Kyouma turned his head as he heard the girl's voice, flinching as he noticed her coming straight at his face with a high velocity tackle. He wasn't very athletic, so the end result was fairly obvious; Kyouma was sent flying to the ground as a cushion for the girl.

"Ngh... What was that for...?!" he asked, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to push himself off the ground. "No need to tackle me to the ground or anything, you know. There are a lot more interesting people to bug on the streets... Actually, strike that. Just don't drop kick me next time. Please? Or, you know... Just don't attack random passerby pedestrians like that..."

"Shirai Kuroko," the teleporter offered, completing the exchange. It was a relieff to have another person working in the branch office--with Konori ill, and her roommate as ever absent despite nominally being part of Judgement, the workload was getting beyond what two people could be expected to take care of on their own. Not that things were made any easier by frequently having visitors come over.

Sitting down at a computer, it was clear that the number of unexplained disappearances hadn't gone up today--good for the people involved, but it left no clues as to who was behind it or what was going on. Nobody involved could remember enough to tell Judgement anything, if they even cared to report their disappearance in the first place, and somehow camera blindspots managed to make even Academy City's security network useless for finding the culprits.

This, at least, simplified today's workload; all she really had to do was log the Railgun's decision to fry yet mmore delinquents rather than simply get away from the trouble. Which meant more time for Kuroko to get close to her beloved onee-sama...

Clicking her tongue at the scene of the assailant making a clean getaway, Sakie withheld her urge to chase futilely after the guy and turned her attention on the trembling girl. "It's all right now." Putting on a small smile to help the girl calm down, the taller than average girl from A Certain High School came closer and all but hugged Nadeshiko, wrapping her arms about the tiny student and bringing her into a loose embrace. "You're safe." A sisterly concern was evident on her face even as she patted Nadeshiko's head and tried to awkwardly make her feel better.

"Ah," Mikoto waved her hand quickly as the new girl bowed to her. She didn't need to do that, just because Mikoto was a Level Five absolutely didn't mean that anyone needed to treat her quite like that. Though, on another note, it was a good thing that someone else was going to be working at this office. Both second-hand and from experience, Mikoto knew that Judgement work was pretty rough. It'd be nice for someone else to be around and lighten the load for Kuroko and the others. "You don't have to act like that just because I'm Level Five."

She gave the other girl a smile, in hopes that it would indicate she should try and relax. Mikoto really didn't want someone thinking they had to treat her like royalty or something... slumping down onto one of the office's couches, she glanced over at Uiharu, and then Kuroko. There were those weird assaults or disappearances lately, weren't there? The ones where someone would disappear and show up with some kind of temporary boost to their esper powers...

"Hey, has there been any changes with those disappearances?" she asked.



Mikoto was asking about the disappearances? Oh, this was the perfect time to chime in! Ruiko had been waiting for the right opportunity to tell her friends all about the juicy, totally-true rumor that explained everything! Grinning as she took center stage, the black-haired girl pulled out her phone to show off images of the being that was totally responsible for the disappearances and temporary power boots some espers had been experiencing.

"This is the one behind it all!" she confidently declared. One her phone was the image of a blurry, grey being, with what looked like unnaturally long arms and white, pupiless eyes Or it could have just been lighter patches of grey, the picture quality was so bad it was difficult to tell. Well, long black hair as well. "It's all over the internet! They say it's a ghost, who's been stalking espers and temporarily jumping into their bodies to give them a power boost!"

"Alright," Annette replied to the correction, making a mental note of it. Not exactly how she would have gone about it, but she could abide by Misaka's request. After all, they were near the same social status, if for different reasons. It was only fair to be accommodating and to heed the wishes of a Level 5 such as her when asked.

She turned her attention to Kuroko then, placing the name with the face, though she didn't bow since she had already done that. Introductions over, she stepped back and resumed sitting, with the occasional sip of water and bite of a snack as she watched them all go about their business here.

She quickly picked up on the fact that they seemed to be involved in an investigation of some kind, and Annette turned her attention t observing, watching how they interacted and such. Picking up on the work dynamic was valuable when shifting positions like she was. Seamless transitions and all that.

Of course, Saten began on her rumor at that point, and Annette quietly and analytically looked over the displayed. Well, that was bad enough quality to be pretty much useless, and certainly was no basis for what she was claiming. Still, in the interest of fitting in, she asked one of the first questions to come to her mind. "But if it's a ghost then why would it only temporarily possess people?"

Having said that she glanced about at the rest of the occupants of the office before back to Saten. "Wouldn't it make more sense of it was some sort of telepathy related ability? That would explain the temporary power boosts, and why they go missing in the first place." It was just her opinion, and she would leave it to those more knowledgeable with the case to contradict her as she took another sip of water.

With her attention wandering, the teleporter's eyes naturally drew themselves towards a certain roommate of hers, and the other girl's unguarded lap. With all the trouble that the older girl caused, it seemed only right to get something pleasurable in return. Not that it ever actually ended pleasurably for Kuroko, or that the train of thought was even remotely logical, but such a thing never stopped her.

It was quite impressive how someone so single-mindedly fixated could do eleven dimensional maths to teleport herself straight onto Mikoto's legs, yet that was nevertheless what the redhead had done. For once, Kuroko wasn't openly attempting to feel the taller girl up or drooling over her. The position she was in, with her arms around the electromaster and leaning against her chest, was definitely still one that wasn't going to be kept for long at all.

Onee-sama is so comfortable...

Not that Kuroko was ever going to pass up the chance for even the slightest contact, even if it meant being fried.

Murakawa Torako

She slammed against him full force, bring them both tumbling to the ground. She landed perfectly on top of him, a bit dazed from the impact.

"Ngh... What was that for...?!" he asked, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to push himself off the ground. "No need to tackle me to the ground or anything, you know. There are a lot more interesting people to bug on the streets... Actually, strike that. Just don't drop kick me next time. Please? Or, you know... Just don't attack random passerby pedestrians like that..."

Tora sat up on his stomach, giving a very satisfied look. "Hmm hmm... I only attack people I know. Err, I mean, senpai, you can't see behind you, can you?"

Standing up, she brushed off the dust from her clothes, and offered a hand to Kyouma. "Oh, thats right, you may not know me, Kyouma senpai, but I'm Murakawa Torako. I'm just a level 2 though, so don't expect spectacular things from me. By the way, what are you doing here? Looking for the rumored power up in the alleys?"

---

Uiharu Kazari

She looked over Saten's shoulders, staring at the picture of the thing.

"Eeh... That looks more like an alien, doesn't it? Look, just like those grey aliens that kidnap people."

She had an overwhelming feeling that it was fake, but at the same time she had this overwhelming feeling Saten could be trusted. She found the Level Upper after all, even if it wasn't quite the thing she was expecting.

"But if it's a ghost then why would it only temporarily possess people?" Annette said. "Wouldn't it make more sense of it was some sort of telepathy related ability? That would explain the temporary power boosts, and why they go missing in the first place."

"Well... If it was we'd at least have the record for it. Every ability user in the city is registered after all." She sipped her tea, noticing Shirai had teleported onto Misaka's lap. "I could have a look again, but I'm fairly certain there is no one able to possess someone AND power up their ability."

Kyouma stared at Torako for a moment before sighing, her hand still outstretched in front of his face.

"No, I am not an alien- I cannot see behind me... Wait, is that why you tackled me to the ground? Talk about stupid reasons..." he trailed off before taking the girl's hand and pulling himself to his feet.

Torako's mention of a power up, though, piqued his interest. Though he had no intention of trying to strengthen himself (he was fine as he was now), the fact that another interesting incident was occurring in the city was certainly something to look into. Better than staring at a textbook all day, at least.

"Wait, a power up? I was just walking down the streets looking for a place to eat. I've got no interest in making myself stronger. Not in the least, you know?" he said before looking around at the alleyways that were in between the buildings here and there. "But... This sounds interesting. I'll probably look into it after I get some food or something."

"Well," Ruiko began, "They say the ghost can't stay in one person for too long! It's trying to get better, though, so it can turn people and get their abilities! It wants to get all kinds of abilities!"

The rumor did not, in fact, state why. But it was the kind of thing that made perfect sense! Why wouldn't a ghost want Multiskill?! ... Well, okay, maybe it'd depend... but still. It didn't mean that this ghost wouldn't want to collect Esper powers for... some reason. And if it was going after Espers, maybe that whole 'AIM' thing made it hard for them to be possessed for too long? Yeah, that made plenty of sense! Uiharu brought up the fact that it looked kind of like an alien, but...

"Don't be silly, Uiharu," replied Ruiko with a smile. "That kind of alien doesn't have any hair, but you can kinda see the long black hair in this picture, right?"

The girl held the phone up to see. There was... something dark around the head, at least. It was hard to tell.



Mikoto didn't believe in ghosts. But the idea of someone wanting to get together a whole bunch of Espers to try and gain their powers somehow... was someone attempting to engineer some kind of multiskill situation? It had been a side effect of Kiyama Harumi's attempt to use the computing power of a network of brains she had built, that she gained the esper powers of those who had used the Level Upper. Was someone trying to deliberately engineer something like that? Or maybe it was something else... There was something going on. That was for sure.

... Speaking of things going on...

Mikoto could feel the anger bubbling up inside of her. Why did Kuroko decide this was a good idea, exactly? Slowly, the brown-haired girl raised a fist, clenching it tightly as she did, electricity crackling around her head as her irritation mounted higher and higher, threatening to erupt out in an instant.

"Kuroko..." she began, her voice a dangerous tone, "What do you think you're doing...?"

Annette would cede that point as Uiharu countered her theory. They did have the database, and it was unlikely to have shown up if an ability like that wasn't already in there. She was glad to see that this Branch knew how to cover their bases when it came to investigations, so that made things easier by far.

She left aside the discussion of ghosts versus aliens, to respond to Uiharu. "True, but it could be something not in the database. It just seems most likely that some sort of power working on the mind was responsible, without taking into account the possibility of some sort of technology we don't know about. And telepathic control seems the most likely of those." She could think of a few theories off the top of her head, though she had nothing to back them up.

The sound of sparks drew her attention, and she looked over to see....not what she had been expecting. Specifically, Kuroko on Misaka's lap, leaning against her, while Misaka looked to be on the verge of shocking her into next week. Annette had to fight back a blush at the display of open affection, reminding herself that she shouldn't judge people for these sorts of things.

"Oh my, I didn't know you two were a couple," she said to the both of them, wearing a warm smile. Indeed she hadn't, which made this all the more surprising. But if that was the way they felt, then who was she to stand between them? Certainly she had no desire to be shocked either.

"Ah... A-aaah..." Nadeshiko flinched as Sakie wrapped her arms around her, but it didn't take long for her to stop shaking. It was hard to remain terrified when a cute girl was embracing you, after all. And she was so warm, too... Her breath grew heavier as trembling hands raised, slowly reaching out until they were hovering inches away from the bigger girl's...

"A-aaah... Eheheh um... Th-thank... Thank y-y-you eheheh..." She mumbled, as she hesitated for a moment, even though she really did want to grab Sakie's butt right now.

"Simply enjoying onee-sama's warmth," the smaller of the two girls said, continuing to offer no useful information to the discussion on the current incident--not that she had more to offer than Saten, albeit phrasing the actual outcome in more useful (not to mention scientific) terms. Despite the danger posed by the cracking sparks, the redhead was making no move to leave her current spot, instead clinging tighter.

Annette's remark on their--unfortunately, in Kuroko's opinion--nonexistent relationship got another response from the teleporter, even as she moved ever closer to being the one-man exhibition on the effects of a strong electric current on an Esper. "If onee-sama would simply show her love more frequently, nobody could doubt such a fact."

Murakawa Torako

"Ahaha~ Thats what I told them, but they insist that since you control light, you can bend light from behind you straight into your own eyes to see."

"Wait, a power up? I was just walking down the streets looking for a place to eat. I've got no interest in making myself stronger. Not in the least, you know?" he said before looking around at the alleyways that were in between the buildings here and there. "But... This sounds interesting. I'll probably look into it after I get some food or something."

"That's right! A power up, but you have to be knocked out first, or at least that's what they say. Say, you said you were looking for a good place to eat just now, right?" She started tugging at his arm. "C'mon, I know a good place just over there."

If she recalled correctly, there was a nice restaurant that had a very calming atmosphere to it just nearby. Certainly a good place to eat as any. Plus, she liked the food there.

---

Uiharu Kazari

"Hmm... yeah, you're right. Kinda looks like long hair."

Truth be told, she can't get the image of an alien out of her head, and now that Saten mentioned it, the alien was now wearing a fabulous long wig in her mental image. Kazari simply nodded at Annette's theory. Without some solid clues, everything was conjecture at this point. If she had to guess, there was someone out there making something similar to the Level Upper, perhaps drugging students and testing it on them. Was Kiyama involved in something dangerous again? And speaking of dangerous....

Sparks were flying around Misaka due to the occupant on her lap. Aware Saten knew as well as she did what would happen next, she lifted a folder up to her face, to shield her eyes from the inevitable electrocution.

Kyouma stared at Torako as she mentioned the idea of him bending light to see behind him, massaging his forehead at the thought that someone would even think that would be simple to do. That sort of manipulation was about as disorienting as it gets, and with so little payout there was no reason to do such a thing. But at least that issue was resolved for the girl's friends... As long as they didn't come up with any other strange theories about him, at least.

Torako's sudden tugging of his arm, though, caught him off guard as he was about to process what she had just said. Knocked out first? That seemed shady to unreasonable levels... But that could wait. Food. Must. Have. Food.

"That first part sounds about as suspicious as these rumors get, but sign me up if we're headed to a restaurant!" Kyouma said, walking along so his kouhai couldn't keep tugging at his arm like a dog would a chew toy. "Lead the way!"

"It's no problem. Anyways, stick close to me for now since there might be more trouble." Not seeing that the tiny girl was actively restraining herself from doing something that was going to break her innocent image, Sakie simply grabbed the girl and hefted her up in a bridal carry position. "Alright, let's go." And the more athletic of the duo began running in long strides towards the nearest Judgement branch she could find by following the signs. With the girl so tiny and light in her arms, it was actually pretty easy carrying her. They'd make better time than forcing Nadeshiko to run with her since the girl didn't really look like the most athletic of people. Nadeshiko pretty much had it made considering she was also heated up by the living kotatsu known as Sakie while she was being transported around. In the distance, a certain Judgement branch office could be seen...

Beatrix grouched to herself as she left her dorm room once more, now equipped with a backpack. She'd planned to spend some time making progress in her RPG's, then serenading her wonderful, cuddly subjects with her amazing violin skills, but nooooo, this stupid thing was in her mind, bugging her relentlessly.

The Kinnikuman manga volumes had been gathered up and placed in her bag, Beatrix complaining about hard work all the while. That stupid Torako girl just had to go and rush off before she could reward the servant for helping out. Her new friends were giving disappointed looks now! She just looked terrible for not giving something in return!

Once more combating the combined evils of sunny weather and walking, Beatrix set off to find her servant.

A short while later, she was catching her breathe at an outdoor cafe, cursing everything in the universe not named Beatrix Alexandria Katherine Avalon for making life so darn hard. She just wanted to give her the stupid manga, why did Torako have to... not be somewhere nearby?!

Normally, Ruiko would have had a rather cheerful response to the attention her rumor was garnering. But instead, she was distracted. Kuroko's antics were rather familiar to the black-haired girl by now, but this time the new girl seemed to think that Misaka and Kuroko were actually a couple. As far as Ruiko knew, this wasn't the case, no matter how much incredibly perverse affection Kuroko heaped on her onee-sama.

Well... by this point, Ruiko was just watching and waiting for the fireworks. There was no way to stop it now.



...

...

...!

That girl... thought they were... Mikoto's face took on a deep shade of scarlet with embarrassment. That wasn't it! That wasn't it at all! This was just... just... and Kuroko has the gall to just say things like that?! She was... she was such a pervert! The electrical current around the Third-Ranked Level Five Esper built and built, crackling through the air around her as her anger and embarrassment mounted. There was only one course of action left to take retaliation for this. All of this! It was just too much, way, way too much! Now some other girl thought they were... were...

"YOU PERVERT!"

With her cry of embarrassment and anger, the electrical current erupted out and into Kuroko. Obviously, it wasn't remotely lethal. The trouble lay more in that it was still a powerful electric shock and those tended to feel somewhat painful, even if it wouldn't leave any injury.

Unfortunately still bound by the laws of physics despite her ability, the initial jolt caused Kuroko to grip harder--only to end up sliding bonelessly to the floor, twitching and making some noise that probably qualified as 'an attempt to speak'. As much as she liked spending time with onee-sama, even when the contact was this brief, the retribution afterwards certainly wasn't something to anticipate. There was always the worry that it would go too far and she'd share a fate for more like those thugs (or worse) and on occasion the response seemed disproportionate to the offence. Like now--too close, though the teleporter didn't think that was true, but certainly nothing perverted... despite the claim.

Not that she could give voice to any of this from her current position.

Annette glanced about nervously as Misaka seemed to get more enraged, if the red tinting her cheeks was any indication. Kuroko on the other hand seemed completely oblivious, supporting the notion she had voiced, but that wasn't necessarily indicative of anything. Given how the others seemed to be bracing themselves, she just wondered if she had to be worried about being blasted.

then the deluge, and Annette turned away, wincing at the bright blue light as all that built up electricity was released directly into Kuroko. Honestly it left her worried for her own safety, but given the lack of being shocked she had to assume that she was fine. Kuroko on the other hand....

The fading light gave evidence to that with the sound of a thud as the fried teleporter hit the ground, twitching but still conscious and alive. She probably wouldn't be doing anything, like talking, soon though. Well then, that had been impressive, and an example to keep in mind that she should not earn the Electromasters ire.

Annette chuckled nervously as she surveyed the scene. "Um, Misaka, wasn't that a bit of an overreaction," she asked hesitantly. It seemed like it to her, but she would admit that she didn't have the history those two had.

Murakawa Torako

"That first part sounds about as suspicious as these rumors get, but sign me up if we're headed to a restaurant!" Kyouma said. "Lead the way!"

"Yay! Food!"

As she guided him there, she naturally started chattering again, this time, more about about her and the rest of the girls in her class. It was mostly the typical, dumb situations people can get into, tinged with some usage and/or abuse of their powers. "...so I tried to Double Amp her, but I slipped and touched her butt. She was so surprised she burned off all our clothes, so we were in our swimsuits for the rest of the day. That's why me and her are banned from ever entering the dojo again."

As they approached the place, she noticed a certain blonde haired girl gasping in front of the very restaurant she was leading Kyouma to. "Yo, Chibiko! Fancy seeing you here. Ah..." Tora looked over at Kyouma. "This is Kyouma Sakamoto. We're just about to get something to eat. Wanna join us?

---

Uiharu Kazari

The expected sound of zapping and the subsequent sound of something charred dropping to the floor came, so Kazari just put down the folder neatly on top of some others on the table. The newcomer looked rather worried, but that came as no surprise. It wasn't always that someone had an admirer as intense as Shirai was.

"Um, Misaka, wasn't that a bit of an overreaction," Annette asked.

"Ahaha, its alright. That's just how their relationship are." Kazari replied cheerfully, as if they were discussing dessert.