Exams are finally over for me! I'll have a good two months before my torture begins again, so I'll have to enjoy it while it lasts, huh?

Oh, and my bad about Violet Evergarden. A resent post informed me that Violet Evergarden is in fact an anime adaptation despite what was written in "Violet Evergarden: 1". I just genuinely didn't know, I knew the LN existed, but never thought that it was the original lmao.

Am I going to change it? Probably not. Despite it being only a couple of words, I'm too lazy. Sorry about that.

Not only that, Resident Evil was made in Japan!? This seriously blew my mind, because I seriously thought it was western because of the plotline, voices, and characters. Many thanks to the 3 people who informed me of this.

One last final note: I just read a little bit of New Testament. I know, I'm like way too late. I was an Anime-Only, okay? And I really do want to have Misaka Worst join in with the fun of this, but it shouldn't be possible as the Timeline I already "established" takes place (A certain character dies cough, cough, spoilers, cough).

Well, might as well put a pin on that for now. Tell me what you think!

Now that everything has been said, let's get started.

Kisaragi Mai remembered the days of her old school.

Incredibly strict.

Serious teachers.

Cold.

Though many students hated the school and teachers due to the boring lessons and work. The young Mai didn't exactly mind the school at all.

The system was simple: You listen to everything the teachers tell you.

Everything was pure memorization. Everything needed to be perfect in every single way. Children had to copy their teacher's notes exactly. Children must only solve problems and question the method the school had taught them. Everyone drew the same thing. Everyone wrote about the same thing.

Everything was the same. The school was nothing but a factory creating the exact same people over and over again.

Nonetheless, Mai never actually despised the school at all. She was used to listening and doing everything she was told. No matter how unreasonable her teacher's requests and orders may seem, she still got the job done, pushing her limits almost every time.

However, the school closed down for destroying children's creativity and innovative minds.

Once Mai got transferred to another school once her old one got shut down, she was immediately labeled as the "Teacher's pet". It didn't take long for her to be isolated, as she was always alone, studying. Staying ahead on her studies, not sparing a single minute to socialize with peers.

With the school's new environment, Mai unsurprisingly becomes an honor student, acing every test.

However, tests were apparently not the only method the school used to judge a student's understanding of a subject. There were projects, presentations, and research papers as well. Mai struggled with those, especially the ones that required a partner.

When she was given the freedom to pick whatever topic she wanted to base her project on, she couldn't do it. Coming up with ideas on her own independently just seemed almost impossible for her. She always had to get the teacher to simply pick for her, or leave the topic of the other project to other groupmates.

She wasn't a burden though. She found herself to be extremely proficient at editing works according to the rubric given by the teacher, making sure the paper reaches and perfects every outcome they were being graded on.

However, her life changed when she picked up and read a certain book.

Seeing the wild emotions spiral out of the book, as if it were taking her on an incredible journey through a beautifully illustrated fictional world. She never saw anything like it. Though the stories were incredibly sad and entertaining, what awed Mai the most was the fluttering freedom that screamed through the pages of the book. She could already tell; the author of this book was genuinely passionate. They didn't let any restrictions apply to their book, and simply wrote their heart away with honest feelings.

After constantly seeing gray, objective views in papers, assignments, tests, textbooks, and studies, it felt completely different to the book's colorful use of imagery. Blue and white for the protagonist's clothes, silver blond hair, pretty green eyes, the violent red blood, and the pretty violet flowers in the book.

The book taught Mai that 'you didn't need rubrics, instructions, or a teacher's orders to create something incredible'.

It was then when Mai met someone weird. Very weird.

This "someone" was a girl who went by Misaka Miyano. Who was also the self-proclaimed author of the book series that had changed her life; Ayaka Hiiragi.

With a twist of events, she had found herself doing a "job" of sorts. Her job was to edit and fix grammar mistakes made in this girl's book: 'Steins;Gate'. She really didn't care whether or not this girl really was Ayaka Hiiragi, as much as she doubted it. She was getting paid, and she probably needed editing experience with stories if she really wanted to achieve her goal of becoming the real Ayaka Hiiragi's editor.

However the more volumes she successfully finished editing, it became increasingly more clear for her. The style in writing, the tone, and the immense amount of love and freedom put into the book. It was the same.

Despite the two book series being almost completely different genres, the words and illustrations felt like they were from the same author.

As much as I hate to admit it, I guess you really are the amazingly famous author, Ayaka Hiiragi. Mai thought in her head.

"What's wrong? You can take a break if you'd like." Said the chestnut haired girl. Her brown eyes were in concern, seeing how Mai had been spacing out.

"It's nothing." Mai reassures. "Just reminiscing about the past."

The girl smiles. "Alright."

'I apologize for not believing you earlier. It's nice to meet you, Ayaya.' Mai had secretly thought.

Mai was over at Miyano's apartment, far past midnight. She estimated it to be between 1 or 2 am. After doing her double check, she had officially finished editing the volume she was assigned.

Miyano was in the middle of drawing her last, final illustration of the book.

"You done?" Mai asked. The illustration already looked finished, yet Miyano continued to draw on it.

"Just a little more finishing touches…" She replied.

'I hardly think anyone will notice those 'touches'. Mai pointed out in her head.

"ALL DONE!" The author shouted in joy. She stretched her arms into the sky, and saved the work they had created. "We should be ready to publish this tomorrow."

Mai perked up. "…publish? This quick?"

"Why not?" Miyano asked. "It was actually supposed to be in two days, but someone insisted that they wanted to work overtime! We don't even have a deadline!" She complained.

"I-I can't help it, it's just a habit of mine." Mai protested.

"Alright, you workaholic." Miyano said in a dismissive tone. "It's already like two hours past midnight, I'm going to sleep. Be careful on your way home, it's dark after all." Miyano said, hopping straight into bed.

Mai nodded, despite Miyano not looking. She took all of her things including her laptop, pen, notepad, and thesaurus (she refused to use the internet). After shoving them all into her bag, she picked it up while looking at her phone.

It really is past 2. She thought.

Mai left the apartament, shutting the door behind her. She heard the door click automatically as soon as it closed.

Well, I better get home.

Mai thought about the book she had helped edit. She could never forget its name: Steins;Gate. Though the science behind the book could be called plausible, it still had references and sources to back some of the logic up. When she asked the author about the book about it, she said this: 'Steins;Gate is meant to be completely fictional, and I'm seriously not trying to create a new theorem or something. I really hope no one misunderstands me and tries to make an argument against me.'

For good measure, Miyano put this quote into the "Author's notes" section.

Putting the possible controversy aside, Mai was confident that the book would soar in sales anyway. Some chapters could have been called boring, especially the first few. However, other chapters are so packed full of action, humor, and wit, that it had left Mai completely immersed into what would happen next. It was as if the book was training the reader like a dog. Forcing the reader to exercise and tolerate the boring parts, then is given delicious treats or amazing chapters as a 'reward'.

Mai now knew that Miyano, despite her goofiness and childlike behavior, was without a doubt a genius in the writing industry. The way she behaved also indicated that she had other stories in her mind as well.

"Hah…" Mai sighed as she walked along the road for no particular reason. Though she wanted to work a little more, she couldn't deny that she herself was feeling sleepy as well.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Mai jumped in fear. Someone had suddenly shouted in the middle of the night. Despite the street lights being turned on, she could barely make out the silhouette where the voice came from.

'Be careful on your way home, it's dark after all.' Miyano's words echo in her mind.

'Are… they thugs…?' Mai thought in a panicked state. Not knowing what to do, she decided to run away.

Mai wasn't that fast of a runner, but she still did her best to run for her dear life. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder as she was running. The hand forcefully turned Mai around, and she fell on her bum, twin tails on the ground. She flinched, eyes closed.

"Don't hurt me please! I've got money, so please leave me alone!" Mai screeched in reflex, covering her face.

"I don't want your money!" The voice protested.

The voice felt familiar to Mai. She slowly opened her eyes, to see a girl almost identical to Misaka Miyano. Instead, the girl had short hair, and a Tokiwadai uniform.

"Hah. Oh dear. Hah… You scared the poor little girl, Misaka-san" A busty blond haired girl with the same uniform caught up to the scene along with a violet haired girl with a lab coat.

'Misaka-San? Miyano had a twin sister? To think she even goes to Tokiwadai… What is going on here?!' Mai thought, bewildered.

"I-I didn't mean to!" The girl looking like Miyano said, shaking her hands. "I just wanted to find this person before they got away!"

If that were true, couldn't you have just asked and approached me nicely!?

"She's thinking that you can just ask her nicely, you know." The busty blond haired girl said, almost as if she had read Mai's mind.

"I-I really couldn't help it you know!?" Miyano's look-alike said.

"That aside." The girl in the lab coat said. "By any chance, do you have a connection with an author that goes by Ayaka Hiiragi?"

"…"

"Um. Yes…" Mai stood up, brushing her skirt and hair. "I happen to be her new editor."

"…I think I found a lead towards our author."

"WHAT?" Mikoto and Shinobu shouted.

"Where?!" Mikoto asked, ready to take off almost any second.

"Let's get out of this alley." Misaki stated. "This person is walking near a road."

"Speak no more." Mikoto immediately ran towards the direction Misaki pointed. It helped that there were less people and it being night, as she could detect magnetic waves easier to locate people.

"Hey, wait up!" Misaki said, but Mikoto didn't stop.

She saw a sillouette silently walking come into her view.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Mikoto shouted

The figure jumped in fear. After a second, they started to run away.

'Oh no you don't!' Mikoto thought. She sprinted towards the figure, revealing a highschool girl with purple twintails.

Mikoto grabbed the girl's shoulder and forcefully turned the girl around. The girl fell on her bum, her face had sharp eyes. Despite her eyes looking sharp, the girl shut them and trembles with fear.

"Don't hurt me please! I've got money, so please leave me alone!" She said.

"I don't want your money!" Mikoto protested.

"Hah. Oh dear. Hah… You scared the poor little girl, Misaka-san" Misaki said, as she caught up with Shinobu.

"I-I didn't mean to!" Mikoto stuttered. "I just wanted to find this person before they got away!"

"She's thinking that you can just ask her nicely, you know." Misaki

"I-I really couldn't help it you know!?" Mikoto stuttered.

"That aside." Shinobu said, dismissing Mikoto. "By any chance, do you have a connection with an author that goes by Ayaka Hiiragi?"

"…"

"Um. Yes…" The girl stood up, brushing her skirt and hair. "I happen to be her new editor."

'What a lucky twist of fate!' Mikoto thought. "Could you introduce me to the author!?" She asked, holding the girl's hands tight.

"You don't know?" (Girl)

"Hm?" (Mikoto)

"No, nevermind…" (Girl)

The girl thought for a little bit. "Sensei isn't a fan of personal attention though."

Mikoto expected this to happen. She was so close, yet so far. There was a reason why Ayaka Hiiragi was anonymous in the first place. At this point, the best she could do was try to convince the author directly.

"I don't actually need to talk to her face-to-face. I just need an interview from her. Just like she did that time earlier."

"Well, that is true…" The girl replied.

"…"

"…"

As the girl thought for a little bit, tension grew. The girl finally looked at Mikoto.

"Alright, I'll guide you to her room."

'A miracle!' Mikoto and Shinobu thought.

"My name is Kisaragi Mai. Come with me, okay…?"

Everyone walked over to an apartment that didn't look special at all. Once they made it to a random room, Mai stopped.

"Is this it?" Mikoto asked in disbelief. She wasn't exactly disappointed, but she felt like she expected more.

"Yeah." Mai said with a sigh. "I'll remind you once again, your favourite author's personality isn't what you think. They say there's a fine line between genius and being a huge weirdo."

Mikoto and Shinobu nodded.

Mai opened the key pad, and typed the password.

Mikoto knew it was bad manners to peek at someone's numbered password, but she unintentionally managed to catch that the password was 15712.

'I feel like I've heard of that number before…' Mikoto thought.

'Not only that, Misaki-san looks almost speechless a a certain point during our time meeting Kisaragi-san. She must have found out the author through her ability, but why is she so surprised? Is the author an acquaintance of hers?'

Mai opened the door. "Hiiragi-Sensei! Are you still there?"

Readers: Nooo you can't just make a cliffhanger just because you're lazy!

Blue712Jay: Hehe cliffhanger go brrrr