/ incoherent screams as she emerges from the grave

Oh look it's chapter 9 what a day this is you must be so happy okay that's all enjoy

As soon as the warm air of the day hit her face, Mikoto let out a dramatic sigh. "Whew! Glad that's over with!" One arm stretched up towards the sky. "And we even got you cleared!"

Her partner smiled, hands tucked behind her back in a very familiar way. "I'm glad as well. I'm not sure what I would do if it hadn't worked out."

"Knowing you, you'd just go and train anyway." The electromaster chuckled. She didn't notice the slight frown it put on the girl's face, and instead stopped once they reached the sidewalk. "Well, you were let out and that's that! Now we can focus on training."

Kuroko nodded, though her look turned a little more serious. "What about his warning?"

For a moment, Mikoto didn't remember what she was talking about. She thought back to the encounter. The doctor, while sure that Kuroko was ready to try being a teleporter again, had no idea what level she might be without performing an Ability Test. He had warned them that training could be dangerous.

Her face scrunched up. What else are we supposed to do, though?

"Maybe we should find a secluded place to train?" she thought out loud. "Some place that's far enough away from anything so that even if you're at your previous level, if you mis-teleport no one will get hurt."

Her focus turned to the bus schedule and she scanned the map. There were many places that would be suitable, but her eyes still narrowed in thought. "Someplace secluded...maybe we should look in another district."

After some more searching, the Level 5 turned to her companion to ask her opinion, but was stopped by her expression. While mostly neutral, there was a distinct blush stuck to her cheeks. She pursed her lips. "Hey, what's that face for?"

"Huh?" The brunette had been spacing out and re-focused on her companion. "Pardon?"

"Why are you all red?"

It seemed her suspicions were right, as Kuroko's face reddened even more and she looked shyly to the side. "I was simply surprised by such a proposal." Her voice quieted a bit as she added, "A secluded training spot would be lovely."

At first, the words didn't click in Mikoto's mind; it had been awhile since the younger girl had said anything even a little bit bold. When they finally did, she immediately became flustered and nearly shocked the girl out of reflex. Luckily the timely arrival of the bus distracted her and she instead grabbed the girl's wrist, turned on her heel and dragged her onto the bus. As Mikoto sat an arm's length away from her partner, she noticed Kuroko was still blushing, but now also smiling a little.

That was enough to quell her emotions for a moment. I guess I can't really be mad at her when she looks like that, she thought with a huff, crossing her arms and looking out the window.

After a quick stop at their dorm to retrieve them, Mikoto decided it was too much of a hassle to leave their district, so she led them onto another bus and they headed towards the outskirts. She vaguely remembered some sports fields out there that would work.

When they finally came upon an empty baseball field it was almost noon. The duo stopped near a vending machine to look it over. Kuroko looked over the notebook she had retrieved earlier while the electromaster got them a couple drinks. A small smirk appeared on her face as the drinks dispensed with no issues; it was good to see not all machines were despicable money eaters.

She nudged her partner's shoulder with her drink, and the brunette twitched before taking it. They could hear kids yelling in the distance.

"So," Mikoto started, "do you think this'll do?"

Kuroko flipped to one of the pages and read over it as she took a sip from the can.

"Hm." Her eyes flickered back and forth between her notebook and the field. "According to my notes, it should do just fine."

Mikoto smirked. "Excellent. Let's get started then!" She quickly downed the rest of her drink and the two of them walked out to the middle of the field. Kuroko's eyes were glued to her notebook, as if studying for a test. Mikoto peeked over her shoulder; she hadn't actually seen the contents of the book yet. For the most part, it was a jumble of calculations and various small notes. As the brunette flipped through it, there were also some small drawings, some of which were people. She was going to comment on how cute their friends looked when she caught a glimpse of one particular sketch. All she could see was that it was herself and Kuroko, and there was clearly a blue aura of electricity around the little Kuroko. She decided it was better not to comment.

"Alright, I think I'm ready to try," chirped the brunette as she shut the notebook. "It looks like teleporting something would be a good place to start."

Mikoto smirked. "Well that's easy. Here." She knelt and placed her can on the ground. "Just try teleporting this. It's small, so it shouldn't be too hard, right?"

Kuroko shrugged as she also knelt. "I guess so. It's size means it wouldn't be as dangerous if something goes wrong."

"Perfect! Do your best!"

The younger girl took a deep breath. Her eyes drifted closed as she thought for a moment. At first Mikoto only watched but her curiosity soon gave way to tension as the seconds passed by. Finally, her partner nodded, opened her eyes, and touched the can.

Nothing happened. The electromaster wasn't sure if that was because Kuroko hadn't tried or it just wasn't working. More time went by, and slowly the girl's expression grew more intense and strained.

It looks like she's trying really hard, Mikoto thought. She had probably never seen such an intense expression on the girl before, and it was actually endearing. The Kuroko she knew was such a goofball, but there were times when she could be incredibly dedicated. It was no surprise that applied to training. Just what I'd expect from someone like her.

It took several minutes of this before Mikoto noticed something strange. Although her companion looked like she was focusing, her eyes were constantly flickering to the side. The girl was trying to focus, but it seemed she was distracted. Kuroko's gaze flickered in her direction. A quick glance over herself didn't reveal anything strange, so Mikoto ignored it.

After at least ten straight minutes, Kuroko let out a groan. "Alright, time for a break." The two of them stood up and stretched as Kuroko rubbed her temples. She opened her notebook again scanned over the notes.

"You look like you're trying really hard," commented the electromaster. Curiosity bubbled up and she added, "but you looked distracted. Was I doing something?"

The younger girl's face was hidden behind the notebook, but as it lowered she saw the girl was blushing again. "It's just, uh..." Kuroko gulped as she looked away. "I could see your shorts really easily."

For a moment Mikoto was quiet. "Oh, is that so? I'm sorry." She patted her companion on the shoulder. "This time I'll make sure you can focus."

Though it hadn't been embarrassing, there was a bit of tension in the air. Kuroko moved back to the can and knelt, only to realize that Mikoto was kneeling half a meter behind her. She looked back at her with a small pout, but Mikoto simply smiled.

A small blue spark bounced around her fringe. Kuroko's gaze snapped back to the can and she continued her training. Good to see some things never change, thought the Level 5.

After what felt like ages, Kuroko suddenly tensed. Out of reflex her partner tensed as well, but nothing seemed to be wrong. In fact, she looked down to the can just in time to see it rattle. Mikoto immediately recognized it as the flickering image of Kuroko's Teleport. The can didn't actually teleport away, but that was enough for the two of them to gasp and look at each other.

"I think it's working," Kuroko stated.

"Damn right it's working!" Mikoto shot up and balled her fists in excitement. "You're doing great! Keep going!"

"Right!" With a newfound determination, Kuroko focused on the can again. Her concentration didn't falter even for a moment, and over and over she achieved the same result. Well, that wasn't quite true. Mikoto had seed the girl's Teleport enough to notice even the smallest changes in movement, and it was clear the can was rattling in a different way each time. A brief look at Kuroko's face made her wonder if she was testing out different formulas. At least that's how I think it works. Her brow furrowed as she thought about it. Teleporting always seemed complicated, and if she was being honest, it was amazing that the younger girl could do it. And at her level, too!

At the level she was at, anyway. Her mood dipped. Kuroko still had a long way to go; Mikoto herself knew that path better than anyone. For a moment, she wondered if she would actually be able to get back to her previous level, but she fiercely pushed that thought away. How could she think that when Kuroko was already starting up the hill? That girl was a determined little thing when she put her mind to it. Hell, she could probably get to the top in no time!

"Yeah!" she suddenly blurted. "You can do it, Kuroko!"

Her companion paused just before she tried again, briefly looking back to the Level 5. At first she looked confused, but then she flashed an excited smile before returning to her training.

Mikoto couldn't help but feel incredibly proud of her partner.

As Kuroko continued to practice, time started to blur together. Crouching for so long was hurting her legs, so Mikoto moved to a bench near the edge of the field. From this angle she could still see the other girl just fine, and as she relaxed her vision started to blur. Only a few attempts were made to keep herself focused, but before long the blurriness turned to darkness and she dozed off.

It felt like only a moment later when she suddenly woke up again, but the orange sky and fading light said otherwise. It took a moment to realize that her companion had moved and was now sitting on another bench. Her momentum had slowed, reduced to looking over her notes before trying to teleport the can again. It flickered the same way it had several hours ago.

Crap, I didn't mean to fall asleep. Mikoto stretched a little bit as she watched her partner. She's probably been practicing this whole time.

A quick check of her phone revealed that it was nearing dinner time, so she stood up and made her way over to her companion. Said girl looked up just as she stopped next to her and smiled.

Mikoto spoke first. "How's it going?"

Kuroko sighed. "Well, it could certainly be better." She touched the can again, attempting to teleport it but getting the same result.

The Level 5 shrugged. "Sometimes it just takes time. I think you've spent plenty of it today, though." She flipped open her phone to show her the time. "It's getting late as it is, so why don't we call it a day?"

"Ah, but I think I'm close!" Kuroko exclaimed as she flipped to a different page and pointed at a myriad of formulas. "I think this algorithm is important, and I think I'm getting the hang of it, so if I just try a little more…"

Her voice trailed off as she fell into thought. Despite her intense look, Mikoto could see her eyes were straining to focus. "I think…"

"Well, even if you think so, it's hard to be sure when you're this tired." The younger girl tried to protest, but Mikoto silenced her with a hand and a sympathetic smile. "I can tell you've been working really hard. I admire that, but there's a limit. Take it from someone who knows."

Kuroko's face reddened ever so slightly and she also smiled. "Is that so? I should take your advice then." She closed her notebook and brushed off her skirt. "Thank you, by the way. Training is much easier when someone believes in you."

"Is it?" she wondered out loud. "I guess I wouldn't really know. I did my training by myself and I was fine. Of course, I have you now."

Both of them fell quiet. Mikoto noticed Kuroko's face reddening and looked away, but they both chuckled. "Maybe I'm getting too sappy," mumbled the Level 5.

"I find it quite flattering, actually," responded her companion. They shared a laugh this time.

Suddenly Kuroko stopped, and a small "Ah" escaped her lips. Before she could jump to any conclusions, Mikoto watched as she reached over, her finger coming to rest on the rim of the can again.

A moment later, it had disappeared.

Mikoto didn't make a sound. Instead the two of them looked at each other, then looked around to see where the can had gone. A quick sweep of the field didn't reveal anything, and for a bit there was no clank-

"Ow!"

Well, there it was. The Level 5 looked back to her companion to see her clutching her head and the aforementioned can rolling on the ground.

"Ow," Kuroko groaned again before looking angrily at the can. "Dumb can! That's not what I meant to do!"

Suddenly she was swept up in a hug, barely able to react before she was swung around in a circle and then put back down. "You're so awesome!" exclaimed the electromaster excitedly. She held the girl's hands as she continued. "Maybe you didn't do it perfectly, but you still did it! How'd you figure it out?"

As the excitement wound down a bit, Kuroko paused to think. "I'm not sure. I was thinking about what you said, about me standing by you, and suddenly it came to me." A finger scratched at her cheek. "Actually, I remembered a bunch of times that I had used my teleportation to help you, and when I thought something like, "I've always done my best to help Onee-sama," it sort of just came back to me."

The two looked at each other, and the meaning of Kuroko's words hit both of them. Mikoto casually let go of her hands and put a normal amount of distance between them. "I-I see." She managed to play her nervousness off with another excited smile. "Well that's good! I'm, uh, glad I could be of help!"

"O-Of course! Thank you very much!" Kuroko tried to bow but instead lost her balance. Mikoto caught her and helped her regain her composure, though her face was now flushed. "Alright, I'm ready to call it a day now."

"Yeah, seems like it." A quick zap of electricity brought the can into her hand, and she tossed it in the proper bin as they headed out. Mikoto asked if Kuroko was feeling okay enough to walk, but the Teleporter confirmed that she was fine. There was a smile on her face that wouldn't fade. It took awhile for Mikoto to notice that her companion was holding her arm, which made her feel a little embarrassed.

Kuroko's just being Kuroko, she thought, so why is my heart beating faster? No answer came to her mind. When Kuroko detached herself upon entering the bus, she was left even more confused when excitement turned to disappointment, and it remained until they finally returned home.

The prospect of food made the electromaster forget her worries. Watching the Teleporter train had worked up her appetite, and the way that Kuroko sighed at the smell of food suggested hers had as well. As soon as they sat down to eat, however, the exhaustion of practicing took over the younger girl, so they ate quickly in order to retire for the night. No sooner had Mikoto opened the door to their room than Kuroko flopped onto her bed, letting out a long sigh.

The Level 5 chuckled. "You worked really hard today, so you deserve a good rest." She slipped out of her shoes and stretched, going to stand in front of her dresser. "I think I'll call it a night too, that way I can be in top shape to help you out tomorrow as well."

She was about to reach out and open the closet when she felt a weight against her back. Immediately her body tensed and she felt her embarrassment rise to a boil. Kuroko's sharp intake of breath was so close that she could feel the rush of air being sucked in.

"I just...wanted to thank you." Kuroko's voice was soft as she pressed herself to her back. "You're the reason I was able to teleport again. I couldn't have done it without you."

There was a long pause, and finally Kuroko's fists clenched her senior's vest.

"You're my special person, too."

That was the trigger. The younger girl's voice, so ladened with tenderness, touched Mikoto's heart. She felt calm, level-headed, and most of all, happy. So, so happy. Who knew that hearing Kuroko say those words would make her feel like this? When she thought about it, her junior had never really said that to her. It was obvious the Teleporter had something along the lines of love for her Onee-sama, but this time it felt different.

This time, Mikoto returned her feelings.

"I'm glad," she whispered. "I'm glad you feel the same way."

Immediately the mood turned a little darker, however, as she looked back to Kuroko with a mild glare. "That doesn't mean you can just go ahead and cop a feel."

The Teleporter had looked like she was in bliss, but now she was a mess of confusion and anxiety. She looked around as if the issue was somewhere else, before actually registering the meaning of her companion's words. Her eyes traveled down her arms, and she realized she had reached for the hem of Mikoto's shirt. Well, no, actually, her hands had snuck under the hem already.

Kuroko chuckled nervously as she looked back up. "It's just, uh, instinct?"

The angry blue spark that bounced off Mikoto's fringe was certainly on instinct, and it was successful in scaring the other girl back to her bed. A stream of frantic apologies made the Electromaster calm down, her sour look turning to just a frown.

"Well, I guess I can forgive you this time," she said with a huff, "since things are going back to normal." Kuroko seemed relieved, but offered a small bow in exchange. That rid both of them of any negative feelings, and Mikoto smirked at her companion before they started their bedtime routines.

As she did so, Mikoto thought that maybe she was being too sentimental. It's nice to have Kuroko returning to normal again, but this is Kuroko we're talking about. She snuck a peek at the girl, who had just slipped on a modest pajama top. Maybe that's not really a good thing. An ever-familiar voice in the back of her mind yelled, Nonsense! Getting Kuroko back is what we want!

That thought resonated with her. She had already told the girl herself what she thought; she really was her special person. That hadn't been a lie. It was just that, the more she thought about it, the more she realized she genuinely wanted the old Kuroko back, dedication and perversion and all.

She wanted her Kuroko back, and it was clear she was going to get what she wanted - whatever that meant.

~ とある科学のレールガン ~

The next morning, an idea occurred to Mikoto as they got ready. The duo quickly got through their morning preparations and returned to the field. Now that Kuroko had unlocked her teleportation again, the actual training could begin. Placing Kuroko near the edge of the field, she then stepped back about five meters and drew a circle on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Kuroko asked curiously.

The Electromaster smiled. "This is something I remember from your system scans." She retrieved a tennis ball from her pocket and tossed it up and down a few times. "You said this is how they measure your accuracy and distance."

Kuroko looked amazed. "That makes sense." In fact, now she looked more determined. "Alright, I'll do my best!"

"That's the spirit!" Mikoto tossed her the ball before returning to her side.

The tension in the air rose a bit as Kuroko held up the ball. Barely a moment later, however, it turned into elation as the ball disappeared and bounced right in the center of the circle.

"Wow, first try!" Mikoto ran over to retrieve the ball and looked back to the girl with a grin. "Maybe you don't need to train after all."

The Teleporter gave her a firm pout. "Please don't tease me like that."

If felt like this was the first time the Level 5 had laughed in ages. She quickly moved back another five meters from the circle and drew another one before tossing the ball back. Once again, Kuroko focused for a moment before the ball landed dead center. She received more words of praise, and the cycle continued. Each time, Mikoto found that the smile on her face was widening, and it certainly wasn't going away.

It was relatively straightforward until the circle was at the pitcher's mound. This time, Mikoto gave an excited "Go Kuroko, woo!" before the girl's next attempt. Despite looking focused it must have thrown her off, because while the ball was teleported away, it didn't appear in the circle. Suddenly Kuroko lept to the side, and right where she was standing the ball fell and bounced a few times. The Teleporter laughed haughtily and said something like "Not this time!" It was enough of a spectacle to make the Electromaster laugh as well; seeing Kuroko worked up over something like dodging a rogue tennis ball was too good. Said girl noticed and gave her a grumpy pout. She then teleported the ball, which landed in the middle of the circle as it was supposed to. With both focused on training again, they continued.

Now some things were starting to change. As Mikoto continued to move the circle back, she noticed her companion was focusing harder before teleporting. The tennis ball, while still landing in the circle, was no longer dead center. Where it would land directly correlated to how far away the circle was; each time it moved back, the ball was a little farther away from the center. Finally, at forty meters away, the ball landed outside the circle. Kuroko's irritated huff could be heard even at a distance.

"Looks like you need some practice here," Mikoto called out as she retrieved the ball and tossed it back. "Just try and get it in the circle again, okay?"

Kuroko nodded and set to trying again. While she managed to get the ball in the circle after about twenty minutes, that wasn't enough for her. She insisted that, according to her notebook, she should be able to land it closer to the center. Mikoto had no qualms with it, so the training continued. She only noticed the time when it did finally land in the center again.

Neither of them expected the applause that came from nearby. The moment Mikoto spotted the source at the edge of the field, she grinned.

"Awesome job, Shirai-san!" Saten was standing just behind the chain link fence of the dugout, and the two could make out Uiharu just behind her. "You're looking like total badass material over there!"

"Hey, Uiharu, Saten!" The Level 5 waved at them. Saten waved back, but she noticed Uiharu did not. Strange, she thought as she turned back to Kuroko. "Let's take a break and say hi."

The Teleporter should have looked nervous; she didn't remember anyone else yet, from what Mikoto understood. Instead, curiosity was painted on her face. "Sure." Mikoto smiled and quickly jogged over to the edge, with Kuroko following behind her.

Saten gave them another wave and a huge grin. "Heya. Didn't think you two would be out this far."

"Yeah, well, you can see why we are." Mikoto finally focused on Uiharu, who had yet to say anything, and realized she wasn't smiling. Her eyes were glued to the ground. Now concerned, the Level 5 looked back to Saten. "What are you two doing out here?"

Saten chuckled nervously before she nudged her companion forward. She let out an "eep!" and the two exchanged hushed whispers. Mikoto briefly looked back to her companion, only to see that her gaze was on Uiharu. After a moment, the two faced them and Uiharu looked at Kuroko.

It felt like an eternity before the girl spoke. "Um," she started, "S-Shirai-san, how are you?"

At first Kuroko made no reaction. She watched the girl, who grew nervous under her gaze. After a moment, however, the Teleporter nodded. "I'm well, thank you."

Whatever haze had taken over Uiharu seemed to fade as her expression lightened, but she was still apprehensive. "T-That's good! I thought so, since you can teleport again, and all that..."

From behind her, Saten rolled her eyes and made an exasperated face. Mikoto gave her a lopsided smile. It seemed the two in conversation didn't notice the exchange. Saten then lightly jabbed her companion in the side, which made her jump again. This time, Uiharu steeled her expression before she spoke.

"Shirai-san, do you remember me?"

Kuroko immediately went wide-eyed. Mikoto found herself holding her breath and standing incredibly still. She's only been remembering me, so if her memories are triggered… Her muscles tensed, ready to react.

Then, the Teleporter managed a small smile.

"You're Uiharu, aren't you?" Her gaze moved to the other girl and she added, "And Saten, right?"

That broke the tension altogether, and suddenly Uiharu had tears in her eyes. They fell in dramatic waterfalls as she leaped at the girl, letting out a myriad of cries as she embraced the girl. "Shirai-san!" she sobbed into her shirt. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

It was obvious that Kuroko didn't know what to do. "U-Um, it's fine," she assured her, giving her an awkward pat on the back. She tried to offer a few other comforting words, though it didn't seem to affect the tears staining her vest. Mikoto had moved to stand next to Saten, and the two of them couldn't help but chuckle.

"I've just-" Uiharu stopped to pull away and sniffled, trying to regain her composure enough to speak properly. "I've just been so worried. You've always done things on your own, so I tried to give you some space, but...I was still worried."

The Teleporter remained confused. Mikoto wondered if it was because she didn't really remember the girl. The suspicion was lifted when Kuroko gasped. The Electromaster quickly reached out with her ability; she could feel something had changed, and based on the glint in her eye it was probably a memory.

"Uiharu," she mumbled. "Yes, of course you were. You're that kind of person."

Uiharu was the one confused now, but her expression had lightened.

"You're my oldest friend, so of course you'd be worried." The girl smiled, a real genuine smile, and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry for the trouble, but you don't have to worry anymore. Everything is coming back to me; I can even use my Teleport again. I'm sure it'll all be back to normal soon."

The smaller girl's tears had stopped, and after wiping the last of them away an expression of relief made its home on her face.

"I'm so glad." She smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

The two of them looked at each other with tender eyes, which was promptly interrupted by Saten clapping her partner on the back. "Good for you, Uiharu!" she exclaimed, taking her place as the one with the largest grin. "Shirai-san's alright so now you're alright! What a day!"

Mikoto couldn't help the feeling of relief that had settled within her as well. Attempts to trigger memories hadn't gone so well in the past, but this time it seemed it was good for Kuroko. Seeing her smile just a bit awkwardly was a familiarity she welcomed. There was also a little warmth in her chest, though if it was from the group reuniting or from seeing her partner more upbeat was unclear. If she had to be honest, it was probably the latter.

"Hey, you know," she finally spoke, stepping in to be part of the group, "Kuroko's been working pretty hard today. Why don't you two join us for a break?"

Saten made a sound of approval. "Sounds awesome! Even Shirai-san needs to rest sometimes."

"I agree!" chirped Uiharu.

Kuroko only let out a small sigh and shrugged. "Well I guess I have no choice. Food might help my concentration as well."

"And we know just the place!" Saten didn't skip a beat before she linked arms with Kuroko and Uiharu, while Mikoto flanked the brunette on the other side. "Off we go!"

The expression the Teleporter made implied she was being swept off her feet by this flurry of events, but she still looked happier than she had been lately. For Mikoto, that was enough. She linked arms with the girl, and when they briefly locked gazes they exchanged smiles as well.

Sometime later, they arrived at a very familiar diner. Though it was most recently the site of trouble, such thoughts didn't even occur to the Teleporter nor the Electromaster. Today, the group was just a gaggle of girls there for lunch. It was just like any other day, even though there were still some clues that it wasn't quite one-hundred percent normal. Primarily, after they finished eating, Kuroko was a little daunted by Uiharu's decision to order the largest parfait on the menu.

As they waited, Uiharu inquired about Kuroko's recovery. Every once in awhile, Saten asked something more directed at her memories, who or what exactly she remembered. At some point, she was cold enough to insist that Uiharu was actually the one that always flipped her skirt. The flower-haired girl was obviously flustered, especially by how Kuroko seemed to believe her.

"Anyway," Saten casually changed the topic as Uiharu continued to whine, "how have you to been getting along?"

Kuroko cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Like, you and Misaka-san. It must've been rough for you guys at first, right?"

"Perhaps you could say that. I certainly didn't remember her immediately."

Saten's expression was relatively neutral, but she shot Mikoto a look and she recognized it immediately. That glint in her eye - it was the same glint she had when they'd talked about love a few days earlier. She smiled at Kuroko and continued with, "And what about now?"

No one had been prepared for how calm the Teleporter looked as she declared, "She's my special person."

All three reacted differently. Uiharu looked like she had overloaded from such rapid processing. Saten's eyes were so wide and sparkly they looked like they might jump right out of their sockets. Mikoto, however, was on the brink of an explosion.

"D-D-Don't just say things like that so plainly!" Her voice was so high-pitched it sounded more like the whistling of a teakettle.

The Teleporter seemed confused. "But she asked, and it's true. You told me first, remember?"

"KUROKO STOP." Now Mikoto was frantically swapping between reprimanding her partner and trying to convince Saten that it wasn't what she was thinking. The other two just watched on, and it was clear neither of them were accepting the flustered denials of the Level 5.

Seeing it was futile, she tried to change the subject by bringing up training. Kuroko casually followed the transition, and that was enough to help the group settle down.

By the time they had finished, the topic of romance had faded into the background. Mikoto knew she wasn't completely out of the woods, if Saten's frequent sly looks were any indication, but at least she wasn't pressing the issue. Stepping back out into the afternoon sun, they started to walk off, and Mikoto realized it felt just like normal.

"What should we do next?" asked Uiharu in a chipper tone.

"Huh, I wonder." Saten pulled her arms behind her back."Ah! What about shopping? We haven't gone in awhile, and I heard it's sale time all over the place!"

Uiharu agreed and Mikoto smiled. That sounds perfect! Just like old times! At that thought however, she looked to Kuroko. She looked hesitant. But, maybe too soon.

"What do you think?" she asked her partner tentatively, stopping and turning to her. "Maybe you'd prefer to get back to training? " Her voice was lower enough for the others not to hear and she added, "Or maybe you're not comfortable spending time all together yet?"

The Teleporter thought for a moment, but her worry faded and she smiled, almost uncharacteristically bright for even her old self. "No, I like it. I want to go."

Uiharu cheered and Kuroko stepped up to stand by her side, also earning a clap on the back from Saten. The three started to walk again, chatting about what they might get. Mikoto found herself entranced with the image. Her eyes wouldn't leave her partner. Kuroko looks happy, was her only thought. Her lips curled up, and a moment later she hurried after them.

~ とある特別なへーダー ~

"Whew!" Saten sighed as she hefted the small army of bags she had collected. "Might have gone a little overboard there."

Uiharu giggled. "You have my packages too, y'know." She took a couple bags from her friend, who was grateful for even the small relief.

The other pair chuckled. "Well, just don't collapse while walking home, okay?" Mikoto teased.

Saten gave her a grin. "I'm way too strong for that!" she exclaimed, demonstrating how high she could lift the bags before dashing off. Uiharu panicked and ran after her, both calling out a goodbye as they went.

Kuroko sighed, and Mikoto saw she was smiling fondly. "That was quite enjoyable," she said.

"Really?" Mikoto felt a mix of relief and excitement. "You're not stressed out or anything?"

"Yeah. It was…" She trailed off, trying to find the right words. "It felt less like nostalgia and more like normal. Like I was right where I was supposed to be."

The Electromaster was sure the energy she was charged with would be enough to power half the city. "That's so awesome! I'm so glad to hear that." Her voice gave all that energy away, and it was enough for Kuroko to look at her and grin. They turned back and headed off towards the dorms.

Things are really looking up, Mikoto thought as they walked. Kuroko can teleport again, and we even had a fun day without any incidents. I bet it won't be long before everything's really back to normal. Her chest swelled, and for a moment she thought it might be too much. Sure, she should be excited, but this much? She wanted to laugh at herself. Maybe I really am-

Her thoughts came to a half, along with her feet. Kuroko must have been too wrapped up in her thoughts to notice.

Maybe I really am…

The little voice in the back of her head was trying to finish for her, but she decided to push it down.

Instead, her hand reached out and took Kuroko's. The girl stopped and looked back, and when she saw their hands her face tinted pink ever so slightly.

"Yes?"

Mikoto's mind was buzzing, but for some reason she couldn't find her actual voice. "Uh," she blurted, trying to remember how to use it, "sorry, I just had an idea. I wanna show you something."

Being in physical contact with the Teleporter, she could feel her temperature rising as well as her heart rate.

Curiosity silenced Kurko and she only nodded. Mikoto thought for a moment, then lead her off.

Some minutes later, they reached the top of a stairwell and emerged out onto a rooftop. As soon as they did, Kuroko gasped. They were at the top of a building high above the city, so high they could see over most of the buildings and look out over it.

"This…" her voice faded as they walked out towards the railing.

Mikoto smiled. "It's amazing, right?" She rested her arms over the railing. "Actually, you brought me up here once."

As Kuroko approached, her expression shifted a bit. "I remember. I teleported us here."

"You remember!"

"I also remember I did so because you stole from that vending machine."

Agh, she remembers that too. "I'd hoped you'd forgotten that part."

But the Teleporter only giggled, and her gaze turned back over the city. The two were quiet for a moment, enjoying the view and the gentle breeze. More than that, Mikoto realized, she enjoyed just being here with her partner.

My special person, she corrected herself.

They didn't speak for some time, both too entranced by their surroundings. They could barely hear the sounds of the city below, though Mikoto could still feel it humming with energy. Things were calm here, peaceful, as if their worries had been tossed off the edge and they were just left with the sun and sky and each other.

Of course, that didn't mean it wasn't startling when Kuroko hugged her partner's arm and rested her head on her shoulder. Mikoto's pulse nearly shot through the roof. Woah woah, too close! She was preparing to say something, maybe scold her, but the Teleporter spoke first.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For helping me."

Mikoto's tensions eased out. She calmly responded, "Of course. "

"I don't mean just now. I mean always, since the beginning." Her grip tightened a bit, and the Electromaster could feel the unease within her. "I remember that I've been a nuisance, and it hasn't changed. I'm sorry for that."

Here Mikoto chuckled. "You don't have to be sorry. That's part of who you are, right?" Her chest tightened as she added, more softly, "You're my Kuroko, and I wouldn't change anything about you."

It seemed the moment had gotten too tender, for the Teleporter's pulse ran out of control and she let out a little squeal. She hopped away from the embrace, twirling away with an embarrassed blush. It only served to fluster Mikoto. "I-I didn't mean it like that!" She tried to burn the thoughts out of the girl's head with a mild glare and rather ineffective pout.

It took her a moment to realize that the girl had disappeared from her sight.

Wait. Her brain struggled to comprehend this. Teleport? But to where?

As it clicked, she turned from the roof to look back over the city.

Curly hair disappeared just below her sight, and a moment later, a scream reached her ears as Kuroko plummeted towards the city.

Okay BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING, yes I did forget about this fic for the whole year. A full-time job and also living in Japan means some things get left behind. You may now go thank GreatSnapper for being the one to remember, do the beta, and also force me to publish it (because I forgot again aha I'm a bad writer I know).

But don't worry, you will not be left with a cliffhanger for very long! The next chapter is in production (I've said this before but it will actually be completed this time) and it is shaping up to be the final chapter. This fic has had an ever-changing direction for too long, but now I've got an ending I - and hopefully you all - will be happy with.

Once again thanks to GreatSnapper for the beta! See you all in the final chapter!