Disclaimer:

Love Hina and Mahou Sensei Negima is the creative property of Ken Akamatsu, who created this wonderful anime/manga series. Shingetsugan Tsukihime and Fate/stay night is the creative property of TYPE-MOON. Anything not attributed to Akamatsu-san or TYPE-MOON belongs to their respective owners, such as references to Cowboy Bebop (the Swordfish II) that is a creation of Sunrise and Shinichiro Watanabe, BLEACH is a creation of Kubo Tite, and vice-versa. This story is written purely just for fun, guys; please for God's sake, don't sue me! I'm just a high school student with too much free time on his hands! On the other hand, any specific author created characters I created for this fic (despite how unoriginal they may be at times) are mine. So without further adieu, let's get on with the show!

The Surgeon General's Warning:

Read at your own risk. Multiple pairings inside folks, with KanaxKei and KanaxNegi, just to name a few! You never know what you're going to get so read on (I might even do some alternative stuff, if you know what I mean).

Blue Blue Glass Moon, Under the Crimson Air

I Wanna Go To A Place...

Chapter 46:

The Crow

A Love Magister Hina Negima! fanfic by James "Ray" Edwards

She glided gracefully back to the embrace of Mother Earth, her shoe-clad feet touching in time with a steady staccato rapport. Her keen dark eyes scanned the thicky smoky haze, searching for any hide or hair of --- him, as the haunting light of sunset settled in, bathing her in auburn shades of red, orange, and yellow. Alas, even with the aid of her tainted blood she could could not see beyond the concealing veil of the unknown that rumbled moodily and left her heart trembling with fear, dread, and anticipation. There was no way he could have perished, not this man, and although she knew she should leave now, she still wanted to see him one more time with her own eyes.

Even when that sharp spike of pain erupted within her, stealing a scream of agony as she collapsed to her knees in shock, driving her gaze to the unsympathetic pavement. Her black wings and its dark entitlements were molting away with a sizzling crackle, giving way to pure white feathers, fragile human hands, and human eyes glistening with unshed tears. The unbearable sickening pain was always the same, her soiled body at war with itself every time she used the true powers of her twisted heritage.

Questions of why and how she was able to pull on such abominable powers without the guidance of Yuunagi plagued her thoughts, but she did not care. Not even when her white wings dispersed into a shower of glowing feathers that soothed away the pain, the torn flesh upon her back almost magically healing itself. The "healing" was always perfect, never leaving the slightest trace of a scar, unblemished beauty, but again she did not care.

Sestuna only wanted to see him: Keitaro Urashima.

"Wow... White feathers, huh? Just, I don't really know what to say... Hehe, they're sure pretty, aren't they?" he laughed aloud, his voiced filled with admiration. "Hmm, hm; no mistake about it. It's definitely the sort of thing I wish I could sketch sometime myself."

Her dark brown eyes shot up immediately, only to be met by the things she never expected to see: an open smile and an outstretched hand, waiting for her to take it. Though her most important charge had never seen them, Miss Konoka had said once she imagined that her wings were --- very pretty, if she really did have them. Then again, in her innocent naivety, the young miss could not possibly imagine the hideousness of her true form. It was as close as she had ever come to telling the Konoe heiress her true identity. Arisugawa-sempai and Kishyuu-sempai knew the truth, but even they had never seen the extent of how far the tainted blood flowed in her veins.

Of course, although it would be much later that she would find out for herself under less than --- pleasant circumstances, that Konoka-ojousama had already known the terrible truth...all along as well.

Keitaro. Keitaro Urashima was the first person to see her for what --- for what she really was...a monster. In the aftermath of the battle, he was whole again, blessed by whatever powers he wielded, with his wrecked clothes the only sign of the violence he had once partaken in. But...

"W-Why?" she asked him earnestly. Setsuna hated this weakness spilling out of her body: these unwanted wanting, tears flowing from the dark pools of her eyes, as her voice cracked.

Keitaro blinked in surprise. He certainly did not expect the demon girl...half-demon... No, the ronin reprimanded himself mentally, as he bent down on one knee, reaching into his jacket for where he hoped his packet of tissues still resided in an inner pocket (if they had survived). No matter how he looked at it, Setsuna Sakurazaki was still human and a girl --- in every bit and sense of the word.

She was in pain, distraught, and in need of a friend just like anyone else. How could he ever think of her as anything else? And just for once, fortune decided to smile upon him for a change, as he found the tissues, although he had no idea just how many twists and turns he had gone through today alone.

"Hora, here," said the ronin as he gently took one of Setsuna's hands into his own, specifically her right hand. To his relief, her hands had healed up perfectly in spite of being in direct contact with him during his technique, and he gratefully pressed some tissues into her grasp, curling her fingers to accept them.

He hardly noticed the reddening blush on her cheeks at what could be interpreted as a rather intimate gesture. "It's not exactly dignified for a proud Kyoto girl to cry, now is it?"

"'Ky-Kyoto girl?' Wha-How-?" the raven-haired girl stuttered in spite of her best efforts. This man --- yes, this man: why was he being so kind to her? Surely, he was a demon hunter or exterminator of some sort, so why was he...

Keitaro laughed. "Well, it was just a hunch. I got this feeling, you see, that you felt a lot like this other woman I met today, Aoyama Tsuruko-san, so I assumed you came from her hometown too. Plus there's the accent, and the way you behave in general that's similar too, although you don't use the same dialect."

Im-Impossible! Kei-Keitaro met THE Aoyama Tsuruko? Unbelieveable. What's she doing here? I --- I don't know what to think! This is all just too much. If Aoyama Tsuruko is here... Could it be another ill omen? What could possibly be at work here? The Aoyama Clan wouldn't...

Eh, I wonder what she's spacing out for with that shocked expression? Hmmm, I guess she knows Aoyama-san too in some way. "Aw, come on now; you know, it really makes me feel sad to see a girl cry."

Setsuna spluttered, blushing furiously, as she was snapped out of her brief reverie. Hurriedly, she began to scrub her face with the tissues in an effort to hide --- well, whatever it was she wanted to hide because even she did not know what she wanted to hide. For whatever reasons, Keitaro Urashima somehow managed to bring out that --- that side in her. It was not the same kind of --- kind of explosive, infuriated, and yet endearing reaction she had around Mana Tatsumiya.

This was --- different. This feeling was similar to her feelings for Arisugawa-sempai, Kishyuu-sempai, and even the young miss, Konoe Konoka-ojousama. They were all important, precious people to her, but this was different. This was something else altogether. Perhaps, it was like the "feeling" she had once for Motoko-sempai but that was not quite it either.

So what could it be?

Surprise and another embarrassed blush left their mark upon her complexion once more when she felt a rustle of clothing settle upon her shoulders. Keitaro had taken off his heavy black jacket, which was mostly intact save for a few singed tears where he had been struck during the battle, and slipped it on her without a second thought apparently. Again, the questions arose, and now more than ever, she wanted to know the answers.

"Why?" Setsuna asked him, her expression resolute with grim determination.

Honestly, it bewildered the ronin to see such strong emotion, but then he realized the importance of such a question for someone like her. Considering the circumstances, Setsuna Sakurazaki very likely did not have it easy growing up, and Keitaro wondered if she knew her parents. Did she have any friends? Family? Anything?

"Why not?" he replied to her with an open smile as he stood up.

"But I'm-!"

"You don't want people to ask questions about the --- ahem! --- weird tears in the back of your uniform now, do you? Besides, I don't think you're a bad person."

"Ah...!" What? Me? A person? He must be joking! "Wha-What are you talking about? I'm-I'm --- I'm NOT even human!

"If you were so terrible, evil at that, then you could've just left me there with the Giant Hollow and ran away at your convenience at any time, you know. Chances are I would've probably killed myself along with the guy in the process once my chakra, reiatsu, and even my own life force had been depleted completely."

"What?"

"You saw what my technique was doing, and trust me that was not what a normal 'Sudden Impact' is like. I was pretty much holding a time bomb in my fist at the time, and if you hadn't stepped in when you did, well, I wouldn't be here right now."

That idiot! What was he thinking using such a risky waza anyway? I... Argh, how am I supposed to reply to THAT?

"So --- I owe you one, Setsuna. Arigatou," Keitaro addressed her with a formal bow.

She was speechless. Setsuna honestly did not know what to say because as far as she could remember she had never been thanked before for using her full powers to save someone. Her presence alone was barely tolerated, and even among the yojimbo, she was ostracized, a despicable untouchable, and rumored to take a sick pleasure in --- erasing the individuals she was assigned to deal with. They were all lies, of course, but what could she do?

Oh, she could not lift a finger, but here she was nonetheless being thanked for the first time.

What should I say? What should I do? pondered Setsuna, biting her lip nervously. This has never happened to me before. I --- I can't even dream of Konoka-ojousama ever thanking me like this! It just wouldn't be proper in the slightest. I'm a hanyou! We're...

Keitaro's good-natured chuckle drew her from her private dilemma, much to her ambivalent relief and dread, as he bent down once more, extending a hand to her. "Hey, you don't need to say anything, Setsuna. I'm in your debt now, and I guess that sort of makes us friends, in spite of what our differences may be."

"I-anou..." The raven-haired girl blushed. Why was it that --- wait, did he just call her by her FIRST name? No honorific or anything? How --- How could he... Ooohhhh, he's just as confounding as the raccoon girl!

"Come on, take my hand. We really ought to be getting out of here, you know. Trust me, I know a thing or two about Mahora City, and I bet there's some not very nice people out there, who would like to drag some answers out of us by the teeth if necessary. ...And I can't let them do that."

Sensing the urgent catch in his voice, Setsuna squared up her shoulders and took his hand with cool dignity, as she had been instructed many times. Now was not the time to be idling by on girlish feelings of sentiments, and she could surely get her answers later. For example, what did he mean by his statement just now that he could not let those "not very nice people" get to him?

Keitaro, of course, helped her up to her feet easily. His incredible strength...faltered.

"Aaghk!" What the-? My body is...

Suddenly, the ronin gasped sharply, clutching at his chest. A mask of pain exploded across his face in an instant, alarming Setsuna as he felt himself going under, the eerie sense of vertigo and nausea dragging him down. What was wrong with him? Chakra depletion? My reiatsu? This sudden weakness in his body...!

What?

Setsuna cried out his name --- his first name, in fact --- and before either of them knew it, she had caught him, her lithe arms enveloping him in an embrace. She huffed, straining against his heavy dead weight, but she held him nonetheless, adjusting to his weight quickly. For a moment, all was still, and it was not until several minutes later that the gravity of their --- awkward position finally hit them both.

"Etou, ahh, Se-S-Setsuna-kun, this isn't what you-!" Keitaro spluttered hastily, scrambling for a good excuse before the girl decided to pound him into the floor for a perceived "lewd" act on his part. He had no idea why, but women more often than not tended to assume the worst in him, and he really did not want to know what demonic strength could lend to righteous feminine fury.

The Yojimbo on her part frowned at the new form of address. She did not know whether to be mortified or --- worse --- dismayed at the ronin's remarks, and replied as best as she could in a clipped tone of voice, "Mattaku, are all roninsei as irresponsible as you, Urashima-baka?"

Ouch.

"Eh-hehehhe, well..." I wonder why I feel like I'm being held by Kana-chan? Hmm, when I think about it, they are about the same height, although the bust... Wonder if she uses bandages or a sports bra-GAH! Uwahhh, bad thoughts! Bad thoughts! Stupid Haitani! Stupid Shirai! Argh! Setsuna --- umm --- Setsuna-chan, I guess, will kill me if she finds out!

The hot blush creeping up Keitaro's face did not go unnoticed, but Setsuna decided it would be best to ignore it for now. She was definitely going to enjoy prying the answers she wanted out of him later. With a huff of effort, she shifted his weight about and grabbed one of his arms by the wrist, drawing it gently around her neck while putting her other arm around his waist in rapid succession. It was an expertly executed "support carry" wherefore the ronin could use her as a crutch to assist him walk.

"If you're so weak that you can't walk on your own two feet, just say so --- bakamono."

Keitaro blinked at her surprising maturity, before chuckling sheepishly. Setsuna was certainly different from the average girl, whom would have pulverized him by now. "Ah-heh, thanks. I guess, I owe you another --- whoa."

"Whatever. So where-?"

"No, really! Look! They've bloomed!"

It was --- unexpected. To see beauty blossom on what was once a battlefield littered with bursting water fountains and broken things. As if confirming Mana's hypothesis, the sakura had bloomed in the waning light of sunset, the petals a golden amber. To gaze at the scene was to see a forest of gold, eternal life. It was beautiful and tragic all at once, though Setsuna had to wonder if it had something to do with Keitaro Urashima's "unnatural" power?

From an objective standpoint, his power was immense, perhaps even monsterous, and if it were not for her mishap, he would have easily taken apart all of the Hollows by himself without breaking a sweat. His reiatsu potential was worthy of the top agents among the Kensai Association, and his ki was well off in the upper echelons of the established records as well. He had incredible promise, yet he clearly lacked control and finesse. Everything he did was by shear force of will, which was not too much of a problem with whatever reiatsu-based arts he apparently knew at present.

However, his ki potential was absolutely worthless, an exact opposite of Kanako Urashima in the same department. It was questionable whether the girl had any reiatsu potential at all, but the chances were good that she had some as well, or so Setsuna wagered. If this was the case, then she wanted to know even more if they were related in some way.

"You know, this does remind me in an odd way. It's kind of funny too, but..." Keitaro chuckled amiably, despite his shabby appearance. Of the two of them, he would probably get the most amount of questions on the way to wherever their destination might be as there were dried blood stains, his own blood, caking on the tears and burns in his clothes.

"What is?"

"Well, you see I kind of have this, um, allergic condition..."

"'Allergic condition'?"

"Well, like Kana-chan says: 'You're allergic to close physical contact with intent from females, Urashima Keitaro, and when your allergy gets irritated, your blood production skyrockets, resulting in a spectaaaaa-cular nosebleed!' Or something like that..."

Setsuna frowned. Again, this mysterious Kana-chan person! Was she and Urashima Kanako really one and the same person?

"I mean, I've gotten better with therapy over time, and a lot of help for Kana-chan too! Back in the day, I could even shake a girl's hand, and I could only dream of even stepping within ten feet of one. But the strangest thing is, you're like the third 'girl' I've met today technically, which includes Ichihara Yuuko-san, Aoyama Tsuruko-san, and well --- you. Since I'm not out cold yet and..."

"AND?" Who is this Ichihara woman he mentioned? Her name sounds so familiar...

"Well, uh, I don't know if you have the same habit as Kanako-chan," Keitaro acquised to her nervously with a sweatdrop. What did he do wrong now? "But you do look --- uhh --- prettier, uhh, cuter when you have your hair down."

"...WHAT!" Setsuna shot him a hot glare, the effect of which was mollified somewhat by the cute blush gracing her cheeks. Is this what they call... Is he --- is he 'putting the moves' on me? No --- wait, did he say Kanako? Kanako-chan, specifically?

The ronin quailed internally at her blistering gaze. Did I say something wrong again? Oh no, it's not like I can back out now either. There's that saying about how fortune favors the bold, so --- so I might as well go for it! "I'm serious! I really do think you're prettier with your hair down, just like Kana-chan does-"

"Oh, nevermind that," she snapped hotly, doing her best to appear calm and composed, which again was not helped by the brightening blush on her cheeks, "but when you said Kanako --- do you mean, Urashima Kanako?"

Keitaro blinked. "Well yeah, she's my little sister. Who else could I mean? Like, is there a new pop idol or something with her name too?"

...Impossible. I can't believe it. How can they even be related? Keitaro --- wha? Why am I referring to him by his first name? Oh, confound it! They're as different as the sun and the moon. How-!

"Setsuna-kun?"

"Bakamono! If you're addressing a woman, you don't call her 'kun'! That's insulting," she snapped at him irritably.

"Gah! S-Sorry, uhh, Setsuna-san!"

"And when were we on a first name basis?"

The ronin laughed sheepishly. He was tempted to defend himself, but after many years of being around Kanako, his dear little sister, he knew better than to argue with the opposite sex for such a --- minor detail:

"Sorry, Sakurazaki-san."

"Ugh, nevermind," the raven-haired girl conceded flatly, "'Setsuna-san' will do just fine."

Though to be honest, she was not comfortable with such a title of respect either. Perhaps, she should have suggested "Sakurazaki-kun" instead...but even that did not feel right with her. Why did feelings have to be so difficult?

"All right then," Keitaro agreed.

"So where to?"

"Huh?"

"You said this place wasn't safe, right?"

"Oh yeah, you're right! I totally forgot."

Setsuna was very tempted right then to do a faceplant and then slap the bumbling ronin over the head, but again, she refrained from doing so. Oh Heaven forbid, how sweet her vengeance would be later, if he dared to keep this confounding behavior up! "Just answer the question. We only have a short time left before nightfall, understand?"

"Mahora Academy."

Pause.

"What?"

He could not be serious, could he?

"Why not? I have to go pick up Kana-chan still, you know."

"Bu-B-But just like this?" Setsuna spluttered in disbelief.

"Yup, and we got no time to lose either."

Wow, he really was serious, after all.

To Be Continued...

Author's Notes:

Oh no, it's that time of the week again! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, and we're back with another installment of Glass Moon: Chapter 46! Ummmm-hmmm... This is certainly a big development for Secchan, but then again, she's not the same one we knew from the regular Negima! cannon. Just where will she go from here? And oh boy, Keitaro! Sure, he went through some pretty crappy stuff so far today, but with all the downs of this universe, there's certainly a lot of nice ups to it compared to the normal Love Hina cannon for himself. Man, he just raked in two of the top high profile ladies in the metaverse of Glass Moon without having to be launched into high orbit near Pluto, although he did get shot, bloodied, and toasted up pretty good in the process. Still, to get Setsuna and Tsuruko's attention? Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Just what does the future hold for Setsuna and Keitaro, hmmm?

Well, maybe we'll find out on the next episode Glass Moon-desu!

Reviewers and readers alike, I'd like to thank you all very much for your continued patronage. With your help, we're well on our way to eventually breaking that 10,000 hit mark and then some. Gracias! Remember, I encourage each and everyone of you to feel free to comment, review, and/or discuss the story. Your comments can really make a difference, I assure you, and if you're up to it, feel free to ring me up on AIM, or even send me an e-mail (although you really don't need to boost my ego too often). You know how to get in touch with the maestro here.

So without further adieu, that wraps it up, folks (see you around the same time as usual): LOVE! And! PEACE!

Omake!

Naze Nani Glass Moon Desu

Episode Preview!

Chapter 47:

Lurking Shadows

"My dear, dear little Heartless, that man destroyed you completely, turned you into --- junk. I can't even sense a sliver of your presence anymore. You've become junk my child, my dear little me. Junk --- and all because of that man!"

Tsudzuku!