The Children of the Pactio
Chapter Four
She knew it wasn't a dream.
No dream can be this realistic.
She can't see herself, but she can hear herself and she was crying.
She didn't know why she was crying, it just happened.
As she cries, she feels herself being picked up and being held.
She didn't know who or what was holding her, but she continued to cry even harder.
But then, she heard another sound.
"Land of bear and land of eagle
Land that gave us birth and blessing
Land that called us ever homewards
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, We will go home
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, We will go home
We will go home across the mountains"
This sound was more beautiful than she ever heard.
It came from a man's mouth.
She now knew the man making this sound was holding her.
Cradling her in his arms.
The man continued to make his sound.
"Land of freedom, Land of heroes
Land that gave us hope and memories
Hear our singing, Hear our longing
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, We will go home
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, We will go home
We will go home across the mountains"
This man had such comfortable warmth to him.
She starting to cry less and started to get sleepy.
"Land of sun and Land of moonlight
Land that gave us joy and sorrow
Land that gave us love and laughter
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, We will go home
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home, We will go home
We will go across the mountains"
She stopped crying and listened to the sound.
The man was rocking her gently in his arms.
The sound seems to be dying.
"When the land is there before us
We have gone home across the mountains
We will go home, We will go home
We will go home across the mountains"
The sound was gone now, but she wasn't crying anymore.
Before she went to sleep, she looked up at the face of the man.
It was her papa, who made that beautiful sound.
She knew it wasn't a dream.
It was her first memory.
Natsuko Springfield woke up with a smile on her face.
Ever since she was a little girl, her papa would sing her that lullaby to get her to sleep. Now the only time she would hear it was when he sings it to his other daughters and son.
At times, she sings it. Whenever she feels homesick, that song always reminded her of home and her family. She also sings it to her younger siblings when they can't get to sleep.
For example her little brother, who was sharing the same tent as her wasn't able to go to sleep last night. But when Natsuko sang the lullaby, he went into a sleep so deep that she would need a rock band to wake him up.
She looked down at his sleeping face. His golden hair was all messing and unruly. She smiled as he made faces in his sleep.
Natsuko woke up extra early, because she had something important to do today.
After the events of yesterday, she was sure her papa would go to his mage superiors and he would have to recount all that had happened.
But would her papa tell them about her? Or would he not mention her in order to protect her?
He's not the same papa as he's in the future. He may have experience with handling teenage girls, but he wouldn't know what to do with his own flesh and blood.
She doesn't want to be a burden to him. If there is any blame, he shouldn't be the one to take it.
She dresses quickly and quietly, she doesn't want to wake her little brother.
"Onee-chan…" Natsuko stops dressing when she hears her little brother. Dressed in only her shirt and underwear, Natsuko is hoping that she didn't wake him up and he's trying to see her in her panties.
She looks over to where he is and sees that he's still asleep, 'He must be having a dream.' She thinks to herself with a smile on her face. She was glad her little brother wasn't becoming a pervert, like someone else she knew. After putting on pants and a new white cloak, she exits the tent.
Natsuko and her brothers had set-up camp ten miles away from the academy. Not too near for anyone to find them, but not too far for them to get to their father and mothers on time.
Natsuko looked at the tent in front of her, where her brother was sleeping. While the tent on the left held her older brother. She looked at the now extinguished campfire that was surrounded by four logs. They have cooked their meals and warmed their tea with it. Her older brother had put talismans around the perimeter of the camp in order to protect them. If she wanted to leave the camp, she would have to be very careful not to set the talismans off.
Natsuko made it pass the talismans and head towards the academy. She wants to get there before her papa.
Unfortunately for her, one of her brothers had woken up much earlier than her and watched her leave the camp, 'Where are you going Natsuko?' Her brother went after her.
Chachamaru started up from her rest mode and went to the kitchen to start her master's breakfast.
But, something wasn't right with her. She wasn't operating properly. She wasn't following her order of operations.
She would skip one or two steps in making breakfast. She put the eggs and bacon on the frying pan without lighting the stove. She let the toast burn; she poured the tea in the vase on the table. Chachamaru was messing up at everything.
She was making a big mess and so much noise that it woke those who were sleeping in the living room.
"Chachamaru-san…what are you doing?" Negi said groggily. He was still a little sleepy from last night. Asuna had woken up as well and stood right behind him. Konoka and Setsuna were still asleep.
"G-good morning Negi-sensei, Asuna-san." Chachamaru had forgotten Negi and the others were staying the night in the cabin. Her gears skipped a rotation as she saw Negi first thing in the morning, but she didn't 'feel' the same way as she does when she's with Negi. Why was that?
"You're making breakfast Chachamaru?" Asuna was rubbing the tiredness from her eyes.
"Yes I am. Would you two care for some?" Chachamaru offered to Negi and Asuna.
Before either could answer, they heard footsteps stomping down the stairs. They saw Evangeline in her pajamas at the bottom of the stairs.
"What do you think you are doing Chachamaru?" Evangeline asked her. She had an angry look on her face.
"Good morning Master. I am making breakfast for you, as I always do. Is something wrong Master?" Chachamaru didn't know why her master would be angry about breakfast.
"Is something wrong?" Evangeline asked in a mocking tone, "I'll tell you what's wrong; it's nearly five o'clock in the morning."
Everybody looked at the grandfather clock in the living room to the time. It was fifteen minutes to five.
"Why are you making breakfast so early? You always make around seven o'clock." Evangeline wondered why Chachamaru started breakfast so early in the morning.
Evangeline noticed Negi and Asuna staring at her, "What is it you two?" She asked them.
"That's a cute pajama you have Evangeline-san." Negi said with a smile on his face.
Evangeline looked down and saw the pajama she was wearing. Baby blue with little pink bunnies on it. She had never let anyone see her in that pajama and to Negi; she might seem like another one of those juvenile girls in class.
"You look so adorable Evangeline." Asuna said pinching one of her cheeks.
"Let me go Kagurazaka." Evangeline batted away Asuna's hand away from her face. "I'm going back to bed; wake me when it's seven o'clock."
"Evangeline-san wait, you can't go back to sleep." Negi said stopping her.
Evangeline stopped going up the stairs and turned to face him, "Can you tell me why I can't go back to sleep."
"We have to go see the headmaster before class starts." He said to her.
"What do you mean Negi?" Asuna asked him.
"Whenever there's an incident that has to do with magic, the headmaster needs to be informed." Negi told Asuna and Evangeline.
"Fine." Evangeline looked at Negi, "Let me get out of these pajamas and into my uniform, then we will go see the old man."
After Evangeline went to her room, Asuna was getting ready to leave, "Well, if I'm going to keep my job, I better leave right now if I'm going to make it on time."
"Asuna, why don't you stay? You might still be injured from yesterday." Negi had a concern tone in his voice.
"No way." She said as she puts on her shoes, "Besides, those stimulants that your daughter gave us have really done the trick. My body isn't hurting anymore."
Negi had forgotten all about his daug…Natsuko. She had to leave so suddenly, that he never had a chance to have a real conversation with her.
"It's going to take a long time to get to my job from here, so I have to leave even early than usual." Asuna headed for the door.
No matter how hard he tried, she would never listen to him, "Alright, just be careful out there and be sure to meet us at the dean's office."
"I'll try." She said as she went out the door and down the stairs. She takes one more look at Negi, "By the way Negi, if you see your wife, make sure you kiss her good morning." She went off with a smile on her face.
Negi felt so uncomfortable by what Asuna said. His wife…Ayase Yue, the mother of Natsuko. He wondered how he was going to face her and worst of all Nodoka.
Negi heard a glass break. He looked into the kitchen and saw Chachamaru holding a broken glass cup in both hands with orange dripping to the floor, "Are you okay Chachamaru-san?" Negi asked her.
Chachamaru nodded her head, "Yes I am. Thank you for asking Negi-sensei." She threw the broken glass into the trash and grabbed the mop to clean up the juice on the floor.
Negi knew she wasn't alright. To make so many mistakes isn't something Chachamaru would normally do, even if she was a robot or not. "Chachamaru-san, I think you should go and see Satomi-san before class starts."
"But, why would I go see Satomi? It's not time for my monthly inspection." Chachamaru put the mop back in the broom closet.
They heard someone coming downstairs, "Did I hear something break?" Evangeline asked them. She changed into her uniform and took a seat at the table for breakfast.
"I'm sorry master; I have broken one of your glass cups." Chachamaru bowed for forgiveness.
Evangeline shook her head, "It's not like you Chachamaru to make errors in household maintenance."
"First you start breakfast two hours early; you make a mess of my kitchen, you made such a racket, you burned the food, destroyed one of my glasses and on top of all that you have your maid outfit on backwards." Evangeline pointed at Chachamaru's outfit. She didn't even notice it.
"Even though it's not time for your inspection, I still think you should to Satomi." Negi was getting more worried, "There could be something wrong that you don't know about Chachamaru."
Chachamaru was taken by her sensei's concern over her. If only they could…but, then she remembers that she can't.
She puts the breakfast plates in front of them, "If you think I should go Negi-sensei than I shall."
"Uhhh…Chachamaru-san I really think you should before class starts. I don't think it should wait." Negi said with a confused look on his face. Evangeline had the same look on her face.
"Is something wrong with breakfast Negi-sensei?" Chachamaru asked him.
"This is breakfast?" Evangeline said to her, pointing at the plate in front of her. Crushed eggshells, uncooked bacon and soggy toast. Negi and Evangeline looked at the questionable meal before them.
"There is definitely something wrong with you Chachamaru." Evangeline said as she took a sip from her tea, but spitted back out, "Pffht…Did you make the tea with dish water?" She cleaned her mouth with a napkin. "Chachamaru go change and then go to Hakase's place and find what's wrong with you. Because if you don't, I will take you apart myself and that will solve the problem." She had an infuriated look on her face.
Chachamaru ran to change into her school uniform and left the cabin, "Evangeline-san, don't you think that was a little too harsh." Negi said as he took his and her plate and threw away their 'breakfast' into the garbage.
"Do you want to drink the tea she made?" She offered him the cup.
"Uhh…NO thank you Evangeline-san." Negi 'politely' turned down her offer.
They heard yawning coming from the living room and saw Konoka and Setsuna enter the kitchen, "Good morning Negi-kun , Eva-chan." Konoka greeted them as she and Setsuna took a seat at the table, "What's for breakfast?"
"Good morning Konoka, Would you like some tea?" Evangeline pushed her cup toward Konoka.
Asuna arrived at Maicho News in time to deliver the paper, "Good morning Asuna, you're a little late today." Her boss said to her.
She was out of breathing from running to her job, "Yeah…s-sorry about that, I slept over a friend's house and it's farther than the dorm rooms."
'Friend?' Asuna thought, 'Since when is Evangeline a friend? She didn't want us in her house.'
"So it was a sleepover?" The boss' wife asked her as she stacked the newspaper on top of each other.
"Yeah it was." Asuna lied, 'Not really.'
"Are you alright Asuna?" The boss asked her, "You seem a little spaced out today."
Asuna snapped back to attention, "No, I'm okay. Something just happened yesterday, it's no big deal."
"What happened yesterday?" The boss' wife said as she puts the newspapers to Asuna's carrying bag.
'Big mouth.' Asuna said to herself, 'Now what do I say? I can't tell them about the demon and Negi. Think, think…'
"A…relative of my teacher showed up unexpectedly and I think she's going to stay for a while." They wouldn't believe a girl from the future came to save her ten year old father from death.
"Really? I guess he was surprised to see her." Her boss asked her.
Asuna nodded her head slowly, "Actually…we were all surprised."
"Well, a visit from family is always a good thing." The boss' wife said as she finished loading Asuna's bag, "Here you go Asuna. Now be careful."
"Don't worry, I will." Asuna slung the bag over her right shoulder and left to drop off the papers.
As Asuna place each newspaper in the mailbox, she began to think about yesterday, 'I can't believe the brat ends up with Yue.' She thinks as she drops off another paper, 'Poor bookworm, this is going to break her heart.'
Another few papers delivered, 'He did look hot in that photo...stop thinking that, Yue's the one who he married, I mean the one he is going to marry.'
'Almost finished, then it's off to meet the brat at the dean's office.' She says to herself, 'If his daughter from the future then that means she could tell me about my future with Takahata-sensei.' She blushed at that last thought.
With all the newspapers delivered, Asuna was about to head back to the academy, when she sees an elderly woman at the front door of her house. She was carrying two big bags filled with groceries and it seems she was having a hard time opening her door. Asuna went over to her, "Excuse me madam, would you like some help?" Asuna asked her.
The old lady turned around and saw Asuna coming towards her, "I would really appreciate that dear." She said with a smile on her face.
She handed Asuna one of her bags that the items inside were stacked on top of each other. Asuna had an unsteady grip on the bag and a small blue box from on top of the bag fell off, "Oh I'm sorry. I'll get that."
Asuna puts down the bag and bents down to pick up the box. When she picks it up, she feels it like it's empty. She looks at the top and sees a strange symbol on it. The top of the box springs open and a purple gas sprays Asuna in the face, "What is this?" Asuna asked the old lady. Asuna was beginning to feel light-headed. She was having a problem keeping her balance and her vision was getting blurry. The last thing she sees is the old woman still smiling at her before everything goes dark and falls to the ground.
The old lady looks down upon Asuna's unconscious body, "I know of another way you can help me dear." The smile on her face changed to an evil grin and the image of the old lady vanished and a person in black robes took its place, "Kagurazaka Asuna, You're the one of the twelve I'm going to get today." The person in a woman voice said as she picks up Asuna and disappears with her.
It was a very uncomfortable walk as Negi, Evangeline, Konoka and Setsuna headed to school. As they left the cabin, they saw the ashes of Eton's burned body blown away by the wind.
They didn't say a word to each other at breakfast and the only sound they heard was the tick-tock-tick of the grandfather clock.
They had the same thing on their mind...Natsuko Springfield.
For each question they thought up, another one would enter their heads. Endless questions with no answers, what could they do to solve them. Was it possible to solve them at all?
In order to break the silence, Konoka said what was on her mind, "I wonder what kind of children I have?"
They looked back at Konoka, "What did you say Konoka?" Evangeline asked her not believing what she had heard.
"All I said was I want to know the children I have in the future." She said with a smile.
"Konoka-san, why would you ask such a question?" Negi asked her.
Konoka looked at Negi, "Well, Natsuko is your daughter from the future and She seems to know all about us. I wonder if she knows the children we are going to have."
"WE?" Negi asked her.
Konoka shook her head, "Oh...not 'we' as in me and you Negi-kun." Konoka told him.
A certain swordswoman let go a lungful of air she didn't know she was holding.
"I meant as in all of us. Me, you, Setsuna and Evangeline." Konoka pointed to each one of them.
Evangeline stopped and faced Konoka, "What makes you think I would want children?" She asked Konoka very sternly.
"I was just thought..." Konoka tried to explain.
"You thought I would want a brat of my own. To feed, change its diaper, give it a bath and have it call me mommy." Evangeline was on an angry rant.
Negi saw Konoka cower under Evangeline's gaze, "Evangeline-san, Konoka-san didn't mean any harm. Besides, it was a question directed to all of us, not just you." He tried to calm her down.
Evangeline shifted her stare from Negi and back to Konoka. She didn't say a word, but turned around and continued towards the school. Negi, Setsuna and Konoka kept a foot away from her, not wanting to get her any more angrier.
If it was possible, the silence was even more uncomfortable.
It was still early in the morning when they made it to school, so the halls were not filled with students and it made it easier to get to the dean's office without going through a crowd.
When they reached his office, they heard laughter coming from the other side of the door. They recognized one of laughs as the dean, but the second laugh was a female, so they presumed it to be Shizuna-sensei. Negi knocked on the door, "Come in." The dean said from inside.
As they entered the room, the dean greeted them, "Negi-kun, Setsuna-kun, Evangeline and Konoka good morning. I hope you all slept well last night." He looked at the small group as if he was looking for something, "Where's Asuna-kun and Chachamaru?"
"Chachamaru-san went to see Satomi-san and Asuna went to deliver the newspaper, she should be joining us later." Negi answered him.
They bowed good morning to him and entered his office, "I was just having an amusing conversion with this young lady." He pointed to his guest on the couch.
They looked at the person on the couch. The blue hair and brown eyes, it wasn't Shizuna-sensei, "Good morning Papa." Natsuko greeted her ten year old father. She was just sitting there on the couch drinking tea, as if she had nothing to hide.
"Wha-wha-wha..." Negi couldn't get the words out of his mouth, so Evangeline helped him, 'Slap' by slapping him on his back, "What are you doing here Natsuko-san?" The slap seemed to really help him.
Natsuko took a sip from her tea, "I guess we both had the same idea Papa, I'm here to tell the dean about yesterday."
"How did you get here before us?" Evangeline said as she took a seat in one of the armchairs.
"That's simple, I flew here." Natsuko pointed to her staff that was by the door along with her white cloak hanging on the coat rack, "As I got closer to the school I went down and walked the rest of the way." The dean refilled her cup.
They all took a seat, Natsuko offered the spot next to her to Negi. He was having the same feeling he had yesterday when Natsuko revealed herself. He didn't know what it was, but it made him feel heavy, as if his spirit had weight on it.
"You told the headmaster everything?" Setsuna asked her. She stood next to Konoka, while she sat in the other armchair.
Natsuko took her cup from the dean, "Well I just told him about Eton, protecting all of you, killing Eton and my connection to Negi."
"Why did you do that?" Negi asked his daughter, "I was going to tell the headmaster about yesterday myself."
"If you were going to tell him everything, would you have told him about me papa?" Natsuko asked him as she took another sip of her tea.
Negi Had not thought of that. If he did tell the dean everything, would he tell him about Natsuko? How was he going to explain her? If didn't say a word about Natsuko, what would he say to make the dean believe him?
The dean placed a cup of tea in front of all of them, "Well, I think congratulations are in order."
"Congratulations for what grandfather?" Konoka asked him as she and the others took the cup and began to drink their tea.
"For Negi-kun, on having such a beautiful girl for a daughter." The old dean said raising his cup.
Negi choked on his tea at what the dean had said, Natsuko patted him on his back to help swallow down the tea. "So, she did tell you everything." Negi manged to say.
The dean nodded his head, "Yes she did." The dean continued, "When she first arrived at my office, I thought it was Yue-kun and she had a growth spurt. But Natsuko-kun told me about herself, about Negi and Yue and the connection between the three of you, I nearly fainted."
"You hear that boya, he nearly fainted." Evangeline said drinking her tea, "You could take a pointer from a real man."
"But headmaster, you couldn't have believed her right away." Setsuna said to the dean.
The dean nodded his head, "You're right Setsuna-kun and I didn't." He picked up something from his desk, "But, Natsuko-kun showed me this photo and her story was getting more valid by the minute." The dean held the same photo Natsuko had showed Negi and the others yesterday at Evangeline's cabin.
They couldn't believe that Natsuko had revealed her identity to someone else. What was she trying to do by saying she was Negi's future daughter? "Natsuko-kun also said you got hurt fighting some big demon yesterday. Are you all okay?" The dean asked with so much concern.
Negi nodded his head, "Yes, We're quite alright now. In fact, the pain is gone and our bodies don't hurt anymore." He said as he stretching his arms.
"I knew the stimulant would help you and the others papa." Natsuko said with a wide smile. She looks at Setsuna who was stretching as well.
"A potion that heals anything at a rapid speed, I didn't even know such a potion existed." Evangeline said placing her cup on the coffee table.
"It doesn't, but it will. It is created by a great expert in potions and catalysts." Natsuko told her.
"Who is this person?" Evangeline asked her wanting to know now who created such a marvelous creation.
Natsuko looked at her, "...You did Aunt Evangeline."
Evangeline's eyes were wide open at that bit of shocking news, "I created that super-stimulant?" Evangeline asked as if she didn't believe the first time. "Wait a minute, Aunt Evangeline?" She questioned her new title.
Natsuko nodded her head, "Yeah, that's what I call you in my time," She looked at Konoka and Setsuna, "and you two are Aunt Setsuna and Aunt Konoka."
Each of the girls froze after what Natsuko said to them, "Natsuko, why did you call them your aunts?" Negi asked her.
She turned around and faces her father, "Well growing up, I would see Aunt Evangeline everyday and Aunt Konoka and Setsuna only when they would visit us or when we go to Kyoto on business papa. After a while, calling them my aunts seems appropriate."
"Hold it, you said you see everyday, right?" Evangeline asked Natsuko. She pushed the whole aunt issue aside. Natsuko just nodded, "If you see me everyday and it seems that the boya is going to teach here for a very long time, does that mean... I'm still confined to this wretched place?" Evangeline couldn't believe her fate, even in the future she's still cursed.
"I can't believe it." Konoka said. Everyone focused their attention on Konoka, "I can't believe...I'm an aunt." She said with much glee.
'Stupid girl,' Evangeline thought to herself, 'here I am agonizing about my future and she's content about being an aunt.'
"You mean, I don't free Evangeline-san from the curse?" Negi asked her.
Natsuko looked at her father, "Well...you see...I ...she..." She couldn't get her words right. "I'm sorry, but I can't say."
"You said that next time we meet, you would tell us want we want to know." Konoka just remembered what Natsuko told them yesterday.
"That's right." Evangeline got up from the chair and walked over to her, "I guess the 'next time' is now, so you better tell us everything or do you want your 'papa' worry about what to expect." Evangeline played the 'parent card', she knew Natsuko would feel guilty if she didn't answer her fathers' questions.
Natsuko looked at Negi, she did promise them and he taught her to always keep her promises. She looked at everyone else in the room, their faces full of worry and questions, she didn't want to see them like that, "Okay, I will answer any questions you have, but some I won't."
"What do you mean you won't answer some of them?" Setsuna asked her.
"For example, Aunt Eva asked if she is still at this school in my time. I won't say, because the future could change for the better or the worst."
"You can't do that, that's not fair." Evangeline complained like a little girl, "If you won't answer that question, what else won't you answer?"
Natsuko straighten herself before she spoke, she wanted everyone to hear what she wanted to say, "If you ask me about when certain things are going to happen, such dates, weddings or the birth of your child I will not say."
They couldn't believe it, they could've found out about their futures, but Natsuko wouldn't tell them. It was as if she locked a vault.
"Okay, I have the first question." Evangeline said to her, "Why did you reveal your identity to Negi after you saved? You told him his future with Ayase, but you won't tell us about ours."
Natsuko had expected this question, "When we were all in the cabin yesterday, everyone was pestering me with questions, so I had no choice but to reveal myself. I knew no one would believe me, so I brought the photo for solid proof. Besides, I all ready broke one of the rules by making myself known."
"What rule was that Natsuko-san?" Negi was curious by what she meant by that.
"One of the rules is that we aren't allowed to interfere with the past, but I did it anyway by fighting Eton." She looked down at the floor.
"Then, why did you save Negi-kun?" Konoka asked her.
"I was having a conflict with myself. I saw the fight between you guys and Eton. I wanted to stop him before anybody got hurt, but I remembered that I wasn't supposed to. At first, I thought you could stop him, but when I saw you getting hurt, I knew he was too powerful for you to defeat by yourself. So, I decided to ignore the rules and save you." Natsuko lowered her head from everyone's view.
Negi saw her hands on her Knees begin to shake and he heard some sniffling, "Are you crying Natsuko-san?" Negi asked her. Natsuko didn't say anything, but she shook her head. Negi knew was lying, she still wanted to look brave in front of everyone.
He took one of her hands into his, She looked up and made eye contact with her father, "Natsuko please don't cry, you did the right thing. You did what your heart told you to do. If you didn't step in at that moment, I would not be alive today. None of us would if it wasn't for you."
Natsuko looked deep in his eyes. Her mama and aunts were right, he was so mature for his age and he could always find the right words to say. Her eyes were a little red from a bit of crying. She wiped the rest of the tears away and embraced Negi in a hug, "Oh papa, to hear you say that I didn't do anything wrong, makes me feel so sure of myself." She said to him as she cried tears of joy this time.
Negi placed his hands carefully on her back and gently patted her. He felt very uncomfortable being hugged by a girl he barely knew. Negi didn't notice the room went silent, until he heard sniffling, "This is so touching." Konoka said with tears falling like a waterfall. Setsuna had tears forming at her eyes, Evangeline looked out the window.
"I would say that Negi-kun has this father thing down." The Headmaster said, stroking his beard.
"Enough of this heart-warming scene already, I still have more questions." Evangeline felt like she was going to be sick.
Natsuko got away from Negi, "I'm sorry, it's just that I always liked getting praised by my papa." She wiped off her tears, "Is there anything else you would like to ask me?"
"Is there anyone else we have to worry about?" Setsuna asked drying her tears with some tissue, "Eton didn't come by himself did he?"
"No, he didn't." Natsuko face had a serious look on it, "He had allies and by now, they know he has died yesterday."
""How did they all get here?" Negi asked trying to find out more about who was trying to murder him.
"I'm sure you all heard about the incident about the craters yesterday, right?" Natsuko asked them.
"You're saying Eton and his allies caused those craters?" Negi couldn't believe it, "Wait a minute, there were seven craters, which means..."
"There are seven people you have to look out for. Well, now six since Eton's dead." Natsuko corrected herself.
"How did they get here?" Konoka asked her.
"They found some way to time travel, but what way I don't know. It took them from our time and placed them in yours." Natsuko tried to explain the best way she could.
"So Eton's friends, can they do the same thing as him or are they different?" Evangeline wanted to know what they were up against.
Natsuko looked at her aunt Eva, "They have different skills and abilities than Eton and I have no idea when they're going to strike."
"Speaking of allies, who are the ones you came with?" Evangeline asked Natsuko.
Natsuko was taken by surprise, "I don't know what you are talking..."
"Do not insult my intelligence, I know you didn't come alone. It would be too dangerous for you with you came by yourself." Evangeline said very sternly.
Natsuko didn't know what to do. She didn't know if they knew about her brothers, "What makes you think I did come with anybody else?" She wanted to know if they were talking about her brothers.
Evangeline got up from the armchair and walked to where Natsuko and Negi were, "Yesterday, I was attacked by someone much shorter than you and was wearing the same white cloak that you wear." Evangeline said rubbing the side of her face where she got kicked.
'Shorter than me? Is she talking about Ototochan?' Natsuko thought to herself.
"Speaking of mysterious people, yesterday Asuna said she saw someone in black clothing." Negi said to Natsuko, "He was at the crater site and Asuna chased him, only for him to get away. Do you know who that person was Natsuko-san?"
'The only person I know who had black clothes yesterday was Onii-chan.' Natsuko was wondering if her brothers weren't following the rules that they themselves set up. "Did you see their faces?" She asked them.
Both Negi and Evangeline shook their heads. Natsuko was very relived, 'Good, they have no idea who they are. If they did, they would freak out."
Natsuko-chan, do you know who they are?" Konoka asked trying to out who Asuna chased and who attacked Evangeline.
Natsuko knew there was no denying about coming to the past with her brothers, so she no choice, "They are friends of mine." She wasn't going to say who they really were.
"Would you care to tell us who your friends are?" The dean was just as curious as everybody else.
Natsuko shook her head, "I'm sorry, but I can't say who they are." She wanted to protect her brothers.
Evangeline got closer and was face to face with Natsuko, "Can't or won't?"
Natsuko felt very uncomfortable by Evangeline's space between them, "I...you see...my..." Natsuko didn't know how to answer aunt Eva.
"Evangeline-san, please give Natsuko-san some room." Negi tried to remove the little vampire from in front of Natsuko. "Besides, we have more important things to worry about."
"That's right Negi-kun," The dean said stroking his beard, "not knowing when these new adversary are going to strike, we must have the academy on full alert."
"Head master, why not have all the mage teachers doing patrols around the campus, like Takahata-sensei." Negi offered.
The dean shook his head, "Unfortunately, Takamichi is handling magical matters overseas and won't be back for two weeks." He looked at the rest of them, "Plus having the mage teachers doing patrols isn't going to help either, since we couldn't sense the demon that attacked you yesterday, we might not be able to sense the others when they do attack again."
Setsuna looked over to Natsuko, "Will Eton's allies attack the students here at Mahora?" She was very concern over the safety of her fellow school mates.
"I don't know, but if they don't get what they want which is papa, they might start harming his students and the rest of the girls in the academy." Natsuko said worrying tone of voice.
It was getting worse and worse by the minute. Possibly the strongest professor, other than Negi, in another country. Enemies that may strike whenever they want and the lives of all the students at Mahora academy in danger, it seemed like this new problem had no solution.
"We can find a solution later, but right now you should all get going, homeroom is about to begin." The dean said to them.
Negi and the girls looked at the clock on the wall. They had been talking for about an hour, "You should all get to class, before the bell rings papa." Natsuko said to them. "Don't worry, we'll figure out what to do about the situation and you'll have someone watching over you to protect you papa."
"I will?" Negi asked Natsuko, to which she smiled in response.
"It won't be me, because it's not my shift and you won't see the person. He will watch from the shadows." Natsuko explain to him.
Negi didn't not like the idea of having someone watching him that he couldn't see. It was like he had paparazzi, watching his every move. "Where are you going to be Natsuko-san?" He asked her as he and the girls moved towards the door.
"I will be here in the office with the dean, trying to find out what to do about Eton's allies." Natsuko said as she accompanied him and the others to the door, "When the school day is over, I will spend the rest of the day with you papa."
The girls and Negi left the office with an odd look on their faces. From surviving an attack, meeting his future daughter and finding out more people wanted him dead, it was go to be an even-more-than-unusual day.
Natsuko saw her papa and her aunts walk off towards class. She could not but wish she could see him teach. Her mama had talked about his day as professor when she and her aunts were students. But he wasn't a teacher in her time. She turned around and walked to the couch to take a seat. She and the dean had to figure out what to do.
"I always get my best ideas when I play GO." The dean said as he had the board on the table, "Do you play Natsuko-kun?"
Natsuko gave him a smile, "Of course I do. I was taught by the best." She sat on the couch and began to play with the old headmaster.
Author's note: Which one of Natsuko's brothers followed her? What's the matter with Chachamaru? Who has kidnapped Asuna and for what purpose?
Sorry it took so long for the next chapter, but I have been busy with classes and with my friends. I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. I got the song from 'King Arthur'. When I heard, I thought it would feel like a precious moment between baby Natsuko and adult Negi. I'm a sucker for heart-warming moments between family. Let me know what you think.