03x01 - Super-powered (Level 5)

[bunniefuu]

"A Certain Magical Index"

"Side Story"

Aw, what are you doing?

Oh, jeez...

Wah!

It's not working anymore!

Maybe the battery is run down.

We just barely charged it.

Here, let me see it.

Hmm, maybe it really is broken.

What are you talking about, dummy?
Let me see it.

My telekinesis just isn't enough.

Okay, I'll use my ability now!

You dummy! You'll just burn it!

Can I see it?

What was that?!

She shocked it!

So that's it. It's
disconnected on the inside.

Here, let me handle this.

Okay, use your telekinesis to hold
that wire down to the base plate.

Like this?

Mm-hmm. Now, use the heat of
your pyrokinesis to melt this solder.

Am I doing it right?

Yes, that's it.

Awesome!

It's fixed!

Thank you, miss--

Huh?

She was there just a moment ago.

Hey, she had on a
Tokiwadai Middle School uniform, right?

--That super-prestigious
school for young ladies?

--Thank you, shorts-wearing lady.
--That super-prestigious school for young ladies?

--Thank you, shorts-wearing lady.
--So that's what that was?

--Thank you, shorts-wearing lady.
--That's right.

I really do make too many pit-stops!

Academy City--

It occupies a whopping one-third of Tokyo,

with a total population of 2.3 million.

The students, who make up
roughly 80 percent of that figure,

devote themselves to nurturing
and improving their abilities daily.

The pinnacle of which are the Level 5s.

As expansive as Academy City is,

only seven people are recognized
to have met that qualification.

And they are the ones
who are our current targets!

Are you serious, sir?

We're talking about a bunch of pretty
conspicuously morally bankrupt people!

I hear that some are
members of dark side outfits,

"Second-ranked: Kakine Teitoku"

whose hands are dirty
with illegal activities.

"Fourth-ranked: Mugino Shizuri"

Do you think we can really win them over?

Then again, this will be transmitted to not
just Academy City, but the entire world,

so to put on a real demonstration,

the higher-ups have instructed us
to use the top-class espers.

Yeah, but still...

If the decision comes from above,

"Steering Committee"

we have no other choice.

We need at least two Level 5s
to take the athlete's pledge.

Make use of all your connections
to negotiate with them!

Wow...

"Daihasei Festival"

So they're holding this event now.

Wow, I can't wait for the Daihasei Festival.

All of Academy City's schools come together,

"Site for the three-legged race"

for seven days, at that,
and hold a sports festival.

There's nothing like it anywhere else.

Yes, indeed...

Uiharu?

Oh, uh, during the Daihasei Festival,

a lot of people will be coming into
Academy City from the outside, right?

As a member of Judgment,
I have to remain focused.

Besides...

if something else were to happen
because I make a mistake...

U-i-ha-ru!!

Oh, polka-dots!

Mm-hmm, the standards never go out of style.

What did you do that for, Saten?!

When you're off-duty from Judgment, at least,

you could stand to relax a little.

Everyone knows that you always do your best.

Oh, Miss Saten...

Hey!

Miss Uiharu! Miss Saten!

Sorry to keep you.

--Sissy!
--Hello!

How are you doing, Shirai?

We came to check up on you.

--Oh, okay, okay, thank you very--

--How are you, Kuroko?
--Oh, okay, okay, thank you very--

Feeling any better?

"A Certain Scientific Railgun T"

Sissy!!

Huh? The athlete's pledge
at the opening ceremonies?

You mean, for the Daihasei Festival?!

They want you, Sissy?

Mm-hmm.

One of the teachers grabbed me
while I was leaving.

Miss Misaka,

you've had experience
doing demonstrations in Russia,

and there are some who think
you would be a fitting representative

of Tokiwadai Middle School.

Oh...

The final decision is yours.

Yep.

Isn't that incredible, Misaka?

The Daihasei Festival opening ceremony

is supposed to be broadcast
to the entire world, right?

Miss Misaka, you'll be going worldwide!

Of course Sissy would be.

Actually, that sort of thing
isn't really my style.

Then again,

I'm sure your parents
will be delighted, won't they?

Hmm, I'm not so sure.

I suppose no longer having
Sissy all to myself

is something that I will lament.

Kuroko?

We'll all be rooting for you together.

Huh? Shirai, can you make it
to the opening ceremony?

Yes.

I am scheduled to be discharged by then.

Though I will not be able to compete.

Pity that all that training
I did with you will be for nothing.

Yeah, "training."

--Easy! Kuroko! Enough...
--Sissy! Tighter! Hold me tighter!

...already!

Hmm, well, nothing anyone can do about that.

Oh, no. I will not leave you
in the lurch, Sissy.

You just let old Kuroko take care of this!

Ah, then let's all go there together
that day to show our support!

While I appreciate the invitation,
I have my work with Judgment.

Huh? Miss Shirai,
you're returning to work already?

Of course I am.

Once I am out of the hospital,
there are any number of things I can do.

It sure is great that Shirai
is in good spirits, huh?

Oh, mm-hmm.

It sure is.

Yeah, but still,

she seemed like she was only acting happy.

Acting happy?

Yep. To keep from worrying us.

You're right. That's just like Kuroko.

Oh. All right,

I'm going to try hard, too,
so Miss Shirai doesn't worry about me!

Yeah, but you always try hard, Uiharu.

Even harder!

Well, maybe I will, too--

Oh, no.

As long as Miss Shirai has you,
she doesn't need anything else.

Does she really not need
anything else, though?

Miss Misaka?

Miss Kongo, and Miss Wannai
and Miss Awatsuki, too.

Good afternoon, Miss Misaka.

Good afternoon.

Oh, mm-hmm.

Is something the matter?

Huh? Oh, no, not really.

If there is something troubling you,

by all means, turn to me,
your best partner, Kongo Mitsuko!

Partner?

Miss Kongo!

You aren't supposed to talk about that.

Huh? Ah! H-How could I do such a thing?!

Kuroko did?

Yes. Yesterday, when we went to visit her.

We must have just missed
each other, Miss Misaka.

So anyhow, Miss Shirai
said that she wanted me

to pair up with you during the competition.

Miss Shirai said that she would
tell you directly, but look what I did.

Is that what she meant
when she said she'd take care of it?

Miss Misaka?

Mm-mm, thanks. I second
that request for help.

I'm looking forward to it, Miss Kongo.

R-Right! I-I, um... look
forward to it as well.

I'll have to go and thank Kuroko, too.

Ah, in that case...

Huh... there are a lot of shops
I'm unfamiliar with.

This looks yummy.

Queen?

Oh, Miss Misaka!

Ugh.

It's against the rules to read
something like that at school.

For someone important enough to be
chosen for the Daihasei athlete's pledge

that's a pretty brash attitude.

It's not as though I've been chosen yet.

I mean, I'm sure you've
gotten an offer, too, right,

Miss Shokuho Misaki, Level 5?

Oh, is that right, Queen?

Keep quiet.

Something like that would be
nothing but a bother for me.

That is why I stepped
aside for you, Miss Misaka.

Listen, you!

That EM barrier of yours is such a nuisance.

It keeps my Mental Out tampering
powers from working on you.

"Shokuho Misaki"
"Fifth Ranked"
"Mental Out"

Oh, I know!

Perhaps some endorsements would be useful.

Well, everyone?

We think that Miss Misaka would be
fitting for the athlete's pledge.

Just kidding.

Oh, Miss Misaka, good afternoon.

Wait, when did I stand up?

You know what?

There's something the matter with you.
All that, just to knock me?

Say whatever you will, it's who I am.

Anyhow, stop harassing me.

I am well aware of how much you dislike me.

It may be more than just simple "dislike."

"#1: Super-powered [Level 5]"

Huh?!

Hmm?

The Daihasei Festival athlete's pledge?

"Mugino Shizuri"
"Fourth Ranked"
"Meltdowner"

That's right.

What possible benefit is there for me,
who works on the dark side,

to have my face publicly revealed?

What is it?

Who cares? Your public face
could be that of an idol,

and your other face can be
that of a hunter in the darkness.

Your face is pretty, at least.

You're really enjoying yourself, aren't you?

I'm not doing it.
And stop asking me for things like this.

It's always like this with you.

I could say the same about you.

Hello! Say, I wouldn't mind
doing it in her place.

You! Work! On! The! Dark! Side! Too!

'Sup? Sorry I'm late--

What happened here?! An enemy att*ck?!

No, no.

He just went a little crazy.

He very nearly dragged me in, too.

Who, Kakine?

We got a call from our usual agent, see?

Asking if he'd take the
Daihasei Festival athlete's pledge.

For real?

And, of course, he refused,

but they wouldn't take no for an answer.

And when the annoyance built up...

Don't give me that! The Daihasei Festival

is a game for kids who still believe
in things like "effort" and "hope."

--Then they came back with "But visually,
you appeal to those kinds of kids."

--Come along, children!
--Then they came back with "But visually,
you appeal to those kinds of kids."

Did you just laugh?

"Kakine Teitoku"
"Second Ranked"
"Dark Matter"

Looking good, there,

Accelerator.

"Accelerator"
"First Ranked"
"Accelerator"

It's been awhile.

Not since Project Level


What do you want from me now?

You want to have me
k*ll some more clones for you?

N-No!

--Hear me out!
--Get lost.

Just let me finish!

I'm here about the Daiha--

I'm too busy babysitting.
Never speak to me again.

And there you have it.

Negotiating with the fourth-,
second-, and first-ranked was a bust.

Word is that the negotiator
we assigned to the first-ranked

was discovered gravely injured
and clinging to life.

Is this request really
that disagreeable to them?

Sir,

what about the sixth-ranked?

The thing is, we have intel on so
many people who he's supposed to be.

Should we just start
negotiating with all of them?

No, that's okay. I get the feeling
we're better off not even going there.

Which means,

"3rd-ranked: Misaka Mikoto"
"5th-ranked: Shokuho Misaki"
"6th-ranked: Aihana Etsu"

the only remaining Level 5s are...

Ugh, a line?

Must have something to do with this.

Huh?

What's wrong?

Seems like I just saw
that girl inside the store.

What do you mean, like a doppelgänger?

Gah!

So?

You're supposed to be in the hospital.
What are you doing here?

"What is Misaka doing?

Does it look like something
other than purchasing cake?"

asks Misaka, presenting a question.

No, I mean...

"We heard a rumor about some delicious cake.

Owing to the contest that followed,

this Misaka came here
as the delegate to buy one,"

says Misaka, remembering the fierce
competition and wiping away her sweat.

Pretty independent, huh?

Oh, how cute!

Twins?

Must be middle-schoolers.

Sure is neat, being twins
with matching uniforms.

"However, as your clones, Big Sister,

when we are occasionally spotted
in your sphere of activity,

it must be an inconvenience for you.

--From here on--"
--It sure is.

It gets to be a pain explaining it,
but that's okay.

I did promise that I would
help you all find a meaning in life.

Big Sister...

Okay, so I'm going to start
by buying myself a cake--

"By the way...

...to purchase any items in that store,

you will need a numbered ticket,
which have already all been distributed.

Do you have one of those?" inquires Misaka.

Ugh, you have to have one?
Aw, man, that means...

There are four cakes in here for the
Misakas who are waiting at the hospital.

Also, for this Misaka, who was to
have had a cake for coming to buy them,

is an extra one.

Wow, things are sure getting festive, huh?

They are doing a lot of
dry runs today all over.

Miss Konori said that we need to be careful,

since there will be more people getting
carried away and causing disturbances.

Hey! Fight! Fight! There's a fight
in the plaza where the stage is!

I told you, we were here first!

Don't even try to pull that!

We were clearly here first!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

We've been waiting here since yesterday!

--We were here two days ago!

--Wow, they're really going at it.
--We were here two days ago!

--Wow, they're really going at it.
--Yeah, screw you!

--Is this getting out of hand?
--No, screw you!

Maybe we should contact Antiskill.

Ah, this is going nowhere!

I could say the same!

The stronger side wins!
That's the rule here in Academy City!

Bring it on!

Can you wave this big of a squad flag?!

Your strength is only
because of your ability!

However, it comes with
the condition of being unable to move!

Don't underestimate
our aptitude for surveillance!

Is that...?

And my ability is one that lets me
briefly cause a gust of wind!

Can you make this many flags flutter?!

They both have fairly
niche abilities. Right, Uiharu--

Excuse me!

Y-You are bothering everyone
else, so please stop fighting!

Huh? Who the hell are you?!

For what reason are you
trying to rein in our activities?!

I-I am with Judgment!

--Uiharu! Come on!
--Judgment? So what?

According to accepted convention,

it is clear that you have no right
to stop a quarrel among men!

In other words,

you keep out of this, girly!

Uiharu!

I-It doesn't have anything to do
with being boys or girls!

Indeed not!

You are correct.

What's important isn't
whether you're a boy or a girl.

Huh?

It's guts!

What?

Huh?

He hasn't been to school?

No, not for two or three days now.

Are you sure he's all right?

Yeah, at times like this,
he's usually off helping someone.

Oh, but everything is all right.

He accepts your request.

Huh? I need to hear it from him.

He's someone who can never turn down a favor.

That's just the sort of boy Sogiita Gunha is.

"Sogiita Gunha"
"Seventh Ranked"

Wh-Why, you...!

How dare you kick
a cheer squad's precious flag!

That's a challenge to those
of us on the cheer squads!

Sounds good.

Wh-What?!

Go on, show me the kind of guts you've got!

Amazing...

...Punch!

Huh? Did you hear something?

An expl*si*n?

Fireworks?

We really did hear something, huh?

Mm-hmm, that's about right.

Wh--

What are you doing?!
P-People shouldn't hit people...!

Hmm? Oh, it's okay.
I made sure to pull my punch.

No matter how gutless they are,

it will take more than this to k*ll them.

More than this?

Compared to them,

you've got some considerable guts, miss.

Huh?

See you around!

Uiharu!

Hold on! I'm coming, too!

What was that just now?

An expl*si*n, right?

--Amazing...
--He just flew away!

--Hey, that's bad, isn't it?
--What kind of ability was that?

That Judgment girl is still in there!

Huh? Watch out, Uiharu!

I've already contacted Antiskill!

Miss Saten, you should get to safety!

Never mind about me! Come on, let's hurry!

R-Right!

Look out!

Get down!

Amazing!

That girl...

Wearing a Tokiwadai uniform...
with that ability...

That's...

...the third-ranked... Railgun of Tokiwadai!

"Misaka Mikoto"
"Third Ranked"
"Railgun"

If she takes the athlete's pledge,
the Daihasei Festival will be...

On that subject...

Ms. Watanabe?

While she is a good student,
but perhaps due to her notoriety,

she often gets caught up in trouble.

I was thinking of leaving it
up to her to decide,

but given the possibility
of it creating more problems,

I think we should forget
we ever said anything.

Huh?!

Ah, it looks like Antiskill has arrived.

I'm going to go report
to them. See you later!

Mm-hmm, thanks!

Well, we should get going, too.

Are you going to go see Shirai again today?

Mm-hmm, and I have a gift
to deliver to her...

Oh...

"Tokiwadai Middle School"

Whoo.

At last, our Queen has a proper offer.

Hmm,

after what I said to Miss Misaka,
it just doesn't feel like a challenge.

Why not accept the offer?

Having you in the public notice

makes my job easier, as well.

Excuse me, but who are you?

Jeez, I can't have you
talking to me out of nowhere.

It makes more work for me
having to alter memories.

So, have you found out
anything about that matter?

Yes.

Then go ahead and tell me...

...about Misaka Mikoto's clones--

the Sisters.

Huh? You're no longer
taking the athlete's pledge?

Mm-mm. They said they
settled on someone else.

My word, there is no one
more suitable than you, Sissy.

Well, that's okay. Never mind that... Here!

Apparently, it's quite the hot item.

Sissy...

Yeah, this is nice once in a while.

Sissy--

We did it!

Yeah!

We made it.

You've done well, everyone.

Still,

why do I have an awfully
bad feeling about this?

Sorry I'm late. It took a while
to explain everything... Huh?

Um, Sissy? I can explain...

Ku-ro-ko!!

"Next episode preview"

Wow, the Daihasei Festival is beginning!

"Next episode preview"
"#2 The Daihasei Festival"

It sure is.

Shirai, is something the matter?

It looks like the frustration
of not being able to compete

together with Miss Misaka
is finally getting to her.

But wasn't she the one who asked Kongo?

Sissy!!