ISML 2010: GUNNERS' HIGH!

ISML 2010: GUNNERS' HIGH!
MIkoto Misaka wins Ruby, Akiyama and Katsura suffer first defeats of season



July 20, 2010

After Mikoto Misaka completed her match against Saber (which she won 2890-2520), she decided to retire to her room in the Tokiwadai dorms, where she shared her bed with Kuroko Shirai.

Some hours later, a jubilant Shirai barged in, disrupting her sleep. "Onee~~~-sama~~~~!"
"What is it?" she asked in a disgruntled tone.
She was crying tears of joy. "You did it! Onee-sama finally did it!"
"I hope you aren't lying; otherwise I will dry those tears from your face in a hurry!" Misaka broke open her laptop and checked the results. She smiled sympathetically. Misaka had won her very first International Saimoe League necklace, and it was the Ruby. "You were right."

On a match day which saw record turnout, upset victories by Taiga Aisaka over Mio Akiyama (2850-2827) and Shana over defending ISML champion Hinagiku Katsura (2928-2633) had earned Misaka the necklace based on overall strength of schedule.

An emotional victory rally at the Tokiwadai campus quad saw superstar band Fripside perform "Only My Railgun" and "Level5~Judglight" as well as ELISA with her charttopping "Dear My Friend" and "Real Force" before Mikoto Misaka took to the stage, surrounded by Shirai, her significant other Toma Kamijou, Index Librorum Prohibitorum, Mii Konori, Mitsuko Kongou, Aisa Himegami, Hyoka Kazakiri, Maaya Awatsuki, Accelerator, Maika Tsuhimikado, Erii Haruue, Kazari Uiharu and her good friend Ruiko Saten who ended her Ruby campaign with a loss to Ui Hirasawa 2840-2383.

Brown, yellow and white flags with Tokiwadai's trademark insignia were waved in the air, while banners read, "GUNNERS' HIGH!!!", "ONEE-SAMA WE LOVE YOU!!!", "JUDGEMENT DESU NO!", "THE WAIT IS OVER!", and "ONLY OUR RAILGUN!!!!"

"Before I begin my speech," Misaka said, "I want to congratulate HInaku Katsura and Mio Akiyama for their string of wins without a defeat. They were leading the charge, and the fact that this could have gone between them to determine who wraps up the Diamond without a loss makes the International Saimoe League the best tournament in the world.

"I would now like to begin my speech with one word: FINALLY!" The roar of the crowd could be heard and the waving of the flags could be seen. "After I had come up short in the first few necklace stages, I didn't know if I was going to get the chance to ever win a necklace. The wait is OVER!" Another roar from the crowd.

"I want to thank first the Lord above for helping me find the strength to persevere and win this. Secondly, I that everyone here, Kuroko, Saten-san, Uiharu-san, Touma, Konori-san, Mitsuko, Aisaka, Index, Maaya, Maika, Hyoka, Erii, and even Accelerator." The #1-ranked level 5 grinned devilishly. "You all made me who I am today: an International Saimoe League necklace champion."

"Finally, I want to thank you all in the audience: thje voters." The crowd roared again as Misaka began to shed tears for the first time in a while. "Without your support, I wouldn't have been able to gone this far and won this thing. Thank you all! I love you all! Thank you!" Misaka finally let Touma and Kuroko embrace her without having any reservations. She was overjoyed to finally have done this. It was a long time coming.

Akiyama remains first overall in the standings, with Katsura and Shana remaining second and third, respectively. "All good things must come to an end," Akiyama admitted at a press conference after her defeat. "However, I do feel that there is plenty to play for, since the match with Hinagiku in the DIamon will detemine who finishes first heading into the Diamond.

Katsura took her defeat in perspective. "This was a tough loss for us to take, but both me and Mio have already qualified for the postseason," she explained during her press conference at the Hakuoh Academy, "so our chance for payback can come when that happens."

"I was surprised that I was able to earn the biggest victory of my ISML career," Taiga said after her win, "and this will definitely boost my morale going forward."

Shana was up to 160 loaves of melon bread and was snacking on 160th loaf. "Easy pickings," she said. "I wasn't going to get the necklace, but I had a really good shot at finishing the phase unbeaten. It looks like that 'Mission Accomplished.'"

Yuki Nagato and Nagi Sanzen'in also wrapped up their Ruby runs with victories to finish unbeaten. Nagato downed Kyou Fujibayashi 2924-2422 while Nagi Sanzen'in cruised past KOnata Izumi 3255-2215.

Touhou Project came back for another curtain call in a special match that saw a higher turnout. In predictable fashion, Reimu Hakurei crushed Sakuya Izayoi 2908-1658.

The SOS Brigade were the only group to finish unbeaten on Ruby 7. Haruhi Suzumiya walloped Holo 3194-2214 while Mikuru Asahina took out Nanoha Takamachi 2990-2189.

In other ISML Ruby action...

Nagisak Furukawa defeated Illyasviel von Einzbern 2743-2498, Tsukasa Hiiragi edged Ikaros 2596-2487, Azusa Nakano rocked HItagi Senjougahara 3263-2246, CHizuru Akabe whipped past Ami Kawashima 3945-2078 and Konjikio no Yami (Golden Darkness) trounced Nymph 2752-1826,

Minatsu Shiina defeated Fuuko Ibuki 2679-2361, Ushio OKazaki routed Mihoko Fukuji 3026-1515, Mei Sunohara thumped Nodoka Haramura 3223-1385, Nadeko Sengoku rolled past Fate Testarossa 2822-2303 and Mafuyu Shiina annihilated Kurimu Sakurano 2839-1652.

C.C. cruised past Isumi Saginomiya 2841-2477, Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere crushed Ryou Fujibayashi 2920-2171, Maria swept past Ruja Furude 3197-1925 and Tomoyo Sakagami ended her Ruby run with a 2799-2731 thriller over Yui Hirasawa 2799-2731.

Wrapping up ISML Ruby play...Kotomi Ichinose defeated Minori Jushieda 2765-2250, Chiaki MInami picked up a 2468-2135 win over Hanyuu Furude and Kagami Hiiragi bested Rin Tosaka 2804-2526.

Only one more necklace remains to be decided before the Tiara phase begins in earnest. The 2010 International Saimoe League Diamond necklace phase begins with Match Day 1, scheduled for July 25, 2010. Vote online at InternationalSaimoe.com and join the ogoing debate. Then follow the continuing coverage of the ISML on the Bedlam on Baltic Avenue and bongaboi.deviantart.com!

OVERALL INTERNATIONAL SAIMOE LEAGUE STANDINGS

AFTER RUBY NECKLACE PHASE

As of July 20, 2010

1. Mio Akiyama (AQ)

2. Hinagiku Katsura (C)

3. Shana (SAP) (EM)

4. Taiga Aisaka (TOP)

5. Yuki Nagato (AM)

6. Mikoto Misaka (RUB)

7. Azusa Nakano

8. Haruhi Suzumiya

9. Tomoyo Sakagami

10. Saber

11. Kyou Fujibayashi

12. Nadeko Sengoku

13. Nagi Sanzen'in

14. Yui Hirasawa

15. Kagami Hiiragi

16. Fate Testarossa

(C) Defending ISML Champion

(AQ) ISML Aquamarine necklace winner

(TOP) ISML Topaz necklace winner

(AM) ISML Amethyst necklace winner

(SAP) ISML Sapphire necklace winner

(EME) ISML Emerald necklace winner

(RUB) ISML Ruby necklace winner

(DIA) ISML Diamond necklace winner