Hey dear readers. A warning about this fic: It takes place after GT7, which means there will be a canonical divergence and also some spoilers. If you haven't read this far, beware, but I try not to give too many spoilers. One more warning, Shokuhou is a little bit less thirsty here than in canon...I think. Nah... who am I trying to fool?

By the way, English is not my first language, so the fact that this fic has stupid errors is not because I am an idiot, although I really am one. Good reading!

Chapter 1 - Gold and Sky Blue

It all started on the first day of the new year. Shokuhou Misaki was wearing a furisode that day, as well as a special hairstyle that made her look more grown up. She didn't expect anything too much that day, just like all the others. But that boy appeared. That same spiky-haired boy she loved with all her might... and the one who was doomed to forget her forever. But still.

"Umm... Have we met?"

That could mean nothing. It was how sometimes he could remember her smell of honey. There was no hope there. A New Year's miracle would not happen no matter how many good deeds she did. No miracle at all. But still, all she could do was smile.

A few months passed after that. She had convinced herself that New Year's miracle was no big deal, that she was desperately trying to hold on to the wind thinking she would have some support.

"I'm so stupid" Shokuhou said, walking through the streets of district 7. "It's been almost 3 months and still I can't get it out of my head."

Usually she would be accompanied by her faithful comrade-in-arms, Hokaze Junko, but this was one of the days she wanted to walk alone to organize her thoughts, something that should be easy for the one who possessed the strongest mental ability in the world, but life is ironic sometimes.

'My planning skills are getting worse and worse. I should have gone back to my clique meeting by now.'

Looking at the time on her cell phone, Shokuhou Misaki sighed and shook her head fervently. The reason she was so restless was simple.

'Why can't I stop following you? Just leave him alone and go back to the school garden, you'll end up a Stalker like Misaka-san if you go on like this'.'

The big problem of the Queen of Tokiwadai's day was the fact that Kamijou Touma was only a few meters away from her. It had been two minutes since she had seen him walking nonchalantly beside two friends. One of them Shokuhou was sure she had seen that day in the hospital when she had disguised herself as a nurse.

'I should do this more often. What am I thinking? Is my perverted ability getting worse with time too, or in this case is it better?'

She was so lost in thought that she hadn't even realized that her loved one's two friends had walked away from him and wandered off into the crowd, leaving a Kamijou Touma with a notebook in his hand and a sleepy face.

"I know I'm an idiot but couldn't Komoe-sensei take it easier on this Kamijou-san?" Kamijou sighed wearily as he stood near a sparsely traveled park.

'What's that? Homework maybe?' An idea formed in that girl's head 'What if I... no... I need to go back and attend the clique meeting'

With great effort, the girl pulled herself together and turned away. She was about to start walking in the other direction, but her legs were not obeying her commands. This was not being caused by some paranormal power, it was just her internal struggle.

'They will be fine without me. I trust Hokaze's leadership ability. I mean, this is quite an opportunity to spend some time with him. All I have to do is take advantage of the fact that his back is turned and bump into him hard as if I were a clumsy girl. His things will fall on the floor and I'll offer to help him with his homework as an excuse.'

Shokuhou wasted no time and walked toward the spiky-haired boy who continued to sigh wearily. Even she didn't know why she was making a whole plan to make an impression on a person who couldn't even remember her.

'It's kind of tiresome trying to make a good first impression when all impressions are first impressions. Maybe I should stop that and just call him out of the blue for a date or something...yeah...that's not bad. Then I can take him to a hotel and show him how much I have grown in this last year. And there goes my perverted ability again, I have to...'

This flurry of thoughts was stopped the instant the girl felt the bonds of gravity momentarily leaving her. There was one detail about Shokuhou's plan that she hadn't taken into consideration: she didn't need to pretend to be clumsy, the universe would conspire so that she didn't need to pretend. That had nothing to do with her being totally anti-athletic. Of course it didn't.

"Huh?" Kamijou turned around when he heard a deafening thud "Are you okay?"

The poor girl had miscalculated the height of the sidewalk, which caused her to stub her toe on an edge and then be thrown by herself because she couldn't handle the sudden pain. Her fluttering skirt somehow showed nothing as she lay sprawled on the ground, surrounded by several remote controls that had fallen out of her purse.

'Everything is going as planned' She thought, massaging her sore thumb 'My acting skills are so good that everything flows naturally.'

"Yes, I'm fine Kamijou-san" She replied, completely forgetting that this was supposed to be her first impression.

"Wait... have we met?" The boy held out a hand to help her up, which she readily accepted.

'Oops... there goes the acting. I was kind of finding the whole thing a little boring anyway'

"Don't worry about it, I just know someone who knows you" She replied, bending down to collect the remote controls.

"I see. But still... you're kind of familiar" He started to help her collect the remotes.

'He must be talking about my smell. Maybe sensory things like this act as a loophole for it.'

"Are you sure? I mean, your memory ability must not be very good if you forgot a face as beautiful as mine" Shokuhou said this only as a joke, but clearly there was pain in her voice.

"Yeah, you're right" He smiled and handed the last control to her, who carefully put it away in her purse "May I ask your name? Mine is Kamijou Touma, although I think you already know it"

A right hand was offered as a compliment. That hand, as well as the arm up to the elbow, was wrapped with a bandage that looked brand new.

'Looks like he got hurt again. What was it this time?'

"Shokuhou Misaki. My pleasure, Kamijou-san" The girl shook his hand with a smile on her face.

"Shoku... hou" He made a confused face "I was wrong then, there's no way I could forget a name like that"

'Hearing him say my name makes me feel happy and sad at the same time... even if it seems impossible'

"Well, I have to go now, Shokuhou-san. This Kamijou-san has a lot of homework to do."

Shokuhou made a somewhat confused expression as she saw the boy turn away. She had to be sure of something, so she waited for him to take a few steps before she stopped him by pulling by the sleeve of his jacket.

"Hey, can you say my name again?" She asked, trying not to sound sad.

"Eh? Did I mispronounce it or something? You said Shokuhou, didn't you?" He said, not understanding what the girl was getting at.

'That's strange. Usually the first thing he forgets is my name and face. Anyway, I shouldn't get attached to those details. Let's get on with the plan.'

"No, you pronounced it perfectly, Kamijou-san. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten. Your memory ability aren't so bad after all" She smiled radiantly and then pointed at what he was holding "You said you had homework to do, I can help you with that if you want, as a thank you for helping me"

"Really? But I didn't do anything. Besides you're a middle schooler and... thinking back to that time with Misaka..." He coughed falsely to push some memories away. "I think it's okay, I accept your help, Shokuhou-san"

'He really is remembering my name' The smile on her face widened 'I know I told myself I wouldn't cling to any hope but... what else can I do but hope for a miracle?'

xxxx-xxxx

The two teenagers walked over to one of the wooden tables in the park and sat down next to each other. The girl was having no problem with the homework that was supposed to be too advanced for a middle schooler.

"The answer to that one is B, D is a catch" Said the girl pointing to the notebook on the wooden table, but the boy for some reason looked frozen. "Kamijou-san, is there a problem?"

"Yeah, it's just that..." The boy looked at a region too large for a middle school girl "They've been touching me for a while now."

It turned out that Shokuhou wasn't exactly interested in helping him with that homework. This whole situation was just an excuse for her to spend some time with him, and she would obviously take advantage of this situation in whatever way would be the most fun.

"And what's the matter, Kamijou-saaaan?" she smiled mischievously and grabbed the boy's arm, finishing making him freeze as he felt that softness even through that thick clothing "I mean, I'm just a little girl, I shouldn't have any young maiden ability"

"What the hell are you talking about? Hey, why are you rubbing them on me now?!"

"Did you know that a certain person some time ago mocked my potential? What do you think he would think if he saw me like this?"

'What do you think of my breasts now Kamijou-san? Have a good look as you always do when we meet'.

"I don't know who this idiot is but he clearly has bad taste. Now could you please stop teasing this Kamijou-san? I don't want to be known around as a guy who goes after middle school girls" Begged the boy, trying to walk away as he caught the attention of some students in the park.

"Are you worried about the people around? I can use my ability to make them go away. Or how about we go somewhere else?"

"Somewhere else?" he was suddenly curious "I'm a little afraid to ask what kind of place you want to take me, crazy girl. And what kind of power do you have anyway?"

"Oh... that's right I didn't tell you... today I mean" She sighed, pulling away from him "The name of my power is Mental Out. I am a level 5, the #5 of Academy City."

"Hmm... so it's you?" The expression on his face was indecipherable.

'What do you mean? My esper name reminded you of something, but I thought even that was impossible'

"So you've heard of me?"

"Not exactly. I have a... friend who often refers to you as #5. She told me once that you helped me a lot in a complicated situation a few months ago. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome"

Shokuhou couldn't bear to keep looking at him. She knew exactly what situation he was referring to. Her eyes suddenly watered as her body was overcome with conflicting feelings.

'Why can't things be simpler? I don't know why I keep doing this to myself.'

"Hey you, what are you doing here with her?" That irritated female voice brought Shokuhou out of her reveries.

Another girl from Tokiwadai was standing there with her arms crossed and an annoyed face. Shokuhou had no idea when her rival had arrived there, but there she was. Misaka Mikoto, the Ace of Tokiwadai, the girl known as Railgun. Her chestnut-colored hair was flying because of the sparks coming out of her bangs, and her eyes displayed pure hatred.

"Misaka!?" Kamijou swallowed dryly at seeing that violent girl so angry.

"Hey Misaka-saaaaaaan. Your inconvenient ability is as good as ever." Mocked Shokuhou, taking the opportunity to grab Kamijou's arm again. "As you can see, I am spending quality time with Kamijou-san, so if you would excuse us"

The electric girl barely heard what her rival was saying. Her eyes focused on those huge breasts caressing the boy's arm as fast as a game with an automatic targeting system. She didn't even waste time before stamping her foot in anger and increasing the power of the sparks in her messy bangs.

"You... you..."Railgun said through gritted teeth.

"Kamijou-san, you better get ready, here comes her biri-biri ability"

Shokuhou was right. The 'biri-biri' came as soon as that phrase was uttered. A lance of millions of volts of lightning flew in the direction of those two, but the golden girl was not worried about any of it, since she knew that Kamijou could stop that attack easily. But the attack was not stopped.

"Eh?" Shokuhou made a cute sound when he felt an arm grabbing her waist.

Kamijou had not raised his bandaged right arm to cancel that devastating attack. Instead he held Shokuhou with his arm and threw himself to the side as he held her, causing the lightning spear to pass through both of them and strike a nearby tree.

"Are you okay?" He asked, still holding the girl's waist, who just nodded.

'What is going on here? Why did he grab me out of nowhere? Not that I'm complaining of course' She smiled and then looked at his bandaged right arm.

"You idiot" Mikoto shouted, already preparing another spear "Why didn't you cancel my attack? Are you trying to make me hit someone?" She pointed at the stricken tree, which was split in two and started on fire.

"And why on earth would it be my fault? Don't you think twice before you go around throwing those dangerous things?"

The response he got was another lightning spear being thrown in his direction, but this time the boy raised his right hand out of reflex. The attack was easily cancelled, but Shokuhou noticed that part of the bandages were destroyed.

'Is that why he didn't cancel the first one? Damn Misaka-san, don't you realize he's hurt?'

"Hey Kamijou-san, we better get out of here before that muscle brain hurts someone, come on"

Without stopping to think, Shokuhou took the boy by the left hand and started running out of the park. She took a remote control from her bag and gave some commands to people to get in the way of the other girl who was chasing them relentlessly, but taking care that no one got hurt unnecessarily. However, a certain inherent problem with that blonde prevented her from going on.

"I think I've had enough exercise for today" She said, panting so loudly that some people nearby might get the wrong idea of the situation.

"Huh? We must have run for at most 1 minute, it's not possible for someone to have so little stamina."

"I am sorry Kamijou-san, but that is the most you will get out of my athletic ability"

"Damn, here she comes" He said, looking across the street where an irritated Mikoto stood "I have no other option. I hope you don't get angry about this"

"What are you -"

She couldn't finish speaking. Before the girl's level 5 brain could process, she was already in Kamijou's arms, being carried princess style. Incredibly, they were going faster than when one of them didn't need to carry the other.

'This day only gets better. Thank you Misaka-san, my rank of main heroine is being consolidated with this legitimate princess carry, since I am a queen. Wait, that barely made sense'

"Why are you laughing so hard, golden girl? I expected a different reaction from a Tokiwadai girl.

"I don't know what you mean by that, but it's not every girl's dream to be carried around like a princess by a prince." She said, taking the opportunity to unnecessarily lay her head on his shoulder "Or is it just me who thinks like that?"

"This is no time to have fantasies, sticky girl" He retorted, ducking before a lightning spear passed through him and struck a wall.

"You could at least just call me by one single nickname"

"Whatever you say, honey girl"

'That last one isn't so bad. Maybe he has already forgotten my name so I have to make do with little'.'

xxxx-xxxx

After more than half an hour of running, Kamijou finally managed to lose the angry girl chasing those two. He stopped in an alley and looked around before putting the honey girl down.

"That was quite a ride. Are we going to do it again?" Shokuhou asked, grinning like an idiot.

"You're a little crazy, bee girl" Kamijou replied, breathing heavily. "We almost died at least nine times today"

"Yeah, when that garbage truck almost ran us over I thought it was the end. Your stamina ability is impressive. I wonder if you have that kind of endurance in other situations" Shokuhou put her index finger on his chest and smiled even more idiotically.

"Huh? Other situations?"

She just kept smiling at the spiky-haired boy's confusion. Now that they were not being chased, the girl took the opportunity to look at the boy's bandaged arm again. Part of the bandage on his palm was burned, which made Shokuhou wonder if it hurt.

'I have no idea how his ability works. All I know is that somehow he can cancel powers and... what was that anyway? A dragon?'

"Can I see?" She asked, trying to hold his bandaged hand, however he hid it behind his body.

"It's okay don't worry about it" He put a clearly nervous smile on his face.

"What are you trying to hide?" She kept trying to examine the boy's hand, but he kept moving away and hiding his hand "Let me help you, I'm an excellent nurse by the way." For some reason she licked her lips.

"Like I'm going to believe anything like that, sweet-smelling carnivorous girl" Kamijou continued trying to pull away from her.

"How can you think of so many epithets? Do you read fanfics often or something?" Shokuhou tried to circle around him to see the supposed injury on his hand but to no avail.

"Look, I really am fine. Don't worry about me."

"If that is true then why won't you let me see it?"

A loud sigh escaped the boy's mouth. He suddenly put a serious expression on his face.

"Listen, Shokuhou, I'm really not hurt. The problem is... something else" Kamijou said, scratching his head with his left hand.

"A secret?" She smiled again "Don't tell me you got a tattoo. Is it something embarrassing?"

"What? I have no idea how you came to that conclusion but it's not like that at all."

"Well...if I promise that whatever it is I won't think it's weird you'll show me?"

"You really won't give up will you?" He just got a smile as an answer, which made him sigh again "Okay... maybe that will at least serve to make you let me go"

Slowly, the boy raised his right hand. The palm was turned toward the girl, who narrowed her eyes as she saw through the damaged bandages.

'What is it? This color is familiar to me'

"That's weird" She said, holding that hand and starting to remove the bandages.

"Hey, you said you wouldn't think it was weird" He complained, trying to pull his hand back.

"Be quiet. Girls like me lie sometimes. It's all part of my charm."

Unwrapping the bandages, Shokuhou looked at that strange arm. It didn't look like a human arm. It was made of fibers that looked synthetic and were apparently stronger than normal muscle. That sky-blue coloring was not found in any animal in nature, but the girl had seen that color before.

"It's just like that time in England" She said, taking a good look at that clearly abnormal arm "But it only goes to the elbow this time. What's going on with your body anyway?"

"Did you say England?" Kamijou tilted his head in a confused manner at that instant "How do you know that?"

"Because I was there... and I'm sorry"

'Damn, I thought I was over that too. How would he react if I told him that I had once been on the other side of a battlefield? That I helped raise an army to kill him? I feel that my miracle is getting further and further away.'

"Hmm... now that you mention it..." Kamijou spoke again, making the girl pay close attention to his words "You are Mental Out, you were the girl I was trying to save that day at Windsor Castle"

Those words took time to be processed by the girl, who opened her mouth in surprise. It was as if she was watching a broadcast in a language she didn't understand very well, anxiously waiting for the translator to confirm what she had heard.

'He...does he remember?Is it like the time with Mitsuari Ayu maybe? Or… it's more than that?'

"Kamijou, do you still remember my name?" That question was asked in a pleading voice. Her expectation was high.

"Well... it's..." He was clearly making a gigantic effort "Shoku... hou. I think that's it, isn't it?"

'I don't understand. The memories of my name seemed to go away before we even parted, but now he seems to remember even if with a lot of effort' Thinking that, her vision refocused on that strange hand 'Technically, this isn't the first time this has happened. I wonder if this change has something to do with it?'

"It's really quite weird isn't it?" He asked, also looking at that psychedelic arm "I don't know what's causing it, but it seems to be spreading"

"Since when have you been like this?"

"It's been about 3 weeks now. It started only on my right hand, but it's evolved that far."

"Is that the only change in your body?"

"Not exactly" He revealed, placing a hand on his chin "There's something weird going on with my senses too. Sometimes I feel like there's something wrong with the world around me, like what I'm seeing isn't real"

"I've felt that way too."

"Really?"

"Yes. Maybe not like you, but all espers feel this way when they begin to understand the concept of 'personal reality'. Our abilities distort quantum physics, creating otherwise impossible phenomena."

"But I am a level 0" He stated, shrugging "And I could never understand the concept you are talking about"

"You know... the fact that you have such a unique power and it's rated as a level 0 is pretty puzzling don't you think? If it was a skill so weak that it couldn't be rated I would understand."

'There is something clearly wrong with him. If my intuition doesn't fail me, I would say that someone has classified him that way on purpose with some goal in mind. But that's not important... first I need to test a few things.'

"Kamijou, could you look closely at this for a moment?" She took her cell phone from her purse and typed in her own name. "What is written here?"

"Shokuhou Misaki" He replied, but he took longer than necessary, as if something was preventing him from processing the information.

"I don't know if that's enough to boost my hope ability, but you clearly seem less reluctant to say my name, although there's still something there getting in the way."

"I don't know what you mean, but I'm sorry" He said, noticing the tone of pain in the girl's voice.

"That just makes it worse, so don't say that" She shook her head and looked again at that sky blue and lemon yellow, or was it gold?

'A metamorphosis ability getting out of control? That sounds dangerous but... what if that is the cause of his improvement over me? That doctor said that the injury caused couldn't be healed so easily, but this strange power of his... that time his hand snapped into place on its own, without any kind of medical care. If this regenerative ability extends to other parts of the body... no, I can't begin to think that kind of thing.'

"Why do you look so sad?" Kamijou asked, trying to look her in the eye. The tone of voice he was using was one of comfort.

"Don't worry about that either, I'm just thinking a little about your condition and..." She hesitated, as if she knew that if she continued talking she would only stop when she was covered in tears.

"I'm really sorry, Shokuhou-san. Isn't there anything I can do to put a smile on that face?"

"It's not too hard to make me smile" She said, rehearsing a smile even in the midst of the pain she was feeling "See?"

But the boy twisted his lip and shook his head, disappointed about something.

"Even an idiot like me is capable of understanding how fake that smile is" Kamijou hadn't realized it, but those words made her clench her fist "Like almost every other smile I saw today, all I could see was pain."

'Don't say things like that. Can't you see that you're only making me feel worse? I'd better let it all go.'

"I need to go now, I promise I will improve my smile ability" She abruptly tried to move away from him, but that strange arm was extended and that sky blue hand held her by the shoulder "Excuse me, Kamijou-san, be a good boy and let go of me. I have important matters to attend to."

"Shokuhou, you haven't told me everything have you?" He asked, ignoring her and making her turn so he could face her "This may sound strange but... I feel like I know you... even before that time in England I mean. I don't usually tell this to anyone, but I lost my memories about nine months ago, so if you're one of the people my old self knew, please tell me."

'What do I do?' She trembled at that instant 'He'll forget like all the other times so why make the effort? I don't have the strength to go through all this anymore... I just wish this nightmare would end... I'm so stupid.'

"I met you about two years ago" She began, trying to make the hot tears forming in her eyes recede "It was just another summer day like any other. You seemed to be in a hurry. We bumped into each other and you dropped your cell phone. But that wasn't our real first meet. That would be District 21 and the circular artificial lake on top of the mountain that was part of a geothermal power plant. You appeared just as I was about to do something very bad. After that we met again and again by chance, as if the universe was planning something. It's a pity that those plans were so cruel."

'How many times have I told this same story? How many more times will I have to tell it until it loses its meaning?'

"I... I'm sorry" That was all he could say.

"I'm sorry too...it's all my fault after all...I wanted to save your life, and now I can no longer be a part of it"

"I don't know the whole story, but it's not true what you are saying, you are still a part of my life. You even helped me with my homework."

Shokuhou could only smile upon hearing that. She really realized only now what a mistake she had made. She couldn't belong in his world, so there was no point in trying.

"If I can't remember you, all I need to do is create more memories of you, enough to make up for all the ones we shared that summer"

"That's the problem, you can't."

"Why not?"

"Because... never mind, I don't want to have to explain it again. My overcoming ability is bad, but I at least have to try to move on even a little" She tried once again to turn around and walk away.

"I'm not letting you go" He said firmly, holding her by the shoulders "You seemed to be testing something just now with your cell phone and name, what was that?"

"That was me hurting myself, no big deal"

"Don't be like that. You're an intelligent person, so you were certainly thinking about something weren't you?" He raised his right arm "It has to do with this change in me, that's got to be it."

"Kamijou-san, it's okay. Just forget all about it... like you always do."

"I..." Kamijou averted his eyes as he hesitated. He took a deep breath "I don't want to forget you Shokuhou Misaki. Not until I can put a real smile on that face."

'He said it again... I've heard it so many times... it still hurts like always... like all the other times' But the girl tilted her head at the thought of that 'No... wait. Something has changed. He never said my name like that. I know this is stupid but... maybe just one more time, one more try'

"Your brain is damaged in a way that prevents you from retaining your memories of me...no, to be more correct, the pathways to those memories are damaged, which means that technically they are there, but cannot be accessed"

"Memories..." As he said that single word, he looked down at his psychedelic arm "Maybe you're right"

"About what?"

"About this" He gestured with his head for her to look at that sky blue "What I'm going to say next is not something you'll see me say much but... the truth is I'm not normal" Those words came out as if they were full of thorns "Something strange is happening to my body, like that time but a little different. My memories... they're not lost forever, they are right here." He lifted that strange arm and nodded "I never cared much for any of this but now I feel I have a reason to go further. You said something about personal reality right?"

"Yes. Where are you going with this?"

"Once a person from a different side of the world than you told me that her couldn't explain the changes in me completely, and the people on our side could help me see the big picture. So be the person on our side who will help me see the big picture, or at least help me understand more of who I am. Even if the answer I get is that I'm not human in the end, at least if I can get memories of you it will be enough to put a sincere smile on your face, won't it?"

'What is he talking about? Another world? It must be that magic thing that Anna something was using at Christmas. Something like that sounds absurd but... what if he is right? Why am I hesitating? I have already accumulated too many scars in these almost two years, if this doesn't work... what's one more scar on a soul that is already in pieces?'

"Your speech abilitiy are sublime as always, Kamijou-san" Shokuhou Misaki smiled again at that moment, which made the boy curl the corner of his lip "I'll think about what you say, but I need to do some research first. We will meet again soon, but first I need you to do something for me.

Without taking the smile off her face, the girl took a notepad from her white bag and handed a pen to the spiky-haired boy.

"No, I don't want your phone number. What I want is a guarantee." She said, as if trying to guess his thoughts.

"Guarantee?"

"Yes, or a reminder...you'll understand soon enough"

It was time for Shokuhou Misaki to really take this seriously. Waiting for a miracle was not being enough, she would make that miracle happen even if the whole universe was against her. Those two unlucky teenagers had a lot to discuss ahead of them.

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End of chapter notes:

So, what did you think? This fanfic is not supposed to be anything 'great' and 'pretentious, it's just a KamiSaki fic that I wrote after re-reading GT7 for the second time. What you can expect from it is silly moments, questionable humor, 'Hornisaki'(lol), and a few sad moments here and there. I guess that's it, thanks for reading and see you next time. Wait… i almost forgot… Nio leaving.