Authors Note: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Sorry, this took so long, it's actually been done for a while, but it went through some stuff.
Special thanks to ebora ( youngmanisdown) for the cover illustration.
Chapter 1: A Normal Day in a Normal Life
"Hey Sarina, can you help carry these?"
Before the monster, before the helicopter, and before the mysterious object, Sarina Gray had a normal life. She had a loving family, lived in a fine home, and went to a good school. She had an intense love and passion for science. A love so deep, it was to the point where she even wore the same science-themed sweater every day. She was also cheery and kind towards everyone she met, so she always had the opportunity to make friends. Because of this, she was the type of person one could easily ask for help whenever needed.
Take for instance Miss Gretchin, a woman in her late twenties wearing sharp glasses and a tight-fitting business suit that unintentionally highlighted her curves. She was getting ready to pack up and head home after working her seven-to-four job when she was suddenly dumped with two veritable mountains' worth of paper files and tasked with moving them to a classroom that wasn't even hers. Now she was stuck carrying two oversized boxes containing the mess of files, each of which must have easily weighed nearly thirty-five pounds.
Miss Gretchin was a teacher at Amelia Middle School, one of two middle schools in Rinas Town and named after the founder's wife, Amelia Rinas— The second middle school was named after his mother, Dahlia Rinas. In fact, all the schools within Rinas Town are named after the founder's family. The high school was named after the founder himself, Waller Rinas, while the two elementary schools were named after his two daughters, Angela and Elanor.
Rinas City also applied this rule, with the only difference being the names of the family members used. They were quite the family men.
"Yeah, sure thing Miss Gretchin! Here, let me get that for you."
"Thank you so much, Sarina— You're a lifesaver!" Said the teacher, handing her the second box of paperwork. "Normally I wouldn't ask a student to help me with something like this, but I've been having some serious back pains recently and you were the first person I saw."
They were currently walking along an outdoor hallway with no walls and a concrete ceiling held up by several concrete pillars, each layered with a coat of blue paint. It connected to several small side buildings that were used to house the classrooms.
"It's alright, Miss G. I'm glad I could help. I don't really have anything else going on after school anyway, so I was just gonna head home instead."
"So I've heard… and honestly, Sarina? That worries me, just a little," Replied Miss Gretchin, a twinge of worry in her voice. "You're a bright young girl, Sarina. You like science, right? There's this new club I'll be advising soon, one that focuses on quantum physics. Why don't you join?"
"Hm…"
Sarina Grey had a routine: Get up, exercise, eat breakfast, go to school, leave school, do homework, go to bed, and repeat, with only 2 extra hours set aside for free time. It was the bare minimum routine that everyone followed, with a few notable exceptions such as going to work instead of school. Normally, one would want to break free of this routine by taking up hobbies to do in their downtime. This was what clubs and sports were for since they helped to hone your skills and allow you to make new friends with common interests.
But Sarina didn't do that.
It wasn't because she didn't have the capabilities to do so; She had a healthy body thanks to both her morning exercise routine and a naturally high metabolism that, on occasion, sparked jealousy amongst the other girls. She was also intelligent, with the grades to match, though she had a bit of a hard time applying those grades to real-world situations. In other words, Sarina had rolled a 14 for her intelligence, but only an 8 on her wisdom.
"Sorry, but I'm really just not that interested in joining any clubs or anything," Answered Sarina. "It's not that I think they're bad or I'm too lazy to do them, it's just that none of the clubs or sports here have really caught my eye."
The teacher could only soften her eyes out of concern. Before long, Sarina and Miss Gretchin made it to their destination, "Even so, I think you should try it. It would be good for you to do something other than waste your days away doing nothing but school or staying at home."
Sarina and the teacher quickly walked inside the room and placed the boxes near the main desk. The classroom itself was nothing special, with the standard wooden desks and chairs, a large dry-erase board meant for lectures, and a projector on top of the ceiling. During the unloading, Sarina thought hard about the instructor's words.
Even if they didn't interest her, being a part of after-school activities was incredibly beneficial. It was a fantastic way to make new friends and develop skills that might help you in the long run. Not to mention, it could do wonders for one's mental health by breaking them out of the monotonous cycle of their day-to-day lives. Despite her lack of interest in these activities, Sarina was a charismatic person who could easily make friends, so she would fit right in with any of the school's clubs or sports.
"Yeah," Sarina eventually sighed, "it probably would—"
But the reason those activities weren't in her sights was because they were nothing in comparison to what she truly wanted to be a part of. The passion she had in her eyes conveyed her fervent desire for that goal.
"—But what I want to spend my time on is way more interesting."
Unable to come up with a proper rebuttal, Miss Gretchin could only furrow her brows in response. After all, what kind of teacher would she be to deny such passion? "Well, so long as you're spending your time on something that you enjoy, and it's safe, then who am I to stop you?"
"Thanks for understanding, Miss G., and don't worry. When I reach high school, I'm gonna be putting all my time and effort into what I really want to do!" Shouted Sarina, giving the teacher a cheeky smile and thumbs up before turning around to leave.
"Oh, Sarina, don't forget!" Called out the teacher one last time. "The field trip to AdvaMech is this weekend, so tomorrow is the last day for any extra guests to sign up and join!"
"Don't worry," The girl reassured her. "I don't have plans to invite anyone!"
With those departing words, the teacher and student duo went their separate ways. Immediately, Sarina left the school grounds and started her short journey home. Normally a parent would rather pick their child up from school if they could help it, and the nation's crime rates hadn't exactly gone down either, so parents across the U.S. were especially careful about younger kids walking home alone. Sarina's home wasn't very far from the school, however, so her parents allowed her to walk home. This was both to give her that small level of independence that most teenagers craved, and to teach her to be somewhat self-reliant before she got too old.
As she walked through the calm streets of the suburban town, Sarina constantly eyed her surroundings. If done by any other girl, one could likely assume this was done for her own safety. In Sarina's case, it was something entirely different; She was searching for something. Something that had no real identity or name. Something that would catch one's eye and turn heads upon first glance, stopping people in their tracks the second they noticed it.
She found nothing.
Rinas, the town, was the dictionary definition of an average suburban neighborhood. The ideal small, quiet neighborhood which many who believed in the classic "American Dream" sought after, where parents could raise their children without having to worry about whether or not their family would live a calm, peaceful life. The kind of dull, boring life that brought absolutely no interest to the girl. As far as Sarina was concerned, the only thing even remotely interesting in her neighborhood was a path that led to the ruins of an old dairy farm— Going past which led to a large open dirt canyon where many of the highschoolers spent their days performing and perfecting various bike tricks. But, even then, it became one of the many things she had grown used to seeing, which only brought her back to this feeling of unfulfillment.
Without even noticing the journey she took to get there, Sarina soon found herself in front of the door to her family's home: A plain one-story house surrounded by a standard chain link garden fence that stood around 3-feet tall. The most notable thing about the home was in the yard, where a cleanly picked Honeycrisp Apple tree proudly grew beside the fence. With a reluctant sigh, Sarina took one final glance out beyond the confines of her home, still looking for something that wasn't there.
"I should really stop hoping something will happen," The girl said with a small shred of disappointment in her voice. "Oh well, maybe next time."
Quietly, Sarina fumbled with her keys and opened the door. As she entered the confines of her home, she tried to put her disappointment behind her. The house her family lived in was what one might expect for a middle-class suburban home. The living room and kitchen were adjacent to one another with no walls to separate them for easy access. Next to the front door was an adjacent hallway with a guest bathroom in the middle and fork that led to two bedrooms and an office no doubt belonging to the residents of the home.
"I'm back," The middle-school girl called out as she reached the living room.
"Welcome back sweetie, how was school?" Said a homely woman lying on the couch, a wine glass in hand and a small bowl of pistachio nuts on a coffee table beside her. Dressed in a white tank-top and pink sweatpants, equally pink fuzzy slippers covering her feet, the woman's face, while beautiful, had its fair share of wrinkles, signifying the unavoidable effects of age. Her shoulder length blond hair done casual, and the pure look of utter relief on her face told the story of a woman that had finally gotten the chance to sit down, after a long day of monotonous housework and labor.
This was Sarina's mother.
"Eh, school was school. You know how it is," The girl answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "How was yours?"
"Oh, you know," The woman said, playfully swirling her wine glass. "I got chores done and now I'm just enjoying my shows…"
There was a silence that stretched the air between them for a moment as neither felt like anything needed to be said, before Sarina's mother took a small sip from her glass of wine.
"Alright, well, I've got homework I need to do, so I'll be in my room," The girl took the opportunity to speak once more. "Any dinner plans?"
"I just cleaned the house and I'd like to keep it that way, at the very least for today." The woman grabbed a handful of her pistachios. "Do you mind grabbing yourself something?"
"Yeah, sure," Sarina said, feet now carrying her towards her room, indicating that the conversation had ended. This was the kind of conversation Sarina had with her family: A quick exchange of words before going about to do her own separate activities. Don't be mistaken, however, for they still have that familial bond and love each other like any other mother and daughter. They simply felt no need or desire to be vocal about it right now.
It wasn't the ideal dynamic a family should have, but it was more common on regular and uneventful days. After all, what more was there to talk about on mundane days like this one?
Sarina swiftly entered her room and quickly threw off her sweater while making a mad dart for the AdvaMech brand computer sitting atop her desk. For a girl her age, one might consider the layout of her room rather utilitarian, devoid of any wasted space. There were no dolls, stuffed animals, or toys of any kind— Only a bed, a desk, a closet, and a door leading to a connected bathroom.. But… to call it completely bare would be misleading as well. While there were no things scattered across the floor, there was something that brought the spark of life to an otherwise lifeless room.
What truly brought the room to life were the posters, layers upon layers of them on Sarina's four walls, each relating to science and technology. There were even some things that didn't seem to belong on a wall, such as brochures, magazine catalogs, and newspapers. Besides the science theme, there was something else all these objects had in common.
"Oh, it looks like new footage is out! Academy City doesn't usually do that."
Academy City.
That was what was displayed along the walls. The one place in the entire world whose technology advanced 30 years ahead of its time. Images and brochures showcasing advertisements of Academy City and what it has to offer. However, because of their vast technological advancements, they have remained secretive of what can reach the outside world. All information released to the public must be approved by the city to showcase itself as a place welcoming to everyone while still displaying the one thing they're known for.
"No matter how many times I watch the Daihaseisai, there's always new espers on display." Sarina leaned back in her chair in relaxation. "Which one was I watching again...? Oh, right, this year's festival."
Espers.
People with supernatural abilities that only Academy City is capable of producing. The only espers that exist though are students, so a majority of the city is focused on education of all levels.
"Oh! And this year three of the level fives are playing! That's never happened before. I'm so excited!" gleefully cheered Sarina as she stared at the monitor. The footage she was watching was video recordings of the Daihaseisai festival.
Normally Academy City keeps information on espers top secret from the outside world. But every year they hold an annual sports festival where they broadcast them for all the world to see. It was an odd thing to do considering how secretive they usually are. But when one thought of it as a way to showcase their achievements and what they are capable of, it was a clever marketing strategy.
Currently, Sarina was watching the athlete's pledge they have at the beginning of each festival. Normally she would skip over this part since it was the same speech every year, but this year two of the level fives were giving the speech.
Espers are numbered from zero to four which makes up about 80% of the population. Of the many thousands of espers in the city, only seven of them are level five. Those that reached such a level are capable of extraordinary power one can only dream of reaching.
So naturally, Sarina was interested to see the first-ever footage of the two new level fives. Plus, she missed the original live broadcast so she was especially excited to see this.
"Hm, the one with the blonde hair seems to have an elegant vibe to her. While that guy just radiates energy and, as he puts it 'guts'. Seems like a nice guy though," said Sarina who couldn't help but enjoy the two level 5s talking over each other in their speech. Suddenly an extravagant show of power displayed on the monitor when one of the level fives caused colorful streams of smoke to move around him before erupting into a large smoke screen.
"W-W-Whoa! Did he make those rainbow clouds?! And with such a cool pose too! I take it back, he's awesome!"
Sarina admired Academy City and the espers. She watched every video and bought any merchandise she could find relating to the city. So, she tended to stay in her room doing extensive research on it.
And who could blame her? It was a world with state-of-the-art technology that can grant people powers beyond their wildest comprehension.
"Oh, It's Misaka! I haven't seen footage of her since her time in Russia," Sarina said as she closely observed a three-legged race the contestants were playing. One of the contestants she was referring to was Mikoto Misaka; The third-ranked level five. When Academy City intends to showcase their espers, Mikoto was usually the one on display. Albeit not too often. Whether it be because she was more available or approachable, Sarina did not know.
"So cool. If it wasn't for that stupid law, I'd probably be playing there right now."
Despite its confidential nature, Academy City is open to new residents so long as they fall into one of three categories. They are either a teacher, researcher, or, most importantly, a student. The requirements for students to be accepted for Academy City is surprisingly like any other school application. They must apply for a study abroad program the city gives out to elementary, middle school, high school, and university. After that, they need to take an entrance exam before signing a waiver saying that the city is not responsible for anything that happens to them.
But that isn't the case for the United States. Academy City is allowed to recruit new students, but only so long as they're recruiting either High School or University students. In the wise words of president Roberto Katze "If that city wants to recruit our children, then they're gonna have to do it by our rules!"
Sarina was in middle school, so she couldn't transfer to Academy City even if she was qualified for it. And she simply couldn't visit the city because it was closed off from the rest of the world. The only time she could visit was during the Daihaseisai and even then, she couldn't go because plane tickets during that time were well out of her family's budget.
"I want to go so bad."
Sarina curled up and sulked as she stared at the screen containing the world she longed to be a part of. This was what motivated her. A place full of excitement with something new and exhilarating just around the corner. But instead, she felt trapped in the same environment and people that filled her life.
Sarina looked at the clock on her monitor reading "5:17 pm" and then out the window to see the bright orange sky of the evening. "I guess I should grab dinner before it gets dark. I think I'll hit up that sandwich shop nearby. Be a nice change of pace compared to all the fast-food places around here." Sarina grabbed her favorite dark green sweater and walked out the front door with an "I'm heading out" to her mother. She walked through the gated fence and onto the sidewalk to go her usual route when something caught her eye.
One of the apples from the tree landed on the sidewalk in the opposite direction of the route she planned on taking. Sarina looked down at the apple as it rolled to the side and revealed a bruise, no doubt caused by the impact of the concrete.
It was something that was of no cause for concern since the idea of an apple falling from a tree was a normal occurrence even if it hadn't fully grown. But something about the event made the girl think.
"You know what, I think I'll go this way."
Sarina decided to take a different route by going down the sidewalk the apple fell on. It was a path she was familiar with and still led to her destination, but not one she took often. So there was no real risk or reward to taking either path other than a differ view. It wasn't a calculated decision involving the apple, it wasn't an internal strategy optimizing the quickest route to her destination. It simply caught her attention and she felt like taking it.
Though she decided not to survey her surroundings this time. She didn't find it necessary after watching the amazing display of people well beyond her reach. It became a reminder that she will be forever stuck in this mundane town with no ounce of excitement you would find in the city of the future. Why would something so extraordinary happen in this regular town you can find anywhere?
As she walked along her change in course, something standing on the sidewalk did catch her eye. It was a new face she hadn't seen before. A Japanese girl about her age staring up at a bird's nest resting in the tree leaning over a wooden fence that completely covered the other side. Her face had no clear emotion and a stare that can look in the very depths of your soul. It was a new sight, but not something Sarina thought was worth notable interest. A new face wasn't something that would give her the excitement she wanted in her life.
Even if that face looked similar to an esper she saw on her computer.
'Wait.'
Sarina turned around to get a good look at the girl. She had chestnut brown hair and was wearing a tan buttoned jumper with a blue checkered skirt with black and tan criss crossing lines. The most notable thing about her was a guitar case wrapped around her back and green visor goggles on her head.
The girl noticed her gaze and cocked her head to the side with the same blank expression she had before. No doubt curious about the shocked stare Sarina was giving her. Now that Sarina had a good look at her face, she could not deny the similarities.
This girl had the same exact face as the third ranked level five esper of Academy City.
"'Is something the matter?' Asks Misaka, confused by the look the weird girl is giving her."
"What the hell are you doing here?!"