A/N: The Ball drops on Academy City here. Enjoy and reflect.

19: December 31st: 11:40 P.M. Garden of Learning.

20 Minutes Until 2015

Luckily for me, the fall from the plane put me right back over the garden of learning and I knew it was only a short way back to Judgment.

A few jumps in random spots and then it was right back inside next to Konori.

"Oh, Sharai, nice to see you're enjoying the party."

I was out of breath and cold as can be. Konori smiled when she saw me reach for the jacket.

"Hey can you get Uiharu and Saten over here and I want a picture of all of us."

Uiharu and Saten were easy enough to find in the sea of guests. As I grabbed them and told Uiharu to grab her jacket, Konori grabbed hers while Saten squeezed in. Soon however Kongo decided to pull an Ellen and gathered the assembled guests and we all squeezed together into the frame. Saten pulled her phone out all the way to the end and we managed to get the photo taken. Another minutes of Saten sending the photo to everyone and then Konori grabbed all of us to do the real photo.

"Hey do you think its right us doing this without Misaka? Konori pondered and then the other two nodded in agreement. I however digressed.

"If I know Sissy, she's having the best time of her life right now. We should too."

With that Saten got the picture of team 177th in action all with red jackets. Finally setting her phone on a timer she squeezed in and got the last photo of 2014. I sent it Sissy's way and then a view of what she was missing. As all four of us headed in we saw the countdown began. The DJ wanted to grab someone to sing Auld Lane Synge and we all pushed for Uiharu to get up there.

"Guys really you know I can't sing."

At which point I lead the crowd in chanting her name while Saten pushed her on stage.

"You're all awful."

30 Seconds left and we all counted. As the year feigned and my thoughts turned to my family and Sissy. I had one simple thought.

"Thank you All for being with me."

At 15 I joined in the crowd.

"14..13..12..11..10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Multiple confetti cannons and balloons dropped while outside the fireworks began to light up the city skyline. It was a good minute before the DJ came back on the loudspeaker.

"Happy 2015 everyone, here to lead us in a timeless staple is Ms. Kazari Uiharu."

The music kicked on and my partner looked nervous at first but we smiled at her and she nodded back.

"Should old acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind Should all acquaintance be forgot And auld lang syne."

As we slowed danced the confetti came down slow as well matching up with the tempo.

"For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne."

All around the city others were in celebration.

"And surely you will buy your cup And surely I'll buy mine."

Harrue and Banri were skating on fake ice both smiling and having fun.

"And we'll take a cup o'kindness yet For auld lang syne."

At Asurno the young kids were fast asleep while the head resident and her good friends toasted the start of 2015.

"We too have run around the slopes And picked the daisies fine."

The screen of an aspiring computer designer that was mentored by Tsuzuri Tessou showed off a coded screen. The words Merry Christmas in binary blinking while in the background he was wrapping a gift.

"We've wondered many weary foot. Since auld lang syne."

Nearby Toma's school, his classmates Seiri and Aisa walked hand in hand celebrating in earnest.

"For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,."

Someone came out of the subway wearing only a Hawaiian shirt and smiled.

"We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne."

He walked off and gave a tip to the first person he saw wearing the same outfit he had.

Meanwhile at Yomikawa's Apartment a heated balcony had Komoe and Aiho looking out onto the city skyline. Both with pipes in their mouths watching the smoke float off into the cold night air. Their concentration was broken when the door opened up.

"Mind if I join you guys."

Tessou nervously came out shivering and holding a box in her hand. Aiho turned to look with a cloud of smoke behind her.

"Tessou, what's up you never join us outside."

"Well I got those for you so you'd cut back and of course you managed to return the favor for me. One of my New Year's resolutions was to take more risks and enjoy my life and the people in it."

With that she opened the box and pulled out the pipe Komoe and Aiho had gotten her in earnest. At that point Komoe had gotten up from the lounger.

"Tessou you need help lighting that, I couldn't get mine right away at first."

"No, I read up." Tessou grabbed matches and lit the pipe puffing hard until she finally got it. As She walked over and joined the duo, she couldn't help but cough not used to smoking like Komoe and Aiho.

"Well, I know why you don't smoke Tessou. You sure you want to?" Aiho mentioned puffing a cloud. "We'd understand if this is a bit much."

"Yeah…" Tessou coughed out. "I'm sure, Happy New Year Guys." That time Tessou let out a huge plume. The three smiled while pipe smoke floated out into the skyline. They even managed to get a picture with fireworks behind them while puffing in earnest.

"We too have paddled in the stream. From morning sun to night."

Inside the apartment Last Order was fast asleep on the couch covered up by a blanket made with one image of Accelerator and her. Accelerator on the other hand was also passed out curled into a ball as he formed a rare smile.

"But the seas between us broad have roared. From auld lang syne."

On an airplane over the Pacific the golden trio was also asleep awaiting the vacation to come.

"For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,"

As the music began to wind down we all sang along.

"We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne."

After repeating the final line a smiling Uiharu leaped off the stage to the roar of the cheering crowd. The party itself lasted until 2:45 and the cleanup was another good 40 minutes afterwards. As I could tell Konori didn't want all 3 of us walking back that late she offered us sleeping bags and we laid them out side by side. Four feeble women passed out one by one, letting the first few moments of 2015 come in and out of life.

A/N: Our Penultimate Chapter concerning the golden trio is waiting in the wings. Subscribe for more.