Disclaimer: I don't own Negima! Magister Negi Magi or Ranma ½
Rise of Prodigies
Chapter Ten: Dancing with the Golems
Beta:
"Left! He's coming from the left!" Nodoka-san shouted urgently over the conference call and through the earpiece that Ranma and Ucchan were wearing.
"We see it," Ucchan said as she used her skill with battōjutsu to deal the incoming Goki (protective demon) a gaping wound in the chest of the hoplite shaped golem.
"There's one more! It's leaping!"
"I've got it." Ranma shouted as a large Zenki (offensive demon) shaped like a Okinawan shisa (Okinawan version of the Chinese Guardian Lion) leapt over its humanoid partner to lash out at Ucchan. "Sagitta Hystrix (Porcupine Arrow)!"
Her spell launched a barrage of bolts akin to porcupine quills that stabbed themselves deep into the feline Zenki even as the force of their impact sent it flying back. Hopefully, the spines will keep it disabled. I did target its joints…
The shisa didn't make a reappearance, so Ranma was pretty sure her tactic had worked. Unfortunately, it was just replaced by another Zenki instead.
"Ranma-san, below you!" Nodoka-san shouted urgently over the phone.
Thankful that she had her Volant (fly) spell active as a standard part of her combat buffs, Ranma managed to fly away just as the floor under her exploded to reveal a giant badger shaped golem.
I know he's got years of experience, along with being the head of the Kansai Magic Association, but come on! He's just playing with us! Ranma snarled in her mind as the sheer casualness of the Headmaster even as he fought off their attempts to rescue their classmates pricked at her pride.
Even with Nodoka-san's Pactio artifact, Diarium Ejus. A magical diary that could read the minds of a given target. They had yet to successfully break through despite repeated attempts over the past few days.
"Oh no! Ranma-san, Ukyo-san, get out of there! He's swarming you!" Nodoka-san said suddenly, even as Ukyo finally took the head off the hoplite Goki and Ranma finished off the badger Zenki with a Cete Spiritus (Whale Breath) whose water jet blasted a gaping hole through its clay head.
"Shouldn't you girls be studying?" A crow shikigami squawked indignantly.
"Not until we rescue our friends," Ranma shouted at the normal sized familiar even as she shot off a brace of Sagitta Magica (Magic Arrow) that tore it to pieces.
"You do know they're perfectly fine, right? Honest." Another crow said from where it was circling overhead.
They did know that. Nodoka-san's artifact only needed a person's name to read minds and so they're been able to peek into the situation that the Baka-Rangers and co. had found themselves in through their thoughts. It wasn't exactly unpleasant… That being the only reason Ranma didn't feel like ripping the Dean's head off. But they were still stuck underground with no way out! And forced to study!
Ranma could not condone anyone forcing people to do things. Even if it was for their own good. Reason with them and convince them to do it, yes, but tricking and manipulating them like the Dean had done? The redhead simply could not allow that, not after what she'd been forced to endure.
"Stuff it, you old geezer." Ucchan snorted as she struck the ground in front of her with her sword and sent a barrage of debris flying at the circling crow, knocking it out of the air.
"They're almost there!" Nodoka-san called out urgently, reminding the two fighters of the imminent threat.
Exchanging a frustrated look, Ranma and Ucchan poured on the speed as they fled from the library. Behind them a literal army of golems of various shapes and sizes boiled out from behind the innumerable stacks as they pursued them.
We'll have to chalk this up as another failure. Ranma lamented as she flew out of the building, the doors of which slammed shut behind her and Ucchan as if in a final insult, leaving them alone to catch their breaths in the blissfully cooling night air.
"Does he have a 3D printer or something for these things?" Ucchan asked, panting and wiping sweat from her brow. "Seriously, I think I saw some old school mascots in there."
"I think he might be using the Library Island as a place to store all the shikigami he's collected or created over the years," Ranma reasoned as she landed and dispelled her buffs. "He's just throwing them at us now because it's convenient."
"Is he some kind of hoarder?" Haruna asked, apparently deciding it was okay to butt in now that they didn't need Nodoka-san's real time support.
"Looks like?"
"D-dammit!" Nodoka-san swore suddenly. Huh, that was rare of the usually softspoken girl.
"What happened Nodoka?" Haruna asked her friend.
"The Dean! He's turned his golems, all of them, to autonomous mode." The mind reader explained. "I won't be able to read their movements anymore."
"That sneaky old coot," Ucchan said with a shake of her head. "If he wasn't being all crazy about this, I'd be impressed."
"Looks like its a bust for now." The redhead sighed, "Let's regroup and recharge."
"And go back to the drawing board." The chestnut haired girl joined her in a sigh as they started to head back to their 'HQ' back in the Saotome sisters' dorm room. Ucchan was wincing a little as they walked and Ranma felt her pain, some of the hits they'd taken smarted.
Maybe I should blow this matter up and report the Dean to the International Magical Association? Ranma thought as she considered their options. Sure everyone are safe down there, but keeping them locked up like this just because they wanted to cheat on their exams is outrageous!
"I know what you're thinking Onee-sama," Haruna said over the phone suddenly. "But let's give it a little while more. You know what'll happen if the International gets involved."
"Hmph!" Ranma huffed, a warm feeling fluttering in her chest at how well her foster sister knew her.
Haruna did have a point too. If the International got involved, there would be investigations, hearings and all that shebang. It would be a troublesome mess that Ranma honestly didn't want to deal with if she could help it.
I'm not sure we have a choice though.
"Are they still studying?" Haruna poked Nodoka-san's shoulder questioningly. "I mean, really?"
"Yeah," Nodoka-san confirmed. "But they're also getting worried that the exams starts tomorrow, so Kaede-san is scouting for a way out."
Haruna stared at her for a few moments before asking again, "No, but really?"
"Haruna-san, yes, I am certain." Nodoka-san frowned at her, a textbook in her hands. "Now look at your reference book."
"...Fine."
"Why are we studying?" Ucchan asked as she looked up from her Japanese reference book. "Shouldn't we be planning on how to break through the Dean's defenses tonight?"
"I am aiming for the top individual scores." Nodoka-san informed Ucchan politely. "Besides, it never hurts to study."
"Really though, it's because we can't exactly do anything at the moment." Ranma chimed in with a more logical answer. "We can't plan anything since we don't know what we'll face tonight. With the Zenki and Goki all in autonomous mode, what we'll end up fighting is entirely up to luck. And it's not like we can attack the Island now, not when it's full of students using it to study for the exams."
Haruna slouched against the table, splaying her arms. "We can only bang our head against the wall so many times I guess. If we can't plan anything ahead of time then we should just wing it."
"I don't like this," Ucchan said with a frown. Thumbing through her reference book.
"Neither do I," Nodoka-san admitted, stopping her reading to fiddle with her bangs. "I feel useless. I have such a powerful artifact from my Pactio but it's not proving as helpful as we hoped."
"Don't sweat it," Ranma reassured the mind reader. "It helped us loads. The Dean's just worked out how to get around it is all. If anyone is to blame, then blame it on me and Ucchan not being strong enough to make use of the advantage you gave us before he came up with a counter."
"Yeah," Ucchan agreed, eying her blade with a look that was a strange mix of frustration and longing. "Damn! I wish I was stronger."
"Don't we all?" Haruna said with a sigh. "I mean, at least you three aren't totally useless like me."
"You're not useless!" Ranma insisted sternly. "Don't call yourself that Haruna."
"Well, I am. At least during this incident." Haruna countered with a sad grumble. "Really wish I wasn't, but I can't deny facts and neither should you, Onee-sama."
"You just haven't found your niche yet."
Haruna's face met the table. "I'd be lucky to have one at this rate."
"I'm sure you will. Eventually." Ucchan told her, still looking at her katana oddly. "It'll just take time."
"Boo, fine." Haruna conceded though she continued her pouting. She flipped the book in front of her, casually spinning a pencil between her fingers. "So do we call it quits until the exams tomorrow? Because we have to sleep some time, Onee-sama."
"No," Ranma said with a determined shake of her head. "We'll try one last time. If we fail again, then I'm calling in the International."
"And will we be awake enough after that to take the exams?" Nodoka-san asked worriedly. "I mean, this whole incident is about pulling our class' grade average up, right? So if we all go to the exams and flunk it because we were exhausted then everything was wasted, wasn't it?"
"You're not wrong," Ranma agreed, as she pulled out a six pack of unfamiliar drinks. "Which is why I bought us these."
"What are those, Ran-chan?"
"Potions," the redhead explained. "Specifically they're stamina potions. We take these before we sit the exams and we'll be in peak shape no matter how tired we were beforehand."
"You think of everything, Onee-sama." Haruna praised. "But don't these cost a pretty penny during exam season. The college student who makes the stuff mentioned it's a hot product at times like this."
"I'll just have Negi-sensei pay me back when all is said and done."
"Isn't that a little mean?" Nodoka-san asked, frowning.
"Not really. If he was a bit more firm, maybe this wouldn't be happening right now." Ranma huffed, crossing her arms angrily.
"Onee-sama, you looking so serious is super cute." Haruna giggled at her, making the elder Saotome flush irritably.
Ucchan's giggling did not help whatsoever.
"Hmph! Whatever," Ranma said huffing in frustration.
Why is it that every time I try to be serious, people just say I'm cute? Darn it all! This is the worst part of the curse!
"So you girls are back again." The Dean said with exasperation as he piloted the same golem that Haruna had described him using when he'd first sent the Baka-Rangers and co. falling into the depths of the Library Island.
Haruna's right. It looks like nothing more than a crude giant stone soldier. Even those two swords it has look like they were made on the cheap.
"You bet, Dean-sama!" Haruna chirped giddily, "We don't give up so easily!"
"Y-Yeah!" Nodoka-san nodded as she stood a little behind the green haired girl.
"You children do realize that the exams are tomorrow, correct? I could give you detention for this."
"For taking a walk at night?," Ucchan asked with a raised eyebrow while casually walking towards the library building.
"For being past curfew, yes."
"The Academy doesn't have a curfew," Ranma reminded him as she cautiously took a step forward.
"I just started it. Tonight."
"The school charter says you need to give students two weeks notice before you implement changes like that," Haruna told him with a cheeky grin. "So no dice."
"What is wrong with kids these days? Reading the charters… Back in my day, I swear we acted like children."
"Haruna-san got bored," Nodoka-san admitted. "There wasn't anything new to read and-"
"And it was even more boring reading it than doing nothing!" Haruna shouted in exasperation. "Seriously, Dean-sama you really should put some effort in making it, I dunno, less dull?"
"Good try, girls!" The golem said as it literally fired its arms like rockets out to either side, barring the way as Ranma and Ukyo tried to sneak pass while it was distracted. "But you'll need to try better than that."
Ranma just shrugged even as she watched with fascination as the rocket arms reattached themselves to the golem.
"It was worth a try?" The redhead offered.
"I suppose it was," the Dean acknowledged. "But enough bantering for tonight. Let's get this over quickly so you lot will manage to get some sleep before the exams, shall we?"
"I couldn't agree more," Ucchan replied as she sunk into a battōjutsu stance.
Ranma just nodded as she cast her buffs and slowly drifted into the air, watching the golem warily whilst simultaneously looking through the corner of her eyes as Haruna and Nodoka-san retreated behind some cover.
"Autonomous mode: On!" The Dean announced as he gave up active control of the golem.
It immediately lashed out with its rocket arms, trying to snag both Ranma and Ucchan in its grasp.
Without even missing a beat, the swordswoman shouted out her technique. "Ryūsōsen (Dragon Nest Flash)!"
In a intense flurry of strikes with her blade, Ucchan unleashed the full force of her sword skill and a good amount of Ki on the rocket, obliterating the weapon - which was apparently largely made out of rock - and reducing it into a cloud of dust.
Wow! Ucchan's gotten strong. Ranma observed even as she took out her own rocket with a Cete Spiritus.
"Oho! My rocket arms, oh no!" The golem quivered somehow and took a step back. "Whatever will my golem do?"
Okay, now he was just being obnoxious.
If the golem was inconvenienced by the lost of its arms, it didn't look it. In fact, it got mad - if a shikigami could manage that - and began lashing out at them with its laser eyes.
Fortunately, it wasn't exactly quick with the way that it turned its head to sweep its lasers at them, so both of its opponents easily evaded the powerful beams. What they didn't expect though was the way a compartment on its chest opened up to reveal a net launcher that fired its payload at Ucchan.
If the look that Ranma caught of her friend's face was any indication, being targeted just pissed her off. Without even breaking stride in her continued evasion of the lasers, Ucchan swung her blade out and cut the incoming net into pieces.
Ranma took the opportunity presented by its targeting her best friend to fire off a spell. "Sagitta Mixta (Mixed Arrows)!"
Her mixed barrage of a number of the magic arrow variants she'd developed, namely Equus Calcitrant (Horse Kick), Sagitta Hystrix (Porcupine Arrow), and Sagitta Telam (Web Arrow), hit home on the distracted golem. The Equus Calcitrant hit the familiar around hard, causing it to stumble and dealt direct damage. While the Sagitta Hystrix and Sagitta Telam worked together to hinder its movement. The former by impaling its joints while the latter covered it in restraining spider webs.
"Oh, my golem is stuck! However will it respond?" The Dean asked jovially, seemingly unconcerned that his Doki was on the verge of defeat.
Though that thought might have been a little too presumptuous on Ranma's part, as seemingly unfazed by its entanglement, the golem simply leveled the stumps of its arms at the two girls it was fighting. As it did, the stone that covered them started to melt into clay that proceeded to reshape itself into… A pair of scifi cannons? Ranma wasn't sure, this was more Haruna's thing if she were honest.
"Copyright infringement!" Her foster sister cried out in very serious outrage. "How dare you use particle cannons from Battletech to fight an otaku! Heathen! Monster! Baldy!"
"Ha! Says the whippersnapper! Back in my day-!"
"Sacrilege! May you rot in hell!"
"...Young lady, you are being a little cruel here." The Dean pointed out, hurt clear in his voice.
Haruna just continue to spit fire at his soul. Wow, Ranma really had to get Haruna to clean out her mouth, the sheer profanity she was spewing now would get them both grounded for a month if Obaa-san heard her.
Though that was a worry for when she wasn't being forced to evade energy beams being shot at her. Not just the particle beams(?) from its arm mounted cannons either but renewed shots from its eye lasers too.
With all those scifi weapons maybe Konoka-san was right when she said her grandfather got help from the Robotics Club when building this thing. Crazy stuff like this is their forte. Maybe I should ask Chao-san for a teched up crossbow? Hm, nah. She has steep prices.
While Ranma was busy daydreaming Ucchan had tried to close in and attack the golem. Unfortunately, it seemed to have yet another trick up its metaphorical sleeve. She was just within striking distance having danced around its storm of beam attacks when suddenly the Goki unleashed a powerful electrical surge that hit her with enough force to send her flying back and crash onto the ground in twitching unconsciousness.
"Ucchan!" Ranma shouted worriedly at seeing her best friend's condition.
"Don't worry so much," the Dean assured her. "She's fine. Only unconscious. Well that and a little shocked up."
The old fool had the indecency to chuckle at his bad joke but Ranma was in no mood for humor. She was seeing red.
"Itami!" Ranma roared as she flew through the storm of energy beams shot her way to unload a brace of Sagitta Magica (Magic Arrow) pumped full of as much destructive magical power as she could fill them with. The attack did little to the Dean's Goki but it did keep its attention, even as a being from her nightmares manifested itself right behind it.
The dark spectral being was the manifestation of all her childhood woes. All the martial arts prowess that the girl willingly discarded took the form of a panther made of shadows. It was an embodiment of the creature that rotten old bastard that had sired her wished he had.
This ethereal entity was the result of all the help of the magical psychotherapists she had been sent to over the years for her many issues. Working with them, she'd sealed all her feelings she'd had about her childhood abuse into a part of her mind where she could work to overcome it. She had, at least she hoped so, but in the process had created Itami as a result.
A being that at a simple invocation was now at her beck and call.
She didn't know what to feel how over half her lifetime fit into another being, even if it was still technically part of herself. But in that moment, she didn't care.
With a mental command, she had Itami jump onto the golem's back. It obeyed and proceeded to use its Ki enhanced claws to tear into the rocky back with animalistic fury. At the same time, a shadowy male figure detached itself from the feline mass and joined in the fray.
This figure looked like Ranma would have if she was really male and wasn't cursed. And while the feline Itami possessed all the beastial power of the Neko-ken and was empowered by the rage, pain and all the negative emotions she had about her past abuse, this humanoid part of Itami represented all the strength of the other martial arts she'd been forced to learn combined with the cool determination and focus that had been painfully drilled into her as she'd mastered them. It was with these forces that the shadow man, began launching one devastating martial art technique into the golem after another. It faded from time to time, but reappeared almost immediately afterward to continue pressing its attack.
Fists flew, rock shattered, yowls rang in the air as Ki enshrouded claws of raw shadow tore deep gouges into earthen flesh, all whilst Ranma watched. It was transfixing in a way, just watching herself, in some regard, fight as she was raised to. She still didn't enjoy having to use this though.
It was too much of a reminder.
Nevertheless, it proved effective. As it had been caught completely off guard, the golem was helpless as Itami's two halves easily tore its particle cannons to pieces. One with surgical kenpo strikes while the other with the wild, vicious swipes of its claws.
Guess that leaves me with the head and its lasers. Ranma thought as she raised her crossbow at the golem's head, watching with a smirk as it struggled to fend off Itami. Its blows utterly useless as they did no damage to the ethereal creature. Even the lasers from its eyes passed through the shadowy entity as if it wasn't there.
"What in the world is this?" The Dean asked flabbergasted by what his golem was suddenly facing.
"I call him Itami." Ranma told him with a frown. "But you'll know it as the thing that'll mark your defeat here today. Cete Spiritus!"
Pouring magic into her spell, she sent the most powerful water jet she could muster at the golem's head, knocking it right off in its entirety.
Ha! Suck it, old man! Ranma thought vindictively.
Her sense of victory was short lived though. As she landed to admire her victory, already a spot of haziness was coming over her and she wobbled unsteadily on her feet. Summoning Itami always drained her. Add on the rest of the fighting and she was utterly exhausted.
Oh, the world's spinning, she thought as she fell back with a thump, sensing at the same time that Itami had faded back into the depths of her mind and soul.
This feels nice. Ranma thought as her eyes closed of their own accord. I could use some rest.
The last thing she heard as blissful sleep overtook her were muted cries of her name tickling her ears.
"Onee-sama's out cold." Haruna-san said as she pulled her sister into a princess carry. She was tiny enough for it Nodoka assumed even as she mused on how cute her sleeping face looked. "How's Ukyo-san?"
"I'll live," Ukyo-san replied for them both as Nodoka struggled to help her to her feet. "Thanks. I can stand on my own. I think."
Nodoka nodded and let the swordswoman try, keeping close just in case. When she was sure that her friend could indeed manage it, she stepped back.
Letting out a tired sigh, the bookworm rubbed her eyes and unclipped the hair clips holding back her bangs.
Ah, that was better.
Summoning her artifact, she clutched it in her arms, drawing comfort from it. It helped her calm down. Something she needed as her heart was still racing a little.
This night was crazy. Nodoka thought as she surveyed the wreckage of the golem that Ranma-san had destroyed. But it was fun and exciting too. Watching that fight was the most epic thing I've ever seen!
Though she had no doubt that there was going to be plenty of chances for her to top tonight if the antics that the Saotome sisters got into always ended up like this, which she was pretty sure was closer to the truth than any of them really liked.
What did I get myself into? Nodoka thought as her eyes filled with tears, though she honestly didn't know if they were of happiness or sheer terror.
"You okay?" Ukyo-san asked kindly.
"I-Is this how things usually are?" Nodoka asked nervously.
"Don't know. This was my first adventure too." Ukyo-san winked teasingly.
"...So we're doomed from the start?" She replied cheekily.
That earned her a small giggle. Alright, that's good. Opening her social circle was good.
"So we're retreating, right?" Haruna-san asked as she walked over, her sister cradled carefully in her arms.
"Yeah," Ukyo-san confirmed with a nod. "I'm pretty beat up and Ran-chan is unconscious. There's no way we're getting through to the others tonight."
"So should we call the International?" Nodoka asked. "Ranma-san did say we should do that if we fail."
"Hmmm, that's a tough call. I'm not sure it would be the best solution here. I doubt Dean-sama's going to keep them there for the exams." Haruna-san pondered as she cuddled her sister closer. "What's the situation with the Baka-rangers and co. now? Nodoka, mind checking?"
"Give me a moment," Nodoka replied as she flipped open her artifact and used it to read Negi-sensei's mind.
"Oh! It looks like they've found a way out and is using it to climb out of the Island as we speak," the bookworm informed them happily, summarizing the contents of her artifact. They after all didn't need to know how Negi-sensei found Kaede-san and her ninja skills super cool for finding their escape route.
"If that's the case, then I think we can let this go." Ukyo-san said with a sigh. "There's no point to kicking up a fuss over something that's going to be resolved soon anyways."
"Yeah," Haruna-san agreed. "Nodoka, your vote?"
"I say leave it," Nodoka said after a moment. "I just hope they make it out in time."
This was met with nods from everyone.
"Okay, then it's decided." Haruna-san said with finality. "Let's go home and get some rest. We'll need it if we don't want to feel like crap during the exams."
"Won't those stamina potions help?" Ukyo-san asked as they started on their way back to the dorm.
"They give you the stamina you need, but they don't do anything about the crappy feeling you have from being exhausted." Haruna-san explained.
"Wouldn't that defeat the purpose?" Nodoka asked curiously.
"A bit," Haruna replied with a shrug. "But it's kinda a better than nothing deal. It helps, a lot, but it isn't perfect. I used a few when we started middle school for some of my manga deadlines. They do work when needed. Just prepare to feel like roadkill during whatever you're using it for and especially after the effects wear off."
"I'll take all the help I can get." Ukyo-san chimed in. "I feel dead on my feet. A few hours of sleep ain't gonna be enough and I do want to do well in the exams."
"Same," Nodoka replied with a yawn.
Haruna-san just nodded.
The rest of the trip back to the dorm was in silence. Everyone was too tired to waste their breath talking. It was a companionable silence though and Nodoka enjoyed it quite a bit.
If this is the kind of feeling I'll get for getting involved in Haruna-san's adventures, then maybe it is worth it. The quiet girl thought to herself as she got ready for bed.
It was the last thought she had for the night as she drifted off to sleep the moment her head met her pillow.
Negi took a deep breath as they finally made it out of the Library Island's labyrinthine depths. The fresh air was refreshing and liberating in a way that the young boy hadn't really felt before. As safe and relaxing the past week or so had been in the underground cavern, it was nonetheless a prison and he was relieved beyond measure to have escaped it.
"Gosh, that was one crazy trip!" Konoka-san chirped, her usual cheerfulness interrupted by a yawn. She quickly covered her mouth, "Excuse me."
"W-We need to hurry. It's almost time for the exams, girls." Negi informed them.
"No worries, we smart aru!" Ku Fei-san cheered with a wobble in her legs.
Asuna-san nodded, giving a thumbs up and an unlady-like yawn, "We've got this."
Negi swallowed heavily. I really hope so!
"Yo Negi-sensei," the unexpected voice of Takamichi called out to the group.
Spinning towards it, Negi found his old friend leaning casually against a lamp post a few feet away.
"Takamichi?! What are you doing here?" Negi asked with a startled gasp.
"I'm here to take you lot to the exam hall, of course." The arts teacher informed them with a grin.
"So Oji-chan sent you?" Konoka-san asked, suspiciously. She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes as if evaluating Negi's fellow teacher.
"Something like that," Takamichi replied evasively, glancing at his watch. "Either way, are you lot coming or not? You'll miss the exams if you don't."
"Let's get this over with, I guess." Yue-san said, pursing her lips.
Following behind Takamichi, Negi and his students headed over to Mahora Junior High School but instead of leading them to their classroom as expected they were directed to a spare classroom.
"You'll take your exams here for today," Takamichi informed them as the students took their seats. "You're late after all. We usually don't give you extra time for it, but since you all had a good reason the Dean decided to be lenient and is allowing you the full time alloted to the various papers."
"How generous," Yue-san drawled.
"Hey, don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Asuna-san chided, a look of surprise on her face at having used one of the idioms they'd learned in the underground cavern under Library Island.
"Enough chit chat girls," Takamichi said as he began giving out the question papers that had conveniently been stacked on the empty classroom's teacher's table.
"Good luck girls, I believe in each of you!" Negi encouraged his students with a beaming smile as he stepped out of the classroom, giving Takamichi a small bow while doing so.
As he closed the door behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief that the Library Island ordeal seemed to be over at last. Turning to glance at his students hard at work on their exams, he felt the seal on his magic he'd placed a week ago finally break granting him access to his powers once more.
Guess I should make use of that, the young mage thought as he observed his tired but determined students in the classroom. Nothing that would give them an unfair advantage, but maybe a little pick me up is in order.
"Fragrantia floris, meis amicis vigorem, vitalitatem, auram salutarem! Refectio! (The fragrance of a flower, a wind that will fill my friends with vigour, vitality, and health! Recovery!)" Negi incanted under his breath.
His spell released the fragrance from a lone flower that wafted through the open window and reached each of his students, making them more alert and lively. Easing what aches and pains they'd acquired from their experiences this past week.
Smiling, Negi felt proud of himself.
Takamichi however disagreed and shot him an unimpressed look but otherwise didn't do anything.
Smiling sheepishly at his disapproving old friend, he waved awkwardly and woodenly walked away.
So, this is it huh? Negi thought sourly as he clutched his crook staff tightly in one hand, his luggage in the other.
The results had come in, and despite his best efforts Class 2-A had once again ended up dead last.
"Negi-sensei stop!" Haruna-san shouted as she sprinted directly in front of him, blocking his path towards the train station. "You've made a mistake."
"H-Haruna-san? What are you-"
"Haruna, put me down!" Ranma-san said from where she was being carried like a sack of potatoes by her sister.
"Onee-chan! Explain things to him!" The greenette demanded as she nevertheless complied with her petite sister's request.
Said redhead adjusted her appearance for a bit, mainly pulling her disheveled skirt back over her shorts and glaring at her sister for the rough handling before turning her attention to Negi.
"Haruna's right, Sensei, you're making a mistake."
"I don't think so," Negi insisted. "2-A scored dead last and like the Dean said that means I'm fired."
"Negi!" Asuna-san's voice shouted from off in the distance.
"And here comes the cavalry." Ranma-san rolled her eyes.
Negi was about to speak, but he was bombarded by the bodies of his approaching students so hard that he could barely breathe!
"Wow, all the Baka-Rangers?" Ranma-san said with annoyance. "Did you all need to come to break the news to the idiot?"
Under the pile of flesh where he was buried, Negi winced. Looks like Ranma-san was still very sore about all the trouble she'd gone to rescue him and her classmates having essentially gone to waste.
Pushing through the tangle of limbs, Negi managed to poke his head out and ask the question of the hour.
"W-What do you mean I'm wrong? The announcement was made."
"There was an accounting error, you dummy." Ranma-san told him with a glare. "A very, very obvious one! Or did you not notice that the class list you were given didn't include the marks for the first day papers of any of the students that went missing with you in the Library Island?"
Come to think of it…
"The administration forgot to add those in," Ranma-san continued her explanation, crossing her arms irritably as she did so. "Factoring those results in as well, 2-A actually has-"
"We're the best class in the year! And it's all thanks to you, Negi-sensei!" Sasaki-san declared excitedly, tossing Negi into the air. "Negi-sensei banzai! Banzai!"
The cheer was picked up by the other girls too and soon they were tossing him repeatedly into the air whilst they did so.
"Girls! Please! Put me down!" Negi cried out as he went up and down. Oh, he was getting a little dizzy now.
At least they'll never change. Negi thought as his class continued to cheer for him.
He was mid-air when he noticed Ranma-san shake her head and turn to walk away, a look of frustration etched onto her face.
Ranma-san really doesn't like crowds huh? Negi thought as he fell back to earth.
Any further thoughts about Ranma-san were put on hold though, as he was swept away by the class for a celebration. It was as over the top as always and one he was completely powerless to moderate much less stop. A fact that led him to embracing the adage of 'if you can't beat them, join them' and wholeheartedly join in on the fun.
Done and done! Thanks to the team of Nameless as always!
Man, I wish I had a magic flower that relieves tiredness. Sounds useful for a fic writer. Now where did I leave my radioactive waste, science calls for a magical solution!
Nameless: Be careful with that radioactive waste, you might just create something terrifying by mistake. XD
My sixth finger has no idea what you mean. Overall, I'm happy with this chapter, it really just shows all the stuff the gals in Ranma's group are improving on. Also, Ranma summoned her Purrsona! XD I had to, I'm not sorry! I hope you liked that move by the by, it was really fun to work on.
Nameless: That's just… I think I'm just gonna ignore that bad joke. For my sanity. Anyways, yeah, Itami is inspired by the concept of Personas. It strictly speaking isn't one, but functionally pretty much operates on the same mechanics. Maybe? We haven't fully decided. By the way, anyone else amused by the Haruna having insane strength joke making a reappearance? After all, her carrying Ranma as easily as she does in this chapter ain't normal. I think we're gonna run with that from now onwards. E4E, your vote?
My Sister has Super Strength? I agree with this new trope.
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!