Notes : This story will have the universe of To Aru, and its characters, converted to the style of noir movies, taking inspiration from films like Scarface and The Godfather.
In this fan fiction, Accelerator will be a boss of the underworld and Touma the one who will try to counter it. Alongside them, there will be numerous characters from both To Aru Majutsu No Index and To Aru Kagaku No Railgun.
The plot will be completely different from that of the Novel, but it will contain some of its main elements, such as espers, Gakuen Toush, Judgment, the various organizations etc ...
I'm Italian and English is not my mother language, which is why I'm looking for a beta-reader to help me with the publications. If anyone is interested, I hope you contact me.
I do not own To Aru Majutsu No Index and To Aru Kagaku No Railgun, all rights belong to Kazuma Kamachi.
Chapter 1 :
What is a city? Simply a concentrate of human energy ready to explode.
It is the clash between the old and the new, where past, present and future are compressed into a single block.
Cities are the real stages of human nature, which exceeds and dominates every personal element.
Here, in the constructions and places of entertainment, in the miracles and in the comfort of a technique that cancels the distances, in the formations of community life and in the visible institutions of the State, a fullness of the spirit of the people is manifested.
On the one hand, life in the city is made extremely easy, since it is offered on all sides stimuli, interests, ways of filling time and consciousness, which take it almost in a current where the autonomous movements of swimming do not even seem anymore needed. On the other hand, however, life is made up more and more of these impersonal contents and representations, which tend to eliminate the most intimately singular colors and characteristics.
The city is more than a congeries of individual men and social services, such as streets, buildings, street lamps, tramways and so on. It is also something more than a simple constellation of institutions and administrative tools, such as courts, hospitals, schools, police and officials of various kinds. The city is rather a state of mind, a body of customs and traditions, attitudes and feelings organized within these customs and transmitted through this tradition.
And perhaps, no city knew it better than Gakuen Toshi, who specializes in developing paranormal abilities.
In this city, the usual rule that the vicious delinquent was the strongest in a fight ... well, it was not valid. The criminals who could not support the psychic development program were known as Level 0, human beings without any special skills.
In this city, the really strong ones were high-level esper students, ranging from Level 1 to Level 5, depending on the type of power they were able to exercise.
Gakuen Toshi was just like that.
If on one hand the complex of buildings almost as big as Tokyo could be traced to the classic image of a study city, the true heart of the student metropolis could be exemplified by how the brain development methodologies were quietly added to the various school programs, below to the name of "documentation methods" or "storage methods".
In this city there were no limitations related to age, sex or racial diversity. Anyone could hold any office, even those that were usually reserved for individuals who had reached or exceeded the Japanese legal age.
Because in this city, the only laws to which its inhabitants responded ... were the laws of the city itself.
It was like living in a world separate from the current one, a dimension enclosed in the 40 000 km2 of cement, schools and research facilities.
But not all the 3 million students who lived there had ceased to be human and had become similar to the comics characters, of course. Almost 60% of the total population of Gauken Toshi, in fact, was constituted Level 0, which at most could bend a spoon, concentrating so much to make a blood vessel of the brain explode, at best.
And at the height of all the city's espers there was ... him: Accelerator, the most powerful Level 5.
Some had called him a monster among the monsters. A being emerged directly from the depths of Hell, unable to feel pain or fear, someone who rose above every single human being on the planet.
Gakuen Toshi was his kingdom. No one dared to question his authority, and those who tried never made a good end.
During his time in Academy City, he earned the nickname "One way road", in line with the fate that crossed all those who decided to face it. A one-way street for the morgue, at best.
His presence was intangible, almost a legend, like that of a ghost. And his appearance did nothing but give evidence to these rumors.
White hair like milk framed a pale young face, adorned with a pair of blood-red eyes. Two burning embers that lit up the night.
His esper power? Vector manipulation.
In short, he could control vectors. Every single type of vector on the planet.
Direction, movement, momentum, electricity, heat ... Whatever had a direction was completely under his control. Using simpler terms ... He was an "untouchable" person.
Nothing could scratch it, and some had even begun to define it as "the one who can survive even a nuclear explosion".
Every human being bears a badge, a symbol of loyalty. His were the scars of a boy who had used his body and his strength to climb the peak of organized crime. An orphan who had earned the respect of each esper thanks to his killing thirst.
He had taken an oath of violence, and was dominated by an insatiable desire for power. He wanted to own this city.
Robberies, murders, extortions, clandestine bets: there was his signature on almost every crime, except for prostitution and drug trafficking.
His name was on the front page, in large letters, on the major Japanese newspapers.
He lived in a kind of fortress and went around only with luxury cars that were not even armored, despite having undergone six attacks on his life. Yet he was admired as a celebrity, always surrounded by beautiful women, always in the company of the most prominent figures of Gakuen Toshi.
Two years earlier, in 2016, Accelerator had become the absolute protagonist of the urban complex's crime.
By its seventies, the academy's most powerful experiment was part of the local folklore, such as research centers and patrol robots.
He was now a charismatic figure for the public and his releases always ended up on the front page, as long as his face was never completely framed.
He was the Capone of Japan, able to kill and get away without even having to pay a fine. Many murders were attributed to him, some of which were nothing but mere speculations.
Shrewd and merciless, at just 18 he was already at the center of a war on the underworld and of major political upheavals.
The police, the Japanese government and the criminals: everyone knew about it.
Accelerator was on anyone's blacklist. The local Yakuza wanted him dead and a rival was giving away a whole condominium for those who had completed the task.
A group of corrupt policemen had sworn to kill him, and even some members of his own band, the so-called GROUP, could not wait to get him out.
After threatening to expel the careers of a large number of Gakuen Toshi board members and prominent officials, he was on the list for a hearing with a grand jury set up to investigate corruption within the Anti-Skills, the city's police force.
One day, after having dinner, the Level 5 had stopped by Joseph's.
It was known that he preferred that spartan restaurant full of Level 0 to get the last drink.
Shining, in his impeccable white suit, he settled down in his usual place, in the parlor number six.
He sat back to the wall, surrounded by reporters who followed him waiting for some tragedy.
While he was fulfilling his coffee addiction, Accelerator held the table, giving unsolicited advice in his personal jargon, made up of frequent curses.
Kogou Fukube, a young local journalist who had become his secret supporter, asked him if it was risky to go around the premises, without a minimum of protection.
" I'm not afraid of those trying to get me out" answered the albino, with a low and scratchy voice. "They are just rubbish worthless. And then, no sane man would dare shoot in such a crowded place. Not when it could hurt a reporter like you, at least. You're too sexy".
The woman blushed copiously but tried to keep a professional expression.
Performing a couple of coughs, she resumed talking.
"In an article appeared a few days ago in our newspaper, we wondered why, since you are, or you seem to be, the leader of Gakuen Toshi, you have not even been elected to the office of Mayor" said with a ironic tone, receiving some laughter from the other reporters in the room.
Accelerator smiled and took a sip from the glass of Maxi Caffè he held in his right hand.
"I can tell you," the boy replied casually. "You know, it's strange ... In our life, we laugh for so many things. Or because they are funny or because they are true. Some people, like the reformers, say: "But why do not you put that boy in jail? What did he think he could do?" What I hope to do, and here your beautiful newspaper hit the mark, is to meet the wishes of the fucking people"
That said, he slumped back in his chair, shrugging his shoulders.
"People want to have fun! You know it, I know it, and even those fucking bureaucrats on the upper floors know it! All that remains is for me to act accordingly. I often hear the word "clandestine shop" ... but what clandestine shop? On a boat it's a clandestine shop, here in Gakuen Toushi is hospitality! " He exclaimed, causing more laughter by the reporters.
One of them, however, remained silent. A young girl very close to his age, maybe a little younger.
She had long black hair, a voluptuous chest and warm brown eyes, framing a face with delicate features.
All in all, she would have been called cute by any other specimen of the opposite sex.
Accelerator recognized her immediately: she was Fukiyose Seiri, a press officer in an emerging crime magazine, "The Dark Side of Gakuen Toushi".
"What about your reputation, about controlling your business with violence?"she asked, defiantly. "It is said that those who do not buy your products are convinced by violence."
"Tsk ... it is normal that they think it" the Level 5 replied, not at all intimidated by the words of the journalist. "I grew up in the streets for most of my life. And in those places there was a saying: you get more with a kind word and a gun that only with a kind word!"
Another joke in bad taste, which however was also followed by a laugh by the group gathered.
"In that environment it could also be true. And sometimes your reputation takes you back, especially when you're the most powerful human being on the planet, "Accelerator continued, with a dangerous smile.
The girl, however, remained firm and impassive. The esper was slightly impressed.
Without paying much attention to the thing, he shrugged a second time.
"Violence is practiced at Gakuen Toshi, there is no doubt about this, but not from me or from those who work for me. And do you know why? Because it's never a fucking good deal".
Tokiwadai Academy
Of all the schools built within Gakuen Toshi, the Tokiwadai Academy was considered the best of the best.
Begun as an exclusively female school, in the last year the institute had begun to welcome groups of male students, making it the top of its field: the development of paranormal powers.
Inside one of the classrooms on the fourth floor of the huge building, Professor Watanabe, an elderly woman who seemed to have come straight out of a sit-com set in the Victorian era, was busy completing the first summer lesson of the year .
"As you know, all the experiments are classified with a level ranging from 0 to 5, which depends largely on their strength. This is determined already from birth, through the analysis of the AIM fields. However, it is possible to increase it with hard work and healthy discipline, "the woman said, her gaze fixed on the classroom.
"Since the type of skill differs according to the individual person, the training methods are different for each of you. Through hard work and perseverance, anyone could reach level 5" she continued, before taking a deep breath
" To effectively strengthen a skill, there have been cases in which the training method was determined by the Tree Diagram ..."
Shortly before she could finish the sentence, however, the sound of a loud explosion echoed throughout the length of the academy.
Most of the students screamed for fright.
"What the hell was that ?!" a girl exclaimed, at the opposite end of the class.
Watanabe gave a resigned sigh, before turning his attention to the nearest window.
"I believe ... that comes from the pool. Misaka Mikoto is measuring her power as part of the final evaluation"
"R-Really?" someone else asked, receiving a nod from the woman.
Soon, the silence of the room sank into a series of mutterings and whispers.
"So what was its power before?"
"Misaka Mikoto, of the third year? The one who is called the Railgun?"
"I heard that she is about to enter Judgment ..."
"Professor Watanabe! Is she really sure that we could become like her too, if we train hard?" the same girl who had spoken a few seconds before asked.
The old woman looked at the student.
"Obviously. She is a great example of how a person can get from level 1 to 5 through hard work" she chuckled.
Outside of the classroom, in front of a now completely drained pool, sat a girl who was probably no older than fifteen.
He wore the typical Tokiwadai Academy uniform and a pair of shorts.
Her hair was short and brown, adorned with a clasp. A pair of large brown eyes framed the small and delicate face, filled with calm and determination.
As the girl began to walk on the edge of the pool, she looked up at the sky, curling her lips in a nostalgic smile.
"Tomorrow is the big day. I will make you proud, dad"
At 9:00 in the evening, the setting sun became a slice on the Eastern Sea of Japan.
It narrowed into a thin, dazzling line that fell on the eyes of Accelerator with the same intensity of a flash.
Watching for too long a light like that could cause permanent damage to the retina. This was one of the many interesting truths that you learned at school, facts that helped you find a rewarding job like a half-day barman, and an interesting hobby like the full-time search for cheap stuff and yen with which buy it.
But the young man did not stop looking. After all, there was no danger for him.
Things like watching the sun too long would never damage hum.
Faced with that pale light, the boy felt lost. He imagined he was back home, in a now forgotten cradle, with a book in his hand.
In the vision it was spring. The air was warm, the city bloomed and the nostalgia sobbed inside him like a muscle wound in depth by a fishing hook.
Then, when the sooty darkness of the night began to fall, the first howling of the stray dogs that ran through the outskirts of Gakuen Toshi were heard ... and brought him back to reality.
" The children of the night. What music they do, " Accelerator said, looking at his feet.
In front of him, completely tied up, there was a boy probably no older than his own. He was of medium height, with a rather pronounced appearance, dressed in a black leather jacket and a pair of gray gym pants. He also wore Elvis hair, pitch-colored. He was visibly ill-treated, with numerous cuts and bruises that adorned every part of the body, from the feet to the hands.
The albino gave him a chilling smile and went on talking.
"It's an incredible thing, Hebitani. I come here so often ... that they know me now. And they know that I bring something to eat"
"What did the brain tell you? Do you think the rest of the Skill Out will not find out?" the boy said, his face adorned with an expression that bordered on the purest anguish.
The Level 5 just chuckled.
"Oh, that's what I hope, fucking idiot"
"You are to intern, Accelerator. They must to lock you up among crazy people, to eat pudding in their pajamas!"
"A minute ago you begged me" the esper observed, with an impassive look.
The renowned Hebitani swallowed hard and struggled to get the words out.
" Because I thought you were a human being! But you are not a human. You're rotten" he whimpered tightly.
In response, Accelerator rolled his eyes.
"The truth of the century" he murmured in a calm voice.
This done, he knelt down on the boy's level, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Now let me give you some useful information. Just to pass the time!" he exclaimed, and then he sank a finger into one of the many wounds on Hebitani's body.
The teenager in question released a scream, which echoed throughout the length of the neighborhood. Nobody came to help him.
" Do you know what happens to a body ... when the flow of blood is reversed?"Accelerator asked, curling both lips in a decidedly psychotic grin.
Nothing happened for a moment. Then, slowly, the boy's face turned into a mask of horror.
He did not even have time to scream. His body exploded from the inside, like a balloon full of tomato sauce, pouring blood and entrails into the surrounding area.
However, not even a drop of plasma met the figure of Accelerator, who merely reflected it with his power.
They rebounded on him like rain on a glass plate, without staining his clothes.
"Now what do you say, piece of shit? Did I surprised you?" He asked to the corpse of his last victim, receiving no answer in return.
With a grunt of discontent, he proceeded to spit on the remains of the criminal, before turning his attention to the goons he had brought with him.
Two of them held firmly on the ground another teenager, dressed in a purple short-sleeved shirt.
He had long brown hair, which came up to his shoulders, and his face was covered in bruises.
"What an asshole, " the Level 5 commented, making a quick nod in the direction of the body.
Some thugs chuckled, while Hebitani's companion began to whimper.
Without the slightest hint of regret, Accelerator approached him and waved to those who kept him from letting go. The boy, however, stood still and still, too scared to react.
This until the most powerful Gakuen Toshi's esper put a hand on his shoulder, making him wince.
" When you come back from your boss, tell what you saw tonight. Tell him that this part of Gakuen Toshi belongs to Accelertaor. And that I do not want to see Level 0 that sell your shit, "the albino said coldly, receiving a trembling gesture in return.
Meanwhile, stray dogs emerged from the shadows of the night and began to feast on the remains of Hebitani.
How it was ? I hope good! Every review is welcome.
