Fan fiction Story Inspired by: To Aru Ma Kagaku no Railgun
Angle: Saten Ruiko's Perspective
Protagonist: Saten Ruiko
Chapter 1 – Back to Square One
A week has passed since the Poltergeist event has happened. Since then everything returned to normal, Kuroko Shirai and Uiharu-chan's Judgement duties, Misaka Mikoto's unending feats, and of course, Saten Ruiko being normal. But most of all, their friendship even grew better.
Everything seemed alright, as if nothing even happened, doing what they used to do. But as for Saten-san's search for herself, wandering aimlessly in the vast illusion she wanted to be... that was her past self. Now, just like her friends, she's on a conquest on becoming a better person, to continue training, to discover the abilities she has, to become an Esper.
Since the beginning, she has always envied those who have abilities. Her friends, Kuroko's Level 4 Spatial Point, and of course, Tokiwadai's Ace, the 3rd strongest level 5 in Academy City, Misaka Mikoto.
Back then, Saten-san only desired power because that's her reason in going to Academy City... and that is what her family expects of her. But she was unfortunate. She believes she is a failure... something must be wrong with her.
There came a time wherein she was being beaten up by a group of Level 0's who used the level upper, she had no choice... she cannot fight, it was because she has no ability, she was weak... she was a level 0. Her friend Kuroko came just in time, and saved her... but at the cost of being hurt terribly. Although it would heal, it would take time. This incident forced Saten-san to feel so worthless. As if she was a trash, a problem-bringer, putting her friends at a risk. She hated herself for this. For this reason, she promised she would become stronger so she would be able to protect her friends, and not to be a burden anymore.
Because of this, she desired power; she was hungry for it... there even came a time she used the Level Upper, which enhances one's Level, and gives the user the ability within her. For a moment she felt the dreams she wanted, she finally found what she was looking for, she gained the ability she desired... but she did not knew using such has such side-effects, and it was merely a scheme by some professor to collect the emotions of those poor level 0's and combine them and form them into a powerful weapon. It was too late when she knew about it, she wanted to say sorry before even being put into comatose, and she did it. Her friends did their best to save her and all the other victims... when she woke up... again, she knew she failed, and that she only brought problems to them... she was always a burden.
"I'm so sorry... Uiharu, Misaka-san, Shirai-san... I'm sorry for being a burden to you..." she exclaims as she sobs feeling so unworthy.
But for her friends, it was nothing at all. They understand her, and they are willing to risk their lives for her. She was no burden at all. Without her, probably they wouldn't be like who they are today. Their lives would never be complete without Saten-san.
She did not know about this... this feeling of unworthiness continued. She did not want it, but she knew she could not do anything at all. But her friends cheered her up, inspired her to become better, this became her inspiration and motivation to not give up. She know she would attain what she wants... she would become an ability user, an Esper... and she would protect her friends... and this time, she's not going to stand back and be a burden.
She trained hard, studied well, she was desperate... she was persistent. It was not known to her that abilities are gained when we exceed our limitations. When we do what we thought to be impossible... this is the Personal Reality within us... the ability to believe within ourselves to have the confidence to know ourselves... to believe in our own Personal Reality.
Unaware of this, she slowly developed this feeling of appreciating herself and accepting who she really are. There came a point wherein she believed that she can never be an Esper, this became her Personal Reality, but just this thought unleashed her real limitations. It was because despite the belief that she'll never gain anything out of training... she pursued it, she continued becoming stronger, not because she believes she can become an Esper through doing this, but because she wanted to be stronger to protect her friends; and not to be a burden. So despite being a level 0, at the very least she wanted to be physically powerful to be able to fight. This Personal Reality triggered the sleeping potential she had. She did not know but she was one of the gifted few who are powerful enough to save Academy City from the upcoming disaster...
To be continued...