The wind whistles through Nodoka's hair as Negi gazes at the bookworm who appeared in front of him just minutes ago.
Nodoka visibly shaken by her ordeal that transpired that day. Negi guided her to the base of the fountain outside the school building for them to sit. Negi magically pulled out a handkerchief and gave it to Nodoka. Nodoka wiped her eyes with it as she looked at Negi.
"Are you really real professor or another vision?" asked Nodoka gazing into Negi's face.
"Far as I know I have not been a fake," smiled Negi.
"It just...that...well...I...," muttered Nodoka.
"It is alright Nodoka-san. Take your time. I am not going anywhere," responded Negi.
"Are you sure?" asked Nodoka softly still shivering.
"Yes!" smiled Negi again.
"I...," paused the bookworm as she lowered her head to look at her feet.
"You still do not believe I am real? You hugged me and felt my heart beat. What more proof do you need?" accused Negi.
"It is not that professor. It just...that...," said Nodoka as she started to cry again as she put her hands up to cover her face.
Negi did not know what to do to comfort her. After all a ten year old ordinarily does not have the experience in such matters. All he could think of was taking her hands into his.
Nodoka blushed when she realized what he did.
"Ah there you go blushing. There is the cute bookworm I like," said Negi.
"Sorry professor," responded Nodoka.
"I will be by your side until you are ready to speak," said Negi caring.
"He likes me? And will be by my side?" thought Nodoka to herself.
"No dummy, he likes you because you always blush and he is waiting patiently for you to talk about what happened to you today," said Nodoka's inner voice.
"Alright here I go. I woke up this morning as normal as can be these days. Taking my pactio card and the practice wand with me as I was going to return a book and head to class. Yue was still sleeping and Haruna was out I guess. Nobody was in the hallway nor in the dorm when I left it. I went to the library to return a book. I opened the door and everything went pitch black," said Nodoka looking at Negi.
"Pitch black? Did you hear anything before entering the library? Did you see anyone following you to the library?" asked the professor.
"Yes it was dark and I could not see a thing for a moment before I guess I passed out. I do not recall hearing anything unusual before I opened the library door. And, I cannot say if someone was following me," responded the bookworm.
"So did you wake up or woke up when you popped in front of me?" asked Negi.
"I woke up shortly after I passed out," said Nodoka.
"Then what?" asked Negi.
"Then I awoke in some desolate forest on a granite slab overlooking a stream," said Nodoka.
"Could you hear anything in the forest?" asked Negi.
"No nothing out of the ordinary. Just that...every movement to get up it was like I was forced down and felt dizzy. With each dizzy spell came visions that were in front of me. They were so real I could almost touch out to them," said Nodoka now shivering at the thought of the forest.
"What kind of visions?" asked Negi.
"I rather not say," said Nodoka as tears were flowing yet again.
"Nodoka-san, I know it is something that is difficult to talk about. But, please trust me and tell me what the visions were" said Negi.
"Um...it was personal professor. I rather not," responded the bookworm.
"In order to figure out who can be able to do such a thing. I need to know what you saw in them. Please? I am begging you," said Negi.
Nodoka did not want to relive those visions that haunted her. They seemed to her all to real. But she gave in to Negi.
"The first vision was you leaving Mahora with Asuna-san without all of us partners. You announced to the class that you are leaving Mahora and going back to Wales. You never said good-bye to me. When the vision of me went to the train station you already left. It felt like you never cared or thought enough about me and I felt hurt," sniffed Nodoka.
"Oh!" all Negi could say as he was bewildered.
"I tried to move again and that caused the second vision," said Nodoka.
"Really? And what was that vision of?" asked Negi.
"The second vision was you asked out Yue-san right in front of me without hesitation if you were her teacher or not. She accepted happily. The vision continued to her in high school as you were still dating her and I was all alone. Then the vision ended with you and her getting married as I become an old maid," said Nodoka now looking directly into Negi's eyes.
"That would never happen between Yue-san and I," responded Negi.
"Yeah right professor. If you only knew how much Yue-san cares about you. Your opinion might change," said Nodoka to herself.
"Because, I would never intentionally hurt you like that," said Negi.
"The last was us all happy having a family back in Wales. Our kids running around outside (one boy and one girl) developing their magic skills. You get a call and go out to do your magi what you call it job and what looked like months past as you do not get back as the kids were older. Asuna-san knocks on the door with tears in her eyes telling me you cannot be found. Just felt like how your dad went missing," sniffed Nodoka now touching Negi's face.
Negi blushed at the idea of having children with Nodoka.
"I am too young to think about that. Just ten years old," said Negi to himself.
"I tried to use the pactio card but it would not work. Then I started to panic because it felt like I was going to be alone for a long while there or worse die there. No Yue and no you there to save me. I never want to know what that feels like again. Professor I sincerely do not ever want to be separated from you ever if I had my way,' said Nodoka.
"So you could not use magic. No one was around? I keep telling you that I will not leave you," asked Negi.
"Yeah it felt like I was very far away from any magic yet there was magic cast on me. The forest had bird chirping noises and the occasional frog croaking, but there were no humans at all or at least I could not sense anyone there," said Nodoka.
"Then how did you appear in front of me if they told you to not move?" asked Negi.
"I was scared after the visions so I closed my eyes. All I remember is a bright light surrounding me as I stood up and I stood in front of you after a couple seconds later," responded Nodoka.
Nodoka's stomach was growling as she blushed again.
"Hungry I see. Alright how about I take you out to dinner for some Satsuki Yotsuba-san's best recovery meal?" said Negi.
"I...um...alright," muttered Nodoka softly.
Negi took the handkerchief from Nodoka and dipped it into the fountain's water and handed it back to her. Nodoka wiped her face with it and her hands. Negi inspected her face and hands to see if there were cuts.
"After the meal we should go to the infirmary to get you checked out," said Negi.
"Alright!" responded Nodoka.
Negi got up as Nodoka followed him holding his arm as they walked to their eating destination.
"Not so tight Nodoka-san," smiled Negi.
"Oh sorry professor," responded Nodoka as she lessen her grip on his arm.
Chachamaru spots Negi and Nodoka through the corner of her optic eye.
"Professor welcome. I see you found Miyazaki-san," said Chachamaru.
"Well she kind of popped out to where she was," smiled Negi.
Nodoka did not that kind of phrase when describing what happen.
"Are you alright Miyazaki-san?" asked Chachamaru.
"I guess," responded Nodoka.
Chachamaru gave them menus as she excused herself for another table.
Satsuki Yotsuba was busy as ever but wandered over to Negi and Nodoka.
"So you two on a date?" asked the little chef.
Both professor and student blushed and responded, "No!"
"She looks worried about something professor. Do you know why?" asked Satsuki.
"It is nothing really," replied Nodoka.
"Alright, then have you decided on what you want?" asked the chef.
"Will leave it up to you since you always know what makes us feel good," responded Negi.
Satsuki nodded her head and went back to the kitchen.
"She is very nice," commented Negi.
"She is," responded Nodoka.
"You do seem worried about something though. Mind telling me?" asked Negi.
"It is nothing professor," responded Nodoka as she tried to smile.
Chachamaru brought the food out that Satsuki made.
"Yummy!" said Nodoka as she was feeling a little better.
Satsuki looked over at Negi as Negi put his thumb up to tell her everything is going well now.
Satsuki smiled and went back cooking orders.
"We will figure out who did this to you and they will pay," said Negi.
"It is alright Negi-sensei. I am unharmed and let us forget about it because I do not want to cause any more problems," said Nodoka.
"Nodoka-san listen to me for a minute. If you let people walk over you they will continue to do so. What he or she did was unforgivable to you. You need to stand and not run away. Confront the situation and deal with it. I will be by your side," said Negi as he was finishing eating.
"But...what if he or she is stronger then me?" said Nodoka nervously.
"I told you I will be by your side. Whoever it is cannot survive between the two of us if they want a fight," smiled Negi.
"Alright I will do it," said Nodoka confidently as she knows he will be by her side.
"Really they want to fight," said a voice watching Negi and Nodoka from a distance.
Negi walked beside Nodoka as she kept looking over at him making sure he will not disappear before her eyes.
"What is it Nodoka-san?" asked Negi.
"Wha? It is nothing professor," said a blushing bookworm.
"Well you keep looking over at me," smiled Negi.
"It is nothing really," said Nodoka.
Negi took his hand and grabbed her hand as Nodoka almost tripped over her feet.
"What are you doing Negi-sensei?" asked Nodoka.
"Well I figure the way you keep looking over at me you are scared that I might vanish. So what better way to know I will be here is holding of a hand," said Negi.
"You might get into trouble if someone sees us," responded Nodoka.
"It is alright. It is dark out and minimal people are outside," said Negi.
"It just I do not mind but I do not want to cause you any trouble," said Nodoka even though she is loving holding his hand.
"No trouble at all," said Negi.
Nodoka held his hand tightly now beaming with thoughts of something like this in the future.
"Your mood seem to change all of the sudden," commented Negi.
"Oh has it," smiled Nodoka.
Negi led Nodoka inside a building where the infirmary was.
Negi let go of Nodoka's hand at the infirmary door.
Nodoka opened the door to see Ako's in a mad dash back and forth between the supply room and the nurse's room.
"Oh you were found," said Ako.
"Yeah sorry," said Nodoka.
The nurse came out of her office and stood in front of Negi.
"So she has been found," said the nurse to Negi.
"Yes and I would like you to check her for anything," said Negi.
"That I can do. Ako-san get the exam room ready. Professor you can stay out here," said the nurse as she guided Nodoka to the exam room.
Nodoka kept looking back at Negi with every few steps she took.
"I will be right here," said Negi.
Nodoka and the nurse vanished within the room as Ako closed the door and came out to meet Negi.
"Um professor this may be a bad time but...have you heard anything from Nagi?" asked Ako.
"No he seems to be busy," responded Negi.
"Alright!" said Ako depressed now as she went back to her work.
A right hand was placed behind Negi's neck. It grabbed Negi on his shirt collar and dragged him out of the infirmary into the hallway.
"What the..."muttered Negi.
The other hand hit him on top of his head.
"Ouch!" said Negi.
"Geez you cause so much trouble and then you leave me behind without a care in the world," said a girl's voice.
Negi turned to face where the voice was coming from and there standing was Asuna with her arms crossed under her breast.
"I am sorry Asuna-san," said Negi bowing.
"I see you found bookworm. Is she alright?" asked Asuna.
"Well a little shaken mentally. Physically will have to see. She ate and walked fine I think," said Negi.
"Mentally? What happen?" asked Bells.
"Whoever it was sent her visions every time she tried to move," responded Negi.
"Move where?" asked Asuna.
"A forest I think," replied Negi.
"Well I will not ask anymore as long as bookworm is alive," said Asuna.
"I am still pondering why someone would target her," said Negi.
"Bookworm is harmless besides her artifact. Could it be someone is targeting her because of it?" asked Asuna.
"It is possible that someone desires the book or her to misuse it for their goal," responded Negi.
"Anyway take care of her Negi. I am going back to bed," said Asuna as she left.
Negi went back inside the infirmary as Nodoka was sleeping on a bed.
Negi slowly made his way to a seat next to the bed and just looked at her sleeping.
"Nodoka-san, wake up or you will be late," said a girl Nodoka did not recognize.
Nodoka rubbed her eyes and looked around.
"Where am I?" asked Nodoka.
"Do not kid around Nodoka-san. You are at the high school," replied the girl.
"High school?" asked the bookworm.
"Yes so get dress before you are late," said the girl.
"Where is Yue-san or Haruna-san?" asked Nodoka scrambling to get dress.
"Um you do remember what happen?" replied the girl.
"No!" said Nodoka.
"They both perished in Wales with Professor Springfield. Kagurazaka-san and Hasegawa-san died as well. Konoe-san and Sakurazaki-san are still missing and presumed that they died. Asakura-san been in a coma ever since and you were the only one that survived," said the girl.
"But that means I am alone," replied Nodoka in a panic stricken state.
"No you have me and the rest of your high school class," said the girl.
Nodoka stepped out of the dorm and her mind went to what the girl told her. The last minutes of a supposedly battle when Nodoka was still in class 3A.
Nodoka watch Negi and the rest fight against some unknown force. Nodoka could not see herself at the battlefield. But she saw one by one her classmates dying in horrific ways. After the battle ended the area was covered with smoke. Nodoka finally saw herself get there and ran to Negi. Nodoka could not hear what Negi was saying to her dream self but Nodoka saw herself look up into the heavens and cry loudly as Negi died in her arms.
"No this cannot be. This will not happen," said Nodoka to herself.
"Oh but this is what will happen," said a mysterious male voice.
"This cannot be. Why did this happen?" asked Nodoka.
"Because you arrived late and you could not read the enemies abilities. They needed you and you failed to be there and led them to their deaths. You do not see yourself as important as the rest so you did not think you were important enough to be there," said the male voice.
"But I am not important in the scheme of things. My magic ability is just reading the minds of people. I am not like Yue-san who can use magic. I am not like Asuna-san and Setsuna-san who can wield swords. I cannot hear like Konoka-san nor transform into a magical idol like Chisame-san," replied Nodoka.
"You undervalue yourself which could get your friends killed. Why even start using magic if you feel the way you do?" asked the male voice.
"Because...I want...to be of some use to Negi-sensei. So he can see me be of use and maybe that will help him fall in love with me," said Nodoka.
"Are you being a selfish? You are only doing it for your own goal to obtain Negi-kun? No wonder you are the weakest of the group," said the male voice.
"But I am not selfish. I am helping him find his father," said Nodoka.
"By holding him back maybe. If you want to be stronger then what you are now, you have to let the idea of having Negi-kun fall in love with you because you can use magic. If you value him at all, you should know that he will sacrifice his life for you. Not because he loves you or likes you, and granted that can be enough at times, but it is because you are his partner. You need to realize that you fight for all of his partners and not just him. You have the potential to become strong and not just in the magical field. If you always shelter your potential and not grow, Negi-kun will never see you for who you are. Do you want that?" asked the male voice.
"No, but...," replied Nodoka as all of the sudden she woke up.
Nodoka opened her eyes and began to sob uncontrollably.
"What is it Nodoka-san?" asked Negi trying to calm her down.
"Just...a...nightmare...I think," replied Nodoka in between crying.
Nodoka raised herself up as Negi held her tight. Nodoka put her head on his shoulder. The nurse came out of her room to look at what happened. The nurse simply smiled and went back inside her office.
"It will be alright. I am here," said Negi.
"Professor, can I ask you a question?" asked Nodoka.
"Sure what is it?" asked Negi still holding her tightly.
"Am I a burden to you? I can never do anything right," asked the bookworm.
Negi whispered, "You are never a burden. You have helped me a lot since we met. Despite your confession of...love, we are close friends. If anything happened to you, I do not know what I would do. Your worth to me is more valued then you will ever know."
"Thank you professor. I needed that," sniffed Nodoka not wanting Negi to let go of her.
"Are you alright now?" asked the little professor.
"Yes!" replied Nodoka.
Negi released his hug on her and said, "Get some sleep. I will be by your side if you have another nightmare."
"Alright!" said a now sleepy Nodoka.