DISCLAIMER: I do not - repeat - DO NOT own anything relating or pertaining to Negima and/or Ken Akamatsu.

Seriously, I'm just trying write fan fiction. :)

SO! Enjoy the one-shot. It's my second entry, obviously, and also my first in over a year or something! I promise to try to be a more frequent writer to hone my skills. ^_^b

UPDATE: For those who need to visually discern the difference between the past and present, Setsuna's memories are now italicized. Everything that's left in "normal" font is - indeed - the present. (Yes, I initially implied the time shift with the switch in verb tense.) Hopefully, this helps y'all out. :D

Our bodies, still hot from making love, are limp with an undefined laziness. Her breath is warm, sending tingles down my spine as my heart rate increases. She burrows her face into the crevice of my neck, beginning to lightly kiss me during each nuzzle. My body pulsates with a mixture of lust and love. But soon, the laziness takes over, beckoning me into my world of thoughts and memories - a heavy slumber. Before drifting off into sleep, I kiss her on the forehead.

Drifting, drifting, drifting…

It was dark outside. The only source of light came from the dimmed street lamps. The rain incessantly racked at the windows of various buildings. The wind blew through Mahora with an unprecedented violence, giving flight to small tree branches and leaves. Posters with silhouettes of random fighters for a new, local sitcom ripped off the walls.

Hidden in the shadow of an alleyway, I did not let my eyes leave its target – my sole duty, my Ojou-sama. She was walking alone on the town's deserted streets. She had only one companion: an umbrella, her only umbrella. On sunny days to block out the heat, it would glow with its soft pink hue and light gold lining. But tonight, the sheer force of the gale turned it inside-out. It was beginning to rip apart at the seams. As hard as she tried to keep it in her grasp, a swift burst of wind wrested it from her hands. And, in an instant, she watched her favorite umbrella fly into the dark abyss above her. With a small pout and a look of defeat, she fell to her knees, suddenly forgetting the world around her.

"It's not fair!" she screamed, looking as if she was on the verge of tears.

A pang of longing ran through my body. I wanted to comfort her, to show her that I was there, to provide for her, to –

"Oh, well," she exclaimed, "Sitting on a cold sidewalk won't really get me anywhere!"

At those words, she immediately stood up and put a smile on her face. It wasn't a forced smile, because she was strong like that – the kind of strength that cannot be described in words. Perhaps, she was even stronger than me. Oh, my Ojou-sama.

She jogged away, hugging the buildings in an effort to get as far away from the pools of water waiting for her at the sidewalk's edge. Gaze toward the ground with one hand clutching the body of her yellow raincoat and the other pulling her hood over her eyes, she never saw the group of men in front of her. With a loud thud, she met the pavement, as well as the looks of the group she abruptly ran into. There were five of them. Each of their mouths turned upright at the sight of her.

"Well, well, well, look at what we've got here boys," one said, licking his lips. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties. He had at least one tattoo, visible from his bare neck. Even in the rain his hair managed to keep a perfect part from the left. However, his face expressed a variety of emotions – lust, anger, pride, arrogance. In other words, he looked as if he paid for the last girl he fucked. An ugly piece of trash. Possibly the leader of the group, I noted.

"Hey, Hiro," a lanky kid – around eighteen, dressed as if to become a part of some gang – chimed in, "Looks fresh, huh?" A look of innate pleasure lingered on his face.

Hiro turned around to look at the kid with a hint of disgust and said, "Shut up, Masa."

Masa, looking hurt, quieted down immediately. A fat man, who resembled an unrefined Totoro bloated from one-too-many fast food meals, slapped Masa across the back. Whether it was to joke around or calm him down, Masa didn't take it lightly. He was about to swing at the man-blob when the other two – twins clad in all black – pinned him down.

"Let go of me, Kyle…Ken," he tried to command them to no avail. Water ran into his mouth, stifling his words. The fat man hovered over Masa, ready to strike at him.

Being an ironic savior with precise timing, Hiro whisked around and barked at the entire group. "Would you guys shut the fuck up and pull yourselves together? Especially you Takehiko!" He pointed to the man made of lard.

Fearing their leader's words, all four guys regained their composure, focusing on the task at hand. All attention was back on Ojou-sama, who was still on the ground, in shock from their little scene. But, more than that, it was the expression on their faces that kept her paralyzed. It was obvious – in the arch of their eyebrows, the sinister smile plastered across their faces, and the hollow look in their eyes. They were going to hurt her, to feed their lustful appetites.

Ojou-sama, terrified, began to get up in an effort to run, but Hiro snatched her wrists, signaling her to stay put. With enough fight in her, she kicked Hiro straight in the crotch. He bent over in pain. I knew she wasn't going to go down that easily.

As she turned around to find an escape route, her body was absorbed by the protruding belly of Takehiko. He bear-hugged her so she couldn't get away. From my hiding spot in the alleyway, I saw the small figure of my Ojou-sama go limp. She passed out from the terror. The men, with their grins of achievement, headed toward the alley with Ojou-sama laid slung around Takehiko's shoulders.

Perfect timing.

They walked right past me like idiots, stopping at the middle of the long stretch of seclusion. They were, indeed, pigs. A small beep resonated through the alley.

It was time.

First, the twins. Both received the blunt end of my sword, knocking them out efficiently. Although they deserved more for their intentions toward Ojou-sama, an uncalled-for slice would be dishonorable. After all, they were only human.

Dropping Ojou-sama's body like a rag doll into Hiro's arms, Takehiko looked around in astonishment. He ran toward my silhouette figure – like the giant oaf he was – right into the butt-end of my sword, embedding itself a foot deep into his large stomach. As a finish, his chin met the dull end of my blade, flinging his body up in the air to end with a loud thud on the ground. Three down, two to go.

Hiro looked shocked. Although the shadow of the alleyway covered his facial expression, I could tell by his frozen stance and slight shiver that he truly was a coward. His head moved in the direction of his fallen comrades. He knew it. I knew it. He had nothing left. So, he handed Ojou-sama to Masa, who – even in the darkness – I could tell he was trembling along side his disgusting comrade. Hiro put his fists up into the air and cried out, "I don't care who the fuck you are. I've been trained in karate for eight years. You hear me? Eight years. Try to fuck with me, will ya? Whoever the fuck you are, come and get me!"

Empty words.

In a flash, he was down. He probably couldn't even comprehend what happened. He probably didn't even realize that he was hit with my wooden sheath, as his head immediately crashed into the garbage cans right next to him. His last thoughts before he reached unconsciousness were probably the only two words in his vocabulary: fuck me. One left, a lonely, pitiful number.

Masa, trembling uncontrollably, fell to his knees, attempting to plead with me.

"Please. Don't hurt me. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry!"

With a simple punch in the face, he was knocked out and Ojou-sama was securely in my arms. Beginning to walk away, I turned my head to survey the scene. I pressed a button on my watch, and another beep echoed through the alley. I peered down at the illuminated timer: 32 seconds. Too slow.

"I just don't have time to waste on trash like you," I quietly whispered under my breath.

As I stepped out of the alley, the rain had finally subsided. The full moon, coupled with the stars, shone brightly, giving the streets a warm, welcoming radiance mirrored from the various puddles decorating the campus. The smell of rain lingered in the air, that hint of a fresh promise, life, something new. It was weird how the weather changed so fast. I looked down at the glowing face of Ojou-sama, her hair tousled from recent events. I felt a surge of emotion flood through me, a desire. With my body wrapping in an inexplicable heat, my lips inched closer to hers. But, I swiftly stopped myself. It just wasn't right. That wasn't my job.

"It's time to take you home," I sighed.

In contrast to that tumultuous rainy night, the day breathed a welcoming warmth. And then, there was me. There was something special yet severely awkward about hiding in this tree. I'm a tree stalker, I thought. Although I was hidden behind the foliage, I could still see the lump underneath the bottom bunk's sheets. It had been a few days, and she still didn't wake up. Her roommate - Kagurazaka-san, I believe - paced around the room. Occasionally, she knelt by the bedside. After a couple hours of watching and hoping, my wish finally came true: Ojou-sama finally stirred.

Kagurazaka-san, thrilled at her awakening, fully embraced her partner. Ojou-sama's face seemed to fill with confusion. Through the chaos of it all, Kagurazaka as if suddenly remembering something, pointed to a package at the foot of the bed. With a few unheard words exchanged, she brought and placed it on Ojou-sama's lap. I felt a mix of anxiety and eagerness run through me. Slowly, she delicately unwrapped the object in front of her to reveal a new umbrella. She examined it. Of course, she would not open the umbrella inside, but her eyes focused on the charm attached to a short chain on the handle: the small white wing pendant.

After a few seconds of examination, I began to worry. She was fixated on the little wing. She seemed shocked? Or, perhaps, she was lost in thought. Her roommate looked concerned. Despite the walls and space between us, I could read her lips.

"It's ok," she whispered to her roommate. "I think I have a guardian angel watching over me."

I understood that she would never know it was me. But, hearing those words was enough acknowledgment and appreciation for me. And, with a smile and a tear, I left without a trace.

"What?" I yelled. My echo reverberated throughout the grand room.

"Oh, please don't make a big fuss of it," the old man said, looking utterly accomplished.

"So, then, the storm…and…and the – "

"Yes, Setsuna. It's all my doing. I had to see if you really were capable of protecting her."

"But, headmaster, sir…"

"Now, now, don't worry. You passed," the Mahora headmaster, Ojou-sama's grandfather, chuckled. "But, weren't the actors great? I think it's good practice for them. I mean, considering that they're about to debut for that new sitcom, right? Those posters are everywhere, of course. Ha! The bruises might be quite questionable, having to go to the hospital and all. And, I don't think they'd ever want to be hired by me again…"

The old man trailed off in his chatter, while I stood in place – stunned. I felt the heat radiating from my blushing cheeks. My head suddenly became three times lighter. I had never felt more embarrassed or fooled or something...

What kind of warrior am I?

Breaking me from my trance, the headmaster suggested that I go check on Ojou-sama and give her my present. As I clutched the wrapped package in my hand, I turned toward the door and nodded, a slight smile of amusement slowly spreading across my face.

As I open my eyes, she's there – still lying right beside me – with a gentle smile on her face: no longer a dream or the fragment of a memory.

"What did you dream about, Sec-chan?" she tenderly asks me with an inquisitive look on her face. The corners of her mouth slightly move upward. This is the look that makes me feel invincible.

"Not much." I have a lazy smile on my face.

"Remember that cancelled reality show? I wonder what happened to those guys," Ojou-sama asks out-of-the-blue.

Shocking. I feel the sweat beads starting to form on my forehead. Does she know? How could she know?

"I'm not really sure. I heard they were beat-up by some mysterious figure. Nothing weird." That last part was definitely abnormal.

"So that's it? A reality TV show and injured men?"

"Yeah..." I trail off and smile to hide the lie.

"Oh, Sec-chan, I already know," she calmly says.

"Wha-what?"

As I stare at her in amazement, her face moves closer to mine. Our foreheads touch. The heat coming from her body makes me feel insane. She gives me a quick peck on the lips, and my face turns red. It doesn't matter how many times we kiss: it always feels like the first time - simply amazing. Her mouth proceeds to inch toward my ear.

"I love you," she softly whispers.

I pull away to look into her eyes. "I love you too, Kono-chan."

Good read? Oh, boy, I hope so. -_-;

Anyway! Feel free to review my work (at the worst = HELPFUL criticism, please). I swear, I am TRYING to find time and finally dedicate myself to some good ol' fan fiction.

Until next time, which hopefully isn't going to be in over a year!