Numbered

Setsuna's days are numbered.

She knows this. Knows this better than anyone else.

She knows this and knows full well what will happen when the number count finally reaches zero.

But she doesn't tell Konoka. Doesn't tell Asuna, or Negi, or Mana, or anyone for that matter.

She doesn't want them to know that she'd already prepared to face her fate. She doesn't want them to know that her time left with them is unlikely to be much longer. She doesn't want them to try and interfere.

She knows they'd try something if she told them. That's just the sort of people they are. And Mana would try to bill her for it afterwards.

Setsuna cares too much for her friends to let them know her fate. She escaped it once, but she won't be so lucky a second time around.

The masters of the Shinmei-ryuu were trying to delay the inevitable by sending her to protect Konoka. The girl's position as the heir to both the Kansai and Kanto magic branches holds sway even over the most wayward of tribes. They'd be foolish to try and go after Setsuna whilst under the watch of both organisations.

Setsuna knows this too. She knows that this was only an initial wariness and she knows that because of recent events Mahora isn't looking as safe and secure as it once had.

She knows that her tribe, the tribe that despise her existence, are getting more restless. She knows that it's only a matter of time until they come for her.

She knows that when they come for her, she will not be able to defend herself.

She knows that when they come for her, she will die.

She also knows that she should probably be doing something about it. She should be training, or making escape plans. She should probably at least tell someone and ask for their help. She shouldn't be giving up before the fight has even started.

But Setsuna knows that regardless of how hard she tries to fight, the crows will kill her. They tried to kill her as a child, but the Shinmei-ryuu took her in and for a while she was protected. But that could only last so long.

So she counts down the days until the crows finally decide that they will no longer allow her to draw breath.

And she smiles.

She knows she only has a handful of days left, leading this carefree lifestyle of school, training and the occasional fight with demons. But as long as she can spend them with her friends, with her ojou-sama, she will smile.

Because she wouldn't trade this handful of days that she has left for the world.

Even if she only had one day left, as long as she saw her friends, smiling and happy, she will face the crows and accept her fate.

For if she were to let them know how short her life was to be, they wouldn't be smiling.

The one thing Setsuna wants to take with her when she goes is the memory of her ojou-sama smiling. She's never asked for anything more.


AN: Really don't know where this one came from. Hopefully I managed to get Setsuna in character, and hopefully people will read and enjoy it.

This was one of a bunch of random drables (It's a bit long for a drabble, probably, but never mind) I'm writing at the moment, but this is the only one that seemed decent.

Thoughts and opinions would be appreciated. Critisism would be much appreciated.