Author's note:

Sometimes projects are larger and more difficult to complete then first envisioned. A Certain Perfect Reality: Fragments and other stories that I will be bringing to FanFiction are small parts of a much larger multi-arc work that will likely never be completed. Six years ago, I was heavily invested in A Certain Scientific Railgun and outlined an ambitious project. Unfortunately, life and other issues prevented this from getting off the ground, if you will. My recent resurgence of interest in the franchise has motivated me to scour those outlines and finish those chapters/scenes that had enough work put into them to be published. They may lack the whole picture and the larger context, but they will be able to stand alone.

Warning: This and all the other small one off stories are O.C. centric.

Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, nor any of its characters.


Toaru no kanpeki na genjitsu

Hajimari

Settling in at a new school would be hard for any young girl, especially in a place like Academy City. It was still a few days yet to the start of the first term in middle school for District 7. Many students were completing their moves from elementary school dorms, winding down from the break, a few even returning from abroad. For one particular young girl, attending a prestigious private school like Shidarezakura Academy was going to be hard work, but nothing she could not handle. This girl was named Yuko Sonoda.

Yuko had yet to unpack, or even meet her roommate and grande soeur, but a bit of restlessness she could not explain gripped her. She would have dutifully completed her move in, however, with the upcoming school year and strict curfews looming, she just had to step out for a bit if nothing more than to see the grand School Garden.

One of the most known areas in District 7, due to the presence of five of the most elite schools for girls in Academy City, it is the dream of many girls to attend one of the institutions. Shidarezakura was probably one of the most elite, but its rival Tokiwadai, was rumored to have two Level 5 espers. Yuko did not place much credit in rumors.

As she wandered, Yuko could not help but admire such a unique and European feel to the place. Yuko mused out loud, "so eclectic!" The twinkle in her eyes was quite adorable and the giggles and soft cries of "awww," from around her gave rise to a fierce blush as she noticed the attention she had gathered.

Giving a quick bow to those girls around her and before she could further embarrass herself, she hurried off to another part of the Garden. Within moments she found herself in front of a large fountain of white marble with crystal clear waters. Many coins of various denominations and countries adorned the bottom, but she stopped short and performed a double take at the large arcade token someone had tossed in there. A proper lady might have scoffed, but instead she sported a light blush due to the recognition of a token from a place she frequented a lot over the years.

She shook her head, tossing her sandy blond hair and giving a bit of bounce to her corkscrew-like pig tails. She alighted upon the edge of the fountain, arranging herself like a proper lady, as she watched her fellow students go about their various business.

A noticeable splash drew her attention behind herself and was surprised to find a girl pirouetting within the fountain. Her pinkish hair was barely shoulder length and parted to the right with fringes that lay to the left from the part. She held her slippers almost demurely with one hand as she spun within the misting water of the fountain.

Without thinking Yuko spoke plainly, "ano, aren't you cold?"

The girl who would otherwise be an epitome of the ojou-sama, if not for her dancing barefoot in a fountain, stopped immediately and locked her bespectacled blue eyes upon Yuko's own gray orbs.

This action instinctively caused Yuko to blink and look away. In doing so, she noticed the uniform of this strange girl and it was the same as the one she would be wearing, that of Shidarezakura Academy.

With movement speed rivaling teleportation the other girl was nose to nose with Yuko, who was still seated, so she had to bend down a bit to do so. A bit of Blush graced Yuko's cheeks as she made to scoot back.

With a smirk the other girl moved in tandem keeping her face close as she brought her own hand up to gently grasp Yuko's cheeks with her chin in this strange girl's palm.

The girl spoke clearly, "I seem to be having a bit of a manic episode."

With her blush intensifying, Yuko stammered, "I, nani?"

Not missing a beat she continued, "Manic. Espers are rather unique individuals already, but some have brains that don't exactly work like everyone else's. They'll experience life as a series of ups and downs."

She paused briefly and blinked as if realizing something, but whatever it was seemed to have been filed for later as she continued, "my mind is operating at a mile a minute, I have to expend energy. I need to do things."

She lowered her arm and backed up a bit, though she was still in the fountain. "The music room is closed right now and the gym is being cleaned and renovated. I left my room, but when I reached the Garden, I realized I didn't bring the right shoes for running, so I thought I'd find a fountain and try to count water droplets while dancing."

"Ah, well, ok," Yuko stammered as she absentmindedly rubbed the spots on her face this girl had touched.

Smiling, the pink haired girl spoke again, "Nakamura Miyuki."

"Are, oh. Sonoda Yuko, hajimemashite." She said quickly as she stood and bowed respectfully.

Miyuki giggled a bit as she spoke, "ara, ara such an ojou-sama Yuko-chan."

"mou, you should not speak so informally Nakamura-san." Yuko replied without noticing the irony of her own words.

"Gomen, gomen. I really should get back to the dorm though. Change into some dry clothes, perhaps get my running shoes. Hopefully I'll get to meet my new petite soeur. She is supposed to be moving in today." Miyuki said with a bit of a devious smile.

"Oh? That's great for you! I just moved in and I can't wait to meet my grande soeur." Yuko beamed, the uncomfortable feeling now long forgotten.

"hajimemashite." Miyuki impishly replied.

Yuko nodded briefly and they both continued walking towards the external dorms for a few minutes. Suddenly, Yuko quickly turned and backed a step away from Miyuki. With wide eyes she loudly exclaimed, "Ehhhhhhhhh?!"


Grande soeur - big sister in French. For my stories, I have Shidarezakura Academy using a soeur system in the dorms. This applies to the Internal and External dorms. With the External dorms, a first year is paired with a second or third year. It functions exactly as a senpai/kouhai relationship, just more of an elite connotation.

Petite soeur - little sister, see above.

ano? - um?

ojou-sama - a proper upper class girl

nani? - what?

Are - huh?

hajimemashite - pleased to meet you.

ara, ara - my, my

mou - expression of frustration

Gomen, gomen - Miyuki is using this to mean "sorry, sorry"