Railgun 169

Chapter 169

01

Margin: Normalcy has returned. An ordinary morning begins with ignoring Kiyoshi's complaints...

Kessai: Mikoto-chan.

Kessai: Mikoto-chan.
Kessai: It's morning. Wake up.

Mikoto: Uhn...

Mikoto: Ugh, 5 more minutes.
Kessai: No.

Kessai: Wash your face and brush your teeth.
Kessai: Breakfast is in 3 minutes!
Mikoto: Hohkay.

02

Kessai: Do you have your handkerchief?
Kessai: And your phone?

Mikoto: Still think you're my mom, huh?

Kessai: Oh, wait.

Kessai: Your tie is crooked.
SFX: Tug

Kessai: That's better.

03

Mikoto: Maybe so...
Mikoto: But what about you?

Kessai: I...
Kessai: have club activities? Or something?
Kessai: So I'll be leaving a bit late. You go on ahead.
Mikoto: Really?

Kessai: Mikoto-chan.

04

Kessai: Enjoy your day.

Mikoto: ...You too.

Mikoto: I've heard of leaving early for your club, but never leaving late.

05

Margin: Memories of happy days recorded on her phone...
Title: Chapter 169: Misaka Mikoto Onee-sama
Credit: Author: Kamachi Kazuma
		Art: Fuyukawa Motoi
		Character Designs: Haimura Kiyotaka

Profile:
Kessai Kiyoshi (Esper Name: Steam Geyser)
*Mikoto's roommate in the Tokiwadai Middle School student dorm.
*Her Level 3 Steam Geyser lets her produce large quantities of steam from any part of her body's surface. She ordinarily uses this to emit steam from her entire body as a smokescreen, but she can also restrict the steam emission to the soles of her feet to float like a hovercraft or focus it to a fingertip to emit ultra-pressurized steam. (But this really hurts her finger, so she can only do it so much.)
*The adopted daughters of the former Takebayashi family were all taught martial arts (to physically eliminate their rivals). Kiyoshi was never any good at it, but she can engage in close quarters combat by combining it with her esper power.
*As the youngest of the former Takebayashi family's adopted daughters, she enjoys acting like a big sister.
*The former Takebayashi family and its branch families were dismantled by the Shokuhou Clique's intervention, so Kiyoshi has been freed from the bonds of her family.

06

Girl: About this afternoon's class...

SFX: Throb
Kuroko: Ugh.

Kuroko: It still hurts...

Mikoto: Oh, Shirai-san.

07

SFX: Stand up
SFX: Whoosh
Mikoto: How are your injuries?

Kuroko: Oh, Misaka-san. How do you do?
Kuroko: My injuries?
Kuroko: They are no trouble whatsoever.
Mikoto: Wow. And yours were worse than mine.

Kuroko: My daily training with Judgment has-
SFX: Thud!

Mikoto: H-hey!

Mikoto: Don't force yourself!

SFX: Brush...

Kuroko: Pant pant pant

08

Mikoto: You're breathing heavy. Are you sure you're okay?
SFX: Gasp

Kuroko: D-do not worry about it.
Kuroko: I can walk on my own.

Kuroko: Still...

Kuroko: How did I get tangled up in such a big mess so soon after arriving?
Kuroko: This is a crazy school I've chosen...
Mikoto: Ha ha...

Mikoto: She's not wrong

Mikoto: B-but this improved my impression of the school.

09

Mikoto: In the past year, I've been influenced by so many upperclassmen...
Mikoto: supported by so many people...
Mikoto: and I've ended up with so many memories here.

Mikoto: I hope you'll see it the same way some day.

Kuroko: Um...about Kessai-san...

10

Mikoto: Oh, right!
Mikoto: I wanted to invite her to some after-lunch tea, but I can't find her anywhere!

Mikoto: She isn't even answering her phone...

Mikoto: I know she has her own friends...
Mikoto: and I don't want to disturb her if she's busy...

Mikoto: Hmm...

Kuroko: She's a good friend, isn't she?

11

Mikoto: Is...
Mikoto: she?

Mikoto: Well, she does take up the most space in my memories of the school.

Kuroko: Then you should...
Kuroko: take good care of those memories.

Mikoto: Sure...

12

Mikoto: School's out and I still haven't found her.

Mikoto: Where could she be?

Girl: Oh...Misaka-san.
Mikoto: Hey, have you seen Kiyoshi around?

Girl: What?

Girl: Wait.
Girl: You haven't heard?
Mikoto: Heard what?

13

Girl: That Kessai-san transferred schools.

Mikoto: Huh?

Mikoto: What...?
Girl: Our teacher said so during homeroom.

Girl: Apparently it was for personal reasons...
Girl: It happened so suddenly it caught us all by surprise.
SFX: Zap zap

14

SFX: Bam

15

Announcer: A train is arriving on Line 1. Please stay behind the yellow line.

Kessai: So you actually came to see me off.

16

Kuroko: We did exchange blows.

Kessai: I'm...not as strong as Yayoi Onee-chan. I didn't think I should confess everything to Mikoto-chan.

Kuroko: Apologizing would help lessen the guilt you feel.

Kuroko: It's your choice what you do.
Kuroko: But...

17

Kuroko: I want Misaka-san's friendship with Kessai Kiyoshi...
Kuroko: to remain a beautiful memory within her.

Kessai: You're not making this easy.

Kessai: Can I ask something of you too?

18

Mikoto: Why so suddenly?
Mikoto: Why didn't she say anything?
Mikoto: Did I do something to drive her away?

Mikoto: If this is how it makes me feel, maybe having friends isn't worth it.

Text:
Papa
Happy 14th birthday. It's a shame we can't celebrate it as a family, but we'll make some time in September and visit you.

Text:
Mama
Happy birthday. I sent a present, but we can have a real celebration during the Daihaseisai. I hear you've gotten strong enough this past year to make the news, so I can't wait to see you compete.

19

Mikoto: From papa and mama...
Mikoto: Oh, right. Today's my birthday.

SFX: Seep...
Mikoto: Kiyoshi gave me that hairpin as a present last year, didn't she?

Mikoto: Wait, wait.
Mikoto: I should head out and get some fresh air.
SFX: Shake shake

SFX: Whirrrr

20

Kuroko: How do you do, Misaka-senpai.

SFX: Roll...
Mikoto: Oh, it's Shirai-san.
Mikoto: What's with the luggage?

Kuroko: I'm moving to this dorm today.
Mikoto: At this time of year? That's unusual.

Kuroko: I thought it wasn't enough to hire movers, but it's a lot for one person to carry.

Kuroko: It's a lot for one person to carry.
Mikoto: D-do you want help?

Kuroko: I would love help.

21

Mikoto: Hold on.
Kuroko: That's right♪
SFX: Click

22

SFX: Thunk

SFX: Twirl
Kuroko: Hello again.

Kuroko: I am Shirai Kuroko, 1st year in Tokiwadai Middle School.

Kuroko: I do hope we get along,
Kuroko: Misaka Mikoto Onee-sama.
Text: Thus the past becomes a beautiful memory and links to the story of Misaka Mikoto Onee-sama. Next time: A Certain Scientific Railgun arrives at its final chapter!!

Box: To be continued next issue. The May Issue goes on sale Friday, March 27!!