I don't own Mahou Sensei Negima nor do I own Puella Magi Madoka Magica. I do not even pretend to own them.
Special Thanks to the guys at All Purpose Negima Fanfiction Forum on TvTropes. Look up Ala Iridia to see what most of them are working on.
Early morning at Mahora Academy was a peaceful time. The sun was shining and the birds were singing, but all of this just the calm before the storm. For in less then half an hour, it would be a time that all the less athletic students dreaded. The Stampede, when almost every one was in a mad rush to get to their classes before the late bell. At that time it was every student and teacher for themselves.
Nodoka shuddered at the memory. After her first time getting caught in The Stampede she swore to get to class before it started from then on. That week with crutches was not fun. This was why she was walking to school so early. Unfortunately, Yue had a morning shift at the library and Haruna was behind schedule on her manga, so she was all alone.
"Nodoka Miyazaki"
"Huh?" Nodoka gasped in surprise as she looked around. She thought she heard someone call out to her, but she was the only person she could see.
"Look a little lower." The voice said.
Looking down, Nodoka saw a… well she wasn't sure what it was. It looked almost ermine like, with snow white fur and blood red eyes, but the strangest thing about it was it had what looked like rabbit ears wearing hoop earrings coming out of his ferret ears.
Suddenly a chibi Haruna appeared in her mind and spoke. "Yo dawg, we heard you like listening ta things, so we put ears in yo' ears. That way you can hear things while ya hear things."
"I am not quite sure how I should respond to that." The voice said as the ermine creature in front of her blinked.
"A-are you t-the one speaking to me?" Nodoka asked nervously as crouched down to look at the ermine creature in the eyes.
"Correct." The voice conformed. "My name is Sanbey. I am here to offer you a contract."
"A contract?" Nodoka asked as she tilted her head in confusion. "What kind of contract?"
"In exchange for granting you a wish, you would become a magical girl." Sanbey told her.
"Any wish?" Nodaka said in wonder. Could this really be happening? A strange creature appearing before her offering to grant her her heart's desire and give her magical powers seemed to be too surreal to be true.
"Yes this could be happening and it is." Sanbey answered.
"But don't magical girls fight monsters?" Nodoka pointed out. "There are plenty of girls on campus that are better suited for that than me."
"Nonsense," Sanbey stated. "I sense a great magical potential in you."
"I'm just an ordinary girl." Nodoka tried to deny. It was then that she noticed the clock tower and realized she had less then ten minutes until The Stampede. "I'm sorry but I really must be going!"
As Nodoka ran as fast as her legs could carry her, she was unaware of Sanbey trotting after her.
Later that night
Nodoka suddenly awoke with a start. It took her a moment to realize that she was in her own bed back at her dorm room. But how did she get here? The last thing she could remember was walking alone down Sakura Lane.
"You're awake." spoke the voice of her roommate, Yue Ayase, who was sitting in chair next to her bed.
"Yue-chan, how…?" Nodoka asked as she tried to figure out was going on.
"Asuna brought you here." Yue explained. "She said she found you passed out on Sakura Lane. Apparently, you let the classes' stories get to you."
Well, that made sense. When word of Makie being found unconscious reached Class 3-A, most of the class made a fuss. Everyone was claiming that it was the work of magic and vampires. Her mind must have gone into overdrive bring up all those rumors at once as she walked down the already creepy Sakura Lane. That also explained those strange dreams about a strange creature offering her magical powers and Negi-sensei using magic to save her from a vampire, who looked suspiciously like one of her classmates.
"Those were not dreams."
Nodoka's head moved to face the dresser on top of which sat Sanbey, who was staring straight at her.
"What's wrong?" Yue asked with concern as she tried to see what Nodoka was looking at.
"Huh? But..I…He?" Nodoka mumbled as her head swiveled back and forth between her roommate and the creature repeatedly. She stopped only when Yue grabbed her head.
"You don't seem to have a fever." Yue stated as she put her hand to Nodoka's forehead. "Maybe you shouldn't go to classes tomorrow just in case."
"No. I'm fine!" Nodoka protested with an almost raised voice. Almost being the keyword there.
"You shouldn't push yourself." Yue told her with concern clearly on her face. "If you're worried about the other girls, I'll make sure they keep their hands off of sensei."
"Al-Alright." Nodoka conceded. She never had much of what some would call 'spine', but when faced with her closest friend she had absolutely no resistance.
"Good night, Nodoka-chan." Yue said as she climbed into her bed.
"Good night, Yue-chan." Nodoka replied as she lay down. She glanced at Sanbey wondering why her roommate didn't react to the creature.
"She does not react to my presence because she can not see me." Sanbey told her.
"What?" Nodoka eeped out in surprise.
"Something wrong?" Yue called from her bunk.
"Um, no. It's nothing." Nodoka answered.
"Please think what you want to say to me. That way you would not disturb your roommate." Sanbey suggested.
"L-Like this?" Nodoka 'thought' at Sanbey.
"Yes. Although I don't believe I have seen someone stutter in their thoughts before meeting you." Sanbey answered as he leapt off the dresser and walked over to her bed.
"I-Is this telepathy?" Nodoka asked as Sanbey leapt onto her bed.
"Correct. It is also how I knew your name when we first met." Sanbey replied as her looked into her eyes.
"Why is it that Yue can't see you?" Nodoka thought as she was slight unnerved be the fact that she was an open book to this creature.
"Only those with the potential to become Puella Magi can see me. A Puella Magi is a type of magical girl that hunts Witches. Witches are magical monsters that sustain themselves with Grief. Many suicides are due to Witches making people wallow in despair until they can no longer take it." Sanbey explained, answering most of her questions before they could fully form.
"You mentioned a contract earlier." Nodoka remembered.
"Yes. For agreeing to become a Puella Magi, you will get one wish granted."
"One wish, huh?" Nodoka thought as sleep began to take her. "Negi-sensei."
Sanbey curled up on her chest and joined her in the land of nod.
The next morning saw Yue, who was in her uniform, and Nodoka, who was still in her pajamas, eating breakfast. Nodoka had tried to argue that she was fine but Yue would have none of it. All the while, Nodoka was mentally debating whether she should tell Yue about Sanbey. Telling your roommate about a magical creature that only you can see offering you magical powers, while said roommate thinks something might be wrong with you probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.
Suddenly, the door to their room burst open. In walked the third member of their trio, Haruna 'Paru' Saotome.
"GOOD MORNING MAHORA!" Haruna shout in English. "Are you guys ready for Operation: Hook Nodo-chan up with Negi-sen-" She cut herself off when she noticed Nodoka's attire. "Huh? What's going on?"
"This is the girl you imagined making a comment about my ears, is it not?" Sanbey asked.
"Um, yeah." Nodoka replied as she took a bite out of her food.
"Nodoka passed out on Sakura Lane." Yue explained to Haruna.
"No way!" Haruna exclaimed before grabbing Nodoka by the shoulders. "You got attacked by the vampire! Detail! Details!"
"Haruna she-"
"A classmate." Nodoka answered, cutting off Yue's chastisement of Haruna. "I-It looked like one of our classmates, b-but I can't remember who."
"N-No way!" Haruna shouted in shock. "Our class has always been like a family! An A girl would never attack another A girl!"
"Hmm." Yue hmmed in thought. "Come to think of it, Asuna was the one who brought you back. What was she doing out that late if she had work in the morning?"
"Wait. You mean Asuna's the vampire?" Haruna asked as she turned to Yue.
"I'm saying something doesn't add up." Yue replied as she headed for the door. "See you later, Nodoka-chan."
"Good by, Yue-Chan, Haruna-chan." Nodoka replied.
"Later, Nodo-chan." Haruna called out as she closed the door.
"Have you thought about your wish?" Sanbey asked as he began to eat Yue's scraps.
"Y-yes. I have." Nodoka answered with a nod. "I don't want to be a burden. I want to be able to stand up to my fears. I want to be able to protet others instead of being someone who needs protecting. But most importantly, I want to be someone Negi-sensei can depend on!"
"The contract has been accepted." Sanbey said as he leapt into the air did a twirl and landed on Nodoka's head. "This will only hurt for a moment."
Before Nodoka could ask what he meant, Sanbey's ears pieced through her chest.
Omake
"Negi-sensei, if it is a partner you desire, allow me to-" Ayaka's speech was cut off as a book collided with her head.
"Iincho, as class representative it is your job to maintain order, not cause it." Yue scolded.
"Dang, Yue. Have you ever thought about being a judge?" Misora quipped.
"Why did you have a copy of Twilight?" Ako asked as she picked up the thrown book.
"It is the only book I can bring myself to misuse in such a manner." Yue answered as she pulled several more copies out of her bag. "Now can we please continue the lesson without anymore out burst?"
It took a lot of effort for Chisame to stop herself from throwing herself at Yue's feet and offering the girl undying praise.