I would like to thank all of those who have read and review my story so far. In case some of you haven't noticed this is just a little darker than my other stories. That's my intention; I try my best to stay away from fluffy. Here's chapter 4!
Me: I would like to introduce my guest disclaimer reader. Here's Uchiha Itachi from Naruto.
Itachi: Sasuke?! Is that you?!
Me: Blind psycho, it's Mako! Read my disclaimer.
Itachi: Mako does not own Negima or me. Mangekyou Sharingan!
Me: Awww shi…
Chapter 4: A Survivors Guilt
Takamichi stared out the window of his office, watching the sunset. In addition to his own Crimson Wing ring, he now wore Eishun's on his left hand. He looked down at his hand and sighed. He felt a deep sense of helplessness. It was the same feeling he got when they lost Nagi, Shotatsu (A.N: What I named the big guy with the sword in their picture.) and Gateau. Another of his close friends died and there was nothing that he could do about it. His right hand clenched around the small glass of liquor. He lifted it to his lips and downed the bitter scotch in one gulp. He set the glass down on the table and leaned back against his chair. The back of the swivel chair bent slightly with his weight, allowing him to lean back. His eyes fluttered closed and he was forced again to remember that day.
Takamichi ducked under his attackers arm. He swung his weight around so that he was once again facing the demon. The young mage in training lifted his leg up and delivered a sharp snap kick to the side of the demons head. The force of the kick made the demon do a small flip before hitting the ground. Takamichi took a step back and entered his fighting stance. His shoulder had been cut open by a demons sword and his chest was bruised pretty badly. Not bad considering the situation they were in. Four of the so called demon lords had come for Asuna. He wasn't sure why they were here he just knew that they needed to be stopped. Unfortunately, they were much stronger than any of them had anticipated.
The strongest of the three had been taken out by Nagi. The young mage sacrificed himself in order to take out the most dangerous of the demons and save Asuna. After that, things went down hill. Albireo had been enraged by the loss of one of his best friends. In his rage he entered a magic berserk before the others could stop him. The young mage charged straight at the next demon lord, a great giant, and grabbed him by the neck. There was a brilliant flash of light and then both the demon and Albireo were gone. Gateau had been injured pretty badly by the third demon. This one resembled a large gelatinous blob with Razor sharp tentacles. Gateau had been stabbed by one of the tentacles and was forced to make a small retreat. Asuna was near him whimpering in fear and crying for her lost friends. Eishun and Shotatsu were up ahead fighting the demon lord and he was trying his best to protect his master and Asuna.
Takamichi ducked under the attack of another demon lackey. He charged the ki into his fist and hit the demon hard enough to shatter its jaw. "Takamichi! Look out!" Gateau cried.
Takamichi turned around just as one of the sharp tendrils sliced his shoulder open. He fell to the ground gripping at his shoulder. Asuna cried out to him and tried to run over to him, Gateau called for her to come back. The next thing he heard was Asuna screaming and Gateau growling in pain. He turned his head and saw that one of the underlings had run his sword through Gateau's chest. The mage smirked and lifted his hand; there was a brilliant flash of light and the demon was obliterated. Gateau slumped to the ground with his sword still in him. Takamichi tried to get up but he felt something just above him. One of the tentacles was shooting down at him, aimed straight at his head. He closed his eyes. There was a splash of blood on his face but no pain or death. He looked up and his eyes went wide with horror.
"Sho-Shotatsu-sama!"
The massive swordsman had thrown himself between Takamichi and the tentacle. The shadow like tendril pierced his chest and shot all the way through. Shotatsu roared with anger and pain. He swung his sword up and severed the appendage with one swipe. He reached down and yanked out the tentacle. Takamichi jumped to his side to try and help him.
"Hopeless?" The swordsman asked. Takamichi looked at him bewildered and Shotatsu shook his head. "No…nothing is." Shotatsu turned to look at Takamichi and smiled behind his mask. "…Takamichi, get Gateau and Asuna and run."
Takamichi blinked and shook his head. "No! I'm not leaving!"
Shotatsu stood to his full height and lifted his sword. "We have to protect the princess," he said with a small laugh. "Take her and Gateau. I will handle things here."
"But…"
"Go!" Shotatsu shouted.
Takamichi flinched and nodded. He took one last look at his friend before running over to where Gateau was. Asuna looked at him with big tearful eyes. He knelt down beside the small girl and gripped the sword that had impaled his master. He pulled it out slowly, making Gateau wince in pain.
"Hang on master!" Takamichi eased the sword out a little more then pulled it out with one fluid motion.
Gateau groaned in pain; his blood coated the sword and his shirt. Takamichi picked up his master with his right arm. He picked up Asuna with his left and held her tight against him "Hold on tight Asuna-chan!"
"B-but what about the others?" She asked innocently.
Takamichi shared a look with his master and nodded. "They'll be fine." Takamichi tightened his grip around them and used a Shundo, disappearing from the scene. Behind him he could hear the screams of pain from his friends.
He didn't know how long he had been running before Gateau finally stopped them. "Hey Takamichi," he said, pointing to a rock. "Set me down over there."
Takamichi put Asuna down and helped Gateau over to the boulder. Asuna followed closely, her hand clutching Takamichi's pants leg. When they reached the rock he set Gateau down. Takamichi tried to move Gateau's jacket to check the wound but the older man grabbed his hand. Master looked at student and shook his head. He knew that the wound was too serious to be fixed and so did Takamichi.
"So. Takamichi. Got a light?" Gateau asked as if this were just an everyday chat. "Call it one for the road." Takamichi lit his master's cigarette and watched him take a long drag. "Damn-that's good." A tingling sensation ran through the mages. The third demon lord had managed to get past Shotatsu and Eishun and was coming their way. Gateau smirked wryly. "Now go. Leave this to me."
Takamichi's eyes widened as he realized what his master was saying to him. He wanted to stay behind so that they had the chance to escape. He knew that Asuna was their priority but he didn't want to leave his master behind. The sound of gentle sobbing caught Takamichi's attention. He turned around and saw tears falling from Asuna's mismatched eyes.
"...Jochan, what's wrong?" Gateau asked in a gentle voice. "Not crying are you? I've never seen thatbefore," Gateau joked. "Good t'see."
"Master…" Takamichi whispered.
"Takamichi-about her memory. Be sure an' erase the parts about me."
"Wh…Master what are you saying?" Takamichi cried.
"It's nothing the jochan need hold on to."
Takamichi was about to argue when he heard Gateau's voice inside of his head. "We both know that I can't go on. The least I can do is hold it back for you." Takamichi tried to stay something but he couldn't even move. All he could do was shake.
"No…Nagi's gone and now you…" Asuna ran past Takamichi and knelt down beside Gateau. She placed her small hands on his and squeezed. "No…" she whimpered.
Gateau smiled and placed his hand on her head. "Be happy jochan…for me. You've the right youknow." His eyes flickered up to Takamichi as a signal that the demon was getting closer.
Takamichi ran and snatched up Asuna up into his arms. "Gateau-san, no. Please don't leave me!" Asuna cried tearfully.
Takamichi took one last look at the fading form of his master and ran into the forest. He clutched Asuna to his chest to keep her from squirming too much. When he reached a far enough distance he found them to be in a small clearing. He spotted a rock that sat above the grass. It created an alcove big enough for a small child to fit inside. He ran over o the alcove and set Asuna down.
Takamichi pulled out a magic talisman and placed it on the rock. He reached up to his bloody shoulder and took some of the blood on his hand. He drew a circle around the talisman with his blood and some lines that ran to the bottom of the rock.
"Okay, now get inside Asuna-chan," he ordered gently.
"B-but wh-what about you," she sniffled.
"I'm going back to help master."
"No! You can't leave me! You'll die to!" Asuna cried. She grabbed Takamichi around the legs and hugged him hard.
Takamichi pushed her back gently and knelt down so that he was closer to her eye level. "Remember the story I told you about the circle?" He asked pointing to the circle he drew on the rock.
Asuna nodded grimly and dried her eyes. "I-it used to be dr-drawn by angels," she whispered.
Takamichi smiled. "Right." Takamichi took some more of his own blood and drew the circle on his shirt. "See, this way we can still be together and we'll both be safe."
"…Alright."
"That's our princess." He sounded so much like Nagi at that point that it surprised him. He kissed her on the top of the head and patted her shoulder. "I promise I'll be right back."
Asuna smiled slightly at him. "Promise?" She asked, holding her pinky finger out to him.
Takamichi hooked his pinky with hers and ushered her into the alcove. "Promise. Now wait right here for me."
Asuna nodded at him in understanding. Takamichi turned around and took a deep breath. He ran as fast as he could back towards where he left Gateau. He was barely into the forest when a huge explosion rocked the area. A large burst of white energy erupted from the exact spot where he left his mentor. The force of the blast was so powerful that the leftover energy knocked Takamichi from his feet.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!"
Takamichi bolted upright in his chair. He took in his surroundings. He was breathing as though he had just run a marathon. All around the room were desks with many papers littering the tops. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. He had had that dream again. It had been years, so he assumed that the dreams had left him behind. Here they were again though, burning away at his insides and chipping his soul to pieces. Why were these dreams happening? Simple. He wasn't strong enough to save his friends and he wasn't strong enough to save himself. Takamichi tightened his fist on the table. The only way to get rid of the dreams was for him to atone for his sins. He would rid himself of the nightmares and regain honor for his fallen comrades.
"Son of bitch," Negi cursed.
The wires in his left arm were frayed and some were even disconnected from the circuitry. It was way beyond his skill level to repair. Asuna and Konoka watched him from their spots at the coffee table in the middle of the room. Negi had been at his task since the two of them woke up and he wasn't getting anywhere. The two college girls had wanted so badly to ask what had happened to his arm. They were just a little afraid of his new persona though. There was no way of telling how he would react to the question. Some of the wires in his arm sparked and he tossed his tool to the side.
"How's it going Aniki?" Kamo asked. The ermine came out of the kitchen carrying a bottle of hot sauce.
Negi sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Like trying to find a shadow in the dark," he muttered.
"H-hey Negi-kun?" Konoka asked carefully. She never took her eyes off the food on her plate.
"Yes, Ojou-sama?" He answered automatically, like a recording.
Konoka's cheeks puffed slightly in annoyance. She decided that this time she would ignore the title. "Um, what happened to your arm?" She asked timidly.
"…"
"Negi-kun?"
"…It's not relevant," Negi replied coolly.
"Now listen here!" Asuna cried. "She was just curious so there's no need to take it out on her!"
Negi glared at Asuna with one of the coldest stares she had ever seen. Asuna shivered and sat back down on the ground. There weren't many things that could scare her, but seeing that look on his face was definitely one of them. Negi stood up and ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm going to take a shower. Kamo, you can tell them if you wish."
Negi walked past the girls and into the bathroom. He pulled the door closed with an audible click. Asuna and Konoka returned to their food with disparaged looks on their faces. Not that they expected him to warm up to them overnight. It still hurt to have him ignore them.
"Don't take it personally." Kamo said, pouring the hot sauce onto his eggs. "It's a really touchy subject for him."
"No kidding," Asuna mumbled grumpily. "So what did happen?"
Kamo swallowed his food and scratched his chin. "I guess I can tell you, since you've been so nice to us." He took a drink of his juice and cleared his throat. "Magi in the Knights of Templar often work in pairs or units of three. Aniki was no exception. Shortly after he lost his memory our team was sent out on a mission. One of our teammates that we considered a friend betrayed us."
"That's terrible!" Konoka exclaimed. From inside the bathroom came the sounds of water running. They assumed that it was Negi in the shower.
Kamo nodded. "Yep. He attacked us and killed the other mage on our team. As well as one of the mages from the team that was sent as our backup. Anyways, the bastard went insane and tried to destroy a civilian building. Aniki tried to stop him but the other magus was much more powerful. His attack destroyed Aniki's arm, to the point where it had actually turned black. Afterwards, it became useless and we couldn't heal it. So we had it replaced with cybernetics from the corporation. The model name is 'Seraphim'. That's the abridged version."
"Poor Negi-kun." Tears fell from Konoka's eyes again. Since she had found out about her father last night, she had barely stopped crying.
Asuna's hands curled into fists. "Something wrong Ane-san?" Kamo asked.
"That bastard had better hope I never find him."
"Aww. We've only been here one day and you already act like big sister. Soooo cute!" Kamo teased.
Asuna grabbed her cup of juice and dumped the contents on Kamo. The soaking ermine glared up at Asuna. "Oh real mature!"
Negi stood under the blazing hot water of the shower. No doubt the girls had already talked Kamo into telling them about the arm. Now he realized that he shouldn't be so mean to the girls if they were trying to be friendly with him. If they used to know him in the past then that should have given him more of a reason to be nice. He just couldn't help but seeing them as another mission. Besides, he couldn't possibly be expected to take to them so soon. After the betrayals he had suffered he wasn't about to open up to people so soon. Especially to strangers that claimed they 'knew' him. Negi shook his head and leaned against the wall of the shower.
The steaming hot water caressed his skin and soothed his tired muscles. The spell he put on his mechanized arm would keep the wires from getting wet until he could get the plating and synthetic skin replaced. First thing was first. He picked up the bottle of pink shampoo and poured a generous amount into his hand. He winced at the flowery smell that the shampoo created. Unfortunately, there was no other shampoo in the area. He sighed and worked the shampoo into his long red hair; he lathered it and allowed the shampoo to do its stuff. He picked up the body wash and shook his head. It smelled like roses. He worked the soap into lather and used his hands to rub it onto his skin. When he was done he rinsed off the soap and washed the shampoo from his hair. Next he applied the equally offensive smelling conditioner to his hair and washed it out. After a few minute of standing under the water he turned off the shower and stepped out.
The entire bathroom was steamy from the shower. He grabbed his towel and dried himself off. When he was done he grabbed the pair of pants he was wearing last night and slid them on. He was going to need to by some new clothes. Most of his were in Wales and the Kansai region. He swiped his hand across the foggy mirror so he could check his reflection. He looked in the mirror. Instead of his own face he saw the face of a scarred man with white hair. He blinked hard and looked back into the mirror. It was him this time. Red hair, scar over the eye and everything else. Out in the main room he could hear the door opening and heard some cheerful voices. He looked around for his shirt but couldn't find it. That's when he remembered that he took it off just before he walked into the bathroom. He opened the door and walked out into the main room.
The visitors were none other than Kaede and Setsuna. Setsuna was dressed in a blue and white checkered skirt that came down to her knees. Her shirt was a white button down that she was wearing untucked. Negi guessed that this was the school uniform for college girls. He noticed that Setsuna was walking with a very slight limp due to the fight last night. Kaede was wearing a pair of very form fitting black jeans and a matching black t-shirt. The logo on the front of the shirt read: Be nice or I'll turn into a ninja. Negi shook his head, even though he found the irony of the shirt slightly amusing. He grabbed his own shirt from where he hung it on Konoka's bed just as his cell rang. He ran over to the couch and picked the phone up, ignoring the fact that he had no shirt on.
"Hello."
The girls watched Negi while he talked on the phone. It was like he didn't even know they were there. The girls found themselves staring at him. Their faces were heating up and they knew they had to be blushing. Still they couldn't help but notice the way his muscles moved with his movements. His chest and hair were still a little wet making it look like he had just gone swimming. So the girls decided to take this chance and check him out while he was busy on the phone. Despite some of the long and rather jagged scars on his chest and back, his body was perfect. The tattoo on his right arm could be seen much more clearly now. It was a cross shaped like a sword that was painted in black ink. The cross traveled from his shoulder and continued almost all the way down his arm. Scattered around the sword were names written in red ink. There was another tattoo on his back; a bunch of Latin words that the girls couldn't understand. He straightened up causing the muscles in his back to tighten. This increased the girls' blush and caused them to fidget nervously.
Kamo noticed the girls staring at Negi and quietly sniggered to himself. The reaction that caught his attention the most was Kaede. After staring at him for a minute the ninja averted her gaze to the ground. The blush was still present on her face and she was shuffling her feet nervously on the ground. Kamo smirked. He couldn't remember Kaede ever reacting to anything like that before. He was about to say something when a voice interrupted him.
"Is there something I can help you with?" The girls had been so distracted y the half naked Negi that they didn't even notice the mage was done with his phone calls. Their faces turned red as cherries while they stammered for an excuse.
"We, ugh, that is w-we were um, admiring your….phone!" Asuna answered lamely.
"Right," Negi said dryly. He was annoyed with their constant staring but found their discomfort at having been caught somewhat amusing.
"You two are going to be late for work," Setsuna replied. This was one of the many times she used a tactical diversion.
Konoka looked at her watch and started. "Oh! Your right! C'mon Asuna!"
"Work?" Negi questioned.
Asuna nodded. "We don't have classes on Fridays or the weekends so we got jobs at a café to help pay for tuition.
"I guess I should come along then. It is my job to watch over you Ojou-sama." He slipped the shirt on as best as he could, trying to avoid the exposed wiring in his arm.
Konoka shook her head and walked up to him with her arms on her hips. "Negi-kun you need to get your arm fixed."
Negi finished putting on his shirt and glared at Konoka. "I'm not supposed to leave your side. Nor am I supposed to leave Setsuna-Ojou-sama's side."
Setsuna blushed slightly in response. That wasn't a title she was used to receiving. "C-call me Setsuna," she muttered.
Asuna smiled and shook her head. Now Setsuna knew how Konoka felt. "Anyways Negi don't you work for them?"
"Technically."
"Ha! Then we order you to go and get your arm fixed. Right Secchan?" Setsuna nodded in agreement with Konoka.
"Good then that's settled." Asuna turned to Kaede and smiled. "Kaede can you take him to get his arm fixed for us?"
Kaede, who hadn't been paying any attention, jumped when she heard her name called. She looked at Asuna, then Negi and finally back at Asuna. "Um sure."
"Good! Alright Negi, Kaede, we'll see you guys later!" Asuna grabbed her bag and ran out the door, followed by Konoka.
Setsuna turned around and bowed slightly at the waist. "Don't worry Negi-san. I'll keep an eye on them." She turned around and ran after the two girls.
Negi watched her go with a sigh of trepidation. He wasn't so sure that it was a good idea to leave them on their own. On the other hand, he did need to get his arm fixed. He had very limited movement in the limb and it would only get worse. He looked to Kaede and nodded.
"Let's go shall we?"
Kaede nodded and walked out of the room. Negi rubbed the back of his head and sighed. He felt a weight on his shoulder and saw that Kamo had settled himself down. "What is with these girls?"
Kamo shrugged his shoulders. "No idea Aniki."
"Where are you taking me again?"
Negi and Kaede walked side by side around the campus. Things between the two had been rather silent since they left the dorms. The only time Kaede ever talked was to point out important parts around the campus. And Negi, well he didn't talk at all. That's why Kaede was so surprised by the question he had just asked her. She watched Negi shift slightly to allow a couple of girls to walk by him. Most of the schoolgirls from the high school, middle school and university stared at him as they walked by. A few of the girls were intimidated by him but most of the girls thought he was cute. Kaede could hear them giggle and whisper as she and Negi walked by. Negi paid the girls no mind but Kaede was starting to get annoyed with them. She didn't know why but she just did.
Kaede turned to him and gave him a small smile. "I'm taking you to one of my classmates."
"…"
"Don't worry. She's the smartest person in the entire university. Maybe in the entire campus."
Again Negi didn't say anything to her. The two continued to walk towards the university's science department in silence. Kaede's right hand clenched nervously and she started to fidget while she walked. For some reason she was feeling extremely nervous next to the young man. She felt anxious, jumpy, and even a little frightened. At the same time she also felt safe and secure. It was a weird feeling to say the least. She knew how to talk to the old Negi but not this new one. The new Negi was distant, quiet and cold. If only he would talk, then she could feel a little more comfortable.
"Something is bothering you."
Kaede jumped and looked at him. Not exactly what she wanted to hear. The way that Kamo looked at her with his calculating smirk wasn't making her feel any better. Instead of staying quiet she smiled and asked, "Is that your way of asking if I'm alright?"
"I couldn't care less about how you feel," Negi answered coldly. "But your nervousness is annoying me."
"Who says that I'm nervous?"
"I can feel it rolling off of you in waves." Negi stopped and so did Kaede. He shifted his cloak slightly; he was starting to get a little warm. "You have no need to be afraid of me Nagase Kaede. I will no hurt you."
Kaede smiled and nodded. "I know you wouldn't. You would never intentionally hurt me.-De Gozaru."
"Do you really know me so well?"
"I used to," Kaede replied and continued walking.
Negi blinked, taken off guard by the simple statement. He followed after her slowly. Once again they were locked in silence until Negi covered his face with his hood. "What's wrong?" Kaede asked.
"There are two people coming up behind us," he answered. Two small knives for throwing slid down into his right hand.
Kaede glanced behind her and smiled. "It's just my roommates. Don't worry they're harmless."
Negi's eyes shifted towards her and he took note of the calm look on her face. He slid the knives back up his sleeve and shrugged.
"Kaede-nee!" The two girls called.
Kaede stopped and turned around with a smile on her face. Negi stopped as well but paid the girls no mind. The two girls that approached them were rather short. They both had the same medium length orange hair and deep blue eyes. Both of them were dressed in the university uniform and both of them looked exactly the same. Negi could only guess that they were twins. The only way to tell them apart was that the one on the left had some ornaments in her hair. Negi also couldn't help but notice that both of them had a mischievous glint in their eyes.
"Are we still going out for sushi?" Asked the one without the ornaments.
"Of course Fuka-chan," Kaede answered.
The other twins' attention was all on Negi and he had to keep shifting so she couldn't see his face. "Who's your friend Kaede-nee?" Fumika asked curiously. "He seems sorta shy."
Kaede scratched the back of her head trying to come up with a story. "He's um…an a-actor. Yeah that's it, and actor." She saw Negi give her a pointed look from under the hood. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "He's going to be in the university's production of…Hamlet!"
"Really!" Fuka exclaimed. "Do you have the hood on to stay in character?"
"Can you say some lines for us?!" Fumika asked excitedly. She had her hands put together in an almost pleading manner.
Negi reached up and rubbed the back of his head. "I don't really have anything prepared."
"Aniki. Psst Aniki," Kamo whispered from inside the cloak. "If you want to get rid of them you better."
Negi sighed and nodded. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a skull scaring the twins and making Kaede sweat drop. "To be or not to be: that is the question: Whether tis' nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and opposing end them? To die: to sleep; no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and thousand natural shocks." He bowed his head slightly, no longer looking at the skull in his hand."
When he was done the twins clapped enthusiastically. "That was so cool!" Fumika cheered.
"Yeah! Can you do some more?" Fuka asked hopefully.
"Sorry girls!" Kaede cut in. "We have something we have to do!" She said grabbing Negi's hand. She started to run, dragging the young mage behind her.
The twins stared after the two of them in bewilderment. "He was weird. But he sounded kind of cute," Fumika giggled.
Fuka nodded. "Kaede-nee really seems to like him."
When they were far enough away from the twins Kaede stopped running. She slowed to a much more comfortable and slower pace. "You know that I can walk on my own."
Kaede looked down and saw that she was still holding onto Negi's hand. The young ninja blushed and immediately dropped his hand. "Sorry!"
Negi shook his head. "What was with the two of them?"
Kaede squashed the blush and looked over just as he lowered his hood. "They were just my roommates. They used to be two of your students as well."
Negi paid that comment no mind and just nodded. Kamo climbed out onto his shoulder and looked at him curiously. "The real question is: How did you know you would need that skull to act out a play?"
Negi looked down at the skull in his right hand and nodded. "I didn't. I always carry it with me; never know when you might need one." He placed the human skull back in his cloak and continued walking.
Kaede and Kamo shared a look. The ermine put his finger to his head and swirled it around while indicating Negi. Kaede chuckled and nodded in agreement. A groan from Negi caught their attention.
"What's wrong?" Kaede asked.
Negi pointed straight ahead to indicate what caused his depression Mana was sitting on the edge of a fountain, polishing her rifle. She was dressed in dark blue sundress that fell down to her knees. She was wearing a pair of white sneakers that seemed to be very clean. Negi had to admit that she looked pretty in the outfit. It just didn't fit with the badass gunslinger image that she had going.
"You don't like Mana?" Kaede asked.
"No. But then again I don't really like many people at all. I just get the feeling that she wants to kill me," he said with a shiver.
Kaede laughed. As far as she could remember he had always felt that way around Mana. "Mana gives a lot of people that feeling. She's not so bad when you get to know her." Kaede ran towards the gunslinger, calling out her name. Negi begrudgingly followed behind her.
Mana looked up and gave Kaede a nod. She was about to go back to her gun when she noticed that Negi was with her as well. Mana would never admit it, but the mage gave her a feeling of uneasiness. There was just something about seeing the once kind boy turn into a cold man that bothered her. Mana couldn't help but admire him though. He had turned into such a strong and handsome figure that she couldn't help it.
"Mana?"
Mana shook her head and looked up to see Kaede looking down at her curiously. "Huh?"
"I asked if you wanted to go with us."
"Go with you where?" Mana asked cluelessly. She didn't want to admit that she hadn't been paying attention.
Kaede looked at Negi and he just shrugged. "We're going to the university science lab."
Mana looked at the two people in front of her and nodded. "Sure." She picked up her rifle and stood up. She slung the weapon over her shoulder and motioned for Kaede to lead the way. As she walked she found herself on Negi's right side and Kaede on his left. "Aren't you supposed to be with Konoka-san?" She asked suddenly.
Negi looked her over." Do you always carry a gun with you?" He shot back.
"It's my job. I'm in the biathlon so it doesn't look suspicious if I carry a rifle."
Negi nodded. "I need repairs." He lifted the cloak to reveal the busted arm.
Mana felt a little guilty about jumping all over him the way she did. She may even have apologized if Kaede hadn't interrupted. "There it is." She said pointing to a large white building.
Negi sighed and followed the girls into the building. After getting directions on where to go they got in the elevator. They went up a few floors and found themselves in a wide hall. Many people in white lab coats were rushing around the halls. The trio walked up to a door labeled: Robotics and Engineering Department. Mana opened the door and walked in first. Negi followed Kaede into the room. Several mechanical parts littered the floors and tables. Diagrams for various types of robots were scattered around the room. Negi even noticed that a couple of lifeless robots were hooked up to diagnostic like machinery.
Mana turned to Negi and stared hard at him. "I'm warning you now. She is a little eccentric."
As soon as she said that one of the side doors opened. A young girl with glasses rushed into the room. Her black hair was pulled back into two messy ponytails and her bangs hung freely in front of her green eyes. Her black knee length was dress was crooked and a little messy looking. Like the other people in the building she wore a white lab coat. In her hands was a clipboard and in her mouth a donut. She didn't even seem to notice them as she continued to mumble away.
"Hey Hakase," Mana called.
Hakase took the donut out of her mouth but continued to write. "If you intend to use more of my drones for target practice, then you can just…leave." When she looked at them the clipboard and her donut fell to the ground. Her eyes locked onto Negi and went wide. "Negi-sensei?"
"Oh crap," Negi muttered. He raised his arms to defend himself but it was too late. Hakase had already launched herself at him and was hugging him.
"Your back. Well of course your back, unless you're some kind of manifestation. And Kamo is with you to!" She rambled on. "Where did you go?! And how did-hwah?!" Hakase felt herself being lifted into the air. She looked helplessly at Kaede, who was holding her up by the back of her jacket.
"Calm down Hakase-dono," she said with a smile.
"Yeah, I need to talk with you for a minute," Mana replied. She released the scientist from Kaede and took her to the side. She was able to get through the explanation with no interruptions.
Hakase listened to the explanation and nodded when she felt it necessary. When Mana was done she had to admit that she was a little surprised. "He doesn't remember anything," she asked sadly. Mana shook her head. "W-well I don't know all that much about memory loss."
"We don't need help with that," Mana replied. "We need you to take a look at his arm. You'll see why. And try not to mention too much about his past. I think it would be best if he figured things out on his own."
Hakase nodded. "Leave it to me!" She turned around and waved for Negi to come over. Negi and Kaede walked over to her. "Hiya! My name is Hakase Satomi." She said holding out her hand.
Negi shook her hand awkwardly. How had she gone from hugging to hand shaking? Deciding not to ask he just gave her a blank look. "Um, you're the one that's going to fix my arm?"
Satomi nodded. "You bet! Just come with me." She led them over to what looked like a small table. On the table there was a green hospital like cloth. Next to the table was a tray of surgical like tools. "Sit down and rest your arm on the table.
Negi pulled off the cloak and did as he was told. Hakase looked down at the arm and nodded. "Synthetic skin and metal plating both appear to be well designed. Looks like some fried circuitry," she mumbled stroking her chin.
"Can you fix it?" Kaede asked.
Satomi laughed in an almost maniacal way when she asked that. "Of course I can. Piece of cake." She turned around and picked up what looked like some kind of headgear. She placed it on her head and turned back around. At the front of the strange were several lenses. "Okay. First I have to remove the synthetic skin. So where do the cybernetics end?"
"About 12 centimeters below the shoulder."
She felt around and nodded. "I can feel it." She grabbed a marker and made a line where the synthetic skin stopped. Then she grabbed a scalpel and made several precise incisions. When she was done peeled the skin away and gasped. "Wow! The metal plating here is very well designed. It even gives the illusion of muscle so it matches your other arm!"
The others listened to her rants and shared a strange look with one another. Next she grabbed a weird drill like tool and removed the damaged metal plate. She flipped down the magnifier on her head and worked diligently at removing the frayed wires. After what seemed like an hour she was finished. She grabbed a new set of wires and worked on connecting them to the rest of the circuitry. It was another half hour before she said anything.
"The craftsmanship is really amazing. Do you mind me asking who did it?" She asked, using a set of needle nose pliers to tweak one of the wires.
Negi shook his head. "His name was Hakase Jun." Satomi jumped causing a small surge of pain throughout the part of his arm that was still flesh. "Dammit," he hissed.
"Negi-kun are you okay?" Kaede asked worriedly.
"S-sorry!" Satomi replied quickly.
"What the hell was that?!" Mana asked the scientist.
Negi assured the girls that he was fine and looked at Satomi. "Is he a relative?"
Satomi went right back to fixing up his arm. After a minute of silence she nodded. "He's my brother."
This revelation made Kaede and Mana stare at her in shock. "You never talk about a brother," Kaede said.
"Did you two have a falling out?" Kamo asked.
"…Yes." She answered. She connected one of the wires and nodded. "We had an argument a long time ago and he sort of disowned the family. Try moving your arm."
Negi did as he was told and moved his arm. He could bend it at the joint and move his fingers like it had never been damaged. "I'm impressed," he said sincerely. "You are his sister."
"All we need to do is replace the plating and the skin." She grabbed another plate and placed it over the exposed wiring. "Mana, hand me that tool shaped like a duck." Mana did as she was told. At the end of the tool were three prongs that started to spark when Satomi pressed the button. She ran the tool carefully along the lines of the plate to connect it to the others. "How is he? My brother?"
Negi looked at her and nodded. "Last time I saw him, he was doing well."
Satomi smiled and continued her work. She would never be able to admit it, but she still cared about her brother a lot. The rest of the hour was spent in silence while Satomi replaced the synthetic skin. When she was done she led the rest of them down to the entrance. Negi tried to offer her payment for the parts she used but she waved him off. She said that it was enough just know that he was alright. Negi was a little confused by the statement but went with it anyways. The rest of the day had been spent touring the academy and going out to lunch. Kaede and Mana were excellent tour guides and companions. Negi liked the way they didn't pressure him to talk like Asuna and Konoka did. It made him feel a little more comfortable around them.
It was growing dark when they finally made their way back to the dorms. The sun was setting below the horizon, bathing them in an orange glow. When they reached the entrance of the dorms Negi turned and looked at them. The girls stopped talking and looked up at him. He appeared to be thinking of what to say next.
"You don't have to thank us," Kaede laughed. "We helped you out because we wanted to." Kamo looked at her from his perch on her shoulder. Something was catching his attention about her. It was giving him dirty old man thoughts.
"Well anyways, I owe you one."
Mana sniffed and shifted her rifle. "I think you did us a favor by not killing us last night." Negi blinked at her as if he had no idea what she was talking about. "Don't play that. You could have killed us if you wanted to. Couldn't you?" She asked quietly.
Negi just smirked at her and walked into the building leaving the two girls outside. Kamo apologized to the girls and jumped down from Kaede's shoulder. He managed to make it inside the door just before it closed. Mana stared at the door and she felt herself tense in anger. There was something about the way that the mage looked at her that made her feel so confused. She looked at Kaede, who seemed oblivious to what had just happened. Mana shook her head. This was going to be a long journey for all of them.
"So what brings you here Takamichi?"
Takamichi looked at his host with a thin lipped smile. A small girl no more than ten years of age looked back at him. She had long blond hair and pale blue eyes that were the color of the sea. She was dressed in a black nightgown that gave her a doll like appearance. In her hands she clutched a stuffed rabbit that had a bandage over one eye. Takamichi knew better than to be deceived by the sweet and innocent look on her face. Her ice cold glare made sure of that. He watched the blond drag her tongue over particularly long canines. Takamichi fixed his glasses and stared at her with an almost teasing smile.
"I'm not going to beat around the bush with this. I need your help," he admitted sheepishly.
"The great Takahata T. Takamichi needs my help?" The girl asked in a teasing voice.
Takamichi slapped his hand down on the table. "I'm not joking. I really need your help."
The young girl cackled and tossed a strand of blond hair behind her ear. "You know that I will require payment," she licked her lips.
Takamichi sighed and nodded. "Fine. Will you help me…Eva?"
Evangeline smirked and giggled in an evil way. "Of course I'll help out an old friend. We're gonna have a hell of a time." She cackled evilly again.
Takamichi sighed. He knew that he could over power her out in this world if it came to it. He also knew that she could help him become stronger. All in order to live up to the name Crimson Wing and make his friends proud. So why did it feel like he just sold his soul to the devil?
End Chapter
Well everyone, that's the end of this chapter. Just some filler really. Trying to attempt to have Negi getting a little more comfortable with the girls as well as bring Takamichi into the story. Tell me what you guys thought. Remember: Every time you fail to review god kills a cabbit. Remember those little things from Tenchi Muyo? Anyways, till next time!
Itachi: Back to the Tsukuyomi with you!
Me: O.o (Screams like little girl.)