BROKEN WINGS-A NEGIMA/LOVE HINA CROSSOVER
The characters in this story are not related to me but to their respective creators.
Act 10-Stranger in Paradise
The dawn of a new day. The sunlight from the bright sun shone into a house. The rays of light glared a young girl's room.
A girl sleeping in her bed try to ignore the glaring but couldn't. She finally opens her eyes and looked around her room.
The girl got out of her bed and stretched her body. She took a deep breath and then a knock on her door.
"Come in." She replied.
An older lady entered the room and greeted her.
"Good Morning, Setsuna San. How are you feeling today?"
"I am fine, Rena San." Setsuna smiled back at her.
Rena approached her and spoke "Well, get yourself ready, It's time."
Setsuna know what that means. The time has come. As she went to wash up and get dressed, she remembers what is going on for the last one month.
Her father, Sora gives up his life and she and several others stop Amakusa from destroying the world.
Then two people with black feathers wings on their back came down from the sky to claim her father's body. They saw Setsuna and brought her along.
Setsuna realized that she is going home. A place where she will not have to hide her true identify from anyone.
A place where everyone is just likes her.
Almost everyone.
She saw that the natives are members of the crow tribe and their feathers wings are black. Her pure white wings were like a stigma among the natives.
The reactions of the natives were mixed. Some whispered among them saying Setsuna is a curse. Others saying she caused her father's death while many started at her with curiosity and fear.
For many, a white crow was just a myth until today.
Setsuna looked at her two comrades. The male was carrying her father in his arms while the female held Setsuna's hand and headed towards a small hill.
There was a flight of stairs at the foot of the hill. Setsuna could see a large mansion on the top of the hill and wondered why they are here.
Then a loud gong was heard. All the natives went down on their knees, with their faces down.
The female then told Setsuna "Kneel down, you're about to meet our village chief."
Setsuna went down on her knees together with the female. She could see the male still holding her father, waiting patiently.
Then she could see two figures, an elderly couple being accompanied by a small group of males and females behind them. They walked down the stairs towards her father's body.
The elderly couple touched Sora's head and the elderly woman started to cry. One of the female followers comforts her while the elderly man spoke.
"Thank you, Hayate for bringing your brother back."
Hayate tried to hold his tears and laid Sora on the ground.
"It's been too long, Otou Sama. I brought his daughter here too." Hayate introduced his father to Setsuna.
"Let me see." The elderly woman replied. She cleared her tears and looked at Setsuna who then looked up at her.
The elderly woman touched Setsuna's cheeks that made her very uneasy.
"What's your name, child?"
"Setsuna."
"Setsuna...I am your grandmother, Sayaka and he is your grandfather and leader of our tribe, Kurosuke." Sayaka explained.
"You're my grandparents!" Setsuna couldn't believe it! She now has grandparents and she belongs to the head family of a tribe.
"I don't know what to say...Everything is happening so fast.."
Setsuna was getting nervous and furthermore, she hasn't had a proper rest after the battle. Her head was spinning and the world began to turn so fast that the next thing she knew, the world went black infront of her.
Setsuna opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. She realized she is in a room and on a bed to be exact. Her cuts and wounds were bandaged up and her battle torn clothes were replaced with a long white sleeping gown.
Then the door opened. In came Hayate and his female companion who approached Setsuna.
"How do you feel, Setsuna San?" Hayate asked.
"I am fine, Sir." She spoke softly.
"We got so worried when you collapsed. You slept for a day." The female told Setsuna.
Setsuna remained silent then Hayate broke it.
"Silly me, we haven't introduced ourselves to Setsuna till now. Setsuna San, I am your father's younger brother and uncle, Hayate and this is my wife, Rena."
"Please to meet you, Hayate San. Rena San." Setsuna greeted them.
"Are you hungry, Setsuna Chan? Why don't you get dressed and join us for lunch?" Rena suggested.
"Thanks. But before that, I would like to know where am I exactly?" Setsuna question the couple.
"This is the village of the crow tribe. We are from another dimension which humanity will call us demons or monsters. But we are not all evil as what humans think. We have families and friends and we only fight to defend our village." Hayate explains to her.
"In other words, I am in the Makai." (Demon World)
Setsuna felt a sense of guilt. As for the last few years, she has been exterminating demons that do harm to others.
Once an inu demon asked her before his death, why kill a fellow demon? Setsuna could only explain that it's wrong to harm others and it's her duty to stop it.
But now knowing who she really is and the people who brought her to this place, her mind is really in a dilemma now.
"Setsuna?" Hayate called her.
"Huh? Sorry...I was thinking of something else. Where is Otou San's body?"
"He is laying at the nearby temple. The funeral will be tomorrow." He answered.
"I see..." Setsuna was relived now that her father can rest in peace.
"Well, get dressed. We see you at the hall downstairs." Rena told her and then the couple ordered the maids to prepare some clothes for her.
Soon after, Setsuna wore a white bareback shirt and red skirts, which was given by the maids.
As she got dressed, she could hear the maids whispering among themselves.
Talking about her being the only white wings among the crow tribe. It was discouraging for her but decided not to show her displeasure to anyone.
She walked down the flight of stairs and entered a room.
The room was brightly lit with interior designs matching similar to Konoe Mansion and Aoyama Residence. Hayate and Rena watched as Setsuna entered the room.
"It suits you." Rena was looking at her new clothes.
Setsuna kept quiet. The kind hospitality is making her nervous, as she never expects her own kind to treat her well.
"Let's have lunch." Hayate orders the servants to serve them.
Setsuna didn't eat much ever though the couple encourages her to eat more. Her mind is wondering what is in store for her after this.
She then asked "Hayate San?"
Hayate stops eating and answered "Yes, Setsuna?"
"I would like to see my father." Setsuna told him seriously.
"Okay. After lunch." He replied.
Setsuna then bite a piece of meat in her mouth. It taste good through, she said to herself.
After lunch, the couple and Setsuna went outside their house. They raised their feathers wings and flow toward the temple.
As they flew above the village, Setsuna observed the natives use their wings as a form of transportation. The landscapes were similar back on Earth, with green forests and beautiful lakes.
It is a paradise here but will she fit in? Setsuna asked herself.
They landed in front of a large temple and shrunk back their wings.
"Here we are." Hayate presented to Setsuna and began to walk the flight of steps.
Setsuna saw some priests around doing their daily chores. Some of them were praying in one corner. She wondered what kind of gods or in these case, demons do they pray to?
A priest approached them and invited them into the temple. The priest lead them to a room and in the middle of it,laid a coffin.
Setsuna knew who is lying in there. She slowly walked toward the coffin with Rena beside her. She could see the body of Sora lying peacefully on a bed of white flowers.
Setsuna went to two funerals before, Mayumi Sensei and Shoko. In both instances, she cried for them and now, she is attending her closest kin's funeral.
"Otou San." Setsuna started to cry. Despite of what has happened, after he tried to kill her, after all the terrible things he did, he was still her father and finally gave his life for her.
Now Setsuna is truly an orphan in this world.
Rena comfort her as Hayate looked at his elder brother with sadness.
Then they hear footsteps entering the room. They saw an elder man wearing sober clothes walking toward them.
"Otou Sama." Hayate called out his father.
Setsuna looked at the man who is her grandfather. She could sense an unfriendly approach from Daimon.
Daimon came infront of Setsuna. His presence made her uneasy.
"Come with me, Setsuna." He spoke in a serious tone to her.
Setsuna answered him softly. "Yes, Oji Chan."
Both of them walked out of the room. Setsuna turned for a second and saw the young couple looking at her with worried eyes.
Daimon and Setsuna walked to a corner of the temple. The view was filled with green and the sounds of crickets could be heard.
Daimon looked at Setsuna and asked her. "How did your father die?"
Setsuna looked at him with sad eyes and started talking. From the day she was born and raised till Sora's death.
She avoid the topic of being a demom exterminator and cook up a story saying she just practice Kendo as a form of exercise.
Daimon could hardly believe what Sora had gone through all these years.
Setsuna asked back at Daimon. "What kind of person my father was?"
Daimon looked up in the sky and started talking.
"He was a great warrior and the best in our tribe. One day, a tournament was held for the best sword man in the land. Sora entered the tournament and reached the finals. His opponent was Toshi of the Vulture tribe. Sora defeated him but Toshi was a sore loser."
"After the match, Sora was tricked by Toshi into going to the Head Organizer's room and knocked him unconscious. When Sora came about, he was holding a bloody sword and the body of the head organizer was next to him."
"Everyone thought that he killed the head organizer and Sora was arrested. Sora claimed that Toshi did it but he was nowhere to be found. There was nothing we can do back then as all the evidence were against him. He was sentenced to death but something happened on the way to the execution chamber."
"Sora escaped and ran for his life. He finally arrived at the Valley of Lost Souls."
"Valley of Lost Souls?" Setsuna asked.
Daimon explained, "It is a place where strange things happened and people who go there never returned."
"The guards who were chasing Sora claimed that a black hole suddenly appeared in the sky and suck Sora in. That was the last time anyone see him again."
"Otou San." Setsuna could only believe the black hole have brought her father to the human world and in the process, lost his memory.
Daimon continued, "We all thought that your father is dead and everyone still think that he is a murderer. But Hayate never give up and went to search for evidence to clear your father's name."
"Finally Hayate found Toshi who was hiding all these while. Toshi confessed that he framed your father and he was the murderer. But it was too late. Your father was gone and we believe it all these years."
Setsuna saw Daimon's eyes were filled with sadness. He believed that her father was dead all these years and now it really happened.
"Oji Chan, I know how you feel. When I found out that Otou San was alive, I was happy. But when he tried to kill me, I was really very scared." Setsuna explained to Daimon.
"There's one thing I am more concerned about and that's you." Daimon pointed his index finger at her.
Setsuna felt a lump in her throat. She could guess what Daimon is going to say.
"Do you know what you are? You're a white crow. Did your father tell you what this means?"
Setsuna kept quiet.
"It means you are a bad omen. A jinx that bring death and misfortune along."
"I didn't asked to be a white crow but I learn not to judge a person by his apperance but to see who he really is." Setsuna spoke with seriousness in her tone.
"But the tribe will not accepted you of who you are. They will hate you and fear you. They ever wanted me to send you away." He told her.
"Let me try to convince them. Give me some time." Setsuna plead to him.
Daimon wanted to refuse her but her determined character is so similar to Sora in his younger days.
He decided to give Setsuna...
"One month. But no one is allowed to help you. Not ever Hayate and Rena."
Setsuna accepted the deadline. She hope that she will be able to convince the tribe that everything they say about her are just purely superstitious.
The next day, many attended Sora's funeral. However everyone who came to the funeral, looked at Setsuna with strange stares. She could see them whispering among themselves and could guess that they're talking nasty things about her.
But Setsuna remained calm and remembers the deadline. She must convince others she is not a jinx.
Soon after, Sora's body was cremated and his ashes in a urn. The urn was subsequently placed at Daimon's home.
Setsuna then began her mission. She went out of Hayate's home and started to walk around the village.
As she entered the populated area, many natives who saw her, quickly steer clear of her.
Setsuna then saw a fruit stall and approach it.
Before Setsuna could ask anything, the stall owner, a young man rudely told Setsuna "Sorry, we're closed today."
Setsuna was disappointed and walked to another stall. The stall owner, an old lady shouted at Setsuna "Get lost, you jinx! You'll ruin my business!"
"But I just want to..." Setsuna looked around and everyone is looking at her with unfriendly eyes.
She knows that she is not welcome here and spread her white feathers wings from her back. She flew up to the sky and headed north.
Her heart sank, for trying to show everyone she is not a jinx. But she is not discouraged and determined to prove everyone wrong.
The next day, she tried again but it was the same. A farmer chases her with a pinch fork when she was admiring the fruits on a farm. The day after, some of the villagers make sarcastic remarks in front of her when she is walking down a cornfield.
Three weeks passed. Setsuna felt terrible. Hayate and Rena noticed it but could do nothing for her. The couple tried to cheer her up and ever through she appreciate it but this is something she has to do it on her own.
Today, Setsuna decided not to go near the village but take a walk at the forest nearby.
She flew and descends at the entrance of the forest. She slowly entered it. The surroundings make her relaxed and the crickets chirping remained her of the human world.
She walked on until she saw a big field. There were beautiful flowers everywhere and the sky was truly blue.
Setsuna walked under a tree and sat down. She wondered what Daimon say was right. People will not accepted her because of who she is. Ever if she tries to fit in their world, nothing will change.
"What should I do? Otou San? Okaa San? Tsuruko Nee Chan? Motoko Nee Chan?" She asked herself but no answers came to her.
Then a soft toy ball rolled next to her. She looked at it and wondered whom does it belong to.
A little girl ran toward Setsuna. She was the cutest girl that Setsuna seem. She looked like six or seven years old. Her eyes and hair looked like Konoka and her smile was as bright as the sun.
Setsuna held the ball and handed it over to the little girl.
"Here you go." Setsuna smiled to her.
The girl smiled as she took the ball from her.
"Thank you, Onee Chan!"
Setsuna sense no fear from her. It was like she is not afraid of her.
She asked the little girl "My name is Setsuna. What's your name?"
"It's Aya, Onee Chan." She answered back.
"Aren't you afraid of me, Aya Chan?"
"No. I think you are beautiful, Onee Chan."
Setsuna was surprised by her reply. She probe more "Why do you think I am beautiful?"
"You have a pair of beautiful white wings. Although Okaa San told me not to go near you, but I wanted to see you." Aya smiled at her.
"Do you want to touch my wings, Aya Chan?" Setsuna showed her feathers wings to Aya and she gently stroke Setsuna's wings.
A smile appeared on Aya's face that makes Setsuna feel that there's still hope. Ever if that hope is a little one.
Then they could hear a voice calling for Aya.
"Okaa San is calling me." Aya then took her toy ball and waves goodbye to Setsuna.
"Don't worry, Onee Chan! I won't tell anyone about us."
"Take care of yourself, Aya Chan." Setsuna waves back at her and watches Aya ran further away from her.
The next day, Setsuna looked outside Hayate's home. She could see the sky is getting darker and the wind was blowing stronger.
She could sense something big is going to happen. Hayate and Rena then came running behind her.
"Hayate San, what's wrong?"
"There's a storm approaching the village and we need to take shelter underground."
"A storm?" Setsuna asked.
"Not your average storm. The storm in the demon world could blow away homes and pull trees off the ground." Hayate explained.
"Come on! We have to hurry!" Rena was getting nervous, as the winds are getting stronger.
The couple led Setsuna to the village center where she could see the natives taking their belongings, running what appeared to be an underground bunker.
"This way, Setsuna!" Hayate pointed her the direction of where they were heading.
They entered a flight of steps leading downwards and entered a large room. Setsuna saw many villagers sitting on the ground, some were talking among themselves, and some were taking a rest while some of the younger ones were just running around.
Hayate and Rena told Setsuna by the hand and approached a room at the corner. They entered and saw Daimon and some of the villagers were having a discussion.
"Otou Sama." Hayate greeted his father and he acknowledged.
Daimon continued to talk to the villagers but some of them looked at Setsuna with a scary look. Setsuna felt uneasy but took a seat at a corner.
Hayate and Rena joined in the discussion group as Setsuna watched. Then one of the villagers, an elderly man raised his voice.
"If it weren't for someone in this room, we weren't be hiding underground in this place!"
Another man commented, "Yes! We always have good weather until some unwanted person came by!"
Setsuna know that the comments are directed at her and she felt angry and heart wrenching. Hayate tried to reason with them but Setsuna know that in her heart, it will take a miracle for them to change their thinking.
Rena sat beside her "Don't take it too personal, Setsuna."
Setsuna return a weak smile back at her.
It was then they could hear a commotion outside. Hayate went to take a look and being curious, Setsuna followed behind him.
They could see an older woman around Rena's age crying among the crowd.
"What's going on?" Hayate asked one of the onlookers.
"Minami San couldn't find her daughter and she think she is still outside." The onlooker replied.
Minami saw Hayate and immediately approach him "Please! Hayate Sama! My daughter is still out there! Please find her!"
Minami begging him on her knees but Hayate quickly lifted her up and answered, "Don't worry. I'll find your daughter."
Minami's eyes were filled with hopes and thank him.
"What's your daughter's name, Minami San?" Hayate asked.
"It's Aya, Hayate Sama."
Setsuna was stunned by that name. Could it be the same girl she meets yesterday?
Hayate then made an announcement for volunteers to search Aya but Setsuna had sneaked out of the shelter and start searching for her.
The rain was extremely heavy and visibility was bad. Setsuna flew up and go against the strong gusty winds. Her wings had never go against such strong winds before and she is using every bit of strength and balance to maintain her altitude.
"AYA CHAN! WHERE ARE YOU?" Her voice was totally lost in the storm but she kept calling her name and looking around the damages caused by this terrible weather.
She continued to search for ten minutes and almost covered the entire village but there was no sign of Aya.
Setsuna could feel the storm is getting worse by the minute. But where could Aya be?
She suddenly remembers the field where she first met Aya. Setsuna have not searched there yet and decided to try her luck.
Setsuna flew harder and trying to recall where the field is. It was her first time there and now in this weather condition, she will be damn lucky if she didn't crash into some large trees.
After much struggling, Setsuna arrived at the field, which is now covered with muddy soil. The flowers and grasses were destroyed, Setsuna felt sorry about it but she has a much more important mission now.
"AYA CHAN! WHERE ARE YOU?" She shouted her name but there was no response.
She looked around but all she can see were more trees and less visibility. Setsuna approached nearer to the forest and shouted Aya's name again.
Setsuna knew it is very risky to enter the forests in such conditions but she will try in order to prove everyone wrong about her.
She entered the forests, searching and listening for any signs of life. But all she could see is destruction done by the storm.
Setsuna was about to give up when she swore she could hear something.
"Aya Chan?" Setsuna wondered. She closes her eyes and focuses her hearing. She could hear rain, wind, the flapping of tree leaves and branches. Setsuna concentrated her thoughts more and finally, a faint crying of a little girl.
"Aya Chan!" Setsuna knew where she is and ran as fast she could toward the crying.
She pushed the branches that were swinging towards her, leaping over some fallen trees! The path is too narrow for her to fly through the forests and her feet are getting blisters all over.
She could hear the crying as she move in closer. She knew she is on the right track now!
Finally, Setsuna saw a small figure desperately holding onto a tree branch and it is very close to a furious riverbank.
"Aya Chan!" Setsuna shouted at her and Aya was in tears and holding on to dear life.
"Onee Chan! Help me!" Aya plead to her.
"It's alright! I am coming! Just hold on!" Setsuna looked around at the tree that Aya is holding on to. It's not a big tree and the rain is making the soil very muddy. If this goes on, the roots will give way and the whole tree will fall into the river.
Setsuna know she has to act quickly but if she try to hover around Aya, the strong winds might blow her off balance and she will fall into the river.
Setsuna decided to climb up the tree slowly and maybe grab Aya before the tree fall into the river.
She started to climb up slowly while trying to avoid applying more pressure to the tree. The winds are getting more menacing and she could feel the tree is starting to give way. She has to hurry!
Setsuna could see Aya is still clinging on and struggle to move up to her. After much struggling, she was just a shoulder away from Aya.
"Aya! Give me your hand! I'll grab you!" Setsuna shouted.
"I can't! I am too scared!" Aya was worried that she might fall if she releases her hand off the branches.
"Don't worry! I'll grab your hand!" Setsuna trying to assure her that it'll be all right!
Aya could see Setsuna is doing her best to save her and decided to trust her! Her little left hand slowly reached Setsuna's right hand. Setsuna moved closer and was almost a finger away from her when suddenly, the entire tree gives way and both of them fell into the river!
Setsuna felt her head is swinging around. She opened her eyes and found herself under water!
"Oh no! Where is Aya?" Setsuna asking herself! She looked around the moving river and could see a pair of legs struggling in front of her!
Setsuna swim towards Aya but the currents kept pushing her backwards. Setsuna struggled hard and could hear Aya gasping for air and trying to stay afloat.
"Onee...chan..help..." Aya calling out her name but her whole body is getting weaker with every second pasts.
"Hold on!" Setsuna shouted back at and swam closer to her. Her body also started to feel the tiredness but her mind is telling her not to give up!
Setsuna started to recall how she was in the same situation years ago. Konoe Konoka. Her first friend was swept away in a river and Setsuna struggled to save her. She was a weak swimmer back then and Motoko have to save them both in the end.
However things have changed. There is no Motoko around. No one here to call family or friend. But Setsuna is no more a weak swimmer anymore and is definitely not ready to give up.
She swam harder than ever before and with one last ounce of strength, finally caught hold of Aya. Aya was still struggling but Setsuna immediately calmed her down and with a stroke of luck, help has arrived.
Hayate and some village men spotted them and quickly threw a rope for Setsuna to grab on. She caught hold of it and they pulled her in.
The two girls landed on solid ground and were shivering due to the coldness of the river and gutsy winds. Hayate covered them with thick towels and slowly brought them back to the shelter.
Once at the shelter, Minami was in tears to see her daughter, Aya. Although she suffering some bruises and cuts, Minami was glad that she is alive. Minami immediately ran to Setsuna and thank her.
"Thank you, Setsuna San! For saving Aya! I wouldn't know what will happen if I lost her. She is all I got left." Minami started to cry in front of her.
"It's okay, Minami San. I'm just trying to help." Setsuna sincerely smiled back at her. The rest of the villagers looked at her differently now with the deed she performed. But not all feel the same as some of them looked at her uncertainty.
Setsuna realized it is not easy to change their views about her. Hayate then stood beside her.
"Hayate San."
"You did well, Setsuna San."
Setsuna felt a bit embarrassed and smiled "I just did what any other human will do. That's to save a life."
Soon after, the storm has passed and the villagers came out of the shelter. Ever through the houses were destroyed, the crops were ruined but they never seem to lost their faith and started to rebuilt the village all over again.
Setsuna and the others went back home and she slept the whole day. When she finally woke up, it was already nightfall.
She looked outside the window next to her. The dark skies were filled with little bright stars. It was just like back at the Aoyama residence.
Setsuna took a deep breath and thought about what she has done here so far. She might have save a life but people are still not ready to accept her yet.
In the end, she might have win this battle but she still lose the war.
Setsuna felt terrible and shed a tear.
"I am not happy here...I just want to go home. My real home."
She knows that humans will still be afraid of her but Motoko and Tsuruko are the only family she truly has.
Setsuna know what to do tomorrow.
The next morning, Setsuna flew to Daimon's residence and seek an audience with him.
When Daimon did come, he asked "What's it, Setsuna?"
"Oji Chan..I..I like to go back! Back to the human world!"
Daimon was shocked by her responses and immediately asked "What? The human world?"
Setsuna showed the universal signal of stop and calmly spoke "Oji Chan, you told me that I can try to convince the people here about my existence. But ever though, I saved a person's life, people will still not changed the way they judge on me. So I decided...if that's the way people will look at me, I rather return back to the human world. There are people who really care about me! They don't care who or where I came from. But they're the only family who truly love me."
Daimon listened his granddaughter's words and replied "Are you sure, this is what you really want? Here you can raise your wings high but there, you'll forever hide in the shadow of humanity."
"Yes. My decision. No regret." Setsuna answered.
Daimon smiled at her and went down on his knees to see her eye to eye.
"You're just like your father. Never back down on what he do."
Daimon placed his left hand on her left cheek that made Setsuna blushed.
"Oji Chan."
"The one thing I could do, is to give my granddaughter a hug before she leave."
He hugged her gently in his arms; Setsuna kept quiet but sense some warmness from him.
"Oji Chan, Arigato."
Daimon immediately orders his followers to prepare for Setsuna's departure. Rituals and a shrine were set up near the temple. The preparations however will take a week due to the rebuilding of the village. As the days drew nearer, Setsuna spend the last few days just minding her own business and did not want to disturb the rebuilding of the village.
On the eve of her departure, Setsuna sat on the garden outside Hayate's house, looking at the starry skies. She is finally returning back to Tsuruko and Motoko tomorrow. Then Hayate and Rena approached her from behind.
"There you are." Hayate spoke.
Setsuna turned around and greeted them.
"Hayate San. Rena San." The couple sat beside her and looked at the skies.
"You're leaving tomorrow?" Hayate asked her.
"Yes. I'll realize that I don't belong here and my parents were probably being upset if I am not happy here." Setsuna answered.
"I know the feeling. Sora Nii San wouldn't want you to be unhappy either." Hayate agreed.
Then Setsuna asked them a very unusual question.
"Hayate San, can I ask you something? Why did you take me in? I thought you will be afraid of me as I am different."
The couple smiled and Rena answered "Actually we meet Sora twelve years ago when you'll born."
Setsuna was astonished by her answer and probe more "When I was born?"
Hayate replied, "Actually when you'll born, Sora Nii San did try to contact me and somehow I found out about how he was married to a human woman and bore a daughter. I was shocked at first that you were born with white wings but Sora insisted that you are just like us. He ever told us that if anything should happen to him, he entrusted his daughter to us."
"That why we never shroud away the responsibility of taking care of you." Rena added.
"But how did Otou San contact you?" Setsuan wondered.
"Sora Nii San used an ancient ritual by our crow tribe to communicate me telepathy. He initially wanted to handover you to us when you are still an infant but then he didn't contact us after that. There was also no way of communicate him either. We didn't tell this matter to my father as we are not sure it was really him." Hayate answered her doubts.
Setsuna knew what happened to her father after the contact. Her mother died and Sora went on a killing spree and join forces with Amakusa. Setsuna could guess that her father did care for her in the end.
"Our bodies are showered with special magic by our tribe and when someone is really dead, the body will release an aura that will inform the others to his body. That's why, when your father died, we will able to pinpoint the location of his body and bring him back." Rena explained further.
Setsuna now understand how it was possible for Hayate to find her father's body and bring back to the tribe.
"Thank you, Hayate San. Rena San. For everything you had done for me and Otou San."
"Please don't say that. We promise your father and we kept that promise." Hayate answered.
Setsuna smiled at them and suddenly had a spark in her head.
"Can you do me a favor? I'll like to take Otou San's ashes back to the human world. I want him to be with my mother's shrine again. They have been apart for way too long."
The couple looked at each other and Hayate replied, "I see what I can do."
Then the three of them looked at the dark skies filling with shiny little stars…
The next day, Setsuna was awake by Rena and they headed to the temple. Upon arrival, Setsuna saw Daimon, Sayaka, Hayate and several monks standing near a shrine filled with candles, stands and several artifacts which Setsuna has no idea what is it.
Setsuna approached Daimon and greeted him.
"Morning, Oij Chan. Obaa Chan."
Daimon gives a nod and Sayaka just smiled at her. Hayate then explained Setsuna what to do.
"All you have to do is just stand here in this big circle and concentrated your demon energy into that lamp over there. It's a special lamp that can open portals to other world. You must concentrated in your mind of going to the human world otherwise you might get suck into limbo."
Setsuna could see the green lamp and it is sitting on a big stand with candles all over it. Then Hayate whispered into Setsuna's ears.
"I sneaked your father's urn here." He passed the small urn to her and she placed it secretly inside her clothings.
"Thank you, Hayate San." Setsuna smiled.
Rena called out to them "It's time."
Setsuna get ready and when she is about to step into the circle, Daimon called to her.
"Setsuna!"
She turned around and Daimon approached her with a long stick on his right hand.
He handed the stick to Setsuna and she realized that it was not a stick but a long sword. The sword was carved with two Japanese characters.
"Yuunagi…Oij San. Is this…?" She asked him.
"It's your father's sword when he went to the tournament. Now the sword is entrusted to you."
"I understand, Oij San. Thank you." Setsuna was glad that she got something that it belongs to her father and she will treasure it very dearly.
"A word of warning. If your true identify as a demon is exposed, you must return back here at once. Here is a special necklace for you. If you feel that you need to come back, just concentrate your energy onto the necklace and you'll be back here again." Daimon passed a small grey necklace with a green crystal in it to her.
"I hope I won't have to use it." Setsuna replied to herself.
She then walked into the circle and the monks began to chant. Setsuna concentrated her energy onto the lamp and within minutes, the sky turned dark and the lamp began to shine brightly in the darkness!
A portal was finally open in the sky and Setsuna know it's time to go!
She turned around and spoke "Thank you, everyone!"
Setsuna flapped her wings and soar up to into the portal. She entered it and then the portal closed back leaving a few white feathers landing slowly onto the ground…
At the Aoyama residence, Motoko served some tea for Tsuruko at the main hall. It was coming to the end of the winter season and the snow has started to melt with the rise of the new sun.
"Here you go, Tsuruko Nee Chan." Tsuruko took the cup of tea and took a sip. A gentle breeze passed them as they could hear the wind chimes hanging in the room.
"It's quiet." Motoko looked outside and saw some birds flying around near their garden.
"I wonder what Setsuna is doing now." Tsuruko asked her sister.
"I hope she is all right. Maybe she might just pop here right now." Motoko answered back knowing that Setsuna might never come back.
"This place is quiet without her around." Tsuruko give a sigh and took another a sip from her tea.
Then suddenly, without warning, a strong wind blow and both sisters looked up at the sky.
"What's going on?" Motoko looking up and could see something bright appearing in the blue sky.
Then a flash of light blinded them for a second! The sisters recovered their sight after a few seconds and then saw white feathers dropping from the sky.
"White feathers?" Tsuruko looked up and saw a dark figure coming down.
"Could it be?" Motoko wondering is it who she thinks it is!
A familiar hairstyle with a pair of white feather wings on the back descended on the ground.
The sisters' first response was indescribable.
"SETSUNA!" The sisters rushed to her and give her a hug!
"Tsuruko Nee Chan! Motoko Nee Chan! I am back!" Setsuna hugged them as tears appeared from her eyes…
TO BE CONTINUED…
Auth's notes: I actually want to do a two parter of this chapter but felt that it should not be too draggy so I ended like this and in the next chapter will be the final chapter...How will Setsuna now face a world which fear her? See you soon!