Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Side Story One: Nice to Meet You

[This story takes place early in Act 1, just after Kain arrived at Mahora Academy. The story takes place around Chapter Two.]

8-8-8

It was early Friday morning. Yesterday Kain had arrived at Mahora Academy—and it had already been an exciting time. He had had two interesting encounters with Mai Tokiha, including one where she actually witnessed him using magic to save Nodoka Miyazaki from an accident.

Hopefully such events wouldn't be the standard here at Mahora. Kain attempted to put all such thoughts out of his mind and concentrated on what he could do. Right now, that wasn't much—he wouldn't begin to teach class until Monday, so his actual duties were none. But Kain was a stranger in a strange land, and everything was fascinating to him. This school, in particular, bore investigating….

His very first destination after leaving his room was the plaza in front of the World Tree. Eventually this little location, this fountain here in front of it, would become Kain's little spot to read, think, do his paperwork, and the rest, but his first time seeing it….

"You're Kain Lockeheart-sensei," a pleasant feminine voice addressed him. He turned and glanced up in surprise. At the top of the steps, heading towards the World Tree, was a young woman, dressed in the telltale school uniform of the girls' middle school—red coat over a white dress shirt and a short white skirt. She was tall for a girl her age, and beautiful, with long golden blond hair adorned by two red ribbons, and her eyes were as blue as the sea. Kain's excellent memory recalled her…after all….

"You're our new homeroom teacher…Takahata-sensei introduced you to us yesterday," the girl continued, voicing Kain's own thought. "I'm Sendô Erika, student number eleven of your class and the fukukaichô for the girls' middle school. On behalf of our class, and all the student body, allow me to officially welcome you to Mahora Academy."

She stretched out an open hand towards Kain. The young man was a bit surprised by this invitation, but he quickly smiled and answered it. "Thank you, Sendô-san," he stated, ascending the steps and reaching out to take her hand.

To the viewer at home, their hands would seem to slow as they neared each other. Drifting together like two ponderous planets, the hands' slower tempo is obviously designed to call attention to a detail that is coming…and as the two hands were about to touch, there was a flash between them, one that Kain couldn't discern, but this 'flash' was a sudden emotion that came over Erika Sendô. Her eyes widened in shock and she suddenly stumbled backwards, withdrawing her hand. She collapsed to her rump and began to crabwalk away on her hands until she bumped into a small stone wall below the tree. Kain stared at her, his mouth open, his hand still outstretched.

Erika continued to stare at him in fright, as if he was some monster that was after her blood. "Eh?" he offered in confusion.

"…Kain…sensei…Sendô-fukukaichô…is something wrong?"

Kain and Erika both looked over at Mai, who was passing by, apparently on her way to the classroom, with Momo and Kagome, as usual, flanking her. She stared at this scene, trying to figure out the meaning of these two indecipherable positions.

"Ah…Tokiha-san!" Erika leapt to her feet and bowed. "Kagome-san, Hinamori-chan…I'll leave this to you. I-I just remembered, I have important work to do before the day starts…I've got to go! P-properly greet Kain-sensei!" And with this injunction, she fled the scene.

Kain stared after her, blinking, stunned, for several seconds. Then he turned to the three girls, who were looking at him with interest. Mai broke the silence first. "That was pretty incredible, Kain-sensei. You've already scared off our fukukaichô. What did you do this time?"

"I-I didn't do anything!" Kain protested, flushing. "S-she just…greeted me…and was about to shake my hand…when she suddenly screamed and started running away…."

"That's not her usual reaction to men," Kagome noted. "You must be very special, Kain-sensei."

"I'm sure there's some good reason," Momo assured him. "Would you like to accompany us to the class? Maybe you can make up with her there…."

Kain scratched his head and sighed. "No…I should probably stay away for the moment." He glanced over and saw a particularly tall building that had attracted his attention. "Maybe I'll go look around a little more right now…you girls better hurry to class, I'll be fine…."

Erika stood behind a pillar, out of sight of the others. She breathed heavily and shivered, grasping her shoulders in order to support herself. "That was…the first time I've ever felt…." Her mutterings trailed off. "So…Kain Lockeheart, then…?"

8-8-8

A few hours later, Erika gazed out the window at the red-haired figure Kanade Yûki was dragging around the grounds. Her older brother sat in a desk and watched the watcher. "So," Iori Sendô asked, "how was it?"

Erika was silent for a moment before cryptically replying, "There's no what or how; it feels like something weird is moving in my body all on its own. I won't let it move me, though."

"Hmm?" Iori smiled. "What are you talking about? As your brother, I'm interested in that curious story, but I was asking about our newest happy magical friend."

Erika turned back to glare at him. "…You tanuki."

"Hmm?" Iori suddenly had a tanuki mask on his head. "Are you saying I tricked you?"

Erika pointedly ignored Iori's teasing and continued, "I know…you're talking about Kain Lockeheart-sensei, right? Well, he certainly doesn't look bad…he seems quite polite and sociable. I'm not sure if he's worthy of the ponderous name he's inherited, but I'd say…he seems a good person, overall…."

"Well…thank you for your calm opinion. Now, what about your personal opinion, then?"

"W-what do you want to hear, then!?" Erika demanded angrily, red-faced.

She calmed herself and turned away from the window and started walking away. "Oh, well. He may not be…a 'happy' friend for me, after all…."

"Is that so?" Iori offered before she departed. "But that's tragic, since you'll be seeing so much of each other…."

Erika walked out the door without replying.

8-8-8

Saturday morning Kain was out and about again. There was, of course, no school on Saturdays—for a time, many Japanese schools did have a half-day on Saturday, but the custom had died out recently—and so many students were out and about, engaged in more of their clubs. Others were off in town, enjoying themselves, but for the new arrival, there was little to do but explore. He'd already had the opportunity to get all his necessary teaching notes from Takamichi, so he was already prepared to teach….

As he wandered about the school grounds, a young girl suddenly burst into view, obviously in a state of panic. She had long white-silver hair bound in two pigtails, and was dressed in the uniform of the girls' middle school…but she also wore a kind of white shawl or mantle around her shoulders and a white beret on her head. Her blue eyes were full of fear as she glanced around frantically. "Yukimaru!" she called. "Yukimaru! Where are you!?"

She nearly collided with Kain as she blundered about. "O-oh…! I-I'm sorry…." She gazed up at him in surprise and, perhaps, awe. "Er…."

"Easy…easy…" Kain murmured. "Are you all right? What's the matter?"

"Ah, er…that is…I was looking for Yukimaru…he's disappeared again…."

"Yukimaru? Who is that? Perhaps you should explain everything…."

"I-I'm sorry….I'm Tôgi Shiro, first year middle school student. Y-Yukimaru is the pet rabbit owned by the chapel…I was looking after him, but he escaped from his hatch…."

"I see. Perhaps I can help."

"E-eh? B-but…."

"It's not a problem. I'm Kain Lockeheart…I'm a new teacher here. I'll help you look for him."

Her eyes opened even wider, if that were possible. "Eeeh? You're…that Kain Lockeheart-sama!?"

"Ah…yes…you've heard of me?"

"Ah, er, yes, o-of course….."

"Well, we won't find Yukimaru by standing around talking about that," Kain continued, trying to hide his embarrassment. "So…what does he look like?"

"Ah…he's a pure white rabbit…just like your cloak…."

"I see…well, hopefully he won't be too hard to find. You've…looked for him before, after he's escaped?"

"Y-yes…."

"Well, where have you found him before? We should start looking there, I think…."

Shiro told him several places that the errant rabbit tended to frequent, and due to their number, Kain suggested that they split up to search for him more easily. He also said he would pass the word on to anyone else he encountered.

It was Shiro, however, who first encountered a fellow on her explorations. She nearly bumped into a hapless innocent once again….

"Shiro-chan…what's the matter?"

"Oh…Erika-senpai! Ah, I was looking for Yukimaru…."

8-8-8

"I see," Erika noted as she explored for the rabbit alongside her kohai. "You let him go again…but you have…Kain-sensei helping you look?"

"Yes! He seems quite nice…the s-son of Kalan Lockeheart…." She glanced up at the older girl's face. "Is there…something wrong, Erika-senpai?"

"No, it's nothing. We better find Yukimaru before the sister finds out…or your brother begins to worry about you…."

"O-oh, r-right!"

The usual spots they searched were empty of white rabbits, and so they began to make their way towards where Kain was already searching.

Down on the soccer field, some students were practicing. Erika and Shiro didn't pay them very much attention as they continued looking for the rabbit, but their attention was actually largely taken up by Shiro's questions.

"Kain Lockeheart-sensei is your new English and homeroom teacher?"

"Yes. He's taking over for Takahata-sensei starting Monday."

"I see…but you seem…troubled somehow…."

"It's nothing, I tell you. I just…made an embarrassment of myself and…."

"Yukimaru! There he is!"

Their attention swung instantly to the chubby little rabbit as it hopped along next to the field. It was heading towards them, then suddenly stopped and looked up as they began to call its name and approach. Then, in proper contrary pet fashion, it turned and began to flee. Then it stopped suddenly and sat up, looking over at the field…and at the same time, an errant soccer ball began to fly through the air towards it. It just sat there, watching the flying missile with interest.

"Yukimaru!" Shiro screamed.

('I won't make it in time!') Erika's resolve hardened, and her eyes began to turn red as she prepared to charge in….

And then her attempt vanished as a new figure suddenly came flying in, snatching up the rabbit and diving aside just before the ball impacted it. He rolled two or three times before deftly coming to his feet, his cloak rippling around him. "Well, gotcha," he murmured to the struggling rabbit. "Come on now…there's a good boy, just calm down."

The rabbit did settle down as Kain patted it. Shiro came running up. "Yukimaru! Yokata…yokata…."

Kain handed the animal over to the girl. "Here he is. Please take good care of him, Tôgi-chan."

He smiled at her as she took the animal, but he started as Erika suddenly approached. To his surprise, she smiled at him. "Well, well, Lockeheart-sensei…that was amazing. To try that hard to save a little animal…."

"Well, pets are part of the family, right?" Kain replied with a laugh. "I couldn't do nothing…."

"I guess not. Thank you very much, Lockeheart-sensei…."

"Call me Kain, please, Sendô-san. I'm American, and not much for hearing my last name so much…especially, I'm sorry to say, by the Japanese."

Erika laughed. "Fine then…Kain-sensei. I'll say it again. Thank you very much for your help." She bowed to him.

"T-thank you very much, Kain-sensei!" Shiro repeated, looking somewhat comical as she attempted to bow to Kain while retaining her hold on the animal.

"It's nothing. Just doing my part. Well, I shan't keep you ladies any longer…."

He turned to leave, but Erika suddenly cut in, "Wait." He turned back to her and, again to his surprise, she offered out a hand to him. "I'm sorry for yesterday. Let me try again. On behalf of all our students, I welcome you to Mahora Academy."

Kain stared at the hand, then smiled and reached out to take it…and then he stopped suddenly. Erika looked at him in surprise as he stared at her hand. "You aren't going to scream and run away again, are you?"

Erika reddened. "S-sorry for that…no…I'm fine now…."

Kain's smile returned and he took the hand. "Thank you, Sendô-san. I'm happy to be your teacher. I hope we have an enjoyable time together."

In the shadows of the nearby buildings, Iori Sendô and Seiichirô Tôgi watched them. "Well, well," Iori muttered. "Perhaps she has a new 'happy friend' after all, eh? What do you think, Sei-chan? About our newest esteemed teacher?"

Seiichirô watched them and calmly pressed the bridge of his glasses. "Someone like him…will attract interest from many different sources. At least here he will be safer, but word will get out before too long…especially if he is anything like his father. And even so, many different people in this school will have various desires concerning him. What about Kaya-sama? Do you think…?"

"Who's to say? Well, he isn't nearly anything as bold and impetuous as his father, but from the look of him and what he just did, anyone trying to control him will be in for a surprise…even Kaya-sama…."

The children they watched had no idea what destiny had in store for the two of them, or what they would see together in the future, but now, as they settled the strange beginning they had shared, and Erika's pressing sentiment temporarily subsided, they decided that this was not a bad start….

F I N

Author's Note: Character Introduction: Shiro Tôgi

The first side story is quite short and sweet, for various reasons. I wanted to put this in the story, but never really saw the chance to do so, since I was rushing through to all the more 'interesting parts'. And, in fact, it's much shorter than it should be, because while I am adapting (stealing, as usual) the Fortune Arterial introductory story between Kohei and Erika, several parts didn't fit for several reasons. Initially, after this strange first encounter with Erika, Kohei is abducted by Iori and meets her again in the student council room, where she freaks out, and Iori then 'rewards' Kohei, as I've mentioned before, by switching the signs over the curtains for the boys' and girls' baths, and he wanders in on a naked Erika. Then after this she calls him out to a 'confession spot' with the intention of apologizing for slapping him after the incident, since it was Iori's fault. However, he ends up standing her up because he encounters Iori sucking blood and is so disturbed by this he forgets everything and wanders off to have a lie down or something (I'm really condensing here). So then, during the academy's introductory speech, she actually spotlights Kohei and delightedly tells everyone that, no matter how lonely they are, they shouldn't wander into the girls' bath. After this humiliation, he has a similar scenario to what I've shown, helping Shiro find Yukimaru, and since Erika sees his valiance and meets him after, they can finally make up a little for their rough start.

It's very cute and quite humorous, but I can't use it (the entirety) for several reasons, largely because I made it clear when Erika finally appeared (along with her brother) that Kain had never met Iori before this. Ah, well. This little encounter does make a cute sidestory

N ow, this story guest stars Shiro Tôgi, Seiichirô's little sister. She's an adorable little character, one of the five heroines of Fortune Arterial, and an enthusiastic little helper in many functions. A year younger than Kohei and Erika, she's fine as a year younger here as well. She helps out as a member of Laurel Ring—that's the meaning of her white mantle—meaning she helps take care of the chapel. She mostly looks after the rabbit, too, but he often escapes and she has to track him down…with help from our protagonists, of course. She won't have much to do with the story, but I might have her appear from time to time…I almost threw her in the Festival a few times.

Interestingly, one of the things I've kind of failed to do with the story is include much regarding the school's chapel. Mahou Sensei Negima, My-HiME, and Fortune Arterial all had chapels affiliated with their academies, yet I've never bothered with any of the associated sisters, not even the Negima ones—of course, it didn't help that I jettisoned the (very boring) nun-in-training member of Negi's class. I also have other plans for Yukariko from My-HiME, so...it just never came up. Oh well. Perhaps sometime….

Anyway, on to the next story! For the most part, I'm going to try keeping these in chronological order….