(Happy Easter guys, I got a new chapter up for you today that concludes the Library Island arc.)
Last time Negi and Dustin discovered that for their final task of becoming official teachers at Mahora was to make sure 2A doesn't come in last place for finals or they're out. But when the girls find out as well they took matters into their hands by going on an expedition to Library Island where they ran into trouble and wound up in the basement of the library with no way out, and with Negi and Dustin powerless all they can do is study and hope someone comes looking for them.
It's been two days since Negi, Dustin, and the Baka Rangers got trapped in Library Island's basement. The boys could tell how long due to two of the tattoo bands on their arms magically disintegrated meaning they had one day left before their powers could come back. Since then Negi and Dustin had been educating the group as best as they could while the girls knew they had to take it seriously or their profs would get the boot.
The girls sat at makeshift desks made from crates while Negi and Dustin used a blackboard.
"We can bring our grades up. All we have to do is apply ourselves." Ku said confidently.
Yue looked at her replying dryly, "Great advice. Unfortunately I already took it, and I still failed."
Asuna shot her head up, "No one is coming to your pity party, so shut it!"
"Well your GPA isn't looking any better, Asuna." Konoka reminded the red head who felt embarrassed.
"Look, we're all suffering because none of us hit the books like we should've." Makie added her two cents to the conversation.
"You're wrong. I hit mine everyday. I got the bruised knuckles to prove it." Kaede replied mistaking the phrase of hitting the books.
"And I'm a witness." Negi replied as Dustin spoke.
"One thing all of you have in common is that you suffer from severe procrastination."
The students chuckled embarrassed at the truth, "But I have been studying a bit more than I usually did, I really have... but my brain's gone on strike." Makie explained.
"We've been at this for so long, I couldn't tell you the last time I slept or ate." Asuna added feeling like they never had a break.
"The answer is simple. I think we could all do with a fresh approach." Kaede explained.
"How quiz each other and make flashcards?" Yue asked curiously.
"I hear standing on your head makes you smarter." Ku said.
"No, what we need is a serious penalty." Kaede continued explaining.
"Gotcha! Something harsh!" Ku said as she flicked a bookcase which collapsed like that. This got Makie and Asuna in a panic.
"Perfect. Now let me try." Kaede said flicking another bookcase that collapsed as well.
"Seems a tad extreme." Yue said.
"For real." Konoka agreed.
"We're going to die!" Asuna and Makie panicked.
"Don't worry. The pain will only feel permanent." Ku said pleasantly.
"Psycho!" Asuna shouted.
"Somebody help please!" Makie shouted.
Suddenly they heard snoring and saw Negi and Dustin had fallen asleep on their makeshift desk.
"Are they?" Makie asked.
"They're exhausted," Yue answered, "While we may be the ones studying they're the ones struggling to teach us."
"You're right, they may be our senseis but they're still kids." Konoka added.
"Yeah, we all need a break even teachers." Asuna noted.
Meanwhile at Mahora's cafeteria all the girls from 2A were up to their ears in textbooks studying for their finals determined to save Negi's and Dustin's job.
"Ayaka, tomorrow's the day." Chizuru told her roommate.
"I know tomorrow Negi-sensei and Dustin-sensei returns to us and we shall prove just how hard we've studied just for them," The Iincho started fantasizing about Negi before announcing to all, "Listen up, girls! Negi and Dustin expect us to pass and we're not going to disappoint them!"
"Yeah!" the girls cheered.
Mana smiled as she studied with Zazie, 'Dustin, Negi, I have every faith you two will make it back in time.' she thought.
Back in the basement Negi was stirring until he woke up in alert seeing his students were fast asleep, "Oh no we slept in!' he shook Dustin, "Dustin! Dustin wake up!"
"What somebody dead or dying?" Dustin woke up groaning.
"We fell asleep!"
"What?" Dustin gasped until they looked at their arms seeing the last rings still there.
"Oh only the third day." Negi sighed in sweet relief.
"Negi look at this." Dustin said as they noticed the girls had their textbooks close making indicating while they were asleep they were studying which brought smiles to their faces.
"They can be dedicated." Dustin said and Negi nodded until the area started shaking up.
"What the?" Negi gasped.
Suddenly the girls started waking up, "Hey what's going on an earthquake?" Asuna asked a little drowsy.
"I don't think so." Negi said until the rumbling got rougher and emerging from the water was the golem from before who grabbed Makie in his right hand making her scream in fright.
"Help! Save me senseis, I don't wanna die!" Makie cried.
"The golem again?" Dustin gasped.
"But how?" Kaede asked.
"It must've fallen down here with us." Asuna believed.
The golem let out a chuckle, "There's no way out! Accept your fate!"
The group looked nervous until Yue looked up and spotted something, "Hey look at his neck!"
The group spotted the magic book on the golem's shoulder by the neck, "The book!" they gasped.
"It must've fallen down with the golem." Negi theorized.
"Kaede! Ku! Get that book back!" Yue ordered.
"You got it Yue-dono." Kaede agreed as she and Ku attacked the golem with their unbelievable strength making it drop Makie only to have Kaede catch her.
Negi whispered to Dustin, "Can't you attack it you are a skilled combat fighter."
"Yeah against regular opponents, but without my spirit energy fighting that thing would break my knuckles." Dustin replied.
"Hold on!" Makie used her ribbon to grab the book, "I got it!"
"Girls let's move!" Negi called as they started running off.
They started running as Ku spoke, "With that book the exams will be a piece of cake."
They ran across a long board bridge as the golem pursued them, "Give me that book!"
"I wish there was a way out!" Makie cried until they spotted an open gateway.
"Look an exit!" Asuna called as they ran in and started descending a very long spiral staircase of stone steps leading far up.
"Keep going or it'll catch us!" Yue called.
"I haven't run this fast since I almost got caught in the girls locker room at Harvard." Dustin panted.
"You what?" Asuna looked back at him but saw the golem gaining forcing them to pick up the pace.
They kept running up the stairs but got cut off as a wall was blocking them, "A dead end." Konoka gasped.
"I've got you now." The golem finally caught up to them.
"I guess we have no choice." Kaede said.
"We're gonna have to fight." Fei Ku added ready for round two.
The golem grabbed his giant mallet swinging it down to crush them but ended up breaking the dividing wall.
"That cleared the wall." Dustin said.
"We're dead!" Asuna and Makie cried in fear.
"Hey look!" Yue pointed ahead spotting an elevator.
"It's an elevator to the top!" Asuna cheered.
"We're saved!" Makie cheered.
The girls got through the opening in the wall running to the elevator, and when they all got in they felt confident they were safe, "Going up." Negi said pressing the up button but buzzing was heard.
"Weight limit exceeded!" a female voice repeated.
"WHAT?" the group cried in shock.
"Weight limit, but you girls don't look that heavy." Dustin said.
"Guys!" Asuna called, "We don't need to lose weight we need to lose clothes! Listen, the buzzer stops if I take just one foot off!" she demonstrated.
"She's right!" Ku cheered.
"Then let's strip." Kaede ordered making Negi and Dustin look distraught.
"Oh I mustn't watch." Negi covered his eyes.
Dustin was chanting to himself in his thoughts, 'Better girls to see like that. Better girls to see like that.'
Soon the girls stripped down to the buff and threw their clothes out of the elevator, "Well?" Makie asked but the buzzer and warning still went off.
"WHAT DO WE DO?" the girls cried.
Suddenly the golem finally makes it to the top and sees them, "It's the end of the line for you!"
"We're doomed!" Makie cried.
"Not yet!" Dustin called as he and Negi stepped out of the elevator.
"Negi! Dustin!" the girls cried.
"Don't worry about us! You girls go take the exam. We'll hold it off." Negi instructed.
"You're fools!" The golem called.
"If we're going down!" Negi began.
"We're going down fighting." Dustin finished.
The golem raised his mallet ready to slam down on the boys until two pairs of arms grabbed their shoulders pulling them back into the elevator revealing it to be Asuna and Kaede.
"Asuna Kaede?" Negi gasped.
"Look why do you think we came to this death trap in the first place?" Asuna asked, "We want our class to succeed as much as you but that won't matter if you're both dead! Don't act cool and throw your life away for our sake because we're in this together!"
"But the elevator." Dustin said seeing it won't go up now.
"We'll do this!" Asuna grabbed the book and threw it out making everyone gasped but relieved as the book nailed the golem in the face making him fall down the spiral staircase.
"The elevator's working." Yue said.
"Let's go!" Asuna said as the elevator closed and took them all the way up.
When they reached the top they started running, "We have an hour before the exams start, you girls go back to the dorms and change we'll meet you at the school!" Negi ordered and they split up.
"Negi if we survive this ordeal I'll try never to complain again." Dustin said.
"Like you can keep a promise like that." Negi replied.
About an hour later at the school building the bell rung and Class 2A was waiting for the late comers, while Ayaka was getting impatient.
"Where are they?" she asked.
"Good morning, girls. Okay, please settle down and I'll pass out your tests." Takahata entered.
Ayaka sat down and thought, 'If those five get zeroes, it'll pull down the class's average rate for sure. Then Negi-sensei and Dustin-sensei will be fired,' She then stood up, "Listen up, each of you must try and raise your score at least 15 points!"
"But that's asking a lot Ayaka." Sakurako groaned.
"What do we do?" Ako groaned.
Natsumi looked out their class window and gasped, "Guys look, they're back!"
Everyone got up and looked out the window seeing Negi, Dustin, the Bakas, Konoka, along with Haruna and Nodoka who stayed behind at the dorm for them to arrive. They were running for the school in fresh uniforms.
"Hurry up you guys!" Kakizaki called.
"We're about to start!" Fuka added.
"Well technically, we already started." Takahata reminded them.
They finally reach then entrance where Nitta the ogre-sensei of Mahora was waiting for them. Nitta wasn't the most likeable teacher because of his strictness and stern rules of teaching and was made an enemy to Dustin who didn't like fun suckers.
"You late comers will have to take the exam in a separate room so not to cause a ruckus with the others." Nitta ordered.
"Hai." The girls replied.
"And don't be late next time otherwise it's seiza for you all." He added making the girls cringe hating to sit in seiza positions.
As the girls followed the teacher Negi called, "Good luck on the test, girls! Remember whatever happens you all did your best."
"And that's all we could ask for." Dustin added.
"Hai!" they called.
Soon the girls of 2A were taking their exams while in another room the eight late students were taking theirs but were looking exhausted and fatigued from all that running and last minute studying. Negi and Dustin peaked through the class windows from the hall, "Oh no this is bad all that exploring and studying was too much for them."
"So that's it we're screwed?" Dustin asked.
Suddenly they noticed their arms glowing and their final seals were removed making them ecstatic, "The seal's broken!" Negi cheered.
"I can feel my spirit energy powered back up." Dustin added.
"Now I can help the girls." He pulled out a flower and uttered an incantation, "I call on you, fragrance of flower. Fill my friends with pure energy power!"
Suddenly a sweet alluring fragrance swept the room relieving the girls of their fatigue and helped them relax with clear minds allowing them to focus better.
"Well Dustin we've done what we can, the rest is up to them." Negi said.
"Yup, come on let's get a drink." Dustin said as they went to find a vending machine.
Later on in the school hall the student body was waiting for the test results to be displayed on their school TV's. Asuna looked around at the crowds, "Jeez do they always have to turn this into a festival or something?"
"It's almost time." Ku said feeling jittery.
"We'll be ok right?" Makie asked.
"I wonder…" Yue was nervous.
Negi and Dustin looked feeling like they butterflies in their stomachs from being nervous until Kaede patted their shoulders, "Don't be too stressed, we did our best it's in fates hands now."
"I hope it starts soon." Nodoka added.
Suddenly a girl appeared on the screen, "And the tests have been released! The average score for all of second-year was 73.4! The midterm average was 76.1 so it must've been on the hard side. And now we have our second year rankings!"
The girls from all classes were eager to hear, "In first place for Second year is class 2…F with 80.8!"
The two boys and the girls sweat dropped, "You're kidding me." The girls groaned.
While in the student lounge some of the other girls were watching, "Whoever said that fairytales come true lied." Sakurako groaned.
"For our purpose second place will do fine." Madoka said.
"Coming in at second place, is Class 2S with an average of 79.8!"
Asuna and the girls groaned, "Just great."
As time went on the girls were getting more anxious having not heard their class yet, "When's she going to call 2A, we're already past tenth place." Ayaka said.
"I hate to say this but things may be looking grim." Chizuru said.
"In 11th place Class 2C!"
"I feel sick." Dustin held his stomach.
"Oh please I'll never ask for anything again!" Makie begged.
"Don't worry we still got three shots before the last one." Asuna said.
"In 12th place Class 2P!"
"This is bad." Haruna said.
"If 2A isn't next..." Ku started.
"We'll be in last." Yue added.
Asuna thought, 'Oh man why did I throw that book away?'
"And coming in at second to last place…"
The girls were getting nervous until Makie started chanting 2A for luck making the other Baka Rangers do it as well.
"In 23rd place with an average of 69.5… Class 2K!" she declared.
Everyone from Class 2A was shocked but not as much as the Baka Rangers.
"But that means." Makie said.
"We're last." Yue said.
Negi and Dustin looked absolutely crushed hearing that. Not wanting to face the girls they turned around and ran off without the girls knowing.
With the rest of 2A they were all down in the dumps, "If only I had studied one tenth more. Negi-sensei and Dustin-sensei would be here with us and not packing their bags!"
"You did your best our average was ten points higher than usual." Chizuru cheered her up.
"But not high enough to save someone's job!" Ayaka cried and sobbed on her friends shoulder.
Mana and Zazie despite always having neutral expressions couldn't help but look down in sorrow. Suddenly Asuna and the girls barged into the class, "Girls!" Konoka called.
"Negi-sensei and Dustin-sensei are on their way to the train station." Yue said.
"Well of course I mean aren't they fired?" Chisame asked like it wasn't a big deal.
"We can't just let them go like this!" Haruna chided her.
"She's right, they shouldn't take this blame for our mistake." Konoka added.
Mana and Zazie hearing this bolted from their spots, "They got the right idea." Kaede said as about half the class, save for four students ran to follow them.
As the sun was slowly going down Negi and Dustin who were packed walked through town to the train station, "Looks like I'm coming home a failure, Anya will never let me live this down. And worse I'll never become a great wizard." Negi sighed.
"I hear ya, guess my spirit warrior days are over to." Dustin added putting on his sunglasses.
"What'll you do when you get back to New York?" Negi asked curiously.
"Well if my dad doesn't ground me for life I guess I can go back to Harvard for another year and learn from my mistakes. What about you?"
"I honestly don't know." Negi replied.
"You feeling any regret leaving the girls without saying goodbye?" Dustin asked.
"Some but it's better this way." Negi answered.
As they reached the train station they got past the gate until they heard shouts, "Negi! Dustin!"
They looked back seeing the girls from their class run for the station, "Oh no they followed us here." Negi said.
"And no doubt to share some pity." Dustin added.
"Well I can't stand it!" Negi said beginning to run with Dustin following.
"No!" Makie cried using her ribbon to catch Negi's foot making him trip.
Zazie flipped over the train gates landing before Dustin with a hand held out close to his face making him stop, "Stay."
The girls jumped and climbed over the passing gate crowding around the boys, "You were leaving without telling us?" Makie asked with teary eyes.
"That's not fair Dustin-kun!" Haruna said.
"Look I'm sorry I threw the book away this wouldn't have happened if…" Asuna began.
"No Asuna you did the right thing, we shouldn't have even resorted to using it anyway." Negi explained.
"Still you can't leave just because of this!" Asuna shot.
"Like you care!" Dustin shot back, "From the first moment me and Negi arrived you've done nothing but complain and plot to get rid of us!"
"I know!" she shot back, "But I wouldn't want it if it meant we'd be the ones to get you fired!" she looked sympathetic.
"Face it girls we blew it! We have to be big boys and face the music." Dustin said preparing to leave again but was held back in the embrace of Mana.
"You know if you left Zazie and I would be very sad. To each other we're not exactly social, but with you around we converse better." The tanned girl explained while Zazie nodded in agreement with a sad face.
Dustin sighed, "I understand Mana."
"So then stay!" Konoka began, "You two don't have to leave I can put in a good word for you with grandfather."
"If you taught us anything it's perseverance." Kaede added.
"We'll go on a strike if we have to." Ku offered.
"A strike, a petition, whatever it takes," Yue agreed, "We'll collect signatures and sign a formal request."
"And everyone of us will sign it!" Chao added.
"So please don't leave." Ako begged.
"Yeah we'd miss you too much." Yuna added.
"Yes we'll talk to the dean." Ayaka continued until they hear something.
"You called?" the dean hopped the train gates.
"Dean Konoe?" Asuna asked.
"Grandfather?" Konoka asked.
"I'm sorry I'm the one that graded the exams for your tardy students. I was in fact late myself turning them in." Dean Konoe said feeling a little embarrassed.
"How late we talking?" Dustin asked.
"Well late enough that their scores weren't added to 2A's average."
"WHAT?" the girls gasped.
"Would our scores have made enough of a difference?" Ku asked.
"I'm glad you asked." The dean said looking at the papers, "First Makie Sasaki with 66 points."
"No way! Alright!" Makie cheered with the sports girls congratulating her.
"Such a reaction would be better suited for a 96 don't you think?"
"Uh yeah you're right." Makie agreed sheepishly while the sports girls giggled.
"Next Ku-Fei with 67 points and Kaede Nagase 63 points. Good work girls keep on improving." He said as the two girls were surprised.
"Thank you that's the best grade I received all year." Ku cheered.
"It's amazing!" Kaede added.
"Yue Ayase, 63 points, it's time you got serious with your studies."
'I sure will.' Yue thought.
"Haruna Saotome 81 points, Nodoka Miyazaki 95 points, Konoka 91 points. Finally we have Asuna Kagurazaka with a total of 71 points, you should be very proud." The dean said impressed.
Asuna looked lost for words as Konoka hugged her, "I knew you had it in you!"
"Uh are we still last?" Asuna asked.
"Well see for yourself." The dean pulled up a PDA showing the broadcast.
"Recalculations are complete. After adding the missing students scores, Class 2A's average is 81. Thus putting their rank from dead last to first place, congratulations 2A!"
The girls from 2A seeing this were bursting with joy and were chanting 2A like before while Negi and Dustin were lost for words, "Not to doubt the girls, but I'm surprised they did well even without the magic book." Dustin whispered.
"You mean this?" The dean held the book up which surprised everyone, "There wouldn't have been a point if it were this easy to grow smarter. It was in fact a test boys to see if you could pull your students together and help them study on their own. And you passed."
"We did?" Negi asked.
"Yes, and I look forward enrolling you both as full time teachers come next semester. That is if you still want the job?"
Negi and Dustin looked at the girls who were eagerly awaiting their answer before the two smiled, "We'd be honored Dean Konoe." Negi said.
"We're here to stay." Dustin smiled.
"YAY!" the girls cheered.
Asuna smiled, "Well boys congrats."
"Thanks Asuna you really are kind when you want to be." Negi said as the girls gathered around them.
"Isn't it wonderful?" Makie asked.
"What a story." Kazumi added.
"I'm so happy!" Sayo cheered.
"You're terrific boys." Ku congratulated him.
"The best!" Konoka added.
"Welcome back." Nodoka said.
"We owe it all to you two." Haruna finished.
"Thank you everyone." Negi smiled as Dustin turned to him.
"Negi… WE PULLED IT OFF!" he shouted and the two did their handshake in victory.
"Hey I got an idea let's toss them in the air!" Yuna suggested.
"Yeah that's a great idea!" Sakurako added.
Before Negi could protest him and Dustin were lifted up and tossed into the air multiple times by the girls minus Asuna and Nodoka.
"Hey don't drop them we just got them back!" Asuna called.
"Relax they got 31 girls to break their fall!" Ku assured her as they continued tossing their teachers up.
"All together girls!" Makie ordered.
"We love you Negi and Dustin-sensei!" they girls cried out as the boys smiled.
"OH YEAH!" Dustin pumped his fist up while in the air.
Later that night Negi and Dustin returned to Kaede's and Mana's dorms with their stuff unpacked. "I'm so glad you could continue staying with me Negi." Kaede smiled.
"I feel the same way." Negi admitted.
Kaede wrapped an arm around Negi making him lay his head onto her shoulder, "And thank you for what you taught me and the girls, we couldn't have done it without you and Dustin."
Negi smiled, "It was my pleasure." He fell asleep as the ninja girl smiled at her roommate putting him to bed before joining him.
While with Dustin he had unpacked everything, "Packing up and unpacking again what a day."
"But on the upside, think of it like you're moving back in again." Mana already in her pajamas said with a smile.
Dustin looked at her, "Yeah it is," he let out a yawn, "Pardon me while I change." He headed for the bathroom.
When Dustin came out in his pajamas he went for the coach until, "Dustin." He turned seeing Mana sitting on her bottom bunk rubbing an empty spot next to her.
"Mana?"
"Me and Zazie have decided now, and we want you to sleep with one of us every night starting with me." Mana said as Zazie sat up in the top bunk nodding.
"Really?" Dustin was surprised.
"Really-really." Zazie answered.
"Wow girls, I don't know what to say." Dustin smiled.
Mana answered, "Just promise us you won't leave without saying you were again."
"Deal," Dustin said as he approached the bunk sitting down next to Mana before both lied on the bed as the girl pulled the covers up covering them both, "Night Mana."
Mana then wrapped her arms around Dustin holding him like a teddy bear, "Goodnight Dustin." She said before the two drifted off into slumber.
While at the Deans office Dean Konoe was on the phone, "Yes Ross Dustin was overjoyed with the results you must be proud of him as Nekane is of Negi. What? No nothing bad has happened to them around here that's too life threatening, but there is one thing that will worry me about them. The moon will be round in a matter of weeks and you know who's been at the school since that day. I understand." The dean hung up.
(And that's the chapter, Negi and Dustin succeeded in their final test and are there to stay at Mahora. What new exciting events await the two wait and see.)