Ayu was willing to be Misaki's subordinate as long as she could be with the Joker. Nothing else mattered to her.
Love is blind, so she never thought about the consequences of her actions and didn't care.
Unfortunately, Misaki didn't agree. Creating a shared mind link would mean that everything Misaki and Ayu did would be known to both of them. There would be no privacy, and there was a risk that their minds would synchronize to a higher degree, causing them to lose their sense of self. Additionally, Misaki still doubted at that time whether the Joker was part of her ability.
Ayu didn't give up and kept insisting, believing that one day, Misaki would soften her heart and allow the link to be created.
Everything was perfect in those days at the lab until one day, something happened...
The Joker had disappeared.
Ayu remembers that day very well. Misaki Shokuhou was in a miserable state, her starry eyes were swollen, and her best friend Dolly was also in a similar condition.
At that moment, Ayu didn't know the reason behind it, but as days passed without the Joker reappearing, Ayu panicked. She talked to Misaki about the clown many times, but Misaki refused to speak and even drove the girls away.
With no other option, Ayu investigated by herself until one day, she found the truth by reading...
The Joker was gone forever, exchanged for Dolly's life. He disappeared.
This was a huge shock for Ayu. Through Dolly's memories, she visualized the images of that day: the Joker disappearing in front of her into thousands of particles of light, leaving behind one final gift...
Misaki's star necklace, 'Wish for a Star.'
Ayu couldn't bear it. Misaki had let the Joker go, who brought her happiness and many surprises. It was too much.
Since then, Ayu held a grudge against Misaki for being so stupid, but more than resentment, she also felt sadness because she wasn't the one with those privileges.
If it were her, she would never have let the Joker go. If only it were her, she would never have let the Joker disappear...
Misaki is a sinner. She always gets everything good: the Level 5 project, loyal friends, the Joker...
Ayu, on the other hand, is just a replacement.
Since then, Ayu was very depressed. Her will to live slowly faded, trapped in the shadow of Shokuhou Misaki...
Her mind reached the limit, and she was on the verge of suicide until a ray of light brought her back to reality...
It was Misaki's necklace, the only thing the Joker left behind.
Remembering this gave her the motivation to live again...
However, she knew she was a replacement...
Although she denied many times that she was not a replacement, this shadow still persisted in her heart.
(If only I were Misaki Shokuhou...)
Until suddenly, she thought of such a possibility. Yes, since Misaki is the one who gets all the good things and she was the replacement, then what she had to do was clear...
She had to become Misaki Shokuhou! If she wanted the Joker to return, then she had to become the one she hated most.
She had to devour everything that belonged to Misaki; she had to make it hers.
Therefore...
(I am not a replacement! From now on, I am Misaki Shokuhou!)
---
"Ah~"
Misaki groaned in pain, being strangled by Ayu. Her body lost all power, and her mind was at the mercy of the enemy, sinking deeper and deeper into the water, falling into infinite darkness...
Every precious memory passed through her eyes, especially those from a year ago...
Where the Joker vanished...
"Hick... Hick... Hick..."
Misaki, who had never cried for anyone, was in a sea of tears, lamenting that cruel clown, who, despite leaving, took her heart...
She spent many days depressed but eventually regained her composure. She still had a promise to fulfill; she owed it to Dolly and the Joker...
"I must save Dolly..."
Since Dolly escaped her fate, everything was a disaster in the lab. Dolly deviated from the plan and parameters, and at this rate, she would be analyzed by the scientists to find out why she survived.
Fortunately, Misaki acted quickly. Her ability had already infected all the lab personnel, now under her control. Under her careful regimen, Misaki made a 'Copy' of Dolly and faked her death, taking her out of the lab and beyond the reach of the scientists. Everything followed the original timeline's route. At the same time, she created an access code in 'Exterior,' which was her cerebral cortex and connected to her...
However, the price she paid was not small. The group of friends she had made dissolved, and only Junko remained with her...
"Misaki-chan, thank you so much."
Dolly was very grateful for this, yet she also knew Misaki was suffering. Despite having such a small body, Misaki bore the burden of saving her life, which made Dolly sad...
But her life wasn't bad. Misaki accompanied Dolly all the time, fulfilling many of her wishes, like seeing the sea. Although it was an aquarium, it was quite beautiful...
"Joker..."
Yet there wasn't a day when the hateful clown didn't appear in her mind...
"Liar..."
Murmuring sadly, Misaki touched the pendant hanging from her neck. The Joker had told her this pendant could fulfill her greatest wish, and Misaki had been wishing to see him again, but no matter how much she tried, nothing happened...
All she could see was the bright crown rotating around her, accompanying her sadness and protecting her.
Until one day, Dolly suddenly proposed they go out and have fun...
Misaki didn't refuse. After hiding for more than six months, Dolly needed to go out and experience the outside world she lacked so much...
"Where do you want to go?"
Since it was a trip between them, Misaki was willing to play with Dolly all day and fulfill her dreams, so she patiently waited for Dolly's instructions...
"I want to ride a roller coaster!"
Having always been in the lab, Dolly's only way to 'see' the outside was through her missing friend Mitori and the magazines she read. Among them, she had read about the roller coaster, a common activity for young people...
"Hm~ alright, let's go to the amusement park~"
Putting a finger to her lips, Misaki found it amusing and didn't hesitate to guide Dolly. Of course, Misaki soon regretted this...
However, Misaki didn't know that high up in a building, several people in black suits were watching her from a distance...
"We have located the target..."
"Very good..."
Responding to the man in the suit was a middle-aged man in a lab coat. His name was Shundou Toshizou, a researcher and the man behind the third Dolly Clone Lab.
Toshizou's eyes shone as he saw the image of two very familiar girls, especially the short-haired girl with tea-colored hair...
(So it's true... She didn't die...)
As the person in charge of the Dolly Clone Project, he was very familiar with Misaka Mikoto, so he instantly recognized Dolly and confirmed his suspicions...
After all, although Misaki faked Dolly's death and created a duplicate, she couldn't deceive Toshizou, who wasn't influenced by her Mental Out ability. Yet Toshizou didn't know where Dolly was and couldn't track her, so he couldn't prove his suspicions. But his instincts told him this must be related to Misaki Shokuhou...
Until today, his surveillance succeeded. This was a golden opportunity he wasn't willing to lose.
(Mental Out and Prototype... What a good combination.)
To Toshizou, both Misaki and Dolly were gems he had to possess, so he didn't hesitate...
"Inform Deadlock about this. I'm sure they won't miss this chance to overthrow a Level 5..."
"Yes, sir..."
---
TN: I swear all the dramas happen cuz of yuki and his overdramatic actions