Here we are, everyone. The emotional roller coaster that is the pre-fight chapter. I hope you all have a download or link for "Stand Still" by Yuka Iguchi on standby, because you all know what scene is being reimagined, and you're going to need it. In fact, let's take a moment for all of you to open an extra tab on your browser or start your apps so you have the song ready when the time comes. Don't worry, I'll tell you when.

For now, let's get the Q&A out of the way so we can get to the good stuff.

Sesshoru: Yeah, wrong chapter buddy. That's not until next chapter.

ahsoei: I hope I meet your expectations.

icedshadows: ...Wow... terrible ice puns... I like you. Thanks for the support!

Bluejack222: Thank you.

TeotakuFantasia: When it comes to Touma's fights, I always try to find some way to implement ODD as something other than a collapsible staff or spear. You'll see plenty of that in the next chapter. I suggest you find some non-nightcore version of "Stand Still" by Yuka Iguchi before you start reading. Trust me, you're going to want to have it.

ArmoredCoreNineBall: Yeah, not a lot happened last chapter. That was just a warm up for the really heavy hitting stuff.

RedSS: Wow, I actually lost sins this time around. I might actually further develop that line into a latter plotline. PTSD Touma, anybody?

Aquadude: Really, it's less mental instability, more seed of doubt in her own abilities.

RPGPersona: I always found it odd how the thugs were randomly gone in Railgun considering Accelerator beat them up no more than 5 minutes prior to Misaka 10031 showing up. Most of the group was heavily injured and the last one was pretty much traumatized, so they shouldn't have gotten away on their own. Just adding a bit more consistent continuity. Don't worry too much about ODD, as far as combat capabilities go, it's gone as far as it can with the tech Academy City has to offer. From now on, upgrades in latter versions will mostly be functionality enhancements, like the added communicator and hacking interface. Given its structure, ODD can't diverge too much from its pole shape and can only assume forms that adhere to that pole shape. The only way it could feasibly take on other forms is if the whole think could change shape on a molecular level, like it was made from Transformium or nanomachines. When you have nearly ten thousand clones doing the cleaning, its not that hard.

Guest (1): Easy man, I'm not trying to kill anyone.

Guest (2): Again, the key to my potential MCU (Multi Crossover Universe) is that all involved franchises must have a similar setting. Since Toaru is the foundation of my MCU, the franchises included must take place in a modern setting and either have a large emphasis on science or magic. For example, something like the Nasuverse could qualify since it is a modern setting with a magical underworld, essentially one half of what Toaru is. However, something like FM(B) does not qualify since it takes place in a fictional Earth with an alternate history and country structure. Also, I can't have franchises with over lapping concepts, as that creates conflict in the MCU lore. This further keeps FM(B) from being a candidate since I've already mentioned the Nasuverse version of Alchemy, which is a branch of magic. The only exceptions to this rule are cases when the concepts are similar enough to mesh, as was the case with Toaru and Nasuverse Alchemy. Also, I'm more likely to include franchises I am familiar with if I want to include certain concepts. As a result, if I wanted to include Shinegami as a concept, I'd be more likely to include Death Note than Bleach as I have read and watched pretty much all of the core material for the former. This isn't some otaku wet dream, this is a meticulously thought out, shared universe akin to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

Guest (3): Yeah, humanized characters are some of the best on a emotional level.

Kami: I don't think Touma has a dark side. He's always been a complexly straight forward kind of character. He's unrelenting in his quest to help people simply because it is right, and his only rule when it comes to helping people is that no one but himself makes any sacrifice. Besides, that was less Mikoto's dark side, more her inner doubt.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, disclaimer!

Disclaimer: All characters and plotlines of the "A Certain" franchise are credited to Kazuma Kamachi.

Chapter 35: Terrible Truths

"Here we go again," Kuroko sighed at her desk, "You're not coming home tonight, are you, Sissy? But earlier today, you said this would all be over."

Looking over to Mikoto's empty bed, Kuroko couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. After several lonely nights of covering for her roommate, Kuroko finally thought things were going to go back to normal. Yet, once again, Mikoto was late coming home. Kuroko thought back to early that morning when she pounced on Mikoto to snuggle her after they woke up. She expected to get punched for her actions, but it never came. Instead, Mikoto patted her head and gave her a simple morning greeting. However, Kuroko noticed something odd about that greeting, behind the lack of physical trauma. For some reason, Mikoto had a solemn look in her eyes.

"The look on her face, there was something there!" Kuroko declared, slipping on her Judgement armband, "I cannot continue to ignore this! There must be something I can do to help with the situation, regardless of what Sissy might say."

However, before she could properly pin her armband to her sleeve, Kuroko had a moment of hesitation. Dropping her arms in defeat, she let her armband slip off her sleeve, allowing it to drop on the floor. As much as she wanted to go and investigate, she already decided that she was going to wait for Mikoto to come to her for help.

Not sure what to do, Kuroko plopped on to Mikoto's bed, hugging her roommate's pillow for comfort. She inhaled with her face in the pillow, taking in the residue of her roommate's scent.

"No!" Kuroko cried in a panic, drooling slightly, "I must stop this now! If I take her scent in for too long, I'll pass out."

Despite her personal protests, Kuroko quickly found herself holding the pillow over her face, taking in the intoxicating scent of her precious roommate. She probably would have continued to do so for the next hour or so if not for the dorm's intercom going off, indicating either she or Mikoto had a visitor. Quickly composing herself, Kuroko got off the bed and went over to the dorm's intercom station. Honestly, she was quite curious. Who could possibly want to visit so late at night?

Once at the intercom station, Kuroko was surprised to see Touma on the video feed.

"Hi, Kamijou. What are you doing here?" Kuroko asked, answering the intercom.

"Hey, Pigtails. Is Misaka there?" Touma said on the other end of the line, "There's something I need to talk to her about."

'That's odd,' Kuroko thought to herself, 'What's Kamijou doing here? And why is he using Sissy's name? He usually only calls her by his nickname for her. If he's calling her by her name and coming to talk in person, it must be important.'

"No, Sissy isn't home right now. She should be back soon though," Kuroko replied, "If you need to talk to her that badly, I suggest you come up to the room and wait for her."

Kuroko quickly pressed the unlock button on the intercom station, opening the lobby's checkpoint door for Touma.

"Oh, are you sure that's okay?" Touma asked in concern.

"If you really want to see Sissy, this is the only option," Kuroko explained, "Once curfew hits, the security will activate, and you won't be able to stay in the lobby."

"I guess that makes sense," Touma conceded, "All right, I'll see you up there in a bit."

Once Touma hung up, Kuroko quickly laid herself on her belly on top of Mikoto's bed. She trusted Touma, she really did, but she wasn't about to give him access to Mikoto's bed. That was exclusive property of Mikoto and herself.

Soon enough, Touma could be heard knocking on the door. After Kuroko told him it was unlocked, he let himself into the room.

"Sorry to intrude," Touma apologized as he came in.

"It's not a problem at all. If anything, I should be apologizing," Kuroko greeted, "This room is mainly used for sleeping in, so there's not much in terms of entertainment for guests. You might as well take a seat on the bed."

"I'll pass," Touma replied, "I'd rather not sit on Misaka's bed without her permission. She'd try to zap me to death is she found out."

"You don't have to worry about it," Kuroko insisted, "That's my bed."

"As perverted as usual I see. Laying on Misaka's bed without her permission and trying to coax me into getting on your bed," Touma sighed, "Do you seriously take me for an idiot?"

"Doesn't everyone?" Kuroko countered.

"I'll have you know my analysis and deduction abilities are quite sharp," Touma argued back.

"Regardless, if it makes you feel better, I had no plans for jumping you," Kuroko stated, "Besides, do you really have the right to call someone perverted when you're standing in an all-girls dorm?"

"This is completely different!" Touma yelled, getting annoyed.

"Shh!" Kuroko stressed, "You should keep your voice down. Things will get ugly if anyone knows you're here. Just suck it up and take a seat."

"Alright, fine," Touma relented, sitting at the corner of Kuroko's bed.

"So, mind telling me what's the deal with the cat?" Kuroko asked, pointing towards the kitten Touma was holding.

"Oh, this guy? I'm just looking after him for a friend, that's all," Touma explained.

"Is that so? So, what exactly did you need to talk to Sissy about?" Kuroko asked, "On second thought, don't tell me. I've already decided not to act on anything I may learn regarding her situation."

"You know, for someone who regularly tries to bed her, you sure do have a lot of respect for Misaka's privacy," Touma noted, "You're so eager to know, yet you refuse to push pry into her secrets."

"Well, sometimes people just need space to think things out, you know," Kuroko offered, "Remember that time you yelled at Uiharu for getting upset over use suspecting Haruee during the Poltergeist case? You didn't speak to her for quite a while so she could figure everything out."

"True, but there are some things that need intervention, you know," Touma argued, "Personally, I don't let things like what other people would think stop me from doing what I think is right. If there is something I can do to help, I'm going to do it, even if every other rule or guideline says I shouldn't."

"This coming from the raising star of Judgement?" Kuroko asked, "A group dedicated to upholding the rules and guidelines of Academy City?"

"Hypocritical, I know, but every rule has an exception," Touma mused.

Before the conversation could carry on, the sound of footsteps could be heard outside in the halls. They were so quiet, only the cat was able to hear them at first. However, as they got closer, the humans in the room were able to hear it.

"Do you hear that? It sounds like the Dorm Manager is running another one of her random patrols!" Kuroko panicked, "If she finds you here, there will be a lot of trouble!"

"Your Dorm Manager!" Touma cried, "You think she remembers the time the Delta Force tried to set her up with Mr. Daigo and we forget to check if he was even single?"

"All the more reason to get you out of here!" Kuroko quietly screamed, grabbing Touma's arm.

"You can't teleport me, remember? Imagine Breaker?"

"Wasn't planning on it!" Kuroko said as she threw him on to the floor next to Mikoto's bed, "Get under there!"

"W-wait, there's no room!" Touma protested.

"Just do it!" Kuroko ordered, kicking Touma under the bed.

"You don't have to kick!" Touma complained.

As soon as he was safely under the bed, Touma found himself faced with the giant Gekota plushie he won Mikoto at Phantasm Carnival so many weeks ago. The giant frog seemed to look back at him, almost as if greeting its short-lived owner.

'So this is where she keeps it,' Touma thought to himself, 'Good to see you too, buddy.'

From under the bed, Touma could hear Kuroko leading the Dorm Manager out of the room to investigate other rooms for his presence. As he waited for the coast to be clear, he noticed the cat climb over the stuffed frog and hide on the other side. Not wanting to lose track of the cat, Touma shifted the head of the toy so he could see the kitten on the other side. Once he did, he saw the cat pull on a zipper on the frog's back, opening up the storage compartment inside and revealing a couple sheets of paper. At the corner of one of the pieces of paper was a key word that been haunting Touma since earlier that afternoon, "Sisters".

Seeing an opportunity, Touma quickly crawled out from under the bed and dragged the giant Gekota with him. He then took out the papers stored inside the frog, examining them thoroughly. It was all there. All of the information he needed to know what exactly the Mikoto was dealing with. Project Level 6 Shift, the supposition behind its existence, the reason that the Sisters were being produced and killed. It was all in the files.

Also among the files was a map of Academy City. It wasn't just any map, it was the same map he saw in the Judgement reports of possible arson a couple days ago. All of the same facilities that were attacked were crossed out on the map, along with a couple extra ones. This pretty much proved Touma's hypothesis that Mikoto was the one responsible for the attacks, most likely to stop the experiments.

However, the most frightening file was the timetable for the different experiments. Misaka 10032, the same sister he had been spending all afternoon with trying to take care of the kitten he had with him, was scheduled for her experiment tonight. It was to start on August 21, at 2030 hours. Checking the time, it was already 19:34, military time, less than an hour away from the start of the experiment.

He would have to apologize to Kuroko later. Right now, Touma had no time for subtly and manners. Grabbing the files and the cat, Touma jumped out of the second store window and ran out on to the streets of Academy City. He needed to find Mikoto as soon as he could. He had a lot of answers, but she was the one with all of them. If he wanted a straight record of what was happening, he needed to get them from Mikoto.

As Touma ran down the streets at random, he noticed that several of the city's windmill were turning. However, there was something odd about their behavior. For one, the weather was calm. The was no wind to turn the windmills at all. Then, there as the direction they were turning. All the windmills that did turn were moving the wrong way.

Suddenly, it clicked. The structure of a generator and a motor are essentially the same, a metal wrapped in a coil of insolated wires. They turned movement into electricity by having a turbine turn the magnet and turned electricity into movement by running an oscillating electrical current through the wire, causing the magnet to constantly attract and repel itself towards the constantly changing electromagnetic poles. If an electromagnetic field like the ones Electromasters like Mikoto generated were to pass over an inactive generator, it would generate the current necessary to turn the generator into a motor. If Touma followed the turning windmills, he would find the strongest Electromaster, Mikoto Misaka.

Late at night, Mikoto stood alone at the edge of a steel bridge. Her entire situation felt completely hopeless. Despite her best efforts, Project Level 6 Shift had continued without any delays. She had thrown everything she had at the experiment, but it did absolutely nothing. Now, backed into a corner, Mikoto was left with only one option left. If this plan worked, it would put an end to the experiment and save the Sisters. It was a solid enough plan, but she didn't like it. She wanted another way. She wished there was another way. However, despite how she felt, there were no other options left for her. All she could do was hope, but even that wasn't enough to reassure her.

"Please help," Mikoto cried quietly, "Somebody, help."

As tears began to form in her eyes, Mikoto heard a quiet meow off to her left. Looking in that direction, she saw a single, black kitten sitting on the road, looking up at her. She then heard the sound of footsteps approaching, as well as some rather heavy breathing. Looking past the cat, Mikoto saw a very tired and very mad looking Touma Kamijou approach her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Touma demanded, "Answer me."

"Isn't that the harsh greeting?" Mikoto replied, putting up a confident façade, "Don't people usually greet their friends with a hel-"

"Cut the crap," Touma cut her off, stepping closer.

"What's with you tonight?" Mikoto asked, "I'm just-"

"I read all about the project," Touma cut her off again, holding out her files on Project Level 6 Shift, "The experiments, your Sisters, everything. My own investigation using Judgement resources also tell me you're responsible for those attacks on the research facilities, and your files prove it. So like I said, cut the crap."

'Impossible, he knows,' Mikoto thought to herself in shock.

"Impressive. You only met my clone yesterday and you've already go your hands on this top-secret information," Mikoto replied, keeping up her façade, "Then again, it really shouldn't be surprising. You are the Certain Strange Addition, Judgement's rising star. You might have a future as a private investigator."

'Knowing him, he's definitely not going to approve of what I have planned.'

"Since you have that file, that must mean you've been in my room without my permission. Pretty dirty for a member of Judgement."

'Even if he knows I'm the one destroying the facilities, he probably thinks I did so after I volunteered my DNA map to start the experiments in the first place. He's probably going to condemn and arrest me for that.'

"Not only that, you looked inside my giant Gekota. Ironic, isn't it? You give it to me as a gift, then you use it to find my secrets."

'Oh well, he may not have all the facts, but the outcomes the same. Besides, the important stuff is still a mystery to him. I blame myself for all this. Someone like him should do the same.'

"So, did you come here to tell me how disgusting I am? Maybe even arrest me for my crimes?" Mikoto asked.

"That's what you think?" Touma asked in quiet outrage, "Do I look like I'm here as a member of Judgement? I'm here because I'm concerned."

Mikoto was thrown off guard. Sure, Touma had never been one to hold a grudge, but he never outright showed concern for someone who did something so horrible. This had to be a lie. A lie to spare her feelings.

"You know, it's kind of nice to hear someone say that," Mikoto admitted, welling up, "even if it isn't the truth."

"It is the truth," Touma declared, much to Mikoto's confusion, "I mean what I say!"

That finally started to break her. The dam was beginning to crack. It took all of Mikoto's strength to keep herself from crying. Eventually, she was able to compose herself, leaning on the bridge's railing to relax.

"You know what the Sisters say? They compare themselves to laboratory animals without batting an eye," Mikoto explained, "Like rats or guinea pigs, their bodies are messed around with for the sake of research, and when they're done, that's that. They're not stupid. They know exactly what it means to be some scientist's lab rat. They know, but still, that's what they refer to themselves as. They're in this situation because of me. It's my fault, so that makes it my duty to make sure the ones who are left survive."

"Where are you going now?" Touma asked as Mikoto started to walk past him.

"There's another experiment scheduled for tonight," Mikoto explained, "Before then, I'm going to track down Accelerator and fight him with every ounce of strength in my body."

However, before she could pass him, Touma held his left arm in front of her, cutting off her path.

"Can you defeat him? I have the file. Do you know what Tree Diagram predicts?" Touma asked, wrinkling the file in his grip, "That you've be dead in 185 moves. You can fight, I've been on the receiving end enough know that's true, but do you really think you'll win?"

"You're right. No matter what I try against him, there's no way I can win in a fair fight," Mikoto admitted, "However, what if I'm even worse then they expect me to be? What if I lose in the very first move? The prediction that I'd lose in 185 moves would be proven wrong. Maybe the researchers would see that and begin to doubt the whole project. Maybe they will be forced to reconsider the simulations. So maybe, by losing to him, I can actually make myself useful."

"So that's it?" Touma asked in utter disbelief, "You're planning to die? And you're convinced that if you die, the entire experiment would come crashing to a hault?"

"Yeah," Mikoto replied simply, "As far as the researchers are concerned, Tree Diagram's projections are absolute. But, if I was unceremoniously beaten on the very first move, lying there helpless and pathetic, surely there is only one thing they could think, that Tree Diagram's original programming had some sort of error. They'll stop."

"Wouldn't they just do some recalculations and just start back up again?" Touma countered.

"They wouldn't be able to. Tree Diagram was destroyed weeks ago, on July 28," Mikoto rebutted, "Sound familiar?"

"Wait, that's when…"

"That's right. The same event that gave you amnesia, also destroyed Tree Diagram," Mikoto concluded, "There won't be any recalculations."

"So, you've got it all figure out, huh?" Touma snarked.

"And now you know everything. So, would you just step aside," Mikoto replied, starting to walk again.

"No way!" Touma yelled, blocking her path with his left arm again, "I know you've convinced yourself you're doing the right thing, but I can't just let you march off to your death!"

"Would you just move?" Mikoto sighed, "I love you and all, but you can be a really big idiot sometimes."

"Wait, what do you say?" Touma asked, not entirely sure if he heard her right.

"Would you just move?" Mikoto repeated.

"No, after that."

"You can be a really big idiot sometimes?"

"No, in the middle!"

"Oh, that," Mikoto realized, "Yeah, I love you. Like I told you, I'm planning to die, so I figured I might as well put it all out there."

"How long?" Touma asked, still not completely believing what he was hearing.

"To be honest, it been like that for a while. This whole experience just put everything into perspective," Mikoto confessed, "I don't need an answer, and I don't want one either. It would put me at peace knowing that I told you, and rejection or acceptance would only make it harder. So, will you get out of the way already and let me have this."

"You can't be serious!" Touma yelled, "How do you expect me to let you go die after hearing that?!"

Mikoto wasn't having any more of Touma's resistance. Before he could react, she zapped the files on Project Level 6 Shift right of out his hand, turning them to dust. For anyone else that wasn't Touma, this would have made her point very clear.

"So, you have some other solution then?" Mikoto asked sarcastically, "Yeah, I didn't think so. Just take that idealism of yours and stuff it for once, will you? I don't have time for this."

"Say what you want, I won't move," Touma replied defiantly.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Mikoto growled as her power flared, scarring away the cat, "I know you want to save those girls as much as I do, so just move already. If not, I'll happily shoot right through you. Unless you want that, step aside!"

Touma simply shook his head. Once again, Mikoto's power flared, the electricity around her growing more violent.

"So, you want to settle this by force? How many times have I tried to fry you already?" Mikoto asked, "I may have never been able to overcome your Imagine Breaker before, but I know I can't afford to lose to you this time, so you better be ready to fight for your life. If you don't you will die! That might even be the optimal option. At the very least, if there is an afterlife, I'll see you there in Hell."

To emphasize her point, Mikoto zapped the nearby lamppost, overloading it instantly and bursting the bulb. Touma didn't flinch even once. Instead, he reached behind him and pulled out his ODD. However, rather than transform it into one of its many combat modes, he left it in its collapsed mode and reached for his left wrist. With the push of the screen, ODD's wrist mounted apparatus expanded in size and slipped off of Touma's arm. He then slid the bracelet on to ODD itself, where it collapsed in on itself, deactivating the entire device. Wordlessly, Touma threw his trusted tool to the side and raised his hands in a stance of surrender, much to Mikoto's confusion.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mikoto asked, "Why did you disarm yourself."

"I'm just standing," Touma replied simply, "I'm not going to fight you."

"What?"

"I'm not fighting."

"Huh? You can stop playing the noble idiot!" Mikoto demanded, "Do you think I'm going to stand aside just because you put your hands up and throw aside your weapon? I can't take any other route then this! I'm not kidding, I'll fry the life out of you if I have to! How I feel about you won't change that!"

"Well, go ahead then," Touma insisted, "I won't fight."

Finally, Mikoto snapped.

"Damn it!" she yelled as she fired a blast at one of the bridge's support beams, "If you want to stop me, then fight like a man! If you're not going to fight, then get the hell out of my way! Don't just stand there calmly and ruin all of my plans."

Not even flinching, Touma closed his eyes, inviting Mikoto to take her best shot. That was the least straw.

"This is the last time I'm going to say it," Mikoto declared, "FIGHT ME!"

With all of her might, Mikoto threw a powerful lighting spear at Touma. To her surprise and horror, the boy in front of her took a direct hit from her blast, knocking him down the road several meters. He lied there on the ground, smoking and completely limp.

"No way," Mikoto said to herself, "I've never been able to get an attack on him before. He didn't you Imagine Breaker. He just took the full force of my blow."

Out of concern, Mikoto took a few steps forward to try to check on him. However, she stopped when she saw him pick himself off the ground. Although he was clearly in a lot of pain, Touma pulled himself up, taking the same surrendered stance he had taken earlier. Horrified at he persistence, Mikoto gripped her right wrist out of guilt for having attacked him so viciously.

"Do you understand now?" Mikoto asked, quietly hoping it would change Touma's mind, "I'll do it, I will hurt you."

Touma didn't respond. He simply stood his ground and held his pose.

"What are you doing?" Mikoto asked in shock.

"I already said," Touma declared, "I refuse to fight you."

"I don't get it!" Mikoto yelled, "You know these experiments are wrong, don't you? I'm trying to put a stop to them! Why are you doing this?"

"Yeah, I know they're wrong," Touma agreed, "What they're doing is crazy, evil, and disgusting."

"They why are yo-"

"However, the way you have it planned, you are going to die tonight," Touma replied, "So I won't move."

Mikoto could hardly believe what she was hearing. It was pure logic and mathematics. The reason for why she should die for them was a clear as day. Even an idiot like Touma should have known what the reasoning behind her solution was. There wasn't even a real argument as far as Mikoto was concerned.

"Shut up, you fool," Mikoto demanded, "You're an idiot. Saying nice things, trying to reassure me. Well, I promise, I don't deserve it. Maybe you live in a world where everyone gets a happy ending, but in a world like that there's no place for me!"

"Say you die, and your Sisters all survive," Touma proposed, "do you really think they'll be grateful to you? You must have realized it. Do things your way, and you don't save anybody."

Mikoto finally had it. Once again, her power flared to life, overloading every single lamppost on the bridge. For the first time the entire confrontation, Touma flinched in response.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Mikoto declared, "I die tonight, that means ten thousand Sisters get to live. Really, these no decision there. If my single life can save ten thousand of theirs, that's a good thing, right? It's not much, but maybe it's enough? So please, just go."

"I'm not moving," Touma replied simply.

That was the last act of defiance to come from Touma's mouth. In a near instant, Mikoto engulfed the entire bridge in a giant sphere of electricity. The power surge caused brown outs that spanned several city blocks. The steel support beams began to bend at the immense electrical and magnetic power the Electromaster released. Nothing could have survived such an onslaught.

When the electricity finally stopped, Mikoto was on the end of her rope. She was exhausted, both physically from using such a powerful attack, and emotionally from using such an attack on the boy she just confessed to. Remnants of the attack could be seen throughout the bridge. Asphalt was torn apart and steel support beams surged with residual electricity. At the very least, nothing would stop her from doing what she intended to do.

However, the sound of a repeatedly meowing cat caught her attention. Looking ahead, Mikoto saw the same black cat from earlier meowing at the passed out Touma, over and over. His body was limp and smoking, clearing having been pushed to the limits of pain that he could endure. Slow, Mikoto started to make her way towards the fallen boy. She shuffled, then walked, then finally broke into a stumbling run. Once she reached him. She turned him on his back and pressed her ear to his chest.

For a terrible moment, she heard nothing. His chest was silent and still, not unlike a corps. Just as Mikoto feared the worse, a spark of hope reassured her. It was small, quiet, and slow, but it was there. Touma's heart was beating, a sure sign that he was alive. Mikoto was so relieved to hear that sound. In that moment, there was no sound more beautiful than the sound of his living, breathing heart.

With that comparably small crisis averted, all Mikoto could think about doing was making sure Touma was alright. Kneeling down on the ground, she set his head on her lap, providing him as much comfort as she possibly could with her limited resources. The kitten also approached, rolling Touma's discarded ODD towards the pair. It then sat next to them, looking over boy's unconscious head. They stayed like that for several minutes. Eventually, Touma finally woke up.

"You really are a complete idiot, aren't you?" Mikoto asked, tears forming in her eyes, "This is my problem, not yours. You could have just let me handle it instead on involving yourself. You could have just turned a blind eye and pretended you didn't see anything, going on with your normal life. Instead, you do all this, just like every other time someone had a problem. Why would you do this to yourself? You look like hell. I think you heart might have stopped for a second there."

As Mikoto spoke, Touma attempted to lift himself up. However, he found himself lacking the proper strength and fell on to her lap yet again. Despite his predicament, he couldn't help but smile and let out a weak laugh, much to Mikoto's confusion

"How can you smile like that after everything that's happened?" Mikoto asked, tears falling from her face and landing on to Touma's.

"I was just thinking 'I'm glad I'm on her side'," Touma said weakly, lifting his right hand to pet Mikoto's head, "Now, come on, stop crying."

Unfortunately, the dam had been completely shattered. Despite her own desires and Touma's encouraging request, Mikoto found herself unable to stop. For the first time since discovering Project Level 6 Shift, she let herself cry. She cried and cried until she felt like she had run out of tears to cry. When she finally did, Touma held his right hand in front of his face, eye it intensely.

"I have an idea," Touma declared, grabbing his ODD and picking himself up, "a way to force them to stop the experiments. Think about it. The experiment is based on the supposition that Accelerator is the strongest Esper. But, what if he is proven to be incredibly weak. For instance, let's say he was handedly defeated in a fight with a Level 0. The project's basic premise would be flawed."

"What are you say?" Mikoto asked in horror, "You can't mean…"

"That's right," Touma replied, reattaching ODD's bracelet with determination, "I'll fight him."

"Impossible! He's so strong and arrogant, he could take on an army without breaking a sweat!" Mikoto protested.

'I can't let him see Accelerator's face,' Mikoto thought to herself.

"If you fight him, you'll die for sure!"

'If he sees it, he'll instantly recognize him as Yuri.'

"If's someone's going to die stopping this experiment, it should be me!" Mikoto begged, "Don't throw your life away like this if you don't have to!"

'He can never know what Yuri Suzushina has become.'

"That's the difference between my plan and yours," Touma clarified, "I don't intend to die. I'll fight him, and I intend to win. Even he isn't immune to the negating power of Imagine Breaker. Out of everyone in Academy City, I have the best chance of beating him."

"Please," Mikoto pleaded, "Don't do this. I can't let you face him. I can't let you see what who he is."

"Why's that?" Touma inquired.

"I can't say," Mikoto replied, refusing to give away that information, "You just need to trust me on this."

"Misaka," Touma said sternly, turning to face her, "If there is still something you're hiding from me about the experiment, I need you to tell me now."

Touma looked her straight in the eye, clearly not going to take no for an answer. As much as she wanted to hide it from him, she knew he wasn't going to let that happen. If she kept quiet, he would keep demanding an answer. If she tried to lie, he would probably see right through it and keep pushing the topic. Even if he did fall for the lie, he would just go into the fight and find out anyway. Despite her wishes, Mikoto knew her only option was to come clear.

"He's Yuri," Mikoto whispered.

"What?" Touma asked, not sure he heard her clearly.

"Accelerator is Yuri Suzushina!" Mikoto yelled, "However, he's not the person you once knew! Whatever your journal says about him, none of that is true now! He's changed! He's ruthless and kills the Sisters in cold blood. If he saw you, he probably wouldn't remember you and kill you too! He's not some sweet hearted outcast, he's a power-hungry monster whose participating in the experiment to achieve invincibility. He wants the kind of power that stops people from even thinking about challenging him!"

"… Is that true?" Touma asked quietly.

"Yes," Mikoto whimpered, "Out of everything, that was what I wanted to keep hidden from you the most. I never wanted you to reunite with your old friend like this."

"And that's exactly what he said?" Touma asked again, "He's doing all this so he can get so strong that no one would dare challenge him again?"

"Yes," Mikoto replied, her voice breaking slightly.

"…Your right, it seems he has changed," Touma admitted, "But he's still the same person I knew as a kid."

"What?" Mikoto asked, confused.

A/N: At this point, I would suggest playing "Stand Still" by Yuka Iguchi. Lyrics optional, no nightcore. If you followed my instructions at the begining, this should be simple enough to do.

Mikoto could barely believe what she was hearing. Despite everything she told him, Touma still thought Accelerator and Yuri where the same kind of people. It didn't make sense. Whenever Touma talked about him, he always described him as being this shy, distant outcast with a sweet heart. In a single encounter with Accelerator, she knew him as snarky, sadistic, and terrifying. How could Touma possibly see the two as the same person at their core?

"When we where kids, Yuri told me all he ever wanted was for people to stop trying to fight him," Touma explained, "Despite how strong he was, he had very little control over his power and constantly hurt the people around him, pushing them away literally and figuratively. It's part of the reason why we became such good friends. I was the only person he was unable to push away. He probably sees this experiment as his chance to get people to stop trying to fight him. I'm betting that all these years of hurting people have made him desperate. He's already hurt so many people, what's killing twenty thousand to make it all stop?"

"Even after all this, with the condition you're in and what you learned, you still want to fight him?" Mikoto asked in disbelief.

"No. In all honesty, I don't want to fight him," Touma admitted, "but at the very least, this will give me a chance to save him."

"You can't be serious! Please, don't do this!" Mikoto begged, "The cost is already too high, I can't drag you in too! This project has nothing to do with you!"

"That's where you're wrong. This project has everything to do with me. Three of my most precious people have had their peace taken away from them by this experiment, so I'm going to end it and get that peace back."

Touma kneeled down on one knee, looking Mikoto in the eye.

"First, my first friend, who has been pulled into despair in his search for salvation," Touma listed.

'Mama isn't here to make every little problem go away,' Mikoto thought to herself.

"Second, my newest friend, who will die tonight if I don't do anything to stop this experiment."

'Santa stopped making house calls a long time ago.'

"And finally, the girl who poured her heart out and confessed to me that I need to give an answer to," Touma finished with a smile, "who has already sacrificed so much, trying to bare this burden herself."

'But this hero will always come dashing to the rescue,' Mikoto closed her thought in awe.

Reaching into his shirt, Touma pulled out a notebook filled with tabs and paperclips. It was a notebook Mikoto had seen many times before and had even read out of.

"Your journal?" Mikoto asked in confusion.

"Despite what you may think, I'm not that big of an idiot. I very well know that I might die tonight," Touma said, holding the book to Mikoto, "That's why I want you to hold on to it."

"W-why?" Mikoto stuttered, hesitantly taking the journal out of his hands.

"If I die, I want someone to tell the others what happened. Other than the fact that no one else knows about these experiments, I can't think of anyone better to do the job," Touma explained, standing up. "But, it also gives me even more incentive to come back alive. This is definitely something to write down latter."

Mikoto was left speechless. If there was any moment in the time she knew Touma that proved he was a hero, this was it. As he walked away, he paused for a moment, looking back at her.

"I promise, I'm bring your Sister back and save Yuri," Touma declared, "Count on it. Take care to the kitten for me. He's your Sister's. When this is all over, help her decide on a name."

Having said his piece, Touma broke out into a sprint. Checking the time on his ODD bracelet, the next experiment was about to start in less than a minute. He had to hurry before it was too late.

'Wait for me, Yuri,' Touma thought to himself as he ran, 'Just for a bit longer, wait for me.'

As she watched Touma run off, Mikoto clutched his journal to her chest. She began to cry, apparently still having tears after all. She then noticed the kitten was still there, the same one that apparently belonged to one of her Sisters. She coaxed the kitten to come closer, and it did.

"Good boy," she whispered.

So, what did you all think? Did this chapter get you all in the feels? Did the song amplify the attack to the feels? What did you think about that little confession?

I figured the confession was appropriate considering the two have had a much longer history with constant interaction than in canon. It felt natural enough with their expanded history, giving Mikoto a chance to come to terms with her feelings much earlier on. I might be a bit cliche considering it's a love confession just before what is essentially a suicide attempt, but I think it works.

Next chapter is the long awaited fight and reunion between Touma and Yuri/Accelerator. This one might take a bit longer to write. I'm planning on making it a longer chapter, combining the two episodes worth of fighting into a single chapter. I also have lots of changes for the fight planned, so I need to get the choreography organized and catch up on my martial arts research. Hopefully, I will be able to finish the arc within the next few weeks. My family is going for a week long cruise a couple weeks from now, so I might not be able to post during that time.

Until the next chapter is posted, I'll see all of you later. Leave a review if you like and tell me what you think!