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Disclaimer:
Love Hina and Mahou Sensei Negima is the creative property of Ken Akamatsu, who created this wonderful anime/manga series. Shingetsugan Tsukihime and Fate/stay night is the creative property of TYPE-MOON. Anything not attributed to Akamatsu-san or TYPE-MOON belongs to their respective owners, such as references to Cowboy Bebop (the Swordfish II) that is a creation of Sunrise and Shinichiro Watanabe, BLEACH is a creation of Kubo Tite, and vice-versa. This story is written purely just for fun, guys; please for God's sake, don't sue me! I'm just a high school student with too much free time on his hands! On the other hand, any specific author created characters I created for this fic (despite how unoriginal they may be at times) are mine. So without further adieu, let's get on with the show!
The Surgeon General's Warning:
Read at your own risk. Multiple pairings inside folks, with KanaxKei and KanaxNegi, just to name a few! You never know what you're going to get so read on (I might even do some alternative stuff, if you know what I mean).
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Blue Blue Glass Moon, Under the Crimson Air
The New Life at Mahora...
Chapter 64:
You're Invited to a Welcoming Party?
A Love Magister Hina Negima! fanfic by James "Ray" Edwards
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After swinging by the cafeteria to grab a second bite to eat, much to Keitaro's surprise, they had proceeded straight back to the office only to find more paperwork to do. Thankfully no actual physical errands were included, but by the time everything was said and done, precisely when the grand school bell rang to announce the end of classes, Negi was extremely regretting his decision. Anything would have been better than being cooped up in that stuffy office for nearly four hours straight, while other professors came and went at their leisure.
He did not see hide or hair of Takamichi or Shizuna-sensei during that time at all, and even that wily old man, Headmaster Konoemon, had not shown his face either. It was probably the latter's doing that all this work had turned up so randomly on their desks, and the bespectacled boy found himself growing to slowly dislike the ancient man's immense power and authority. Speculatively, he wondered: if there was no string that man could not pull, if he really had something in mind that he wanted to accomplish.
Oh bloody, I think I'm starting to turn into a delinquent myself, thought Negi in exasperation as he navigated the streets of "Academy City", map in hand, and Keitaro in tow. When did I learn to mistrust authority?
The older boy was generating a surprising amount of idle conversation to fill in the gaps, taking in the beautiful sights and sounds with animated enthusiasm. For what it was worth, Academy City was probably worth the wonder being that it was Mahora Academy's campus, which amounted to a sizeable town if a not a small city. Clearly, the organization itself, the Board of Trustees, and likely, Headmaster Konoemon himself had invested a lot of time and capital in creating this little utopia within Mahora City.
The young Springfield boy, however, could not find it in himself to appreciate it as much as he used to anymore, now realizing the weight of his situation. He had been made a pawn in some plot by the older adults around him; a fact he probably would never have realized and would have happily gone along as an unknowing "hero" had Keitaro not entered his life. Heck, scratch that: he would be leading a much less clouded existence, a simpler life if Kanako and Keitaro had never showed up in the first place!
I wonder what kind of people I would've met instead, if they hadn't shown up in my life? Oh well, I think knowing a nice girl like Chachamaru-san who doesn't seem to really judge me, taking me as I am, was really nice to me, and is really kind to other people too is well worth it. She really does have a big heart!
Indeed, the kind girl with the astonishing shade of neon-green hair had showed up just some odd ten to fifteen minutes ago when they had been leaving the office to confirm that everything was set. Nodoka could not make it herself as she had been elected as the hostess of the celebration, and had other duties to attend to, while Negi and Keitaro went to "receive" the guest of honor, so to speak. Of course, Shizuna-sensei and Takamichi would be attending the festivities along with all the girls of "2-A," who were more than happy pitch in for an excuse to party.
All they had to do now was trek all the way across campus towards the bay, with Library Island in view, to pick up Kanako and be back within the hour. Presently, according to information Chachamaru had helpfully gathered, she should be leaving from a physical education class being held in a gymnasium adjacent to Maito Hall. How the tall girl managed to get a hold of this information was probably thanks to the authority of either Takamichi or Shizuna-sensei, and Negi was happy to leave it at that, as he really did not want to become paranoid over such a little thing.
"So, Negi-kun, you given any thoughts --- Oh by Buddha, that is a humongous tree over there. I thought they only had those in America! --- as to how you're supposed to convince Kana-chan to come to the party yet?" Keitaro asked him from out of the blue, breaking his introspection.
The bespectacled boy sweatdropped and shot a question sidelong glance backwards, "What was that just now?"
"I said-"
"No, no, no! Don't say the whole thing. That's what I couldn't understand in the first place!"
"Oh, sorry, my bad. Um, what I mean to say is, 'Have you given any thoughts as to how you're going to convince Kana-chan yet?'"
"Uh, well..."
"I take that as a no, huh?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"You could ask me some questions, you know. I am here to help you, Negi-kun. 'sides, I thought we were cool, aren't we?"
Negi made a face, sighing internally, as he messaged his temple. Before coming to Mahora Academy, he had been somewhat reluctant to ask for help from others, being that he was trying to live up to the legend of the Thousand Master, but now he was reluctant to do it. Instead of saving people himself, he had to rely on others to do it for him, and yesterday, it was Kanako who had to save him finally. It was pathetic, to be honest, really pathetic, considering he was supposed to be here to help everyone.
"Oh, boy, looks like time's up. She's here," said Keitaro amiably, pointing up ahead.
"Huh-WHA?"
Sure enough, there was the Devil Princess herself coming across the scenic bridge towards them with...
"Hey, isn't that-?"
"Sakurazaki Setsuna from our class? Yeah, didn't I tell you Kana-chan and Sekkun were good friends already?"
"Heeeeeeeeeeeee-EH?"
...Setsuna Sakurazaki, another one of his delinquents from his list, in her company, chatting away animatedly about some subject, with their schoolbags in tow. Also, the dark brown-eyed girl had a long cylindrical duffel bag slung on her shoulder in addition to her luggage. It looked like the sort of thing a kendoka would keep his or her personal training sword in, although why Setsuna would be carrying one baffled him at present. Could it be that she was actually in the Kendo Club?
No way.
Anyhow, it seemed Kanako was doing most of the talking, carrying the conversation with expressive gestures. He could not hear the contents exactly of what they were talking about yet, thanks to the hustle and bustle around them from other students and people going about their business, not to mention the distant crashing waves from the bay. Still, Setsuna seemed to be listening quite intently with a nod here and then, while apparently taking notes down on a handy notepad.
"Hope you're ready, Negi-kun. You got only a couple seconds left before they notice us," Keitaro patted him on the shoulder reassuringly, "Do your best, kiddo! Oh, by the way, you forgot your coat and staff back at the office, so no magic, all right?"
Negi spluttered incoherently as he realized his predicament, "Wa-Wait a second here, wha-what am I supposed to do without my magic?"
"Talk."
"T-Talk?"
"It's what normal people do, you know."
"But I'm not a normal person, Keitaro!"
"You seem pretty normal to me right now, panicking and stuff."
"Oh bloody, I-"
"And that's how you make shrimp curry, did you get all that, Setsuna?" came Kanako's familiar mezzo-soprano, snapping Negi out of his internal panic to all out delirium. The raven-haired girl was literally six strides away from him and Keitaro, and it would not be much longer until...
"Yes, I think so, Kanako-Ah!" Setsuna yelped in mid-sentence as she noticed their presence, drawing her companion's notice as well.
"'Kanako-Ah!'? ...Ah! Nii-san!"
Keitaro greeted them brightly with a cheerful wave, "Yo! How's your day been, you two?"
"Oh, um, it was bad at --- Keitaro-niisan, what's the little ten-year-old shrimp doing here for?"
...she saw him.
"Uwhaaaaa?" Negi squawked, as comical tears of indignation streamed out of his eyes.
"What? You'd rather be called a midget, bouzu?"
"Uwaaa...a midget --- squirt?"
Ouch, there goes poor Negi-kun's ego. "Oi-oi, you shouldn't say that sort of thing about your new flatmate, Kana-"
"My new WHAT!"
"Besides, I hear he's a pretty capable magi and-"
"Ne-Negi-sensei's a magi?"
"That's right, Sekkun, and-"
"COMEWITHME!"
Yoink!
"Wha-eek!" Kanako yelped in surprise as she found herself suddenly dragged away by the hand by the younger and much smaller boy at a dead run.
In fact, they were moving so fast that Negi was kicking up a dust storm in his wake sending garbage cans flying and tossing up skirts of unsuspecting female students to many surprised "Kyaa!'s" at present. It was quite an astonishing feat really. How he was able to achieve without the aid of magic completely mystified Keitaro, but he supposed he could always ask later.
"Oh, that was kind of forceful, but that works too," the elder Urashima noted with some bemusement, before cupping his hand together like a megaphone over his mouth to cheer the younger boy on, "Do your best, Negi-kun!"
"A-Anou, Ura-Urashima-sen-" Setsuna stuttered from beside him, visibly confused and a touch embarrassed by the fiasco just now. There was an awful lot of people staring at them, while others were staring after the quickly receding wake of Negi, wondering aloud just what the heck was going on.
"Hey now, no need for the '-sensei' stuff. School's out right now, isn't it, Sekkun? Oh, and don't mind the stares too much. It's not like we've, uh, done anything wrong, ne?"
"Ah, h-hai, but what's going-?"
"I'll explain a short hand of it to you on our way to the party, okay?"
"A p-party?"
"Yup, and Kanako-chan's the guest of honor!"
---
Some odd minutes later, although Kanako quite frankly lost track of time, they arrived right outside Yotsuba Hall. This was the main dining hall for all Mahora Academy junior high students, including the boys section, and Yotsuba Hall was one of the few places that the largely segregated sexes could meet outside of class during school hours from what she could recall. However, none of that really mattered to her at present as she breathed calmly to restore her moderately racing breath, while blasting the source of her ire with all the disapproval she could muster.
Negi was flatout on his knees and hands, completely winded, and probably putting some nasty dirty smudges into the pant legs of his blue suit. After yesterday's events and today, she had decided officially that this English runt was an official pain in the neck through and through. And how the heck did he manage to drag her all the way here anyway?
Whatever, I'm leaving, thought the hazel-eyed girl vehemently, turning crisply on a dime to march back the way she came. Onii-chan has some serious questions to answer to and...
Of course, she never got to far as Negi stopped her dead in her tracks, "WAIT! DON'T LEAVE!"
"...What the?"
"Ple-Please, don't-don't leave...hah...!"
Curious as to what in God's name could have possessed the infernal bespectacled boy, Kanako rounded about and sure enough, there he was standing on his own two feet. His knees were shaking and he was smoked, sweat pouring down his face, like he had never ran that hard before in his life. By her reckoning, he should not be standing yet, but here Negi was anyway, contrary to all good sense, standing.
"Every-Everybody, they --- hagh! --- they want to welcome you, Kanako-san! And --- hah! --- not only that, Nodoka-san wants to thank you for --- for saving her."
The raven-haired girl sneered back, "I don't know what you're talking about, bouzu. You obviously need to get your head checked."
"Yesterday --- Yesterday wasn't a dream, Kanako-san!"
"Of course, it wasn't a dream, you idiot. It was a nightmare!"
"I --- hah... --- I talked with Keitaro-san ear-earlier already. I --- I know. So why don't we work-?"
"Nii-san, did WHAT?"
"Hey, Kana... Hey, wait!"
Kanako was not listening to a word, stomping off in a visible fuming rage. It was just like her dear older brother to be a jerk and surprise her in the worst way possible. Honestly, this was going to be the last time she let him do...! The raven-haired girl never quite got to finish her line of thought as a pair of small foreign hands grasped her own and pulled hard. Immediately, this set off a chain reaction of instinctive reactions, adrenaline igniting her veins ablaze, driving her about on autopilot into a...
SLAP.
The scraping thud of a body hitting the pavement was like a thunderclap in her ears. She was breathing hard, heart racing, her hand still hanging forward in the air, not so unlike a knife. Even now, Kanako could sense the lingering stinging heat from the blow she had dealt, watching with fascination as the angry red welt on the boy's cheek blossomed beautifully into a purple bruise.
"Haa-hah. Ha-hah. Ha-hah! That was --- that was the second time and the LAST time you touch me, understand, BRAT?" the raven-haired girl breathed forcefully into a snarl, blasting him with all the hate she could muster into her hazel eyes.
Negi coughed hoarsely, and amazingly enough, began to rise back up to his feet, albiet a little shakily, "I --- I don't get it."
"What?" He's --- He's standing up?
"Why --- Why do you hate people so much? Yesterday, you didn't --- you didn't even give a reason and yet-!"
"I don't need to justify myself to a little ten-year-old like you who can't understand!"
"B-But still --- everyone's feelings. I --- I can't just let you trample on them so heartlessly!"
"Their feelings? Who cares about THAT? The Miyazaki girl was a fluke, nothing more. If I hadn't saved her, Nii-san would've been sad. That's all. If I hadn't been there, she would've died, end of story."
"BUT YOU SAVED HER, DIDN'T YOU?" cried the sorrel-haired boy as he launched himself at her suddenly, managing to successfully wrap his arm around her by the waist. This was the third time now Negi had touched her, and Kanako was beyond peeved. She was furious!
"Wha, again-you little...! Let me go. Let. Me. GO. I said!"
"Just. Come. With. Me. Already! You're --- the spoiled --- brat, if anything! Judging people --- one-sided, like that! And not even --- trying! --- to let anybody --- understand you!"
"You little runt, let me go, or else I'll-!"
"Wow, looks like you two are getting along just fine," a familiar voice piped up, halting the mutual struggle suddenly in its tracks.
Kanako froze, her shoulders tensing up as if she had been struck. A sizzling pang of shame burned its way into her guts, and although she did not want to admit it, she was silently afraid of Keitaro's expression. Would he be angry? Would he be sad? Would he be disappointed? She could not run away, not with this runt holding onto her, but it did not make turning around to face her most precious person any easier.
"Nii-san, I-!"
"Hey! How can you just stand there smiling at a time like this, KEITARO?" Negi butted in unexpectedly, cutting her off before she had a chance to say what was on her mind.
Sure enough, there was Keitaro standing just a few feet away, with a visibly concerned Setsuna in his company by her agitated body language, his hand held up in greeting, and a beaming smile on his face. He appeared to be the most proud elder brother in the world, head held up high like a rooster, as his other hand was occupied by Kanako's schoolbag that she had apparently dropped earlier. How he could take such a grave situation so lightly escaped the imaginations of all present, and even his dear beloved sister.
"Don't worry, Negi-kun; you two are getting along just fine," he reassured the "entangled" pair, before clasping Setsuna by the shoulder. "Come on, Sekkun, let's these two alone and head on inside."
The contact alone jolted the raven-haired girl out of her reverie with a furious blush and --- well, a slight --- gasp --- of --- well --- sorts, although it sounded curiously like a moan, which drew Kanako's glaring ire faster than a lightning bolt. Setsuna stuttered rather timidly in reply, "D-Demo, Urashima-sensei..."
"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-SAN!"
"Negi-kun, looks like he's got everything under control, doesn't he?"
"Gah, Keitaro!" Negi protested while struggling to hold back a noticeably fuming Kanako by the waist, "Urgh, stop squirming bloody around, darn it! Keitaro, I swear --- ugh! --- you're going to pay for this later!"
The older boy laughed jovially, ushering a reluctant Setsuna along towards the building's entrance, whom more or less seemed resigned to her fate in this bizarre debacle. "Boy, do I know it, but dinner's on us anyway! I think the mover's should be done bringing in everything and the carpenter's should be done remodeling our apartments into one big cozy place by the time we show up tonight. I sure as heck am leery of him, but Konoemon-ojisan did promise us nothing but the best work."
"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-SAN!"
"It's going to be a feast to remember! Oh, and I hope you don't mind if Sekkun comes along too, do you?"
"Ah! Ura-shima-sensei, I --- I couldn't..."
"Maa, maa, you need to loosen up some, Sekkun. We're practically family now, remember?"
"H-Hai."
"That guy! Always. Gah! Doing things. Impetuously!"
"Well, see you inside in a few minutes!"
And with that said, the automated doors slid open, admitting in the duo, before sliding shut with a resounding click. Almost instantly, Negi could have sworn he felt Kanako --- "deflate," the tension, the emotion in her body draining right out the door. Under normal circumstances, the sorrel-haired boy would be relieved for such a reprieve, but as it stood, this sudden lax in her struggle only disturbed him. She sighed heavily.
"H-Hey, are you-?" Negi began to ask her somewhat uncomfortably, as he was trying to crane his neck up to get a look at the raven-haired girl's expression while simultaneously maintaining his near death grip.
Of course, he pretty much failed to pull it off and kind of ended up cuddling closer to Kanako, which drew a rather audible growl from the older girl, "Brat, this is the THIRD time you've touched me. Unless you want to feel the repercussions, I suggest you let go of me immediately before someone else other than Nii-san and Setsuna sees us --- and takes it the wrong way."
"Ah-?"
"Because if they DO take it the wrong way, I. Promise. Magic or No Magic. I'll break off your arms and make sure they never grow back, understand?"
He should have been scared out of his wits. Heck, he was scared, shaking in his knickers, but quite frankly, he had enough of being threatened for one day, so Negi decided to bluff, "Oh yeah, and what would Keitaro think of you then? If anything, you're the one who's scared!"
Immediately, Kanako tensed up. He had hit the nail right on the head it seemed. He supposed, it was best to capitalize on his momentum while he still had the chance: victory before the celebration --- right?
"Look, promise me you'll try to be civil, all right? Nodoka-san and Chachamaru-san put a lot of work into this party. I don't expect you to like anybody, and I don't think your big brother expects you to hit it off and be a perfect social butterfly either. Just --- just don't hurt anyone anymore, okay? Your reputation's already plenty bad enough, and if you're looking for a fight, you don't have to look for them because those fights will come looking for you."
"Che..."
"Please, just this once?"
After a silent moments worth of contemplation, she finally gave in with a begrudging catty snarl. It was not much, but it was a start. Of course, little did either of them know that this was but the first of many exchanges, and it would not be the last time that Kanako would have to make a decision on Negi's behalf.
Pleased with the outcome, despite personal injury to himself, the bespectacled boy broke off with a beaming smile, but before he could utter a word of his own gratitude, he was struck speechless. Kanako's hand had --- well --- somehow slipped its way onto his face, her slim fingers light as a feather's touch, cupping his bruised swelling cheek in a sinuous caress. At least, it was what he thought she was...
"Don't move," the hazel-eyed girl hissed at him sharply, her expression a mask of concentration: brows knitted together tightly with her eyes closed. "I won't be held responsible if half your face explodes because you got excited, got that, Negi-bouzu?"
Negi yelped and quickly tried to stay still as possible, though it seemed to only compound matters worse as he began to squirm underneath Kanako's "care." She ignored his childish response, though then again, he really was still a ten-year-old, and she could not help but be a little smug that her bluff worked perfectly well. Of course, her bluff was a half-truth as she honestly could melt the skin off his bones if she improperly used this medical jutsu, but hey, she was a professional, and professional's did not mess up.
Activated blue chakra began to seep out of her hand with a vibrant audible hum, sending chills down Negi's back as he watched with eerie fascination as the foreign energy appear seemingly out of nowhere. It was not magic that much was for certain, her hand cool to the touch at first, before warming up pleasantly when the aura exuding from it changed to a healing green. The experience was very much different from what he had experience with healing magic, the foreign energy mixing with his own essence in a Zen-like state, as the swelling in his cheek began to die down rapidly. Quite literally, Negi felt like he was healing at a rapidly accelerated rate, the old ruptured blood vessels giving way to the new within seconds.
"There; all done," Kanako stated clinically with an air of finality, cutting off the flow of chakra before withdrawing her hand. She had to admire her own handiwork, still perfect as ever revealing new pinkish flesh where the ugly bruise used to be, like a newborn baby's skin. However, her smug joy was somewhat short-lived when Negi reached up to touch his healed cheek, causing her to quickly snatch his hand away lest he disturb his just recovered skin.
"Don't touch it yet, Negi-bouzu. It's still tender, and I don't want you ripping it open out of curiosity, got that?"
The bespectacled boy pouted indignantly, determined to give a suitable retort when the raven-haired girl suddenly snatched his glasses away. "Hey! Give those back!"
"Give it a day in the sun and little rest, and your healed cheek should blend in with the rest of your skin just fine."
"H-Hey! I said, 'Give those back!' I can't see properly without my glasses."
"Oh, really now? You can see my shape, can't you?"
"Of course not! I'm farsighted, hyperopic; bloody!"
"In that case, I'll just have to escort you into the building. Move it, twerp."
"Uwagh! Hey, watch it-gah!"
Again, Negi was determined to protest such contemptible treatment. Of course, this was before Kanako effortlessly hauled him up by the waist and tossed him onto her shoulder, like excess baggage, and began to march off towards the dining hall. When this happened, he might as well retire from the field and let the Urashima girl have her small victory as compensation. He did sort of swindle her into coming to the party, and so by the decree of an eye for an eye, he supposed this would make them even for now, or so he hoped.
Click-Click!
Unfortunately (or fortunately), both Negi and Kanako were happily oblivious to the fact that across the way in the bushes, they had just been caught on candid camera by Mahora Academy's "#1 Motivated Nosey Paparazzi":
Kazumi Asakura.
"Scoop-Scoop-Scoop de arimasu! A Super Hot SCOOP!" the brunette giggled with a wide cheeky grin, while still snapping photos away madly with her digital camera. She had been on a stake out for the past two hours waiting exactly for something "interesting" like this to happen, and on boy, did she strike the jackpot. "This just proves that my Rumor Sense is never wrong; tee hehe! Ohohohohoho!"
Kitsune-sempai is going to be very, very, very pleased to get her hands on this hot info.
"Ooooo, and just think of the scandals when we can finally publish all this in the Mahora Academy Times! Ohohohohoho! I can't WAIT!"
She came; she saw; she documented the unbelievable!
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To Be Continued...
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Author's Notes:
A one, a two, a one-two-three! Ba-BANG! And we're live! It's that time of the week again. Episode 64 --- GO!
I believe the vote is more or less unanimous; I'm evil, Motoko's evil, and I still got the touch. Worry not my friends: all stories and mysteries will be told in time, but in the meantime, we've still got a ton of other things to do and places to see. Now then, how to recap this episode? Well, there was a whole lot of character development this chapter for our young budding hero, Negi Springfield. Negi mistrusting authority? Could it be a sign of things to come? And man, does he like Chachamaru or what? On the other hand, it definitely took some guts to bring Kanako to the table and actually make her own up to her actions. She ain't all that bad, but she can be just as stubborn as a certain ronin when she doesn't want to budge.
So that leaves us the million dollar question: what's gonna happen next? And how's everybody going to react once those scandalous photos make it into the school newspaper, kukuku?
Perhaps, we'll find out on the next episode of Glass Moon-desu!
Reviewers and readers alike, I'd like to thank you all very much for your continued patronage. Remember, I encourage each and everyone of you to feel free to comment, review, and/or discuss the story. Your comments can really make a difference, I assure you, and if you're up to it, feel free to ring me up on AIM, or even send me an e-mail (although you really don't need to boost my ego too often). You know how to get in touch with the maestro here.
So without further adieu, that wraps it up, folks: Semper Fidelis. Always faithful. Carry on.
Omake!
Naze Nani Glass Moon Desu
Episode Preview!
Chapter 65:
Time to PAH-TAY!
"Do I seriously look like some kind of exotic wild jungle cat to you or something?"
Tsudzuku!