"Matt, I have a question. It's been bothering me for awhile, ever since Negi filled us in with the spar you had when you first met him."
Matt looked up from his breakfast, gulping down the delicious pancakes he had made. He stole a look at Setsuna.
"Yes?"
"Well... How are you able to use Magia Erebea when Evangeline created the technique, and only taught Negi it? Did you learn it from Jack Rakan?"
"Who?"
"Nevermind. But if you could answer my question..."
"Well, to be completely honest, I have no idea." Setsuna looked alert.
"What do you mean?"
"I have no idea. I'm guessing I got it from the first battle I had from Nogi. It just kind of, came to me."
The battle from Nogi. That could slightly be understandable.
"That's right, we found out Nogi is Nagi's clone. He probably has the same magia erebea abilities as him."
"Exactly. Then again, it's just speculation." Matt finished his breakfast, and by the time he was putting on his school uniform, noticed it was Saturday.
"A-h. So it's Saturday..."
"Y-Yeah..."
Matt sat down, on the opposite side of the table Setsuna was sitting at.
They sat there. For quite a while. Neither exchanging dialogue that would help the awkwardness fade away.
It was around ten o'clock, when Konoka knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Matt had unlocked the door previously.
"He-ey, lovebirds!~" Konoka was dressed in her PJ's. Looked like she just got out of bed.
"Why are you two just sitting there when it's a beautiful saturday to go out and have fun?!~"
Matt and Setsuna looked at each other. Without exchanging words, they got up and prepared for the day.
"That's more like it! Don't get too carried away when you're on your date, though!~" Setsuna stuttered.
"B-But Ojou-sama, aren't you coming with us?!"
"Nah, I'm hanging out with Negi and Asuna today!" Konoka gasped.
"Which reminds me, I have to get ready, too!" She ran out of the room, and Matt could hear the footsteps from her flip-flops as she ran.
"... She's such an airhead." Matt chuckled.
"Yeah, but she's my airhead."
"Yours?" Matt was confused. Setsuna, after a minute of trying to explain it to him, just gave up.

Walking down the street, they realized they had no idea where they were going.
Turning the corner, they bumped into Kotarou and Natsumi, who were dressed almost formally.
"Hey, you two!" Natsumi waved.
"What brings you guys here?" Kotarou nudged Matt.
"Out on a date?"
"U-Uhm..."
"Well, if you are, why not come with us? We're on a date too, see? So-" Natsumi hit Kotarou in the chin pretty hard.
"Ow! Crap! What the hell, Natsumi-"
Kotarou turned to Natsumi, who was blushing.
"Stop making the girl flustered," Matt said to Kotarou.
"I suppose since we didn't really know where we were going," Setsuna started, "we might as well accompany you guys."
"Excellent!" Kotarou bandaged his chin up. "Then let's go to the carnival!"
"Carnival?"
"Yeah! It happens every two years, out in the main shopping area!" Kotarou grabbed Natsumi by the hand.
"Let's go, you guys!"

The day was young, and there were young kids everywhere playing games, eating ice cream, and sharing a kiss with their loved ones. Matt and Setsuna watched the city thrive as if it were a movie.
"Hey, Kotarou."
"Yeah?" He turned to Natsumi, hand still in hand.
"Can we go to a cafe? I want some coffee to help me get through the day."
Kotarou turned to Matt and Setsuna, who gave acknoledging nods.
"Alright then." They walked until they found the closest cafe, which wasn't that crowded considering the livelyhood of the area.
They sat down at a table, and began exchanging small talk.

"So, Setsuna, how long have you two been going at it?" Natsumi was teasing. Setsuna blushed.
"W-W-W-What are you talking about?!"
"You know e-x-a-c-t-l-y what I'm talking about." She grabbed Setsuna's head and turned it towards Matt, who was conversing with Kotarou about their training.
Quickly trying to turn the conversation around, Setsuna decided to bring up the same question.
"What about you, N-Natsumi? You and Kotarou have been hanging out alot recently." Now, Natsumi, too, was blushing. They tried asking the question back and forth, but to no luck for either answer.
"What are you guys talking about?" Kotarou asked. "You're being too loud..."
"It's nothing, de-" Natsumi flinched.
"-Kotarou! It's nothing, Kotarou!" She shrugged it off like it was nothing. Setsuna noticed, but didn't decide to push further.
A few minutes later, the bill came.
"Have we all had our fill of caffeine?" Matt pulled out the cash from his wallet, and waved towards the waitress to pick it up.
"Matt, you're paying for all of us? We could have split..."
"Don't worry about it, bro. It's on me." They were like true brothers, bickering but loyal to the end.

Walking outside, they noticed Natsumi hadn't followed them.
"She said she needed to use the restroom," Setsuna said. The boys understood and went to go sit under a tree.
"I'm sure she's just recovering from almost revealing her secret..." She giggled a bit.

"Dude, have you done it yet?"
"Done what?"
"You know, ask her out!"
"Why are you asking me this?!" Matt covered Kotarou's mouth, who only bit him.
"Because you guys act like a full-on couple! You can't expect me NOT to ask!"
Pausing, Matt took a breath.
"I don't know what's between us. If she knows my feelings, that's cool and all. Would be cooler if she felt the same way back." He picked up a rock.
"Ever since the Valentine's Day incident, we've just sorta, stuck together like glue, yenno?" He threw the rock towards a pond, just barely missing it. Kotarou laughed.
"Well, then you gotta ask!" Matt punched the tree. Kotarou put his hand up.
"Okay, enough talking about this for now."

They noticed Natsumi hadn't come out of the cafe yet. Motioning towards Setsuna, she came towards them.
"I haven't seen her leave yet. Are you sure she's still in there?"
"I haven't taken my eyes off the shop," Setsuna replied. "She's still in there."

Suddenly, Natsumi comes outside, walking in the opposite direction the group was at. Kotarou got up to call her over.
"Hey, Natsu-" He stopped.

"Hey, young lady."
"You are so cute, yenno?"
"Hey, wanna hang out with us right now? Our girlfriends ditched us so we have no one to talk to..."
Natsumi kept walking. "I'm not interested..."
"Oh c'mon, don't be like that, baby."
"Let's have fun! Yenno, ride the rides, play some games!"
Four men were clinging to Natsumi. She felt really uncomfortable, and wanted nothing to do with them. Kotarou clenched his fist.
"You pieces of-"
"Calm it, Kotarou." Matt put his hand on Kotarou's shoulder, and began walking towards the group.

"Who the hell's this dude?"
"Your boyfriend?"
"Looks weak."
"Haha, watch this." The tallest one of them walked towards Matt, carrying a ball in his hand.
"Yo, boy. Your girlfriend isn't interested in hanging out with you right now. So beat it."

[Mature Warning! If you aren't fond of really crude language, skip this part!]

Matt stood still, watching the other three boys try to have their way with Natsumi.
"Hey, American!" The tall one was pushing Matt.
"I said, get lost, you little punk!"
Matt closed his eyes, and faced the tall man. Finally, he opened his eyes and clenched them.
"Shut the fuck up."
"What's that? Hey boys, this little teen thinks he can mess with us!" They all circled Matt, smirking.
"Say it again."
"Shut. The fuck. Up. I'm not going to stand over there and let you sexually harrass my bro's girlfriend." Natsumi overheard that sentence, and her face turned a dark red.
"Then sit down." One of the boys hit Matt's knees, but Matt didn't feel anything.
"How about we beat the shit out of you, and take this girl out for the ride of her life?" He pulled out a knife, showing Matt the sharp end. He put it towards Matt's chest.
"You think I'm going to die from a weak-ass knife like this?!" Matt pulled it closer to him.
"Do it, you fucking asshole. I'm not dying today. I remember your face. I remember all of your faces. One mistake, and you guys are going to end up in the slammer. Hell, you might as well already since you sexually harrassed a high-schooler.
So do it. Or are you too scared to deal with the consequence? If you aren't, then do it."
Matt had a serious look on his face.
"DO IT!"
The tall man, now hesitating, pulled away from Matt.
"You're fucking psycho, man!" They began walking away, and Matt felt the adrenaline flow out of him. He began walking towards the group, who now had "possession" of Natsumi again.
"Sorry that you guys had to see that."
Suddenly, Setsuna noticed something flying in the air.
"Matt! Right shoulder!"
He grabbed whatever was flying towards him without skipping a heartbeat. It was a ball.
"Wha?!"
"How'd he do that?! Bro, you're the strongest thrower in our baseball team!"
Matt turned to them, crushing the ball in his left hand.
"So, you're baseball players, huh."
"What of it?"
"There are several schools that have baseball teams, but there's only one team that resides here that is independant. You're apart of the Vortexshots, aren't you?"
"What are you, a stalker?"
"That was assault, sir." Matt began walking slowly towards them.
"I can turn you guys in for assaulting a minor."
"And if we refuse to come with?"
"Well, there's two options. One: You guys can run away. But like I've said, I remember your faces. You guys won't last a week, even in hiding."
"And the other one?"
"Two: I beat the living hell out of all of you, and carry your unconcious bodies to the authorities. So what's it going to be?" Matt threw the flattened ball back to the tall man, who was shocked to see a hole in it.
"We-
I-
Jus-"
"Or." Matt turned away.
"You guys leave, rethinking about what you're doing with your lives, and start fresh."
"I think that last one is best for us." They left, except for the tall man.
"Why are you letting us go, scot-free?"
"Because. You deserve at least one more chance in your lifetime. Recklessness is one of the natural feelings of the human mind and body. Don't become reckless. Ever again."
The man then walked away, contemplating about his actions.

[Mature Warning! Crude language is now gone from this point on!]

"Sorry."
"What for?" Setsuna walked towards Matt, giving him a huge hug.
"You stood up for Natsumi. There's nothing to be sorry about."
"I got a little..." Matt chuckled.
"...a little reckless."
"How ironic." Kotarou stood there, arm around Natsumi.
"You okay now?"
"Y-yeah... Thanks, Matt."
"No problem."
After that, no one bothered with the group for the rest of the day. Word spread quick, and soon Matt was being asked for interviews for the school newspaper. He declined every offer.
They went on their normal business. They rode rides, ate food, and played games. Matt won a stuffed teddy bear for Setsuna, and Kotarou won a bigger one for Natsumi, causing them to start a rivalry on who could make their date happier the most.
Eventually, they were all tired out.
"Man, I'm beat!" Kotarou sat up from his bench chair.
"Me too." Matt was sitting down, right hand on his chin. Setsuna was napping on his left shoulder.
"I think we should be heading home, now." Natsumi had her cheerful demeanor returned to her shortly after the incident. She was happy-go-lucky again.
"I'll walk you home. Matt, are you okay carrying Setsuna home?"
"Yeah. Thanks for today, bro. It was tense, but overall satisfying." They high fived, and Natsumi giving a small hug to Matt and Setsuna, left into the darkness.
Matt didn't want to move. He didn't want to wake Setsuna up. So he sat on the bench. For quite a while. Matt began falling asleep too, but knew they were in a public place so he kept his guard up.
"M-Matt?" Matt was startled. He didn't know Setsuna woke up.
"Did Kotarou and Natsumi leave?" She sat up.
"Yeah..."
"Why are we still here, then?"
"I didn't want to disturb you." Matt smiled. "You looked pretty peaceful on my shoulder." Setsuna turned away, blushing.
"Ah, well it's getting cold outside. Let's head back home." Matt got up, brushing off his pants.
"Uhm... Well..." Matt turned to Setsuna.
"Yeah?"
"My legs..." Setsuna tried standing, but fell back onto the bench.
"... They're asleep."
Matt sighed.
"Great." He sat down again, close to Setsuna, and with one push, she was on his back.
"You don't have to do this, Matt!" Setsuna was blushing furiously.
"'Course I do," Matt started, "because I'm not waiting another hour in the cold to freeze my feet off!"

"... Thank you."
"No problem!"

Reaching home, it was already 9 o'clock. Setsuna put her things down, and with a deep breath, began speaking.
"Matt."
Matt finished putting the teddy bear down when she called his name.
"Yeah?"
"... Let's make a pactio." Matt knew exactly the conditions for making a pactio.
"W-W-W-Why?!"
"Because!" Setsuna stepped towards him. "You're very protective... Of your friends. This is just one more way you can protect me more, right?'
"... But your pact with Negi."
"I'll ask him to revoke it. I'll still keep the same pactio card, though."
Matt was hesitating, and Setsuna looked up at him with almost puppy-like eyes.
"... Just a temporary one... please?"
Matt sighed, and gave in.
"Alright, alright. But we need someone to draw the markings."
"I know just the person..."

"Whoa, little lady! You're smooching with another guy now?!" Setsuna bumped Chamo on the head.
"Shut up and make the markings!"
Chamo worked quickly, as he wasn't yet done smoking his cigarette.
"I didn't know ermine's smoked."
"There's alot of things you can only learn from first-hand experience, my boy."
"Alright, it's done!" Chamo stood back, and gestured Matt and Setsuna to step inside the circle.
"Are you ready?" Setsuna looked at Matt.
"Y-Yeah..."
Embracing each other, they each inched in, and delivered a sensitive, heartwarming kiss. It was an experience Matt would never forget.
"Pactio!"

Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter of my FanFiction! I'm surprised that this is longer than I expect it to be, haha! Anyways, favorite/follow/review if you want! It really helps me out!

Next Time! : It's time for the plot to pick up! Negi and the New Ala Alba head back into the Magical World!

The New Ala Alba