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Chapter Text

I welcome you, person who has entered this fanfic, or rather, the first arc of it. I'm Regularbluejay-girl.

For those who already know my work, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support and recommendations I have received throughout this account, I will continue learning to continue bringing you material.

----------------------------- Thanks to all <3 :D ----------------------------

For those who are just reading my work, I will say the same thing I say in the introductions: If there are inconsistencies about some things regarding what you know about the lore of Doraemon, I apologize as I'm still learning about the lore thanks to what I see in the Japanese and Spanish fandom, so I will continue improving. And if you find spelling and/or writing mistakes, again, sorry.

The series and its characters are property of Fujiko Fujio.

Now straight to the point, for this occasion, it will be an Alternative Universe of the series where magic will be the center of the world. And YES, I know that there is already a movie about that that even has a remake, but here it's directly an existing world and not created by an gadget. Also it will be of the school/fantasy type. As it is an AU, the personality of some characters may be somewhat different from the canon

Everything is based on materials and lores about magic schools, yes, I like to soak up information about something before basing myself on any theme.

Very well, then let's start with this new adventure.

Chapter Text

It was a Friday in a classroom in Tokyo, some students were talking to each other while one of them just looked at the blue sky. The teacher of that class had the curtains of the windows closed and turned on a projector, the boy who was looking out the window let out a sigh of annoyance because his view had been interrupted, the teacher called everyone's attention to focus on what was going to be projected.

A video began to play on the projector and the voice of an elderly man could be heard:

Hello to all the kids who are watching this video as part of the end of their journey in elementary school, you have already learned the basics of math, language, history of magic, science, music and regular gymnastics. I hope you have enjoyed that path because soon you will have a new path to follow.

But first, a reminder of what you have learned in history of magic wouldn't be bad.

Long ago, when the world began to live, a cosmic entity formed by stars larger than the planet itself gave a gift to the nascent world: The power of magic.

That power reached each and every living being, humans and animals received a gift that was formed inside them, something they would have to live with for the rest of their days, but that would give them the freedom to do unimaginable things. Thanks to this, fantastic creatures also appeared in the world. All with the same power inside them that ended up being baptized as the Mystical Power (You can see in the video a golden sphere lodged inside the body as a vital organ) that produces manna, the access to magic. Future generations ended up being born with this power.

But just as there is light, there is also darkness. The antithesis of the Mystical Power, called Dark Power, also fulfilled the same function, but it was somewhat complicated and dangerous to understand.

However, both those of the Mystical Power and those of the Dark Power lived together, since they hadn't yet experienced the gift of the Goddess Andromeda, the entity that was called that by humans and magical beings in gratitude for receiving the power of magic.

At first, humans from both sides were known as Wizard, the humans who possessed the Mystical Power, used the power of magic through magic wands (Wooden wands of all kinds are shown). Humans who were possessors of the Dark Power didn't need channelers to use magic, they could do it with their own hands.

The world advanced and all living beings learned, grew and loved, civilizations began to form, as did the relationship of wizards with mystical creatures as dark creatures. Until a certain moment 600 years ago, some wizards of dark power rebelled wanting to impose their ideals on others, even on wizards of the same power. It was said that it was because someone had incited those wizards to take everything by force, someone who lives to this day and who remains an enemy of good.

There was a terrible war that lasted for years, many lost their lives including magical creatures who fought with the Mystic Power wizards, against the rebel Dark Power wizards and the dark creatures who decided to take the side of those who wanted more.

When everything seemed to be lost, 4 Mystic Power wizards decided to join forces and lead the last battle along with one more who also lives to this day, but who was as valuable at that time as the 4 wizards.

The Mystic Pillars as they called the group that motivated them to continue fighting, came from different lifestyles, with different personalities but going to one result, winning the fight against the rebels, which was achieved, peace returned to Earth.

However, with gain comes loss, not only the material or the lives that were lost, but the most forceful and difficult decision for wizards of both types of power.

With a pain in their hearts but with the fear that everything would repeat itself, it was decided that Mystic and Dark Power Wizards COULDN'T live together. Being the older population due to the result of the war, the Mystic Power wizards stayed to live in the usual villages, while the Dark Power wizards had to go to villages that the adults built to live in, which according to them was the best for everyone.

Leaders of all countries agreed on this measure, including Japan, who sent the Dark Power Wizards to live as an exile because of the war they didn't start. Creating parallel cities but a little smaller than the existing ones, the dark creatures that remained were also exiled to deep and gloomy forests that they called Dark Forests, whose passage was forbidden for the Mystic Power Wizards.

The sad thing about the matter is that relatives had to separate because they didn't have the same power, they didn't want to do it, but the world pressure because of the war gave them no other option.

Due to the events that led to the war, the Dark Power Wizards were called Renegades, while the Mystic Power Mages kept the name of Wizard, simply.

New rules of control were created for a balance between good and evil, they weren't to blame but they paid for the mistake of their fellow men, the pain lasted for years but little by little it decreased until a rule was created: Wizards and Renegades must live separately.

It didn't matter if there were no more fights between both sides, it was a rule that came to stay.

The world leaders decided to create the M.C.G or Mystical Control Group. A special group of wizards who would monitor not only the activities of the renegades but the births of babies in the world (Like an FBI style intelligence center). Having spies and informants everywhere.

The Renegades couldn't go to the territories of Wizards and vice versa, if the M.C.G found out about it, they would look for the intruder and take him back to the city where he came from.

The part of the birth, which was the sign of joy for the parents, became the time with the most tension and suspense. In the monitoring using magic, not only could you see if the baby was a boy or a girl, but you could also know the type of power they had during the time inside the womb.

And if it didn't match, it was the sad moment, since the health centers had to notify the M.C.G and they would give the not so beloved Extraction Order.

A paper order that was not only used with intruders but with newborns, when notified, the parents would know that they would have to give the baby to the M.C.G as soon as it was born, who would take this to a relative of their same power, or if they didn't have one, it would be assigned to a legal guardian who would take their to a nearby city. The chances that the baby's power didn't match that of the parents were minimal, but there were those cases, with parents sad about having to let the baby go.

There was also a chance of a diagnostic error from the baby monitors that were checked when the children started learning magic, but it was an even lower probability but not impossible.

If there was resistance, both wizards and renegades were fined with basic salaries and even jail for years for breaking the major rule; Wizards and Renegades must live separately.

The M.C.G's aren't cruel either, they just do their job, and they let family members communicate with each other with messenger owls, phones, and crystal balls with video calls, in that sense, the rule wasn't broken. Tutors and family members reported how the babies grew until they could communicate for themselves.

The group also helped when some dangerous dark creature gets into the wizard cities, so the opinion of the population on both sides was somewhat neutral and divided.

The antithesis cities of the renegades were not so different from normal cities, what changed was the population that did not use the symbols of the wizard factions. And some black because the leaders of the cities thought it was a good idea.

The Wizards decided to create Magic Factions in honor of the Mystic Pillars of that time, creating 4 in total, one for each wizard.

At first the factions were groups of wizards following the ideals of the 4 pillars, but later they realized that they became their destinies of lifestyle and magic. The custom of belonging to a faction became a kind of initiation into the world of magic, where the lines of destiny and magic would be in charge of assigning you where you belong.

All wizards belong to a faction, or else there would be the possibility of being a renegade. Another law to the list, since the renegades didn't have factions.

In Japan, the features had a different appearance, they kept the same colors but their names changed a little along with the representative animals in the symbols depending on the country, features that are still present in daily life to this day.

The Betakoi Faction, for the Nao pillar, a young woman of humble origins and from a small town, whose symbol is the Carp Fish and her color is green. The symbol of courage, perseverance and overcoming.

The Aruguma Faction, for the Kenta pillar, a big man from a normal family who used the power of magic to protect, whose symbol is the Asiatic Black Bear and his color is blue. The symbol of power, protection and company.

The Omekkusu Faction, for the Saori pillar, a noble old woman who sometimes had one or another delusion but stood up for what she wanted with her love of life, whose symbol is the Phoenix and her color is red. The symbol of hope, life and serenity.

And the Urutogon Faction, for the Yutaka pillar, a high-ranking nobleman of great wealth, one of the few who wanted to fight in the war, whose symbol is the dragon and his color is purple. The symbol of wisdom, prosperity and power.

Years passed and the Mystic Academy was founded, an institution where children who finish Elementary school can learn to use magic and where they will discover the faction to which they will belong for the rest of their lives.

And that's where you, the new students of the Mystic Academy, come in!

There are 12 Mystic Academies in the Japanese territory, but it is the country's Founding Mystic Academy located in the magic city called Ebagurin near Nagoya in the Chubu region, which was in the middle of Kanto and Kansai, which is the ideal place to begin the path to becoming a high-ranking magician.

The Mystic Academy in general is made up of the city where students can buy what they need and have fun. In addition to the three phases.

The Primary Mystic Academy where young people will discover their faction and begin to control their magic and the path of learning for 4 years.

The Junior Mystic Academy, where they will spend 3 years of secondary school and 2 years of high school where they will reinforce their knowledge and the use of magic.

And finally the Superior Mystic Academy where they will spend 4 years earning the title of Professional Wizard in the field in which they choose to study.

Each Academy has Faction Houses, dormitory buildings whose styles vary depending on the faction.

Remember kids, no matter what some say, your features don't define you, it will be you and your efforts that will define your image as remarkable wizards.

Thank you for watching the introduction video and the story of the origin of magic, good luck tomorrow on Goods Day, see you at the Inauguration of the school year on Sunday and we will see you in class from Monday!

See you soon, new students of the Mystic Academy.

Chapter Text

The video ends, the teacher whose red symbol on his suit stood out in it, takes out what seemed to be an oak magic wand, and with it, he opens the curtains that covered the windows and turns off the projector, everyone was fascinated by the idea of already being part of the Mystic Academy since Sunday of the inauguration.

Through the window, you can see flying cars and people on brooms flying in different directions towards their destinations. It really was a world of magic.

It was normal in that world that children up to 10 years old couldn't do magic until their first day at the Mystic Academy, the power of magic was awakened thanks to an ancestral initiation where it would also be known which faction they would belong to for life.

In addition, they still didn't have wands, nor a broom, nor did they belong to a faction, so on their clothes there was no symbol of the 4 factions of wizards. But until that day they had to attend normal kindergartens and elementary schools learning the basics that had nothing to do with magic, except for subjects like the history of magic.

Yes, everyone was excited, except for one boy with glasses in particular, our protagonist Nobi Nobita, known for being someone not very intelligent, clumsy and not so good at sports, as well as being scared and crying for almost everything, not very good qualities, which could be improved with willpower.

In fact, he worked hard to be able to finish Elementary School, there were people he considered friends and he didn't want to be left behind and alone, although he's not very excited about the idea, he still had the mentality of being bad at the basics, fearing what would happen when he starts his school year at the Primary Mystic Academy, the first step on his journey to become a wizard.

Being a professional wizard in that world was the most important thing for humans, practically everything was based on magic, even technology.

Although the factions don't define you in society, there was a certain amount of falsehood in that saying.

"Hey Nobita! Ready to be a clumsy at the Academy? I can already imagine your first day without a doubt!" Goda Takeshi shouts at him, Gian to those closest to him, a robust boy who along with Honekawa Suneo, the fox-faced dwarf boy with triple-peaked hair, rich and elegant. But both of them were more than friends, they liked to joke about him.

One would wonder how they are friends, but this silly boy only tolerates them because he couldn't do anything to them, even though they still can't use magic, they beat him in strength, especially Gian. And it's not that with magic there could be any difference, the fear of possible reprisals was present in him.

And it's not that he wanted to be left without a group of friends, as he was going to enter a new territory he thought he would need to be in company, which was a shame, because that only made him dependent on even dubious friendships.

"He'll surely end up in the Betakoi Faction! Generally those who can barely use magic end up there" Suneo lets out a giggle and fixes his hair in his activated smug mode "I'll obviously be from Urutogon, the best go there, those with high lineage, the most capable and the most skilled with magic"

"Then I'll also enter that faction, I'm very capable! I will win the magic tournament from this year without a doubt!" Gian gets excited about it.

And yes, here is the BUT of the phrase: Factions don't define you in society.

For 100 years, the factions between Betakoi and Urutogon have had a certain... Rivalry. Before, the factions lived together without problems because that phrase was valid at that time, but something changed over the years.

There are leaders of factions at the world, national, regional and state level, and the leaders of Urutogon in those last 100 years have been implementing the idea that they are the perfect faction and that Betakoi was the simplest, despite the fact that there are good wizards in Betakoi and average ones in Urutogon.

The leadership of the dragon faction was left in the hands of an egocentric and powerful guy, who has planted the seed of that idea, while his successors have watered the plant of pride and presumption. To the point that the great majority of wizards since childhood thought that the Goddess Andromeda would listen to them and that Urutogon would be their destiny.

The idea was born from the fact that they compared the life of the original Betakoi Pillar, who was very plain and simple, and the original Urutogon Pillar had his life set, a strong, classy sage who was the leader of the pillars at that time.

Urutogon treated the Omekkusu Faction as an almost equal for the same reason, and the Aruguma Faction as an Okay. But with Betakoi? It was a different story.

Those teachings reached the children even today, so it made sense that Suneo wants so badly to be from the best faction

"Guys, don't be like that with Nobita, factions don't matter, what's important is the effort and I know he can become a good magician, no matter what faction he's from" Shizuka was the one who spoke at that moment, the girl with the pigtails that the clumsy boy had a crush on.

Nobita just pouts annoyed but then sighs because Suneo wasn't that wrong, the seed of discord between factions wasn't only planted in the conceited, because of that, there are those who get a little disillusioned the first time they find out about their destiny.

After all, there wasn't much to do, the idea of differences had already become part of society.

The boy with glasses already had the idea that he would end up in Betakoi, but it was that or end up being taken by the M.C.G, but he had already passed that stage years ago before he was born, so he had nothing to worry about.

But he felt good when his friend that he loved the most in the classroom gave him support, the only thing he wanted more than magical factions, was to end up in the same class as her in the academy "Thank you Shizuka for supporting me. Although I think I'll be a terrible wizard, I won't be able to even do the simplest spells." A sigh comes out of the boy again

It's not that Nobita was bothered by the idea of ending up in Betakoi, he felt that it even matched him. The only thing he doubted was if he was even going to become a decent wizard, being a wizard in the society of those who possessed the Mystical Power was something vital, part of their lives.

In fact, he had a plan in case he messed up, he had already planned to drop out and take a year off if his first week was bad, even with all the effort he put into finishing school, he knew that the Mystic Academy would be a very high level for someone who always messed up everything, according to him. He didn't care if he would be delayed a year.

If he got pushed hard enough, he would give up.

"Don't worry and ignore what they say, you'll end up surprising everyone who underestimates you if you put in the effort" Dekisugi Hidetoshi, the outstanding boy in the class was sitting next to him smiling at him.

Nobita also returned the gesture with a smile "Thanks Dekisugi, the truth is..."

"It's more than obvious that Dekisugi will be from Urutogon too, he's the best in the class, he'll surely be the best wizard of all, he's very responsible, intelligent and capable!" One of the girls in the class said that out loud interrupting the clumsy boy and immediately the others noticed the smart boy showering him with praise, even Shizuka joined in the praise.

And it was true, even when they hadn't started their journey through the Mystic Academy, they already put Dekisugi among the best and although boys from other cities were also going to attend because the founding academy was one of the largest in the country, he would stand out quite a bit for being one of the perfect students and the most admired among his classmates

Although in this world, Dekisugi and Nobita are slightly closer friends, the silly boy was a little jealous of him because he attracted the attention of even the girl he liked. Still, the need to have friends was stronger and he preferred to try to ignore that feeling because after all, the smart boy was kind to him. It was Dekisugi who decided to get closer to him, although he had no idea why since they were two different poles.

Dekisugi usually accepted compliments somewhat embarrassedly, but that routine of praise sometimes got a little tiring for him. In a certain way, the smart boy liked to want to talk to Nobita when he could, they were totally opposite and he liked that. He was the only one in his class who didn't flood him with praise and sometimes treated him like an ordinary person. It's not that Dekisugi didn't like to stand out but sometimes he felt overwhelmed by just hearing praise every day, something that wasn't common from Nobita and that was what he liked about him.

As for Minamoto Shizuka, she likes the idea of everyone being united, she was the mediator when it came to Gian and Suneo, although sometimes she stayed out of the way. She also liked Nobita although she had more in common with Dekisugi, that was because she could talk to the boy with glasses and he would listen to her and have different points of view than her or Dekisugi.

He also liked how she used to invite him to eat desserts that she prepared and he would get excited, that way of an excited puppy trying things made him smile. Sometimes she would get angry with him for minimal things but they would end up solving it in the end. But above all she liked that kind side that the boy had and how he wanted to see her smile if she was sad, although sometimes he ended up ruining it, his friend's intention was evident.

Both Dekisugi and Shizuka were the few that Nobita could truly call friends. The silly boy trusted them and really wanted them to be his classmates again.

"Okay, okay, everyone calm down." The teacher raises his voice to get his students' attention again "I know you must be very excited for the big day to come. You're going to do a good job at the academy, remember that tomorrow is Goods Day"

"That's the shopping day for those who will enter the first year of the Primary Academy, right?" Tachibana asks with her hand raised, one of Shizuka's closest friends.

The teacher nods to his student's question "Yes, it's where you'll have to get your things for the Academy, and you'll have all day tomorrow to do it, you shouldn't miss this opportunity since it only happens once for the newbies and it won't happen again, especially for those who fall asleep" All the boys except Dekisugi and Shizuka look at Nobita with a somewhat mocking smile, since it was customary for the boy to arrive late to class because he fell asleep.

"Well, that's all for today, I wish you all the best in your magic studies at the Mystic Academy, thank you for giving me the opportunity to teach a class like yours. Take care, I wish you all the best."

The teacher bows as a farewell to the children who were going to take on a new lifestyle, they all stand up and do the same, thanking their teacher for his teachings, it was the last day of classes at the Basic School, ending with an emotional farewell.

The children prepare themselves by putting away their notebooks and supplies, putting their backpacks on their backs and leaving the classroom one by one. Nobita watches as Shizuka and Dekisugi talk as they leave together, he wanted to catch up with them but... "Nobi! Come here, I want to talk to you about something"

The teacher's call shook the silly boy, he feared another scolding, although it would be pointless since the school cycle had already ended, the boy looks from one side to the other until he had no choice but to obey and approach his teacher. "I-I didn't do anything this time" says the boy with a trembling voice.

"I already know that. I just want to advise you, I know that as a student your level is... Less than average, you barely got your act together to be able to finish school, but the Mystic Academy will be a new terrain for you, one more serious regarding magic. You will go through many new experiences there. I hope you reflect on your way of being if you want to be a wizard."

"The world can be cruel sometimes to those who aren't capable, at least that's what my teacher said at the Academy when I was your age, and it's true what he says. If you continue with your normal performance even in the Academy, you won't be able to get past the first year."

The blunt words caused a panic reaction in Nobita, if he was already doubtful of what would happen in the first year, now his morale dropped a little more, although the teacher wanted to cause the opposite effect.

"He is still the director and teacher of the Academy since it was founded due to his mystical ability of Longevity. You remember what a mystical ability is right? Although you will learn more about it at the Academy, I gave a brief concept of it last week."

Nobita scratches his head "Isn't that magic thing that gives us mystical power like a gift and it's different depending on the wizard that activates when we start using magic and we can't always control it?"

The teacher just sighs "You understood it in your own way, at least it's something. What I told you before might have been a bit harsh, but it's for your own good. You can go now, remember, the path of a wizard is hard but not impossible if you try hard"

"O-okay, and thanks for the advice, bye!" The boy was heading back to the door until he hears the teacher calling him again.

"One more thing, whatever the Throne of Destiny decides for you on the day of the opening, remember that factions don't define you in society even if some tell you otherwise. Do your best Nobi, now you can go, good luck at the academy."

"Uhhh, thanks teacher and see you soon." Nobita hurries to leave before being called by the teacher again, changing his shoes and finally leaving the school. He wanted to look everywhere for Shizuka and Dekisugi, but everyone left the school a while ago, letting out a tired sigh again.

By this point he was already worried about what had to happen, the conversation only lowered his self-esteem further, he only thought about his day in front of the Throne of Destiny.

It was a special throne made of ancient tree wood, special trees that overflowed with a unique energy that connected with the power of the Goddess Andromeda, being discovered by wizards more than 500 years ago and due to their connections, their wood was used to make thrones where the person who sat on it awakened their magic dormant since birth for 10 years, it had also been adapted to reveal the faction to which the new beginner wizard was destined for life, and also unlocking the aforementioned Mystical Ability.

The boy with glasses was still standing in front of the school entrance lost in his thoughts, not very positive thoughts "Bad things always happen to me, Gian hits me, I trip, I fall in mud puddles, dogs bite me. And that time years ago when..."

Nobita shakes his head as he reacted as if he had seen a ghost "Don't remember that day, it's been 5 years since then, don't remember it." Inhaling and exhaling deeply, the boy walks in the opposite direction to his house while still thinking "What if that bad luck follows me even there in the academy? What if the throne of destiny tells me that I'm not good for any faction? I don't want to, they'll think I'm a Renegade, I don't want the M.C.G to separate me from my parents! I know it wouldn't happen... But what if it does?!"

In the middle of his thoughts, someone was about to pass by him. It seemed to be a little girl of 5 years old, with long, straight, well-combed black hair. She was wearing a short white dress and small boots of the same color. The most curious thing about her was that the color of her eyes seemed as if one were seeing a starry sky, her pupils were a purple and black tone with a unique shine, she also carried a teddy bear in her hands.

As she walked by him, the little girl and the silly boy exchanged glances, she had no expression on her face, but the girl quickly looked back to the front. The boy just watched as the girl walked away while continuing to walk. "What is a little girl doing walking alone around here? I'm worried that a dog might..."

Speaking of dogs, he ended up stepping on one's tail by accident "Oh"

The clumsy boy once again fell victim to his bad luck as he fled for his life to the mountain behind the school, the place where he usually goes to clear his mind of sad thoughts when he needed to.

Chapter Text

Finally getting rid of the dog that had already bitten his butt once before he lost it, Nobita arrives at his favorite sleeping spot, he had a calm smile as he stood there, the warmth of the sun was pleasant, the wind was cool and the grass was very soft. "Too bad I couldn't walk with Shizuka back home because the teacher called me out and another dog chased me. Talking to her cheers me up when I'm sad. So..."

He takes off his backpack, sits down on the green grass, puts the object aside and lies down crossing his arms while putting his arms behind his head. Quiet environments were the best for the clumsy boy.

"What a nice feeling, this also helps me relax, I don't care if mom scolds me if I take a while to get home. Anyway, I don't have homework anymore." The young man had a calm look as the wind blew. "I'm going to miss this place when I leave for the Academy, maybe I'll come back next weekend. Of course, if I get my flying license, without one I won't be able to use a broom, as I understand they give you a simple one if you take the flying test in the broom classes. Bah, as if I could..."

The boy dressed in yellow watched people pass by with their brooms, they all wore faction insignia on their clothes, also a couple of birds began to sing, which livened up the atmosphere more.

"It's obvious that I'm going to do badly there, maybe I should resort to my backup plan and take a year off after the first week. I don't know, on the one hand the idea of doing magic excites me, on the other... I've been a disaster at the normal school, at the magic academy I'll be terrible, everyone tells me that, even the teacher told me that I'm less than average. How could someone like me even be a wizard?"

"All this change scares me"

The boy just sighs while for a moment, there is a different scene in what seemed to be his room, the desk near the window could be seen.

"I wish someone would show up to be by my side in this process, someone like a supportive brother or something."

For a moment, just for a slight moment, the main drawer of the desk in Nobita's room shows a slight movement for a second.

Going back to the mountain behind the school, Nobita was starting to doze off, as expected, sleeping fast was one of his innate talents. "Maybe a nap will help me. I hope what happened last time doesn't happen to me again."

The boy lets out a yawn and lets himself be carried away by the world of dreams, even there the atmosphere was peaceful. But in the middle of dreaming, in a second, there was a black background where nothing could be seen until in milliseconds a creepy deer skull appeared, which made him wake up suddenly sitting up "Aaaaah! Again?!"

Why did a nap-loving boy who liked quiet places and doubted himself dream about a skull in a second?

"I have to avoid remembering that day, it hurts my naps. Or maybe it's the stress of the change?"

Yawning and looking at his back for a moment, he notices that a dozen magical creatures were around him, like tiny fairies that flickered like fireflies, little unicorns, spirit foxes, little griffins, and dragons the size of an adult dog, and there were even a couple of rabbits with a pair of horns and red eyes. Which makes the boy sigh with a slight smile. "I knew this was going to happen again."

The boy scratches the back of his neck, a little embarrassed. "There are even dragon rabbits here. I'd like to keep one, but Mom wouldn't let me. It's not that it bothers me either. I like their company. They don't even attack me like normal animals like dogs. Although whenever I fall asleep, they take the opportunity to approach me."

A small griffin licks the sleepy boy's cheek, who laughs a little and he in return caresses the griffin's head, he was having a good time with those creatures that for a moment he forgot his worries.

"I see that mystical creatures like to be near you" A slightly shrill and somewhat mysterious girl's voice speaks behind the boy, but as he is interacting with the magical creatures he doesn't notice that strange, for a moment.

"Oh, yes, I have no idea why but for some reason they like me, sometimes they follow me so I give them cuddles, it happens to me since I was 5 years old and that scared me from the beginning, but now it is something nice and..."

The boy is startled when he just notices the strange female voice that asked him that, so he slowly turns around nervously. Indeed, there was a girl sitting behind him, she seemed to be about his age, with black hair cut in a mushroom that covered one of her eyes a little, wearing a short dress like the girls in her neighborhood but black and gray, with black shoes and gray stockings, her skin was somewhat pale, and it was noticeable that she used black makeup to look like dark circles, she also had a hair clip in the shape of... A skull?

It was obvious that the boy's reaction was a scream of fear, the sudden appearance of the gothic girl made the magical creatures flee. "Hiiiiiiiiiiii" The girl's voice was peculiarly creepy and somewhat shrill.

"WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?! I MEAN! WHEN DID YOU COME CLOSER?! I MEAN! WHO ARE YOU?!" Nobita screams terrified and still perplexed by the appearance of the peculiar girl.

The black-haired girl just laughs like she's a witch (?) "You act just like dad and mom always get scared when I show up. I just moved in this morning, my name is Ishikawa Mitzuki. I was here playing while my parents were putting things away at home, then I saw you with those creatures and I thought it was funny how they were so friendly with you. What's your name?"

"Ah... Uh... Nice to meet you, my name is Nobi Nobita." He was a mix of surprise, nervousness and fear. He liked meeting new people but she definitely gave him vibes as if she were a ghost. "Were you playing around here? I didn't notice because everything was quiet."

"Ah, I was playing my favorite game: Pretending to be an inert body by lying still on the floor." Yes, she said that too naturally.

"Oh... I underst... AH?! Why?!" The boy seemed to understand but then he gets nervous again, it was the first time he heard a game like that

"It's to attract dementors, I really like how they look, they're very cute, they're attracted to positive vibes because it's their favorite food. Although I feel like they couldn't be in a city of wizards because they're protected against dark creatures, so I think it wouldn't work. Still, I had to try." The young woman in black blushes just describing a creature that could be anything but cute.

"Cute isn't the word I would use to describe them" The boy's skin crawls, he still didn't have much knowledge about creatures, but Dekisugi described some to him and he knew that dementors were problematic. "You like dark things right? It shows in you" He could only smile nervously.

"Of course! In fact, I would have liked to be a Renegade, but life brought me to a light mode that I don't like very much" The gothic girl sighs pessimistically

"But if that had happened, the M.C.G would have separated you from your parents" Nobita was confused, he was the first person who wanted to go to the other side of his own free will.

"Yes, but there live some of my mom's relatives there who are renegades too, so I wouldn't be doing badly anyway. It's not that I don't thank my parents for raising me, but I feel like I don't fit in here"

Nobita sighs remembering the disdain of some who claimed to be his friends or the teacher's recommendation that ended up scaring him more than making him reconsider "I think I partly understand that point"

"Heyyyy... Do you want to be my friend? I don't like the color you use, because I'm not a fan of warm colors. But mom told me to make friends in this place, but it's hard for me since I prefer to do other things like pretending to be a witch locked in my room than going out, I don't like sunny days. She doesn't want me to end up like one of my cousins from Kyoto, an impeccable student but without friends." Mitzuki just pouts as she puts her hand over her eyes trying to keep the sunlight from reaching her face.

Although Nobita was a little creeped out by the way the girl he just met was, he saw that she wasn't a bad person and that just like him, she liked to live her life her way. A dark way, but it was her way. "S-sure, let's be friends and welcome to the neighborhood, anyway, I think a friend who gives me curious vibes is better than..."

Gian and Suneo appear mockingly in the clumsy boy's thoughts, who just sighs tiredly "A couple I know."

The girl just answered with a dry "yay" smiling from ear to ear, she just searches for something in a small gray bag she had "Since we are friends, I made some cookies, I'll give them to you if you want"

"Cookies! I like cookies, when Shizuka invites me to eat desserts that she has made, it makes me feel good because of how delicious they are and that she makes them just for me" Positive thoughts go through Nobita's head who accepts the cookies from his new friend, because. Who wouldn't want some homemade cookies? He imagined some cute cookies like the ones the girl with pigtails invited him to.

But the smile is erased from the boy's face when he sees that inside the transparent bag there were... "THESE ARE EYES?!" It was an understandable cry, the cookies were shaped like human eyes, very well made by the way. The silly boy's face said it all, but he shakes his head smiling out of politeness, especially since she was looking at him with a half-mocking smile but with pride "Uh, I mean... Thanks Mitzuki but... Why are they shaped like this?"

"You don't have to pretend out of politeness, I know they scare you. It's not the first time someone reacts like that to my desserts. And I like to see those scary reactions." Again the gothic girl's witchy laugh, it seems that she liked being told ugly things, after all, it went with her curious personality (?). "Relax, they taste better than they look, but I like to give them my own touch. Try one and you'll see."

More nervous, despite Mitzuki telling him that he could be sincere, Nobita still took one out and took a quick bite thinking that it would taste like the Gian's stew that he was forced to eat, preferring to be poisoned than to receive a beating.

But another surprise, the cookies, although on the outside they looked like they were taken from a cemetery, were the best he had ever tasted, the boy's eyes lit up at the taste "Wow. They are actually fantastic! Thanks Mitzuki, although the truth is it seems like I'm eating an eye and it takes away some of the excitement"

"You're not the first one to tell me that about my appearance either, but you are the first one to accept my sweets. In Kyoto, they didn't accept the desserts I made, but it's okay, it's ok that you liked them. I really like the disgusted faces, they make my day, kikikiki" The witch's laughter for the third time, but by this point Nobita already knew that she could be another friend, just a stranger friend.

"Anyway, I'll leave you with the cookies, I'll go look for frogs, they remind me of transformation spells. I hope I can meet a black cat" Nobita laughs nervously at his new friend's plans, it would take him some time to get used to it "Did you also get the Founder's Academy? I know that the schools assign you to which Academy of the 12 to go to, but it's good that I got the Founder's Academy, there's a dark forest not too close, I know we can't cross there, but it'll be fun to try while I study there"

Suddenly the boy's good mood changed to a pale and terrified face after hearing about the dark forest, but he tried to smile anyway "Uh... Better not try it, seriously." Nobita takes a deep breath to calm down "And yes, I got there too, we'll see you at the opening then, Mitzuki"

"See you then the day after tomorrow, Nobita." The gothic girl nods to move away a little, but stops, turning her gaze towards him. "Something happened to you a while ago, I noticed it in your reaction. The face of terror and trauma, calm down, I don't want to know more if it makes you uncomfortable to talk about it."

The girl in black walks away, entering into the trees, leaving our protagonist startled because she was able to read his fears, although she shouldn't surprise him with that way of being. Nobita just gets up, takes his backpack where he keeps the rest of the cookies, puts it on and heads home trying to forget about that matter from years ago that he tried to avoid reliving.

Whatever happened to him, it undoubtedly had something to do with one of the many dark forests across the country.

Nobita shakes his head again thinking that it was just a coincidence that she got it right, so he just leaves his favorite place to sleep, but not before touching a tree smiling sadly "Goodbye mountain, we'll see each other when I get my flying license. Or when I go on vacation, although it will most likely end up being the latter."

The boy begins to go down the mountain until he finds the stairs and goes down more safely there, he had a lot to think about. Again, the little girl he crossed paths with a while ago, looks at him from afar holding her teddy bear, leaving again where she was spying on him.

Chapter Text

Back at home, Nobita meets Dekisugi and Shizuka who had a pair of sheets in their hands. They seemed to be interior maps of the department store. The pair noticed their friend's presence immediately and the three greeted each other.

"Hi Nobita. How are you? I see, judging by your school backpack, that you haven't returned home yet. Is everything okay?" Shizuka looks a little worried.

"Hi Shizuka, hi Dekisugi. I'm fine, I just... I needed to relax a little on the mountain behind the school. It's nothing." Nobita smiles a little pale, although he looks away so as not to worry the pair, especially Shizuka, but Dekisugi noticed how his hands were shaking.

Maybe Mitzuki had got it right?

"We were just talking about the route for Goods Day tomorrow at the Department Store, it's going to be a busy day. I was recommending Shizuka the best route and a list of which store to visit first." Dekisugi hands the map to Nobita, the points were marked and on the other side a recommended route order "Keep it, I have another one at home"

"I hope to see you tomorrow on Goods Day, Nobita. Don't get lost, okay?" Shizuka's smile and Dekisugi's good disposition managed to calm Nobita down even more, who just scratches the back of his neck smiling a little more calmly.

"Thanks Dekisugi, I hope I don't lose the map, it will really help me. And thanks Shizuka, I also hope we meet tomorrow at the department store. I know it's happened to me a couple of times, but I won't get lost this time." Yes, sometimes he ended up getting lost for a while in that place running errands that his mother gave him, that place was bigger than a normal department store since there were many stores dedicated to magic.

"I know you must still be nervous about starting classes at the Academy, but if you do your part I'm sure you'll be able to have a good first year." Some sweet words from a friend went straight to the heart of a boy who finally manages to pull himself together after an unusual day.

Although for a world where magic is paramount, those kinds of situations should be the most normal thing in the world.

Nobita and Dekisugi say goodbye to Shizuka as she was going to return home, the sun was setting, time moves faster when you fall asleep. The smart boy looks for a moment at his friend who was also about to go home "Nobi, you remembered that day again, right? Your hands were shaking and your eyes were very pale a moment ago. And I doubt it's because of the nerves of the inauguration, since even though you got nervous about that, it wasn't as noticeable as the reaction a while ago"

Those words make the silly boy shudder who just smiles nervously "Uhhh... Maybe? I dreamed about that and it scared me a little but it's nothing, it happens to me every so often."

"It's not right for you to neglect that aspect Nobi, I know that what happened 5 years ago was a very traumatic moment that invades you every time you remember it. But think of it as one more reason to take this step. Now that we are going to study magic fully, studying at the academy could help you overcome that moment, not erase it, but overcome it"

The smart boy's words make his friend smile, in a more sincere and grateful way, he could have a point. Many say that the first years of the Academy help wizards discover things about themselves that they didn't even know or overcome difficulties. An opportunity in life that some fear but later are grateful for.

Would it also be the opportunity for him? He would have to find out there.

Thanking his friend for his words once again, Nobita says goodbye to Dekisugi, walking again, leaving his body on autopilot as he thinks about tomorrow, he thinks about what will happen on the opening day, he thinks about his first day of school, still a little afraid of the unknown.

He arrived home, looking at the front door, turning to see the sunset, trapped in his thoughts, until he feels someone put their hand on his shoulder. He turns around startled, it was his father Nobisuke, who had his work suit, his office briefcase and a simple broom that he used to go to work, it had the blue Aruguma badge on it. "Nobita. Have you just arrived home?"

Someone opens the door from inside, was the boy's mother. Tamako was upset because her son showed up so late, she had the red Omekkusu badge on her dress. "Nobita! Where were you?! You can't just wander off without going home first. I know today was your last day of school, but you can't just be wandering around doing nothing. There's a lot to do tomorrow!"

"I-I'm sorry, I just went to the mountain. I'll miss it when I leave." For the housewife, it wasn't a valid excuse, but she turns her attention to the paper her son was holding in his hand, which the boy notices. "T-this isn't a test, I swear! It's just that Dekisugi gave me this to guide me tomorrow on Goods Day."

Nervous, the boy gives the map to his mother and she looks surprised at how well structured it was, since she was also organized when it came to shopping, especially if there were discounts, so she was delighted. "In fact, it's not bad at all. This will be very useful for tomorrow. Thank goodness he gave you this, son."

"Thank Dekisugi for saving you from a scolding" His father whispers to Nobita who only exhales in relief, because it wasn't a lie, his friend was his lifesaver this time.

"Anyway, go take a shower, dinner is almost ready. We'll talk about tomorrow after dinner."

Well, that solved the scolding for now. Nobita and his father enter the house. And while Nobisuke takes a shower first, the boy goes up to his room where there was no one, there were already traces of stars, the moon and the sky darkening through the window.

He left his backpack next to his desk and saw some things that were on it "Mom cleaned my desk again, well it doesn't matter, I'm not going to use it for a while and I don't have exams to hide anymore so it's okay. Although I don't like her checking my room."

The boy puts his things back in his drawers, he still didn't know what to take with him, he thought his comics but since he thinks he's going to Betakoi, where the dormitories are shared, he was a little hesitant. Until he saw some autographs on white cardboard and got excited when he took it.

"Hey, I didn't remember where I left this, I'm definitely going to take this with me! Here's the one from Hoshido Sumire when she was filming in the vacant lot and the one from Tsubasa when she visited Tokyo for a concert, thank goodness I was able to get her autograph, or rather, my uncle Nobiro was able to get it and gave it to me. I'm glad I found them before..."

At that moment he also noticed something else on top of his desk: A small white piece of wood. Picking it up, the boy returned to the webs of memory.

A silhouette of someone wearing a gray yukata and getas, a Phoenix that accompanied him on his shoulder, that person's face couldn't be seen for now because in the memory he only saw him from behind, he was holding a white wand with details towards a large hostile creature while that wand began to break a little.

"I don't remember the name of the person who did that that day, it happened a while ago, I only kept this from that night. But... I hope I can thank him for..."

A small sound from the drawer interrupted the young man's thoughts, who was surprised looking at his desk, which out of curiosity he opened the main drawer, but there were only some supplies and a few notebooks. His mother enters his room "Nobita, dad is already out of the bathtub, it's your turn to take a bath"

"Uh, yes, but, mom. This desk is not a magic desk, right?"

The question of her son only makes Tamako exhale tiredly "Of course it isn't a magic desk, although they are very useful to store things, they are more expensive than normal desks! I know you are nervous and scared about this change of going to the Academy, son. It has happened to me too at your age, but it isn't for you to hallucinate."

The housewife just walks down the stairs "And hurry up with the bathroom, I'll serve dinner in a little while"

The clumsy boy rubs his eyes startled, checking the main drawer again, everything normal. Maybe his mother was right and the accumulation of nerves was affecting him to such an extent that he was starting to believe in things that weren't happening, so he just sighs, retreating from his room to go take a bath.

This is how our protagonist's day came to an end. With many doubts, nerves and memories that he didn't want to touch again, he took a bath and had dinner with his parents in the kitchen.

In the room that was used as a bedroom at night, next to the stairs, both Tamako and Nobisuke talked to each other about the opening day at the magic academy, telling anecdotes from their youth.

The Nobis were expectant about what their son's life would be like at the Academy, they told him that he should take control of his character and try hard, because things there were different from a common school, also thanking that the academy he attended was the main one, the same one they went to when they were Nobita's age.

The boy smiled nervously while his parents talked, inside he already felt more pressure, knowing that the first year was where they knew you as a magician. And the fact that his parents were so enthusiastic about the idea didn't help him too much.

The simple fact of using magic pleased him and excited him inside, but that excitement was dilated when he remembered everything that was involved in not making a mistake.

Saying goodbye to his parents, Nobita goes up the stairs, enters his room and closes the door. He lets out a slight yawn, he knew that tomorrow would be a busy day of shopping, he looked out for a while to see the night sky, at that time, the sky wasn't so invaded by floating cars, brooms and/or carpets, it was a habit for him to look out the window at night to relax a little.

When sleep was coming, the boy closes the window to go to the closet opening the sliding door, it was full of things, but he was looking for his futon, which he takes to take it out of the closet opening it on the floor.

Nobita pulls the cord of the light in his room to turn it off, letting his body fall on the futon, he felt mentally tired. Days before he had a more optimistic attitude to change, but as the day approached, his optimism dropped a little, he just settles inside the futon.

"I know there are people like Shizuka and Dekisugi who think I can do this. But... It wouldn't be bad to have someone who was even more... close"

The boy ended up giving himself over to the world of dreams.

In an unfamiliar place that looked like a tunnel of cold colors, a couple of people were having a conversation

"Why did you pull me hours ago? That was my entrance! It was time to introduce myself"

"Take it easy, he just finished school and is a bit down about the change that will mean. The least we want is for him to make that decision faster"

"Well, that's true, there's a reason I decided to do this. I'm doing it mainly for you. How do you see him? That attitude explains why I have to do this"

"I know, but still, try to be more considerate, it's obvious that he needs closer support. Just don't get attached to him, ok?"

The laughter of a boy and the growl of whatever was with him sounded in that mysterious scene

"Pfff! Are you crazy? Because of his decisions your family has a hard time. How do you think I'm going to get attached to him? That won't happen, I'll make sure he doesn't decide that and I'll come back in the stipulated time. Remember that I'm doing this for you. I'll try not to judge him too much. But getting attached to him? No way."

"Let's see if you can do that, I know you, sometimes you get carried away."

"Don't joke, heh."

In another place, in one of the many dark forests in the country, a group of what appeared to be wizards, dressed in dark blue and black suits that looked more like armor and wearing capes, were searching for something in the surroundings.

One of them conjures a crystal ball with his hands, indicating that this was a group of renegades. However, when he takes off his hood, the face of a man is seen with a curious dark blue 6-pointed star on his forehead. He was going to say something but...

"Hey, I found it!" The man along with the rest of his group run to where his companion was, upon arriving, they notice that they were in a clearing where the moon was shining high above, in front of them there was a crater that was burned inside. "That thing definitely fell there, this crater is from the impact of a meteorite that's been there for a week at most"

"Understood" The first man activates the sphere, the figure of what seemed to be a human with long silver hair and the same mark appears in the crystal "Boss, we are at the impact site, but it seems THAT has escaped, apparently it came out of the meteorite earlier than anticipated."

"I'm not surprised at all" A very serious voice is heard through the crystal "When stellar energy falls from space on the surface, it takes on a life of its own, that's what The Wise Man told me. It's thanks to its power that it can now be any human, magical being or animal. When that happens, its camouflage prevents its power from being detected with magic unlike mystical and dark power"

"And how do we find the energy? If it can camouflage itself, it will be complicated" Asks the subordinate.

"Now it is a stellar being that is walking among us, of great power and very cunning, we can't wait for another, they only fall every 200 years and when they get bored, they return to space. I'll inform my captain to spy and find its whereabouts, it will not be easy, it will defend itself, it has already detected our intentions, but whatever form it has taken, it's more than certain that it will be in wizard territory. For now, return."

"Yes sir" The man turns off the glass to put his hood back on "Let's go, this place is dangerous, people say it's possible Entigos territory and I don't plan on dying today"

What are the Entigos? For now, it remains a mystery, but a terrible one if it makes even the renegades tremble.

The rest of the group turns pale when they hear the creature's name, so they agree, using magic to retreat. In that world, wizards use brooms and the renegade circles of dark magic.

Summoning purple flying circles of black magic which they can fly over as if they were transports, the mysterious group rises away from the place in the night sky.

Chapter Text

On the outskirts of one of the antithetical cities of renegades, a tall building, a dark-colored modern castle, stood, the territory it occupied was large.

Where there were more renegades with the 6-pointed star on their foreheads, at the highest part of the modern castle, the man from a while ago smiled, he wore a suit like the subordinates, but more elegant, similar to a business suit and with a cape with a high collar, he had a good physiognomy and was tall, his high hair and the small beard of the same color stood out like the brand, his eyes were thin but the air of a villain could be noticed in him.

Although the castle was rock-cut on the outside, on the inside it looked like an office of a large business company, on the ceiling of the office there was the same drawing of the star. There were also 4 figures sitting at a long business table, whose faces couldn't be seen but their other characteristics could be seen.

One was a small one shaped like a 14 year old girl wearing a short blue dress, with pants and boots of a darker shade, but her skin was green with hair of the same color with a short braid on the side.

The other was that of an elegant woman wearing a traditional red and black kimono while smoking a kiseru (an ancient Japanese pipe) she looked like a geisha.

The next was a wooden golem that was so big that he almost reached the ceiling of the office, his body had moss and black flowers.

And the one that looked the most intimidating, an old man whose eyes were covered by the purple hood he wore, but you could see bright white eyes in the darkness, he used a crystal ball to reinforce his power, with a large gray beard and mustache.

But they all had the same characteristic, they had the unusual dark blue 6-pointed star mark on their foreheads, the old man's was white because of the hood. The one who seemed to be the main villain in this story, approaches the long table placing his hands on it.

"Okay people, it seems that one of our elements for the summoning ritual has decided to perform a little (disappearing act). How original." The villain says this with high sarcasm, making the girl, the woman and the golem laugh.

"A different summoning circle, 6 forbidden candles, a part of her, the pure soul of a once lost young man, words sealed in paper, a sea of mana as great as the will and longing of its summoner. With all that, the one who started it all will come to earth and grant a wish to whoever stands before her at the summoning."

The old man says all that while using his wrinkled and scrawny hands to check his crystal sphere. "Thank you very much for the moment of information, it's better to be more than clear. With the arrival of the star being, the hands of destiny move, I need you to do your job and find out about the identity of the star being"

"I know boss, I'll fulfill my assignment" Says the green girl.

"Then we will take care of the rest, it will be fun" The geisha has a doll in her hand "I'll continue to bring mana without a doubt"

"And I'll make sure that they don't interfere with our plans" The wooden golem cracks his knuckles.

The villain smiles proudly, putting his hands behind his back. "It's decided, new year, another harvest. But I have a feeling that we're close to achieving it. Sheipu, Ningyo, Gulurk, Wise man. It's time for Dark Wake to step up their actions, because we renegades DESERVE to be the superior beings that we know we are."

"So be it, Mr. Kairos" the 4 of them say, sitting in unison.

A new day arrives in Tokyo and the neighborhood, it wasn't just any other Saturday, it was Goods Day, the shopping day for the rookie wizards entering the Mystic Academy, receiving things like their wand, their uniform, their school supplies, etc. It was the busiest day for the Department Stores as the novices go with their parents to get their belongings granted by the Academy.

There was no other chance to get the free items if it wasn't that day, except for some justifiable reason of force majeure. That's why it's called Goods Day.

At the Nobi house, our protagonist was sleeping, as he had taken off his glasses before falling asleep, you could see some bright coal eyes, which were now closed from still sleeping, he was in another position with the futon sheet next to him, something typical of him when it was time to sleep. It was still around 6:30 in the morning

Slowly opening his eyes, the silly boy slowly sits up to rub his eyes looking at the time on an alarm clock that he always had next to him along with his glasses which he takes to put on and be able to see the time on the alarm clock, letting out a tired sigh.

"It's 6:30. It's still very early, Mom said I was going to go with her to the department store at 9. But I'm still on edge, maybe it's not worth going out today."

The boy curls up on the futon again and was about to take off his glasses to go back to sleep but...

"What an attitude you have, boy! It's a new day, you have to get up, today is your first step on your way to becoming a good wizard and you shouldn't stay at home!"

Nobita is startled when he hears a mysterious voice in his room, he quickly gets up to look around "Where did that voice come from?!" He immediately fixes his eyes on his desk remembering what happened the day before. "Could it be that...?"

"Okay, you're up now, put those doubts aside, there's nothing better than starting the day with energy, especially if it's your last day at home before going to the Academy tomorrow!"

Once again that voice echoed in the environment "Yes, it definitely came from my desk." thought the boy as he slowly approached, deep down he knew he hadn't hallucinated when he saw the drawer move yesterday, but he was afraid that some ghost had come to live in his desk.

The last thing he wanted was a spirit bothering him, plus he would have to call the M.C.G to get it out of there since the invading ghosts mostly count as renegade creatures.

He was about to nervously place his hand on the drawer to open it but... It starts to open by itself? That makes the boy back off who trembles taking a pillow as a defense looking nervously to see if some ghost was going to come out.

Something started to come out of the drawer little by little, a chubby blue figure, with white spherical hands and baby legs and white feet. He didn't wear a red collar, but he did wear a red scarf, which had a shiny golden bell tied to it. His tail was long, blue in this case with a red sphere at the tip. He also had whiskers, a red nose, big eyes and a mouth on the white part of his head with a tiny neck.

Plus... Cat ears?

"Hello Nobi Nobita, I came to make your life better!"

When that moment passed, someone was startled, he was looking out the large window of what seemed to be the top floor of an institution building, a person entered what seemed to be an old and rustic office. "Principal, are you already in your office so early?"

The old man who was looking at the landscape was the same one Nobita saw in his memories of that particular day, but his face was that of an old person with slanted eyes (which always seem closed but are not) and a small white beard, the man was bald, except for a small piece of hair that he had on the back of his neck and he had it tied with a black ribbon. His little phoenix was asleep on a stick to perch on. The man seemed to be from Urutogon.

Apparently he was the principal of an institution, and taking out his white wand with inscriptions from the sleeve of his yukata, apparently the wand was repaired, he took out a blank book, opening it quickly "Mentalitus!" he said and one of the eagle feathers he had on his desk began to levitate, taking a little ink from a bottle to begin drawing on its own.

"My hands took out a new book by instinct to my ability, that means that the timeline has changed. What could it have been?" He said in a low voice while he watched carefully what the pen was drawing, it did it quickly but accurately.

"Are you drawing what you see again, principal?" The woman seemed to be his secretary, from Aruguma, a woman in a suit and with a black pompom hairstyle, wearing square glasses that barely covered her eyes. She tried to get her boss's attention "Anyway, I wanted to show you the result of the preparation for the opening of the school year that will take place tomorrow, but it's obvious that you're busy now, I won't interrupt you"

The woman knew that if her boss was focused on something, there was no way to get him out of that matter until it was over, so she preferred to leave the office to give him privacy, that office was huge, it looked more like a mix of a mini library and the interior of a tasteful cabin, it even had a fireplace but it wasn't on at that moment, what stood out the most was the large window that took up almost an entire wall.

When the drawing spell ended, the pen fell on the large desk, the principal was surprised to see the result, although it wasn't so noticeable with his slanted eyes. "Wow, this is very different from my previous vision..."

The man takes another book that was filled with drawings of the same spells "It seems that this book is of no use to me anymore, but I'll keep it until this becomes a reality, I'll work with the one I have now"

Opening the lowest drawer of the desk, the old man puts away the written book while looking at the drawing again "I see, the thread of events has really changed." He just closes the new book putting it away in the first drawer to sit in his swivel chair and look out the window again.

"It will be interesting to see what events will lead up to the moment of that drawing"

TWO BEINGS WHOSE BOND TRANSCENDS TIME WILL MEET, NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, A TALKING GHOST CAT WITH A WEIRD FACE!"

Nobita screams when he sees the mysterious visitor who had come out of his desk drawer, the blue being is only offended by that reaction.

"Hey! What do you mean with weird fa...?!" The blue one couldn't finish complaining when he receives a pillow from the boy that hits him in the face making him fall inside the drawer which closes immediately.

The clumsy boy runs to open the drawer "Hey ghost cat, can't you just come to haunt my...!" He opens the drawer but it looked normal again "Desk? How strange"

Nobita closes the desk, to cross his arms confused. "Did I imagine it again?"

Or that's what he thought until he saw something on the floor that apparently fell from the ghost cat. A headband with cat ears, which he picks up from the floor and checks them "Weren't these his ears?"

He was so scared to have that thing in his hands that he dropped it on the floor, until he heard the voice of the visitor inside the drawer again. "That was very rude of him, he told me I have a weird face and he threw a pillow at me!"

"Come on, buddy, he had his reasons. Would you like the first thing you see when you wake up to be a ghost cat haunting your desk?" The same voice of the young man in an unknown place also sounded.

"Okay, you have a point, but I have to complete this mission, but I still think that was very rude"

"Relax, this time I'll be with you, so I think he will calm down and understand the situation"

The desk drawer opens again making the clumsy boy step back, the blue cat came out again, this time without ears and with a shorter tail. "D-d-d-don't hurt me ghost cat, I swear I won't report you to the M.C.G, but don't curse me!" Nobita just lays down with his face on the ground to apologize while shaking.

The blue cat just exhales tiredly and gets off the drawer standing on the bedroom floor "First, hello again. Second, I'm not a ghost cat, don't be scared, I know you're scared and don't understand what's going on, but that's why I'm here"

He said the last thing smiling warmly when the silly looked him in the eyes, so he let his guard down for a moment standing up "R-really?"

The bluish being nods and looks at a particular white pocket he had on his belly "Yes, but third and last" the cat takes out the pillow with which he received the blow and throws it at Nobita's face making him fall on the floor, he had a serious face but then he smiles "That was for calling me weird face"

The bluish being points at the headband with ears "AAAAH, give that back to me!" He walks over and takes off Nobita's headband, putting it on instantly, when that happened, his tail lengthened again "I didn't realize it fell off"

Nobita notices how he felt better with the fake ears, which made him stare at him as he sits up from the pillow, the blue one notices how he looked at him "What?"

"So you're not a cat? You're a ghost raccoon pretending to be a cat?"

The blue one crosses his arms even more offended "I'm not a raccoon, I'm a cat, a robot cat! And I don't pretend anything, I had my own ears but..." The cat just shakes his head and looks away "You don't have to know that"

"What a personality you have. Ummm... What's your name? Better said to start with, how did you come out of my desk drawer? It's not magic, and even more so, how do you know MY name? Why did you say you were going to make my life better? What do you mean with robot cat? That doesn't exist, I thought you were a magical creature. I don't understand anything!" The silly boy puts his hands on his head without understanding anything of what was happening.

"Don't worry, that's why I came too" Someone comes out of the drawer again, it was the boy who was accompanying the mysterious blue being. He was almost similar to Nobita, only he didn't wear glasses because he didn't need them, he wore a full-body orange suit with white details, he didn't have any faction insignia.

The mysterious boy looks a little confused at his partner, removing his ears causing the tail to shrink again "Using this again? I already told you that you don't need them, you look great the way you are, you don't have to be ashamed, this will only increase your insecurity"

"Nooo, give them to me, I need them, they make me feel complete with the tail transmutation included even if it doesn't give me my color back!" The blue cat tears up a little wanting back what seemed to be a magical cat headband.

"Come on, you look good like this too, it's part of your acceptance process" The boy smiles while the cat plays with his fingers embarrassed, for both of them to look at Nobita again "Hi gramps!"

"G-gramps? What do you mean with gramps?! I'm not your grandpa! Although I admit that you look a lot like me. You must surely be my age, besides, I'm still a child to have grandchildren! What are you doing here?! What do you want from me?!" Nobita can't help but shiver at the pair of strangers in his room.

The blue cat smiles as the boy accompanying him stands next to him "Well Nobi Nobita, allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Doraemon, a specialized nanny robot cat, and this is your great-great-grandson, Nobi Sewashi, he isn't from any faction yet since like you, he will start at the Academy tomorrow, but in many, many years."

"What do you mean... many, many years?" Nobita says somewhat confused.

"Because we come from the future in a time machine made with mystical power. We came for you, gramps" Sewashi says also smiling.

"As I told you before, Nobita. I came to improve your life"

What Doraemon said, left our protagonist startled, he didn't expect that his morning before leaving for the Academy had a... Very drastic beginning.

Chapter Text

"Let's see, let's see. This shouldn't surprise me, I mean. We're in a world of magic where reality has certain limits. Like the one of time control. Because that's supposed to be a tapoo or something so even the most powerful wizards have difficulty with time."

"I think what you meant was taboo." Doraemon narrows his eyes in a judging look. "In the future, time control with magic is possible thanks to the advances of studies carried out by professionals, although it's understandable that you don't understand that since it hasn't happened yet."

"Uh..." Nobita was sitting in front of the boy who claimed to be his great-great-grandson and a bluish being who claimed to be a robot. And what he said was true, time magic in the present was the most complicated, and expert wizards who could control it had problems with it sometimes.

For that same reason Nobita had doubts about whether they were really from the future or were just ghosts bothering him just to live on his desk.

"Do you have proof that you're from the future and that you're my descendant or something?"

"Isn't it enough that we look alike? And I swear I'm not a ghost or a shapeshifter if that's what you're thinking. Look at my clothes, they're not in the style of this time, and we have the same last name, gramps" Sewashi says wanting his grandfather to believe him.

"And there's the fact that your drawer coincided with the entrance to the time machine. Don't ask me for proof that I'm a robot because I'm not going to open the lid of my belly to show my circuits" Doraemon says somewhat nervously. "Besides, we came to see you early because we know that at 9 in the morning you'll go with your mom for the day of goods"

The silly boy is startled. How did they know his schedule so well? But even so, he remained skeptical, time management is complicated. "Uhhh... Maybe you just got lucky getting that right. And you, don't call me gramps, it sounds weird." Nobita looks at Sewashi a little awkwardly.

"It's just that calling you great-great-grandfather is long, so I'll call you gramps instead. And why wouldn't I? You are, after all. You're my great-great-grandfather Nobita who made the decision years ago."

That last thing startled Nobita. "The decision? What decision are you talking about?"

Sewashi and Doraemon look at each other worriedly and then at the boy. "You have a backup plan to leave the academy for a year if you don't like it, right?"

Startled, Nobita nods, he was already starting to think that everything they said was no longer a coincidence if they managed to guess twice about him. "And what does that have to do with you here?"

"It has a lot to do with it, gramps!" The clumsy boy was going to say something but he better let his great-great-grandson continue "You're going to end up studying at the Founder Academy, but in a week you're going to try to make that decision because it's going to be a bad week for you, but your parents will make you give up on taking it, so you're going to keep going to see how your first year goes"

"Oh..." That was the only thing Nobita said, deep down he felt that that would end up happening after all, he was still nervous about his first year. "And by any chance do you know which faction I end up being in?"

"We shouldn't tell you that, that's something you'll have to find out for yourself, we don't want you to go with false hope" Doraemon says, making Nobita just repeat another "Oh"

"But despite not making the decision the first time, you're going to be depressed by how it went and you won't bother at all to improve because you don't have faith in your abilities, while your classmates will continue learning, you'll be left behind, the teachers there will reprimand you every week. Even the director himself who will start to have faith in you because of his phrase, will end up losing hope with your case, just like your friends."

"The situation will reach such a point with your self-esteem that you will decide to resume the plan after entering the vacation. Taking a sabbatical year, and although your parents will disagree at first, they will let you do it because they will think that with a break you will become more positive about being a wizard"

"Even this year something happens, situations regarding renegades and a strange group, but they are nothing more than simple mana thieves, the energy that helps us do magic, but beyond that, it doesn't intensify and everything calms down with it. At least that is what they say in the history texts. But it's a situation foreign to what we have come and it isn't worrying in a certain way" Doraemon says shrugging his shoulders

Sewashi crosses his arms while sighing "But after that break, your life as a wizard will go downhill"

"W-what do you mean downhill? I mean... A break should help me with that, there is a reason I have that plan, right?" The clumsy boy makes an incredulous face.

"Nobita, it's not the same when someone takes a sabbatical due to an accident or serious illness as it is just because, remember that the first year is the most important for an apprentice wizard, everyone will know your physical and mental abilities." Doraemon makes a sad face when saying that, which worries the boy more.

"When you go back to resume your studies, you won't be accepted again in the Founding Academy, but in one of the extensions, specifically in Hokkaido, near Sapporo. Thank goodness you have relatives there too. Even so, it won't go well for you either, you won't know anyone there. And in the same way, your reputation for what ended up happening in your previous first year will reach the ears of the Hokkaido extension and that will make it difficult for you to make friends, you know that in this world, magic is important."

"It will take you a while to graduate from the Primary Academy, Gramps. And even longer from the Junior Academy. You will try to get into the Higher Academy, but you won't be able to reach the points required to get into even the easiest one."

"You will always put in the minimum effort since your disappointment in the first year, so the situation will end up boring you and you will decide to leave school believing that knowing the basics will be enough. But the career path will be difficult for you because you will not be able to get a decent job"

"Because of the distance between Academies, even your friendship with your ex-classmates will be affected." Doraemon says that a little downcast. "But well, it's normal if that will be because of what you decided, the only ones you will have will be your parents."

"Although not everything will be so bad during that time, you will be able to move forward by founding a company based on potions at a moderate price, you will not have much experience in that due to your lack of studies, but, you will not do badly in that point"

"I-I mean... In the future... Am I not going to get married? Will I still be alone? It's just that... I thought I would be a great wizard and successful businessman, a millionaire! And... With Shizuka as my wife." Nobita said that last thing with a dumbfounded face while the image of the girl with pigtails appeared in his mind with a pink background with hearts.

Sewashi and Doraemon look at each other and then at the clumsy boy "Look, we know about you because we investigated with the time machine to find the ancestor who was the reason for the cause why we are here, but we will get to that point. And when we knew that you were the origin of everything, we investigated your life so we could come here prepared."

"Oh, that explains why you two know too much about me. Although it's a little uncomfortable that you have investigated me" Nobita just trembles uncomfortably.

"But as soon as we talk about your wife... Your great-great-grandmother's name is Goda Jaiko right?" Sewashi nods to what his robot cat companion asks him.

"Well... At least I'll get married, I thought I'd die alo..." Nobita thinks for a moment and starts, turning pale. "JAIKO?! ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT GIAN'S YOUNGER SISTER?! I'M GOING TO MARRY JAIKO?! I mean, I have nothing against her, but... WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M GOING TO MARRY THE SISTER OF THE BOY WHO'S ALWAYS BULLYING ME?! IT'S CRAZY!"

"I don't know gramps, those will be your decisions, I have nothing to do with that, I guess it would have to do with it because you will still be your brother-in-law's shadow because you are mentally exhausted from everything going wrong that you will even accept to marry her. You will want to meet your friends at your wedding, but only two people will go who will still have faith in you that you can move on. You will end up tied to your childhood bully in the end but that will no longer matter to you"

"In fact your marriage will not be so bad, you will have many children with her. And with your job you will want to resume your life because of the regrets of the decision that will start with everything, that will end up trapping you in a mind that will only think of misery making you make the minimum effort, that will distance you from your friends and will keep you in a line of bad decisions... To a certain point"

Nobita smiles but it was noticeable that he was suffering a little inside. "I-is there more?"

The pair of visitors from the future nod and make long faces. "This is part of the reason why we're here, Gramps. Life will become moderate for you, you'll even start to gain optimism despite how badly you'll do in your studies and getting a job."

"But the day you'll reach the highest peak of your little potion company, you'll decide to celebrate with fireworks using your wand. But... Since you'll end up being bad at magic from the minimum effort and you won't have the necessary experience from giving up on your studies, you'll accidentally blow up your company with a pyrotechnics spell."

"W-what? Y-you're kidding right?" By this point, the poor boy could only laugh, because if he cried, he'd know he couldn't stop.

"I wish it were. The worst part is that you'll be taking out A LOT of loans for your project, buying potion ingredients that you couldn't get with magic and that have to be bought, but since they're rare ingredients, they'll be worth way too much money, including building materials for the building you'll want to build yourself with magic to save on manpower. And since you won't be able to materialize certain things, you'll be using those loans to get them the normal way. So you'll have to pay those loans back."

"The explosion will also affect structures near the company so your debt will be added to the severance bills. Also, even though you won't be paying architects to make your building because you were so motivated to do everything yourself, you'll still have to pay your workers their company bankruptcy settlements plus damages, luckily no one will die in that explosion but you'll still get sued." Doraemon exhales tiredly

"You will be left in absolute bankruptcy with a huge debt that couldn't be undone even with magic, you will be left in extreme poverty living off of horsetail and bamboo shoots, moving to a very cheap apartment with your family, your wife and children will support you in what they can, but everything will reach a point where she will end up leaving you and taking your children. Even your brother-in-law who agreed with you about your company, will end up hitting you and blaming you for what his sister will have to go through, to the point of convincing your ex-wife to demand alimony from you."

"Even with 3 jobs you won't be able to pay even a quarter of your debt, the debt collectors will come to your house every day to demand the money from the accumulated debt, you won't be able to pay the rent on your cheap apartment and you'll end up homeless looking for a place to live."

The scene around Nobita turned dark as he was turning blue from what he heard, his face reflecting a mix of terror, disbelief, frustration.

His perfect emergency plan turned out to be his sentence to a life full of misfortune.

"Still, you won't borrow money from the couple of friends you have left, you won't have the nerve to do it after everything you've been through since the decision. You'll have given up so early even though they supported you and believed in you and you decided to stay behind, that will embarrass you and maybe that's why you'll decide to distance yourself, gramps"

Doraemon looks to the side and then at Nobita "Even your parents will want to help you, but..." The boy from the future covers the blue cat's mouth.

"But they won't be able to, they won't have enough money to help you" Sewashi laughs nervously and Doraemon looks at him confused, both turn around and taking advantage of the fact that Nobita was in a state of shock, they talk about something in a very low voice

"Hey, you can't tell him about his parents, if gramps is in that state with the rest, you'll make him worse."

"But why wouldn't he have to know that his parents will end up dying in a flying car accident when they went to see him about the debts and that will make him more depressed?"

"We want to change his life for better, not traumatize him. We have to be tactful."

"Well, you're right about that, he's making me feel sorry for him."

The pair of boys from the future turn around smiling nervously, to let Sewashi continue with the rest "Being left without a wife, without children, with 3 exhausting jobs, with an absurdly large debt and a shack in the worst part of the city where the debt collectors won't be able to reach you, at least the majority. You will end up as a lonely old man, malnourished and sick both physically and emotionally, whose only possession will be your wand that will help you warm yourself on cold nights..."

"Until the end of your days when someone will find that shack and only see your wand on the cold floor"

Silence filled the room, the pair waited for the silly boy's reaction, but he didn't say anything, he was just there, trying to take it all in.

Doraemon decides to break the ice, taking out an album with the protagonist's name "We've got evidence in case you still doubt our story, they are photos of you from your whole life, except for certain details like the mark of your faction that we had to cover with a marker"

Sewashi sees that Nobita didn't say anything, he just kept looking at the ceiling as if nothing happened "Hey... Gramps, the reason we're here is that..."

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU, LIARS, YOU'RE JUST ANNOYING ME, MY FUTURE CAN'T BE LIKE THIS, PAIR OF LIARS, GET OUT OF HERE, THAT WASN'T FUNNY, IT WASN'T FUNNY AT ALL, GET OUT OF HEREEEEEEE!"

"B-but gramps, just listen to us"

Nobita throws the pillow at Doraemon again and random things like comics at the pair of visitors, who flee by entering the desk drawer and quickly closing it.

"GET OUT, LEAVE ME ALONEEEEE! GET OUT! Get out! Get out..." Nobita was sobbing looking at his desk in rage. "That... That will be my story, it can't be that, it can't be that everything bad happens to me and that I'll die alone... It can't be... It can't... They are lying to me, pair of mocking brutes!"

"It's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not, it's not"

The boy spoke in a low voice, repeating "It's not" many times. Thank goodness his parents hadn't heard him yet, he didn't want them to see him like that. At the same time that this was happening, from outside the house, the little girl with the bear was looking directly at Nobita's bedroom window. She shook her head, losing interest and slowly retreating, but she was startled and turned around to continue watching.

Nobita had knelt down to fearfully take the album of his life. Sewashi and Doraemon slowly opened the drawer to look at it but keeping their distance so as not to disturb him and so that he could understand everything on his own.

There was his future, his destiny, what he would have to go through.

When he opened it, he was stunned. It was him, from the present, with all the life decisions that began from that plan that he once saw as perfect. It was noticeable how his mood was deteriorating at every moment of his life. There was a slight upswing in his mood when he got married and opened his company, not too much, but there was, until what happened happened.

Yes, the insignia of his faction on each of his outfits was covered with a marker. And yes, he was marrying the younger sister of the boy who beat him, took away his toys and his comics.

He still didn't understand why he was going to choose her in the future, although he thought it could be that his sister was maybe good to him at some point, and how he was so caught up in his bad streak that he sought comfort from someone. That's what he thought, because he didn't have problems with Jaiko, but he did with Gian.

The photos of how he had a company that he cared for so much and that, due to his decisions, he destroyed, filling himself with debts to the point that he was left alone until the end of his days, made him tremble.

"The huge debt won't be left hanging when you end up dying, gramps" Sewashi and Doraemon had come out of the drawer and were standing behind Nobita who didn't turn to look at them, but he was listening to them since he was immersed in reviewing the album.

Sewashi becomes sad "Your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, they will continue paying the debt, living in a situation of poverty. Tomorrow I'll enter the founding academy to learn magic, but except for the day of goods, it will be difficult for me. My allowance is just a few cents"

"Sewashi's father, your great-grandson, is the one who continues paying your debt and although in the future we have advanced magic that makes our lives easier. There are things that we can't get without money and the debt has us by the neck. And I'm very afraid that it will be Sewashi who will have to continue paying your debt when he is an adult."

Hearing that his descendants would have to live with the absurd debt that he would end up creating due to his bad decisions was the breaking point for Nobita to put the album aside and start crying with his face on the floor.

The boy's crying was full of pain, frustration and anger. Was that his destiny? Did he have to go through that? He had a feeling similar to being chained.

He knew it wasn't a lie but he denied his future, he denied that he would ruin his wife's life and that he would ruin the lives of his descendants, he was sure that his future children would end up hating him for that debt.

I mean. What person wouldn't be broken if their destiny was a future full of misfortunes by their own hand? That would be shocking, even worse for a child who was just about to start living his life as a wizard.

His destiny in that world was only the path full of misfortunes until the end of his life.

Chapter Text

Tamako, hearing her son's cries in his room upstairs, decides to go up to see how he was. Her husband had already left for work and although he really wanted to be with them at the department store, today was a work day, but he would meet them at the end of the day.

"Nobita" This time she didn't go in right away because she heard some pain in that crying, so this time she took it more calmly. "I hear you're awake now. Is everything okay?"

Sewashi and Doraemon were alerted because they didn't know how to make Nobita come back to his senses. He was so downcast after finding out about his future that he couldn't stop crying, kneeling with his face against the floor. "So what do we do now? Gramps is in shock and his mom wants to come in! I think Hanz was right, sometimes it's not good for people from the past to know about their future, especially if it's something bad."

"Don't talk about Hanz, I don't like that guy at all!" Doraemon crosses his arms angrily

"Nobita? I can hear you crying so I'm going in"

Doraemon sighs and starts searching in his pocket "There is no other option, I'll use something for this case and..."

"I-I'm fine mom!" Nobita looks up still with tears and a sad look "It's just that I got up, I slipped, I fell and it hurt so much that I'm crying. I'm getting ready and going down to breakfast, okay?"

"Are you sure? That didn't sound like the normal crying you usually do for anything."

"Yeah, yeah. I just fell, it hurt too much. Don't worry"

With what her son told her, although with a little hesitation, Tamako goes down the stairs "But don't take too long"

Nobita hears the sound of his mother coming down the stairs, he just sighs to put his arm over his eyes and continue crying but at a lower volume. Still in shock, the silly boy covered Sewashi and Doraemon, who were relieved, they couldn't just be there so early in a world of magic.

Doraemon was surprised by what the boy he barely met had decided to do, he didn't think he would do that. When he investigated about him, at first glance he saw him as a clumsy, whiny and somewhat lazy boy, who preferred to spend his time sleeping and doing something else. Who let himself be carried away by his bad thoughts about himself and that's why he stagnated.

In fact, he still thought so, but he also discovered that maybe he had a good side that could awaken little by little if he put aside the negativity about himself. The blue cat walks towards him putting his hand on his back and patting him to try to cheer him up.

"Nobita, listen. The future you've seen about yourself isn't written in stone, don't lose hope, you can change your destiny."

The clumsy boy removes his arm to look the robot in the eyes. "R-really? Am I not going to end up as a lonely old man losing everything? I feel terrible not only about that, but many will suffer because of me, like my descendants who will have a hard time paying off that debt. I think I don't even deserve to live."

The boy's tears didn't stop and Sewashi also joins in the encouragement. "Hey, hey. Don't say that, gramps, of course you deserve to live. I'm not just saying that because my existence depends on yours, but like any human being, you can change the facts. It will be your decisions that will lead you to that bad ending, but it can also be your decisions that can change it. And that's why we're here because your solution is right next to you."

The boy from the future points to his robot friend who puffs out his chest with pride. "Doraemon is a robot cat nanny from the 22nd century and he has gadgets that help him in the circumstances he needs, I chose him years ago. Well, I chose him by accident years ago when I was a baby when they were showing second-hand robots." The boy smiles while the blue cat looks at him squinting and with a long face because of the second-hand thing.

"Can robots use magic?" Nobita asks with interest.

"There are some that can and some that can't. Doraemon is in the category of robots that can't use pure magic, that's why he uses those devices. They are gadgets made mainly with Artificial Mystic Power, it's like the one we have, but it was created to expand the horizons of science. Or rather, it will be created in a few years since at this time it doesn't exist yet. Doraemon and all the robots of the 22nd century also have Artificial Mystic Power, which makes them count as Mystic Beings, that's why robots don't have factions either, but they do tend to use the badges when they work or help a specific sector."

"In the future, can mystical power be created? I thought that was impossible! But hey, it's called the future for a reason, right? And... Are you going to help me become a powerful millionaire wizard with a pretty wife instead of my horrible future by using those gadgets? That would be a great help and I wouldn't need to use mag..."

Doraemon interrupts Nobita by giving him a light pillow on the head "No. My gadgets are for EMERGENCIES, like for example, when a wizard runs out of mana in the future, he can opt for gadgets when he has problems, the same goes for children who haven't yet become apprentice wizards like Sewashi and you. And mainly for the personal use of robots who can't use pure magic like me."

"I'll only use them when they're REALLY needed during our time at the Academy. Since in the future, wizards still rely on their own magic because it's part of being wizards and renegades. So don't even think about asking me for gadgets when you're going to become an apprentice wizard starting tomorrow, you can only do so when the situation suits you best. I don't want you to get any lazier than you already are."

"Ouch, ouch! I get it, you didn't have to hit me with another pillow." Nobita growls at that but he jumps back a second later. "Wait. Did you say: Our time?'' Are you just going to stay here in the past?"

"Of course, Doraemon offered to take care of you so that you don't make the mistakes that will lead you to that horrible future that awaits you and change it for a better one. He will be more like that partner who won't let you fall in this world of wizards, he will also use his gadgets ONLY when you really need them, we don't want you to depend on them considering your own ability. The event that will mark the beginning of a series of bad decisions will be in this school year that will start tomorrow, so he will help you so that you can get through it without ending up wanting to resume the emergency plan"

Nobita is stunned by what his great-great-grandson said "But, I don't plan to make that decision, not after you told me what will happen to me if I do"

Sewashi crosses his arms shaking his head "Gramps, you now have a very easily influenced mind" he just points at the clumsy boy "You say that now, but something could happen that will make you rethink it again, that's why, the best thing you need now is a partner. Doraemon will be with you from now on, trust him, he won't let you down."

"Oh, okay. I think having a partner could be good." Nobita looks at Doraemon, both of them smile at each other.

The robot cat was going to say something but the clumsy boy extends his hand "Nice to meet you Doraemon, thanks for coming to help me, I hope we can be good friends."

Sewashi smiles mockingly because Doraemon was stunned by that gesture, but the blue one notices and crosses his arms "Hey, hey, I won't be here for long, just long enough to keep you from screwing up, I'm doing this for Sewashi, let's not go so fast."

Doraemon looks away while crossing his arms but he can't help but find the smile of the boy he now had to take care of pleasant, so he looks at him again and shakes his hand smiling "Ok, ok, let's be friends, nice to meet you too Nobi Nobita"

The young aspiring wizard and the robot from the future didn't know that that little handshake would mean the beginning of an interesting friendship.

"I would have liked to stay and look at what the world of the past would be like because curiosity about this century intrigues me, but I must leave you now. Gramps has to go do the Goods Day activities, as well as I in the future. But I'll come another day to see how things are going with you two."

Sewashi and Doraemon hold hands to say goodbye. "I entrust Gramps to you, Doraemon. See you later."

"See you later Sewashi, don't worry, I'll take good care of the old man." He said the last thing with a mocking smile and looking sideways at Nobita who only pouts a little indignant at that comment.

The boy from the future was heading to the desk, Nobita gets up and approaches him. "W-wait Sewashi!"

"What's wrong, gramps? I think you're late or your mom will get angry." The young man turns around but sees the annoyed face of his ancestor.

"Ok, first, stop calling me gramps, that's still weird because I'm a kid. Second, sorry for throwing things at you guys just now, I was really upset and frustrated with myself that I was denying reality" Nobita bows to apologize, it was true, what he did was because he was going through the stages of grieving, in that case, of his future.

Sewashi shakes his hands "Don't worry gramps, I understand that knowing about the future you're going to try to change was a shock for you." The clumsy boy raises his head arching his eyebrow because he was called gramps again "Sorry gramps, I can't stop calling you gramps, it's just that even though you're a kid, you are still my grandpa to me"

Nobita sighs tiredly as he stands up straight. "Ok, it doesn't matter anymore. But third, I'm worried about you, you're taking the trouble to leave your friend with me. Although... Nothing will happen to you if I change my future?"

"Don't worry gramps, we already thought about that with Doraemon, I won't disappear if that's what you think, being your most distant relative in the timeline, I'll continue to exist even if you marry another woman. It's like going from one point to another with a broom, a carpet or a flying car, you will reach the same destination."

Although the silly boy didn't quite understand the concept, he sighed in relief, he felt grateful that even though he will ruin the future of his descendants, one of them offered to fix his life. The boy from the future enters the drawer, saying goodbye once again and closing the drawer.

"Are you going to miss the future Doraemon?" It's the first thing Nobita asks his new friend, which surprised him, he was expecting all the questions except one about how he felt.

"A little, but it's okay. The time machine will be on your desk from now on, so I can go and come back from there whenever I want. Although... If we go to the Academy, it will stay here, I'll see how I can move it, but that would be when it's your first day of school. Anyway, thanks for asking." Doraemon looks away while scratching his head. "Too bad Sewashi took my headband of ears."

"I think you look good with or without them." Nobita smiles at his friend who tries not to look grateful with the compliment.

Apparently that raccoon-like robot cat was a bit reserved when it came to dealing with new people. Being, for now, more open with Sewashi, and apparently a little with Nobita. And that's just when they're just starting to get to know each other well.

Nobita changes clothes, preventing Doraemon from seeing his back for some reason, and puts away his futon while his head was in a new nebula.

He had so many questions about his new friend, about what the world of the future would be like, about his obsession with having fake ears. Did he have any before? He wanted to ask him, but if Doraemon didn't react confused because he didn't want him to see his back while he changed, then it was better to have some privacy between them for now.

Although what the boy didn't know was that Doraemon was curious about why his new friend tried not to let him see his back when he changed clothes, he wanted to ask him, but like Nobita, he thought about privacy, that he would tell him himself when he wants to do it.

"But where will you sleep? How will I explain to mom and dad about you? Mom doesn't really like animals or mystical beings. And how will you live with me at the Academy?"

Doraemon smiles confidently "Don't worry, leave that to me, what you have to do is focus on your path to becoming a good wizard, my job will be to prevent you from going down a bad path that would lead you to the horrible future"

The robot looks at the album and takes it "As I said, the future can change depending on your actions, so the content of this album will vary if you put effort into it, we don't know how, but it will surely be for the better now that you will have support to put effort into it. Like a life preserver in an unknown sea"

Nobita lowers his head still unsure as Doraemon puts the album away, he already had a partner who would help him avoid a bad future, but Sewashi was right on one point. He was easily influenced and if he were to feel really bad, he could be tempted to return to that point of no return, but for now he wanted to avoid it at all costs.

They both go downstairs leaving the room with the boy nervous about having to introduce his nanny to his mother, he was afraid she would kick him out, but he saw Doraemon confident, so he will let him do the rest.

As soon as they got to the living room next to the stairs, they saw Tamako getting ready in front of the mirror of the coquettish furniture "Oh son, you finally came down, breakfast is getting cold, eat quickly because we have to go soon..."

Mrs. Nobi is stunned to see the curious blue being that was now accompanying her son.

Chapter Text

"MOM, STOP, LEAVE HIM ALONE, LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Doraemon was running for his life while a flying broom was hitting him in the head, he was running in circles trying to avoid the blows, Mrs. Nobi was using her wand to try to get the poor blue cat out of the house by levitating the broom, he wasn't going to use the flying one for that.

Nobita was trying to stop her, but she was determined to get the intruder out. The boy wasn't joking when he said that his mother is very rude when she gets angry.

"I thought you had this under control!" The boy yells at the robot that already had some bumps.

"I DIDN'T THINK YOUR MOM WOULD GET LIKE THIS AS SOON AS SHE SAW ME!" The poor blue cat runs for his life.

"AAAAAH, AND YOU TALK, YOU MUST BE A MYSTICAL BEING THEN! I DON'T CARE ANYWAY, NOBITA, I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT I DON'T WANT PETS IN THIS HOUSE, EVEN JUST A TALKING BLUE RACCOON!" The boy's mother screams in fierce mode.

"I'M NOT A RACCOON!" Doraemon screams, still running away.

"Mom, mom, stop it!" The boy had no choice, when the enchanted broom was about to headbutt the cat again, he stepped in front of him and the broom stops. "Stop trying to kick him out, Doraemon is my friend and he came to help me with my problems with my studies and with the academy!"

The woman is startled so she stops enchanting the broom leaving it on the ground "Doraemon? Is that what that thing is called? And what do you mean by helping you with your problems?"

"Uhhh... It's hard to explain but... Doraemon is a robot cat, he comes from the future and wants to help me do well at the Academy since he knew from there that I have problems with my self-esteem, he felt sorry for me and he will stay with me until I do well, like... A babysitter"

"Technically I AM a babysitter robot" The poor blue one with his face on the ground with some bumps on his head.

Nobita looked for a way to give a version that didn't involve telling her about his future and his great-great-grandson, because that would be very shocking for her. And that he didn't know about what would happen to his parents in the future, that wouldn't only have been shocking for them, but for himself, so not telling him that detail was a good idea on Sewashi's part.

So the boy took his mother to his room since she didn't believe him words because the handling of time magic was complicated at that time, he opens the drawer so that she could see the entrance of the time machine and taking advantage of that, he also peeks to see what was inside the drawer.

The time machine was a floating mat with a computer on it and a large lamp that shone with colors, it was floating inside what seemed to be a space full of clocks running, that was undoubtedly the well-known time tunnel.

"That must be one of the gadgets, and that's how they travel in time. It seems very surreal, even for a world of magic" thought the clumsy boy, amazed by the new content on his desk.

"I really didn't think this was here in your desk" Tamako and her son stop looking at the drawer, immediately putting on a regretful face "I see you're telling the truth, I thought it was an excuse to keep a pet with a weird face. I'm sorry son"

Both members of the Nobi house go down to the living room again "I think it seems right to me that you have someone supervising you since you're going to live there until the end of the school year and you tend to prefer doing other things than doing your homework, and I won't be able to supervise you during your study time, so I'm going to accept him in the house. Although I don't know how he'll be able to get them to accept him with you when you have to go to a faction house"

"According to him, he'll take care of it. Although, I don't need an apology, he does" Nobita looks worriedly at the blue cat that was still on the floor with the bumps, so Tamako uses her wand again and with a movement she reduces the swelling of the bumps with healing magic, Doraemon sits down and he sighs in relief.

"Sorry, blue raccoon, I mean, Doraemon. You took me by surprise, but I'm very glad that you want to take care of Nobita with his life at the Academy. I don't know how you'll do it, but I'm asking you to do it. He's a little clumsy and doesn't like studying very much." Tamako ruffles her son's hair, who only pouts indignantly at how his mother described him, although in the end that wasn't a lie.

"CAT, robot cat" The robot's judging look makes Mrs. Nobi laugh embarrassedly. "But yeah, I've come to accompany Nobita in his first year at the Academy. So don't worry ma'am"

"Come on, come on. Since you're going to be a member of the family for a while, tell me mom." Tamako smiles along with her son, Doraemon is startled but felt good with the trust she gave him, so he nods and stands up.

"Now that we've fixed the misunderstanding, Nobita must go have breakfast, we're already running late. I'm sorry I didn't make something for you, your arrival was very unexpected."

"It's okay, I'll eat something when we get there" Doraemon whispers to Nobita "I just hope your dad doesn't react like that, I don't want bumps again"

"Don't worry, he's more understanding" The boy whispers to him and laughs quietly.

Our protagonist, now with a new friend, eats his breakfast. With the map ready, the pair of boys with Mrs. Nobi leave the house, locking it.

The woman looks at the watch on her wrist. "Oh my god, 9:30! There are already a lot of people at the department store at that time! We'll have to use my broom."

Tamako whistles, her flying broom comes flying and lands in front of them. "Come on, Nobita, get on quickly, we're already late."

"Why don't we at least have a carpet? It's more comfortable, I'm not 6 anymore." Nobita lets out a sigh, complaining about having to ride his mother's broom.

"I told you, we don't have the space or the money for a flying car, and flying carpets are kind of expensive. And you haven't learned to fly on a broom yet, nor do you have your flying license, don't complain and get on."

Doraemon smiles "Well, since this is an emergency we can try this"

The raven-haired boy watches attentively as his new friend searches inside the peculiar white pocket on his belly that he always has with him, taking out two unusual objects that were of the same type: A tiny hat with a propeller, both gold in color, the propellers had bright orange inscriptions. The boy didn't know what it was but he was curious.

"These are called takecopters, and with them we can fly without needing a broom, carpet or flying car, they are used by robots without magic and children who have not yet become apprentice wizards who don't have licenses yet. And we don't need flight licenses to use them, since they count as magical objects like crystal spheres. So we will not have problems if we use them. Go ahead, we will follow you"

Tamako wasn't sure, although she gave him permission to take care of her son, she wasn't yet familiar since they just met this morning, but she does it anyway, it was late "Okay, I will go first, Nobita will guide you there, but be careful"

Mrs. Nobi gets on her broom and flies straight to the Department Store. The boy inspects the small object now in his hands since Doraemon gave him one, he didn't know how to use it. "And how do you use this? I don't think this thing can take us."

"Its name says it, you little fool." Doraemon smirks, putting the small object on his head. "You put it on your head, with the artificial Mystic Power inside, you just need to think about flying and it activates."

Nobita looks in amazement as his friend rises into the air with the propeller spinning rapidly. When he moves like that, the inscriptions form the circle of flight magic, although that can only be seen from above. "See? Try it! Calm down, you're not going to fall!"

The boy was hesitating a little, he was afraid to try that, it was normal, it was the first time he saw a magic object like that. "Hurry, we're in a hurry, or I'll put it in your pants so they fly away without you!"

With a joke with a hint of indirect threat, Nobita obeys by placing the gadget on his head, then he imagines himself on the clouds, operating the small propeller and starting to float little by little, separating from the ground.

Although it was too much, just as if it were a torpedo, the boy flew up in a single impulse passing Doraemon who was surprised "Nobita?!" He had no choice but to go look for him on the clouds.

Nobita with his eyes closed, was nervous because he didn't know what happened, until little by little he opened his eyes and found himself on a beautiful scene of clouds as if they were a large cotton bed, the birds flew around him.

The scene was one he wanted to see when he got his flying license, wanting to use a broom to fly over the clouds in the blue sky, there were some who flew around with their broom, being amazed by the strange contraption that helped him fly, but then they continued with their own thing.

Doraemon manages to fly to him, he finds him looking at everything with a smile of excitement and shining eyes. He wanted to tell him that they had to leave, but seeing that moment of the boy, he just stands next to him.

"It's pretty, isn't it? It's the kind of scene I wanted to see when I can use a broom" says the boy who smiled warmly looking at the landscape

"You like quiet places, right?" Nobita nods to what Doraemon asks him "I see"

There was silence between the two as they looked at the blue sky, but it was a cozy silence.

"Do you like magic?" the boy asks his new friend.

"Well..." Doraemon puts his hands behind his back "Magic is something useful for wizards and renegades, it's their basis of life, the gift of centuries from the goddess Andromeda to the Earth that allows them to do fantastic things, allowing the birth of unparalleled creatures, so yes, I like it. It doesn't change the concept of magic much in the future."

"I see. I think I couldn't imagine a world without it, and if it exists, it's likely that I'll have the same problems: Dumb, clumsy and a crybaby. Or at least that's what everyone says, although it's true, but, I don't really like remembering it and admitting it" Nobita exhales tiredly.

"And do you like magic? You don't seem to be very convinced about going to the Academy"

That question startles the boy with glasses who just smiles somewhat sadly "Of course I like it. It's just that I know I'm not going to be good at it, I always mess up something."

"Since I'm dumb, I won't be able to memorize spells well and I'll fail, or maybe I'll say them wrong, or I won't be able to make potions. Since I'm clumsy, I'll surely drop things, I'll make mistakes when I want to learn how to fly and if there's a magic competition, I'll surely drop my wand or something. Since I'm a crybaby, I'll surely want to give up because my classmates laugh at me, especially those two."

"That's why that was that backup plan I had, before I met you, I thought it was best to escape, but... Now, I don't want to end up alone because of my own mistakes and I might want to give up. But I hope I never have to choose that."

The boy just closes his eyes smiling and scratches the back of his neck embarrassed while he blushes slightly looking at his friend "Sorry, it's just that, quiet scenarios like this make me get a little philosophical. I really like magic, I've dreamed since I was little of being able to be a good wizard, but as time has passed, my expectations of myself have lowered, and I feel like it's my own fault for believing that I can't."

"What will I do if I get scared and want to go for the bad ending again?"

Doraemon smiles with determination at that question. "Trust me. That's why I'm here with you now, if you get stubborn I'll take care of keeping you from that decision. Just don't make it so complicated for me, heh."

Nobita is stunned, with Doraemon it seemed like he suddenly had a brother. It was a new feeling, but nice, it was easier for him to tell him than even his friends at school. He didn't know why, but he didn't complain either.

"Anyway, let's go to the Department Store, I don't know much about where the buildings are at this time since everything is different in the past, so show me and we'll go."

The boy nods, Doraemon takes him by the hand to prevent him from flying away or crashing, since the boy was still a novice with the gagdet. Of course he wasn't going to lend it to him too much since he has to learn how to use the broom.

Following his directions, they both descend to finally reach the Department Store, their destination for today.

Chapter Text

The Department Store looked like an ordinary one from the outside, but inside it was twice as big and looked like the interior of a rustic shopping mall, because its interior was enchanted with dimensional magic.

Dimensional magic was the most used since it was very convenient to save on exterior spaces, of course there was a limit to enlarging the interior spaces, but in the same way, it's very useful. Many large buildings use it, including the academy.

In the large building there were stores that sold everything, especially what was related to magic. Which was perfect for the occasion before the entrance ceremony to the Mystical Academy that had an agreement with all the other academy in the country, only in those places was the great proclaimed Goods Day celebrated.

Nobita and Doraemon arrived at the outside of the building, Mrs. Nobi was waiting for them right at the entrance, she scolded them for taking so long to arrive, but they entered in the end. Doraemon observed with amazement how the atmosphere was inside. It was always very lively, but that day it was even more so with the children who were going to enter the first year, they were accompanied by their families to look for what they needed.

There were young people, adults and elderly people who had insignia of their factions on their clothes, babies and children who were going to enter the first year were without them, for obvious reasons.

"Well, if I'm honest with you, between the present and the future there isn't much difference in terms of magic shops, they keep the same decorative pattern, the only thing different are the objects that are sold and the clothes of the time." Says the blue cat looking at everything.

"Well, let's follow the route of the map that your friend Dekisugi gave you, it will be very useful, especially if we are late, we will see dad at the end of the day."

First, the uniform store. There were some designs of all the Academies, including the founding one. "And how will they know which one is mine?" Nobita asks confused, although he wasn't really interested in buying clothes, he found it a bit boring.

"It's simple" Doraemon points to the receptionist who was serving someone in the line where Mrs. Nobi was, then it was her turn, so they both approach her so Doraemon can explain how the Goods Day works.

"Good morning, we've come to get my son's uniform. Founding Academy, Nobi Nobita."

The receptionist nods. "Good morning, welcome to the uniform store. Let's see." She looks at a book that opens by itself from right to left and finds the right page by itself.

"That's a record book, they have the data of the students who are going to enter the first year written down there. The Academy updates the records every year for this day. Each store has a record book, that way the stores will know who they have to give what they need at no cost by consensus since everything is the responsibility of the Academy. In this specific store they also have the data of those who are going to enter middle school and high school since the uniforms are slightly different in size and shape."

"Wow, you weren't joking when you said that you are prepared." Nobita is startled by the amount of information, he felt like he was talking to Dekisugi.

Doraemon puffs out his chest proudly again. "Just so you don't doubt it, these kinds of traditions don't change in the future, so I learned as much as I could to be able to help you on this journey."

There was no mistaking how proud and self-assured this cat was of his own abilities, even though he came from a second-hand robot event.

"Although..." For a while now, both humans and animals have been staring at the blue cat since they entered. After all, they had never seen a being like him, and Nobita noticed that as soon as they set foot inside the building. "You're attracting a lot of attention. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Not at all. In the end, they'll think I'm just a somewhat different mystical being. The good thing about magic is that many things go unnoticed, being taken as something normal. Outside of the future, I'm the most advanced thing that exists in this era, but they don't know that."

The wink from the robot calms the clumsy boy a little, who just sighs in relief. He was afraid for a moment that his new friend was in danger for being different, but as he already said, little by little people got used to his presence.

"Yes, here he is, Nobi. The changing rooms are at the back, just tell me his size so he can try on the full uniform and the gym uniform." The receptionist points to the right, to which Tamako thanks her and tells her the measurements.

As the pair talked, suddenly the silly boy feels his mother take him by the arm. "Come on, Nobita, you have to try on the uniform to see if it fits you well, we're just starting."

Exhaling deeply while complaining, our protagonist knew he would have a long day of shopping today, his mother was a bit complicated when it came to clothes. Doraemon took advantage of that to leave the store and buy something to eat since he hadn't had breakfast.

He still attracted the attention of the wizards and creatures who passed by, but not so much when he entered the Department Store with the Nobis. What caught his attention were the dorayakis from that era, although there was a problem. He had no money from that era, so he turned around to ask Mrs. Nobi if she could buy him some and return it later when he gets an allowance.

When he returned and met Tamako, who asked the robot to help her son with the uniform, since it was taking him a while to try it on and she wanted to know if that was the right size.

Doraemon accepted, approaching one of the dressing rooms. "Nobita! Have you put on the uniform yet?"

The cat only heard an "Yeah" in a calm tone from the boy, so he decided to go in to see him. Upon entering the dressing room, the blue cat looks at Nobita who was looking at himself in the mirror with the uniform on.

The uniform consisted of a white, short-sleeved, high-collared shirt, which had a long-sleeved variation for cold weather, with a tie that was gray for now until the time of initiation came when it would turn into the color of the faction with magic as well as a small seal of the faction's shield that would appear on the right side of the shirt's chest.

A sleeveless blue vest stood out on the white shirt, it had a pair of pockets on each side with a gold line mark, on the left side the seal of the Academy to which the student belonged, in this case, the seal of the layout of a golden castle that belonged to the Founding Academy.

On the right side of the vest was the insignia of the faction, larger than the seal of the shirt, and that for now was only a small gray shield that will also change on that day, the vest had a gold detail around the neck and the joint where the buttons passed through that were of that same color.

The bottom part consisted of a pair of light grey shorts that reached the knees, in the case of a girl it was a skirt that was also the same length, and depending on comfort, the shorts of the male uniform could be changed to a pair of pants that reached above the ankles.

The high socks were white and the shoes were black, in the Academy the use of indoor shoes for institutions was also respected, so there was a dark grey variant that was a little lower.

Over that uniform, a deep sapphire blue cape with a high collar and gold detailing with a pair of gold buttons that served to keep the cape on also shone different from the vest, it was the magician's cape that was used in the Academy, except for class hours.

Nobita spent a long time looking at himself in the mirror with his uniform without any expression, he didn't know how to feel exactly, but finally he was able to put on an expression of pleasure for what he was wearing, he was able to relive that excitement he felt when there was a long time left to enter the Academy.

He even smiled while his eyes shone, blushing and hugging himself for having the uniform on, since the part of being able to use magic made him excited.

An illusion that he was burying because of his concern about his own abilities, but that he wanted to get out to take control of those moments.

After all, he was a child who was about to experience using magic for the first time and it was normal for him to be excited after all those moments of self-doubt. It was true, he liked magic, he just... was afraid of doing it wrong.

Doraemon notices that smile, closing his eyes with a serene and happy expression, it seemed to him a partly tender expression and typical of a child experiencing something for the first time, so he just crosses his arms with a mocking but pleasant smile "You like how it looks on you, huh?"

"Yeah, I think, it feels nice" Nobita is startled, opening his eyes and slowly turning around looking at his partner behind him with that huge smile, which makes him turn red, to look away while hugging himself with shame "H-hey, I didn't ask you to come in!"

"I remembered that I don't have money from this time when I wanted to buy some dorayakis, I came back and your mom asked me to see why it took you so long to try on the uniform, but I think it suits you and from your expression you feel that too, don't be ashamed to admit it"

"Ah to tell the truth..." The boy looks down for a moment but then gets excited returning to that warm and satisfied expression "I like it, although this cape makes me a little hot"

"It's more like a formality, you won't have to wear it all the time" Doraemon looks at the grey badge on the vest, which makes him a little curious "Aren't you nervous about which faction you're going to belong to for the rest of your life?"

Nobita just shrugs his shoulders "Because of who I am, I know I'll end up in Betakoi, but that doesn't bother me, I think it suits me more"

"It's good that you don't care about that, even in the future, that suspense about the factions has the children restless, many want to go to Urutogon. I'll tell your mom that you're ready then"

As Doraemon goes out to look for Mrs. Nobi, the boy with glasses looks in the mirror again, it felt good to recover that feeling he had when he was excited about being a wizard, he was thinking that he was having moments like that since he met the robot cat. Even his mother was excited when she arrived and saw him in the uniform.

After making sure the measurements were correct and trying on the gym uniform, which wasn't much different from a normal elementary school uniform except for the faction insignia on the chest, Mrs. Nobi leaves the store with the boys who were carrying bags with the uniform, a spare, gym clothes, socks, and shoes.

"Oh, hi Nobita!" Shizuka and her parents were also about to pass by, they already had more shopping bags, and also a cage with a canary that seemed to be made of leaves that the girl was carrying. "Have you gotten the uniform yet? I'm glad, we're only a few stores away, it's lunchtime right now so we'll go eat first and then continue with what we're missing. Dekisugi should be finishing up too."

Her friend's sweet smile makes the clumsy boy happy and he greets her as well. "Hi Shizuka! Yeah, we started a little late, but we're off to a good start thanks to the map Dekisugi gave us. We were planning to come earlier but something unexpected happened."

As the adults greet each other and chat, the girl with pigtails notices Doraemon. "That's a cute blue raccoon. I heard there was an unusual creature in the department store. Is it your pet?"

Doraemon smiles at him but again he gets the judging look "I'm a..."

"It's Doraemon, a robot cat!" Nobita covers Doraemon's mouth nervously, he didn't want him to say anything else, the boy approaches his friend and whispers to her telling her the same concept he told his mother, which surprises her because of the concept of time magic.

"I see. Then, welcome to this time, Doraemon, nice to meet you. I'm Minamoto Shizuka, Nobita and I are good friends"

While for the silly boy it was nice to hear how she called him a good friend. For the cat, it was impressive how Shizuka took so easily the fact that he came from the future, but it was a relief to know it, so he smiles too "Thank you Shizuka, I'm also glad to meet you"

Doraemon notices how the leaf canary was trying to get out of the cage, he had Nobita in his sights while singing happily. "Is it a flower canary?"

Shizuka nods "It's a gift from mom and dad because I'm entering the Academy tomorrow, its name is Hanachan, its chants make flowers grow. At the Academy they accept small pets in the faction houses, so I'll take it with me along with my canary Pichan" The little green canary wanted to get out of the cage at all costs "T-calm down Hanachan!"

"Sorry, it's my fault again." Nobita takes a nervous step back

"Your fault? Why do you say that?" the bluish one asks confused "Now that you mention it, the little canary is paying a lot of attention to you"

"I don't know why but, the mystical creatures want to be close to me so I can cuddle them, when I usually sleep in the vacant lot or on the mountain behind the school, they usually appear very close. It's a bit problematic when they are other people's creatures, it's going to be a bit complicated at the Academy, but well. Sorry Shizuka"

The girl with pigtails shakes her head "It's okay, I remember the times when we were younger you would run away scared because the magical creatures wanted to be near you, but now you've gotten used to it. I was even a little jealous because even the unicorns would come up to you"

"Oh no, how embarrassiiiiiing!" Nobita snorts but then the two boys laugh naturally, Doraemon found that nice and apparently understood the situation, although he didn't understand why Nobita could do that without wanting to, he even had a theory, but he wanted to see how his life at the Academy developed.

Both kids and their families say goodbye to go to the activities they had for today, they had a busy day.

Although, when the Nobi Family passes by a clothing store, the same little girl with the teddy bear was looking at a window, to focus her attention on them, with curiosity like any little child decides to follow them from afar.

Chapter Text

Nobita and his family continue their tour in the Department Store, unlike the uniform store, the visits to other stores were a little faster.

They went through the school supplies store, where they received the new backpack, which unlike the normal school backpack, was a little bigger and was made of leather, and it had a dimensional spell, which meant that the interior space was very large, like the magic pocket but more limited compared to the mystical science of the future. They also received bird feathers, ink bottles, notebooks and scrolls. The basics to start with, since the rest they will have to buy later.

They went through the potions store, where they received a few basic jars and ingredients, also a small cauldron for potions for practices outside the Academy, they were smaller than those used in classes but were perfect for training.

And so they went through a couple more stores, trying to avoid a mystical beings store that is equivalent to a pet store. The reason? Whatever happened when Nobita was around those creatures. They didn't want to have problems with the owners because the creatures tried to run away just to be near him.

Likewise, when someone passed by with a creature, it would jump on him to get him to cuddle it, Doraemon would try to get him some repellent from the future so that this problem wouldn't have an impact on his school experience, although he doubted if it would work if that theory he had in his mind was correct.

They took a break for lunch, although a bit late, although with a full belly, Doraemon got his precious dorayakis because Tamako bought them for him for helping to carry the bags.

"How deliciouuuuuus" says the blue cat chewing one of his snacks that he took out of a paper bag while they walked again.

"I see you really like dorayakis, I've never seen someone show so much love for a snack before. In fact, I didn't know robots could eat" The boy laughs softly because he found that reaction kind of cute for someone who seemed a little proud "Do they still sell them in the future?"

Doraemon nods as he chews "Yes, but now that I've tried the ones from this time, they're much better than the ones from the future, I really love them a lot"

"And of course I can eat and sleep like a living being, even though I don't use the toilets, my digestive system removes every particle of what I eat by absorbing the nutrients for my energy source, so I don't need it."

Both the clumsy boy and his mother smile watching the robot enjoy his snacks, Tamako stops and looks at an... Electronics store? It was packed and there were young people and children with their parents leaving that place with a small bag.

"I don't remember a store like this being on the list when I was studying. This must be new." The three of them enter the electronics store curious to know why it was on the list of stores associated with the Goods Day. Tamako had to take Nobita and Doraemon by the hands because the amount of people there was larger than in other stores, there was so much demand for whatever was there that there were 5 people in charge at the checkout.

It was a moment of waiting in line, but they finally got to a checkout. The manager receives them and although Mrs. Nobi was still confused, she gave the information anyway. The young man in charge of the store adjusts his tiny glasses and nods, looking for something behind him.

A rectangular box is placed on the counter, it was transparent, so you could see its contents, which surprises Nobita and he takes it. A crystal that looked like what in a normal world they would call a smartphone was shown in the contents, only instead of a screen, it was all glass with a red circle in the center. "And what is this?"

The young man smiles proudly "That thing you have in your hands is what will gradually be the substitute for crystal balls. It's called Crystalpad." The manager takes out a device that he had at his side, aesthetically prettier, it showed a screen that was projected on the front, while a pair of glasses that appeared out of nowhere were shown in the back.

"Thanks to the partnership with the Academy and the national faction leaders in Japan, it has been possible to become the first country in the world to be able to create an advanced substitute for crystal balls. It was decided for this year to give the students of the Primary and Junior Academy the basic version of these devices."

"With one of these you can call another Crystalpad, take photos, access applications and books of all kinds, these already have the contact of the Academy and its application so that you can receive messages there and write messages to your contacts. It's made of a magical crystal enhanced with mystical power, light, resistant to shocks and water, much more than a crystal ball. Ingenious, right? These are the basic versions to promote them and sell from the simplest to the most advanced. It is a win-win for both parties."

The attendant points out that adults and those who go to the Higher Academy were interested in getting the different versions and colors of that device including the decorations, the version given away for free was made of white glass. Doraemon reacts by remembering something.

The Nobis thank him for the object which is placed in a small bag along with a power stand that served as a charger, and then they leave with a bit of trouble because of the crowd. As they left, people kept coming. "It's incredible that they want to create a substitute for the crystal ball. The advances in technology are overwhelming" Tamako says, still surprised. "Although I don't think I can afford it now, I'll stick with the crystal ball we have at home."

"OF COURSE, now I remember! This is the time when the Crystalpads start to make their appearance. They are very helpful even in the future, where they are known as Crystalwatches because they are shaped like a watch and are more flexible and have more functions. Although, it's not so true that they end up being substitutes for the crystal balls. There are those who even in the future continue to use them. But there's no doubt that this device will be very useful to you, believe me."

When Doraemon winks at him, Nobita understands a little.

Even though the robot said that, he couldn't help but make a confused face as he looked at the electronics store. "Although, it's weird, I thought that the Crystalpad usage would be for next year when Nobita would go to Hokkaido Academy. Or maybe I saw the dates wrong? I guess that must be it."

Both boys were living one of the moments that would mark the future. Which makes him wonder one thing as he takes the device out of the box for a moment and checks it.

"Doraemon. Now that you're going to change my future... Does that mean everything in this world is going to change because of that?"

The robot's smile appears "Don't worry, your future only represents a small fraction of the world that wouldn't do anything in the timeline we live in, it's good that you asked. But I highly doubt it, I'm just helping you avoid ending up in ruin"

The scene of the little girl with the bear is shown a few stores away looking at them intently. The scene of Mitzuki walking around wanting them to buy her a black sweater full of skulls with her mother smiling nervously. The scene of the Academy's director looking at yesterday's drawing again. And something new, the scene of a boy with black hair down to his waist stylized looking at a charcoal-colored wand. Also the scene of a girl with long, bluish-black hair who was trying on her uniform at home while smiling and wearing white sphere-shaped earrings.

"I doubt changing your future will alter the present timeline."

"Nobi" Dekisugi approaches with his own Crystalpad in his hands "How are you today? I hope the map is helping you. I'm done with my shopping."

"Oh, Dekisugi, hi." The clumsy boy scratches the back of his neck "Well, yes, it's helping me a lot, thanks for the map." Nobita takes the opportunity to introduce his new friend to another classmate. "This is Doraemon, he's my new friend. He's going to help me and accompany me in the first year at the Academy, I don't know how he's going to get them to let him stay with me but I think he can do it. He's... A robot that comes from the future, it sounds hard to believe but it's true."

Doraemon was already preparing his judging look because they would call him a raccoon but... "Wow, so he's a robot cat from the future, it's very obvious that he's not from this world by the way he looks, so I think he could come from the future. Welcome to our time, my name is Dekisugi Hidetoshi, I'm Nobi's friend."

Both Nobita and Doraemon are perplexed, one because he believed the future at first, and the other because someone finally called him a cat and not a raccoon, which fills him with joy.

"Thanks for calling me a cat and not a raccoon when you first met me." The robot's satisfied smile is priceless.

"Did you really believe me about the future? I thought that as someone very intelligent, you would doubt first." The silly boy was still stunned but impressed.

"I know that handling time magic is complicated, but not impossible. Very few wizards have been able to travel to other times, so I wouldn't rule out your friend's story about the future. Many questions came to my mind as soon as I heard about you, many things about the future, but I know it's better to wait for them to be answered naturally."

Nobita is impressed again. Before, he didn't like him being very smart, but now that they were closer, even he seemed to be joining his fan club.

"Since you already have your CrystalPad. Can I have your contact? It will be very useful when we need to talk. I can also give you Shizuka's contact, she gave it to me as soon as we got our crystals. I can teach you how to add contacts if you want."

That part, that part made our protagonist pout slightly irritated. He would have liked to be the first contact in Shizuka's crystal. But it was true, he needed to fill his crystal with contacts because he was going to need to communicate when necessary. "Okay, thanks."

While Nobita and Dekisugi were exchanging contacts, not far away were Gian and Suneo, who were watching the scene. "Look at that, Nobita is still shopping, he must have fallen asleep as usual, what a clumsy guy. The same thing will surely happen to him tomorrow at the opening." Gian said while Suneo smiled mockingly.

"Although..." Suneo fixes his attention on Doraemon "What is that blue raccoon that accompanies him? Ha! He also has a face like a fool like him, he doesn't compare to my mystical being that my parents managed to get me as a gift for entering the Academy." The young fox-faced boy played with a necklace with a small talisman in a bag that he has hanging around his neck. "I can't wait for tomorrow and to be part of Urutogon to rub it in his face"

The dwarf adjusts his hair, showing off as always, but notices that Gian was looking for something in a mask store "What are you looking for?"

The robust boy smiles with a hint of malice and shows a mask "What do you think of this?"

Suneo is startled, not understanding why he wanted a mask, but then he gets the idea and gets nervous "Uhh... I think I understand what you want to do, but isn't it a bit exaggerated if you do it?"

"Nah, it's been a long time since that happened, he'll have gotten over it by now. It'll just be a harmless little joke between friends."

The Nobi Family's last destination was the wand shop. Upon entering they see a large place full of wands displayed in glass cases, many wizards were there to receive their wands or to have theirs serviced. While his mother was waiting for the receptionist of the place. Nobita and Doraemon were looking at the crystals with the wands inside.

"I can't believe I'm getting my own wand. I think that even with what I saw in the album I'm still hallucinating with the idea. I don't know but I really feel like I could really be a good wizard." Nobita was beaming with excitement like a little boy.

"If you bury the bad thoughts about yourself yes." They both walked straight to the counter where Mrs. Nobi called them, on it was a small panel with a magic identification circle.

The old receptionist had left that panel for the occasion "Little boy, put your hand there, as soon as the identification circle reads your mystical power, it will calculate which wand is the right one for you, it will only take a little while and it will appear on the counter."

Heeding what the old man said, the clumsy boy put his hand on the magic circle, which began to glow as he moved, analyzing the mystical power within it. Doraemon takes out the album to take a look at the wand his friend is holding in the photos.

A common reed wand with a simple brown handle.

At the end of the analysis, some crashing noises could be heard. "Oh, there it comes," says the old manager, a glass box comes flying and lands slowly on the counter.

Nobita is stunned for not containing his excitement to see that he finally has a wand, Tamako nods pleased with the efficiency of the store...

But Doraemon is perplexed because that wand... Is it different from the one in the album?

"Let's see; a reddish brown oak wand, slightly crooked near the tip but it's interesting, with a small but simple grey handle that's barely noticeable. I think if you take good care of it, it will be very useful to you."

Nobita looks excitedly at the wand inside its transparent container, the feelings that once slept over time because of his low self-esteem were awakening again for that day, that was the mood he must have and that he was now feeling.

But he immediately noticed that the expression on his friend's face, whom he had only known for a day, was different from what he expected. "Doraemon, what's wrong?"

"Uh... Nothing, nothing, nothing's wrong. Go ahead and leave, I just saw something that caught my attention."

Still confused by the robot's attitude, Nobita and his mother leave the wand store, putting the transparent box in one of the bags. When they weren't looking, Doraemon took out the album again and looked through the photos.

They had changed: The reed wand Nobita used in his future was replaced by the wand he had just acquired, and the part of his old age was covered with a nebula, which meant that he was having another change in progress.

"Thank goodness Nobita didn't notice the type of wand he used before this moment. My mission is to prevent him from resorting to the decision. But how did that affect the type of wand he will use?"

"Does this also have to do with what happened with the Crystalpad's advance year?" Then Doraemon remembers the child's question:

Does that mean that everything in this world is going to change because of that?

The robot just shakes his head denying the facts while putting the album away as he left the store. "Nah, I don't think my intervention is changing the timeline like that, it doesn't make sense, Sewashi and I have been overanalyzing the process of changes for this mission even to get the time intervention permits. Maybe I'm just being dramatic."

As he leaves, he sees that Nobita was alone with the purchases. "Hey, what about your mom?"

"It's just that since we finished, she went to see dad since it's almost time for her to leave, she said me to wait for her at the department store. What about you? You look pale."

"I see. N-nothing's wrong, I was just admiring the wands. Leave me the bags, I'll put them in my pocket so we don't have to carry so much." Doraemon tries to change the subject while putting away the bags. "Let's take advantage of looking at other stores."

"Hi Nobita!" Gian and Suneo approach with a grin from ear to ear, although the dwarf was a little nervous for some reason, but he couldn't say anything against the idea.

Doraemon didn't need to know who the biggest one was, he already knew, it was his friend's future brother-in-law, when he did the research he had bad vibes, but now he felt worse airs having him face to face. So he already gave him a judging look, especially because Gian had something behind his back.

"Uh... Hi Gian, Suneo. I just finished my shopping, I'm waiting for my parents. Uh..." The glasses boy nervously introduces his friend to the pair "This is Doraemon, a friend I made today, he is..."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, tell us about your weird magic raccoon later" Suneo smirks, which annoys the robot cat.

"I'm a cat." Doraemon speaking startled the pair but they wanted to get straight to the point.

"Nobita, we want to show you something very interesting that we found in a store. It's something that will surely make you jump" says Gian trying to avoid laughing so as not to ruin the joke.

"Yes, it's a unique and exclusive item that we bought and we want to show you. I know that we have behaved badly with you in the past, but that's why we want you to be the first to see this unique item" Suneo also hid his laughter

The poor naive boy falls for it without a doubt, he was at his peak of excitement for the shopping he did that he let his guard down "Really?! Let's see, I want to see!" he says with a smile. Although Doraemon had a bad feeling.

"Ready? Here it is!"

Nobita's smile disappeared in a moment being replaced by an expressionless face when Gian showed him the item he got.

Chapter Text

The boy with glasses was expressionless as he looked at what Gian had obtained:

A deer mask with all these long ones, his face was elongated by factory defect that made him look weird, and he was also discolored.

Why would they have THAT in a store?

Doraemon looks at his friend's expression, who didn't say anything, he was just there, motionless. "Nobita?" The robot just shakes the boy to make him react. "Hey! Are you okay?"

The boy finally reacted, his face turned pale and his expression was one of great terror, one equivalent to what happened when he found out about his gray future, only a little more noticeable, tearing up he slowly backs away and trembling.

"No, no, no, no, no, no... NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The boy's scream of terror as he turned to flee for his life was loaded with regret, they weren't his normal screams of fear.

People watched as the boy ran as if his life depended on it as he screamed, even the teddy bear girl saw when he passed by her without noticing her because he was locked in panic.

Doraemon was stunned by that, that expression and reaction were no different for him, it was as if he saw himself in that situation, he heard the laughter of the pair who couldn't contain themselves from the expression the boy put on, which annoyed the robot cat.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Look how he runs! How scared, he got scared by a deer mask!" Gian laughs as they both point their fingers at the scared boy who got lost in the crowd.

"HAHAHAHAHA! I know! Although... Haven't we gone too far with the joke?" Suneo also laughed but was still nervous.

"Come on, it was just a joke! He'll get over it, it's not that big of a deal."

"WHAT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL?!" Doraemon yells at the pair who just stare at the robot in confusion. "Nobita's right, you guys are a pain!"

Doraemon growls at them and runs to track down Nobita who had gotten lost while running aimlessly, leaving the pair even more confused. He knew he had to find him and calm him down, because even though he didn't understand why...

He knew that this wasn't a common fear reaction, but a trauma reaction.

"I have no other choice" Doraemon takes out another invention from his pocket, a curious rod with detailed runes and a shiny sphere at the tip, like a scepter. "Well Tracking Rod, help me find Nobita"

With the rod falling in the right direction, the blue cat reaches the top floor of the Department Store. Arriving at a dark place that seemed to be a warehouse, it's curious how the people didn't notice that a scared child ran in there, but now that didn't matter.

Upon entering, the robot sees many boxes of different sizes... And the sounds of someone sobbing and speaking quietly.

"Don't let it find me, don't let it find me" was what the voice repeated. Doraemon sighs as he puts away the rod, he no longer needed it if he heard that voice, little by little the robot approaches something that was behind a large box, this time he walked more cautiously.

It was Nobita, sitting in a fetal position hugging his legs while shaking and crying, the expression in his eyes showed the terror he felt while the [Don't let it find me] was repeated from his mouth, he was breathing quickly, he was hyperventilating.

Doraemon, with a sad expression, slowly approaches his friend, he didn't want to alert him, it was bad for someone who was hyperventilating, he sat next to him and looked at him. He felt as if he saw himself. Why would that be?

Little by little he approached him until they were practically elbow to elbow. "It won't, believe me. I don't know what happened or who or what you're referring to, but, it won't."

He had done the right thing, Nobita noticed his presence but didn't scream in panic. "You're hyperventilating, relax little by little." Nobita listened to him and began to calm down little by little and instead of despairing he hugged him suddenly, he began to cry hard.

"There, there. There's no need to fear." Doraemon patted him on the head. "I don't know what happened to you to make you react like that but, it must have been horrible. I know that feeling of running away from something that reminds me of what left me in that state."

"Let's do an equivalent exchange, I'll tell you about the origin of the headband and you tell me about your reaction to the mask, I'm sure it also has to do with you not letting me see your back while you were changing."

Nobita stops crying for a while surprised "Y-you did notice?"

Doraemon nods smiling "I'm a babysitter robot, you little naive boy. I'm supposed to notice. If you don't want to do that, I understand, telling someone about a trauma is usually hard. I don't like talking about it but, I think we could open up a little more if we're going to be partners in this thing of changing your future."

The clumsy boy looks into the robot's eyes, at first he was hesitant but he was also curious about his friend's past and thought that he felt he should tell him about his own past, so he nods. "O-ok... But... Could we do it when we get back home? Let's not tell mom about what just happened either, I don't want her to worry."

"Okay, that sounds perfect to me."

Both of them were about to get up until Nobita noticed that someone else had come in, it was the little girl with the teddy bear. She was in front of them looking at them curiously without saying anything.

"You're the girl I saw yesterday when I was heading to the mountain behind the school. Are you lost?" Nobita asks, stunned.

"Do you know her?" Doraemon asks, confused.

"More or less, the other day I saw her walking alone while leaving school. What are you doing here alone? And your mom?"

The girl just approaches the pair without saying anything, she extends her arms in front of her with her teddy bear. Nobita looks at the bear, for a moment he feels nostalgia when he sees the bear. "Do you want to lend it to me so I can feel better?"

The little girl nods, so the boy wipes some tears from his face with his arm to take the bear with his hands, meeting his hands with the little girl's in the process.

A slight current was felt in Nobita's fingers when his hands touched those of the little girl when taking the bear, but since he was still affected, he didn't give it importance.

As he held the bear in his hands, he let out a slight smile. "This reminds me of a teddy bear that my grandma, my dad's mom, gave me. Sometimes it would break or fall apart because I was so clumsy. That's why she would sometimes mend it for me. I wonder if it's still stored at home."

Nobita couldn't help but hug the teddy bear with affection because of the memories. "It's so soft... It does remind me of that bear."

"I can imagine. What is your grandma doing now?" That innocent question from the robot makes the boy sad again, which gives an idea of the situation. "I... see. Sorry, I didn't know. I've researched about this very moment until your old age, but I didn't know about the years before."

"It doesn't matter, although it's at times like this that I miss her a lot. She was very kind and was always there when I needed her. Sometimes I misbehaved, but she still didn't stop loving me."

Tears again, but he smiled, he had already calmed down regarding the other topic. "I don't know why you're here all by yourself, but thank you." Nobita returns the bear to the girl who also hugs the stuffed animal with a slight smile.

"How sweet of you. Although I don't understand how this little girl is here. She must have gotten lost." Being a babysitting robot, Doraemon was expected to be worried about a little girl being alone.

"What's your name? Do you know where your mom might be?" the cat asks the girl.

But the little girl just shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders calmly. "Can't you talk?" The girl nods to Nobita's question. "You don't like to talk much, huh?" The girl nods again. "I see. I think it's better to take her to the police station to find her mom." The girl nods again with a slight smile.

Both Nobita and Doraemon stand up, although the boy crosses his arms thinking about something "And now?"

"It's just that since she doesn't like to talk, we don't know her name" The girl just shakes her head which surprises both of them "Don't you have a name?" The little girl nods. "So you do have a name but you don't know it" the girl nods again.

The girl points to a box where the word [aunt] was written.

"So you have an aunt?" The little girl nods to Nobita's question "Well that's at least something. She can't use magic yet because she's too little so we should take her to a station with the information we have, it's the least I can do for the bear thing. But first I'll give you a name until we know yours."

Nobita looks up for a moment and smiles looking at the little girl again. "I know, for now we'll call you Yuki. Do you like it?"

"Yu...ki. Yuki!" That the little girl spoke was a surprise for both of them, her little voice was low but tender, especially because her beautiful eyes reflected that she did like the name by the way they shone.

"Wow, you do talk and I'm glad you like the name. Okay Yuki, let's go, we'll take you to the station, but first we have to meet mom and dad."

Nobita extends his hand to the little girl who doesn't hesitate to take it while holding her teddy bear with the other hand.

The three of them leave the warehouse, and notice something. When they look up from the top floor, they see how Gian and Suneo were covered in green slime, according to those around, a while ago, they got a load of slime for a store. Gian made a disgusted face while the dwarf was crying for his expensive clothes.

"Ha, they deserve it" Doraemon says with a mocking smile. "There are certain fears that they shouldn't play with."

Nobita makes an annoyed face while he was crying, he had already gone from terror to anger. There was a limit for jokes and they crossed it. "I don't care about those two annoying people, they're just idiots."

It was funny how the boy didn't make fun of them at that moment, but on the one hand it was understandable that he felt more upset by the fact that they played with fire, that would make him upset with them for a while. Or he would if he was braver.

Although he felt that he could be able to do it, especially now that he has someone very close to him like Doraemon. "I don't know why exactly the slime fell on them, but anyway, it was satisfying."

When the blue cat said that, everything focuses on the now known as Yuki who looks at the pair of slimeballs literally and only leaves with Nobita and Doraemon.

The boys go back down to where they were before Nobita ran scared, meeting Tamako and Nobisuke. Mrs. Nobi scolds them for not waiting for them where she told them, but notices the little girl holding her son's hand who explains the situation of the lost girl.

Of course, without telling how he got to the store, he had to say that he got lost, which wasn't so much of a lie since that often happened to him in that place. In the process, Nobisuke also met Doraemon, who didn't need to explain anything since his wife already explained him about him.

The Nobi family made a stop before going home to a nearby police station where they left little Yuki explaining to the officer about her. Nobita says goodbye to her wishing her the best and thanking her for the bear. The whole family leaves while little Yuki watches them go.

Finally, after arriving home after a long day of shopping, while Mr. Nobi was taking his bath, Tamako was preparing dinner, it was a special dinner as a gift for Nobita for entering the Academy.

The clumsy boy was with Doraemon in his room putting his clothes in a big backpack travel that his mother gave him and putting all the things they got in the new backpack. Nobita looks at his wand and his uniform next to the futon that was already prepared since the trip was 2 hours in a flying car and they had to get up at 6 in the morning.

"There, I'll sleep here in what I live in this time" Doraemon looks at his small space that he made on top of the closet, there was a small futon and the space arranged. "Although it will only be for tonight since tomorrow we will go to the Academy, but we will return on vacation and weekends. Have you finished packing?"

Nobita nods. "I think I have everything ready. And well, who starts? We have time until dad takes a bath and mom makes the special dinner."

Doraemon sits in front of the boy and smiles at him "I'll do it first since I offered that deal."

The robot sighs deeply "You don't have to do it if you don't want to, Doraemon" says Nobita while rubbing his arm smiling somewhat nervously.

"No, I promised you. And like I said, if we're going to live together for a while, you can find out. The reason I was so attached to that cat-ear headband is that..."

"I lost my real ears a while ago because of what is now my biggest fear: Mice."

Chapter Text

"Years ago from my time in the future, I was born, or rather I was created in a factory of nanny cat robots, whose mission is to take care of children who need an incentive in their life or who find themselves lost along the way."

The scene turns dark, someone was waking up, it was himself when he finished being assembled in the assembly section. But he was different from his current self. He was yellow instead of blue and had ears that moved when he started living, and he wore a red necklace and not the red scarf he wears now.

"I was like the other robot cats of my style, yellow, with ears and a collar. My factory model name is MS-903. But my name ended up being Doraemon. When I was created, I was going to attend a Robot Academy to get a nanny license, but..."

Just as the yellow cat was about to leave for his training phase at the academy, something fell on his head. It seemed to be a screw that had fallen from the ceiling, which fell on a delicate part of his head and made him go crazy for a while, but he returned to normal and didn't pay attention to it at the time.

"I had a slight accident, but that changed my life, well the first change. When I attended the Academy, because of that accident, my performance was almost mediocre to the point that I almost didn't pass, but I did. But I wasn't chosen for any family because of my grades. Shortly after, they discovered that I was damaged by that accident."

"They sent me to repeat the selection process studying with other robots that were also not selected the first time, I met a nice friend who was a robot cat but very cute like a muse" Doraemon blushes, but continues with the story "We became good friends and on the day of the selections, they sent us to a second-hand robot event. My friend made it, but I almost didn't... Until..."

Doraemon was sad at that moment in his life but a little baby appeared in front of him, who chose him, he smiled at him and he did too.

"I met Sewashi, your great-great-grandson. He selected me, by accident, but he did it, his parents were hesitant to have me as a member of their family because of their difficult economic situation, but in the end they accepted because Sewashi became fond of me. We both spent time together, and I promised to help him become a good wizard even if he had a hard time in life." Nobita just scratches his neck sadly because he remembered the big debt.

"At that time I had no problem with mice, because, well, I'm a cat. But just before a while of wanting to help you, something happened that definitely marked my life."

"I was in my room, I had fallen asleep in my favorite chair, my guard was down. So I didn't foresee what happened, I don't know how, but a mouse had entered our apartment."

Doraemon was asleep in his chair, calm and serene. The intruding mouse entered the room, looking around, climbing on the sleeping robot and sitting on his head, taking some time to look at his ears. He opens his mouth and...

"When I realized, I heard something gnawing above me. I slowly looked up and..." Doraemon hugs himself "A mouse was eating my ears!"

The scene of the robot screaming with his ears chewed off is mostly seen while the mouse runs away seeing him awake. Sewashi being a child now arrives seeing the chaos and his friend crying, so he runs to comfort him and call the robot hospital.

"It was terrible, they had to take me to the hospital while I was screaming because of the loss of my ears, if it wasn't for Sewashi who was there, I couldn't have been stronger to get through that time in the hospital, it was like a part of me had been taken away, since that day I'm afraid of mice!"

Doraemon started to cry as he recounted that part, the event was a trauma for him. Nobita sees him sad, so he gets a little closer and pats his head while trying to calm him down. "That explains why you wanted to avoid pet stores. It must have been hard to lose a part of yourself that day."

"T-thank you." Doraemon wipes his tears "It was, and so was what came after."

"When I was finally discharged from the hospital, I had bandages on my head, even my friend from the event I was at came to visit me to take care of me. Which I thought was nice. But... When they took off the bandages..."

Doraemon looks at himself in the mirror in horror as he now had no ears, even the friend next to him couldn't help but laugh at seeing him.

"My ears were just like decoration, so there was no need to fix them, I had lost them. I couldn't help but run away crying because I saw myself like that, I ended up in a place far from home. I started crying non-stop, and when I realized, I saw that the yellow paint on my body was coming off."

Doraemon cried so much that his yellow color fell to the ground little by little, leaving his current blue color.

"Is that why you're blue?" Doraemon nods at Nobita's question, who just puts on a worried face.

"When they were able to find me, I tried to run away out of embarrassment again but I accidentally tripped over something sharp which broke my red necklace. I was able to save the bell but my necklace broke. I finally went home, I was depressed."

"Sewashi felt sad about my situation, so he used the few coins he had to buy me the scarf I wear now, a size-adjustable, waterproof and fireproof one, he put it around my neck, and made a nice knot where he put the bell in the center. That show of support felt nice, so even if I manage to get another necklace, I wouldn't wear it because this scarf and the gifts he gave me on my birthdays are special to me."

"I met someone else who made me feel like I wasn't alone when I was depressed, but that's another story for another time. But there it is, after how good Sewashi was to me and how bad his family is with the debt, I organized myself to investigate the Nobi family and the root of where said debt appeared, finding you."

"We investigated you from this year onwards and created an album with the most important things about your future. We got the time alteration permits, which wasn't easy since the Time Police are picky about that detail, I said goodbye to Sewashi's parents and we traveled to this time. And well, you know the rest." Doraemon smiles, scratching the back of his neck.

"Is that why you're so wrapped up in changing my future, right? I can tell you love Sewashi a lot, it makes sense, I think he saved you."

Doraemon nods, even though he sees Nobita chuckling softly. "And that?"

"It's just that, I think it's very nice of you to want to help him because of the affection you have for him, that says a lot about you, thank you for worrying about him, Doraemon"

The robot cat can't help but blush slightly in embarrassment because the silly boy technically thanked him for taking care of his descendants, so he crosses his arms looking away, especially since Nobita smiled warmly at him when he told him that.

"And I'm sorry about your trauma, it must have really been hard to get used to a life without ears"

Doraemon sighs "It was, although I ended up saving up to buy a cute cat ear headband from a store I liked, which when I put them on they fit me like real ears, and they lengthen my tail, an extra effect but it feels good. The first time I put them on I felt... Complete, although the color didn't change, I was happy with that."

"Sewashi didn't like the idea very much because he says that I would become dependent on them, sometimes he takes them away from me because he says that it's not good to become addicted to a gadget. That's why he took them when I stayed with you."

"Well, he's kind of right, although as you are now you're still fine" says the boy, arching his eyebrow.

"But without them, the people think I'm a raccoon! I don't like it! When I go to visit the future, I'll get them back on the sly" Doraemon pouts, offended.

"You better not do it" Nobita laughs nervously at his friend's insistence.

"Nobita! Your dad is done bathing! It's your turn!" Tamako shouts from downstairs near the stairs.

"Well, I guess it's my turn now and I'm not just talking about the bath" Nobita stands up with Doraemon "How about we take a bath together?"

"I think this is a good opportunity for you to see something I've been trying to keep you from seeing."

The clumsy boy points to his back with his gaze, to which the robot nods. He was finally going to find out what his friend was hiding from him. Nobita takes his pajamas and they both leave the room to go down the stairs, telling his mom that they would both take a bath together.

"Now that I think about it. Why didn't they use magic or the gadgets you have to reconstruct the ears?"

Doraemon shakes his head "Even if I could, the trauma of what happened and my fear of mice would still be latent in me, even if I erased my memory of it, so it wouldn't matter"

"Oh, I see, I understand, I think" Nobita scratches his head sadly.

They both enter the bathroom, getting ready to take a bath together, the tub was full of hot water and the steam was present.

The boy takes a deep breath "Okay, I think it's time" He began to take off his socks and then his glasses showing pretty charcoal eyes. He took the bottom of his yellow shirt, closing his eyes with a little nervousness and some sadness he began to take it off.

Doraemon's face turned pale when he saw his friend's back, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A large diagonal claw scar that started above his right shoulder blade to where it reached near the left side of his hip was what was on his back.

The boy continues to take off the rest of his clothes while his friend remains perplexed "Nobita... What happened to...?"

"Doraemon" says the boy smiling sadly looking at him.

"You know the Entigos... Right?"

Chapter Text

"E-Entigo?" Doraemon says, still perplexed by the scar, so he shakes his head and nods nervously "Of course I know."

"Years ago, there were creatures that came from another continent to Japan, called Wendigos. It's said that they were hunting wizards who were punished for using their power out of desperation by turning to cannibalism after getting lost in a dark forest. They were cursed, transforming into large, deformed, lanky creatures with large claws, a deer skull for a head, and thick fur for hair."

Nobita gets into the bathtub full of water while Doraemon continued to explain "They were considered a danger because they spent their time hunting both wizards and renegades to devour them. The M.C.G declared the Wendigos as code red dark creatures, sending groups to extinguish them. Which they achieved, but it was difficult, as there were casualties due to how deadly they were."

"But because of that, a creature descended from the Wendigos emerged, whose body resembles the composition of a spectral body, only the even more deformed head remains alive. Because they are like the vengeful spirits of the Wendigos, they are called Entigos. But those creatures are just as deadly as the Wendigos, as they possess the claws of their ancestors. But that's not the worst part about them."

"The Entigos were also declared red alert creatures and the great fear of a magician or renegade. They are the only creatures that don't possess dark or mystical power, completely hollow, since even common ghosts possess a bit of power."

"Nobita. You know what happens when a magician or renegade loses their inner power, right?"

Doraemon says this in a dramatic tone, the boy just nods, somewhat frightened.

"We turned to stone"

"That's right. When a wizard loses their mystical power, or a renegade loses their dark power, as it's an important part of the body through which mana and magic flow. Not only does that mean the end of that person's use of magic, but the body slowly turns to stone until it becomes a statue."

"The good thing is that the loss of mystical and dark power only has a 0.01% chance of happening due to anything, since people die from other factors. There's no known spell to kill the power, as it's impossible to do so. It's impossible to weaken it, but it's not impossible to make it disappear."

"But when it comes to an Entigo in the equation, that chance goes from 0.01% to 99%. Unlike their ancestors, Entigos don't feed on human flesh, but rather on mystical and dark power, as they don't possess any power of their own."

"When an Entigo hunts a wizard or a renegade, it uses its claws to prevent the wizard or renegade from escaping, devouring the person's power through their skull like a vacuum cleaner. When that happens, the remaining magic and mana only survive for five minutes, and when that time is up, the body turns to stone. When that happens, it's irreversible."

"Even in the future, these creatures are a problem, because just like in this era, they often emerge from the dark forests to search for food. That's why the M.C.G has a special alert for the presence of Entigos in cities, urging people to hide in their homes. Since they have stronger resistance than their predecessors, it's difficult to eliminate them."

"They usually hunt at night, since they don't like daylight very much, being specters. It's not something that happens often, but when it does, it means trouble."

The robot thinks for a moment, but his face turns even bluer than it already is. "Don't tell me that mark was made by an Entigo."

The boy can't help but tear up as he takes his hand out of the water to wipe away his tears. It was his turn to open the trunk of memories.

"It was five years ago, just a few days after my grandma's funeral. I was still reeling from the fact that she was no longer with us. I was very young and didn't understand what had happened. When dad told me she wouldn't be back, it was one of the saddest days for me."

"She was weakening with age and getting sick. I didn't realize it that afternoon when I spent time with her while she was resting. We had a conversation about trying to see the good in life and trying to get up every time I failed. After that, I thought she was so tired she wouldn't wake up anymore."

In the memory, a little Nobita was having a good time with his grandma, who was resting on her futon, talking about life. She could barely speak and sounded tired. When the boy realized, he saw his grandma sleeping on the futon.

He tried to call her to wake her up, but she didn't wake up.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your grandma, because I know how much you must be missing her." Doraemon sits on the stool used for soaping himself. Since his handkerchief was waterproof, he didn't take it off.

"When you're younger, you don't understand some things around you. Well, what happened a few days later was that one of those alerts happened in the city. We were returning late from my mom's brother's house when we heard the emergency siren."

ALERT, ALERT, THIS IS THE M.C.G RED ALERT SIGNAL, ENTIGO PRESENCE DETECTED! CITY RESIDENTS ARE REQUESTED TO ENTER THEIR HOMES AND NOT LEAVE UNTIL TOMORROW! I REPEAT! CITY RESIDENTS ARE REQUESTED TO ENTER THEIR HOMES AND NOT LEAVE UNTIL TOMORROW!

It was nighttime in the city, and the Nobi family was returning home when the red alert was issued, signaling a deadly outbreak. As they were walking back, Nobita was holding his mother's hand when the alert came on. The little boy didn't understand what was happening, but seeing his parents trembling in fear gave him a bad feeling.

"I was so scared by the sound of the sirens and sad about my grandma that I accidentally let go of my mom's hand as people started running to hide. I just ran aimlessly until I realized I was lost."

"I started crying because I had no idea where I was. It was nighttime, and because I was scared and sad, I even forgot where my house was. I started walking down the street looking for my parents, when suddenly..."

Our protagonist can't help but hug himself while trembling. "That's what happened."

Little Nobita was walking alone through the neighborhood streets at night. No one was around; everyone had locked themselves in their homes because of the Entigo alert. He was searching for his parents while trying to stop the tears of fear with his hands.

Footsteps were heard behind him, so, with his fear level rising, the boy started running and running.

"All I could do at that moment was run away from what I'd heard. That night, fog even started to form, making it harder to know where to go. All I could think about was running home, until I ended up in a dead end."

The little boy saw only a wall and fog. He didn't know which way to turn. He heard a deafening roar that paralyzed him with fear. Little by little, he saw something moving in the fog. It was tall. Red eyes appeared, emerging from the fog. A large deer skull with horns emerged from the fog. There was no doubt that it was an Entigo who had found him.

Nobita stopped in his story because he was trembling, his face pale, tears streaming down his face in obvious shock as he sat in the bathtub with water up to his jaw. Doraemon, noticing this, approached and patted his head. "Hey, you don't have to keep telling this if you don't want to. It's obvious at first glance that doing so gives you a reaction of paralysis and fear."

The robot's display of affection may have brought the boy back to reality for the second time; the first time was in the warehouse. So he just shook his head to fully regain consciousness. "N-no, I told you I'd tell you. You already told me your story."

Nobita takes a breath. "That... thing, it was right in front of me. My reaction was similar to what you saw just now. At the time, I didn't know what the Entigo were, but I knew from their appearance that it was something bad. I tried to run away and hide near a warehouse in that alley. But as soon as I turned around."

The memory focuses on the little boy who was able to muster the courage to run and hide, and as soon as he turned his back, the Entigo slammed its claw into him, knocking him to the ground, leaving the mark he has today.

"I could feel it on the ground. The wound he gave me hurt so much, and something was coming out of it. I only felt pain and exhaustion. All I could do was cry as I could barely see how... It came closer and closer to me as it opened its mouth, surely to devour my mystical power."

"Nobita, what you're telling me is, were you about to end up as a statue?" Doraemon, perplexed, watches as his friend nods in confirmation. "And what happened that made you stay alive?"

The boy looks up. "The person I want to thank has appeared."

Just as the Entigo was about to devour little Nobita's mystical power, a golden light struck the beast's face, causing it to retreat. The glow also dissipated the fog, and when the boy looked again, he saw a person in a yukata with a phoenix on his shoulder.

/The person who, it was already clear in previous episodes, was the Principal of the Elementary School./

"I didn't know... Or rather, I don't really know who he was. My memories at the time were blurry because I was struggling to stay awake, but I saw him confront the Entigo, even his marble-like wand slowly breaking in the process of saving me. I couldn't stay awake much longer and I passed out."

The little boy slowly closed his eyes, everything was darkness, until he slowly opened them again, he was in the hospital, he was alone in a gown and since he didn't wear glasses at that time, he faintly saw his parents thanking the mysterious savior who left. Both Tamako and Nobisuke ran in because he had woken up.

"I woke up the next day in a hospital room, my torso bandaged. You know, while magic can revitalize us and heal minor injuries, wounds like those needed more help. All I ended up with was the scar on my back. And I apologized to mom and dad for leaving me behind out of fear, but at that moment, all they cared about was that I was alive."

"I still feel bad for scaring them. All that mixed emotions from losing Grandma and the fear of the unknown made me make a mistake."

What Nobita and Doraemon didn't know was that, with the bathroom sliding door closed, Tamako was listening, somewhat worried. She was about to tell the pair that dinner was ready when her son recounted what happened a while ago and slowly left to set the table for his farewell.

"That's precisely why you shouldn't feel bad about that aspect. You were vulnerable and too young to understand your surroundings. So that's why you reacted to the mask, right?"

The boy just sighs as Doraemon looks at him. "Things like that remind me of an Entigo, and that night, I don't have such a bad reaction to deer, but I don't like being around them. I can't help but freeze, run and hide, hoping no Entigo would find me while I hyperventilate. Yesterday, when I took a nap, I remembered that skull staring back at me, and I think the stress of all this change rekindled that moment." Nobita scratches the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"It's normal for a wizard or a renegade to be afraid of the Entigers; it's as if they suddenly found themselves facing a walking death sentence. But unlike others who would be scared and flee or defend themselves to escape, Nobita's terror of the Entigers is much stronger. His reaction will paralyze and hyperventilate, thinking only of fleeing, even without knowing where to go, just praying not to be found. He wouldn't be able to defend himself because of the trauma."

Doraemon began to think about the boy's intense fear of the Entigos, thinking about what might happen if an alert appeared again. Even with magic, Nobita wouldn't be able to defend himself; the paralysis of fear forced him to hide in his own mind without being able to do anything, which meant he couldn't use magic to defend himself, as he would revert to his reaction from five years ago.

That scar was a constant reminder of that, and just like with the ears, even if it was erased, the trauma would still be there.

Now that the blue cat knew about that trauma, he would have to find a way for him to try to fight those reactions at least, because if a similar situation were to happen and he were to freeze again at the mercy of what happened in his past...

It was quite possible that the silly boy wouldn't have the chance to save himself a second time.

"Shizuka visited me while I was home since I didn't go to daycare for a few days, even until Dekisugi. Gian and Suneo also showed up, but only to gossip. That night, I hated being alone, so I can even tolerate that pair even though they bother me."

Doraemon makes a judgmental face. "Although I think you should stay away from them. They knew you were traumatized by the Entigos, and that joke was stupid. Don't be afraid of loneliness, not from those who wouldn't be worth it."

"I guess it's true. You're the first one I told this to. Those who know found out on the news the next day. Although I also remember how someone peeked into the courtyard when I was resting in the living room and was still affected. I don't know who that boy was, but his company felt nice for a moment."

"I see. This is even worse than the mouse thing" Doraemon scratches the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"Trauma is trauma. You for losing your ears and the change that brought, and me for almost being a statue on a foggy night. Now I understand how you handled the situation when that joke was played on me. Thank you for listening to me. Talking about it with you felt good, it's like... having a brother."

What Nobita says makes Doraemon feel good inside, although he crosses his arms, smiling as if it were nothing, because as he said: I wasn't going to get attached to him.

Or at least that's what he says.

"It was our agreement, naive boy. I didn't think we had anything in common, but... Having shared our past moments helps a lot with the present. Let's finish the bath, dinner should be ready."

"Doraemon" the boy smiles as the robot looks at him curiously. "Thanks for the grocery store, you're a good friend."

The blue cat stops crossing his arms, takes the soap, and smiles at the boy.

"It's my job, Nobita."

Chapter Text

The stars and the moon were there for another night, but it wasn't just any night. It was the night before the big day of the Mystic Academy Entrance Ceremony. At the Nobi family's house, after a bath, the whole family was enjoying a special farewell dinner for Nobita, as he would be leaving for the Academy tomorrow, experiencing his first year of school.

Where there had only been three chairs, there were now four, as they had a temporary new member of the family. Tamako prepared hamburger and fried chicken, her son's favorites. His father even stopped by to buy a small strawberry cake, the kind he liked. The boy felt like he was having an early birthday.

After dinner, they went to the living room with the kids to chat. Tamako and Nobisuke shared their experiences at the Academy again, the atmosphere was peaceful.

Nobita watches as his father places a box on the small table in the living room. "This is our gift for you. I know you've already received something similar from the Academy, but it's something we want you to take there."

Doraemon watches as his friend opens the box. Inside was a crystal sphere. The sphere seemed old, but the boy felt like he'd seen it before.

"That sphere belonged to your grandmother, Nobita. When I was a kid, we didn't have much. Dad was quite strict with me and your uncle about making sure we were good at magic, since it's the pendulum of life in this world. She got that sphere to help me with my studies when it was my turn to go to the Academy. She used it to communicate with them." Nobisuke scratches the back of his neck, smiling nervously.

"When I finished the Academy, I got married, and your mother was waiting for you. Your grandmother took that sphere back because she wanted you to have it when it was your turn to go. She took great care of that sphere, keeping it clean and preventing it from breaking. She wanted to give it to you tonight, but..."

The boy can't stop his tears from welling up, but he quickly wipes them with his arm; he wanted a happy goodbye. "No wonder it sounded familiar. When I was younger, I saw my grandma taking such good care of it. To think that she was going to give it to me right now feels good. Thank you."

The smile on the boy's face made Doraemon do the same as he closed his eyes. "Well, it's time to go to sleep. Tomorrow we have to leave early. The trip will be a bit long, and we have to be present at the entrance ceremony."

Nobita and Doraemon nod at what Mrs. Nobi said. The robot went up first to go to sleep. The boy looked around the living room for a moment, already feeling homesick because he'll have to spend his first year away from home. "Good night, see you tomorrow."

"Wait a minute, son." Tamako gets up and heads to the closet. "I found something a while ago. I had it saved because I was thinking of donating it, but I thought better of it because I think it's something you might be missing. I know Doraemon will be with you, but I think someone else could be with you."

Nobita is extremely surprised by what his mom had taken out. Nobisuke was also surprised, but then he smiled: It was the teddy bear Nobita had years ago. It had patches on it, and instead of one of its eyes, it had a button sewn with thread.

Mrs. Nobi approaches her son with the teddy bear and gives it to him. The boy can't help but feel the warmth of the person who had cared for him for half of his childhood. He hugged the bear without hesitation, reminiscing about the days they spent together, until that day when she never woke up again.

"Grandma..." The boy, with a sad face, closed his eyes, letting himself be carried away by that wave of memories.

"I know you told Doraemon about the incident five years ago. I heard you talking about it in the bathroom when I was going to call you for dinner. I was surprised by how willing you were to open up to anyone about it, because you didn't even tell your classmates in detail about what happened. I decided to give you the bear tonight so you know you should stop feeling bad about leaving us that night."

Nobisuke stands up, approaches his son, and strokes his head. "Your mom told me that as soon as she heard you. It's true. You were very young and just understood what happened to your grandma. You were depressed, and it was the first warning sign you heard. It's also true that we were terrified when you went missing, and even more so with what happened to you. But the important thing is that you're still alive, and tomorrow you'll begin your own journey as a wizard."

"Don't think about what happened, but rather about what you want to happen in your future. Even though you'll be away from home for a while, you now have a new friend in whom you've placed your trust. It shows from how sincere you were with him."

Nobita smiles at his parents but flinches. "Um... You never told me the name of the person who saved me that time. I only remember seeing him when he saved me and when I woke up in the hospital. It's just... I'd like to thank him for that now that I've opened up more about it."

Nobisuke places his hand on his chin, smiling. "It's good that you want to thank him for that day. I remember him well. He was my teacher at the Academy when I was a child; Principal Chronos. His real name is Fuyuhito, but he uses the name Chronos because of his mystical ability that allows him to see visions of the future. That same ability has given him special longevity. He even taught your grandpa. That's why he wanted me to try hard when I was your age. He must be over 600 years old, but he looks about 70."

"Fuyuhito? That name sounds familiar." The boy thinks for a moment until he flinches. "Isn't he by any chance the wizard who helped the 4 Pillars in the war against the renegades who wanted to take over the world?! Yesterday the teacher showed us that introductory video of the Academy at the end of class."

Mr. Nobi nods, surprising the young aspiring wizard. His savior wasn't only the headmaster of the Academy he was going to attend, but also the long-lived wizard who helped the Four Pillars, from whom the world was inspired to create the factions.

"I also think it's fine that you want to thank the Principal, but you should go to sleep now. You'll have all the time you want to do it while you're there, go on, go on." We have to get up early."

"Okay" the clumsy boy was climbing the stairs when his parents appeared to say goodbye, so he turned around for a moment with his childhood teddy bear in his arms. "Thanks for the bear, good night."

Nobita climbed the stairs, already missing home. Upon entering his room, he saw Doraemon already settled into his small space, which made him smile a little as he approached him. "Are you sure you're okay in there?"

"It's not like my room in the future, but it's not bad either." Doraemon sees the bear in his friend's arms. "That bear looks old and patched up. That's the one your grandma gave you, right?"

Nobita nods. "Mom was going to donate it when she found it, but she kept it and gave it to me. Thank goodness because I really wouldn't want to lose it. I'll take it with me too. I finally got it back, and I'm not going to leave it abandoned. I feel like I'll miss it when I get lonely there."

"Maybe, but there's one thing you got wrong." Doraemon flashes a proud smile. "You won't feel lonely there. Because this time, it'll be both of us."

The boy smiles back, taking the cord from the bedroom light. "Thanks, Doraemon. Good night, rest."

"Good night, Nobita. Rest easy too."

While Doraemon slides the closet door shut, Nobita turns off the bedroom light, bends down to lie down, and settles on the futon. It was the first time his room didn't feel so empty, and he liked that feeling. Curling up, he takes off his glasses, placing them near his uniform and wand.

Tomorrow is the day.

Can I save my future?

Won't I end up dying alone?

Will I be able to work hard enough to marry Shizuka?

Can I avoid that debt for my family?

What will the first week be like?

These were questions running through the boy's head as he slowly fell asleep, hugging the teddy bear he was able to retrieve from his childhood. "What happened to Yuki? I hope her aunt came looking for her. Being alone at that age walking in the city is complicated; I've been through it."

He finally fell asleep thinking about that last thing. Outside the house, the little girl with the teddy bear stared out the bedroom window again, expressionless again, just retreating into the night.

A police officer who was walking by noticed her walking alone as she turned the corner. Worried to see a little girl alone doing her job, he tried to catch up with her, but as he turned the corner, he saw no one. Confused, he thought he'd imagined everything and retreated to continue his patrol route.

Who really is the little girl now known as Yuki?

Wake up...

Wake up...

HEY, WAKE UP!

It was a new day in Tokyo, and in the neighborhood, Nobita slowly opened his eyes. "WAKE UP, NOBITA!" Doraemon, who was standing next to him, yelled at him. The first rays of the morning sun were coming through the window.

"I-I'm already awake... But... It's Sundayyyy." The boy rubbed his eyes.

"IT'S NOT JUST ANY SUNDAY! TODAY IS THE ACADEMY ADMISSION CEREMONY!" Doraemon noticed that Nobita had fallen asleep sitting up. Was that even possible?

Tamako, already ready with clothes for the occasion bearing the Omekkusu seal, opens the door to the room. "NOBITA, WAKE UP, OR WE'LL BE LATE TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE SCHOOL. IT'S ALMOST A 2-HOUR TRIP!"

The silly boy wakes up, standing quickly and firmly. "Okay, okay, I'm coming, sorry, sorry!" He couldn't help but run out of the room and go downstairs to wash.

But the sounds of someone falling down the stairs were heard. Nobita was on the floor in pain because he slipped. His father, who was adjusting his tie before putting on his jacket, saw what happened and simply asked if he was okay, to which the boy smiled, confirming it.

It seemed that the protagonist's clumsiness was already common in the Nobi house.

Both Mrs. Nobi and Doraemon sighed tiredly. "Don't tell me that every morning when he went to school started like this."

"You'll get used to it, but you came to help him with this, right? I hope he'll change that habit. Please help him with the rest. We'll waste a little time with this, and he hasn't even had breakfast yet." Tamako came down the stairs; it seemed like this was routine.

"...This is going to be a VERY tough year," Doraemon exhaled at what he'd have to go through.

After washing up and eating breakfast, Nobita hurriedly put on his uniform, getting tangled up in the process. Doraemon was making sure nothing was left out of his travel backpack and school backpack. "A little help?"

"Oh come on, well, just because we're in a hurry." Doraemon helped him straighten his uniform and straighten his tie. "Remember, I'm going to be more like your moral support. I can't do everything for you. You're going to be an apprentice wizard from now on, and you have to learn to handle this routine on your own."

"I-I know... It's just that I'm nervous. I'm not used to wearing a uniform." Feeling ready, the boy looks around his room.

"Your wand is already in your vest pocket. They'll teach you how to summon it yourself, which is very convenient. The crystal ball they gave you is already in the travel backpack, as is your childhood teddy bear. And your Crystal Pad is in the other pocket." Doraemon takes the travel backpack. Since it has wheels, he simply pulls the handle to carry it.

"It's not that, it's just that I'll miss this place. Although having the opportunity to have my own place at the Academy is interesting. I hope to see it again this weekend when I get my flight permit and my broom." The boy walks toward the door, looking at his little corner of the house with a smile.

"Nobita."

The silly boy turns to look at his friend, already feeling nostalgic. "Tell me, Doraemon."

"Your cape." Doraemon was holding his uniform cape while pouting. The boy looks at himself, smiling embarrassedly.

"Oh, no wonder I felt like I was missing something, sorry, hehe."

Doraemon looked judgmental while Nobita laughed nervously, grabbing his cape and putting it on.

"...It's definitely going to be a VERY tough year."

Chapter Text

With everything ready, everyone dressed, and their shoes on, the entire Nobi family leaves the house, locking the door since the boy's parents will be returning the same day. Doraemon offered to put both the travel backpack and school backpack in his pocket, which was more practical and wouldn't take up space since they were traveling in a taxi.

Tamako's insistence made everyone walk quickly to catch one of the flying taxis that took them to the Academy since they were short on time. Fortunately, Nobita's bad luck had taken a short break, and they were able to catch the last taxi there.

Getting into the vehicle and fastening their seatbelts, the driver drove off on the road for a while, until the vehicle's wheels began to leave the ground, taking off like an airplane from the airport. Although Nobita had used these vehicles before, flying in them always seemed exciting to him. Brooms are faster than carpets, but flying cars are more comfortable, especially if traveling long distances in a group.

Nobita can't help but yawn as he sat in the back seat at one of the windows because he liked looking at the scenery. "I'm sleepyyyyy... I don't understand why they do it on Sunday and not Monday."

"It's because they want the students to take advantage of the whole Monday for classes, that's why the entrance ceremonies are always on Sunday. If you're sleepy, sleep in until we arrive, but you might miss the scenery..."

The sound of snoring interrupts Doraemon, who watches as his friend falls asleep, curled up on his big blue head. Tamako, who was at the other window, and her husband in the passenger seat watch as their son falls asleep.

The trip to the Academy was peaceful, passing through a lot of green spaces and forests, avoiding forbidden places like the dark forests and antithesis cities, as these were renegade territory. It was so peaceful that even Doraemon fell asleep. Watching them both sleep made the couple chuckle. "It's like we have two children now" Tamako says, looking at the sleeping pair.

"Yeah... Two days ago, Nobita wasn't comfortable about going to the Academy, but since Doraemon arrived, it seems as if even the excited version of him has returned. Maybe having someone who's equivalent to a brother will help with his self-esteem."

After the allotted travel time, Tamako shakes the pair a little to wake them up. "Wake up, we're about to pass Ebagurin to get to the Academy."

Both Doraemon and Nobita slowly wake up to look out the window. Ebagurin seemed like a city that blended modern and medieval, with green areas everywhere, restaurants, hotels, magic shops, and entertainment venues. The best thing about the place was its ecological yet modern feel. There were people living there, even students from the Academy.

The pair saw other taxis as they approached the Academy. The surprise came from the fact that it was on a LARGE island created by magic in the middle of a large lake, and the city practically surrounded the island. The three Academies were located there. A large bridge connected Gaku Island, the name of the island where the academies were located, to the city.

Since they were flying, it wasn't necessary to cross the bridge, as the enormous island was divided into three parts, one for each level. Fireworks decorated the sky as they were launched. The Elementary Academy was in the center, the Junior Academy to the left, and the Higher Academy to the right, all surrounded by protective walls.

Nobita also noticed that there were some forests on the island. "Nobita" his father called his attention, noticing a serious look on his face. "Outside of Ebagurin, there is a large dark forest and an antithesis city, both of which are among the largest on the island of Honshu. Just as your grandpa told me when I was your age, I must tell you: Stay away from dark forests and renegade territory. Those are forbidden places for wizards, and dark forests are very dangerous. Okay?"

"I-I know... It's not like I really want to go there. I already know there are places I shouldn't go." The boy scratches the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"And anyway, we're in this together, so I won't let you go to those places" Doraemon crosses his arms, nodding at what Mr. Nobi said.

For the silly boy, obeying that order wasn't a problem. Dark forests are also often Entigos' haunts, and that's what he least wanted to deal with.

Passing the wall, the kids saw the faction houses, each with its own insignia. The appearance of the houses varied slightly, but they all had a touch of the medieval and modern, just like the city itself.

Although the difference between Urutogon and the rest was noticeable, as it even had a pool and gardens, like an absurdly large mansion compared to the others. Something similar happened with Omekkusu, but with the size of the other two, like Aruguma, while Betakoi had a simpler style. There was also a building where the teachers stayed.

"Wow, the Urutogon House is ridiculously large and pretentious, that explains why Suneo wants to be part of them." Nobita said, narrowing his eyes.

"It's because those who usually finance the Urutogon Faction's properties have a lot of power, even in the future." Doraemon also had the same expression.

The Academy stood face to face with them, with a medieval theme and a modern touch, a grand architecture steeped in years of history. This year, it was the 250th graduating class, with four large courtyards on either side and a large greenhouse.

"Wow, I can't believe we're already here. This place is so big, I hope I don't get lost" the clumsy boy says as the taxi descends into the parking lot.

"You probably have a map on that device they gave you. And please, Nobita, don't lose anything we learned yesterday. Always carry that thing with you so you don't get lost, and if you do, you can call someone."

The Nobi family got out of the taxi. There were more students heading out with their families and luggage to grab a spot in the front courtyard where the outdoor entrance ceremony would be held.

While Nobisuke paid the taxi driver, Tamako straightened her son's uniform while continuing to talk to him, "Be careful not to lose your wand, as you still don't know how to summon it, and don't even lose your cloak, and don't dirty your uniform, although with how clumsy you are, it's obvious that will happen. Don't forget to keep your space tidy, it's certain that you'll end up sharing a room, so please do it so as not to inconvenience your roommate."

Nobita's face was red with embarrassment, as not only first-year students but also upper-year students passed by, giggled occasionally at his mother's light scolding. "Listen to Doraemon, remember he'll be with you to support you, bathe and brush your teeth every day, don't go to bed late, obey your elders, and don't leave peppers out of your food. I know you don't like them, but you shouldn't be picky about food..."

"S-stop mom, I understand, please!" The boy couldn't help but use the side of his cape to cover his face in embarrassment. Doraemon couldn't help but giggle at his shyness. "The other students can hear you."

"I don't care about that. The important thing is that you follow the instructions. Remember, it's for your own good." Mrs. Nobi puts on a judgmental face as she points at her son. "Is that clear?"

"Y-yes, I understand," Nobita can't help but whisper to Doraemon. "It hasn't even been 10 minutes at the Academy and I already want to go back."

"Don't exaggerate, everything will be fine today." Doraemon sees Nobita bending his legs a little with a nervous face. "And now?"

"I need to pee!" Tamako just puts her hand on her face to what her son said

"I told you like 2 hours ago to do it at home before coming."

"But 2 hours ago I didn't feel like it!" Nobita can't stop tears from forming because his bladder is crying out for help.

Mrs. Nobi just sighs tiredly "Doraemon, please."

"Yes, I saw there are some bathrooms near the parking lot. Go ahead, we'll catch up."

The Nobi family walks to the front lot and get seats. While Doraemon pushes his friend to go straight to the bathroom, the boy can't help but run straight to the bathroom.

"Wash your hands when you're done, and don't be late, the ceremony is about to begin," Doraemon sighs.

However, given the circumstances, the blue cat hears a squeal nearby that makes him pale. "N-no... I don't think..."

Turning around slowly, it was. A little white mouse was walking near him, staring at him intently as it let out a slight squeal. They stared at each other for a while until...

"A MOUSEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" The robot runs for its life without looking back, leaving the silly boy in the bathroom. What a licensed babysitter.

"Shiro!" A third-year Urutogon girl with wavy brown hair, wearing a golden headband, was carrying a cage and approaching the mouse. "Come on, Shiro, I told you not to get out of your cage... Wow, snow mice are really slippery."

The girl kneels down to pick up the mouse while sighing as she walks toward the venue. At that moment, Nobita comes out, satisfied. "What a relief!" But there was no sign of Doraemon. "Doraemon?"

The clumsy boy starts to despair, looking around. There was almost no one there anymore because everyone had gone to the front yard. "I'm alone! What now? I'm sure I'll get lost here!"

Crying doesn't take long as he kneels down, until he remembers his CrystalPad. "It's true! I'll use the crystal. According to Dekisugi, there should be a map there." He takes his CrystalPad out of his pocket, turning it on to search for the map, until a name and a green button appear on the screen. "Shizuka?! Oh, that's right, Dekisugi gave me her contact!"

As soon as Nobita presses the green button, the crystal projects an image of her sitting in the seats where the new students were. Dekisugi was standing next to her. "Hi Nobita! Are you at the Academy yet? The ceremony is about to begin. We've saved you a spot."

"Shizuka, thank goodness! I'm here, but I went to the bathroom! I was with Doraemon, but he's not here anymore, and I have no idea how to get to the event venue. This place is huge!" The poor new student couldn't help but shed tears of happiness upon seeing his friend, even if it was through the glass.

"Don't worry, there's a map on the Crystalpad, it'll guide you to the front yard. Plus, there are signs all over the Academy; you can use them to find your way. I called you because I was worried you wouldn't show up."

Nobita couldn't help but blush when he realized his friend was worried about him and that she had reserved a seat for him. Turning to look at a wall, he noticed a sign indicating the locations with arrows. "T-that's right, thanks, Shizuka. I'll go there right away."

After closing the connection, he got up to start walking, using the signs to guide himself. When he reached a corner of the establishment, he saw something that made him nervous.

A red-haired boy and a couple of his classmates had cornered a girl against the wall. Since they didn't have badges, Nobita assumed they were new students like him, but since he didn't recognize any of them, it was obvious they were kids from other cities.

The most curious thing was the girl they were bullying was the same blue-black girl with the white ball earrings. Her hair was long and almost fluffy, tied with a light blue ribbon at the end of her hips where the hair ended, while she had white clips on both sides. Her face was pretty and drew attention.

As for the red-haired boy, his hairstyle was short with spikes in the front and on top of his head. He had an intimidating look, and his build and height were somewhat similar to Gian's, only a little skinnier.

He wasn't wearing his cape because he didn't like it, but he carried it in the pocket of his gray pants. It's worth noting that some students wore shorts or pants depending on what seemed most comfortable to them. Their classmates seemed like typical bootlicking extras for the bully on duty.

"What are you going to do about it?! You stepped on my shoes!" The red-haired boy looked annoyed as he pointed to one of his shoes, which barely had a scuff.

"It was unintentional. Besides, you purposely got in my way when I was walking to the event, and I couldn't avoid you no matter how hard I tried." The girl tried to assert herself, but it was obvious she was nervous.

"On purpose or not, you stepped on them! But... Since you have a pretty face, I'll let you go if you give me those earrings." The new bully's annoyance turned into a sly smile as he pointed to the girl's earrings. "Are they pearls, right? They're probably valuable." The pair of boys accompanying the redhead snickered, approving of the actions of the one who seemed to be the leader of the group.

"Pearls? B-but... Actually, these earrings..."

The redhead interrupts her, raising his voice. "Stop complaining! It's the least you can do to make up for my shoes! Give them to me and I'll overlook this disrespect!"

"Yeah, don't waste Ogawa Fuyuto's time. He's going to become the top freshman with honors, and he won't be able to look presentable in scuffed shoes!" The boy in the back cheers, complaining about the girl's attitude.

The clumsy boy watched from the corner while trembling with nerves. He's familiar with the intimidation factor because he usually experiences it when Gian takes his things. "Even here, this kind of thing happens. B-but I'd better go on ahead. Shizuka, Dekisugi, and the others are waiting for me, and I don't want to be late for the ceremony, or mom might get upset."

Using the crystal, Nobita finds another route to go around and avoid the conflict, preparing to leave, but looks at the scene again with the girl flustered against the wall, even though she tried to leave or act strong to face them, she couldn't help but feel sad because of the bullying.

He felt like he was in her place. He looked at himself when Gian took things away from him, or when he had something good and forced him to trade it with him only to get something terrible, always getting his way because, according to the saying, friends should exchange things even if they don't like it.

The clumsy boy couldn't help but feel sorry for her, but his legs were shaking. He was supposed to start his first year on the right foot. But he remembered his conversation with Doraemon and Sewashi about wanting to take the easy way out and give up everything.

After all, his decisions will influence his future and his quest for a happy path or a lonely ending.

"So? Are you going to give me the earrings or not?" No matter how much the redhead, now known as Fuyuto, insisted the girl hand them over, she took a deep breath and shook her head. "Ugh, fine, I'll have to take them from you then! My family comes from powerful wizards from Urutogon, and I'll be one of them too, so no one can say no to me! Hand me those pearls!"

His blood was already boiling over from the girl's refusal, Fuyuto was going to take the earrings by force.

...But...

"Stay away from her, leave her alone!"

Someone runs to stand in front of the black-haired girl and defend her, who is startled by that reaction, it was Nobita, who in the end and although fear dominated him, ended up making what would be his first decision at the Mystic Academy.

Chapter Text

The black-haired girl was surprised to see an unknown boy appear out of nowhere and stand in front of her to defend her, but deep down, she was grateful to see someone not standing idly by and wanting to prevent an injustice.

"Who the hell are you?! Get lost, this is about me and the pretty face!" Fuyuto was annoyed by Nobita's interruption, who refused to move even though he was trembling.

"She already told you she was sorry, y-you don't have to take her things." With a trembling voice, the silly boy remained firm in his decision to protect the unknown girl.

"What are you? A judge? Don't bother me, stupid face!" The redhead pushed the clumsy boy aside, causing him to fall to the ground and scrape his knees, especially since he was wearing shorts.

The girl kneels beside Nobita, worried. "A-are you okay? You have to go. I don't want you to get hurt because of me!" she says in a sweet voice.

Nobita sits down, rubbing his scraped knees. He was scared, but he smiles a little. "Don't worry, I'm used to this kind of thing."

Both kids stand up, and the clumsy boy insists on protecting her. "Look, Fuyu, he's not leaving. It seems like he wants us to beat him up!"

"Well, I was thinking about taking this stubborn girl's earrings and going to the ceremony, but I think it's not a bad idea to show who's in charge of the first-years from now on." The redhead, along with his accomplices, approaches the pair.

"Hit me if you want, but I'm not going to back down. I know what it feels like to have that done to you. You're not the first to do it, so I don't care. I'm used to it anyway!"

Despite his fear, Nobita wasn't going to back down to avoid a tragedy. He knew what it was like to be bullied, in his case, by people who claimed to be his friends, but due to his own fear, he was unable to confront them.

But something seemed to have changed in him since the prank at the Department Store and the support of someone who wanted to save him from a horrible fate, a feeling that told him he should say something about that kind of treatment, whether directed at him or at others.

Although... Everything seemed to indicate that the clumsy boy was going to start his year with a beating.

But just as Fuyuto was about to punch Nobita in the face, someone grabbed the guy's arm just inches from the face of the clumsy boy, whose eyes were closed. The girl was surprised and overjoyed to see who had stopped the redhead.

A boy a little taller than Nobita, with sleek black hair that reached almost to his shoulders. He had a streak like a lightning bolt drooping down, just like the rest of his hairstyle, in front of one of his eyes, only it was gray. He had a serious face with model-like features that could make the girls sigh. He was also a new recruit, and he wore a curious sunset-colored pendant around his neck that wasn't very noticeable because of his uniform.

Nobita opened his eyes and looked at the boy who saved him. He and the mysterious boy exchanged glances for a moment, but he continued on with his business. "Hajime!" the girl called out; it was obvious they knew each other.

"Hey, let go of my arm!" The redhead steps aside as soon as his arm is released, and the pair of classmates also step back.

"Your arm was in the way of me going to the ceremony." With a serious demeanor and a voice a bit deep for his age, the boy now known as Hajime glares at the bullies. "You're not in school anymore, behave like the wizards you're supposed to be. Weak people like you are a pest to those who really try."

"WHAT?! Hey, you...!" The sound of fireworks interrupts the scene; the ceremony is about to begin. "Don't think you're the best! I'm going to be one of the best! And pray we don't have to study in the same classroom. I'll make your life miserable, and you too, you foolish face!"

Fuyuto points to Nobita, who gulps as he watches the redhead's group run toward the ceremony. Hajime just rolls his eyes and walks over as well. "Hajime! Thanks for help..." But the boy ignores the girl and continues walking. "...us."

The silly boy can't help but smile at being saved. "Hey! Thanks for keeping me from getting hit! I..."

The young man stops, interrupting his walk to answer Nobita. "His arm was just in my way, don't misinterpret my action. Those who know they're going to lose shouldn't meddle in other people's business." He just keeps walking toward the event, leaving a bad taste in the pair's mouths.

"Well, what an attitude he has." the boy pouts, annoyed.

The girl snorts a little sadly, watching him leave without another word, but now she focuses her attention on Nobita. "Thank you for standing firm with them. I don't know them at all, but seeing their attitude, it's clear that the redhead is one of those who are used to doing whatever they want."

Nobita just scratches the back of his neck, embarrassed. "W-well, actually, it was that boy who scared them off. They almost hit me. I'm used to that kind of treatment, so I don't think I could just stand idly by. It's a good thing they didn't take your pearl earrings."

The girl shakes her head. "The truth is, they aren't real pearls, they're imitation. That Fuyuto guy probably thought they were real because they're so well made, but they still mean a lot to me because they were a gift from my parents for entering the Academy."

She sees the boy's scraped knees. "You got hurt because of me! Don't worry, I have something that might help." The black-haired girl takes out some bandages with a picture of an adorable white rabbit, bends down, and puts them on his knees.

Nobita smiles nervously at the gesture. "Th-thanks, it wasn't necessary, heh. They're funny bandages."

She smiles back, standing up. "I really like white rabbits. I appreciate you wanting to defend me. What's your name?"

"Oh, I see. My name is Nobi Nobita, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Nobita. I'm Ishikawa Kaori, a pleasure. The boy who walked by is named Ishikawa Hajime. He's my cousin. We're from Kyoto City. Although he doesn't like being social, he prefers to isolate himself rather and study to become a wizard and defeat anyone he considers strong, or at least that's what he says. I'm so sorry for his attitude" Kaori exhales tiredly.

"Ishikawa? That last name sounds familiar. I'm from Tokyo and..." Suddenly, someone comes to mind. "Hey, do you happen to know a girl named Mitzuki? I met her the other day when she moved there."

"Oh, of course. She's also our cousin. We come from a family of three brother wizards, which is why we have the same last name. From what I understood, Mitzuki should have also entered this Academy..."

"I smell pain with a hint of indifference. I like it." Both Kaori and Nobita jump in fright when they see Mitzuki behind them, making her typical silent entrance in her uniform, with her characteristically bright personality. "Hello, see you again, Nobita. I see you've met my cousins. Night, dusk, and day together again."

"Hi again, Mitzuki. You're still as charming as ever." Kaori laughs nervously, still frightened by the appearance of her curious cousin.

"H-hey Mitzuki, I'm still not used to your entrances." Nobita smiles nervously until he remembers the ceremony. "We're late, the ceremony already started and...!"

Someone appears from the bushes while holding his head. It was Doraemon who... Did he have a bump on his head? "See? I told you I smelled like pain, Kikiki" Mitzuki says in a witchy voice.

"Doraemon!" Nobita approaches his friend and checks him out. "Where were you? And why do you have a bump on your head?" Kaori and Mitzuki approach them. "This is Doraemon. He's my friend. We're going to be together at the Academy."

"S-sorry, I was waiting for you outside the bathroom until a mouse appeared, and you know I hate them. I ran away scared and crashed into a tree, fainting for a while." Doraemon rubs his large head. "Wow, I see you've already made your first friends here."

Nobita nods. "She's Mitzuki. I met her the other day when she moved into the neighborhood. She's a curious person. And the girl with the earrings is Kaori. Some bullies were bothering her, so I tried to help her."

"Well, helping someone else isn't a bad decision. Although I think the ceremony seems to have already started." Doraemon looks at the fireworks, sighs, and reaches into his pocket. "Anyway, this is considered an emergency, so..."

The kids watch as the robot pulls what appeared to be a red door with dark details and a teleportation magic circle out of his pocket. "This is the Anywhere Door. It works to go to distant places, and since we have to appear quickly, we'll use it JUST this once."

Placing the door on the ground, the cat opens it, mentioning the front yard. The three are surprised to see that on the other side was said location near the seats. "Wow! You know we could have used this door to avoid a two-hour taxi ride, right?"

"And you know what 'Emergency Only' means, naive kid? Now let's go" Doraemon pouts at Nobita's question, who smiles embarrassedly.

On the other side, Shizuka and Dekisugi, along with other new students, were sitting on chairs in the large courtyard. They were surprised to see the Anywhere Door appear while someone was speaking on the platform in front of them, along with the flags bearing the crests of the four factions. Nobita and the others passed by, leaving the rest even more surprised.

"Late as always, typical of Nobita." Suneo and Gian were sitting behind Shizuka and Dekisugi, though they noticed Kaori. "Although one of the girls accompanying him, along with that blue raccoon, is pretty" the dwarf said, curious about the pair of girls.

"Ha, if he's not late, he's not Nobita!" Gian laughs as Nobita says goodbye to the girls who went to sit elsewhere, just like Doraemon, who left and approaches "It's about time you arrived!"

Although Nobita was startled to see the pair of friends inviting him to sit with them, just to tease him as usual, this time something had changed, not only because of what happened yesterday at the Department Store, but also because of the brave decision of trying to defend Kaori.

"Come here, we'll save you a spot!" Suneo says, chuckling softly along with the robust boy.

But Nobita makes a new decision. Instead of listening to them, he just gives them both an irritated look and walks straight past them without saying anything to sit next to Shizuka, surprising more than a few people.

"Hi Nobita, I'm glad you came. You just missed the introductory story about magic, which we already saw in the video at school. You already told me that Doraemon could do amazing things, but being able to use a door-shaped teleportation device is incredible" Shizuka says, happy to see her friend.

"Hi Shizuka, hi Dekisugi. Oh, so I didn't miss anything. How nice." Nobita smiles, nervous at being a little late, but notices that the one who had given the story was his school teacher, who now hadn't only his faction's crest on his outfit, but also the Academy's logo. "Is that the teacher?!"

"Yeah, apparently he's going to be working here now. You're not the only one who was surprised." What Shizuka says discourages the clumsy boy. His school teacher already knew him, but thinking he wouldn't be taking classes with him, he imagined having a different reputation with his new teachers. However, it's likely that the sensei (as we'll now call him for the rest of the story) has told them about him, and they'll be strict from day one.

Gian and Suneo were startled. When they were at school, Nobita usually obeyed them, and sometimes, to annoy him, they even took him away when he wanted to meet with Shizuka for something. And knowing that he wouldn't contradict them, they weren't surprised that their friend passed by.

Maybe they touched a nerve they shouldn't have touched.

"Hi Nobi, it's good that you're here. But what I'm most pleased and surprised by is that you're standing up to Goda and Honekawa."

What Dekisugi says startles Nobita, who sees out of the corner of his eye that the pair were upset with them. This made him a little nervous, but remembering how they played with his trauma lessened his fear of angering them. "Uh yeah, it's just... Maybe the change of scenery is helping me, heh."

"Who does he think he is? Since when does he think he can do whatever he wants? Could it be that he's upset about the mask? How unfriendly" Gian whispers to Suneo. "I'll beat him up after the Initiation Event."

"Heh, it'll be fun" Suneo whispers as they both smile maliciously.

"Good thing you were only late for the introduction, Doraemon." Tamako sighs tiredly. They were sitting in seats behind the students, where the relatives of the first-year students sat.

The students from other upper years were also sitting in other groups of seats. Since the front courtyard was the largest, there was room for everyone. The girl of the mouse was also there with the third-year students, smiling.

"Sorry, I had an encounter with a small and evil being and I lost." The robot cat just scratches his head, embarrassed by the mouse incident.

"The important thing is that Nobita is already at the most important moment of his life, even though his initiation is still pending." Nobisuke smiles, seeing his son with the other new students. It felt like he was back in the good old days, but now through that boy.

Doraemon is also happy, though out of curiosity, he decides to take out Nobita's album again because of what had happened at the wand shop. The result was the same, except for a couple of other photos that were also cloudy and were from his married life.

"I didn't expect this reaction from the album so early; it's as if it seems to be constantly changing. Could there be something I didn't take into account when I decided to intervene?"

Doraemon sighs, looking at the boy he was now in charge of taking care of. Apparently, he wasn't just worried about Sewashi anymore, but now he was also worried about Nobita. "I just hope it's for the best."

"By the way, what happened yesterday at the Department Store?" Shizuka looks at the silly boy worriedly "When I arrived here at the Academy, I met Tachibana and he told me that he saw you yesterday running with a terrified face at the end of the day"

"It had... something to do with your trauma, right?" That last thing the girl with pigtails said made Dekisugi's face slump. Nobita just sighed tiredly as he nodded.

"I'll tell you when the entrance ceremony is over." Nobita smiled sadly, having been less keen on talking about things related to the creature that almost turned him to stone five years ago, but since Shizuka was the one asking him to do it, he couldn't refuse out of concern.

At that moment, the academy's chief secretary finished speaking. Some teachers were sitting with the sensei. "And now, to conclude the opening ceremony of the new 250th school year, a few words from the headmaster of the founding Elementary Academy. Principal Chronos."

The crowd applauded excitedly; after all, the principal was known for having taught several generations, practically since the academy's founding. Many know him as a motivating, understanding, and enthusiastic teacher, but he was also upright and very tough when angry. He was one of the most powerful wizards in the country.

As he approached the lectern, Nobita was startled to see him. Although he saw his savior from behind that night, his appearance was unmistakable. "Dad was right, it's him. The wizard who saved me that night."

Chapter Text

The new students fell silent as Director Chronos appeared at the lectern. The elderly man, who looked 70 but was over 600 years old, cleared his throat.

"Good morning, students of the 250th intake. I welcome you to your first stop in your life as wizards. This year, you will begin your journey as apprentice wizards, awakening your talent and belonging to a faction for the rest of your lives." The director smiled; although his narrowed eyes didn't reveal much, his expression spoke volumes.

"I know that for many, this will be a great step. Over the years, many like you have gone through this same path to continue advancing. Magic is the most valuable resource we could have been given, and having the pleasure of guiding a new generation is a complete honor for me, as you will demonstrate what you are capable of in this world."

"Some will be excited..." Shizuka, Dekisugi, some of their schoolmates, Kaori, and Mitzuki are seen. "Others will have their competitive side on full display." Gian, Suneo, Fuyuto, and Hajime, who was sitting at the end of the seats with his eyes closed, are seen.

"And some will have doubts and fear about themselves, about what they'll be able to do on this unknown path." Nobita can't help but get nervous, looking down for a moment because that described him well. "But... It's okay to have fear and doubts." The silly boy raises his head, startled by that comment.

"We don't all grow the same, we don't all have the same abilities, perhaps even the path is difficult and some will want to give up, I don't blame you, humans are complex and fragile beings, we all have weaknesses and abilities. The important thing is to overcome obstacles with life goals, because everyone can be good wizards with the right motivation. Ask yourselves: What motivates you to continue despite that fear? What has changed to want to take this path in life? There are personal reasons, selfish reasons and reasons in the form of bonds that move you forward."

The clumsy boy can't help but glance back, searching for Doraemon and finding him with his parents. The robot notices this and smiles at him, which makes him smile too.

"Saving my future counts as a reason, right? Avoiding debt in the future, dying alone and abandoned by others for the mistakes I might make now... I think with Doraemon, I can do it. After all, since he's here, I've been able to regain some of that emotion for the magic I lost a while ago, I've been able to open up about what happened five years ago..." That's what Nobita thought, his eyes twinkling at the speech.

/"I won't screw it up this time"/

"Remember the most important thing: Factions don't define you in society. Well, I guess I can't keep you waiting any longer. I know you're all very anxious about what comes next. So without further ado, welcome to Mystic Academy, Class of 250!"

Applause for the principal's speech was immediate; everyone was excited as they rose from their seats. The principal's personal secretary and administrator approached the lectern as her boss left.

"Attention, first-year students please report to the Hall of Destiny, on the second floor of the Academy, right section for the Initiation Event. You will be given the institution's parameters and your class schedules. For the rest of the upper years, you may return to your faction houses. There you will be given your schedules and your assigned rooms for this year. That's all, you may leave."

Nobita stands up along with Shizuka and Dekisugi as they all begin to walk, some heading towards their houses and others heading into the Academy. "Well, the time has come. It's better to go directly to where they told us" says the clever boy.

"What is the Hall of Destiny?" Nobita asks, confused. Hajime, the boy who helped him, stands up and leaves with a man who tries to strike up a conversation with him, but the young man isn't interested.

"Practically where the Throne of Destiny is, the ancient artifact that will not only fully unlock our magical power and ability, but will also show us which faction we will belong to forever." Dekisugi watches as the silly boy turns blue. "Come on, Nobi, don't worry. Like the principal said, factions don't define you in society."

"That's true. No matter where we end up, the important thing is that we'll stay side by side. This is going to be a great year." Shizuka smiles excitedly, although... She immediately notices the bunny bands on the glasses-wearing boy's knees. "Did you hurt yourself? Those bands are very cute, but where did you get them?"

"Uhh... Well, I..." Nobita scratches the back of his neck nervously because she noticed the bands.

"Nobita!" Kaori approaches with her crystal pad in her hands. "Oh, are they friends of yours? Nice to meet you. My name is Ishikawa Kaori."

"Uh, nice to meet you. My name is Minamoto Shizuka." The girl with pigtails looks at the newcomer.

"I'm Dekisugi Hidetoshi, a pleasure. I see you know our friend" says the clever boy, although he then starts to think a bit after hearing the girl's last name.

Kaori nods. "Actually, he tried to help me with a problem I was having. We didn't know each other at all, but someone tried to bully me and he wanted to protect me. It was very kind of him. Although he hurt his knees, I gave him some bandages." The black-haired girl looks at the clumsy boy. "I wanted to know if I could have your contact information."

"Oh, so that's where the bandages came from" says Shizuka, stunned. "But it's good that Nobita helped you with that problem."

"S-sure, I can give you my contact if you want." Nobita takes out his crystal and holds it close to hers. Both crystals glow purple, indicating they've shared their contacts.

"Thank you. Can I have your contacts too? You two seem very nice." Both Dekisugi and Shizuka nod and share their contacts. "Thank you very much. I should go ahead. Mom and Dad are waiting for me. See you later. I hope we'll be classmates."

Kaori runs back to her family. "Now I understand why you took so long. I'm so glad you took so long for a good reason. If you had decided to do nothing, she probably wouldn't be smiling."

What Shizuka says makes Nobita jump, and while it felt nice how his friend flattered him for his actions, the conversation with Sewashi and Doraemon about his own timeline also came to mind regarding his actions, which partly made him smile for having helped someone.

Although... For a moment, he felt like he was the protagonist in one of those school drama games Shizuka likes, which made him smile embarrassedly as he started walking with her and Dekisugi, including Doraemon, who approached them. The parents of the three followed them while talking to each other.

But maybe... Just maybe it could be true and everything would fall into place according to his decisions.

Upon entering, the four were amazed by the rustic yet modern aesthetic inside the Academy. It was enormous, with walls that looked like they were made of marble, wallpaper with elegant and beautiful details, and large windows that allowed one to see the outside. "This place is impressive! Are we really going to study here?!" Nobita was amazed to see the enormous place and walked through the hallways.

"The Founding Academy used to serve as a refuge during the war between wizards and renegades. Later, over time, it was converted into an Academy, improving the architecture and using dimensional spells to have enough space for everything it has today. Seeing it in person is impressive" Dekisugi says, admiring the architecture of the place.

"What a beautiful place. Although we have to be careful not to get lost here" Shizuka says, looking around.

"Likewise, you have your crystal pads, and there are the guide signs. If that happens, they will have a lot of help." Doraemon walked along with the clumsy boy.

The silly boy notices a space where there were pictures of black and white photographs of people, stopping for a moment to look at them. Doraemon approaches him and sighs sadly. "I've read that the Academy has a Memorial Space for deceased magicians who were part of the Academy as teachers and staff, even students. I suppose it's this one here."

Nobita becomes sad looking at the photos, because there were adults, the elderly, and even young people. His attention is caught by the photo of a boy two years older than him who was the last in that section and who passed away last year. Shizuka and Dekisugi approach, showing respect to the deceased by bowing slightly. The clumsy boy and the robot do the same and continue on their way to the living room.

"Nobi. Now that we're heading to the living room, could you tell us what happened to you at the Department Store?"

Nobita sighs but nods at what his friend asked him. Doraemon pats him on the back to cheer him up, so as they walk, the boy decides to tell the story of the incident with the mask.

On the outskirts of Antithesis City the other day, in the building of the mysterious renegade group called the Dark Wake. One of the four who had met two nights ago with the one who seemed to be the villain of the moment was in a dark room full of bookshelves, sitting on a large cushion while looking into his large crystal sphere. It was the member known as The Sage.

The old man begins to see the students inside the Academy in that large sphere, especially the new ones. He moves his thin, wrinkled hands, looking at a specific spot, paying attention to Hajime, while nodding his head. "Continue on your way, cold-hearted boy."

"Sage!" The image of the black-haired boy is replaced by a mysterious figure, but her voice is that of a conceited girl. "It's about time you answered. I just wanted to tell you that I've already made the move you asked me to make, even though I don't really see the point. But I'm only listening to you for our boss, so anyway, I have to go prepare my room. Goodbye, senile warlock."

The old man just sighs as soon as the crystal ball stops showing the mysterious girl. "Everything is falling into place."

Already on the second floor and near the Hall of Destiny, Shizuka and Dekisugi are perplexed to have heard about the mask prank. "What happened is terrible. Even Takeshi and Suneo know what happened to you five years ago! Playing with trauma just for a joke is cruel!" The irritated face of the girl with pigtails was immediate.

"Traumas aren't things to be taken lightly. Your reaction was the most normal, especially considering we're talking about the most feared creature among both wizards and renegades. You're doing the right thing, letting them believe they can do whatever they want and pretending nothing happened. Honekawa and Goda don't learn anything." Dekisugi sighs in disappointment.

"And they haven't even apologized, how cruel they are." Shizuka, annoyed, can't help but pout, closing her eyes.

"At this point, I don't think I care if they apologize or not. I know they won't, especially Gian. I don't know, but he's the one who's had the most problems with me over the years. I'm not interested in knowing why either. Although I also know that with my bad luck, I'm going to end up crossing paths with him at this Academy a lot." Nobita exhales, somewhat defeated.

And it was true: of the pair, Gian was the one who embraced him more as his punching bag and comic book and toy vending machine. He was another one of those who got used to doing what he wanted based solely on his strength.

"But you don't have to put up with them, Nobita. You have to confront them and make it clear that either they behave or they better distance themselves. Think carefully about what it means to be a true friend. Okay? I think I'll set boundaries with them, too." Shizuka smiles worriedly at her friend and, along with Dekisugi, they enter what used to be a large hall.

"Hey, Nobita." Both the robot and the clumsy boy stop in front of a large entrance where the hall used to be. "If you've known they've treated you badly for a while, why didn't you distance yourself from them until now? What changed today?"

The boy just scratches his neck in embarrassment. "It's just that, you know I'm very fearful. I've been putting up with them because I didn't have the strength to stand up to them, even without magic. Gian has his fists, and Suneo takes advantage of my naiveté to play tricks on me and turn me into the laughingstock of everyone else at school sometimes. I'm...afraid to stand up to them because of the retaliation they'll give me."

"Also, this is going to sound really pathetic. I know I am anyway. But ever since my encounter with... That, I was afraid of feeling alone, without friends, and I didn't want to lose them, especially if I end up in new territory like this one I'm about to explore. That's why I thought if I put up with them, at least I wouldn't feel like this. I know Shizuka and Dekisugi are on my side, but... I've gotten used to being in a hole where if I don't bother anyone, I won't be alone."

"...That is, until two things happened to me yesterday. Until now, Gian and Suneo hadn't messed with my trauma. I thought they had a limit because even they know that those things are the worst things that could happen to you. But for some reason, they decided to joke about it, and honestly, that really bothered me."

Doraemon watched as his friend said that last part, tearing up in irritation while clenching his fists tightly, because it really hurt him that they were playing with something like that. That day, not only was he on the verge of turning to stone, but he was still grieving for his grandmother, so he was emotionally vulnerable.

"The other thing was meeting you, Doraemon." The robot is startled by this. "When that happened to me, for a moment I felt completely alone, as I relived that feeling from when I was little and got lost in the middle of the night. I couldn't help but freeze in the warehouse."

Nobita lowers his head sadly but raises his gaze to the robot, smiling. "Until you accompanied me in that moment of paralysis, just for that, you made me feel better. And... I really appreciated that a lot. You made me feel like I'll never be alone. You made me remember that there are those who do appreciate me without having to resort to intimidation to keep me in line."

"Maybe that's why..." The silly boy looks sideways as Gian and Suneo pass by him while smiling maliciously at him as they enter the room, but the boy just looks at them with annoyance "I've let go of a bit of fear of them and decided to take a step forward"

Nobita sighs, but Doraemon pats him with a smile. "You're doing well, buddy, you're doing well."

"Thanks, Doraemon. I'm going to go in now. I think they only let students in during initiation. Wish me luck with the faction thing." Both Tamako and Nobisuke approach. "Will you be okay with whichever faction I end up in?"

Nobisuke strokes his son's head, smiling. "Of course, remember what the principal said. That won't define you, only the effort you put into learning."

Nobita inhales and exhales, turning around to walk slowly and steadily into the Hall of Destiny, where his next step awaits him.

Chapter Text

The Hall of Destiny was a large space that felt like entering a temple, with white wooden benches and large windows on the sides, painted in the colors of the features, and another in front with a drawing of a female figure with hair that seemed to be made of space itself.

A stage stood in front with large golden velvet curtains, the walls white as if they were marble. It truly seemed like a sacred place, especially because of the most interesting part of the room: the Throne of Destiny, the magical device made from an ancient tree that connected with the same goddess who gave humans the ability to perform magic.

The Academy's institutional administrator was there at a lectern to the left, arranging some papers, as was Principal Chronos, who was at the back right of the stage, supervising everything, mostly out of curiosity.

Nobita can't help but gulp at the sight of such an imposing place before him, especially at the sight of the ancient contraption he both respected and feared. The boy hears Kaori's voice greeting him from the middle of the seats on the right, sitting next to Mitzuki. Fuyuto and his followers were also waiting impatiently.

Hajime was at the back right, staring at one of the windows; he didn't seem interested in anything at the moment. Gian and Suneo were two seats behind Shizuka and Dekisugi, who had once again saved a spot for him. It seemed that all the students from his school were gathered there, accustomed to being together.

Nobita is happy to see familiar faces—well, most of them. He runs to sit between Shizuka and Dekisugi. The last students enter, and the family members remain outside in the hallway waiting.

The administrator taps the lectern microphone a couple of times before speaking, "Good morning, first-year students. Welcome to the Hall of Destiny. I'm Kaede, the Academy's institutional administrator. I'll be in charge of briefing you on how the Academy's system works. So pay attention."

The disciplined young woman who worked as the principal's personal secretary was also the Academy's institutional administrator. And yes, the head of the Academy's decisions is Principal Chronos, but she is more in charge of administrative and disciplinary matters. There was also a deputy director, but he was absent that day because he was sick.

"While you're in class, you don't have to wear the cape if you don't want to, but the rest of the uniform must be respected, both during the warm season and the cold season. Teachers may be free to impose punishments if the situation warrants it."

"Well, I'll have to stand in the hallway again like always" Nobita thinks, snorting.

"The Academy's grading system is the same as every year. Teachers will send a weekly report on the students, which will be sent via letter to their legal representatives. This week, there will be a first-week evaluation, which will help students discover their strengths and weaknesses. The teacher can also call the legal representatives at the end of the school week in case of any warnings, so he can give his own report instead of sending it by letter if necessary."

"WEEKLY REPORT?! Then it won't do any good to hide grades in the dorm because mom will find out anyway! Sensei was right, the Academy is very different from school." The dark-haired man only sighs as he muses. He knows that complaining out loud would only get him into trouble, especially with the administrator's intimidating glare. Although he wasn't the only one nervous about hearing that; some students were nervous too, except for those who were really good at studying.

"The weekly report will be led by a classroom tutor, a teacher in charge of the class they'll be in. Even if they have different teachers, they'll be responsible for compiling the progress of all their classes and submitting the report. They'll also accompany you on the School Trip, a short trip after the first semester where you'll visit a location assigned by the Academy and complete a study assignment based on what you've learned. More details about that trip will follow later."

Administrator Kaede adjusts her glasses. "Absences and tardiness will also be counted in the reports, as will warnings. Using magic is allowed outside of class. BUT, fighting, pranks, or the malicious use of magic is prohibited in the academy, as are physical confrontations. Here at the Academy, we won't tolerate bullying. If you have personal problems, resolve them outside the institution, such as the faction houses, although they will have rules similar to those at the Academy, but more flexible. If you have problems within the Academy, contact the teachers, the principal, vice-principal, or the administration."

It was obvious that for kids like Gian and Suneo, and even the newest one, Fuyuto, these rules took some of the excitement out of them; it was evident on their long faces. But for students like Nobita, it was a great relief, and he couldn't help but sigh with a smile. The bullying was going to decrease, unlike at school, although he knew that wouldn't completely eliminate it.

He already knew the pair who were bothering him would find a way around that rule just to annoy him. He also thought that about the new bully he'd earned for defending Kaori, so he still had to be careful.

"Don't forget to keep to your class schedule. Damage to Academy materials will also be reported in the weekly report. You may use your Cristalpads, but teachers will have the authority to take them away if you use them in class, but they will be returned to you at the end of class. Misuse of the device will also be included in the report. If you follow the instructions, you won't have any problems with our institution. If not, the infractions will range from minor sanctions, suspensions, and even expulsion for the rest of the year."

"And I doubt you want to be expelled. You're having the opportunity in the founding building. If you seek to go to one of the extensions for expulsion or withdraw out of fear, your record will be reviewed there, and they'll have an eye on you, I guarantee it."

Classes haven't even started yet, and the students were already feeling pressured, especially with the way the administrator said all that. Even Shizuka had to shake Nobita, who fainted in his seat from the pressure and was unconscious with his eyes in a spiral shape.

The principal just chuckled, looking at everything. "This girl has always done the same thing every year since I hired her, hehe."

Kaede takes an ID card from her pocket with her photo, her profession, and the Academy seal in the background, semi-transparent. There was also the Aruguma crest, her faction. The card was the color of the faction, in her case, red.

"This is an Academy ID card. Everyone—the principal, vice-principal, teachers, and staff—has one. It contains the holder's personal information, allowing them access to everything the Academy has to offer. We've been having problems lately with renegades posing as students, so this year we implemented the ID card."

The administrator uses a dark oak wand with gold detailing to conjure a large box with a stack of cards. "Of course, you'll have your own cards while you study here. These update themselves with magic, so you won't have to renew them. They'll be useful if you get lost. You can also use them for services like borrowing books from our library, for example, or eating lunch in the cafeteria during breaks. It's important to ALWAYS have them handy."

Kaede takes the first ID she saw; it was Dekisugi's. It had the information, the photo, and the Academy seal in the background, but it was white and unsealed because he hasn't yet completed the initiation process. She points to some curious numbers in the lower right corner. "The cards also have something special: effort points. They can be used as currency in addition to real money. These points can be redeemed at Ebagurin stores for whatever you want: books, entertainment, whatever. That part isn't my problem. Think of it as an allowance. You just have to present the cards with whatever you want to buy, and when you make the purchase, the points will be deducted from the card, but only at partner stores."

"Hey, I like that." Suneo can't help but be curious about the points. He was a rich kid, after all, and that sort of thing was interesting to him.

"The effort points will be credited at the end of the week, and the amount will depend on your performance in class and whether you cause any inconvenience at the academy. We'll give you some initial points with the card. This point thing serves as an incentive for the students to put in the effort, the principal's idea." Principal Chronos gives a thumbs-up while smiling, a little proud of his contribution.

"That concludes the basic explanation of how things work here. If you didn't understand, the crystal pads you were given on Goods Day have some explanatory videos about what I explained. Now..."

"Now for the most exciting part: Your initiation rite!" Principal Chronos interrupts Kaede, but then laughs nervously. "Sorry, sorry, it's just that this part always excites me, and I love being present every year."

The administrator just sighs tiredly. "Anyway, continue."

Nobita takes the wooden piece of the wand he took with him before fainting from the Entigo attack out of his pants pocket. He planned to return it to him when he spoke to him. "There's the principal. I feel a little shy about doing it, but I really want to thank him for what happened five years ago. But he must be very busy. After all, he's the principal of this place, and many people admire him. I hope I get the chance to do so." The boy exhales as he puts the piece of wood back in his pocket.

"Thank you very much." With the voice of a kind old man, the principal steps to the front of the stage. "Well, it's time to begin. Why don't you call the first one?"

"And once again, you're not going to explain how the process works, are you?" Kaede exhales again, tired.

"Bah! Why explain? These kids already had a lot of explaining just now. You know I like doing more than telling. Come on, come on." The director nods excitedly.

"You're the boss. I just have to follow." Kaede checks the card she had taken from the box. "I'll begin calling everyone. Please rise when called and proceed directly to the throne. When the initiation is over, you will be given the updated card. The initiated student may, if they wish, go to their faction house to receive their schedule and room assignment from the house administrator. After settling in, you will have the rest of the day free."

"Very well." The administrator reads the card. "Let's begin with Dekisugi Hidetoshi."

As soon as he was called, Dekisugi stood up confirming his attendance, both Nobita and Shizuka wished him luck and he began to walk down the aisle between the seats towards the stage, leaving all the guys curious about what was going to happen.

Chapter Text

Our protagonist watches as one of his friends, Dekisugi, is the first to be called for the initiation rite. He strides onto the stage as everyone watches intently, both those he knows and those who don't know him but have heard about an outstanding student in Tokyo. Everyone wants to see how the rite works.

Dekisugi climbs the small stairs, standing face to face with the imposing throne, which is taller than the principal. The clever boy looks at the throne made of a thousand-year-old tree trunk and the sphere that sits on the back of the throne, crowning the device. It glows as if it holds a small universe within it, confirming his connection to the goddess who had bestowed the gift of magic on the human world.

The principal simply instructs him to sit on the throne. Dekisugi nods with a determined look, turning to look at the rest of the students who were waiting for something to happen, and slowly sits down.

At that moment, a magic reading circle appeared beneath the throne, glowing as the sphere's glow began to spin, and the throne began to glow with the colors of the four factions.

"The throne of destiny is now reading the mystical power of whoever just sat on its lap, a spectacle of colors that is always striking to see." Principal Chronos watched closely, as did the rest. "You'll feel a slight tingling as soon as it's over, but that's the good news; it means your magic was released and the rite was a success, officially making you an apprentice wizard."

Everyone was expectant but at the same time impressed to see the throne act for the first time. Finally, the sphere turned purple, as did the glow emanating from the throne and the magic circle, the color symbolizing Urutogon.

Instantly, Dekisugi's uniform tie turned purple, the white seal replaced by the Urutogon symbol, which also appeared on the side of his cloak's collar. The clever boy's ID in the administrator's hands flashed for a second, showing it was now purple and had the faction's seal on it. Everyone applauded the process.

"And there you have it, the rite doesn't take long, but it opens a door to a world full of possibilities. Your mystical abilities will appear over time, but you'll barely notice it's already active within you. Congratulations, young man, thank you for helping with the demonstration." Principal Chronos nods, satisfied that the throne has begun its work as it does every year.

Some were impressed that a Urutogon appeared on the first try. Those who attended school with him knew the outcome beforehand because they knew him as the school's perfect student, saying phrases like...

"It was obvious that was going to happen, he's the top of his class at school."

"He'll surely excel at the Academy too."

"He must already know the spells."

Hajime, the student who had been keeping his distance, opens one of his eyes upon hearing the boys' comments. "The best, I see." He immediately closes it again, taking into account the guys' words about Dekisugi. Fuyuto just stares in annoyance at the clever boy as he watches him shake the principal's hand in gratitude and stand up, making the circle disappear. The sphere returns to normal, its glow fading. The redhead wanted to be the best and didn't want to share that with anyone.

Dekisugi, as always, accepts praise with a smile and with great modesty, although he is even happier because both Nobita and Shizuka were present at the moment. He accepts his card, thanking the administrator, and steps off the stage, where he is greeted with more applause, approaching his friends.

"How does it feel to be on that throne, Dekisugi?" Shizuka asks with interest.

"At first, you don't really feel anything; it's like sitting in a normal seat, but then you feel a strong tingling near your abdomen, which is precisely where the Mystical Power resides. I feel a surge of adrenaline coursing through my body. And according to what I read in one of the mystical anatomy books about wizards and renegades, that must be because of the mana now flowing throughout my body, which is normal since it means I can now use the Mystical Power to perform magic."

"Wow" Nobita says, stunned "Are you going to the Urutogon house now?"

The smart boy shakes his head as he sits down, while the administrator calls another student forward for his rite. "I'll stay a little longer until it's your turn."

Both the girl with pigtails and the clumsy boy smiled in appreciation, especially Nobita, who was now very nervous but also curious about what would happen when he performs his initiation rite. "Thanks, Dekisugi, I think that helps a little."

"Don't worry, Nobi. I know this makes you very nervous, but everything will be fine, and if anything happens, we'll have your back, don't doubt it" says the smart boy, with Shizuka nodding.

"Yeah, also, ignore Takeshi and Suneo. The way you're going now, with what you did a moment ago, you'll be able to overcome whatever they do to you, and they'll stop bothering you."

"That's right, naive boy, don't worry, everything will be over for today."

Nobita sighs and smiles. "Thanks Shizuka, thanks Dorae... HUH?!" The three boys look around because they had heard the robot cat's voice, but they couldn't see him. "How strange, I thought I heard..."

Up ahead, the boy notices only the robot's (floating?) face smiling at him. "DORAE...?!" The blue cat instantly covers his mouth to keep him from screaming. Needless to say, both Shizuka and Dekisugi were equally surprised, so they began to converse in low voices. Luckily, the other students were so preoccupied watching the rituals that they didn't notice anything else. "What are you doing here? How did you get in? Why are you just a floating face?"

"I'm not a floating face," Doraemon raises his arm slightly, revealing a semi-transparent blanket. "This, buddy, is the invisibility cloak. The name says it all. As soon as I put it on, I become invisible. I used it to get in here without the adults noticing. I told you I'd be with you on this."

"I already knew that the gadgets Doraemon has in his pocket were unique, but that cape and the door that appeared out of nowhere a little while ago are impressive" Shizuka says, amazed.

"There's no doubt that the future holds exceptional things, although it's good that even with the advances of time, we still rely on our magic and our own abilities from that era." Dekisugi analyzes the cape in detail, impressed by its use.

"Really, thank you, Doraemon. I'm so glad you're here at this moment." Nobita smiles gratefully at him, while the robot nods.

"Come on, I couldn't miss your initiation rite. It's part of my job, remember? But it's better to keep paying attention so the others don't notice me." Doraemon winks at his friend, who nods, as do the other pair. The robot then completely covers himself with the cape and disappears from the boys' sight.

Thus, the students were called one by one to perform their initiation rites, each leaving with their power unlocked to perform magic and receiving their identification cards.

The hall was already painted with the colors of Betakoi, Aruguma, Omekkusu, and Urutogon on the students' uniforms. Some stayed to watch out of curiosity, while others left the hall to go to their faction houses and settle into their rooms to enjoy the rest of the day.

Taking advantage of the fact that a boy who had been summoned and completed his own rite had already left the room, Doraemon sits next to Shizuka, crossing his arms, and begins to think to himself. "Even though I said I wanted to be present at his initiation, something's bothering me..."

The administrator takes another card. "Goda Takeshi!" The robust boy stands up from his seat with a proud expression.

"Okay, here you go, Urutogon!" Gian quickens his pace to go straight to the stage while Suneo applauds him excitedly (like a typical bootlicker).

Giant sits down abruptly, making himself comfortable as if he were a king (?) while the throne begins to analyze him. "Unlock my power, throne! And send me to Urutogon now, I want my own room..."

But oh, surprise! The light, the sphere, and the magic circle turn blue, surprising Gian. "WHAT?! ARUGUMA?! Oh come on!" His uniform tie turns blue, and Aruguma's seal appears on his vest and cloak collar. "Analyze me again! You made a mistake!"

"You're not the first to say something like that, but the goddess's decision is irreversible. We have a protocol in case of problems with the throne reading, but since it worked normally this time, it won't be necessary. Remember, factions don't define you in society." The principal only smiled, arms behind his back.

While Gian complained about the throne, Doraemon sighed worriedly. "It's just like in the album..."

-Minutes earlier in the hallway-

"I feel like I'm back in school. Everything looks almost the same." Nobisuke looked at the architecture of the building. Tamako nods, smiling, also admiring everything around her.

"Nobita's absence will be felt a little while he studies at the Academy. Thank goodness he'll have someone with him now, considering how he is and the low self-esteem he's had lately."

Doraemon looked at the couple and, taking advantage of the fact that Nobita was in the room, moved a little away from the Nobi family and took out the boy's future album to see if there had been any other changes. There was one more page now. "This album changes too much. I hadn't seen this page, and Sewashi and I put this together using time magic."

The robot cat saw that the page had some new photos and then looked uncomfortable. "Oh... Wow, this is going to be very awkward."

One of the photos was mainly of Gian and Nobita, who were going to share a room. In other photos, he saw the robust boy taking most of the room and treating him like his personal assistant to carry his things, or taking some of it and making him use his points to pay for candy, comics, and toys.

And Nobita probably wouldn't say anything for fear of the consequences.

"Like the other photos, the faction seals were hidden. So it's probably part of the original timeline. I don't know. The album has been undergoing massive changes, but I guess my intervention has something to do with it. When we crossed out the seals, we did it with an automatic highlighter to do it faster and without looking, so even we didn't know about his faction, and that's why we didn't answer his question when he asked it and used that as an excuse."

Doraemon leans forward a little as he sees that the silly boy can't help but smile a little at how hysterical the robust boy was. "That means Nobita will be from the Aruguma faction and will share a room with Gian. Now I understand how his future with Jaiko is going. It seems like Nobita's life is going to tend to intersect with the boy who bothers him. Poor thing."

The robot can't help but feel sorry for his friend because he was recovering his wizard spirit and what was going to happen to him would be a huge blow to his self-esteem. "There's not much I can do. Or rather, nothing if the goddess decides so, but oh well. But since I'll be with him, I'll try to make sure that living with Gian doesn't go so badly for him."

"Ogawa Fuyuto!" The manager watched as Gian continued to complain. "Please, young Goda, take your card and leave the stage."

"But!" Gian was about to continue complaining, but Kaede gave him an intimidating look.

"Young Goda... TAKE your card and LEAVE the stage. Don't make me add inappropriate behavior to your first weekly report."

The tone of voice and the look the manager gave him reminded Gian of his mother, so he nervously thanked the director, took his ID card, and walked down the stage stairs, just as Fuyuto walked past him.

The redhead made a haughty face at the stocky boy, who immediately growled "Did you want to belong to Urutogon so badly? It's funny how you went all monkey-like, complaining because you're from Aruguma" he said in a low voice so as not to alert the administrator.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY...?!" Gian was going to yell at him more, but he felt the administrator's sharp gaze boring into him, so he walked away resignedly, sitting in his seat with his arms crossed, while Suneo smiled a little nervously, which the robust boy noticed. "Don't you dare say anything, understood?"

"O-okay... B-but blue isn't a bad color either, Big G." As Suneo said that, the students who were still present out of curiosity and those waiting for their turn were surprised because Fuyuto ended up with Urutogon's colors. He sat with a mocking smile, crossing his legs, and his classmates applauded him excitedly. It was obvious that this was a hint to everyone because he feels superior. Although the one who hurt the most was Gian.

As the administrator gave the card to Fuyuto, who stood up triumphantly, the next one moved on. "Ishikawa Mitzuki...!"

"I'm here." Everyone jumps in surprise when they see the little goth girl already sitting on the throne, even Fuyuto, who quickly steps off the stage. Well, everyone except the principal, who found this funny. "It burns me to wear something that isn't black."

Nobita isn't that surprised either; he seems to have gotten used to her personal entrances, so he just laughs nervously.

"Wow, she's one of the girls who was with you. She also has the last name Ishikawa, like Kaori" Shizuka says curiously.

"It's that according to what they told me, they are cousins" Both Nobita and Shizuka and Dekisugi turn around because the clumsy boy points at Hajime who is still looking at the window. "Like him, he was the one who helped us with the red-haired boy who tried to bother Kaori, although he's not very friendly, to say the least."

Dekisugi flinches. "Oh! I remember now. I've heard of a trio of siblings who are the most powerful in Kyoto, the Ishikawa siblings. They won magic duels when they were in the Academy and are currently competing in professional duels. It's known that the Ishikawa family isn't only good at studying, but also at magical combat. If they have the same last name, it means they must be the children of the three wizards. That explains why that last name sounded familiar. Especially..."

When Mitzuki saw that she also got Aruguma, she was kneeling on the ground, wailing and complaining in her thoughts. "More colors than blackeeee... I wanted them to reveal that I was a renegade or something like that in the finaaaaals, I counted on that possibility."

The gothic girl thought that, but Nobita saw how frustrated she was, having spoken the other day, he imagined she was sad because she is a wizard after all, so he smiles again, but this time with pity for her.

"Ishikawa Hajime!" The young black-haired boy sighs tiredly, stands up, and starts walking toward the stage. He only opens his eyes for a moment to fix his gaze on Dekisugi as he passes by. The clever boy only responds with a dismayed expression, apparently understanding Hajime's look as some kind of declaration of war. Shizuka just watches him pass nervously, just like Nobita. Kaori notices this in the other seats and just sighs tiredly.

Hajime goes up to stand in front of the throne. Mitzuki looks up and notices her cousin looking at her. "It's my turn" he says. The goth girl quickly gets up to pick up her card and quickly leaves with a kikikikiki coming from her.

"He doesn't seem very friendly" Shizuka says, somewhat nervously.

"Actually, I think he's the competitive type, I noticed it in the way he looked at me" Dekisugi looks nervously as Hajime sat waiting for the throne to do the work, as soon as the green color of Betakoi illuminated the throne, those who studied with him in Kyoto were surprised because they knew he was a first-class student, so it was curious that he got that faction.

"Ha, he was bragging about being the best, and he got Betakoi!" Yes, Fuyuto had stayed with his classmates to watch until the end.

But the black-haired boy didn't care about the comments; he stood up to receive his card. "Honekawa Suneo!" The dwarf stood up to walk toward the throne. As if Gian's annoyed look at Aruguma wasn't enough, as he passed Hajime, the latter looked at him with a sharp look for a moment before continuing on with his own business, which made him even more nervous and quickened his pace.

"Hajime" Kaori tried to chat with him, but the black-haired boy left the room. He seemed to have only waited for his ritual to leave, earning Fuyuto's ridicule.

Nobita just looked a little saddened by this behavior between the cousins. The black-haired girl wanted to make her cousin more sociable, it was obvious, but not being able to do so made her feel bad.

"MUA!" Suneo had been welcomed by Urutogon, as he had wanted, which was a little annoying to Nobita, because it meant he would be teased even more for it. "It was obvious he'd be from the best faction." Excited, the dwarf stood up to receive his card.

"Ishikawa Kaori!" the administrator shouted, causing the pearl-clad girl to stand up and nod as she walked toward the stage, passing Suneo, who looked mockingly at Nobita.

"I'm staying only because I want to see how the green color appears on your uniform" the dwarf said to the clumsy boy, who just looked away irritated, just like Shizuka, which took Suneo by surprise, and he ran towards Gian.

"If you're going to brag about your purple color, save it!" the robust boy said, annoyed.

"I-I-I know, I won't, Big G. I just wanted to tell you that Shizuka gave me the furious look, she and Dekisugi have been ignoring us, especially her. I'm sure that cowardly Nobita told her about what happened with the mask."

"That guy, first he acts brave by not obeying us, and now he told Shizuka everything. I know we can't do anything at the Academy with the administrator watching us." Gian gets more annoyed but smiles maliciously. "But let's see what happens when we're out of this place."

Doraemon notices how Gian looks, wanting to hit the poor boy who was just staring at his new friend sitting on the throne. "If what the album showed turns out to be true, Nobita might be tempted to make that decision again. This isn't good."

Chapter Text

Once the throne had done its work, the red color of Omekkusu invaded Kaori's tie, stamps included. She stood up, thanking the principal for taking the card. The children were delighted with her cute face.

The girl noticed Nobita and his friends were watching her and greeted them, and the three of them did the same, including Doraemon, despite him wearing the invisibility cloak.

"She seems to be the calmest of the Ishikawa cousins. The difference in personality between the three of them is incredible" says the girl with pigtails.

"Minamoto Shizuka!" The girl stands up upon hearing her name and goes to the throne.

"Good luck, Shizuka" says Nobita, smiling, and she nods cheerfully in response.

As they passed through the aisle, Kaori was already walking down the aisle and stopped in front of Shizuka. "Good luck, I hope everything goes well."

"Thank you, congratulations on your ritual." It seemed that the two were getting along well from the moment they exchanged glances. Kaori walked past Nobita and Dekisugi, smiling at them both as she headed to her seat.

"She looks nice" Doraemon said, and although Nobita couldn't see it because of the cloak, he nodded at him.

The throne finished analyzing Shizuka, also giving her the red Omekkusu color. She stood up, thanking the director, and received her card to leave the stage so another could be called.

"Omekkusu looks good on you, it matches you!" Nobita said as Shizuka approached.

"Thanks, Nobita. The factions don't matter, but the symbol is very cute." Shizuka laughed softly, thanking her friend for his comment as she sat down next to him.

"Now all that's missing is you, Nobi. You'll soon be an apprentice wizard" says Dekisugi.

"Uhh, I hope so." Once again, the silly boy's nerves began to creep in, and Doraemon immediately noticed, making him feel even more sorry for his part of the timeline with Gian as his roommate, which seemed inevitable.

They called more kids, who then stayed to watch, and others left as soon as the ritual was over, including Tachibana with Omekkusu, Yasuo with Aruguma, and Haru with Betakoi.

When only a quarter of the students were left to complete the ritual, the administrator took the next card, reading the name "Nobi Nobita!"

Hearing his name called by the administrator made the boy's nerves escalate from 10 to 100 in a matter of seconds. He immediately stood up and walked nervously as if marching. "Nobita, take a deep breath, you can do it!"

This is what Doraemon told him to help the boy relax a little. Nobita takes a deep breath as he walks down the hall, feeling the stares of the students left in the room.

"Come on, Nobita!" Shizuka encourages him, while Dekisugi applauds, smiling.

Kaori likes this and encourages him too. Mitzuki just looks at him, saying "gooooo"

Gian and Suneo laugh as they watch him approach the throne, as does Fuyuto.

"Nobi? I think I remember that last name a little" thinks the principal, who couldn't recognize the boy he saved a while ago because he had grown up and now wore glasses, but seeing him approach made him jump for some reason. "So... I see" he says, smiling.

As he steps onto the stage, Nobita looks at the imposing throne in front of him. He is so nervous that he can't even sit down. "Young Nobi, begin the ritual. We have an agenda, and you shouldn't keep the rest of them waiting, as they still have to do their part" the administrator tells him from her lectern.

"S-sorry Miss Kaede, I-I will do it!" The clumsy man nervously leans towards the administrator, apologizing for taking so long, and sits down immediately on the throne, where it has begun to do its work.

Without anyone noticing, a small blue spark flew from his fingers as he placed his hands on the arms of the seat.

There was no turning back. He watched as everyone left in the room watched his rite, so he just closed his eyes while his power was analyzed, waiting for the fate the goddess would give him and praying that she would be merciful to him.

"How strange, this time it's taking longer than usual" the principal thinks as he watches the rite.

The students can't help but whisper about that same detail; even the administrator adjusts her glasses because of it.

Doraemon is startled to see what's happening. "What's happening now? According to the album, Aruguma's blue color should have already appeared on the throne. Perhaps...?" The robot looks at his pocket. "Is everything about to change again?"

Something unexpected happens. The throne stops analyzing and shuts down, disappearing the magic circle beneath it, which surprises everyone. Nobita opens his eyes in confusion, hearing everyone's surprised shouts. "W-what?"

The clumsy boy couldn't help but jump up in fright, staring at the throne. He didn't even feel the tingling Dekisugi told him he felt when he performed the rite. Everyone stares at the boy except the principal, like sharp knives. Tension filled the room; no one understood what was happening.

"What happened? Nothing happened." Shizuka was worried about what had happened.

Dekisugi put on a serious face at what he saw. "No... This is terrible... If the throne couldn't read his mystical power..."

"Look at that!" Fuyuto stands up from his seat with a mocking smile as he points at the clumsy boy. "THAT KID TURNED OUT TO BE A RENEGADE!"

What the redhead said unnerved the guys in the room. The principal stood there watching the situation without saying anything, while the administrator only used her judgmental gaze on him.

The boys who didn't know the silly boy looked at him in rejection mode, even those who studied with him at school couldn't help but get nervous... As if they were afraid of him.

Gian and Suneo smile maliciously again, which Nobita notices. "Wow, in the end, Nobita was never one of us. What a shame! We're left with no one to bother." The robust boy smiles proudly, but he says it in a mocking tone. "That's what you deserve for not obeying and for going to tell Shizuka what happened yesterday."

"Yeah, it won't take long for the M.C.G to come and take him away. What bad luck he's had. But anyway, rules are rules, right?" Suneo chuckles maliciously.

Kaori, Mitzuki, and Shizuka look at the poor boy who's just kneeling on the stage. All three of them can't help but worry, especially Shizuka, who was afraid she'd lose her friend. Dekisugi just clenches his fists, annoyed that Fuyuto might be right, and that frustrated him because he couldn't do anything.

Doraemon was no exception. He just stared at the boy, who couldn't react, feeling the negative stares of most of the room. "B-but... How did everything change so brutally? It can't be that..." He was perplexed; it seemed his mission was starting to fall apart with the turn of events, which turned into the saddest option.

Nobita said nothing. He just stood there, kneeling, feeling the mixed stares, most of them fearful and nervous, directed at him. He had anticipated that possibility, but it was so small that he didn't give it any importance.

Hajime was returning to the room because he had left something behind, but he saw nervous people in the hallway, so he stopped to listen from a distance. "Something seems to be going on" said the same adult man who was standing next to him with the young man's suitcases. He was one of the Ishikawa brothers and Hajime's father, from Urutogon. He was wearing an office suit, his black hair combed back, with sideburns on the sides.

"The throne seems to have detected a renegade. It's incredible that such a slim possibility became reality today" said a woman carrying a small girl. Apparently, gossip is flying.

A couple of guards were seen attracted by the commotion, blocking Nobisuke and Tamako's path. "Nobita isn't a renegade, check again. You can't call the M.C.G now!" said Mrs. Nobi, as upset by what was happening as was her husband. It was only natural because they were a foot away from losing their son if the matter wasn't clarified.

"We won't do it if the administrator doesn't give us the order, but you can't enter the Hall of Destiny. Family members must stay in the hallway. That's the rule. Please remain calm."

But Nobisuke insists on wanting to enter, so the guards try to blockade him with their bodies and block his way. Although he trusted the principal would know what to do given what happened five years ago, that still didn't stop him from wanting to enter, especially when the couple saw their son's pale, expressionless face in the distance on the stage. "NOBITA!" Mr. Nobi shouts.

Hajime looked at this and couldn't help but react, closing his eyes in annoyance while clenching one of his fists in anger. His father noticed and understood his reaction. "Hajime..."

The boy just turned around, putting his hands inside the pockets of his long pants. "I'll come see what I dropped later. They'll surely collect it for lost and found." The young black-haired man left again, followed by his father.

The boy's tears began to flow; his reaction this time wasn't to cry. He was alone there: stunned, pale, terrified inside because he knew it was only a matter of time before he was taken by the M.C.G, scared of being separated from everything he loved, and suffering from a paralytic reaction similar to his trauma with the Entigos.

He heard his parents calling him in the distance, his friends who weren't there with piercing eyes, worried about him. He couldn't help but reach out to his parents, who did the same as they tried to enter the room. He had no renegade relatives, so he might be left alone with strangers if he was sent to an antithesis city.

The terror and fear of the situation made the boy start to hyperventilate. For a moment, he let his imagination take over, replacing the current scene with an aquatic one.

He wasn't listening to anything anymore.

He saw himself sinking into the sea, he couldn't move, he could only watch as he sank deeper into the depths of the water, with his tears becoming part of the sea of fear and terror.

"I don't want to... I don't want to be alone... I don't want to be taken away from them... W-why? Not even in my self-ruined future would this happen... I'm scared."

"I can't talk... I can only think..."

"Mom... Dad... I don't want to... I don't want them to take me."

"I don't know anyone there... I'll be alone..."

"Even though... They're already afraid of me because of this... Those who hate me make fun of my misfortune..."

"Why do I have to go through this? I'm fed up..."

"My future... It's gotten worse..."

"I'm scared... Someone... Help me..."

"...Please..."

The boy closes his eyes in horror, he was on the verge of fainting, paralysis and terror were consuming him, but he barely hears the voice of someone approaching him.

"...Please..."

"...I feel like I'm drowning..."

At that moment, he feels something in the hand that was stretched out in front of him: "Nobita!" The boy hears the voice more clearly now, opens his eyes, and sees that he was holding hands with Doraemon as he sank. Doraemon, worried, tries to bring him back to his senses. "Don't be afraid, I'm here, come back!"

The hallucination of fear ends abruptly. He returns to reality, seeing him holding hands with his friend, who smiles at him with concern. "I told you, I won't leave you alone in this. If I have to face the M.C.G, I will. I won't let you fall!"

Nobita's eyes lit up as he trembled, unable to help himself, he hugged the robot cat tightly and lovingly. The cat didn't hesitate to reveal that he was in the room by removing his invisibility cloak just to reach out to him.

Doraemon couldn't help but do the same: hug him lovingly. Because even he was afraid of what might happen next, he told himself and Sewashi that he wouldn't get attached to him, but his emotions overcame his thoughts.

The friendship they were forging had made Nobita react again.

But that wasn't all. Some kids had approached the stage to surround the silly boy as protection. Dekisugi, Shizuka, Kaori, and Mitzuki were the ones gathered there.

"Don't worry, Nobita. We won't let anyone take you away from us. I don't care if I get in trouble with the M.C.G; it's not fair!" Shizuka stood nearby, her face determined to protect her friend.

"We know the goddess's decision is inevitable, but I don't want to stand idly by even with the odds at a minimum" Dekisugi said.

"I know we've only known each other this morning, but if you were able to stand up to someone who wanted to hurt me, I'll do the same to keep them from getting their hands on you" Kaori said, smiling at her new friend.

"It would be awkward to tell you I'm jealous, so I'd better take the stand. You don't deserve to go through this, it shows in your expression." Mitzuki just laughs, under such a witchy expression, but ready to help.

Tachibana, Yasuo, and Haru look at each other and nod, getting up and running towards Nobita to do the same. Some of the others who were still there from school also did the same, but near the stairs. Maybe he wasn't that friendly with the other kids, but Nobita found their gesture pleasant.

"Doraemon... Guys... Thank you." Nobita smiled gratefully as tears welled up in his eyes.

He noticed that Gian and Suneo weren't doing anything, although Suneo was a little tempted because he was starting to feel a little nervous. But if Gian didn't move, neither would he, so he just looked away.

Although Nobita knew that this pair was like that, he was deeply annoyed by the fact that they made fun of his situation, especially Gian, who just looked away with an (I don't care) face and whistled.

Another reason that made him confirm that stopping being the boy who obeys them out of fear was a good decision.

The manager just adjusts her glasses. "I can't believe we haven't even been here a day and we're already having this kind of problem. Anyway, I'll make the call now, the last thing we need is trouble with the M.C.G." She was about to use her Crystalpad until...

"EVERYONE CALM DOWN"

Principal Chronos raised his voice with a serious expression, evident only by the movement of his eyebrows through his slanted eyes, causing everyone to calm down, even the adults outside.

"Let's see. I already said we have a protocol in case the throne has any problems. Let's take a deep breath, stay calm, and repeat the process."

Nobita and his friends were pleased with the principal's decision. "But, Mr. Principal. If we don't make the call, the M.C.G will fine us."

"The M.C.G can wait a little longer. You like rules, right? So there's no problem with applying the protocol. You don't want to make a mistake and send a poor child to an unknown place, do you?" The principal chuckles softly, and the administrator just sighs, putting away her crystal.

"...We'll proceed with the throne use protocol that allows a new attempt in case of extreme situations."

Doraemon helps Nobita up because his legs were still a little numb from fear. "BUT, it's just one more attempt, young Nobi. If the same result still happens, I'll call the M.C.G to handle your case, NO complaints. Understood?"

Nobita nods nervously, but still holds Doraemon's hands. "Thanks for making me react again."

"Hey, I wasn't going to leave you alone with this. I told you, remember?" Doraemon smiles.

"Thank goodness they're going to give you another chance. I'm so glad." Shizuka can't help but tear up a little.

"You had the right to one more try, according to protocol. Go ahead, Nobi." Dekisugi nods, smiling.

"Let's ask for everything to go smoothly this time. Don't worry, just do it." Kaori's face was determined, and Mitzuki nods.

Their other classmates were encouraging their friend to try again; even the other kids' expressions changed from rejection to curiosity.

Fuyuto just rolls his eyes, while Gian and Suneo were equally curious about it.

"I'm scared. What if I end up being a renegade?" Nobita squeezes Doraemon's hands in fear. "I don't want to lose my current life to go somewhere I don't know."

"You have to trust this time, and if what happens still happens, you won't be alone. I'll go with you if necessary. I won't abandon you."

Nobita smiles, letting go of his friend to clean himself up, but as he tries to do so, someone hands him a floral handkerchief.

"Everything will be okay this time." Shizuka is the one who hands him the handkerchief, which the grateful boy takes and uses.

"Thank you, Shizuka." Nobita can't help but blush at his friend's kind gesture.

The silly boy puts the handkerchief in his pocket, taking a deep breath in front of the throne while his friends step back a little to give him space.

Once again, our protagonist was about to entrust his fate to the goddess who granted magic to humanity and the future through the affection of his friend, who made him react again.

Chapter Text

A little nervous, but calmer than he had been a moment ago due to the fear of being separated from those he loved, Nobita sat back on the Throne of Destiny.

This time, the unusual blue spark that had come from his fingers and that no one noticed didn't reappear. The device began to read his power again. Everyone was waiting for what was going to happen: his friends, his parents, even those who had mocked him.

Nobita just had his eyes closed, praying in his thoughts "Assign me any faction, whatever you assign me, I don't care which one, please, I want to stay here, I want to stay with my friends, I want to stay with the people I love!"

At that moment, the boy felt a tickling sensation in his abdomen as the green color of Betakoi illuminated the throne, the sphere, and the magic circle. He couldn't help but open his eyes suddenly, seeing how his tie was now green and that he bore the Betakoi seal on both his uniform and his cape. Which makes him weep with happiness.

"IT WORKEEEEED!" Unable to stop himself, Nobita leaped from the throne straight toward the robot cat and landed on top of him, hugging him affectionately. "It worked, Doraemon, this time it really worked!"

"See? You're a wizard, no doubt about it." Doraemon smiles as he accepts the hug.

Everyone sighs in relief. The administrator sighs, tired of everything that's happened, and the principal nods happily.

"Wow, so he really did turn out to be a wizard after all." Suneo was surprised, but then smiled mockingly. "And from Betakoi, as expected from someone like him."

"Sounds good to me." Gian crosses his arms arrogantly. "If Nobita left, we wouldn't have anyone to bother. It's only a matter of time before he comes back to us crying and apologizing for being an idiot for ignoring us at the opening."

"Congratulations, Nobita! I knew you'd finally get a second chance!" Shizuka smiles, relieved that she wouldn't have to say goodbye to her friend after all.

"Now we can rest easy. I didn't want to lose a friend I've only known for a day. It would have been sad" Kaori sighs with relief.

"I'm not much for pleasant surroundings, but yes, it's a relief, kikiki" Mitzuki shrugs. The other students who protected him applauded, smiling at the result, as did some who didn't know him.

He wasn't an Urutogon, but he was one of them after all. It seems that deep down, the students who underwent the rite were more satisfied with their features because, like Nobita, they didn't want to be separated from their lives.

The phrase, Factions don't define you in society, took on some relevance in this case, because the students were grateful to still be with their families.

"We're glad you're still with us, Nobi." Dekisugi extends his hand so Nobita can stand up with Doraemon. As he does, he turns his attention to the throne. "This time, the throne worked normally. Could there have been some kind of error?"

The principal approaches the throne, feeling a bit of static as he brings his hand closer, quickly withdrawing it. But when he does so again, he doesn't feel anything, which makes him bring his hand to his jaw with a serious face, mulling over his thoughts. "It's minimal, but... It's probably just a coincidence."

"Thanks, guys, thanks for standing up for me. I'm very happy to be with you guys, seriously..." The boy smiles, but then begins to cry uncontrollably again, but this time it's out of relief. "I'm sooooo happy!"

To all those who supported him, it seemed like a nice gesture for him to be happier to continue with them than the faction he ended with, that they couldn't help but smile, Doraemon pats his friend on the back "Come on, let's get your ID card to close this matter"

Nobita nods, stops crying, and approaches the administrator, who gives him his now green ID card. His eyes lit up, happy to be back in the world he knew. "Thank you for giving me another chance, Miss Kaede!"

"The principal gave it to you, but whatever. Let's pretend your talking raccoon was part of the process, too, because the rule is that family members aren't allowed in the classroom during the ritual. Get off the stage, there are still other students missing." The administrator sighs tiredly.

Doraemon was about to complain about the raccoon, but Nobita silences him by covering his face. "Sure, sure, thanks! Let's go, I want to get out of here."

The administrator watches as Nobita takes Doraemon by the arm and quickly leaves the classroom. The kids also get off the stage to start leaving. The boy only had one thing on his mind at that moment. "I have a feeling students like him are going to get on my nerves, but oh well, it's just part of the job" says the woman, continuing with the remaining students.

As they left, Nobita ran into his parents' arms while tears were streaming down his face. Tamako couldn't help but hug him lovingly, as did Nobisuke. The three of them's reaction was more than obvious. They were terrified, the boy because he feared being separated from his loved ones, and the parents because they feared losing their son.

"Thank goodness everything ended well. I thought, I thought I'd never see you agaaaaain!" Nobita sheds tears in his mother's lap.

"The truth is, we were also nervous about this when we heard about the throne, but luckily they gave you another chance to prove you belong here. Honestly, Nobita, some very strange situations happen to you." Tamako can't help but tear up a little from the shock.

"I knooooow." The silly boy was now sniffling, still clutching his parents.

"But I knew the principal was going to do something. He's an understanding person, and the way he handled the matter made me feel a little relieved. You're a wizard, you always were, and you'll always be, don't doubt that" Nobisuke said, sighing in relief.

Doraemon approaches with a sigh, but something happens to him. He feels himself being pulled by Nobita, who pulls him closer to join the hug, which surprised him, but then he smiles at the warmth of the moment.

The Principal, curious about the situation, left the room with the students who were leaving to approach the Nobi family. "Oh, you're that couple from five years ago. Then that child must be..."

Nobisuke noticed the principal's presence and pulled away from the hug. "Professor! Thank you so much for what you did today." The adult couldn't help but shake his hand gratefully. "Seriously, we were so shocked by the throne that I was about to use my wand to even knock down the guards, haha." He couldn't help but scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment.

The principal chuckles softly. "Years go by and you still call me professor. Just like I said five years ago, it's my job as a wizard to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. I understand that feeling of defending your children when they're in trouble. When I was young, things were a little different, even family relationships when there were wizards and renegades together."

The old man looks at Nobita, who only gets nervous. "So you're the child from five years ago. Sorry if I couldn't recognize you. I may have a long life because of magic, but sometimes there are things that fail in my memory, and I couldn't recognize you because you look a little different."

"Oh, right. Back then, I didn't wear glasses." Nobita scratches his neck, embarrassed, and approaches the principal. "Thank you for helping me today, Mr. Principal. I was thinking of thanking you for what happened five years ago, but now I have to thank you twice."

"It was a pleasure. In fact, I must apologize on behalf of the Academy for the scare you had today. It's the first time in my 250 years as principal that I've seen the throne behave this way, and it's under annual maintenance. This isn't the first time the throne has detected renegades, and that's why we have this protocol. If we hadn't followed it, we probably would have sent a child to a world where he doesn't belong."

The principal bows. "My sincere apologies for the misunderstanding."

"Don't worry, Mr. Principal" Nobita nervously shakes his hands, shaking his head. "You were the one who spoke up for me, and I appreciate that." The boy, startled, reaches into his shorts pocket, takes out the white piece of wood, and shows it to him. "It's also thanks to you that I'm here now. If you hadn't helped me, I'd be a statue forever."

"I wanted to return this to you. It's from your wand. I know you must have fixed it after saving me, but... I wanted to give it back to you and thank you."

The principal takes the piece of wood, smiling. "So you kept it despite the circumstances. I fixed my wand, but that creature is one of the most powerful, so the damage was so severe that I had to renew 99% of it, but it doesn't feel the same anymore. I'm glad to see a piece of what was my old wand. Thank you."

Nobita nods, smiling. "Well, I'll return to the room. There are still students who need to perform their rite. I expect a lot from you, as do the rest of your classmates, young Nobi. And once again, I apologize for what happened a moment ago."

The principal takes out his renewed white wand, conjuring up a couple of boxes of expensive Japanese sweets in decorated bags and handing them to Mrs. Nobi. "It's not much, but please accept this as a token of my apology. They're very good with freshly brewed tea."

"But these are the most expensive sweets, we can't accept them!" Tamako gets nervous as she tries to return the sweets, but Principal Chronos shakes his hands.

"Don't worry, the price of these won't even make up for the scare you had today, but keep them anyway. I insist. I have to go now. Take care on the way home, Nobisuke, and welcome to Mystic Academy, young Nobi." The principal bows slightly to say goodbye as he reenters the room.

"O-of course, take care, Professor!" Nobisuke bows nervously, as does Nobita. Tamako and Doraemon also bow in thanks.

"I see where Nobita got most of his personality from" Doraemon says with a mocking smile, to which both Nobita and Nobisuke look at the robot in confusion, but they make them so similar that even Tamako chuckles at the thought.

With that settled, saying goodbye to Shizuka, Dekisugi, Kaori, and Mitzuki, who then began to say goodbye to their parents as they headed to their faction houses, Nobita and Doraemon were outside the Academy with Doraemon's parents.

It was time to say goodbye.

"Please, Nobita, make sure you follow all the recommendations I gave you. Listen to your teachers and Doraemon. And don't cause any trouble at the Academy. Don't forget to wash up every day, eat the peppers with your meals, and..."

"Mom, please. You already told me that when we arrived. You don't need to..." Nobita turns red in embarrassment, but he immediately feels her hug.

"Work hard. You're about to study in a new place. It's for your own good. Don't try to hide your grades from me like you used to. I already know you, and it won't help you with the weekly report."

Mrs. Nobi separates from him, placing her hands on her son's small shoulders. A look of seriousness and sadness dominated her. After all, they would be many miles apart. Tamako wanted her son to study and become a good wizard, but she was going to miss having him at home. That feeling only grew stronger with what happened in the Hall of Destiny.

"But above all, call home through the crystal ball we gave you every day so we know you're okay. I won't have one of those devices, but with that crystal, we'll keep in touch. Do you understand? Take care and call us tonight."

Nobita can't help but get sentimental at his mother's look. His eyes were shining, about to tear up again, but he covered his eyes with one of his arms, nodding. He had already cried a lot today, but the goodbye was eating him up, especially when his father stroked his head.

"Do your best. You have a new path ahead of you. Make the most of it. Listen to your mother and call every day. Okay? Take care of yourself."

"Y-yes!" Tears rolled down the boy's cheeks again, his emotions running high. Even though he covered his eyes with his arm, he couldn't bear to be overcome by the feelings of farewell. "I will, I will, I will miss you all so much! I'll try to get my flight license and visit you this weekend. I will! You guys take care of yourselves along the way, too! Okay?"

When the silly boy said that last thing, Doraemon started sadly. He had remembered that part of the story from his future where the Nobi family died when he was in trouble with debts and his divorce from Jaiko, falling deeper into depression, leaving him alone. Without parents, without a wife, and without children.

But now that the future was constantly changing, he wasn't sure whether to continue using the album as a guide. The problem with the throne and the change from Aruguma to Betakoi hadn't been foreseen.

Although on that side he was somewhat relieved since Nobita wouldn't have to share a room with Gian if he ended up in Aruguma, he had actually dodged what was going to be a symbolic prison.

Tamako and Nobisuke get into another taxi, saying goodbye to Nobita again. "See you, Doraemon. Please take care of Nobita so he doesn't make so many mistakes" Tamako says, while Nobisuke nods.

The robot cat taps his chest, smiling proudly. "Don't worry, I'll take care of him, even making sure he bathes every day and eats a balanced diet. I'm here for a reason, right?"

"Come on, I'm not a baby" Nobita pouted, somewhat irritated.

"Although you cry like one sometimes" Doraemon couldn't help but smile mockingly.

"Ha ha, how funny" the irritated boy pats him on the head.

The taxi begins to rise and move away with the couple, just like the other vehicles that were leaving. Nobita and Doraemon stare at the sky for a moment, the beginning of their journey in magic is about to begin.

"Are you ready to live your life at the Mystic Academy?" Doraemon asks, smiling.

Nobita nods excitedly. "Let's see what the future holds for me this time."

Chapter Text

The business with the Academy was over. After a start full of excitement, surprises, and the scares of nearly being taken away by the authorities due to a misunderstanding, our protagonist, along with his blue robot friend, were on their way to their next destination.

The faction house would be the place where they would live for the entire school year. In Nobita's case, it would be the Betakoi House. They both walked from the outskirts of the Academy to the east side, as the Betakoi and Aruguma Houses were located there, while the Omekkutsu and Urutogon Houses were located on the west side.

Since Doraemon was carrying Nobita's travel bag and backpack in his pocket, the trip there wasn't too difficult, but the distance between the Academy and the Betakoi House was similar to the distance between Nobita's previous school and their home in Tokyo.

They both began walking toward their destination, following a map Doraemon had picked up at the Academy exit. It was even more practical, although they were also following the students wearing uniforms bearing the Betakoi seal.

After a while, Doraemon noticed one of Nobita's weaknesses: his physical condition. They hadn't walked far, and he was already getting tired. "Come on, we only walked a little!"

"It's just that with all the hustle and bustle that happened this morning and the scare in the room, I already feel like taking a nap. I'm already tired." Nobita wipes the sweat from his forehead with his arm. "Just when I thought I wouldn't have to walk to school again, I'll have to do it again while I'm studying here. What a shame. Can't we go back to using those takecopters we wore yesterday?" Nobita laughs nervously, but Doraemon is already giving him a judgmental look.

"No, I already told you, I'll only let you use my gadgets in case of emergency. You're an apprentice wizard now, you have to adapt to using your own skills, there's a reason you're going to study here. Besides, they'll give you your own broom when you start studying, you can use it to save yourself the trip. So no, you won't be using the takecopter this time."

Nobita sighs in disappointment. "Well, oh man, too bad. By the way, you still haven't told me how you're going to stay with me at the Academy. I don't think they'll let you stay for free because they don't even see you as a pet."

"I'm NOT a pet, I'm a nanny robot. Although my mystical power is artificial, I'm still an individual just like you." Doraemon closes his eyes, somewhat offended. "But if you're wondering, I'm going to get hired at the Betakoi House as an assistant manager, and in return, they'll let me stay with you."

"Is that the big plan you have?! How are you going to get hired? I mean, it would be nice to be able to be together in the house, but. How are you sure they'll hire you?" Nobita was now a little unsure about the blessed plan to stay together.

"Because they're definitely going to need an extra pair of hands. After all, that's how I made a living as a nanny robot in the future. I took care of Sewashi, and his parents gave me an allowance and a place to live while I helped out around the house." Doraemon smiles confidently. "And the truth is, it would be good to earn some extra money now because I don't have any money from this time. Don't worry, just trust me."

"Of course I trust you, in fact, that's why I want your plan to work." Nobita looks at the nature along the path, which was surrounded by green grass, a blue sky where some upper-year students were flying on their broomsticks along different paths, and a pair of butterflies fluttering among some flowers along the way.

They both fell silent for a while as they walked toward the house. The robot cat noticed a warm smile on the face of the child he was now going to take care of in a new world. The boy's expression as he looked around made him notice that he really liked quiet places. It could be because he liked naps, or because he felt safe in those kinds of places.

No problems, no screams, no monsters stalking him or bullies tormenting him, complete peace of mind.

"Doraemon. Can we stop being friends?" That took the robot by surprise because he hadn't expected to hear that.

"WHAT?! W-why? I-I mean, it's not like I care if we're friends or not. After all, I'm doing this for Sewashi's life. I have to make your life better so his is more comfortable." The robot cat crosses his arms as if he didn't care about that request, but he looked partly offended, which makes Nobita smile because he knew it was a lie given everything they've been through.

"You're a bit bad at lying. There's something else we're similar about. But don't take it the wrong way. I'm asking you to stop being friends..." Nobita smiles, his eyes lighting up. "Because I want us to be best friends."

Doraemon flinches again. "Really? But... We've only known each other since yesterday. There are people like Dekisugi and Shizuka who've known you for years. Why me?"

"Well... Shizuka and I are friends, but you know I want to become something more with her in the future. As for Dekisugi, there's no doubt we're friends. He's helped me and been there for me at school, but... Ever since I met you, I've been able to open up more about how I feel, about how pessimism was keeping me in the hole where even people like Gian and Suneo take advantage of me to upset me."

"I don't know how to explain it properly, but... I feel like you're a brother to me. I haven't felt this bad about myself since you've been keeping me company, and the way you were there for me when the Department Store and the Hall of Destiny happened, it felt good."

"A little while ago, back when even I thought I was a renegade, I couldn't help but feel like I was drowning in fear of ending up far from the life I have. I was almost about to faint, but... When you came to calm me down... I felt safe."

Nobita pauses for a moment, looking at the nature on the side of the road. "For that very reason, I feel like everything will be okay with you and I'll be able to have a beautiful future. At this point, I even want it to be a pleasant and happy future."

"I like these kinds of places, you know?" Nobita smiles, settling down to watch the butterflies flutter by. "Sometimes... I wonder what would have happened if the principal hadn't come to save me five years ago. I would have missed out on so many things, like meeting you."

"Hey, you don't have to think about that. You survived, that's what matters." Doraemon seems a little worried about the change of scenery.

"But it's something I can't help but think about because of what happened. And sometimes I'm afraid of going through the same thing again. So..." The silly boy smiles sadly as he closes his eyes. "Can I tell you something I haven't told anyone?"

"And what is it about?" Doraemon looks confused at his friend, who just remained silent for a while, until he sighs and says it.

"If something like that were to happen again and it were too late for me, it would be nice to spend the remaining time on the mountain behind the school, in my favorite place to sleep, where the sun is warm, the wind is cool, and the grass is soft."

The robot is a little stunned by what the boy he was babysitting told him. Did he even have a contingency plan for that? On one hand, he's a little flattered that he's sharing something he hasn't told anyone, but on the other, he's worried that he's still so afraid of saying that a second time. It's possible it was due to the trauma from five years ago.

When Nobita notices how Doraemon is looking at him, he scratches the back of his neck, laughing nervously as he gets up. "Don't mind me! Hahahaha! It's not like that's going to happen to me, I was just rambling. Too much emotion in one day. After all, I want a happy future."

"You better be. You're still too young to be thinking about those kinds of possibilities. And it's not like I'm going to let that happen to you." Doraemon exhales tiredly but sees the boy smiling at him as he extends his hand.

"I know. So, Doraemon, can we be best friends?"

The robot looks into his friend's eyes for a moment, and at the warm smile he conveyed despite what had happened, which also made him smile fondly. "Nobita."

Although Doraemon later changed to a proud smile, closing his eyes. "Okay, if that's okay with improving your future" he shook his hand. Despite what he said, his excitement at having accepted was evident.

Even Nobita noticed, but he did nothing more than smile mockingly because his actions and emotions were going in different directions.

As soon as they both looked up, they noticed in the distance a structure that looked like a large building with many windows, a touch between medieval and modern. It was the Betakoi House. "Finally! There it is! Let's go!"

The clumsy boy's energy surged as he took the robot cat by the arm as they both ran toward their destination.

Doraemon watched as his friend smiled excitedly at getting there, noticing his slight change in mood from when he was just entering a new world.

Although he said he had agreed to be his best buddy to help him with his self-esteem, inside Doraemon couldn't help but feel good about that request, even flattered.

On the other hand, I feared not only the possibility that Nobita would choose the same decision that made him miserable for the rest of his life if he returned to his pessimistic state. But also the possibility that recently arose about a second encounter with an Entigo, which might not end well. Thinking about that kind of situation was common for someone who had gone through a traumatic experience at such a young age.

At first, I thought he only traveled back in time to do his job, but now I felt he had to do more than that. His Just keeping his friend's great-great-grandfather from screwing up again turned into...

Guiding and protecting his new best friend.

Chapter Text

Upon arriving, they stood face to face with the large building, surrounded by a warm pastel-colored enclosure, its gate open as students entered and exited the building. All of them wore green ties and wore the tent seal on their uniforms, just like the building itself.

Nobita and Doraemon saw a small garden with a swing on one side and a small vegetable patch on the other. Everything was very simple but very comfortable compared to the amenities of their Urutogon counterpart. There were a couple of third-year students with a couple of welcome signs for the first-year students. One of them, a tan-colored boy with slicked-back orange hair, had a ribbon on the chest of his uniform.

"Wow, the Betakoi house looks like one of those cabin hotels you find in the woods; there are so many green spaces. There's even a hammock in the garden; it's perfect for naps." Nobita's eyes lit up with excitement.

"I guess Betakoi's style is adapted to Nao's style, the pillar of this faction, simple and more natural, since she also worked on a farm." Doraemon turns around, arms behind his back, with a determined smile. "First of all, let's go inside the house and find the manager. He's the one who abides by the house rules..."

Without Doraemon noticing, several small magical creatures like the ones Nobita found on the mountain rush toward the boy with glasses, knocking him down to the ground for cuddles. But the robot doesn't notice, focused on his plan, either.

"Once they give you your schedule and your room, I'll speak to the manager using the power of persuasion. I'll propose a deal to work for him so I can have a roof over my head and pay to stay with you. He won't be able to resist hiring me if I make his tasks easier. It's a win-win. Are you ready, Nobita? ...Nobita?"

Doraemon looked at the silly boy on the ground, laughing because the ghost fox was licking his cheek, along with a small pegasus and some small fairies and fire birds fluttering like lights around. "Hey! Don't play around! We have to talk to the manager!"

"I can't help it! That's what usually happens when there are magical creatures around. You saw it with one of Shizuka's canaries! Look, a grass golem! It's the first time I've seen one!" Nobita picked up a small, round golem made of leaves that was half the size of Doraemon.

The robot cat just sighs tiredly. Although on the one hand he found the boy's happy moment somewhat pleasant, he still didn't quite understand why this was happening to him.

Some students approached because those magical creatures were theirs, taking them and apologizing to Nobita, who just scratches the back of his head, smiling as he stands up. This also caught the attention of the boy with the ribbon who was holding the signs, who approaches the pair as the others walk away. "Are you okay? It seems you've caught the attention of those creatures."

"I'm fine. I'm used to that happening to me. Let's just say the mystical creatures like me. Thanks for asking." Doraemon approaches the pair who were talking out of curiosity; he felt he could find a possible ally for his mission to get a job.

"I see you have a ribbon on your uniform. Are you a school official or something?" Doraemon joins the conversation with a look of interest, pushing Nobita a little.

"Oh. This? Your friend is a first-year, right? Welcome to Betakoi House. My name is Osuke, and I'm the school representative for Betakoi House." The tan-haired boy bows, introducing himself.

"School representative?" Nobita asks, confused. "Are you like the manager?"

"Something like that. I'm a third-year, and this is the second time I've been elected by the Academy administration. They always choose students from the second to fourth years based on their performance the previous year. In addition to assisting the administrator, my duty is to be the communicator between the house and the Academy. Every year, with a group we form, we're in charge of helping guide the newcomers into the house, showing them around and their rooms. Let's just say this is like being the leader of a large group."

"Oh..." Doraemon kneels, a little defeated. "Uh... I didn't plan on it. If there's already someone helping the manager, then I won't be able to stay in this house and I'll have to return to Tokyo."

"Hey! No, you have to do something. I don't want to be alone at the Academy! Can't you use a gadget to convince the administrator to hire you?" Nobita also panicked; he truly believed that his now best friend could do something.

"Of course I do, but I want to get the job on my own. But it seems it's going to be more complicated than I thought," Doraemon exhaled tiredly.

"Uh? Your blue raccoon friend wants to work at Betakoi House?"

As soon as Doraemon heard the word raccoon, he jumped up in a rage. "I'm not a raccoon! I'm a cat... A CAT! SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?! That's why I need my ear headband! I swear that when I manage to adapt the time machine entrance to this place, I'll go and take my headband from Sewashi!"

"No, don't do that, you don't need them." Nobita said, smiling nervously because the blue cat's face was red with fury. "Forgive him, this is Doraemon, a robot cat who accompanies me so I can do well in this place. I can't give many details about it, but that's basically it. My name is Nobi Nobita, nice to meet you. Do you think there's a way to let him stay? I really want him to be with me in the house."

"Uh... Sorry for the confusion, and nice to meet you." Osuke puts his hand on his chin, looking up. "Well, honestly, I think we could use a few extra hands around here. Betakoi House isn't the most sophisticated of the four houses, especially compared to Urutogon, since its style is simpler. So, let's do something."

"Like I said, I'll guide the new kids, and since you're one of them, I'll guide you around the house and take you to where your room would be." Before that, we'll talk to the manager to reach an agreement to hire your friend as a worker at the Betakoi house. In fact, I'll appeal to have him hired."

Doraemon jumps up, his eyes shining, excited by the proposal. "Would you really do us that favor?! I'm so grateful, and we've barely met!" says Nobita, equally excited.

"It's my job, guys. I started the same way, and the previous Betakoi representative wasn't as committed, so many in the house weren't happy. That's why, when I was given the position, I worked hard to make sure other students don't have such a difficult time" Osuke says, smiling.

"Osuke does a good job." A third-year girl and boy, who were holding welcome signs, approach. "In fact, the garden and vegetable planting were ideas he implemented. When we moved in two years ago, the Betakoi house looked somewhat neglected due to the lack of interest from its residents. But with the administrator and the representative in charge since last year, it's now very comfortable. It's not luxurious, but it's a suitable space for those who like simple and quiet things."

"He comes from a small town near Yokohama, where they're used to farm work. That's why he adapted these kinds of ideas here, and the results led to his election twice." The girl laughs softly, while Osuke nervously scratches the back of his neck.

"I like it. This place looks comfortable and peaceful enough to spend time in. I'm going to miss Tokyo, but Betakoi House looks nice. If this was due to your intervention, then you've done well."

Nobita breathes in the fresh air of the place, he really loved those kinds of places perfect for one of his favorite activities: Naps.

"Thank you very much for the compliment. I'm just trying to make the atmosphere feel as good as I can. While we're at it, let's get going with the plan. I'll be the guide for you today. Let's go in."

So, Nobita and Doraemon are getting ready to go with their new friend inside the Betakoi House when... "Uh?"

The silly boy notices someone on the swings. Since no one else is there yet due to the hustle and bustle of the rooms, there's only that one person. It just so happens to be the little girl with the teddy bear who's been swinging a little on that swing. She notices him looking at her and waves at him, which startles the boy. "YUKI?!"

"Uh? What's up, Nobita?" Doraemon and Osuke turn around to see an upset Nobita pointing at the swing.

"It's Yuki, she's there on the swing!" When they both focused their gaze on the swing, there was no one there anymore, even Nobita noticed. "B-but... She was there, I saw her."

"Uhhh, Yuki is a little girl with a teddy bear we found yesterday in Tokyo. She doesn't talk much, but she was nice." Doraemon tells Osuke this so he understands who he was talking about. The robot sighs, looking at his friend. "Come on, Nobita. How would a little girl come to this place that's miles away from our house? Little kids can't do magic yet, you know that. You must be tired from the scare earlier, from walking, and from hunger."

"W-well, if you put it that way..."

While Nobita stares at the swing in confusion, scratching his head, in the Dark Wake building, the place where the villain on duty was looking out a window in his office, one of the renegade members of the group was giving his report.

"I'm afraid we haven't found the main ingredient yet, sir. We have no idea where the Star Being might be, and the fact that it can camouflage both its power and its appearance makes Japan look like a haystack looking for a miserable needle."

Mr. Kairos, the mysterious renegade sorcerer who looks like a businessman, turns to his employee and smiles. "That's the point. Star Beings don't want to be discovered, and they know when someone is stalking them when they want to use their power. I've read enough about how Star Beings work to know it's here. And I know it's here. I can feel it. It's one of the keys to summoning it."

While the villain continued speaking, at the Academy, Nobita took off his glasses for a moment to rub his eyes and put them back on, to see the swing; there was no one there. Doraemon took the boy by the hand to lead him inside since they were in a hurry, but he kept looking at the swing, a little dismayed.

"Star beings tend to be around individuals who catch their attention and be friendly toward them. Sometimes they tend to take on their incognito persona so well that even they themselves forget what they really are. But they never forget to let their guard down, creating an environment and even individuals around them to build a false life on Earth."

"It is said that in certain cases, they often replace an individual, be it a wizard or a renegade, for a period of time, locking the original individual in a place that is difficult to find until the day they return to space. But they do have a certain tendency to be around wizards."

When the pair enter the house with Osuke, behind one of the hammock trees, Yuki peeks out from there, she had hidden when Nobita called the rest, or so it seemed.

"Their power is far greater than that of the mystic and the dark, with great control over their magic, just like us; they don't need wands to use it. That's because they are a part of her. Whoever the hidden identity of the star being is, we'll have to find a way to catch it before it returns to space if we want to obtain the goddess's blessing, because as I said before..."

Yuki just watches Nobita enter the building, so she hides again, bright flashes come out of the hiding place, then revealing that the little girl was no longer there.

"Only one appears for a certain time every 200 years"

Upon entering Betakoi House, the place inside looked like a nice homey hotel. It wasn't a 5-star place, but it was well-maintained. To the left was a bulletin board frame on the wall and the house rules were written on notes. There was furniture like in a small living room. On the right side were large doors leading to different places. There were some third- and fourth-year students cleaning with ordinary brooms.

In the center was a circular table with a hole in the middle, which was the reception desk. Someone was rummaging through something while a first-year student was waiting with a third-year student accompanying him as a guide.

"Oh, honey, let me find your room key so they can take you there."

Doraemon's skin prickled as soon as he heard that voice. Nobita noticed it and was confused. "What's wrong? Did you see a ghost or something?" The robot just changed to a disgusted expression. "Doraemon!"

"That voice is more ANNOYING than a ghost's. UUUUUGH, I knew he was here in the past too, but I didn't think he was right here."

"Who?"

As soon as the clumsy boy asked, a lanky man in a suit resembling a gray circus ringmaster stood behind the counter, with a long chin, a small pointed beard, and a black, curled mustache. He wore a black mask hiding his eyes, a large top hat, the Betakoi seal on his suit, and a mocking smile. There was no doubt Doraemon trembled again from the annoyance.

"Here it is, darling, all yours, the one in your room and the mailbox at the entrance. Don't forget to follow the rules, or else there will be cleaning detention. Goodbye and welcome to the Betakoi house!" The man greeted the girl who had left with a big smile while the third-year helped her with her travel bag. But he fixed his gaze on the robot cat while still smiling, unnerving not only Doraemon but Nobita as well.

"You know what? I'd better go to the Academy and apply for a job. Maybe they'll let me stay there and..."

The robot cat turns around with an awkward smile, until he feels himself suddenly pulled by magic. It was the mysterious man who had used a copper wand to attract him. "But look at that! If it's you, Doraemon, it's been a LONG TIME since we last saw each other! And your ear headband? Too bad, you won't be able to HEAR me properly like that."

Doraemon just sighs in annoyance; there was no way out; he'd already seen him. Osuke and Nobita approach, while the silly boy gets a little nervous, not understanding the situation.

"Nobita, Doraemon. This is Hanz, the manager of Betakoi House, although I think one of you already knows him." The tan-colored boy introduces the strange stranger, who lifts his hat with his lanky, gloved hand.

"I believe it" the blue cat sighed again, annoyed, and whispered to his friend. "If you're wondering why I know him, he's a humanoid robot and comes from the future, just like me." What Doraemon said left Nobita startled and curious as he looked at Hanz, who just smiled proudly.

Were there other people from the future in his time? What exactly was Hanz's role in the present? Why didn't Doraemon like him? Did he have a mission like his best friend?

Without a doubt, for the boy with glasses, the magical world of the future was a very strange, yet surprising, reality.

Chapter Text

After a brief recap of the past two days from the pair, except for the part about the origin of the scar on Nobita's back, as that was very personal to him, while Osuke was arranging the bulletin notes to give them space at the pair's request, Hanz smiled again, sitting down in a swivel chair.

"So you're on a robot nanny mission in the past? It's the first time I've heard of something like that. Nice to meet you, little Nobita. Your great-great-grandson is nice. I've run into him a couple of times in the city when he was hanging out with Doraemon. He's very attentive, even listening to conversations." Hanz chuckled, while Doraemon got annoyed.

"Are you going to start with the puns? Really?" Doraemon's judgmental gaze was latent toward his partner from the future.

"I'm just joking, calm down. Don't get all worked up. Anyway, welcome to Betakoi House. Since we're having a private conversation, I'll tell you. We both attended the same robot school, not in the same grade since he's a nanny robot cat and I'm a humanoid observer robot, but yes, I met him when he was a duck-colored cat with little ears." Doraemon just looks away, pouting.

"Observer robot?" Nobita asks, confused.

"They're robots created to blend in with humans and are primarily sent by the Time Patrol to witness specific dates and send observations about the specific events they're assigned to. The Time Police determined that his personality was unsuitable for more committed work because he has no pity or compassion for living beings and everything seems like a comedy in bad taste, like a big kid, so they gave him a more moderate job." Again, the cat's judgmental gaze attacks, to which the administrator shrugs.

"They can't stand my personality" Hanz laughs mockingly.

"And as you can see, he's one of the robots whose Artificial Mystic Power does give him access to magic. You saw it a moment ago when he used that wand of his. That's why he even has a faction assigned to him upon graduating from robot school, unlike me. I found out from someone that you were assigned to this time about three years ago. But I had no idea you'd been here since last year!" The blue cat growls a little.

Hanz plays with his hat, spinning it and revealing his bald head. "I was assigned to be an observer for a future time, and I adapted to the past by being the administrator of the Betakoi House in the Aomori extension. But it was SOOOOO boring, so when they announced they were moving to the main house, I was the first to raise my hand. I thought it would make my job more fun. And boy, was I right!"

"And what time are you observing, Mr. Hanz?" Nobita asks, curious to know more about the future.

"Sorry, confidential. Working directly with the Time Patrol restricts excessive gossip, but as soon as I'm done with my job, I'll return to the future for a new mission." Hanz places his finger over his mouth to signal silence. "And kid, just like I told Sewashi, call me Hanz."

"No, don't call him that." Doraemon puts his arm in front of Nobita, his gaze never leaving his judgmental gaze.

Hanz smiles, but now he's curious. "WOOOOOW. I see you've really grown attached to that kid, or you wouldn't be in protective older brother mode." The lanky boy stands up and shouts "Osuke, you can comeeee now!"

"Sure, Mr. Hanz, right away." As Osuke approaches, Doraemon removes his arm because Hanz mentioned he's grown attached. The somewhat proud robot cat just crosses his arms and closes his eyes, a slight blush on his white cheeks in embarrassment.

Nobita is startled by this gesture, but he chuckles softly. They'd only known him for over a day, but he already knew his slight mood swings, trying not to lie to him, but that only gave him away more.

"All right, since we're at it, as the administrator of Betakoi House and knowing your situation, I'm going to hire you because it'll be fun being your boss for a while, Doraemon." Hanz uses his wand to make an employment contract appear. "Just sign here and that's it. I'll let the Academy know later; the paperwork is my domain."

"The mere thought of YOU hiring me makes me feel nervous and suspicious. What's the catch? Why is it so easy?" A glint of distrust and alertness flashed across one of the robot cat's eyes.

"Oh come on! A few word games from school and you're so alert? I swear there are no tricks, I'll even pay you. I'm only doing this so I won't be bored, nothing more. You'll just have to do the housework as if you were in a normal house, like cleaning, tidying, running errands, and all that. You have a mission to accomplish, and I'll get some extra hands."

"Besides. You don't want to leave your child alone, do you, Mr. Robot Nanny?" Hanz makes a sad face, only to see Doraemon react while pointing at Nobita, who was just nervously scratching the back of his neck.

"H-hey, I'm not a baby, I already said that." Nobita can't help but pout, offended.

Doraemon was still hesitant, but it was true: if he didn't accept, his plan to help improve his buddy's life would run into technical problems. So with just a sigh, he takes a quill pen, inks it, and signs the contract. "I'm only doing this for Nobita, not because I actually enjoy working for a madman."

"I prefer the term: Eccentric." As soon as the blue robot finishes signing, Hanz takes the paper, puts it in his hat, and puts it on. "Okay! I'll take care of the rest later, now use this." With his wand, the eccentric makes a Betakoi seal pin appear on Doraemon's neckerchief next to the bell. "Unifooooorm!"

"Good thing they hired you, buddy. Now I feel more at ease." Nobita smiles in relief, which makes Doraemon calm down a little and smile too.

"Anyway, it's what it is." Doraemon shrugs, and receives a pair of keys, one for his room and one for a locker.

"I assume you have the boy's travel bag and backpack in your pocket. So, I'll give you the room key right away. It's the one on the fourth floor, number 309, on the right side. As you know, in faction houses, except for Urutogon, rooms are shared. If you're lucky, you'll find your roommate there. Maybe I'll show you a room in the basement for you, my cat friend." Doraemon pouts, annoyed by that last bit.

"And just like I said before, Nobita, follow the rules, or else you'll be punished with chores. Oh, and a warning, noted, and straight to the weekly report."

"The other key is for the mailboxes. All the mail that arrives there magically appears in the morning. Anyway, have fun for the rest of the day. I'll leave it in your hands, Osuke." Hanz rings the bell on the counter. "Neeeeeext!"

"Ugh, how annoying." Doraemon and Nobita walk away with Osuke. "Let him not even think that I will call him boss."

"But at least everything went according to your plan, which is what matters." A few pats on the cat's back calmed him down again.

"Well, since everything is in order, let's go on the tour first." The pair nod their heads in agreement, and the tour begins. First, to the bulletin board. "This is our bulletin board. Anyone from Betakoi can post notes here as messages for other people or announcements of Academy events."

"This is the rules plaque" the tan-haired boy points to a plaque next to the bulletin board. "Here are the house rules, and yes, it's best to follow the rules to avoid punishment."

While Osuke nervously scratches the back of his neck, Nobita squints over to read the plaque.

*You can only be off the premises until 9 p.m., as the gates will be closed, including the gate to the grounds, which won't open until 6 a.m. If you don't arrive on time and don't have a broomstick handy, I hope the grass will serve as a bed. If you manage to get onto the grounds and the house gates are closed on you, the hammock is a good option for sleeping because the garden benches are hard.

*Don't be rude about fighting over your dry cleaning shifts or using the study books; sharing won't burn you out.

*The dining rooms are generally magical, and food appears buffet-style. No, we don't have gourmet food. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner times for the house dining room are there for a reason. If you don't arrive on time, there won't be anything. Cook something for yourself in that case, but clean everything up afterward if you're going to use the kitchen.

*If you break something, you pay for it.

*You can bring visitors from other houses, it doesn't matter, but make sure they don't break anything, or you'll pay for it.

*As a Betakoi student, take care of the garden and the facilities, and help take care of your surroundings if you can. Or else, you pay for it.

*Don't hog the public telephone or any other service.

*We have glass in the roof, so don't steal things or you'll be recorded... And if you break other students' things, you pay for it.

If you have questions or want to complain, the administration is there—meaning me. Love, Hanz.

"Of course, his way of saying things couldn't have come from anyone else but that strange guy. We've already understood the fact that if something happens, you pay for it" Doraemon exhales tiredly.

"The public telephone is on the right wall if you need to use it. We have furniture for resting in the lobby if you want. Let's go."

The pair, guided by the house representative, approached a large, pretty, and simple dining room with long tables and a large kitchen, complete with dishes and utensils. The walls had large windows overlooking the outside. "As written in the rules, there is a schedule for the three meals. Everyone takes a plate and eats whatever they want from the meals that appear on the table. It rotates. It's through teleportation and creation magic. We also have food in the refrigerator in case you want to cook outside of mealtimes. Of course, you'll have to wash up after yourself. The dining rooms of all the houses and the Academy work this way. We're going to have a special dinner for the newcomers. I hope you attend."

"Of course, we won't miss it!" Nobita says, nodding.

At one point, Osuke opens the doors to what had been a large living room that resembled a cozy cabin, with furniture, armchairs, a bookshelf, and a few large windows, as well as a fireplace that wasn't active because the weather was warm. "This is the living room. You can spend the day here reading or even watching TV" Osuke points to a modest, medium-sized television on the wall. "In cold weather, it's the warmest place."

Continuing with the tour, upon opening the doors, they see a small library with a few bookshelves, large windows, and a few tables where some were looking for books and another was using the tables to write in their notebooks. "It's our library; it's a great help for homework."

At another point, upon opening a door, Nobita and Doraemon go down some stairs and look into a small room with brick walls, notebooks and tables, some ingredients on shelves, and a couple of small cauldrons. "This is the practice room. Some practice wand spells and potion-making here. Some do it in their rooms, but this sturdy place is better."

Upstairs, the basement door was right next to it. "Oh, they keep supplies in the basement, it's not that interesting."

"And that's where Hanz wants me to sleep" Doraemon pouts in annoyance.

"There's also the dry cleaners." Osuke opens the door to another small room where there are three washing machines and a sliding glass door that leads outside to a pair of clotheslines. "There are some who use wind magic to dry their clothes out of embarrassment or because it's more effective, although there are some who prefer the classic ones like clotheslines."

"Wow, dimensional magic really helps a lot to have all this" Nobita says, surprised by everything he's seen.

"Yes, although that's all. We don't have much like Urutogon, but the essentials are there." Osuke scratches the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Now that we're done, let's go see your room. We have an elevator. It's not the most modern kind, but it does the job. Or you can take the stairs."

"For a fourth floor? The elevator is better. I want to get there and lie down for a while" Nobita says in a tired tone, approaching an open-style elevator. They get in, and it begins to rise. "Can I wear normal clothes outside of class? This cloak is a little hot."

"Sure. Your clothes should have already magically adopted the Betakoi seal, so there's no problem. Plus, you have your Academy card to identify yourself if necessary. Many people change their clothes once classes are over; it's the normal thing to do, and it's more convenient."

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Osuke walks with the pair. The room doors were somewhat close together because the dimensional spell had made the rooms the size necessary for two. "Okay, 309. This will be your room for the entire school year."

"Good!" Nobita takes the key from Doraemon to open the door, placing his hand on the tome. "I can't wait to get some sl...!"

But as soon as he opens the door, a surprise appears. Hajime, the serious boy who had accidentally saved him that morning, was finishing putting his clothes in the closet on the left side of the room. The room was large enough, and both sides contained a bed, a sliding-door closet, a small desk, and a window, as well as a nightstand next to the bed and a couple of shelves.

In the middle was a folding sliding door. There was also a door on the right side that led to a bathroom with a bathtub, a toilet, and a sink. At the entrance, there were a pair of shoe racks, one for each of them. Since shoe etiquette was a given in the bedrooms, the bedroom door was on the left side of the room. Therefore, sharing and being a good roommate were important.

Nobita and Doraemon were perplexed to see Hajime in the room. He was dressed in dark gray long pants and a white shirt with the Betakoi seal, which was apparently his everyday clothing.

"Uhhh... Hi Hajime. How are you? I see you're finishing unpacking. It seems we're roommates. I hope we get along and..."

Nobita nervously greets him, smiling and extending his hand, but the black-haired boy walks past him without saying anything, puts on his black shoes, and leaves the room to go to the library. The three boys peek through the door as the black-haired boy takes the elevator down to the main floor.

"Did something happen I didn't hear about? Is he mad at you or something?" Osuke says, somewhat worried.

"Honestly, I don't even know what's wrong with him; he's like that with everyone." Nobita sighs in frustration. "What a roommate I got."

Doraemon sighs anyway, although photos of Nobita as part of Aruguma and with Gian as his roommate come to mind. Photos that have probably disappeared from the album now, given what happened in the Hall of Destiny.

"At least an antisocial boy is still a better option than Gian" the cat says in a low voice.

Nobita is confused because he didn't hear what he said correctly. "What?"

"Nothing!" Doraemon just whistles nervously, looking away. For him, it's better that Nobita never finds out about the fact that he escaped from a fate of a room that could have been a cage of doom with his bully of years.

Chapter Text

Nobita and Doraemon entered the house's bedroom after a... curious encounter with the antisocial boy. Of course, the silly boy took off his shoes to put them on his shoe rack. "Since that boy already took the left side, that means the right side is yours." Osuke takes off his shoes as well, approaching the bathroom door. "The bathroom is shared, and in the middle of the room, there's a folding curtain to divide the room if you need privacy."

"I know roommates can't change rooms until one decides to leave the Academy, but anyway, if you have any problems, let me know so I can at least talk to him."

"I'll, thanks, Osuke." Nobita approaches the closet. "This looks like the closet in my room." As he slides the door open, he sees two empty spaces, one above and one below. "It really does look similar, except it doesn't have any stuff!"

Nobita's discovery alerts Doraemon, who immediately smiles. "I GOT IT!" The pair of boys are surprised by the robot cat's cry "I'm not sleeping in a basement if that's what Hanz wants. I'll use the top of the closet as my own room!"

"Are you sure about that? The basement is even bigger. With a few tweaks, you could have your own space" Osuke asks, somewhat worried.

The robot nods "I have the same space at Nobita's house. I use the room and sleep in the closet. I can sleep here too. I won't bother Hajime. Besides, I can wake Nobita up so he doesn't oversleep in the mornings when he has to go to academy."

The clumsy boy pouts, a little offended and embarrassed. "You don't have to tell Osuke that."

"Okay, but you have to tell Hanz that so he'll approve your request to stay here with Nobita."

Doraemon gives a judgmental look. "No need, knowing how curious he is, he should already know." The three of them turn their gaze to the bedroom door and see Hanz peeking out with a mocking smile. This was a surprise to Nobita, who bristles like a kitten. "You know we can see you, right?"

"I know, and yes, I authorize it. Although if you change your mind, I heard the basement has ventilation."

"No, I'm fine with the closet thing." As soon as Doraemon said that, Hanz quickly leaves, chuckling softly (?). "I haven't even started working here, and I'm already tired."

"In that case, I'll leave you two alone in your room. I still have other students to mentor. Welcome to Betakoi House. See you at dinner." Osuke says goodbye to them, putting on his shoes and leaving, closing the bedroom door.

"Finally! I'm going to relax!" Nobita lies down on his new bed. "How nice and soft. It feels good to have an own bed when you've been sleeping on a futon your whole life."

"Okay, listen up." Doraemon claps a little. "First, let's get settled in here." The robot cat takes the travel bag and the backpack out of his pocket, placing them near the closet. "You'll do it yourself. You have to get used to doing it every year."

"Owww, do I have to do it now? I'll do it later. I want to get some sleep." Doraemon glares judgmentally at Nobita, who jumps up nervously. "I-I'm going to do it now, but first I'm going to change my clothes!"

"See? That's better." Now it was Doraemon who smiles mockingly as Nobita picks up his travel bag and begins unpacking, noticing that one of his yellow shirts had the Betakoi seal on it.

"Oh, that's right. My clothes now have the faction seal on them. Anyway."

Nobita sighs, then changes into his regular clothes and begins arranging his clothes at the bottom of the closet. Doraemon chuckles, crouching down next to Nobita. "Come on, if we both do it this time, we'll finish faster."

The silly boy is startled but then smiles gratefully, so they both begin to organize the boy's things on his side of the room, placing the teddy bear on one of the shelves along with the small cauldron they gave him at the store, his school supplies in the small drawers, since the desk model was almost the same as the one at home, and the crystal ball his parents gave him on top of the nightstand.

After finishing, he leaves his wand and crystal on the nightstand and lies back down, facing the window behind the bed. He sits down, approaches the window, opens it, and looks at the green landscape and the wind blowing. "This view is different from what I'm used to in Tokyo, Doraemon, look."

With a bit of confusion, Doraemon climbs onto the bed and looks out the window with Nobita. "It's a nice view, actually."

"I can't believe I'm already here. It feels like a dream." The boy closes his eyes, smiling. "I'm still a little scared. I don't know if I'll be able to be a good wizard. The first day is already tomorrow, and I'm nervous. Will I even be able to cast a simple spell? After all, I mess things up. I'm still a little scared about what happened in the classroom. What if I'm no good? Sometimes I'm tempted to go back to that decision."

"Nobita, you're just as capable of performing magic as any apprentice wizard. You'll definitely be able to pass the first year. Besides, this time I'll be by your side. I won't let you give up so easily. We're already best buddies. We're going to spend this year together."

The boy with glasses gets excited, his eyes lighting up as he smiles gratefully. "Doraemon, thank y..."

"NOBITA! I KNOW YOU HEAR ME, GET DOWN HERE IMMEDIATELY, HEYYYYY!"

Gian was on the outskirts of Betakoi territory. He was able to see our protagonist by peeking through the window. The robust boy smiled confidently, thinking that Nobita would obey him as always, but he just looked at him reluctantly again.

"DON'T PRETEND YOU DIDN'T SEE ME! IT'S OBVIOUS YOU SAW ME, GET DOWN, I JUST WANT TO TALK, OR ELSE I'LL COME FIND YOU!"

Doraemon pouted angrily as he closed the window, leaving Gian to yell "Ugh, I forgot that Betakoi and Aruguma are on the same side of the island. What a nuisance, I don't want to talk to him. He'll probably want to play baseball. I saw a sign for a baseball field along the way, and he's holding a bat."

"Sports are good, but with him, it must be horrible." Doraemon sat on the edge of the bed with his friend.

"In Tokyo, Gian and Suneo only invited me to fill space. I'm no good at baseball and I'm clumsy, so I end up getting beaten up while they insult me when we lose. Let's go down to the dining hall and see if we can eat at least some instant ramen."

With that in mind, Nobita and Doraemon left the room and went straight down to the main floor. It was noticeable that more and more students were wearing their normal clothes, but with their stamps. You can't take a nap on an empty stomach.

Yes, there were instant ramen. They both took a couple and added hot water. They were both sitting at a table waiting for it to be ready. There were a few students there as well, some cooking themselves something to eat, while others were chatting.

They both ran into Haru, the chubby boy who loved to eat and one who had supported him, already eating his own ramen, so they decided to eat with him. "Are you going to keep giving Gian and Suneo the silent treatment? Because you're doing well so far" Doraemon says.

"You're giving Gian the silent treatment?! That's incredible! I couldn't do it, he's always taking my candy and his fists are unstoppable. It's annoying." Haru slurps the ramen noodles he had prepared. "Don't be offended, but out of all of us, I didn't think you were the most capable of doing it. It's impressive."

Nobita smiles nervously at that compliment. "I don't really believe it either, but... I have my reasons." The pair of friends open the ready-made ramen. Nobita's glasses blur from the steam rising from the food, while he uses chopsticks to eat a little, giving thanks for the food.

Until they sensed Hajime's presence, who entered the dining room. Everyone stared at him for a moment and returned to their routines. Some stepped aside as he walked straight to the kitchen to go to the refrigerator to get an apple.

"That guy is a little scary" Haru spoke with his mouth full of noodles. Hajime grabbed an apple, closed the refrigerator, and sat at a table, opening a book to read. "From what I understand, he's like a version of Dekisugi, but not very sociable."

"I realized it. He's my roommate. I tried to say hi, but he avoided me." Nobita sighed, wiping his glasses.

"I feel sorry for you" Haru says.

"I feel a little sorry for his cousins. It's clear Kaori wants to help him be more sociable, but he doesn't want to. I wonder what's going on in his head."

Nobita can't help but turn to look at Hajime, remembering how his friend Kaori tried to talk to him without success, which makes him a little sad. Until...

"NOBITAAAAAA!"

Everyone turns directly to the kitchen entrance, which also showed the entrance to the house in the distance. But for the three who were with them and Hajime himself, they knew whose voice it was: it was Gian's, shouting outside the entrance.

Needless to say, the boy with glasses wanted to hide under the table out of embarrassment more than fear. It wasn't the same as when he used to yell at him outside his house to get him to come out; now he was in a building living with other kids. "He sounds annoying" Doraemon says, to which Nobita decides to stand up in frustration. "Are you going out?!"

"Wait! If you go, he'll definitely take you far away and beat you up because we're not inside the Academy building!" Haru says as he continues eating.

"I know! But... It's worse that he's yelling at me and bothering the others. I'll go see what he really wants and enter the house." Nobita sighs, leaving the dining room while Doraemon follows him.

"I'm not going to let you go alone. Let's both see what he wants." Doraemon gives a thumbs-up, to which the silly boy smiles gratefully. So they both leave the Betakoi House while Hajime watches them leave and continues with his own business.

As they arrive and stand face to face with the robust boy, who was wearing his normal clothes with Aruguma's seal on them, he crosses his arms in annoyance. "It's about time you came out, Nobita! What's happening to you lately?! You're ignoring me! And you know what happens when I'm ignored, especially by you!"

Gian shakes his fist at the clumsy boy, who trembles in fear but remains firm in his decision to confront him, so he just looks away with an irritated face. "What do you want? You don't have to come shouting in front of the house. I was going to go to sleep now."

"And you're not going to apologize for ignoring me at the inauguration?"

Doraemon growls at him "What do you mean with apologize? If Nobita treated you like this, you deserve it. At least apologize for the mask!"

"Were you really offended by that?! Come on, it was just a joke!" Gian smiles mockingly as he puts his arm on Nobita's shoulder. "You can't get mad about that. You know I was just joking about it."

"You have to get over what happened five years ago, otherwise you won't become a wizard. You're uncomfortable around deer, and things related to Entigos put you in that mode. Come to think of it, even that will help you think things through. If you apologize for being a jerk, I'll invite you to play baseball. I saw a field near the houses we could use. What do you say? You'll accept because we're friends, right?"

Nobita removes his arm as he and Doraemon step back a little, leaving the robust boy stunned. "If that's all you're going to say, I'll go back. If you really want to be my friend, you should apologize to me for all the times you bullied me at school and for playing with my trauma."

"Enough is enough! Suneo and you knew about my trauma and still did that to me, THAT'S what offended me! You scaring me with that mask made me feel sick! You have no idea how I felt that day, reliving what happened to me 5 years ago! If it weren't for Doraemon helping me calm down, I would have frozen for hours!" Nobita trembles while tearing up in annoyance. What a moment to be honest.

"Under normal circumstances, I would have obeyed, but playing with something very personal to me was horrible. I'm hurt. So when you decide to be a true friend and not take advantage of me being a coward, you'll come find me, but right now I don't want anything."

The silly boy takes Doraemon's hand while looking at the robust boy with a serious and hurt look, wiping his tears with his other arm. "I know who my true friends are." They both turn around to return to the house.

Doraemon knew what Nobita was doing was a step further from his future, which would somehow link him to Gian to the point of eventually marrying his younger sister. He didn't expect his mere presence to change the boy's confidence even a little.

Those outside watching talked among themselves, and some even applauded a little. They didn't know the full context, but they liked what they saw.

Although on the outside Nobita looked like someone willing to overcome adversity, inside he was crying with fear and running around in circles in his mind in panic mode over what he had done.

Gian turned red with rage; he really didn't expect his punching bag to turn on him to the point of ignoring him. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

In his rage, Gian pushed Doraemon away and grabbed Nobita by the shirt, taking everyone by surprise. Unfortunately, they weren't on the Academy's main territory, so Gian took advantage of that to try to annoy the silly boy. "How dare you challenge me?! You've become such a jerk! I'm going to take you out of here and give you a lesson you won't forget. That way, you'll learn never to cross me again!"

"Hey, stop it, we're not in school anymore. You can't just yell at others and force them to do whatever you want. I'm not going to do it anymore!" Nobita wavered in fear but remained firm in his decision.

"Stop, leave him alone!" Doraemon tried to separate them, but Gian pushed him again, this time knocking him off his feet. He then grabbed Nobita's arm to drag him out of his faction's territory.

"Come on, we have to play baseball after this!"

"Stop it, you're hurting me by squeezing my arm. I already told you I don't want to go!" Nobita resisted as much as he could.

"Shut up, do as I say! Stop being dramatic!"

Just as Gian was pulling him, Doraemon steps back in, now in front of the robust one to prevent him from moving forward. "Get out of the way, blue raccoon!"

"I'm a cat, not a raccoon! Leave him alone! He told you he didn't want to go with you. I'm not going to let you take him off Betakoi's property!" The robot cat spreads his arms out to the sides as he growls.

"Doraemon" Nobita's eyes light up at how his best friend wanted to prevent him from doing anything bad.

"So you insist on that, huh? I'm still not sure what kind of thing you are, but I'll teach you a lesson first since you insist on contradicting me so much!" Gian turns red with fury again.

"Doraemon, get out of the way, he's going to hit you!" Nobita screams in despair. The other students are about to intervene, but someone walks out of the building, leaving the rest of Betakoi perplexed.

"I don't care! You defended yourself very well. You didn't back down even though you're scared. You're letting go of that pessimism you had before we met. I won't let your effort be in vain" Doraemon says resolutely.

The robust boy is about to punch Doraemon in the face when, as he raises his fist, he feels someone push him from behind. "WHO?!"

When Gian turns around, he sees Hajime standing behind him with his serious demeanor, his eyes closed, carrying the book he was reading.

"Hajime" Nobita is surprised that for the second time, the lonely and serious boy is involved in another of his problems.

Chapter Text

Everyone was stunned as Gian and Hajime stared at each other outside the Betakoi House after the argument between the burly boy and the silly boy. The tension caused the burly boy to drop the baseball bat he was carrying.

"Aren't you the quiet boy who left the Hall of Destiny as soon as he performed his rite without saying anything? Do you want to help him? Don't bother me, this is between Nobita and me!" Although a little confused, Gian raises his fist in a threatening gesture at Hajime, who just looks away. "Didn't you hear me?!"

"What he does with his time doesn't interest me. You're blocking the way. I want to go to the Academy library because with all the yelling from a grumpy gorilla, I can't review the concepts of magic in peace."

Both Nobita and Doraemon were stunned by what the black-haired boy said. In fact, the clumsy boy knew what the antisocial boy was like from his first encounter with him, but he didn't think he was TOO direct.

"Hajime, wait, he'll hit you if you say that!" The silly boy started to tremble as the situation began to escalate.

"What did you say?!" Gian lets go of Nobita's arm, who immediately runs to hide behind Doraemon.

Hajime, unfazed, sighs deeply. "Aside from being a grumpy gorilla, a deaf man, guys like you who rely on their strength to fill that shameful superiority complex are truly a nuisance."

"This is getting worse! I know I've seen what he's capable of when Fuyuto wanted to hit me, but Gian is more abrupt and rude." The clumsy boy worries about what's going to happen, to which Doraemon searches for something in his pocket.

"Well, this is an emergency. I'll take something to suppress his fury and make him go away. I've got it right..."

But the pair hear a loud bang, which leaves the pair perplexed. They were smiling in fear and slowly raising their heads, fearing that Gian had hit the dark-haired boy.

Although the surprise came when they saw Hajime stop Gian's fist as if it were nothing, the surprised robust boy turned pale when the antisocial boy began to exert force, removing his fist from their sight.

"Incredible, Hajime is very strong despite his appearance," Nobita thought, looking at the situation.

"You..." Gian didn't have time to react because Hajime gave him a light push with his finger. It wasn't strong, but it threw him off so much that the robust boy couldn't help but fall to his feet on the cobblestone road, with the black-haired man's indifferent eyes fixed on him.

Hajime closed his eyes and continued walking past him. Nobita and Doraemon quickly stepped aside, letting the other continue on his way. "W-wait!" The dark-haired boy approached the antisocial boy, who stopped. "I-I know you're going to tell me you didn't do it to help me. You already told me that the first time we met, but..."

Nobita bows. "Thanks anyway." Doraemon approaches and bows in thanks anyway.

The black-haired boy, without looking away from him, continues walking, heading straight for their destination. "Wow, he really is an indifferent boy." Doraemon immediately notices that the part of the arm where Gian grabbed his friend is slightly red from the roughness, which makes him worry.

Gian is still pale, but regains consciousness, getting up from the ground. Although he wanted to intimidate the silly boy again, he notices the stares of the other Betakoi students fixed on him, so he takes the bat and leaves, growling, but not before giving Nobita an indifferent look. "You're lucky that... I haven't eaten since I got here because I'm so excited. But next time you won't be so lucky." The burly boy quickens his pace as he leaves the building. "You'll come crawling back to apologize for being such a jerk!"

The other students outside approach the pair, they've only sighed with relief after what they've been through.

It wasn't even day one and things were already starting to get problematic for the protagonist, but he's surprised to see other students from other grades who had nothing to do with him approaching to inquire about his condition. Doraemon notices the confused look on his face and smiles. "From what I understand, Betakoi students tend to be like a school of fish with their peers, you know, because of the carp."

Nobita gets nervous about the amount of attention he's receiving from the members of the house for worrying about him. Doraemon takes his hand. "Let's go inside. I'll ask Hanz for a first aid kit. The area where Gian grabbed you is a little red."

From the beginning, Nobita knew he was going to end up in Betakoi, and he wasn't bothered by that because he was caught up in his negative thoughts. But now, with everything he's experienced today, he's undoubtedly more than grateful to be there. It might have been the simplest house, but it was the most welcoming for someone like him.

Night falls on Gaku Island, specifically at Betakoi House. All the students were gathered in the dining hall where the special dinner was being held. It was a pleasant atmosphere. Nobita and Doraemon were sitting with other first-year students, including Haru and other classmates who were close to them since they were among the few he knew in that house, so it was normal to be together in a new environment.

Osuke stands up and gives a welcoming speech to the new students, reassuring them in case they needed help as the house representative. Hanz was sitting at his counter, watching everything from there while sipping wine from a glass and smiling curiously.

The silly boy had a patch on the swollen part of his arm, but that didn't stop him from being part of the event and enjoying the food. Although he looked around for Hajime, he noticed he wasn't there. He had seen him return home, but he went straight to his bedroom, avoiding dinner. He didn't really understand his way of thinking, but he didn't want to upset him, so he decided to leave him alone if he wanted to be alone.

After the special dinner, Nobita and Doraemon went up to their bedroom. Hajime wasn't there; it seemed he had left again, as if he didn't want to be in the room for so long. They both took a bath. The boy put on his pajamas and called home through the crystal ball. His mother answered.

"I hope you ate what you should have for dinner and took a shower and brushed your teeth" Tamako says, her image displayed on the sphere.

"Yes, mom, I did. They let Doraemon stay with me in the room, so I'll be fine." Nobita looks back. Doraemon was arranging his space on top of the closet like he did at home in Tokyo.

"And what's your roommate like? I hope you don't give him any trouble. Remember, classes start tomorrow, and I will know everything in the weekly report" Mrs. Nobi gives him the pressured look she used to give him whenever she called him out.

"Y-yes, I know!" At that moment, Hajime enters the room wearing his pajamas, which consisted of dark blue pants and a sleeveless white shirt, taking off the slippers that were part of the room's amenities. "And about my roommate, he's a bit... mysterious, but I hope we can be friends."

Nobita immediately reacts upon seeing Hajime lying down on his bed and gets nervous. "W-well, mom, I'll leave you. I'm going now. Good night. Say hi to dad for me!"

"Try not to be late on your first day. I already know you. Please do well! Good night, son."

Nobita finishes communicating with his mother at the same time Doraemon finishes tidying up his space. The blue cat turns and looks at Hajime, who is still reading another book on his bed. "Excuse me, I promise not to bother you."

Doraemon smiles nervously, as does Nobita, but the black-haired man continues with his business, causing the pair to look at each other. Silence filled the room for a moment when a phone rang inside Doraemon's pocket. He searches inside. It was his Time Phone, which reveals who was on the other end of the call, even if they're in different eras. But the holographic screen showed Hanz.

"Ah, it's you. I thought it was Dorami" the blue robot says with a bit of indifference. Nobita is confused by that name.

"Oh no no no, I'm not that charming either" Hanz smiles mockingly while Doraemon glares at him, annoyed by the comment. "Anyway, I need you to come downstairs and help me prepare some paperwork for the student income report, you know, office work."

"You do know we're in the same era and the same building, just on different floors, right? You didn't need to use the time phone for that" Doraemon says irritably.

"Not necessary, but fun. Remember, if you want to stay here, you have to help me. I'm your boss for a year." Hanz can't help but let out a small, mocking chuckle as he finishes his sentence. "I'll wait for you down heeeeeere!"

The holographic call ends, and Doraemon sighs irritably. "Anyway, I said I was going to do it. Although at this hour, it's ridiculous."

"Who's Dorami?" the clumsy boy asks curiously.

"Ahh, she's my younger sister. She was created after the ear thing. She's like me, she uses gadgets. She's with Sewashi in the future. If you ever meet her, you'll recognize her because she's yellow and has a prominent ribbon."

"Oh, I see."

"Sorry, Nobita, I have to go down to work." Doraemon puts the device in his pocket.

"Okay, I'll go to sleep. Today has been a tiring day." Nobita yawns a little. Doraemon nods before immediately leaving the room, closing the door.

Now it was just the two of them. Nobita lay down on his bed, keeping an eye on his roommate, who was still reading. He felt a little nervous about his personality, so he turned away so as not to see him and avoid making him uncomfortable. He took out his crystal pad to browse around. He could watch TV there, but he didn't want to be scolded by his roommate for making noise, so he opted to browse his contacts list.

He had some kids from his school who agreed to exchange contacts with him after what happened in the Hall, at least most of them, except for Gian and Suneo, of course. He wasn't going to forgive them if they didn't change their ways, and even if they apologized to him for what happened at the Department Store, he wasn't going to trust them easily.

After all, the pair is one of the reasons for his pre-Doraemon pessimistic state.

He also saw the contact from the Academy administration, who had already arrived with the crystal, and then Kaori and Mitzuki, remembering how good they both were, the goth girl in her own dark yet friendly way, and remembering how Kaori helped him with his knees by putting some bunny bandages on them while smiling.

"It's not that late yet, I think I'll call Shizuka for a while to find out how she did at the Omekkusu House and..."

"Hey."

Nobita heard Hajime's voice, slowly turning around to see him. He was sitting on the edge of his bed with his serious expression, which set off the alarm bells of the bespectacled boy, who immediately sat down in the middle of his bed. "W-what's going on? I-if you want, I'll call Shizuka outside. Anyway, even though it's already 9 and the doors are closed, I can go somewhere else inside the house."

Hajime nods. "If we respect each other's space, we won't have any problems. I didn't come here to make friends, I want to master magic 100%." The silly boy was about to say something else, but... "No, I'm not going to tell you why."

"Let's just mind our own business. We're sharing a room, not to be friends. Understood?"

"I-I see... I understand." Nobita plays with his fingers a little nervously. He felt something like this was coming. Still, he still felt a little curious about the fact that Kaori was trying so hard to get him to socialize.

They both looked to one side of the room, avoiding each other's gaze. Silence fell again, until... "Before we go into the term I told you about, answer... What did you feel?"

A strange question for the silly boy. He didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but he let the antisocial boy continue so as not to upset him. "What do you mean?"

"About the Hall thing. I was coming back for something and I heard they thought you were a renegade." The boy just crosses his arms with his eyes closed. "I found out your name when I came back to look for something I lost, but I didn't want to go back for that right now, and when I realized it was you. I can't stop wondering. What did you feel?"

Nobita's expression changes to a sad one as he bows his head. "...To be honest... I felt like my world was falling apart. The mere thought of the M.C.G taking me away from my current life scared me a lot, but I couldn't react. I felt like I was drowning in terror. I didn't want to be alone... Without family, without friends, in a world I wouldn't understand."

"If it weren't for Doraemon calming me down, I would have fainted. And if that happened, I wouldn't be able to do the ritual again. And I probably would have ended up right now in an antithesis city."

Nobita hugs his legs while sitting, with a look of misery. "They say that when they take you, they keep you isolated for a couple of days because they take you there in a truck, because it's risky for Renegades and Wizards to interact because of what happened many years ago. They do it especially if they discover you're a Renegade when you're older."

"I wasn't there at that moment, but I imagined the others' reaction when they thought you weren't a wizard: Fear and repulsion." The clumsy boy is a little surprised, because that's what he felt when the other students looked at him at that moment, except for those who helped him. "Wizards and renegades may believe that what they're currently doing is the right thing, but it's nothing more than hypocrisy."

"The M.C.G are just a bunch of guys who believe in what's good for both sides. They separate families, destroy lives that barely appear in this world. People who love each other are separated only because their hearts desire something they detest, they do so without thinking about the consequences of their actions. And when those who love each other try every means to be together and are discovered, they are separated them again, even if they beg for just a moment to be together." Nobita notices Hajime clench his fist in rage at that last point, which catches his attention.

"It's not just the M.C.G who are blameless. Factions are just an empty title to show off their superiority; the wizards who let themselves be carried away by that idea for years are just as hypocritical as they are."

"Didn't you really feel betrayed by almost having to abandon everything, and by those who know you so well, and by those who don't turn their backs on you like a bug that deserves to be trampled for NOT being like them?"

Hajime looks the clumsy boy in the eye, who only remembers that moment and the reaction of those present. "Should I have felt that way?" he asked himself in his mind as that moment played on repeat.

"Look at that!" "THAT KID TURNED OUT TO BE A RENEGADE!"

"Wow, after all, Nobita was never one of us." "That's what you deserve for not obeying."

"It won't take much for the M.C.G to come and take him away. But anyway, rules are rules, right?"

"If we don't make the call, the M.C.G will fine us."

"Honestly... It did hurt a little. I don't understand why wizards and renegades are separated. I don't like the M.C.G either. Even though they protect wizards, they separate people. I don't understand that." Nobita hugs his legs again in fear, but then smiles. "Even if I don't want to make a big deal out of it, it's over now. I'm happy to be here with those I love, no matter the faction or what they said about me."

The scene shows Doraemon at the counter sorting some papers next to Hanz, who was just throwing away the ones he wasn't interested in, causing the robot cat to exhale tiredly.

"Now I have someone I can trust even with my future."

"Hajime, I know you don't want to answer the question about why you want to be a wizard, but Kaori really cares about you despite everything and wants the best for you, and when I saw you clench your fist when you said that... Could you at least tell me how you know so much about that feeling with the M.C...?"

But the antisocial boy had drawn the folding curtain that separated 90% of the room into two halves, turning off the light in the room, and had already lain down facing the wall on his side.

"From here on, let's just mind our own business, Nobi."

Maybe Hajime didn't get the answer he was hoping for when Nobita told him he still wanted to live like everyone else. It was clear that, although he didn't say exactly why, the black-haired boy harbors a deep resentment toward M.C.G and doesn't want to interact with anyone so he doesn't break out of that rigid shell he's isolated himself in, based on studies and power. This could be related to his desire to become a powerful wizard.

Why? Not even Nobita knew for sure, but he also knew he wasn't going to gain anything by asking him since he wasn't going to have a conversation like this. Because, being who he is, he wouldn't have another chance to find out what's behind that hatred. At least not for now.

The clumsy boy simply sighed, taking off his glasses and placing them on the nightstand, covering himself as he lay down on his side. "Maybe Kaori knows something more about Hajime, but I'm tired right now" He thought to himself as he yawned. "Tomorrow is my first day of school, I just hope... I don't screw it up."

He finally fell asleep, curled up in what would be his bed for the entire school year. Doraemon returned after an hour, entering the room with the room key since Hanz gave him a copy. Walking slowly so as not to wake the kids, the robot walked to the side of the room where his friend was.

Seeing him sleeping peacefully curled up with his arm slightly uncovered from moving in his sleep, Doraemon smiles as he approaches the boy's bed and tucks him in again. "Good night, Nobita."

The robot cat moves away to slide open the closet door, climbs into his part of the room, and lies down on the futon he's set up there. "Tomorrow you have a big day ahead of you."

With a yawn, Doraemon closes the sliding door to sleep, thus ending the day before Nobita's adventure at the Mystic Academy begins.

Chapter Text

The sound of the alarm clock filled the room at Betakoi House. It was a new morning for our protagonist, a different Monday, as today is his first day of school. As expected, the boy ignored his alarm clock, which he had also brought and placed on the nightstand.

Not even the rays of sunlight streaming through the window were able to wake him up. Doraemon forcefully slid the door shut and saw that Nobita was still dreaming. "Nobita, get up! Today is the first day of school!"

Doraemon noticed that the folding door between the room was put away and Hajime's bed was tidy; he had already left earlier. So, quickly jumping out of the closet, the robot rushed to pull Nobita out of bed, pulling him by the arm so that he fell to the floor, causing him to wake up.

"Hey, I was sleeping!" The boy shouts, annoyed, getting up from the floor.

"Well, I'm glad that worked" Doraemon says, his smile turning serious. "It doesn't matter. You have to get ready now. It's your first day of school, and you shouldn't be late!"

Nobita is stunned, looking around. "What?" Doraemon asks, crossing his arms impatiently, but receives a squeeze to the cheek from his friend, causing him to let out a cry of pain. "AAAAH! Hey! Why is that?!"

"Oh, it's just... I was checking if I'm not dreaming. It's just..." The boy smiles, still in shock. "It still seems unreal to me that I'm actually going to attend the Academy."

"BUT YOU HAD TO SQUEEZE YOUR OWN CHEEK AND NOT MINE IF YOU WANTED TO CHECK THAT, YOU NAIVE BOY!"

Just for the grace of returning the pain, Doraemon does him the favor of pinching the boy's cheek, looking at him irritated "Ouch, ouch, ouch! But not so hard, I get it!" The robot cat lets go, crossing his arms and wagging his tail quickly. Nobita rubs his cheek in pain. "And why do you usually call me a naive boy?"

"Because you are. Anyway, you see you're not dreaming. Hajime already left early. Come on, it's almost time. You have to get ready and go down to breakfast."

Nobita goes into the bathroom to wash up while Doraemon checks if his backpack has everything he needs for his first day. The boy leaves the bathroom to take off his pajamas and put on his uniform, heading to the entrance, putting on his shoes and leaving the room in a hurry, leaving the bed unmade in his haste. He goes down the stairs because there was no time to use the elevator and every second counts.

Since it was still breakfast time, the pair arrive at the dining room. The silly boy grabs a plate to place the food that appeared out of nowhere thanks to magic, and begins to eat quickly, almost choking if Doraemon hadn't grabbed some juice to help him with it.

"I'm leaving!" Nobita already had his backpack on his back as he left the Betakoi House. But at that moment, he's grabbed by a large hand out of nowhere. The poor boy screams in terror, thinking it was the work of a ghost. He realizes it's Doraemon using a large, extendable hand that came out of his pocket. "Doraemon?! What's going on?!"

The robot sighs wearily, letting go of the boy and putting the extendable hand back in his pocket. He takes out the wand and the crystalpad. "I saw you forgot them on the nightstand. Remember, you still don't know how to summon your wand, so don't forget it. Besides, you'll probably get lost if you don't have your crystal."

"Oh," the clumsy boy laughs nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry" he says, putting both the wand and its crystal in his vest pockets. "Now then, I'm leaving!"

"You better start running" Nobita speeds up his pace again so he doesn't arrive late. "Hey!"

"And now?" the silly boy asks, looking back.

Doraemon looks at him for a moment and smiles. "Have a nice day, buddy."

Nobita smiles gratefully for the good wishes. "Thanks, Doraemon. Have a nice day at work too. See you in the afternoon."

The clumsy boy runs again, and Doraemon waves goodbye as Osuke approaches with a cup of milk in his hand. "Uh? Don't you have to go to class today?"

"It's my free time. The Academy gives free time twice a week, which students can use however they want until the next class. For our class, it's first hour on Monday and after recess on Wednesday, so I'm in no rush to go to the Academy today."

"I see. I'll have to check Nobita's class schedule to find out what free times his class has. I hope he gets to see his classmates again, at least the good ones." Doraemon sighs tiredly.

"Yes, I heard what happened yesterday. Although the no-fighting rule only applies in the Academy and not outside, it's best to support each other with our problems. Although I feel like I'm forgetting something." The red-haired boy looks up at the ceiling but shrugs. "But anyway, I'll take advantage of the free time to take a long bath."

Doraemon watches as Osuke retreats to his room, crossing his arms with a little concern. The first day defined him in the eyes of the teachers and everyone else. There was also the matter of Gian and Suneo, as well as that Fuyuto guy who had also pointed him out as a renegade.

So, searching for something in his pocket, he takes out a small purple sphere with white stars and sends it flying right in Nobita's direction. "I think that's enough." As he turns around to enter, a piece of paper slaps him in the face.

"Good morning! I just wanted to give you your tasks for today. Don't worry, there aren't many since you're the new employee." Hanz was the one who had stamped the paper with the homework with his usual mocking smile.

The blue cat took the paper from his face, checking each item. "It looks like chores, but anyway, it's what you have to do."

"I saw what you just sent. You don't trust your child enough, do you?" Hanz just chuckled, covering his mouth.

"Academically, no. That's why I'm here. I want to know what his first day will be like." Doraemon looked away, somewhat nervous.

"Okay, sounds fun, so do it while you're doing your homework. There's a lot to do."

"That's what I plan to do. I also plan to tell Sewashi and Dorami about the album at the end of the week, since that's the day Nobita will want to make that decision for the first time, but his parents will convince him not to. At least that's how it was in the first timeline. But with so many changes that have happened, I don't know what will happen at the end of the week, but I can't be too confident either."

"It's better not to. Human wizards can break easily when they get too frustrated, even faster than robots. Not everything can be controlled, especially human children." Hanz looks up with a calm smile. "I'm just saying, with the timeline changing so much, you can expect anything."

Doraemon can't help but sigh, worried. The first week is where Nobita's breaking point would begin. It would be where he'd give up on taking the sabbatical, but where the decline in his self-esteem as a wizard would begin, leading him to do it later.

"I just hope you don't do it this time, Nobita."

Doraemon notices Hanz looking at him, smiling in his mocking way, as if waiting for something. "You forgot to say: Boss Hanz." The seriousness of the matter was broken by the lanky guy's typical humor, causing the cat to look at him irritated.

"That won't happen."

After running for a while, Nobita managed to arrive at the Academy a little early. He really didn't want his mother to scold him for being late on his first day, because with that weekly report card, he'd be more limited in hiding notes.

The boy entered, seeing students from different factions and grades passing in different directions. Luckily, since there were signs on the walls, he was able to navigate the large hallways as well. This wasn't like school; the building was twice the size, maybe triple the size due to the dimensional spells at work.

Nobita strolled through the halls. Since they were busy with the initiation rite yesterday, he didn't tour the place, but he stopped in front of the Hall of Destiny, recalling what had happened there the day before and the conversation he had with Hajime. The doors were open because they were cleaning, so he went in for a moment to observe the throne of destiny.

"I don't understand anything. Why do wizards and renegades have to be separated? It must be horrible not being able to see your family up close except through a projection." The boy took a moment to gaze sadly at the stained-glass window of what would become Andromeda, Goddess of Magic.

And without him realizing it, Yuki, the little girl with the teddy bear, was there, sitting in the seat he'd been sitting in the day before, staring at him.

"I know there are things I still don't understand about this world, despite having lived here since I was born. And this is one of them. What would be your opinion on this? Is it fair to have to separate just for the fear of repeating what happened so many years ago?"

"I know it's something I couldn't figure out, even if I wanted to. I'm just a kid." The clumsy boy looks down, and Yuki is slightly surprised by his curious words. "Even if... Would I be able to change my future? I don't want to stay alone in a cabin when I'm an old man. I don't want to leave my descendants in debt..."

"I know I'm a weak person, and I know I'm going to have setbacks trying to be a wizard. I'll be tempted to give up, I know. Although, now that I have Doraemon, I think he might help me a little cope with what I know about my own future."

"I haven't looked at that album again, not that I want to. That's why I want to know if I can change anything. But... I don't know if I can... And that scares me."

Nobita exhales. It seems he had a reflective moment, venting to the stained-glass window. He turns around. "I'd better go or I'll be late. The classrooms are on the second floor. I must be too nervous to say all that to a stained-glass window, but..." He looks away for a moment, smiling a little. "I think I needed to say what I think."

Yuki, surprised, only smiles slightly, then hides as the boy passes by where she was.

As they get closer to the door, something shines on the floor where the last seats were, something Nobita notices, so he goes over to see what's there.

A pendant with the colors of the sunset was there, and the boy picks it up to examine it. "And this?"

At that moment, he remembers that Hajime was sitting there, and he also remembers the part of the conversation where the raven-haired boy told him that he'd be very aware of everything when he came back to retrieve a lost object.

"This must be what Hajime was looking for! Thank goodness I found it before the cleaners." Nobita smiles, but is startled, scratching the back of his neck and putting the pendant in his shorts pocket. "Although... There's that [To each his own] agreement he established, so I don't know how to return it to him."

"Nobita?" The boy turned to see who called him. It was Kaori standing there at the entrance, so he approached her as she left the room. "Good morning. I was about to go to my classroom when I heard your voice nearby. What are you doing here?"

"Good morning, Kaori! I... I got lost." It was obvious the silly boy didn't want her to know he was talking to a stained-glass window. She'd think he was crazy since they'd only known each other for a day. "B-but we're already running late! I was supposed to be on time, and I ended up here."

Nobita lowered his head, feeling defeated because he thought he was late for class on his first day. Kaori smiled at him, though. "Don't worry, school hasn't started yet. There was a 10-minute delay. Didn't you see the morning news?"

"Uhh... Not really. I still don't know how to use that glass, or rather, what kid watches the news? Did something happen?"

Both kids started walking toward the second floor. "Earlier today, a third-year boy was found fainted on his way to the Academy. Apparently, the reason he fainted was because he ran out of mana. And when you run out of mana, it can range from dizziness to fainting."

"The fainted boy is in the infirmary now. He needed some mana potions to keep him at a minimum so he could recover his own mana by resting, and he's already regained consciousness. From what I heard, he said he was walking calmly to school when he felt a slight pricking in his chest, started feeling strange, then got dizzy, and then fainted. All out of nowhere, and when they checked him, he didn't have any bites because they thought he'd been bitten by a mana mosquito that might have snuck into the Academy."

"That's why the teachers are talking about it now, and why classes have been delayed 10 minutes. It's the first time something like this has happened on Academy Island, especially on the first day of school."

The clumsy boy bristles in fear as he climbs the stairs. "Really?! How scary! How can you run out of mana out of nowhere?"

Kaori shakes her head. "I don't know, but that's why they want to take precautions."

At the same time, in a nearby forest, a woman who looked like a geisha was holding a crystal ball inside a square tent she had conjured to avoid detection by the M.C.G. The interior space was like an old-fashioned Japanese-style room complete with a rug, the ball on a table, and she was sitting on a chair.

That woman is Ningyo, the witch. One of the closest associates of the leader of Dark Wake, the group of renegades who want to relive the invasion of 600 years ago, or at least that seemed to be the idea with whatever they were plotting, but for now, they were collecting items for what appeared to be an extremely complicated spell.

She slowly sips some gyokuro tea, which she poured into a ceramic tea cup. "It's ready" she says in the melodious voice of a grown woman.

A doll resembling a third-year student from the Mystic Academy was on the table. The detailing was fine enough to suggest it was handmade, suggesting it was a magically crafted doll. However, the doll's colors, unlike the person it represented, were duller, as was evident in the uniform.

The curious thing was that the doll had a blue sewing needle that flickered with blue light, inserted right into its chest. The woman grabbed the needle, removing it from the doll, setting it aside to pick up a stuffed animal that had no such appearance (similar to the Copy Robot's gadget, but the size of a teddy bear). Ningyo looks at the glowing blue needle with a smile. "And to think that all of that young man's mana is in this needle, but it will be very useful for Mr. Kairos. Natural mana is better than that created with cauldrons."

The student's doll changes back into its original form, which the witch discards on the floor, having fulfilled its purpose. Apparently, she was behind the incident, using her dark magic to steal mana remotely using dolls, as if her specialty were based on voodoo.

The woman places the glowing blue needle in a red wooden box where there were other needles of the same color. "One more and I'll finish my quota for today. My spell locates any random wizard or renegade within kilometers of my area, and I'll just have to place the enchanted needle in the doll so that it absorbs all the mana of whomever the doll is based on until it is left with nothing. The best part is that no one will know it was me, since I'm not there at the scene. Let's see what form the next one takes. I want to return to the Wake Building."

As Ningyo stretches her arms to relax, the next doll takes on a random shape, taking the form of... Nobita? In his uniform, since that's what he was wearing at the time and it had the normal colors, so it's possible the colors became dull with the needles.

"Uh" the witch takes the doll and inspects it. "Another student from the Wizard Academy? Hmm... This one looks younger and weaker, like a first-year. I don't think he has that much mana left in his body." Ningyo uses the crystal ball to look at the person the doll had transformed into, seeing the image of Kaori and Nobita talking as they walked down the second-floor hallway. "Yeah, a first-year student, definitely, nothing interesting."

She thinks for a moment, narrowing her eyes, but just shrugs. "Anyway, I must finish the errand."

The malevolent witch makes a silver needle appear in her hand, indicating that it's empty and ready to drain mana remotely. She proceeds to slowly bring the needle closer to the doll's chest. "Time to collect more mana."

Chapter Text

"NINGYOOOOOO!" A girl's voice came from the crystal ball, leaving the beautiful geisha witch almost deaf, which caused her to move the enchanted needle away from NobitaDoll's chest.

The annoyed woman saw that the crystal ball now showed a girl, specifically the same third-year girl with long brown hair who owned the little white mouse that had scared Doraemon before the opening.

"Uh?! Who the heck are you?!" the witch asked irritably.

"What do you mean with (Who the heck are you)? I'm Sheipu! Don't you recognize me or has playing with dolls made you stupid?!" the girl sighed irritably.

"And how did you think I was supposed to know it was you? You've transformed!" The witch rolled her eyes, equally irritated.

Hidden inside one of the small cleaning rooms, the mysterious girl sighs again while holding another crystal ball. In a flash, she changes her appearance to the greenish girl in a short blue dress and braid on one side, who was another of Mr. Kairos's associates.

The sweet girl who seemed harmless turned out to be a Shapeshifter. She was the spy for the Wake Building. Her task?

"Stop using your weird dolls to collect mana near the Academy Island area. I learned about it from what happened with that boy! Today is the first day of school, and it's crucial to have the clues so we can find the Stellar Being and notify the boss. And if the wizards get too restless around here, my task will be even more difficult."

"Don't forget I also have to find a way to get my hands on the Occult Encyclopedia. The boss also needs that book for the summoning spell. It's here in this building, but I need to know where it is. I see you have another one, so change targets."

The witch looks at the silly boy doll in her hands and at her needle. "I have to cover my quota for today."

"Pfff! I know that. But not another student." Sheipu points at the doll, recognizing it as a student because of its uniform.

The woman exhales, making the needle disappear, which makes the Shapeshifter smile. "See? It wasn't that hard. Find someone else to drain their mana from, don't make my life complicated. See ya!"

With a mocking smile, the shapeshifter says goodbye, turning off her crystal ball, changing her appearance back to the girl she had before, and quickly exits the cleaning room, fixing her hair. "Ugh, what I have to deal with."

A third-year boy sees her and approaches her. At the same time, Nobita and Kaori are passing by in the same hallway. "Asami, there you are. Classes are about to start. We should go to the classroom right away."

"Oh, right." The girl can't help but give the clumsy boy a look for having seen the voodoo doll in his appearance, which makes her narrow her eyes, as if suspicious. "Let's go."

In the forest, Ningyo makes the small space she had been in disappear, with the box of blue needles levitating and the Nobita Doll in her hand. "If I can't do anything, the doll will remain in this form. I guess I'll keep it until it's useful again."

As she slowly walks with the box following her levitating, with one of her fingers glowing charcoal from the dark power, she taps the doll's forehead a couple of times a little frustrated "You're saved for this time until you're of use to me"

"Ouch, ouch!" Nobita stops as he places his hands on his forehead. "That's weird. I felt like a couple of finger taps on my forehead, but I think it's just nerves."

"Are you sure?" The boy with glasses nods at Kaori's question. "Well, if you say so. There's my classroom, across from yours if I looked closely at the class schedule you showed me." A pair of double doors faced each other, dividing the hallway. Some students were already entering their classrooms.

"Uh? Are you in a different class? Too bad, I thought we'd be in the same class." Kaori can't help but chuckle at what he said, especially since he pouted sadly while saying it.

"It's okay, we can still be friends even if we're not in the same class." The typical beginning of the hour chime sounds. "I'm leaving now. See you at break, Nobita."

"Oh, that's right!" The silly boy takes out the sunset pendant, causing the girl with the earrings to squirm. "I found this in the living room downstairs. I know this belongs to Hajime. We're roommates at Betakoi House, but... He made an agreement that everyone stays in their own way and doesn't disturb anyone. So I thought you could return it to him."

"That's the pendant my aunt, Hajime's mother, gave him the last time they saw each other! I'm so glad you found it; it's a precious object to him." Kaori's eyes lit up as she sighed in relief.

"His mom? Last time?" Nobita became sad, thinking the worst. "Is Hajime's mom...?"

The girl with the earrings was startled, nervously shaking her hands. "Oh, no, no, no, no! She's fine. Well, at least that's what they're keeping us informed about."

"Them? I honestly don't understand anything, but... It's good I found it, you can give it back to him now" the clumsy boy says, smiling, scratching the back of his neck with one hand while with the other he brings the pendant to his friend.

Kaori shakes her head and uses her hands to close her friend's, who can't help but be startled by that, especially since she smiles sweetly at him. "I think it's best if you give it back to him, you found it."

"Me? Y-yes, I'd like to give it back to him myself, but... There's that agreement, and I don't want to have any more long faces in the room than he already has. Remember, he's my roommate." Nobita looks to the side nervously. He didn't want his roommate to get angry with him if he broke the agreement. The antisocial boy's indifference to others already made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"It's just that... From what you've told me since we got here, you know a little about his aspirations and his negative attitude toward the M.C.G. To tell you the truth, he hasn't been like that with anyone outside the family, who already knows about his situation."

What Kaori tells him leaves Nobita stunned. Was he the only person outside his family he decided to open up to a little? That made him think about the pendant.

So Nobita had another decision in front of him:

Return the pendant to Hajime himself, despite the agreement.

Or refuse to do so and give the task to Kaori, the girl who, despite having known each other only yesterday, had already given him her trust.

It took him a moment, but he smiled determinedly as he nodded. Shizuka left the classroom, worried that Nobita hadn't arrived, and she saw the scene of the pair talking together. "Okay, I'll give it back to him. I have a good backup if anything happens" the boy said, recalling Doraemon.

"Really? That makes me very happy. He'll probably be eager to get it back, even if it doesn't show on his face. You're a good person for agreeing to this. I really appreciate it."

Kaori bows slightly, thanking her and smiling at her, while Nobita just shakes his hands in denial but also shows a smile. An interaction that Shizuka noticed when she peeked through the classroom door, so she just continues watching them.

"It's nothing, don't thank me. I have to return that to Hajime first. I just hope he doesn't give me another of those sharp looks he knows how to use." The boy's nervous laugh revealed that, although he was somewhat confident, he was afraid of what would happen if he broke that agreement to do a favor, but his new friend's smile motivated him a little to do it.

"And while we're at it, I noticed that you have one of the two free time times of the week before lunch which coincides with mine according to what I saw in your schedule that you showed me. If you want, we can meet before break to talk about Hajime in the Academy's back garden; it's one of the quieter places," the black-haired girl says, interlacing her fingers enthusiastically.

"Okay." The boy says with a smile as he says goodbye to his friend. "Then I'll see you there later. See you Kaori. Have a nice day."

"See you there, Nobita, you too." As she goes to the front and enters the classroom, Nobita turns around to find himself face to face with Shizuka, who can't help but pout a little in concern. "H-Hi Shizuka, good morning!"

"Good morning, Nobita. Classes have started, and you're not even in yet. I thought you'd end up missing the first day or you might have gotten lost, so I came out for a moment worried. I know there was a delay in the schedule today because of the third-year boy. But you should go in now. Everyone's already inside, and the teacher will be here any moment."

"I know, I'm sorry, I just got distracted on the way." Seeing silly boy laugh, Shizuka sighs deeply and then takes Nobita's hand to lead him into the classroom. He just laughs nervously and apologizes again.

Although the boy noticed that she squeezed his hand a little while she was standing with her eyes closed, looking straight ahead, before leading him inside. "Uh, that's new" he thought, letting out a slight blush.

Upon entering, the bespectacled boy was impressed. The classroom wasn't like the ones at his school. Rather, it looked more like a large university student lounge, with a touch of modernity, gray brick walls and large windows. Long horizontal tables were arranged in five rows, one below another that could seat seven. Below them was a desk and a swivel chair, as well as a blackboard large enough for the students to understand what was written there.

As expected, Shizuka and Dekisugi had saved him a seat between them. Whoever arrived first got their seat for the rest of the year. Nobita ended up sitting in the middle of the third row, with Shizuka on his right and Dekisugi on his left.

Gian and Suneo were sitting in the top row. The fourth row, in the middle, was also Miztuki, sitting up next to Suneo. Hajime was below our protagonist's row, right in the middle of the second row. There were some of his classmates, except for a few who were in another class, as well as kids from other cities.

Nobita sighed when he saw that Fuyuto wasn't in his class, taking off his backpack, placing it down, sitting down, and taking out his wand and some supplies. "Good morning, Nobi. You're in luck. The incident with the fainting third-year delayed the first period a bit" Dekisugi said, arranging his own belongings as Shizuka sat down next to the pair. "Ready to get the first year off to a good start?"

"I really hope it goes off on the right foot. I still feel like I could end up doing badly, not as bad as before, but the feeling is still there."

Nobita sighs tiredly as Shizuka places her hand on his shoulder. "You're just as capable of being a wizard as any of us here. Don't let your fears about your own abilities make you feel otherwise. You've made some good decisions these past few days. I don't know if it has to do with Doraemon's arrival, but I appreciate him helping a friend of ours." Dekisugi nods at what Shizuka said.

As capable as anyone. He had a point about self-esteem, or maybe two points, regarding Doraemon's arrival and how it was having an effect on his life. Maybe what he needed to get to where he was now was something resembling a brother.

Gian and Suneo tried to get his attention by calling him in a mocking tone to make him turn around, but the silly boy had already reached the point of no return, ignoring their attempts at intimidation.

Nobita looked at Hajime, who was reading a book about magic. He considered whether to get his attention inside the classroom and quickly hand him the pendant. Or simply wait for the right moment when they were alone and apologize beforehand, since, being a fearful boy, he already anticipated a disapproving look from his roommate. But as soon as he was about to say something...

"Good morning, students. We're very sorry for the wait. We were just discussing the incident this morning."

Everyone except Hajime turned around. It was Principal Chronos! He was carrying a briefcase and was accompanied by the sensei. They both went down the stairs and went straight to the desk. The children's gaze slowly turned toward the desk, all stunned.

The sensei sighs, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the nervous sweat from his face, while the principal simply places his briefcase on the desk. "Excuse us for the delay in class. We had a meeting regarding the situation of the third-year." He puts his handkerchief away, placing his hands behind his back. "But don't worry, he's fine and recovering in the infirmary. We've left the M.C.G to investigate what happened; you should just focus on your studies. I see familiar faces and others yet to be met."

The principal walks toward the students. "Yes, don't worry. Today begins your journey in magic. But in any case, if you have any problems, just come to us, and we'll be happy to help. Now for the important part." The smiling old man points to the sensei. "As you know, you will have a homeroom tutor who will be in charge of supervising the classroom and sending the weekly report to your families every Friday. Well, here is your tutor for this year."

Everyone who was in the previous class at school had mixed reactions, some happy that the sensei was chosen to take over the class, some stunned because they didn't know him but were curious to work with him.

...And then there are kids like Nobita, who sighs sadly because it's like he's back in school, with the sensei calling his mother again when he didn't hand in his homework or let him know his grades. But this time, it seemed like he couldn't escape the scolding.

"I'm so glad to be working with you again. We have Level 1 Potions classes after this one, so we'll see you in a bit. Principal Chronos will be your Level 1 Spells teacher. You're in luck; he's a genius with spells."

What the sensei said left the students even more stunned, except for Hajime, who didn't care about the announcements. They were going to receive classes from the most talented wizard in the country, according to many. "Okay, Principal, I'll leave it to them. They're all good kids, although some need a firm hand." The sensei started up the stairs and stopped to point at Nobita.

"Nobi, you better do your best in front of the principal, I'm serious!"

Low laughter, from both those he knew and those who didn't yet know him, except for those closest to him, and again from Hajime, because he wasn't interested. Nobita could only slump under the table for a moment in embarrassment, his face glowing red. And although the sensei, who left the room and closed the door, didn't mean anything by it, it struck a chord with the boy.

The principal claps a few times to quiet the room. "Everyone, attention. Wizards' abilities vary, but they can do anything if they put their minds to it. Don't feel sorry. Remember, everyone has a rhythm; some are fast, and others need to get up to do it, and that's not a bad thing."

Nobita manages to calm down after what the principal said while sitting properly. He seems to be a more compassionate person about abilities, and that makes him sigh a little more relieved.

The Principal summons his white wand and, using it, writes his name on the board. "Welcome to Level 1 Spells. I'll be your teacher for this year, although you already knew that a moment ago from your tutor. With the time we have available and my teaching style is practice over theory, it means the time has come for you to learn how to use your first spell."

Chapter Text

The purple sphere with white stars that Doraemon had thrown earlier was hovering around the room, focusing his attention primarily. The blue robot was sitting in the break room, looking at a small computer with a magic seal behind it displaying Nobita's image.

"It's amazing your Spy Satellites are still working. For someone who ended up being adopted into a secondhand robot program, your gadgets are in pretty good shape" Hanz joked, also looking at the image with curiosity.

"It's because I take care of my gadgets" Doraemon says, pouting offended. "Since I've finished my homework, I'll see how Nobita is doing. It seems like what happened just started school. The disappearance of mana from the young man's body worries me; I just hope it's just temporary. But anyway, it will be the first time Nobita uses magic. I hope it turns out well."

"Get excited. You'll learn the first spell every wizard learns when they begin this path in life. So take notes." The chalk begins to move, drawing and writing on the blackboard while the students open their notebooks and begin taking notes with their inked quill pens.

"Today, you'll open the spell repertoire with the most basic of spells: Levition. And as its name suggests, with this spell, a wizard can levitate in the air and move objects with magic."

The principal takes a golf ball from one of his yukata sleeves, placing it on the desk. "Both the spell and the way you use the wand always go hand in hand. Being sure when moving the wand is the key to success, as is focusing on what you're going to do."

"The idea is very simple: use the name of the spell while simultaneously moving your wand, focused on the direction of whatever you want to levitate."

The principal uses his wand and levitates the ball, surprising many children. The principal moves the small ball wherever he wants. "The wand directs the object like a remote control. When you wish to leave the object alone, simply stop thinking about doing so."

The ball returns to the desk. "Or leave it on a surface. Be careful, depending on the type of spell, it will consume mana from your body when used. When a wizard runs out of mana, they could become dizzy and even faint, as was the case this morning."

"It's not necessary to name the spell out loud when using it; as long as you think about it as you do it, that's enough. But if you feel comfortable saying it the way we used to, you can. Some people do it at first to get used to using the spell, so it's very useful as practice."

"Keep in mind that if you say or think the spell name wrong, there's a 60% chance it won't work well and a 40% chance it won't work totally. It also depends on how you use the wand. Do it with enthusiasm, with determination; wands don't bite." The principal can't help but chuckle before summoning golf balls to the tables in front of each student. "Okay, time for practice."

Someone raises their hand to ask something. "What is your concern?" The principal looks at a chart that appears out of nowhere, with the seats already set by the students themselves. "Young Goda?"

"When are we going to learn how to throw lightning bolts and flames?! I want to enter magic duels. I'm already strong with my fists, I want to be strong with magic too!" Gian whispers, smiling maliciously so Nobita can hear him. "And I also want to learn it to prove something to those proud, idiots who get so high and mighty by alienating their friends."

Suneo laughs softly as he nods at the robust boy's comment. Shizuka sighs wearily, Dekisugi puts his hand to his face in disapproval, Mitzuki looks at the pair a little uncomfortably, although with her smile that says nothing, it's not very noticeable, and Nobita just tries to act strong in the face of such a comment. Doraemon, via satellite, just makes an irritated face.

Giant had hit Nobita where he was most worried: his fear of loneliness. Only to try to get him under his wing again.

Gian and Suneo's attitude, like Nobita's at that moment, also made the principal raise his eyebrow. It seemed he had understood the three boys' dynamic a bit. So he took a book and jotted something down inside it with a quill pen, still looking like an old man.

"Everything has its time. Spells must be learned carefully to be used accurately and naturally in the future. But now that you mention that, I must emphasize something very important."

The principal puts the book aside, puts his arms behind his back and bows his head, showing a serious expression, although with his slanted eyes it wasn't obvious at first glance. "One of the reasons for the conflict over 600 years ago was the misuse of magic."

"Magic is a gift bestowed upon us. It helps us live and unleash our potential in the world, rather than just for moral superiority. Yes, you're going to learn dueling magic, but you have to know how to use what you learn correctly."

The old man just smiles. "I hope you want to learn how to use those kinds of spells, whether for protection or as a sport. Because the true key to loneliness is intimidation."

The principal's words were calm but forceful, sending a shiver through the pair. Gian just scratches the back of his neck nervously as he nods. Which, for Nobita, was a sense of relief and satisfaction.

"And while we're at it, Young Goda, I think the first shift of the week cleaning after school, along with the young man at your side, would be good for you." Again, the principal looks at the card. "Oh yes, Young Honekawa."

The pair stands up in dismay. "UUUUHHH?!"

"Oh, excellent. If you've stood up, it means you're in agreement. I sincerely appreciate it. I'll let your homeroom teacher know about your offer." The principal nods, smiling.

Everyone who knew the pair who went through so much trouble for them, especially Gian, was inwardly happy. It seemed the Academy wasn't joking about such behavior. The pair only felt a little embarrassed by what happened, agreeing in unison with a "Yes, Professor."

"Okay, time to start practicing. Use the Levition spell to levitate the golf balls. They're light, so they're good to start with. When you have a little more experience, you'll be able to levitate larger and heavier things depending on your own strength. Of course, you can improve it to avoid wasting so much mana, but that's just a matter of gymnastics."

"Also, be careful with your mana usage. This spell uses the least, but using it multiple times is like using a heavy spell. So, you can start practicing."

Excited, the children immediately got to work. As expected, Dekisugi mastered the spell on the first try, levitating the ball without any problems, even making it do small pirouettes in the air. And that wasn't the whole surprise.

Hajime also did the same without any problem, making the ball move faster. Dekisugi noticed Hajime looking at him seriously, which left him a little stunned.

"You're not doing too badly, Young Dekisugi, and so is Young Ishikawa. I think there will be interesting things to come from you two. The rest of you are also giving it your all, and that's the purpose of my class."

Nobita just stared at the golf ball on the table while holding his wand in his hand, his body trembling slightly; he hadn't been able to do anything yet. Everyone had successfully levitated their balls, and it wasn't long before the next class.

"What's wrong, Nobita? Why don't you try it?" Shizuka asked curiously.

"It's just... What if I make a mistake?" Nobita exhales discouragedly.

"It's most likely" Suneo says quietly, letting out a low chuckle so the director wouldn't hear him.

"Come on, Nobita, you can do it. Don't hesitate" Doraemon thinks, crossing his arms while looking at the screen.

"Young Nobi" the silly boy reacts upon hearing the principal's voice, who noticed his insecurity. "You must practice like the others."

"It's just... I'm sure I'll make mistakes. I always make mistakes and mess things up. I'm sure I'll ruin it with magic too." The clumsy boy just looks down, pessimistic once again taking hold of him.

"Nobi, you can do it. Just take a deep breath, use the spell as you move the wand" Dekisugi says, encouraging his friend.

The clumsy boy exhales, looking at his wand, but he had to get it done. His practice was his grade, so he had no choice. So, raising his arm and closing his eyes, he thinks of the word and points the wand at the ball.

At first, nothing happened, but little by little, the ball was enveloped in a slight white glow, which meant it was working. The ball slowly began to levitate off the table's surface. "C-could I...?"

Without realizing it, the same blue static energy that appeared in the incident in the Hall of Destiny, reappeared, surrounding the silly boy wand for a millisecond, reaching the ball, which begins to react, shooting into the air as if it had come out of a ball-throwing machine, beginning to bounce around the room at high speed.

"Uhhh, trouble, not bad, kikiki," the goth girl says with a goofy smile as she watches the ball bounce all over the place. Some hide under the table, while Hajime just moves his head to the side where the ball was going to pass as a reflex.

Nobita gets up, scared and nervous about what happened. He wanted to stop the enchanted ball immediately before the situation worsens. "Oh, no, no! Now how do I stop it?! It doesn't obey me! Levition, levition, levition!" But no matter how hard he tried, the ball wouldn't obey, which frustrated him even more, and he started to cry desperately. "Please, listen to me! Levition!"

"Nobi, calm down, you'll only drain your mana that way!" Dekisugi says, trying to get him to react.

The ball bounces straight toward the boy's face, until it's stopped by the principal's wand just inches from his face, causing the others to jump out of their hiding places, exhaling in relief. The ball bounces back in the air, straight into the principal's hand.

Nobita notices that most of the kids are looking at him a little irritated and disapproving, so he bows several times "S-sorry, sorry, sorry! I was doing fine, and then the ball went crazy, I swear!"

"As always, Nobita always makes an excuse for his clumsiness" Gian says, rolling his eyes.

"I knew that was going to happen. After all, this is Nobita we're talking about. This outcome was more than obvious" Suneo smiles mockingly.

The pair's comments and the eyes of his companions boring into him lowered the silly's self-esteem a little, and he just sat with his head bowed. "I-I swear it's true..."

"Of course it's true, I saw it was working well!" Shizuka says, facing Gian and Suneo. "We don't know what happened, but we all have setbacks. At least he tried. Not everyone can cast a spell correctly on the first try!"

"And that's true, Miss Minamoto." Everyone turned their attention to the principal. "Situations like these are what some wizards go through during their apprenticeship. As I said, everyone has their own pace; the important thing is to keep trying. We all have the ability to perform magic. So don't get discouraged, Young Nobi."

The announcement of the class change resounded throughout the Academy. As it was time for Potions, the students had to go to one of the Potions classrooms downstairs. "Okay, class, that's all for today. I know for obvious reasons we couldn't do much, but you've done a good job on your first day. This week you'll learn three spells.

"Practice at home. There will be a test at the end of the week to evaluate your progress. Use magic books from the library to reinforce if you wish. By the way, I'll also be your Charms and Curses teacher, so we'll see each other twice as often." The principal just chuckles softly to lighten the mood a little.

"I'll keep your balls as a grade. Tomorrow I'll teach you how to use Electrum, the lightning spell. See you tomorrow."

Gian smiles excitedly because it was one of the spells he was looking forward to performing for many reasons, especially focusing his attention on Nobita, who only gets nervous even though he's still a little downcast about the failed spell. So, taking only their notebooks and quills, the students begin to leave the classroom.

The silly boy sighs, somewhat discouraged by his first stumble, grabbing his things, standing up, and leaving the line. Shizuka and Dekisugi wait for him to immediately leave the classroom. "Come on, Nobita, you'll do better in Potions, I'm sure of it" Shizuka says enthusiastically as they walk down the hallway.

"Not all great wizards get off to a good start on their first day, Nobi. Just avoid what Goda and Honekawa say. They're just trying to lower your self-esteem because you're changing the way you deal with them." Dekisugi puts his hand on Nobita's shoulder.

"He's right. I know when there are negative emotions in the air. I can already smell them." Mitzuki appears between the three boys, startling them, just like her trademark entrance.

"H-hi, Mitzuki" Shizuka tries to calm herself down at the goth girl's curious entrance.

"Thanks for meeting us, Ishikawa" Dekisugi sighs deeply to calm himself.

"Thanks, guys. I think that's true. I should try, even though it might backfire. I don't want to prove Gian and Suneo right." Nobita smiles gratefully, but still a little sad about last class.

"That's the attitude," Shizuka smiles at the boy's newfound spirits, although she remains somewhat doubtful about what the goth girl said. "You say you can smell negative emotions, Mitzuki? Is that possible?"

Mitzuki nods. "Ever since my initiation rite yesterday, I've been able to smell negative emotions very clearly because they smell like different types of incense."

"It must be because your Mystic Ability must have awakened at that moment. That's what happens during initiation rites too. Your ability probably allows you to detect moods through smell" Dekisugi says. "Mine was also unlocked there, allowing me to read and understand languages other than ancient writings and runes. Accessing this ability will be very useful for reading books and scrolls, which I've always wanted to read."

"Wow. I still don't know what I can do." Shizuka was impressed by the pair.

"Some people awaken it immediately or later; you'll realize it when you feel it. In my case, it's the smell of emotions. For example, Nobita's scent during spellcasting class was strongly minty, which indicates a low mood, and mint incense is good for counteracting it."

Nobita is startled by Mitzuki's discovery, but it wasn't news that he was right; it was only the first day and he'd already messed up, and that was only making him revert to his more insecure self from when he was in school.

"You know a lot about incense, Mitzuki." The goth girl just shrugs, smiling with her eyes closed. "Has your ability awakened yet, Nobita?"

The silly boy reacts to having been rambling about his self-esteem in his head. He couldn't hear the whole conversation, but he did hear that last bit. He shakes his head. "Honestly, no, or rather... I don't know. I still don't feel any different."

Nobita just looks away, discouraged. "Both ways."

Doraemon watches as his friend heads off to his next class with a more negative attitude, which makes him sigh. "This is sad, and with the good mood he was having, I just hope he does better with Potions."

"Although... I was a little confused. When he did it the first time, he didn't do that badly. And if a spell goes wrong, it either doesn't work or does something else."

"But so much so that it makes an object bounce like crazy?"

In the classroom, Principal Chronos collects the balls in a box before heading off to teach in another room, writing the students' names on each ball so they don't get confused. When he finishes and goes to get Nobita's ball, which he had placed on his desk, he feels a tingling sensation in his hands, and there's a small hole in it, as if it had burst.

"Hmm..." Using a detection spell with his wand, he sees a bright blue glow surrounding the ball, which makes him jump. "Wow, this is..." The principal is surprised, scratching his chin. "Is that kid a...?"

"I'll grade his work first and set this ball aside for a separate investigation. I'll have to pay a visit after my class..."

"And if the theory I just came up with is true, it may have a lot to do with what happened to that kid yesterday in the Hall of Destiny."

Chapter Text

Upon descending to the main floor and reaching a double door, you can see a large stone brick room. There were a few tables and a couple of chairs for each one. A large table stood in front of the smaller ones with a cauldron, and behind it was a blackboard. There was the sensei, who had everything ready for class. The students approached the teacher's table.

"Good morning, students. Welcome to Potions Level 1. I'll be your teacher for this year. Many of you already know how I like to work. But I must also let you know that I will also be your teacher for History of Magic, Arithmetic Level 1, and Runes. I know you've already seen the first one at school, but only the basic version for aspiring wizards. You're already beginner wizards, so you'll see a more detailed version."

"Uhhh... Are we going to have to see sensei a LOT? I feel the school atmosphere coming over me again, and I don't like it." Nobita just pulls a long face. It really seemed like his situation would be the same at the Academy as it was at school, but with the difference that Gian and Suneo can't bother him, at least not within the Academy building.

"Wow, he gets more pessimistic with each class. He's really getting back to his old self from when we first met" says Doraemon, eating a dorayaki while watching him with the spy camera.

"Your kid really has the self-esteem of Tom Thumb. I can see why you're here." Hanz just chuckles.

"Potions are very useful tools that serve us in our daily lives, especially in situations of great need. They're a favorite for magic duels as well as for tasks that require strength or energy. Before we begin, I'm going to assign you all to tables where you'll have to work as a team. Each week, I'll randomly assign you to different teams. This way, there'll be more dynamic between you; the social aspect is also important for wizards."

In a moment, all the students were two at each table, with small cauldrons, flasks, and a large, long spoon to stir the contents. The pairs were assigned: Gian with Yasuo, Suneo with Haru, Hajime with Mitzuki, Dekisugi with Tachibana, Nobita with Shizuka, and the rest with their assigned partners.

"Looks like we're potions partners this week. Let's give it our all. Okay?"

With Shizuka's smile and optimism, Nobita regains his spirits, and with his cheeks blushing slightly, he nods with a smile. "Sure, I'll do my best not to screw it up this time!"

"We better do well. Although I can't do anything at the Academy, I can do it outside of it, especially if we're from the same faction." Gian glares at Yasuo, who nods quickly and nervously. Nobita can't help but look back, as their table was two tables away.

"Yeah, you better not make me look bad in front of the teacher, like someone from Urutogon, I don't want someone from Betakoi to screw it up." Suneo brushes his hair back, smug as always.

"O-okay, you don't have to keep saying that." Haru, feeling scolded, just scratches the back of his neck.

For a moment, the silly boy saw himself in their shoes if they were Gian and Suneo's classmates. This made him feel sorry for Yasuo and Haru. They were among the few willing to go against the M.C.G to protect them, and seeing them in a situation like this made him sad and nostalgic.

Sadness, obviously, to see how they were the ones being mistreated this time. Of course, the pair didn't mind them as much as he did, but they still couldn't seem to stand up so Gian and Suneo wouldn't bother them so much.

As for nostalgia, it wasn't exactly a good kind, but one where he remembered his days at school. Since the sensei was more focused on teaching, unlike the principal, he didn't take care of behavior like what happened a little while ago in spells class, which for Gian and Suneo was a momentary breath without so much pressure.

Nobita remembered those moments where Gian hit him and took his things, where Suneo bothered him by bragging about his resources and purposely leaving him aside to see his reaction.

He remembered how the pair would force him to play baseball when he didn't want to, sometimes on purpose when he was meeting Shizuka for a special occasion. At school, they made him take a shift cleaning, even carrying school bags to their parents' houses.

And if he said anything or complained, it was Gian who was most responsible for bringing him back down to earth. And Suneo, on the other hand, made him doubt whether Nobita was going against them with phrases like

"Do you really want to lose your friends if you try to refute something?"

"Does our friendship and attention mean nothing to you?"

"You're so selfish."

"Do you want even Shizuka to see you as someone like that?"

Low self-esteem during school, or even before, made him stay in that state of mind of...

[If I don't screw up, I won't be alone]

Of course, his insecurities and fear of loneliness were also partly related to the trauma with the Entigo; he was alone that night before being rescued by Principal Chronos. This fueled his belief that he shouldn't intervene against those who wanted to overrule him.

That's why, no matter how hard Shizuka and Dekisugi tried to get him out of that hole, they couldn't. It even became a little frustrating for the pair, just seeing their friend prefer to stay in that pessimistic hole.

Perhaps that also influenced his relationship with his friends in the first line of the future marked in the blessed album? Possibly.

That also affected Nobita, who doubted his own abilities as a wizard. He was like any child who was excited to learn how to use magic, but as time went on, and with that negative attitude influencing him, he lost interest because he thought so poorly of himself that he preferred to stop trying because he (anticipated) a bad outcome in his mind.

Until Doraemon arrived and his self-esteem began to rise again, making decisions that would get him to where he was now.

For that very reason, he was so determined to stand strong against those who wanted to trample him, or at least try. But the path wouldn't be easy, it never would be, but the first step is the most important, and Nobita took that step thanks to the fact that he had Doraemon and he had formed a bond after only three days together.

The sensei explained the importance of making potions, theoretical things, since his style suited it more, writing on the blackboard countless letters about potion concepts, materials, and even the precise bottles for spells. The students only wrote down in their notebooks what they could understand.

It wasn't a mystery to his classmates that Nobita felt affection for the classmate at his side, of course, at least not to those who went to school with him. The bespectacled boy was determined to change his future, escaping any ties to the Goda family.

While writing, Nobita wondered why he would end up with Jaiko in the future. Maybe it was because of Gian's influence? It wasn't that he had anything against her; in fact, his relationship with Jaiko was currently somewhat neutral. But still, Nobita wanted to change that.

"Okay, students, now that I've explained the basics of potions, let's create our first potion: The Health Potion. This is the best place to start since its ingredients are the most accessible. There are also ways to improve potions to enhance their effects, but they require slight changes to the recipes. But today we'll be making the standard potion."

"The list of ingredients is written on the board. Remember it's important to place them in the specific order according to the recipe. Water always goes first. Don't add less or more of a specific ingredient, or the potion could become something else when you mix everything together."

"I'll take care of mixing. You can start adding the ingredients. Everything's already measured, so everything will turn out fine." Nobita nods at what Shizuka says. With the confidence she gave him, he gained courage and, concentrating, began to place each ingredient inside the cauldron of water in the specific order.

Dekisugi turns around for a moment, noticing Nobita's concentration on doing it right. He knew he was capable of doing it if he tried hard, especially if Shizuka was around. He nods happily to see how his friend has regained the appearance he had before classes began.

"There, that's it!" Nobita wipes the sweat from his forehead, sighing in relief. "And the color is lime green, like the recipe says. It means everything's going well. What a relief."

"See? You did well." The girl with pigtails nods, smiling. The clumsy boy can't help but show a little blush on his cheeks. Maybe, just maybe, if he showed more of the optimism he had at that moment, he might even make progress toward her, since that optimism made him more capable.

"Remember that the instructions specify both the mixing motion and the time. Excessive mixing or not using the precise motions would also cause the recipe to change. Once you're done, place the potion in the jars."

Shizuka looks for the long spoon to start mixing. "I think I forgot the spoon when we went to get the ingredients from the hangers."

"I'll get it for you!" Nobita walks quickly toward the hangers with a smile on his face, making the awkward moment with the ball a thing of the past. His spirits were high.

Even Doraemon noticed when he spied on him. "Wow, he really likes Shizuka a lot. She has a very lively smile. I was worried about what happened to him in the first class, but I see he's cheering up again. That's a good thing." The robot sighs in relief.

"Here it is!" Excited, the silly boy reaches for the long spoon.

But unnoticed, the same bright blue static appeared as the boy took the spoon and entered the object.

Running and almost falling from tripping on the table, but smiling, Nobita hands the spoon to Shizuka. "Here."

"Thank you, Nobita. I'll finish this." Shizuka nods in thanks. She wipes the spoon a bit to avoid residue, as recommended by the sensei, and immediately places it inside the cauldron to begin mixing the ingredients in a specific counterclockwise manner according to the recipe.

They both start to get excited when the contents begin to glow, just as the recipe showed. The girl with pigtails removes the spoon at just the right moment, leaving it on the table to let it react. Everyone had finished their potions and were beginning to place them in the flasks.

The sensei walks with his arms behind his back toward the tables to check the results. "Very well, Dekisugi. I expected nothing less from you. You've made an excellent, high-quality potion." Tachibana is moved by what the teacher told them, while Dekisugi nods gratefully.

Upon reaching the Ishikawa table, he is surprised because they had a similar result. "Wow, I knew the Ishikawa brothers were among the best students and the school champions of magic duels. But I see that their children are also following in their footsteps. There really are prodigies in this room, that makes me very happy." Says the sensei, impressed, looking at the cauldron.

Hajime just looked away with the same attitude as always, and Mitzuki only let out a few of his "kikiki" words as a form of thanks. The rest of the students realized there wasn't one, but three outstanding students, with Dekisugi and Hajime leading the way, and Mitzuki following them.

Although once again, Dekisugi couldn't help but feel a little nervous because Hajime looked at him again in a (competitive) way.

Afterwards, he continued with the other students, including Gian and Suneo, who did it normally, which the dwarf didn't like at all, since he also wanted the same level of praise given to Dekisugi and Hajime because he thought he deserved it just as much as them. Haru was scolded for him, who was just playing with his fingers, nervous about Suneo's attitude.

The sensei looks at Nobita and Shizuka's cauldron. "Well, Minamoto and Nobi, it seems to be fine."

The pair seemed satisfied with the good work... Until suddenly, the same blue static appeared on the surface of the cauldron, apparently due to the spoon being used in the potion.

Gian sneezes, a snot running out of his nose. "Hey, aren't we in a warm climate?"

The room suddenly began to drop in temperature. The sensei looked at the cauldron, whose liquid had turned light blue. The cold was coming from there. Adjusting his glasses, he was startled, so he took out a spherical flask and poured a little liquid into it.

Moving to a corner of the room, he throws the flask, and the liquid instantly freezes, leaving everyone speechless, especially Shizuka and Nobita.

"Oh, that's bad luck. I'm afraid your health potion turned into an ice throwing potion. That's why the room is so cold."

The pair sigh sadly because the potion went wrong anyway. "I'm afraid you'll have to repeat the process if you don't want to lose your grade."

"But I don't understand. We did everything right, we put the ingredients in order and stirred the mixture in the right amount of time!" Nobita starts to despair. "Could I have made a mistake and taken another ingredient, or added more, or was there not enough?!"

The silly boy clutches his head, returning to the panic he felt a moment ago, especially since Shizuka was now also in trouble.

"Heh, it seems Nobita always puts his foot in it, and it even affects those around him. It's a good thing I didn't get picked as his teammate" Suneo sneers again.

Gian smirks. "At least I did it the first time, Nobita, you really just cause trouble."

"Actually, I did most of the work" Yasuo says quietly, but Gian looks at him angrily, so he smiles nervously. "I mean! Yeah, it was you."

"That's not true, don't say things like that!" Shizuka glares angrily at the pair, who just shrug. "Come on, Nobita, don't pay attention to them. Let's repeat the potion before class ends so we don't lose a grade, okay?"

Although Shizuka looks at her friend with compassion and tries to cheer him up, Nobita is already discouraged again by what happened, especially with Gian and Suneo's words echoing in his head.

Doraemon is confused by the situation. "I don't understand. I saw that they did everything exactly as the instructions said. Why did it go wrong? This is going to demotivate him again. Besides, that pair doesn't help at all." The blue cat makes a judgmental face at Gian and Suneo, who were smiling mockingly at Nobita.

Potions class ended. Almost all the students had left. Since it was free time, they took advantage of the opportunity to explore the Academy or return home for a while, even after break time.

The sensei looked at the contents of the cauldron and the pair of flasks containing the new potion and nodded with satisfaction. "Good, this is the correct one, good work. Just put the rest of the ice-throwing potion in the corresponding flasks so it doesn't go to waste, and then you can go."

While the teacher sat down to organize everything, taking the flasks with him. Shizuka and Nobita began to store the old potion in the flasks.

Shizuka looked at Nobita and tried to cheer him up again. "This time we did well. Don't you think so? We could do it."

"I know... But the grade will be a little lower than we were supposed to get. It's my fault this failed. After all, I mess up everything I touch, and now I've involved you in this. Maybe Gian and Suneo are right, I'm just causing trouble" Nobita said reluctantly.

Shizuka was about to say something to him, but she just sighed and looked away with her eyes closed. Something Nobita noticed. "You know something? I don't care about the grade. Can you just stop looking down on yourself? We're friends, but if you keep going like this, you won't be able to advance as a wizard and you'll be left behind. Don't you want that? Then STOP looking down on yourself and improve THAT attitude. I don't know what to say to you anymore, because it seems you keep letting yourself be influenced by the bad things people say to you. And that's a little tiring."

The somewhat sharp and irritated way she said that made Nobita pause a bit. Even Dekisugi, who was waiting for them by the door because the teacher said he shouldn't help them with that, heard what she said and sighed tiredly.

They both finished putting away the potion and left the bottles on the shelf without saying anything. Nobita picked up his notebook and quill, noticing how Shizuka kept looking away. "I... I'm sorry, I'll tell sensei to switch you with another partner for tomorrow."

"Uh? What are you saying? I don't want..." Nobita just walks quickly away, leaving her in the classroom. She runs out and runs into Dekisugi. "Nobita!"

The girl with pigtails just sighs. "I think I said something without thinking."

"No, I think that might help Nobi react a little. If he keeps getting discouraged by everything that goes wrong, it could hurt his future. Although yes, maybe the way you said it was a bit tactless." Dekisugi crosses his arms.

"I'll go talk to him. I think he'll go to the back garden if I remember correctly." Although Shizuka wanted to go, Dekisugi stops her.

"I think it's best to let Nobi reflect a little for now. It'll help him to be in one of his favorite environments."

Chapter Text

"I have a surprise for you, little one, let's go out."

More than five years ago, a kind old woman was sitting with little Nobita in the garden. It was already nighttime, and there were lots of sparkles in the sky. The little boy looked up at the sparkling night sky in surprise.

"Grandma, there are stars, there are lots of stars!" the little boy said excitedly, but was confused. "But... The sky is cloudy. How come there are stars?"

The old woman in traditional clothing bearing the Omekkusu seal was Nobita's grandmother, who smilingly took out her reed stick. "Was that you? You're amazing, grandma!"

"It's nothing, it's just the starburst spell I placed on this part of the night sky so it would look like real stars. I know you wanted to see them today and were discouraged by the clouds, so I made this for you, my little Nobita."

The old woman conjures a small starburst so it flies and ends up floating in the little boy's hands, who is amazed. The teddy bear was also next to the little boy. "See? They twinkle in the night."

"Grandma, when I become a wizard, the first thing I'll learn is the twinkling star spell like you do. And when I know how to do it, I'll invite you to a night of stars I've created, I promise!" says the little boy excitedly, to which the grandmother just laughs softly, stroking her grandson's head.

"I know you'll do it, and I'll be watching from the front row. Just don't let that spark of excitement go out, my little Nobita. You're just as capable as everyone else. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Cheer up, and everything will be fine."

Grandma coughs a little, and the little boy worries a little. Nobisuke opens the sliding glass door that connects the garden to the house. "Mom, you shouldn't be outside. Remember what the doctor told you. You must take better care of yourself now."

"I know, son." Grandma sighs wearily, standing up with Nobita. Tamako is at her husband's side.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to be a wizard and learn the star spell, so I can put on a star show for Grandma!"

The couple is startled by their son's innocent motivation, then shows a sad look. "Yes, son, I know you will" Tamako says, smiling slightly. The adults knew what was going to happen, but they had to pretend in front of a small child.

"I won't miss it for anything in the world. That night I'll be the happiest grandma in the world." The grandmother laughs softly, although inside she knows her time with her family may be coming to an end.

"My little Nobita. I want you to promise me that no matter what happens, you'll always get up, even with the difficulties that may arise in your life. Cherish those that life will put in your path and those who love you, because that's how you'll keep going even when you see the darkness around you. Okay?"

Although Nobita doesn't quite understand what she means by that, he nods, smiling "Of course, Grandma!"

"You're a good boy, and you'll also be a good magician, my little one."

The back garden is one of the Academy's green areas, filled with all sorts of well-tended flowers and bushes shaped like animals representing the different factions, along with a large fountain with patches of grass and benches. It was the most peaceful place in the Academy.

Nobita sat on one of the benches near some leaf walls while some leaf birds sat on his shoulders and sang, making the boy smile a little, taking one of the birds in his hand and scratching its head.

"It's like stroking a leaf." The boy chuckled softly and sighed. "Shizuka's right, I'm letting myself get carried away by what they say again. I don't blame her if she got mad at me; she was just worried, but me... I still refuse to let go of that side of me. No buts. I can't let pessimism control me... I think I'd even end up boring those who believe in me."

The boy sighs "And I think that's what's going to happen to me in the future of that album. I'm starting to understand it now. But... It's hard. How can I be positive if everything is going wrong?"

"Maybe if you think a lot about support when it's necessary, you could get over the frustrations."

Kaori, who was holding a couple of containers, stood in front of Nobita, who was surprised to see her. "Hi Nobita, you did come to the garden, how nice."

"Hi Kaori." He scratches the back of his neck, smiling nervously as the leaf birds fly away. "Sorry, with everything that's happened, I had forgotten we were going to meet here during our free time to discuss Hajime."

"Don't worry, I can tell you've had a bad day from that expression." The black-haired girl with the earrings sits next to him. "Do you want to have lunch right now? This place is nice, and the food helps calm the mind. I made a couple of bentos."

"Did you bring your own lunch?" Nobita asks, surprised.

"Yeah, I made my own lunch just to come here today. I really like places like this. I ran into Hajime, I prepared a lunch for him but he refused it. So, why don't we eat together while we talk about our day?"

Nobita looks at his friend for a moment, smiling as she offered him lunch, so he grabs a container. "Okay, thanks, Kaori."

Opening the lid of the bento, the silly boy is perplexed by how good the food looks, with pieces of fried chicken like croquettes and rice shaped like a sleeping white rabbit's head, among other things. "Wow, that looks delicious! I love chicken croquettes!"

"I also brought some tea" Kaori says, showing a small thermos with a couple of glasses.

Taking the chopsticks, the boy thanks for the food, and as he picks up a croquette with the chopsticks and brings it to his mouth, his eyes light up. "Wow, this is delicious!"

The principal passes by the potions room and sees that the sensei is already on his way to his class. "Just your third class?"

"Yes" the sensei adjusts his glasses. "I was just arranging some things and defrosting something. A couple of my students mistakenly made an ice-blasting potion instead of a health potion, although I could see this outcome coming with Nobi involved."

Hearing that made Principal Chronos raise his eyebrow curiously. "Oh. In that case, could you please show me the table where Young Nobi worked?"

The sensei is confused by the request, which the principal notes, "It's just that... I also had a problem with Young Nobi when he cast a spell, so I'd like to see where he worked."

"I see..." The sensei raises his hand to his face, sighing. "I saw this coming from him. No matter how hard I tell him to try, he fails too much. At school, he often didn't hand in his homework or fell asleep in class. It was only because he was alert that he was able to finish it and get here. But anyway, I'll show you."

Upon entering, Principal Chronos carefully examines the cauldron, as well as the spoon, both with a small crack that hadn't been noticed until now. "Nobi worked here with Minamoto. The potion was fine, and it turned into another one. They repeated it, but that one turned out well."

The sensei notices how the principal used the wand to examine both objects and put on a serious face. "The coincidences continue, and my theory is gaining strength" thinks the old man, who immediately looks at the sensei. "I'll take these objects to analyze Young Nobi's performance, if you allow me."

"Oh, no, no, no. Go ahead, with pleasure, Principal. I don't know why you focused your attention on Nobi, but if it's to help students like him in their performance as a wizard, I'll collaborate."

The old man placed the spoon into the cauldron and grabbed it with a smile. "Thank you very much."

Doraemon returned to the break room with another plate of dorayakis. He had left just as Nobita went to the garden. "I went to get more dorayakis. What happened to Nobita?"

"I don't know, I didn't see" Hanz said, drinking wine and playing solitaire at a table.

"BUT I TOLD YOU TO WATCH HIM WHILE I WENT FOR MORE SNACKS!" Doraemon said, annoyed.

Hanz just shrugged. "It's your child, not mine. Besides, I'm too busy to keep an eye on things, administrator stuff."

"But you're playing cards and drinking wine!" Doraemon growls.

"And yeah, administrator stuff, procrastination helps the mind" Hanz chuckles.

Doraemon just sighs tiredly, sitting down to continue watching. "Wow, if it's the girl from yesterday, it seems they had lunch together. From what I understand, she's one of Nobita's roommate's cousins." The robot cat's mind flashes to Kaori, Hajime, and Mitzuki. "Their personalities are very different, like morning, afternoon, and night."

"...And that's what happened." Nobita becomes a little depressed. "I'm very afraid now that Shizuka is upset with me. And with good reason. I'm pathetic."

They had both finished eating. Although that made him feel a little better, he still felt bad about what happened a moment ago. Kaori listened attentively. "I don't think she's upset. I just think she meant to tell you the same thing she told you, but in a different tone."

"But... I feel like I upset her by letting myself get carried away by pessimism. I wish I could fix it." The boy sighs sadly.

"I say yes. I think the way she said it has woken you up a bit. Look, we've only known each other yesterday, but I think you're a good person, you just get carried away by the bad things. And it's something you should let go of little by little. It's possible she's gotten frustrated because she really cares about you and hates you being in that pessimistic mood."

Nobita is startled to hear that. "Really?"

Kaori nods. "Maybe the words were a little harsh, but they were laced with concern if what you told me is what she meant. You're just starting out in this, there's still a whole year to come; everything starts from the bottom. In fact, my dad, the youngest of the Ishikawa triplets, started the same way, with rough patches, but look now, he's doing very well."

It was true; the school year had only just begun. If he put his mind to it, Nobita could be a good wizard, not one on the level of Dekisugi or Hajime, but good enough to have a better future, which was what he wanted. With that conversation, he understood a little why Shizuka had said that to him, and although it hurt a little, it was clear from their interactions that she cared about him.

"I've been focusing so much on the bad that could happen because of the fear of messing up, that I haven't realized it also affects those who care about me. I'm not a very good student; I'm clumsy, a crybaby, and bad at sports, but I think I should try to improve my self-esteem. Maybe if I do, I could improve in the rest."

Nobita looks up at the sky. "I like magic, but I've let my fear of failing keep me from enjoying it. I'm even starting to remember that promise I made to my grandma who passed away."

"She's always been in a good mood even though she knew she would leave, just so I wouldn't worry and have a good memory of her."

"No matter what happens, you'll always get back up, even with the difficulties that arise in your life. Appreciate those that life puts in your path and who love you, because that's how you'll keep going even when you see the darkness around you."

Kaori smiles. "It's a nice promise with a good message. Will you get up then?"

Nobita nods. "Yeah. well, not literally yet, but in the other sense. Although I think I have another reason to get up, I told Doraemon, who's helping me do well at this Academy, that I'm going to do my best and not give up. I want to have a good future. Let's just say I want it for myself and because I owe it to him for understanding me."

Doraemon, who was watching the scene, couldn't help but feel emotional upon hearing that from his best friend. Apparently, he had become another reason to keep going.

"I'm going to talk to Shizuka after lunch. I don't like being like this with her. Thanks for keeping me company, Kaori." The clumsy boy smiles gratefully. "And thanks for inviting me to lunch, too. You cook wonderfully"

"That's good. And thanks for the compliment. At least lunch didn't go to waste. I'm glad you liked it. I wanted to eat here today because of the nice weather, but tomorrow I'll eat in the cafeteria." Kaori laughs softly.

Nobita was truly grateful to Kaori for cheering him up a bit and making him rethink his behavior in past classes. That made him think about what would have happened if he decided to pass by and not defend her from Fuyuto. He probably wouldn't have had the friendship they have now.

"From what I saw, you still haven't returned Hajime's pendant" the girl with the earrings says.

Nobita shakes his head, somewhat nervous. "With all this that's happened to me, I haven't had the chance, but I'll return it to him before Arithmetic. And since we're talking about him, what's up with him and M.C.G?"

Kaori makes a sad face. "Honestly, it's a simple explanation, but it's hard to understand since we're partly talking about one of my aunts."

"You see, the reason Hajime hates the M.C.G is because... His mother is a Renegade."

Chapter Text

"Is Hajime's mom a renegade?" Nobita says in surprise. Although he suspected something like that was involved from the questions the antisocial boy asked him, it still seems shocking to him.

Kaori snorts. "When my uncle Ishikawa Daisuke was younger, he once traveled to one of the dark forests with my father, Ishikawa Satoru, and my other uncle and Mitzuki's father, Ishikawa Toya. They specifically went to the largest one in the region, which is on the other side of Ebagurin and has an antithesis city nearby called Burakku."

"On the trip, he met my aunt Haruka. At the time, they had permission from the M.C.G to go to the dark forests, and they still do. Since they are researchers who contribute a lot to the country, Dad is a biologist of magical creatures, my uncle Daisuke is an astronomer, and my uncle Toya is an archaeologist expert in runes, they have their own research team together, a business they run together to this day."

"But that special permission doesn't allow them to go to the Antithesis Cities or have contact with renegades because of our rules. During that meeting between my uncle Daisuke and my aunt Haruka, what happened happened: they fell in love at first sight and used to meet in secret."

"Are you talking about clandestine meetings? I've heard that there are wizards and renegades who arrange a meeting at a hidden spot, out of the sight of the M.C.G" the silly boy asks curiously.

"Yes" says the girl with the earrings. "Let's say Hajime's parents are the ones who would be the concept of forbidden love."

"Even my dad and my other uncle knew it but weren't against it since the renegades are like us but with a different power. There are good and bad, that doesn't change in societies. Hajime's parents secretly married, although after that the M.C.G found out and even fined them community service."

"That's not fair. If they love each other, they should let them be together! Honestly, that's what I don't like about the M.C.G." Nobita pouts angrily.

"I know, the M.C.G were practically born out of fear of another war happening again. And it's sad that family and friends have to be separated because of things like that." The girl with the earrings shows a sad smile.

"With what my uncles did, the M.C.G decided to hire more spies to warn about clandestine meetings between wizards and renegades. Although that didn't stop my uncles from continuing to meet secretly, they would just be more cautious in their encounters so as not to arouse suspicion."

"Years passed, and my uncle found out by phone that my aunt was expecting his baby. Although it filled them with joy, it also filled them with uncertainty. They didn't know if the baby would be a renegade or a wizard. But with either, the result would be the same: the baby wouldn't be able to be with its mother or its father."

"And as you can see, the result was Hajime, a wizard. And just as expected, the M.C.G took him from Aunt Haruka's arms and gave him to my uncle. The years passed, and although Hajime and his mother could see each other through crystal spheres, little by little, communication between them diminished."

"Hajime became withdrawn, especially because in his early years of school, he was teased about the forbidden love affair, which caused the M.C.G to increase their surveillance. That's why he decided to eliminate any desire for friendship with anyone by focusing on his studies and standing out from other wizards, whom he sees as competition. He believes that many wizards agree with the M.C.G. I think that's why he doesn't like seeing one wizard mistreat another out of superiority."

Nobita couldn't help but feel bad for Hajime, and with that last bit, he remembered those two occasions where the black-haired boy saved him, first with Fuyuto and then with Gian. It seemed that the boy hated seeing things that reminded him of his early years of school and intervened in a way that showed no interest at first glance, since he didn't want to be friends with anyone.

That would also explain why he set his sights on Dekisugi in a competitive mode, seeking out the most capable wizards so he could demonstrate his own abilities and improve himself.

"And that's why he wants to be strong? So his parents can be together? Why did his mother gradually lose contact with them? I know they can't be in the same place, but the M.C.G let them communicate through crystal spheres, telephones, or letters, right?"

Kaori sighs wearily. "I think that's Hajime's idea to become strong, I don't know. He never told me why exactly, but it's not so far-fetched to think he wants to be a powerful wizard to change the rules of the M.C.G"

"And even more so because my uncle hasn't been able to keep in touch with my aunt in recent years. Communication has dwindled to the point where she hasn't communicated with Hajime or my uncle again, and we only know about her through M.C.G reports."

"And I'm afraid Hajime thinks they forced her to stop contacting him. After all, she and my uncle went against the status quo established by M.C.G because of their past clandestine encounters. Perhaps they're being punished with each other's silence."

"That's why I want Hajime to socialize with others. He's lost affection even toward his own father, as he's somewhat harsh with his own family. Sometimes I think he thinks his mother has stopped loving him because she no longer communicates with them. But I know Aunt Haruka isn't like that. I haven't met her, but I've heard from my uncle that she's a sweet and kind person."

"The pendant..." Kaori nods at what the clumsy boy was about to say.

"Yes, that sunset-colored pendant was the last gift my Aunt Haruka gave him. She gave it to him at the last clandestine meeting two years ago that Hajime's parents arranged so he could see her. She wore it when she was younger, and she gave it to him. After that, communication was only through ordinary means. And then... Nothing."

"Oh." Nobita just stares up at the sky again for a moment. "I knew the M.C.G were strict and cruel to the feelings of others, but this is truly terrible. I wish something could be done."

Kaori also looks up at the sky. "But we're just kids and novice wizards, it's not like we can do anything no matter how much we want to."

"...I know." They both look up for a while. Even Doraemon, who was watching everything with the spy camera, seemed somewhat saddened by Hajime's situation.

The clumsy boy reacts when he hears the sound of the time change. "I think it's break time." He stands up and stretches his arms. "I'll go to the cafeteria. I won't eat, but I know the kids should be there. I want to take the opportunity to talk to Shizuka as soon as possible and return the pendant to Hajime."

"Sounds good. I'll accompany you there then." As soon as Kaori gets up, she notices something walking through the bushes, which leaves her surprised and confused. "How strange. There's a girl with a teddy bear walking through the bushes. Has a relative come?"

As soon as she says (girl with a teddy bear) Nobita immediately turns around and yes. Yuki, the mysterious little girl, was walking by and noticed the pair spotting her. She ran up to the silly boy. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW I WASN'T CRAZY! YUKI'S HERE!"

The boy got excited. Doraemon had told him he'd hallucinated when he saw her the day before at Betakoi, but now he knew it was as real as the moment the little girl flashed him a slight smile. "Wait... Yuki's here? What are you doing here?! You should be in Tokyo with your aunt!"

"YUKI?!" Doraemon jumped, his eyes wide as saucers, in disbelief. "Incredible. So what Nobita said yesterday was true. Yuki was here at the Betakoi House. But how did she get there?"

The robot cat heard the pair's scream and, looking through the screen, saw that the girl was no longer there, and all that was left were star particles. "Where did she go?"

"Where did she go?" Nobita and Kaori look around, until Yuki appears with her bear in the air, landing in the arms of the clumsy boy, who falls to the ground. "Ouch, ouch! Wait... You can teleport without a wand?!"

As she sits down, the girl looks around, then at the boy, pointing "Nobita!"

"Wow, that's the second time I've heard you speak. And yes, that's my name, you do know it." The clumsy boy can't help but laugh and get up with her in his arms; she was lighter than she looked.

Big brother mode couldn't help but come into play.

"I didn't know you had a younger sister." Kaori notices the little girl looking at her and is about to stroke her head, but she turns away, grabbing Nobita's uniform vest with one of her hands. "Uh, I think she's shy."

The boy with glasses shakes his head. "Actually, she's a little girl Doraemon and I found in a department store in Tokyo. She seemed lost, so we took her to a nearby police station. She's supposed to have an aunt."

"She doesn't know her own name, so I decided to call her Yuki until I find out her real name. She likes it. I don't know how, but now I know she can teleport. Little kids aren't supposed to use magic until her ritual. I hope she's not a renegade. I'm afraid the M.C.G might want to take her."

"Well, if the M.C.G haven't reacted as far as we know, that means she's a wizard." The girl with the earrings stares at the pair and snaps her fingers. "I know! I've heard of cases of young children unlocking their mystical ability early. Maybe hers is teleportation."

Abilities developed at an early age? It's something new to Nobita, but it made sense to him how the little girl was there, even though it was miles apart between Ebagurin and Tokyo. Still, he worried that she was far from home and thought that even at such a young age, she wouldn't have any idea how to use it properly, since most wouldn't be able to control themselves.

The anywhere door appears, with Doraemon flinging it open. "Nobita! It seems that what you said about Yuki was true. Hi Kaori, thank you for sharing your lunch with my pal."

"Hello Doraemon, it's nothing, it was a pleasure" Kaori smiles.

"Doraemon! See?! I told you, I saw her yesterday!" The boy is happy to see the blue cat, but then he starts, somewhat confused. "Wait. How did you know what we were doing?"

The robot just scratches his head, embarrassed, pointing at the sphere that was hovering above the pair of kids. "Spy Satellite."

"Were you spying on me? Didn't you think I'd have a good day today?" Nobita reacts somewhat annoyed.

"Naive kid. Why do you think I'm here in the past? It's just for today. Besides. Are you having a good day?"

The silly boy was about to say something, but he couldn't refute anything. Doraemon was right. "Okay, you have 2 points." The blue cat smiles proudly at what his friend told him. "You still have one day ahead of you. Leave Yuki with me. I'll take her to the Betakoi House. Maybe I can contact her familiar with Hanz's help."

"Okay, that way I won't have to worry. I'm afraid she'll get lost with that teleportation thing."

"Yeah, I also believe in that theory of developed abilities." Nobita looks at Yuki, who was pouting and looking behind him. "But come on, you're not her older brother. You don't have to worry anymore. She'll be fine. I'm a nanny robot, after all."

The little girl starts kicking a little because Nobita wanted to put her down. She even started to tear up a little. "Y-Yuki, come on. You know I have to go to the Academy. I still have classes after the break. You can't go with me."

"Wow, she really liked you, but I have to take her to the Betakoi House" Doraemon says, joking a little. Nobita finally manages to get her to get off, and the robot cat takes her by the hand to lead her through the Anywhere Door.

"Nobita!" the little girl says with a somewhat sad look.

"Calm down, calm down, we'll see each other when I get back from class. So try not to teleport and wait for me there, okay?" The silly boy smiles warmly to calm her down a bit. "See you at home, buddy."

"See you, Doraemon and little Yuki" Kaori says goodbye to them both with a smile as well.

"See you, guys. And Nobita. This is just getting started. Try to stay positive, especially for your own happiness. Okay?"

Doraemon smiles to reassure his friend, who gratefully nods with emotion in his eyes. So, taking the girl with him, Doraemon leaves, and the anywhere door disappears, but not before the little girl's eyes shine in the direction of a wall of leaves near the silly boy.

Nobita and Kaori leave the garden to go to the cafeteria. One of the teachers, a tall, tan-colored man about 6'1" and robust with a good build, wearing a tracksuit with the Aruguma logo. He was not only the gym teacher for some classrooms but also the vice principal of the Academy without hair. He was walking with a beautiful woman with short black hair tied in a pair of curlers, wearing an olive-green dress with the Urutogon logo on it, carrying a beautiful light-green parasol. She had beautiful eyes.

"Don't you want to go to lunch after school? I've made a reservation at that nice garden restaurant you like for our anniversary." The robust man laughs, scratching the back of his neck while sticking out his tongue, his cheeks flushed red.

The elegant woman can't help but laugh softly. "Of course, we've been married for five years, but remember, always be professional during work hours, or the administrator will get upset, Vice Principal Taiga."

"Uhhh, I can't help it, you look splendidly beautiful today, Miss Eiko."

The excited vice-principal looked around and wanted to take the opportunity to ask his wife for a kiss, but... "Oh! Look at that!"

The two teachers were stunned to see what was on the ground: a weakened Dementor near the wall of leaves where Nobita and Kaori were a moment ago.

"It's a Dementor. I knew that sometimes dark creatures sneak into the Academy, but that's why we also teach Mystic Defense. Although, for a first-year, it would have been a problem since it's the first day and they don't know how to defend themselves yet." The teacher said, surprised.

The vice-principal scratches his bald head. "Yeah, I think an upperclassman must have taken care of the problem, thank goodness. It means we're training them well!" The tall man couldn't help but laugh out loud with pride. "It looks like it was attacked with a ranged light attack. Anyway, I have to go report this."

Taking out a prismarine-colored wand, the vice-headmaster encloses the Dementor in a sphere, which he takes. Both teachers retreated from the garden as the day continued as normal, although someone else was spying there.

Sheipu, the shapeshifter and part of the Dark Wake, was in her Academy girl form, jotting something down. "That dementor was near where that pair was. It was obvious it wanted to devour that silly-faced boy's emotions. Hmm..." The girl puts her notebook away and quickly retreats from her hiding place. But it was obvious what had happened...

Little Yuki had saved Nobita from a Dementor without anyone noticing except the mysterious girl with the teddy bear.

Who really is little Yuki?

Chapter Text

The Academy cafeteria had the same service and appearance as the faction houses' cafeterias, except it was larger for obvious reasons. Many students were there for lunch, while others, like Kaori, preferred to go elsewhere and bring their own lunches.

The class where our protagonist was located was having lunch together; there were a few who weren't, like Hajime, who had taken over since the last class. Shizuka was sitting with Dekisugi and Mitzuki, while Gian and Suneo were sitting at the same long table, but a little further away. Although Shizuka didn't spend much time with them, the pair still liked her.

After all, she was the prettiest and sweetest girl in the school classroom, and that situation was repeated in the Academy classroom.

"Hey, you're not eating anything" Mitzuki said, sipping tea and eating curry.

"Do you have a stomachache?" Tachibana asks worriedly, along with a couple of the pigtailed girl's other friends.

"N-no... It's just... I feel like I was a little rude to Nobita at the end of Potions class." Shizuka looked at her lunch, a little sadly.

"But Shizuka, what you said to Nobi was out of concern. Your manner was a little harsh, but I think he understood your point" Dekisugi says, worried about her friend.

"You know Nobita sometimes exaggerates and is a bit dramatic. He'll be fine" Tachibana tries to cheer her up.

"He was a bit vulnerable, though. I could smell a strong hint of mint coming off him, more so than last class. Not everyone can handle their emotions the same way." Mitzuki shrugs. "After all, yesterday he thought he was a renegade, and we all know that the first day defines you in public. Especially in the first week, the pressure, and how he is after everything started off badly was taking its toll on him."

"It's clear he despairs quickly because of his low expectations of himself. That's a normal reaction when you have a shred of hope in yourself. So maybe he does have that faith in himself, but it's locked in a cage of constant pessimism."

"Wow, Mitzuki can be a little scary, but she talks like a therapist" Yasuo says, a little nervous and surprised.

"I like negative emotions; they're interesting to deal with, Kikiki." The goth girl's witchy laugh scares both Yasuo and Haru a little.

"Ishikawa has a point, Shizuka. Not everyone can handle negative emotions the same way. Like Nobi, you also got frustrated, but it was because you cared to see that he didn't want to break out of that cage of pessimism, according to Ishikawa's psychological interpretation." Dekisugi puts his hand on Shizuka's shoulder. "We need to talk to him to make sure it was with good intentions."

"Even so, I can't help feeling like I shouldn't have told him that way." Shizuka sighs sadly.

Mitzuki looks toward the cafeteria entrance. "There comes Nobita." The entire group looks toward the entrance, with Shizuka standing up suddenly. They all notice the silly boy entering with Kaori. They seemed to be talking about something. They were talking about little Yuki, but they couldn't hear them because they were far away. "Wow, it seems she's walking with my cousin from the other class."

Tachibana and Shizuka's friends glance at the girl with pigtails to see her reaction. She is startled to see the pair walking together. Nobita notices Shizuka and runs over. She shakes her head and leaves the table.

"Shizuka!" The boy with glasses, in his natural state, can't help but trip and fall to the floor, which makes some people nearby laugh.

The girl with pigtails approaches him. "Nobita! Are you okay?" she says worriedly.

"Y-yeah." As he fell on his face, Nobita's nose was red from the blow. He got up on his own and rubbed his nose. "I was so focused on getting closer that I didn't see where I was going, hehe." He could only scratch the back of his neck, smiling.

"Uh... I see." They both remained silent for a while.

Kaori looks at the situation. "Okay, Nobita, see you later. Let's talk later and find out how it went."

"Sure, Kaori, see you, and thanks for inviting me to lunch." Hearing that makes Shizuka jump, especially the lunch part.

Kaori leaves smiling and waving goodbye to go chat with some friends in the classroom. When Nobita says goodbye and turns to look at his friend, he notices her pouting somewhat irritably, which makes him jump because it wasn't usual for him to suddenly see her like that. "W-what's wrong?" He says somewhat nervously.

It wasn't the same irritated reaction she had in the potions classroom, but one similar to the one she had at the beginning of the school day. One that didn't make the clumsy boy feel sad, but rather gave him a feeling of confusion, but he couldn't help thinking that even her pouting was cute.

"S-sorry for leaving the classroom like that earlier. I was just..." The boy shakes his hands and then looks to the side, his head down.

"I was really discouraged about the day I was having. I know you're upset with me for how I was going back to that pessimistic state I was before... But, I understood that you said it because you were worried and I was only thinking about myself. I'm really sorry."

Shizuka realizes what she did when she sees her friend's initial reaction and shakes her head again. "Oh no, no. You don't have to apologize. In fact, I wanted to apologize to you. It was a little rude of me to say all that to you like that. Maybe it hurt you because you were so sad with everything you were going through, and I said it without thinking."

The girl lowers her head in regret, closing her eyes. Nobita smiles understandingly and shakes his head. "No, I don't feel bad about it. It didn't affect me that you said that to me like that. Well, actually, yes, but not in the way you think. It's just that I thought you were mad at me and didn't want to be my friend anymore. I feel bad about myself, irritated for letting the bad things affect my mood."

She raises her head to meet the awkward boy's gaze. "We're friends. I know very well you were saying that because you were worried. It's just that you mean everything to me." He interrupts her own words, turning red and waving his hands. "I MEAN! Your friendship means everything to me, and I was afraid that because of my attitude, I might lose that friendship!"

Nobita calms down with a deep breath, but Shizuka notices his reaction and laughs softly, interacting as always. "Not just you, but also the friendships of those who truly care about my well-being mean a lot to me. Doraemon, you, Dekisugi, Kaori, Mitzuki... I don't want to be alone, especially because I end up causing it myself. I don't want you all to drift apart because of my insecurities. That's why... I'm going to try to be more positive even if things go wrong!"

The boy clenches his hands as he shakes them with determination. "I will, I will!" Nobita just looks to the side with doubt. "Although... It will be difficult because I'm used to thinking that everything will go wrong because of pessimism and bad luck..."

He shakes his head; he really was in a determined mood. Being in the garden had helped him a little. "But I want to try. I want to be a wizard as much as everyone else. I want to be a wizard with my friends! I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO GET UP!"

The way the clumsy boy says that out loud and opens his arms made Shizuka look stunned, but she admired a little the spark of positivity that wanted to emerge from him. So she nods; she found the determination that was beginning to sprout like a flower pleasant.

Nobita does have that spark of self-belief, but it's locked in a cage of pessimism and fear that he himself must break little by little, so that his self-esteem can soar like a canary.

"Okay! I'm so glad you've decided to be more positive. It's better to see you like this when you're happy with yourself!" Catching the emotion in his friend's face, Shizuka beams enthusiastically, making Nobita blush slightly.

The sound of the end of break rings out in the Academy. The students began to leave the cafeteria, except for a few from other years who had free time and chose to stay there.

The other kids decided to go ahead, leaving Nobita and Shizuka behind so they could walk together out of the cafeteria to the classroom. "And will you tell the teacher to switch partners for Potions class? Because I honestly wouldn't like it. I'm fine like this" says the girl with pigtails.

"I don't really want to either. I was in dramatic mood and first thought of something that wouldn't affect your grades" says Nobita, scratching the back of his neck somewhat embarrassed.

"That was kind of you, but don't worry. Let's do a good job so we can do well." Shizuka smiles, which makes him blush again.

"Y-yes!" The silly boy laughs a little, but then notices how his friend's mood changed in a second because she was now looking at him out of the corner of her eye, a look of curiosity. "Is everything okay? Is my nose still red from the fall?" he says while checking his nose.

"Uh... No" Shizuka looked away. "Is it true Kaori invited you to lunch?"

"Oh yeah! She made her own bento and an extra one for Hajime, but since he didn't want to accept the bento, she gave it to me. It was delicious and even had chicken nuggets!" Just remembering the bento Kaori made, made Nobita very happy, which Shizuka noticed.

"We ran into each other in the garden. It was very kind of her to invite me to lunch. Talking to her made me realize how much you all care about me and..." Nobita noticed his friend's unusual look, and she quickly looked away again.

"Uhhh, she's a good friend, and I imagine her lunch must have been delicious" Shizuka said, smiling a little, then getting a little nervous as she walked.

"Wow, that reaction was just like before we entered the classroom..." Nobita thought about it, then said, confused "I don't understand anything."

Unfazed by his friend's unusual reactions, the silly boy notices Hajime arriving on the other side at the same time as them, so he quickly walks over to him.

"It's now or never" he thought to himself. The antisocial boy seemed a little frustrated. He spent the entire free period and break looking for his pendant, but no matter how hard he searched the Hall of Fate with permission, asked the administrator, and even checked the Academy's hallways, he couldn't find it.

"E-excuse me" Nobita stands in front of Hajime, who raises his eyebrow, still irritated at not finding his precious possession. Shizuka is watching from behind, a little worried by the black-haired boy's attitude at that moment. "I-I know we have that agreement, but I just want to give you something, and then I won't bother you anymore."

The clumsy boy quickly takes the pendant out of his pocket, which makes the antisocial young man surprised for a second. "Before school, I went to the Hall of Destiny out of curiosity and found it. You said you lost something before, so I'm giving it back to you."

Nobita gives the pendant to Hajime in his hand. Although he couldn't help but look into his eyes sadly, Hajime quickly takes the pendant, placing it around his neck where it belonged.

He was irritated and was about to say something coldly to him, as he usually does with everyone, but he felt something on his head. He held it and looked away so Nobita wouldn't see him, which he found unusual. "Are you okay?"

Hajime simply walked past, leaving the glasses-wearing boy startled as the antisocial man entered the room.

Shizuka approached Nobita. "Oh, so you wanted to give him something back, huh? That was nice of you. We know he's shy, but... A, thank you, would have been nice."

"He said it."

"Uh?" The girl with pigtails noticed her friend was startled.

"It was quiet and quick, but I could hear a (thank you) from what happened next to me." Nobita sighed deeply with relief, but smiled. "Thank goodneeeess. I thought he was going to say something cold or cutting like he usually does."

"Maybe Hajime is just that mysterious, Nobita. But I guess that's his way of saying thanks. He thanked you in the end, and that's what matters."

Nobita knew why this was the case, hence the pity on his face, but he felt the antisocial boy's story was too personal, so for now he preferred to play dumb on the subject. The sensei arrived with his briefcase, looking at the pair outside. "Nobi, Minamoto, what are you still doing out here? Come on, come on, it's time for arithmetic."

Nobita and Shizuka nod and quickly enter the classroom followed by the sensei, inside was Hajime sitting with his gaze lost in the table and writing something down in a personal notebook he had.

"My mystical ability activated after interacting with Nobi. I told him about the space between us, but he broke the rule about the pendant, so I'll let him have it this once."

"My eyes turned blue when I saw my reflection in one of the windows. I read about it in the mystical ability book in the library... The ability to see mana flow. I have to learn to control it, or I'll go crazy. It was active a moment ago, but now it's calmed down."

"For a moment, it allowed me to see the mana flow of everything, an enveloping aura around a wizard that can only be seen by a spell or this ability."

"I can see the normal amount of mana in a wizard's body, which can expand or decrease depending on how much they have at the time. The flow of those in this room is normal, with auras surrounding them, including me."

"However... When I saw THAT flow of mana..."

Hajime flashes back to the moment he briefly looked at Nobita. Almost the entire hallway was painted bright blue, emanating from him as he stared at him with a sad expression.

"...It was HUGE, I thought I'd see that in a talented apprentice like Dekisugi but..."

The antisocial boy shook his head as the sensei explained the lesson. He could do nothing but take notes and pay attention to the lecture to distract himself from his own thoughts.

But he couldn't help but look back for a moment where Nobita, his eyes determined to solve the arithmetic problems, was scratching his head in confusion because it was the subject he found most difficult.

"Who exactly are you, Nobi Nobita?"

Chapter Text

Another class ended, marking the beginning of a favorite for wizards besides spells and potions: Flight class.

This class was held in the left courtyard of the Academy because it was perfect as a flight runway. It also housed the gymnasium dome for Gymnastics (or physical education) and Mystic Defense classes.

The students in the class were now wearing physical education uniforms similar to those they wore at school, except for their faction insignia and the Academy seal on the sleeves. Sometimes they wore caps with their faction insignia for hot days and sweatshirts for cold days.

Everyone was standing in a straight line waiting for the flight teacher to arrive. Gian and Suneo were standing near Nobita while he was talking to Shizuka and Dekisugi.

"Really?! I didn't know Urutogon had that first-day-of-school tradition!" Gian excitedly said this, but Suneo made him lower his voice so Nobita wouldn't hear. "But the Academy doesn't say anything about it?"

"The leader of the Urutogon faction is one of the Academy's investors, which is why they do it every year. Besides, the administrator has already made it clear that what the houses do is none of their business. And everything is solved with magic, right? The representative of the Urutogon house told us that at the welcome dinner. Do you want to join?" Suneo smiles proudly.

"HA! Do you think I'd refuse something like that? Since yesterday, that idiot Nobita has been acting like a complete jerk because now it turns out he wants to condition the friendship because he's playing the victim for that harmless joke." Giant crosses his arms, offended.

Suneo does the same, glancing at the silly boy. "Really? What an ungrateful fellow! After years of showing him our friendship, he's now turning his back on us. We have to help the tradition, then."

"I also want that to fall on that other idiot." Gian makes Suneo look at Hajime, who was standing a little far away from the others. "Yesterday, he butted into my business when I wanted to play baseball with Nobita! And since they're from the same faction, they're both going to get what you deserve."

"This will be fun" Suneo covers his mouth so they don't see him laugh. They both calm down and approach Nobita, Shizuka, and Dekisugi, pretending to be calm and feigning dementia. "So, how are things going in your faction houses? Well, except for Dekisugi, because we live in the same house. Ours is incredible. Not only is it the biggest, but it has a pool, a beautiful garden, a 24-hour buffet with high-quality food, three lounges, a luxurious dining room, a recreation room, a large library... and even a spa! And each student has their own room."

Of course, Suneo's boastful tone had to be present. Shizuka and Nobita look at Dekisugi for a moment, and he nods to confirm everything. "But Honekawa, no matter how many amenities Urutogon House has, it's a bit... presumptuous to me. We come here to learn, not to vacation at a 5-star hotel."

"I'd say too presumptuous." Nobita can't help but pout at Suneo's usual boasting.

"Oh, come on, Nobita! Don't be jealous." Suneo leans on the clumsy boy's shoulder. "I'm sure you would have liked to be from Urutogon, but since you got Betakoi, you have to settle." Gian smirks.

"Even Aruguma is more comfortable. We feel sorry for you, Nobita." Gian pats Nobita on the back, but Nobita just looks away.

"I'm comfortable like this. Keeping it simple makes Betakoi as comfortable as a luxurious house."

The dwarf pinches the bespectacled boy's cheek. "You don't have to lie to feel better. If you want to taste the true glory of a faction house, you're welcome anytime."

"If I ever go, it'll be for Dekisugi, not you." The clever boy can't help but smile at his friend's comment.

Suneo separates from Nobita. "As you wish. Just don't get lost along the way like you always do." The pair just chuckle softly, but Nobita ignores it, but he can't help but let out a sigh.

"It seems those two have calmed down trying to bother me. Could it be because of the manager's warning and the penance the principal gave them?" Nobita scratches his head in confusion.

"I just hope so, although it would also be nice if they apologized for what happened to you at the department store." Shizuka was also somewhat confused.

At that moment, the wind began to stir. A young man in his thirties was arriving from the sky riding his broom. With flame designs on the broom handle? Like a skateboard. He was wearing the typical gym teacher outfit, but with a sweatshirt with the Betakoi logo on it, brown hair with a red streak in front of his face, his forelock almost messy and a small ponytail tied with a simple elastic band.

Taking off his dark glasses, the kind worn by cyclists, and revealing narrow gray eyes resembling those of those model-like teachers, he was somewhat skinny, but it was clear he had some muscle from keeping fit. Everyone was impressed by his curious entrance.

"Good morning! Or good afternoon?" The teacher, with an almost gruff voice, looked at his wristwatch while biting a toothpick in his mouth. "I'm Professor Yakeru, and I'll be teaching you Flight 1. Also, Astronomy, but that's not our subject right now."

"That has to be the most impressive teacher I've ever seen at this Academy. And he's from Betakoi." Gian looks at some of the teachers walking around like any other teacher you'd meet at school, wearing suits and carrying briefcases. "Are you going to teach us how to fly like that?!"

The teacher just laughed. "Not so fast, kid! You're still very inexperienced to fly like that, you don't even have a broom... until now."

With a golden wand, Professor Yakeru points to a warehouse near the runway, and opens the door from a distance showing a pile of brooms "First of all, take your brooms, they will be yours from now on, you will have the standard model, but when you obtain your flight licenses you will be able to modify them in the department stores in your cities."

"There's also protective gear. You'll use it until the day you get your licenses. We have health potions just in case, but that doesn't mean you have to break your bones on your first day of flying. Now go, the day flies by and you have a lot to learn."

Hearing that, the children ran to get the brooms and protective gear, all except Hajime, who walks slowly and steadily, and Nobita, who, although he runs, is somewhat slow and falls behind.

Upon arriving, Nobita sees that there are almost no brooms left, until he notices one that looks really good. He goes over to grab it, but Gian wins. "Hey, I saw it first!"

"Sorry, whoever grabs it first keeps it, but don't worry, I think we saw one there, right, Suneo?" The sturdy boy points to a slightly smaller and weaker broom.

"It's perfect for you, it describes you well! You're welcome, that's what friends do because we care about you so much." Suneo, who already had his gear on and a broom of his own, takes the aforementioned broom and gives it to Nobita. The handle was so flimsy that it was very light.

As the pair leave, Nobita looks at the broom and sighs, "I think I was wrong. That pair hasn't changed at all. When are they going to act like friends and not like rude people? Anyway, it could have been worse."

The silly boy puts on his protective gear, consisting of a helmet, shoulder pads, and knee pads, to leave the warehouse and join the rest of the kids. "Are you okay, Nobita?" Shizuka asks worriedly.

"No, I'm a little scared of having an accident with the broom and getting the smaller one." But Nobita shakes his head and squeezes one of his hands. "But I already said I was going to see everything in a positive way, because that way things turn out better for me!"

"That's the attitude, Nobi. Just be careful. We're just learning how to use brooms. You have to go slowly and steadily for good results" Dekisugi says optimistically.

"Okay, guys, it's time to begin." With his wand, Professor Yakeru makes mattresses appear all over the floor of the flight deck. "We'll be using the mattresses this week. Today, we'll start with 10 laps on the clear course."

"The magic brooms will become loyal to you once you've delivered a little mana through your hands. Just hold the handle with both hands, thinking about transferring the mana to the handle. They will come to you with a whistling sound, but only within a range of a maximum of 10 meters."

Someone raises their hand, so Professor Yakeru checks his student roster. "What's your question, Nobi?"

"What if I don't know how to whistle, how do I do it?" The clumsy boy tries to whistle, but instead of whistling, he squeaks like a mouse, causing Suneo and Gian to try to contain their laughter, as do some of their classmates.

"Well, in that case, you can go find her yourself, or if you want, you can try calling it by name. It takes time for the brooms to get used to it, but it's an alternative for those who can't whistle. But for now, everyone use your mana."

All the children begin to take their brooms with both hands and transfer their mana to them, which makes them move a little. "Good, if they move like that, it means they're ready to be your companions for fli-"

CRASH!

A sound of splitting wood was heard in the courtyard. When everyone turned to look, they noticed Nobita holding each part of the broom in each hand. It was split in half, and smoke was coming out of each broken end.

Some were laughing quietly, like Gian and Suneo, while others, like Shizuka, Dekisugi, and Mitzuki, were surprised by it.

And Hajime... Well, his normal reaction would be that I didn't care, but since his ability awakened, he's been just as surprised, but not too obviously so.

"Sorry, sorry, it was accidental. I did what you told me, and when I realized it, it split like it was exploding!" Nobita moved his hands, still holding the broken broom, as he apologized.

"Well, that was... unusual. But it's okay, Nobi. I'll give you another broom. I think there was still one at the back of the storage room."

The professor takes the split broom, goes to the storeroom, and then brings back a broom with a paler, almost whitish handle. It was slightly bent at the end of the sleeve, but it was longer than the previous one. This even surprised Gian and Suneo with such a substitute.

"Here" the professor throws the broom into the clumsy boy's hands, who manages to catch it, almost falling. "It's a broom made from a kiri tree, one of the most resistant, hence that color, and the leafy cedars on the broom are good for beginners. Don't worry, this one won't break. So try again."

"Wow, that broom looks way better than mine, it's not fair" Gian says in a low voice.

"Bah, never mind. When I get my license, I'll turn this simple broom into something better than THAT" Suneo thinks, looking away, a little offended.

This time, Nobita manages to transfer mana to the broom, and it moves. "Good! You know, since I don't know how to whistle, I think I'll call you... Kirichan!"

"Kirichan is a cute name" Shizuka blushes slightly at the way the broom reacts, as if nodding.

Although Dekisugi was happy for his friend, it had raised alarm bells that something was up with him, because he had never heard of anyone breaking objects with mana, and that made him curious. With him, there were now three people curious about such coincidences: Principal Chronos, Hajime, and Dekisugi.

Well, actually four, since not far away, Asami (Sheipu), also well, was on her free time. She narrowed her eyes again suspiciously as she made a note in her notebook and quickly left before anyone saw her.

"Now that everything's arranged, I'll teach you how to ride, how to hover a little, and how to steer the broom, so you can perform your 10-turn exercise. On Friday, there will be a flight exam with everything you'll learn this week, and if you do well and pass even the average, you'll get your flight licenses."

"But for now, you'll only be able to use your brooms within the Academy's island. Understood?" The students nod, and Professor Yakeru smiles. "Okay, let's begin!"

The rest of the classes were filled with the kids trying to use their brooms just inches off the ground. Some struggled, but others, like Dekisugi and Hajime, did very well the first time.

They even had a competition to see who could complete all the turns first, something that wasn't so comfortable for the smart kid, because he only wanted to study and become a great wizard so he could use his knowledge to travel to space, especially to Mars. When it was time to end class, Professor Yakeru wrote everything down in a notebook.

"Very well, everyone has worked hard today. There's still a lot to practice, but you're not doing badly, especially the Ishikawa kid and Dekisugi. Good competition, I didn't expect it on the first day! That excites me."

"Aww, I want to be congratulated like that" Suneo says enviously.

Everyone, as always, flattered Dekisugi, who only modestly thanks them for the words. They didn't flatter Hajime, though. They tried to do so before, but he just stepped aside, not wanting to be flattered.

The end-of-class bell rang outside the Academy. "Okay, class. We're done for the day today. See you tomorrow for Astronomy. Keep practicing. You're just a few days away from getting your flight licenses."

"And where's Nobita?" As Shizuka asks this, Mitzuki points out that he was still doing laps, but was very careful because he had already fallen a few times. "Which lap is he going?"

"At the rate he's going, I think it's the sixth" Miztuki says in his usual calm and dark manner. "He looks like a dementor stalking its prey. I like it, Kikiki."

"Hey Nobi!" The silly boy turns to look at his teacher as he completes the sixth lap. "Keep going, you still have 4 more to go and you'll be able to go!" Professor Yakeru gives an enthusiastic thumbs-up. An "OH COME ON, I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE!" can be heard from the boy, who falls face-first off the broomstick that was still floating, although with the mattresses and the safety suit, it didn't hurt much.

"Excuse me, Ishikawa." Dekisugi approaches Hajime, who simply ignores him as he removes his protective gear. "I don't mean to bother you, but I just wanted to know the reason for the competitive mode with me."

The antisocial boy drops the equipment on a table. "You're the most skilled. If I want to be the strongest, I have to play it safe. I have to surpass the skilled ones."

"Oh, it's understandable that you want to surpass yourself, but..." But Hajime passes by, carrying the broom on his shoulder. Mitzuki approaches Dekisugi.

"It's useless. He doesn't want to socialize with anyone. He only wants to surpass those he considers competition. I'd tell you why, but he told me not to talk about his life to others. Cousin rules." The goth girl shrugs with a neutral smile.

"Although, he said thank you to Nobita when he returned the pendant to him." Mitzuki is surprised by what Shizuka says.

"His sunset pendant was lost and Nobita found it and returned it to him?" Shizuka nods at the question. "And Hajime said thank you to him?!" The girl with pigtails nods again. "Wow, I think Nobita has a curious way of connecting with others. Hajime has never thanked anyone, well, not that I know of. He's a very curious person."

Shizuka turns around and watches Nobita get back on the broom to complete the ride. He had a look of determination, wanting to do it despite his bad day, something he hadn't shown a while ago.

She smiles because she remembered how he even helped someone, even though he was going to end up losing, how he encouraged her during his ritual, and how he looked with his eyes of determination to get out of the pessimistic mood he was in. "I know."

After a while, after everyone had left, Nobita was able to finish and collapsed exhausted on the mattress. Professor Yakeru approached and offered his hand to help him up. "You really worked hard. But you ended up like a carp against the current. That's perseverance, the key to many things. That's our spirit." The professor pointed to his Betakoi badge, which made the silly boy smile.

"You can go now. Remember to keep practicing. You finished last, but if you practice, you'll get your license. See you tomorrow in Astronomy."

"Thank you, Professor Yakeru." Encouraged by the professor's words, the boy grabbed his broom and ran off with a satisfied smile, knowing that at least his flying lessons didn't go so badly.

Although Gian and Suneo were already back in their normal uniforms and carrying their backpacks, watching their friend leave, they were cleaning the classroom as penance, but they came out just in time to see Nobita leave. "Shall we go to Urutogon? He'll surely be back at the RIGHT TIME" the dwarf says, laughing mockingly.

"Yeah, it's going to be a lot of fun" Gian laughs back.

What are they planning to do this time?

Chapter Text

"Okay, I'm done." Professor Yakeru had just finished arranging everything and getting rid of the mattresses. "I think I need to go get a drink. It's been a busy day, I deserve it."

Turning around, he sees Principal Chronos himself standing in front of him, smiling at him. The professor immediately bows nervously. "Good afternoon, Principal! Excuse me, I already packed everything up, and I was going to do something to Ebagurin."

"I see. I just came to see something I want to pick up."

A couple of hours ago, the principal was walking through the courtyard to supervise the teachers' work on their first day. Until he saw the students from one of the first-year classrooms in their flying class.

"Well, well, they're going to learn how to use brooms." The principal noticed in the distance that Nobita was approaching Shizuka and the others, carrying the fragile broom from a moment ago. "But this is the class where Young Nobi is."

The principal remembers passing by the classroom where he ran into the sensei again, who told him that in Arithmetic, he had to give Nobita another writing quill because the ink-holding part mysteriously exploded.

Of course, the principal asked for the quill and inspected it, giving the same result as the other items: Mana Flow Sign, so he was left with the broken quill. The principal stares at the class for a moment until...

CRASH!

If the director's eyes weren't slanted, they would have opened wide as saucers when he saw how Nobita had broken the weak broom in two and was coming out with a little smoke from the broken parts.

"I could already see it in the act..."

"Here it is." Professor Yakeru hands the broken broom to the principal, who uses his wand to inspect it. "I know Nobi is a little slow and weak, but he's trying. He is a carp, after all. Swimming against the current isn't easy."

"It's the same pattern. Excess mana in objects causes them to overload, and in the case of common objects, explode." The principal wore a serious face, which made the professor nervous, as seriousness on the face of a calm principal indicated something, whether good or bad.

"Yakeru, I need to take this. It's for... a separate investigation. And please, keep this between us. I'm trying to prove a theory, and with each object, I'm close by. If you see anything else unusual related to young Nobi, please contact me through Kaede."

The teacher nods, a little nervously but smiling. The principal says goodbye and walks away with the broom. In a moment, he arrives at his office where Administrator Kaede is waiting for him.

"Principal. Why do you have a broken broom? Or rather, why do you have all these broken things?" The woman with glasses points to the things the principal had collected on his desk: the ball, the cauldron with the spoon, and the feather. Now the broken broom is added.

"It's part of an investigation. You don't need to know more. But I need you to get me something." The principal smiles, placing the broom on the desk.

"What do you need besides your afternoon tea?" Kaede says.

"There are cameras in the Hall of Destiny, right?" the director asks.

"That's right, as an important place, we need to keep an eye on it. However, the staff did some maintenance this morning. For some reason, the cameras in all four corners of the room went down at the same time, so they didn't record anything from that morning. It's strange, but anyway. What do you want specifically?" The woman adjusts her glasses.

The principal sits a little thoughtfully. "I want the recording of the moment of the ritual for the first-year student, Nobi Nobita. There's something I want to check. I also want to see his information, but don't tell his parents about this."

Kaede snorts. "I knew from that strange event that that kid was going to cause something. Nothing bad, I hope. And yes, I'll have the recording and the documentation for you tomorrow."

The principal smiles as he nods. "That's what I wanted to hear."

In Burakku, one of the antithesis cities where the renegades lived their daily lives as if in an ordinary city, a beautiful woman with long, wavy platinum-blonde hair wore a pretty short gray dress with black trim—a common color among renegades.

She lived in an ordinary house in a small neighborhood, in a pretty living room. She looked at a particular photo in an album. That photo was of Hajime two years ago, before he received his pendant.

And yes, the woman was Haruka, Hajime's mother, who smiled fondly at the photos of her husband and son. As she wiped a few tears from her cheek, she noticed something on her wrist: a gray bracelet with a blue jewel embedded in it. It flashed for a moment, then went out again.

"If it weren't for this and his influence on the renegade M.C.G, I might be able to talk to them again." The door was heard opening amidst the woman's melancholy, who suddenly stood up, placed the album on a shelf in the living room and went to the entrance of the house to kneel before those who entered.

"Attentive as always." It was Ningyo, one of the elites of the Wake Building and the Dark Wake group, which Mr. Kairos, the villain of the story, was in charge of. Not only her, but Mr. Kairos himself was also there. "We came to do the weekly inspection."

"Good afternoon, Miss Ningyo and Mr. Kairos." Kneeling, Hajime's mother extended her hand, holding the bracelet. Apparently, the geisha was in charge of keeping it in proper condition.

"And that sadness on your face? Did you see your family photos again?" Mr. Kairos asked curiously. "I know you must miss them, but they know you're fine. You don't need to talk to them; remember, we have a contract. Everything we're doing now, we're doing for us, the renegades. You'll soon see your son again once our goal is met."

"Or do you want to end the contract? It's thanks to the contract that you have this wonderful place for yourself, that the Dark Wake Group has provided for you and certain individuals, a private neighborhood where you have nothing else to do but live. But if that's what you want, it wouldn't be a problem for me to go after your son if you do." Mrs. Ishikawa is startled by that and shakes her head.

"N-no, Mr. Kairos, I want to continue with the contract" the blonde woman says with a defeated look.

"That's what I wanted to hear. Just keep staying healthy and well, because the bracelet works better if the source is in good condition."

As Mr. Kairos smiles, Nigyo also performs a medical checkup on Mrs. Ishikawa. "Everything's in order, Mr. Kairos."

"Very well, then we'll be done here. We'll see you next week, Ms. Ishikawa. We have another client to see. Remember to stay healthy and strong."

Ningyo stands up and bows to say goodbye. The pair leaves, leaving the woman still kneeling with a pessimistic look. A few minutes pass, and the woman remains motionless in the same position. But someone else enters the scene: an old man with a white mustache and beard, wearing dark blue traditional clothing and wearing tiny glasses on his round nose. He was Mrs. Ishikawa's father and Hajime's maternal grandfather.

"Haruka." The old man approaches his daughter to comfort her. "They came here, right?" The woman nods, and the old man sighs. "That group of Dark Wake is gaining more and more power in the Antithesis Cities. Why do they want to collect so much natural mana? I used to think it was just to sell mana to the black market, where they get funding for their building, since they pay a lot for that kind of mana, especially when it comes to potions, but the amounts are getting bigger and bigger. What are they planning to do?"

The woman stands up, wiping away her tears as if nothing had happened. "I'll go make some tea. Thanks for visiting, dad. You know the contract doesn't allow me to leave this neighborhood. If I do, Hajime..."

The old man sighs, patting her back. "I know, daughter. I know you do this above all out of that warm love you have for my grandson, but it's tearing you apart because they won't even let you communicate with them."

"But it's what I have to do. If Hajime, Daisuke, and you are safe, that's what matters most to me. Thank you for not leaving me alone in this." The woman smiles, just like her father.

"I always will, Haruka." The old man's eyes turn blue, showing that he had the same ability to see the flow of mana as Hajime, but with more control. It showed how almost the entire entrance hallway was tinted a bright blue emanating from the woman.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. Haven't you noticed the similarities around them?"

Both the Omekkusu and Aruguma houses were a combination of the splendour of Urutogon and the tranquility of Betakoi, with Omekkusu being more splendid and Aruguma more tranquil. Shizuka and Dekisugi were sitting on a bench in the beautiful garden of the Omekkusu House, which had many flowers and arrangements, talking. They were both wearing their normal clothes with their respective seals.

Dekisugi held a book in his hands. "I used to think it was a series of coincidences, but as the classes went by, even though it's Nobi we're talking about, he's had accidents, and always with objects that go wrong out of nowhere."

"Are you talking about the ball, the feather, and the broom?" Shizuka asked, curious about this.

"That's right, but I think what happened in Potions 1 also falls into that category. I mean, I watched both of your work, and you did well. Why did a health potion suddenly turn into an ice-blasting potion? Plus, we could also include what happened yesterday in the Hall of Destiny and the throne's curious behavior."

The girl with pigtails was impressed by her friend's deduction work. "I couldn't expect less from you, Dekisugi. You pay too much attention to details. Is that a mana book?"

Dekisugi showed the cover and opened the book. He had a bag of notebooks with him. "It's a book about the characteristics of mana. I have a feeling it all has to do with the use of mana, especially what happened in flying class when Nobi broke his previous broom in two."

"With what you're saying, now I'm worried that something bad might happen to him" Shizuka seems concerned that something might happen to Nobita.

"That's why I want to research more about mana. If something's happening to Nobi with his mana flow and he doesn't even know it, we have to find out what could be causing these events. I'm thinking of going to the library now to do my homework and, while I'm at it, find more books about mana to get to the bottom of this. Do you want to come?"

"Of course, we can do our homework together and at the same time investigate what might be happening to Nobita" Shizuka smiles.

"About the mana flow, I think it's best that Nobi doesn't know about it for now. He's very impressionable and has started to gain confidence in himself. I wouldn't want this to affect his self-esteem if it becomes something to worry about." Dekisugi and Shizuka get up from the bench.

"That's true. I wouldn't want to worry Nobita with that, so for now, let's keep it between us. I'll get my bag with my notebooks to go there."

Shizuka leaves to enter the Omekkusu House while Dekisugi waits. A few moments later, she returns with a pretty flower-printed bag. "I'm ready, we can go-"

"Hello Shizuka, Dekisugi." Kaori happily approaches with a box in her hands. She is wearing a simple but cute short white dress with blue floral patterns on the skirt, as well as blue shoes and white socks.

"Hello Ishikawa" the clever boy returns the greeting.

"Hi Kaori. How was your class today?" Shizuka greets with a smile.

"It went well. It's true that the Academy is different from school. Now I'm going to do my homework for the Biology of Mystical Creatures. Are you planning on going to the Betakoi House?" The girl with the earrings asks.

"Well, we'll go to the Academy. We'll go to the library to do our arithmetic homework and browse through a couple of books, but I also think we'll go to Betakoi House later" Dekisugi says, nodding.

"Oh, good time I caught up with them." Kaori opens the contents of the box. It's filled with Kyogashi sweets, sweets of different shapes and colors, mostly flower-shaped.

"Wow, they're Kyogashi. They're sweets originally from Kyoto, made of sugar and rice flour. They're very good, especially with tea ceremonies, especially delicious with green tea." Dekisugi inspects the sweets carefully. "They look fresh. Did you make them, Ishikawa?"

Kaori nods "My family is traditional. We live in a shrine. Mom loves tea ceremonies, so she taught me how to make these sweets because, to her, they're better homemade than store-bought." With a smile, the girl covers the contents of the box and hands it to Shizuka.

"Can I ask you a favor and give this box to Nobita? I made them for him to wish him luck and also to thank him for yesterday with Fuyuto."

Shizuka is startled when she hears who the sweets were for, but she takes the box with a smile. "Sure, I'll give them to him with pleasure."

"Thank you so much, Shizuka. You're a good friend. I hope the rest of your day goes well. I'll make more for you another day. See you later, Shizuka. See you tomorrow, Dekisugi."

Kaori waves goodbye as she heads back into the Omekkusu House. Shizuka looks at the box again, a traditional kyogashi candy box with a drawing of small flowers in one corner. "It's... A pretty box."

"Well, we should go now, Shizuka, time is short. I know, let's give the candy to Nobi and then go to the library." Dekisugi takes his broom; they had carried it and left it next to the bench. "Now that we know the basics of flying and have the brooms, we'll be able to go anywhere faster, although for now we can only travel within the island."

Dekisugi smiles but notices Shizuka still looking at the box. "Shizuka?"

The girl with pigtails comes to when she sees her friend looking at her in confusion, then proceeds to shake her head. "I just got lost in how pretty the box was."

"I see. It was really kind of Ishikawa to give Nobi a present as a token of gratitude. Those kinds of gifts are normal for those raised in Kyoto."

"I know." ...Nervous smile? Something odd on Shizuka's part.

Using their brooms, Dekisugi and Shizuka flew toward Betakoi House, the journey becoming shorter.

After a short trip from one end to the other, they were close to reaching their first destination, and Betakoi House seemed to be getting closer and closer. Shizuka occasionally glanced at the box.

However, upon arriving, Dekisugi noticed a large sphere suddenly appear above Betakoi House, causing the pair to stop when they were almost there. "And that purple bubble floating above Betakoi?" Shizuka asked, confused.

The clever boy remembered before leaving for the Academy that the upperclassmen from Urutogon were whispering to each other while carrying some boxes using their wands. The most noticeable thing was the mocking smiles on their faces, causing Dekisugi to flinch at the color of blue on his face.

All the Betakoi kids come out, including Nobita with Yuki holding his hand, Doraemon, Osuke, Hanz out of curiosity, and even Hajime himself, who was sitting on a bench outside, also reading a book about mana.

Shizuka and Dekisugi suddenly began to fly quickly toward the Betakoi house, the clever boy's unusually irritated expression showing.

"NOBI, ISHIKAWA, DORAEMON, BETAKOI GUYS, GET INTO THE HOUSE QU...!"

...But it was too late.

Chapter Text

Half an hour earlier, at the Betakoi house

At a speed equivalent to a driver in training, Nobita, in his normal uniform and with a backpack on his back, arrives at the Betakoi House on his broom, Kirichan. He gets off the broom and carries it inside. "I'm finally here!"

When Nobita leaves his broom along with the others on the broomsticks at the entrance of the house, he is greeted by little Yuki, who runs up to him. "Nobita!"

"Hi Yuki" the silly boy pats him on the head. Doraemon arrives tired, his whiskers ruffled, looking like he's run a long way. "Hi Doraemon. What happened?"

"Welcome Nobita" the blue cat takes a deep breath. "Since I brought Yuki here, Hanz notified the Academy to contact her relative to pick her up. The administrator told us to keep her here until the relative, who would be her aunt, arrives. But..."

Doraemon remembers how the little girl often escaped him with her teleportation. The students returning from school were notified about Yuki. "Every time I tried to catch Yuki, she teleported away and made me search for her everywhere in the house. That's why I even stopped spying on you after I brought her."

The robot tries to approach the girl with the bear, but she disappears. "SEE?!" ...And reappears on the hall table. "I even tried using gadgets like the Anywhere Door or the takecopter to catch her, but she still escaped."

"What a nanny robot you turned out to be. You don't even HEAR when she's around." Hanz was sitting on his counter with his legs up on it.

"At least I'm trying to keep order in the Betakoi house!" Doraemon yelled at Hanz, who just shrugged, turning back to Nobita. "How did the rest of your classes go?"

"Arithmetic reminded me of school because they even gave me homework," Nobita says, a little irritated, before smiling. "But flying class wasn't so bad. I accidentally broke a broom in two because it was already too fragile, but the professor gave me another one and now I can ride one and walk around on it. Slowly, but I'm still learning." The boy runs toward his broom. "Since I don't know how to whistle, I named it Kirichan."

"Yuki, Kirichan, you have a funny way of giving names." The robot cat smiles with a hint of mockery, thinking it was a little silly, but sweet of him. "Well, at least you're looking more cheerful, that's something. But for now, go upstairs and change your clothes and go down to the study room to do your homework." Doraemon points up at the bedrooms, though Nobita leans forward.

"Do I have to do it? I wanted to go to Shizuka's to vis..." Doraemon applies a judgmental face, crossing his arms. "I-I will do it, but don't look at me like that, you're making me nervous!" The boy runs to the elevator to go to his room.

Moments later, the silly boy, now in his ordinary clothes, was coming down with his arithmetic notebook and a pen, eager to do homework at a low level, as he usually feels. Yuki approaches him with a storybook, holding it in one hand because the other was occupied by the bear.

"Oh? Do you want me to read you a story?" The little girl nods with a slight smile. "Sure!"

But Doraemon takes the book before Nobita can. "Sorry Yuki, but Nobita has homework to do. I'll read you the story if you want."

Yuki just pouts angrily as she points "Nobita!"

"No, Nobita can't. Now he has to do his homework." Doraemon sighs tiredly as Osuke approaches. "Even Sewashi wasn't that fussy at your age."

"I could read it to her. I've taken care of my younger cousins on my family's farm, so I can help them too."

But Yuki shakes her head at the house manager's offer, approaching Nobita and grabbing his shirt.

"Wow, it seems this girl sees you as her older brother" Osuke says, chuckling softly.

Nobita just scratches the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. "Even though I always wanted siblings, it seems I now have two, one younger and one older." He said this last bit while looking at Doraemon, who, although he thought it was a nice compliment, just looked away a little embarrassed.

"Umm, thanks Nobita, but you still have to do your homework" the robot said, trying to hide his appreciation for the compliment.

"I knoooow." But as soon as they finished their conversation, the pair noticed all the students leaving to look up. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, but I'm kind of curious" Doraemon narrowed his eyes.

So Doraemon, Nobita holding little Yuki's hand, Osuke, and even Hanz went out to see what was attracting their attention. Hajime was reading a book, sitting on a bench, only to glance up at what was above: a large purple bubble was floating above the Betakoi House.

"A bubble? Where did it come from?" Doraemon stares at the strange flying object.

Nobita hears someone's voice in the distance. He turns around and sees two people flying on broomsticks toward them. "Dekisugi?"

"NOBI, ISHIKAWA, DORAEMON, BETAKOI GUYS, GET INTO THE HOUSE QUIC...!"

...But it was too late...

Before they could react, the large bubble burst, and a cascade of purple paint and pieces of colored paper rained down not only on the house but also on everyone outside, including the garden, the small field, and the clotheslines, just as someone had put their freshly washed uniform out to dry.

Everything turned purple, with pieces of colored paper stuck everywhere. Shizuka and Dekisugi arrived at Betakoi territory, staring in surprise at what had happened.

"Everything's covered in paint. But who could have done this?" Shizuka asks worriedly as she and Dekisugi carefully enter. "Nobita, Doraemon! Are you all right?"

The silly boy spits out paint. "Ugh, I've got paint all over my tonguo!" Little Yuki stands there, a confused, purple life form.

"First, Nobita, it is called tongue. And second. WHO DID THIS?!" Doraemon yells furiously.

A pair of familiar laughs can be heard behind the fence. Gian, Suneo, a trio of students with the Urutogon logo on their clothes, and a third-year boy with black hair and expensive clothing consisting of gray pants, a green vest, and a white shirt with the Urutogon logo and a medal are laughing at them all.

"Suneo?! Takeshi?! Did you do that?" Shizuka asks, somewhat annoyed.

"Hey guys! Actually, we're just collaborating" Suneo says proudly. "He was the one with the idea." The pair point to the boy with the medal.

"Daiki, the representative of the Urutogon House?!" Osuke says loudly, causing him to flinch and put his hand to his face. "Oh my god! I forgot THAT Urutogon tradition. I knew I was missing something."

"Tradition?" Nobita asks, confused.

"Every year for about six years now, the Urutogon House has had a tradition on the first day of school to play a prank on the Betakoi House, always led by the representative of the Urutogon House." Hanz, still smiling mischievously, pulls a handheld vacuum out of his hat to clean his suit. "This year they got really creative! Last year they used invisibility magic to make the beds disappear from every room in the house."

"See? Even the Betakoi administrator thought it was funny. Come on!" It's just paint, it can be removed with water because it's washable, or with magic by the upperclassmen." Daiki just shrugs. "Even someone from Aruguma helped us this year."

Giant smiles, crossing his arms, waiting for a reaction from Nobita, who just wanted to shed tears, but holds it back. He didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing him on the floor again like he did before.

"This is also my fault. I should have seen this coming. I apologize a thousand times to everyone." Osuke stands in front of everyone at Betakoi and bows to apologize.

"Come on, at least you're more responsible. You can't do everything yourself." Nobita shakes his hands with a smile of understanding.

Hajime just sighs, closing the book and leaving, covered in paint and scraps of paper. This makes Gian and Suneo laugh, especially Gian, because of what happened yesterday. Nobita also looks at him, but with a sympathetic look.

"But can't you complain to the administration?" Nobita says irritably, bending down to wipe some of Yuki's paint off.

"I'm afraid it wouldn't help. I read the rules for the houses and the Academy, and even though they're on the same island, they each have their own rules, so what the houses do among themselves isn't a concern for Administrator Kaede." Doraemon exhales tiredly.

"What bad luck" Shizuka says as she sees the little girl. "Is she the little Yuki you told us about at the Department Store? Her eyes look like stars even with the paint." The girl smiles, which only makes the little girl tilt her head in curiosity. "She's adorable. But what's she doing here?"

"I'll tell you as soon as I take her inside to clean her up." Nobita stands up, taking the little girl's hand, looking at Gian and Suneo, irritated.

The pair were certainly expecting something. Screams, shrieks, whining, tantrums from someone they consider their friend of convenience, but that didn't happen. There was only one response that was more evident: an irritated look.

The clumsy boy would no longer give the pair the pleasure. NO MORE.

He just turned around, smiling at little Yuki, who was just looking at him curiously while holding his hand. Suneo's expression was confused, but Gian... Just seeing his punching bag revealed itself with that look every time made him feel an inner irritation. He was so used to seeing him beg for mercy and cry, trembling with fear, that not seeing that only increased his frustration a little.

Shizuka also looked at the pair and just gave them a "Hmmp!" with a slight pout of annoyance, helping Nobita carry the little girl inside.

"What little Yuki needs now is a bath. I'll help her with that. She's a girl, so it's better if I help her" Shizuka said, smiling at the little girl, who decided to trust her as well.

As the upper-level Urutogon students left, laughing and saying goodbye to the Betakoi house, Gian and Suneo only remembered Nobita's reaction.

"Well, while it was funny at first, Nobita not crying kind of diminished the fun. His willpower is truly impressive." Suneo scratches his chin, somewhat impressed.

"HA, stop talking nonsense!" Gian slaps Suneo on the head. "No matter how much Nobita resists, he'll break. This is Nobita we're talking about. That clumsy, slow, crybaby boy. That jerkish attitude won't last long!"

Gian and Suneo leave, feeling bittersweet because they couldn't get what they really wanted. Dekisugi bows to apologize to the Betakoi people; after all, he was also from Urutogon.

"I'm truly sorry for what Urutogon House has put you through. There are some of us who don't support this kind of behavior. I'm truly sorry."

Osuke shakes his hands. "Don't worry. Unlike them, you see yourself as someone who's respectable. All houses have all kinds of students, and we're no exception. It's very kind of you to apologize, but you don't need to. You were trying to warn us. For now, let's clean up everything that got on us and pick up the paper."

Dekisugi looks at the Betakoi representative with determination. "At least let me help you clean up. I wasn't involved in that nasty prank. Whether I'm part of Urutogon or not, I don't want to sit idly by. Allow me to assist you."

"Sure, thanks. At least someone will volunteer." Doraemon casts a judgmental look at Hanz, who just laughs.

"Come on. Do you think I won't clean up? It's my job as an administrator." Although that answer didn't please Doraemon too much, he, along with Dekisugi, Osuke, and the rest of the people still outside, began to clean all traces of paint from the exterior of the Betakoi House.

Chapter Text

While they were getting down to business, Shizuka helped little Yuki, taking her to the bathroom in Nobita and Hajime's room. The antisocial boy had already gone ahead and taken a bath to clean off the paint and left wearing clean clothes. The girl with pigtails had put the box of candy in her bag.

Doraemon enters clean, into the room while Nobita waited for his turn. "What? Have you cleaned up yet?"

"Buddy, I don't wear clothes, so the garden hose was more than enough, although I do have to clean my scarf properly. Dekisugi is helping us clean up; he feels guilty about the prank" Doraemon says, sitting down on the bed.

"Poor Dekisugi, he shouldn't feel guilty. It was the Urutogon upperclassmen who pulled the prank, along with Gian and Suneo! It's a shame that even if we tell the Academy administration, they're not responsible for what happens outside the building." Nobita crosses his arms. "It's incredible how much influence Urutogon has. They can do whatever they want without consequences."

"It's because they're not only made up of talented wizard, but mostly people with a lot of resources. That happens even in the future" the cat shrugs.

Osuke will call the administration anyway to tell them, he says it doesn't hurt to try." Doraemon shrugs again. "You better go borrow a bath, you're covering the floor with paint."

Shizuka was giving little Yuki a bath. Yuki was sitting on a stool with a somewhat sad expression while the girl without socks was soaping her hair. "Wow, her hair is so soft and smooth, like silk. It's true what Nobita said, she doesn't talk much." is what she thought.

"Are you sad about your teddy bear?" Little Yuki nods at what Shizuka said. "Don't worry, it's in the washing machine now, it'll be clean in a moment."

That comment made the little girl smile a little.

With most of the paint already cleaned off, the Betakoi House had returned to its usual appearance. Doraemon had brought out a new gadget: the changing camera, which looked more like a digital camera but allowed the person it photographed to be dressed.

Shizuka used it to give Yuki a new white dress that resembled a lily, since the one she was wearing was the only one she had on. She also used the camera to get a blue ribbon to tie a bow for the back of her hair, but Yuki refused.

Nobita arrived with clean clothes, since Haru had lent him the bathroom in his room to bathe in, and saw what was happening. "What's wrong? Don't you like the color of that bow?" Yuki looked down sadly.

"Do you want a white one like your dress, then?" Yuki nodded at Shizuka's suggestion, and in a moment, she had a white bow in her hair, which pleased the girl, whose eyes lit up even more.

"She seems to like the color white. She looks like a little star." Shizuka giggles at how adorable the little girl was twirling around in her new outfit.

"Nobita!" The little girl catches the silly boy's attention, twirling around as if she wants his opinion on the dress.

"Your new outfit looks great on you, Yuki." The clumsy boy smiles, making the little girl jump a little.

"Wow, it seems Yuki likes Shizuka too." Doraemon smiles as the little girl thanks him, bowing slightly before running to Nobita and grabbing his shirt again.

"I think she misses her teddy bear a little" Nobita says, patting her head. "You'll have yours soon; it's drying out."

The clumsy boy looks at his friend. "Thank you so much for helping her. For some reason, she only likes me, but it seems she likes you now too."

"It's nothing." Shizuka smiles and looks at the box of sweets in her bag for a moment, which draws Nobita and Doraemon's attention to the same spot.

"And that box?" Nobita asks curiously.

Shizuka just sighs, takes the box, and gives it to Nobita. "This is for you, it's homemade Kyogashi sweets."

The clumsy boy blushes as he receives the box and opens it. "Wow, what cute figures! Thanks Shizuka, they look delicious!"

Although Shizuka just looks to the side nervously "Actually, I didn't make them, Kaori made them, and since we both live in the Omekkusu House, she asked me to give them to you since she was busy with her homework. She said she made them to give you good luck and to thank you for what happened yesterday with Fuyuto."

Nobita is surprised by this. He usually received cookies and other desserts from Shizuka, since, unlike Dekisugi, he wasn't popular with the girls in his neighborhood, being the opposite of his friend even when it came to girls.

So receiving a gift of sweets from someone other than his childhood friend was a new experience. He assumed it was normal in a school life where there were girls from other parts of the country.

Above all, he found Shizuka's face curious when he accepted the gift from his new friend; it was a mixture of nervousness and unease. And it wasn't the first time he'd seen that expression, but the third. The first time was before school and the second after recess, something he hadn't seen from her before the Academy. Doraemon also saw that look, narrowing his eyes.

Although the gift was a surprise to him, it was still more exciting to receive candy from his current friend. "What if she was...?" His thoughts were interrupted by Yuki tugging at his shirt; she still wanted her teddy bear, which had a date at the dry cleaners.

"Well, they really look delicious. I'm going to share them with Doraemon and Yuki, and of course, with you, Shizuka. I'll thank Kaori later by calling her on Cristalpad. But first, let's go down to the dry cleaners to get the bear. It should be a little dry."

Shizuka agrees, but... "Sure, I'd love to. Although I'll make lunch for myself tomorrow. If you want, I can make an extra bento to eat in the garden." The smile reappeared on her face, where there had been a restless mood.

"Really?! I'd love to!" The boy says excitedly.

"Okay, then it's settled. Now let's go down."

Doraemon watches as the pair leave the room. Since they don't have the bear with them, Yuki takes both of their hands, which was a surprise to the pair, but they smile anyway as they head for the elevator.

The robot crosses his arms in confusion. "Didn't Kaori invite Nobita to lunch today? Now Shizuka has invited him, and that face with the sweets... Could it be the timeline changing again? This is changing faster than Yuki teleporting."

The robot cat takes the album out of his pocket, but he was hesitant about whether to open it or not. "Now I don't know what to believe, but I think the changes are happening too fast. But they seem to be positive changes, at least I hope so. There was no trace of Kaori, nor Yuki, nor Hajime.

"Could it be Nobita's own decisions after my intervention and what he's seen of the future that have caused his timeline to change like this?"

"Hmmm..." Doraemon decides not to open the album, putting it away as he leaves the room, while Hanz leans against the wall. "I think I definitely can't use this album anymore. I'll leave it to Sewashi when I go to the future. With all this, I haven't had time to move the time machine to the Betakoi House bedroom. I'll do it tomorrow."

"Hey, you're more involved with Time Patrol work. Is it normal for someone's future to change so quickly?" the blue robot asks the lanky one.

"It depends on the person and their actions that lead to events involving third parties. If those guys haven't gone crazy with that, it means you don't have to worry about it for now."

What Hanz says makes Doraemon breathe a sigh of relief, as he also walks casually toward the elevator. The lanky man scratches his chin, smiling. "Should I tell him why I'm taking notes from this specific year? Nah, I don't think it has anything to do with him; that would be too much of a coincidence."

Finally, the outside of Betakoi House was clean thanks to the work of everyone in the dining room, eating meals they'd prepared themselves, cleaning themselves up, and changing their clothes, tired from cleaning their house. It really was exhausting work.

Even when Yuki retrieved her teddy bear, Nobita and Shizuka joined Doraemon in the remaining cleaning. So they were finally able to enjoy the sweets at a table with tea, also with Dekisugi and Haru, since there were so many of them.

"Wow, delicious!" Haru says, eating the sweets.

"Well, I already ate the lunch Kaori gave me. She even makes good desserts." Nobita eats one of the kyogashi sweets while Doraemon nods, sipping tea.

"Yes, they really are delicious." Shizuka was eating one, and although she enjoyed it, she still watched out of the corner of her eye as Nobita enjoyed the sweets, though she tried to hide it so he wouldn't notice.

Little Yuki was also eating a couple of sweets, sitting between Nobita and Shizuka. In front of her, Dekisugi exhales sadly. "Is everything okay?" Shizuka asks worriedly.

"I'm still embarrassed by what the Urutogon representative, his friends, and Honekawa did. I knew there was a fine line between Urutogon and Betakoi, but this..."

"Hey, you don't have to feel bad about what they did. It's not your fault they have such a silly tradition" Nobita says, a little irritated. "Honestly, this embarrassed, sad, and discouraged side of you isn't very common. I always saw you as the most confident person in the world. And that makes me happy."

"Are you happy?" the sad boy asks, confused.

Nobita shakes his hands, smiling nervously. "I-it's not that I'm happy to see you upset, don't get me wrong."

Although he would have thought that way before because of his jealousy of Dekisugi for spending more time with Shizuka than him. But since they've become closer, that jealousy has subsided to the point it is at now.

"I'm glad to see that side of you that shows you can also have setbacks in your life. Everyone at school says you're the perfect student, even at the Academy, with no flaws, but... I think there's more to it than that. You can have fun and care as much as everyone else, and that's not a bad thing."

Dekisugi is stunned but smiles at those words, remembering why they became closer. Nobita saw beyond his perfect date, treating him like a partner. "You know, Nobi? That's what I like most about you."

Nobita tilts his head to the side. Yuki did the same, imitating him. "Uh?"

"It's best if you stay the way you are in that sense. Just improve your academics and your physical appearance, those are the points you need to address." The clever boy smiles, as does his friend, though the clumsy one still doesn't understand.

"And where's Hajime? I haven't seen him since the prank" Nobita asks.

"Oh, he helped us too, but he likes to be out of the way. Now he's in the laundry room taking care of all the clothes that got stained with paint" Doraemon says.

"Did he really help? With how unsociable he is, I thought he'd just stay out of it." Haru was surprised because everyone already knew about the antisocial boy's personality.

"Ishikawa volunteered himself when he started cleaning the windows. I feel that, despite his competitive personality and his way of staying out of it, he also wants to take care of where he lives, but he doesn't say it directly."

Although what Dekisugi says makes the rest happy, Nobita remembers the story Kaori told him. He knew that his experience as the son of a wizard and a renegade who caused him problems at school and his hatred of M.G.C were the reasons for his almost repulsive personality, and that saddens him a little. Doraemon also knew about this from the spy satellite, so he understood what his friend felt with that look.

Hanz called the main characters to the entrance of the house, who, curious, dropped everything to go see what was happening. And there was the Academy administrator herself, adjusting her glasses. No one expected to see her because she was always busy. Yuki grabbed Nobita's hand while holding her already-cleaned teddy bear. It was practically dusk.

Beside her was a young woman wearing a light blue dress and the Betakoi seal, with brown hair tied like a pompom at the back of her head. Yuki, seeing her, ran toward her and hugged her legs.

"Here you are. I've been looking for you all over the department and the Academy, Yukihira" said the woman, crying like a child, carrying the little girl and hugging her.

"Oh! So her name really is Yuki, well, partly" Doraemon said, surprised that Nobita had guessed the name without knowing.

"Miss Kaede!" said the representative of the school, greeting her respectfully, just like the rest.

"I don't usually get involved in housing issues since we just offer them the buildings and assign the students to those sites. But I came to pick up the little girl you found. We were able to locate her relative."

"This is Professor Tsubame. She teaches the upperclassmen at the Academy. She's been working at our institution for three years. She explained to us that she recently adopted this little girl about a week ago. She's an orphan who kept running away from an orphanage in Niigata, since the teacher is from there."

That leaves everyone surprised. "Niigata?!" Nobita shouts, in disbelief.

"But the distance between Niigata and Tokyo is 304 km. Her teleportation ability is incredible." Dekisugi looks at the little girl, who doesn't leave Nobita's side.

"But... I thought she meant aunt, not mom" Nobita says, confused.

"It's just that even though I adopted her, she doesn't call me Mom, but Aunt, even though I've told her many times to call me Mom. She still calls me that. But I'll settle for now. She's a very quiet little person who doesn't have any birth parents. I adopted her a week ago because I thought she was ready to take care of a child, and she captivated me with those star-like eyes and the bear that never left her arms."

"But I didn't take into account that she was one of those little ones who developed her ability very early and was constantly teleporting. I even tried to predict where she would appear, but she seemed to predict me" the exhausted woman says.

"I understand you. Not even with my gadgets can I catch her when she does that." Doraemon exhales tiredly, and Nobita just laughs softly.

"I thought she only did that in the department, but two days before opening day, she teleported away again in the afternoon. I waited a bit for her to appear as usual, but she didn't reappear, and I panicked, so I used my broom to look for her."

Nobita is startled, remembering something. "So that day when school ended, that's when I saw her for the first time when I went to the mountain behind the school."

"A day passed and I couldn't find her, but I just received a call from the police reporting that a couple of kids and their family had found her alone in a department store in Tokyo, leaving me shocked. The ride in the flying taxi took a while, but I arrived at the station where they said she disappeared once again but had been found again. Since it was late, we stayed in a hotel, and the next day we came to the Academy to stay in the teachers' building."

"I thought she'd stay quiet, and once again she started up to her old tricks, but she came back after half an hour yesterday." The teacher smiles at the little girl.

"Oh! So that's when I saw her when we arrived at Betakoi House and Osuke greeted us." Nobita and Doraemon look at each other.

"And now today, when I was teaching, you're going to disappear to come here. Little rascal." The woman smiles at her little girl, while the administrator just rolls her eyes. "Thank you so much for taking care of my little one then and now. I'm still very new to being a mother, but I'll do my best for her. At least I know where she'll go when she teleports away, since she's grown so attached to you and the Betakoi House."

"Don't worry, Professor Tsubame. It was a pleasure for us. Right, Doraemon? At least it'll give us peace of mind knowing where we can take her when she shows up where I am." Doraemon nods at what Nobita says.

"Just try to be more careful with your daughter so this doesn't happen so often." Kaede adjusts her glasses.

"Y-yes, administrator." The teacher smiles nervously. "It's getting dark, so we'll go. Say goodbye, Yukihira."

"See you, Yuki!" Nobita says, smiling.

"Take care and don't teleport away so much" Doraemon says goodbye.

"See you, little Yuki. Take good care of your teddy bear" Shizuka smiles, waving goodbye.

"Take care, little Yukihira" Dekisugi waves goodbye.

Little Yuki looks at them all for a second, then smiles slightly and waves goodbye. "Nobita. Shizuka. Doramon."

"I'm actually Doraemon, but nice try." The blue cat scratches his head in sadness.

"Wow, she said your name too, Shizuka." Nobita turns to look at his friend.

The girl with pigtails nods. "I know, it's sweet."

"That's true, her dress looks a little different from what she was wearing." The woman looks at the girl in confusion.

"Oh yeah, the mishap with Urutogon House and the purple paint, according to the Betakoi representative. Like I said, what the houses do is none of my business since it's not on the Academy's main territory. Good night."

The teacher bows and takes the girl to the administrator.

"But it's not fair! Our friend feels guilty about something others did, and they think they can do whatever they want."

Nobita lowers his head slightly sadly, which Yuki notices. So the little girl looks at Miss Kaede, her eyes the color of space and sparkles like stars intermittently. Miss Kaede pauses for a moment.

"On second thought... I think I could do something."

The way Miss Kaede said that to keep up and leave with the teacher and Yuki left the main group a little startled, except for Hanz, who smiled, because it seemed he was the only one who saw what happened in little Yuki's eyes.

Shizuka and Dekisugi said goodbye to Nobita and the others to go to their respective residences. ALL of them had to do their homework that night, so that ended Nobita's first day at the Mystic Academy.

Chapter Text

/Dark Forest, near Burakku, over a week ago./

BOOM!

The sound of a meteorite hitting the ground can be heard in the darkness.

A couple of members of Dark Wake seemed to be arguing while setting up camp near the dark forest, conducting research with their group.

"Hey, we should go see the meteorite. According to the readings, it seems to have hit Earth."

"We can't right now. The Sage said that when that creature just arrives there, the meteorite's radiation will cause us trouble; its power is overwhelming. We have to wait at least 168 hours to get close enough to catch the Star Being; it's important for Mr. Kairos's spell."

"168 HOURS?! But that's a week! Should we really wait that long?"

"That thing will take a week to adapt to the planet's gravity, according to the Sage and Mr. Kairos. We should be ready by then and catch it."

"...Okay."

Something was shining inside a crater where a meteorite had been, in the clearing of the dark forest, the same one that had fallen a moment ago. Just as if it were an egg, something broke through the crust of the meteorite, and something emerged.

A floating mass the color of space with stars opened its eyes, glowing white eyes. It was small and looked around to see where it was. When it hit the ground, it took on an indistinct humanoid shape, but it was the same size compared to Doraemon.

It was what the villains had named: Star Being.

Like a ghost in the night, the Star Being moves swiftly, emitting a "kiuuuu!" In the middle of the dark forest, he stumbled upon an Entigo, staring at him hungrily, eager to seize his power to satisfy its own lack of it, letting out a roar from beyond the grave.

The Star Being looked at him in confusion, but decided to imitate him, transforming into a version of an Entigo, but with ghostly fur the color of space, letting out an even louder roar, causing the other to retreat and leave. The being simply tilts his head in confusion and transforms back into his original form, continuing to walk aimlessly.

Finally, it arrived in Niigata. It was early morning, almost dawn. Yawning, it teleported to a shopping plaza, hiding, despite seeing magical creatures and not having been on Earth for long, the Star Being knew there was no one else like it, so it took precautions.

The being turned invisible so it could move around without any problems, until it saw a commercial on a television in a store. A children's commercial caught its attention. It saw a little girl playing with toys, which excited it, as the star being had the mentality of a little kid.

The little being went to an alley where a pair of cats were sitting, abandoning his invisibility. With its power, it changed shape again, like in a magical girl series, transforming into a little five-year-old girl with long, straight, and well-groomed black hair. It wore a short white dress and small boots of the same color. Its eyes looked like someone looking into a starry sky; its pupils were a shade of purple and black with a unique glow. The cats were scared and ran away.

The being, now a little girl, looked at herself in a puddle and smiled slightly. Apparently, she liked that appearance very much, so she decided to keep it. The little girl walks out of the alley through the city, attracting the attention of passersby with her beautiful and distinctive eyes.

Until she met a policeman on his patrol, thinking she was lost. He asked her name, but the little girl just shook her head and asked for her parents. The stellar being still refused to talk. This led to the little girl being taken to the station and then to the orphanage because she had no relatives.

There, she saw something that caught her attention: a teddy bear. Her eyes lit up as she approached the bear in the toy box. She picked it up, and from that day on, it was hers; she wouldn't let go. As the day wore on, she struggled to play with the other children, until she caught someone's attention.

A young woman, a teacher at the Mystic Primary Academy who wasn't yet teaching because the school year was in a week, was looking to adopt and chose the girl, who decided to go with her.

Professor Tsubame named her Yukihira.

Little Yukihira was taken to the teacher's apartment in Niigata, but the little girl wanted to keep exploring, so she decided to use her power to teleport to see what she wanted and then reappear so as not to worry her (new mother)

But Yukihira never called Professor Tsubame (Mom) As Mr. Kairos already mentioned, she was a part of the Goddess of Magic, Andromeda herself. Therefore, she didn't like calling someone else (Mom). So, learning a little about human customs, he called her: Aunt.

Days passed, and although she had a nice place, clothes, and food, the little girl with the teddy bear's desire to explore only grew, so she decided to use teleportation to go further.

She disappeared from the apartment, reappearing now in Tokyo, just inside some concrete tubes. Upon leaving, she saw that she was in a vacant lot in a small neighborhood. She liked what she saw, so, with the stuffed animal in her arms, little Yukihira decided to explore.

She walked around, looking around, seeing dogs, cats, birds, fairies fluttering about, and ghost foxes and little pegasi walking with their owners. He also saw people on broomsticks, carpets, and flying cars flying through the sky toward different destinations.

By the time she got to the school, the children had already gone home, but there was someone standing there who started walking in her direction, somewhat downcast.

Yes, it was Nobita.

At first, the boy didn't catch her attention, but when they both passed each other and locked eyes, the little girl felt a slight spark. She tried to focus on her path, but her curiosity about the boy made her turn around to see him running for his life when he stepped on a dog's tail, and it started chasing him.

Tilt her head to the side in curiosity, the little girl decided to follow him without him noticing, following him everywhere from a distance that wouldn't make him notice her.

Even the next day, the day Nobita met Doraemon and his great-great-grandson, she was watching from outside the house. Hearing him cry at learning of his fateful future, she was starting to lose interest in him and was about to return to Niigata, but again she felt she should keep watching.

So she decided to make contact at the Department Store, where she could once again feel that spark when she lent him her teddy bear to make him feel better.

Why had a 10-year-old aspiring magician caught her attention? Not even she knew.

But she loved the fact that he treated her like his little sister, and from that day on, she would do everything she could to behave that way.

At least until the day the little star creature decides to return to space.

Present day, Urutogon House

Aside from the traditional Urutogon jokes, it was already close to midnight. In one of the rooms, someone was putting something together on a wooden plank. Since it was a room that looked like a beautiful suite with a balcony for one person, they could do whatever they wanted.

It was Asami who put everything in its place, so, closing the curtains in the room with the lights on, she transformed into her original Shapeshifter form.

Generally speaking, Shapeshifters in that world possess dark powers; they have an almost humanoid appearance, green in color, with clothes and hairstyles. They can change the appearance of any living being by looking at it, but they couldn't camouflage their dark powers into mystical powers, nor could they use their abilities; they could use the magic of the person they were imitating.

But in the case of Sheipu, one of the four elites of the Wake Building, the dark blue 6-pointed star design allowed her to go further; she didn't need to see the individual to take on the form, only to remember it. She could also camouflage her dark powers to make them look like mystical powers.

Since she was good at being a spy, her current mission was to find out if the stellar being was at the Academy so she could report it and capture it. In addition to obtaining a book called the Occult Encyclopedia, which was also part of her boss, Mr. Kairos's, spell.

"Sheipu!" It was Ningyo, another elite associate of the Wake Building, speaking through the crystal ball on a table.

"Now what do you want?! I'm doing my job here!" says the arrogant shapeshifter.

"Silly girl, you said earlier you were going to give me your report!" The geisha rolls her eyes.

The shapeshifter just sticks out her tongue, smiling as she taps herself on the head. "Oh yeah, you don't know how hard it was for me to sneak in here. I chose to pretend to be from Urutogon so I could have a solo space to complete the mission."

"I still haven't been able to find out where the Occult Encyclopedia is, although I'm sure the director of this Academy has it. After all, he's..."

The woman interrupts the green girl. "Tell me something you do have, because I'm just wasting my time here."

"Hmm, rude" Sheipu pouts, annoyed at being interrupted, but approaches the board that had pictures of about four students, one on top and three below. "I did a lot the first day! But with just that, I have a good idea of who the star being we're looking for would be. Especially with one I'm 90% sure is the creature we're looking for."

"Elementary school students? Not a single teacher. Really?" Ningyo raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Why not? According to the boss, star beings have the minds of young people since they're a part of the blessed goddess, so they're technically like her offspring. But look at my prime suspect" Sheipu says proudly.

Ningyo narrows her eyes. The prime suspect's picture was Nobita. "Wait a minute, I think I recognize this silly face."

In her office, which resembles a traditional Japanese room, Ningyo takes out a trunk where she kept her voodoo dolls. Inside was the Nobita Doll, still wearing the same clothes because he was transformed that way. She takes it out, heading to the low table where her crystal ball was. "It's that child whose mana you told me not to take away this morning. Why?"

"According to my investigation so far, that child has been having problems since yesterday. It seems his mana flow is unusual, like that of a stellar being whose flow NEVER ends. He broke a flying broomstick with his mana flow." The scene of Nobita with the previous broomstick broken in two appears.

"The main reason I decided to add him to my list of suspects is because of his initiation rite, he had two attempts, in the first, the blessed Throne of Destiny couldn't awaken his magic. Maybe because HIS STAR POWER can't be processed by a device that works with the same power. That's why, the second time he used that power to be able to go to the simplest faction. That's suspicious, it's possible he wanted to avoid being discovered and that's why he was able to alter the rite at will." The scene of the day of the boy's rite is shown, where she was transformed into a spider seeing everything since as she was a third year, she couldn't enter.

"Magical beings are attracted to him. I've seen it a couple of times when I decided to spy on him, especially when he was in the Academy's backyard." It's shown when the clumsy boy was sitting on the bench with the leaf birds fluttering around him.

"Star beings and magical beings get along very well. Besides, there was a Dementor after him, but, WHAT A COINCIDENCE, it was defeated after he left. A newly incoming elementary school student can do that on the first day of school? Obviously not!" The Dementor is shown being found knocked out by the teachers.

"That's stupid" Ningyo says, rolling her eyes again.

"Of course not! What kind of stupid human wizard has such bad luck and manages to get around those inconveniences?! Besides, remember that star beings don't just take on an appearance to coexist with wizards, they can impersonate them, leaving the original version trapped somewhere where they can't be found until they decide to leave and return the original to their normal life!" Sheipu paces in circles like a detective.

"What kind of wizard has a blue raccoon taking care of him if it's not important? That's the key, that creature can teleport with a door! I heard they're letting him stay at Betakoi House working there. That's weird. Why does a blue raccoon need to take care of some little brat?"

"I insist, it's stupid. If you called me for this, then I'm leaving. I have work to do." The geisha was about to turn off the crystal ball when...

"The doll" Sheipu pointed at the Nobita Doll in Ningyo's hand. "Everyone must be sleeping now, so try to drain his mana."

"You teenagers are so frustrating. First you told me not to do anything to that kid, and now you're asking me to drain his mana!" The witch crossed her arms in annoyance.

"Shut up, old woman, and just do it!" The shapeshifter screamed in despair.

Of course, that annoyed the geisha even more. "Old woman?! I'm 30 years old!"

"Yes, 30 years squared." Sheipu chuckles softly but refocuses. "But now, listen to me and use the doll."

Ningyo looks at the Nobita Doll for a moment, sighs, and makes the mana-absorbing needle appear in his other hand. "Anyway, we need mana."

As soon as she sticks the needle into the doll's chest, the needle absorbs the mana, but it glows brightly and shatters into pieces, perplexing the geisha.

"OUCH!" Nobita wakes up with a start, sitting up in his bed. Doraemon slides open the closet door, half asleep.

"What's wrong?" The robot yawns.

The silly boy feels his chest, confused. "I felt something pricked me in the chest!" He opens his pajama shirt and sees a small red pricking on his chest.

"It was probably a mosquito, go back to sleep." With another yawn, the blue cat closes the closet, so the boy obeys, zips up his shirt, lies down, and curls up to go back to sleep.

"Wow" Nignyo was stunned by the result of the shattered needle.

"SEE?! I told you, that kid...! What was his name?" Sheipu turned to check her notes on the noticeboard and turned back excitedly. "That first-year kid is actually the stellar being, only he's impersonating the real Nobi Nobita!"

The geisha looked at her partner with a judgmental look. "That's still nonsense. If the needle broke, there must be two possibilities, and neither of them have to do with the stellar being. It's possible the needles malfunctioned, or the second possibility, which might be better, is that he could be a-"

"Don't be ridiculous! It would be too much of a coincidence if another case appeared EXACTLY when the star being appeared! That thing about being the unlucky incompetent kid is a perfect alibi for a star being! I know it! I'll keep gathering more evidence and looking for the encyclopedia, I'll call you tomorrow!"

Sheipu resolutely ends the conversation by turning off the crystal ball, transforming back into her Asami disguise, and going to sleep. She then hides her board to prevent others from seeing it.

Ningyo is confused by what happened to the intact doll, so she decides to put it away. "I'll try again tomorrow with a different needle. Now I'm intrigued too."

It seems the shapeshifter refused to listen to reason, she was convinced by her crazy theory that Nobita was actually the stellar being her boss was looking for... And that he had taken the place of the real Nobita just to test out the urban world of Earth?

Which you know isn't the case, but who could have made that young girl understand that? Not even her most experienced partner could. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, another night at the Academy had ended.

Chapter Text

Another day of classes had concluded at the Academy. In Principal Chronos's office, the principal was concentrating on the broken objects he had collected the day before, his expression somewhat nervous and focused. Now, a few more had been added.

The first was a small flowerpot broken into pieces, which belonged to the Herbology class.

That same day, very early, Herbology, class 2.

The greenhouse in one of the Academy's courtyards was enormous, filled with plants of all kinds. There, the class was gazing at the immense amount of flora. Everyone was dressed in aprons and special gardening gloves, also carrying their notebooks and wands.

The same woman from the garden a few episodes ago, carrying her parasol, stood in front of them. "Welcome to Herbology 1. I'm Professor Eiko, and I'll be teaching you about flora and its use in magic. I'll also be in charge of the Biology of Magical Creatures. Let's start with a brief introduction to the subject."

"I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite subjects." Shizuka's eyes lit up, but when they did, the surrounding plants blossomed with life, which surprised Nobita.

"Wow! The plants around Shizuka blossomed!" The silly boy says, surprised.

"Oh... I forgot to tell you, my mystical ability awakened this morning. The plants around me react to my mood." The girl with pigtails looks at a nearby lily. "This greenhouse can grow flowers in all seasons thanks to its magical power; it's wonderful."

"I'm glad you're excited, because today we're going to begin harvesting the bouncing bulbs. But first, let's get down to business" says Professor Eiko.

While giving the theoretical part and explaining how to care for the plants for the recipes, Professor Eiko points at the pots with her parasol.

"Let's start by growing bouncing bulbs. Precautions must be taken for each plant in particular. For example, mandrakes have a piercing scream when harvested, so earmuffs must be worn, otherwise you might faint from the scream. In this case, you'll wear helmets."

As she explains, the entire class puts on helmets similar to those used in the Flying class. "The bulbs tend to bounce hard when harvested, so it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Although it wouldn't hurt Nobita too much, he's always tripping." Suneo chuckles, as does Gian, who echoed the dwarf's comment.

Nobita chose to pout and ignore the comment; as he had already decided, he would ignore such comments.

The teacher looks at her chart, which magically appears. "Nobi. Could you bring a flowerpot for the explanation, please?"

"I-I will do it, Professor Eiko!"

With clumsy steps, almost bumping into a couple of plants, causing the pair teasing him to snicker at some other students. Nobita approaches a table where the pots for magic plants are.

As he picks up a pot and carries it to the teacher, the same blue static erupts, unnoticed, even coming out of his gardening gloves, as the pot reaches the floor. "Here it is" says the clumsy boy, smiling, relieved that he didn't drop it.

But to their surprise, the pot breaks into pieces that fall to the ground, as if it had exploded.

"S-sorry! I don't know what happened!" Nobita gets flustered by this while others laugh.

"Don't worry, Nobi. Unusual things happen in the greenhouse, and this seems to be one of them. Just hand me another one and then clean this up with the broom."

Nobita nods at the teacher's suggestion, a little nervous about grabbing another pot, afraid it would happen again. But nothing happened, which relieves him. He hands over the pot and uses a regular broom to clean it up.

Although it did catch the attention of Dekisugi and Hajime, who found it unusual, and Shizuka also noticed what Dekisugi told her about the flow of mana, looking worriedly at her friend.

Some time after class, the principal showed up for updates, and Teacher Eiko gave him the broken pot.

"The gloves are intact, but you can see the traces of excessive flow. This excessive flow will take a week to disappear at most."

The headmaster held the gloves in his hands, placing them next to the broken flowerpot, also looking at the eyepiece of a telescope that was also suffering from excessive mana flow.

"In Professor Yakeru's Astronomy class, he was teaching them at the observatory where you can do it at night with scenery-altering magic. And he allowed them to use one of the telescopes there, but..."

Earlier, Astronomy, Class 2, Observatory.

Professor Yakeru was wearing an explorer's outfit consisting of a black shirt, gray pants, and a long brown leather jacket; it was his regular clothing. "Okay, Goda, you've used the telescope, now it's Nobi's turn."

"What for? He'll probably break the telescope if he touches it." Gian's words made Suneo chuckle softly, along with a few other students.

"Come on, Goda. Nobi has the right to use the telescope like everyone else." Dekisugi crossed his arms while Nobita scratched the back of his neck.

"Dekisugi's right, give him his turn" the professor insists, and the robust boy simply walks away while Nobita gets up from the wooden observatory seats and approaches the telescope with Gian at his side, smiling mockingly. "Goda."

"Okay, I'm leaving" Gian raises his arms, walking away.

Nobita sighs and looks through the peephole, placing his hand on the telescope. Again, static electricity escapes from his hand and reaches the telescope, causing the glass in the eyepiece to shatter. "Aaaahh!" The silly boy recoils in surprise.

"See? I told you, it's just his bad luck!" Gian says, chuckling softly.

"I know, something always happens to him, he's quite a case" Suneo says mockingly.

"Don't worry, Nobi. Coincidences happen. Luckily, there are spare parts. I'll look for one for the peephole."

The headmaster looks out the window, holding a runestone, also with the same glowing energy. "In Runes..."

He remembers how the sensei handed him that runestone, which he had brought for Runes 1 class, mentioning how when he showed it to the students in the classroom, Nobita grabbed the stone to take a closer look, but it flew off into the wall. What he didn't know was that the rune had acquired the effect of the boy's mana flow, and that's why it reacted that way.

"Everything it touches acquires the excessive flow of mana, but it only happens once." The headmaster remembers how in Spells, he taught them the Electrum spell, but nothing happened, except that the clumsy boy had a hard time casting the spell. "The reaction from the first time repeats itself continuously."

The old man moves from side to side, as if waiting for something, now seeing a shooting target split in two and riddled with holes. So he began to make notes of the events in a book with a feather from his own phoenix while it slept in his small, open wooden house.

"Nothing happened in Gym 1 with Vice Principal Taiga. He just made them run because it was the first class." The principal remembers the tall, robust vice principal telling him that everything with Nobita was normal, except that he was the slowest and weakest in the group, finishing the jogging exercise last, and the poor guy with his tongue hanging out and falling exhausted to the floor.

The vice principal also explained, like the rest of the teachers, that both Dekisugi and Hajime were the star students of the class, but that Hajime was too competitive and lonely, so much so that he always wanted to beat Dekisugi in every class, always leaving everything in a tie.

"I should also tell the homeroom teacher about Young Ishikawa's social performance. He may be a good student, but I'm worried he might end up alone." The principal sighs wearily. "Well, if I remember correctly in Mystic Defense with the vice principal, the bull's-eye..."

The administrator knocked on the door of the principal's quaint office, and he allowed her to enter. Upon entering, Miss Kaede enters with a folder and her crystalpad in her hand, approaching to place the documents on the desk. "It's unusual for you to be so worried about something, Principal. Here is all the information about young Nobi. I still don't understand why, but since his appearance, very unusual things have happened: the throne, these gadgets."

"I even decided to punish those who participated in the Urutogon House's traditional prank on the Betakoi House by making them clean the Academy for a week, including the one from Aruguma House who participated, and adding this to their files and weekly reports. The Urutogon Faction is going to be nervous about this." Miss Kaede adjusts her glasses.

"That's good, it's about time. As part of Urutogon, I'm glad about that, and your decision puts a smile on my face. I don't know who made you change your mind this year, but well done, Kaede." The Principal actually smiled at this.

"Anyway, as for the recording, here it is." The manager takes out a VHS tape for the humble old television he had on his desk to insert into the player. "If you had a crystalpad, I wouldn't have had to use magic to make this VHS tape. We're in a world of modern magic; you have to adapt"

"No, no, no, I already told you, I'm not going to use that. I prefer my handy-dandy crystal ball. I'm not going to depend my life on interacting with those modern things like portable crystals and flat-screen TVs. It's not my style. I prefer old school." With his wand, the manager makes some tea appear in a ceramic cup, ready to sit down and drink it.

The tape was precisely the moment of Nobita's initiation rite, at least the first rite, although it wasn't noticeable. The director squints his eyes to look closely at the process, until he notices the blue static that came from his hands toward the throne. With his white wand, he played the scene a total of 10 times and wrote down what he saw. "I knew it!"

The director stands up abruptly, leaving his tea on the desk. "That's more than enough. My theory turned out to be true!"

Miss Kaede exhales tiredly. "And now WHAT happened to that boy?"

The principal uses his wand to close the blinds of the large window behind him, leaving the office dark, lit only by its vintage-style gas lamps and the sleeping phoenix. The old man looks around and whispers something to the administrator, who is surprised.

"Principal. Are you absolutely sure? Not many wizards are listed in that section." The administrator couldn't believe her boss's conclusion.

"That's right, and I plan to tell him. He must know. At least so he knows the landscape of his own environment. But I'll do it on the day of the weekly report."

The director puts his arms behind his back as he walks toward the covered window.

"Now I understand more about the flow of mana. Thank goodness Young Nobi is a wizard." The director looks up seriously. "Because if he had been a renegade, he would have ended up just like THEM."

Chapter Text

Back garden of the Mystic Academy, a few hours ago, at lunchtime.

Nobita was sitting on a bench near a fountain and some pink flowers, until someone arrived with a pair of bento boxes. It was Shizuka.

"This is a nice place" Shizuka said, smiling.

Nobita just scratched the back of his neck. "I thought it would be a nice place. Thanks for the bento."

The girl sat next to her friend and gave him the bento box. He opened it and saw mini hamburgers, cat-shaped rice, and eggs, in addition to the salad. "Wow, hamburgers! I really like them too!"

"I know that. We've known each other since kindergarten. Remember?" Shizuka giggled as she opened her own bento box.

They both thanked each other for the food and began to eat. She saw her friend's eyes light up as he ate the hamburger, indicating that he loved it very much, which made her smile. "You know, Nobita?"

The silly boy pays attention to her. "I know you have your flaws that you need to work on, but you also have your virtues. You prove yourself kind when someone is sad, like what you did with Kaori or when you were kind in your own way to Dekisugi about yesterday."

"And you're not bad at playing the older brother. It's no wonder little Yuki sees you that way if the first thing you thought about after the prank was cleaning her paint."

Nobita smirks, scratching the back of his neck, and Shizuka chuckles again.

"I see you put in the effort when the situation calls for it. What was holding you back from showing more of your personality was the way you let yourself be trampled on by what others said, and honestly, that didn't make you look good. You were content with just letting pessimism devour you and letting Takeshi and Suneo boss you around, which frustrated me too much."

"Sometimes I felt like it wasn't doing much to encourage you because you just wanted to stay where you were. And as a friend, that irritated me a little because I care about you." She looked at her bento with a sad smile.

Nobita heard the whole explanation. Apparently, his friend Kaori was right about what Shizuka felt. He felt as if all the decisions he'd made so far had led him to get to know even his childhood friends better.

Did it mean he was finally making his way to a happy ending?

He also smiles, looking at his bento. "Thank you for caring, and I'm sorry because before, I just wanted to stay in the dark. I thought that if it was just me who was having a bad time, it didn't matter because I was resigned to being mediocre. But I didn't think it affected those around me."

"Maybe that's why I think that in that future I let Gian influence me so much because I was so pessimistic that I even ended up marrying..."

Nobita immediately shakes his hands and, laughing, almost puts his foot in it when talking about the album. "I mean, I'm really going to try hard not to stay in the hole! Hehehehe."

"I don't know what Doraemon did to make you change little by little, but I'm glad he's with you. It's clear that, just like us, he wants the best for you. Since he appeared, you've even become more confident despite everything we've been experiencing here."

What Shizuka says makes our protagonist think about his new best friend. He had a point: With Doraemon's company, he felt like he could do anything, like change his future, his destiny.

"You're right." They both look into each other's eyes and then laugh again. "And thanks for inviting me to lunch, Shizuka. Everything was delicious!"

The boy's warm smile appears, highlighted by the blush on his cheeks as he smiles, which makes the girl smile back at him, thanks to that contagious aura that she liked the most about him.

"You're welcome, Nobita."

Gym 1, Class 2. Moments later.

In the Academy's gym building, not only did they have traditional gymnastics equipment, the interior being very large due to the dimensions of the spell, but there was also a dueling arena for Magic Defense and a shooting range.

The large, robust vice-principal appears, blowing a whistle, while the students in their PE uniforms stand at attention. "ATTENTION CHILDREN! I'm Vice-Principal Taiga! Welcome to Gym 1, where you're going to improve those poor stamina of your tiny bodies so you can use less mana! Be more athletic, more economical. Physical health is important to be a good wizard. It's time to train! Okay?!"

Everyone says a quiet yes. "I can't hear you!" Everyone shouts another louder yes.

"Then in Mystic Defense 1, I'll have you practice with the targets since I know from the principal that he already taught you Electrum last class. For today, you'll practice the two spells you learned with the targets, and next class, we'll have a couple of magic duels! FIRST, RUN! I WANT ABOUT 5 LAPS AROUND THE GYM, NOW!"

When the whistle blew, all the kids started today's routine. As expected, Dekisugi and Hajime were in front, followed by Gian, who was also strong. And of course, Nobita was getting tired in the back.

The vice principal looks at the card. "Come on, Nobi, give it your all, you can do it, pick up the pace!" he shouts, watching the students run, causing Nobita to run in fright.

"The vice principal applies more pressure than sensei did when he taught us gymnastics at school" Yasuo says as he runs.

"I guess it must have been some boxing or magic dueling coach or something, or else I can't explain this. We witches use broomsticks, we don't run." Mitzuki is starting to tire.

After a training session and with some exhausted novice wizards whose strength was restored with health potions, it was time to use the wands.

The vice principal blows the whistle again. "Okay, time to start Magic Defense. You're going to use Electrum on those targets!"

On the shooting range, there were some targets, some stationary and others moving with magic. "You all have to hit it, I'll time you. Okay?" The kids shouted yes in unison, so each one began to stand in the designated line and use Electrum to hit the targets while the vice-principal measured the time. There were 20 targets that repaired themselves with magic so they could be reused without any problem.

Nobita was a little nervous, although in part, the targets reminded him of how he used to play gunfighter with empty cans and a cork gun. He didn't know if he could do something similar with his wand.

Dekisugi, noticing his nervousness, approached him. "You'll do well, Nobi. Trust in your own abilities."

"I want to, but I don't know if I can do the same thing I do with the cork guns." Nobita nervously scratches the back of his neck.

Dekisugi puts his hand on his friend's shoulder, smiling. "You can do it. I saw during spells that, although it was a bit difficult for you, you were able to handle the electrum spell better than levition. If you need some advice..."

"PLEASE!" The clumsy boy's determined gaze cried out for that, as did his words. "I want to at least be good at something. Everything has gone wrong for me, and although I'm tempted to revert to pessimistic mode sometimes, I try to avoid it. I want at least ONE thing to go well!"

"Then, imagine your wand as that cork gun. If you do that, everything will turn out well. The mind helps the ability." Dekisugi hears the vice-principal call. "Just think about it. If you combine your talents into what you should do, something good will surely come out of it."

While Dekisugi used the spell with the targets hitting near the center of the targets, Nobita looks at his wand and imagines for a moment his cork gun, the cans, and how excited he got when he hit all the cans, before letting out a sigh.

As expected, Dekisugi hit all the targets in a good amount of time for a professional wizard, the same thing happened with Hajime, the same time and with the same ability. This inwardly bothered the antisocial boy a little due to his competitiveness.

Gian and Suneo also did it. Suneo did well, and although Gian is more attached to physical attacks, he did it normally, although it took him a while to deal with the moving targets.

"Tsss! Those targets move too much, I could barely touch them, it's not fair!" Gian complained.

"When the day comes that you have to defend yourself in an emergency, the monsters or aggressive renegades won't stay still for you, Goda. You may have a good physique, but magic is also a matter of practice!" The robust boy gets a scolding from the vice principal.

"And on top of that, the administrator actually punished us fairly for the prank... How bad" Suneo exhales tiredly.

"Okay, Nobi, it's just you, front and center!"

The silly boy stands at attention at what Vice Principal Taiga says and walks with a clumsy gait. Suneo and Gian laugh, crossing their arms.

"What do you bet, Big G? I say the wand will slip from his hand as soon as the whistle blows and hit the ceiling. I'll bet a 5-fork chef's bento we have from Urutogon House with high-quality food for after school" Suneo mocks.

"I bet some comics I got from Yasuo that he'll fail every one and cry his eyes out!" Gian smiles as he puts his arms behind his back while Yasuo complains angrily, but seeing the intimidating face of the robust boy, he better not say anything.

Mitzuki looks closely and smiles maliciously, as if she's just thought of a prank. "I bet some homemade cookies that he'll give them all and in good time." Giant and Suneo turn to look at Mitzuki in surprise.

"But Nobita is clumsy and weak. How is he going to hit the targets?" Gian says incredulously.

"Come on, Mitzuki, you're putting a lot of faith in him" Suneo says, smiling nervously.

"Nobita smells like rosemary incense. If you're so sure, then what's the bet? I'll make lots of special cookies if you win" Mitzuki shows a creepy but confident smile.

The pair is confused by the incense smell. But they smile, thinking they were right. "Deal!" Gian says confidently. The pair didn't know she made cookies that were delicious but scary.

Shizuka was a little worried, but Dekisugi notices something about Nobita. "It seems he's going to follow my advice. Let's see how that turns out."

The clever boy smiles as he watches Nobita approach the line. He had his wand in his pocket, which confuses the vice principal.

"Are you going to use your wand like that?" Nobita nods at what the teacher says "As you wish, it's your problem, when the whistle blows use Electrum to hit the targets"

"Think of your wand as a corkscrew gun. The spell is the ammunition, think about that." That's what he told himself as he stood in position.

The focused look that said nothing yet said everything was immediately noticed by Dekisugi and Hajime.

As soon as the whistle blew, Nobita took his wand out of his pocket, holding it so it looked like he was holding a gun. Thinking about the spell, an instinct kicked in.

Everyone gasped, including the vice-principal himself, who paused the timer as soon as it was over.

Not only had Nobita hit every target, including the motion targets, but he also pulverized Dekisugi and Hajime's time, hitting them all dead center. One of them fell apart, as if pierced through, and the static felt like the rest of the objects, due to the flow of mana, was noticeable. But since the beam being launched was blue, they didn't give it any thought.

Although Mitzuki was the only one who, although shocked, knew something was going to happen "The smell of rosemary incense on a wizard is what gives off a vibe of absolute self-confidence, a clear mind. That was reflected in his eyes. How does someone like him have a look that says nothing and everything at once? That's interesting."

"And I'm not the only one who noticed that." Hearing what Mitzuki said, Shizuka saw that Dekisugi and Hajime were staring at him intently. "Fine, I'll expect a 5-star lunch and those comics at Aruguma House after school, of course, after you guys clean up the halls of Academy. Kikikiki"

Gian and Suneo were equally impressed. They knew of Nobita's shooting talent, but they had no idea he could adapt his own talent to his wand. Therefore, the mixture of shock and anger showed in them. The goth girl just giggled softly like a witch.

"Incredible, Nobi. Not only did you hit all 20 targets, including the moving ones in the center, but you also beat Dekisugi and Ishikawa's time, and you also broke a regional spellcasting record. Anyway, improve your stamina with exercise." The vice-principal tossed the boy a flask of mana potion. "But anyway, well done."

Hearing that and holding the bottle of blue liquid in his hands, he couldn't help but smile with satisfaction and pride. The emotion was so great he wanted to shed tears of happiness, especially since his closest classmates congratulated him. He turned around to wipe those tears away with his arm, a warm smile on his face.

Shizuka noticed that feeling and smiled back, as if proud of how, little by little, Nobita's spark of positivity and self-esteem was emerging from that cage of pessimism that had him trapped in that pit of low self-esteem.

"You used the Electrum spell a lot, and you're just starting to strengthen yourself to use less mana. Your bodies must feel a little empty from using so much mana. Drink the mana potion I gave you." The end-of-class bell rang. "That's all for today. I'll see you next time! Goda, Honekawa, come with me. I have to supervise you for the punishment the administration gave you!"

"Yeeees" Gian and Suneo exhale tiredly. The dwarf looks at Nobita enviously, while the burly boy glares at him irritably as they both follow the vice-principal out of the gym.

"You did well, Nobita! You used your wand with your shooting skills, that was amazing!" Shizuka says excitedly, to which Nobita blushes brightly and scratches the back of his neck.

"It's nothing. I just followed Dekisugi's advice and used the wand differently. Thanks, by the way." The silly boy turns to his friend with a grateful smile, while the rest of the kids and Hajime leave the gym while drinking the mana potion.

"I saw you struggled in the last class, but you were able to control Electrum. I think electrical spells are your strong suit, as is your shooting ability, which is why I mentioned it." Dekisugi nods, though he is surprised when Nobita gives him the flask of mana potion. "But Nobi, you used a lot of mana on Electrum, even if your shots were accurate."

"Keep it, as thanks for the advice. I don't feel empty; in fact, I feel as capable as if I hadn't spent anything."

Although the silly boy said this with positive innocence, it caught the attention of both Dekisugi and Hajime, who was still standing at the door.

And while Nobita, Shizuka, and Mitzuki walked out, chatting quietly. Dekisugi put his hand to his chin, worried and curious. "Doesn't Nobi feel like he's lost mana? I feel like there's something unusual about him every time." He turned and looked at Hajime.

"Do you also think about what could be wrong with h...?" But the antisocial boy just walked away, leaving him there, so he simply sighed.

"The flow of mana acting on objects and the lack of it in the use of it. I feel like I've already read something about this in a book, so I'd have to go back and look for it. But if it's something that could endanger Nobi's physical safety, I must find out as soon as possible."

Chapter Text

Time passed. Yuki wasn't there that day, so Nobita had to do his homework, even though he was too lazy to do it. As he was about to do it in his room while Hajime was in the study hall, Doraemon pops out of the drawer of the desk next to the silly boy, which takes him by surprise. "Doraemon?!"

"Hey! I was making some adjustments. I finally got the time machine entrance to fit this desk. Now I don't need to go to Tokyo to use the time machine." Doraemon pops out of the desk and closes it. "How was your time at the Academy?"

"Honestly, it was just average, but today I excelled at Mystic Defense. It seems I can use the Electrum spell well," Nobita says proudly.

"Really? Congratulations! Do you see that you can do something if you want to? You just have to see everything from a perspective where you can stand out."

Doraemon smiles at seeing his friend so proud of himself and thinks "It seems everything is going smoothly. I think I won't have to worry about Friday and the day he would return to his emergency plan. He seems very happy, which is what matters."

"Hey Doraemon... Thanks." They both sit on the edge of the bed, leaving the blue cat confused.

"Why?" the robot asks.

"It's because since you've been with me, I've started to change my way of being a little." Nobita plays with his fingers, though afterward he makes a long face. "But... If I finish this year well, what will happen next?"

"Will you return to the future?"

That question startles Doraemon, although he knew what the answer was, he wanted to change the subject because of that sad look his friend gave him, that boy had become fond of him.

But as if it were a lifeline, Nobita receives a call from his CrystalPad. "Oh look, you better answer it!" The robot shows a nervous smile, but is relieved inside.

"It's Mitzuki." The silly boy opens the image, showing the goth girl. "What's up, Mitzuki?"

"Hey. Are you at the Betakoi House?" Nobita nods at the question. "Okay, then come out. I have something to give you."

Doraemon and Nobita were confused as soon as the image went off. So, with their curiosity piqued, the pair left their room, went down the elevator, and left the house to meet Mitzuki, who was carrying a large bag in both hands.

"What's that?" Nobita asks, confused.

With her characteristic gloomy smile, the goth girl gives the bag to the clumsy boy. "Take it, I'm not interested in these things."

Nobita sees the contents of the bag: an elegant bento box containing fancy food, some Yasuo's comics, and a bag of eye-shaped cookies that startled Doraemon in particular.

"EYES!" the robot shouts, frightened.

Nobita laughs nervously. "Relax, they're Mitzuki's homemade cookies. They're scary to look at, but they're delicious. There are also some Yasuo's comics. But why are you giving me all this?"

Mitzuki laughs like a witch. "I made a bet on how you'd do with the dartboards, and I bet in your favor against Goda and Honekawa. I bet cookies, and they got me a bento box and some [borrowed] comics."

"You bet on me with Gian and Suneo?!" The boy says, somewhat offended, but then becomes stunned. "Wait... In my favor? You really believed I'd make it?" He immediately gets excited, and even his eyes light up, like a happy puppy; all he needed was a tail to wag happily.

"Yeah, your determination to achieve the dartboards thing was obvious. That's because you decided to believe in yourself. You should keep that side of you, good things come from it. Like that protagonist in a wizarding school in some books I once read." The goth girl nods. "I just bet on seeing that pair's faces. Angry faces are funny. Kikiki! But they delivered. Suneo sent me the bento, and since I'm from Aruguma, Takeshi came to my room to drop off the comics."

"I just wanted to see their faces. I'm not interested in the prize, but I'm not going to waste them, so I'm giving it to you for your effort. Do whatever you want with this, along with the cookies from the bet."

"Wow, thanks Mitzuki, especially thanks for having faith in me!" Nobita smiles, taking out one of the comics.

Coincidence or not, Yasuo and Haru were walking towards the Betakoi House.

"Although I don't feel a bit comfortable having these comics with me. I mean, I like being given comics, but Gian must have probably taken them away from Yasuo since they're in the same house." Nobita scratches his head, wondering what to do until he notices the pair approaching, and a thought occurs to him. He's made a new decision.

While he's been thinking about something, Shizuka is passing through an intersection on her broom after visiting a friend of hers who was from Aruguma and practicing flying at the same time. She notices what's happening a little far away, so she approaches within earshot but can still hear them.

Doraemon notices, startled, how Nobita takes out the bento and cookies to approach the two boys. But with that, he has a hunch about what he's going to do, so he smiles. "Hey, Yasuo! Here, take these. They're yours, right?"

"Hey, Nobita. What's that?" The pair greet the silly boy and Yasuo takes the bag, surprised to see the contents. "These are the comics that Gian stole from me a couple of days ago. I remember hearing that he had bet them with Mitzuki! I thought I would never see them again."

Nobita nods. "She gave them to me because she just wanted to see the expressions on Gian and Suneo's faces when they lost. So take them. I don't feel right having something Gian took from you. I know how that feels." The boy scratches the back of his neck, smiling.

Yasuo is overjoyed to have his belongings back. "Amazing! Thank you so much, Nobita. I've been wanting to get these comics back because they're my favorites, but Gian scares me when he gets upset!"

"No problem." The clumsy boy looks at Haru and gives him the bento. "This is one of the gourmet food bentos from Urutogon House. You can keep it if you want."

"Can I?!" Haru says, licking his lips, looking at the bento. Nobita nods, so the chubby boy happily takes it. "Thanks, Nobita! But you really don't mind?"

"Hey. Carp are a school of fish, aren't we?" The clumsy boy points to his Betakoi badge on his clothes.

"That's right, I appreciate it! Let's go to the cafeteria to eat this!" Haru says cheerfully.

"Okay, we'll read some comics while we're at it." Since there were three comics, Yasuo hands one to Nobita, who initially tries to reject it with his hands, but the boy in the cap insists "Come on, I'll lend you this one. After you gave me my comics, the least I can do is lend you one to thank you."

Nobita smiles and gratefully takes it. Yasuo and Haru leave happily with their loot, while Doraemon and Mitzuki approach. "Did you give most of your earnings to those guys?" the goth girl asks curiously.

"Ever since I decided to stop being Gian and Suneo's shadow, they ended up being the targets of that pair. Seeing them reminds me of that time when I gave in to those who took advantage of my fear of having no one."

The boy looks at the comic nostalgically, but it was a nostalgia he didn't miss, because it reminded him of the downside of letting himself be trampled on. "I don't want that to happen. I wish things between Gian, Suneo, and me had been different, more friendly. But they insist their way of being is fine, especially Gian. If they don't change, I won't be able to see them as friends. No one should have to replace me as shadows of both of them. Nobody deserves to be in my place."

"I'm glad you think that way" Doraemon says, and Shizuka, who heard everything, smiles again with pride for her friend before flying off back to the Omekkusu House.

"Nobita, you're very clear about your ideas, that's why you smell like cinnamon incense now" Mitzuki laughs softly. The boy just scratches the back of his neck, smiling nervously.

After saying goodbye to Mitzuki, the pair returned to the Betakoi House, where they ate the cookies. Although they were scary, they were delicious. And although he was lazy, Nobita had no choice but to do his chores, since his mother had used the crystal ball to see how he was doing.

When it was time to go to sleep, Doraemon tucked Nobita in, who had fallen asleep in his bed, before going up to the closet, settling in, and closing the sliding door. "I think we're getting there, Sewashi. Nobita is going to make it through the first week without any problems. That makes me happy. Not just for us, but for him as well" the robot thought, before falling asleep.

Hajime also had the sliding door separating the room up, though for a moment, using levition, he moved it slightly from his bed, watching his roommate sleep. He was able to control his ability to see the flow of mana.

The same result: Bright blue flooded Nobita's part of the room, and a normal glow was also noticeable from the closet, which belonged to Doraemon due to his Artificial Mystic Power. Sighing, the antisocial boy closed the sliding door with his wand and went to sleep. Thus concluded another day at the Academy.

Wednesday went normally in Flight 1, Spells 1, where they learned the fireball spell (Fogoto), and Biology of Magical Creatures, where they went through the mana flow again, but with a unicorn horn that Professor Eiko brought to class, which Nobita made glow for a moment when he took it. They continued with the History of Magic and ended with Potions to learn how to make a Mana Potion.

Since it was free time, they left early. Yuki had shown up to play with Nobita, so they spent time together with the little girl, learning how to make figures with thread that the clumsy boy taught her, until Professor Tsubame picked her up. Everyone was already used to the little girl.

Thursday was also quiet, with the highlights being Charms and Curses, where Principal Chronos taught them how to make talismans against ghosts, but the talisman Nobita was making caught fire with a blue flame due to the mana flow. They also studied Gymnastics, Herbology, and Potions, where they reinforced everything for the next day's exam, as the most important subjects: Spells, Potions, and Flying, were tested at the end of the week for their class. They also studied Arithmetic and Biology of Magical Creatures.

For the rest of the normal day, Kaori went to the Betakoi House to talk with Nobita and pass the time.

And one of the critical days had arrived.

/Friday of the First Week/

It was morning, Doraemon was already up, while Hajime grabbed his backpack and left the room early like every morning. Nobita was still sleeping, drooling, and the sheet was almost on the floor.

The robot put a scarf on his head, tying it like a headband like a coach, his gaze very determined. "The day has come!"

Doraemon begins to remember the day he met Nobita and about the future that Sewashi told the protagonist.

"In a week, you're going to try to make that decision because it's going to be a bad week for you, but your parents will discourage you from doing it, so you're going to keep going and see how the first year goes."

"But even if you didn't make the decision the first time, you're going to be depressed about how it went and you won't bother trying to improve at all because you have no faith in your abilities."

"The situation will reach such a point with your self-esteem that you'll decide to resume the plan after the holidays."

"Today is that day, the day Nobita will evaluate that decision. I trust that everything that has happened to him in the past four days will be enough to make Nobita not want to go back to his contingency plan and stray further from the album's future." Doraemon walks in circles.

"Everything has to go well. Not only do you have evaluation exams, but your Flight Exam will also give you your license if you pass, so you have to prepare, have everything ready, and work hard today. This will help you a lot in your life." Doraemon excitedly shouts into the room.

"So let's move on, to a new future!"

But Nobita was still asleep. "Come on, today is the day you have to get to the Academy early!"

"5 more minutes, it's Fridaaaaay!" The silly boy curled up in his bed.

Suddenly, little Yuki appears through her teleportation and falls on Nobita, who wakes up with a start because she fell on him, making Doraemon smile. "Thanks, Yuki."

The boy sits up startled. "Yuki! What are you doing here so early?!"

"Okay, okay, since Yuki woke you up, it's time for you to clean up, put on your uniform, get ready, and go downstairs for breakfast before you go." Nobita gets out of bed with the little girl. "Today is the big day, Nobita! You have to put in all your effort."

"Uhhh, yeah, but..." The boy scratches his neck nervously. "Despite everything, I'm still slower at learning than the others. It makes me nervous to know how the weekly report will go. And about the license."

The blue robot grabs the clumsy boy by the shoulders, pulling him down so he can look him in the eye. "You have to be positive. You've come so far. I know you can make it through this day. You've already made it through four! I believe in you, believe in yourself!"

"Doraemon... Do you really think I can do it?" the boy says, his eyes twinkling.

The blue cat nods, smiling confidently. "No doubt about it, buddy. You can do it, and whatever the outcome, I'll be with you. You won't be alone in this, not this time."

Doraemon lets go of his friend, only to receive a hug from the boy, while tears well up and he smiles. "I love you so much, Doraemon. Thanks for agreeing to be my best buddy."

"Hey, I said I was going to help you with this. I care about you a lot." Doraemon says this, then silently watches as Nobita washes up and takes off his pajamas, revealing the scar on his back that will remain with him for the rest of his life.

When the clumsy boy put on his uniform, Nobita watched as Doraemon looked at him with a sad smile. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry. Pack your backpack and take it with you to the dining room for breakfast."

That's what the boy did, gathering everything in his backpack and carrying it in his hand. "Come on, Yuki, let's go down to breakfast."

As soon as the pair left the room, the robot just looked down, still with a sad smile on his face and his pupils shining. He began to recall his conversation with Sewashi inside the time tunnel before visiting Nobita for the first time, and a few moments after that.

"There's a reason I decided to do this. I'm doing it mainly for you."

"I'm not just supporting you because Sewashi's future and mine depend on your decisions, Nobita. I really want you to be well."

"Pfff! What do you think? Because of his decisions, your family is in a difficult situation. How do you think I'm going to get attached to him? That won't happen."

"After the days we've been through, I don't want you to have that future."

"I'll make sure he doesn't have to decide that and I'll be back at the appointed time. Remember, I'm doing this for you. I'll try not to judge him too much."

"I... I can't believe this." He just sighs sadly as he covers his face with his little hands.

"But getting attached? No way."

"I really grew fond of you, Nobita."

"Nice to meet you Doraemon, thanks for coming to help me, I hope we become good friends."

"It can't be... I didn't want... I didn't want this to happen."

"Hey, hey, I won't be here long, just long enough to keep you from messing up. I'm doing this for Sewashi, so let's not go so fast."

"I said I wasn't going to get attached to you."

"Don't be afraid, I'm here, come back to yourself! I told you, I'm not going to leave you alone in this, if I have to face the same M.C.G, I will, I'm not going to let you fall!"

"Now when I have to leave you at the end of this mission, it will hurt so much and I know it will hurt you too." The poor cat is crying.

"I'm scared. What if I really am a renegade?"

"You won't be alone. I'll go with you if necessary. I won't abandon you."

"That's why I couldn't answer your question that time... I don't want you to think about that now..."

Looking up and looking outside the window, Doraemon smiles.

"I love you too, Nobita. Today will be a different day."

Chapter Text

For any student, that was going to be a normal day like any other. But for the first-years, that Friday not only represented their first magic assessment, but if they passed the flight test, they would obtain their license to fly freely, not just within the Academy's territory, and they would also be able to change their broomstick style.

Thanks to Yuki, Nobita was able to arrive just in time to change and go to Magic Defense class in the gym. Of course, since it was a crucial day, Doraemon again sent a spy satellite to monitor his progress. Yuki looked at the screen, pointing at Nobita sitting on the gym floor with his classmates. "Nobita!"

"Yes, Yuki, there he is. Today we'll see how he's doing. I know you're as worried about him as I am" Doraemon said, and the little girl smiled slightly, holding her teddy bear in her arms.

Vice Principal Taiga blows his whistle. "Okay, kids, for today's class, we're going to have a couple of duels. You're allowed to use the three spells you already know! But since we're on a time limit, I'll choose six of those who will fight today."

Nobita gets nervous while the vice principal checks his card. Dueling was already something else, so he clasps his hands and mentally prays that he won't be chosen. But... "Okay, the first duel will be Nobi versus Goda!"

Everyone gasps in surprise, even Doraemon is stunned. "Ok, we're off to a strong start." the blue cat says, sighing tiredly.

Gian can't help but smile a wicked grin from ear to ear, getting up to go to the battlefield. Nobita is trembling, but Shizuka puts her hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Nobita, you can do well! Believe in yourself. These past four days you've shown the desire to improve. Don't let even Takeshi make you feel inferior."

"We'll cheer you on, Nobi." Dekisugi clenches his fists enthusiastically, motivating his friend.

"Guys, thank you." Nobita takes a deep breath and stands up to head out onto the battlefield.

"Come on, Big G, finish him off!" Suneo claps, smiling, and looks at Yasuo and Haru. "Clap, we're going to see the best in the class fight!"

"But neither Dekisugi nor Hajime are going to fight now" Haru says, and with an intimidating Gian glare, the pair of boys had no choice but to clap out of fear.

"Remember, this is just TRAINING, no rough handling or hurting with any intention other than to perform the exercise. Use all three spells. Since this is a training duel, you will not use potions during the duel. You have 5 minutes. Once the time is up, the weakest loses, or the one who is unable to fight or faints before the time is up, loses. UNDERSTOOD?" The pair nod. "Okay, when the whistle blows, start the spells!"

"Looks like we're destined to meet face to face after all, Nobita! I'll use this to finally put you in your place. I'll show you that you made a mistake by ignoring me!" Gian says.

"Shouldn't you say something, considering the way he's saying all this to Nobita?" Tachibana raises her hand, asking the vice-principal.

"Not in other classes, but not in a magic duel. You don't just need agility and magical skill, but also the audacity to use strategies to distract your opponent, such as provocation. This will prepare you when you need to use your magic to defend yourself." Vice-Principal Taiga crosses his arms.

Nobita's legs were trembling at Gian's words, but when he turned around, he saw Shizuka supporting him, as was Dekisugi. He also remembered Doraemon's words from that morning. "I'm scared, but at least in magical duels there are no punches, although there are spells."

Nobita had a new decision in his life: Let Gian beat him easily and become his shadow again, which will affect him even in the future, or continue standing and fighting on his own.

The boy was starting to get discouraged, but he shook his head. "No, everyone is confident that I can at least give Gian a fight! If I run away now and don't try, that will only prove him right."

The clumsy boy looks at the wand in his pocket. "Now I'm a wizard, I can defend myself. I can't go back to the hole. If I do, Doraemon's efforts, my friends'... MY efforts will be for nothing. Even if I'm afraid, I must at least try!"

Nobita will continue to fight for himself

Determined, Nobita takes another deep breath and pats his cheeks to concentrate and suppress his fears. "Are you really not going to say anything?! Not even cry?! Nothing?!"

"Gian, I want to be friends with someone who won't hurt me just because I have to be worse than him. We're only in first year, so you still have time to change your ways, the same with Suneo. I don't want to be beneath you again, nor should anyone be!"

The moment Nobita said that last thing, Yasuo and Haru remembered the gesture from the other day and looked at each other. "Bah, what a diva!" Suneo crossed her arms indifferently at the glasses-wearing boy's words.

"Fine, if that's what you think, get ready!" Gian already had his wand in his hand, already smiling an annoyed smile.

The vice-principal blew his whistle, so, being faster, Nobita was able to make the first move, drawing his wand to use Electrum, his best weapon of the three. Gian took the electric bolts, but his build helped him resist.

Gian used Fogoto and threw fireballs to hit his opponent's body parts. Nobita tried to dodge them by moving sideways, but his movements were clumsy and he took damage. With Levition, Gian lifted the silly boy's leg, knocking him onto his back, and threw Electrum at him.

Fortunately, the lightning barely grazed the protagonist, who jumped up. "It was close, but if I don't do something, this will end too soon, and I'll take more damage" the clumsy one thought, breathing deeply from the damage he had taken. Gian was also starting to breathe more, but it was from using too many continuous spells due to the mana drain.

Shizuka looked worriedly at her friend's condition, while Dekisugi had a serious expression on his face as he watched the duel. Even Suneo was stunned that Nobita hadn't given in immediately.

The gymnasium fell silent as the two wizards stared into each other's eyes.

"What's wrong with you, Nobita?! Are you ready to give up already? Ha, it's typical of you. You'll remain mediocre and whiny no matter how much effort you put in. You just don't have the will to continue being the jerk you've been since we started here! But unlike you, I'm a good friend. You still have time to apologize for leaving us and join the group again. Everything was more fun when you did what I told you because I'm always right."

Just as Nobita was about to cast another Electrum spell, Gian used Levitation to make him drop his wand to the ground. "I've already won this duel, give up!"

"I-I can't!" Nobita dodged to the side before a conjured lightning bolt struck him. "I'm not going back to that hole! Not after those I love trusted me!"

"Gian is using a lot of spells. It's obvious he's taking it out on me. Maybe with a moment's carelessness I'll be able to do something. I just hope it doesn't happen too late" Nobita thinks, struggling to reach for his wand.

"Come on, Nobita, you can do it!" Shizuka shouts encouragingly, excitement running high.

"Nobi, give it your all!" Dekisugi shouts.

"Come ooooon" Mitzuki claps a little.

Yasuo and Haru put on serious faces and join in as well. Their decisive gesture from the other day was starting to give them strength. "Come on, you're a carp!" Haru yells. A trio of Betakoi students from the class were also cheering him on.

"Come on, Nobita, get up!" Yasuo shouts.

"Hey, you're supposed to be supporting Gian! What's wrong with you?" Suneo complains about what Yasuo and Haru were doing, but even he just watched without saying anything.

Nobita was on the ground, his wand hand trembling.

"NOBITA, CHEER UP!"

Even though Doraemon was only watching with the satellite, he joined in the cheers, shouting at the top of his lungs. Little Yuki also cheered for the boy, even if it was just by saying his name out loud.

Although the clumsy boy didn't hear him, he could feel Doraemon's support inside him. So he got up with difficulty, but he did it. Gian, already feeling like the winner of the duel, approached to throw another fireball at him and finish him off. But Nobita started dodging as best he could. "I bet you won't hit me! Fists and spells aren't the same!"

Giant turned red at the provocation. "Stop dodging! You're a coward for not throwing anything, you slippery fool!" More fireballs were thrown. The clumsy boy dodged as best he could, but Gian switched to Electrum and hit him with a lightning bolt in the back, knocking him down, leaving everyone stunned. "Ha, let's see, keep teasing me, I won!"

Just when everything seemed to be going in Gian's favor, he started to feel like his head was spinning. "What's wrong? My eyes are seeing everywhere."

"What's wrong with Takeshi?" Shizuka asked, confused.

Dekisugi nodded, understanding the situation. "That's what happens when you start running low on mana. Mystical power starts using the body's energy as a source when mana is at its lowest. That's why the third-year boy fainted when he ran out of mana, as he became tired because his power used energy as a substitute fuel."

"It's possible that Nobi purposefully angered Goda to deplete his mana. It's like the vice-principal said, not only agility and skill are needed in a duel, but also boldness."

Nobita took advantage of Gian shaking his head to regain consciousness, and kneeling, he launched a series of lightning bolts directly at the robust boy's body, especially at his knees. These paralyzed the muscles, causing Gian to lose his balance and fall just as he was about to use Levition to take the wand away from his opponent, but only managed to move a lamp to the other side in the direction of the wand.

The robust boy fell flat on the ground, unable to take it anymore. With his mana at minimum and his knees paralyzed, the vice-principal blew his whistle.

"The duel is over, Nobi wins the contest!"

The other kids were stunned, except for Hajime, who, although he was watching the duel, merely observed without reacting. The others began to applaud, especially those closest to Nobita. Suneo's mouth fell open in disbelief at what had happened:

The strongest (physically) boy in the class had lost to the weakest and clumsiest (I repeat, physically).

"Well done, Nobita!" Shizuka clapped with excitement, proud of her friend.

"It was interesting. I just hope I don't have to fight, at least not today." Mitzuki claps slowly but smiles with her creepy smile.

"Congratulations!" Yasuo shouts excitedly.

"That's incredible, he really did beat Gian!" Haru says excitedly.

"That's incredible, he really did beat Gian" Suneo repeats the same sentence, but in a low voice, in disbelief. "Maybe... Nobita isn't as weak as I thought."

"WELL DONE, BUDDY! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT IF YOU KNEW HOW TO HANDLE IT, AMAZING!" Doraemon celebrates excitedly after watching the duel. He was holding hands with little Yuki, and they both jumped together with happiness. She barely smiled, but she also shared the joy.

"I won? Me? Really? Yeah... I... won..." Nobita, tired, bruised, but happy, collapses from the exhaustion of his physical injuries. Dekisugi gets up to catch him just in time in his arms.

"That's right, Nobi, you won. You did this yourself, be proud." Dekisugi catches a health potion the vice-principal throws at him, giving it to the silly boy so he can recover a little. He feels the bruises are very minor since it's a normal potion, so he'll take another one later.

The clever boy takes his friend back to where he was before so he can sit down and recover. "Remarkable work, Nobi. Although, I'll have to deduct a couple of points, since the instruction was to use all three spells, and you only limited yourself to Electrum. A wizard must know how to use everything in their repertoire and not limit themselves to just one spell, no matter how good it is. But you knew how to resolve the situation and win, so, well done."

"Well, Electrum is the only one I'm not bad at, but hey, at least I was able to beat Gian." Nobita sighs tiredly.

Suneo uses the health potion and a mana potion to revive Gian, and he quickly sits down. "You took too long!" the robust boy complains, annoyed.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm still dumbfounded because Nobita..." Gian interrupts Suneo.

"HE WAS JUST LUCKY, THAT'S ALL!" The robust boy crosses his arms, annoyed.

"Goda, just as you used provocation to distract him, so did he. Also, I'll deduct a couple of points because I told you not to take this exercise personally and cause serious harm. I noticed your intentions with the fire and electrum spell. Your mistakes were assuming victory too soon and forgetting that there's a mana limit. That's what Nobi probably used to take you down. I'll have to grade those mistakes."

Gian just grunts, standing up. "Okay, professor." Upon returning to his seat, he sees Nobita being treated by Shizuka, who places a little bandage on his cheek, since one of the fireballs grazed him and he blushed. "You'll see, next time I'll win and watch him kneel down to apologize" he says in a low voice.

"Uh... Are you sure Nobita should be a doormat again? I think what he said about sincere friendship might be partly true..."

Gian puts his hand on Suneo's head. "DID YOU SAY SOMETHING, SUNEO? IT'S JUST THAT WITH MY LITTLE MANA, I CAN'T HEAR WELL." Applying an annoyed smile, Suneo simply retracts what he said and remains silent.

The duels continued as normal. There was one between Shizuka and Mitzuki, whose winner was the girl with pigtails, but the goth girl just shrugged, congratulating her friend, especially since the little witch liked making potions more than fighting.

The serious confrontation was the third and final one between Dekisugi and Hajime. Something everyone expected because the pair were the best in the class. The two fought so fortibly that even as time was running out, everything pointed to a draw.

...If it weren't for Hajime launching a powerful Fogoto attack at Dekisugi's right shoulder, knocking him to the ground. The vice-principal blows the whistle. "The duel is over. Ishikawa wins the contest!"

While those who weren't from Dekisugi's school applauded, those who were his classmates were shocked because they couldn't believe that Dekisugi, who was the perfect student, had lost.

Shizuka and Nobita approached, seeing Dekisugi sitting down, clutching his shoulder in pain. "Are you okay?" the girl said worriedly.

"Relax, it's nothing. It hurts a little, but if I go to the infirmary, I'll recover for the flight test." The clever boy smiled, trying not to worry his friends.

"Are you sure?" Nobita nervously scratches his head.

Hajime puts away his wand just in time for the class change. He didn't celebrate anything; he just maintained his usual expression. Dekisugi and Hajime couldn't help but exchange serious glances. "Ishikawa, even though you won, I must deduct your points for the same reason I fined Goda. This is training, and you should have moderated your behavior. Those who participated did well. We'll see you on Tuesday at the gym."

The antisocial boy left without complaining, while Shizuka treated Dekisugi's pain with potions. "Hajime!" Nobita shouted, causing him to stop, though he was still nervous. "H-hey, at least try to see if Dekisugi is okay. We're classmates, and..."

But Hajime left anyway, leaving the pair with sad looks. Mitzuki approached, and although she maintained her usual neutral gaze, she felt somewhat uneasy since they were cousins, feeling responsible for his actions. "I'm sorry he did that."

"You don't have to feel that way about what he does, Mitzuki. He really wants to keep his temper to himself, and while he doesn't treat anyone the way Takeshi and Suneo do, I admit his personality is a little unnerving." Shizuka says, a little downcast.

The silly boy exhales sadly, although he partly expected that from his roommate. Apparently, the shell he was confined in had a very harsh attitude. He didn't know how to talk to him no matter how hard he tried, and that was a bit frustrating.

So at that moment, Nobita only approached Dekisugi to help him get to the infirmary.

Chapter Text

After taking Dekisugi to the infirmary and helping him feel better with his shoulder, Nobita and his friends continued with the rest of the classes. Until after the break, the intense moments began.

In spells and potions, there was a written exam, as if to show what they had learned. In this case, they had to perform the spells and potions independently. Although Nobita tried at least in the demonstrations, it was difficult because he barely practiced and barely studied the theory.

But he couldn't give up; he still had one more class to go: Flying, the pinnacle that would determine everything.

Doraemon was paying attention to everything, even eating noodles in the dining room with Yuki while they watched the screen. "Wow, he did a bit average in Spells and Potions, but now he could be different. Although that's more because instead of studying and practicing, he went to play or sleep. And I asked him to, but he got distracted."

"If I remember the story of that family correctly. The reason his parents would arrive after being called by his tutor was because of his poor grades, right?" Hanz was also there with his smiling face and, of course, a glass of wine.

The blue cat nods, though Yuki doesn't understand anything. "In the album's timeline, they call mom because of his terrible grades and poor performance, but fatigue and being under the influence of toxic friendships would make him want to take that path."

"Although now, it's different. Maybe it's something regular if I paid attention to his first week. He's also holding firm to being more optimistic and not being in Gian and Suneo's shadow. Do you think all the decisions he's made so far have something to do with it?"

The lanky one sips his wine. "Decisions matter, my employee listener. Especially if it's for personal benefit. Weren't you going to go to the future to talk to your other child?"

"I'll do it as soon as Nobita finishes his classes. If something happens, he'll need me." Yuki had fallen asleep on top of the blue robot. "This is the crucial day. I can't leave until everything is over."

Doraemon looked at Nobita, in his gym uniform and safety suit, nervously holding his broomstick, standing with the other students. "Just one more class."

Professor Yakeru stood with his booklet in front of the students of Class 1-2. "Hello again, guys! As you know, today is the weekly flight exam, the most important one since it will determine whether you deserve your flight license, which will allow you to fly wherever you want, not just within the Academy. You'll also have the freedom to modify your broomsticks to your liking."

Using his wand, the teacher modified the course to include obstacles on the ground and hoops in the air, creating a flawless obstacle course. All the children were impressed, although this only made Nobita gulp even more nervously.

"For the flight test, you'll have to fly around this track three times. Your score will be measured by the time you complete the circuit three times, and it will also depend on whether you crash or touch any obstacles. If you achieve a passing score, you'll get your license."

Professor Yakeru shows a license similar to a vehicle license, but it says (Flight License). "You'll have to renew it with another test every so often, but that's every three years. Let's talk about now. I'll call you one by one."

The first to be called was Dekisugi, who, preparing himself, begins to fly the circuit. His classmates were worried because, even after being treated in the infirmary, his shoulder was still in some pain from what happened in Magical Defense class.

However, he did it without any problems and in a good time, even breaking a regional record for obstacle courses, which was applauded by everyone, including Professor Yakeru, who was aware of his condition but allowed him to do the course at the boy's request.

"Incredible! Even in pain, Dekisugi performed perfectly on the test" Yasuo said, surprised.

"It was to be expected of Dekisugi. He's very talented and intelligent. Only someone like him could perform perfectly on the test despite being injured!"

Shizuka nods happily. "Dekisugi is fantastic."

"Congratulations, Dekisugi. Not only are you the first to pass, but you did so with honors and a broken regional record. Here you go, keep it up." Professor Yakeru gives the smart kid his license while modestly thanking him.

Although Nobita was a little envious of seeing Dekisugi do it so well, he was more surprised by how he did it, so he approaches. "Hey, congratulations. You having that shoulder pain made me a little nervous, but you were able to solve it. I'm even a little envious, I won't deny it." The clumsy boy scratches his neck, embarrassed. "But really, it's great that you were able to do it."

Dekisugi smiles at his friend. Of all the compliments, it was the one he liked the most, since it didn't embellish his abilities too much, speaking to him as a friend instead of just another admirer. "Thank you for your sincerity, Nobi."

They both wanted to continue talking, as even Nobita calmed down a bit, but soon all the students except Hajime and Gian came up in droves to congratulate him, even Suneo, who was equally amazed, despite trying not to admit it.

That made Nobita step aside, which made him pout. "Well, wow." Shizuka came over, noticing the pout and chuckled.

"You're really going in a new direction, Nobita." The silly boy is confused by what his friend said. "Since we started studying at the Academy, not only have you been thinking about being more optimistic and independent from Takeshi and Suneo, but you've also become closer to Dekisugi. I really like that. You've become friendlier and more capable."

Nobita blushes at what his friend says. "W-well, this whole experience has made me realize that I should be closer to those who treat me as a friend."

Speaking of those kinds of people, while the exam continues with other students, the pair is called by a female voice. It was Kaori, who was watching from afar with her backpack on her back. The girl with the earrings approaches. "Hello Nobita, hello Shizuka. I see you're taking the flight license exam."

"Hi Kaori! Are you out of school yet?" Nobita asks.

Kaori nods. "Now I have my other free hour, so I'll take advantage of the weekend to go back to Kyoto to visit my family. I took my exam as soon as school started today. Now that I can use the broom freely, I can come and go as I please."

"Oh, that's good. I'll do the same and return to Tokyo for the weekend when I get mine" Shizuka says excitedly.

"Me too! I miss the mountain behind the school. I'll travel with Doraemon when I get my license." Nobita waves his hands, smiling.

"If he doesn't ruin it" Suneo says quietly, laughing with Gian.

"We know what's going to happen, it'll be fun" the robust one says.

"Hi Mitzuki, hi Hajime!" Mitzuki greeted her back calmly, but Hajime just looked away, causing Kaori to display a sad smile that Nobita and Shizuka noticed, feeling sorry for the relationship between the three of them.

"Anyway. I'll see you on Monday then, good luck." Kaori says goodbye, withdrawing from the conversation.

"Take care, Kaori!" the girl with pigtails yells at her.

"See you on Monday, Kaori. Your sweets were really good, thank you very much!" What Nobita shouts, and Kaori's reaction with a satisfied smile makes Shizuka jump, leaving her friend confused. "What's wrong?"

Shizuka shakes her head. "N-nothing, it's nothing." All she could do was show a nervous smile.

The flight exam continued, and almost everyone had passed, some with excellent grades and others just passing. When Hajime took his test and got the same result as Dekisugi, Nobita noticed how he frowned for a moment, not because he was simply being congratulated for what happened to Dekisugi, but because he couldn't surpass the person he was targeting.

The silly boy knew that the antisocial boy only cared about becoming a powerful wizard and changing the rules of the world, setting his goal of surpassing the skilled ones, and the issue of tying Dekisugi so closely was starting to bother him, even though he didn't show it.

"Okay, now you're the only one left, Nobi. Let's see what you can do, and like I told the others, if you don't make it, no problem, you can try again in a week."

Nobita nodded at what Professor Yakeru told him, but the boy was determined; he was going to get his license that very day. "Help me, Kirichan," he says, looking at his broom.

Doraemon watches THE MOMENT, using the spy satellite. "Come on, buddy, you can do it."

But someone else was also watching with their crystal ball. At first, they were looking at Hajime, but they focused their attention on Nobita, who was perched on the broomstick waiting for the starting whistle.

The Sage, Mr. Kairos's closest associate, was the one who had also noticed him at that moment. The blue-robed old man with a mysterious face and long white beard was paying attention, his gleaming six-pointed star on his forehead.

"Everything has changed, just as I predicted. I've been trying hard and starting over because there were still things left to reveal. But I think the right steps have been taken now."

"If what happens happens."

"The sequence will NO LONGER be repeated."

"The correct THREAD will appear."

"AND THIS time, EVERYTHING will fall into place."

He said that last bit, zooming in closer on the protagonist.

The teacher's whistle blows in the silence of the failure. Nobita begins to fly, not as fast as the others, but doing so carefully to avoid hitting the obstacles and pass through the hoops in the air.

"Well, he's not doing badly" Hanz looks on, along with Doraemon, whose eyes sparkle with excitement, just like Yuki's.

Shizuka and Dekisugi also had the same sparkle in their eyes. Mituzki and the rest, including Suneo, watched in amazement at the silly boy's performance. Gian just crosses his arms in irritation, and Hajime just looks on with a neutral expression.

"One more lap, just one more lap!" Shizuka says with determination.

"I can do it..." Nobita thinks, getting excited with the same sparkle in his eyes. "I'm going to make it!"

Everything was going well, and it seemed the boy was going to pass.

...HOWEVER...

The broom stopped in midair in front of the floating hoop, confusing everyone, especially Nobita. "What's wrong?!" But no matter how much the boy moved, the broom didn't react.

In the principal's office, the administrator was handing him some empty envelopes so he could complete the weekly reports for one of the third-grade classes he tutored. Until the principal looked up in surprise, which didn't surprise Miss Kaede because she already knew what that meant. "Another vision, principal?"

The old man coughed a little. "Actually, could you help this poor old man and get me my tea? I'm a little thirsty, not with magic, I want it to be natural."

The administrator sighed tiredly and left the office, causing the principal to stand up, looking at the floor. "Yes, it's there." With his white wand, he made a small mattress appear exactly at the spot near the double doors. The principal sits down in his chair to continue with his work.

"What's going on? Why did Nobita stop when he was so close to completing the exam?" Doraemon looks at the screen, confused. "Something's not right. I'll go over there. Take care of little Yuki."

"You're the nanny robot, not me" Hanz shrugs.

The robot cat reaches into his pocket to pull out the Magic Door. "Yes, and that's why I have to go do my job."

"Please, Kirichan, move! Please don't do this to me! Why can't I?!" Nobita starts to tremble and panic, partly because the heights make him nervous. "PLEASE, I WANT TO PASS, MOVEEEEE!"

Suddenly, his hands are surrounded by blue static, which is noticed by both Dekisugi and Hajime. "Mana flow" they say quietly at the same time.

Even the clumsy boy, who was already tearing up, noticed that blue static. "What now?"

The broom begins to turn blue in the boy's despair, then stops glowing and begins to move like crazy through the sky. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" shouts the poor boy, clinging to the broom for fear of falling. "CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN!"

"Nobita!" Shizuka shouts, worried and nervous. The others were startled, but Gian and Suneo couldn't contain their smiles as they watched the silly boy's test fall apart, as the broom refused to go through the hoop, but instead flew everywhere.

Professor Yakeru climbs onto his broom and tries to catch up with him, but Nobita's broom was too slippery and kept slipping away. "Nobi, you gave your broom again, that's why it's crazy, because apparently you gave it a lot more!"

"I HAVE NO IDEA, I JUST ASKED IT TO MOVE AND NOW IT WON'T OBEY MEEE!" The broom flies upward like a rocket.

The anywhere door appears next to the students, with Doraemon flinging it open and looking around. Seeing how the broom now started flying downward, he puts on his takecopter to quickly fly towards his friend and grab the broom by the bristles to slow down.

Nobita, trembling, slowly turns his gaze to his best friend. "Doraemon!" He shouts, happy to see him.

When they both look into each other's eyes, the broom accelerates again, this time quickly heading towards the large stained-glass window on the floor where the principal's office was. Nobita tried to change direction, but it was inevitable.

Everyone outside heard the sound of breaking glass. Nobita and Doraemon crashed through the window, smashing it. The broom flew all over the place, causing havoc and knocking things over, only to land right on the mattress the principal had conjured with his wand.

The principal had finished the reports. He arranged them before standing up and walking over to the pair, unaware that his entire office was a mess. With a slight smile, the old man looked at the two. "Well, it's just like I saw it a moment ago. Your bodies are cut from the glass and the impact on the parts not covered by the safety equipment."

Nobita opens his eyes to the principal. The administrator bursts in and looks at the mess along with the destroyed stained-glass window. "WHAT HAPPENED...?!" She looks at the principal, the boy, the robot, and the broom, bringing her hand to her face and exhaling somewhat irritably.

"...Of course, you."

Chapter Text

A few hours passed, Nobita and Doraemon were sitting in chairs outside the principal's office. The administrator had told him he had to stay there as she proceeded to call his parents, especially about the incident.

Giving him a chance to change, Nobita was in his uniform with bandages on his arms and legs. It seemed that his parents being called by the Academy was an inevitable event. Doraemon, who had put the broom in his pocket, looked at Nobita, who had been very quiet since what happened.

"Nobita..."

The boy just looked to the side. "No, I don't want to hear anything."

"But... I just want you to feel better."

The principal stepped out of the office for a moment to watch the pair talking. Nobita just smiled, but his glasses didn't show his pupils. "Better? Heh... It seems like fate is inevitable, right? I ended up here like what happened in the album."

The pessimism he had been suppressing had taken over again, simply because what the album said was repeated.

He raises his hand to his face. "How foolish I was to think I could change the future. I'm a failure, and I always will be, no matter how hard I try. I'm destined for that."

"D-don't think like that. This time it was an accident" Doraemon shakes his hands.

"An accident that happened because I'm mediocre! Why did I get my hopes up about this?! The future can't be changed!"

Doraemon complains to Nobita "The future can be changed. That only happened because of an accident that could have happened to anyone!"

"No, I'm the problem! I tried to be positive, look what happened! I went back to the same point, and now I'm sure they're going to expel me for what I did! It's gotten worse!"

Nobita cries in frustration as he screams, trembling.

"IF I'M THE PROBLEM FOR MY DESCENDANTS, THEN I SHOULD NOT EVEN EXIST!"

That sentence startled the director, who started staring at the ceiling with a serious expression.

"N-no! Don't say things like that!" The robot cat tried to comfort him.

"Don't bother me. I don't want to know anything about the future. I don't want to keep hoping for a change in my life. This wasn't something I was going to avoid anyway, only now it's worse!"

Nobita yelled, his tears streaming down his face. "I never should have listened to you! You just got me excited! I shouldn't have even thought I could change who I am! I just give up so easily! I even got into a fight with Gian and Suneo over this! All for what?! For the same thing, but worse. My decisions were worthless!"

Doraemon gets angry and stands up. "Well, I won't bother you anymore! Maybe it's true, you're just someone who gives up easily. Go back to being Gian and Suneo's shadow, go back to your pessimistic life! But I'm leaving! It seems you love being mediocre, as you say, you naive kid!"

The robot runs off irritably, leaving the hall.

Nobita tears up sadly at that reaction. "He left... In the end... He was just like them... I guess I deserve to be abandoned. I push away those who care about me because of my personality... I deserve it."

Looking up, he noticed the sensei standing across the hall, talking to Hajime's father, while the antisocial boy stood off to the side, unconcerned. "Did they call Hajime's father too?"

Apparently, they were discussing his lack of participation with the rest of the students despite his impeccable grades. They were also discussing Dekisugi's injury, since he had his weekly report card.

And although the sensei told him he should try to be more sociable, Hajime simply retreated toward the stairs. Mr. Ishikawa bowed in thanks and left as well. The sensei sighed, looking at the awkward boy and approaching.

When the sensei approached, it was clear he was a little disappointed. Nobita just hung his head. "Nobi... What are we going to do now? I thought you'd take things seriously in a different environment, but you keep getting into trouble."

"It was an accident" Nobita said, frightened, until he heard a familiar voice.

"NOBITA!" Tamako walked quickly down the hallway with Miss Kaede, with Nobisuke following behind.

Of course, Doraemon, as upset as he was, wasn't going to leave Nobita. He was hiding behind a large flowerpot, but he was surprised. "Is Dad here too? As I remember from the album, only Mom attended this. Is this another change?" Doraemon thought, confused.

"What happened?! It's the first week and we've already been called in for something you did!" Both parents looked at the poor condition of the office and were shocked.

"There are even things that can't be repaired with magic. Even with a year's salary I couldn't afford all those antique objects." Nobisuke gets nervous.

Tamako looks at her son, who just lowers his head. "You did this, Nobita?!"

"I had a problem with the broom and..." Nobita remembers that Doraemon had saved him from crashing to the ground, while they both smiled at each other, feeling bad for having taken it out on the robot just now. "I ended up alienating the person I cared about most in this world."

Doraemon hears that last bit, beginning to let go of his anger. Especially since the boy said that last bit while crying because he truly considered Doraemon his best friend.

On the other side of the hallway, Shizuka and Dekisugi, in their ordinary clothes, hide behind the other flowerpot, also worried about their friend.

Miss Kaede stands next to the sensei. "This is the first time in all these years that someone has had an accident of this magnitude. Young Nobi caused a huge mess in the Academy's most important office. Some figurines and other items there can't be easily replaced since the director is a fan of vintage items. There are items valued at over $500 each, and the list goes on."

"No matter how big an accident it is, this deserves a week's suspension and for his family to pay for the damages. This type of behavior is inappropriate in our institution."

"WHAT?!" Tamako nearly fainted, and Nobisuke nearly gasped.

Doraemon, Shizuka, and Dekisugi gasped in shock at the administrator's decision.

"It's a shame, unlike at school, Nobita has performed a little better, but it's still average and lower than his classmates. The reason we called you was because of this accident, but I'd also like to point that out. And it's obvious he didn't get his flight license with this. The only class he's done almost well in was Magic Defense, but he's limited himself to just one type of magic. Although in theory he's still the same." The sensei says, dejected, reading Nobita's weekly report.

"But son, what happened? You said you were going to do well at the Academy" Mr. Nobi crosses his arms.

"How can you just stay silent?! You should have been more careful, and on top of that, your grades are still so-so!" Tamako begins to scold him.

Doraemon watches as the boy hangs his head, discouraged, and being scolded by the adults. The poor boy only had a tired look, it was noticeable in his dull pupils and his lost gaze.

"They can't expel Nobita for something that was an accident; that's unfair." Shizuka felt helpless for not being able to do anything. "Is there nothing we can do?"

Dekisugi sighs "I want to help him too, but Miss Kaede has shown that she doesn't want to change her mind, except for one occasion. And that's frustrating because Nobi was in a good mood; this will affect him too much."

From his pocket, he takes out a kind of helmet shaped like a wizard's hat with antennas, which was the Telepathic Helmet version of that world. He puts it on and is startled, astonished.

"...If everything is the same. What's the point? I'm sorry, Sewashi... But, I'm no good at this... I think I should get out of here."

Nobita sighs, trying to say something. "Mom, Dad, I think I should..."

"WAAAAAAIIIIIT!"

That was enough for the robot to put away the gadget, run towards them and stand in front of Nobita, who is surprised by this.

"It wasn't Nobita's fault, it was an accident, something went wrong! He's a good wizard who's still learning, don't expel him! It's true his grades are average, but he really tried. Believe me, an accident can happen to anyone."

The boy starts to tear up. Despite arguing and exchanging all sorts of things, Doraemon still wanted the best for him. "D-Doraemon," he says in a low voice.

Doraemon looks at Mr. and Mrs. Nobi. "Don't be mad at him. I've seen that he tried. Some even congratulated him for trying. Give him another chance."

Tamako and Nobisuke look at each other. "Well, what's done is done. And maybe, unlike at school, you're trying a little harder." Mr. Nobi crosses his arms.

"But even so, that doesn't save him from expulsion and having to pay for what he broke. Rules are rules." The administrator adjusts her glasses.

Shizuka gets annoyed by the manager's insistence and walks quickly toward them. Dekisugi follows her. "It's not fair! No one expected that to happen! Nobita tried to stop the broom, I SAW IT! He was trying too hard! Although he was pessimistic at first, he wanted to put that aside for himself. Expelling him for an accident seems unfair to me!"

Nobita looks at his friends with shining eyes. He can't help but blush a little because the person he loved was pleading for him "Shizuka."

"We're in the same class as Nobi. Doraemon is right. He tried to regain control of his broom. He used it often, even though it flew low and slow during the week. No one knows what happened. But I think Nobi has the right to stay here even with that, because there was no intention behind this problem" Dekisugi says.

"Dekisugi." The excitement of his friends defending him was filling the boy with glasses.

"That's right." The four guys turned to see whose voice it was. It was Suneo's, who was using his wand to move a rag to clean the hallway windows.

"Honekawa?" Dekisugi asked, surprised.

"Hey, I'm only here because it's my job since the Betakoi joke all week. I have to clean the windows. Don't get me wrong, but yes. Nobita hasn't done anything wrong, even though he doesn't want to admit it. He seemed desperate trying to stop his broom, which was a little funny, but he was." The dwarf shrugs.

Surprised that even one of those who usually bully him also spoke up for him, it made the boy feel uneasy.

"Seriously, I'm sorry." Everyone turns their attention to Nobita, who kneels on the ground, placing his hands on it and apologizing. "I was careless. I've even said hurtful things to those who care about me, but I really don't want to leave. I like this place!"

Doraemon looks at Nobita with pity because it was obvious he was referring to him.

"I was even about to say something I was going to regret because I was going back to the pit, but I don't want to anymore. I want to stay out of that pit! I feel better being out of there! I want to be with my friends, I want to see what I'm good at, I learned that with Electrum, I want to keep learning how to be a wizard!"

The principal smiles at that, spying on everything, so he comes up with an idea, or at least that's what it seemed like when he nods.

The robot turns to the boy, looking into their eyes. "I WANT TO CONTINUE MY DAYS AT THE ACADEMY. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE. IF I DO IT FOR EVEN ONE WEEK, I KNOW I'LL REGRET IT, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO TRY AND FIGHT TO STAY HERE! PLEASE, MISS KAEDE, LET ME STAY HERE!"

"I WANT TO CONTINUE MY DAYS AT THE ACADEMY WITH MY BEST BUDDY!"

Doraemon's eyes lit up when he heard him speak, especially that last part. "Nobita" he said softly.

Suddenly, he felt someone else kneel beside him. It was the blue cat. "Please let Nobita stay at the Academy."

"I'm willing to work twice as hard to make up for what was destroyed by the accident, but don't give him a suspension." Nobisuke also pleads. "He may be a clumsy kid, but it's clear he tried everything to avoid the accident; he didn't do it on purpose."

"It's true, at home he always has stumbles and accidents." Tamako adds to the conversation. "And I also see that he wants to learn. It's not like at school when he preferred to do other things like sleep or read comics. It's clear he really likes the Academy. Give him another chance."

"Mom, Dad," Nobita says in a brittle voice.

"Miss Kaede, I think it's only fair that you don't suspend Nobi." Even the sensei joins in the plea. "Yes, what happened happened, but I confirm it wasn't on purpose. Unlike his grades at school, he seems a little more interested in magic, even though he's very clumsy in that area. I thought his report was going to be terrible, but it was a surprise."

The administrator readjusts her glasses again. "Look, as much as I want to, the rules..."

"Come on, don't be so strict!" Everyone looks at Principal Chronos, joining the discussion. "Things are material, that's it, things that can be replaced. The spirit, on the other hand, is complicated. I have an idea."

Nobita and Doraemon stand up to listen attentively to the principal. "Instead of a suspension, young Nobi could be my assistant for half the school year, help me collect things from Ebagurin and the forests, clean, and do trivial things. I would also take advantage of it to improve his performance, like a separate tutoring session. His parents won't have to pay me anything if we reach that agreement."

The principal scratches his chin. "Could he be my assistant? No. You know what? He WILL be my assistant."

"But Principal, your office, your belongings." Miss Kaede was going to refute, but...

"Young lady, I appreciate you keeping this place in order, but don't forget who's been in charge for 250 years. So... It's settled then" the principal shrugs, smiling.

The office girl lets out a deep sigh. "What's the point of arguing about it further? Okay, if the principal says so... There won't be any suspension or damages, but Young Nobi will be the principal's assistant for half the school year to cover the damages. He'll be called out of class for whatever tasks the principal wants him to do. NO COMPLAINING. Is that clear? Starting now, clean and tidy the office for the rest of the day."

Nobita nods in relief. "S-sure, I'll. Thank you, Principal, thank you, Miss Kaede!"

The administrator turns around. "Don't thank me. No, seriously, DON'T THANK ME." She leaves, tired. Too much stress for one day, it seems.

Chapter Text

Nobita had dodged something that could have harmed him in his life as a wizard's apprentice. He avoided being suspended from the Academy and going into debt at a younger age thanks to the principal's plan. He only had to be the principal's assistant until the middle of the school year. And the boy's expression of gratitude was more than evident.

"Guys, thank you so much for supporting me. Seriously, those words meant a lot! I really, really..." The clumsy boy couldn't help but cry his eyes out from the happiness and relief he felt at having gotten away with something big. "I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity, I will do iiiiiiit!"

"Don't worry, Nobi. We're friends. We support each other. You had every right to stay since it was all unintentional. As for your license, cheer up. You can try again next week. Until then, practice a lot." The clever boy placed his hand on his shoulder, smiling.

"Yes, Nobita, the fact that you've also stood tall enough to stay here also says a lot about you. We weren't going to leave you alone in this." Just as Shizuka was about to say something else, Nobita takes out the floral handkerchief she gave him, pushing up his glasses and wiping his tears. "That handkerchief."

"Oh, it's the one you lent me in the Hall of Destiny during the rites. I forgot to return it to you. I've been careful not to lose it or damage it. I'm returning it to you. Thank you very much, really."

The silly boy puts his glasses back on and holds out his hands with the handkerchief to return it, but his friend places her hands over his to close them, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks.

"Thank you for taking care of the handkerchief, but I want you to keep it a little longer. You've changed for the better; that's not bad, it's admirable, and I'm very happy we're friends. Keep it with you as a sign that you're important to me. Okay?"

Nobita is surprised by such a gesture, not hiding the blush on his cheeks. "Okay, I'll take care of it until you want it back."

"Suneo!" The dwarf was leaving when he was called by the clumsy boy, who smiled at him. "I know we're not on good terms... But, thank you."

"...Okay. I have to get on with the windows in the other hallway. Don't tell Gian about this." Suneo waves goodbye as he heads off to the other hallway.

It was as if, unlike Gian, he was starting to be less stubborn with Nobita.

"I have to go too. I'm going to send the reports to finish today's work. Take advantage of this second chance, Nobi" says the sensei, to which Nobita nods, watching his teacher leave.

"What a busy day today. We have to go now. I have work tomorrow, and although traveling now would be difficult, we should arrive at night" says Nobisuke.

"I'll take care of that." Doraemon takes out the Anywhere Door, opening it in front of the entrance to the Nobi house, surprising everyone except Nobita, who was already getting used to it. "If you two want, you can use it to go home so you don't have to arrive at night."

Shizuka and Dekisugi appreciate the gesture. They were also planning to return to Tokyo for the weekend and come back on Sunday afternoon after getting their licenses, but at that time, they would be returning almost at dusk, so now was the most feasible option.

"Thank you very much, Professor. That's about the third time you've gotten us out of trouble." Mr. Nobi scratches the back of his neck, smiling at the principal.

"We really appreciate it, and that you're going to tutor our son. He really needs help to boost his motivation and improve his grades." Mrs. Nobi bows gratefully. "Be strict if you need to."

"No problem, we'll see what we can do" the principal says, smiling, followed by a low laugh.

Tamako looks at her son for a moment. "Promise me you'll do better this time. It's true that it was all an accident, but we still want you to be more careful from now on. Okay?"

Nobisuke puts his hand on Nobita's head, and he gets a little excited. "We see that you like this place. I saw you were hesitant before, but this week you've been here, you've really adapted well. Just be more careful next time."

Our protagonist nods with a wide grin. "I'll do better this time." The boy plays with his fingers a bit. "Mom, Dad, I missed you."

The Nobi family, smiling and hugging each other because they missed him too, return home using the Anywhere Door. Doraemon closes it and says goodbye as well.

"Well, just like the manager said, you'll have to clean and tidy my office. We have to start right away. Although, I want to talk to you about something before cleaning. And since your friends really care about your well-being, it seems only fair that they also listen to what I want to share with them. Come on, let's go inside. I'll make some tea and sweets."

The principal enters the office with Shizuka and Dekisugi. Nobita turns to look at Doraemon. They look at each other for a moment. "Thank you" the boy says, rubbing his arm in embarrassment.

The blue cat, of course, pretended to be a little offended. "Just so you know, I did it because it was obvious you were tempted to make the decision, you naive kid."

"I know." Again, silence from both of them.

"I don't know what the director wants to tell you, but we'd better go inside. I'll even help you clean up. After all, I have to take care of your empty head and..." Doraemon said this with his eyes closed in an indifferent tone, crossing his arms, until he heard sobs.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Nobita crying, looking at his face, his cheeks pink, which left him stunned.

Before he could say anything, Nobita rushed over, knelt down, and hugged him all at once, still crying. "Sorryyyyyyyyy, sorry, sorry, sorry. You're the one who trusted me the most, and I said mean things to you because of my pessimism! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I don't want you to leave me. Please, I'll feel so lonely!"

"Come on, Nobita, you have your wizards friends. I don't think you'll miss m..."

But the boy interrupts the robot with a torrent of tears and pleas "NO! You're my best buddy. I've come this far because I trust you. I shouldn't have said those things. I said them without thinking. I am who I am because of you. You've helped me a lot, even when we argued! Doraemon, you really are important to me!"

Doraemon, stunned by the boy's profound apology, smiles and hugs him back. "I think I went a little too far with the mediocre thing. I was upset at the time, too. Sorry about that. I don't want you to undervalue yourself, even if bad things happen. We're in this together. You..."

The blue cat wipes his best friend's tears. "You are really important to me too, Nobita."

They both smile, letting go of each other but then holding hands. "So what will happen from now on? I changed my mind on my own, and I don't think I'll ever want to hold her again, not after this experience" Nobita says, confused.

"I don't really know. After the cleaning, I'll go back to the future with the time machine to talk to Sewashi about you, and then I'll come back. With it, I can return whenever I want, so it'll be in your time, like a respite." Doraemon and Nobita stand up.

"Can I go with you?! I'd really like to see what the world of the future is like! I promise to behave. Come on!" Nobita intertwines his fingers with puppy dog eyes.

The blue cat sighs. "Okay, okay. As long as you don't stray too far, I guess I can take you to Sewashi. Anyway, let's go. The principal and the others are waiting."

They both smile and then enter the office. Since Doraemon didn't deactivate the spy satellite, Hanz was watching everything at his desk. Little Yuki was no longer there, having been picked up by her adoptive mother.

"It was to be expected that they would make peace, it's clear that those two love each other, it has been a long time since I have seen such a sincere friendship between a human child and a robot" Hanz was pouring some wine into a glass when his top hat trembled "Oh"

With a smile, he pulled out what looked like a beeper-shaped device from his hat. On the screen, there was a light blue line whose tone became a little intense. "Wow, it finally happened, and they couldn't stop it. He has to be a genius to avoid them. I'll have to pass the gossip to my superiors; they'll get even more upset about this. Will playing with something so serious achieve anything? Who intercepted this? I don't really know, but now I have a report to write."

Hajime had entered, still in his uniform because he had that meeting with the sensei and his father. To which Hanz smiles, seizing the opportunity, "Oh, young Ishikawa, how nice to have you back! I'm going to run some reports for a part-time job! This device belongs to my employee, and since you share a room with his child, could you please take it there and leave it on his side of the room? Thank you very much."

The antisocial boy sighs, taking the spy satellite equipment to his room. As he enters and takes off his shoes, he is about to leave the device in the closet where Doraemon is sleeping, but he hears the voices of Nobita, Doraemon, Shizuka, and Dekisugi.

So, looking at the screen, he notices that the principal's office is closed and curtained. "Principal Chronos's office is covered on all sides, an obvious indication that they're having a secret conversation."

That had caught Hajime's attention, so he decides to place the device on his bed, sit down, and watch. "It must be spy magic. If there's anything I can use to my advantage, I'll do it."

On the other hand. In The Sage's office in the Wake Building, home of the villains. The mysterious old man examined his crystal sphere, seeing a blue background with a light blue current moving like a rushing river.

"Finally, here it is. Now everything is in its place. A little more and I couldn't have done it; it was complicated, but THIS TIME, everything will go to our favorite, in favor of Mr. Kairos."

The Sage turned to look at Nigyo, who was standing behind him. "I'm grateful to you, beautiful Ningyo. Your help was beneficial to the cause. Now, ALL the pieces are on the board."

The geisha was confused but shrugged. "I don't know what it had to do with what you asked me to do, but you're the most knowledgeable of all of us here, and I like you more than that spoiled brat. If you need anything else, let me know."

"Don't get rid of the doll, believe me, it'll be useful later" the Sage said, returning to his work.

"...Thanks for the advice." The elegant woman left the office.

Principal Chronos, despite the mess, had conjured up extra chairs for the four of them to sit on using his wand. He also served some tea with some dorayaki.

Obviously, the happiest with the sweets was Doraemon, who was gleefully eating a dorayaki.

"Thanks for the snack, Principal" Nobita says, scratching the back of his neck. "And thank you above all for helping me avoid being suspended. I'm going to help you pay off the debt for this." The boy bites into the dorayaki while thinking "At least my descendants won't inherit this debt. I think that's a good thing."

"It was all an accident, of course. Besides, I got an assistant for a while, and you won't miss classes. It's a win-win for everyone, young Nobi." The old man smiles and nods.

"So what do you want to tell Nobita?" Shizuka asks curiously.

"It must be something extremely serious if we've got everything covered" Dekisugi says, looking at the curtains and closed doors.

"And it is, Young Dekisugi." His gaze turns serious, which unnerves the quartet, as they knew him more as a calm, smiling man. "Tell me, Young Nobi. Have you ever felt empty when using mana with spells?"

"Well, no, actually. I felt normal when I used electrum so many times during the duel against Gian," Nobita says, confused.

The clever boy becomes excited as he seems to understand what's going on. "Principal, I've been researching the flow of mana and how it works. I even asked Shizuka for help in researching everything related to it. Over the course of this week, unusual things have happened to Nobi, and that worries us, his little accidents, for example."

"Oh? Really?" Nobita says, surprised.

Shizuka nods. "We didn't tell you because you were already very stressed with exams and you're starting to gain confidence. We didn't want to worry you with the research."

"That makes sense. Nobita is very impressionable." Doraemon crosses his arms, nodding. Nobita pouts, somewhat offended.

"O-okay, but I'm not a baby. I can accept whatever's happening to me if you explain it to me."

The principal nods. "Good of you to say so, young Nobi. Because that's why I asked for this meeting before your duties. This is something you should know, and not everyone can know about you, because there are bad people in this world, whether they're wizards or renegades."

"I-I don't understand." Yes, Nobita became nervous. "Why do you think someone bad could harm me if they know about whatever you're going to tell me?"

The principal sighs. "Believe me, I know. So listen to me carefully; the reason those accidents happened to you in your classes, the reason what happened in your initiation rite, the reason you don't feel empty after spending a large amount of mana on spells. And I even think the reason this particular accident happened... Is yourself."

"Since you, young Nobi, are a H.M.B. wizard"

Chapter Text

Both Dekisugi and Doraemon were startled because they already knew about the term. Even Hajime, who was watching everything through the spy satellite, opened his eyes wide in shock.

"Of course, now I understand everything" the antisocial boy thought as he looked at the screen.

Shizuka and Nobita didn't understand the reason for the reactions. "H.M.B. Wizard? What's that?" the girl with pigtails asked.

"H.M.B. is short for Human Mana Battery" Doraemon said, a little nervously.

Dekisugi was equally surprised. "Of course, I'd read about that condition in an advanced mana book a while back, which is why that state kept echoing in my head, but I couldn't remember it."

"W-wait! Condition?!" Nobita panics, proving he's impressionable. "Am I sick?! I'm not going to die, right?! Because I don't want medicine or weird things! But I really don't want to die!"

Yes, he was already crying from fear. Even Shizuka, who didn't know the term either, was a little scared.

"Huh? No, you're not sick, calm down" Doraemon gives a judgmental look. "Being a H.M.B wizard doesn't mean having an illness, it's just an additional condition."

"Really?" The robot cat nods at his friend's question, who sighs in relief. "Thank goodness, I was getting scared. But I don't understand. What's this H.M.B?"

Principal Chronos clears his throat. "You've already learned, even with basic concepts from school and what you've been learning at the Academy, that mana is the energy that allows us to use mystical power to perform magic. Right?"

The three students nod, paying attention. "Both mystical power and dark power allow the use of magic thanks to what is known as Mana Flow. Just as blood flow is important for the heart to function, so is the natural flow of mana for Mystical Power to access our potential.

"This flow is created by the body due to the adaptation of magic from an individual's birth, even if the wizard doesn't unlock their power until their rite."

"Our bodies are capable of creating natural mana through rest, although it takes longer than using potions. Potions created to restore mana only serve to accelerate the process of restoring the body's mana flow. In humans, whether they're wizards or renegades, a rare condition can develop that affects mana flow.

"That condition causes natural mana creation to be three times faster and in large quantities on its own. Normally, mana flow is more limited, and the level of wear and tear can be lessened with physical exercise. But with the H.M.B condition, the mana flow is MUCH greater that the wear and tear isn't felt until much later."

"So..." Nobita scratches his head, trying to understand.

"That means your body creates excess mana very quickly, naive boy. That's why you don't feel empty when you use spells. Even if you use a lot of them, you barely waste a sliver of mana" Doraemon explains as simply as possible.

"The H.M.B condition was discovered on another continent on the other side of the world when they detected the first case more than 150 years ago. And through studies, research clarified that only humans can obtain that condition, which is why, and because of its discovery on that continent, that term is used globally to refer to a Human Mana Battery. Besides, it sounds better." Dekisugi, as always, contributing data to the conversation.

"Your body is capable of recovering and producing a large amount of mana at a faster rate than normal, Young Nobi. Do you often rest too much? Do you take naps?"

Doraemon sighs tiredly. "I've been with him for a week, but I already know that he not only loves naps, but he falls asleep very quickly. I've seen him fall asleep when he's doing his homework, and I have to wake him up."

"Nobi likes to rest sometimes in the vacant lot in our neighborhood. He just settles down and falls asleep quickly" Dekisugi says.

"He's liked doing that for a few years." Even Shizuka knew about her clumsy friend's favorite hobby.

Nobita turns red in embarrassment. "The principal doesn't have to know that. Do I have that H.M.B. thing from naps?"

"Not necessarily. Sometimes it's like a lottery, or it can be hereditary. I think it skips a generation or two. But rest also helps develop H.M.B if it's the first option, but since it's a rare condition, it's not common to see cases like yours." The director scratches his beard.

Doraemon looks to the side, a little nervously. "This doesn't make sense. The album didn't say anything about Nobita having H.M.B. Another change in the timeline, perhaps? Now I'm curious to know if Sewashi has the same condition due to genetics. When I return to the future, I'll find out."

The director stands up. "And since you're wondering, I'll show you some things so you can better understand the H.M.B condition. Pay attention."

With his wand and using levition, the director levitates a wooden box. The contents emerge, surprising the four of them: they were the objects the director had been collecting throughout the week.

"This is the ball from when I used Levition on the first day of school!" Nobita takes the broken golf ball in surprise.

"The cauldron and spoon from Ice Potion Day. They both have a hole." Shizuka examines the cauldron with the hole in the base.

"Nobi's first broom, this is the main reason I started the research." Dekisugi held both parts of the fragile broom.

"It's incredible. There are some objects here that match what Nobita has been telling me about how his classes have gone. You took them for research, right?"

The principal nods to what Doraemon asks. "I want you all to pay attention. I'll use a mana detection spell." And so he did. The old man, using his wand, uses the detection spell. ALL the aforementioned objects were painted with a blue glow; on the older objects, it wasn't as latent.

Doraemon's pocket also emits the glow inside. "And that?" Searching his pocket, he pulls out Nobita's broom, which was also a bright blue color, but more intense.

"Kirichan!" Nobita takes the broom in his hands and becomes a little sad. "I don't know if you really understand me, but I'm sorry if you got hurt. Why is it glowing too?"

"It's just like Professor Yakeru said, you gave it mana before the accident" Shizuka says, curious about the blue glow, although she found it somewhat beautiful due to the color it emitted.

"Generally, when we use spells on objects, when we cast them, we also release a trace of mana, the indicator that an object has been enchanted. The trace usually fades at the end of the day and can be detected this way or with a skill. But when it's a H.M.B. wizard, the trace is a little more latent, not in this way, but it is." The principal searches for something in the drawers.

"The reason Young Nobi caused these objects to explode or break was because of the excess mana he emitted from his hands, and I know where it originated from." The principal shows the camera video of the day of the initiation rite. "I asked the administrator for a copy of the day of the rite. We have the site under surveillance since it is the most important room in the Academy for the Throne of Destiny. Pay attention."

The four of them narrowed their eyes at Nobita's first attempt at the initiation rite, noticing that when the throne read their mystical power, blue static appeared for the first time, surprising everyone except Dekisugi, who had already seen it during the flight exam accident.

"Blue sparks shot out of Nobita's hands! Is that the excess flow of magic?" Shizuka asks in surprise, to which Dekisugi nods.

"Yes, there's no doubt about it. It's the same spark I saw when Nobi was trying to get his broom to react during the exam."

"When the first rite took place, your H.M.B condition awakened first and drove the throne crazy. That's why the initiation didn't work the first time, especially because you seemed nervous. The excessive mana flow of an H.M.B can sometimes get out of control when emotions are running high."

"Oh" both Nobita and Doraemon seemed to understand, although silly boy became a little depressed, looking at his hands. "Wait a minute! Does that mean I won't be able to do magic like my friends because otherwise I'd ruin it?!"

The director smiled calmly, as if to calm the situation. "Don't worry, you can do magic normally. Your H.M.B only activated with actions, experiences, and things related to magic for the first time. It's like the out-of-control first contact. Or why do you think you can use Electrum or your broom normally? Surely in the case of the broom, the H.M.B activated late."

"But you won't have any more problems using spells, making potions, studying magic, and flying broomsticks since you've already been through those experiences. So don't be discouraged."

The clumsy one sighs, but still feels uneasy. "So, if I'm the one who spends the least mana, that means my victory against Gian wasn't due to my effort, it was due to that condition."

"Why do you say that?" Nobita asks Shizuka with sadness and confusion. "Yes, we know now that you have that, but you won fairly. Takeshi was the one who used the most spells, and you decided to take advantage of that by dodging and using the Electrums when you needed them."

Dekisugi nods. "Even if you didn't have the H.M.B, you would have won anyway by fighting the way you did, so don't get discouraged." Although he wanted to make his friend feel better about his legitimate victory in the duel, he couldn't help but turn his smile into a long face. "But, it's best if you don't tell others about your H.M.B"

Not only him, Doraemon and even the principal had the same expression, which unnerved our protagonist and his friend. "And now why those faces? Every time you show them, you unnerve me because I know you're going to say something scary."

"Young Nobi." The old man sits down, looking directly into the boy's eyes. "Remember when I told you there are bad people in that world, and why I wanted to keep this as secret as possible?"

The clumsy boy swallowed and nodded nervously. "In this world, there are natural mana potions. They aren't created with a recipe and ingredients like the ones we use, but are extracted from either a wizard or a renegade."

"In wizarding cities, natural mana potions are illegal because making those types of potions requires extracting mana from other wizards, especially H.M.B wizards or renegades. These potions often go unnoticed as normal potions because they are so well-made, which is why the M.C.G also make sure to detect places that sell potions of this type."

"Although in renegade cities, it's different, since there are black markets."

"Black Markets?" Even though he was just learning about it, Nobita can't help but get nervous about it.

Dekisugi looks at Nobita. "The reason black markets resort to selling these types of potions is because mana is the fuel that keeps spells, talismans, runes, and even vehicles flowing. They consider natural mana a better source for magic than artificial mana."

"I've heard about those places. They're places where they sell strange items, evading permits for rare and uncommon items. They sell unauthorized magical creatures. There are mean and greedy people in those places who even mistreat them and force them to fight to the death for bets. It's creepy." Shizuka trembles slightly, putting on a disgusted face as she describes those places.

Doraemon crosses his arms uneasily, closing them. "The renegade's M.C.G have been trying to break up those places for a while now, but they always find a way to open another one somewhere else."

"Although they say the Black Markets are run by a company called Wake Building located in an antithesis city not far from Ebagurin, I believe the president of that company is named Mr. Kairos and that he has great power as a sorcerer and as a businessman, and that's why the Renegade M.C.G can't do much against them yet." The blue cat whispers to the clumsy one "That problem persists even in the future"

Principal Chronos couldn't help but make an awkward face when Doraemon mentioned Mr. Kairos. The reason? Who knows.

The boy with glasses thinks for a moment. Yes, he still needed to think about it more to understand the situation. But he's already reacted, and that makes him go pale. "Do you mean the Black Market people could hurt me and take my mana for their potions?!"

"Yes and no. That danger doesn't exist in wizard cities since there aren't those clandestine sites, only in renegade cities, so the danger from them is almost zero if you're in wizard territories. But it's always good to be cautious. It's like the director said, there are bad people who can also be wizards. Greed knows no distinction." Doraemon shrugs.

"Thank goodness, I think if I don't go to the renegades and don't say anything, I'll be safe." Nobita sighs in relief. "But if I'm sure of one thing, it's that I wouldn't want an evil person to take me away from those I love. Because I'd feel sad and lonely if they held me captive or something, just to drain my endless mana for weird potions."

"No one wants to be a source of mana for greed, buddy" Doraemon pats the nervous boy on the back.

"As an apprentice wizard learning to defend himself and living in a city of wizards, you don't have to worry too much about that aspect, Young Nobi. Although it would be good if you kept this a secret, even from your parents, to minimize the news as much as possible. There are greedy people everywhere."

The clumsy one nods at the director's words. "I will, and thanks for the warning, principal."

"Although it's true that there's a certain amount of debauchery in the Antithesis Cities, thanks to the people at the Wake Building. You could get into trouble if they find out about your condition while you're there. It's not like you'd go to those places since wizards are banned there, but it's better for you to know."

"The H.M.B renegades have it harder having to live in those places. Although they live an everyday life like us, the atmosphere is a bit more intense because they're near dark forests. It's a shame, honestly." The old man slowly shakes his head, crestfallen.

"Thanks for the warning. It's not like I wanted to go to those cities anyway" Nobita says nervously.

Although Nobita was finally able to figure out what was strange about him and his incidents throughout the week, this opened up a series of concerns about what would happen to his life from now on. He knew that the Academy was an experience that even allowed him to discover things about himself that he didn't know about.

Could he prevent the wrong people from learning about his condition?

Will he know how to live with it?

Would another event like this happen?

How would it affect his future?

Whatever it was, he was sure of one thing as he looked at Doraemon with a grateful smile as he smiled back.

If Doraemon was with him, he would always feel safe.

Chapter Text

"Okay, since we've discussed what we wanted to discuss, it's time to wrap things up. Thank you very much for joining us, Young Dekisugi and Miss Minamoto. Now, Young Nobi is going to help me reorganize this place. Remember to keep your friend's H.M.B. status a secret."

"I'll help too. After all, we're in this together." Doraemon stands up, motivated, along with the rest.

"Can't we stay and help Nobita clean up?"

The silly boy was about to get emotional with what Shizuka said, but then he refuses. "Don't worry, this is my mess, I'll clean it up. I know you want to go back to Tokyo. Doraemon is going to take you there with the Anywhere Door. I have to make up for what happened even though it was an accident. You too, Dekisugi."

Shizuka is surprised by her friend's sudden responsible attitude but nods. "Okay. I don't know if it's because of what's happened these days. But I think this attitude you're taking is fine. Then I'll see you on Sunday."

"Sure, see you on Sunday, Shizuka." Nobita scratches the back of his neck, feeling flattered by what she said.

"Wow, you're showing that you can be responsible too, naive boy" Doraemon whispers with a mocking smile. "Have you noticed that you get along better with Shizuka when you show that kind of personality, right?"

"I-I just want to start being better for myself, right? Not everything has to be about my love life." Nobita pouts, irritated by how Doraemon teased him like that, especially since, in part, it wasn't such a lie, as was evident from the slight blush on his cheeks.

"Take care, Nobi, and remember to keep your condition a secret." Nobita nods at what Dekisugi tells him, then says goodbye to his friends.

While Doraemon helps them go to their faction houses and then takes them to Tokyo, Hajime turns off the spy satellite, deep in thought.

"Nobi is a H.M.B... Black Markets. I've heard about them, but I had no idea they were controlled by the Wake Building. H.M.B being renegades are usually at higher risk" The antisocial boy gets up to store the gadget in Doraemon's closet and slide open the door.

Startled, he remembers Nobita's words.

"Thank goodness, I think if I don't go to the renegades and don't say anything, I'll be safe." Nobita sighs in relief. "But if I'm sure of one thing, it's that I wouldn't want an evil person to take me  away  from those I love. Because  I would feel sad and lonely  if they had me captive or something like that, just to take endless mana from me for weird potions."

"Could it be then that what happened with...?" The black-haired boy shakes his head. "No... Even if that were a possibility, it wouldn't change anything because of the M.C.G and the wizards who agree with it. Still, why does Nobi still prefer to cling to this everyday life? That boy is strange."

"I know that company has a lot of power in the Antithesis Cities, but... I need to investigate further." Hajime looks at his pendant for a moment before going to his desk and looking at his notebook, with a map depicting the goddess of magic.

"Just a little more. I need to become more skilled with magic so that she can give me what I want. I have no other chance than this year. I need to rise to a level beyond this world where you are separated from others."

"Everything will be different after the school trip."

It was practically nighttime, and Nobita and Doraemon had been cleaning and tidying up as much as they could; it was a lot to do. And since the principal liked things traditional, the silly boy had to do it without magic.

The clumsy boy noticed a double wooden door on a higher floor. The office looked more like a 15th-century-style apartment fit for a Merlin, judging by the antiques on display, now a thing of the past due to the accident.

"What's in there?" the boy asked curiously, holding an ordinary broom he was cleaning with.

"Hey, you don't ask those things. You're getting too confident. There's a reason it has a lock that holds the knobs." Doraemon was carrying a couple of boxes of trash.

The principal, who had received a letter from the administrator via an owl messenger, approached the pair. "Curiosity is common in children, don't worry. It's just a simple storage room in there, full of unusual magic books and some gadgets, nothing out of the ordinary. I was thinking about cleaning up what's in there tomorrow. With two more pairs of hands, I'll save time."

The kind old man looks around and nods with a smile. "That's enough for today. It's already nighttime, and you must return to Betakoi House. Since there will be a lot of replenishment to do here this weekend, you won't be able to go to your city this weekend. The manager will call you on your portable crystal whenever she needs your help."

The little phoenix emerges from its hanging nest, emitting a campfire glow. Upon seeing the boy and the robot, it excitedly flies to the boy's shoulder to receive his cuddles, rubbing its head against his cheek.

"Phoenixes extinguish the heat of their fiery feathers to avoid burning others. Takibi only behaves this way with me and stays away from other wizards. I rescued him after his previous owner kept him in a small cage and barely fed him. I find it curious that he's affectionate with you." The director observes his pet's behavior with interest.

"That's very sad" Nobita and Doraemon grimace at the origin of the little phoenix while the boy, smiling, pats the bird on the head. "But I'm glad it's in good hands. For some reason, the magical creatures near me come up to me wanting me to pamper them. It's been happening to me since I was almost 5 years old. When I was little, it scared me, but I've gotten used to it, and it even calms me down when I'm having a hard time."

"That's true, I'd forgotten that detail of yours. Could it be because of the H.M.B?" Doraemon is confused, as is Nobita, but the principal chuckles softly, drawing the pair's attention.

"But the answer is simple. It's just your mystical ability, young Nobi." That leaves the pair surprised. Was the answer so simple? "It's Creature Magnetism. Your mystical power attracts magical creatures without you being able to avoid it, making them docile to whoever has that ability."

Doraemon taps his hand with the other. "THAT IS! I should have realized that with Yuki! Just as she awakened her mystical ability to teleport ahead of time, you should have awakened it years ago too!"

The robot scratches his head, slightly embarrassed. "Oh man, we could have saved ourselves the trouble by asking the principal right from the start."

"Ohhhh... Now I understand." Nobita nods, satisfied, his concerns slowly being answered.

"I was just looking over the list of locations the administrator gave me for the School Trip. As you know, it's a trip that takes place after exams and mid-year vacation. Each tutor takes their class to different locations assigned by the Academy for five days, and then reports on what they learned."

"Wow, that sounds like a scouting camp" Doraemon says curiously.

"And what are the locations they assigned us?" Nobita asks curiously again.

"Communication about that is supposed to be the job of your class tutor, but since you'll be my assistant for half the school year, I suppose I can give you a sneak preview."

The principal approaches his desk to sit down, followed by Nobita and Doraemon, who sit on a pair of chairs in front of the desk. The little phoenix returns to its nest. "The journey consists of traveling to a point to set up camp on the first day. That point will be near three assigned exploration sites, which will be visited one per day. The last day is the return home."

"The first is the Dusk Tower, an ancient tower almost 200 years old. It was said that a powerful wizard lived there and stored his knowledge there."

"The second is the Mistlight Forest. A special forest that looks normal, where fairies live, but every so often, a fog covers it completely from the beginning of the night. It's said that this fog connects to the afterlife, and those who have lost family members will be able to see their loved ones again if they yearn for them with all their hearts until the fog dissipates."

The description of the second site startled Nobita who couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"The third location is one of the many stellar ruins that, like the throne of destiny, are said to have a connection with the goddess Andromeda. And that would be all. Of course, the locations are different for each classroom and..."

Doraemon hears a knocking sound. It was Nobita who slammed his hands down on the desk as he knelt down, but he had a determined expression that both the robot and the old man noticed.

"Principal! That place, the misty forest! Is it true?! Is it true that one can see a loved one again there?!" Nobita says, wanting to corroborate what he heard.

The principal. "Sure, as long as the fog is present, and the heart's desire is high, it's possible. But it's more of a nighttime event, and from what I know, the fog that would appear that day would be the last of the year."

Nobita can't help but get excited at the mere thought of going there, something Doraemon notices and understands, so he places his hand on the boy's back. "You want to see her, right?"

The boy nods, unable to keep from continuing to be excited. "I need to see her. I want her to see me now. I want... I want her to see that I'm a wizard."

The principal doesn't understand at first and tries to remember, until he recalls his conversation that day with Nobita's parents at the hospital after saving him from the Entigo. "Nobisuke said that when his son went through that, he also experienced the loss of his paternal grandmother. Now I understand" he thinks, looking up.

The old man looks at the boy's face, which was a mixture of emotions: nervousness, excitement, nostalgia. All the while, he shows a few tears without saying anything else. "She meant a lot to you, didn't she?"

Nobita nods, looking at the desk. "My grandma is the main reason I like magic. She always looked after me and she really liked shiny magic."

The boy can't help but stare out the window, which was already fixed. The night sky was present, and the stars were making an appearance. "One night when I wanted to see stars and it was cloudy, she cast a spell with her reed wand, making flashing lights appear to replace the stars."

"I think I know which spell you're referring to, Young Nobi. An artificial star spell called Estera. They're often used to illuminate dark places for a few minutes." The old man nods, understanding the situation.

Nobita nods. "I was so happy at that moment that that very night I promised my grandmother I'd do the same for her in the future."

"Grandma, when I become a wizard, the first thing I'll learn is the twinkling star spell like you do, and when I know it, I'll invite you to a night of stars created by me, I promise!"

The boy, with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile, couldn't help but make his promise to the person he loved, but then his smile left him as he sighed sadly. Up the small spiral staircase leading to the upper floor where the special cellar was, little Yuki was standing there, watching through the handrail of the small apartment.

"That was what I wanted, but... Things happened differently. I think when she left, my desire to be a wizard also began to fade."

Doraemon watches as the boy couldn't help but sob as he talks about the happy days with his grandma. Nobita wipes his tears and looks at the principal with a determined look. "Principal. Do you know how to do that spell?"

The old man nods to the question with a smile. "THEN TEACH ME HOW TO DO IT. I WANT TO LEARN IT BEFORE THE SCHOOL TRIP, PLEASE! I want to be able to keep my promise when I see her again there!"

"It's a nice reason to learn a spell like that." The principal scratches his chin. "Although I don't plan on teaching Estera in my study schedule for your class, as a spell teacher, I couldn't refuse such a request. So yes, I'll teach it to you."

Nobita smiles with a twinkle in his eyes. "But you'll have to earn it. Show that you want to learn how to use it by putting more effort into your academic performance."

"Really?" The boy says, a little disappointed.

"I can't hold your hand, young man. I've helped you through extreme things because they were things you couldn't handle on your own; what happened five years ago, the ritual, and the punishment. You have to work hard for what you want to achieve, just like the rest of your classmates."

Doraemon nods, crossing his arms. "That's true. If you want to learn different spells, you have to earn the right, no matter how good your reasons are."

"Above all, try not to get into trouble again. The administrator is a strict woman; she's even punished students by excluding them from the School Trip. You don't want that, do you, Young Nobi?" The principal raises an eyebrow.

Scared by the possibility because he had already made the manager nervous a couple of times, Nobita quickly shakes his head in denial "O-of course not, I want to go on that trip, I won't make Miss Kaede any madder! Even though I'm an unstoppable bad luck magnet, I don't want them to get mad at me anymore. She reminds me a bit of mom when she's angry" The boy says sighing tiredly.

The principal nods with satisfaction. "That's good. You still need to polish your spell skills a little more if you want to learn Estera. That's all for tonight. Go home. I hope you're an early riser."

"Not so much" Nobita sighs again. "But I have to complete the punishment, or I'll be left without a spell, without a trip, and with my mom scolding me again."

The old man chuckles softly while Nobita smiles, sticking out his tongue and scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. Doraemon shakes his head and sighs. Little Yuki, or the star-like being the villains were looking for, smiles slightly before teleporting away, leaving sparkles where she stood.

A new temporary goal had been set in Nobita's life during his first school year: to reunite with his grandmother and fulfill the promise of the shining stars.

Chapter Text

With the help of the Anywhere Door, Nobita and Doraemon bid farewell to the principal and returned to Betakoi House after a most unusual day. In part, they were able to prevent our protagonist from wanting to go down the album path, which was... Mission accomplished for now?

Of course, that didn't mean the boy wouldn't be tempted to return to that path again, so Doraemon's work wasn't done yet. But now, knowing that Nobita had another reason to stay at the Academy: to reunite with his grandmother, he could sigh less heavily.

That was because the robot knew that the boy loved his grandma, and the fact that he was motivated to learn a spell that he would have to earn by improving his academic performance in order to prepare for the School Trip gave him a small respite, knowing that for now, his best friend wouldn't be thinking about taking a gap year.

After dinner and a bath, Doraemon noticed that Hajime wasn't in the room. This was because he was downstairs in the house's small library. He, too, wanted to stay, as he wasn't interested in returning to Kyoto for the weekend like the rest.

The little wizard was putting on his shirt and then grabbing his shoes. Doraemon stood at the desk, a little nervous. It was the first time he was going to bring someone from the past to the future. It really showed how attached he had become to that boy. Although it felt good, he knew that when the school year ended, his mission would come to an end.

"I'm ready! Let's go to the future!" Doraemon gestured with his circular hand to the excited boy.

"Remember, we're just going to 22nd-century Tokyo, to the Nobi family's apartment. We'll talk to Sewashi, and when we're done, we'll leave. Understood?" The cat grimaced, narrowing his eyes.

"I knoooooow. I'm not a baby for you to repeat that to me. Let's go at once!"

"PERFECT, LET'S GO!" Hanz bursts into the room excitedly with his signature mocking smile, leaving the pair confused and surprised.

"Hey, didn't you say you had your time machine in the form of a beetle car? And why now?" Doraemon uses his judgmental gaze.

"My beloved vehicle is now in the underground basement. I just had it washed and I don't want to get it dirty. I have to personally deliver a report to my bosses, and since you're going back to the future, I need a ride." The lanky boy wags his finger in denial. "Remember, I'm YOUR boss temporarily while you live under MY roof."

Doraemon sighs deeply, opening the desk drawer. "Fine, whatever, let's just go."

Watching the robot cat and the robotic humanoid enter through the drawer, the boy does the same, landing on the time machine mat. Once there, he is amazed to be inside the time tunnel. It wasn't the first time he'd seen it from glancing inside the desk drawer in his room, but he was still perplexed.

Once Doraemon entered the coordinates, like a flying carpet, the machine began to move forward. Nobita was standing behind Doraemon's seat as they traveled.

"Oh my Andromeda. You should put extra seats" Hanz sits down, smiling.

"It's my machine, don't complain" Doraemon just pouts, offended.

The trip lasted a few minutes, while traces of clocks moving their hands appeared in the tunnel with the fluctuation of time.

Suddenly, before arriving, a small turbulence shook the mat, taking Doraemon and Nobita by surprise. "What's going on?!" Nobita gripped the back of the cat seat tightly.

"It was just a jolt, nothing. It's normal for there to be fluctuations in the flow of time. Time machines use mana to navigate using time magic."

With the explanation, a hole opened in front of them. The silly boy covered his face with his arm, the light coming out of the hole overflowing.

Opening his eyes, Nobita sees that the time machine is inside a small room, which looks nice and simple but modern. "We're here" says the robot cat.

Just as they get off the machine, an automatic door, whose magic seal was activated, opens, revealing a new figure: a yellow cat that seemed to be the same model as Doraemon, a few inches smaller, with a big, cute red bow, her tail was like the blue one's but more like a flower, with a tender look and a red-striped pocket, and she was wearing a collar with a bell.

Nobita remembered something Doraemon had told him about having a younger sister.

Apparently, they arrived on the same day, the end of the first week of school, but in a different time. When the robot looked at them, she put her hands on her hips.

"Big bro! You said you'd come earlier to talk to Sewashi, and you just showed up." She pouts, somewhat irritated "I was going to come get you because there's something I wanted to mention to you."

When her eyes fell on Nobita, she leaned closer to look at him with interest. "Wow! You're Nobita, right?" The boy only nods, confirming, so she bows slightly to introduce herself. "Nice to meet you. My name is Dorami. I'm Doraemon's younger sister. I hope my brother isn't being too grumpy with you."

That last part made Doraemon look away, offended at being called grumpy.

"Nice to meet you, Dorami. Y-yes, it's me." The boy smiles, nervously introducing himself.

"I see you're here too, Hanz" Dorami says to the lanky man, who tips his hat to greet her.

"I asked GRUMP for a ride." Hanz smiles as he walks toward the automatic door. "We'll chat another day, kitties. I have a report to hand in. I'll leave through the main window in the living room. BYEEEEE!"

When Hanz leaves, saying goodbye to such a showman, Doraemon looks around in a bit of confusion. "I see my brother brought you with him. Welcome to the 22nd century. I didn't expect that." Dorami lets out a light chuckle. "The stubborn one said he wouldn't get too attached to someone from the past, but if he brought you, he must consider you a good friend."

Nobita is startled but then smiles because he felt good about what the yellow cat told him. Although Doraemon would normally say something contrary to avoid proving it was true, he narrowed his eyes at his room.

"I see you noticed, big bro." Dorami approaches with Nobita. "This is his room, that's why the time machine is here."

"Notice what? Although this place looks nice. I thought it would be simpler with what I've seen in the album and what Sewashi told me about his life." The boy looks around, still not understanding the point.

"Well, there were fewer things here. My donut-shaped chair is there, but that little holographic TV wasn't in my room." Doraemon points to a small glass screen. "Although it would look very modern in your world, it would seem simple to us. But I couldn't afford it before, anyway. The walls were somewhat gray, but now they have holographic wallpaper."

Doraemon goes to a small table where a wand-shaped controller was, points it at the walls, and they change color, even with bell-shaped marks, impressing Nobita. "It's fabulous!"

"Even though it's the older model, with the budget, we couldn't afford this." Doraemon smiles nervously, still confused. "Could it be that the timeline has changed?"

"We'd better go to the living room and talk to Sewashi. We'll understand everything better if we catch up."

Dorami leaves the room first, followed by Doraemon and Nobita. Nobita is surprised to see the large room. It was clear that it was from the future, with a modern style of technology and magic. When he turns around, he sees that one wall is made of glass.

The boy's eyes lit up at the number of tall, modern buildings worthy of the future, aesthetically pleasing flying cars, and people on broomsticks flying in the night sky. There were also magical night-flying creatures passing by. Being on a high floor, the view was impressive, at least for someone from the past. "WOW! It really is the future!"

"Wow, the apartment is still just as small, but the holographic screen doesn't look like it's been used for so many years anymore." Doraemon looked around the room, a little surprised.

As he approached to look at the panorama, he noticed that the brooms were different from those of his time, metallic and with propellers instead of bristles. Doraemon stood next to Nobita. "Look, naive boy, brooms these days are all made of a material stronger than metal to make them durable. Plus, the propellers are powered by artificial mystical power activated by the mana of their owners."

"Technology may have evolved in Sewashi's and my time, but it will always rely on magic as its main driver. The gadgets I use work almost the same, technology based on magic."

Doraemon proudly crosses his arms. Sewashi left his room, noticing how both Nobita and Doraemon were not only there, but also smiling at each other and seeming to enjoy the view together. And although he was surprised to see his ancestor in his house, he couldn't help but smile a little mockingly next to Dorami.

"Well, Doraemon, I'm so glad you've grown so fond of gramps that you even brought him to the apartment." Sewashi crosses his arms with a grin from ear to ear.

Doraemon and Nobita turn around, though the robot cat only turns red with embarrassment and looks to the side, walking quickly to the hoop-shaped sofa in the middle that was on the floor in front of the large holographic screen. "Hi gramps, nice to see you again."

"Hi Sewashi. Nice to meet you but... Just, stop calling me gramps." Nobita sighs at being called that again, but he is genuinely happy to see his great-great-grandson again after a week.

So he just follows him and sits next to him, causing Doraemon to glance at him. "Hey, you told me not to leave your side because you didn't want me to get lost if I came with you, remember?"

Although Doraemon nods, he then look again at his friend from his time and his sister, who were just smiling, sitting on the couch with a slight mocking smile in front of him.

After all, the blue cat proclaimed in front of his first friend since day one that (he wasn't going to get attached to him).

The change was noticeable, and he knew it, but he wanted to continue not admitting it out loud because of his pride, which was little compared to the first day, but still there. So he quickly changed the subject. "H-hey Sewashi, we haven't seen each other since I've been living with Nobita. How are you?"

Sewashi's suit had an image of Omekkusu on it. "I see you've been doing well so far."

Sewashi nods. "My first week was normal, but I've learned how to make spells and potions. Besides, I already have my license and my broom. I used it a moment ago to run an errand." The boy from the future points to a futuristic broom next to his desk. "Luckily, since Principal Chronos is our homeroom teacher, we're not that nervous."

"PRINCIPAL CHRONOS IS STILL ALIVE?! THAT MAN MUST BE LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS OLD BY THIS TIME!" Nobita cries out in surprise that one of his teachers is still alive in the future.

"Actually, he's over 700 years old. It's because of his mystical ability to see the future through sudden visions that he's also kept alive. In fact, that's what he looks like." Sewashi uses the holographic screen behind them to show a version of the principal who hasn't changed much, still wearing a slightly more stylized yukata from the future, with a bald head and a slightly more hunched appearance.

"Wow, there's not much difference from the past version, really" Doraemon says.

"I'm so jealous! You were able to get your license, but today all I got was a detention and a scolding from Mom." Nobita puts his hands behind his head. Doraemon breaks into a cold sweat because Sewashi and Dorami were squinting at him.

"Although, that's better than a week-long suspension for accidentally destroying the principal's office due to excess mana from the H.M.B." Doraemon instantly covers Nobita's mouth while he laughs nervously.

"Doraemon. I don't think there's much to tell on my end. Why don't you explain more about what gramps is talking about?"

The boy from the past and the blue robot couldn't help but smile nervously, although it was more than obvious they had to explain; after all, that's why they're there.

So they proceeded to explain the ENTIRE week's ordeal: the ritual, the events in class, little Yuki, the broom accident, and even Nobita's H.M.B. condition.

After the week's recap, Sewashi and Dorami exchange glances.

"GRAMPS!" The boy from the future raises his voice, a little dismayed.

"I already told you it wasn't my fault, it was my mana flow going haywire because of my condition! I couldn't help it, I'm a magnet for bad luck!" Nobita waves his hands nervously but then clasps them together. "But look, I didn't make the decision. Does that count, right?"

"But it was because Doraemon was with you, I mean, that's what I was supposed to do, but you were so confident in not taking the gap year." Sewashi sighs and crosses his arms. "It was just the first step. You'll try again halfway through the school year."

"No, no, this time trust me. I'm grateful you let me have Doraemon. He's truly been a lifeline." The robot smiles upon hearing him speak. "I've put aside the gap year thing. I see I'm not that bad at magic. Above all, I'm determined to improve because of the School Trip."

Nobita smiles with determination and encouragement. He had reasons. He wanted to improve, he wanted to prove that he wasn't a doormat for those who still wanted to hold him back. He wanted to see his grandma again and show her that he could have been a wizard. He wanted to do it for his family, for his best friend, for the person he loved, FOR HIMSELF.

"It's good that you're more positive now than the last time we met, Gramps. Although there's still something we need to find out. You're a H.M.B wizard, and we don't know if I could be one too due to genetics. There are H.M.B tests these days, but even in our time, it takes a while to get results because it's a rare condition."

The boy from the future looks at the ceiling nervously. "And I haven't had any problems with the flow of magic like you. Maybe I haven't, but I wouldn't want to get too confident."

Dorami takes out his time phone. "Then let's call the person who has access to all the information because of his job. It's probably easy for him."

Doraemon slaps his face. "I hope you're not talking about..."

At that moment, Hanz rings the doorbell, and the automatic door opens. "Hellooooo! I've already returned and dropped off my report. I'm here for a ride back to the past."

The yellow cat puts her phone away, smiling. "Good! I was just about to call you. We need your help with something important."

"Ohhh" Hanz sits down in the middle of the four, smiling. "What does Mademoiselle need me for?"

"Hey" Doraemon's intense gaze upon hearing the android speak like that was noticeable. "IGNORING THAT, we have discovered that Nobita has the H.M.B condition, you who are good with quick information, we need to know about the Nobi family tree and know if it is something hereditary, since we do not know if Sewashi has the same condition since he doesn't present the symptoms of excessive mana flow"

The lanky guy takes off his hat to look for something. "Well, I need to hear my employees' requests." A (Hmmp!) is heard from the blue cat. The android takes out a template with letters shaped like a vintage keyboard, places it on the coffee table in the middle of the armchair, and a horizontal screen appears, summoned by the gadget, which begins to type on the template.

"The H.M.B. are very few, even in our time. And just because I'm in a good mood and out of curiosity, I'll give you a hand with that."

At one point, some photos appeared on the screen. It was Nobita and Sewashi's family tree. The clumsy boy looked at the screen with interest, but remembered the photo of his future with Jaiko and their 11 children. Not 8 as he thought, 11, some young, some toddlers, some kindergarteners, and a couple of babies he was holding. Remembering that only made him gulp.

Although by chance, he decided to squint to look for those children he will have in the future out of curiosity.

"Let me first make a specific adjustment to the H.M.B trait." As Hanz types, a blue label appears under each relative's name with the letters H.M.B. "I hope you have money for wine, bluey."

"Don't call me that." Again, Doraemon's judgmental gaze appeared.

Sewashi shifted to Nobita's side to get a closer look at the family tree updated to him, startled, and sighed. "Apparently, it's hereditary, gramps, it skips a generation. And I also have the H.M.B trait. I think the only notable thing about me was that I didn't feel empty when practicing spells. But I haven't had the problem of uncontrolled mana flows."

"Maybe it's because your H.M.B. can be passive by not getting out of control with the flow of mana, while Nobita's is more active. Maybe it also depends on the individual—"

"DORAEMON!" Nobita shouts in surprise, pulling his friend to look at the screen. "YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!"

The blue cat narrows his eyes and is also surprised. They were both stunned by what they just saw.

Chapter Text

Sewashi and Dorami look at each other, confused by Nobita and Doraemon's reaction. Hanz just leans back on the sofa with his arms behind his head, basking in ignorance of the recent event.

"What's going on, gramps?" asks the boy from the future, stunned by the reaction.

Nobita simply points to the next person on his family tree. His great-great-grandson is perplexed to see something unexpected, which is what caught the pair's attention.

When there were more than two children, the screen showed the image of the oldest child, while the others were slightly smaller at the top and bottom.

But instead of the group of children Nobita saw in the album, there was only one. No longer ELEVEN, but ONE.

"I thought the changes in offspring wouldn't show for a while. My brother was only with Nobita in the past for a week. How did everything change in a week?" Dorami says, confused.

The silly boy was still startled. It was different from the album. The photo of the boy next to him was of the boy who was now his son, his only descendant. It was almost like a spitting image of him, but without glasses. He just looks at the boy's name

[Nobi Nobisuke. Omekkusu Faction]

"He has the same name as dad." Doraemon says curiously.

"Is it that in the end I'll only have one child with Jaiko?" Nobita says, still stunned.

"Tell me, kid. Is that the name of your intended wife?" Hanz says, smiling at everyone.

"I'll marry Jaiko, Gian's younger sister, and have about 11 children. Or at least, that's what I saw in the album." Nobita looks up, stunned.

"AHHHH! I understand better now. So the answer is a resounding no. Believe me, I specialize in information for my job. When the family tree changes like that, it means the mix of descendants is different depending on the individual. So you have... Or, in this case, will have a different wife."

"At least that's what they say about flowers and bees!" Hanz shrugs, saying this mockingly.

"A different... Wife? Does that mean I won't marry Jaiko anymore?" The silly says, surprised by the changes.

"Apparently not anymore. I suppose your decisions regarding wanting to be an individual person and not a Gian's playmat have been long-term. It would also have to do with your current motivation to improve yourself. Can you see the name of Nobita's new wife?"

When Doraemon pressed the image of Nobita's son to break down his parents' names, showing an "M" at the beginning of his mother's surname, Hanz turned off the board to put it back into his hat. "HEY! I wanted to know who my wife will be this time!" Nobita complained angrily.

"I think it's better for you to explore that possibility later. Isn't it better this way? You've had enough excitement for one day" Hanz shrugged.

Unfortunately, none of the four, not even Nobita, could read the identity of his future wife, as none of them could pay attention quickly enough before Hanz turned off the device.

Although it was a little disappointing for Nobita not to be able to know more, knowing that his future was indeed changing gave him hope of getting away from that horrible future in the album, which made him smile.

"Anyway. Time to go back. Tomorrow we'll surely have a lot to do." With a smile, Nobita stands up. "I guess Hanz has a point. I think it's better for me to find out about my future wife later." The clumsy boy puts his hands inside his shorts pockets. "Now I want to focus on the new future that awaits me."

Both Doraemon and Sewashi were stunned. In just one week, they had seen a pessimistic and vulnerable boy who thought the worst of himself, but now he was a little more confident and his self-esteem was rising.

Sewashi stands up along with the rest. "You know, gramps? You're not from this era, so you see this apartment as something futuristic and cool. But before, it was in a poorer condition, but seeing that even my parents have fewer hours at work to make ends meet gave me hope. Now, they're somewhat freed from that debt, enough to even have a smaller allowance."

"That's good to know" Nobita nods, smiling.

"But I know this is just the beginning, gramps. It seems like leaving Doraemon with you was a good idea. Things got crazier during your first week, but seeing you now with that motivated expression makes me feel a little more hopeful that at least we'll be okay. Just keep at it, okay?"

The silly boy nods at his great-great-grandson's request. "If everything is starting to fall into place and the debt is slowly disappearing, maybe it's worth continuing."

Doraemon pats him on the back. "Don't doubt it, buddy."

"Take care of yourselves, both of you, and try to be less proud of the affection you have for him." Dorami laughs softly as his eyes point to Nobita.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Doraemon looks away nervously and then looks at Sewashi. "Take care, I'll come check on you another day."

"Take care, Doraemon, and take care of gramps." Sewashi smiles and nods.

"Will you be able to stop calling me gramps at some point?" Nobita says, smiling nervously. "Anyway, take care of yourselves, both of you."

"I'll see you another day, Sewashi and Mademoiselle," Hanz smiles, waving goodbye.

"Stop calling her that" Doraemon narrows his eyes at his, for now, boss.

Doraemon and Nobita were in the time machine, traveling back in time with Hanz, who was sitting in the back, relaxed and smiling. By chance, Nobita wanted to look at the album, and although Doraemon was a little hesitant, to their surprise, the photos in the album were covered in a moving fog.

"There are photos of things that happened to me in my first week, my wand, my classes, there are even a couple of photos of Yuki, but the rest seem to be covered in fog. Is the album okay?" Nobita asks, confused.

"That album seems to be affected by the effects of what happened today. It seems the timeline has started to change generally and is adjusting."

The two boys look at Hanz in amazement. "Calm down! It's OBVIOUS that this is unrelated to the personal changes in the boy's life. Apparently, the thread of time has shifted, taking a new direction; it's normal."

"That explains the turbulence just now when we were traveling in the time machine. The timeline was being adjusted. Well, I'm not surprised you know that since you work with the patrol as an informant." Doraemon looks ahead.

"Your personal changes and the time adjustments have coincided, but don't worry about it, kid, just keep going." Hanz looks at Nobita, who kneels beside him.

The android takes the album from the boy's hands. "I think with everything that's happened, the album isn't something you need anymore." Hanz throws the book up, receiving a "HEY!" from Doraemon, who catches the album as it falls into his hands. Doraemon puts it away, grumbling. "You are now the master of your own destiny, like an artist with a blank canvas, with a newfound determination."

Hanz shrugs. "The answers about your future life will come on their own. Take it easy, enjoy the now, work hard for your future son and your new wife, who you still don't know who is, and also for your great-great-grandson who sent you a good ally."

Nobita looks to the side, watching the flow of time pass by, only to see Hanz again with a smile. "I think you're right. Thank you, Mr. Hanz."

"Don't even mention it." Doraemon smiles when he hears that for a moment, the android was behaving like a [normal] person. "I'm glad you LISTENED carefully."

"Really?! NOW?! Can't you behave like an adult for even 5 minutes?!" Yes, that was another ear joke that angered the blue cat.

Hanz chuckles softly with his usual mocking smile. Although he was wandering a bit in his thoughts.

"The truth is, this huge change and adjustment to the timeline is happening because new events are going to happen that are difficult to (unlock), but somehow it happened. Those events that happened, or are going to happen, in the past are the result of someone else from the future acting on the past, doing so in a more general way."

"It seems that whoever was making those changes got what they wanted. But why would that be? What do they really want to achieve by doing that?"

Hanz looks at the boy who was dozing off. "Although I said his personal changes had nothing to do with him, it's a coincidence that both changes happened in the same week. Whoever is behind this is clever; they did it in a less direct and silent way that even the Time Patrol can't detect it."

"I don't know what they're trying to achieve with all this." Hanz grimaces, but grins from ear to ear again. "I'm dying to find out!"

Returning to the past, the three slowly emerge from Nobita's desk drawer, noticing Hajime standing there reading a book. He glances at the three of them. Doraemon and Nobita smile nervously, but the antisocial boy continues on quietly. It was none of his business.

The silly boy goes into the bathroom to change into his pajamas while Doraemon decides to go downstairs for a moment to get some tea from the dining room. As he leaves, Nobita glances at his roommate for a moment.

The boy just plays with his fingers, a little curious to ask why he'd been called by the sensei; he knew his grades were the best, so he didn't see the point in it.

He knew about the (To each his own) agreement, but the more he learned about Hajime, the more he wanted to have another conversation with him. Even though he'd learned to live with him, he wanted that awkward barrier between them to slowly disappear.

And since he had left his boundaries with Gian and set a goal for his studies, he thought he might as well get along with his roommate.

He wanted to talk to the Ishikawa boy, but words wouldn't come out, until he took a breath and let them out. "Hajime... I know we have this agreement, but why did sensei call your dad? I mean, you're a very skilled wizard, and unlike me, you have incredible grades."

Hajime fixes his gaze on the clumsy boy, who is flustered by his classmate's gaze piercing him like a needle, but he stands his ground this time. "I-I was just curious. I did badly, I almost ended up getting expelled if it weren't for the principal, but now I have to be his assistant for the first half of the school year, hehehe."

A nervous laugh, the atmosphere remained awkward, and Nobita still hadn't received a response, until he notices the sunset pendant around his neck. So he comes up with an idea to start chatting. "I see you haven't lost the pendant again. It must mean a lot to you that you even thanked me when you found it, which was strange but kind of nice. I understand how you feel when you miss someone."

That last sentence made the antisocial boy's eyes widen a little in reaction. "Actually, I have a teddy bear my grandma gave me and-"

Nobita was so focused on trying to calm the situation when he realized he'd been cornered against the wall by Hajime. Being slightly taller, he reflexively pushed him there.

The clumsy guy couldn't help but get nervous seeing his classmate so close to him, especially since he looked a bit irritated.

"Who told you about her?" Hajime slammed his hand against the wall to apply pressure. "It was Kaori, wasn't it?"

Nobita gulped, nodding nervously. Hajime narrowed his eyes for a moment, then sighed. "Now I understand why you looked at me sadly that time. A normal reaction to pity."

"I don't need your pity, Nobi. I'll call Kaori and scold her for butting in where she shouldn't."

When Hajime said that, Nobita felt guilty for having ratted Kaori out of his nerves, so he stood his ground this time, putting aside his fear.

The silly boy clenches his fists, puffing out his chest and looking at his companion with a determined look. "Kaori's just worried about you. You said the other time that you hated separations, that you hated the M.C.G because they separate loved ones!"

"I don't like them for that either, but it seems like you're doing the same thing. You want to stay separate from the people who want to support you! I'm not saying you need to be so attached to them. But isolating yourself out of resentment for what the M.C.G did is just as wrong!"

"...You don't know what it's like to lose someone who wanted to take care of you, you don't know what it's like to miss that person every day. So don't talk like you understand me." It was the first time Hajime had come out of the neutral state; he seemed very annoyed by those comments.

"Of course I know what it's like to lose someone. I lost someone I valued for years! I know what it means to have something that matters so much to you because it was given to you by that person with all the love in the world." Nobita points to the pendant and points to his teddy bear on the shelf while crying.

"I miss her every day as much as you miss the one you've lost! BUT AT LEAST YOU KNOW SHE'S ALIVE!"

That last cry made Hajime step back a little. "Having people who value you helps you cope with what you don't have, I learned that this week! All Kaori wants is for you not to be alone because that's horrible!"

The clumsy boy just wipes away the couple of emotional tears with his arm; it was a sea of emotions. "If she wants to help you, it's because she loves you very much. And... I think you're not bad, not a bully like Gian, it's just that you prefer to stay away, otherwise, you wouldn't have helped me twice."

As the excess adrenaline began to settle in his system, the boy with glasses looked away since there was another silence from his roommate. Doraemon opened the door at that moment only to notice the tension between them. "I... I'm sorry if what I said bothered you. I was a little upset that you got angry with Kaori for telling me about your mom."

"But I don't regret what I said to you." Nobita's serious expression was evident. "Being alone, whether out of resentment or pessimism, isn't pleasant. Maybe you think it's better to be alone, to avoid being hurt by others or to avoid hurting others, but it ends up being painful anyway. Tell me, do you REALLY feel happy being alone? Don't you feel something pricking in your chest to be isolated? Can't you imagine sharing things with others?"

"I think you do want to share what you feel with someone. Otherwise, you wouldn't have asked me about my opinion of the M.C.G that day... Or now."

Yes, he was also talking about himself. He had learned that loneliness had a price that disturbs the heart and hurts the soul.

Normally, Hajime wouldn't care about their opinion like the rest of the people he interacted with, but those last questions started echoing in his head. He felt a little... Confused?

"I won't bother you again if that's what you want. I just said what I thought again." The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Doraemon remained silent, but he would act if the antisocial boy did anything to Nobita. He had seen the damage he did to Dekisugi, which had him on his guard.

Hajime sighs, turning over to lie down on the bed. Doraemon walks quickly, unfolding the wooden curtain that divided the room as usual at bedtime. Nobita breathes a sigh of relief, flopping down on his bed. "I think he's upset. I shouldn't have mentioned his mom. I hope things don't get any worse."

"You were brave to tell him what you thought, but I think Hajime will continue with his usual attitude. I think there are things that can't be changed, no matter how good your reasons are, buddy." Doraemon smiles fondly. "It's best to go to sleep. Today has been a long day."

Nobita nods. Doraemon turns off the light and goes to sleep in his closet while the clumsy boy gets comfortable and takes off his glasses to go to bed.

Silence filled the room. Normally, you could hear faint noises from other Betakoi guys who hadn't gone to sleep yet, but since it was the weekend, many had returned to their cities to spend time there until Sunday.

Nobita was already dozing off until the sound of a curtain invaded the room. When he opened his eyes, he noticed how the wooden curtain had been magically drawn back. He also noticed how Hajime put his wand aside, facing the wall.

Although Doraemon said that there are things that can't be changed. But it seemed the wooden curtain was about to appear. Nobita attributed this to the conversation. Perhaps the conversation was the beginning of the wall of loneliness falling.

Maybe so, maybe not, but it made him smile slightly as he slowly closed his eyes, finally entering the world of dreams.

Chapter Text

Saturday arrives, and nothing very significant happens. The administrator called our protagonist to his crystalpad at 6 a.m., and although he didn't like the idea of waking up too early in the morning, not if it involved something unrelated like catching beetles, for example.

A little sleepy, Nobita started the day with Doraemon, going to the eco-friendly city near the Academy, Ebagurin, to accompany Principal Chronos to replace some objects that were destroyed and/or damaged by the broom accident.

Although people like the sensei, the administrator, and even Tamako were strict with him, Nobita somewhat liked the principal's calm style, a wise old man who can see the future through instant visions and is VERY long-lived due to that same ability, so much so that he was even Sewashi's teacher in the future.

The principal invited them to breakfast and lunch while they browsed antique shops looking for the objects and books he needed. He also frequented the tea shops, as they were the ones that brought flavors from farm crops.

Later, upon returning to the Academy, Nobita took advantage of the empty flight training ground to practice with his broomstick. He had another chance to get his license, so he even had to wear protective gear.

And although he was lazy, both Doraemon and the principal insisted that Nobita do his homework by Monday. He had no choice, no matter how much he complained; he had promised to improve himself, and the principal taught him how to use the spell he wanted for the school trip.

It was a peaceful and uneventful Saturday, even though Hajime avoided him as always. Nobita was already used to dealing with his personality because he didn't bother him or take things away from him like a Gian; they both simply coexisted in the same space.

With the conversation and gestures from the previous night, the silly boy thought to himself that although Hajime was stubborn in his solitary lifestyle, there was something inside him that didn't seem to agree with it.

Especially since he didn't use the wooden curtain on Saturday night either.

Just like with Nobita, whose spark of motivation that was trapped in a cage of pessimism has been able to emerge little by little, in Hajime there was a spark of warmth that was in a hard cage of stoicism and resentment that began to awaken.

It was Sunday, the last day of the week and the prelude to a new one. Doraemon and Nobita were outside the Academy early in the morning. The boy was yawning even though he'd had breakfast this time. He still didn't like the idea of getting up too early, but he had to do it.

"I'm sleeeeeeeepy" Nobita couldn't stop yawning while holding his broom. "I don't know where we're going today."

"I think the principal said something about collecting ingredients for the rare potions classroom naturally in a forest near Ebagurin." Doraemon yawned too.

"So early? I don't want to wake up so early every day." The silly boy yawned again.

"Well, it's part of the punishment for the accident. It was either this or expulsion. Get over it, naive boy." Doraemon crossed his arms, closing his eyes, speaking as if scolding him.

"I knoooow. But at least the others will be back from their homes today. I'm dying to see Shizuka again." The boy couldn't help but blush as he hugged his broom. "I wonder what the principal wants to collect?"

"Some things. I have a list, after all." The principal approached with his broom, flashing a confident smile. "Are you ready?"

Nobita and Doraemon nodded with a smile, hoping it would be another normal day.

The principal hopped on his broom to fly toward their destination, followed by Nobita on his and Doraemon wearing his takecopter. Normally, an unlicensed student wouldn't be allowed to use their broom outside the school campus, but with the principal, he could make certain exceptions for supervision.

Nobita looked around as he flew on his broomstick. It was still a bit difficult for him, but he managed to control his means of transportation. The three arrived at the entrance of a serene and vibrant forest. A gentle wind rustled the leaves, and the birdsong was the perfect background music, even for a nap.

"What a beautiful and peaceful plaaaaace! I really want to sleep in these places." Nobita inhaled the fresh forest air.

"No more naps, first we have to collect the ingredients!" Doraemon patted him on the shoulder to bring his friend back to reality.

The kind old man chuckled softly. "You like quiet places, huh? I should have guessed, knowing you love naps. But your friend is right. Let's go collect the items on the list; we have a day ahead of us."

So the three of them got to work, entering the gentle forest. Although on the path they took to the forest, Gian and Suneo were flying toward the same forest.

"I can't believe we had to spend the entire weekend cleaning at the Academy. Thank goodness we were able to finish our part" Suneo exhales. "Are you sure you want to go find Nobita? I know we saw him leave on his broomstick all the way here, but the principal is with him."

"Of course! We're not at the Academy, so we can play another prank on him there. After all, he should get what he deserves for beating me in the duel. It's about pride!" Gian waves a hand as they both flew on their broomsticks.

"But he won fair and square. Besides, he almost got expelled for the accident and..."

Suneo notices the threatening gaze of the burly boy boring into him. "DID YOU SAY SOMETHING, SUNEO?! ARE YOU GOING TO AGREE WITH HIM?!" Gian says, red-faced with anger.

"No no no no, I'm not! I was just saying it's better to leave him for a while before upsetting him! You know you and I are friends" Suneo shakes his hands while laughing awkwardly.

"You better be. It's enough that Nobita is behaving like a jerk by rejecting our kindness, without you acting stupid too."

Gian and Suneo turn their gaze back to the road, the dwarf only letting out a tired and relieved sigh.

Not far from that conversation, Shizuka and Dekisugi were returning from Tokyo together, both carrying a pair of backpacks full of clothes after having spent almost two days there.

"What's wrong, Dekisugi?" Shizuka looks in the direction her friend was looking to notice Gian and Suneo flying over with mocking smiles. "What are Takeshi and Suneo doing flying over there? Isn't there a forest in their direction?"

Dekisugi nods. "I understood they were being punished for the prank on the Betakoi House. I don't know what they're doing, but those smiles are a little suspicious. Shall we see?"

Shizuka gets a little worried, because she also had a feeling that the pair was up to something. "Let's go" she says, nodding seriously.

The day progressed peacefully. Nobita and Doraemon collected luminous algae from shimmering puddles, collected some floral bird feathers that shed as they molted, and even collected warm flowers that emitted warmth even as they were picked.

The principal gave them a moment to rest. The three of them sat on logs in a clearing deep in the forest. The kind old man had brought some sandwiches he'd gotten from the cafeteria and a container of tea and green ceramic cups.

"Taking a break in a place like this is like a dream. The wind blows, the birds sing, and the sun's rays are soothing." Nobita bites into one of the sandwiches with enthusiasm.

"Yep, it's very peaceful. It's very different, even from the busy world of the 22nd century" Doraemon nods, eating.

The principal slowly sips a sip of tea. "Forests are usually very peaceful and home to peaceful, mystical beings. Although they're almost neutral places, as beings of dark power sometimes appear, unlike cities, renegades and dark creatures roam freely in these places."

Nobita almost choked on his food at that, to which the principal shook his hands. "But don't worry, Young Nobi. I usually check for sightings of dark creatures before coming here to harvest; there won't be any of that today."

"Thank goodness" the silly boy sighs in relief, to which Doraemon chuckles softly. "How long until we're done? I'd even like to take a nap here for a while."

"We're just missing some unicorn horns. I usually collect them during molting season; there are some nearby. Let's finish right away so we can gather them."

The pair nod at the principal's words, finishing their meal more quickly and cleaning up the area.

After finishing, the three of them set out deeper into the forest, coming across another clearing. Nobita was startled, not only because there was a group of unicorns grazing, but because someone was sitting there on the grass, taking notes in a notebook and drawing sketches of the creatures. It was Hajime.

"Hajime? What is he doing in this place? I knew he had gone to spend Sunday out of the house but what a coincidence." Doraemon says, confused and stunned by the surprise.

Nobita notices that Hajime didn't have the cold expression he shows the others; in fact, he seemed to have a slight smile as he looked at the unicorns and drew them in his notebook.

Apparently the antisocial boy didn't dislike the creatures.

The clumsy boy moved a little closer to see what his classmate was doing, but his skill returned to its normal function when the unicorns began to approach him. Hajime noticed that he returned to his usual neutral expression as he stood up.

The group of unicorns approached the silly boy, and some of them began to lick his cheeks, causing him to smile at the tickling. "You tickle me!" He laughed as he petted one of them. "Such good boys. You like unicorns, right?"

But Hajime just looked to the side without responding, only nodding his head at the principal. "NICE as always" Doraemon said, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm getting used to it" Nobita laughed softly, just as the unicorn's multicolored horn turned opaque, falling from its head, scaring the poor fool. "I-it wasn't me, it fell on its own!"

Before the principal could say anything, Hajime approaches the unicorn. "It's molting. It's normal at certain times for their horns to fall off. When that happens, a new horn sprouts and grows fully within a month." The antisocial boy points to the unicorn's forehead with a small horn sticking out of it, making the nervous boy sigh in relief, only to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Ohhhh, It's true. I remembered Professor Eiko told us about them in class. I forgot that, hehe." Doraemon just facepalms at his silly friend's silly response.

"I see you've learned well, Young Ishikawa. I left some baskets where we were having lunch. I'll go get them. Gather the shed horns until I get back." The principal walks away from the clearing, leaving the three boys and the unicorns to graze again.

Being a curious boy, Nobita approaches to see what Hajime did in his notebook "Wow, you draw very well, you're good at it too!" Despite the friendly gesture, Hajime just looks to the side closing his notebook preparing to leave

Nobita knew he had surpassed Hajime's level of socialization, so he got nervous. "W-wait! You don't have to leave if you feel uncomfortable. It seems you like these kinds of places. I like them too. I understand. I'd be upset if my nap was interrupted."

Doraemon looked a little sad as his friend tried hard not to displease Hajime, since that gesture wasn't reciprocated, no matter how good his intentions were. He just watched as he picked up the shed horns from the ground. "We'll just pick up the shed horns and leave so you can continue with what you're doing, so don't wor-"

"GOAAAAAAAAAR!"

Gian and Suneo scream like bears coming out of the bushes, trying to scare Nobita and annoy him.

And they succeeded. The boy screamed in fear, falling backwards to the ground, but the unicorns were also scared, whinnying. The pair laughed, pointing at Nobita.

"HEY! What's wrong with you?! This forest is too serene for you to come here with your pranks!" Doraemon protested at the joke.

"Calm down, it was just a joke! We saw you leave the Academy for this place, and we followed you. You guys are really sensitive. Right Suneo?" The dwarf nods but also sighs, since at least it was just a shouting joke and nothing more.

Nobita and Hajime notice the unicorns running away, scared by their shout: "WAIT!" But it was already too late, the unicorns had already left, which annoyed the silly, who stood up to face Gian. "You guys are annoying! You scared them off, they were just having a quiet lunch! Mess with me all you want, I don't care anymore, but don't bother the creatures!"

"Hey, it's not that-" Suneo smiled mockingly, but suddenly felt chills, but it was because he felt Hajime's glare.

Yes, the black-haired boy was annoyed. "G-Gian, I think he's digging into my mind" Suneo says, trembling a little.

Gian also feels a little threatened by the look, but tries not to show it with a confident smile. "S-so you can get angry, huh? Let's settle this now!"

The robust boy rolls up his sleeves and takes out his wand to fight. Normally, Hajime would ignore him, but surprisingly, he passes his notebook to Nobita and also fights, drawing his wand. "Wow, he really didn't like that the unicorns were scared" Doraemon says nervously.

Nobita notices Suneo standing next to him to get away from the fight. "Tell Gian to stop!"

"He won't listen to me, you know how he is." Suneo gulps nervously.

"NOBITAAAA!" Shizuka approaches with Dekisugi, with another surprise: little Yuki is also with them.

"Shizuka, Dekisugi! Uh?! Yuki?!" The little girl runs to the protagonist to take one of his hands. "I'm glad to see you. But how did you know I was here?"

"We didn't really know, but we saw Goda and Honekawa flying this way when we were coming back. That set off our alarms that they were up to something, so we followed them. And apparently it wasn't a false alarm" Dekisugi says, watching the two opponents threaten each other with their wands.

Shizuka looks at the little girl approaching as well. "And when we were entering the forest, little Yuki appeared with her teleportation in front of us, so we had to bring her with us."

"I see. Thank goodness you came. We need a mediator. This pair is going to fight because Gian and Suneo screamed while playing a trick on Nobita and at the same time scared some unicorns. Apparently, Hajime likes creatures and that's why he has that reaction." Doraemon sighs tiredly.

"What?! Suneo!" Shizuka looks angrily at the dwarf, who just nervously waves his hands.

"W-we didn't mean to scare them, I swear!" Suneo laughs nervously.

"But you did it to annoy Nobita! You're already driving everyone crazy with that attitude! If you keep this up, no one will be able to stand you!"

What Shizuka said echoed in Suneo's head, who was stunned.

Dekisugi, on the other hand, stepped in to prevent what was coming. "Ishikawa, Goda, calm down!"

"Get out of the way" Hajime's almost thick, annoyed voice made the rest of the kids tremble, except for little Yuki, who just looked confused.

"Yeah, stay out of the way, Dekisugi. He owes me this duel for a while. I'll teach him a lesson so he doesn't get in my way again-!"

BROOM! BROOM! BROOM!

The sudden sound of heavy footsteps filled the stage, also shaking the ground, bringing the magic boys, the robot, and the little girl out of their concentration.

Nobita broke out in a cold sweat at the unexpected situation, and his hands began to tremble.

"And what... Was that?"

Chapter Text

Principal Chronos's expression was serious. He had only gone to check on some baskets, but the sudden appearance of a purple barrier blocking his way to the other clearing and the sudden trembling of footsteps made him break out in a cold sweat. "So they dared to do it today, right? I must do my best to break this barrier. If they continue unsupervised, there will be a catastrophe."

In the clearing where the unicorns were, the Academy students, the robot cat from the future, and the little girl clinging to the protagonist's hand noticed a large shadow approximately 2.5 meters tall approaching them.

"And what... Was that?" Nobita said, hiding behind Doraemon. The little girl imitated him.

"Those sounds... They're coming straight here... Only something like that could do that." Dekisugi broke out in a cold sweat, drawing his wand in the direction of the large shadow approaching them.

The shadow laughs in a sinister and deep voice. "I HEAR A MEETING OF WIZARDS. GOOD, GOOD, THAT MEANS A LOT OF MANA!" Trees are heard falling as the creature makes its way through.

Nobita is very scared, but gathering his strength, he gives the notebook to Shizuka. "Get out of here, take Yuki and find the principal. We'll try to prevent anything else from happening!"

"But Nobita, it's dangerous for you to stay and try to fight that shadow!" But the clumsy boy smiles at him determinedly.

"I'm scared, but I can't let them hurt you. We have Doraemon, Dekisugi, and Hajime, so we can defend ourselves." The boy moves away from them. Although worried, Shizuka smiles, trusting him, so she takes the little girl with her and runs to find the principal.

More and more Nobita was also showing that kind side and courage that were denied by pessimism.

"I-I don't think you need me, so..." Suneo moved away a little to hide, but Doraemon pulled him by his green shirt.

"Oh no, you're going to help too. It's the least you can do for that silly joke" Doraemon said, annoyed as he pulled out an gadget, the air cannon. It had a wind-summoning circle drawn on the sides and could fire blasts of air at its targets when its user was wearing it.

"BUUUUUUT!" Suneo was scared, but he pulled out his wand anyway; he had no other choice.

Nobita approached to pull out his wand. Gian and Hajime also pointed it in the shadow's direction. "F-for the record, I'm only going to help because I don't want to die today. I want to be a famous singer and chef someday!"

Hajime looked to the side. "No one cares about your dashed dream."

Gian was annoyed by the antisocial boy's comment, but before he could answer, the large shadow appeared.

"A wood golem! It looks old, judging by the amount of moss and black flowers on its body" Dekisugi says, not letting his guard down.

"But aren't golems mystical creatures too?!" Suneo asks, flustered.

"Just like humans, there are mystical golems and renegade golems" Doraemon gulps. "And this one seems to be one of the renegade ones."

"Uh?" Nobita notices the dark blue, six-pointed star pattern, but chooses not to give it any importance for now.

"But look at all those wizards! The boss will be happy! Although I don't think a blue raccoon would be any good for him!" The golem laughs.

"I'M A CAT, NOT A RACCOON!" Doraemon yells, annoyed.

"BE CAREFUL!" Dekisugi shouts loudly, pointing as the golem throws a large rock at them. Luckily, the kids managed to dodge it in time. Hajime uses fogoto, throwing fireballs at the golem, knocking it back. Gian and Suneo do the same. "Be careful not to set the forest on fire!"

"Mommyyyyyyyyyy!" Suneo cries as he throws the fireballs. Nobita tries to do the same, but since he's only good with Electrum, throwing a fireball instantly extinguishes it. "HOW USELESS YOU ARE, NOBITA!"

"I'm told by the one who was going to sneak away and hide behind the bushes!" Nobita raises his voice, so he flies straight at Electrum, landing an electric shock on its head.

"Rude kiiiiiiiid!" The golem lifts its foot to step on the raven, but Doraemon blasts it with his cannon, knocking it off balance and causing it to fall.

This made the ground shake, catching Shizuka's attention, as she was holding the little girl's hand with the bear. "I hope they can handle it" says the girl with pigtails.

"Nobita..." the little girl says sadly, so Shizuka smiles encouragingly.

"Don't worry, little Yuki. I'm sure Nobita and the others will be fine, but we must find the principal."

But to her surprise, when she looks ahead, she sees the purple barrier and the principal on the other side.

"Miss Minamoto, it's a surprise to see you in this too" says the principal, still with his serious gaze, a look very unusual for him, which indicated something terrible.

"Principal Chronos!" Shizuka tries to break through the barrier, but it feels like glass. "And this barrier?! The boys are facing a huge creature. You have to help them!"

The old man nods. "It must definitely be Gulurk. This barrier was created with dark magic. You can see it with the naked eye. It must be surrounding the entire perimeter."

"Gulurk?" the girl asks, confused and a little worried.

"Do you remember that friendly blue kitty accompanying your friend talking about the Wake Building?" Shizuka nods at the principal's question. "If what you said about the creature and the tremors is true, it's definitely one of the Wake Building's president's associates."

The old man gulps. "...Or rather, the real name of that group: The Dark Wake Association."

Finally, the villains were making their movements more visible.

As the principal spoke, the boys were seen trying to repel the golem, which rose again to knock them down.

"I know about them from the reports the M.G.C have shared with the Academy in case they appear. They've been active in the renegade territories, but for them to now appear in quiet, almost neutral areas like the forests is a bad omen, especially if it's one of their partners."

"Do you think the boys can defeat him? We have to help them" Shizuka says nervously.

"It's possible. The Dark Wake is a group of renegades who want to conquer everything by upsetting the balance between mages and renegades. They are identified by the six-pointed blue star on their foreheads, which grants them a slight increase in abilities. Although he is part of the 4 main partners of the Association, Gulurk is the weakest of the four, but still..."

"Miss Minamoto, this barrier was put up by the golem because it wants something, possibly natural mana, which is the focus of that association. Those children are in danger, especially Young Nobi due to his H.M.B. condition. To undo it, you have to use a reversal spell on both sides at the same time."

Shizuka takes out her wand, determined to help. "But. I don't know how to do a spell like that; I only know the three you taught me."

The old man smiles. "And because of that, you're going to learn how to use Revertus, the counterspell. At least it's only Gulurk, so I'll teach you how to use it quickly so we can destroy the barrier."

Little Yuki kept looking back, worried about the boy she considered, for now, her older brother.

It wasn't a joke when they said Gulurk was the weakest partner, as a group of kids from the Academy who had only been there for a week, along with a nanny robot, put up a fight, especially Dekisugi and Hajime, as always.

Although they had resisted thanks to some mana potions the group's aces had brought, they were already out of power, bruised and down to half their mana, except for Gian, who once again used his mana uncontrollably and irresponsibly and was down to just a quarter.

Nobita was tired, but it was due to his physical condition, as his H.M.B. condition helped him with his mana. Furthermore, the gadgets didn't consume mana from the body because they had their own batteries, so Doraemon was just as fine.

Although the Golem was still standing, it was clear he could go on all day, since his talent was strength. "YOU'LL SEE, I'LL TURN YOU TO ASHES!" Gian shouts, already annoyed by the situation.

"Gian, wait!" the silly boy shouts nearby. "You've used too many spells, you're going to faint!"

"SHUT UP! I'm not going to take orders from a clumsy, selfish, and ungrateful boy like you!"

The robust boy pushes Nobita to the ground, leaving everyone stunned except for Hajime, who just rolls his eyes at Gian's untimely behavior.

Nobita went from being stunned to suddenly angry, probably because of the fear of facing the golem, so he quickly gets up "Me?! Selfish and ungrateful?! I'll pass you the clumsy thing because I won't deny that I am, but you don't know what you're talking about! Better said, this isn't the time to argue, we have a monster throwing stones at us!"

"Ouch, that hurt. I was just doing my job." Gulurk ducks his head. He had stopped attacking because he'd paid attention to the screams.

"I'm being nice by warning you about mana even though you don't deserve it, because I'm not a cheap, opportunistic friend like you who's been running roughshod over me for years!"

"Nobi's right about that, but I don't think this is the time to..."

Gian interrupts Dekisugi by knocking Nobita to the ground again, this time with a punch to the stomach, which makes Hajime adopt that irritated look. Doraemon does the same while approaching Nobita to help him with the pain. "GODA!"

The Golem claps because he found it funny, typical of a bad guy.

"Gian, I think it's best not to do this right now. We're trying to avoid being crushed by a golem." Suneo was nervous about his friend's reaction.

"SHUT UP TOO, I'M JUST DEFENDING MYSELF FROM WHAT HE'S SAYING! THIS GUY'S JUST TELLING LIES. I'VE WANTED TO HIT HIM SINCE THE DAY HE DECIDED TO BEHAVE THIS WAY WITH US. I'M RIGHT, HE'S NOT!"

Doraemon growls at the robust boy's recent action. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH Y-?!"

"Doraemon, wait."

Gian was irritated; he expected tears, tantrums, sobs, but nothing. Nobita raises his head with the same look he received from his classmate. "Now we have to stop the golem and make it go away."

The clumsy boy's painful rise, but without the expected reaction, frustrates the robust boy. He couldn't accept this change in Nobita. He was so used to being ahead of him, feeling better than him, that the mere thought of the silly boy no longer playing along made him more irritable and increasingly trapped in denial.

Even Suneo was beginning to have doubts about the three of them's old way of life.

"Get them ready, there's no more time to waste, we have business to attend to."

A voice is heard in the golem's head, which nods smiling. Lifting its foot, it stomps on the ground, causing vines to sprout from the surrounding trees, which quickly ensnare everyone, surrounding them and grabbing them, holding their body parts.

Nobita pushes Doraemon aside before he can be caught. "Hide, don't let them see you!" All the kids are now bound by vines, except for Doraemon, who shouts his friend's name, but he obeys, using the invisibility cloak to avoid being seen.

"Uh? I missed the little blue one" Gulurk scratches his head. "Well, never mind, I've got them. Boss, you can appear now and recover!"

It was at that precise moment that the sky began to cloud over, leaving the sun's rays behind. A surge of tension was felt not only on the stage, but also wherever the director stood.

"It can't be... He..." Shizuka, though she didn't understand, couldn't help but feel a little nervous about the principal's reaction, a mixture of seriousness and concern.

In front of the group of wizards, a purple magic circle appeared before them. It seemed to be a summoning seal. As if it were the entrance of a stellar villain, someone began to emerge from the circle, unnerving everyone, except for Hajime, who looked irritated at the event.

Yes, it was the leader of the association; Mr. Kairos. Although he looked different from his last appearance, his handsome features were replaced by an elderly and thin body that looked like he'd been around for 100 years. His suit and cape were too big and baggy. He didn't have his long white hair, but his small beard was now longer. His eyes, although thin, were barely visible due to aging. He was now shorter because he was hunched over. But he wore the symbol of the 6-pointed blue star on his forehead.

Dekisugi narrows his eyes. Although he was stunned, something caught his attention, and standing near Nobita, he says something: "Nobi, apparently that's the golem's boss. But don't you think his appearance is almost similar to the director's, but older?"

The silly boy looks at the villain and also notices the slight resemblance to a Principal Chronos, but much older, especially since he had already seen something similar in the future, where he was still alive.

Doraemon was nearby, invisible. He wanted to take advantage of any opportunity to free his friends without alerting the villains, but he couldn't help but notice that detail as well.

"Who the hell are you?! LET US GO NOW!" Gian tries to use his wand, but the vines were so tightly bound that they wouldn't even let him move his hands or the wands.

The aged version of the villain leader cracks a smile. "You wizards are in no position to demand anything. But don't worry, I'll just take what I want and we'll leave. You won't even notice we're gone," he says in an elderly voice that remains serious.

Another smaller purple magic circle appears next to the villain, pointing at the burly boy. A bright blue glow surrounds Gian.

"What's going on?!" Nobita asks, surprised.

"It's how to see how much mana is in the body. That's how it manifests visually!" Suneo says, moving his legs quickly and desperately.

The same blue glow begins to leave the burly boy's body in the form of light, heading toward the magic circle. "IT'S TAKING HIS MANA AWAY! I DON'T WANT THAT, MOMMYYYY!"

"LEAVE MY MANA ALONE, IT'S MINE AND WHAT'S MINE IS MINE!" Gian tries to move while screaming.

But it was too late. The circle had drained all his mana, causing him to faint. The vines released him, and the robust boy fell unconscious to the ground.

"GIAN!" Suneo shouted, frightened.

Mr. Kairos looked at his hand, almost skeletal from aging, noticing that only a couple of warts had disappeared, grimacing in disappointment. "This kid didn't have much left from the battle, too bad. That happened because SOMEONE wanted to play with them instead of just catching them."

The Golem just played with his fingers, feeling guilty. "It's been a while since I had fun, sir."

"He's using mana to rejuvenate himself. He might have a spell to rejuvenate by absorbing natural mana." Hajime looked at the villain with contempt.

"SUNEO!" Nobita watched as the wizard finished absorbing all of the dwarf boy's mana, allowing the vines to release them and causing him to faint to the ground.

"It's normal. But I still need a lot more."

When the circle focused on Dekisugi, Nobita panicked. He couldn't do anything. Doraemon started searching his pocket for a gadget to free them from the vines.

"WAIT!" The clumsy boy shouted, getting the sorcerer's attention. "Leave him alone. If you want mana, deal with me!"

"Nobi, don't do it!" Dekisugi tried to break free. Even Hajime wanted to break free.

"Do you want to be next? Worrying about your friend is an act of mercy. Although, in any case, it'll be his turn as soon as I'm done with you."

The surprise came from Doraemon. Just as the seal was about to absorb Nobita's mana, the blue robot uses a golden sword, a red-handled katana that gives its user the ability to fight with it perfectly.

With the so-called Denkomaru Lightning Sword, Doraemon cuts through the vines in a flash, freeing everyone. As some brooms were near the scene, Dekisugi and Hajime whistled, and both brooms arrived immediately.

"DORAEMON!" Nobita shouts, happy to have been saved.

"Call your broom! We have to get out of here, it's dangerous!" Doraemon says, putting on his takecopter while carrying Suneo.

"We could leave him there" Hajime looks at Gian on the ground with spiral eyes.

"We're better than that" Dekisugi says, smiling nervously.

Hajime sighs, and with levition, he carries Gian. It's incredible that he can do it, that's tough training.

Nobita's broom couldn't reach the scene, as it remained outside the barrier, in the clearing where the two of them and the principal were having lunch. "Kirichan won't come no matter how much I call for it."

"There's no other option then." Doraemon gives a takecopter to Nobita, who puts it on and flies towards Doraemon.

The kids set out to escape. Doraemon is confused because neither the golem nor the sorcerer is chasing them, although for now he wants to get the kids to safety.

BUT...

Chapter Text

Before they knew it, Nobita began to fall, as if he had somehow been thrown to the ground, landing in front of the sorcerer.

"NOBITA!" Doraemon shouted. He and Dekisugi tried to get closer, but Gulurk stopped them by launching green energy spheres from his hands.

"If only I didn't have THIS bothering me" Hajime growled, looking at Gian, who was still unconscious, floating with levition.

"What happened?!" Nobita was lying face down on the ground, only able to move his head. "I can't move or get up! I feel like I have a weight on me!"

What was really happening was that a sphere was next to Gulurk, a spy sphere belonging to Ningyo, who was watching everything from his office.

She had the Nobita Doll on her coffee table. It had a wooden box over its body, large enough to encompass the doll's arms and legs. "Not so fast, little one. I want to see what you really are. And by the way, you'll help us recover our boss."

"Nothing personal, little wizard" the old sorcerer said, looking at the clumsy boy, who couldn't stop trembling. No matter how brave he tried to be at that moment, standing in front of a powerful renegade who gave off a feeling of enormous intimidation was too much for him.

"Well, actually, yeah. I hate wizards, but don't worry. It's not your fault you were born as one of those inferior beings who need a wand to perform magic."

"Relax, I just want your mana, and I'll let you go. I must regain my power, as I always have once a year." The magic circle began to do its work, absorbing the protagonist's mana.

"I have to get to him, I have to, if they find out about the H.M.B, it will be a catastrophe!" Doraemon thinks as the Golem jumps to stand in front of him "Tell your boss to let my buddy go!"

"Didn't you understand, raccoon? He'll release the kid when he absorbs all his mana! It's for a good cause!" The golem launches its green spheres again, but two fireballs repel them.

Dekisugi and Hajime approach on their brooms; they had left Gian and Suneo near some bushes. Doraemon was surprised that even Hajime helped directly, but he appreciated it.

The three of them did their best, but even though he was Dark Wake's weakest partner, the wood golem put up quite a fight.

"You have a lot of mana inside you, wizard. Too much, perhaps." The sorcerer raises an eyebrow as the spell absorbed Nobita's mana like nothing.

"If only I could get out of here. If I don't, he'll find out about the H.M.B, I-" Nobita was lost in his thoughts, barely noticing a tingling sensation as the spell absorbed the mana from his body faster and in greater quantities.

Ningyo, who was watching everything, was shocked as she spoke through the spy sphere. "Wow, so that kid is also a..."

"That's right, my dear Ningyo." The association leader slowly began to rejuvenate with all the mana he was absorbing, until finally, the seal broke because it couldn't absorb any more.

Doraemon and Dekisugi were stunned. The sorcerer's appearance had returned to that of a burly, elegant 50-year-old businessman with long white hair. With a light flame on his finger, he removed some hair from his beard, leaving it as it was.

"That's better." His thick, 50-year-old voice had returned. Mr. Kairos looked at his hands with a satisfied smile. "Usually, it takes me all day to recover from the instant aging of the youth spell since it requires A LOT of mana."

Nobita trembled more when the sorcerer looked at him curiously. The boy felt a little empty. "But now it only took me a few minutes." Mr. Kairos smirked. "You're a H.M.B, right?"

"Oh no! He's already noticed!" Dekisugi thinks, trying to get closer, but the golem is determined not to leave them alone.

The clumsy boy just looks away, closing his eyes to avoid saying anything, thinking it wouldn't make him find out. But he doesn't know that sometimes, silence also speaks volumes.

"Your silence confirms that you know, as do your friends and their looks of dismay." Mr. Kairos stands up, smiling and scratching his beard. "Well, well, what are we going to do with you now?"

"It's a good opportunity to increase our mana contributions; your friends won't be able to do anything against Gulurk."

Hajime, the lone boy who was closest, pays attention to the words coming from the spy sphere.

"Just like the H.M.B.s who are isolated and incommunicado in our citadel, we could do the same with this child. He won't be able to do anything if we take away his wand. We could even erase the memories of those present so they don't know what's going to happen to him. We could put the assimilation bracelet on him and take him with her, so she can keep an eye on him and prevent this brat from doing anything stupid."

"Anyway, she won't be able to refuse knowing what could happen to her son if he doesn't follow the contract."

Hajime was curious to hear that, but a fluttering in his chest told him that those words were the key to a mystery he'd had for years, contextually assimilating them in his head for later analysis.

Now, his focus was on saving his roommate, with whom his relationship might not be that of a friend, but something had changed since their heartfelt conversation the other day, feeling the urge to prevent something from happening to him.

So before the sorcerer decides to do anything, the asocial boy uses electrum to push the sorcerer back and away from Nobita, who was tearful because he had also heard the plan, he didn't want to be isolated and alone in an unknown place to be used as a source of natural mana for whatever they wanted to do.

So he sighs, grateful for Hajime's intervention. "Thanks, Hajime" says the clumsy, smiling and tearful.

Mr. Kairos smiles at Hajime, which makes the black-haired boy raise his eyebrow because it seemed to imply that the villain already knew him, a reaction he also memorized for later.

He began to cast a series of spells against the sorcerer, who, unlike the monster, repels them with shields using his hands while still smiling.

"Gulurk, do something useful and help with this!" Ningyo shouts from her sphere.

"Okay, okay, I will, don't get mad!" The large golem, slowly turning around, raises his hand. "Come here, new battery."

Slowly, the wooden monster begins to move his hand towards Nobita, who just looks scared, unable to move due to the voodoo magic.

Was that it? Was it going to end like this? Was this really going to be his new future? Isolated from his family and friends in an unknown place just to be a human battery? He knew that was a possibility if he were to end up in Renegade territory, but he was about to experience it in a neutral location.

That was what Nobita was thinking as he watched the golem's large hand approach him. At that moment, all he could think about was someone, someone he had already entrusted his life and his future to. He closed his eyes as he thought about that person.

"DON'T YOU DARE PUT YOUR CHIPPY HAND ON NOBITA!"

The silly boy hears the sound of a loud crash, as if something had crashed. When he opens his eyes, they light up as he sees Doraemon lunge at Gulurk, launching himself like a projectile, hitting the golem in the head, who falls to the ground.

Dekisugi looks at the sphere, theorizing that if he can break it, he'll free his friend from the voodoo spell. Using Electrum, he fires a rapid beam at the sphere, which is instantly destroyed.

The Nobita Doll, which was surrounded by a red aura, lost its glow, leaving Ningyo stunned. "Wow, it seems that kid figured it out. But still, I'll try another spell. The doll hasn't lost its shape yet, and we could use another H.M.B. for the plan."

Doraemon approaches Nobita, who is now able to move due to being freed from the voodoo spell. The kid can't help but burst into tears and hug the robot immediately. "Doraemon! Thanks!"

"Hey, I wasn't going to let them take you away. You have a school year to finish. And my head is as hard as a rock." Doraemon looks away for a moment, but then hugs Nobita back. "I wouldn't let them hurt my best buddy either."

The kid notices that the cat is slightly trembling from that hug. It seems that he is afraid of something that, as time goes by, Nobita has come to understand. They both share the same fear at that moment: the fear of being separated in a cruel way.

"And thanks for freeing me, Dekisugi. I didn't know that sphere was the one that had me trapped." Nobita smiles at Dekisugi, who smiles back.

"I'd never leave you alone in this mess, Nobi."

The golem gets up with a wooden bump, which no one knew was possible, and he's annoyed. "THAT HURT ME! YOU WILL REGRET IT!"

Doraemon and Nobita watched as the golem created a sphere of green energy and threw it at them. Desperate, they hugged each other, and the sphere crashed towards them. Shizuka arrived with the Principal. All the wizards were perplexed, even Ningyo, who had formed another spy sphere.

Except for Mr. Kairos, who continued to smile maliciously at the situation.

"NOBITA! DORAEMON!" the girl with pigtails shouted, frightened as she saw the impact of the attack, which seemed to have destroyed them.

However, where the pair were standing, a bright blue phoenix, larger than the golem, opened its wings, taking its place. Phoenixes changed to a flame-like appearance to defend themselves, and this one was no exception.

Dekisugi rode down on his broomstick next to Shizuka, marveling at the phoenix's beautiful plumage of blue flames. "A phoenix with blue flames, they're very rare to see."

"It's beautiful" Shizuka said, looking at the sparkles in the blue plumage, like stars. This reminded her of little Yuki. She had disappeared, leaving her sparkle behind before breaking the barrier. This made her assume she had used her teleportation, so she didn't have to worry about the little girl getting hurt.

Or at least, that's what she and the principal thought.

Doraemon and Nobita slowly opened their eyes. They were floating in what seemed like space, but they weren't suffocating, at least not the clumsy boy. Being a robot, Doraemon was able to breathe underwater and in space.

The pair stopped hugging, but they continued holding hands to avoid getting lost. Such was the level of trust between them.

"Where are we?" Nobita asked, looking around.

"I don't know. I don't think we're really in space" Doraemon raises an eyebrow in confusion.

At that moment, a small star appears in front of them, then takes the form of the small star-like being that had arrived on Earth a while ago.

"Did you save us?" The star-like being took on a humanoid form, nodding with a smile. "But... Who are you?"

Without receiving an answer, the pair reappeared in the forest where they were confronting the villains, after the blue phoenix disappeared, leaving them in its place.

Dekisugi and Shizuka ran toward them, while Hajime stepped back, keeping his wand on guard despite his mana being almost gone.

The golem moved away to stand behind its leader and the spy sphere.

"Guys, you're okay!" A relieved Shizuka hugged Nobita, who couldn't help but turn red in embarrassment and smiled slightly. "Did that blue-flamed phoenix protect you? Because when it disappeared, you appeared again."

Nobita and Doraemon look at each other. "Did a blue-flamed phoenix save us from the golem's attack?" Shizuka nods at Doraemon's question.

"Then it must have been Nobita's mystical ability that attracted that creature to save us from nowhere. And I think we were unconscious for a while, thinking we were saved by a creature made of stars."

What Doraemon said startles both the principal and the sorcerer. Apparently, they both knew what the phoenix from earlier really was but chose not to mention it.

"But we both had the same dream, it's incredible. By the way, where's Yuki?" Nobita says, looking around.

"She teleported again. There was a barrier preventing the principal from getting close, so he taught me how to use Revertus to unlock it. When that happened, she disappeared" Shizuka says, letting go of her friend, who breathes a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, I wouldn't want her to be in danger. They could have tried to drain her mana like they did with us."

Although, little Yuki was somewhat far from where they were, a pair of blue flames came out of her body as she smiled in relief, seeing that Nobita was safe. So now, she disappears with the teleportation.

"Everyone, attention" says the principal, as Shizuka takes out her wand. Dekisugi and Hajime were still on guard. Nobita also had his wand out, although Doraemon stood in front of him.

"It's been a while, Fuyuhito, or rather, Principal Chronos," the sorcerer says, smiling maliciously. "The years keep falling on you."

The principal's expression never left his serious expression. "It's a shame I can't say the same about you, Masahiko. Or should I say Mister Kairos?"

"It seems you both know each other quite well, and not just because the M.C.G told you about the bad guys" Shizuka says in a low voice.

Dekisugi nods. "Yes, you both call each other by their real names, from what I've noticed. Normally, the principal doesn't like to use his real name for some reason."

Doraemon takes out the air cannon again. "You'll have to go through me if you want to take Nobita. I won't let you use him as a mana battery for your schemes!"

"So you don't?" Gulurk cracks his knuckles. "You better be good wizards and hand us over to the H.M.B kid, or you'll have a nice giant shadow stone-"

"No." Everyone pays attention to the wizard.

"But booooss" Gulurk complains, dejected.

"Another H.M.B would give us more mana in the citadel. It would be a waste if we didn't capture him" Ningyo complains.

Mr. Kairos shakes his head. "We don't need another H.M.B wizard in that place. It may be a good source of natural mana, but we don't want anything else from the wizards. You can relax, kid. I'm not interested enough in you to drag you into our domain."

"My only interest was to fully recover my strength. I've already done that, and now we're retreating." The same summoning circle he had used to teleport away, now larger, appeared to take Gulurk with him.

"Although, if you happen to end up in a renegade city, especially one in my domain, I won't be held accountable if Gulurk, Ningyo, or another of my associates want to revive the idea of isolating you, so I recommend never visiting an antithesis city, little wizard."

Mr. Kairos' mischievous smile made the clumsy boy's skin crawl. Although he was relieved to be out of the association's sights, he couldn't help but be frightened by the leader's warning.

"Goodbye Fuyuhito and little wizards, watch your step"

Without taking their eyes off Hajime, Mr. Kairos, along with his golem partner and the spy sphere, sink into the ground until they finally disappear with everything. Everyone could sigh with relief. Nobita can't help but kneel on the ground; after all, he was close to being taken to who knows where.

"Thank goodneeeess. I thought it was going to be the end of us, especially for me." The clumsy boy sighs wearily. Doraemon pats him on the back. "At least the rogue sorcerer wasn't interested in taking me with him."

Dekisugi looks at Hajime, who isn't all that surprised by the matter. "Ishikawa, you already knew about Nobi's condition, right?"

The antisocial boy looks to the side. "On Friday, I saw your conversation with the principal about leaving that spy device behind. I know it's serious, so I won't say anything."

"Oh, that's right! I left the spy satellite with Hanz when I went to help Nobita with the flight test." Doraemon scratches his head a little embarrassed.

"But luckily it's all over now, and we're safe" Shizuka clasps her hands happily. And to their surprise, Gian and Suneo emerge from the bushes, holding each other's heads. They had recovered a modicum of mana while resting, just enough to be conscious.

"What happened? Where are the bad guys?" Suneo asks, confused.

Doraemon whispers to the other kids "I think it's best not to tell those two about Nobita's condition for now. I don't trust them to keep anything serious a secret, especially if it's about Nobita."

Everyone nods in agreement. "Uh... Yeah, the bad guys are gone, the principal arrived, and the sorcerer who stole mana left along with the golem." Well, it wasn't such a lie.

"THAT DAMN RENEGADE, AS SOON AS I SEE HIM AGAIN, I'M GOING TO TEACH HIM A LESSON FOR STEALING MY MANA!" Giant cracks his knuckles. The kids sigh tiredly, even Suneo.

"By the way, Mr. Principal, excuse me for asking, but... Have you and the sorcerer known each other for a long time? Because I could tell by the way you spoke to each other."

Shizuka's innocent question makes the principal exhale deeply. "Yes, indeed, we've known each other for years. We're closer than you think."

The old man looks up with a sad and nostalgic look. "The one you saw, the leader of the Dark Wake Association, is Masahiko..."

"My brother"

Chapter Text

"BROTHER?!"

The Academy students shouted this in unison, except for Hajime, who only widened his eyes in slight surprise. It was obvious that Principal Chronos and Mr. Kairos were acquaintances. But brothers?!

"The evil sorcerer is your brother?!" Nobita jumped up, pointing to the spot where Mr. Kairos had disappeared with his associates.

"Twin brother, to be precise, older than me by a few minutes." The friendly old man laughed a little, scratching the back of his neck.

"Twins, and he's older?" Shizuka mentally pictured the principal and the sorcerer with a confused expression. "But you don't look alike at all. In fact, he even looked younger."

"Although when we saw him before, he looked similar to the principal, but older, so that explains it. He stole mana from Nobi, Honekawa, and Goda to rejuvenate and regain his strength." Dekisugi puts his hand to his chin.

"Yes, unlike me, Masahiko doesn't have an ability that also grants him longevity. That's why he learned that eternal youth spell through natural mana. That's why he looks younger than me. He also has a slightly different appearance when using the spell. From what I understand, he must use the spell once a year because that's how long it lasts." The old man pulls a long face again.

"He was the one who founded the Dark Wake, using ancient spells to increase the power of any renegade who wears his anti-star insignia." Obviously, he was referring to the dark blue six-pointed star.

"And why does he want to acquire a lot of natural mana? What is he after?" Nobita asks worriedly.

The old man lowers his head. "I don't even know. He could be trying to use it for something they're planning, or simply to make money on the black market, as they've been doing since their partnership was created."

"Believe me, you don't want to be in his sights. He was the renegade who started the war 600 years ago."

The children were somewhat surprised, although they had a hunch that, being their principal's brother, he had something to do with the war 600 years ago between wizards and the renegade rebels.

"But why? Why does he want to do something like that, hurting others?" Shizuka says, confused and sad.

There was a curious silence from the principal, who just kept looking down. Nobita couldn't help but notice a sad expression on his part, as if whatever led Mr. Kairos to start that rebellion 600 years ago was a painful motive for Principal Chronos.

The kind old man raised his head, smiling sadly. "It's... complicated. Although it seems he wants to do the same thing again: take over the world. But in a different, more cautious and mysterious way than just starting a war."

"I'll inform the M.C.G of this so they can investigate their intentions and thwart them. You guys should stay out of this. Let the adults sort it out. You're still learning."

"Don't worry, Principal. We understand if you want to keep us safe." The children and the robot nod, though Hajime just looks away, slightly disagreeing with the [staying out] part.

"Yes, we're going to have to increase magical security on the Academy Island. I know they don't tread on wizard territory like they usually do on neutral ones, but it never hurts to be a little careful. We'll have to intensify the Spells, Potions, Magical Defense, and Gym classes so you can defend yourselves in case something happens."

The Principal sighs. "And I'm starting to doubt whether taking the School Trip this year is a good idea or not."

Both Hajime and Nobita flinch in dismay. Both had a motive for the trip: one to acquire power out of resentment at the circumstances, and the other out of a determination to see a loved one again.

"Are you going to cancel the School Trip?" Nobita approaches the principal, looking at him with a gleam of desperation in his eyes. "If you're going to pressure us in class, then it wouldn't be a problem if we went. We'll be able to defend ourselves. Please don't cancel it!"

"Nobi really wants to go on the School Trip." Dekisugi looks at his friend, begging them not to cancel the trip.

Doraemon whispers to Shizuka and Dekisugi the personal reason why Nobita wanted to go on the School Trip, which both of them are startled to see.

"I see. It's a very strong reason. His relationship with his grandma meant a lot to him, and still does. His determination to meet her, even just once, is evident." Shizuka smiles as she looks at Nobita. She knew how much he adored his grandma, so she understood his sentiment and his insistence that this plan not be canceled.

The principal looks at his student, who, with that look, hoped he wouldn't cancel the school trip. "Well, I shouldn't isolate you from something you want to do either. I'd be just like Masahiko on that point. It's normal for trips to have setbacks, and as Vice Principal Taiga says, that's why we get you in shape, right? They'd lose knowledge of significant places, and it seems the Dark Wake's movements aren't disproportionate like that rebel group from 600 years ago."

"Okay, Kaede's going to give me a lecture. But come on, I'm the principal! The School Trip is still on." What the principal says makes Nobita smile and Hajime sigh in relief, a reaction that only Dekisugi notices, but he pretends for a moment he didn't.

"Well, time to go. Today has been a busy day and tomorrow you have classes. Let me take care of the rest, let's go." The whole group of wizards leave the forest, to use their brooms and return to the Academy.

It was already dusk, and having reached the outskirts of the Academy, everyone said their goodbyes to go to their faction houses. Before leaving, Shizuka gave Nobita a bag of homemade cookies she had made, which made the clumsy boy happy. She and Dekisugi said goodbye to him as they left.

Hajime walked away as if nothing had happened, without saying goodbye, as usual. Gian looked at Nobita irritably. "Hey, Nobita, let it be clear that just because we had to defend ourselves from a crazy sorcerer who stole our mana doesn't change my anger at you! You deserved that blow, and by far!"

Doraemon narrowed his eyes irritably, but Nobita just sighed, determined not to be his doormat. "Think what you want. When you want to be my REAL friend and not someone who wants to trample me under the pretext of friendship just to feel superior, then find me and I'll probably think about it."

With a "Hmmp!" Nobita turned his gaze, which made Gian even more furious. But since the principal was nearby, he couldn't do anything to him, so he just ran off to catch up with Hajime and argue with him about not wanting to have a magic duel. "Hey, since we're far from the academy, let's finish what happened in the fore-!"

Without realizing it, Hajime punched Gian in the stomach, who fell to his knees due to the lack of air caused by the blow. Nobita and Doraemon were surprised by this. "W-Why?!" Gian complained.

"I just gave you back what happened with Nobi. Don't get distracted by your personal problems the next time there's a situation like the one in the forest. That was pathetic, just like your attitude."

Hajime glances at Nobita, who only smiles slightly. The antisocial boy turns around, leaving the robust boy growling irritably. "You know, Doraemon? I thought seeing Gian receiving what he did to me in the forest would make me smile from ear to ear in satisfaction, but it only felt... Slightly good."

"I guess in your mind, there are more important things to think about." The pair of friends look at each other, smiling at each other.

To Nobita's surprise, Suneo, taking advantage of the fact that Gian had left on his broom, approaches him. "Ah... Umm... Sorry about the unicorns, I just wanted to joke around a little. Sometimes Gian goes overboard with those things... And I think I'm just noticing."

"Wow, I honestly didn't expect this from you" the silly boy says, surprised.

Suneo smiles, embarrassed. "Yeah, it makes sense that you're surprised. Before all this, I didn't even think you were capable of taking on Gian. To me, you've always been a crybaby and incapable person, because, you know, you're Nobita."

Unable to help it, Suneo laughs mockingly, but notices Nobita and Doraemon looking at him irritated, so he returns to his sincere self. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. Although, I admit, you haven't ceased to amaze us. You even won a duel against Gian, and back in the forest, you remained calm even though the evil renegades attacked us."

The dwarf rubs his arm. "What I mean is... Sorry, especially with the mask thing, heh." A sincere apology came from him, leaving the pair surprised. "Well, I'm going now. We never had this conversation."

Suneo whistles to attract his broom, hops on it, but before he can leave, "Suneo!" Nobita smiles at him. "Thanks, at least you're treating me differently than Gian."

"Uhh... Yeah, though d-don't think that just because I apologized I'm not going to keep saying things about you, Nobita, just... I-I'm going now, see you tomorrow!"

The dwarf flies away on his broom. Both boys stared at the sunset for a little longer before saying goodbye to the principal and also retiring to rest. Tomorrow would begin a new week, and there was a new goal for Nobita to accomplish, two in fact.

Make his new future better and prepare for the reunion with his grandma.

Administrator Kaede arrives where the principal was watching his students leave with a sad smile on his face. "I see you've had a busy day, although I see you a little restless. Of course it had to do with Nobi." The woman with glasses sighs tiredly watching the boy leave on his broom and the robot cat next to him flying with the takecopter.

"No, Dark Wake is making moves." Miss Kaede reacts in surprise, and the two begin walking into the building.

Nobita is startled, checking himself. "Wait, Doraemon, I think I left my wand at the entrance of the Academy when we dropped off what we collected!"

Doraemon sighs, stopping in midair. "Are you serious? Come on, I'll wait for you here." the silly boy laughs nervously as he returns to the Academy on his broom.

"Well, you'll have to explain what happened so I can put it in the report we'll have to give to the M.C.G. We'll have to intensify classes. Will you continue with the School Trip?" The kind old man nods "I thought so. Anyway, we'll have to take precautions just in case."

Miss Kaede notices the principal looking at the Memory Space board, the place that honors deceased wizards, paying special attention to the 12-year-old boy who was the last wizard to leave this world. "Nakamura Sota" was written beneath the photo.

Nobita found his wand in a basket at the entrance and then saw the principal, who looked saddened. He leaned closer and wanted to know what was happening to him.

"You know what happened to him wasn't your fault, right?"

What the administrator says surprises the clumsy boy, who also fixed his gaze on the painting of the boy he saw on the opening day.

The principal lets out a sigh. "No one believed in him, not even himself. He couldn't rise from the abyss no matter how hard he tried. And even though he tried, he couldn't perform the magic well. I didn't pay enough attention to what those emotions were saying, thinking he should be strong on his own, thinking he didn't need anything else. When there's no support and minimal affection... Things happen."

In the old man's mind, he saw himself searching for the boy in the photo who had run away from his parents' house, fleeing with his wand and broom, leaving the broom on the outskirts of a dark forest.

Not caring that it was hostile territory, the old man advanced deeper into the forest. When he realized it, he found something that made him recoil in anguish: A wand stuck halfway into the ground.

"I recognized that wand instantly, and when I found Young Nakamura, it was already late. There was an Entigo in that forest, so he ended up turned to stone, having lost his mystical power. He went there on purpose. It was a gloomy morning; no one could believe it. He did it on a weekend, going to that forest when everyone was asleep."

"When a wizard sticks his wand halfway into the ground, it means he has given up."

That was a shock and a sad moment for Nobita, who was hiding behind a column, listening to everything. He had discovered the reason why that boy left: pessimism, being in a hole where those who could take advantage of it would trample him, believing he couldn't do anything.

Even though he knew his old scrapbook life was different and didn't end that way, he couldn't help but feel bad for the boy who gave up because he knew that feeling.

"No one blamed me, but I feel like I could have done more. And just remembering it gives me the strength to encourage my students' potential. In fact, Young Nobi was the one who brought that memory back to me when I saw him emotionally upset sitting in the hallway on the day of the accident in my office. Those words about himself rekindled my anguish."

Nobita began to recall that Friday, trying to find those specific words in his memories, as he had said a lot that day, until he remembered something, surprising himself.

"IF I'M THE PROBLEM FOR MY DESCENDANTS, THEN I SHOULDN'T EVEN EXIST!"

The silly boy couldn't help but feel embarrassed for having said that, so he approaches the principal and the administrator, who notice his presence. "Young Nobi. Were you listening?" the principal asks, surprised.

"It's just that I left my wand in a basket at the entrance." Nobita smiles embarrassedly, before returning to his serious expression. "B-but what I mean is, I don't want to give up, I want to have a good future! I... I didn't mean it that day, I just... I was frustrated because I'd tried so hard and everything went wrong that day..."

The principal leans a little closer to the boy, who lowers his head in embarrassment. "So you did hear what happened to Young Nakamura. It was an event that was kept as quiet as possible at the request of his family. I'm sorry you found out about something so serious."

"Yes, when you said what you said, I couldn't help but think of him for a moment. But your case has a different factor. You have people who care about you. I could tell when your classmates stood up for you. Especially that cat friend of yours. It's clear he really cares about you." The principal smiles slightly.

"I think that's why I also let myself be influenced to change your expulsion to a small punishment. Yours and the memories of one of my past mistakes prompted me to make that decision. And honestly, I don't regret it. You're a good boy. You just need to work harder on yourself and your grades."

"Appreciate what you have. Your friends and your goals are your motivation to keep going if it's a good future you desire. If you want to talk to someone about what's bothering you, you can tell me. Although your cat friend is there for that, and it seems you care about him too much."

Nobita nods, a twinkle in his eyes. "Yep, Doraemon means a lot to me. Let's just say I have a new direction now thanks to him being with me. I appreciate the advice, Mr. Principal. And I'm off now. Doraemon is waiting for me. See you tomorrow!"

The boy bids them both farewell, running off. The old man can't help but chuckle softly, turning around. "With his cat friend by his side, that kid's going to be fine. His story is different, and that makes me happy. Anyway, he still needs to improve his studies, but there's a reason he's my free assistant. Now come on. I'll tell you everything you need to write about in the report for the M.C.G."

The principal leaves again, refreshed, while the administrator sighs, following him. "It really is going to be a busy year."

Chapter Text

It was nighttime in the Dark Wake building. A last-minute meeting was held in the room where they were first seen in their first appearance. All the partners and Mr. Kairos were there. Everyone except Sheipu, who was spying at the Academy, so she was symbolically with the spy sphere.

"NOOOOO! I can't believe my theory fell apart because of a H.M.B.! I'll have to start from the beginning!" The girl, transformed into her human alias, crosses her arms, pouting in annoyance. "Although I won't take my eyes off him anyway. Maybe that kid is deceiving us by pretending to be a H.M.B."

"Leave that alone. THE KID COULD HAVE SERVED US FOR OUR GOAL!" Ningyo replies angrily. "It was as simple as taking away his wand and forcing him to live in the citadel like the other H.M.B.s we have."

"YEEES, free mana!" Gulurk shouts, but the woman looks at him with a judging look.

"YOU DON'T GIVE YOUR OPINION! You almost killed him with that attack if it weren't for that creature who saved him out of nowhere, you big idiot!" Ningyo applies a judging look to the golem, who only slumps in his seat, a little embarrassed.

The geisha looks at Mr. Kairos, who was sitting in the main seat at the table, looking down. "With all due respect, sir, but letting that child go was a decision I can't understand."

"It's because we don't need him here." The Sage is now the center of attention for everyone else. "Our lord appreciates your enthusiasm for maximizing our natural mana bank, but we don't need a M.H.B. wizard for the citadel."

"He already served his purpose a while ago, like the rest of the insignificant beings whose strings have already been pulled. Everything is done, we just need the hands to turn in the right direction. If we're going to make the boss' dream come true, we have to do it right. Believe me."

The mysterious old man stares into his crystal ball. "I've had to redo something MANY times to achieve a desired result."

"You talk like you've done something many times, how scary." Sheipu can't help but get nervous at the Sage's irritated attitude.

The hooded old man returns to his neutral state. "I know everything, there's a reason I have this name. And believe me, it's better to let that kid get on with his life. It would be a mistake to throw him directly into the equation. It's better this way."

"What if he gets involved where it doesn't concern him? I mean, he's just a stupid kid with strange luck and a blue creature by his side. I don't think he poses any risk to the spell." Sheipu shrugs.

"That blue creature could be a trigger for the kid to become a problem. I know those kinds of (creatures)." The Sage looks at the image of Nobita and Doraemon having dinner together in the dining room with the other Betakoi children.

"If that were to happen, I myself would see to it that they wouldn't be a problem without having to alter what's already in progress. I have experience with that."

Mr. Kairos smiled with satisfaction at the words of his more ambiguous partner. "I'm extremely pleased with how well you move your pieces." The villain stood up to look out his window once more. "I once made the mistake of not measuring my moves 600 years ago, but this time, we will be more cautious, but stronger."

A malicious grin spread from ear to ear across the sorcerer's face. "Neither you nor yours will win this time, Fuyuhito."

The villain's malicious laughter filled the stage, as the scene shifted to the moon, surrounded by stars in the peaceful night sky.

At the Betakoi House, it was already bedtime. Nobita was already in his pajamas, while Hajime was already settled in his bed, staring at the wall as usual.

"Hajime, I don't know if you're already asleep or not, but... Thank you for caring enough to even hit Gian back. I understand if you didn't do it for me, and only because you're a person who doesn't like seeing others being bothered. But, thank you."

The clumsy boy smiles and lies down on his bed, while the antisocial boy, his eyes open, sighs softly.

"Well, it's time to sleep, good night!" Doraemon slides open the closet door to climb onto his futon.

Nobita takes off his glasses and places them on the nightstand. "Doraemon" the blue cat turns to look at his friend. "Could you sleep with me tonight?"

The invitation took the robot by surprise, although Nobita was still thinking about the story he had heard about the boy who gave up and everything that had happened during the week, until he feels someone settle in next to him.

"Make room for me" Doraemon says jokingly, making Nobita laugh. They both settle in enough to be comfortable. "Did something happen to you? You look like you just received some hard news."

Nobita shakes his head despite the truth, just hugging his friend while smiling. "Everything's okay. I was just remembering what happened to me these past few days. I'm really grateful you're here with me. I really appreciate it. Good night, Doraemon."

Although Doraemon didn't understand why he said that, he couldn't help but smile because a week ago, that boy who had been by his side with a pessimistic attitude a week ago was now starting to feel better about himself.

"I think Hanz is right. You don't need that album anymore, but I think I'll ask him for at least a holographic image of at least a moment of your new future. It might help motivate you further to continue as you're going."

Snoring is heard from the boy, who had fallen asleep before hearing that. Doraemon pats him lightly on the head, closing his eyes. "Goodnight, Nobita."

Finally, a new week arrived at Mystic Academy. Everything was quiet as the students walked toward the academy entrance. Nobita was walking in his uniform, carrying his broom and backpack. Doraemon was at his side, wanting to join him for this occasion.

As they walked, they passed the troubled redhead Fuyuto, who was smiling, staying away from his group without intervening much, wrapped up in his ego and avoiding punishment.

Gian and Suneo were at the entrance. The robust boy was about to say something, but just walked away a little frustrated. The short boy scratches the back of his neck, but waves to Nobita, who smiled back. Afterwards, they saw Suneo being pulled inside with Gian.

Kaori was talking to Mitzuki. They both waved to their friend, especially Kaori, who excitedly greeted Nobita, while Mitzuki smiled apatheticly like a goth girl. Hajime was also beside them, glancing sideways at the silly boy and then looking away.

But the antisocial boy no longer looked at him with the "I don't care" look he gave the rest of them. In fact, he was the one who woke Nobita and Doraemon up early, when before he didn't even bother to do so. It seemed that the barrier between the two boys was slowly becoming a little thinner.

Could it be a matter of time before that neutral barrier between the two finally disappears? Only time will tell.

Hidden in some bushes near the entrance was little Yuki, smiling slightly as she watched the clumsy boy walk by. Principal Chronos watched his students enter from his office through the large window.

Shizuka and Dekisugi were also greeting Nobita at the entrance, waiting for him to enter together for another day of classes. Nobita and Doraemon stopped in front of the Academy's grand entrance.

"Ready for a new week?" Doraemon asked, smiling at his human friend.

Nobita smiled, a gleam of determination in his eyes. "For a new week and a good future."

"Then see you later. Have a good day at school, Nobita."

The clumsy boy chuckles softly. "Thanks, Doraemon. See you later then."

It all ends when Nobita runs toward the pair of friends waiting for him at the entrance, finally entering the Academy with the sound of the start of classes ringing in the air.

It was a new day, a new week, and a new path for the little wizard whose beginning of a new future he was determined to follow.

END OF ARC I

Chapter Text

In a modern world blessed since the beginning of time by an entity called the Goddess Andromeda, who gave them the gift of magic, both mystical and dark powers. Wizards, humans, and beings with mystical powers who use wands to perform magic, and Renegades, humans and beings with dark powers who can do so without one, lived in separate societies due to a conflict that occurred 600 years ago, when a certain group of renegades rebelled against the world to rise above a world where everyone lived in harmony.

Fortunately, thanks to a group of four wizards called the Mystic Pillars, the wizards won the conflict, also with the help of a fifth wizard who prefers the tranquility of being the principal of a wizard school in the present (and also in the future).

The fifth wizard' name is Fuyuhito, also known as Principal Chronos, the principal of the Mystic Academy (the Primary, because there is also the Junior and Senior academy), the institution where novice wizards begin their journey to become great wizards.

The name of the renegade rebel who started the conflict is Masahiko, also known as Mr. Kairos, the president and founder of the Wake Building, or rather, the Dark Wake Association, a group of renegades who want to take over the world by means of an ancient spell about which little is yet known. They also own the Black Market, a place where they sell rare and even illegal items, such as natural mana extracted from wizards and renegades, which is highly valued because it's a better mana than mana made with potions.

With their partners: Sheipu the shapeshifter who is a Urotogon spy at the Academy; Ningyo the voodoo geisha witch who steals mana with needles; Gulurk the Wood Golem, whose weakness is thinking; and The Sage, an almost mysterious elderly sorcerer who oversaw the other three, Dark Wake and Mr. Kairos pursued their target in a nearly camouflaged manner, symbolizing the six-pointed blue star on their foreheads.

When the world fragmented into wizards and renegades, a force of wizards called the M.C.G (Mystical Control Group) maintained the balance of that fragmentation through rules to prevent another war like the one long ago from happening again.

The Mystic Academy, located in the middle of the country, trains child wizards to learn how to use spells and potions.

The wizards were divided into four factions in honor of the Four Pillars: Betakoi (green Koi fish), Aruguma (blue Brown Bear), Omekkusu (red Phoenix), and Urutogon (purple Dragon).

Currently, a human wizard boy named Nobi Nobita, the protagonist of this story, had finished elementary school to enter the Mystic Academy. At first, he was plagued by self-doubt, his pessimism increasing as time went by, and he was trampled on by a pair of [friends], Goda Takeshi (Gian) and Honekawa Suneo, who bullied him, hit him, and took his things, above all.

He also had real friends from school, like Dekisugi Hidetoshi, an outstanding student and the perfect student who, despite being so different, were good friends. He also had Minamoto Shizuka, a sweet and pretty girl with whom Nobita was in love, hoping, in the future, to have the chance to have his feelings reciprocated and marry her.

Although it was difficult, with his minimal desire to improve and his pessimism, he had everything against him. But someone, from a distant world, or rather, a distant future, came into his life with the mission of preventing the boy from fulfilling his plan to take a gap year.

Someone who would become one of the most important people in his life.

A decision that would send Nobita's life spiraling downward, with a series of bad decisions: marrying Goda Jaiko, the younger sister of the boy who annoyed him the most; ruining a business he owned, leaving multimillion-dollar debts that would haunt his descendants for life; divorcing his wife who would take their 11 children; leading him to a life full of debt; and dying alone in a cabin on a winter night.

Not to mention that his parents would end up dying in a flying car crash while trying to find him and help him with his debts, a fact about his past that he didn't know for his own good, according to Doraemon.

At least, that's what he saw in that album that showed everything about his life and what Nobi Sewashi, his great-great-grandson along with Doraemon, a blue, earless, nanny robot cat with fantastic gadgets, told him. So Nobita decided to improve his life so he wouldn't have a bad ending; he was willing to change his terrible future for a new one where he would be happier.

With the goal of getting through the first week without problems so as not to fall into the same decision as his terrible future, Nobita accepts Doraemon, the two becoming best friends. Doraemon would live with him at least until he made sure Nobita made it through his first year without wanting to (run away) from the Academy.

Nobita also met a girl with a teddy bear named Yukihira (Yuki), a little girl who was actually a unique entity known as a Star Being, one of the many fragments of the Goddess Andromeda that used to fall to Earth from time to time to explore it and then return home. The stellar being possessed unparalleled magic, and upon transforming into a little girl, she was adopted by a teacher at the Academy.

Little Yuki grew fond of the protagonist, seeing him as an older brother. Although her power went unnoticed, it was also part of the Dark Wake Association's plan to conquer the world, along with other items they wanted to collect.

In his first week, Nobita meets new people like Ishikawa Mitzuki, a goth girl who at first gave off uneasy vibes, but is a good girl who moved to Nerima, Tokyo.

At the Academy, he met Ishikawa Kaori, a friendly and kind girl who adores white rabbits and who also wanted more than anything to help her cousin Ishikawa Hajime, a boy who, although he was the most outstanding besides Dekisugi, didn't like having friends or socializing with anyone. He was also his roommate at Betakoi House, although over time he was able to, at least with Nobita, end up being the one he was least averse to.

Of course, there were also boys like Gian and Suneo who, although they didn't have the freedom to bother him due to the Academy rules and the withering eye of Administrator Kaede, they could bother him outside of it, not like before in Academy life, but they did. There was also a red-haired boy, Ogawa Fuyuto, who thought he was the center of the universe but was an exemplary wizard. Luckily, they weren't in the same class and he didn't show much interest in the silly boy, not for now.

Although, as time went on, Suneo seemed to be calming down regarding his relationship with Nobita. But Gian was more stubborn and refused to budge, believing he was the one who was feeling bad about Nobita's indifference toward him, especially for using a trauma from his past to annoy him.

He also reunited with Principal Chronos, whom he met years ago, just days after his grandmother's death, when Nobita was attacked by an Entigo, a creature that is the ghost of a Wendigo. Instead of eating humans, it devoured mystical and dark powers. When a wizard or renegade loses them, they turn to stone. However, he was saved by the principal and gained a certain admiration for him.

Of course, the clumsy boy was left with a scar from an Entigo scratch on his back and trauma from nearly dying. He was slightly afraid of things related to deer because they reminded him of Entigos, and he would freeze if he ever saw one again or anything too similar.

He met other adults, such as Professor Yakeru, from his same faction and full of energy; Professor Eiko, the kind and gentle woman who loves nature; and Vice Principal Taiga, a tall, robust man who considered physical appearance key to being a good wizard. Principal Chronos and the sensei, his elementary school teacher who now worked at the Academy, also taught his group.

He met Hanz, an android Doraemon knew from the future. He worked as the manager of the Betakoi House where Nobita lived for the school year. The lanky, smiling man was actually an observer working for the Time Patrol. There was also an upperclassman, Osuke, the school representative of the house, a farmer who likes things simple but also enjoys helping others.

The path to personal development wasn't easy for Nobita in the first week. He stood up to Gian, wanting to stop being like a servile lackey disguised as a friend; he wanted to be his own man. Although he was determined to set things straight because Gian and Suneo had gotten involved with the trauma of the Entigo attack, he still felt pessimistic about not being a good wizard.

This pessimism almost drove him to alienate those he loved, but with the love and support of Doraemon, the affection of an older brother, he was able to gradually leave the cage of pessimism and focus on trying to be a good wizard, at least one who can do his best.

Especially that last day of school of the week, where he had an accident during the flight test, ending up crashing in the principal's office. Understandably, the principal saved him from being expelled for an accident in exchange for being his assistant for the first half of the school year, a reasonable deal.

But the clumsy boy discovered a few things about himself.

He discovered he was a H.M.B (Human Mana Battery) wizard, a type of mage capable of generating mana much faster and in greater quantities than normal, which made him a target for bad guys who would want to take advantage of him, specifically people like the Black Market or the Dark Wake. But if he didn't go to those territories, he'd be fine, in theory, and according to what the villain on duty told him in the forest.

He had to keep that condition a secret from other wizards as much as possible for his own good, even though the Dark Wake already knew about him, although they weren't interested in capturing him. However, it didn't hurt to take precautions, such as pretending to be low on mana like the others and taking mana potions like the others, even though they disgusted him, which was an effect of having too much natural mana.

At one point, he avoided making a bad decision because Doraemon was by his side, fighting, forgiving each other, and further strengthening the friendship that was growing stronger. A friendship Doraemon didn't want to form because he knew that at some point, he would have to leave that child to live his own life. And the more he grew attached to him, the more it pained him that that day would come.

On his first trip to the 22nd century, he discovered that, despite everything he'd experienced, his life was beginning to take a new direction. Sewashi's situation had eased slightly, and he discovered that he no longer had 11 children, but only one, named Nobi Nobisuke. He also discovered that he would now have a new wife. He didn't know who she was yet, but preferred to wait for the information to come to him.

Now, after a week full of joy, sadness, mysteries, and surprises, a new, additional goal was on our protagonist's mind, a rather short-term one.

The main objective remained to complete the entire year without giving up. He had already overcome a hurdle: the first week, half the school year, and then the end of it. And with Doraemon's support, he could do it, to improve his new future and protect it.

But the short-term goal was something more personal for him: a reunion, something he could only do on the School Trip that took place in the second half of the school year, visiting three random places each year. One of them was a special forest where encounters with loved ones who had passed away could occur.

It was his chance to see his grandma again, and he was also going to work hard to earn the right to learn an artificial star spell to fulfill a promise he made when he was younger.

What awaits Nobita on the School Trip?

Will he be able to reunite with his grandma?

Will he be able to keep his promise?

Will Dark Wake return to his old ways?

ONLY TIME WILL TELL...

Chapter Text

Approximately a month had passed since the first week at the Academy, where almost nothing significant happened. Everything proceeded smoothly, classes continued as normal, and the atmosphere was the same.

For Nobita, our protagonist, it had been a tough month. He was truly committed to improving his academic performance, although with laziness and reluctance, it was a tumultuous road.

He had to learn to use new spells he learned week after week and not forget the old ones. His best spell was still Electrum, but he was already getting used to using others.

He had to learn to brew potions, practicing in class with different classmates each week. Luckily, he didn't get Gian in any of them.

Fortunately, he had plenty of support. From the beginning, Doraemon prevented Nobita from being tempted to ask him for shortcuts with his gadgets to improve his performance, as he would become accustomed to relying on them instead of using his own magic.

That cat was very determined that the boy would be self-sufficient, especially considering the fact that someday he would have to [let him walk alone].

Dekisugi and Shizuka also used to help him do his homework on his own. He had to do it alone if he wanted the principal to teach him how to use the Shining Stars spell, and also to avoid scolding, as that was the condition.

Kaori also used to visit him, as she liked his company. Mitzuki also did so because she liked seeing him despairing because he couldn't solve his arithmetic problems.

Hajime, the antisocial boy and Nobita's roommate, began to behave less reluctantly around him, although he still maintained his distance rule, albeit not as much.

The dynamic between the two was calmer, and the others noticed it. To the point that when they were between classes, Nobita would talk to him about things he liked or disliked, and even though Hajime didn't say anything, he didn't walk away or leave the room like he used to.

It wasn't a friendship per se, but it was something different from the first week. Nobita respected Hajime's space because at least there was no need to use the room divider when sleeping.

However, with everyone else, Hajime maintained his cold and solitary attitude, especially with Dekisugi, who was his competitive rival. It seems the antisocial boy got used to being in a single presence, as he even continued to look at Doraemon the same way even though he shared a room with him.

But, time will tell. That could be attributed to the conversation they had that time about missing someone. Maybe that did something for him, because it was after that that he started to lower his walls a little with Nobita.

Kaori and Mitzuki noticed this. The black-haired girl with the earrings was happy, since it wasn't exactly a friendship, but it was a good start. She even began to admire the clumsy boy a little for having weakened the shell of resentment and loneliness a little.

It was as if Nobita was able to bond and/or befriend unusual people.

Little by little, Mrs. Nobi's calls and scoldings when her son called her at night turned into calmer conversations, since he was really putting a little more effort into the Academy. Of course, he still fell asleep, he still had to improve that, but Rome wasn't built in a day ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Every day felt like a further step away from making that decision, to the point where it was almost a non-starter. Little Yuki also visited Nobita at the Betakoi House, and when he wasn't having homework or practicing magic, he played with her and read her stories.

And yes, in the second week, the silly boy was able to get his flying license; his boundaries with the broom were no longer limited, although he still had certain weekends restricted due to the punishment from the accident. And although he now had the option to change the broom's appearance, he liked his Kirichan broom as it was, so he left it alone.

Everything was still quiet at the Mystic Academy... Until now.

A new day of classes ended. Nobita stretched his arms as he left the Academy with Shizuka. "I'm sooo tired! The vice-principal made us practice spells and use the barbell; my arms feel like noodles. They're going overboard with the training for us."

The girl laughed when she saw her friend looking at his own arms. "It's normal for the teachers to pressure us in some classes. Remember what happened that day in the forest when the evil sorcerer took your mana. Although there haven't been any strange incidents or signs of them since then, they want us to defend ourselves against them, especially if we're going on the school trip."

"I know iiiiiiit." Nobita couldn't help but make a disgusted face. "Although I'd like to avoid having to drink mana potions every time we have Mystic Defense and Spells classes, they make me nauseous. But our teachers know about THAT from the principal, so I have to drink it, especially in Mystic Defense because the vice-principal looks at me annoyed if I don't."

"You know you have to pretend you don't have THAT in front of others. It's like Dekisugi told you, since you have excess mana, your body rejects the mana from potions. But lately, your grades have been better; it's obvious you're trying your best to improve." Shizuka smiles at him, making Nobita blush a little.

The boy scratches the back of his neck, laughing. "I-I said I would. It was difficult at first, but thanks to Doraemon, you guys, and the principal, I'm getting more used to it. Although I'm still struggling with gymnastics."

But what seemed like it would be another peaceful day at the Academy, something new was about to happen. A small bird was perched on a tree branch near the pair, watching silently but very attentively.

"Speaking of homework. How about we do homework at Omekkusu House? Maybe afterward we could go to Ebagurin to see what's new there" Shizuka says, her spirits rising.

"Good idea! That's the good thing about living in the faction houses. At least, mom isn't going to ask me to run errands! Except when Hanz sends me into town on errands once a week. Let's go!"

They were both already walking down the steps, already planning their day. But...

"Nobi!" The silly boy spoke quickly about what he wanted to do. They both turned around to realize that it was administrator Kaede who was behind them, her expression serious, carrying some folders.

"H-hello, Miss Kaede" Nobita said with a nervous smile.

"I was going to call you on your crystalpad, but since you're close, you saved me from having to. Today you have to go clean the principal's office. You can do your homework there while you're at it. Also, take these folders over there" the secretary said, adjusting her glasses.

"Uh?! Today?! But-!"

The administrator gave the boy a thumbs-up, interrupting him. "Are you forgetting that you're the principal's assistant until the end of the first half of the school year, Nobi? That's what you and the principal agreed to in order to avoid the penalty for the accident."

With a sharp, serious look, the manager looked the clumsy boy in the eye. "Or do you want me to call your house and warn your mother about your manners?"

Yes, the manager knew exactly where to attack when Nobita rebelled at his temporary job as an assistant. The boy trembled in fear, not for her, but because if his mom found out, he would be in for a full-hour scolding. In fact, Mrs. Nobi had told the manager on the day of the accident that during his punishment, she could call her if Nobita ever tried to shirk his duties, a warning that wasn't to be taken lightly.

"Okay, okay, okay, I'll do that, but don't call my mom!" The boy's moment of fear turned into a deep sigh. "Sorry, Shizuka, I have to go do chores."

"It's okay, we'll leave it for tomorrow. I'll make some muffins after I'm done with my homework. I'll bring you some tomorrow. See you tomorrow. Take care, and good luck with your chores."

"See you tomorrow, Shizuka." Nobita waves goodbye to Shizuka, just as she waved goodbye to him.

The boy just watched her leave again, sighing reluctantly. Due to the punishment, he couldn't spend as much time with his friends as he'd like, but he couldn't complain; this was something he accepted. "I really wanted to spend the day with Shizuka. I hope the punishment will be over soon."

In his arms, Nobita receives the folders with some papers inside from the administrator. "Make sure you give these folders to the principal and do your homework. Remember, everything will go into your weekly report."

"Okaaaaaay" the boy replies, somewhat discouraged at having to spend another day cleaning.

The curious bird watched as the boy walked back into the Academy. The strangest thing was that the little bird made a face of disgust before flying off to a bush.

The bird began to glow low and change shape in a millisecond as a cute, brown-haired third-year Urutogon girl, Asami, emerged from the bush. She was actually Sheipu, a shapeshifter and one of the partners of the Dark Wake. Her mission was to spy and find clues about the stellar being Mr. Kairos wanted.

But she was also after the Occult Encyclopedia, an ancient spellbook containing rare, powerful spells. There was only one copy in all of Japan because it was handmade but rich in knowledge.

"Ugh, I still can't believe that kid isn't the stellar being. No one can be so unlucky and still act as if nothing happened." Sheipu, camouflaged as an Academy student, comes out of hiding.

"But... He's temporarily working for the principal, right? My job is also to get the encyclopedia." Sheipu startles, grinning from ear to ear. "I think I'll have to follow that fool."

The shapeshifter smiles as she slowly turns back toward the bush and transforms into a mouse, walking briskly into the Academy. It seemed a mission had begun.

Nobita arrives at the office and knocks on the door before entering, which was already tidy, unlike the accident last month. Sheipu, in mouse form, quickly enters behind him, hiding under the desk at high speed.

"Hello, Mr. Principal, Miss Kaede told me about the cleaning and asked me to bring this to you." Nobita greets the principal, leaves the folders on the desk, sets his backpack aside, and sits in a chair in front of the elegant desk.

"Young Nobi. You're just in time. Thank you very much for bringing those folders, paperwork aside. But today we're going to clean a very special place, although before that, you'll have to do your homework." The kind old man was sitting in his swivel chair. "What about your friendly, talking blue cat? Won't he help you today?"

"His younger sister dragged him to get a robot checkup, so I'll see him tonight. He doesn't like going to the doctor, so Dorami came to take him there" Nobita says, placing his wand on the desk and searching his backpack for his things.

"I see. Checkups are important. But you, you look distressed. You had plans with someone, right?"

Nobita is surprised that he guessed right. "Wow! How did you know?"

The principal laughs. "Your expression resembles mine when I was very busy with post-war reconstruction and at the same time wanted to spend time with my wife, may she rest in peace. I've only been married once in my more than 625 years of life. There's someone in your heart, right?"

The boy was taking out his notebooks and history and rune textbooks, and upon hearing that question, he couldn't help but turn red in embarrassment and fix his gaze on his homework, starting to do it.

"That answers my question. Go easy on what you want. You're still very young. The rest will come on its own depending on the effort." The principal laughs at his student's reaction.

"Ugh, a conversation between a student and his teacher. How boring. I don't think this is what I'm looking for." Sheipu turns his attention to the large, antique wooden double door with intricate details and a pair of ring-like handles connected by a golden padlock on the second floor of the office. The shapeshifter's eyes glittered. "Or maybe it is."

Sheipu mouse comes out of his hiding place to climb the spiral stairs, reaching the door and inspecting it carefully. "A protective lock. That thing not only keeps this place locked, but it turns into a flying flame-throwing lock that repels intruders if it detects hostile movement."

"For a lock like that to be there, it means that HERE is what I'm looking for. But I'd better not take it out now. I could take on that kid, but with that guardian lock, the principal, and his little phoenix, I'll be lost. I can't transform into my boss because his power far surpasses mine to imitate even with the seal, nor could I imitate the principal. And even if I could, my level is the same even if I imitate the appearance and spells of wizards and renegades stronger than me."

The shapeshifter crosses her mouse arms in frustration. "Tsss! I have to think of something if I want to get my hands on that encyclopedia." So yeah, she just had to wait.

Chapter Text

After a while, Nobita was staring at a stone on his desk with his wand. He had to learn the most recent spell he'd learned: Mutatos. He waved his wand, casting the spell, transforming the stone into a feather, which made Nobita happy.

Immediately, the feather turned back into a stone. "Oh!" The boy sighed somewhat sadly. "It didn't work; it turned back into a stone."

"But it only lasted a few seconds. Compared to when you couldn't do it in class, it's progress, a slight one, but it is. Keep practicing, and you'll be able to make the transmutation work, and then you'll be able to practice transforming stones into other materials." The principal nods with satisfaction.

"Even birds?" the clumsy boy asks excitedly.

"That requires more practice. Let's save the transmutation into living beings for at least your second year. Well, now that you've done your homework and practiced today's spell, let's get to cleaning."

"And that's the almost interesting part" Nobita thought, looking bored.

"This isn't the first time I've seen a face like (Ugh, cleaning! How boring), believe me." He had been discovered. The clumsy boy just turned red in embarrassment. "Don't worry, today we're just cleaning the warehouse."

The principal pointed to the double doors on the second floor of the office, which piqued the boy's curiosity. He remembered that he had already asked him about what was behind that door that day when he was cleaning the damaged place with Doraemon, and apparently, he was going to see the inside.

That's something Sheipu wanted, only now she had to be more careful, as the director's little pet phoenix emerged from its nest and landed on Nobita's shoulder, once again attracted by his mystical ability to attract nearby creatures. And just like owls, phoenixes eat mice.

"Hi Takibi!" The boy scratches its beak, and the phoenix was happy. "At least it's back to normal. Last week I got scared because when you asked me to take care of it with Doraemon, it started plucking its feathers and turned to ashes. We were both already imagining another expulsion."

Nobita can't help but break out in a cold sweat as he smiles uncomfortably, recalling himself crying loudly at the sight of the ashes and Doraemon desperately searching his pocket. "Until I remembered that Professor Eiko taught us that this is normal for phoenixes, and then they return to their original form."

"That's why it's important to pay attention in class." Both wizards walk up the stairs.

"So... When are you going to teach me the shining stars spell?" the boy asks, a little anxiously.

"Time will tell. I'll let you know when I see you've earned it." The principal chuckles.

"Oh man" the boy says listlessly.

They were both already on the second floor in front of the doors. "This is a guardian lock. Not only does it keep this place closed, but it also protects it from hostile people. I like my things to be safe and secure without anyone messing with them."

Nobita nods. "I understand that! Mom's always messing with my things, throwing away old comics I like or finding my test papers with 0s that I keep in my desk drawers. Of course, I don't get 0s anymore since school because I'm doing a little more, so I don't hide anything anymore. But it's annoying."

The principal takes out a golden key with inscriptions, using it to open the lock, which rises into the air, opening the large doors. The boy and the hidden shapeshifter are surprised to see a large, museum-like place.

There were curious artifacts floating in a sphere of light on a ledge for each object. On the sides were large bookshelves with thousands of books, and a large rolling ladder like the ones used in libraries to search for books on the highest shelves. The walls were made of stone bricks and there were blue lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

"Does this surprise you, even though you are used to dimensional magic? It's just my little storage room of objects and books I've been collecting over time. I've enjoyed collecting since I was your age. I had a smaller storage room at home, but when I became principal of the Academy, I moved everything here. You're not the first to come here. I've brought my children to my old storage room, then my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and... Well, the list of descendants is long, even going back to when I moved everything here. The manager also often asks my permission to come here."

"There are a LOT of things. Can I come with Doraemon here next time? I want him to see it. Even with Shizuka, Dekisugi, Kaori, and Mitzuki?" the boy asks with a smile upon seeing a place like this.

"Of course, this place could help them reinforce their knowledge." The principal nods, granting permission, though he then hears the high-pitched scream of the boy sitting on the ground, trembling with fear, his face blue. There was an Entigo skull displayed on a shelf.

And if you remember, Nobita has a terrible fear of them due to the trauma of being attacked by one five years ago. Unlike that time at the department store, though, his reaction was a little milder, though he couldn't help but freeze a little and hyperventilate.

The old man quickly conjured a blanket with his wand, covering the sphere of light that held the skull.

Sheipu, in mouse form, was hiding behind the display. "Wow, he's terrified of Entigo. What a baby. But hey, that thing absorbs power, I admit it's a little intimidating."

"Take your time and breathe easy. I'm sorry, Young Nobi, I'd forgotten about the skull. I'd put it away when I faced one when I was young, but don't worry, it won't hurt you. When they die, Entigo leave the skull behind."

With little Phoenix comforting him on his shoulder, Nobita begins to calm down. "D-don't worry, I know it wasn't on purpose. And thanks for covering that up. I really don't want to see them, not even if their bones remain."

Nobita smiles at the principal, trying to convince him not to worry, though he can't get the fear out of his head as he hugs himself. "But... This time I controlled myself a little more than what happened with Gian and Suneo. Maybe because the first thing I thought of was..."

The boy remembers when Doraemon helped calm him down when he went to hide in the storeroom of the big store. Doraemon was beside him during that terrible moment of the prank. Remembering his friend again made his reaction less strong. Taking a deep breath, he stands up.

"Are you better now, boy?" The clumsy boy nods at that question. "In that case, as an apology, I'll show you something very special. It's at the back of the storeroom."

Sheipu's mouse ears perked up and a mischievous smile formed. She couldn't help but chuckle softly like a little mouse. Carefully, she followed them to the back of the cellar. There was a lectern containing a book with a pile of pages, resembling a large dictionary. The burgundy covers looked somewhat worn, suggesting that it was very old. The rune inscriptions on the front cover appeared to be made of gold with copper edges.

The book was protected by a blue glass case. "Why is this book separated from the others?" Nobita asked, curious about the strange book.

"It's the Occult Encyclopedia. It contains spells of great power, some good and some bad. It contains instructions for rituals and instructions for potions. There is only one of these in all of Japan, as it is a book handmade by a powerful wizard who is said to have been illuminated by the appearance of the goddess of magic herself."

What the old man says creates a mixture of excitement and intimidation in him. Excitement at seeing something so strange in front of him, and intimidation because he didn't know what kind of things would be in that book.

With great attention, Sheipu watches from a safe angle as the principal writes a combination of runes with a magic pen on the blue crystal, in that way, the crystal disappears "Luckily I was able to memorize the writings, I think a plan is forming in my head" Sheipu thinks rubbing her hands.

The principal signals to Nobita so he can take a look at the book. "May I?" The boy's eyes light up as the old man nods with a smile, so he carefully but excitedly takes the book and sits down at a small table nearby.

Although the boy's eyes dim when he opens the book, he can't understand what it says; it's all written in archaic rune language. "I don't understand anything" the boy says, squinting and scratching his head in confusion.

Laughing, the kind old man sits down next to the boy. "It's a gadget that's even older than I am. At that time, archaic rune language was popular before the appearance of the direct rune language they teach at the Academy. The archaic language disappeared over time because it was somewhat complicated to memorize, and at the same time, they created a more convenient language, like direct rune."

"That's why you can't understand it, since you're just starting out with the direct rune language. In higher-level courses, they teach more about archaic runes; that's more for researchers."

"Ow... That's a shame, I won't be able to see anything like that, even out of curiosity. Can you read them?"

The principal nods at the boy's question, picking up the book right from the page he opened, momentarily surprised. "So it's THIS spell. Tell me, Young Nobi."

"If you had the chance to make a wish for something, what would you ask for?"

Nobita gets excited at that question. "I'd wish for a lot of things, like endless comics, or maybe candy! Or lots of remote-controlled toys or video games! Or even better, a really, really, really soft pillow perfect for naps! Or being able to travel the world! Or becoming a really powerful wizard right away!"

Yes, normal things a kid his age would wish for, almost everything. "And what about a wish to change the world?"

The clumsy boy is surprised by the new question but calmly answers "Maybe a holiday, or some. Or that the peppers disappeared. I DON'T LIKE THEM!" Nobita crosses his arms, pouting, making a face of disgust.

Until little by little, he gets lost in his thoughts, "Or... That the wizards and renegades aren't separated so there won't be any more sad separations." Nobita remembers how Hajime treated Kaori, who cared for him but didn't reciprocate.

"Or... That I had never strayed that night, when that thing attacked me." The boy remembered the night of the Entigo attack.

"Or... That she had never left." Nobita sadly remembers the day his grandma had left while he was sleeping, and he thought she was taking a long nap.

Thinking about sad things made the protagonist's face slump, as he just closed his eyes, leaving a great silence in the cellar. He opened his eyes again to see his professor. "Is that spell for making wishes?"

"Well, your wish to change the world sounds like someone who wants to erase the most painful moments of their life. I don't blame you. I would ask for something similar too. I've made mistakes and I've wanted to correct them."

"It would have even helped and protected my..." The old man shakes his head and smiles slightly as his student looks at him with concern. "But everything happens for a reason. Changing the world to stop feeling bad would be a risky move, affecting those around us. Time is fragile."

"And yes, this is a spell of such magnitude that it can cause danger if someone who shouldn't do it does it... CALL OF THE GODDESS."

The silly boy is surprised by the name of the spell. "Call of the Goddess? Is it for speaking to her?"

"There's a similar ceremony, [Andromeda's Favor], where a wizard displays his power in ruins emanating from her power. He does so by kneeling and showing his respect and a desire to gain her favor. If the ceremony is successful, the mystical power increases, as does the magic. If not, there's no increase. Not many wizards manage to perform that ceremony; it's where you demonstrate your magical prowess to gain a significant boost in magic, only if she approves."

"And the [Call of the Goddess] is an ancient summoning ritual spell that requires gathering specific things in order to gain an audience and ask ONE wish from the goddess of everyone present at that summoning." The director reads a specific paragraph.

"A different summoning circle, 6 forbidden candles, a part of her, the pure soul of a young wizard who was once lost, the words sealed in paper, a sea of mana as great as the will and desire of its summoner. With all that, she who started it all will come to earth and grant a wish to whoever stands in front of her in the summoning."

The principal remains silent as he scratches his chin thoughtfully, as if theorizing something after reading the paragraph. It was like a wake-up call he shouldn't ignore.

On the other hand, Nobita felt a little creeped out by what he had heard, as if the paragraph was taken from a horror movie, the kind of movies he didn't like, since even with all his effort, it didn't reveal that scary side that characterized him.

"What you read made me a little nervous. It even requires souls and stuff. It's like I'm in a horror movie." The silly boy trembles, sweating cold. "I wouldn't do it, not even to grant a wish."

"And it's better this way. Changing the world with a wish is only good on paper. Because of dangerous spells like these, I have this book under protection, as it can't be destroyed due to its regenerative spell. I just ask that you don't mention this spell to anyone except those you trust most. Something like a wish to change the world is a driving force for malicious people."

Nobita nods a little nervously. They both stand up. The principal places the book back on the lectern, summoning the protective crystal once more. "Learning time is over, young Nobi. Time for cleaning."

An "Oww" can be heard from the boy and the laughter of the kind old man, while Sheipu, in mouse form, runs out of the cellar. "I knew it. Here's the encyclopedia the boss needs! I have to keep watching. I almost have a plan."

After cleaning up, the headmaster closes the double doors to the cellar. The guardian lock has been placed on the ring handles, blocking access. Until he remembers something, he says, "Oh, that's right. Tomorrow I have a meeting with the heads of the Junior Academy and the Higher Academy regarding the Dark Wake issue. Although they haven't made any progress, it's important to discuss the matter."

"Oh" says the clumsy boy as he grabs his backpack, broom, and wand.

"I'll go to the Higher Academy with Administrator Kaede since the meeting will be held there. I'll leave the office locked to avoid any mishaps."

Immediately after saying that, the headmaster stares at the ceiling for a few moments, somewhat stunned. That left the boy a little confused.

"Since Kaede and I won't be here tomorrow afternoon, I'll leave you the cellar key after Spells class."

His student couldn't help but be surprised by the principal's plan. "Do you want me to have the key to the cellar tomorrow?! I-I couldn't!"

"You're my assistant. If I take the key to the meeting, it could get lost. I want you to take care of it until I return from my meeting at dusk. It would be better if it was done this way."

Although that last sentence was somewhat enigmatic, Nobita had no choice but to accept, because refusing would only make the administrator go to his mom with the gossip, and he would much rather be on the lookout for a key that held an ancient book than wait for a withering scolding.

Sheipu smiles again; apparently, she already had a plan of her own to seize the encyclopedia. He took the opportunity to leave with Nobita, but a loud shout of "A MOOOOOOUSE!" is heard.

Yes, that was Doraemon, who had returned from the robot hospital and was coming to see his friend. He found the little mouse at the entrance of the office, who ran away to avoid detection by anyone else, hiding in a hole.

"Doraemon?! What happened?!" Nobita asks, surprised by the scream.

"A mouse came out of the office, it was horrible!" The blue cat hugs Nobita, his face bluer than usual. "I came looking for you since Hanz told me you were here, since the manager told him you were cleaning the office and THAT THING appeared. Thank goodness it's gone. IT'S A MONSTER, I'M TELLING YOU!"

"Okay, okay, it's okay. I couldn't make fun of that if I had my fear of Entigos." Nobita comforts Doraemon with a nervous smile.

"You better not laugh, naive kid" Doraemon says with a judgmental look, already calming down a bit. "Anyway, let's go home and then you can tell me how it went."

Nobita nods as Doraemon leaves the office entrance. Sheipu comes out of the hole, hiding behind a plant to return to her student disguise. "A CAT who's afraid of mice? Ugh, pathetic" Sheipu Asami rolls her eyes until she smiles.

"But I already have THE PLAN to get my hands on the encyclopedia, and with everything I've learned today about that kid, getting that golden key out of his hands will be VERY EASY."

It's the last thing the shapeshifter thinks before leaving the stage with a confident smile. It seems the Dark Wake is up to their old tricks again.

Chapter Text

It was just another day at the Mystic Academy. The students were having classes as usual. Spell class had ended.

"Okay, class. That's all for today. You've done very well learning the Aquos spell. Remember, watch where you aim before you launch the stream of water. It's like a hose. If you use it continuously, you'll slowly use up your mana like a water tank, so know (when to turn off the tap)"

"Good work, especially Young Dekisugi and Young Ishikawa, as always. Also, Miss Minamoto seems to have been charmed by that spell. That's all, see you tomorrow."

Shizuka smiles at the compliment; it seems she's found the spell she's most talented with, as is Nobita's with Electrum. Speaking of which, he turns to look at her. "Congratulations, Shizuka, you really excelled!"

The girl looks at him and couldn't help but turn red at his comment "Thanks Nobita, this spell is going to be very useful." She takes the spell book she got from Ebagurin "Especially on the School Trip, I'm going to practice a lot using the spell book so I can even cast hot water at the perfect temperature."

Yes, she says it about the bathrooms, with a wand as a portable shower ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"Just remember, the more water you use, the more mana you'll need" Dekisugi mentions, smiling nervously.

"I know what she's going to use it for, right Dekisugi?" Nobita also looks at the clever boy with a nervous smile.

"I honestly expected it." Both boys chuckled softly, while Shizuka was overjoyed with the new spell.

Suneo was watching the three from the row above, watching them having fun and laughing. He was a little envious, as if he wished he were there. "Look at them, they're having a lot of fun."

"We can have fun without Nobita too" Gian says, looking at his wand while scratching his head.

"Hey... Don't you think it's better to make peace with Nobita? I miss when we were all together until we got on his nerves."

What Suneo says makes Gian start to hesitate a little. With the changes Nobita has undergone during the month at the Academy, even the kids from other cities were becoming friends with him, leaving the pair a bit on the sidelines. Gian was no longer in control, and he knew it, but he was stubborn, so he shook his head. "Don't listen to them, Suneo. We have to stand firm in our decision. If Nobita wants to be an idiot by denying our friendship and the others support him, then it's their fault, not ours!"

That answer didn't satisfy the dwarf, who continued to watch them having a good time.

Outside, in the hallway, Sheipu Asami was peeking around a corner with squinted eyes. She noticed Principal Chronos talking to Nobita at the entrance to the classroom, watching as the old man gave the boy the key to the cellar.

"I'll leave it to you, boy. It's your task for today. Protect that cellar and its contents. I'll go teach classes in the other classrooms and then go to the meeting. I'll come back for it at dusk."

Nobita nods, a little nervously but determined to take care of the key. "O-okay, I hope you do well at the meeting."

The shapeshifter grimaces as she watches the principal leave. "What a low-class principal, leaving the key to an almost thousand-year-old book with the clumsiest and dumbest wizard. It couldn't have been easier. And to think my boss and that old man are related."

Shizuka and Dekisugi approach Nobita. "And that key? It's very pretty" the girl asks curiously.

"It's the key to the storage room in the principal's office. He asked me to look after it because he's going to a meeting after school and doesn't want to take it with him. I don't know if I can. I'm a little scared of losing it. Sometimes I lose things, even in my shorts." The boy scratches the back of his neck, a little uncertain.

"In that case, I suggest you use a string to hang the key around your neck like a pendant. That way you won't lose it, and since it fits in the palm of your hand, it won't be heavy."

Dekisugi's recommendation gives Nobita a sigh of relief; it was a good idea for the absent-minded. Unfortunately, the shapeshifter was hanging on every word to make her plan come together perfectly.

As soon as Dekisugi enters the living room, Shizuka stops Nobita for a moment. "Remember about the muffins? Since we're leaving early today due to our free time, how about we eat them again in the Academy garden? That garden is one of my favorites at the Academy."

"Sure, then we'll go to the back garden after school!"

The clumsy and cheerful boy jumps with excitement, accepting the invitation. It seemed that things regarding his friendship with her were going well due to the positive decisions he had made, unlike the old future he left behind. He felt fulfilled.

Although he had no idea someone was about to play with those feelings, the shapeshifter watched Shizuka closely as she entered the classroom for the next lesson with Nobita. For her, it was just a matter of waiting and watching.

Classes pass quickly when tranquility and normalcy dominate the atmosphere, and the end of another school day was imminent. Shizuka had returned to the classroom. She had gone to the garden with Nobita, but she almost forgot the box of muffins she made that morning before class.

She approached her seat, grabbing the box. "Thank goodness they're still here" Shizuka said, relieved to find the muffins.

Turning around, she almost jumped when she saw Mitzuki standing there. "Hello" the goth girl said.

"H-hi, Mitzuki! I really should get more used to your entrances" the girl with pigtails said, smiling nervously.

"Funny box. By the way, I need your help with something. It'll be quick. I saw something interesting in one of the basement storage rooms. I'd like it for my witchy things, kikiki." Mitzuki's witchy laughter echoed in the empty living room.

"Uhhh" Shizuka was in a hurry to go to the garden, but she couldn't leave a friend behind, so she nodded. "Sure, if you say it'll be quick. I told Nobita I'd bring the muffins so we could eat them together, and..."

The sweet girl didn't finish her sentence when she felt the goth girl tug at her as they left the living room. Before long, they were in the basement, a somewhat gloomy place that, for a girl who wanted to be a witch, felt like a playground. Although Shizuka was a little uncomfortable with the place, she wanted to help her friend.

"It's here, it's here!" Mitzuki opened the door to a storage room where all sorts of potion ingredients were stored. The two of them started walking inside. Shizuka saw some blue frog legs in a jar, her face turning green in disgust. "Pretty, huh?"

"Uhhh, yeah" Shizuka showed a nervous smile as she looked toward the shelves. "So, what are we looking for?"

"Nothing, actually." The girl with pigtails turned around, a little worried. Why would he bring her here for nothing? She also noticed something on Mitzuki's face: a smile, but not her usual neutral one, but a malicious one. That was a bad sign.

Shivers ran down Shizuka's skin at what was happening. The goth girl looked at the box of candy, causing the pigtailed girl to back away slightly. "Mitzuki, you're scaring me. For the worse this time."

"Really? What a shame." Mitzuki pulled out her dark oak wand, using levition to pull out some ropes that were there, guiding them through the air to tie Shizuka's hands and feet, making her sit down for losing her balance and leaving the box near the goth girl.

"Mitzuki! Why are you doing this to me?!" Shizuka screamed for help.

"Scream all you want, silly wizard. I chose this warehouse because it's soundproof; no one will hear you from outside. Wizards are SOOOOO DUMMY!"

Those last words made Shizuka react; something didn't add up with Mitzuki's personality. "Wait a minute. You're not Mitzuki. Even though she likes different things, she wouldn't hurt a friend!"

"Wow. And tell me, is the sky blue? Is the grass green? You should have connected two neurons to realize it now, but not before to avoid getting trapped!"

At that moment, Mitzuki flashed for a millisecond. It was actually Sheipu, revealing her original shapeshifter appearance, which both frightens and surprises Shizuka.

"A shapeshifter?" Shizuka notices the six-pointed blue star on Sheipu's forehead. "That star... You're one of the bad guys working for the evil sorcerer!"

"Hey, more respect for the boss! And I'm not just any shapeshifter, silly. My name is Sheipu, a member of the Dark Wake, but it's good that you already know about the superiority of our association." Sheipu pouts in annoyance.

"How come you're here if this is a wizard territory? And what do you want from me?" the frightened mage girl asks.

"Thanks to the star enhancement the boss gave me, I can camouflage my dark power into a mystical one and take my imitations to a different level than a normal shapeshifter, which is why they haven't detected me. I'm on the hunt for something the boss wants that will make him superior. And all I want from you is this." Sheipu picks up the box of muffins from the floor and smells them. "Hey, they don't smell bad."

"Did you catch me just for the muffins?" Shizuka asks, confused.

"The muffins are just part of a plan to get what my boss needs." At that moment, Sheipu transforms into Shizuka, who is shocked; it was like looking in a mirror. "Now I'm ready."

It was incredible how the shapeshifter could perfectly imitate anyone she wanted, their appearance, their voice, everything. Shizuka knew from Professor Eiko's Creature Biology classes that shapeshifters could only imitate physical appearances, but it seemed Sheipu went beyond appearances. Even though she didn't need to use a wand, she even formed one to make her imitation as close as possible.

As she tied the ends of the muffins together and transformed into her own appearance, she seemed to understand what the shapeshifter wanted. "Perhaps... Are you after Nobita?" Shizuka asked, somewhat serious but still scared.

"Relax" Sheipu even mimicked Shizuka's sweet smile. "I won't let your meeting with Nobita go unnoticed. After all, he's the one I need to get what I want."

Sheipu kneels next to Shizuka, searching for something in the pocket of her uniform vest, taking out her semi-pink wand and tossing it aside. "That way you won't bother me" she laughed in Shizuka's characteristic sweet voice.

The shapeshifter stands up and walks toward the half-open warehouse door. "By the way." When she turned around, the sweet smile changed to a crooked smile, an abnormal smile for the girl with pigtails. "This door locks from the inside, so it can only be opened from one side."

"Wait!" But it was too late. The shapeshifter left, closing the door. Even if she freed herself from the ropes, escaping the cellar was difficult if it couldn't be opened from the inside. She didn't know if the spells she knew would work on the heavy cellar door.

Shizuka began to think and remember what happened in the forest when the sorcerer stole mana and discovered that her friend was a H.M.B, leaving the girl frozen. "Perhaps... Is the evil sorcerer actually planning to imprison Nobita because of his condition, even though he previously said he wouldn't?! I have to get out. If what I think is true, the shapeshifter is going to trick him into taking him. I must go find Doraemon and Dekisugi. I won't be able to handle her alone!"

Although what Sheipu really wanted was the key to the cellar, her determination to save her friend makes her try to find something to free herself while screaming for help.

Sheipu was outside the Academy at the back. He took out a golden potion, a sleeping potion, and poured some into a muffin. It turned yellow and returned to its normal color. "Okay, time to get that key."

Sheipu, transformed into Shizuka, walked through the garden, seeing Nobita sitting on a bench. And like an actress, she began her play.

"Good, that way I won't lose it!" The silly boy had the key hanging around his neck thanks to a string Dekisugi gave him to wear as part of a pendant. He noticed his (friend) approaching. "Shizuka, this way!" The boy shouted excitedly, tucking the key into his uniform shirt.

The shapeshifter smiles sweetly as she approaches the bench. "Hi Nobita, sorry I'm late. I couldn't find the muffins I made."

"It's okay, I was waiting for you." Nobita can't help but be happy to see her. Sheipu, although she showed a sweet smile on the outside, was pulling a long face like her original appearance.

"Ugh, such a loser. I can't wait to take the key from him, for being such an idiot," she thinks to herself while smiling in her sweet little girl persona. Although she didn't want to sit next to him, she had to do it for show. "How about we eat right now? They're very fresh" the shapeshifter says, trying to smile sweetly, but it was obvious she was uncomfortable dealing with him because now she was wearing a forced smile. 

Nobita noticed that immediately. "Is everything okay? Did something happen to you? I see you're nervous" he says in a somewhat sad tone.

Sheipu immediately controls herself so as not to break her character. "N-no, it's just... It's just me, don't worry, hehe." Good job, that would only make him worry more. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"Shizuka seems a little strange, like she's not herself." The boy can't help but raise an eyebrow, a little suspicious, which makes Sheipu just look at the box. "Maybe I'm just exaggerating. But I feel like I'm missing something."

"Don't you want to eat now?" The shapeshifter says, returning to her sweet smile, taking out the altered muffin. "I made this especially for you because you're a valuable friend to me and I want you to be well. This is the most delicious one."

The sweet voice and what she said sounded so much like the real Shizuka that the silly boy's suspicions dissipated for a moment. What he liked most about her was how sweet she was. So, smiling, he takes the muffin. "Thanks, Shizuka. You really are a great friend who is valuable to me. Just remember, if anything happens to you, you can tell me, hehe."

The boy's warm smile and quiet laugh only made Sheipu quickly nod, smiling before looking away. "That smile was kind and warm" she thinks, while a small blush appears on her cheeks. "UUUUUUGH! Silly wizards, I can't stand them!" The shapeshifter's inner screams flooded her mind as she continued to pretend.

Trusting her, Nobita began to eat the muffin. "It's delicious! You really make some delicious desserts!" he said, his eyes twinkling as he ate the sweets.

Out of curiosity and because the smell of the muffins tempted her, Sheipu took a regular muffin. As she took a bite, her eyes lit up as well. "THIS IS SO GOOOOD!" She shouted loudly, standing up and making a face of satisfaction at the delicious dessert.

The shapeshifter startles, glancing sideways at the boy who stared at her in confusion, so she just sits down coughing softly. "S-sorry, it's just g-good things have happened, I've been excited and nervous today."

"Oh! You mean because you learned the water jet spell? It was obvious you enjoyed learning it." Nobita smiles, finishing his muffin. It wasn't long before the sleeping potion kicked in. Although he noticed his friend's neutral expression on the subject of the spell, which once again struck him as odd. "Aren't you excited?"

"Well, maybe... It's just a spell like any other. In fact, I think there are better ones than that, Nobita, it's not that bad." Sheipu's arrogance caused her to make a mistake when he said that last bit.

If the alerts were already activated on the boy, with that, knowing it was the spell Shizuka expected the most, he felt uneasy, the feeling of being with a stranger. "Shizuka."

"What's wrong? Is something wrong?" Just as Nobita was about to say something, a sudden surge of sleepiness began to take over his mind. His eyelids felt heavy and his vision blurred as he yawned, the sleeping potion doing its job. "Are you okay? You look like you want to take a nap" the shapeshifter said, feigning concern.

"I-I think so." The boy couldn't help but yawn; his natural nap instincts were forcibly activated by the sleeping potion, so he started to settle down on the bench. "Just now I thought about taking a nap when I wanted to ask you wh..."

Nobita was already snoring in the position he'd been sitting on the bench. Sheipu sighs in relief. "Finally. First, I must take him somewhere where he won't be easily found so I can move on to the next step of my plan."

A mischievous smile spread across Shizuka's face, who was actually Sheipu. "Sleep well, silly wizard. When you wake up, I'll have already collected the encyclopedia."

Chapter Text

The shapeshifter, transformed into Shizuka, drags Nobita by the leg to some bushes near where they were, of course, taking a route so they couldn't see what she was doing. She drops him onto the grass; there were no prying eyes, so she transforms into Sheipu Asami for a moment.

"That sleeping potion is very powerful. He'll sleep all day, and the silly wizard will be trapped in the cellar until they notice her gone or the cleaners find her. I have to hurry that way. Luckily, I told my classmates I was going into town for the day, so I have an alibi just in case."

Sheipu kneels down to arrange Nobita in a position that makes it seem like he decided to take a nap there, lying on his back while he snored. He also takes the opportunity to take the pendant with the key. She stands up and smiles warmly.

"It was actually quite simple. And now for my next step: Getting into that principal's office."

At that moment, Sheipu changes again, now taking Nobita's form. "This appearance isn't as cute as the previous one, but it's necessary to get the encyclopedia" the shapeshifter says, slipping the key into the uniform shirt.

With the first part of her plan completed, the shapeshifter emerges from the bushes, smiling a touch of malice, to run over there, but stumbles halfway there. "UUUUGH!"

The shapeshifter gets up somewhat grumpily, brushing the dirt off her knees. "I may have the same level of magical power even transformed, but copying perfectly has its physical flaws. Is this silly kid that clumsy?! Anyway, I shouldn't waste time-"

"NOBITA!" Gian shouts as the shapeshifter nears the back entrance. Apparently, he hasn't returned to the faction house yet, just like Suneo. "Good to see you again! Let's take advantage of the remaining free time to duel in the training yard. I want to make up for last time!"

Suneo notices the clumsy boy's irritated face. He knew they had their differences, but that face went beyond just ignoring him.

"...And you are?" Sheipu says this, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "I don't have time for duels. I have more important things than playing along."

What she said with Nobita's appearance and voice made Suneo's face turn blue as he looked at Gian, who turned red with fury. "WHAT?! NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PRETEND NOT TO KNOW ME AS PART OF YOUR STUPID SELFISH INDIFFERENCE TOWARDS ME?! YOU-"

The shapeshifter yawns. "What? You're going to hit me? Sure, go ahead. Break the rules like the bully you are... AAAAAAHHH! I remembered who you are..." Sheipu glances at Gian. "You're the beefy fool who thinks he can do anything with punches, and who usually says mean things to him and laughs at this silly kid... I mean, laughs at me. We're wizards. Shouldn't we fix this with proper magic and not with little fists like in the... Stone Age? Go ahead, I dare you to hit me, bully."

Some kids standing nearby saw the tension building; Gian was about to explode. "I-I-I can't believe Nobita could be capable of saying all that. I don't know if it's courage or masochism" Suneo said, somewhat nervously. "I know he's working on improving, but suddenly it's like he's a different person."

This time, since Sheipu was in a hurry because time was running out, she decided to apply a bit of her self-centered and sarcastic personality to her Nobita disguise.

Gian had raised his fist and was about to hit [Nobita], but his fist was trembling. He was risking breaking the rule against physical violence within the Academy building, something Sheipu already knew, and smiled proudly. "See? You know that if you use your fists, you'll end up losing. You should calm down a bit about that, Gian. Don't you feel the stares of the others?"

The robust boy turned around, noticing how some kids were murmuring among themselves and others were looking at him uncomfortably, which made the atmosphere for him and Suneo become somewhat tense. Sheipu knew that time was of the essence, so she remembered a bit of Nobita's personality from the times she had spied on him, so she sighed.

"Hey, no offense. But your way of seeing friendship is a little harmful. I'm supposed to give you the silent treatment and all, but even I'd get tired... I mean, I get tired, because I'm talking about myself, obviously. Do you feel good about yourself when there's that kind of tension? Don't you want to laugh, joke around, and play with someone other than the dwarf?"

"Hey!" Suneo shouts, somewhat offended.

Sheipu shrugs. "I got carried away with the drama, sorry, I guess."

Gian lowered his fist, thoughtful for a moment, lowering his head. Sheipu didn't feel sorry for him because, like everyone in Dark Wake, she hated wizards because of the association mentality, but she was very good at imitating them, so she concluded that's something the real Nobita might say.

"Nobita!" Doraemon had arrived at the scene, drawn by the crowd, thinking the worst when he saw Gian on the scene. "I came looking for you. Is Gian bothering you again?"

"UGH, the cat. Although... I think I can also use him if I keep transforming into this clumsy kid." Sheipu smiled nonchalantly, just like Nobita would. "Hey Doraemon! Don't worry, he only bothered me for a while, but I said a few unimportant things to him."

The shapeshifter looks at the robust boy. "Let's leave the duel for another day. I'm really in a bit of a hurry. I have to go back to being indifferent to you for having been a bad friend, I guess. But see if you at least take some advice from someone who was below you. Maybe even the anger built up by confusion and loneliness will dissipate if you know how to move well. Whatever, decide what you want. See you later too, Suneo, or whatever."

Sheipu walks with a satisfied smile on her face, passing Gian, who is still stunned by what happened. "Uhhh, see you, maybe" Suneo says, also stunned.

Doraemon was confused, but he still follows Nobita, who was entering the Academy, leaving him even more confused. "Aren't we going home?"

"It's just..." Sheipu recalls the conversation between Nobita and the principal. "I want you to see something the stupid princip-... I mean, the Mr. principal showed me yesterday."

"Are you talking about the cellar you told me about yesterday? It sounds interesting, but I think the office is locked" Doraemon says, a little nervously.

The shapeshifter smiles. "And I think you can fix that, right? I really want you to see that incredible cellar, because you know we're friends."

The robot cat gives a judging look. "Nobita is a little strange. Could it be that he's hit puberty early? Although, wanting to show me something that was shared with him is kind of him" he thinks, crossing his arms somewhat hesitantly, but sighs in agreement. "We could use the Hoop Tunnel to get into the office and take a quick look. But that's all."

The shapeshifter smiles genuinely, already feeling victorious. "Okay! Let's go then!" She couldn't help but walk briskly and excitedly, which was something the real Nobita would do when he got excited. Doraemon sighs but keeps up.

"Aren't you going after Nobita anymore?" Suneo asks Gian, who is just leaving for home.

"I think I've lost my temper today. I'm still mad at him, though. He left me confused, so I'd better go." Gian hops on his broom and leaves, leaving Suneo alone since even the crowd of wizards had left after seeing there wasn't a duel.

The dwarf crosses his arms, raising an eyebrow as the sound of school dismissal rang out in the air. "I don't know, I think something doesn't feel right."

"Oh, it's Honekawa!" Kaori was leaving, running into Suneo at the entrance. "Have you seen Nobita by any chance? I wanted to invite him to the Omekkusu House to chat and lend him a comic I told him I had" the black-haired girl says with a sweet smile.

"Wow, the change in Nobita is such that even the girls notice" Suneo says in a slightly envious tone but reacts again "Uh yeah, I saw him go back to the Academy with Doraemon, I don't know why but it was clear he was in a hurry."

"Oh... So he's busy" Kaori says, somewhat disappointed.

"But I'm available if you'd like. I would even bring some expensive chocolates that they brought me from France-" Suneo watches as the earring girl re-enters the Academy. "HEEEY!"

The dwarf can't help but follow her. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know. I feel something in my chest, something that tells me I need to get back in. Could it be my mystical ability kicking in?" Kaori looks around as if searching for something.

"Has yours awakened yet? It's been a month, and mine hasn't appeared," Suneo says, disappointed.

Kaori nods. "Some take time, don't worry about that. Mine woke up a week ago and is capable of feeling emotions at their peak. It works like an Emotional Radar to search for sad or worried people. My chest tingles when that peak feeling is near. I clasp my hands, concentrating with my eyes closed, to use the ability. I can ignore that, but I don't have the heart for it if it's a sad feeling."

The gentler of the Ishikawas sighs deeply, closing her eyes and clasping her hands, concentrating. In her mind, she imagined a dark scene below her. Suddenly, a pink light in the shape of a woman was moving around a space, closing it, seeming to scream.

Yes, it was Shizuka. Apparently, she had already freed herself from the ropes thanks to finding a sharp knife on the shelves, which she used to cut the ropes on her hands behind her back and then untie the ropes on her legs.

Seeing the pink light, Kaori is surprised to look down. "I think there's someone down there." Their pink light emanated despair and nervousness.

"Down there? Pink light?" Suneo puts his hand to his chin. "I think the basement is down there. The entrance isn't far... Pink light..." At that moment, the boy is startled. "Could it be-?!"

Upstairs, Doraemon reached into his pocket and pulled out the Hoop Tunnel, a golden hula hoop with inscriptions, leaving Sheipu a little confused. They were both standing in front of the door to the principal's office, which was locked as he and the administrator were in the meeting.

"A hula hoop? You can get through with that?" The shapeshifter looked a little disappointed, but she gasped as Doraemon placed the hoop on one of the doors, opening a hole inside. Sheipu approached, looking at the other side. She was genuinely surprised. "Okay, this isn't bad at all."

Doraemon chuckled and pushed the shapeshifter through the hoop, then himself. Once inside the office, the robot removed the hoop from the wall. Sheipu was surprised because it seemed like nothing had happened. "Wow, an object that uses dimensional magic. I should definitely go back to my theory that this boy is the star being" she thought with narrowed eyes.

"Anyway, well done!" The shapeshifter patted Doraemon on the back as she put the ring in her pocket. "Now for what I promised you, let's go to the warehouse."

The pair began to climb the stairs to the second floor of the office. They were already in front of the double doors of the warehouse. Sheipu was excited, being so close to getting what she wanted. However, Doraemon noticed something curious when he saw Takibi showing no interest in his friend. This was unusual because the little phoenix always flew to perch on the boy's shoulder whenever it saw him, asking for cuddles.

The shapeshifter could mimic everything perfectly except the mystical ability, nor with the influence of the blue star on her side.

Sheipu uses the golden key to unlock the guardian lock, which rises in the air, opening the pair of doors to the cellar. Doraemon was surprised to see the interior of the large cellar, putting aside his confusion with Nobita and the little phoenix. "This place is unusual, it's like we're in a museum."

"Isn't it? I think there's something else that will surprise you." They both started walking, but Doraemon didn't notice the malicious smile that formed on his (friend's) face.

And speaking of Nobita, THE REAL ONE, he was still asleep on the garden lawn until someone approached, a tiny lifeguard; little Yuki, who, as always, came to be read a story she was already carrying along with her teddy bear.

The little girl approached Sleeping Beauty, moving him a little with her small hands. The sleeping potion had him asleep for at least the next day. "Nobita!" Yuki pouted slightly because he wasn't waking up, now shaking him more vigorously. "Nobitaaaa!"

But he wasn't waking up. The sleeping potion had him fast asleep, and it didn't help that he was a fan of naps, so little Yuki approached the boy's forehead, placing her tiny index finger on it. A stellar aura formed around the little girl and pulled it away.

A yawn escaped the clumsy boy's mouth, who stretched his arms and legs and then sat up. Little Yuki had eliminated the sleeping potion from his body. "What a dream it gave me!"

Nobita turns to look at little Yuki, who pouted again, somewhat annoyed. "Yuki?" The little girl brings him her favorite storybook for him to read. "Did you come here to read your story about the lost star?"

It took him a few seconds to process everything that had happened since he was still sleepy, but he reacted by opening his eyes wide. "I REMEMBERED! I was with Shizuka sitting on a bench in the garden, eating and chatting. Suddenly I got sleepy and fell asleep! How did I end up here?"

A bad feeling crossed the clumsy boy's mind when he remembered Shizuka's strange behavior, so he gets up, seeing that the box of muffins was empty; Sheipu had eaten them.

"...She definitely wasn't Shizuka." Nobita is startled again, looking under his shirt. "The key, it's gone! Whoever pretended to be Shizuka took the key! But why?"

Nobita's face was filled with panic. "THE ENCYCLOPEDIA! That book has dangerous spells! The principal trusted me, and now whoever took the key will be after the encyclopedia! It must have been someone from the Dark Wake who tricked me!"

He couldn't help but kneel down, feeling defeated and tearful. "That's it! Now they're really going to expel me, and the principal won't trust me anymore. I messed up. I don't know what to do."

Amid the boy's sobs, the little girl brought the bear close to Nobita's cheek to calm him, giving him a small smile. The boy found the gesture rather tender and smiled back. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Yuki. But... I don't know if I'll be able to get to the office on time. Besides, it's locked, but that stranger must have gotten in somehow."

Just as he was about to let despair consume him further, he looked at the little girl for a moment.

In the warehouse, Doraemon is surprised to see the book displayed in the blue display case. "Is this the Occult Encyclopedia the principal showed you? I've heard about it. It probably still exists in the director's warehouse in the 22nd century."

Although Sheipu didn't understand this, she was more focused on the book, so she stepped back a bit and transformed into a mouse again.

Instantly, Doraemon's fear instincts kicked in. He slowly turned around, seeing the little mouse there smiling at him.

"A MOOOOOOUSE!" Sheipu jumped at Doraemon's head. Upon feeling the mouse's paws, he was in trouble, fainting on the floor from fear.

The shapeshifter returns to her original form, standing up next to the fainted cat. "Thank goodness the guardian lock didn't activate because of that scream. Anyway, I'll go back to using that silly kid's appearance and get out of here. I'll use that weird earring he has after I get the book."

"And when they least expect it, I'll use my Asami appearance to throw them off their scent and keep the book in my room, then send it to the boss at night with his teleportation ability. I'm a genius!"

Sheipu takes out a magic quill pen she had kept in her room and writes the runes on the glass, opening it instantly. Excited, she takes the book and contemplates it for a moment.

But what she didn't count on is that the real Nobita appears behind her with Yuki holding his hand. He had used the little girl's teleportation to get there in a moment.

Chapter Text

"She's the one who pretended to be Shizuka?! I think she's a shapeshifter, based on what I understand from Professor Eiko's classes" Nobita thinks, surprised to see Sheipu in her original form.

Nobita sees Doraemon lying unconscious on the ground. "Doraemon! Did she trick him like she did me? And she has the encyclopedia. I must stop her. She's definitely working for the evil sorcerer who stole my mana!" The boy sends Yuki away for now so she's not in danger, promising to read her her story later, so the little girl disappears with her sparkles.

"I got it! The encyclopedia is mine! I just have to get out of here. and send it to the boss later." Sheipu turns around with a smile on her face, running into Nobita in front of her, who already had his wand in his hand. "YOU?! How is it possible that you are here?! That sleeping potion must have made you sleep until tomorrow!"

Sheipu is startled at having spilled too much information. "Oh..."

The boy points his wand at the shapeshifter, but the fear in his trembling hands is evident as he holds it. "What did you do to the real Shizuka?! Did you put something in the muffins?! I have no idea how I got rid of the sleeping potion, but... What did you do to Doraemon?! I won't let you take the encyclopedia. Give me back the key. The director trusted me to protect his warehouse!"

The shapeshifter just rolls her eyes. "Look, kid, answering your questions in order: I locked her in a cellar to take her place and trick you into taking the key. Yeah, I put a sleeping potion in the muffin you ate. I just transformed into a mouse, and he fainted from fright after I got him to help me get in here when I took on your appearance. And whatever, take the key."

Sheipu throws the key towards Nobita, who clumsily catches it. "It's no longer of use to me because I have what I really came for." The self-centered monster girl shows off the book in her hand. "If I were you, I wouldn't recommend casting spells in here. The guardian lock will turn anyone who does anything rude into mush, so I advise you to step aside and let me take the encyclopedia, unless you want you and your cat to end up burned by the guardian."

Nobita's back was against the wall because it was true, the warehouse was dangerous for confrontations, so he lowered the arm holding his wand, stepping aside.

The shapeshifter, confident of her victory, begins to walk past him. "Good boy. You know, my boss and the others think you're a H.M.B. wizard, but I have my suspicions that you're neither a wizard nor a human."

Sheipu whispers in the frightened wizard's ear "Why don't you stop pretending, Star Being? I know you've hidden the real Nobi Nobita from the radar and impersonated him. If not, how come you appeared before me so quickly and woke up from a sleeping potion that's supposed to last a whole day?"

The boy was confused, the shapeshifter made a direct accusation towards him, but the boy was just confused, he didn't even know what a stellar being was, although he remembers for a moment, the memory of the [dream] he had with Doraemon when they were saved by the blue-feathered Phoenix in the forest, when a curious creature formed from the universe itself appeared to them.

The boy wizard's confused silence gave the shapeshifter a false sense of her theory still holding up.

But as soon as she starts to move away from Nobita, he takes the opportunity to run towards her and push her out of the cellar so he can use his wand to stop her. "HEY!"

Although the move was risky, they both fall, railing and all, to the floor below, but Sheipu transformed into a giant eagle to avoid the impact, with Nobita on his back, falling lightly onto the principal's desk.

The boy kneels, and Sheipu transforms into a large anaconda, circling the boy with her long body, coiling around his shoulders, preventing him from moving, and beginning to squeeze tightly as she watched him scream in pain.

"I-I can't use my wand, I'm choking!" Nobita screams, in pain from the squeeze.

Sheipu, who had the book in the anaconda's mouth, drops it on the desk near her. "That waz your plan, ztellar being?! To throw me down to immobilize me?! FOOL! I can be whoever I want!" Sheipu, in a reptilian voice (hence the Zs), mocks him.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about! I'm me, not anyone else. I'm human. I'm not a stellar being like you say, I don't even know what that is!" Nobita says, struggling to stay conscious because of the squeeze. "L-Let me go, you're suffocating me!"

"Of courze I'll let you go, the gaztric juizez will do the job! Anyway, zince you're a ztellar being, you can ezcape when I zwallow you, zo there'z nothing to worry about if I devour you juzt for fun before leaving with the enzyclopedia."

"DORAEM-!" Nobita was about to scream when Sheipu opened her mouth wide enough to start swallowing him as she uncoiled herself. You could barely see his hips and the poor boy's legs moving rapidly in fear and desperation, combined with terrified moans.

BOOM! A shot of compressed air went straight to Sheipu's face, spitting out the boy, who fell to the ground drooling from head to waist.

Sheipu reverts to her original form from the shock and dizziness of the air blast. Doraemon, who had woken up from the mouse's scare, was flying with the takecopter and air cannon in his hand. "No one swallows my buddy, shapeshifter!"

"Doraemon!" Nobita shouts with happiness at being safe and seeing that his friend was awake. The robot lands near him. "Thanks for saving me, I'm glad you woke up!"

"I was woken up mostly by the sound of the railing breaking. When I rushed to see, she had already transformed into that anaconda, and judging by the star on her forehead, there's no doubt she's from Dark Wake. Thank goodness she didn't manage to swallow you completely because of her inflated ego, otherwise, this wouldn't have had a happy ending."

Nobita, happy and tearful, was about to hug Doraemon, but Doraemon stopped him by taking a towel out of his pocket. "Before the hug, first wipe off that slime. Thank goodness anacondas aren't poisonous" he said, slightly disgusted but smiling. The boy looked at him offended while pouting and taking the towel.

Sheipu came to, grabbed the encyclopedia, placed it in a bag that was nearby, and put it on her shoulder, she stepped back a little.

Now clean, Nobita stood up, wielding his wand again, just like Doraemon did with the air cannon. "Give me back the encyclopedia! It doesn't belong to you, it belongs to the principal!"

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll listen to you, loser. I wasn't planning this just to leave empty-handed, Star Being!" Sheipu shouted, already fed up with the situation.

"I already told you I'm human!" the boy argued.

"Say what you want, you can fool everyone, but not me! I'll use something better!" Sheipu now transforms into Doraemon, which leaves them both stunned. "Now I have access to your magic, blue raccoon!"

"One, I'm not a raccoon, and two, that won't work no matter how skilled you are!" Doraemon yells, annoyed by the raccoon thing.

"HA! Say what you want, I'll use that weird ring of yours to escape and...!" But the shapeshifter, searching for something in the pocket, saw that there was nothing there; that pocket looked like a normal one. "B-but I saw that you-!"

"I thought you weren't Nobita when Takibi didn't do that." Doraemon points out how the principal's phoenix had flown towards Nobita to land on his shoulder so he could tickle it. "But I thought it was nothing. Now I see that you transformed into Nobita so I could help you get in and get the encyclopedia. You won't be able to imitate my pocket; the mixture of magic and future technology can't be imitated like that."

"Yeah, you also pretended to be Shizuka to put me to sleep with the sleeping potion and take the key from me" Nobita points angrily at the shapeshifter, while the little phoenix takes to the air to hide, having entered another rebirth process and lacking the power to confront her in that form, since even her feathers were dull. "We're not going to let you take the encyclopedia to that evil sorcerer!"

"Tsss! I hate, I hate wizards, they're a pain in the ass!" the shapeshifter screams, stamping her feet on the floor. "This book is mine, I stole it cleanly! I hate you! Fools, fools, fools, fools, fools!"

"If you're going to throw a tantrum like a little girl, don't do it using my appearance, it makes me feel ashamed of myself." Doraemon sighs tiredly. "Just hand over the encyclopedia and we'll let you go."

"I'm 14, I'm not a child! And I already told you it's MIIIINE! My boss needs this book more than that cheap principal! So..." Sheipu now transforms into Dekisugi and forms her acacia wand. "I'm going to blow you away with the power of your friends. I can imitate the spells you've learned. And boy, am I going to enjoy this."

Puzzling the pair with a machiavellian smile that wasn't typical of the real Dekisugi, they both venture to retrieve the encyclopedia.

Meanwhile, Kaori and Suneo had gone down to the basement. Using the earring girl's emotion-tracking ability, they were approaching the cellar door. Suneo looked through the door's window, seeing how Shizuka was using all her skills to break down the door, but it wasn't working. "Shizuka's here!"

Suneo opened the cellar door and entered with Kaori. Upon seeing them, Shizuka burst into tears of happiness at finally being freed. "Kaori, Suneo!" the girl with pigtails cried out in joy.

"What are you doing down here?" the dwarf asked, confused, as Kaori approached to check on her.

"A shapeshifter snuck into the Academy, pretending to be Mitzuki to trap me here so she could pretend to be me to go after Nobita. He's in trouble!" Of course, Shizuka omitted the H.M.B thing since she promised the principal not to tell anyone else for now.

"SHAPESHIFTER?!" The pair who rescued Shizuka shouted. "Oh, that explains it!" The girls were confused by what Suneo said. "It's just that earlier, Gian and I ran into Nobita, but he was acting really strange. It wasn't that quiet bravery he'd gained that was noticeable. Instead, he was acting really proud and somewhat defiant toward Gian, and I think it even broke him mentally."

"Suneo... Are you acknowledging Nobita's change?" Shizuka couldn't help but get a little excited, since at least he was starting to see his friend differently, unlike Gian, who remained stubborn.

The short boy crosses his arms, trying to act proud. "Ah um... I think so... Maybe!" He just looked to the side, but both girls giggled softly.

"So... That means the shapeshifter who imprisoned me took her appearance after mine. Could it be that it's too late for Nobita?" Shizuka was extremely worried, thinking that her friend had been abducted by the Dark Wake.

But nothing could be further from the truth when Kaori looked up. "I feel something." Using her ability, she could see a yellow and blue light fighting against a green light. "I see emotions of despair high above. From the colors, I think Nobita and Doraemon are there, and it seems they're fighting the shapeshifter."

"Then let's go, they need us!" Shizuka watched as Suneo moved away a little. "Everyone!"

"B-but Nobita and I aren't friends anymore because he was the one who distanced himself from us" the dwarf complains, somewhat nervously.

"Come on, Honekawa, friends or not, you have to help. We don't know what the Dark Wake people want to do, but when the principal told us about them in the second week, we know they're hostile! Nobita and Doraemon need us!" Kaori scolds Suneo.

"It's true, you're already realizing that this enmity and abuse toward Nobita is completely absurd! I haven't forgiven you for what you've put him through, especially for how you played with his trauma. But if you decide to continue like this, I assure you, you and Gian will be left alone!" What Shizuka says again shakes Suneo's mind, as did what happened in the forest attack.

"Kaori, let's help them, you lead the way!" Both girls run out of the cellar. Suneo pauses for a moment, thinking as he leaves the cellar, not knowing what to do.

But his doubts didn't last long, as he heard a knocking that was obviously from the duel above. "H-Hey, wait, I'll help, heeeelp!" Suneo runs quickly, though he realizes that in a second he's already running close to them, who were farther away from him before, which leaves him confused for a moment. "Could it be...?"

In the principal's office, things weren't going well at all. Nobita and Doraemon couldn't do much against an experienced Dark Wake associate. While she didn't gain the same level of magical power as those she imitated, she had enough experience that a child wizard and robot from the future wouldn't be a problem for her.

Sheipu, now in Hajime's guise, displayed his crooked smile on someone's face without much expression. "Come on, Stellar Being, I know that even though you're a fragment of the goddess of magic, you have more power than the principal. Be a challenge for me!"

"Why does she call you Stellar Being?" Doraemon asked, confused. The pair were bruised, but they had taken a health potion to resist.

"I don't know! I don't even know what that is! Do you know?" Nobita says desperately, breathing heavily.

"I think I read about that term once when I was looking through one of the books in the principal's office when we were cleaning his window. But I'll explain later. We have to get the encyclopedia back. You have your shooting skill, take it apart."

Nobita nods at what Doraemon says, and changing to holding his wand like a gun, he fires a quick shot of electrum at the hand of the shapeshifter who has transformed into Hajime. Doraemon fires another cannonball straight at her chest, knocking the shapeshifter onto a bookshelf.

A wave of books falls on Sheipu as Nobita approaches her, still on guard. Someone steps out, so the clumsy boy aims at her. It was the shapeshifter who has now transformed into Shizuka.

And starting an Oscar-worthy performance, the shapeshifter sheds tears, looking tender and full of disappointment. "Nobita, how could you hurt me like that?"

Nobita turned pale upon hearing Shizuka's voice, filled with sadness.

Doraemon tries to intervene. "No, wait, it's a bluff-!"

"I don't like you anymore, I won't be your friend anymore, I hate you, Nobita!"

Although it was OBVIOUSLY the shapeshifter, Nobita turned pale and smiled in disbelief at the tremendous impact of those words, because they were the ones he least wanted to hear from Shizuka, like a weight straight to the heart. Sheipu took advantage of this to cast a Ventos spell, which, like the equivalent of an air cannon, knocked Nobita away from her.

Doraemon just facepalmed at how his friend fell because of that.

"HAHAHAHA!" Sheipu returned to her original form, laughing and getting up. "I can't believe you fell because of that. You should have seen your heartbroken face, what a fool HAHAHAHA!"

At that moment, Nobita slowly stood up without saying anything, his glasses blank and his expression serious. His wand was shooting sparks of electricity. For some reason, Doraemon and Sheipu felt a great pressure.

"What? Are you mad? What are you going to do? Cry because your little friend told you she hates you? If you want, I'll say it again for you, Stellar Being! HAHAHAHAHA!" Sheipu points at him, mocking him.

Doraemon steps aside, somewhat flustered by that reaction.

"How dare you?" The silly boy's serious voice interrupts the shapeshifter's laughter. He clenches his fist in anger. "HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH MY FEELINGS FOR SHIZUKA?!"

Nobita raises his wand, releasing random rays while crying VERY ANGRY, the lightning bolts causing holes everywhere from the charge. And for being a H.M.B., it was like a thunderstorm that was scaring Sheipu.

Doraemon takes out the rejection cape, a cape that was capable of reflecting long-range attacks, because being a robot, being hit by one of those rays would be a big problem.

Apparently, playing with the feelings of a H.M.B. wizard wasn't a great idea.

Chapter Text

"AHHHHHHH!" Nobita, who was very upset because Sheipu, the shapeshifter, used her ability to hurt him emotionally, concentrated all his mana into a single electrum attack with his wand raised, as if he were about to be struck by a powerful thunderstorm-like lightning bolt.

"W-wait, let's talk. If you hurt me, you'll destroy the encyclopedia!" Sheipu tried to negotiate to avoid an electric attack.

"The principal already told me that the encyclopedia can't be destroyed" the silly boy said, tearing up in annoyance.

"Oh. B-but you're a good boy! Aren't you, Stellar Being? Will you let yourself be carried away by anger without forgiving-?"

"Yes" the boy interrupted the shapeshifter. "You made fun of my feelings for Shizuka!"

I don't know if it's good luck for Sheipu or bad luck for Nobita, but the boy takes a couple of steps forward, about to throw the lightning bolt, and ends up tripping and throwing the large lightning bolt to the side, straight into the double doors of the office.

Shizuka, Kaori, and Suneo were arriving when they witnessed a large electric bolt destroy the double doors to pieces.

Doraemon just smiles nervously at what just happened and exhales deeply. "I knew something like that was going to happen."

The wizard guys peeked through the already open entrance because it had no doors. Shizuka saw Nobita getting up and the shapeshifter standing in front of her, looking somewhat irritated. "Nobita!"

The sweet voice of the girl with pigtails caught the attention of the silly, who was happy to see her. "Shizuka, it's you, the real one! Kaori, you're also a..." His smile turned into a look of confusion when he saw the dwarf with the girls. "Suneo?!"

"Wow, even Suneo is here" Doraemon says, equally surprised.

"I-I helped Kaori a little, and we found Shizuka locked in one of the basement cellars. Don't flatter yourself, Nobita" Suneo turns around, pretending not to care.

"So that's it" Nobita looks at the shapeshifter, as does Doraemon. "Give me back the encyclopedia. It's 5 against 1!"

Shizuka, Kaori, and Suneo approach, pulling out their wands and joining the pair. Sheipu looked nervous; she thought she could defeat Nobita and Doraemon alone, but the number of wizards was already too much for her to handle.

But she had one last trick up her sleeve to escape with the encyclopedia. She quickly lunges at Nobita and begins to struggle with him until they both fall behind the desk.

The rest were surprised because two Nobitas came out at the same time. Sheipu had taken off the bag with the book, leaving it nearby. Her double card had been put into action. A distraction to find a way to escape with her loot.

"Oh come on, let's not do this whole thing about knowing who's Nobita and who's the shapeshifter!" Suneo claims, crossing his arms.

"She's the shapeshifter! I'm Nobita!" says one, tearing up.

"Huh?! No, I'm the real one! You have to believe me!" says the other, cascading tears.

"So what do we do now?" Shizuka asks, looking at the pair, holding her wand to cast a spell. "Which of the two is the real one?"

Kaori was about to say something, but she looked at Doraemon, who was distressed, so instead of saying anything, she patted Doraemon on the head and looked at Shizuka. "Why don't we let Doraemon decide?"

The pair of sillys have the same nervous and tearful expression while Doraemon looks at them "The shapeshifter is imitating him very well." Doraemon thinks until he is startled remembering something VERY CRUCIAL, he whispers it to Shizuka and she nods.

"Take off your vest and shirt, only the real Nobita would have a certain mark on his back."

The pair of clumsy ones are surprised, and their reactions are immediate.

The one on the left sighs in relief and nods with a warm smile. "Of course, Doraemon. You know you're my best buddy, and I trust you a lot."

The one on the right hugs himself, embarrassed. "I... Uh... It's okay." He couldn't help but start to tremble because Shizuka, Kaori, and Suneo were present.

"THAT REACTION WORKS FOR ME" Doraemon gives the order to Shizuka, who launches an Aquos attack at the boy on the left, who is thrown against the wall, which makes Kaori smile.

"Doraemon!" The one on the right hugs the robot cat, crying and smiling.

The other kneels, growling, but tries to shed tears to continue the performance, pretending to be hurt. "BUT WHY?! I agreed to show the mark!"

"He does too. I know you both have it. You can imitate the physical appearance 100%, but when it comes to feelings and memories, you're very weak. Because I know what the mark means to Nobita, and that nervous reaction is exactly what he would have because of it" Doraemon says, proud of what he said, while Nobita's eyes are bright and smiling.

"That mark is the product of something traumatic he went through" Shizuka says with a serious look.

"That mark isn't just something on his back, it's a reminder of something he'll never want to experience again, and he won't experience it again as long as his friends and I are by his side." Doraemon places his hand on his best friend's head, who tears up at the emotional way they discovered the trick.

"Doraemon, Shizuka, thank you." The silly boy wipes his tears with his arm and stands up with increased confidence. He uses Levition to lift the bag into the air so it falls into his hands. Unlike the first week, with practice, he could control the spell a little better. "Thank goodness, here's the encyclopedia."

"So this is what the shapeshifter wanted?" The newcomers look at the encyclopedia in the recovered bag. Shizuka breathes a sigh of relief after learning the villain's true objective, as she thought, given the insinuations, that she was after Nobita when she only wanted the key he had to access her true loot.

"With that ability, you could have detected the real Nobita from the beginning, couldn't you?" Suneo whispers to Kaori, who nods. "And why didn't you say anything?"

The girl with the earrings looks at Nobita and Doraemon, smiling triumphantly at having recovered the encyclopedia. "Because I love the bonds of affection, and those two are great friends."

Doraemon approaches Sheipu, who is still transformed into Nobita, who is upset because her imitation failed. "Fine, shapeshifter. You have two options: either you leave the office the easy way, or you wait for the principal to come and call the M.C.G to come and get you."

Sheipu growls again and smiles maliciously. "Yes, I like the first one better."

The shapeshifter didn't want to leave empty-handed, so she transformed into a large octopus that almost touched the ceiling, and the ceiling was more than 3 meters high inside. She was about to catch them all with her tentacles, but Suneo, in a sudden reaction, grabbed Nobita's arm and quickly ran to the second floor of the office, where the railing used to be.

Although Shizuka, Doraemon, and Kaori weren't as lucky and were caught by the tentacles, Sheipu lifted them into the air, immobilizing their arms, preventing them from using their wands and the pocket.

"Doraemon, Shizuka, Kaori!" Suneo and Nobita were stunned by the giant octopus, but they reacted simultaneously, seeing where they were. "H-how did we get here in the first place? Was it you? Y-you got me out of there."

"I honestly don't know," Suneo looks down at himself and smiles. "I think I can use my mystical ability now. I also noticed it when I came here. I think it's the Boost ability. I read about it in class. It makes me run faster for a few seconds, although it's obvious from the name. Thank goodness, neither Gian nor I have been able to use our ability until now."

"And I... I saved you because... We're classmates at the Academy, right?" The dwarf boy laughs somewhat embarrassed. "We may disagree, but... I don't want the bad guys to get away with it either, so I'll help you." There was a hint of fear in those words.

As ironic as it may be, Suneo was just as scared as Nobita in certain things, but unlike Nobita who despite his fear wanted to help if there was trouble, Suneo liked to try to escape from problems, or else he would cry for his mom  right there. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Even Nobita knew that, so he smiled because Suneo was genuinely taking the steps Gian didn't want to take yet: being or trying to be an ally and not just another bully. "Thanks, Suneo. You may be a show-off and all, but at least you're trying to break the habit."

The dwarf looks at him for a moment and smiles slightly. "I think... More than being above you, I missed being around you."

"HEY, A JANITOR CALLED ME THAT HE HEARED NOISES UP HERE, AND I QUICKLY CAME FROM THE ACADEMY DEPARTMENT BUILDING. I HOPE YOU'RE NOT CAUSING TROUBLE AND-!" Vice Principal Taiga angrily arrives at the entrance of the office, revealing everything. "AN OCTOPUS?!"

The big guy looks at the pair who were still free. "Nobi, Honekawa?! Why is there a giant octopus in Principal Chronos's office, trapping Minamoto, Ishikawa, and the blue raccoon from Betakoi House?!"

"I'M NOT A RACCOON!" Doraemon yells angrily as the tentacle waved him around.

"MOOOOMMYYYYY!" Suneo yells, using his wand against the other tentacles alongside Nobita, who were trying to stop them from getting caught as well.

Since Sheipu hid his Dark Wake insignia on her forehead when she transformed, the vice-principal didn't know they were related. "Vice Principal, help! The shapeshifter wants to take a valuable book from the principal, and she caught us!" Kaori yells, trying to move her hands.

"I can't reach my wand!" Shizuka yells, pulled towards the shapeshifter's face as she climbed onto the top of the column holding up the office, holding on tightly with her other tentacles.

"SHIZUKA!" Nobita yells, about to use his wand, but...

"STOP RIGHT THERE, EVERYONE! ONE MORE STEP, ONE STUPID ATTEMPT, AND I'LL DEVOUR THAT SILLY WIZARD! I'LL LET THEM GO IF YOU HAND ME THE OCCULT ENCYCLOPEDIA. IF NOT, I'LL START DEVOURING EVERYONE I HAVE IN MY CLAWS! OR BETTER, TENTACLES, WHATEVER, YOU GET WHAT I'M SAYING!" The octopus's booming voice can be heard throughout the office.

"No sushi is going to tell me what to do!" The vice principal was about to enter, but Nobita and Suneo yelled at him to stop him. The shapeshifter was crazy and meant her threat.

"Don't go in, don't do anything, otherwise the girls and Doraemon will end up in an octopus's stomach!" Suneo shouted, waving his hands in denial.

"If we use the wands, she'll hurt them, but if I give her the encyclopedia, the principal will be disappointed and could end up expelled for it. I promised I'd take care of it." Nobita looked at the bag with the encyclopedia. He was torn, but it was obvious he cared more about the people he loved than any other consequences.

"CHOOSE QUICKLY, STELLAR BEING, MY PATIENCE HAS A LIMIT!" Sheipu grabs a book the same size, thickness, and cover color as the encyclopedia, throwing it toward Suneo and Nobita, who fortunately faces the wall.

"Why does he call you a stellar being?" Suneo asks, confused.

"I-I don't know, I already said I don't know!" Nobita clutches his head until he looks at the book Sheipu threw at them. Suneo also looks at it, takes it, and smiles.

"Are you thinking the same thing as me?" Suneo flashes a sly smile, but it was for a good cause this time. Nobita didn't quite understand, but he'd already connected the dots in his head and nods decisively.

"OH, HELLO PRINCIPAL CHRONOS! HOW WAS YOUR MEETING?!"

Suneo's scream made Sheipu and the vice-principal instinctively turn around nervously, but there was no one in the hallway. "HEY, THERE'S NO ONE THERE, LIAR!" Sheipu nearly devoured Shizuka, who screamed in fear.

"Wait, you win!" Nobita stood in front of Suneo, showing the bag with the book inside, briefly revealing the contents of the bag, then held the bag by the strap again. "Free my friends and I'll give you the encyclopedia!"

"Nobita, wait, if you do, you'll get in trouble with the principal!" Shizuka shouted worriedly.

"You could get expelled if you give her the encyclopedia!" Doraemon said nervously.

"Don't do it, you might not get another chance like you did a month ago!" Kaori shouted anxiously.

"I don't care if I get expelled. I don't want you guys hurt. This was my fault for not being more careful with the key!" The bespectacled boy insists on making the deal just to save them.

"UGH, FINALLY, I'VE WASTED SO MUCH TIME, IT'S EVEN STARTING TO GET DUSK!" Sheipu drops Shizuka and Kaori to the ground, while Doraemon is released into the air, landing on the books.

The shapeshifter transforms from a peregrine falcon flying towards Nobita and Suneo, the dwarf boy hiding behind him in panic mode. "Ha, how scary! Come on, give me what's mine!"

"That way of demanding things reminds me of Gian" Suneo says, nervously hiding, while Nobita had to put the bag in Sheipu's body, only wings due to the transformation.

"Ha, good guys are sooo predictable, always preferring their allies over power, that's why wizards are so stupid! Especially you, Stellar Being." Sheipu smiles mockingly at the silly boy, who just looks at her with a serious face.

"Your teasing doesn't affect me like you think. I've already experienced being the butt of ridicule and being trampled on for it." What the clumsy says makes Suneo look away with a look of guilt, having understood his words.

Sheipu quickly flies away, taking advantage of the transformation of the fastest bird on the planet. "HEY! GET BACK HERE, THIEF!" The vice-principal chases the shapeshifter while using his crystal pad to call the M.C.G contact.

The pair of boys go down the stairs to the lower floor of the office. Doraemon and the girls run up to them. "Nobita! Honekawa! Are you okay?" Kaori asks worriedly, to which the clumsy boy simply nods.

"I'm fine. At least he didn't eat us lunch or anything" Suneo says in a somewhat confident tone.

"Thank goodness" Doraemon says, sighing in relief.

"But. The shapeshifter took the book. The vice-principal went after her, but she'll surely use her ability to escape from him." Shizuka says worriedly, looking at Nobita. "Thanks for saving us, although now you're going to be in trouble with the principal. But I'll talk to him. It's the least I can do. After all, she locked me up to impersonate me and take the key from you!"

"Yeah, but there's also the administrator Kaede, and she's a real beast." Doraemon sighs tiredly, but searches his pocket. "But don't worry, I'll look for something to get the encyclopedia back. I won't let you get expelled!"

"Well, that would be useful..." Nobita looked down and smiled calmly. "If she really had taken the encyclopedia."

The girls' and Doraemon's looks were surprised. Suneo chuckled confidently, pulling something out from under his shirt on his back, and it was...

Chapter Text

It was the Occult Encyclopedia!

The three of them smiled excitedly upon seeing the book with them. "THE ENCYCLOPEDIA!" Doraemon shouted.

"But how? I saw her take the book in that bag!" Kaori asked, confused.

"Actually, what she took..."

Interrupting the protagonist's words, Sheipu used a spy sphere to request to be teleported while in her falcon form. A magic circle appeared in the air, and she flew toward it, disappearing just as the vice-principal was about to catch her, using his broom to chase her.

"WHAT?!" Shocked at having lost track of Sheipu, Vice-Principal Taiga crashed into a tree and fell to the ground, his eyes spiraling as he fell unconscious.

Sheipu ended up falling to the floor of The Sage's office, an office that was more like a magic laboratory.

"It was about time, old man!" The shapeshifter yells in annoyance, returning to her original appearance and standing up. "I have the encyclopedia!"

Sheipu stands triumphantly, showing off the bag and handing it to the Sage at his desk. "Surely the boss will congratulate me for this!"

But the Sage just kept looking at some texts on some scrolls written in archaic rune language. "HEEEELLOOOOO? I HAVE THE ENCYCLOPEDIA! Isn't there a prize for me?"

The Sage pays attention to the bag, opens it, and takes out the book inside. "If you consider a cookbook an achievement, you'd get a raise."

"WHAT?!" Sheipu takes the book, titled "100 Mandrake Recipes Without Going Deaf... WHAT?! WHAAAAAAT?! THAT STUPID STELLAR BEING TRICKED ME!"

In a rage, Sheipu throws the book to the floor. The Sage simply shakes his head in denial. "I asked you if I could accomplish this yesterday when I was devising my plan, AND YOU SAID YES, THAT'S WHY I WAS SO CONFIDENT!"

"Little girl, that wizard boy isn't the stellar being, he's just a simple H.M.B. wizard. You have to give up on that theory. Believe me." The Sage continues.

"A-Anyway, that doesn't justify why you were wrong with your predictions!" Sheipu crosses her arms, pouting in annoyance.

"No, I wasn't wrong. And what I do isn't predictions; I get variables of what will happen." The Sage observes something in his sphere.

"IT'S THE SAME! UGH! It doesn't matter now. I'll try again, but I'll have to cool things down there. They'll surely become more cautious with the encyclopedia. Thanks for nothing, old man!"

Sheipu, like the tantrum-throwing child she is, leaves the office slamming the door. The Sage just kept going, but his eyes were narrowed. "It was you, wasn't it, Fuyuhito? Your Seer ability has always been a problem for me. My variables have been carefully studied with all my experience. I'll defeat your visions, I promise."

The Sage looks through the sphere at Nobita and Doraemon, who were laughing together with the encyclopedia in their hands. "If they become a problem, all we have to do is keep them at bay. I finally found the thread I wanted. I won't let anyone stop us now, not even a child and a nanny robot cat from the 22nd century."

How does the Sage know where Doraemon comes from?

It was dusk at the Academy. Doraemon took out a curious golden lantern whose light restored and replaced the office doors to how they were before, as well as the broken objects. Shizuka and Kaori were putting the books back in their place, and Nobita was inside the cellar with Suneo.

"Wow, this is written in an archaic rune language we haven't learned yet. The only one in our class who could read this is Dekisugi, because of that skill" Suneo says, looking at what was inside the encyclopedia. "Hey, I'm also an outstanding student. It's not just Dekisugi and Hajime who get that credit."

"You know, Suneo? Without a Gian, you even seem like a decent person" Nobita says, smiling, which surprises Suneo.

"Wow, you're even learning to say things head-on. Staying away from us has really done you good, hasn't it?" The dwarf smiles nervously.

Nobita laughs, scratching the back of his neck. "But seriously, thanks for today, for helping us with this."

"You see you can't live without me? That's why I'm obviously one of the best. I'm from Urutogon for a reason" Suneo says boastfully, but then calms down when Nobita squints at him. "Sorry, it's just habit."

Doraemon and the girls enter the warehouse. They are impressed by its appearance. "Wow, it looks like a museum!"

"Everything's fixed now. I used the restoration lantern to return the broken objects to their original state" Doraemon says, placing the golden lantern in his pocket.

"Wow, like restoration magic. Thanks, Doraemon." The pair of best friends smile at each other.

"And I'm sorry, Shizuka. It's my fault you had a bad time with the shapeshifter." Nobita says, somewhat embarrassed. "She ate all the muffins, and the only one I ate was good, but she gave it a sleeping potion to make me fall asleep so she could take the key."

Shizuka shakes her head. "It's okay. We're friends, and friends help each other. The most important thing is that everything turned out well."

"That's true" Nobita laughs, approaching Kaori. "And thank you, Kaori, for finding her and helping her get out. Your radar skills are incredible."

"You're welcome, it was a pleasure, and Shizuka is a friend of mine too. I'm glad you're okay" the girl with the earrings says, smiling. "I was looking for you to lend you the comic I told you about the other day when I realized all this."

"Oh yeah, I remembered. Well, in that case, can I borrow it tomorrow, please?" The silly boy smiles, scratching the back of his neck.

"Sure, I'd be happy to. I can even recommend some really good limited-edition comics I have." The two began to talk casually and relaxed.

Shizuka is startled by the mood between the two and, smiling somewhat nervously, notices the principal approaching. "Oh, look, the principal's back."

Seeing the principal approach, Nobita gets a little nervous. Yes, they prevented the encyclopedia from being stolen, but deep down, he felt like he failed him, since the key ended up in the wrong hands, although he was also able to recover it.

"Good afternoon, little guys. The vice principal has already informed me of what he learned about the situation. It's certainly been a problem. But M.C.G agents are already outside the Academy to track and capture the shapeshifter for suspected ties to the Dark Wake." The principal says, a little dismayed, though it wasn't obvious due to his slanted eyes.

The silly boy's face was drawn and his head lowered behind Doraemon, his heart still racing with fear of the consequences of having lost the key and almost lost the encyclopedia. He feels it was all because of him. Even though it really wasn't his fault.

Doraemon waves his arms nervously but smiling, doing damage control. "But, but, everything ended well. I used the restoration lantern to fix your office, and both the encyclopedia and the cellar key are safe, so there's nothing to worry about-!"

Nobita took the encyclopedia from Suneo's hands, standing in front of all his friends, near the principal.

Nervous, but accepting a sense of guilt he shouldn't have, he accepted everything, holding up the encyclopedia with the key on top of the book and his eyes closed. "I'm sorry, this was my fault. I let her take the key and almost let her take the encyclopedia because I was naive."

Doraemon and the kids are startled as they watch Nobita take the blame for the incident. "Wait, don't punish him. It was actually my fault, because I let the shapeshifter trick me and lock me in the cellar. She pretended to be me and tricked Nobita!" As she'd already said, Shizuka pleaded for her friend again.

"And everything was resolved. It wasn't anyone's fault" Kaori adds with a determined look. "The shapeshifter used her talents to get here, but the worst could have been avoided, and she didn't take anything!"

Suneo wasn't going to say anything because he felt a bit out of place in that group, but after getting along with Nobita, who hadn't been around for a while, he sighs. "Look, I'm not one to say, but Nobita did what he could to keep them from taking that book. And even though we're not close, I can tell."

"Even so" the silly boy looks the principal in the eyes. "If I was able to do this, it's because my friends helped me. I didn't do everything. I couldn't do what you asked of me. She took the key from me, and if it weren't for them being with me, the encyclopedia would already be in the hands of the bad guys. I'm really sorry. I'll understand if you punish me for this."

The boy was already in tears waiting for a scolding, but he was still determined to accept everything that had happened. The principal takes both the encyclopedia and the key and smiles. "Yes, you were a bit confident. But your friends are right. The encyclopedia is still here, that's the important thing. Besides, you did do what I asked you to do."

"R-really? But... She took the key and entered the warehouse" Nobita says, sounding almost nervous yet surprised.

"Yes, although I don't know how you managed to get in without the help of your blue cat friend since the office is locked, but you came in to do exactly what I asked you to: protect the warehouse and its contents." The clumsy boy is startled because he remembers that, in fact, that's what he told him before leaving.

"Ah, even Yuki helped me with her teleportation to get into the warehouse in one fell swoop." The clumsy boy scratches the back of his neck and chuckles.

"You were at a disadvantage, yet you still gave your all to prevent a tragedy. Though next time something like this happens, seek help without worrying about what will happen next. I've read that that shapeshifter is a camouflage specialist. The real tragedy for me would have been if something horrible had happened to you or your classmates."

Nobita wipes his tears with his hand. "So you're not going to punish me?"

"I would have punished you if they took the key from you and you had chosen to run away." The principal says this seriously, then laughs. "But you chose to fight even with fear dominating you, and even though it was difficult for you and your friends, you prevented the encyclopedia from being stolen. And even if it was stolen, what would really matter to me is that you all be safe after trying. Life is worth more than knowledge."

The guys began to smile at the principal's decision. "It was a good idea to leave the key with him. In the vision I had yesterday, the shapeshifter ended up secretly stealing the key on her way to the meeting and sneaking the encyclopedia into the office another way without anyone noticing." That's what the old man thought to himself.

"I don't know which spell Masahiko was trying to use, but any of them is dangerous in his hands. I wish I could do something against him, but the M.C.G won't let me get involved because they said they'd take care of it, and I have no choice but to abide by what they say." The principal looks at the guys. "But I intend to protect at least my Academy."

"Okay, young people, I'm going to make sure the cellar and the encyclopedia are secured. That way, we'll prevent something like this from happening again. Return to your faction houses. You deserve a good rest. You did a great job against the shapeshifter."

"Does that mean we're going to get a 100 on Friday's spell test for our efforts?" Suneo says, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

The kind old man laughs. "Of course not, but I'll send you a couple of boxes of my favorite sweets as a thank you."

"Uh... Thanks" Suneo sighs, somewhat disappointed but relieved to not get into trouble. "In that case, I'll leave. See you tomorrow."

The guys say goodbye to Suneo, who is leaving the warehouse. However...

"Wait, Suneo!" Nobita runs toward the dwarf, who didn't know what to expect until he saw the clumsy guy pull out his crystal pad. "Look, it's not like we're back to being close like we were before when you guys used to bother me, but... I think I can trust you enough to exchange contacts."

"I mean, aside from how mean you were to me before, it seems you're really changing your mind. I haven't forgiven you enough about the mask."

Suneo turns around, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Now that I think back on the mask, I really messed up with that, huh? Well, I'm really sorry about that time. If I ran into one of those things, I would have reacted the same way you did. I was a little hesitant about it that day, but I got carried away by-"

"Being a horrible friend who makes fun of other people's traumas?" Doraemon adds in an indifferent tone.

Suneo looks down. "Yeah, that's it, but why do you want to exchange contacts with me anyway? After everything that's happened, and even the fact that I participated in the prank on Betakoi."

"But you're willing to rethink things, unlike Gian. I'm not asking you to become close friends again, but allies. Thanks to you, we prevented something valuable from falling into the wrong hands despite how distant we've become. So it's a start."

Nobita shrugs, making Suneo weep. "I-I agree. And I'll try to control myself a bit."

"So how are you going to do with Gian?" Doraemon asks.

"You know I can't leave Gian now. Nobita, you know how he gets when you don't agree with him. If he's already fed up with the silent treatment you're giving him, he'll become even more erratic if I abandon him like that. Since you no longer want to hang out with us, he's been more irritable than usual; he's holding a lot of resentment for what you did."

"You know I'm just trying to improve my own self-esteem, rather than my pessimism and you two being abusive" Nobita says, crossing his arms.

"I know, I've noticed, but with Gian, it's more complicated. Although, if it helps... I'll try to get less involved in his tricks against you. Besides, maybe I'll call you to gossip about something he's planning to do" Suneo says, smiling somewhat embarrassedly.

"Well, it's something. I guess it's the most considerate thing you could do." Nobita smiles nervously as the two of them exchange contacts.

"I knew you'd say that. Do you think Gian is also starting to change his ways as we spend more time here at the Academy?"

The pair of boys look at each other for a moment and let out a sigh while saying "I don't think so" at the same time.

"Okay, then I'll see you tomorrow, Nobita."

Now, Suneo leaves the principal's office. Kaori approaches her friend and smiles at her. "I'm glad they finally acknowledged that you did well today. See you tomorrow. I'll lend you the book I promised" the girl with the earrings says, smiling as she leaves.

"Sure, Kaori, see you tomorrow." A smile spread across Nobita's face until Shizuka, somewhat nervous, was walking past him. "Something wrong, Shizuka?"

"Uh, it's just... I'm grateful that Kaori helped me when I was trapped, that's all" she says, looking away.

"Oh, yeah, she's been a kind girl ever since I met her! It's good to have someone like her." Shizuka knows Nobita says that with friendly innocence, but she still can't help but feel a little nervous about it.

"She's a kind friend like you." Another naive response, but it makes Shizuka happy about it.

"I'm glad we're friends too, Nobita" says the girl with pigtails, laughing softly.

"Believe me, he values your friendship" says Doraemon, smiling calmly before forming a somewhat mocking smile. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have thrown a fit when the shapeshifter used that friendship of yours to mock him."

Shizuka flinches, and Nobita turns red. "DORAEMON!" The boy shouts, embarrassed, pulling the robot cat's cheek slightly. The girl just covers her mouth while laughing in a museum-like environment, but filled with joy on their part.

All while the director watched, smiling, as he turned to the lectern, placing the book back in its place as it was encased in the blue glass.

"Yes, Young Nobi's life is very different from the one who once gave up. And that reassures me."

Chapter Text

"You know, Nobita? For a moment there, I thought the sorcerer had gone back on his word and that the shapeshifter was trying to capture you to use your mana because you're a H.M.B."

Nobita stood still, still pulling Doraemon's cheek, listening intently to what his friend was saying. "It's just that when she locked me in the cellar, she boasted that she wanted to get to you because she needed you, and that the sorcerer wanted something to make him stronger. I thought she was talking about your mana. That's why I thought she wanted to take you with her, and... I got scared."

"And... I admit that when I saw it was the encyclopedia she wanted, I was somewhat relieved because you weren't her target. That made me happy."

"Shizuka" Nobita couldn't help but go from embarrassed red to a slight blush because his friend was thinking that he was the one the shapeshifter wanted.

"Today you've given your all to protect the encyclopedia, but at the same time you were willing to lose it to prevent anything from happening to us. You're really different from that repressed, pessimistic version that was consuming you before the Academy. I like that."

The girl walks forward with her eyes closed, turning her face away with a smile and a slight blush. "See you tomorrow, okay? Take care."

The sparkle in the boy's eyes became more present, his heart beating rapidly and a smile on his face. He nodded excitedly. "Sure! Take care too!"

"See you too, Doraemon." The robot nods and waves, smiling.

Shizuka leaves the warehouse and the principal's office. Doraemon notices how Nobita is blushing and smiling at that farewell, so he nudges him in the arm to bring him back to reality. "Now THAT's a good way to score points. And to think you wanted me to lend you gadgets for that before."

"Yeah, I think you're right about that" Nobita scratches the back of his neck, laughing. "And Doraemon, thank you so much for today. You saved me from being eaten, and you figured out who I am even with the shapeshifting trick."

"I couldn't let her devour you. Although yes, sorry for having to use the trauma thing to counter the ruse. The shapeshifter was very cunning, and I couldn't even give her a chance to escape. I know you must have felt uncomfortable when I asked you to take off your vest and shirt in front of your friends." The robot cat scratches his head somewhat embarrassed.

But Nobita shakes his head and smiles. "It's okay. I know how necessary it was. When I go to a pool or the beach, even though I can't swim, I put a patch on the scar on my back to keep them from noticing it so much."

"But the fact that you remember what the scar means makes me happy, since I know you really care about me." Nobita couldn't help but hug his best friend. "If I've come this far, it's because of you."

Doraemon blushes slightly and smiles. He's no longer so reluctant to show affection to his human friend, so he pats him on the back.

"Let's go home. We have to call mom" Doraemon says. They both say goodbye to the principal, go downstairs, and are about to leave the office.

"Young Nobi" the old man goes downstairs. Takibi, with his feathers out, flies to perch on his right shoulder. "Before you leave, I must give you your task for tomorrow."

Both boys turn to look at the principal. Nobita lets out a tired sigh because he really wanted to go home. "And what is it?"

"Come back here after school. Tomorrow you'll have tutoring after you do your homework."

Nobita snorts again. "Tutoring? Owww... But I usually get that on Thursdays when I come here."

"I know that, but you really should do it tomorrow too." The old man smiles. "How else are you going to learn Estera if I don't teach you?"

Nobita and Doraemon are stunned, looking at each other and then at the principal.

With his eyes lit up again and unable to believe it, Nobita clasps his hands enthusiastically. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE SPELL OF THE BRIGHT STARS?! ARE YOU GOING TO TEACH ME HOW TO DO IT?! REALLY?!"

The principal nods. "In my opinion, with the progress you've made in class, albeit slight but growing like a sunflower, and with the effort of risking everything to protect the encyclopedia and your friends, you deserve me to teach you how to use it."

The boy can't hide his happiness at hearing the good news; he was finally able to earn the right to learn the spell he'd most wanted to learn since learning the details of the school trip.

"THANK YOU, MR. PRINCIPAL, REALLY THANK YOU!" Nobita jumps for joy, as does Doraemon. They both hold hands, celebrating. "B-but... Will I be able to learn how to do it properly in time for the School Trip?"

"If you're going to put in the same effort you've been putting in throughout this month, it's a remarkable possibility. Although there's still time for the School Trip, will you do it?"

The silly boy nods enthusiastically at the principal's question. "Yes, I'll give it my all! I'll do it! You won't be disappointed. Tomorrow, as soon as school's over, I'll be here!"

"Sounds good to me, that's the spirit." The principal nods happily at that motivation. "I wish you both a good night. I'll see you tomorrow."

The pair nod, saying goodbye to the principal again. Leaving the office, Doraemon was about to pull out the Anywhere Door, but Nobita stops him.

"I want to take the long way around this time."

The robot looks at his friend for a second and smiles, leaving his pocket alone. They didn't even use the takecopters or Kirichan, the broom. They were both walking toward Betakoi House, the path lined with grass and flowers. The first stars of the night and the moon were already in a sky that was slowly darkening.

Nobita and Doraemon were walking home together, until the boy looked up at the sky, staring at the stars, which reminded him of something. "Doraemon. What's a stellar being? You said you read about them in the books in the principal's office."

"Basically, it's a fragment of the goddess of magic" Doraemon says as they both walked.

"A fragment? So there's a mini-goddess walking around Japan?"

Doraemon laughs. "Something like that, unlike wizards and renegades, stellar beings possess stellar power, excuse the redundancy. It's the power that goes beyond the mystical and the dark, since it originates directly from the goddess. With that power, there are no limits to the level of magic, or so they say. I've never seen a stellar being, or at least I think so."

"You think so?" The clumsy boy asks.

"Stellar beings only arrive on Earth like meteorites once every 200 years to explore, and when they get bored, they return to space. They take on the appearance of anyone, like shapeshifters. They like to take on their own appearances to blend in with the wizards, since in renegade territories there are more dangers, like dark beings or the evil sorcerer's group."

"I see. I don't know why the shapeshifter thought I was a stellar being. She talked about taking my place to explore the world and all that. I guess she doesn't know I'm a H.M.B and confused me." Nobita shrugs.

Doraemon stops, looking up. At that moment, Yuki appears from behind a bush near the path. She smiles when she sees that Nobita is okay and is about to run towards them, but...

"Now that I realize it, that day in the forest when we were attacked, we both saw the same creature when we survived the golem attack. I think it was actually a star being who saved us." Nobita also stops in his tracks.

"That makes sense! I mean, blue-feathered phoenixes are extremely rare. Even with your mystical ability, the odds of encountering one are 1 in 10. Plus, its features resemble what the books say; an almost humanoid being formed from the universe itself."

"Are you saying that to save us the stellar being transformed into the blue phoenix?!"

Yuki is startled to hear Nobita's words. She worries a little, thinking she's been discovered and that he'd be scared of her.

"With that appearance in the dream and the very low probability of a blue phoenix, it's VERY possible that we might inadvertently encounter such a creature." Doraemon crosses his arms in surprise.

"Still, I wish I could have gotten to know her better. She seemed very kind, and if she helped us, it's because she cared about our safety." Yuki is again surprised to hear this, but not out of fear.

"If she's someone who just wants to explore our world, what's the harm? She's probably even made friends while she's here. I wouldn't want the bad guys to want to hurt someone who helped us even though she wanted to hide."

Nobita looks back at the night sky, now even more filled with stars. The little girl with the bear starts to get emotional. "I hope one day we can see her again and thank her. And who knows?"

He can't help but smile, remembering the dream, now a vision from another world, remembering the stellar being's smile. "We could even be her friends, although with what she did that time, I think we already are."

Yuki's eyes lit up as tears welled up in her eyes. She touched her eyes, looking at her little hands soaked with the salty drops. Doraemon and Nobita stared at the sky for a moment, until they heard a small cry.

Turning around, they see little Yuki crying with her teddy bear lying next to her, not out of sadness, she really felt happy to hear those words from the wizard boy whom she considered an older brother.

"Yuki!" Nobita ran over to her, kneeling down to comfort her. "What's wrong? What are you doing standing here? Why are you crying?"

"Wow, with how calm she usually is most of the time, seeing her cry like that is something new." Doraemon takes out a tissue, gives it to Nobita, and he wipes her tears while calming the little girl.

"Were you worried that something might have happened to us with the shapeshifter and came to see us? Don't worry, we're fine, I'm fine."

"nobitaaaa!" Yuki couldn't help but hug the clumsy boy. More than because he's okay, it was because of those kind words that were indirectly meant for her.

"Thanks for worrying, Yuki. It's still early. Do you want me to read your favorite story to you at home?" Nobita picks up the teddy bear from the floor and gives it to the little girl. "I owe you after everything that happened. You helped me get there."

Yuki stops crying and nods, smiling slightly. So, taking the little girl's hand, the silly boy resumes his walk with the robot cat.

Later that night, Professor Tsubame, Yuki's adoptive mom, appeared at the entrance of Betakoi House. She had been called because the little girl had fallen asleep on Nobita's shoulder, who was reading her favorite story on some furniture in the lobby.

She held her teddy bear while she slept, which was a sweet gesture for those who saw her there.

Once Yuki is being taken away by her mother, Nobita and Doraemon finish the night in their respective places. Hajime is still downstairs reviewing some textbooks in the study room.

"Isn't it great?" Doraemon says from his space in the closet. "You're finally going to learn how to use Estera."

"It is." Nobita stares at the ceiling with bright eyes. He's without his glasses and wearing his pajamas, tucked into his bed. "As soon as I can do it properly, I'll be ready to fulfill my promise to my grandma."

"It's nice of you to say that's the reason you're looking forward to the School Trip more than ever. If you want, I can help you organize it. That way, we'll be ready."

Nobita nods at Doraemon's proposal. "Thank you, I really want this to go well. Just remembering that I'm closer to reuniting with her every day makes my heart race. I want her to see that in the good wizard I've become. Or rather, a decent wizard" he says, chuckling.

"Little by little, you're learning and putting in the effort; that makes you a good wizard like the others."

The pair yawn at the same time. Since the lights are off, they both settle in. "Goodnight, Nobita."

"Goodnight, Doraemon." They both fall asleep in an instant.

At Urutogon House, some students were already asleep, others were preparing for the next day, and some were enjoying the services offered by the house, which seemed more like a five-star hotel.

Since each student had their own room thanks to dimensional magic, unlike the other houses, Dekisugi was reading some books in one of the rooms, soaking up more knowledge; that was his way of having fun.

His room was somewhat simple, unlike the rest, but filled with a few books, maps, and scrolls he had obtained.

Some were in different languages. Thanks to his Multimedia ability, he could read and understand other languages, including the language of the archaic runes and direct runes.

A skill that suited him well; he was already talented in his own right; being able to understand other languages opened the door to more knowledge, something that excited him.

The clever boy picked up his crystalpad from the desk, startled. "Oh, is it so late already? I'd gotten so lost in these texts about the runes of the star ruins that time has taken me by surprise."

Getting up, he yawned, covering his mouth, and walked to his bed. "Eight hours of sleep are important for a good day."

But as he first approached the light switch to turn it off, he heard a noise, like footsteps.

Turning around calmly so as not to alert anyone to a possible danger, Dekisugi carefully examines his room. "There's no mistake, I heard footsteps."

Again, footsteps outside one of the windows. Dekisugi looks at that window and notices a white cat walking by, which gets scared and runs away across the roof.

A relief for the boy, who goes over to close the window and turn off the light.

Liing down on his bed, he falls asleep. Although something seemed to be watching him in the corner.

Something couldn't take its eyes off him.

/A SHADOW-LIKE HUMANOID FIGURE WHOSE HYPER-REALIST BUT UNBLINKING EYES WERE STARING POWERFULLY AT THE ROOM'S TEMPORARY OWNER./

"Im 'iens ut perdat vitam tuam"

(I'm going to ruin your life)

Chapter Text

A week has passed since the shapeshifter incident. The M.C.G found nothing on her, though she's returned to her spy life as third-year Asami. The cellar and encyclopedia were more magically protected, so it would be harder for Sheipu to steal them now.

But leaving that aside, something new was about to happen at the Mystic Academy.

At the Betakoi House, Hanz gives Doraemon a box with a bow at the reception desk.

"Hanz, I swear to Andromeda, if it's another Surprise Mouse, I won't hesitate to use the air cannon." The robot cat narrows his eyes in alert, apparently having been tricked by a trick involving a Surprise Box and a mouse.

The lanky one laughs mockingly. "Come on, come on, what happened a little while ago was a joke. This is the real box."

Doraemon takes the golden box with the red ribbon, opens it briefly, and sighs in relief. "Yes, this is the one." He even looked surprised when he saw the contents. "Wow, I think he'll like what's in here."

"So when are you going to give it to him?" The android dressed as a circus ringmaster looks at the blue cat.

Doraemon puts the gift box away. "I'll wait for the right time for that."

The time on the wall clock was noticed by the pair of robots. They also see some Betakoi students entering. "Oh, school ended a while ago and they're already returning. Tomorrow is Friday. Maybe tomorrow we'll return to Tokyo to spend the weekend there like last week."

"Though I think Nobita was going straight to the principal's office today. He's taken learning the Estera spell seriously."

"Well, he has good reason. It's an interesting lighting spell." Hanz sits down to pour some wine into his glass.

"I think I'll go see him now to see how he's doing." Doraemon takes out his takecopter, but sees Hajime coming in, but he seems irritated; he usually has a neutral expression.

"Uh, and that reaction? It's not typical for him." The antisocial boy walks past, saying something like

["Dekisugi can't be so soft now."]

Doraemon looks at Hajime heading for the elevator, but he could hear that "Dekisugi? Has something happened to him?"

"Isn't that the kind and talented boy from Urutogon who helped clean up on the first day of school because of the prank at his house?" Hanz takes a sip of wine. "Wow, in the 22nd century, there aren't any good wines like those from this era."

"Yeah, that's him. And now that I think about it, Nobita told me that Dekisugi has been failing in class lately. His spells aren't working, he keeps falling off his broom, and he even made a booster potion he and Shizuka were making in class explode."

"His performance this week is even worse than it was Nobita's first week, so I see he's had a bad day today too." Doraemon scratches his head in confusion.

"Nobita and Shizuka tried to talk to him to find out what was wrong, but they told me he didn't want to say what was wrong and kept avoiding their company. Although I don't know what Hajime has to do with this to make him so upset."

Hanz looks through a projector catalog for a selection of wines. "It's obvious, isn't it? The lonely boy considers the talented boy an academic rival for being one of the most outstanding. That charismatic boy isn't competitive, but the other one is, and perhaps he's annoyed at having to surpass him so easily and effortlessly as before."

Doraemon is startled. Hanz was right about that. Hajime feels like Dekisugi was disrespecting him by slacking off at the Academy. So the robot cat leaves the house, puts on his takecopter, and flies off, heading straight for the Academy.

Meanwhile, at the Academy, in the principal's office, Nobita had his eyes closed, trying to concentrate on keeping a small group of stars in the sky, but he immediately got distracted, causing the stars to disappear.

The principal watched with his hand on his chin. "What's wrong, Young Nobi? Yesterday you kept the stars alive for longer. Is something bothering you?"

Nobita sat down in the chair in front of the desk, somewhat nervous. "Sorry, Mr. Principal, it's just... It's Dekisugi."

"I thought so. He's one of my most outstanding and talented students. I haven't seen someone like that in a while, but he's been failing even the simplest spells, and his grades this week are lower than they were at the beginning of the school year until last week. It's good that you're worried about your friend."

The old man sat in his swivel chair while making some tea, without using magic as he liked. "Well, I won't deny that I was also a little jealous of him for personal reasons."

"But little by little, he grew closer to me, and I liked that, especially because he always treated me like a friend, unlike those who walked all over me to make themselves feel better. Doraemon is my best buddy, but Shizuka and Dekisugi are my closest friends from school."

"He even supported me when he heard about the trauma from the Entingos years ago and visited me in the hospital."

Nobita recalls the time after the Entigo attack when Dekisugi came to his hospital room because he was still under observation, he had lent him one of his favorite books, one about Mars, and also accompanied the silly boy when he even remembered the Entigo and cried hard.

"At the Academy, it's no different. He protected me when I thought the M.C.G were coming for me, believing I was a renegade. He motivated me in the first week. He stood up for me when the administrator wanted to expel me for the accident. He fought with me against the evil sorcerer who stole my mana. I even volunteered to stop him from stealing his."

"I've already tried asking Shizuka what's wrong and trying to fix it. He seems like he wants to tell us, but he just flinches and moves away from us. He's haggard, as if he hasn't slept in days. And when he dozes off, he immediately starts looking around as if he feels watched. I know this because we sit next to each other in class."

"It's like he's afraid of something."

The old man gives him a sip of tea in a ceramic cup, and the boy sips it slowly. "It's good to appreciate friends. It's a somewhat unusual behavior for someone who is always attentive and active. I'll try to talk to him tomorrow because I'm also worried about how a student like him had such a radical change."

"Let's leave today's practice here, Young Nobi. I hope you don't mind if I prioritize Young Dekisugi and his performance this week."

Nobita nods a little, his head down, not because he finished early, but because he was worried about his friend's health. Now he was the one who was there to help him feel better, just like he did during his visit to the hospital. But he didn't know how to do it if the clever boy didn't want to say anything. He responded with a "I'm fine, don't worry."

As the boy gathered his things and said goodbye to Principal Chronos, his mind wandered to how to help Dekisugi. As he left, he ran into Doraemon.

"Nobita! Are you done with Estera's practice so soon?" The robot was confused to see him leaving practice early.

"Doraemon! Y-yes, the principal decided to skip it for today because of Dekisugi. He's worried too." The boy's head was downcast.

They both began walking toward the Academy's main entrance, stopping in front of the Memory Space board, the space used to honor the wizards who passed away during the Academy's tenures, whether they were students, teachers, or staff.

Nobita looks at the photo of the late Nakamura Sota, that boy who was so trapped in pessimism that he didn't count on anyone and decided to give up by intentionally going to a dark forest, knowing there were Entigos, burying his wand halfway through, and letting what happened happen.

"Looking at photos, Nobita?" Mitzuki, the gothic girl and classmate of the silly boy, appears on the scene as always, out of nowhere, scaring those who speak to her with her voice imitating a witch.

"H-h-hi, Mitzuki!" Nobita says, startled by the shock of her sudden appearance.

"I really can't get used to this, stop it!" Doraemon breathes heavily after screaming in fright, while the girl just laughs with her "Kikiki."

"W-what are you doing here? I thought you went to the Aruguma House" Nobita smiles nervously.

"I couldn't leave yet, negative auras were abounding around here, I can smell it. I hope it's a dementor, they're so cuuuuute" Mitzuki smiles darkly, excited, leaving the pair a little uncomfortable.

"It's true, Mitzuki likes spooky things. It doesn't surprise me that she likes dark beings so much" Doraemon sighs tiredly.

"I'm going to search around here a bit, so I'll see you tomorrow, kikiki. Oh, and guys, don't hesitate to find me if you need me." Mitzuki quickly leaves to continue searching for dementors. That sentence left the pair somewhat confused, but the boy with glasses is glad to have a friend like her, despite her peculiarity.

"I'll never understand her tastes" Doraemon had a judging look, Nobita just laughed nervously again.

The clumsy boy's pants pocket rattles, and he takes out his crystalpad. "Suneo? I didn't expect him to really call me sincerely."

With confusion evident on both their faces, Nobita answers, showing Suneo through the crystal, who was looking nervous and a little scared. "Hey Suneo. What happened? Is Gian trying to play a trick on me or something?"

"Hey Nobita, well, actually, I'm calling you through Dekisugi. Or rather, I'll show you."

Suneo was in his room at the Urutogon House. He goes to the window and focuses the crystal on the training yard there. What he sees leaves Nobita and Doraemon dismayed.

In the Urutogon House training grounds, they often hold practice duels to improve their skills.

The problem was that Dekisugi was there, mentally exhausted, but he was participating in a duel that Fuyuto, the troublesome red-haired boy from another class who had almost taken Kaori's earrings, had asked him to participate in... Or rather, forced him to participate.

The clever boy was breathing rapidly; he was weak not only from the duel, but also mentally, and his hand holding his wand was shaking, while Fuyuto just smiled proudly.

"What's wrong, Dekisugi?! Weren't you the best in the first year?! It seems you're not even a shadow of what you once were! Are you giving up?!" says the heavy red-haired boy with spiky hair and an arrogant smile. They were both in ordinary clothes.

"N-no, I-it would be disrespectful to my opponent to throw in the towel, Ogawa." Dekisugi cast the Rocozo spell, but it only threw a pebble to the ground that rolled to Fuyuto's feet.

The redhead and the pair of people who had come to support him, who were from other houses, laughed at him in that state.

"Is that really a Rocozo spell?! I've seen centipedes that move better than what you cast on me." Fuyuto casts an Aquos spell directly at Dekisugi's body, slamming him into a wall of the Urutogon House.

Soaked, Dekisugi collapsed in exhaustion, looking down and closing his eyes.

But...

/Hoc est quod mereris, saevus./

(This is what you deserve, bully)

A black screen image and hyperrealistic eyes appeared in his mind for a second, bringing him back to his senses.

"I'll show you what a real Rocozo spell is. Since we're not in the Academy, I don't think it'll matter if you get hurt a little."

The redhead points directly at Dekisugi, who, kneeling with wand in hand, is looking down.

For the first time, he didn't understand what was happening around him. He felt weak, afraid, powerless to fix his own mind. He didn't feel like himself. He just wanted whatever was going on in his head to end.

Suneo from his window is scared by how he saw Dekisugi, he had never seen him like that. Fuyuto casts the Rocozo spell on his opponent, quickly throwing a sizable rock at Dekisugi.

"DEKISUGIIIIII!"

The clever boy hears a familiar voice. When he opens his eyes, he was stunned to see how it was Nobita who received the stone on the right side of his head to protect him. He had come flying over on his broomstick as soon as he heard from Suneo.

"N-Nobi!" Dekisugi shouts, his face pale and trembling, but Nobita smiles casually, trying to calm him down. It was noticeably hard, even though Fuyuto used only limited force. The blood was oozing from his forehead, running down one of the lenses of his glasses on the side where the rock hit, so the clumsy boy had to close one of his eyes.

"Don't worry, we've even faced golems, this is nothing!" Nobita laughs for a moment, but from the impact of the blow, he slowly loses consciousness, fainting in his friend's arms.

"Nobi, wake up!" It was one of the few times he was truly terrified, shaking his fainted friend. With the state Dekisugi was in due to whatever was affecting him mentally, he even shed a few tears. "NOBITA!"

Doraemon flies over with his takecopter. "Nobita!" yells the blue cat, approaching the pair.

Fuyuto just spits to the side in annoyance. "But it's the weak dwarf Betakoi and his pet raccoon, what a pair of busybodies!"

"I'M NOT A RACCOON!" Doraemon yells, doubly annoyed because he was already annoyed at seeing Nobita with blood on his forehead. "You hurt my pal!"

The redhead shrugs. "The little brat got involved, as always. Betakoi are weaklings. We're at a training camp. It's normal to hurt each other in duels. Just give him a health potion and that's it, crybaby. If you and Dekisugi are going to complain about it, you don't belong at the Academy."

Another surprise: someone grabs the redhead's arm and puts him in a backlock. It was Hajime. Apparently, he was also coming to see Dekisugi. "OUCH, OUCH! You're that guy from last time!"

If the antisocial boy was already irritated, seeing Nobita injured and fainted only made him more upset. "Stay away if you don't want me to break your arm. As you say, you can take a health potion, although broken bones take longer to heal, even with magic" Hajime said in his almost thick, serious voice, a serious and irritated boy.

Fuyuto was about to complain, but Hajime's look on his face set him on edge, so he and his followers walked away. Suneo had also gotten out and approached. Some of Urutogon seemed worried while others continued with their own business. The atmosphere there was different from the friendly atmosphere at Betakoi.

"Nobita, Nobita, wake up!" Normally, Dekisugi would handle the situation more calmly, but in his current state, scared and upset with his friend in his arms, he was even calling him by name.

"That blow knocked him out. We need to give him a health potion and bandage him" Suneo says nervously.

Doraemon takes out the Anywhere Door and puts away Nobita's broom. He had dropped it after receiving the blow. "We need to take him to the Betakoi House and treat his injury. I'll use his crystalpad to call Shizuka. Dekisugi, you come too, and I don't want no for an answer."

The clever boy nods wearily, but feels a shove from Hajime, who takes Nobita and puts him on his back to carry him. "He doesn't need to come. It's not only Ogawa's fault that Nobi is like this."

Hajime said the last thing with a look of intense annoyance on his face that left Dekisugi perplexed.

"This isn't the time for friction!" Doraemon sighs wearily because Hajime has already walked through the door, not caring about anything else. "Don't mind him. They're starting to get along, so he's just a little upset about Nobita. Let's go."

"I'll stay. Hajime scares me a little when he's like this, but I hope Nobita recovers." Suneo scratches the back of his neck nervously.

Dekisugi stands up pale. There was a bit of blood from his friend's forehead on his shirt. His eyes were dull but concerned for him.

/Vide quid ei ob te factum sit. Culpa tua est, culpa tua est./

(Look what happened to him because of you. It's your fault, it's your fault.)

The eerie, almost monstrous voice of whatever was moving in his mind made him tremble. Suneo, who was standing next to him, noticed. "You really look terrible. Why don't you let Nobita and the others help you?"

"N-no, I... Thanks for the advice, Honekawa, but I'm fine." A fake smile spread across Dekisugi's face as he crossed the Anywhere Door.

His mystical ability had become a terrible disadvantage, since although IT seemed to speak to him in another language, Dekisugi could understand it.

And that last thing had hurt his soul.

Chapter Text

At the Betakoi House, Osuke, the representative of the Betakoi House, was with Doraemon, Dekisugi, Hajime, and now Shizuka, who had joined because Doraemon called her.

They watched as Osuke finished bandaging Nobita's forehead after wiping away the blood and treating the wound. The boy was still unconscious in his bed. They were in Nobita and Hajime's room.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. It was a direct hit, but it won't leave any lasting effects, since it's even clear they used the Rocozo spell. We have to let him rest. He'll wake up in a while. When he does, give him some health potion so the wound doesn't hurt, although he will have to wear the bandage for a couple of days." Osuke puts the rest of the bandage in the emergency kit.

"Wow, you knew exactly how to handle that" Doraemon says, surprised.

"With my brothers and cousins who often get hurt, Mom taught me first aid. I hope it helped; after all, among the carp, we help each other."

Osuke smiles and leaves the room. Dekisugi feels Hajime's intense gaze boring into him, but he doesn't care. He wants to approach Nobita, but the antisocial boy gets in the way. "You'd better leave this place."

"Come on, I already told you it's not time for friction now!" Doraemon complains, annoyed.

"It's my room" Hajime says in an annoyed tone.

"And it's also Nobita's room, and therefore mine too. So let's all calm down." Doraemon and Hajime were already arguing, while Dekisugi lowers his head, disappointed in himself for how things had turned out, even though it wasn't his fault.

"It's Dekisugi fault he's like this, you should be upset." Hajime approaches Dekisugi and grabs him by the shirt.

"Stop, Hajime, pull yourself together, Dekisugi's been through a lot!" Shizuka shouts, worried and almost in tears watching them fight.

Nobita regains consciousness for a moment and weakly watches what's happening.

"Are you kidding me?! You're supposed to be someone strong and determined! I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, I don't know what happened to you, but you're letting what you have now affect you and keep you from being yourself! THIS ISN'T YOU! I hate the idea of having to overcome yourself like this! You're supposed to be strong, you're supposed to always know what to do, and you even let yourself be trampled by an idiot who now hurt Nobi!"

Doraemon tries to mediate, but Hajime doesn't listen; he's really irritated. Dekisugi still had his head bowed, even though he felt the weight of those words.

"Nobi matters to me, Ishikawa. More than you think. We're both good friends; don't doubt that I care a lot. But you're right about one thing: I'm letting this get to me. But I can't say what's happening to me, no matter how much I want to."

Shizuka looks sadly at the friend who is only a shadow of the self-confident young man he was. "Why not? We want to help you."

"You don't understand. What's happening to me isn't something that can be solved by talking about it, no matter how much I'd like to say otherwise. Every time I want to say what's happening to me... THAT prevents me."

Hajime lets go of Dekisugi, calming down a little. "Solve your problem as soon as possible, or remain a miserable, resigned man. I don't care, but now I want you to leave this room. Stay away from Nobi, at least not until he recovers."

"W-wait Hajime!"

The four of them turned around and saw Nobita sitting on the edge of the bed, awake but dizzy from the bruise. "Th-this wasn't Dekisugi's fault. I-I wanted to help him, he helped me. We're friends, I can't l-leave him alone with this!"

Upon standing up, the clumsy boy feels dizzy and kneels on the floor. Shizuka approaches to help him and sit him back on the bed. "D-Dekisugi, give me... Give me at least a hint of what's wrong with you, please."

Dekisugi looks Nobita in the eyes. His gaze spoke of how much he wants to tell him what's happening, but he can't; something is stopping him. "I want to tell you, Nobi. I really want to. But I can't get the words out. This is too supernatural, even for a wizard."

"Supernatural." Doraemon looks up, thinking for a moment as Dekisugi is leaving the room. When he sees Nobita's tears in his eyes, he turns around.

"Nobi, I...!"

/Ab eo discede aut efficiam ut tuis manibus utaris ad respirationem amici obsistendum. Sic os claude. Non eget te. Non indiget simili tibi"/

(Stay away from him or I'll make sure your hands stop your friend from breathing. So shut your mouth. He doesn't need you. He doesn't need someone like you.)

THAT, the name Dekisugi gave to what was in his head struck a chord with him, so he turned around. "Get well soon, Nobi. I'm sorry for what happened. For now, I don't want you to be in danger if you're near me, nor Shizuka, nor anyone else" Dekisugi says as she walks out the door.

"Dekisugi!" Nobita tries to get up, but Shizuka stops him.

"You're still dizzy from the blow, Nobita. Sleep for a while, I'll go talk to him, okay?" Shizuka smiles sweetly at him to calm him down.

Nobita nods, lying down on the bed, although he's still sad. Shizuka also leaves the room. "Dekisugi is my close friend, Hajime. You didn't have to be harsh with him; I wanted to take the hit" he says, almost crying.

"I know, that's why I'm harsh with him. You're not the only one who wants him to go back to normal." Hajime sits down on his bed. "I'll keep an eye on him; he's capable of getting up because he doesn't know the limits of his naivety."

Doraemon nods. But an idea crossed his mind, so he approaches Nobita and covers him with the sheet. "At least let him find out what's happening to him so he knows what to do next. I had an idea." The robot cat smiles and winks at him.

"Thanks, Doraemon. I know you can figure it out." Nobita smiles back.

Doraemon runs out of the room. Hajime notices Nobita smiling at him too. "Thanks for worrying about me and Dekisugi. But you don't have to compete with him even to be my friend." The clumsy boy can't help but joke, saying that last bit.

"You're still dizzy, you're saying nonsense" Hajime closes his eyes, looking away.

Nobita chuckles softly. "You're so different from the first week, now you're even interacting more, and not just with me."

"I repeat, you're dizzy. Go to sleep." Hajime continues to look away, though he can't help but put aside his irritated mood and return to his neutral self.

At the entrance of the Betakoi House, Dekisugi is standing there with Shizuka, who doesn't want him to leave. "You have to tell us what's wrong! I'm worried, Nobita is worried, you're not the same as always!"

"I... I'm sorry, Shizuka. This isn't something you guys can help with, but if I contain it, I can prevent something terrible from happening. I hope you understand. See you tomorrow."

But just as he was about to leave, the Anywhere Door appeared in front of him, with Doraemon stepping out to prevent him from leaving.

"I'm sorry, but we're not going to let you leave" Doraemon crosses his arms, squinting.

"Please, Doraemon. You can't perform an intervention on me" Dekisugi says tiredly.

The blue cat smiles. "Do you want to try? Give us a chance; I know how we can help you."

"Really?!" Dekisugi and Shizuka ask in unison.

"Really. Although I'm a little nervous about having to go with this idea, it's the most feasible." Doraemon takes out the tracking stick. "First, you have to start from somewhere, and to do that, we have to find an expert in the supernatural."

Dekisugi didn't agree at first, but he remembered how Nobita protected him and how he asked him to tell him what was happening to him, so, still hesitant, he accepts Doraemon's help.

The three of them, guided by the tracking stick, head toward a particular destination: a group of rocks almost near the sea. The body of the sea hits a cliff not far from the group of rocks.

Shizuka notices the curious rocks. "These rocks look like coal."

"They look like spiritual rocks. I've heard that ghosts often visit them on full moon nights, where there are usually a large number of rocks like these." Doraemon looks around, putting away the tracking stick.

"And who are we looking for?" the girl with pigtails asks curiously.

"Me" Mitzuki appears in her gothic dress, surprising the trio. Since Dekisugi is on his last legs, he collapses to the floor from exhaustion.

"Mitzuki! You're Mitzuki, aren't you?" It was only natural for her to ask that, after what happened with Sheipu.

"I'm not the shapeshifter, if that's what you meant. But I would have liked to meet her. Seeing a dark being in person is an impressive sight." The goth girl laughs like a witch.

"Dekisugi, I see you're here too. But it's not a good place for a nap. Well, it's for me."

"Good afternoon, Ishikawa." Dekisugi slowly gets up. "It's an... interesting environment you're in."

"I like places where ghosts might be, and spirit rocks are a good ingredient for spectral-throwing potions, kikiki." Mitzuki laughs softly.

"Mitzuki, we need your help. You're an expert in supernatural things, and we need to know what's wrong with Dekisugi and how to cure him" Doraemon says worriedly.

"I thought so. Your negative energy this week is giving you a good vibe for me, Dekisugi. Although I know it's causing you problems, even Hajime is upset because you're not at your best. What's wrong with you?" The goth girl sits on a rock, interested in this.

"The problem is, he won't say anything, and that's why we have no idea how to help him." The other three also sit on other rocks. "The three of us came because Nobita is resting."

"Resting? From what?" Mitzuki raises an eyebrow.

Shizuka sighs deeply. "You see..."

She tells her friend what happened a few hours ago, delving into things Dekisugi was going through, like how he was afraid to tell the truth even though he was willing to.

"I missed something, huh? I hope Nobita recovers." Mitzuki stands up. "Well, from what you told me, I have a hunch about what might be happening to Dekisugi, but to be sure, I need to analyze him. My things are in Aruguma."

"I can help you with that." Doraemon takes a pretty red bag out of his pocket. "It's the recovery bag. You can bring whatever you want from anywhere. Just put your hand in there, thinking about what you want, and you'll be able to bring it back."

Mitzuki rubs her hands with a twinkle in his eye, taking the bag. "This saves me a lot. If it's what I think it is, it'll be VERY interesting."

Shizuka looks at Mitzuki, taking out some things. "I think she's the only one who's happy about this. It makes sense if she likes dementors." She couldn't help but smile nervously.

"I appreciate the effort, really, but I really can't tell you what's going on. I even think it's best if Nobi and I stay away from each other for a while." Dekisugi sighs tiredly.

"UH?! Why do you say that? You're friends!" Shizuka was stunned to hear that.

"Nobita appreciates you, and you've helped each other in some situations, like what happened just now" Doraemon says.

"That's why I don't want him near me." Dekisugi was breaking out in a cold sweat at the threat posed by THAT to the silly boy's life. "He was hit by a rock to defend me because I was too vulnerable and weak to defend myself. I'm afraid something else might happen to him if he's near me with all this going on."

"But why specifically with Nobita?" Doraemon asks curiously.

"I... I don't know exactly. But I just want him to be okay." Dekisugi refuses to say the real reason, fearing the threat, which was more for his friend's life than for his own safety.

Although he genuinely had no idea why THAT had now turned against his friendship with Nobita, and why he thought that friendship was harmful to the clumsy boy. He also didn't understand why that thing called him a bully.

"It doesn't matter if you don't want to say it, I'll find the reason on my own." Mitzuki takes out some purple stones. "Get up."

The clever boy stands up. Mitzuki makes a circle around him with the purple stones, then uses her wand to cast levition and place four spirit stones at the four cardinal points around the stone circle.

"Stand back a little, there'll be fire in between." Mitzuki smiles strangely. It was her happy smile; she was enjoying it.

Doraemon and Shizuka step aside. "You're not going to burn Dekisugi, are you?" Shizuka says worriedly.

"No, it's because the stones will ignite. I made a spectral analysis circle with sensory stones. I'll throw fire at the four spirit stones. If it's what I think it is and they react as I think, Dekisugi could be under the effect of a curse."

"A curse?! But how?! From whom?! And why?!" the robot cat asks, astonished.

"That's what we're going to find out now."

The black-haired gothic girl throws fire at the spirit stones. The color was ordinary, until it changes to a deep, almost reddish purple. The flames were almost the size of the boy.

"That color, I see. Shizuka, use Aquos to put out the flames. We don't want any witches burned, the flames are so big. Or rather, wizards? Kikiki." From the recovery bag, she takes out a book on spectral entities and begins searching for a specific page.

Shizuka takes out her wand and uses Aquos to put out the flames on the stones. Dekisugi sits down, tired because he hasn't slept well in days.

"Tell me, Dekisugi. Trouble sleeping at night? Lack of oxygen in the early morning?" The boy nods at these questions.

"DO YOU SEE SPECTRES IN HALLUCINATIONS, LIKE HUMANOID SHADOWS?"

Dekisugi looks to the side, which, although he doesn't say anything, it was also an affirmative response for the gothic girl.

Mitzuki writes everything down in a notebook, nodding. "Yeah, you definitely have a curse."

Doraemon and Shizuka are stunned by this, although it explains some unusual behavior.

"Does Dekisugi have a curse? Was he bewitched by another wizard?" Shizuka asks worriedly.

"The purple flames with a reddish hue mean two things. The purple hue means it wasn't a wizard or a renegade who bewitched him, but rather a spirit."

"So it's a ghost making Dekisugi's life miserable?" Doraemon is still shocked.

The goth girl nods, a mixture of nerves and excitement. "And not just any ghost."

"Because the reddish hue also means it's a Vengeful Spirit."

Chapter Text

"I-I thought so." Dekisugi sighs tiredly, but he doesn't want to talk any further. "I've had a tough time these days. I feel a great pressure of other people's hatred."

"And it shows. The smell of sulfur indicates a very bad spectral presence that's at critical levels. So that's what I smelled today in class." Mitzuki is disappointed as she shows an almost feline smile. "And I thought it was a dementor, that's why I was searching like crazy all over the Academy."

"Maybe you're afraid of what would happen if you told us this, right?" Dekisugi looks away from what Shizuka asked, which only answers affirmatively.

"Yeah, vengeful spirits tend to do that. This one is like it wants revenge for something related to Dekisugi. Have you been bad?" Mitzuki chuckles.

"Dekisugi would never do anything to hurt others. I don't know what that question is about." The girl with pigtails seemed a little irritated. "Why would a spirit want to do something to him? That doesn't make sense."

"Don't ask me that. I'm not a psychologist, and I don't know who the spirit that possessed Dekisugi was. But one thing's for sure."

"This seems to be one of those spirits that won't rest until he's driven to the brink of madness or killed. Whichever comes first."

Mitzuki shrugs, and the other three froze at the goth girl's grim diagnosis. The situation was more serious than they thought. The spirit wanted to kill him, and they had no idea why.

"Right now, Nobita would say something like [WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, THAT SPIRIT HAS NO RIGHT TO BE BOTHERING HIM!] with a determined and irritated face" Doraemon made gestures while trying to imitate Nobita's voice.

Doraemon puts his hands in his pocket. "I don't like having to use gadgets too much instead of you using your magic, but this is too much for you."

Mitzuki smashes the recovery bag in Doraemon's face. "We're not going to use your unusual items. We'll do it my way."

"Can you possibly expel the vengeful spirit from Dekisugi's life?" Shizuka flinches, and the goth girl laughs confidently.

"Exorcism, spiritual intervention! We're going to have a night of spiritualism." The little goth girl was determined; she wanted to be the one to save Dekisugi. It was as if she'd been waiting for this moment ever since she regained consciousness.

Dekisugi puts his hand to his face. "It's unheard of that I need an exorcism to rid myself of a spirit that's willing to do anything to see me suffer. It would be better to go to Principal Chronos. I'm already too tired to try to hold it back, as if I'm at my limit."

"You need it, you need it. A plan came to mind, no Principal Chronos or the M.C.G. We could make things worse, we'll play those cards when everything gets chaotic." Mitzuki approaches Dekisugi, looking him straight in the eyes.

"If we don't do this carefully and alert more people, the spirit will retaliate irrevocably. It'll already be a little furious from my intervention. And believe me, it's not pretty when they get angrier. So, Seance Night or Seance Night."

The smart guy snorts. There was some truth in those words, for some reason he was avoiding further talk. "Okay, Ishikawa. Seance Night."

"yaaaay" Mitzuki says loudly, which was like a normal voice.

"It sounds scary, but with Mitzuki leading the way, I think we can help Dekisugi get rid of that evil spirit tormenting him." Shizuka couldn't help but feel nervous, but she trusted her peculiar friend.

"And how are we going to free him from the spirit?" Doraemon asks, slightly hesitant.

"Tomorrow is a full moon night, perfect for a seance. We need a place to contact the spirit; we'll use it to manifest the vengeful spirit."

"We can talk to the spirit to find out who it was before and why it bewitched Dekisugi and ask it to leave peacefully, right?"

Mitzuki looks at Shizuka for a moment and snorts deeply. "Shizuka, I won't deny that you're a good girl. BUT it's a vengeful spirit. Maybe we can interrogate it as soon as we summon it to learn more about it and why it chose to torment Dekisugi."

"But it obviously won't want to leave peacefully, so when we summon it, we'll trap it in a spirit-trapping circle; it won't come out. We'll extract the information and use a spell to send it to the afterlife."

"Actually, there are two methods to command it. The first is to bring it peace so the spirit disappears, convincing it that it has no reason to take revenge on Dekisugi. But come on, it's obvious that's not going to happen, it doesn't have VENGEFUL in its name for nothing." Mitzuki let out a small sigh.

"But we could try it, right?" Shizuka clasped her hands together.

"...Fine, whatever. But since it won't work, we'll use the other method after that, which is to force its departure to the afterlife. There's a spell called Hollow that works to hurt ghosts since ghosts and spirits resist other spells, but they feel weakness against that spectral casting spell. It's like using Electrum, but it's purple rays instead of blue."

"I think it also works to combat Entigos and weaken them, since they're technically Wendigo ghosts, but you have to spend a lot of mana on them since they're among the most resistant specters."

Doraemon pays attention to new information about the Entigos, he wanted to learn as much as he could from them in case of any emergency, especially since they are the source of Nobita's trauma.

"Once we weaken the spirit, we'll use an expulsion talisman so that the spirit is taken to the afterlife. We have to make sure it's weakened because if we use the talisman the first time, it won't work. And that's it, we'll have Dekisugi curse-free."

"Well, we already have a plan. The bad thing is you'll have to wait until tomorrow night since there isn't a full moon today. And I think it's better; tomorrow is Friday, which means many of the faction houses will be going to their cities for the weekend, so we won't attract as many curious onlookers."

"We're going to use our classroom at the Academy. It doesn't have cameras to avoid any trouble with the sensei, and we'll be able to catch him there. I have a feeling, and we could corroborate it there." Mitzuki jots down the steps of the plan in a notebook.

Dekisugi sighs. It was another sleepless night of suffering. At least one more and he'd be free of the vengeful spirit. He felt out of place because he couldn't do anything.

But that wasn't going to stop him. After what happened with Nobita, he also wanted to be able to do something for himself, even if he wasn't at 100%.

"Ishikawa. Do you know how to cast the Hollow spell?" the clever boy asks, his eyes dark under his eyes and tired, but determined.

"I've been practicing it from a book, even though we don't have to learn it until next week in spell class. If you're interested, I have the book for you to learn too. If the spirit is too aggressive, we'll need some wands. But can you handle it? You can barely stay lucid."

Dekisugi nods. "I don't want to stay locked away while you guys take risks. I may not be at my normal capacity, but I'll do everything in my power to save myself. I owe it to Nobi and your cousin."

"I'll learn that spell too. We'll be ready to free you from that vengeful spirit" Shizuka says determinedly.

"Same here" Doraemon pats his chest. "I can't use magic, but I have the gadgets. And I'm sure Nobita will want to do it too."

Dekisugi lowers his head sadly, causing Doraemon to snort. "Look, Dekisugi, I understand wanting to protect Nobita after what happened and being afraid of the spirit retaliating. But come on, you know he won't just sit idly by."

"You have a point. I can't stop him. He tends to charge forward like nothing's happening despite his fear, but he does it for good reasons." Dekisugi can't help but chuckle.

"Sometimes I think he's too naive for his own good. I like that about him, and it worries me at the same time. That's why I want to get rid of this and prevent anything else from happening to him, Shizuka, and my classmates."

"I understand what you mean about his naivety" Doraemon smiles nervously. "For now, let's go back to the Betakoi House. I hope Nobita is awake by now."

With the Anywhere Door open, the three of them were now with Mitzuki, who was going to help them learn the spell for tomorrow night. And yes, not only was Nobita already awake and lucid, but they had to explain the situation and the plan to him. Hajime was still in the room, so he also heard.

"A-A-A-A-A! A VENGEFUL SPIRIT?!" Despite the progress he was making, Nobita couldn't help but tremble in fear because there were ghosts in the mix. "I can't help getting nervous because they're ghosts!"

And it was true; he was trembling in fear, his face blue. "So you're not going to help?" Doraemon asks, jokingly just to annoy him.

The silly boy shakes his head in denial. He was afraid of ghosts, but he was more afraid of losing a friend. "O-of course I'll help. I'll also learn that electrum for ghosts!"

"Its name is Hollow, Nobi" says Dekisugi who was sitting next to him while Shizuka was sitting next to Hajime who had his eyes closed and his arms crossed.

"Yeah, but the point is, I'll also help! WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, THAT SPIRIT HAS NO RIGHT TO BE BOTHERING HIM!" Nobita exclaims with an irritated yet determined look.

"And there it is, I told you he would say that" The robot cat smiles proudly at having guessed.

"Me too" Hajime opens his eyes. "If that fixes Dekisugi once and for all, I'll do it. Besides, learning Hollow will come in handy in an emergency."

"I also knew you'd say that. You're not so bitter anymore, but wanting to be a powerful wizard doesn't change anything." Mitzuki laughs softly like a witch.

"I didn't ask for your opinion" The antisocial boy looks away.

"Are you going to help us with this, Hajime?" Shizuka asks excitedly.

"Don't get me wrong, I just want a challenge again." Yes, indifference as always towards others.

"I know you care as much as we do, Hajime." Nobita laughs at that. Hajime just remained in his antisocial and indifferent mood, but in a lower tone.

"Then we should start learning and practicing Hollow by tomorrow night. We won't let that spirit get away with it anymore!" Nobita stands up, very motivated, and Shizuka supports him. It was time to turn the tables on that evil spirit.

Mitzuki leans a little closer to Doraemon. "Hey..." The goth girl whispers something that surprises Doraemon, but he nods with a serious look. It seemed there was something else going on.

So, for the rest of the day, the group of wizards learned how to use the spell against ghosts and practice it in the courtyard. Unlike the Urutogon students, the Betakoi students were kinder and even offered them juice, despite not knowing the context of the training.

As expected, Hajime learned the spell without any problems. Shizuka still had to practice a little more. Mitzuki, being a lover of darkness, also mastered it without a problem.

Even Nobita, who struggled to use a spell the first time, was able to handle the new spell somewhat, since it was similar to Electrum, his signature spell, and he was able to learn how to use it.

The only one who faltered with the spell was Dekisugi for obvious reasons: sleep problems, nerves, and a racing heart from the fear the spirit was giving him because of the curse. He was able to learn it, but just barely.

Doraemon was searching for something in Nobita and Hajime's room while they practiced. At the end of the day, Shizuka and Mitzuki said goodbye to Nobita; tomorrow was another day of school. Hajime stayed in the courtyard to continue practicing.

Dekisugi was about to leave when Nobita approached with Doraemon, carrying a pair of sleeping bags he'd brought from the room and the Anywhere Door. "What's the point of the sleeping bags? The School Trip is still a long way off."

"What do you mean, what's the point of the sleeping bags? We'll sleep in your room, genius." Nobita patted Dekisugi on the back, who was surprised to hear that.

He started shaking his hands, upset. "N-n-no, it's not necessary. I know the room is big, but I don't want THAT to do anything to you."

"It's on Mitzuki's recommendation. The spirit might go a little crazy now that it knows we know about its existence. So that you don't hurt yourself anymore because of the spirit's influence, we'll sleep in your room tonight to take care of you" Doraemon said, stopping the anywhere door on the floor.

"Doraemon has my uniform, my broom and my backpack in his pocket, plus we have the Anywhere Door, we'll use it to enter your room and to go straight to the Academy tomorrow, that way those from Urutogon won't know we were there, I know they are very territorial when it comes to those from Betakoi, at least some like Fuyuto" Nobita smiles carefree.

"Although I would like to say a couple of things to him for having hurt you." Doraemon narrows his eyes.

"But Nobi-" The clumsy one interrupts his friend by putting his hand in front of him.

"Relax, even Suneo will help us by letting us know just in case. So don't worry. We'll just go, don't be silly. You need help even the day before the session."

Nobita pouts in annoyance... It was strange to see the silly boy scolding the clever boy; it was something you'd only see the other way around. Even Doraemon couldn't help but chuckle at the scene; he found it pleasant because of the concern the two had for each other.

A long sigh escaped Dekisugi's mouth. "You win, Nobi, but if something terrible happens, you have to leave.I don't want anything to happen to you because of the spirit."

Nobita and Doraemon nod, and the robot cat opens the Anywhere Door directly to Dekisugi's room in the Urutogon House.

As the pair pass through the door, Dekisugi smiles slightly. Although he was tired and dejected, he was very grateful to have friends like Nobita.

Quietly and unhurriedly, the boy entered through the door. The gloomy spirit with hyperrealistic eyes was watching from under a tree.

/Monui te/

(I warned you)

Chapter Text

It was already nighttime at Urutogon House, and as much as Doraemon and Nobita wanted to explore the place, they knew it was already very late, and wandering around at that hour would attract attention, especially since they were from Betakoi.

So they simply spent the night in Dekisugi's room, opening their sleeping bags on the floor near Dekisugi's bed to take care of him in case the spirit bothered him.

They each took a shower in the room's bathroom. Miraculously, even Suneo left them food from the dining room, which Nobita and Doraemon enjoyed, although Dekisugi was cursed by the vengeful spirit, so the food tasted bland.

Although he was grateful for Nobita and Doraemon's gesture of looking after him, the threat lingered in his thoughts.

"Dekisugi" the clever boy reacted to his clumsy friend's call, turning to look at him. They were both in pajamas, it was late, and Doraemon had already fallen asleep in his sleeping bag. "Are you thinking about the spirit?"

"Yes" Dekisugi said, taking a deep breath. "I know there's a solution to this, but I'm worried about what it's trying to do. I don't know why it wants to hurt me, but it's very determined to ruin my life."

Nobita couldn't help but feel saddened by his friend's sorry state, going from a strong, confident, and gifted boy to someone who always looked over his shoulder, weak and depressed.

"Tomorrow we'll find out why it's doing this to you. Everything will be fine."

The clumsy little boy's determined look makes Dekisugi smile again. "And to think we weren't close before. We were friends when we were younger, then you drifted away when we started school, but over time, you grew closer again. Now at the Academy, I'm more grateful than ever that you decided to rekindle our friendship."

"You see me more as a friend than a prodigy who's expected to always be perfect. I know our ideas of fun are different; you like reading comics, I like books. You like sleeping and playing with string, I like watching documentaries and learning new things."

Nobita chuckles softly. "Yes, I admit that during the time I was away, I was a little jealous of that, but even remembering that you were there for me during the most traumatic moment of my life, I think I realized I was making a mistake in letting myself get carried away by the jealousy I should have felt toward you."

Both boys look at each other for a while. Nobita moves his hands nervously. "Too honest? Sorry."

"I appreciate that honesty." Dekisugi smiles slightly. They both yawn. "It's time to sleep, you know..."

"Eight hours of sleep are important for a good day. I know, I know." Nobita shrugs. "You already sound like yourself, in part. Just let me know when that horrible ghost bothers you, okay?"

Dekisugi nods, then climbs into bed since Nobita's sleeping bag is next to him. The silly boy gets up to turn off the light. "Good night, Nobi."

"Good night, Dekisugi."

Nobita turns off the light with a smile, approaches the sleeping bag, gets in, settles in, takes off his glasses, and goes to sleep.

Dekisugi takes one last look at the sleeping pair. For the first time this week, he feels comfortable enough to rest, so he does.

Time passes; it's 3 a.m. Everything seems to be in order in the room.

Nobita wakes up, putting on his glasses to go to the bathroom. It was common for him to wake up in a short amount of time for that.

Once he'd finished his business and washed his hands, he left the bathroom, though he felt a slight chill run through his body. "W-we're not in cold weather yet" he said, hugging himself.

He ignored it for now, though, as he returned to his sleeping bag.

But just as he was about to take off his glasses again, a shadow stood beside him. The moonlight was shining through the window, so that was noticeable.

Looking up, he saw that Dekisugi was the one standing beside him. His eyes were dull, as they had been before from tiredness and stress, but they were empty.

"D-Dekisugi? What hap-?"

But the silly boy couldn't say anything else because his friend pounced on him, his hands going for the clumsy boy's neck.

He grabbed him, beginning to gasp the protagonist. Nobita couldn't believe he was specifically choking him. "D-Dekisugi, l-let me go, w-wake up!"

What was worse was that no matter how much he resisted, the clever boy didn't move or even blink. For someone who was weak, he was having a lot of strength to resist.

The bespectacled boy tried to reach for his wand but couldn't. He then tried to scream for Doraemon and kicked as best he could to wake him up because he was running out of air and couldn't scream.

"I hate you, Nobita." Dekisugi began to smile crookedly, but his eyes began to shed tears, just like Nobita's.

"You and I aren't friends. We never were. You're just a nuisance. Why don't you just stop dreaming of being a wizard? You never will be. You should stay away from me, because I can't stand you."

Those words hurt the clumsy boy, and he began to cry, until he saw his friend crying again as he choked him.

"Y-You're not Dekisugi..."

Nobita, tearing up and gasping for air, raises his voice as best he can, annoyed and tearful. "YOU'RE THAT THING THAT'S FORCING HIM TO SAY ALL THE THINGS HE WOULD NEVER SAY!"

"N-nobi, h-h-h-help"

Dekisugi tried to regain control of himself. And just in time, he received a blow that knocked him to the ground, leaving Nobita to take a deep breath and sit up in confusion.

With the scream, Doraemon woke up and tackled Dekisugi before Nobita could be suffocated.

"Nobita! Are you okay?!" Doraemon sees the strangulation marks on Nobita's neck, panicking. "Why did Dekisugi want to strangle you?!"

"I-it wasn't Dekisugi" Nobita breathes quickly, regaining his speech and air. "That thing, the spirit possessed him to do that to me!"

The silly boy gets up and goes straight to his friend, who has become unconscious. Apparently, the tackle brought him out of his trance and he fainted, so he sighs in relief. "Looks like he's gone back to sleep, thank goodness."

"I feel like the rest of the night will be a drag." Doraemon also sighs, approaches, and carries Dekisugi on his back. "I'll take him to his bed. I doubt that spirit will possess him again, but I'll tie his arms just in case."

As Doraemon went to put the unfortunate man in his bed, Nobita just looked at his friend sadly, touching his own neck. He didn't understand why the ghost made him do that, but it motivated him even more to get to the bottom of the mystery of the spirit and its motivations.

Not only that, the spirit was also staring at everything in a corner, with its hyperrealistic, fulminating eyes.

/Ille saevus impunitus non erit, etiam si TE intercederet/

(That tyrant will not go unpunished, even if YOU intercede)

Friday morning arrived; luckily, nothing happened other than the possession. Dekisugi slowly woke up. He slept peacefully the rest of the night, although he noticed two things.

The first was that his hands were tied behind his back, and his legs too. And the second was that Nobita and Doraemon were sitting, sleeping and snoring, shoulder to shoulder, one with his wand in his hand and the other with the air cannon equipped.

The pair woke up with slight dark circles under their eyes and their noses popping. They woke up when they heard Dekisugi call them. Both with tired eyes, they approached each other smiling so the clever boy wouldn't worry anymore.

"W-what happened, Nobi? I remember falling asleep. Why am I tied up?"