Disclaimer: Ken Akamatsu owns Negima

The sun slowly rose peeking over the horizon. Its rays reflected the mist that clouded the area creating a magnificent allure to the majestic scenery on the dusty, dirt road. Trees stood stationed on both sides of the road and a never-ending field of grassy plains stretched behind them. The strong scent of wildflowers circulated in the air giving off a sweet fragrance. The insects and birds of this land sang their praises to Mother Nature for blessing them with another day of perfection. Long morning shadows slowly began to shrink as the sun rose steadily to its place in the sky.

A single form in the distance walked along the path from the East. Its form remained shadowed and blurred. With time, the form revealed a young girl with shoulder length, white hair hanging free. She wore dark grey pants, black long sleeved shirt, boots, and a sword strapped to her back.

Her body showed signs of battle from wounds and developing scars on her hands and face. Blood stained her torn clothing revealing a story of a hard journey. Her face was emotionless with eyes cold and hard. Exhaustion was evident to anyone who spotted her as her feet slowly drug against the ground but rest was the furthest thing from her mind. Her mind was set and nothing was going to stop her from reaching her goal. Sticking her hand in her pocket, she grabbed a bottle full of pills.

Carefully opening the lid, she continued walking as she dug her finger inside, blindly searching for a couple of pills. Popping them in her mouth, she swallowed while replacing the lid and stuffed the bottle back into her pocket. Already feeling the effects, she ignored the beautiful scenery as she headed for her next destination.

Taking position in a nearby cave, Setsuna hugged her knees to her chest with her sword resting next to her. Night and rain had descended. A small fire slowly came to life, dancing beneath the rabbit she was cooking on a crudely-made spit. She spun the spit around to cook the meat evenly. With dead eyes, she watched the rabbit spin as memories invaded her mind.

Setsuna felt the sharp pain attack her from every side when she sat up. The slightest movement seemed to anger her body further. Without looking around, she knew where she was. She looked down at herself to find her entire body wrapped in bandages. Her body felt stiff from lack of use.

She moved to take off the blanket but pain surged through her arm. Gasping from the shock, she looked down to find her arm and hand in a splint. Momentarily befuddled, Setsuna remembered what happened that night. 'How long have I been here? Where is everyone?' As if someone had heard her, the door opened and the headmaster entered.

"You're finally awake. How do you feel?" He walked over to her and sat down on the chair. From her view, it seemed he had suffered many restless nights.

"How long have I been out?" She ignored his question. Required manners and etiquette were the least of her worries now. He ran a hand down his beard, a habit he formed whenever he was in deep thought or worried. He seemed hesitant to answer. Setsuna felt her temper rising. "Headmaster, how long have I been out?" Her voice remained even and soft but its tone spoke volumes of danger.

"You have been incapacitated for two and a half weeks."

"Why did no one come to assist when we were attacked?" Setsuna felt her control slip. She ignored the pain her body signaled at her as she gripped the blankets pooled at her waist.

"We were attacked by an army of demons as a diversion. Once we were able, we came to assist. Mana told me what happened when she arrived, but I would like to know what transpired."

Setsuna shot a chilling glare at the headmaster. Anger and frustration filled her being. Pain was no longer a concern for her. She wanted to kill this man. Due to his ignorance and stupidity Konoka had been taken away from her. He ignored her concerns about strengthening the protection barriers. Tossed her wisdom away. This was all because of him…. The need to hurt him became so strong within her that Setsuna had to look away, choosing instead to glare at the various machines around her.

"Do you know where they have taken the princess?" The headmaster watched the girl before him struggle with her emotions. Every twitch and every veiled word told him that she was close to her breaking point.

"No, we did find one of the demons that fought you still alive. We questioned him, but he wouldn't answer. He died shortly after."

"Do you know anything about Hell's Gang and their leader?" Setsuna's voice whispered. A sense of lost surrounded her. How could she find Konoka when she knew nothing of her captors? God couldn't be so cruel as to allow her to find a purpose in her life only to have it snatched away from her.

"Very little is known about them. I have only heard rumors about them but nothing more." The headmaster sadly confessed.

Setsuna swung her legs over the side of the bed pressing down the waves upon waves of pain washing over her. Looking around her, she discovered her sword resting against the corner of the room. A slight pull on her arm stopped her; she found an IV embedded in her skin. She reached over to tear it out when she suddenly stopped. Her anger seemed to have melted, replaced by deep sadness and lost. On her left wrist rested the leather bracelet Konoka had given her. She lightly ran her fingers over the hair threads that created the 'S'. With renewed willpower, she ripped out the IV. A few droplets of blood flew from the needle and onto the bed.

"Setsuna, you need to stay in bed and rest. You're too weak to do anything right now." The headmaster blocked her way.

"Get out of my way." Her voice quickly became frosty. The room began to chill, seemingly from her glare alone. She didn't care who he was. She was going to find Konoka.

"Setsuna!" The headmaster's voice thundered, commanding obedience but Setsuna stalwartly ignored him as she started to stand. Her legs buckled under her weight. Grabbing the edge of the bed, she pulled herself up. Dizziness took complete control over her senses. She steadied herself raising a hand to her head in hopes to stop the room from spinning.

The headmaster grabbed her arm to push her back in bed. "You will release your hold on me, Sir." Setsuna warned threateningly. Even if he was Konoka's grandfather, she would fight him.

"Setsuna." His voice became gentle again and his eyes full of concern. "You need to allow your body to fully heal. Even with magic, your body needs time to heal naturally. If you push it too hard, all the work of the healers will be in vain. You of all people should know even magic has limitations. In your current state, you can't even stand up much less fight." He reasoned, hoping she would take his advice.

Jerking her arm out of his grip, her eyes glazed over. "Do not get in my way or I will kill you." Stunned, the headmaster watched as Setsuna struggled over to grab her sword. As the shock wore away, anger followed.

"That is an order! You are to remain in the hospital until I release you. No objections." Setsuna just smirked, almost laughing at his feeble words.

"Do not get this wrong; I don't care about your orders, sir. Your opinions do not matter to me. Because of your lack of judgment, Princess Konoka is gone. You lost my allegiance when that happened. I do not follow anyone's orders but hers. She is the only reason I leant you my sword but now that she has disappeared, so has my duty to you. If you try to stop me, I will fight you. I would rather not kill you for the sake of Princess Konoka's feelings; however, I will kill you if need be." She sneered at the old man, who stood pale and speechless.

She grabbed her sword. Her body was already tired and out of breath. Sweat poured down her face. Using the sword as a makeshift cane, she slowly made her way out of the room. Before leaving the hospital ward, she had one place she needed to visit. She made her way down the long hallways until she was in front of the pharmacy. The pharmacist smiled kindly at her, "How may I be of assistance to you?" The irritating sugar coated words grated on her already raw nerves.

"I need all the painkillers you have in stock." She leaned her weight on the counter.

"I'm sorry, miss, but you need to have a prescription from a doctor to have painkillers. Even in a magical hospital, we do follow the same rules as ordinary mortals." He explained to her, treating her like a lost child.

"I don't care. I need some painkillers." She gripped the hilt of her sword tighter.

The pharmacist just continued to smile sweetly and again explained why he could not comply. Finding herself at an impasse of words, Setsuna tried another tactic. Drawing her blade, she held the tip against his throat. Her body still was weak so her hold on her weapon was shaky. Within a few nicks, the pharmacist began to panic.

"Please don't kill me." His voice became shrill, "I'm only trying to obey regulations." The man started crying and closed his eyes; Setsuna held little sympathy for him.

"I didn't think you would resort to bullying mere bystanders, Setsuna." A calm familiar voice sounded behind her.

Setsuna looked over her shoulder to see Mana. "Do not get in my way, Mana. I won't hesitate to fight you as well."

Amusement glittered in Mana's eyes. "I have always wanted to have a fight with you.' Her eyes turned serious again, "but not like this. What do you think you're doing?"

"Walk away, Mana. That's all you need to do." Setsuna's blade still quivered at the pharmacist who upon hearing Mana's voice had reopened his eyes. His trembling eyes begged Mana to save him.

"You know I can't do that."

"The headmaster called you in?" Mana remained silent. "I should have known." Setsuna smiled bitterly. She stood up, "Ready my painkillers in a bag." She spoke to the pharmacist not once taking her eyes off Mana.

Setsuna poised herself in a fighting stance. Mana only smirked, not even tightening her grip on her own weapon. "In your condition, do you honestly believe you can beat me?"

Setsuna only narrowed her eyes. She knew she had a slim chance of ever winning in her state, and that was banking on a miraculous well timed coincidence that would probably never happen; however, she was not going to give up either. "You're stubborn." Mana declared, stepping aside. Uncertain of Mana's behavior, Setsuna remained on guard. "Because I am a professional, I don't fight those who can't defend themselves properly. When we fight, I want it to be on equal terms. Go before I change my mind." Mana sauntered away.

Setsuna was shocked. Out of all the outcomes that entered her mind this was one that she did not expect. She turned around to grab the bag from the pharmacist only to discover the bag sitting on the counter and the man fainted on the floor with a large wet spot on the front of his pants. She grabbed the bag from the counter and slowly struggled towards the exits.

Downing the last of the meat, she dowsed the meager fire. It has been nearly five months since Konoka's disappearance. Information leading to her whereabouts had been slim. Despair would loom over Setsuna yet when she would look at bracelet dangling on her wrist she was silently reminded to never give up. She frequented countless different clubs and hangouts that were popular among demons. Most leads were cold but some she found Hell's Gang members. Through torture, she discovered tidbits of information that would lead her to the next destination.

Slowly, she pulled her way up the chain from different ranks of bosses. A week and a half ago, she hit gold. The boss she had captured happened to have deep connections and valuable information within the Gang. He was tough to crack but after five missing limbs and some jagged incisions to his organs, he had begun to talk about a secret club that only allowed the elite to become members. Security was airtight. Once she had extracted the directions to the club, she left him tied to a large boulder with his belly wide open. She walked away, another destination to find.

Since then, she prepared herself for the upcoming battle. She polished and sharpened her sword and purchased some throwing knives which she concealed in various areas on her body. She dressed herself with a black kimono and hakama pants, leather steel armguards, blood red chest plate, sandals, and a long black cape. She had watched the club for almost two weeks and now she would attack.

She stood within the shadows of the night surveying the club from the outside. From her previous investigations, the only way to enter was through the front door. The club was a small dome shaped cavity in the middle of a forest. Demons of all sizes entered the club one after another. She surmised that the club was buried deep within the earth.

She maintained her position waiting for all the guests to arrive. She had no intentions of leaving survivors. Popping in another couple of pills, she patiently waited as the last of the guests entered before making her move. Using the dark as a cloak, she moved swiftly and silently toward the cave. She knew that hundreds of demons lurked within the club and not just the elite; bodyguards and business collaborators of all types were also permeating the ranks. She would have to sparingly use her energy.

Seeing her first two victims, the 'greeters', standing at the entrance, she increased her speed as the door begun to shut. Setsuna knew to dispose of them quickly and silently. Infiltration without a proper plan was foolish.

Her small body easily slipped through the two guards. Slashing using the barest amount of energy, her blade sliced through the vital points on the unsuspecting demons. Not sparing a second of hesitation, she hacked brutally away at any demon foolish enough to stop her. Her face clearly showed excitement as the blood and gore soon filled the interior. Demons tried to get to her but their large hulking bodies crammed inside the limited space slowed their movements as Setsuna's slender form mercilessly mutilated their ranks. Keeping herself from being cornered, she twirled around with her sword horizontally, creating a wind barrier that pushed any enemy violently away.

The push gave her a moment to recompose herself as she raised her sword in the air. Moments before the barrier fell, lightening filled the room. The roars of pain and anger brought her a smirk. As the lightening dissipated, the enraged demons quickly surrounded her. Setsuna soon found the situation out of her control. She fought as hard as she could even with demons grabbing her from all sides.

She felt herself being pulled apart from incredible force. This she knew, was nearing her limits. The battle as short as it was came to an end. She closed her eyes as the countless demons tore her body apart; a serene smile appeared. Her body combusted, igniting the entire room with a deafening explosion of firepower and decimating what was left of the demons.

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Setsuna plastered herself further inside of the cave as the sound of entrance erupted. Her Onmyou God worked as a diversion, allowing her to slip through as her copy fought through the hoards of demons; no one paid her any attention and those who did, she killed instantly. She had made her way safely further into the cave before the discharge.

She hugged close to the cave walls to remain blended in the shadows. She watched as more demons from further in the cave raced past her to find out what caused the explosion. So far, her plan had worked perfectly. The main bosses stationed themselves in the far, protected reaches of the cave. From her immediate observation, Hell's Gang seemed to live here.

Nearly all demons she had seen wore those earrings. 'I wonder if this is their base.' She pondered as she made her way down carefully to avoid any large groups. She did not want her position to be known until she had reached Konoka. She was mentally making a map of the place as she passed through. Evading demons as they reacted to the calamity that invaded their club, Setsuna found herself reaching a separate path.

A large, rusted bar gate hung open. It provided just enough room for her to slip through without disturbing it. As if an invisible wall separated the cave, a strong musky scent invaded her senses. Unwashed, decayed, mutilated bodies littered the pathway; some had the skin and meat stripped right off the bone. Setsuna was forced to breathe through her sleeve to block out most of the stench. She stepped over several body parts that she could no longer identify praying that none of them belonged to Konoka.

Unspeakable noises echoed throughout the cave. Vibrations of grunts and growls bounced off walls; it was more than enough to confuse any stranger who entered the domain. Chancing peeks around corners, she found the cave to be a labyrinth. The tunnels appeared to lead to either dead ends or in complete circles. Each wall and pathway looked identical, making the trek even more difficult to navigate.

She had rounded yet another corner before stopping herself in time. Squeezing her body as far into the dark recess of the shadows, two demons stormed by her. By their quick strut, Setsuna deduced they were messengers. She followed them while memorizing each and every turn they made. The further she entered the cave the more demons she counted. 'It's like a hive for them. There has got to be over a thousand!' Setsuna estimated. 'This is going to be more difficult than I thought.' She slid quietly pass a corridor that reeked of decomposing bodies.

Hair-raising screams streamed from it. The fear was so thick that Setsuna could feel the emotion gripping her throat. 'Human prisoners kept only for food and entertainment. It would appear that even after all these years demons have not broken themselves out of that primal habit.' Setsuna ignored the screams. 'I doubt Princess Konoka would be down there. As important she is to that one demon,' her memory flashed back instantaneously to the human-shaped demon, who had taken Konoka away. 'I doubt he would treat her like any other prisoner.'

Those prisoners were of no concern to her. All that mattered now was Konoka and nothing more. Melting within the dark cave had been easier than expected and the pungent odor was so strong that it masked her own scent, though she had long since taken a new odor of blood and death from her enemies.

The two demons finally stopped in front of a door shaped hole with a black cloth acting as a door. Setsuna knelt on one knee, waiting. "Enter." A voice she was quite familiar with, a voice that she could never forget, commanded from the other side.

The two demons walked through the entrance. Setsuna looked around her before settling herself into a crevice near the hole. She had to keep half of her senses on guard while the other eavesdropping because a hallway turned near the hole and anyone could spot her easily. She was no longer within the safe comforts of the shadows. "My Lord, we apologize for interrupting you. We have recently discovered that the base has been invaded by some unknown source. Many of our customers and guards have been killed by some sort of magical bomb."

Silence permeated the hallway.

"Is that so?" His voice was smooth, "How much damage was done?"

"The entrance is completely caved in, Milord; it will take us some time to dig us out."

Feet scrapped against the dirt covered floor alerting Setsuna that someone from the room had stood up. "Have you found any leads on our intruder?"

"No, Milord. We are still investigating."

"I see." He paused, "Let us go and see the damage. My pet, you stay here and rest. You kept tossing and turning; you must be exhausted." Several moments passed before movement was heard. Setsuna moved back into the shadowy corner as gravel began shifting underfoot. She knew they were leaving.

She watched the two demons exit first and then the Lord. Setsuna felt herself almost slip into uncontrollable rage. She kept herself in check as the three figures disappeared back through the cave. She knew that if anyone would leave a clue to where Konoka was the Lord's room would be the best place to search.

Checking once more if the hallways were clear, she entered from behind the black curtain. Expecting to see spoils and riches to fill the place, she was vaguely disappointed. The room was plain with a single bed almost across from the hole and pressed against the left side wall a table with several tools.

She knew instantly what sole purpose of the table. An odd number of candles stood at attention against the walls that held nothing casting distorted images in the room. A chair sat in-between the bed and table on the back wall. 'He mentioned a pet in here. Where is it?' She cautiously searched the room for clues pertaining to Konoka. Frustration filled her as she found nothing. She glanced over at the table once again. It was covered with gore. From the looks of it, it had recently feasted on new blood. She walked over to the table with disgust.

'Please don't tell me Konoka had become a victim to such a thing.' She looked down at her arm. She touched the steel armguard that hid and protected the bracelet. As many times as she had almost given in to her demon urges for more blood, the bracelet always seemed to hold her back. 'This way, I will be near your heart no matter how far apart we are from one another' Konoka's voice cut through her thoughts. Choking back the emotions she felt for the first time after so long, she scanned the room once more.

She found nothing but disappointment. Knowing she had better make a hasty retreat before the Lord could return, Setsuna stood next to the hole. She listened carefully for any sounds. Silence greeted her again. She carefully pulled back the curtain to leave when movement caught her attention. Grabbing her sword, which was bound to her back, she pulled it half-way out.

A large shadow emerged from the bed. Setsuna's hand tightened on the hilt as she slid her sword out even more. Its long legs hung over the side as it slowly stood up. Its body language told Setsuna that it wasn't a threat but she didn't care. It was a witnessed. She couldn't risk anything spoiling her plans just yet. She needed to first find Konoka.

The shadow looked bloated to Setsuna with slender legs and arms. 'What manner of creature is this? Is this the pet he was talking about?' She pulled the sword out of its sheath. 'Whatever it is, it needs to go.' She poised herself to attack. The candle light only flickered a bit on the creature giving it a more ominous presence.

She edged closer with her sword pointed downward ready for attack. A cloud of dust lifted from where she once stood. Setsuna slices through the air in an upward killing blow. The shadow reached out for her; it took a step forward. Setsuna prepared for the impact of her blade about to once again slice through flesh and bone. It was then that the shadow stepped out into the light.

Setsuna's body froze. Her sword hung mere inches away from the shadow's neck and two dead brown eyes stared up at her. Setsuna's mouth moved soundlessly as coherent thought tried to make its way through her brain. Before her stood Konoka. She wore a black nightgown made of silk that seemed too big for her. Setsuna's eyes drifted down to find Konoka had gained a lot of weight. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized the circumstance that had fallen upon Konoka. Konoka was not overweight; her left hand rested softly upon the tip of her swollen belly. Konoka was pregnant!

AN: Once more, I will give praise to my wonderful and hardworking editor. Without her, the story would never have been posted.

Also, Konoka's pregnancy may seem a bit out but I am taking into consideration that magic is involved and it is my story. So, I doubled the speed of a normal pregnancy.

One more thing to point out, I will discontinue this story because it would appear not too many people are enjoying it. I would like to thank my faithful readers for their constant support. But if I get several requests to complete the story and to add more grey to my poor editor, I will continue.