Date: July 16, 2009 (A Couple Of Hours Ago)
Misaka had gone first. Her aim spot on as her shot careened through the water, whipping up waves in its wake.
Soaking the sides of the pool with a torrent of chlorinated water.
The sight exhilarated me more than I had ever been in my life, sending my heart skipping with both fear and excitement at the display of sheer power of the girl.
"Well, I see that her railgun is just as powerful as it was in the show..." I thought to myself, as I continued to stare at Misaka in wonderment.
The loudspeaker then hummed before a voice came out, clear for all to hear. "Recording initial shot speed at 1,030 meters per second, rapid fire ability, 8 shots per minute, pattern grouping, 18.9 millimeters, overall rating, level 5."
"Hold on here, let me quickly do some math. So a Sud Aviation BAC Concorde is able to travel through the air at speeds just exceeding Mach 2...That aircraft had such an ingenious design...Shame that it was retired back in '03...I would assume that it most likely was economically impractical by that point...But anyway, if I factor in the conversion...that would mean that Misaka's railgun...just went at Mach 3?! Or 2,304.044 MPH roughly...And nothing seems to be damaged either...Incredible," I thought to myself, as my brain raced, while I thought of potential ways in which speed like that could be harnessed.
However, after I had finished my thought, Misaka then turned, her grin wide as effortlessly she tossed her remaining coins into the air.
She then caught them quickly before turning her attention to me.
"Your turn Keiko." She announced, to which she tilted her head to the still rippling water of the pool behind her.
I blinked twice and gulped, my eyes resting on the coins of the exam table next to me.
"Well, I guess it's time to see just how powerful I truly am," I thought to myself, as I stepped past the table, and took a few of the arcade coins, to which I then clutched them tightly.
I then took my place in front of the pool.
I then planted my feet, my stance like Misaka's, firm and unyielding.
I then picked an arcade coin from the bunch, pressing it tightly between two fingers, just like Misaka had done.
I closed my eyes and took a breath, hoping I was channeling the right power I needed. As I once again envisioned those two electricity lashed rails extending out into infinity in my mind.
"Okay, time to see if my suspicions about my Esper level are indeed correct. Also, let me make a mental note, to perhaps imagine those electricity lashed rails a bit more frequently, when I try to do something like this," I thought to myself, as I then opened my eyes, and fired.
And, just like Misaka's shot, it flew through the water, sending waves over the sides of the pool.
I watched with wide eyes as the shot hit the intended target, unable to breathe at the realization of what I had just done. I then, as instructed, repeated this process a couple more times, still awestruck at the immense power that I possessed.
"Okay, I wasn't expecting that...not to mention that those were several railgun blasts that I just fired in succession...so that is...if I have calculated correctly, 8 railguns that I fired in about 7.5 second intervals...Still, I might as well let the loudspeaker confirm my suspicions, rather then trying to figure it out myself," I thought to myself with a look of complete shock still on my face, which had now started to soften slightly.
And sure enough, it was then that the loudspeaker hummed before the same voice emerged, confirming my suspicions. "Recording initial shot speed at 1,030 meters per second, rapid fire ability, 8 shots per minute, pattern grouping, 18.9 millimeters, overall rating, level 5."
I then heard Misaka whoop loudly behind me, pulling me back to myself with a gasp.
The coins in my hand then became heavier, as I came back to my body to turn and face Misaka.
"Okay, now that's a grin that would make even the Cheshire Cat proud..." I thought to myself, as I took notice of Misaka's grin.
I then smirked, as I then copied her move and flicked the coins into the air, and then caught them without blinking.
Date: July 16, 2009 (The Present)
"So the systems scan went well then," Kuroko said matter-of-factly, after we had finished telling the story.
"But still, you can't both be nicknamed Railgun." She added, the two of them coming to the same realization I had already thought of.
"Well, Kuroko does have a point, Misaka already has that nickname...so let me think for a moment..." I thought to myself, as I then came up with a proper nickname. "Keiko means "blessed child", so I was thinking "Lucky Strike"?" I said.
"Lucky Strike?" Misaka repeated, testing the name aloud.
"I like it," She said eventually, regarding me once again with a proud smile.
The three of us then sat in silence as we ate before the next event, unsure of what to expect.
I myself having not watched past the third episode of the show, and the girls having not yet lived through the events.
Kuroko then glanced through her schedule, which I knew from the anime to have perverted antics planned all the way through.
"Oh, by the way, I've complied a schedule for you both. Also, someone I know, a girl from the 177th branch, is desperate to meet you both, even if just for a moment."
"A fan?" Misaka asked as she reached over for the schedule, her eyes reading over the information that I did not wish to read.
And after Misaka had stretched Kuroko's face to an unnatural proportion through her pulling on it with frustration from Kuroko's perverted schedule antics. I then realized something. "Okay, so that just happened, it looks quite unnatural when she does that to Kuroko. But, I guess that is what I can expect from being in the world of the anime," I thought to myself with a perplexed expression present on my face.
And in the time it took me to blink, Kuroko had then situated herself on Misaka's lap, having teleported easily.
But before I could pipe up, Ruiko Saten and Kazari Uiharu entered, pulling the attention of the three of us into a welcoming exchange.
The two of them furrowed their brows and looked at me for an explanation of the two girls in front of them.
But I shook my head and shrugged, wordlessly answering the unspoken question.
Later on, at the crepe stand, after the incident at the restaurant. Once we had all sat down, and started eating our respective crepes, well everyone except three of us did.
And this was largely since Kuroko was chasing after me and Misaka trying to get us to take a bite of her crepe. And it was no surprise that neither of us wanted to, I mean, who chooses anchovies as a topping anyway?
Misaka had tried desperately to hide her disappointment at not getting the promised Gekota keychain that had been advertised outside the crepe stand.
The three of us being nowhere near the first 100 customers. And yet, Saten was nice enough to give the one that she was going to receive, to Misaka. Since it was the last one that was left.
"Well I can see that she is as obsessed with Gekota as she was on the show," I thought to myself, as I sighed.
However, it was while me and Misaka were offering Saten to take a bite of our crepes, that things started to kick off.
Without any sort of warning, the metal gates on one of the stores, that for some weird reason were down in the middle of the day, violently exploded outwards, creating a massive explosion, taking everyone in the area by surprise.
This of course sprang both Kuroko and Uiharu into action. But, as Kuroko adorned her Judgment officer sash, Misaka then offered to help, only to be told to stay put by her.
I then went up to Misaka, put a hand on her shoulder and decided to speak up. "Don't worry Misaka, we'll get our chance, you just wait," I said confidently.
The three male robbers allowed Kuroko a moment to say her usual introduction, all the while sniggering at the small girl in front of them.
One man charged once she had finished, assuming to easily tackle her to the ground.
But Kuroko was quicker, sidestepping out of his way and to his side. Grabbing his hand and his trailing foot, she manipulated his own leverage to flip him over and onto his back.
Winding the man instantly as his back dropped flat to the hard ground.
And as another one of the robbers tried to hit Kuroko with his Pyrokinesis Esper ability, only for Kuroko to teleport quickly away. And then reappear in front of him. To which she then teleported again, as she then appeared above him, and wound up sending him to the ground with a double flying kick.
And as Kuroko teleported her pin darts from the holsters under her skirt, with a simultaneous wave of both of her hands, she then stuck the Pyrokinesist to the ground, as her pin darts appeared all over him, stuck to his clothing, in rapid succession, and pinning him to the ground.
It was at this point, as me, Saten, and Misaka watched from the sidelines, that Saten decided to speak up, mentioning Kuroko and how she had just dispatched two of the robbers. "Well that's Kuroko for you," I said, as I cracked a smirk.
It was at this point however, that the smirk wound up leaving my face, as it was found out that one of the kids, that had been on a field trip in the area when the robbery had taken place, was nowhere to be seen.
It was decided that me and Misaka would help look for him, and after some convincing from Saten, she wound up joining in as well.
However, from what I remember from watching the anime, this would wind up doing more harm then good.
It was while me and Misaka were searching the bus that had been used for the field trip, and Saten was searching the area around the bus. Saten wound up catching sight of one of the robbers snatching up a kid and taking him towards a car.
It was at this point, after trying to get me and Misaka's attention, that Saten decided to take it upon herself to pursue the robber and try and retrieve the kid.
However, both me and Misaka wound up catching sight of the robber fighting with Saten for the kid, just in time to see him kick her away.
As I watched, unsure of how to proceed, I heard the familiar crackle of electricity next to me.
I turned to Misaka and took a step back at the visible rage on her face.
"Shall we?" She asked, as if already knowing me to be ready.
Quickly, I nodded, and followed her off of the bus, and halfway down the street towards the car, which had now begun to drive away.
I then pressed the arcade coin from my pocket between two fingers.
Despite our matching abilities, I knew by her sheer determination, that she could live up to the reputation that would plague her after her next action.
But, myself, I wasn't sure if I could.
Reputation, however, in this moment, didn't matter.
What mattered was protecting the lives of anyone this man was willing to sacrifice for his loot, especially now he had a fast vehicle.
The task at hand, I knew to be big, but it was important.
"Is there anyone else in the car?" I asked as the electricity built, and I once again began to envision those two electricity lashed rails extending out into infinity in my mind.
Her response was a smirk, her eyes darkening.
I had seen this in the anime, her rage.
But nothing had prepared me to witness her power and her fury first hand.
She was magnificent. Scary, but magnificent.
"Then let's get him." The fool committed an illegal U-turn, heading back toward us as we stood side by side, blocking the road.
I noticed him to be accelerating as he charged for us, his head hunkered down as he clearly assumed us to be playing chicken.
Together, me and Misaka flipped our coins.
Together firing our respective railguns the exact moment our respective coins rested once more between our fingertips.
The electricity shot out of our fingertips and straight towards the car.
Lightning lit up the man's face, illuminating his terror before it struck, sending the car and its temporary driver up into the air over our heads.
And as we both continued to look ahead, time seeming to stand still until the vehicle landed back down again nose first. The robber had survived, but that was only because the airbags of the car had deployed. As that was the only thing that had saved his life.
Stopping instantly. As a crowd formed around the scene, I realized that my presence had upset the balance. I likened myself to a rock being thrown into a still pond, sending ripples of trouble into this world.
I knew it not to be my fault; I had never asked for this. But I swore that for as long as I was here, in this world, that I would only help where I was needed.
Silently promising not to cause any more ripples.
And yet, something else didn't seem to be right with all of this.
"Who am I, and who am I as Keiko? I will need to ask Kuroko to look up my information at some point," I thought to myself.
