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.
Kazumi Asakura's song was written by Randy Farran, and is NOT owned in any manner by me.
SPOILER ALERT! AU story occurring after c189.
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"Too bad the fight wasn't in the arena. We could have made a killing."
-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 Thirty-five: Casting Aside Fears. (Day five.)
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("Konoka not even a month old, her mother still recovering from the birth, and now I have to deal with demons fighting each other outside the temple...")
Surveying the scene of destruction before him, Eishun Konoe had to shake his head. Smashed trees, torn up ground, and various other 'residue,' all indications of the violent, nearby battle the Kansai Magic Association Temple's Security had quite legitimately interrupted a sound sleep to tell him about.
Having an uncanny resemblance to a character in some anime where people drowned in ponds, the woman who was the Oracle of the Kasai Magic Association, and the oldest Shrine Maiden in the temple, came up and stood next to Eishun. Watching her prepare to work, he thought about the red-haired young girl who had been left at the temple when her parents could no longer deal with the things she claimed to see. Somewhat ominously, she seemed to be a potential successor to the current oracle. As the person now taking care of the frightened young girl entered a meditative trance, Eishun wondered how much longer she would be in the temple's employ...
Several moments passed in silence. Around them, male security guards and various Shrine Maidens moved about, looking for further evidence of what had happened and making the beginning efforts at cleaning up. When the Oracle took a sudden intake of breath, Eishun knew she'd seen something.
Eyes opening suddenly, the Oracle stared out at the destruction with an unfocused, far away expression. "A most terrible fight has occurred here... awful for many reasons, but mostly because brother turned against brother over a tiny child..." Still in her trance, she slowly began to turn, pausing several times. Finally, she began moving towards an area no one had searched yet with Eishun close behind. "Crow Tribesmen fought here. Many were killed. Not desummoned or dispersed, KILLED."
Wanting to ask further questions, but seeing the Oracle was focusing on something, Eishun remained silent. Around him, those of the temple reacted to his movement and closed in to form a protective circle.
Finally stopping near a tangled clump of ripped-up trees, the Oracle raised her wizened hand and pointed. "Under there."
Signaling everyone to keep back, Eishun cautiously approached the tangled mass of Evergreens. His first search near the dirt covered roots of the splintered trees produced no results. Moving on towards the tangled branches, he finally saw a woman dressed in Crow Tribe clothing who seemed to have used her body to shield something from the crushing effect of the falling trees. "OVER HERE!"
Reacting to the shout, the woman stirred. "...help... please... my baby..."
Hearing faint crying now, Eishun stepped back and prepared to draw his Nodachi. "Hurry! Everyone grab hold of this first tree so it doesn't fall!"
Responding to their leaders command, the guards and maidens quickly moved to support the damaged bough.
"HIEN BATTOU KASUMI-KIRI!"
Split nearly effortlessly into several pieces, the tree was quickly dragged aside. Despite wearing the garments of the Crow Tribe, a dark-haired woman who was quite obviously human moaned and tried to roll over as she was freed from being pinned. Hearing the crying again, Eishun knelt down to help. Beneath the woman was a small basket, and laying inside that was a little white-haired girl with red eyes and tiny, down-covered wings.
Obviously in severe pain, the baby's mother opened her eyes and focused on Eishun. "Ma.. Master Konoe of... Ala Rubra...?"
Reaching down, Eishun gently brushed away the bits of greenery and other debris clinging to the face of the woman who's accent gave no hint of her origin. "Yes. I am he."
With Eishun's answer, a look of relief spread across the woman's face, and the intensity of her pain seemed to fade. "Good... my baby... how is she...?"
Careful of the tiny girl's delicate wings, Eishun picked the softly fussing child up for her mother to see. "She's fine."
Reaching up, the woman caressed the girl's face, and the fussing stopped. "Her father brought us through Angkor Wat... he said you would know how to keep the baby and I safe... We'd almost made it when his brother found us..." Suffering a sudden ache, the woman hissed and stiffened up.
Sensing the presence of the temple healer, Eishun glanced up and saw the woman shake her head. A gurgling cough drew his attention back to the dying mother. "Is there anyone you wish for me to contact?"
Shaking her head, the woman reached up to touch her child's face again. "My family has long thought me dead... her father..." Tears began to fall from the woman's eyes. "Who will teach her what she needs to know now...?"
Downy white softness brushed against Eishun's arm as the little girl grasped at her mother's fingers. Knowing the danger the woman meant, he nodded in understanding. "I can contact someone who will be able to teach her to hide the wings."
Another strong coughing fit came, and when it was over, it was obvious the woman knew the end was near. "...Setsuna... please forgive your selfish parents... for... leaving... you..."
Exhaling, the woman's eyes closed, and her hand fell to the ground. In Eishun's arms, the little girl grew silent. He stood up, and with a slight turn of his head, the Chief of temple security was at his side. "Get things dealt with quickly, then contact Musashi Aoyama. This little girl will be safer with the Shinmei-Ryu until I'm satisfied there's no longer any danger here."
A father himself, the guard reached up to tickle the little girl's nose. For his effort, he received a weak smile in response. "Does she have a name?"
Looking back, Eishun watched as the girl's mother was reverently moved out onto clean ground and placed in repose. "Setsuna. Her name is Setsuna."
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"...suna!"
Lost between the fleeting images of her dream and reality, Setsuna Sakurazaki reflexively reached for Yunagi. Ku Fei's strong grip easily stayed the move, keeping her still until a racing heart finally began to slow.
"The Sun's finally coming out."
Looking out past the end of the transit tunnel, Setsuna could make out the faint rays of sunlight beginning to illuminate the valley of Old Ostia. She, Ku, and Professor Bagera had reached the end of their tunnel after only an hour of travel, just to find it so far up on the side of the island jumping down blindly would have been foolish. With her wings sealed away, that had made their only choice waiting until it became light enough to see.
Professor Bagera was doing better, shielded by rock and at least some distance from the energy flowing through the gate port, but he was still weak from heat fatigue. To give everyone a chance to rest or sleep, Setsuna and Ku decided to wait, Setsuna standing watch first, and Ku second, until it became light enough to make it safe to jump.
Having convinced Ku earlier to let her jump first, Setsuna began a series of stretching exercises to limber and warm up. After reaching the ground, she would guide Ku and Bagera from there, should it be necessary for them to climb down normally. "Any sign of Crow Tribesmen or the Demon Mage?"
Ku shook her head. "No sign. Demon Mage though... sometimes... I hear strange sound, I think maybe Kaede still fighting..."
Nodding, Setsuna approached the tunnel opening. Even though there were no obvious signs of any Crow Tribesmen, that didn't mean they weren't nearby. For now though, they needed to get down before they were trapped in the tunnel. Reaching the edge of the opening and looking down, it become quite obvious jumping in the dark would have meant risk of serious injury at a minimum, and quite possibly death. The distance was not too great, but the several projecting shelves and tumbled field of boulders below would have been a rude surprise to anyone jumping in the dark. "I'm going. Don't start down until I signal it's safe."
Giving a thumbs up. Ku took a sheltered position where she would be able to keep a watch for dangers in the distance while Setsuna concentrated on everything below. As her maid uniformed classmate began jumping down along the different projecting areas of rock, Professor Bagera, groaning and stretching, came up to stand beside her. She was about to give him a 'Ni Hao!' when a deep croaking sound came from below. She immediately started to throw herself after Setsuna, but Bagera caught her by the collar in mid-leap, and with a snap of his wrist, had her pinned with his not inconsiderable weight against the tunnel wall.
"BASILISK! If you go down now you'll just be killed as well!"
Trying to squirm out from under Bagera and knowing she could eventually escape didn't change the fact that by then it would be too late. "SETSUUNNAAAA!"
Just as she jumped down from the last ledge, Setsuna heard a croaking sound louder than any ever made by the big toads she and Konoka would chase, back during the time they'd spent together as children. Turning instinctively to face a threat, she was instantly frozen in place by the gaze of the creature from the day before...
The old Setsuna Sakurazaki experienced many things in the moments before her death.
Confusion.
All the strange, big persons dressed in red and white who had been taking care of her.
(Where had her mother and father gone?)
Wonder.
The pretty, chocolate-haired girl at the Kyoto temple.
("Will you be my friend, Se-chan?")
Disappointment.
Having to be saved from the river herself, after failing in her attempt to save Konoka.
("I'm sorry Ojou-sama! I'll have to train harder so I can protect you in the future!")
Triumph.
Snatching Konoka away from the renegade Onmyouji Chigusa Amagasaki.
("Ojou-sama! Ojou-sama! Are you all right?")
("Se-chan... your back... You look like an angel...")
Outrage.
That an enemy should even DARE to try and petrify Konoka!
("You will NOT lay a single finger on Ojou-sama!")
Joy.
With the flash of lightning and crashing thunder all around them, the caress of soft lips came as an unexpected surprise.
("For you, Setsuna, everything that I have!")
Blood pounded in Setsuna's head as the Basilisk drew closer. Her vision narrowed, and even Ku Fei's shouting faded until she could no longer see or hear...
Into that place before death came a woman's voice...
("Is this the extent of your 'will' Setsuna?")
Before Setsuna could think to answer, a deeper voice sounded...
("You broke the illusion spell of a five-hundred year old vampire, yet now you shame yourself before a lesser creature by simply giving up...")
"..."
Was she really just a chick, helpless in it's nest before a hungry snake? Or was there something she could still do?
Sadness.
(Konoka collapsing to her knees, dull eyes streaming tears, after Ku and Negi told her what had happened to her 'Se-chan.')
Konoka's strength had saved them before... yet Setsuna knew her own heritage could also be a source of personal strength... if only she would have the courage to reach deep within her 'self,' where that part of her she feared had been sealed away long ago...
Konoka hearing of her 'Se-chan's' death would ruin for all time that wonderful smile Setsuna had sworn to always protect...
...she would never let something so abhorrent come to pass...
(-)
Basilisk, as Professor Bagera said, were simple creatures.
Eat. Rest. Make more Basilisk.
Living things that no longer moved were food.
If something that might be food was still moving, a Basilisk had but to catch that thing's gaze, and it would move no more.
The food now before a certain Basilisk had begun to behave strangely.
At first, it seemed like any other food, fear and desperation roiled through its aura in waves. Suddenly though, those things faded away, replaced by a steady brightness that began to change the food's outward appearance. Unexpectedly, it even closed it's eyes and began to move again! After taking out an object of the kind future food sometimes used to inflict pain, it opened its eyes once more.
Halting its advance, the Basilisk stared up at the now flowing white hair and black, emotionless eyes of a higher predator. Size had no meaning. It was as if it were a new hatchling, caught within the sights of some hungry creature of the sky. Though there was an unmistakable threat of pain, nothing within those dark eyes spoke of ill intent.
Eventually, recognizing this food, and the food it sensed above, were not worth pain, the Basilisk turned and retreated back towards the fallen island.
Peace.
A new Setsuna watched as the Basilisk settled back into it's lair. Closing her eyes, she slowly took a long, deep breath, then allowed herself to relax while releasing it. Sheathing Yunagi, she opened her now red eyes and looked, unafraid, at the Basilisk where it lay in it's nest, watching her.
Softer now, the woman's voice came to her again.
("Setsuna...")
("Yes...?")
With the return of the deeper voice, a soft breeze began to blow, as if someone where using a fan to cool her heated skin.
("Do you understand now that the strength of your ancestry is not just about blood and violence?")
("Yes.")
A fleeting touch drew Setsuna's gaze towards the rising sun, just beginning to show over the horizon.
("Then we can rest in peace.")
A single blink caused by the brightness, and two barely glimpsed silhouettes were gone.
Scraping noises began to sound in the rocks above, so Setsuna turned back to keep an eye on the Basilisk. Behind it in the rocks was a small clutch of eggs. If it had chosen to press the issue, she would have fought. Fortunately, that had not been necessary. Assured that she was not food, and also not a threat, the Basilisk had gone away. Even as Ku and Professor Bagera jumped down from the last ledge and joined her, it remained in its nest, and did not react.
"Most impressive, Miss Sakurazaki. It is a rare thing indeed, for one to be able to claim they have stared down a Basilisk."
Suddenly feeling as if some unperceived weight had been lifted from her shoulders, Setsuna gave Bagera a demure smile. "It has just as much right to live as we do. I simply convinced it the effort needed to make us a meal wasn't worth the gain."
Crossing her arms, Ku nodded gravely. "Sometimes strength no only in ability to fight." Now she gave the white-haired Setsuna a teasing grin. "Maybe I marry you! Instead Negi!"
Before, she would have blushed tremendously and become flustered at Ku's words. Now Setsuna recognized them for what they were, good natured relief of tension between friends. Raising an eyebrow, she returned Ku's smile. "I'm sorry Ku. The only one in my heart is Konoka." Ku's eyes widened at her words, and now she did blush. "Though perhaps, I might also compete with everyone else for Professor Springfield's attentions!"
Clapping Setsuna on the shoulder, Ku gave her friend a look of admiration. "You very strong now!"
Glancing back at the Basilisk, Bagera saw that it was still watching them. "Perhaps, Ladies, it would be in our best interest to depart, before that other Lady changes her mind?"
Nodding in the affirmative, Setsuna immediately lead off into the field of rubble surrounding the fallen island.
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"Welcome back to day five of the Nagi Springfield Cup Prize Fighting Tournament!
Our first fight today is between the mysterious paired mages of Team Argyre, and the Ash'm - Piro team from Elfenholt!
Team Argyre has a nasty reputation, with many injuries and several deaths occurring during their advance through the preliminaries. They've restrained themselves so far since coming to New Ostia, but every one of their fights have still been short and brutal.
Team Elfenholt doesn't have the negative reputation of Team Argyre, but their ability to quickly and efficiently eliminate their opponents is unmatched by anyone else here this year except for the teams from Tristan, Argyre and Granicus City!
The two teams are now getting ready, and in just a few more moments we'll find out who the first team to advance to the quarter-finals will be!"
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Team Argyre's win over Elfenholt was as just as quick as all their other victories. The Hu-Jin Ministra of the Eru-Jin struck what should have been a knock-out sword blow against Argyre's Elemental mage, but his little opponent seemed unaffected. Before the black armored Ash'm could move away, he was impaled from several directions by stone-spears lancing upwards from the ground. His Magister, the Eru-Jin Piro, was thrown off guard by the sudden elimination of her partner, and before she could react, the sand rose from the arena floor like some living thing, pulled her under with barely enough time for a scream, then smoothed itself flat as if she never existed.
Arena healers had run out to dig the girl out, and to tend to her unmoving partner, before the match-count even reached it's end.
Even as Team Argyre turned to leave the arena, fights broke out among the spectators. Though all was considered fair, to a point, in the arena, citizens of the Megalo-Mesembrian Northern Alliance exploded over this latest brutal treatment of one of their teams by fighters from the Hellas Empire. Even with the best efforts of arena and New Ostian security forces, the fights soon grew, quickly threatening to escalate into a general riot.
With no other choice, those in charge of the arena called in the Ariadne Valkyrie Brigade as their final reinforcements in the attempt to calm things down.
Emily Sevensheep, Beatrice Monroe, Jei Fon Katz, and Sachi Du Sha were assigned to help clear the crowd from several sections of the main arena near the vendor's concourse. With almost three hours before the next fight, the arena administration wanted any lingering hot-heads to worry about avoiding the Valkyries and other security instead of fighting.
Even as she helped herd everyone along towards the exits, Emily remained distracted by the contents of the third Nagi Springfield book...
A trip to the Magic World to search for his missing father...
An ambush by an old enemy from the second book, 'Kyoto Adventures."
One of Nagi's friends had been killed, and the rest scattered to the far corners of the Magic World...
The search for his scattered companions had begun, but the enemy raised false charges against him, and now Nagi and his friends were wanted criminals...
Several of his friends had been coerced into becoming debt-slaves of an unscrupulous merchant, so Nagi had to enter a fighting tournament to try and win the money to free them...
Everything was very exciting, but the book had ended on a cliff-hanger, surprising Emily so much she had carefully examined the last few pages again, as it expecting more of the story to magically appear...
Afterwards, she had begun to think;
Nagi and his friends had been ambushed in a gate port, then scattered by forced teleportation when the facility was sabotaged...
Singly, and in small groups, Nagi's friends had managed to gather together and travel to the city where he was fighting in the tournament...
Such a situation was eerily familiar to Emily. As a two-digit member of the 'real' Nagi Springfield Fan Club, she couldn't help but recognize the similarities to the Ala Rubra's history from the Great War. As a Valkyrie Cadet, she had been just as aghast as everyone else at the news of the destruction of the gate ports scattered across the Magic World, and had been privy to the non-classified sighting reports of the various suspected terrorists, who seemed to be converging on New Ostia...
...where a prize fighting tournament was being held...
...containing a fighter who was rumored to be fighting to free several friends from debt-slavery...
However she managed to arrange it, she needed to go see that little artist girl again. If everything was just coincidence, or borrowed elements from the adventures of the Ala Rubra, then she could at least ask about a fourth book. If not...
...then as inconceivable as it was... the only other answer was that the 'terrorists,' who might have already managed to involve her mother Cycilia, seemed to be asking for her help.
Sighing, Emily refocused her attention on the crowd. Once everyone had been forced to empty the main arena, the fighting had quickly died down, and even now the crowds were beginning to thin out. Not everyone would leave the arena complex itself, with those that did probably not going any further than the plazas surrounding its base, but that would be enough to help sooth all the frayed tempers. Hopefully, the Mesembria - Tristan fight wouldn't cause as much anger, and everyone could go back to just enjoying the festival.
A sudden surge in the crowd caused a thin-faced man with an unkempt, rust red beard to bump into Emily. He gave her a shocked look, then quickly bowed and stammered an apology before moving off.
Watching after the man and wondering about his odd reaction, Emily noticed a familiar broom brush moving through the crowd accompanied by an oddly shaped mage-staff. Eventually, she recognized Yuko Taizo, as she'd expected to, but the person carrying what seemed to be a copy of the Thousand-Master's staff was a bespectacled young Beagle girl with white-tipped ears and tail. ("Co... Collet! No...?") The child's resemblance to a student missing from her class in Ariadne for over two months was uncanny. Noticing the Valkyries directing traffic, she suddenly raised the hood of her cloak, so Emily began paying more attention. As the two young girls passed by and started to move away, she noticed the Beagle girl's cloak had ridden up on her tail, which was now switching nervously back and forth as she walked...
Emily Sevensheep had seen that guilty sweep of a white-tipped tail too many times not to recognize it instantly. ("COLLET FARANDOLE! You shameless girl! Skipping class just so you could come to the Nagi Springfield Cup! I don't know why you're with Yuko Taizo, or where you learned an age-changing glamour, but I intend to find out!")
Beatrice Monroe turned back from giving directions to an elderly female Sei-Jin just as her unit leader Emily Sevensheep suddenly moved off. Though their Nek-Jin companions Jei and Sachi seemed unsure what they should do, Beatrice knew her place was at Lady Sevensheep's side, so she waved for the two girls to stay put. "I'll find out what's going on! You two stay here!" Given nods of acknowledgement, she took off in Emily's wake.
After a bit of trouble getting through the still thinning crowd. Beatrice finally caught up to Emily on the upper veranda of the arena. Quickly fading into the distance were two broom or staff-riders that seemed to be the focus of the Class President's attention. "What's going on, Miss Sevensheep?"
Reaching back, Emily detached her riding staff from its clasp on the Valkyrie Armor's back. "I just saw Collet Farandole! Let's go get her!"
Readying her own staff, Beatrice glanced nervously towards where the Valkyrie Brigade's ship floated in the distance. "What about reporting to Lieutenant Hild?"
With a softly spoken flight mantra, Emily lifted from the veranda and moved out over New Ostia. "I should think the two off us will be enough to corral one wayward Beagle-girl! We'll be back before Lieutenant Hild even notices we're gone!"
Suppressing thoughts about 'Famous last words' before she could give them voice, Beatrice followed in the blonde Cadet leader's wake. Crossing over the edge of New Ostia, they discovered the two riders had already reached the ground and were moving out into the wilds surrounding the Valley of Ostia. "They're unexpectedly fast, Miss Sevensheep."
Grinding her teeth in frustration, Emily directed her staff to follow at it's best speed. "How is it possible a home-made broom and a replica staff are so fast?" Making sure her tracking sprites were watching Yuko and Collet, she lead the way towards the ground, then off in the rider's wake at the Valkyrie Staff's best speed. "We'll just follow for now, then intercept them when they turn back."
With nothing but the Bay of Ostia off in the direction the two girls were moving, Beatrice watched the two dots on her tracking sprite hologram until they intersected Ostia Fjord, then turned towards old Ostia. As Emily changed course slightly, cutting the corner to close the distance, Beatrice waved to get the Class President's attention. "Their path still doesn't make much sense, but perhaps they're practicing for the big broom race tomorrow?"
Glancing briefly over her shoulder, Emily could see the island of New Ostia receding in the distance. Already she and Beatrice were so far away Lieutenant Hild would have noticed their absence, so it was too late to return empty handed. Why Collet might be with Yuko Taizo mattered less now than making sure they brought the wayward Beagle girl back as proof of why they left. Watching the two dots rushing closer to Old Ostia, she tightened her hold on the riding staff with renewed determination. "We'll keep going. When they turn back towards New Ostia, we'll be able to cut them off. Use your Apprehension Sphere if Collet resists. I'll deal with Yuko Taizo."
With a nod of acceptance, Beatrice readied her weapon lance. When Yuko and Collet suddenly stopped moving just inside the Old Ostia Historical Preservation Zone, Emily hesitated for a moment, then lead the way across the fjord so they could continue closing the distance using the cover of the higher cliffs on that side of the water. Eventually, the Class President stopped and dismounted above where two girls should be. On the other side of the fjord a Koi ship sat near the ruins of Ostia's old ground port, but the signal's for Yuko and Collet seemed to be inside the cliff they were standing on!
Tapping the side of her helmet to try and clear away what seemed to be some kind of double signal didn't work, so Emily shook her head and started walking forward to peer over the cliff with her own eyes.
Trying to decipher the reason her armor's tracking sprites were showing some kind of reflected signal for the Koi ship, Beatrice's head snapped up at the sound of a yelp to find the Class President gone. "E... EMILY!" Thinking her friend had somehow fallen down the cliff, she was rushing forward to make sure the Valkyrie armor's fall safeties had functioned properly when she took a step onto what should have been solid ground and fell away into nothingness...
(-)
"Hey Yue... Are you sure it's okay for me to be out here with you?"
Moaning inside at having to revisit the subject again, Yue guided her broom down into Ostia Fjord, then turned towards Old Ostia. Collet Farandole hadn't been the best choice to go with her to see Captain Adenaur, but circumstance made her the only choice. With Negi and Kotaro missing since the previous night, and with Setsuna in Old Ostia, Collet had been the only available choice so Yue wouldn't have to travel alone. "Paru's busy, and no one else but you can fly so far, so Yes. It's okay."
Continuing to follow in Yue's wake, Collet tried desperately to pull together the courage she needed to ask a question of the pony-tailed girl. Yue seemed quite friendly, and was the only one would didn't stare, so maybe it was safe to talk to her... "Yue... do your friends hate me?"
Caught completely off guard but Collet's earnest, innocent question, Yue lost her concentration and nearly tumbled into Ostia Fjord. Reacting to it's Master's distress, the broom compensated to help her recover, and she was soon flying on an even keel beside the now even MORE worried looking Beagle girl. "Wha... what ever brought that on?"
Ears and tail drooping like a puppy who'd just been scolded, Collet focused on the tip of the staff she rode without looking over at Yue. "Well, everyone treats me nice and all, but when they think I'm not paying attention, they give me looks that make me think I've done something bad." Furtively, she cast a glance up at Yue. "It started with Anya and Chamo, but since we've joined up with everyone else, several others have started doing it to." Now the beagle girl's expression became openly worried and sad. "Please tell me! Have I done something to make everyone upset with me?"
Turning from Collet, Yue remained silent for a few minutes as they continued flying up the fjord. ("Negi hasn't said anything, so he must have thought he could get the staff back anytime... I suppose telling her the basics should be okay.")
"Collet. That staff you bought in Hecates actually belongs to someone all of us know." Cautiously happy, Collet's ears began to perk up. "I don't think anyone's upset or mad, they're just watching to make sure you take good care of it until he can come and get it."
Shoulders finally relaxing, Collet gave a sigh, then showed Yue a smile of relief. "Thank goodness! I don't have very many friends in Ariadne, because of my uncle's reputation, so I was starting to worry about loosing all of the new friends I'd made here..."
Yue watched out of the corner of her eye as Collet rubbed at the tears of relief running down her cheeks. Looking up and seeing the two of them were nearing their destination, she raised a hand to signal her companion to slow down and stop. Slowly edging forward, she stopped again when she could just see the tip of the Crescent Hawk's tail. "Collet. You might think this a little odd, but we're going to fly through that cliff across from the ruins. If you won't do it with me, then come across when you see what happens, okay?"
Decidedly unfriendly looking rocks faced the cliff Yue said they were going to enter. Gulping, Collet nodded and tightened the grip she held on her staff.
Taking a deep breath herself, Yue focused on the exact point she wanted to enter the cliff. "GO!"
Urging her staff forward, Collet followed Yue. Just as a terrible impact should have occurred, she closed her eyes. There was an almost physical 'pop,' like the penetration of a bubble, and when she opened her eyes again, she saw something so unexpected she could only stare at it, open mouthed. "Wha... why is this here?"
Taking hold of Collet's sleeve cuff, Yue lead her over the Estimated Prophet's deck railing and onto the ship's fantail. "It's a long story. Let's just say they're some friends we made along the way, and leave it at that for now."
Dismounting, Collet's tail curled tightly against her leg as she looked around with an expression reminding Yue of Anya Cocorowa, just before Negi's childhood friend's first encounter with Evangeline McDowell. "Yo... you're friends with Captain Adenaur? She's said to be the toughest Dean after Headmistress Seras! She's so feared by the students at the Catalyst school they call her..."
"The Catalyst Witch of Ariadne?"
"That's right! How... did..." Suddenly realizing someone else had spoken, Collet turned as white as a sheet. As if expecting to see the great, slavering jaws of some ravenous beast, she slowly turned around to face the person Yue was now bowing politely towards.
Standing there with arms crossed and Jay Lane Cabot at her side, Katrina Adenaur gave the suddenly cowering Collet her best disarming smile. "You blow my reputation all out of proportion, Miss Farandole. Students at the catalyst school call me Dean Adenaur, or Miss Adenaur. It is only misinformed students of other schools, or miscreants of various stripes who use that name." Seeing that Collet was still shaking like a whipped dog, Katrina gave a resigned sigh. "Please Miss Farandole, I am aware of your circumstances, and have no intention of holding your previous actions against you. However this situation is eventually resolved, I'm sure your uncle will be happy to know you're all right."
Rising from her act of courtesy, Yue watched with amusement as Collet finally relaxed enough to belatedly make her own gesture of deference. "My apologies for coming out on such short notice Captain, but there are a few things I wished to discuss with you in utmost privacy."
After giving a slight nod, Katrina began to grace Yue with a thoughtful look. "It may have been for the best. I have a small package I need delivered to Jack Rakan, and was wondering how to do so. Your visit solves that problem quite nicely, I should think."
Curious, but realizing the reasons might be 'Need to know,' Yue gave another bow. "I would be happy to assist you, Captain Adenaur."
Behind Cabot, a crewman approached and handed him a message. He quickly scanned it, then handed the paper to Captain Adenaur. Reading it, she looked at Yue and frowned, whispered several orders to Cabot, then faced Yue and Collet as Estimated Prophet's navigator moved off to carry out her orders. "It seems you were followed. Considering who it is, I can't fault your not noticing, but I am curious about what you did to draw the attention of the Valkyrie Brigade."
Collet cringed again, causing Katrina to raise an eyebrow. "As it is, please escort Miss Farandole to my cabin, Miss Ayase. I'll join you there as soon as the issue is resolved."
"Yes Ma'am." Turning, Yue indicated for Collet to follow, then lead the way into the Prophet's superstructure just as crewmembers began rushing out to start manning the various close-in Sagita projectors.
(-)
Stepping forward into unexpected nothingness, Emily fell through the boundaries of an illusion spell and tumbled down the real face of the cliff until her Valkyrie armor's safeties kicked in. Left hanging from the riding staff by a hand, sho took a breath to steady herself, then looked down. A few seconds later, Beatrice joined her, but she was too busy staring at what lay below them to notice. "Why are they here?"
Recovering and hanging from her own staff like freshly caught game, Beatrice twisted around to look and instantly understood the double energy signature. "I thought they were supposed to go back to Ariadne after leaving Granicus City..."
Straining slightly, Emily managed to remount just as a beep indicating an incoming communication sounded in her helmet.
"Valkyrie Brigade members. Land immediately on ship's fantail."
After resettling on her own staff, Beatrice glanced down and noticed several of the ships weapons were now pointed in their direction. "Miss Sevensheep... I don't think it was a request..."
Suddenly worried about what she's stumbled in to, Emily guided herself down to a landing as instructed. She wanted to deploy her armor's weapon lance, but it seemed as if it were much too late for such a thing now. After a few moments waiting under the cover of several catalystic Sagita projectors, she felt a sense of relief as Dean Adenaur appeared at the head of a group of armed crewmen.
"My Lady Valkyries. Please uncover, if you don't mind."
Compliance to her order brought a look of surprise to Katrina's face. "Miss Sevensheep and Miss Monroe! It thought you were still just students... AH, I recall there was to be a skills contest to choose student representative for the Valkyrie Brigade's trip to New Ostia. It would seem congratulation are in order for your success."
Moving forward a half-step, Emily placed her helmet in the crook of an arm and bowed at the waist. "Thank you Ma'am. Myself, Miss Monroe and two others were chosen as student representatives. I am their leader." Now she straightened up. "Ma'am, If I may, Why are you here?"
Drawing herself up, Katrina shook her head. I can't say right now. As it is, I'm afraid you've stumbled into a few days vacation from your duties." Emily started to object and Beatrice made a move to deploy her lance, but a harsh look from Katrina froze their actions. "You will not be harmed in any way. You'll be assigned quarters, and allowed free rein in the common areas of the ship, but I'm afraid you'll have to surrender your armor and just enjoy my hospitality for now." Seeing the look of worry on Emily's face, Katrina softened her own expression. "No need to worry, Miss Sevensheep. Should any problems arise concerning your absence, I will personally make sure your innocence in the matter is understood."
Looking at Dean Adenaur's 'I expect your obedience' smile, and at the squad of armed crewmen and other weapons backing her up, Emily realized there was no choice but to comply. Suddenly remembering why this situation had come to pass, she clenched her fist and began to seethe. "Collet Farandole! That truant girl! This is all her fault!"
Raising an eyebrow, Katrina gave Emily a look of surprise. "Miss Farandole? If you'd like, I'll arrange for you to meet her after the removal of your armor."
Trying to maintain her composure, Emily smiled in anticipation, then followed Dean Adenaur as she turned to leave.
Shaking her head, Beatrice replaced her lance in it's holding bracket, then followed in her friend's wake.
(-)
"AND WE"RE FINALLY BACK"
"After Team Argyre's brutal victory over Team Elfenholt in the first match today, the central Arena has finally been cleaned up. Now we have the match between the Masalla - Bin-Hoor Team from Megalo-Mesembria and the Tos'ka - Ar'cer team from Tristan! Both teams have an enviable record of victories, so you can't pick a winner by that alone! Will the strength and stamina of Team-Mesembria's ex-Praetorians prove victorious? Or will the grace and speed of the partnered pair from Tristan win the day? In just a few more minutes, you'll get to find out!"
(-)
Even if she didn't watch every match personally, Kasumi Asakura made sure Sayo Aisaka or one of the Oculus Corvinus other golems was there to record the action.
Team Argyre was just as mean as their reputation advertised, but she was beginning to suspect they had some angle she'd seen before, but couldn't quite remember.
One other thing was also causing the Ala Alba an extreme amount of annoyance.
Professor Springfield and Kotaro Murakami were both missing. All the artifacts still functioned, so Negi, and by extension hopefully Kotaro, should still be alive, but that didn't change the fact both of them had been out of contact with anyone for over twelve hours. That left just less than six before they were supposed to face Team Cruitamunes in the last match of the day five Semi-finals. With Setsuna and her team still out of contact as well, Chisame Hasegawa had taken charge, telling everyone to continue as planned, and to just trust in Professor Springfield to show up on time.
Now sitting in Paru's vendor booth so the artist girl wouldn't be alone, Kazumi picked up her sitar to try and relax before the Mesembria - Tristan match. Mumbling about the need to use a child's body to hide in plain sight, she finally managed to settle the big instrument in her lap, and began to play and sing;
"A dragon has come to our village today.
We've asked him to leave, but he won't go away.
Now he's talked to our king and they worked out a deal.
No homes will he burn and no crops will he steal.
Now there is but one catch, we dislike it a bunch.
Twice a year he invites him a virgin to lunch.
Well, we've no other choice, so the deal we'll respect.
But we can't help but wonder and pause to reflect.
Do virgins taste better than those who are not?
Are they salty, or sweeter, more juicy or what?
Do you savor them slowly? Gulp them down on the spot?
Do virgins taste better than those who are not?
Now we'd like to be shed you, and many have tried.
But no one can get through your thick scaly hide.
We hope that some day, some brave knight will come by.
'Cause we can't wait around 'til you're too fat to fly.
Now you have such good taste in your women for sure,
They always are pretty, they always are pure.
But your notion of dining, it makes us all flinch,
For your favorite entree is barbecued wench.
Now we've found a solution, it works out so neat,
If you insist on nothing but virgins to eat.
No more will our number ever grow small,
We'll simply make sure there's no virgins at all!"
Grinning like she was about to tease someone over their 'love-love' interest in Professor Springfield, Paru finished autographing a set of her books, then faced Kazumi. "Where did you learn such a racy song?"
Kazumi gave an amused grin of her own in return. "You might not believe this, but Bookstore taught it to me! She said it was something she heard from a Bard down in Dracogenia. She was whistling it one day, and I asked her what it was. It took a bit of persuading, but she found me a copy of the music, and I've been practicing it ever since."
A clink of coins announced someone who'd obviously appreciated Kazumi's song. Paru watched as the oddly familiar, reptilian looking man walked away, then turned to more interesting matters as an increase in cheers coming from the arena signaled the beginning of the next prize fighter match. Kazumi set the sitar aside, took out one of her golems to use it's projection function, and the two of them settled in to watch the fight.
(-)
Use of Shikigami dolls as a distraction had taken Setsuna, Ku and Bagera back across the valley without any serious confrontation. Unfortunately, the dolls had been used up, and there was now over a mile of effectively open ground between their current place of concealment, and the next place they would be able to hide on the valley rim.
Approaching nightfall brought the promise of easier movement, but Setsuna knew that to be a double edged sword. They would be able to cross the open ground with less concern about being seen, but when they were seen, the Crow Tribesmen would themselves be concealed in the night sky, and next to impossible to see until they attacked. Sliding down off the boulder she'd been using to observe the open ground ahead of them, Setsuna shook her head, then looked up at Ku and Professor Bagera. "Go? Or stay? Either way could be trouble..."
Moving slightly to look out across the open ground, Ku looked as if she were trying to remember something.
Bagera decided to wait for the softly mumbling girl to gather her thoughts before speaking himself, while Setsuna hoped the Ala Alba's martial arts master was contemplating a real idea, and not just something worthy of 'Baka-Yellow.'
Shrugging, Ku straightened up and began stoking her 'Elder Master Ku' beard while facing Setsuna. "Well, Sun Tzu maybe no approve, but four-thousand year-old Chinese martial art teaching say; 'When fight inevitable, why run to it? You only fight tired.'"
Setsuna wanted to shout at Ku for bringing up a silly proverb, but Bagera had begun laughing so hard he had to cover his mouth to keep the noise down. Ku seemed oblivious, but as she watched Bagera try to get control of himself, Setsuna realized the Chinese girl had actually made a good point. ("Well. Master Aoyama always said there can be a certain kind of protection in the display of 'arrogant disdain' for an enemy.") Now she began to smile. "You know? I like that. Let's just walk across. If they want a fight, let them come! Asuna and I fought one-hundred and fifty ogres in Kyoto, so if Professor Bagera is willing to fight..." A curt nod from Bagera provided her answer. "...then I'd say they should run from us!"
Reaching out, Ku put her hand on Setsuna's pack. "What about Kazumi's golem? Should we call for help?"
Even as she reached up to remove the pack, Setsuna shook her head. "We can't risk that just for us. It might be too important later. However..." Now Setsuna held out her hand to Professor Bagera. "...we can put your PDD chip in the golem's storage pocket. That way Kazumi can make sure it gets where it needs to if something happens to us."
Taking out a small planner and a stylus, Bagera began writing rapidly. "Give me a moment to write down some instructions and our observation about the temple."
Handing the golem to Ku, Setsuna activated the connection to it's owner. By the time Bagera was ready, Kazumi had confirmed her instructions, as well as passing along some welcome news. "Negi's getting ready to fight. He and Kotaro went missing for a bit, but it seems they just went out for some unplanned training." Accepting the data chip, she placed it and Bagera's notes inside the golem. Ku gave it a light toss, and it began to hover. As soon as they were far enough away, Kazumi would guide it back to New Ostia. After sparing a moment to silently whisper a few words for Konoka's continued safety, Setsuna turned and lead they way out onto the open ground.
Nodding to each other, Ku and Bagera followed, with the Chinese girl readying the Tonfa she'd been given as a gift, and the Tiger-man slipping a ring onto his right index finger.
With Setsuna forming the point of a small triangle as they moved, the three of them had not gone more than a few hundred yards before the first Crow Tribesman appeared out of the setting sun. The number of circling enemies steadily increased, but all of them remained in the sky, apparently unsure how to handle the seemingly unafraid trio below.
Finally, just as they reached the slow rise leading to the rim of the valley, a single Crow Tribesman armed with a sword swooped down to land literally at Setsuna's feet.
Staring up at the beak-faced man, Setsuna recognized from the subtle coloration of his plumage that he was a Crow Tribesman she'd encountered before in Kyoto during Konoka's kidnapping. He seemed unconcerned about her white hair and red eyes, so she met his gaze in a deliberately confrontational manner. "Stand aside."
Seeming to be measuring Setsuna, the Crow Tribesman didn't flinch. Finally, with a tiny dip of his beak, he complied with her demand to move and stepped aside. "You've come a long way, 'White Wings,' from the helpless chick who was once caught outside her nest in Kyoto."
Memories older than the recent fight in Kyoto rushed back to the fore, and Setsuna turned to face the Crow tribesman once more.
It had been a rare moment of vulnerability. After climbing a compound wall to retrieve a carelessly thrown practice sword, she had been surrounded by Crow tribesman and beaten bloody. That had been when she'd learned the truth about her ancestry, and what it really meant to have white wings.
Being told she was an abomination had been a shock. That her 'White Wings' might lead to bad luck for Konoka had precipitated an attempt to pull out all her feathers which had been stopped before it really began by Konoka's mother. Continued worry over such she considered directly responsible for the inattention leading to the Konoe heiress falling into a river, and to her own weakness in attempting to save her.
Hearing something she'd never expected from someone who had beaten her as a child, respect, was one of the biggest shocks Setsuna could ever recall receiving. Giving an answer of thanks through her slightly relaxed expression, she returned to leading Ku and Bagera out of the valley.
Half-way up the slope, the rest of the Crow Tribesmen finally began to land, eventually surrounding Setsuna, Ku, and Bagera and forcing them to halt.
Spotting her uncle, Setsuna began to draw Yunagi, but was stopped by Bagera's hand coming down on her shoulder.
("Miss Sakurazaki...")
Slightly surprised at Professor Bagera's touch-based telepathia, Setsuna made a slight nod to say she 'heard' him, while keeping herself ready for an attack.
("I think you should try to avoid eliminating any more of them.")
("WHAT?")
("Please, hear me out. You are hated because of your White Wings. They consider you an omen of bad luck. For one of the Demon Tribes, dispersal of their corporeal form is considered the worst kind of luck. If you can win, on your own, before so many witnesses, it should do two things; give lie to your label as a 'bad omen,' and show...")
("...that my strength is so great it would be foolish to pursue me any further!")
Bagera nodded, and Setsuna began to smile.
("This is more about me than anything else.")
("Miss Fei and I will of course keep you safe from any, 'dishonorable,' interference.")
Straightening up, Setsuna stepped out from under Bagera's hand and moved forward until she had the attention of every Crow Tribesman. Red eyes full of defiance, she met the gaze of each whose eyes showed hate, those showing fear, those just there 'because,' one whose unafraid look meant he was not an enemy, and last of all, the one who hated and feared her with an intensity she didn't understand.
Drawing out Yunagi, Setsuna gave a snort of disdain, showed her back as she tossed the scabbard to Ku, then picked out a random tribesman and pointed her blade at him. "Okay then! Will you be first? If not, then who among you wishes to find out just how much an omen of 'Bad Luck' I really am?"
With a flick of his beak, Setsuna's uncle ordered a sword wielding warrior out to face Setsuna. His plumage so uniformly dark it bordered on indigo, the Crow Tribesman looked down at Setsuna for a moment, then brought his weapon into play so quickly it actually sliced open her maid uniform's sleeve as she dodged aside. There was the sound of a thin blade ripping through the air, then the loud crack of a bone breaking before the tribesman fell to the ground, moaning and trying to steady an obviously displaced shin.
Ku wondered why the leg hadn't been severed as Setsuna shouted 'NEXT!' then nodded with approval when she saw her friend holding Yunagi in a reversed, flat-edge forward grip. "She no eliminate them?"
His own expression showing how impressed he was with Setsuna's skill, Bagera watched as three more Crow Tribesman stepped forward. "While it is possible to 'kill' members of the Demon and Ogre Tribes, 'defeat' normally means a temporary termination of their existence until they can reform. The stronger and more powerful they are, the faster they can reform. In a way, Miss Sakurazaki is showing them a mercy I doubt they'd give her. Broken bones heal faster than a dispersed spirit. Points for her."
Even using a coordinated attack, Setsuna's next opponents fared no better than the first. The three to one scuffle ended with two tribesmen nursing broken bones, the third on the ground, apparently unconscious, and Setsuna bleeding from a shallow cut across her shoulder, where the back of the maid uniform had been slashed open.
"NEXT!"
Seeing several Crow Tribesmen began to whisper amongst themselves when they noticed the faintly glowing glyphs on Setsuna's back, Ku began to hope for a resolution that didn't involve her friend having to fight every single Crow Tribesmen present. "You think they give up?"
Switching his gaze between the tribesman Setsuna had spoken to earlier, and the one who seemed to be the leader, Bagera shrugged. "It depends on who's really in charge here, and what's motivating them."
Six more Crow Tribesmen came forward to challenge Setsuna now, but she didn't give them any time to get ready. Feinting towards two who were close together, she changed direction at the last moment. One, with a war-club, snapped the sword of the other in half as they both tried to attack at once. In the moment of hesitation as they stepped back, Setsuna was on a third, striking from behind and snapping the humerus of his left wing. Jumping towards the unoccupied three, a ripping sound and a snap announced another broken bone, followed by a shriek as a sudden threat from behind forced Setsuna to stab with her Nodachi. The Crow Tribesman, showing tremendous presence of mind, forced himself to fall back. With his leg muscles clamped down hard on Yunagi, Setsuna had to relinquish control of the blade or be pulled off balance.
Sensing she was finally vulnerable, Setsuna's uncle waved an arm, and twelve more warriors moved in.
Tensing to intervene, Ku felt Professor Bagera's hand come down on her shoulder. Without even looking, she could tell he was shaking his head.
Reaching inside her uniform, Setsuna pulled out her artifact card. "ADEAT!" All the Crow Tribesmen hesitated for a moment at her call, and that was all the time she needed to act. "Sica Shishikushiro! Ju-roku Ha! Fujin Ranbu!" Sixteen blades formed in an arc over Setsuna's head, then faster than any eye could follow, those without a tassel flashed out to embed themselves in the hands, feet, or wings of every tribesman still facing her.
With over a score of wounded lying scattered all around her, Setsuna calmly walked over to pull her Nodachi from the leg of the frightened Crow Tribesman who 'held' it. With a snap of her wrist, all the blood along Yunagi's length flew off to splatter in an arc across the ground. After casually examining the blade for any damage, she looked up once more at those gathered to challenge her. "Okay then, who's next!"
Seeing in the hesitation of anyone to answer Setsuna's call, Bagera gave Ku's shoulder a squeeze.
("Miss Fei, keep watching our backs.")
Responding to Professor Bagera's telepathia, Ku set Yunagi's scabbard aside so she would be ready to respond instantly to anything unexpected.
After a quick glance at the Crow Tribesman who seemed at least neutral towards Setsuna, Bagera stepped forward and focused his attention on the Crow Tribesmen's leader. "Are you quite finished yet?"
Unsure about just how much control he still had over the others, or what the Tiger-man's purpose might be, Setsuna's uncle could only watch silently as one of his niece's supporters drew closer.
Stopping near Setsuna, Bagera glanced down at her various wounds and felt a bit of worry. "Can you still fight, Miss Sakurazaki?"
Keeping her breathing steady as she'd been trained to do, Setsuna allowed herself a small smile and a nod, but remained at the ready.
After taking the time to meet the eyes of several Crow Tribesmen, Bagera finally settled his gaze on their leader. "There was a time in my life when I had nothing to do but read." Ignoring the glare he was receiving, Bagera assumed his lecturing stance. "In many of the stories I read, where someone is condemned by a curse, or prophecy, or just because someone hates them, it has generally had more to do with a threat to someone else's power, than it has any so-called 'power' the condemned person themselves might have."
Anger showing in the Crow Tribesmen leader's face prompted Bagera to show his fangs. Responding as any 'bird' might when confronted by a 'cat,' several of the Crow Tribesmen flinched. "Exactly what purpose is fulfilled by continuing to hunt Miss Sakurazaki? Whatever it is, I hope it's worth all these wounded."
Looking as if Bagera had conveniently made a point for him, Setsuna's uncle pointed at the wounded warriors as they pulled themselves, or were helped away from the one who had caused their injuries. "All this is just proof of the misfortune she and her White Wings have brought to the Crow Tribe! If she isn't eliminated, who knows what further disasters might occur!"
Shaking his head mournfully, Bagera regarded the Crow Tribesman with a look of pity. "An oddly desperate man makes my next point for me. Another thing I realized while I was reading was that if the condemned person had just been left alone, the fate which befell their detractors would most likely never have occurred!"
Ku Fei shifting on her feet drew Bagera's attention towards the Chinese girl. Holding his sword in a casual grip, the Crow Tribesman who had first confronted Setsuna calmly came forward until he was standing next to her, opposite Bagera.
"Sixteen years ago, you were the one who wanted that Hu-Jin woman who stumbled into our lands killed outright, saying it wasn't our way to take in outsiders. You were quite upset when your brother overruled you, and were even more so when he ultimately decided to take her as his mate."
Seething, Setsuna's uncle shifted his attention from her to the dissenter in his ranks. "I tried to tell him doing so would lead to no good..."
In what seemed a deliberate act, the Crow Tribesman next to Setsuna took a few steps forward, placing himself in a protective position between her and her uncle. "It seems to me, that most of our tribe's 'Bad Luck' of late, has come from your obsession with getting rid of your niece."
Shifting his main focus from his niece towards someone who had apparently turned against him, Setsuna's uncle moved into a stance best suited for an instant attack. "Are you challenging my leadership?"
Sparing her a quick glance, Setsuna's new defender quickly returned his attention to the girl's uncle. "Ten years ago I believed a tiny girl, even one with White Wings, could actually be a threat to the Crow Tribe. I allowed myself to think it was right to raise my fist against someone so helpless. Before that, there were others who believed your stories the girl's father had taken his mate and their child and run away to betray the Crow Tribe..."
Even as curiosity tried to intrude and cause distraction, Setsuna sensed the growing tension and tightened her grip on Yunagi.
"...what was it that lead you to pursue your brother? When he ran away to the Normal World, your position as leader of the Crow Tribe was assured. What were you so afraid he might reveal you went to the Normal World just to silence him? Could it perhaps have something to do with who we've been working with lately?"
Faster than Ku could follow, the sounds of two swords slashing through the air, the ring of steel on steel, and multiple flying sparks ended with Setsuna holding off an attack by her uncle against the Crow Tribesman who had been defending her.
Unflinching, the attention of Setsuna's defender remained focused on her uncle. "Now we see the supposed 'Bad Omen,' defending a Crow Tribesman who once did her potentially mortal harm against another who seems to find it easy to raise his hand against his own kind." Murmuring from the other Crow Tribesman meant they were beginning to take his words seriously. "Perhaps... perhaps this is because he has done so before?"
All around the circle of wounded and hale Crow Tribesmen, the murmuring continued to spread.
"Miss Sakurazaki."
Eye's focused on her uncle, Setsuna dared not spare her defender even a single glance. "Yes?"
"Tradition of the Crow Tribe holds that those of the White Wings be outcast as omens of bad luck. Though this may be so, there is also the tradition amongst your father's people that such a person might petition to live their life as they see fit. Whatever his real motivations might be, the one before you now seeks to deny you that right by taking your life." Turning, Setsuna's defender began to walk away. "The solution is simple... Win or die."
Accompanied by the scraping of steel, Setsuna spun her blade in a tight circle, pushing her uncle back, and providing the chance for her to jump away. As she once more entered a fighting stance, left foot forward, Yunagi pointing down and to the right, her uncle cast about, looking for support from his followers. Seeing none, he had no choice but to accept the challenge he'd been forced into.
As Setsuna and her uncle faced off against one-another, Bagera made a motion to catch Ku's attention. "No matter what happens now, you can't interfere. That's the whole point of what I, and apparently that other fellow, were trying to set up. To be freed from her stigma as a White Wings, Miss Sakurazaki has to defeat the one who seems to have been responsible for inciting so much hatred against her in the first place."
Considering that her friend might be killed, Ku wasn't very happy about the situation. She had full confidence in Setsuna's abilities, but if her opponent could murder his own brother, there was no telling what other dishonorable acts he might be capable of...
In Kyoto and outside Nyandom, threats against Konoka had demanded she eliminate every enemy as rapidly as possible. A set-piece fight as she was in now had demanded every bit of restraint and skill Setsuna could muster. Defeating these Crow Tribesmen would have been easy using her Shinmei-Ryu abilities, but that would have only done as Professor Bagera had said, prove she was an omen of bad luck.
Even faced with the man who by all evidence was responsible for making her an orphan, Setsuna couldn't let herself go. Revenge was a luxury who's price was much too high. A win now, without causing 'bad luck' to her opponent by dispersing his corporeal form, offered the chance to free herself from the label of 'White Wings,' forever. Her father's people still might not welcome her with open arms, but at least they would no longer have any reason to try and hunt her down.
There would be no such restraint in her uncle's actions
Seeing Setsuna did not intend to attack first, her uncle swung his Zanbato-like blade up and rested it's flat edge across his shoulders. "Hey 'White-Wings!' What is it about the hanyo whelp of a featherless weakling Hu-Jin that's kept you from killing yourself by now? Even though that bothersome Konoe kept us from finishing you off in Kyoto, I thought for sure that beating we gave you would have been enough to make filth like you realize how worthless it is!"
While her uncle's stance might seem casual as he tried to provoke a reaction, Setsuna could tell from the subtle signs in his posture that he was ready to attack the instant any vulnerability appeared in her defense. "There was once a time when I felt that way..." An image of Konoka smiling came to her, and she permitted herself to match that smile. "...but not any more."
Shifting slightly to one side, Setsuna's uncle began to leer at her. "What about that pretty Konoe girl you keep as a pet? What kind of misfortune has knowing you brought her?"
That caused a tick in one of Setsuna's eyes, but the memory of Konoka's grateful look after being saved from the clutches of Chigusa Amagasaki quickly steadied her once more. With the exception of the time the Konoe Heiress fell in the river, rational thought told Setsuna every other instance of what might be called 'bad luck' was the result of outside influence, not something indefinable resulting from her knowing Setsuna. "Lady Konoe is my friend. She chooses to be with me, and she isn't a pet!"
Now Setsuna's uncle began to sidestep, trying to place the setting sun at his back, but Setsuna swiftly matched his movements. "Oh? With your tramp blood, I wouldn't have thought a high-quality person like I presumed the Konoe girl to be would associate with the gutter-born likes of you..."
Dim as she might be at times, even Ku could see Setsuna's uncle had discerned Setsuna's weakness, and she knew what was about to happen. Even still, it took conscious thought on her part to simply remain quiet and trust Setsuna would still emerge victorious.
"...I guess that means she just the same kind of filthy street-scum you are."
Momentary weakness, a single flash of anger in her eyes at the idea someone might speak so badly of Konoka, and Setsuna's uncle was upon her. Instinct and memory of a similar attack moved her out from under the crushing weight of the heavy blade as is sliced deeply into the ground. Such a bad start left her off balance. Before she could recover, her uncle delivered a follow-up blow with a fist that left her staggering and gasping for breath. A second blow came towards her face, and even though she managed to jump back, it left a bloodied nose in its wake and sent her crashing to the ground.
Before Setsuna could recover, Her uncle knocked away Yunagi, grabbed an arm, and had her turned and face down in the dirt. "YOU'RE NOTHING! A hanyo like you is worth less than garbage! If your filthy mother hadn't come along, my brother never would have turned from the path we'd pledged to travel after the last war! "I'm going to give you what you deserve before I kill you, then I'm going to go do the same thing to that Konoe girl!"
Even with an arm on the verge of breaking as it was twisted up between her shoulder blades, Setsuna refused to cry out. Instead, she forced herself to turn around until her uncle's face was clearly visible. "You-will-NOT-harm-KONOKA!"
A pained shriek pierced the deepening darkness. Throwing himself off Setsuna, her uncle took a few unsteady steps back, then fell to the ground, moaning and grabbing at something sticking out of the back of his thigh.
Bagera wondered what had happened until Ku suddenly gave several claps and pointed at the writhing Crow Tribesman. "Look! Is original Artifact blade!"
Emerging from the closed fist of his hand as Setsuna's uncle slowly extracted it, was the tassel of the original Sica Shishikushiro blade.
Coughing, blood covering her face, Setsuna stood and went to retrieve Yunagi. Just as her uncle pulled the Artifact blade from his leg and rolled over, she arrived and stood over him, prepared for a killing blow. "Yield!"
Clutching at his wounded leg with one hand, Setsuna's uncle waved at her with the other. "You win! You win!"
Remaining ready, Setsuna watched her uncle for a few moments, then relaxed and turned to walk away.
As soon as she did so, Setsuna's uncle jumped up, snatched his blade from where it lay partially embedded in the ground, and was at her back.
Just as Ku began to shout a warning, Setsuna rolled under her uncle's body-severing strike. Swinging Yunagi up while doing so, she brought the blade to a stop just before it would have started to sever his head. Eyes as black as they'd been staring down the Basilisk, she unblinkingly held his gaze until he dropped, trembling all over, to the ground. "Aren't you lucky? I'm not in a killing mood, 'today...'"
Leaving her uncle quivering there on his knees, Setsuna turned once more and began walking towards Ku and Bagera. Closing her eyes, she held up an empty hand. "Abeat." Sixteen tiny motes flashed in the darkness, and the hand was instantly filled by her Artifact card.
Pulling a water vessel from her pack, Ku went up to Setsuna with a towel and began cleaning the clotted blood from the battered girl's face. Bruises around her eyes and other indications probably meant her nose was broken. Even with that, she smiled and didn't flinch as Ku worked. "You VERY strong..." After glancing towards were several Crow Tribesmen were now harassing their 'leader,' she continued cleaning Setsuna's face. "What happen now?"
Trying to remain still as the adrenaline began to wear off and her body began to ache all over, Setsuna could only shrug in answer to Ku's question.
Seeing Setsuna's defender from earlier coming over, Bagera drew the girl's attention towards him with a pointed finger. "Perhaps we are about to find out."
Keeping her expression as neutral as possible, Setsuna turned to find out if she would have to continue fighting.
Battered, bloodied and defiant, despite her emotionless look, Setsuna's defender regarded the daughter of two worlds standing before him with just a hint of satisfaction. "You still will not be welcome amongst the Crow Tribe, but by your actions today, you have earned the right to be left alone, without fear of pursuit." As Setsuna and her friends gave a collective sigh of relief, he raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Of course, if it is your wish to petition for complete acceptance by the tribe, you can do that as well, but it will involve more fighting..."
Head shaking so much her nose started bleeding again, Setsuna gave a quick answer to that proposal.
As Ku reacted and tried to staunch the renewed flow of blood, Setsuna's defender turned to face Bagera. "A leader who is both a coward, is under a deferred death, and appears untrustworthy for various other reasons cannot be tolerated. This must be dealt with at once, so I doubt you'll see us again anytime soon."
Bagera watched as the Crow Tribesman went about supervising the removal of all the wounded from the field. By the time Ku stopped Setsuna's bleeding again, the three of them were completely alone. "Ladies, let's get going. Old Ostia isn't the place to spend a night out in the open."
After reaching the valley rim, Bagera turned back to watch the ribbons of energy flashing through the sky, all converging on a spot out in the middle of the valley. As a scientist, this visible manifestation of all the energy gathering at the last open gate port was immensely fascinating. As a man, tiny and insignificant before such a display, he was extremely frightened.
Ku's voice, casually wondering how Negi's latest fight had gone, broke the spell, so he turned to follow the two girls back towards the Crescent Hawk. ("If Juntz's calculations were right, it won't be much longer...")
tsuzuku.
(-)
Author's Notes:
Hien Battou Kasumi-kiri: Shinmei-Ryu wood cutting form/attack.
Angkor Wat: Temple complex in Angkor, Cambodia. An obvious choice for one of the Earth's Twelve Sacred Places, (Gandolfini's monologue, v15.) Controlled by the (unofficially named) South-East Asia Magic Association, and the location of a cross-world gate port.
Ni Hao!: (Chinese.) 'Good Morning!'
Basilisk: A big, nasty, ground-dragon. Primarily a scavenger. The kind of thing that would eat a REAL dragon's corpse! Uses a form of primitive mind control to freeze 'food' that isn't quite dead yet.
Sei-Jin: A walrus person.
'Do Virgins Taste Better Than Those Who Are Not?': Written by Randy Farran, and a parody of 'The Irish Washerwoman.' I found the lyrics on the 'Brobdingnagian Bards' website. Interestingly enough, I knew Randy Farran, long ago, when he first wrote this song. If I ever had to say someone I knew was from the Mundus Magicus, Randy would have been it.
Sun Tsu: Chinese military strategist. Wrote 'The Art of War,' supposedly during the 'Warring States Period' in China. 476-221 BC.
'Sica Shishikushiro! Ju-roku Ha! Fujin Ranbu!':
Sica Shishikushiro: Setsuna's Artifact.
Ju-roku Ha: Sixteen blades.
Fujin Ranbu: 'Chaotic Dance of Wind and Dust!' Hiken. Shinmei-Ryu hidden blade technique used to strike multiple targets all at once.
Chapter 36: Opening Moves.