A/N Thank you to everyone! We recently broke the record at time of this upload for the most hits on 11/11/2018, with over 270 hits in one day, and 54 unique visitors across both Treefall and Sunrise! I write out of enjoyment, because I have a story I wanna tell and it makes me happy, but I also take a great deal of enjoyment out of making other people happy. So I truly do hope I am doing that.

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Lightning struck the top of a tall skyscraper, spider-cracks of electricity rocketing across the surface of the roof. From the center, a youth walked from it.

The blonde youth walked to the edge of the stone, smooth outcropping of the tall skyscraper that looked over the many districts of Academy City, flopping down to sit down, his feet dangling over a thousand feet off the ground. Thunder rumbled over head as rain began to pour down, but he seemed unperturbed by it, his face spreading into a wide grin as he stared across the skyline at the glowing monolith that was the Windowless Building.

"Crowley, Crowley, Crowley." The youth said with a laugh in his voice, his grin with white teeth and prominent incisors shining like lightning.

"Did you really think I'd just stand idly by and let you make my successor without me getting a word in edgewise?" His eyes drifted upward at the large storm that was forming over Academy City, watching the lightning strike at the spires made by Science to stave off the damage.

"Misaka Mikoto. I just can't wait to meet her."

End Act I

Interlude

Mikoto stared out the window as rain poured down, water droplets sliding down the glass. She rested her hand against the cool glass, feeling somewhat humbled by the rumbling thunderstorm. It sure had been storming a lot lately. Especially with it being winter, she expected more snow than rainfall. It was approaching December after all.. It was what, middle of November now? November… To imagine that the Level 6 Shift Project had happened 15 months ago now. So much had happened in the interim. Good and bad. She felt her hand squeeze tightly onto her forearm crutch that she still relied on for balance and strength. Frenda's words echoed in her mind.

"You're complicit…" She muttered, glancing down at the puddles gathering in the walkway in the courtyard through the fogging window. She wanted to dismiss that little murderers words. Problem was… was that… she wasn't wrong. Not entirely. Every student in this city had made agreements when they enrolled here to serve as data sources during the ability development, and as test subjects. The general understanding in all their contracts was that the testing would be humane.

But… humane was very subjective. And she wondered that in the pursuit of advancement, in the drugs, and hypnotism, and electroshocks, and needles to her various parts of her brain, maybe… maybe she'd lost track of the point that she'd let herself cross the line. None of these treatments had hurt her, no, but…"

Images of dead clones flashed across her mind. She felt tears well up in the corner of her eyes as her body shook. Guilt began to build up in her gut as she clenched her jaw. How many bodies had her success been built upon? How many people had died to ensure that the experiments used on her were safe?

She felt a softness against her back as an arm wrapped around her waist.

"Having dark thoughts again?" Kuroko's voice cut through those aforementioned grim musings.

"...Y-yeah." Mikoto nodded. Kuroko had grown very good at picking up on Mikoto's grim moods, and this had become an ongoing agreement. Mikoto would stop lying about when she was having a bad mood or dark thoughts.

"Well, we're both in warm pajamas now. I hooked up the heated comforter. Why don't we cuddle those away? I promise to keep my hand to behave." Kuroko said with a grin. Mikoto found herself smiling softly, her eyelids hanging heavily.

"OK… I love you, Kuroko." She said, turning to face her, looking down at the shorter girl, blushing. "I… I really don't…" She began to say, but Kuroko leaned up and softly pecked her lips.

"You do. You do deserve me." Kuroko cut her off, smiling. Mikoto blushed and mumbled something in gibberish in embarrassment as she looked away, but Kuroko wasn't about to let her get away that easy. "Say it." Mikoto blinked.

"Say what?" She asked.

"Say you deserve me." Kuroko grinned, hugging her a bit tighter, grinning like a devil. Mikoto stared at her blankly before her face turned a burning fierce red, breaking down into incoherent stuttering as Kuroko grinned and waited.

"I...I…" Mikito stuttered, but steeled herself, the look in Kuroko's eyes more than just mischief. "I d-deserve you…" She mumbled quietly, barely meeting Kuroko's eyes, her chin pressed against her clavicle. Kuroko grinned a toothy grin before she pulled Mikoto across the room to their bed, tugging her onto it and pulling her underneath the heated comforter, cuddling close to her.

"Yes, you do. I love you, Mikoto." she nuzzled close to her. "Please never forget that."

Mikoto pressed herself close to Kuroko, hugging her tightly to her chest, and let herself cry silent tears.

This time, of happiness.

Ruiko was trying very, very hard not to be negative as she got back in her room. No, she was determined not to be. She wouldn't be envious of her friends being alone in their rooms with their girlfriends!

Still, it stung a little to be back in her room alone. Ruiko sighed as she buried her face in her pillow. She let out a loud groan against it as she rubbed her nose into the soft cloth. The rain pattered against the roof until it sounded deafening. She sighed a little. It was relaxing in a weird way. Then she felt a sudden intense wet soggy gross coldness on her back.

"OH FUCK WHAT NO!" Ruiko tried to get this strange alien THING off her back, leaping out of her bed but found it clinging to her.

"Ruiiikooo! Heeeelppp!" Came the whiny, pleading voice of Frenda.

"F-Frenda!? What? Why? How!?" Ruiko then spotted the open second-story window where wind and rain were now blowing in that she hadn't noticed so lost in thought that she was.

"M-m-my s-s-surprise s-s-s-sexy a-a-attack w-w-was f-f-foiled by r-rain!" Frenda chittered out through chattering teeth as she clung to Ruiko's back, who found herself suddenly in reverse roles of rain-soaked freezing rescuing operations as she ran to her bathroom, still dealing with the clinging monster that was Frenda.

After much confusion, Ruiko found herself pressed up against the wall of the shower, her face crimson as she stared down at a feisty Frenda.

"F-Frenda! T-the others might hear!" She said in a stage whisper over the falling steaming shower water.

"That's a lot of loud rain… besides, I just couldn't resist. There's something about you Ruiko. I think it's the abs." Frenda made a kind of purring growl that brought a shudder out of her counterpart.

"But in all seriousness…" Frenda grinned up at Ruiko as she rested her chin on top of the girls chest. "If you're serious of wanting to be more than just another ignorant dope… you are going to need to learn how to do better than those clumsy moves than you showed back at that mall. You promise to be a good student, I promise to try not to be a shitty teacher."

Ruiko looked down into Frenda's eyes, clenching her jaw before nodding with determination.

"Deal."

Frenda's grin grew into a broad smirk. "Excellent."

And much to Ruiko's surprise, Frenda climbed out of the shower and dried herself off, moving her way out of the bathroom. Ruiko tried very, very hard not to let the disappointment show on her face. I mean, it's not like… like she was sex-crazy or anything. It… it was kind of fun. That's all.

Ruiko got out, dried herself off, turned off the bathroom lights, and as she walked out, noted that the lights of the bedroom were off.

"Frenda?" She blinked, a flash of lightning illuminating Frenda's jumping figure just in time for Ruiko to spot her before she was pinned to the bed. Ruiko felt a hand in her hair, grabbing at the roots and a mad giggling laugh.

"I'm not going to lie, there's a gleeful sadistic side of me that knows if Railgun knew what we were doing just across the hall, she'd probably lose her goddamn mind."

"W-w-whaa-?!" Ruiko began to stutter out, but a hands location at her chest and a knees hard jerk between her thighs, followed by a strong pull of hair at the roots that accompanied Ruiko's neck whipping back to follow along for the ride cut off the train of thought as Ruiko let out a very un-lady-like moan.

"Shh… Fun now… Tomorrow we start learning."

Needless to say, Ruiko was quite grateful that evening for how loud the storm and rain was.

Misaki growled loudly as she fished through her bag, grabbing a remote and pointing it at her head, pausing for a moment as she felt a hand weakly grab at hers. Haru-chan's. Her heavy eyelids partly obscured her eyesight as she looked down at her beloved, still asleep, reaching out in her sleep.

She lowered the remote, sighing. Even that monster had to sleep sometimes, and she couldn't keep warding off sleep with her powers. Letting out another heavy sigh, she dropped the bag onto the ground, standing and undressing, taking out her elegant nightgown and donning it. She had brought a spare bag along once this whole debacle with Saten had started, and was happy she had.

Gently moving Uiharu over to make room, she slid next to her, pressing the back of Uiharu's head against her chest, cradling her gently.

"My Haru-chan… So fragile… so clever… so devious." She pet the girl's head, smiling. She let her mind wander as her eyelids grew more and more heavy, slowly drifting away.

14 Months Ago

Konori Mii watched her last remaining Judgement officer work diligently at her desk. Diligently was a… strong word though. Uiharu Kazari was slowly typing at her keyboard, her eyes drifting across the monitor, in a trance. The massive bags under her eyes spoke volumes at how little sleep she was getting. Her work quality was dropping, and at this point, without Kuroko… who might never wake up from her coma…

"Hey Uiharu-san…" Konori reached out and lightly touched her junior's shoulder, and almost instantly Konori wanted to hit herself for her mistake. Uiharu, who hadn't even acknowledged her approaching, let out a scream of terror as her hand even lightly touched her, leaping from her chair and backpedaling away, tripping and falling onto the ground.

"I'm sorry!" Konori said instantly, cursing herself for beyond foolish mistake. Uiharu didn't look up at her, she stared down into her lap shaking for a moment, wiped her face before looking up at her senior and gave a shaky smile.

"I-It's f-fine, Konori-senpai. Y-you just startled me." Uiharu said with such a bald-faced lie that it hurt.

"...Right." Konori said softly, offering her a hand to stand. Uiharu very hesitantly took it, standing up and dusting herself off.

"You should head home for the day, I think we're good." Konori said. Uiharu looked startled at this, looking at the mountain of paperwork.

"B-but, we have s-so much to do sti-"

"That is an order. Get some sleep." Konori said in a firm tone, staring down at the wreck that was Uiharu Kazari. Uiharu stared up at her with a somewhat helpless expression before relenting, nodding slowly.

"Yes, senpai." She said weakly, gathering her things together and shuffling out of the building.

She shuffled her way down the street, hugging her bag to her chest. Every few minutes it felt like something startled her, causing her to jump, or gasp out.

She bumped lightly into a man as he walked down the street, who turned to her in annoyance, scowling at her.

"Hey, watch it!" He growled at her. "Stupid kid."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She backpedaled away from him quickly, tears in her eyes, nearly tripping over her own feet before running away as fast as she could panting, her exhausted body barely able to maintain such a run. She managed to get to her apartment, her new one after her previous had been damaged by debris. Smaller, one person.

She got inside, locking the door after she got in, checking the locks repeatedly, all five of them. She went through her routine, checking the windows to make sure everything was OK, nothing was broken into, everything was secure. She shuffled over to her fridge and looked inside. Not much to eat really… not that she was really hungry.

She shuffled over to the floormat and pillow that served as her bed, tucked up against a corner. It was a good spot. She could see the front door, but was also just a few feet from the nearest window in case she needed to use it.

She listened to her voicemails.

"Hey Uiharu-san! It's me… Saten. Just calling to check in again. See how you're doing. Just… you know… give me a call back. OK?"

"Hey Uiharu-san, it's me Haruue. I've missed you since we've had to separate since the apartment got messed up. Hope you're doing OK. Call me."

"Hey Kazari-chan. It's Mom. Please call. I haven't heard from you since you called to tell me you were OK since that space elevator incident they talked about on the news. They keep talking about Academy City closing its borders more and reducing outside contact. I'm worried about you."

Uiharu put her hands over her ears as she felt tears flow down her face. She just couldn't do it. She couldn't. Nothing was right anymore. Shirai. Misaka. Both of them were gone, probably forever.

Nothing would ever be right again. Nothing.

She curled up in the corner of the room and cried the night away, fearing sleep and the nightmares it brought.

The dark truth of the city had stolen Uiharu Kazari's innocence.

And nothing could bring it back.

Uiharu groaned as she woke up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. What had she been dreaming about? She didn't remember, but it had been unpleasant. Shifting, she felt the presence of another. Turning, she saw the sleeping face of Shokuhou Misaki cuddling up against her. Smiling, she turned to face her, cuddling up closer and blushing a bit, sighing as she let herself drift back off to sleep.

Not to be troubled by a even a single more unpleasant dream that night.

Begin Act II