Ch. 14

Notes: Ah, here begins the next part of Crossovers Galore! That last arc was evilly long, which is part of the reason I haven't updated in a while. I was simply sick of writing CG. I took a break, worked on the development of a One Piece fanfic I'm writing, and did some schoolwork. I'm almost done with the first part of the OP fic, and I'll probably post the first part around Christmas! Yay! Now, about CG. After a long, involved, and complicated arc, I decided to do a bit of simpler work, lighten things up a bit, and get the chapter lengths back down to something more workable. This next part is mostly concerned with Negi Springfield, that adorable little magician that girls want to glomp. It tells us what's been going on since the others went to the Copper Isles, and it'll have a short but sweet mission for Negi.

The Wood between the Worlds

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!!"

They had arrived back in the wood and had almost reached the shop when they heard the cry, and saw Negi Springfield running towards them at full tilt.

"Quick, quick, hide me!" He jerked to a halt and flung himself behind the blond ninja as the others quickly jumped out of his way.

"Oi, Negi-kun, what's going on?" Naruto twisted around, trying to look at the younger boy, who cowered behind him.

"Just hide me, please!" Negi whispered fiercely. "Don't let them get me!"

"Don't let who get you, Negi-kun?" asked Kiba. "What's going on?"

"The girls! They've been mobbing me! They won't leave me alone! I hate it when this happens!"

"Negi-kun!" Tenten ran out of the shop and towards them.

"Oh, crap! She found me!" Negi cut and ran, Tenten chasing after him. Ino and Sakura came out right away, having heard him. They joined in the chase, and the boys watched, sweatdropping, as they chased Negi all over the forest. Shino, Chouji, Ed, Al, and Watanuki came out of the shop a few seconds later.

"Looks like they're at it again." Chouji commented, munching on a snack.

"Again?" asked Lee. "This happened before?"

"Yeah. They've been chasing him off and on the whole time you were gone."

Ed smirked. "It's been kinda funny watching him try to get away from them. He's had to get pretty inventive lately."

Flashback

Negi hiding inside Al's armor while Al pretended he hadn't seen him.

Negi hiding under the kitchen sink behind some mixing bowls.

Negi climbing a tree and hiding in the upper branches. The girls using chakra to run up the side and catch him.

Negi having Shino make a bug clone of him so he could get some peace. The girls figuring it out, and running away, screaming, when the bug clone broke up.

Negi creating a wind barrier, only to get tackle-glomped as soon as he took it down.

End Flashbacks

"He's pretty much given up on hiding and started just running like hell every time they come near him." Ed grinned.

They watched for a while longer as Negi just kept running, keeping barely ahead of the girls. "Y'know," said Naruto. "I'd help him out, but it's just too funny." The other guys nodded. "Plus, I'm kind of jealous." They nodded again.

"But, Naruto-kun… Negi-kun doesn't seem to be having fun…" Hinata ventured quietly. He didn't hear her because Negi chose that moment to scream at the top of his lungs. "Will you PLEASE leave me ALONE already?!" He hopped onto his staff, and swooped up too high into the air for them to reach him. "I appreciate that you think I'm cute, but really! That's enough already!"

"Yes, I believe that is quite enough." Yuuko said as she came out of the shop, still wearing that sultry little string-pulling smile of hers. "As fun as it is to watch Negi-kun be smothered in girls, I think you should stop."

Koui had followed her, and now she gestured for the girls to come back inside. "Sakura-chan, Ino-chan, Tenten-chan, let's go inside. I'm sure we'll all want to hear the adventurers' stories.

"Wait a sec. I thought you already knew what happened, since you watched in the bowl-thing." said Naruto, confused.

"We couldn't watch all the time." Watanuki replied. "And over two months we probably missed a lot."

"Oh."

"We'll tell you in a minute." Shikamaru said. "Right now let's eat breakfast. We left before we got the chance, and we're hungry."

"Oh, of course! I have some ready and waiting for you."

After breakfast, and after they had given a brief overview of their adventure, (in which they had to repeatedly stop Naruto from going off on tangents) and after they had answered numerous questions, (in which they'd had to correct Naruto's answers a few times), Shikamaru remembered something.

"Here, Yuuko-san. This is the baby darking that is your payment."

"Thank you, Shikamaru-kun. Heehee! I've been wanting one of these for a while!"

As he handed it over, he asked. "What is the payment for? No one paid you for what was done in KuFei."

"Ah. The god Kyprioth was the one who requested that we take care of the problems in his world first. As it wouldn't disturb my plans for the other worlds, I agreed. However, merely moving it up in the list wasn't enough of a favor to constitute a payment from a god, so he had one of his underlings pay. That is, he told Inkblot to give us this young one." She indicated the little darking, who was happily exploring the jewelry wound into Yuuko's hair.

"You mean Inkblot didn't want to give it to you?"

"I wouldn't know. But I do know that no creature created in that world's Divine Realms is allowed to remain a servant to its creator, even if that creator were a god. And Inkblot was not created by a god. If Inkblot gave Jewel up, it did so of its own volition."

"Oh." Shikamaru pondered that for a while, and then blinked as he realized something. "Jewel?"

"Yes. That's the perfect name for this little one, since she likes my jewelry so much. Isn't it, Jewel?"

"Jewel likes name! Jewel is girl?"

"Of course you are! Such a cute thing has to be a girl!"

"Funfunfun! Jewel is girl! Jewel is Jewel! Can Jewel have pretty-pretty for telling apart?"

"Of course! Let's go and get you a pretty, just for you!"

"Yay! Pretty-pretty funfunfun!"

Yuuko took Jewel and left for one of the back rooms, both of them laughing and chatting happily.

"So Negi-kun," said Lee, "Were you really being chased by the girls this whole time?"

"Not the whole time. I actually went on a mission a few weeks after you left. Since I'm a linguist, I didn't need Mokona to translate for me while I was there."

"Why does that matter?" asked Naruto.

"Well, I found out that Mokona can only translate for one pool at a time. Since it was translating for all of you, it couldn't translate for any other pool. My language skills meant I could go on a mission while you were on one in another world."

"Oh."

"Why don't you tell us about the mission, Negi?" Kiba asked. Akamaru barked in agreement. "Since we told you all about ours, tell us all about yours!"

"Sure. It wasn't very impressive. Not even close to yours. But it did have its harrowing moments…"

Negi landed in a dumpster. Luckily, it was a dumpster that had been filled, not with the usual garbage and rotten leftovers, but with junked computer parts. That was lucky because it meant that he was still clean, and didn't smell like month-old lasagna and sushi. It was unlucky because it meant that when he landed, he slipped and had a broken monitor poke him in the ribs.

Well this is a wonderful start to a mission. He thought. After climbing out of the dumpster, (not as easy as it looked, since he was rather shorter than the dumpster's sides), he dusted himself off, adjusted his tiny round spectacles, and took stock of his surroundings.

Oh, great. He seemed to be in a back alley in a city, which greatly resembled downtown Tokyo in his own world. For that matter, it was even more cramped and over-populated looking than his own Tokyo. And the advertisements seemed to be focused almost exclusively on video games. Well, at least it's somewhat familiar. I should be able to navigate it with minimal difficulty. I just need to find that store that Yuuko-san was talking about.

Trotting out of the alley, he began looking around. Seeing a boy about fourteen years old, he ran up to him to ask directions. "Excuse me!" he said. "I could use directions."

The boy just looked at him blankly. Oh, that's right. He probably doesn't speak English. Excuse me. he said, hoping that this world used the same Japanese as his. I am looking for the Megagamers Store. Do you know where I could find it?

Ah! So that is what you wanted. I do not speak English, so I didn't know. Are you American?

No, I'm Welsh. I'm from Wales.

Ah. I'm sorry, but I haven't heard of that country. Geography was always my worst class.

That's okay. We don't usually get out much. Think of us as an offshoot of Britain and Scotland.

Okay. That might help. You wanted to know where Megagamers is?

Yes. I need to go there. Do you know where it is?

Yes. Almost everyone does now, since an otaku discovered a retired idol working there. Hayasaka Erika-san disappeared at the height of her career, so many otaku still worship her.

Oh. It's not dangerous, is it? I have heard that otaku can be frightening.

Oh, no! Not anymore. At first the mobs were terrifying, but Erika-san's new boyfriend managed to convince them to back off.

That's amazing. I wasn't aware that otaku could be handled so easily.

Well, he had to hire a ninja to assist, but he was able to handle most of it himself. It is said that he was deported from Canada for excessive destruction of property. Also that he was once a member of the Tokyo Police Cataclysm Division.

The… what?

The Tokyo Police Cataclysm Division. They schedule 'events' so that we're never overwhelmed by them.

You mean that you have disasters so often that you actually have to schedule them?

Of course! Oh, but you wanted directions to the Megagamers store. Just go two blocks east and it'll be on your right. You can't miss it. Supposedly they're having a 'consumer-level gamers challenge' right now. It's supposed to be great fun. Have a good time! the boy waved as Negi trotted off, moving at a good clip.

I will, thank you! Negi called back over his shoulder.

He moved off down the road to the east, looking for the store once he had gone about a block and a half. The boy had been right, it was hard to miss. Even from here Negi could see a commotion going on. There were large cardboard snowman-looking… things all around the store. They moved around a bit, and had PH34RB07 written on their backs with duct tape. PH34RB07… F34RB07… FEARBOT… fear-bot? What's a fearbot? A robot of fear? A robot that creates fear? A robot that's always fearful?

While Negi was contemplating these things he approached the store and entered. Only to have a cardboard clawgame-of-doom-type… thing fall on his head. Luckily, he unconsciously made it float just long enough to get out from under it. Waaahh! he jumped forward as it landed on the ground right behind him. Or tried to. Unfortunately, while it had managed to miss his head, it had gotten caught on his wand, which was slung across his back under his backpack, as usual. The cardboard-thing-of-doom pulled him over backwards, and he had to struggle mightily to get untangled. Once he had, he stood and looked around the store.

It was a scene of chaos. Cardboard-things-of-doom fell and flew everywhere, knocking over customers, trapping them, attacking them with paper-towel rolls, rubber balls, rubber bands, and cereal boxes. And everywhere the word PH33R was written in duct tape.

AIIIII!!, NOT MY HEAD!, OH MY GOD, NO!, UWAH!, RUN, TAKA, RUN!!

Everywhere screams reverberated, as customers were beaten down and back from their prospective purchases. The area around the counter was clear for about two feet, but beyond that was a barrier of PH34RB07s that would be almost impossible to pass.

The capsule toy machine got Tsukasa!, There has to be a way through!, I think I figured out how to get past the '3V1L' clothing rack on the second floor…, Sweet! Now we can get that 'PH34R T3H KU73 0N35' t-shirt!, There's only one left though., So? We'll just have to get to it first!

'Fear the cute ones' T-shirt? I'm supposed to get the last one! That's my mission here!

"Wait… you had to buy a shirt?" asked Naruto, skeptically.

"Yes. That's why I said it wasn't much of a mission." replied Negi.

"That store seemed to be relatively frightening, however." Neji mentioned. "Not actually dangerous, perhaps, but scary."

"I know what you mean. It was really weird. But I need to finish telling you the story…"

Ah! Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing. You said you could get to the 'PH34R T3H KU73 0N35' t-shirt? Negi interrupted the two boys, moving towards them just as another fearbot zoomed through where he'd been standing. The two boys glared at him suspiciously.

A foreigner… one whispered to the other, unaware that Negi's wind magic meant that he could still hear them. …he is probably here to get the last t-shirt., It is what he implied., We cannot allow that to happen! That shirt is limited edition. It has no picture on it, but it was made out of a more durable fabric than most t-shirts are., I know, exactly the thing an otaku needs!

Otaku! Great, just what I need. I probably can't trust what they say, because they'll want to keep me from getting it. But I can always use telepathy… no, that won't work. I'd have to ask them a very pointed question, and even then, I can't be distracted during the reading. This store is too chaotic for that. Besides… Negi began to weep mentally in fear. I don't wanna go inside an otaku's head! It's gonna be scary!

Ah, sorry. Nevermind. he said, smiling, trying to allay their fears. I'll find something else! At least I know it's on the second floor. That's good news.

Oh, okay. Let us know if you need a rescue, though. It's dangerous around the counter. the other boy replied, also smiling. To his friend he whispered, Perhaps he was merely curious. There are not many hard-core otaku outside of Japan., True. And look, he's wearing a suit. Anyone who wears a suit can't be all that athletic. I doubt he could reach the shirt even if you told him the way., True, he does look puny.

Thank you, I can see that. Negi said in answer to the otaku's offer. He ignored their comments about his appearance. He could handle what needed to be done, and that was all that mattered. If I need help, I'll be sure to call you! Yeah, right. I'm not that stupid.

"Wait, you're telepathic?" asked Kiba, startled.

"Uh-huh. I can't just use it whenever I want though. I have to be practically touching the person I want to read. And I have to ask a very specific question to get what I want. Furthermore, I can't be distracted, or I'll miss everything. So it's pretty much useless."

"Ah. I know someone who is telepathic, but she never mentioned problems like that." added Lee. "In fact, she seemed to have the opposite problem. She was unable to not listen in on people."

"Oh! She must be a natural telepath. They're very rare. My telepathy is associated with my magic, so it's not really the same. But if I may…"

"What?"

"I'd like to finish my story."

"Oh! Sorry, go ahead!"

"Right."

Negi moved quickly, hoping to get to the second floor and the clothing rack before he was spotted again. He ducked into the flurry of activity, glad now for Fei Ku-chan's lessons in Chinese martial arts. He jumped, ducked, dodged, and sidled past many an obstacle. Even when the other customers were swamped by cardboard menaces, he managed to get through.

Reaching the stairs, he ran up them as quickly as possible, hoping to miss any traps by luck and speed. It actually worked. As he charged up the stairs, a dozen traps activated just behind him, crashing almost at his heels as he ran, screaming at the top of his lungs. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

When he reached the top, he caught hold of the railing and used his momentum to whip around to the side, dodging the box that flew at where his head had been. "AAAAHHH!! AAH, AAH, AAAAAH!!" He kept running, jumping over boxes, dodging toilet-paper-tube-missiles, and ducking under fearbot arms. "WAAAAAAGH!!"

Who is that foreigner?, No clue, but he's got great motor skills!, No kidding! Who knew you could do that in a suit?, Whoa, what a jump! That had to be at least two meters!, What? That's twice his height!, Well, maybe not quite that much, but it was still cool.

Then Negi met the clothing rack. This wasn't cardboard, it was metal. And it moved. How it moved, he had no idea, but move it did. As the rack attacked, he blocked with his left arm and dodged around it to the right. Unfortunately, it spun around and tried to clip him on the back of the head. Luckily, he was too short, and the blow swooshed harmlessly overhead. Skidding along the floor, Negi screeched to a halt in front of an almost empty 'normal' clothing rack. There, in all its blue-with-white-print glory, hung the 'PH33R T3H KU73 0N35' t-shirt.

Or lack of glory, since a t-shirt's not really very glorious. It's just a t-shirt, after all.

Unfortunately, someone else had managed to make it to the rack first. He grabbed the shirt from the rack and dashed back for the stairs, going along the path Negi had created. It was the boy from earlier; the otaku who had first mentioned that he had found a way to get there. Wait! Negi called. I really need that shirt!

Come and get it then! the other boy taunted back.

Why do they always run? thought Negi mournfully as he made chase. Of course. It's the suit. You always figure you can outrun a guy in a suit. I really need to start wearing jogging shorts or something.

He took a shortcut over a bookshelf, hopping up the shelves and jumping off when he reached the top and it started to lean. The otaku boy shoved a table in his direction, trying to slow him down. Or maybe it's the glasses. They probably make me look like a geek. Should I get contacts? Negi dropped and slid under it, kicking out in a slide-tackle he'd learned from one of his students who was on the soccer team. It caught the other boy at the ankles and knocked his feet out from under him.

AAGH! the boy yelled as he fell, the shirt flying out of his hands.

Negi dug his heels into the floor, using his centripetal force to flip himself up with his feet as the pivot point. From there he dove for the shirt, making sure not to damage it when he grabbed hold of it. Could it be my size? I am rather short. But I'm only ten years old, so I'll get taller as I grow older. That'll be remedied naturally. He didn't even stop, but continued moving, running back down the stairs and to the ground floor.

Back on the second floor, the other customers had just stared at the goings on, but now they commented. Wow, that was so cool!, Yeah! That little guy was awesome!, Did you see how he fought the clothing rack?, And how he took down the other guy without even trying!, It was really James Bond-y!, Hey, you don't think he was a secret agent, do you?, That young? No way! No country would allow kids that little to be secret agents!, You know anyone else who wears a suit and can move like that?, Point…

When Negi reached the ground floor, he decided to just plow straight ahead and see what he could accomplish. Aiming for the checkout counter, he charged forward and was met by a stiff resistance. Stiff, that is, because it was a veritable wall of fearbots. Running forward, he turned sideways at the last second and slipped between two of them as they charged. Nah, it's gotta be the suit.

Excuse me. he said as he reached the counter, I would like to purchase this shirt.

Ah! Of course! I am sorry about how dangerous the store is. One of my workers has a boyfriend who set it up, and a lot of the customers seem to enjoy it. Though I don't know if a foreigner would…

It's not a problem. And it certainly is one way to ensure that the customers get exercise. Negi smiled at the manager. Actually, I just need to get this, and then I have to go, but if I had more time, I'd love to see how it all works.

Oh. Well, I'll ring you up right away then. He did so, and then waved as Negi left the store.

Once outside, Negi trotted into a back alley with his purchase, and Mokona sent streamers of light to wrap around him.

Notes: This is the world of Megatokyo!! WOOT!! If you haven't read Megatokyo, go to and do so now!! Trust me; you will recognize the scenery when you do.