WolfGear Presents: Negima? The mage and the Gunslinger
Pairings: Negi X ku-Fei Kaede X OC
Chapter 52: Dragon Battle Grand Prix
I don't own Negima!
It was finally here. The opening day of the Dragon battle race grand prix. The stadium was packed with people from one end of the magic world to the other. Banners of different nations flew atop of the half dome stadium, from Hellas Empire to Dragovia, VIPS sat comfortably in their booths well they waited for the race to begin.
Down in the pits the racers where making their final preparations. The race was over a thousand miles long with only one pit stop. There was no room of error. Not with such a big prize at stake. But for some there was lot more at stake.
Negi tightened the strap to his saddle for the third time. He would be lying if he sat he wasn't nervous. Most of the racers here have been preparing for years, and he had just only two weeks of flying under his belt. After he had returned to the ranch with Shiki, who was actually Ray's father old dragon Death, he began the troubling task of learning how to race dragons. Starting with lesson one: the rule book, which was written by the creator of dragon racing Jake McCoy. It went a little something like this…
Dragon racing
By
Jake McCoy
First get a dragon, second do anything you can to win, third… Couldn't think of anything else.
That was the first edition, also known as old school dragon racing after a renewed version of the rules was written after the dead troll of racers and dragon reached over one thousand… in a single race. Now the rule book was over twenty pages long, and filled with a bunch of rules that Negi could not remember, nor knew the purpose for, but basically if you didn't kill anybody (Unless they were cheating!) nobody would care what you did.
Negi looked up at his steed "Are you ready Shiki?" The pale dragon was geared up in her old armor, which was littered with dozens of scratches from previous races, the she gave said. Of course I am! I was the first dragon to ever race! Twit…
"No reason to be mean. I was just asking." Negi said rubbing his head. He was grateful to have the pale dragon as his stead. She knew the ins and outs of the track and had raced before with the founder of the sport, so any mistake would be on his part. Perhaps that was the reason he was so nervous.
Sensing his nerviness Shiki thought to reassure her young rider, after all it wouldn't do any good to have him like this, Get so nervous about making a mistake and you make two, and that usually meant death in this business, she believed.
Don't worry so much hatchling. I am good at what I do, and you have your friends cheering for you, and once more you need to win for the sake of your friend that gives you and edge. Shiki said through their link. And if nothing else you have Abi's hatchet.
Negi touched the wooden hilt of his new weapon, a stone tomahawk, known as Adhaero of Vita (Trans: Cleaver of Life) that belonged to Jack's mother Abi McCoy. From what Ray had told him, the blade was crafted from Angelcon, a rare, powerful ore that can cut through just about anything, if the wielder had the strength and the will. He was still puzzled as to why Jack's mother had contacted him beyond the grave to give him this and not to Jack, but aura that radiated from the stone weapon with a calming sensation that eased his nerves.
Quit fooling around boy! Shiki yelled starting Negi from his dazzle. The race is about to begin saddle up!
Quickly Negi pulled on a heavy red jacket with fur out lining the hood and around his neck, and a pair of goggles, the standard gear of a dragon rider, along with leather chaps, and a few pieces of armor here and there. In reality though if you fell off you dragon or took a direct hit from an attack, your chances of surviving were slim to none, but at least you looked cool, and the market detail was pretty nice for the suppliers.
The announcer called his number over the intercom, Negi saddled Shiki and smiled, "Let go win this thing!" Shiki gave a roar of approval and flew out of the pit.
The crowd cheered as the pale white dragon circled the arena and landed in the number ten spot. "Here we have a new racer to the track, give it up for Negi everybody!" The Cat girl announcer yelled, prompting another roaring cheer from the crowd. "Now next up…"
In the stands Ray, Setsuna, Konoka, Sayo, Kataro, Fuuka and Fumika routed as Negi took his place. Well the girls routed, Ray nodded his head in approval, which was the most you'll ever get out of him. But the old gunslinger was happy, everything was going according to plan, at least till the announcer announced that Jack Rakan would be participating in the race.
"Everyone please give a round of applause for one of our veteran racers Jack RAKAN!"
The crowd went wild as the muscle head rode in on a golden fire dragon, waving and boasting as usual. The sight was enough to make Ray want to go out there and knock his block off, but he knew that he couldn't. Oh well there was always after the race, He thought with a grin.
"My, my, my, this race sure is looking exciting. Perhaps the prospect of the double grand prizes the soul Flask and the Slayer's Claws has brought out all those racers hiding in the sticks?" The announcer girl said, making the crowd rise up and cheer again along with Ray's blood pressure.
TWO Items! What in the fucking hell is that Timaius thinking! Ray thought angrily raising from his seat and stopping towards the pits. He had to have a little chat with a certain Dragovian.
Timaius felt a shiver run down his spine. He guessed Ray had found out about the second prize, the Slayer's Claws being up for grabs along with the soul flask. In this situation he couldn't help be reminded of the old phrase give an inch and they take a mile. He knew he should have just snapped Dgir's neck from the beginning. Things would have been a lot less complicated.
The reason for the Slayer's Claw being up for grabs now, involves a certain incident that took place a few weeks ago. One of Dgir's dragons had been found ripped to pieces, he claims it was attack against him by Timaius, (Even though the remains were found on the McCoy's land.) so in order to prevent Dgir's followers from causing a muck, Timaius agreed to put the claws on the table as well.
"Well, well gearing up for you defeat old man?" a voice said from behind.
Timaius turned and faced the cause of his recent troubles, Dgir. Dgir was an earth type Dragovian, brown hair cut into a Mohawk, medium build making him at least five inches shorter then Timaius, but broader shouldered. Following behind him were two of his personal guards, or as Timaius calls them drugged up fanatics. Right now the one on the left seemed to be suffering from withdraw if this shaking hand was any indication.
"That depends. Are you planning to have your "Followers" help you, because that would be cheating, and we all now the penalty for that." He said slashing across his neck with his finger. "Rest assured that when this little game is over you and your followers will be at my mercy."
Dgir was stoned faced, on the outside, on the inside he was quivering with fear. He knew that he was no match for the old dragon in a real one on one battle. Good thing he had his secret weapon ready.
Suddenly a loud angry voice echoed through the air. "Timaius, where are you!" A voice that could only be long to Ray McCoy, Timaius knew as he watched the gunslinger push aside the guards to the pit. One of Dgir's guards the one on the left thought he was going for his boss, and put himself between Ray and his goal, a stupid mistake. A single gunshot fired and the body guard fell with a bullet between the eyes. The Guard on the right side moved to intercept his partner's killer when another gunshot was fired, and he too fell to the ground.
"Hey you can just go killing my guards you…" Dgir couldn't finish his sentence because of the smoking hot gun barrel jammed in to his mouth.
"Shut up you fat hog! Now get out of here!" Ray ordered, and Dgir obeyed and scampered off. "And if I find another of your fucking dragons on my land I'll baroque them!" He said pulling out a piece of Dragon jerky, made from the remains of the earth dragon he found in the valley.
Timaius chucked. That was the best thing that happened to him in the past months. He couldn't do that kind of stuff thanks to Dgir's connections he was unable to do what Ray just did, but luckily nobody, wanted to be faced up against a McCoy, especially one that was angry.
"What's so funny?" Ray asked skeptically.
"Sorry," Timaius apologized, wiping tear from his eye. "It just so good to see that little shithead get put in his place."
"Well why don't cha?" Ray said daring the Dragovian to stop pussy footing around.
"I wish I could, but politic has my hands tied." He shrugged.
Ray scoffed. "Politics, most useless thing ever, I say."
Timaius nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but we all can't be free loving cowboys like you Ray. I have a duty to protect my people. It's the same as it's always is, the rules have just changed."
"How did this whole thing start any ways?" Ray asked curiously. So far he's only hear what the newspaper and rumor mill had spurred, it was time to get the whole story from the source.
The Dragovian King scratched his head. "Oh I don't know fifty or so years ago."
"You mean you've been having trouble with that up start for over half a century?"
"No, if this was even twenty years ago, I would have snapped his neck and left it at that. No this goes back to when you father Jake McCoy gave me the three items to protect."
"Wait a minute three? I thought he gave you all five?" Ray interrupted.
"Originally the plan was to dispose of them, but something changed. You father battled with an oracle. You know the things that see into the future. Anyways after that he changed, he took the slayer's bullets and Pandora's Box, and left me the other three and a message. Saying that one will be stolen, and then returned and another will be taken in its place at the stage of the dragon race." Timaius explained.
"So you saying, the only reason your putting up with this shit is because my father, who for some reason gained the power to see the future! Told you too."
"Yeah, pretty much," Timaius replied.
Ray shrugged. "If were anyone else I would have smacked you upside the head and asked what you were smoking, but Dad's always been one to go outside the norm."
"That he is," Timaius agreed. "He also said that it's ok to open the door, and that what happened to Jesse wasn't your fault."
Ray's face turned blank and Timaius knew he had said the wrong thing. He never would have thought such a seemingly harmless statement could make his friend so angry.
"I'm sorry, this seems to be a very personal matter, forget I ever said it."
He shook his head. "I will never forget it. Now leave me."
Luckily it was Timaius's turn to take his spot in the starting lane. Quickly he mounted his stead Drakus, and flew out the pits. What ever happened between this Jesse and Ray, it was clearly a personal subject and not one to be addressed lightly as he had done. He cursed Jake's foresight; it felt like the gunslinger did these things for amusement.
"Alright our finally racer in the number one slot is Timaius!" The announcer spoke over the mic as the Dragovian leader took his place at the starting gate. "Ok the lineup is as follows."
Slot 1: Timaius of the Red fire dragons, Dragon stead Drakus Red fire type dragon
Slot 2: Dgir of the earth dragons, Dragon stead Barthelme brown stone type dragon
Slot 3: Jack Rakan of the Crimson wings, Dragon stead Shining Star Golden Fire type dragon
Slot 4: Gale Earnhardt of SOG, Dragon stead, Sig Blue lighting type dragon
Slot 5: Elmo Rivas of the Spanish marauder unit Dragon stead, El Cid Desert Sand type dragon
Slot 6: Ragazzo Morrie of the fight club, Dragon stead Eights Silver ice type dragon
Slot 7: Chen Mu of the Buddhist temple, Dragon stead Shin-Shun Blue serpent type dragon
Slot 8: Kallen Saarland of the independent nation of Jalos Dragon stead Guarren, Red fire type dragon
Slot 9: Cha of the wastes, Dragon stead Diamox crimson fire type dragon
Slot 10: Negi of the McCoy Ranch, Dragon stead Shiki Pale white wind type dragon
"We got quite the line up! From legends to newbies! I myself cannot wait to see what these racers will do. But first we have to do over the rules. Rule number one, all attacks must be made with a weapon on the rider or dragon, so no magic attacks 'kay? Second any racer caught cheating will be penalized under the old school rules. Meaning that riders live is invalid! WHOOH BRING ON THE BLOOD!" Everyone stares in silence. "… Sorry my other job is being the announcer at the battle arena, so I get a little carried away. Anyways the course is marked by check point which the racers have to go through, there is a pit station at the 500 mile mark, which is the only time the racers will be allowed to rest. Finally the finish line is at the old battle arena in Sargonota. If more than one racer finishes then they must battle it out till there is only one standing! And please note that once in the arena its old school rules so killing is allowed. Ready set go!"
The black and white checkered flag waved in the air, the riders and their dragons broke through the gates and took flight. The Dragon battle race grant prix had begun!
Author's note
Hey everybody! I'm going to college in about two days, so my updates may take a little longer due to a lack of internet connections. But don't worry I will not abandon this story not till I've finished it! (At least that's what I hope.) Anyways I would like to thank you all for your support and encourage you to go check out my deviant page for some artwork from the story. There's a link on me page for you. There is also 10,000 hit thank you drawing there for you guys, so enjoy!