July 13, 2008 ACT
District 7, Joseph's Coffee & Restaurant
In a certain cozy corner of the restaurant, Kuroko frowned as she failed, once again, to connect to big sis' phone.
Just what the heck was going on?
And her companions weren't really helping matters.
"She's being attacked by the Undresstress!" Good grief, here we go.
"I will have none of that nonsense," she bluntly told Saten Ruiko.
"Saten," Uiharu spoke up, her laptop open on the table, "I found a site with stuff about the Undresstress." Oh joy.
"Let me see." Saten brought the laptop in front of her, scanning the screen for a few moments before crying out in apparent anguish.
"What is it?!" Saten slowly looked across at Kuroko.
"Shirai, it says that those who encounter the Undresstress give out a final cry, and then become lost forever." Kuroko rolled her eyes.
"Not more of that. After all, big sis is the ultimate unstoppable shock princess, and the pride of Tokiwadai. There's no way she would be done in by a mysterious flasher."
"No..." said Saten, "something more terrifying could be going on."
"What do you mean?"
"The Undresstress could be contagious!"
"Say what?"
"Those who meet her are also cursed, and become Undresstresses themselves!" Er...
"Then, Misaka will start taking her clothes off?!" Uiharu asked, sounding genuinely concerned. Kuroko was suddenly taken by the mental image of big sis Mikoto shedding her uniform and shorts and basking in-
"NO!" She started banging her head against the table. "NO BIG SIS! DON'T DO THAT!" She suddenly latched onto her friend's uniform collar. "UIHARU! FIND A WAY TO LIFT THE CURSE! RIGHT NOW!"
"Please calm down Shirai!" Saten gave an exacerbated sigh as Uiharu tried to calm Kuroko down.
"That's right, it's just an urban legend after all."
"Uh, do you girls need any help?" The three of them looked up at a boy, about their age, with short brown hair and green eyes. He stood awkwardly, wearing an olive green field jacket that hung open to show a gray shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. At his waist, sticking out from under the hem of jacket, was what looked like part of a small canvas bag.
"Umm... and you are?"
"Walsh," the boy said, offering an open hand, "Michael Walsh."
"Nice to meet you Walsh-kun," Saten greeted, taking Michael's hand even as Kuroko eyed the boy with suspicion. He seemed like an honest boy, by why would he just come up and offer help to a trio of girls? "You new to the City?"
"A little," Walsh admitted, "but my friends help me around."
"Your friends?"
"Hey Mikey! What's the hold up?" Walsh rolled his eyes as two other boys walked over. The one who spoke up had a head of short, dark, styled up hair. He was wearing a gray Members Only brand jacket, black shirt with sleek purple letters reading "Purple Rain," charcoal nylon parachute pants and a pair of black Nikes. The other was shorter and chubby with curly brown hair whose portly portions were covered by a Hawaiian shirt, red plaid shorts and Nike Terra TCs. The Purple Rain guy had a mischievous look about his face and the chubby kid just seemed curious. "Wow, you're actually talking to girls for once?"
"Shut your mouth, Mouth!" Walsh answered back. "I'm just trying to useful is all."
"Useful?" Walsh ignored him and turned back to the girls.
"So are you looking for someone? It sounded like you were really worried?"
"Oh, well," Uiharu spoke up, "I wouldn't necessarily say worried, but..."
"Big sis isn't answering her phone," Kuroko explained, "and we have reason to believe she might be in distress."
"Oh come now," said Saten, "Misaka is a far cry from a damsel-in-distress."
"But still!"
"Okay," said Walsh, "we'll help you look for her."
"Hold on," Walsh's friend interrupted, "what do you mean: we?"
"Clark, you just said there's nothing to do; well, this is something we can do. Now do you want in or do you wanna go back home and be bored to death?" His friend, Clark, shrugged, but seemingly relented. "So... who is this friend of yours?"
"Big sis," Koroko started, "is nothing but the scion of young womanhood."
"Beg your pardon?"
"A bright and vibrant rosebud of a young lady, with sharp thorns to match, who is steadfast and brimming with energy. A heart of gold and a temperament on par with the warm rays of the sun. She is above all-"
"Our friend is Misaka Mikoto," Saten cut in, "she wears the same uniform that Kuroko has, and she's the Ace of Tokiwadai Highschool, people call her: the Railgun."
"Railg... ah..."
"What?"
"Dude! I told you!" The kinda chubby kid spoke up, his beady eyes glinting with mild triumph. "I told you there was someone like that! Urban legend my butt!"
"Oh, Misaka is no urban legend," Saten said, raising a finger. "She's literally the real deal, as far as Academy City is concerned. But... not to say this city doesn't have its' share of urban legends. For example: it is said that the City has one windowless building-"
"That is said to be indestructible?" the chunky interjected. Kuroko could swear she saw Saten's ears perk up.
"Yes, exactly. The City is packed full of these."
"Like the subway train that never stops running?"
"Oh, that's an old one. And don't forget the music of Meigo Arisa that can invoke good fortune."
"What about a city that is randomly glimpsed but mistaken for a mirage?"
"It's up there next to the Black Garbage Trucks that would snatch away bad students."
"Identical-looking girls wandering around?"
"Wind turbine that randomly reverses direction."
"A secret project to increase a person's lifespan."
"The buses within the Garden of Learning are bulletproof."
"A forbidden name that would get you killed if you searched it."
"If you request your portrait painted in District 9, you'll be scouted by a modeling agency."
"An arch you walk under that causes couples to break up."
"Ooh, I almost forgot about the Arch of Jilted Lovers. You hear about an item that raises your power level, something called: Level Upper?"
"No, I haven't, but I have heard about someone who can negate Esper abilities."
"That's a good one. And the hot topic of today:" she stood straight up with a finger stretched upward, almost heroically, "the Mysterious Stripper Woman!"
"Who randomly strips in public?"
"You got it comrade!" Saten said, lowering her hand to give a thumbs up. The chubby boy mimicked the motion.
"What have I done?" Mikey wondered weakly.
"Christ," Clark smarted, "as if one Chunk wasn't enough." Kuroko actually felt sympathy for them, especially as Saten and the other boy were now shaking hands.
"Saten Ruiko."
"Lawrence Cohen, but call me: Chunk."
"Chunk? Okay."
"So... you can help us find big sis?" Kuroko asked.
"Sure, why not," said Clark, stretching his arms above his head. "What's you friend look like?"
"Here," Uiharu pulled out her cell phone and brought up a picture of Mikasa.
"Oh come now Kazari," Kuroko spoke up as Mikey and his friend leaned forward, "we can find her without troubling these guys." Mikey scrutinized Mikasa's image before pulling an outdated cellular from his blue jeans.
"Where's the harm? At least Saten made a new friend."
"Hey bro," Mikey was speaking into his phone, "I need a favor." A deep monotone squawk echoed from the receiver. "Yeah yeah, I know you're busy, I'll be quick. I'm looking for someone." Squawkity-squawk-squawk. "Just real quick, I promise." Squawk-squawk. "Fine fine," he looked at Misaka's picture again, "have you seen a middle school girl with short brown hair, brown eyes, wearing light brown sweater-vest, white shirt and-" after a quick glance at Kuroko, "-gray pleated skirt." Squawky. "Yeah, Tokiwadai; and she has a hair clip on the left side- wait what?" The voice on the other end became more excited. "Hold on, I'm putting you on speaker." Mikey pressed a button on his phone and held it out. "Go ahead bro."
"I think I saw her." That got everyone's attention.
"That was quick," Clark noted.
"I saw a girl with short brown hair and a Tokiwadai uniform."
"Where at?" asked Mikey.
"I stepped outside on my break, that's when I saw her. She was sitting down and talking with a woman. Didn't hear what they were talking abou-"
"Where did you see them!?" Kuroko asked, almost demanded, her eyes wide with fear over who that "woman" could be.
"As... I said, outside when I was on break. In one of the Seventh Mist courtyards. My break just ended, so they're probably still there."
"Thanks bro."
"Right then," Kuroko started, teleporting out of her seat and onto her feet, her initial panic abated, "what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
The six of them made their way to the Seventh Mist mall, most of them hustling to keep up with Kuroko.
"Hey! You're a teleporter right?" Clark inquired while catching his breath. "Couldn't you just teleport all of us to Seventh Mist instead of running all the way here?"
"Don't complain, especially since we're already here."
"But still!"
"Yes, I could have teleported us across the district in a couple of hops. But one would do well not to rely on their abilities."
"Nevermind that," Mikey gasped, reaching a hand into the canvas bag on his hip, the brand "Marble King" now visible on the side, and brandishing an inhaler. He gave himself a quick puff before proceeding; "let's find your friend and get out of here before my brother ropes us into something."
"Like what?" Saten asked as they approached one of the entrances.
"Probably have us stock the shelves or something." They passed through the sliding glass door. "In any case, we should-" The lights flickered and went out. Both the six of them and the other customers stood still in the sudden dimness as an alarm sounded.
"Is that the fire alarm?"
"Uiharu?" Uiharu was already checking her data device, scanning the recent notifications.
"No, no fire. It looks like a power outage."
"Oh big sis," Kuroko smarted, shaking her head, "she did something outrageous again."
"Outrageous how?" Clark asked.
"Look, there!" Saten started, gesturing down the hall toward an odd couple. One was a tall woman with long wavy brown hair, white long-sleeved shirt and a navy blue pencil skirt. The other, leading first by the arm, was Misaka Mikoto, whose face was red somewhat, even in the dim light.
"Big sis!" Kuroko called out.
"Kuroko? What are you doing here?"
"We were looking for you."
"Oh, sorry, some things happened. Come on, let's get outside." The six-now-eight stepped back outside. In the light of the early afternoon, everyone noticed how haggard the woman looked, especially with the dark bags under her eyes.
"Holy Mackenzie," Mikey said, "looks like you've been up for days." The lady meekly smiled at this.
"I have been rather busy as of late. I'm Dr. Kiyama Harumi of the Mizuho Medical Institute."
"What were you doing with a researcher big sis?" Misaka's shoulders slackened as she gave an exasperated sigh.
"A long story; to make it short, I'm helping her find her car."
The car in question was a blue Lamborghini Gallardo. The boys all became beguiled before it.
"Holy Ferruccio," Mikey gushed, "this is a Lamborghini Gallardo Edizione Tecnica."
"And a nice one at that," Clark added, crouching near the back as to better see the profile of the car, "maquina muy sensual."
"So this is what young boys go for now?" Saten wondered out loud with a smirk. Dr. Kiyama got in and started the ignition.
"Thank you for all your help."
"Um... are you going to be okay, driving while exhausted like you are now?" Kuroko asked, genuinely concerned.
"Oh yes, I'll be fine; just so long as the air conditioning doesn't break. Bye now." She pulled the car out and expertly drove onto the street and out of sight.
"Well, it isn't every day you run into an expert on AIM diffusion fields," Kuroko said, hands on her hips. "I'd say we all had an exciting day thanks to you big sis."
"Even so," said Misaka with her arms crossed, "who forgets the lot where they parked?"
"She probably has a lot on her mind," Uiharu surmised.
"I'd believe it," said Mikey. "Did you see the bags under her eyes?"
"Remind me to never apply for a position at Mizuho Medical," commented Clark, "I hate the graveyard shift."
"Okay okay," Kuroko said, clapping her hands together, "we found big sis, now let's get out of here."
"Agreed," Mikey agreed, and the seven of them started walking off. Misaka stretched her arms and yawned as they passed a board listing parking rates.
"You seem kind of tired yourself Misaka," Uiharu noted. Misaka merely grunted.
"Well, you were never good with maps and such," Kuroko mentioned, "I can see helping that lady taking a lot out of you."
"It wasn't that," Misaka explained, "that was actually alright. Its just everything else that happened alongside it." Her posture then dropped into an agonized slouch. "This is all his fault."
"Eh?"
"I swear, the next time I see him I'll-" Touma let out a cry of anguish, seeing the full extent of the damage, especially to the eggs.
"All gone..." he uttered, overtaken with agony and sorrow. "My all-important source of protein... and after... and after two hours in line..." Then he abruptly turned around, feeling as though someone was looking down on him from above. There was.
"How dare you run away and leave me hanging!" Misaka shouted, pointing a finger down at him. "You dumped your problems on me to go shopping?!"
"For a poor student like me, obtaining sale items is a matter of life and death!" bringing up the broken eggs. "A Tokiwadai girl like you would never understand!"
"Friend of yours?" Mikey asked, Uiharu and Saten both shrugged.
"I had a hard time too!" Misaka snapped back as the others looked on. "She took off her dirty skirt right in front of me!"
"She did what?" Saten's ears perked up.
"I had no choice but to wash it, and after all that, she almost called me a tsun-!" She stopped short, her face turning bright red in the evening sun.
"Tsun?" Her face flushed completely crimson.
"W-w-whatever, you owe me a fight so fight me!" The boy gave her a tired look.
"'Fight me, fight me.' You've lost every single time we've done this, haven't you?"
"Wait what?" Kuroko thought she misheard.
"Shut up!" Misaka retorted, "I haven't taken a single shot from you, so neither one of us have won!"
"Then how do we end this?" he asked, scratching his head.
"Well... I just have to beat you of course."
"Alright then," Touma slowly got to his feet, "if that's what it takes..." he looked her straight in the eye. "I'll take you on."
Misaka gulped, seeing the determined look in the boy's eyes. This time, he would be completely serious.
"Wait, hold on," Clark interrupted, "are you two actually gonna start a fight here?"
"No, not here," Touma answered with a wave of the hand, "I don't want to be responsible for breaking part of a District."
It took several minutes, but the seven of them eventually made their way to a certain riverbank, well clear of anything of note.
"So who is this guy?" asked Saten, as she sat down on the hillside beside Uiharu. Her friend browsed the data on her laptop.
"Kamijou Touma, 15 years old, first-year of A▌c▌i▌e▌e▌ High School, level... zero."
"Zero?" Kuroko wondered aloud, "if he's a level zero, then how come big sis is so eager to confront him?"
"Pity we don't have popcorn," Chunk complained, relaxing in the grass.
"Quit complaining," Clark snapped, nudging Chunk with a foot, "we're about to see an Esper fight."
"I wouldn't get my hopes up too much," said Saten, "he's a Level 0 and Misaka is Level 5 Electromaster."
"We won't be troubling anyone down here," Touma said, standing before Misaka a short distance away from the observers. "I'm ready whenever you are." White lightning seemed to sizzle around Misaka.
["Gyakuten" by Maiko Iuchi - PLAY]
"No need telling me twice!" Misaka said with a nasty grin, "I've been waiting so long for this!" Electricity shot over the grass, reaching Touma in little more than a second. He instantly put out his right hand, the shocks stopped just shy of him, steam enveloping him while Misaka's lightning fizzled out. While Mikey and boys looked on with eager awe, the girls' eyes suddenly snapped open.
"What the-?" Kuroko gaped.
"What just happened?" Saten asked. Misaka seemed completely unfazed however. She flexed her right hand, a triad of shocks twisting into the ground. Steel gray dust rose and spiraled around like knarled clouds.
"What the hell?" Mikey leaned towards the girls. "What is she doing? I thought she could only control electricity?"
"She is," Kuroko explained, "she's manipulating iron sand particles in the air and ground." Indeed, as her friend explained, Misaka shaped the twisted clouds of particles into the form of a straight sword of sorts.
"Whoa! Hold on!" Touma objected, "Using weapons is against the rules isn't it?!"
"I made it using my ability," Misaka replied plainly, and almost everyone could notice a single leaf being sliced in two. Touma took a nervous step back. "The vibrations of the iron sand makes it act like a chainsaw, so you may bleed a little if it touches you!" She charged forward, swinging this way and that as Touma dodged again and again. "Scamper round all you like, you won't get away!" Her iron-sand sword suddenly stretched out, reaching toward Touma. Touma twisted round and put out his right hand again. The iron sand impacted something, dissolved and blew back on a slight gust of wind.
"How is he doing that?" Kuroko wondered aloud. "Or rather, what is he doing? Are you sure he's a Level 0?"
"That's what it says!" Uiharu even held out the laptop for her to see. Touma, meanwhile, was examining his palm. Seeing no sign of injury, not even a scratch, he smiled in relief.
"Well... shall we call it there?" Misaka wasn't tossing in the towel yet.
"Don't be too sure, I'm ending this now!" More shocks and iron sand began to spiral round in the air again, this time a lot more of it. The iron sand gathered together in the air above the two of them before surging toward Touma. Again, he used his right hand, swiping at the black cloud and causing it to dissipate. But as Touma focused on the iron sand, Misaka quickly snuck around a grasped his right hand with hers.
"I got you now!"
"Now she's got him!" Kuroko stated in anticipation. No doubt Misaka was going to fry him with a firm handshake. Only...
[Gyakuten - END]
Misaka's smirk vanished. Her eyes widened, looking at the hand she was holding on to. On the hillside, Kuroko and the others saw the confusion and astonishment, if not panic, on the Railgun's face.
"Wait," Kuroko spoke up, "you don't think that..."
"I think," said Uiharu, glancing at her laptop and back at the duo before them, "I think he's preventing her from using her power."
"But how?" Kuroko uttered, almost hissing, "that's just impossible, isn't it?" Everyone turned their attention back to the dueling pair. Touma, surprised by Misaka's maneuver, had regained his composure and was looking at her with a neutral expression. He pulled back his left hand into a fist.
"Eep!" Misaka flinched, raising her arms in a feeble attempt at defense. Touma could see she was genuinely frightened; there was even a pair of tears forming at her eyes.
Now how do I finish this without actually hurting her? She said she had to beat him, so... in that case...
He cried out, jerking free of her grip before pitifully dropping to the ground. Everyone on the hillside stared at Touma's antics with the exact same thought on their minds: "Huh?"
Misaka, shaking somewhat, carefully opened her eyes, finally noticing her opponent on the ground who seemed to be...
"I-I have lost...!"
No one moved, or spoke, as a gentle breeze swept across the riverbank.
"Oh no," said Kuroko.
"What do you mean: 'oh no'?" Mikey asked.
"She is not going to be happy." Indeed, whatever fear that was on Misaka's face was slowly being overcome with fury. Her face reddened, she gritted her teeth, her hands became fists.
Something gave off a spark.
Touma, sensed incoming doom and quickly scrambled to his feet.
"Don't you SCREW WITH ME!" Random shocks zapped the ground, singeing the grass where Touma had been mere moments before. "TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY DAMNIT!" she demanded as Touma fell back on his butt.
"How can I fight you seriously? You're obviously freaked out!"
"I'm not freaked out!" she snapped back, her face getting even redder.
"Yes you are!" He raise his arms and shrunk back, mimicking her previous posture. "You even got teary-eyed, then you flinched-"
"THAT WAS AMAZING!"
Both of them jumped as Saten and Chunk had suddenly appeared between them.
"That was incredible!" Saten gushed. "To think I would witness a living urban legend in action!"
"Wait, what?"
"What did you say your name was?" Chunk inquired.
"My name? Kamijou Touma."
"So... Kamijou-san, yes?"
"Yes."
"Can I have your autograph?" Chunk asked, holding out a pen and a notepad.
"What?"
"Oh yeah, me too!" said Saten.
"Saten, what are you doing?" Mikasa asked incredulously.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm about to get an autograph with a living urban legend!"
"What are you talking about?" Kuroko asked, having walked down to them with the others off the hill. "What urban legend nonsense are you spouting now?"
"Him! Him!" Saten said ecstatically, jumping up and down. "He can negate abilities!"
"Er..." Kuroko was about to object to the ridiculous notion, only she realized that, technically, she was right. She frown. "Hey, Kamijou, what happens whenever you go for a system scan?"
"Oh, that?" he answered mid-way through his signature. "The scan always registers as zero with me. Not that it matters; my life is hard enough as it is."
Misaka just stood there, flabbergasted as everyone was seemingly enamored with this idiot. Did they all forget that they were in the middle of a fight? So what if he's an urban legend! He's still an annoying nuisance! If only she could- Kuroko gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder.
Huh?
"Quite a day you had big sis."
"What?"
"Stuck helping a researcher for a big part of the day; then you follow it up with a fight with a Level 0, only to find that he is, in fact, the legendary ability canceller. Now then," she put her hands on her hips, "we got all that excitement out of the way, shake hands and make up."
"Excuse me?"
"Fight's over, you and Mr. Kamijou shake hands."
"Kuroko! Weren't you watching? He didn't land a single hit on me!"
"He could've punched you in the face if he actually wanted to."
"But-!" Kuroko pointed at her armband.
"I'm not asking big sis, I'm telling you as a member of judgement. You can't shock him, and he's too nice to actually hit you back. It's an inevitable stalemate. Now, shake hands and make up."
Misaka wanted to argue, she really did. Inevitable stalemate. Kuroko wasn't wrong. After the handful of times that she confronted him, he always got away somehow. Now, with a bunch of witnesses, she really can't beat him. But she's a Level 5 damn it! Beaten by a Level Zero with a broken ability; completely unfair! Inevitable stalemate. Misaka felt her cheeks turn red hot, the cool night air stinging her skin, and the tears of fear and frustration she held back earlier threatened to break again. She grabbed her right arm with her left, the same arm that failed to conduct her shocks, if only for a few crucial seconds. She glanced up at Touma, his expression inoffensive. Feeling the glare of everyone upon her, Misaka ruefully held out her right hand. Touma, now visibly relieved, gladly took her right hand in his and the two shook on it.
District 7, Aeternum
Daniel Cooper was sitting at his office desk, smoking a Raleigh brand cigarette, when the phone rang. The caller id read: Vector. He answered it.
"How'd it go?"
"Better than expected," Victor Lehnsherr, aka: Vector, reported, "and those idiots are still racing on it. Going on their third lap."
"Perfect, tell them to bring it in and save it for next month."
"Copy that." He hung up, then stood and stepped over to the calendar on the wall. Taking a sharpie, he lifted a page on that year's Northwest Orient Airlines calendar and marked Wednesday, the 13th of August, with the phrase: Nox Circulus.
District 7, Tokiwadai Student's Dormitory
Misaka stumbled out of the bathroom, having showered and changed into her pajamas.
"Feeling better?" Kuroko asked, having insisted that Misaka shower first.
"Kind of..." Misaka stumbled about and flopped onto her bed, groaning somewhat. Kuroko scrutinized her roommate before moving to the bathroom.
"I don't see why you have it in for him."
"He just rubs me the wrong way..."
"Well, I like him."
"What?" Misaka's head shot up. "Why?"
"Why not? He's helpful and courteous, and he just refused to punch you in the face. He's a good boy." Misaka frowned as the bathroom door closed behind her friend. Inevitable stalemate. Technically, yes, but why "inevitable," makes it sound like she was fated to lose to that idiot. She turned onto her back and held her right arm out. She conducted a shock, and strands of electricity arced between her fingers. Her ability was working just fine.
Kamijou Touma...
Touma...
She turned over again, putting her arms around one of the pillows and holding it against her torso.
Touma...
inevitable...
good boy...
The exhaustion finally overtook her, and she fell into a deep sleep.