Chapter 1: Just Another Day in Academy City
Thick dark clouds filled the sky above Academy City in western Tokyo as the day began. The countless wind turbines across the city spun a little faster as a more powerful wind rushed through. Fat raindrops started to fall as the city's population, 80% of whom were students at the many schools within the city's borders, began appearing from their homes or dorms to begin the day.
At a slightly run-down looking dorm building, a teenaged boy with spikey black hair and wearing a white shirt over an orange T-shirt as well as black trousers and white trainers with a red trim made his way quickly down the stairs from his dorm. Normally he would have taken the elevator, but it appeared that it had been out of order since the previous afternoon. As he got to the bottom and felt the first raindrops thudding onto his head and shoulders, he let out a sigh.
"Why did Index have to take my only umbrella with her when she went out?" he asked himself. He set off at a gentle run in the direction of the bus stop – at least he could minimize the amount of time he spent out in the rain. He'd been carefully hoarding a small amount of money for emergencies like this. He picked up the pace as the rain started falling harder and turned the corner to the bus stop.
…Only to watch as the doors of the waiting bus slid shut as he approached. He held a hand out in front of him and broke into a sprint as the bus started to pull away. Alas, the bus driver failed to notice him and the bus raced off down the street away from him. Dejected, he slowed to a halt by the bus stop – unfortunately it lacked a bus shelter – and checked the bus times.
"No way!" he exclaimed. There wasn't another bus until an hour after he was supposed to be in school. Just as he contemplated what to do, a car sped past through a puddle he hadn't noticed. A spray of water was sent flying into the air, soaking him from head to toe.
Recovering from the shock, Kamijou Touma let out a frustrated shout as he started running in the direction of school.
"Such misfortune!"
"Aww! It's raining pretty heavily now!" A fourteen year old girl with chestnut brown hair and a small hairclip featuring two small flowers as well as brown eyes placed her hand on the cold glass of the window in her dorm room as she gazed out at the pouring rain. She was wearing a school uniform which consisted of a light brown vest sweater over a white blouse and a grey skirt. She also wore a pair of baggy socks which reached almost halfway up her lower legs. "It's going to be a pain getting to school in this." Misaka Mikoto turned to look back at her roommate as she spoke. "Don't you think, Kuroko?"
Shirai Kuroko wore the same uniform as Mikoto. Her tawny hair was tied up in two curly pigtails, held in place by a red bow each. Like Mikoto, she had brown eyes. She leapt up from her bed and joined Mikoto at the window.
"It certainly will be, Onee-sama," she replied to Mikoto's earlier question. She paused for a second before clearing her throat. "As your companion and roommate, I can't possibly allow you to catch a cold by going out in such weather. Allow me to take us straight to school using my power." Kuroko had the power to teleport herself and others.
"That would be pretty handy actually," Mikoto sighed, continuing to look out of the window.
"Wouldn't it?" Kuroko laughed. And it'll be an excellent chance to get closer, physically, to Onee-sama, she added in her mind.
"Ah! But you probably shouldn't use your power in the dorm – the dorm supervisor might actually kill us if we did that again," Mikoto said thoughtfully. "Oh well! We'll take our umbrellas and walk – sometimes it's nice to be out when it's raining."
Kuroko let out a disappointed sigh. But wait! An idea crossed her mind. If I can find a way to 'lose' my umbrella, then I can share with Onee-sama!
"Shall we get going then?" Mikoto asked, digging out her umbrella and heading for the door.
"Of course!" Kuroko sang, heading over to join her. "You must make sure that you don't use your power while you're out today, Onee-sama," she added as they left the room. "Remember that everything will conduct electricity when it's wet."
"I will." Mikoto let out a sigh.
Elsewhere in the city, a skinny teenager with pale skin, untidy mop-like white hair and red eyes was walking along one of the streets. He wore a white shirt with dark grey V patterns on it, as well as dark grey trousers and a choker-style electrode around his neck. He walked with the support of a single crutch. There was a bored, disinterested look on his face. He showed no reaction to the rain pouring down around him. He also seemed not to notice that he was being called from behind.
"Wait for me! Misaka cries as Misaka gives chase!" A young girl, probably around the age of 10 based on her size, called out to him. She was wearing a blue dress with white spots as well as a white coat and sandals. She bore an uncanny resemblance to Misaka Mikoto. A strand of her chestnut hair stuck up above the rest. Realising that she wasn't getting through to the white-haired teenager, she ran ahead of him and started waving her arms wildly to catch his attention.
"Tch." The boy reacted with annoyance to her actions. "What do you want now?"
"Why did you block out sound as well as the rain? Misaka demands angrily!" the girl asked. "Accelerator should be more appreciative that Misaka offered to help with the shopping!"
Accelerator clicked his tongue in frustration again. He hadn't asked the girl known as Last Order to accompany him.
"You were the one who came out without permission. You were supposed to stay behind."
"Misaka only wants to be helpful! Misaka huffs as Accelerator fails to appreciate her!" Last Order puffed her cheeks out in annoyance.
"Whatever." Accelerator continued walking, though he didn't return to using his vector-controlling power to block out Last Order's protests as they continued walking towards the convenience store.
In a distant alley in another part of the city, a young man with his hair shaved off and wearing a black leather jacket jumped to one side as a jet of water struck the ground next to him.
"I don't understand!" he called to the teenaged boy opposite him. "Why are you attacking me?"
The boy, wearing a dark green hoodie over a burgundy T-shirt, dark blue jeans and a pair of golden yellow trainers, didn't reply. Another ball of water appeared in the palm of his hand. He held out his hand and a jet of water blasted out towards the skinhead.
"Not going to answer me, huh?" The skinhead broke into a grin as he dodged again. "In that case, I'll just beat it out of you!" A fireball appeared in his hand. "Take this!" he shouted as he fired a ball of fire towards the boy.
However, the boy jumped to the side. He fired a series of water blasts from both hands back towards his opponent, who dodged the first couple of blasts before evaporating the remainder instantly with a powerful flame that burst from his clenched fist.
"Seriously, what's your problem?" the skinhead murmured, more to himself than to the boy. "Guess it's time I got serious – this here's my best attack!" He placed his hand on the ground. It suddenly started to heat up and the paving slabs started to turn a deep red colour from the heat. Raindrops hissed as they struck the ground and evaporated instantly.
"Hwaaah!" With a loud grunt, the skinhead swept his arm up, sending a wave of burning and melted paving slabs towards the boy.
Just as it apparently engulfed him, however, the wave stopped and turned dark as the heat drained out of it. There was an explosion of water and scorched concrete. The boy remained standing, completely unharmed.
"No way!" the skinhead exclaimed.
The boy raised his arm again. The skinhead suddenly saw the raindrops around him gather together into blades of water, each no longer than the blade of a knife. The boy clenched his fingers and thumb together and the blades rushed in, spearing the skinhead's arms and legs.
"Arrghh!" the man cried in pain. The water blades dissolved instantly and flowed through the air towards the boy, who now stood with both hands cupped almost touching each other. The water gathered in the space between his two palms and swirled around in a ball.
The boy spoke for the first time.
"This is the end." He spoke with little emotion, as if the events occurring were happening on the screen at a cinema or in the pages of a book instead of being perpetrated by him. A single, massive jet of water erupted from his hands.
"No!" the skinhead cried. A split second later, the jet struck him in the chest and sent him flying back. He crashed into one of the alley walls and collapsed to the ground. The boy lifted his attack and walked towards him as he struggled to try and pull himself back to his feet. Instead of launching another attack, the boy simply paused for a second as he walked past.
"This is just the beginning," he said without looking at the skinhead. "I hope there are other espers in this city who put up more of a fight than you."
He walked out of the alley and disappeared into the bustling street beyond.
