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.
Dr. Juntz Federson, Doubek Valkova, and Fayed Habbibi were created by Kafka'sdragon, and are used here with his permission.
SPOILER ALERT! AU story occurring after c189.
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"So worried was I about the potential for destruction, I failed to take into account the possibility of an alternative outcome."
-Dr. Juntz Federson. From testimony before the Megalo-Mesembrian Mage Council in the aftermath of the Forth Battle of Ostia.
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Ala Alba in the World of Magic: Tales from the Fireside.
Chapter Forty-nine: Raphael's Mantle. (Day Seven.)
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(Wales. Hills above Dewin Llan.)
Though using a 'mundane' student as help, (she actually had serious doubts about that...) had its risks, Selene McGriff had found no-one else with the enthusiasm and skill necessary to assist her in the task at hand.
With Chizuru Naba from Mahora Academy just a few steps behind, she turned the final corner on the trail up from Meldiana to their observation area in the hills above the school. With almost zero light pollution, the place was a nearly perfect location to set up her Celestron GSX-401FW Stargazer telescope and its associated equipment.
"I want you to observe Mars as much as possible for anything unusual."
Standing before the Headmaster of Meldiana's desk, Selene had heard the rumors of a disturbance in the Mundus Magicus, but still thought the request just a bit odd. "What am I looking for?"
Leaning against the back of his chair, Stephan Dilane closed his eyes and shook his head. "If it happens when you're watching, you'll know..."
No one else in her astronomy class had been terribly enthusiastic about the prospects of spending an unknown number of nearly sleepless nights out in the hills. Chizuru, on the other hand, had positively glowed at the chance to use such a capable telescope. As the evening twilight deepened, the girl put down the equipment she was carrying and began to set everything up. Carrying their camping gear this time, Selene took care of laying that out before reaching into a soft-sided cooler for a sandwich.
"Professor McGriff? I'm done."
Working quickly while Chizuru watched, Selene unpackaged the NexImage camera accessory and attached it to the telescope, then hooked it up to her laptop. After a few tests to make sure it was functioning properly, she typed in the movement commands to point the telescope at Mars. When everything was ready, she closed the laptop and covered it, then returned to her sandwich.
Just after midnight, as Professor McGriff dozed lightly inside a sleeping bag, Chizuru leaned back from the telescope eyepiece to stretch. The last few days hadn't been as exciting as she'd thought they might be, since all they were doing was watching a planet, but she still found herself fascinated by how good the image from the telescope was. Much of the surface of Sol's fourth planet, from the Hellas Planitia region to the Lunae Planum was clearly visible. She could see the general areas of the Opportunity and Pathfinder landing sites, and had once even been able to identify the lesser known Mons Elysium. When everyone finally returned to Mahora, she wondered if it would be possible to convince the Astronomy Club's faculty advisor that it would be a good idea for the school to invest in a telescope like Professor McGriff's.
Rubbing at her eyes, Chizuru tried to chase away any lingering sleepiness, then leaned forward against the telescope's eyepiece once more. After noting the soft glow of the internal clock, she refocused on the main image.
Almost immediately she saw something unusual.
Near the Opportunity landing site, a strange ring, like the after-effect of a pebble being dropped in a pond, was rapidly expanding across the visible surface of Mars. Not wanting to miss anything, she remained still, hardly breathing, until the ghostly ring finally passed over the planet's horizon and vanished.
After waiting several minutes to see if the ring would reappear, Chizuru sat back and reached over to Professor McGriff. "Professor. Something happened..."
So fast she managed to startle her companion, Selene was out of the sleeping bag. "What did you see?"
Starting to feel slightly worried, Chizuru pointed at the telescope. "Some kind of odd cloud formation on Mars. I suppose it could have been a lens artifact of some kind, but..."
Showing imperfectly concealed concern, Selene uncovered and opened the laptop. A few keystrokes brought the recorded image back to an earlier time-stamp, then one more set it to moving. Watching the replay, she felt a shudder go up her spine as the ring came into existence, expanded, then vanished. Considering where it had originated, she now knew exactly what the Headmaster had wanted her to look for. ("I... I can't believe it... for 'anything' happening on the Mundus Magicus to become visible on the Mundus Vetus... Would require such a level of energy that...") Trying to relax, she took several slow breaths, reset and restarted the record function, then closed the laptop. "Miss Naba, it probably was an artifact." Giving a stretch and a yawn, she pointed at the sleeping bag. "I got myself all wound up over nothing, so I doubt I'll be able to go back to sleep right away. Why don't you go ahead and rest?"
One of the things Chizuru had noticed about people was that adults were often no better at lying than children were. Catching Professor McGriff's aura of fear though, she decided to leave well enough alone for the moment. Crawling into the sleeping bag, she mentally filed away the event for later recollection, should the need arise.
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(Mahora Academy. Home of Albiero Imma.)
Stepping through a heavy double door, Eishun Konoe first followed Evangeline McDowell, Chachazero and Chachamaru the Second into the home of Albiero Imma, then out onto a bridge leading to one of the trapped mage's many open-air tea rooms.
Irritated by Eishun having stopped at a kiosk to get a visitation gift for Imma, Eva folded the parasol she held and looked up at her tall companion. "Why did you waste time buying pastries for that annoying person anyway?" Reaching down, she pulled up the hem of her dress slightly. "Look! All the lace is wilting!"
Wiping at his sweat with a handkerchief before the cool air in Imma's home dried it into a sticky mess, Eishun gave an amused sigh. "I also bought custard-filled ones for you Eva. You could at least be a little grateful."
As Chachazero gave her usual cackling laugh at the antics of her Master, a strong breeze washed over everyone. Eva hastily clenched her hand around the parasol before it could be blown away, then looked up towards the end of the bridge. Unconcerned by what it's taking off had nearly done, the resident wyvern was flying off towards a nearby ledge while Imma was waving for everyone to join him.
Though Albiero already had a cup of tea, it was Chachamaru, first setting Chachazero on a special chair where she could see everything, who served Evangeline and Eishun.
After taking a sip of his tea, Eishun nodded with approval before opening up the package he carried and passing out its contents. Al bit into a red-bean paste filled Taiyaki immediately, but Eva was eyeing hers with borderline disgust.
"Baked Sea Bream... What a banal name for a pastry..." Tentatively, Eva took a bite, then after a quickly suppressed smile, gobbled the rest down with as much decorum as she could muster.
Trying not to laugh, Eishun handed Eva her second custard filled Taiyaki before giving one more to Albiero and taking his own. "Well Ku:nel, Father said you wanted to see us, and he didn't look very happy about it..."
Already a third done with the second Taiyaki, Eva locked her gaze on Albiero. "I hope it isn't your usual prattle Al!"
Studiously ignoring Eva, Albiero continued delicately nibbling on his first Taiyaki.
Turning to Eishun, Eva received no indication he wanted to support her, so she turned back towards Albiero, mumbling several un-lady-like things before finally raising her voice. "Why did you call us here? Ku:nel?"
Setting his pastry down, Albiero took up his tea cup. "Through means that are my own, I have confirmed that our young charge has discovered the true nature of his first Provisional Partner." After a sip of tea, he returned the cup to its saucer. "I also know that because of something I was just informed of, there is a high probability no one will return alive from the Mundus Magicus."
Normally, seeing his two guests with shocked looks on their faces would have made Albiero Imma smile broadly, this time, his lips remained tight, his expression grim. "Eishun Konoe. You should prepare yourself for the possible deaths of your daughter and her bodyguard."
As Eishun's look became even more shocked than before, Albiero turned to Eva. "Kitty... Evangeline. You should be prepared for the possibility you will be trapped here, at Mahora Academy, until the end of your existence."
All the teasing Albiero Imma had ever directed her way didn't come close to the crushing impact of his last comment. For fifteen years she'd waited for the chance to escape Nagi's prison. Even though involving Yuuna Akashi was cheating a little, she'd finally begun to 'Live in the Light,' as Nagi had asked her too...
Maybe... Maybe being condemned to this existence was punishment for all she'd done in her life. Maybe the God spoken of with such passion by that Augustine Monk before she'd been burned at the stake so long ago was punishing her... Though... Brother Martin had also spoken of the possibility for forgiveness and redemption...
Shaking her head, Eva clenched a fist and turned back to Albiero. "No! The Boya isn't that weak! He'll win the day somehow! Even if I did take out an insurance policy just in case, all that time I spent training him wasn't a waste!"
Relaxing into his normal squint-eyed smile, Albiero nodded, then turned to look up towards the resting wyvern. The creature's report, confirming the disturbing news Konoemon had received from Magus Dilane at Meldiana, didn't bode well for Eva's hopes. ("I pray you're right Eva. I pray you're right...")
(-)
(Mundus Magicus.)
Out of the Valley of Ostia came the magical energy wave-front of a spell powerful enough to remake a world.
Expanding as it went; it took first the ruined ground port of Old Ostia, then washed over the floating city of New Ostia.
Reaching high into the atmosphere, it continued its expansion. Relentless. Unstoppable.
No creature of the sky, of the earth, or of the sea was spared its touch.
Nyandom, Elfenholt. Orestes. Al Jamira...
Small cities and big, filled one and all with people ranging from those just trying to raise their families, to others less nobly engaged.
Such was its speed that all who noticed its approach had no time to truly comprehend what was about to happen before it was upon them.
Argyre. Megalo-Mesembria. Shangri-La. Zephillia...
Places of conspiracy. Centers of bureaucratic power. Places of enlightenment. Homes for those both powerful, and humble.
Riches and intellect were as nothing. A station high, or one low; Neither had any meaning.
Ariadne. Brontopolis. Phoenicus. Dracogenia...
Places of leaning. Places of industry. A city destroyed many times previously. A small city built to help bring peace between two cultures...
From the smallest shack of a remote valley herdsman in the Longchamp Mountains, to the most heavily defended palace in the capitol of the Hellas Empire; from the depths of the Cerebus Canyon and the Noctis Labyrinthis, to the heights of Elysium and Olympus Mons; EVERYTHING was touched by the wave front. NOTHING was spared its effects.
On and on, across the surface of the planet, finally reaching the antipode of its genesis in the Amazonis Sea, and vanishing in an instant, as it had begun.
(-)
(Old Ostia Ground Port.)
Standing next to the destroyed God Soldier on the valley rim, Calizone Bagera held his arms crossed, waiting for the end.
When it came, it happened so fast he almost literally missed it in a blink.
Out in the valley, the energy gathering around the gate port flashed impossibly bright, signaling that critical mass had been reached. Yet instead of a searing red shockwave which should have blasted whatever might be left of his evaporated body back down towards the fjord and sent him to be with his dead partner Shaki, a cool blue energy field swept over and through him instead.
As the energy wave expanded to the point it reached and passed New Ostia, Bagera realized the fatigue and nausea he'd been feeling over the last several days were finally gone. Taking his first, deep, unlabored breath since before entering Old Ostia, he closed his eyes and let it out slowly. Finally taking out his PDD, he activated it and began to examine what it had recorded.
Everything was as expected, yet there was one crucial difference... Instead of the normal red colored energy reading, the PDD indicated, literally at the point of critical mass, a change to a less ominous blue.
Unable to initially believe what he was seeing, Calizone finally turned and started running back down towards the Estimated Prophet's camp and Joe Clark's Crescent Falcon. Shouting at the top of his lungs, his words quickly drew the attention of everyone along the shoreline. "THEY DID IT! THEY DID IT!"
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Inside Estimated Prophet's damaged engine room, the ship's chief engineer woke to find himself lying on the grating next to his control station. Blinking, his eyes slowly adjusting to the emergency lighting in the darkened compartment, Voards tried to remember what had just happened... (A flash of light... live steam washing through the compartment... the screams...) As he lay there, the sounds of water rushing in below him, and of the ships pumps trying to keep it out, allowed instinct and training to bring order to his thoughts.
Pulling himself up, Voards studied the control panel for any sign of life, then abandoned it and headed deeper into the compartment. Gathering up the few crewmen who were still alive, ignoring the many that remained unmoving, he began organizing an effort to fight the flooding.
(-)
(New Ostia Arena.)
Chamo Chamomile had left Anya Cocorowa and her crew as they moved up towards the arena press box. Running out into the silent spectator stands allowed him to confirm that Kotaro had not been smashed by Fate before his departure. What did surprise him, though maybe not, was the presence of Natsumi Murakami next to the boy's petrified form.
Making his way down into the arena and out onto the disturbed sand, Chamo padded his way over to the two just as Natsumi reached up to take hold of the lips drawn back, teeth bared sides of the beast-form Kotaro's frozen face.
"Kotaro... If I gave you a kiss like in a fairy tale, would it change you back?"
Shaking his head, Chamo wondered about the one-sided conversation which had lead up to 'that' question. Sitting back on his heels, thinking only casually about the two kids being in the largest magic circle he'd ever seen, he softly uttered a single word as Natsumi kissed Kotaro's muzzle. "Pactio."
A wash of energy, harmless, but enough to startle Chamo, passed over the arena. Much to his surprise, Natsumi and Kotaro were positioned over one of the sub-assemblies of the bigger magic circle. As Kotaro's form flashed with healing energy, the small magic circle also illuminated. Natsumi sat back, surprised but still holding Kotaro's face, as the boy's petrification was cured and he reverted to his age pastille disguised form.
"KOTARO!"
Looking stunned, Kotaro didn't resist as Natsumi flung her arms around his shoulders and gave him a fierce hug. Walking over, Chamo picked up the unexpected result of the kiss as the stadium stands all around them began to come alive with confused and frightened people. Finally realizing his state of dress, Kotaro flushed and began trying to push Natsumi away.
Over the arena announcing system, Cordoba Ricardo, his voice wavering slightly but still confident, began trying to calm everyone down. Putting the Pactio card away for later, Chamo took out a cigarette just as Natsumi shrieked and turned away from the completely nude Kotaro. As the two embarrassed kids sat facing away from each other, trying to come up with some semblance of a normal conversation, he took a drag and had to smile. "Ah... Young love! Ain't it grand?" Turning to look towards the rim of the arena, his mood became more grim. "I wonder what's happened to Negi and the rest of those kids?"
(-)
Amid the smoking wreckage of his ship, Svanhvit's captain continued directing the recovery of surviving crew. The passage of a breeze didn't even rate his notice, until he realized none of the people still coming out of the grounded ship were wounded. Many wore bloody bandages, but none showed any signs of the wounds those bandages had previously covered.
When a call came to help free several still trapped crew, Svanhvit's captain was half-way to the damaged compartment when he realized a pair of Valkyrie Mage Knights had joined the rescue party. He stopped to look at the young women for a moment, then nodded in thanks and headed deeper into the ship.
(-)
(Outside Al Jamira.)
A group of children played without fear around the frozen form of a huge dragon. One was drawing pictures with chalk on the dragon's stone foot when a breeze blew dust in her face. Even though her mama had said never to do such a thing, she staggered back and began trying to rub the dirt out of her eyes. Finally able to see again, she looked up and saw that all her friends were running away. Raising her gaze even further, she realized a huge, obviously NOT stone black dragon was now staring down at her.
Looking at the small Hu-Jin child, Mat'tari saw first the small piece of chalk she held, then the drawings scrawled on her own scale-covered foot. Giving an annoyed snort, she moved away and began stretching out her wings. After several down strokes to help loosen up petrification stiffened muscles, she leapt into the sky and left the trembling child behind.
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(Cerebus Forest.)
Normally, Sab-Wols had a firm pecking order within their packs which determined who got the first go at prey after a successful hunt. A pack which had just taken down, though not quite killed; a Cerberian Artiodactyla was still somewhat disordered after the recent death of their pack leader...
Arguing over who had priority in their meal, they failed to notice right away when the horned creature suddenly got back up and started running away...
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(Near Megalo-Mesembria. Villa for the Councilor for Capital Security.)
Protected by the walls of his Japanese Teahouse, Councilor Ran looked up as an odd breeze rattled the enclosure's shoji doors. When it became clear nothing had been disturbed or damaged in any noticeably way, he resumed the same kneeling, hands clasped, posture of prayer he'd been in since shortly after the departure of Councilor's Karkolova and Mifune. The first indication he had of anything having changed significantly was when a hand came to rest on his shoulder. Looking up, he beheld for the first time in five years the warm dark eyes of his only loyal son. "Ryu..."
Kneeling, Ryu put his arms around his suddenly trembling father.
Not daring at first to believe his senses, Ran finally returned the embrace and realized Ryu's touch wasn't a hallucination. "Ryu... my son... MY SON!"
Tears filling his own eyes, Ryu did the only thing he could and simply held his father's sobbing form close.
(-)
(Foyer, Temple of Chandika.)
Shaking her head, Koyomi Karenda rolled over and rose to her knees. Nearby, her friend Tamaki Ryushin moaned and began to stir. "Tamaki... Are you okay?"
Rising up on an elbow, Tamaki rubbed at the top of her head, then glared at something behind Koyomi.
"You two give up! Or I hurt you again!"
Turning slowly, Koyomi recognized Negi Springfield's blonde Martial artist. With just a thought, she morphed into the were-form of a black panther and bared her teeth. "You'll not take us by surprise this time, Tonfa-girl!"
Behind Koyomi, Tamaki began to ready her artifact, but the appearance of a fourth person stayed her hand.
"Oh joy! Yet another strong woman to fight! This is why I like going up against the Ala Alba so much!"
With just a quick glance, Ku Fei located Tsukuyomi, then began maneuvering so she could keep all three of her enemies in sight at once.
Moving forward, eyes black and ready to fight, Tsukuyomi placed herself near Koyomi. "Would it not be better, Karenda-han, if you were to retreat, instead of taking the risk of a fight without your Master present?"
Even considering that Tsukuyomi seemed to be offering them a self-sacrificing chance to escape, Tamaki still felt as if she didn't know where the girl's real loyalties lay. Choosing discretion over heroics, she took hold of Koyomi's arm and began pulling the still confrontational Nek-Jin out of the temple.
When Ku made a move to try and intercept the pair, Tsukuyomi quickly cut her off. Holding out Ukeire in a defensive stance, she kept the martial artist at bay until the sounds of Enteofushia's Manta-ship taking off echoed through the chamber. Deflating and closing her eyes, she sheathed the blade and sat down. As Ku relaxed in response, then turned to look back towards the gate port chamber, she took out Tairitsu's empty scabbard. After glancing at the now useless item briefly, she tossed it as far across the floor as her nearly expended strength would allow.
Reacting to the clatter, Ku turned back to look at the exhausted twin-blade. "You surrender now, Tsukuyomi?"
After a brief nod, Tsukuyomi lay back, spread eagle, on the cool stone of the temple floor. "I'm too tired to fight any more..." As Ku relaxed even further, she reached up and covered her eyes with an arm. "You can go on if you want. I promise I won't try to escape."
Not sensing any deceit in Tsukuyomi's aura, Ku turned and headed deeper into the temple.
(-)
(Valley of Old Ostia.)
"Kaede! Kaede, wake up!"
Memories of a bearded drunk who's name she couldn't quite remember quickly fading with her dreams, Kaede Nagase sat up to find Yue Ayase, Collet Farandole and two other strange girls at her side. "Yue..." Looking down at her shoulder, she saw beneath the blood-stained remains of her tunic only a series of faint, criss-crossed scars. Turning to face the sky, all she saw was a clear blue, cloudless expanse and the warm globe of an afternoon sun. "What happened?"
Looking back towards the island containing the Temple of Chandika, Yue shook her head. "I'm not really sure... but I think maybe we won..."
Not terribly worried about any modesty issues, Kaede pulled off her tunic to get a closer look at her shoulder. "The last think I remember is that tall mage from the Megalo-Mesembrian gate port being on the verge of tearing my shoulder off..."
Turning back to face Kaede, Yue gave a small shrug. "We found you in some kind of stasis field. Miss Monroe said it's a very rare, very powerful life-saving spell normally used to help critically injured gladiators."
Behind Yue, Kaede saw an alert girl in Valkyrie armor watching her warily. "How did you get me out of it? Did you heal me first, and it let me go?"
Shaking her head, Yue nodded towards another Valkyrie standing near Beatrice. "Some kind of energy wave came by when that mana storm collapsed. It seems to have been responsible for healing you, but it overloaded the stasis spell in the process. Miss Sevensheep managed to stop it before anything really harmful happened, but..."
Opening her normally squinty eyes, Kaede looked first at Emily to give the girl a nod of thanks, then turned back to Yue. "What happened?"
Reaching up, Yue began to scratch her cheek. "Well, it seems like it's only temporary and cosmetic, at least according to my Artifact, but your hair... um... it bleached out because of the energy surge when the stasis spell began to overload."
After giving Yue a blank look, Kaede reached back to pull her pony-tail around, then released that and looked at one other place. After giving an unconcerned shrug, she began using a kunai to cut her tunic into strips. "No biggy. At least the effect was consistent."
"Miss Sevensheep..."
Giving a sigh, Emily Sevensheep shook her head as she and Beatrice watched the tall girl sitting next to Yue rapidly finish working, then begin to wrap up her considerable chest with the cloth strips. "I know, she's a wanted girl with a 75,000 Drachma bounty on her head, but I would imagine she's just as innocent as Yue is."
Having climbed up on a rock to keep an eye on the area, Collet Farandole watched as a Manta-ship took off from an island in the distance and flew away. Turning to tell everyone what she'd just seen, movement on the ground near the island caught her eye. Holding up Nagi's staff, she quickly chanted the mantra for a telescopic skrying spell. Within the fish-eye of the spell's effect, she easily identified who it was she'd seen. "Yue! If you have friends on that island over there, maybe we need to go help them. It looks like some hunters from Canis Niger are heading that way!"
Not wanting any such disreputable group to prevent the carrying out of her duty, Emily took out and prepared to use her flight staff. "My orders are to assist any allies in the valley of Old Ostia!" Turning towards her delinquent classmate, she gave Collet an annoyed glare. "Collet Farandole. As a Valkyrie trainee, you automatically fall under my authority." Turning to Yue, she gave the small girl a more sympathetic look. "Yue. Under normal circumstances, I should be arresting you. However, if you and Miss Nagase were to volunteer as a Valkyrie auxiliaries, then there would be no issues with your assisting me in the performance of my duty."
Quickly cinching tight her chest wrap, Kaede stood, then she and Yue came to attention. "What do we need to do, Miss Sevensheep?"
Mounting her flight staff, Emily grinned. "Just follow my orders! We can deal with the formalities later!"
Hesitating momentarily, Collet watched as the girl named Kaede got ready to ride with Yue, then turned and followed her two just departed armor wearing classmates.
Yue worried for a moment that the big Kaede might cause an issue with balance, but true to form, the broom responded beautifully to her mental commands. Within seconds, she and the Ala Alba's ninja caught up to and pulled in beside the determined Emily Sevensheep.
(-)
(Gate port chamber, Temple of Chandika.)
Supported only by the grip she held on a sword, Asuna Kagurazaka 'fell' out of the brightest light she'd ever known, coming to rest on her knees. Chest heaving, she continued to draw in long, deep breaths until the panic she felt faded and she was finally able to look up at her surroundings. Lying on his chest next to her was the boy she'd journeyed to the Magic World with, what seemed a lifetime ago...
"Ne... NEGI!" Without a conscious thought, the sword went into its scabbard as Asuna moved closer to her homeroom teacher. Carefully rolling him over, the evidence on his back was confirmed by that on his chest. There was no longer a gaping wound, and only the faintest of pink scars. Turning slightly, she could see Setsuna Sakurazaki lying next to Konoka Konoe, holding her classmates hand. Previously broken and twisted around into an unnatural position, Setsuna's wing was now completely healed.
Limp with relief, Asuna collapsed into a sitting position, then fell on her back next to Negi. Too tired to care that she'd just been used again, even if for a good reason, she closed her eyes...
...Warm and comforting, Asuna felt the touch of an embrace from an old, long forgotten memory. Without looking back, she reached up and covered her mother's hands with her own.
Remaining silent, Aricia Anar'Shia Teotanasia began to gently stroke her daughter's hair.
Unexpectedly, Asuna began to see other memories... Racing through Library Island with Negi and the Baka Rangers. Visiting Ayaka Yukihiro's private Island. The beginning of MahoraFest... Well... the end to... In the luxury of hindsight; that little adventure HAD been fun... All the training BUT Evangeline McDowell's 'special' training!
Looking down, Aricia could see the hesitant smile on her daughter's face. ("I'm proud of you Asuna. You've realized on your own that you're not JUST an object... That you ARE your own person...")
Nodding, Asuna squeezed the hand that she still held.
Leaning down, Aricia placed her chin on Asuna's head. ("My precious daughter. Though they meant well, Ala Rubra sealing your memory was a mistake. Now, so you won't be overwhelmed by having to confront everything all at once, your memory will have to be sealed again." Feeling a slight shudder, Aricia sighed. "That's right. Therein lies the risk you'll face. You'll be vulnerable to the Life Giver's influence until you finally grow into the memories held by your younger self, and the two of you become one." Giving the top of Asuna's head a kiss, Aricia became still. "Negi Springfield will help you. Together with him and all your other friends, I'm sure you'll be fine."
Feeling her eyelids beginning to grow heavy, Asuna nodded...
...then opened them with a start to find Ku Fei leaning over her. It could have just been a minute, or even a month, but that little bit of sleep let her sit back up. "Hey Ku..."
Reaching out, Ku put her hand on Asuna's shoulder. "You okay Asuna?"
With a smile, Asuna reached up to pat Ku's hand. When the Chinese girl nodded and sat back, a look of relief on her face, she turned and reached over to shake Negi's shoulder. "Hey... Negi... Are you going to sleep all day?"
Like a puppy stirring from a dream, Negi gave a twitch, then started to sit up. "Nekane... I just had the strangest dream! I..." Suddenly realizing who was before him, Negi rose up and threw his arms around Asuna's shoulders. "ASUNA! THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE OKAY!"
Feeling the sobs in Negi's frame as he clung to her, Asuna reached up and returned his embrace. "Yeah kid... I'm back..."
Stirring, Konoka sat up, followed a few seconds later by Setsuna. Seeing Negi and Asuna holding each other brought a smile to her face, but concern for Setsuna, just briefly, caused a worried look.
Sitting up, Setsuna gave her completely healed wings a shaking that sent bits of down flying. As one tickled her companion's nose, prompting a sneeze, she suddenly realized she was still holding the chocolate-haired girl's hand. She tried to let go, but a fiercely possessive grip prevented her from doing so. "o... Oujou-sama... please, my hand..."
Shaking her head, Konoka tightened her grip. As Setsuna flushed red, she turned to look back at Negi and Asuna. "Professor... Negi... Shouldn't we be going?"
Finally in better control of himself, Negi managed to sit back from Asuna. Rubbing at his red eyes, he gave a quick nod, then stood up. "Yes. I'd love to just escape through this gate port, but without the others, doing so would be meaningless. We'd best get back to the ship, then request asylum with Captain Adenaur until we figure out what to do next."
(-)
Just as Ku lead everyone out into the temple entry area; Setsuna felt a cold chill run up her spine the instant before a familiar voice reached her ears.
"Setsuna-sempaaaaiiii!"
Stepping out in front of her bodyguard, Konoka intercepted a little blonde dervish by planting a hand on her head. "No more fighting, Tsu-chan!"
Slipping out of the one-handed grip, Tsukuyomi leaned up against Konoka and slowly began to run a hand up the back of the girl's Onmyouji robes. "Awww... don't be so cold, Konoe-shama! We may be enemies again someday, but right now I just want to play!"
As Konoka gave a full-body shudder and a surprised shriek, Setsuna drew Yuunagi and swung at Tsukuyomi. "Unhand Kono-chan, you beast!"
With practiced ease, Tsukuyomi stopped Setsuna's blade with the thumb and first two fingers of her right hand, then slowly moved it aside. "Setsuna-sempai! This fight may be over, but that doesn't mean I still don't want to 'conquer' you AND Konoe-shama!"
Reacting to Tsukuyomi's lowered eyes and suggestive tone, Setsuna flushed red to the tips of her ears. Jerking Yuunagi free, she swung at the little Shinmei-Ryu again. "Tha... that's disgusting! How could you even think such impure thoughts about Kono-chan!"
Playfully dodging the unfocused swing, Tsukuyomi moved up against Setsuna and began tracing circles with a finger above the flustered girl's heart. "You're calling her 'Kono-chan,' Sempai... Might it be you've had such 'impure thoughts' as well?"
With an outraged roar, Setsuna knocked Tsukuyomi away, then began chasing the giggling girl around the entry chamber.
Watching the two girls 'playing' while Konoka shook her head, Negi did the same, then met Asuna's gaze for a moment before lowering his eyes. "Please forgive me Asuna, for not realizing you might be in trouble until it was much too late to do anything."
While certain things seemed unclear or hazy, the memories of almost everything else she'd done as 'Princess Enteofushia' were quite clear to Asuna, including the encounter with Negi near the beginning of the festival. Shuddering at the mental image of the bloodbath that encounter could have become, she shook her head to drive away such thoughts, then reached out to place a hand on Negi's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You came when it really did matter. 'Thank you,' Negi."
Filled with relief, Negi turned away, slightly flushed. "Yo... You're welcome, Asuna."
Knowing she still wasn't completely 'free,' Asuna looked down at her young Magister. "Anything else we'll just have to deal with together, as partners, when it happens." Looking up and seeing Ku watching Setsuna and Tsukuyomi 'play,' she remembered their earlier encounter in Tengboche and felt her mood darken slightly.
Sensing that Asuna had become upset, Ku turned to face her friend. Without hesitation, she lowered her eyes and shook her head to say there was no need for an apology.
Just as Asuna relaxed and gave Ku a silent look of thanks, a mood spoiler, in the form of four uniformed bounty-hunters, came in through the main temple entrance...
(-)
Aleksander Zaitsufu, Captain of the Seventeenth Squad of the Canis Niger, limited shape-shifter and master of long-range Sagita Magica, knew a potential disaster when he saw one. However, he could also recognize when a foe was exhausted, their strength spent. "Come on! They haven't got anything left! We can take them!"
Though he and Morborgran remained ready to fight, Rizo held some serious doubts, despite the look of the bounty marks they'd come to collect. "I don't know boss... That's the blade user from a week ago... She'd just taken an Anti-army Lightning Mine, and she STILL got both of us..."
As if he didn't have enough to be afraid of, Morborgran recognized that there was not just ONE Shinmei-Ryu blade user ready to oppose them, but TWO. "I want to go home, but I don't think I want to go home so much I'd fight both those girls..."
As two of his squad took hesitant single steps back towards the temple entrance, Aleksander turned to the last squad member, who if she didn't look ready to fight, at least didn't look like she was about to run away. "Paio! Call in your sandworms!" Unexpectedly, the Armor using Ma-Jin shook her head.
"No. I might have supported you in other circumstances boss, but right now, I can't."
Shocked, Aleksander looked back toward the biggest bounty feast he was likely ever to see in his life, or even his entire career. Though she wasn't a known bounty, a girl wearing blue and gray armor took out her sword and faced him, obviously ready to fight to defend what were probably her friends. Despite the exhausted state of her companions, that was enough for Morborgran and Rizo, they broke and ran. Paio didn't look like she was going to run away, but neither did she look like she was ready to fight.
Unwilling to show his back, Aleksander Zaitsufu, Captain of the Seventeenth Squad of the Canis Niger, limited shape-shifter and master of long-range Sagita Magica, straightened his posture, and with as much dignity as he could muster, backed away an acceptable distance, then did a precise about-face and walked calmly out of the temple.
As soon as the tall tattooed man was gone, Negi and everyone else turned their attention to the last bounty hunter. Unexpectedly, the person began to approach their group in a steady, but unaggressive stride. Stopping a polite distance away, the sudden folding back of the hunters head, followed by the splitting their shoulders, gave everyone a shock before the three pieces moved aside to reveal a petite, blonde, dark-skinned Ma-Jin girl.
Never one to forget a face, or at least, being able to recognize a familial resemblance, Paio Two calmly looked down at the little rust-red haired mage before her. "Hey kid... Was your father the Thousand Master?"
Relaxing along with everyone else, Negi stood up straight. "Why do you want to know?"
Happy to have her presumption confirmed, Paio gave a relieved smile. "Your dad saved my life when my village was destroyed twenty years ago by people who didn't want to believe the war was over. I know they say he's dead, but if he isn't, and you ever see him again, thank him one more time for me, will ya? The name's Paio. Paio Two."
Nodding, Negi went forward and held out his hand. "I will Miss Paio. Just so you know; my name is Negi."
Taking the offered hand in the big paw of her armor, Paio gave it a shake. After one last look of unfulfilled longing at the boobies of the girls behind Negi, she closed up her armor and turned to leave.
(-)
Worried that they were too late, Emily glanced back at her companions. "Hurry up! They got in there before us!"
Since she was facing away from the temple, Emily didn't see something Beatrice and everyone else did. "Miss Sevensheep. They're running away..."
Facing forward again, Emily watched as three of the hunters made to depart the fallen island with varying levels of haste. Just as she brought her group in to land outside the temple's Pronaos, the forth hunter came out, spared them a brief glance, then departed at a much calmer pace.
Having just survived one crisis without a fight, Negi groaned silently as a pair of Valkyrie Mage Knights, weapon lances at the ready, cautiously came into the foyer. Just as he was about to ready himself to fight once more, the familiar forms of his shortest Ministra, his tallest, ("Why is Kaede's hair so white?") and a beagle-girl appeared behind the Valkyries. "Yue! Kaede! Collet!"
Responding to their names being called, the three girls left Emily and Beatrice behind and rushed out to meet their four friends.
Though Collet maintained a polite separation as the other two girls enthusiastically greeted their friends, Emily felt a twinge of jealousy that she would be called out in such a familiar way by the boy who was apparently Nagi Springfield's son. Finally shaking her head, she placed her weapon lance in storage, then raised the visor of her helm and began to move forward. "Listen here people! I think it's best we evacuate this place and head back to the ship!"
Reacting to Emily's approach, Collet allowed herself a self-important smile, then held out an introductory hand towards Negi. "Emily Sevensheep, Beatrice Monroe, since you already know Yue and Kaede, allow me to introduce Negi Springfield, son of the Thousand Master Nagi, as well as his friends Konoka Konoe, Setsuna Sakurazaki, and..."
Now it became Emily's turn to feel smug as she realized Collet didn't seem to know the last girl's name.
"Asuna... Asuna Kagurazaka."
As she nodded to acknowledge the introduction by the girl in blue and gray armor, two things about her leapt out as significant to Emily.
The first was about the sword she held so casually in her right hand. Anyone with any serious knowledge of the history of Ostia knew of the legendary blade, 'Caliburn of Teotanasia,' said to have been handed down from one ruler of Ostia to the next since the age of the First Crisis. It had been presumed lost long ago, during the time of Arjuent Teotanasia... Any silliness about 'singing swords' aside, for this girl to have that blade... she HAD to be a Teotanasia.
The second thing was something less intellectual and more instinctive... deep inside, something Emily couldn't really explain told her beyond the level of simply possessing a sword that this WAS the blood of the Teotanasia. No matter what trouble might come from the unexpected appearance of such a person, this girl was a Princess of Ostia. Without hesitation, she knelt. "Princess Teotanasia! I'm honored to be in your presence!"
Taken aback, Asuna stared for a moment at the blond girl kneeling before her. She knew the title was correct, but the whole idea of being a princess still made her uncomfortable... Shaking her head, she took a step forward, hands spread wide. "Please, Miss Sevensheep? You don't need to bow to me..."
Looking up, Emily saw the slightly embarrassed, unpretentious expression on the girls face and felt herself relax. Standing once more, she exchanged a brief handshake, then turned to face Negi. That the handsome 'Nagi' from the arena might actually be this little rag-covered, disheveled boy was... disappointing, but she still found herself thinking about how cute he was...
Seeing the slightly swooning look of Emily's face through the open visor of her helm, Asuna suddenly felt a reaction she had to forcibly suppress. For some reason, she'd had a sudden desire to start sniping at the blonde(?) Emily like she did with Ayaka Yukihiro... "A... anyway, Miss Sevensheep, you said we needed to leave?"
Suddenly coming back to herself, Emily nodded. "Ye... yes." With a gesture, she indicated for everyone to precede her outside.
Once in the open, who was going to ride with whom was quickly sorted out. As she made ready to depart herself, Emily was surprised by the appearance of a short blonde girl wearing glasses.
"Miss Sevensheep. Might I ride with you?"
Worried she'd somehow managed to miss another person's presence up to that point, Emily put her guard up. "You are?"
Making ready to take Konoka into her arms, Setsuna turned instead to face Emily. "Her name is Tsukuyomi. She's our prisoner."
Glancing quickly at the little girl, Emily saw that she was still armed, though only with a small blade. Showing a slight unease through a raised eyebrow, she turned back to face Setsuna.
Seeing open interest in Emily in Tsukuyomi's eyes, Setsuna glared at her fellow Shinmei-Ryu. "I promise you she'll not cause any trouble. Isn't that right, Tsukuyomi?"
Giving a disappointed sigh, Tsukuyomi nodded. When Emily finally indicated for her to do so, she sat side-saddle behind the Valkyrie, then very chastely placed her arms around the girl's waist.
Waiting until everyone else had taken off; Setsuna paused to look around one last time. Other than the scars from Kaede's fight, the place looked no different, for all that had happened, than it did when she'd first seen it three days ago... With a sigh, she turned to Konoka. "Time to go, Oujou-sama."
Disappointment showed openly on Konoka's face at the choice of words. Still, understanding the time they could afford to be so familiar with each other openly was probably coming to an end, Konoka nodded silently, then reached up and placed her arms around Setsuna's neck.
After taking Konoka into her arms, Setsuna spread her wings wide and crouched down. Leaping up, she giving a powerful down stroke and quickly left the Temple of Chandika, and the old city of Ostia, behind.
(-)
(Valley of Old Ostia. Below the island containing the Temple of Chandika.)
Though he still felt the fear of finding out the true nature of his daughter, Mifuzu Saseru Enteofushia fumed at the indignity of not only being played for a fool by Fate Averruncus, but by all the other members of Cosmo Entelecheia who had 'supported' his efforts over the years. Thinking about all the information he had access to, and of the merciless revenge that would be set in motion upon returning to Argyre, he jumped down the last few feet of the cliff he was climbing down. His manta ship having been inoperable for some reason, he'd been forced to escape on foot, including having to travel through some disgusting transit tunnel to avoid several Ariadne Valkyries that seemed to be snooping around.
In the wake of the apparent failure to seal all the gate ports, or of whatever destruction the Life Giver had planned, all that he needed to do was get to the ground port for New Ostia. As in many other cities, several ships were stored in a warehouse there under the name of a front company. All he needed to do was access one of those ships, and he would be on his way back to Argyre. Once there, he would be safe, unless the Northern Alliance or the Hellas Empire wanted him so badly they were willing to send in their militaries.
Unaccustomed to such long-term exertion, Mifuzu Saseru Enteofushia stopped for a moment to rest, as he did so, a loud croaking noise from quite nearby caused him to start. Turning to identify the potential danger, he felt his body go ridged before the name of the creature could even register in his mind. ("Ba... BASILISK!")
As time began to slow for him, Mifuzu 'felt' the mental presence of someone else nearby. ("He... Help me...")
("...")
("Whoever you are... please...") With seeming reluctance, the presence established a stronger connection, and Mifuzu realized his potential 'savior,' Doubek Valkova, Harbinger of the Mage Council, was anything but...
("Mifuzu Saseru Enteofushia." You hereby stand accused of the murder of Aricia Anar'Shia Teotanasia, her retainers Erwin and Helene von Godel, and of the attempted murder of their son, among many others. Your other various crimes do not bear recounting in the little time you have remaining in your life. Therefore, you have a choice. You may experience not even a tithe as much suffering as you've caused, as you attempt to choke a basilisk to death, or you may plead with me to follow my orders and bring you to justice.")
Knowing what that 'Justice' meant, Mifuzu, even though he knew himself to be completely paralyzed, could feel his lower lip trembling. As the basilisk waddled its way closer, its long, bifurcated tongue flickering out to taste the scent of a future meal, he found himself trapped between two equally gruesome potential fates...
(-)
(Mundus Vetus. Istanbul, Turkey. Beneath the Hagia Sophia.)
Appearing unexpectedly far above their destination, Shirabe Shido just managed to twist her body in mid-air, protecting her Magister from the impact as she, Fate, Homura and Mihai slammed into the surface of the gate port platform in the deepest catacombs of the Hagia Sophia.
As she lay there, trying to push aside the tremendous pain in her back, a man dressed in some kind of business attire and wearing a fez came over and smiled down at her.
"Dear me. It seems we've had a demon appear in our midst."
Despite his polite, relaxed attitude, Shirabe could sense a barely controlled anger seething behind the man's disarming smile.
"Do you understand, Young Lady, that if you do not do exactly as I say, you and your little unconscious fire-sprite friend will not live to exit this room?"
Feeling a broken rib suddenly shift in her chest, Shirabe did the only thing she could and nodded in acquiescence.
His smile suddenly becoming slightly more genuine, the man signaled toward several figures standing further back in the chamber's shadows. "Nabo. You and the others come and escort our guests to my residence."
Being reluctant to let her Magister be taken away, Shirabe held on to Fate's clothes until one of the other men came and pried her hand open. Fate and Mihai were both gently carried away, Homura in a manner considerably less so. Having been told there shouldn't be anyone around when they arrived, she winced from a back spasm, then turned towards the man in the fez. "Who... who are you?"
His every move precise, the man gave a clipped introductory bow. "Forgive me for being so impolite. My name is Fayed Habbibi, Miss Shirabe Shido."
That Fayed knew her name was yet another shock to Shirabe. What his smile then became, as she was given consideration for her injuries and gently picked up by two more of Fayed's servants, was something prompting more fear in her heart then she'd felt even when it looked like Fate had been killed...
"I am sure, Miss Shido, that we will have the chance to get to know each other, 'much' better."
tsuzuku.
(-)
Author's Notes:
Raphael's Mantle: Raphael is considered (at least unofficially,) to be one of the Archangel's of God. His powers were those of a healer. A 'Mantle' is a type of all-encompassing cloak or shield.
Celestron and NexImage are both names of real-life telescope and accessory manufacturers.
The GSX-401FW Stargazer was designed by Selene McGriff, and is most decidedly NOT a... 'normal,' telescope, in the manner it is portrayed in Ala Alba.
Taiyaki: 'Baked Sea Bream.' (Literal translation.) Fish shaped pastries containing various fillings. Sweet red bean paste and custard being among the many options.
Brother Martin: Martin Luther. Monk, Priest, Theologian. Responsible for the initiation of the Protestant Reformation, beginning in roughly 1517. The idea Evangeline McDowell met Martin Luther appears in Kafka'sdragons story 'I, Evangeline.' The only real connection between that story, Ala Alba, and Markham Chronicles Negima is that Evangeline implies to Nodoka Miyazaki that she was once burned at the stake. This while giving Ala Alba's resident mind-reader/telepath special training in Ala Alba chapter eleven, 'A Modest Librarian.'
'I, Evangeline,' is a speculative story, with excellent connections to actual history, about Evangeline McDowell's life long before Maho Sensei Negima. I certainly recommend it.
Voards and the Estimated Prophet's damaged engine room: Though magic has been used to help with many things on the Prophet, high pressure steam turbines are still used as the ships main propulsive force. When high pressure, high temperature steam suddenly floods an enclosed compartment due to damage, it doesn't do nice things to any crew who might be in that compartment. That anyone at all still lived is due to Prophet being immobilized. Thus, the steam was not at its normal high pressure.
Cerberian Artiodactyla: A Mundus Magicus moose.
Pronaos: Front porch area of a temple.
Paio Two is referring to c268, p15.
'Konoe-shama:' 'Cute' version of '-sama' Tsukuyomi is using to show affection for Konoka. This is a dig at Setsuna in several ways. Besides knowing it will irritate her rival, it also is an insult in the sense that she is only 'granting' Setsuna the honorific 'Sempai.'
Doubek Valkova. Harbinger of the Mage Council. For more information, see Kafka'sdragon's 'Markham Chronicles Negima: Other Side of the Mirror.'
Hagia Sophia: From the year 360 to current times; a cathedral, mosque, and now museum in Constantinople/Istanbul Turkey. Like Angkor Wat, an obvious location for one of the Mundus Vetus's 'Twelve Holy Sites,' (and thus a cross-world gate port,) as mentioned by Gandolfini during MahoraFest/the Chao Lingshen incident. Also the site of the headquarters of the Istanbul Magic Association. IMA.
Fez. A type of hat/head covering worn in Turkey.
Fayed Habbibi is a mage encountered by Takamichi T. Takahata in Istanbul. (Kafka'sdragon's 'Markham Chronicles Negima: Other Side of the Mirror.') Though all of their names were not mentioned, Nebo, Orkuz, Eblis, Diabolus and Mephistopheles are servants of Fayed.
Chapter fifty: It's a long way home.