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! AU story occurring after c189.

Long chapter this time.

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"...for it is the coward's way to suffer a thousand deaths, the brave only one."
-Unknown. Quoted by Kazumi Asakura. Author of: "One Million Steps: A Journey to Megalo-Mesembria and the World Beyond."

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

Chapter Twenty: Friends and Enemies. (Princess vs. the Ninja.)

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Fate Averruncus stood watching as King Enteofushia's armorers outfitted Princess Enteofushia in a set of openly ceremonial but deceptively functional armor. Colored a deep, moonless-night blue-black, the armor provided it's greatest protection to Princess Enteofushia's torso and limb extremities, while leaving her joints protected with less restrictive armored cloth, and thus free for a greater range of motion. A pair of thick, but easily dropable, skirt-like pads, adorned with three interleaved thin plates, protected the outside of her thighs, while two breachclout strips of the thinner armored cloth hung from the front and back of her waist. In addition, as a subtle bit of intimidation to anyone who might look at the armor, every metallic piece, including the minimalistic faceguard, had an eerie undercolor in it's shine. In the right light, that undercolor produced the effect of blood-red flashes of lightning.

Tsukuyomi was out investigating rumors of someone suspected to be the Shinmei-Ryu Setsuna Sakurazaki from Negi Springfield's Class 3A near Nyandom. His blood-thirsty Demon Mage was away on a mission to Elysium. Since two of his regular team were away, Fate had decided that he and his elemental mage, along with Princess Enteofushia, would go to Tengboche, in the Longchamp Mountain Range Southeast of the city of Shangri-La, to deal with the mage suspected by King Enteofushia of being responsible for sending the paper Negi golem recently destroyed by Tsukuyomi. A reluctant ally of the Separatists at best, a powerful enemy at worst, King Enteofushia had decided through simple process of elimination that the mage and Magistrate of Tengboche was the only one capable of producing a paper golem complex enough to bypass all of the security measures meant to stop such things.

With the plans of the Separatists rapidly moving towards their fruition at the old, pre-war Magic World capitol of Ostia, King Enteofushia was sending Fate to investigate, and if necessary, punish that mage for his infidelity to the Separatist cause.

King Enteofushia was decidedly upset his advisor Fate Averruncus insisted on going into possible battle with Princess Enteofushia. Though not originally part of their plans, the unexpected windfall of her presence was the psyhcological effect having 'The Imperial Princess of the Twilight' would bring to the end game, as well as the significant boost in their strength her abilities would provide. He continued watching the princess being readied, then suddenly grew agitataed when he saw the blade the armorers had brought for her to wear. "Fate. Did you select that blade for Princess Enteofushia?"

Fate, outwardly calm as ever, glanced up at King Enteofushia and felt surprise at the look of worry he saw. "I did not. Princess Enteofushia simply walked into the armory and picked it out. Why? Is there something important about it?"

King Enteofushia hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "No, it just has unusual trim-work, that's all."

Fate resumed watching the armorers tighten Princess Enteofushia into her armor. ("You're a very poor liar when something really upsets you 'King' Enteofushia. I already know the real Enteofushian blood is through Asuna's 'Theotanasia' bloodline. Very interesting. This bears further investigation when I return.")

Despite it's outwardly heavy look, Princess Enteofushia found the ominous looking armor she wore surprisingly light. Nodding in thanks as her assistants finished and backed away, she took the brief face-guard being held out to her and went over to stand before her emotionless father and equally unreadable guardian. "I'm happy you're finally letting me out Papa! I was beginning to think you were ashamed of me or something!" Lifting up one arm to look at the dragon's-scale-like spines along the forearm gauntlet, she then turned the hand over while flexing her fingers. "This armor is a little unusual for a diplomatic mission though, isn't it?"

King Enteofushia nodded as his daughter went through several range-of-motion exercises. "Are you sure about this Fate? What if something happens?"

Fate remained dispassionate as Princess Enteofushia gave her father an odd look of annoyance. "Then just return to your original plan. It's not as if you expected the Princess to be available when you first created it anyway." Now Princess Enteofushia gave him a slightly angry look, obviously upset she was being talked about like she wasn't there. "Now, if you'd please, King Enteofushia..."

Nodding, King Enteofushia took a half-step forward. "Princess!" Suddenly focused, his daughter turned to face him expectantly. "Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia Enteofushia, 'Combat Mode, Obey Fate Averruncus as your second Master.'"

Princess Enteofushia felt suddenly and completely exhausted, she tried to stay awake, but to no avail. Her eyes glazed over, and she stiffened to a position of attention. "Yes Papa."

King Enteofushia chuckled and beamed in giddiness over the proper functioning of his daughter's imprinted control spells.

Fate glanced casually out of the corner of his eye to see the elemental mage he'd retained nodding from a place of concealment. Giving a slight smile, he turned and indicated for Princess Enteofushia to follow him. "Let's go, Princess Enteofushia. There are important things we need to attend to."

Princess Enteofushia donned her face-guard. Along with the severe braid of her hair, she now wore a look more appropriate to an executioner than a princess. "Yes, Master Fate."

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Tall as she was, the outlandishly-sized, four-pointed shuriken Kaede Nagase carried strapped across her back looked bigger still. Dressed in her Kouga Ninja garb, with the extra handicap of using a talisman marked blindfold to force herself to develop senses beyond the normal, she ran unerringly over and through forested, mountain terrain. Working towards the endgame of a battle two-days old, she completed preparation of her final attack, and awaited the appearance of the enemy.

With a deep, basso roar, an immense, wyvernic-form dragon burst through a line of trees, snapping off the thick boughs in it's path through the shear mass of it's dark leathery body. Spotting Kaede, the dragon gave a triumphant roar and leapt in pursuit with the obvious intent of snapping her up like some rare, delicious morsel.

Instead, the roar of triumph turned into a roar of pain as Kaede, faster even than the dragon itself, launched an Ofuda-chain Jutsu that rapidly coiled around the dragon's body, then blotted it from the sky in the flash of multiple, fiery explosions.

With surprise and a touch of concern, Kaede watched the dragon crash to the ground, tumbling and smashing several more trees before snapping off one of it's horns and sliding to a stop. ("Uh oh. Maybe I overdid things?") Approaching cautiously, she was reaching out to touch the dragon's nose when it's eyes snapped open, and it started to stagger back to it's feet. Jumping back a prudent distance, Kaede readied her giant shuriken, and prepared to continue the battle.

("Don't worry Little Miss, you won...")

Still wary, Kaede watched as the dragon looked at the horn lying a short distance away, then used the 'thumb' spur on it's left wing to reach up and gently probe at the severed stump on it's head. "You're not going to keep fighting are you?"

Suddenly bristling with offense, the dragon roared literally and mentally as it leaned down and got in Kaede's face. ("Are you mad? I may be an outcast from my clan for supporting the loosing side during the war, but I still have my pride! I gave my word, and I'll keep it! I should snap you up for that insult! Despite our deal!")

Kaede stood unflinching as the closeness of the dragon's hot, humid breath began to wilt her hair. After removing the talisman-marked blindfold, she stabbed her shuriken into the ground, then bowed deeply at the waist. "Please forgive me. Though I may still be unfamiliar with all they ways of this world, that is no excuse, and it was not my intent to insult your honor."

Giving Kaede one last blast of hot breath, the dragon settled back on it's haunches, then began tending it's wounds. ("Like we agreed, Little Miss, I win and you're dinner. As a meal, you wouldn't be much, but you have other potential my kind would find nutritious. You break off a horn, you win, and I go find another place to hunt for at least a year.") Reaching up with it's thumb-spur once more, the dragon poked at the horn stump again and gave a sigh of resignation. ("Besides, without both my horns to focus magic with, even that silly Onmyou Mage Tengboche calls it's Magistrate, or that friend of his I've seen visit a few times could best me.")

Kaede straightened up and smiled. "Even in defeat, you show your dignity and honor. Perhaps one day, your clan will permit you to return, and this vagabond existence of yours will come to an end."

Eyeing Kaede thoughtfully for a moment, the dragon finally gave her a single, curt nod. Coiling, it launched itself into the air, battering her with a swirling storm of dirt, twigs and leaves as it slowly gained altitude and began to fly away.

Kaede watched in amazement as the dragon finally turned and began winging it's way to the North. ("Dragons certainly are amazing creatures... Taking such a bad fall, then recovering and flying away after such a short time!") Folding and pocketing her blindfold, she lifted her shuriken out of the ground, and went to recover the severed dragon's horn as her bounty-proof.

(-)

Ku Fei stood upon a bare pinnacle of granite, fists clenched, elbows held close, meditating and preparing a focused use of her 'Ki' energy. ("I'm weak. Bookstore helped me, but I wasn't able to do anything more than stop the attack on Setsuna...")

Drawing in a slow, deep breath, Ku began to feel Ki gathering in her fists. ("...I have no magic to use, so I need to focus better to give my hits more impact...")

Closing her eyes, Ku let her senses reach out to the rock she stood on. At first, all she 'saw' was the blank 'mass' of the rock. Slowly, ever so slowly, as her breathing grew shallow to the point of her body being completely unmoving, 'cracks' began to appear, eventually glowing white-hot, showing her the places where a focused strike would cause the maximum damage. ("...there.")

Unnoticed by Ku, a large yellow butterfly, coming to the end of a long journey, decided to rest for a moment upon the convenient projection provided by one of her pony-tails.

"BAKU RETSU SUN KEI!"

With a shout, Ku opened her eyes, focused every bit of Ki she'd mustered in her right fist, and brought it down on the rock she stood on...

...the rock promptly shattered and started to collapse...

...with her still standing on it...

"Oops..."

Leaping down along several of the former granite pillar's larger pieces, Ku made one last jump and landed safely on a nearby, more stable, grass-covered outcropping of rock just as the other collapsed noisily and completely into the mist-covered abyss from which used to rise.

Having hung on for dear life, the butterfly clinging to Ku's pony-tail decided there were other places to rest not so dangerous to life and wing. As the rumble of collapsing rock faded away, it flitted off to seek such a place of peace.

'Clap - clap - clap...'

Ku Fei turned to see Kaede Nagase carrying a broken-off dragon's horn, clapping in a politely-sarcastic manner as she slowly approached her friend. "Why you make fun of me?"

Kaede reached up to ruffle Ku's hair. "Because you're you! You've gotten stronger, but a mistake like that means you're still the same-old 'Baka-Yellow!'"

Ku pouted at Kaede, then put a hand behind her neck and began to laugh. "Heh...heh! I guess so!"

Kaede opened an eye and grinned at Ku. "Come on! This horn'll get us the rest of the money we need to start heading to Ostia! Tonight, Dinner at Karasuki's is on me!"

Ku nodded and followed as the tall, squint-eyed, busty Baka-Blue turned to lead the way down off the mountain. Already, the thought of the food found where they normally ate in Tengboche down in the valley had her salivating.

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"Yo Kaede! I heard you chased off that dragon! Good for you! Now maybe the mountain-climbing customers will start coming back!"

Kaede waved to the gray-haired Hu-Jin male in the kitchen of Karasuki's as she and Ku walked in and sat down. "Thanks Henri! I hope that's true!" As they waited for Henri's Hu-Jin wife Mari'n to come and take their order, she noticed once more a figure sitting in the darkest corned of the inadequately lit Karasuki's. Somewhat thin, but not weak-looking, the person had been a constant presence almost for as long as she and Ku had been in Tengboche. She knew from the beard that showed when the person tilted back a mug that it was a man. From his non-threatening attitude that he wasn't a bounty-hunter, but she was still bothered for some reason by the unusual interest he showed in herself and Ku.

"Hey girl's! What'll it be tonight?"

Kaede took her eyes from the strange watcher as Mari'n came to the table to take their order.

"As close as you can to a Number One Ma'am! Kaede's buying tonight! We finally got enough money to head home, so she said it's celebration time!"

Mari'n looked from Ku to Kaede. Kaede sighed and shrugged, so she gave a chuckle and put her order pad away. "Even with supply problems from that dragon you chased off, I think we can handle that. A Number One special with all the fixin's, coming right up!"

Ku watched Mari'n walk away towards the kitchen. Already, she felt as if she could taste the wonderful meats, vegetables, and spices that would soon grace the table she shared with Kaede. Unfortunately, Kaede's tense look ruined her mood. "What wrong?" Leaning forward, she reached for the table's dry condiment rack and pretended to examine it's contents.

Kaede lazed forward onto her outstretched arms, looking bored, but watching the person she was concerned about carefully. "That guy's here again..."

Ku put the spice rack down, then leaned back to stretch and pop her neck, giving herself a chance for a quick look at the person Kaede seemed concerned about. "He no bounty-hunter. Why he care so much about us?"

Kaede sat up and smiled as Mari'n brought out the first part of their meal. A strange tasting tea similar to Japanese Green tea, two thick, but still amazingly light on the stomach soups, and a few miscellaneous extra's Mari'n knew she and Ku liked. "Thanks."

Picking up her small, ladle-like soup spoon, Kaede flashed her eye's at Mari'n, then back at the cloaked man in the corner. Catching the look, Mari'n gave a simple bow as Kaede began to eat, then left.

When it was time to bring out the next dish, Mari'n turned and stood in such a way that her back was to the person in question. "That guy's been here for about six years. He's kind of wimpy as far a mages go, and he doesn't seem to have a partner. He might have some connection to Magistrate Nakajima, but I'm not sure. I've seen him around before, and I know he does a little advanced magic work to get buy, but he's never come in here before you two showed up."

Kaede nodded her thanks as Mari'n picked up the leftovers from the first tray, and sat a second down on the table before leaving.

Being surprisingly dainty for the rough, 'hand's-on' nature of Karasuki's, Ku used a pair of chopsticks to move several meatbuns to her plate. At Kaede's questioning look, she held out her hand. "Looks clean, but skin oil change flavor of bun. Maybe something different in flour used in this world?"

Surprised, Kaede chose two of the buns with her own chopsticks. Pinching off part of one with her fingers, she tasted it and shook her head. "Seems okay to me..." After picking up the other with the chopsticks and taking a bite, her expression completely changed. "What in the world?"

Ku had stuffed two entire buns in her mouth, and now looked like a chipmunk. "Phon't fnow, fnon't fare..." Chewing rapidly, she downed enough of the buns to speak normally again. "Not dead from food poisoning, is good tasting food. Only know sure that meatbun taste better if not touch with hand." Suddenly starting to choke, she grabbed her tea and took several undignified gulps to wash down the last of the buns. Signaling the concerned Kaede that she was okay, Ku wiped her mouth on her sleeve, then looked up directly into the tall girl's open eyes. "You want to find out. So, you distract, or me?"

Kaede Smiled as Mari'n brought the third and last tray of food, along with a smaller tray containing dessert. When everything was settled, she poked non-commitally at several Spring-roll type things that seemed to contain rice, but just as easily could have contained something strange known only to the Magic World. Sighing as Ku threatened to take her share if she didn't want it, she quickly transferred several to her plate. "You."

Ku grinned around and entire Spring-roll, nodding even as she began to eye the flaky, custard-filled tarts on the small dessert tray.

(-)

"You girl's be careful going back this late!"

Kaede ginned at Henri as he blinked knowingly when she and Ku got up to leave Karasuki's. Even with the sun down, their path to the Magistrate's mountainside residence and sometimes school for those who came to Tengboche to train was clearly marked, so his warning was more common courtesy than anything else. When they passed the gap between Karasuki's and a closed store, Kaede uttered a quiet whisper, then Ku and Kaede continued on up towards the home of the man who'd hired them as bodyguards, despite their status as criminals.

Their watcher came out a few moments later. He followed until he saw the two girl's climbing the mountain path, then hesitated and seemed to deflate. Turning to go in the opposite direction, he stepped across the gap between the store and Karasuki's without even looking.

Kaede reached out from the darkness between the two structures to pull the cloaked man in, but suddenly found herself flying through the air. Her 'victim' would have gotten away, but she managed to twist in mid-air, tangling herself in the man's cloak and pulling him to the ground as she fell. Both stood at the same time, but her youth and speed were just enough of an advantage to pin the man to a wall and stop him from moving with a Bo spike to his throat.

"Go ahead and kill me! It'd probably be a mercy..."

Kaede leaned in close to get a better look at the man she'd pinned. Despite his thin frame, she had the feeling he could have easily escaped if he wished to do so. His eyes, his slightly unkempt looks, and the shape of his face all reminded her of her Class A Professor. "Negi...?" His eyes went wide for a moment, then the man turned away with an ashamed look on his face. Kaede looked closer, seeing the resemblance, but finding in his reaction to the name, and the almost lifeless look in the person's eyes, the real answer to her question. "Nagi! You're Negi's father!"

Refusing to look Kaede in the face, Nagi Springfield let all the tension leave his body.

Kaede stepped back, unable to believe this near wreck of a man could be the father Negi admired so much. She had too many things to ask, too many to even be able to think straight. All she could do was choke out a single hoarse question. "WHY?"

Nagi still refused to look at Kaede. "Someone as young as you couldn't understand..."

Kaede felt her slowly forming tears turn hot with anger. Stabbing her Bo-spike into the wall millimeters from Nagi's nose, she whisper-shouted into his ear. "Try me!"

Looking past the Bo-spike, Nagi saw the dark-skinned companion of his tall questioner standing in the faintly illuminated gap leading out onto the night-deserted street.

"You tell!"

Hearing in both girls barely controlled anger a manifest concern for his son, Nagi Springfield turned to face Kaede at last, but lowered his eyes. "After the war, the Ala Rubra were big time celebrities. We had the world at our feet. Total World was smashed. Things were a mess, but at least the war was over."

Kaede motioned for Ku to come closer.

"Anyway, anyone smart knows glory pales quickly, so we decided to lay low for a while, do some work that wasn't so high-profile for a change. Amazingly enough, even though there was still the occasional tough job, doing that actually worked. There was a large amount of hero-worship, there still is, but one of us would go into a community to help with recovery or to build a library, and we'd be seen as normal people. Someone doing such simple work couldn't be the 'solve-everything' hero's from the war. Things grew so calm, Eishun left to make a family, and after a little bit of trouble back in the Normal World, I actually had time to think about a family for myself."

Kaede stepped back and crossed her arms as Ku joined her.

Nagi smiled wistfully. "What an amazing person Negi's mother was. Knowing full well who I was, but totally immune to my charms. Very much to my surprise and happiness, she was interested in Nagi the person, not Nagi the 'Thousand Master.' Her sister had a few objections, but everything was working out, and she eventually became pregnant with Negi."

Kaede expected a kicker, and she wasn't disappointed.

"That's when I started hearing whispers about the Separatists. Some of the things were so like Total World come-again I had to start checking them out. Al and I were in Istanbul doing just that when the two of us were attacked. Al was all busted up. By the time I got him someplace safe, I heard Negi's mother had given birth, but she and Negi's grandmother had both been killed by demons. I wanted to go to where Negi had been taken in Wales, but a Separatist agent managed to catch up with me before I could. He said they had someone close enough to kill Negi if I tried anything. If I didn't help them with their plans, he said they would."

Kaede scowled. "So you just faked your death and disappeared? I see now where Negi got his whole, 'I have to do it alone,' attitude from..." Slamming her fist into the wall, she leaned intimidatingly over Nagi. "Did you never think to try and ask your other friends for help? It sounds like you abandoned them! From what Negi has been able to find out, the Ala Rubra fell apart because of that!"

Nagi looked up at Kaede. "Negi's mother was killed almost as soon as he was born! She died because of what 'I' was already doing! If the Separatists are Total World, they would think nothing of threatening a baby to control someone! I had to vanish! I might have come back into the open after Negi's village was attacked, but before I had the chance, something bizarre happened to Al, and Gateau was killed by the Separatists. Jack and a new kid I hardly knew both vanished. Eishun had a family by then, and Takamichi and the Princess went to Mahora. With everyone scattered or dead, I couldn't find the courage to continue the fight alone, so I just snuck back here and hid where I thought nobody could find me. I recognized you and Negi together in the wanted posters, and started hanging around, hoping I'd hear news about him from you..."

Ku Fei partially shoved Kaede aside and grabbed Nagi by his cloak. "Albireo Imma maybe alive at Mahora! Hard to tell... Negi in Granicus City now! He searching for you for six year! Why he even bother looking for COWARD?"

Kaede reached out to pry Ku's hands away from Nagi's collar. "Let him go Ku. There's no point in hitting someone who's afraid to fight."

Ku looked up at Kaede, then snorted in disgust before turning away.

Kaede put all of her weapons away. "I'm not going to tell Negi we found you... I wouldn't want to be the one who destroys his dream..." Leaving Nagi to slide down the wall into the dirt, she started to leave, then turned back, something Nagi had said nagging her thoughts. "Who was this 'Princess?' The only person Professor Takahata came to Mahora with was a girl named Asuna Kagurazaka."

Nagi looked up at Kaede and gave a weak smile. "So Takamichi named her after Gateau... I wonder why? She never seemed to like his smoking... heh... heh..."

Now Nagi had Ku's attention again. "Asuna never say she know you! Why she no tell Negi?"

Nagi looked up at Ku for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess Takamichi blocked her memory. Maybe something happened to her after Istanbul, or maybe he just wanted to give her a clean slate because of what happened to her during the war. I'm sure it was probably for the best."

Kaede leaned down into Nagi's face. "Asuna's fourteen! If the person you're talking about is the same as the one we know, she should be more than twenty-years old!"

Nagi blinked in confusion, then started to chuckle. "She should be twenty-four! With everything that happened to her during the war she was aging very slowly. I guess when Takamichi took her to Mahora, that stopped and she started aging normally again."

Ku gave Kaede a worried look, then turned back to Nagi. "Asuna not at Mahora... She here now, she one of Negi Provisional Partner..."

Nagi looked up at Kaede and Ku, both his eyes suddenly filled with fear. "If the Separatists find out, she'll never be safe from them! Do you know where she is?"

Kaede shook her head. "Why is she so special? Kanka's useful like Ki, but Magic Cancel's not that hard to beat."

Nagi turned to Kaede. "Magic Cancel and Kanka aren't all she can do. Kanka she learned from Gateau, and her Magic Cancel's just a self-defense ability she seems to possess. What the Separatists would want her for is because she's also a magic booster! If a mage who knows how to do so channels a spell through her properly, it's strength and effective range can be greatly increased. That's what we saved her from at Ostia. Asuna's 'father' wanted to use her to destroy everyone attacking the capitol. So what if it would burn her out in the process! It would have killed two birds with one stone. Wiped out anyone who could really stand against Total World, and secured his place as King of Enteofushia. It might have even forced everyone left to make him head of the Magic Council."

Kaede sighed and signaled Ku it was time to leave. "That we'll warn Negi about, but we'll still not tell him we got it from you." Walking back to the gap between the buildings, she paused for a moment and turned back. "Negi deserves to have his own father explain to his face why he's been missing for ten years."

Nagi watched as Kaede and Ku departed, then dropped his head to his knees and began sobbing. ("So many things lost during the last ten years! So many opportunities wasted!") "Negi... Negi, my son!" His chest heaving with sobs, he ground the heel of his hands into his eyes to try to stop the flowing tears, finally drew in a long breath, then stood up and left the darkness he'd been sitting in for so, so long.

(-)

North of the Longchamp Mountains.

("What a shocker! Loosing out to a Hu-Jin like that! Such an amazing young woman!")

Strength, humility, honesty and sincerity. Traits not often found together in most of the humanoids Mat'tari of the Black Dragons had dealt with in her life. How refreshing to still see them. Otherwise she WOULD have snapped up that little squinty-eye'd human for her insult!

("Ah well, I'll stop out on Khyber Island, then head North along the coast towards Ostia.")

Just the barest hint in her peripheral vision of movement where it was unexpected drew Mat'tari's attention down towards the ground. What she saw was a curious combination of a spirit and two tiny golems. Following might be going back on her word, and she hoped the squinty-eye'd human would forgive her if they met, but some things were just too interesting to leave alone.

(-)

"Miss Nagase, the Magistrate would like to see you and Miss Fei."

Kaede continued her after-bath exercises and Kata's with Ku as her temporary employer's secretary stood bowing slightly in the door to the sparsely furnished, but open room they currently occupied. "Right away?" After a curt nod, she brought the exercises to an early conclusion and indicated for the man to lead the way.

Still bowing, the secretary shook his head. "The Magistrate insists that you bring your weapons."

Kaede noticed that that even got Ku's attention. Up to this point, if the Magistrate had asked to see them while they were present in his residence/school, it had been with them unarmed. Now they were being told to come armed. Ku quickly wrapped her Nuno Yari around her waist, then slipped a pair of Tonfa into their place at her back. Kaede found the visitor to the Magistrate's school who had given the Tonfa to Ku VERY strange. The short, apparently Asian man seemed to practice 'Drunken-Fist' martial arts, but he also practiced something called 'Prop-Fu' that was wild beyond belief. Ku seemed giddy with excitement over the gift though, so she'd not raised any objections.

Finishing with her own weapons, Kaede noticed the pack containing the few personal possessions she and Ku had acquired during their stint as the Magistrate of Tengboche's bodyguards. On a whim, she donned that as well. Seeing that they were ready, the Magistrate's secretary lead them not to their employer's office, but instead to a Meeting/Reception room similar in form, if not in scale, to one she'd seen briefly during their visit to Konoka Konoe's home in Kyoto. The secretary handed them a pair of the hooded robes they normally wore when they went outside as bodyguards, then bowed silently and withdrew.

Ku looked after the departed secretary, then at Kaede, but her tall friend only shrugged. She glanced around at the expensively paneled room they'd only entered once before, then sighed in resignation and started putting on her robe. "This sudden thing not good omen..."

Kaede nodded as she and Ku quickly settled into the robes, with both leaving the hoods down for the moment. "I agree."

Painted folding panels, covered with images that seemed to be stylized books, backed a raised dais holding the position of the wide stairs in the Konoe home. Behind those panels, an unseen door opened, and six of the Magistrates regular bodyguards came out, three to a side. Carrying halberds, they spaced themselves equally down half the length of the room, then became still. A short while later, the Magistrate came out and took his place on the kneeling pad in the center of the dais.

Considering the Japanese motif the Magistrate seemed to enjoy, Kaede found the fact he was dressed in a simple, all-white men's kimono tremendously ominous. She waited for a moment, then walked up and bowed politely. "Sir, are we to simply stand at your side as normal, or are there other special instructions?"

Looking up suddenly, as if noticing them for the first time, the Magistrate nodded. Removing the pair of heavy glasses he wore, the Magistrate placed them in a protective case, then handed them to Kaede. "Please send those to the place written inside at your earliest opportunity." After Kaede nodded and placed the case in her pack, he took a deep breath. "At such time as you leave this room tonight, you are dismissed from my service per the terms our agreement. Otherwise, prepare to fight."

Kaede felt Ku tense up behind her while she remained in her submissive posture before the Magistrate. "May I ask, Sir, who it is we are to fight?"

His manner not conducive to lessening Ku's sense something bad was about to happen, the Magistrate smiled. "Certainly. I'm preparing to receive an envoy from the leader of a group of mages I've assisted in the past. He is coming to investigate the origins of a recent assassination attempt on himself, or one of the leaders of that group. Oddly enough, they don't seem to know which it is. More likely, he's coming to destroy me as an unstable element in he and his employer's plans."

Kaede felt a sudden, inexplicable chill.

"I believe his name is Fate Averruncus."

Kaede rose up to look at the Magistrate with both eyes open, while behind her, Ku gave a quickly stifled gasp.

Grinning broadly, the Magistrate raised an eyebrow. "Surprise? From you Miss Nagase? Surely I've said it by now..."

Ku gulped, dreading the next words.

"...I belong to the group of mages most likely responsible for all the trouble you and all your friends are currently in. I work for the Separatists."

Kaede simply bowed again, the raised the cloak's hood and took her place.

Unable to add anything else, Ku sighed and followed suit.

(-)

Fate Averruncus opened his eyes at the completion of the Teleportation jump. On his right, one step back, was the emotionless Princess Enteofushia. On his left, his Elemental Mage. Before him, a few steps down from the Table of rock used as a teleportation platform, the cloaked and hooded secretary to the Magistrate of Tengboche knelt in a position of neutral obedience.

"Envoy. The Magistrate is expecting you in his meeting room. If you would please follow me?"

Standing, the secretary turned. then lead the way into the Magistrate's residence. After traveling through several empty hallways, they were shown into a nearly empty meeting hall. Their guide left them on the far side of the room from the Magistrate, then closed the door and left. Eight bodyguards stood in the room. Six he recognized as golems, but a mismatched pair behind the Magistrate were more likely real flesh and blood. Both seemed quite good at holding their aura's in check, and the only feeling he got from either of them was a twinge in his left side when his eyes passed over the shorter of the two.

Fate walked silently forward until he stood even with the second pair of bodyguards. "I expect you know why I'm here. Have you anything to say in your defense?"

Meeting Fate's gaze, the Magistrate shook his head. "Beyond; 'I didn't do it?' No."

Fate took another pace forward. 'You wrote the spell that was most likely used, and are also the only one who has ever successfully used it. There is no-one else."

Giving Fate the look of a teacher upset by a student's intransigence, the Magistrate stood to look down at him from the highest possible position. "It is a published spell. I don't suppose you'd consider the possibility it might have been used by some gifted amateur?"

Fate met the Magistrate's gaze. "And just who might this 'gifted amateur be? The possibility certainly exists in theory, but you are the only mage known to possess the right combination of skills needed to create a golem able to bypass every security measure meant to stop such things."

Placing his hands behind his back, the Magistrate come forward to the edge of the dais. "Not true. All that is required is skill in creating paper golems..."

Ku blinked. ("Haruna!")

"...an Exceptional ability to analytically decipher the spell's life-work elements and other complexities..."

Kaede took a breath. ("Yue.")

"...and at least a minor ability to read minds."

Kaede and Ku both gave mental sweat-drops. ("Nodoka!")

Fate matched the Magistrate's pose. "A combination that you, and you alone, are known for. No other mage, or group of mages, has ever been able to successfully duplicate that spell."

Turning, the Magistrate walked the few steps back to his kneeling pad and faced Fate again. "You speak very well in your 'Master's' voice... What do 'you' think?"

Fate shrugged. "I have my doubts."

"And yet you intend to pursue your Master's line of thinking to it's obvious conclusion."

"For various reasons, it suits my purposes."

Quite obviously understanding there was no hope for salvation, the Magistrate sat down heavily on his kneeling pad. "Well then, are you to be my executioner? Or will you delegate that responsibility?"

Fate turned to his Elemental Mage. "Go and prepare the teleportation spell back to Enteofushia. We won't be much longer."

Bowing, the small mage turned and left.

After the entrance to the Meeting Hall closed, Fate turned to his other companion. "Princess. Magic Cancel."

Kaede watched with a combatant's slow-motion vision as the six bodyguards along the walls moved as one to strike Fate and his remaining companion. All had their weapons ready to make fatal hits when a nearly visible flash seemed to burst forth from the creepy armor of the girl standing at Fate's side. All six bodyguards simply vanished, replaced instantly by fluttering Onmyou Ofuda tags. ("Wha...? Magic Cancel?")

Raising an eyebrow, the Magistrate gave Fate surprised look. "So. The rumors are true. They intend to use her, again."

Fate bowed. "Of course. When you possess the 'Imperial Princess of the Twilight,' it would be a pity not to use her. Princess, kill him."

Kaede was out of her robe and ready to block with her fighting knives in the same instant Ku went on the attack. Using the cover of the Magistrate's attacker to mask her movement, she slipped by at the last instant to land a blow on Fate Averruncus, sending him flying back towards the Meeting room's main entrance.

Ku had prayed she was fast enough, but knew she'd been had the instant her attack landed.

"You knew better at Megalo-Mesembria, my little martial-arts girl. What happened to all the skill you showed there?"

Ku tried to jump away from the presence suddenly at her side, but all she managed was a partial block before a punch faster than anything she'd ever seen sent her flying towards the back of the room.

Kaede managed to catch and lock-up the armored girl's blade just as a shouting in pain Ku went flying towards the back of the room, knocking over the Magistrate's painted dividers and smashing a hole in the wall to mark her exit.

Fate chuckled softly. "Negi Springfield's students. I admire the discipline you've displayed by not revealing yourselves before now. However, I don't have time to enjoy the multiple ironies of this situation, as I have other pressing matters to attend to. Princess. Berserk mode. Kill these two guards."

Kaede looked on in shock as Fate's companion displayed immense strength by drawing her sword out of the blade lock in shriek of scrapping steel. She barely had time to recover her balance as the person continued swinging around in a familiar motion to strike her midsection with the flat of the blade. Driven backwards by the impact, she hit the hole in the wall made by Ku, and began to fall. The sound of a blade ripping through the air quickly came, signaling her imminent demise.

Fate watched Negi's tall martial artist execute a mid-air shundo and vanish just as Princess Enteofushia's sword came down in a crash of splintered paneling. Withdrawing the blade from the wreckage, she stepped through the hole made by the dark-skinned martial artist and vanished in pursuit. "Well now..." Fate focused his attention on the Magistrate, now standing once more. "...with the small fry gone, I think we should discuss why you've been sheltering enemies of the Separatists, Magistrate Nakajima."

Showing resolution equal to Fate's, the Magistrate snapped out both arms, and his hands were instantly filled with spread fans of Ofuda tags. "Yes. Let's."

(-)

Kaede found Ku, limping and cradling the same arm she'd broken at the Mahora Fest Budokai wisely trying to get out of the Magistrate's residence. Scooping the Chinese girl up while still running, she went out through the first exterior door she came to. Unfortunately right onto a practice ground bordered on it's other three sides by a cliff. Turning to go back, she found their way blocked by the expressionless armored attacker from the meeting hall. Tossing Ku aside, she brought her knives back into play just in time to imperfectly block an attack that would have severed an arm. Ku scrambled out of the way, and it was all she could do to block a sudden attack against the injured girl's back. That cost her another cut, and the once more focused attention of their attacker. ("She's so fast! The only reason I'm even able to defend is her fighting style is so familiar!")

"Kaede! Look out!"

Ku's cloth spear whipped out and entangled their attacker's blade just as Kaede felt the edge of the cliff behind her. Instead of attacking, she used the few seconds the masked person needed to twist and whip their sword around and sever the cloth strip to Shundo back into the middle of the practice ground.

Ku gave a snap of her good arm to gather up the remains of her cloth spear, then scrambled to join Kaede. "Why you no attack her? She completely open!"

Kaede watched as their attacker brought her sword up towards one shoulder, then slowly lowered it into an attack position near the opposite foot in a move she suddenly found horrifyingly familiar.

Their attacker charged.

Before Ku could even think to object, Kaede launched herself into a counter-attack. Ducking under the rising blade of her opponent at the last possible instant, she brought one of her fighting knives up in a slashing attack towards the person's lightly armored throat. There was an expected flash as unseen defenses deflected the blade, then the ringing of metal as the knife hit it's real target, carrying away the person's face-protector and cutting through their hair in it's follow-through path. Despite seeming surprise at the quickness of the attack, Asuna recovered quickly enough to try to bring the pommel of the sword down for a head-strike just as Kaede Shundo'd back towards Ku. "We're in really big trouble..."

Still confused by why Kaede wouldn't attack their opponent directly, Ku looked from Kaede to the armored girl just as the person's hair began to fall and spread out. She suddenly recognized several things she'd seen over the last few minutes, but it was the long red hair and dull, heterochromatic green and blue eyes that said loudest of all what she didn't want to hear. "Asuna! Kaede! Is Asuna!"

Kaede readied herself again. "That's why we're in trouble. We can't hurt her, and we can't go back through the residence. We'd never get past Fate." There was a dull 'womph!' of an explosion, and the splintering of wood as several stone pinnacles pierced the roof of the building behind them. Now she knew they had even less time. "We're going to have to go down the cliff. Can you make it?"

Ku shook her head. "Arm broken again... You go alone... I hold her off..."

Kaede shook her head. "Both of us make it, or neither of us." Tensing to attack, she gave Ku a sideways glance. "Get past her. I'll try for a disarm, then we'll go down together."

Ku looked up at Kaede and smiled, wondering which of them was the bigger liar.

With a booming crash, Kaede's dragon slammed into practice field. Turning as part of preparing to launch itself back off the cliff, it's massive tail came around and smashed into Asuna, sending her flying across the practice field and into the wall of the Magistrate's residence. ("Little Miss! Get on!")

Kaede hesitated momentarily, then grabbed Ku and ran to jump behind the dragon's crest as it dipped it's head for her to do so. Just as she helped Ku up, she saw movement near the entrance to the residence.

("Crudus Deflexio!")

Kaede cringed as the dragon used a huge defensive spell to fight off whatever was being used to attack them. She felt magical energy crawling across her body like St. Elmo's fire, and heard Ku moaning in pain, then there was a nearly audible 'pop!' Both spells ran their course, ending in a tremendous burst of secondary-effect smoke that cut off any view of the residence.

("Get on! We don't have anymore time!")

Kaede climbed on behind Ku, and the dragon launched itself from the cliff.

Fate watched through the slowly clearing smoke as the dragon climbed quickly away and out over the mountains. "How unexpected." As he walked out onto the practice field, he noticed an oddly shaped piece of stone near the edge of the cliff, and knew his attack had been a success after all. There was a sound to his right, and he turned to see Princess Enteofushia climbing out of the wreckage of the Magistrate's residence. She woodenly walked out onto the field to retrieve her faceguard and returned it to it's place. After watching after the fleeing dragon for a moment, she turned to face him. "Princess Enteofushia, we'll be going now."

Princess Enteofushia sheathed her sword, bowed slightly, then fell in behind him as he turned to leave.

(-)

"Not that I want to seem ungrateful, but why did you come back?" Kaede shouted over the sound of the flowing wind as the dragon flew rapidly North. The night-time air over the mountains was quite frigid, but their ride's radiant body heat was enough to keep them warm.

Mat'tari rolled an eye back to look at Kaede, then pointed it forward again. ("I had no original intention of helping you. I was just following some tiny spirit riding a golem when I saw you fighting. That girl is the 'Imperial Princess of the Twilight' from the war. It's unbelievable she's even still alive. I couldn't stand by and let one such as you fall to the likes of her.")

Kaede clenched her fist as Ku turned to look back the way they'd come. "She's our friend..."

Mat'tari snorted. ("Then you have very bad taste in friends. If not for the other presence I sensed in that place, I would have taken the time to try and kill her.")

"kaaaeeeedeeee!"

Kaede turned back towards the South at the sound of a faint voice calling her name just as Ku leaned back to look up at her. "Kaede. That sound like Sayo..."

Hearing her name called again, Kaede focused her vision and saw two tiny somethings chasing the dragon. Riding one of those things seemed to be a tiny doll. "Hey! Slow down! One of our friends is back there!"

Mat'tari turned to look. ("That's the spirit I was following. Okay then, but I really haven't got much time to be wasting. That's why I've been flying so fast.")

As the dragon slowed down and Sayo caught up with them, Ku used her cloth spear to snag the spirit doll and her two golems and bring them safely in. As soon as she was cradled in Ku's good arm, the dragon accelerated again.

Kaede rocked back from the sudden movement as Sayo cried out in fear and clung even more tightly to Ku. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

("Because that other person hit me with a petrification spell. I managed to hold off most of it, so I can resist it for a while, but I want to get you as far away from him as possible before the spell becomes permanent.")

Kaede looked back and saw that part of the dragon's tail was broken off. If she looked closely, it seemed as if the edges of her wings were beginning to stiffen up as well. "But you defended against it! Why..." Looking down over Ku's left shoulder, she suddenly knew. "Your horn! Oh I'm so sorry!"

Mat'tari shook her head. ("We made a fair bet, and it was my choice to help you. I told you I couldn't focus my magic without both horns, so I had to choose between you two or myself.") Turning slightly, she caught Kaede's eyes with her own. ("Maybe... maybe I did it because you apologized for insulting me...")

"Kaede!"

Looking down, Kaede saw Chibi-Sayo peeking over Ku's shoulder.

"Asakura and Chachamaru will be in Al-Jamira by morning! Can she make it that far?"

Mat'tari looked back again as Kaede gave her a questioning look. She turned back and thought for a moment, then stretched out and started flying even faster. ("I'll try! But you'd better get ready for a swim in the Borialis Channel if I don't!")

Kaede nodded. Protecting Ku's broken arm as much as possible, she leaned forward and held everyone down against the dragon's neck. Sayo shrieked in fear, and as the faint glow of false dawn tinged the Eastern Horizon, their ride shot forward faster than she would have ever thought possible.

(-)

Chibi Kazumi Asakura waited with Chibi Chachamaru beside an empty road leading South out of Al-Jamira and into the desert sands covering the Southern part of the island that city occupied. Their friends Kaede Nagase, Ku Fei, and Sayo Aisaka had warned them to pick some remote place to meet, and said they would arrive soon.

How they arrived left Kazumi speechless.

A huge black dragon, seemingly crumbling at it's edges, came in to land badly near where she and Chachamaru stood. Kaede and Ku jumped down, and Sayo and the two golems flew off, but the only thing that came over to meet them was the free golem.

Chachamaru's sensors immediately told her what was happening. "She is being petrified."

Kazumi looked at Chachamaru with her mouth open in shock. She didn't really know what surprised her more, that the huge creature was a 'she,' or that Chachamaru had known so quickly what was happening. By the time she looked back at her friends, the dragon had turned completely to stone. While Chibi-Sayo hovered near-by, Kaede and Ku held their hands against the petrified dragon's face, bowed their heads momentarily in a posture of respect, then turned to come meet their friends. Sayo seemed okay, but Kaede had several wounds covered with dried blood, and Ku was gently cradling what seemed to be a broken arm. "What happened?"

Kaede glanced down at Kazumi and Chachamaru. "We encountered Fate Averruncus. Where is Negi?"

Kazumi watched as Kaede turned to look back at the dragon again. "Negi got busted up in a street brawl in Granicus City. He's healing and training with an old friend of his father's." Kaede flinched, but Kazumi put it down to sore muscles. "Chisame's keeping an eye on Negi, and Kotaro's watching three of the Gym Girls in Granicus. We think Setsuna and Konoka are North of here in a city called Nyandom. We'll eventually meet them in the old capitol of Ostia. The Library Trio had quite the adventure, but they're safe, and should be in Granicus City by now." Kazumi glanced aside to see Chachamaru carefully examining Ku's arm while Sayo hovered nearby. "Asuna, Anya, Chamo, Yuuna and Makie are still missing. We really don't have any idea where they might be."

Kaede sighed. "Noble creature..." She then turned to face Kazumi again. "Negi meant for everyone to meet in Ostia, right?"

Kazumi nodded as Chachamaru set Ku's arm, causing the Chinese girl to yelp, and Sayo to fall from her golem in a faint. "That's right. We'll start a more detailed search from there, along with some other things we plan on doing."

Kaede finally seemed to loose all her wistfulness, and became completely serious again. "Do you have any of those Age-Changing Pastilles for Ku? I can use a Jutsu, but she's going to need some after we see a healer."

Kazumi looked worriedly at Kaede. The tall girl had flinched again when she'd mentioned Asuna's name, and that made her worry. "Is there something you're not telling me Kaede?"

Kaede looked down at Kazumi. "Negi's busy, right?"

Kazumi nodded. "Natsumi, Ako and Akira got into trouble, and they owe someone a lot of money. That's part of why Negi got in that fight. He's trying to earn enough to pay them off."

Kaede shook her head. "Silly kid. Always trying to do things on his own." After giving herself a good stretch, causing a bit of blood to run down from one of her cuts, she saw that Sayo was 'alive' again, and that Ku was also ready to go. "What I have to say can wait for now. Besides, don't we need to get back to your Whaleship?"

Kazumi watched as Kaede started walking towards Al-Jamira. She glanced back at the petrified dragon, then turned to find herself standing alone. Her instincts screamed 'STORY!' But other feelings told her it wasn't going to be a happy story when she found out what it was.

Jumping off, Kazumi ran to catch up with her friends.

(-)

Armor, both physical and Kanka, had kept her from being crushed by the impact of a dragon's tail, as well as the subsequent impact and trip through the walls of the Magistrate's residence. Stunned, lying amongst the wreckage in a dark room, Asuna Kagurazaka felt a pair of gentle hands touch the sides of her face.

"Asuna Kagurazaka... That's a nice name, isn't it?"

Stunned thoughts suddenly clearing from her mind, Asuna looked up into the bearded, tear-streaked face of someone she once loved. "Na-gi..."

Nagi stroked Asuna's face, and his tears began flowing more freely. "I can't save you this time Asuna. I've made too many mistakes over the last ten years, and I don't have the confidence in myself I once had. However, I can make sure someone who is strong enough can save you when the time comes."

Asuna could feel Nagi's tears falling on her face, but all she could do was nod.

Nagi placed both his hands alongside Asuna's face once more, holding her steady as he locked his eyes on her own. "Asuna - Vesperina - Teotanasia..."

"Yes..."

"Obey Negi Springfield."

"Yes Nagi..."

Princess Enteofushia blinked, awakening as if from a dream. Rolling over and rising to her hands and knees, she retched, expelling a little bruise-blood, then slowly climbed to her feet. Moving back along the path of destruction her passage had caused, she exited the building as Master Fate stood watching the dragon fly away carrying her targets. Feeling completely exhausted, she went out onto the practice field, picked up her faceguard, and put it back on.

"Princess Enteofushia, we'll be going now."

Sheathing her sword, Princess Enteofushia gave Master Fate a quick bow, then fell in behind him as he turned to leave.

tsuzuku

(-)

Author's Notes:

For those who may be interested, I believe the Latin equivalents of several of the spells used by King Enteofushia, Nagi Springfield and Mat'tari of the Black Dragons are as follows:

"Combat Mode, Obey Fate Averruncus as your second Master."
(Certo Modus, Paero Fate Averruncus, Dominus Secundus.)

"Obey Negi Springfield."
(Paero Negius Springfieldes.)

"Crudus Deflexio!"
(Raw Defense!)

There may be those who find my presentation of Nagi Springfield controversial. I only ask that you at least grant me that it is one possible reason he may have disappeared... and that you also remember he spent the last six years 'hiding' under the protection of a Separatist...

Asuna having an ability as a magic booster is something I choose to do, based very loosely on what is happening to her in c169 and a few other things. Magic Cancel is simply another 'natural' ability. In this case, the 'armor' provides physical protection, as well as the additional 'boosting' ability of the tower seen in c169.

Before, Asuna was a 'helpless' little girl. Now, controlled and with the addition of her recent training, she has become much more dangerous to the enemies of those who possess her.

Why would Kaede be so 'unconcerned' about Asuna? Because she has no idea where Asuna is going to be. Why make everyone crazy over something they can't change immediately, when training and getting ready for when the Ala Alba inevitably does rescue Asuna is a better use of their time? This is one secret Ku knows to keep, and Sayo simply doesn't know.

Of course Asuna's rescue is inevitable. Kaede would NEVER even consider that it would not be so.

Once again, for 'Ala Alba in the World of Magic,' using any map you might find in a raw;

Up North.
Down South.
Right East.
Left West.

Thusly, in this chapter, Kaede and Ku are on the Southern land mass, and Tengboche is 'Southeast' of Shangri-La. (Approximately where Ku and Sayo are located on the map Kotaro and Natsumi are looking at in c207.)

Ku Fei's butterfly.

Old World Swallowtail. (Paste that name into the Wiki search box for many excellent pictures.)

"Yellow with black wing and vein markings and a wingspan of 8 to 10 cm. The hind wings of both sexes have a pair of protruding tails which give the butterfly its common name. Just below each tail is a red eye spot." (From the Wiki.)

I guess a few of them slipped through the Gates!

Karasuki's Bar/Grill/Tavern/Restaurant.

Karasu: Raven.
Ki: Wood.

Henri and Mari'n have retired from their old callings. Maybe they even knew a certain quartet of people who helped a certain bibliophile in the manga version of the story...

'Nuno Yari.' Literally, 'Cloth Spear.' ('Fuso Jutsu.' DR translation of the actual technique.) I tried to confirm the DR version in my E-J/J-E Dictionary, to no avail, so I used what I could confirm as a literal translation of Ku's weapon in c094 and c095 of the manga.

Mat'tari's name might be considered putting myself in this fic. Anyone care to guess why? Give me a PM.

'A simple, all-white men's kimono.' Like a person might wear to commit Seppuku in, or to their own execution.

Chapter 21: Interlude in Megalo-Mesembria.