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.
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"It really was safer under that cliff."
-Joe Clark. Author of: "Life on a Tramp Frieghter: A Photographic Collection."
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Ala Alba in the World of Magic: Tales From the Fireside.
Chapter Forty: Six Armies in New Ostia. Part Two. (Day Seven.)
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(Mahora.)
Sitting down on a bench in their prize-fighter waiting room, Negi Springfield watched as Konoka Konoe tended to the injuries Kotaro Murakami had suffered in the last match. Team Granicus had experienced a rougher time against Team Tristan than he'd expected, and it worried him that Konoka needed to expend energy she might need later.
"There you go! All better now!"
Standing up, Kotaro stretched and flexed his body experimentally while a Chibi Kazumi snapped a few pictures. Finding all but the most minor aches gone, he gave the Ala Alba's healer a grateful smile. "Thanks. My lycanthropic healing could have dealt with all that eventually, just not in time for the next match."
Moving over to Negi, Konoka started to reach out to him, but he suddenly slapped her hand away. Startled, she stepped back, rubbing at the slight redness the slap had inflicted.
Suddenly realizing what he'd done as an awkward silence filled the room, Negi turned away slightly, shame coloring his face. "I... I'm sorry, Konoka, but I don't think you should be wasting your energy on me. I might not have originally planned to take you along, but we may need everything you've got to help Asuna."
Nodding, Konoka still wanted to touch Negi to see if he was all right, but her attempt to do so was interrupted by a knock on the room's door.
"Professor! It's Paru! Open up!"
Moving over to the door, Kotaro first cracked it slightly, then opened it completely to admit Chibified versions of Haruna Saotome, Yue Ayase, and Collet Farandole. Yue and Paru move to stand in the middle of the room, While Collet went over to stand next to Konoka and Kazumi.
Taking out the Imperium Graphices, Paru stood silently before her disguised homeroom professor until he looked up and focused his attention on her. "Negi Springfield. Do you still intend to go and help Asuna Kagurazaka?"
Not seeing the point of such an obvious question, Negi stood and drew himself to his full height. "Of course! I swore I would!"
Opening her artifact, Paru deliberately, and with great care, removed four pages. As each came free, it snapped up to float before her, stiff and unmoving. Two pages settled on the left, and two on the right, with a place for a fifth piece of paper remaining unfilled between the two pairs. "Professor. Each of these four pages represents important elements of the spell Yue and I will use to create the golem which will take your place in the finale."
Reaching out with her artifact pen, Paru began to 'draw' kanji in the air over each page.
"Sugata." (Form.)
"Chishiki." (Intelligence.)
"Seikatsu." (Life.)
"Kanjo." (Emotion.)
As each pictograph was completed, it was absorbed by the page below, which began to glow.
Finishing, Paru closed the Imperium Graphices, but continued to hold its pen at the ready. "Yue and I have poured everything we have into this golem. Others have helped as well, many in more ways than one. Everyone here in the Magic World with a connection to you has willingly given drops of their blood in order to help create the words and drawings on these pages."
"The English Culture Research Club."
"The Mahora Maid Brigade.
"Yuuna's Posse"
"Anya's Crew."
"Captain Katrina Adenaur."
Negi raised an eyebrow at the mention of that last name, but Paru had no intention of permitting him to become distracted.
"However, there is one person, closer to you than anyone else, who is not able to help... or can she?"
Eyes slowly growing wide, Negi reached to retrieve his Pactio folio. As he opened it up, a card lifted itself out, snapping into place directly in the gap between Paru's four artifact pages. "Asuna..."
Now Yue stepped forward, positioning herself between and to the side of Negi and Paru. "Professor. Even when given willingly, this spell still involves the use of blood magic. If you have any hesitation over the use of such, we can stop now. Otherwise..."
Seeing Asuna's Pactio card floating before him, its blood-stains glowing, Negi paused for a moment. ("I've sworn to save Asuna... I'm already following Evangeline's path to power... so, what's one more step in that direction?") "What do I need to do?"
Taking a needle from where it lay between the pages of the Orbis Sensualium Pictus, Yue stepped forward. "Hold out your right hand."
Doing so, Negi watched as Yue took his hand in her own before using the needle to prick the index finger. As she stepped back, a small bubble of blood began to form.
After wiping the needle off, Yue returned it to its place between the pages of her artifact. "Now, touch your name on the back of Asuna's Pactio Card."
Reaching out, Negi pressed to drop of blood to his name as instructed. Immediately, the words began to glow, then the spell circle above, then finally the entire card.
When all five pieces of paper were glowing at an equal brilliance, Yue traded places with Paru and held out her Orbis Sensualium Pictus.
"Though a golem's life is short,
Its life must still have purpose.
That we might save our friend,
Golem of Negi Springfield, COME FORTH!"
Before Yue, the five pieces of magical paper burst into glowing motes of light. Swirling faster and faster, they began to form into a man-shaped column before her.
"Orbis Sensualium Pictus! Give unto that which if of the Imperium Graphices!"
Now magical energy began to pour forth from Yue's artifact. It joined with that of Paru's, mixing together and spinning faster and faster until a sudden flash caused nearly everyone to look away. When the brightness finally dimmed, a disguised Negi Springfield, eyes closed and fists clenched loosely, stood waiting in the middle of the room.
Even with the touch of fear she felt over being involved in helping to deceive the organizers and attendees of the Nagi Springfield Cup, Collet held tight to her staff and looked on in amazement at witnessing the magic Negi Springfield's Ministra were capable of. ("This is so cool! Yue and the others must have been training for a really long time to be able to do something like that!")
Drawn closer by the life-like realism of the Dopple-Negi, Konoka started to reach out to touch it.
As she wiped away a bit of wetness on her chin, Paru saw what was about to happen. "Don't!" Finding it hard to keep her own eyes off the handsome, manly, wonderful Nagi golem, she grabbed Konoka's sleeve. "It's set to activate as soon as someone touches it!" ("Forget waiting on a 'Reverse Hikaru Genji Project!' I've got a perfect grown up Negi right here! Too bad it costs me so much out of my artifact... what a waste... I know what I'd like to do...") "Once Kotaro touches it, the golem will follow him around until he fully activates it for the fight. There shouldn't really be any issues, but since your magic is so strong, I'd rather we not take any unnecessary risks."
Standing before the unmoving golem, Negi felt a small amount of pride at Haruna and Yue having come so far in their abilities after only a few months. ("It's like looking into a mirror...") Shaking his head, he turned to face everyone else in the room. "Okay then. Kotaro, Haruna, Kazumi... I'll leave everything here to you." Picking up his cloak from where it lay across a bench, he quickly donned the worn garment and raised its hood. "Yue, Konoka, Collet, let's go."
Trailing in Negi's wake, the three girls quickly left their companions behind in the momentarily silent waiting room.
Staring after his departed friends, Kotaro wondered for a moment where everyone would be after the passage of the next twenty-four hours. Finally sighing, he took a new shirt being offered to him by Chibi-Kazumi. As he put it on, he faced the unmoving 'Nagi' golem. "I don't have to kiss it or anything, do I?"
Visions of potential doujinshi flashing through her mind, Paru glanced at a grinning Kazumi, then leered at Kotaro. "Why? Do you want to?"
His tail suddenly bristling, Kotaro flushed crimson as he shook a fist at Paru. "NO WAY! Not for a Pactio and not for this!"
Sighing and chuckling with amusement, Kazumi shook her head. On her shoulder, Chibi-Sayo tried to hide behind her doll-forms stubby arms in embarrassment at the direction the conversation had suddenly taken. ("You may look fifteen Kotaro! But you're still just as easy to tease as any other little boy would be!") "Paru's just kidding Kota! Besides, if you really want to kiss a girl, why don't you ask Natsumi later. I'm sure she won't mind!"
As Kotaro flushed an even deeper shade of red, Paru began laughing so hard she finally had to lean against a wall and force herself to take deep breaths to regain her composure. "Oh! Kota... My side... ow... you really shouldn't take things so seriously! Oh..." Taking one last deep breath, she finally stood up and waved a hand at the still crimson Inu-Jin. "Just touch it on the shoulder or something."
Following Paru's instructions, Kotaro reached out to touch the golem, then stepped back.
After a short pause, the Nagi golem opened its eyes. "Hello Master Kotaro. Master Haruna. I am ready to perform my duty."
Jerking a thumb over his shoulder, Kotaro indicated the waiting room door. "Come on. We've got a bit of time before the next match. Let's go get some good seats."
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("Something is wrong here... This is too easy...")
With the restriction on the amount of information that could pass into and out of the Nyandom server at any one time, someone actually occupying the server itself had a huge advantage over anyone trying to get in.
As the ship programs she controlled systematically destroyed those belonging to Shiori Hohoemu trying to enter the server, Chachamaru Karakuri diverted an increasing amount of her processor capacity to analyzing potential reasons why the Eru-Jin would persist in making such a hopeless effort.
Following its unchanged instructions, Chachamaru's fleet stood diligently across the data path leading into Nyandom from New Ostia, performing unfeeling execution against its magical and electronic brethren until nothing remained but the representative smoke rising from the wreckage of smashed programs and into the virtual sky.
("Shiori launched her main effort against our center before. She seems to be earnest and strait-forward on-line, unlike her normal personality, so that appears to indicate she's not given to unthinking effort... However... She did experience a severe setback using a direct attack in our previous encounter, since we were able to infiltrate around her defenses. In that case; it would make sense for her to have a strong center at Tristan and Eos, then to send her main effort through Nyandom and Megalo-Mesembria...
...Except that the Servers here in Nyandom have not been developed as fully as in other places. Storage and processing are all new, but the data feeds are still those of the old systems. I could have defended this place with half or less than what I have with me because of the transfer restrictions...
...Daiko reported V-Chao drove back a strong attack from Eos. Does that mean Shiori will come here with those programs? Or will she hold Tristan, and try to find another way into Megalo-Mesembria?")
Examining a virtual map showing the data feed paths between the different cities of the Magic World; Chachamaru began tracing those that provided useful connections between New Ostia and Argyre.
("It's not impossible to go through Nyandom. However, a strong feint could pin a defender here out of fear of another attack, even with the restrictions. Vulcan should be impossible to break into. That leaves Eos and Megalo-Mesembria...")
Watching as her finger repeatedly traced a triangle between Tristan, Eos, and Megalo-Mesembria, Chachamaru had the feeling the answer was staring her in the face, if only she would see it.
Trying to break something loose in her thoughts, Chachamaru let her finger slip down toward Orestes, then back towards New Ostia. As the finger moved up towards Vulcan to begin making a square, her eyes were drawn back towards Tristan again.
("If Chisame can block access to a server, so can Shiori. If she manages to distract our defenses in Eos with an attack on Megalo-Mesembria, then somehow shuts down or blocks the data feeds there, she'll have free access straight into Argyre through Tristan. Even if she doesn't sever or block all the data feeds, anything trapped in Megalo-Mesembria will have to go the long way around through other data feeds to have any chance to get back into the battle...
...Chisame's programs are mostly Sprite and mini-AI soldier carriers. If she's confronted by even a small force of attack programs...")
As a part of the virtual fleet she controlled, Chachamaru had six big attack programs. Calculating data compression times for those programs, she compared them with direct transfer rates to Argyre. Reaching her decision, she initiated the appropriate commands.
As an independent system within the Spiritus Electronicus, Chachamaru knew she had an ability to create her own small scale variation of the Virtual Perception Image Chisame had established. As the first attack program completed compression and stored itself in the memory once occupied by V-Chao, she activated her Mos Kos self-image again and began hovering over the virtual sea. All the smaller programs could stay behind as a self-guided blocking force. She would take the six big programs and go ensure Chisame's safety in Argyre.
As the second program completed compression, and the third started doing so, a message came through from V-Chao in Megalo-Mesembria...
...she was now fighting there against a strong enemy force attempting to transit through from Tristan...
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(Ariadne.)
As he slowly surveyed the damage to the Sevensheep home, Detective Xavi March shook his head. Lawgivers responding to a reported break-in had found the house ransacked. It appeared at first to be a normal break-in, but an observant patrol officer had noticed things that made him think it was something more.
Arriving after the call for assistance, Xavi's initial investigation seemed to confirm the officer's suspicions. Attempts to contact Cycilia Sevensheep produced no results, so he contacted her editor at KitNews of Ariadne.
Tiki' Pe'le had said that Cycilia was on her way to New Ostia, and should be quite safe. When Xavi hinted at his suspicions concerning the break-in, Pe'le had paused for a moment, and then said he would be there at once to answer any other questions the detective might have.
As a keen follower of current events, Xavi knew that Cycilia Sevensheep had been causing a lot of stress to people in high places recently. Especially with her reporting and investigations related to the two-month old attack on the cross world gate-ports. Considering the threat she represented to certain persons in places of power, the possibility that this incident might be related meant he needed to speak with the reporter as soon as she returned from her trip. At the very least, he needed to inform Cycilia Sevensheep that it might be a good idea to find a residence in a more secure location.
Shaking his head again, Xavi decided to use the telepathy link he'd created with his wife. This investigation didn't look like it was going to be over anytime soon, and Charlie always got upset with him when he came home late without contacting her.
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Exiting the New Ostia International Whaleship port and stepping up to the curb, Cycilia Sevensheep raised her hand to hail a cab.
Responding promptly, a Nek-Jin at the wheel of a small Cephalopod came over from the cab waiting area and stopped next to Cycilia. With the flick of a remote switch, he opened the passenger door to let his fare in. "Where to Miss?"
Having received no response from Emily to the message telling of her imminent arrival in New Ostia, there was only one place Cycilia Sevensheep wanted to go. "Take me to the Ariadne Pavilion, please."
Activating the cab's fare counter, the Nek-Jin closed the door and nodded. "Very well Ma'am. Should take about ten minutes with current traffic."
Nodding, Cycilia began nervously wringing her hands. With all the wild imagination of a mother worried about a daughter, she went through the various scenarios which might have resulted in no response to her message. Everything from a simple error in delivery to the worst of possibilities played itself out until she suddenly realized the cab was no longer moving.
"We're there, Ma'am."
Sitting there for a moment, mentally lost, Cycilia finally gave a mind clearing shudder and stepped from the cab. After thanking and paying the driver, she turned and strode rapidly through the entrance to the Ariadne Pavilion. A brief conversation with a security guard, and the flash of her press identification, resulted in an escort directly to the office of the pavilion's director.
With the man being a friend since the time they'd both attended Ariadne's magic schools, the director stood as soon as his secretary admitted Cycilia into the office.
"Cycilia! I haven't seen you since just after Emily was born! How are you and she doing?"
Reaching out, Cycilia shook the Iru-Jin's flipper before the two of them sat. "We're both fine, Mahi, Though Emily is actually why I'm here."
Sighing, Mahi turned to look through his office window towards the Governor-General's Residence. "I believe I read that she'd come here with three other girls as Valkyrie Cadet special representatives of her class, right?" Cycilia nodded, and Mahi faced her again. "Well, I'm not exactly sure what's going on. The Argonauta's Captain said he was pulling the Valkyries off security duty, but he never said why. Emily should be on the ship, but I don't know that for sure."
Trying not to let worry show on her face, Cycilia stood up. "If I use my press credentials, can I go out to the Argonauta?"
Raising an eye at the overly loud volume of Cycilia's question produced a slight flush in the woman's face. Smiling, Mahi began rubbing his chin with a flipper. "Yes. That might be a good idea. I haven't been told not to allow such things, so I'll write a recommendation requesting you be allowed on the ship to interview the crew about what they think of the festival."
Reaching into his desk, Mahi took out an official letterhead and stylus, then began writing rapidly. "Officially, you're going out to do a piece for KitNews. While you're there, you can find out about Emily, and maybe figure out what else is going on."
Mahi finished and held out the quarter folded paper, which Cycilia took and pocketed. "Is there a broom rental nearby? Or should I use a cab?"
Standing, Mahi gestured for Cycilia to join him by a city map adorning one wall of his office. "Go back out the main entrance and turn left. A block and a half down is a broom rental agency. There'll be less trouble approaching one of the military ships if you use one of those."
After quickly memorizing where Mahi was pointing, Cycilia reached out to shake his flipper again. "Thanks for your help. Hopefully I'm just being a worried mother..."
Placing his flipper in the small of Cycilia's back, Mahi escorted her to the door. "After you see Emily, come back and I'll personally give you a tour of the pavilion! Hopefully you'll be so impressed by the work my people and I have done here you'll give us a nice story on KitNews!"
With one last nod and a smile, Cycilia turned and was gone.
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(Kosmo Entelechia. Separatists.)
Walking quietly into King Enteofushia's Manta-transport, Tsukuyomi sought out Fate's Elemental Mage. After a short search, she finally found him bathing in the shadows of the transports darkened washroom. Out of respect for his privacy, she started to turn away, but something about the little mage gave her pause.
How he moved, the shape of his body and face, and the 'feel' of his aura all seemed familiar.
All it would take to get a good look at him would be her turning on the room's lights... Even still, as she watched him dry off with a towel and begin to dress, she held herself in check. Beyond the simple matter of the mage's preference to remain in the shadows, there was always the possibility the price of such knowledge would be more than she was willing to pay.
When he finally turned and noticed her, Tsukuyomi made a contrite bow. "My apologies for interrupting your bath. King Enteofishia wishes to speak with you."
Seemingly unconcerned that Tsukuyomi had been there watching him, the Elemental Mage remained still for a moment, then resumed dressing. Finally raising the hood of his cloak, he led the way out of the Manta-ship and back into the Chandika Temple.
A short distance inside the ruined entrance, King Enteofushia appeared.
"Where have you two been?"
Tsukuyomi and the Elemental Mage both bowed, then he stepped forward and raised his eyes towards King Enteofushia. "Forgive our tardiness, Sir. I hurried to return as soon as Miss Tsukuyomi informed me of your wishes."
Feeling as if he wanted to hit something, Saseru Enteofushia couldn't take the empty gaze looking up at him from the shadows of the Elemental Mage's cloak hood. Cold in a way that was difficult to describe, the eyes were those of someone he would derive no satisfaction from through the cathartic use of physical force. Turning away, he set off back towards the gate port chamber. "Where are the Dragon Clans and the Crow Tribesmen? They were supposed to protect this place from outside interference until the ceremony was complete!"
Unflinching in the face of King Enteofushia's anger, the Elemental Mage quickly caught up and began walking along slightly behind and to the side of his employer. "Master Fate and your own people lost contact with the Dragon Clans over a month ago. I cannot say where they might be. As for the Crow Tribes; part of the agreement to secure their help was that they be given the Shinmei-Ryu Setsuna Sakurazaki. Since they are not here, perhaps her abilities were greater than they imagined, and she eliminated them."
Thoughts of Setsuna-Sempai having matured into even more of a challenge caused Tsukuyomi's heart to quicken with anticipation. A warning hand motion from the Elemental Mage instantly refocused her attention. A second hand motion told her to ready herself for battle. Falling back slowly as they moved deeper into the temple, she gave herself more room to act, then focused on the closest potential threat.
In King Enteofushia, Tsukuyomi saw a man consumed by his own self-importance. A man who didn't like it when everything didn't go according to some 'plan' he had, and who reminded her, with his desire to exert power and control over people, of the creature, masquerading as a man, who used to run the orphanage where she grew up. The only reason she had been able to stand working for him over the last several months was because her real employer was Fate Averruncus.
Nearing the gate port chamber, King Enteofushia picked up his pace slightly. "We can't wait any longer to begin. If I don't start the Princess going on her part in this now, she's won't be ready when the energy flow reaches its peak, and I won't be able to permanently seal the gate pathways."
Entering the gate port chamber, Tsukuyomi caught sight of the members of King Enteofushia's personal bodyguard. As Fate's Elemental Mage continued following the King, she halted and made ready to draw her blades.
Out in the center of the gate port transport platform, Princess Enteofushia, clad in her dark armor with its blood-red highlights, stood silent and unmoving within a column of magical energy which had grown bright enough to render any artificial illumination unnecessary.
Anticipation readily visible in his expression and posture, King Enteofushia stopped a few paces in front of his daughter. A series of hand motions and softly mumbled words activated the platforms spell circle. When that was fully illuminated, he looked directly into the place where the princess's eyes would be behind her face-shield. "Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia Enteofushia..."
Hearing the soft rustle of cloth and armor as Asuna grew tense; Tsukuyomi drew her blades with just the whisper of steel on scabbard.
"...Power Boost Mode. Prepare for..."
"Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia Enteofushia, you are the Imperial Princess of the Twilight, Creator and Destroyer of this world... COME FORTH!"
Angry at the interruption, King Enteofushia turned towards Fate's Elemental mage, but a sudden flare of energy pulled his attention back towards his daughter.
Clenching her fists and holding them out at the waist, the princess wore a mad grin and was beginning to draw energy into herself with an increasingly cyclonic intensity. Eyes wide with confusion, he took a step back, then pointed at Fate's Mage and began trying to shout instructions over the noise.
Reacting to the obvious visual command, King Enteofushia's bodyguards began to move forward. As he watched, a shocked expression growing on his face, every single one was dispatched or rendered senseless by the little slip of a Twin-blade he considered nothing more than a Normal World mundane. Finishing off the last one just feet away from Fate's Elemental Mage, she sighed in seeming frustration at the lack of any real challenge.
Momentarily at a loss, he belatedly thought about defending himself. Unfortunately, there was no reaction to his gestures and incantations, despite the abundance of magical energy permeating the gate port. Backing away, he bumped into something unmoving, and turned to find his daughter standing right behind him.
Reaching out, 'Princess Enteofushia' took hold of a handful of material and bodily lifted her father from the floor. "Self-serving fool. Even after twenty-years, you still have no idea just whom it was you sired."
Struggling against the unexpected strength which held him, legs suspended, in the air, King Enteofushia began to feel the unfamiliar sensation of visceral fear. As he watched, darkness emerged like a living thing from the neck of the princess's armor, extending its flame-like tendrils towards eyes hidden beneath her faceguard. "You... YOU'RE just a Teotanasia! No... nothing more than a puppet for the Enteofushia! ...How...?"
Amusement graced the Life Giver's face. "How typical. So blinded by your greed and ambitions you've never bothered to understand the purpose of your own bloodline! Aricia Anar'Shia Teotanasia knew right away who it was she'd borne, but as a mother could never bring herself to smother her child! Do you truly not know just who the 'Imperial Princess of the Twilight' really is?"
Stories and legends began dredging themselves from the furthest recesses of a long forgotten youth. Memories of a grandmother, holding a boy on her lap and talking about the family's purpose, and of 'secret' forays into his father's library to read the man's rare spell books, each one caused Saseru Enteofushia's eyes began to grow wider. With his body beginning to shake uncontrollably from fear, he could no longer focus the strength needed to fight the grip which held him. "Li... Life Giver!"
Seeing only a coward's abject fear where once was the confidence of self-assured conviction, the Life Giver made a motion with its arm and flung King Enteofushia aside. Tumbling and sliding across the floor, he barely managed to keep himself from falling to his death over the side of the gate port platform. "Be gone from my sight. You are not even worth the effort of a merciful death. Go and die along with the rest of the insignificant, ungrateful creatures of this world."
As King Enteofushia scrambled to his feet and began running from the temple, Fate's Elemental Mage and Tsukuyomi both remained unmoving.
Reaching out, the Life Giver began to caress the face of the Elemental Mage, gently lifting his chin as it did so. "Though you be of one who sealed me away twenty years ago, you have purity and innocence it is rare to see. Rest assured young one. You will survive what is to come."
As the Life Giver turned to face her, Tsukuyomi felt an intense scrutiny that left her with a sense of unease, and which finally forced her to look away.
Seeing the reaction in the little blonde blade-user, the Life-Giver smiled behind its face guard. "You have selfish desires, but the good sense to understand that. There is also sincerity of purpose in what ultimately drives you. Do not let the former blind you to what is good in the later, or you won't live to regret it."
Releasing the face of Fate's Elemental Mage, the Life Giver moved once more to stand in the center of the gate port platform.
Realizing she'd been dismissed by the Life Giver, Tsukuyomi knelt to use the cloak of one of King Enteofushia's guards to clean her blades. With that preparation to meet Setsuna-Sempai completed, she moved off towards the breach in the wall at the back of the chamber.
No matter what else happened, she still had a duel to fight.
(-)
(Mahora.)
After a fast trip out to the Crescent Hawk while riding tandem with Collet, Negi stepped down onto the Koi-ship's deck. As Yue and Konoka landed beside him, Setsuna, grim beyond the bruises on her slightly swollen face, stood waiting there with Professor Bagera. In the background, Joe Clark and his Ryu-Jin first mate stood near the entry to the bridge of their ship. "Where's Ku?"
After a slight glare at Bagera, Setsuna took a step forward. "She went after Kaede during the night. I should have realized what she was doing when she got up, but I failed to do so. Please forgive me."
Upset by the unwelcome news, Negi began grinding his teeth and thinking about how that might change his plans. As he did so, Konoka came forward and started fussing over Setsuna. The injured girl tried to brush off such concern in the face of what they were about to do, but the healer would have none of that.
After running her hand along the line of the barely resisting Setsuna's now white hair, Konoka exerted the smallest fraction of her power. Immediately, the bruises and swelling on Setsuna's face began to fade. When her work was done, she took the nervous girl's hand in her own. "Se-chan, please don't hide your pretty eyes and hair anymore... I did see them after I helped you against the lightning mine, after all."
Unable to resist the power of Konoka's pleading look, as always, Setsuna gave a sigh of acquiescence. Returning to Mahora would be another matter, but right now, pleasing her Ojo... her, Kono-chan, was more important than any lingering, now immaterial worries about her old outcast relationship with the Crow Tribe.
Watching as Konoka held Setsuna around the waist and snuggled up against her friend, a fleeting thought flashed through Negi's mind. Some kind of connection between Satomi Hakase's actions at Mahora Fest, and how Konoka had helped Setsuna against the Canis Niger's trap. Despite the sense it was important, he couldn't quite pin it down.
Changing his position slightly, Bagera crossed his arms and looked down at Negi. "If you're going to stand any chance at all of saving your friend, Professor Springfield, you need to go. There isn't much time left before the energy flow peaks."
Showing determination in his looks, Negi nodded to Bagera before turning to face those who would be going with him. "Yue, Collet. After you drop us off, come back and report to Captain Adenaur." Stepping forward, he held out his hand to a suddenly nervous Beagle girl. "If you don't mind, Miss Farandole, I'll fly us out. The staff is yours after that."
Faced with a handsome, smiling, Negi Springfield, emotions she barely understood pummeled Collet's heart. Worn and tied, but still stoic, the person holding his hand out to her had never more than in this moment looked like her idol, Nagi Springfield. Eyes growing wide with sudden realization, she looked down at the staff in her hands. In that instant she knew exactly what it was she held. For just twenty-five Drachma, she had purchased something far beyond the replica it was once thought to be. A look back up at Negi told her 'he' was the owner. Even if this boy wasn't the real Nagi Springfield, he was the inheritor, and the true owner of, 'Nagi Springfield's' staff.
With trembling arms, Collet reverently held out the staff and allowed Negi to take possession of it.
Bowing, Negi expressed his thanks, then faced Konoka and Setsuna. "Setsuna, you ride with Yue. I'll take Konoka and Collet."
(-)
With the five children gone, and Kys'shira and Bagera back inside the ship, Joe Clark stood on the Crescent Hawk's deck, using his binoculars to scan the far side of the fjord again. Frustrated once more, he was about to give up when he noticed something unusual where the water met the cliff-face.
Instead of breaking and lapping up against the stone, the water seemed to be flowing 'under' the cliff...
(-)
Still fretting and fuming over Mama's earlier teasing, Natsumi Murakami moved along the arena concourse at an irritated pace. Thinking she was too distracted to perform her duties effectively, her Ku-Jin boss had decided to give Natsumi a break to go see if the young Inu-Jin, 'who was NOT her boyfriend!' was all right for herself.
Turning up a ramp leading to the arena seating, Natsumi paused at its top to look around. Ignoring several suggestive, rude remarks directed at her as a debt-slave, she finally spotted Kotaro. While trying to slip through the seats toward her friends, she felt a hand brush against her hip. Turning to face the slightly inebriated fight watcher, she put on her best front and pointed angrily at the signet on the slave-collar's lock marking her as private property and not arena property. The man's friends quickly hissed at him to leave her alone, and before her false bravery could collapse, she moved away as fast as possible.
Upset at the groper and prepared to be angry with Kotaro, Natsumi felt all of that melt away as soon as she saw he seemed to be completely unharmed. With Kotaro explaining something to what should be the fake Nagi, the first person to notice her was the golem's creator. Unfortunately, Paru's suggestive look quickly brought about a blush, making her want to run away.
"Hey Kojirou, your 'big sister' is here to see you."
Turning to face Natsumi, Kotaro saw she was being a worrier again. "He... Hey Natsumi! One more fight and you won't have to make faces at me anymore!"
Indecision over being angry at Paru's meddling or Kotaro's flippancy gave way to a desperate desire to just be truthful about how she felt. Reaching out, Natsumi timidly took hold of the cuff of Kotaro's shirt. "I... I was seriously worried last time, that maybe you'd really been hurt..."
Natsumi not chiding him caught Kotaro off guard. Having been prepared for her usual words about being careful or for anger over him hurting a girl, all his thoughts towards a response were completely derailed. Turning away, he reached up to scratch his nose. "Ah... yeah, it was kinda' rough..."
Facing Natsumi again, Kotaro spread his arms out to make it clear everything was intact. "See? All better! Konoka fixed me right up!"
With the smell of rotting almonds pervading the immediate area, Paru decided there'd been enough lovey-doveyness for the moment. Any more match-making by her would have to wait, since Eris was now strutting out into the arena to announce the last semi-final match.
"Here we are everyone! One more match and we'll have our two finalists!"
As Kojirou and everyone with him watched, a male-female pair of blondes came out from one of the arena gladiator entrances. The male was dressed in a well-worn, close fitting set of muted greens which marked him as a traditional mage, but one who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty if need be. His partner wore equally muted tans and reds, but what drew a long, impressed whistle from where Paru stood next to him was the woman's build and wings.
Where Setsuna Sakurazaki was like a young peregrine falcon, swift in attack and maneuver, Aer Kitar was a mature, full bodied hawk, strong and ready to overwhelm 'prey' by strength and experience. For all that the magical knight unit from Ariadne took on the trappings of Valkyries, this woman with her blood-red wings, blonde hair and halberd, LOOKED like a Valkyrie.
Acknowledging the two fighters with a slight bow, Eris then held out a hand to introduce them. "In this corner, we have the fully partnered pair of Raiel Taylor and Aer Kitar from Antigone! Don't let Raiel's look as a traditional mage fool you! He may not have his voice, but he's an expert at unincanted spells in the close fight! At the same time, his partners list of victories against those who felt use of a long-arm placed her at a disadvantage is legion!"
As the other team entered the arena, Natsumi felt Kotaro bristle, with every hair on his body seeming to stand on end. Reaching out, she set her hand lightly on his arm. He gave a sudden shiver but didn't brush her off, and slowly began to calm himself.
"In the other corner, we once more have the pair from Argyre! With each victory, their reputation as the bad-boys of the Nagi Springfield Cup grows! Just who is this mysterious pair? Other than they both claim citizenship in Argyre, nothing is really known about their past! By size at least, and the similarities in how they use magic, perhaps they're even twins! If they win two more times, perhaps they'll finally grace us with a good look at their faces!"
While Kotaro focused on the person from Argyre Natsumi recognized he thought was an enemy to be concerned with, she concentrated on his partner. What Eris had said piqued her curiosity, so to remain free form worry; she began using mental exercises she'd learned as a part of becoming an actress. As the pair from Argyre settled into their starting position, she suddenly squeezed Kotaro's arm to get his attention. "Kotaro, I think they are twins..."
As Eris moved to her safety area, Kotaro gave Natsumi a worried look. "One Fate is bad enough. What makes you think there's two?"
Happy to help Kotaro, even if only in a small way, Natsumi pointed at the person he'd not been paying as much attention to. "An actor learns to take visual clues from how other people move. I'm no expert, but I can recognize enough to see the way those two hold themselves and move is very similar."
Shuddering, Kotaro turned back towards the arena. "That is so not good, if true..."
Out in the arena, Eris dropped her arm.
"FIGHT!"
On Team Antigone's side of the Arena, Raiel instantly had his hands out, snapping them down with fingers spread in the manner of someone playing a piano. A shockwave burst out from where he stood, lifting a cloud of dust before it until it impacted with the arena safety shields. Leaving behind what seemed to be some kind of fog, the shockwave spell remained active, and for the first time in any of the matches, showed everyone in the arena exactly where those shields were.
Suddenly looking like she was having trouble breathing, Eris's hand went to her chest.
With the concern on her face mirrored by many other nearby fight watchers, Kazumi risked a quick glance at Kotaro. "What's happening?"
Without taking his eyes off Fate, who seemed more surprised than his partner, Kotaro made a gesture towards the cloudy safety shields. "Moisture elimination magic. Fate uses water copies like Kaede and I use shadow clones. Team Antigone is trying to take that away from him by creating a zero-humidity environment. Eris is hurting because her shields aren't proof against something like that."
Launching herself into the air, Aer left Raiel behind and made straight for Fate. When it seemed as if the fighter from Argyre's partner was about to act, Raiel made another motion with his hands.
Kotaro yelped and nearly fell to his knees. As Natsumi knelt to see what was wrong, Paru could see Iru-Jin and Inu-Jin all over the arena reacting the same way. Out in the arena, Kazumi watched as whatever low frequency harmonic Raiel had created set nearly every grain of sand covering the arena floor to shifting and jumping. Eris managed to stay standing in her safety area, but across the arena from Team Antigone, the mage from Argyre who'd used that same sand against his previous elven opponent slipped and fell.
Changing course with a roll and a strong downbeat of her wings, Aer went after the fallen mage with what seemed every intention to spit him on her halberd.
Just before the moment of impact, Fate managed to launch himself to his partner's defense. Apparently unable to speak to cast spells in the dry air, he resorted to a simple physical attack against his opponent.
Aer just avoided a solid hit, and after a tremendous effort, managed to lift herself into the air again with Fate close behind.
Ears folded flat and covered by his hands, Kotaro stood up. Fate's battle with the woman from Antigone soon began to remind him of the fight between Negi and Setsuna in Evangeline's resort. Unfortunately in this case, Aer's body-type was slowly starting to betray her. For all the strength and skill she possessed, for all the two flying combatants flashed back and forth across the arena, it was still like a hawk trying to fend off a sparrow. She just wasn't fast enough to hit her opponent.
Eris had managed to recover enough to start talking about the fight, but Kotaro didn't hear her... for the end had come...
Fate and Aer both seemed to expect the other would try to continue their nearly useless sparing. Expecting to gain a quick advantage by suddenly doing something different, they both dove simultaneously against their unengaged opponent.
Unfortunately for Aer, Fate was just enough faster to make all the difference. Instead of remorselessly going after her intended target, she hesitated a fraction of a second over the impossible to avoid attack her partner was about to suffer.
With Raiel so committed to the spells he had hoped would cripple Team Argyre, Fate had all the time in the world he needed to use the unincanted Aeon Petrosis spell contained within the ring he wore.
Off balance, her face showing the pain of loss, Aer landed badly. Fate turned on her, but because of a desperation dodge, only managed to petrify a wing. Stumbling forward as the effect spread, she gave up trying to reach Raiel, sat back on her heels and turned to look straight at Kotaro.
As the spell took her, Kotaro could see in Aer's eyes one last message; ("YOU HAD BETTER WIN!")
While not officially forbidden under the 'No Holes Barred' rules of the arena, petrification magic was strongly discouraged as an unavoidably 'fatal' attack. As Eris forced herself out of the shock of seeing such a spell used for the first time in the entire tournament, declaring Team Argyre the winner, Kotaro felt Fate's accusatory gaze fall on him. Refusing to flinch, he sneered in response, and the Nagi golem followed suit.
Finally turning away, Fate collected his dazed partner as the arena medics finally came out to deal with the frozen forms of team Antigone.
Seriousness and concern on his face, Kotaro lead the way past quietly murmuring tournament watchers, then down the nearest ramp and out to the veranda. Finally stopping, he waited for everyone to gather around, then shook a finger at Natsumi. "No matter what happens to me, you stick with Paru and Kazumi, UNDERSTAND?"
Gulping, Natsumi glanced between Kotaro and the equally serious Paru before finally nodding.
Showing slight relief, Kotaro touched the Nagi golem's sleeve, and the two of them left without looking back.
Clasping her hands together as they faded into the crowd, Natsumi offered up a silent prayer for Kotaro's continued safety.
(-)
Finally picking up the earlier path to the grounded island containing the Temple of Chandika and the gate port facility, Ku Fei paused for a quick rest and to look for any further clues as to Kaede and the Demon Mage's whereabouts. Most distressingly, there did not seem to be any. Even though she and Negi's father had encountered signs of earlier fighting, everything was now quiet.
Nothing moved. In the sky, or on the ground. Such unnatural stillness was unnerving, and to Ku, it seemed as if the world itself was holding its breath and waiting to see what would happen.
Kneeling a short distance away, Nagi Springfield was searching through his spell book. Finding the desired page, he recited the spell printed there, then stood to scan the surrounding area. Eyes wide and pupils dilated, he soon found what he was looking for. Blinking, he cancelled the first spell, the quietly recited another as he looked over at KU.
Suddenly feeling a threatening aura, Ku started to jump away, but something caught her by the ankle and she slammed hard face-first on the ground. After some kind of invisible grip froze her in place, it was all she could do to turn and look back at Nagi. "You... liar! Wha... what you do!"
Shaking his head as he did so, Nagi reached down to touch a forefinger to Ku's temple. "I haven't lied to you Miss Fei. I am going to go help your friend. Presuming we all live through this though, there will be things I'll need to do that require you forget you ever met Nagi Springfield. Not that you met a drunken bum who helped you out, just that his name was 'Nagi Springfield.'"
As Nagi's finger began to glow, the threatening feeling faded, and Ku relaxed.
Smiling, Nagi prepared to activate his memory erasure spell. "You won't be able to help out against this particular demon, Miss Fei. I suggest you go to the gate port and wait for Negi."
Ku saw a flash...
...and woke up alone.
("I must have tripped.") Getting up, Ku shook her head and brushed herself off before turning and starting up the incline of the grounded island containing the gate port. ("I never find Kaede like this. Maybe better idea to wait for her at temple... that way I close enough if Negi need help!")
Thinking about the different things she'd learned since coming to the Magic World drew Ku's thoughts back towards Tengboche. ("Everyone there nice people. Even that drunken guy Kaede and I meet. He say we inspire him get better! I hope he and everyone else okay after this...")
Helping to provide the concentration necessary to find a weak spot in a target wasn't the only thing certain breathing techniques Ku learned in Tengboche were good for... If she could use them to conceal her aura-self, it might just be possible to walk past any guards at the entrance, and straight into the temple...
tsuzuku.
(-)
Author's Notes:
(Johnny Nakajima's golem spell. Yue's part/variation.)
"Though a golem's life is short,
Its life must still have purpose.
That we might save our friend,
Golem of Negi Springfield, COME FORTH!"
(And in Latin:)
Sententia a golem's vita est brevis,
It's vita must etiam have voluntas.
Ut nos vires servo nostrum amicus,
Golem of Negi Springfield, Exorior!
Reverse Hikaru Genji Project: Mentioned by Misa Kakizaki in c120, and also in the translation notes of v14. Basically Misa's version of a plan to raise a perfect woman in 'The Tale of Genji." Of course, she wants to raise Negi to be the perfect man!
Xavier March: Rutger Hauer's Detective character in the movie 'Fatherland.' Charlie Maguire is the American reporter from the same movie.
Final spell releasing the last seals on the Life Giver within Asuna Kagurazaka.
"Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia Enteofushia, you are the Imperial Princess of the Twilight, Creator and Destroyer of this world... COME FORTH!"
(And in Latin:)
"Asuna Vesperina Theotanasia Enteofushia, vos es Imperiosus Procer of Crepusculum, Sator quod Pessum ire illae universitas. Exorior!"
Chapter Forty-one: Fire and Stone.