Fairies of Negima

by Elsil

With the end of the mission to the Sun Village it was thought to be a time to relax. Then Tartaros strikes early and magics clash! Fairy Tail's Strongest Team is suddenly tossed into the world of Negima. Join the Fairy Tail crew as they fight to reunite with each other and aid Negi in fighting against the darkness growing in the roots of the world. NEW VERSION UP

9. Chapter 9: Woodland Walks

Disclaimer: The following story is a fan made work of fiction. Fairy Tail and Mahou Sensei Negima! are owned and written by Hiro Mashima and Ken Akamatsu respectively. Please support their official releases.

Chapter 9

Woodland Walks Part 1

Evangeline let out a cackle as Natsu writhed in pain. The man's face dripped with sweat, his free hands twisting the sheets on her bed into snarled knots as she danced her fingers along his uncovered stomach. His powerful abs contracted as her sharp nails bit into his exposed flesh.

"Do you like the pain, my little dragon? Does it seep through every pore? Does it rattle with every breath you take?"

The man screamed a curse filled with pain and agony that echoed throughout her cabin's bedroom. He raised his head in defiance for a moment, staring deep into her eyes. It brought a twisted smile to her lips. He was resisting her, trying to hide the pain – how adorable! She activated the final portion of the sealing array she had just finished tracing on his exposed stomach and listened as a throat-rending scream tore loose from his body.

Oh, it was moments such as this that the Dark Evangel had missed during her years at Mahora. Hearing the agonized scream of a man as his own power tried to kill him was like bliss to her ears. Its victims could feel every second of their impending doom, knowing that they were causing their own death.

So sad, then, that his delightful display of pain was only a temporary side effect of the seal's initializing process. The sealing process had gone on for hours, building to a fever pitch as energy flowed between them. This was the final moment of pain before his body adapted to the artificial changes she had forced upon his magic's pathways.

The magic flowing between them stopped with a sudden jolt. Natsu gave a shuddering grunt as it did, more out of shock than pain. His fists unclenched as his body relaxed, suddenly free from the tearing pain that had gripped him for the past seven hours. The man's eyes closed as he finally passed out.

It had taken him long enough. He shouldn't have been able to stay awake past the first hour – let alone the entire procedure. She had known the man was tough from their daily spars, but this had impressed her. Even she might have passed out from the pain in her first century or two of life.

"Idiots and their damnable endurance." She said, gazing down at his sleeping face. It was peaceful, lacking the fierceness it bore when he was awake. It was soft and adorable, almost like that of a sleeping feline.

She had to stifle an urge to punch it. Hard.

Instead, she took a moment to look over her work. Inscribed upon the center of his stomach, the seal radiated outwards like a crystalline structure. A steady soft blue glow visibly emanated from its delicate form. It was beautiful and amazing, just like her.

The glow began to fade as she pulled her hand back; she nodded in satisfaction as it did. That too was part of the process.

There would be no visible sign of the seal unless the pink-haired idiot was using enough energy to reduce a city block to ash. If she had done her job correctly, then neither Takamichi nor that too serious son of Nagi would ever know it was present. The thought of pulling the wools over their eyes elicited a new chuckle from the ancient vampire.

She knew her business when it came to sealing. Already an expert on the subject by anyone's mark, she had studied the field extensively ever since Nagi had used Infernus Scholasticus in the hopes of discovering some way to break it.

Instead, she had learned a multitude of highly sought after seals that were of no use to solving her situation. Seals used to attain the traits of an animal, contained in the book of Aximilli. Seals used to create an extra-dimensional holding area for goods stored in a scroll of the Nagase clan. Seals used to change one's clothes into silly sailor outfits courtesy of a book given to her a half century ago by that pervert Albireo. None of it had been of any use until Natsu had decided to stay with her.

The magic that he and his comrade used fascinated her. The freedom of being able to use magic without establishing contracts with elemental spirits, of being able to freely shape a spell as you cast it instead of being forced to use per-established molds... it was intoxicating.

The freedom Natsu and Gray had in their spell-casting was unlike anything she had ever encountered. In some ways it was closer to the way a Ki user controlled and shaped their energy than that of a magician.

Regardless, it was so confounding that the ancient vampire found herself heating up just thinking about it. She was brilliant, and here she was being stymied by some twit and his pink-haired floozy of a friend. It disgusted her to even think about it.

"Achoo!"

Eva jumped into the air at Natsu's sneeze, coming down on the bed with an audible thump. She whipped her head down to look at the idiot. He was still asleep.

She could feel a giant tic grow on her forehead. "Dammit, if you're not awake don't make noises. Die fool die!" She smacked him upside the head as hard as she could and only succeeded in making both her hands hurt. Damn Nagi's curse!

The idiot didn't even seem to feel it. "Wassamatta G'ay? You hit like a pansy. Get back here and I'll sock ya!"

Eva stared down at the unconscious man in her bed. If it wasn't for the fact that she needed him alive and in relative good health for her plan to work, she would have poisoned his dumb ass on the spot.

The primary seal she had placed on him, the Innixi seal, took a portion of Natsu's magical power and turned it against him. For as long as it was active the seal would constantly use his own power to attack him; and in theory, at least, cause his magic to strengthen. But it had a few nasty side-effects, any of which could be potentially fatal if mixed with a poison strong enough to affect his ridiculous body.

A brief period of physical weakness was the easiest to deal with, one that he seemed to be recovering from faster than humanly possible. The reduced magic reserves could lead to overexertion and magical exhaustion unless you were careful. Inability to manipulate your spells with finesse could cause a mage to lose control of their power. But the worst effect was comprised of sudden bouts of paralysis and a near constant feeling of needles entering your flesh should you attempt any spell beyond your remaining magical capacity.

Only the desperate or the foolish would use the seal in a time of peace, and she had laid the bait in front of the biggest living fool this side of that bastard Rakan. The only blessing was that the former lacked Rakan's bizarre aptitude for intrigue. How the man had managed to see through her tricks to get Nagi alone she still couldn't puzzle out, but unlike him Natsu had leaped at the bait of a new training method faster than Albireo had moved when Rakan had upped the ante in a poker game she had once played with them.

Even thinking about it brought a blush to her face. Unlike that time, Eva knew she had come out on top. After she had made some claim about requiring errands as payment, Natsu had never suspected she possessed a hidden motive. For as the vampire had placed Innixi upon him, she had also placed a second seal to further her research.

Upon activation, the second seal, Exceubiarum, took a constant scan of his body. Everything, from how magic flowed through his pathways to the state of his emotions throughout the day, was captured by, and stored within the seal. All it would take to retrieve the information would be a simple pulse of magic applied directly to his skin and voila, instant research with no need to dirty her own hands.

As if sensing her thoughts, Natsu gave a groan and swiped at her body. This time it was her name that he muttered instead of Gray's.

If she didn't know better, Eva might have thought the man was an empath. Thank the powers of darkness that he wasn't!

Eva slapped his flailing hand aside and slipped off of the bed. With the seals placed, she had more important things to do with her time than act as a nursemaid. After this procedure even Jack Rakan should need an hour or two before he regained his cocky swagger, but there was no need to stick around and make sure. Shaking her head at the dread of making that infuriating man more powerful – as if he even needed more raw strength – Eva grabbed the metal handle of the door and pulled it open.

Unlike the boya Natsu did not need her aid. Her presence was neither wanted nor required, and she had better things to do with her time now that her plan had been enacted.

She walked through the doorway and never looked back. One plan had been set in motion. It was time to place her next in motion as well.

---

It was a beautiful day in Mahora Academy. The spring weather had just taken a turn for the better as a warm front blew in from the South Seas. The air it blew in was warm and humid, making it a perfect weekend day for skimpy clothing.

Asakura Kazumi, clad in stylishly cut denim shorts and a pink tank top, hummed to herself as she walked through the woods of Mahora. She wasn't truly fond of long walks in forested terrain, but both Negi and Asuna had been adamant about it. If she wanted to get further involved with everything surrounding the child teacher, she would need to accompany them on this little expedition to a cabin in the forest.

She had shown up at their dorm early in the morning; popping her head into their room just as they began eating breakfast with Konoka, Asakura had cheerfully stated her intent. Then she had immediately moved back from the door as several objects were tossed at her grinning face by Asuna, who was apparently still ticked off over Asakura's classroom antics regarding Negi's hicky marks. Luckily for Asakura, Asuna's roommates were far more forgiving and had invited the redhead in for tea.

Negi-sensei and Konoka had greeted her warmly, and after exchanging a few pleasantries over Konoka's tea, had invited her to tag along with them for the day. Asakura had accepted gladly. After all, more time spent in sensei's company gave her more information to dish out to the rest of 3-A. Unfortunately, Asuna had forced a caveat onto her. If she were to run errands with them during the day, she would also have to accompany sensei on a little side trip as well. Which is how she found herself trekking through the woods on a hot, muggy day while Konoka stayed behind in an air conditioned room.

Asakura was not the most woodsy girl around, not by a long shot, but one thing she prided herself on was being adaptable. If the two of them wanted to do some magical training or some such in the woods, Asakura was certain that she could find a way to keep herself entertained and productive. So what if she was sweating far more than usual? So what if her muscles ached from keeping up with two energizer bunny clones for two hours? The life of a journalist was not for the faint of heart.

Besides, if the training involved something flashy or intense she could darn well watch and file it away inside her brain for future reference. She had a feeling that Negi would someday amount to something, that he would be something great. Even if all he did with Asuna was sit around in a grove of trees and meditated, she was certain that the world's masses would someday want to know about it.

As far as Asakura was concerned, waiting and watching the kid as he grew and developed was well worth her time. He was going to be big news. Someone with his brains and talent would never be satisfied with just teaching at a private academy. One day Negi would change the world, with her chronicling his every step.

He was her Rocky Balboa, her Usain Bolt. The unknown stud that would shoot out of the dark and take the champion's podium for his own. In him Asakura had every wannabe journalist's dream: an exclusive inside scoop on a story of global significance, a story that would shake the foundations of modern society. Best of all, it was hers and hers alone.

The thought of it made Asakura smile. She had plans for the future. Big plans. After documenting her sensei's rise to power and reporting on his accomplishments she would become the greatest freelance journalist the world had ever known. Her fame would cross borders and her stories would reach into the hearts of billions.

She would travel to far flung places in search of stories to ignite the passions of others. Trips to sprawling cities, assignments taking place in the deepest of jungles, and harrowing escapades in war-torn nations. Sitting at a desk was not for her. Oh no, it was the call of the wild blue yonder which stirred her soul. The thrill of chasing down a lead, the exultation of unearthing unknown troves of information, and the satisfaction of bringing it all together.

Becoming an editor – or worse, an anchor – with some big shot network was not in her dreams. Such a life could never satisfy the dreamer within her heart. They were where average journalist's achieved fame, by stepping on the backs of others and where the great ones went to live off the fat of past glories. Asakura Kazumi would never stoop to being a two-bit flunky for them.

So in that sense, she thought to herself, I should view this as my own form of training as well. Because after spending over a half a day with both Asuna and Negi, Asakura had reached a single overriding conclusion: that despite her own well-toned body that she took great care in maintaining, she was nowhere near the same level of conditioning as either of them.

Asakura took time out of every day to do a few physical exercises. The exercises felt good, sharpened her focus, and gave her a killer figure of which she was quite proud. Yet she was still sporting a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead as a result of the rapid pace Asuna had set for the trio as they went about their errands.

Meanwhile, neither of them had so much as a hair out of place. That was definitely irksome to the proud redhead, if nothing else.

She could never compete with Asuna when it came to sports or similar activities – the girl had been a standout athlete for as long as Asakura had known her – and it was starting to look like Negi had the body of a future star athlete. He was able to keep up with Asuna despite having the short, stumpy legs of a ten year old boy.

The two of them were ridiculous individuals to whom no normal person should hold a candle. Asakura knew her own strengths inside and out, and competing with them in terms of physical prowess was not one of them.

Besides, neither one of them were the type to rub it in. Asakura had caught Asuna glancing backwards once or twice as they moved about, probably checking to see if the redhead could keep up with them. Her quiet concern offset Asakura's annoyance; the redhead was not so proud as to be bothered by honest concern. Further, it even made her push herself harder. She would not let herself fall, in either of their eyes, for something as simple as a hike through Mahora's woods.

"Look Negi, we're almost to Eva-chan's cabin." From her position ahead Asuna pointed to something currently out of Asakura's sight. The girl's blue t-shirt hiked up over her jeans as she did. "I'm actually a little surprised to see it still standing, you know? I would've thought that Natsu would have blown the thing up by now, the way he and the psychotic midget were getting along with one another."

"Um, not really, Asuna-san." Negi replied. A small brown satchel bounced on his hip, flopping against his dark cargo pants. "According to Chachamaru, the two of them have been spending most of their time inside of her diorama. Evangeline-san gets really bad allergies this time of year and tries to avoid the outside world as much as possible, which is why she hasn't been to class all week. Also, from what Chachamaru said, Natsu-san has been using the place for training."

Asakura looked back and forth between them but stayed silent for the moment. She vaguely remembered Natsu from the train ride back from Kyoto, but other than that nothing else regarding him came to her mind. Trying to join in on the conversation when she had little knowledge of the man made no sense to her. Besides, the two of them would probably divulge enough information for her to piece things together if she just stayed quiet.

"Training? Puh-lease." Asuna said as she rolled both eyes. "I'll bet you that he's spent at least half this past week in a body cast. And that Eva-chan is the one who put him in it. That pink-haired moron has a fighting complex as big as a skyscraper while that vampire's undead ego reaches low orbit. Putting the two of them together in an enclosed space for any period of time is like placing a box of dynamite on top of a bonfire."

Negi winced at that mental image. "You might have a point."

"Of course I do." Asuna said as she slapped her left thigh for emphasis. "I mean, come on, Negi! You remember what happened when they first got here don't you? They tried to blast the crap out of one another. She nearly killed him!"

Negi then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as the cabin came into view for Asakura. "You might be right, Asuna-san. Chachamaru mentioned that there had been friction between the two of them ever since the rest of us left. She didn't say anything more than that, but I got the feeling that it was pretty serious."

Chachamaru? This was the third time he had mentioned her name without attaching any of his usual honorifics. Quite odd. Asakura filed that little tidbit away for further investigation. She had pegged the other girl as the shy, quiet type... but so was Nodoka, and she had spent an awfully large amount of time with Negi-sensei in Kyoto. Maybe that sort of girl was his type? It sure couldn't be Asuna's type with the way she was carrying on.

"If the guy hasn't been drained of his blood I'll be surprised." Asuna growled as she slapped at a nearby tree branch. The branch snapped and fell to the forest floor.

"I mean, come on. That one creepy doll of hers – Chachazero, I think her name was – has a butcher's knife and everything. For goodness sakes, all it ever talks about is killing people – it was mentioning how I had lovely veins along my wrists while it served me a sliced cut of ham back when we had breakfast there. One cut along the neck while he was sleeping and Natsu would be a total goner."

"Asuna-san!" Negi cried out. His shocked face as he responded was priceless; his widened eyes made him look like the ten year old he was in truth. "Don't say something like that – it might actually be true!"

"Exactly. For all we know, the three of us are walking towards a murder scene. You're a complete idiot for thinking that Eva-chan can reform overnight. She's had God knows how long to do it and has shown damn few signs that it's happening." Asuna muttered as she broke through the forest and into a small clearing. A recently felled tree which looked to have suffered fire damage of some sort blocked her path momentarily.

The athletic girl hopped over it with barely a glance as she finished speaking. "People stay true to form, Negi. Bad people are bad and good people are good. It's as simple as that."

Meanwhile, Asakura could see flashes of a wooden structure ahead but still was not close enough to confirm for herself whether it was a cabin. She had fallen somewhat further behind the other two when she had fallen into thought. She put some more speed into her aching legs and began to make up ground.

"You might be right, Asuna-san, but what if you aren't? What if she really does have good inside of her?" Negi said with a pout. The kid's little legs stumped their way over the fallen tree as he caught up to Asuna's side.

"She really is trying her best. Honestly. We can forgive her if she trips and falls a little every now and then, right?"

A snort came from Asuna as she briefly left Asakura's sight. A tree had come between them as the bell-wearing girl left the forest for a clearing of some sort.

"If beating someone to the point of hospitalization is her tripping then we seriously need to work on your sense of ethics." Asuna said. "Starting with no more of those stupid Jean Claude van Damme movies before bedtime. They're rotting your brains if you're thinking that being Evangeline's student is a good idea."

"There's nothing wrong with my ethics!" Negi yelled as he windmilled both arms. "And they are not rotting my brains. His movies are amazing; even Konoka-san enjoys watching them. She told me so herself two nights ago."

"Uh huh. That was only because Setsuna, who is evidently the world's number one van Damme fan after you, was within hearing distance. You know that, right?"

"No, I don't. Why would something to do with Setsuna change the way Konoka likes something anyway?"

The question made Asuna pause. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times as she appeared to wrestle with the complexities of explaining the burgeoning relationship between the two girls. Asakura chuckled in amusement at the sight.

"Um, never mind, Negi." Asuna said. Her cheeks were a lovely shade of pink as she spoke. "Forget I mentioned it. Just chalk it up to neither one of us knowing anything about that French moron until you brought it up."

"Ah! Fine, whatever, Asuna-san," Negi pouted. "It's not worth arguing about."

Negi's petulant look had redoubled in intensity as he had argued. His lips trembled from emotion while his small shoulders bunched tightly together, pinching his blue t-shirt tight across his chest. He almost looked like a kid about to throw a tantrum over losing a favorite toy, something so completely out of place for him that Asakura was momentarily overcome with emotion.

It was such an adorable a sight that a coo escaped Asakura's mouth without her conscious approval.

The sound lingered in the still forest air, causing Negi to turn his head around in confusion. Alarmed, she snapped her mouth shut and moved her head to peer at something in the trees above. Negi turned his head to follow her gaze, and a late-turning Asuna followed both of their gazes. Asakura was in luck as a slim, feathery shape darted through the branches.

"Stupid birdcalls," Asuna said. "Ninety percent of them are pretty, but there's always at least one in every forest that sounds just plain weird."

A blush filled Asakura's cheeks as the child teacher turned away to look at Asuna. Losing control of herself when they had been giving away valuable information for free was embarrassing. Worse, if Asuna had caught on, the reporter-in-training would have been in hot water.

Asakura wasn't like Iincho or Makie with their obsessive interest in the young teacher. She was all too willing to stoke that fire, but partake in it herself? Young men weren't really her thing. Besides, knowing how protective Asuna could be over their sensei meant that the other girl would probably have interpreted Asakura's coo the wrong way.

With the noise investigated to the extent of Negi and Asuna's limited interest, the trio began walking once more. Negi-sensei spoke as they did.

"Anyway, Asuna-san," he began. "Going back to our real discussion, what is important is that Evangeline-san needs a positive influence in her life. As her homeroom teacher it is up to me to help her find it, and I need someone who can help me become as powerful as my father. If her becoming my master can be the solution to all of that, then it is my duty to embrace it. To do otherwise would be irresponsible as a teacher and as my father's son."

Asuna stopped dead, whipping around to confront her tiny roommate. "What?" She yelled. "That makes no sense at all. Are you an idiot?"

"I am not an idiot Asuna-san!" he yelled back. "And yes it does make sense. I just explained it to you!"

"No you didn't. Not enough, anyway. Didn't you hear anything I said before that?"

The girl threw both arms into the air in evident exasperation. "The woman is insane. And if you want her to teach you, then you've got to be the biggest idiot on the face of this planet."

If someone's hair could stand on end from emotion, Asakura would have sworn that Asuna's was doing it at that moment. The orange-haired girl had locked gazes with Negi to prove her point and fallen into a glaring contest with the ten year old magician. His face, still scrunched up, was beginning to go red from emotion.

Neither one looked as though they were willing to concede an inch with one another, and both had completely forgotten about Asakura's presence. The redhead watched as the two began arguing again, listening as it devolved into about as petty of an argument as one could image. The beginning of a headache started to form while sweat dripped down her face.

As amusing as it was to see Negi reduced to his actual age and Asuna reduced to her mental age, it couldn't be allowed to go on any longer. It had the feeling of an argument that would just keep going until they both ran out of fuel and collapsed out of exhaustion. Asakura would have to step in herself and play the peacemaker.

She readied herself internally. Then she gave a cough and spoke up.

"Ahem." She said. "In my opinion, both of you are complete and utter idiots who need to shut up and actually listen to one another.

Both of their gazes swung to her. The fury in both their eyes almost caused her to step back in concern.

Asuna looks like she wants to bite my head off and Negi-sensei looks about ready to put me in time out. Great way to start things off, Asakura. Make them both angry to enough to end you. Bloody fantastic!

She gave another cough and began to speak. She already had one foot in the dispute; might as well put the other foot in as well.

"I don't really understand everything that's currently going on between the two of you – this feels like something you've been arguing about for a while – or who that van Damme guy is," she said in a calm tone. "But let me take a crack at it, 'Kay?"

She held up her left hand, ticking off items on her fingers as she spoke. "What I've gathered so far is that Negi-sensei is 'A' looking for a skilled magician to teach him, that 'B' our classmate Evangeline – who is 'C' an ancient vampire that has caused serious harm to at least one person we know – can teach him, that 'D' Asuna thinks Evangeline is a blood-thirsty menace to society who should have a stake driven through her heart, and that 'E' the two of you have been fighting over this for more than just a few minutes."

A cocky grin worked its way onto her face. "Do I have it straight so far?"

Momentary silence greeted her words. Then a quick, short nod of acknowledgment came from each,

"Excellent," she said. "Then I have only one thing to add to this discussion: Sensei, will you hold true to this course of action despite knowing how dangerous Evangeline is, and despite knowing how much it would make Asuna worry over your safety?"

Asakura held up a hand in Asuna's direction, cutting the other girl off before she could speak. "Don't say a word, Asuna. This question is for sensei alone."

It took a moment for him to answer. The young boy's face dropped its petulant look, lapsing into thoughtfulness. He once again looked like the too old boy who had managed to become a teacher at ten years of age. When he did speak it was both calmly and slowly.

"Evangeline-san is a dangerous individual. She is an immortal vampire that has committed atrocities in the past and has threatened the life of myself and my father, vowing vengeance on us both. She has earned the highest bounty offer of any single individual in the magical world, and is aptly known as the Apostle of Destruction for the destructive power of her magic." He gave a small, sad smile. "All of which is but a tiny part of her dark reputation that stretches over seven hundred years."

Asakura let out a surprised whistle. If everything Negi just said was true, then it was no wonder that Asuna was throwing a fit. What sane person wouldn't?

"But even so, I believe that there is good in her. Until I came, she never once attacked any of her fellow students – and although Asuna might disagree -"

He paused and looked at Asuna. The girl nodded her head in reply, saying, "I know where you're going with this, and after seeing her fight with Natsu and Gray, I think that you're right. She took it easy on us for sure."

A look of surprise came across his face. "Oh. Um, thank you, Asuna-san. I appreciate that." A smile passed between the two of them, causing Asakura to pump a fist in victory.

Her plan was already a success and Negi hadn't even finished answering the question!

"Ahem, anyway, with all of that being said, I don't think that anyone else can possibly be my teacher in magic. I need someone who is skilled and powerful, someone who stands at the top of the magical world, and she is one of the few. And given my responsibility to her as her homeroom teacher, and as the son of the man who trapped her within this Academy, I cannot in good conscience turn away from her."

Asakura nodded slowly. The argument between the two of them now made perfect sense. What it boiled down to was Negi's desire to become stronger and closer to his father coming into conflict with Asuna's protective nature. A son's love for his father waging against what verged on sisterly concern? No wonder the two had been so entrenched.

"So by learning from her and becoming more powerful, you also want to find out if she truly has changed, and is thereby deserving of freedom from your father's curse." By distilling it down to its essence, maybe Asuna could understand everything sensei had just said. "Correct?"

Negi nodded his head. "Yes. That sums it up rather nicely, Kazumi-san." He smiled in thanks as he spoke and Asakura felt her heart flutter as it did.

Damn that cuteness; it's just not fair! Asakura thought as she turned her face away. She would not coo again. No matter how tempting it was. She wouldn't!

From her place at the front, closest to the woodland cabin, Asuna gave a sigh. She ran one hand through her bangs as she sighed. Asakura and Negi turned to face her as she did, saving Asakura from having to wage her internal battle for too great a time.

"Alright Negi, I get it." She said. She crossed both arms under her breasts as she spoke, closing both eyes as well. "Eva-chan, for all of her many faults in the past, does deserve the second chance your dad gave her. Other than her duel with us and that little flare-up with Natsu and Gray, the woman has been unremarkable during her time here at Mahora. I'm not a fan of this, not by any stretch, but I do get where you're coming from"

She sighed once more and opened her eyes. "So for your sake I'll let bygones be bygones, 'Kay?"

Negi's eyes almost sparkled as he gave Asuna a hug. She returned his embrace warmly, smiling softly as she did. "Let's go and get you a teacher now."

Behind them, Asakura grinned widely. It wasn't often that she played the role of peacemaker. She was more suited to the role of kicking the hornets' nest to see what came flying out. Doing so gave her a great deal of satisfaction and amusement.

Yet in this case, doing the opposite felt very satisfying indeed. Seeing the two of them make up and hug gave Asakura a warm feeling in her jaded heart. It was almost strong enough for her to consider joining them in a celebratory group hug.

But only almost. A good reporter needed to have clear boundaries between the story and their self.

"So, are we going to enter the cabin or not?" She said. "'Cause it's hot out here and that cabin's got an air-conditioning unit on it. There's only so much sweat a girl can take on a beautiful day like this."

Asuna's head jerked up from where she and Negi were hugging one another. "Seriously, Asakura? Seriously? Just interrupt the moment Negi and I were having here like it's not even important why don't you."

"Eh, you'll survive. Besides, it's hot and Negi came here to accomplish something. Let's get this show off the road and indoors already."

The twin-tailed girl grimaced but broke her embrace with Negi. "Fine. Whatever. Stay put with Negi for a moment while I go peak inside; it might not be safe to enter at the moment. Adeat!"

A giant white fan appeared in Asuna's right hand, seemingly from out of nowhere. The young girl then started to stalk off towards the cabin, swishing the fan back and forth as she moved.

Asakura had to suppress the urge to whistle in awe. Well, that confirmed it. Negi and Asuna really were involved in magic, and the story they were writing would be one for the ages.

It was a good thing that they had such a capable reporter to keep track of things for them.

"And Asakura, I had better not find any hickies on Negi's neck when I get back. Don't stoop to the level of your story."

As for hickies on Negi's neck... Hm. Asakura hadn't really considered giving him one herself. But if it put such a giant bee in Asuna's bonnet then it could certainly be worth doing in the future. Having more than one ace in the hole when it came to controlling people was always a good idea. And plucking a little of sensei's innocence while she was at it would make for a most delicious cherry on top. It was something to keep in mind for the future.

---

Eva hummed thoughtfully to herself as she thumbed the open page of a grimoire while she relaxed in the only unbroken chair left in her cabin. Dalamar the Dark had been a brilliant wizard in his time, a man that even she had respected; attempting to break his coded grimoire's was an intellectual hobby of hers to pass the time.

Just as she finished turning the page, a sneeze tore through her body. "Achoo!" She wiped one hand across her face in annoyance, trying to get rid of any offending particulates that might have stuck to her skin.

"Damn dust." Eva muttered to herself. "The place just hasn't been right since the idiot broke everything."

A thump sounded from upstairs as she cursed. Eva eyed the ceiling warily for a moment. The noise had come from her room, but Natsu couldn't have recovered yet. No mortal living other than Jack Rakan could be doing more than twitching their toes this soon after the procedure. Something must have fallen onto the floor.

She turned her attention back to the grimoire.

The vampire had been pouring over odd tomes for the last three hours. With Natsu still comatose up in her bedroom and the boya taking his sweet time making an appearance, the vampire was almost bored out of her wits. She had thought that having people close to hand whom she could engage and manipulate at will would mean an end to her days of studying ancient tomes of magic, at least for a while. Maybe she would need to lower her expectations regarding their entertainment value.

Looking back down, she 'tsked' in annoyance. Dalamar had been detailing his research on a dragon named Puff when the passage came to an abrupt end. A little notation at the bottom indicated that it was finished in another book. One that she did not have in her possession.

A knock sounded at the door, interrupting her as she was considering whether she wanted to summon Chachamaru to either throw a tantrum or order her to locate the other book.

"Hey, Eva, Natsu, Chachamaru is anyone home?"

Ah. That was Kagurazaka's voice. If she was here then Negi could not be very far. The two were in a sickeningly close relationship with one another. One that would eventually need to be snapped for the boy's own good.

Eva looked up from the book and caught the eye of her robotic servant. "Chachamaru, go let Kagurazaka in. She and the boya will be our guests for the day."

"As you wish, master."

Chachamaru trundled off in the direction of the door. Just before she left the small sconce where Eva was situated, a thought occurred to the ancient vampire. One that was just too good to pass up.

"Chachamaru!" She shouted softly. "Hold."

The gynoid ground to a halt and looked back. "Yes, my master?"

"Allow Kagurazaka in, but bring her in alone. Then escort her into my bedroom and inform her of the moron's incapacitated state."

"Is that a wise idea, my master? The two of them have displayed animosity towards each another in the majority of their interactions."

Eva smiled and turned her attention back to the grimoire. Then she sneezed. And sneezed again. As she did, her mind flashed back to her sneeze from a few moments earlier. This wasn't a dust sneeze. It was from pollen. Fantastic! Goddamn Nagi and his goddamn curse, trapping me in this pathetically weak body.

The vampire tried to keep the sudden thickness in her nasal passages out of her voice as she replied to Chachamaru's comment. "Of course I know, Chachamaru. I wish to see what will happen when Asuna is given a golden opportunity for payback. Now go."

The android nodded and turned to leave. As she did, the most powerful sneeze yet wracked Eva's body. A thick gob of mucous flew out of her nose and splattered across the grimoire's open page.

"And turn on the air-ionizers and humidifiers once you've finished, Chachamaru. The damn plants are trying to kill me again."

---

Asuna stood before Natsu. The man had managed to fall out of Eva's bed and was lying on the floor. He lay on his back, looking at her with a groggy stare on his face.

While she was normally against attacking people when they were down, Asuna was willing to make an exception for Natsu. Toying with the hearts of young girls to the point of making them cry was unforgivable.

"Wake up, Natsu-chan. It's time to greet the day and receive punishment for your misdeeds. Adeat!"

---

Back in the woods, Asakura stood next to Negi. She was currently in the process of entertaining herself by seeing how red she could get the boy to blush by making seemingly innocuous comments tinged with just enough mischief to grab his attention. She had just finished relating a particularly salacious expose on Nodoka's choice in underwear when a loud explosion ripped through the air.

Boom!

With a crashing bang, a fast moving blur shot through the cabin wall to Asakura's right. She flinched backwards and fell to the ground, bringing up one arm to shield her face from flying splinters as she used her other arm to break her fall. A wash of blistering heat came over her at the same moment, shocking her with its fiery intensity.

It disappeared as she hit the ground. Unsure of what would happen next, she grabbed Negi and rolled over on top of him. He struggled, giving muffled protests until she shoved his head between her breasts and cut him off. Then, after several seconds of listening to the sound of wood drop to the forest floor, she raised her head. She looked around and quickly spotted the original source of the explosion.

An oddly shaped hole had been punched through the wall of Evangeline's cabin, in the middle of which stood an angry looking young man. His eye-catching pink hair swayed as she shook his fist angrily in the direction the blur had gone.

"And don't you hit me with that frickin fan again, Asuna." He shouted as he shook his fist. "It hurts dammit!"

"Target sighted, my master." A stoic voice said from outside of Asakura's view. It was cold, with just a hint of emotion. Slightly familiar as well. "Shall I initiate removal protocols?"

Evangeline's voice responded from somewhere behind the pink-haired man. "If you would, Chachamaru."

"As you command, master."

The man blinked once. Then he slowly turned his body around. Too slowly, as was made plain when a pair of rocket laden fists slammed into his chest, carrying his body deep into the forest beyond.

The strange man let out audible grunts of pain as his body slammed through tree after tree. A loud boom split the air as they deposited him and flew back towards the cabin, slamming into the arms of Asakura's classmate. The robotic girl, as Asakura could plainly see she was, had an almost palpable sense of satisfaction.

"Target removed, master. It has been deposited close by to Kagurazaka-san for further punishment."

"Excellent work Chachamaru. Maybe this time she'll take better advantage of the opportunity set before her. Now go fetch the boya. He took his sweet time in getting here and I don't feel like waiting any longer."

Upon hearing that comment, Asakura picked herself up off of the ground. Protective instincts she hadn't known she possessed, activated by the explosion, dredged themselves up once again.

She dragged Negi up along with her, clutching him tightly with one hand as she did. No way was she going to let some ancient vampire and her robotic servant get a hold of her sensei without her tagging along.

The redhead caught Evangeline's eye and nodded her head at the too young being. "No need to go looking very far, Evangeline. He's right here with me."

Asakura shot Negi a look before switching her gaze back to Evangeline. He had regained his breath from being shoved beneath her and had just opened his mouth to speak. She placed a finger to her lips and shook her head. This was her moment to speak.

"If you want Negi-sensei so badly, Eva-chan," Asakura said with a flashing smile. "I'll need an interview with a vampire, if you get my drift."

Evangeline's narrowed gaze broke into a frighteningly intense smile. Her green eyes grew large and intense as her lips compressed to twin slits. More importantly, a feeling of repressed bloodlust radiated from her body.

Asakura felt her breath hitch in her throat. For a moment she wondered if she had bit off more than she could chew. Here she was, treating Evangeline as if the vampire was just another one of her classmates, when in reality the woman was so far beyond that existence that treating her as a middle-schooler was utterly laughable. Who was she to challenge such a creature? What gave her the right to stand up for a child who probably didn't need her to stand up for him?

"Oh, how wonderfully droll." The vampire purred. "A little minx thinks that she has what it takes to stand between me and my prey. What do you think, Chachamaru. Should I let her off with a warning? Or should I teach her just how far out of her depth she has begun to swim?"

Asakura gave a slight shudder. She really was in over her head to think that she could distract a seven hundred year old vampire with a lame ploy like the interview. The look Evangeline was sending her way made it very clear that the chibi-sized girl was sizing her up and finding her very, very wanting.

Then she felt a small, light hand touch the small of her back. It sent a jolt of energy shooting through her body, and Asakura felt her confidence return. Looking down and to the left, she saw Negi gazing up at her with a confident smile on her face. It almost seemed to say that he believed in her, and that he was leaving it up to her to handle.

Knowing that, Asakura couldn't help but feel her spirit rise. So what if Evangeline was a centuries old vampire? She was Asakura Kazumi, reporter extraordinaire.

A smartass remark formed on her lips. She let it loose with a smile.

"I'd be happy to attend any lessons you provide, Eva-chan. From what I've read vampires are masters at swimming."

Evangeline's smile cut off like a switch had been thrown and Asakura gave an inner dance for joy. Suck on that, you smug asshole! She could feel Negi's glowing smile cheering her on.

"The most annoying thing about cunning little minxes," Evangeline eventually bit out, "is that they rarely let a golden opportunity to dig themselves into a ditch go by without comment. You may come in with the boya, Asakura-chan. Just remember that you were the one who requested to enter my abode, and that I was generous enough to offer a warning before you did. And never put too much stock in what you've read"

The little vampire turned away and stalked back into the house, slim feet pounding into the floor like pistons. A faint mechanical hum carried in the air as Chachamaru turned and walked behind her.

---

Natsu groggily raised his head from the crater in which he lay. Most of his body felt fine, but his back felt like Elfman had hit it with a one-two combo using his Beast Soul. Chachamaru could sure pack one helluva punch when she felt like it.

He would have to reevaluate her battle ranking, switching it from the 'fun, but handle gently' category to the 'punch in the face and get punched back until someone asserts their dominance' category. Otherwise known as the 'fun' category. It was one of his favorites as it contained people like Elfman, Gajeel, and that fire guy from Phantom's Elemental Four whose name wasn't that important. It was only superseded by the 'evil motherfucker that I have to fight even if I get my ass handed to me', 'Gildarts class fighter', and the 'beat Gray until he stops moving because he's Gray' categories.

Tiny tendrils of flame began to lick across his fists as he thought about the different categories. Keeping everyone in their proper ranking was important business. It made punching people in the proper order much easier to decide. In this particular instance, Chachamaru was the first person in line, and he couldn't wait to get things started.

Boom!

An explosion of fire and earth echoed through the forest as he tore his body from the crater. Dirt and pieces of broken trees fell from his body as he roared. "I'm all fired up! Let's get things started Chachamaru. Kyahahahahaha -ugh!"

Natsu's laugh cut off as a sudden wave of pain tore through his body. His eyesight wavered for a moment as the magic within his body strained against his control. Hurt and suddenly off-balance, Natsu slowly started to bend over as his body shuddered.

He fought it off with an effort of will, forcing it to obey. He was the master of his flames, not they of him. Seconds passed as he wrestled against the seal's influence.

As the seconds passed, Natsu's eyesight began to return. The pain retreated, and eventually, the magic within his body returned to normal. It flowed smoothly instead of flaring wildly. The pins and needles he could feel on every inch of his skin began to recede.

In a rare moment of introspection Natsu realized that he had probably pushed things a little too far with that display of power. Eva had warned him about the seal's side effects, but hearing about it and experiencing it were two completely different things. Having the seal placed on him had been nearly as bad as when Ultear unlocked Second Origin.

This little episode had gotten too close for comfort. Coming to grips with his new limitations would be harder than he had thought. More annoying, too.

The dragon slayer slapped his face with both hands and shook his head. Eh, at worst I still have my body, Natsu thought to himself. Ain't no one tough enough to take me on in hand-to-hand combat down here anyway.

With a second effort of will Natsu pulled his body upright. He started running towards the cabin thinking that movement might help him shake off the lingering tremors in his body. He also began planning his upcoming actions within his new limitations while he moved.

XxX

When I get there, I'll cry out her name and launch a fiery punch at her feet. If she dodges it by jumping, I'll follow up with a flaming flying kick to her face. No way she'll see it coming. But wait, if she dodges to either side, both of those attacks will miss. Oh! I could just lead off with a lariat. If she blocks it or drops low, I can just spit a ball of fire into her face to blind her. I still have enough juice in me to make a decent blast if I need to. Oh man do I like that idea; Hell yeah, I'm doing it!

Thinking about fighting was almost as fun as actually doing it. You had to accurately assess both your opponent's fighting abilities and your own. Then you had to figure out how you can match your strengths with their weaknesses. Then you had to try and put yourself into their shoes to see how they would try to do the same. Natsu knew that he wasn't the brightest flame when it came to thinking – that was definitely either Lucy or Levy – but when it came to fighting, he was a genius.

So when a figure dressed in torn clothing blocked his path, his first impulse was to punch it in the face. Unfortunately, as he cocked his fist back to let one rip, he got a good look at the figure's body and face. Then he felt like turning the other way and running.

With her face covered in dirt and leaves sticking out of her hair, Asuna made for quite an appearance. Enough that Natsu remembered one of the only categories of which he was genuinely afraid: the 'angry female wizard that you have personally offended and who now wants your stuffed head mounted on her wall' category.

He nervously smiled as she started to advance on his position. He wasn't quite sure why she was angry with him, but the signs were unmistakable. It was time to play things cool.

"Hey Asuna." He spoke, waving one hand as he did. "How're things going?"

"Oh, you know, about as you would expect. I got up, had some breakfast, took Negi out on a few errands, and then got punched through a wall by a man whose obituary will be in tomorrow's paper." She started to pick up speed, forcing Natsu to start backing away. "How about you?"

Natsu calculated the situation as Asuna moved towards him. He could stay and fight her in order to get a shot at Chachamaru. Doing so would probably entail getting hit multiple times by that fan, being placed into at least one submission lock of some sort and beaten until a rib or three cracked.

None of that was very appealing.

"Pretty good. I was just about to go fight Chachamaru in a sparring match – wanna join in?"

"Nah, I'm good. I prefer one sided massacres." One of her pigtails slipped loose of its bindings, unleashing a waterfall of orange colored hair over the right side of her face. "Speaking of which, Natsu, you do know what's going to happen here, right? If so, please prepare yourself. You aren't going to be able to move for a few days after I get done with you."

Now that raised Natsu's eyebrows. While he could fight her seriously and win, as she was in the 'amusing distraction but not a serious fighter' category, Natsu had learned over time that beating up a girl in any category whatsoever would only make things worse in the long run, with the poster girl for that concept currently going to Eva. Unless it was in a serious battle – and even then things could get iffy if they became an ally later on – then the girl in question would always find a way to increase whatever pain he doled out by a magnitude of ten or more.

The second option available to him was flight and avoidance. Natsu would still get a beating the next time she saw him if he managed to escape – Erza, Lucy, and Mirajane had beaten that fact of life deep into his head – but it would be on a far lesser order of magnitude. I'd only be screaming in pain, not whimpering.

Natsu backed away slowly as she continued stalking towards him. The look on her face and the way she held her strange, painful fan made her intentions abundantly clear. That left him with only one real choice to take: retreat.

He turned around, broke into a full on sprint and left her in choking on his dust as he yelled back over his shoulder. "Sorry Asuna, I just remembered that Eva wanted me to run an errand for her in the city. See ya later!"

---

Asuna sprinted after Natsu for all she was worth. "Argh! Dammit you pink-haired bastard. Get back here! I'm not finished with you!"

"Never! Kyahahahaha!"

Asuna ground her teeth in impotent fury as Natsu disappeared into Mahora's forest with a final manic cackle. She struggled to keep him in sight but found herself falling behind. Clumps of dirt and leaves were thrown into the air as his feet tore into the forest floor. One of them hit her in the face, and her entire world went black.

"Asshole!" she hissed. She swiped at her face angrily, knowing as she did that there was no way she could catch up to Natsu. Getting blinded like that had cost her any chance she might have had.

The chase ended, Asuna let her fan drop and turned more of her attention to cleaning the mess from her face. "He is dead. He is seriously dead. Next time I see him, dead!"

The man was a master at adding insult to injury. Every single time they met one another, Natsu always seemed to find a way to piss her off. First he appeared naked in the forest. Next he ruined her breakfast, stole her fan and proceeded to play keep away until an angry Eva intervened and scared the living daylights out of her. Now he had tossed her through a wall – an entire frickin wall – only to run away from her righteous anger. So yes, she was pissed. Incredibly pissed.

On top of that, she could lay part of the blame of Chamo's disgusting plan at his feet as well. Eva's rampage had caused her to miss walking Negi back to their dorm, thereby enabling the vile ermine's perverted tendencies by keeping her absent. It couldn't be a coincidence.

"Maybe the bastard was in on the whole thing from the beginning," she muttered to herself as she pulled a particularly stringy bit of moss from her right eyebrow. She flicked away the offending item and blinked her eyes open. "Yeah, that makes sense. Someone as shameless as Natsu, who took advantage of Chao of all people, would definitely help that damn rat get Konoka and Setsuna in a compromising position. Those perverts are all alike."

If that were the case, she would have to make some serious plans for vengeance. Chamo was already serving his time, and just thinking about it brought a smile to Asuna's face. The last Asuna had seen of the sniveling ermine, the creature had been tied into a burlap sack held tightly in Setsuna's hands. Whatever the black-haired beauty was doing to him had to be a fate worse than death and a fate he completely deserved.

Unfortunately, she did not have the luxury of time to come up with a plan to punish Natsu. Negi needed her help to deal with Evangeline and there was no way some pink-haired pervert would stop her from helping the kid out. So it was with a pinched face and a determined gaze that she started walking back towards Evangeline's cabin.

---

The birds were singing merrily as Natsu landed on the forest floor with a loud thump. His feet sank a few inches into the ground as the tree he had just leaped from swayed from side to side. The giant specimen had almost collapsed under his weight, forcing him to end his flight earlier than he would have liked. Even if Asuna was a bad tracker like he suspected, it was always possible to get lucky.

He sniffed the tree's bark and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Rotted through the core," he muttered in disgust. "Couldn't even take my weight for half-a-minute. The trees here ain't anythin' like the ones back home, but that's just bad."

A wreath of fire covered his left hand. It was weaker than his usual flames but more than strong enough to get the job done. "Leavin' this thing around wouldn't be of help to anything; best to just burn it down and move on."

Natsu touched the tree's trunk with his left hand and pushed his flames onto it. The fire took to the rotten wood like a match to tinder.

As the tree burned, Natsu looked around the area in which he now found himself. In his haste to get away from Asuna, he had not paid any attention to his surroundings. All that had mattered was making sure that the orange-haired girl was unable to follow him with any sort of ease. Getting himself lost in the forest just made it likely that he had been able to succeed.

The dragon slayer sniffed the air, filtering out the smoke from the burning tree. He could smell Asuna's scent far behind him. Judging by its strength she was still near Eva's cabin; the strengths of their respective scents, as well as Chachamaru's and Negi's, were almost equal. Some other person, a girl by her scent, was over there too, but he paid it little heed. It was slightly familiar, but he didn't know who it was. He just categorized and shelved the scent for future reference.

The tree burned merrily as Natsu used his nose to take stock of his situation. Being a dragon slayer was handy at times like this; a dragon's sense of smell was one of its greatest tools. Sight and sound had their uses, but scents were where it was at. Shadows, like the one in the tree to his left, could be deceiving. So could sounds, which could be stifled or imitated.

But scents were unique, and it was thanks to his nose that Natsu knew he was not alone. The shadow in the tree was a person who was hiding themselves in plain sight.

A few seconds gave him all of the information he needed. Mahora city was a fifteen minute walk to his left, five minutes or less if he ran. The smell of the bustling city was distinctive, standing out to his sensitive nose.

Meanwhile, the person who was hiding in the tree also possessed a familiar smell. Both it and the unknown scent by Eva tickled his memory.

A vague feeling of pain and nausea accompanied both scents. Something about motion too, and a horrifying girl he never wanted to see again.

Ah, so that was where he remembered the scents from. The frickin train ride! He had been so out of it that he could have been introduced to a hundred people and not remembered a single one.

Now that he had some idea where he had encountered the smell, Natsu knew the appropriate level of action to unleash. That train ride had been horrible, and he was going to take out his remaining frustrations from it on whoever was unlucky enough to be stalking him.

He set his hand on fire and launched his body at it in a sky uppercut. "Kahahahaha! Gotcha!"

The shadow broke apart and scattered as his fist shot towards it, disappearing from sight. Natsu's fist crashed into the tree's trunk with a solid crack. Fiery embers fell to the forest floor as broken bits of bark caught fire. Still, not a single bit touched the shadow as it darted away into the forest.

Keeping a weather eye it, Natsu aimed a second punch in its direction. It was fast and stealthy, but he had encountered better. It wouldn't be escaping this second attack. "You ain't escaping this one. Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Natsu's attack landed square on the shadow. A wild grin filled his face as his fist bashed into it.

Then two hands latch onto his flaming arm. They pulled his arm further in and downwards, increasing and directing his momentum. Before he could do anything other than realize his arm was no longer under his complete control a foot planted itself in his stomach. A woof of air left his lips as the foot rammed in deeply. Less than a second later, Natsu was flying through the air backwards as the foot and hands combined to fling him away from the suddenly annoying shadow.

A mighty crack ran through the forest as his body slammed into a nearby Oak. The mighty tree was able to withstand the blow, but hundreds of leaves and a couple of smaller branches fluttered through the air. Several birds which had been using the tree as a resting spot took to the sky as well.

Meanwhile, Natsu had recovered from the sneak attack as soon as his back had had hit the tree. He landed on both feet with practiced ease, his eyes searching for his latest foe. Stripped from its shadowy concealment, his foe was easy to find.

It was a young girl by her look and smell. She had green tinged hair cut in a bowl shape, with two long bangs framing her face. The girl had a tall, powerful build and stared at him with narrowed eyes. Dressed in a comfortable looking pair of slacks and shirt, her wrapped hands made it clear that she was outfitted for either training or combat.

The wild smile worked its way back onto his face. She looked like someone he would enjoy fighting, and he was always up for a good brawl.

So with a side to side crack of his neck, the dragon slayer introduced himself. "Yo, my name is Natsu, mage of Fairy Tail. That was a nice combo you managed to land on me. What's your name?"

The girl frowned. Her scent, which had been one of wary alert, changed to one of shock. Her stance changed as well, tightening up, and he suddenly had the feeling that he had made the situation worse.

"My name is Nagase Kaede, Chunin of the Nagase clan, de Gozaru." Her stance shifted once more. One foot inched forward as the other one swept backwards. "What is a foreign mage such as yourself, one that is openly using magic, doing in these woods?"

Natsu frowned. This is why he hated talking things out with words instead of his fists. There were so many nuances he didn't understand, so many ways for something to go wrong with just a misspoken word. Without Lucy around, he had no idea if he had managed to offend her with what he had figured to be a simple greeting.

He scratched his head as he tried to think of a response. Damn words. "Eh, nothin much. Really. I guess you could say that I was getting away from a few troublesome problems, but nothin that I couldn't handle if I really felt like it." He scratched his head once again. "And what's wrong with using magic openly? Isn't that normal?"

The girl shook her head slightly. "You are only the fourth mage I have ever encountered, and up until this moment I was under the impression that your kind operated under a restrictive set of rules which forbid the open use of magic."

"Oh yeah. Shit!" Natsu jumped into the air as the realization slammed into him. He wasn't supposed to openly use magic in this world! He had completely forgotten. Negi had warned him. That Takamichi guy had warned him. But more importantly, Eva had warned him in no uncertain terms that he was to keep his magic under wraps. She had mentioned it during one of their breakfast's and then mentioned it again after she had frozen his lower half in ice. The consequence she had mentioned for not heeding her warning sent a cold shiver coursing through his body.

The sudden feeling of ice creeping down his back sent Natsu's adrenaline pumping. The feeling was so intense that he whipped around, flashing fire from his body to block the psycho vampire's ice attacks. The last few days of sparring against the psycho in her Resort had given him a healthy respect for the vampire's magical abilities. If she was in the process of launching a sneak attack on him, Natsu would need every ounce of power to fight it off and take the offensive against her.

But no one was there. Only a little squirrel that took off like it had just seen hell in all of its fiery evil, dropping a pile of nuts as it ran into a nearby tree while chittering for all its little body was worth.

Well, crap, Natsu thought to himself as he let the fire die down. His spars against Eva had him jumping at figments of his imagination. Now I'm really into it.

He turned back around to face the girl, noting that she now held a sharp looking dagger – a kunai, actually – in her left hand. It was a well-crafted piece of equipment. Sharp, pointy, and menacing; everything you wanted in a deadly instrument.

More importantly, she was also much closer and the kunai was being held against his neck.

Maybe I should think more often before I react, Natsu thought. At least she seemed like a good person. An enemy would have already tried to stab him after seeing flames rush from every inch of his body. Since she wasn't an enemy, he might as well see if he could talk his way out of it.

"So, uh," he said as her kunai pressed into his throat, "how can I convince you that everything you saw just now was an accident, that I'm new around here and don't know the rules very well, and that you should in no way mention any of this to a certain acquaintance of mine?" She blinked at him impassively.

Huh. She didn't slit his throat immediately – maybe there was something to the talking approach Lucy and the others liked so much? I might as well continue with it and see where it takes me. But what to say? Aha, I got it!

"You're a ninja if you have a kunai, right? And you did that neat hiding in the shadows trick as well. Ninja's are awesome! Can you teach me how to be a ninja too? I'd be the best ninja ever – we could go on missions together and everything. Oh, I know, how about we have a friendly spar so we can get to know one another while we're at it? Nin-nin yo!"

Her look of sudden bewilderment at his words was picture perfect. The more things changed the more they stayed the same. The only thing missing was Happy tied up in ropes and Lucy screaming something about their impending deaths being all his fault.

---

Back in Evangeline's cabin, Asuna was in the process of staring down the miniature vampire. Asuna had returned from her unplanned woodland walk to find Negi already in conversation with Evangeline. Her own topic of discussion could wait. The kid was asking his question, and if his stiff-backed posture was anything to go by then the poor child was nervous as hell.

She sighed to herself as a tremble ran through his body. He was lucky to have her around to fix things for him.

"Alright Eva-chan you've heard his question. He wants you to be his teacher in magic because you're a big shot mage blah blah blah." Asuna jerked a thumb in Negi's direction. "Give him an answer so we can get on with the day."

On her bed, Evangeline crossed her legs and stared at the kid intently. As her bedroom was the only place still mostly untouched by Natsu's chaos they were all currently inside of it.

It was surprisingly childish. Fluffy pillows, children's dolls, and bright colors filled the room. A recently used master bed and a desk with a chair were the only pieces of furniture outside of a large wooden chest-of-drawers. It didn't allow much room for the group but Asuna assumed that Eva had never really felt a need to entertain other people.

Chachamaru stood by her master while Asakura leaned against the wall by the door. The redheaded reporter had been quiet since Asuna's arrival. The redhead had given her a brief nod once she had entered but had done nothing else, seemingly content to watch things play out.

Meanwhile, Evangeline herself sat on the edge of her unmade bed, scowling at Negi and Asuna over crossed fingers. After a moment she pursed her lips together and shook her head.

"Nope. Fat chance of that ever happening. Thanks to you, Negi, I've already got one child on my hands already. An annoyance that I've only just managed to get rid of, and one that just blasted a hole in my home." The vampire gave a disproving snort and uncrossed both hands. "I have neither the patience nor the inclination to take some snot-nosed brat on as an apprentice. My home is a place of quiet retreat, not a baby-sitting service for you to take advantage of at your convenience."

One of her slim hands waved airily. "Besides, you know Takamichi pretty well. Go ask him for help. Unlike me he's a good guy too; he can teach you all about magic and honor and all of that other stuff you light mages go for."

Negi shook his head as his face firmed in determination. "No, Evangeline-san." he replied. His words and firm tone belied his youthful voice. "It is because Takamichi knows me so well that he cannot be my teacher in magic. I want to be taught by someone who doesn't know me, someone who stands at the top of the magical world and can bring my power out without being held back by familiarity."

His back loosened up as he met Evangeline's gaze. "The only way I can hope to catch up to my father is if you, the Dark Evangel, were to teach me." The kid bowed his head and brought his hands together. "So please, Evangeline-san, become my master and take me on as your apprentice."

Asuna had to give him credit for not backing down as Evangeline's eyes narrowed. Most ten year old kids would have given up immediately. But here he was, showing more spine in the face of Evangeline than Asuna had seen in most adults. It was a marked contrast to his childish display in the forest. It was almost as though the child within had disappeared, leaving behind an old soul trapped within a young body.

The thought made Asuna's brow furrow in worry. Despite any words to the contrary, Asuna always tried to encourage his childish side when she could. The boy displayed an alarming tendency to act as though he were already an adult, something which hurt her heart. A kid should act like a kid, she thought to herself. And by God, no matter where he goes, I will make sure that he gets the chance to experience a childhood.

An icy chill crept into the air as Evangeline considered Negi's fervent appeal. Chachamaru shifted by Evangeline's side as the temperature dropped. Everyone else stood still, waiting for something to change as the vampire's eyes visibly drilled into Negi.

Then, with a sudden shift, Evangeline relaxed onto her bed. She rubbed her red nose gently with one finger as she reclined. "Very well, boya, if you insist. I will consent to be your teacher in the arts of magic and raise your skills to the point where you will not be an embarrassment to my name."

"Oh, thank you, Evangeline-san!" Negi cried out. "I promise that I will-"

"Uh-uh. No speaking yet, brat." Evangeline waved a finger at him. "You need to understand the following, otherwise I will refuse to take you on as my apprentice, got it?" Negi nodded his head and she continued to speak. "I am an evil, vampiric mage who bears a grudge against both you and your father. While you learn under me, you will be less than a slave. You will be mine, in body and in soul, to do with as I please whenever I please."

The vampire lifted a foot and placed it before the boy's face. "To symbolize this, I think that I will have you lick my foot. Bow before me, worm, and imagine your father's face as you grovel at -"

A vein popped out on Asuna's forehead. Evangeline was taking things too far and Asuna had heard enough. Time to end this farce, she thought to herself. She raised her battle fan into the air and began to tense up for a hit. Only to have Asakura rip the fan from her hand and use it to smack Evangeline in the face. The redheaded girl nodded in satisfaction as the vampire flew off the bed in a flurry of clothes and sheets with a look of utter surprise written in blazing letters all over her face.

"Sorry, Asuna, I needed to borrow your fan for a moment." Asakura said as she held the tool in both hands. She flipped a lock of hair back and grinned. "I can finally see why you enjoy doing this to everyone. Man did that feel good!"

Asuna just stared at the girl with her mouth wide open. She could see herself doing something like that to protect Negi. She could even see Iincho doing it out of her obsessive love for the kid. Maybe even Setsuna due to the help Negi had given her and Konoka.

But Asakura Kazumi? Never, not in a million years. She was a good person, but unless there was something in it for herself, the girl never lifted a finger for any reason whatsoever.

"I must be dead." Asuna mumbled as a dark aura began to rise from the pile of clothes and sheets Evangeline lay in. "That didn't just happen. That seriously did not just happen. Asakura could not have just done that."

Asakura turned and gave Asuna a smirk. "Oh, but it did, Asuna. All reporters have to draw the line somewhere when they pursue a story, and in my book allowing someone to take advantage of a ten-year old child in such a manner is about as far on the wrong side of that line as it is possible to go."

She then focused her smile on their teacher, who grinned nervously in response. "Besides, if those hickies were any indication, I get the feeling that Negi's already had enough of girls forcing themselves onto him within the recent past. I couldn't just let someone else go and scar him again when I haven't had a chance of my own, ya know?"

Asuna blinked. "And with that revelation, reality once again makes sense," she declared. Of course Asakura would want to save the tormenting of Negi for her own pleasure.

She was a good person, but a twisted one. At least she was consistent about it.

As if thinking about twisted personalities was a summoning, a dark aura began to rise from Evangeline's position on the floor. The cracking sound of ice could be heard as the vampire's limbs began to move. If they were any indication, Asakura would soon be regretting her hasty action.

With a shrug of her shoulders Asuna decided to ensure that Negi could enjoy the brief moment of aid Asakura had provided. The kid deserved that much. "Hey, Asakura, unless you want to die you might want to pass that fan back to me. I think Evangeline needs a few more smacks before she gets the picture."

Asakura handed the fan over with a flourish and a wink. "Sure thing Asuna. Beating people up is your area of expertise."

Her right eyebrow ticking, Asuna grabbed the fan from Asakura's hand. The girl just couldn't let Asuna handle things without needling her. "...Just sit down already and shut up," she ground out. "Don't piss off the girl who's saving your ass. Otherwise I'll let Eva-chan have her way with you – got it?"

Asakura threw a mocking salute. "Aye aye, captain!" The redheaded girl then ran to Negi's side, patting him on the head as Evangeline started to rise from her place on the floor.

Smug little…, Asuna thought to herself as she tried to keep an eye on both Asakura and Evangeline. This is why we don't hang out with one another; she's almost as bad as Haruna when it comes to pushing my buttons. She's damn lucky that she helped Negi out or I'd help Eva-chan beat her black and blue myself. Bah!

Luckily for the redhead, Asuna's dark thoughts were cut off as Evangeline began to speak. It was time for her to put her money where her mouth was and save Asakura's head from being served on a plate.

"Foolish mortals, prepare to face the wrath of the Gospel of Darkness, Evangeline A.K. McDowell!" The vampire crowed. A dark, stormy cloud of thunder and ice began to form over her head as she spoke. "I will flay the skin from your bones as I dance upon your withering corpses. My dolls shall suck the marrow from your bones and use your guts for garters. Prepare yourself to face the full fury of – ah! No!" The vampire had caught sight of Asuna stalking towards her, fan in hand. "That thing can break through my barriers. That shouldn't be possible – not even in my weakened state."

She began to back up as Asuna continued to come closer. "I was just kidding! You know that! Right, Kagurazaka Asuna? It was just a joke, a joke! It doesn't deserve any further assault, does it?"

Asuna didn't slow down and continued moving towards the tiny woman. Even if it had been a joke, it had been one in extremely poor taste. Seriously, who would ask a child – a child – to lick their feet in such a humiliating fashion?

The woman needed to be given a taste of what would happen if she ever tried something like that with the kid for real. Asuna gave a grim smile as she neared Evangeline's position.

"Sorry, Eva-chan, you dug your own hole. There are some things that you just don't say or do to little kids. You ain't getting out of it with just a light tap from Asakura over there either." Asuna gripped the fan tightly, swishing it from one side to the other. "Accept your punishment like a big girl, Eva-chan. Masters need to set an example for their students."

Evangeline cast her eyes about the room. Asuna was nearly towards her and she was running out of room in which to retreat. The vampire's eyes settled on the only two people who had yet to show any hostile intent towards her. "Chachamaru, boya, protect your master," she said imperiously. "I command you!"

"I choose not to interfere at this time, master." Chachamaru replied. The robotic girl's normally flat voice carried a strong tone of disapproval. "You were wrong to attempt such an immoral relationship with Negi-sensei, even if it was in jest. There must be repercussions for such an action."

Negi glanced between both girls nervously before giving his own reply. When he did speak, it brought a smile to Asuna's heart. "Asuna scares me when she gets like this, master," he said, "and I have to live with her."

The bell-wearing girl nodded emphatically as he finished speaking. The kid was finally learning the proper hierarchy of those whom he should quake in fear: Her, then everyone else. Damn straight!

The thought that her words were finally starting to make their way through the kid's skull was almost as satisfying as the feeling she got from slamming her fan into Evangeline. The only way it could have been better was if she had been able to whack Natsu as well.

---

Natsu grinned wildly as he blocked a punch from Kaede's left fist. The squinty-eyed girl, as he now thought of her, grunted in pain as his fist clamped down. He was exerting enough force on her hand to break most types of rock but the intense pressure did not stop her from unleashing a wicked right kick at Natsu's midriff.

He shifted his stance to catch her blow on his thigh. The kick stung as it landed, but not nearly as much as it would have if she had been able to properly connect. Feeling that he finally had the upper hand, Natsu swung a left hook of his own at her ribs. The blow connected with a solid thwack of flesh meeting flesh.

To her credit the squinty-eyed girl only gave a grunt of discomfort as the blow slammed into her side. She tried to use her right hand to free her trapped left, but was unable to break his grip. Natsu used the opening to slam a second blow into her side and was rewarded by a hiss of pain. It was the only real indication of pain he had seen from her since they had started this sparring match.

Judging by the sun, it was only fifteen minutes into the fight and Natsu was loving every second of it. This ninja girl knew tricks he had never seen anyone else use. She was constantly popping in and out of his blind spots and hitting him with strange weapons he had never run across. Her ability to do so was nearly preternatural; it was only thanks to his enhanced senses that Natsu was able to dodge her attacks without sustaining any damage.

To say that she was entertaining was to sell her short. Kaede had managed to fight him to a near standstill up to this point. Trying to pin her down while avoiding her attacks had forced him to stretch his abilities. She had kept him engaged in close quarter combat after he had almost taken her head off with a fiery blast from his feet.

Her physical abilities alone put her into the 'fun' category. Natsu beat her in raw strength and was fairly even when it came to speed, but the ninja had him beat hands down when it came to countering. He'd launched a right hook at her only to have his wrist grabbed and nearly broken in an instant. He had managed to twist his arm just enough that the move had failed, leaving him with a throbbing pain but an intact arm.

Her camouflage technique, weapon skills and ability to make solid clones all combined cemented her within that 'fun' category. He could feel his anticipation growing with every exchange; it was almost enough to make him want to take off the seal Eva had placed on him earlier that morning for, in her words, 'his own good'. The thing was limiting his ability to really stretch himself.

Damn the long term consequences of getting her to reapply the blasted thing, he was having fun!

'Fssst'

The sound of something hissing through the air towards his head caught Natsu's attention before he could undo the seal. He let go of his opponent and dropped to the ground, twisting as he fell.

'Swoosh'

A giant, fan-bladed shuriken of some sort roared past his falling body and through the air he had just vacated. The bladed projectile slammed into the dirt with a loud crash.

Natsu spared it a glance before looking in the direction it had originated. He caught sight of another Kaede standing there and grimaced. He had thought that he had taken all of her clones out, but it looked as though one had escaped him. The damn thing had waited until he was locked in with the original before springing a trap on him. Clever.

"So, you had enough yet, Kaede?" Natsu taunted from his position on the ground. He was really starting to get into this fight. Little nicks from her kunai covered his body, and she had definitely landed a few hits that would leave some bruises. Being able to fight someone who was close to his own level for a change was exhilarating; all of his fights against Eva since their initial battle had been one-sided massacres that just left a bittersweet taste in his mouth.

Eh, whatever; the psycho bitch isn't here to ruin my fun this time. Natsu stood up, cracking his neck as he moved. A little intimidation never hurt, and seeing your opponent crack their neck without a care in the world was a great tool for getting into someone's head.

"I'm ready to take things up a notch whenever you are, ninja-girl," Natsu called out. This small scale action had been fun but he was itching to go wild. "Think ya can handle the heat?"

"A ninja is one with the shadows, de gozaru" Kaede murmured. She stood in a crouch, one arm held in front of her with the other hidden behind her back. "And a shadow feels neither heat nor cold."

Natsu watched her warily. The last time she had shielded her arm like that he had been hit in the face with a flash-bomb. He adjusted his own position and let fire envelop his left fist in preparation. Things were going to get wild from this point out, he could sense it.

"But I believe that we have tested one another sufficiently for the time being and should end things here, de gozaru."

What? Oh hell no we aren't! He hadn't even used his dragon's roar yet. With adrenaline pumping through his body Natsu wasn't even close to being finished. "I was just done getting warmed up!" He exclaimed as he stared her down. "It's time for round two!"

She shook her head in response. "I'm afraid not, Natsu-san. As much as I have enjoyed our fight, I do not have the time for a proper spar at this point, de gozaru." A small smile briefly graced her lips. "Additionally this location is too close to the city for a proper fight, de gozaru; any match between the two of us in which we would use our full capabilities would be certain to draw attention."

God damnit! Didn't anyone in this world other than Eva go full throttle from the get-go? That Takamichi guy liked to flare his power but kept it under control. Chachamaru never really fought him to the best of her abilities – if she had been able to send him flying like that earlier he damn well knew that she had been holding out on him – and her sisters were only good for cannon fodder.

Kaede was the only other person he had really run across who could go a few rounds and give as good as she got. Now she wanted to end things just as they were getting good? Maybe he should have gone with Takamichi after all. If a psychotic vampire who tried to drink his blood while he was sleeping – and that had been a fun experience to wake up to – was his only hope for a real fight, well, maybe stupid Gray got the better end of the deal.

It would be just like that smug bastard to get the best route thanks to sheer luck. Natsu could see the bastard rubbing it in his face too, the ass!

But Gray wasn't important at the moment; he'd get his just desserts when Natsu next saw the man. Kaede was moving around the area in which they had been fighting as she collected her thrown weapons.

He shook his fists at her as she dug a kunai out of a tree. "Bah! Where'd your fighting spirit go from earlier, you know, back when you held a knife to my throat?"

Natsu didn't care if he was being annoying; he wanted a real fight, dammit! Everything he'd done with Kaede had just been a warmup session leading up to the main event. If things ended here then it would just be one giant tease.

The ninja girl paused as she made to pick up her giant fan-blade shuriken. "That was when I thought that you might be a potential enemy, Natsu-san."

She grabbed the shuriken with one hand and gave it a flick. The weapon folded up in a single blade in the blink of an eye.

"After sparring with you, de gozaru, I understand that you are not an enemy. Indeed, you might even be an ally I could enjoy sparring with in the future."

More battles in the future? That caught Natsu's attention. Maybe he could salvage something out of her refusal to finish their current fight. "So you'd be willing to do this again?" He asked. "Only harder and bigger?"

A fleeting grin passed over Kaede's face. It was the first outward sign of emotion Natsu had seen her express. "Indeed, Natsu-san. I have been in search of a strong individual to join me in my training, de gozaru. So long as you are willing to answer a few questions I have for you when next we meet I would be more than willing to spar with you in the future, de gozaru."

Natsu thought on Kaede's words, letting his gaze fall to the floor as he did. Gaining a strong comrade who was willing to fight with him in the future was an appealing thought. He really liked the idea because it meant he could test his abilities against someone other than Eva, who was fun and all but whose growing ease to deal with him was beginning to tick him off.

The last fight between them, which had taken place in her Resort the previous day, hadn't been close. She had used a flight spell and that disappearing trick of hers, Shundo or whatever, to stay out of his range while she bombarded him from above. He'd exhausted his supply of magical energy in fruitless attempts to pick her off. The woman had popped in close when he had run out of magic, and the results had been extraordinarily painful even by his standards. She'd had no reason to borrow Chachazero's meat cleaver.

Even remembering it made Natsu's back lock up in agony. That night had also seen her sneak into his room for a midnight 'snack.' Supposedly, the smell of his blood on Chachazero's cleaver had smelled 'delicious' and had piqued her interest in 'sampling' it.

Tossing her unceremoniously into the hallway had earned him a night spent dodging her army of dolls.

Natsu raised his eyes back to Kaede. In light of his current situation, her offer was very appealing. But he needed to ask a question. "If we sparred, would it be outside of Eva's cabin? Or do you use her place to train as well?"

The ninja-girl paused in her collection efforts. A look of surprise went across her face – the second emotion Natsu had seen her express. "You are aware of Eva's true nature?"

Natsu scratched his head. He hadn't been expecting that response. "Uh, yeah. Isn't everyone?"

Kaede shook her head in rebuttal. "No. It is actually a closely guarded secret, one that I believe she would dislike being made common knowledge, de gozaru."

A smile grew on his face at those words. Eva would dislike her true nature being made common knowledge?

Natsu broke out into a little dance of joy. He could work with that. I've got you now, you psychotic lunatic, he thought to himself in glee. Next time you piss me off your ass is mine!

Kaede watched him for moment before going back to picking up her weapons. She was almost finished with the exercise. "To answer your question, de gozaru, I do most of my training at a site deep in these woods. I would enjoy sparring with you at it, de gozaru. I was on my way back from my site when I ran into you, and believe that it would provide the necessary distance for you to use your abilities in a manner that is comfortable to you."

Natsu thought her offer over. A getaway place from Eva that came with someone he could spar against? Most importantly, someone who could also tell him more about what would piss off the tiny vampire?

The deal was totally worth missing out on one fight.

He gave a grunt and nodded in her direction. "I accept your offer, Kaede. But get one point straight: as soon as you've got the time and are feeling better, you and I are gonna go at it with everything we've got." Natsu gave the ninja girl his best glower. Even if it was a good deal, stopping a fight halfway was not his style and got under his skin. "Deal?"

A nod in reply signaled her assent. "You have my word, and the word of a ninja is their life, de gozaru."

"Alrighty then. You can find me at Eva's cabin whenever you're ready to spar; I'm sort of staying with her for the time being." Natsu's glower deepened as he thought of his undead minder.

"When next we meet, Natsu-san, I look forward to questioning you more. Your words about being from another world were... intriguing, and anyone in the company of both Negi-sensei and Evangeline-san is worthy of close examination."

He shrugged, not giving away how he felt about answering questions concerning his origin. That was a painful subject for him. "Later, Kaede."

Then he frowned. Wait, he had never mentioned Negi to her. How had she known that they knew each other?

"Oi, how do you know about me and Negi?"

The ninja smiled enigmatically. "Because I saw you in his company on the train ride back from Kyoto, and because Evangeline-san, whom you just mentioned, is acquainted with him as well."

Oh. You know, that actually made sense to him. But there was still one thing about her actions that really bothered him.

"If you knew that much then why the hell did you have a dagger pressed against my throat? I almost blew a fireball in your face!"

She gave a shrug of her own. "Telling friend from foe in Mahora is not as easy as one might think, de gozaru. And even if you had, I am confident that things would have become clear in the resulting fight just as they did in this one, de gozaru."

"Bah!"

Natsu groaned and flopped onto his back before standing back up. His physical actions probably betrayed his annoyance, but he didn't really care. Natsu hated complex situations. Who wanted to stare at everyone and wonder if they were good or bad? Life was easier when your opponent tried to take your head off, and it was a courtesy that Natsu tried his best to return.

A slight clang of metal on metal came from where he had last seen Kaede standing. From her stillness, it seemed that the ninja had finished collecting her weapons. The time had come to say goodbye.

"Farewell, Natsu-san," she said. Her body moved in a stiff bow. "I enjoyed our match with one another. May our next meeting come soon, de gozaru."

"Catch ya later ninja-girl."

"I will enjoy seeing you try, de gozaru."

With a soft noise of rustling cloth, Natsu heard the girl leap into a nearby tree. A soft thunk as she moved from branch to branch could be heard as she sped off into the woodlands of Mahora.

Then another wave of pain and dizziness hit him as the aftereffects of his fight against the ninja caught up with him. Natsu fell to his knees and gritted his teeth.

The seal was really starting to get on his nerves.

XxX

Minutes passed as Natsu lay on the ground. The pain from the seal had passed, but the dragon slayer had decided to stay where he had fallen. With Kaede's departure Natsu wasn't sure of how he wanted to spend it.

Part of him wanted to stay still and take a nap. A bigger part wanted to explore the woods to see if any other badasses were wandering around – unlikely, yes, but his track record in that area since coming to this world was pretty impressive.

Then the seal on his abdomen began to itch again, causing Natsu to remember something that was very important. Something that could make this painful yet fun filled day end in horror.

He let out a string of curses and took off in the same direction as Kaede.

Natsu really had promised Eva that he would run a few errands for her whenever he left her cabin and the undead ice mage had been very clear as to the consequences if he came back empty-handed: fighting her doll army nonstop for three days before taking her on in a one on one duel that would not end until he could land a hundred consecutive hits against her body. While she fought him fully rested and holding absolutely nothing back.

It wasn't his worst nightmare by a long-shot, but neither was it something he really wanted to face. Only an idiot like Gray would do something like that.

---

Kaede gripped her ribs as she jumped roughly from tree branch to tree branch. Pain flashed through her entire body as she made every movement. Natsu's final blows had cracked several ribs and possibly broken one or two. Engaging him in close combat had been a mistake. She had assumed that he would be the type of fighter who relied on brute force alone.

Only an idiot would say 'nin nin' to an actual ninja and expect to live. Even Kaede, far from the most bloodthirsty of ninjas, had been tempted to stab first and ask questions later. But she had held off, remembering her grandfather's words of wisdom.

'A ninja never assumes. To assume is to be mistaken and a ninja who is mistaken is fated to die. A true ninja observes, analyzes, and deduces before striking. This type of ninja will live long and succeed in their mission.'

She would also remember the more practical side to them as well. For as with most of her grandfather's sayings, it was equally practical and esoteric. A steady thrum of pain hummed through her body, growing in strength until one lightning bolt of pain almost caused her to lose her balance and plummet from the trees.

Kaede winced in pain as the jolt shot through her side. Cracked ribs did not hurt this much, which meant that she had sustained considerably more damage during the fight than she had thought. Natsu had hit with the power of a cement truck and the speed of a viper. Combined with his strange style of martial arts and the pink-haired man was an opponent to be reckoned with in close quarters combat.

It was going to be a long few weeks without sleep if she didn't get them fixed promptly and there was only one person in Mahora whom she trusted to fix them without asking too many probing questions.

She made a slight alteration to her course and began moving towards Mana's dorm room. Hopefully the mercenary had returned from her meeting with that mysterious client of hers. The other woman's recent absence from class had been rather worrying.

End

Next Time in Fairies of Negima: Natsu enters Mahora City, Negi gets his second master, and Chao re-enters the picture.

A/N: I LIVE! It's been awhile, but hey, that's life. Shifting from a night owl existence to that of morning worker will do that to a guy.

In any case, Lucy's relationship poll is live. Go and vote for whomever you want FT's favorite blonde bombshell to end up with – and just to spice things up a special, fluff-filled one-shot will be written focusing on the lovely couple.

Beta'd per usual by Raiyoukai and brought to you by our crack theory of the summer: That the entire FT manga is a story based on a 100 year old love square between Natsu, Zeref, Wendy, and Mavis Vermillion. Because it would be amusing as all hell.

EDIT: ... Y'all have no idea how insufferable Raiyoukai is about to become. He completely called the revelation in chapter 400 ages ago.

Until Next Time,

Elsil

And now, a note from the Beta reader:

Yeah, I know that all two of you that actually read these things really don't care about what I have to say but I just want to make something clear here, this massive delay is all on Elsil. So if you're upset, make sure to send all you're violent threatening PMs that warn him of your intent to destroy everything he holds dear direct to him. Asshole went missing three times at least over the last three months, give him hell.

Oh, and while you're there make sure to vote on the poll. We already know who'll win, its fanfiction, we're all perverts and Theodora is one of the choices, but it's there for you to vote on. With that said, I'm out.

Cheers!