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Stepping out of the Narita International Airport, Negi’s first impression of Japan was that it was busy. Heathrow didn’t hold a candle to the number of people and vehicles he was witnessing just outside Narita. His second impression was that it was really crowded.  The ten-years old might stuck out of the crowd with his red hair, but he was still very short. The masses moved around him and moved him, and so poor Negi couldn’t even see five feet ahead. It didn’t really help that the boy, as much of a genius as he was, wasn’t used to the break-neck fast pace of the metropolitan life and so had understandably but unwisely stopped a moment to get his bearings. Right in front of one of Japan’s busiest airport’s doors.

NEGI SPRINGFIELD

“Wah!” He cried as he stumbled after being pushed, again.

The crowds were so big he was going to end up trampled for sure! To think he would fail his assignment before even beginning it. No, he couldn’t! Negi steeled himself. If he used just a bit of magic, wind or a sleepiness spell, maybe that would calm down the crowd enough for him to escape.

Fate seemed to give him a break however, as a large hand clamped on his shoulder and gently guided him out of the press of bodies. “Yo, Negi-sensei.”

Negi looked up to the somewhat scuffed older man in a white suit.”Takamichi! Thank God,  I was starting to get desperate!” He cried.

The older man took a drag out of his cigarette, smiling at the boy’s antics. “Not used to the city bustle, are you?”

TAKAHATA T. TAKAMICHI

“I never thought it would be this bad…” He admitted as he adjusted the staff tied to his backpack, nearly as long as himself. “Is it like this everywhere?”

“No, outside of the big cities and the busiest places, Japan’s actually a pretty quiet country.”

“What about where I’m being stationed?”

“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that.” Chuckled Takahata.

Negi sighed in relief. He didn’t know if he could deal with such an insane environment everyday. “Anyway Takamichi, thank you for the ride. It saves me a lot of time in trains and buses. Is this your car?”

“Yeah,” The adult produced the keys for the small blue car out of his pockets. “Don’t you have any more bags,  Negi-kun?”

“My sis is sending the rest of my things later. I decided to come right away instead of next week, so I didn’t really have time to get everything packed.” Negi said as he sat on the back seat. He had spent the last days organizing his papers and learning as much Japanese as he could. The little he had known before was only good for his limited conversations with Takamichi. “A good first impression is important!”

“It’s good to see you’re still taking things seriously, Negi-kun.” Smiled the other teacher. “How is Nekane by the way?”

“Sis is doing good. She’s a bit worried about me and Anya right now though. I’ll have to write home a lot. Would you like me to send a message too?”

Takahata hummed.  “Maybe I would Negi-kun. In the meantime, it’s still a good way until Tokyo. Want to hear some stories about my class? You might find them useful. Or scary.”

“S-scary?”

“Let me tell you about these two students I have…”

“We have visuals. Cameras on the airport confirmed his identity and we’ve been tracking him ever since. But there shouldn’t be any breaks in surveillance unless they take an obscure route.” The speaker, a teen with blue hair, adjusted his glasses. He wore a getup in white with several belts of optic fibers running into pouches and devices. He thumbed the smartphone in his hand and added sarcastically. “Like, say, about 60% of the streets in Tokyo. The ones you might want to use to avoid traffic jams.”

“However… We’ll have an algorithm tracking the car before they reach those sections.” Dressed similarly, a visibly younger orange-haired girl continued, a tablet in hand. “But since we don’t have audio of any kind… We can’t run a lip-reading software either, not with this kind of image quality. Moreover,” She took a moment to adjust her own glasses, a scowl briefly marring her features. “He’s with Death Glasses Sensei. 100% facial match confirmed.”

TAKAHATA T. TAKAMICHI

DEATH GLASSES

Taking in the view over her domain, back ramrod straight, hands on her sword hilt, their superior didn’t turn to answer them. “There’s no need for panic, Inumuta, Hasegawa. Takahata and the Thousand Master were companions. It’s only natural that he would support his son. Especially now.”

“But…” The teen raised his eyebrows.

HONNOUJI STUDENT COUNCIL

INFORMATION AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR

INUMUTA HOUKA

“Satsuki-sama…” The girl burrowed hers.

HONNOUJI STUDENT COUNCIL

INFORMATION AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR

HASEGAWA CHISAME

“The best spy is the unknowing one.” Her eyes, sharp as drawn steel, followed something unidentifiable in the distance. Behind her, Inumuta muttered a small praise to their enemies and Hasegawa clucked her tongue. “Keep an eye on them but don’t intervene. Dismissed.”

“Yes, Satsuki-sama.” The pair bowed at the waist before leaving, bickering over the best re-routing methods.

Only after their voices had faded did the third figure on top of that world move. Satsuki turned away from the bird’s eye view offered by the perch and went to sit instead on a comfortable-looking chair that was placed on the terrace, a small garden table alone with it. Even while relaxing the girl, almost woman, demanded respect; the hime-like appearance contrasting with the utterly serious expression and aura of command. Even her clothes reflected her attitude, a military-like cut to the jacket and tight pants.

The last of the four that had stood on the roof together was a blonde girl in a modified hakama to look more like a school uniform. Despite the bokken strapped to her waist, she had remained in the background, invisible like all good servants.

Now, she served tea.

With a nod of acknowledgement, Satsuki accepted the teacup and sipped calmly at the brew. Then she spoke. “This is the beginning, isn’t it, Chao?”

A fifth person, someone who had not been on the terrace until then, stopped right next to the chair and leaned on it. “Straight to business as always, Satsuki-chan.” She mock-sighed. “No fun at all.” She obviously did not belong, wearing a uniform from another school, a plaid skirt and red jacket. Black hair was tied into a pair bun on the sides of her head, two small braids escaping them. Mischievous eyes glinted above rosy cheeks.

MYSTERIOUS MARTIAN MASTERMIND

CHAO LINGSHEN

“But of course.” The eldest of the trio gestured for another cup of tea to be served to their guest. “I have no time for meaningless pleasantries.”

HONNOUJI STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT

KIRYUUIN SATSUKI

Chao sighed again, but this time with a true undercurrent of tiredness. “You really should give it a rest every once in a while, but if you haven’t listened to me before, it isn’t now that you will. Plus, it would be really hypocritical of me, wouldn’t it?” A cup was held into her direction and she gratefully accepted it, stepping out to admire the view herself. “Thank you Tsuku-chan! Soroi-san’s tea is really the best. How’s your club going by the way?”

The blonde in the hakama bowed her head slightly, a smirk on her lips as her fingers tapped the hilt of her bokken. “Starting to show some promise after all.”

KENDO CLUB PRESIDENT

SOROI TSUKUYOMI

“High praise coming from you.” Chao nodded. “But that’s good. Our forces are finally straightening up.”

“Because the time is coming?” Satsuki didn’t lose the thread of the conversation.

“I’m unsure,” Admitted Chao. “The records were never reliable in the first place, and I’ve changed too much already… But it’s certainly pointing that way. Negi Springfield coming to Japan messed with a lot of plans but it also advanced an equally important number of plans. On both sides. He was not the decisive factor for this war, being more involved in the Inner World conflicts that are starting to pop up.”

Kiryuuin took the teacup to her lips, ever-present frown minutely deeper. “And there is no way for me to convince you to finally tell me about that.”

“Sorry.” Chirped the younger girl. “We’re really alike in the end, ne?”

Silence stretched for a minute as the two drank their tea. When Satsuki finished her cup, she changed the topic. “What about your own plans?”

“Everything’s moving into place, some faster than others. I’m slightly worried about some things, but overall it’s good.Should the timeline be correct, I’ll make my move just after yours.” Chao bit her lip. “We can’t afford to lose in either front. Too much instability on the geo-political scale could tip things into full-blown fighting, but even that would be better than the forced segregation between worlds…” She stopped, lest she start going on about the stupidity of the old, rigid system. Just being near Kiryuuin Satsuki made her allies bolder, willing to go the extra length.

“First, the world will have to survive the Life Fibers.” Reminded her said high-school student. “But know that you have Honnouji’s Academy support. I will not succeed just to have the world burn around me.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from Satsuki-chan. You know I’ll stand with you when the time comes too.” Chao set down the cup and saucer on the small table. “I think I’ll go pay a visit to Satomi-chan before returning to Mahora.”

“Hakase should be with her club this time of the day.”

“By the way, who did you send to welcome him?”

Satsuki’s lips quirked just a bit upwards. “Reception of new students and the like falls into the Disciplinary Committee’s purview.”

Chao sweatdropped. “Ara. Poor Negi-sensei.” Then she disappeared into thin air, leaving Satsuki and Tsukuyomi alone in the terrace.

“So this is it.” Negi pressed his face against the window, trying to get a better angle. From the waters of Tokyo Bay rose a hill, a mountain filled with buildings and streets and topped by a shining white complex.

HONNOUJI ACADEMY

“I knew it was an island on the bay, but it’s so big. It’s really one of the major landmarks. Is the Giant Tree at Mahora this big too? It didn’t look like it from the photos you sent me.”

Takamichi laughed. “Not even the World Tree is this big, Negi-kun. Though it might be as wide as the school itself. I’ve never really been up there myself.”

Negi blinked in confusion. “The school? Isn’t it that?”

“Not all of that. Honnouji Academy is at the very top of what is called Honnou City.” He started explaining. “See all of that? That’s a self-contained city built around the dormitories for the students and their families. That many people together attract business. Food, health, maintenance and upkeep, and other services that aren’t essential like entertainment. We have something similar at Mahora, but our campus is spread horizontally, so it meshes with the actual city instead of being isolated like in Honnouji.”

“It’s very impressive.” Negi hadn’t even gotten there yet, but he could already guess at the size of the mini-city, layered on top of itself like a mountain. There were a number of what he guessed were ferry terminals around it and one long single road suspended over the waters of Tokyo Bay that continued upwards in a spiral until it reached the peak.

“Indeed.” Nodded Takamichi. “The artificial island begun construction after the Second Great War, and it was spurred practically alone by the Kiryuuin Clan. It’s not like the Kiryuuin hadn’t participated in initiatives like that before, the clan was one of Mahora’s initial investors for example, but it was a project on a scale never seen before. At the time it sounded like madness, spending that much money on something that would never be finished, but now it’s as normal as Tokyo Tower. A landmark. Up until three years ago, Honnouji was a very private institution that only accepted students from a certain background and conducted private research.” He hummed, lost in thought. “I heard it was Kiryuuin Satsuki’s entrance that changed things.”

“Ah, who is she?” The boy mage’s attention had been grabbed by the Kiryuuin name drop.

“The current heir to the Kiryuuin Clan. I’ve met her a few times. She’s a very interesting person. Ah, look, we’re almost there.” Takamichi took a hand off the steering wheel to point at the bridge that connected to their destination. It was even more impressive up close. Negi wowed at the great half arches as they passed underneath them. The car slowed to a stop near the island itself and Takamichi turned in his seat. “You’ll probably meet her soon enough. Tell her hello for me, would you Negi-kun?”

“Sure.” Negi shook his hand, face serious. “Thanks again, Takamichi. I’ll see if I’ll be able to visit Mahora one of these days.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” The older man chuckled, already imagining the toils his young companion would soon be exposed to as a teacher. “See you later, Negi-kun.”

Negi closed the door behind him and waved as Takahata reversed directions and left. “Bye!”

Then he turned and looked up. Honnou City towered above him, catching the sun the above and casting it’s huge shadow over Negi. Somewhere up there was Honnouji Academy, the place where he would complete his training. It was intimidating. But it was Negi’s first step to become a Magister Magi. He would succeed!

“Excuse me, are you Negi Springfield?”

“Yes. That’s… meep.” Negi turned and looked up and up and up. Behind him stood the biggest person he had ever seen. Over 8 feet tall he seemed even bigger than the artificial island from Negi’s perspective. His features were vaguely occidental for a japanese, and he had dark skin and blond hair. Just to make him more imposing, he stood in parade rest in his white, military-like dress uniform, spikes on his shoes, shoulders and gauntlets.

“Pardon me,” Said the giant politely. “But could you repeat yourself?”

Negi blinked once. He cleared his throat. Time to be brave. “Yes, I’m Negi Springfield!” He declared.

TEACHER IN JAPAN

NEGI SPRINGFIELD

The giant smiled and boomed. “Very well! Negi Springfield-sensei, I am Gamagori Ira! Disciplinary Committee Chair!”

STUDENT COUNCIL

DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE CHAIR

GAMAGOORI IRA

Two rows of high-school students filled behind him, parade drums and trumpets filling the air with a clarion. Gamagoori spread his arms. “And on the behalf of Kiryuuin Satsuki-sama and the students of this Academy, we welcome you to Honnouji Academy!”

WELCOME TO HONNOUJI ACADEMY

–
Mahora and Honnouji are both crazy. So I had to cross them.
Kamui are now Kanka-boosting symbionts, Satsuki has less margin than error to compensate for the ki and magic powerups she gets (and the time traveler), Mako is a magical battery, Negi stays with the Mankanshokus, Ryouko has less luck while drifting, Tsukuyomi gets her redemption story (and a Nui hate-boner), Ragyo is now more terrifying than ever.
Also, Kiryuin Satsuki’s activation key is Kill La Kil! For the awesome.