AN: Again, thanks to VVoltronSV for beta'ing me and listening to my bad ideas.

"Truces and Alliances" (Between 351 and 352, after ~40-50 years of sleep)

When the sealing was done, the idea of dreaming during the time of sleep hadn't been brought up, it had generally been assumed that the sleep would be dreamless and silent. With some luck, their princess would awaken, and the hundred years and the Kagurazaka personality would all slip away. A ways into the sleep, however, a strange dream started to happen...

Kagurazaka Asuna didn't realize where she was, but realized there was a foggy haze there currently. She didn't feel 'right' somehow, and had some nebulous memory of the sealing, but not how she got into this. She looked out at the haze, and called out into it. "Hello?! Is anyone there?!" She didn't really expect any response, but just in case, thought it would be worth the attempt. She held herself from wandering forward as she listened...

And heard a soft footstep of some kind. She blinked, then closed her eyes, trying to identify the location of the step, a shot of annoyance going through her. "I know someone is in here! I just heard you move! Now don't be sneaking around stalking me!" She turned toward where she heard the movement, stepping forward just a bit and looking around again.

The voice that responded seemed to come from everywhere at once, projected. "'Stalking you?' What a very interesting term to use. I could say similar of you, or could have previously. Once you saw my memories, you chose the sealing, to fix the problems with Mundus Magicus. To give honor to the others and what they have done, both for me, and now seemingly for you."

Kagurazaka-san was chilled at the words being said. "Y... You're the actual Princess. The one they said would wake up and forget I ever existed..." She shivered, and looked around again.

The scene started to clear, seemingly a view of a quiet beach. And standing within the space of said beach, she saw another figure. A younger version of herself, with longer ties in place of her trademark bells, holding her hair in check. "You have already felt me though. I came through while we were being held prisoner, and somewhat during the few months since." She gave the slightest sigh of resignation. "The truth of what had become of my existence. Over a century of being nothing more than a pawn or weapon."

"... Being stolen from and being used to steal, declared a monster. I saw. It felt almost like I was watching the past of someone else, even as I remembered..." Kagurazaka sighed. "I'm sorry. If I'd known any of this beforehand, I probably would have stayed away from Mundus Magicus totally. Instead, another imprisonment, another near-abuse..." she scowled. "I really felt helpless during that whole thing. I didn't like it at ALL." She clenched a fist idly, looking at it. "Ever since the breakout attempt when I snapped out of the shock from memory block being removed, I've been pissed off no end about losing that fight. I wasn't clean enough, I didn't have the cancel field up... and I failed. I'm sorry for that as well."

"Do not be sorry, Kagurazaka-san. You made a valiant attempt. The son of Nagi Springfield was not able to stop Fate entirely either, initially. You acted to protect both yourself, me, and the other captured girl. You did... far more than I ever would have dreamed of daring to try. I would have been silently marched off to my fate. You, however, stood up as a warrior to try and stop it." The Princess sighed very softly. "You have learned a great deal of what I once was taught, before winding up broken the way I was. But even if taught the rest, it would likely not be enough to fight Fate, or the Mage of the Beginning..."

Kagurazaka blinked and frowned.. "Not like I'd ever get a chance to anyway, I thought... I did another stupid mistake against you, really, by agreeing to this plan that will keep us both sealed away for so long. But it's my last one. Damn Negi for being so convincing..."

The Princess shook her head slightly. "Do not concern yourself with that. What you did protected a great many people, on top of saving many others from oblivion, immediately upon awakening. You and Negi were able to turn the tide back, even if possibly not permanently. I... tried to be with you as much as possible when the Code of the Lifemaker was used..." She sniffled softly then, tears running down her cheeks softly. "It was the first time anything I've been used for has been undone by my own hand. Or at least by yours, acting as me. I thank you very much for that." She paused briefly. "I am slightly surprised at the nature of our quiet discussion, however."

"Thanks... Wondered how I immediately recalled the spell and all. Felt like I knew more than I normally do as well. It was weird! Still get jokes about getting that number so immediately. Baka Red, able to do math that fast? No one believed it." Kagurazaka laughed softly, despite herself, then. "Still, glad I was able to let you experience that... And... what exactly surprises you? Expecting me to be a brutish ape, like Iincho always says I am?" Her cheer faded at the name, remembering she might never see Class Rep again. She fought to hold back any tears for the moment, at that.

"Well... I almost did expect you to engage in battle to preserve yourself, to be honest." The Princess admitted. "Though I am quite glad it did not come to blows. I would much rather not fight Baka Red for my existence." She didn't laugh, but her tone lightened considerably as she used 'Baka Red' as an appellation. Then she darkened back to her normal emotionless state, and looked down. "Gatou wanted me to have a happy life, as he lay there dying. He was one of the first to ever say I had a right to anything. But... I had known too much suffering for that. When I looked through the memories you had collected, however... Those seemed far happier, even when there was some problem or unpleasantness. The only happiness I have seen in ages."

Kagurazaka nodded just a little bit at that. "Yeah... it has been a lot more fun being me than anything I've seen remembering being you. Even if there was good at some point, it's all gone away. If all the good I had goes away, it will be forever lost though. And you'll still be as you are, someone Negi won't recognize, though Eva might. Since she's one of the ones saying it."

The Princess paused, eyes widening at the final part of that statement. "That's one other thing I would mention you have done, one great risk you have taken with me. I could not have imagined what I would do if I had come face to face with Dark Evangel. The idea that you were able to sit within 30 feet of her on a daily basis for so long a time in itself is amazing. The idea that you convinced her to help with your combat training is an utter shock. From what I have looked at of it, as much as it seemed she was rather ruthless sometimes, she did have valid points to demonstrate with her actions. I highly support continuing to train with her if at all possible, if she is available when we awaken."

"..." Kagurazaka paused at the comment. "Well, isn't that your thing? You might not have gone near her, but well, if you wake up and I don't..." She blinked. "Wait...we?"

"There is much you understand that I do not, Kagurazaka Asuna. And much you have that I do not. You were able to be roused, and have enough will to stand with Negi and turn the tide back as I never might have. You have the will to actually live, rather than simply exist. And have a life of happiness and joy. I mostly have memories of misery anymore, though the things I was taught are still there, things past what you have relearned." The Princess paused just a bit. "You might have initially been a 'fabricated' personality, but it was no surprise you reasserted yourself, even after seeing all the memories. You have become far more of a real person than I had been before the memory block was instituted. I am fairly certain I know of a way to merge the knowledge and memories, and personalities, and combine us totally into one entity. It might take a slight bit of time even after awakening, if we are unlucky, but we could come out as Asuna Vesperina Theotanasia Entheofushia Kagurazaka, or rather Kagurazaka Asuna and the rest after, in proper Japanese fashion as you have residence there." She paused a moment, to hear.

Kagurazaka dropped her jaw in utter shock at the statement. "Join... with you? And still be able to live and be almost me?" Hope filled her expression even as tears filled her eyes. "You would really want that?"

The Princess nodded, stepping up to hug Kagurazaka softly, and wipe her tears. "The overall situation may require some adjustment, it comes with having more knowledge, and more ability to understand, since the block affected that as well." She looked down and back up slightly, offering a slight smile. "You will likely not technically qualify as a Baka Ranger anymore, even. Though even I am guilty of referring to you as Baka Red earlier. But the effect that will have on personality is likely not great. Better a smart fighter than a 'dumb brute', as your friend Ayaka has referred to you as, yes?"

Kagurazaka reddened slightly at the comment, trying to put her trademark scowl back into place, even as she tried not to laugh. "I thought I heard you call me that, earlier! Is there really NO escape from that title? But yeah, might be helpful. Too bad it didn't come early enough so I could retest and fix some of those grades..." She flinched when she heard Ayaka's name mentioned, her eyes filling up with tears again, and her scowl dropping totally. "I... wonder how many will still be there... Even if I join with you, a lot of the people I know and care about will be gone... The others... I'll likely only see them again once before they die of old age..." The tears started to flow freely again. "Even together as one, the only ones there past the first reunion with any left, will be Negi and Eva. And she openly said not to expect her to even see me..."

That drew a flinch from the Princess as well. "I... had not considered that." she sighed and drooped. "I am sorry my presence as part of you has cost you that, I really am." She shivered softly. "It always seems like one more person, having their life ruined simply by my existence... I will try to help you get through that, If there truly is any way possible to do so..."

Kagurazaka sighed again then, clinging to the Princess tightly before realizing what she was doing and letting off her. "Apologies, milady. Thank you... I would like to continue to exist, yes. If you are willing, please do whatever it is you feel will join us." She tried to dry her own tears then, shivering in her... swimsuit. She hadn't even realized she was wearing it, until then. "Whenever you are ready."

Princess Asuna raised her eyebrows slightly at the previous comments. "Did Setsuna rub off on you when she was using excessive formality that one time?" She offered a little smile then. "It is not needed. We are one. And I will attempt to include a wake up sequence, I somehow doubt they will actually care to ensure that we wake up on schedule, unless Negi does it himself."

Kagurazaka Asuna nodded at that and smiled. "Thanks... Hopefully I can wake up for it. It would be nice if Negi would show up to get me, can't get my hopes up too high though. Then I could yell at him for this." She smiled and settled in.

The Princess nodded, and started working up the internal use spell that would merge them. Kagurazaka didn't hear all the words, or wasn't paying attention to them all, but started feeling different as they wove through the two, the circle of magic forming around both as the effects were worked.

She had time for one last thought, as she slipped further into the sleep under the combination of the spell, merge time, and sealing. And Kagurazaka Asuna only had one thought. That dream was WEIRD. Or was it a dream..."

A final answering thought rang, No, it was not. And the two sides of Asuna began the slow process of merging into one, as she slept onward over the course of decades.