Negima Neo: The Gears of Time
Chapter 1: Please Trust Me Asuna
Welcome to Mahora Academy, the largest, girl only school in Mahora City. Many wonderful people can be met here like Dean Konoe, Professor Takahata and more. But if it comes to the one class that's achieved more than the rest, that title would have to go to Class 2-A, teached by the young child prodigy Negi Springfield. It has been two years since Negi and his class foiled the plans of Gragon, an evil dark warlock that tried to enslave everyone on planet Earth.
Today, Class 2-A is in anticipation for the upcoming event that the school holds each year. Today was the Parent/Student day at Mahora Academy, where the students and their families get together for a wonderful day. But while most are happy, one girl is not quite in the spirit of this day. And that is student number eight, Asuna Kagurazaka. She was walking into school that morning with her friends.
"Come on guys! Keep up!" Asuna exclaimed. Behind her, Negi, Anya and Konoka hurried to catch up.
"How is it Asuna wakes up so early today?!" Konoka asked.
"I don't know! Usually, she's the last one to wake up!" Anya shouted. She panted to keep up, just as shocked as the others to see Asuna awake.
"I guess she must be excited about today!" Negi shouted. Asuna looked back.
"Today's the Parent Student day at the school. That must be why Asuna is so excited. You should've seen everything the teachers were setting up yesterday. It looked like today is going to be fun." Negi said. Asuna suddenly gasped and came skidding to a stop. The others stopped just as she stopped.
"Huh? Asuna?" Konoka asked.
"What's wrong with her?" Anya asked. Suddenly, Negi heard someone panting. He turned around and saw Chamo, desperately trying to keep up.
"Negi! Finally. I caught up." Chamo said. He sighed heavily and fainted, causing Negi to gasp.
"Oh! Chamo! I'm so sorry! I thought you were going to stay behind today." Negi said, picking up his exhausted friend.
"Is today....REALLY that day? I thought all the stuff being set up was for a day off or something." Asuna asked. Konoka suddenly realized what was wrong.
"Oh. I almost forgot. Asuna HATES today the most." Konoka said. Negi and Anya looked at one another and glanced at Asuna.
"Asuna? Are you all right? Something you want to talk to us about?" Negi asked. Asuna just looked back and shook her head.
"No. It's....It's fine Negi. I'm all right." Asuna said. She turned away and sighed heavily.
"All right. If you say so. Well, we'd probably should keep going. We're gonna be late for class." Anya said. Everyone soon started off again, with Negi and Asuna being left behind.
"Well, maybe this will put a smile on your face. There are going to be some new girls coming to our school later on. I'd love it if you would be there when I introduce them to the school." Negi said. Asuna looked down at Negi.
"Oh. We're getting some new students? Okay. Maybe I'll meet them." Asuna said. Negi nodded and told Asuna they should try and catch up to the others now. Asuna nodded and joined Negi in hurrying after Konoka. But watching in a nearby tree was a middle aged woman with long silver hair and a purple cloak.
"I knew it. She's suffering...." she muttered, shedding a small tear from her eye. She then disappeared in a flash. At the classroom, all of the girls were in their seats and talking amongst each other. Konoka took her seat, but noticed that Asuna wasn't here. Professor Takahata decided to fill in for Negi since he was given the day off as well.
"Huh? Hey. Where's Asuna?" Kakizaki asked.
"Don't you remember? It's that day with our parents. Asuna doesn't like coming in on today." Yue said.
"Oh yeah. That's right. Poor Asuna. I wish there could be something we could do for her." Makie said. Ayaka groaned.
"Why should we? I mean, I still can't tolerate the fact that Asuna wouldn't want to come in today. Why should today be so different than the other days?" Ayaka asked. Konoka groaned.
"Ayaka, can't you be a little nicer to Asuna?" Konoka asked "She's not really like the rest of us. You know she doesn't have anyone to celebrate today with. That's why my grandpa lets her hang out in his office." Meanwhile, in Konoe's office, Asuna was quietly sitting by the window.
"Are you feeling all right Asuna?" the dean asked, coming in with a glass of water.
"Yeah. Thanks again dean." Asuna said. Konoe smiled and set the glass down by her side.
"Well, if you need anything, I'll just be outside greeting some of the families. Negi is in his classroom. So if you need him, just give him a call." Konoe said. Asuna nodded.
"All right. Thanks." Asuna said. The dean then left, closing the door gently behind him. But as he did, it opened again and there was Negi.
"Asuna?" Negi asked. Asuna glanced over by the door.
"Asuna? What's wrong? Why are you so sad?" Negi asked. Asuna looked out the window and sighed.
"Don't worry about me Negi. It's nothing. Each time this silly day comes around, I'm always one of the few to celebrate it alone. So, I ask the dean if I can just not be around the others in his office. He doesn't mind." Asuna said. Negi looked out the window with her, seeing the other families just arriving. They saw the other students greeting their families with smiles and hugs.
"But why don't you ask Evangeline if you want to do anything together? You two have really been showing signs of being friendly with one another." Negi said. Asuna rubbed her head.
"Because Evangeline doesn't really care about today either. Plus, she said she was gonna take today off to sleep or something." Asuna said. At that point, Negi wasn't sure what to say.
"Well, how about you and I do something today? I'm free until I have to welcome the new students. So, how about we have today to ourselves?" Negi asked. Asuna glanced up at Negi, extending his hand. She huffed.
"You know something? You try too hard to cheer someone up. But....all right." Asuna said. She accepted Negi's offer and was soon heading outside with Negi close behind. As they left, the same woman watched Asuna from the dean's window, vanishing again without a trace. Soon, Negi and Asuna were walking around outside the dorm. Their class took notice of them from the window.
"Is that Negi and Asuna?" Shade asked.
"It looks like them. But I thought Asuna was going to stay in the dean's office." Setsuna said. Konoka chuckled.
"Negi must be trying to cheer her up. Don't they look so happy together?" Konoka asked. The others figured so, but Ayaka was slowly boiling mad that Asuna got to have such great fun with Professor Negi. Asuna and Negi were soon sitting down beneath a tree, looking up at the clouds.
"Isn't this nice Asuna? I find it nice to sometimes just look up at the clouds and forget about all your worries." Negi said. Asuna nodded, feeling like nothing was wrong.
"Hey Negi? I think I left my water back in the dean's office. Could you get it for me please?" Asuna asked. Negi nodded and said he'd be right back. He quickly got up and headed back to the school, but as he left, the cloaked woman appeared.
"Finally. She's alone." she said. She then slowly began to approach Asuna, letting Asuna sense some dark prescence closing in from behind. Asuna gasped and turned around, reaching for her pactio card.
"Wait. Please don't be afraid." the woman said. Asuna slowly lowered her guard.
"Who....Who are you?" Asuna asked. The woman brushed hair away from her face and set her arms down where Asuna could see them, showing she did not come to fight.
"My name is Anusa. I have been looking for you Asuna." the woman said. Asuna curiously rose an eyebrow.
"Anusa? But...that sounds like..." Asuna began to ask as Anusa walked past her.
"I know the pain you feel. That aching pain you cannot get rid of....deep within your heart." Anusa said. Asuna continued to glare on.
"Okay. You're really not making sense lady." Asuna said.
"You do not understand?" she asked. Asuna stood up and nodded.
"Allow me to explain." Anusa said. She turned to Asuna and suddenly knelt down before her. She took Asuna's hand and held it gently.
"You, Asuna Kagurazaka, have a special and amazing gift. You are not aware of it yet, but I hope to reveal it to you." Anusa said. Asuna scratched her head.
"Exactly....WHAT kind of "amazing gift" are you talking about?" Asuna asked. Anusa looked up at her.
"The gift to oversee all of time." Anusa said. Asuna suddenly gasped.
"To oversee.....time?! No way!" Asuna shouted. She suddenly backed away from Anusa and turned away.
"You....You've got to be joking. I.....Surely someone like me can't have a power like THAT." Asuna stuttered. Anusa stood up again.
"But it is the truth. You have been chosen to continue on in my work. That's why I came here. I came in hopes that you would please continue on in my place." Anusa said. Asuna scoffed.
"Y....Yeah right. If....If I even CONSIDER it, what good would it do for me?" Asuna asked. Anusa extended her hand slowly to her.
"You want your family back? Well, accept this power....and I promise you....you'll find your family again." Anusa said "You'll be reunited at last." Asuna suddenly gasped and her eyes widened.
"My.....My family?" Asuna asked, sounding a bit scared.
"I know your pain Asuna. I've been alone my whole life too. My friends abandoned me and my parents left me to be alone. I don't want you to suffer the same pain. Please, come with me...." Anusa said. Asuna turned back to Anusa.
"But....what about.....Negi? And.....the others?" Asuna asked.
"Do not worry. Your friends will remain safe. But....if you want to see your family again, you MUST trust me." she said. Asuna continued to stand there, gazing on at Anusa's hand.
"Don't suffer like I have. Please, trust me Asuna. That's all you have to do." Anusa said. Asuna started to shudder, quaking in place. Everything was all a twister inside of her head. But, despite it all, Asuna slowly reached for Anusa's hand and grasped it. Anusa smiled.
"Thank you Asuna..." she said. She then turned away and waved her other hand. A time portal opened up, revealing a large metal room before them. Anusa then glanced at Asuna.
"Please....follow me." she said. Asuna said nothing and only did what Anusa asked, following her into the portal. But as it closed, Negi was finally coming back with Asuna's water.
"Sorry Asuna. I was held up a bit by the others. But I'm finally...." Negi said. He suddenly stopped when he realized Asuna was gone. He didn't see a single trace of her left. He gasped and dropped the glass, letting it shatter on the ground. He began trembling, looking around for Asuna. He then finally began to fill with tears and clutched his head and began to cry.
"Asuna...." he muttered. Without a warning, Negi suddenly yelled Asuna's name as loud as he could. Meanwhile, crossing the great gap between time, Asuna took one last look behind her as a tear leaked from her eye.
"Negi.....I'm sorry....." she thought, continuing on ahead with Anusa.
TO BE CONTINUED....