A/N: Ah spring, when a young man's thoughts turn to… baseball season of course.
Ken Akamatsu own "Negima" and its characters. R T Tavi was created by Makuhari-Fan01 and is used with his permission.
The following conventions are used: "words" and 'thoughts'
Of Cats and Men
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea – Robert Heinlein
(-)
Granicus, Mundus Magicus
"Here," the sheep-eared caregiver said while holding out a steaming mug. "This should help with the nausea."
Meekly, Koyomi took the cup and glanced down at the weak-looking tea within. "Thanks," she mumbled and quickly drank the bitter tasting contents, only to make a sour face afterwards. "That stuff tastes terrible. What's in it?"
"Mostly fennel and basil," Aisha Coryel answered. "But the bitterness comes from a tiny bit of powdered mandragora root."
Koyomi glanced up in concern at the mention of mandragora, prompting the other woman to add that the amount was insufficient to cause her any harm. "It's only enough to relax your muscles a bit," Aisha assured.
"I feel like a complete idiot," she said while glancing down at the sheets covering her. "I should have realized that could happen in Granicus."
"I can't disagree with you," the sheep-woman replied while settling onto the bed's edge. "At least you were lucky enough to fall in with a decent guy."
"Yeah, lucky alright."
They sat in silence for a moment until Aisha asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Talk about what?" Koyomi responded.
"About what happened after the Ostian Peace Festival," the other answered causing the cat-girl to look up in surprise. "I recognized you from Damashi's concert posters."
In her current condition, Koyomi wasn't sure she could take the other woman out, particularly if Aisha was a mage of any skill. And if Mr. Oishi, or worse Professor Akashi, knew of her past…
"I've been trying to leave Damashi and Ostia far behind," she finally admitted. "We were naïve girls who thought the festival would be that big, career break. I guess we all knew King Enteofushia was up to something, maybe try to reclaim Ostia, but who'd have thought he'd go that far. I managed to get away during the chaos and figured to lay low for a while if I didn't want to end up as an ermine… or worse."
Lips set into a hard line, she gazed into Aisha's face. "There might be a bounty on me. Are you going to turn me over to the lawgivers?"
"The period for the reward expired and was never renewed," Aisha confessed. "I guess the Council doesn't consider you and the others as persons of interest anymore."
"So what happens now?" Koyomi asked.
The sheep-woman pursed her own lips together in thought before replying, "Nothing. I have business elsewhere and you have nothing to fear… from bounty hunters that is.
By the way your knight in shining armor is downstairs," Aisha remarked as the corners of the bounty hunter's mouth lifted upwards. "Are you feeling up to a visitor?"
(-)
The hotel's tiny café was filled with non-guests this morning as Professor Akashi jostled elbows with a band of boisterous bounty hunters and one rather subdued librarian. Once again the professor's "assistant" had managed to drag them into another "incident." At least this one seemed to be settling down quickly though how it would impact speaking with Chairman Dolnegus the middle-aged agent hadn't a clue.
The more he thought about it, the more the professor was convinced that Hiro was what Yuna would be if his daughter was nineteen and male. Little wonder he and Rikku wanted to keep their child ignorant of magic and the hidden world. Of course that plan hadn't turned out well as events of the previous summer unfolded. And by one of those odd coincidences that would make anyone question the existence of "mere chance", Hiro had become entangled with the same group of bounty hunters Yuna encountered last year.
"So how is your daughter doing?" the dark-haired woman named Lynn asked.
"Between school and sports I imagine she's pretty busy right now," he answered, hoping that it was at least mostly true. Mahora was preparing for an attack and if the past was any indication, Kid Yuna would be in the middle of the action. "She'll always be a high-energy sort."
'Must have got it from her mother,' he mentally added.
"Professor." Quiet except for introducing himself, the rabbit-eared boy finally spoke up. "I was wondering if you could tell me how one of your daughter's classmates is; a girl named Nodoka."
The group's self-proclaimed leader, a man named Craig Caldwell perked up at the question as the other woman, Aisha Coryel, shot the tall blonde an irritated look.
"Nodoka is one of the top, academic performers for her grade," the professor related. "I have no doubt that her test scores will get her into the university of her choice."
While that pronouncement may have been joyous news to the girl's parents, it was obviously not what interested parties wanted to know. Unfortunately, Miyazaki-san was painfully shy, especially around men, and had never been one for sports. She and the professor had never said more than hello the few times they'd met. While he'd heard rumors through the campus grapevine, the professor wasn't one to engage in gossip, however…
"Nodoka is also progressing rapidly among Negi Springfield's partners," he told them, thinking of the girl's training. "She is thought to have a great deal of potential."
"Well good for her," Aisha emphatically said as the expressions of Craig and Hi'ki's faces showed considerably less enthusiasm.
"She's in very good spirits overall," he concluded while wondering what exactly the relationship was between Miyazaki-san and the others.
Craig glanced at the man's fellow companions and it seemed as if they were involved in an unspoken conversation. Finally the tall, bounty hunter glanced back at him. "Professor," the group's leader said while retrieving something from a pocket. "Will you be returning to Mahora soon?"
"My vacation is scheduled for another month if that's what you mean," he answered.
"We found something recently," Craig said as the man's hand set an object on the table. "Our research indicates that it might be of help to Miss Miyazaki."
As it was pushed across the table, the professor could see the item was an ornate device with a small blade-like end surmounted by a pair of wings surrounding a gem that resembled a cat's eye. Double rings were set behind indicating it could be worn to secure a scarf.
"It's called the Comptina Daemonia," Craig explained. "The Demon's Nursery Rhyme. Would you see that Miss Miyazaki gets this?"
"Are you sure?" Akashi asked. "This is obviously magical and might fetch a bit on the market."
"It's not something any of us could use," the man named Christian answered, grinning as he did so.
"And we have it on good authority that Nodoka can," Aisha added while cocking one eye at Craig.
"We've discussed this at length," Lynn told him. "And we're all in agreement."
Seeing the resolve in their faces, Akashi nodded his head and picked the item up. "I'll see she gets this."
"Could I prevail upon you for one thing more?" the rabbit-boy asked. "If I write a letter for Nodoka, could you deliver it to her for me?"
Before he could answer, Hiro walked into the café with a canvas sack tucked under one arm. "We can go now sensei," his assistant announced.
"I'm staying at the Le Grande," Akashi told Hi'ki. "Drop your letter off at the front desk and I'll put it in her hands personally."
Meanwhile Hiro bent down by Aisha and asked "Do you want this stuff?"
The sheep-woman spared a glance for the blissfully unaware Craig Caldwell and shook her head in response. "I'm a bounty hunter," she quietly answered, "not a dominatrix."
(-)
"The Chief Magistrate will see you gentlemen now," a pretty receptionist announced.
After what seemed like hours in the waiting area, Professor Akashi stood and stretched in response. With Hiro following, he stepped into the richly appointed office to find a much younger man whose hair rose up in a series of spikes along the center of his head. Before he could voice a greeting, the strangely coiffed man bolted to his feet and with both hands balled into fists shouted "What in hell are you doing here?"
Confused, the professor looked over at his assistant who wore a smug grin. Four other men rose to their feet as well while two in particular glared daggers at Hiro. Mentally, Akashi slapped a palm to his face and chided himself for thinking things had settled down.
"You were just a team manager at Glad-con Tosaka," Hiro observed. "Something happen to your boss?"
"None of your damn business college boy!" the man yelled in return.
"I take it the Chief Magistrate is indisposed?" Professor Akashi asked in a tone much calmer than he felt.
"Chairman Dolnegus is out of town right now," Tosaka nearly snarled in answer. "I'm acting as his deputy."
"We are here on a fact-finding mission for Headmaster Konoe of the Mahora School," the professor hastily said in hopes of defusing what was shaping up as an explosive situation. "I was hoping to speak with the Chief Magistrate on his opinions of current events and ascertain what assistance Mahora might be able to provide."
"You picked a bad time," the deputy responded as he started to step around the desk. A tall, blonde man strode over to Tosaka as the other three began to converge.
"Be that as it may," Akashi said, "there is still the matter of ordering ofuda paper to replenish our school's stock."
The men stopped their advance as the professor continued, "I assume you have the authority to negotiate on the chairman's behalf."
"Yeah, I can do that," Tosaka said after a pause that fairly crackled with intensity. The deputy and his blonde-haired companion were standing at the side of the Chief Magistrate's desk, in front of a window that extended from floor to ceiling.
Akashi gave Hiro a knowing look and the assassin shrugged in response and then moved to more distant window where he stood looking out.
"The headmaster was also wondering if Granicus' gate could be rehomed from Mt. Shasta to a gate closer to Japan for the shipment?" the professor asked.
"That would depend on the size of your…" Tosaka started to answer when Hiro interrupted with "Sniper! Down!"
Professor Akashi immediately lunged into the two men closest to the window, knocking them out of the way as a burst of sagitta missiles shattered the glass. He screamed in pain as one of the magical bolts ripped across his leg while the others slammed into the desk. Wands appeared and battle auras flared as the other men took up defensive positions around the windows. The tall, blonde man slapped a hand down on the intercom.
"Get security here!" the man shouted. "We've been fired upon!"
"Security is on the way," came back over the speaker.
"We need a medic too," the fellow added after glancing at the professor whose pant leg showed a long, black sear mark where the bolt struck.
"What in hell's going on college boy?" Tosaka demanded.
"On the rooftop across the way," Hiro replied, "I saw a figure with what looked like a rifle taking a bead on you and your friend."
Quickly the assassin glanced out the window and ducked back. "Doesn't look like he's still there."
"What do we do Tosaka?" the short, skinny minion asked.
"We hang tight and let the lawgivers sort it out," the man answered as Hiro moved to the professor's side.
"I feel stupid for asking but how does it feel sensei?" his assistant asked.
"Like somebody stuck a red-hot, fireplace poker into my leg," Akashi replied through gritted teeth.
Seconds later, an armored group of security agents burst into the room, followed by a white-haired man wearing a healer's robes. A sprite appeared in response to the medic's summons and hovered over the professor's wounded leg. "Third degree burns, some internal bleeding and damage to the underlying muscle and cartilage," the winged figure dressed in a nurse's uniform declared and then flitted to gaze into Akashi's eyes. "Shock has set in."
"Prognosis?" the healer asked and received an "Immediate surgery to repair the damage is advisable, followed by a 24 hour period of recuperation."
One of the security men put a hand to an ear as if listening to a radio and then reported "No sign of the perpetrator sir."
"What a surprise," Tosaka grumbled and then glanced down at the medic. "This man's an emissary from Mahora; take him to the surgery and see that he gets the best care. I want security tightened around here until we get to the bottom of this."
(-)
Relieved that Professor Akashi would recover fully, Hiro stepped out of the clinic attached to Granicus' arena into the harsh sunlight. The older agent had taken a magic bolt to the knee while pushing the Chief Magistrate's deputy and another man out of the line of a sniper's fire; for once it seemed to be somebody else's turn to be shot at.
Having already given a statement to the lawgivers and wanting to avoid further interaction with Tosaka and the man's friends, Hiro decided it was time to deal with his pactio card. Now if only he knew where to find a reputable merchant.
City streets were crowded by a strange mélange of humans, demi-humans and creatures that Alice might have seen if the child had taken a toke from the caterpillar's hookah. Despite the confusing mass of people, senses honed in the metropolitans of Tokyo, Manila and Bangkok still worked fine as a cat-eared pickpocket discovered while trying to relieve him of his wallet.
An "oh" escaped from between the startled felon's lips as a hand whipped around to snare a wrist. Looking down at the would-be thief, he saw a grimy child with matted fur and dressed in a tunic that had seen better days. Although the inhabitants of the Mundus Magicus often appeared younger than they were, he guessed her to be about four years old.
The child took a deep breath and then screamed "Help! Help! Masher! Molester! Help!"
Hiro kept a firm hold as the cat-girl continued yelling until it was clear that no one was going to rush to her aid.
"Done yet?" he calmly asked.
Quickly she glanced about and then shoulders slumped in defeat. "Gee… thanks everybody," the girl grumbled. "I'm touched by your concern."
"Tell you what," Hiro said, "I'm looking for a pactio merchant; do you know where I can find one?"
Suspicion and avarice both shone in her gaze with the later winning out. "What's it worth to you?"
During his travels, the assassin had encountered any number of children in difficult circumstances. In his world, such children often had to turn any money they acquired over to somebody else. From what Hiro had observed to date, he doubted that the Mundus Magicus operated any differently. "When's the last time you ate?"
Watching his companion polish off a third basket of bread by sopping up the last bit of broth remaining in her bowl, Hiro imagined he was watching an anime where the main character would put away platter after platter of food. Knowing better than to let the girl gorge herself sick, he confined her to a mere two bowls of the spicy fish stew that was the specialty of the house. Still, he was surprised by how quickly both had vanished.
Convinced there were no stray crumbs left, the child leaned back on the bench at let loose a loud belch. "That was good," she declared in a satisfied tone. "Thanks mister."
"Glad you liked it," he replied. "Now about that pactio merchant?"
"Everyone in Granicus says Master Tavi's the best," she told him. "His shop is south of the arena on Pegaea Street."
"Thanks," Hiro said and then rose to leave, stopping only to give their server money for the meal. Once outside, he quickly made his way to Pegaea Street.
(-)
"Hmm…"
Staring through a lens larger than the ermine's head, Master Tavi examined Hiro's pactio card. "Very interesting."
Though feeling impatient for answers, Hiro forced himself to remain quiet until the ermine was finished.
"And you say this was done in Ariadne?" Master Tavi asked.
Hiro nodded his head in affirmation and then asked, "Is there a problem?"
"For all practical purposes, no," the merchant answered. "Transferring a pactio used to be more common when ofuda paper was in scarce supply; but that hasn't been an issue since the Dragon Clans agreed to an annual harvest of ofuda trees.
When transferring the contract from one Magister Mage to another," Master Tavi continued, "sometimes traces of the prior Mage remains locked in the card. This happens when there's a close, emotional bond between the mages, like siblings for instance."
"So are you saying that my pactio with Em… er the previous mage is still in effect?" Hiro asked.
"Not in effect, but there is still a link," the ermine answered. "Depending on the relationship between both Magisters and the Minister, such a link could conceivably inhibit the current pactio."
Master Tavi gave a disgusted sounding snort and then said, "Breogan knows better; I'm shocked he approved this."
"Breogan? Who's Breogan?"
"He's the association's chief agent in Ariadne," the ermine replied. "Part of his job is to keep hiccups like this from occurring."
"I don't know anything about that," Hiro said. "But Mister Sylver…"
"Sylver!" the old ermine shouted. "Don't tell me that John Sylver was responsible!"
"Uh…"
Like a long suffering parent, Master Tavi threw a pair of paws up in despair. "Gods save us! That old snake oil salesman has set up shop again! No wonder Breogan's loosing fur!"
"Um…"
"Don't worry young fellow," the ermine told him. "John Sylver may be willing to 'dispense with cumbersome regulations' in order to turn a quick profit, but despite my previous comments he does know what he's doing. However, I do recommend canceling that pactio and starting fresh when the opportunity presents itself."
With Master Tavi's words still ringing in his ears, Hiro left the pactio shop to find his recent lunch companion waiting outside. "Hey mister," the young girl called while holding up a scrap of paper. "You left the receipt.
Do you know you're being followed?" she asked in a lower voice.
"How many?"
"At least three," the cat-girl answered. "A short skinny guy, a short fat guy and guy close to your size who wears dark glasses and has his shirt open to show off a chest wrap."
"Not surprising, but thanks again," he said and then noted the girl's expectant expression. "What?"
"If directing you to a pactio merchant is worth lunch," she responded, "isn't saving your skin worth more?"
"And I was told chivalry was dead," he wryly observed.
"Chiva-whatsis?" the child asked. "You sure use big words mister; are you a doctor?"
"No, but I've been hanging around more doctors than is healthy," he replied. "And call me Kuro instead of mister. Do you have a name?"
"Probably," she answered. "But my parents were in too big a hurry to ditch me to bother saying."
"I don't want to say 'hey you'," Hiro said and then thought a moment. "How about I call you Arisa?"
The girl cocked her head to one side as she thought it over and then answered with a succinct "Sure; Arisa sounds cool."
(-)
Having sent the others on a wild tokage chase, Tosaka left Chairman Dolnegus' office and quickly emerged himself into the crowded, city streets. Already seething from that morning's attack as well as the presence of somebody who was rapidly becoming more than a nuisance, the former prize fighter's mood was made worse by an unexpected summons.
Ducking into an alley, he stopped to let his eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness before continuing further in. The white robed figure waited for him. "What is it?" Tosaka asked, expecting to be interrogated over the visitors from Mahora.
To his surprise, the figure demanded a ransom for the Chairman's return. "And you have 24 hours."
"Are you out of your mind?" Tosaka was stunned. "There's no way to get that kind of money together in a day!"
"How you do it is not my concern," the figure shot back. "Just have the money ready."
"How do I even know that the chairman is okay?" he demanded.
"You don't," the robed man nearly snarled in answer, "but rest assured that he won't be okay if you don't pay up."
He could take the extorter down, Tosaka knew; however, he also knew that wouldn't happen while the boss was held captive. In his life, there were only three people he really gave a damn about. Vargas had taught a snot-nosed punk to fight and then spent ten, long years as that kid's partner in the arena. Mama, using her own special brand of tough love, kept him moving forward whenever he thought about laying down and dying. But it was Joseph Dolnegus who recognized the fire that burned within the hot-headed youth and gave Tosaka a chance. That debt could never be repaid even in ten thousand lifetimes.
"Fine," Tosaka spat out and then turned to leave. "I'll get your damn money."
Overhead, sunlight glinted off of transparent wings as a tiny shape flitted away from the alleyway towards an open air café popular with a certain, prize fighting tiger-man.
(-)
Mundus Demonicus
Beneath the bottom-most layer of the clouds that tightly wrapped the Mundus Demonicus in a protective cocoon, a city built upon a metal disk floated. Its inhabitants were serenely indifferent to events that transpired on the surface; however, the Kerasu Tengu inhabiting the floating city was the largest and most powerful tribe of the Crow Demons, holding sway over their brethren.
In the city's center lay a splendid palace where the tengu ruler, who claimed the title of Sky King, dwelt. The tengu had seized the throne, as was their custom, after defeating its previous occupant in personal combat. Such powerful individuals were notoriously difficult to bargain with, but a useful individual was currently in that lord's possession.
On the ground below, Count von Hermann watched as the circular-shaped shadow advanced towards his position. With arms held out to either side, Wilhelm rose off the rock strewn surface towards the approaching city. Drawing closer to his goal, the self-professed "S-class" demon noted three dark shapes launch from the city and move on an interception course.
"Turn back! Turn back!" a magically amplified voice commanded. "This is your only warning!"
Lips pulled back into a grin as the Sky King's servants spread out in preparation of attack…
Footsteps echoed off the marble walls of the palace. The Great Hall, filled with scores of tengu, fell silent as he and the three defeated guards entered and strode towards the throne at the far end.
It would be easy to mistake the magnificent figure indolently sprawled across the gilded throne for being drunk, an idea reinforced by the wine goblet clutched in one hand; however, Wilhelm knew better.
Half-lidded eyes gazed back as the armored trio fell prostrate below their lord and wailed "Forgive us master!" The merest flick of a finger silenced their pleas. With deliberate slowness the enthroned figure sat up.
"Since when can a ground-dwelling maggot challenge the least of my warriors?" he demanded. "Worthless! You're all worthless!"
"But Master," one of the warriors began to protest but was cut off with a "Get out of my sight!"
Others in the great hall smirked or laughed up their sleeves as the disgraced warrior exited while their lord smiled in anticipation at the unwanted guest.
"Well maggot," the Sky King said in a mocking tone, "Why have you come here?"
"I am Wilhelm von Hermann," the count replied while bowing just low enough to avoid insult. "I am here to ask a boon of the great and magnanimous Sky King."
"Ha, ha. A boon? Ha, ha, ha, ha," the lord roared in laughter. "Why should I grant a maggot anything but a swift death?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Wilhelm could see several guardsmen loosen swords in their scabbards. "Because my boon would be more beneficial to you than watching one such I cut down by your swordsmen," he answered.
"Beneficial?" The Sky King's expression transformed from amused to suspicious in an instant. "How?"
"I am marshalling forces for an attack in the human world," he answered.
"I have no care what a maggot does," his reluctant host scoffed. "Nor humans either."
"The attack will be on a place called Mahora," Wilhelm calmly explained. His grin stretched wider as a sudden hush fell at the mention of that name. "If I am not mistaken, a certain individual of interest resides at Mahora."
"What of it?" the king asked. "A half-breed brat is of no concern."
"Perhaps not," the count replied. "But would it not remove an inconvenience, trifling as it is, if some misfortune were to befall that 'half-breed brat'?"
"What is your boon?" came cautiously in response. Wilhelm kept the appearance of gloating from his features, but inside the demon danced a triumphant jig.
"It is a small thing, oh Great King," he answered. "There is one, a shape-shifter, whom you hold prisoner; I ask for that prisoner's release in order to join with my forces."
Moments passed as the Sky King pondered the request and what the count's true goal was. Finally coming to a decision, the tengu's body relaxed. "Take that worthless wretch then maggot," the lord said. "And remove both of you from my presence."
Wilhelm bowed in acceptance and followed another guard out of the palace. His guide led him to a raised block of marble where a naked figure stood chained between twin columns. A tangled mop of limp, white hair surrounded an ebon-colored face; and if one looked closely, silvery glyphs were shot through the shape-changer's skin. While the creature's face remained impassive, its eyes fiercely watched the pair's approach.
Removing an iron key from his belt, the tengu guard unlocked the shackles and stepped back as the prisoner rubbed its wrists.
Its mouth opened and a sound not unlike a wind whipping through branches rushed out with a "Why?"
"I intend to break the yoke that lays about all Mazoku necks," Wilhelm answered as he extended a hand, palm outward. "To do so will require the Brollachan's help."
Lips curled upwards as the creature lifted its own hand and pressed it against Wilhelm's. The Brollachan's outline blurred and then snapped into focus, leaving the count staring at his twin image.
(-)
A/N: Chapter heading is a quote from Robert Heinlein, the author of such science fiction classics "Starship Troopers" and "Stranger in a Strange Land."
A couple of different anime influence two of the characters that show up in this chapter. A few months back, Makuhari-Fan01 recommended "Asobi Ni Iku Yo!" also known as "Cat Planet Cuties." I was so taken with the cat-girl Eris that I wrote a start to a story about a cat-burglar dressed in a red and white bodysuit, named Arisa Harnet, who had a misadventure in Mahora. Arisa has already appeared in a chapters 40 and 41 of Makuhari-Fan01's "Mage War" and might show up again in this and other works. By the way Arisa means 'There is sand' in Japanese.
After finishing with cat-girls-from-outer-space (thank goodness Capt. Kirk never encountered the Catian race; I'm not sure who would have had the more difficult time recovering after that close encounter ) I moved onto angels falling from the sky in "Sora No Otoshimono" or "Heaven's Lost Property." While I'm not planning on including any angeloids, the Minos character did serve as inspiration for the Sky King whom Count Wilhelm parlays with.
Both series were released in the US by Funmation and dubbed episodes are easily found on the internet. And be warned as both are heavy on the fan service.
The brollochan is a shape-shifter from Scottish myth. Writers often described it a dark or shadowy cloud with two, red eyes and said it assumed the shape of whatever it rested upon.
Till the next time.
