Disclaimer: I don't own Negima or Ranma 1/2.
Rise of Prodigies
Chapter Seventy-Two: Epilogue - First steps for the Library Exploration Club Trio
"So Ranma-san is being watched by your Otou-san right now?" Nodoka asked Haruna as the two of them inspected an empty one storey building on the edge of Mahora town.
"Yeah." Haruna confirmed with a sigh. "Kaachan insisted. She thinks Onee-sama will run off and break her grounding if at least one of us doesn't keep an eye on her at all times."
Haruna saw Nodoka freeze before turning to shoot her a disbelieving look. "She does realize that Ranma-san can just make instances of herself and be at two places at the same time, right?"
"No, I don't think so." Haruna said with a shake of her head. "And I think Onee-sama wants to keep it that way, so unless Kaachan asks me directly I'm not telling her!"
Nodoka nodded before shaking her head. "Why am I not surprised that your Outsider sister can just get around being grounded by her parents? I mean it's not like they're mortals and she is a super god."
Haruna just chuckled nervously. "I think Kaachan and Otouchan haven't got used to what it means to have an Outsider for a daughter yet. They'll need some time to work it out."
"I'm sure they will." Nodoka replied skeptically. "I don't think we'd get anywhere if we keep talking about this so let's talk about something else."
"Sure." Haruna nodded, agreeing easily enough. "So how about this place? Should we buy it?"
She finished her statement by gesturing around the first floor of the empty one storey building that they were in. It was a minimally furnished office lobby that was full of white marble and post-modern furniture which looked quite nice. Not quite her taste and would need remodeling if they wanted the place to meet the purposes for which she and Nodoka were looking to buy a building in the first place but it was nice nonetheless.
"It would take a lot of work." Nodoka noted, gesturing at their surroundings. "We'd probably have to strip out most of the marble and switch out the furniture."
"Yeah, but the space fits the needs for our new business doesn't it?" Haruna countered.
Ever since her trip to Mundus Magicus, Haruna had realized that while she had no talent for spells, she was gifted with exceptional skill at creating and operating golems. As such, she had plans to put her talent to good use by setting up a business to sell her golems. Something that was made possible by the revelation of the existence of magic to the world as a result of the conclusion of the war against the Mage of the Beginning and the massively padded out bank account and de facto emancipation as an adult that she'd gained from her stint as a Bounty Hunter in Mundus Magicus. And this building had the space she needed to set up a workshop she needed quite nicely.
"The basement down below does." Nodoka agreed, gesturing towards a staircase that led to the aforementioned basement which she had inspected earlier. "I'd need to have its walls reinforced with magic but otherwise it'll be perfect as a place to test out magic. Though I'd want my Treasure Hunter friends to give it a look and help out with reinforcing it when they visit next week. With how many ruins they've dove into and the magical fights they've fought in, they would know a thing or two on how to make the basement work as a training ground for adventurers who chose to join up with my cooperative."
Haruna gave her a nod and asked, "You plan to use it to train too, I imagine?"
"Yes, that's what I'm thinking of doing. It's certainly useful to keep in shape."
"So is that a vote for buying this place?" Haruna inquired.
"Yes," Nodoka nodded. "What about you? This place is a little lacking in office space."
"Oh, that's a simple thing to fix. We can just partition one part of the ground floor off and convert it. Besides, we don't need that much." Haruna waved off the concern with an easy smile. "All we need to do is make sure to have two separate offices, one for my golem manufacturing company and another for your adventuring cooperative. The rest can be used for my workshop."
"Oh we'll make it work for sure." Nodoka giggled in agreement. "We might even be able to save some money by reusing the material we don't strip out."
Haruna nodded and gave the building one last look. As she did, Haruna felt herself vibrating with excitement for the future.
It certainly looked like a bright one.
"Then it's settled!" Haruna said with a grin as bright as her mood and she clapped with jubilation. "Let's go do the paperwork to settle the purchase."
"Yes, let's." Nodoka nodded as she checked her watch. "We're meeting with Yue in a couple hours, more than enough time for us to finish at least the first batch of paperwork."
"Right?" Haruna said with a grin. "So let's go do it and start setting up for our future!"
"Sure!" Nodoka said, offering Haruna a brilliant, agreeing smile.
Yue tapped her foot as she sat at a small table at a cafe, one of many, in Mahora. At the same time, she sipped some fruit juice she had ordered, trying to calm her nerves. Nerves that came from her reflection on her trip to Mundus Magicus. About her time at Ariadne where she had studied magic and made so many friends and how that compared to her time here on Earth at Mahora…
Even after getting my memories back, being here at Mahora… it feels wrong. Everything makes me feel like I just don't fit in. At least, not anymore.
On the topic of her lost memories… She was fairly sure, after looking over the references she'd pulled up through her artifact, Orbis Sensualium Pictus, with its encyclopedic access to all publicly available knowledge, she had realized that the failed memory spell which Collette had used on her that had caused her amnesia in the first place had possibly caused brain damage. A conclusion that she had reached when she saw that the risk of such when attempting the spell had been listed as a big warning in every single entry regarding the spell that she had come across. Thus, the memories of hers that she had still failed to recover despite the treatment she had received since her return to Mahora was most likely permanently lost.
Unfortunately, they were mainly memories of her parents. Something that made her return to Earth quite difficult. It meant that whilst her parents had been relieved, outright moved to tears by reuniting with her, especially after they had learned what she'd been through in Mundus Magicus, she could barely muster a fraction of the same feeling. Due to her lost memories, her parents felt more like strangers to her than the people who had birthed and raised her. Heck! She felt closer with her classmates from Mahora. And there was simply no comparison when stacked up against her closest friends, Collete and the resurrected Beatrix and Emily - Thank you, Ranma-san! -.
As sad as that is, it does make my plans for the future a lot easier. Yue thought as she perked up as she spotted the two friends she was waiting for walking over. She offered a small wave and felt a twinge of sadness at how close Nodoka stood with Haruna.
Ah, hormones! Truly they were a magic knight's most potent distraction.
As her friends sat down, Yue decided to rip off the bandage nice and quick. It was only polite.
"I'm going to leave Earth after we graduate from Junior High and return to Mundus Magicus."
"...Hi, how are you? What's on the recommendation list?" Haruna said slowly as she gave her a blank look.
Nodoka just sighed.
"And what the heck do you mean?! You want to break up the Library band?" Haruna frowned at her, some shock and hurt in her eyes as she finally seemed to catch up with what Yue had said.
"I think it should be fine. Yue's allowed to go her own way, Haruna." Nodoka chided like the good friend that she was. "And I honestly guessed this might happen. I've noticed that you've been acting more standoffish since we returned. You aren't comfortable here anymore, are you, Yue?"
Yue shook her head, it was hard to look her best friends in the eye right now. In fact… Calling Nodoka and Haruna that felt wrong. When she thought of a best friend, her mind just defaulted to an image of Collete.
"You can't even look at Negi-sensei without getting annoyed or occasionally angry at him nowadays." Nodoka added knowingly.
Yue did what she did best and pivoted. "I want to help at the magical academy I went to in Ariadne with my old squadmates, Emily, Beatrix and Collette."
She had been so happy she wept when the former two had been revived by Ranma-san alongside a whole host of innocents and the not so innocent people who died in the final battle against Cosmo Entelecheia.
She wanted to learn more and maybe even become a teacher. Maybe even become one at her magical academy. One that was better than Springfield. Unlike him, she would make sure none of her students would get dragged into war or battle because they couldn't do the smart thing and ask for help from stronger and wiser people.
"Yuechi, can I ask just why you are angry at Negi-sensei?" Haruna asked with a frown.
"Why? Simple, he's a naive little fool that got people, including people I deeply cared for, killed." Yue bluntly said, making the two wince, Nodoka more so than Haruna.
"I know sensei can be naive at times, but that's too harsh. He didn't mean for those deaths to happen. And you can't blame him for everyone that died. Many died because of nothing to do with him."
"It doesn't change the fact that he was responsible for my friends' death."
"So I guess this means that you no longer like him, right?" Haruna asked.
Yue openly scoffed, pushing herself back in her seat, crossing her arms. "It was a childish crush and nothing more. I'm totally over it."
"I understand." Nodoka nodded.
"Do you still like that brat, Nodoka?" The knight couldn't help but ask.
"I do… though I admit that it's not love, but just a crush. I think it could evolve into more and I'm willing to give it a try and see if it does." Nodoka said with a dismissive shrug that spoke more than her words did about how little she cared about it either way.
"Well, I can only wish you the best and hope you don't end up disappointed."
"Man this is depressing. Can we talk about something else?" Haruna asked, looking drained. "How about we dive through Library Island? Imagine what we can find with all our new powers! Talk about hyped!"
"I mean, it's been forever." Yue reluctantly admitted. They could probably dive down even deeper than ever with all their new magical prowess.
"But before we do, let's eat lunch like we met up to do first, shall we?" Nodoka suggested.
"But the mysteries awaiting us-"
"Have been waiting for us for gods knows how long. They can wait a little longer." The bookworm chided her partner.
Haruna pouted and Yue couldn't help but giggle.
Just like old times.
Maybe my lost memories doesn't mean all my connections with Earth and Mahora are lost after all.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless as always!
And so the Library Trio set out their plans for the future. These silly little birds' wings have grown enough to soar and have plans to do exactly that. It's sad that they may part, but overall, they have to leave the book nest at some point. Yue being over Negi felt right to me for her. Really, Yue was wasted in the real world because she was such a lazy armchair philosopher with lofty ideals that didn't really know hardship. Now she's got a taste of it and aims to actually make something of herself. Instead of a damn wizard detective like she's living out some Noir fantasy. And yes, Haruna and Nodoka are cute and fun as always. Nothing changed there.
Nameless: As for Haruna and Nodoka's relationship… They are inseparable sure but beyond that we will leave the specific nature of what it is up to our readers. Whether they are full-on platonic life partners or end up as romantic partners in the long run? That's up to you.
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!