DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN A CERTAIN SERIES.
Date Uploaded: June 24, 2016- Friday.
Note: Advanced apologies for the OOC's.
Summary: AU. Misaka Mikoto dies and everyone is devastated. Touma meets a Misaka doppelganger and decided to train her to become the new Misaka Mikoto.
So this is my second To Aru Kagaku No Railgun fic and yeah, this time it's about Touma. And as always, Accelerator and Saten are slightly paired- or is it really slight? Anyway, there's nothing much to say for now other than the first chap will be sad. I'll try to update it faster than the others but most likely not. Because of the uncertainty, you can just check out my profile for announcements, it's way accurate than the ones I write here.
Guide:
—this is Touma's narration of things—
this is current Touma's thoughts
HOW TO TRAIN A CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC RAILGUN
CHAPTER 01: A Certain Memorable Tragedy
—Misaka Mikoto is one of the seven level five espers in Academy City. A powerful esper that people fear other than Accelerator and the other five. Because in Academy City, power defines their level and status and Academy City. Just as Level 5 espers are treated with both admiration and pride, Level 0 espers are treated as mere people who's importance and existence is barely acknowledged. Well if you'd want an example how to explain the difference between a Level 5 and a Level 0, I'm going to use illustrations.
Misaka Mikoto, Level 5, Kamijou Touma, Level 0. So between these two who is well-known among Academy City's population? I'm willing to bet it's not me because if it is, then I wouldn't be in the middle of getting beat by a bunch of thugs because I happen to try and play hero. But if it's Misaka who tries to play hero, it's not her butt that gets beaten, it's them. Just a simple electric shock will frighten them and bring them to their knees. The illustration hurts but it's reality. Reality here in Academy City. —
"Gah!" Touma groaned after the final punch that hit his stomach.
"If you dare mess with us again, we'll beat you 'til you stop breathing." Warned the leader of the thugs, the one who hit him.
The group walked away from him, laughing at the Level 0 esper whom they enjoy beating. But then a girl with long black hair jumped in front of them, her eyes glaring at them as she spread her arms wide.
"What?"
"Apologize to him!" Saten yelled.
But the request of a Level 0 isn't recognized no matter what. Even if it's a request to a fellow Level 0, it is disregarded. The thugs laughed at her. To them she's merely a girl with no power, no status and no chance of winning if she'd pick a fight with them.
"We're all in the same level! Why do you treat us as if we're lower than you?!" She growled.
"Because we trample on those who are worthless so that we can rise up!" The leader replied with an obvious tone of bitterness as the words escaped his mouth.
But it wasn't just him who was hurt about their situation. Even Saten know how it felt. She's been hanging out with higher level espers and she sees them do great things. Things that someone like her can't do.
"Well then you are fools!" Touma shouts as he got back to his feet. His face serious as he glared at them with equal sharpness as an angry powerful esper. "You can beat me, mock me, or even belittle me but when you pick on someone that way and use them as stepping stones for your delusional concept of rising up- I won't forgive you."
Saten's arms slowly dropped as she and the thugs locked their eyes on the convicted young man.
"Delusioned concept? Just who do you think you are?! Speaking as if you're any different!" He struck a nerve. Touma knew that. But he wasn't afraid. He's been through worse case scenarios and this isn't even half of it.
"Look at yourself. You're trampling on a fellow citizen who's status is the same as yourself. It doesn't lower the status of any other espers but ourselves. So does it make a difference?" He expands and the leader felt speechless.
All this time they were ganging up on the wrong people.
"Maybe you're right." The leader agreed and turns back to Saten. "Our apologies, miss." After admitting his mistake, he nudged one of the members nearest to him in the ribs and cocked his head to a certain direction before leaving.
When they were gone, Touma fell back on the ground, groaning in pain as his stomach still ached. Followed by a clap echoing from the shadows in the corner. Saten and Touma's attention were caught by the sound.
"Ah, he did it again." Says the person in the shadows.
Saten's eyes widened in surprise while Touma's stayed the same, as if he already knew she was there all along.
"Misaka-san!" Saten exclaimed in surprise.
"I'm glad you're alright Saten-san." Misaka says in relief. Bu then her eyes glanced at the young man darting her a squint and a raised brow. "What?"
"Oi Biribiri, why are you here?" He asked and immediately Misaka's cheeks turned red.
"Don't call me that! My name is Misaka Mikoto!" She corrected before spinning her foot to face away. "Besides, I thought Saten-san needs help. Turns out you were here so I'm no longer needed." She informs him the reason of her hidden presence and Touma nodded, somehow accepting her reasoning.
"Thank you, sir. For protecting me." Saten said as she offered him a hand to stand.
Touma smiled and reached out to her hand to get back on his feet. Misaka starts to walk away, not wanting to be there when Saten realizes who Touma is to her.
"Well, I should thank you too, for standing up to me." He said and did not let go of her hand to do a handshake.
"I'm Saten by the way." She shook his hand.
"Touma."
"A pleasure to meet you, Touma. So what's your relation with Misaka-san?" She asked out of curiosity.
There are times that Saten would see Misaka blush because of embarrassment when she doesn't want to admit certain things about her childish taste, and this is the first time that she blushed because of a boy. Or embarrassed by being called a nickname by a boy? Saten couldn't say but she knew it had something to do with Touma.
Touma caught the glint in her eyes and felta dose of anxiety flow into his veins. One wrong word and the young girl in front of him might and will interpret it wrong.
"Err- well, nothing really. I just happen to try and save her when apparently she doesn't need help at all." He tried to make it sound as non-interesting as possible. He saw the girl nodding, buying his story.
"I thought it was something more of a lovey-dovey." She spoke her suspicions and internally Touma was relieved she really bought his story. It's true anyway, their relation is nothing special.
Unless trying to kill each other every time they meet is a sweet and romantic scenario. After all, Misaka seems to feel unease that never once has she beaten him in a fight.
"Well it's nice to meet you Saten-san, I'll be going now." It's best to make a run for it while there's still a chance.
"Oh you're right. I forgot I'm supposed to meet up with someone!" She gasped, remembering that Uiharu reminded her a dozen times not to be late. "I'll see you around Touma!"
As soon as she's left, Touma allowed a smile form in his lips, thinking that Misaka had normal friends. Not that he didn't expect she'd have normal friends but she seems not the ordinary type.
He looked up the sky, remembering those old times about him and Misaka. Not the sweet memory either but somehow, when it's Misaka, it makes him feel this tingly feeling that no matter what kind of memory they make together, it's worth remembering.
Unknown to him, Misaka was also thinking about him. Not in a way he'd thought it would be, if ever he thinks about how Misaka think about him.
"That idiot!" She mumbled to herself as she walked down the streets at the dark night.
To her Touma was always the idiot. She couldn't describe their relation any better than rivals. Deep inside she was confused.. confused that whether she wins their fight or not she's happy. Okay, she never won. But she could feel it. That odd happiness every time she gets to spend her time with Touma even just for a short time.
She hates to admit but it's how it works for her. When she sees him, there's this uncanmy excitement starting to form and when they made an encounter, the excitement and energy bursts into her whole body and she's happy.
They chase each other- she chases him, he runs until he gets tired of it or get away. It may odd but for Misaka it felt as if that little encounter is something different entirely.
Misaka shook her head, trying to shake away her thoughts of Touma. A thought she's not ready to accept- no, the feelings she's not ready to admit.
"Take that!" Yelled a man from nearby.
Misaka heard screams and shouts and laughs echoing from somewhere. The men shouting a mockery and laughing towards whoever their victim was.
"Ah stop it!" Cried the girl they were beating.
In a hurry to save this victim, Misaka ran towards the source of the sound when her phone rang. It was natural to pick it up.
"Yes?" She answered, hiding the fact that she's running at the moment.
"Onee-sama! Where are you?!" Shouts Kuroko on the other end. She sounded pissed. And Misaka had a clue why.
"Ah, hehe, Kuroko, I'll be there in a moment! Just running an errand that's all." She stopped running and tried to breathe as normal as possible. She doesn't need Kuroko scolding her for doing another Judgment work when she's a citizen.
"Oh really? Saten-san made the same excuse when I called her a few minutes ago." Kuroko stated suspiciously and Misaka could imagine Kuroko tapping her finger on the table already.
"I- Is that so?" Misaka asks nervously.
"Yes, Onee-sama. So tell me where you really are! I know you're with Saten and Uiharu." Kuroko inquired.
Misaka felt nervous as droplets of sweat poured down on the side of her face. The big surprise that they were planning for Kuroko would be ruined.
"I- I was with Saten-san but we parted ways just before you called her." She confessed.
"I knew it!" Kuroko's voice rising as she felt victory shine upo her. "And I assume this location we're going to is the place where my birthday will be celebrated. Am I right?" She guessed again.
Misaka knew she can't hide it any longer.
"Yes." She admitted in defeat.
And currently she could imagine little Kuroko jumping in joy at the success of the inquiry of information. But something else was causing Kuroko to feel so happy.
"Onee-sama I'll be waiting for you! Then maybe together.. ahh~!" The lesbian roommate started to exclaim ecstatic moans as she starts to bring up illusions to herself.
Pretty much, Misaka had a good guess what Kuroko was thinking.
"Goodbye Kuroko." She said and was about to end the call but then Kuroko stopped and spoke with a serious voice.
"I'm worried." She said. "I called Uiharu earlier she said she's on her way but when I called again she's not responding.."
"Maybe she found herself eating some sweets or something. Or in a hurry to prepare the surprise." Misaka tried to assure her roommate that Uiharu was alright. But then she had a thought. A thought she wished was wrong. "Kuroko.. do you know where Uiharu was the first time you called?"
"The intersection near the building that is under construction." Kuroko replied. "Why?"
Misaka's eyes darted in directions everywhere, figuring out where she was standing in. She spotted the building under construction then she ran a few meters towards the intersection and sees Uiharu's phone.
"Onee-sama, are you still there?" Kuroko asked when her beloved Onee-sama didn't respond.
"I'll call you back." She didn't wait for Kuroko to say anything and just ended the call. She had a pretty good guess who the victim is. "Uiharu.."
She picked up Uiharu's phone and hurried to her aid.
When she's tracked Uiharu's location, she finds them on the side of the train where huge rectangular metal cases are lined up. There are a group of familiar men she saw earlier.
Her blood boiled at the sight of the scenario before her.
"Uiharu!" She called her friend's name.
Uiharu who was bruised and beaten lifted her face up from the ground. Her one eye having something dark around it because of the fist landing there moments ago. She was relieved to have seen Misaka before she faints.
"Are you Judgment too?" Asked one of the guys who was cracking his knuckles, ready for another round of fighting.
"No."
"Are you an esper?" Another one asked and to answer his question, Misaka emitted sparks of electricity from all around her body.
The two men nearest to her took a step back, frightened what her ability could do.
"I guess that answers your question." She said in an angry tone. Her once innocent eyea now stared at the men with a furious and intimidating glare. The men felt the need to run but for some reason they couldn't move their feet.
Misaka then raises her hand, a coin placed on top of her thumb while her index finger around it, a signature move that she and everyone else knew that will hurt a lot. Could even kill.
"I- It's the Railgun!" One of the men recognized and turned to his boss with pleading eyes.
"A Level 5 esper? We're not afraid! Besides, those leveled espers are our enemy! We shouldn't fear them!" Their leader scolded.
"I don't know how you fools get to live this long for being such a dumbass," Misaka says as she positioned her thumb, ready to flip the coin, "but let me tell you this," she flipped the coin, "you could've lived longer if you just stuck yourselves to being Level 0's and not desire to be anything more than that."
A warning that pretty much the five men understood. When they felt their knees trembling, one of them gathered all the strength he can get to force his legs to move and run for his life.
The rest followed his lead. But running away won't make a difference. As soon as the coin falls midair in front of Misaka's index that was pointed in their direction, a strong and powerful blast of electricity fired from her finger. Destroying everything that it comes across with.
When the blast had stopped and disappeared, Misaka waited until the smoke had dissipated to see what had happened to the men, finding that their bodies weren't there.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Misaka turned to its source and finds a certain young man wearing black and has pale white hair, a crooked smile on hia face.
"I enjoyed the show." He says. "But I couldn't let you kill those poor stenches."
He jumps down from the top of one of the shipping containers and walked towards Misaka to have a better talk with her.
"You saved them." She guessed, her angry expression remained.
"You saved her." His eyes locked on Uiharu who was still unconscious from the beat-up. "She's your friend, they're my toys."
"I don't care if they're your toys. Go find a new one."
The young man laughed his ridiculously loud laugh. Misaka chose to ignore him and let him do what he wants. She could sense that he's a powerful esper if he could withstand the damage from her attack. Let alone save the men and himself. He could be fast.
"I'm waiting for her actually. She's late for some reason." He said and shrugged. "What do you say you play with me for the meantime?"
Before she would answer, she turned to the side to see the skies that are now orange as the sun was descending.
"I'm not interested." She replied and knelt down to Uiharu's side to carry her to a safe place.
"I'm a worthy opponent." He tempts but Misaka wouldn't budge. "Come on and entertain me already!" He yelled and with a wave of a certain force, Misaka and Uiharu propelled away.
Uiharu's body rolled on the gravel, gaining more bruises and small cuts. Misaka was relieved when she finally stopped rolling. She was still unconscious. Misaka on the other hand, used an electromagnetic force to keep herself in a safe position before standing up, glaring at her attacker.
"I told you to entertain me." He continued to press.
"And I told you I'm not interested!" She emitted a force of electric wave from her whole body, causing a blackout all over Academy City for a couple of seconds. However the young man remained unfazed.
Misaka walks away and there was one thing the young man knew that will force her to fight him.
With incredible speed, he dashed towards Uiharu's body, passing by Misaka first. Misaka saw where he was headed and ran after him. She wouldn't let him even touch her.
"That's the spirit!" Encouraged the young man, followed by a laugh that he can't restrain.
"Get away from her!" Misaka threatened, her right hand forming a ball of energy to swat him away.
Although it missed, she was relieved he jumped away and stopped his pursuit. But the relief didn't last long when the young man kicked one of the shipping containers towards the girls.
It bounced and rolled as it was headed towards Misaka and Uiharu. Misaka quickly carried Uiharu behind her back and ran to the other end where she was sure the container would only pass by them. But upon reaching the other end, she was surprised to see another one coming faster than the other.
She drops Uiharu behind her and with her ability to control the iron dust, she waved both arms into an arc, creating a thick shield from the upcoming attack.
The container came and hits the shield she created, creating a huge dent as it passed by her and Uiharu. But not a few seconds had passed and another one came flying towards her.
"Onee-sama!" Kuroko called her name.
Misaka's eyes glanced at her direction, seeing Kuroko with a very worried look in her eyes. A crease formed in between her brows as the fear of her senior getting hurt because of Judgment work came true.
Kuroko met Misaka's glance and everything went in a slow motion. Their eyes meeting, Kuroko's mouth agape, Misaka's lips mouthing something as her final words. It was a moment Kuroko wished lasted longer.
Misaka smiled at her roommate for the last time and followed by an immediate an brutal death.
"ONEE-SAMA!" Kuroko's voice echoed throughout the whole side of the city.
The side edge of the box hits her face, crushing half of the front of her skull as her body was pushed to land on the gravel she once stood in. As the box had passed, a set of rocks with incredible speed followed and hits her body like a gun piercing through her body.
Tears poured down on Kuroko's eyes as she teleported to Misaka's side and teleport her out of target's range. Kuroko herself got hit with some of the rocks but she ignored it. To her those stones are just pebbles touching her skin in a violent way. She could bear it. The sight she witnessed was different. It was something she couldn't bear.
Her eyes then darted towards the direction where the rocks were from but no one was there. It didn't matter, she locked her eyes back to Misaka and hugged her body, not holding back the tears that fell from her eyes.
"ONEE-SAMA you idiot! Why can't you just let Judgment do their job?! Why can't you just stay in the sidelines?!" She chided.
But it was too late to change anything now. It was too late.
Touma arrived at the scene, panting. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the bloody Misaka from a distance. He saw Kuroko crying over her lifeless body. The bloody corpse of his rival- no, he couldn't bring himself to ever call her that. To him she's more than a rival and a sparring partner.
"Biribiri.."
—The moment was as gloomy and dark aa it already is. But then it started raining as the thunders roared. I couldn't say if the sky was also mourning for her death or the situation wants me to mourn for her with a good scenario of water droplets and angry thunders, but I knew I didn't stay long to see this happen any longer.
How could this have happened? Why wasn't I there to save her? I know I was always there. Always! What makes this day different?! —
Touma took a turn in a dark alley, his heart beating rapidly as the adrenaline keeps him active and running. He disregarded the sweat flowing on his face and now mixed with tears on his cheeks.
He leaned on the wall, giving himself support to still stand. He sobbed silently for a while, reminding himself of good memories they had. Remembering the last time he saw her alive.
if only he followed her afterwards. If only he came in the nick of time. If only...
The guilt and pain inside him mixed his feelings to a twist of heartbreak that he can't take. He can repel any magic, any form of ability, any level and no matter how strong it was, he can make it all go away. His right hand.
Touma lifted his right hand to stare at it, as if blaming the death to his right hand.
After a few moments of competing a staredown with his hans, he balled it into fists and started hitting the walls without hesitation. It will hurt. It will bleed. But for some reason he felt numb. He didn't feel the pain because something more painful than his hurting hand was overwhelming him.
"'What are you doing?' Asks MISAKA." a familiar voice said behind him. Touma lands his fist one last time on the wall before pushing his head towards it.
"I'm going crazy, aren't I?" He said, without turning around, knowing the sound is from his head.
"'You're hitting an enemy you can't see. MISAKA is not sure whether it's in a degree that coun as crazy.' MISAKA states with a hint of confusion." The girl behind him replied.
Touma heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see who he was talking to. But there was no one there.
"Misaka?" He wanted to call out to her 'ghost'.
When no voice replied, he scoffed and massages his head with his left hand. He felt he'd lose his sanity if he doesn't find a way to mourn for Misaka without killing himself.
"Idiot." He told himself, trying to copy how Misaka would call him.