Disclaimer:
Love Hina and Mahou Sensei Negima is the creative property of Ken Akamatsu, who created this wonderful anime/manga series. Shingetsugan Tsukihime and Fate/stay night is the creative property of TYPE-MOON. Anything not attributed to Akamatsu-san or TYPE-MOON belongs to their respective owners, such as references to Cowboy Bebop (the Swordfish II) that is a creation of Sunrise and Shinichiro Watanabe, BLEACH is a creation of Kubo Tite, and vice-versa. This story is written purely just for fun, guys; please for God's sake, don't sue me! I'm just a high school student with too much free time on his hands! On the other hand, any specific author created characters I created for this fic (despite how unoriginal they may be at times) are mine. So without further adieu, let's get on with the show!
The Surgeon General's Warning:
Read at your own risk. Multiple pairings inside folks, with KanaxKei and KanaxNegi, just to name a few! You never know what you're going to get so read on (I might even do some alternative stuff, if you know what I mean).
Blue Blue Glass Moon, Under the Crimson Air
The New Life at Mahora...
Chapter 58:
Discussions
A Love Magister Hina Negima! fanfic by James "Ray" Edwards
"Are you uncomfortable, Miyazaki-san?" Chachamaru asked gently. It was the preferred approach suggested to her by the Human Interface protocols because she had little experience dealing with people in general beyond formal interaction and --- again, her largely formal actions when assisting civilians in need around the area. The H.I. protocols called it "breaking the ice," and she was monitoring the violet-haired girl's reactions very closely in order to anticipate and gauge Miyazaki's level of anxiety.
Understandably, her anxiety was quite high for various reasons, and the fact Chachamaru was unable to decide what kind of expression to adopt, leaving her complexion stolid and blank did not help matters. Nodoka could not even meet her gaze and was fidgeting about, sending her hidden eyes wandering willy-nilly all over the room. Clearly, she was not used to communicating and interacting with others beyond her tiny closely-knit circle of relationships.
Strange, but now that she thought about it, Chachamaru realized that she and the shy Miyazaki girl astonishingly had something in common. The notion was --- comforting --- and her diagnostics noted another anomalous increased in output from her core power reactor, her radiators heating up, bringing a blush to her cheeks as her eyes and hair turned that brilliant shade of blue again. She did not notice it all, of course, her "mind" occupied by the unusual and oddly natural feel of her lips drawing back into a smile.
Chachamaru decided then that she liked smiles. They felt nice. "I'm sorry, if this is making you uncomfortable, Nodoka-san, but I didn't want you to run away from me."
The girl yelped as if suddenly remembering where she was, and it would be an understatement to stay Nodoka was nervous. She was scared out of her wits and was doing everything in her power to ignore her predicament. This was a stupid idea from the start! How could she ever think she could actually approach someone like Chachamaru Karakuri and thank the stoic girl for saving her life as she knew it.
Even though, I just --- I just want to thank her for saving from that horrible fall yesterday, thought Nodoka miserably. She could not recall the exact details really, except for the sensation of falling and someone catching her. Afterwards, she had been informed that it was Chachamaru who had saved her, the quiet android cosplayer in her class. The girl was probably even more of a social recluse than she was, although she had a stunning reputation for being a Good Samaritan in the neighborhood.
Every day Chachamaru was said to spend her free time helping stray dogs and cats, the local kids, the elderly, and anyone else who was in need, as she "patrolled" around town. Though she never said much, her bold actions spoke loudly for her, and in this manner, Nodoka was regrettably jealous of her. When she had learned it had been this girl that had saved her, an array of mixed feelings had immediately exploded inside her heart. Nodoka was grateful, but at the same time her jealousy, which she thought she had buried deep in a safe place, had reared its ugly head.
She wished she could be forthright and compassionate, a stronger person like Chachamaru. If she was like Chachamaru, she would not be afraid to go outside --- alone, she would have more confidence in herself, she could have more friends, and she would not be so afraid of --- boys --- anymore. Right now, all Nodoka wanted to do was run away, and the only thing keeping her here was that same person's hand clasping her own.
Oh, how much she wanted to run away. So what if she was super shy and did not have much confidence in herself? She had Yue, Haruna-chan, and all of her books! It was not like she was all alone, so there was no big deal if she ran away.
"It must've taken a lot of courage for you to come see me like this, Nodoka-san, so please --- don't run away from me. I --- I want to hear what you have to say to me. Truthfully, it scares me to think about what could be on your mind, but I still want to know."
Nodoka blinked. Chachamaru... The Chachamaru Karakuri was scared to hear what she had to say? This certainly did not fit the idealized image she had constructed of the stoic girl over night after hearing that she had been the one to save her. Thinking perhaps she had been mistaken, carefully she turned to meet the taller girl's gaze and was stunned to find Chachamaru --- smiling. She had never heard of or seen her fellow classmate smile ever, and somehow, her eyes and hair had turned that dazzling shade of blue again.
This smile: it was a lot like Yue's few and far "real" smiles. Unlike Haruna-chan who could smile all the time, Yue never really smiled. She had a "fake" smile and an "inscrutable" smile, always hiding the truth and her true feelings. Suppressing emotion and exchanging it for something else seemed to be her specialty, and as long as she could remember, Yue had always been like a big sister to her, despite appearances.
If such a rare smile like that were to come from Chachamaru, then surely she must be sincere. "Anou, Karakuri-san, I --- about yesterday..."
"Yesterday?" How vague. Many things happened yesterday. Kanako-san. Negi...Negi-kun. Eva-sama. What could she mean?
"I wanted to thank you for saving me. If it weren't for you, I'd have broken my neck in the fall for sure, so..."
Internally, Chachamaru breathed a sigh of relief, as she released her hold on Nodoka's hand. By some twist of fortune, her classmate had only a faint recollection of yesterday's astounding events at the plaza. However, she could not very well take the credit for the entire impromptu rescue operation for herself, considering others present had played a significant role as well.
"You're welcome anytime, Nodoka-san, but I wasn't the only one involved in the incident regarding your accident the other day," she informed the violet-haired girl casually.
"R-Really?"
"Hai, and although this may come as a surprise, Kanako-san was actually the first to arrive at the scene, followed by myself and Negi..." Should I address him in this conversation as...no, it would not be appropriate; I think. "...Negi-sensei."
"K-Ka-Kanako-san! And --- And N-Negi-sensei?" Nodoka squeaked, blushing and trembling terribly all at once. She could not believe what she had just heard and could barely begin to fathom what was worse: being saved by that really, really scary Urashima girl or being, well, saved by a boy. He --- He did not touch her or anything like that did he?
The sudden eruption of anxiety and fear did not go unnoticed by Chachamaru. In fact, it troubled her a great deal. Her Battle Tactics Analysis protocols insisted that there was nothing to worry about, and it was best not to interfere with this glaring fault in the shy girl's character. After all, a weakness could always be exploited later.
Exploit Nodoka Miyazaki, take advantage of her weakness, use that flaw against her: somehow, the very notion of the idea now sickened her, even though her Ethics and Morality codes said it was perfectly justified. If it was for the sake of the mission, for the sake of her Mistress, she could do anything. Again, the life of others compared to Eva-sama was secondary...
...but somehow, this fact did not seem good enough anymore. Strangely, her new Human Interface protocols that were still officially in beta testing --- encouraged her actions, going as far as to suggest that as long these actions did not hurt Eva-sama, there was no harm in trying to make a few --- slight --- changes. After all, how could it possibly hurt her Mistress when all she intended to do was reach out and make a new "Friend"? Nodoka may be weak and flawed as of now, but with time and proper nurturing, she surely would become a worthy ally. She would become a "Friend" they could truly rely on and trust in their time of need.
Yes, this was investing in a potential asset. She was not betraying Eva-sama in the slightest, and armed with this justification, Chachamaru knew exactly what she had to do next. Clasping Nodoka's hand, she promptly stood up, bringing the violet-haired girl up with her.
Nodoka yelped, glancing nervously back and forth between the tall girl and their now intertwined hands with a blush. What was Karakuri-san planning to do now? And why did she suddenly --- grab her hand like that again?
"Nodoka-san, pardon me if this is too forward, but to my understanding, people in general have a fondness for throwing parties, don't they?" Chachamaru asked her casually, as she gave a gentle tug, indicating towards the door. It was an obvious request for her to follow.
"P-Parties?" replied Nodoka self-consciously, tugging back just a little with an edge of fear. What was Karakuri-san getting at? She --- she was not a terribly big fan of parties herself, but they were kind of --- nice.
"Yes, and if they can find an occasion, they rarely ever hesitate to go ahead, do they?"
"Ka-Karakuri-san, you don't mean-?"
"I believe, it'd be appropriate to throw a surprise welcoming party for Negi-sensei, don't you think so?"
"A sur-s-surprise welcoming pa-party? For Negi-sensei?"
Chachamaru nodded, while subtly giving her hand another tug. "It'd be a perfect opportunity, don't you think, Nodoka-san? And with Urashima-sensei there, I'm certain Kanako-san will be significantly more approachable. Her behavior this morning, along with her apparent friendship with Sakurazaki Setsuna-san, suggests there has been a considerable change in her disposition."
"I --- I don't...I don't know, K-Kara-kuri-san.." Nodoka hesitated, tugging her hand back some.
"Please, just Chachamaru will do, Nodoka-san. There need not be such especially stifling formality between us."
"Wh-What?" She --- She wants me to call her by her first name? The Karakuri Chacmaru's asking me to do this? I --- I don't know. This has to be dream! Or some kind of joke... I can't do something like that... I-!
"You're much stronger than you appear to be to your own disbelieving eyes, and I --- I believe in that strength, who you really are, as surely Ayase-san and Saotome-san do. If you were to approach Kanako-san now, I believe it would go a long way to healing whatever wounds she may be hiding deep inside her heart. Many things were said yesterday and much malice was bred, but surely we're much better people than Kanako-san claims we are."
"B-But...I...we...didn't do anything at all..."
"Fear is not an uncommon emotion. When you see a beast, a fearsome creature bearing its fangs, it's only natural to feel fear. Kanako-san was preying on the fears of the class, hidden or visible. After all, it's not everyday someone openly declares they're here to make life --- unpleasant --- with the conviction and the power to back that intent up. This, she surely demonstrated on Kagurazaka-san; however, she is also not as heartless as she appears."
"Karakuri-san..."
"Don't you think so, Nodoka-san?"
Chachamaru tugged her hand again, and unconsciously, she felt her legs begin to follow as the taller girl lead her towards the door. It was surreal, like watching a dream, and if it was not possible before, her classmate's smile grew brighter. She did not understand it, but somehow, it was comforting nonetheless.
"Let's go, Nodoka-san. We've many things to do and a short span of time to do it all within our various breaks between classes before the party this evening, but don't worry, I and your friends will most certainly be supporting you all the way."
"Ah, th-thank you very much, Chachamaru."
Nodoka smiled.
It was the rooftop of Jenius Hall, the same building that housed the majority of the classes for Mahora Girls' Junior High. To be honest, Setsuna was not quite sure what she was doing here, as it was Kanako that had brought her up here. The raven-haired girl had set her down on a bench, along with their belongings before shooting her a firm glance that said frankly, "Stay here. And. Don't. Move. I'll be back." This was about five-something minutes ago by her reckoning, and all she could do now was stare at the passing white clouds up in the blue sky.
The clouds. How free they must be... she wondered, a blue air hanging about her shoulders. Unlike normal humans, who can only dream about flying with their own power, I have wings. Wings that humans covet and desire so much, and yet, I've never flown with these wings. Never. Ever.
Yes, Setsuna had never flown in the sky before, riding on the wind, free as a bird. The idea always seemed beyond her reach. Something she could not possibly achieve, even though her blood screamed contrary to what her wounded heart had to say under the guidance of her warped mind. The crow demon in her wanted to fly and loathed nothing more than to walk on the earth, as it yearned to join the wind, high above in the boundless blue.
It was a strange impulse she had learned to suppress years ago, but now more than ever, Setsuna knew she wanted to give in. So much had happened in such a short of time, tearing her expectations and her former "quiet" life asunder in a split second. Who was responsible for all of this? There were five people responsible for these terrible tremors, certainly.
Motoko Aoyama: the ghost of her past returned to haunt her and rip open the scars that marked her heart.
Negi Springfield: the strange boy who had taken care of her and professed that he wanted to help her sincerely.
Mana Tatsumiya: the even stranger girl, who was as close to a friend she had, though she had not realized until yesterday.
Keitaro Urashima: the strangest and most spectacular man she had met in years, and he had openly accepted her for all that she truly was, going as far as to even --- compliment her.
Then, there was Kanako Urashima: the-
Suddenly, Setsuna's thoughts came to a halt as she felt something freezing cold touch her thigh, and in a stunning "Un-Setsuna, one mean brooding half-demon yojimbo-like" manner, she squealed like a girl. Backpedaling at some ninety kilometers per second, the raven-haired girl scrambled as far away as she could, driven by an absurd fearful panic. Of course, she only got as far as the corner of the bench where there was nowhere else to run, and thus, she was forced to huddle there in "chibi"-form, waving the long cylindrical bag that held her zanpakutou defensively.
Kanako stared (in "chibi" mode too).
Setsuna whimpered.
Kanako stared some more.
Setsuna whimpered some more underneath Kanako's stare.
Kanako sweatdropped, holding up a pair of ice-cold soda cans.
Setsuna blushed red, holding her prized possession a little closer for comfort (although what she really wanted to do was to hide behind it).
"Are you --- sensitive to touch --- by any chance, Kara..." Kanako paused, chewing over the word visibly, before continuing on, "...no, I think you deserve to be called by your name now."
Now, this was a sudden turn of events that the hanyou girl could scarcely believe, leaving her gaping openly with wide astonished eyes. What could have caused such a sharp change in Kanako's character? "K-Kanako-sama?"
"Well, are you sensitive to touch by any chance, Setsuna?"
"I --- I-!" Setsuna hesitated, flushing red again as her raven-haired counterpart of sorts sat down on the bench and promptly scooted over. The distance between them closed in a matter of seconds with Kanako sitting deliberately beside her, going as far as to have their hips touching. She was cornered, and it was here in a rare moment that her training as a yojimbo failed her undoubtedly, while she squirmed nervously.
"Hmmmm, you're turning red all over."
"Kanako-sama! Please, this is indecent and-!"
"Now, I wonder..."
Her flat and vaguely thoughtful expression never faltering, Kanako switched one of the ice-cold soda cans to her free hand, while all Setsuna could do was stare in horror. She stuttered incoherently, trying desperately to form some sentence of reason that would knock some sense into the Urashima girl. Her struggles, however, proved futile as an oddly ecstatic noise escaped her lips, half between a gratified moan and a girlish squeal, from the inevitable.
"Ah, just like I thought, you are sensitive to touch, particularly one's with either intimate or perverse intent, and possibly even deep affection," the hazel-eyed girl remarked in a most clinical manner. How she could say something so --- lewd --- without batting an eye, ignoring the wounded, scandalized "Chibi Setsuna" shot her, was a feat all in itself. Of course, it may have had something to do with the "cat ears" that had metaphorically materialized on top of her head. "I wonder, should I tell this to Nii-?"
Now that snatched the reserved kendoka's attention faster than a lightning strike. "N-No! No! P-Please, Kanako-sama, don't tell something so embarrassing to Kei-ta...Ura-shima...kun...san. I...no, I meant..."
"Hmmm, that's the second time you've called Nii-san that --- 'Urashima-kun,' and on top of it, you almost addressed him by his first name as well, Setsuna."
"Ka-Kanako-sama, this isn't-!"
"Of course, it isn't, Setsuna-chan," Kanako smirked smugly, like a cat as her "metaphor cat ears" twitched. "In fact, I won't even punish you for such a dirty secret, you naughty girl, but only if you do me a favor, ne?"
Setsuna hesitated, biting her lip shakily, but it was not as if she had any choice. If Keitaro --- no --- Shishou found out such an embarrassing thing, she --- she would not know what to do. "...What --- what would you ask of me, Kanako-sama?"
"Drink this first, and then we can talk."
"Th-This?"
"Don't look at the label. Just drink it."
A pair of crackling pops, punctuated by the hiss of escaping carbon, pronounced the soda cans officially opened. Composing herself as best as she could, although there was little she could to suppress the frown that now graced her features, Setsuna spared a quick glance at the other girl. The rather --- unlady-like approach Kanako had taken to drinking her soda was --- bewildering, as she was literally chugging the entire contents in one go, and when she was finished...
Crunch!
"Hmm, something wrong?" the Urashima girl asked her casually, removing the now crushed soda can from the side of her head.
Oh yes, there was plenty of wrong things! Setsuna flushed red and quickly turned away, focusing her attention back on her opened soda can. Seriously, she was beginning to doubt if the Kanako Urashima that was with her now was the same as the one she had met in class --- confronting Aoyama-sempai, the one she had met this morning, and the one she had met yesterday. It seemed as if she had changed completely, addressing her now almost civilly by her first name, while treating her like...
The demon girl shook her head. There was not a word or a phrase she knew that could describe the state of her relationship with her Sensei's younger sister. In a matter of hours, they had gone from one extreme to the next, including herself...
"I saw it in a movie once, thought I'd give it a try. In a way, it's kind of satisfying to crush an empty aluminum can against the side of your head, I suppose," Kanako interjected, breaking her line of thought.
Setsuna spluttered in astonishment, unable to meet her --- what was Kanako Urashima supposed to be to her anyway? Earlier, it had been stated quite clearly that she was to be a servant to the haughty girl, a fate she had been willing to shoulder more or less. However, all of that had changed again in a span of a few minutes to an hour, and why --- Kanako had practically dragged her off, hand in hand, with reckless abandon, not caring that she was being seen by everyone.
Even now, Setstuna could distinctly recall the embarrassed heat of her cheeks, and simultaneously, the soft yet dominant warmth of...
"Well, are you going to drink it or what, Setsuna? I spent my own money on that too, the least you can do is take a sip."
The demon girl blushed for what she swore was the umpteenth time that morning, mumbling an apology underneath her breath, as she drank deeply from the opened soda can. An invigorating scent of lime and lemon entertained her nose briefly, identifying the contents of the beverage as ramune, a popular carbonated lemon-lime soda that had become something of a modern symbol of summer here in Japan. It was still rather early to be consuming such a drink...
Suddenly, Setsuna seized up, turning "chibi mode," her dark brown eyes bulging wide, before she promptly spat out the carbonated soda, spraying the air with a white mist. She coughed and wheezed, favoring her throat, which felt like it was on fire along with the rest of her mouth. Her eyes were watering, as she mustered up what little control she had left to steady herself and not drop the offending concoction or drop herself into Kanako's lap.
"Ka-K-Kanako-sama! Khgk...wha-what?" Setsuna rasped weakly. Why did she do this to me? Did I do something to offend her?
Kanako, of course, was unfazed by the spectacle, wearing a blank-faced expression. "How does it taste?"
Is this supposed to be some kind of test? "It's --- it's --- SOUR. Really --- s-sour. Bittersweet. Unbelievably --- b-bittersweet. H-How-ow did you --- drink it?"
"Hmmm, I guess, they weren't joking when it said, 'The Legendary Ramune of Bittersweet Lemon --- Not for the Faint of Heart.'"
"Wh-Why --- aghk! --- did you buy some-something like that, Kan-Kanako-sama?"
"The taste suits my day so far, don't you think so, Setsuna? In fact, that's probably why I was able to drink it."
"P-Pardon?"
"Simple: I just realized something. It's hard work being a B----, takes a huge amount of effort to be pissed off and angry all the time. I've obviously --- grossly --- underestimated the time and effort the likes of Kanzaki Urumi and the Devils of Two-Four put into this trivial pursuit."
"The Devils of Two-Four?"
"My old classmates from Kitsusho Academy: Aizawa Miyabi, Kikuchi Yoshito, Murai Kunio, Fujiyoshi Kouji, Kusano Tadaaki, and Ijima Saeko. Along with Kanzaki, they're the kind of confused people who make sport and entertainment out of making life miserable and unbearable for other human beings. Rebellion and delinquency, although among them, Kanzaki, Aizawa, and Kikuchi have certainly elevated it to an art form."
"...Kanako-sama?" Setsuna asked her tentatively. So what does this all mean then?
"I'm giving up, Setsuna. I don't like people, and I think I've left a strong enough impression yesterday to draw plenty of trouble, but my new reputation alone should be enough to keep most of them away. Besides, Nii-san's --- working here now, though I wish he would've told me sooner."
"He --- He didn't tell you, Kanako-sama?"
"...In a way, he already did this morning, but I think he should've just told me straight to my face, instead of trying to make it a big sur-prise. And if those girls think they can steal Keitaro away from you and I, they got another thing coming! BAH. As if it even matters because at this rate, Mahora Academy will destroy itself without me even lifting a finger from its own demons."
"Mahora's...DEMONS?" And what did she mean by she and I? Us and Keitaro? Our classmates? Stealing him? I'm not certain what she means, but this feeling --- acid and bile --- I wouldn't want anyone to take him away. I want Kei...er, Urashima-kun to stay right here where I can be with him and Kanako-sama.
Kanako was tempted to laugh at the outburst, but decided that this was a good opportunity to start on that favor the half-demon --- no --- Setsuna owed her. "Tsk-tsk, don't tell me you never noticed?"
"That's impossi-!"
"But weren't you the one who got attacked by Hollows last evening and had to be saved by Nii-san?"
"I..." Setsuna lowered her head in shame. Of course, she had been attacked the evening before, but what was she supposed to think after that? She could not deny the city's ancient wards had been compromised, which was a significant threat to her charge, Konoka-ojousama; however, she had yet to inform anyone thanks to the oath of secrecy Keitaro had made her swear.
"It happened, didn't it?"
"Hai, Kanako-sama."
"Which wouldn't rule out the possibility that there were other not so friendly elements in this city even before then, right?"
"...I...I see."
"There's a full-blooded demon child in our class, at least I think she's one, along with the ghost of one of our former classmates. Not to mention --- something much worse, which I imagine has been around for quite sometime, and its been killing."
"That's... This can't be true, Kanako-sama."
"Oh? I'm living proof, for your information, although it wouldn't be too hard to find less than living proof. I saw IT, and if it wasn't for that ghost, I wouldn't be here right now."
"But, Kanako-sama, this is Konoemon-sama's school, and he's..."
"Oh, really? I didn't know he was in cahoots with the Mage's Association too. Thank you for the confirmation, Setsuna."
Setsuna winced at her slip of the tongue. Ordinarily, it would have been enough to warrant severe punishment, if not death from the Kensai Association's Judicial Committee, but did she really owe her loyalty to them anymore? She did not intend to fight the Kensai Association or the Mage's Association, so...
"Oi, what's with that face? You're going to become one of us soon enough, unless --- you've changed your mind, Sakurazaki Setsuna," crooned Kanako mellifluously, as she leaned in close, her hazel eyes gleaming with a hint of danger. "You wouldn't want to break Nii-san's heart now, would you?"
The memory of this morning and yesterday came rushing back to her, making the raven-haired girl blush red. She knew Kanako was pushing her buttons, but in a way, she was not completely against it either. As long as it did not hurt her precious people, it should not matter what she had to say, right?
"So you wouldn't mind answering a few of my questions, would you? Don't worry it's just the favor you owe me, and I do understand information is a two-way street. You tell me something and I'll tell you a little something, and I promise --- not to pry too much."
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes:
WHA-CHA! Hyper Super Fast UPDATE! Three --- two --- one! And Episode 58 is live!
Man, did a lot of things happen this chapter or what? Tomfoolery! Plotting! And dare I say, friendship? Chachamaru continues to surprise and grow. Encouraging Nodoka to get the whole class together to throw a surprise welcoming party? Sheesh, maybe Evangeline should have asked Hakase to build her a less than noble companion instead. With that brand spanking new "emotion chip," Chachamaru's seriously starting to extend beyond the limits of her programming. I sense great changes down the line, but what's this?
Whoa, Kanako sure called it quits fast, but has her little bout of jealousy blossomed into something --- bizzare? Hehe, who would have thought Setsuna was --- ahem! --- hypersensitive to --- ahem! --- intimate, intentful touch? It seems her place is more or less becoming more secure in the Urashima household, and boy, has she grown a lot too, but what sort of questions does Kanako have in mind exactly? What's gonna happen next?
Well, maybe we'll find out on the next episode of Glass Moon-desu!
Reviewers and readers alike, I'd like to thank you all very much for your continued patronage. Remember, I encourage each and everyone of you to feel free to comment, review, and/or discuss the story. Your comments can really make a difference, I assure you, and if you're up to it, feel free to ring me up on AIM, or even send me an e-mail (although you really don't need to boost my ego too often). You know how to get in touch with the maestro here. It's getting close to exam time; I'll try to get back to y'all on the last set of reviews, but rest assured they were all great motivating words to me, so don't feel left out if I couldn't make it back to you.
So without further adieu, that wraps it up, folks (see you around the same time as usual, and I'll try to have our double-header on schedule this time): Peace out! And hold it together for exams! Incidentally, I just noticed this is a really, really LONG chapter --- like 5000 words long! My bad!
Omake!
Naze Nani Glass Moon Desu
Episode Preview!
Chapter 59:
Sour and Bittersweet
"Oh, she likes 'em bloody and nasty, huh? A fight to the bitter end? Hmph, how ironic that behind all that elegance and samurai pride, she's just as bloodthirsty as they come, if not more."
Tsudzuku!