Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction ❯ The Dreamer ❯ Multiple Personalities ( Chapter 13 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Serac 
Quick talk for stalling, quick magic for domination.....
Anime/Manga: Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Romance / Comedy / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 09.13.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 314 | Status: Work In Progress
Quick talk for stalling, quick magic for domination.....
Anime/Manga: Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Romance / Comedy / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 09.13.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 314 | Status: Work In Progress
-----Author’s note: Bad for my wallet but good for my writing, I was only scheduled for two days at work this week (I work at a restaurant, Texas Roadhouse, which I dislike, so my schedule can vary wildly)! Which means I was able to get out a chapter sooner than I thought. Still, though, updates may vary from a few days to over a week, so nobody let their hopes get too high. I do not own Negima!, but any other characters and ideas are my own. Enjoy.....-----
“I don’t suppose you’re going to be any help, here, huh, rat?” Connor whispered to the ermine stuffed into his pocket, his eyes wandering from mask to mask as his enemies surrounded him. How the hell was he supposed to come through, like this? He had two Sunshines standing in front of him, and he had no idea which one was the real one. The imposter could very well be dangerous, especially if what Negi had told him was any little bit true. Connor, himself, knew that he couldn’t beat Setsuna very easily, if at all. But she had been thrashed, according to her account of what had actually gone down. She winced every time he took out a pen to write.....To top things off, he had the helpless baka black to keep an eye on. She was just as much a target as Ku Fei, only unable to defend herself.
“We damn well can’t have you beating the pulp out of the real Ku Fei! Find out which one’s the real one, but be cautious about it. If you set these guys off, we might not be able to save Yuetchi!” Chamo whisper-yelled in response.
‘Easier said than done.....but.....’ Connor tipped his head to the two Chinese girls, letting a smile play onto his lips, “I can honestly say, the enemy never looked so good. I thought one Sunshine was blessing enough in my life, but two? To tell you the truth.....” He was laughing inside at how both Ku Feis were sporting a deep blush. Looked like what Negi had said about the shape shifter taking on the emotions of the copied person was true, “I’m kind of wondering which one would be more fun.....the good one, or the bad one.....” He licked his lips a little, well satisfied by the stunned expression on both girl’s faces.
‘He’s.....disgusting, but a quick thinker. He should be able to pick out the real one, if he keeps talking like that!’ Yue thought, keeping as still as possible to keep attention off of her. As much as she hated it, she was caught in the middle of something bigger than she knew, and right now she was a prime candidate for a hostage.
“B-Bad one? Wh-What you want me be bad f-for?” The Ku Feis stuttered. It was almost disturbing how their voices intermingled into perfect synchronization. Whatever kind of magic the imposter had, it was as strong as hell.
“Honestly, Sunshines, I’ve always liked my girls to be a little naughty. But not if they start off that way. A little corruption does wonders for my mood,” Connor smirked, trying to keep it playful. He was surrounded by enemies, and in a weakened state. Chamo might be able to pull off a miracle if he had enough time to do so, so time was what he was really playing for.
“N-Naughty?” The girls looked like they were about to pass out. It was creepy to see the schoolgirl-love-sparkle in both sets of eyes, knowing that one of them might be a man. Ugh.....he hoped it was a woman underneath the disguises.....
“Remember when you had me on your bed with you, Sunshines? I say that I like my girls naughty, but that doesn’t even begin to cover what I was thinking.....” He slowly stepped forward, letting his eyes glow with the feigned passion he knew he could use so well. Something about playing on a lady’s heart lit a light up inside of him, as cruel as it was. At least it was serving a purpose, this time. He ignored the slight pangs of guilt as bits of his past caught up with him.
Yue’s mouth fell slightly open, her eyes more open than she was used to them being. ‘On her bed? Well.....that’s a bit more than I would have ventured to guess at. But.....that look in his eyes, it’s so serious! He’s kidding, right? There’s no way he could be serious about what he’s saying, right? I didn’t misjudge his actions, I couldn’t have. This is a serious situation, he wouldn’t try and turn it into some kind of magical three-way.....’
“But right now I’m thinking a bit of a magical three-way is just what we need to liven things up some,” The teacher admitted with a little wink, to Yue’s chagrin, “What do you say?”
One of the Ku Feis jumped back, shaking her head and muttering. Shortly following a puff of smoke, Connor found that he was staring at a perfect copy of himself. The copy seemed to be trying to shake thoughts out of his head, cursing and swearing all the while.
“That was horrible! I can’t believe that I almost.....God, thank God I changed,” The fake teacher pointed at Ku Fei, whose face had yet to return to its normal color, “I thought Connor was bad, but damn, you’re disgusting! I can’t even believe we even thought that.....”
Connor shot the real Ku Fei a quizzical look, but allowed the subject to fade out of the spotlight. That would be a topic to discuss, later. Chamo had already set off to complete his mission, so all Connor needed to do was hold out for about twenty minutes. After that, he’d let it be someone else’s problem. “I’ve gotta admit, I thought two Sunshines was nice, but damn!”
“Yeah, I know. It’s kind of weird how I’m more attracted to you than I am any of the girls,” The fake muttered, putting his chin in his hand, his face turning thoughtful, “You don’t think that means we’re.....you know.....”
“No, no. We can just appreciate true beauty, that’s all. Not that you’re not gorgeous, Sunshine, I’m not implying that.”
“No, not at all! You’re actually one of the hottest junior high girls I’ve ever seen,” The fake added with a charming smile that sent Ku Fei’s heart aflutter. He really sounded like he meant it, fake or not.
“He speaks the truth, Sunshine. One hundred percent. I actually discovered a way to bring about world peace, too.”
“Oh, you did too?” The fake laughed.
The two both spoke now, “We just need to show everyone in the world your picture. There would be no more war if they could just see your smiling face, love.”
Yue was dumbfounded. What the hell was going on? He knew who the real enemy was, now, so why was he wasting time on idle chit-chat? He had come alone, so.....wait, had he come alone? He couldn’t be as big of an idiot as he would have people believe him to be.....he was definitely stalling. So he had a plan, even as ridiculous as it was, if it would get them out of there she wouldn’t complain. It was weird how the fake was going along with it so well, though.....
“Y-You exaggerating.....” Ku Fei blushed, not sure herself what was happening. She’d never been assaulted with compliments like this, before, and having it done by her crush and an identical copy of her crush was enough to knock her out cold. She was hardly aware of the enemies which filled up the room.
“No, not exaggerating, Sunshine,” The fake grinned, “If you were cholesterol, I’d gladly die of a compound heart attack just so long as I got a taste of you.”
Connor laughed, nodding in agreement, “That would be a way to go, huh? I’d die a happy man. ‘Course, not before I made you pretty happy, too.....if you get what I’m saying.....”
“Oh, that’s bad, man,” The fake couldn’t help but laugh as he strode over to meet his twin. The two knocked fists, each putting an arm around the other as they turned to face the barely able to stand Ku Fei, whose nose was getting dangerously close to spouting a red leak.
“You ain’t all that bad, you know that?”
“You’re not half bad yourself, man. Tell you what, I’ll just let you guys dance on out of here, this time,” The fake said with a smile, motioning for the door with his free arm.
“Boss!” One of the cloaked men shouted, which seemed to snap the copycat out of his character.
The fake jumped back for the second time, looking a lot like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Ugh, dammit.....I’ve used this one too much in too short a time.....as hot as I may be like this, I can’t do my job this way!” Another puff of smoke issued from the clone, this time, though, a less friendly face stepped out from the cloud.
Yue’s eyes widened as she saw who stepped through the smoke. There was no way.....it couldn’t possibly be.....even an impersonation of that person could destroy the whole of library island in the blink of an eye!
“You.....look like.....” Ku Fei muttered, staring into the person’s dark brown eyes.
Connor’s mouth dropped open as he took a shaky step backwards, “Oh, shi-”
-
The storm raged outside of the mansion, the thunder making the panes shake softly. Kaede lowered Asakura onto Ayaka’s bed, looking the pale girl up and down. She was beginning to shiver in steady pulses, as though a kind of bitter frost was running through her veins. She had yet to speak since the kunoichi had taken her from Negi, who had dashed off to find help. Was there anyone nearby who they could count on, for the kind of treatment that Asakura apparently needed? Someone came to mind, but she was pretty inexperienced.....
-
Negi skid to a stop beside his three friends, Asuna, Setsuna, and Konoka, who all seemed somewhat surprised to see him.
“Negi-sensei, there you are,” Setsuna greeted him with a smile, “After the rep got back, we figured you’d be soon to follow.”
Asuna slid across the ground, coming to a stop at the young teacher’s feet. Ayaka was on top of her before she even had time to open her eyes.
“They’ve been at it for the past five minutes. I’m not even sure what got this one started,” Konoka admitted through a smile. Though her best friend and the rep were fighting, she didn’t seem phased by it at all, no matter how serious it got.
“Konoka-san, I need your help!” Negi whisper-yelled, grabbing his student’s arm and pulling her to her feet.
As if Negi had pulled her simultaneously, Setsuna rose as well, “What’s the matter? Is someone hurt?”
“Come on, I’ll explain it on the way!” The boy said, leading the two to the rep’s room. Ayaka and Asuna didn’t even notice him come or go.
-
“So she formed the pactio with Connor, but his bad magic won’t mix with her?” Konoka asked, attempting to capture everything she had been told in a nutshell. Negi, Kaede, Setsuna, and herself were standing before the large bed, their friend shaking in a cold sweat.
“Have you contacted the headmaster? He’ll be able to do far more than Ojou-sama.....” Setsuna asked softly.
“Yeah, grandpa could save her, call him!”
Negi showed them his cell phone, pointing at the ‘no signal’ message displayed in the corner, “I’ve already tried! The storm is getting in the way of the signal! Konoka-san, you saved me, and Setsuna-san, during the field trip, and I know you can save Asakura-san! You’ve gotta try!”
She looked anxious, but Kaede could see in her eyes that there was a good portion of will to try. A friend was on the line, and she had been practicing. Granted, none of what she’d done thus far could compare with saving the life of a friend, but at the very least she was better off than when she had saved Negi.
“Ok, Negi-kun. What should I do?”
Chamo, moving at a speed even he wasn’t used to, slammed into Negi’s back, causing the boy to take a step forward in surprise. “Aniki! A-Aniki, gotta.....go t-to library.....island.....” He gasped for breath, now realizing that maybe smoking really DID have an affect on one’s health.
“What? Why?” Negi asked, setting the ermine down on the edge of the bed.
“Emo.....found Ku Fei and Yuetchi! They’re being attacked by the copycat and a bunch of the masked guys!” Chamo paused when he felt a slight vibration under the covers, turning to find his sickly comrade behind him. “What’s the matter with sister?”
Negi dropped the fidgety coin containing the ghost of the East Wing, turning to run for the door. “Help Konoka-san save Asakura-san, Chamo-kun! Don’t let the ghost out of the coin, either!” Before Negi had even reached the door, Setsuna and Kaede were already waiting for him in the hall.
“Set-chan, wait! Don’t leave me to do this alone!” Konoka called after her friend, who hesitated.
“Stay here, Setsuna,” Kaede commanded, “If we all leave and there’s an attack while we’re gone, what would happen to them? We’ll be back soon.”
Reluctant to pass up a chance for a second round with the copycat, but seeing the wisdom in her friend’s words, she obeyed, “Even if I can’t go, there’s at least one thing I can do for you.....” She reached into her pocket, handing something to Negi before reentering the rep’s room.
Negi and Kaede hurried down the hall, vanishing around the corner.
“She’s.....having a reaction to his magic? That doesn’t make sense! Even the most polar opposites of good and evil can coexist! Hell, without one, you can’t even have the other!” Chamo exclaimed, using the covers to wipe away the dampness of Asakura’s forehead. “Sure, some people get sick for a little while because they’re incompatible, but not this bad.....”
“Then what is it?” Konoka asked, getting worried. Even Chamo seemed shaken by this turn of events, and having to be the one to save Asakura was a lot for her to shoulder.
“When Connor was pulled through the portal, it was big news in the magic world. We’d never actually succeeded in making contact with another world, and pulling a person from one was incredible! She might be having a reaction because people in our world just can’t hold the other world’s magic,” The ermine tried to explain, though he only seemed to bring about more confusion.
“Wh-What? Another world? Are you saying Connor-sensei isn’t from.....here?”
“I thought you knew, but, yeah. He can probably only speak our languages because of his magic, too. I.....don’t know how we’re going to save her.....”
Konoka shook her head in defiance, “No! Don’t talk like that! I’m going to save her, no matter what! So just watch!”
-
The storm clouds above the island broke apart, the foundation of the library itself groaned under the presence within. The water cascading from the roof of the massive structure slowed its fall, pulled back up to the air it had fallen from. The ground dried up as the water was dragged up into the atmosphere, the droplets circling the island in a massive display of power, the starlight reflecting off of them like they were diamonds.
The entire face of the library shattered, a blast of light roared through it and up into the sky, winding like a snake through grass. The air over the desecrated library became distorted as the beam of light passed by.
“Connor!” Ku Fei screamed, making a rush for the gaping hole that was once the entrance to the library. She didn’t get far, however, before she was swarmed by the men in masks.
The man with the scarlet hair took his sweet time in stepping over the debris and out into the night, where his prey was currently sprawled out in. He let himself smile at the Chinese girl as she was steadily pummeling her way through the seemingly endless cluster of enemies. There wasn’t anything she could do to help Connor, at this point, if he was even still alive.
He took a deep breath of the now dry night air, looking up at the glistening stars and raising his hands to them. They were so far away, but he felt like he could touch them, if he had the mind to. “Asuna.....used to love those things. Guess a little bit of that rubbed off on me, too,” He admitted with a smirk. The smile faded as he heard a grunt from the man in black, as he rose to his feet.
“You.....You know that girl? Ha.....” Connor bent over to put his hands on his knees, trying to ignore the smoke that was rising from his slightly burnt coat. His magical barrier had been completely shattered by that last attack. If he was hit like that again, there wouldn’t be enough of him left to fill a cup. “Does your kid know?”
“Negi’s a smart kid. After all, he is mine,” The thousand master replied casually, folding his arms.
“Heh, smart enough to think you’ve been alive for the past God knows how long.....”
“Everyone needs something to hold on to, something they need to believe in. One day, he’ll find out I’m dead, or he’ll find out I’m alive, for certain. Honestly, I don’t really know, and I’m a pretty good copy of him.”
“I liked you better when you were trying to sell yourself as me.”
“No one could afford the price you would set, kid.”
“While we’re on the topic of ‘kids’, Negi’s gonna be mighty pissed when he sees you,” Connor pointed out, standing up to his full height and taking a deep breath.
“Sons can be surprisingly forgiving. I’ve missed most of his life.....something I wish I could change.....but I don’t think you know him well enough to say something like that,” Nagi spoke in a bored tone, as though whatever it was that was going on didn’t quite excite him.
A rain of shiny arrows fell down over the thousand master, who raised a hand to shield himself from the surprise attack. The ground beneath him crumbled under the onslaught, the cloud of magic and dust obscuring the man from sight. Negi dropped from the sky, his staff in hand as he concluded his attack.
“I meant he’d be pissed at you for taking that form, dumb-ass,” Connor sighed, trying hard to keep his strength up.
“Are you alright? Where are the others?” The boy asked, his eyes scanning the area for the two targets.
“They’re in the library.....kid, I don’t think this is a fight we can win. We should.....”
“‘Should’ what? We can’t run and leave them here alone!” Negi yelled, raising his hand to meet the silhouette of his father in the smoke. A second volley of magic exploded forth, cutting through the air as it whistled towards its target.
Ku Fei ducked under a knife, grabbing the arm as she came back up. She spun with the man, pulling back to plunge the knife into his stomach as she threw him aside. Too surrounded to avoid the next attacker, she was caught by a punch to the cheek, which she returned with a two-palmed strike to the chest, sending the man crashing to the ground. She brought her fist up into one of the myriad men’s stomachs, hopping up onto his back as he lurched over. She jumped up over a towering bookcase, flipping to kick it on the opposite side as she came down. The case toppled over the group of men she had been preoccupied with, but she was quickly surrounded once again.
Yue turned a corner, finding nothing but another group of men. Behind her, the five people who had been chasing her slowed to a stop, each raising their hands to finish the job. Chasing her through the halls of books had proved enjoyable for the brief time it had lasted, but now it was time to move on. Yue ducked down, covering her face with her hands as she waited for the inevitable. It was odd. Philosophers ponder the mysteries of mankind, great and small, and what lay beyond death was indeed one of, if not the greatest, mysteries of all. Now that she was faced with the prospect, though, she was terrified. There was a lot she hadn’t gotten to do yet, a lot she still wanted to say. It was cruel that things were going to end this way, so soon.
“Are you alright, Yue-dono? Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Kaede’s voice permeated the temporary quiet.
Yue opened her eyes, finding that the men who had come quite close to ending her life were now strewn across the floor, several kunai to be found protruding from them in various places. She tried to stand, but found her legs to be a little too shaky to support the action. Kaede scooped her up, vanishing in a flash of smoke.
Negi’s attack dissolved before the thousand master, who dashed forward. Connor pushed the boy aside, raising his hand for his turn. The ground before him tore open, attempting to swallow the copycat up. The man plummeted into the darkness, vanishing into the depths below.
“Come on.....” Connor groaned, raising his other hand to complete the attack. Fire erupted from the gap, pouring into the air before the two sides smashed together, the ground looking as though nothing had ever happened at all. He fell back to a sitting position, the pain in his back too much for him to push through. Dammit, next time he got hurt he was going to get more help.
“A good effort, but it was more for show, than anything else,” Nagi spoke from behind the two.
Negi whipped around at the sound of the voice, but was too slow to stop the wave of energy that erupted from his imitation father’s hand. The two were lost in the blinding flash, the ground below them shaved away in fragments, leaving the two teachers on the tattered ground, unable to move.
Nagi looked from the one in the black coat to his would-be son, realizing he didn’t have the heart to kill either of them. At least, not in this form. “Well.....” He murmured, “What would be ironic? Someone you love, definitely.....”
A puff of smoke ensued, followed shortly after by the appearance of Evangeline, who looked herself over in a rather satisfied manner. “This should do, don’t you think, boya?” She slowly made her way for the immobilized boy, her only response a light groaning.
She scooped Negi up by the hair, lifting him into the air to look him in the face. Really, that meant the boy’s feet were still grazing the ground. “I could do it slow, and just suck out your blood, or I can do it fast, and get the blood after. Any preferences?”
Negi’s eye opened slightly, his mouth curling into a sneer.
Evangeline stared into the partially opened eye, unable to believe that he had the gall to smile at a time like this.
“M-Mission.....accomplished,” The boy mumbled through his grin.
Ku Fei rushed out through the destroyed face of the library, faltering when she saw Negi being held up by Evangeline, who didn’t look like she was in a playing mood. The man who looked like Negi was nowhere to be found, so she assumed it was the copycat. Connor was on the ground, a few yards away from the two, apparently down for the count.
“Negi-bozu!” She yelled, rushing to the boy’s aid.
“‘Accomplish’ this!” Evangeline yelled spitefully, lobbing the limp boy into the air. She swung her arm up, muttering the words to her spell under her breath. An icicle rivaling Evangeline for size sped through the air, plunging into the boy’s chest.
Before he had even hit the ground, Evangeline turned her attention to Ku Fei, who had frozen as soon as the magic touched the boy. “One target down.....guess that makes you next.”
-----Author’s other note: Don’t think Evangeline would do it? To be fair, it IS just a copy, AND she does want his blood, AND she is evil, so when people start the flames please be sure to not use her as the reason. I already know where I’m going, so I’m working on the next chapter quickly while my schedule is being nice.
But I have a question: How much further should I go? At the plot rate I’m going at now, I will finish at about chapter 17 or 18, most likely. Then I’ll have the alternate ending, if you want to count that. Does that sound good? I’m not sure, because most of my writing tends to drag on forever. I don’t want to do that here, because it just spoils it, in the end. But if I do finish it, I guess I could just start a new fanfic, too. Ugh.....well, just.....I don’t know, tell me what to do. I’m pretty indecisive.
Anyway, thanks for reading.....-----
“I don’t suppose you’re going to be any help, here, huh, rat?” Connor whispered to the ermine stuffed into his pocket, his eyes wandering from mask to mask as his enemies surrounded him. How the hell was he supposed to come through, like this? He had two Sunshines standing in front of him, and he had no idea which one was the real one. The imposter could very well be dangerous, especially if what Negi had told him was any little bit true. Connor, himself, knew that he couldn’t beat Setsuna very easily, if at all. But she had been thrashed, according to her account of what had actually gone down. She winced every time he took out a pen to write.....To top things off, he had the helpless baka black to keep an eye on. She was just as much a target as Ku Fei, only unable to defend herself.
“We damn well can’t have you beating the pulp out of the real Ku Fei! Find out which one’s the real one, but be cautious about it. If you set these guys off, we might not be able to save Yuetchi!” Chamo whisper-yelled in response.
‘Easier said than done.....but.....’ Connor tipped his head to the two Chinese girls, letting a smile play onto his lips, “I can honestly say, the enemy never looked so good. I thought one Sunshine was blessing enough in my life, but two? To tell you the truth.....” He was laughing inside at how both Ku Feis were sporting a deep blush. Looked like what Negi had said about the shape shifter taking on the emotions of the copied person was true, “I’m kind of wondering which one would be more fun.....the good one, or the bad one.....” He licked his lips a little, well satisfied by the stunned expression on both girl’s faces.
‘He’s.....disgusting, but a quick thinker. He should be able to pick out the real one, if he keeps talking like that!’ Yue thought, keeping as still as possible to keep attention off of her. As much as she hated it, she was caught in the middle of something bigger than she knew, and right now she was a prime candidate for a hostage.
“B-Bad one? Wh-What you want me be bad f-for?” The Ku Feis stuttered. It was almost disturbing how their voices intermingled into perfect synchronization. Whatever kind of magic the imposter had, it was as strong as hell.
“Honestly, Sunshines, I’ve always liked my girls to be a little naughty. But not if they start off that way. A little corruption does wonders for my mood,” Connor smirked, trying to keep it playful. He was surrounded by enemies, and in a weakened state. Chamo might be able to pull off a miracle if he had enough time to do so, so time was what he was really playing for.
“N-Naughty?” The girls looked like they were about to pass out. It was creepy to see the schoolgirl-love-sparkle in both sets of eyes, knowing that one of them might be a man. Ugh.....he hoped it was a woman underneath the disguises.....
“Remember when you had me on your bed with you, Sunshines? I say that I like my girls naughty, but that doesn’t even begin to cover what I was thinking.....” He slowly stepped forward, letting his eyes glow with the feigned passion he knew he could use so well. Something about playing on a lady’s heart lit a light up inside of him, as cruel as it was. At least it was serving a purpose, this time. He ignored the slight pangs of guilt as bits of his past caught up with him.
Yue’s mouth fell slightly open, her eyes more open than she was used to them being. ‘On her bed? Well.....that’s a bit more than I would have ventured to guess at. But.....that look in his eyes, it’s so serious! He’s kidding, right? There’s no way he could be serious about what he’s saying, right? I didn’t misjudge his actions, I couldn’t have. This is a serious situation, he wouldn’t try and turn it into some kind of magical three-way.....’
“But right now I’m thinking a bit of a magical three-way is just what we need to liven things up some,” The teacher admitted with a little wink, to Yue’s chagrin, “What do you say?”
One of the Ku Feis jumped back, shaking her head and muttering. Shortly following a puff of smoke, Connor found that he was staring at a perfect copy of himself. The copy seemed to be trying to shake thoughts out of his head, cursing and swearing all the while.
“That was horrible! I can’t believe that I almost.....God, thank God I changed,” The fake teacher pointed at Ku Fei, whose face had yet to return to its normal color, “I thought Connor was bad, but damn, you’re disgusting! I can’t even believe we even thought that.....”
Connor shot the real Ku Fei a quizzical look, but allowed the subject to fade out of the spotlight. That would be a topic to discuss, later. Chamo had already set off to complete his mission, so all Connor needed to do was hold out for about twenty minutes. After that, he’d let it be someone else’s problem. “I’ve gotta admit, I thought two Sunshines was nice, but damn!”
“Yeah, I know. It’s kind of weird how I’m more attracted to you than I am any of the girls,” The fake muttered, putting his chin in his hand, his face turning thoughtful, “You don’t think that means we’re.....you know.....”
“No, no. We can just appreciate true beauty, that’s all. Not that you’re not gorgeous, Sunshine, I’m not implying that.”
“No, not at all! You’re actually one of the hottest junior high girls I’ve ever seen,” The fake added with a charming smile that sent Ku Fei’s heart aflutter. He really sounded like he meant it, fake or not.
“He speaks the truth, Sunshine. One hundred percent. I actually discovered a way to bring about world peace, too.”
“Oh, you did too?” The fake laughed.
The two both spoke now, “We just need to show everyone in the world your picture. There would be no more war if they could just see your smiling face, love.”
Yue was dumbfounded. What the hell was going on? He knew who the real enemy was, now, so why was he wasting time on idle chit-chat? He had come alone, so.....wait, had he come alone? He couldn’t be as big of an idiot as he would have people believe him to be.....he was definitely stalling. So he had a plan, even as ridiculous as it was, if it would get them out of there she wouldn’t complain. It was weird how the fake was going along with it so well, though.....
“Y-You exaggerating.....” Ku Fei blushed, not sure herself what was happening. She’d never been assaulted with compliments like this, before, and having it done by her crush and an identical copy of her crush was enough to knock her out cold. She was hardly aware of the enemies which filled up the room.
“No, not exaggerating, Sunshine,” The fake grinned, “If you were cholesterol, I’d gladly die of a compound heart attack just so long as I got a taste of you.”
Connor laughed, nodding in agreement, “That would be a way to go, huh? I’d die a happy man. ‘Course, not before I made you pretty happy, too.....if you get what I’m saying.....”
“Oh, that’s bad, man,” The fake couldn’t help but laugh as he strode over to meet his twin. The two knocked fists, each putting an arm around the other as they turned to face the barely able to stand Ku Fei, whose nose was getting dangerously close to spouting a red leak.
“You ain’t all that bad, you know that?”
“You’re not half bad yourself, man. Tell you what, I’ll just let you guys dance on out of here, this time,” The fake said with a smile, motioning for the door with his free arm.
“Boss!” One of the cloaked men shouted, which seemed to snap the copycat out of his character.
The fake jumped back for the second time, looking a lot like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Ugh, dammit.....I’ve used this one too much in too short a time.....as hot as I may be like this, I can’t do my job this way!” Another puff of smoke issued from the clone, this time, though, a less friendly face stepped out from the cloud.
Yue’s eyes widened as she saw who stepped through the smoke. There was no way.....it couldn’t possibly be.....even an impersonation of that person could destroy the whole of library island in the blink of an eye!
“You.....look like.....” Ku Fei muttered, staring into the person’s dark brown eyes.
Connor’s mouth dropped open as he took a shaky step backwards, “Oh, shi-”
-
The storm raged outside of the mansion, the thunder making the panes shake softly. Kaede lowered Asakura onto Ayaka’s bed, looking the pale girl up and down. She was beginning to shiver in steady pulses, as though a kind of bitter frost was running through her veins. She had yet to speak since the kunoichi had taken her from Negi, who had dashed off to find help. Was there anyone nearby who they could count on, for the kind of treatment that Asakura apparently needed? Someone came to mind, but she was pretty inexperienced.....
-
Negi skid to a stop beside his three friends, Asuna, Setsuna, and Konoka, who all seemed somewhat surprised to see him.
“Negi-sensei, there you are,” Setsuna greeted him with a smile, “After the rep got back, we figured you’d be soon to follow.”
Asuna slid across the ground, coming to a stop at the young teacher’s feet. Ayaka was on top of her before she even had time to open her eyes.
“They’ve been at it for the past five minutes. I’m not even sure what got this one started,” Konoka admitted through a smile. Though her best friend and the rep were fighting, she didn’t seem phased by it at all, no matter how serious it got.
“Konoka-san, I need your help!” Negi whisper-yelled, grabbing his student’s arm and pulling her to her feet.
As if Negi had pulled her simultaneously, Setsuna rose as well, “What’s the matter? Is someone hurt?”
“Come on, I’ll explain it on the way!” The boy said, leading the two to the rep’s room. Ayaka and Asuna didn’t even notice him come or go.
-
“So she formed the pactio with Connor, but his bad magic won’t mix with her?” Konoka asked, attempting to capture everything she had been told in a nutshell. Negi, Kaede, Setsuna, and herself were standing before the large bed, their friend shaking in a cold sweat.
“Have you contacted the headmaster? He’ll be able to do far more than Ojou-sama.....” Setsuna asked softly.
“Yeah, grandpa could save her, call him!”
Negi showed them his cell phone, pointing at the ‘no signal’ message displayed in the corner, “I’ve already tried! The storm is getting in the way of the signal! Konoka-san, you saved me, and Setsuna-san, during the field trip, and I know you can save Asakura-san! You’ve gotta try!”
She looked anxious, but Kaede could see in her eyes that there was a good portion of will to try. A friend was on the line, and she had been practicing. Granted, none of what she’d done thus far could compare with saving the life of a friend, but at the very least she was better off than when she had saved Negi.
“Ok, Negi-kun. What should I do?”
Chamo, moving at a speed even he wasn’t used to, slammed into Negi’s back, causing the boy to take a step forward in surprise. “Aniki! A-Aniki, gotta.....go t-to library.....island.....” He gasped for breath, now realizing that maybe smoking really DID have an affect on one’s health.
“What? Why?” Negi asked, setting the ermine down on the edge of the bed.
“Emo.....found Ku Fei and Yuetchi! They’re being attacked by the copycat and a bunch of the masked guys!” Chamo paused when he felt a slight vibration under the covers, turning to find his sickly comrade behind him. “What’s the matter with sister?”
Negi dropped the fidgety coin containing the ghost of the East Wing, turning to run for the door. “Help Konoka-san save Asakura-san, Chamo-kun! Don’t let the ghost out of the coin, either!” Before Negi had even reached the door, Setsuna and Kaede were already waiting for him in the hall.
“Set-chan, wait! Don’t leave me to do this alone!” Konoka called after her friend, who hesitated.
“Stay here, Setsuna,” Kaede commanded, “If we all leave and there’s an attack while we’re gone, what would happen to them? We’ll be back soon.”
Reluctant to pass up a chance for a second round with the copycat, but seeing the wisdom in her friend’s words, she obeyed, “Even if I can’t go, there’s at least one thing I can do for you.....” She reached into her pocket, handing something to Negi before reentering the rep’s room.
Negi and Kaede hurried down the hall, vanishing around the corner.
“She’s.....having a reaction to his magic? That doesn’t make sense! Even the most polar opposites of good and evil can coexist! Hell, without one, you can’t even have the other!” Chamo exclaimed, using the covers to wipe away the dampness of Asakura’s forehead. “Sure, some people get sick for a little while because they’re incompatible, but not this bad.....”
“Then what is it?” Konoka asked, getting worried. Even Chamo seemed shaken by this turn of events, and having to be the one to save Asakura was a lot for her to shoulder.
“When Connor was pulled through the portal, it was big news in the magic world. We’d never actually succeeded in making contact with another world, and pulling a person from one was incredible! She might be having a reaction because people in our world just can’t hold the other world’s magic,” The ermine tried to explain, though he only seemed to bring about more confusion.
“Wh-What? Another world? Are you saying Connor-sensei isn’t from.....here?”
“I thought you knew, but, yeah. He can probably only speak our languages because of his magic, too. I.....don’t know how we’re going to save her.....”
Konoka shook her head in defiance, “No! Don’t talk like that! I’m going to save her, no matter what! So just watch!”
-
The storm clouds above the island broke apart, the foundation of the library itself groaned under the presence within. The water cascading from the roof of the massive structure slowed its fall, pulled back up to the air it had fallen from. The ground dried up as the water was dragged up into the atmosphere, the droplets circling the island in a massive display of power, the starlight reflecting off of them like they were diamonds.
The entire face of the library shattered, a blast of light roared through it and up into the sky, winding like a snake through grass. The air over the desecrated library became distorted as the beam of light passed by.
“Connor!” Ku Fei screamed, making a rush for the gaping hole that was once the entrance to the library. She didn’t get far, however, before she was swarmed by the men in masks.
The man with the scarlet hair took his sweet time in stepping over the debris and out into the night, where his prey was currently sprawled out in. He let himself smile at the Chinese girl as she was steadily pummeling her way through the seemingly endless cluster of enemies. There wasn’t anything she could do to help Connor, at this point, if he was even still alive.
He took a deep breath of the now dry night air, looking up at the glistening stars and raising his hands to them. They were so far away, but he felt like he could touch them, if he had the mind to. “Asuna.....used to love those things. Guess a little bit of that rubbed off on me, too,” He admitted with a smirk. The smile faded as he heard a grunt from the man in black, as he rose to his feet.
“You.....You know that girl? Ha.....” Connor bent over to put his hands on his knees, trying to ignore the smoke that was rising from his slightly burnt coat. His magical barrier had been completely shattered by that last attack. If he was hit like that again, there wouldn’t be enough of him left to fill a cup. “Does your kid know?”
“Negi’s a smart kid. After all, he is mine,” The thousand master replied casually, folding his arms.
“Heh, smart enough to think you’ve been alive for the past God knows how long.....”
“Everyone needs something to hold on to, something they need to believe in. One day, he’ll find out I’m dead, or he’ll find out I’m alive, for certain. Honestly, I don’t really know, and I’m a pretty good copy of him.”
“I liked you better when you were trying to sell yourself as me.”
“No one could afford the price you would set, kid.”
“While we’re on the topic of ‘kids’, Negi’s gonna be mighty pissed when he sees you,” Connor pointed out, standing up to his full height and taking a deep breath.
“Sons can be surprisingly forgiving. I’ve missed most of his life.....something I wish I could change.....but I don’t think you know him well enough to say something like that,” Nagi spoke in a bored tone, as though whatever it was that was going on didn’t quite excite him.
A rain of shiny arrows fell down over the thousand master, who raised a hand to shield himself from the surprise attack. The ground beneath him crumbled under the onslaught, the cloud of magic and dust obscuring the man from sight. Negi dropped from the sky, his staff in hand as he concluded his attack.
“I meant he’d be pissed at you for taking that form, dumb-ass,” Connor sighed, trying hard to keep his strength up.
“Are you alright? Where are the others?” The boy asked, his eyes scanning the area for the two targets.
“They’re in the library.....kid, I don’t think this is a fight we can win. We should.....”
“‘Should’ what? We can’t run and leave them here alone!” Negi yelled, raising his hand to meet the silhouette of his father in the smoke. A second volley of magic exploded forth, cutting through the air as it whistled towards its target.
Ku Fei ducked under a knife, grabbing the arm as she came back up. She spun with the man, pulling back to plunge the knife into his stomach as she threw him aside. Too surrounded to avoid the next attacker, she was caught by a punch to the cheek, which she returned with a two-palmed strike to the chest, sending the man crashing to the ground. She brought her fist up into one of the myriad men’s stomachs, hopping up onto his back as he lurched over. She jumped up over a towering bookcase, flipping to kick it on the opposite side as she came down. The case toppled over the group of men she had been preoccupied with, but she was quickly surrounded once again.
Yue turned a corner, finding nothing but another group of men. Behind her, the five people who had been chasing her slowed to a stop, each raising their hands to finish the job. Chasing her through the halls of books had proved enjoyable for the brief time it had lasted, but now it was time to move on. Yue ducked down, covering her face with her hands as she waited for the inevitable. It was odd. Philosophers ponder the mysteries of mankind, great and small, and what lay beyond death was indeed one of, if not the greatest, mysteries of all. Now that she was faced with the prospect, though, she was terrified. There was a lot she hadn’t gotten to do yet, a lot she still wanted to say. It was cruel that things were going to end this way, so soon.
“Are you alright, Yue-dono? Come on, let’s get you out of here,” Kaede’s voice permeated the temporary quiet.
Yue opened her eyes, finding that the men who had come quite close to ending her life were now strewn across the floor, several kunai to be found protruding from them in various places. She tried to stand, but found her legs to be a little too shaky to support the action. Kaede scooped her up, vanishing in a flash of smoke.
Negi’s attack dissolved before the thousand master, who dashed forward. Connor pushed the boy aside, raising his hand for his turn. The ground before him tore open, attempting to swallow the copycat up. The man plummeted into the darkness, vanishing into the depths below.
“Come on.....” Connor groaned, raising his other hand to complete the attack. Fire erupted from the gap, pouring into the air before the two sides smashed together, the ground looking as though nothing had ever happened at all. He fell back to a sitting position, the pain in his back too much for him to push through. Dammit, next time he got hurt he was going to get more help.
“A good effort, but it was more for show, than anything else,” Nagi spoke from behind the two.
Negi whipped around at the sound of the voice, but was too slow to stop the wave of energy that erupted from his imitation father’s hand. The two were lost in the blinding flash, the ground below them shaved away in fragments, leaving the two teachers on the tattered ground, unable to move.
Nagi looked from the one in the black coat to his would-be son, realizing he didn’t have the heart to kill either of them. At least, not in this form. “Well.....” He murmured, “What would be ironic? Someone you love, definitely.....”
A puff of smoke ensued, followed shortly after by the appearance of Evangeline, who looked herself over in a rather satisfied manner. “This should do, don’t you think, boya?” She slowly made her way for the immobilized boy, her only response a light groaning.
She scooped Negi up by the hair, lifting him into the air to look him in the face. Really, that meant the boy’s feet were still grazing the ground. “I could do it slow, and just suck out your blood, or I can do it fast, and get the blood after. Any preferences?”
Negi’s eye opened slightly, his mouth curling into a sneer.
Evangeline stared into the partially opened eye, unable to believe that he had the gall to smile at a time like this.
“M-Mission.....accomplished,” The boy mumbled through his grin.
Ku Fei rushed out through the destroyed face of the library, faltering when she saw Negi being held up by Evangeline, who didn’t look like she was in a playing mood. The man who looked like Negi was nowhere to be found, so she assumed it was the copycat. Connor was on the ground, a few yards away from the two, apparently down for the count.
“Negi-bozu!” She yelled, rushing to the boy’s aid.
“‘Accomplish’ this!” Evangeline yelled spitefully, lobbing the limp boy into the air. She swung her arm up, muttering the words to her spell under her breath. An icicle rivaling Evangeline for size sped through the air, plunging into the boy’s chest.
Before he had even hit the ground, Evangeline turned her attention to Ku Fei, who had frozen as soon as the magic touched the boy. “One target down.....guess that makes you next.”
-----Author’s other note: Don’t think Evangeline would do it? To be fair, it IS just a copy, AND she does want his blood, AND she is evil, so when people start the flames please be sure to not use her as the reason. I already know where I’m going, so I’m working on the next chapter quickly while my schedule is being nice.
But I have a question: How much further should I go? At the plot rate I’m going at now, I will finish at about chapter 17 or 18, most likely. Then I’ll have the alternate ending, if you want to count that. Does that sound good? I’m not sure, because most of my writing tends to drag on forever. I don’t want to do that here, because it just spoils it, in the end. But if I do finish it, I guess I could just start a new fanfic, too. Ugh.....well, just.....I don’t know, tell me what to do. I’m pretty indecisive.
Anyway, thanks for reading.....-----