Magister Negi Magi is owned by Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo in Japan, and by Funimation and Ballantine - DelRey in the United States, NOT by me.

SPOILER ALERT! AU story occurring after c189.

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"'Mistress of Cloth-Eaters?' I suppose that's not so bad."
-Takane Goodman. From an interview with Kazumi Asakura. Author of: "One Million Steps: A Journey to Megalo-Mesembria and the World Beyond."

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Ala Alba in the World of Magic: Tales From the Fireside.

Chapter Twenty-nine: Open Frequency. (Day two.)

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Seeing the artist fangirl of Nagi Springfield bring Ako Izumi back gave Tosaka a selfish kind of relief. As much as he wanted to get back at that brainless brat for all the grief she'd caused him, Ako actually being killed would have been very bad news. If the Chairman found out he'd not told Springfield about the collar exploding, it was likely HE would have been wearing a debt-slave collar again! At least until he paid off the pale-haired girl's portion of her and her friend's debt.

Worry about that had kept him awake all night. Irritable from the lack of sleep, he pushed through the exit from a service corridor and out onto the main concourse of the New Ostia arena. The scheduled event in one of the smaller side-arena venues on this tournament off-day had received no applicants willing to accept the creature-fight challenge offered there. Wanting to try one last time to pull in SOMEONE, Tosaka had been tasked through Chairman Dolnegus to go out with his two friends into the plazas surrounding the arena to post a renewed letter of challenge advertising the event.

Moving along the concourse, Tosaka noticed a tall girl clutching a hooded cloak about her shoulders approaching from the other direction. As they passed, she seemed to recognize him, so he turned to see what she might want.

"Excuse me Sir, but I've seen you around the arena several times, and was wondering if you were an employee here?"

Within the deep shadows of the girl's cloak-hood, Tosaka thought he could see a serious looking, pretty face, so he gave a slight nod and a smile. "My boss helps run the arena. How may I help you?"

Shifting on her feet, the girl seemed nervous about what she wanted to say. "Well, I understand there are probably restrictions on doing so, but is there any way to make some kind of appointment to see a prize-fighter?"

An easy question, so Tosaka shook his head. "No. Unless you can find them after they're knocked out of the tournament, you have a media pass, or they already know you and have given you a visitor's pass. Who did you want to see anyway?"

Obviously upset, the girl's gaze dropped towards the ground. "Nagi Springfield."

Instantly, a vein popped out on Tosaka's head. ("How many pretty girl's does that idiot need!") "Listen lady, dozens of tramps like you try to see him every day, he's a popular fighter..." Feeling the weight of the notices in his hand, an idea quickly began to form in Tosaka's mind. "Listen, do you really want him to notice you?"

Inside her hood, the girl nodded.

("Hook, line, and sinker!") "Okay then. Springfield said he'd be sure to personally meet any girl who could win the challenge match over in arena three. Go over there and see the arena boss, and he'll set you up to fight."

After her eyes went momentarily wide with worry, the girl bowed, expressed her thanks for his help, then turned and moved off down the arena concourse.

Chuckling to himself and confident he'd sent some silly girl off on the path to hating Nagi Springfield, Tosaka hurried off to finish his original task. If that dupe didn't accept the challenge, he still needed to post the notices. If she did... well then, he needed to hurry and get back so he could witness what might prove to be an interesting show!

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Even for an Elemental Mage, getting Princess Enteofushia to cooperate in the search for a telepathia link had been easy. Enter the Princess's room under a pretext, utter the command phrase Master Averruncus had him establish, and she was a doll waiting for instruction. That was easy enough. Finding a telepathia link, if one existed, was another matter.

Since using any of King Enteofushia's mind-mages for this task risked exposing the changes made to Princess Enteofushia's programming, the only other choice was to use the abilities of Master Averruncus's Demon mage. Obviously still desirous of revenge against she who had wounded him so severely, the brooding mage swept into the room like a wraith, and quickly moved to stand behind the defenseless focus of his new task. After being reminded in no uncertain terms he was being given a chance to partially redeem his failure in Granicus Gulf, and that he was NOT allowed to cause Princess Enteofushia any permanent damage, the Demon mage gave a curt nod, reached up to touch the sides of the dull-eyed girl's head with his fingers, and quickly 'dived' into her mind.

(-)

("Falling! I'm falling!")

Waking with a start and bolting upright in her bed, Ako Izumi clasped both hands over her chest and tried to bring a pounding heart back under control.

Eventually, Ako managed to relax. Looking around, she quickly recognized the room shared by the Mahora Maid Brigade as part of Chairman Dolnegus service contingent at the New Ostia Arena. ("I was going to meet Negi to apologize... why am I back in my room?")

With a click, the door to the room opened and Chibi-Paru walked in carrying a small tray. "Ako! Thank goodness! You're finally awake!"

Feeling like she'd forgotten something best left alone, Ako watched as Paru set the tray on a side-table and began to pour a glass of juice. "What happened to me? Why am I in bed? Did I faint again?"

Holding out the Juice and a plate containing a quartered pastry, Paru moved close to hand both to Ako. "You don't remember anything?"

After taking a sip of the juice, Ako stared at the pastry for a moment before looking up at Paru. "I think I remember seeing a sad looking lady from the arena, and I had a dream about falling just before I woke up, but that's it..." Picking up a piece of the pastry, she was about to place it in her mouth when realization made her look at Paru with wide, worried eyes. "I... I was supposed to meet Negi! And... and I have practice, and work!"

Reacting faster than Ako could throw herself out of the bed, Haruna managed to save the juice and pastry. Quickly placing them back on the table, she turned back to block the panicked girl's continued attempts at flight. "Yes you fainted! Everything's been taken care of with Mama though, and Negi said he'll come see you as soon as possible, so just calm down!"

Eyes still wide with worry, Ako continued trying to push her way past Paru and out of the bed until the door to the room opened once again.

"...most certainly not your place to tell me what I can and can't do, Inu-boy!"

With a look saying he wanted to argue further, Kojirou Oogami stepped aside to allow Shirabe Shidou to enter Ako's room before following after her.

Thinking she'd missed a practice and ruined any chance of ever playing with Damashi again, Ako took a deep breath and faced Shirabe as the Ma-Jin girl approached the bedside. "Please accept my apologies for missing practice, Lady Shirabe! Even if you never let me play with you and the others again, I hope you'll at least forgive me...

Even considering her importance to Master Fate, Shirabe still felt personal relief that Ako seemed okay. With her timid, but still earnest, eager nature, it was difficult not to like the girl... unlike that Hanyo brat of Negi Springfield's. "Miss Izumi, if you wish it, you could come stay with Damashi. That way, your friends would be free to do their business without having to worry about you."

Whatever Ako had expected Shirabe to say, that was not it. Kojirou looked like he was about to voice some objection, and Paru was giving her a thumbs-up, but it was thoughts about Akira and Natsumi that finally gave her voice strength again. "No. I appreciate the offer, but it wouldn't be fair to the two girl's I'm in debt with."

Sighing in an understanding way, Shirabe crossed her arms and nodded to show her approval. "Loyalty to your friends is a fine thing..." Glancing back, she gave Kojirou a look of distaste. "...as long as they're mature enough to understand it and continue earning it.' Stepping back, Shirabe drew herself up. "Don't miss practice tonight, even if you have to crawl there. We have another concert tomorrow night after the next round, and Shiori's still busy."

Matching the Ma-Jin's posture, Ako nodded in thanks. "Yes, Lady Shirabe! Thank you for asking me to help again!"

Love and hate being two sides of the same coin, Paru didn't need her 'Love-Love' radar to know something had prompted bad feelings between Kojirou and Shirabe. She turned to focus on getting Ako to eat again, then left with Kojirou when Akira and Natsumi came in on their break to visit their resting friend. Akira's expressions of intense relief were cut off as the door shut behind Paru. "What's the deal with you and that blind girl Koji?"

Growling and kicking at the floor, Kojirou allowed his tail to bristle-up in response to the emotions he felt. "Shirabe found out about Ako from Mama. When I didn't want to let her see Ako, she as much as said Nagi and I were too stupid to protect rocks, much less a single debt-slave. That's why she asked Ako if she wanted to go stay with Damashi."

Kojirou's griping made Paru start wondering why Shirabe was so concerned about 'just a debt-slave,' but before she could process the thought in any deep way, Chibi-Kazumi turned a corner and came running down the hall.

"Paru! Koji! We've got more trouble!" After halting momentarily to catch her breath, Kazumi held out her artifact camera. "Sayo went to check out a challenge match in one of the arenas! You won't believe who's fighting!"

Kojirou took one look at the video replay from the Sayo-Special, then turned away, groaning and shaking his head.

Paru saw who was fighting and felt her eyes go wide in recognition. "Isn't that..."

As the blonde, female fighter on the screen lost more clothing to her creature opponents, Kazumi could only cringe at the sound of an overly enthusiastic crowd before nodding in confirmation.

(-)

Konoka Konoe activated her artifact and went over to touch the petrified form of a male Inu-Jin as soon as Anya's bodyguard T'fa unsealed the door to Hau Pepelu's room. All it took was a few seconds and she knew there was nothing she could do. "He's under Eternal Petrification like every one from your village, Negi." Turning to where Hau had been carried in and placed on the floor, she quickly knelt to examine the petrified girl. Anya's idea for extending the time available to use her healing magic had been inspired, but this girl had been wanting to die already, so there was no telling how she might react to Konoka trying to call her back.

Pulling out Zo Connel's spell book, Chamo plopped it and himself down next to Konoka and gave her a thumbs up. "Come on Konoka! I'll walk ya' through how to cancel the petrification, so this oughta' be a piece of cake!"

Wishing Negi had asked Setsuna to stay as well, Konoka reached out with her hand to touch the petrified Inu-Jin. Pain. Both emotional and physical, where the first things she felt, and their intensity caused her to pull back as if shocked. With Chamo encouragement, she reached out again, closed her eyes and began to work.

Watching as a disguised Negi spoke to T'fa and R'th, Anya had to hold herself back from running up and embracing him. After the two bounty-hunters lead Yuuna's companions back outside to keep watch, Negi, clueless as ever, walked right past the silently fawning Collet with only the briefest of nods before finally coming over to talk with her.

Hesitant at first because of Anya's aloof attitude, Negi finally just reached out to lightly touch the sleeve of her cloak. "I'm glad you're okay, Anya. I was really worried. Since you don't have an Ala Alba badge, and there'd been no word, I wasn't sure how we'd ever find you."

Pouting and trying to keep up her front didn't last. Anya broke down. Turning and grabbing the disguised Negi around the waist, she started sobbing into his chest. "I was so scared Negi! If Chamo hadn't found me, I'd still be stuck in Zephillia."

After comforting Anya for a few moments by holding her close, Negi stepped back and gave his friend as questioning look. "Is that where you learned to do a petrification spell?"

Even as her eye's retained a far-away look that caused Negi to worry, the rest of Anya's face began to show anger. "Some things happened in Zephillia that I don't remember clearly... Even with that, I had Chamo and T'fa teach me how to do that petrification spell on the way here! There's no way I'd pass up the chance to learn something that was used against me!"

Feeling a chill sweep through his body, Nagi stepped back to hold Anya at arm's length. "Someone petrified you?"

Rubbing at a few tears, Anya nodded before turning to look over where Chamo stood over an open book helping Konoka. "Chamo was there when I was trapped. He managed to find T'fa and R'th, and they helped him free both me and Collet." As Nagi watched her, Anya's look grew even more distant. "Negi, what happened in Wales... Chamo thinks he found some clues..." Before he could ask any questions, Anya caught Negi with her far-away look and froze the words in his throat. "Everyone there... in some ways, what's been done to them is worse than you can imagine."

With all Negi had seen and done since coming to the Magic World, Anya's look told Negi something had happened to her he might never be able to understand. Not knowing what else to do, he stepped up to hold his childhood friend close once more. "Whenever you're ready to tell me the whole story, my ear is yours." Within his arms, Anya nodded and resumed shedding silent tears of relief.

Watching the exchange, Collet Farandole wanted very much to talk to this boy who seemed to be the prize-fighter Nagi Springfield. She'd seen him several times on viewers as they traveled to New Ostia, and his resemblance to her idol the Thousand Master was enough to make her giddy with excitement. The only thing keeping her from going up to ask him to autograph the staff she'd purchased was the serious nature of his exchange with Anya.

Not initially sure if she could cure Hau's petrification, Konoka soon realized with Chamo's help that it was an amazingly simple process. All she had to do was match her Hae no Suehiro magic with the spell, then reverse the effect just like throwing a switch. Even curing the Stone Sagita wound with the Kochi no Hougi would be easy enough. Having to do both though... "Chamo, I'm ready, but doing two strong spells so close together worries me a bit."

Sitting before the open spell book, Chamo looked up into Konoka's chocolate colored eye's. "You should have enough energy for both."

After glancing briefly at Anya, Konoka met Chamo's gaze. "You said Anya could cancel the spell, since she cast it, why not have her do it?"

Even understanding that might be a better option, Chamo shook his head. "A lot of healing may be instinctive for someone like you, but that's still no substitute for real experience. Because of that, it's best if you do this yourself." Konoka nodded before returning her attention to Hau. Thinking a confidence booster couldn't hurt, Chamo turned towards his disguised Magister. "Hey Negi, come give Konoka a hand!"

Leaving Anya behind with one last hug, Negi joined his familiar. "What do I need to do?"

Sitting up on his hind legs, Chamo indicated Konoka with his paw. "Invoke your contract and help her out. She has enough energy, but you backing her up will be good training for the both of you."

Taking out his Pactio card for Konoka, Negi held it out in the hand where he wore Eva's ring gift. "Pactio contract, Valid for sixty seconds, Magister Negi, Partner Konoka Konoe!"

Never having had anyone even think about offering a provisional contract because of her Uncle's reputation, Collet Farandole watched with fascination as Nagi Springfield loaned magical energy to the healer helping out the petrified Pembroke. ("I'm sooooo jealous! I want a pactio card to...")

Feeling the surge of loaned energy, Konoka closed her eyes and began speaking the words Chamo had instructed her to use to cancel Anya's petrification spell. With all the energy Eva and Chamo said she possessed, it was only possible to control so much of it at once. With Negi helping by also providing controlled energy, she realized it meant her cancellation spell was that much more powerful.

Even with her eyes closed, Konoka could sense the faint aura of Hau's petrified partner. As her magical energy began building towards the point where it would reverse the Inu-Jin girl's condition, she began to consider the obvious extension of what she was about to do. ("Power and control... If I could control enough magical energy, could I overwhelm Eternal Petrification just like I will this lesser spell?")

A sudden cry of agony and the heaving of Hau's chest beneath Konoka's hand signaled the Inu-Jin's return to the living. Negi, Anya, Nodoka and Yue quickly knelt at Chamo's call to pin the thrashing Inu-Jin down. As a crimson stain began to spread beneath her patient, Konoka ended the cancellation spell and began concentrating on her full heal spell.

With the pain of her near-mortal wounding beginning to fade, Hau stared over at the petrified form of her partner with a distant look Anya alone understood. "You promised Eien... you promised this was the path to travel... I'll never forgive you if you're lying..." Closing her eyes, she went limp and allowed Ako Izumi's friends to do their work.

With everyone else busy in one way or another, a most dangerous situation occurred; Makie Sasaki was left to her own devices.

After trying several times to get the ribbon of magical energy to come out again without success, she put the k-bob stick back in her pocket and began wandering around the sparsely furnished room. Yuuna was watching out the window, keeping and eye on her Posse, and didn't respond to her. The doggie-girl was mooning over Negi's cousin, and didn't look like she'd be easy to talk to, that left Baka Pink to quickly grow bored. Spotting possible relief, she went over to examine it.

Sudden noise from the rooms small HD Viewer caused several of Makie's companions to twitch or yelp in surprise. Uttering a quick apology, she fumbled to turn the viewer's volume down, then began scrolling through the available channels.

Since this was a rest day for the regular tournament Prize-fighters, there wasn't much on except various festival contests, single match exhibition battles, and challenge fights. Scrolling through the different channels, something that was both repulsive and surprising caught her eye. Slimy things turned Makie's stomach. In this case though, the identity of the person being 'slimed', as she tried to fight off the groping tentacles of several attackers, kept her from quickly changing the channel again.

"Hey..." Yuuna and a few others looked up at the surprised sound of Makie's voice as the pink-haired girl turned to face them. "It's that stripper-girl from Saint Ursula's..."

Konoka, Chamo and Nodoka remained behind to continue helping Hau, but everyone else joined Makie as she turned back to continue watching the on-screen spectacle.

Takane Goodman, after someone off-screen began shouting for her 'stop letting herself get molested and fight!' finally emerged, battered, nearly naked except for newly generated shadow clothes, but victorious. Shaking her head, Yue Ayase turned to grace a stunned Negi Springfield with a droll look. "Just how many girls DID you bring to this world, Professor? Come on, you can tell us..."

Flushing as Takane was awarded a prize-money chit by an arena announcer, then turned and fled, Negi began shaking his head in vehement denial. "I have no idea why Miss Goodman is here!"

Crossing her arms in exasperation, Yue gave her homeroom teacher a look that said she wasn't so sure. "Okay Professor, WE believe you..."

Sensing from those around him that continued protests to the contrary would only promote their teasing, Negi dropped his head in surrender. After a quick glance back at the viewer, he turned to catch Nodoka's eye. "If you would please Nodoka; Ask Kaede and Setsuna to contact Miss Goodman. If she's in some kind of trouble, we probably need to know about it."

As the Ala Alba's mind-reader bent to her task, Negi turned to face everyone else. "Let's get ready to move. I'm not sure what we're going to do with Miss Pepelu and her partner, but I don't think it's going to be safe to stay here much longer."

Putting away Zo Connel's spell book, Albert Chamomile sat back for a few moments of rest. ("Negi's lookin' good. I hope he hasn't done too many Pactio's while I've been away, otherwise I may never get my account back into the black!") Seeing Anya leaning down to him, he ran up the offered arm and quickly took his normal place on her shoulder.

(-)

With nearly all of her clothes gone except for a sock and part of her panty, Takane Goodman was forced to make her way back through the arena concourse wearing the shadow garments she'd manifested near the end of her 'so-called' challenge battle. While sufficient to maintain her modesty, their unmistakable nature meant a constant string of wolf-whistles followed in her wake.

New clothes, at least, wouldn't be an issue. The 5,000dr prize, for lasting five minutes without being stripped clean by those wicked tentacle-creatures, would be more than adequate to replace those she'd lost. Now, if she could just escape before her head exploded from all the blood rushing there to fuel a 'blush to end all blushes.'

As a pointy-haired, dark-skinned brute covered in scars joined the parade of perverted whistlers, Takane quickened her pace and thought about the strange girl who had inspired her to win the seemingly impossible fight. Back in the Normal World, her usual reaction to being stripped was to freeze up and go into a helpless torpor. In this case, a dark-skinned Ma-Jin girl, being just barely restrained from entering the arena by three rough-looking companions, had started shouting at the top of her lungs for Takane to stop letting such unworthy creatures fondle her... 'boobies,' and to: "Get up and FIGHT!"

"Fight a few randomly summoned but mostly harmless creatures." Arena Three's boss had told her. "How hard could that be?" If she'd not been so desperate to contact Professor Springfield, the look on the man's face might have meant more to her than it did at the time.

Well, fight Takane did. Using her shadows to pummel the perverted beasts attacking her until they were cowering against the arena wall, their tentacles tied in knots, and she panting with exertion. After being declared a winner and receiving her prize, she'd fled the arena, wondering if Professor Springfield would really contact her.

Clenching a shadow-covered fist, Takane thought about the unsavory rooster-head who'd sent her to fight, and wondered if he'd been telling the truth...

...if so, she'd have Konoka Konoe heal Misora first, then she'd KILL Professor Springfield!

"Miss Goodman?"

Surprised by the familiar voice, Takane turned to find a tall Inu-Jin and a Nek-Jin who looked like bodyguards standing a short distance away. Stepping forward, the shorter of the two girls gave her a polite bow.

"If you might come with us, we'll escort you to meet Mister Springfield."

After nearly being stripped-clean by listening to one stranger, Takane wasn't in any mood to listen to another, no matter how familiar she might look. Shifting into a more alert stance, she allowed shadow-ribbons to begin swirling visibly around both her fists. "Just who exactly are you, anyway?"

Raising her sunglasses, Setsuna smiled at Takane. "Professor Springfield sends his regards. If you don't mind, he would like to speak with you."

Caution quickly turning to relief, Takane allowed the shadows swirling about her fists to disperse. "Sakurazaki, thank goodness..." Assuming a less confrontational posture, she glanced at the taller girl and recognized Kaede Nagase. "What's going on? Where's Konoka Konoe? Misora Kasuga's really sick! She needs Konoka's help!"

Mention of yet ANOTHER classmate's name caused Setsuna and Kaede to look at each other in confusion.

Reaching out, Takane placed her hand on Setsuna's arm. "Please! Unless we can get her back to the Normal World, the doctor says she's going to die! Konoka Konoe's a healing mage! She Misora's only chance!" Stepping back, she bowed low at the waist, causing a few passerby to look over in curiosity. "Please help her! I'll do whatever you want..."

Seeing various onlookers staring at the recently crowned 'Mistress of Cloth-Eaters' bowing low to a pair of nobody bodyguards, Kaede realized it was time to leave. "Please. We can discuss this shortly. Let's just go for now."

Quickly moving off, the trio passed a tall man making his way around the arena concourse with the help of a cane. Pausing briefly to watch after the shadow-clad Takane, the man smiled, then continued on his way.

(-)

Chachamaru returned from a quick errand to find Chisame Hasegawa frozen stiff in front of their room's HD viewer. This might have been a cause for serious alarm, but when the replay of a challenge battle came on the viewer once more, she quickly realized the cause of the Ala Alba hacker's petrified state. On the screen, a replay of Takane Goodman trying very badly to stand up to the 'attentions' of several Cerberian Cloth-Eaters was currently showing.

After calmly picking up and setting aside several things Chisame had dropped on seeing the cloth-eaters, Chachamaru turned off the viewer and started waving her hand in front of the brown-haired girl's glazed-over eyes.

"Te..."

Feeling a twitch in Chisame's body, Chachamaru gently took hold of an arm to proved support in case the girl should suddenly fall.

"Tentacles... the... there everywhere... I... I'm gonna' be molested like a character in some stupid eroge..."

As Chisame slowly began to relax, Chachamaru guided her over to sit down on the room's couch. After staring at the blank HD Viewer for a few more moments, the color finally returned fully to the brown-haired hackers eye's. "Have a bit of a complex there, Miss Hasegawa?"

Turning to face Chachamaru, Chisame felt like the gynoid was laughing inside, but using her 'emotionless' visage as an excuse not to display such mirth openly. "I... IT'S YOUR FAULT, YOU SILLY ROBOT!" Face colored, she turned away to cross her arms and pout. "If you hadn't let go of me to try and grab Negi, I would have had someone there to protect me from that perverted creature!"

Now, just the tiniest of smiles did come to Chachamaru's face. "Despite what you might think, the safety of your virtue was never in doubt, and we DID arrive in time to prevent complete destruction of your modesty..."

Raising a fist as if to strike her companion, Chisame saw the tiny smile, hesitated for a moment, then broke down into laughter. As cramps began making themselves felt in her stomach, she started waving a dismissive hand at Chachamaru. "Okay, you win! Please though, no more 'Just in time!' saves if you can arrange it, okay?"

After giving a nod, Chachamaru stood and pointed to the magic circle the two of them had made in the middle of their room. "Shall we return to trying to find out why Konnya hasn't reported back yet?"

Nodding grimly, Chisame reached for her artifact wand, then rose and began mentally preparing herself to get back down to business.

(-)

Her form shifting, sometimes that of a child, sometimes that of a teen, a young girl sat in the back of a mountain cave who's importance she couldn't quite recall, shivering from cold, and from fear.

Though starting a fire to keep warm, as well as to stave off the darkness, with an ability she had trouble remembering learning to use would have been easy...

...she dared not do so...

Outside the cave, an eerie howling not entirely emanating from the wind signaled the return of... something... that was hunting for her. She didn't know if it hunted the child, or the teen, but to let it find either was to die...

Curiosity had prompted an answer to the call for help she'd heard, or perhaps felt, in her mind. A boy, recognized from vague memories and dreams, had been where the call came from, but he had either been unable, or unwilling to recognize her. In addition, someone whom both the child and the teen sensed was VERY dangerous, had been present as well, pushing for a confrontation with the boy. For all that the teen wanted to speak with that rust-haired youth, the child told her that to do so would be to bring down unfortunate consequences. For herself maybe, perhaps also for the boy, but certainly for the unknowing innocents scattered about the plaza where the nascent confrontation was occurring.

An increase in the volume of it's howling indicated the searching creature was getting closer, and would in all likelihood soon find her.

Why she was in this refuge of the mind now, when the most previous memory was of being safe in her room, neither the child or the teen could say. The only thing which made sense was that it had to do with answering that plaintive, desperate call for help.

("I... I don't want to die...")

Burying her face in the cradle formed by arms encircling raised knees, the young girl prayed for some escape from what was happening to her.

("Why are you so afraid of death? When the capacity to prevent it exists within you?")

Snapping her head up, the child and the teen both looked around for the source of the voice. "Who's there?"

Responding to the whispered question, a pair of unseen arms reached around to enfold the young girls shoulders from behind. Even though no warmth existed in the embrace, enough familiarity was there to prevent any kind of startled cry.

("Once, not so long ago, you were strong enough to make the world tremble before you. Preventing your death now is no more difficult than to accept that which exists within you. Giving up your fear is to end the suffering others cause you, and to SURVIVE. Is that not what all living things wish?")

Invisible hands reached up to caress the young girl's face. Even as cold as it seemed, the touch was seductive... the whispered voice confident... The thing searching outside would find it's way inside the cave any second now... this voice perhaps knew how to keep it from finding her... Was there really have any choice? Discovery, both the child and the teen were convinced, meant death. Doing as the voice purred meant survival... hopefully until something better appeared...

("Please... help me...")

Exuding a frightening sense of triumph, ghost-like arms embraced the young girls once more. Suddenly clear memories from long ago; of a tower on a floating island, of a smiling young man and his companions, of a time when that young man was desperate to kill her, all flashed through a rapidly clouding mind. As all those memories and others began to fade, she suddenly reached out to hold close one last memory, that of a smiling young boy who called her 'friend...'

Like an inescapable miasma, a creature of darkness flowed into the small cave, filling and searching every corner in it's quest to locate any trace of that which it sought. Finding nothing, it vented visceral frustration on the surrounding stone. Rock flowed like water and ice exploded into steam, but there was no reaction to the violent display... Frustrated, the creature rushed back out into the howling wind to resume it's search.

Back amongst the popping sound of stone cracking as it cooled, a girl young in appearance only sat, legs drawn up and arms around her knees. The expression on her face, were anyone around to see it, could only have been described as a very disturbing look of patient anticipation...

(-)

Leaving Chamo trying to convince Negi he needed to expand the number of provisional contracts he had, Nodoka followed Chibi-Yue back to the room they both shared with Haruna. While her two friends decided with Jan-Ken-Pan who would get to shower first, she went over and collapsed on the room's couch. As much as she wanted to clean up after being up all night, exhaustion and the stress of nearly being killed wouldn't permit her joining in the two girl's little contest. Lying there with her eyes closed, she listened to the repeated "Jan-Ken-Pans' until Haruna finally shouted in triumph. Recalling one way Eva had said she could get at least a little energy back, Nodoka willed herself to sit up and recover the Diarium Ejus from it's place inside her plushy-rabbit backpack.

How to continuously expend energy to maintain a spell was something Negi, Evangeline, and even Captain Adenaur had spent time helping her learn to do. Eva alone, understanding the limited amount of magic potential Nodoka possessed, had shown her how to get energy back from a spell. Not being able to keep or use much magical energy herself because of Nagi's curse and the barrier around Mahora, the little vampire girl had learned how to conserve every erg of power she could muster, and had passed the basics of that ability on to Nodoka. Using the Diarium Ejus didn't take much, nor did maintaining the Telepathia Terminus spell, but she'd been at it for over twelve hours, and was beginning to feel what she could only describe as 'mind-cramps' from such an extended use of her magic.

Opening the artifact to the page where she'd written down the names of those in the Ala Alba and it's allies, Nodoka placed her index finger on the first glowing name. Softly speaking the words needed to terminate that persons part of the telepathia spell, she drew the small bit of remaining energy back into herself, and the glow indicating an open link went out.

Aisha Coryell.
Akira Okochi.
Ako Izumi.
Albert Chamomile.
Anya Cocorowa.
Asuna Kagu...

Nodoka stared at the glowing name under her finger...

("Since nothing is being recorded, yet you say the link is open, then this 'Ako' is obviously still alive. In that case, she must be under some form of outside control. Perhaps a non-magical hypnosis, or something magical like a Doll master might use.")

Professor Bagera's words came back to her like a bolt, driving every bit of exhaustion from Nodoka's body. "Pro... PROFESSOR SPINGFIELD!"

Haruna looked out of the bathroom as the door to the small suite slammed open so hard it sprung the hinges. Yue lay twitching on the floor, apparently a victim of the volume of Nodoka's shout before the normally timid girl had run from the room. "I wonder what that was all about?"

tsuzuku.

(-)

Author's notes:

'Hae no Suehiro.' Status cure portion of Konoka's artifact.

'Kochi no Hougi.' Health recovery portion of Konoka's artifact.

For the purposes of 'Ala Alba in the world of Magic,' the Nagi Springfield Cup is organized in the following manner:

Day one:

Thirty-two teams from around the Mundus Magicus, fighting sixteen battles in two rounds. The battles are staggered to allow attendance by festival goers at more than one battle, but essentially there are eight morning battles, and eight evening battles. All battles using the rim arena's in the New Ostia arena complex.

Highlights:

Team Granicus defeats Team Virocana to advance.
Team Tristan defeats Team Millennium to advance.
Team Argyre defeats Team Al-Jamira to advance.
Team Antigone defeats Team Orestes to advance.

Day two:

Rest and recovery day.

Day three:

Sixteen teems and eight battles: Four morning, four evening. All battles using the rim arena's in the New Ostia arena complex.

Day four:

Rest and recovery day.

Day five:

Eight teams and four battles. Two morning, two evening. All battles fought in the central arena.

Day six:

Rest and recovery day.

Day seven:

Nagi Springfield cup finale.

Four teams. Two morning battles, finale between the last two teams at noon. All battles in the central arena.

(A more detailed listing of match-ups occurring on day-three and up will be provided as appropriate in future chapters of AAitWoM.)

During rest days and at other times when the various arena venues are not in use, exhibition matches, official challenge battles, and other event will occur. Events requiring a more open area or an alternate setting, such as athletic competitions, Dragon-jousting, or broom-racing, will take place at various other locations around New Ostia.

If a seated team accepts a (Wild-card) challenge battle and looses, the potential exists for them to loose their seat on the tournament bracket, either as part of a wager, or through forfeiture resulting from unrecoverable injury during the challenge battle.

Chisame's Spirit Cluster Regiment Leader mice.

Daiko, Chikuwafu, and Hanpo are currently with Chiu-sama.
Shirataki, Negi, and Kincha are with various persons around the Mundus Magicus.
Konnya is missing and hasn't reported in.

Eroge. Slang for an 'adult' dating-sim game. 'Ero-game.'

Telepathia Terminus and the Diarium Ejus.

This spell as presented presumes than anything Nodoka 'reads' in the Diarium Ejus is erased whenever she de-summons the artifact, but that anything she writes in the diary herself becomes permanent and stays. This is similar to Haruna expending the pages from the Imperium Graphices to give a golem a solid base and thus more endurance.

Each time a new name is written into the Telepathia Terminus spell pages, Nodoka has the Diarium Ejus set up so the names automatically sort themselves by first name and alphabet.

Shirabe Shidou. Like Shiori Hohoemu and Homura King, a made up full name for one of Fate Averruncus's Ministra.

Chapter thirty: Ghost Recon.