Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction ❯ Ala Alba in the World of Magic: Tales From the Fireside ❯ Chap 03: The Haunted Photographer - Part 2 ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Lafiel_Fan01 
Kazumi and Sayo make friends, and arrive in Granicus City.
Anime/Manga: Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Fantasy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 02.10.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.4K | Visits: 331 | Status: Work In Progress
Kazumi and Sayo make friends, and arrive in Granicus City.
Anime/Manga: Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Fantasy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 02.10.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.4K | Visits: 331 | Status: Work In Progress
Magister Negi Magi is owned by Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo in Japan, and by Funimation and Ballantine - DelRey in the United States, NOT by me.
SPOILER ALERT! Do not read this story if you are not familiar with chapters 189 and up from the raws or scanslated manga!
---
"Al those cat-girls, fox-boys, crazy-big wolves with saber-teeth and all the other strange, 'not-normal' things should have been a tremendous shock. I guess the time I spent playing all those video games was worth it after all!"
-Kazumi Asakura. Author of: "One Million Steps : A Journey to Megalo-Mesembria and the World Beyond."
---
Chapter Three: The Haunted Photographer - Part 2.
Looking over at her Kit-Jin Bounty Hunting partner, the Nek-Jin fighter R'th indicated with the flick of an ear the tall, oddly dressed red-headed Hu-Jin fidgeting nervously next to the tree she'd been hiding in. "What do you think about her T'fa?"
"Well, it may be silly to say, but she's obviously not from around here." Twitching a pointed ear to shoo away a buzzing gnat drawn by the two Sab-wol corpses, T'fa crossed his arms and continued. "There is something else besides her dress that's very odd. She seems possessed by two spirits."
In the pocket of Kazumi Asakura's raincoat, Sayo Aisaka sneezed.
Kazumi quickly sneezed herself, sniffing and sneezing again to cover Sayo's gaff as she reached desperately for a package of tissues. Without thinking, she jerked the tissues out of the raincoat's pocket and dropped Chibi-Sayo onto the ground.
A heavy silence and a few mental sweatdrops later, Kazumi, blushing slightly, reached down to pick up her friend.
T'fa's dreamy expression made Kazumi take a step back. "That's the second spirit R'th! She has a spirit familiar, and it's possessing that... that absolutely adorable little doll!"
R'th looked over at T'fa and groaned. "Stop obsessing over every little cute doll you see! It's hers! Why don't you do something about the fact she's probably wondering what we're saying?"
T'fa, still glassy-eyed and clutching his hands together, turned to look at R'th. The female Nek-Jin's angry expression quickly brought him back to his senses. "Ah... yes. Very well then..."
Kazumi watched the fox-girl remove her cloak and place it on a nearby bit of ground covered by moss and not blood. A few incanted words as she stepped onto the cloak, and a magic circle flashed into existence. The fox-girl indicated with a crooked finger for Kazumi to join her, but she was already backing away. "No way! I'm not gonna' Pactio with someone I don't even know! Be... besides! I don't swing that way!"
R'th sighed at the Hu-Jin's look and strange words. Not really sure about why she was afraid, but not having the time for any further misunderstandings, she grabbed the redhead and bodily placed her in T'fa's magic circle.
Kazumi struggled briefly against the cat-girl's surprisingly strong grip. She felt the flash of a magic spell activating, heard Chibi-Sayo shouting in her tiny voice; "Meanie! Meanie! Meanie!" and passed out.
---
Kazumi Asakura woke to the heat of small campfire and the sight of a night sky. From the other side of the fire came the sound of Chibi-Sayo crying out in distress.
"Please stop squeezing me! Asakura-san! Help meeeee!"
Another oddly familiar voice seemed to come from the same direction as Chibi-Sayo's.
"Oh! But you're just so so cute! I don't want to let you go!"
Kazumi threw back a blanket and sat up to go save Chibi-Sayo. Unfortunately, a splitting headache said; "Nope! Not today!" and she fell back onto the groundcloth she was lying on.
"A-Asakura-San! Are you okay? Ah! Please! Leave me alone!"
When Kazumi next opened her eyes, the Nek-Jin was there with a concerned expression on her face.
"You okay?"
Lying there with Chibi-Sayo being smothered by affection a few feet away, Kazumi had to fight not to laugh. Her head hurt enough as it was. "Yeah. I've got a wicked headache though... Hey! I can..."
R'th smiled. "You can understand me now?"
Kazumi nodded slightly.
R'th sat back as Kazumi turned for a moment to watch T'fa play with the flustered Chibi-Sayo. "Good! That language spell of T'fa's is good, but it's a shocker if you're not ready for it. I'm sorry we had to force you into it, but we're a little short on time as it is." A sudden thought came to her, and she looked back down at her charge. "What did you think? That T'fa wanted to do a provisional contract with you?"
Kazumi nodded again, then more cautiously sat up. Chibi-Sayo instantly broke free from a disappointed T'fa and crossed the distance between them. Shivering and muttering about the scary Kit-Jin, she clung to Kazumi's neck as the girl reached up to comfort her. "Yeah..."
R'th laughed as T'fa brought over a cup of tea and handed it to Kazumi. "Oh don't worry! I'm already T'fa's partner! Anyway, drink that tea, it'll help your headache. You've only been out for a bit, but we still need to get away from here. T'fa and I have taken down most of this pack of Sab-wols, but we think there may be two or three left."
Kazumi nodded again and drank down the distressingly bitter tea.
Later, with dawn just starting to show and the magic-smothered campfire far behind them, Chibi-Sayo began pulling gently on Kazumi's hair. "Asakura-san..."
Kazumi matched Chibi-Sayo's whisper and hissed at her Nek-Jin companion. "R'th..."
R'th nodded in acknowledgment. She quickly lead their little group ahead a short distance, then stopped in a small rocky clearing. The two bounty-hunters placed Kazumi between them and made ready, R'th quickly stringing her bow while T'fa prepared magic, to fight off the expected Sab-wols.
Worried she had nothing to defend herself with Kazumi cast about for a weapon. Spotting a dodge-ball sized stone, she quickly bent over and lifted it up to her chest.
The first Sab-wol came at the weak looking T'fa and fried in a fireball for it's effort. The second found R'th no easier and died with an arrow through an eye and into it's brain. Before anyone could relax, a third Sab-wol jumped for R'th's back.
With desperate strength, Kazumi heaved her stone at the leaping Sab-wol.
Easily avoiding the attack but still thrown off-balance, the Sab-wol stumbled and turned to attack again, only to die as R'th's short-sword stabbed into it's throat, severing a jugular and the spine at the same time.
Panting and staring at R'th as she withdrew her blade and wiped it on the corpse's fur, Kazumi's demeanor finally broke down. "Thi...This is crazy! A person could get killed in this place!"
T'fa grabbed Kazumi's shoulder and took her hand as if to shake it. "And yet you still threw that stone to help R'th. Thanks friend."
Kazumi wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Teetering on the edge of going raving mad with panic, she felt the reassurance in T'fa's gentle touch and slowly took comfort from it. Finally realizing giving in to her fear was pointless in a place like this, she took a slow, deep breath to help herself calm down. "We need to leave? Right?"
T'fa released his grip on Kazumi. "We should be at Granicus River by tonight. After that, it's another two days down river to Hecates."
"Then it's party time! An even dozen Sab-wol bounties, and we'll be sittin' pretty for a month! Maybe even two!"
Kazumi looked over just as the happy R'th finished cutting off the Sab-wol's ears as bounty proofs... and promptly lost her lunch. When she finished heaving, she looked up from her kneeling position, and remembering an earlier comment she now understood, smiled. "They do stink, don't they?"
This time, T'fa and R'th both burst out laughing.
---
Kazumi followed R'th and T'fa out onto a low bluff. Below them was Granicus River. Easily the equivalent of the American Mississippi or the Brazilian Amazon, Granicus River meandered slowly along, unconcerned with the worries or troubles of a mere Mahora Junior High School student.
R'th indicated a skinny trail clinging to the bluff with her unstrung bow, then lead the way down towards the river.
That night, while Chibi-Sayo chased fireflies, Kazumi helped set up the camp. Eventually she lay out her raincoat to sit on and began toasting a stick. As she watched a tiny coal start to glow on the end of the stick, T'fa took most off her clothes off and disappeared into the brush. "Where's she going R'th?"
R'th looked across the fire at Kazumi, then used the stem of the pipe she was smoking to point back over her shoulder. "There's a nice spring-fed tributary back there. T'fa's going to take a bath. I'll go later."
Kazumi, wondering just what the Nek-Jin was smoking, gave the relaxed-eyed R'th an exasperated look. "I know I'm just a noob, but shouldn't someone go with her?"
R'th took her pipe out and blew a cat's mouth shaped ring of sweet smelling tobacco smoke. Reaching into her pack, she pulled out a chamois wrapped cake of soap and tossed it to Kazumi. "Suit yourself. Why don't you go take a bath as well. You're starting to smell. You also need to wash off that weird, spicy scent you're wearing before it attracts something bad."
Kazumi sniffed her vest, stood up and stuck her tongue out at R'th, then followed T'fa into the brush.
Sayo watched Kazumi go before drifting over next to R'th. "You're still a meanie!"
R'th grinned around her pipe stem at Sayo. "Yup! If she hasn't noticed by now, how is it our problem?"
Sayo waved her stubby arms around and fumed futilely in response to R'th's wide, amused grin. Turning to go out after Kazumi, she was stopped when R'th hooked her uniform collar with the stem of the pipe.
"Now now Little Spirit! Let's not spoil the fun!"
Sayo sweatdropped mentally as R'th let her go and resumed drawing contentedly on the pipe. With nothing better to do, she plopped down next to the Nek-Jin, leaned back against her leg, and just watched in silence as the occasional spark rose from the fire like a firefly.
Kazumi quickly found the tributary. T'fa was nowhere to be seen, but her clothes were folded up neatly on a rock shelf leading down into very clear, cold looking water.
Stripping quickly and letting down her hair, Kazumi placed her things next to T'fa's, unwrapped the chamois covered soap, and began to gingerly step down into the water.
Approaching splashes caused Kazumi a moment of concern until T'fa stood up in the middle of the moonlight's reflection on the water. "T'fa! You startled me! I... ACK!"
T'fa shook the water from his hair and preened as a thin trickle of blood ran down from Kazumi's nose. Though Kit-Jin were lithe by nature, and T'fa knew his appearance was outwardly feminine, Kazumi not noticing he was a male until it was thrown in her face had wounded his pride. Thus, this little joke at her expense arranged with R'th. "It's about time you noticed." Moving a few steps closer, he held out his hand. "Still, would you like me to wash your back?"
Kazumi recovered and continued on to settle into the water with an immense dignity given lie to by her furious blush. "Yes please."
T'fa closed the remaining distance and lightly placed a hand on Kazumi's shoulder. "While we don't know each other very well, please trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about."
Kazumi flinched at the closeness of a naked boy, but soon relaxed as T'fa's soothing touch once more worked it's magic. "Some reporter I am, not noticing you were a guy..."
T'fa took the chamois and soap and started washing Kazumi's back. "If by reporter, you mean Bard, then don't worry. Gender recognition is a common problem for Kit-Jin. So much so that it's become a standard joke to tease new friends about it if they don't notice which we are."
Completely and properly, T'fa washed Kazumi's back. After returning the Chamois and soap to her, he walked out of the water and quickly dressed. "Please hurry. I'll keep watch as you bathe. when you finish, I think it's finally time we had a talk."
Kazumi watched T'fa disappear into the darkness. With no further hint of tension or worry, she quickly turned to the task at hand.
---
"...and so, that's how I wound up in that tree..."
Kazumi sat down on her raincoat, ignoring her companions, a few tears falling as she stared blankly at her camera.
R'th and T'fa both suddenly realized they had been leaning forward, hanging on Kazumi Asakura's every word.
While Chibi-Sayo flew concernedly around Kazumi's shoulders, R'th began to repack her now cold pipe, and T'fa sat back with a thoughtful look on his face.
After chewing his lower lip for several moments, T'fa focused his gaze on Kazumi. "That was quite the captivating narration Kazumi. If such means you would be an exceptional reporter in your world, then you would be an equally respected Bard in this world. If you are unable to return as you wish, you might consider becoming such."
Kazumi smiled and straightened up. "Thanks T'fa."
T'fa stood, made a few meditative paces, then faced Kazumi again. "Now, R'th and I are Bounty Hunters, and we've been working together for three years now. Thanks to the mess the Mage Council has allowed to bloom since the Thousand Master ended the last war, people like us have been quite busy. In truth, you're lucky we found you. If those Sab-wols didn't eat you, less scrupulous hunters, slavers, or worse, might have found you."
Kazumi bobbed her head in thanks once more while Chibi-Sayo hid under her hair at the thought of something 'worse.'
T'fa gave R'th a questioning look. The Nek-Jin inclined her head slightly in response. "Now I'm not sure who those mages or that dual-swordswoman in your camera are, but what they did makes them sound like Separatists. They're a group of kingdoms and independent clans and mages who want to cut this world off from your world. The actual politics involved are somewhat unclear to me, but destroying the main crossover Gate Port sounds like their work."
As the Kit-Jin stopped speaking and grinned, Kazumi suddenly realized her planner was out and she was taking down notes. Placing a hand behind her neck in embarrassment, she gave a amused chuckle. "Guess I'm not such a bad reporter after all! If I can take notes at a time like this!"
R'th pointed her pipe stem at Kazumi. "I'm starting to like you! With one small exception I'll forgive, someone who notices details like you do, and can focus when it's necessary, could also make an excellent Bounty Hunter. If not a Bard, you might consider that as well."
R'th emptied her pipe into the dying fire and stood before Kazumi could speak again. "Get some rest. "I'll watch first. Kazumi, you and Sayo are next. T'fa will wake us in the morning." Without another word, the Nek-Jin picked up her weapons and vanished from the circle of light provided by the fire.
Kazumi turned to ask T'fa a question, but the Kit-Jin mage was quickly settling into his bedroll. Suddenly very tired herself, she safely put away her camera, wrapped the shelter half she'd borrowed around her shoulders and lay down on her raincoat. She was asleep before her head touched the ground.
---
Hecates turned out to be so much like a fantasy video game Kazumi Asakura started amusing R'th and T'fa by pointing out types of people, different creatures, and other things she could not have seen in the Magical World before, but was still familiar with. When they stopped to rest for a moment near the fountain in the center of a open-air market, she took out the small bag of money Donnet McGuinness had given all the girls in the Ala Alba and showed the contents to her companions. "Is this stuff good here? I was given some spending money, but that was for Megalo-Mesembria."
T'fa casually examined the coins. "Drachmas? Sure. That's common enough coinage most anywhere you'll go. As long as they're real. Fakes'll get you in big trouble in a place like this."
Kazumi returned the pouch to her camera bag. "I'd like to look around. Pick up some things I need, and maybe find some clues about my friends."
T'fa readjusted the weight of his pack. "Fine. Stay in this market. R'th and I have to turn in our bounties at the Guild Hall and get a few things ourselves. We'll come find you when we're done."
Kazumi gave the two bounty hunters a jaunty salute as they walked off. After making sure Chibi-Sayo was tucked securely in a pocket, she began wandering purposefully around the market.
By paying close attention to what people were talking about, noting where different things were, and then matching them together with carefully worded hints, Kazumi began to slowly grow her funds through commissions. A few rough types gave her measured looks, so she made sure to keep an eye on them, but most everyone else was friendly, if a little understandably wary, to the stranger in their midst. Eventually, a desperate Kage-Jin baker hired her to deliver some goods. Doing so took her away from the market for a short while, but when she finished, the grateful baker, his two hidden eyes glowing beneath a hat with rabbit ears sticking out, gave her a nice stack of coins and some pastries. Bowing and thanking him profusely, Kazumi made her exit from his shop and headed for a booth she'd been keeping her eye on all day.
Hanging in the back of the booth was an obviously used, ten-string sitar. Kazumi knew she wasn't anywhere near the level of the Cheerleaders or Ako Izumi, but she did dabble in guitar playing, and once, a long time ago, had even tried playing a sitar. Back home, the cost of buying one would be prohibitive. Now, having doubled her money, she could just barely afford this one, with a little money left over to buy things she still needed.
The U-Jin watching the booth wanted to haggle, so Kazumi did her best to sound like an aggrieved customer. She finally asked about purchasing a cloak as well, ran an errand for the rabbit-eared lady proprietor, and came away with the precious sitar and a little more money left than expected.
"Hey! Let me go! I said I'm coming! You don't have to hurt me!"
Kazumi started at a familiar voice speaking in Japanese. "Natsumi?" Looking around, she saw a person wearing a raincoat similar to her own in front of a nearby tavern. As the person was all but forced into a coach, their hood came back, revealing Natsumi Murakami's tangled auburn mop of hair. She started to go after the coach, but a strong hand grabbed her and pulled her into a shadow filled alley.
Clamping a hand over Kazumi's mouth to stifle her rising scream, R'th made the quieting gesture that needed no translation. "Kazumi! Thank goodness! We have to get you out of here!"
Kazumi looked over R'th's shoulder at T'fa, who seemed to be nervously watching the market. "What's wrong? I... I just saw one of my friends! I have to go after her!"
T'fa hissed in a very distressed manner. "That coach that just left? That's Chairman Dolnegus from Granicus City. He does media work and prize-fighting, but mostly he's a slaver."
Kazumi's eyes grew wide. She desperately wanted to run after Natsumi, but something R'th said finally registered in her mind. "Get me out of here?"
R'th nodded. "You're a wanted criminal! Don't you know? Blowing up a Gate Port like that! You terrible person you!"
Kazumi blew up. "That's crazy! I was there! I even have proof what happened!"
T'fa crowded close as a few people looked down the alley, curious about the shouting. "Hush! We believe you! The wanted posters have been up all morning. I'm surprised we were even able to find you by now! That's why we have to get you out of town before someone finally realizes who you are! Dolnegus is based in Granicus City. We'll head there. Is that okay?"
Kazumi relented and began donning her new cloak. With R'th and T'fa keeping her between them, the three rapidly exited Hecates and started following the river down towards Granicus City.
---
That night, Kazumi sat next to the campfire, high strung and nervously watching R'th and T'fa.
When T'fa finally got up to go on watch, R'th lit her pipe and leaned back to smoke with a contented, relaxed expression. "Kazumi. I'll bet you're wondering why T'fa and I didn't just turn you in..."
Kazumi started. Suddenly feeling very guilty, she jumped up, sending Chibi-Sayo tumbling with a squeak, and bowed deeply at the waist. "Not any more. You are my friends. I am grateful for what you've done for me, and am very, very sorry for thinking poorly of you."
R'th smiled around the pipe stem. "You're forgiven. It was mighty tempting though... Fifteen-thousand Drachmas! That's quite the significant bounty! I suppose T'fa and I should ask forgiveness as well."
Kazumi dropped back onto her raincoat. Sayo settled into her lap just as R'th tossed a pouch of coins at her feet. "What's this?"
"Your share of those Sab-wols you helped take down. you're our partner for now, so you get one-third on five bounties."
Kazumi hefted the pouch. Not a lot of weight, but probably enough to live on for a while, especially if she could earn more playing the sitar. "Thanks again R'th."
Suddenly growing excited, Kazumi took the sitar out of it's bag, cautiously strung it, then set to work tuning it. With Chibi-Sayo and R'th's help, she soon had the instrument playable. R'th's hair stood up on the first few tries, but eventually she started playing a sketchy, passable version of an old Koto song Chibi-Sayo began teaching her.
---
By the time Kazumi, R'th and T'fa reached Granicus City, Kazumi was comfortably playing several simple tunes. One from Chibi-Sayo, and several from R'th and T'fa.
As the three settled into a lower-class inn for the night, R'th couldn't resist poking fun at Kazumi's efforts. "Well, you don't make my fur stand up anymore, and you won't win any contests, but you play well enough now for an amateur that no one should question you too closely."
Kazumi glared at R'th while carefully setting her sitar in a safe corner. She took a deep breath and stretched, then threw a pillow and jumped on the now partially undressed Nek-Jin. Smiling menacingly, she dug her fingers into R'th's fur in an attempt to find out if cat-girls were as rib-ticklish as human girls.
T'fa sat brushing Chibi-Sayo's hair and watching the good natured ruckus until the tavern keeper finally had to come quite things down. The two combatants separated, no worse for the wear, and all four of them quickly settled down for the night.
In the morning, Kazumi, R'th and T'fa stood once more at the gates of Granicus City. Kazumi sniffled a bit as she shook the two Bounty Hunter's hands. "Thanks for your help."
R'th and T'fa nodded. "We're sorry we have to leave before helping you much, but If we didn't take the juicy job they offered when we checked into the Guild Hall, they might wonder why."
Leaning close, T'fa whispered into Kazumi's ear. "We're going out to look for those darn Gate Port smashers. Seems one of them was spotted back in Hecates! Of course, if we do 'find' any of the people you showed us on your camera, they might just make it here to Granicus City!"
Kazumi didn't want to leave things at a simple handshake, so she pulled the two Bounty Hunters into a group embrace. "You two are my good friends. I'd probably be dead by now if you hadn't helped me. Will we ever see each other again?"
R'th and T'fa returned the affection.
R'th finally stepped back while T'fa gave Kazumi one last hug. "We'll get back here as soon as we can. If we can't find you, we'll head back to Hecates. We normally work out of there, so if you go there you'll find us eventually."
T'fa finally stepped back. Without another word, he and R'th turned and walked away.
Kazumi was about to leave herself when she realized something very important. Raising a fist she gave an annoyed shout. "T'fa! Will you stop trying to snatch Chibi-Sayo! I don't care how cute you think she is, I'm responsible for her!"
T'fa mentally sweatdropped. Turning back to Kazumi, he released Chibi-Sayo from the pouch she'd been palmed into during the group hug.
Sayo raced back to Kazumi and disappeared into her cloak. Kazumi glowered at T'fa for a moment, broke into a grin at the Kit-Jin's apologetic wave, then turned and walked away.
---
Several days later, after locating the Dolnegus compound and confirming not only the presence and status of Natsumi Murakami, but Ako Izumi and Akira Okochi as well, Kazumi and Chibi-Sayo returned to the spot she'd claimed as an amateur musician outside the Contracts Registration Hall. R'th had said that if anyone else from the Ala Alba were snatched as slaves, or came looking for someone they thought had been, they would eventually come or be brought there.
Settling down to tune her sitar, Kazumi listened to a commotion inside the building, then watched as four people came out a few moments later. While not instantly familiar because of apparently magical disguises, her reporter's eye soon identified them because of their voices and mannerisms. First was a very cute child neko-mimi Chisame Hasegawa. Next a child Chachamaru who only needed the right clothes to be a goddess to Goth-Loli fetishists. Then came a very hunky, grown Negi Springfield, and finally an equally hunky, grown, and very angry Kotaro Inugami.
Having somehow managed to lose her Ala Alba badge, Kazumi was deliriously happy at finding more of her friends. She had to stay calm though. Poor Kotaro, so protective of his adopted older sister Natsumi! His continued shouting was like a tonic to her mischievous nature and quickly provided the perfect lead-in for her entrance.
"I don't care! Let's raid 'em Negi!"
A light strum on the sitar was all she needed to gain their attention. "Hu...hu... Raid them huh? That's not very wise, now is it Kota-kun?"
All four Ala Alba members turned to face her, but only Chisame and Chachamaru's eyes widened in recognition.
Kotaro just growled. "Who's that?"
Kazumi gave her sitar another stroke. "I think it would be best if you listened to the words of a wondering young woman-"
Negi Springfield's eyes finally widened in recognition. "Ah... Asakura!"
Kazumi grinned as Chibi-Sayo opened the hood of the cloak to reveal them both to their teacher. "YO!"
tsuzuku
---
Author's Notes:
Written before c196.
While some effort will be made to parallel events in the official story line, this is still an AU, and as such is disposed more towards 'Tales From the Fireside' than officialdom.
Thus also ends the first, and possibly the longest of my arrival stories. "The Wounded Girl Warrior" will be next. Akira and Ako's story will be after that, then Natsumi, Yuuna and Makie's stories, with the others to follow. Apologies if this upsets anyone.
For clarification:
The race names I use are based on usually accepted, or variations of accepted terms. A few are based on concept words.
Kit-Jin: Kitsune(fox)person. (Not the same as In-Jin. Siipo in InuYasha would be Kit-Jin.)
Nek-Jin: Neko(cat)person.(The fairy's Ministra, c196 and Mithra in FF11 would be Nek-Jin.)
Hu-Jin: A human. (Kazumi Asakura, etc.)
Eru-Jin: Elf-type person. (Pirotase of Loddoss War would be an Eru-Jin.)
Yu-Jin: An independent spirit. (Sayo Aisaka.)
Kage-Jin: Shadow person. (Vivi from FF9 and the wagon driver in c193 would be a Kage-Jin.)
U-Jin: Usagi(rabbit)person. (Momo from BoF2+ and Fran from FF12 would be U-Jin.)
In-Jin: Inu(dog)person. (Shinju from Minna-de! Nyan-Nyan! Would be an In-Jin.)
Yo-Jin: Fairies. (The tiger person's Magister in c196. Cham-fau of Dunbine would be Yo-Jin.)
To-Jin: Bird person. ('True' bird people. Not demon-kin like Setsuna.)
Ma-Jin: Demon-kin. (The announcer in c196. Akumako from Beast Century would be Ma-Jin.)
Ryu-Jin: Dragon-kin.
Gyo-Jin: Mer-folk. Mei-Mah from Beast Century would be a Gyo-Jin.
Akumako might also qualify as a Yo-Jin, but is mostly a demon. Setsuna Sakurazaki and Kotaro Inugami might qualify as 'either/or,' but so far KA seems to indicate that being a 'half-breed' is a disadvantage. If their heritage were known, they would probably be called something insulting. Either an 'original' word or a bastardization of their two base race-names.
Ma-Jin is VERY broad in application. von Herrmann would certainly be Ma-Jin.
Sayo Aisaka is currently a singular of a 'type.' Thus my use by R'th of a more 'familiar' "Little-Spirit" instead of 'Yu-Jin.'
For pictures of who I based R'th and T'fa on, see c193, pages 003, 015 and 016.
(R'th means Kazumi's perfume and deodorant.)
SPOILER ALERT! Do not read this story if you are not familiar with chapters 189 and up from the raws or scanslated manga!
---
"Al those cat-girls, fox-boys, crazy-big wolves with saber-teeth and all the other strange, 'not-normal' things should have been a tremendous shock. I guess the time I spent playing all those video games was worth it after all!"
-Kazumi Asakura. Author of: "One Million Steps : A Journey to Megalo-Mesembria and the World Beyond."
---
Chapter Three: The Haunted Photographer - Part 2.
Looking over at her Kit-Jin Bounty Hunting partner, the Nek-Jin fighter R'th indicated with the flick of an ear the tall, oddly dressed red-headed Hu-Jin fidgeting nervously next to the tree she'd been hiding in. "What do you think about her T'fa?"
"Well, it may be silly to say, but she's obviously not from around here." Twitching a pointed ear to shoo away a buzzing gnat drawn by the two Sab-wol corpses, T'fa crossed his arms and continued. "There is something else besides her dress that's very odd. She seems possessed by two spirits."
In the pocket of Kazumi Asakura's raincoat, Sayo Aisaka sneezed.
Kazumi quickly sneezed herself, sniffing and sneezing again to cover Sayo's gaff as she reached desperately for a package of tissues. Without thinking, she jerked the tissues out of the raincoat's pocket and dropped Chibi-Sayo onto the ground.
A heavy silence and a few mental sweatdrops later, Kazumi, blushing slightly, reached down to pick up her friend.
T'fa's dreamy expression made Kazumi take a step back. "That's the second spirit R'th! She has a spirit familiar, and it's possessing that... that absolutely adorable little doll!"
R'th looked over at T'fa and groaned. "Stop obsessing over every little cute doll you see! It's hers! Why don't you do something about the fact she's probably wondering what we're saying?"
T'fa, still glassy-eyed and clutching his hands together, turned to look at R'th. The female Nek-Jin's angry expression quickly brought him back to his senses. "Ah... yes. Very well then..."
Kazumi watched the fox-girl remove her cloak and place it on a nearby bit of ground covered by moss and not blood. A few incanted words as she stepped onto the cloak, and a magic circle flashed into existence. The fox-girl indicated with a crooked finger for Kazumi to join her, but she was already backing away. "No way! I'm not gonna' Pactio with someone I don't even know! Be... besides! I don't swing that way!"
R'th sighed at the Hu-Jin's look and strange words. Not really sure about why she was afraid, but not having the time for any further misunderstandings, she grabbed the redhead and bodily placed her in T'fa's magic circle.
Kazumi struggled briefly against the cat-girl's surprisingly strong grip. She felt the flash of a magic spell activating, heard Chibi-Sayo shouting in her tiny voice; "Meanie! Meanie! Meanie!" and passed out.
---
Kazumi Asakura woke to the heat of small campfire and the sight of a night sky. From the other side of the fire came the sound of Chibi-Sayo crying out in distress.
"Please stop squeezing me! Asakura-san! Help meeeee!"
Another oddly familiar voice seemed to come from the same direction as Chibi-Sayo's.
"Oh! But you're just so so cute! I don't want to let you go!"
Kazumi threw back a blanket and sat up to go save Chibi-Sayo. Unfortunately, a splitting headache said; "Nope! Not today!" and she fell back onto the groundcloth she was lying on.
"A-Asakura-San! Are you okay? Ah! Please! Leave me alone!"
When Kazumi next opened her eyes, the Nek-Jin was there with a concerned expression on her face.
"You okay?"
Lying there with Chibi-Sayo being smothered by affection a few feet away, Kazumi had to fight not to laugh. Her head hurt enough as it was. "Yeah. I've got a wicked headache though... Hey! I can..."
R'th smiled. "You can understand me now?"
Kazumi nodded slightly.
R'th sat back as Kazumi turned for a moment to watch T'fa play with the flustered Chibi-Sayo. "Good! That language spell of T'fa's is good, but it's a shocker if you're not ready for it. I'm sorry we had to force you into it, but we're a little short on time as it is." A sudden thought came to her, and she looked back down at her charge. "What did you think? That T'fa wanted to do a provisional contract with you?"
Kazumi nodded again, then more cautiously sat up. Chibi-Sayo instantly broke free from a disappointed T'fa and crossed the distance between them. Shivering and muttering about the scary Kit-Jin, she clung to Kazumi's neck as the girl reached up to comfort her. "Yeah..."
R'th laughed as T'fa brought over a cup of tea and handed it to Kazumi. "Oh don't worry! I'm already T'fa's partner! Anyway, drink that tea, it'll help your headache. You've only been out for a bit, but we still need to get away from here. T'fa and I have taken down most of this pack of Sab-wols, but we think there may be two or three left."
Kazumi nodded again and drank down the distressingly bitter tea.
Later, with dawn just starting to show and the magic-smothered campfire far behind them, Chibi-Sayo began pulling gently on Kazumi's hair. "Asakura-san..."
Kazumi matched Chibi-Sayo's whisper and hissed at her Nek-Jin companion. "R'th..."
R'th nodded in acknowledgment. She quickly lead their little group ahead a short distance, then stopped in a small rocky clearing. The two bounty-hunters placed Kazumi between them and made ready, R'th quickly stringing her bow while T'fa prepared magic, to fight off the expected Sab-wols.
Worried she had nothing to defend herself with Kazumi cast about for a weapon. Spotting a dodge-ball sized stone, she quickly bent over and lifted it up to her chest.
The first Sab-wol came at the weak looking T'fa and fried in a fireball for it's effort. The second found R'th no easier and died with an arrow through an eye and into it's brain. Before anyone could relax, a third Sab-wol jumped for R'th's back.
With desperate strength, Kazumi heaved her stone at the leaping Sab-wol.
Easily avoiding the attack but still thrown off-balance, the Sab-wol stumbled and turned to attack again, only to die as R'th's short-sword stabbed into it's throat, severing a jugular and the spine at the same time.
Panting and staring at R'th as she withdrew her blade and wiped it on the corpse's fur, Kazumi's demeanor finally broke down. "Thi...This is crazy! A person could get killed in this place!"
T'fa grabbed Kazumi's shoulder and took her hand as if to shake it. "And yet you still threw that stone to help R'th. Thanks friend."
Kazumi wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Teetering on the edge of going raving mad with panic, she felt the reassurance in T'fa's gentle touch and slowly took comfort from it. Finally realizing giving in to her fear was pointless in a place like this, she took a slow, deep breath to help herself calm down. "We need to leave? Right?"
T'fa released his grip on Kazumi. "We should be at Granicus River by tonight. After that, it's another two days down river to Hecates."
"Then it's party time! An even dozen Sab-wol bounties, and we'll be sittin' pretty for a month! Maybe even two!"
Kazumi looked over just as the happy R'th finished cutting off the Sab-wol's ears as bounty proofs... and promptly lost her lunch. When she finished heaving, she looked up from her kneeling position, and remembering an earlier comment she now understood, smiled. "They do stink, don't they?"
This time, T'fa and R'th both burst out laughing.
---
Kazumi followed R'th and T'fa out onto a low bluff. Below them was Granicus River. Easily the equivalent of the American Mississippi or the Brazilian Amazon, Granicus River meandered slowly along, unconcerned with the worries or troubles of a mere Mahora Junior High School student.
R'th indicated a skinny trail clinging to the bluff with her unstrung bow, then lead the way down towards the river.
That night, while Chibi-Sayo chased fireflies, Kazumi helped set up the camp. Eventually she lay out her raincoat to sit on and began toasting a stick. As she watched a tiny coal start to glow on the end of the stick, T'fa took most off her clothes off and disappeared into the brush. "Where's she going R'th?"
R'th looked across the fire at Kazumi, then used the stem of the pipe she was smoking to point back over her shoulder. "There's a nice spring-fed tributary back there. T'fa's going to take a bath. I'll go later."
Kazumi, wondering just what the Nek-Jin was smoking, gave the relaxed-eyed R'th an exasperated look. "I know I'm just a noob, but shouldn't someone go with her?"
R'th took her pipe out and blew a cat's mouth shaped ring of sweet smelling tobacco smoke. Reaching into her pack, she pulled out a chamois wrapped cake of soap and tossed it to Kazumi. "Suit yourself. Why don't you go take a bath as well. You're starting to smell. You also need to wash off that weird, spicy scent you're wearing before it attracts something bad."
Kazumi sniffed her vest, stood up and stuck her tongue out at R'th, then followed T'fa into the brush.
Sayo watched Kazumi go before drifting over next to R'th. "You're still a meanie!"
R'th grinned around her pipe stem at Sayo. "Yup! If she hasn't noticed by now, how is it our problem?"
Sayo waved her stubby arms around and fumed futilely in response to R'th's wide, amused grin. Turning to go out after Kazumi, she was stopped when R'th hooked her uniform collar with the stem of the pipe.
"Now now Little Spirit! Let's not spoil the fun!"
Sayo sweatdropped mentally as R'th let her go and resumed drawing contentedly on the pipe. With nothing better to do, she plopped down next to the Nek-Jin, leaned back against her leg, and just watched in silence as the occasional spark rose from the fire like a firefly.
Kazumi quickly found the tributary. T'fa was nowhere to be seen, but her clothes were folded up neatly on a rock shelf leading down into very clear, cold looking water.
Stripping quickly and letting down her hair, Kazumi placed her things next to T'fa's, unwrapped the chamois covered soap, and began to gingerly step down into the water.
Approaching splashes caused Kazumi a moment of concern until T'fa stood up in the middle of the moonlight's reflection on the water. "T'fa! You startled me! I... ACK!"
T'fa shook the water from his hair and preened as a thin trickle of blood ran down from Kazumi's nose. Though Kit-Jin were lithe by nature, and T'fa knew his appearance was outwardly feminine, Kazumi not noticing he was a male until it was thrown in her face had wounded his pride. Thus, this little joke at her expense arranged with R'th. "It's about time you noticed." Moving a few steps closer, he held out his hand. "Still, would you like me to wash your back?"
Kazumi recovered and continued on to settle into the water with an immense dignity given lie to by her furious blush. "Yes please."
T'fa closed the remaining distance and lightly placed a hand on Kazumi's shoulder. "While we don't know each other very well, please trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about."
Kazumi flinched at the closeness of a naked boy, but soon relaxed as T'fa's soothing touch once more worked it's magic. "Some reporter I am, not noticing you were a guy..."
T'fa took the chamois and soap and started washing Kazumi's back. "If by reporter, you mean Bard, then don't worry. Gender recognition is a common problem for Kit-Jin. So much so that it's become a standard joke to tease new friends about it if they don't notice which we are."
Completely and properly, T'fa washed Kazumi's back. After returning the Chamois and soap to her, he walked out of the water and quickly dressed. "Please hurry. I'll keep watch as you bathe. when you finish, I think it's finally time we had a talk."
Kazumi watched T'fa disappear into the darkness. With no further hint of tension or worry, she quickly turned to the task at hand.
---
"...and so, that's how I wound up in that tree..."
Kazumi sat down on her raincoat, ignoring her companions, a few tears falling as she stared blankly at her camera.
R'th and T'fa both suddenly realized they had been leaning forward, hanging on Kazumi Asakura's every word.
While Chibi-Sayo flew concernedly around Kazumi's shoulders, R'th began to repack her now cold pipe, and T'fa sat back with a thoughtful look on his face.
After chewing his lower lip for several moments, T'fa focused his gaze on Kazumi. "That was quite the captivating narration Kazumi. If such means you would be an exceptional reporter in your world, then you would be an equally respected Bard in this world. If you are unable to return as you wish, you might consider becoming such."
Kazumi smiled and straightened up. "Thanks T'fa."
T'fa stood, made a few meditative paces, then faced Kazumi again. "Now, R'th and I are Bounty Hunters, and we've been working together for three years now. Thanks to the mess the Mage Council has allowed to bloom since the Thousand Master ended the last war, people like us have been quite busy. In truth, you're lucky we found you. If those Sab-wols didn't eat you, less scrupulous hunters, slavers, or worse, might have found you."
Kazumi bobbed her head in thanks once more while Chibi-Sayo hid under her hair at the thought of something 'worse.'
T'fa gave R'th a questioning look. The Nek-Jin inclined her head slightly in response. "Now I'm not sure who those mages or that dual-swordswoman in your camera are, but what they did makes them sound like Separatists. They're a group of kingdoms and independent clans and mages who want to cut this world off from your world. The actual politics involved are somewhat unclear to me, but destroying the main crossover Gate Port sounds like their work."
As the Kit-Jin stopped speaking and grinned, Kazumi suddenly realized her planner was out and she was taking down notes. Placing a hand behind her neck in embarrassment, she gave a amused chuckle. "Guess I'm not such a bad reporter after all! If I can take notes at a time like this!"
R'th pointed her pipe stem at Kazumi. "I'm starting to like you! With one small exception I'll forgive, someone who notices details like you do, and can focus when it's necessary, could also make an excellent Bounty Hunter. If not a Bard, you might consider that as well."
R'th emptied her pipe into the dying fire and stood before Kazumi could speak again. "Get some rest. "I'll watch first. Kazumi, you and Sayo are next. T'fa will wake us in the morning." Without another word, the Nek-Jin picked up her weapons and vanished from the circle of light provided by the fire.
Kazumi turned to ask T'fa a question, but the Kit-Jin mage was quickly settling into his bedroll. Suddenly very tired herself, she safely put away her camera, wrapped the shelter half she'd borrowed around her shoulders and lay down on her raincoat. She was asleep before her head touched the ground.
---
Hecates turned out to be so much like a fantasy video game Kazumi Asakura started amusing R'th and T'fa by pointing out types of people, different creatures, and other things she could not have seen in the Magical World before, but was still familiar with. When they stopped to rest for a moment near the fountain in the center of a open-air market, she took out the small bag of money Donnet McGuinness had given all the girls in the Ala Alba and showed the contents to her companions. "Is this stuff good here? I was given some spending money, but that was for Megalo-Mesembria."
T'fa casually examined the coins. "Drachmas? Sure. That's common enough coinage most anywhere you'll go. As long as they're real. Fakes'll get you in big trouble in a place like this."
Kazumi returned the pouch to her camera bag. "I'd like to look around. Pick up some things I need, and maybe find some clues about my friends."
T'fa readjusted the weight of his pack. "Fine. Stay in this market. R'th and I have to turn in our bounties at the Guild Hall and get a few things ourselves. We'll come find you when we're done."
Kazumi gave the two bounty hunters a jaunty salute as they walked off. After making sure Chibi-Sayo was tucked securely in a pocket, she began wandering purposefully around the market.
By paying close attention to what people were talking about, noting where different things were, and then matching them together with carefully worded hints, Kazumi began to slowly grow her funds through commissions. A few rough types gave her measured looks, so she made sure to keep an eye on them, but most everyone else was friendly, if a little understandably wary, to the stranger in their midst. Eventually, a desperate Kage-Jin baker hired her to deliver some goods. Doing so took her away from the market for a short while, but when she finished, the grateful baker, his two hidden eyes glowing beneath a hat with rabbit ears sticking out, gave her a nice stack of coins and some pastries. Bowing and thanking him profusely, Kazumi made her exit from his shop and headed for a booth she'd been keeping her eye on all day.
Hanging in the back of the booth was an obviously used, ten-string sitar. Kazumi knew she wasn't anywhere near the level of the Cheerleaders or Ako Izumi, but she did dabble in guitar playing, and once, a long time ago, had even tried playing a sitar. Back home, the cost of buying one would be prohibitive. Now, having doubled her money, she could just barely afford this one, with a little money left over to buy things she still needed.
The U-Jin watching the booth wanted to haggle, so Kazumi did her best to sound like an aggrieved customer. She finally asked about purchasing a cloak as well, ran an errand for the rabbit-eared lady proprietor, and came away with the precious sitar and a little more money left than expected.
"Hey! Let me go! I said I'm coming! You don't have to hurt me!"
Kazumi started at a familiar voice speaking in Japanese. "Natsumi?" Looking around, she saw a person wearing a raincoat similar to her own in front of a nearby tavern. As the person was all but forced into a coach, their hood came back, revealing Natsumi Murakami's tangled auburn mop of hair. She started to go after the coach, but a strong hand grabbed her and pulled her into a shadow filled alley.
Clamping a hand over Kazumi's mouth to stifle her rising scream, R'th made the quieting gesture that needed no translation. "Kazumi! Thank goodness! We have to get you out of here!"
Kazumi looked over R'th's shoulder at T'fa, who seemed to be nervously watching the market. "What's wrong? I... I just saw one of my friends! I have to go after her!"
T'fa hissed in a very distressed manner. "That coach that just left? That's Chairman Dolnegus from Granicus City. He does media work and prize-fighting, but mostly he's a slaver."
Kazumi's eyes grew wide. She desperately wanted to run after Natsumi, but something R'th said finally registered in her mind. "Get me out of here?"
R'th nodded. "You're a wanted criminal! Don't you know? Blowing up a Gate Port like that! You terrible person you!"
Kazumi blew up. "That's crazy! I was there! I even have proof what happened!"
T'fa crowded close as a few people looked down the alley, curious about the shouting. "Hush! We believe you! The wanted posters have been up all morning. I'm surprised we were even able to find you by now! That's why we have to get you out of town before someone finally realizes who you are! Dolnegus is based in Granicus City. We'll head there. Is that okay?"
Kazumi relented and began donning her new cloak. With R'th and T'fa keeping her between them, the three rapidly exited Hecates and started following the river down towards Granicus City.
---
That night, Kazumi sat next to the campfire, high strung and nervously watching R'th and T'fa.
When T'fa finally got up to go on watch, R'th lit her pipe and leaned back to smoke with a contented, relaxed expression. "Kazumi. I'll bet you're wondering why T'fa and I didn't just turn you in..."
Kazumi started. Suddenly feeling very guilty, she jumped up, sending Chibi-Sayo tumbling with a squeak, and bowed deeply at the waist. "Not any more. You are my friends. I am grateful for what you've done for me, and am very, very sorry for thinking poorly of you."
R'th smiled around the pipe stem. "You're forgiven. It was mighty tempting though... Fifteen-thousand Drachmas! That's quite the significant bounty! I suppose T'fa and I should ask forgiveness as well."
Kazumi dropped back onto her raincoat. Sayo settled into her lap just as R'th tossed a pouch of coins at her feet. "What's this?"
"Your share of those Sab-wols you helped take down. you're our partner for now, so you get one-third on five bounties."
Kazumi hefted the pouch. Not a lot of weight, but probably enough to live on for a while, especially if she could earn more playing the sitar. "Thanks again R'th."
Suddenly growing excited, Kazumi took the sitar out of it's bag, cautiously strung it, then set to work tuning it. With Chibi-Sayo and R'th's help, she soon had the instrument playable. R'th's hair stood up on the first few tries, but eventually she started playing a sketchy, passable version of an old Koto song Chibi-Sayo began teaching her.
---
By the time Kazumi, R'th and T'fa reached Granicus City, Kazumi was comfortably playing several simple tunes. One from Chibi-Sayo, and several from R'th and T'fa.
As the three settled into a lower-class inn for the night, R'th couldn't resist poking fun at Kazumi's efforts. "Well, you don't make my fur stand up anymore, and you won't win any contests, but you play well enough now for an amateur that no one should question you too closely."
Kazumi glared at R'th while carefully setting her sitar in a safe corner. She took a deep breath and stretched, then threw a pillow and jumped on the now partially undressed Nek-Jin. Smiling menacingly, she dug her fingers into R'th's fur in an attempt to find out if cat-girls were as rib-ticklish as human girls.
T'fa sat brushing Chibi-Sayo's hair and watching the good natured ruckus until the tavern keeper finally had to come quite things down. The two combatants separated, no worse for the wear, and all four of them quickly settled down for the night.
In the morning, Kazumi, R'th and T'fa stood once more at the gates of Granicus City. Kazumi sniffled a bit as she shook the two Bounty Hunter's hands. "Thanks for your help."
R'th and T'fa nodded. "We're sorry we have to leave before helping you much, but If we didn't take the juicy job they offered when we checked into the Guild Hall, they might wonder why."
Leaning close, T'fa whispered into Kazumi's ear. "We're going out to look for those darn Gate Port smashers. Seems one of them was spotted back in Hecates! Of course, if we do 'find' any of the people you showed us on your camera, they might just make it here to Granicus City!"
Kazumi didn't want to leave things at a simple handshake, so she pulled the two Bounty Hunters into a group embrace. "You two are my good friends. I'd probably be dead by now if you hadn't helped me. Will we ever see each other again?"
R'th and T'fa returned the affection.
R'th finally stepped back while T'fa gave Kazumi one last hug. "We'll get back here as soon as we can. If we can't find you, we'll head back to Hecates. We normally work out of there, so if you go there you'll find us eventually."
T'fa finally stepped back. Without another word, he and R'th turned and walked away.
Kazumi was about to leave herself when she realized something very important. Raising a fist she gave an annoyed shout. "T'fa! Will you stop trying to snatch Chibi-Sayo! I don't care how cute you think she is, I'm responsible for her!"
T'fa mentally sweatdropped. Turning back to Kazumi, he released Chibi-Sayo from the pouch she'd been palmed into during the group hug.
Sayo raced back to Kazumi and disappeared into her cloak. Kazumi glowered at T'fa for a moment, broke into a grin at the Kit-Jin's apologetic wave, then turned and walked away.
---
Several days later, after locating the Dolnegus compound and confirming not only the presence and status of Natsumi Murakami, but Ako Izumi and Akira Okochi as well, Kazumi and Chibi-Sayo returned to the spot she'd claimed as an amateur musician outside the Contracts Registration Hall. R'th had said that if anyone else from the Ala Alba were snatched as slaves, or came looking for someone they thought had been, they would eventually come or be brought there.
Settling down to tune her sitar, Kazumi listened to a commotion inside the building, then watched as four people came out a few moments later. While not instantly familiar because of apparently magical disguises, her reporter's eye soon identified them because of their voices and mannerisms. First was a very cute child neko-mimi Chisame Hasegawa. Next a child Chachamaru who only needed the right clothes to be a goddess to Goth-Loli fetishists. Then came a very hunky, grown Negi Springfield, and finally an equally hunky, grown, and very angry Kotaro Inugami.
Having somehow managed to lose her Ala Alba badge, Kazumi was deliriously happy at finding more of her friends. She had to stay calm though. Poor Kotaro, so protective of his adopted older sister Natsumi! His continued shouting was like a tonic to her mischievous nature and quickly provided the perfect lead-in for her entrance.
"I don't care! Let's raid 'em Negi!"
A light strum on the sitar was all she needed to gain their attention. "Hu...hu... Raid them huh? That's not very wise, now is it Kota-kun?"
All four Ala Alba members turned to face her, but only Chisame and Chachamaru's eyes widened in recognition.
Kotaro just growled. "Who's that?"
Kazumi gave her sitar another stroke. "I think it would be best if you listened to the words of a wondering young woman-"
Negi Springfield's eyes finally widened in recognition. "Ah... Asakura!"
Kazumi grinned as Chibi-Sayo opened the hood of the cloak to reveal them both to their teacher. "YO!"
tsuzuku
---
Author's Notes:
Written before c196.
While some effort will be made to parallel events in the official story line, this is still an AU, and as such is disposed more towards 'Tales From the Fireside' than officialdom.
Thus also ends the first, and possibly the longest of my arrival stories. "The Wounded Girl Warrior" will be next. Akira and Ako's story will be after that, then Natsumi, Yuuna and Makie's stories, with the others to follow. Apologies if this upsets anyone.
For clarification:
The race names I use are based on usually accepted, or variations of accepted terms. A few are based on concept words.
Kit-Jin: Kitsune(fox)person. (Not the same as In-Jin. Siipo in InuYasha would be Kit-Jin.)
Nek-Jin: Neko(cat)person.(The fairy's Ministra, c196 and Mithra in FF11 would be Nek-Jin.)
Hu-Jin: A human. (Kazumi Asakura, etc.)
Eru-Jin: Elf-type person. (Pirotase of Loddoss War would be an Eru-Jin.)
Yu-Jin: An independent spirit. (Sayo Aisaka.)
Kage-Jin: Shadow person. (Vivi from FF9 and the wagon driver in c193 would be a Kage-Jin.)
U-Jin: Usagi(rabbit)person. (Momo from BoF2+ and Fran from FF12 would be U-Jin.)
In-Jin: Inu(dog)person. (Shinju from Minna-de! Nyan-Nyan! Would be an In-Jin.)
Yo-Jin: Fairies. (The tiger person's Magister in c196. Cham-fau of Dunbine would be Yo-Jin.)
To-Jin: Bird person. ('True' bird people. Not demon-kin like Setsuna.)
Ma-Jin: Demon-kin. (The announcer in c196. Akumako from Beast Century would be Ma-Jin.)
Ryu-Jin: Dragon-kin.
Gyo-Jin: Mer-folk. Mei-Mah from Beast Century would be a Gyo-Jin.
Akumako might also qualify as a Yo-Jin, but is mostly a demon. Setsuna Sakurazaki and Kotaro Inugami might qualify as 'either/or,' but so far KA seems to indicate that being a 'half-breed' is a disadvantage. If their heritage were known, they would probably be called something insulting. Either an 'original' word or a bastardization of their two base race-names.
Ma-Jin is VERY broad in application. von Herrmann would certainly be Ma-Jin.
Sayo Aisaka is currently a singular of a 'type.' Thus my use by R'th of a more 'familiar' "Little-Spirit" instead of 'Yu-Jin.'
For pictures of who I based R'th and T'fa on, see c193, pages 003, 015 and 016.
(R'th means Kazumi's perfume and deodorant.)