Draconis: Welcome back everybody.
Kenshin: So what's on the agenda for today?
Draconis: Come on man if I told you here what point would I have in writing the chapter?
Luka: Whelp you tried.
Kenshin: Shut it hero wannabe
Luka: You shut it you wishy-washy dual breed!
Kenshin: Piss off you sexual servant!
Luka: No you first you novice swordsman!
Kenshin: That's it come here you bastard!
Luka: Wh-Whoa!
Draconis: (watches the two of them fight) Jeez who woulda thought they'd hate each other so much? (presses a button at his desk) Hikari, could you or one of your daughters come get Kenshin? Alice come collect your Seer.
Kenshin: (lifted up by a staff) What the hell? (turns head) Miyuki?
Miyuki: (rolls eyes) You got riled up by that guy?
Alice: (holding Luka with her tail) Come on you we gotta go.
Luka: (dejectedly) Yes ma'am...
Draconis: ….can I start here?
Miyuki: Go ahead!
Negima! Springfield and Kuroshi Redux
Chapter 37
A Test? Snooping Backfires.
Draconis: You know the drill.
(start)
Evangeline's Resort.
Kenshin walked up to Evangeline who was lounging in a longchair. She looked over at him. "What?'
"Negi mentioned you needed to see me." Kenshin says.
"Ah, right." Evangeline says sitting up. She handed him a piece of paper with an intricate drawing on it. "This is the seal as it stands now. Do what you can wi-...WHAT ARE YOU DOING? !" She barked angrily as Kenshin wadded up the paper and tossed it behind him.
"Shaddap." Kenshin said calmly. "Show me the hidden intricacies of this body." He pulled out a small sphere of light out of Evangeline's chest and threw it on the ground. "Reveal!"
"What the hell was that all about you idiot!" Evangeline demanded smashing her fist over his head. "If you could do that why'd you have me draw that up? !" She shouts gesturing toward the balled up piece of paper.
"Consider it payback for trying to kill Yukari and I as well as targeting Negi." Kenshin says with a cheeky smirk.
Evangeline stewed over it as the two made their way toward Kenshin's little creation. It was a replica of Evangeline's body except it had no hair, no face, no anything really. "What's with the faceless mannequin?" She asks.
"That's the representation of your body with the seals applied on it." Kenshin says. "With this I can find out anything I want about you?"
Evangeline narrowed her eyes. "Anything?"
"Oh please like I want to know anything perverted about a shinso who is trapped in a childlike body." Kenshin says rolling his eyes.
"Funny talk when you remember this shinso was making you cry out in pleasure." Evangeline says with a cocky smirk.
"Yeah, because I was making you scream immediately afterward." Kenshin says keeping his attention on the replica.
"You did not!" Evangeline denied vehemently with a fierce glare.
"Oh?" Kenshin said turning to her with a smirk. "So that wasn't you begging for me to fuck you harder while you writhed and screamed in pleasure?" Kenshin turned his head where Chachamaru was standing and had been since the conversation began. "Hey Chachamaru-Chan you were there right?"
"I was in the area yes, Kenshin-Sensei." Chachamaru says. "I was recording everything as per Master's request."
Kenshin let out an amused whistle turning back toward his one time fuck buddy. "I didn't know you were into making amateur porn." "Anyway Chachamaru-Chan could you replay the scene I was describing so we can bring closure to this argument?"
"Ha-"
"You do it and I'll turn you to scrap metal I swear it!" Evangeline snarled glaring at both her servant and Kenshin himself with a deep, embarrassed and angry blush.
"HA HA HA HA!" Kenshin laughed heartily as the shinso fumed.
"Oh god..." Ryuujin says. "I think I'm gonna pass out!"
"What's up with him?" Arika asks.
Yama sighed. "He's laughing too hard."
Arika let out a sigh of her own. "At least we know they have the same shoddy sense of humor."
"Ahhh, thanks for cooperating in that Chachamaru-Chan I needed that." Kenshin says.
"Hai Kenshin-Sensei." Chachamaru says.
"How the hell did you get her to go against me? !" Evangeline says.
"Recharged her battery while you were asleep...she really seemed to enjoy it for some reason." Kenshin says as he looked up curiously. "Dunno why."
Evangeline glared back at Chachamaru who was leaving. "You...pleasure addicted robo-tramp!"
"Hey that wasn't very nice." Kenshin says with his hand on the replica.
"WHAT THE FUCK? !" Evangeline raged. "You can read my mind now! !"
"Yup." Kenshin says grinning.
"I swear once this seal is broken the first thing I'm doing is killing you." Evangeline says glaring.
"If you're trying to motivate me to break the seal then that was a failure." Kenshin says. "I could take this replica add in the reproductive organs go hide with it somewhere and bring you to orgasm without penetrating your real body at all if I wanted." "By the way I wouldn't stop at one and would aim for complete and utter humiliation.
Evangeline's already creamy white skin paled considerably. "You wouldn't!"
"Try me." Kenshin says smirking. "Alright enough screwing with you come here."
Evangeline grumbled about sons of perverted dragons who should learn to respect their elders. Kenshin narrowed his eyes and lifted the replica's legs up and gave it one good youki charged smack to the butt.
"OWWW!" Evangeline said glaring at Kenshin while rubbing her sore bum. "What the fuck was that for? !"
Kenshin narrowed his eyes and smacked the replica as hard as he could on the butt again. "Wanna say something smart again little lady?" Kenshin asks narrowing his eyes.
"Screw you!" Evangeline shouts
(Smack!)
"Stop that!" Evangeline says.
(Smack!)
"I'm going to kill you! !" Evangeline glared hotly at Kenshin. She was almost positive the flesh on her backside was beet red at this point due to the force and whiplash he was using.
(Smack!) (Smack!) (Smack!)
"Now then." Kenshin says finally deciding to stop messing with her. "Come on get over here."
Evangeline remained still. Kenshin narrowed his eyes raising the replica's legs back up again. She paled and ran right up to him all the while glaring daggers into his head.
"Well I think I got my revenge for that fight." Kenshin thought.
"No kidding..." Arika says.
Kenshin sniffed the air and looked up at Evangeline who was sitting across from him. "Do you smell something, it smells kinda like a mixture of honey and lilacs." "What's more is that it smells famil-"
Evangeline slapped a hand over his mouth blushing furiously. "Don't worry about it." "It's nothing."
"But." Kenshin says his voice being muffled.
"IT'S NOTHING!" Evangeline shouts.
"OK OK fuck..." Kenshin says tapping the replica's body. An intricate seal covered the replica's whole body.
"So what do you know so far?" Evangeline asks.
Kenshin tapped the shoulders, breasts, belly button and soles of the replica bringing several markings that all looked like the letter 'S' to light. "Hmm..."
"Well?" Evangeline asks.
"I see." Kenshin says nodding to himself looking down at the whole seal structure.
"See what?" Evangeline asks in annoyance.
"Nagi designed this thing to look so intricate that it would scare people off from trying to break it." Kenshin says. "The slightest misstep could permanently damage you if they weren't careful."
"What?" Evangeline says with a sliver of worry in her voice.
"But the places I just touched are stabilizer seals." Kenshin says. "Without them the seal would slowly begin to cave in on itself allowing the restraint seals and finally the power seals to be removed." "The more stabilizers and restraints used the more powerful the seal victim."
"Annnnddd seeing as he covered my whole body in this mess..." Evangeline trails off.
"Yeah." Kenshin says. "You had a lot of power to seal."
Evangeline laughed confidently and smacked her chest in pride. Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "Uh oh."
"What?" Evangeline asks.
"See these seals on your shoulders, cheeks, nipples and buttocks?" Kenshin asks.
"Yeah?" Evangeline asks.
"They correspond with a second seal." Kenshin says. "If I had to guess it's the giant seal that's outside encompassing Mahora that's ran on an electric current."
"Is that a problem?" Evangeline says.
"Well for short I can't break it without looking like a complete idiot running around destroying the same seals." Kenshin says. "I'd have to lift the seal chart from Konoemon."
"You mean the scroll he keeps in his robe?" Evangeline asks.
"Well then again I could just force the damned thing open with ZanRyuu after I complete my training with Ryuujin." "The decay of the stabilizers will take a few months at least and if something happens to me, then Yukari's just as good at this as I am."
"I've been waiting for fifteen years now...what's another one eh?" Evangeline asks.
"Alright then just lemme just send the stabilizers into decay." Kenshin says weaving through some handsigns.
Kenshin's hands glew as he touched each of the 'S' shaped seals before canceling his spell. "Alright. Now you do understand I'm going to have to keep this replica on me to track it's progress."
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Evangeline shouts angrily. "You'll just phantom fuck me!"
"Oh come on." Kenshin says. "I'm not that kind of guy. It will be sealed away in my arm most of the time."
"F-Fine, but if you do anything to me I'm paying you back in full, I don't care if you are a taken man got it? !" Evangeline yelled getting in his face.
Kenshin laughed uneasily as he sealed the replica away. "H-Hai."
(break)
Outside.
With Negi.
Negi stood on the plaza looking up at the world tree before taking a breath and bending her knees dipping down raising her left hand at her right shoulder as if to block a punch before uppercutting with the same left arm, and driving her elbow forward. Drawing her left arm back she brought her right arm swinging her elbow forward out in front of her. She relaxed her body finishing the kata Ku Fei had taught her.
She was about to continue on to the next when a bubbly voice called out to her. "Negi-Chan!"
"Huh?" Negi says turning around. "Oh..Makie-San, what are you doing out so early?"
"I could ask you the same." Makie replied. "Are you practicing Kung Fu out here?"
"Yes." Negi says.
"Could you do that again?" Makie says hopefully.
"Um..."
"Chinese Martial Arts...? How boring."
"Hey come on Eva-Chan you told Negi to find someone to teach her better hand to hand skills and she did."
"Hey Shin-kun, Eva-Sama!" Makie chirped.
"Ah..hello Eva-San, Kenshin-kun." Negi greeted.
"Yo." Kenshin waved.
"Ahhh I was expecting you to choose something closer to your nationality." Evangeline says.
"What, was she supposed to become a bare-knuckle boxer?" Kenshin says. "I think that's what's catching on as far as fighting styles go in the UK?" "She already told me, Yukari and Ryuujin she didn't want to take up any matter of swordplay."
"Ugh you just have to rationalize everything I say don't you?" Evangeline says.
Kenshin chuckles. "Yup."
"Anyway Negi you keep your training up because I'm going to test you on it this coming Sunday." Evangeline says.
"You are?" Negi and Kenshin both say.
"If you fail you can forget about learning any sort of magic from me other than controlling your inner darkness." Evangeline says
"Hey wait a minute!" Kenshin says.
"Shut up." Evangeline says.
"Hey hang on that goes against what we agreed on Eva-San!" Negi says.
"So what?" Evangeline says. "If you can't pass the test I hand out to you then you just aren't worthy." "By the way I don't recall agreeing to teach you anything else that was something you yourself requested when we returned from Kyoto."
"Are you...jealous?" Kenshin asks. "Why would she be jealous?" He thought to himself.
"Ah!" Evangeline turned to Kenshin with an incredulous stare as Chachamaru watched calmly behind her.
"Eva-Chan why are you picking on Negi-Chan?" Makie asks.
"It would seem she's jealous." Chachamaru answered.
"I am not!" Evangeline shouts. "As for your question Sasaki, I am not interested in weak children." "You would fit that category."
"!" Makie seemed to take offense to that. "What was that? ! This coming from someone whose more child-like than me? !" "Negi-Chan's already really strong, she'll clear whatever test you have for her easy!"
"Eh? Makie-San?" Negi says
"Very well I'll decide on it now." Evangeline says. She turns toward Kenshin. "If you can strike your boyfriend once with your kung fu you'll pass."
"Err..." Kenshin says.
"Go ahead it's not like you're trying to knock her block off." Ryuujin says.
Kenshin walks forward and grins. "Try not to hold back 'K Negi-Chan?"
Negi nods and assumes the stance for the kata she was just working on. She gets to the point where she whips her elbow out in front of her and aim's at Kenshin's face.
(thud!) (gasp)
Negi ended up on her butt as Kenshin stood with just a solitary index finger extended. "What just happened?" Negi thought as Kenshin lowered his finger. "How did he push my elbow away and push me down with his finger alone? !"
"Ya done?" Kenshin asks grinning.
"As if!" Negi says rising up and going in for an uppercut. Kenshin caught her fist and flicked her on the forehead sending her painlessly into a wall.
"Eva-Chan, Negi's only been training in Kung-Fu for like a week." Kenshin says. "This is highly unfair."
"Very well then." Evangeline says with a few laughs.
"Hang on I can keep going!" Negi says charging Kenshin while he had his back turned.
"!" Kenshin turns around and on instinct bats her into back into the wall.
"Oooww..." Negi says in a daze.
"Ah! H-Hey Negi!" Kenshin shouts running up to her.
"Hey Kenshin did you finish the grading yet, because if you didn't Konoemon-Dono will have our asses!" Negi says lucidly.
"She's fine, she's been knocked senseless, but she's fine." Kenshin says shaking his head.
"Alright Negi listen up." Evangeline says. "Seeing as Kenshin obviously won't take this seriously because you're together in a romantic sense you will fight Chachamaru got it?"
"H-Hai." Negi says shaking off the daze she was in. "When?"
"On Sunday, two days from now at midnight." Evangeline says/
"Is that Sunday as soon as it turns midnight, or Sunday's actual midnight?" Kenshin asks.
"What kind of question is that stupid? !" Evangeline shouts already thoroughly annoyed with the dual breed because of what happened earlier.
"Well then if it's the latter you're technically give Negi three days." Kenshin says.
"The former of course you moron!" Evangeline shouts. "Ugh! Come on Chachamaru we're leaving!"
"Hai Master." Chachamaru say bowing toward Kenshin Negi and Makie. "Good day to you three."
"Thank you." Negi says.
"Did...I do something wrong?" Makie says cluelessly.
(break)
After School.
Negi and Ku Fei were sparring as Kenshin, Yukari, Asuna and Setsuna watched. Hikari and Miyuki would have been here as well, but Miyuki wanted to learn some spells and Hikari borrowed the spellbook Nagi had given Kenshin when he was a kid so they were back in the resort.
"Come to think of it why aren't we training?" Kenshin thought.
"I'm sleepy, leave me alone." Ryuujin says.
"I told Yukari we were taking a breather for today." Yama says.
Kenshin turned to his twin sister who was reading. "Hey." He says.
Yukari sighs and puts down her book. "What?"
"Jeez what did I do this time?" Kenshin asks.
"Nothing." Yukari yawns as she speaks. "I'm just kind of tired is all."
"Then what are you doing here?" Kenshin asks. "You should head back to the dorms and get some sleep."
"It's fine...I didn't get much sleep last night." Yukari says. "Was up training till late."
"How's that going by the way?" Kenshin asks turning to watch Ku Fei and Negi for a moment.
"Fine, for the most part." Yukari says. "Learned some illusions, increased how much I could increase gravity and learning some more sword techniques."
"Learned how to summon Saigo-Shi yet?" Kenshin asks.
"Nope." Yukari shrugs. "What about you and the spirits? Any pointers you could give me for when Ryuujin starts me on that path?"
"You're training her in the spirits too?" Kenshin thought.
"Eventually." Ryuujin says. "She's gonna need it, she can't just piggyback off gravity magic, western magic and sword fighting forever."
"I see." Kenshin thought.
"Frustrated that you aren't gonna be the only elemental master for long?" Yukari asked with a semi teasing grin.
"Not at all." Kenshin grinned back at her. "Looking forward to having an elementalist partner."
Yukari looked away. "Y-Yeah...wh-whatever."
"Yukari-San are you blushing?" Setsuna asks.
"N-No!" Yukari shouts.
"Watch out!" Ku Fei says to Negi as she swung her arm at Negi's face.
"Uh...ah!" Negi yelped as Ku Fei put her on the ground.
"So what's going on here Kenshin?" Asuna asks. "Negi seems to be really going after this, more than usual even." Kenshin sighed and explained the situation for the second time having had to do it once for Ku Fei."
"Well Negi, I hate to say it, but even though you've been learning really fast, and have quite a lot of talent I can't say I see you beating Chachamaru with two days training." Ku Fei said. "Sorry."
"Well, we won't know till we try right?" Negi says.
"No, certainly not." Ku Fei says. "Let's take five and start again."
"Alright." Negi says.
"Negi-Chan~!" Everyone turned their heads to see Makie running up to them with bento boxes in hand. "I brought a bunch of bento boxes, you must be tired so have some please!"
"Ah...um thank you!" Negi says.
Makie proceeds to stuff Negi's face with food occasionally recommending things for her to eat. Soon however...
"Aaaahhh!" Ku Fei yelled. "You made her weaker! She's a chubby little kung-fu fighter now!"
"Negi-Chan!" Konoka whined seeing Negi waddle around due to all the food she had been forced to ingest.
Yukari laughed to herself at the unfortunate turn of events and turned to Kenshin. "Hey Kenshin-nii you're into girls with 'a little junk in the trunk' right?" She noticed something about her brother. "Kenshin-nii?"
Kenshin had taken a glass and filled it with juice. The glass was currently a couple of inches away from his open mouth, the contents spilling out on the the ground as he stared at Negi with a 'what the fuck' look painted on his face. Yukari took the glass and touched it to his lips and lifted it upward before he lost anymore.
"What...just happened?" Arika says confused with pretty much the same expression Kenshin had minus the drink.
"E-Ehhh? !" Makie says seeing what she had done. "H-Hang on Negi I'll help you." "H-Here's a secret diet technique passed down from within our club!" "Wrap yourself up with three blankets and go to the school sauna for three hours!" Makie says handing over the materials needed that she was somehow carrying on her person.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL HER? !" Yukari shouts as Negi leaves.
"Th-This works honest!" Makie whined clapping her hands together bowing toward Yukari.
Three hours later Negi came back looking worse for wear. The diet secret had worked like Makier said, but...
"IT WORKED TOO WELL! !" Yukari shouts at Makie.
"She's even weaker now! !" Ku Fei says crying anime style tears along with Konoka who whined Negi's name. Kenshin still had the glass up to his mouth having never taken it down and now his left eye was twitching
Another thirty minutes later Negi had returned to normal. "I'm OK now."
Makie bowed toward Negi with her hands clapped together. "I'm sorry Negi-Chan I was only trying to help, but I ended up making things worse."
"It's really OK Makie-San." Negi says.
"But there's only two days until.." Makie says.
"Don't sweat it." Negi says smiling comfortingly at her.
"But still what's going on?" Kenshin asks walking up to her. "You've seemed pretty wound up since that conversation with Evangeline this morning."
Makie sighed. "I have a selection meet coming up in gymnastics."
"Good for you." Negi applauded with a smile.
"But I've got no confidence at all." Makie says hanging her head.
Kenshin shook his head. "That's no good."
"What's up?" Asuna asks.
"Well, my coach said I was good, but she also said I was childish...that I also performed like a primary school student." Makie says. "Now I'm causing problems for Negi-Chan...I feel so useless." She finishes with a lone tear sliding down her cheek.
"Ouch." Yukari says. "Sorry to hear that."
"What are you talking about Baka Pink." Ku Fei says.
"That doesn't sound like you at all." Asuna commented.
"Yeah come on Makie-Chan cheer up." Konoka says.
"Hey I know, Makie-San why don't you do a little gymnastics demonstration for us?" Negi asked.
"Eeehhh? !" Makie said with a blush. "I-I can't do that!"
"Ah come on it should be fun." Asuna says.
"Yeah!" Konoka agrees
Everyone else voices their agreement with Negi's idea. Makie turns toward Kenshin who smiled sympathetically. "Sorry Makie-Chan, looks like you've been out voted."
Makie sighs shyly and goes through her routine (A/N: Same as in the Manga, I wouldn't know a good Gymnastics routine if it kicked me in the ass.) "There...what did you think?"
Negi nodded giving an applause with a smile. "I really don't know much about it, but I thought it was pretty good Makie-San."
"Yeah that was great Makie-Chan." Asuna praised.
"But...Sensei said I was childish..." Makie said.
"Nah..." Kenshin says yawning softly. "I'm pretty sure you're not childish." "Naive maybe, but not childish."
"You just yawned though." Makie said. "Was it that boring?"
"Huh?" Kenshin says. "No." He points at Yukari. "Both of us are in kind of a need for a nap right now." He flashes a grin. "You did good."
Makie blushed at the praise. "Th-Thanks Shin-kun, Negi-Chan."
"Anyway..." Kenshin trailed off. "I got some training of my own to do so I must be going."
Kenshin starts walking away when Makie calls out to him. "Hm?" He says turning around.
"For the next two days, Negi-Chan, you and I should all three try our best!" Makie said.
Kenshin stared. Makie shrunk slightly. "It...was just something Negi-Chan said...I thought I would..."
"Ha ha ha." Kenshin laughs. "I don't really have anything to try hard for, but alright." He flashes a thumbs up and continues to walk away.
(break)
Next Morning.
Kenshin, Negi and Yukari were at the plaza early in the morning. The two siblings were watching Negi practice katas. "So why are we out here to train?" Kenshin asks Yukari.
"I have no idea." Yukari says shaking her head. "Ryuujin just told me to tell you to meet him here and that I should stay around as well."
"Oookkk, but aren't we technically losing time?" Kenshin says.
"I asked that and he just shrugged me off." Yukari says.
"Whatever, if he wants to do it like that then-" Kenshin says. His body stiffened feeling something coming in fast. Taking out his zanbatou bokken he blocked an incoming strike and knocked it back before reeling back and slicing at the offender's torso. It was blocked as the offender deadlocked him. "Y'know I don't care if you are a god, but you'll have to wake up pretty early in the morning to catch me with a sneak attack Shin Tatsu."
"Heh heh heh." Ryuujin says. "You're getting better, still a rookie, but you're definitely improving." "Nice parry." He commented.
"Yeah Yeah." Kenshin says as Ryuujin backs off. "Say isn't there any techniques I should be learning soon?"
"Yeah, but we'll get to that later." Ryuujin says. "We're out here for a change of scenery. There are cases of warriors who train and train in the same place over and over again that they become too used to it and have problems fighting elsewhere." "I brought it up with your shinso friend and she agreed saying she'd work on it."
"Ahhh." Yukari says nodding in agreement. "The resort doesn't exactly have all the environments that fighters much less hitmen like Kenshin-nii and I have experienced before."
"Yeah, so until Evangeline can do whatever it is she's going to do to the resort this is the best we can do." Ryuujin says.
"Neeeegiii-Chan! Shiiinnn-kun!" Everyone turned toward the plaza steps where Makie was running up.
"Oh hello Makie-San." Negi greeted with a smile.
"You didn't come here to plump her up again did you?" Yukari asks.
"Ah!" "N-No!" Makie shouts with an embarrassed blush. "Don't say things like that Yukari-baka!"
"Heh heh heh." Yukari laughed under her breath.
Makie notices Ryuujin. "Ne, who are you and why are you holding that thing?"
"Er...my name's Tatsu, Shin Tatsu." Ryuujin answered knowing she wouldn't believe him if he introduced himself as Ryuujin. "I'm training Kenshin with this thing."
"Are you overcompensating for something?" Makie asks.
Ryuujin's and Kenshin's faces both dropped as Yukari laughed uncontrollably. "N-No!" "What kind of question is that? !"
"Ha ha ha." Makie laughed. "I was only joking." She looked Ryuujin over. "You're really handsome Tatsu-kun."
Ryuujin blinked. "Err...thanks?" He said as Makie made her way toward Negi.
Kenshin grinned. "Dude are you blushing?"
Ryuujin immediately held his index and middle fingers up. "Times two."
"Fu-!" Kenshin slammed to the ground. "...Ow..." He painfully groaned out.
"Alright for that you go through the warm ups with the seal on." Ryuujin says glaring at Kenshin. "Meanwhile I need to speak with you." He says turning to Yukari.
"What about?" Yukari says as Kenshin got to his feet and started working. She noticed Ku Fei had also appeared and was talking to Negi and Makie.
"Seeing as Kenshin's enemies are likely to come after you as well I've decided to teach you elemental powers now rather than later." Ryuujin says.
"Eh?" Yukari says. "What's the rush?"
"There's no rush really, Yama just said it would be a good idea." Ryuujin says. "I'm going to punch you through to the spirit's meeting place."
"Er...I'd rather you didn't." Yukari says remembering how Kenshin met Sylph and Salamander.
"Relax." Ryuujin says pressing two fingers to Yukari's forehead. "Sleep."
Yukari suddenly felt faint as her legs buckled. Ryuujin caught her and laid her on the ground. Kenshin turned as he continued the work outs."Why'd she get a two finger sleep spell while I got punched?"
"Because you have a very punchable body." Ryuujin says.
Kenshin grunted. "By the way the workout values are all decreased to 100 due to lack of time." Ryuujin says.
"Fine." Kenshin says.
(break)
Meanwhile with Yukari.
Yukari looked around as she awoke in the spirit plane. She sniffed the air and detect the scent of a desert, plain and mountain one after the other. She looked down as an earthen doll ran by her. "Huh?" She turned around to find the doll running up to a girl with tan skin wearing a brown dress with a high collared green jacket and a hat that had long, bunny ear like extensions hanging behind it. "Huh?" She says staring into the girl's deep green eyes. "Um...are you one of the spirits?"
The girl closed her eyes and nodded. "This...is probably gonna sound stupid, but uh...which one?"
The girl holds up her doll and points a finger at Yukari. The doll shot toward Yukari grabbing her by the arm. "Auuah!" She yelped swinging her arm around. "Holy crap this thing is heavy!" She said as her arm quickly became tired. "It's like I'm trying to swing a large...rock...off my body." She face palmed with her free hand. "You're Gnome aren't you?" She received a nod in return. "Ok..um could you take this doll off before my arm slips out of socket?"
Gnome nods and holds her hand out. The doll detached itself from Yukari's arm and went back to her embrace. "So...do you know Shin Tatsu?" Yukari asks.
Gnome nodded. "Well if it's not too much trouble...he sent me here to ask for your power." "Could I?"
"..." Gnome extended her hand toward Yukari who stared unsure of what to do. Gnome shook her hand up and down.
"Does she want me to shake her hand or something?" Yukari thought extending her own hand out to Gnome who took it and closed her eyes.
"..." Gnome remained still for a few moments while Yukari just stared in confusion.
Gnome's eyes opened and she stared up at Yukari before nodding. Yukari felt a soothing breath pass by her as Gnome vanished. "Hey wai-!"
It was to no avail as she didn't receive an answer back. "She sure doesn't waste any words." Yukari says. "Hell she didn't say one thing to me this whole time we were here." "Now how do I get outta here?"
Before she could begin to figure that out a massive wave of water submerged her. She started thrashing around unable to swim to the surface. She grabbed at her throat when suddenly a voice called out to her.
"You know you can breath just fine in here." Yukari turned around to find a woman with a light blue body and deeper blue hair that looked like it was made out of slime. The woman also looked like a mermaid if Yukari had to identify her. She let out a breath and watched as the water bubbled to the surface. She took a few breaths to regain her composure before speaking.
"Who are you?" Yukari said.
The woman closed her eyes. "How rude, is that how you speak to someone who taught you how to breath just now?"
"I didn't mean that to sound rude." Yukari says.
"It still did however." The woman replied. "Anyway if you must know I am Undine, the spirit of water." "The most noble of the four."
Yukari closes her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "That makes you sound really cocky you know that right?"
"Oh please!" Undine says. "If you want to see cocky go visit Salamander!" "I'm the calmest of the four elements how's that sound."
"I never said it was a bad thing." Yukari says. "Besides I see a Salamander of sorts everyday."
"Oh?" Undine says swimming up to her.
"Yeah, although I get to knock him down a peg every now and again." Yukari says.
"Hm hm hm hm." Undine laughs in a dignified manner. "I see. So how is that moron Shin Tatsu doing these days?"
"Still a moron." Yukari says crossing her arms.
"I see." Undine says. "So you would like to acquire my power I take it?"
"Yeah...is that fine?" Yukari asks.
"Hm...you are aware that to use my powers requires a strong, serene heart." Undine asks. "Just by looking at you I can tell your heart is in disarray."
"Ack!" Yukari went to say something only for Undine to cut her off.
"I never said you wouldn't be able to master it, but if you settle this affair your having with the other demon going around asking the spirits for power it would be a lot easier." Undine says.
"Yeah, but...the other demon...is my brother." Yukari says.
"I know, I read your heart which is like peering into your memories." Undine says. "But as the air headed Slyph and prideful Salamander told this Kenshin boy, you must come to Makai once you've found you can't improve any further to be tested by us." "I'll leave out the more gruesome details of if you lose as Salamander usually likes to tell them."
"Wait, so eventually...?" Yukari says.
"You will meet Sylph and Salamander and Kenshin will me Gnome and myself yes." Undine says. "But for now, begone."
Undine holds her hand out to Yukari who vanished. "I hope, nay...I pray that these two will be better than your previous student Shin Tatsu."
(break)
Back Outside.
Yukari awoke to see Kenshin and Ryuujin sitting at her sides. "What is it?"
"You got two of the spirits power as well?" Ryuujin says.
"Yeah." Yukari says.
"Gnome's a regular little chatterbox ain't she?" Ryuujin asks with a short laugh.
"Pfft." Yukari snorts. "Yeah...right."
"And Undine still thinks I'm an idiot?" Ryuujin asks.
"Yes." Yukari says
"Alright." Ryuujin says. "I can't really show you how to use powers of earth and water as they are more felt than shown, but I will give you two some pointers on how to use them all."
"Ok." Kenshin and Yukari say simultaneously. Yukari looks around. "Where's Negi, Makie and Ku Fei?"
"Training...got a liiiittttlllee outta hand." Kenshin says sweat dropping.
"How so?" Yukari asks.
"You ever had something lift you up by the back of your panties?" Ryuujin asks. "That among other things happened." "The pink haired girl was so embarrassed."
"Poor Makie..." Yukari trailed off sighing.
"Anyway back to the matter at hand." Ryuujin says. "The power of wind fills your movements. It starts out as a barrier, but as you gain more experience with it you'll find yourself getting faster and faster as well."
"I've already kinda begun to notice that." Kenshin says.
"The power of earth fills your body making as tough as magically powered stone and makes your strikes ever the more stronger as well." Ryuujin says. "It doesn't seem like much at first, but as you train with it you will improve your strength."
"Is that why you keep surrounding his heart in earth magic?" Yukari asks pointing at Kenshin.
"Yes, but I can't keep doing that, the spirits do get tired especially Gnome and Sylph who don't really have battle experience." Ryuujin says. "Now the power of water fills your heart. The only way I could help you master this is to make you meditate and improve your focus and concentration." "Honestly I do think Yukari is more cut out for that at this point."
Kenshin rolled his eyes. "So what you're saying I can't concentrate?"
"No, I mean where she's more cut out for the powers of water, you are more cut out for the powers of fire which fill your spirit." Ryuujin says. "However as inconvenient as it sounds the powers of fire inhibit healing techniques other than your own regenerative abilities until you've attained complete mastery." "If for whatever reason your regenerative abilities get knocked offline Kenshin I would recommend a full retreat if possible."
"More than half the time it isn't, but OK." Kenshin says.
"Yeah Yeah I understand what you're saying." Ryuujin says. "For now lets call it a day." He grins. "I mean lets face it you two have school."
"Crap that's right lets go!" Kenshin shouts looking at his watch before taking off in a hurry.
Yukari shook her head before using youki to jump into the clouds overhead and just flew to the dorms.
(break)
The next day
Six hours before Evangeline's test.
"So why are you two out?" Yukari asks as she, Yama, Kenshin, Ryuujin, Hikari and Miyuki walk up to field near the world tree plaza where Negi, Asuna and the others were meeting up for a party before the big fight.
"You think I enjoy sitting in there all day with nothing to do?" Ryuujin huffed.
"I just wanted the fresh air and to see what this place looked like through my own eyes." Yama says.
"Alright alright take it easy." Hikari says to Ryuujin.
"Y'know if you wanted more outside time all you needed to do is tell me and check your power at the door." Kenshin says crossing his arms with his eyes closed.
"Whatever..." Ryuujin says rolling his eyes.
"Alright will you two knock it off we're coming up on the others." Miyuki says.
Negi sees then walking up and comes up to greet them. "Hello Minna-San." She smiled. "I thought you'd all be busy with training."
Ryuujin crossed his arms behind his head. "We're giving them a break to watch your test."
"That and he can't really teach people how to use the spirits well." Salamander sniped at him in Kenshin's head.
"Huh?" Kenshin thought. "Salamander?"
"Yup." Salamander says. "Don't worry I'm not sticking around long, just thought I'd pop in."
"Ok, but what did you mean about Ryuujin not being able to teach the spirit's power?" Kenshin thought.
"Well he said that the spirits of earth and water's powers were more felt than taught, but that actually applies to all of us." Salamander says. "He can only slam your noses into the grindstone until you get it the hang of it."
"Which is why he's been cracking me with a whip until I can't hold up the power of wind anymore." Kenshin says.
"Exactly." Salamander says. "I still say this would be way easier if you would just come to Makai."
"Maybe when I'm not so busy." Kenshin thought. "Oh by the way Ryomen says hello."
By the time Kenshin came back to the waking world so to speak they were already sat down. He looked around and noticed Yuuna, Akira and Ako had opted to accompany Makie in seeing Negi this time. "Ne Kenshin-Sensei who are these three?" She asked pointing at Ryuujin, Yama, and Hikari.
Kenshin turned to Ryuujin who proceeded to mouth. 'Just use my real name.' Kenshin nodded and went about answering the question. "Well Yuuna, the old man is Yama, he won't tell me his last name, but he's been training Yukari."
"Ehh?" Yuuna says. "B-But you're ancient!"
"Ho ho ho ho." Yama laughed. "I can still get around just fine little one."
"The younger dude next to him is Shin Tatsu. He's actually been mentoring me." Kenshin says.
"Hey." Ryuujin greeted.
"No way." Ako said amazed. "He can't be that much older than you Kenshin-Sensei."
"Well I'm your teacher and you don't think that's weird, so why not have a young master?" Kenshin chuckled. "The woman is actually mine, Yukari's and Miyuki's mother." "I'm surprised none of you met her yet she was on the same train from Kyoto as us."
"What's your secret?" Akira asks curiously.
"Excuse me?" Hikari asked confused.
"It's just...you look so young." Akira says.
"Oh!" Hikari chuckled. "I don't really have a secret. I just age slowly, you could say it runs in the family..."
As Hikari trailed off all the girls barring Negi, Konoka and Setsuna glared comically at Yukari and Miyuki. "What?" Yukari said feeling put off.
"Aw come on you guys!" Miyuki laughed. "So what if me and Onee-Chan are gonna look like we're still 20 when were 40?"
"Aren't the Japanese naturally youthful anyway?" Ryuujin asks. (A/N: If this is wrong I'm sorry.)
This seemed to placate the girls as they turned their attention to why they were here. "So Negi I haven't been paying as much attention to your training as I'd like to, but how's it goin'?" Kenshin asks.
Before Negi could answer Ku Fei cut in. "She's been coming along amazingly-aru. She's managed to learn techniques in three hours that would take a month to master." "The world really is unfair sometimes."
Negi blushed at the praise as Kenshin turned to her. "Is that right? Damn Negi that's impressive."
"A-Arigatou.." Negi says hanging her head to hide her blush.
"Well she wouldn't be a teacher if she couldn't learn things quickly would she?" Akira says.
"Right?" Miyuki says pointedly.
"Well if that's the case Negi'll win for sure!" Yuuna says. "She's a genius!"
"Ah! Th-That's not..." Negi was cut off by Kenshin setting his hand on her shoulder.
"Just let it go." Kenshin says. "Besides it's not like you aren't a genius."
"A-Arigatou..." Negi says with an embarrassed smile. Kenshin leans in and sniffs around her.
"Negi..." Kenshin whispers. "Have you been skipping out on your baths again?"
"E..Eh?" Negi squeaks quietly. She sniffed around him. "You have too..."
"Eh? Crap..." Kenshin says getting up and pulling Yuuna aside.
"Hm? What is it Kenshin-Sensei?" Yuuna asks.
"This is...kinda embarrassing, but Negi and I both skipped out on bathing or cleaning up before coming here from training." Kenshin says.
"Eeehhh? !" Yuuna says. "So that's what that smell was.."
"I know I know I'm sorry." Kenshin says bowing his head multiple times. "Anyway do you know a place where we could wash up?"
"Well there is sports building over there." Yuuna says. "We were all thinking of taking a shower there soon."
"Well that's all well and good, but could we...?" Kenshin says.
"Oh?" Yuuna grins at him. "You want some time alone with Negi-Chan don't you?"
Kenshin rolled his eyes. "It's not to do what you think you little pervert. I would just rather not get caught in a rush and Negi and I both need to bathe anyway."
"He he he he." Yuuna giggled and pointed him in the right direction. "By the way Kenshin-Sensei there's no need to be shy if you wanna fool around with your girlfriend."
Kenshin who was walking away fell comically. "Urk! Y-Yuuna!"
"Ha ha ha ha." Yuuna laughed.
Kenshin muttered about basketball players who need to keep their mouths shut and pulled Negi aside. "Come on."
"Wha?" Negi says. "Are we going now?"
"Better now then later." Kenshin says.
Ryuujin watched Kenshin and Negi walk away and leaned over to Yama. "Should we go back inside?"
"Oh ho ho, no." Yama says. "I think we can afford to give him a little privacy."
"I don't think he's going to do what you think he's going to do you old fart." Ryuujin thought resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the Shinigami.
Kenshin and Negi meanwhile had stripped down and entered neighboring shower booths. Negi turned to him holding her arm over her breasts. "Is there any reason why you had to pick a booth right next to mine?"
"I could have just come into your booth." Kenshin points out. "At least this way I'm giving you at the very least a modicum of privacy."
Negi sighs as she washes her hair. "What's to stop you from looking over the barrier?"
"Y'know you're right, what is there to stop me." Kenshin says doing just that.
Negi turned and smacked Kenshin, or at least she tried as Kenshin avoided the strike, he laughed. "Aw come on Negi think of it as me complimenting you."
Negi narrowed her eyes at him putting her body up against the barrier separating them as Kenshin started washing his own hair unfolding his ears. "You ever lick yourself?"
Kenshin stopped for a moment. "What?"
"Cats lick themselves in order to bathe right?" Negi asks.
"Pfft!" Kenshin stifled a laugh. "I'm cat demon and a dragon demon." "What's next Negi you gonna ask if I've been hording treasure?"
"Well you are sort of money grubbing despite having a lot of money anyway." Negi says.
"Hey!" Kenshin says feeling insulted.
Negi giggled at him and went back to washing herself. Kenshin shook his head at her as he did the same. "Hey...wait a second my tails can go underneath this barrier right?" He grinned to himself as his tails shot out of the base of his spine and went under the barrier.
Negi felt something brush past her left leg and upward toward her thighs. "Nnn...Kenshin stop."
"Stop what?" Kenshin asks as he continued washing himself feigning ignorance to what he was doing.
"You know what." Negi says.
"Negi I'm not doing anything." Kenshin says setting his back against the barrier.
Negi felt one of his tails brush past her butt. "I don't believe that." She says. "Something's rubbing my butt."
"You want me to come over there and stop whatever it is." Kenshin says wedging his cat tail in between her butt cheeks and moving it up and down.
"You're the one doing it!" Negi whined.
"Ah! Negi I'm insulted that you would accuse me like that!" Kenshin says. "Heh Heh." He laughs popping up in her stall. "Even if you're totally right."
"Ah...how did you?" Negi says. "Get in my stall?"
Kenshin stuck his tongue out with a cat like grin on his face. "Secret."
"Kenshin...b-back off...what if someone walks in...?" Negi says pushing against his stomach. She looks down to see what she was rubbing. Kenshin's expression changed over to a small smirk. "Like something you see Negi-Chan?"
"!" Negi's eyes shifted up to him. "U-Um N-No, I mean yes!" "I mean!"
Kenshin pressed his finger against her lips chuckling. "Negi I'm not gonna do anything to you that you don't want, so just relax."
"It's not that I don't want you to...I..just don't want anyone to see." Negi thought shyly.
"You lewd lewd girl." Hottan commented.
"Shut up!" Negi thought.
Negi looked around for a moment and noticed they were still alone. "Kenshin."
"Hm?" Kenshin says.
"Why are you so reluctant to tell me about your past?" Negi asks.
"..." Kenshin turned his back to her.
Negi hung her head her forehead touching his his back. "I'm sorry for asking..."
"Negi...it's...it's not that I don't want to, but...I...I wouldn't even know where to begin." Kenshin says. "I'm used to just leaving the past where it is, and I'm still trying to figure that out."
Negi remains silent remembering the morning she saw him having a dream and crying. "I've got to find out somehow. I know it's still affecting him in some way."
Both Negi and Kenshin heard someone coming and began getting nervous. Kenshin started looking around. "Crap Crap Crap what do we do? !" He whispered.
"Auu...I-I don't know!" Negi whispered back. An idea came to her, as she blushed moving Kenshin's back into a corner and pushed him to a crouch. "Stay there."
Negi turned around just in time to see Asuna and the others walk into the showers. Negi looked around and noticed a few absences. "Asuna-San get in here." Negi whispered.
"Eeeh?" Asuna says. "Why?"
"Just do it!" Negi muttered harshly as everyone else filled the stalls.
Asuna sighed and entered the stall Negi was in. "Where's Kenshin?"
"Present." Kenshin muttered still in a crouch with his eyes closed.
Asuna's eyes widened to the size of saucers seeing him. "What are you two doing in the same damn stall?" She said softly so no one would hear her. "If you two were getting it on I'm leaving."
"We weren't, Kenshin just decided to wander into my stall, but we weren't doing anything perverted I just need your help hiding him." Negi says.
"Fine, but he needs to keep his eyes closed." Asuna says turning around.
"Wait couldn't I just sne-" Kenshin was cut off by a haughty laugh.
"Ah I see everyone's filing in for today's shower." Ayaka says.
"Ah...Iinchou-San." Negi says meekly as her and Asuna push themselves together to further hide Kenshin.
"Hm?" Ayaka says. "Oh Negi-Sensei, Asuna-San...er...why are you two in the same stall?"
"A-Ahum...Negi said she needed me to wash her back and she said she'd wash mine!" Asuna says thinking of an excuse on the fly.
"Hmm...you two have quite a close relationship." Ayaka says. She looks over at the stall Kenshin was previously occupying. "Someone forgot to turn the water off." She shrugged. "Well if the water's still on I'll use it."
Kenshin cursed now feeling the rather nice rear...assets of his girlfriend and his former roommate pressing against his cheeks. "Crap! It's getting hard to breathe!" "Slyph are you there? ! If you are is there anyway you could fill my lungs with air? !"
"Nope sorry!" Sylph gleefully responded.
"DAMMIT!" Kenshin thought.
Kenshin started tapping the closest thing his hand could reach. Asuna's eyes widened as she turned her head seeing Ayaka not paying attention. "Hey keep your hands off my butt." She whispered harshly.
"I can't help it." Kenshin shot back. "I can't breathe."
"Well you're just gonna have to tough it out till Ayaka leaves." Asuna says.
"Auuu...Sorry Kenshin..." Negi meekly responded.
About ten minutes later Ayaka and other girls left the showers and Negi, Asuna and Kenshin exited. Kenshin stood with his back turned to them. "Kenshin...you aren't mad are you?" Negi asks.
"No Negi I'm not." Kenshin says looking around for a towel his back still turned.
"Then what's the big deal?" Asuna asks.
"No big deal, just don't come over here." Kenshin says.
Asuna narrowed her eyes and strode up to him. Negi turned around and heard someone coming. "Uh Asuna-San that's not such a..."
"Relax this'll only take a min-" Asuna says
"Negi-Sensei I was meaning to ask what are yours and Kenshin-Sensei's plans for Golden Week?" Ayaka says.
At the same time Ayaka finished her sentence Asuna whipped Kenshin around exposing that he was trying to work down a hard-on that was at full mast currently. Negi's face flushed deeply Asuna was the same only she glared at him. Ayaka on the other hand..."
(Thud!)
….hit the floor with a passed out with a nosebleed. Asuna turned her head up to Kenshin. "YOU PERVERT! DON'T YOU HAVE ANY SELF CONTROL? !" She shouts
"YOU TRY BEING A GUY WHO JUST HAD TWO GIRLS PRESS THEIR ASSES AGAINST HIS FACE AND SEE IF YOU DON'T GET AROUSED!" Kenshin yelled back.
"Kenshin, Asuna-San stop!" Negi says ending their short shouting match. "What are we gonna do about Ayaka-San."
"Negi you still need to go get ready for your duel." Kenshin says. "I'll dress her and carry her back to her dormroom."
Asuna glared. Kenshin glared back. "I'm not gonna do anything perverted. I caused this so I'll take responsibility."
"Fine." Asuna says. "Negi let's go."
"See you Kenshin." Negi says as she left.
Half an hour later Ayaka awoke in her dorm room dressed in a nightgown. "Ugh...what happened?" She looked over and saw a folded note. "Hm?" She unfolded it and it read.
"Yukihiro Ayaka."
"You passed out in the showers after...seeing me..."
Ayaka's cheeks flared with a scarlet blush remembering what had happened. She read further.
"I clothed you and carried you back to your dormroom, I am very sorry for what happened. The way I see it I owe you one favor to do whatever you want with. Just come to me to talk about it whenever you feel like as long as I'm not busy."
"Your Sensei, Kenshin Tsuki Kuroshi."
"P.S. Not all that sure I should say this, but you are a very attractive girl for your age."
Ayaka's already deep blush further darkened reading the last sentence. She fell back passing out holding the note at her chest. Her last thought was. "Kenshin-Sensei thinks I'm attractive?"
(break)
Later that night.
"So Chachamaru...is that your name?" Hikari asks as she Evangeline and Chachamaru wait for Negi and the others.
"Hai Hikari-San." Chachamaru says. "What is it?"
"What do you think Negi's chances are?" Hikari asks.
"...about a three percent chance that Negi will even be able to land so much as a hit on me." Chachamaru says.
"You better not hold back, it's annoying enough that I have to rent out my resort and show that Negi-brat how to control her darkness, but I do not and I mean DO NOT want to take on a full apprentice." Evangeline says.
Hikari cocked her head to the side smiling tiredly. "Aw come on Eva-Chan it's fun having a student. Really helps take your mind off things."
"Like being a widow?" Evangeline points out.
"Ha ha ha..." Hikari's laughter trailed off as her hair dyed white a phantom staff appearing in her hands. "Make that crack again and I'll beat you to death bitch."
"Whatever." Evangeline says as the now cross demon canceled the Shinigami abilities.
"Evangeline-San!" They all look down the steps of the plaza to see Negi, Kenshin, Makie and quite an audience.
"Wh-What the hell? !" Evangeline shouts. "Kenshin, his siblings and Sasaki and I can understand, but what's with the crowd."
"You can stay." Hikari says sipping from a cup of tea.
"Thanks Hikari-San!" Yuuna thanked.
Evangeline glared at the demon woman who opted to just smile back. "Anyway...Negi if you can hit Chachamaru once with your Kempo, or Kung Fu you pass." "The contest will continue until you're dead or can't move anymore. Whichever comes first."
Negi smirked confidently. "Is that all?"
"Also if anyone interferes on your behalf you will be automatically disqualified." Evangeline says. "Clear?" She says looking over at Setsuna, Asuna, Miyuki, Yukari and finally Kenshin.
"Understood." Setsuna says.
"Yeah yeah." Asuna says.
"Negi doesn't need our help." Miyuki says grinning.
Yukari patted Negi on the back. "She'll be fine."
Kenshin chuckled. "Negi already told me if I stepped in she'd never forgive me."
"Very well." Evangeline says
Negi and Chachamaru exchange pleasantries as Makie turned toward Ku Fei. "Will Negi-Chan be alright?"
"Well Chachamaru's pretty strong from what I heard-aru." Ku Fei says. "If this get's dragged out it's to Negi's disadvantage for certain." "If she doesn't land a counter in the first minute she's screwed."
Asuna looked over at Negi. "You better be careful Negi-baka..."
Hikari watched Negi's eyes as she bumped her fists together and bowed forward. "I know you can do this Negi. I've seen you improve so much since the day we met, and you're going to continue to improve by beating Chachamaru here tonight."
"Begin!" Evangeline exclaimed.
Chachamaru lurched forward while Negi pulled out a wand. "Invoke the contract for 90 seconds for Negi Springfield."
"Please forgive me." Chachamaru says cocking both her fists back and punching with her left at Negi's face. Negi raised her arms to block diverting Chachamaru's punch with her right arm. A jet was exposed on Chachamaru's elbow joint as it ignited rocketing her right arm forward. Negi rolled out of the way still on her feet and spun swinging her arm at Chachamaru who had just turned around. "Hakkyokuken! Tenshinkoda!"
Kenshin crossed his arms as Chachamaru blocked. "..."
"Close!" Ku Fei said.
"No." Yukari says. "Chachamaru telegraphed that the whole way." She said as Negi and Chachamaru got into a slugfest with the robo girl getting the upperhand as she separated Negi's arms and slammed her leg across Negi's face.
"Hmm...using magic to power up her body...that's quite the augmentative way to use magic." Evangeline says.
"...but with only two days training...she can't win in speed and power alone." Kenshin said having the same thought as Evangeline.
"Ahhh Negi-Chan's in trouble!" Makie shouts.
"No that's her feint!" Ku Fei says and Chachamaru ran Negi down.
Negi dodged a rocket quick punch to her face grabbing Chachamaru's wrist. "Hakkekyokuken Rokutaikaichou!"
"!" "Rokutaikaichou?" Kenshin thought. "She's already up there?"
"Kakutachouchuu!" Negi says driving her elbow forward as Chachamaru used a wall behind her to hop over Negi's head driving her rocket boosted knee at Negi's head.
"Ehhh? !" Ku Fei said eyes wide.
"Oh crap..." Yukari thought.
Negi slid painfully across the plaza steps as Evangeline laughed. "That's too bad Negi. In the end I guess that's just how you are. Now go get yourself fixed up."
Asuna and Makie began running down the stairs when Kenshin and Yukari stopped them. "What are you doing Shin-kun? Negi's hurt!" Makie says.
"Beat it Yukari-baka!" Asuna says.
"Just wait. You're counting Negi out too early." Yukari says turning back around.
"Heh heh heh." Negi says springing back to her feet already back into her fighting stance. "Come on Evangeline-San I could have sworn you said the condition was until I either died or couldn't move." "Neither of those have occurred yet."
"Aw come on you don't mean you're-" Evangeline said.
"That's right I'm staying in until I can land a hit no matter how long it takes." Negi says grinning. "Let's continue Chachamaru-San!"
Hikari shakes her head smiling. "She gets it from her father."
"B-But Negi-Sensei." Chachamaru says. Negi wouldn't hear any of it as she charged herself with magic again and made a beeline for Chachamaru. The gynoid however had this telegraphed as she buried her knee in Negi's sternum doubling her over and brought her metallic elbow down hard on the back of Negi's neck.
"Oh no an extended battle-aru! Negi's speed just went down by a lot what happened? !" Ku Fei exclaimed in confusion.
Yukari looked over at Kenshin. "Negi won't have time to issue another contract, what should we do?"
"..." Kenshin remained silent.
"What if she ends up getting herself-" Yukari says.
"You really thinking I'm going to let that happen?" Kenshin says not taking his eyes off Negi and Chachamaru.
Yukari nods her head hanging slightly. "Of course...that's how much she means to you...and to me."
"Ch-Chachamaru-San please...take me seriously..it wouldn't mean anything if you didn't?" Negi says as she rolled a punch at Chachamaru's face.
"I understand." The automata replied diverting the punch and backhanding Negi to the ground.
"N-N-N-Negi-Chan!" Konoka whined.
"Does she still want to continue?" Ako asks.
"But that's...insane." Akira commented.
"She's got no chance now." Yuuna says.
An hour later Negi was barely standing, was beaten and bruised with one of her eyes swollen as well. "Come on girl isn't that enough?" Evangeline asked.
"Negi-Sensei..." Chachamaru says distantly.
"N-Not yet...I don't want to concede just yet..." Negi panted out.
"Negi just call it!" Ako says.
"You're badly hurt Negi-Sensei! There's no shame in quitting now!" Akira says as Chachamaru blocked another feeble attack and brought her calf across Negi's face.
"Why's she trying so hard in the first place?" Yuuna says.
"Dammit I can't watch this anymore." Asuna says. "I'm going." She says walking by Yukari who was indecisive at this point.
Kenshin who was becoming increasingly nervous as to how much more Negi could take was about to Shundou in between Negi and Chachamaru went Makie stopped Asuna. "Asuna Stop!"
Everyone turned over to Makie excluding Negi who was too beaten pay attention. "Don't stop Negi-Chan! It would be horrible if you stopped Negi-Chan now after all the resolve she's put into doing this!" "She's trying her best!"
"Makie-Chan..." Miyuki says walking up to her. "There's a limit to how much she can take though..."
"...Makie-San...?" Chachamaru says.
(clunk!)
Yukari looked up just in time to see Negi's fist connect with Chachamaru's cheek. Kenshin stared for a moment before bursting out in raucous laughter. "She's pulled it off!
Evangeline stared in shock as Hikari joined in her son's laughing fit. "Looks like you lose Eva-Chan."
"Son of a bitch!" Evangeline curses as everyone else cheers.
Yukari walked up to Negi who was laying on the ground panting. "You know you're an idiot right?"
"Well...it's a step forward isn't it?" Negi said smiling. "I used to be a coward."
Yukari's eyes softened remembering her story from her past...the destruction of her village and the trauma it caused. "Alright come on you crazy onion." Yukari says helping Negi to her feet.
"Hmph." Evangeline huffed. "I lose Negi...as promised I'll extend my teaching to magic as well." "On the condition that you continue to learn that kempo...everyone need's some physical abilities."
"Hai..." Negi pants out.
Kenshin turns to Makie. "We need to get Negi patched up. We'll have a party after you've made the cut for your gymnastics team."
"Eh?" Makie says looking over at him in confusion. "You really think I'll make it Shin-kun?"
Kenshin grins flashing a thumbs up at her. "I know you'll make it Makie-Chan."
Makie blushed at the praise, but still smiled nonetheless. "A-Arigatou...give Negi-Chan my best would you?"
"Of course." Kenshin says waving her off as he walked toward Negi.
(break)
Next Morning.
Evangeline's Cottage.
Negi walked up to Evangeline's cottage with one thing in mind. Find out about Kenshin's past by any means necessary. After seeing his conflict in the showers the day before she knew if she wanted to help him she would have to go to someone else and take the flack for it later from him when she decided to bring it up. Her only concern was him walking in on her and whomever talking at which point he would likely be very upset with her.
Negi took a breath and walked inside finding Hikari in the kitchen brewing tea. She looked up and noticed her. "Oh Negi-Chan, already here for training?"
"Uhm...n-no." Negi says. "Is Kenshin, Yukari or Miyuki around?"
"Hmm...no...I haven't seen Kenshin and I'm sure his sisters are still sleeping." Hikari says. "Do you need me to tell them anything?"
"I-Iie...I...wanted to talk with you." Negi says.
Hikari blinked before chuckling. "Whatever could you want with me?"
"It's about Kenshin." Negi says.
Hikari stopped chuckling. "What's going on?"
"Could we have a seat first?" Negi asks.
"Sure." Hikari says taking as seat at the table. Negi followed suit and Hikari passed a cup of tea to her. "What is it?"
"First...I must say you are awfully...well bubbly for someone who lost their husband not too long ago." Negi says.
Hikari looked down at her cup of tea. "It's that convincing is it?"
Negi gasped seeing her misstep. "Oh...I-I'm so sorry Hikari-San."
"It's alright." Hikari says. "I do have to put up a strong front for my children, but y'know...sometimes...I just can't help crying myself to sleep some nights since he's been gone." "That's more than I can say for Kenshin..."
"What do you mean?" Negi says.
"Do you know the day after Ryuushin died and I took Kenshin to his grave he outright refused to cry?" Hikari asks.
"!" Negi stared at her in disbelief. "Huh?" "Why?"
"He told me he didn't have any right to cry as he resolved to kill Ryuushin." Hikari says. "Even after I told him everything I knew behind it he still refused saying he could have done something...anything to prevent it..."
"That's terrible..." Negi says. "He's just bearing the guilt...?"
"Because he feels he has to, yes." Hikari says. "I've told him that when he finally breaks down he could come to me." "However we're getting away from the subject at hand, you wanted to ask about Kenshin did you not?"
"Uhm...h-hai." Negi says getting her thoughts together. "I don't know why, but he's holding me at arms length...or at least it feels that way." He acts happy enough to where he thinks he could keep me around, but he doesn't let me in close enough to help him."
"I see." Hikari says. "When did this start?"
"B-Before the trip to Kyoto when he admitted to having sex with Evangeline the day after he found out about his Cardiac Arrhythmia." Negi says. "I was upset with him at first, but after I found out why I was just glad he was OK."
"I would like to apologize about that." Hikari says. "When Evangeline told me about that I told her make sure his body was alright, but the means were hers to decide."
"However after we left he still felt guilty, I tried asking him about it and he said he didn't want to lose a third person he loved." Negi explained. "I wouldn't find out about the second person who turned out to be Atsuki-San until I cornered him about it on the train ride to Kyoto."
"Before you continue have you seen her the past few days?" Hikari asks. "Yukari was curious."
"I believe she's got a tent set up somewhere in the woods." Negi says. "She swings by to train everyday."
"I see." Hikari says. "She has feelings of love for Kenshin as well...although I think Kenshin's might have diluted over the past years." "Anyway continue."
Negi nods. "After the first attack by Chigusa Amagasaki, he seemed emotionally disconnected. I tried to ask him about it, but he flat out told me to drop it...at the time it sounded like a threat."
"He did just find out his father was trying to kill him and his family." Hikari says sipping down her tea and pouring another cup. "I really can't see anyone wanting to talk after that."
"Another thing that's been happening...they've tried to disguise it and have been doing well for the most part, but I've also noticed a fissure of sorts driving itself between Kenshin and Yukari." Negi says. "I know it's not really any of my business, but...I'm just worried for them."
"..." Hikari remained silent. "Have you and Kenshin not settled that yet Yukari?" She thought to herself. Hikari took a breath. "Out of respect for Yukari's privacy I really can't help you."
"I understand." Negi says. "Hikari-San...I think Kenshin has been crying over his father's death whether he realizes it or not."
"What makes you say that?" Hikari asks.
Negi told her about finding Kenshin asleep earlier in the week and finding him crying. About using the dream spell to look into his mind and the dream she saw therein. Hikari nodded. "I see." "I would imagine this has been happening ever since he returned from Kyoto."
"The second half seemed like a nightmare..." Negi says.
Hikari nods slowly. "Yes...nightmare. Alright Negi I'm going to tell you a story that should help answer the rest of your questions OK?" Negi nodded.
Meanwhile Kenshin who was in the resort training solo popped out of the resort and heard talking. "Huh? That's Mom's voice, who's she talking to?"
Hikari took a breath before beginning."Once upon a time, two children were born. One a boy the other a girl." "The two were twins born unto two loving parents." "The father of the two however was a wanted criminal and soon after the son was born he had to leave to confront his enemies...to protect his new family."
Kenshin narrowed his eyes listening in. "This already sounds familiar." He thought.
"However during this time the father's and the mother's greatest enemy came after the latter." "Hoping to possess her body which he succeeded in doing." "From there that man's allies kidnapped the daughter and nearly kidnapped the son, but was halted, by the father who nearly lost his life losing the will to fight after seeing his beloved standing across from him
Five years passed since that night and the father had made a plan to get his beloved and his daughter back." "Little did he know he had a second daughter thanks to the man who had taken them." The son cried and wailed and begged his father not to go." "He was very shy and nearly introverted only opening up to those he knew he could trust." "But the father promised that he would come back and come back he did...not with his beloved, but with his eldest daughter." "The son was happy to finally meet the sister he had always been told he had." "But it was short lived."
"What happened after that?" Negi asks.
Kenshin's eyes widen hearing Negi's voice. "What the hell? !" He persisted in listening hoping this wouldn't be the story he thought it was.
"Six months later the father's greatest enemy had decided to bring the fight to him." "He left his children alone and nearly died again having been too weakened from the previous fight to make much of a difference." "The two children worried for their father's safety left to go find him only to find their father laying in a pool of his own blood."
"!" "Wh-What?" "Th-They actually saw their own father dying before their eyes?" Negi says in a shaky tone.
"Hai." "The daughter identified the attacker as their mother or rather the man possessing their mother, but she was quickly knocked out as the son's body locked up." "The younger daughter was worried for her sibling's safety, but dared not disobey her possessed mother." Hikari said. "Then suddenly the son flew into a rage attacking the possessed mother." "The man saved his own neck, by telling the boy that if he killed him the mother would go down with him." "This stopped the boy cold in his tracks because...he had always wanted to meet his mother...to be held in her embrace." "The man took this opportunity to unleash a despicable assault using one of the mother's own attacks to nearly kill the boy.
Negi gasps at this. "Wh-What?" "That's terrible."
Hikari closed her eyes. "That's not even the worst part." "The mother had managed to slip her inner subconsciousness into the boy's mind to watch over him." "But what happened made her wish she had not...or rather...that she could have done something."
"What?" Negi asks.
"The man sent the boy away...into the depths of the very people that hated and despised his father." Hikari says. "He did not know any better as his father and those around him had raised him and trained him, but also sheltered him." "So he told the people who his father was...the ruling body of those people...assumed that he knew of his father's crimes and tried to torture the information out of him. Negi's breath hitched as her eyes widened.
Kenshin clenched his fists his eyes narrowing into a glare. "Son of a bitch this is what I think it is!"
"When this proved to be futile the ruling body...the senate if you will cast the boy out of their chambers and proclaimed the boy to be a monster...a demon." Hikari continued. "There was not a day that went by that the mother of the son did not cry over the torture being all, but powerless to stop it." "Just as well there was not a day that went by that he did not become seriously maimed, burned alive, and beaten within an inch of his life." "Everyday two of the senators who did not agree with their partners rationale took this boy to a healer."
Negi started to feel sick as Hikari went on. "It wasn't long before the boy was driven to his breaking point and stabbed himself...four times in the heart."
"Please...No...No more." Negi says her body quivering.
"I am almost finished." Hikari says. "He made only one friend." "A girl." "Because he was so desperate for acceptance that he instantly grew close." "He didn't know it at the time, but he had quickly come to love the girl."
"Thank goodness." Negi sighed in relief.
"But...in a short few months." "The senate got wind of this and tried to have both her and the mother of that girl executed for consorting with a demon." "They failed as a unanimous vote was needed and instead the two were banished." "But...the mother would not make it out of there alive as the senate had hired assassins to kill her and her daughter." "It was unknown what saved the girl, but her mother died."
"No...No...No." Negi says feeling sick again. "It's too much.
"The boy...saw this happen from a distance and was convinced that they were both dead and that it was all his fault." Hikari says. "It was then that the boy lost all hope and became disconnected from his emotions." "He internally decided...that if he ever got out of the hell hole he was in." "That he would do everything alone." "So that...no one would ever be caught in the crossfire of his actions...or die because of him." "And so he kept his pain all locked away inside his heart." "For no one to see."
"Did...he..." "Did he?"
"Yes." "He did eventually escape that place and is still alive to this day." Hikari says.
"Wh-What? !" Negi says getting to her feet. "You mean someone actually experienced this? !"
"Yes."
Negi and Hikari's eyes widen turning their heads to find Kenshin standing in the resort doorway. He had a deep scowl on his face.
"Kenshin...I..." Hikari says.
"Don't." Kenshin says keeping his eyes on Negi. "All those things she just told you...all of it happened to me."
"!" Negi gasped staring at Kenshin with wide eyes. "You...you..."
Kenshin let a grim smirk cross his features. "Why so surprised? Did you expect something else?"
"I had a feeling it was traumatizing, but to attempt suicide? !" Negi says.
"Like I said!" Kenshin shot back. "What did you expect? ! Those motherfuckers took an innocent little boy and broke him in half! !" "Turning him into what would eventually become an emotionless killing machine!" "NOW DO YOU REALIZE WHY I WAS SO HESITANT? ! ! !" Kenshin shouts finally losing his temper.
"Kenshin...I...I..." Negi stammered obviously frightened by his anger.
"I told you that I would tell you everything you wanted to know after I got my thoughts in order! !" Kenshin yelled. "But obviously you couldn't wait could you? !"
"How long? !" Negi shouts. "How long would you have kept me waiting while you suffered alone? !" "I just wanted to help!"
Kenshin scoffed. "Oh right, so now you're trying your hand at being the white knight...god dammit this is such a role reversal." "So you just had to go out of your way to help the poor bastard with the crippled heart with his emotional trauma." "Negi I never asked for your help and I sure as hell don't need it now."
Negi shrunk back as Kenshin turned heel and walked toward the resort. "Forget it...I'm done here."
"Kenshin you went way out of line!" Hikari says.
"I know." Kenshin says bitterly. "However I hate my privacy being invaded...especially to such a degree as this..." He walked back into the resort room slamming the door behind him.
"I...I just...I just wanted to help..." Negi says wrapping her arms around herself her body shaking.
Hikari sighed. "Dammit Kenshin...you have to learn to let more people in." She walked over to Negi pulling her into a comforting embrace. "I'm sorry Negi...I had no idea that would happen."
"It's all my..." Hikari cut her off.
"Negi don't." Hikari says. "You had no idea this was gonna happen either, while we shouldn't have done this...Ken-Chan blew it way out of proportion."
Negi nodded and cried into Hikari's shoulder. "I...I wanna fix this, but now...I...don't know how."
"There's a way...Kenshin's going to calm down soon..." Hikari says. "He's upset with you, but he still loves you. Not one instance did he say he was breaking up."
Meanwhile back in the resort Kenshin stormed past Evangeline. "Whoa what the hell?" She says.
"Leave me alone." Kenshin says as he expels Ryuujin and Yama from his body. "Go do whatever. I want to be alone."
"Whatever kid." Ryuujin says.
"Very well...do try to calm down." Yama says. Kenshin nods and flashes away.
He reappeared on the roof of the resort sitting on the edge. "Arika if you want to yell at me go ahead...I'm all ears."
"...There's no need." Arika says. "You already know how you reacted was wrong and you already regret it." "Yelling at you now would just put unneeded stress on both of us."
Kenshin looks down over the edge. "Dammit...this is way worse then when I broke up with Theodora." "I'm not even technically broken up with Negi and it feels like I just ripped both our hearts out and stomped on them."He sighs laying down on his back thinking of ways he could smooth this over, or rather...if he even should at all.
(break)
Meanwhile in Makai.
Luka's wind carried him to a plateau overlooking a pristine lake. (whistle) "Undine's Spring, Looking beautiful as always."
He heard a collection of watery movements. He turned his head looking around as slimes of many different colors surrounded him. All were female, if the curves and busts were any indication.
"What are you doing here Mask?" The leader of the group, a full figured purple slime demanded.
"Hey hey hey...ladies ladies ladies." Luka says raising his hands defensively. "I just came looking for someone."
"Hey don't you think about polluting here!" One of the other slimes says glaring at Luka.
"I won't I won't." Luka says. "Why would I ruin this beautiful view?" "That includes you ladies."
Before anyone could say anything more a soft melodic voice cut in. "Everyone, he is a friend." "Please leave."
The slimes seemed to recognized the voice and immediately left. In their place a voluptuous blue slime took their place. She had a tattoo of sorts running along her viscous skin. He breasts were large, yet lacked nipples and where their would usually be a vagina was nothing. She had deep red eyes that scanned Luka over. "Hmm...you've changed your look Luka."
"I see Alma Elma already told you of my new name." Luka says. "It was her fault, she shredded my cloak."
"It makes your penis much more accessible." The slime says.
"Erubetie please don't." Luka says. "If it was any other time I'd gladly give you some of my 'treat'."
"I understand...it's not like I'm a succubus." Erubetie says.
"Have you seen a character with this description?" Luka says holding a list in front of her face.
"...Yes." Erubetie says. "He came here about a day ago. He just looked out at the spring. A few of the other slimes tried propositioning him for sex so they could have a child, but he politely declined." "I finally came up and asked what he was doing and he said he was just seeing the sights. Starting with Salamander's volcano and ending with Gnome's ruins." Erubetie says. "Oddly enough he said he was already by Sylph's forest."
"Ah I see." Luka says. "Interesting."
"I will keep an eye out for any more suspicious characters." Erubetie says bowing her head.
"I don't think that'll be necessary, but I appreciate it nonetheless." Luka says. "Anyway Tell Undine I said hello."
"Very well...and also..." Erubetie slides up to Luka pressing her body against his back. "You are lucky I already have ate." "I would love to sample more of your...cream." She says suggestively.
Luka felt a shiver run up his spine. "I owe you one?"
"Yes...you do." Erubetie says.
"A...anyway I gotta go." Luka says taking off with a sphere of water surrounding him.
Erubetie shook her head laughing softly. "It's always fun getting him bothered." She dissolved into the ground returning to the cave below the spring.
(chapter end)
Luka: So I'm getting close to finding Yondai and Kenshin's relationship is close to implosion...neat.
Kenshin: Dude...shut the fuck up.
Draconis: Anyway that's pretty much what's going on. Hey Yukari I could've just opened the door for you.
Yukari: (plants Draconis into the ground) Not like this you idiot! !
Draconis: Oooowwww...
Will Kenshin and Negi be able to fix their relationship or will they just let it crumble? What will Luka do when he finally finds the Yondaime False Shinigami, Mirai? All this and more in the next Chapter of Springfield and Kuroshi Redux.
Draconis678 out.