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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).

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Blue Blue Glass Moon, Under the Crimson Air

The New Life at Mahora...

Chapter 63:

Harsh Words?

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

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And, oh, how efficient her words were...

"Well, well, and so the magnificent whore of the House of Konoe presents her soiled self before my sight," Motoko stated casually, not even the slightest bit concerned by the terrible wounds her words inflicted upon their sole recipient. "Come to spread your legs again so soon? Or your dear grandfather couldn't find you a suitable craven debonair cock again? Hmph, how despicable."

Konoka flinched. Oh, she knew it was going to hurt --- but did it really have to hurt this bad? No, she deserved it, every last word of it after everything... Secchan... Mo-chan... It was all her fault that everything had been torn to pieces, all messed up; everything...

"So is this foul-mouthed, red-haired one the latest model?" the Shinmei Ryu heiress continued to patronize her without mercy, glancing across the way, as she tilted her chin up imperiously. "Tsk, tsk, your taste seems to degenerate more and more, just like the rumors say. After all, everyone knows about the grand slut-"

"YOU. SHUT THE F---! UP!" Asuna roared back in her defense, rising violently to the occasion, like a lioness about to pounce.

This was bad. No, this was getting worse. Though Motoko did not show any obvious outward signs, her expression as schooled and cold as ever, Konoka could not miss the bristling spark that flickered across her steel-green eyes. The thin sliver of intent that managed to slip past the taller girl's grasp was enough to send clammy goose bumps prickling across her skin. Oh yes, this was definitely getting worse.

"Foul and crude. An exemplary match for you, isn't that right? Does she help you with business too?"

"You B----! Leave Konoka-chan out of this! This --- is between --- YOU. AND. ME! Got that?"

"Your Japanese needs work, gaijin."

This --- this was hopeless. Why had she even bothered to try? Of course, she knew Motoko had not forgiven her, not then, not now, not ever. This sin she had committed knew no bounds, no limits, and its terrible power had only grown while she still laid paralyzed on the spot, just like back then some odd four years ago. Secchan had been with her then, like how Asuna was with her now, and once more, someone was going to get hurt in her place, though she was the one solely responsible for everything.

And when the bittersweet tears started falling, Konoka knew that everything was over, just like before, and there was only one inevitable conclusion left to be played out...

---

Ooooo, Asuna was pissed! No, she was BEYOND pissed. This Aoyama --- chick was just like Kanako! Shoot, they even looked alike to her. She did not know what the hell was going on, why this chick just said all of this --- crap, just pure utter bull --- about Konoka, but man, was she damned overdue to open a can of "whoopa--!" on somebody, and it was going to get ugly --- up in here --- fast. If another word came out of that girl's mouth and upset her best friend, there was going to be-!

Suddenly, like a gun going off with a bang, she heard the thud of Konoka's knees against the floor, her shaking hands covering her face, as broken sobs emanated forth, despite her own best efforts to hide them. Between those slim fingers was the undeniable glistening proof of her sorrow and anguish, tears glinting in the light. She shook and she trembled, trying to hold back the misery that came pouring out.

Asuna was speechless, utterly mystified. Why was her best friend breaking down like this? Konoka was stronger than this, was she not? How could she let a snob like Aoyama get to her? Those things were not true, right? Not even close! What the hell was going on?

And then Motoko began to giggle. It was the first time Asuna had ever seen any emotion at all reach the regal girl's expression, the line of her lips drawing back in a vindictive, almost perverted smile. She looked like somebody reveling in a moment of triumph, having crushed her enemy into submission. But what kind of sick joy could she get out making Konoka cry? She was the nicest, the kindest girl Asuna knew, and yet, this sort of...! How could this happen?

The auburn-haired girl trembled visibly, her bangs veiling her smoldering gaze, as she balled her hands into fists. Anger: broiling, open, and immeasurable red venom was piercing her veins, just waiting to explode in fury. F---- You. F--- YOU! And all your s---! I'm MAD as hell, and I ain't gonna take it anymore!

"You... You. YOU MADE KONO-CHAN CRY!"

In an instant of exploding fury, Asuna lunged forward, a quick fighting step, and lashed out with a straight punch to the taller apathetic girl's face. The satisfying split-second smack of sinuous flesh and bone against her knuckles was a much deserved break, flooding her spirit with a kind of reassurance that she was not weak, that Asuna Kagurazaka could still fight. However, as she drove her body into the follow through like Naru had taught her, something --- unexpected --- happened.

Motoko "melted" underneath her fist, vaporizing into the air like a dissipating mirage.

"Wha?" she breathed in utter astonishment.

The abrupt loss of resistance nearly sent her tumbling to the floor in an undignified heap, but the auburn-haired girl managed to catch herself in time, planting her forefoot firmly down to kill her momentum. Hurriedly, her mismatched sky blue and dark blue eyes swept the empty hallway for any hide or hair for the source of her anger. There was a downright creepy, icky feeling slithering between her shoulders, sending the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, as she tried to assure herself that people do not just "melt" into thin air, especially not right after she punched them in the face. This sort of crazy stuff just was not possible, and it was not happening to her!

"What were you swinging at? I'm over here, amateur," a dreadfully familiar voice called out from behind Asuna called out.

The unfeeling sting, like antiseptic, was more than plenty to jerk her around on a dime, baring a snarl on her face. She was not surprised in the slightest to see Aoyama standing just a ways down the hall in the opposite from her, but it did make the infuriating unspoken insult that hung in the air any easier to swallow. Motoko was not even looking at her, not taking her seriously at all, as she stood there coolly with her back towards Asuna, which really ticked her off.

"Che!"

"What's your name, mezawari-san?"

"An --- an eyesore? Why you...konoyarou. It's Asuna! Ka-gu-ra-za-ka ASUNA, remember it, Aoyama-kusotare!"

"Very well, fool; how about we play a game?"

"A game?"

"You seem to be quite intent on avenging your Mistress's honor, so how about this: if you can break my stance within ten moves, I'll apologize to Konoka-san."

"Oh, really now?"

"I swear upon my honor as samurai, but in return: if you lose, you shall bare the shame of this defeat upon your head and never dare to look me in the eye again. If you defy this sacred agreement out of self-righteous arrogance, I assure you --- there will be harsh consequences for you AND your filthy cunt of a Mistress, understood?"

"Hmph, like Hell, I'm going to lose to someone like you!"

"The famous last words of the weak and powerless."

Asuna was about to roar back her own venomous retort when something warm and lithe clasped her hand. The sensation sent her shoulders jolting up at the sudden human contact, but she quickly restrained herself from doing anything rash. It was unspoken rule that nobody touched her, period, unless she was the one initiating such a bold move. As for those that she did allow close to her, the auburn-haired girl had long since memorized their touch, which did not surprise her as much when she found Konoka holding her back, almost as if she was pleading with her not to fight.

"Asuna-chan...please, it's --- okay," her best friend spoke to her in a broken whisper, unable to even look her in the eye, as she hung her head low in --- shame? But what was there to be ashamed of? "Y-You don't have to do this...I --- I deserve..."

Asuna did not get it. Yes, she did not understand a single bit of any of this insanity at all, but until she figured it out otherwise, she was going to protect what was precious to her as best as she could with all her strength. "Wha? Tsk, Konoka! Snap out of it; we can talk about this later, but right now, I can't just sit by and let Aoyama get away with saying trash like that to you --- my best friend!"

"...A-Asuna..."

"Look, go see Hijiri-sensei at the nurse's office, okay? She'll take care of you just fine. I'll be a long to pick you up in a bit and we can go to class and-"

"Ho? Best friends, is it? How unpleasant," interjected Motoko flatly, as she turned around to face them both with her cold baleful gaze. "You never change do you, Konoka-san?"

"Shut it, kisama! She's none of your business. The one you should be worrying about is me! Got that?"

"...Asuna-chan."

"Everything will be fine, I promise. Just go, Konoka-chan, please? For me?"

There was nothing else to say. It was not easy watching her best friend run off in tears, each receding step pounding a needle into her heart, but Asuna knew she had to tough it out, resisting the instinctive urge to throw her fight aside to help Konoka immediately. Besides, there was no way she would be able to fight seriously while she got caught up worrying about her roommate's well-being. Konoka would be all right. Everything would be okay; yes, everything.

With a loud cry, Asuna cleared her thoughts away and threw an accusing finger in a decidedly macho manner at her apathetic opponent, "All right, and just what are you going to fight with? Your bare hands, Kendo Girl?"

"Of course," Motoko replied in a matter of fact tone, slipping casually into a basic unarmed fighting stance with her feet spread apart and her arms ready to defend herself. It did not impress the auburn-haired girl in the slightest bit; she would tear that kind of stance apart in seconds. "You don't expect me to take a mere common mongrel of a dog seriously --- no, you're not even worth the dignity of a dog --- you're just trash."

"Oh yeah? Well, we'll see about that, Aoyama-yarou! HI-YAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Asuna bolted into a dead run, the bells in her hair twinkling audibly, as she crossed the limited expanse into close range and leapt into a flying dragon kick straight for Motoko's face. Seemingly predicting the attack, the taller girl with the bare minimum of effort shifted her weight onto right knee, bending ever so slightly to the side to evade the blow. The maneuver left her attacker's foot roaring dangerously close to gracing her cheek, but the effect was more than worth it as Asuna went screaming by ineffectually over her shoulder.

"One."

Landing in a half-crouch, the auburn-haired girl pivoted forwards, balancing her weight on her left palm flat against the floor, while she lashed out with a whistling back kick to the small of Motoko's back. The strike, however, met only air as the girl side-stepped aside, seemingly dancing about face on her feet, so that she faced her seething foe once more. Of course, Asuna was not done yet, doubling back on her left arm and pushing with tremendous force, propelling herself upward. The fact that her opponent was evading her efforts only made her more determined. She tucked her arms in, rotating her body about quickly like a top as she rose, before kicking out at the apex of her improvised jump with a scything kick to the neck.

"Three."

Motoko casually bent backwards, allowing the malicious foot to pass dangerously close to her face, separated by only a thin margin of safety. Somehow, she was managing to evade Asuna's furious strikes using the absolute minimum effort possible. It was certainly a hair-raising proposition as the auburn-haired girl touched down on her left arm and coordinating foot once more, swinging her right foot in lethal arc at Motoko's face. The force of the blow was enough to disturb the very air itself, sending her black bangs billowing back.

Fwoosh!

"Four."

Missed again?

With a snarl, Asuna pivoted her weight atop her left hand in astounding acrobatic feat of grace and power, vaulting back onto her two feet in a feral crouch, before exploding into motion. Her bells jingled, the air sang, caressing her face as she stepped in quickly and threw a whiplash jab at the taller girl's face. Again, Motoko bent back, dodging by the most narrow margin, before springing back and shifting her weight on to her right knee, leaning aside to evade a follow-up roundhouse punch.

"Kuso!"

"Six. You're running out of time."

"Shut up; I'll get you!"

Undeterred and unrelenting, the auburn-haired girl lunged in, her eyes smoldering with an inner flame, to grab at the front of her opponent's jacket. Motoko skirted backwards easily dodging the grab, a fast retreating step, but Asuna was determined to keep up her momentum, diving forwards, rebounding off her outstretched hand into a cartwheel, swinging her legs forward like cutting axes. The rush of air accompanied by a calm staccato of footsteps told her clearly, much to her silent chagrin, that she had missed again. Finishing the cartwheeling turn to stand on her feet, she threw one last waspish punch in desperation, and this time, Motoko did not even move to dodge as her fist stopped just short of gracing the cool, haughty girl's face by an inch.

This was the exact limit of her reach without overexerting herself.

"Damn!" cursed Asuna as she pulled her fist away, beating a hasty retreat. All of this had only happened in a matter of a minute or so, and yet already she was breathing pretty hard, her body breaking out into a cool sweat.

In contrast, Motoko was the same as she had begun this fight: cool, apathetic, and completely untouched as she maintained the same basic stance, feet spread apart, and arms at the ready. What hell just happened? How had this snobbish girl managed to dodge all of her attacks? Were her movements that obvious?

"Nine," the Aoyama heiress deadpanned, "Your time is almost up."

That girl! How could she say something like that so casually? Asuna did not know what to think. She supposed Motoko really was not kidding when she said she was a Tenth-whatever-dan kendo master, but never would she have imagined the difference in their levels would be this grace. Still, there was no way she was going to give up to a stuck up, patronizing, snob like that because she did have one trump card. It was a little underhanded she guessed, but then again, Aoyama never did say that she could not go all out.

Naru-neechan, please don't be too mad at me, if you ever find out. But right now, this is something I have to do.

Taking a deep calming breath, Asuna closed her eyes and flowed into a neutral stance, back straight and her arms hanging simply by her side. She drove the world aside, Motoko, all of it, focusing only on calling up her untapped reserves of strength. Like turning the knob on a faucet, she gave a gentle tug, just enough to get the pressure flowing, and just like that, a fiery tingling sensation ignited her body from head to toe.

Asuna sighed happily as she felt her previously dormant chi awaken. Now, she was ready to take care of business, starting with making that Aoyama brat eat her words. A confident smile alight on her face, the auburn-haired girl set her sights on her foe, posing with great bravado as she struck her finger at Motoko once again:

"I hope you're ready, Aoyama-teme, because this time you won't know what hit you!"

And with that declaration, Asuna took off --- well, more like --- burst forwards, faster and stronger than before, her body leaving bluish smoky after images in her wake. She hardly bothered to gauge her opponent's reaction to the spectacular, fiery display as she gathered her chi into her right fist and swung out with a whiplash punch...

"Here I go --- Hyappo Shinshou!"

Suddenly, a searing sphere of blue chi exploded outwards from her fist, sending Motoko leaping backwards in a hasty retreat. The attack had missed, but the stuck up girl had moved as exactly as Asuna had expected into her promised victory. She focused her remaining chi into her legs and pushed off with all her might...

"Ba Ji Quan --- The Eight Extreme Fists Style! Hi-satsu...!"

...the limited world of the hallway blurred behind her, shooting past the bright sunlit windows, a Motoko descending slowly from her leap, and all, in a near instant as she came to an abrupt halt behind her unawares foe. For a split second, Asuna smiled unconsciously with glee at the vulnerable black-haired girl's back. Victory was in her grasp, and all she had to do now was drive her righteous smashing elbow straight into...

"Got'cha! KURAE --- CHUUSHICHU!"

Her aim true and strong, and behold, the resistance of flesh and bone --- melting beneath her blow?

"What the-?" gasped Asuna in shock, eyes wide as saucers as the black-haired girl before her vaporized into thin air yet again, just like before when she had tried to punch her the first time. What the hell was going on? She swore she had been fighting-!

THUMP.

Suddenly, pain exploded across her throat, like a knife slicing across its length. She wanted to scream, but with her muscles constricting around her throat subconsciously, it was an impossibility. Of course, Asuna was so caught up in shock that she barely even heard that faint whisper of whistling air when a small shadowy figure crept into her vision for a moment, before a stunning knife-hand chop cut into her face, right between the eyes. Blinded and reeling back in agony, she lashed out impetuously with her fist in retaliation.

"S$#!"

It was an utterly foolish maneuver in hindsight as she had offered her arm to her opponent, who was happy to wrench it out of her control with abrupt sickening motion. Asuna choked when she slammed hard into that person's shoulder, a terrible stinging ache erupting in her chest, but there was hardly a chance to counterattack as vertigo over took her. The world turned upside down on her head, pushed overboard by an immense shove by the hips and back of her assailant, and pulled downwards, the air screaming past her ears, towards the unsympathetic floor.

SMASH!

"That was eleven blows. You cheated," Motoko's all too familiar voice hissed in her ear huskily, a deadly undercurrent of venomous steel seeping into it, as she gave Asuna's arm a painful twist.

The auburn-haired girl gasped, her eyes fluttering open, trying to blink out the blind spots from her vision. Her mind was still dizzy from her trip, while her traumatized body protested furiously with too many aches and pains to count, and then, there was that blasted Kendo Girl hovering over her like a vulture. Oh, and she had her in a perfect arm lock too, while her knee remained planted in Asuna's right shoulder:

"Ghgk-aahh! H-How?"

This was not going to be pretty.

"Right now, I can dislocate your arm in three places simultaneously. The pain will be unlike anything you've ever experienced, I assure you."

"Che!"

"Yield. You've lost in disgrace and dishonor. The agreement is now null and void-"

"Never."

"Hm?"

"Never ever! I. I won't ever give up to someone like you."

"Oh?"

"So you can take that high and mighty samurai pride of yours, twist it sideways, and go F---! YOURSELF, Motoko-kusotare!"

Motoko smirked.

"After you, Kagurazaka Asuna-yaroudono."

SN-SNAP!

"IYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Pride, so it seemed, really hurts.

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To Be Continued...

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Author's Notes:

A three, a two, a one --- ZERO! I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-VES once again. And we're LIVE with episode 63!

That's right, folks; I'm back. I may be Private Edwards now (owned by the United States Marine Corps --- HUUU-RRAH!), but I'm still your friendly neighborhood J-Easy, still here to put more fun into the world, and still loving to write. The only thing that's really changed is that I can kick some tail and take names now for real, if some dag-gone fool wants to get stupid with me, so please let's not get stupid here. Getting "To the deck --- MARINE CORPS!" is not a fun experience, I assure you.

Now then, what the heck did we have happen this chapter? Well, a whole lot of fighting and harsh words that'd make John Woo go "WTF? And I thought I was over-the-top." And we even managed to fit in some character development on the side too. Man, Asuna really got trashed up. How is she going to recover from this mess? And what about Konoka? She has to be hurting too, and how is she going to get through the pain herself? Heck, just how strong is Motoko anyway, and what happened in the past that made things so messed up today?

Perhaps, we'll find out on the next episode of Glass Moon-desu!

Reviewers and readers alike, I'd like to thank you all very much for your continued patronage. 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: Semper Fidelis. Always faithful. Carry on.

Omake!

Naze Nani Glass Moon Desu

Episode Preview!

Chapter 64:

You're Invited to a Welcoming Party?

"Wa-Wait a second here, wha-what am I supposed to do without my magic?"

"Talk."

"Ta-Talk?"

"It's what normal people do, you know."

"But I'm not a normal person, Keitaro!"

Tsudzuku!