Magister Negi Magi is owned by Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo in Japan, and by Funimation and Kodansha USA in the United States, NOT by me.

Other characters are also the property of their respective creators and owners, not me.

Some characters created by kafka'sdragon for his 'Markham Chronicles Negima' story are used here with his permission. Kafka'sdragon often contributes ideas, paragraphs, or entire sections of a chapter, and such help is much appreciated.

Jose Martin first appears in Mage War chapter twenty-two. This is his origin story, and it takes place between 2005 and 2010.

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"By reaching out to her, I was simply working to fulfill The Great Commission."
-Father Infigo

Not Always a Mage and Other Stories of Mahora

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Calm Spring Day

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(Buenos Aeries, Argentina)

If it hadn't been for the sneeze, Shirabe doubted she would have even noticed the child, huddling in a deep doorway and shivering from the chill of an early spring rain…

Following Otto's funeral, she had eventually been drawn by the comfort he'd seemed to find in a simple song, back to the Catholic Church where she'd heard it the day he died.

In a way… it was an uncomfortable experience…

Speaking about a man from the distant past, who by the descriptions of his deeds seemed to have been some kind of mage, the padre of the church had spoken about the miracles the man had performed…

Healing was not that uncomfortable or difficult to understand, but talk of driving out demons was…

Shirabe did not consider herself to be a demon; she was dragon-kin; but she also understood that there were those who would not bother themselves with the reality of the differences… they would lump her in with those who did the things the mage from the past worked to deal with, and react accordingly…

When the padre finished and gave the dismissal, Shirabe got up to leave. Somehow though he managed to reach the door before her, and asked that she stay…

Past experience screamed that running would be best, but her sense of the man's character said that he was no threat…

After the congregation was gone, the padre invited her to sit in a pew, before taking a seat in the one directly across the aisle from her.

Their discussion centered mostly on his sense that she seemed a bit lost, and unsure of herself… which was true, as far as it went, then moved along to other mundane things; places the two of them had been and such, before finally ending with an invitation to come and help at the church, if she wished to do so…

Shirabe felt terribly confused when the padre finally said his goodbyes and went to attend the confessional. Not once had such a thing even been hinted at, but she had the feeling he knew exactly what she was…

Part of the message of the mage from the past had been one of forgiveness of one's enemies…

Shirabe wasn't sure about that… maybe… maybe she could forgive Negi Springfield and his Ala Alba… but there were others… other where doing such a thing would be difficult…

Another part of his message; about helping people in need; that was easy to understand…

Though it generally meant sending those suffering in the Mundus Magicus to Kosmo Entelecheia, she and Fate; as well as most of the others; had occasionally helped many who could not otherwise have helped themselves…

In fact; if Fate had not helped her originally; for whatever his reasons had been; she would not now be where she was, filled with uncertainty about the future…

Looking at the child in the doorway, Shirabe felt as if some point of decision had been reached… that whatever she did next would have consequences beyond what could be imagined at the moment…

Leaving the child would be easy… helping it would not be…

On her own, or anytime the need arose to react swiftly to something, the only one she needed to worry about was herself…

If she helped the child; it could become a vulnerability… she knew with certainty that the Cabal Magicus would not hesitate to threaten it to secure her cooperation in some matter…

Following another sneeze came a wracking cough… the child was obviously sick, and before Shirabe realized it, she was approaching the deep doorway… "Hello? Are you okay?"

Startled, the child jumped up, but instead of trying to run past Shirabe, it cowered even deeper into the doorway. At that point she realized bandages were wrapped around its eyes, and understood what was going on… "Are you blind?"

Hesitantly, the child gave a sharp nod.

Taking another step forward, Shirabe let the tips of her fingers lightly brush the child's hand. "I am blind as well."

Seemingly calmed by such an unaggressive touch, the child's shivering lessened. "How… how can you see me then, Senora?"

Moving her hand, Shirabe wrapped the fingers lightly around those of a child whose voice seemed to be that of a young boy. "I've trained my hearing and other senses… It's not perfect; especially when it's raining like this; but it serves me well enough."

Following a wet sneeze, the boy entwined his hand with Shirabe's. "Ple… please Senora… If you could let me stay in your home for a day; or at least until the rain stops…"

Fully meshing her fingers with those of the young boy, Shirabe gently drew him out of the doorway and under her umbrella. "You must bathe; since I also noticed your aroma; but I will allow you to do so if you agree to that stipulation."

Still seeming edgy, but much calmer than before, the boy nodded before following along in his apparent benefactors wake.

After finally turning onto the street leading to her apartment, Shirabe faced towards the boy on the end of her arm. "I am Shirabe; what is your name?"

Reacting to the sound of Shirabe's voice, the boy turned towards it. "I… I am José, Senora... I think my last name is Martin… but I haven't said it since before I started living on the streets…"

Feeling a sense of peace she couldn't explain: Shirabe gave the boy's hand a reassuring squeeze. "José it is then. Once we've reached my apartment and you're all cleaned up, we'll see about getting you a bit of food."

Lingering worry still apparent in the shiver of his grip, José nodded. "Gracias, Senora."

tsuzuku

tsuzuku

Author's Notes:

Father Infigo: Contemporary and occasional working companion in South America to Sisters Misora Kasuga and Cocone Rosa.

The Cabal Magicus: A group in kafka'sdragon's 'Markham Chronicles Negima' that for a time held Shirabe Shido under their control.