WolfGear Presents: Negima? The mage and the Gunslinger
Pairings: Negi X ku-Fei Kaede X OC
Chapter thirteen: Jack's day around campus
I don't own Negima!
It's been two weeks since the trip in Kyoto and things at Mahora returned to whatever standard of normal they went by. Negi had asked Evangeline if they could use her villa for training, though the said vampire wanted to know how he knew of her villa, she complied after Jack gave her a photo of Nagi in a speedo. Which he got when he searched through Eishun's photo album, he decided to keep it after Negi told him Eva had a bit of a crush on the Thousand Master, and figured if Eva didn't want it some fan girl would. Seriously he put the thing on the Magic market and he had unbelievable amounts of money offered for it!
Anyway thanks to the villa the group consisting of Jack, Negi, Kaede, Fei-Ku, and now Konoka and Setsuna could train without having to complicate their schedules or at least the ones who had to go to school had to. Jack spent most of the day doing nothing other than training, cleaning his guns and just lazing about. With Kaede in school right now he had very little to do, he realized, so he decided to spend the day looking around campus.
Jack walked around the massive campus that was Mahora; he was looking for something to pass the time when he saw Library Island. Other than going under it to find the scroll of Musashi, he hasn't actually been in the Library itself. Figuring why the hell not he walks across the bridge that connected the Library to the main land.
Inside he was amazed by all the books all though after visiting the underground he shouldn't have been that surprised he guessed. Wondering aimlessly down the rows of books, Jack was surprised to see that some of the books had enchantments on them, but reasoned that they were the spell books the teachers and magical aware students used.
After maybe an hour of random searching Jack found a book on ancient fire magic, not having anything better to do he began to read the book, taking notes with the notebook he always kept in his satchel bag. Jack was so engrossed his book he didn't feel the presence of a certain bookworm till she crashed into the ladder he was on sitting, due to carrying too many books again.
"Oh shit!" The cowboy yelled as he fell to the floor bringing dozens of books down with him, luckily for the person down below Jack, and the books missed her.
"Oh I'm sorry!" the girl apologized as she began to pick up the books. Jack recognized her as Nodoka one of the girls in Negi's class.
"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" He asked picking up the books that fell with him it may have been the girl's fault, but that didn't mean he couldn't help.
"Oh no right now it's club activities, but if you're looking for Negi-sensei he's in a teachers meeting." Nodoka explained knowing which class the cowboy was talking about, it was easy to recognized him form around campus, and he used to sit in Negi's class, but he hasn't shown up the pass few weeks.
"Oh ok do you know where Kaede is then?" Jack asked the shy girl he was half surprised she hasn't fainted, or something from what Kaede told him, she was terrified of the men. Maybe she was finally getting used to guys with him and Negi around; though he hoped she didn't have any feeling for the little mage, because he was pretty sure he liked Fei-Ku.
"Kaede-Chan is in math right now, and it will be a few more hours before schools done." Nodoka said as she finished gathering the books. Jack helped her carry them the front desk and thanked her for the information and walked away. Nodoka felt something odd in her chest that she could explain it wasn't like the ones that she felt for Negi-sensei it more like she could just feel not afraid of the cowboy despite his appearance; the whole thing just confused her more then she already was.
After leaving Library Island and Nodoka behind him Jack wondered over to the stables that held the horses for the equestrian club. Spotting a huge crowd Jack decides to see what the commotion was about, what he found out was that one of the riders had injured themselves, and they didn't have time to find a replacement.
"I can ride," he said pushing his way through the crowd, most stared at him, then questioned if he really could ride. "I don't wear this hat just for show you know, I bet you I could even bring in the gold." He boasted leaving out the fact it's been years since he last rode a horse, but they didn't need to know that after all it was like riding a bike; a big hairy four legged bike.
After the girls entered his name as a replacement he mounted up, and was led to the track where he found Ayaka on a white horse beside him.
"I didn't know you rode Ayaka-san" Jack said.
"Well I do and I hope you know I never loose Jack-san," the blonde stated as the announcer yelled over the mick to begin. A shoot fired off and the gates flew opening letting the horses loose. Jack was in the middle of the pack slowly making his way up to the front; after all it wasn't always the fastest out of the gates who won. It was the one that could get that final sprint in when it mattered. Around the third turn Jack spurred his horse faster passing all the way up to second right behind Ayaka; there the two stayed as one horse got its nose in front of the others. Only a few more yards till the finish line Ayaka's horse tried form being pushed too hard at the start of the race chocked up giving Jack the edge he need to finish in first! He walked the horse back the stables where he got it, and let the girls take the horse to be bedded down for the night.
"How did you win? Our team always finishes last so how?" The girl that gave him the horse asked amazed at finally winning a race and against Ayaka no less! She just had to know what this stranger did to do it!
"You just got to know when to speed up and when to slow down, there's more to racing then speed. Your horse has the stamina to outlast the other horses by a mile, so when the other horses are huffing and puffing that's when you move." He said walking away from the stables he was starting to feel a bit hungry he heard that there was good restaurant run by one of Negi's girls nearby.
At the Chao Bao Zi Jack walked in on some guys that were causing a fuss at the traveling food cart, though he was sure that the girls could handle it, but the guys seemed a little familiar to him; on closer inspection he saw it was the same guys at the plaza that he beat up.
"I'm going ask you to quiet down sir or you won't be served here anymore." Satsuki warned unfortunately the trouble makers hadn't ordered anything meaning her words had no sway; though they didn't know what they were missing, but good food is wasted on the wicked.
"Shut it Bitch!" The leader yelled snapping at the cook this caused most of the regulars of the store to stand up, and defend the girl, they weren't about to let some stranger insult the best cook in Mahora like this! Jack however beat them to the punch literally as his fist crashed in to guys skull knocking out more teeth, and the fake ones he got to replace the other ones Jack knock out of his Jaw before.
"Who dares hit me…" the leader stopped mid-sentence as Jack stood over him and sent a powerful kick into the guy's mouth. The lackey's picked up their leader again, and screeds off back to where they came from. With the troublemakers gone everybody went back to enjoying their meal, well Jack walked up to the counter to order some meat buns that Chao boa Zi was famous for, he sat down on an empty bench nearby, and was joined by someone unexpected.
Chao Lingshin genius, martial artist, owner of Chao Boa Zi, and Time Traveler sat across from the cowboy, studying him with a keen eye. She looked at all the historical records' surrounding her ancestor Negi, and Jack wasn't supposed to meet Negi till ten years from now. Though she was thankful for his handling with those ruffians even if was an unnecessary action as she could have easy done it herself.
"You're not supposed to be here." The Martian said seriously though he was an unexpected appearance that did not make any changes in her plans.
"Really and where should I be?" Jack shot back taking a bite of his meat bun, it was really good just the right amount of spices.
"Don't play dumb! You shouldn't have met Negi till…"
"Till when? I've known Negi for a while now roughly five years I met him at the academy when I went there for some training." Jack said cutting the time traveler off not really lying but not telling the truth either. Figuring things could get really complicated if the conversation went on any longer; he finished up his meal, and tilled his hat to the Time Traveler saying they'll have another chat later.
With Chao behind him Jack wondered off to the auditorium he heard some real sweet tunes coming from there, and being a music lover he just had to check it out. When he arrived and found some more of Negi's girls playing up on stage. From what he could remember they were Madoka, Sakurarako, Misa and Ako. Jack nodded his head to the beat, and clapped as he walks down the alee to the front of the stage, when he got there though Ako froze up in the middle of the song.
"Oh sorry did I disturb you?" He asked the girls who shook their heads at him.
"No it's just that Ako has stage fright." Sakurarako explained as the other girls nodded in agreement.
Jack having experience with this sort of thing jumped on stage and approached the girl "Got bit of the shivers huh here give me that guitar for a bit." Ako handed him her bass guitar plucking the stings till he found the tune he was looking for and in a low voice he started to sing.
"I Won't Back Down" by Johnny Cash
[Verse 1]
Well I won't back down, no I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down
[Verse 2]
Gonna stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down
[Chorus]
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground and I won't back down
[Verse 3]
Well I know what's right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin' me around
But I stand my ground and I won't back down
[Chorus]
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground and I won't back down
No I won't back down.
After he finished singing he handed the guitar back to Ako "Now don't back down and don't think about the audience, just play like you practiced." Jack said taking a seat up front, the girls started to play as they played more and more people wandered in to stands, pretty soon there was a whole crowd gathered in front of them! When the girls finished they were surprised to see all the on lookers, Ako was surprised that she managed to play in front of so many people and not freeze up! She looked at Jack and gave a smile of thanks as she spoke into her mike.
"Uh thank you everyone for your support. Jack if you would be so kind as to lend us a hand?" She asked the crowded cheered for the cowboy to go on stage; not one to refuse a crowd he hopped back on stage picking up an extra guitar on the way.
"You sure this is ok?" he asked. The girls gave him a thumbs up "I don't know any Japanese songs but if you can figure out the words sing along ok?" the crowded cheered in response setting the beat he showed the girls they're parts and once they got it down he began to sing.
Montgomery Gentry - Some People Change
His old man was a rebel yeller:
Bad boy to the bone.
He'd say: "Can't trust that other fella,"
He'd judge 'em by the tone of their skin.
He was raised to think like his Dad:
Narrow mind full of hate.
On the road to no-where fast,
Till the Grace of God got in the way.
Then he saw the Light an' hit his knees an' cried an' said a prayer:
Rose up a brand new man; left the old one right there.
Here's to the strong; thanks to the brave.
Don't give up hope: some people change.
Against all odds, against the grain,
Love finds a way: some people change.
She was born with her mother's habit:
You could say: "It's in her blood."
She hates that she's gotta have it:
As she fills her glass up.
An she'd love to kill that bottle,
But all she can think about,
Is a, a better life, a second chance,
An' everyone she's letting down.
She throws that bottle down.
Here's to the strong; thanks to the brave.
Don't give up hope: some people change.
Against all odds, against the grain,
Love finds a way: some people change.
Thank God for those who make it:
Let them be the Light.
(Let them be the light)
(Some people change.)
Here's to the strong; thanks to the brave.
Don't give up hope: some people change.
Against all odds, against the grain,
Love finds a way: some people change.
Some people change.
When the music stopped the crowd gave loud cheer, Jack held up his guitar with his other hand he raised Ako's hand then gave a bow. He gave everyone one last wave before exiting the stage.
Later that night in Kaede's room Jack waited for the ninja to return, she had to stay behind to receive tutoring for her English with the other Baka rangers. A faint click of the knob told the cowboy that his lover was back with a quick kiss between the two, they began to discuss what they would have for supper when a knock at the door disturbed them.
"I'll get it" Jack said getting up it was probably Negi or Fei-Ku to his surprise it was Nodoka with book. She thrust the book into his hand thanked him for the help today and ran off. Confused he closed the door, and turned back to the ninja.
"What did Nodoka want?" she asked having sensed the girl when the door was opened it was real out of character thing for the bookworm to do.
"I don't know she just gave me this book and ran off." Jack answered setting the book on the table when someone else knocked at the door. This time it was the girls from the stables, they handed him a gold metal saying that since he won the race he deserved it. They walked off telling him to come by the race tracks anytime. Shrugging it off he closed the door again, and almost instantly another knock come from the door.
"We sure are getting a lot of visitors tonight," Kaede stated as Jack opened the door where Satsuki handed him a box of fresh pork buns, saying it was thanks for early then walked away.
"Well at least suppers taken care off." Kaede laughed "What did you do today anyways?"
"Nothing special" he said as he dug into the buns, they were even better than the ones he ate earlier, something that he thought was impossible. He was about to take another bite when again someone knocked at the door; it better not be Chao he prayed. Thankfully it wasn't instead it was Ako who gave him two tickets to an upcoming concert for him and Kaede.
Ako Knew the two were dating, so she thought it would make a good gift as a thank you for helping her get rid of her stage freight. Jack gave her a pat on the head, and wished her luck on her next performance as she skipped away happily.
Kaede gave him a mischievous grin "Nothing special huh"
"I may have help some people here and there," he replied sitting down he guessed it was a pretty -exciting day, but the best part had yet to come, he reasoned as he looked at Kaede. After all their favorite time of the day was night he thought as he gave her another kiss.
Author's note
Ok so this chapter was pretty much filler, the next couple will be focused on Jack and the twins. I thought I should lighten the mood of the story before things turn dark again. I also wanted to include some of the other girls and let Jack show some of his many talents like horseback riding and playing the guitar.
Oh yeah please review I know sometimes I don't put out the best chapters but I'm still improving so I also need help staying motivated now that winter vacation is over. I'll probably have chapters coming out every two or three days hopefully.