Disclaimer: Love Hina and Mahou Sensei Negima are the property of Ken Akamatsu
Love Sara 14: Asuna's Birthday Crash
April 21, 2003 Mahora All Girls Dorm
Negi and Konoka are having their breakfast; Asuna just ate and ran for her morning paper run. The day before Negi, Konoka, Ayaka and the cheerleader trio Misa, Madoka and Sakurako celebrated in advance Asuna's birthday by singing Karaoke in Shibuya.
"Aren't you excited Negi-kun tomorrow we will going to Kyoto!" said Konoka who is in fact a native of Kyoto herself.
"Yes Konoka-san there are places there I want to visit." said Negi smiling
Negi has two motivations or going to Kyoto. One is his secret mission to deliver a letter from Principal Konoe to the leader of the Kansai magic association, to better the relations between Kanto and Kansai magic associations. The other his real reason for wanting to go is to visit the home of his father, Nagi Springfield, in Kyoto, that Evangeline told him about.
Somebody knocks on the door Negi stops and opens it seeing a person he would never expect to visit his room. A blond haired American middle school girl.
"Sara?" Negi wondering why she came here so early.
"Is Asuna there?" says Sara clutching two gift wrapped presents.
"No she went on her morning paper run" said Negi
"Oh I was hoping to give this to her personally, I heard it was her birthday" said Sara indicating the presents she has.
Konoka finishes her meal goes to see who is at the door.
"Oh Sara come in!" Konoka inviting Sara to their room
Oh Oh thought Kamo
Kamo hearing Sara's name hides his stash of female underwear and hiding himself.
Getting blasted or a heavy relic thrown at him happens whenever he is around the young girl. Perverted evidence will surely earn him a Shimeiryuu or a Urashima-ryuu technique.
Oddly Sara was not meeting Konoka's cheerful face. The reason of which is that Konoka almost took advantage of kissing Negi while sleeping in Yoyogi park yesterday. Not that she liked Negi she said to herself. Sara has trouble seeing such things. It has reminded of her when Keitaro was about to kiss a sleeping Naru years ago. She didn't get a reprimand for spying but Kitsune and Su got poked in the eye by Naru for it. As then as now she has trouble seeing such attempted kisses.
"Um hi Konoka-san I'll just leave this for Asuna…" Sara was about to leave
"Nonsense Negi-kun told me a lot about you yesterday. Negi-kun how bout showing her your antique collection" said Konoka winking at Negi
"Um… yeah…it's right here." said Negi leading Sara to his collection
"What did you tell her?" whispered Sara with a death glare.
"I didn't tell her anything but you seem to like artifacts" Negi sweating. Besides hiding the fact that he is age, which he is doing miserably since Asuna and Sara found out, he still have to keep Sara's secrets. One is that she is unofficially and unwilling partner of his since Kamo got them to pactio in Tokyo U. The other more important one since he'll be likely turned to an ermine or killed by Sara is to keep Sara's panda birthmark a secret.
"You sure" said Sara closer
"Yes" says Negi
"Tell me what?" said Konoka from behind them
"Nothing!" said Negi and Sara simultaneously
Quickly the two face Negi's part of the room. His antique collection of magical items.
"Strange, I saw some of this before at Haruka mom's place." said Sara looking at the old magic gun which is among the prizes of Negi's collection.
"That shouldn't be a surprise she is my Aunt after all" said Negi
"Don't let her hear that from you Obaa-san is a forbidden word around her unless you want to be knocked senseless like her other nephew." said Sara referring to Keitaro.
"I wonder if Keitaro has been found yet." said Negi who is concerned of not only his cousins' well being but that of Sara as well.
"I have good news!" Sara winking
"I got a call yesterday from Su she said they found Keitaro. He'll be back as soon as he recovers. Probably Naru atomic punched him or Motoko slashed him or more likely Su tested her weapons on him again." said Sara
Negi sweatdropped at the description of Sara's friends. Coming to a conclusion.
No wonder she turned into such a violent girl! I'd rather not meet them.
What has Keitaro got himself into to deserve such an abuse Thought Negi
"Sara if you want to give Asuna her gifts personally Negi-kun knows her morning paper route." said Konoka
"Eh?" says Negi
"But I don't want to impose" says Sara
"Nonsense Asuna will appreciate it! It is her birthday after all" said a smiling Konoka pushing the two to the door.
"Guess we'll have to find her now" said Negi scratching his head.
"I guess" said Sara
Behind the door Konoka giggles. Yesterday with all the commotion with Misa, Madoka, Sakurako, Asuna and Ayaka she thought she heard Sara shouted to stop but didn't see her. Konoka thinks Sara likes Negi too.
Asuna is delivering early morning newspapers as a job so she can save up and pay back the Principal someday for the free schooling she had since she came to Mahora years ago.
The fact that today is her birthday does not mean she would take a holiday despite the insistence of her employers.
"Asuna!" Asuna hears Negi from behind her. Tuning she sees Sara McDougal. A kohai at her school.
"Hey there Sara I've just finished my paper route. Why are with this guy aren't you afraid he'll perv on you again?" said Asuna to Sara pointing at Negi
"I'll just beat the crap out him if he dares. I've learned a lot from my Onee-sans at Hinata." said Sara flexing her arm
"Hinata?" asks Asuna
"Hinata sou is an all girls dorm run by Keitaro as its manager. Though I suppose the girls do help fix it since he is not only a Todai student but an active archeologist. He inherited it from Grandma Hina." said Sara
"A guy running a female dorm?" asks Asuna
"It used to be an inn but Grandma Hina turned it to a dorm before she left. When Keitaro failed his second try in the entrance examination his folks kicked him out because he didn't want to inherit the family business. He wanted to study at Tokyo U because of a promise he made with a girl during his childhood. When he came to Hinata Grandma was already on a world wide tour. He wasn't welcomed at first by the girls but they didn't have choice. Grandma made Keitaro the landlord of Hinata sou. Eventually everyone accepted him. Somehow he wormed his way into their hearts." said Sara
"Didn't Kanako came there to turn it back to an inn?" asks Negi remembering when Kanako left Wales more than two years ago with his Grandma Hina.
"Don't remind me she is such a slave driver. She did it so none of us would be around when Keitaro returns from America. Brother loving idiot!" said Sara
Having unwanted memories. Especially when Kanako placed the Love ranking revealing she is in love with Keitaro too. Bottom in the list of girls but still in love. Since then the girls vied for Keitaro's heart. All of them except her. Realistically what chance does she have? She was only ten years old. Keitaro wasn't a freak that was into little girls.
The best she can hope for is to become his little sister. That doesn't mean she would take things lightly. Before, she sabotaged Keitaro and Naru coming to Tokyo U not once but twice. She manipulated everyone to go with Keitaro and Naru when the curse of the Love Annex happened. She considered it fortunate that she didn't come chasing Naru. When they returned everyone was either mad or weird. As was the case of Motoko when she finally confessed. When she heard that Keitaro and Naru are off to gain eternal happiness fulfilling their promise. Once again she manipulated everyone to interfering with the couple. Wearing costumes, Sara's idea. They succeeded only because her father Seta kidnapped Keitaro to find the Todai ruins. She stayed with Seta and Haruka. She would rather have those two married happily than Keitaro and Naru getting hitched.
Of course she knows she is just delaying the inevitable. Sara hopes as time goes by these feelings will fade away. Not really perhaps her feelings for the former ronin got stronger over the spring break.
Asuna wonders at Sara's revelations. Occasionally Negi would sneak in her bed. During his sleep he would normally mumble his older sister but sometimes he would mumble Hinata over and over. As if he didn't want to loose something. Perhaps it is not his first time here in Japan since he said he has relatives here. Keitaro and Kanako were the ones he mentioned.
"Oh yeah Sara wanted to give you some gifts" said Negi nudging Sara
"We heard it's your birthday here is my present and this is Ema's, she's a bit shy so she asked me to give this to you" said Sara
Truth to tell Ema was a little infatuated with Negi and too shy to face him.
"Thanks a lot, Sara. I appreciate it. Sigh If only Takahata-sensei was here it would be complete" said Asuna
"You like that old dork?" said Sara
"Old dork? You know him?" asks Asuna
"He was our homeroom teacher before he left for some business abroad." said Sara
"Sara you may deny it I think we're pretty much alike. You like Keitaro while I like Takahata sensei." said Asuna
"Eh? I didn't say I liked Keitaro!" said Sara a bit flushed
"Oh really? You tried to leave just to find him didn't you?" said Asuna teasing
"Only because I was pissed because they didn't tell me he was missing." said Sara referring to the girls of Hinata.
"Same difference" said Asuna
Suddenly Negi pushes the girls to the ground. A single engine plane swoops in crashing a nearby ditch.
"Are you two alright…" Negi was about to say when
"You Baka!" says Asuna
"You Pervert!" says Sara
"Aieeee!" Negi sent flying by two iron fists
Negi's hands left and right were placed at the breasts of Asuna and Sara earning him a double Tekken attack.
"Sorry! Reflex" said Asuna and Sara to Negi
Why does my magic barrier won't work with these two thought Negi
"Ouch We better help those in there" said Negi
Out of the wreckagea silhouette of a man comes out.
"Keitaro?" says Sara hoping he has returned
The smoke clears revealing…
"Sara! Long time no see." the man with a bleeding forehead shouts
"Daddy!" runs towards him
"Ha Ha Ha" laughed the bespectacled man
"He's bleeding" said Asuna blinked at in her opinion a fine specimen of a man.
"His back is on fire!" said Negi noticing the fire burning his coat
The man pulled a fire extinguisher putting out the fire on him and placing a ready band aid on his forehead.
"Daddy!" Sara jumps from her
"Sara how are you?" says Seta
Blam! Thud! Sara hits him with a spinning flying kick
"I told you not to make trouble for others!" said Sara
"Sorry, You've grown Sara Ha Ha" said Seta
"Where's mom?" asks Sara
"Oh she'll come here she said she would take another flight than with me" said Seta
Asuna moves in introducing herself with a pair of hearts on her eyes.
"I'm Kagurazaka Asuna pleased to meet you!" said Asuna with a weird look on her face
"Oh this is Asuna a sempai at my school, Asuna this is my dad Noriyasu Seta " said Sara but Seta was not listening just looking at Negi strangely.
"Nagi! You idiot don't tell me you turned yourself to a brat! That is why I can't find you! Well then challenge you again to a fight!" said Seta changing to a fighting stance
"Eh?" Negi dumbfounded
Boom! Seta is shot by a rubber bullet from above. The wind is picking up.
Negi, Asuna and Sara look above at the source, a large helicopter with a woman with a Dessert Eagle at its main door.
The helicopter touches down and the woman walks towards them.
"Mom!" Sara hugs Haruka Urashima Noriyasu
"Sara" Haruka greeted
"Where did you get the helicopter?" asks Sara
"Grandma is at MolMol now she lend it to me" Haruka replied
"How rich is Grandma anyway?" Sara's mind boggled
"Sorry about my husband Negi-kun. He is so troublesome." said Haruka
"Husband?" said Asuna
"Haruka-san?" said Negi
"I suppose you don't recognize me. You were so young when I last saw you, Negi-kun." said Haruka who last saw Negi as a two year old.
"Seta-san knows my father?" asks Negi wondering what is the relationship with his father Nagi Springfield. Being mistaken as him.
"Yes about that Seta declared Nagi as his eternal rival when they were kids. That was before I even met Seta. Then again birds of the same feather stick together." said Haruka
Ambiguously saying both Seta and Nagi are idiots of the same caliber in her opinion.
"Um do you know father's home in Kyoto?" asks Negi
"You mean Grandpa Keisuke's old observatory in Kyoto? Don't tell me you're going there?" said Haruka
"Yes, tomorrow my class has a field trip to Kyoto. I want to visit my dad's old home" said Negi
"That's a little troublesome… Just make sure you do not reveal that you are an Urashima by blood" said Haruka
"Eh? Why?" said Negi
"Because there would be panic. Barriers will be set up all over the place. The men of the Kyoto Shinmeiryuu will set up as a defense and every parent will hide and lock their daughters." said Haruka
"What!" said Negi, Asuna and Sara
"Um… Why would I be banned because I'm an Urashima by blood?" said Negi flinging his arms
"Because you're a male Urashima. Usually daughters are born into our family. That is why Mukoyoushi is a practice among our family. But occasionally we have male heirs like Nagi, Keitaro and you. The reason you and your father are named Springfield is that Aunt Hanabi married immediately your grandfather without Grandma Hina's approval.
Males in our family have reputation of having too many girls falling in love with them.
This almost lead to the destruction of Kyoto hundreds of years ago." said Haruka
"So it's genetic?" Sara wonders if it's another curse like Motoko's sword or the Love Annex at Hinata.
"You're kidding" said Asuna
"Almost destroyed Kyoto?" said Negi
"Yes, Our ancestor Urashima Taro, the real one though named after the one in the myth, wielded a black sword. A Muramasa. Our family don't use partners like the Omnyou or the western mages do. Legends that sorcerers helped develop ninjitsu among the Koga and Iga that's us. It's that his Muramasa turned one hundredth it became a Tsukumogami. With his natural immortality and the sword possessing him. He became a Shinso. But unlike other Shinso vampires his magic resistance made him into a life force kisser rather than a blood sucker, a form of Incubus.
The Onmyou didn't stand a chance against Urashima Taro's immortality and demonic sword. What's worse almost every Shinmeiryuu swordswoman and miko knows him and is in love with him. They couldn't fight him seriously. Those who did got themselves almost kissed to death."
"Death kiss!" Asuna shuddered
Sara distances herself from Negi. Earning a raised eyebrow.
"What?" says Negi
"I never knew you are that potentially perverted" said Sara
Turning Haruka Sara asks
"Mom that sword wouldn't be the Yuuto Hina that Keitaro gave to Motoko, would it?" said Sara
"The very same. It
was sealed by a Shimeiryuu miko expert at using two swords.
The Masamune swords
Shisui and the Yuunagi. You see Muramasa swords are made to cut
indiscriminately. While Masamune swords are made to protect the
innocent and destroy evil. Which is the core foundation of the
Shinmeiryuu. Like the other girls she was in love with Taro. But she
was afraid to say it. She developed a special confession technique to
save him. The Zanmaken ni no Tachi technique. Distracting the demon
possessed Taro she kissed him making her confession slashing her
sword sealing the Muramasa. The girl's name was Hina. Thus from
then on the sword was passed on in our family to the chosen female
partners of the male heir bloodline. Actually Motoko is the first not
to get married wielding the Yuuto Hina." said Haruka
"Why didn't they panic when Keitaro went to Kyoto with Motoko?" asks Sara
"While it was possible they are losing another heir they can't pass up the opportunity that an Urashima will be married into them. The rare and exclusive immortality bloodline limit alone is priceless. That and future generations are potentially powerful in both magic and Ki." said Haruka
"This is a little too incredible even for me… Wait minute…" Asuna turns to Sara
"You know about magic?" asks Asuna of Sara
"You mean if I'm a witch or something no. But considering my dad is boasting his shovel is a magic artifact, my best friend is a magical girl every red moon, Motoko and Kanako having unworldly fighting techniques, A cursed sword and cursed inn annex at Hinata, Mutsumi is talking to turtles, A flying turtle with an IQ of 200, My cat flying and talking, A phoenix and Keitaro is practically immortal. Well it's not really that surprising anymore" said Sara
Great my sense of reality has been shattered and didn't even notice it. Thought Sara
"Take care of Negi-kun will you Asuna-san. If he is anything like his father he's bound to get into trouble." said Haruka
"You know me?" said Asuna
"Yes Takamichi told me about you. Also I heard from Grandma Hina you are Negi's probationary partner." said Haruka
"How did Grandma found out?" said Negi
"It's Grandma Hina we're talking about she has her way. You'll be careful right Negi-kun?" said Haruka
"Yes I will Haruka-san." said Negi
"You are such a polite boy" said Haruka
"Ho Ho Ho you're smarter than your father Negi-kun" said Seta back from the dead
"Why your father would either call Haruka Obaa-san or Oba-chan and…" Seta didn't finish as he was punched skyward by Haruka
"Let that be a lesson Negi-kun never call a girl Obaa (old)" said Haruka
"Yes Haruka-san" Negi replies
Asuna and Sara sweatdrops
Authors Comments:
A very late Valentines to everyone.
Especially to Sushi-Y who I dedicate this chapter.
My readers are practically screaming as to when will Keitaro will be back.
Aznpuffyhair in particular. All in good time all in good time.
I always wanted a back story to the Urashima family and the Yuuto Hina.
It being a reputed cursed sword that nearly destroyed Kyoto and the Shinmeiryuu as said by Tsuruko.
That and the suggestion that the Urashima's are ninjas. Not unlikely really. Kanako a master of disguise and Urashima-ryuu, Haruka international woman of mystery taking down the dark cult with Seta. Grandma Hina sneaky and seems very well connected traveling all over the world.
Who could forget a crippled Keitaro dressed as a ninja while he and Motoko are facing Tsuruko in Kyoto.
Also I made Keitaro and Negi having a history in their family of being death kissers.
Kiss Terminator Negi lol.
Also where the heck did Seta get that magic shovel Sara talked about?
A pactio contract with who?
Haruka or Nagi?
The Kyoto adventure will start for Negi . Does that mean Sara will be bored in Mahora?
Heck no. Things will be a little crazier.
Till next time…
Terminologies
–Wikipedia is your friend
Mukoyoushi – a man is adopted as a surrogate son to this wife's family. Changing his family name to that of his wife.
Urashima Taro- a Japanese fairy taleabout a fisherman who rescues a turtle and is rewarded with a visit to the Ryūgū-jo, the Dragon Palace.
He spends many days in happiness at this underwater kingdom, however soon becomes homesick and asks to be allowed home. The queen of the palace allows him to go home and gives him as a gift a jewel encrusted box. Upon arriving home Urashima discovers that over 300 years have passed in the real world and no one can remember him or any of his contemporaries. Wallowing in depression he heads to the beach and remembers the box he was given. He opens it and a white cloud is released and he suddenly ages and dies - the box having contained his true age. Variants of this story have developed throughout Oceania and the actual origin is unknown.
Muramasa- The Muramasa (sometimes incorrectly called "Murasame") school of sword-making at Ise province was famous for the extraordinary sharpness of their blades.
It is said that Muramasa, although brilliant, was also quite insane. Muramasa fell out of favor with the Japanese government when Tokugawa Ieyasu became shogun, establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate, in 1603. It is said that Ieyasu had lost many friends and relatives to Muramasa blades and had cut himself badly with one. So he forbade his samurai to wear the blades. This contributed even more to the Muramasa legend and led to many plays and dramas in Japanese literature featuring the blades.
According to legend, a Muramasa sword could cut a leaf flowing down a stream when held in the stream in the leaf's path. The halves of the leaves were then said to float around the blade as if with a demonic aura. It has also been told that once drawn, a Muramasa blade has to draw blood before it can be returned to its scabbard. Thus, it is thought of as a demonic cursed blade, that creates bloodlust in those who wield it.
The swords of Muramasa are often contrasted with those of Masamune, another Japanese sword-smith.
Masamune, also known as Goro Nyudo, is widely recognized as Japan's greatest swordsmith. No exact dates are known for Masamune's life, but it is generally agreed that he made most of his swords in the early-to-mid 1300s. He created swords, known as katana in Japanese, in the Soshu tradition.
StyleMasamune's swords have a reputation for superior beauty and quality, remarkable in a period where the steel necessary for swords was often impure. He is considered to have brought the art of 'nie' (martensitic crystals embedded in pearlite matrix, thought to resemble stars in the night sky) to its perfection.
Masamune studied under Kunimitsu and made blades in suguha but he made magnificient notare hamon which has never been found in Kunimitsu's. There are also some blades with ko-midare which appears to have been copied from the Old Bizen and Hoki styles. His works are well characterized by rich chikei and kinsuji, and beautiful nie. Swords created by Masamune often are referred to with the smith's name (much the same way that other pieces of artwork are), often with a name for the individual sword as well. The Honjo Masamune, a symbol of the Tokugawa shogunate and passed down from one shogun to another, is perhaps the best known Masamune sword.
Signed works of Masamune are quite few. The examples "Fudo Masamune", "Kyogoku Masamune", and "Daikoku Masamune" are acceptable as his genuine works. Judging from his style, he was active from the late Kamakura era to the Nambokucho era. His works are the most frequently cited among the swords listed in the Kyoho Meibutsu Cho, a catalogue of excellent swords in the collections of daimyos edited during the Kyoho era by Hon-ami.
Comparison with the MuramasaThe swords of Masamune are often contrasted with those of Muramasa, another Japanese swordsmith. Muramasa has alternatively been described (incorrectly) as a full contemporary of Masamune, or as Masamune's student. Since Muramasa dated his work, it is known he worked right around 1500 AD, and as such he lived too late to have met Masamune. In legend and fantasy, Muramasa's blades are described as bloodthirsty or evil while Masamune's are considered the mark of an internally peaceful and calm warrior.
A legend tells of a test where Muramasa challenged his master, Masamune to see who could make a finer sword. They both worked and worked and eventually, when both swords were finished, they decided to test the results. The contest was for each to suspend the blades in a small creek with the cutting edge facing the current. Muramasa's sword cut everything that passed its way; fish, leaves floating down the river, the very air which blew on it. Highly impressed with his pupil's work, Masamune lowered his sword into the current and waited patiently. Not a leaf was cut, the fish swam right up to it, and the air hissed as it gently blew by the blade. After a while, Muramasa began to scoff at his master for his apparent lack of skill in his making of his sword. Smiling to himself, Masamune pulls up his sword, dries it, and sheathes it. All the while, Muramasa was heckling him for his sword's inability to cut anything. A monk, who had been watching the whole ordeal, walked over and bowed low to the two sword masters. He then began to explain what he had seen.
"The first of the swords was by all accounts a fine sword, however it is a blood thirsty, evil blade as it doesn't discriminate as to who or what it will cut. It may just as well be cutting down butterflies as severing heads. The second was by far the finer of the two, as it doesn't needlessly cut that which is innocent and undeserving."
Onmyou -Believers of the ying yang theory. Once a powerful group in the in the emperors' court. In Negima they are mages of the Kansai magic association. Charm users that have Zenki and Goki demons as defenses than partners used by western mages.
Tsukumogami (artifact spirit)- are a type of Japanese spirit. Tsukumogami originate from items or artifacts that have reached their 100th birthday and thus become alive and aware. Any object of this age, from swords to toys, can become a tsukumogami. Tsukumogami are considered spirits and supernatural beings, as opposed to enchanted items.