WolfGear Presents: Negima? The mage and the Gunslinger
Pairings: Negi X ku-Fei Kaede X OC
Chapter 3: Festival part 14-Present vs. future round 1
I don't own Negima!
On a now deserted bridged Jakku and Chao plus Sayo appeared out of nowhere. The ghost girl looked around confused. She was in the same place but where did everyone else go? She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice them walking away. Ah wait for me! She cried in her head, floating after the two.
"I'll take my leave now. You take care of yourself." Jakku said vanishing in a flash of light.
Chao stared curiously at the spot where the old cowboy stood a second ago. He had a very familiar presents that made her know she knew him but from where? His story about saving her from dragons was true but she still had no clue to his real identity.
She didn't have time to ponder about the strange man, because a girl wearing a panda mask showed up. But she quickly deduced that it was Ku-Fei in disguise so the media wouldn't hound her.
"Ku? You're wearing that mask because the media was all over you, right?"
"That's right! It was crazy Auryo! But I had help from Negi-Kun and the others. So I've been able to enjoy the festival." She said with a light brush on her cheeks, a blush that Chao didn't miss.
"You like Negi-Bouzo don't you Ku?" It was more a statement then a question. Chao knew she was correct because Ku blushed even harder turning her face red as a tomato.
Fumbling her fingers Ku pitifully tried to deny the claim, "Um well…you see… I" But Chao saved her from having to explain.
"It's ok Ku. It's cute that you have a crush on Negi-Bozou. I'm happy from you." She said patting her friends on the head. "I planned not telling anyone but since you're my best friend I think you should know."
"Know what?"
"I'm dropping out of school."
On another part of the festival grounds another heavy conversation was taking place or rather finishing up. Kataro the tough dog hanyou from Kyoto had just finished speaking with his father, Thomas McCoy about what they would do now that they have met for the first time in ever.
The conversation was a simple one. Thomas apologized for not being there for him when he should have and acknowledged that he had no right to ask forgiveness, not that he asked for it anyways. There was no point in wallowing in the past since there was no way to fix it. He did offer to train Kataro over the summer if he wanted. Leaving his cell number he left saying he could call anytime and them vanished into the crowd.
He didn't know why he was hesitating; it was clear from the match that Thomas was much stronger then Jack and had more experience. So why didn't he take the offer to train with him right away? Was it because he didn't want to cast Jack off like a piece of garbage? Or maybe he held some resentment for Thomas. No, he thought. That wasn't it. He knew what it really was. It was fear. Fear of being taken away from his friends and freedom to do whatever he wanted.
Natsumi who had tagged along with Chizuru watched the dog boy with a heavy heart. Then felt someone touch her shoulder, it was Chizuru with her normal cheerful demure. "I think we should give him time alone, Natsumi. It the all we can do right now."
Natsumi nodded in understanding for now she would give him space.
Now that he had spoken with his son, Thomas strolled through the crowd looking for a certain two crimson wing members, soon enough he found them chatting in a more remote part of the festival.
"Yo, Al, Takamichi what's up?" Thomas greeted.
"Doing fine I guess. Tell me Thomas did you know Nagi was alive?" Takamichi asked, after confirming from Al that Nagi was indeed alive, like Negi claimed, he was curious to know if the others knew.
Thomas rubbed the back of his head; he guessed he could tell the chain smoker they were friends now right? "Well I won't say I knew for certain but I go word from Ray a few years ago hinting that he maybe live." He hesitated for second wondering if he should tell them the rest, and then shrugged, they had a right to know. "He also said that Nagi and John are working together."
"What?" Both yelled shocked never in their entire live would they have ever thought that those two team up from anything, or at least willingly. This really put a twist on things.
"Did Ray say why," asked Al. it appeared the last McCoy brother knew much more than anyone thought.
"No, But I imagine he knows, but John probably told him to keep quiet." Thomas said then thought for minute. "I remember the night that we were bringing Jack to Rubi's. Ray said something about…"
He didn't get to finish his sentence because an angry Rubi ran towards them. Now they all fought in the war twenty years ago, seen horrible things and fought some of the most powerful beings that the magic world has ever seen. But they were still scared shitless at the site of an angry woman.
"Well I think it's time for me to leave, nice seeing you guys bye!" Al said before he vanished in to thin air back to his underground bunker.
"Oh look, my pager is going off back to work!" Takamichi fibbed, leaving the cowboy to his fate. There was no way he was getting sticking around, last time he did that he had almost all of his ribs broken!
Thomas was now sweating bullets there was no way he could escape and running would just make her angrier. Damn traitors, he thought. It was just too cruel to leave him like this and worst they were in-laws! Everyone knows that just makes things twenty times worse!
"Hi Rubi, my favorite sister in-…. (Choking noise)"
"Shut up! Now tell me whose that old man in black is! I know you know so don't lie to me!" She demanded, gripping the cowboy by his throat.
"I' wou'd 'ut ne'k," He sputtered out. He started to see black invading his vision, when finally the pressure on his neck was released. "Woof, I can see why your victims are so ready to spill their guts. Damn I think that going leave a bruise." He complained, rubbing the sore spot in his neck. He had hoped Rubi would be in a more merciful mood because of their friendship. Seeing how she didn't kill him on site, he guessed this was merciful for her.
"Shut up and tell me what I want to know! Who's the man in black? You know don't you. Tell me!" She demanded. Usually by now Thomas would have spilt his guts to her but he just stood up, straightened his coat and then cracked her on the skull!
"Enough!" He commanded. "Rubi, I think this time we better leave things up the kids this time. Because honestly I don't want to get involved in whatever complex, wacked out, shitfuck they got themselves into and I know how you don't like jobs that are complex, delicate and involve a lot of planning."
Rubi pondered his words. She had to emit that the situation was indeed leaning in that direction. And it the man in black was who she thought he was then it would be better for the youngsters to take this one.
Speaking of youngsters, Sayo was hanging on that man's shoulders, but she could sense that she was in no danger. Which was a huge relief the site of her new daughter disappearing in thin air really had her worried. And though she wasn't too fond of Thomas, but she respected his judgment and if he wasn't worried about the stranger then there was no reason for her to be.
"Alright," she finally emitted. "I'll leave it to the kiddies for now. But first (reaches into Thomas pocket) I'll need a little compensation." She grinned evilly holding up the prize money check from the tournament. It was roughly the same amount the Dean paid her so she had no hard feeling about losing money. Now she just had to collect Sayo and party!
Negi and Jack dressed in their combat gear marched through the festival grounds on a mission to find and stop Chao's plan. This time Negi wouldn't struggle to understand her reasons, he already knew what they were and what she was to him. But that didn't give her the right to destroy so many people's lives for something that was going to happen years from now. And as her teacher and apparently ancestral grandfather, it was his duty to stop her.
Taking the route that would pass by the spot Ku-Fei would be after she had talked with Chao, Negi wanted to comfort her before he faced the time travel, plus if things went the way they did last time then they could have a plan B ready just in case things got out of hand.
"Ku-Chan is something the matter? You sort of down." Negi said as he approached the martial artist. He knew she really must be depressed if she couldn't sense their approach.
"Oh, I didn't even hear you Negi-Kun, and Jack-san too. I guess I had a lot on my mind." She said, knocking herself on the head. "I can be so stupid sometimes. It not like something's wrong or I'm trying to keep something secret from you guys."
The blank looks from the two males told her that they weren't buying it and she fessed up about Chao dropping out of school. Something that she thought would have Negi feeling upset or at least surprised but he stayed impassive as he read Chao's note.
"Well, it's seems that Chao has to leave do to family matters. I'm afraid there's not much I can do." Negi said at a length, he come here to comfort Ku not make her more depressed, plus it sounded like he did care about the genius which was far from the truth. "But I will talk to Chao-san and see if there's anything I can do."
At that moment Kaede and the twins arrived as energetic as ever. "Hey guys what's up?" The two pinkettes yelled from about ten feet away. Quickly Jack gave them the quick version of the story and asked them to assemble the class for a farewell party, while he and Negi went to retrieve Chao.
"Ok, were off. You guys take care of things on your end and we'll deliver the guest of honor." Jack boasted, his cheerily attitude helped lift everyone's spirits, plus the mention of a party was enough to get any of the girls excited. When they turned their backs to the group the expressions turn grim as they marched forward.
Chao felt a dangerous aura fast approaching her position and then a second; it was easy to tell who they were. They made no attempt to hide their intentions either. It was clear the Jack and Negi had come to deal with her, that fact was supported by the look in their eyes, completely void of their usual friendliness.
"I'm guessing from your aura you won't be persuaded to join my side?" The genius inquired, before she had hoped to bring them over to her side but it seemed that idea was nothing but a pipe dream now.
Negi stepped forward, he knew that Chao would never give up on her plans but as her teacher he had to offer at least one last chance to walk away. If she refused, which he sure she would, then the gloves came off.
"Chao…I will only say this once go home to your own time or face the consequences." He told her with his fiercest glare.
Chao was dumb founded. Though she would have told him herself she was surprised that he already knew that she was from the future. It made her wonder what else he knew.
"So you know. Is that because you read my mind or is it because you're from the future as well?" She questioned. "That's it isn't it. I'm curious to how you managed that and why you brought Jack along, because the history books say you don't meet for a few more years."
This time Jack spoke. "It was really just a big flop about how we came to be here, but there is no point in trying to return. The future that we know off no longer exists. I would imagine that if you were to return now. Things would be very different."
"Even if that's true I will still full fill my plan. You shouldn't be so full of yourself to think you could change so much just by being here!" Chao retorted, she felt like a child being told everything she had worked so hard on was now pointless. Things couldn't have changed so much just because one cowboy wasn't off killing bandits in the desert…right?
"Looks like she's not going to listen to reason, Negi what should we do?" Jack asked jokingly. He was little surprised by Chao's line of thinking though. You would think that a smart girl like her would have remembered that Negi had come back too.
Negi sighed, another ingurgitation down the drain, why couldn't things ever be settled peacefully, he thought sliding into his battle stance. Beside him Jack did the same letting his hand hoover over his twin pistols which were set in the cross draw position.
In a flash they all attacked at once! Chao using her Cho-Chouken style to block Negi's attack, and then faster than a normal human she dodged the bullets that Jack had fired. The fight dragged on this way for at least a minute. Negi attacking up close and Jack from a distance trying to disable the Martian or the device on her back. But it proved far tougher then the two expected. Not only were they trying not to kill the Martian girl but her ability to move through time and all the other devices that gave Chao used proved to be very difficult to deal with.
It seemed like the fight was going to drag on for ever when something strange happened. Two unfamiliar weapons flew out of nowhere! A bladed hoop and a steel ball attached to a string, managed to catch the Martian off guard by wrapping around her trapping her in place.
The two men look up and to their surprise they see the twins dressed in battle kimonos, making them their unexpected helpers.
"Well, I'll be damned. Those two found themselves a warrior's scroll," Jack observed proudly, he may want to keep the girls out of danger but it's better if they can protect themselves. "Nice job girls, but what are you gals doing here?"
The two giggled. "Glad to help."
"So you have more allies? That's fine I'll just have to call my own." Chao said snapping her fingers. As soon as she did Chachamaru and Mana appeared ready to fight.
Accessing the situation Jack figured it was time for plan B. Jumping into the air and performing a series of summersaults, then landed behind the twins and wrapped his arms around their waists. "I think it's time to make tactical retreat ay Negi?" He said before leaping along the roof tops with Negi not far behind.
"Where did you guys set up?" Jack asked the twins.
"Over there on that rooftop!" Fuuka pointed to a flattop building nearby. He adjusted his trajectory and landed in the center of it with a soft cluck as his boot heels hit the stone floor a second later Negi landed as well, followed by Chao and her group.
Chao turned toward them. "We'll make this place the final battle-ne. I can also sense large number of people around here, if your plan was to ambush me with the mage teachers, then you just wasted your time because…"
She didn't get to finish because the fake walls surrounding the area dropped to the floor revealing the entire class of 2-A, and before she knew it Chao was surrounded by all sides by the girls who asked her a thousand questions at once, shouting "Welcome to Chaorin's Goodbye party."
Knowing that it was impossible to win against her foolish classmates Chao accepted defeat with a smile. Even if she didn't want to say good-bye to them it was still nice of them to throw this party for her, though the girls never need much of a reason to have a party.
"Now it's time for a special emergency project! It's time to give Chao her departing gifts!" the cheerleaders exclaimed; surprising the Martian genius.
"What? Presents? You guys don't have too…" But already the twins strolled up carrying a pair of shark pushies, than a CD from Ako and the cheerleaders. Pretty soon there was so much stuff that Chao didn't know what she was going to do with it all!
"Ok now for the real reason we threw this party!" Yuna exclaimed pointing dramatically at the Martian. "It's time for you to cry!"
"Uh," But before she could get a word out the girls attacked her with the tickle Mech hands that she invented! "Hey stop! I said stop it! Tickling is against the rules!" Chao laughed as the girls continued their relentless attack. Honesty she thought she would wet herself but she was saved from that embarrassment because a lone time peek out of her eye.
"That was really, really terrible-yo. I thought I was going to die!" Chao said relieved to have the tickle torture finally stop. Then noticed out of the corner of her eye, Ku approaching with a wrapped packaged towards her arms.
"I have a gift too, Chao. These are the twin swords my master gave to me and I want you to have them. I know you want me to keep this a secret, sorry."
"It's ok Ku, I'm actually happy you didn't it's nice to see that everyone cares so much." Chao told her excepting the swords just as the world tree began to glow with a dazzling light. Everyone stared in awe, and then Chao felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around she came face to face with Jack who handed her a glass of punch.
"I think you should give a speech, maybe enlighten them a little?" He hinted directing her towards the stage. She went without protest.
"Ahem, I would just like to say that went I first came here I wasn't impressed when I found out that the class was full of airheaded bakachins, but you guys started to grow on me over these past two years and I would just like to say that it's been fun!" A healthy cheer erupted from the crowded as they raised their glasses in salute to their classmate.
"Hey Chao what was that talk about you having to go back to your homeland? Aren't you from China?" Makie asked, soon everyone was in trying to guess where the Genius originated from.
"You really want to know-ne. Well I'll tell you I'm from…Mars!" Chao cried holding up a picture of poorly drawn Martian. Everybody was shell shocked. "Yep I came from the future, where Mars is livable planet and also I'm Negi-Bozou's descendent." She said slyly. Of course this caused a lot of uproar as all the girls jumped the Martian girl.
Eventually everybody except, Negi, Jack, and Kaede had gone to sleep. Chao stood on the edge of the roof top wall looking out onto the campus. Behind her Negi and Jack jumped up after they had placed blanks over all the girls.
"Tell me you two if you could travel in time again would you try to change the tragic events of your pasts? Like meeting you're father Negi or saving your mother Jack? Or would you two have stopped yourselves from going through time?" Chao questioned.
Jack answered first, "No, I wouldn't because I don't regret the new life I have. I'm happy here with Kaede and the twins and that's why I will stop you from ruining everything."
"Negi-sensei?"
"I feel the same way Chao. Even if things aren't the same as I remember I have no intentions of changing things. I never have been happier in my life here and now with Ku-Fei." He said with conviction that revealed his true age.
"I see, tomorrow at noon we will settle this to see whose future will prevail!" Having said her piece Chao leaped away leaving the two standing on the rooftops staring at the rising sun. Today would be the day.
Negi and JAck confront Chao and then surprise party, regroup in villa.