This is my first One-Shot, the original text. Re-written versions will be posted as extra chapters, so if you like this one, maybe go read those… if you do, please tell me what you think!

Enjoy reading! :)

/

It started off simple.

A magical cabal wanted to crush Academy City, like always, so Touma and his other magician friends went to stop them first. Running around the city, punching magicians, ambushes—it was the typical. Until one of Touma's Science Side friends, Misaka Mikoto got involved.

Running around the city, getting confused, beaten and winning, she ran head-first into danger, and more often than not, got injured. So of course Touma had to stop her, but she'd refused, adamantly saying, "I can help!"

Giving in, Touma gave her a quick run-down of the situation. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw her glowing expression, happy and overjoyed that he'd trusted her to help.

He'd told himself, She'll be fine. She's the Third-Ranked, after all.

/

The situation slowly escalated, after finding out that they were targeting the top three Level 5s—they were, after all, the city's most powerful Espers. Touma felt that Accelerator and Kakine could handle themselves—as they proved when they killed their would-be assassins with terrifying ease. Mikoto, however, wasn't so lucky. She'd barely survived, just missing a one-hit-kill shot from the skilled Magician. After seeing her bruised and bloody, it was then that Touma realised—She can't handle this.

He tried to get her to leave, to recuperate, but again she refused, crying and promising, "I'll do better! I'll get stronger!" Seeing the normally arrogant, selfish girl beg was like a knife stab to his chest, and eventually, she managed to convince the other Magicians that she could fight.

Touma was working up the courage to tell her to stop, but then suddenly, they found out that Index had been captured—for one of the many grimoires that she possessed—because they planned to summon a giant hell-beast to destroy the city.

The entire Anglican Church was thrown into uproar, and Stiyl and Kanzaki nearly went crazy from worry. Amidst the chaos, it proved too much to prevent one little, insignificant girl from tagging along to help retrieve the nun. They told the Esper, "Do whatever you want. Just don't interrupt."

No-one seemed to realise that she was on the border of tears, blinking away the self-doubt and clenching her fists in determination.

/

After getting the location of the nun, the makeshift rescue team—comprising of Touma, Kanzaki, Stiyl and Mikoto—found themselves in a large airport, chasing down the Magicians that had turned the place into a giant bomb. They split up to attack each one, while the white, sprawling complex rocked with explosions and blood.

Touma defeated magician after magician, as did Kanzaki and Stiyl, their wins marked by the trail of unconscious bodies and destroyed rooms and hallways. The trio were nearing the end, seeing the massive, blood-red magic circle through the shattered glass—the giant collection of mana stretching over miles and covering the runways—when a soul-shattering feminine scream sounded into the air.

Touma shrieked, "Mikoto!" while Kanzaki's expression shifted to one of horror. Stiyl was indifferent, simply saying, "The magic circle is more pressing. Leave her and let's go." Kanzaki nodded, agreeing with the flame magician, despite knowing that they'd have to leave the girl to die.

Turning to them, Touma said, "We have to save her!"

Kanzaki said, "And risk letting the hell-beast be summoned?"

"Yes!" Was his reply. Once Touma began running off towards Mikoto, Kanzaki receded and followed, while a cursing Stiyl brought up the rear.

Once they'd found Mikoto, Touma saw a bloodied, near-dead girl, sprawled out on the concrete and surrounded by molten metal, her broken body that had been discarded like an unwanted doll. At seeing the red-dyed girl, Touma was filled with loathing, at both himself and at the smirking magician. Screeching in wordless fury, he trembled and ran at the magician, before Kanzaki stopped him. "Protect the girl. Stiyl and I will take him on."

As the two decked it out with the magician, he heard taunts and yells, the man trying and failing to bait Kanzaki. "Hmm, nice shot! The girl could've beaten me, perhaps, if she wasn't so eager and careless." He lost, though—he had no change against a powerful magician and a saint.

The others destroyed the magician, while Touma carefully picked up Mikoto, princess-carrying her out of the hall, where he was joined by Kanzaki and Stiyl.

The four staggered out of the airport, to find that the magic circle had been replaced by Index, the little white nun just as bloody as Mikoto.

Mikoto, who began to wake, pushed her way out of Touma's arms and dragged her body to Index, reaching out towards the nun before she was kicked away by Stiyl, her body tumbling over before landing with a flump on the ground. Touma yelled, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, STIYL?"

Stiyl, who was holding Index like she was his newborn child, shrieked at Mikoto. "BECAUSE YOU WERE SO USELESS, ESPER, WE HAD TO GO BACK FOR YOU, AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED! SHE GOT HURT! BECAUSE OF YOU, INDEX IS LIKE THIS!"

Trembling on the cold, ruined asphalt, Mikoto muttered, "I just... I just wanted to help..."

Glaring at the bleeding, weakened Esper, he said, "You're pathetic. You couldn't even take out a simple magician; you're stages away from everyone else. Even that second-rate Mental Out would've been more helpful that you!" Sweeping a hand in front of him, he gestured at her. "You're useless. Go back to your princess school, Third-Rate." As he yelled, the choking vice of unconsciousness began to close in on Mikoto, who struggled to stay awake. No—I need to prove that I can endure it—

"Stiyl—how could you!? Mikoto was just trying to help! Why would you—" Touma's protests died as Mikoto's eyes fluttered shut, her body going limp and her words dying in her throat.

No-one noticed the small, minuscule trail of tears slowly carving a path down her cheek, washing away her blood and dyeing the little transparent drop of rust red.

/

She'd nearly died that day. She'd nearly died that day. She nearly diedthat day.

Steeling his resolve, Touma decided that, once and for all, he would keep Mikoto safe. But being around him meant keeping her in danger, especially now that she knew about the Magic Side. Whatever it took to keep her safe, he would do it.

/

Mikoto woke up in a hospital, and after blinking a few times, realised that she was wrapped in bandages and hooked up to multiple machines. Once the haze moved from her eyes, she saw a sad, spiky-haired boy hovering above the bed. "T- Touma?"

Looking away from her, he said, "Misaka-san. I don't want you to fight anymore."

She blinked. "What?"

"Magic is something you shouldn't touch, okay? I want you to leave, and once you've healed up, you're never going to see me again."

"What—Touma, why—?" She was confused. And hurt. Standing up, Touma turned to leave, but Mikoto cried out, "Wait, don't leave! Please, why—I don't understand—is this because you think I'll get hurt? It's okay if I—"

He knew, that if he said it was because she'd get hurt, she wouldn't stop trying to fight. He knew that she would still get hurt.

Feeling like he was drinking acid, he said, "No. You saw what happened three days ago—Index got hurt." Praying his face was under control, he turned to look at her with a cold, unforgiving look in his ice-blue eyes. "Stiyl was right—because of you, we had to go and save you, at the cost of Index's health. She's still unconscious, and the hell-beast was summoned. We had to defeat it ourselves, when we could have just destroyed the magic circle." He heard the small, pained gasp the middle schooler let out. "Simply, I don't want you around." Turning away, he said, "You're useless."

Looking weaker and more helpless than ever, she said, "You... don't want me... around anymore?" She sounded like she was choking. "You think I'm... useless?"

Nodding, he said, "Yes."

Now truly crying, she said, "Please! I... I love you! That's why I want to help you! I just—" As the tears ran down her face, Touma cursed himself for being the one to make her cry. He honestly wanted to stab himself for what he said next.

"But I don't love you. And I don't ever want to see you again." As he left, he heard Mikoto's tears turn to sobs, and by the time he closed the door, he felt like he was the most wretched person to ever walk the earth.

/

He didn't see her after that, and he didn't know how to feel when he'd heard that the famed Railgun, the Third-Ranked of Academy City, had left to go to some training grounds in Russia.

He never saw her, not even on the news or the radio. The best source of information he could get about her was via rumours and whispers on the street.

Mikoto's friends cried, and Kuroko blamed Touma.

/

A month later, he heard that the Railgun had become the Second-Ranked Level 5 of Academy City. That week, over thirty buildings were destroyed by a furious Dark Matter. Apparently, the new Second-Ranked refused to attend any interviews. A popular rumour said that the reason she did so was to uphold the request of someone dear to her. He wondered where she was, and if he did the right thing.

/

Railgun became the First-Ranked. The clones unsuccessfully tried to find Mikoto, much to the sadness of the Imoutos.

/

Total radio silence on the Railgun. It was like she never existed.

/

Nothing.

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Nothi

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Not

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N

/

...

/

Seven months later, he was invited to a party in England for Christmas, all the way to Buckingham Palace with Index.

He was bullied, as usual.

It was fun, and he enjoyed himself, before the lights suddenly went out and screams ripped through the air. After the screams stopped, the lights suddenly flashed back on, and he saw Stiyl, in his smart red suit, lying in the dust covered in his blood. "Gah—what—"

Whipping around, Touma's eyes opened in horror; the room was bathed in red, the Queen, the princesses, the knights, hell, even Kanzaki and Aqua—thrown all over the walls and floors, the tables and furniture splintered and food spilling onto the floor. Only he and an unconscious Index were unharmed.

"Hello, Baka-chan~"

Touma froze as he heard a voice, a sweet, energetic and excited voice, the voice of someone he hadn't seen in months.

"How have you been?"

Spinning in a circle, he looked desperately for someone.

"You said to never seeyou again, so I hope you don't mind this."

His search turning up empty handed, he shrieked, "What's going on!? Who are you? Mikoto would never do this!" Glaring at a random piece of splintered wood, he demanded, "Show yourself, dammit!"

"Huh? Didn't you call me Misaka-san last time we met? I didn't know we were on first-name basis, Baka." Melting out of the smoke behind him, he froze a second time as an older, crueler Mikoto walked out. She was wearing in an exotic dress, strapless and bright red, layers of velvet and silk overlapping and forming a dancing, ripping fabric. Her hair was longer, reaching all the way down to her waist, and her chest had developed more. She was taller, if only slightly, and her previous curves had become more pronounced. She was beautiful, but she was wearing a cruel, insane smile on her face that belonged on killers like Mugino and Accelerator.

"You're not Mikoto. She would never—she would never do... this."

Smiling gently, she extended a bare hand, pulling off her red glove as she did so. "Try me."

Trembling, he extended his right hand, his Imagine Breaker, and tapped Mikoto's palm, but nothing happened.

Her smile stretching into a grin, she sang, "See?" Pulling away, she danced in a circle around him. "Satisfied?"

He couldn't believe it. This girl in front of him was Mikoto, the kind girl who'd once tried to sacrifice her own for her clones—yet here she was, painting a ballroom in blood and appearing after seven months of absence. "Why—why are you here? Why did you do this?"

"You said I was useless, no?" The smile back on her face, she extended her hand and Stiyl's body suddenly flew towards her, his face arching up, where she grabbed his chin and caressed his cheek, the rune Magician frozen in fear. "You... and this little guy here." Releasing Stiyl, she pulled her finger back, before flicking him in the forehead; he flew backwards, smashing into stone and bricks and flying out, a silent scream on his lips.

Touma watched in horror.

"Heeeeeey, I was wondering; because you told me to reveal myself, does that mean I'm useful, now?" A childish, hopeful expression found its way to Mikoto's face, breaking out in a grin. "You said I couldn't see you because I was useless; now that I am, I can see you, right?"

His mind seemed to freeze, replaying what he'd told her so long ago.

"If I'm useful, then you'll want me around, right?" Each word was a stab to his chest.

I don't want you around. You're useless.

"Would you love me, if you want me around?" He felt like screaming and crying as she spoke.

But I don't love you. And I don't want to see you around.

An angry growl formed on her face as Touma stayed silent. "Answer me already, Baka!" Stamping her foot on the ground, she cried, "If that rune magician is useful, then if I kill him, that means I'm more useful than him, right?" Shaking her head, she said, "If I kill Kanzaki, I'll be wanted, right? I won't be left alone, right?" Walking towards the unconscious saint, she extended a hand and placed it on her face, spreading her fingers so that she gripped her head. "If I just blow up the head—hmm, an electrical current of—"

"Stop! Mikoto, stop!" Running forwards, he grabbed Mikoto with his right hand and flung her away, as he turned his back to Kanzaki and stood in front of her protectively. "Don't touch Kanzaki!"

Mikoto blinked in confusion. "I don't understand. If you discarded me because I was useless, doesn't that mean you would do the same to others? So why..." she suddenly smiled, her face lit up with the joy of a thousand suns. "Does that mean that I need to kill you to be useful?"

"No, Mikoto! I lied that day! I wanted to—" Touma gasped out in desperation, wondering what the hell had happened to Mikoto in the span of seven months.

She blinked. "You... lied?" True panic seemed to register on her face, before being replaced by a depthless sadness. "You lied... to me?"

Cautiously inching forwards, he said, "Yeah. I wanted to protect you from those fights, but if you were around me then you would always get involved in them." Extending his hand, he said, "You don't need to be useful, Mikoto. You already are."

She blinked in confusion, before her confusion was replaced by a smile. Walking around Touma, she sang, "A good thing about insanity is that nothing makes sense anymore."

Now it was Touma's turn to be confused. "What?"

Humming, she sang, "Nehh, after you broke my heart, some magician offered to take it away!" She continued to smile, her joyful grin spreading wider and wider. "Only he screwed up, and turned me insane!" She suddenly broke out in giggles, streaks of electricity burning around her. "It was really, really fun! I was so tired of being in the goooooooooooood side," she sang, "It was great to fall! I don't need to worry, I don't need morals, I don't need so many things!" Her giggles turned into laughter. "It's really great!"

As she laughed, Touma exploded, "Mikoto! You don't need to do this!"

Her laughter cutting off, she spoke without emotion, exactly like her clones. "What." Bringing a gloved left hand to her face, she said, "it's not like you can save me, or anything."

Touma broke into a run, his right hand extended, his body tensed. "Just watch me."

/

When Index awoke, unharmed, she saw that the ballroom was a mess, blood and rubble scattered and smeared everywhere. But in the middle of the trashed room, she saw two people, kneeling and crying as the moonlight shined down.

Touma was wrapped around Mikoto, the girl hugging his torso, while Touma leaned over her, holding her in an embrace, drops of silver falling from their eyes. As Touma held her close, he whispered to Mikoto,

"I love you too."

/

So, what did you guys think of my first one-shot original?