Thousand and One

Crimson Wing had finally decided to break up. All good times had to come to an end. Takamichi and I decided to stay here at Mahora. Nagi wants us to keep an eye on Asuna and Evangeline. I wonder where he is headed. Back to his home, to his son and his son's mother? It's too bad. I really did enjoy his company over the years…

Albireo sighed, closing his journal. No longer was there a playful smile upon his face. Nagi and he were the two, wackiest of their group. They could lighten up any situation. They were true partners in crime. They completed each other.

But now that Nagi was going away, Albireo felt like he was missing something. The other half to make a whole. Things just wouldn't be the same.

At least they had memories.

He pulled out the top drawer of the desk, placing his journal inside as he closed it. When he glanced back up, his dark eyes met with the mahogany eyes of the Thousand Master. Nagi grinned his usual, goofy grin. Albireo couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey, what's up?" Albireo questioned, moving from behind the desk. Did he want something? "I thought you were leaving."

"Well, it would be rude to leave without a proper goodbye," he replied with a smirk.

"I could have sworn we said them when we were with Takamichi…"

"I want to give you a more formal good-bye." He approached Albireo, who was leaning against the library desk now. Standing up was tiring… He liked his comfy spinning chair! "Beisdes, I've also got a favor to ask you…"

"Well, go ahead then. Shoot." Not even a second passed after he said that last word when their lips touched. He was left speechless. Whatever he was thinking before had left him, replaced with thousands of emotions and images that surrounded one simple idea – "Nagi kissed me."

As Nagi stepped back, Albireo took in a deep breath through his mouth. He felt his cheeks slightly heat up. The Thousand Master laughed. "You seem surprised. You act like I didn't notice those looks you were giving me."

He took a step forward. Albireo did nothing but stare in front of him. His mind replayed the memory constantly. He shivered in slight pleasure when Nagi's breath began to tickle his ear. "You're blushing. I've never seen you blush before, Al. It's cute."

He pushed Albireo down, so his back was laying on the desk's surface. Curiously, Al would look up to the sight of mahogany bangs hanging over him and that playful grin. That was enough of a warning for him. This time, Al wasn't surprised as Nagi forced his lips against his.

He felt a hot, wet tongue enter his mouth. His own tongue wrestled with the new invader. He could feel the slight tugging of his hair as Nagi fumbled to pull off that blasted pony tail. His long, dark hair fell along his bare back. It was getting too hot for the coats. Nagi ran his hand through his hair, before supporting the back of his head as they leaned more.

Everything seemed perfect. They were full of energy. They both radiated the passion of love. That's why Al seemed slightly disappointed as Nagi pulled away. Saliva connected their hanging tongues together, but even that small link broke as Nagi stood straight. Everything seemed to grow slightly darker. 'Wait, that light wasn't there before… Did he just…'

Albireo's thoughts were confirmed as Nagi help up a card. He seemed surprised, before smirking slightly. He should have known. It was a picture of himself, surrounded by a spiraling archive of books.

"To Fyuron To Biographicon," Nagi explained, (Albireo assumed that was the name of his artifact. After all, from the card, his title was "Bibliothecarius Ironicus.") "allows you to become anyone you have met. It records a little biography from the time you meet them to the time you lose contact with them. You can only turn yourself into someone more powerful than you for a few minutes, at most.

But there is much more than that. You see, for ten minutes, you can completely become anyone you wish. You will have the feelings, memories, etc. of that person until when that biography ends." That was interesting to know, but what was the catch? Albireo figured there was one. And what about that favor?

"You see, though, there's a catch…" He knew it. "You can only become that person for ten minutes once. The book loses its magical properties, and it becomes a regular biography." He pointed to a bookmark inside one of the books Albireo was holding on the card. "This activates the magical abilities of the books. Just find the book of the person you want to be and slide the bookmark through it. Remember, for a few minutes or for ten minutes. But be careful."

He handed Albireo the card. Albireo assumed he was done explaining, so he asked him what was on his mind. "So, why are you telling me this? What about the favor?"

Nagi smiled. "Well, you see, this artifact and that favor are connected." His smiled faded, and he looked away. "Remember that son I told you about?" Albireo nodded.

"You mean Negi?"

"Yes, Negi. Well, you see… I'm afraid that because of my reputation, I will never be around to see him. He'll never be able to meet his wonder, attractive, and skilled father." Albireo smirked at Nagi's ego. It was showing again.

"I want you to help me. I want to meet him. Well, I want him to meet me, okay? No matter what really happens to me…I want the me in that biography to catch a glimpse of my son." He leaned in close. "Think you can do that?"

"Yeah, of course. No problem. What are friends for?"

He grinned. "I knew I could count on you." He turned around and walked away. "I'm sure he will be here at Mahora someday. So keep an eye out for him!"

And he was gone.

Albireo sighed, looking down at his card again. A favor for a favor, huh? Or was Nagi just playing with him? He tricked him again, like the small little pranks they did at the magic school before. Him and Nagi…

He couldn't help but smile. "Nagi, you b-----d," he whispered under his breath, putting the card into the drawer with his journal.