The Children of the Pactio
Chapter Five
The halls were filling up with students as the girls of Mahora went to their homerooms. All of the girls in the hall noticed a group of four, moving at a slow pace. It looked like someone had died and they were grieving.
Negi, Evangeline, Setsuna and Konoka had too many new problems to handle and it wasn'tfirst period yet. "I hope the headmaster and Natsuko-san can find some way to solve this dilemma." Negi said as they made a turn down the hall.
"I do too, Negi-sensei." Setsuna said. She stood right behind him, Konoka was third in line and Evangeline brought up the rear. "I don't want to see anybody in danger."
Konoka nodded her head, "I agree with Se-chan, it would be awful if our friends hurt because of this. Don't you agree Eva-chan?" She looked at Evangeline behind her.
Evangeline shrugged her shoulders, "Getting hurt is inevitable for the friends of a Mage. It was bound to happen sooner or later."
Negi turned around to look at Evangeline, "How can you say that Evangeline-san? Don't you care about the innocent people here?" He asked her.
Evangeline look at Negi with a blank stare, "What do you expect from me? Compassion? Sympathy? Concern? Well if you did, you're talking to the wrong person."
"Negi-kun, can I ask you something?" Konoka said to him.
"Of course you can Konoka-san." Negi answered her.
"How are you going to tell Nodoka about you and Yue?"
Negi stopped in his tracks. What was he going to say to Nodoka? In all of his preparation this morning, he didn't know what to do about Nodoka, "I don't know." He said to Konoka.
Evangeline got in front of Negi, "You could say something like, 'Nodoka, I know you love me, but I decide to go out with your best friend, marry her and tumble around with her in the sheets, because the daughter I have with her comes back to our time and told me about my future with her.'" She gave Negi a quick grin,"How does that sound boya?"
Negi could not believe what Evangeline had just, "Evangeline-san how can you just something so mean, awful and cold?"
"Did we not go over this just a few minutes ago? You want love, get a puppy." She said to him.
It was still early in the day, Negi didn't want it to waste it by having an argument with Evangeline.
"You have to choose your words very carefully Negi-sensei." Setsuna advised him, "Or you may break Nodoka's heart."
"It doesn't matter what he says or how he says it, the bookworm is still going to get hurt." Evangeline said as she continued to walk.
Negi knew that Evangeline spoke the truth,"Natsuko-san may not want me to say anything about myself and Yue-san."
They continued walking to their classroom. When they made another turn, Negi saw another one of his students, "Good morning Negi-sensei." Karakuri Chachamaru greeted him. He came to a sudden stop, causing Setsuna to bump into him and fall back towards Konoka.
Konoka tried to grab hold of Setsuna, but she was unable to hold her and fell down as well. Negi looked to see his students on the floor, but was shocked to see Setsuna on top of Konoka, locking lips, "Getting it on in the halls before classes begin, how daring." Evangeline taunted the two girls.
It was like time froze for Setsuna and Konoka. They stared at each other, Setsuna between Konoka's legs and connect by two pairs of lips. Setsuna quickly got off of Konoka and stood up, "I'm...s-s-sorry O-o-ojou-sama, I didn't mean for that to-to happen." Setsuna had a massive blush on her face.
Konoka got up from the floor, "Don't worry about it Se-chan, it was an accident." She might have sounded calm and cool, but looking closer, her body shook and she had a giant blush on her face.
"I'm so very, very sorry girls. I didn't mean to..." Negi tried to explain. He turn and faced Chachamaru, "Is there anything I can help you with Chachamaru-san?"
"Uhh...Y-yes I did, Negi-sensei." Chachamaru had a hard time getting over what she had seen, "I went to Satomi as I was ordered to and I am happy to report that there are no malfunctions." She said giving Negi a small smile.
Negi smiled back, "Well, that's very good to hear." Chachamaru began to overheat a bit after Negi smiled at her.
"Chachamaru...please wait." They turned around and saw Hakase Satomi walking towards them, red-faced and all out of breath.
"Are you okay Satomi-san?" Negi asked out of concern for one of his students.
"G-good morning Negi-sensei," Satomi leaned against the wall of the corridors, "I ran after Chachamaru when she left the lab. There are still some more test I want to run just to be sure."
"But Satomi-san, Chachamaru-san said she was fine. Why do you need to do more tests?" Negi asked the mad scientist.
Satomi looked at her short professor, "Well sensei, Chachamaru's components are in working order and microprocessor is functioning properly."
Negi still didn't understand, "Then, what is the problem?"
"When I looked into her hard drive, she started to act differently. She knocked down my tools, she tripped over the wires in the lab and landed on my computer." Satomi recollected all the accidents that happened in her lab.
"You messed up another place, even when Hakase didn't find anything wrong with you. What is going on in that thing you call a brain Chachamaru?" Evangeline asked her.
"Negi-sensei, I have a question." Satomi interjected.
"What is it Satomi-san?" Negi asked her.
Satomi smiled at him, "When are we going to meet this daughter of yours and Yue?"
It was like the wind got punched out of Negi when Satomi asked him that, "Wha-wha-wha-what are you talking about Satomi-san?"
Satomi's smile got bigger, "There were a bunch of photos in Chachamaru's hard drive. At first I thought Yue went through an amazing body change. But, Chachamaru also had some audio saved and I managed to listen to some of it before Chachamaru fell on my computer. Natsuko is a very nice name for your daughter."
Negi looked at Chachamaru, "Chachamaru-san, why did you..."
"I'm sorry Negi-sensei, I didn't mean to." Chachamaru tried to explain.
"You shouldn't blame Chachamaru boya." Evangeline said to Negi, "She has been given orders to photograph new and mysterious people we meet."
Chachamaru nodded her head, "It's true Negi-sensei. I was following Master's orders."
Negi turned to Satomi, "Satomi-san, you can't say anything about this to anyone. Please, I don't know what I would do if they found out, especially Yue-san."
Satomi nodded her head in agreement, "Don't worry about me professor, My lips are sealed." She pressed her fingers to her mouth and moved them across like a zipper.
"But there is one thing I want to know." Satomi asked Negi as he and the other girls made their way to the classroom.
"What's that Satomi-san?" Negi asked her as they were reaching the door.
"Is there a difference in making love to a Mage than to an average person?" Satomi said with her hand on her chin.
Negi couldn't breathe, "Can you please not talk like that in front of the others?"
"It's an innocent question Negi-sensei. Do you think Yue would tell me after the first night of your honeymoon?" Satomi asked her professor.
While the other girls were trying to rid themselves of a spicy image of adult Negi and Yue in bed together, no one saw Chachamaru looking down on the floor, her right hand balled up into a fist.
"You said you wouldn't talk about it Satomi-san, remember?" Negi told her as he was about to slide the door open.
"Sorry professor, I completely forgot. I was thinking for the sake of science." She said with a little smile on her face.
Negi's gaze was still on the girls as he opened the door, even when he entered the room. But, he should have paid attention as he took a couple of steps in the room, "Aaahh!" Because he walked into something.
Whatever he walked into, it had broken his fall, something bulky and flat. It took Negi a few seconds to realize he didn't land on something, but rather someone. It took even longer to realize he landed on Yue. One of his legs between the two of hers and his hand on her undeveloped chest.
Wolf whistles, cat calls and snickering all came from Negi's class, "How shameful professor." One of his students said, "It's not shameful, it's bold." Another one of his students said. "Maybe he likes people watching him as he does it. Go for it professor!" Half of the class cheer him on, giving thumps up, while the other half had mad, angry and envious looks on their faces.
"Well, it seems that the boya wants to start early on his daughter's birth." Evangeline said to Konoka, Setsuna, Satomi and Chachamaru as they entered the classroom and went to their seats.
Negi heard a 'click' and saw Kazumi taking a picture with her digital camera of the naughty scene, "This is going to be in the yearbook."
After she took the picture, she was asked by the class to make copies for them, "You should have been outside earlier if you wanted an even more spicy picture Asakura." Evangeline said to her and then looking at Konoka and Setsuna.
Both girls looked at each other, a full face blush on them and turned away and went to their desks.
Negi quickly stood up off of Yue, "I'm so very, very, very sorry Yue-san. I didn't mean for that to happen." Negi was red all over from embarrassment. He offered his hand to help her get stand up.
Yue had gotten backup by herself, "It's okay professor, really." She said to him, "It was my fault for standing so close to the door." Yue may have been cool as a cucumber on the outside, but on the inside, she was shaky and embarrassed.
She could feel her classmates eyes on her as she made her way to her desk all the way in the back. She didn't want to look at anybody right now, least of all Nodoka.
Nodoka didn't know want to think or say to Yue. She knew it was an accident and Yue didn't know that would happen. But knowing Yue, she would try to her best to apologize to her for what happened. She looked at her best friend as she went to her desk, but she didn't look back.
Yue sat at her desk. Folded her arms and rest her head on top of them. She wished for the day to end as quickly as possible and to get away from everyone.
Negi walked awkwardly to his desk, "Okay...I'm going to take...attendance now." He had a problem get his words out of his mouth. The girls winked at him and made their voices sound seductive as he took attendance, possibly trying to gain his attention on them. He noticed something when he reached Asuna's name, she wasn't there.
It wasn't like Asuna to be late or absent, 'She's probably still be delivering the newspaper.' Negi thought to himself. He realized he still has a class to teach, Asuna can still come to class. "Okay girls, please open your text books to page 66."
It was a battle unlike any other. The anticipation of your enemy, the quick-thinking behind his attacks and the look on his face when he thinks he has you defeated.
But luckily for Natsuko, she was taught by the best, "It looks like I win again old man." She said with smile on her face. The feeling of triumph sinking into her.
"That's five games already." The dean couldn't believe the luck the young lady was having. He lost five times at 'GO' against Negi's daughter. "Where did you learn to play so well?" He asked as he set up the board for a sixth game.
"It's not 'Where I learned', it's 'Who taught me to play' you should be asking me." Natsuko said to him.
The dean went over what Natsuko said in his head, 'Who taught me to play? Let me see...her moves are awfully familiar and she is the second person to beat me at GO, the first was...' It was then when the dean realized who showed Natsuko how to play, "You were taught by Eva-kun?"
Natsuko smiled and nodded her head, "I knew you would figure it out. Yes, Aunt Eva taught me how to play, it's one of my many happy memories."
"I never would have thought that Evangeline would teach another person besides your dad and I never would have thought she would teach someone how to play 'GO'." The dean said to her. "She must be different in your time than she is in ours."
"She is, she isn't the same Aunt Eva I know. But 28 years can really change a person or 12." Natsuko said to him.
"What do you mean 'a person or 12' Natsuko-kun?" The dean didn't understand that last bit of information.
"What? Nothing, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. He-he-he." Natsuko said with a nervous laugh, "Anyway, I think I have found a way out of the problem concerning all of your students at Mahora." Natsuko quickly changed the topic.
The dean knew Natsuko wasn't going to say anymore about what she let slip out, so he decided not to press the matter, "What do you have in mind Natsuko-kun?"
It was uncomfortable for Negi to teach his class today. But then again, it was even more uncomfortable today than any of the other days. Some of the girls were whispering about what had happened before class and the others were taking quick glances at the back of the classroom to look at Yue. It was difficult for Yue not to make eye contact with any of them.
It was especially difficult for Negi. He made an effort not to look at Yue and especially Nodoka. He didn't call on them to read and he didn't walk by their desks when he went to check on the work of the other girls.
But Negi had a bigger problem, Asuna hasn't made it to class and the school day was about to be over, 'She should have made it to school a couple of hours ago.' Negi thinks to himself.
"Negi-sensei." Ayaka calls out his name, "Are you all right, sir?"
Negi snaps back to attention, "I'm fine iincho-san." He said with a smile.
"So what's our homework Negi-sensei?" Ayaka asked him. The rest of the class groaned.
"Actually girls, we are a little ahead of the lesson plan so I didn't prepare any homework for you today." Negi said to his class. The girls cheered from the good news, "Just re-read the chapter from today's lesson to make sure you understand it." After yesterday, Negi didn't have time to plan any new homework. He would have to when he gets back home.
With the ringing of the school bell, class was over for another day, "Girls, as you leave, please put your homework from yesterday on my desk." Negi said as he gathered his books together.
"Negi-sensei?" Ayaka walked up to his desk, "Yes, iincho-san?"
"Well sir, I was wondering if you would like to come to this little event the Equestrian club has set up. I will be in it of course." Ayaka said to him.
"Negi-sensei." Haruna pushed Ayaka down to the side and went up front to Negi. "What is it Haruna-san?" Negi asked her.
"If you are not doing anything this afternoon, would you mind helping us in the library today?" Yue and Nodoka couldn't believe their friend. After what happenend, she is still trying to get Negi with one of them. "We have to go to library island and re-shelf the books, but there is so many and we would like a little bit of help."
Ayaka got back up and stood next to Haruna, "Haruna, I asked Negi-sensei first and I'm sure he would like to see what the Equestrian club has to offer." Ayaka said with a glint in her eye.
"Come on iincho-san, He didn't even answer you yet." Haruna said to her.
"That's because you knocked me down before he gave his response." Ayaka countered.
"But we need all the help we can get, right Nodoka? Yue?" Haruna said to the girls in the back of the room.
Yue and Nodoka looked at Negi and a small blush and smile appered on their face. They looked at each other and remembered what happened before class started. The blush and smile were gone and they both looked down at the floor.
Negi tried very hard not to replay the event concerning Yue, "I'm sorry girls, but I'm afraid that can't go anywhere today." He said to them, "If it was anyother day I might, but yesterday was very hectic for me and I couldn't get any lesson plan done other than today's. I need to get home on work on tomorrow's lesson plan." With that said, he pick up his things and the homework and left the classroom.
Negi left the classroom and saw Setsuna and Konoka standing outside, "Are you okay Negi-kun? We saw what was happening inside." Konoka asked him.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just hate saying no to people." Negi said to her.
"Well, at least you came up with that believable excuse Negi-sensei." Setsuna said to Negi.
Negi scratched the back of his head, "To tell you the truth, I do have to plan tomrrow's lesson."
"Huh? Why Negi-sensei? I thought you had everything already planned out." Setsuna asked him.
"After all that has happened yesterday, I can't think straight and it seems to be geting worse." Negi referred to the Yue incident. "I was lucky enough to have today's lesson already planned out."
Negi rubbed his face with his free hand. Setsuna and Konoka knew Negi was tired, "What are you girls going to do?" He asked them.
"Se-chan and me are going into town today to get some shopping done. How about you Negi-kun?" Konoka said to him.
"I'm going to head back to the dorm room. We haven't been there since yesterday." He told Konoka and Setsuna. "Did either of you two notice that Asuna never came to class today?"
Konoka nodded, "I did Negi-kun. I wonder why she didn't show up? It's so unlike her not to come to class."
"Maybe she wasn't feeling well." Setsuna tried to give an answer to Asuna's absence, "She did fight yesterday and she woke up pretty early today, so she couldn't have rested well. She could be back at the dorm room, asleep in her bed."
"I hope so." Negi really did want Asuna to be in her bed. He needed to be sure, "You girls go ahead and go shopping, I'm going to see if Asuna is in the dorm room. We'll meet up there, okay?"
Setsuna and Konoka agreed to his little plan and they went of to one end of the hall, while Negi went to the other.
As Negi walked down the steps of the academy, he couldn't help but think about today, 'I can't believe I embarrassed Yue in front of the class today. I hope she can forgive me.' Negi thought to himself. 'I never noticed it before, but Yue has very beatiful eyes.'
Negi let that last thought sink into his brain, 'Whoa. Where did that come from?' He took the time to breath, 'Yue is one of my students. I can't think about her that way.' 'But we do have a daughter together...I mean we will have a daughter...wait, what am I thinking?'
As he got off the steps, there was someone waiting for him outside the brick fence, "Hi papa."
Natsuko was standing there, wearing a white shirt with long black sleeves. A black and white checker-pattern skirt that reached above her knees. Black sneakers with white stripes going around it and white knee-high sock. She hid all of her blue hair underneath a black cap. She had on black sunglasses to cover her eyes, "Natsuko-san What are you doing here?" Negi asked her.
Natsuko smiled at him, "School was over and I wanted to walk home with you papa." Her smile got wider. Negi was amazed at how much Natsuko looked like Yue.
"What if somebody sees you?" Negi asked Natsuko.
Natsuko shook her head, "Don't worry papa. I'm wearing a black cap and sunglass to cover my face. I didn't want anyone mistaking me for mama." She lifted a gym bag in her left hand, "The dean gave me one of Mahora academy's gym bag to put my white cloak in." Her blue orb staff was leaning against the wall.
"What about the Headmaster? Why aren't you with him?" He asked her.
"Well, after I beat him at GO for the 50th time today," The cries of defeat coming from an elderly man can be heard in the afternoon's breeze, "He thought it would be in your safest interest that I should protect you after classes were over."
Negi was surprised at Natsuko, she had an answer for his questions, "That's okay Natsuko-san, I don't need any protection."
Natsuko shook her head, "But papa, your protection is my number one concern. I can't let anything bad happen to you."
He tried to reason with her, "Nothing bad is going to me. I may not have my staff with me, but I have the ring Evangeline-san gave me, so that should be enough for me."
"Please papa." Natsuko begged him, "I just want to protect you and be by your side."
Negi knew she was going to let this go. She is really concern about his safety. He nodded his head, "Okay Natsuko-san, I guess you can protect me."
Natsuko had a look of complete joy, "Oh thank you papa, thank you." She picked up her gym bag off of the ground and her staff from the wall and proceeded to walk back to the dorm rooms with Negi.
Negi and Natsuko felt awkward with each other as they headed to the dorm rooms. Actually, Negi felt more awkward than Natsuko, 'This is the first time that I am alone with Natsuko-san, What do I do?' He thought to himself. 'I have to think of something to say.' He looked at her and tried to say something, that's when he noticed her staff again, "That is a pretty interesting staff you have Natsuko-san."
Natsuko looked down at her papa, "Uhh...yes it is. It's actually a graduation present."
"Really? Who gave it to you Natsuko-san?" Negi tried to keep the conversation going.
"You did papa." Natsuko answered him.
Negi couldn't believe it, "I...what?"
"You gave me this staff when I graduated from magic school last year." She said to him as she looked at her staff lovingly, "It's my most treasured possession. You said the blue orb reminded you of me."
"That seems like a good graduation to receive Natsuko-san." He said to her.
"Umm...papa? Can you do me a favor?" Natsuko asked him timidly.
Negi nodded his head, "If I can, I will. What is it Natsuko-san?"
She took a deep breath, "Can you please stop saying my name so formally?"
Negi took a second before answering her, "But why? I address all of my students this way and as their teacher-"
"But that's the thing papa, I'm not one of your students, I'm your daughter." Natsuko tried very hard to convice her father, "Everytime you say my name with san at the end of it, it makes me feel so distant. I feel like I am a stranger to you."
Negi saw the depressed look on Natsuko's face. He didn't know he was hurting her by saying her name the same way he does to the other girls, "Consider it done...Natsuko." He said with a smile.
The sad look was off her face and she gave a little smile in return, "Thank you papa."
They were nearing the dorm rooms as they kept on walking, "So papa, how was work today?"
Negi knew she meant class today, "Oh, good as always. Can't complain, even if I wanted to." He said with a little joke.
"How was mama? Did you call on her to answer any questions? Did you volunteer her to read out loud in class?" Natsuko really wanted to know how Yue did today.
Negi decided not to tell her about the early morning accident involving Yue, "She didn't feel like...talking today."
Natsuko gave a disappointed sigh, "Well, did anything unusual happen when you were teaching your class?" She needed to know if there was any attempt on his life.
Negi shook his head, "No, but Asuna never came to class today."
Natsuko snapped to attention, "She didn't?" She sounded worried.
"No. She left early in the morning to deliver the newspaper as she always does, but she never showed up." Negi and Natsuko turned the corner, "I think she might have gotten sick and returned to the dorm room to sleep."
"Yeah, I'm sure that's what happened." Natsuko hoped her father was right.
As father and daughter continued their way to the dorm rooms, a white cloaked person saw them from above one of the many buildings in Mahora academy, "Natsuko, what have you done?" The brother who followed her said to himself. He disappeared to tell his two other brothers.
A breeze blew and gently stroked her face, '...Huh?...Where...where am I?' Asuna thought groggily.
She opened her eyes and tried to focus them. She was outside by the forest and sitting down on the grass. She looked to her right and saw the town from above, 'To see the rooftops of all the buildings, I must be very high up.' She said to herself. Asuna looked behind her and saw the World Tree.
She was still in her clothes from this morning, 'The last thing I remember was delivering the newspaper and then...I helped this little old lady...and things went dark after that.' She said in her mind.
Asuna lifted her arms to rub her eyes, but felt a great wieght on them. She looked down on her arms and saw iron handcuffs on both of her wrists with chains connected to it and to the World Tree, "Mmmph...hmm?" Asuna tried to talk, but she wasn't able to.
Unable to see what was covering her mouth, she moved her hands to her mouth to feel what it was. It felt like paper and it was sealed tight to her mouth.
Asuna tried to look for the person who did this to her. She looked everywhere for the culprit or culprits.
She felt a strong gust of wind and covered her face.
After the wind had died down, Asuna looked from behind her hands and saw a person of average height clad in dark robes. Asuna knew it was similar to the ones Eton had worn yesterday.
Asuna got up from the grass, "Mmmph mmmph mmmph..." She tried to yell at person, but was unable to due to the paper on her mouth.
The dark robed person walked towards Asuna and was face to face with her. The robed person didn't say anything, the person just raised its arm and put its open hand in front of her face.
A pink gas was sprayed into Asuna's face, "Mmmph?" 'This gas...it's...' Asuna was losing her balance and her focus. Everthing was going dark, 'Not again...' She fell to the ground.
"I can't have you awake Asuna." The dark robed person said in a woman's voice, "At least not yet. I have to get our other guests, then the party can begin." She said with a small evil laugh.
Author's Note: What is going to happen to Asuna? Who are these other guests that the woman in the dark robes mention? What are Natsuko's brothers going to say when they confront her?
Yeah, that's right. The next chapter you will find out the identity of her brothers and who exactly their mothers are.
It's been a while readers. Sorry I haven't put up the next chapters sooner, I have just been so busy. I will try to post the next chapter soon.
If you read the review from 'The Fallen Swordsman' it's not true. I don't know who he is, so how he thinks he knows me is a mytersy I plan to solve. In the mean time, I will review his story; reader you should too. He said it's a Maburaho story. Until next time, See you there.