(Hello and welcome to the first chapter of Between Thirteen and Fifteen. This is a Negima! fanfic. Practi bigi naru... disclaimer! Negima! and all related characters and stuff belong to Ken Akamatsu and are used without permission. I do not own any of the Negima characters. This is my first Negima! fanfic and I hope to create many more. So here's a list of stuff you might want to read about me and/or my writing style which might save you some time.
Constructive criticism presented to me in a mature manner is always welcome. I may not always be able to reply to email and such in a timely manner so please be patient with me.
I'm not as familiar with all of the Japanese terms, foods, traditions, culture, etc. as much as some other writers may be. I include certain Japanese words here and there when I can but please don't expect it all the time. I am not an otaku so if you have a suggestion and your goal is to help me enhance the quality of the story, then feel free to let me know about it (as per article #1) and I will take your suggestion under consideration.
I don't fret about *exactly* where in the actual Negima!storyline/timeline my stories fall so if you can't enjoy a story unless it's so canon that it could practically be an official period, then perhaps my stories are not for you. Reading the story should reveal who has a pactio and who doesn't, who knows about magic and who doesn't, etc.
I see the stories in my head (hidden just behind the voices) as if they are taking place on an anime screen or a manga page so sometimes a door being opened is going to be described "a door opens". My hat is off to those talented writers who are blessed with the ability to be descriptive even with mundane actions. I'm a dialogue person myself. No one ever mastered a craft without making some mistakes along the way so please take care of me. If you'll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal.
I'm not a plagiarist so if a scene or gag is similar to some other scene or gag in someone else's fanfic, rest assured that it's purely coincidental. I don't read very many other fics and sometimes brilliant minds think alike.
There is a possibility that I may not be able to add new chapters in the timeliest of fashions. Life has a way of getting in the way of leisure time. Patience is appreciated. Chapters will vary in length depending on whether or not I feel that I accomplished what I wished to accomplish in that chapter. I want this entire story out of my head and up here for Negima! fans to read so please believe me when I say that new installments are always in progress.
If you are a superfan of Negi Springfield himself, I've got some bad news for you. I view him as a necessary evil and my stories may mention him on occasion but will rarely feature him as a supporting or even a main character. What I'm trying to say is this: don't hold your breath waiting for him to show up unless the story is about him.
If you wish to write your own tribute spinoff fanfic, feel free to do so but I would appreciate it if you could give me a heads-up first and, if you're feeling particularly generous, an inspirational credit would be awesome.)
"I-I'm only saying that it's inappropriate to engage in such a display in the halls, Ojou-sama."
A red-faced Setsuna was walking double time down the corridor of the Mahora Academy dorms as Konoka picked up the pace in order to keep up with her close friend. Classes for the day had come to an end and as it was particularly humid out, it was a perfect day to stay inside, turn on the A/C and hold a low key study party at Konoka, Negi and Asuna's room.
"But Secchan, kissing isn't that big of a deal!" replied Konoka. "It's not as if I'm going to wrestle you to the floor and ravish you."
"R-ravish... me?" Setsuna's face turned beet red as she pictured a yukata clad Konoka taking physical liberties with Setsuna upon a bed of cherry blossom petals in a scene right out of one of Haruna's trashy doujinshis – which Setsuna would never bother flipping through, naturally. Her warrior's instinct took over as her daydream had caused her to slow down enough to where Konoka would be able to latch onto her and administer the aforementioned kiss. Slapping herself to return to reality, she returned to her brisk pace and kept her distance from Konoka."Dwah! O-of course not, Ojou-sama! I am unworthy to receive your affections – but if it is your wish to bestow them upon me, can't you wait until we reach a more private place first?"
Konoka held her fingertips to her lips and gasped jokingly.
"Goodness, Secchan! You can't wait for me to reach for your more private places first? Now who's being inappropriate? I'm telling grandpa on you." Fellow 3-A classmates Natsumi and Chizuru happened to pass by them in the hallway at the precise moment that Konoka had repeated Setsuna's words incorrectly. Natsumi did a double take and had frozen in place but Chizuru placed an arm around her roommate and helped her continue walking.
"Now, now, Natsumi-chan - it's just nature's way," said Chizuru.
Setsuna's eyes grew to the size of saucers as sheets of tears streamed down her face at Konoka's teasing.
"OOOOOH! Th-th-th-that isn't even close to what I said! PLEASE stop twisting my words, Ojou-sama! A-and how far does this corridor stretch, anyway? GACK! You know what? I think I'll shut up now."
"So then the juice box says 'Well, it had three holes but I only needed one!'" said Asuna. The members of the Library Exploration Club, who were listening to Asuna tell a joke, were visibly underwhelmed by her punchline delivery. Nodoka was the first to break the silence.
"I'm... sure that was very funny to people who like to wait that long for a punchline like that."
"I don't get it." replied Yue, who was eager to hear Asuna's joke about a juice box - only to be disappointed by it.
"You're not very good at telling jokes, are you, Asuna?" asked Haruna. "I can lend you some joke books if you want."
"Whaaat? I am so a good joke teller." retorted Asuna. "But if that didn't do it for you, how about this? There once was a man from Hokkaido..."
Just then, a voice rang out from behind Asuna.
"You guys; c'mere a sec." It was Konoka who had beckoned her friends to come closer. Asuna turned her attention away from the Library Three to her roommate.
"What's up, Konoka?" asked Asuna.
"Asuna, I need to show something to Setsuna but I need your help," said Konoka. "Yours too, guys." Asuna quizzically raised an eyebrow at the vague request.
"...Okay? What is it that you need us to do?"
Konoka approached Asuna and placed her hands on her shoulders, turning her head to face Setsuna.
"Are you watching Secchan?" asked Konoka. "See, I can kiss Asuna…chu!" and with that sound effect, Konoka gave Asuna a peck on the lips.
Haruna's ahoge twitched at the sight.
Asuna loved Konoka like a sister so she wasn't angry (and neither the Headmaster nor Takahata-sensei had been watching) but she did wish that the chocolate-haired girl would stick to Setsuna if she wanted to kiss a girl. Asuna feigned shame in an attempt to raise her comedic stock.
"Sheesh, Konoka," bemoaned Asuna. "Not even dinner and a movie first? I feel so cheap."
Konoka took a step in Nodoka's direction.
And Honya-chan… chu." Konoka said as she placed an identical peck on Nodoka's lips. Nodoka blushed slightly as she recalled that her only other kisses had been with Negi. Since this was just a peck she couldn't tell for sure but Konoka's lips felt every bit as soft as Negi's.
Twitch twitch.
"And Yue-chan…chu." Yue, whose face was not quite as flushed as Nodoka's, shut her eyes and braced herself rather than protest or avoid Konoka's kiss. It was just Konoka after all and, having Haruna for a friend, Yue had been subjected to far worse.
Twitch twitch twitch.
Haruna pushed her glasses higher up on the bridge of her nose and grinned devilishly. As she was the next closest after Yue, she closed her eyes and puckered her lips for Konoka. The others may not have been as keen on girl/girl kisses but she was the one and only Paru-sama; She Who Never Let An Opportunity Pass Her By. She contemplated employing some tongue action but since Setsuna was nearby, she decided against it.
"And…"
Konoka was about to take a step toward Haruna but in the time it took Konoka to shed a massive sweatdrop, she turned on her heel to face Setsuna once more.
"…A-and there you have it... so you see….there's nothing to it. Now you try." said Konoka with a nervous grin.
Haruna faceplanted onto the floor, cracking a hole in the floorboards. Sporting an X bandage on her head, she leapt to her feet and stood before Konoka; her face a shade of crimson made from one part OMG and two parts WTF.
"WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOOOOOA! What the HELL was THAT about, Konoka?" screamed the manga-ka. Setsuna was continually astonished at the strong chi which emanated from Haruna when she was passionate about something and since Setsuna was successful at training Asuna in combat, she pictured what it would be like to teach the manga artist to harness and channel that chi. At any rate, she was somewhat glad of this new commotion since she didn't fancy the idea of practice-kissing Asuna and the others.
A wide-eyed Konoka slowly turned to face Haruna, looking as innocent as a baby koala.
"Hmm?"
"Don't you 'Hmm?' me, Konoka Konoe!" shouted Haruna as she waved a pair of clenched fists in the air. "You slighted me just now! You can kiss Asuna, Nodoka and Yue but not your Friendly Neighborhood Paru-sama? What's up with that?" Nodoka shot Yue a glance and gently placed a hand on Haruna's right arm. This was a routine "pre-restraint" just in case things got out of hand. Yue knew the drill and nodded, doing the same to Haruna's left arm. Haruna shooed away each attempt Nodoka and Yue made to hold her (though with her eyes still fixed on Konoka) but they kept trying to hold her regardless.
"Oh, um, did youuuuu... want me to kiss you, Paru?"
"Konoka, this isn't about a kiss I wanted; it's about a kiss you DIDN'T want! "
"I suppose that was kind of rude of me, wasn't it? Ah ha haaaaa... Ah ha." Konoka said as she smiled with her eyes closed and scratched her head nervously.
"I happen to know Nodoka and Yue would totally kiss me if they swung that way." stated Haruna confidently. Nodoka and Yue, certain that Haruna's gaze was still fixed upon Konoka, shook their heads simultaneously and lip synched the word "no" in disagreement with Haruna's assessment. "Setsuna wouldn't actively try to kiss anybody so she doesn't count - and Asuna and I kiss for at least an hour each night so I have it on good authority that I am a VERY kissable girl!"
Asuna gave Haruna's cranium a thunderous overhead smack with her harisen and adding a second X bandage to Haruna's head.
"Tell another lie about me and I'll smack you to America with the rest of the bigmouthed perverts!" Both Nodoka and Yue were disappointed to learn that it was a lie since a lesbian Asuna would have meant one less rival for Negi-sensei's heart.
"So? I'm waiting for an explanation, Konoka? Why... wouldn't... you... want... to... kiss... me?"
"Ojou-sama..." Setsuna interrupted, wanting to know if Konoka wished for her to intervene and handle the situation. Konoka took it as an honor that her best friend was so willing to look out for her but in very tame cases such as this, the offer was more of an insult to Konoka's diplomatic skills.
"It's okay, Secchan; I've got this." replied Konoka with a hint of irritation in her tone."Hmm, let me see... How do I put this?" Konoka closed her eyes and held her chin as she was lost deeply in thought; trying to find the right words. "You kind of remind me of a boy, Paru."
Haruna collapsed backward with a pratfall.
"Oh, this is going to end well." stated Yue. Haruna performed a panty-flashing kip up to get to her feet this time. Setsuna flinched at the fluid yet aggressive movement and prepared herself mentally and physically to be on guard. Haruna's eyes were a pair of spirals behind her specs and she now bore three X bandages to her credit.
Triple X, thought Nodoka.
"A B-B-BOY?" shouted Haruna. "How many boys do you know that have THESE? Huh? Did you maybe miss these?" Haruna ripped opened her blouse and flashed her bra at Konoka which prompted Nodoka and Yue to tackle their dear yet shameless and sometimes idiotic friend and cover her up. With lightning speed, Setsuna reached out in front of Konoka and snatched one of Haruna's buttons out of the air (launched from when she tore her blouse open) which would have hit Konoka's left eye.
"Saotome-san!" Setsuna said sternly. "You can indulge in all the foolish behavior that you want but don't endanger Ojou-sama in the process! This button of yours almost injured her."
"If her eyes don't see, one eye is enough," remarked Haruna. "But if you want to see a girl that looks like a boy..." Haruna was looking up and down at Setsuna as she spoke.
"And if you want to see a corpse that looks like a manga-ka, you'll finish that sentence, Saotome-san." said Setsuna, drumming her fingers upon Yuunagi's case strap.
Konoka peeked out from behind Setsuna's shoulder.
"I never said that you looked like a boy, Paru," said Konoka. "I meant that you act like a boy. You know... a tomboy."
Haruna turned ghost white as dozens of small kanji characters for the word "tomboy" circled around her head. Nodoka gasped while Yue brought her palm to her head, looking very disappointed in Konoka's choice of words. Konoka had never seen Haruna stunned speechless before and by so simple a word. Setsuna placed herself between Konoka and Haruna.
"Saotome-san, I think it would be for the best if you were to be elsewhere right now."
Haruna's face turned pink and her eyes welled up with tears as she scowled at Konoka.
"..."
Haruna struggled for the words but all that she could get past the lump that formed in her throat was a hiss. Gnashing her teeth and growling like a bear, Haruna turned and ran off at a speed normally expected of Asuna.
"Okay, was I seeing things just now or was Haruna actually crying human tears?" asked Asuna. Nodoka approached Konoka with a frown. Konoka had never seen Nodoka frown at her before and she felt like a small child about to be scolded for breaking a family heirloom.
"What was that reaction about?" asked Konoka. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Konoka, didn't you know that it makes Haruna upset to be called a tomboy?" asked Nodoka. "The few guys that she liked who weren't outright intimidated by her turned her down, telling her that she was too much of a tomboy for their taste."
"You wouldn't know it by looking at her but deep down Haruna does have a sensitive side." stated Yue, looking mostly unfazed by the events. "Not many things set it off but the tomboy thing? It really gets under her skin. Furthermore..." Yue looked down the hallway to see if Haruna was within earshot. "and please don't tell her that I told you this... she really respects you. Well, as much as someone like Haruna can respect a non-Haruna person... so hearing that from you was like a double whammy. Quite frankly, I was surprised to hear you say it."
"Hey. what if I had been the one to call her a tomboy?" asked Asuna as she placed a finger to her chin, wondering how much Haruna valued her opinion. Everyone gave her the same look that told her if she had called Haruna a tomboy she'd be the pot calling the kettle black. Asuna frowned and blushed as she read their look. "T...To hell with all of you! I-I mean... no, screw it; my original statement still stands!" she shouted as she went inside her dorm and slammed the door behind her.
"I'm sorry, I never knew about any of that," said Konoka. "Now I feel awful. Do I go apologize right now or do I give her some time or what?" Konoka sheepishly bit her thumbnail.
"Um, Konoka," said Nodoka, "hearing you ask that – and hearing you call Haruna a tomboy – makes me wonder. You really haven't spent much one-on-one time with Haruna, have you? Is there a reason why you usually only talk with her when all four of us are together?"
Because Ojou-sama has good taste, thought Setsuna.
"Um, I... hadn't really... that is..." Konoka struggled for the words she needed to form some kind of defense. Yue saw Konoka squirm and intervened to let her off the hook.
"Nodoka, Haruna already put Konoka on the spot earlier so let's not do the same. To answer your question, Konoka, I would give her some space. She's inconsolable for a little while but she bounces back from sadness pretty quickly. Just keep in mind that you made her cry which means that she'll want her pound of flesh. Either way, we should probably call off the party today. The mood's changed com...plete..ly-heeheehee!" Yue uncharacteristically sputtered and burst into a gigglefit. The other girls were baffled as they watched their friend rub tears of laughter from her eyes.
"I get it now; three holes but she only needed one! Ha ha ha ha ha! 'Juice box'! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
(Before you write me an email to remind me that Konoka was a member of the Library Exploration Club even before Yue joined, I'm well aware of that fact. In this story, Konoka did not know about Haruna's rejections and/or dislike of the tomboy label and Nodoka &Yue DID probably because Haruna had shared this with Nodoka & Yue when they spent time with her during one-on-one outings. Maybe Konoka, for one reason or another, was probably friendlier with Miyazaki during the pre-Yue period and Haruna was more like the friend-of-a-friend that is a friend by association. Or maybe Haruna felt insecure about the subject of rejections by boys and could only open up about it with one friend but not all of them at the same time for fear of being mocked or picked on. You've had friends. You know the deal.
Also, Yue's delayed reaction to Asuna's joke was not my way of suggesting that she is slow upstairs. I'd have to be slow upstairs myself to suggest that. I just wanted a way of closing up the chapter on a humorous note. Plus I just wanted to have Yue laugh because she is so cute when she laughs. It'll all work itself out; you'll see.)