Yami To Boushi to Hon no Tabibito: Ever After
Six: Negima!
Note: This is a continuation of my fanfic for Negima, 'Endings and Beginnings.' You don't have to have read that fic, but it might help.
Hazuki frowned as the black haired woman warily took in their surroundings. They had been ferried down from the floating island they had arrived on, watched over by a band of very suspicious looking women all dressed in armor resembling a Valkyrie.
"You had better point that lance somewhere else," Lilith warned one woman flatly, the blonde frowning at the knight who was, indeed, pointing a lance-like weapon at her.
"Sorry, miss," Collet said with a surprising degree of politeness as she raised her weapon, the dark skinned girl smiling as her glasses gleamed.
The other leader of the guards, Emily Sevensheep, frowned at her friend then directed that frown over at Quill, Hazuki and Lilith. "So, it's just a coincidence you arrived at such a important date?" she demanded crossly.
Quill seemed fascinated with the readings she was getting from her device, Cadeus, so it fell to Hazuki to try to explain. "We're on a quest of great personal importance," she told them, being careful to leave her sword at her side, "we have no wish to create problems."
Negi Springfield looked over at Emily and Collet, "They seem quite sincere to me." The young man in a suit shrugged, "I think we should take their word for it."
"You think so, Negi-sama?" Emily asked respectfully.
"I do," Negi said, blushing slightly in embarrassment.
"All right," Collet said, "you'll have to wait until after the wedding before we can ferry you to the ground or one of the other flying cities."
"Wedding?" Lilith and Quill asked, looking interested.
They quickly found out that two important people were getting married, and messengers were sent to the people involved. They soon received permission to stay and watch, with a warning not to interfere with the ceremony.
The men and women around them wore a variety of formal wear, some based on armor, the others more traditional skirts and suits. There were also a lot of the Valkyrie guards wandering about, keeping an eye on things apparently.
Moving through the crowd Hazuki caught snippets of conversation, discovering at least some of these people were from Earth, and that this place was called Mundus Magicus. Apparently it was a separate world connected to their Earth somehow, though how she wasn't sure.
"Damn it," a massive bear of a man in a suit sniffled as carefully he wiped his eyes, "I always cry at weddings."
"I didn't think you'd show, Rakan," the smaller man with glasses noted, standing with his hands in his suit pockets.
"She was my student for awhile, Takamichi," Rakan shrugged heavily muscled shoulders, "and I always liked the kid."
"Me too," Takamachi agreed as the three women moved by him.
The wedding ceremony surprised Hazuki, seeing two women in the process of getting married. One was a pale woman in light armor, a formal design resembling that of a samurai, with exotic silver and black hair. The other woman was a bit older with black hair too, full figured as she gazed at the other woman lovingly.
"Wow," Lilith murmured as they watched the ceremony.
They ran through the oaths, a old man leaning on his staff. Finally he declared, "You may kiss the brides!"
Hazuki raised a hand to wipe at her eye, surprised to feel a few tears there. Lilith looked up at her, smiling slightly as she said, "It's very beautiful, isn't it?"
Hazuki wanted to say something sharp, but she couldn't quite manage it. "I suppose so," she admitted, noticing Quill sniffling too.
"What?" Quill smiled shyly as she admitted, "I always cry at weddings."
As various guests went up[ to talk to the newlyweds Hazuki looked around, her expression thoughtful. "Lilith," she asked quietly, "is there any sign of Hatsumi?"
Lilith frowned, the busty young woman looking around her thoughtfully. "It's hard to tell with all the background magic," she admitted after a moment, "but I do feel trances." She frowned, "Actually, it's strongest around those armored girls."
"That's interesting," Hazuki admitted.
"Then let's go talk to them," Quill suggested mildly.
Both Emily, Collet and several other girls were sniffling, dabbing at tears along with a black haired girl who was standing near Emily. "Excuse us," Hazuki smiled, "we came here because we are searching for a missing woman."
"Really?" Emily gave the black haired girl a smile, amused by a private joke.
"Yue Ayase," the black haired woman identified herself, "don't mind them, I was a missing person for awhile. Who were you looking for?"
"Her name changes at times," Lilith admitted, then described the red eyed blonde who just happened to be mute.
"That sounds like the former assistant librarian at Ariadne," Emily noted, surprised, "Rei."
"Is she still there?" Hazuki asked intently. Not that it sounded like it from the 'former' comment, but she could hope...
"She resigned mysteriously just before her sixteenth birthday," Collet said, "and left the academy."
"Then she's probably shifted worlds already," Lilith frowned.
"Could we go there?" Quill asked curiously. "If we could examine someplace she has recently been we might be able to follow more quickly."
"Shifted worlds?" Yue raised her eyebrows, intrigued.
Hazuki sketched in the details she knew about Hatsumi's world jumping, leaving out her own personal connection to her. Though considering how Emily and Yue exchanged glances, she wondered if the two would be all that surprised.
"We'll need to talk to the headmistress," Collet said, looking towards the two recently married women, still surrounded by friends.
They had to wait until the reception and meal had ended, the three staying with the rather good natured security guards. Finally Naoko Kanoe broke away from the guests and visited, listening intently to the three women's story.
"I have no objection to your visiting our academy," Naoko said warmly, "in fact, you can travel with us when we take a flying barge there."
"And what would you like us to do for you?" Lilith asked, suspicious of such good fortune.
Naoko looked more amused by that reaction than anything else. "Ariadne studies magic," she said, "any help we provide you will probably increase our own knowledge. It's worth wile to us, even if we don't directly profit."
"Thank you," Hazuki bowed a bit.
"You're welcome," Naoko smiled back then walked off to rejoin her bride.
"Wow," Quill murmured later as they broarded the ornate flying barge, soaring across the skies of this strange world. Hazuki and Lilith seemed similarly awe struck, though Lilith tried to look like it was all perfectly normal.
"Asuna, please make sure to stay away from the flight system," one of the knights warned a tall, orange haired woman, her hair tied up in twin tails.
"I have my magic cancel under control," Asuna sniffed, the woman wearing a formal looking armor with a family crest on her tabbard.
"Magic cancel?" Quill asked curiously as the woman walked by.
Asuna shrugged, looking irritated. "I have the ability to cancel out magic, obviously. It's sometimes a pain, though."
"I can imagine," Hazuki admitted. From what little they had seen of this place magic was used almost everywhere. Accidentally canceling it out would be very troublesome.
Asuna smiled back slightly, "Thanks." She was someone and waved, "Collet!"
Collet picked her way across the crowded barge, having shed most of her armor and dressed in a casual looking tunic and skirt. She plopped down beside Asuna, smiling as she said, "I'm looking forward to you visiting our school."
"I hope there's some good food there," Lilith sighed, poking at the backpack sitting by her feet.
"Leave the food in there alone," Hazuki chided, "it's for emergencies."
"But Hazuki!" Lilith pouted sweetly.
Collet chuckled, "There's a banquet table set up near the prow, you can get a snack there."
"Excuse me," Lilith bounded to her feet and headed off.
Asuna had to laugh, shaking her head. "Is she always like that?' she looked over and asked Hazuki and Quill curiously.
"I haven't known her too long," Quill shook her head wryly.
"She's flighty," Hazuki admitted, "but she settles down quite a lot when there's trouble."
"I have friends like that," Asuna admitted, thinking of some of her old friends back at Mahora academy. "How long have you been traveling?" she asked curiously.
"A couple of months," Hazuki admitted, "though Quill has just joined us."
Looking over at Asuna Quill asked, "I'd like to use my device, Cadeus. It channels magic, would that be a problem?"
"I don't see how," Asuna conceded.
"Cadeus, staff mode," Quill ordered as the gen unfolded into a steel staff, glowing fiercely. "Interesting," she murmured, "area scan, Cadeus."
A magic circle flared to life around Quill as the staff answered, "Area scan running."
"It talks?" Asuna blinked.
"It's sort of magi-tech," Hazuki offered as they watched the spell work.
"Area scan complete," Cadeus announced. "Magic levels 400% normal, physical features inconsistent with Earth. Nearest data match, Mars."
"Mars?" Hazuki blurted, blinking even as Lilith returned with a full plate of food.
To be continued...