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 and references are also the property of their respective creators and owners, not me.

Some characters created by kafka'sdragon for his 'Markham Chronicles Negima' story are used here with his permission.

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"I haven't felt this relieved since the time Casanova helped me escape confinement and possible burning as a witch in Parma…"
-personal diaries of Evangeline Katarina McDowell

Not Always a Mage and Other Stories of Mahora.

Chapter Twenty-one: Golden Pathway part 8

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(Mahora Academy Hospital, shortly after the near death of Phillip Markham Junior)

With Chao Lingshen and Stephen Markham having dealt with one half of tying the remaining loose ends up right and tight, and her daughter Dawn the other, Evangeline McDowell used Cassiopeia 4 to return to a certain hotel outside Mahora City in Japan…

There; moments before or a long time ago, depending on how you looked at it; everything she'd gone through had been set in motion…

Not caring to wait until morning, she went and found Rurumaru still sitting in the rental car.

Reacting as if her Master had only been gone for a few minutes, Rurumaru listened as Eva spoke a few terse lines, then started the car and drove to Mahora Academy Hospital.

Doing the magical training she'd been given as a high school student proud; Eva found Madoka Kugimiya waiting in Phillip Markham's intensive care room; pointing a wand at the door and standing ready to defend her husband, if necessary, against someone coming in unexpectedly, long after normal visitor's hours…

"Ah! Eva… I was worried one of those bank robbers managed to escape, and was coming to try and finish the job…"

Though she might have chastised Madoka for relaxing without confirming her former magic teacher's true purpose; Eva decided to let things slide. "How is Phillip?"

Sitting back down at her former teacher's side, Madoka took his hand once more. "Okay, thank goodness… He nearly bled to death, but whoever stopped the bank robbers did something to prevent that before they left."

Unmoving on the bed, attached to more machines than she cared to think about, Phillip Markham's still form gave Eva cause to worry, but only a little… "That's good… Did you happen to see who it was? The media's full of wild tales about some kind of vigilante…"

Reaching up, Madoka began rubbing at a small bandage over her right eye. "I hit my head when Phillip first pushed me to the floor; so I was a little dazed and didn't get a really good look. One of them did seem familiar, but I don't really care who they were; I'm just glad Phillip's going to live."

Despite knowing exactly who the 'vigilantes' were, Eva kept that information to herself. "Good. Things would certainly be boring around here if he kicked the bucket… The Boya is interesting; but Phillip adds a whole different kind of interesting."

Anyone else might have been upset by such apparent flippancy; but Madoka thought she knew Eva well enough to understand it was the little vampire girl's way of expressing concern. "If you have a contact number; I can let you know when he wakes up."

Though doing so received an odd look, Eva held up the REI telecom wristband she'd recently received from Chao Lingshen. With just a thought; it sent the requested information to Madoka's phone. "I've got a few things I still need to take care of; leave a message like you said, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

Nodding; Madoka confirmed receipt of the contact number, then returned her attention to Phillip as soon as Eva vanished back out into the hallway.

Back at the rental car, Eva directed Rurumaru to head for Mahora Academy. ("After I rest for a while at the house, I'll go drop Rurumaru off with Dawn. Once that's done there's just one more thing to do before I can finally go home for good…")

tsuzuku

Author's Notes:

REI: 'Robotics Evolution Incorporated,' a technology and research company. More details about the company and its activities will be related in other stories.

Casanova: Giovanni Giacomo Casanova; 1725-1798; Italian adventurer, gambler, and seducer of women, among other pastimes. Noted for his Memoirs, which included accounts of many of his affairs; including one with a mysterious woman named Henriette; whom he met in the city of Parma in northern Italy.