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Pen Pal
By squallwis04
Rated: T
Rated: T
Alternate storyline that starts during the Kyoto fieldtrip. While Negi and Asuna are away, someone challenges Haruna to the card videogame...ParuOC POSSIBLE SPOILERS! Character piece. First of its kind, I guess, and a bit experimental.
Chapter 7
"Elucidation"
"Elucidation"
Her alarm clock sounded at 5:30AM, but Haruna was already wide awake. It was a wonder she was able to get any sleep at all, considering how excited she was.
It was the morning of the first day of the Mahora Academy Festival.
It was THE day.
She looked towards where her roommates were still fast asleep; the whole of 3-A worked well into the dawn on their haunted house, and they were able to finish just in time. Haruna had labored as hard as any of them, but still she was unable to get to sleep at once afterward, even without the two gallons of coffee. One could say this was an even more effective means of staying awake the entire night.
Haruna tapped off the alarm, which had been sounding for the umpteenth time, and crawled out of bed, which took some effort. Apparently, all the stress of the previous week was starting to have an effect on her physical well-being.
'And the festival is only beginning!' she thought, 'Don't tell me I'm getting old already!'
Yesterday, she had laid out several outfits she might wear for the festival; but even now, Haruna was fussing about one thing or another – a contrast of color, too much or too little, too loud or too messy – there was always one detail wrong that ruined everything.
"Don't fret too much Paru," Nodoka had told her then, "I'm sure he'll like whatever you wear."
'Look who's talking,' Haruna smirked, recalling how agitated Nodoka herself was while deciding on her own dress. The usually terribly-shy librarian had actually asked Negi-sensei to accompany her during the festival, but ran away before he had the chance to give a proper answer.
'It's amazing, though...she's gotten so much more mature and outspoken recently,' Haruna mused.
She then snapped out of her thoughts. 'Gah, what am I doing bothering myself with other people's troubles!' She still hadn't decided on what to wear, and it was almost six o'clock!
"Here you go, kid. Thanks again!" Haruna said cheerily as she handed a caricature to a wide-eyed grade-schooler.
She had to admit, doing sketches with the Manga Club was as fun as ever. Aside from being talented at it, drawing was something Haruna immensely enjoyed. Not to mention a lot of Mahou Shoujo Biblion fans flocked to have drawings done; and even Negi-sensei dropped by earlier.
She was having such a good time, in fact, that it was past noon before she realized. "Hey Paru," one of the club officers approached her, "you're really working hard, huh? Take the rest of the day off; it's past lunchtime besides."
"It is?!" She exclaimed, just as the school clock chimed one o'clock. "Oh no!"
Haruna had packed her things in a hurry, and was already rushing off when she realized she hadn't the slightest idea of what to do, or where to go.
'Drat; I knew I should've thought this out more last night,' she scowled, suddenly at a huge loss. She had spent the entire night, and most of the subsequent dawn, playing out many different scenarios in her mind as she tried to get some sleep, but when it came down to the actual event, nothing went as planned.
Haruna wandered among the crowds, feeling somewhat foolish that she had an appointment and didn't know where. Soon, her stomach started to growl.
'Oh, all right...might as well just whatever...' She had paused in front of a classy restaurant, the façade of which was a two-storey Victorian-esque stone structure facing the nearby lake. 'Wow, fancy,' she mused, as she stepped in.
She was first greeted by the sight of occupied tables, and a long waiting line. "Aww," Haruna sighed in disappointment. She had wanted to visit the place for some time, but more important things always popped up and needed to be done. That, or the place was always as packed as it was now.
As she turned to leave, she was then greeted by the receptionist. "Excuse me, madam. Would you be Miss Saotome, Haruna?"
Haruna was only slightly puzzled. It was as if half of her was expecting something like this. Her heart started to race. "Yes...yes, I am. Why...?"
"Your companion had arrived earlier. You may join him upstairs." His voice somehow held an amused tone.
"T-then, thank you," Haruna said, and made her way inside and up the stairs. As she passed, she could hear another employee whispering, "Imagine that; exactly to the minute she came in the doors".
Definitely puzzling, but it also sent her excitement through the roof.
The upper floor was quiet, serene, a stark contrast to the chaos and activity below. Sliding glass doorways close to the stairs opened to an expansive garden, the entirety of which was covered by a glass roof and surrounded by transparent wall panels. Curiously, the breeze from outside blew in seemingly unimpeded.
At the far-end balcony apart from the glass enclosure, with a beautiful view of the lake, was a solitary table. Haruna didn't even need to guess who stood behind one of the two chairs.
"Hey, glad you could drop by. Lovely day, isn't it?" Jai greeted amiably.
Without a word, Haruna walked up to Jai and was about to slap him in the face, but suddenly decided against it. Instead, she calmly took the seat he offered, and began to eat in silence as he sat opposite.
Despite her brave try at a stoic demeanor, Haruna felt giddy, nervous, embarrassed, a little lightheaded, and genuinely happy at the same time. Her hands were slow and careful, but she couldn't help the constant darting of her eyes, slight trembling of her lip and the blush that crept up her face. At the same time, she became very aware of her clothes; she suddenly wondered if it was appropriate to still be wearing a poncho over her dress.
All the while, Jai also sat in silence, with the same warm yet knowing smile.
Her resolve did not last long. After a few minutes, she exploded. "How the heck did you know I was coming here?!"
"Technically, you didn't plan on coming here in the first place." Jai's smile widened. "But in any case, I'd guess you want to know that, among other things, correct?"
"Everything! Your letters, your travels, how you knew what was happening, and what was going to happen! And especially how you know I wanted to try their almond croissant!" She pointed to the dessert laid out for her at that last one.
He broke out in laughter. "All right, all right! But calm down first."
Difficult as it was, Haruna did finally manage to relax enough.
"You have three guesses," Jai began, holding up three fingers on one hand.
Haruna didn't hesitate for her first answer. "You're the secret agent of a global organization, with sophisticated technology able to spy anywhere in the world."
"Nope," Jai replied. Now only two fingers remained upright. "Try again."
Again, she didn't skip a beat. "You're a genetically enhanced mutant created by an underground cult, able to read people's minds and travel anywhere in an instant."
"Really?!" Jai dropped another finger, shaking his head. "Last guess."
This time, Haruna did take some time to think. She was SO sure of the first explanation, and only kind of dubious about the second. Any conjecture she had after that was purely fantasy.
'Feels a little silly to say this, but...ah whatever,' she thought.
"Okay...you're a wizard who can see the future, going around the world helping people you think need helping. Oh, and you're a prince too, like my classmates say."
Jai pointed to a slip of paper tucked under her plate. Haruna opened it, and read.
1. Secret agent. (Logical guess) X
2. Mutant. (Really?) X
3. Wizard, prince. (She gets it in three tries, but hesitates a lot before saying this one) /
Haruna almost dropped the paper, as well as her spoon, in bewilderment. "You're kidding! No way!"
He laughed. "You know, for the class rumormonger, you're a rather difficult one to convince."
"Who wouldn't be?!"
He remained silent for a moment looking upwards, and understanding slowly dawned on her. "Some of my classmates already know about...about all this? Yue and Nodoka!" Haruna yelled.
"Yes, well, among a few others," Jai replied coolly, "though most of what they know isn't so much about me, but rather another wizard you've been with."
Again, the puzzled look that formed on Haruna's face only lasted a moment.
"Negi-sensei!"
Jai smiled again. "We'll go meet them later, so why don't you just enjoy for now? You haven't tasted the creamy center of your almond croissant yet. I'm sure you'll like it."
"I knew there was something up with that kid! He couldn't just be a prodigy...and all the weird happenings going on lately with the class! Why I didn't I notice it sooner?!"
They had left the restaurant earlier (Haruna made a mental note to visit again soon; the croissant was exquisite!), and then dropped by the dorms where Haruna changed into her costume for the afternoon, a black witch outfit. They were now on their way somewhere – when she had asked Jai about it, he simply replied, "Trust me; you'll want to be there".
He checked the time; it was almost four in the afternoon. At the moment, Jai seemed amused at Haruna's ranting. "Really now, when it comes to Negi, you'll believe anything right away! That isn't really fair. Uh, excuse me for a bit..."
As they passed a crowd of students, Jai tapped one of the girls on the shoulder and mentioned something Haruna couldn't hear. The girl looked surprised, and began searching her pockets, before frantically running somewhere.
Jai turned back to Haruna, and the pair resumed walking. "What was that about?" She asked.
"Left her cell phone in the classroom. Someone else will pick it up if she doesn't get to it in twenty minutes. She'll be able to retrieve it, though, so no worries," Jai replied casually. And without even looking in the direction, he pointed to their left. "And it seems we've finally ran into someone you do know."
"Oh you're right," Haruna started in the direction, but then noticed that Jai wasn't following. She cast him a puzzled look, and he said, "Go on ahead; your 'other highlight of the day' is about to start. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on Nodoka's date. I have somewhere I need to go for now. I'll catch up with you later."
"Don't you want to see as well?" She asked, once more trying to get him to stay.
He shrugged. "I know what happens anyway. There's just this someone who needs some talking to; I'll be back before you know it." He then gave a smile that somehow indicated that the discussion was over.
Haruna seemed excited, yet disappointed at the same time. "If you're sure...well, see 'ya later then," she then called out as she ran in the direction, "Hey, Yue!"
Jai didn't leave at once; he tapped a nearby youth on the shoulder and quickly greeted him, saying afterwards, "We'll meet up later on your fourth time around. Good luck on your date with Nodoka." He then strolled away.
Jai headed towards the Mahora Library Island. Though his demeanor conveyed no haste, he seemed to move effortlessly – almost glide – through the crowds at a swift pace, though nobody seemed to notice. Every now and again, he would remind a student of something forgotten, or point directions to passersby, or the like.
Soon, he was standing at the far bank of the lake surrounding the island.
"This place sure doesn't look like it changed much since before," he commented offhandedly.
A voice behind answered. "You'd be surprised how much is different now."
Jai simply shrugged, and turned to face the hooded figure. "Yo, sensei."
An eyebrow twitched. "I told you not to call me that! I am not your sensei! Besides, it makes me feel old."
"You don't need me to state the obvious."
A sigh. "Anyway, what brings you here after so long, your highness?"
"I'd tell you to quit the formalities, though I suppose it's a fair trade for calling you 'sensei'," Jai said, facing back to the moat. "There is something happening that even you can feel, I bet...something looming just over the horizon, just beneath the surface of the water."
A pause, then the hooded person spoke, "Negi."
Another shrug from Jai. "I guess we'll just have to see, though I can say that it won't be for a while yet. You'll probably know what to do when the time comes, though."
That elicited a sarcastic chuckle. "You might've gotten stronger, but you're still quite as annoying as ever."
"You know how it is," Jai said, then started to make his way back.
"That's all?" the 'sensei' asked.
Jai took one last look at Library Island. "I just missed my old home, I guess." As he walked away, he added, "Oh, and sensei...really? Ku:Nel Sanders? That's the most ridiculous alias I've ever heard!"
Nodoka's date with Negi-sensei had been going so well, even as Haruna, Konoka, Setsuna and even Asuna, stalked the pair. Yue had gone off somewhere since the beginning, and was – as Konoka put it – missing all the excitement.
But then some girls came up to the pair all of a sudden, and then started yelling something about danger and confessing...before Haruna knew it, everyone had gone off somewhere.
She saw Setsuna and Asuna sprint around a corner. "W-wait a sec! You guys, what the heck is...?"
And then they too were gone. "Hey, where'd they...? They're gone!"
As she stood wondering what had happened, a voice from behind made her jump. "It seems I missed the fun...whoa! Everything all right, Haruna-san?"
Haruna's heart was pounding in her ears. "Jai-kun, you idiot! Don't scare me like that! And didn't I tell you to just call me 'Paru'?!" She wanted to ask where he'd come from out of the blue like that, but instead fought to catch her breath...and her dignity.
He laughed. "Sorry, sorry...seems like they took the action elsewhere. We'll catch up with them later; for now, we have things to discuss with a few people."
Just then, Konoka jogged up to them. "Hey, Paru, where'd Negi-sensei and all the others go? Oh! You're the one from the fieldtrip...uh, Jai-san, was it?" She was giggling.
He bowed. "And it is nice to see you again, Konoka-ojousama."
She frantically waved her hands in a panic. "N-no, I'm not actually...I mean, y-you don't have to..."
Haruna was curious about her friend's reaction but before she could respond, another person approached, this time the art teacher Takahata. "Hey now, I didn't think I'd see you here."
Jai grinned. "I did. You have some time to spare for a little chat before going on patrol again, Takamichi," It wasn't a question. "It's been a while, but we don't have too much time right now."
With all that was happening, Haruna and Konoka were rendered speechless; both of them stood staring with question marks over their heads.
Takamichi seemed surprised upon finally noticing them, and looked questioningly at Jai, who nodded. The teacher spoke, first to Jai wryly, "You just love confusing people, don't you?", and then to Konoka and Haruna apologetically, "Uh, hello there, girls. Are you all right?"
Both students looked at each other, then back to their former homeroom teacher. "Yes sensei, but with all due respect, can someone please explain just what the heck is going on?"
Jai motioned to all of them, "Of course, but let's take a walk while we do."
And so he began, as they made their way somewhat apart from the afternoon crowds. "This is mostly for the benefit of Paru here, who remains skeptical of the existence of magic no matter how I try to convince her, and for Konoka-chan, so she can get a better understanding of what has been happening. Apparently nobody will believe if it was just me, so Takamichi serves as a figure of authority and, shall we say, of authenticity."
Takamichi laughed weakly. "Ah, is that all I'm needed for?"
"I just described you as an authority figure, you nut. Don't sound so disappointed," Jai shot back jokingly.
The teacher laughed again, then addressed the two students, "All right then. Konoka-san, I suppose you already are aware firsthand of magic, and of Negi-kun?"
Konoka nodded, and briefly explained some of what she knew. Afterwards, she turned to Haruna. "I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark, Paru, but it was necessary so that Negi-sensei won't turn into an ermine."
Haruna sighed. "That's all right. Well, I guess it's really true if Konoka and even Takahata-sensei say so." Jai rolled his eyes at that one, but chuckled too.
She continued. "Hey, Konoka, can you make magic too?"
"Yeah, though mostly I'm good at healing and stuff like that. I'm still really under training from Eva," was the reply.
"Evangeline-san? She's also a wizard?"
Takamichi answered, "Well, she's actually a vampire; a powerful one, too."
Haruna's eyes were sparkling. "No way! That means our class, or maybe even the entire Mahora academy is full of vampires, and cyborgs, and espers, and time-travelers, and aliens, and..."
"Hey Paru, don't get carried away! This isn't like that Melancholy-something manga you're reading!" Konoka shook her friend back to reality. "Not everyone in the school is a wizard, so don't act so indiscriminately!"
"Uhhhh...got it," Haruna replied, coming out of her reverie. "One more thing though, Konoka...do Yue and Nodoka know about all this?"
After a moment's hesitation, she answered, "Yes."
"Oooh they are so gonna get it later," Haruna whispered, her face darkening for a moment.
"How about you, Jai-san?" Konoka asked, "You're a wizard too, I guess?"
He answered, "Half-wizard. I'm more of a seer, someone who can see the future."
Now it was Konoka who instantly brightened at that. She was, after all, a huge fan of fortune-telling. In an instant, she was face to face with Jai, grabbing him by the collar. "Really? Like, you can actually see the future?" She then turned to Haruna. "Paru, you don't mind sharing him, do you?"
Haruna turned red. "D-wha...sharing?! Konoka, w-what're you...?!"
Jai spoke nonchalantly while prying Konoka away. "Didn't I write to you, Nagase-san and Sakurazaki-san?"
"You didn't write anything about being able to tell the future! All you mentioned was something about Negi-sensei and you being a friend of his, so I assumed you were just a wizard like him." Konoka was talking nonstop. "So what's it like telling the future? Are your predictions all correct? Can you teach me to do it? I bet I can learn!"
"Whoa there...first of all, it's 'see' the future; I usually don't 'tell' much. Just ask Takamichi," Jai motioned to the teacher, who nodded but wore a wry smile. Jai continued. "Besides, weren't you surprised how I knew who to address my letter to, and what instructions to give?"
Konoka tapped her forehead, and her brows furrowed ponderingly. "Well, yeah...now that I think about it...but then Negi-sensei could have told you...or..."
Jai then laughed. "Don't worry about it! There will be time later on to explain most things in detail. For now, we've arrived at where we need to be." They stopped in front of an empty restaurant, and could hear sounds of fighting on the upper level, despite the general noise of the festival. "Thanks, Takamichi. You should go resume your patrol; we'll take this from here."
The teacher looked a little uncertain. "Are you sure? If you say so..."
"Don't look so wishy-washy. I'm more than capable of keeping the situation under control if I need to intervene. Which reminds me, don't you have to prepare for the Martial Arts Tournament preliminaries later? You'll probably need it."
"Is that so? Hahaha! That's right. See you later, then," Takamichi said, before strolling away.
Jai rubbed the bridge of his nose and pushed his glasses up, mumbling something about insecurity issues. He then motioned to the two girls. "Shall we go up? We should be just in time for something you'll find really, really interesting. It concerns your Negi-sensei, and some of your classmates."
Haruna and Konoka looked to each other. "Negi-sensei? Nodoka!" "Asuna and Set-chan!" And they rushed upstairs, Jai following at a more leisurely pace behind – and laughing
It was the morning of the first day of the Mahora Academy Festival.
It was THE day.
She looked towards where her roommates were still fast asleep; the whole of 3-A worked well into the dawn on their haunted house, and they were able to finish just in time. Haruna had labored as hard as any of them, but still she was unable to get to sleep at once afterward, even without the two gallons of coffee. One could say this was an even more effective means of staying awake the entire night.
Haruna tapped off the alarm, which had been sounding for the umpteenth time, and crawled out of bed, which took some effort. Apparently, all the stress of the previous week was starting to have an effect on her physical well-being.
'And the festival is only beginning!' she thought, 'Don't tell me I'm getting old already!'
Yesterday, she had laid out several outfits she might wear for the festival; but even now, Haruna was fussing about one thing or another – a contrast of color, too much or too little, too loud or too messy – there was always one detail wrong that ruined everything.
"Don't fret too much Paru," Nodoka had told her then, "I'm sure he'll like whatever you wear."
'Look who's talking,' Haruna smirked, recalling how agitated Nodoka herself was while deciding on her own dress. The usually terribly-shy librarian had actually asked Negi-sensei to accompany her during the festival, but ran away before he had the chance to give a proper answer.
'It's amazing, though...she's gotten so much more mature and outspoken recently,' Haruna mused.
She then snapped out of her thoughts. 'Gah, what am I doing bothering myself with other people's troubles!' She still hadn't decided on what to wear, and it was almost six o'clock!
"Here you go, kid. Thanks again!" Haruna said cheerily as she handed a caricature to a wide-eyed grade-schooler.
She had to admit, doing sketches with the Manga Club was as fun as ever. Aside from being talented at it, drawing was something Haruna immensely enjoyed. Not to mention a lot of Mahou Shoujo Biblion fans flocked to have drawings done; and even Negi-sensei dropped by earlier.
She was having such a good time, in fact, that it was past noon before she realized. "Hey Paru," one of the club officers approached her, "you're really working hard, huh? Take the rest of the day off; it's past lunchtime besides."
"It is?!" She exclaimed, just as the school clock chimed one o'clock. "Oh no!"
Haruna had packed her things in a hurry, and was already rushing off when she realized she hadn't the slightest idea of what to do, or where to go.
'Drat; I knew I should've thought this out more last night,' she scowled, suddenly at a huge loss. She had spent the entire night, and most of the subsequent dawn, playing out many different scenarios in her mind as she tried to get some sleep, but when it came down to the actual event, nothing went as planned.
Haruna wandered among the crowds, feeling somewhat foolish that she had an appointment and didn't know where. Soon, her stomach started to growl.
'Oh, all right...might as well just whatever...' She had paused in front of a classy restaurant, the façade of which was a two-storey Victorian-esque stone structure facing the nearby lake. 'Wow, fancy,' she mused, as she stepped in.
She was first greeted by the sight of occupied tables, and a long waiting line. "Aww," Haruna sighed in disappointment. She had wanted to visit the place for some time, but more important things always popped up and needed to be done. That, or the place was always as packed as it was now.
As she turned to leave, she was then greeted by the receptionist. "Excuse me, madam. Would you be Miss Saotome, Haruna?"
Haruna was only slightly puzzled. It was as if half of her was expecting something like this. Her heart started to race. "Yes...yes, I am. Why...?"
"Your companion had arrived earlier. You may join him upstairs." His voice somehow held an amused tone.
"T-then, thank you," Haruna said, and made her way inside and up the stairs. As she passed, she could hear another employee whispering, "Imagine that; exactly to the minute she came in the doors".
Definitely puzzling, but it also sent her excitement through the roof.
The upper floor was quiet, serene, a stark contrast to the chaos and activity below. Sliding glass doorways close to the stairs opened to an expansive garden, the entirety of which was covered by a glass roof and surrounded by transparent wall panels. Curiously, the breeze from outside blew in seemingly unimpeded.
At the far-end balcony apart from the glass enclosure, with a beautiful view of the lake, was a solitary table. Haruna didn't even need to guess who stood behind one of the two chairs.
"Hey, glad you could drop by. Lovely day, isn't it?" Jai greeted amiably.
Without a word, Haruna walked up to Jai and was about to slap him in the face, but suddenly decided against it. Instead, she calmly took the seat he offered, and began to eat in silence as he sat opposite.
Despite her brave try at a stoic demeanor, Haruna felt giddy, nervous, embarrassed, a little lightheaded, and genuinely happy at the same time. Her hands were slow and careful, but she couldn't help the constant darting of her eyes, slight trembling of her lip and the blush that crept up her face. At the same time, she became very aware of her clothes; she suddenly wondered if it was appropriate to still be wearing a poncho over her dress.
All the while, Jai also sat in silence, with the same warm yet knowing smile.
Her resolve did not last long. After a few minutes, she exploded. "How the heck did you know I was coming here?!"
"Technically, you didn't plan on coming here in the first place." Jai's smile widened. "But in any case, I'd guess you want to know that, among other things, correct?"
"Everything! Your letters, your travels, how you knew what was happening, and what was going to happen! And especially how you know I wanted to try their almond croissant!" She pointed to the dessert laid out for her at that last one.
He broke out in laughter. "All right, all right! But calm down first."
Difficult as it was, Haruna did finally manage to relax enough.
"You have three guesses," Jai began, holding up three fingers on one hand.
Haruna didn't hesitate for her first answer. "You're the secret agent of a global organization, with sophisticated technology able to spy anywhere in the world."
"Nope," Jai replied. Now only two fingers remained upright. "Try again."
Again, she didn't skip a beat. "You're a genetically enhanced mutant created by an underground cult, able to read people's minds and travel anywhere in an instant."
"Really?!" Jai dropped another finger, shaking his head. "Last guess."
This time, Haruna did take some time to think. She was SO sure of the first explanation, and only kind of dubious about the second. Any conjecture she had after that was purely fantasy.
'Feels a little silly to say this, but...ah whatever,' she thought.
"Okay...you're a wizard who can see the future, going around the world helping people you think need helping. Oh, and you're a prince too, like my classmates say."
Jai pointed to a slip of paper tucked under her plate. Haruna opened it, and read.
1. Secret agent. (Logical guess) X
2. Mutant. (Really?) X
3. Wizard, prince. (She gets it in three tries, but hesitates a lot before saying this one) /
Haruna almost dropped the paper, as well as her spoon, in bewilderment. "You're kidding! No way!"
He laughed. "You know, for the class rumormonger, you're a rather difficult one to convince."
"Who wouldn't be?!"
He remained silent for a moment looking upwards, and understanding slowly dawned on her. "Some of my classmates already know about...about all this? Yue and Nodoka!" Haruna yelled.
"Yes, well, among a few others," Jai replied coolly, "though most of what they know isn't so much about me, but rather another wizard you've been with."
Again, the puzzled look that formed on Haruna's face only lasted a moment.
"Negi-sensei!"
Jai smiled again. "We'll go meet them later, so why don't you just enjoy for now? You haven't tasted the creamy center of your almond croissant yet. I'm sure you'll like it."
"I knew there was something up with that kid! He couldn't just be a prodigy...and all the weird happenings going on lately with the class! Why I didn't I notice it sooner?!"
They had left the restaurant earlier (Haruna made a mental note to visit again soon; the croissant was exquisite!), and then dropped by the dorms where Haruna changed into her costume for the afternoon, a black witch outfit. They were now on their way somewhere – when she had asked Jai about it, he simply replied, "Trust me; you'll want to be there".
He checked the time; it was almost four in the afternoon. At the moment, Jai seemed amused at Haruna's ranting. "Really now, when it comes to Negi, you'll believe anything right away! That isn't really fair. Uh, excuse me for a bit..."
As they passed a crowd of students, Jai tapped one of the girls on the shoulder and mentioned something Haruna couldn't hear. The girl looked surprised, and began searching her pockets, before frantically running somewhere.
Jai turned back to Haruna, and the pair resumed walking. "What was that about?" She asked.
"Left her cell phone in the classroom. Someone else will pick it up if she doesn't get to it in twenty minutes. She'll be able to retrieve it, though, so no worries," Jai replied casually. And without even looking in the direction, he pointed to their left. "And it seems we've finally ran into someone you do know."
"Oh you're right," Haruna started in the direction, but then noticed that Jai wasn't following. She cast him a puzzled look, and he said, "Go on ahead; your 'other highlight of the day' is about to start. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on Nodoka's date. I have somewhere I need to go for now. I'll catch up with you later."
"Don't you want to see as well?" She asked, once more trying to get him to stay.
He shrugged. "I know what happens anyway. There's just this someone who needs some talking to; I'll be back before you know it." He then gave a smile that somehow indicated that the discussion was over.
Haruna seemed excited, yet disappointed at the same time. "If you're sure...well, see 'ya later then," she then called out as she ran in the direction, "Hey, Yue!"
Jai didn't leave at once; he tapped a nearby youth on the shoulder and quickly greeted him, saying afterwards, "We'll meet up later on your fourth time around. Good luck on your date with Nodoka." He then strolled away.
Jai headed towards the Mahora Library Island. Though his demeanor conveyed no haste, he seemed to move effortlessly – almost glide – through the crowds at a swift pace, though nobody seemed to notice. Every now and again, he would remind a student of something forgotten, or point directions to passersby, or the like.
Soon, he was standing at the far bank of the lake surrounding the island.
"This place sure doesn't look like it changed much since before," he commented offhandedly.
A voice behind answered. "You'd be surprised how much is different now."
Jai simply shrugged, and turned to face the hooded figure. "Yo, sensei."
An eyebrow twitched. "I told you not to call me that! I am not your sensei! Besides, it makes me feel old."
"You don't need me to state the obvious."
A sigh. "Anyway, what brings you here after so long, your highness?"
"I'd tell you to quit the formalities, though I suppose it's a fair trade for calling you 'sensei'," Jai said, facing back to the moat. "There is something happening that even you can feel, I bet...something looming just over the horizon, just beneath the surface of the water."
A pause, then the hooded person spoke, "Negi."
Another shrug from Jai. "I guess we'll just have to see, though I can say that it won't be for a while yet. You'll probably know what to do when the time comes, though."
That elicited a sarcastic chuckle. "You might've gotten stronger, but you're still quite as annoying as ever."
"You know how it is," Jai said, then started to make his way back.
"That's all?" the 'sensei' asked.
Jai took one last look at Library Island. "I just missed my old home, I guess." As he walked away, he added, "Oh, and sensei...really? Ku:Nel Sanders? That's the most ridiculous alias I've ever heard!"
Nodoka's date with Negi-sensei had been going so well, even as Haruna, Konoka, Setsuna and even Asuna, stalked the pair. Yue had gone off somewhere since the beginning, and was – as Konoka put it – missing all the excitement.
But then some girls came up to the pair all of a sudden, and then started yelling something about danger and confessing...before Haruna knew it, everyone had gone off somewhere.
She saw Setsuna and Asuna sprint around a corner. "W-wait a sec! You guys, what the heck is...?"
And then they too were gone. "Hey, where'd they...? They're gone!"
As she stood wondering what had happened, a voice from behind made her jump. "It seems I missed the fun...whoa! Everything all right, Haruna-san?"
Haruna's heart was pounding in her ears. "Jai-kun, you idiot! Don't scare me like that! And didn't I tell you to just call me 'Paru'?!" She wanted to ask where he'd come from out of the blue like that, but instead fought to catch her breath...and her dignity.
He laughed. "Sorry, sorry...seems like they took the action elsewhere. We'll catch up with them later; for now, we have things to discuss with a few people."
Just then, Konoka jogged up to them. "Hey, Paru, where'd Negi-sensei and all the others go? Oh! You're the one from the fieldtrip...uh, Jai-san, was it?" She was giggling.
He bowed. "And it is nice to see you again, Konoka-ojousama."
She frantically waved her hands in a panic. "N-no, I'm not actually...I mean, y-you don't have to..."
Haruna was curious about her friend's reaction but before she could respond, another person approached, this time the art teacher Takahata. "Hey now, I didn't think I'd see you here."
Jai grinned. "I did. You have some time to spare for a little chat before going on patrol again, Takamichi," It wasn't a question. "It's been a while, but we don't have too much time right now."
With all that was happening, Haruna and Konoka were rendered speechless; both of them stood staring with question marks over their heads.
Takamichi seemed surprised upon finally noticing them, and looked questioningly at Jai, who nodded. The teacher spoke, first to Jai wryly, "You just love confusing people, don't you?", and then to Konoka and Haruna apologetically, "Uh, hello there, girls. Are you all right?"
Both students looked at each other, then back to their former homeroom teacher. "Yes sensei, but with all due respect, can someone please explain just what the heck is going on?"
Jai motioned to all of them, "Of course, but let's take a walk while we do."
And so he began, as they made their way somewhat apart from the afternoon crowds. "This is mostly for the benefit of Paru here, who remains skeptical of the existence of magic no matter how I try to convince her, and for Konoka-chan, so she can get a better understanding of what has been happening. Apparently nobody will believe if it was just me, so Takamichi serves as a figure of authority and, shall we say, of authenticity."
Takamichi laughed weakly. "Ah, is that all I'm needed for?"
"I just described you as an authority figure, you nut. Don't sound so disappointed," Jai shot back jokingly.
The teacher laughed again, then addressed the two students, "All right then. Konoka-san, I suppose you already are aware firsthand of magic, and of Negi-kun?"
Konoka nodded, and briefly explained some of what she knew. Afterwards, she turned to Haruna. "I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark, Paru, but it was necessary so that Negi-sensei won't turn into an ermine."
Haruna sighed. "That's all right. Well, I guess it's really true if Konoka and even Takahata-sensei say so." Jai rolled his eyes at that one, but chuckled too.
She continued. "Hey, Konoka, can you make magic too?"
"Yeah, though mostly I'm good at healing and stuff like that. I'm still really under training from Eva," was the reply.
"Evangeline-san? She's also a wizard?"
Takamichi answered, "Well, she's actually a vampire; a powerful one, too."
Haruna's eyes were sparkling. "No way! That means our class, or maybe even the entire Mahora academy is full of vampires, and cyborgs, and espers, and time-travelers, and aliens, and..."
"Hey Paru, don't get carried away! This isn't like that Melancholy-something manga you're reading!" Konoka shook her friend back to reality. "Not everyone in the school is a wizard, so don't act so indiscriminately!"
"Uhhhh...got it," Haruna replied, coming out of her reverie. "One more thing though, Konoka...do Yue and Nodoka know about all this?"
After a moment's hesitation, she answered, "Yes."
"Oooh they are so gonna get it later," Haruna whispered, her face darkening for a moment.
"How about you, Jai-san?" Konoka asked, "You're a wizard too, I guess?"
He answered, "Half-wizard. I'm more of a seer, someone who can see the future."
Now it was Konoka who instantly brightened at that. She was, after all, a huge fan of fortune-telling. In an instant, she was face to face with Jai, grabbing him by the collar. "Really? Like, you can actually see the future?" She then turned to Haruna. "Paru, you don't mind sharing him, do you?"
Haruna turned red. "D-wha...sharing?! Konoka, w-what're you...?!"
Jai spoke nonchalantly while prying Konoka away. "Didn't I write to you, Nagase-san and Sakurazaki-san?"
"You didn't write anything about being able to tell the future! All you mentioned was something about Negi-sensei and you being a friend of his, so I assumed you were just a wizard like him." Konoka was talking nonstop. "So what's it like telling the future? Are your predictions all correct? Can you teach me to do it? I bet I can learn!"
"Whoa there...first of all, it's 'see' the future; I usually don't 'tell' much. Just ask Takamichi," Jai motioned to the teacher, who nodded but wore a wry smile. Jai continued. "Besides, weren't you surprised how I knew who to address my letter to, and what instructions to give?"
Konoka tapped her forehead, and her brows furrowed ponderingly. "Well, yeah...now that I think about it...but then Negi-sensei could have told you...or..."
Jai then laughed. "Don't worry about it! There will be time later on to explain most things in detail. For now, we've arrived at where we need to be." They stopped in front of an empty restaurant, and could hear sounds of fighting on the upper level, despite the general noise of the festival. "Thanks, Takamichi. You should go resume your patrol; we'll take this from here."
The teacher looked a little uncertain. "Are you sure? If you say so..."
"Don't look so wishy-washy. I'm more than capable of keeping the situation under control if I need to intervene. Which reminds me, don't you have to prepare for the Martial Arts Tournament preliminaries later? You'll probably need it."
"Is that so? Hahaha! That's right. See you later, then," Takamichi said, before strolling away.
Jai rubbed the bridge of his nose and pushed his glasses up, mumbling something about insecurity issues. He then motioned to the two girls. "Shall we go up? We should be just in time for something you'll find really, really interesting. It concerns your Negi-sensei, and some of your classmates."
Haruna and Konoka looked to each other. "Negi-sensei? Nodoka!" "Asuna and Set-chan!" And they rushed upstairs, Jai following at a more leisurely pace behind – and laughing
