Mikoto read the message one more time in case she didn't get it wrong.

Misaka-san, please come to the abandoned warehouse in District 10.

'Why did Uiharu-san ask me to go to District 10?' She thought. Her heart raced at the unusual message received. If it was indeed Uiharu, then something was wrong.

Why?

She sent the message rather hesitantly, feeling anxiety as time goes by. Seconds later, she received a reply.

A youkai named 'Yoshiki' is looking for you.

'Yoshiki... the youkai that attacked me and Kuroko yesterday... why would he want to ask us to go there? Wait... why would Uiharu-san know about him? Unless...'

Suddenly, she remembered Yoshiki's final words before he left.

"I thought I could capture the heiress with just those mute twins, but I guess I'll use a drastic method!"

Mikoto tightened her grip on her phone. Uiharu must have been abducted by Yoshiki. There was no other way she could know him. If that was the case, what about the others?

Her heart felt like releasing itself from the confines of her chest: beating like a fist pounding at the wall, as if trying to break from its prison. Now the youkai went to far; how dare he involve her friends for something they were not directly involved in.

Closing the phone, she put it in her pocket and stood up, tidied her desk and walked next to a sleeping Shirai.

Noticing a presence, Shirai slowly opened her eyes. She looked up to see Mikoto, with a determined expression, looking at her.

"What's wrong, Onee-sama?"

"Let's go."

"Where?"

Both Mikoto and Shirai arrived in front of the warehouse.

The exterior of the warehouse had been worn down due to time and the dust that accumulated around it. Around the warehouse was a 12 meter fence that served to mark the plot. At the entrance, was a 'NO ENTRY' barricade blocking it.

Mikoto looked around for onlookers. With nobody in sight except for her and Shirai, they jumped the barricade and charged into the warehouse.

As they looked around, they saw seven female students hung high above the ground: formed into into two columns like they were in some sort of a creepy ritual, supported by the thick rope around their chest and upper arm, and hung on the roof. In the middle of it was a timer and a knife, with the sharp edge facing the rope.

Mikoto gasped as she recognized that they were all her friends. On left line were Wannai, Awatsuki, Saten and Haruue. On the right side of the line were Kyouko, Uiharu and Konori. They only looked at

her, their eyes pleading for help as they were powerless in the situation they were in.

'Even Wannai-san and Awatsuki-san...'

"Welcome!"

Mikoto looked at the source of the voice, which was 10 meters away from her current position. Standing on a mountain of metal was a female student of Tokiwadai and three other male students.

"How do you like the scene before you? Isn't it great? Oh and if you're wondering, just call me Kamakiri."

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want. If you want to save your friends, surrender the heiress to me and I'll let them free. If not..."

Kamakiri snapped his fingers and the area around them enveloped in mist. The hostages looked around in fear and curiosity. As they looked down at Mikoto, they noticed that she was beside someone they didn't know. Even though they found her appearance cute, they wondered what was she doing in a place like this.

Except for Saten, she wanted to say that it was the youkai that Mikoto was always with.

"As long as they are in this space, the spikes directly below them will result in their death if the rope breaks. If you still won't give up, let's have a battle with the four of us, versus the two of you. Every two minutes, a rope will break and one of those pitiful girls will fall down on the bed of spikes."

Having a battle with four youkai plus saving one hostage is a very difficult task. Of course, Mikoto would not surrender Shirai easily. She would choose her friends over the youkai. But thinking

back to the bond she had with Shirai was different. It may have been only for two weeks, but they shared a bond special only to them. It was kind of unfair, she thought. She had been with her friends

longer than the youkai, yet being with Shirai made her feel like herself (though leaning more on the childish side).

"Stop this madness, Kamakiri."

Everyone looked at Shirai, who only stepped forward as she looked at Kamakiri.

"This isn't madness, I am merely using her friends so I can force you to give up and come back with us."

"You don't have to involve them."

"Why? Isn't this appropriate? You know those movies that human makes? The bad guys takes two people as hostage and the good guy forces to decide who to save. It's the same in this

situation. If you chose to battle, it's not my fault if you two failed to save all of them."

"I..."

Shirai and Kamakiri stopped their exchanged and looked at Mikoto. Her friends also looked at her.

"I'll... fight..."

Shirai gasped as she realized what Mikoto had said. She grabbed the other's shoulders and Mikoto looked at her.

"Onee-sama! What were you saying? You don't have to do it... for me..."

Mikoto pushed Shirai's hands away. "That's not it... I can't overlook people or youkai or whoever they are use my friends for stupid things like this. Besides, I also can't overlook those who did this

to you."

"Onee-sama..."

"Hey! Is your drama skit done now? We're getting impatient here."

Both Mikoto and Shirai looked at Kamakiri, who only jumped from the junkpile and landed on the ground. "So, what's your choice, human? Surrender the heiress to us, or you'll fight protecting her

while you sacrifice your friends?"

"Kamakiri... if you think of underestimating me like that, you got another thing coming. I'll fight, but I am not protecting Kuroko or sacrificing my friends." She said as her voice started to get louder.

"But Kuroko will fight with me while we save everyone!"

Kamakiri's temper started to rise as Mikoto was still stubbornly not giving up Shirai despite she had nothing to do with her.

"People like you... annoy me!"

He snapped his fingers, activating the timer and left the Tokiwadai student's body. He leapt forward towards Mikoto and Shirai in his natural form and manipulated his light green flame, forming a sickle. The flame slowly took its solid form and finally turned into a golden sickle, matching the color of his armor; he then swung his weapon at them.

Mikoto and Shirai leapt sideways to avoid his attack and ended up separating themselves.

Kaeru stepped in and ignited himself. Mikoto quickly looked at him, and wondered about his alternate form. The dark green flame dissipated as his alternate form was finally revealed.

Moo~

'Gekota!'

Mikoto's face transformed into a cat-like expression she always uses whenever she saw anything related to Gekota. But in a split second her expression changed back to a serious one: realizing at the fact it was a just youkai taking the form of her favorite childish merchandise.

'I won't be fooled by that so easily.'

Kaeru leapt towards her in a frog-like manner. Because he was able to leap higher in his second form, the youkai prepared his attack, raising his hand high. During his descent, his hand started to descend, gathering force for his attack.

Before he could reach Mikoto, she conjured an electric ball and hurled it at him. Kaeru karate chopped the electric ball in half, like a blade slashing through a leaf.

Mikoto stepped backwards as Kaeru landed before her.

They heard an alarm and the sound of a soft object being slashed. Mikoto and Shirai turned to see Wannai falling down towards the spikes. Wasting no time, Mikoto dashed towards her and jumped. She caught Wannai just in time and tumbled past the spikes.

Mikoto laid Wannai on the floor and quickly removed the ropes and the cloth as Shirai was dodging all four youkai's attacks.

Wannai gasped as she looked at the other. "Misaka-san, what exactly is happening?"

"Umm... I'll explain later."

"Uh, Misaka-san, can I help too? If it's okay with you."

"I... guess..."

Mikoto stood up and went back in the raging battle as she used her magnetism, hurling an air conditioner at Kaeru, who was approaching Shirai. The frog youkai was hit square in the chest and was knocked to the side from the impact.

She felt someone behind her and whirled around. Mikoto saw a dark brown humanoid insect with two antennas on its head. Looming over her, Mikoto quickly recognized what kind of insect he

was and ran away frantically in a comical fashion.

"Don't come near meee!"

With Kaeru out of the way, Inu jumped in and tried to deliver a punch at Shirai, which she only side stepped and positioned her foot for hi-kick and swung it on his stomach, hurling him away and

hit the wall.

After using her magnetism on an old crane arm at Gokiburi in fear, Mikoto immediately put her hand on the ground and vibrated the iron sand and quickly blocked Kamakiri's surprise attack with her incomplete iron sand sword. Two weapons clashed as Kamakiri used his other sickle to attack Mikoto, but she retaliated back by using her free hand and created another iron sand sword.

Kamakiri pulled back as the alarm of the timer rang again. Mikoto realized that it was too late as she was behind of the mountain of discarded metallic objects after running away from Gokiburi.

It was Uiharu and Wannai didn't have time to reach her because she was too far away. Thankfully, Shirai was nearer than Wannai and caught Uiharu just in time.

Shirai removed the ropes from her quickly before Uiharu could say anything.

Gokiburi jumped in and thrust his right foot forward as he descended upon Shirai. She only raised her arm to block the attack and pushed him away, landing on the ground in his battle stance.

He clenched his fist and charged at Shirai, who only crouched, avoiding the incoming attack. Caught off-guard, Shirai raised her foot and kicked him in the face.

Losing his footing, he fell sideways and landed on his chest. Shirai saw a striking gold at the middle of his pronotum. Recognizing it as their weak point, she immediately ignited her hand and slashed his weak point cleanly, finally dissolving in light particles.

After Gokiburi completely dissolved, Shirai turned to check Mikoto's situation. Currently, she was double-teamed by Kamakiri and Inu. Though she could handle the two of them with ease due to her

advantage with her abilities in the warehouse, she had difficulties handling Kamakiri's speed and Inu's combat prowess.

Suddenly, she felt a hard kick hit her back and turned to see Kaeru. She was flung ten meters away and landed on her stomach and gritted her teeth in pain. Kaeru started to approach her, but stopped

when he saw an incoming lightning bolt and dodged to his side.

He looked at the attacker and saw Mikoto panting for air as her left hand was aiming towards him and her right hand held an iron sand sword that clashed with Kamakiri's sickle.

Shirai stood up slowly as the pain on her back subsided. She looked at Kaeru who stopped. Approaching the Gekota look-alike youkai, Kaeru raised his hands in a karate stance. Shirai thrust her palm at his face.

Kaeru countered it with a karate chop before the attack could even reach him.

"..."

Frowning at her failed attack, Shirai used her other hand and attacked again.

However it met another counter.

'Just how fast can he react?'

Frustrated, Shirai thrust a hand again and when her attack was blocked, she quickly switched to her other hand, but Kaeru was able to block it once again. Without any other options left, she used her foot and kicked him at the face and fell sideways.

Another alarm sounded as Awatsuki fell down. With Shirai and Mikoto far from the reach, Wannai quickly reacted and managed to grab Awatsuki just in time with both of her hands in bridal style.

With the sudden rush of adrenaline, Wannai didn't have any qualms carrying her close friend and carried away from the spikes and put her down on the floor, removing the ropes and the cloth that kept

her captive.

Awatsuki inhaled deeply as she tried to calm down the fear that crept within her ever since they arrived in the warehouse and heard details they did not know or were unaware of it.

"Awatsuki-san, are you alright?" Wannai asked worriedly.

"Yeah." Awatsuki nodded.

"Thank goodness."

Mikoto, Shirai and Uiharu sighed in relief as Awatsuki was saved thanks to Wannai as none of them were near and would not be able to reach before the victim could reach the spikes.

In Mikoto's current situation, she had finally defeated Inu when she accidentally hit his buttocks with the sharp corner of the metal box manipulated by electricity that was meant for Kamakiri. Poor

youkai, she thought, for having such an unfortunate place for weak point. Other than his unfortunate fate, he seemed to tag well with Kamakiri as their prowess in combat and speed together gave

her the trouble during the whole battle.

Now all she needed to do was defeat Kamakiri to save her friends and in turn Shirai. They had gone too far and even involved innocent bystanders.

"You look fired up." Kamakiri said.

"Using my friends for your plans isn't something I can just ignore." Mikoto said as she let out a lightning spear from her forehead towards Kamakiri.

The youkai merely raised his sickles in X formation and blocked the said attack. "Why do you even care? Why would you go as far as to save the heiress, who killed a thousand of us?!"

"Kuroko is not the perpetrator."

Kamakiri chuckled, and slowly turned to madly laugh. "You honestly think I believe those words, coming from a murderer!? Don't make me laugh!"

He leapt towards Mikoto with his arms spread wide, preparing his attack. He swung his sickle at her, who created an iron sand sword and blocked his attack. Both weapons clashed as they pushed themselves to their utmost limit for superiority. In the end, Mikoto overpowered Kamakiri and pushed him away. Finally seeing his weak point, which was located under his right wrist.

Mikoto aimed and slashed her sword down when the weak point was still in sight, but Kamakiri quickly regained his composure and used his left sickle to block her attack.

Meanwhile, in Shirai's situation, she had found Kaeru's weak point, which was at the back of his head. She had difficulties trying to keep up with him, as he kept annoying her by making jumping about like a real frog, avoiding all her attacks easily.

As Shirai was chasing Kaeru, she noticed that the youkai was starting to get slow and his jumps was starting to get low. Despite his excellent martial art skills, his stamina must be lower than the

other three youkai who were with him.

Kaeru finally stopped his annoyance and stood in front of Shirai, panting for air.

However, another alarm rang. This time, it was Kyouko.

The gravity pulled Kyouko down as she closed her eyes in fear of hitting the spikes below her.

Her fall was stopped when Uiharu caught her. Her legs shook as she carried her since she was not an athletic sort of a person and usually had difficulty with physical training.

"A-Ajime-san... You're heavy..."

With her remaining strength left, Uiharu took a few steps backward and finally fell on the floor, with Kyouko on top of her.

After witnessing the event, Shirai and Kaeru looked back at each other and got back into their battle stances.

But it was interrupted when Kaeru felt something heavy behind him and fell face first on the ground.

On top of him was Kamakiri, who had his left sickle broken in half. He stood up, regenerating his broken weapon and saw Mikoto approaching him, and stopped three feet away when she saw

the obvious golden circular object at the back of Kaeru's head when he stood straight.

Shirai had the same reaction when she saw Kamakiri's exposed weak point on his wrist. She eyed Mikoto, who only looked back at her and nodded, hoping that both youkai didn't read through

their plan.

Meanwhile, Kamakiri and Kaeru looked at the two girls and prepared themselves in case they attack.

"Hey, Kaeru. If I say go, we'll attack." Kamakiri instructed.

Kaeru nodded, focusing his attention as he wait for Kamakiri's order.

Mikoto dispersed the iron sand sword and eyed Kaeru's weak point. Both she and Shirai prepared their battle stances. A few seconds later, they dashed to their enemies.

Kamakiri stiffened his body as he saw Mikoto approaching him at an amazing speed.

"Go."

Both youkai leapt towards their respective opponents. Both Kaeru and Kamakiri gasped as Shirai and Mikoto only went past them, destroying their plan.

Sparks surrounded Mikoto's hands, and unleashed an electric attack at Kaeru's weak point. The attack hit directly, cracking the circular object at the back of his head.

Shirai grabbed Kamakiri's right wrist and ignited her hand. Kamakiri froze as he realized that his weak point was in danger as Shirai used her nails on her index and middle finger and penetrated

through his weak point, creating two cracks on his weak point.

Both youkais' bodies dissolved into particles of light. As half of their bodies dissolved, The anger they had disappeared and looked at Shirai.

"You..."

Kamakiri spoke softly. It was different from his usual tone of authority.

"The one who created us was..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he and Kaeru dissolved completely.

It was almost dusk when the girls exited the warehouse. Mikoto and Kyouko were worried since it was time for curfew. Awatsuki and Wannai could worry less due to the fact that their dorm mistress had a

nicer side if the rule was broken once, and this was their first time breaking the dorm rules.

As the girls were walking back to District 7, Wannai spoke up as she clasped her hands on her chin level.

"That was scary..."

Awatsuki nodded in agreement. "I've never been that scared in my life."

"But, the youkai with Misaka-san is strong." Uiharu said.

"Too bad I didn't get to cuddle her again!" Saten huffed in annoyance.

"Why would do that, Saten-san?" Kyouko asked, looking at Saten.

"It's been my dream to see a kyuubi!"

"Now that you mention the youkai," Konori spoke up, "when I saw her the first time, my heart suddenly melted because of the cuteness."

"What about my cuteness?"

The girls stopped walking as they looked at Mikoto who was in front of them staring. The moment she suddenly spoke, her tone and the way she spoke changed. It was very polite and refined, as if she

was raised in a rich family.

Konori, Kyouko, Saten and Uiharu recognized that it was Shirai who took over Mikoto's body.

They froze up as they thought she heard what they were talking about.

"Really, why are humans this soft whenever they see any cute objects?" Shirai sighed.

["Ku-ro-ko."]

Shirai suddenly jerked up as she heard Mikoto's deadly tone resonate in her head.

["Didn't I tell you will only get in my body when I let you!?"]

"A-Ah, Onee-sama, please don't shout... My head hurts..." Shirai said as she clasped her hands on her head.

For the others, it looked like Mikoto was talking to someone else and would have thought she had a personality disorder.

["If only I can shock you from within, I would've done it from the start. Geez, when did you start to be so clingy."]

"Kamakiri and his lackeys failed again."

The lord muttered as he grabbed the Horse chess piece and held it tightly. He stood up from his throne and went out to the balcony of his palace. His eyes focused on the houses before him.

It wasn't a magnificent sight, but seeing it somehow made him calm. He missed those days...

"Gen'ou-sama."

Behind him was a youkai of golden samurai armor and donned a cyan flame, kneeling.

Gen'ou turned around, looking at the other. "Thank you for the notice. I'll be there shortly."

A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys! _ I had to think thoroughly about the action and dealt a minor... emotional problem. But it was only for hours and finally get my act up and finished the chapter.

There was a reason why it took me a week to finish this other than procrastinating. Initially, the hostages were supposed to be freed and the battle will go on without worrying anyone else. But I realized there was no tension so I changed the situation, ending with this. I also realized that the chapter title won't mean anything if I used the initial situation.

Also, I finally got my copy of "sister's noise"! I received the item last 5/09 at 12:26 PM. I thought I had to go through all the pain going to the customs office, but in the end it was door to door. I was really happy that I even didn't write my signature properly. It took me some time get over the ecstasy and continued writing the chapter. I've seen the PV and the end was the usual surprise guest. Good job, fripSide. That made me think of a fanfic!

Credits to CrossFaded and werewolf2005 for beta reading the chapter.

Additional credits to EtherealFox and CrossFaded for being generous to translate Kuroko's diary notes! Thank you!