*The following is simply a work of passion toward a piece of fiction that I have adoration for. I neither own the series known as Toaru Majutsu no Index nor do I contribute anything worthy enough to be included in the canon of its works. This work is simply an expression of love and nothing more. Any resemblance to the style and format of the Light Novels is merely nothing more than a pitiful attempt to imitate them. Any inconsistency with the canon of the series is simply an incompetent mistake on my part.*


Prologue:

The Five Stages


Kamijou Touma often wondered about certain phrases that were used in ordinary life. Lines like 'break a leg' or 'sell like hot cakes' always puzzled him on how the people of ages past came to use them in every day life. Obviously, it wasn't as if they were meant to be taken literally, but it was the sort of esoteric stuff that always left him feeling curious.

One particular phrase was on his mind at the moment.

He had never experienced such a phrase himself, but that could be chalked up to him being a child in a world that was far too modern and too fast for those relics of the past. Such things were often doomed to go out of style as time continued to march on. Still, a certain phrase had crept into his mind recently and had refused to leave. It wasn't something that demanded his full attention. Nor was it anything that weighed down his life to the point of listlessness.

He simply pondered on what it must feel like for time to stand still.

The musty smell of the alleyway filled his senses as he leaned upon the nearby wall of a building for support. His breathing was slightly hitched, leaving no doubt that he had just exerted himself to a great deal of exercise. Despite the odds that he had just overcome, he had remained standing on his feet even now.

There was no present attempt on his life. He was neither in the midst of battle nor in the process of working to resolve some big incident.

No, the boy had simply performed a good deed and was merely recuperating from the result of that very deed.

The humid air of summer wrapped around him, somewhat hampering his recovery. But it was not as stifling as it could have been. The grand artificial structures of Academy City had a habit of efficiently trapping heat within its confines, but the recent spat of weather had lessened somewhat within the past day or so. The milder heat was a godsend, but an acceptable level of comfort had not been reached yet.

The boy sighed, taking the opportunity to send his gaze skyward. The whirring cacophony that was the miracle of air conditioning called out to him from businesses and buildings in the distance, but he was still a long way from reaching the protective arms of those safe havens. Were it not for his lungs being in dire need of oxygen, he would happily be marching toward those golden oases of temperate air.

His eyes caught the faint glow of the moon peeking through at him between the towering heights of the buildings. It was slightly obscured by a cluster of clouds, but the boy could see it clearly in the cloudy night sky. Its light was unwavering even now, but it appeared to have no answer or response for him. Nothing would come of his actions toward that celestial body, so he took one last breath and prepared to push himself off from the wall.

"Out for another night stroll, are we? Or have you finally decided to make your debut as Academy City's one and only vigilante superhero?"

Kamijou blinked as a familiar voice called out to him from within his resting place. His lips curved upward slightly as he refrained from removing himself from the wall. There was no cause for alarm in this situation. It was not danger that had found him again, but something much more pleasant. With a warm bit of eagerness, he sent his gaze down toward the direction of the alleyway he had come from.

A high school girl stood a small distance away, hands upon her hips. She offered him a somewhat exasperated smile as she began to make her approach.

Beautiful shoulder-length black hair held back by a hairband that allowed her forehead to be shown. An even more beautiful face that was on the cusp of adulthood. She held an aura of adult dignity that was well beyond him but still managed to exude some semblance of mischievous lightheartedness.

Yes, Kamijou Touma was quite familiar with that mysterious beauty of a person.

"It's nothing so grand as that, Senpai," answered the boy with a raise of his hand. "I was just on the way to pick up a few things from the convenience store before heading home."

"Try to shrug it off as much as you like, boy, but weren't you just involved with troublesome business until a few minutes ago?"

The boy grimaced inwardly as Kumokawa Seria came to a stop next to him and allowed her body to rest against the very same wall that he was using. She sent him an inquisitive look, crossing her arms beneath her chest. Even though he was a teenager, her questioning gaze made him feel as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I-it wasn't that big of a deal. There were just two delinquents bothering a girl and I happened to be in the area."

"And so you got in between them and the girl, kicked up enough of a fuss to allow that girl to escape, and hightailed it out of there with the delinquents on your heels. Is that it?"

A metaphorical sweat drop seemed to exude from him as she filled in the blanks and finished the rest of his story for him. His expression must have given something away because all she did was sigh and tapped a hand to her forehead in exasperation.

"Wait. Did you actually see everything that happened, Senpai?"

"No, but I could surmise everything because it's you. You're more predictable than Pavlov's dog when it comes to such circumstances."

"Eh? I'm not sure how to feel about being compared to someone's pet."

"Not quite a pet, boy."

The black-haired high schooler seemed to make it a point to hold a finger up as if to emphasize the coming of her explanation.

"Ivan Pavlov was a physiologist who theorized that living things had certain reflexes hardwired into their brains. In his case, he experimented with dogs and their reflex of salivating when presented with food. He found that not only would the dogs salivate at the sight of food, but that they would do so at the very sound of footsteps belonging to the staff who fed the dogs. In this way, Pavlov believed that his dogs had begun to associate a third party stimulus with the idea of being fed. Classical Conditioning, in short."

"Wait a moment. Senpai, am I the experimental dog in this example? Isn't that terrible?!"

"That wanton drive to put yourself in harm's way for strangers may as well be an apt comparison. Besides, is it really that terrible of an example? I'd have thought someone like you would fancy the idea that behavior similar to that of a hero was innately hardwired into your brain. It's quite flattering if I do say so myself."

"You make it sound like I'm going out of my way to look for trouble or glory..."

"And you're not? How surprising, boy."

"Not for my ego, Senpai! It's always just a coincidence and I always just happen to be passing by. That's all."

"Ho. Is that so? But isn't the act of 'passing by' a conscious decision on your part? And besides the point, weren't you just released from the hospital only this morning? Are you truly that incorrigible?"

She tilted her head, leveling another inquisitive gaze his way. Her smile was stuck between exasperated and joking, but her tone of voice held elements of concern. He could recognize some of the feelings that lied beneath her words and he understood what such a thing meant for her.

Kamijou had been treated for injuries this morning. It had only been a visit that had lasted a few hours, but he had paid a visit to a certain Frog-faced Doctor all the same. They had quickly treated him and he had gone on his way just as quickly. It wasn't as if he intended to stay there long. After all, he had a few things that needed to be taken care of that day and one of those tasks had been to pay a visit to a nearby branch of Anti-Skill.

"Look. I wasn't hurt that badly. You can see that for yourself, right?"

The boy turned slightly toward the mysterious high school girl, presenting himself from his leaning position. He watched as her eyes scanned him for any little thing that could be off about his person, but she was sure to find nothing there. He was perfectly fine, of course. Doubly so if he had visited that certain doctor. After a few moments, she gave a hum of approval, seeming to concede to his point.

"Hmm... I suppose you do have a point. I guess I'll have to let you off the hook for now."

"Thanks, Senpai. I really appreciate the benevolence."

The boy settled back into a relaxed leaning position, allowing the full of his back to once again press against the concrete wall. The small exchanges just now had put him somewhat at ease. However, there was something that didn't quite sit well with him. He could not help the feeling that had crept up over him as his conversation with that high school girl had continued.

The joking nature of the conversation was the same as usual. The friendly jabs they traded were the same as usual. Even the back and forth banter they had was the same as usual. Everything about their words appeared to be as normal for them as it could be. And yet, there was a feeling that something was missing. Even as a boy with little experience with the wiles of certain mysterious high school girls, Kamijou Touma could realize what the answer to that question was.

Kumokawa Seria's words lacked the punch they usually had.

She was holding back on him.

And the thought that she was doing so bothered him.

"Boy."

But as if she was understood the expression that had come upon his face, she called out to him in a muted voice.

"Are you familiar with the Five Stages?" she asked with a pensive expression on her face.

His eyebrows furrowed, feeling a distinct shift in the atmosphere of their conversation. He could only ponder upon the vague term she had leveled at him. What could she have meant by 'Five Stages'? Could he even give an answer to a term so broad that it could apply to near almost anything? He reminded himself that this mysterious Senpai had a hobby of confusing people with her words, so there was really only one way he could honestly answer.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that, Senpai. The 'Five Stages' part could mean almost anything in my head."

Kumokawa's lips faintly curved upward just by the tiniest bit at his answer. It was a fair question that he had asked and she seemed to consider it as such. Maybe his fair question was going to be rewarded with a fair answer.

"You could say the Five Stages refer to an element of the human condition. It's something all humans experience as they live their lives out."

"Ah. So that's what you meant. It's something like the Five Stages of Human Life, right?"

"It's nothing so linear as that, boy," she said with a shake of her head. "The Five Stages are far more complex than the stages of life. They're a series of stages that humans experience in response to multiple scenarios and results. It's not so simple as going from Step 1 to Step 5."

The high school girl set a finger on her chin as she continued her explanation.

"In theory, you could skip a stage or two. You could progress normally and then jump back to a previous stage. There's even the possibility of never experiencing one or two of the stages at all. Each experience a person can have with the Five Stages can be as unique and different as the fingerprints on one's own hand. And even for the same person, each experience with the Five Stages can vary over the multiple times that person goes through the stages."

He tilted his head, almost as if he was attempting to grasp all the things she was saying. Words were spilling forth from the lips of the girl before him, but something in his mind was telling him that the older girl was being vague on purpose. But before he could respond or comment, she continued speaking.

"But for all the complexity they possess, each of the Five Stages can be defined in concept by just a simple, single word. Are you curious on what those words are, boy?"

Her expectant gaze met his eyes and he could only nod in response. Even if he had turned her down, he had a feeling that she would have continued on regardless of what he had said.

In turn, she held up a hand with one finger pointed up.

"The first stage is Denial. Humans tend to only be able to accept a certain amount of stimulus in response to situations and results. As such, Denial is an instinctual defense mechanism that allows humans to pace as much stimulus as they can handle. Humans in the Denial stage tend to either seek solace from the world around them or throw themselves into something to keep their minds busy. It's a coping mechanism, so to speak. One that allows humans to process what has happened in such a way that doesn't break them. Usually, at the least."

Unbeknownst to him, a prickling had begun in the boy's heart at the mere mention of the first stage's name.

The super Senpai added a second finger in being pointed up.

"The second stage is Anger. In response to results and situations, humans can feel a sense of loss and powerlessness. Anger can be seen as a form of strength in such times. A sort of anchor that can provide a temporary feeling of structure. Humans in this stage may lash out at others around them. They may lash out at anyone involved, even themselves. They may even lash out at the gods themselves. It, too, is nothing more than a coping mechanism. A way to divert their energy into something to avoid feeling helpless."

His jaw was beginning to set into a line. The prickling in his heart was beginning to pick up in strength.

A third finger joined its compatriots.

"The third stage is Bargaining. Humans in this stage become lost in the concept of the possibilities of the past. They dwell on the What Ifs, wondering on all the paths that could have been taken. If I had done this, would things have turned out differently? If I had done that, would things have changed? If only this had happened. If only that had been the case. In truth, this stage may appear to represent the sort of running away present in the Denial stage, but there is one difference between the two. The Bargaining stage acknowledges that what happened has happened. It merely dwells on the misguided hope of there being a chance to have changed an outcome of the past."

His mind was beginning to recognize the ever-growing prickling of his heart. His breathing was quickening.

The fourth finger came.

"The fourth stage is Depression."

Kamijou Touma opened his mouth, the lump of some emotion in his throat. He could not allow that high school girl to continue.

"Senpa-"

"The fifth stage of grief is Acceptance."

But as if she understood the fact that he was beginning to realize her purpose here, she cut that boy off with her words. It seemed that there was no point in word games or trickery anymore. The fifth and last finger signaled the coming end of her explanation.

"Acceptance is the vaunted final stage that humans aim for in grief. It is an acknowledgement of the reality of what the present is. The pain of the past is not discarded. That is an impossibility only afforded to those who hold the most contemptible or damaged of mindsets. No, humans in this stage hold onto that pain, but accept that the current present will be what it will be. Thus, this stage allows humans to begin picking up their lives again, even if a little at a time."

"..."

Silence ensued from the end of that explanation as the raven-haired girl lowered her hand to her side. She was focusing her gaze on him, as if trying to gauge his reaction. She must have not realized it then, but she seemed to be currently holding her breath as he stewed in her words. The boy could only let out a few controlled breaths in the small span of that silence.

"So that's what this is about."

With a sigh, he pushed off the concrete wall and leveled a gaze at the high school girl. His expression was unreadable, but nothing in his eyes appeared to show any contempt, hate, or annoyance for her.

"You're worried about me, Senpai."

No, his eyes showed only slight pain toward the thought that he had burdened her with worry. That his recent actions and behavior had caused concern in the black-haired girl's mind. That the concern in her mind had grown enough to have her come to him and speak to him like this. He could only shake his head at the thought.

"But I told you before, didn't I? I'm okay. I might be a little out of it, but it just means I need a little time before I can get back on my feet."

He offered her a small, reassuring smile.

...

But at that moment, she could only note the tinge of sadness within that smile. All she could do in response was to release a breath and relax in her leaning position as the boy continued with his words.

"Anyway, I have to get going," he told her with a bow. "I need to get home before it gets too late."

"(So he's forgotten all about his planned trip to the convenience store, huh.)"

The expression on her face must have slipped ever so slightly because the boy took the moment to offer another reassurance.

"I really mean it, Senpai. It may take a while, but I'll be okay. So please don't worry about me so much. I'm a guy who wanders the back alleys after all. I can handle this much."

He bid her farewell with his usual "See you later, Senpai" before turning to make his way out of that musty alleyway.

Kumokawa could only silently watch him go, her lips drooping into a frown.

She pondered on if there were any actions she could possibly take in that moment. There were many possible paths that could be taken, but a good majority of them were not what she was looking for. She could probably restrain him now and keep him from leaving. She could probably keep him trapped by her side until he had understood her point of view. Indeed, he certainly would not have had the heart nor the strength to resist her if she did decide to confine him.

But what would be the point of that?

This was not something that could be decided with strength or skill. Nor did this matter have anything to do with the struggle between right or wrong. What plagued Kamijou Touma was something far more personal, far more internal. Such forceful actions would result in nothing more than alarming him. It would not be enough to really change anything in regards to his current circumstances.

Her hesitance only reinforced the truth that she had not prodded him more than she could have in their earlier conversation. In truth, the previous incident with the girl and delinquents had not been the first that the pointy-haired boy had run into today. It had actually been the tenth. That boy had exited the hospital, had made his visit to Anti-Skill, and had promptly moved to wander the backstreets of Academy City. He was throwing himself into the only thing he knew to keep his mind busy.

But she knew why he was in such a state, didn't she?

Had it really only been a day since then?

It had felt like a lifetime had passed, but the truth was that it had all come to a resolution only the night before. There were still many bits and pieces to take care of. Many things that needed to be slotted and stowed away in their place. Some loose ends could be neatly tied into a bow and placed upon the pile of completed endings.

Some loose ends could not be, no matter how she wished it weren't so.

With a deep sigh, Kumokawa Seria raked a hand through her hair. A question escaped her lips. One that she had asked herself multiple times in the short period of respite since 'it' had happened. She was unsure if the question was for her sake, the boy's sake, or a mixture of both their sakes, but she felt as though she just had to give a voice to the words that had been running through her head since that night.

"What were you thinking, Mitsuari Ayu?"

Her words floated up to the girl who was no longer here. No answer would come, of course. It wasn't as if she expected any to show themselves, but it felt like a necessary release of feelings that had built up within her. There were a myriad of things in her mind that concerned that departed younger girl, but there was another important issue that weighed just as heavily. With that thought, she leveled a focused gaze on the corner of the alleyway that Kamijou Touma had disappeared around and finished what her question had started.

"You've gone somewhere that boy can't follow..."


A heavy weight splashed into the water somewhere in the dark mountains during the previous night.

That had been the story of the girl who was not saved.

This is the story of the boy and girl she left behind.


Chapter 1:

The First


He found himself there again.

The area around him lacked any presence of artificial light, allowing darkness to obfuscate the nearby landmarks. But there was no need for the sort of brightness that would have been brought by such fixtures. The moon glowed clearly in the cloudless sky, casting a soft light upon his surroundings. It wasn't enough to truly banish the dark away, but it and his slowly-adjusting eyes were able to give him enough vision to see where he currently stood.

In truth, his heart already knew where he was. His mind had simply refused to admit it until now.

His feet were planted upon a concrete shore, a circular lake spread out before him, and a large tower rose up from the center of that artificial lake.

Kamijou Touma understood very well what sights he was looking at. He was currently standing upon the shore of the reservoir that housed District 21's geothermal power station. Named Ground Geo, the experimental facility was situated on the peak of one of the various mountains located in District 21. Its isolated location, alongside the rugged terrain of the district, did not lend itself well to being a casual site of visit. The fence and 'No Trespassing' signs further emphasized the point. This was not a place someone would just happen to go to on a whim or stumble upon accidentally.

Without speaking a single word, the boy began to move forward with slow, shuffling steps. There was no clear purpose in his actions. He simply moved as if something were calling out to him from some distant place beyond. No thoughts ran through his mind as he approached the edge. The light of the moon reflected in his eyes as the murky surface spread out before him. From where he stood, he could not see the bottom of that artificial lake nor could he see anything within its vast darkness.

His feet stopped at the very edge as his eyes continued to scan the watery abyss before him. Over and over, his gaze swept over that inky space contained within the lake, but no answer or relief could be found there. The dark depths only offered emptiness for him.

Nothing would show up. No miracle would happen.

His expression fell at the thought and he could only let out a breath.

Closing his eyes, the spiky-haired boy slowly lowered himself. Feeling the chill of the lake creep up his lower body, he sat upon the concrete shore with his legs dangling over the edge. He felt his entire being deflate into a slump as his forearms came to rest upon his thighs. It felt as if his body was insignificant compared to the vast breadth that lied before him. Any outsiders observing him would probably only note how utterly small that boy seemed.

He truly would find nothing here.

The boy opened his eyes, gazing upon the murky darkness of the lake.

This was where their bond had ended.

This was where Mitsuari Ayu...

They had resolved almost everything that could have been resolved with the situation that had involved Biohacker and L.S.S. President, Matsuo Ryuusuke. That man had aimed to use Mitsuari's power to awaken Academy City's very first esper, the Beginning Child. At the time, the spiky-haired boy had truly believed that the worst of the storm had passed when the Beginning Child's rampage had been quelled, even with the doubts that lurked in his mind. But in the aftermath of the battle with that ancient esper, the chocolate-haired esper had gone missing.

They had frantically searched for the girl then. He and Kumokawa Seria had decided to search Academy City proper while their allies at the time, the Gokusai Sisters, had searched the mountainous terrain of District 21. He and the high school girl had decided to go their separate ways to split up the possible locations that the fluffy-haired girl could have gone to.

But he had not found any trace or clue of that younger girl at all. He had even been careless and had lost his phone in his frantic attempts to locate the missing girl. Without a means to communicate and without a number to reach anyone, the middle school boy had run and run and run until he found himself back at the foot of the mountains in District 21. By the time he had returned, night had well and truly fallen.

The danger that the place embodied had still remained. The monsters that Matsuo Ryuusuke had released were still present and wandering about, but Kamijou Touma had not cared. His feet had continued to carry him upward into the darkness of those mountains. He had remembered something then. Something that had seemed like just a small bit of trivia at the time, but was now something that he could never forgive himself for in the present. Kumokawa Seria's words had been ringing in his head the very moment he had returned to the mountains.

"Is that Ground Geo?... Don't worry about it. It's an unmanned facility, so there won't be any ignorant workers to be feasted on by the creatures. We need to focus on ourselves."

Ground Geo. That had been the landmark that the older girl had spotted before they had reached Matsuo Ryuusuke's hideout in the mountains.

The boy had mentally kicked himself then as he made the journey back up through the darkness. He had rebuked himself for overlooking such an obvious location to begin the search at. Academy City was large in scale, but would it not have made sense to center the early part of the search on the location that could have and still held danger in regards to Mitsuari's safety? And if that search had turned up nothing, would it not have made sense to then fan the search out to the city? The streets of Academy City certainly were not the havens of safety that the city officials liked to propagate they were, but there were still factors that could have been present on those streets that would have ensured the younger girl's safety.

But they had not been in the right state of mind to think things through logically. He knew that now.

Both he and Kumokawa Seria had worried for the missing girl. They had rapidly taken actions and had divided up the search locations to efficiently search as many areas as possible in as little time as possible. At the time, it had seemed like a quick and sound course of action, but that plan had contained one flaw.

They had not had enough people to truly cover an area that vast. It was like trying to fish in the ocean with a fishing net the size of an ordinary butterfly net. Try as they might, there would have always been blind spots in their search no matter what method they used. There was always the possibility of overlooking something, passing by something, or even just plain missing something by chance. That was what it meant to search for a person who had the capability to move about.

That was why his feet had taken him back to District 21. That was why his tired body had trudged up through the twilight toward the direction of Ground Geo, the landmark that had been closest to what was left of Matsuo Ryuusuke's cabin. In the pale light of the moon, he had somehow managed to navigate through the darkness using only the vague, distant shape of the facility's tower.

And it was upon reaching that facility that Kamijou was certain a part of him had died that day.

The artificial lake had spread out before him and upon the concrete shore of that lake laid a pile of items that should have never been there.

A pair of shoes, a neatly folded pair of socks, and a depressingly familiar brand-name bag.

He was unsure of what his immediate reaction had been at the time. He could only recall seeing the sight of those items before everything else became nothing more than a blur. By the time his awareness had come to, he had found himself seated at the lake in the same manner that he was currently positioned in.

How many hours had he sat and stared at that lake back then?

He had not been sure at the time. The night sky had still been present when he had come to, so he could not immediately tell how much time had truly passed. But in all truth, it had not mattered to him. He had found that he could not tear his gaze away from the lake. The very same lake he was sure had taken Mitsuari Ayu from them. A person simply did not leave just those items on the shore to take a casual swim. Not someone who had been in that girl's situation.

He had not understood the why. He had not understood the how. If he was truly honest with himself, he still didn't understand anything when it came to reason for her actions.

But did the reasoning really matter? Did it really make the truth of the situation more or less palatable?

The lack of property damage back then had given him all that he needed to know. She had not been running from any hostile beast or person. This was not an action that she had taken to save herself. No, that girl had taken her own life by her own choosing.

In the end, it did not matter why it happened. It did not matter how it happened. It did not change anything for him.

That girl had despaired all alone in the darkness of the mountains.

And he had not been there.

That was the true dagger that had bit into his heart then.

So he had sat there and stared at that lake, not caring for the passage of time. He had been unsure if he was simply waiting for some unknown shoe to drop or if his heart had hoped he would find anything within the depths of that body of water. It may have been the unfounded glimmer of hope that still beat within him, even when the truth could not be denied.

Eventually, a gentle, unsure hand had placed itself on his right shoulder. He had not budged an inch at the time, but he had already known who had arrived then. Kumokawa Seria had looked at him with an unreadable expression on her face, but he had been certain of the emotions that had laid underneath that seemingly calm exterior. She had seen the same scene as he had. She had most likely come to the same conclusion he had.

Wordlessly, the high school girl had delicately guided him away from the lake on that night.

But the boy found himself at that very same lake tonight, seated upon the concrete shore again.

Or so it appeared.

Kamijou had no memories of making the journey to District 21 on this night. The small bits of what he could remember were his return to his dorm room and his subsequent plunge straight into his bed. Sleepwalking was an option to consider, but the boy had never experienced anything of the sort for the entirety of his life. Even in his current state of mind, he was certain he had not developed that troublesome a trait, which meant that there was only one conclusion to make.

All of this must have been a dream. That was the only reasonable explanation he could come up with.

But then, that brought up another question.

Was this truly a dream or was this all a nightmare?

As if to answer his question, a small sound caught his attention. It was the sound of bare feet softly padding upon the concrete shore.

The boy did not move at all. His eyes remained fixed upon the lake before him as footstep after footstep sounded out. It was not fear that held him in place. The boy may have still had pieces of cowardice in his heart, but what held him in place was something far more than fear. It was the feeling he had taken on the moment he had returned to this place the night before.

His eyes softened as the presence paused to stand behind him. He did not even flinch as the newcomer silently moved to his right side and sat next him, shoulder touching shoulder. A familiar warmth and a familiar hazel smell began to pervade his senses. He knew this smell and warmth. He had become well acquainted with both recently. Even now, he could still remember.

It had been such a small amount of time sandwiched between separate struggles with life and death, but that short memory was sharp and crisp in his mind. It wasn't a memory that changed his life or perspective. It wasn't anything all that grand or important. Its ordinariness could not hope to match the excitement of any of the tales he had heard in his life. It had just been a normal moment shared between two people who were as mundane as could be allowed in Academy City. Nevertheless, each moment of that ordinary, small memory resounded clearly in his head. The boy pondered on if the bitter ending of it all was what made the memory all the more sweeter in reminiscence.

With a tiny rustle, a small movement from his right side pulled attention from his thoughts. The person next to him leaned ever so closer. He could feel her light weight on his right side. Another rustle sounded out and his mouth opened by just a bit as a sensation softer than any down pillow he had ever experienced made itself known on his shoulder.

He, too, was familiar with this feeling. She was leaning her head on his shoulder.

He would not have stopped his next action even if he wanted to. With a soft and bitter smile, he unconsciously leaned into her. Filled with recent memories of the past, that boy gently supported her weight through his shoulder.

For the first time since his new companion had arrived, Kamijou Touma truly focused his eyes on the lake before him. He did not have the heart to look directly to his right. Such was a privilege that he had neither earned nor deserved after his failure. Even still, he wanted to confirm something. His curiosity would not allow him to leave things as they currently were.

His eyes took in the image reflected in the dark expanse of that lake.

He was certain of it now. Mitsuari Ayu was currently seated next to him, head leaning on his shoulder. She wasn't morphed into some disturbing caricature of herself. She wasn't showing an expression of disgust, resentment, or hatred. She was just as he remembered her. Her eyes were closed and a small smile was gracing her face. The expression on her face was nothing but peaceful serenity. It was almost as if there was no other place for her in the world than where she was now.

This wasn't a nightmare, the boy decided then.

It was worse.

Nightmares were fluidous things that could plague multitudes of people in the dreaming world. At times, they could be so real that they could be easily mistaken for reality. At other times, they were as wild and esoteric as the most vivid of fantasies. Even then, nightmares usually had some form of link to reality. They could stem from worries or trauma. They could stem from recent emotional distress. They could even stem from one's own subconscious.

But nightmares usually had a cause or reason to induce stimulus into those they plagued. Whether it was a call to action, a reminder of things forgotten, or even an outlet for locked away secrets one kept from themselves, those distorted bits of reality were nothing more than inner cries from one's mind asking to be recognized by one's consciousness.

Kamijou believed there was no reason to consider the current situation a nightmare. The Mitsuari Ayu who was next to him was only peacefully sharing the time with him. She seemed to have no intention to harm him, guilt him, or condemn him. No, the only thing that remained was his own crushing guilt, something that he had taken on and recognized the very moment he had realized his failure.

This wasn't a nightmare. This was merely the reality that existed. The present that gave no room for anything but the truth.

Another small rustle interrupted the silence around them and he felt movement on his right side.

In the reflection of the lake, he could see it. The image of the one gesture she had offered to him was enough to make a lump form in his throat.

The fluffy-haired girl held her left hand up, palm facing heavenward. Her gentle expression had not changed one bit.

He could only let out a harsh breath. He knew what this Mitsuari was asking for. He knew because this was his dream. It was the crystallized distillation of what lied within his heart. He knew it was a possibility that was no more. He knew it was merely the glimmer of what hope still lied within him. Yet even with that knowledge, his right arm slowly, ever so slowly rose from its spot on his thigh. Tentatively, his right hand inched closer to her proffered hand.

Bit by bit, inch by inch.

Almost. Almost.

Just a bit more and he would take her hand in his.

In the reflection of that lake, he could see her peaceful smile widen as his hand grew closer to hers. It was another shot to his heart, another reminder of what he had failed to do.

His fingers drew closer and then he-

...

...

Light filled his vision and Kamijou Touma's eyes opened.

The boy laid in his bed for a few moments, letting the beating of his heart calm his mind. The mid-morning rays of the sun peeked through the blinds of his dorm room. He was back in the real world. He had returned to reality.

With a sigh, he rose from his bed and began to prepare himself for the day.

School wasn't currently a priority on his mind. Even if it was, it wasn't as if the school would mind his absence. Caught in the rush of practice interviews and preparation for entrance exams, he doubted that any of the staff would even notice his missing presence. That was the mad dash his middle school was currently undergoing. Besides, he had other business to take care of today.

Yesterday afternoon, he had made contact with a branch of Anti-Skill to inquire on the whereabouts of his missing phone. The older lady that had greeted him at the office had smiled and informed him that she would send an inquiry through Anti-Skill to see if any phones that matched the description of his phone had been recently turned in. With just that accomplished, he had been told to return to the office the next day and was reassured that his phone would most likely be recovered and held onto by then. It was an agonizing wait, but such was the nature of bureaucracy.

The spiky-haired boy would hold them to that word. And even if they had not yet recovered his phone, it didn't hurt to at least check in to see if there were any updates on the progress of that search.

With a breath, the boy kicked his shoes on and opened the door to his dorm room.

"(Alright. Let's get going.)"

Curiosity was what prevented him from leaving things as they were. Much like in the dream, it was what motivated him to step forth. There was an unknown that he wanted to clear up in his head. If he left that piece of vagueness alone, he was certain it would gnaw at his mind until he could no longer stand it. This was the thought that moved the boy as he left his dorm room.


The late morning rays of the sun petered here and there through the uncurtained windows of an office room. Light bounced off the various objects strewn about the room. Piles of papers, folders, books, and documents in all possible manners of disarray littered what would have been a luxuriously furnished work area. Yet despite all that chaos, the room was surprisingly quiet. Only the faint but continuous chatter of keyboard keys filled the air of that room.

Kumokawa Seria gave a light sigh as she leaned back in her leather chair.

It was just her luck.

A request had been recently handed down to member of the Board of Directors, Kaizumi Tsugutoshi. One that had come directly from the Board Chairman himself. Unfortunately, it was not a request that asked anything of Kaizumi in particular. The request had, instead, been explicitly made to her, Kumokawa Seria.

The high school girl reasoned that her habit of constantly changing her base of operations would have made it difficult to send an official request to her, so Board Chairman Aleister had most likely chosen the next best method. Since she served as the 'brain' for Kaizumi, sending the request to the aged board member was probably the most efficient way. The old man would receive the request and then contact her to pick up said request.

The girl felt her eyes begrudgingly focus on the fancily embroidered piece of paper that had somehow survived the battefield that was her current work area. Written requests like these were simply old hat, a remnant of a bygone age of inefficiency. The age of the current day favored electronics and wireless technology. Efficiency and convenience were the name of the game. Still, that did not mean such old-fashioned methods were entirely doomed to be forgotten. They, too, still had a time and place in this age.

This was such an occasion. Because it was a request that had physical form, she was certain that the other members of the board had been informed of it. The work she would do here would most likely be dissected and discussed at a meeting between the various members of the Board of Directors, including the Chairman himself.

There was also another factor at play here.

In Kumokawa's eyes, the request was an empty but simple one. It was the action of serving that request to her that had power. It was a simple show of force not only to the members of the board but to her as well. For her, it would amount to nothing more than a light slap on the wrist, but for certain members of the board it would be a warning. This was a set of theatrics that was being utilized to keep that group of codgers obedient, at least in the face of the equivalent of Academy City's ruler.

What was that request?

Simply, she was to compile a debriefing report concerning the recent incident with L.S.S.

"(And of the girl that L.S.S. targeted)", her mind chided.

Try as she might to have kept her involvement hidden, it was probably asking for too much to not be noticed, especially if the person she wanted to avoid being noticed by was the Board Chairman himself. She had been far too entangled with the incident, far too deeply involved with its resolution. And besides, the Board Chairman most likely did not appreciate her securing of the Beginning Child and her absconding of that ancient esper to a caretaker.

But she reasoned she had not stepped too far out of line. If she had truly strayed too far to be forgiven, she was quite sure a certain talking dog would have paid her a visit by now. Since that was not the case, that was most likely the reason for the light slap on the wrist that was this request.

Honestly though, the request was nothing more than a hollow show. The thought that Aleister of all people had any holes of understanding regarding the incident was laughable. Still, she liked to maintain a veneer of competence, so she would complete this request with all the thoroughness and proficiency she could muster. If not for the Board Chairman, then at least for the sake of Kaizumi and certain other members of the board.

The girl leaned forward, her fingers continuing their dance across the keyboard.

Her previous research of L.S.S. had taken care of most of what she needed to know of the company and their involvement. There was no need for any further looks. Not when she had already learned what she could from the company's very own mainframe. Sure, the data that she had accessed on her device at the time had been lost, but it wasn't as if the mainframe itself had been tampered with since Matsuo Ryuusuke's downfall. It was as simple as gaining access to it again and confirming what she already knew.

What she was focusing on today was the person who had been targeted by L.S.S. It wasn't every day that one could say they had involved themselves in business concerning a Level 5 candidate. There were many facets of the incident concerning Mental Stinger that would most likely prove interesting to the Board of Directors. That was probably the main reason why Kumokawa had been chosen to fulfill this request. After all, it was a fact that Shokuhou Misaki's sla-

The rhythm of tapping keys stopped for but a moment. The girl's lips faintly curved downward at the path her thoughts were straying toward.

A sigh, a breath, and the tapping of keys continued again.

It was a fact that Shokuhou Misaki's... spare had died while under her watch. If nothing else, the Board of Directors would be interested to know that the backup plan for Mental Out was no longer feasible.

"(Would never be feasible ever again)", her mind corrected.

Any factors or influences in the past that may have led Mitsuari Ayu to take her life, the possible thought processes that may have pushed her down that path, and what possible protocols could be developed and refined to discourage such self-destructive behavior in other espers. All of those things were on the table as far as the board was concerned.

It would not be for the sake of the children that such topics would be considered and discussed. Such a thought was giving Academy City far too much credit. The sole focus of the attention would be directed to those precious commodities known as the Level 5s. There were already several sets of protocols in place that could be called upon if a Level 5 began to exhibit behavior that went beyond the usual instability attributed to adolescence.

But the sets of protocols regarding behavior that was suicidal lagged behind the other protocols in development. This was a learning opportunity. A chance to refine and sharpen those methods. After all, a Level 5 displaying suicidal tendencies not only had a chance to deprive Academy City of a valuable asset, but threatened to make a mockery of what was displayed to the public as a vaunted achievement among the power curriculum. At least, from the point of view of the adults who controlled it all.

It meant little to Kumokawa Seria. It was already a hassle for her to have to sit down and compile this report when she had other spiky-haired priorities in mind. Not to mention, loath as she was to admit it, that the report had to center around a certain fluffy-haired middle schooler.

"(For her sake or for your own?)", her mind scolded.

Her fingers danced and pivoted across the mechanical face of the keyboard as her thoughts began to finally turn to the younger girl who had once been there by their side.

If Mitsuari Ayu truly was going to be the focus, then there was only one way to go about it if the high school girl wanted to be thorough. She had to start from the very beginning of that girl's time in Academy City. That could only mean one thing.

Ideal.

Oh, Kumokawa certainly had prior knowledge of that facility. It was a no-brainer that she had looked into it before, especially when a certain honey girl had caused a ruckus with her actions at Exterior. It had been a shallow look-over of it all, but she knew the general gist of the whos and whats concerning the tragedy that occurred at Ideal.

This time, however, she would be taking a deeper dive into what happened at that lab. She had already scrounged up what data still existed, including daily logs, daily memos, security footage, and even the exit interviews of what remained of the test subjects and staff after it all came crashing down.

Everything that was Mitsuari as she was in Academy City began with Ideal.

Indeed, several names that concerned Ideal seemed to have popped up a few times since the ending of that project.

Mitsuari Ayu, Hokaze Junko, Yuuri Senya, Yumiya Iruka, Yumiya Rakko, Toomine Kanari, Houjou Seigo, Kuriba Ryouko and even that bastard Shundou Toshizou. All had been linked to the lab one way or another.

Ideal, itself, was the third laboratory within the group of labs that made up the Clone Dolly Project. Its purported goal was to elevate the espers within its care to Level 5. But just like anything else, that was merely lip service to keep its test subjects docile. It was probably quite convenient that the oldest girl among the test subjects, Mitsuari Ayu, was also the most fervent believer in the promises that the Ideal researchers sang to them.

From what the memos and logs detailed, Mitsuari had taken on a role not that dissimilar to that of a big sister. Watching over the other girls, cheering them on in their development as espers, and espousing words of hope that they would reach the summit together. She was well loved by the girls of that lab. Even Hokaze Junko, who tended to keep to herself for reasons that were linked to her Rampage Dress, had been reported to have a desire to want to get to know the Big Sister of Ideal.

Ironic, wasn't it? Since Mitsuari had the power to read minds, she would have been the biggest threat to revealing the true purpose behind Ideal, the real reason why those girls had been gathered in that lab. If she had felt any inkling of doubt or suspicion, she could have ended the entire project then and there. It was probably seen as a blessing from the gods that the one most dangerous to Ideal's goals was the one most fervent in believing in Ideal's lofty, hollow lies. And through that hopeful girl, the adults could exert control over the rest of the test subjects. Two birds killed with one stone, so to speak.

In truth, Ideal never intended to elevate any of its espers to Level 5. Clone Dolly already had its Level 5 in Lab No. 1's Shokuhou Misaki, so any funding and development had been focused squarely on Mental Out. No, the true lynchpin of Ideal was Yuuri Senya and her Astral Buddy ability.

Yuuri Senya's ability allowed her to isolate her AIM field and separate it from her body as an AIM entity. Her consciousness would inhabit the entity, making it almost akin to that of an out-of-body experience. In this form, she could interact with the Personal Realities of other espers without harm. She could even link up with a multitude of espers at the same time, creating something similar to a network of sorts.

Originally, the ability was only capable of strengthening the abilities of other espers, but the researchers of Ideal saw much potential in the ability to interact with other Personal Realities. If strengthening was possible, would there be room to develop methods to allow Astral Buddy to do more? Was it possible to have the ability interfere and make other changes to the Personal Realities of other espers? Could it make adjustments and more to those Personal Realities? Such was the potential that lied within her.

Paired with that potential, a technology was developed that came in the form of cards. The cards could be placed on slumbering espers and would extract their Personal Realities through the dreams of said espers. The cards then could be used on other slumbering espers to nudge and push their abilities in a certain direction. In this way, the concept behind the methodology was clear. Link up multiple espers to Yuuri Senya, use Astral Buddy to make adjustments to those Personal Realities, record the adjusted Personal Realities in cards with Yuuri Senya at the center, use those cards to make influences in other Personal Realities, and then continue to repeat the process of adjusting and extracting. As long as Yuuri Senya remained the core of that network, her AIM entity had the capability to accumulate and hold several abilities within her as long as the network persisted.

That was the theory of the concept, at the least. The cards themselves were still purely in a developmental state. From what the logs and memos suggested, usage of those cards had the potential to break the minds of the espers they were used on.

In short, the truth was that the other test subjects in Ideal were being raised to be nothing more than guinea pigs and food for Yuuri Senya's Astral Buddy. The laboratory seeked to create the ideal esper ability and it was within the realm of possiblity as long as Yuuri Senya existed. In the eyes of the researchers, the other test subjects were disposable and easily replaceable pieces. That was the reason why Mitsuari had to be coddled to and lied to. That was the reason why Mental Stinger had to be tricked to not reveal the truth.

And when the true test of Yuuri Senya's ability was scheduled to take place, the researchers of Ideal placed upon Mitsuari a choice that would have been impossible for a girl like her to make. Those researchers wove a tale of hope and opportunity wrapped in deceit. They had told her that a special experiment would take place, one that would definitely be able to push all the test subjects to the next level of esper power. Except, there was a caveat. There was not enough funding to have every esper at Ideal participate in the experiment. One person had to sit out. The choice for who would sit out would be left to Mitsuari.

Of course, she had chosen herself as the one to sit out the experiment. As the one esper who could unravel the entire project, the researchers had made that proposition to her with the explicit purpose of psychologically manipulating that girl into not being a part of the experiment. But for that girl, for that Big Sister of Ideal, there had been no other choice to make.

The sound of tapping keys stopped once again as Kumokawa took in the weight of that choice.

For a girl who, by all accounts and reports, desperately wished to reach the mountaintop that was Level 5, it had most likely been a heavy choice to make. The high school girl acknowledged that a large part of that choice had been made for the sake of the other test subjects, but was that really all there was behind that choice? Could there have been another reason why that young girl had refused to throw anyone else under the bus?

The expression on the mysterious older girl's face softened somewhat and a small, exasperated smile formed on her face. Time really was a peculiar thing; a never-ending circle that looped back into itself over and over. Could what lay before her really be called irony? Or would destiny be a more fitting descriptor? Kumokawa wasn't one to believe in such idealistic platitudes like destiny or fate, but life had a way of making those concepts sneak into the realm of what was believable.

An image flittered to the top of her stream of thoughts, one that filled her with feelings of sardonic mirth at the utter irony of it all.

The image of a tiny chocolate-haired girl huddling all by herself in a burning parking lot formed in Kumokawa's mind. Hadn't that girl made the same choice then? Instead of seeking to use or abandon others for her own benefit, she had chosen to forsake herself. Instead of sacrificing others, the girl found it easier to sacrifice herself. Such an action could be described as admirable in a way. Of course, Kumokawa knew better. The middle school girl in question had said as much, hadn't she?

A small yet simple conversation rose up from beneath the surface of her thoughts. A simple exchange of words after Kamijou Touma had stepped forth to face down three professional assassins in that burning parking lot. It had been a plain and insignificant thing, but it had given her a tiny window into what lied within Mitsuari Ayu's heart.

...

...

"Well? Feel like giving up now? I can go on and on about that dumb, lovestruck look on your face as you so intently watched that boy leave. Or maybe I should share that precious tidbit with him when he gets back, hmm?"

"Urgh. Okay... Okay... I get it. I really can't go against you, can I...?"

Kumokawa Seria watched as Mitsuari Ayu wilted under her prodding. The younger girl had yet to regain the strength to stand, so she remained slumped against the concrete divider where they had found her. All she could do was to send the Senpai a sideways glance from her position on the floor.

"But... is it really that important to you?" the esper questioned while tilting her head.

"You may not think so, but I like to think of it as something that could give me insight. Consider it my way of getting a deeper understanding for the person I'm currently watching over."

The younger girl gave a sigh, her hands tightening their grip on the handkerchief lent to her by 'him'. Her mouth opened and closed several times, but no words appeared to come forth from her. Yet before long, she seemed to make a decision about something.

"But what if it's not at all like what you're thinking? The reason's... kind of stupid, really..."

"Hah. What's with this troubled maiden act? Do I need to sing serenades to your knight in shining armor about how pure and chaste your love for him is?"

"Eek! I get it already! Just don't!" exclaimed the scarlet-faced middle schooler as she flailed her hands about.

"Well?"

The inquisitive prod seemed to deflate the younger girl in resignation as her hands gently wrung the precious handkerchief in her grip.

"I was scared, alright... The reason why I didn't use my power to save myself was because I was scared..."

The fluffy-haired girl turned her face away from the older girl. She continued to speak while trying to avoid eye contact.

"You probably thought it was because I was moral or kind or something like that, but it wasn't anything worth being praised for. I just... didn't want to take responsibility for what would happen to those people if I did control them... If they got hurt or even died, I don't think I could even live with that fact, so I didn't make any decision at all and just let all the choices slip through my fingers. "

The younger girl's answer hung in the air. Kumokawa could see it in the way that girl held her face away and in the way she wrung the item that must have become a sort of treasure. What was being shared was the truth. The genuine but shameful truth. So the older girl answered in kind with as monotone a voice as possible.

"I see. So you were a coward."

"Hearing you say it so plainly doesn't make me feel any better!" cried the esper as she tore her gaze from the floor and directed it back to the Senpai. "I knew yo-"

But whatever words were in the small girl's throat were most likely left behind as she took in the uncharacteristically kind smile upon the high schooler's face.

"Is it really all that bad a thing? So you froze up and didn't want to throw away the lives of others because you weren't able drum up enough courage to fight. It's not as if you're a soldier of war or an agent of the dark underground. Why would anyone expect you to be some heroic legend and march into death's jaws on a moment's notice?"

"..."

"And besides..."

The Senpai tilted her chin slightly up in the direction of the slumping girl on the ground, her smile widening by just a tad. Her next words came as readily and easily as could be.

"...do you really think that would bother 'him'?"

"..."

The older girl watched as Mitsuari furrowed her brows, taking the question into mind. She seemed to think and think and think some more upon it. Minutes passed them by in silence as that girl simply thought. The smile on the raven-haired girl's face fell slightly as she watched that fluffy head droop downward in weary contemplation.

"(I hope she hasn't gotten the wrong idea about the boy. I'll have to correct her and give her a piece of my mind if even after everything he's done she still hasn-)"

But it was the high school girl's turn to have her words become lost in the void of thought as a small smile crept up the esper's face.

"No...," the girl mumbled out in a hushed tone that was just barely audible. "I'm starting to think he wouldn't care at all. Even if I was a coward... Even if the entire world hated me... Even if my hands were stained with the blood of innocents... I think he'd still reach his hand out to me as long as I truly wished for forgiveness."

For that answer alone, Kumokawa could only give an approving grin. It was only a spark, but the older girl had found something within that naive rich girl of Tokiwadai that inspired something akin to that of comradery. Such an answer warranted only one appropriate response.

"Excellent answer, Mitsuari Ayu."

...

...

"(Even back in Ideal, you didn't have the heart to make cruel choices. When it came down to important crossroads that asked for sacrifice, the only choices you allowed yourself to make were the ones where you willingly dragged yourself down.)"

The high school girl let that thought linger for a moment before her fingers continued their work again.

With Mitsuari sitting out, the experiment that would test the capabilities of Yuuri Senya's Astral Buddy could commence. The researcher who would lead the exercise would be Toomine Kanari, a curious figure within Ideal. That woman had been somewhat of a toss-up when it came to matters regarding the children under her care. At times, callous. At other times, warm and caring. Her cold attitude had, most likely, been a front to keep the test subjects in the dark about many of the more secretive facets of Ideal and, by extension, the Clone Dolly Project. After all, Toomine's logs in regards to the children seemed to drip with warmth and affection. Indeed, testimony from some of the surviving researchers commented on her knack of playing with and spending close time with Yuuri Senya. That toss-up of a researcher may have been the only one at the time who expressed anything resembling care for those test subjects.

Still, that had not prevented her from running the experiment that had the potential to break the minds of all participating espers, with Yuuri Senya as the sole exception. The team of researchers at Ideal saw within their grasp the potential to take hold the power of the gods, one that they could mold and shape to their liking. Even if Toomine had stood up and argued against running the experiment so early in development, it most likely would have failed to convince anyone on that team. Such was the powerlessness of being a cog in the machine.

And so, the special experiment was run as scheduled.

Was it any surprise that such hubris was answered by tragedy?

The happenings of what befell that experiment had not been captured by security footage. Most the cameras in the direct vicinity had been destroyed just as the experiment fell apart at the seams. But some information could be gleaned from the exit interviews of the surviving test subjects and researchers.

From what was stated, Astral Buddy's power had been too much for the experiment. Linking up those children to Yuuri Senya had caused her power to go out of control. The AIM entity that had gathered the Personal Realities of those test subjects became the core of a rampaging monster. Its very birth had unleashed a burst of power so strong that it incapacitated almost all of the participating children and researchers. From there, it possessed one of the researchers, a man named Houjou Seigo, and led a frenzied assault on anything close to it. Many researchers and test subjects met bloody ends at the hands of the possessed man.

Mitsuari, who had been allowed to watch the experiment from the outside, awoke from the unconsciousness inflicted by that monster some minutes after its birth. Seeing Yumiya Iruka and Yumiya Rakko being pursued, that girl had attempted to use her Mental Stinger to intervene from one of the windows overseeing the experiment room, but such an easy end was not to be. Being only a Level 3 ability, Mental Stinger lacked both the power to punch through the combination of multiple Personal Realities and the range to reach Yuuri Senya's consciousness at the core of the monster. That distance and power was, ironically enough, well within Mental Out's parameters. If one were to place the target at street level, Shokuhou Misaki could be several stories above the target and her Mental Out would still have the power and range to hit its mark.

Mitsuari Ayu lacked that power and range, so her attempt had failed and Yumiya Iruka lost an eye to that monster as a result of that failure.

The monster would have taken Yumiya's life had it not been for the timely intervention of Hokaze Junko. From the testimonies made by Yumiya and Hokaze, the timely heroine attempted to do battle with the possessed man. But even with her Rampage Dress, Hokaze was matched blow for blow. One of the theorized concepts of the experiment had been proven true. Yuuri Senya had taken in Hokaze's Rampage Dress, along with the abilities of the other participating children, and had bestowed those abilities to the possessed Houjou Seigo. This was not a fight that the younger Hokaze could win.

It was then that a seriously wounded Toomine Kanari had stepped in to bring Mitsuari into the experiment room. In theory, Mental Stinger could still bring the tragedy to an end, but two requirements would need to be met to ensure that resolution. Mitsuari would have to be in close proximity with the monster and the monster's focus would have to be interrupted to provide an opening.

The answer was simple. The execution was not.

Toomine, already dying, threw herself into the way of an attack intended for Hokaze. Such an act of sacrifice from the researcher must have been recognized by Yuuri Senya's consciousness deep inside the monster because Mitsuari's subsequent attempt to use Mental Stinger was successful. The monster was vanquished and the singularity of Personal Realities vanished.

The incident was no more, but the cost had been high. Many of the test subjects and quite a few of the researchers had lost their lives. Toomine Kanari was among those included in the list of casualties. That act of heroism to protect Hokaze Junko had been the final nail in her coffin.

In one fell swoop, Mitsuari Ayu had lost many of the girls she had cared for as little sisters and the closest thing to a mother figure at Ideal.

The lab itself was finished. Even if the experiment did provide some proof of concept and could be argued to be somewhat of a success, the loss of many of the test subjects would only stir up attention from the chain of command in Academy City. Kumokawa was certain that was the reason Kihara Noukan had poked his furred nose around the facilities of Clone Dolly.

Still, the politics of the city had little bearing to the feelings running through that Big Sister of Ideal. Such a loss would surely have weighed down on her. For a girl who most likely wanted to be depended on by those younger children, her powerlessness must have left a deep scar concerning her ability as an esper. To not only fail to do anything herself but to also know that her lack of power had resulted in the injuries and deaths of those close to her. That fact alone explained a few characteristics that would inevitably form in the psyche and personality of Mitsuari Ayu.

Manipulation by adults, a lack of agency, and the inability to come through for the sake of those she cared for. Such concepts would come to represent the sum of her experiences in Ideal and would form the basis of the tracks that would be laid down for that girl as she attempted to begin the next phase of her life. For her, it was to be a new beginning that would wash away all the losses she had suffered at Ideal.

Mitsuari Ayu would begin life anew at one of Academy City's most prestigious power development schools, Tokiwadai Middle School.

Honestly, it wasn't that much of a surprise that the girl would eventually find her way there. Even if she was the one chosen to be the spare, it was a genuine fact that she was still a Level 5 candidate. She would at least be able to perform at a level within Tokiwadai's curriculum standards. Even if that performance was just at the minimum of what the school deemed acceptable for admission, the fact that she had been admitted at all was an accomplishment in of itself.

As far as could be determined, nothing of note occurred during the beginning half of Mitsuari's first year at Tokiwadai. Her life at the school was far more mundane and straightforward compared to her life at Ideal, but that may have been for the best. Normalcy is often a salve of sorts when it comes to the more unpleasant aspects of one's past. There may have been little to no difference in going from a self-purported power development lab to a power development school. As far as that girl was concerned, the only difference would have probably just been the addition of an educational curriculum befitting that of a student at an elite school.

Yet, there were cracks in that normal school life.

Even after everything that had happened at Ideal, her goal of becoming a Level 5 esper had not been given up on. The tragedy appeared to have only fueled her drive even further and she simply redoubled her efforts in trying to attain that vaunted achievement. However, that begged the question. What exactly was that girl's motivation in continuing to try to reach the peak that was Level 5? What drove the girl to pick up that golden goal again and continue to fervently work toward it?

Was it for a reason that was personal? Was it merely just for herself? Was her goal to attain enough power to throw off the control the adults held over her life? Was it to finally regain some semblance of agency after living a life pulled to and fro by the manipulations of the grownups?

Or was it a more selfless reason? Was it for those little sisters she had lost in Ideal? Had she dedicated herself to obtain the legendary power of a Level 5 to honor those girls who were no longer present to achieve that dream of theirs?

Or was it a more lonely reason? Was she only seeking that dream because it was the only remnant of Ideal left in her life? Was she striving for that goal simply because it was all she had left of happier, simpler times?

Or maybe it was a combination of several reasons. It wasn't as if a person was required to have only one reason to pursue the things they seeked. This was the issue with ascertaining that which lied within the hearts of others. You could posit as many possibilities and likelihoods as could be. You could draw upon facts and logic until your head spun. But it did not matter unless you had the words and confirmation of the person in question. That motivation was at the heart of the downward spiral that belonged to Mitsuari Ayu. Yet, it was a nebulous thing that could not be grasped.

(Would never ever be grasped), her mind rebuked.

Whatever the case may be, that girl had held onto that dream and had continued to feverishly work toward achieving it.

But that was where the issue lied. Reports from the middle schooler's counselor detailed several instances of the girl expressing concern over the progress of her abilities as an esper. Or in this case, a lack thereof.

Surely, she must have recognized or had some inkling of her stagnation. The power growth charts within the database laid out what should have been a foregone conclusion for her. Even during the last weeks of Ideal's existence, Mitsuari's ability as an esper had already flatlined. There was no possible way a girl who so desperately wanted to reach Level 5 would have failed to notice that extended period of static immobility. She may not have known the full truth of esper potential or of the Parameter List, but it was certain that she could tell that she was no longer progressing at the least.

This slowly growing realization must have been the foundation of the cracks in her normal school life. And in the face of her stagnation as an esper, the adults in her life at Tokiwadai continued to falsely claim that Level 5 was just around the corner for her. That she would be able to attain that grand achievement if she continued to work as hard as she had been. Most assuredly, those adults held no genuine malice in their words of encouragement. They were nothing more than useful idiots who unknowingly perpetuated a convenient lie that upheld the harmony of society in Academy City. They were just as ignorant of the truth of the Parameter List as the very children in their care.

Still, it was the truth that Mitsuari most likely saw her extended stagnation on one side of her inner turmoil and the sweet honeyed words of the adults on the other side. And it was this cognitive dissonance that seemed to form the basis of a sort of rebellious phase in the girl. For she who had remained obedient and mindful of the grownups up to this point, the situation must have incrementally eroded her trust in those authority figures and may have even pushed the girl to question the actions and words of the researchers who had been at Ideal. Of course, Toomine Kanari was most definitely excluded from that distrust. Dying to save you tended to have that effect, no matter what intentions or goals were present at the time.

The combination of her distrust of the adults and her uncertainty toward her abilities as an esper must have motivated Mitsuari Ayu to become more rebellious as a way to strike back at the rigid rules set by those grownups.

And it was this growing rebelliousness that would eventually lead her to take an action befitting that of a troubled adolescent. She would break Tokiwadai curfew to explore the streets of Academy City and this act would lead that ignorant girl who had lived for the longest time in the bubble of two power development programs to cross paths with a certain spiky-haired boy. The rest, as they say, is history.

Kumokawa's slender fingers paused, finally parting from the face of the keyboard. With a breath, the high school girl inelegantly placed her left elbow on the desk and proceeded to rest the side of her face on her knuckle. A pondering expression came upon her as her eyes began to quickly scan and review the mountain of words she had typed down.

She could probably recount the Biohacker incident in her sleep if she really wanted to. She had lived through it after all. Outside of the involvement of the Beginning Child and what factors may have led that pioneer of modern espers to come into the hands of L.S.S., the incident itself was rather straightforward with very little in the way of conspiracies or surprises.

If Ideal represented the tracks that would be laid down for Mitsuari, then Tokiwadai represented extensions of those spiderweb-like tendrils. An erosion of trust in authority figures, a dwindling faith in herself to achieve Level 5, and a continued lack of agency. These would be the concepts that would define that girl's short life in Tokiwadai and what would remain present inside her during the incident with L.S.S.

But...

Kumokawa's brows furrowed as she finally reached the central question of the entirety of her current effort.

Why had that girl taken her own life?

Just like her motivations in achieving Level 5, the path that led the girl to her ultimate fate was tenuous and covered in mist. It was an ephemeral and fleeting thing that slipped past the gazes of those who looked into it and disappeared into the darkness of the unknown. In reality, the true meaning behind it all had died with that girl, but Kumokawa's work would not allow for such a vague and unsatisfying answer. The foundations of the why were present in the tracks that had been laid down in Mitsuari Ayu's life. All that was left was to use those tracks to piece together possibilities and likelihoods.

The high school girl would use reason to narrow the chaff from the reality. She would use logic to cut away the fantasy from the feasible.

But even then, there was a catch behind those efforts.

She could lay the foundations of fact and reason. She could grow and cultivate the fruits of conclusions and theories within that foundation. She could put forth extraordinary effort and come within a hair's breadth of the truth of it all, but that would not be good enough for her.

She could create a multitude of logical conclusions and reasonable theories.

But logical conclusions and reasonable theories were not a substitute for the truth.

It did not matter how close to reality she could get if the only person who could give confirmation no longer walked the earth. Kumokawa may as well be throwing any idea that fancied her into the void at that point. Still, the truth wasn't what the Board of Directors wanted nor expected. All her report needed to detail were the possible factors that may have led that younger girl astray and nothing more, no matter what her personal opinions were on the matter.

And in this, there really was only one stretch of time that could possibly hold the answers that the high school girl seeked. What began Mitsuari's downward spiral could only have occurred during her captivity in the hands of Matsuo Ryuusuke. Considering the man's character, Kumokawa doubted he had done anything physically to the girl. He, at the least, seemed to have a basic understanding of what time frame he was under in regards to the fruition of his machinations. The process for awakening the Beginning Child would have taken a substantial amount of time to complete. Not only would the process have required Mitsuari to calculate the exact parameters needed to influence the slumbering consciousness of that ancient esper, that man would have also needed time to prepare the fluffy-haired girl to be in a mental state that would allow no chance of resistance.

For a man frothing at the chance to overturn the power balance of the city, he would have taken the most straightforward trajectory after securing Mental Stinger. However, that did not mean there were no chances for other forms of interaction. Actions may have spoken louder than words, but words still held a degree of power over people. This was especially true when it came to unpleasant truths that could be thrown into the faces of the vulnerable.

What it came down to in the end was that Matsuo Ryuusuke had shared words with Mitsuari Ayu that had sent that girl spiraling into the abyss. It did not help that the girl had still been suffering the aftereffects of a biological agent, the very same one that had been utilized to secure her in the first place. The delirium caused by that infectious stun weapon would have left the esper's mind in an easily pliable state, open and vulnerable to words and suggestions.

But that was where the certainties ended.

What words had that man said to push the girl over the edge?

Had it been a proclamation regarding the deaths of her compatriots? Had she despaired over the thought of having lost Kumokawa Seria and Kamijou Touma?

No, that was illogical. Even if the girl truly had been made to believe that, there would have been ample opportunity to overturn that claim. The many phone calls that Kumokawa and the boy had made to the middle schooler's phone would have attested to their survival. It could be argued that Mitsuari may not have been in the mental state to power on her phone at the time, but one simple fact eliminated such a possibility.

According to records obtained from cellular infrastructure logs, Mitsuari Ayu had made one last phone call to Kamijou Touma late into the evening that day. That action would have been well after the Beginning Child had been dealt with. It was unreasonable to think that the girl would have opened her phone, completely ignored the hefty missed call log that had piled up, and moved to make a call to a supposedly dead person. If anything, the call itself was proof that the girl had been under the impression that the boy was still among the living. But if that was the case...

Had Matsuo Ryuusuke's words targeted something else then?

Kumokawa's eyes darkened at the thought. There was something else, alright. The former CEO of L.S.S. had attempted to keep his mouth shut about the more invaluable aspects to his plans, but the frivolous man had still let a few morsels of information slip through. The echoes of ominous words rung through the high school girl's head as her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You already know the answer, don't you? She is the only key within my reach. She is the only one in the world who fits my needs and is realistically obtainable. To be honest, the other one is far too unapproachable."

'The other one'. That was the key term. Had that careless snake of a man actually let slip the unique connection that tied Shokuhou Misaki and Mitsuari Ayu to each other? How far had his knowledge extended in regards to the Parameter List? Had he been privy to knowledge that would have only been for the eyes of the Board of Directors? Certainly, he was a fool that merely scratched the surface of the dark machinations that ran Academy City, but his ambition may have allowed him a few furtive glances behind the curtain. And if he had gleaned a few tidbits of what lay behind that curtain, then he certainly had the potential to errantly provide insight to Mitsuari on subjects pertaining to her place as an esper.

Kumokawa could feel her lips thinning. It felt as though the pieces were slowly beginning to assemble themselves before her. Something akin to an answer was beginning to form from the mishmash of possibilities she was turning in her head. That was it, wasn't it?

Certainly, it was not as if it was farfetched for that fluffy-haired girl to have already heard of the term 'Mental Out' during her brief stint in Tokiwadai. Not with all the fanfare that would have undoubtedly come with Shokuhou's entry into the school. There would have been no way to avoid the murmurs of the second Level 5 to be developed in Tokiwadai, one who happened to also be a mental esper. But that was most likely the furthest extent to what Mitsuari knew of this 'Mental Out'. Her reaction to that term when it was used in that fast food restaurant and the quick recovery into a carefree mood afterward hinted to a more superficial familiarity of the esper name.

She knew of that Level 5's title and how she paled in comparison, but that was probably all there was to the connection as far as that chocolate-haired girl was concerned. It was most likely in the same vein of an average athlete being compared to a foreign superstar from another country who just happened to participate in the same field of sports but competed in a different league. The power difference between a Level 3 and a Level 5 would have spoken for itself, but the specific details of that higher esper's power and how it functioned would have been left in ambiguity. Just a vague and shapeless concept that left room for uncertainty. Just an invisible cap that unknowingly hung over the younger girl. It was not enough to drag that girl down, but it was enough to lurk in the back of her mind.

If only that information had remained that way...

Somehow, someway, Matsuo Ryuusuke had shared knowledge of Shokuhou Misaki and her ability to Mitsuari Ayu. The dark-haired Senpai could easily imagine that fool lamenting about how he would have preferred the Level 5 Mental Out over the Level 3 Mental Stinger, about how Mitsuari would do only because of Mental Stinger's similarity to Mental Out, and about how the differences in their standings as espers made one of them a more preferable target for kidnapping.

And for a girl already suffering from self-doubt, self-loathing, and a lessening amount of hope, it would have been a shattering blow to learn that there was already a better version of herself out there. That only a dead end existed in her future as an esper. That her helplessness was all that she would ever amount to. That was most likely what had sealed that girl's fate and sent her into the abyss.

The delirium inflicted by the biological agent created the opening.

Matsuo Ryuusuke's words, the murder weapon, attacked through that opening.

Mitsuari's shattered hopes and dreams, propped up by the lies of the adults, began her spiral into death.

Her doubts, her insecurities, and her inability to progress as an esper ensured the death spiral would continue.

Her life of failure at Ideal, of having failed those little sisters of hers guaranteed the death spiral would reach its natural conclusion.

Yet even then, she had still tried to reach her hand out to Kamijou Touma. She had called out for help one last time. It was a pity that fate had deemed it only right that the boy would lose his phone that day in an innocent accident of sorts. The loss of Kamijou Touma's phone was simply the killing blow to an already dead person. It was an unneeded cruelty. Matsuo Ryuusuke's words had already mortally wounded her. She would have bled out no matter what. The loss of the phone was nothing more than an execution gun shot to the back of her head. A double tap, so to speak.

Mitsuari Ayu had left the world feeling all alone. At death's door, the only person she had thought to contact had been Kamijou Touma. That may have spoken volumes of the impression he had left on the younger girl or it may have been insight regarding that girl's high regard of that boy as a person. Whatever the case may have been, it was a fact that he had secured a close enough place in that girl's heart to be considered her last lifeline. He was that important to her.

Or maybe...

A more unsavory thought crossed Kumokawa's mind.

Had Kamijou Touma truly become that irreplaceable in Mitsuari's life? Had his involvement in her life made so much of an impact that he had become the closest person to her heart? Or... did it speak to the nature of the other relationships in her life?

The middle school girl had deemed a person she had known for less than three days as her last lifeline. Not her father, not her mother, not any siblings, not any of her family, and not even anyone she had been acquainted with at Tokiwadai. Had Kamijou Touma really pulled ahead of everyone in her life or had the girl been unable to open her heart to any of the existing relationships in her life?

That was the question. One that could no longer be answered. The pitiful fact of it all was that it shouldn't have had to be that way. Remnants of Ideal had existed in Tokiwadai during Mitsuari's stay there. Both Hokaze Junko and Yumiya Iruka had been present at the time. Surely, they would have reconnected with that Big Sister of Ideal if they had happened to learn of her presence there. They would have certainly gone on to become pillars of support for her if that had been the case, but that was simply not what had happened.

Mitsuari Ayu had lived a tragic life, Kumokawa concluded. Pulled every which way by the whims of the adults, working toward a dream that would have never born fruit, and losing everyone who she had truly grown close to. Even after the tragedy at Ideal, that girl had picked up the pieces of her life, shoddily stitched those pieces back together, and attempted to live as normal a life as possible. Going by the timeline, she had managed it somewhat well up until this point.

But reality was a cruel being. It reminded her of its existence and stomped all over her fragile, new life.

Was that girl's ultimate fate really all that surprising when considering the entirety of her life?

And yet...

Was Mitsuari's life really all that unique? Was such a life all that uncommon here? Academy City thrived atop a mountain of corpses. A countless amount of blood had been shed in the name of progress, in the name of power, and even in the name of greed. The students that were cultivated here were seen as nothing more than resources and assets to be used to further the means and ambitions of those in charge. Lives like Mitsuari's were a dime a dozen in the city. Her tragedy was the not first to happen here. It would certainly not be the last.

But...

Still...

All the same...

It bothered Kumokawa Seria.

It bothered her in a way that was surprising.

Closing her eyes, the high school girl shifted her face until her forehead rested against her knuckle. She waited in the silence of that office space and slowed her breathing to match the rhythmic hum of the air conditioning around her. Her eyes remained closed as the weight of her deductions sunk in. What she had concluded wasn't guaranteed to be the actual truth, but it was a possibility that existed in her mind. One that had gotten a bit too under her skin for her liking.

"(It's rather unfair when I think about it. In such a short amount of time, she managed to make an appeal to both my maternal and sororal instincts. You really can't trust younger girls who use their age as a weapon.)"

Without looking, her fingers picked at the keyboard beside her. The document she had been working on was saved and filed away without a moment's notice. The computer's shut down was not far behind that action. That would be enough for today. A large portion of the report had been taken care of. It would need some changes here and there. Perhaps an addition or subtraction of information in some places was required, but all that amounted to was window dressing to make the report agreeable on the eyes. The main bullet points would remain the same. The reasoning and logic would go unchanged. Even the conclusion would be as it was now.

With a breath, the Senpai attempted to relax in her current position, but her efforts were rewarded with a repeating soft sound being called forth from somewhere within the pile of documents that surrounded her. She could only sigh as she turned in her chair and attempted to dig out the offending device. It only took a few moments before she withdrew her arm from that disaster of a mess, device in hand.

The device in question was nothing more than a small handheld of sorts. It was nothing fancy when compared to the technology that existed in Academy City, but it served her all the same. And this particular device was quite precious because of the very purpose she had given it.

"(The boy's on the move again, huh. That should mean his business with Anti-Skill is over. I hope my paid contact was able to tamper with the device before it got into his hands.)"

She stood from her chair with a stretch and began to gather items from various locations in the room. The light of the setting sun reflected in her eyes as she finished preparing for her trip. It was time again to do what she knew was needed. Whether Kamijou Touma asked for it or not, she would watch over him and work to guarantee his safety. Hopefully, time would be able to heal his wounds and it was just a matter of ensuring he last long enough to make it until then.

The key factor to it all was what lied in his phone.

If it was just a matter of Kamijou Touma not being able to be there for Mitsuari Ayu when she took her life, it would devastate the boy, but he would eventually be able to recover from it. It could take weeks, months or even years, but he would be able to pull himself from that rut eventually. But if Mitsuari's last phone call to him was discovered, then that fact alone would destroy the boy and nix any possibility of him ever recovering. It would not be a matter of recovery then, but of how much could be done to curb the damage that would be done to his mental state.

Kumokawa Seria set out from her apartment with that thought in mind, hoping that the arrangements she had made were successful in averting that tragedy.


Chapter 2:

The Second

The Third


Such was the nature of bureaucracy.

That was what he had said before, right? Well, bureaucracy could go lie in a ditch somewhere for all he cared.

Kamijou Touma huffed as he moved along on the neatly paved sidewalks of Academy City. The last dying rays of the sun filtered in through what space was allowed by the surrounding buildings, casting a scarlet glow upon the artificial landscape. Each glint of that light reflected off the many mirrored surfaces like the last embers of a flame. It was almost as if the city was entreating the last remaining bits of pedestrians to hurry on home before the day finally gave out.

But the spiky-haired boy had other ideas in mind.

He had exited from an office of Anti-Skill not too long ago after concluding his business with said organization. It had been a disaster, to say the least. The boy could hardly believe the absurd hoops he had jumped through to retrieve a lost possession. Even now, the experience felt like a surreal fever dream that one would have when they ate something not quite compatible with their appetite.

It had started off so well at first. He had arrived at the office and had informed the young woman at the front desk on the situation regarding his lost phone. In turn, she had asked him for a description of said phone and his student ID to confirm his identity. Both of which, he had easily provided to her. His heart had filled with joy when she had confirmed that a phone fitting the description he had given had indeed been located and transferred to that specific office of Anti-Skill.

The woman had then gone to retrieve said phone and run a check on his ID. Confident that this fetch quest of his was on the cusp of being completed, the boy had idly waited... and waited and waited some more. A half hour had gone by before she returned with phone in hand and a puzzled expression on her face. Kamijou could remember the spike of fear that crept up his heart as she informed him that errors would continuously come up when she attempted to run his student ID through the system.

There were only two explanations to such a strange occurrence that she could think of. Either his ID had been damaged recently or his entry in the system had become a mysterious anomaly that both existed and didn't exist at the same time. And because of that, she could not confirm his identity and could not release the lost phone to his possession until it was proven he was who he said he was.

Both distraught at and inwardly cursing his misfortune, he had gone into a flurry of explanations and anecdotes that would prove that the person standing before her was Kamijou Touma. Of course, it could be said that such words were useless to someone who had no idea who Kamijou Touma was nor was familiar with the boy before her who was claiming to be Kamijou Touma. With a sigh, she had relented and informed him that there was another method to try to prove his identity.

He had obviously jumped at the chance. His phone was right before him after all. There was no way he could just walk away at that point. But he remembered his mouth hanging wide open when the woman had told him that the next step he could take was a blood test. The difference between the steps was too severe. It was like jumping over a hurdle and finding the next hurdle to actually be a building. How did the woman go from running his ID to an all out DNA test via extraction of his blood?

Even in the present, thinking about it threatened to have the boy instinctively clutch at his head at the utter ridiculousness of it all, but he fought the urge. He turned the corner and began to head down one of the many alleyways of the city as he continued to recall the series of unfortunate events.

He had not backed down from that blood test. After resolving to see it through to the end, the boy had taken on the challenge. The agonizing wait had continued and an hour passed before the woman returned with the equipment necessary to extract his blood and have it prepped to be sent to be tested. Not only that, but she had also returned with a nurse to administer the process.

To say the extraction had run into issues would be an understatement. The equipment had failed three times to draw blood in what he could only describe as freak accidents. And because of that, his right arm had to endure three pokes by sterilized needles. The third time had not been the charm here and the boy guessed the fourth time had worked only because the nurse had switched over to his left arm in bewilderment.

And then he had waited again. Since the nurse had left with the blood sample, the young woman at the desk had remained. Kamijou was certain she was uncertain and nervous about how everything had spiraled into this, but it wasn't as if the boy blamed her. She had just been following procedure. It wasn't as if it was so easy to break the rules for something as mundane as this. Not if it could endanger one's livelihood or position.

A few hours passed and it seemed his misfortune had come to an end. The nurse had contacted the office with the good news that the blood sample that was taken did indeed confirm that he was who he said he was. And with that, the phone had been turned over to him, albeit with a hint of hesitation. He was unsure why the woman had been so reluctant in handing the device over, but he supposed he did look a bit shady with the ruckus he had caused.

Still, he had finally reclaimed his phone. It had taken much more time than he had thought and he felt as though he had gone on an adventure and a half, but he had gotten his phone back all the same.

Kamijou Touma felt like he should have been grinning at that fact. Maybe he should have been smiling about the fact that his phone had not been destroyed or spirited away to some pawn shop for money. Maybe he should have been excitedly counting his blessings that his phone had been responsibly turned in to the authorities without any ill intentions. But he felt as though he could not bring himself to do such things.

Even now, the device remained nestled in his pocket. He had not opened it even once after having it returned to him.

The boy already understood the reason for that. It was because he was unsure of what lay within that phone. It felt almost like a cursed tome that had the potential to hold vile secrets about the world. If he were to open that tome, everything that lied within it would be revealed to him. There would be no going back after that, no way to return to the normalcy he had known before opening it. Sure, the information held within could be nothing more than harmless gibberish that meant little, but there was a chance that what lied within was something his eyes were not meant to see.

He was at a crossroads. One that could tip his path one way or another.

But he had already decided. It was decided far before he had ever recovered his lost possession. His left hand gripped the phone in his pocket.

He could not avert his eyes from the course he had set for himself. His curiosity could not leave things as they were. He had a burning question in his mind. A question he needed an answer to. He needed to know because he needed to understand the true depth of his failure to Mitsuari Ayu.

"You never know. It could give me the chance to save you."

The echoes of his light-hearted words crossed his mind. Just the mere memory of those words were enough to break through whatever hesitation his heart still held. He needed to know, but not for his own sake. The truth that lied in his phone needed to be known because the fluffy-haired girl deserved that much at the least. She had deserved so much more, but just this little thing would be a start.

The boy pulled his phone out and held it before him. With a breath, he unlocked the phone and began his journey within.

"(Yeah. Of course the call log would be filled to the brim.)"

The boy remarked to himself as he paused in his wayward wandering to lean against the concrete wall within that musty alleyway. He had skipped a few straight days of school at this point. There was no way that had not been missed by the acquaintances he had made in his ordinary life. Someone would have noticed eventually and the obvious action would have been to call him to check in.

Slowly, the boy opened the log with his missed calls and started from the top. Name after name slowly drifted upward as his eyes scanned the list. He would offer his apologies to the ones concerned for him later. But right now, those other names were not what he was looking for.

Seconds passed him by as more names drifted to the top of his phone screen. Her name had not popped up yet. Maybe... he was overthinking things. Maybe things weren't as cruel as he had thought. He had failed Mitsuari. That would not change and he would not turn his eyes away from that truth. But maybe his failure hadn't sunken to the depths that he had thought it had been. Maybe it was just a matter of not being in the right place at the right ti-

And then a familiar name drifted up on his phone screen. The very last name on the list of recent missed calls, which meant the very first call that had been made to him after his phone had been lost.

His mind stopped.

He could not breathe.

His legs failed him.

He only saved himself from collapsing to the floor by turning and bracing his right hand against the cold concrete of the wall.

His vision blurred, but that was still not enough to block out what was before him. The truth stabbed at his eyes with the intensity of a searing light.

Mitsuari

xxx-xxx-xxxx

His body was hunched as if it was in pain, but his eyes refused to turn away from the name on the phone screen.

That was the truth. That was reality. That could not be denied. That could not be argued against.

He clenched his teeth so tightly that they ground with the slightest of movement.

That girl had languished in the darkness all alone.

But despite her anguish...

Despite her pain...

She had cried out for help.

While being crushed by the weight of her despair, she had cried out for him.

His shoulders shook and trembled. His right fist balled so tightly that it would be no surprise if blood began to flow.

He understood now.

Not the why.

Not the how.

Not even the what.

But he had learned one thing and it was the only thing he needed to understand.

That girl had wanted to be saved.

She had begged to be saved while crying tears of blood.

And...

He had failed to be there for her when she needed him the most.

Because of his carelessness...

Because of his utter incompetence...

He had let that lonely girl disappear from the face of the earth.

He could not stand it any longer.

He had likened the hole in his chest to that of a dagger that had bit into him, but what he now felt dwarfed it completely.

With a harsh breath, he pulled his right arm back without hesitation.

A sickening thud reverberated throughout the alleyway.

What the fuck had he been doing?!

Hadn't he taken on the burden of that girl's life?

Hadn't he promised to pulverize anything that would dare to do her harm?

Hadn't he assured her that she, at the least, would be able to go home like normal?

Words upon words and proclamations upon proclamations swirled about his head.

He would do whatever it took to save her? He would take back what was stolen from them?

Where were his fancy words now? Where was his bravado now? Where was his courage now?

He knew the answer. He had known it even before the questions were asked.

He could say such things because Mitsuari Ayu had still been on the same plane of existence as him then.

But Death was a different matter altogether. This wasn't like the fictional stories one read for entertainment.

Death was a concept, not something you could physically interact with.

He could not fight Death for that poor girl's life.

He could not argue with Death for the sake of that girl's life.

He could not make a deal with Death on behalf of that girl's life.

The finality of Death could not be crossed.

The boy again drove his right fist into the concrete wall and another stomach-churning thud echoed.

Was this all his strength was worth? Could he give everything he had and it would still not be enough to save one single girl who was suffering?

What was the point of clenching his right fist? What worth did his strength even have if it still let those he cared for slip right through his clenched fingers?

Could his cursed hand not even give him that?!

"Do you really and truly think we can get back home safely?"

His breath hitched at the thought of those words.

Her voice had been so fragile then.

And how had he responded to that vulnerability?

Hindsight was cruel and he could see his words from back then for what they truly were.

Hesitant. Uncertain. Weak.

His hand pulled back once more.

Why?!

Thud.

Why hadn't he assured her better? If it was a matter of uncertainty toward their future, he could have placed more resolve into his words. He could have made sure that his words comforted her worries instead of wallowing in his hesitance. Maybe then she would have believed in him as the darkness threatened to swallow her whole.

Thud.

Why hadn't he looked after her better? If he had just done his due diligence and stayed at her side, he could have made sure that he was there for her. If he was stronger, maybe he could have stopped her from being taken altogether.

Thud.

Why hadn't he spoiled her more? If he had just indulged in her whimsy just a bit more, maybe it would have filled her heart just enough to not allow her heart to be shattered to the point of no return.

Thud.

Why hadn't he made it known that he would never have abandoned her?

Thud.

Why hadn't he taken better care of her?

Thud.

Why hadn't he-?

Thud.

Why hadn't-?

Thud.

Why-?

Thud.

Whywhywhy-?

Thudthudthud.

Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy-?

Thud after thud resounded, each puncuating every why in his head. The cacophony of violence drowned out any and all other possible noises within that alleyway. He could feel flecks of blood land on his shirt, but the boy did not care.

He pulled his right arm back one more time and one last sickening thud came forth.

Why... didn't he just take her hand...?

Silence once again returned to that abandoned pathway. His harsh breaths filled the void of sound that had been left behind by the absence of that symphony of flesh upon concrete.

The boy clenched his eyes, letting his raging feelings smolder. An image burned within his mind. In his mental landscape, he could see the small form of a girl against the backdrop of a murky abyss. He could not see the expression on her face because she was turned away from him, but her shoulders trembled ever so meekly. Her head was bowed in such a way that made it obvious what emotions ran through her broken heart. It was almost as if the slightest of wind would break her apart and scatter her across the lands.

He had wondered how far the depth of his failure to Mitsuari Ayu had been. But now, he had found that answer within his phone. He had opened that cursed tome and could no longer go back. The boy could only stew in the silence of that revelation, cut off from the world around him. Though if he was honest with himself, he probably preferred it that way. At least in this way, he would be the only witness to his weakness.

But his expectations were overturned as a weight placed itself on his right shoulder.

Panic filled his mind as his body jumped at the touch. There should have been no one present. The only people who would wander the alleyways of Academy City in the darkness of the night were those who were looking for trouble. He could only think of two possibilities of what was transpiring here and each possibility inspired dread in him. On one hand, he could be coming face-to-face with an unsavory facet of the city once again. Or on the other hand, he could have been found by the one person who understood his current situation and whom he did not want to be seen by at this moment.

His eyes wrenched themselves open and he slowly moved his gaze toward his right side.

He could feel his heart sink as Kumokawa Seria's emotionless face came into the view of his vision. Her expression did not yield anything when it came to the thoughts that lay within her mind. Or so she probably would have liked to portray with the front she was putting up. Kamijou Touma did not describe himself as one who was keenly in tune with the feelings and emotions of everyone around him, but even someone as dull as him could see the roiling myriad of emotions that seemed to be raging beneath the calm veneer she tried to put up.

Slowly, her hand left his shoulder and she wordlessly moved to his side, raising her hands toward his right fist. Even now, that bloodied fist was still pushed against the concrete wall. The boy inwardly grimaced as he saw the tiniest of quivers from the Senpai's bottom lip. Her hands gently and delicately wrapped around his right wrist. There were no sudden movements or pushes to get him to move his hand. It was as if she was handling something that was as fragile as glass. With the gentlest of nudges, she guided his hand away from the wall and lowered it back to his side.

Kamijou could only helplessly watch as the older girl forlornly stood there, holding onto him. He knew she was trying to be the responsible one, the anchor to the storming emotions that ran inside him, but every little action betrayed her facade. He could feel the slight shaking of her hands as she gripped his wrist. It was so plainly obvious that she was barely keeping it together for his sake.

She gently pulled on his hand and then waited, as if to see what his response would be. The boy did not fight back and he slackened the tension in his held arm. That must have been good enough because she seemed to take that as the okay to begin to silently lead him away from the alleyway. The spiky-haired boy let a breath escape him as he was led away. Even if he wanted to resist, he did not have the strength or the will to.

He could only give one last look to his phone and the name that was displayed on the screen as he was taken away.


Kamijou Touma winced as a stinging wave of pain spread from his right hand.

But the boy's discomfort was answered by silence as Kumokawa Seria went about administering care to his injuries. He had been a little bothered at first by the state of his hand when the older girl had begun the process of tending to him, but it seemed as though his worries had been for naught. She had simply brought forth a clean towel and a bowl of lukewarm water and had wordlessly set about to taking care of him, dabbing into that bowl of water bit by bit with the towel before applying it to his hand. Even now, they both sat in silence as she carefully cleansed his hand of any reminder of what had transpired in that alleyway.

The boy was perfectly content in allowing her to do as she pleased. He really wasn't in any condition to go against her, especially when he knew she only had the best intentions for him. Both his heart and mind were weary of the day and he wanted to go to bed as soon as possible, but his fatigue could not wash away the guilt that stayed in his heart. He had shown that mysterious Senpai something he shouldn't have. She had seen him at a low point that he had not wanted anyone to see. The image of fragile Mitsuari Ayu clung to him like a weight on his shoulders, but he had never wanted to show the full extent of that weight to anyone else, especially not someone who was currently fretting over him as if he was some spindly hospital patient. That was something he needed to carry alone.

The boy averted his eyes from the older girl's administrations, letting his gaze sweep across the empty room they were in. She had brought him here without hesitation, so he assumed it was another of her apartment room properties that she seemed to be fond of collecting. It must have been a recent acquisition because it had no furnishings whatsoever. The only thing in the room was a tiny lamp that was sitting in a corner and was bravely trying to bring light to their surroundings. The little appliance was helped along by the moonlight filtering in through the curtains of the windows near it, but it was still not enough to ward away the darkness. What was left was an ambience of dimness that was neither lit up or unlighted.

The sound of something spraying flittered to his ears and he found himself unconsciously yelping as a stinging sensation ran along his arm once again. He returned his gaze to the high school girl caring for him and found her with an antiseptic spray in hand. He watched as she set the spray aside and began to unbundle some bandage wrap from a roll.

Her silence was both a boon and a curse at the same time. A boon because he did not know what to say to her after seeing the emotions that had lied under the surface of her calm facade and a curse because her silence meant that he did not know what she was feeling right now. He wanted to fill the air of the quiet around them with something to ease the tension in his head, but he could not find the words. At least, she seemed to have calmed down a little from the composure that seemed to more confidently exude from her eyes, so maybe her tending to him had been able to keep her mind off of what she had seen. It was a comforting thought, but her silence still unnerved him.

"Is it a habit of yours to fight buildings?"

Kamijou was caught off guard for a moment as he saw her eyes look to him. There was no smile in her expression, but her eyes held an emotion he recognized. He had wondered and worried about her reaction to what he had done in that alleyway, but it seemed she had only been worrying for his sake all the while. He could only give a tired grin as he let himself be taken in by the pace of that kind Senpai.

"You never know, Senpai. That building could have insulted my mother. I could have been in the process of teaching it a life lesson or two."

"Fantastic. You're already talking to inanimate objects. I might as well end it here and reach out to Emergency Services."

"Wait a minute. Don't talk as if I'm already a lost cause, Senpai!"

"You are a lost cause, boy."

The spiky-haired middle schooler raised an eyebrow at that, but the older girl continued without pause.

"You're a lost cause and I mean that in the most positive way possible. You jump into situations without a second thought, even for strangers. You involve yourself with the troubles of others, no matter how much danger it represents for you. You hurt yourself, you struggle, and you even degrade yourself for the sake of those you want to help. Not only that but even your enemies aren't exempt from your brand of foolishness. Oh yes. You'll even go so far as to guarantee the safety of those who would not shed a tear at the thought of hurting or killing you. And yet you insist on continuing to try. You keep trying with that warped sense of kindness."

Her eyes continued to be locked onto his eyes as more words poured forth.

"And do you know what the worst of it is? It's what you receive in return. You don't ask for thanks. You don't ask for rewards. You don't even ask for recognition. You simply do what you do and move on. You put forth so much effort for the sake of others, but you ask for nothing in return. You bring about satisfying ends for others, but you won't even accept a satisfying end for yourself."

Kumokawa tightened the band of wrap in her hand, as if to bring tension to it with her feelings.

"I look at you, boy, and I can only find myself wondering how such a spirit as yours has continued to exist within Academy City. You are a rarity of a soul here and it befuddles me. I can't for the life of me understand what goes on in your head, but I can't help but be drawn to it and marvel at it. You are a lost cause, boy, but you are the most amazing lost cause I have ever laid my eyes on."

Kamijou Touma's eyes could only soften at the words the high school girl laid on him.

"Oh come on, Senpai. I'm not tha-"

But she held out her left hand as if to cut off his words.

"I know you're going to shrug off those words and play them off as if they have nothing to do with you, but please let me have this one. Can't you at least give me that much?"

The boy left his mouth open from his unfinished sentenced for just a moment before closing it. A small smile formed on his face as he released a breath.

"Alright... I understand."

"Thank you. And I really mean that, boy."

He could not help but let the raven-haired girl have it her way this time. He had shown her his unpleasant weakness, but she had continued to look out for him. Even after all the worry and concern, she was still acting out of consideration for him and his feelings. How could he respond with anything other than gratitude?

They slipped back into silence as she began to wound the bandage wrap around his right hand, but it was a silence that lacked much of the tension from before. It wasn't normalcy by any means, but Kamijou preferred this feeling compared to what was in the air previously. At least in this way, he didn't have to feel any sort of awkwardness or uncertainty that came with walking on egg shells.

"So?" questioned Kumokawa as she intently managed her ministrations.

"Hmm?"

"Were you victorious?"

"...Yeah," replied Kamijou with a tiny grin. "I taught that building a lesson it won't forget anytime soon."

"Quite the crushing victory, huh. Did it at least teach you about Stage 2?"

"Stage 3 too, I think."

"Two stages in one go? You're being quite the overachiever tonight, boy."

"It's not as if I aim to please, Senpai."

"Ho. So you're a receiver instead of a giver."

"Huh?"

The Level 0 furrowed his brows at the comment. He did not understand what direction the older girl was coming from.

"You surprise me every day, boy. I was certain you were the type to shower your lover with affection in the bedroom."

"Are we even talking about the same thing anymore?!"

No more words were said as his retort hung in the air. Tiny smiles had formed on their faces as they fell into silence once again. A small dose of normalcy had been regained, but the conversation had somehow led them back to where they had started. Because in the span of their comfortable silence, another voice, shrill and bashful, had chimed through in their minds.

"Eek! W-why are you two discussing such improper things?!"

Their routine was missing someone. In their heads, Kumokawa would take the initiative to exacerbate the misunderstanding with a sleight of words while Kamijou would haplessly try to explain himself to the naive Mitsuari Ayu. The younger girl would further misunderstand and react accordingly as the Senpai attempted to further fan the flames and the spiky-haired boy attempted to douse those flames. They would go around in circles, seguing into the comfort of their words, banter, and misunderstandings. But in the end, they would always return to their own sense of normalcy, having become just a bit warmer for it.

It was a wistful sort of thing that lacked any importance or true weight in their lives. Just a trade of ordinary words that meant little in the grand scheme of things. Something that was missed only because it was no longer a part of their lives. But that may have been the reason why it was so missed. Distance can make the heart grow fonder of things taken for granted.

The high school girl topped off the wrap to his hand with a pat, sending a nod his way.

"You're quite lucky, you know. For all the abuse you sent to that building, your hand only sustained superficial, shallow wounds."

"I guess that's one lucky thing about it all."

He rotated his right hand before him, inspecting the bandage work she had done. It really was marvelous work if even someone with as little experience with first aid as he could pick up on the effort that had been placed into it. He clenched his right fist and found that the wrapping comfortably warped to the various shapes his hand could make. Yes, this was more than he could ask for on such short notice.

"Keep the wrap on for the night and remove it in the morning, boy. By then, I'm quite certain your hand will be as good as new."

"Thanks, Senpai. I really appreciate it."

"You can thank me by staying out of trouble for a while," she posited with a hand on her hip.

"You know I can't promise you that," he replied with the ghost of a cheeky smile.

"I am quite aware of that, but it doesn't hurt to make an attempt to rein you in."

With that, the older girl set about to tidying up the host of supplies she had brought forth to treat his injuries. All he could do was watch as he gave some last few rotations of his hand to test the limits of the wrap encasing it. She really had come prepared for anything if the bag those items disappeared into was anything to go by. He wouldn't have been surprised if she was able to pull out all manners of contraptions and tools made to solve any and all possible problems she could run into. That was the impression he had of her as he watched her efficiently put each knickknack into their proper place.

"Now then," she said as she placed the antiseptic spray back into the bag. "I suppose you'll want to be on your way?"

"Yeah. I don't want to impose more than I already have and it's getting late enough as it is."

She had already given him more than he could possibly ask for. More than he rightfully deserved if he was being honest. He could not allow himself to take advantage of her hospitality any more than this. Not when she was putting on a brave front for his sake by trying to be the collected adult. He knew she was worrying for him, but there was nothing he could do to allay those worries. To be able to accomplish that, he would have kill his heart and numb himself. Doing so would allow him to be able to go back to the normalcy he previously had.

But that was something he could not do because it required removing Mitsuari Ayu from his existence.

Kumokawa Seria only wanted him to not be dragged down by despair, but he could not let go of the fluffy-haired girl. He was not unwillingly chained by the weight of that girl's memory. No, he gladly took on the weight of that burden. There was still something he needed to do. Something that the world could not and would not do. And if the world was going to refuse such a task, then he would gladly do it. Not for him or his ugly guilt, but for the girl who was no longer here.

With that thought in mind, he rose to his feet and gave a slight bow to the dark-haired girl before him.

"Really. Thank you for everything tonight, Senpai. I'll get going now."

But before he could even budge from his pose, something answered his gratitude. A great yawning of a rumble sounded out from his abdomen. The boy could only widen his eyes as his body proceeded to betray him then and there. He straightened his stance just in time to catch the amused smile that had come upon the high school girl's face from her spot on the floor.

"I had a feeling you were about to reach your limit. You skipped lunch, didn't you?"

"I-"

Another rumbling from his midsection interrupted his words as his body confirmed its intent to double-cross him.

"I thought as much, boy. You really are as predictable as Pavlov's dog when it comes to certain circumstances."

The older girl reached into her mythical bag of holding and pulled out an item his stomach could not refuse in that moment.

She presented a pair of bento boxes to him as her smile curled even further.

"Aren't you glad you met up with me, hmm?"


The ambience of the late-night cityscape floated in as they carefully ate in silence and picked at the meals resting in their laps. Now and then, a sound or two would break the quiet that surrounded them, sneaking in from the world outside the bubble of that empty apartment. The bustle of a car passing through, the booming rhythm of a bullet train making a pass through the area, and even the humming of air conditioning units made up the ambience that intruded on their solace.

Kumokawa Seria watched intently as Kamijou Touma dug into the shabby meal she had been able to throw together in preparation for tonight. There had not been enough time to make anything more elaborate than rice and some side dishes. Her attempt at balancing her role as the 'brain' for a member of the Board of Directors and her role of watching over a certain spiky-haired boy had not gone as smoothly as she had liked, but she supposed it did not matter. As slow as he was in eating his meal, he seemed to enjoy the taste of it at the least.

But her worries did not abate just because he was having no issues in eating that humble meal.

She had done all she could to stop herself from trying to push into him with her words and prod an answer about what lied in his heart. She had wanted so badly to have asked him about what he was feeling or how far his feelings went, but she had been unable to find the words to do so. The mountain of words she had compiled and prepared in her head had evaporated instantly in the moment she had found him in that alleyway, bloody fist grinding against the wall. Her mind had simply blanked and she had moved to his side while being guided by instinct alone.

Her gambit to sabotage his phone had failed and he had learned the truth of the last phone call Mitsuari Ayu had made to him. The twisted melody of his fist upon concrete had told her all she needed to know in regards to how he had taken that revelation. Recovery was no longer an option that could be considered. The boy was putting up a strong front, but she knew he was purposely avoiding the subject of the chocolate-haired girl in her presence.

Just as she had assumed, he would hide that pain within himself and not allow it to be shown to anyone else. And she had played along with it. She had not pushed him on the matter and had only made weak attempts to try to bring up the subject. Little things like the small mention of the stages of grief had been the best attempt her wavering heart had been able to come up with.

Part of the reason for that hesitance was the status of Kamijou Touma's mental state. She had wanted to be delicate in her approach. She had wanted to go about it in as considerate a manner as possible, but that desire had most likely hindered her more than it had helped. Instead of being a constructive force in his grief, she had just coddled him and had done nothing for him. His gratitude toward her had elated her heart, but that would not change what she needed to do.

Kumokawa knew then that Kamijou Touma would only continue to fester in his guilt and regret all by himself if things continued as they were.

"You know. You have a real knack for this, Senpai. The food looks simple, but the taste is really out of this world."

"Such a plain dish is nothing to write home about. I usually live alone so just this much is simple enough for me."

"As someone who also lives alone, I can vouch for the authenticity of that 'plain dish' of yours. Good food is good food in the end."

"Ho. So I'm speaking to someone who's quite the expert in the art of cooking for oneself, hmm?"

"Nothing so grand as that. I just happen to also have a knack for cooking for myself. I always pegged you as someone who was too busy or loaded to actually get a handle of it. You know, someone who just ordered expensive pre-made meals and all that."

"Hardly. I find there's a certain appeal in reaping the fruits of your own labor, so to speak. There's a peculiar satisfaction in sitting before something you crafted with your own hands and enjoying the effort that was placed in it."

"But you do enjoy a meal prepared by an expert as well, right?" the boy retorted with the flicker of a smile.

"Of course. There's satisfaction in enjoying your work and then there's satisfaction in enjoying a meal prepared by someone who has reached the cooking mountaintop," the girl responded with a wave of her chopstick-wielding hand.

"Uh huh. Living the life of luxury there, Senpai. This Kamijou is all green with envy."

"Yes, yes. Blessed by the luck of the gods and all that nonsense."

That was the sort of exchanges they had as they ate. A quip here, some banter there, and then they would eat some more of their meal. It was the sort of thing that the older girl wished she could believe in, but she knew there was a fragility to it. That small dose of normalcy would not last. What they had right now was simply a temporary reprieve that would disappear the instant they parted ways. Oh, they would certainly be able to meet up again in the future and somehow be able to strike up another dose of normalcy. But was that enough? Was she really satisfied with just that?

Her reverie was cut short by movement from the boy next to her. Her eyes met his as he held out his clean and empty bento box.

"Thanks for the meal. I'll make it up to you next time. You can count on that."

"Is that an invitation to partake in some of your cooking? You'd actually grace me with the opportunity to try a meal from an esteemed cook such as yourself?"

"Now you're just setting me up to fail with all that big talk..."

The raven-haired girl couldn't help the smile that slipped through in her expression as she collected his bento box.

"Not at all. I honestly do look forward to it, despite my being sharp-tongued."

"Then I guess I'll just have to put in the effort to not disappoint you."

The spiky-haired boy rose to his feet as thoughts swirled about her head. She could not let him go with just that. Nothing would change for Kamijou Touma if things continued like this. Even if it meant being cruel, she had to do something to try to truly reach him. She needed to open him up so that they could work through the elephant in the room that was Mitsuari Ayu. She needed to make sure he knew that she was there to accept his feelings, ugly or otherwise. Then maybe she could begin to soften whatever pain he was currently experiencing.

But how could she go about it? What approach could she use? What method would be best in creating just the tiniest opening in that boy's heart?

Her pragmatism was at war with her fondness for him. It was an entirely frustrating yet unique feeling.

She had adlibbed her way throughout the entire incident with L.S.S. and had been able to find ways to take advantage of every twist and turn, but this situation was nothing like that incident. Back then, it had been far more simpler. There had been identifiable sides to the conflict. Matsuo Ryuusuke and his band of hired henchmen had stood on one side. She, the boy, and the girl who was no longer here had been on the other side. Kumokawa had been able to compartmentalize what she had needed to do back then and had been able to mercilessly strike at her enemies while ensuring the safety of her companions.

But the enemy she now faced was also the companion whose wounded spirit she wanted to help.

"I'll see you later, Senpai. Once again, thanks for everything tonight."

Her mind raced as the younger boy before her bowed and bid her farewell. Time was running out on her decision. She needed to reach an answer. She needed to decide on a path forward. She needed to speak now while the wound of Mitsuari's last phone call was still fresh and not a permanent scar. But what could she possibly say to him that would spare his heart yet create just the smallest of cracks in that boy's false front of strength? What possible words would help him yet not hurt him?

The boy turned and the older girl knew it was now or never. She released a breath and did what she had done throughout the entirety of the Biohacker incident. She winged it.

"She wouldn't have wanted you to be like that, you know."

The effect of her words was immediate and she knew it. The boy's body froze as if cast in ice. She could not see his face, but he made no move to respond. Even so, she had to keep pushing.

"You were her hero, boy. Her knight in shining armor. Do you really think she would have wanted you to suffer like this for her sake?"

And just like that, her words reached him. His body, seemingly strong and straight, deflated before her eyes. His shoulders sunk and his head bowed just ever so slightly.

Her fears had been realized by just that tiny change in his posture. In that moment, just a small amount of his suffering had leaked through; a small dose of what he had displayed to her in that alleyway. He was hiding his pain for her sake. He was trying to keep things between them as normal as possible, but she knew there was no good in that. All that meant was that Kamijou Touma was intending to carry that weight by himself without any support whatsoever. The confirmation of that thought was what spurred her to keep going.

"You were a beacon for her. Something warm in her lonely world. She wouldn't have wanted you to lose your way just because of her."

Words continued to pour forth from her as her mind tried to keep up with her mouth.

"Do you know how she paced back and forth and wrung that handkerchief of yours in that burning parking lot? From that moment on, didn't you realize how she tried to cling to you? How she'd look in your direction and keep her gaze on you for just a little longer than necessary? How she'd seek you out for just a little bit more of your time? How she'd do little, meaningless things like lining up your shoes without you knowing?"

She pushed and pushed and continued to push more.

"She adored you, boy. More than you could possibly realize. She would have never wanted you to hurt yourself like this. She would have never wanted to see you in pain like this. All she'd ever want is for you to-"

"If that's true, Senpai..."

Kumokawa would have continued, but his voice, quiet and sharp, put ice to her intentions.

"If what you say is the truth, then... Why isn't she here?"

"..."

The high school girl found herself unable to answer him. She had already realized the flaw of her words even as they had escaped her mouth. She already understood how weak her words had been. In trying to push through the wall of his strength, she had invoked the name of a certain chocolate-haired girl. In trying to grasp at straws, she had attempted to make an appeal to his emotions.

Mitsuari Ayu could have thought those things. It was easy to imagine that the middle school girl could even say such things. It was logical for that girl to have those thoughts. It was reasonable for that girl to say those words.

But logical conclusions and reasonable theories were not a substitute for the truth.

The fact of the matter was that Mitsuari Ayu was not here. She had never said those words nor had she ever confessed to thinking those thoughts. And now, she would never have the chance to do so. That was why Kamijou Touma's one sentence had been able to cut down the Senpai's river of words.

In the end, Kumokawa was simply putting words in a dead girl's mouth.

"I know you're worried for me. I know you only have the best intentions for me, but I can't return that kindness just yet. Really. I'm truly grateful, but I still need time."

The boy's soft rejection of her attempt to reach him hung in the air for a moment before the sound of his steps heralded the beginning of his exit. Kumokawa simply let him leave. There was nothing else she could do to stop him. Not after his words had rung so true. This would have to be the stopping point of their time together for today.

As disappointing as it was, there were a few upsides to today's efforts. The subject of Mitsuari Ayu was now acknowledged by the both of them to each other. It was still a touchy topic, but the ice had been broken on it. She had also confirmed some of the things that lied within his heart and some of the feelings he was hiding away. There were still many uncertainties when it came to that boy's emotional state, but it was a start.

Still, she could not help but feel disheartened. She had tried to reach out to him, but it had ended in absolute failure.

She should have known better, honestly. Hadn't she seen the reason for herself? Hadn't she seen the small bits of hints that would have tipped her off on why such an approach would have never worked on that boy? Hadn't she spent enough time with him to gain enough of an understanding to sway her away from using such a method?

Yes, she had already seen the tracks laid down before him that would have never allowed him to be cracked by such a flimsy appeal. She had seen it in the way his expression fell at the mere suggestion of the possible deaths of the eldest and youngest Gokusai. She had seen it in his desperate attempts to push them forward to retrieve Mitsuari Ayu. She had seen it in the way he had fruitlessly struggled to reach his hand out to the fluffy-haired girl when Matsuo Ryuusuke had escaped from their grasp.

Kamijou Touma held such a strength of heart and spirit, even when he seemed so incredibly shaky in his convictions at times. With such strength, that boy could face down any Demon, Angel, or God with just his clenched fist and some words. It was as if no force in the world could stand between him and the resolution he so desired. Yet even with that incredible strength, he was surprisingly fragile when it came to the deaths of those around him.

Oh, he would be able to take it if it was someone he wasn't too familiar with. He would offer the distant sadness that was afforded to those born with empathy and would be able to move on without too much of a hitch in his step. Such a thing would not be able to drag him down. But what if it was someone he knew or was familiar with? What if it was someone he wanted to protect?

The boy held much strength within him, but he did not have the strength to handle the death of someone he wanted to save.

That was why he would never readily accept the type of emotional aid Kumokawa had tried to give him. You could wax poetry and give him all the reasons in the world for why he couldn't be blamed for what happened. You could tell him every little word he needed or wanted to hear. You could wrap him up in the kindest words possible in every existing language.

But it would not be enough to truly reach him. That boy would simply shrug off those excuses, smile, and continue to carry his weight.

In his eyes, Kamijou Touma had failed Mitsuari Ayu.

Her kidnapping was his failure.

The loss of his phone was his failure.

And so...

Her death was his failure.

At the moment of Mitsuari's kidnapping, his hand had not reached hers. What meagre strength he believed he possessed had not been enough to stop anything. Whatever effort he had tried to put forth had not allowed him to take her hand in his. Everything else that followed was simply a natural flow of progression that sprung from that one failure in his mind. That was what it came down to in the end.

There was an oppressive weight that clung to the middle school boy. It consisted of the shackles of Mitsuari Ayu's death and of his self-perceived failure to her. And it was what terrified Kumokawa Seria the most.

Maybe it was just the older girl's habit of always assuming the worst. Maybe things would turn around if she just stuck to occasionally meeting up with the boy to give him a regular dose of normalcy.

He was hurting. That much was true, but his current state of mind did not poise him to do anything rash or drastic just yet. But even then, she could not help the thoughts that passed through her mind. She could see dark and ominous tracks being laid down before him. Spidery little tendrils that threatened to wrap around him and drag him into the abyss.

In her mind, there existed a possibility where those tracks led him down a dark road. A road where he doggedly chased after Mitsuari Ayu in death. Whether it was to join the younger girl in the world beyond or to drag her soul back to the land of the living with the help of the dark arts, Kumokawa could not help but fear the potential those sinister paths contained for him.

But that was where the issue lied for her.

That boy seemed so intent on hiding his pain from everyone else. He desperately wanted to avoid being treated differently simply because he had suffered. What he wanted was to be left alone to work through his suffering on his own. But that was something that would only hurt him in the long run. Grief over the death of a close aquaintance wasn't something that could be easily managed by oneself.

Maybe he would have been able to take it if Mitsuari Ayu had appeared before him one last time before crumbling away. Maybe it would have softened the blow enough if she had hugged him close and thanked him for his efforts for her sake before she passed away. Maybe then he would have been able to live with less regret in his life. Maybe then he wouldn't have been as broken as he was now.

However, reality was never fond of conveniences. Such wistful wishes had not happened and there was now a large gap that seperated the Senpai from the spiky-haired boy. One that would have to be crossed if she ever wanted to reach that boy. The only issue that stood in the way was the question of what method could be used to reach him. And in that, the older girl was at a loss.

A large, hefty burden stood in the way of her reaching him.

What, if anything, could she possibly do to help Kamijou Touma in the face of that heavy burden?


Chapter 3:

The Fourth


In the soft darkness of the city, a single ray of sunlight crested over the skyline of the surrounding buildings. The little strand of light broke up the mellow solitude of the landscape, bringing with it the tiniest tinge of gold with its arrival. The slight briskness of the very early morning that had existed before was washed away as the warmth of that light began to filter in more and more. Soon enough, that small piece of light was joined by its brethren as they broke through the dimness that had existed only a few minutes ago.

Another day had finally dawned upon Academy City. Another day that brought more opportunities and chances to those who dwelled within its walls.

And from the balcony of his student dorm apartment, Kamijou Touma watched it all. He watched in thoughtful silence as early morning was washed away by the first traces of the day. Hunched over with his arms resting on the balcony railing, the boy was not looking at anything in particular. He simply took in the sight of the artificial landscape around him and nothing more. Bit by bit, the bustle of city life was slowly rousing itself into action once more.

He had not slept as well as he had really needed to. His attempts to fall asleep had been unsuccessful and he had tossed and turned for most of the night. He had gotten an hour or two of sleep at best, but had been unable to get anything else beyond that. Because of that fact, the boy had somehow found himself resting upon the balcony of his apartment and had just allowed his mind to turn over the thoughts that were in his head. Late night had become early morning and then early morning had become morning proper.

"Mental Stinger. Tokiwadai students must have at least a Level 3 power. Yes, at least. Did you really think some catcallers on the street could get the better of me?"

The first traces of people were beginning to emerge from the residential buildings around him. A trickle of one or two people at a time that soon became a light but steady stream of people. All of them were embarking on another day of their lives. Whether mundane, exciting, or otherwise, it would be their first footsteps to the paths they would tread today. The steps that would eventually herald them into the world of tomorrow and the day after and so forth.

Kamijou watched them all begin those little journeys of today. Each of them only able to be caught up in what came into the sphere their lives afforded them. It wasn't anything to blame them for. The business of real life was enough for one's plate. Never mind the fact that there was an entire world outside the peripheral of this city. Life was far too short to be caught up in every little tragedy, outrage, or scandal that happened in every corner of the world. Not when people had the understandable drive of trying to better their own lives in this world of theirs.

Still, it did not help the feeling of gloom that had come to wash over the boy.

"I-I don't know. This came out of nowhere for me too."

In his left hand rested his phone. The screen had long since become black from inaction, becoming nothing more than a weight in his grip. But that ordinary device held a secret behind its black curtain. The boy knew exactly what was contained within if he dared to rouse that item from its slumber and unlock it. A name and number was hidden behind the curtain of that black screen. A name that no longer meant anything to Academy City. A name that had simply become a statistic in the city of progress and technology. But for Kamijou...

It was a name that meant a multitude of things for him. It was the hole in his chest that reminded him of the unpleasant truth. It was the whisper of his broken promises that sidled up alongside his ear. It was the tinge of brief contentment that smelled of curry and books. And it was the only affirmation of a lonely soul that had barged into his life so suddenly, but had exited just as suddenly. Almost like a dream that had come and gone in a single moment, leaving him wondering if it even happened in the first place.

But most importantly, it was the desperate plea for help that he had utterly failed to heed because of his incompetence. The last cries of a girl who had begged for mercy as the darkness cruelly wrapped itself around her, snuffing out her wishes without a second thought. It was bitter. It was harsh. It was unneeded. But it was a reality that could not be changed or altered. Kamijou could only help but wonder if his name had continued to be on her lips even in her final moments.

"I can't keep going like this. Someone came to save me even though it meant choosing to fight and being an attacker instead of just a victim. So…so I can't just hide behind them. I want to be useful to someone!"

No one would grieve for Mitsuari Ayu. Academy City would simply catergorize her as a missing person and all connections pertaining to the girl who had once been here would be settled accordingly to avoid any loose ends. A missing persons case that would only be half-heartedly worked on, a withdrawal request to Tokiwadai Middle School, and a conciliatory letter of apology that professed a deceitful promise of investigating the circumstances of her 'disappearance' to her relatives. All of it in a bid to uphold the image of public safety within the walls of the city.

But no one would truly be all the wiser. The people that she had been aquainted with here would not know a thing. Whether pacified by hush money or told a convenient lie, they would be railroaded from asking too many questions or from looking too deeply into things. No memorial service would be held for her, no opportunity to mourn or pay respects would be given, and no chance to take care of whatever belongings she had claimed in her time here would be allowed. Everything that she had been and everything she had come to own would be processed and disposed of with an efficiency and callousness that would be more fitting to one taking care of the disposal of garbage.

All that she was now was just a set of characters in the alphabet that could be arranged to form the words 'Mitsuari Ayu'. Two words that may, at one point, have meant something to certain individuals, but may as well be gibberish to Academy City now.

"You should have told me not to worry because we all would be fine. If you act like we might not all make it, I'm still going to worry!"

Kamijou Touma wished he could feel as incensed as his thoughts wanted him to be. He wished he could ignite his heart with a fiery outrage at the utter cruelty of it all. But all the fire that had come from his self-directed anger had slowly smouldered away into tiny cinders, leaving him with nothing but a hollow gloom within him. Empty wasn't quite the right word to describe it. It was like he was unable to give anything more from within himself. It wasn't as though he felt nothing. He was just... tired. Tired and listless.

Mitsuari Ayu was gone from this plane of existence. Nothing would change that. It felt as though the boy was beginning to truly recognize that fact now. Any outrage, any anger, and any other rash emotions would not accomplish anything. Not for him and, most of all, not for the girl who was no longer here. He was at a standstill when it came to what he wanted to do. Anything he could do meant little when the one he wanted to do things for would never be able to receive from him. Any words he wanted to say, any feelings he wanted to convey, and any thoughts he wanted to reveal to her were naught but dust in the wind.

"Please take care of me, Kamijou-kun."

He unconsciously bit his lower lip at the echo of her voice in his head. Her words were drifting through him, wrapping around him in a warm but stony embrace. Her worries, her fears, her boasts, and her wishes. Memories were all that remained of her now. Fragile and tiny, they were insignificant little things that his mind had clutched onto tightly, like treasured baubles that only a child would be proud of. There was no need to grip them so tightly, but he was afraid that he would lose sight of those important yet small memories. That he would lose track of them and then those small little things that were the only traces left of that lonely girl would disappear from the world as well.

He would not let that happen. Not voluntarily at least. That was what he had promised to himself after all. Everything that he could or would do was meaningless to that chocolate-haired girl now, but he could still do this tiny thing for her sake. He could still keep the remnants of her existence burning within him. He could still keep that torch lit. Not for some spectacle that was meant for the world to see, but simply for the sake of himself. To ease his fear that he would let her go and then find that he could no longer grasp anything that remained of that girl.

Yes, Kamijou Touma was going to continue chaining himself with the memory of Mitsuari Ayu. It was the least he could do.

The boy lowered his head and released a breath. The view of the awakening streets of Academy City disappeared from his sight as he rested his forehead against his arms. There was no business to take care of today and the weekend brought forth a temporary reprieve from any commitments to school. In essence, he was free to do whatever he wanted and go to wherever he wanted today. Normally, he would have been all for it, but the Kamijou of the current day was in no mood to be going out. He just wanted to spend the day in his room and have some time to himself.

Or so he had planned.

The weight clutched in his left hand vibrated softly, interrupting the quiet of his pensive thoughts. It was a reminder of the connections that still tied him to the world around him. That even if he did desire to be by himself, there were still facets of his life that he couldn't simply drop and ignore because of recent happenings. Older, wiser individuals would probably prod him and call those things that kept him grounded 'bonds'. The boy himself would probably have agreed with such a conclusion if he were in any other state of mind, but he simply couldn't be bothered. He had already resolved himself to the fact that the only company he wanted today were memories of the recent past.

But the phone vibrated once more and he felt his resistance already weakening to social graces. He really didn't want to. He really, really didn't want to, but the thought of ignoring someone who was reaching out to him gnawed at his conscience. His heart could not sit well with that thought because it reminded him of his own broken promises and of his own failures. Who was he to be the arbiter on the subject of reaching out to others? Who was he to believe that he had the right to reject those who reached out to him when he himself had utterly failed in such a little thing? If there was someone out there who was just as determined as he had been in reaching out to someone, didn't he owe this person the chance to know that their outreached hand had, at least, been acknowledged?

The phone vibrated again and the boy made his decision. The weight in the grip of his left hand shifted slowly and he roused his phone from its slumber. He unlocked it and made sure to give a moment to the name and number of a certain middle school girl before returning to the home screen. Kamijou took a breath before checking to see who had contacted him just now. As his notifications slowly pulled down, a familiar pseudonym for a familiar person caught his eyes.

Senpai

A flash of hesitance struck him for a moment before he pushed it down and tapped on that name. Three short and simple messages greeted his vision.

[Boy.]

[I want you to meet me at XX:XX PM.]

[Here's the address of the location: xxxxx xxxx xxxx, xxxx xxxx, xxxxxxx.]

An invitation from the high school girl of his dreams, but the hesitance that he had pushed down resurfaced once more. Memories of the words they had traded last night were still fresh in his mind and he was unsure if he could face that older girl as he was now. She had nothing but the best intentions for him and only desired to not see him suffer, but he was unsure if he was strong enough to keep his mask of strength in place today. He feared the thought of burdening her with his weight when he had promised to carry that same weight alone. Such things weren't for her to carry nor would it be right to place such a weight on the girl who had looked out for their group during the entire incident. That thought by itself was enough to get his mind to consider not answering the summons that had been delivered to his phone.

Would it be okay to not show up at all? She would understand, right? That sharp-minded girl would be able to figure out that he wasn't in the right mind to see her today, wouldn't she? Maybe the next day they could meet up. Maybe they could set aside time for a later date if tomorrow didn't work for her. As long as it wasn't today, it would be fine, right? Then he would be able to don his mask with no worry of it slipping in front of her. Yes, that's it. That was acceptable, wasn't it? One day of wait wouldn't hurt either of them, would it?

But his eyes caught the light brown tinge of the bandages wrapped around his right hand and all thoughts of leaving that older girl to herself left his mind. The more his eyes stayed on those bandages, the more he noted how much meticulous effort had been placed into those wraps. The more he thought about such things, the more he could taste a familiar bile rising up in his throat.

He couldn't. Not when that girl had put so much care and effort into tending to him. Not when the symbol of her concern for him was so wrapped around his right hand.

Kamijou sighed. He would do it. He would go see that high school girl who wanted nothing but the best for him.

With that thought in mind, the boy slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned to make his way into his dorm apartment. As aimless as he had been, there was now a landmark that rose up through the fog of his current life. If nothing else, he would ensure that he would make it on time to that appointed meeting with a certain Senpai. A set of tasks were being added to his To-Do List today and the first of those tasks would be to carefully remove the bandages around his right hand. The older girl had advised him to after all and it would only worry her if he arrived with them still on.

Thus, Kamijou Touma began making preparations with a renewed, even if temporary, vigor.


One for 15.

Two for 21.

Three for the path.

Those three phrases ran through Kumokawa Seria's mind over and over as she rested in her chair.

She was seated among a grouping of tables and chairs that all had the exact same markings and branding. Above her was a ceiling fan that lazily rotated in place. It was useless in its intended function when taking into consideration the presence of air conditioning within the building, but she supposed its importance was more for aesthetics than it was for its function. Despite seeming to spin so clunkily, it did not make any sound at all. No, that honor was granted to the many lights that were engraved into the ceiling. Dim and bright, strong and weak. The humming of those bringers of brightness filled the sleepy quiet of the atmosphere that surrounded her. Not enough to truly ruin the peace of the empty building, but just enough to create a softer ambience of sorts.

Before her was a neat and tidy table that seemed to shine in the glow of the lights above. The condition of the eating surface spoke volumes of its maintenance, but that was a given for any establishment interested in participating in the foodservice industry. It held only three simple items upon it. A cup of hot tea meant for herself, a small handheld device that was within arm's reach, and another cup of tea that was meant for her possible guest. Possible because it was not a guarantee that her guest would even arrive.

Her invitation had been strongly worded in as neutral a fashion as possible. It was direct and to the point, but it was neither too demanding nor was it too delicate. Yet even then, that was not an assurance that Kamijou Touma would aquiesce to such a call. A portion of that boy's state of mind was still a mystery to her, but his reaction to her words from the night before was not a part of that mystery. He had thoroughly rejected her weak words back then. It had been a soft rejection, but it had still been a refusal all the same. Such a reaction would naturally lead to a hesitance to meet up with her so soon after and it wasn't anything that he could be blamed for. In her mind, there was just as much of a chance for that boy to show up as there was for him to not show at all.

But she would wait patiently for him. Even if her efforts were in vain and even if she spent the entire night waiting for him without his arrival, she would remain here in her seat. It was the least she could do for him after all.

*beep*

The handheld next to her came to life and emitted a soft sound. The high school girl paused for a moment, as if waiting for something. But nothing seemed to follow that one sign of life from that device. Seeing that nothing else would happen, the girl picked up her cup with a practiced hand and slowly took a sip of its contents. It was nothing to concern herself with yet. Just a possibility that could become something more. A possibility that could evolve into an opportunity if the right circumstances came to be. But for now, it was little more than humdrum trivia flittering about in the background noise.

Her focus had to remain on her possible guest. Without the constraints of a time limit, she had set about to forming a method to approach him. Something that she could use to nudge him in a direction that would move him away from any of the dark tracks that were being laid before him. She had been formulating that approach the moment she had awoken today. And even when she had first moved to take this seat, her mind had been attempting to work out some way to reach him. At the least, she had been able to lay the foundations for her approach.

There were still a few more things to work out. Just a few more conditions that needed to line up for her. It was not perfect by any means, but it was the best that Kumokawa could pull together in such a short amount of time. All that was required was just a little bit more effort and a little bit more luck. And maybe, just a little bit more hope.

The sound of a glass door opening interrupted the Senpai from her thoughts and a familiar jingle that was associated with this establishment rang out. The older girl held her breath for a moment as the soft tapping of shoes upon laminate floor sounded out. She was seated on the second floor of this business, so she could not see who had entered. It may have just been a stranger who had nothing to do with her. It may have simply been someone with a late night craving who was looking for a quick and easy meal. But as the tapping of those shoes made their way up the narrow stairs that would lead to the second floor, she could not help but feel an ounce of hope within her that the person she had waited for had finally arrived.

More footsteps rung out and the sound of each step seemed to echo for far too long a time. But those feet eventually brought their owner to their destination. A familiar head of spiky black hair crested over the horizon of the second floor's upper landing and relief flowed into Kumokawa's heart. Despite what he had learned of yesterday and despite what he may have been feeling, Kamijou Touma had answered her call all the same. Her words from yesterday had cut into his heart, but he had shrugged them off and come to see her still. He was not going to hide from her. They would not break apart and go their seperate ways. Things could still work out. There was still a chance for everything to line up.

Cobolt blue eyes met her own brown eyes.

For a moment, she wondered what his reaction would be to seeing her, but the boy dashed that thought with a quick and easy smile. The sight of that smile washed away any worries Kumokawa had about the night before. That was the only confirmation she needed. He really hadn't taken any offense to her words. And that meant that she could put her entire focus into doing what she could for him.

"You were cutting it quite close there, boy. And at such a late hour at that."

"Don't tease me, Senpai. I know I still have ten more minutes left."

The boy gave a sigh as he approached their table, but that small smile never left his face. In turn, the older girl returned such an expression with one of her own. It was only fair after all. A smile for a smile.

"So you were actually planning to be on time then. Impressive, boy. We might just be able to make you a contributing member of society yet."

"Yeah, yeah. I truly hope to become a shining beacon of propriety and all that under your watch."

"Don't knock it until you try it," she replied with a soft chuckle. "You never know when it'll come in handy."

"We'll see about that, but..."

Kamijou's sentence trailed off as he moved to take his seat and a puzzled expression washed over his face as he sat down.

"Those cups of tea... Don't tell me you've been waiting a long time for me."

"Not at all. I just got here not too long ago and thought I'd order some."

"Hey now. Did you really think I would believe that cliched line so easily?"

"No, but it was worth a shot."

She shrugged in acceptance of her defeat to his logic, but he simply rolled his eyes at her casualness toward it all.

*beep* ... *beep*

"Here," she offered while gently pushing the middle school boy's cup toward him. "It's on me tonight. It's the least I can offer after asking you to come out this way."

She could see him eye the warm cup of tea with a perplexed expression on his face. Maybe he was unused to being treated to something of decent value or maybe it was because it had something to do with pride. Whatever the case may have been, a few moments passed before he raised a hand to the preoffered cup. Her smile widened just a bit as she watched that boy take the first sip of his tea.

"It's not poisoned, boy. There's no Devil's Breath, aphrodisiacs, or any other sort of foreign substance."

"Pfft!"

He barely held down the urge to do a spit take right then and there, but the smiling older girl seemed to continue without pause.

"Or is it that big of a hit to your pride to have something be paid for by a girl like me, hmm?"

"I-... ack... It's not that, Senpai," the boy replied behind a few coughs. "If it's a successful high school girl like you, I actually don't mind it all that much."

"Ho. So you really are the type to be pampered by an older girl."

"This Kamijou will plead innocence on any charge you're going to throw at him."

"That sounds like quite the ominous prelude to an excuse, boy."

"Just hear me out. I don't think my pride could handle the damage taken if a younger girl were to treat me to something expensive. It'd be like an adult begging a kid for money."

"A younger kid, huh..."

"Senpai?"

The girl could probably guess that he had noticed the way her expression had softened at just that mention. He would probably assume that it was another avenue that she would use to throw a few more playful barbs at him. But for her, it was something to be seized upon. A start of what she had planned to do and, hopefully, the beginning to a path of resolution. Not for her, but for the boy who sat across the table. With that soft expression in her eyes and a small smile, she began her advance.

"Like Mitsuari Ayu?"

"...!"

*beep* ... *beep*

Kumokawa let the name hang in the air for a few moments as she ran a finger across the surface of her cup's rim. Her eyes remained on him as her finger circled over and over. There was a soft deflation of that boy's being. Not as much as the night before, but just enough to tip her off to the feelings that ran through him. Surprise, realisation, and then the small drawing up of his guard. His feelings were still within expectations, so she continued and made another advance.

"I still stand behind those weak words from yesterday, you know."

"...What?"

"Even if they were nothing more than appeals to emotion, I want to believe there was some truth in them. That they really would be the things she would have said or thought if she was still here."

She paused, returning her finger to a spot on the table beside her. Across from her, the boy's mouth was setting into a line. His defense was up, but he had not made a move to stand from the table. Yes, well within expectations. Which meant...

"Did you know, boy? Back in that burning parking lot, I asked her for the reason why she didn't use her power to save herself. It may have been a dirty tactic to corner her after you left to fight for our sakes, but do you want to know what her answer was?"

He did not respond, but there was a glint of emotion that seemed to flow through his eyes at the question. He was both willing and unwilling at the same time, but he was giving the mysterious Senpai the benefit of the doubt. And that raven-haired girl would use that trust to the fullest extent. With a small breath, she opened her mouth and let loose words that had only been shared between two girls who had found themselves in the middle of a troubling incident. Even as the words flowed from her mouth, the older girl could tell that both Kamijou Touma and herself could hear those words in the voice of someone who was no longer here.

[I was scared, alright...]

[The reason why I didn't use my power to save myself was because I was scared...]

[You probably thought it was because I was moral or kind or something like that, but it wasn't anything worth being praised for.]

[I just... didn't want to take responsibility for what would happen to those people if I did control them...]

[If they got hurt or even died, I don't think I could even live with that fact, so I didn't make any decision at all and just let all the choices slip through my fingers.]

His eyes widened just a bit and his mouth hung open slightly, but no words seem to come from him.

"Do you see, boy? That girl was a coward who couldn't even muster up the courage to fight when her life was on the line. She was someone who could not make the tough choices when it risked the well-being of those around her."

She watched that boy before her. Watched as his expression seemed to slowly begin to melt away in Mitsuari Ayu's words.

"She thought she was unable to make a choice because of her cowardice, but we know better, don't we. She did make a choice."

She could tell from the look in his eyes that the only thing that was in his head was a certain cotton candy girl.

"While being chased by assassins who thought nothing but taking her life, that faint-hearted girl stopped for any person she met and used her power to send them away. She would run, stop, use her power, run again, stop again, and use her power again. Over and over, she would do just that until all that was left was her and that burning parking lot. That was why no one else was caught up in that inferno. She had made sure of that."

She watched as the information washed over him. Watched as his defenses weakened little by little.

"Her choice was to not involve others in her plight, even if it meant being alone and squashing any chance for escape. But those actions had not been taken for any grand reason. She did not do such a thing out of morality. She did not do it out of heroic fortitude. And she certainly did not do it out of some harebrained ploy to turn the tides against those assassins. She sent those people away because she was scared of dragging them down with her."

His eyes were clouded. Whether it was by emotion or by something else, it did not matter.

"She was a fool who did not have the heart to do what was needed to survive. An idiot who would rather waste away all by herself than to throw others under the bus. A chicken-hearted weakling who would rather wring her hands together when the chips were down."

His entire expression sharpened and his posture stiffened at the harsh words. It was almost as if he was going to interject and debate the previous statement, but the Senpai cut him off with her own words.

"But... she held a kind heart. She thought of it all as her cowardice, but we know better, don't we?"

Her soft eyes met with his uncertain eyes.

"She didn't have to secure the safety of others. She could have just run past each and every one of those people and leave them to whatever fate befell them. But she didn't. She offered them a form of kindness that was only possible for someone who was all too familiar with her own weakness. And even then, she viewed that kindness as another opportunity to drag herself down."

The raven-haired girl focused her gaze on the boy who sat across from her. For the first time since Mitsuari Ayu had been brought up in their conversation, her eyes returned to their usual sharpness. No, they may have been even sharper than ever before. In that moment, Kumokawa Seria completed her advance with just two more sentences.

"Now you tell me, boy. Do you truly, truly believe that kind-hearted coward of a girl would have ever wanted you to destroy yourself over her?"

The question appeared to stun Kamijou for a few moments. In that lapse of time, he simply sat there without any response. His expression yielded little, but his eyes told a different story. His front was a strong one. Something that was as strong as his heart. And yet, that strong front had been no match for Kumokawa's attack.

His shoulders trembled slightly, his teeth grit just a little bit, and the corner of his eyes seemed to well up. The older girl watched as that boy struggled to maintain the strength and normality he desperately wished to project to her, but it was nothing more than a losing battle. He bowed his head slightly after a few moments, bringing up his arms to rest them upon the table. And with a breath that seemed to whistle through his grit teeth, that boy seemed to throw up the closest thing to a white flag that he would ever allow himself to show.

A small chink appeared in his armor of strength.

"No..." the boy quietly admitted. "She wouldn't have..."

His eyes were clenched tight.

"I know that... I already know that, Senpai. But... Mitsuari. She..."

But his fists were clenched even tighter.

"She wanted to be saved, Senpai... She called me..."

He exhaled sharply as a gentle weight placed itself on the top of his right hand. Looking up, he was met with the sight of that irresponsible yet responsible girl reaching out to his hand with her own.

"I know, boy. I know."

All the sharpness that had been in Kumokawa's eyes had disappeared entirely. It was a small crack, but he had finally opened up. Maybe it was because of the atmosphere of the location they were in. Maybe it was because just enough time had passed. Or maybe it was because of those words that Mitsuari Ayu had shared with her. The words that been just a small glimpse into that younger girl's heart. Whatever the case may have been, the high school girl had been able to arrive at the place she had so wanted to. She had finally reached him.

And it was upon reaching him that she understood what was needed and what was not needed, what was possible and what was not possible. All the paths that could be taken and all the paths that could not be taken opened up before her mind's eye. She now knew what she needed to do. She now understood what was required to open the path forward. Giving that boy's hand a small squeeze, that older girl leveled a small smile at him.

"Which is why I'm not going to ask you to forget about her or to kill your heart."

This was the final and only shot she would have. If things fell through here, it would be a monumental task to get past that boy's defenses again. The trajectory of his near and far future was in her hands right now.

"Instead, I want you to promise me two things. If you can do that, then it will give me enough peace of mind to let things be."

But even then, not everything had lined up. Not everything was in place. Was a little more hope needed? Was a little more luck required?

The super Senpai held up her left hand with one finger pointed up.

"First, I want you to promise that you won't take your life."

"Senpai... It's not as if I'm going to-"

"Please, boy. Promise me."

He seemed to be surprised by the pleading tone in her voice, but he quickly moved to nod his head in aquiescence.

"Okay. I promise not to."

"Thank you," she said while releasing a sigh. "You don't know how much that means to me."

It was like one of the many weights was lifted off her shoulders. But...

"Now as for the second..."

Slowly, Kumokawa raised another finger. There was a reluctance in her action. One of her worries was taken care of, but all that meant was that the boy was not going to cut his future short. The main issue of his well-being was still in question. And because it was still in question, it meant that her next words would be the most important thing in tonight's efforts. And that was precisely where her issues began. Nothing that would be enough to change Kamijou Touma's course had manifested. Everything that could have lined up had just remained a possibility instead of becoming an opportunity.

Was it too late now? Were her efforts going to be in vain? Would she have to resign herself to giving up on the path forward?

"Lastly, I wa-"

*beep*

Her breath stilled for a moment.

*beep*

Could it be? Could it really be?

...

...

*beep*

Her mind froze for a moment and her eyes quickly darted down to the table before her, as if she was unable to believe what she had just heard. What she had wanted had come to pass. A possibility had become an opportunity. It was not a certainty, nor was it a guarantee. More luck would be needed, but it was the best chance that had manifested. And Kumokawa was not the type to let an opportunity go unnoticed or unused. Releasing a breath that she had not known she was holding, she returned her eyes to the middle school boy before her.

"For my second request, I can only ask one thing of you."

She lowered her left hand and watched as his eyebrows furrowed in a questioning manner. He did not speak and, instead, seemed to be waiting for her on bated breath. His patience would be rewarded before long. The words that would push Kamijou Touma forward sounded out from her lips. Even it if wasn't a guarantee, she would place her hope in those words and wish for the best.

"Won't you set out a flower for her?"

It was almost like the wind was sucked out of him. The older girl watched as a myriad of emotions passed through those eyes of his.

"W...what?"

"Don't you find it cruel, boy? You and I both know that Mitsuari Ayu is as good as gone from Academy City's mind now. No one here will hold any kind of funeral or memorial service for her. Whether intentional or not, the city will simply leave her buried and forgotten as just another statistic in its pursuit of progress."

She could see it again. That mixture of emotions that clouded his eyes and left no doubt of who occupied his thoughts.

"But we know better, don't we? The city will profess ignorance in all subjects relating to that girl, but we are not a part of that charade. If the city won't do anything for her, then we'll have to do it instead. Even if it's as tiny an act as leaving something behind in her memory, wouldn't it still be something? Would such a thing really be all that much of a hassle? Especially if it's for her sake? So I ask you, boy... Won't you set out a flower for her?"

Uncertainty, hesitation, and reluctance flashed in his eyes all at once.

"Senpai... I..."

She understood how much of a difficult task she had placed upon his lap. To ask him to undergo such a task was to ask him to return to 'that place' and it was not certain if that boy was even in the current mental state to do such a thing. It was a path that was filled with all the best intentions in the world. A course of action that held his best interests in mind. But even then...

"It's okay. Just think about it. That's all I ask."

She was still too soft when it came to him, but perhaps it was because she had become familiar with the way that boy's heart worked.

She offered him a consoling smile.

"And when you're ready, that will be the time to act."

He did not say a word. It was as if he was locked in a cycle of debate and turmoil. A look to her, a small nod, and a move to stand from his seat were the only responses he could offer after a minute or two of turning over the thoughts in his head. His eyes were still clouded even as he gave his typical bow and farewell to her. It was plain for all to see that his mind was elsewhere right now. No longer focused on the present around him, it was as if he was seeing something in the not-too-distant horizon that brought with it omens of the future. And with not another word or action, that boy turned around and began to make his exit.

Kumokawa simply let him go. She had done all she could to breath life into this opportunity, but there was nothing more she could do without forcing him into action against his will. Whether he took up her words in earnest or whether he disregarded them for his sense of comfort, the rest would ultimately be up to him and whatever fortune guided him. As the familiar jingle of the business's bell rung once more, she took up her cup of lukewarm tea and took one sip of it before breathing a sigh of release.

"May good luck accompany you on your way, boy."


He was drifting.

Streets signals, signposts, sidewalks, pathways. Sight after sight passed by Kamijou Touma as his feet continued to carry him forward, but all his mind saw were blurs in his vision. The city around him was nothing more than hazy shapes that resembled the idea of everyday objects. They may have meant something in another time and place, but they were nothing more than noise currently. The only thing that stood out from that fog of noise and ambiguity was the pale glow of moonlight cresting over the fuzzy outlines of the surrounding buildings. Even now, the moon and its light was as sharp as ever, cutting through the muddled landscape around him.

"Sorry."

The hour was far past anything that would be normal for a reasonable person. At least, it surely must have been so. He had not seen another soul on the streets and paths he had made his way through. No one to bother him. No one to cross paths with him. No one to even bid him a greeting or to offer him a word or two. Now was the time for any ordinary person to be done for the day. There was exceptions, of course. Night shifts were a fact of life for a certain group of individuals. But the majority of those who dwelled in Academy City were students and those children were certainly not expected to be up and about at this time of day.

"Hmph. At least you understand now."

For Kamijou, he knew where he wanted to go right now. He wanted to go home. He truly wanted to return to his place of residence and throw himself into the warm comfort of his bed. He wanted to rest his tired mind and cease his thinking for the day. And yet, it seemed such a thing was not in the cards for him. His head was in a flurry of both activity and listlessness all at the same time. It was like a struggle that was tugging and pushing at each other in some form of ineffectual motion that led him around in circles. He was not sure if it was the location that Kumokawa had chosen to meet him at, the words that the Senpai had shared with him, or if it was that tiny peek into Mitsuari Ayu's heart, but his foggy mind was not in a state that allowed him to grasp reality. Home was calling for him, but such a call was nothing more than a vague suggestion that was finding itself being pushed further and further to the back of his mind.

"Um, Mitsuari-san?"

"You told me to stop at Volume 7, right? I need you to grab me by the clothes or something to make sure I don't give into temptation and return to the bookshelf."

The only constant for the spiky-haired boy was the moonlight that wrapped itself around him and the sound of his feet plodding along the concrete surface beneath him. The rhythm of his feet was lulling him into a lethargic state of being. His mind was wandering in multiple directions. Thoughts of the past and future flowed through him. Thoughts of the here and now, thoughts of what could have been, thoughts of what should have been, thoughts that were happier, thoughts that were more bitter. They all twisted to and fro around him, leaving nothing but lingering regrets.

But most importantly, his mind and thoughts were drifting to some faraway yet nearby place.

...

...

"Ooooh!"

The corners of Kamijou Touma's closed eyes crinkled as an excited voice next to him sounded out. It was just his luck. To have finally started to drift off to sleep before being cruelly dragged back to the waking world. And now his mind was being overly conscious again as a certain scent and a certain warmth returned to being smack dab in the middle of his thoughts.

"What is it now, Mitsuari?" he muttered, opening his eyes with a sigh. The sound of his voice seemed to make Mitsuari Ayu's shoulders jump just a little.

"S-sorry... Did I wake you?"

She peeked at him from behind the volume of manga she was reading, as if trying to hide herself away from his gaze. The sight of it only caused him to sigh once more. It really wasn't his intention to scare her, but his voice had probably come out a bit rougher than he had intended.

"No, I was just resting my eyes. I wasn't actually sleeping or anything."

"O-oh? That's good to hear then."

He could see her sending a few test peeks at him from behind the cover of her book. With the way her fluffy hair swayed with her movement, he could only think to the image of a small woodland critter that was trying to see if he meant any harm. Was he really going to be forced to feel like he was the bad guy in this?

With a shake of his head, he leaned a little closer toward the middle school girl, pressing his shoulder a bit more into hers.

"...?"

"Let me take a look at that. I wanna see what's gotten you so excited."

"Ah."

She seemed to understand his intent now and brought the book closer to him, holding it between the two of the them.

"Oh. You actually made it to this part of the story. I get it now. This scene is pretty good, but the battle afterward is when the story really kicks into high gear. You'll see very soon."

"..."

"Mitsuari?"

She was looking at him as if he was some wonder of the world that had waltzed into her house all of a sudden. But that look faded as the tiniest hint of a smile seemed to grace her face.

"I was thinking about it before, but you really are way too familiar with this stuff, aren't you?"

"Isn't it normal for a middle school boy like me to be reading manga? It's the stuff that hopes and dreams are made of, you know."

"An expert, I see. Then... would like to read it together with me?"

"Huh?"

He was caught off guard with that proposition. He had just been curious of where she currently was in that book and had simply used it as a topic of conversation, but maybe he did come off as offering his 'expertise' to her. Next to him, the younger girl seemed to sense the forwardness of her request only after already having asked it.

"W-well. They say some stuff is better enjoyed with another person and I thought that maybe this was one of those things. A-and besides, a noobie like me would probably benefit from having someone so experienced for guidance."

She was scrambling to cover her unintentional boldness, he realized. Not that she wasn't already being so bold while comfortably huddled up against his side. It eased his heart a little to know that she was just as conscious of him as he was of her. And perhaps it was because of that realization that he was able to say his next words more easily.

"Sure. Why not?" he accepted with an amused smile. "Allow this Kamijou to accompany you on your maiden voyage into the world of manga."

"Y-you will? T-then I'll be in your care!"

That small smile returned to her face and the boy was halted for a moment. He could swear that something was beginning to stir within him at the sight, but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind as Mitsuari leaned in to more comfortably hold the book before them. And as they settled down into their places on the ground, a small thud and click sounded out some distance away from them. It was a curious sound, but what followed it was the soft notes of a piano being played out.

The girl was ignorant of such things, seeming to be absorbed in her happiness that he was indulging in her request, but the boy beside her had been able to notice it right away. Maybe someone had fallen asleep in their booth and had hit their mouse or keyboard while slumping down upon their desk. Maybe they had just pulled out the jack to their headphones while doing said slumping. Or maybe they just wanted to play some music without a care for anyone around them. Whatever the case may have been, Kamijou recognized the piece of music that was softly billowing out.

It was called Morose Dreamer.

It could have been something that concerned him. In their current situation, such a thing could have been used to cover up an approach or any other enemy movement. But in that moment, the boy did not allow such thoughts to enter his head. He simply let himself melt away in the soft dulcet sounds of the piano that came forth. All that mattered was him, the girl huddled up next to him, and the book that was held before them. In the end, that boy, who had complained about being bothered in his attempts to sleep, found himself wrapped up in the warmth of that tiny booth of theirs.

...

...

"Oh! That was so cool!"

"Right? But you haven't seen anything yet. There's a reason why she's that phantom thief's partner in crime."

...

...

"No way. How did that happen?"

"You're too naive, Miss Mitsuari Ayu. Even a person with an average amount of experience could see that turnabout from a mile away."

...

...

"Huh? But why is he betraying them?!"

"Is it really a surprise? I thought it was obvious from the very beginning."

...

...

"The way he referenced his introduction like that was amazing!"

"See? Everything comes full circle eventually."

...

...

That was how they advanced through that successful manga story. They would read together. Sometimes in silence and sometimes outloud to each other. He and she would add their own relishes to the character dialogue in such cases, reading the words of the characters in such a way that fit the mental images they had in their heads. Sometimes, they would stop to let her comment or gush or ask questions about certain moments and situations within the story. And through it all, Kamijou Touma gently guided that girl who was almost like a child experiencing her first day at an amusement park. He answered her questions without spoiling the story. He poked fun at her when her theories or expectations were overturned. He joined her enthusiasm when certain twists within the story had her chattering excitedly.

But the younger girl in question appeared to pause in her reading for a moment. A thoughtful expression formed on her face as her eyes trailed from the page she was reading to him.

"That reminds me. I... never got your name."

The boy's eyebrows furrowed at her statement. Had he really never mentioned his name before?

It was possible, he supposed. Their first meeting hadn't exactly been in ideal circumstances. What with the delinquents that had battered him at the time. Plus, the girl had been distrustful of both himself and Kumokawa from the very beginning, choosing to communicate around them rather than with them. The only real instances of talking to her had only been the result of them ultimately bullying the younger girl. Add the dragon that came shortly afterward and there had probably been no real opportunity for him to share his name properly.

Their second meeting had been similar to their first. The only differences had been the burning parking lot and the trio of assassins. Even resolution of that mess had ultimately sent them scurrying around the city in fear of L.S.S. finding them out. They did have the opportunity to make a stop at Kumokawa's apartment for a little bit, but even that safe haven had been sniffed out quickly by the company that was after them. So in a way, maybe there really would have been no time to introduce himself properly.

"Kamijou."

"Hmm?"

The boy set an even smile on his face as that girl looked at him in confusion.

"I'm Kamijou Touma. Pleased to meet you."

"...Kamijou-kun..."

The word escaped her lips absentmindedly, almost as if she was trying it out for the first time.

"Kun? Isn't that a bit too personal for new acquaintances?"

"O-oh? Do you really think so?"

"Yeah. You don't have to try that hard to be so familiar with me. Just Kamijou-san is fine if you're comfortable with that."

"B-but you've saved my life three times already. I actually think that it's not... personal... enough..."

She trailed off as a thought seemed to catch her mind. He had no idea what she was thinking, but he watched as scarlet seemed to rise up from the bottom of her face to the tips of her ears.

"Hey. Are you oka-"

"I-is that it? Is that what you want? D-do you want me to call you 'Touma-kun'?"

He fought the urge to come down with a coughing spree as that girl bashfully looked at him.

"Kamijou-kun is fine, thank you very much!"

He was not sure if it was the tone in his voice or the way his expression had changed, but that small smile returned to her face at his words. The stirring from earlier returned again, being a little bit stronger than last time.

"Kamijou-kun it is, then," she said, looking far more pleased than he had ever seen her.

Well, it wasn't like he could complain if she looked that happy at receiving his name, but the entire thing did spark an idea in him. It allowed him to recall the happenings that would take place tomorrow and the possibilities that would come with them.

"That also reminds me," he said as he reached into the pocket of his pants.

"Hmm?"

He procured his phone in short time and held it up for her to see.

"Let's trade contacts. We're going to L.S.S. in the morning, right? It might be a good idea to have each other's number just in case."

The girl did not answer, but he began to tap at his phone as he continued to prattle on.

"There's this really convenient app that's been going around that makes it really easy too. You just open it up and hold your phones toward each other. Then the app takes care of the rest."

There it was. He found the app he was looking for and proceeded to open it. Despite the fact that the fluffy-haired girl next to him had not uttered a word yet, he continued talking.

"If we get seperated, we could use our phones to keep in touch. You never know. It could give me the chance to save you."

He turned the face of his phone toward Mitsuari and returned his gaze to her, but was met with the sight of that younger girl looking at him suspiciously.

"Hmm-mmm. So that's what you were after all along."

"...!"

The middle school boy felt the spike of fear in his heart after he realized how his words could have been interpreted.

"You just wanted my number, huh."

"W-wait a moment! I think there's a misunderstanding here!"

"Is there?"

"Yeah. It's not like I... No, I wasn't trying to... Wait... I just wanted..."

But his scrambling mind froze as the soft lilt of some sound caught his ears. His eyes, having previously been circling to and fro about their booth, returned to the girl next to him. She was laughing softly, a hand clutched to her chest. At that sight, something within his chest stirred again as he watched her laugh for the first time since this incident began.

"Hahahaha...Ah... Ah... Sorry, Kamijou-kun... But you really walked into that one."

"Good grief... You really had me there," he said with a sigh, but the girl tilted her head at his words and gave him a smile.

"Did you really think I would believe such a thing even after everything you've done for me?"

"With my misfortune, anything is possible."

"Then cheer up."

Her words were accompanied by the presenting of her own phone to him. The same exact app that he had mentioned before was already opened on it.

Her small smile widened a little bit more.

"You get the honor of having the number of an esteemed ojou-sama from Tokiwadai after all."

A beat, a moment, and then the boy rolled his eyes at the display she was putting up.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, princess."

Two phones were extended to each other and the sound of a notification came through shortly after. Just like that, it was done.

The boy settled himself down to write the name of his new contact, focusing on making sure to get that done correctly. And while he hadn't heard anything from her, he was sure that Mitsuari was doing the same as well.

"Then... I have to do it properly too..."

"Hmm?"

He looked up after ensuring that he had spelled her name correctly. As his eyes moved up from his phone, his finger absentmindely tapped on the confirmation button without having looked at anything else on the contact page. And when his gaze finally found her, his breath stopped for a moment.

The girl was clutching her phone with both her hands and held that precious item close to her chest, almost as if she had just gained a piece of irreplaceable treasure. A smile that was wider and brighter than he had ever seen from her had formed on her face. His heart stirred again as he realized that this was the first time he had seen a genuine smile of happiness from that girl since they had both barged into each other's lives.

"I'm Mitsuari Ayu. Please take care of me, Kamijou-kun."

He realized then what feeling had been stirring inside him all this time. It wasn't as if he had never known such a concept. Nor was he unfamiliar to that which he could recognize now. Somewhere deep inside, he and his heart were already well acquainted with the feelings that currently coursed through him. Even in this very incident, he had already felt that stirring inside him before.

When Gokusai Rikuri had smiled at him in her defeat...

When Kumokawa Seria had triumphantly grinned at him when he had returned from that burning parking lot...

Yes. He had felt that feeling before, but the secret behind it was contained within the girl before him.

The answer was in her smile.

It was the very existence of her smile that made him realize that it was the only thing he wanted.

He did not need gratitude.

He did not need recognition.

He did not need any reward.

As long as that girl could go home and continue to smile and laugh just like this, then that was all he could ever ask for.

He didn't need anything else.

His efforts would be worth it.

His struggles would be meaningful.

His pain and aches would be justified.

So in the face of that dazzling smile, the boy could only give a grin that was strong and proud.

"What are you talking about? Of course you can count on me!"

That was his reply and Mitsuari Ayu seemed to treasure it just as much as the phone in her hands.

No more words were needed as they held onto that moment. Yet before long, the girl took a breath and set her phone aside, breaking whatever spell they had been under. With a burst of renewed energy, she picked up the volume of manga again and held it before them.

"Okay! Onto the next chapter!"

"Hey now," the boy interjected as he set his own phone aside. "Just go at your own pace."

"I know, I know. I just want to see what happens next though."

"Alright. I guess this Kamijou will have to continue accompanying you on your journey then."

"Mmm!"

Soft music and warmth continued to wrap around them as they lost themselves in their own little world again.

Besides those two children laid a pair of phones.

And upon each phone's screen was a name that was displayed for all to see.

It was proof of their bond. A genuine manifestation of the connection they had forged with each other.

Mitsuari—Kamijou-kun

...

...

His feet stopped.

His eyes blinked several times, but the scenery around him remained unchanging.

A fence stood tall before him and barred any further entry from this point onward, but he could see the unmistakeable shape of a tower rising up from the murkiness of a circular lake. No artificial light was present to offer any guidance. Instead, the moon shined brightly from its place in the sky, casting a soft glow upon his surroundings. Trees and underbrush remained behind him, but concrete and artificial structures laid before him.

He found himself there again. He was back at Ground Geo.

The middle school boy was sure his heart was beginning to pick up in pace. How did he make the journey here? Had he really walked all the way from District 7 to District 21? How had he even climbed up the mountain path without knowing? Could this... be another dream of his? Had he actually made it home but just could not recall having done so? Questions upon questions whirled about his head as he tried to find reason within the reality that he was in fact standing here again.

But the only answer for his questions arrived in the form of movement near the concrete shore of that artificial lake.

The spiky-haired boy took a step forward and pressed into the fence before him. There was no possible way that a normal person would be here at this late of an hour. This was a facility that was deep within a mountainous region. An artificial structure that stood at the peak of one of the mountains in this district. This was not a place that someone would just happen to wander to on a whim. Surely, it was just an animal that had wandered in.

But as his squinted eyes scanned the shore of that dark lake, he felt his heart pick up even more in pace. The soft illumination of the moon was not able to truly light up the area, but it was just enough to allow his eyes to pick up the shape of a person lying upon the concrete that surrounded the lake. From the design of the clothing alone, the boy could tell that it was a smaller girl who lied with her legs and arms spread out. She was positioned with her legs closer to him, so he could not make out her face in the dimness that surrounded them.

But that was not what made his heartbeat quicken.

Even in the pale glow of the moon, his eyes could pick out the familiar beige shade of that girl's sweater and the familiar grey color of her skirt.

Hope leapt into his chest as he effortlessly scaled the fence that was standing in his way. That chain-linked obstacle had neither the height nor the ability to truly deter a person who had enough will to overcome it. Such ineffectuality was highlighted by the ease in which he bypassed the fence and landed on the other side. And even moreso by the fact that he had accomplished such a feat without startling the girl who was here.

The small distance he had moved with just that action was enough to confirm the color of the clothes the girl wore. They were an exact match and that thought was enough to move his feet immediately. He knew better, but hopeful thoughts were sidling up to him in the back of his mind. He was filled with both caution toward those thoughts and a wistful desire to see those thoughts become reality.

But it was not to last. Even with just a few steps taken, he could tell that the girl before him was not who his heart was hoping for. The long blonde tresses that spread out underneath her put a stop to any and all naive thoughts regarding that hope of his. Even if he could not see the girl's face due to her lying position, it was plain to see that she was not the chocolate-haired esper.

The boy could only give a bittersweet smile as his feet stopped in place.

What had he been hoping for? That a miracle would happen? That Mitsuari Ayu would emerge from the depths of that lake unharmed? That everything would go back to being normal and he would get that second chance with her? He understood that those thoughts were just the lingering hope that remained in him, even if it was an impossibility. But this wasn't like the everyday miracles that normal people could bring about with effort and hard work. This was a bonafide miracle that asked for the reversal of the forces that controlled the lives of humans. Such a thing wasn't going to become reality simply because he wished for it.

With a breath, Kamijou took a step forward again. Even if the outcome hadn't been what he hoped for, the least he could do was check up on this girl and see why she was out here all alone. If she had gotten lost in these mountains or if she had somehow wandered all the way out here, he could point her to the way out. And if she had business all the way out here in this darkness, then he would be the responsible one and send her home.

Movement caught his eyes as he made his way forward and he returned his gaze to the girl lying on the ground some distance away. That small girl reached into her brand-name bag and seemed to pull out some sort of device. Questions filled his head as the girl began to spin the device in her hand with a skill that spoke volumes of the many times she had done such an action. Was this girl playing some sort of game that only she was aware of?

But his questions became concerned confusion when she stopped spinning that device in her hand to point it at her temple. Kamijou Touma did not understand what she was doing or what meaning the action had for her. Whether it was an important ritual that was for some higher purpose or whether it was just a quirk of this unknown girl, what he did understand was the intent and meaning of that little action as it pertained to his knowledge. And to him, it was like she was pointing a gun at herself.

With just that thought in mind, he took three quick steps forward as his heartbeat began to pick up in pace.

But both his mind and body came to a stop soon after.

Not because she had done anything and not because she had said anything, but because he had moved close enough to see.

Everything about her expression spoke of weariness and anguish. It was as if she had seen and experienced things that were far beyond her younger years. As if she had witnessed tragedy and hardship that no child should ever bear. But that was not what had stopped him in his tracks. The thing that drove his mind to a standsill was her eyes. Those dull golden orbs, which seemed to be filled with stars, oozed with a despair so thick that he swore that he could see it trickling forth from her.

In that moment, two images were laid side-by-side within his frozen mind.

One was of the scene of that golden-haired girl lying before him.

And the other was of the scene of a small, trembling girl standing before the murky depths of that artificial lake. He could not see the expression on that girl's face because her back was turned to him, but he no longer needed to. The expression on that fluffy-haired girl's face was an exact mirror to the one he was seeing on that honey-blonde girl's face.

His breath hitched and thoughts whirled about his petrified mind. His mind was screaming at him to turn around and get out of here. That his heart could not take the sight that was before him and that he wasn't ready yet. That he didn't need to act here and now. He could just mind his own business and be on his way. And if he did, he would be all the better for it.

But his body took a step forward, much to the surprise of his panicking mind.

His heart and body had decided then.

No. It had been decided the very moment he had seen the expression on that lonely blonde girl's face.

Just like with the decision to return to Ground Geo, his heart and body acted when his mind could not.

And with a voice that was far more composed, far more stronger, and far more normal than he ever thought was possible for the current him, that boy poured strength into his convictions.

"Huh? What are you doing here?"

Thus, their path was set.


Epilogue:

Acceptance


It was just a string of lucky coincidences.

Kumokawa Seria leaned back in her chair as a satisifed smile crept up her face.

It had not been a guarantee that Kamijou Touma would take her up on her words nor had it been guaranteed that Shokuhou Misaki would go to Ground Geo. There had been way too many variables that could have changed the outcome in any way. Maybe Shokuhou would have gone elsewhere in that mountainous district. Maybe the boy would take a little bit too long to make his decision and miss the blonde-haired esper entirely. Any number of things could have diverted those two away from each other. But whatever the case may have been, so many coincidences had lined up perfectly for them.

It was almost as if fate or destiny had wanted them to meet. The Senpai wasn't the type to believe in romantic notions like that, but it was one of those occurences that blurred the line between the fantastical and reality. And in this case, she wouldn't complain one bit. After all, the footage that her surveillance had taken had caught the image of that honey girl storming off the mountain and returning back to Academy City proper. While the older girl had no idea what had transpired up in those mountains, that video, by itself, was undeniable proof that the younger girl had met the spiky-haired boy and had experienced his brand of teasing and banter.

The satisifed smile on the older girl softened at the thought. Maybe it had been her own brand of lingering hope that had assisted in this endeavor. The very same feeling that had led her to use some resources in her surveillance network to keep an eye on the area at the foot of the mountains, District 21 itself, and even parts of District 15. The hope that a battered but no worse for wear Mitsuari Ayu would emerge from the mountains one day and hobble back toward the city. Even if it was a far-off hope that would most likely never come to pass, the raven-haired girl had wanted to keep such a lofty hope alive in some form or fashion.

But with this, it was probably time to pull back her resources and divert them into other fronts. She had already procrastinated more than enough in her duties as the 'brain' for a member of the Board of Directors and important tasks had begun to pile up while she had taken the time to look after Kamijou Touma. But there was no need to worry anymore. She didn't need to keep close track of that boy any longer. She could let things be when it came to him.

That boy did not have the strength to handle someone's death. But if you gave him a goal or something to work for, then it would be enough to keep his mind busy and dull the pain momentarily. It would not be enough to truly ease the pain of his failure. That would probably be something he took to his grave. But it would be enough to keep him from festering in his guilt and regret.

It was the path that Kumokawa had seen when she had reached him. She had understood at that time that she, by herself, would never be able to truly help Kamijou Touma in his pain. There was a Mitsuari Ayu-shaped hole in his chest. Not from any particular passionate feelings regarding the girl, but simply from the fact that he had failed her. And because of that failure, there was now a void in Academy City where the fluffy-haired girl had once inhabited. That was the very source of his regret and guilt.

And that was where Shokuhou Misaki came in. Where Kumokawa could not fill in the void that was in the middle school boy's chest, the honey-blonde girl could. If theory was to be believed, the only person in the world who could accomplish that feat was that Level 5 middle schooler. That was what it meant to have almost the same exact Personal Reality after all. The very same filter that an esper viewed the world through and that which was comprised of and affected by their values, their beliefs, their personalities, and their behaviors.

The Senpai did not know of Shokuhou's current circumstances nor did she have any interest in finding out. It was simply luck that had led her to getting glimpses of the esper through the eyes of the many devices that comprised her surveillance network. As far as the high schooler was concerned, that younger girl's business with the boy would be her own and Kumokawa would not interfere in it as long as she wasn't brought into their hijinks.

Honestly, there was not one iota of trust in that honey girl, not after the ruckus that had been caused at Exterior. But for his sake, the older girl would place her faith in that ignorant, younger girl who knew nothing of his circumstances. No matter what, everything was for one purpose and one purpose only.

She would not allow the light of that boy's soul to be crushed by the weight of his self-perceived failure. That was how important Kamijou's existance was. He was a rarity of a soul within Academy City. One that was sorely needed here. His very being was the cure for the malaise that seemed to have settled within the outer walls of this city of progress.

But who was she kidding? The truth of it all was far more personal than any logical reason she could give.

She simply didn't want that boy to disappear from her life.

And it was for that reason that Kumokawa chose her path.

As long as she drew breath, she would work to ensure that Kamijou Touma could continue to live freely for as long as possible.

That was why she had acted and had brought Mental Out into the formula. That younger girl did not need to do anything special to do what was expected of her. All that was required was for Shokuhou Misaki to be herself and to remain in Kamijou Touma's life. If that girl could do just those two simple things, then the boy would be able to pick himself up eventually. He would never be able to forget Mitsuari Ayu, but he would be able to keep propelling his feet forward with purpose.

It was the tiniest of pushes. Something that wasn't enough to turn around his guilt.

But it was just enough of a push to nudge him away from the darker paths that laid before him.

And that was all Kumokawa Seria could ask for.

"I leave him to you, honey girl," she said while taking a sip of her cold tea.

She wasn't surrendering him. Nor was she conceding him or giving him up. She was simply... delegating the task to someone who was more suited for it.

And besides, she probably deserved a little bit of karmic payback. She had utilized so many dirty tactics and tricks to plant the idea of Ground Geo into his head. The boy hadn't acted like he had caught wind of her many ploys. But if he came back to her with complaints and protests, she would readily accept them without a word of resistance.

After all...

The older girl looked up, observing the fast food restaurant that she had remained seated in.

This was where their bond began.

The smile on her face softened even more at the thought of that statement and of the two people who were invoked by said thought.

It should not have been a surprise for her that Kamijou was so adept at taking care of younger girls. Hadn't he displayed that particular knack of his with Mitsuari? It had been rough at the start and that girl had been as uncooperative as they come at first. But... it must have changed into something far more sweeter by the end of it all. Surely, that boy must have become a kind, supportive presence in that girl's life. Surely, it must have been so.

But really... How clueless could they have been? Both the spiky-haired boy and the fluffy-haired girl had no idea of what they had, did they?

Mitsuari Ayu and Kamijou Touma had been quite the pair.

She was the coward who did not want to drag others down with her, because she feared what she would feel if she did drag them down. For that end, she wasted time and effort to secure the well-being of others, so that she, alone, would be the only one to crumble away.

And he was the coward who could not help but be dragged in by the troubles of others, because he feared what he would feel if he did not allow himself to be dragged in. For that end, he wasted time and effort to stand up and fight in the face of certain doom, so that he, at the least, would be able to crumble away alongside those he wanted to protect.

The girl who refused to drag others down and the boy who would be dragged in regardless. They had been... a perfect pair of cowards. Cowards that, in the face of death, exhibited behavior that was so violently contrary to anything that could be regarded as normal for anyone who had a proper self-preservation instinct. Two cowards who Kumokawa had written off at first until they displayed just how foolish they were with their contrary actions. They were cowards, but their cowardice held a heroism that was at odds with logic and reasoning.

But most importantly, those two cowards had completed each other.

Maybe... if reality had been more lenient and had given them more time, they would have gained something through each other.

Maybe through him, she would have found someone who would bat away her efforts to keep him away from her struggles. Someone who would doggedly get involved with her troubles even as she tried to push him away. Through him, maybe she would have found someone who cared more about her well-being than his own and would be able to punch through her self-loathing. Maybe then, she would have gained a sense of self-worth.

Maybe through her, he would have found someone who dearly wanted him to not drag himself down for her sake, despite his efforts. Someone who would protest and argue with him that he was worth so much more than he gave himself credit for. Through her, maybe he would have found someone who cared more about his well-being than her own and would be able to get through his self-loathing. Maybe then, he would have gained a sense of self-worth.

But... that had not been the case.

And all that was left was to pick up the pieces and move on.

They were cowards. They were fools. But they had been Kumokawa Seria's precious cowards and fools.

The older girl leaned back further in her chair, resting her back upon the support of the chair's slats. She allowed her arms to hang limply at her sides as she took a deep breath. And in that moment, she could feel a tiny amount of faint warmth begin to wrap itself around her left hand.

Kumokawa wasn't one to believe in romantic ideals like fate or destiny. But on this occasion, she would make an exception. She clutched at that warmth tightly without any intention of releasing her grip.

"You can rest easy," she whispered, sending her thoughts up to the friend who was no longer here.

"That boy will be fine now..."


This was where their bond ended. This was where...

"I'm going to jab my fingers through your eyes and scrape out the brain cells containing those horrifying memories, liar boy!"

"I've erased your memories thirty-eight times now, so why are your eyes still glued to my underwear!?"

Kamijou Touma sat in the soft glow of the moon within the darkness of Ground Geo. Just like in the dream, he was seated upon the concrete shore of that artificial lake. His legs hung over the edge of the abyss, but his posture only spoke of a lax comfort. He was neither slouching nor was he hunched over. He simply sat up straight as his eyes viewed the body of water before him. But, he was not seeing that lake at all. What he was seeing, instead, were events of the past.

Memories were drifting through him. Two voices were playing in his head, one after the other. Two different people who most likely had lived two different lives. And yet... both of them spoke in ways that were so similar. Both of them acted in ways that were so alike. Both of them even reacted to him in ways that made it seem as though they had been kindred spirits. The boy did not think of himself as someone who was in tune to the emotions and feelings of others, but he thought it was something of a miracle for two unrelated people to be so similar in so many ways.

"How thoroughly were you burning all of that into your memory!?

"Just how great is your pervert ability!?"

His phone sat next to him within arm's reach. Placed upon a patch of concrete to his right, the light of its display was bright, even amongst the light of the moon and the stars. It had remained on, even when he had not touched it in so long. And it would continue to stay on for as long as its battery held out. He had made sure of it because it needed to stay on for this occasion. For on the screen of that phone, there was the name of a precious girl. Someone who had entered into his life for a few invaluable days, but had left his life far too soon.

It may have been a meaningless gesture that no longer mattered to that girl, but it was the only thing he could think of. After all... he had come empty-handed and had nothing else to offer. No flowers, no charms, and no food. Was this... good enough? Would she have been happy with just this much? Could she see this tiny, insignificant offering from where she was? Even if it did suffice, he would not be satisfied with just this. He would make sure that he came back with a bigger and better offering. That was a promise he would keep this time.

"If you insist, I suppose I can do things your way today. I hope you are thankful for how accomodating I am being here."

"So was all of this some new way of hitting on girls?"

And there was another promise that he would keep. That golden-haired girl had left in a stormy huff and had probably not appreciated all the barbs he had tossed her way. He had offered to guide her off the mountain, but she had obviously turned him down. If he had grabbed her skinny wrist and had forced her to come with him, he would have been no different than those goons from back then, so all he could do was let that young girl go her own way. But even then, Kamijou was quite okay with such a result. That younger girl had been upset and steaming mad. She probably had all the indignation in the world currently channeled into her tiny frame, but... there had not been a single trace of her previous despair left when she had made her departure.

The boy lifted his right hand slightly and gazed at that limb. Had such a thing always been that easy? Had it always required so little effort to reach out to someone? An action that was so small yet so important. It was something anyone could do if they simply wanted to. And he had done it here and had actually succeeded at it.

Kamijou was uncertain about many things in his life. There were things he was not sure he could accomplish and there were things he was hesitant on whether he could come through for. But what currently laid before him was not one of those uncertainties. A new promise had been lit within him. A new resolve was forming inside him. And it all centered around that lonely girl with the starry golden eyes and straight honey-blonde hair. He promised himself one thing and one thing only.

He would not fail again. Not now. Not ever.

His resolve was set in stone, becoming something that he would not allow himself to forget.

And it would be that resolve that would lead him to a great many things in the future.

It would be that resolve that would allow him to destroy his body for the sake of the Number Five Mental Out. For the girl who seemed like a mirror to the middle schooler he had once known.

It would be that resolve that would allow him to step in for the Number Three Railgun and to play along with a few of her challanges. For the girl whose loneliness cloaked by her pride reminded him of another troublesome esper who had found herself surrounded by delinquents.

And...

It would be that resolve that would allow him to sacrifice everything that he was to protect the dazzling smile of the nun in white. For the girl whose childish wonder at ordinary life and voracious appetite gave him glimpses of the lonely girl he had failed.

Unintentionally, the memory of Mitsuari Ayu had claimed a tiny bit of that boy's heart.

Unintentionally, the memory of Mitsuari Ayu had become a part of the core of that boy's strength.

And whenever his mind faltered...

Whenever his mind would scream at him to give up and run away...

Whenever he started to listen to that mind of his...

His heart would step in and give him two reminders.

The trembling silhouette of a tiny girl standing before the abyss.

And the words 'never again'.

That was his resolve. That which was started by Kumokawa Seria's brief look of disappointment, sharpened by Mitsuari Ayu's death, and fully realized by Shokuhou Misaki's life-or-death struggle with Deadlock.

The boy looked up, moving his eyes from the lake to the sky. The moon twinkled at him in response from its place in the starry canvas above, as if it was giving its blessing for his newly forged resolve. His eyes softened as he relaxed his sitting stance, allowing his hands to loosely rest upon his thighs.

But something faint was beginning to nip at his right hand. A tiny warmth that could barely be felt was beginning to wrap around his hand.

He could only give a small, tired smile at that warmth.

He knew it was just a trick of the mind. An imaginary thing that was being conjured up to make his heart feel better.

It was just the last lingering bits of hope that still remained in his heart.

But even then...

His eyes moved to his right hand, catching sight of his phone and the name that was displayed on it.

And without another thought, the boy clutched tightly at that imaginary warmth, as if to never let go.

It could not be helped after all.

It was the dear wish that lied deep within his heart.

His wish to finally grasp that small, small hand he had not reached.

Returning his eyes to the skies above, he released a sighing breath.

With memories of the recent past in mind...

With a new resolve in his heart...

And with warmth in his hand...

That boy sent a prayer to the heavens.

A selfish prayer filled with all the feelings encapsulated in his heart.

"Watch over me, Mitsuari..."

For Kamijou Touma, time began to move again, little by little.

...

...

{Patchwork Staccato ~ Music Box Version - arranged by Flow Music}


~fin~