AN: Hi everybody! This is my first Negima fanfiction so please give me some feedback. I wrote this because I noticed that there weren’t a lot of fanfiction dealing with Setsuna’s past with the Shinmeiryuu, so yeah…here are my speculations! Hope you would enjoy it!

Pairing: KonoSetsu, read at your own risk!

Disclaimer: I don’t own Negima or Love Hina. They belong to the great artist Akamatsu-sama!

Background: Hidden from our eyes, the battle between demon and human wages on into modern times. By the combined efforts of the Shinmeiryuu and the Kansai Magic Association, the war with the Crow Demons has finally subsided, but as the treaty is being signed…

Present

She is very precious, so take good care of her, Konoka…

23: 00 March 17, 1996 – Kansai Magic Association Headquarters

It was the height of spring. Even in the darkness, the little girl who stared outside of her window could see the fluttering shadows of the cherry blossoms raining softly upon the temple grounds, their scent being carried into her room from the gentle night breeze. The moon was quite full that night, casting soft rays of light upon the Shinmei Mountains in the not too far distance, and her eyes rested there, waiting for her father to return.

“It is getting quite late, Ojousama,” a voice spoke from behind her. She turned around, noticing that one of the servants had just entered the room with a concerned look on her face. Knowing that the incomer was entrusted with her own well-being by her father, she decided to retreat from the window side.

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t notice the time, haha,” she answered in a cheerful voice while crawling back to her futon that was placed in the middle of the large chamber. With her pair of stubby, little hands, she obediently pulled the thick sheets over her body.

“Alright, I will not disturb you any further, Ojousama. Please have a good night.”

23: 00 March 17, 1996 – Shinmei Mountains, Kyoto

He had finally arrived at the hidden dojo atop the rural Shinmei Mountains of Kyoto. Facing him was the gateway through the tall walls that surrounded the training grounds, with the heavy wooden doors flanked by swordswomen in their uniform of white gi and red hakama. From the luminescence of the traditional paper lanterns carried by the gatekeepers, he could see the plaque that rested just beneath the blue roof tiles.

“Shinmeiryuu Dojo…it’s been a long time,” he muttered.

From the soft sound of his voice, one of the gatekeepers stirred. Instead of staying in her place like the other swordswoman, she shifted the lantern into her left hand while her right rested on the handle of her sword. After a short conversation with her partner, the girl walked in his direction, causing the lantern light to creep closer and closer to him.

She steered off from the main path of the dojo and into the woods where he was standing. He smiled at the challenge, and picking out a 1 yen coin from his pocket, he flicked it at his opponent. She instinctively drew her katana from its sheath in a defensive stance, but little did she predict the target of the projectile.

The coin easily broke through the paper of the lantern and sliced the candle within at its tip just beneath the wick. The last flame fell on the ground and was quickly put out by the dirt that had risen from the impact.

Her eyes widened, but only shortly. She quickly recovered from her shock, and with determination licking her grayish green irises, she sliced her sword fluidly through the trunk of the tree in front of him, causing it to crash down at the place where he stood just a moment ago.

He was forced to step out from the shadows, and while anticipating this move, the swordswoman sliced her sword at him only to prompt him to bring his hand up to block the blade.

“I suggest that you give up such a futile attempt to defend yourself. My Shisui will cut through bone and flesh like butter!” she yelled, slamming her sword towards his hand without hesitation, but at the last moment, her weapon met with a very solid resistance!

A sword? But he didn’t have one in his bare hand just an instant ago!

There was a sudden shower of sparks at the collision, followed by a metallic ring and a strong vibration down the blade that nearly tore off her grip on the handle. The strip of paper in his other hand glowed and transformed into another blade that he rested upon her shoulder.

“Shikigami?” she murmured in surprise at her defeat, “Just who are you?”

“Don’t you recognize me, Motoko-chan?” he asked, withdrawing his weapons.

“Eishun-san!?”

Konoe Eishun kneeled on a cushion while he sipped on the tea that Aoyama Motoko had brought into the chamber at her sister’s request. After she had delivered the tea, the younger swordswoman had left him alone with the Shinmeiryuu Leader, not without first asking him how to project a sword from a paper talisman of course. He surveyed the woman in front of him, Aoyama Tsuruko, who was as calm and elegant as he had remembered from her younger days…well, when she wasn’t mad at being lied to or something along those lines.

“Are you sure it’s okay to come here at this hour, Eishun-san?” Tsuruko broke the silence, “Isn’t it Konoka-chan’s birthday tomorrow?”

Eishun looked thoughtful at the comment, and then returned with a smile, “Well, that is exactly the reason why I’m here. I would like to have her meet Konoka.”

“Her?” Tsuruko answered, then after a moment of thinking, she smiled knowingly, “Oh yes…Setsuna-chan. This sure brings back some memories…”

January 1994 – Crow Demons Camp

The snow fell heavily for two weeks without pause, leaving the ground and the sky a connected meshwork of complete white. In the blurry haze of what had become of the great plains on which the crow demons dwelled, the representatives of the Kansai Magic Association and the Shinmeiryuu walked almost non-stop through a 24 hours span. Even their strong physiques were starting to break down to the cold and exhaustion, but they continued on without blaming the snow. In a way, it was a good thing. The freezing temperature covered the scent of stale blood, and the purity of white covered the crimson stains.

Some things might be better off forgotten, for both the humans and the youkai who had fought them for the last year…although the pain was still strong in everyone’s hearts, the fading scene of carnage would soon dissipate in their memories with time.

“Tsuruko-san, I believe we have finally reached our destination,” Eishun said as he hesitantly pulled out his hand from his pocket to point at the dim torchlight ahead.

“Yes, Eishun-san. You may put down your hand now. I’m sure it is very cold to take out your hand from your pocket at this temperature,” Tsuruko answered lightheartedly in her characteristic soft tone. Eishun laughed, producing a big puff of smoke in the process that completely fogged up his glasses. He quickly placed his hand back into its former position of warmth.

The two followed the light as they approached cautiously. They must be careful since the war had just ended, and there was no telling what the youkai might plot against the ambassadors. Nevertheless, they had to do this no matter how much risk was involved…alone. This treaty must be signed as quickly as possible, for the safety of human kind and the peaceful ones of the crow clan. To do this, they must show their trust by not bringing their subordinates.

The treaty itself was just a mere symbol…nothing more than a piece of paper that would be shelved in a dark place where none would retrieve it again, but it was the gesture of coming to the youkai camp that signified the final conclusion to the bloody battle.

The two swordmasters finally came to the wooden fence that surrounded the youkai settlement, marked at the entrance by a temporary watchtower built crudely of some thick tree branches. Two guards came towards them in an aggressive manner, but when they reported their identities, they were admitted into the settlement after their katana were confiscated.

“Oh no…I wonder what we should do if we are attacked without our weapons, Eishun-san?” Tsuruko stated so calmly that it made the comment sound really sarcastic.

“I sure hope that doesn’t happen, Tsuruko-san, as I’m not looking forward to seeing you in your mad mode. Just hearing about it from Motoko-chan makes me shiver,” Eishun replied.

“Don’t worry. Motoko seems to blow everything into incredible proportions…”

Tsuruko paused in her steps, causing Eishun to turn back and give her a questioning gaze. She seemed to have noticed something, something that she could not talk about while in the presence of the youkai who was leading them towards the leader’s tent. That might be the reason why she shrugged and continued from where she left off while she catching up with the swordsman.

“…like I was saying before, she gets nervous over very trivial things,” Tsuruko’s voice trailed off at the moment she passed by Eishun’s side.

…I sense troubling ki…please be careful in my absence…

Eishun widened his eyes slightly at what Tsuruko mouthed to him as she passed, then recollected his demeanor and tried to concentrate on the ki signatures that surrounded them. There was indeed one such signature that was in considerable distress, and most of all, the gentle ki was reminiscent of…

Humanity.

“Umm…I’m sorry, is there a washroom on these premises?” Tsuruko asked the youkai who was leading them. Despite the comment sounding a bit silly, it was enough of an excuse for the swordswoman to leave.

“To your left. When you are done, come to the leader’s tent. It is just up ahead with the red flag at its top,” the youkai said in a warning tone that told the swordswoman not to wander off.

The jagged red lines crisscrossed over her entire body. Even when the blotches of scarlet on the torn fabric had turned brown with time, the scars underneath were fresh as ever. The pain that brought tears into her eyes was enough to remind her that she hadn’t yet healed.

But she gritted her teeth while her wrists strained at the tightness of the ropes that bound them. Her fingers clasped desperately onto the rock that was starting to free itself from her weakening grip, but she continued the tiring task of grinding the slightly sharp edge onto the rope, again and again in hopes of deepening the notch on the tough cord. The constant movement caused the friction to burn her delicate flesh, making more wounds, making more pain, but she had to fight, hard, against this fate.

She didn’t have time. Her execution should’ve taken place this hour, but she was saved on a whim by the arrival of the human ambassadors. Following this train of thought, the young hanyou tried to believe that her torture was in her favor, for if otherwise, she would’ve been scheduled for execution earlier.

The pain bought her time. As long as there was still one second left, there was still a chance.

She gripped harder, slashed harder, and soon her minced flesh could faintly feel the hardness of the rock’s edge pressing upon its battered surface. The touch, no matter how gentle, was a blinding flash of pain, but it was a good pain. Her tears were certainly of happiness.

She gritted her teeth, squeezed her eyes shut while she struggled against the binds one more time. The last of the remaining tension was cutting into her flesh with no mercy, prompting more liquid to well from her eyes, but she continued the struggle while suppressing the urge to scream. She could feel the wetness running down her fingers, could hear the dripping sound of the fluid flowing onto the ground. It was too clear to her that it was her blood, but that just meant she was getting closer and closer to breaking free. The more it hurt, the more the ropes were losing their grip.

The last two threads held stubbornly, but her strength was incredible. One broke and the other buckled under the growing tension before finally giving way.

Crack…snap.

Her hands flung to her sides, completely out of her control from the sudden freedom, but she managed to hold them back before they crashed into the wall of the dungeon.

Almost…almost…

The happiness was overwhelming, but she kept calm as she fumbled with the bindings on her feet. After a moment of hard work, the knots were freed and the last ropes fell to her sides. Luckily, it was a make-shift dungeon, so there were no wooden bars that would keep her from her freedom. All she had to do was to creep towards the stairs that would lead her above ground.

Tsuruko followed the ki signature to the tent that lay on the outskirts of the settlement. It was an awkward tent, one that seemed to be falling over, but it was well guarded. If it were something more important, shouldn’t the tent be at least stabilized?

The image of a scarred hand reaching out from the flap that covered the tent’s entrance snapped Tsuruko out of her musings. There was something, someone, holding back the owner of that hand, but the small fingers were so desperate that they gripped onto the entrance flap so tightly that it was about to tear. There was a muffled scream as the hand disappeared, and then it was silent again.

The swordswoman rushed forward, but was stopped by the guards at the tent. With not a weapon at hand, she could only manage to dodge the sword of one of the guards while grabbing onto his shoulder with her bare hand. Locking one foot behind her opponent’s opposite leg, she flipped into mid-air just in time to avoid the other guard’s attack, and slammed her opponent onto the ground. She landed right when the other guard’s sword sliced the air overhead, but grabbing the free katana on the ground, she managed to deliver a forceful blow to the second youkai’s abdomen with the blunt side of the blade.

Even in this heated battle, Tsuruko remembered her first mission. She couldn't kill. She was an ambassador who was going to sign the treaty. Even if she were to save this poor soul behind the flap of the tent, she must do so with this in mind.

They caught her. No matter how silent she was, she couldn’t escape their watchful eyes. With the open skies just an inch away from her, she was stopped by the youkai. They held her tightly; grabbing her by her limbs so that the more she reached forward, the more likely her legs would get torn off. She was crying for help, yanking at the fabric that covered the entrance to the tent shielding the underground dungeon, but her grip was torn away easily; her scream covered by their forceful hand so that it disappeared from the world. Her cry was silent, but she cried…again and again and again…she couldn't give up…this couldn't be her fate.

Her chest hurt so much as she was dragged back down the stairs. The closer she reached a chance to life, the higher she climbed this ladder out of her well, the harder the fall. She was this close, but it was gone…all hope was gone.

But she had a last glimpse of a sword slicing through the entrance flap. Two youkai were hiding by the sides to ambush the incomer. With her last bit of hope, the prisoner bit the hand of the guard that covered her mouth and let out a warning scream.

“NOOOOOOOO!!”

Tsuruko heard the shout at the last moment before the blades of the youkai were slammed towards her head. It was too late to dodge, but she managed to intercept one of them with the sword that she had stolen although the other one sliced into her back, just short of her vital organs.

"That was a close one…” Tsuruko muttered, sending a waft of ki down her katana to blow the intercepted sword out of the youkai’s hand. She swiftly whammed the katana behind her, taking out the other guard as well.

But she was wounded. She knew her limits well. It was only a matter of time that she would fall from the heavy bleeding.

Her little prisoner spectator was sobbing in the sight of the redness that spread on the back of her gi. The scene of battle left the young one mute, but she was mouthing something, something that was traumatic for her.

“Okaasan…”

Tsuruko smiled despite the pain. So she reminded the girl of her mother, huh? That was more than enough reason for her to continue fighting.

As long as there was still one second left, there was still a chance.

The swordswoman tried to rise, but the weakness from the long trek and the loss of blood was having an impact on her body. She was shuddering, shuddering just like the girl’s mother had done before…

Before she was killed.

The hanyou’s human mother was killed for sheltering her. She could not forgive herself.

She suddenly remembered her sin.

How impure her wishes for life were.

She couldn't fight…she had no right to.

“STOP!” the girl yelled. Tsuruko looked at her with a weird gaze, but she continued screaming in her madness, “GO AWAY!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!”

“What the hell?” Tsuruko couldn’t help but mutter in a very funny Kansai-ben. The normally calm and formal leader of the Shinmeiryuu was starting to develop the demon eyes that Motoko had feared so much, causing the young prisoner and guards to gulp under her growing ki, “YOU TELL ME TO RUN AWAY WHEN MY BACK IS ALREADY SPRAYING BLOOD!?”

Tsuruko sighed. She must’ve been influenced by her younger sister’s temper. Time to gather herself…

She closed her eyes as she tried to stand once again. She was even weaker than a moment before due to the extra blood that had been lost, but she was getting used to this wounded body, so with extra concentration, she was able to ease her way up without a twitch. The two remaining youkai readied their swords, running up the prison's steps to engage Tsuruko in battle. They left the prisoner at the top of the steps that led to the dungeon.

“I don’t know why you’ve lost your will to live, but I don’t care," Tsuruko shouted to the girl while slamming down the katana onto a guard's weapon, breaking it, "Run to the youkai leader’s tent. The chief of the Kansai Magic Association is there, so if you make it, you’ll live.”

“But…”

“If you feel sinful for living, live on to repent your sins!”

The swordsmaster’s irises flamed with determination. There was no stumbling, no uncertainty, just the patter of her graceful steps on the ground. Her blade whirled with perfect precision, synchronized with the rest of her body that slid behind the remaining guard.

The young one stopped watching at that point, for she already understood the meaning of the elder’s words.

She must live on.

Someone died for her sake. Someone protected her. Therefore, she must live on to become strong.

Strong enough to protect something precious to her future self.

Eishun would never forget the moment a young girl blasted through the doorway of the tent in which he was reading the treaty. Her body was battered, but her eyes glowed with a strong desire…

…to live…with strength.

“Please save me!”

Eishun was so shocked that he simply stared at her.

“My name is Sakurazaki Setsuna. Please take me with you!”

00: 00 March 18, 1996 – Shinmeiryuu Dojo

“Tsuruko-san sure was brave back then, taking out half a dozen youkai without a weapon in hand. I’m glad I didn’t witness it firsthand, but either way, it must be lucky for Setsuna-chan to be rescued by you,” Eishun commented in a joking manner.

“Please don’t tease me like that, Eishun-san. You were the one who included Setsuna-chan’s custody into the treaty, so you are her true savior,” Tsuruko answered as she watched the clock strike midnight, “Either way, I’m sure Setsuna-chan would enjoy Konoka-chan’s company as well.”

“Well, I take that as your approval then. I’ll be bringing Setsuna-chan to the temple tomorrow, would Motoko-chan and you like to come along?”

“Of course! It’s been a while since I’ve met with Konoka-chan. I’m sure she has grown a lot since then…”

06:54 March 18, 1996 – Kansai Magic Association Headquarters

“You are already awake, Ojousama?” one of the maids said as the girl came out from her room. Her eyes were still a bit groggy, but she was determined to wake up early for the big day.

It was her birthday after all, and she was sure that her father would come back anytime now.

The maids reluctantly helped her dress despite that they would rather see their young princess have a bit more sleep after staying up so late last night. Seriously, the little girl would’ve preferred dressing herself instead of relying on others to help her, but it was quite difficult to put on a kimono properly without any assistance, even for an adult.

Just when the obi was finally tied in place, one of the maids came in hurriedly with news to deliver.

Konoe Eishun-sama had returned!

“Ojousama, where are you going? You haven’t had breakfast yet!”

“Sorry, but I’ll be back in a minute!”

She clumsily ran down the halls of the temple towards the front gate where her father would be arriving from. The path was lined with the maids who were knelt down by their places in expectance to the chief’s return. At the sight of their young mistress, they couldn’t help but yell after her.

“Please be careful, Ojousama!”

“Please slow down, Ojousama, it is dangerous running in a long kimono like that!”

She tried to comply with their demands like she always would, but she was too excited…so excited that she ran right into her father.

“Ouch…” the little girl muttered when she hit her head softly on Eishun’s knee. She looked up to the smiling man and returned a grin of her own while she clumsily rubbed her head.

“Okaerinasai, Otousan!”

“And happy birthday to you, Konoka! I’ve brought a present for you!” Eishun replied, stepping aside so that the little girl could see the three Shinmeiryuu swordswomen at the doorway. The youngest one stepped forward at Eishun’s welcoming wave, “This is Sakurazaki Setsuna-chan.”

“But Otousan, she’s a person, she’s not a toy!” Konoka argued.

“Of course she’s not a toy! She is very precious, so take good care of her, Konoka…”

The little girl stepped towards the newcomer with curious eyes, then after mumbling something to herself, she widened her grin as she spoke, “Welcome, Secchan! I’m Konoe Konoka! Let’s be friends!”

“Secchan?” Setsuna repeated in an awkward manner.

“Yup! You are Secchan!”

“Then…you are Kono-chan!”

“Okay, Kono-chan is now your friend!” Konoka replied happily.

It was from that moment onwards that Setsuna found the reason to live again.

She had found the precious one she would protect with this newfound life.

AN: Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment behind, be it constructive criticism, suggestions, or just a note saying that you’ve read this. I’m still wondering whether or not I should leave this as a oneshot or continue from here, so I’m really looking forward to hearing from you all! On a last note: KONOKA FOR SAIMOE 2007!!