Railgun Online Accelerated World: Book 3. Gun Wars

The Three Misakas

"Mikoto... Mikoto! Are you listening Mikoto?"

Mikoto blinked and stared at her teacher as the rest of the class began to giggle.

"There she goes again.. One eyed Misaka zones out." giggled one girl.

Mikoto 's other eye twitched irritably beneath her bandages. It wasn't her fault that contact lenses were irritating to demons..

"Mikoto-san.. it's about time you answered my question." said Mikoto's teacher.

"I was listening." said Mikoto.

"Really? Then-"

"The answer to the question is 567.8.. and you misplaced the variable over there on purpose to throw us off. The answer to question 23 is 45." said Mikoto.

The teacher went silent. "Well.. erm.."

"I'm sorry for giving the appearance of disrespect." said Mikoto, standing up and bowing.

"It's fine.. it's fine.." said the teacher, looking tired. "Just.. sit down please."

Truth was, Mikoto wasn't paying attention. She actually was so smart, that she could spend 12 days not paying attention and she'd be able to ace every exam handed to her. The school she was in here was nowhere near the standards set by her old middle school Tokiwadai.

And unlike in Tokiwadai, Mikoto felt much less inclined to socialize with her schoolmates. She suspected it was a bit of the demon in her.. demons of the Dark Mind after all.. were by nature.. loners.  But she was human too.. she had to remember that.

As Mikoto sat in her desk, staring at her blank notebook, a small calico kitten's head poked out from under her seat..

"You need to start doing something you know.. to at least look like you're not slacking.." said Nox in a small purring whisper.

Mikoto glared sternly at Nox. "Come on.. people aren't supposed to see you.."

"What is the point of learning to manifest a physical form outside the virtual world, if I can't talk to you in a more attentive form?"  said Nox.

"I admit, you're cute like this.. but this isn't the time.." Mikoto whispered.

"Fine fine.." said Nox, before she disappeared like a dim light.

Mikoto had to admit, she had changed a large amount.. ever since SAO, ever since the Underworld, she was a more distant person. But she could hardly act any different due to the fact that she was living under a new identity..

A girl out of time.. that's what she was..

When the bell rang for lunch.. Mikoto was met by several tall and strong looking girls at the entrance to the classroom.

"Hey! One Eye!!" said the center girl.. a particularly popular member of the basketball team name Yuko grinned at Mikoto. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To eat my lunch.." Mikoto said simply, holding up the bento that her friend Asuna had made for her.

"And I'm afraid as the toll for passing through this door, that lunch will have to be your payment." said Yuko as the other girls chuckled. "So.. give it here.."

Mikoto scowled at Yuko. Truth was, she was just as athletic as Yuko, she was just smaller. But 3 against one wasn't a guaranteed win.. however, there was one way she could win..

Mikoto held a hand behind her back, and an electric spark began to generate from her palm.. it would be so easy.. so very easy...

But..