(Welcome back fans to another chapter, this one's gonna be a little spooky and creepy at Mahora and it's not because of Sayo but because of another.)
One morning at Mahora academy Negi and Dustin saw a gathering of students from other classes to their own class crowding around, "Hey what's going on?" Dustin called.
"Must be something important." Negi believed.
"Well let's check it out." Dustin suggested as they crawled underneath the girls legs trying very hard not to look up their skirts before they make it to the center.
"What's all this fuss about?" Negi asked as the two looked up seeing the girls were looking at the corkboard seeing numerous adds and flyers on it, but the center one seemed to have been the one the girls were looking at advertising a costume party.
"Mahora Costume party this Saturday?" Dustin asked.
"That's right," Kazumi said putting a hand on Dustin's shoulder, "It happens every year around this time."
Kakizaki placed her hand on Negi's shoulder continuing, "Every class in Mahora is invited faculty as well," she scrunched down to Negi's height holding him close, "You'll come won't you Negi-kun?" she batted her eyes at him making him blush.
"Well I would um… Yes if it's a festivity you all will be attending so shall I."
"Count me in, I love dressing up in costume." Dustin added.
"Fab-o!" Kazumi cheered, "You and Negi-kun pick some good costumes Dustin-kun, you may end up being voted best costume."
"Sweet." Dustin smirked.
After class Negi and Dustin were meeting with Mana, Kaede, and Rin outside the dorms, "So you're going to the Mahora costume party too?" Dustin asked hopefully.
"I mostly go as a bodyguard even though the Dean tells me I don't need to." Mana explained.
"Well then don't be a bodyguard. Be a partygoer!" Dustin exclaimed joyfully.
Mana smiled, "Alright then Dustin for you."
"What about you Kaede?" Negi asked his roommate.
"Guarantee I'll be there, I always enjoy the costume party." The ninja assured.
"Lucky you." Rin sighed.
"What's up?" Dustin asked until Negi nudged him and whispered.
"She can't stay out after dark remember her condition?"
"Ohhh right."
"It's no big deal." Rin put on a smile but Negi could see through it.
"But Rin it wouldn't be as much fun without you, you're one of my friends."
"Having trouble are we?" another voice asked as they saw Eva and Chachamaru.
"Evangeline? Chachamaru?" Negi asked.
"We were just talking about how Rin won't be attending the costume party due to her curse.
"Yes that does sound like a problem," Eva crossed her arms before smirking, "However I just might have a solution to your problem."
"You do?" Rin asked.
"Hold up Rin, I'm sensing a little sea witch bargain here, what do you want out of her Eva?" Dustin asked suspiciously.
Eva looked hurt as Dustin's suspicions, "Can't a girl do something for another without needing something in return?"
"A regular girl maybe, but you I'm not sure." Dustin replied.
"Now Dustin, Evangeline what do you have that could help Rin?" Negi asked curiously.
Eva smiled and approached them, "I will let you know once the costume party comes, let's go Rin we have much to do." The vampire girl put an arm on her roommate escorting her off with Chachamaru.
"Can she be trusted?" Dustin asked the older girls.
"I think so; she hasn't given us a reason not to since Negi beat her." Kaede replied.
"I agree, we just need to have faith." Negi replied.
"Well if you say so, well come on Negi we got us two days to find us some costumes." Dustin said eagerly as he dragged Negi off to think of ideas.
The very next day Negi and Dustin were at Mahora's theater looking through a trunk of costumes while Natsumi was supervising them, "If you need costumes we have just about anything in the Drama club." Natsumi explained.
"Thanks again Natsumi for getting us in here." Negi thanked his student.
"No problem, though try not to make such a huge mess." She warned them.
"We won't!" Dustin called as Natsumi left them to look through the costumes, "Oh man Negi with these costumes we can be anything we want."
"Where should we start?" Negi asked.
"First thing that looks enlightening to you." Dustin replied and soon they were trying on different costumes.
Soon the boys stood before a mirror dressed as cowboys with their legs spread apart, "I don't think I could walk all day like this." Negi said.
Seeing his point Dustin decided on another set of costumes. Soon they stood as ballerinas with blonde curly wigs, "No way in hell!" Dustin exclaimed.
Next costumes they chose were Gothic punks in leather outfits, spiked necklaces, and chains on their pants, "Dustin the girls would freak if they saw us like this." Negi said.
"True." Dustin admitted.
Next costume involved them both wearing a horse costume with Dustin as the back end before he opened up his side, "Negi there's no way I'm gonna be walking around behind you through a whole party."
Next costumes involved them dressed as Robin Hood and Little John, "These tights really chafe!" Dustin groaned.
"Agreed." Negi replied.
Soon the two were lying around by a trunk looking worn out, "Dustin we've gone through just about every costume we could find fitting for us, I don't think I can take it anymore." Negi panted.
"But Negi the party's tomorrow we need costumes!" Dustin reminded him until he looked back into a trunk and gasped.
"Dustin?" Negi asked as his friend turned to him.
"I think I have just the costumes for us Negi." Dustin answered.
"Do I dare ask?" Negi asked worried at the smirk on Dustin's face.
Soon the very next day it was already late in the afternoon around sunset. At Mana's room Mana stood dressed as a hot sniper chick (The outfit she wore when trying to hunt Sayo at the beginning of the Mahora Festival). Zazie was dressed in her revealing jester outfit (The one she wore for her pactio in episode 26 of the first anime). Kaede was dressed in a red ninja dress with purple flower designs around the bottom.
Mana motioned to the bathroom door and knocked on it, "Are you two almost ready?"
"Almost." Dustin's voice came.
"Wonder what they'll be wearing?" Kaede asked while Mana and Zazie shrugged their shoulders.
"Alright we're ready." Negi's voice came as the door opened up and the girls watched as the two walked out.
To their surprise both of them stood in pirate garb. Dustin was wearing brown boots with long brown pants held up by a big belt that had a holster where a pirate sword was hanging on, a white puffy collared shirt covered by an open black pirate coat, and on his head he wore a Jack Sparrow styled wig with a pirate captain hat with a skull and crossbones symbol on it, and on his chin was a fake short black beard.
Negi was dressed in black boots, tan shorts held up by a belt made from bootstraps with a small sheath containing a dagger, a red and white striped shirt, and a red bandanna tied on his head like a pirate.
"Arr, avast ye fair ladies for we be ready to depart!" Dustin spoke in a pirate like voice.
"Who're you two supposed to be?" Mana asked amusingly.
Dustin let out a pirate growl, "I be Captain Dustin Bowels; fiercest pirate of the Spanish Main. And this here be me first mate Bootstrap Negulus!"
Negi let out a weak pirate growl with Dustin sighing but hadn't broken his pirate voice, "Put some heart into it matey, be the pirate!" and with that Negi let out an ever bigger pirate growl, "That's the stuff matey!" he patted his back.
"You two look very convincing." Kaede giggled.
"Thank ye lass, and we see you all be looking mighty dazzling yerselves." Dustin added.
"Yes I agree." Negi replied.
"You happening folk ready?" a robotic Elvis voice asked as they looked seeing Zyphon stand in the doorway wearing an Elvis outfit, including sunglasses, and a pompadour wig.
"Zyphon?" Mana asked.
"In the metal flesh pretty mama." Zyphon answered in an Elvis voice.
"What happened to your voice?" Kaede asked.
"Swapped my regular voice file with an Elvis file, uh-huh." He answered.
"Where did you get clothes that big?" Zazie asked.
"Internet."
They heard cawing as Domino flew in wearing a small parrot costume, "You gave Domino a parrot costume?" Mana asked Dustin.
"A captain wouldn't be a captain without a trusted parrot now would he?" Dustin asked.
"Trusted parrot, awk, trusted parrot!" Domino spoke like a parrot.
"We should probably get going." Kaede said as they walked out of the room and ran into Evangeline, Chachamaru, and Rin who was surprisingly still a human.
Evangeline was dressed in the same outfit she wore when she took on an adult form, though given her child form it didn't look as hot to Negi but still considered her cute. Chachamaru dressed as a Gothic style maid, while Rin was dressed in a knight outfit with a sword at her side while not wearing a helmet.
"Evening all." Eva greeted them.
"Evening Evangeline, you three look wonderful." Negi said while trying to hide his surprise at seeing Rin look like a human when the sun's already down.
"Good evening senseis." Chachamaru greeted.
"Evening Chachamaru, you look really cute." Negi said making the robot blush.
"You really think so?" she asked and Negi nodded and looked at Rin.
"That's a nice look for you Rin."
"Thank you." She replied.
"Just what be ya lass?" Dustin asked.
"I'm Joan of Arc of course Dustin."
"That'd be 'Captain' Dustin lass!" he corrected her.
"A captain?" Eva chuckled, "Oh that's a laugh coming from you."
"Ye best watch your tone lass or you'll be finding yerself heading for Davey Jones' Locker!"
"Can we cut the roleplay and get to the party?" Eva asked not wanting to continue hearing him talk all pirate like.
"Yes let's get going." Mana said as they all started walking.
As they walked Negi walked with Rin and Eva behind the others as they talked, "Rin how're you able to look human now, did Evangeline break your curse?"
"Not so much, this is merely an illusion spell Eva casted on me. I may look human but my reflection reveals my true form." She answered as she held up a compact mirror looking at her reflection seeing herself as a panda.
"So long as she stays away from anything reflective she'll be alright." Eva assured the boy.
"Thank you for doing this Evangeline." Negi smiled.
Eva turned away blushing, "Don't mention it."
Soon they arrived at the gymnasium where the party was being held at. The place was decorated all spooky like with fake skeletons, spiders, bats, and all sorts of scary stuff all around. Inside were numerous students and most of them were of 3A. Among the students included Yuna dressed in a rather skimpy outfit composed of a red tube top with half sewn white fur around the top, a pair of short shorts colored as the top, the white fur around the waist was fully attached to it, with a red cat like tail attached on the back of her shorts, a pair of paw like gloves, ears, and a black collar with a bell attached making her look like a cat girl, Ako was dressed as a cat eared nurse, Akira was dressed as a mermaid, Makie like a gymnast, Satomi as Albert Einstein, the cheerleaders were dressed as Charlie's Angels, Kasuga was dressed as a nun, Chao and Ku were dressed as Chinese warriors, the twins were dressed as Detectives with Fumika as a Sherlock Holmes esque detective while Fuka was dressed as an old Japanese detective, Konoka as a Japanese Princess, Sayo dressed in a purple Japanese kimono, and Chisame was dressed as a traditional Japanese magical girl while showing off a different personality.
Konoka was next to Asuna who was dressed as a Chupacabra at the food table, "Hey Asuna liking this party?"
"It's alright, but I can't believe Takahata senseis is away of all times." She replied.
"Why hoping to have scored a dance with him?" Konoka teased.
"Oh shut it." She replied.
Over by the sports girls they were dancing a little, "Boy can this party get any better?" Makie asked.
Yuna looked at the entry to the gym and smirked, "I think it just did."
They looked at their Yuna was motioning and saw their beloved senseis and remaining classmates enter with Negi following his friend from behind while Dustin was up in front holding his pirate sword out.
The girls went to greet their senseis and fellow classmates, "Negi-kun, Dustin-kun so glad you two came." Madoka welcomed them.
"Thank ye miss Madoka." Dustin bowed his head still speaking in his pirate voice.
"So who're you guys supposed to be?" asked Haruna who was dressed as an artist.
Dustin tipped his pirate hat, "I be Captain Dustin Bowels; fiercest pirate of the Spanish Main."
Negi put on his best pirate voice even if it sounded squeaky, "And I be his first mate Bootstrap Negulus."
The girls giggled on how they looked until Asuna voiced her opinion, "Nothing personal but you guys look sort of ridiculous."
Dustin scowled drawing his fake pirate sword motioning it up to Asuna's neck growling, "Arr, I've killed bilge rats fer sayin' less than that! But I'll letcha live seein' as how killin' would bring shame to this here festivity!"
Yue who was dressed like a philosopher spoke, "You seem to be into this whole pirate thing sensei."
"Aye that I do lass Yue, for I must tell ya I have pirate blood in me."
"Seriously?" Sakurako gasped.
"Oh yes, I be the direct descendant of my dear ancestor Buccaneer Diablo, craftiest pirate that ever sailed the seas."
"Sailed the seas! Awk! Sailed the seas!" Domino cawed.
The girls were surprised, "I thought your bird was a crow." Chisame said.
"Aye he is, I just taught him that myself." He covered up the fact his bird could really talk.
"Fascinating." Satomi said observing Domino with thoughts of vivisection to understand how a crow would have the ability to repeat words like a parrot.
"Well now that we're all here let's have the best time we can." Negi suggested.
"Hai sensei!" they agreed as the girls started piling over.
"Dustin-kun please dance with me meow!" Yuna said adding a cute meow to lure him in.
"Negi-sensei please let's dance." Ayaka who was dressed as a beautiful princess offered.
"No Negi-kun come and dance with me!" Makie offered.
"No he's gonna dance with me!" Kakizaki butted in.
"No me!" Fuka called.
"Ladies!" Dustin bellowed shushing them, "Please allow me first mate to decide for himself as for me."
Negi nodded as he looked amongst the girls until his eyes stopped at Ako and approached offering her his hand, "Ako may I have this dance?"
Ako blushed at her senseis offer before she looked at her sports friends who encouraged her to accept it otherwise look stupid for turning him down, "I'd love to." She smiled as the two walked to the dance floor.
Dustin smiled as he searched for a partner until his gaze fell upon Chizuru who was dressed as Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, "Lady Chizuru shall we dance lass?" he offered his hand to her.
Chizuru blushed with a hand to her mouth at his proposal, "I'd love to captain." The two walked onto the dance floor. The people danced as Ako danced with Negi she spoke, "You're very good on your feet Negi-kun."
"Arigato, my sister Nekane taught me. And you're pretty good too." Negi said making the nurse girl blush.
"I'm not that good." Ako said.
"But you are, you just don't realize it." Negi assured her making the soccer champ smile.
As Dustin danced with Chizuru he spoke, "You dance divinely, really ya do."
"Arigato captain, you also are good on your feet." Chizuru smiled.
"I've had lots of practice."
Asuna sat by watching others dance, "Asuna why don't you find someone to dance?" Konoka asked.
"Nobody worth asking." She replied.
Zyphon slid, "If it's a partner you're lookin for pretty mama, this one's gotta hunka hunka burning skill in the field."
"Ugh thanks, but I pass." Asuna tried leaning away with Konoka smirking.
"Don't be a party pooper Asuna." She nudged her friend forward as Zyphon caught her.
"Let's hit the dance floor Priscilla!" Zyphon said leading Asuna away.
"Konoka!" Asuna cried at what she got her into.
As Zyphon danced with Asuna against her will she eventually accepted without struggling and soon the two boys were switching dance partners with Fuka and Fumika as their next partners, "Keep on yer toes Fumika Captain Dustin's gotcha."
"Thank you captain." Fumika smiled.
After the twins the two switched off to Ku and Chao, "You good dance Negi-bozu, you do fine in both kung-fu and dance."
"Well thank you Ku, I'm just doing what I can." Negi admitted.
"Chao my dear you look stunning a regular Chinese beauty." Dustin said dancing with the bun haired girl.
"You're too sweet." Chao said holding the boy close as they danced.
Their next partners were Madoka, Sakurako, and Kakizaki with Dustin switching between Sakurako and Madoka, "Splendid dance ladies, you know how to give a pirate a good show." Dustin said.
"Thank you for the dance Dustin-kun." Madoka said.
"That'd be captain to you."
"Negi you dance so wonderfully." Kakizaki said as the two danced.
"Thanks Kakizaki-san, you're not so bad yourself." Negi admitted.
"Well part of cheerleading does require dance." She explained.
"I see."
Negi soon switched off to Rin while Dustin went to dance with Yuna who held the boy close as they danced. "Easy with me Negi." Rin said.
"Don't worry Rin I got you." Negi said as the two danced near a spotlight that was focusing on them.
"I'm really glad I could come here tonight Negi, given the fact I can't come out during the night, but with this illusion spell of Eva's I just might be able to come out at night more often."
Negi smiled, "I'd love that very much then you wouldn't seem so trapped."
"Negi." Rin gasped until Ayaka approached.
"Cutting in Rin, sorry." Ayaka said as she took Negi and they started dancing.
Rin sighed but knew she couldn't hog Negi all to herself as of now since he was giving as many of his students a chance as was Dustin, but nevertheless smiled having to have danced with him.
As Dustin continued dancing with Yuna he spoke to her, "You know kitty cat I do declare you seem very entrancing in your costume."
Yuna smirked and decided to tease him a bit, "I'm glad you think so 'my' handsome pirate captain."
Dustin chuckled, "Ya also have a way with words lass."
"I learned it from you." Yuna said leaning in close to Dustin until Kazumi swung in.
"Come on Dustin it's my turn." She took him from the basketball girl who pouted and gave a small hiss at Kazumi.
As Negi and Ayaka dance the Iincho had hearts in her eyes as she thought, 'What a miraculous night for me to be dancing with Negi-sensei. If only this night would never end.'
"Are you alright Ayaka?" Negi asked.
"Never better sensei, as long as I have you."
Negi smiled as he continued dancing with her until Eva approached her, "Sorry Iincho, but Negi here owes me a dance." He took the boy.
"Wait I still have five minutes left!" Ayaka protested but gave up.
Eva brought Negi close making him put his hand on her waist, "Alright boya, let's you and I have us a dance to remember." They started dancing while Eva laid her head on his shoulder smiling, "The girls aren't kidding you really can dance."
"Arigato Evangeline, you can as well."
"Being over a hundred years old I've been able to see just about the last century of dance steps invented and all." She explained.
"And you studied them well." Negi admitted.
"Arigato, I'll even bet you dance better than your father."
"Have you ever done that with him?" the boy asked.
"No but if I did you'd still probably be a better dancer than him."
"That's so nice of you Evangeline." Negi smiled.
"Just don't get too comfortable with it, remember who your magic teacher is."
"Yes master." He answered.
"Good, now let's enjoy this." Eva said as they continued dancing.
After Dustin had his dance with Kazumi he switched to Kasuga, "So Kasuga do you actually intend on being a nun for life, not that there's anything wrong with it."
"Don't worry this is just while I'm here at Mahora, I may be devoted to the lord but I still want to get married."
"Yeah my dad would always tell me he loved being married to my mom." Dustin said.
"You think you'll love being married?" Kasuga asked but thought it probably wasn't the best thing to ask someone at his age.
"Wouldn't know yet." He admitted.
Kasuga smiled leaning down to whisper to him, "Well one day you'll find an answer." Dustin smiled knowing she was right.
As Negi and Eva continued dancing Chachamaru approached, "Chachamaru is something wrong?" Eva asked.
"Mistress may I please borrow sensei for a dance?" the gynoid asked hopefully.
Eva eyed her servant before speaking, "Well it's alright by me, but what does he feel?" she motioned to Negi who spoke.
"I'd be delighted to dance with you Chachamaru." He said making the robot smile.
"Arigato." She said as her sensei started dancing with her.
Back with Dustin he had soon switched to Haruna who was enjoying their dance, "For a little guy you sure got the moves."
"I do take lessons." He admitted as he enjoyed dancing with the class gossip monger. Suddenly he heard scary rock music play by the D.J, "I know this song!" he cheered as he dashed off the dance floor and slid near the D.J taking the mike and started providing vocals for Terror Time.
The girls getting thrilled by Dustin's singing started dancing like party animals. Negi was soon passed off to Makie as they two were shaking it up on the dance floor. After Makie he started dancing with Sayo and the ghost girl was enjoying her time with her professor not being able to have fun like this in sixty years.
The girls cheered for Dustin's performance as he walked around shaking their hands and thanking them for their cheers and compliments, but the excitement didn't last very long. The ground started to shake and from the creaks in the floor was a green glow, "What's happening?" Negi gasped.
"I don't know." Eva said.
Suddenly a hole burst open in the floor and rising up from it were these zombie skeleton pirates hollering and hooting like the pirates they were until finally the skeleton zombie of a pirate captain rose up calling out, "We be here surface dwellers!"
"Oh snap!" Dustin gasped breaking his pirate talk.
(And that's the chapter Dustin's singing unintentionally awoken a band of zombie pirates. How will he and Negi deal with this threat with all of their students present? Tune in next time to find out.)