"So wait, why are you here?" asked Joseph.

"Oh, I've come on behalf of the Narutaki twins. They wanted to apologise for nearly dislocating your shoulders earlier. De gozaru," answered Kaede.

A little confused, Joseph asked, "Couldn't they have come personally. I certainly didn't hold that against them."

Kaede chuckled and said, "Right now they're out walking. Speaking of which they wanted to extend an invitation to the Walking Club to you."

"Huh, what's this?" Joseph was a little cautious, considering the nature of the prank the twins tried to play on Negi who's supposed to be their teacher.

"You'll have to come and see for yourself," said Kaede with a mysterious smile.

As she headed for the door sudden thump drew their attention to the stack of cardboard boxes Joseph brought in earlier.

"Did that sound like anything you've heard before?" asked Joseph, getting up and walking over to a box.

"Hmm, sounds like it came from this one." Kaede pointed to another.

The box she'd indicated shuddered again.

Joseph was impressed. "Let's see what it is that's causing the racket."

Flipping away the open flaps, Joseph plunged his hand into the box and found to his embarrassment that he was almost up to his shoulder in men's underwear.

"Uhh, you know we don't need to search right away," he said, quickly withdrawing his arm and shutting close the box.

"Nonsense, let's get rid of this pest whatever it may be, de gorazu."

Kaede opened the box again and started fishing around, ignoring Joseph's spluttered protestations.

"I can get Simon or Gary to do this instead, you know."

The box moved again and this seemed to spur her on further. After a minute, Kaede seemed to give up but then drew a couple of small kunai from her pocket.

"Just what are you going to do with those?"

She looked at him and said, "This is how I normally fish."

With barely a flick of the wrist one of the kunai dived into the billowing sea of boxers and returned to her hand within a second. The probing was enough to elicit another rumble from its occupant.

"Ok, Joseph-san, can you go fetch some sticky paper? De gorazu."

Shaking his head, the boy complied. Meanwhile Simon was still taking his time in the shower.

"Good evening," said Evangeline in her usual dismissive tone, beckoning her guests to sit opposite her on a sofa in her lodge. "So how can I help you?"

"We need to use another one of your resorts, if that's possible," requested Takamichi.

"Oh really, whatever for?" asked the vampire, examining her fingernails. "I thought they were sufficient for your purposes." She directed this towards Negi.

"Specifically we need to redesign one of them," said the young mage. He almost regretted this immediately.

"Redesigning one of my resorts?" The vampire narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Why? I planned your training regime perfectly. Changing the architecture will mean changing the regime. Have you decided to change your training?"

Negi gulped and flicked his eyes briefly over to Takamichi before looking back at Evangeline. The older teacher nodded so Negi cleared his throat.

"Ok… It's not actually for me," he managed to stammer.

"The three stooges, am I right?"

He nodded in confirmation.

"Why should they be any different?" Evangeline lost patience when she saw Negi turn to Takamichi again. "And what's with the reticence all of a sudden? Tell me why my help is needed and I'll take your reasons into consideration."

"Umm, it's all in the interests of national security," ventured Negi.

Evangeline snorted. "That's original. Seriously, no one has ever given me such an excuse before."

"Ok. Simon, Gary and Joseph's training will be different. What they need is military special ops training. We've already got someone to train them. However there's also the strong possibility that they could develop magical abilities in which case they'll require the optimal environment to hone their skills," said Takamichi.

There was a pause while the vampire leaned back and rubbed her chin in contemplation.

"Alright, I'll let you use it. Consider this a favour." She smiled and held up a finger. "I actually like this idea. So much so that Negi should participate himself."

The boy's face went gray but Takamichi said, "Deal."

"Good. Have this trainer you've hired, the three stooges, the boya and his friends meet here next week, Saturday."

"Thank you Evangeline-san," said Takamichi as he swept out the door with Negi in tow before the boy could protest.

"It's never too late for you and your friends to pick up some new skills," said Takamichi as they walked back to Negi's dorm.

"Does that mean that I will be going to boot camp?" asked Negi, his eyes fearful as he remembered the film "Full Metal Jacket".

Takamichi chucked. "No, it's not like that. Besides, the way you've handled Evangeline's training will guarantee you'll pass the physical aspects."

Gary went down the corridor, heading for the drink vending machine after pulling himself free of the cheerleader trio. As he approached he saw Yue with her back to him taking a drink. She didn't notice his presence until she heard the clunk of a can leaving the machine.

"Oh! You scared me just then." After jumping and spilling drink all over her front.

"Sorry, you're not the first one I've done that to," apologised Gary, as he cracked open his can.

Just then Haruna came bounding out the open door opposite the two of them.

"Hey Gary-kun! Have you considered the invitation?"

"Uhh, yes I have. What is this Library Expeditionary Group you're talking about?" he asked.

Yue spoke up, "What we do is explore and catalogue the contents of Mahora Library. The entire complex is situated on an island but its entire layout is unknown. Currently the whole campus only uses at most an estimated 15% of the library facility. Considering the size of the school that is a lot."

"Because there are at most three of us and Konoka-san involved we're desperately short on 'man-power' if you know what I mean," said Haruna, with a wink.

Gary raised an eyebrow at this and considered for a bit before asking, "Found any books particularly dangerous? Stuff like forbidden knowledge or anything like that?"

The two girls looked at each other before Yue answered, "There are all manner of books and documents stored in the archives. I wouldn't be surprised if you found something dangerous or controversial down there." She almost mentioned the magical knowledge tome Negi and the Baka Rangers had sought months earlier.

Gary already had an objective in mind by the time the blue haired girl had finished. "I'm in."

"Great!" Haruna cheered and quickly whipped out a document from nowhere. "Sign along the dotted line and you're officially part of the group."

As Gary filled out the details Yue said, "Where we're going you'll need warm clothing so come prepared."

Simon had just finished dressing as soon as he heard the awful yell on the other side of the door. Tempted to kick it down he quickly opened it to find himself facing an ermine wrapped up in transparent paper held between Gary and Kaede.

"Get this stuff off me!" cried Chamo, struggling futilely against paper.

Simon looked over his shoulder into the bathroom which was filled with fragrant steam. "Is there something in the shampoo that's making me hear things?

"Let him go. Chamo's harmless," said Kaede. She leaned down to look at the ermine. "What were you doing in there anyway? Diving around in guy's underwear is a new low for you, de gozaru."

"Wait… it can speak?" Joseph nearly dropped the ermine.

"Just get me out now!" shouted Chamo.

Joseph and Kaede looked at each other and nodded. On the count of three they tugged at opposite ends of the paper.

"Yeeooch!" Chamo protested.

"Stop, stop! I think we're pulling out his fur," said Kaede.

They moved him over to the bench and plonked him down. Joseph placed his chin in his hands and looked down at Chamo who was hyperventilating.

"So, you're a talking… rodent of some sort. Care to introduce yourself and tell me what you were doing in that box?"

"Albert Chamomile," Chamo panted, "Ermine familiar of Negi."

"Familiar?" Simon frowned. "So you're his pet? How the hell can you talk?"

"DOES THAT REALLY MATTER? GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

"I think you'd better answer Joseph's second question as well," said Kaede with an amused smile.

"Ok… I heard there was a shipment of underwear coming in and since this is a girls school I naturally went straight for the prize. You can't imagine my surprise when I dove in here to find boxers. Now can you kindly get me out of here?"

"Hold on," said Simon. He went over to the kitchen drawers and pulled out a pair of scissors. Joseph picked up a glass of water and tipped it over his head while Kaede giggled at the spectacle.

"I guess that's karma for you, de gozaru."

Negi was sweating over the details of accommodating the new students into the curriculum. As he did this Konoka peeked over his shoulder.

"Boo!"

"Eek!" He fell backwards in his chair, flinger papers and a couple of books all over the place.

"Hehe, sorry Negi-kun." Konoka bent down and pushed him up by his chair. "Just felt a little bored, waiting for Set-chan to turn up so we can go karaoke with the cheerleaders. What are you doing, working on Friday?"

Negi rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "That's alright Konoka-san. I'm just organising the boys' timetable before Monday. Don't worry about those," he added when Konoka proceeded to pick up some of the scattered documents.

"Ehh? What's this? Boot Camp for Dummies." She read the title of one of the books.

"It's nothing!" Negi swiped it back from her. He managed to borrow it and a few others like it from the library without Yue, Nodoka or Haruna knowing.

Konoka shrugged but then Asuna poked her head around the corner.

"Negi-bozu why are you reading this?" She was holding up another library book, The Art of War by Sun Tzu. "You're not going to run off and join the French Foreign Legion now are you?"

The other girl's eyes widened and stared at her teacher. "Negi-kun, you want to be a soldier?"

"What! No! It's not like that!" The boy lapsed into his traditional bout of stammering as he vainly tried to explain the misunderstanding.

"Ohh, Negi wants to go off and become a soldier!" Konoka's eyes teared up as she reached out and hugged the boy to the side of her cheek. "Is that what you really want to do once we've graduated and left?"

"No! It's not like tha-!"

Asuna suddenly picked him up and gave him a good shaking. "What's this nonsense all of a sudden? Negi-bozo your life is tough enough as it is. What is it you're not telling us?"

"Ok, alright! Please put me down!"

She complied and dumped him on the couch where she and Konoka awaited his answer expectantly.

"So…" Asuna waved her hand impatiently.

"It's for the newcomers. They're not just here to learn magic. My father wanted to them to be trained as soldiers and mages."

"What?" The two girls' mouths hung open.

"I wish there was more. All I know is that my father left a letter behind with this request. The Dean doesn't know any more than I do," Negi answered in a resigned tone.

"Hey wait! Where are they going to train then?" Asuna wondered aloud, before it came to her. "Does that mean they'll be training alongside us with Evangeline?"

Negi nodded and said, "I intended to but-"

"I thought we were supposed to be working together. We agreed to help each other out but you need to tell us these things Negi-bozo!"

At that moment Konoka turned around and happily exclaimed, "Oh! Set-chan did you hear all that?"

Konoka's bodyguard was waiting unnoticed behind them.

"Yes and I agree that Negi-sensei should have told us earlier."

"What do you expect me to do? I originally wanted to tell all of you next Saturday when we go see Evangeline."

"Interesting…" Setsuna sat down. "But there isn't a dedicated military instructor at Mahora . Mana's the only one of us who comes close to being a soldier."

"Yes, it happens that the Dean is hiring someone outside-."

"Ohh, who is it?" asked Konoka, leaning forward. Asuna and Konoka glared at Negi.

"I'm sorry but I don't know any more than you do."

"Ok, I guess the only thing we can do is to wait for you to moult," said Joseph, trying to Chamo down who was still stuck on the paper.

"No! I refuse to be stuck like this for six months. Get Aniki now! He'll know what to do!" cried the ermine.

"Whoa! How the hell can this thing talk?" Gary had just returned to the dorm.

Chamo sighed and replied, "Magic, that's all you need to know."

"Magic? The heck are you on about?" asked Simon, who was trying to cut off the paper that wasn't stuck to the wriggling ermine's fur. "Hold still, dammit!"

Quickly Kaede said, "Never mind that. Just go get Negi-sensei now, de gozaru."

Simon made a run for the door, as he opened it Chamo gave another ear-splitting shriek.

"No! Don't touch the fur!"

"Alright, put the shaver away Gary."

Looking both ways down the hall, Simon could see the girls sticking their heads out the doors of their rooms.

"What was that?" Ako called out.

"Sounded like it came from the boys' room," said Akira. "Where's Simon going?"

Next door Ayaka went pale and asked Chizuru, "Did that sound like Negi-sensei to you?"

Ignoring the curious glances, Simon sprinted over to Negi's shared dorm and rapped on the door. On the other side there was some muffled shouting, a few thumps and a vaguely male voice crying out before Setsuna answered.

"Simon-san, what brings you here?" she said cautiously, her sword within reach behind the door.

"Umm, I thought this was Negi Springfield's room," answered Simon.

"This is Negi's room indeed. I'm Setsuna Sakurazaki." She bowed briefly before continuing, "I'm only visiting but I'll get Konoka ojou-sama for you. Negi-sensei is busy at the moment."

Setsuna retreated and almost immediately Konoka was at the door.

"Simon-kun! Do you want to come in and wait until Negi's ready?" she said cheerily.

"No it's alright." Simon looked past her and could see Asuna's orange hair flailing about around the corner while she shouted angrily at someone. Probably Negi, he thought.

Konoka noticed his gaze and chuckled. "This is normal, Negi's so cute sometimes but it always gets Asuna worked up."

"I can't imagine," Simon replied slowly. "Can you please tell him it's an emergency? His pet, some kind of talking rat is in trouble."

The girl's eyes widened. "Chamo's hurt?"

"Not exactly, but we're having difficulty getting him out of a sticky situation. No pun intended. It called out for Negi."

"Follow me." She hurried back into the dorm where Asuna had Negi in a chokehold.

Setsuna sat nearby, waiting for them to break up.

"Negi! Chamo's in trouble! Asuna, let him go!" called out Konoka.

"What!" Negi was dropped painfully on his backside on the edge of the table.

"Ahhh! Asuna, that hurt alot." He rubbed the tears out of his eyes.

"Hello again, Negi," greeted Simon before looking around awkwardly and muttering, "Cry-baby," under his breath.

"We need to go now," said Konoka who had grabbed Setsuna by the hand and was dragging her along. "Come on!"

"What happened?" Negi was right in Simon's face as soon as he'd recovered.

"Your pet's entangled in some sticky paper and we can't get him out without cutting off his fur," answered Simon. "And how the hell can this Chamo thing talk? It mentioned magic or something like that."

"Uhh…"

Negi glanced sideways at Asuna who said, "He's an ermine and yes he can talk. Don't ask why, he just can."

"Try alcohol perhaps," suggested Joseph, after their latest attempt failed.

"Haven't got any, the school doesn't let us keep stuff like that in the dorms," answered Kaede. "The Carpentry Club or the Art Club should have solvents but they're locked away at this time."

Gary shook his head, "Too poisonous. We can't smear him in turpentine or something like that."

Chamo sighed and hung his head. "I guess it's all up to Aniki now."

The door burst open and in tumbled Konoka, Setsuna, Negi, Asuna and Simon.

"Where is he?" Negi started pulling out his staff but quickly hid it behind Asuna when the three boys gave him a strange look.

"What's that?" asked Gary curiously but Asuna cut in.

"It's a toy the brat keeps with him at all times. A gift from his dad."

Simon turned his attention to Setsuna's wrapped up sword which had its handle protruding after the brief sprint down the hall.

"Looks like you're packing heat. What's that for?"

She answered by gripping the bag and drawing out the blade, just enough to show them. Joseph gulped while Gary curled his lips apprehensively at the sight.

"Ok… why the sword?" Simon didn't seem fazed.

"I'm a kendo practitioner and I'm also Konoka ojou-sama's protector," Setsuna replied, reconcealing the sword. She decided not to mention her specialisation in the Shinmei-ryu style.

Chamo's distressed shouting served to diffuse the tension. "Hey! What about me! Aniki! Save me!"

"Ok." Negi crouched down at the table where the ermine lay, still wrapped from snout to the base of the tail. "Have you tried all other alternatives?" he asked.

"Yeah. He refuses to allow us to come near him with scissors and he doesn't want us to pull, de gozaru," answered Kaede.

"We considered chemical removal but it'll only hurt him," said Joseph.

"Alright. Hang in there Chamo. I'll try this."

Negi pulled out his training wand from behind his back but Asuna snatched it away immediately.

"Hey give that back!" The young mage hopped up and down as Asuna held it up and stuck it in her hair out of reach.

"You can't use that Negi-bozo! They're not su-."

"Supposed to what?" Gary knew there was something suss when he saw Negi produce the star tipped stick before the red head confiscated it. Negi and Asuna merely looked mortified.

Konoka at that moment glanced at the clock and said, "Hey it's just about dinner time now. How about I help cook for you here this evening? It seems like this problem with Chamo will take us a while."

Simon was surprised but replied, "Uhh yeah sure, if it's absolutely alright with you."

Setsuna looked ready to object but relented when Konoka smiled enthusiastically and went over to the fridge.

"Asuna ane-san! I don't care if they kno-." That earned Chamo a strip of sticky tape across his mouth from Asuna.

"I should have done that ages ago," she said smugly.

The boys shrugged at this and leaned back in resignation. Clearly there was something their junior teacher could do but that over aggressive girl was being a hindrance and there's clearly something the three of them were hiding.

Setsuna regarded the struggling ermine for a moment before drawing her sword in an instant. Everyone jumped up except for Konoka who was too busy to notice.

"Setsuna-san what are you doing?" asked a wide eyed Negi.

Snatching up Chamo whose eyes was about the size of gumballs she tossed up the terrified ermine and raised her sword like a tennis player serving.

"Surgical flail," she called out as she swung the sword overhead.

Chamo who was spinning very fast through the air was brushed with the edge of the blade on the very tip. The swordswoman caught him before the ermine before he hit the tabletop.

There was a few seconds of utter silence, broken only by Konoka humming away as she prepared dinner, apparently unaware of what just happened. Setsuna promptly handed over the ermine to Kaede who quickly unravelled the paper which had a single slice which wound all the way around.

"Setsuna-san… words cannot describe… just how did you do that?" stammered Negi.

Setsuna looked around sheepishly. "I made that up on the spot actually; it was just a crazy idea I had."

"Such precision, how admirable, de gozaru," complimented Kaede after she'd checked if Chamo was unharmed.

"What the hell was that? I could have been-."

The ermine's complaints were drowned out by the applause from everyone in the room.

"Too bad, I was hoping to rip off your fur up one side and down the other," Asuna whispered to Chamo who blanched.