I don't own Naruto or Negima...Damn it!
For those of you who have been complaining I got The One True Slacker to Beta most of the older chapters, so they should be a little easier on the eyes now.
I have a question for my knowledgeable readers. Should I change the Pactios of the girls that are engaged to Naruto, modify them slightly or just stick with the old ones and just change who they get them from.
And while you're thinking about this could I get your thoughts and opinions about how you think the story is going so far. Your reviews are the grease that helps me move this story along.
I thank you all for your readership and time.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
'Kyubi-chan'
"Spell casting"
This is the Beta'd version of this Chapter.
Break.
Chapter Start.
The morning following the War of the Lips was slightly better than the previous one. At least everyone remembered what had happened this time, though well over half the class was sulking after losing money or meal tickets to Sakurako and Naruko.
After everyone had eaten breakfast a bunch of girls crowded around Nodoka and admired the card she'd been given as the prize for winning last night's contest. Nodoka herself didn't know what to think of it. The card had her picture on it with several books floating around her and a caption at the bottom in Latin. So she decided to track Kasumi down and ask her about it.
It didn't take the bookworm long to find the class reporter but when Nodoka finally located Kasumi the red-head was busy listening to a discussion going on with a group of her classmates and Negi sensei. Nodoka decided to stay out of sight and wait for them to finish. After a few minutes though Nodoka was surprised when they started to talk about what sounded to her like magic. Curious Nodoka peeked around the door frame...
...Just in time to see Asuna hold up a card similar to hers, say "Adeat!" and have it transform into a large paper fan.
Poor Nodoka could feel her heart going a mile a minute and she didn't pay any attention to what was being said after that. The fact that magic was really drove everything else from her mind as she stared at the card in her hand, trying to figure out if it was really true or was she still dreaming.
There was really only one way to figure this whole thing out. Nodoka held her card out in front her a quietly recited the phrase Asuna had said.
"Adeat!"
BREAK.
In a room down the hall from where Nodoka was spying on Negi and Co. Naruko was sitting at a table with Eva and Chachamaru sipping tea.
"So what did you want to see me about Nee-chan?" Naruko asked as she sipped her tea. Eva couldn't hold back the smile that started to spread across her lips when she heard that. She was finally getting to live one of her oldest dreams and have a younger sibling. Well Naruto was actually her godson, but if he wanted to act like her little brother/sister then that was alright with her.
"I can't just hang out with my godchild?" Eva said then laughed at Naruko's surprised look, "if you could see the look on your face right now!" Naruko just looked away with a humph, which only made Evangeline laugh harder.
After a few moments Evangeline managed to get her laughter under control and tapped the pouting red-head on the shoulder.
"There really is something I need to talk to you about" Eva said when Naruko looked up. Eva reached behind her back and pulled out a large card "This to be exact".
"And what exactly is that?" Naruko asked as she examined the card that had been created when Naruto bond Evangeline(1).
"This Naru-chan is a Pactio Card, well actually it's a copy of the card we made and that you now carry with you. With the original of this card you can communicate telepathically with me, summon me to your side and boost my power, once you've learned to manipulate magic properly that is" Eva said with a smile while Naruko's eyes widened as she thought of all the possible uses for those kind of abilities.
"What does it do for you?" Naruko asked. Eva smirked as she took a step away from the table and held the card loosely at her side.
"Adeat" a bright flash obscured Eva for a moment before it cleared to show a twenty-ish looking Evangeline in her black armor with two swords sheathed behind her waist(1). Naruko had went momentarily brain dead when she laid eyes on the blond bombshell and she just knew that her inner pervert was screaming 'SCORE!'. But it only lasted a moment before Naruko slipped back into her normal, curious self.
"And how does this help you, besides the jump in eye candy value?" Naruko said the last part with a smirk. Eva couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped her as she deactivated her card and reverted to being a Lolita.
"At the moment?-not sure, haven't really looked into what the artifact can do. What is important is what this card represents, that from now until either my death or the end of your family line I, Evangeline A. K. McDowell, will serve the head of the Uzimaki clan in any capacity that the head wishes"
"Wait one cotton pick-in second, Are you say that Nodoka just unknowingly sold herself the way you did only without her consent?" Naruko asked with a growl as she thought of the card that she'd seen Nodoka with last night and this morning. Eva could feel the rage building in her master and decide not to be sarcastic in her answer.
"No the contract Nodoka formed with Negi is merely a probationary one. It can be voided easily and will be voided once Negi gets married, assuming that he doesn't marry the bookworm that is" Eva felt a ton of relief pour of her red-haired master "and I didn't sell myself! I gave of my own free will since it was the only way to break the curse".
"Sorry" Naruko said with a bowed head, properly chastised.
"It's ok" Eva took a sip of her tea before she decided to change the subject.
"So what's the plan for today?" the little vampire asked. Naruko sat thinking for a few moments.
"I think we need to concentrate on protecting Konoka Konoe. The most serious of the three 'attacks' on the class was directed at her and showed real effort, Negi and his letter is probably a secondary concern. Negi is also much better able to defend himself and will probably have Asuna with him and while they maybe under-experienced they aren't helpless" Naruko paused to take another sip of tea before she continued.
"Konoka on the other hand only recently became aware of magic, has no combat skills what so ever, and is entirely to gentle for her own good. She has her own bodyguard but Setsuna doesn't seem to get how to properly protect someone, and that's something her sword skills don't cover" Naruko looked to Eva to see if the vampire agree with her.
"All correct, so what are we going to do about it?" the vampire asked.
"We send Chachamaru with Negi and Asuna; she should be powerful enough to tie up anything while the two newbies make an escape. Meanwhile you and I will stick with Konoka. I get the feeling that they weren't prepared for this much firepower spread throughout the class, and will probably back off after learning that the Dark Evangel is one of their opponents." Naruko finished her tea and stood up. Eva found an evil smile plastered on her face as she stood to follow Naruko out to join the rest of the class.
BREAK.
Takamichi gazed up at the gatehouse that guarded the northern entrance of the Fire Daimyo's palace in the capital of Fire Country. He had always enjoyed the architecture of the palace and tried to leave a little spare time to look around whenever he visited.
But now wasn't the time to be sightseeing. Takamichi approached the gate and met with his usual contact in the Daimyo's court. The man was getting on in years and wore the robes of a senior court adviser.
"Diamyo-sama is expecting you in one hour Takahata-san, which is about how long it will take to get from here to the Daimyo's office if we level right now" Takahata nodded and they started into the palace with two young samurai for an escort.
"Does Diamyo-sama know the reason for my visit?" Takamichi asked as they walked along.
"No, but he has a pretty good idea and if you have evidence to prove your case he is inclined to grant your request" the official answered. The pair continued to walk along mostly silently for the rest of the trip and parted when they reached the door to the Daimyo's office.
Calling it an office was a bit of an understatement. It was more of an audience hall then an office with guards, scribes and advisers present as well. The silver haired teacher just took it all in stride as he approached his allotted place. After sitting through the tail end of a minor case Takamichi was called forward.
"Takahata, Takamichi. Why do you come before the Daimyo of the Land of Fire?" The speaker asked.
"I come as a representative of Mahora Academy and Evangeline A. K. McDowell on a case of the improper execution of a will"
"May I ask whose will wasn't executed to their wishes?" The Daimyo himself asked.
"Minato Namikaze's, The Forth Hokage of Konohagakure" there was dead silence in the room for five seconds before pandemonium erupted. It took a few minute for order to be restored and when it was Takamichi had everyone's full attention.
"If it's a Kage's will then why bring it here and not to the authorities in Konoha?" the Chief Speaker asked.
"Konoha were the ones interfering with the will" that brought a growl from many of the officials present and a scowl to the face of the Fire Daimyo. He had suspected that Konoha hadn't always been honest with him on certain matters.
"Do you have evidence of this supposed treachery?" the Chief Speaker asked. Takamichi nodded and brought out a book bag that he'd been carrying. From it came letters of rejection that Konoha had sent every time someone from Mahora had tried to gain custody of Naruto or have Minato's will read. Minato's final will was next along with Minato's official Hokage seal, which had been destroyed by a security seal the moment he'd died. Finally there was a sworn affidavit from the school seal master(Evangeline) detailing the loyalty seal that had been applied to Naruto and another from the school nurse detailing the injuries that the boy had suffered that couldn't in any way been shown to have been 'training accidents'.
By the end of Takamichi's little show and tell session over two hours had passed and the Fire Daimyo had seen more than enough to grant Takamichi's request and sanction the Leaf village. He also quietly thought his own father may have had a hand in it, either as a willing accompanist or unknowingly by listening to Sarutobi's advice. He would have to think carefully about how to both make Konoha pay for its crimes and how to show Naruto that Fire Country wasn't as bad as the Leaf, 'cause when that loyalty seal came off the Daimyo just now that Naruto would probably want to stay as far from Konoha as possible.
The Daimyo felt a smirk form on his face. He knew a way that would at least put his family in good standing with the boy.
BREAK.
The members of groups five and six managed to find loads of fun things to do on free activity day, even if most of them were distracted and only half paying attention to what they were actually doing. Negi and Asuna had tried to sneak away earlier but were caught by Haruna, so they had to wait for an opportunity to loss those that didn't know about Negi's mission in town somewhere.
Naruko spent most of her time close to Yue, when she wasn't being dragged somewhere by Ino or Konoka that is. Most of the girls were out of their school uniforms and wearing whatever they felt like today. Naruko had gone with camo cargo pants, tanker boots, an orange T-shirt with Riot Force across the chest and her trench coat and gloves.
As the group wondered around they would stop at anything that looked interesting. This led to the group having a large amount of souvenirs and pictures by the time they entered an arcade around lunch time. Negi immediately became enthralled by one of the games along with most of the girls. As most everyone cheered Negi on in a computerized version of the card game they'd been playing on the train Naruko and Eva noticed a boy around Negi's age walk into the arcade, sit down next to the child teacher and load a deck into the system. He didn't look different from any of the normal kids his age around town, but he had an aura that instantly caught the attention of those who were magically aware, well those who were paying attention that is.
"He's probably a scout" Eva whispered to Naruko while the boy battled Negi and easily started to match the newbie. Naruko nodded is silent agreement while scrutinizing the runt as he stood to leave after trouncing Negi.
'Beware young one' sounded in Naruko's head 'I sense demonic energy coming off that brat. He's probably a Hanyou or some other lower level Demon'.
'I'll keep that in mind Kyubi-chan' Naruko thought back at her own inner demon.
'I sense the same thing coming off of the samurai wannabe that 'protects' Konoka-chan' Kyubi added as she pulled back into the deeper parts of the seal. Naruko let her eyes drift to where Setsuna was standing nervously next to Konoka. She didn't have any experience with Hanyou's, but if they were treated anything like Jinchuuriki then...Naruko decided to think about it more when they weren't in such an exposed position.
As several of the girls mobbed the now open game console Negi let Setsuna know that he and Asuna would be splitting off to go deliver the letter the Dean had given them and headed out. Eva discreetly had Chachamaru follow them to make sure that they'd be alright while she and Naruko stuck with the main group to keep the enemy away from Konoka. No one notice Nodoka sneak off as well, well no one but a pair of Naruko's transformed clones that had been patrolling the area and decided to follow the timid bookworm.
Thirty minutes after Negi snuck off the rest of the group got tired of getting whipped by Yue at the games and started looking for something else to do.
But as they were drifting from attraction to attraction the magically trained members of the group (I'm including the Ninja because what they do is a kind of magic) started to get a uneasy feeling, and in Naruko's case this feeling worked its way across the bound that she shared with Yue enough to make the normally unflappable girl jumpy. It didn't help that a moment later, without consulting anyone, Setsuna began to jog while dragging Konoka along, and then accelerated to an all-out run after someone throw a bundle of metal spikes at them.
'What the hell is she thinking/doing!' everyone else thought as Setsuna led them on a merry chase through the city. Naruko and Eva gave each other a look before both split off and took to the roof tops. Hinata could see them blurring along with her Byakugan and attacking multiple individuals on either side of Setsuna's probable path. The pale eyed heiress easily slid into both a rearguard position and a place close to Yue, she may not like the girl for taking her Naruto-kun but she also didn't want Naruto to be sad if the boy stealer got hurt.
Setsuna most have thought that the rest of the group was slowing her down because as they approached Cinema Town she scooped up Konoka, gave the rest of the girls a half hearted excuse and roof hopped into the town as fast as she could. Hinata couldn't restrain the curse that flew from her lips as she watched Setsuna continue to run between different shops within Cinema Town.
"Damn it, what the hell is that girl thinking?"
"I believe that's the question of the day Hinata-san" Yue managed to wheeze out as she tried to catch her breath. Hinata managed to suppress a bark of laughter that Yue's comment invited as she tried to figure out their next action. Too bad for her that Sakura and Ino made it for her when they grabbed Haruna and Yue and dragged them into the ticket line.
"Hurry up Hinata! They're getting away!" Ino shouted knocking the purple haired girl out of her thought pattern and causing her to sprint after her friends.
BREAK.
"Does that girl have even the SLIGHTEST CLUE what she's doing?" Naruko shouted as both she and Evangeline speed hopped across the rooftops into Cinema Town. The two fighters had just spent the last few minutes quietly pounding some minor summon demons into palp only to find that one of their friends (and the primary target of the attacks) had been drag off by her 'bodyguard' to who knows where for god only knows what moronic idea.
In short Naruko was mildly tick off right about now.
Eva had an equally annoyed expression on her face as she leap along beside her new master.
"Setsuna is a highly train Shinmeiryuu swordsman and very skilled for her age" Eva hopped to a telephone pole then bounced down onto the same roof Naruko was currently sprinting across, "That said I don't think she's received any other kinds of training outside of killing demons".
"So your telling me that Konoka was assigned a bodyguard who didn't even know WHAT THE HELL SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING!" when Eva nodded an affirmative back Naruko let out a near feral snarl.
"I'm going to be having some strong words with the dean when we get back to Mahora" Naruko snarled as she pumped chakra into her legs for a massive leap across a street.
Eva almost felt sorry for whoever Naruko got a hold of right now, almost. (I wouldn't.)
BREAK.
Setsuna felt relatively confident now that she and Konoka were mixed into the crowds of Cinema Town. Without the rest of the girls around she could focus on protecting just Konoka without feeling like she was exposing her other classmates to unnecessary dangers.
Konoka had insisted that they get dressed up while they were here, and for some reason Setsuna hadn't been able to say no so now Setsuna was dressed up as a samurai and Konoka as a princess. Both girls had been asked to pose with other visitors a few times for pictures.
"Konoka, Setsuna!" the shouts ended Setsuna's confidence as Haruna and Yue sprinted over to them, followed by the trio of ticked off kunoichi. They were soon followed by Ayaka's group. Setsuna was hoping that the situation wouldn't get any worst then it already was when an English style town carriage pulled up alongside the group and let out a blond girl in a Victorian style dress and bonnet.
"Samurai, I am Tsukuyomi a swordsman of the Shinmeiryuu. I have come to collect on the money I lent you and your princess will cover the tab nicely." Setsuna could almost feel the bloodlust coming of the girl and stepped protectively in front of Konoka.
"Over my dead body!" Setsuna growled with one hand on her sword. Tsukuyomi sighed before she removed one of the white gloves that were part of her costume and throw it at Setsuna.
"Then I challenge you to a duel for the princess at Nipponbashi opposite the front gate thirty minutes from now. There's no escape for you, even if you do call for help Setsuna-sempai" she said Setsuna's name in such a loving way that Setsuna wasn't sure if she should vomit or shiver in fear as the Tsukuyomi climbed back into her carriage and rode away.
This couldn't end well no matter how you looked at it.
BREAK.
Chapter End.
I'm going to start the afterword by just apologizing for both the length of wait and the substandard length of this chapter.