Chapter 1:

Summer vacation. It was the middle of August in the small-populated city of Academy city. A variety of colors painted the sky with shades of yellow, orange pink and purple as the sun began to set, and large clouds moved themselves slowly across the sky.

Misaka Mikoto, the third strongest of the seven Level 5's, was headed back to her dorm. Her chestnut colored hair was slightly blown by the gentle breeze. She sighed as she walked, then looked up at the colorful sky between the great, lofty buildings of the city.

It had only been last week since she and her friends had helped Kiyama Harumi finish her quest to revive her sleeping students.

Therestina Kihara's plan to use the First Sample, created from her, and the children of Child Error, to turn Harue Erii into a Level 6 due to her unique powers, was not released to the public since it would mean answering plenty of questions from people. As well as strange rumors and misunderstandings, which would not sit well with the level 5 and her friends.

The Level 5 could still remember the feeling from firing the massive railgun. She hated the way those children were used for such an experiment, an experiment that would demolish the whole city.

Just when the large metal piece had been launched from Telestina's gigantic powered armor, Mikoto used electromagnetism, one of the few things she is able to carry out with her power, to attach herself to it. With her eyes tightly shut and her teeth clenched, she flew past the car, her hair blowing past her face.

Still fixed to the piece of metal supposed to be aimed at her, Saten and Uiharu, Kiyama-sensei and Telestina stared in shock as she moved further away with great speed. Huge flashes of electricity wildly emitted from her.

At that point she used her ability to blow it up. The metal tool used by Telestina broke apart, leaving back smoke to give off.

"So what?" Telestina said with a mocking grin, "I know all your attacks inside out!"

The Tokiwadai student fell to the ground, scratched but still okay, abandoning the pieces of metal to drop.

"I'll show you this then!" Mikoto replied as she stood up, "KUROKO!"

"Onee-sama!" Her friend teleported high up above, but quickly disappeared.

She appeared again by a large metal chunk then teleported it away.

"It's not just coins I can shoot…" Mikoto said.

The ground began shake harshly and a great amount of electricity became visible as the other bits of metal rose from the ground. "This… is my full strength!

"GAHHHHH!" she shouted just as she punched the metal segment that appeared before her.

The metal quickly turned into a red-orange color. A thunderous noise rang inside Mikoto's ears and a bright orange light appeared in the cloudy sky.

She had never fired anything like that before. It was loud and powerful. Her whole body charged with excitement and anger as she shot a huge flow of electricity through it. The railgun had caused an enormous ray of light in the sky, but it quickly faded away.

After two hours of wandering around the city in attempt of acquiring the new Gekota item, Mikoto decided to give up. The company of the adorable green amphibian that she loved launched a set of Gekota and Pyonko plushies along with a new strawberry scented bath set, featuring Pyonko.

The level 5 continued to stroll on the brick path of a short bridge. She ignored the looks from a group of female students.

"Hey, isn't that Tokiwadai's Uniform?" said a girl with shoulder-length dark brown hair.

"Yeah, it is." said another, with a stingy appearance.

"I wonder what a rich-girl like her is doing here…"

"Isn't one of the Tokiwadai dorms in School Garden?"

"U-huh…"

"That place with all the expensive designer shops and fancy schools! Hmph! I bet she's just another one of those moneyed schoolgirls who look down on others cuz of their abilities. They act like total bitches!"

"If she goes to Tokiwadai then she's obviously a level 3 or higher."

Mikoto sighed heavily, "It's always like this…" she mumbled to herself, "Jeez, they always say the same things about students in School Garden…"

Just then, she noticed a spiky haired boy standing a few meters in front of her and she recognized him at once. It was idiot, Kamijou Touma, the level 0 who was never affected by her electric shocks, due to his Imagine Breaker, which Mikoto still found unimaginable. Even if she were to fire twenty or more railguns at him, he would still be alive, though he'd struggle to get up after being knocked off his feet so many times from the great amount of power being thrown at him.

"Oi!" she called out to him.

Touma turned his attention to the voice and immediately gave a disappointed look, "Ambushed…" he said to himself.

Mikoto ran towards him.

"What is it this time, Biri-biri?" he asked with a bored tone, as she stopped before him.

"What do you mean by that?" she replied, raising her voice, "And stop calling me 'Biri-biri'! I have a name you know!"

"Yeah, yeah… So, what do you want from me?"

"Heh?" Mikoto realised she had called him for no reason. Why did she call him? A friendly chat maybe?

She didn't know what to say, "Well…"

"Misaka-san!" shouted a familiar voice.

A girl with long black hair and a white flower to the front, stood across the street, waving frantically at her.

"Saten-san…"

The young girl began walking across the street.

"Is she a friend of yours?" Touma asked.

Mikoto nodded in reply and the boy began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Mikoto said, looking at him through narrowed eyes.

"Really…? It's hard to picture you with friends who you won't electrify." he smiled.

"Wah!" Mikoto replied.

The boy continued to chuckle.

A small crack of electricity emerged from the level 5's forehead, "What the heck is that suppose to mean?" she said with a tint of pink on her cheeks.

"Konichiwa!" said a girl with a bright smile, as she stopped before them.

"A-ah!" Mikoto, startled by the voice, said, "Saten-san, what are you doing here?"

"I just stopped by Seventh Mist to kill some time. What about you Misaka-san?"

A big grin crept along her face, as she at looked Touma. "Ah! You must be Mikoto's boyfriend!" she cried out excitedly.

"Heh!" Touma said, surprised. "Boyfriend?"

"Bo- W-wha? W-where the heck did you get that from?" said Mikoto with red cheeks.

She's so cute… Ruiko smiled, as her friend blushed even more.

"Well, Kuroko mentioned some spiky haired guy being with you a couple of times so I figured you two must be going out," she answered cheerfully.

"Kuroko… said that…" Mikoto mumbled. I'm going to kill Kuroko for this!

"The Railgun's boyfriend!" Ruiko said as she threw her arms in the air. She had a gleeful expression on her face. "It's really you. So, how did you two meet? How long have you been together now? What made you ask her out? Or did Misaka-san-"

The guy stood there blankly, unable to answer the questions being thrown at him.

"Saten-san!" Mikoto, who was still blushing interrupted her. I can't believe she thinks I'm actually going out with him… this… THIS MORON!

Ruiko looked at her, "Eh…?"

"Um…" Mikoto began. I have to change the subject… "Um… Uiharu isn't with you? W-why is that?"

"Well, I asked her if she wanted to come but she said she was busy working on another case."

"Do you know what kind of case?" Mikoto asked.

"Hmm… Uiharu mentioned something about espers losing control over their abilities and then suddenly collapsing."

Losing control of their abilities? Collapsing? Mikoto thought. Don't tell me this is some sort of follow up to the Poltergeist case… Kuroko never mentioned anything.

"Well! I don't want to disturb your lovey-dovey walk together, so I better head back."

"EH? Wait… no, you see…"

"Later!" her friend said cheerfully. She turned around and waved goodbye.

"Saten-san…" Mikoto said with a downhearted face.

It's… IT'S A MISUNDERSTADING!

XXX

As the evening went by, the duo walked back together, as if usual.

They strolled past the modern buildings of the city and the trees along the path swayed lightly in the breeze.

Two cleaning robots passed by, but they took no notice of them.

"Geez!" Mikoto moaned, "Now my friend thinks we're going out!"

Touma didn't bother to reply.

"Honestly, why would someone even go out with you?" Mikoto said with crossed arms, not even looking at him, "Your just a troublesome guy who's always causing trouble…"

"I'd say the same thing about you…" Touma mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Nothing…" the Imagine Breaker boy replied. I've only noticed it now, Touma thought. She hasn't used any of her electric shocks on me. Usually she'd start going on about fighting me, how she'll finally beat me and so on… I guess she's decided that she can never defeat me… yeah right!

A high-school couple walked by them, holding hands and laughing together.

Mikoto felt her whole body get warmer. W-what if people think that we're actually going out or something since we're- No! No, no, no, no, no… Why am I even thinking that?

Mikoto looked at the guy that walked beside her for a brief moment then looked down.

Still… I never imagined myself walking with him without being in some sort of weird situation… Wait…

"Why am I even walking with you!" she shouted pointing a finger at him.

"Huh?" Touma replied, "Why are you walking with me?"

"You're the one who's always showing up wherever I am-"

"If I remember it right, you're the one who called out to me in the first place then casually tagged along…"

"Tagged along… I never-!"

"Hey, isn't she acting a bit too harsh on him?" someone whispered.

"She's raising her voice too much…"

Mikoto could feel her cheeks heat up.

"I don't think she realizes it…"

"Maybe she's just a little embarrassed… there's a name for that… mmm…"

"Ah! Tsundere."

"Yeah, that's the one."

Tsun… Tsun… Tsun…

"THAT'S RIDICULOUS!" Mikoto cried out and a large spark came out of her, which Touma quickly cancelled with his right hand.

Mikoto's ears were hot from humiliation.

"H-hey," Touma began, "Calm down, you're causing too much attention…"

"Shut up!" Mikoto said with an agitated tone, "Just… just shut up…"

People began to look at the pair and murmurs passed around.

"What's going on?"

"What was that a spark just now?"

"Maybe she's an electromaster…"

"From Tokiwadai…"

"No way… Railgun?"

The high school boy stood there before Tokiwadai's Ace, thinking what he should do. "Um…"

Ugh! I swear! Every single time I'm with this idiot something like this always has to happen!

Mikoto could feel her heart race and her cheeks were hot. Why? Why am I acting like this?

"Hey…" he reached out his hands, but before he could do anything else the Level 5 turned around.

"Idiot…" she said and then walked through the crowd of people around them, her face bright red.

Touma remained standing. He was completely confused. "What… what just happened?"