Thought there'd be more of a reaction to walter-bara...
Ah well...on with the show!
19th Period.
It was still dark by the time the group made their way back to their respective residences. Chachamaru had gone off to the lab for a few repairs, apparently her frame had received some considerable damage, at least enough that warranted some immediate concern, but not before dropping her master and roommate home.
Evangeline watched said exhausted roommate as he slept, sitting on a chair while he sawed through redwoods on her sofa, surrounded by all her dolls. He still wore the butler attire she'd dressed him in, but the tie and buttons lay undone and he seemed none the worse for his brief tint as a mindless automaton. Sayo's tablet lay on the small desk, the spirit hovering over the man protectively as he slept, shooting the chibi-vampire suspicious looks if she drew too close.
'First Nagi…then the boy… now THIS idiot?' Eva grimaced, recalling the devil may care grin on the man's face before he passed out 'Is it my destiny to be rescued by fools with good intentions?'
Kuwabara snorted, rolling over to reveal the unblemished skin of his neck, the wound having healed as Evangeline's magic faded. She was tempted to see if she retained any form of control over the man but held back. For one thing it would require the barrier being dropped again for her to have anywhere near enough power to attempt it, and with his sixth sense in full force since his revival she doubted she'd get the chance.
For another she didn't want to have to repair any furniture if Sayo went on another warpath, they'd be picking cutlery out of the walls for a while as it was. As it were, she settled for watching over one of her apparent saviors, taking in everything she could as she tried to understand exactly WHY he and the boy fascinated her so.
The Next day...
"Thanks for yesterday Asuna-san." Negi repeated for what had to be the umpteenth time that morning, a smile on his face as he looked up at his roomate and probationary partner.
"No biggie," Asuna replied with an amused sigh "I'm used to teachers who can't take care of themselves, buy me a coffee and we'll call it even."
"Me too aniki! An Expresso!" Chamo called out from the girl's shoulder, only to blink as a familliar scent drew nearer, and he wasn't talking about the blue mountain blend, "Heads up, trouble at 1 o'clock!"
Negi blinked, turning round to come face to face with none other than a flushed Evangeline herself, Chachamaru at her side as always. "G-Good Afternoon, Evangeline-san, Chachamaru-san!" he greeted, still a little unnerved by what he'd seen last night and residual nervousness.
Hey, victory or not, it was a fluke and he knew it, 'Dark Evangel' was the magical world's equivalent of the boogieman after all, no way in hell he could have taken her without the barrier.
"What am I chopped liver?" Kuwabara's voice called out, walking up with a cup tray and box of donuts "You two stopped by for breakfast too?"
"Hello?" Evangeline muttered, looking mortally embarrassed as she swiped a coffee from the taller man, Chachamaru bowing politely in greeting "Mortal enemies, remember? Mortal enemies don't act chummy."
Asuna held her chin and regarded the chibi-vampire coyly as she sipped the coffee, Kuwabara wisely deciding to take a step back as he recognised the telltale signs of plot development "Ah, that's right!" the redhead noted "You were in love with Negi's father weren't you?"
Kuwabara grabbed a newspaper and held it up just in time to deflect the worst of the spit-take, dropping it and stepping forwards to pull an embarrassed Evangeline off of a startled Negi. He really was begining to detect a pattern in the madness that was Mahora. Not enough to prevent it, but at least enough to avoid getting dragged in.
"Oh what does it matter,he died ten years ago after all." " The slightly mollified vampire muttered, a flush adorning her face as she resumed her seat, shooting Kuwabara a look for the manhandling "He promised he'd return someday and undo my curse..." She sighed, closing her eyes at the memory "but, the day he kicked the bucket so died my hope, so now I'm stuck in this dreary mortal existence."
Kuwabara shot the girl a look of concern as he watched her sip her coffee, ignoring the looks Negi and Asuna were shooting each other until the boy spoke up. "Evangeline-san!" the prodigy insisted "My father, the Thousand Master…I've met him! I know it!"
"You met who now?" Eva replied, looking at the boy in confusion "Impossible! He died a decade ago! In fact, I can TELL you how he-!"
"I don't need to hear it," Negi interrupted enthusiastically "because no matter how many people claim he died…I know I met him, in the dead of winter six years ago."
The look on Evangeline's face was a sight to see, equal parts shock, disbelief and hope, akin to one who has seen the light at the end of a long, perilous journey through a dark tunnel. "He's alive?" she repeated, trembling slightly "The Thousand Master…is alive?"
Kuwabara reached out to comfort the girl, only to blink as she began to cackle, softly at first, but then a full on, maniacal howl that drew quite a few stares as they quickly vacated the restaurant.
"Oh that's beautiful!" Evangeline cackled, walking between the senseis as the roommates brought up the rear "I should've known, he wouldn't stay dead even if you DID kill him!" she threw back her head again "Idiot! Would've been better if he had died once I get my hands on him!"
'Well at least she's in a better mood.' Kuwabara noted, recalling how the vampire had to be literally dragged out of the house after her loss the previous night. Fortunately Chachamaru had returned on time to point out the vampire was acting childish, earning teacup to the face for her troubles.
"There's Kyoto." Evangeline suggested, startling the taller sensei out of his musings "He lived in a house around those parts for quite some time." She smiled at Negi and held up a coy finger "If he IS alive that house may shed some light as to his whereabouts…you DO know where Kyoto is right?"
"What's this then?" Kuwabara asked, looking between the two spellcasters in confusion "We find a lead Bozu? What's in Kyoto?"
"Kuwabara-san, do you know where Kyoto is?" Negi asked, looking up at the older man hopefully, "It has to do with my Father!"
"Sure I do, went there on holiday once with some pals from Tokyo U." the lanky professor replied "But what's this got to do with your pops?"
"You thinking what I'm thinking Chachamaru?" Asuna asked, the gynoid nodding in agreement, only to blink as Negi's yelp filled the air.
"PLEASE STOP BITING ME!" the child-sensei squealed, Evangeline pouting up at him with a deadpan expression that made her look absolutely adorable.
"C'mon? A little tip for the handy info?" she shrugged at his rebuttal before smirking at Kuwabara, who shivered and took a step away.
Genkai's hotel room...
"Kyoto huh?" Genkai noted, raising an eyebrow as she watched the lanky professor balance on a spike on the roof of her hotel "Sounds like fun, but do you really think you need to go?"
"Without a reason ta cause trouble Eva-chan's no threat ta anyone." Kuwabara replied, grimacing as he tried to maintain his balance "Besides, all th' teachers associated with 3A are going, not just Negi and me, it's school policy."
"I was referring to your duties as Reikai tantei, baka." Genkai muttered, balancing on her shoe-point with the ease of practice.
"Yusuke was running all over th' place too remember?" Kuwabara pointed out "This way I won't have ta waist my own damn cash. And besides, the dean upped security th' other day when Eva pointed out low level spirits were getting past the barriers."
"I'm impressed." The psychic noted wryly "You actually thought that answer through, looks like there's hope for you yet." She flipped off the spike to stand before the man "In that case take this, if you have the time there's a woman in Kyoto I think you should meet."
"This better not be a blind date Baachan." Kuwabara muttered "Because I won't consider marrying anyone other than Yukina-chan!"
"Baka!" Genkai snapped, removing her foot from the man's face "She's married, or was last I heard, I just think that while you're in the area you should seek out some proper training."
Kuwabara mumbled an affirmative before looking at his watch, yelping at the time and dashing over the rooftops to the main building, an impressed Genkai watching him leave.
'He's certainly fitting in well here.' She noted, recalling seeing two girls, one obviously Chinese, dashing off in the same manner several times.
Dean's Office...
"Sorry I'm late!" the tantei called out, blinking as he espied the shadowy form of Negi leaning against the wall "Bozu? What's wrong?"
"A slight…dilemma over the destination for the school trip." Dean Konoe replied, sweat dropping at the aura of gloom that the boy emanated "I tried suggesting Hawaii, but it seems its Kyoto or nothing."
"What kind of problems?" Kuwabara asked, looking between the two in confusion and not a little concern "Some kinda epidemic?"
"Nothing so serious." The dean assured him, waving a hand for emphasis "It's just, there's…resistance…from another party."
"Another party?" Negi asked, perking up slightly as he looked up at the dean from his pot on the wall "What, Kyoto City hall?"
Kuwabara didn't miss the look that passed between the other two, nor the way the dean's eyes shifted from himself back to Negi repeatedly. "This has something to do with magic doesn't it?" he said plainly, causing Negi to jump and the Dean to quirk an eyebrow.
"Hoh? You seem to be living up to your reputation Kuwabara-kun." He noted calmly, looking between the two senseis with an evaluating expression "How long have you known of the existence of magic?"
"Long enough." Kuwabara replied "If it's any consolation I daresay you half expected me to find out, seeing as you bunked me together with Eva-chan."
"Indeed," the aged wizard noted, stroking his beard "and as you guessed, it does indeed involve magic…more specifically it concerns the Kansai Magical Association."
He stood up, pointing to a map of Japan, upon which the regions of Kanto and Kansai were designated with two little figures, one the dean, the other a cowled Onmyo priest.
"You see, I'm the director of the Kanto Magical association." The dean explained "And our two associations…" the two figures started glaring lightning bolts at one another "well lets just say we haven't gotten along in quite some time, so there's politics involved." He nodded at Negi "And when the Kansai MA learned that a Magical Sensei would lead the trip…" a little figure of Negi waddled onto the map, only for the Priest to bar him entry "well, it didn't go down well with them at ALL."
"So it's MY fault?" Negi stated, looking upset in every sense of the word, only to blink as Kuwabara stepped forward, putting a hand on the ten-year-old's head.
"What if I led th' trip?" the tantei asked, looking the dean in the eye, his face solemn "They don't have any qualms with ME do they?"
"No…" the dean admitted, stroking his beard "there shouldn't be any problems, but just in case." He reached into his robes and pulled out a letter "Negi-kun, this here is a letter that is to be delivered, in person, to the head of the Kansai MA." He held the young mage's eyes "Say and do nothing else whilst there." He regarded both of them "There are forces that would rather our two associations remained the way they are, so I expect you two to be constantly vigilant, as they have no qualms involving mundanes in their disputes."
"Non-magical, NORMAL humans." Negi explained, recognizing the look of confusion on his friends face "Sort of like 'muggles' from the Harry Potter series."
"Never got round to reading that." Kuwabara admitted sheepishly, earning a chuckle from Negi, only for both to fall silent as the dean coughed.
"My granddaughter Konoka was born in Kyoto," he explained "I understand the house is still there." He regarded Negi solemnly "I trust you've been keeping your magical tendencies under wraps?" he asked "Her parents wish her to remain unaware of such things…regrettable I think…" he sighed "but we must honor their wishes."
Negi nodded and Kuwabara kept his face neutral. If it was revealed that Negi had let slip he was a wizard they wouldn't be getting it out of HIM. In the end the dean dismissed them, only for Kuwabara to pause. "Oh yeah, completely slipped my mind." He muttered, turning to face the dean whilst Negi raced off to parts unknown "I bumped into an old woman a few days ago, said she had a message for you."
'Heh, I still got it.' Konoemon preened mentally, stroking his beard as he cocked his eyebrow "Do tell?" he asked cheerfully, leaning back in his chair "What did she have to say?"
"Something about calling in on your bargain." Kuwabara muttered uncertainly, only to blink as the man turned several shades of white, his eyes bulging out of his mis-shaped head "You okay sir?"
"This woman…" Konoemon stammered, sweat dripping down his face "did she have a face no-one could think ill of and her hair in a bun?"
"Uh yeah?" Kuwabara recalled, sweat dropping slightly at the look in the man's eyes "She had her granddaughter with her, a creepy kid in goth-Loli clothes with a long eared cat...somethin' wrong sir?"
Konoe Konoemon idly wondered how on earth anyone could mistake this for a GOOD situation as he dismissed the man, pulling out a bottle of extra strength sake from a hidden compartment in his desk. If he was going to come to grips with the demands of the demon of Hinata city, he wanted to be well and truly shit-faced beforehand.
"Of all the things I could have promised her." He muttered, forgoing the cup and taking a chug from the bottle "my life, my position, her own country…why on earth did I agree to this?"
The one saving grace he could afford himself was that, according to his spy network, there were worse prospects than what was lined up, particularly if he tried to get out of it.
"Forgive me Konoka-chan." He wept comically, taking another long draft "But these old bones aren't made to last like they used to."
Two days later...
Kuwabara was standing at the Ohmiya train station along with Seruhiko, Shizuna and Nita-sensei, chuckling as an energetic Negi arrived, backpack in tow, ready to set off on the first leg of their journey. Officially Kuwabara was in charge of the trip, but as the senior staff member he deferred to Nita's authority, which was a good thing because the 'oni' really knew how to sort out a bunch of hyperactive schoolgirls without incident.
"He sure knows what he's doing huh?" he whispered to Sayo, who giggled as she watched Nita terrorize the Narutakis into submission with a single glare, Fuka near wetting herself as they hid behind a chuckling Kaede.
"Who are you talking to Kuwabara-kun?" Seruhiko asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow in confusion at the startled tantei as he jumped.
"Uh…just…myself!" Kuwabara assured him, nodding towards Nita with a nervous smile "Just a little enawed at how easy he makes it look."
"Nita's got loads of experience dealing with problem students." Seruhiko admitted, chuckling as the man hounded the lagging cheerleaders into place like a champion sheepdog from hell "He isn't the 'oni' of Mahora for nothing after all." He leaned in closer to the tantei "Personally though, I think he really needs to get laid."
"I HEARD that Seruhiko." Nita growled out, not facing the shocked bishounen, though considering the looks of comical terror on the Narutakis' faces this was a good thing "I hope you're up to handling all the paperwork for this trip."
'Oni indeed.' Kuwabara sweatdropped, watching as Seruhiko broke out in comical tears, shaking his head at the sight and boarding the awaiting train. Once the girls were seated he stood up alongside Shizuna sensei and cleared his throat.
"A-ight, girls listen up!" he called out, catching their attention "I'm sure we've all got a lot of free time on this trip so you'll have enough time ta really party." He waited for the cheers to die down "But lets try not ta go overboard alright? Last thing we need is someone getting lost or injured, Kyoto's a big place after all, and I doubt th' dean would take kindly to a bill for damages either." He chuckled as the image of a towering dean entered his mind "That said, lets try ta avoid any misha-SHIT!"
The reason for his profanity was the arrival of the bento-cart, which had caught him quite sharply on the knee as it passed. The girls giggled, and in some cases blushed, as the lanky professor hopped down the aisle, holding his injured limb and swearing a blue streak, Shizuna sensei tittering as she looked on as the speakers warned the man to stand clear far too late.
Later...
"Not exactly th' best start huh?" Kuwabara muttered, limping slightly as he patrolled the train, shooting a dark look at a chuckling Negi "Don't see what's so funny Bozu, if that'd been you, we'd be picking you off th' floor."
"I'm not THAT short!" Negi countered, though the pout on his face really ruined the image, resulting in the both of them laughing as they entered the next compartment to find the girls playing a card game.
"Hey, is that realm of spell craft?" Kuwabara wondered, blinking as he spotted the logo on the playing mat set before them in surprise.
"Good eye sensei!" Yuna noted with a smile, holding her card before her "How'd you guess? You into the card game trend too?"
"Sorta." The tantei admitted with a smirk "A buddy of mine at Tokyo U thought the design up, he and I spent a load of time on them." He smiled wistfully at the cards "Good times."
"No way!" Haruna gasped excitedly, nearly revealing her hand to Yuna "So you basically had a part to play in the making of this game?"
"Sorta…" Kuwabara admitted, "A few spells, some tactic cards…" he grinned and pointed to the manga-ka's hand "You might wanna hold off playing that until next turn though."
Leaving the squealing girls behind the two senseis walked out the corridor and into the next compartment. "Pretty lively huh?" Negi noted with a grin, only for Chamo to speak up.
"Let's keep focused on the big picture here Aniki!" the ermine reminded the boy "We need to keep an eye out for the danger the dean warned us about, what if a spy from the west got on board?"
At that precise moment screams erupted from the compartment behind them.
In the compartment...
"HAH! In your face Paru!" Yuna cackled, holding up a card with overblown dramatics "Flame ball card, 5 point damage to Paru!"
"I don't think so!" Paru countered, playing another card "I play Spirit Batter! That cancels a projectile and sends the damage back at you!"
"EH?" Yuna gaped, eyes wide in shock as she dropped her card on the mat, completely caught off guard "how'd you figure that out?"
"Kuwabara-sensei, remember?" Paru chuckled, smirking as she gestured for the basketball player to dish out the penalty chocolates, only for Yuna to hurl her box in the air as a frog leapt out. Kaede, who had an instinctive disliking for the little amphibians, tried to get away, only to balk as the whole compartment was overrun, Shizuna-sensei's canteen literally spewing the things out as she fainted.
The door to the compartment opened, admitting two concerned sensei, who gaped as the amphibians raised merry hell amongst their students. "What th' hey?" Kuwabara swore, stumbling between the little things so as to avoid squishing them "If I find out this is someone's idea of a joke-!"
"It's not us sensei!" the Narutaki twins insisted, tears streaming down fumika's cheeks "Kaede-nee's afraid of frogs, so we never use them in pranks!"
"Eeeew! Help us sensei!" Makie called out, looking highly distressed "They're all slimy and creepy…!" She held down her skirt as a frog leapt between her knees "And they're everywhere!"
"Just calm down now-WHOA!" Kuwabara yelped, slipping on a slimy piece of floor and falling backwards, landing with his head in Kaede's lap "DARGH! SORRY!"
"S'alright." Kaede muttered, trying not to pass out from the sheer number of slimy amphibians that were hopping all over the place. One of them jumped onto Kuwabara's face, where it let of a rather disgusting fart.
"THAT DOES IT!" Kuwabara roared, leaping to his feet in a berseker rage and pulling a mallet out of thin air, much to the alarm of the girls "IT'S HAMMER TIME!"
(Cue the smash brothers hammer music)
Negi watched as his colleague went on a rampage, the hammer rising and falling repeatedly upon the hapless amphibians, the girls cheering as the enraged sensei stormed up and down the compartment. He felt a moment's pity for the little frogs that were making for every available exit, but was more concerned with where they came from.
'This has to be the Kansai MA's doing.' he deduced, subtly stepping out of Kuwabara's path as he lumbered past 'Could they have infiltrated the train!'
He reached into his coat for the letter from the dean, sighing as he pulled it out, only for a swallow, of all things, to swoop down and pilfer it. Eyes wide, Negi tore off after it, slipping past Kuwabara, who was starting to look like he was enjoying himself a little TOO much.
"Aniki!" Chamo called out, holding on for dear life as the ten-year-old gave chase "That things an Onmyo God! It's made of paper! Blast it!"
Negi would have complied had he not run fill tilt into the bento woman's trolley, muttering an apology as he dashed down the aisle after the retreating figure. "Hold it!" he called out, only to blink as he espied Sakurazaki Setsuna from his class standing with the letter in hand. She returned it to him with a bow, the boy thanking her ecstatically, only for Chamo to frown at her.
"I don;t trust that girl..." the pervin' ermine muttered, catching his friend's attention as he stared at the girl's back "That paper bird flew right at her" he insisted, eyeing the swordswoman warily as she walked back to her seat "I'll bet anything she's the spy from the west!"
Neither noticed the scowl on the face of the bento woman as she watched them march back to the compartment, where the sound of rampaging pachyderms revealed Kuwabara's frog hunt was still in full swing.
Cue Nadesico music.
The battle of the train has been won!
Fumika: EEW! FROG GUTS!
But beware ladies, for Kyoto is fraught with peril!
Chisame: What are you-GACK!
Our heroes must watch out, for there is evil afoot!
Next time on Reikai Sensei Kuabara: Kyoto, the deadly stage!
Chisame: Who the hell tried to push me over the railing?
R&R for more zaniness.