Sage's Return
Soren had remained distant from humanity for far too long.
After Ashera's death, he had journeyed with Ike to a distant land, that of Japan.
...That, was 600 years ago. Ike had eventually died of old age, and Soren had no ties to anyone anymore. He lived as a hermit, out in the wilderness for the rest of those 550 years, not appearing a day older than when he left Tellius.
And now, he was preparing to reach out to people once more, solitude finally boring him.
.
He was dressed in his Archsage attire, feeling that it would impress people, and make them keep their distance. He needed to get used to his surroundings, after all. He saw a lot of people cramming themselves into some sort of carriage, and watched in curiosity. The doors closed, and it moved faster than a raven could escape.
High speed transport...I see... Soren watched it go, and walked in the direction the carriage went.
.
He arrived at a train station just as the next train pulled in, spilling outrageous amounts of high school students who ran for the complex just outside. Soren noted they all wore the same thing, a uniform with 'Mahora Academy' written on it. Soren blinked, and walked onto the grounds.
Soren noticed someone else running towards the academy, however seemed very out of place. He was younger than the other attendees, and he had something larger than himself 'hidden' on his back.
The boy slowed down as he approached. "Hi! I'm Negi Springfield! What's your name?"
Soren blinked twice. Two names? What could I use as my second name? Can't use my father's...disgusting brute...my mother's is awkward, and my grandfather is well known, last I knew...Nasir. Soren blinked once more, collecting his thoughts. "Soren Nasir."
Negi beamed. He'd made a friend already! "Nice to meet you, Soren. I'm in a bit of a hurry, so, I'll see you later!" Negi began to wave, before Soren caught up to him with practiced (although rusty) ease.
"Would you mind if I accompanied you?" Soren asked politely.
Negi blanched. A complete stranger was keeping up with his magically enhanced speed! "Uh, no, not at all!"
They made their way to the headmaster's office.
.
"I see, your training was to come to Japan as a teacher...They've given you quite a task..." The headmaster stroked his beard.
A teacher? The students seemed older than he is... Soren glanced at Negi.
"Y-yes, it's nice to meet you." Negi bowed.
"Hmm...it would be best if you gained some practical experience...Let's make it from today to March." The headmaster smiled.
Today? ! ? That's fast...although the boy isn't unprepared... Soren blinked.
"I'll do my best, I promise." Negi emphasised the statement with a nod.
"Hohoho...And what about you?" The headmaster looked at Soren.
"I have no experience teaching, however I know it is a difficult job. Perhaps my presence would assist Negi." Soren all but stared at the headmaster.
The headmaster smiled. "A teacher's aide, then. As for accommodations, I'm afraid I can't give you a room to yourselves, so I'll have to ask you to stay with some of the students. Negi-kun, you will be staying with Asuna-chan and Konoka, my granddaughter, and...?"
"Soren." Soren supplied.
"Soren, you will be staying with Evangeline-san and Chachamaru-chan, considering you obviously know about magic." The headmaster advised.
There are people who don't know about magic...? It must have been kept secret... "I see...Thank you." Soren nodded almost imperceptively.
Negi stared at Soren open-mouthed. Soren noticed this, and looked at the headmaster. "Which class, and when do we start." It was said as a statement, not a question.
"3A, in 5 minutes." The headmaster handed him a map. Soren scanned it briefly, before walking out the door.
"I should introduce you to your guidance officer, Shizuna-sensei. Shizuna-kun!"
Shizuna came in through a side door, and smiled at Negi. "I'll walk you to class, don't worry."
Negi walked out with his superior.
.
Shizuna and Negi saw Soren waiting outside.
"Negi should go in first, as he is their teacher." Soren began. "However..." He looked up, where a blackboard eraser was wedged.
"Oh..." Negi understood.
Negi opened the door, making a point of dodging the falling eraser, however walked straight into the tripwire, causing a bucket to fall. Soren dashed forwards and grabbed the object, however Negi tumbled forwards, and was tagged by the arrows.
There was some laughter, however not as much as Soren expected. It seemed they were horrified that they caught a 'kid' in their prank.
"So-sorry about that! We thought you were the new teacher!"
"You got who you were aiming for, then." Soren commented, raising eyebrows.
"Huh?" One person asked, although he couldn't begin to guess who.
"That's right! He is your new teacher. Come on, introduce yourself." Shizuna smiled at Negi.
"...O-ok...Um...H-hi, my name is Negi Springfield, and I'll be teaching mag-uh, english at this school. I'll only be here for 3 terms, but it's nice to meet you all." Negi bowed.
It came out in a rush. He's very nervous. Soren noted.
"He's so cute! ! !" half the class yelled, and bombarded him with questions and hugs.
"Who are you, then?" Yue asked flatly.
"Teacher's aide." Shizuna filled in. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"
Soren nodded. "Hello. I am Soren Nasir, and a friend of Negi Springfield. I don't know much about english, so I'm more moral support." Soren nodded toward Yue, and walked toward Negi, plucking him out from the middle of the crowd.
"Ok girls, he has all the credentials to be a teacher, however he is younger than you, so treat him nicely, ok?" Shizuna smiled, and left the room.
"Ok! Uh, before I begin class, the principal has said that I will be staying with Asuna-san and Konoka-san, and-" Negi was cut off by the screams of shock, and various other emotions.
"Wha? Do I even get a say in this?" Asuna asked him, grabbing his collar.
Soren saw Ayaka go to stand, however he thought it would be best to establish his position in the class. "Asuna." Everyone's eyes focused on him. "If you have a problem with the decision, raise it with the principal. Negi cannot override it, so let go of him." Soren stared at her, quite bored.
Asuna looked at him, open-mouthed.
Soren continued on. "Besides, I think the person I will be boarding with will be even less impressed than you are." Soren looked at Eva, who was quite smug up until then.
"You're kidding..." Eva stared at him, proving his prediction correct. Eva stood up, and walked out of the classroom, probably to have an argument with the principal. Soren sighed, and looked at Negi.
"Uh, right! Ok, everyone! Um, first, turn to page 128 and..." Negi reached up and couldn't touch where he wanted on the blackboard. Soren realised this, but Ayaka had already pulled out a stool of some description and was walking towards Negi. He caught her eye, and nodded, basically saying she could offer it to him.
"Sensei, take this stepping stool..." Ayaka smile at him.
"T-thank you, miss Iinchou-san..." Negi stood on it, and found he could just barely reach it with the stool.
This didn't stop Ayaka from offering to hold him up, but Negi politely refused this.
Asuna, however, wasn't paying attention to Negi at all. Rather, she noticed that Soren had moved abnormally fast to grab the bucket of water that nearly fell on Negi, and the way he held himself, like he was in complete control, seemed off to her.
She wasn't upset with him for making her look like an idiot in front of the whole class. Not at all.
She pulled a bit of her rubber apart, and fired it at him. Soren caught it, sent her a glare that could reverse global warming. It wasn't expressive, just very, very cold.
He caught it? ! ? Red eyes...? How did I not see that before? Asuna wrenched her gaze from him and focused on the lesson, what little there was left. 5 minutes later, the bell rang, and class was over.
.
Soren was walking around by himself when he ran into Evangeline and Chachamaru.
"I take it you spoke with the principal." Soren stated. Not a question.
"Yes, you can stay..." Eva's face took on an evil look. "If you can find it." Eva laughed to herself as she walked off.
Two can play this game, Evangeline. I hope you're an early riser... Soren smirked evilly himself. He might not be getting any sleep tonight, but she brought this on herself.
.
"Where does Evangeline live?" Soren asked the principal.
"Oh? I'll get her to show you-" The principal seemed amused, but was cut off by Soren.
"No, I believe I can deal with this myself." Soren turned down that offer.
"Very well... she lives in the middle of the forest. Here." The headmaster gave him another map, that showed mainly the outskirts of the school.
"Thank you." Soren left the office.
.