Kaya couldn't help but brighten a little, and hugged Negi back, She knew he couldn't stay this way, not if he was going to fight: that was something she understood about Negi, more than most. Negi was smart, and smart enough to know there would always be a time he was demanded to fight to his ability.

It was the thing, she knew, that even Leon couldn't say to the people on the ship that somehow they had to: BE READY.

So she wanted to hold the Negi she knew and loved, the one she knew was him, always him. When it was time to fight, he would be different, just like her, but that was a reality.

She wanted, at least for a small tiny time, to be an endearing, doting older sister. When else would she ever have that?