03x16 - Dream Ranker

[bunniefuu]

All right, that's all for today.




after everything is put away.

Oh...

A pleasant day to you, Miss Misaka.

Huh?

Uh-huh...

Who is that?

I guess I have not properly introduced myself.

Hokaze Junko, 3rd-year.

Oh!

From the Shokuho clique.

I don't think we've had a chance
to speak since the Daihasei Festival.

So anyhow, Miss Misaka,

there is something I've very
much been meaning to ask you.

The Handy Antenna Service pair contract strap--

I'm sure a fellow Gekoer
such as yourself is aware,

but it is something impossible for a
girl to get by herself. What will you do?

--W-Well, I, um--

--My, my, look at you two, getting along well.
--W-Well, I, um--

Are you flirting with one of my girls now?

My Queen!

Are you saying I can't make
small talk without your permission?

And why are you dressed like that?
Are you cutting class again?

Girls have a legitimate reason
for getting out of phys ed.

But you're always doing so.

You always find some reason or other,

but the fact is, you just can't swim, can you?

"Unless you're prepared to k*ll me to stop me...

--...then move."

--Wha--?
--...then move."

That's how badly you needed to use the bathroom?

That's something you fabricated!

They were both pretty taken aback.

Because of you, I had to...

What?

I had to do a lot of covering up
to keep everything under wraps, you know.

There are any number of
other ways you could have done so!

--You should be thanking me,
not blaming me for what I did!

--U-Um, there's no need
to get so heated about this...
--You should be thanking me, not blaming me for what I did!

--You keep quiet!
--You keep quiet!

I-I'm so sorry!

You know, if you had left well enough alone,

--none of that would have had to happen!
--Uh, I just remembered something I have to do.

--Huh? Hey, are you running away?!
--M-My Queen, just a moment...

I'm not done with you--

Here it is after swim class,
and you still have energy to spare, Misaka.

How would you like to give up
your lunch break to clean the pool, hmm?

N-No...

Sheesh.

She's really good at starting fights.

Miss Misaka?

I'm sorry for earlier.
I don't know if this will make up for it,

but I'd like you to have this.

Huh? Oh...

They have become quite popular in our circle.

Oh, yeah?

See you.

Oh, right...

What is this?

"A Certain Scientific Railgun T"

Wow!

Indian Poker, right?

Indian Poker?

Yes.

It's a card that lets you
have another person's dreams.

They're homebrew cards that
are part of an underground craze

in Academy City right now.

First, the person putting up their dreams

connects to the card fabricator
and goes to sleep.

Then, the events of their dreams
get written onto a special card.

Then, whoever is receiving the dreams

puts the card on their
forehead and goes to sleep...

and bam! They're supposed to be
able to have the exact same dream!

Oh, yeah?

It reacts with your brainwaves
while you're sleeping

and emits a faint electric signal.

There are integrated aromas formulated
to go with the content of the dreams.

So it uses both effects to
reproduce another person's dreams, huh?

Rumor has it that there are a few
rare people who can regularly provide

"S-Rank" dreams that are funny,
or dreams that are beneficial,

ones that everyone wants to have.

These charismatic people are
supposedly called "Dream Rankers."

Apparently, the color
and pattern of the card varies

depending on the type of dream written to it.

Orange ones are supposed
to be enjoyable, happy dreams.

Well, she went to the trouble to give it to me.

If I had the choice, though,
a horror dream sounds more fun.

Sissy...!

I came over because I was feeling cold.
Let's sleep togeth--

Where is this?

Is this a dream?

K-Keroyon... Pyonkichi... Pyonko...

G--

Gekota!

What is this? What is this?

This Indian Poker is the best!

Huh? You're going to introduce me
to the queen of the castle?

Oh, so there's a queen.

Hmm? Queen?
Come to think of it, this dream is...

Oh...?

Are you my new maid?

Shokuho!

I knew it!

Wh-Who are you calling a maid--

Huh? When did that happen?!

Could you start with massaging my shoulders?

Who, me?!

H-Huh...?

Why are you giving me that sad look?

Is it because I'm about
to turn down Shokuho's order?

Ah, that feels so good.

It's so hard to be so busty, you know?

Shine my shoes.

Rub some oil on me.

Now pour me some tea.

Why me? Why me? Why me?

Oh my goodness! How clumsy of you.

No, it wasn't! The handle came off by itself...

What an absent-minded girl you are.

Then again,

you have been a lot of help, too.
You show promise.

Which is why...

...I'm giving you permission to wait
on me for the rest of your life!

Sissy, you are so beautiful when you are asleep.

Ordinarily, this is when I would
try to wake you up with a kiss,

but you are so bashful,
you always turn me away with a shock.

I am terribly sorry, Sissy! When someone
is only seeking a physical connection,

an emotional connection can be so unsettling!

Of course, such a thing is not to be,

but Sissy, to have wound you up
is the greatest indiscretion of my life!

Allow my sincerity to set your mind at ease!

To prove that my love for you is true,

I offer my entire body and soul to you!

I don't want it!

This is the first time I've woken up more
exhausted than when I went to sleep.

Good morning!

Morning.

Is something the matter with Shirai?

Search me.

She's been like that all morning.

So, how was it?

The Indian Poker?

It was an incredibly...

...hideous dream.

I'm getting goosebumps just remembering it.

The card's color said
it was supposed to be a fun one.

Ah, that reminds me, Misaka,

are you familiar with this app?

Huh?

I found it yesterday.
It's a kind of treasure hunt...

Uiharu!

Excuse me, something just came up.
See you later.

U-i-ha-ru!

Indian Poker, huh?

I've had all I can stand of it.

How did you like my Indian Poker card?

Well, um...

How would you like to start one, yourself?

No, I, uh...

Maybe we can discuss it over tea after school.

Uh... sure.

So,

what is Miss Misaka doing here?

I could ask the same about you.

I wanted to take this opportunity

to strengthen the friendship between you two.

--No way!
--No way!

Indian Poker has been
gaining popularity among us lately.

I've heard of it.

Well, in that case, I will make this brief.

I have invited Miss Misaka to join in, as well.

Yeah, but I'm not...

How about you, too, my Queen?

Not interested.

You should call it off, too.

Yes, as you wish!

Huh? Just like that?

The Queen has expressed her intention.

Would you tell the others
to stop doing it as well?

Yes.

I am terribly sorry.
And after I invited you here, too.

No, that's okay.

I mean really, what a childish game--

--BLAU! It is an honor to meet you!
--BLAU! It is an honor to meet you!

What the...?

Come on, you're being too loud.
You're disturbing the other guests here.

S-Sorry, sir. I'm just so nervous,
being in the presence of a legendary S-Ranker.

No need to stand on ceremony, take it easy.

R-Right...

S-Rank? Like in, those Dream Rankers
Miss Saten was talking about?

The card you gave us the other day

was a sublime masterpiece
that defies description.

I honestly felt like I never
wanted to wake up from it!

That good?!

Th-This might not cover it,

but would you please let me have it, as well?!

That's okay. You don't have to give me that.

I'm able to use my dreams
to spread joy to others.

I'm happy enough to do so.

--B-BLAU...!
--B-BLAU...!

Wow, there's an S-Ranker
who gives out his cards for nothing.

I wonder what kind of dream could make people...

--...as enthusiastic as that.
--Really, it was too much!

I mean, Iris from the Goddess Club,
doing Full S*rvice Maid Pl*y!

BLAU, your dreams feature everything
from supermodels to virtual idols!

You make epic interaction
limitless for us ordinary guys

when normally, it wouldn't
even be possible to imagine!

Like getting the weather girl,
Uzuki Ana, in her TV studio,

and forecasting a


Or taking pleasantly plump
glamor idol Fugu Iruka,

and putting on an aqu*rium
nature show in any outfit we want!

For you to be able to produce cards
like that, BLAU, you truly are a god!

Just thinking about tonight,
I can't stop the rush of excitement!

It's only a matter of time before
your dreams take Academy City by storm!

It's not just entertainers, either.

You know the two Level 5s
from Tokiwadai Middle School?

They're both exquisite beauties
that could put professional idols to shame.

BLAU, you don't mean...

The third-ranked, Misaka Mikoto,
seems pretty strong-minded, right?

But once you ***** her,
put on kitty ears and a tail and make her *****,

you can ******** all night long!

You can use a ******* on
Shokuho Misaki in her school swimsuit,

take her too-big-for-middle-school *****,

and reach Level 6* before you *****!

Y-You're going where even angels fear to tread!

You're one shockingly formidable dude!

Hmph, Level 5s are as good
as stripped bare before me. Literally.

--BLAU! BLAU! BLAU! BLAU!

--Th-They sure do seem excited about something.
I'm not sure what, exactly.
--BLAU! BLAU! BLAU! BLAU!

--I thought I heard both
of your names come up, too.
--BLAU! BLAU! BLAU! BLAU!

--You are, after all, our school Level 5s--
--BLAU! BLAU! BLAU! BLAU!

We're just going to go stroll
over to the shop next door...

Huh? Huh? She had that k*ller look in her eye...

My Queen! You have to stop her!

Today only, I'm going to alter
the memories of any witnesses.

Oh, oh no. If these two team up,

it's so easy for them
to commit the perfect crime.

Thank goodness.

Only their cards were destroyed
and memories altered.

Honestly...

I can't help it if someone
has those dreams on their own,

but passing them around like
it's some kind of show is going too far.

Dreaming about the object of
your affection is unavoidable in your youth,

but to traffic in them in
back-alley deals like that is just...

U-Um, are the two of you dreaming
about boys you're interested in?

Oh, dear...

Ah, I just remembered,
I have a thing I need to do with a thing.

I, too... have a thing to do,
so if you'll excuse me...

#16 Dream Ranker

Miss Shirai?

Miss Shirai? Anyone home? Miss Shirai Kuroko?

The degenerate Miss Shirai of Judgment!

Uh, oh... Uiharu?

We're on patrol. Please keep it together.

What are you doing?

It's an app Miss Saten
told me about this morning.

Miss Shirai, have you
heard of treasure hunt apps?

Yes. I have seen many students lately

walking around with
their cell phones in their hands.

This app is similar to those.

When you train the camera like this,

it isn't a treasure reward that gets displayed,

but the time when an accident
occurred at that location.

Someone had a fall down these stairs
this morning, and that's being displayed.

Luckily, it didn't end up
being anything serious.

That is not in very good taste, is it?

No,

and if that were all it was,
it would just be misguided,

and that would be the end of it, but apparently,

this app also has future accidents,
which haven't happened yet, on record.

Future accidents? What is that supposed to mean?

Just what it sounds like.

Among the incidents that the app specifies

are accidents recorded before they've happened,

and at the indicated time,
at the designated location,

accidents and other troubling
incidents have taken place.

Or should I say, it's possible
that they only came to light afterward

and all of the data within the app was
drawn up before the incidents occurred.

Of those that were determined
to be recorded before they happened,

what is the ratio of accidents
that actually took place?

Six out of six.

One hundred percent.

Are you saying that someone
with precognition helped create the app?

There are some opinions on the net

saying that there's a person or even a group,

who is taking the appointed times
and locations from the app

and perpetrating acts to make sure
that they happen just as they're foretold.

But there have been no suspects
tied to the string of events,

so that line of reasoning
is seen as pretty weak.

Also, yesterday afternoon,

"School District 17" "School District 20" "School District 16"
"School District 8" "School District 1"

a suspicious fire broke out in
a factory in School District 17,

and in the evening, there was a
purse snatching in School District 16,

and those have not been recorded yet,

so there may be some kind of methodology to it.

Whatever the case, since we cannot ignore this,

it appears that we must look into it.

Let us go search for
some of this "foretold trouble."

That was surprisingly easy to find.

The incident is in 15 minutes.

Does something happen in
front of these vending machines?

This being the side of the road,
it is likely to be a traffic accident.

If this app were genuine,
I would like to go and stop traffic.

But since there's nothing
to corroborate it, that would be difficult.

If it's some kind of crime,
it may only get relocated as a result.

I guess we have little choice.

Let us go observe from someplace
where we can see the whole road.

Come to think of it,
Judgment's training is just about done, huh?

"Join Judgment!!"
"Come with us!! For the future of Academy City!!"

Do you think we'll get any
new faces at the 177th Branch?

Yes, who can say?

Then finally, I'll have someone lower than me!

Uh-oh.

Is something the matter?

How do I deal with these documents?

You do this, here like this, with this.

Wow, you know everything, Miss Uiharu!

"Miss Uiharu"!

All I can see is her being swamped
by doting on her subordinate.

Stop letting your head
get swollen by silly fantasies.

It is just about time.

For the love of...

That new store clerk they
have is super-handsome, isn't he?

An incident? An accident?
Either way, I will make sure to stop it!

--You dumbass!
--Wonder if he's single.

It doesn't look like it was any of those people.

"Two minutes later"

"Five minutes later"

"Ten minutes later"

There is nothing happening here, is there?!

That's odd. Oh, sometimes the indicated
times may be off by dozens of minutes.

You might have told me that sooner!

This might all be a hoax after all...

A truck? But it is going the
other direction and not speeding.

It does not appear to be related to...

Running into traffic?! And that car
is passing! Is this what was foretold?!

No, the location is off...!

Are you hurt?

Huh? Oh,

I, um, think I'm okay.

That was close.

If I had not been anticipating something,

I am not sure I could
have made a rational decision.

I am sure I would have reflexively
teleported to the boy who dashed out.

Uiharu!

You have traffic control until Antiskill arrives!

U-Understood!

Where is the best vantage point?

Can I assume that you
are the precognitive esper?

A grade-schooler?

You could, of course,
be a lookie-loo who saw the app,

but my investigation will soon uncover--

No, that won't be necessary.

I am the one who created the app. Also,

I meant to make contact with you,
one way or another.

Miyama Shaei, 4th-year at Matsuume Elementary.

--Age 10. Precognitive esper.

--Some hot milk for you.
--Age 10. Precognitive esper.

--Thanks.
--Age 10. Precognitive esper.

Mm-hmm, using this instant camera...

...you can perform psychic
photography to see future events.

What it produces is a marble pattern
that I have no idea what it will turn into.

When it's run through a
special machine at a research facility,

a vague image finally becomes visible.

However, moments of tragedy
are the only things that develop.

My ability can only record accidents
that will happen in the near future.

But, everything so far is already
written in the Bank, right?

So far?

Yes.

No one could have created the app
using only the ability he told us about.

Oh.

Mm-hmm. I'm not sure
if I can call it the first stage,

but by focusing my consciousness
to an even higher level,

I can produce photographs

which also include the time and location
data of specific tragedies that will occur.

Data?

The app was originally created

by a certain company as an analytic tool
for psychic photography espers.

Finding lost items and people who
have gone missing was its intended purpose.

When psychic photos are passed to the app,

the data analyzed from them
is displayed on the map.

So you are circumventing
the research facility and using the app

to carry out your own analysis
of your psychic photographs?

Mm-hmm.

For this second stage,
I wanted you, ribbon girl and flower girl...

Shirai Kuroko.

Uiharu Kazari.

I wanted you, Shirai and Uiharu,
to keep this entirely to yourselves.

What, no "Miss"?

And, um, why is that?

There isn't much use for this,
going by just the information in the Bank...

...but if you can come up with
both a time and a place,

those who would misuse
the information will turn up,

is that what you are saying?

Mm-hmm.

Very well. I promise that I will not
breathe a word of this to anyone.

M-Me, too.

Thanks.

That being said, it isn't an ability
that can be used too conveniently.

The reason I use the app
is to conceal my identity.

But there's another reason--

to find an esper who can alter
the fate of the events I foresee.

Someone who can alter fate?

Are you sure about doing this without asking?

What?

After all, who gets put out
by having flowers bloom?

It'll be fine. I learned all
about it while I was dreaming.

"Next episode preview"

Use my power to prevent the
incidents that Miyama Shaei foresees?

"Next episode preview"
"#17 Precognition"

It is not a bad proposal,
but he seems to be holding something back.

Well, Miss Shirai, you keep
your degeneracy hidden, don't you?

I do not either keep it hidden.
Wait, what did you just get me to say, Uiharu?!