WolfGear Presents: Negima? The mage and the Gunslinger
Pairings: Negi X ku-Fei Kaede X OC
Chapter 48: Enter Jacobus
I don't own Negima!
It was a hot day, course that's to be expected when traveling the desert, but without the proper clothes it was even worse! Especially for Kataro who was wearing black and had fur. His constant complaining of the heat served to make his companions feel even hotter.
Frustrated Negi yelled "Bloody hell Kataro I know it's hot! Stop reminding me every minute or I'll clog you over the head!" The temperature was really starting to affect his mood, and he was unable to keep up his friendly English gentleman face, and allowed his other face that was tuned by spending so much time with Jack. He knew that he shouldn't take his anger out on the hanyou, but he would not shut up!
"But Negi man it's so hot! I think my fur is going to start on fire!" That was the final straw Negi pounced on the hanyou, both boys fell to the ground and began to strangle each other, then suddenly they felt a chill run down their spines and they both fell to the ground shivering.
"There are you cooled off?" Sayo cheerfully asked. When she was ghost whenever she touched someone they became really cold, so she thought the same thing would work here to, the boys almost looked like they walked into a freezer. "Now let's keep moving. Next time just asks me if you need a little winter air." She said leading the way. The two followed after her like a pair of lost puppies.
A few hours later the group tumbled across a sign that said "Welcome to Dracaena" and on the bottom it read "Home of the biggest dragon battle race course." Dracaena a city roughly one third of the size of Tokyo located on the outskirts of the Dragovian Empire. It is the third largest city in Dragovia.
Warily the trio entered a tavern called the Dragon's nest. Inside was pretty basic, a bar with a bartender cleaning a glass with a cloth, some patients discussing the latest gossip, and in the corner of the room was an old juke box that played an old dreary tone that no one knew.
Every pair of eyes was on them as they walked towards the bar, everyone wanted to get a look at the new comers, but they soon lost interest when they saw that they were just a mother and her kids, and returned to their business.
"What can I get you?" The bartender asked, pinned to his chest was name tag that said Rick.
Sayo was the one who answered; Negi and Kataro were still a little overwhelmed by the heat to speak. "What do you got that's good for dehydration? Oh and cheap to we don't have much on us."
Rick grunted, here thought he was finally going to get some business, but at least he got to lay his eyes on a beautiful woman, even if she had kids, he thought sourly. "We have fruit juice, or water for the kids if you want, will you be having anything different ma'am?"
"No, water will be fine," Sayo said cheerily. After seeing the wanted poster of them outside, Negi thought it would be a good idea to use their age deceiving pills, as not to attract attention. It was decided that Sayo would pose as a single mother with kids. Negi in his teens just looks too much like his father not to attract attention, and besides without Ako and the others here as slaves there was no need to go out and try to win some silly prize money.
It didn't take long for their order to arrive. Contently they savored the cold liquid well listening in on the conversation going around the room. The topic that seemed to come up was the prize for this year's dragon battle race.
"Did you hear?" An old man named Tim asked his younger companion.
"What about how this year's prize was supposed to belong to that dark king character you all ways talk about, yeah I know grandpa you talk about it all the time." The young man moaned, why did all the old folk never stop talking about this guy?
"What you mouth! You younglings don't know anything! If it weren't for that man this country would have never been created and you wouldn't have been born." Tim scolded his grandson. Really none of these youngsters understood what it was like, all they talk about is that Nagi Springfield character.
"Whatever grandpa I'll see you at home." Tim's grandson said laying his money on the table.
Tim sighed as he watched his grandson leave the tavern, he just wanted to spend time with him, and share his stories. After all what else was there for an old man to do? The sound of a chair scrapping across the floor caught his attention. Tim looked up and saw a beautiful white haired woman, and two kids take a seat across from him.
"Excuse me sir, but I am curious about what you said earlier, about the prize belonging to the Dark king? We just came from earth a few days ago, and I would like to hear about this Dark king if it's not too much trouble." The woman politely asked.
"Oh it's no trouble at all ma'am, I'm Tim McGuffin, and I know all there is to know about the Dark King." Tim excitingly boasted. Finally someone was interested in his stories and a young lady no less!
Sayo smiled kindly and remembered her manners and introduced herself. "Thank you, and I am Sayo Malone, and these are my cousins Negi, and Kataro, pleased to meet you." She pointed to Negi and Kataro who were shrunk into their five year old forms. They didn't look too happy about that.
"I see, I thought they were your kids." Tim said looking closely at the two boys. His eyes weren't what they used to be.
"That's fine; it's a common mistake, now if we could return the business at hand." Sayo urged. It would be better if they didn't get to deep into a family discussion.
"Oh yes, I'm sorry about that." Tim apologized. "Now let's start with the prize. Timaius the leader of the Dragovians announced that he will be giving away one of the five items given to him by the Dark King as this year's Dragon Battle race grand prize! Isn't that exciting?"
"I suppose it is," Sayo tried to stay interested, but it was hard to understand when she didn't know anything about this dark king or his items.
Tim sighed. "Sorry I got a little ahead of myself. Allow me to explain, the five items also known as the five weapons of the conqueror are as followed, The Shield of Gaia is able to stop any attack, Pandora's Box can transform in to any weapon the users can think of, The slayer's claws are able to cut through and substance, some say even reality itself, Slayer bullets are limited to the number of bullets, but can kill any thing mortal or immortal, and finally the Soul Flask, no one's knows what it does, but it is thought that this is the item that will be given to the winner of the race." Tim finished taking a breath.
They sat in silence soaking it all in, till Kataro spoke up. "So why is the dragon leader giving away these items if they're so powerful, and if he has to do why give something away as useless as a flask?" the hanyou cynically asked. It didn't make sense to him as to why someone would make all those weapons, and then a flask.
"Kataro!" Sayo hissed, but Tim waved her off.
"It's ok. I can understand why the little one is confused. No one knows why Timaius is giving away one of the items after all these years. Some say it's because of the up in coming challenge for leadership by a dragon by the name of Dgir, other think that the flask is cursed and he wants to pass it on to some poor soul, but you what I think?" He said gesturing for them to move in closer. "I think the Dark King told him to do it."
"You really think he's still alive? The Dark king I mean." Negi asked. He had never heard of this king before but he sounded ancient.
"Of course," Tim said a matter of fact. "He appeared around 1945 and he was fairly young then, so I would put him about eighty nine years old in human years."
"Eighty nine! There's no way that someone that old can be a threat to anyone anymore." Kataro exclaimed, but Tim simply smiled and said.
"I know it sounds impossible, what with all the battles he thought and injuries, one would have thought his body would simply stop working. That's why I think the soul flask was made. Why make all the other items combatable then make one that isn't?" He paused, waiting for the others give an option, but they said nothing. "Because he need something to ensure his revenge, I believe in the soul flask is something that would enable him to just that, course this is all speculation there is no right or wrong till someone finally uses the thing."
Tim looked up at the clock on the wall, it was getting late, and it was nearly eight pm! His wife would be worried or getting the frying pan ready slam into his face when he walked through the door. He knew he was in trouble either way, but the sooner he left the better it was for his health.
"I'm sorry folks, but I must be setting off to home. I wish I could tell you more, but alas there is no time." The old man's knees popped as he struggled to his feet, he had been having trouble walking since he injured his leg during the war. He was half way to the door when Sayo called out to him.
"Excuse me, but if you could answer one more question?"
"I guess I can," Tim said mischievously, it's not like it mattered if he was a minute later getting home.
Sayo bowed. "Thank you," She said. "I was wondering if you knew the Dark Kings real name."
Tim scratched his head. "I do, but most believe it brings ruin, but I'm old enough to know that's nothing but nonsense." He paused and wetted his lips, he may have said that, but he was still frightened. "His name is Jake, Jake McCoy…" And with that Tim McGuffin left the bar, and returned home to his wife, who bashed his head in with a frying pan hot of the burner.
Meanwhile Sayo, Negi, and Kataro left the bar for an abandon building on the other side of town. They have found the building when they first entered the city, and decided to use it as a hideout for now.
The building was sparely furnished with an old wooden table and chairs, as well as a lumpy bed, that amazing wasn't infested with mice. After cleaning the dust from the table and returning to their original age, the three chowed down on the food they had bought at the market with the money they had found hidden in their shoes, no doubt placed there by Jack before they departed.
"So what do you think about this dragon race, Negi-sensei?" Say asked while chewing on what looked like an apple, except it was purple, and tasted like a cross between an orange and a pear.
Negi was wondering the same thing, ever since Tim had told them about the Dark King AKA Jake McCoy and his legendary Items of destruction. He may have not known of the Dark King but he had once stumbled across a book that told of the five legendary weapons of the conqueror. It is said that they were forged from the shell of an ancient beast that was finally slayed by and unknown warrior, and from the shell he crafted the five weapons of destruction. They say that anyone could allow even the weakest mage to conqueror entire kingdom, hence the name the weapons of the conqueror. He also remembered that two of the items the shield of Gaia and the slayer bullets were not left with the Dragon king, or more precisely the shield was stolen and the bullets were left with they're creator.
He scratched his head in frustration, Negi knew that he couldn't allow even one of those items to fall into the wrong hands, say Fate's or his knew ally Haze and whoever he was serving, but yet he couldn't just steal the items himself, and it's not like had a dragon ready to race… Wait a minute yes he did! Jack's ranch in the magic world they tame dragons! All they would have to do is get to the McCoy ranch and ask one of the hands to lend them a dragon for the race. Then he could race and win the prize without becoming a criminal for real.
Sayo and Kataro waited patiently for Negi to speak both of them knew the little genius was thinking hard on what they should do. They knew the plan was to meet at the ranch and figure out what to do next, but yet the threat of these items was also important. They couldn't just look the other way while some stranger got hold of such a power artifact.
"Here's what we're going to do," Negi said finally. "We're going to go to the ranch and get a hold of a dragon and then return here to enter the race. We cannot allow anyone to get hold of any of those items; the destruction they could cause with even one would be on a scale never before seen."
Both Sayo and Kataro nodded in agreement. Negi was pleased they agreed course he should have been to surprised. "Good let get a good night of sleep and then finish restocking our supplies in the morning and set out." Negi ordered. It was a good simple plan as it is best, so that one can make adjustments when needed, but really what could make thing so complicated that things go down the shitter?
Suddenly the door behind them, and Negi felt the presence of a familiar blonde, insanely muscular idiot, which could only be one person; Jacobus "Jack" Rakan, the immortal fool.
"Hey there Nagi's runt! I saw you talking about dragon racing with old Tim, and out of respect for your father I decided to generously teacher you how to ride a dragon for the low price of 18,000,000,000 dollars! Fair price aye?" Jack asked.
Negi just moaned into the table in despair, now things get complicated beyond imagination!
"Good you agree with the price. We'll begin tomorrow at dawn."
Meanwhile in the Dragovian capital of Estarla, Timaius leader of the Dragovians and friend to the Dark King Jake McCoy stood watch over the city, admiring the view. His race has come a long ways from being hunted down and being forced to live in hiding, but now, now they were the dominate ones, no more did hunters dare to come and collect their scales, horns, and teeth, no more did they have to hide, and it was all thanks to one man Jake McCoy.
Yes, the man who fought the mighty beast the bane of dragons for nothing more than a piece of land in return for ridding them of their greatest terror, and he had done it with ease. Soon his race was able to start developing the land, building villages, and towns that would eventually become the city of today.
Then the war came and with the immortal doll army Jake claims all the lands around their new nation, making Timaius not just the leader of the Dragovians, but the leader of many different species, and races from humans to elves. They were all his responsibility, his duty, and his honor.
Now though a younger Dragovian named Dgir wants what to be leader, claiming that Timaius had been given power without the consideration from the rest of the dragon clans, with is untrue, for Timaius had been leader for a long time, he just ruled more then he used to. None the less Dgir had called on the younglings who are too young to know this and a challenge had been made, the winner of this year's dragon race would be the new leader of the Dragovians. It was a smart move on Dgir's part to do this for he had no real chance to win against Timaius in combat.
To make matters worse, Dgir also demanded that one of the five items given to him by Jake also be part of the deal. Timaius agreed, but in reality he would rip the youngster throat out before he would ever lay hands on even one of those items. They were too powerful for a fool as Dgir to have, and it was his duty as Jake's friend to make sure they stayed locked away.
Looking to the stars the old dragon sighed. "Why did you even make those cursed things? You never used them or need them, so why?" Timaius asked the stars, but as he expected he received no reply, just the silence of the night and the age old feeling that things were going to start heating up again.
"I'm too old for this shit."