After the incident in the class, and after Setsuna got scolded by Negi for her improper behaviour -because she almost cut one of her classmate's head off, and fought with Mana who tried to hold her back from messing up the classroom- the punished girl was now looking after her stupid history teacher to teach her what a real lesson was.

' Where is that dumb girl? ' Setsuna thought with anger. She walked around the school but couldn't find her. Then she thought about one place.

" There you are...you rosted bird! " the samurai yelled at the dark-haired girl with beautiful eyes.

" You know you also are insulting yourself by saying this? " Emiko kept watching the World's Tree.

" I'm not a bird. " Setsuna replied flatly, approaching her. The taller girl turned to face her.

" Then what are you? " she looked at her, raising an eye-brow.

" ...A sweet angel. " she smiled at her.

Hearing this made Emiko smiled with her heart.

" Ah! You sure are! " Emiko laughed.

" Where did you hear that by the way? " Setsuna seemed to lose her anger and was now more interested about their past.

" Eh? You don't remember? I thought you recovered all you memories since you finally recognized me. " Emiko tilted her head.

" Well, I remember most of them, like when I was in my house with my mother, but her face is blurred in my mind. Also I remember I was kept hidden from the entire village, actually you were the first kid I ever met back then. " Setsuna tried to think more.

Emiko sent a compassion look at her.

" Our clan was really bad to you, wasn't it? All that I recall about you is what my parents told me. Contrary to others, they were really kind towards your family. I understood my father helped yours to escape our village, since he was human. " Emiko sat under the tree.

" I don't know why they were so fascinated by humans, but they raised me in this way, like a human child and not like a demon. They told me once that the cursed child wasn't but she was blessed with being a demon with human emotions. " Emiko leant on the trunk.

Setsuna blushed a little at her saying. It was the first time she heard someone talking about her cursed origin with such ease, and not even a slight disgust.

Emiko looked at her embarassed friend. Setsuna kept watching her, waiting for her to answer to her question.

" Okay come on, sit with me. " Emiko waved her hand telling her to sit next to her. Setsuna did as asked.

' I feel like I've known you for so long...'

Emiko patted her head, and surprisingly, Setsuna let her, feeling a bit shy.

" Aww, you're now all grown up, but you still act like the good girl you were before! " Emiko told her, laughing.

' I feel warmth, tenderness and joy. '

" You were so shy, you couldn't leave my side, always clenching my shirt's sleeve haha " Setsuna blushed more with embarass. She frowned.

" No I wasn't! " she said loud, slapping away Emiko's hand on her head.

" Oh come on! You were so cute! It was like having a pet. " Emiko smiled.

' Yet I don't know why I feel annoyance, anger, and concern. '

They stayed silent for a moment.

' Nostalgia...'

" You never told me about my mother, if I recall correctly? " Setsuna asked her, looking at the clouds.

Emiko's smile dropped.

Birds were flying in the sky.

" I didn't...indeed. " Emiko was now caressing the grass beneath her through her fingers.

' I feel strenghtened, and accepted. '

Setsuna was waiting for her to continue. All this time, she wished she could learn about her past and clan.

" I heard you mom calling you 'sweet angel' while she was bleeding to death on the ground. " Emiko started to snatched the weeds.

Setsuna's eyes widened. Then, she dropped her head to stare forward. The fountain seemed fresh.

" And she sacrificed herself to save me. " Emiko smiled weakly.

Setsuna turned her head to her right. She looked at her friend.

" Mother saved us..." Setsuna's voice were very low, but a hint of pride and bittersweetness were heard in it.

" Exactly. That's why, I promised myself to always look out for you. " Emiko turned her head to look at Setsuna.

" I owed her my life. And since you're her daughter, I would give my life away for you if needed. "

Setsuna was speechless. Emiko's eyes showed so much sincerity.

' For the first time,
I feel my heart full of happiness. "

Setsuna felt so...moved.

Eyes in the eyes, they could see how related they were.

' Kono-chan was true. ' Setsuna thought, smiling back at Emiko.

' We do have the same eyes. ' Emiko grinned.

' This love is so strong. '

Setsuna finally realized what bond she had with her.

' I'm feeling it now. '

" I'm sorry I left you here. I remember you cried so much the night when I was gone. " Emiko smiled at the memory.

" So I stayed secretly to see if you'd be okay. And when I noticed you were all alone all day in the house, because no one was allowed until the Head-master figured out how he could help us. I felt so bad to leave you the same way you lived in our village. " Emiko dropped her head.

Setsuna kept her head up, enjoying listening her stories.

" Then I spied around to see if there were kids...That's when I met princess Konoka. " Emiko smiled. Setsuna broke her stare to look at her, surprised.

Her eyes were saying ' Really? '
Emiko giggled.

" Yep. She was also playing on her own, so I thought it would be good for the both of you to play together. Heck, it was so hard to convince the Head-master to let a half-demon with the soon-to-be most powerful mage girl. " Emiko snatched weeds and threw it away in front of her.

" How did you do? " Setsuna was curious about her first meeting with her girlfriend.

Emiko sighed.

' It's all about sacrifices. '

" I had to agree with erasing your memories. " Emiko said sadly, biting her lips.

" And I always wished to have the chance to ask you forgiveness. " Emiko were hiding her head from Setsuna, ashamed.

" Please forgive me Setsuna. " Emiko said quietly, turning slowly to look at her.

Setsuna eased her pain with a hug startled Emiko.

" Don't. Thanks to you now, my life is wonderful. " Setsuna said, hugging her tight.

" I found the love of my life, and, we found each other again. "

Emiko's eyes watered.

' I understand now why it was empty. '

Emiko put her hands on Setsuna's shoulders.

' You were missing. '

She drew back as she took Setsuna's hand in her both hands.

" I always thought you would hate me for the choices I made. "

' I can feel now,
how precious it is... '

" Thank you Setsuna...you really have grown into a beautiful and good person. " Emiko smiled at her.

Setsuna blushed at the compliment.

' to have a family. '

Three girls were walking in the city center. One of them pointed out something inside a shop, and dragged along her friend by the arm. The last one followed them.

The brown-hair girl was talking happily to the dark-hair one who was shaking her head left to right as a sign of no. The red-haired girl watched them with a smile on her face.

" What don't you want to give it a try Secchan? I'm sure you'll look beautiful in it! " Konoka exclaimed, holding on her girlfriend's arm.

" No way Kono-chan! Even if you beg me, I'm sorry but I don't think it will suit me. " Setsuna told her lover.

" But...please? " Konoka started to lower her head.

' Don't do that Kono-chan ! You're cheating! ' Setsuna thought hard, looking away from her princess.

But she felt a hand gripping onto her shoulder.

' Fight back! Don't listen to her plea! ' the bodyguard tried to ignore the hand calling for her.

" Please...Secchan..." Konoka stood on her toes, as her lover was taller than her.

She was coming closer to Setsuna's face.

' Hng...! ' the swordwoman looked at the dress before her. It was so puffed up, like a giant pumpkin.

" Look at me, Secchan..." and what her princess asks is what she shall give.

Setsuna turned her head, slowly as she could, because she knew she would lose.

Their eyes met. The samurai girl blushed at the closeness.

" Could you...do..." the princess leant more and more.

Setsuna was blushing madly. Being this close, and outside among people, and her Kono-chan using her seductive voice, and Asuna who was watching them...

It was too much pressure for her to bear.

" Whatever you want..." Setsuna sighed in defeat. And drew a smile with her lips.

"...Ojou-sama! " Konoka eyes' widened.

" Secchan, don't call me like that! " Konoka held her grip tight.

" Well, you're asking, no ordering me, so I'm taking it as a task, Ojou-sama! " Setsuna kept her smile, feeling like a winner.

Setsuna's smile faded away into an embarrased blush at the second she saw herself in the mirror, wearing the giant puffed up like a pumpkin dress . And it was orange-color.

Asuna bursted into laughs at her view.
Setsuna's eye-brow twitched.

" Hahahahaaaa! Konoka you nasty girl! I can't believe I lost my bet! I really thought that now you both were closer -and especially since Setsuna-san doesn't seem shy to you, from what I witnessed last time- Setsuna-san would refuse to wear this kind of dress in front of people!...Hahahaaa " Asuna couldn't stop laughing at Setsuna's orange pumpkin look.

" What?! A bet? Kono-chan...you played me like a card! How could you do that! " the dressed girl looked hurt, and funny at the same time. The pumpkin looked sad.

Konoka walked to her lovely Secchan and whispered something in her ear.
Setsuna almost exploded from blushing.

She slowly nodded awkwardly. And went back in the dressing room.

The rest of the shopping was quiet because Setsuna was a bit tense after what Konoka told her. Only her girlfriend and Asuna were having fun. They came in the center to find some clothes for the ball their class was organizing for the couple.

Asuna saw a truck selling ice creams and went to buy some for them. Setsuna looked at her friend, waving at her.

" So..um...Kono-chan...W-would you...do me the honor..to...go on..a date...with me..tonight? " Setsuna asked her, still looking forward, too shy to look at her princess.

She heard no answer. The shy girl started to freak out.

' Kono-chan...you dont want- ' she stopped thinking as she saw no one standing next to her.

She looked around rapidly, and saw her further looking through a window's shop.

' Ah...thank god! ' she sighed.

Then she saw a man approaching her girl from behind.

" Hey sweet chick, like that dress? Tell you one thing, I'll buy you this if you come with me? How that sounds? " the strong man was about to take her hand but Konoka turned back to the sound of the voice, stepping back on the window.

" Sounds like shit. " a cold voice said.

The man turned right to the girl.

" Oh, two beauties in one day? How lucky I am! I'll buy you the same dress if you- " he stopped at his eyes met hers.

Dark, and threatening.

He read ' Go away if you value your low life...

or I'll enjoy myself slicing you into pieces! '

He stepped back, sweating. He walked away mumbling 'bitch' but Setsuna heard him with her great hearing abilities.

She took a squashed trash can and threw it at the back of his head, making him fall. He got up rubbing the hit on his head, and saw some blood on his hand. The sharp-edge of the can cut his head-skin.

" From the 'bitch' ! " Setsuna shouted at him, smiling.

He ran as fast as he could.

" Kono-chan, you should not leave my side. You see what can happen to you? Stay close to me. " Setsuna put a hand around her waist protectively, and started to walk.

Konoka was surprised she could allowed herself to hug her in the street. She didn't seem to be bother by the glare sent by the croud. The protected girl smiled lovely as she rested her head on Setsuna's shoulder.

" As you say...my knight. " and put a kiss on her cheek

Setsuna was being careful around her. She kept her serious look, with a sligh blush from the kiss.

' She looks so handsome acting like this... ' Konoka blushed at the sight of her love.

" Hey! You two lovebirds could have waited for me! I even bought you ice creams! " Asuna ran to join them.

They broke from the embrace, but Setsuna's hand found its way to hold Konoka's.

She's so over-protective.

But that's what Konoka liked in particularly. She squeezed her hand.

' I love you '

Asuna handed them their treats. They resumed their walk, enjoying this sunny day. Everytime Konoka saw a beautiful dress for her Secchan, the latter refused flatly, still pouting about the earlier trick.

After two hours, they found the clothes they needed for the ball event. Of course, Konoka chose Setsuna's clothes, since she didn't know anything about dress-up.

They were hanging around, listening to street musics, watching Asuna who went very shy when she got hit on few times, helping a child who got lost, and waited Konoka to come back from the restroom.

And waited.

But she never came back. It took Setsuna ten minutes to finally realize something was wrong with her princess, since Asuna was trying to reason her friend saying that maybe she needed to take her time for...you know.

But as a bodyguard, she didn't care if she had to stay next in the restroom, her job was to protect her. She went to the fastfood's restroom, knocking on the door. It was empty, no one in there.

She started to freak out and looked around the fastfood, outside in the street.

' Where the hell is she? Damn, just relax, and close your eyes ' she did as she told herself.

' You know her aura, stay focused on her...' Setsuna started to picture images of Konoka in her mind.

' Your smile takes away my worries. '

Everything around disappeared to her mind.

' Your eyes lead my way out of the dark. '

Everything was quiet. No one seemed to stand next to her.

' If I were to lose you my love...'

Then a ray of light shone above her. She startled Asuna when she suddenly jumped to the roof of a building, making people around them to wonder if it was a show.
The red-hair girl followed her master by the stairs.

' I would be lost to death. '

Asuna was catching her breathe when she reached the roof. She was about to sit when she heard someone yelled.

" How could you do that Emiko! Stop making fun of me everytime you see me! Gahh! " Setsuna sighed, annoyed by her friend.

" I'm so sorry Secchan, I watched you down the street, I wanted to shout so you could hear me but everytime I tried, Aki-san put her hand on my mouth..." Konoka went to hug her worried knight.

" I'm not making fun of you Setsuna. I'm testing your abilites. And I have to say, you surprised me. " Emiko said calmy, walking to see their friends.

" I wonder how you found us. I thought I hid well. " Emiko saw her childhood friend frowning.

" I won't tell you! " Setsuna pouted and hugged back her lover.

" What the heck! Why did you kidnap Konoka you crazy! " Asuna popped out from the stairs.

" I didn't. She followed me. " Emiko smiled at the shouting Asuna.

" Did I have a choice when you lied to me saying Secchan and Asuna were waiting for us somewhere else and suddenly you covered my mouth and held me so tight to jump here! " Konoka defended herself, obviously mad at her new bodyguard.

" Now now...it was a trick to see how strong your bond is. And it turned out that Setsuna can find you wherever you are. You should be happy that I made you see that! " Emiko grinned at them, raising her hands.

They were all mad.

" O-Okay, I'll treat you three to make it up to you guys...Come on..." Emiko sighed.

The three girls were sitting at a table in a coffee shop.

" I thought she would treat us to some restaurant or fastfood! Ahhh..." Asuna sighed, head laid on the table.

" Oh Asuna! You really are a glutton! All you can think about is food! " Konoka told her friend who frowned back at her statement.

Setsuna was watching outside. She seemed lost in her thoughts. Konoka noticed and tried to know what she was thinking.

" Secchan, are you alright? " Setsuna smiled as she put her head on her hand.

" Yes...I was realizing how this street is familar to me. Not long ago, I saw this street as a stranger from this town and now, I see memories on every corner. " her smiled widened.

It was so rare to see her Secchan nostalgic, so she wanted to know more about her past.
But Emiko came back with a plate.

" Here it is! Coffee or tea or cappucino or even this weird one called frappuccino..." Emiko sat down with them.

" You didn't have to buy all of these Aki-san- " Konoka told her.

" Please, call me Emiko. Now that everything is clear with Setsuna, and as her girlfriend, you should call me by my firstname, we're not stranger anymore. " Emiko smiled at her soflty.

Asuna was giving everybody their drinks.

" It is also the same for you Asuna. Since you're Setsuna's best friend. " Asuna looked at her to see her eyes watching back and blushed.

" Why are you talking this way...Emiko-san ? " Konoka didn't understand why she was talking as if she was close to Setsuna. Actually, since Asuna and she saw them laughing under the World's Tree, she didn't have the time to question Setsuna about it. She thought her lover hated her job's new partner.

" Ah, before I answer you...Here Setsuna, take it. " Emiko handed her a small bag.

" What is it? " Setsuna asked as she took it. She opened the bag to take out what was in it.

" Candies? I thought you didn't like sweets Setsuna-san? " Konoka nodded to her roomate's statement.

She was now lost. First she was kidnapped by Emiko, then she got friendly with Setsuna, and now she's offering her candies? And what's more she wasted her money in it because her Secchan never ate candies, even when she offered some.

Setsuna smiled widely.

" Thank you Emiko! " and she put a peach flavour lollipop in her mouth, enjoying the sweetness of the candy.

Asuna and Konoka let their cups tumble on the table.

" Okay! Could someone tell me what's going on here! I'm starting to lose my mind! " Konoka shouted, bringing her fists together under her chin.

Setsuna laughed as she moved her princess closer to her by the shoulder.

" Do you see this market? That's what I've been looking at few minutes ago. When I was a kid, before I met you, I lived in Mahora for a while, with Emiko. " Konoka's eyes widened with shock.

" And the first time I saw candies, it was in this market. " Setsuna looked at Emiko who smiled.

...

" Wow! You have a peach lollipop! I want some to! " a girl said to a boy.

" No! Peach is my favorite, you take the chocolate one, like you hair color! " the boy teased the girl, eating his lollipop.

" Hmmm! It's so sweet! " the boy smiled to the girl who were about to cry.

" You shouldn't be mean like this Kei, bad children don't get candies, you know that! " a woman who seemed to be her mom told him, giving a peach flavour lollipop to the girl.

" Here sweetie...you're really are a good girl for not fighting with your brother. " the mother kissed her on her head.

Little Setsuna watched them while she was walking with Emiko.

She suddenly let go from Emiko's sleeve. The latter felt her weight lightened, so she turned around only to see little Setsuna staring at what seemed to be candies through the window.

" Wah...I want some too! " little Setsuna exclaimed, Emiko could see stars in her eyes.

" We can't Setsuna, we don't have money to pay for it. Come on, we have to go quick. " Emiko said, taking Setsuna's hand.

" B-but! I never ate candies before, I heard children said it was delicious! Do you see? It's written lollipops...so it must be a sweet! " little Setsuna said happily.

" I'm sorry, we can't buy some, we'll come back later okay? " Emiko told her and took her away from the market.

They walked in silence.

" Is it because I'm cursed? So it means I'm bad? And bad children don't have candies..." Setsuna said sadly.

Emiko stopped. She looked back at her.

" No you're not bad Setsuna. You're a sweet angel. " Emiko smiled to her, but Setsuna was on the edge of tears.

' I could try to steal some...no, if we get in trouble, there will be no place for us to stay. " Emiko thought, then she patted her little Setsuna's head.

" I promise you I'll buy you some okay? But because we have to hurry and we don't have money, I can't get some. This is how it works here, you give money if you want something in exchange, that is what they call ' to buy ' . But I promise you I'll buy some as soon as I can okay sweet angel? " Setsuna lifted her head up.

" Okay! " she grinned.

And they resumed their walk, little Setsuna hanging on Emiko's sleeve.

Later, Emiko left before she could keep her promise, and Setsuna's memories were erased.

...

After Setsuna told them about the candies memory, Emiko and she explained to them about the day under the World's Tree.

Konoka was crying in her lover's arms.

" Why are you crying Kono-chan? " Setsuna asked with concern.

" You have suffered this much and gramps erased your memories and now...you remembered everything! It must feel terrible and you finally met Emiko-san again..." Konoka tried to stop her tears but couldn't.

She felt so many things right now.
So sad for her lover, she never heard about her past because Setsuna always turned dark when she asked her about it, and all of the sudden, she heard all these stories.
So mad about the fact her grand-father erased Setsuna's memory but at the same time she felt so grateful, because she could met her and live this great love with her.

" Wow...I'm so speechless. " Asuna said as she looked at Setsuna.

Then she looked at Emiko. She understood now what she told her before.

" I'm sorry I was hard on you the first day, I misunderstood about you. " Asuna lowered her head to apologize.

" Don't be. You acted as good friend. There's nothing to apologize for that. " Emiko replied.

Setsuna wiped away her princess' tears with her hand, and kissed her on her forehead.

" Thank you Kono-chan...It's true it feels awkward but, with you next to me, makes everything easy to take. So don't cry... " Setsuna held her tight.

They sit and talked for a long moment, until the sun set, and went back to the dorms.

Well, only Emiko and Asuna, because Konoka was invited to dinner by her knight. This time she heard, and agreed to.

Konoka handed Asuna her shopping bags and they said goodbye to each other.
Setsuna watched her friends walking away and waited until they were gone.
Then she raised her elbow on her right.

" Shall we, princess? " Setsuna bowed her head to her.

" With pleasure! " Konoka said, holding her knight's arm to walk to a fancy restaurant Setsuna picked.

Behind the tree the couple left, two shadows appeared as the moon enlightened the world.