Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction ❯ Negima: Ninja Magi Sensei ❯ Magi’s Secret, Sessah’s Vow – Part 2 ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Negima: Ninja Magi Sensei
A Negima Alternate Universe fanfic by Robster80
 
Chapter 3: Magi's Secret, Sessha's Vow - Part 2
 
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Negima or its characters, Ken Akamatsu does! I write fanfiction for fun, not profit.
 
Opening notes: This is a Negi/Kaede pairing story. If you do not like this pairing, or not like Kaede, then please stop reading, and no flames! Otherwise, please enjoy!
 
 
 
Humming to herself, Kaede grabbed a spring water bottle for Negi and a bottle of strawberry kiwi water for herself from the vending machine's slot and turned to head back to where she left Negi. She had fun showing him around the campus, more than she ever had during any sessions with the Walking Club, and she hadn't shown him everything yet.
 
There's not enough time today to give him the total tour, she thought while checking her watch. I have to get him back to our room for the surprise party. Takahata-sensei told me it would take an hour to set up, and it's been almost two hours now. Plus, I'm sure Negi-kun's hungry. I know I am, de gozaru.
 
As she approached the steps, she heard a startled cry. That sounds like Miyazaki-san! Hurrying back she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. She saw Negi point his tall walking stick at Nodoka, which began to unravel its wrappings by itself. Nodoka began to descend slowly from the side of the steps long enough for Negi to rush over and catch her before she hit the ground, like her numerous books.
 
…What was that?!
 
So shocked by what she had seen, Kaede's hands loosened their grip on the two bottles, which fell to the pavement and rolled away from her a little. This caused Negi to look up and see her standing there, mouth agape and eyes half-opened in shock.
 
A short moment passed before Kaede regained her composure, picked up the water bottles and rushed over to kneel beside Negi and Nodoka. “Is she okay, Negi-kun?”
 
“…Uh, yes, she's just passed out from the excitement. C-come, let's move her to the bench over there.”
 
Together they picked up Nodoka and moved her to the destination Negi picked out. After laying her down, Kaede and Negi collected her fallen books and stacked them near her. As they did this, Kaede began to piece together what had happened: Nodoka was carrying more books than she should have been, and took a nasty step. And whatever Negi did saved the poor girl from being seriously hurt or dead. Kaede noticed Negi seemed very nervous now, as if she had seen him do something he wasn't supposed to do.
 
“Nodoka!”
 
Turning at the voices, Negi and Kaede saw several girls running towards them, with Ausna and Konoka among them. Kaede recognized the others - Yue Ayase and Haruna Saotome, Nodoka's closest friends.
 
“What happened to her?” Asuna asked, looking right at Negi as if he had hurt Nodoka or worse. “What did you do, bozu?”
 
“Only saved Miyazaki-san from a nasty spill,” Kaede spoke up, coming to Negi's defense. “She was coming down the stairs with all these books, and as she neared the bottom, she had a misstep and Negi-sensei rushed to her rescue. I saw it, de gozaru.”
 
Asuna crossed her arms. “Why do I not believe you?”
 
“Because you're still upset that Negi-sensei's replaced Takahata-sensei as our teacher,” Yue deadpanned in her usual neutral voice. This earned her a harsh glare from Asuna, but she didn't mind.
 
“…Yue-dono, Saotome-san, could you two take care of Miyazaki-san?” Kaede asked. “I haven't finished showing Negi-sensei around campus.”

Negi suddenly began to sweat, but nobody noticed. Kaede took him by the hand and led him away from the girls. What was really going to happen? …Wait. I can just… erase her memory! That's it! But first, I have to make sure if she saw me use my magic to save Miyzaki-san…
 
Soon, Kaede led them to a secluded area surrounded by trees. After stopping, she let go of Negi's hand and turned to face him. “Negi… what exactly… did I see back there?”
 
Negi's hands gripped his staff tightly. “…You saw me… didn't you?”
 
“…I saw you point your… walking stick at Miyazaki-san… and… she seemed to float… until you caught her, de gozaru. …Like magic.”
 
I was afraid of this. “…it was. It was magic, Nagase-san. You see… I'm really a wizard.” It won't matter if I explain myself now. When I'm finished, I'll erase her memory.
 
Kaede tapped her chin at this. “A wizard, eh? …Well, that explains why someone your age was picked to be our teacher. But still, you are indeed quite advanced for a ten-year-old.”
 
Negi's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Yes, well… I did graduate among the top of my class… …You're taking this rather calmly, Nagase-san.”
 
“I'm not the type to jump to conclusions so quickly, de gozaru. However… I am curious as to why you're here at Mahora Academy.”
 
“Well, when I graduated from Magic School, I was given a mystical diploma that would dictate what I was to do with myself as my final challenge to becoming a full-fledged wizard, or a Magister Magi. For example, my friend and classmate Anya, she was to become a fortune teller in London.”

“So this diploma… it said you had to come here to be a teacher?”
 
“Correct.”
 
Kaede gave it some more thought. “Then… is Dean Konoe-?”

“Yes, he is.”
 
“And Takahatsa-sensei-?”

Negi shook his head. “He's affiliated with the Magci Society, but he's not a wizard. More like… it's kind of hard to explain, but he used to be good friends with my father which is why he'd make visits to Wales to see me and my sister Nekane.”
 
“…What's a Magister Magi?”
 
“It's a very high sorcerous rank. Basically a Magister Magi travels the world using magic to help those who need it the most. Like a guardian angel of sorts. In the old days, magi were more open about their existence with the normal populace, but over time we became more selective, especially during the time of witch hunts like in Salem in the colonization days of America.”
 
Kaede sweatdropped. “Witch hunts? Salem?”
 
“Basically, people became more and more superstitious about magic and started to fear it. So anyone they saw use magic or that they believed to be a witch to warlock were put through various tests of torture. Many innocent people died from these tests, and those who survived were immediately executed. It didn't help much that a few bad apples made things worse by misusing their magic for fun or revenge during those years. But my point is that we have to be very careful not to be exposed.”
 
Kaede, while not one of the smartest girls in her class, absorbed Negi's words carefully. “…And if you were revealed to be a wizard?”
 
Negi paled. “For starters, I'd lose my staff and wizarding license. Then I'd be sent back to Wales, and… and turned into an ermine. Or worse… That's why…” He gripped his staff even tighter. I don't want to do this, but… I must keep my identity secret! I'm sorry, Nagase-san.
 
“…Okay, then,” Kaede said suddenly, smiling. “I've decided to accept this burden.”
 
This made Negi blink. “…What?”
 
Kaede bowed. “From this day forward, Sessha vows to keep Negi-sensei's secret. It'll follow me to my grave, de gozaru.”
 
“Wait, wait! You… you're willing to keep my… my secret?”

“Hai. I'm not one to spill secrets anyway. Besides, since I know your secret, I can tell you mine. You see…” Kaede suddenly shot out her arm towards a nearby tree to her right, and a kunai or dagger found itself imbedded into the tree's side. “I'm training to be a ninja.”
 
Negi's eyes widened at the kunai, and at Kaede. “A… ninja? An ancient Japanese warrior and assassin?”
 
“Hai. When I was little, I always loved reading and hearing about ninjas. However, given this day and age, nobody seems to be interested in becoming one. Still, there are a very few families who still practice those lost arts. My family comes from a long line of ninjas, but they gave it up some time before the second World War. When I express my desire to become a ninja, they weren't too thrilled. In fact, they tried to discourage me from starting my training.
 
“Lucky for me, my one uncle from America encouraged me to follow my dream. While he was American and couldn't speak due to some accident, his eyes and facial expressions spoke loud and clear to me that he thought I'd be a great ninja. See, he's a ninja as well, and he uses his skills for some big American task force against terrorism. So he took me under his wing and trained me in secret so my parents didn't know. When I started coming to school here at Mahora, he gave me a copy of a training regime so I could keep practicing. He visits me whenever he can, but between his job and his getting married recently, I hardly see him anymore.”
 
Negi continued to stare at Kaede as she told her story. He almost couldn't believe it; one of his students, the girl he'd be staying with for the semester, was really a ninja. And she told him her secret because she found out about him being a wizard. “That's… pretty amazing.” No wonder Takamichi wrote that Nagase-san is very determined.
 
Kaede nods. “It's hard work, being a ninja. But I think being a wizard is even harder. You have to remember your spells and incantations, right? Ninjas just have to concentrate on their ki and rely heavily on their strength, skills, and especially stealth, de gozaru. You know, you and I are more alike than I first realized, Negi-kun. Both of us try so hard to achieve our goals.”
 
“Is that, then, why you helped me today in class when Kagurazaka-san and Yukihiro-san started fighting?”
 
“Hai. Like I told Asuna-sana dn Konoka-san, you're giving up your precious youth to be our teacher. That demands we should respect you as our sensei.”
 
Suddenly, both heard the growling of two stomachs. They realized they were hungry and it was getting late in the day. Kaede put a hand to the back of her head. “Well, I think it's time I showed you one last stop: our room. Shall we go, Negi-kun?” She extended her hand to him once more.
 
Smiling, Negi took her hand. “Arigato, Naga… no. Kaede-san.”
 
“So… what would you have done if I didn't intend to keep your secret? Out of curiosity.”
 
“Well… I was prepared to erase your memory.”
 
Kaede kept her smile. “Sounds fair; but like I said, I'm not the type to shoot my mouth off about secrets. Let's just hope Asakura-san doesn't find out; she's a real news hawk.” A wizard… you become more and more interesting the longer I stay with you, Negi Springfield. This semester is going to be quite interesting.
 
A ninja… how amazing! Old man Ken used to tell me stories about ninjas from the days of his ancestors. …I wonder if one could be a ninja and a magister magi at the same time?
 
“Negi! Kaede-chan!”

The tow looked to see Takahata running towards them. “Hey, you two, I need your help with something in the classroom. Mind coming back?”
 
I guess they couldn't fit everybody in my room. Oh well. “Of course, Takahata-sensei.”

“You can count on us, Takamichi.”
 
Together, the three went back into the school and made their way back to 2-A. However, as Negi slid the door open…
 
POP! POP! POP!
 
“WELCOME TO MAHORA, NEGI-KUN/SENSEI!!”
 
Negi literally jumped back at the shout of all of his students, who were holding party guns and streamers and various party noisemakers. The room had been decorated with streamers and a large banner saying “Welcome, Negi Springfield.” Several makeshift tables had been set up using the desks, and there was one large table set with various foods and a punch bowl, and even a cake.
 
“Oh my,” was all Negi could say.
 
Kaede put a hand to his shoulder. “Well, you shouldn't just stand there, Negi-sensei. Go and meet your students personally, de gozaru.”
 
“She's right, Negi,” Takahata added. “It's time for you to make your own observations outside of the class.”
 
“H-hai.” And Negi, led by Kaede, walked into the middle of the classroom, where he was placed in a chair marked with a note as “guest of honor.” He was immediately given a cup of punch and the girls surrounded him for questions and stories they were unable to ask earlier in class.
 
All of the class was present, even Nodoka, Yue, Asuna, Konoka, and Haruna. Nodoka and her two friends approached Negi cautiously as they had to make their way through a small crowd of their fellow classmates. “N-Negi-sensei?”

“Oh, Miyazaki-san,” Negi replied, smiling at her. “Are you alright?”
 
“H-h-hai. I… want to thank you… for saving me earlier…” The shy girl suddenly thrust out her hands, which held several slips of paper. “H-here. Coupons from the library. They're good all year round. A t-token of… my thanks.”
 
Negi accepted the coupons, still smiling. “No thanks are necessary, but I do appreciate the coupons.”
 
The other girls began to giggle and chatter at this exchange. They mentioned that this was a first as Nodoka usually kept to herself and avoided men in general. This was, according to one girl, considered as Nodoka's version of “first base.” The comment made Nodoka's face, which was covered up at the top by her raven-colored hair, turn pink with embarrassment, especially when Yue and Haruna patted her shoulders and congratulated her. Bowing quickly, she then moved away from Negi.
 
Takahata smiled at this. I've never seen Nodoka-san do that before. Already, Negi's making an impact on his students. …Especially Ayaka-san, he added, sweatdropping as Ayaka suddenly presented Negi with a mini-bust of the boy's self.
 
“A small token of my esteem, to welcome you here, Negi-sensei,” Ayaka said with a smile on her lips and sparkles in her eyes.
 
“Uh… Thank you,” was all Negi could say. A bead of sweat appeared on his head as he looked at the frighteningly accurate likeness of his head. Several of the girls sweatdropped, especially Kaede.
 
“All this for a brat,” Asuna muttered, turning away from the party.
 
“He's still your teacher, Asuna,” Takahata replied, appearing next to her. “And so far he's done a better job at making friends with the girls than I did when I first taught your class a year ago.”
 
“…You think so?”
 
“I know so. Just give him time, Asuna; I'm sure you'll grow to accept him, if not like him.”
 
Asuna then asked, “How do you know him, Takahata-sensei?”
 
Takahata smiled at the memories. “I was good friends with his father. We actually worked together before I came here to Mahora with you. When his father disappeared a few years ago, and I found out he had a son, I would visit as often as I could to watch Negi grow and help him out if he and Nekane-chan needed it. He's like a nephew to me in a way.”
 
Asuna listened to his words intently. “…I'll try to accept him, sensei. But I can't promise anything.” I'm just glad he's not staying with Konoka and me. Asuna then spotted Kaede and decided to talk to her.
 
“Hey, Kaede?”

“Asuna. Having fun?”

“Not really. How come you're so accepting of that kid-?”

“Our teacher,” Kaede stated.
 
“…Sorry. Our teacher. So how come? It sounds like it's more that you respect him for being a kid genius.”
 
Kaede just smiled, looking at Negi as he talked to Makie, Yuna, the Fuka twins, and Sakurako. “Actually, I found out he and I are more alike than I first thought. We both have goals we're striving to achieve.”
 
“Oh?”
 
“Yes. And I'll say no more.”
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
 
 
Stretching in his pajamas, Negi gave a yawn as he and Kaede prepared for bed that night. Despite she lived alone in the dorm, Kaede had bunk beds in case someone wanted to sleep over, like the Fuka twins as she associated with them mainly outside of the Baka rangers.
 
It was a quaint little dorm room, according to Negi's assessment. It had a mini kitchen with a stove, oven, fridge, and microwave; a small living room with a couch and room for an entertainment center (Kaede rarely watched TV so she didn't have one); a bathroom with a shower stall and toilet and sink; and a little table for meals and studying. The bedroom section of the dorm was small as it mainly consisted of the bunk beds and a dresser that Kaede now split with Negi. And, as Kaede pointed out to Negi earlier, the room was filled with traps. Kaede explained it was for both security reasons and for extra training.
 
Looking down from the top bunk, Kaede smiled at Negi. “This is going to be quite an adjustment for me, de gozaru. I've always had the place to myself much.”
 
“You're not the only one who has to adjust, Nagase-san,” Negi replied, setting is glasses aside. “As far back as I can remember, I've had to share the bedroom with my sister. Soemtimes…” Negi then blushed. “Sometimes I… ended up… sleeping next t her.”
 
Kaede giggled. “Well, if you get lonely down there, or especially cold…” she patted the mattress beneath her. “Feel free to climb up here.”

This made Negi turn deep red. “I… I couldn't do that! I'm an English gentleman, after all! And you are a student-!”
 
“Ha ha! Kidding, Negi-kun. I'm kidding.”
 
With a sigh, Negi got in his bunk and laid down. “I have to admit, this first day was not what I was expecting. I'm kind of afraid of what the remaining days hold for me.”

“Every day is pretty much a new adventure, de gozaru. But don't worry, Negi-kun; Sessha will be there for you when you need me.”
 
That made Negi smile. “Thanks, Nagase-san.”
 
“You can call me Kaede outside of the classroom, Negi-kun. Just like I'll call you Negi-sensei while in class.” She then reached out to the tall lamp and turned off the light. “Sweet dreams.”
 
“Good night.”
 
Both soon drifted into silent slumber. However, later that night, Kaede woke up to find Negi sleeping beside her in her bunk, cuddled up close. Yet she didn't raise her voice or move at all. Instead, with a smile, she pulled up the covers so Negi was under them up to his neck with her. He looked so cute, she had to admit, up close and asleep.
 
Sweet dreams, Negi-kun…”
 
 
End Chapter 3
 
 
Closing notes: And so ends Negi's first day as 2-A's teacher. So far things are turning out pretty good while I follow the manga's original story, save for the last scene with Kaede and Negi going to bed. Now… what should I do next? I've got ideas for the Evangeline arc, but it's too soon I think for that. Plus I wanna have some more fun with Negi and Kaede before I go into Evangeline.
 
And for those who are asking/telling me not to follow the manga canon so much, don't worry; I intend to deviate from that real soon. Especially involving some events from Vols. 4 and 5. Not the school trip, mind you, but others… heh heh heh!
 
Please read & review!