Mahou Sensei Negima! 216

1
[insert text: What will happen next? Nobody knows! The biggest festival ever held is about to begin!!]
[Text: A few hours before Negi and Asuna's reunion]
Ako: Aahhh! // This place sure is more lively than back in Granicus~! / And the festival isn't even started yet, is it? [aside]pretty impressive...[/aside] // What's going on over there?

2
Mahou Sensei Negima!
Period 216: Love Is An Illusion??
[insert text: Nobody can wait for the Grand Fighting Tournament!!]
Crowd: Two thousand on North! // Three thousand on South!
Ako: Ouch!
Natsumi: What is this...?
Kotarou: Must be a betting match. They're a big attraction of the festival.

3
Kotarou: Sure, there are parades and all the rest to go and see, but the biggest attraction of this festival is the "betting matches". // They can be official or unofficial, small-scale or large-scale, but they're all over the place. // You have street-fights like the one we just saw, classic broom races... // Hell, they even have jousting between dragon lancers - anything you can bet on. // Well, in a nutshell, it's like the entire town turns into a kind of savage Olympics... or something?
Natsumi: What the heck...
Kotarou: And of course, the biggest "betting match" of all... // ...is the tournament that we're gonna be entering. // The Nagi Springfield Cup.
Natsumi: Wow...

4
Natsumi: But hey... // Do you really think you can enter a huge tournament like that and actually come out on top...?
Kotarou: Damn right we can! Who the hell do you think we are?!
[TN: Man, he's like a Kansai-ben version of Kamina :p]
Natsumi: S - stop putting on that cool act already, Kota - Kojirou-kun!!
Kotarou: Hm? What's wrong?
Natsumi: It's being all overconfident like that that makes you screw up when it really matters! / [aside]oh, and those sunglasses are just creepy! really creepy![/aside]
Kotarou: Whaat?!
Ako: Ahahahah, just look at those two going at it! // They look like such a cute couple!
Akira: (A "cute couple"... // Though really... / ...they're actually more like this... // But you know, Ako... // ...it's just the same with you... because Nagi-san's really...)
Negi: Ako-san! And everyone else! Out shopping, are you?

5
Negi: Come on... if you're going shopping, you could at least invite me!
Ako: Ah - hi there, Nagi-san!
Negi: Now, shall I hold these for you? They look heavy...
Ako: Oh - but -
Negi: Don't be shy... // See? Much easier this way!
Natsumi: Ahhh! That's incredible...! / [aside]guess that's a mage for you![/aside]
Kotarou: [aside]uh-huh...[/aside]
Ako: ......
Akira: Aaaahhhhh...

6
Akira: I... // I just can't take it any more, Murakami, Hasegawa! // I just can't stand seeing Ako like this!
Natsumi: C - Come now, Akira...
Chisame: Yeah, calm down, Ookouchi.
Akira: How am I supposed to calm down?! She's such an innocent girl... // What's going to happen when she finds out the guy she loves doesn't even exist...?! // [aside]aaaahhh // waaaahhh[/aside]
Natsumi: Yeah, it's almost as shocking as seeing you all flustered like this!
Akira: Ahh... // I - I'm sorry... I know we have plenty of more important things to be worrying about...
Chisame: No, no, Ookouchi, don't sweat it. This is a pretty major deal.

7
Chisame: But you know, the quickest and most painless way to solve the problem... / ...would be to have Ako confess her feelings to him and get turned down. // And I seem to recall you're the one who stopped her doing that.
Akira: O - Ohh... // But... with the way Ako is right now... that's just not an option! // [aside]I mean, the rejection would hit her really hard and everything...[/aside]
Chisame: It's true... ever since she fell ill under such nasty circumstances, Izumi's been in pretty bad health and everything. / I think it's only because he's been acting as a kind of emotional support that she's made it this far. // ...But think about it. There really is no "happy end" to all this, is there?
Akira: I... I know that, but still...
Chisame: Well... I suppose there is one way to give this whole thing a "semi-happy" end...
Natsumi: Whaaa?!
Akira: Wh - What's that...?
Chisame: First of all, we have her confess to him!
Akira: Whaa?! [aside]are you sure?[/aside]
Imaginary!Ako: [aside]please go out with me!![/aside]
Chisame: Then we have him accept her!
Natsumi: Whaaaaaa?!
Akira: And - and then what?
Chisame: So Nagi goes on to win the tournament... free you guys from your slavery... and then...!
Akira: And then?!

8
Chisame: Nagi dies a tragic death of the wounds he received in the final match!!! [aside](or so we let her think!)[/aside]
Imaginary!Nagi: [aside]Ako-san... live on... without... me...[/aside]
Imaginary!Ako: [aside]Nagi-sa~~~~n!![/aside]
Natsumi: Whaaaaaa?!
Akira: He DIES?!!
Chisame: And so though Nagi is "dead", their love lives on forever in Izumi's heart...! / [aside]it's beautiful...[/aside]
Imaginary!Ako: [aside]Nagi-san...[/aside]
Natsumi: NO! NO WAY!
Akira: That's not a "happy end" at all!
Chisame: You think...? We avoid any future complications... I'd say it's a pretty neat little plan. // [aside]I mean, if he's alive, it just makes things messy later... // It's a fitting end for a fictional man...[/aside]
Natsumi: NO! NO WAY! NO GO! / [aside]that would be the trauma of a lifetime![/aside]
Akira: A thing like that could screw with her whole life!
Ako: Ahhhh! // It's pretty lively here in the arena, too! // Well, they are preparing for the world's biggest festival...!

9
Ako: I'd better work hard, too! // Ahhh... so cozy... // Mmmmmm~~~♪ They smell of the sun...
Tosaka: [aside]dammit, that stupid Nagi bastard...[/aside]
Ako: Ahh!
Tosaka: Ugh!
Ako: Ah - I'm very sorry -
Tosaka: Try looking where you're going, you little... // ...Huh, what's this? // YOU again...?
Ako: Ahh... // Tosaka...san...

10
Tosaka: That's "sama" to you! To-sa-ka-SAMA! Stupid little girl... // And what the hell d'you think you're doin' walking around all cozy-like with the washing... hm? // Nagi's clothes... // Ahah...! // Aw, how cute! What, were you sniffing around in his clothes, now, were you?
Ako: [aside]n - // no, I -[/aside]
Tosaka: Hahahaaaah! I thought you were acting a bit funny - so that's what it was about, was it, brat?! Little slave got the hots for the big warrior? // Well, hey, I say you make a great couple! The clueless rich boy and the pathetic little slave! / Wonder what you were thinking about with your nose buried in your prince's loins, eh, you pervy little brat! Heheheh! // But man, this could be quite the scandal now, couldn't it? He's pretty big stuff right now, after all, and you're a worthless little slave... // [aside]what would the fans think?[/aside] // Oh, yeah, I know he's doing that whole big-shot warrior deal so he can buy you out and set you free. Man, ain't that just the sweetest thing!
Ako: ......

11
Tosaka: Oh? And what the hell d'you think you're glaring at? / You little slave bitch...
Ako: Why...
Tosaka: Hmm?
Ako: Why are you... // ...always picking fights with us like this...? // (Me, fine... but treating Nagi-san like this...!) // ...I don't care. You can say whatever you like about me. // But... but just so you know... I could never possibly lose... // ...to a worthless man like you!
Tosaka: ...... // ...Fine. / Then I'll make myself nice an' clear too. // Screwed-up slaves like you who don't know your place... // ...and poncey little rich kids like that Nagi without an ounce of brains in their heads, who walk around like they' own the place just 'cause they can fight a little...

12
Tosaka: I fuckin' hate the lot of ya - ! // ...ahh...
Furry: HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THESE KIDS ARE WORTH A HELL OF A LOT MORE THAN YOU?!!
Tosaka: I want my mummy~~!
Furry: And to think, you have the nerve to actually try and attack a defenceless young girl...!! // Wahahahahah! I think we really told him there, didn't we, Ako-chan!
Ako: I - I'm very sorry...
Furry: Oh, no, I sure don't mind you putting him in his place once in a while! // ...Still, I wouldn't think too badly of him. // He's just a little excited, really... he hasn't been back to his hometown in some while.
Ako: Hometown...?

13
Furry: The ruins stretched out under that cloud over there.
Ako: !
Furry: Twenty years ago, when the war ended, the islands fell from the sky... / An entire country disappeared. // I was still a young girl in my teens back then, and Tosaka was just a five-year-old kid.
Ako: ...
Furry: We ended up living as slaves until we managed to earn our freedom. [aside]well, it was better than ending up as refugees.[/aside]
Ako: That... must have been really difficult...
Furry: Oh, it wasn't that bad! / Besides, just because he's been through some tough times is no excuse to act like that all the time. // Next time he tries anything you just tell me. / I'll beat the crap out of him!
Ako: ...O - Okay.
Tosaka: ...Ugh, life's been like crap ever since those kids showed up...

14
Tosaka: Hm... // Hmmm? // That stumpy robe with the hole in the back... // I'm sure that's the robe that asshole's always taking obsessive care of for some reason. // Hah... // It really is that punk Nagi... / Ugh, that face of his never fails to piss me off... // But what's he doing hanging around in a back alley like that? // ...? // ?! // Transformation magic? // Come to think of it, he did say something about heading out to see the city or whatever... / But why would he transform into a kid...? / [aside]not to mention, that's some pretty high-level magic![/aside] // ......

15
Tosaka: Hmm... I get the feeling I've seen that face somewhere... // Ahh...! // Could it be...?!
Negi: Whew... / It's getting pretty late... // But I never thought I'd run into Asuna-san and the others today like that~! // [aside]I'm so glad I went out on reconnaissance...! // She seemed to be just fine... // [aside]thank goodness...[/aside] // ...... // Right! Let's head back.

16
Negi: Ohh, but first, I have to turn back into Nagi... // Heheh, the security is pretty low here in Ostia... / ...it's easier for me to move around as wanted-man Negi than as celebrity Nagi...
Ako: Negi-kun?
Negi: Huh...?
Ako: Negi-kun! // It is Negi-kun!
Negi: Ako-san?
Ako: So you made it out here to Ostia...! You look well!
Negi: Ah - yes...
Ako: Are Makie and Yuuna and the others with you?
Negi: Ah... it looks like Makie-san and the others should be arriving sometime soon...
Ako: But man... // I was really surprised when I ended up here!

17
Ako: I could never have guessed that you and your cousin Nagi-san came from a mysterious world like this...!
Negi: Oh, no, it's my first time here too... // Ako-san... I'm very sorry. It's my fault you got caught up in all of this...
Ako: Oh, no... It was our fault for following you after you told us not to! // ...Although it has been pretty tough...! // About a hundred times more tough than my work back at Mahora!
Negi: (I have to be careful she doesn't realise that Nagi and I are the same person... // Since it looks like Chisame-san really didn't want her to know for some reason...)
Ako: Negi-kun...
Negi: Yes?
Ako: I... I couldn't possibly ask him to his face... // But... the reason Nagi-san is doing all this just for us... // Is it because you asked him to?
Negi: Y - Yes, that's right...

18
Ako: Man, it must be tough on him...
Negi: Huh...? Oh, no, really...
Ako: I mean, Nagi-san doesn't really even have anything to do with any of us, but he's fighting in all those dangerous matches just to help us...
Negi: Oh, I'm sure it - it's fine, really - he's just a very nice person...
Ako: A nice person... yeah... he is a real nice person...
Negi: Ako-san...?
Ako: You know... Negi-kun... // I really... like Nagi-san.
Negi: Wha - ?
[insert text: The curtain is finally drawn on a love that can never be realised...?!]