AN: I've decided to split this chapter into a two part chapter, due to the length (though I know some people post 21 page chapters sometimes) and due to the lack of a smooth transition to the end that I want. It'll take me a few days to fully think of a good way to finish it (there's been a lack of inspiration and a heavy writer's block to boot.) So I think I'll give myself until Easter to finish it. April 12th will be the last chapter of "Sometimes". Hope to see you back then!

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Sometimes Chapter 3…Part One

A loud gulp was heard as our brunette princess neared the cave that had been marked on her map by her older self. "This is where the other Secchan is?" She whispered to herself, pulling out her map to double check this place was truly her destination.

"I guess it is…" she finished, packing up her things as she looked onto her surroundings. The cave was on the Konoe property because the older Konoka would only give up if her Secchan were devoid of danger, but it was a secluded, unkempt, heavily forested area.

There was now overcast and a sign of oncoming precipitation in the humid forest. The trees were draped in ivy and vines and the mouth of the cave stood gaping, seemingly left alone by even the smallest bug.

Konoka carefully walked up to it; she furrowed her brow in confusion as a memory resurfaced in her head of earlier when she and her older version were talking.

"Remember, Konoka. Only this spell-tag I made can
break the barrier on the mouth of the cave.
Please, be careful not to touch it.
If you do, you will get hurt."

Confusion and curiosity clouded her judgment. 'There's not barrier, I can't since it, and I'm talented enough to, at least, since a barrier.' She thought as she reached out to put her hand in the cave's mouth. 'Maybe Secchan broke it…' she mused as her hand got closer.

As her hand reached the mouth of the cave, blue sparks enveloped her and she shouted, flying backward to end up laying unconscious on the ground as thunder rumbled and it began to rain.

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A white snowy day was met as Konoka opened her eyes, 'what?' she thought as she sat up to look around.

"Kono-chan! There you are!!!" she heard an unfamiliar voice call her by her pet name. She looked behind her to see a young man with dark black hair tied back into a tiny pony-tail, and a handsome visage almost similar to someone she knew running toward her.

"Secchan?" Konoka asked as she was helped up.

"Yeah! I've been looking for you all over. Father-in-law thought you'd run away from your own wedding! Let's get back, my love!" he said, leading her back to a large area dressed up in wedding theme.

"Let's get this done!" The mysterious young man with ashen-grey eyes said with a beautiful grin.

"Ah!" Konoka heard the familiar voice of her father call. "Setai! You found Konoka, wonderful!" He said walking toward the "happy couple". It took Konoka a minute to absorb this.

'Setai?!' she thought; horror covered her visage.

Setai put his arm around Konoka's shoulders, "We're ready!" he said carefully squeezing her in his one arm embrace.

'This has to be a dream!' she thought as her mind raced to understand her situation. Setai moved in to kiss her on the cheek and the brunette forcefully pushed away.

"No!" She shouted as anguish washed over her. 'This is no dream; it's a nightmare!' she thought as her legs gave out on her and she crumpled to the ground crying.

"No! I want mySecchan!" she shouted as all went dark……

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"Secchan!" Konoka shouted, jumping in her unconscious, and her eyes opened to see the same mangled forest and a light mist raining down on her. As she sat up, she noticed her clothes were sodden and her body was chilled to the bone.

She looked at her watch to see that nearly five hours had passed since she carelessly disregarded her own warning about the barrier. Her right hand, the one that she'd touched the barrier with, was now a blood crusted mess that stung more than any wound she'd ever received from Evangeline.

She stood and walked the few feet she'd flown back to be at the mouth of that hellish cave of a prison again. She retrieved the spell-tag the Konoe-hime had given to her. She carefully reached up with the tag in hand to touch the barrier again, wary of having the daylights shocked out of her with a healthy helping of nightmare thrown in for good measure again.

The barrier flashed blue again, and shattered like a mirror, revealing the most ominous aura of depression Konoka had ever felt, and it ripped at her heart knowing that Setsuna had lived in this for the last four years.

She carefully shuffled into the cave and lit a fire on the end of a practice wand she varied along with her. As she carefully meandered down the dingy, calloused walkway, warmth came from further within the crevasse, and Konoka cautiously made her way to meet with her Secchan that was eight years her senior.

As she entered a larger 'room' there was a dim fire that was burning down and a makeshift bed that was inhabited by a body that was breathing slowly. Konoka sighed in relief, happy that she had some time before she was confronted by the most important person in her life.

An hour passed and the person in the bed that had begun to move quickly sat up in a tense way. She quickly turned to see a shivering Konoka who was on the edge of unconsciousness setting on the cool stone that covered the floor. The older woman's eye's widened as her red orbs fixed themselves upon the brunette princess.

She quickly stood, and hurried over to the other girl. "Kono-chan?" Setsuna said hoarsely, due to not having spoken in quite some time. The younger girl's eyes snapped open as she fell back in surprise.

"Careful there!" Setsuna said, jumping quickly to grab the young princess from hitting her head on the hard floor.

"Thank you." Konoka whispered up to the half demon. Setsuna had gotten taller, her hair was dirty silver, and her eyes a hopeless shade of ruby that now sparkled with a glint of newfound hope; she wished this was real this time.

"Kono-chan… Is that… is that really you? How'd you get here? Where's Ico, is she okay? How've you been?" Questions continued pouring out of Setsuna's mouth, until Konoka shyly put a finger over her older friend's chapped lips.

"I'm not who you think." Konoka said quietly; thus diminishing all hope that still existed in the older woman's eyes. "Don't get me wrong, Secchan, I am Konoe Konoka, but I'm from eight years ago. My Secchan and I were somehow sent back in time, and I vowed to my older self that I'd save you from here, no matter the repercussions." Konoka finished, and smiled brightly as hope returned to the ruby orbs that were so devoid of it before.

Setsuna sat back for a moment to look at the younger girl and worry prevailed over confusion in her visage as she noticed the shivering the young princess exhibited, as well as the dark purple-blue lips and blood crusted hand she had.

"You're soaking wet!" the older girl said, leading the younger girl to her 'bed' to wrap the blanket she had around Konoka's small shoulders.

"Yeah, the barrier knocked me out!" Konoka said with and added "Eheh!" at the end. Setsuna's brows furrowed as she saw her blanket was nothing that could keep the younger girl warm.

"I need to get you back to the main house." Setsuna said standing with determination.

"Secchan, you'll get caught!" Konoka protested, but the older woman shook her head.

"I don't care." She said while scooping the younger girl up in her strong arms, bridal style, and began a sprint to the mouth of the cave.

"Se…chan…" Konoka murmured as she fell of the edge of consciousness. The older woman sighed, and breathed deeply the humid fresh air of the forest as she exited the cave; her wings were not hesitant to spring to life as the younger girl's well being was the only thing she was worried with at the moment.

Back at the main house, the Konoe-hime made her way to the younger Setsuna's holding room. She sighed as she opened the door to see the younger setting in a meditative stance. "Secchan?" The Konoe-hime questioned quietly.

The young half demon opened her eyes to see the older Konoka in her presence. "Hime-sama!" she said as she bowed to the older brunette.

"Secchan, just call me Kono-chan… I'm not here for that though… I'm here to tell you everything. Please listen to our story." She began.

In another room of the large mansion that was the main house of the Konoe clan's glamorous estate, a door flew open to reveal a large bath hall. The older Setsuna hastily made her was in and sat Konoka down on the warm time.

She carefully took off all of the younger girl's clothing, leaving only her frigid body, and carefully dipped her into the warm bath, careful of where the younger woman's hand was. She instantly stripped herself, and without hesitation, made to bathe the four years of grunge away as the younger girl warmed up.

As she finished a well needed bath, the older Setsuna heard a splash behind her. She turned to see the younger Konoka had awoken.

"Are you feeling better, Kono-chan?" the white haired woman called. Konoka looked around her as she became aware of her surroundings and situation.

"Secchan where are we!?" Konoka gasped, quickly covering herself with her arms as a dark blush ignited on her face.

"Please, call me Setsuna. We're at the Konoe's main house's bath hall. It's the only place I could think of close enough to get you warm. How's your hand?" Setsuna nodded her way. The younger Konoe looked at it and sighed, shaking her head.

"Curiosity always kills the cat." She said quietly. The older Setsuna stood and wrapped a robe around her, now squeaky clean, body.

"Here," she said, offering one to Konoka, who gratefully accepted the robe as she stood out of the bath. A rattle was heard across the hall and familiar voices echoed through the room.

"That's Asuna and Ico!" Konoka quietly gasped; Setsuna froze at 'Ico'. "Setsuna, no! Asuna'll kill you! Don't go over there, I know you want to see Ico really bad, but you must wait." Konoka quietly pleaded, holding onto the taller woman's arm, attempting to keep her at bay.

Another door opened closer to them and soon exhibited a hushed voice of the older Konoka and younger Setsuna. 'Oh, no…' Konoka thought.

"We have to leave!" Konoka urged, but the older woman was unfazed by the pleading voice of her partner.

"Why? We can get this all over right now. Eishun… He just left me there. He's never sent a single soul to see if I was alright. I've had to find food within that cave… Konoka wanted me to get out… You wanted to get me out. Why should we run from all of the people who we care about?" Setsuna said, looking down at the brunette girl, her ruby eyes heavy with the shade of sorrow.

Konoka's arms dropped along with her head as she sighed. "What's wrong?" The older Setsuna asked, worried about the dramatic change in the other girl's attitude.

"You're right… I can't argue with your logic, but what do you think Ico will say when you have to fight for your life with Asuna? 'Leave Secchan alone!'? No, she'll probably say: 'Don't hurt Azu-chan, please!' So, just think about the way your actions will affect others." Konoka said turning from the older version of her soon-to-be partner.

The older woman looked at the trembling frame of her young friend, "Well… If we're going to leave, we should go now." The taller woman said grabbing up the younger girl and sprinting off to another room.

After the two were far away from the offending parties they rested in a room that was chosen by Setsuna. "Where are we?" the younger Konoka asked, looking at what looked like a large storage room.

"Well, we can't stay dressed like this forever. I'm sure Kono-chan has some clothes in here from a few years ago that'll fit you. I haven't grown much in four years, so I'll be fine." The older Setsuna said, patting the shorter girl's head.

After a few minutes of searching, both women were newly clothed, and standing in awkward silence. . "Well," the older woman said. "You should go and find Kono0chan, I'll find her later. I've got some people I need to see first." The older Setsuna said, looking down to the girl next to her.

"Don't hurt anyone, Setsuna, and stay away from daddy… You'll only make things harder for yourself." Konoka said with an admonishing tone.

"Right." The hanyou said, and left in a flash, quicker than Konoka had ever seen her move.

Konoka walked slowly down the hall, wondering how she'd explain to herself what transpired, and how she'd had gotten new clothes and a burned hand. As she meandered, lost in her won thoughts, a body slammed hard into her and they both fell hard on the floor.

"Sorry!" A familiar voice stuttered picking them self up. The younger Setsuna's face appeared as she looked up into the younger Konoka's face, and instantly turned a very dark shade of red. "O-Ojousama!" she said, seemingly unable to move from the compromising position the two were in.

"Secchan!!!" Konoka shouted, hooking her arms in a tight grip, pulling the startled girl into her vice grip. "How'd you get out?! You'll get caught by daddy!" the brunette realized, pushing the blushing girl back up.

"I know, that's why I was running." Setsuna said, finally able to stand. She helped Konoka up and began to make her way quickly down the hall way.

"How'd you get out?" Konoka asked, running to catch up with her friend.

"You let me out… or should I say Konoe Hime-sama?" Setsuna said stepping in pace with the brunette girl.

"I have to find her! She'll be worried if I don't!" Konoka said stepping in front of the raven haired girl.

"Why haven't you been here?" Setsuna asked, now perplexed as to why the Konoe-hime would worry about her younger self.

"Well… I went to go save the older Secchan!" Konoka said, turning to avoid the expression she knew Setsuna would give her. "She told you about their past, right?" Konoka said; Setsuna's expression was a worried and ashamed one.

"Why did you do that? That was so dangerous you could've been hu—"Setsuna stopped as her eyes locked onto the hand Konoka had hurt touching the barrier.

"What happened!?" two voices shouted. Setsuna was clearly one of them, but the other came from behind Konoka. The two girls turned to see the older Konoka walking swiftly down the hall.

"Hime-sama!" Setsuna said, bowing upon the approach of the Konoe-hime.

"Mou, ChibiSecchan!" she said with a sigh. "Konoka-chan, what happened, are you alright? What about Secchan?" the Konoe-hime asked, instantly grabbing up the younger's injured hand. "Did she?" she asked, looking at it; Setsuna's eyes widened, just thinking of possibly doing anything to Konoka that may harm her disgusted the hanyou to the core.

"No," Konoka said shaking her head with a smile. "She would never do that." She reassured herself as well as her worried friend.

"Then, what happened?" Setsuna questioned, as the Konoe-hime motioned to enter a nearby room to avoid being spotted.

"I didn't heed my own advice. I couldn't since the barrier, so I didn't think it was there. I didn't know I'd be knocked out for five hours if I touched it." Konoka explained. The Konoe-hime sighed, well aware of how curious she'd been when she was younger and commenced to healing her younger self's wounded hand.

"Secchan… Setsuna is around here somewhere. She said she'd find you soon." The younger Konoka said, now attaching herself to her Secchan's arm.

"Thank you." The Konoe-hime said, and turned toward the door. "Now we have to find Ico, and go talk to father to get this all straightened out, then we'll find a way to send you two back home." Konoe-hime said with determination.

"Right!" the younger girl's said, and together they left to find Konoka's elusive young daughter.

"Last time I saw her she was with Asuna in the bath house." Konoka said walking close to Setsuna.

"This property is so big it's difficult to find her when she goes off to play. How about we split up? ChibiSecchan, you search from the air, she's a four year old with white hair and brown eyes. You'll know when you see her, trust me. Konoka-chan, go that way, and I'll go this way. Secchan should be looking for her too for all we know, so we'll be lucky if we happen to find them both." The Konoe-hime said.

"Meet back in an hour."

Setsuna took off; afraid she might be caught she hastily put a cloaking charm on. Here keen eyes searched carefully over every part of the expansive land of the Konoe Estate and the Kansai Magic Association.

Konoka wondered here and there, asking servants and guards if they'd seen either Ico or Asuna. Many told her places, but in the eight years that had passes, quite a few extensions and renovations were made to the young Konoe's home. She often got lost looking for a specific place.

"Asuna!" she shouted, finally spotting the fiery girl.

"Heya there Konoka-chan!" Asuna said. She was currently filled in on the situation at hand (the time travel) and she now felt awful for the way she'd acted earlier. "What can I do for you?" she inquired.

"Have you seen Ico? Konoka's been looking for her." The younger woman asked.

"Nah. I made her mad, turning on you and drawing my blade… she went to go train in the woods for a while to cool down." Asuna said, patting the younger girl on the shoulder.

A horrified expression overtook the young girl's pale visage. "In the woods?" Konoka asked with dread heavy on her words.

"Yeah, she goes there all the time, I mean Hime-sama doesn't mind." Asuna said confused.

"Thank you Asuna!" Konoka shouted behind her as she continued out of the Estate.

As Setsuna was flying, she spotted a small dot of white among the trees and she dove into the crush. When she reached the ground, she hid her wings and made her way to the clearing the girl she supposed was Ico was standing in.

She stood for a minute observing the very young girl's style with a grin. Nostalgic memories resurfaced as the girl who was her future daughter trained diligently, much like she once had.

"Oh, you wanna watch your form on the follow through." Setsuna advised, thus startling the young girl.

"Who are you?" Ico asked with valor while raising her sword. Setsuna smiled and walked closer toward the young girl,

"Konoka Hime-sama sent me to find you. I'm your friend." The short raven-haired young woman said, extending a hand. The young girl observed her for a moment and smiled, grabbing the hand in front of her with joy. Setsuna nodded and pat the young girl on the head.

"So, Ico-chan, were you practicing the Shinmei-ryu?" the little girl nodded and sat to rest. "That's a pretty hard style… Why are you learning it?" Setsuna asked kneeling next to Ico.

"Gramps knows it, and Mommy said Daddy was a master in it too. She even taught Mommy some!" the little girl said looking to the girl with her. "Daddy can't protect Mommy anymore right now, so I'm training to help her." Ico finished.

'She's pretty amazing for a four year old!' Thought Setsuna, then something occurred to her. "Her?" she muttered without thinking.

"Mhm. Mommy fell in love with her precious knight and even the boundaries between them were not enough to keep them from loving each other. Mommy tells me lots about her… Daddy, I mean. I think it's romantic!" Ico giggled with a light blush that was a dead give away to her being Setsuna's daughter.

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AN: I know it just sorta ended… I'm sorry if there are any spelling errors, I had to rush to finish typing what I have. Please look forward to April 12th!

Happy Birthday Konoka!