Electric Princess [Railgun]

The story begins when our female hero wanders through a well-known underground shopping center, a mall at evening. Not that she was purposefully shopping, or looking for something specific in the local shops, but more like she was alone killing time before the night curfew will force her to head home: To the External dormitory of Tokiwadai Junior High School.

As she peeked around the display cases, she caught a familiar echo, a signal. She on spot understood, that here in the underground mall, there is another electro-master somewhere nearby. Not just any, it seems like this Esper has a high compatibility with her abilities, like certain girls does. Curiosity won't let her to not check it out and she decides to investigate. Determining the necessary direction was a piece of cake for her skills as the most powerful electro-master in city. After all, it is not for nothing that she is the third among only seven Esper at the fifth level. [(number) #3 Level-5: Railgun (Ace of Tokiwadai. Hunter of hunters.)]

After a while, she finds the person in question standing in front of a showcase at bakery mini-shop, which looked more like a snack stand than a pastry shop or bakery. This person in Tokiwadai summer uniform, short brown hair, brown eyes and notoriously fashionable briefcase immediately catch her eye. Even with the same face, a casual passerby would mistake them for twins. But the truth remains, that this person is her identical copy, her clone, her younger sister. For a moment, a disappointment appeared on her face, she probably expected for evening to find a capable opponent for a battle, but that expression was immediately replaced by a gentle smile. Recently, she has not met any of her sisters, because after the collapse of a certain large-scale project, the sister collective were distributed all over the world, and there may not even be ten of them left in the city at all.

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She thought as she slung her bag over her shoulder. (("Hmm… Kuroko still at work and I still have some time left… so I'll at least ask how she's doing.")) Aware that she does not have to worry about the sudden appearance of her roommate, who is overwhelmed with administrative paperwork at her Judgment 177 Branch Office, stating a mantra: 'We must deal with stuff that week refused to sweep under the carpet.', Mikoto approached her sister without fear. She greeted her enthusiastically with a friendly smile on face. "Hi, how are you?"

"..... ..... ....." As the seconds of grave silence passed, the clone showed no sign of the slightest reaction and continued to stare at something through the display glass with a neutral expression.

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Despite being completely ignored, Mikoto managed to keep a smile. She walks right up to her sister, and as she looks at her from the side, she realizes that her Imoto [little/younger sister] is staring extremely hard at something behind the glass window. It was only by putting a hand on her shoulder and gently shaking the figurine, that the other girl was able to break out of from the petrification and their eyes met.

"Onee-sama?" [Big/older sister (respectfully)] She answered without showing a single emotion in her voice, but one could tell from her look that she was surprised at the unexpected meeting.

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Mikoto's head drooped in disappointment at such a curt response for her efforts, she let out an inaudible sigh. However, she noticed the pendant on other girls neck. Disappointment was immediately displaced with a single twitch of her eyebrows as she remembered who had given that heart-shaped accessory to her sister. "So you're the one…" She scratched her head trying to change her mind. "...and why are you standing here as if you have no spirit?"

"Yes, Onee-sama. This Misaka's serial number is ten thousand thirty two. She is the last Misaka that participated in that experiment, fought #1 and survived. She owes this to the intervention of Kamijou Touma and the significant help of her older sister. Next, Misaka must raise this necklace, which so caught the attention of the older sister, and to point out again that it was actually personally selected and given by said person, as a clearly distinguishing and defining element unique only to this Misaka. Misaka showcase the plus points that this accessory represents."

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Such a clear connection between a certain spiky-haired Idiot, this gift, and anyone other than Mikoto, make certain eyebrows to start twitching. The smile on her face turned into a grimace signalizing rising anger-blood pressure hidden under her skin.

"But in order for Misaka to reveal, why she's been standing here motionless for several tens of minutes, she has to confess something to her older sister."

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Railgun glared at her, getting her blood-anger under control. "Yes, if for what?"

"Misaka is mesmerized, by how long they can stay without moving. Misaka reveals with a rapturous expression and euphoria in her voice and eyes. At the same time, she points her finger at the nests behind the glass view."

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#3 verdict was strict. "In neither of those comparisons, I do not find that mentioned emotions, when all I can see and hear in yours expression, is someone who has been sitting in class of applied mathematics for too long." She dismissed her comparison as a severe critic and glanced through the display case where her sister pointed. A few seconds passed before her eyes focused and her brain processes at what she was looking at. You can really find anything in the Academic City. At the same time, even the most exotic unusual things can become locally normal, and no one will panic if someone pet-walks, for example, a two-meter long, three-hundred-kilogram lion. This is how individual oddities became a personal view, so real gems can be found in unexpected places. One such is a set of desserts that look exactly like little yellow chicks. [chickens] Neatly nestled in an open box on crumpled paper like in a some bird nest. As if on command, Mikoto eyes light up like a child. "Wow! Those are cute!" She leaned forward to the glass with an enraptured expression. "This is what you had when I dragged Touma here during the sports festival, right?" But her mood immediately fell at the memory of him.

Noticing how older-sister herself stiffened, younger-one turns to the display too, dart pointing her eyes at the yellow desserts.

A few seconds later, the door to the shop flew open and an angry saleswoman in a baker's apron flew out. "NOT EVEN BY A CHANCE!!" She shout-calls out to them, getting their attention. "Don't you even dare to play like your sister! It's very clear to me that you won't be moving from here until morning! And if it's just a tactic to get some freebies... Then forget about it immediately! Your charisma and cute looks won't work at me. This is a business, not a charity! Buy, or drag somewhere else!"

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Of course Mikoto was completely taken aback by the sudden outpouring and comparison. She tried to apologize, but Imoto was urging her again.

"Onee-sama, this is an extraordinary opportunity to free those captive chicks. This is the moment they've been waiting so patiently for. We must act quickly and rescue them all from this prison! Misaka appealing at her older sister with the utmost urgency as she pushes her through the door."

Railgun panicked as her mirror version stuck to her back. She tried to step away from her to catch some breath and regain her composure. But she was not blessed with it, because the clone knew what she is doing, controlling level-5 body mass. At the same time, there was no space for a questions like: ('What are you talking about?'), as they didn't help. Imoto was giving her a short-lines comments that confused her even more. As the duo grew louder in the escalating awkward scene, Mikoto's gaze met with the saleswoman's gaze, closely. That woman put on her face, from ear to ear big smile, that acted as the last lever for #3 to capitulate under the pressure of the business market.

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A few minutes later, both of the girls, in a consumers area, anchored at one of the tables for customers of the adjacent mini shops and snack stands.

Mikoto slumped down in her chair from exhaustion. "(This is a business, not a charity, right?)" She said in a low voice, looking at the high-quality, durable and especially large box on the table, which was rather an overpriced food crate. At the same time, she did not even bother to count the number of yellow individuals in this colony. She had to rub her eyes, breathe properly and think of what had just happened. In her weak moment she got carried away and bought definitely more than just for two of them. (("With this number, someone might have notes on whether or not I'm planning to start a farm.")) She sighs. "Hey..." She begins the conversation tiredly, but suddenly she is taken aback by what her younger sister is doing.

"Common-- pee-pee-pee..." Imoto offers a finger to the chickens in the box as if they were alive, while laughing in her almost emotionless voice. "Chi, chi, chi. But they are smart chicks. They don't sting at all. Misaka reports the good behavior of these chicks even after they were rescued. Chi, chi, chi."

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With a drop of sweat on her cheek, Railgun decides to ask. "Hey… what are you doing?"

Clone looks at her and suddenly protectively bends over the box in an attempt to cover it, or rather to block Mikoto's view of its contents. "Misaka is trying to protect these chicks from big sister. Misaka declares with a fighting look on her face."

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But older from them barked back. "That expression is no different from the one you had a minute ago. And most importantly, what are you talking about?"

"Based on previous experience, Misaka anticipates that the elder sister will launch an unprovoked attack with the fork. Therefore, Misaka will do what she can, to protect the lives of these chicks, as she anticipates that the elder sister will not be able to evacuate their value in this Misaka eyes. Adds Misaka with utmost determination."

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"I still don't understand you. Wait… did you say, lives?"

"It's been some time since Misaka learned how precious life is and that's why she has to stand up for herself. Every life is valuable no matter how small its dimensions are. Misaka points to herself by example, hoping that her older sister will instill her skill's points in this category as well."

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Mikoto's mind received a proper critical hit for a triple mental Hit-points damage. Trying to process this, she lowered her head, almost turning off her perception. To strengthen her thinking, she went into a sitting position with her legs and arms crossed and added a thumb under her chin. (("WHAT IS THIS ABOUT AGAIN?!! I don't understand her at all, but it's just a dessert in the shape of little chickens. Right? Why does she refer to them as alive and compare them to each other? Sure, the components of which those are made, is-- were life in a way, but... AGH!! It doesn't make sense to me! ... Surely she wouldn't bother to construct such a complex nonsense, just to devour more of them!")) Then she yell in thought. (("BUT THEY'RE JUST A CHICKEN!!")) Suddenly she stop for a moment. (("Chick...")) A moment later, the pupils in her eyes widened with a sudden realization. (("She… she thinks they're alive??? Sure, she's been drilled into her head not to consider herself anything more than a test specimen, but this? Who wouldn't want these adorable little things to be alive? Take them home, keep them in a box, and call it a farm? WAIT!! No! No!!")) She shakes her head. (("That would turn out very badly. Let anyone say what they want, she's not even a year old!")) Again, for a second or two, she hesitated over the question that popped into her head. (("Has she ever seen live chicks anywhere? As I recall, she got all the knowledge she initially had from something called a Testament, which is supposed to educate her completely, but it's certainly not bulletproof. Could she,-- just be wrong? Hmmm, its worth a try.")) Recovering and regaining her composure, she starts amiably, but still does not look up. "Hey, hey, listen! I wonder if you've ever seen real chicks?"

"What does Onee-sama mean? Did she see real chicks? How are they different from these? Variety? Species? Kind? Onee-sama demands answers from Misaka while the big sister is still under a quality effective debuff.''

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"Ugh!" Her body jerked slightly in shock, as if something had physically hit her, and an embarrassed expression settled on her face. Stunned by the unusual but accurate remark, she averts her gaze. (("Debuff?! This isn't a video game!! She probably met someone somewhere, heard someone slur those gamer terms, and now she's quote them like a pro who's been playing games for too long. NO!!-- She just derailed me from my goal, again!")) Railgun sighed. (("Come to think of it. She's actually right, I've never seen any live chicks. I only know what they look like from the books I read as a kid. Is it possible... Is it possible, that these are really real chickens?")) After a chill ran down her spine, horrified, she slowly turned to her Imoto, looking at her.

"… … ..."

And #3 jaw fell down.

Her sister, siting on chair, is trying to force breadcrumbs on the chicks.

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Railgun voice shaken as she addressed her sister. "He- hey. What… what are you doing?"

"Misaka is trying to feed the chicks." She raised her gaze with a stony expression. "However, her efforts are just as unsuccessful as the older sister's efforts for miraculously awakingevent in a certain boy with an exceptional right hand that she is interested in."

Imoto observed impact of her answer: She saw as if imaginary arrow flew through the heart and body of a certain tsundere, pass that body out with the organ in question stuck on it, and the arrow itself ended up stuck in a nearby pillar. It was very close, but the victim in question, braced her hands on the table so she prevented her fall-off from the chair onto floor like some fresh corpse.

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Mikoto, as she lowered her head, suddenly blushed. (("I can't believe that she managed to throw me off so much again. Is she doing it on purpose? Not that she meant anything wrong and I didn't appreciate her willingness to point out the obvious, but some things just don't go my way. However… This misunderstanding must be stopped before it turns into something worse.")) She took a deep breath, putting on a stern expression as a sign of recovering from the mental shock, losing the blush. She reached over to the box and took one chick in her hand. She then looked intently at her Imoto. "Now listen to me! These aren't live chickens, they're just a confectionery product, a dessert that looks like that."

"Something similar could have been said..."

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The eyebrows on Mikoto's face twitched in rhythm. "Listen-- to-- me!" She threatened in a low voice. "If they were alive, they would move."

"They're just brilliant at tactics to pretends their own death. Misaka admits they're better at it than she is."

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At this moment, a certain tsundere with a short match starts to get on the nerves and it starts to electrify. "Well then... If they are alive, as you say, let them try to escape from me and I guarantee that nothing will happen to them." As she settled down back on the chair with one arm over the backrest, she swallowed the chick right in front of her sister. "See? It didn't run away and it didn't even beep. It's just dessert, nothing more. Speaking of which, you shouldn't care about..." Despite her expectation, it's now her Imoto who's electrifying, sending electric curtains from her temples.

"How could you?! ...Misaka is angry at big sister, in her helplessness. Even though they are just desserts, sister didn't have to take that chick's life right away! Misaka raises her voice with a fighting look on her face, ready to fight for the remaining chickens!" She stood up in a pose as if cut out of some martial art.

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Mikoto blushed brightly as she stood up from her chair. "Your intonation and expression, with one exception, have not changed since the moment we met! ...and what's more..." She slams the table hard. "They were never alive in the first place! So I can't even TAKE that life away from them!! If you keep telling me otherwise, then let them fly off into the wilderness right away and it's DONE!!"

"..."

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There was a moment of silence, when both girls stared intently into the other's face. Their silent battle of gazes was interrupted only by a soft rustle from the box. They both looked toward source of the sound, where they were met with a surprising shock. One of the chicks was (moving?) awkwardly from side to side. Although one's eyes lit up, the other's eyes widened.

Mikoto almost suffered a brain short circuit from the nonsense she was looking at in horror.

"Oh?" The other brunette had an inner awaking when a faint smile formed on her face. "The chicks have understood the gravity of the situation and are finally trying to escape in vain. Misaka declares by analyzing the situation."

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"BULLSHIT!!" Barked original with anger, and by that outburst successfully reset's her clone's expression. "This is no escape attempt, this stupidity can be rationally explained!"

"For example, by the fact that the big sister has zero maternal feelings? Misaka expresses her shock at such a severe deficiency in the original."

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"Stop kidding! It would be a joke, if you order in restaurant a raw dessert, but instead of a delicious food made from a creature, they went for absolute raw ingredient, and sneak on your plate a live creature."

"Life is a joke? Misaka asks while tilting her head to the side in confusion to get a different perspective on the matter."

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"That's not working at all!! I am telling you: That someone's trying to TROLL you!!" Mikoto angrily stomped on the ground. (("And he thrives on me, too.")) She hurriedly tried to look around, but her efforts were half interrupted by the soft chirping of the chickens. All the little ones in the box somehow crumbled, squealed, sometimes beeped and moved in all sorts of ways. Some even jumped a few centimeters in height as if trying to take off. With a look of utter horror, #3 mind went blank.

On the other hand, the mirror version of her on the other side of the table had a clearly disappointed expression. One of the chicks managed to jump so much that it fall over the edge of the box. Of course, it was saved by a pair of gentle palms before falling on the table. "Little chicken, don't run away, Misaka will protect you!"

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The ace from Tokiwadai High School was brought back to reality only by looking at her mirror image as she adorably hugged the animated dessert to her cheek. "Hey, what's going on?" She utter, still in a shock.

Her clone immediately got into a fighting stance, glaring at her. "Big sister shall not trying anything! Misaka will defend these chicks' lives as her own."

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The original placed a hand on her face [Face palm] as she tried to calm herself down. (("This has gone too far.")) She sighed deeply. "Come with me!" She took her cute hardened sister by the hand and dragged her to the stall where they bought the little ones. "Madam! I have a request for you." She called the saleswoman from the entrance. "Please show my sister how to make those chicken desserts."

"Oh. Would it be, that Onee-sama finally awakening her sense for mercy? Misaka asks excitedly as she tries to understand her sister's plan for the great deliverance right at the source, having already put in a request to the network for backup."

On the other hand, the one-person staff became considerably confused when looking at the twins, one of whom looked like she was not far from rage explosion, which would not remain only figurative, and the other gave the impression that something serious was wrong with her. "Er, girls?... Aren't you getting a little too excited about our specialty? It's one thing to inadvertently make so many that I practically have to push them for sale, because..." She paused for a moment. "You know, they're not that cheap..."

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Except Railgun interrupted the clerk strictly. "No worries, it just so happens that I have enough of this nonsense right now, to crack down this chicken run, down to the facts."

"Wohou, cheers Misaka 10032 declaring her combat readiness, currently checking the availability and coordinates of several sisters."

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Before the lady from the store could even breathe on the question of those labels, Mikoto expressly intervened in the situation. "Stop talking so lightly about sisters, the network and using 10032 as your name, someone might misunderstand it, Imo-… Inoue…" At first she wanted to use Imoto as a title for this clone, but suddenly changed it to the first name choice that occurred to her. To not let herself to stray from her objective she force her copy toward the counter. "Among other things, now look at how they are being prepared, so that you finally realize that these desserts cannot even move, not that they are alive."

"Misaka is fully familiar with the conditions required for industrial mass production of clones.

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Mikoto, whit her eyebrows vibrating, almost pressed herself against her sister's face. "No more talk about clones, or say goodbye to chickens! Is that clear to you, Inoue?"

"Onee-sama, Inoue understands. Misaka submits to big sister pressure."

"I'm sorry, but..." The derailed saleswoman finally found the courage to recognize that something had gone very wrong, trying to dissuade them from making an unnecessary purchase. "You want me to reveal something that is like a family recipe... respectively, but at the moment we have a full shelf, so..."

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Mikoto loudly slapped some bills on the counter. "I'll take them all!! Even the ones you will make, right now!!" She conveyed with an annoyed expression flavored with a considerable hint of insanity. "I'm not interested in any detouring excuses, and I'm not interested in buying the whole store." She shot her sister a stern look to pre-empt any amusing comments.

This way, even the baker succumbed and showed them the entire procedure, which, thanks to the technologies of the Academic City, lasted only a few minutes. Mikoto calmed down a bit and even a smile appeared on her face again. Inoue watched the whole thing with a mesmerizing look. Until there was an open box in front of them with a fresh batch of chicken dessert. Madam gestured to them that her work was done. So she began to pick out the others from the display case, including individual pieces, carefully moving them one by one onto another food crate box. Thus opening the space for a private conversation between this couple.

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"Until now, Inoue didn't know that creating life was so trivial. Misaka expresses confusion over her mixed feelings."

"Does it still hold onto you? Don't think of them as something they're not!"

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"Inoue was also seen as something she's not. Something less than she is. And now Misaka is enjoying a little thing like her name."

"Don't you dare give them names! They're just cakes!! C- a- k- e- s." She spelled out.

"Then why are they moving? Misaka asks, rejecting the older sister's claim. While pointing a finger at the currently escaping chick, that hopping on the counter towards the exit."

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#3 saw that phenomena… Suddenly, the interior of the shop was illuminated by a spark flash of massive electrical discharge that wrapped around Mikoto like a snake before disappearing into thin air. The saleswoman, startled by the flash, glanced at the dessert moving across the counter and panicked. She grabbed the escaping chick and returned it to the box, which she immediately closed. However, the situation only started to escalate. The remaining chickens in the shelves began to spontaneously shift, move, cluck. There was even a beeping sound. This time it was Inoue who was sparkling releasing electric currents, babbling something about the determination of the little ones. Instead of trying to calm the situation, the baker decided that it was not worth the work and ran away, leaving the store to its fate. The sight of an electrifying Mikoto with a murderous look terrified her.

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A dark shadow appeared on Railgun face. "So you won't give up?" Her voice went dangerously low. "I don't care what excuse you use, that's enough, for yours tricks. I'm going to count it out to whoever's behind it! Sister, let's go!" As she look around she noticed, that Inoue managed to run to their table in the meantime. Mikoto went after her and as soon as she got close enough she got a shock. What she saw widened her pupils. Her battle clone right in front of many witnesses, like some kind of war veteran, just loaded a magazine into her FN F2000 assault rifle.

This sister pull the side lever on that gun to load a live round into firing chamber, after that she declared. "Misaka is ready to fight.

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"WAIT FOR A MOMENT!!" Level-5 nearly jumped out of her skin as she ran to her copy. "What are you even trying to do?"

"Inoue is preparing for a rescue operation. She announces that this Misaka is ready to follow big sister example and save all the chicks from an external threat that she has also observed."

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Mikoto blocked her sister's way. "Slow down a bit! You've got it all wrong. This can be done without shooting. Actually, where did you even get that rifle?"

"This, standard issued weapon is in Misaka's personal arsenal. It was assigned to her during that experiment program."

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"Oh... and anyway, where did you hide it?"

"According to big sister's personal request that she enforced earlier, Misaka has no intention of revealing the trick, by saying an excuse about company secret. Onee-sama should back off. Misaka says in her most determined tone."

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Inoue tried to lunge towards the shop, but was disarmed by the original's hand enchanted by electromagnetism, which placed the rifle on the table. "Don't even think that under these conditions I will allow you to shoot as you wish."

"Is big sister trying to make fun of me? Misaka complains, while looking for a hole in the original's defense."

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"What that means?" She barked in irritation, sparking, releasing electrical discharges into the ether.

"Big sister, claims that using weapons is bad, but she herself uses game arcade coins as a medium to fight. Adds Misaka in a scolding tone, wondering if it's actually allowed to use said coins outside of the arcade."

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"Will you stop for a moment, and let me explain?!" Mikoto gritted her teeth angrily. Blasts/sparkles of blue electricity danced from her temples like living snakes, buzzing around. She wanted to explain everything properly to her sister, but there was so much that she didn't know where to start. There was silence for a few seconds, which was interrupted again by the well-known beeping, from the box that was still left open on the table. She didn't even bother to look at the little ones and just looked around.

A loaded military assault rifle and a frightened/wild esper in affect, perfectly emptied the underground passage. That is, except for a suspicious group of potential delinquents sticking out from around a corner. They giggled as they watched the pair of twins and it was clear from their poses and expressions that they were using their powers.

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It was as if a some switchable control stick-switch had flipped from OFF to ON in Mikoto. She literally pushed her sister into a chair and with a dark smile on her face told her not to do anything, that she would take care of everything. To be sure, she also took the FN F2000 with her.

The delinquents realized that they got into a pinch, mistaking a fox for a flower. The person that was staring at them was not a rich naive lady from a prestigious junior high school, but an extremely capable and dangerous beast that burns its prey with its gaze. With a shout, "Damn it, retreat!!", they started to run away in panic.

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Even if those delinquents had an early start, they got shock about how fast that fox in her dash, catches on their tail. Although they tried to zigzag utilizing the side corridors of this mall dungeon...The hunt was already at its end after a few minutes, when the group was currently rushing down a side street in which all the stalls, shops, or whatever it was, had their security blinds closed and the staff or customers had long since moved on.

A dangerous grin appeared on the hunter's face. "Don't even bother begging for mercy!! IT'S PAYBACK TIME!!"

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Thunder from a powerful electric shock swept through the passage. Almost as if lightning struck the ground nearby and the audio shock wave from thunder shake the floor.

There has been a power outage. The main lighting went out and even the evacuation lights came on.

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As the last standing, she finally stop for thinking. (("Oops... did I overdo it? I must have hit a power line.")) A drop of cold sweat ran down the electric vandal's face as she finally caught her breath and looked at what she had caused. (("This is not good. It will definitely attract both Judgment and Anti-Skill. I have to hurry and get out of here."))

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She left the punished delinquents in that place and returned to the table at food stands. But Inoue was nowhere to be seen, not even the box of chicks. Her own school bag was also missing, but her sister's school satchel bag was still lying on the ground where its owner had left it. With the assault rifle in her hands, Mikoto had to quickly decide what to do next. Her little sister most likely disappeared when the power went out to avoid contact with the Anti-Skill, hoping that Railgun would figure it out on her own. #3 without a hesitation, took that satchel and tried to stuff that rifle into it. However, she encountered a logistical problem. The fashionable satchel assigned to every female student at their school as the only right fashion choice for the young lady was just big enough to fit notebooks and stationery. Whoever, it was clear that Inoue was carrying the FN F2000 in this bag, but try as she might, the dimensions of the weapon clearly said that it would not fit in that small satchel. Sweat flooded her face as she realized that she didn't have time to reveal the mysterious trick. The idea that the Anti-Skill would catch her red-handed with that weapon was just super problematically unacceptable. She quickly looked around and her eyes fell on the chicken shop.

Predictably, with the security blinds cover not drawn down, it was still unlocked as the attendant fled in panic. Her order for several box-ships was still sitting on the counter. She hurriedly looked around and immediately rejected the possibility that she will hide the weapon here. She better play it safe and take that rifle with her in a box-case big enough for it. In a minute she assembling the pagoda from packages, the bottom one of which contained a weapon and a satchel-bag.

Just as she was leaving the store, a whistle blew from the far corridor, followed by a call to found if anyone was left behind. Anti-Skill finally arrived looking for anyone who needed they help or need to be arrest. They proceeded systematically armed with flashlights and reflectors. She didn't want to risk meeting them, so she chose the opposite direction. She managed to slip unnoticed into one of the side corridors and disappear into the darkness. She took a little detour, but she didn't mind. The main thing is that she avoids them like this.

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She was already on narrow staircase leading out of the shopping mall; when some man with a flashlight stepped in front of her at the very top of the stairs. "Hold, its Anti-Skill!" This police man shone his light on her, which almost blinded her, so she lowered her head a little. Since she stood with one foot a step higher than the other one, the Anti-Skill officer couldn't really see her face through all the boxes.

Her face was effected with all the tension, anger, and a little embarrassment. (("Come on. I was almost out. I might have thought they'd post patrols at the exits just in case. I might have prepared for that."))

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The mysterious person in the Anti-Skill uniform was undoubtedly a man from the voice. As he descended few stairs to stood in front of her, he realized his mistake with the bright light and immediately adjusted the intensity and angle, so that she would no longer be blinded. "Oh sorry about the light miss. You don't look to be in need of medical assistance, don't you? So that's one problem less for me. But, what were you still doing down there? Why haven't you evacuate out of there in a long time?"

"Isn't that clear?" She snapped at him, to late realizing her mistake. (("What am I doing? I won't get rid of him with this approach, he'll just start asking more annoying question."))

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She didn't even look at him to know that he was frowning at her. So he take a more direct approach. "If you'll allow me, I'll see what's in there." He replied, peering into the top box." Mikoto swallowed soundlessly, but his professional attitude was gone when he take this personally. "Are you crazy?!" He scolded her, causing her to stop mentally for a moment. "Is it worth risking your health for something like this?"

"T-take care of yourself! You don't understand at all." If her blushing had dropped the moment, when he scolded her, it was back, but for a different reason.

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As expected the police officer keep asking her question. "Why didn't you just leave it there and run away?"

"W-who would leave that there?... When he already paid for it?" She added offended. (("You're annoying. I am so close to electrocute you just for you attitude, but that would cause more trouble than good."))

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He grabbed its head. "Well, you girls make a lot of noise because of such nonsense." He sighed loudly as he remembered something from its past. As if by some fault of his own with the dessert and the girl. "Ah... It's completely clear to me what happened. The young lady thought that the outage would be only temporary and the lights would come on immediately. So she sit on her table finishing drinking her tea as etiquette ask from a lady to do. But that didn't happen lights stay off, and the young lady is so angry at the whole world, that she had to walk alone through the scary darkness, so she got lost. Finally she found a way out, but instead of offering help, the first living soul she met scolded her for not abandoning the cargo that vowed to bring, while asking her embarrassing questions that only pissed her off more."

(("What's the point of this idiot? If only he knew who he was talking to, he'd get out of the way, but I'd rather be if he didn't even remember me."))

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He moved closer to at least partially look at her face. "Hey... What's so important about those dessert anyway."

That was a question that caught her of guard. "They're s... adorable." (("Oh como~on! I couldn't think of anything better? I'm not in elementary school."))

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"Hey… you don't have to go through it that much." The guy blushed looking at Mikoto's red face. He took a good two steps to the side. "You are as red as a tomato. So that must mean it's at least for someone you love." She tried to turn away from him, but she definitely lost her balance on the stairs. She seemed in a danger of falling, so the policeman managed to catch her, restore her balance. "That would be a really bad fall, miss. Oh the love of the young's." He sighed.

Misaka's face played all shades of red. She would have regained that lost balance by herself, but being saved by a randomly passing Idiot in a uniform, made her even more embarrassed. On the other hand, an awkward smile settled on his, so she scream inside. (("SCREW YOU!! I'm this close to shake you into unconscious state."))

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Whoever, he was clueless to the danger of teasing a Lv-5. "Such a boil temperament. To go such a length for the loved one, it makes me jealous.'' But as Mikoto preferred to remain silent, he must got a totally wrong impression. "I wish you the best of luck. Now go." He pointed to the exit. "Don't make any haste movements. Carefully step up those stairs and head to where your heart's home is, taking the proof of your love with you." She gave him a half eyed look, but he shake his head. "I still need to stay on guard, and you don't want anything to happen to those precious chicks, don't you. Get them safely to their new home."

"But…" She tried to correct him...

.

Except he seem to be emotionally hit enough to get confused. "What?… Oh... Hmm… Don't fear, I will not report, that I met you here. Doing so and I will shot both of us into a feet. I can imagine how someone would wear us dry, for it just for fun. You can go. Besides, I'd feel embarrassed if I detained a student girl for refusing to part with her desserts." She tried to thank him, but that only brought tears to his eyes, so he tried to cover them with his sleeve. "Agh!! I seriously envy that lucky guy. Now go, before you will see me cry." He hardly hide his tearing voice.

She said goodbye with a gentle bow, and when she went outside. Finally heading to the dormitory, she had a time to think. So the same question kept swirling in her head. (("What the hell happened down there?"))

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[Notes/explanations (in case someone doesn't know something)]

Judgement [court] - a volunteer organization, made up of students, overseeing peace and order in the Academic City. The distinguishing sign is a green scarf with white stripes and a shield.

Anti-Skill [Anti-Skill / Police / Army] - Academic City's answer to the need for police and security forces. Distinctive sign blue High-Tech uniform with white stripes and W.

Underground passage - or underground shopping center is a reference of underground streets with several levels connected by staircases. The most famous is in "Schol District 7" [city district]. This almost maze is an experiment containing small shops and branches of department stores [well-known brands], arcades, karaoke, gardens, buffets, restaurants and all sorts of other things. Not to be confused with the completely underground District 22.

Inoue - Meaning of the Name: It can be loosely translated as "above the well", where one part of the name has the meaning "well, mine shaft or pit" and the other part "above, on top of, higher than". This name could also be used as a synonym for God and Jesus. Probably as an allusion to the "Will of Misaka" entity that comes from the sisters [Gremlin Ark].

FN F2000 is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup rifle, designed by FN Herstal in Belgium.[5] Its compact bullpup design includes a telescopic sight, a non-adjustable fixed notch and front blade secondary sight. The weapon has fully ambidextrous controls, allowed by a unique ejection system, ejecting spent cartridge casings forward and to the right side of the weapon, through a tube running above the barrel.