Disclaimer: I do not own Negima, Full Metal Alchemist, Naruto, Harry Potter, or any other 'influences' in my story… you'll just have to guess them.
Author's note: Please have mercy when you review, I'm a beginner in writing, and I've been working on this for weeks now only to come up with this prologue and a first chapter. All in all, please enjoy.
Prologue to War
There's a city that flickers with neon light signs that advertise various markets at night, it is filled with the things of hope and wishes that have come to them. They had such things that they coveted ever since the war. This city lies in a land where there's supposed to be all kinds of hardship, yet it is filled with abundance and vegetation of all kinds. They used to have nothing of the sort in the great harsh land that used to be known as Siberia. That is, until he came. It was because of him and the people he had brought to this land that made it all possible, and it was him that allowed the rouge nation to thrive despite the hardships imposed by the nations of the known world. He now stands at this city of neon light, addressing the young soldiers, magi, alchemist, demons, and other of the sorts ready for war.
"My people, sons and daughters of Shambala" spoke the charismatic leader of those people. He's dressed in a long robe, his brown vest, tie, and old fashioned pants, meant for the people of the 1940's, visible thanks to the wind that blew that brushed past him. He wore glasses and had his hair tied up in a ponytail that flew in the wind. To them, he looked middle aged, but to those who knew him, he's much older. He stood on a podium set up for him in a park, sixteen robed beings of different heights and sizes accompanying him.
"For many years, we have been a broken people, SHUNNED, OPPRESSED, AND CONQUERED BY THOSE WE SOUGHT TO ESCAPE!" He spat the last of those words out, obviously addressing to the veteran crowd, whom all nodded their heads in agreement, hidden among the new recruits.
The soldiers he spoke to stood in a park that existed in the middle of the city. The soldiers stood in rank and file order, in each group existed not only of human beings, but demons known as locust as well. Those that are human wore pants and vests filled with pockets; some had light clothing while others had heavy armor on depending on what role that they'll play in war, all of them had red goggles that searched out life, and all had some sort of gas mask on there faces, save those known as elites. The demons pretty much wore the same thing, but each species of those said demons had different attributes to them, depending on each ones role. Some just as big as the humans were, others were four times there size, and there were some that were even bigger. There were those who moved on all fours and had an overgrown back like that of a wolf. One thing that made each demon similar, they all had scales like that of a lizard that is pale and dead, and their humongous teeth shown brightly in the neon light. All had weapons ranging from assault rifles to rocket launchers, even archaic weapons like that of swords.
"Years ago, I have asked for time, and that time was granted by you, YOU, the strength of my arm, and the holders of my dream…" He deduced in an audible voice. He could almost feel their pride emerge as he narrated those words; his face that was once etched with seriousness, now broke into a satisfied smile.
"Your forefathers had embarked, on the greatest exodus of human kind, and exodus of freedom! Shambala became THAT FREEDOM!" The younger audience tried to imagine what it was like, while the older officers and retired personnel remember all to well… regardless, their leader continued on.
"At first, this land weakened us, but in fact, we were growing… stronger." The older men and women well remember the disease that plaque there land, how devastating it was, how disabling it was, and how they had all recovered with no casualties what so ever, and stronger.
"With the time you had given me, I had rebuilt are nation, I had rebuilt our strength, I had rebuilt… OUR PRIDE" As he chronicled each word with the strong voice of an angel, images of their hovering tanks, fast moving armored personnel carriers, advance sleek and stealthy fighter planes, submerging battleships, and their newly required air ships which dominated their skies as he spoke, appeared on a wide screen behind him; these weapons are far superior to any other nations own weaponry, including those of the United States and that of the UN State Military. Their thoughts of superiority were desisted with embarrassment at what their leader next said.
"Our enemies at home have been reeducated; they have been given new insight to our cause…" Many well remember the civil war two years back. It was a war to overthrow their current leader; because they believed he would run their country to the ground. Their lies have been crushed by their strength; yet, they can't curtail their embarrassment and shame to not have quelled their cries of heresy fast enough.
"On this day, we shall be suppressed no more… ON THIS DAY, THOSE DRIVEN TO DIVIDE US, WILL HEAR OUR VOICE, ON THIS DAY, WE WILL BE UNITED AS ONE! AND BE OPPRESSED NO MORE!" The hearts of the people who heeded him swelled with celebration, as they will finally be able to throw off the chains of bondage that weakened their country in the first place. Their loud cheer was quelled by the lift of their leader's hand.
In the island nation known as Japan, her people still sleep. As her people rest, the bases that are scattered around the island keep awake to protect her and her people. These bases are known as Self Defense Platforms, SD platforms for short. These bases boost quite a number of missiles and every type of ordnances they can use against invading enemies. From short ranged anti ship missiles, to anti air batteries, to even nuclear tipped missiles. All aimed to destroy the enemy before they set foot on home soil. The men running these facilities also had the luxury of an Air Base if they needed it, that night they did need that Air Base.
"General Adams sir!" barked an alarmed trooper, complete with a blue uniform overcoat signifying that he was of the State and wore short cropped raven colored hair, who was awakened from his deep sleep at his post by an alarm he never wanted to hear, an alarm that warned of enemies lurking beyond their horizon.
"What is it?" spoke a tired general who was a little to calm for someone of his position. He wore a blue overcoat like the rest of his men; the only difference is he wore medals and patches that showed others his accomplishments and rank. Unlike the others, he had long grey hair, befitting of his age, which fell to his shoulders.
"Multiple aircraft approaching our vector sir!" He then put the image on the main screen of the command room to show all. The unidentified aircraft, look more like airships of every size, each having six wings on both sides all flapping in proper order. All were bristling with cannons, missile pods, and what looked to be machine guns. The more massive ones began to launch volley after volley of missiles.
" SIR! They're firing on the Campus city of Mahora! Your orders?" He shouted out his question with the mentality of an eight-year-old boy, obviously he wasn't ready for war.
"Shit, OPEN FIRE!" shouted the now adrenaline pumped General, nervousness in his voice. He worried of the day they would invade their country, even after he made a deal with them…
An alarm nobody, save the general himself, wanted to hear chimed its horrible high pitch noise. It notified of a malfunction in the weapons system, and declared that the SD Platform was disabled.
"Malfunction, Malfunction, Malfunction," repeated the computers with the rhythm of a drummer. State troopers scrambled everywhere around the Platform to see what has gone wrong. Technicians examined the computers to see if there were any flaws in the system they had missed. Soon they all reached the same conclusion, the SD Platform had to be shut off and turned back on, and what they needed to do so was the Platform key that resided in State headquarters in Mahora.
"My God… Sir, your orders?" The trooper speaking looked and sounded like he was going to barf; his face was pale with fear, his eyes now teary from the turn of events.
"Get the pilots; scramble all fighter planes to intercept! Get the other SD platforms online!" he looked to be in a state of shock, despite the orders he barked out. It was nothing more than a ploy.
"Th… the other platforms have all gone down as well! DAMMIT! What the hell's going… why the hell… these bases are supposed to be more advanced than any other system in the world! DAMMIT ALL" The trooper was now in despair, despite this he fought on to repair the computer on which he was assigned.
General Adams paid no attention to his men. He looked closer to the main screen as if to clarify what he was seeing is really happening. Once his long pointy nose nearly touched the screen, he smiled.
"Hohenhiem, the rest is up to you," he said under his breath, as his lackeys around him, who didn't know the truth, took apart the computers that were in every corner of the room, desperately trying to get the SD Platform online before they had to resort to shutting it down.
"Sons and daughters of Shambala, NOW IS… OUR TIME!" his voice reached its way in and around the city of neon lights and beyond. Everywhere in the city, there were shouts of praise. Many of the spectators who had watched waved flags that were similar to the massive ones that hung from almost every building. They all bore their nations insignia, three black arrows pointing in three directions with a circle in it. It resembled a triangle without its edges. It proudly stood in a background of red.
"Hohenhiem! Hohenhiem! Hohenhiem!" each shout of their leaders name grew much louder and thunderous. The man who now was residing into the shadows smiled just as evilly as General Adams did in Japan. He turned to the sixteen hooded beings that stood with him, seven that he referred to as the "Seven Sins", and nine that he referred to as the "Akatsuki" and spoke in a rough voice, tired of giving speeches, "Now it begins…"
Half a year or so before…
"Negi Springfield, come fourth…" The loud cry of a bearded Magus can be heard throughout the castle where the school he practically governed the school of European Magic. He wore a grey robe with the patch of the schools insignia on his right shoulder, a code of arms with the symbols of a griffin, a snake, a raven, and a raccoon, all represented a certain house in the school. He wore a large pointed hat that covered the uppermost part of his long grey hair, a clique of wizards.
The young man the was referring straightened up more than he needed to before he walked that long red carpet in a room that resembled a cathedral complete with stained glass windows, each side of the carpet is lined with students upon students of magic in rank and file order. Among them were the strictest teachers ever to teach. They had to be, the things they taught were not for child's play.
He wore a black robe like all the students; he had the insignia of his house, the griffin, on his right shoulder as well. He bore on red long short-cropped hair that he tied into a small ponytail. Under the confident face he had, he was nervous, more nervous than he had been his whole life.
Yet he merely glided his way down the runway with the elegance of a straight a student. It took him awhile to reach the other end of the carpet to receive the diploma that all fifteen-year-old magi, or wizards if they're going into the military, receive.
He received the Diploma from the old man, as he did a voice boomed from him, "take care of your mystic diploma, as it will dictate your career as a Magi, and remember Negi…" there was a long pause before he spoke, marked with seriousness only found within a Magus " a charmed life is a happy life."
Negi smiled at this remark, he then made his way around the crowd to reassert himself in his right place within the students as the Magus called out another graduating student.
In the crowd that cheered the new graduates, a tall woman with long bright yellow hair, a rather short chocolate color haired girl, an even shorter young man who wore dark clothing with a red thin overcoat that bore the State Alchemist insignia, a rod with a serpent with wings wrapped around it and bore gold colored hair in which he tied into a pony tail, and his younger brother who was just as tall as the women and wore almost the exact clothing as his lesser older brother save his shorter gold colored hair.
Later on in the assembly hall, the new graduating classes met with their loved ones. Some taking pictures while others spoke of their final years in the academy. Among them, children of various ages ran and played in the wide-open halls and fields where they didn't have to listen to the boring conversations of the much older people.
"Congrats Negi! All those years of blowing peoples clothes off with that sneeze of yours paid off, your dad would be proud", jokingly spoke Edward before gulping a cup of the academy's home maid sparkling cider.
"You're the one to talk, hard to believe that they would accept someone as small as you", commented Negi, which made Ed cough out his beverage, it's golden contents splattered all over his boots.
"WHO ARE YOU TO CALL ME SHORT, CAN A MIDGET DO THIS? HUH!" he grabbed Negi by the color of his shirt and swung him around and around, luckily for Negi, Nekane stopped him before it got out of hand. It seemed, though, the surrounding people enjoyed it.
"Jeez Ed, neither you nor your brother changed a bit. I suspect that Naruto hasn't changed… Wonder where he is?" she questioned them. Negi was wondering the same thing as well, Ed shrugged his shoulders, it seemed Alphonse knew.
"He said he's busy with the Chunin Exams, so he couldn't reach your graduation", explained Al, his built, yet thin, body blocking the sun that came through the windows partially, " he tried reaching you guys, but with all the hectic things going on he could only reach me".
"He called you too Alphonse?" asked a petite small chocolate haired girl as she startled Al, "he told me to tell you guys".
"Do you always have to sneak up on me Anya?" questioned Al.
"Why not, it's always fun scaring you"
"That doesn't give you the right!"
As the two argued, both Ed and Negi examined the Diploma given to the new graduate.
"What? A teacher in an all girl's school in Japan?" Negi asked himself.
"What? YOU TOO?" inquired Ed, in a rather loud voice for everyone to hear.
Alphonse, who happened to overhear despite Anya messing with him, walked up and asked, "Wait, he has the same assignment as you do?"
"What are you guys…? Hey, let me see your diploma!" spoke a British boy, who is a little shorter than Negi with messy orange hair, snatched the diploma from Negi before he could do anything about it.
"Hey Ron, give it back!"
"A…a teacher in an all girls school?"
"Hey Ron, anything interes…" another British boy, who had glasses and had a peculiar thunder shaped scar on his forehead, took notice of the diploma and began reading it, "Negi… a teacher… in a…"
"HARRY! RON! Dumbledore wants to… what's that?" a messy long brown headed girl took the diploma from them, and gasped in shock once she read it, "Negi, this cant be right! We have to see Dumbledore right now before-"
"Is that Springfield's Diploma? Let me see!"
It was right then and there that Negi knew the whole house of Gryffindor would find out about his new 'assignment', everyone from the new kids to the graduates would be spreading this gossip like wild fire.
"Way to go Negi, earning those hot Asian girls like a pimp, yeah?" commented an African pal of Negi's.
Harry then turned to Ed and asked the new State Alchemist, "isn't that your mission too?"
"Yeah, wonder if we go to the same school", he pulled out a document that stated his first orders, he then read to himself the name of the school, 'Mahora Jr. High School'
Ed's brother was busy pondering to himself if Negi will hear the end of it, as he watches him get pelted by questions and comments from his peers.
Next Chapter:
Ed: "So this is the school."
Negi: "Mahora Jr. High School"
Al: "Let's go! Were gonna be late!"
Asuna: "WHO THE HELL ASKED YOU!"
Negi: "I… I'm sorry, it's just that…"
Asuna: "What makes you think you can say that to someone you just met, JERK!"
Negi: "My name is Negi Springfield, and along with Edward Elric who will teach you in chemistry, we are your new teachers; we…uh, hope that we can teach you all we can…"
Class: (PAUSE)
Class: "REALLY!"
Itachi Uchiha: "Why DID you betray us, Wrath?"
Wrath: "I already told you, I don't agree with that lunatic's way of thinking, much less his strategy for taking over the world. Oh yeah, unless you haven't heard yet, I gave up that name."
Itachi: "Okay, let me reiterate, David isn't it? We can't let you live, nor can we let you go with that girl you like so much, the one that made you betray. Her name's Ako, right?
Wrath: "So… what do you plan on doing with the girls?"
Itachi: "She'll make a fine addition to are arsenal, along with the rest of 3-A"
Next Chapter: New Beginnings
Authors note: If you haven't guessed yet, the 'influences' are that of Killzone, Gears of War, Kingdom Hearts 2 ("City of Neon Lights" wink, wink), and Howells moving castle (i.e. the airships with wings).