Oops, I suppose I need to update EVERY Wednesday and not just any Wednesday I want. Weird. Sorry guys. Contrary to my others stories, this story has very little planned except for major events, so generally in between stuff is really hard for me to get done. Not saying I won't get it done through. GOTTA GRIND

By the way, I bet you guys will be excited for the next story arc. The dance arc was great, but this one will be better ;)

Enjoy!

"Gah!" Mikoto was jarred awake by a certain someone shouting out in surprise. Groaning as she rolled over in bed, she checked the clock on her bedside table to see it was eight in the morning. It wasn't like Shokuhou to get up this early, so what exactly was she doing? Deciding that she needed to investigate, Mikoto rolled out of bed and lazily walked over to her bedroom door, opening it. Walking out into the living room, Mikoto found Shokuhou sitting at the counter with a mug in her hand, watching Mikoto innocently.

"Good morning," the blonde greeted. Mikoto only glowered at her.

"What are you doing up so early?" She demanded. "And what did you screech about?"

"Oh, that?" Shokuhou asked. "I burned myself on my coffee. My bad." Mikoto just deadpanned at her roommate, who didn't seem to see a problem. "Oh, by the way, our schedules for the next semester should be coming in today."

"That why you woke up so early?" Mikoto asked as she opened the fridge to scrounge for food. "Excited to see if you've been forced into remedial classes?"

"Shut up," Shokuhou replied. "My grades weren't that bad." Mikoto shrugged at this. It was nearly the end of Summer holidays, so it wasn't a surprise to hear that they would be getting their new schedules today. It couldn't come at a better time either as spending every day in and out with Shokuhou had been a real hassle. Mikoto didn't know how Nagatenjouki made classes, so she wasn't sure if she and Shokuhou would have any classes together this time. Seeing as they were freshmen, they probably would. Make sure they were comfortable.

Now that she really thought about it, it came to Mikoto's attention she'd made it through a whole semester without strangling Shokuhou. Well, she'd come close a few times, but she hadn't and that was the important part right? Thinking back, Mikoto smiled as she remembered the fun they'd actually had together. The girl was a handful most days, but so far things had been mostly okay between them. Hopefully it kept up until the end of the year.

"And no," Shokuhou said, interjecting Mikoto's thoughts. "I woke up this early and couldn't get back to sleep, so thanks for that."

"What did I do?" Mikoto demanded as she pulled out the milk. Shokuhou rolled her eyes.

"You always wake me up for class, duh." Shokuhou replied. "It's a bad habit of mine now."

"Bad," Mikoto said. "Right, because being on time is bad, right?"

"Absolutely," Shokuhou said. "I can't let myself be so wrapped up in becoming like you, it's unhealthy."

"I hope you get into remedial," Mikoto replied as a jab. Shokuhou acted to be hurt by this comment, but it only made Mikoto laugh as she made her own cup of coffee. She still wasn't used to such casual conversation with Shokuhou, but it was how the girl claimed it was. Without this, they'd have lost their minds a long time ago.

"Speaking of the new semester," Shokuhou said, breaking Mikoto out of her thoughts. "The Daihaseisai is coming up, right?"

"Come to think of it, you're right." Mikoto replied. "I totally forgot abut it." The Daihaseisai was a huge annual festival held with all the schools inside Academy City competing to see who would be number one. Mikoto knew full well that the event could have a dark underbelly, but that didn't detract from the fact that it was most likely the biggest event they'd have all year. Not only that, but Nagatenjouki usually placed first. Tokiwadai had always placed second, which always pissed her off to no end. Now, she had the chance to come in first. The more she thought about it, the more excited she was to compete.

"You're gonna drag me into competing, aren't you?" Shokuhou asked with a painful expression. Mikoto made a face at this.

"Of course I am," she said. "Why, you don't want to compete?" Shokuhou just yawned at this.

"That's way to much effort!" She said. "I'd rather just watch."

"Sorry, you probably won't get that chance," Mikoto said with a smirk. "Nagatenjouki's never gotten the chance to have Level 5's in the event, and now we're here." This only seemed to distress Shokuhou more. "So suck it up."

"Do you think the Headmaster will take pity on me?" She asked weakly.

"No," Mikoto replied simply, putting the nail in the coffin as bluntly as possible. "You're competing this year."

"Damn it!" Shokuhou shouted angrily. "And I managed to get away with it last year too!"

"Cause Tokiwadai took your crap," Mikoto said pointedly as she jabbed the blonde in the cheek with her finger. "Nagatenjouki isn't."

"Is it too late in the year to transfer?"

"Yes." Before Shokuhou could keep searching for other options, the landline in their room rang. It was usually just messages from the school, so Mikoto contemplated letting it ring as she made herself breakfast. However, as it rang a second time, she knew someone human was on the other end of the line. Walking over to it, she picked it up and lifted it to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Ah, Misaka! There you are." Mikoto took a moment to recognise the voice, but she soon realised it was Onoda, the dorm mistress.

"Oh, hi Onoda-san." Mikoto replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Well I hate to bother you so early in the morning, but the Headmaster needs to talk to you and Shokuhou. Do you think you two can go down to his office around ten?" Mikoto made a face at this, confused.

"Why?" She asked. "Did we do something wrong/"

"No no, nothing like that! As I'm sure you know, the Daihaseisai is coming up soon, and Level 5's usually open the ceremony!" Mikoto had a sinking feeling it her stomach as she realised what Onoda was leading her towards. "So he wished to ask you two if you'd like to open the festival! Isn't that great?"

"Uh, yeah..." Mikoto replied weakly. "Thanks, I'll make sure we can down there to meet him." Hanging up, Mikoto sighed and hung her head. Great.

"Who was it?" Shokuhou asked, lifting her head slightly.

"Onoda," she replied. "The Headmaster wants to talk to us in a few hours." At this, Shokuhou's eyes went wide.

"Ah damn it!" She shouted. "We're both in remedial! How badly did we perform that the Headmaster himself wants to talk to us?!"

"It's nothing like that, you idiot." Mikoto replied, whacking the blonde on the head with her hand. "It's about opening the Daihaseisai."

"...Oh," Shokuhou replied. "Is that it?"

"Well, yeah."

"Cool. We can do that right? It's not hard." Mikoto made a face and turned to look at Shokuhou as she said this.

"I thought you didn't like being the center of attention on stage," she said.

"Well I don't, but it's not that bad." Shokuhou replied. "Besides, if you're going up there you'll need me to prevent you from having a meltdown again like last time we needed to be on stage together." Mikoto kinda wanted to forget that, but it was natural for Shokuhou to bring up something embarrassing.

"I'd be fine," Mikoto lied through her teeth. Shokuhou just snorted.

"Right, and I'm running the marathon during the festival." she said. "We'll be fine, don't worry."

Mikoto wasn't worried, she was just antsy. Right? That was it.


"Ah, it's good to see you girls again," The Headmaster said as Mikoto and Shokuhou entered his office. "How have you been getting along since the years beginning?" Mikoto was about to respond when Shokuhou wrapped her into a one armed hug and pushed her head into her shoulder.

"Oh we're doing great!" She said. "Besties, even!"

Besties, huh?

The Headmaster smiled at this as Mikoto wiggled free.

"I'm glad," he said. "I knew you would be able to work it out between you. No one should hold onto their hate." He then played with his keyboard as the girls sat down, Mikoto normally while Shokuhou hung her head off the arm, making her hair hit the ground.

"I heard you called us here about the Daihaseisai." she said, face upside down. The Headmaster nodded, leaning forward.

"Yes indeed," he said. "As I'm sure you two are aware, Academy City's biggest festival is soon upon us. and as usual, Nagatenjouki Academy will be participating. I hope you two will represent us proudly."

"Of course," Mikoto replied with a smile. "I love the Daihaseisai." The Headmaster nodded at this.

"I'm glad," he said. "That being said, the organisation committee has asked if you two were free to open the ceremony. Would that be okay with both of you?" There it was. Onoda had already spoiled his big secret, so neither girl acted surprised when he asked this. "As I'm sure you both know, it is tradition for Level 5's to open the ceremony. And as I'm also sure you both know, some of them aren't exactly free to do it." Mikoto agreed with that, obviously. Accelerator would probably curse the Headmaster out, Kakine was... Well who knew really. Mugino wasn't a student, and Sogiita would probably do it, and would probably do it better than either of the girls. That left, obviously, the two sanest of the Level 5's. Sane being pretty lenient. As for number six, well, asking them would be kinda difficult.

"It's okay with me," Shokuhou said. "What about you, Misaka?" Mikoto managed a smile at the Headmaster.

"We can do it!" she said with a smile. "And then we'll make sure we come in first!" The Headmaster smiled at this.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said. "Now, I'm sure you girls have some summer homework to finish up before the next semester starts. You're free to leave now."

"I'm sure Shokuhou does," Mikoto replied as she stood up. "I don't think I've ever seen her do any." Shokuhou put on a facade for the Headmaster, acting hurt.

"I am shocked you would accuse me of such a thing, Misaka!" She said. "Please, I'm not some sluggard!"

"Do you even know what that word means or did it just sound right?" Shokuhou stuck her tongue out at her as the pair left the office, walking down the hallways quietly.

"I know what it means," Shokuhou replied. "It means I'm lazy."

"Of course you know, it describes you so well!" Shokuhou elbowed Mikoto, making her laugh.

"Don't test me," she said. "Or I'll embarrass you on stage when we introduce the festival." Mikoto took this as her signal to be quiet, so she decided to do so. This only made Shokuhou smirk. "Did you want to write yourself a script, Misaka? Make sure you don't mess up out there?"

"Uh, I don't really think that's necessary." Mikoto replied. Shokuhou smirked at her.

"Why? I think you'd look adorable out there in front of thousands with cue cards!"

"I'll zap the hell out of you."


After their summer vacation had finally faded away, Mikoto was back to class like everyone else. She found out that pretty much all of her classes were shared with Shokuhou, but that wasn't a surprise. She figured the school did it in order for roommates to have the same classes, so freshmen could see a friendly face. Shokuhou just so happened to be her friendly face.

Somehow.

"Come on Shokuhou, it's right here!" Mikoto said, leaning out the doorway of their new morning class as Shokuhou half walked, half jogged towards her.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Shokuhou said, looking tired out from a simple jog. "Jeez, who the hell decided to put our new morning class all the way over here?!"

"Who knows, just get in here!" Mikoto scolded. Once the blonde reached the classroom they both entered, and were greeted by classmates they did and didn't recognise. One thing that became apparent to her immediately is that the desks in the room were two-two-two. It didn't take long for both girls to realise they'd be having 'seat buddies' as it were.

"So are we actually going to do things this way, or what?" Shokuhou asked, sounding a little irritated.

"Would you rather deal with some random person?" Mikoto asked as the pair walked to the back of the room and in the middle row, deciding on the pair of desks there. "Jeez, it's like they have to keep upping the ante to keep us in each others business."

"I somehow think that's exactly what they're after." Shokuhou agreed. It didn't take long for their teacher to arrive after this, and Mikoto wasn't sure if she was happy or disappointed that Itagaki walked into the classroom.

"Ah jeez," she said, Shokuhou also slinking down into her seat.

"Guess he's our homeroom teacher this year." she hissed. Mikoto watched as the man sat his books down on his desk and looked out at the students, who had since quieted down and were waiting for him to speak up.

"Hello everyone," Itagaki said. "It's nice to see you all again after the summer break. Did you enjoy your time out of class?"

"Sure," Mikoto muttered as the class responded together. Itagaki nodded.

"I'm sure you did. However, now it's class time. And even with the Daihaseisai coming up, we will focus on our studies at every possible chance. This morning, however, will be different." Mikoto raised an eyebrow at this. Different how?

"What do you mean, sensei?" A boy in the front row asked.

"Today, you all will be examined by the school to see if you are fit enough to compete in the festival. Of course I'm sure all of you are more than willing, but if you are not capable physically, than you won't be able to compete." With this, Itagaki looked back at Mikoto and Shokuhou. "Only Misaka and Shokuhou are exempt from this, as there is no need to test either of them."

For some reason, this seemed to rile their classmates up.

"What do you mean they don't have to do the tests?!" A girl asked.

"They don't have to get sweaty?!" A boy demanded.

"Thank God, it's still not cold enough for that kinda thing." Shokuhou said under her breath. Mikoto rolled her eyes at this.

"You'd fail the exam anyway," she said, making Shokuhou's face falter slightly.

"Calm down, all of you." Itagaki said. "They're not receiving the same treatment because they're Level 5's. Not only are their physical and mental states well documented, but they are more than powerful enough to represent us as a whole."

Mikoto kinda figured if their mental state was well documented Shokuhou wouldn't have been competing, but sure.

"So just because they're the new stars of the school they get special treatment, huh?" A girl asked. This girl had been silent until now, but when she stood up Mikoto noted she had long black hair tied in a ponytail, and blue eyes that seemed to drill a hole into whatever she stared at. "That doesn't seem very fair to me."

"Omori Ayame, right?" Itagaki asked, the girl nodding. "Please take a seat and calm down. Their treatment isn't special, everyone can compete in their own way, but their exempt from the fitness exam because they're known to be capable."

"So the higher ups are expecting them to carry Nagatenjouki's legacy while the rest of us can wallow in mediocrity" Omori concluded. "I'm willing to bet that if the school could only have them compete, they would."

"I'd refuse," Shokuhou muttered. "Too much work."

"Omori, that's enough." Itagaki said. "The Daihaseisai is, first and foremost, a festival. You are taking this far too seriously." Omori, albeit irritated, nodded and bowed slightly.

"I apologise, sensei." she said. "I got a little worked up."

"A little?" Mikoto mused, watching the back of the girls head." Itagaki then turned back to everyone else.

"That goes for the rest of you, as well." He said. "It's only a festival. If you wish to compete, you must be tested to see you are capable if a event comes up that is difficult for you. The Level 5's with us today do not need that, they've been cleared already. Is everyone on the same page?" The class gave a droll "Yes sir" and he nodded. "Excellent, then follow me. We'll begin the test in earnest."


"Man I'm glad Itagaki had our backs back there," Shokuhou said from the bench next to Mikoto. Tearing her eyes away from her classmates taking their fitness tests, Mikoto turned to her roommate with a frown.

"Why's that?" She asked. Shokuhou shrugged.

"They all looked pretty upset," she said. "And, like you know, I hate being the focus on attention."

"And yet, you agreed to open he festival with me," Mikoto said, turning back to watch the test. She ignored the sharp jab of Shokuhou's index finger on her cheek, prodding her gums through it.

"I'll have you know that's different," she said. "Fawning attention and angry attention is different. I vastly prefer the former."

"How humble of you," Mikoto said, watching Omori sprinted off at the sound of the starting pistol. Despite the way the girl acted, it was quite clear as Mikoto watched the girl run she was athletic and more than capable of passing the test without a problem. So why had she gotten so riled up? Why was she upset about the two of them not having to do the tests?

As if Omori had heard her thoughts, the girl turned and looked over to Mikoto as she finished sprinting. They caught each others eye, and Omori frowned at her before turning her back on her. Mikoto made a face at this, feeling slightly stung by the cold shoulder. She'd been about to wave to her too.

"Damn, that was cold." Shokuhou said with a snicker. "What's up her butt, I wonder?"

As Mikoto watched Omori walk to the next test, she shrugged.

"I don't know."

A new character reveal, Daihaseisai hype, and more! I know that some of you may not like the idea of a new character, but as someone with an OC story with 300 chapters, I like to think it's a skill of mine. Just give her a chance, eh? I hope you all enjoyed, leave a review! See ya next time, next Wednesday!

Hopefully.

I'll try.