Crimson Wings

Disclaimer: I don't own Negima

(Brackets are thoughts)

Setting- a bit after the carnival, and all of them had gotten stronger too.

Chapter 1- A Stranger

It was morning and all four of them were rushing to school again. The junior high students Asuna, Konoka, Setsuna and their ten year old teacher Negi, who is also carrying the magical ermine Chamo on him.

"You stupid Negi," Asuna angrily says. "I told you to take bath and you end up not doing it! Once again I had to do it for you. Now we're later then ever."
"Aww don't be like that Asuna," Konoka replied. "You know how much he hates baths."
"Well you should better then to just let him in there alone," Setsuna said.
"I-it's not my fault!" Negi was in a panic. "I told you there wasn't any shampoo left!"
"Yet there was a couple of unopened bottles underneath the sink," Asuna whacks his head with her fist.
"You'll find any excuse right aniki?" Chamo questions with a grin.

All four of them quickly ran into their building. As they entered, Setsuna noticed someone she hasn't seen before. He looked to be a year older then she was, had short, spiky dark red hair and dressed like Kotaro, a red jacket with a white shirt underneath complete with red windbreakers. He was casually walking into the building as if he was a regular student.

But what really caught her eye was the case he was holding, it hung on his hand from the side. It looked like a similar case that she uses to hold her sword. She wondered if this man also had a sword. If so, then what would he use it for?

"Set-chan! You're going to be late!" Konoka cried out to her.
"C-coming oujo-sama!" Setsuna took a look to find him again, only he had vanished.

The class was just like any other class, over half the girls swooning Negi as he teaches. There was nothing new except the lesson and the notes. As soon as it was over, Negi, Asuna, Konoka and Setsuna stayed for a bit to help him clean up and left. But Negi ends bumping into someone on the way out.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Negi apologizes to the person. Setsuna recognizes him as the one she saw earlier.
"Don't worry, I'm new here," he told him in a regular happy tone, he looked at the girls giving Setsuna the only curious look. "I got lost looking for the headmaster. I can't seem to find him. I was hoping to run into someone to help me."
"Ah so you need help getting to the headmaster's? I can do that," Negi offered. "Just wait for me at the usual spots okay?"
"Later Negi-kun," Konoka waved cheerily as Negi took the stranger down the hall. Setsuna however wasn't so happy, especial since he still carried that case of his.

The girls went their way out of the school. Asuna however can sense something within Setsuna. Asuna waits until Konoka is out of hearing range to talk to Setsuna.

"Something wrong?" she asked.
"It's that guy, the one that bumped into Negi," Setsuna rubs her chin. "Something's not right about him. Did you notice the case he was carrying?"
"Now that you mention it…" Asuna tries to remember the stranger. "That looked like the one you use for your sword, except it isn't as long."
"I can't think of any other object besides a sword that could fit in there. I'm worried about Negi and the headmaster," her worries were for naught when Negi came running towards them.

"What happened Negi-kun?" Konoka cheerfully asked.
"Well I showed the guy to the headmaster's like I said," Negi starts scratching the back of his head. "Funny thing is, the headmaster seems to know him already, but I don't know what they're talking about cause I left as soon as the headmaster asked me to."

"Oh, grandpa knows him already? That's funny, I don't know him," Konoka was lost in thought.
"It looks like you had nothing to worry about Setsuna," Asuna told her. "If the headmaster knows him then that means he's not a bad guy."
"I suppose you're right," Setsuna agreed as all four of them do walk down the path.

At the headmaster's office, the headmaster seemed very happy to see the stranger.

"Ho ho!" the headmaster chuckled. "I haven't seen you since you were such a young child. My how you've grown."
"It was a long time wasn't it?" the boy replied. "But I can't stay for long, I suppose you already heard the news."
"I have," the headmaster acknowledged. "Because of our good relations with the half-bird tribe, we know that their prince has been missing for a few months now. So why are you here so suddenly prince?"

"I am looking for someone," the prince answered. "I don't want anyone to know I'm here."
"As I thought," the old man stroked his beard. "I'll keep quiet about this but I can't guarantee anything from any of the other teachers, especially those that are very fond of your tribe."
"It's alright," the boy replied, not surprised at the news. "I'll do what I have to."
"Very well then, who do need help looking for?"
"A very old friend of mine, one who vanished many years ago."
"Are you sure of this?" the old man questioned, he knew who he was talking about. "She may not remember you."

"All I want is to see her again. But I think I already have," the boy answered. "I may or may not decide to do anything else until I see her for sure or you tell me about her."
"Very well."

The next day things were going the same as always. Konoka was to her grandpa's but other then that it was like any other day. By the day's end, Setsuna was worried as Konoka never returned. Once everyone left the classroom, Negi, Asuna, Setsuna and Chamo began to wonder what might have happened to her.

"I'm sure she's alright," Asuna tried to cheer everybody up. "She probably just has a lot of work to do."
"The nee-san is safe, she can't be harmed while within the school while it's full of magicians," Chamo added.
"Yeah, no need to worry Setsuna-san!" Negi joined in. "I'm sure she'll be back soon."
"Y-you're right," Setsuna reassured herself. "I'm just overprotective."

They left the building and they find Kotaro and Kaede running towards them.

"Hey Negi!" Kotaro yelled out, he was holding a strange envelope.
"Kotaro-kun, what is that?" Negi asked.
"I don't know, some guy in red just gave it me. He wanted you to have it."
"Some guy in red?" Asuna looked worried as Negi took the envelope.

He ripped the top off and took out the envelope inside the envelope.

"Now that's weird," Negi looked at the inside envelope, it had 'Setsuna' written right on it. "Setsuna-san, it's for you."

She quietly takes the envelope and opens it.

I have Konoka, if you wish to retrieve her then come to the world tree stage alone. If you do not then…

The note cuts off right there. Setsuna tosses it away and rushes in the direction of the stage.

"Setsuna what's wrong?" Asuna called out, but it was no use as she was already out of hearing range.

Negi grabs the flying piece of paper and reads it with the other three looking over his shoulder.

"Oh no! We have to help her!" Negi cried out before Asuna punched him in the head.
"Baka! If we do that then what will happen to Konoka?"
"Aye aye, leave it me and Kotaro," Kaede spoke up.
Chamo got a glint in his eyes, "Yes, that works just nicely. Kaede nee-san is a ninja right? She'll be able to sneak in there without anyone noticing."
"That's right!" Kotaro exclaimed. "Just leave it to us. You two can wait here."
"No, we'll come with you for up until short distance," Asuna replied.
"That shouldn't be a problem, let's go," Kaede smiled.

(Oujo-sama, please be alright.) Setsuna dashes towards her destination as fast as she can to the place where Negi and Kotaro fought Wilhelm. She jumps in, landing in front of the stands and finds the red person waiting for her. He still held his case like he always did. Setsuna also found Konoka lying on the stage floor.

"Oujo-sama!" without thinking, Setsuna rushed towards Konoka, right past the stranger who doesn't do anything. As she got close, a barrier stops her.

"As you can see," he started without turning around. "I've put a barrier around Konoka. Not only that but I've also placed a barrier around the whole stage, meaning no normal people can get in and that no matter what happens here, no one will know."

Kotaro and Kaede race to the stage, they both sense something odd as they got close.

"Human warding magic," Kotaro started. "Well we're no regular humans."
"Aye aye, remember to keep it low."
"Right."

Setsuna tried once more but it was no use. She got up angrily and looked at the stranger's back. "What did you do to Oujo-sama?"
Still not turning around, he answered, "I just put her to sleep, she's in no danger inside the force field."
"What do you want? Who are you?" Setsuna calmed down a little after hearing about Konoka's condition.
The boy turned around to face her eye to eye. "I want to see, how strong you are."

Setsuna seemed taken aback by those words.

"You carry a sword, like I do," he lifts the case a bit. "That means we're both swordsman, in the never ending quest to become stronger by fighting. But I want to fight you seriously, that's why Konoka's here. You defeat me and the barrier will fade. You have no other way to save her."
"Fine," Setsuna takes out her sword as the boy did as well.

Kotaro and Kaede find the perfect spot to spy upon them.

"Looks like things are going to get interesting," Kotaro mumbled.
"I hope Setsuna knows what she's doing," Kaede said.

"One thing," Setsuna started as the boy revealed his weapon, a katana with a red gem at the tip of the handle and two more a bit before the handle touches the sheath. "What is your name?"
The boy was silent for a bit before answering, "I'm a little shaky when I give out my real name, for now just call me Red."

Red puts the sheath to his side as Sestuna takes out her blade. Red puts one step forward and the other back, with his weapon behind him he crouches low and places forward hand on the handle as the back hand holds the sheath itself. Then the two warriors dash towards each other.