Magister Negi Magi is owned by Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo in Japan, and by Funimation and Ballantine - DelRey in the United States, NOT by me.

SPOILER ALERT! Do not read this story if you are not familiar with chapters 189 and up from the raws or scanslated manga!

(-)

"The only thing that made all the suffering I went through worthwhile was what I earned for it in the end."
-Asuna Kagurazaka. "It's MY life to live, NOT yours!" A Biography of a Ministra Magi. Written jointly with Kazumi Asakura.

(-)

Ala Alba in the World of Magic: Tales From the Fireside.

Chapter Four: The Wounded Girl Warrior. (Capricious Fate.)

(-)

A war rages in a small country. Overwhelming, unstoppable force is being brought to bear and the war will soon draw to a close. All because of a small little girl, the so-called; "Imperial Princess of the Twilight." History and Tradition, important to many, also play their part in the approaching tragedy. Little of that matters to the immovable object and gallant young man who comes to put and end to things.

Breaking the chains of a pretty little girl held captive in a castle tower, during the middle of a battle against impossible odds, was par-for-the-course to Nagi Springfield. Ignoring the objections given by the King of Enteofushia and several other pompous, self-important people surrounding her, Nagi knelt down before the unsmiling girl. Angry with the girl's abusive father, but refusing to let it show on his face, he reached out to wipe away the blood dripping from a split lower-lip. "Yo, Little Lady, what's your name?"

So used to being treated as an object, the little girl didn't understand why this strange, smiling boy looked so concerned for her. Wasn't she 'The Imperial Princess of the Twilight?' with all that came with that title? She didn't even know how to smile in response to such a simple act of kindness as being politely asked her real name. "Asuna... Asuna Wespuria-na Teotanashia Enteofushia."

Nagi Springfield, young though he was, reveled in his mastery at warming the heart of any female. Even with his skill, he understood that the coldness in this pretty girl's heart would take a while to thaw. Smiling brightly, he reached out and ruffled her hair. "Nice name! Still... why don't I just call you Asuna?"

Outside, the enemy began to recover from the disruption caused by his arrival, and started to renew their attacks. Nagi Springfield stood, a look of determination on his face. He glared menacingly at King Enteofushia, then smiled once more at Asuna. "I'll be back for you Little Lady! All right! Eishun! Al! Let's go!"

(-)

Reveling in the chaos and destruction surrounding him, Fate Averruncus turned as his three companions approached.

His Elemental Mage, responsible for setting the destruction of the Megalo-Mesembrian Gate-Port in motion, gave a respectful bow. "The destruction of the Gate Port's linkage structures should guarantee our escape Master Fate."

Fate dipped his head slightly in response. "Everyone else here will experience a 'forced teleportation,' correct?"

"Yes, Master Fate. They will be sent to the four corners of this world."

Turning towards a fuming Negi Springfield and his companions, just barely visible through the rain of falling masonry, Fate gave the watching leader of the Ala Alba a look of pity. "Don't you know going to this side will take you out of the frying pan and into the fire? This reality is my gift to you, Negi Springfield."

With that, the escape teleportation took hold, and Fate's sight went white.

(-)

"Negi! Grab my hand!"

Asuna Kagurazaka tried to reach for her teacher Negi Springfield, but missed him by a handbreadth. She yelped as a spark of magical energy flared between them, then knew nothing as the forced teleportation took hold and her vision went blank.

(-)

The energies governing such things were nothing if not efficient. These four wanted to travel thusly, and wanted the rest scattered as chance may see fit. Paths of travel and flows of energy being long established, it was a simple matter of placing those beyond the first four along paths most accommodating of their personal energies.

One of the random traveler's 'path of least resistance' was the same as that taken by the first four.

(-)

For an indeterminate time Asuna Kagurazaka knew nothing. Eventual clarity of senses found her standing unexpectedly, and alone, behind those responsible for the current predicament.

Asuna Kagurazaka felt her eyes go wide as time slowed to a crawl. Her heart took half a beat. A level of fear she'd never felt before caused adrenaline to explode into her bloodstream. ("I am dead.")

Asuna Kagurazaka felt her heart take the second half of a beat. Equally overwhelming hatred, for what these four had done, filled her heart and mind, turning off all other concerns like the throwing of a switch. ("They pay. NOW.")

Asuna Kagurazaka, freed from her fear of death, struck with her sword at the nearest target so quickly it had no time to react. She began to withdraw the blade just as the target began to scream. The weapon came free and was moving towards the second target, even as she prepared to deal with the third, and her mind was already focusing on the fight with the fourth.

(-)

Fate Averruncus and his three companions arrived at their destination, the Gate-Jump platform of the castle owned by his employers in the Capitol of the Kingdom of Enteofushia.

Fate shook his head, trying to clear away the mental fog slowing his thoughts. Something about the end effect of the teleportation had felt wrong, as if... as if someone besides his three companions had followed them to their destination!

A flash of lightning near the horizon caught his eye just as a shrill scream rang out from his Demonic Mage. A large sword, trust in through the back, was pushing out the robes in front and doing it's level best to sever the mage's links to the world. A detached part of his mind told him the wound would not prove fatal, if only because of the inexperience of the huge sword's wielder, but it would be enough to remove him from play for now.

Time and partial surprise seemed to be holding him in a perverse slow-motion because of the after-effects of the teleport. Fate watched as the blade was withdrawn, dropping the tall mage to the floor, then swung around towards his Elemental Mage. A shielding spell was cast, but the blade shattered it and smashed the mage up against one of the columns ringing the Gate-Jump Platform.

Turning to face his Shinmei Swordswoman Tsukuyomi next, leaving the Elemental Mage in a crumpled heap, was Asuna Kagurazaka. Negi Springfield's effective Ministra Magi.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS PEE-PEE PANTS KYOTO GIRL! THIS IS GONNA' BE BETWEEN ME AND THAT WHITE-HAIRED BRAT!"

Fate felt the effects of surprise and the bad teleport beginning to fade and started flexing his hands in preparation to fight. The only explanation for this unfortunate turn of events had to be the very randomness of the forced teleportation spell used back at Megalo-Mesembria. It was quite obviously a potentially fatal error not to have considered that one of the Ala Alba might follow them. Much worse THIS one. But then again, perhaps Asuna's presence was not that surprising, since this castle WAS her original home...

Tsukuyomi, completely overwhelmed by the waves of hate-filled ki rolling off of the Goth-dressed Asuna Kagurazaka, dropped her weapons, fell down and started scooting backwards to get away.

Fate finally regained complete control over his body just as Asuna turned to fully face him.

"How do you like THAT you smart-mouthed punk! Not so tough without your back-stabbing little friends! Are you!"

Fate realized then that the situation was actually quite bad. Asuna Kagurazaka's flaring emotions meant that she probably expected to die. Intending to sell her life as dearly as possible, her Kanka and magic canceling abilities were working in overdrive. Because of that, all of his personal defenses and the various defensive spells tied to the Gate-Jump platform were rapidly shutting down.

Fate smiled, maneuvering into position for his opening move, as he considered that he hadn't faced a challenge like this in years. In a way, the prospect of being killed by Negi Springfield's Ministra was tremendously exciting. With the negation by Asuna's magic canceling of his normal use of water clones, it would be a fight between his advanced martial arts skills and a trained amateur who was armored like a tank.

"Just doing my job. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh? 'Princess Enteofushia?'"

Fate's shundo put him inside a momentarily taken aback Asuna's huge sword in perfect position for a crippling punch to the pit of her stomach.

He nearly broke his hand.

Asuna's Kanka armor proved more than a match for his attempt to quickly end the fight with a surprise, brute-force attack. She did seem slightly stunned as he jumped away from her attempt to grab his uniform collar, perhaps surprised at how little his attack actually hurt, but it only lasted for a moment before she grinned madly and came after him.

Tsukuyomi eventually recovered her senses enough to drag the two wounded mages out of the way. For that, Fate was glad. The battle with Asuna was taking all of his attention and tripping over a body was a distraction he didn't need.

Asuna felt strangely calm as she tried to hit the rapidly moving white-haired boy. Against Negi, she would have worried about becoming frustrated, but something about this place welcomed her. Even as the white-haired boy darted in and broke a rib using a point strike of his finger tips, the feeling of belonging allowed her to ignore the pain and stay focused.

Fate quickly found the battle turning brutal even by his standards. His normal preference was to neutralize and eliminate his enemies quickly through deception and distraction, often with fatal results. This battle would be decided by what would happen first; His darting, stabbing attacks would break enough of Asuna's bones to disable or kill her, or she would land a hit that did more than just tear his clothes or scratch his skin.

As the fight continued beyond his ability to measure it's length, Fate grudgingly began to admire Asuna's potential. He was beginning to feel depleted, but she was still going strong, despite her now numerous bleeding wounds. If anything, she seemed to be drawing energy to continue from the spells her abilities were canceling! If he didn't end this fight soon, he WOULD die. His employers would likely obliterate Asuna through some physical means, and her potential would be lost forever.

Such thoughts nearly cost Fate his life. Asuna charged in and made a strike that cut him deeply across his face.

The sight of Fate's flowing blood suddenly spurred Asuna into her final, highest level of effort. Her pupils shrank to dots. Before her was a target to be destroyed. Cornering Fate with a renewed pattern of non-stop attacks using her massive sword, she began forcing him back against the edge of the Gate-Jump platform.

Barely able to avoid the whirling blade, Fate felt several more cuts before his foot stepped out into empty space. Asuna, her eyes enflamed with near insanity, pain and triumph, raised her sword for the final blow.

"Asuna Wespuria-na Teotanashia Enteofushia! Stop this fighting at once!"

Fate watched as the sonorous voice froze Asuna in her tracks. Despite her wound-up, mentally focused state, the command triggered a long forgotten, ingrained response and broke her concentration. Exhaustion finally caught up with her, and she seemed to shrink as the strength provided by her Kanka began to drain away. Turning slightly, she looked over her shoulder with suddenly dull eyes at the man standing there.

"Pa-pa?"

Fate shot forward and once more made his initial attack. Deprived of her defenses, Asuna expelled a gasping breath as the measured punch stunned her heart and lungs. As she collapsed into his arms, her weapon clanged once against the floor, then faded away into an artifact card he quickly snatched up before his approaching employer could see it.

Wearing the robes befitting his status as Magister Magi and King of Enteofushia, Fate's employer approached with his hands spread wide. "Fate! How wonderful! You've brought Princess Enteofushia back to me! How can I ever thank you?"

Fate carefully lay the shallowly breathing Asuna out on the floor and stood up. "By giving her to me."

The old man stopped approaching and gaped like a stunned fish. "What?"

Fate crossed his arms and stood protectively between Asuna and her father. Your 'daughter' just destroyed my team. I need her abilities to replace them until they recover."

"I finally get Princess Enteofushia back from that idiot Nagi Springfield, and now you're telling me I STILL can't have her?"

Fate stood his ground. Fatigue was beginning to weaken his thinking, his anger was rising, and he was in no mood to argue. "YES! You and the others of your faction hired me to help you win your 'argument.' Right now your daughter's abilities can help me do so. If you no longer wish for my services, then perhaps I should go work for the Mage Council itself! I hear they're hiring!"

Asuna's abilities aside, another unspoken reason Fate wanted to control her was to 'take' her from Negi Springfield. If his stupid employers wouldn't let him deal with the potential threat the little mage represented permanently, then he could at least make him suffer more for failing to protect one of his 'students.'

Asuna's father, reacting to a dressing down by a supposed subordinate, backed up a step, and Fate knew he'd won.

"Very well then! Do as you wish. I desire to speak with Princess Enteofushia later, but for now, I'll send some servants to assist you in carrying her to appropriate quarters."

Fate smiled. A thin little smile he knew his employer found quite disconcerting. "Do not worry my employer. I, your loyal servant, would do nothing to harm your daughter. While I do need her abilities, I also wish to ensure she is loyal to you, and not a threat to your plans."

King Enteofushia turned with a wave of his hand and left. Servants quickly appeared, removed Asuna and his mages, then left him seemingly alone on the Gate-Jump platform.

Fate stood on the platform for several moments, using his slowly returning magic to heal his wounds. Lost in his thoughts and ambitions, it was several moments before he realized Tsukuyomi was now kneeling behind him.

Tsukuyomi, wondering if Fate would demand she use it on herself, offered up her short Shinmei blade. "Forgive me Master Fate! I failed to protect you as was my duty!"

Looking down at the shaking Shinmei Swordswoman, Fate decided his normal punitive nature would not do in this instance, so he turned away. "Don't worry. Our having Asuna Kagurazaka may let me do several useful things to ensure our employer's success, despite their foolish timidity. It may even give you the opportunity to possess Setsuna Sakurazaki as you have wished."

Tsukuyomi looked up at Fate with relief and child-like glee. However, the dark desire he could see in her eyes was something else entirely. "Thank you Master Fate! I swear I will not fail you again!"

Fate nodded and Tsukuyomi vanished. Turning back to watch as distant thunder rumbled and gathering storm-clouds darkened the horizon, he began to chuckle to himself.

"Well now. Things are going better than I could have ever hoped!"

tsuzuku

(-)

Authors notes:

Ah! Sweet revenge! I hate Fate's guts, but darn it! The little brat is starting to grow on me! Various conversations on Aquastar have opened my eyes to his attitudes and motivations a little, and now I'm as interested in what he does as I am in what the Ala Alba does!

Fate and team surprised? Why not? They did what they came to do, the enemy has been scattered, why should they not feel safe? And thus, be vulnerable. Asuna's arrival disrupts their teleportation, surprising and stunning them slightly and giving her the opportunity to confront Fate. If not, then the four of them chop her to bits or otherwise destroy her. End of story, do not pass go, bleh...

Up next: Akira and Ako!