay area. And Fremea and the others were a part of the 27 players who made up the contenders.

Right now, they were outside the seamless stone wall surrounding the property, staring beyond the gate entrance of the castle-like mansion and peering through the chilling air that hanged lazily with light traces of fog.

Obviously, the game was set in a subtly dark atmosphere to help capture the tense overtone, but the mysterious source of light that illuminates the estate is what eccentricities the creepy feel.

"Ok you guys," Komoe said, still scrolling through reviews online talking about the attraction. "Here's the plan. We will stick together and form a battle formation that maximizes our numbers. Everyone playing is doing so individually, we can take advantage of that and at least make it so everyone scores in the top 15." She explained before putting the phone away, but when she raised her head to look at the members of her team.

"Ehh?"

She saw that those girls weren't there. None of the other players were at the gate as well. And that meant the 2-minute head start that they were given, to position themselves anywhere without worry of running into monsters, had started.

When Komoe was informed about that leg by the game attendants she had hurriedly scan through past game run reviews to find any information, regardless if it was minuscule, so she can guarantee they all can have a fun time while still accomplishing a win. But by the time she finished her research everyone had already left the entrance.

By the time she had whipped her head around, only a few vestiges of players were sprinting within the front yard, and Index and the others weren't among them. Which made Komoe assume they got caught up and lost in the crowd.

That was a fair assumption at least, but the truth was quite different.

---

Not too long after segwaying away from the crowd, Last order ran off for the giant garden far off the east wing.

Her plan was to find a location where she could get a good sum of points to overstep the others with little risk of getting taken out. And the giant garden, which was to the side end of the mansion, was the perfect location for that battle plan.

Last Order analyzed everything from a video game perspective.

In horror games that are set in multiple staging locations, where would the weakest monsters be? It would be the starting stage first, right? Obviously, game developers would program events to get more difficult as players progress. So couldn't the same be said for this massive game area? The goal changes things up a bit but the fundamentals should still remain the same.

When gamers first get into playing a horror game every monster would be difficult and a chore to beat but within the time you get better and after playing back through the game again you can easily gauge the enemy's difficulty.

It was due to following that chain of thought why she headed to the garden but not straight into the mansion where all the low point creatures resign. With her skill set being as it is, going after low points alone won't let her beat Fremea and Qliphah puzzle 545.

She needed to go for both the lowest and second-lowest points while still finding a safe zone to transition between the two. And what better location than one where she can easily run from the garden to the mansion.

Unfortunately for Last order however a certain blonde-haired someone had the same idea. Though her conclusion was more so drawn from the many stories of this place she had heard during her investigation into the park, way back when.

"Would you stop following Misaka, shouts Misaka as Misaka runs even faster! Misaka gets that you are worried but you don't have to be this pitiful."

"I am not! We are just going in the same direction."

"Liar! You know you can't beat Misaka any other way. You are using Misaka's game plan to try to get a leg up on her, aren't you? Misaka says as Misaka makes a pragmatic assumption."

"As if I'm so incompetent. I don't need to rely on the tactics of a scrub to score tons of points." Fremea said with a frown."You know what, it doesn't matter I'm going to get more points than you just you wait."

"Don't get ahead of yourself. Even though you're the one mirroring Misaka she won't lose to a copycat, Misaka says as Misaka is determined to make you eat your words."

"I'm not copying you!"

And with that, the challenge that was supposed to be between those five girls turned into a declaration of war between these two.

It was very uncanny how even a unique design garden could fill one with both unease and beauty.

Excessive amounts of multicolor flower beds placed within intricately designed garden hedges laid before them but an angst sense of edge prohibited them from moving.

Even though they descended the three flight of steps and were grace with an enthralling entrance that had a row of multicolored flower beds in front of two garden hedge pillars on both sides, they still did not take a step forward.

Perhaps it was because of the combined utilization of the light foggy air and hung silence why, or maybe it was the way those two small rectangular stone garden reservoirs on either side in front of the walkway enraptured and enhanced the eerie atmosphere.

Maybe, but this was something by which only real horror lovers can really understand.

Last Order and Fremea swerved their heads around, looking to the left, to the right, up towards the slope, and straight ahead of them, confirming for the third time that no creature was around.

"T-This garden looks way nicer than first expected." Fremea, who had the same uneven and miss-matched expression as Last order, stuttered.

They were shoulder to shoulder, grasping at the smartwatch with their other hand while it pressed tightly against their chest.

With a broken voice, Last Order responded.

"Y-yea. One would think they would let the garden degrade though... whether naturally or purposefully, Misaka says as she comments on an observation." She laughed and so did Fremea.

"...Yea... Who do they think they can scare like this. It's quite pitiful actually. This does not fit with the mood they tried so hard to set." Fremea's voiced with found confidence and Last Order soon followed.

"I'm sure there is nothing like that inside that giant mansion, Misaka says as Misaka hopes that's true. Otherwise, this game would be one big letdown."

"I would be disappointed if it did. That's the staging area that connects everything. "

"...So what you're saying is that we should go there first to get a better experience, Misaka assumes as Misaka interprets what you mean." Last Order sliced through the silence. Neither She nor Fremea knew how to convince the other to give up first so they could enter inside the mansion.

So accepting that, Last Order decided to throw a somewhat of a compromise. One where she forces Fremea to agree while still admitting defeat.

However, Fremea was very stubborn.

"W-what...N-n-no! In what way did what I said translate to that!?"

"You worried about our game experience. If you choose between something that looks obviously bad and something unknown, of course, you'd want the unknown. At least that's what Misaka assumes. It does open the possibility for hope, Misaka says as Misaka gives her explanation."

"...You know it's ok if you want to be a chicken." The unveiled front that Fremea faced her with turned into a full-blown smug. "I would still respect you either way."

"Not..not true Misaka isn't scared. Nope. Not at all, Misaka denies as Misaka disagrees with you."

"Then just admit you wanna go into the mansion."

"Misaka doesn't want to. She is totally fine out here. Misaka only wanted to give you a gesture as a way out, Misaka says as Misaka tells you her honest intention."

"Liar. You-"

*Bloomp*

..."!?".../..."!?"...

Silence.

...A short heartbeat...

Both girls instantly froze.

*Bloomp*

It resounded again. A muffled *Bloomp* sound, as though a rock was dropped into a pond of water.

Both girls inched their heads around to see what it was.

A human-shaped silhouette.

It cropped up from the depths of the stone rectangular reservoir, lulling slowly and soothingly free from the surface of the water, like a shark dorsal fin when lured out for bait.

Its severe hair loss head was first, then came its plastered on force toothy smile that passed the ridge of its nonexistent hairline, or rather, right pass where its eyes would have been.

A body like a twig and a complexion pale as a ghost, the creature moved its overly malnourished form from out the water, first, starting with its right leg and then its entire ghastly bone indented body.

The discolored neglected hair, that reached to the bottom-most of its ribcage, dripped lazily with water as the humanoid creature swayed drunkenly from left to right, stalking towards them before evolving into a full-on sprint.

However...

"HYAAAAhhhhh!"

"Hyaaaaahhhhhh!"

It was not like that would have done it any. Two steps. That's all the creature got to take before those two girls made a straight beeline for the mansion, screaming like crazy at the top of their lungs.

---

Inside the giant castle-like mansion, a certain pink-haired teacher was having her own struggle.

"Did they purposely design this place so people could get lost?" Komoe complained, walking through a corridor.

Yes, that high school teacher who had the body of a ten-year-old, had no clue where she was regarding her whereabouts; And, Indeed, she, the only adult in the group, was lost, and embarrassingly so.

Seeing that she was all alone at the front gate, Komoe decided it was best to regroup with the others. Obviously, she had no idea where they were nor did she have their contact information to ask them or tell them to meet up.

However, she had the option to predict, and so she entered into the mansion thinking that it would hopefully be everyone's first location to visit, even if they were carried along with the crowd.

Eventually, however, after walking up and going through a series of doors, exits, entrances, and corridors, she ultimately got lost and the next thing she knew, ended up here; In a dimly lit corridor, with ravaged and scar halls and a torn and dirtied carpet.

She moved around nervously, not liking how quiet the entire place was. It was the knowledge that the monsters were not out yet that had given her the courage to keep continuing, but now that that safety has gone, she felt paranoid.

And the fact that nothing has, as of yet, scares her even more.

After passing through several more corridors and doors, she came upon a clean corridor illuminated by series of chandeliers above. She progressed through it and followed a hallway on her left to the only double door in the passageway.

Komoe entered inside and found herself standing on the fourth-floor walkway in a multi-floor library. It was atrium built and had several small-home ladders and stools nearby the many bookcases and shelves on the ground floor.

"Eargghhh...Eargghh...Earghhh.."

"!?"

Komoe quickly moved away from the wooden floor railing and held her breath.

Something was a couple of floors below her.

Within that reasonable size space, a disfigured creature peeked its body out from under the second-floor walkway.

Komoe only got a glance of it but that was enough to know she never wants to ever again.

It was humanoid in features but indefinite in form. The creature had no jaw as it groaned, unprofessionally disemboweling from the neck down to its groin. Blood, guts, and whatever else stickling dripping out of the hairless pelt as it lacked any bones, except for that of its skull, to keep its body aligned.

It had moved its elongated soggy mask around to forage for the interruptive sound...

...The one she made when she opened the door.

Of course, Komoe knows none of this was life-threatening but still, the fear lingered all the same.

She tried working around that by remembering what one particular reviewer had said about the creatures.

When a person discovers how it works behind a mystery, phenomenon, or trick they tend to lose what made them special.

Artificial self-replicating muscles that possess traits similar to those of ant parasites, slime mold with the muscles of a large herbivore, Magnetically-controlled monitors, and something called a Designers' Gel. Those were what that person said they are made up of.

Komoes never heard of Designers' Gel before but apparently through its combination with magnetically-controlled monitors, slime mold, and artificial self-replicating muscles, Academy City park officials can give these creatures a solid life-like form.

But according to them, it's the magnetically-controlled monitors, which are scattered colored powdered dust controlled via magnetism, that alter the Designers' Gel to give the creatures specific designs and allow them that authentic, microscopic mannerisms and genuine grace.

"What a letdown."

Was the only comprehensible voice that came from this area.

Qliphah puzzle 545, the one who muttered so offhandedly, flexed her wings slightly to completely dodge the simultaneous multidirectional attacks that were done by the sticky cancerous hairball tentacle creature with underdeveloped limbs.

She was currently inside the complex labyrinth hedge maze behind the European design castle-like mansion.

Raising her right hand, she aimed the smartwatch towards the tentacle monster's chest.

Within the span of 0.5 milliseconds, the smartwatch, which displays the timer and her kill count, configured itself complicatedly into a wrist blaster with five internal luminescent charging bars ingrained behind the materialized railgun cannon.

The five light blocks lit up and with a digital -'BREWWVV!'-she shot the creature into oblivion.

"Wow. This sucks." Qliphah puzzle 545 sighed. Then seconds later, the wrist blaster reconfigured itself back into a smartwatch.

"Damn it all. I thought this would have been fun." She growled really disappointed; The wrist device on her right hand now swayed at her side after checking the timer and noting her score.

Yup. This entire game was one big letdown for the demon who was created by the archbishop of the catholic church. And it does so in two separate regards.

For a demon such as her, it brought her great joy to judge how novices of the human world viewed her kind. This was also no different, she took joy in seeing what classifies as scary to people of the mundane and mocking them teasingly for their light-hearted take on terror.

But, even trying her utmost, she could not seem to grasp what this was supposed to make people afraid of.

In her eyes, these creatures were just made to be revolting for the sake of terrifying. This isn't bad per-say but to people who could tell the difference between trying too hard and doing just fine, this was nothing but boring. Being scary doesn't mean going the most revulsive route.

And that is why Qliphah puzzle 545 felt so bored out of her mind right now.

All the creatures she runs into in this maze were all a massive letdown.

This transits into her second problem, the monster's simple computer-generated combat abilities. They were too linear. So much so in fact that a couple of seconds is all it takes to have a perfect grasp on their fighting patterns.

"Whatever."

She sucked all that up and journeyed deeper into the maze, trying to see if she could find any frights and creatures better than the ones she happened to stumble into.

---

The deeper she traveled the more the surroundings got eerier.

"Mmm, mhhmmm~ Mmmm, mhhmm! M. Mmhhnnm~ M. M. M.~"

Index, the girl humming the off-rhythm tune, was to the outskirts of the mansion, far off in the distance traveling through the forest where the mysterious fog seems to be getting thicker.

There wasn't that much of a reason as to why she was out here other than her seeing a small group of players galloping into the forest.

Index had deduced, just from their mannerisms, that those four players are experienced in this game and had some kind of knowledge on scoring lots of points because of the fact they were the only ones who deviated into the forest.

And so, because of that, she followed them.

It was a difficult journey with many hardships, her stomach starting to feel empty was one of them, but other than that there was nothing so hellish that this nun of the catholic church couldn't have a handle.

She walked and walked and walked somewhere earlier along the way, losing sight of the group because of their pace and the fog.

But it did not matter to her that she lost sight of them, however, as that was not her original goal. Those five were competing against each other and she had promised she would give this game her all and try to score a higher count.

Hence why she tailed the small group.

She only followed them for the pursuit of monsters.

Index continued to stroll through the foggy forest, relying upon her other senses to discern between the different silhouettes as she scopes around the artificial landscape.

Eventually, she came upon the silhouette of a log cabin.

She went to where it was, walked up the moss cabin porch, and grabbed at the doorknob.

" — !?"

But

The wooden floor beneath her feet explosively splintered out.

Index would have suffered 85% damage had she not jumped backward the instant she saw the figure of a mutated creature swinging for her face with its thick tendril-like fingers.

When she fell onto the porch, her butt near the edge at the steps, the creature that had its missing nasal cavity and eye sockets partially fused together by a fungus, stepped out.

Both the floor of the porch where she once stood and the creature screeched.

"Heeiiihhhhh..." Sounded the release of its breath.

For how things stand, this doesn't look good for Index.

She was within attacking distance, so could easily be taken out.

---

Fraulein didn't have the slightest idea how many points each of the creatures she ran into was worth.

Though she has eliminated tons of them while moving from the cathedral to the farm, gazebo to the fish pond on the east wing, and even now, inside the castle-like mansion, she just couldn't tell the difference between each individual skillset.

From the moment she entered inside the main hall to the tons of rooms, doors, gallery, and corridors she was led through, she has been fighting different variants of monsters.

Even right now, while in a spacious area that had entrances extending in 12 different directions, she was fighting.

She charged towards the monster at breakneck speed, ducking the hands-sickles slashing for her shoulders; The tentacle-like arms crossing each other's path as they swung overhead.

The 3 seconds they took to unravel, she initiated the blaster around her right hand, then backpedaled the monster backward with a kick from when she somersaulted.

The powerful heel assaulted its cranium and slammed it to the floor; Its disfigured form- which had human arms hanging limply by a piece of flesh and spider-like legs protruding out of its shoulders- rebounded violently.

By the moment Fraulein stuck her landing, the wrist blaster- which was 1 bar from loading-became fully charged; And so, she unleashed the one-shot energy pulse and destroyed the only creature remaining into tatters instantly.

"Eahhhhhh!"

"Eahhhhhh!"

But unfortunately for her, though she won the battle, the war wasn't over.

Trouble arrived, and it took the form of two of her friends, Last Order and Fremea, who have brought her yet another herd of monsters.

"This is the worst! Save us Frauleinnn!"

"Fraulein, help! Misaka naively underestimated the level at which Academy city would go just to outclass the outside world Misaka begs for remorse as Misaka greatly regrets ever even implanting such a misconstrue thought."

Once those two met up to her, they circled around and behind her small frame for protection.

"Sorry to push this on you."

"Yea. We just kept on attracting more and more of the monsters as we tried running away, Misaka says as Misaka hopes you'll forgive us."

"It's no problem. I'll protect you."

And eventually, the accumulated monsters flooded in.

Over several different creatures of several different weight classes all rushed towards them, Fraulein however easily avoids their monstrous swipes and tackles all the while still protecting the other two from danger.

Not only that, but she also dwindled their numbers down, firing an energy pulse at any of those she couldn't avoid and kicking away the few who got by.

But

Although she was making quick work of the enemies bombarding her, at the rate they were flooding in, she won't be able to get them all and still have time to protect the other two girls.

So, instead, she prioritized their safety above all else and decided to knock aside half the crowd and escape through the gap provided.

They hastened up and through many stairs, corridors, and doors.

Fraulein's destination was a short-sighted one. It was only to sift through the previous upper floors she had fought through and see if one of them was empty enough to refuge in without any eyes being locked on them.

She made a sharp turn right down a corridor and saw two creatures roaming about. Within an instant she got rid of the creatures standing in her path, throwing one through a window and taking down the other with her wrist blaster.

And because those two were the only ones guarding the third floor and she was ahead of the herd, this made it the first floor to be viable.

Fraulein hurriedly made her way into a room on her left then barricaded it shut with a nearby chair just in case.

"Pant...Pant. Are you two ok."

They both shouted 'Fraulein!' then crashed into her chest.

"Mmm. What's this all of a sudden?" Fraulein asked slumped against the wall.

"That was terrifying."

"Really terrifying, Misaka reiterates as Misaka recalls everything we experience."

Fraulein smiled and covered them with her arms.

"Well then...I won't be going anywhere."

"Wait? Really? You were planning on ditching us?"

"How cruel, Misaka groans as Misaka looks at her friend."

"I won't go anywhere...I promise."

"What's with that slight pause?"

"I'll stay right here."

"And if you were to disappear for more points, We'll get to deduct all of yours, right, Misaka says as Misaka encourages you to agree to these terms?"

"I promise."

She said in that same monotone voice.

---

Time ran out and the group arrived inside the games lobby room to gather in front of the large television screen.

"Bfhahahaha! Oh, wow sensei, zero. I mean I expected that, just like those two brats, but still, you could have appeal to my small shred of hope. This is a next-level embarrassment!"

The demon, who has just seen the rankings, laughed as she floated inversely from slightly above the group.

"Wow, Even Index got more points than you, greenhorn."

Fremea also joined the taunt but more so to subvert her failure.

"I...I don't like scary things, ok. Besides, you got the same number of points as me."

"Hey, I'm a kid, that means a free pass."

"Comparing yourself to a kid just to make yourself feel better. Shame on you, Komoe. For shame, Misaka says as Misaka shakes her head in displeasure."

"Don't either of you think ganging up on sensei is going to absolve you both." Qliphah puzzle 545, of course, called them out, her smile spread from ear to ear.

"Hey. We got bombarded by the monsters, so deciding to try widening the distance was the smartest course of action, Misaka says as Misaka insights to defend herself." Proud with that, Last Order folded her arms and dawned a self-assertive air.

"Yea. Essentially, if we had stupidly played the brave game then we would have gotten taken out first. Which just wasn't an option. That's called a smart game plan."

"That's the excuse all cowards use."

"Do you even have the right to judge us when you got third place. Index scored 35 points and placed 12th on the leaderboard, Misaka says as Misaka rubs that in your face."

"I still did well in our personal rankings. Moreover, 32 points is a good score. I placed 18th overall on the board which makes me better than 9 other players, including you in particular."

"Doesn't change that Index beat you," Fremea interjected, hoping she could fire back some shots.

"That doesn't matter in this context."

Last Order furrowed her lower lip and instantly quipped back. "Ummm, yes it does, Misaka says as Misaka recalls your previous attitude."

"You are conveniently missing the point."

"Pretty sure we aren't."

And while those three squabble nearby, Komoe looked onto the nun in the white habit.

"Speaking of which sister-chan, weren't you scared?"

"Hmm? No, not really. It wasn't that difficult once you figured out their attack patterns."

"But the monsters were scary though?!"

Index tilted her head clueless to Fremeas question.

"First Fraulein then Qliphah puzzle 545 and now you, Misaka says as Misaka also joins the conversation."

"You three just have wimpy views on terrifying."

"Was it really that scary?" Fraulein asked after looking at the scoreboard.

"Yes, It was!"

"Calm down Fremea. Those three are just built differently, Misaka says as Misaka shakes her head lamenting."

"What exactly has Kamijou been exposing you two to?

"Hmm?" Index looked puzzled. "Touma didn't expose us to anything. At least I don't think so...but we can worry about that later; let's go grab something to eat, Komoe!"

=o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o=

A bright smile appeared on Aogamis face unconsciously.

As he looked on, to the left of him, when he followed Hamazura's line of sight, his gaze fell upon three beautiful sisters seated near the giant window of the fairly large building.

Blondes

lingerie

Pigtails

oppai

Sisters

All those words and more rushed through that king of fetishes mind, but he did not utter out a single one.

They had just sat down.

The three sisters wore different variations of the same fabulously designed pink dress. Each represents their own kind of sexy.

The oldest sister, who was situated in the middle of the booth and had an appearance similar to that of a milf/Oujo-sama, was a step up from the other two, wearing a skimpy thigh-split dress that left even less to the imagination than the youngest and middle sisters since it exposes her bare thigh up to her waist.

The youngest of the sisters, the only one sporting a simple bow tie in place of jewelry, wore a heart-shaped open chest variant of the middle sister's nonsexual dress design but the one-piece dress skirt was only six inches below her waist.

The middle sister, who individualized her curly blonde hair up into a combined mane and high ponytail, dressed the modest of the two. Her kind of sexy represents that of a tease while still maintaining that near lady-like elegance.

Aogami snapped his head towards Hamazura, surprised, jealous and distraught.

"No way?... What the hell man." He growled consumed by those overwhelming emotions. "You have connections with those girls?! It isn't enough you got some big-chested babe who is more than willing to dress up in a bunny Santa costume for you but you're also hoarding on tons of other chicks." Aogami complains, clicking his tongue and shaking Hamazura by the shoulder over the unreasonable situation.

"I thought you were a noob, like me, but some chick took pity on you and so you guys dated... Do you have some kind of veteran-level charm with the ladies?! Is it some kind of esper ability?! Don't be stingy like Kami-yan, share the wealth, man!"

"I'm not even going to address how cruel what you said was, but quiet down. It's not like that," Hamazura calmed the overly envious boy down. Nervous, though it was not a shout, that the zealous boy's voice alerted the three. "I don't know the other two but the blonde whose hair is worn up isn't someone you want to mess with." He said now within a proper distance from Aogami's face.

Aogami, calmed but still envious, anguished over his unfair life. Thoughtlessly scratching at his scalp as he thrashes his head around.

"Surely I'm not so unlucky. How is it, I, someone who has a wide range of acceptance, cant meet a single girl who falls into that imaginative fetish category. This is Academy city for crying out loud. To a connoisseur like me, the fact that only you and Kami-yan get to experience such instances is just unjust. No... I shouldn't think like that. If that fantasy saying is correct, I'm the hero of my own story, right. Taking advantage of a situation like this, my first real chance, it will definitely get me in the limelight!" Resolutes Aogami after considering that this type of circumstance is something only Kamijou could bring.

However,

"Huh?"

The boy who gave him said opportunity didn't want him to cease it. He wouldn't even let him leave his seat as he held Aogami down by his hand.

"No, don't do that! Did you not pay attention to what I just said?! That girl on the right is serious trouble, and if she is trouble then that means the other two sisters are as well. Don't you get that!"

Hamazura reasoned but of course, Aogami still didn't care. And so they had a quiet match of tug of war. One the blonde-haired boy wouldn't think of losing.

"Don't let that next-gen allure seduce you," Hamazura grunted as he recalled the memories about the sexy eccentric girls from Item. "Being super hot doesn't correlate to personality. I'm speaking from experience here dude!"

The battle stopped, but not in that way.

"Ok, you are just rubbing your experience in my face. How many hot girls do you even know?!"

"I mean...a few...but," Hamazura shook his head in dismissal. "that's not the issue."

"Tell that when you don't have a full-on nervous blush!"

Aogami tugged.

"What, you expect me to be disappointed?!"

Hamazura pulled.

"At least Kami-yan did, even if it came out patronizingly."

Grunting out that Aogami finally managed to break free. He then got out of his chair and slipped through tables and waiters on his way to meet the girls. Meanwhile, Hamazura was cursing him out.

"Aogami. Get back here...dammit you asshole."

Despite saying that when Aogami was within spitting distance, Hamazura didn't give chase after him. Instead, he fixed himself straight in his seat, now seeing that a confrontation was unavoidable.

"Why does my life sucks." Hamazura sighed. Seems this was just one of those days for that End of the Century Emperor. Wasn't saving Buckingham palace enough for a vacation? At least give me a week or two.

Hamazura sat there and watched as the blue-haired boy walked up to the sisters and began conversing in that same carefree manner.

He couldn't tell what they were saying but by the looks of things, the conversation started off stiff, with the middle sister giving Aogami the cold shoulder and the other two not saying anything. But the involvement of the youngest and oldest sisters changed everything. They took control of the conversation and stirred it into one filled with laughter and excessive hand gestures.

At one point during the said conversation, Aogami singled Hamazura out, and both sisters-the oldest and the youngest-looked towards the other sister and began questioning her before turning back to Aogami with intrigued giggles.

It was nearing a minute in when Aogami finally beckoned Hamazura to join as he said 'It's okay!' and waves like an energetic five-year-old who has finally been permitted to go to the beach.

After releasing a short sigh in dread for what's to come, Hamazura pushed out his chair and walked towards the troublesome group.

I swear I'll punch him when I get the chance, he cursed before he arrived.

The youngest sister, a girl who had her hair done in twin tails and who Hamazura assumed was somewhere around Fremeas age, spoke to him first.

"So, you're the guy." She said with a knowing smile that brimmed with personality.

"W-what?" Stuttered Hamazura, obviously confused. His eyes drifted to Aogami for answers but the oldest of the sisters was the one who clarified what the youngest sister meant.

Her blessed assets and features had made it difficult for Hamazura to guess how old she was. Even the way she spoke and presented herself didn't allude to such.

Speaking in a modest tone, her sweet-hearted voice, oozing with an ambiguous air of maturity, pass through her sparkling pink lipstick lips.

"You're the friend of my precious little sister. It's unreasonable to think that we had to hear about your existence from a third party but, since our sister barely speaks about her work anymore, it can't be helped."

"Stop that. He isn't my friend nor a co-worker. Just a guy I kept running into during my job. Nothing more nothing less." The middle sister scorned before she sighed and tore her gaze from the four, her head still supported by her right palm.

"That's such a horrible thing to say, Kai Onee-chan!" The youngest sister exclaimed.

"Really now, you just broke that poor boy's heart."

"Nah, I think that's ok. Hamazura views her the same way but more so a troublesome element from what he implied. And besides, he has a girlfriend." Aogami informed the girls, innocently smiling.

'Is this guy an idiot?!' Hamazura internally screamed. He laughed nervously and tried mumbling out a defense.

"No...I...I'm not saying she...look... I just don't want to get caught with her again, that's all. You'd have to understand the specific first to know why I don't want to."

"I mean, she does have that attitude of a social media obsessive assistant who never gets off their phone." The oldest sister concluded, shaking her head slightly.

"Hhahaha, Relax Onee-chan. That's just how Kai Onee-chan is." The youngest sister laughed openly.

But Kaibi didn't find anything her sisters said funny.

"Well, that's a cruel thing to say. I may not consider you anything special but I do give you the required respect." Though she said that she didn't show any signs of caring about his opinion.

"Sounds like you expect me to be grateful?" Hamazura asked with his brow raised. If so, that was a terrible way to put it.

"Of course."

Hamazura didn't know how to respond to that deadpan remark so he stayed silent.

"Nee, neee, hear that Riku onee-chan, that boys got Kai onee-chans respect!"

"Why is that surprising? It is not that big of a deal."

"Now that is not true. Showing mercy is one thing but gaining your respect is another." Rikuri said and Amazora shook her head in agreement.

"I think I understand now, in the vaguest possible way, but I understand!" Aogami snapped his fingers, nodding his head as if understanding. "Academy city has some kind of secret underground gaming league and Hamazura's team must have gone against yours and lost super badly." That was the explanation of the situation he came to after gathering the little bits of information presented.

To which, Amazora fully played into it.

"Ahhh! That explains onee-chans 'troublesome' comment! Kai onee-chan does tend to be-"

"Amazora." Kaibi said thickly and the little girl went silent.

But the same couldn't be said about their oldest sister.

"Now I'm more curious to know the story." Rikuri ignored Kaibis' protest and smiled.

"Nee-san." Kaibi sighed knowing despite her refusal, the same thing that worked on Amazora won't work on Rikuri.

Which then prompted Amozora to start back up.

"Why don't you tell us, Kai onee-chan." Amazora smirked, wafting off her middle sister's scornful look. Aogami also joined into the two pestering sisters' choir, shaking his head frivolously in anticipation while repeatedly saying "Yea, yea" with a bright smile that matched the other two sisters.

Kaibi gave a longer sigh than before.

"There isn't much to the story really. My team leader and I raided his home base and fought their leader but she got away and abandoned her subordinates for slaughter. That guy, despite the odds stacked against him, decided to risk his life for his girlfriend and I found that kinda touching so we spared them and just decided to hunt down the other group's leader."

"A three kingdom cops and robbers hide and seek game. I didn't know Academy did such games. Hey, Was it like practical or digital? Damn, I wish I could have been there!"

"Aaaahh, no fair! That sounds awesome! It's not fair I didn't get to be there!" Amazora also complained with Aogami.

"Now, now, Amozara, my precious little sister. You know without the two of us there to look after you you would most definitely lose."

"Your not so much of a team player and you would definitely disobey orders just because of sudden whims.

"Eeee, n-no I wouldn't. At least have more faith in me." Amazora twisted her head with her cheeks puffed.

Rikuri looked towards her and then a second later reached her hand out to pat the girl's head, careful and gentle enough as to not scuffle her neatly kept hair.

"My poor baby sister." She said with an, even more, gentler smile. Her younger sister's expression begins to contort into something even cuter. "Are you still bored even after all those major events that happened over the past few weeks? We can pick up a shooting game for you."

From the sadden expression on her little sister's face, Rikuri had assumed the displeasure was linked to the girl's dismal over having nothing exciting happening during the period of her release. Though she did bring up the events from a couple of weeks ago, the three barely played a hand in one of those. And that had to do with the counterattack on the elements which was a week ago.

"If it's high levels of fun you are looking for then I suggest a trip to the amusement park." Aogami enthusiastically raised the suggestion. "You'd be surprised with the share diversity of attractions Academy City has as compared to the outside world. I've never been to District 6 myself but it is on my list of places to go for a first date."

While Amazora became extremely avid from the idea and Rikuri seemed all for it after seeing her little sister's expression, Kaibi gave her dubious thoughts.

"Isn't that a little too cliché though? I mean, I get it, there aren't many romantic places in Academy City but I feel like Amusement parks don't cater to those in between, it is either your a couple or just preschoolers."

"The fact that you think that raises a lot of questions. Now that I think about it, have you ever been on a date?" Hamazura asked but before any of the sisters could say anything Aogami vocalized his thoughts.

"Nah, man. She is probably one of those girls who are just really into expensive places that are mostly open to the high-class residents."

"I don't know if to treat that as like a disc or a compliment but either way I feel sorry for any girl who is and/or will be dating you two."

"I refuse to take dating advice from a girl with zero dating experience."

"Let me guess, another one of you geek dating spots is the movies, right?"

"That's like one of the prime dating spots and is a good starting point to find out whether you want to date someone or not!"

"Yeah, if you couldn't even conclude that then no wonder you don't have a boyfriend," Hamazura commented smugly, making sure to prolong said fact.

And while though that same fact existed to the other two sisters, they both broke out into laughter, Amazora covering her mouths as a small "Pfff" escaped through her soft lips while Rikuri had a small stretched smile carved onto her face.

"How about you take us to one of those prime dates. The amusement spot seems the better choice considering everything." Rikuri said with a differently carved smile.

"Sure thing, it's a date!" Aogami eagerly responded to the opportunity and Hamazura jolted, blurting out a "Wa, waa!?" as he snapped his head towards Aogami.

And the internal conversation between those boys went like this:

'Ehhh, really!?'

'Hamazura, those three are sisters, man. Regardless if it's made up, foster or step, those are sisters! Even you, he who has a girlfriend, have to appreciate that fact!'

'You know I doo! But have you forgotten our entire conversation from before?!.'

'Of course not, now help me out!'

"To start with, the order of things is a little muddied. My first move would usually be to ride a couple of attractionS while eating some stuff in-between but considering the circumstances, we'll have to eat lunch first. Hamazura and I will pay the bill, so what say you three? " Aogami declared with such infectious enthusiasm that even Kaibi went along with the flow.

"Oh, such a gentleman~"

"Onee-chans so cool!"

"No, he's just a geek. "Kaibi let out a soft sigh.

"Yes, indeed." Aogami shook his head. "I'm a geek. A massive one, but, I still promise to make this the best first date."

"I am not a geek in there with you."

"Ok!" Amazora exclaimed, raising her index finger for service. She had just scanned through the menu and finally found out what she wanted. " I would like a Jjamppong noodle soup, please." She said to the waiter who scribbled down the order.

Flipping over to the next page of his notepad, the waiter turned to other members of the table.

"Hmmm...I will have a bowl of steamed wontons in chili broth." Kaibi responded to his gestured hand motion.

"Ah, for me, I would like the tofu rice paper spring rolls with a side of the peanut and sweet chili dipping sauces, thank you."

The waiter dropped all those down on the single sheet of paper and then, after being told about Hamazura and Aogami's status, walked away from the table. Afterwhich, shortly after, the waiter who first took the boys orders, came back with their meals in hand.

However in-between that time frame, Kaibi and her sisters started up a conversation just between them.

"Amazora...What's a Jjamppong noodle soup?" Kaibi asked, and Amazora laughed nervously under her gaze. Not satisfied with the response, she pulled up the menu and started scanning through it when she found out its ingredients.

"Korean base seafood..." Kaibi said with a dropped tone which prompted Amazora to avoid the fierce eye contact and looked towards her big sister.

"It was something a friend and I tried when we went to district 10." She told Rikuri as she lowered her gaze in remorse. However, when she raised them up, the open arm response she was always accustomed to was not what graced her.

"...What?" Amazora asked, a confused look on her face as she stared at the oldest sister's shocked expression. "I have friends." She answered, wagering that is what had her big sister bewildered.

"N-no, I didn't mean it like that!" Rikuri yelped in the realization of what her actions seemed to suggest. "I...It's just that, well...this is the first time you've ever spoken to us about your friends." She blurted out for clarification while fiddling with her fingers.

"Really? Huh, I didn't know that. Kinda odd." Seeing the innocent look in her sister's eyes, Rikuri's face lit up and she scooped Amazora up in a tight embrace.

"Rikuri onee-chan, stop smothering me."

"I can't help it."

Rikuri gushed out but Kaibi wasn't having any of it.

"Is that all you're gonna say to her?! Really, nee-san?! She shouldn't be consuming so much seafood!"

"It's alright. Not like she eats seafood all the time. And besides, things like Mercury poisoning, bioaccumulation, and microplastic aren't much to worry about since Academy City doesn't import fish and other aquatic organisms. They rear them locally in an intensive aquaponics system right here in school district 4, so everything should be fine contaminants-wise. Of course, I'm not foolish enough to think that's all there is to it concerning health risks but our little sister eats seafood in moderation. "

Rikuri explained and Amozara shook her head in agreement with the defense.

"She just said she ate a seafood-based meal! "

"That was three weeks ago, Kai Onee-chan!"

"That long ago, see everything's fine. Cant our precious little sister help herself to some seafood after those three weeks."

"You're overdoing it, nee-san." Kaibi pinched her nose to calm herself and release a soft sigh. That was when a small giggle interrupted her train of thought.

"Kihehe, my pre-established notions surrounding siblings have just changed. I thought it was something that only exists in anime and manga but even you guys are filled with camaraderie."

"What do you mean?"

"Heeee~Do you have a sibling?"

"No. But if I did, I'm sure we would always be at each other's throats far too worst to be as close as you three."

"Well, you seem so sure." Hamazura looked towards him. "I beg to differ. Obviously, you guys would fight but you don't strike me as that kind of sibling."

"You're right! I would be an amazing big brother, any sibling would be proud to have me be related to them!"

"I think you inflated his ego too much."

As it would, the conversation still went on even though Hamazura and Aogami were the only ones going through their plates. Moreover, it had more enthusiasm behind it as Aogami and Amazora were the ones mainly driving it on, discussing about all sorts of things. Not too long after, the girl's meals came and they were the only ones eating.

After so generously paying for the meals, where Hamazura and Aogami had to split the checks for everyone's orders, the group exited the fairly large restaurant and entered the barely occupied streets of district 4; when even before they fully crossed through the plaza, a familiar voice sounded from behind them.

"Yo. Hama-zu-ra."

Trouble had arrived for the boy.

" — !"

The sordid gazes of five delinquent boys dressed in somewhat the same attire meeting the group's sights.

"Oi, oi, oi, are you kidding me you trash? We've been locked up in Reformatory for three months and you are out here gathering yourself a harem!?" Snapped the scruffy hair blonde to the front with a scornful expression.

"Well, that ain't right, leader." Sneered the boy beside him in a distasteful manner.

"That's just so unfair, man. This must be some kind of sick fucking joke." Another delinquent boy, with his blue shirt tied to his waist, scoffed.

Then another boy, lanky but fit in build stepped forward. The teenager had his hair dyed and only wore a vest for his shirt.

"Do you have any idea...how mind-numbingly crumbling it was, to be locked in an anechoic chamber?" The boy said with a hardened face. The trembling undertone of his voice was hidden as snarled from between a tightly clenched jaw

"That facility," He continued after grinding his teeth for a short moment. "uses the same principle as a fucking white room. The cells deprived you of all sounds, and lack any visual stimulation to work the brain. The only things that ever keep you sane; the auditory feedback produced from your heart beating, breathing, and even stomach digestion, to a certain controlled extent drives you deranged! Do you get the idea!"

He growled even fiercer than before and everyone could tell his body boiled over with undrivable rage as he stepped forwards-powerfully.

Listening to that, Hamazura felt his stomach sunk even deeper, his palms become sweaty and his heart began to tremble. But not because he felt anything towards them. This was far from how he expected this day to go horribly wrong but this was certainly the worst possible case.

It was truly unexpected but right now the skill-out members from Hamazura past stood before him. And Like it or not, he was once their ringleader and responsible for their shitty situation. But again, those weren't the things that concerned him.

"You fucking bastard, not even a hint of pity on your face." A different delinquent said before he cackled. "That is ok though because that's about to change, you little chicken shit."

"Woah there." Aogami whistled. His hands slightly raised and a smile, still stagnant on his face.

"Hah! Really now. That sounds rich." And like a firecracker, Amazora sounded. An odd and concerning smile spreads across her lips.

"Well, at least she can't say she's bored now." Spoke Rikuri casually.

"Nee-san." Kaibi muttered, but right before she could finish, Amazora already shouted the mischievous thought before bolting off with the three others in separate directions.

'Meet you guys at the rendezvous point...?'

Hamazura reiterated in his head. It had taken him a while to process that those four had a meeting about what to do before he too followed along.

'Damn, damn, damn it all!'

He screamed internally at those four complete disregard for his life.

Hamazura exited a random passageway on his way outside the plaza. Three of the delinquent thugs chasing behind him with much due haste. He ran and ran and ran using the many back alleyways and side streets to move around as he navigated between pillars and lumbering stocks of trash cans to an empty street with no trees.

There were no anti-skill officers near the multi-story car park area, perhaps because something must have happened to deter them, but whatever that could have been still didn't keep Hamazura from running directly into the giant parking garage complex lined with a fence that stretches around it to surround the parking lot landscape below.

That also didn't disturb the thugs chasing him, as they too used their past knowledge of each district's back alleyways and roads to guarantee Hamazura doesn't run into help.

Of course, the thugs didn't have any plan in place for this situation. They just so happen to run into him by chance and ended up leading him here. But even so, they did however coordinate with each other enough to seal off any escape routes from outside the back alley shortcuts by circling around the eaves.

Which, again, just so happens to lead him inside one of the many parking garages located in school district 4; A district whose sole purpose was used for food-related facilities and experimental crop growing.

As Hamazura ran up his seventh floor in the complex, he glanced over his shoulder and saw that the delinquents were still chasing him.

He then regulated his breathing, focusing strength in his front extended leg, so that he could dash backward, towards the front leading delinquent ahead of the others.

From the look of each hooligans' positions, Hamazura estimated it would take each individual thug around 5 to 8 seconds to converge upon him. And so, finding out that, gave him the extra reassurance he needed to take them on.

The thug was caught off guard from the sudden change in direction and so he reasonably responded by instinctively throwing a punch.

Hamazura dodged the attack, although narrowly, with his head slightly leaning to the opposite side of the thrown fist; The blow, traveling past his face and causing the specks of facial hair to become erect.

But that was not in response to the force or closeness. Instead, it was excitement from adrenaline.

Yes, wouldn't all that run around cause that to be secreted? Through sheer will power alone Hamazura has managed to hold onto all that epinephrine hormone for this appropriate time-The time to strike.

Hamazura raised his trembling clenched fist and struck the thug dead center in the face as his counter attack.

Once the first thug dropped to the floor, the second one came into view shortly after.

But by then, Hamazura had already adjusted his body to intercept the football kick aimed for his head.

He stopped the attack, a hardened block of his left arm keeping it firmly in place, and then, immediately, grasped at the raised leg using that same unyielding hand.

Its distance from his face was only a couple of inches but if somehow his grip would let loose, the attack would violently assault his face; A testament to the overwhelming anger the thugs had felt against him.

However, Hamazura was unfazed by the predatory spite. It was one sighted. And most of all, it was misguided.

Hamazura pulled the second thug in towards him by that one hoisted leg then ruthlessly backhanded him in the face.

That snapped his nose and cracked some teeth. A concentrated wave of pain rushed to the forefront of that hand but Hamazura didn't have time to lament over the stinging pain.

Because when the second thug fell, the third-fastest thug came into view; brandishing a retractable police baton which tore through the winter air as it aimed for his opponent's head.

The swing was true but Hamazura had enough time to readjust from the previous attack. Even so, he did not back away. Instead, he shielded himself against the downwards strike by blocking it with that same unyielding left arm.

He contemplated many things on his run to here.

The thug's ramification.

There chances of probability.

And even the scale to which the ripple would spread when the pebble is dropped into the puddle.

What was Hamazura to do when he does defeat these guys? He had no doubt in his mind he couldn't, with his resourcefulness being his one saving grace during all those battles, but what of their fates? The hatred they harbored towards him won't dissipate. What if they somehow broke out again? It happened once. Mysteriously at that. What if they spot him hanging out with his loved ones? The tea-haired level 5 and brown-haired level 4 could take care of themselves but what about Takitsubo? Fremeas has that rank 2 beetle but what about her school friends? Same with that blue-haired guy he just met.

He would be causing trouble for all those people.

It was only natural that these thugs would get back. From his previous time roaming with them, these were guys who regularly got into fights, and constantly went through body training to cover up for their lack of power.

Members of Skill out were relentless when they found something they hate but these guys, in particular, were from a faction who had deep ties with Big Spider when they were under Hebitani Tsuguo leadership.

They were nothing like his passing boss Komaba Ritoku. Their faction consisted of men who couldn't be kept in line.

If he wanted to protect the people he held dear, these three must not escape this parking garage.

After quickly gathering up strength to step forward, Hamzura clenched his injured right fist and punched the final thug in the jugular.

He crumbled to his knees, grasping at his caved in pharynx as an instinctive need to for air washed over him, but received a rammed knee to the face as submission.

When he collapsed, back, rested flatly on the floor, Hamzura followed up with a mighty stomp to his solar plexus then another to the left arm.

In response to that, the man clawed and punched Hamzura, but the blond boy concaved the thug's throat in with a final stomp then beelined deeper into the multi-story parking garage.

One down-two to go.

Hamazura was hiding behind a car and Just as he expected, the thugs got up from the previous attack.

He didn't get that much of a head start on them, only managing to ascend one lot before the boys caught up, but it was still enough time to hide without them seeing him.

The use of an elevator was open to both him and them but neither made any attempts to use it as a safe route.

For the thugs that wasn't an option because of the immense feelings of anger and revenge influencing them while for Hamazura it was just love.

That didn't stop them from using it to get a leg up however because just as predicted they used it to split up. One took the upper level and worked their way down while the other did the adverse and worked their way up.

He had still wished they had done the other possibility though. Where one would busy the elevator and the other would hunt but hey beggars can't be choosers.

He crept his way behind the thug, stealthily moving to the forefront of the headlights where he could then quietly Jump at his exposed back. At the same time, Hamazura also worms his arms around the thug's neck and holds him in a blood chokehold so that he could completely cut off the blood supply to the brain, but not before kicking his inner knees in to get a tighter grip.

Vascular chokeholds were very dangerous when the pressure to the carotid artery is applied for too long, and it was using that knowledge how Hamazura was going to kill this boy.

His grip was growing tighter and tighter, the more the delinquent struggled the faster he hasten his asphyxiation.

However,

'Shit!'

Hamazura received a powerful kick to the side of his head which caused his ears to ring.

He got tricked.

He was Bamboozled.

They did pick the other possibility. Just changed it up so that Hamzura wasn't aware of the other thug's arrival. Perhaps by using some kind of non-spoken signal which alerted him while still on a call.

Hamazure rolled along the ground violently.

'Agh.'

But he wasn't given enough time to wince in pain. The arriving thug didn't spend more than five seconds checking on his partner before he immediately went to rush Hamazura.

Hamazura didn't let that headache keep him down though. He forced it down and hurriedly scurried to his feet so he could tackle the arrived thug into the triangular edge of a pillar.

BLAP

The thug struggled for a bit but his hands, elbows, and knees still assaulted Hamazura.

But of course. That wasn't all to Hamazura's action. This was not meant as the killing blow. It was just a starting prompt for Hamazura to land a temporary blow to disorientate the thug; For he then released him and repeatedly slammed his head into the sharp concrete edge.

Once the thug's hits weaken, Hamazura grabs at his shirt and tossed him aside, and then pounced on his first target to finish him off.

Hamazura had enough struggling for one day so he stomped his baby beans in and curb-stomped his head to an unnatural angle.

Now it was two down-one more to go.

That thug slumply rose to his feet, using the none bloodied pillar as support.

"Pant...Pant..pant."

He didn't move but neither did Hamazura. Both wanting to finish this affair in one fell swoop. And charging in recklessly means you've just opened yourself for an attack.

Hamazura need not rush this as he was the final opponent but he darted at the thug in a frenzied dash.

The man, to, hurtled towards him but his posture was at a low angle for a tackle. His goal was Hamazura's legs. Aiming for those would allow him to easily slam the blonde to the ground and pin him down for a ruthless, vindictive whaling.

But

Hammazura went lower and barrel-rolled his body into the boy's legs. Then once he fell, mounted the thug from behind and locked him into a new different blood chokehold.

Just like the one thug laying dead here on the floor, he struggled for dear life, kicking and flailing his limbs around like some tortoise who was laid on its shell, but within a couple of seconds, all that activity ceased. Even so, Hamazura did not weaken his hold, he kept on pulling and jerking the boy's head around until he saw it was no longer necessary.

That makes three.

Hamazura tiredly stumbled to his feet then wobbled to the closest pillar in the parking garage, seeking out temporary support to help rest and calm his ragged breath.

"…Huff, huff, huff."

He slumped his back down the pillar he tackled that one delinquent into then closed his eyes. And In this moment of quietness, Hamazura slowly sank into his own pits of despair, chewing himself out for feeling a hint of relief while he doesn't even have the slightest idea of what has happened to that blue-haired guy.

Yet, disgusted and upset, treading the line between pessimism and realism, he still threw out hope for the boy being alive.

=o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o=

"You sure we should have given them those?" Qliphah puzzle 545 asked, looking in-between Komoe and the four girls as she floats beside the teacher. She and the other members of her group were amid a crowd of people, men and women and children alike of all ages, surrounded by a plethora of food establishments located in a sector of the amusement park.

Academy City's District 6 was a specialized area where the entirety of the school district was made into a giant amusement park that was used for research and experiments into the service industry and the field of amusement.

The amusement park was split up into three main sections: The amusement park itself filled with gift shops, arcades, and first aid sites, etc; The pool area which consisted of bathhouses and both an indoor and an outdoor water park; Hotels/ residential areas that have their own theaters and markets; And an Open space food court area that has tons of luxury restaurants, coffee shops, food stalls and stands as well as picnic pavilions.

Ergo, of the young girl's demands, the sector they were strolling through right now was the open space food court area.

"It's okay. I made sure to allot them a snack that was the perfect portion for holding them each off."

While answering the demon's question, Komoe reaffirms her grip on the left shoulder strap; She glanced at the four then back at Qliphah puzzle 545 after she felt satisfied with her calculations. "They should finish before we arrive."

Qliphah puzzle 545 looked at her dubiously, uncertain whether or not those four girls could finish the desert treats they were snacking on with much delight.

The reason being the sheer ridiculous quantity of the snacks.

To optimize their profit on rides, the amusement park sector itself had a couple of food stalls scattered around in it, the purpose of those serving to more so be used for refreshment than to refill an empty stomach. A light snack if you would. But although that was Komoes whole reasoning for why she brought snacks to hold them off in the first place, the small servings they delivered would be too little for the two-way trip journey until their big meal and would require her to repeatedly spend money.

Once Komoe had concluded that she thought it best to buy said snacks from a stand within the food court sector, which didn't hold back on their proportions.

However, to Qliphah puzzle 545, she thought it bold to call what those four were munching on, a light snack. Churros with a side of chocolate dipping sauce and a scoop of ice cream, maybe, but not the dessert snacks they were eating.

At least customers were getting their money's worth. More than that actually.

"Wha! No matter how many times I taste this, I still can't get over the amazing flavor."

Index took another bite of her Oreo and vanilla ice cream, taking a large sum of the ore fudge cubes and a portion of the chocolate chips cookie and churro sticks as she chomped through the tall tower of the cold silky sweet ice cream. Her dessert was the biggest of the four. Measuring the length of a 24cm ruler and was comforted in place by a makeshift waffle cone held within the store's custom cone sleeve. She had never tasted Oreos before but Last Order had suggested it and as indicative by her sparking swooned eyes, she was more than grateful for the zealous encouragement.

Last Orders dessert was of a similar kind. She had hers created with Nutella, Oreos, and Strawberries. The cone was a waffle bowl and had whip cream, sliced strawberries, Oreo crumbles, and a piece of waffle cone as toppings. Her spoon was digging into it non-stop as she walked alongside the group.

Frauleins dessert was the runner-up for the most classy of the four. Fremea found it best to give her a more refined palette with both sweet and salty. A smore apple pie crème Brulee ice cream with walnuts and pretzels drizzled with chocolate syrup and a slice of cheesecake and m&m candies as toppings. She was also going through her desert non prejudicially, a bit mystified as like Index but more overcome by the complex flavor to become vocal.

Fremea and the others read the expressions on her face clearly nonetheless. Fremea smiles, feeling proud and empowered at the adorable sight of her friend. She went at her dessert a tinge rambunctiously as she rocked and gleamed. Hers was of the same smore variety but that's where the similarities had ended. For one, the ice cream was pumpkin spice base and had a vanilla caramel custard layer. Salted Caramel fondue also drizzled atop the whipped cream surface covered with a mash-up of Macarons, brownies, crushed Hershey's, shaved chocolate bars, and thinly sliced chocolate-covered bananas as well as M&Ms and nuts.

Even with all that said, obviously, Komoe and Qliphah puzzle 545 weren't the only ones lugging around the food. All six members of the group were porters; Black insulated delivery bags, which were optional to all guests of the food center, harnessed to each their backs. Except for Qliphah puzzle 545's who, which did not obstruct or damage her translucent wings, had a mobile vendor tray bag connected below her breast via clippable shoulder harness straps. Hence why rather than flying she was walking.

This made you question just how much money Komoe has. Each bag held over five different platters from several Food stands, stalls and restaurants. Index was the one who carried the refreshments. Qliphah puzzle 545 carried the cheesesteak sandwich and hotdogs. Fraulein and Last Order divided the load of burgers and fries and Komoe carried the pizzas.

One would be correct in thinking this went overboard, but considering who this group was made up of and including everything they just did earlier, then the calorie count is negligible here.

They were halfway to their destination, a geodesic roofing glasshouse botanical Garden complex.

The massive spongy mesophyll shape architecture complex was a part of the residential sector; A separate sub-sector from the few resort hotels. It, in itself, is an eco-building scaled many times over to accommodate for both 10, 000 different species of plants and half that amount of occupants.

Something of a small-scale city, but when contrasted with the greenery and multicolored plants, maybe it would be more fitting to describe it as a futuristic heavenly utopia.

Stepping into the architecture was like stepping into a filmmaker's vision of the future from the early 2000s. Most, if not all of the uniquely designed buildings were plain white, and both the living and nonliving things inside were bathed in heavenly lighting, although provided by the sun's Uv rays passing through the laminated glass ceiling. When the sun isn't out and everything inside cannot be basked in the natural lighting, the geodesic roofing shutters close overnight and the canopy panel installed projects an artificial night sky.

With the use of an interface terminal near a vegetation roof bus stop, Komoe requested an automated vehicle—A bubble-shaped car that is powered by solar canopies on the roof.

The called-over glass dome automobile, which allowed passengers to see all 360 degrees of their vision, silently drove itself from somewhere across the eco complex to the weirdly shaped ƒ bus stop that Komoe and the others were sitting under.

Sharing systems like this were also used within Academy City as well, but only for rental bikes services. As such, compact modular station racks and solar trees are mostly situated on sidewalks and at small parks, but can also be found in buildings and underground subway locations for the rack stations of course. For the solar power tree, any popular outdoor area can do so, as long as they have a partnership with the bike rental company.

While in terms of that system where users utilize their smartphones to locate, unlock, and automatically unloaded a bike before use; Komoe needs only to scan her device to the electronic panel and wirelessly connect the smartphone to the electronic motorcar to drive it.

The trip to the artificial park was an eventful one, Komoe riding the vehicle through the city of flowers and trees mixed harmoniously with the man-made scenery. She drove through multiple unique design buildings, past statues lined with different greenery, and multicolored and tropical resort gardens then cut across the artificial waterfall and mounting.

"...What's that?" Index asked from the curved sofa within the electronic car. They were currently on the white paved road above the park, a few kilometers away from the stairs leading below, when Index referenced the sight of odd-looking light bulb structures floating within the large reservoir situated next to the park.

They were the size of luxury pontoon boats and appeared to have kiddy pool size fishing buoys attached to the foot of where both the glass and cap of a light bald would meet.

During their ride through the botanical garden complex, Index was taken aback by the completely artificial sights, gawking at how naturally the different colored and species vegetation blend in harmoniously with the white and grey structures.

She had asked questions upon questions, on the origin of the massive place, how Academy city hadn't employed these blend structures to make itself look even more futuristic and if any of those terrifying cleaning robots had polluted this sacred land, and Komoe was the one who answered them all. This question included.

"Oh, those. They're not exactly an Academy City exclusive invention. If I remember correctly someone called Janine Hung worked in partnership with Academy City to create them. I believe they were called Jellyfish Lodges. As brilliant as he was, the outside world didn't have the available technology nor capital to bring his vision to life. They're solar-powered solutions to water pollution. The jellyfish-like machine has long tentacle arms to collect drifting trash without harming wildlife which also tests and treats water through unique microbial digestion chambers. Of course, that's not all there is to it but the technology involved requires going deep into specifics."

"Now that you mention it, the top half does look like a giant jellyfish," Fremea said while watching the scene.

"Mm. You'd need to see it in its entirety to instantly recognize it as one though."

"Are there people in there, ask Misaka as Misaka squints her eyes to make sure?"

"Most likely. It also doubles...no, maybe I should say quadruples as a picnic site for guests."

"Oh, really. If I'm not mistaken, we are going to do something like a picnic event, Misaka says as Misaka tones her words a bit suggestively."

"Let's not finish my meager budget now. Half of it was already spent on food." Komoe exhaled as she began to exit the electronic automobile. They descended down the opening stairs. A large grassy field of uniform green not matching the season welcoming them.

In this massively built complex filled with many high notes of colorful wonderful flavors and palette of greens and uniquely designed constructions, the chill air of the outside world wasn't allowed to soak in the giant architecture; The environment inside— controlled.

Not to be mistaken, but the glasshouse botany garden wasn't a part of any attraction.

Among the few hotel facilities the amusement park provided, this was the only one open to the public. It was a part of a joint project involving environmentalists and was also developed to provide research for Botanist and herbalist doctors.

"Even to residents of Academy city, this sort of thing is a crazy sight, right?" Fremea said at the utopic sight. As she watched the scene she had an astonishing smile, Last Order and Index the same as well.

Following beside Komoe, she and the other members of their group were led across the field to a row of trees near the edge of the park.

They sat down under the shade one of the trees provided, inches away from the thick trunk fastened with the cocoon-like Indian teepee size tent each tree held, and meters away from the large lake size reservoir beyond the guardrail, Komoe and the others laid out the food in their bags— calzones, semizza pizza's, mix of burgers, hotdogs and fries, all loaded with different types of toppings—and began eating.

That's when she had asked the question, which Komoe once again answered.

"My students would agree with you on that," Komoe said with a slice of pizza in her mouth. She took a piece off, chewed on it, swallowed with the help of coke, and then continued. "Everyone would be like you three at first. I know I was, and still kind of am. Singapore has a botanical garden as well but even to the people on the outside world, that controlled vegetation architecture is still a crazy sight to behold. Being a part of such an advanced city doesn't change that. We get surprised and swooned by new technology every time until it becomes a part of the regular and new technology is introduced."

"Yeah but," Index aimed a curious gaze at Komoe. She had just finished a pull pork fries and was now moving onto a burger. Which of the few, she did not yet know. "in terms of Singapore and even places like South Africa and England, their botanic gardens are more so 'doable' and built upon existing fertile land." She started off, even before choosing the bacon cheeseburger. "Academy City is 95% asphalt and buildings. What about the large amount of soil? Surely this large-scale botanical garden city is built from fresh soil because hydroponics can't even come close to this scale."

Komoe looked at Index agreeably. She then smiled and with no hesitation answered the raised question. Her slice finally finished, and with that same hand reached out for another one but with different toppings.

"Well, Academy city didn't just appear out of the blue. Large-scale construction was required to build the foundation and structures. That mass of soil excavated was just temporarily put away by a partner company and nurtured mostly through biological means. The same soil and method is being used in the vertical farming facilities in School District 4 but on a way larger scale. Additionally, the fish water from district 4 is what is used to help develop this and that haunted house place."

"I'm surprise," Tracing her fingers above the food on the pasture playfully, Qliphah puzzle 545 cuts in. Her index stopped at a calzone and she began to slice into it. "Academy city had that trusting of a relationship as that back during its creation. With the way things were set up you guys should have been held hostage years ago." She said with a random tone, the calzone centimeters from her mouth.

"They weren't as influential at first, but the founder of Academy City had a large capital and repetition to make up for everything. The fact that it's advanced this far is telling. Without the partnership of other Cooperative Institutions, Academy city can't survive. We maintain a good income and partnerships through mutual necessity. Running simulations, building projects, and selling our technology even the weapons but if that gets cut we could be in serious trouble. Not even the vertical farming facilities could sustain the citizens for a full year."

"Well lucky thing you guys can still resume functions despite being in precarious circumstances."

"Maybe...The problem with the surveillance system and breakouts is nothing so serious. And the fact that the infrastructure is back up and running means the Windowless building missing isn't anything to be concerned about."

"At least everyone seems to have returned to their normal routine." Fraulein watched distantly as the thin crowd of people played and bustled about on the soft grassland, going on with their regular day.

Qliphah puzzle 545, study them, then glance back at Komoe.

"I've been wondering about that. How is everyone so easily able to go back to form despite the prior events?"

Hearing that both Index and Last order raised their heads, mouths still stuff. Come to think of it, that's a question they've once wondered about but didn't care enough to find a response.

Komoe took the canned soda from her mouth and gave her guess as to why.

"Hmm...The reason why probably lies in the definition of normalcy. Remember what I explain on the views of technology. What Academy city describe as normal is different from the outside world. It isn't a good thing but it is of note that situations like those are a part of the course when you live in Academy City. Besides, the outside world poses more problems than it would solve. The technological shift isn't anything major but the obvious change to a downgrade would make integrating a bit difficult. Then there would come the social, educational, and ethical issues. Some people might take advantage of them also, even the government, and that could lead to an illegal next generation of espers."

"I'm not sure about that," Fremea said, taking out the jalapeno slices from her hotdog. "Sounds like the worst-case scenario." She muffled out while still chewing.

Komoe laughed.

"That is true. Citizens of Academy City are more likely to make it big." She gulped down a swig of her drink and traveled onto another slice of pizza.

"That would mean we become extremely accomplished at a young age, Misaka exclaims as Misaka dreams of all the things she could buy."

"See, this is why I like the positives. We can get anything we want because we would be rich."

"I doubt you two are that far in intelligence." Qliphah puzzle 545 said with a sarcastic grin. Her can was empty so she moved to another one.

The two girls' eyes twitched, and within the next moment another argument broke out between the three. Index, Komoe, and Fraulein looked on and ate casually as they fought.

"You guys shouldn't tire yourselves out, we still have more rides to visit." Frauleins abruptly broke them out of it; Still impassive as she ate. "You also have to remember, unlike you three, bubble gum hasn't picked her ride as of yet."

"Uhhh, why'd you had to go and ruin it."

Qliphah puzzle 545 tones and faces contradict her words.

"You snake! says Misaka as Misaka can't believe she didn't realize that sneaky play,

"W-what exactly did you have planned?" Fremea stuttered out the question.

"No rollercoaster."

"I know, I know. I wasn't planning on doing that. It's a surprise though." Qliphah puzzle 545 said with a devilish grin, which made both Fremea and Last Order gulp and shuddered at the ominous suggestiveness.

That didn't seem to concern Index and Fraulein however as they watched on the scene, confused; While Komoe started to be filled with dread.

"Please don't scare them."

"This is just how I smile." Qliphah puzzle 545 smiled and went back to eating.

"Liar! I know how you regularly smile! You are doing that on purpose, exclaims Misaka as Misaka reveals your psychotic tyranny!" Last Order divulged, which made Fremea laugh nervously and Qliphah puzzle 545 to snigger.

"What exactly do you have planned?"

"Even for you, I won't disclose my plan. It'd ruin the fun. You have your choice to worry about and I have mine. But, Maybe you can spare them by barging with me..." Qliphah puzzle 545 glanced over to Komoe and raised her translucent hat. Her mouth split into a large grin.

And before Komoe knew it, Fremea and Last Order began chanting her name—Their voices weak and cutesy in order to sell the begging.

Komoe sighed. "I would but this already classifies as my chosen ride."

"...What?"

It looks like her cunning setup was utterly torn apart. Seriously? Did she hear that right? From what Komoe just said...this..counts as her turn.

"Hahaha, Komoe is too loyal, says Misaka smugly as Misaka taunts you Failure!"

"Hahaha, I knew you had our back, Komoe!" Fremea chuckled.

As she did, so too the anthropomorphic demon.

"Neheehhahahahaha, so that meager budget comment is what beat me, huh. Of course, this place wasn't such a low price attraction."

"I've been meaning to visit here with my students after they graduate. Apart from my past research, this is actually my first time entering this eco-city, and coming to District 6 for that matter. I just thought this was as good a time as any to scout the amusement park out."

Komoe shrugged.

However, a sudden realization dons on Last Order.

"...Wait...that would mean... you've been taking advantage of us, shouts out Misaka instantly as Misaka feels betrayed!"

"Hey! Not cool, greenhorn!"

"Even when suddenly thrust into an unpredictable situation by these brats, your still a model teacher, nehehehehe. But I highly doubt your students would waste half their money on this place, sensei."

"Huhhh...I would think this place is too expensive to accommodate an entire class. Touma always complains about not having enough money to feed me."

"...Bwfffhahahaha."

Qliphah puzzle 545 bursts out in intense laughter, something so difficult for her to handle that she dropped to her back, still clutching the area radiating with stitching pain.

Index completely misunderstood the boy's words.

As she thought it better to not have a similar grin, Komoe didn't say anything about that second matter. Instead, she answered the first question related to accommodative expenses that both girls were pointing towards.

"Their money would be a better use for snacks and side games." She waved the notion off. "I'll be paying the fees for the rides and everything else, so that doesn't matter. But you're wrong though, I think my students would love this place."

After saying that, smiling, and no longer facing the girls, Komoe lifted her head and looked to the tree leaves; Her smile, gentle as she paused to inhale and exhale.

"Being surrounded by exotic and beautiful plants; Seeing how the evergreen trees bask in the warm sunlight and let it seep between the leaves. Learning about the many different species origins, as I did for you five, and witnessing how their vibrant colors spread over, clash, and contrast perfectly with the unique structures. I think my students would love this garden sanctuary."

"Woah there Sensei, you sound really passionate." Qliphah puzzle 545 responded with a different smile "I wasn't expecting that."

"Hmmm...? OH! S-sorry. I got carried away a little bit."

"Did you used to be a Botanist?" Fraulein asked before anyone could say anything.

"Ummm, yea. A phytochemist to be exact. But that was at one point. My love for theoretical science dominated my love for researching flora."

"...Wow...you gave up a dream job to crunch numbers, says Misaka as Misaka shakes her head at your foolishness."

"Truly disappointed in you, greenhorn."

From there, the conversation went on with Komoe bringing back up Qliphah puzzle 545 plan and Last Order and Fremea trying to pursue her to work something out with the demon, with as bitter a look as possible. Then after a while turned into another scuffle between the three, and shifted to another topic completely different. When the food was finished, they rested a bit more until eventually, they left the massive eco-building and were guided to the ride Qliphah puzzle 545 chose.

However, off all the rides they were expecting her to torture them with, this didn't come remotely close as one of them. It wasn't even an option that would have crossed either of their minds.

Through the many attractions in the amusement park sector, Qliphah puzzle 545 chose the House of Mirrors observatory ride. An observatory-shaped building that wasn't so big in size.

Qliphah puzzle 545 mindsets for this one was very simple. She wanted something that wouldn't raise suspicion or pit Komoe-sensei against the rides. And this attraction falls into both circumstances.

So she chose it, as her thrill ride.

The attraction works by using camera feed broadcast via the blimps in the skies over Academy City and projects them inside the observatory to give a treepie in-person interaction with the sky. However, that in itself doesn't give the desired effect that Qliphah puzzle 545 was looking for.

What Qliphah puzzle 545 was really relying on was the faulty surveillance system going on everywhere around Academy City. capitalizing on the major issue to accomplish her goal of creating a torturous game.

When everyone entered inside, a forest of brilliantly bright smart mirrors was erected from the ground of the darkroom. Countless images of each girl projecting from off the flat bright surface of the mirrors.

Logically speaking an attraction such as this would be labeled as nonfunctional seeing what it relies on.

The entire city surveillance system was down, even those operating for personal use like ATMs security and shops, stores and restaurants surveillance. Every single one of those avenues had their camera's down, Anti-skill and the amusement park included. However, unlike those cameras that were connected to the city network and had to have guards set up in those places for extra security, the ones fixed in the building itself and within the smart mirrors themselves worked on a separate system of its own, separate from even the amusement park.

It was this outside design from the entire city surveillance infrastructure that made the room into a mind-altering garden of mirrors. One that made people question more than what their eyes can initially see.

The basic concept behind a house of mirrors is to be a maze-like puzzle with the optical illusion of the multiple mirrors acting as obstacles. In the outside world, this results in unusual and confusing reflections of participants, but to Academy City residents it equals cheap thrills and uninteresting visuals that once you find out the different curves and mirrors situation it becomes predictable. Hence the high-tech additions to the ride.

Even with the feed to the blimps cut off, this maze of mirrors is many times better in giving distortions. And sometimes it's simple things like that that can give the best frights.

Qliphah puzzle 545 made everyone split up under the guise of a simple game of Hiding and Seek.

Her grin began to widen because once she stopped counting down from 20, that's when her humorous game of torture began.

Silence enveloped the wide room once more.

As a demon, especially an artificial one who symbolizes misinformation and whose origins are tied to the Qliphoth - the inverse of the Sephiroth, the tree of life, Qliphah puzzle 545 knows everything there is to know on how to make an atmosphere hopeless.

She first accomplishes that by spreading unnecessary grief and lies about the preconcerted notion that this place isn't scary. With the simple act of fighting Index, the one unacceptable person who beat her back at the Mystic Haunted Mansion.

If she makes her scream then unrest would spread within the group like wildfire.

Which it instantly did.

"...Kyaaaaaahhh!?"

The sheer visceralness of it is enough to make the others all yelp in surprise.

Manifestation, possession, and control. Those were all she needed to succeed in her goal but for someone like Index, only the simple act of using manifestation and creating a disembodied voice was enough to make her scream.

Chaos itself was Qliphah puzzle 545 battlefield. And having zero combat strength didn't mean she couldn't lead people down a path of ruin.

Screams, murmurs, and whines echoed throughout the wide room.

Qlipah puzzle 545 chuckles enjoying this.

Amongst the deep darkness the room held, similar to that of the Go-Kart ride, and the brilliant light the forest created, images of each girl running around projected from the multiple smart mirrors.

This was now her territory. By simply Visiting each of them differently, Qliphah puzzle 545 started creating an atmosphere that reflected true fear, unlike the horror house attraction.

Then...

Not long after everyone got caught, the group ended up at the closest bench to the attraction.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Fraulein asked from her position beside the bench. But it was not Komoe, Last Order, Fremea, or Index she was talking to, Instead...

"I have no idea but I don't regret anything!" It was Qliphah puzzle 545. She laughed both at the results of her actions, and at the sulking figures of the four girls; proof that she knows more than a thing or two about true horror.

Last Order and Fremea squinted at her delighted figure, their eyes glaring daggers as they squint venomously at her. Now that they have nothing to worry about, they can go straight into giving her a piece of their minds.

While Komoe dealt with another argument that broke out between the three, Fraulein thought of something appeasing to Segway into.

"Can we make a stop at the arcade? I've never been to one." She said and the fighting completely stopped.

Hearing their friend say such a thing brought both Last Order and Fremea to a bright idea, all the while Qliphah puzzle 545 was in momentary silence, contemplating how fun the new experience would be.

"We'd need to play a multiplayer arcade game, however," Komoe said before they all agreed. "I don't think I have that much credit left."

And with zero objections, they left, following the guide of the map to reach the arcade. Different ranges of colors illuminate the adequate space, with blue and purple being the most dominant of primary colors.

They entered inside, split up, and searched the arcade, the front games at the entrance weren't multiplayer, so, they traveled in even deeper and with the duel help of Fremea and Last Order, found a perfect substitute game.

However...

"Hmm, I may be a novice when it comes to human recreation technology from the arcade game category, but that doesn't look like a multiplayer game." Qliphah puzzle 545 inspected the machine. It wasn't by any means and Fremea acknowledged that.

"That's because it's a crane game!" Announced Fremea, per dazzling her fingers at the entire room, lined in many columns and rows of crane games with many different types of prizes.

"We've seen it a lot in manga and anime, Misaka says as Misaka informs everyone of their source."

"I take it those media's don't depict just how rigged these arcade games are." Komoe bowed her head, defeated. If only they knew. "They make you spend a lot of money." She enlightened them both.

"If in continuous use, Misaka says as Misaka corrects you."

"What does she mean by that." Index asked Fraulien, and she shrugged.

"Don't worry about it, we have a full-proof strategy," Fremea said, and Komoe sighed, going along with the idea.

"At least this gives you prizes." She looked at the bright side. In hindsight, Komoe had planned on having them play air hockey, but maybe that game was a tad too competitive for this bunch.

"And it cost less, Misaka adds as Misaka reminds you of a very important detail."

"I don't know, the prizes in them seem...stupid." Looking through the glass Qliphah puzzle 545 saw nothing but a bunch of useless toys.

"Well, we're in a room full of games, just hunt around until you find something you like."

And that is what they did. When something caught Index's eye, she informed the others and they clambered around the specific machine. What was inside was a bunch of television-type items, but what Index wanted was the packaged wand from that magical girl series she and kazakiri love to watch.

"So, what's this bright strategy you both talked about?" Qliphah puzzle 545 asked, and both Last order and Fremea snickered. It wasn't until Last Order, alone, walked up to the machine that Komoe knew what they had planned.

"We are not cheating," Komoe said firmly. Fremea, Fraulein, and Qliphah puzzle 545 had already known what Last Order powers were but it seemed Komoe knew as well.

"You're going to be spending a lot of money otherwise, Sensei." Qliphah puzzle 545 thrived on the dilemma. And even went the extra mild by repeatedly jabbing the teacher in the side. Komoe wouldn't break so Last Order and Fremeathen joined but even then komoe still didn't waver.

That's when Fraulein stepped up to the controls. She had no idea how this machine worked, but, was very eager to try it out. While Komoe and the others knew of this fact, they all still let Frualien give it a go; Which then resulted in Fraulein not even grasping a single thing.

"That was anti-climatic. Guess I'm next!"

"No!" Komoe squealed in dismay. She stepped in front of the control panel and blocked the demon's path. "I have a feeling you're just going to purposely lose." She explained.

And, with as strong of a hurtful look as possible, Qliphah puzzle 545 said. "You think too badly of me here, sensei. I just want to have fun."

However, everyone had the same type of look written on their face-' Now why don't I believe you.'

Komoe then decided to go next, and similar to Fraulein, she failed in retrieving the wand. But at least the box moved a couple of inches though.

"It's alright if you guys can't get it. We can play another game." Index told them but Last Order waved it off.

"Everything's fine, Misaka says as Misaka promises to you she will snatch that prize."

Next was Last Order's turn. She softly wrapped her hands around the singular joystick and laid her fingers, delicately, on the two buttons on the right. Uniquely moving the claw, she then hovered it over the box and dropped it. From there, those two-digit scanty pincers grasped the inner seams of the box, used to comparably fold and package it into a complete rectangle.

Drawing it across the confined space was no easy task. The moment that magical girl depicted box started moving, the fingertips of the claw slowly inched along the elevated point. It was hanging by the edge but before anything could give out, Last Oder dropped it in into the prize slot.

She might be the only one who can play this game non-costly. Last Order gave Index her prize and the rest of the group headed out in search of prizes. There wasn't much diversity among the prizes; almost everyone wanted some kind of plushie, except for Komoe who asked for a pink hello kitty bobblehead.

"It's for work." She told them, flustered and shy.

Last Order managed to get the prize, swift and easy. So, the only person left, who didn't get anything, was just Last Order herself and Qliphah puzzle 545.

Sometime later while hunting around, Last Orders face lit up with a blinding smile. She ran up to the mechanical machine that caught her sight, with zero thought of explaining anything to Komoe and the others.

" What are you -" Fremea was going to ask. But Qliphah puzzle 545 snorted through her nose. Of course, it had to be that Gekota junk.

What Last Order was bewitched by, was the Gekota theme keychain mascots. It is composed of all eight of the frog characters; Each of the cast with different designs and colors.

Last order stamped to the control lever and maneuvered the claw to get her prize, she briskly opened it and shared them among everyone. The two that were left back belong to Yomikawa and Yoshikawa.

While she was explaining the history behind each of the different characters, Qliphah puzzle 545, the odd man out, had her attention drawn to something behind the group.

Under normal circumstances that wouldn't be enough to warrant curiosity by Last order's, but with a closer inspection of the demon's face, a tinge of pink can be vividly seen upon her pink skin.

So, Last Order sneaked a peek. And what she saw couldn't contain that stifled laughter it elicited.

The thing that had the demon flustered was a plush doll that had the same serious-like expression as her master.

"Wan't me to get it for you, Misaka asks as Misaka does so with a smug grin?" She wasn't the only one who looked on smugly; Fremea joined in but tried her best to contain her laughter while still failing to do so.

"Don't be absurd" Qliphah puzzle 545 refused. But after those two just gave up and started giggling like a bunch of British royals, she became both flushed and tight lip. The reaction Qliphah puzzle 545 made, looked like she was a wolf who was caught stealing from its onee-san owner.

All of this was payback for the house of mirrors attraction for both Last Order and Fremea but for Last Order, it was a tad bit more. So, after a quick negotiation to help get payback on Worst she gladly made her way to the control lever and won Qliphah puzzle 545 the prize.

"This doesn't change anything." Qliphah puzzle 545 mumbled and took the plushie. Last Order giggled and only shrugged her shoulders.

"I think this is the perfect time to commemorate the moment, Misaka says as Misaka dashes upstairs to the picture booth." Everyone followed, some more reluctantly than the others, but after they had their photo's taken they exited the arcade and wandered the amusement park.

"So, which ride have you chosen, sister-chan?"

Index looked up to the sky in thought. It was getting to the end of their playdate soon. She hadn't picked any attraction as of yet because she was just having fun the entire time, but if she were to choose one then it would only be...

"Can we try out the Ferris Wheel?" She asked.

"I thought we were going to do that last, regardless?" Qliphah puzzle 545 looked towards everyone.

"Yea. You sure you don't want to try something else?" Komoe probes her.

"I can think of some good rides," Fremea added.

"Mmm." Fraulein tilted her head.

That's really cute, Last Order smiled and grabbed her hand.

"You chose to take a tactical play that's smart, I like it, Misaka says as Misaka praises your foresight." The group then headed for the Ferris wheel on Index request, when a large stand caught Last Order's attention.

The reason why was instantly known to everyone when they saw the lineup prizes. One of which was a glass Gekota prism that reflected light to appear rainbow-colored. This was an ultra rear Gekota merchandise that has a limited release.

I must have it, she raved in her head. And in that instant, she realized a problem. The challenge was near starting but she doesn't want to blow Index off just to compete in a challenge. It would be disgraceful, especially since she dragged the girl around to play with them and take part in her activity.

However...

"I change my mind."/ "I will as well." Index and Fraulein said immediately.

Luckily for Last Order, it was an eating contest.

Fraulein joined as well and there were no objections from anyone. If those two enter, the other contesters don't have a chance.

"I genuinely feel sorry for them." Qliphah puzzle shook her head.

It's going to be a massacre on that stage. After signing up, those two monsters made their way up the stage and took a seat behind the second row. They were the last of the contesters.

The challenge was a simple takoyaki eating challenge. However, with one catch. They were jumbo sizes. Among the biggest anyone has ever seen. Hence the title of the banner-The king takoyaki eating challenge.

If Komoe was looking at this right, the man is only doing this because of the heatwave and virus wipe out. After those two incidents, their frozen food was probably near going bad. That would explain why the entry fee was so low despite the food proportions being so big.

"BEGIN!" And they were off.

The moment the contest started, the burly man at the head of everything started another patch of king takoyaki. He kept on churning out takoyaki upon takoyaki; And continued on doing so repeatedly, over and over and over, not even minding how far any of the contestants had gotten with any of their platters.

Just how much of a machine is he?! One contestant asked. All anyone could do to keep up was take a constant swig of water to help get down the takokayaki's easier. Without it, there would be a time delay needed for repeated chewing. But after his sixteenth mouth full, he had to call it quits. And so did several other contestants as well.

Only Twenty three challengers remained.

Their methods of choice all differed from those beside, in front, and behind them. Who stood out as the worthy opponents? Does that question even need answering? Bite after bite, 4 more contestants dropped out. Reducing their numbers down to nineteen. Another person couldn't take it anymore and he to left.

Among the eighteen people who weren't, Index and Fraulein, only three kept. But, they had to scarf down three extra shares of takoyaki, at the same time, to even contend. As time went on most of them fell at the mercy of their stomachs, and those who still prevailed suffered dearly for it at the sudden betrayal of their oesophagus. Thankfully no one threw up. Just some got intense gag reflexes; Meaning they were also eliminated by default.

It was impossible for the remaining six to even ally Index and Fraulein, so the few just gave up and battled among themselves. However for one singular woman, Seitenshi Haruno, that wasn't an option.

From a free-for-all fight to a gang of friends duke. Those two loli girls appeared to have swayed the contest into a never-seen-before direction.

Sadly for Seitenshi Haruno however the odds were just stacked too high against her. So she gave up. last of the remaining six.

Finally, it was a battle between the two monsters. Friend or foe was a jumbled mess everyone in the crowd defined them as. Together they trampled and killed thirty of the contenders, but, who among them was the most beastly? Even Fremea and Last Order didn't know. And everyone in the crowd was waiting, anxiously, to find that out.

The surroundings were deathly silent.

It was a terrible fight.

However, everything ended in a draw. They both just gave up. Everyone hated the anti-climatic ending, even the owner, but they all had to admit, this was probably for the best.

Fraulein wanted nothing but an endless supply of his takokayaki's, while Index on the other asked for the crystal prism rainbow Gekota. And she gave it to Last Order.

"Really, Misaka says as Misak really wants to know? Are you really willing to give this up after working so hard to win it?" She said again with sparkly eyes.

"Of course." Index simply replies. And they both chuckled softly, both for the same but at the same time different reasons.

"Can we go now, I think I'm going to throw up." A covered mouth Qliphah puzzle 545 interjected. Whether it was because of watching the eating contest or watching them both, she didn't know.

They had to wait in a somewhat short line before walking across the platform to the high-tech pod. They were the last of the groups and when that was announced, they entered inside. And that's when the slow and methodical ride began.

It's a bit scary how gradually you leave the ground. The movement made it seem like you were slowly fading away. Which wasn't that bad when you reach the highest point and see the overlooking scenery. But like a dream, almost as if everything is in reverse, it also felt like she was falling. Index couldn't explain it much but after seeing the marveled expressions of everyone else, that uneasy feeling disappeared entirely.

Engineering a new design for a Ferris wheel wasn't so much of an easy task. Hence, why, the officials of Academy City and School District 6 decided to turn the attraction into a full observation wheel that provides passengers with a smooth, 30 minutes unimpeded, 360-degree view of the Amusement park.

It was the perfect ride. Sometimes even adults, children, and couples would use it to help set the mood before and after exploring the amusement.

Looking through the giant transparent dome shaped glass, one could take in just how beautiful the amusement park and by extension the city of technology really is. The blaring flashing lights and multiple high-rise buildings shining in the dull sun's hue to give a tranquil but artificial beauty.

The sky began to change. By the looks of it, it was getting really late. Only when they saw how close the sun was to reaching the horizon did they really realize how much time had passed. Just six more minutes and the evening would be over.

But they made it off the attraction before that. And were now walking towards the Amusement park exit.

"So," Last Order spun on her heels and spoke. "What did you think? Did you have fun, Misaka asks as Misaka turns to everyone?"

Qliphah puzzle 545 was the first to respond. "I'll admit, it wasn't that bad."

"It was awesome!" Then came Fremea. Followed by Fraulein, Komoe, and Index respectively.

"I had a lot of fun."

"Very much so."

"Tons."

This was the true objective of today's activity! This! To have fun and bond with each other. Then I guess this is a mission success, she celebrated and followed beside the group as they continued to talk.

That's when a vibration buzzed in Index's pocket.

"Uhh, hello?" Index fumbled to answer it.

As he listens to the voice on the other end, she drops to the back of the group.

"I'll be right there. Sorry, I have to go."

"Is it about Kamijou?"

"He's in the hospital." She tried not to go into specifics.

"Well, I have work to give him, mind if I go with you?"

"Let's exchange numbers first, Misaka says as Misaka would like to be in contact."

"Sure. Umm, how do you do that?" Last Order took her phone and shared her number among her, Fremea and Komoe.

"Done. Misaka says as Misaka saves everyone's number." Last Order gave Index back her phone. And Index and Komoe separated from the group.

=o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o= =o=o=o=o=o=

The distance from school district 4 to school district 6 wasn't necessarily a short one. Though the two districts bordered each other, their individual circumferences from end to end would take a person about half an hour to cross.

However, since Hamazura wasn't at the end of district 4 border, and the entirety of school district 6 was the amusement park, he crossed over from district 4 into 6 within under twenty minutes.

And he was tired, justifiably so as he sprinted all the way here; To school district 6 bus station. But still, despite that, they… weren't here.

He could only breathe hard, his shoulders heaving as he tried to get his breathing under control, but ultimately failing in calming himself down. He pressed a hand to his own chest. His heart pounded at an incredible speed.

They have to be somewhere among the bus terminal.

The border sandwiched between districts 4 and 6 was a cobblestone and trim garden hedges bus terminal. If he checked each bus station, he'd eventually stumble upon them. And so he did, finding them within 2 minutes of searching.

They were waiting, leisurely, under a bus stop for him.

"You survived."

Aogami and Amazora waved out to him, pacing normally towards him as both Rikuri and Kaibi followed behind.

"I should say the same about you." Hamazura directed at Aogami. He gazed at him, wondering how exactly this guy got those thugs off his tail.

And although Aogami was about to answer that, Amazora instead replied in his stead.

"Those guys were more focused on capturing the women than they were about him."

"I'll have to repay you for that." Aogami laughed, and Amazora agreed with a light pat on his back.

"Well, sadly that can't be today," Rikuri said

"It's getting late." And Kaibi reiterated for the disagreeing little sister.

The sky was already a dull red.

"How about we exchange contacts?" Rikuri suggested and pulled out her phone. Kaibi sighed but seeing no harm in doing so pulled out hers; however...

Before she could turn the smartphone on.

"Isn't that...?"

Hamazura drew everyone's attention to a white rhinoceros beetle phone strap attached to her phone.

"Well now." Rikuri lowers her gaze, staring smugly at the oddly designed ornament. That wasn't there earlier.

"Kai Onee-chan?!" Amazora gasped. A smile playing on her lips.

Hamazura felt the ill intent sink in slowly. He might have to look over his shoulders from now on.

"We're leaving," Kaibi said and walked off. And after both, the sisters shared everyone's contact, chased after her.

Aogami's expression was one of confusion and so too was Hamazura's.

"So, this is what Kami-yan experiences," Aogami muttered to himself while putting away his phone.

"What?"

"You have the same amount of good luck as Kami-yan. Just that rather than hogging it all to yourself, you share it. We have to hang out more." The boy said erratic.

Hamazura had no idea who this kami-yan fellow was but he gave him his best regards.

---

Hamazura arrived back home to the shared group apartment.

"I'm home," He announced and shut the door behind him. "I brought Fremea with me too." Hamazura then added and followed the sprinting blonde deeper into the apartment.

Fremea ran up to the two other residents, who also share the apartment with him, and took a seat on the sofa, lying between them both.

"What are you guys watching?" He asked them before making his way into the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Right now, The Grinch. But we're in the middle of a Christmas movie marathon." Kinhuhata passed him a glance at the second part.

Then, towards him taking a sip of water, the apartment front door opened then closed. Mugino idled into the living room, dirtied and scratched.

"Mugino?!" Hamazura freezes at the sight of the woman. "What happened to you?" Then he asked.

"Nothing,"

While answering dead face, she sauntered straight into her room. Then a half-second after, strolled into the bathroom.

The door closed and, slowly, everyone went back to what they were doing; Hamazura now joined the three girls as they prepared to watch another movie.

All in all, today was quite the experience for everyone. I hope you enjoyed my longing fantasy of going to an amusement park. Had to quicken up a bit though.