Chapter 22: The Shift

The dimly lit hallway felt as though it held its breath, echoing only the sound of Misaki's racing heartbeats and the soft purring of the little black cat, who observed the unfolding reunion with a curious tilt of its head. The encounter between Misaka-10000 and Misaki, or rather, "Mi-chan" and "Dolly," Misaki's wide, azure eyes remained fixed on the clone before her, whose once lifeless eyes now sparkled with recognition. "D-Dolly?" Misaki whispered, her voice quivering with disbelief. She took an uncertain step forward, cautiously closing the distance between them. The clone struggled to maintain her focus, her consciousness flickering like a fragile flame in a gust of wind. "So It's you Mi-chan," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Dolly? You mean the first project of the clone experiment?" the old man who was with Misaka said curiously as he watched the clone struggle to stand, trying to find her balance. "Y-Yes, but she died a long time ago. But then who is that?" Dolly's eyes, still filled with a glimmer of life, shifted slightly as she struggled to focus on Misaki's face. "So, it wasn't a dream. I-I died back then. But..." Dolly's gaze flickered toward the blue sky. "So that's how it is..." She managed a weak smile before falling to the ground, on the verge of losing consciousness. "Shit. We'll figure out what's happening later. We have to take her and the other one to disable the virus!" She was about to reach for Dolly, but her hand was grabbed from behind, pulling her away. "W-What's the meaning of this?!" Misaki exclaimed in confusion. But she realized her life had just been saved as Dolly's entire body started to spark with intense electricity, illuminating the whole hallway instantly. "Stay behind. Something's wrong with her body..." "D-Dolly!!" Misaki watched in shock as the clone before her sank into her sea of electricity. She could see the clone's skin burn, and her whole body appeared as if it was drying out. "What in the..." After a few seconds, the electricity finally disappeared, and the girl lay still, not moving an inch. The other clone that was close to Dolly seemed to be fine. "I see... So she's the abnormal clone from the rumors," the old man said as he watched the clone's body heal itself. "Rumors?" Misaki asked, her curiosity piqued. She was unsure about the details of this clone, as it seemed to defy the norms she was familiar with. Clones from the Shift Project shouldn't possess regeneration abilities like this. "Yes, rumors about a clone that was part of the Dark May Project," the old man explained. "It was an experiment involving child errors, where they implanted a portion of thought patterns and calculation methods from Accelerator, Academy City's #1 into them. The rumors also said she had long white hair and exhibited violent behavior similar to Accelerator, though it appears that the latter part was fabricated." Misaki furrowed her brow as she reached for her chin in deep thought, "Wait, could it be that Dolly wasn't the only clone experiment back then, and there were more?" Misaki mused aloud. "It may also be the case that they moved Dolly's personality and memories into this clone for whatever reason." She moved her gaze toward Dolly, who lay motionless on the ground. With cautious concern, Misaki knelt to check on the girl's condition. "BOO!" "Kyaa!!" Suddenly, a playful and mischievous voice pierced the tense atmosphere, causing Misaki to jump on her butt in surprise. Dolly sprang to life with a wide-eyed, cheeky grin on her face. "HiHiHi~ I got you, Mi-chan~" She stood proudly, her chest puffed out in triumph, though she failed to realize she was naked "I .don't think I'd stand as confidently as you if I were naked," Misaki remarked with a smug grin as she pointed at her. "Eh?" Lowering her gaze, Dolly's face exploded in blush. She swiftly hid her body with both hands and kneeled, her cheeks aflame. "Kya!! Mi-chan is a pervert!" Misaki sighed, rolling her eyes. "Sigh, you're Dolly..." Her face wore a nostalgic smile. She didn't realize but a pair of tears had escaped her eyes before she noticed and wiped them away. Meanwhile, the old man watched from the side with keen interest. His hand rested on his chin as he turned his gaze to the ground, lost in thought. "She burned all the blood vessels in her body to destroy the nanodevices... She didn't do it by herself, but her body did it for her...That clone deserves all the attention she receives from the dark side" Turning his gaze toward the other clone, he approached her with purpose. "Queen, this clone is not safe yet. We have to act quickly." "I-Is she okay? I don't feel sick anymore, but what about her?" Dolly asked, her concern for her sister evident in her voice. "Don't worry. He'll take care of everything," Misaki reassured her, gesturing to the still-unconscious clone. "Come with me. We have so much to talk about." "Ah, y-yes," Dolly replied, bowing respectfully to the old man. "Please take care of her." With that, she followed Misaki, eager to catch up to her. The old man watched them go, "Well... there's no lunch break for me, huh," he mused, as he pulled a cell phone from his pocket. "Send an ambulance, but not for me" Part 2: "Wahhh, there are so many people here, Mi-chan!!" Misaki and Dolly walked side by side through the bustling streets of the Academy City. Dolly's eyes were wide with wonder, and her enthusiasm was palpable. It was as if she were a little girl visiting Disneyland for the first time. "Why are you surprised? Didn't you spend hours here already?" "Oh, that wasn't me. I just woke up when I heard your voice, Mi-chan." "Huh?" Misaki blinked in surprise. "You mean you weren't conscious this whole time?" Dolly shook her head. "It's kind of complicated. I just learned what I am from something called the Misaka network. It seems my memories and my whole consciousness were saved in this network, deep in the void of nothingness. But, for some reason, this body was able to accept my existence." A sad smile graced the girl's face. "I am not the real Dolly. The real one died, and I am just an imitation." Stifling silence falls, as they continue walking side by side. Miskaki lowered her head, gathering her words. But before she could speak anything, a familiar voice called out to them, breaking the silence. "Oh! Biri Biri!" The two girls turned in surprise to see a familiar face approaching, a high school boy with spiky black hair. "Biri Biri? Oh! From the network, you mean the original." "Original... so you're one of the Imoutos, but those clothes, are you perhaps participating in one of the events?" "Oh, not me, but the owner of this body," Touma approached as he scratched the back of his head, trying to make sense of what the clone was saying. "I see you're covered in dirt and even some bruises. It seems the event you participated in was tough, huh?" Dolly asked. "Oh, Y-Yes, it was... it was so tough that I thought I was close to losing my life," He mumbled the last part quietly as he let out a broken laugh. Before his attention was pulled by a certain girl with long blond hair. "Hmm? Oh, you're the lady from before. Your name was... Oh yeah, Shokuhou-san right?" Misaki remained silent for a moment before letting out a playful sigh. "It wasn't even an hour, and you're already struggling to remember my name, huh? Quite offensive, don't you think?" Touma quickly raised both hands in denial. "Oh, no, no, no! I'm just really bad at remembering names. I didn't mean to offend you." Misaki nodded with a small smile, "Don't worry, I was just joking." "Oh, yes... Anyway, I have to go now. I still have a few things to deal with." He turned around, facing the bustling crowd. "Shokuhou-san right? Don't worry, I will never forget your name. See you later, little Imouto." He waved in farewell and disappeared into the sea of festivalgoers. Dolly waved back with a smile, while Misaki simply brought her hands together, watching him go. "His name is Touma, right? From the network, he's a hero, right?" Misaki nodded, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "Yes, like a knight in the fairy tales..." She let her gaze linger on the spot where Touma had vanished into the crowd, a sigh escaping her lips. "Anyway, Dolly, let's continue on our way... Dolly?" Misaki's words trailed off in her throat as she realized that Dolly had quite literally disappeared before her eyes. "Dolly?..." Part 3: In the dimly lit public toilet, the air was heavy with a musty odor, and the sound of dripping water echoed in the poorly maintained space. The place was far from the lively festival streets, tucked away in a neglected corner. Broken tiles and cracked walls bore witness to years of neglect, and the dim lighting cast eerie shadows across the decaying restroom. Amidst this desolation, a young girl stumbled into the restroom, her hand clutching her head in obvious distress. Her footsteps faltered, and she struggled to maintain her balance as she reached for the cracked sink, her fingers gripping the edge as if it were her lifeline. "FUCK!" She Shouted, The once-brown, short hair that she clutched began to grow rapidly, extending like strands of shimmering silk. Its color transformed from the mundane brown into a brilliant shade of shining white. "I am sorry" She heard a voice, a voice that seemed to emanate from within her head as she was alone there. As she struggled to calm her heavy breathing and regain her composure, she raised her head slowly to look into the cracked mirror above the sink. What she expected to see was her reflection, her face. Yet what she saw was both familiar and utterly foreign. The reflection in the mirror bore her face, but it was not a replica. The hair that cascaded down was not the long, shimmering white but instead a short, ordinary shade of brown. The eyes that gazed back at her were not the lifeless hollows she had but instead held a spark of vitality. "I didn't mean to take over like that..." the voice within her head spoke again, and she realized that the reflection in the mirror was speaking directly to her. "N-No..." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her trembling body. "It's not your fault," she said to the reflection. "But..." "Itchiman wasn't meant to be in such a network," she continued, her voice filled with empathy. "Ichiman was just an ordinary high school boy who had nothing to do with the whole situation. He wasn't meant to handle this much of memories and emotions exchanged in the network like the rest of the Misakas. Ichiman wasn't meant..." As she spoke, the girl's reflection in the mirror seemed to waver, as if acknowledging the truth in her words. "Misaka started to forget her original self slowly day by day, memories, emotions, personality...everything" she confessed softly, "Ichiman is tired..." The girl's words hung in the air as she stared at her reflection in the cracked and dirty mirror. Her long white hair framed her face, and her lifeless eyes held a few pairs of tears. Dolly's reflection has disappeared. Lowering her head, She reached for the broken sink and turned on the faucet, allowing the lukewarm water to flow over her trembling hands. "A bulky Japanese man with a frown expressing on his face most of the time, and a beautiful British woman with long, pink hair," she murmured. "At least Misaka can remember what her parents look like..." The cold water splashed onto her face, and she welcomed the sensation, hoping it would help clear her thoughts and bring her some measure of calm. "They promised Misaka they would visit her the next time Academy City would open its doors to visitors, But they didn't come... Misaka knew they were just playing around, and they thought she was just a freak playing a prank on them." With her face now refreshed and her thoughts somewhat clearer, the girl turned off the faucet and allowed the remaining water to drip from her hands. Stepping away from the broken sink and the now-empty mirror, she pushed open the creaking restroom door and stepped out into the bustling streets. (I'll go to check in Aisa for now...) Navigating the lively festival streets, the girl moved with purpose, toward where she believed her friend was. Pushing her way through the crowd, It should take her about 6 min to reach where Aisa and her classmates were likely to gather after each event. But... As she continued to move through the bustling streets, she encountered an unexpected obstacle. A cluster of people had gathered in front of the entrance to a small branching road. No one in the crowd was looking at her. The people had gathered in front of the entrance of a branching small road. Misaka overheard snippets of disturbing conversations as she approached. "I heard someone has been stabbed here." "Really?" "Yeah, a mere high school girl, the poor thing." The unsettling words sent a shiver down her spine, and she realized that something was wrong. As she reached the tail end of the crowd. And then she noticed. Everyone here was leaning forward, standing on their tiptoes and even jumping up and down to get a look at something. "..." She frowned as she decided to go straight for the back road and began somewhat forcefully pushing her way through the crowd to get there. It was then that she finally saw the scene that awaited her. and for the first time an emotionless clone. A look of shock overtook her features. Part 4: Blood. It was a narrow alley. It was midafternoon, but because of the tall buildings overlooking it, there was no sunlight on the ground. The air smelled stagnant, too. In that dark space... ...Was a much darker redness staining the ground "P-please move out of the way! Everyone, open up the path! Himegami-chan? Are you okay?! Himegami-channn!!" "Move it!!" Kamijou instinctively thrust the people near him out of the way and got to the front. The mass of people swayed and split to the left and right. "K-Kamijou-channn!!" The familiar voice belonged to Komoe-sensei. But her small hands, her soft cheeks, her cheerleading tank top, and miniskirt—it was like dark red blood had been draped all over them. Teardrops fell from her big eyes, mixing with the splattered blood and dripping down her chin. The blood wasn't hers. A single girl lay right at her feet. Her black hair was soaked in the blood on the ground. Himegami Aisa. In contrast, her skin, from her face down to her hands and feet, was pale, devoid of color. The upper half of her gym uniform had been ripped to shreds. She was covered in bandages from her collarbone to a little above her navel—basically everywhere. It didn't take a doctor to tell them she'd been bandaged up properly, but the oozing fluid had already stained them bright red. Her normally smooth features looked somehow uneven. "...!" Immediately upon considering why, Kamijou felt immense regret. In the puddle of blood, he saw small pieces of flesh, still with skin attached—as if someone had failed to take the shell off a hard-boiled egg. Himegami didn't move. Kamijou could hear only her shallow breathing. So shallow it might have been his imagination. He felt a dull impact like someone had smacked his head. He'd seen this before. When he discovered one of the Sisters whom Accelerator had killed, it felt the same. "No, why...Why Himegami? Komoe-sensei, what happened here?! Who the hell did this?!" "I...I don't know!" replied Komoe-sensei with a very shaky voice, looking at him. "I...I ran into a lady here...And then I said I was sorry, and she smiled, and I thought she forgave me. But then all of a sudden she made a scary face, and...and she...!" "Oriana...," Stiyl said, grabbing his still-long cigarette and pushing it against the wall in irritation. "With this kind of timing, it would have to be her...She must like messing with us." "Why?" said Kamijou, his expression bewildered. "Why her? She had no reason to attack. Himegami! She doesn't have anything to do with this incident!!" "That's why." Stiyl pointed at the ground with his cigarette butt. A bloody cross was on the ground. It was the small, wearable, accessory-shaped barrier the Anglican Church had made for her to seal her power, Deep Blood. "That spiritual item uses the same formula as the Walking Church. Not even Kanzaki, Tsuchimikado, or I was deployed with something so special. If Oriana saw it, she'd naturally think the girl was a magician on the same level of importance as the Index. Academy City is a bastion of science. The presence alone of an Anglican spiritual item is strange. Perhaps Oriana thought a powerful pursuer was cutting off her escape route and decided to act first." When Kamijou realized what he meant by that, his cheek muscles tensed. "By...mistake...?" His throat twitched strangely. "Just...a mistake? She did all this...to Himegami...and it was...by mistake...? That...that...It's a load of fucking bullshit!!" Without thinking, he slammed a fist into the nearby wall. Komoe-sensei, who was still crying, started in fright. Stiyl sighed, then took rune cards out of his habit's inside pocket. He scattered them about, and they stuck themselves to the ground and walls as if pulled by magnets. "TPIMIMSPFT. (This place is made into my sanctuary pertaining for tranquility.)" As he spoke, the people standing around the entrance to the alley began returning to the main. Road as though a cork had been removed. "??" However, amidst the departing crowd, one figure remained motionless. A young girl stood alone, Her head hung low, and her entire body trembled uncontrollably. Both Touma and Stiyl recognized her immediately. "Oriana... That's her name...So she's the one who did this..." Misaka muttered in a grave tone, her fist clenched tightly in frustration. "Little Imou-?!" Touma's words were abruptly interrupted as the girl they had been watching vanished from their sight in the blink of an eye. "What the" "SHIT!!" Touma's exclamation was once again cut short by Stiyl's sudden curse. The red-haired magician's face was a mixture of shock and anger as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. "What the matter-" "She is the abnormal clone. We have to move now before that clone reaches Oriana or..." "Or?" Touma pressed for an answer. "The whole world will fall into a new war. One that this planet has never, ever faced before."