Period 5: Baka Rangers Assemble!

"Alright class," Negi said on monday morning. "As I'm sure you all know by now, the end of term exams are less than a week away. So all week were going to have a special cram session every day!"

"Whaaaaaaat?" Most of the class cried out.

"I think it's a wonderful idea Sensei." Ayaka said.

"Every day is too much aru." Ku complained.

"Yeah Negi-kun, that's too mean!" Whined Makie.

"Well actually the truth is, something really bad will happen if we're the worst class in the year again." Negi began to sweat nervously. "So um, p-please do your best!"

"Eh, something bad?" Ku wondered aloud.

"Yeah what's that about Negi-kun?" Makie said.

"A-Anyway, let's start our cram session!" Negi sputtered.

What followed was a series of intense drills and quizzes. Most everyone was relieved when the bell rang.

"Finally it's over." Asuna groaned.

"Um actually Asuna-san," Negi said. "I would like you and the baka- uh, I mean I would like you, Ku Fei-san, Nagase-san, Makie-san, and Yue-san to stay after class for some extra tutoring."

"Hey, you were about to call us baka rangers again weren't you?" She growled.

"Uh, I-I'm sure I don't know what you mean Asuna-san." He said nervously.

"Baka ranger?" Mero asked. "I've heard Asuna-san use that term before. Tell me what is a baka ranger?"

"Basically they're the stupidest people in the school." Yuna answered. "Our class is always last place in our grade, but those five girls are dead last. A special kind of dumb."

Kagurazaka Asuna, Ku Fei, and Nagase Kaede, were all people Mero had marked as being potential threats. And of course there was Negi Springfeild himself.

"Sensei, may I stay for the lesson as well?"

"You Mero-san?" Negi said looking at her quiz. "Your results were actually quite good. there's no reason for you to stay."

"Am I not allowed?"

"No, it's not like you can't but-"

"Splendid. I will see you this afternoon sensei."

After school that day, Negi Springfeild, Mero Averruncus, and the five baka rangers gathered in their classroom. Ku who had changed from her school uniform into a traditional chinese qipao, somersaulted into the room.

"Mahora 2-A's. . . " She kneeled in a dramatic pose with her arms spread wide. "Baka yellow is here!"

Yue did a sliding dash stopping at her side in a similar pose.

"2-A's baka black is here."

Kaede towered over them from behind with one hand on her hip and the other thrust forward triumphantly.

"Baka blue reporting in De Gozaru!"

Makie who had changed into a pink leotard acrobatically flipped over her, landing in a split between Ku and Yue.

"Baka pink is ready for action!" She declared flashing a peace sign. They all held their poses and waited. "C'mon Asuna, that's your cue!"

"Damnit!" She cried. "Cut it out with all the 'baka ranger' crap already!"

Negi who had been eagerly watching the whole performance, stood up and clapped enthusiastically.

"Wow, that was so cool!"

"Heh heh" Makie smiled. "Did you like that Negi-kun?"

"Yes! You were just like the hero's from that show I saw recently, pow-"

"Oh I see," Mero said cutting him off. "They are assigned code names based on their hair color. So that would make Asuna-san baka orange? No I suppose baka red would be more appropriate."

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"Exactly!" Makie exclaimed. "Mero-chan you get it. But Asuna-san never wants to play and always screws up our combination."

"I am seriously going to hit you." Asuna scowled.

"Ahem." Negi cleared his throat and tried to compose himself. "Now that that's over with let's commence our after class lesson. I've prepared sample exams for all of you. You can't leave until you score at least a 6/10 okay?"

Yue was the first to leave with a perfect score of 10/10.

"Wow, that's amazing Yue-san!" Negi exclaimed. "See you can do it if you try!"

"Sorry Sensei. I just really hate studying." She admitted."

After the other baka rangers failed Negi gave a short lesson, then a second round of tests. This time Ku and Kaede both passed with a score of 8/10.

"Good job both of you!" Negi said.

"Yes. I still learning japanese. English is hard." Ku said.

"Oh yes, I remember Takamichi telling me your first language is chinese? It may be hard but please do your best!"

"Yes. Do my best!" She smiled and ruffled his hair.

After the next round of tests. Makie finally passed with a score of 6/10.

"Good job Makie-san, you just made it!" Negi said.

"Sorry for being so dumb Negi-kun." The pink haired girl said blushing. "Gymnastics practice doesn't leave too much time for studying."

After she had gone the only ones left in the room were Negi, Asuna, and Mero. After Asuna failed again she began shaking with anger.

"You still haven't passed yet?" Mero asked.

"Shut up!" Asuna shouted. "You can't do it either right?"

"No, I passed a long time ago." She said holding up her test, displaying the bright red 10/10 score.

"What, a perfect score? But how?!"

"It's not that difficult." She shrugged. "The alphabet and much of the vocabulary is similar to that of latin."

"What?" Negi looked up. "You know latin, Mero-san?"

"Yes. My . . . family made sure I had a thorough understanding of the language from a young age."

"I see . . ." For a moment his brow furrowed, like he was considering something important. "How nice. Now let's get back to the lesson."

X

"Geez, who does that brat think he is?" Asuna sighed as she walked into the dorm's bath.

"Ah, it's Asuna!" Makie said as she saw her approach.

"She escaped aru!" Said Ku. The other baka rangers were bathing as well, and Asuna sat down next to them.

"That Negi brat is being way too strict!" She continued. "Even if my grades are bad, this is an escalator school, so it's not like I can't go to high-school!"

"It's not that unreasonable." Yue said. "He is a teacher after all. Of course he would want his class to do well."

"Even so that was just too much!"

"Asuna, everyone! Big news!" They all looked up and saw Konoka running towards them.

"Huh? What's up Konoka?"

"Well actually there's a rumor that the class with the lowest scores on the exam will be broken up."

"What?" Everyone cried out simultaneously.

"But Mahora doesn't break up classes!" Asuna protested.

"I don't know I heard it from Sakurako." Konoka admitted. "And apparently the really dumb people will be held back and be sent all the way back to kindergarden!"

"Okay that's definitely a lie." Asuna said.

"Wait, didn't Negi-kun say this morning that something really bad would happen if we fail?" Makie realized.

"He was quite strict today De gozaro." Kaede said.

"Eh, that's true." Asuna realized. "Even if getting held back was just a rumor, maybe Negi would really be in trouble if we all fail."

"Either way, getting last place again would be bad aru." Ku said.

"Now that you think about it aren't we the ones holding back the rest of the class?" Makie said.

"Negi . . . what can we do?" Asuna wondered. "Wait Yue-chan, didn't you say something about a magic book before?"

"Yes, but the chances of it actually existing are-"

"No, it exists" Asuna said confidently. "It definitely exists! You have to believe Yue-chan!"

"I mean it's not like it's impossible right?" Makie suggested.

"Isn't library island full of traps aru?" Ku asked. "It could be good training."

"No" Yue said firmly. "I know I was the one that brought it up in the first place but you guys don't understand how dangerous that place is for novices."

"It'll be fine" Asuna assured her. "You and Honya-chan are experts at exploring that place right? With all of us going there's nothing to worry about!"

"I don't know . . ." Yue was still unsure.

"You needn't worry Yue-donno. Ku and I will take responsibility for our safety. You can count on us."

"Fine." Yue sighed. "But if we do this we need to be prepared. We should ask Mero-san to come too."

"Geh!" Asuna flinched uncomfortably. "What do want to bring her for?!"

"Sorry Asuna-san, I know you don't like her much, but we need as much help as possible. You saw how well she did in gym the other day. She could be even stronger than you."

"Grr, fine we'll ask her." Asuna relented. "But that brat probably won't want to come with us anyway. You'll see she won't even consider it!"

X

"A magic book?" Mero asked puzzled. After their bath Konoka Nodoka and the baka rangers had gathered outside her dorm room to recruit the mysterious girl.

"I know, it's completely ridiculous right?" Asuna said quickly. "Sorry to waste your time with something so stupid. Come on guys let's go!" She pivoted on her foot to leave as soon as possible.

"Please wait." The transfer student said halting her in her tracks. "What exactly is library island?"

"Allow me to explain." Yue said. "It sits in the middle of the lake at the center of Mahora. It's the largest library in the world established in the megi era with this academy. During World War II rare and important books from all over the world were moved there for safe keeping. As the collection grew the library was expanded underground and safety measures were put into place to protect it. Nowadays there isn't a single person who knows the layout of the entire island. That's why the library expedition club was formed, to uncover the secrets of library island."

"I see." Mero said. "Let me consider this for a moment."

Something like a magic book was nothing special. Magical tomes and spell books were all too common in her world. What really intrigued her was library island itself. What Yue described was perfectly reasonable. It was common for skilled mages to erect fortresses and traps to safeguard their treasures. She already knew there was a magical power source somewhere on campus. Could this library island really be it? It would explain why she hadn't found anything during her search the day before. If it was she could use the library expedition club lead her there.

"Alright," she said after a few seconds. "I will accompany you."

"Eh, just like that?" Asuna said in disbelief.

"Yes. Let's go to library island."