A/N: Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Yes Eternal-Longing, I'm still around, at least for a little while. To those of you who don't frequent the Train Station, my immediate future looks like it will include a trip. I was going to put the story on hiatus, but instead I'm going to try and finish the class trip before I depart. Please forgive the rushed nature, or if not forgive, please understand.
In the following chapters, there are some references to another story of mine, 'Hiro's Lament.' Reading that story shouldn't be necessary to enjoy this one, but it might prevent one or two WTF moments.
As always, I don't own Negima or its characters.
Megalo-Mesembria
Like Old Earth, the Magic World was divided into hundreds of kingdoms ranging in size from small, city states in the hinterlands to continent spanning nations. But the power of the Concilium Magus, the Council of Mages, transcended mere political boundaries. The various magic associations in the other world fragmented mages as badly as countries. But here, the Council governed the affairs of all mages.
In the aftermath of the attack on Speaker Karkolova, the buildings housing the Council throbbed with activity. Various officials and assistants to deputy undersecretaries scurried along the Camera Magnus, the great, three kilometer long corridor that connected most department offices. Each carried a sheaf of papers vital to the interests of the council, and all needed immediate action.
Mifune Hayase, chair of the External Affairs committee and leader of the separatist movement, sat behind a low, red and black lacquered table, and slowly sipped his tea. While everyone else rushed madly to and fro, he was the calm in the eye of the storm. Deliberately, he flipped the pages of the 'Wizards' Week' magazine before him and continued scanning the news items.
A knocking on the door disturbed his reflection. His secretary, a cute, cat-eared girl, ushered in his guest. The old, white-haired mage limped into the office. The chairman's red silk robe rustled as he stood in greeting. "Welcome Doubek-san," he said. He indicated a nearby cushion as his secretary left them to their privacy. "Would you like to sit?"
"No thank you Mifune-sama," his visitor answered. "In my current condition, standing is more comfortable."
"I hope you won't take offense if I do?"
"Not at all councilor," the man known as the Harbinger replied.
"It is fortunate that you survived relatively unscathed," Hayase remarked.
"Indeed, the Speaker and I were both fortunate," the old mage pointedly responded.
"Any ideas on who was behind the attack?"
"None," Doubek told him. "But I'm sure the security forces will get to the bottom of it."
"Will they?" the robed man asked as he tossed his magazine onto the table. The cover showed Negi Springfield standing with arms crossed, dressed in tattered wizarding robes. Behind him stood a man held dead for over 10 years, his father. The Thousand Master had his back to Negi, and gazed over his shoulder at the reader, his mouth curled into his trademark grin. The cover blurb read 'Continuing the Springfield Legacy?'
"If that young man and his friends hadn't intervened last year," Hayase said, "it is likely our power would have collapsed entirely."
The councilor continued, "As it is Speaker Karkolova came to power on the promise she could fix things."
Doubek watched Hayase as the councilor gulped the remainder of his tea. "And she hasn't?" he asked.
"Oh, she's repaired the portal system," he admitted. "But we are just as vulnerable to another attempt."
"The only safe course is to shut down the gates to Old Earth," he concluded.
"Well, that is a matter for the Council to decide," the Harbinger replied.
"The Speaker is your friend Doubek-san; she will listen to you," Hayase said emphatically. "You can convince her that this is the right path."
The white-haired man had to grin at the notion he could convince Regina of anything. "Even if that were true, I may not interfere in the Council's business," he responded. "I am a tool of the Council, or have you forgotten the lesson Speaker Katis taught us?"
Hayase shuddered in response to mention of the tyrant whose name was once only whispered in fear. "I remember," he said softly.
"If there is nothing further Councilor, I'll be leaving," Doubek told him.
"I represent the future," Hayase stated as the man reached for the door. "It wouldn't hurt your position to make friends now."
Doubek turned and stared at the man, his face an impassive mask. "My position is that of a slave," he replied without giving voice to the rancor he felt. "The happiest day of my life will be when the Council removes this manacle from my wrist."
Sunland Center Mall Los Angeles
The tour bus pulled in front of the East entrance to the mall and stopped, its motor idled as a gust of hot, desert wind struck the side, causing it to gently rock. The Santa Ana winds were something that Phillip hadn't missed, but at least the mall was climate controlled. He stood to address the class.
"Ladies, we're going to be here for most of the evening. How you spend your time is up to you, but let's review the rules." He looked around the bus, making sure all 29 students were paying attention. "First, you must stay in groups of two or more. Second, you are not to leave the mall until we all do. Finally, if you encounter trouble, tell somebody immediately, your group leader, the class rep, myself, even our bus driver Mister Torres."
"Are we all clear on this?" He watched 29 heads bob in agreement. "Alright, as you depart the bus, tell Miss Yukihiro who you are going to partner up with."
As his students filed off the bus, Phillip looked down at the driver. Mr. Torres was a huge man who could have easily competed as a body builder. "How do I contact you when we're ready to go?"
"I'll park the bus and hang around the mall," the brawny man replied. "But I'll give you the number for my cell phone."
A strong wind gust struck the side of the bus, causing it to tilt. At the same time, Phillip heard the squeal of tires followed by the unmistakable sound of two cars colliding. Rushing off the bus, the teacher found a car backing out of a space had been struck by another heading up the row. Both drivers were yelling at one another.
"Why don't you look where you're going dumb ass?" one of them shouted.
"I have the right-of-way idiot," the other replied.
In the confusion, Mr. Markham didn't notice Chisame hurry into the mall, dragging Anya and Chachamaru along. Still holding each by the arm, she strode past several stores, scanning their displays. The robotic student's strides were long enough to keep pace with her, but Anya almost had to jog to keep up.
"What was Hakase-san thinking about when she upgraded you?" the teen idol complained. "Why did she even give you one of those Chachamaru?"
"Hakase-san felt that with my developing AI, I was ready for a more human-like body," the robot answered. "She hopes that this will prove a stimulant to further evolution."
"What kind of stimulation are you talking about?" Chisame's face started to color as the realization struck her like a slap shot. "Hakase-san didn't make you H capable did she?"
"What does H capable mean?" the younger girl asked.
"Never mind that," Chisame snapped. She looked back at Chachamaru and shook her head in disbelief. "So why aren't you wearing anything under your skirt?"
"It never mattered whether I wore undergarments before," the robot answered in her monotone voice.
"Well you never had a … a … something to worry about flashing before," the idol of millions told her. "The next time the wind blows, it might cause a multi-car pileup."
Chisame came to sudden halt. "This seems to be the place," she announced.
Noticing a computer store across the aisle, the class hacker suggested, "Why don't you go in and start selecting a few things? I'm going to check out the apples over there."
"But sensei said to stay in groups of two or more," Chachamaru protested.
"It will be fine," she assured her companions as she walked away. "I'll only be a few minutes."
Anya looked up at the sign and read "Fredericks of Hollywood." Her face frowned in concentration. "It seems I should remember something about this place."
Chachamaru gazed at the lingerie on display. "They seem to have an adequate inventory," she noted.
Ada Kaleh
Still carrying the broadsword, Takamichi left the Great Hall and stepped into a smaller, connecting chamber. The room's sole occupant was a short, fat man dressed in a flowing, red robe. The stranger's sallow complexioned face was covered with a sheen of sweat. "You must be the great Takahata-san," he said in a heavily accented voice. "I've heard so much about you."
A complex pattern of a pentagram over top a ten-branched tree had been carved into the floor beneath the man's feet. A gemstone the size of a man's head was set at each of the five points of the star. The gems emitted a ruddy light that illuminated the room.
"You have me at a disadvantage then," Takamichi replied. "Who might you be?"
"I am Fayid Habibi," the man answered then gave a low bow. "I can't but wonder what brings so famous a celebrity to my doorstep."
"I am seeking information on Fate Averruncus," he said. "The trail seems to lead here."
"As it should," the fat wizard told him. "He is my greatest creation after all."
"Creation?"
"Legends say that Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague was the master of creating golems," the mage said. "But I have surpassed even his achievements."
"A golem?" Takamichi replied. "So he's a mere construct then?"
"Oh, he's much more than that," the robed man responded. "His core is the animus of a great wizard."
The portly face was animated as the mage gloated. "A golem can't cast spells, but he can."
Uneasiness reared its head and spread its hood, serpent-like, in the pit of the teacher's stomach. He slipped his left hand behind his back as he asked, "Which great wizard is that?"
"I don't know," was the reply. "His soul was captured in a magic jar, just another casualty of the Great War."
"They wanted a tool to use, so they brought him to me," the man continued. "I and I alone, discovered the means to divide that soul, extract the useful qualities and place them into a new housing."
"And what of the parts you didn't need?" Takamichi asked although he had guessed the answer.
"I put them into another container," the wizard told him. "No sense in wasting it after all."
The iaken struck an invisible shield two meters in front of the mage and bounced harmlessly to the side. "You didn't expect me to be so forthcoming without being prepared did you?" the wizard said as he spread his arms and began chanting in ancient Hebrew. "The Lord is my sword and shield. The whirlwind is nothing to His power."
A magic-spawned wind blew in response, causing the wizard's robe to swirl as he rose into the air. His chanting echoed off the walls while he hovered in the center of the room. The five gems set into the floor began to blink off and on in a clockwise sequence, as the incantation continued. "The Lord is mighty," he intoned.
The teacher leapt for the floating mage and swung the sword in a deadly arc. The blade clanged against the unseen barrier followed by his own impact. "His eyes are fiery, hotter than a thousand blazing suns," the mage continued as Takamichi landed on his feet and immediately jumped to the side, dodging eleven flaming missiles summoned by the spell.
Narrowly avoiding the arrows, he gazed at the stone ceiling above his opponent and let loose another kanka-infused blast. The blocks shattered under the force and chunks of rock rained down, but deflected off the man's shields. "Damn," Takamichi cursed as he evaded another attack. The demon's cryptic warning had proven true; he wasn't able to breech the wizard's defenses. But what were the seals he wondered. A sphere, glowing red and orange, hurtled towards him. Instinctively the broadsword glowed white in response and the baleful orb glanced off the blade, blackening the wall where it struck.
Concern touched the normally unflappable teacher's face. Several of his former students could wield more powerful attacks than this adversary, but without being able to touch his opponent, it was only a matter of time before one would finish him off. As the gems began another round of flashing, a sudden thought occurred and Takamichi grinned. His iaken lashed out, striking the smooth surface of a gemstone just as its light winked out. The crystal fractured and the air above it rippled from the release of power. The mage shouted as the energy flipped him end over end like a balloon caught in a cyclone.
Takamichi destroyed two more gems in rapid succession but the escaping force blew him against the wall as if he were nothing more than a rag doll. The coarse stones scraped the teacher's already bruised back as he slid down the wall. He felt a rush of power as he reached his feet and threw himself flat against the floor. Another flight of
flaming darts flew overhead as he rolled to the side and regained his feet. The wizard now hovered over the last two gems, using his shield to block further attacks.
"Fool!" the robed man cried. "Do you want to kill us all?"
The former member of the Crimson Wing recalled one lesson he received from the Thousand Master. They were playing billiards and Nagi had just beaten him for the eighth straight game. Finally, he took pity and showed Takamichi how to calculate the angles for carom shots. "Just a little algebra is all you need," he told the young man.
"And a little is all you know Nagi," somebody called out. Probably Imma-san.
It turned out to be a splendid little brawl, but more importantly, the novice player remembered just enough algebra. To his opponent's surprise, he launched another iaken at the spherical barrier that deflected the blast into another gemstone. As the mage bobbed about, Takamichi rushed forward and brought the sword down on the remaining stone, shearing through its brilliant facade. The resulting detonation slammed him against the ceiling, and he knew no more.
Sunland Center Mall Los Angeles
The food court presented over thirty vendors and guaranteed to find a match for anyone's pallet. Traditional American fare like burgers and pizza were next to counters serving sweet and sour pork or bourbon chicken. Strange concoctions like macaroni and cheese nuggets vied with fish tacos for the hungry shopper's dollars.
Yotsuba placed her tray on the table and sat down next to her two classmates. Hakase had her nose buried in a book on quantum physics and Misora's eyes goggled at the amount of food the other girl had.
"You didn't buy all that?" the red-haired student asked.
"No, these are samples," the class lunch monitor admitted. "I told them I was doing research for a school newspaper article."
"What's with all the fish?"
"Everyone insisted I try some of their new tilapia," the dark haired girl replied as she speared a piece with her fork. "I think this is blackened tilapia."
Yotsuba popped the morsel into her mouth and Misora braced for the inevitable pronouncement on its worthiness. Eating with her classmate was often like listening to the judges during an iron chief episode. "Just tell me the curried lamb tastes good," she told herself. "I don't care how much a sprig of mint adds to the presentation."
The class prankster nibbled on a fry and pondered her evening's fate. She didn't like the choice of movies, so that left her with the food critic and the mad scientist. Misora really wanted to go shopping, but getting these two into a store, especially one with cool stuff, was an exercise in futility.
"This is so boring," she silently lamented. "I wish something exciting would happen."
Yotsuba's question caught her off guard. "So what are your plans for the festival?"
"Um, festival," the now flustered girl responded. "Isn't it a bit early to be thinking about the festival?"
"Not at all," the plump girl replied. "I have to turn in all of the paperwork for the Bao Zi by the end of the month."
Thanks to their former classmate Chao, the little girl who liked nothing better than to cook for others had achieved her dream of owning a restaurant. Apparently that involved more than preparing and serving food. "I have an opening for another person," she explained. "Would you like to work for me?"
"Me?" the red-head asked in astonishment.
"Yeah," Yotsuba answered. "The work's hard, the pay's low, and the food's great."
"And it will be easier to keep an eye on us," Hakase added.
Misora spun in her chair and stared at her classmate who had been silent until then. "I admit that I was asked to watch Chao-san," she said as spots of crimson colored her cheeks. "That ended when she left school."
"Oh really," Hakase replied in a sarcastic tone. She had lowered her book to her lap and returned the young mage's stare. "And you expect us to believe they aren't watching her accomplices?"
"Considering how well I did before, do you think they'd ask me again?" Misora asked.
"You have a point," her fellow student conceded.
Yotsuba's calm voice cut through their debate, "That's in the past," she said flatly. "I'm talking about the here and now. So do you want the position?"
Misora took a sip from her cup and discovered it was empty. "Let me think about it, okay?"
"Fine," Yotsuba replied. "Just remember that I need to turn in my list of employees before Golden Week."
Misora excused herself to find the ladies room, but found a 'closed for cleaning' sign hung on the door. "Just my luck," she muttered.
"There's another washroom on the far side of the mall," a voice behind her said.
She whirled around and saw that the speaker was a young woman. Her blonde hair fell to the middle of her back and had black streaks through it. The woman's tank top and jeans were also black as was her lipstick and nail polish. A pair of silver bats dangled from each ear. "I'm headed that way if you want to come along."
"Oh, sure," Misora responded as she followed her new guide. "Where did you get those earrings?"
"From a little shop on La Cienaga," the woman answered. "I'll give you the address if you'd like."
Konoka led her group unerringly to the Hot Tees store. She scanned the racks of shirts, chatting animatedly with her friends. Setsuna walked a respectful pace behind her, ready to leap to ojou-sama's defense at the slightest sign of trouble, while Asuna trailed them by a few steps. The final member of the group, Zazie Rainyday, walked apart from the others.
The tattooed girl wasn't trying to be anti-social; she was wrestling with her thoughts. Her fellow classmates seemed to recognize her need, and gave her space to think. The cards had laid out her future since the beginning of the term: love, death and the loss of all she knew. She had started down this path willingly, but now Zazie wondered if she could pay that price at the end.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Konoka squealed excitedly, "Oh, they have Chiu shirts."
"You're kidding me, right?" Asuna asked.
"Nope," the group leader replied as she held up a tee-shirt with the net idol's likeness on it.
The picture showed the web teen wearing a bunny costume. She held up her left hand with the index finger extended and her right arm cradled a ceramic planter that resembled a large carrot. "What does it say above the picture?" Asuna wanted to know.
"I'm number 1," Setsuna answered.
"That's not all," Konoka added as she flipped the shirt around.
"And you're number 2," Asuna read out loud. "I don't get it."
"It would look so cute on you Se-chan," Konoka said as she held the shirt in front of the other girl. "Shall I get it for you?"
"I don't think I'd like to walk around with Chiu-san on my chest," the swordswoman replied.
"So who would you like on your chest then?" Konoka asked her suddenly embarrassed protector.
Zazie listened to the girls' banter, and allowed herself a rare smile. She envied them their friendship, their ease in one another's company. After so many years of keeping people at a distance, the idea of being so close was frightening. Again, she wondered over the meaning of the Knight and how Markham-sensei was involved. Unbidden, memories of those bad, old days pushed everything else aside and took center stage.
She was eleven and alone in a war-torn land. Her mother and everyone else she knew were gone, and Zazie had to beg for the charity of strangers. The man who owned the only bar in the village gave her bread and a place to sleep, but he demanded all she collected in return.
Another soldier trudged down the muddy path that led from his base. She could tell he was American from the flag attached to his uniform's shoulder, and ran towards him. Only soldiers it seemed had any money to give, and the Americans were the most generous. The little girl held her hands cupped in front of her, so he could see she held nothing in them, and said the only word of English she knew, "Please?"
Zazie smiled as she spoke, knowing that the smile was the important part. The smile had to be friendly, disarming and cute all at the same time. She faltered while looking into the man's face. He appeared to be numb like some of the old ones who had survived the battles but could barely rouse themselves now to do more than watch and wait for the inevitable.
The child had a fleeting thought to let him pass, but her desperation was too great. She planted herself in front him and asked once more, "Please?"
He looked down at her with a face so sad that Zazie wanted to weep in response. Unlike the other soldiers, this one knew the sorrow she and all of the other survivors of Kosovo had to endure. How he knew, she couldn't say, but he did. She dropped her hands to her sides and started to step away when the stranger suddenly smiled at her.
It wasn't a big smile, but it was a real one. The man reached into his pocket and handed her a folded bill. The 20 Mark bill in her hands was as much as she usually earned in a day. She glanced up at the soldier again, and noticed the letters above his right, breast pocket. 'MARKHAM' they read.
"Are you okay Zazie-san?" Asuna asked, bringing her back to the present.
The acrobat nodded in return.
"Konoka's paying for her things," her classmate told her. "Would you like to get a bite to eat?"
Zazie nodded again, more vigorously this time. As she followed Asuna, she wondered once more about her doom. There was no way for her to avoid it, but that didn't mean sensei had to be caught up in it. Though how she could keep him from the coming danger, she had no clue.