Author's Note: My bad if this chapter isn't much good, but the story will work its way up in excitement, believe it. Characters (except Daniel, he's mine) belong to Ken Akamatsu.

Adjustment

Setsuna woke up early to go do her daily training routine before school starts. The digital clock on her desk read five o'clock. She had plenty of time to train then shower before she got to school. Quickly she got dressed. As she prepared to open the door she looked up at Daniel's bunk where he continued to sleep soundly. That boy has been sleeping since noon yesterday, she thought. What's up with that?

Setsuna slowly closed the door behind her and went to the usual spot which was a clearing in the woods nearby the dorm rooms. When she arrived, she pulled her sword from its sheath and began with the basics. Remember, it is always important to know the basics. They could be the difference of losing a fight or winning. The voice of her mentor rang in the back of her mind.

Training always took her mind off of her troubles and worries. Daniel, too, had slipped into the back of her mind. All that mattered was getting stronger to protect her ojou-sama. Suddenly, Setsuna's senses picked up another person within the area. She glanced behind her, trying to find the new comer, but there was no one. That was odd... I could have sworn I had picked up on something...

"Hey Sempai! Training early, aren't we?" Setsuna nearly jumped out of her skin. Daniel was almost two feet away from her face. How the hell did he get so close without me sensing it?

Daniel laughed at her surprise, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you. I saw you leaving our room and, well..." Daniel blushed with embarrassment, "I was curious so I followed you..."

So he's BEEN following me and I just NOW sense it? Maybe the headmaster was right. I do need someone to help protect Kono-chan... Setsuna calmed down. She didn't want him to see how flustered she was, "It's fine... Did you want anything?"

"Can I train with you? I wanna see what you got."

"Like sparring?" Daniel nodded, "Okay. Draw your weapons." I wanna see how strong this kid really is.

Daniel drew his tomahawks out of their sheathes and got into a fighting stance, "No magic, just the weapons in our hands."

Setsuna nodded. Daniel was the first to move. Within an instant he was in her face. He's fast! But I'm faster. Setsuna ducked out of his way and brought up her sword, careful to not to cut his face. Daniel moved his head out of the way and kept closing in. Setsuna struggled to block his attacks, "I realized with such a long sword, Sempai, that your close combat skills are slightly limited."

"You don't realize how wrong you are." Setsuna found an opening and jabbed Daniel in the stomach with the butt of her sword. Daniel flinched and used the flat of his tomahawk to smack her hand away. Setsuna jumped back onto a nearby tree branch. She used the recoil to spring at him. Daniel tried to move, but she was too fast. Setsuna slammed into him with the flat of her sword.

Daniel fell into the grass with a thud, "Uncle! Uncle!" He set his tomahawks down and held his hands up.

Setsuna couldn't help but chuckle, "Proved you wrong, didn't I?"

"Yeah, I'll say! Sparring indeed! It almost felt like you were getting serious!"

"Sorry, I don't really play fight," Don't mess with me, kid. If you ever endanger my Kono-chan, then I grantee, this is gonna hurt, the darker side of her mind threatened.

Daniel checked his cell phone, "It's almost seven. School starts in an hour. What do you do next?"

"Well, I usually take a quick shower and go over to Ojou-sama's dorm..."

She didn't like the way his eyes lit up when she mentioned Konoka, "Can I come? Well, I mean to see Ojou-sama..."

It took all of her willpower not to tell him no, "Sure, my showers are quick." Setsuna and Daniel made it back to their dorm room and as soon as Setsuna was smelling less ripe, they left for Konoka' dorm room.

Setsuna knocked on her door, "Ojou-sama! It's me!" Shortly after the door opened.

"I figured that," Konoka said, "You're the only one who comes here this early." Konoka noticed that Daniel was with Setsuna, "Oh, Daniel-kun! You're here, too? Come in, both of you. Breakfast is ready."

Setsuna greeted Negi and prepared to take her seat at the table. Unfortunately, Daniel had chosen to sit in her usual seat which was the one next to Konoka.

"Oh, you're gonna sit by me today?" Konoka said as she sat down with a plate of eggs. She smiled, "It's nice that Set-chan brought you with her." Konoka felt like she was the only one who felt the waves of jealousy radiating from Setsuna. Of course she felt them. She had known this girl a large portion of her life. Almost all the time she knew almost exactly how her Set-chan was feeling.

Setsuna, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to her Kono-chan's ability. She actually thought that she was concealing her emotions quite accurately. That's okay, she kept telling herself, I'll just sit in Asuna-san's seat, next to Negi-sensei...

Setsuna took her portion and sat next to Negi who was wolfing down his eggs.

"Slow down, Negi-kun! I don't think my artifact can help people who are chocking!"

Negi swallowed the last of his eggs, "I'm sorry, but there's a teacher's meeting and I'm running late!" Negi forgot about his plate and ran out the door without much of a goodbye.

Normally Setsuna loved the idea of being alone in a room with her Kono-chan at breakfast. Sometimes Konoka would baby her and spoon feed her. It was embarrassing, but she secretly loved it. But no, there was one unwanted person in the room and she continued to emit waves of displeasure.

Konoka felt a strong wall of emotion smashing into her face, Geez, Set-chan! Can't you control your emotions? "So, how was your morning?"

Setsuna was about to speak, but Daniel spoke first, "My morning was great! I sparred against Sempai and she had me beat within seconds!"

"You're not hurt are you?" Konoka asked, concerned.

"Well, this scrape on my arm stings a bit..."

Konoka gently took his arm. Her index finger began to glow. Then she touched the scrape. The minor wound hissed for a moment and it was gone the next. Daniel looked at his arm with wonder, "That was amazing, Ojou-sama!"

"Please, don't be so formal. I already have one person who calls me 'Ojou-sama'." Konoka sent a playful glare to Setsuna.

Setsuna felt unwanted heat crawl up her face. She tried to maintain her cool and cross her arms, but it failed and Konoka giggled at her fail.

"So, Konoka-san. You have an artifact?" Konoka nodded, "Who did you make the pactio with? Sempai?"

Konoka soon wore a blush that matched Setsuna's, "No, with Negi-kun."

He nodded thoughtfully, "Maybe we could make a pactio."

Setsuna had had enough, "Okay, it's time to get to class. We don't want to run late."

Konoka stood up and took everyone's plates, "Okay, I'll be ready in a sec!"

Running to school was a daily routine, whether or not they were late. They got to class with five minutes to spare. The majority of class 3-A was out of their seats socializing except for Evangeline, who was at her desk napping.

"Wow..." Daniel said, "I've never seen a classroom so...lively."

"Tell me about it!" Konoka agreed.

Paru was the first person to notice their arrival, "Hey you guys! Walking in almost late again, I see?" Paru noticed Daniel hiding behind Konoka, "Hello, what do we have here? A boy? Konoka-san! Cheating on Setsuna-san right in the open like that? Not cool!"

"No no, he's a new student and I fully intend on keeping my Set-chan."

Setsuna tried to let the comment slide, but her blush told it all.

The clock struck eight and the class instinctively knew that it was learning time. After Negi came in and asked about everyone's weekend, he announced, "We have a new student today! Daniel-san, can you please come up here?"

Daniel rose and walked to Negi's desk, "Hello! My name is Daniel. You can just call me that without being formal. It's fine."

"Tell us a bit about yourself."

"Yeah, cutie! What's your story?" Kazumi said, causing the class to giggle.

"Well, I'm from America. I'm skilled with the weapon called a tomahawk. That's about all I can think of."

"Thank you, you can take your seat."

"My my! This school is starting to become more co-ed," the class rep commented. The girls around her nodded and agreed with her.

Setsuna's day didn't get much better. Everywhere Konoka was, Daniel was right at her side. This trend repeated throughout that week. Setsuna was starting to think that Daniel had replaced her. No, I can't be replaced. I have a special place in Kono-chan's heart. I CANNOT be replaced. But her own words failed to make her feel any better.

Later that night Setsuna lay in her bed staring at her sword, lost in thought. What am I to her? she wondered. Am I just a bodyguard? Just a friend? I can never become more than a friend. It would distract me from my duty. And besides, Kono-chan's a girl. Girls want to find the man of their dreams, get married, and have a family. I can't give her that...

Hatred filled her mind when she thought of Daniel sticking by her like a lost puppy, That brat... He's in my way... Everything was better when only one person guarded Kono-chan... I didn't feel this way before. I didn't feel so angry, so jealous, so...hurt. Konoka had spent more time this week with Daniel than with her and she missed Konoka's company terribly. She rolled over to her side, Kono-chan...I wish I had you back by my side again...

The door flew open and there, panting, was Asuna, "Setsuna! It's Konoka! Some weird monster thing came though the window and took her away!"

Setsuna leapt from her bed, sword in hand, "Do you know where it went?"

"It looked like it was headed towards the woods. I'm sorry I couldn't help! It was too fast... All I heard was a scream and-"

Setsuna didn't hear the rest because she was already out the door. Are the people the headmaster spoke of last week at it again? Dammit! I was too busy wallowing in my own self pity to do my job properly! She sprinted off into the direction of the woods, unaware that her every move was being watched.

END

How's that for a cliffhanger? That chapter went off better than expected! The next chapter shall have more action, violence, and possible some blood to go with that serving of violence.