Collet Rallendoll watched with some surprise as the two warriors appeared in the transportation gate for the city state of Ariadne, the largest independent educational establishment in Mundus Magicus, yielding to no outside authority. It's Mage-Knights were legendary as were all the great magicians and scholars they turned out. 'The mercenaries are younger than I was expecting,' Collet noted, the brown skinned girl hurrying over to greet them. The taller girl had raven black hair and wore light weight armor, a impressive looking katana over her shoulder, while the other woman wore more heavier armor, chain mail and a heavy armor on her left arm. "Welcome to Ariadne," Collet smiled at the two of them, her black and white dog's ears sticking out from her brown hair, "I'm your guide, Collet." The orange haired girl looked at her in surprise, "Collet... you're Yue's friend?" "You know Yue?" Collet looked startled. Yue Ayase after being accidentally stranded in their word had landed in Ariadne and enrolled in the school, becoming Collet's room mate and partner for a while. She had been faintly astonished at the girl's hunger for knowledge, not to mention her magical abilities. "She's a friend of ours," the serious looking black haired woman said, "my name is Setsuna Sakurazaki, and this is Asuna Kagurazaka." "She's our classmate," ASuna agreed, offering her hand to be shaken. "How is she?" Collet asked eagerly as she escorted the two woman along the elevated walkway over the bustling city. Magicians flew back and forth and the streets teemed with life, much like Mahora academy did but to a even greater extent. "Still studying whatever interests her," Asuna chuckled, "especially magic. She's even moved on to become a official apprentice." "I'm glad," Collet grinned as they made their way inside, heading down the halls towards the headmistress' office. Naoko Konoe was not quite what Setsuna or Asuna were expecting, Collet noted with some amusement. The young seeming woman's beauty stunned Setsuna while Asuna's eyes widened in surprise. "Konoka?!" Asuna blurted. Naoko shook her head, looking amused. "No, but I understand I look like my niece," she said, "my name is Naoko, and I understand that you know my father, the headmaster of Mahora academy?" "Yes, ma'am," Setsuna stammered as she tried not to stare at the woman who looked like an older, somewhat sexier version of Konoka. "Sorry," Asuna looked sheepish, "you just look so much like..." Naoko just chuckled slightly. The black haired woman rose from behind her desk, her simple blouse and robe like dress swirling around her as she said briskly, "Thank you for answering our appeal for help so quickly." "We're honored to help," Setsuna managed. Collet nodded to both as she looked at the headmistress, "Ma'am, I need to get back to class. Unless you need me for something more?" "That's fine," Naoko said, "I'll call you if needed." "Thanks for your help," Asuna added. Looking over at Naoko she asked in a businesslike way, "So, what is the situation?" Naoko smiled wryly, "It's not that unusual. It seems bandits have been preying on students and guests traveling to our city, and we need them stopped." Setsuna shook off her confused daze and tried to concentrate on business. "How is that possible?" she wondered, "I would have expected your mage knights to stop them." Naoko opened her hands in a helpless gesture as she explained, "The problem has been finding them. They're using a powerful cloaking magic, and our best seers have been unable to find them." "Ah," Asuna nodded, frowning slightly. Setsuna frowned as well, then a smile began to appear on her face. She looked over at Asuna, "I think I have an idea." 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 As the sun began to set later that day, a small band of travelers set out from the city of Ariadne, wrapped in cloaks and riding on a lizard drawn wagon. Two sat in front, the taller holding the reins, while a third woman crouched in the back, apparently ill. They took a hour to cross the plain around the city, then began to rise into the hills as the sun fell behind the trees. Unconcerned with any danger they continued along the main road, seemingly unaware they were being shadowed. They passed between two rises, the perfect place for a ambush, and it was there the bandits struck! "Stop right where you are," a tall, dark haired figure emerged from the shadows, dressed in battered leather armor. Around him over twenty other armed men followed, carrying swords, maces and other weapons. Another man dressed in mage clothes pulled a slightly ragged cloak around him as he addressed their leader, "I've got us shielded from detection, 'Hawke. Take whatever time you need." "Ren?" the wagon driver sat up in surprise, her cloak falling away as Naoko said, "I knew you were up to no good when you were expelled, but this?!" "You know this woman?" 'Hawke demanded, noting his companion had gone bone pale. "Tha... that's the headmistress of Ariadne!" Ran blurted. Setsuna stood up from where she sat by Naoko, "She's not alone, curs." Asuna stood up in back, her massive artifact sword swinging free from the blanket she had used to hide it. "I'll go after the mage," she said to Setsuna softly, "while you can start in on the bandits, okay?" "Okay," Setsuna grinned as she drew her sword and charged in, embracing battle as a distraction to her heartbreak. "Rose rose rose," Ran rapidly incanted the spell, "five arrows of thunder!" With a gesture he sent the five lightning bolts lancing at Asuna, only to freeze as she slapped them aside with her massive sword. "Sorry," Asuna said as she turned her sword and brought the flat of her blade down on top of his head, "magic doesn't work on me." "Stone cutting sword!" Setsuna roared as she tore into the stunned bandits, sending some flying as the others raced forward to fight or ran away. "My oh my," Naoko murmured in admiration as she gestured skyward, sending a bolt of magic into the night sky. "We've got to get out of here," 'Hawke yelped as Ran dropped unconscious. "Why?" a black clad woman wondered, watching Setsuna eagerly. 'Hawke gave her a disgusted look, "I can bet you the Headmistress just called in help. We've got to subdue these girls and get away, fast." Asuna let go of her sword, the weapon floating in midair as she smirked, "Easier said than done. She cupped each hand, "Ki in one hand, magic in the other. Bring them together..." As she did so Asuna seemed to explode with power, taking up her sword and attacking with inhuman speed. "The kankaho technique?!" Naoko murmured as Asuna began to tear into the bandits with a speed that matched Setsuna's, "I wonder if she'd agree to be studied..." As the bandits tried to rally the mage knights swept in on their brooms, Collet leading the charge. "Surrender now," she yelled as she and her fellow students readied spells, "or prepare for the consequences!" Pretty quickly things evolved into a rout, the bandits hideously outmatched by the schoolgirls and their allies. Once the bandits surrendered the mages bound them up and hauled them back to the city, leaving Setsuna, Asuna and Naoko to make their leisurely way back. "Thank you for driving the wagon," Setsuna said quietly as they rode back to town. "It's not your fault you two don't know how," Naoko said, smiling slightly. She winked, "Can I take the wagonering fee out of your reward?" Asuna laughed, "Maybe so." 'This isn't my Konoka,' Setsuna had to remind herself as they saw the happy students waiting to greet the heroes, 'no matter how much she looks like her...' To be continued... Note: Naoko Konoe is my creation, and is NOT a character from the Negima manga. Collet, however, is a character from the later chapters of the manga series.
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