Magister Negi Magi is owned by Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo in Japan, and by Funimation and Kodansha USA in the United States, NOT by me.
Other characters are also the property of their respective creators and owners, not me.
While not quite a 'story of Mahora,' this chapter provides details about Koyomi Karenda and Tamaki Ryushin's background that have only been hinted at up to this point. It is the fourth of a four chapter series which will detail the origins of Fate's ministra within the two broader stories 'Ala Alba in the World of Magic' and kafka'sdragon's 'Markham Chronicles Negima.'
Please note that the girls will not be joining Fate in the same order they did in the manga.
Kafka'sdragon and I are effectively co-authors.
Be sure to visit kafka'sdragon's profile page to check out and read the different stories he has written!
(-)
"Weaker singly than Shirabe or Homura, two of Fate's other ministra; but more dangerous together as a team."
-Diaries of Negi Springfield
Not Always a Mage and Other Stories of Mahora.
Chapter Twelve: Origins of a Pair
(-)
(Epiricus, Syrtis sub-continent)
"You can inform our employer," the human replied using an annoyed tone, "that we have matters well in hand."
The first rays of morning touched the rubble that once been Epiricus, a moderately prosperous town in Syrtis. Black smoke, reeking of burnt flesh and fur, hung heavily about them like a traveler's cloak. Their employer, King Enteofushia, had hired the mercenaries to keep the Civil War going; a task these mercenaries had proven adept at. As long as the Hellas Empire's attention was kept busy with the fighting here, the less likely it was to bother with what His Majesty did in Argyre.
"That is good news," Fate replied in tone untroubled by the surrounding carnage. At his side stood the golem's smaller twin, whose face was hidden within a voluminous hooded cloak. Mihai had started dressing so after returning from a mission not far from here. It seemed an odd affectation on the other's part, but one not worth asking about.
Before Fate could respond further, another mage-knight raced up to them. "Commander," the man shouted. "We have a serious problem."
Serious problem was not the phrase Fate would have chosen. A mild annoyance or slight irritation was closer to the mark. A faint, blue tinged halo outlined a Nek-Jin girl holding a star-tipped wand tightly in a white knuckled fist. Studying the girl's shield revealed that while of a basic type, it was stronger than normal; easily understood; since it was not unheard of for those under sever duress to exceed their abilities. He doubted the young mage was very powerful, and since she was fighting all out, there was no doubt the girl knew what lay in store should she fall into the attackers' hands.
The commanding mage-knight snorted derisively. "A mere slip of a girl held a platoon off by herself?" the man asked while unholstering a sagita blaster. "You lot are worse than useless."
"Give up girl," the officer demanded. "I'll give you a clean death if you do; otherwise…"
"My name is Chitosi Karenda, not girl!" a defiant voice shouted back. Fate's eyes opened wide with shock as the girl's cloak fell open, revealing a school uniform blazed with Ariadne's crest.
"Ariadne," some of the knights warily muttered. Though its forces had not interfered in what was the Empire's concern, Ariadne and the city's famed defenders gave anyone reason to pause. It was said that the Valkyries had held off Ostia's conventional forces single-handedly during the war, allowing the Crimson Wing to engage the Mage of the Beginning and her servants.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Fate launched a stone sagita. The spear passed easily through the girl's shield and pierced her completely through the chest, pinning the student mage to the wall she'd been cornered against. Slipping from nerveless fingers, her wand clattered upon floor tiles. "As I was saying commander …"
Without a word, Mihai jogged over the former dwelling the Nek-Jin had been defending and started to peer around. Kneeling down by some broken masonry, he scuttled momentarily out of sight only to reappear pulling a bundle from the rubble. Like a rag doll, an unconscious child lay limply in the other's arms. "This is what she was protecting," he casually announced.
"Damn! Another neko-girl," the commander swore and then turned to a subordinate. "Take her down to the …"
"No," Mihai said in a firm but otherwise emotionless tone. Ignoring the shocked human's "what?" Mihai glanced directly at Fate. "She has power too."
For reasons he still didn't understand, Fate had saved a girl named Shirabi from certain death. After discovering that the child had power, he had seen to her training. At Mihai's suggestion, he had picked up a mind-reader that King Enteofushia had been worried about too. Including a girl with strong pyromantic abilities he'd picked up in Phoenicus, this one would make four if she decided to stay.
Why he wondered… Why was he moved to save these children, prolonging their suffering, when he truly didn't care about them? They were dolls, creations of the Mage of the Beginning, soulless shells; and Fate was even less than they were.
What did their wretched lives matter to one such as him? Unable to divine an answer, Fate nodded in acquiescence before turning to the mage knight commander. "If you have no complaint…"
"I could care less if you want to adopt a stray cat," the man spat back. "Just get it out of my sight."
Quickly the human moved away, returning to the business at hand.
"Where should I take this one?" Mihai asked.
"Chi …" the child unexpectedly muttered. "Where are you …?"
He couldn't take her back to Argyre, no more than any of the others, Fate reasoned. The king would undoubtedly see the girls as threats and find a way to rid himself of their presence, whether by a swift push over the cliff or a supposed sleeping draught.
"Take her to Albor," Fate answered. "Drop her off with the Master at Mimi's and then return to the palace."
"As you wish," Mihai replied. "Will you remain here?"
"No," Fate told him as he mentally reviewed a map of Syrtis. "I'll scout on ahead."
He would follow the river down to the coast. The route would take him through marshland, but he needed to check out the towns in between. If rumors were true, Oxia was primed to explode on its own, allowing the mercenaries to be deployed more profitably elsewhere.
(-)
(Brontopolis, several years later…)
Considering what the Ryushin's were, Inu-Jin Lawgiver Lemon Biscotti was surprised to find them both dead in their home…
Hanegawa Ryushin's eyes were open with surprise… from the small tear over the heart in the bloodstained sundress she wore; it seemed obvious the Ryu-Jin woman had been stabbed… most likely by someone she knew…
Cinque Ryushin… at least, Biscotti presumed the half-transformed body near Hanegawa was Cinque; had not fared much better…
Whatever had killed him had destroyed the Ryu-Jin man's head completely, along with part of his upper body.
Unfortunately Tamaki Ryushin, the daughter of the dead Ryu-Jin couple, seemed to be missing...
If what Biscotti suspected about the murder motive was true; someone had taken one seriously heavy risk just to make a slave out of a Ryu-Jin child…
Shaking his head, Biscotti turned and walked away as the coroners came to do their job.
He hated that he couldn't do anything real to help Tamaki; but the kind of person who could afford to risk making the Dragon Clans mad, just to obtain a toy; was also the kind of person he would never stand a chance of even investigating, much less prosecuting…
(-)
(Albor, not long afterwards… Mimi and Lolly's Bathhouse and Spa…)
When an airfish came in and settled to the ground while she was sweeping the spa's courtyard, Koyomi Karenda scrambled to the side and bowed her head submissively. Despite many admonitions never to do so, a subtle rebellious streak prompted her to glance up slightly when the occupant of the airfish stepped out onto the ground…
Strangely; it was not the usual creepy sort that was the spa's normal clientele, but instead a white haired boy; oddly familiar, and who by his look alone didn't seem much older than she…
Distressingly, the boy seemed to notice her gaze, so she quickly focused on the ground once more and a beetle that happened to be crawling by.
From across the courtyard, Koyomi heard snippets of conversation between the boy and Master Mimi that seemed to be about her… No one came over to dispense any discipline though, so she supposed he hadn't said anything about her looking up…
Eventually Master Mimi and the boy went inside, and the airfish departed.
Returning to her job, Koyomi continued to sweep the courtyard until it was time to go help pass out towels in the actual bathhouse building.
(-)
Awakened by a commotion out in the courtyard, Koyomi got up from her small pallet and went over to peek through the room's louvered window. Normally she would never have dared such a thing, but Master Mimi had been busy with a client all night, and thus had left his pet Nek-Jin girl alone for once.
Down in the courtyard several of Mimi's free employees were struggling in the pre-dawn light to unload something from an airfish… There was a pained yelp and swearing, followed by something being pushed or shoved out onto the ground, where it landed with a thud. As she continued watching; a free employee came out of the airfish rubbing his hand.
Master Mimi had ways of enforcing discipline which left no scars, at least visible ones, but the man in the courtyard was the one who handled physical discipline on the rare occasion when such things did become necessary.
When the Hu-Jin reached into his pocket, Koyomi cringed and unconsciously reached up to touch the slave collar surrounding her neck.
She hated the man… he enjoyed what he was about to do too much…
Outside there was a brief spark, then a smell of ozone and a long burst of flashing light as a slave collar's disciplinary function was activated.
Peeking through the louvers again, Koyomi could see what looked like a small Ryu-Jin girl, hog-tied and really in no position to resist, spasming and thrashing as her body was wracked by shocks from the slave collar she wore.
Through the laughter of the free employees, Koyomi could hear the gagged Ryu-Jin girl's muffled screams… screams which spoke of fear, more even really than the obvious pain…
Eventually the torment stopped when Master Mimi came out and slapped the free employee. As he stood there shouting at the man about damaging goods, Koyomi was watching the now twitching Ryu-Jin girl, wondering if she was okay…
Just before she decided to turn away, their eyes met…
Loss was obvious in the Ryu-Jin girl's desperate gaze, along with bewilderment, fear, and of course pain…
When other free employee's came and picked the temporarily subdued Ryu-Jin girl up, Koyomi ducked back down under the window sill, clutching a hand to her chest.
A big question was in her mind; 'Why?' Why did she feel as she did just from seeing another of the dozens of slaves who had passed through Mimi and Lolly's during the time she'd been there…
Perhaps… perhaps the only way she would have and answer to that question would be to try to meet the Ryu-Jin girl…
(-)
"Damn that Ryu-Jin brat!"
With a bang, Mimi Tuetonne threw open the door and stormed into the main room of his private suite. Ignoring the cowering Nek-Jin in the bedroom door and shedding clothes along the way, he headed for the suite's private bath.
"If it wasn't for the huge contract fee I've already been given, I'd dispose of that untrainable wretch before something happens to draw the attention of the Dragon Clans to this place!"
Kneeling next to the bath, Mimi tested the water temperature, then settled in and gave off a relaxed sigh. "I may still just dispose of her, despite what that client wants. Ryu-Jin are so notoriously hard to train, it's likely she'll never be safe to let him use..."
Sitting up, he turned towards the suite's outer rooms. "Koyomi! Come here at once!"
Dropping the clothes she'd been picking up, Koyomi rushed into the bathroom and knelt without looking up. "Yes, Master; how may I be of service?"
Smiling at how obedient the little Nek-Jin girl was, Mimi pointed at the back scrubber hanging nearby on a hook. "Wash my back."
Scrambling up, Koyomi reached for the brush and immediately got to work.
In the tub, Mimi leaned forward slightly, wringing his hands until the knuckles crackled. "I don't want to risk killing her just yet, but if that stupid kid keeps fighting, I have to try and break her in the yard..."
At a sudden harsh scrape of the back brush, Mimi yelped and turned sharply towards his pet. "Idiot! Be careful!"
Bowing deeply, Koyomi nodded. "I'm sorry Master! Please forgive my error!"
Mollified, Mimi sank back into the tub. "Bloody hell... it looks like either my reputation, or my pocket book is going to suffer no matter what I do..."
(-)
As Master Mimi snored in bed, Koyomi clenched her blanket close and tried to keep from thinking bad thoughts... Letting herself get angry over bad treatment and lashing out was the surest way to get a shock from her slave collar. If the offense was bad enough, then despite Master Mimi's reputation for enforcing discipline without the use of such, it could mean a trip to the whipping rack...
Accidentally scraping Mimi with the brush had been a reaction to the Hu-Jin man so casually talking about putting someone 'in the yard.' Koyomi had only seen that happen once, to a U-Jin pleasure slave who had refused the advances of a client, and her shudder at the thought was the reason she'd made a mistake.
Though it had been nearly two weeks, she had still not managed to meet the Ryu-Jin girl, but she had learned her name...
Tamaki...
That seemed like a strong name; one that matched her continued resistance...
Rolling over, Koyomi stared across the dark room at the far wall... She really needed to meet that girl; something told her it was an important, necessary thing to do; especially now that the Ryu-Jin's life could be measured in as little as a few days...
(-)
In the morning, Koyomi wondered if she was too late...
Because she wouldn't submit, and refused to do anything she was told, Master Mimi did as he'd said the previous night in the bath...
Trussed up like a tokage ham, the Ryu-Jin girl was stuffed into a heavy canvas bag that was drawn tight around her neck. She was then carried to an interior courtyard, non-accessible to regular customers, that was bathed in sunlight the entire day.
After the cinch of the canvas sack was secured to a short post so she couldn't gain any relief by just falling over, the Ryu-Jin girl was left to suffer.
By the end of the first day, Koyomi could see that the upper part of the bag was black from the sweat that had run down off the Ryu-Jin girl's head...
By the end of the second day, the Ryu-Jin girl's tongue was hanging out, and Koyomi was convinced she would die before submitting to Master Mimi's wishes...
Upset; Master Mimi drank himself into a stupor, and Koyomi saw her chance...
Tied up as she was and secured in a heavy bag, there wasn't even a need to guard the Ryu-Jin girl... In the morning, she would be asked once more to do as she was told, then would be released, or left to suffer another day...
Going to the well Mimi and Lolly's kept for emergencies; since to use the kitchen would involve too many potential witnesses; Koyomi drew out water and unhooked the bucket before rushing through darkened and mostly unoccupied parts of the bathhouse to the hidden courtyard...
In reality, it was quite easy to do...
No one bothered with her, even if they did see her.
She was Master Mimi's pet after all; as long as she wasn't seen helping Tamaki directly, or by a lot of people at once, most would presume she was doing something at her Master's behest. To think otherwise would be to invite Mimi's potential wrath.
After stopping one last time to make sure no one was looking, Koyomi rushed out into the open yard and knelt next to the sweat-soaked canvas bag.
Dipping it out with a ladle, she let water run down over Tamaki's head. When there was no reaction, she did so again, repeating the action several times...
Finally Koyomi heard a faint moan, and a whisper for water... Taking the ladle, she held it up to Tamaki's face...
Finally, after a few moments of weak lapping sounds, the Ryu-Jin girl looked up at her...
"…tha… thank you…"
Taking the ladle, Koyomi used it to rinse away some of the sweat and dirt that were beginning to make Tamaki's neck chafe. Despite her obvious relief, the Ryu-Jin's expression was still full of mistrust… "My name is Koyomi, and I... I don't really know why I'm doing this... Maybe... because I think the two of us can be friends?"
A short, pained laugh escaped from Tamaki's still dry throat...
Suddenly very serious, Koyomi reached down and gently raised Tamaki's head. "Please... you don't have to give in to them in reality; you just have to act like you have...
Right now you and I are still too young to be one of Master Mimi's pleasure slaves, so all we have to do is just be good girls, and we get fed and taken care of."
Shaking her head as she did so, Tamaki coughed. "...hu...pid... Nek-Jin..."
Realizing she was crying, Koyomi began moving Tamaki's matted hair away from her face... "Maybe, but you'll die if you don't, and we'll never get the chance to be friends..."
Feeling her heart softening, Tamaki continued staring into Koyomi's eyes for a long time before finally lowering her gaze... "o... o...kay..."
Nodding, Koyomi gently hugged Tamaki, being careful not to irritate the Ryu-Jin girl's sunburned head.
When the Nek-Jin girl finally got up and left, Tamaki shook her head once more... ("Such a silly, stupid Nek-Jin...")
'Don't die, because I want to be your friend...'
Oddly; Tamaki could feel pain returning to her tightly bound arms and legs, and wondered if it was because Koyomi had convinced her not to just give up and die...
(-)
Much to Mimi's relief, the Ryu-Jin girl finally begged for mercy… she would do whatever they asked…
Even so, it was nearly too late… the girl screamed in agony when the restraints were removed and the feeling rushed back into her arms and legs.
Surprising everyone, Koyomi was there; clinging to Mimi and asking him to please call a healer for the poor Ryu-Jin girl…
Bound to Mimi by the holding of an old debt; the healer had come within moments of being summoned.
Even though he was effectively under the Hu-Jin thumb, the old Su-Jin gave Mimi an intensely annoyed look, before reminding him that he STILL disapproved of how he dealt with his most troublesome slaves. Mimi responded in a manner that seemed to Koyomi just the parroting of words from an old argument; saying such things were none of his business.
When Master Mimi was summoned to meet with a client; Koyomi had asked if it would be okay to stay and help the healer. Permission was given, as long as she was ready to do her evening duties later.
When she finally woke up from the healing, Tamaki found Koyomi there, holding her hand. "si… silly nek-jin…"
Nodding, Koyomi smiled and squeezed Tamaki's hand.
(-)
"You've had her for two years now! When will she be ready for me?"
Shaking his head, Mimi wondered why the client who had arranged for the acquisition of the Ryu-Jin girl was so obsessed with such things… Despite the willingness to obey she'd shown since being tied up and left in the yard two years ago; he suspected that was only a front. It might have something to do with her being friends with his Nek-Jin pet; who he also now suspected was less compliant than her visible front seemed to indicate…
Unfortunately; the two were among the best-behaved slaves at Mimi and Lolly's.
Many clients; and not just the ones who liked younger slaves; had inquired about purchasing their contracts…
Quite impossible though; Koyomi's contract was owned by an outsider who simply called to see how she was doing occasionally, and the Ryu-Jin girl's by the person he was speaking to now… "Well; I suppose she's actually ready, but as I've said before; Ryu-Jin are notoriously resistant as slaves. There's no telling if she's really compliant or just waiting for a chance to escape."
"Escape? Is she wearing a slave collar or not?"
Mimi had to shake his head; fortunately the telepathia call was sound only, so the client didn't see him do so. Of course the slave collars were foolproof, but as one of the top slave traders in Albor; rumors to the contrary did occasionally come his way… "Well yes, but…"
"No buts! I intend to come to Albor soon, and she had better be ready for me!"
Responding to the authoritative tone, Mimi unconsciously bowed. "As you wish."
(-)
Standing guard, in case someone should come by and possible hear the sounds inside the privy, Koyomi waited for Tamaki to finish dealing with her nausea…
Finally, after the sounds of running water and a few moments of silence, the Ryu-Jin girl came out into the hallway. "How are you doing?"
Still a little green, Tamaki nodded. "Better…" When a free employee came by, speaking to a client, the two of them stopped and bowed submissively before continuing down the hall. "I know everything Master Mimi has made me watch is pretty tame, compared to some things I've heard about, but for some reason it really made me sick today…"
Reaching out, Koyomi lightly touched her friend's arm. "I don't like thinking about it; but what Master Mimi is doing is normal for someone he's prepping to be a pleasure slave…"
Cringing, Tamaki reached for and took Koyomi's hand. "Have you had to…?"
Koyomi shook her head. "No… and I'm not sure why…"
As they reached the bathhouse area of Mimi and Lolly's, Tamaki released Koyomi's hand. "I have to take care of the towels tonight; I'll see you at dinner."
Turning to go see to her own duties, Koyomi nearly ran into a client wearing a deeply hooded cloak. When the man uttered an angry shout and shoved her aside, she threw herself to the floor and bowed submissively, begging forgiveness. ("Idiot! Rushing around like that; why don't YOU watch where YOU'RE going!")
Apparently mollified; the client turned from Koyomi and continued down the hall in the direction Tamaki had gone. At a 'battan' sound and a click, she looked up and realized the client was no longer in the hallway…
Worry immediately seized her chest in an iron grip, and the faint sound of Tamaki screaming had her up and running for the door at once… The doorknob rattled, but like she'd heard, it was firmly locked.
Rushing back and forth indecisively, she finally heard Master Mimi's voice in the distance, and ran off to find him…
Pleasure slaves often didn't have the right to refuse a client's advances, but there were rules; and as far as she could tell, whoever had cornered Tamaki was violating those rules… "Ma… Master Mimi! There's a client…"
"Shut up."
Stunned, Koyomi could only stare at the Hu-Jin man… His grim face said everything she needed to know… "But… Tamaki…"
Knowing the Ryu-Jin girl was the Nek-Jin's friend, Mimi looked away from Koyomi. "I don't own her contract; I can't protect her like one of my normal slaves."
Disappointment came and stayed… but something else flashed briefly across Koyomi's face… something so pure and intense it actually made the one it was directed towards flinch…
Suddenly there was a crashing sound, and a bellowing scream that could only have come from an adult male…
Uncrossing his arms, Mimi hesitated slightly before rushing down the hall, shouting for someone to bring a lock cracker, as well as to summon the healer.
As those both curious and worried watch discreetly, Master Mimi and several others gathered outside the door to the room where Koyomi knew Tamaki had been trapped.
Someone carrying the lock cracker quickly appeared; swinging the device back, they smashed it against the door. Weight and magic did their work, and the door slammed open.
A desperate girl's cry came from the room as Mimi led the way inside, followed immediately by a flash and crackle of a slave collars discipline function going off…
Pushing forward, Koyomi managed to get a look inside the room… blood seemed to be all over the floor, and she immediately looked for Tamaki… Her friend, only wearing the torn scraps of her clothes, was nearly bent double from the level of power flowing out of the slave collar. She only had blood on one hand, but the person who had likely been in the cloak and tried to attack her was doubled over on the floor, and blood still seemed to be flowing from…
Not caring what eventually happened to him in the least, Koyomi smiled briefly before returning her attention to Tamaki…
Her friend's eyes had rolled back, and when the shocks finally stopped, she collapsed in a limp heap…
Eventually the Su-Jin healer arrived. He immediately called for more help, which soon arrived, and the bleeding Hu-Jin was quickly carted off.
Clearly upset, and to Koyomi's surprise; a little frightened as well, Master Mimi pointed at Tamaki and ordered her taken to the yard. Knowing what that meant, she laid her ears back and let out a little hiss…
Hearing that; the Hu-Jin who had first unloaded Tamaki from the airfish noticed Koyomi and came over. In a flash, she'd been spun around, and both arms were pinned so high between her shoulder blades all the joints popped. "You're that damn Ryu-Jin's friend! You probably put her up to this, so you're going to watch what she's got coming to her!"
Tears of pain flowing from her eyes, Koyomi turned towards Master Mimi, even as she felt the Hu-Jin holding her do the same. Looking a bit unsure, the owner of Mimi and Lolly's Bathhouse finally gave a curt nod.
(-)
Only rarely being used, a T-shaped post was brought out and erected in the yard where Tamaki had been tormented two years before. Soon afterwards, still nearly naked, the Ryu-Jin girl was brought in and secured, arms spread, facing the crossbeam.
Standing painfully on her toes, having been forced to walk to the yard that way by the Hu-Jun holding her, Koyomi watched as several other slaves, as well as free employees and even a few anticipatory clients, filed into the yard.
When everyone seemed ready, Master Mimi signaled one of his free employees, who stepped forward carrying a long whip. "Though I do not own Tamaki's contract, and am loathe to use such methods; the penalty for a slave attempting to kill a free citizen is proscribed in the Nyandom protocols…"
"Forty lashes."
Letting out a whine as she did so, Koyomi struggled in the grip of the Hu-Jin holding her…
…forty lashes…
…effectively it meant death…
Ignored by all those who were mesmerized as the first stroke of the whip struck home against Tamaki's back; one of Mimi's free employees slipped away and headed for someplace private to make a telepathia call…
(-)
(Cliffside Palace of Argyre)
Despite the inexplicable distress he felt about the matter; Mihai Dragomir calmly sought out his more decisive brother, Fate Averruncus.
Arriving outside King Enteofushia's office; he waited until the King and Fate exited, before stepping forward when the King turned to go about his own business. "My apologies for this interruption, Master Fate, but there's been an incident in Albor."
Establishing a telepathic connection with his cloaked sibling, Fate quickly reviewed the reported incident. What had happened to the Ryu-Jin girl normally wouldn't have concerned him, but its connection to the Nek-Jin girl he'd been keeping an eye on did. He briefly wondered if he should seek out the needed information so he could go deal with the individual who had precipitated the incident; but it seemed as if the Ryu-Jin had already done so.
Turning, Fate started down the corridor in the direction of the teleportation platform. "Inform King Enteofushia that I will be gone for about a week. I need to go take care of other business in that area anyway; so I'll deal with this myself."
Having followed in Fate's footsteps as a matter of course; Mihai stopped and bowed as his brother continued on. "It shall be as you wish, Master Fate."
(-)
(Albor, two days later… Mimi and Lolly's Bathhouse and Spa)
Blood had been running down Tamaki's back, her body hanging limply from the restraints around her wrists…
Letting out shrieking cry that startled everyone in the yard; Koyomi had broken free of the Hu-Jin holding her, and thrown herself in the way just as the whip was about to strike the Ryu-Jin girl again…
To say it didn't hurt would have been a lie; but she wasn't going to let them hurt her friend any more…
Several people had come and tried to pull her away, but she hissed and stuck at them with fully furred hands and claws she'd not even been aware of moments earlier.
Turning back; she'd wrapped her arms around the weakly protesting Tamaki; and had taken the remaining twenty lashes in the Ryu-Jin girl's place…
Disturbed by the clacking of the lock for the room she and Tamaki had been thrown in, Koyomi woke up from her dreams with a start…
Her own wounds had healed somewhat; thanks perhaps to the were-panther form she'd manifested, but Tamaki's had not; and her friend was still unconscious, two days after they'd been confined.
Seeing the Su-Jin healer come into the room; her hopes rose. The man came over to where she was doing her best to tend to Tamaki, and immediately went to work.
After a Tamaki's welts had been closed and reduced to still swollen pick scars, he looked her right in the eye. "Apparently someone has purchased you and your friend's contracts. He's here to pick you up, and has insisted you be taken care of properly before he does so."
Hearing such news; Koyomi's expression fell… only someone who treated slaves in the worst way; or perhaps a mine owner, would ever purchase the contracts of slaves who'd rebelled against their owners.
As Tamaki finally began to stir, she shook her head in resignation… it was beginning to look like the fantasy that she and Tamaki would one day be free was just that…
…a fantasy…
Meekly, she helped Tamaki stand, before following the healer as he lead the way to the courtyard at the entrance to Mimi and Lolly's.
Interestingly; the person who seemed to be their new owner was the white-haired boy she'd seen stepping out of an airfish the afternoon before Tamaki's arrival.
Without a word, he motioned for the two of them to come along.
Once outside of Mimi and Lolly's compound, he had removed their collars, taken out their contract papers, and incinerated everything on the spot. "I don't need slaves," he quietly declared, "…the path I travel can't be forced on another."
Turning his back upon the pair he had just purchased, the boy started to walk away.
Tamaki had stared at Koyomi, whose mouth gaped as widely as her own. Grabbing each other by the hand, they ran after him crying; "Master! Please wait for us!"
To their surprise, both girls proved adept at using magic.
After a year passed, Fate again offered them the choice to stay or leave. He even offered to send both to Ariadne, and to help them enroll in its famed school of magic. Instead they decided to remain, and to begin their training in earnest under his tutelage.
Excelling in their studies, the pair eventually entered into partnership contracts with Fate, and joined his other ministra: Shirabe Shidou, Shiori Hohoemu and Homura King, in advancing their new Master's plans.
Privately; Tamaki would admit to Koyomi that she didn't really understood all the talk about Kosmo Entelecheia, or how they were to fulfill the task of redemption left undone by the Mage of the Beginning, but it didn't matter. All she cared about was being with her friend, and their promise never to be slaves again.
tsuzuku
Author's Notes:
That's it for the origins of Fate's ministra! I hope you enjoyed the four stories.
Chitosi Karenda is the name created by kafka'sdragon for the Nek-Jin/cat-girl dispatched by Secundum in the 36th volume of the manga.
The next chapter of 'Not Always a Mage' will either be a story about Anya Cocolova, or one of several 'Bad End' alternate ending stories related to my main 'Ala Alba in the World of Magic' story.