Negima and the Curse of the Dreadnoids
Chapter 12: A Fiendish Rescue Mission
Yuna chuckled and she bent down. Negi figured she was getting ready to spring up to attack. Negi fired a spell at Yuna but she jumped up just before it hit the ground. The girls activated their pactio powers and prepared for Yuna's attack.
"Prepare to get squashed you pipsqueaks!" Yuna shouted. When she slammed the ground, she shook the entire floor and caused a few girls to lose balance. She eyed Nodoka and chuckled.
"Come on over here you!" Yuna said. Her left arm suddenly started stretching out and she grabbed Nodoka's arm!
"Nodoka!" Yue shouted. She prepared to fire a bolt of lightning but stopped when she realized that she could hit Nodoka too. Suddenly, Makie fired her right hand and the ribbons wrapped around Yue's arm holding her broom.
"Don't think you can save her! You've got ME to deal with!" Makie said. Suddenly, Fuka and Fumika dashed towards Makie. Her other hand shot out but her ribbons couldn't catch them.
"Take this!" the twins said. Makie looked spooked and looked back. Fuka and Fumika dashed to Makie's sides and they started tickling her. Makie couldn't help but laugh. That left everyone completely confused.
"Uh...what are they doing?" Fei Ku said. Kotaro took a chance and charged for Makie. With one slash of his claws, he sliced through the ribbons holding Yue's arm.
"Yow! Hey!" Makie shouted. But it didn't matter since Makie's fingers grew back. Akira saw Yuna holding Nodoka and fired a gust of water at her. It slammed into Yuna and she was forced back. In the process, she dropped Nodoka and was soaking wet.
"Yuck! Now I'm all wet." Yuna said. Yue took a chance and fired a bolt of lightning at Yuna. It hit dead center but Yuna still grinned!
"What the?! How is she smiling?!" Asuna said. Yuna growled and she broke the lightning blast with sheer force.
"Hey sister! I'm rubber now! And if you were good at science, you would remember that rubber CAN'T conduct electricity!" Yuna said. Yue gulped as Yuna dove towards her. Meanwhile, Nagi and the king stood there staring at each other.
"I never expected you to be the lucky runt to get away." Nagi said. The king laughed.
"Yes. Well, you never were that good at targeting your enemies." the king said. Nagi chuckled.
"Well, now I AM." Nagi said. He grabbed his staff and fired a rainbow colored beam at the king. He skidded back before the attack ended. His hands glowed dark and he fired black lightning at Nagi. Nagi dodged the attack and fired rapid bolts of energy at the king. In the smoke of the attacks, the king still stood.
"Hmph. I'm impressed." Nagi said "I saw those girls. Why haven't their eyes changed?" Nagi said. The king chuckled.
"Simple. I dubbed those worthless fools to be useless in my army. I have nullified the bugs within them and I will only activate them if I decide they are useful. And after a analysis from one of my fellow Dreadnoids, I have come to do that." the king said. Nagi just huffed.
"So what do you want them for now?" Nagi said.
"I discovered that their chants grant their allies a boost in magical and physical skills. I hadn't known that earlier and now I have come to take them back." the king said. Nagi grinned and chuckled.
"What's that laugh for?" the king said.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but my son and his friends are already tailing the girls you came to "rescue". I imagine they must be back to normal by now." Nagi said. The king just laughed.
"And I hate to burst YOUR bubble, but I have sent at least five of my special minions to dispatch your little group as well as bring those girls back to me. I imagine they are already getting to know two of them." the king said. Meanwhile, Yuna was springing all around the place like a rubber bullet!
"Gah! She's too fast!" Asuna said. Suddenly, Yuna bounced by and slammed into Asuna's back. She fell over and groaned.
"Asuna! Are you all right?!" Negi said. Asuna looked at him and smiled.
"Yeah. It'll take more than that to take me down." Asuna said. Yuna heard her and growled. She bounced off a wall and came back at Asuna. She passed overhead and then bounced herself towards Asuna from behind.
"Oh really? Then how does THIS feel?!" Yuna shouted. Her fists started lashing out like boxing gloves on springs. They headed for Negi but Asuna stepped in to protect him. She hugged Negi tightly waiting for the impact.
"Asuna!" Negi said. They rapidly pounded away at Asuna's back. Asuna tried to embrace herself. But with a twin punch, Yuna struck down Asuna and she collapsed.
"No! Asuna!" Negi shouted. Yuna chuckled and used her hands to grip the ground and stopped bouncing around. Meanwhile, Makie had Fei Ku, Kaede, Chao and Kotaro's arms and legs wrapped up in ribbon. They couldn't break free and Makie laughed.
"Now you guys will know what it's like feeling like a Christmas present!" Makie shouted. Kotaro struggled endlessly to break free. Nodoka ducked beneath an escalator and tried to read their minds. But Yuna saw Nodoka and her arm stretched out towards her. Akira intercepted and was caught in Yuna's grip.
"Yuna! Snap out of it! It's me! Akira!" Akira shouted. But Yuna didn't listen and she threw her away. Luckily, Chachamaru caught her. Konoka hurried to Nodoka and hid with her. Setsuna charged for Makie with her blade extended.
"Time to cut this ribbon!" Setsuna said. But right when she was swinging her sword, strands of ribbon from Makie's hair shot out and grabbed Setsuna. She was soon wrapped up tightly in ribbon.
"Setsuna!" Konoka shouted. Fuka and Fumika tried to help but Makie caught them as well. Sakurako, Kakizaki and Madoka just sat there staring with their mouths wide open. Negi tried to help Asuna to her feet but the pounding she took from Yuna made her back feel broken.
"I...can't get...up straight." Asuna said. Negi looked at the rest of his class in danger and he looked at his training wand.
"Girls. Thank you for helping. But now...I'LL save you." Negi thought. Yuna chuckled and fired her arms out towards Nodoka and Konoka.
"Got you now!" Yuna said. But with a blast from his wand, Negi sent Yuna's hands towards Makie and they struck her. When Yuna's arms came back, she growled and turned to Negi.
"Oh. I forgot you!" Yuna said. Just as Yuna was about to fire her arms out at Negi, he shouted a spell and that slowed down Yuna's speed. Her arms were now moving in slow motion towards Negi.
"Eh?! What happened to me? I feel...so slow!" Yuna said. Negi rushed over towards Yuna and pulled out a rubber band in his pocket. He loaded one of the elixir pills in the band and aimed it at Yuna's mouth.
"Sorry Yuna. But even an athlete needs vitamins once in a while!" Negi said. He released the band and the pill zipped into Yuna's mouth. She swallowed it and started acting like she was choking. With one shriek, the bug was ejected from her right hand and popped. Yuna slowly changed back while Negi turned to Makie. She gasped.
"Oh crud!" Makie said. Negi rused towards Makie and fired a spell. It slammed into Makie and she fell over. Her grip on the others was released and Negi took another pill out from his pocket.
"And that goes for you too Makie!" Negi said. When he reached Makie's head, he put the pill in her mouth and she swallowed it. Soon, the bug was ejected from her arm and her fingers retracted. After a minute, Yuna and Makie were completely back to normal again. But due to the fighting, both of them felt dizzy.
"What happened?" Makie said. Meanwhile, Nagi was still facing the king and he fired rapid blasts at him. The king avoided them before getting a disturbing feeling. He stopped in place and was hit by Nagi's attacks. Nagi stopped.
"Something wrong king?" Nagi said. The king growled.
"They did it. Those little brats brought down Makie and Yuna! But...how?!" the king said. Nagi laughed and the king looked at him with a growl.
"Didn't I tell you? Don't count those kids down yet." Nagi said. The king growled and vanished in a puff of smoke. Nagi hurried to find Negi and the others. Meanwhile, Negi and Chachamaru helped Asuna up. Her back was still in pain.
"Asuna? I'm really sorry. Are you all right?" Yuna said. Asuna smiled.
"Yeah. I'm...fine." Asuna said. Nodoka and Konoka watched Asuna feeling worried. Chachamaru got Asuna onto her back and they went to find a hospital. Sakurako, Kakizaki and Madoka were worried as well and after Negi freed them, they followed them. They met Nagi half way there.
"What happened kids? I guess you won?" Nagi said. Negi nodded.
"We need to get Asuna to a hospital. I think her back was broken during the fight." Negi said. Yuna looked away worried.
"All right then. Let's go." Nagi said. But from a nearby roof, three hooded girls watched them. One of them started off towards the hospital as well. She arrived before them and went inside. When Negi and the others arrived, the nurses helped Asuna to a bed. Asuna's powers had worn off and she was resting peacefully in bed. She had changed into a long white shirt and her old clothes were neatly folded.
"Ah. This feels...so good." Asuna said. As Asuna relaxed, Negi told Nagi everything that happened while he was gone.
"I see. Good job Negi. I knew I could count on you." Nagi said. But while Negi felt proud, he was also hurt inside that he let Asuna hurt her back trying to protect him.
"Asuna..." Negi thought. Negi went over to the side of Asuna's bed and sat down. Asuna looked at him and smiled.
"Hey. Don't worry teach. We're partners. Right? I think it's my job to protect you." Asuna said. Negi still felt weak.
"Don't say that professor. You saved us from getting wrapped up like mummies." Fei Ku said. Everyone else nodded since it was true.
"Sorry about the commotion we've been causing earlier. We were just so upset." Kakizaki said. Negi and Asuna looked at them and chuckled. Negi figured that they should take the elixir pills now. Just then, a nurse came in.
"How are we Asuna? Feeling better?" she said. Asuna looked at her and nodded.
"Yeah. These beds do wonder on the back." Asuna said. The nurse chuckled.
"That's good. Because, it's time...for your shots." she said. Asuna looked at her confused.
"W..Wh...What shots?" Asuna said. The nurse chuckled and tore her face off. It was a mask and beneath it was Ako! She had the same facial details as Yuna did and she had slightly pointy ears.
"Why THESE shots of course!" Ako said. She took off her gloves and her fingers were shaped like needles. They fired needles at Asuna and they nearly got her. Negi grabbed the staff and fired a spell at Ako. She was sent back into the hallway. She growled and charged for Negi. But when she dove at him, Negi ducked and she went flying out the open window in Asuna's room!
"Ako!" Akira shouted. But she came right back up with black angelic wings.
"When did she learn to do that?!" Fuka said. Ako chuckled and flew right back in.
"Sorry. Visiting hours are over!" Ako said. She flew up high and fired needles rapidly at them. Nagi created a barrier to shield them and the needles got stuck in it like a giant needle cushion.
"Dang it! Why did Ako have to show up now?!" Asuna said. Negi tried to think of something to stall Ako long enough to get a pill in her mouth. Just then, he thought of something.
"Wait. That's it!" Negi said. When Ako ran out of needles, Nagi dropped the barrier and Ako caught her breath. Thinking fast, Negi bit the skin on his thumb.
"Negi! What are you doing?!" Asuna said. Ako dove for Asuna ready to strike. But right when she was very close to Asuna's face, Negi stuck his thumb in front of Asuna. His thumb had blood on it and Ako just froze.
"B..B..Blood! Ew! Get that away from me!" Ako shouted. It seemed that Ako's fear of blood was still in effect.
"Good thinking Negi." Akira said. Negi took a pill and threw it at Ako. With luck, it went right into Ako's mouth and she swallowed it. She started hacking and coughing while descending to the ground. The bug came popping out of her back and evaportaed. Ako's wings turned into feathers and vanished as she returned to normal.
"Ako.." Makie said. When she completely returned to normal, she looked around.
"Guys? Ugh. What am I doing here?" Ako said. Negi sat Ako down and explained everything that happened.
"Oh. I see. So, is that why Sakurao and the others are...?" Ako said. Negi nodded. Negi's thumb was wrapped in bandage to stop the bleeding.
"Good idea there Negi. If you didn't remember Ako hating blood, I probably would've gotten my shots after all." Asuna said. All of them started laughing together. Meanwhile, the two hooded figures were atop the hospital.
"She failed us. I knew Ako would be useless." one of them said. She removed her hood and the face was Chisame! She had the same facial details Ako did and her glasses were gone.
"Really Chisame. You think EVERYONE is a failure." the other said. Chisame huffed.
"What about you Satomi? Aren't you upset that the stupid kid keeps beating us?" Chisame said. The other hooded girl pulled her hood down and the face was Satomi. She had the same face as Chisame but she wore her glasses. It seemed the bottom right half of Satomi's face was made of machine.
"I'm just as annoyed. You probably do have a point. But what do we do about Springfield?" Satomi said. Chisame chuckled.
"Isn't it obvious? Seperate him from his "partners" and he's dead meat." Chisame said. The two laughed and vanished from sight.
END OF CHAPTER
