So to say that its been a while wouldn't be fair. My last update was April 11th 2011, so yeah a long time. While I still have notes on eventual endings and the like, seeing as its been almost four years since I last wrote here my writing style has change a bit. My story telling abilities however have not changed that much however, so if you hated the story so far, this probably wont win you over.

Enough digressing, here is what you (anyone? Hello...?) have been waiting for.

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Negima Star Chapter 10: From Ashes

(I do not own Negima or Lucky Star)

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In a place not so far from Mahora, but altogether impossible to reach normally, a hooded woman sat impatiently looking at the minions she had brought to aid her thus far. Minions who, to this point, had managed to fail at every single task she had entrusted to them. Each of them was here because she wanted the best of her elite to aid her in this undertaking. That was even a possibility that they could fail was never a thought.

Her oldest and strongest, Higure had as yet not been directly involved. Instead he had given the directions the others had managed to mangle beyond recognition. Though she admitted, circumstances had at least forced .. unplanned alterations to one of the plans outside of their direct control.

That said it was amazing how easily botched a simple kidnapping could get. Perhaps sending Misuto and her kill problems first attitude was a poor decision in hindsight. Not only had she failed to actually kidnap the girl, but had also alerted one of the most powerful Mages of this world to her presence AND failed to kill the mage despite possessing the overwhelming advantage. I will have to punish her for that once this is all over with. No sense in ruining a perfectly built killing machine before its uses are done. Now the girl was under a spell apparently, and trapped in her own mind. How and when this had happened Misuto had no idea, as he hadn't the knowledge or the desire to learn such useless spells.

To make matters worse, Tenka had managed to let two mere school girls to stop his mission. He had been warned about Asuna Kaguazaki's abilities but had decided after a squabble between her and another student that she wasn't a threat. This allowed her to keep fighting just long enough for other, as he called them, capable fighters to arrive thus ruining his chance at killing Asuna without being discovered.

Tsuri, her final minion in this trial, had as yet little. He had attempted to steal the Gateway from this deans office only to find it gone. How or why he could not say. Perhaps the dean had hidden it elsehwere though their spies had said for certain it was in his rooms. Still she knew he was searching and could find a human hair in hay stack given the time. He was easily the most patient being she had ever met. And one of the strongest trackers.

Despite all these setbacks and gross inaction, the overall outlook was not nearly as bad as it could be. They had not only seriously injured one of the strongest mages on this world, but had discovered that she was also being magically stunted for unknown reasons. She would not be quite the threat initially believed. While failing to kill her Tenka HAD managed to seriously injure Asuna as well, meaning she would be unable to fight for some time. That left only a select few at this school capable of interfering with the overall plan if they moved carefully and avoided future mishap.

Yes, despite it all, things were going well enough. In due time all would be hers.

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While they were waiting for Negi to return from talking to the Dean, and seeing as they were all being confined to the dorms, Kagami and the others had decided that it would be a good time to stop and just try to relax for a little while. Miyuki had gone with Yue and Chamo to learn more about magic. But Tsukasa had wanted to take a nap, but didn't want to be alone right then. Konata, usually so energetic over this "magic" that it made Kagami sick, appeared for once to want a chance to just relax. Unfortunately for Kagami this, combined with the lack of familiar stimulation in the form of games or manga, made her the prime target for the little Otaku's attention.

"Kagamiiiin"

"What is it Konata?"

"I'm bored!"

"Well what do you expect me to do about it?" Kagami said, getting irritated

"I don't know, say something funny like you usually do, or better yet get angry and yell. That would be funny too... Ah Kagami?" Konata stopped as it looked like Kagami was about to do more than just yell.

She does this just to annoy me, I just know it...But rather than yell at or hit Konata, Kagami took a deep breath and said. " Look Konata, I know you get a kick out of making me mad, you seem to do it often enough it can't just be mere accident, but really today is not the day for it..."

The seriousness in Kagami's calm voice managed to get through to Konata better than any amount of yelling could. "Sheesh, I know that, but everyone's so worried right now, I just thought it would be nice to get back to something normal.."

Kagami felt her irritation returning, " So.. Me yelling... and hitting... is NORMAL?!"

"OWW, Kagamiii, that hurts!" Kagami had, while talking grabbed Konata in a half-chokehold and was proceeding to show Konata just how "funny" she could be.

Several minutes later, they had both separated and Konata said.

"Why do you always poke fun at me anyways Konata?"

She's never asked that before... "It's because your tsundere reactions are always so cute Kagami-sama."

*Eye Twitch* "I'm being serious Konata, you have to know it annoys me when you say things like that. And don't call me Kagami-sama"

"Does it really bother you that much Kagami?" The soft, almost hurt, voice that Konata said this in threw Kagami off for a second. She Hadn't expected a response like that. Wait she's just pulling another line from one of her anime isn't she...Kagami felt her anger rising. And I'm trying to be serious here...Part of Kagami's mind wondered though. She had never heard Konata use that voice before. Despite this, her more rational self took charge and said,

"Any normal person would be bothered by things like that. It's weird for a number of reasons, and you know it." Kagami said with some satisfaction, at least until she saw how Konata had reacted. With each word, Konata's head had dropped a little until by the end, Kagami could no longer see her face. Kagami could swear her friend was on the verge of tears.

"Konata?.." Just then Konata looked back up, any sign of sadness or pain was gone without a trace.

"Eh, its just as well, I was starting to get bored of calling you "Kagami-sama" anyways." She said cheerily and with no sign of falseness or worry. Kagami didn't respond, but she couldn't quite shake the image of Konata looking so frail, combined with how she had responded to Kagami's words. She was sure she had just hurt Konata badly. She didn't know how or why what she said would be so upsetting, but she knew.

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"Ojou-sama." the words felt like a distant wind "ojou-sama!" she knew who was speaking, but her mind was so tired it couldn't understand the significance of it. Then, from far closer she heard, "K-k-Kono-chan" Slowly but surely, Konoka woke to see Setsuna watching her with worried eyes.

"Are you alright Ojou-sama? The rain outside has stopped and we should get moving."

Konoka almost wished she could go back to her dream, at least there her friend wouldn't be so distant..on that thought Konoka's mind remembered the previous night's revelation, and her realization of how Setsuna really felt. She tried to look inside Setsuna's mind to.. to what, see if your friend loves you? What then? After you've invaded her privacy for your own gain, what will you do if you find she does love you? Struck by this sudden and unexpectedly fierce thought Konoka stopped and just stared at Setsuna. Where did that come from? Wait Set-chan's saying something.

"I'm sorry Set-chan, I was still waking up," she lied, " Could you repeat that."

"I asked if you were alright, but I can see you're not yet. Well we have a couple minutes if Ojou-sama needs to rest, but we really need to get moving."

"Mou, not Ojou-sama!" Why does she insist on that honorific? Putting two and two together Konoka realized it was probably to keep a mental distance. "If you don't mind Set-chan, I just need a minute and I'll be fine." well anything but fine, but she can't know that. The previous night, Konoka had realized, and promptly doubted, that her beloved friend and eternal guardian Set-chan might actually love her as more than a friend. Her mind had spent countless hours trying to sort it all out. Right up until, and indeed after, sleep exhaustion overtook her. Sleep had only managed to mix fantasy with reality. This morning, all she really knew for certain is that, based on her previous night's jealousy driven discovery, whomever Setsuna loved, she was resigned to never show it, and probably never feel it returned to her. That thought brought tears to Konoka's eyes, a fact that did not go unnoticed by a certain swordswoman.

"Kono-chan?.. I'm sorry... if calling you... Ojou-sama bothers you that much.." Setsuna said, honest hurt filling her words, "I will... try.. I don't want you to cry again because of me..." Konoka looked up in surprise to see her normally stoic guardian in tears herself. A feeling of agony and pain so strong Konoka winced at it followed. Regardless of anything else, Setsuna really didn't want to hurt her. Konoka wiped her own tears away and stood up smiling. She took Setsuna's hands.

"It's ok, Set-chan, I wasn't crying over that at all." though it does upset me. She amended to herself. "You don't have to worry about me, I'll be just fine so lets get going." She put on her happiest smile and started walking to the door.

Setsuna, meanwhile, was torn, on one hand she knew what had to be done, on the other she wanted to know what was bothering Kono-chan to badly as well. Well she CAN read your thoughts and you have been distracted by this whole mess so...NO! She can't know anything even near that...I'd rather die than let her know I feel that way. She'd hate me. But would she, another voice in her head wanted to say. Setsuna had known from almost the first time she'd met Konoka that she loved her. She didn't know that it was bad until years later, when she first heard of people being shunned for the very thing she felt. Ever since that day, she had been resolute in her mind that regardless of her own feelings, she would never bring that sort of pain and suffering to her beloved. No matter the personal cost.

But you're totally willing to hurt her yourself, you're a dolt you know that. A voice in her head that she wasn't entirely sure was her own replied so strongly she was taken aback by it. For a split second she thought maybe Konoka had seen her thoughts again. Thankfully, the mage had apparently been engaged in her own thoughts at that moment and had seemingly failed to notice any of it.

Enough we need to get moving, I can deal with that when the time comes. Putting actions to words, Setsuna walked to the door where Konoka was waiting patiently. Upon passing through the door however, they found themselves in a completely different place than they had left. They were on a small island in a vast sea, with no signs of land in any direction. Suddenly the door behind them closed. In surprise they both looked, but to their surprise, there was no sign of the door at all or the building. The only other things beside sand on the island was a small patch of grass. Not so much as a single tree called this place home.

"Where are we Set-chan?" Konoka said with a hint of fear in her voice. She turned to look and saw Setsuna was shaking visibly. "Set-chan?"

Setsuna knew all to well just where they were, and what lay ahead, what she didn't know was how on earth she was going to survive this. Or if the cost would be out weighed by the gain..

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It wasn't until Negi returned with his news that either Kagami or Konata said another word to anyone. Konata herself seemed subdued even upon learning that they would be allowed to not only train further in magic, but be doing so in what would amount to a magical lamp type device. Likewise, Kagami was lost in her own thoughts, trying to understand why her words would bother Konata, the obvious reason being beyond her, and more so why the fact it bothered Konata bothered her as much as it did.

Her sister was not lost to the awkwardness between the two, and was about to say as much when something Negi said broke through the haze enveloping the two.

"What Asuna-san was attacked too?"

"Is everyone I meet going to get hurt?"

Kagami was as surprised by Konata's response as anyone. And could only stare at her blue haired friend. For her part Konata looked shocked she had said anything at all.

"N...Never mind... Is Asuna-san ok?" Konata asked Negi, attempting to turn the focus away from herself.

"She got hurt pretty bad, but she said it wasn't much worse that some of her training with Eva-san so she'll be ok in a couple days."

"That's good at least" Tsukasa put in. Konata just gave a distant look and kind of sighed a little.

Kagami was beginning to worry about the little Otaku, Konata could go off on her own fantasies all the time but this felt different. For the first time Kagami could remember, Konata was actually upset. And she didn't even know why.

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For her part Konata was more upset than she had expected to be at Kagamin's words. She knew most of what she had said had been directly related to Konata calling her Kagami-sama, but despite that, Konata found herself in a weird and surprisingly for her, unshakable cloud of doubt. Sure Kagami yelled at her all the time. And Scolded her, and hit her, and choked her, and so on. Yes Kagami did all those things, but behind it all Kagami was always this soft innocent girl that Konata wanted more than anything.

She wasn't about to tell Kagami this, even if she believed it as more than just another anime reference, she was pretty sure her purple haired friend wasn't really like her. She was from a religious family and was a Shrine maiden, their was no way she would be as... different as Konata knew she herself was. Still Konata couldn't help but feel the way she did so she spent as much time around Kagami as she could and just enjoyed that feeling of closeness, even if it wasn't what she truly desired.

Recently, however, over the last year or so, Kagami had been reacting differently. How exactly Konata couldn't say but she felt like Kagami hadn't been as harsh or as violent in her responses to Konata's jabs. Sure she still yelled and hit as often, and as hard, but to Konata,the difference was there. At first she thought maybe her brain was just starting to rot, turning any contact into positive contact. Then she started noticing Kagami glancing at her when she thought she wasn't looking, or mot responding at all to a jab she clearly heard. Or blushing at something that would have just had her yelling before. No, Konata hadn't been imagining it.

Why she had gotten so upset today though, well Konata was already feeling horribly guilty about this whole mess, sure an adventure is nice, but only when there is a way back. This was worse than Sw*ord A*t. At least there if they won they go to leave. They may never get home again. It was bad enough imagining never seeing her dad or Yu-chan again, realizing that she had brought the others, Kagami especially, into this mess along with her made her feel all the more terrible about it.

So when Kagami had gotten all serious on her, Konata had got serious back, probably far more than she should have, and let emotions she actively avoided seep through. To have those feelings crushed, even unintentionally, hurt far more than she had been prepared for. She wasn't sure how to feel right now. For the first time in a very long time, she had no idea at all what to do..

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"what is it Set-chan? Do you know where we are?" Konoka asked, with a very worried look on her face.

"Yes, Kono-chan...I know exactly where we are... and I am not ready at all... I thought we'd have more time..." Setsuna was still shaking, silent tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"SET-CHAN! Whats wrong? Whats happening why are you so upset?" Genuine worry filled Konoka's voice. "Whatever it is I know we can make it through it!" a feeling of dread like a tsunami poured out of Setsuna and hit Konoka so hard she nearly lost her footing.

"No Kono-chan..." Setsuna said, voice cracking.

"Se-" Konoka turned but her question was cut off as Setsuna's sword slipped under her rib cage.

"we can't..." Setsuna said with an almost broken voice. As she began to black out, Konoka was overwhelmed by a pain that she knew wasn't her own. Within this pain was born a love so intense it was like a beacon... she sensed that was important somehow..

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So I liked this chapter, it turned into a very nice little piece when it was all said and done. A lot more expanding one various things It looks like I meant to do before, and quite a few that I like that I hadn't even come up with yet back when. Also the fact that both stories involve the -sama honorific is actually completely convenient coincidence, though it does make them feel linked in some way doesn't it? As for the rest of the chapter, well yeah.. wasn't sure I could actually write the last segment at all...

I am going back (like I once said before) and attempting to fix the errors I had missed in my previous chapters. I apparently did NOT understand commas very well four years ago.. or proofreading, or spelling, or a number of things... Again so very sorry about that.

As for the next chapter? Well it won't be three more years I can say that hahaha (no seriously I'm shooting for end of February at the latest but we'll see.)

Anguish