Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Toaru Kagaku no Railgun/Toaru Majutsu no Index

The Trinity of Tokiwadai

Chapter Seven: Level 5 Top Idol

Beta:

Inside a large glasshouse like structure on the grounds of the Tokiwadai Exterior Dormitory, Naru and Saten were examining a massive ice sculpture. The carving was a large scaled model of the whole City that was precise and accurate to an astounding degree. It was designed to serve as the showpiece display of the abilities of the school's students, in particular those with temperature control and elemental manipulation type powers, during the upcoming Midsummer Festival.

Naru whistled, looking impressed as she gestured to the climate controlled glasshouse around them that Saten had created using Dark Matter. "I always find it nifty how you use Dark Matter."

[Multi-Skill] just shrugged as she stopped to examine a particular section of the sculpture in detail.

"I'm serious, you at least do it for a better cause than the Assmuppet himself."

"Do I even want to know?"

"Let's just say, he's selling things he shouldn't." The petite blonde frowned, but bounced right back and tapped the 'glass' gently a few times. "We should do projects together more often. This is a nice change of pace for us. By the way, why do you use Dark Matter so much anyways?"

"It annoys Accel." Saten admitted unapologetically, not noticing the quirked brow that her fellow Level 5 gave her at that.

"You know, I think you're the only person who refers to him in a friendly way."

"Possibly." Saten replied as she used some cryokinesis to correct something in the sculpture. "I might be his only friend."

"I can only imagine." Naru dryly noted. The Number 1 wasn't exactly the most friendly guy around.

Just then a couple of other Tokiwadai students walked up to them. Unlike the two Level 5s who were simply wearing their normal uniforms, they were bundled up in Winter clothes to fend off the cold of the temperature controlled environment.

"Saten-sama, Namikaze-sama." The other two girls greeted. "If you're here, we'll make our move."

"Yeah, you do that." Naru confirmed cheerfully. "We've got this shift covered. No imperfection will escape us!"

Both lower ranked Espers giggled at Naru's antics as they offered a polite bow and left.

"Hmm." Saten hummed as the other girls got out of sight, and she finished using a scanning power to check over the entire sculpture. "Looks like everything else is in order."

"Your power is bullshit convenient, you know that right? Hell, you just did our job in like under a minute while using another power to fight off the cold."

Naru had meant it as a compliment, but Saten just huffed in annoyance. And she meant it and did it believably too. The blonde was impressed by that alone. "Considering how versatile that 'chakra' energy of yours is, I don't think you have any room to complain. After all, couldn't you use it to scan the sculpture as well and aren't you using it right now to fight off the chill?"

"Yeah, well. But do you know how difficult it was to learn how to do things like that? Or any new trick?" Naru shot back defensively. "All you have to do to learn a new application is to find someone who knows how."

Saten sent Naru a withering look, something that her still somewhat mechanical mannerisms just made more unnerving. "And you know what that will cost me."

"Right. Sorry." Naru said abashedly. She knew full well that each new esper that Saten copied just put more pressure on her already overloaded mind. Realizing she'd just made a major faux pas with her friend - could she call her that? - the Number 2 quickly looked around to find some way to change the subject.

"Erm, so what do you want to do?" Naru said, trying to pass the baton of responsibility over their conversation to her companion. "We've got another hour before the next shift comes in to do their rounds."

By Saten's unimpressed look - or was it just her default look, it was hard to tell - the other girl knew what she was doing but played along anyway. "I don't know why they bother so much. They just need you and I to check up on it every once in awhile, and it should be fine. After all, didn't we make the majority of it in the first place?"

"Because they'd like as many people to help out as possible? It's a festival, so perhaps the school wants to show off what other students can do too?" Naru listed off. "It's not just about us."

"It's inefficient." Saten countered, sounding just a tiny bit annoyed. "I hate inefficiency."

"Welcome to humanity, we're all inefficient."

Saten huffed. "I know. Sometimes I honestly wish I was a robot."

"And Uiharu-chan would smack you upside the head for being an idiot and talking like that." Naru scowled at the girl. "Don't turtle up on that will you? Because if you keep saying it, well either do it or don't. But either way, just remember how your family would feel."

"I was joking…" Saten trailed off, sounding confused. "Didn't I sound like I was?"

"By the floating man himself, no, you didn't." Naru slumped her shoulders. "Make a mental note, we've gotta work on that."

"Noted." Saten said in a robotic voice, even as she pouted.

"That's not funny." Naru chided. "Though your pout's gotten better. It doesn't seem forced anymore. Still a little wooden though."

"Sorry. And thanks."

"Not a problem, you are paying me." Naru said with a goofy smile as she thought of all the sugary treats the brunette was offering her as payment to help her be more human.

The two entered into a companionable silence after that as they strolled around the ice sculpture. It wasn't necessary since Saten had already scanned the whole thing with her powers, but with nothing better to do, the two girls was taking it as a chance for a walk.

"You know," Saten whispered after a few minutes. "Uiharu, Misaka-sempai and Shirai-san suspect you killed those Shinobi back during the Big Spider Incident. Sequenzia-san isn't that great at convincing people."

The blonde gave her a sharp look. She didn't want to talk about this. Nonetheless, Saten demonstrated her lack of social graces by failing to pick up on the cue. Or maybe she was just doing it deliberately, frankly the blonde couldn't tell.

"You should come clean with them, they'll understand. They're special like that."

Naru let out a bitter laugh. "Please, as if civilians would understand what we've done. Unlike you, I'm not retired and I'm still going to have to butcher some more pigs in the future. You think they'd accept me if I continued?"

The Number 3 was silent at this, unable to refute the shorter girl.

Despite the rather dark turn the conversation had taken, Naru happily skipped ahead to the docks area of the sculpture. "Besides, they're not so skittish around me anymore. Soon they'll forget all about it."

"Until the next time."

"It's an unavoidable problem and the next time I'll just be more careful." Naru rolled her eyes. "You're being so argumentative today. What's gotten into you?"

"...Can't I worry for a friend?"

The Number 2 looked at her strangely at this before looking away to glance at her reflection in the 'glass'.

"Friend huh?"

"I can't believe I let them talk me into this." Naru grumbled as she reflected on her predicament.

Said predicament amounted to her personal faction setting up an Alice in Wonderland theme cafe as part of their participation in the Midsummer Festival. As such, as the leader of the Rabbit Faction, the blonde had been cast as the role of the cafe's Alice.

To that effect, here she was on the day of the Festival, dressed in a light blue dress with puffy shoulders, a white apron, a pair of black mary janes and white stockings. Tucked under her arm was a white rabbit plush of hers that had been dressed in a rather snazzy red jacket made by one of her followers. Her long hair was kept in it's standard pigtails, though she did go for a princess curl on them.

Her loyal bunnies had wanted her to look just like the Disney version of the classic character and offered to style her hair accordingly, but that was where Naru put her foot down. No one messed with the hair!

Honestly, as if I'd let them!

Kurama gave a shudder from inside his prison at that and began mumbling about monsters with a hair obsession. In response, Naru gave him a mental kick to the side, which he just rolled with without even waking up. Snorting at his ability to sleep through practically anything, she resolved to ignore him for the rest of the day.

Putting that into action, she turned her attention outward and looked on as her faction members scurried around the converted conference room as they made final checks and changes to their cafe.

They sure put a lot of effort into this didn't they?

It wasn't just the girls from the Rabbit Faction either, her friends did too. Apparently, Misaka-sempai, Shirai-chan and Saten had tried to help her out with this. The three had sat the organizers behind the cafe down at some point and talked to them - more like threatened - to make sure that they wouldn't go overboard and make her feel uncomfortable. She was surprised, even slightly touched though she'd never admit it, by what they'd done. Not that she was supposed to know about it. [Railgun]-sempai and her teleporting sidekick had thought to keep their involvement a secret, but Naru had found out anyway. Saten was an info broker after all. And all it had cost was a promise to cover Uiharu's next trip to Pasticceria Manicagni.

Not that her faction hadn't put in loads of hard work too. The fact they were dressed in cute maid outfits themed as other iconic Alice characters such as the White Rabbit, the Dormouse, the Red Queen, the Cheshire Cat and so on, was proof of that. They had hand sewn the costumes. Even most of the cafe's very impressive decorations were handicrafts that the girls had made. Naru was impressed with their dedication.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when the PA system went off.

"Welcome all guests to the annual Tokiwadai Midsummer Festival! Please feel free to tour the dormitory to your heart's content. We have a wide variety of both events and booths, so be sure to take a peek at as many as you can! So without further ado, as Principal of Tokiwadai Middle School I declare the Festival open! Please enjoy the festivities."

With that announcement, it was like the floodgates were opened. Within the first hour alone, hundreds of patrons streamed into Naru's cafe. To say that it was vastly popular would be something of an understatement. If Saten, who was put in charge of the AV team and thus free to roam the grounds, was to be believed - and Naru definitely did - it was in fact the most popular of the attractions. Well besides the dozens of kids chasing the hovering camera drones around the place, but since those were Saten's toys she imagined the other Level 5 was being biased about their popularity.

The blonde was pleased that the cafe was such a success but it was getting a little overwhelming, so she was glad that after that first hour she'd managed to score a break. Something that she was currently enjoying by strolling about the Tokiwadai Dormitory, advertising the cafe to all the visitors she passed. She might be on break but that didn't mean she couldn't still help out, she was a hard worker after all.

And an effective walking advertisement too if the multiple compliments on her cuteness and the promises she'd got to visit the cafe were any indication.

"Ah, Namikaze-san!" Naru heard the voice of Awatsuki-chan call out over the din of the crowd just as she finished giving directions to the cafe to a visitor. Turning towards the voice, she spotted her roommate walking towards her with Wannai-chan and Kongou-chan. The last of which was wearing a rather daring red outfit that blended the miko and maid themes.

"Whoa, Kongou-chan, loving the outfit. Where'd you get that?"

Wherever she did, keep her away from me! Kurama practically screamed as he saw the girl through Naru's vision. I don't want her to make me sit.

Oh it was just an anime, you big fox baby!

Still, not taking the risk. Make her stay away. Please!

Rolling her eyes mentally at her prisoners' antics, Naru ignored him and focused on the outside world.

Kongou-chan let out a laugh as she snapped open her fan. "My personal tailor of course. And thank you for the compliment. I must say, your outfit is very western classic. Most fitting for a halfa such as yourself."

Naru smiled in kind at the compliment. Most people assumed she was largely of Caucasian descent due to her blue eyes and blonde hair. Considering it made for a good cover to explain away her otherworldly origins, it was decided early on to run with it.

"You two play off each other too well." Shirai-chan dryly noted as she walked up to them with a few pamphlets in her hands.

Awatsuki-chan and Wannai-chan nodded in agreement to this, though where Shirai-chan scowled at the observation the other two girls were smiling.

"I'm happy they're getting along though." Awatsuki-chan giggled.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" The Teleporter couldn't help but ask aloud as the two vain girls continued their exchange of compliments.

As Ruiko approached the backstage of the auditorium where she and the rest of the Trinity were to be performing, she couldn't help but be a little worried about Misaka-sempai. The older girl had been extremely tense the whole day. Apparently she was nervous about the performance, though Ruiko couldn't fathom why. She'd heard the Electromaster play the violin before and the older girl had nothing to worry about.

If anyone had to worry, it was probably herself. After all, this was the first time she was singing in front of an audience that wasn't made up of her friends and family. Sure, they had all complimented her on her voice when she had - even saying that she might have a future as a professional singer or idol - but considering their relation to her, she figured they were biased. That said, she was still confident that she was at least good enough to not embarrass herself. Too much, at least.

She was just about to open the door to the backstage area when it slammed open and [Imagine Breaker] ran out. If she had been less nimble on her feet, he might have crashed into her and done who knew what kind of damage to her with that right hand of his. Thankfully, she was able to gracefully pirouette out of the way and he ran pass her with a apologetic cry her way.

She had known that he was visiting the festival and even his relative location throughout thanks to the AV club's camera drones which she had been given control of, but she had no idea what had just set him running like he was being chased by a rabid dog. It tingled her curiosity, but she set it aside for now. She had a more pressing matter at the moment.

So with a silent prayer to whatever deity was listening - unscientific sure, but it was a nod to her biological parents who had been true believers - that Naru-san didn't accidental bump into him with that hazzardous right hand of his, she stepped into the building. The blonde was as likely to come out of such an encounter as badly as she would.

Spotting Misaka-sempai, she turned away from such morbid thoughts. She was pleased to note that the older girl seemed to have calmed down quite a bit since she'd last seen her. The [Railgun] was wearing a rather simple white dress that flowed down to her ankles and was held up on her shoulders by a pair of black straps. The top and waist were trimmed black and the whole outfit was completed by a black choker, a blue bow ribbon, a handful of lilies that were worked into her hair and a pair of glass slippers. The latter serving to add a fairytale vibe to it. Overall, Ruiko thought her schoolmates were right in saying that it looked good on Misaka-sempai.

Before she could say anything though, the Number 5 spotted her too and blanched. "What are you wearing!?"

Ruiko looked down at her wine colored dress. The top half of her dress consisted of a corset with white ruffles on top while the skirt shimmered thanks to the skillfully embedded crystal fragments. Along her arms, she wore opera gloves, trimmed off with more white ruffles. The outfit was completed by a matching headpiece that worked alongside her ubiquitous hairpin to keep her hair out of her face.

"A dress. What's the matter with it?" The Number 3 replied with a frown.

"It looks like the one that your Angel mode thingy wears! Don't you think it's in poor taste?"

Poor taste? Huh? Ruiko didn't get what was the problem. "Why is that an issue? The only potential problem is that it might be a little overly extravagant since it's a ballgown."

"No it's not!"

Ruiko frowned. What was Misaka-sempai's problem?

"This is a treasured gift from Kaa-san and my favorite dress. Do you have a problem with it?" Ruiko asked cooly, her temper piqued.

The Number 5 seemed to deflate at that. "It's fine then, I guess. You're such a total mommy's girl, though, you know that right?"

"I do and am proud of it."

Misaka-sempai just sighed in resignation at that. "I can't win with you."

Not on this matter, no. Ruiko agreed even as she gave her older friend a nod.

"So you're not nervous anymore. Care to explain?" Ruiko asked in what she hoped was a teasing voice.

By the look on the Electromaster's face she hadn't pulled it off. Thankfully, she didn't comment on that though and instead answered her question. "I'm not sure myself. I just managed to calm down after a run in with a pesky acquaintance of mine."

"Is that so?" Ruiko replied with a knowing look.

"Whatever you're thinking, it isn't like that!" Misaka-sempai shot back while blushing terribly.

"Whatever you say Sempai, whatever you say. By the way," The AIM manipulator said, changing the topic. "Thank you for showing Uiharu around earlier. We both really appreciate it."

The other Level 5 just shrugged. "It was my job as an usher, wasn't it? Besides, you were busy with the AV club and she's a friend."

"Nonetheless, thank you."

"There's no need to thank me for every little thing." Misaka-sempai shook her head in amusement. "If you did, there would be no end to it."

"Sorry I'm late!" Naru cried as she barged into the backstage area, hopping on her feet as she finished putting on a shoe. The Alice costume that she had been wearing most of the day had been replaced by a black gothic lolita outfit that made her look like a precious china doll. She complemented it with arm sleeves with multiple bows running down the side and a frilly headpiece much like Ruiko's. "I was busy signing stuff for my fans."

"Lame excuse, Baka-Usagi." Misaka-sempai chided the petite blonde. "And you interrupted our conversation."

"I can't help if I appreciate my fans unlike my black hearted Sempai." Naru replied with a shrug.

"Who's black hearted?!"

"Come on, Naru-san, don't rile Sempai up. Please?" Ruiko asked politely, before turning to the second year and offering her a way out of Naru's trap. "And Sempai, we were done talking anyways. I take your point."

Naru-san just pouted. "Fine, ruin my fun. Got those man hands all limbered up, Sempai?"

"...I'm going to kill her, after a good amount of torture first." The [Railgun] murmured, her eye twitching.

Ruiko sighed. It looked like Sempai was completely caught up in Naru's pace. Again. Honestly, why did she bother trying to help her?

"Naru-san!"

"Fine fine, I take it back. She has lovely lady fingers...and now I'm hungry." Naru-san rubbed her stomach. "For all the work I did for the cafe, I didn't even get a single sweet. It's an injustice I tell you. An injustice!"

"Are you ready to sing or not?!" Misaka-sempai snapped as she gripped her violin tightly.

"Yes, yes, don't get all tangled up, Sempai."

Ruiko gave her a blank look. "Must you play your games?"

"It's a hobby by this point."

"Don't you talk as if I'm not here!"

"Hai hai, Sempai!" The two underclassman chorused in reply. Ruiko caught herself as she finished, and if she was less in control of herself would have facepalmed. It looked liked she had been caught up in Naru's pace as well.

She truly is incredibly manipulative.

"Get those lazy butts in gear, we've got a show to do!" Misaka-sempai said, looking fired up.

Ruiko looked at the short blonde. "Did you do that on purpose?"

"Duh, she was nervous. So I gave her something to motivate her to get her head in shape."

I'm not sure she needed it though. Not after her run in with [Imagine Breaker].

"...You are so strange."

Naru grinned, as if taking it as a compliment.

The girls got into position. Misaka-sempai stood a bit in the back, her violin at the ready, as the two freshmen stood up front while wearing headsets with built in mics.

The curtains drew open and the girls could see the vast crowd gathered around for the show featuring the Level 5s. Ruiko felt a burst of nerves bubbling up in her stomach, but thanks to years of practice she easily shunted the pesky emotion to the back of her mind.

She felt Naru-san bump her hip against her own while giving her a confident smirk. Having caught her attention, the blonde mouthed: We've got this. Ruiko just nodded, appreciative of the encouragement even if it was not strictly required.

Behind them Misaka-sempai began to play her violin slowly and soothingly. Just like they had rehearsed, the two younger girls began to sing.

Neraisadameta yubisaki ga sasu

Unmei wa zetsubou? sore to mo kibou?

(I point my finger at my chosen target.

Is its fate despair? or is it hope?)

Ruiko scanned the crowd as she and Naru stepped away from each other and to either side of the stage. She spotted Uiharu and Shirai-san near the front. Konori-sempai was there too and even Wataru-san was skulking unseen in the shadows. It looked like all her friends were here. Now, if only her Kaa-san and siblings could be here too then everything would be perfect.

Pushing aside the slightly depressing thought, Ruiko continued with the routine she and the others had practiced so hard over the past week to master. Turning as they reached either end of the stage, Ruiko and Naru made their right hands into finger guns and aimed them at each other. As they did, Ruiko caught the blonde shooting her an encouraging smile. She was fairly sure that the other girl didn't realize the sad line of thought she'd just had, but seeing the smile buoyed her nonetheless. Just as the second verse of the sound was about to begin, both girls used their powers and released a burst of what looked like fireworks from their right pointer fingers.

Yuragi no naka de jushin shiteyuku

Kanashimi ni mo makenai

yuuki dake o kudasai

(Amidst the interference, I receive a signal.

Please give me the courage

to not be defeated by sadness)

As the shower of lights died, the two girls twirled until they were side by side in the center of the stage like they had been at the start of the performance. Clasping their hands together, they moved onto the next verse in perfect unison.

Taisetsu na mono mamoru tame

"Tsuyosa" wa aru to shinjiteru

(To protect that what is important,

I must believe that I have strength)

Letting go of each other, the two spun towards the stage's edge and raised their left hands palm open into the air while they clenched their right over their hearts. As one, they released another burst of fireworks that flew directly over the heads of the audience. If they had been normal fireworks, it would have been beyond dangerous but both girls had made it a point to only use something that looked like it but was a lot safer. Raw chakra in Naru's case and harmless glowing Dark Matter in Ruiko's.

Saving our future issho ni

ashita e no doa hiraita sora e tobitatou

(Saving our future together,

let's soar to the sky through the open door to tomorrow)

Originally when they were working on the choreography of the performance, they had wanted to fly at this part of the song, but with the school insisting they wear dresses for the performance, that would have led to a major wardrobe malfunction on stage.

So instead, they created constructs to do the flying for them.

Naru-san released bright avians made out of her natural energy while Ruiko made metallic birds out of Dark Matter.

To aru sekai no hate de

kakenuketeku real force

hikari o hanatte!

(At the end of a certain world,

a real force is flowing.

Release the light!)

The birds flew into the sky, swirling around each other. Mid-way through the verse, they burst into particles of lights and showered the audience in a beautiful display of rainbow light.

As Misaka-sempai stopped her playing and the freshman ended their singing, the crowd broke out into wild applause.

Looking into the crowd, which Ruiko had largely forgotten was even there by this point, she was surprised to see the looks of disbelief on the faces of many of her schoolmates.

Maybe things were beginning to change for the better.

Done and done, in a single sit down. Wow! Thanks to Nameless.

Nameless: I couldn't believe it either. But we did it. Partly it's because it's a short chapter, but still it's impressive.

Less than 5k words short! We never do that...Ever.

Nameless: So onto the developments in the story. There was plenty of character development that happened between the lines here. Especially between Naru and Saten. I wonder if you can spot it. Here's a hint, it's shown in how they address each other. Keep in mind that Japanese have a hierarchy of terms of address, mainly using suffixes, that denote relative intimacy in their relationships. So any change in that reflects a change in the relationship. Hopefully, that's enough of a clue.

Love, moe fanservice, maids! This chapter gifted us with that and more! Friendship statuses have risen, like Facebook statuses, but more meaningful. Anyway, the girls showed off that they can sing with Mikoto being the supportive sempai for her lil Kohai. Personally felt that scene needed some vocals to it, but it was still a nice scene. Next thing you know, it's going to turn into a idol spinoff manga. Naru and Saten go on tour! Idol Duo for life! Mikoto can be in the background.

Nameless: I agree that the song scene might have needed more vocals, but the full sound is kinda long. So yeah. Anyways, choreographing their performance was fun. Hope you enjoyed it.

Well, you know what to do, smash that review button! Tell us what you liked and no flames please! Peace off my peeps!