A Certain Scientific Omnitrix. Book 1. Alien Science

Impulser

Ben's eyes opened. For a minute, he half expected himself to be waking up in some alley or park bench as usual.. then he saw the dim cieling above him.. and felt the blankets he had kicked off in his sleep around where his feet were..

Ben sat up to find himself on a very plush couch.. he was sitting in a nice cozy living room with a large TV.. bookshelf, rug, and dining table with a back balconey behind the dining area. The living room was connected to a kitchen with a bar area.

Ben stretched and yawned. "Oh yeah.. now I remember, Mikoto's letting me stay here.. and she and that Kuroko girl are staying here too now.. right.."

Ben had insisted on taking the couch despite Mikoto's protests, as there were only two bedrooms, and in Ben's book, chivalry was not dead.

Ben was currenly just wearing his usual black T-shirt and jeans. His torn jacket was hanging nearby on a hook on the door, and he had a backpack at the foot of the couch, which he had retrieved from a trusted hiding spot in a nearby alleyway, which held his high school uniform. (Something he learned about Japan.. the schools here were really big on uniforms..)

Ben stretched his arms out a bit and stood up. He checked the clock on the wall, and nearly threw himself into a panic thinking that he was late for school... then he realized something. It was actually the start of Summer Break.. there was no school, unless you counted the extra credit course that was scheduled around 4 hours from now..

Ben sighed. Why the heck did he decide to take that course in the first place? However, what amazed Ben even more.. was of all the people he could have randomly met in Academy City... he met that girl. Mikoto Misaka.. who it turned out.. was the Number 3 Railgun herself!

Ben had found out about Mikoto's identity as one of the 7 level 5s the night before when he was reading a magazine he found in the apartment that had an interview with the 7 Level 5s from last year's Daihaseisai Festival.. a festival where the entire city had their students participate in competetive sports events where they were encouraged to use their abilities.

Ben couldn't believe he hadn't figured it out sooner.. such a famous person taking notice of him.. then again, he figured Mikoto wasn't the type who liked fame and attention, she was much different from some of the other Level 5s who were condescending towards lower level Espers. And Ben had met 2 Level 5s.

The first he had met was the Number 2 ranked Dark Matter, aka Teitoku Kakine. He wasn't just rude.. he was downright arrogant.. Ben couldn't even stand 2 seconds of the guy.

The second he met was Misaki Shokuhou, the 5th ranked known as Mental Out. Ben had only glimpsed her once, before suddenly waking up to find that he had used all his meager money to buy the girl some icecream through mind control..

But Mikoto had not only shown concern when she saw a random guy on the streets, she'd given him a place to stay. This girl was alright! And also rather cute now that he thought about it..

"Oh no Benjy.." Ben muttered to himself. "Don't think about that.. you're not in any position to be dating anybody.. not after the last time.."

Ben's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a bedroom door opening, and Mikoto Misaka shuffled out sleepily in PJs and fluffy slippers, rubbing her eyes. "M-morning...yaaaawwwnn..."

Ben stared at the light green pajamas with cute frog patterns all over it. "Is.. that Gekota?"

Mikoto's eyes widened slightly and her face went red. She jumped back and covered herself in the same way someone would if you walked in on them in the shower. "I-IT'S NOTHING!! NOTHING!! E-er.. I just found these, and I didn't have anything else cause everything burned in the dorm.. a-and...and...."