" I will...have to... " the brown-hair girl tried to believe in what she just heard.
" You have to do it now Konoka-san, the more you wait, the more her injuries get worse. " her young friend began to draw a magic pactio cercle around Emiko held in Setsuna's arms.
" Setsuna-san, can you step back? You should not stand in the cercle with Emiko-san or it might not work. " the young teacher told her student.
The dark-hair girl seemed to not want to lose her tight grip on her near-to-die childhood friend. She was holding her as if she was about to die in a second, which was almost the case. And it would be her blame if it happened.
" Come one...Setsuna-san...let go of her so Konoka can heal her... " Asuna tried to take away her terrified bestfriend. She eventually succeeded to release her strong grip from Emiko's hand.
' I can't be that crazy '
The princess looked into her knight's eyes, asking for her agreement. She saw her nodded almost like a plea.
" Please save her Kono-chan... " Setsuna begged her girlfriend.
Konoka wasn't so surprised to see her bodyguard that worried about this dying girl, however she wondered how close and strong their bond was to have her proud girlfriend begging her to save this girl, even though she had to kiss her while yesterday she was so upset about her feelings towards Emiko.
' I stained myself with my own blood '
Nevertheless, she took note from her love, and bent to Emiko's face without any hesitation.
No one in the room could or even dare to blush at the kiss. It was a question of life or death.
' I crossed the line and broke what's precious '
The circle shone as Emiko's body began to shudder from the healing action. She could slowly opened her eyes.
' P-princess...? ' the weakened girl thought as she closed her eyes again.
Konoka drew back, after Negi told her the card appeared. The circle vanished to let everyone holding their breathe in hope.
" Emiko? Come on wake up now! " Setsuna held her back in her arms, slowly shaking her body.
' And if I had kept on this way...I would have hurt you too... '
" Hmm... " the injured girl finally mumbled, making everyone smiled in relief.
Setsuna looked at her lover, smiling with few tears in the eyes.
Thank you
' ...my love. '
Negi gave the new card to the owner, happy to see she was really and will be a strong mage. The brown-hair girl watched her item with content, and dropped it when she heard:
" I love you princess... "
Everybody blushed at the confession -but not the samurai girl- as they recognized the voice.
Konoka blushed as she heard what sounded like a confession for her, while Setsuna frowned, thinking she wasn't wrong about her doubts after all.
Negi was about to ask a stupid question (" Did she just confess to Kon- ") when a small hand covered his mouth, and a voice whispering in his ear (" If you don't want to be the one who needs to be ressuscitate now, don't speak a word! ").
" Meg...umi... "
Now everybody's eyes widened in shock without exception.
...
They all blinked once, twice, three, four and five times, before they could understand what was wrong with the sleeping girl.
" Who is she? A secret love affair? " the red-hair girl asked, perplexed.
" Come on Asuna, Emiko-san is not even married! " her roomate replied, picking the card up.
" Maybe she is. She loves to always play hide and seek, and scare people from nowhere. I bet she may be and didn't say anything about it. " Setsuna said, a little bit mad, but this time, in her friendly way.
She laid her sleeping friend in Konoka's bed. Asuna nodded to her statement, remembering the great deathly choke she had at the party.
" Megumi...Megumi...hmmm...ah! " Negi suddenly remembered something as he striked his fist in his other opened hand.
The three girls looked at him with curious. Setsuna opened her mouth to ask what he had realized.
" Negi-sensei, wha- "
" -Why...is my head and stomach hurt this much... " the sleeping beauty finally awoke.
" Ah, Emiko, stay in the bed. You need to rest. " Setsuna held her shoulders to push her back on the couch.
She smiled at her childhood friend weakly before losing her smile. Her face was disfigured with sadness.
Emiko opened her eyes to stare at her friend, then remembered everything that happened.
She suddenly stood up, checking Setsuna head to toes, surprising everyone.
' Her eyes are good, I don't feel any anger...she has some cuts and bruises on her face... ' Emiko thought as she examined Setsuna's body.
" Um...how do you feel, Emiko-san? " the brown-hair girl asked in a small voice.
" Hm? Ah...I feel, okay I guess...but hey, who healed me? I remembered suffering to death and my organs were failing. " Asuna and Negi pointed their finger to Konoka's direction, while Setsuna frowned a little. And Konoka, well, was blushing...a little.
" Oh...Whoa princess Konoka, I was told you would be one day the most powerful mage, but at your age and with few intense trainings, you're capable of healing such injuries... " Emiko lowered her head as a sign of respect.
No one could say anything about how the healer mage managed to save her. Only one person could, and had to.
" You...made a pactio with Kono-chan... " Setsuna said clearly, crossing her arms on her chest.
" Wh-what! " Emiko sat when she suddenly felt a bit dizzy. Setsuna held her arm to help her sit slowly.
" Y-yes, we did. And here's your card! " the princess handed her the new item.
The oldest girl in the room looked carefully at the object she has been given. Watching back and front, she then raised her head to her new possible partner, now that she had made a pactio with her.
" I'm sorry you had to do that...I will never be thankful enough for you saved my life. " Emiko said, closing her eyes to show her she would accept to do anything she would ask now.
" Alright, everything seems to be fine now. I have to go back to my room to prepare the... " Negi stopped, remembering what he figured out a moment ago.
" ...the exam questions! " he tried to lie. He was such a innocent and wise boy, he could never be bad enough to lie.
Asuna sighed, pissed off by the memory of the exams. She waved away to the young teacher, who smiled nervously as he left the room.
Emiko didn't want to bother more than she already did, and stood up.
" I have to go to my daily report at the Head-master office now, I will see you all later. " she went towards the door but looked at Setsuna before leaving.
The swordwoman nodded, and was about to leave with her when she felt pulled back by the arm.
" Where do you think you're going like that Secchan? I'm not letting you go in this shape. " the brown-hair girl told her lover with a serious look.
Setsuna smiled in defeat, and looked back at Emiko, shaking her head to tell her to go first.
" Um..wait Emiko-san! It must be not smart from me to let you walk on your own with your weak body. Um, let me come with you! " the red-hair girl said. She knew the couple needed to talk, especially after all this mess.
" It's fine really Asuna-san, I can walk by my- "
" Okay good! Let's go! " Asuna pretended to not hear Emiko's words and dragged her with her out of the room.
Setsuna watched the door closed, wondering what was wrong with Asuna.
" Secchan... " the bodyguard turned to look at her beauty. She noticed the sad tone in her voice.
She went to sit next to her on her couch. She opened her mouth to say something when she got shut by a kiss.
' You scared me so much...Don't leave me please... '
Setsuna felt all her words through the kiss. It was soft yet...the way she kissed now felt...shy.
Konoka kept kissing until she was out of breathe. She felt a pair of two arms wrapping her waist, pulling her closer into a hug.
" I'm fine...it's okay... " she then felt warm lips pressed on her forehead.
They stayed in each other arms for few minutes, as Setsuna felt her princess needed to be hold with love.
" Why...did you send me a message to say you wouldn't come this morning? Are you...mad at me? " Konoka asked in a low voice, afraid to hear her answer.
Setsuna sighed, remembering what Emiko did.
" I...didn't send it. And... " she closed her eyes before continue.
' I don't feel mad anymore. ' she realized, listening to her heart.
Konoka waited for her to speak, and looked into her eyes when her girlfriend's opened it.
' I feel...peace. '
Setsuna smiled to her, a happy, sincere, smile.
" I don't see, any more madness in your eyes. " Konoka said smiling back.
" Everything is fine now, for real. " the dark-hair girl held her beautiful woman's face in her hands.
" I am never...going to hurt you. " and she leaned closer to taste her lips.
' How could I forget this tenderness... '
Konoka held onto her lover's forearms, leaning even more closer to deepen the kiss.
' This softness...this warmth... '
Setsuna turned her head a little so she could welcome her princess' tongue deeper. Konoka tried to draw her mouth to catch her breathe but she was held back by their battling tongues. Her lover wanted to show her she loved her more than her.
' Your kiss is magical. '
And so the brown-hair girl. And she linked their lips again, fighting back with love.
The half-demon's left hand found its way through the chocolate-hair, to rest on the back of her princess' head and pulled her closer into the deep kiss.
' I can finally...find my love back. '
After long minutes of kissing, Setsuna broke the kiss against her will, and rested her forehead against her girlfriend's. They stayed quiet, breathing deeply and enjoying their moment together.
Until one of them spoke.
" What happened? " the brown-hair girl whispered, as she put her head on Setsuna's shoulder.
" Emiko tried to help me control my anger...And I almost killed...her. " her knight answered with shame.
" It is all my fault... " the princess was about to cry.
" What are you talking about? " Setsuna was surprised by her answer.
" If I didn't love you, maybe, you would have stayed the same as before, and never got that mad and hurt- "
" -Kono-chan...your love is keeping me safe. You're keeping me alive, and away from becoming a real monster. " Setsuna pushed back to look into her lover's eyes.
Before kissing her once more, she told her:
" I need your love more than my own life. "
After she reassured Asuna about her health, Emiko left her friend to wait under the World's Tree. She just loved to stay next to this tree, because she felt so close from her country.
" Emiko! " someone called her from behind.
She turned to smile at her sweet friend.
" Hey there... " she slowly sat under the tree, feeling her body weak to stand.
" How...do you feel? " her friend sat next to her. And Emiko patted her head.
" I'm all good, don't worry about me. You think you could get rid of me that easily huh? " her friend took her patting hand in her own hand.
" I...truly am...sorry... " her friend whispered, almost dropping a tear from her eyes.
Emiko held her hand tight.
" Don't be...I guess I deserved it...you were so mad at me Setsuna...and, I get it. " Emiko coughed a little, then quickly turned her head at her childhood friend's face to ease her concern look.
" Oh? You got your cuts and bruises healed? Princess Konoka sure cares a lot about her girlfriend. " Setsuna blushed a little.
" By the way...I'm not and I won't steal her from you. I know you saw us at the party, and I wanted to tell you that we weren't kissing or anything. She just...makes me think of someone else. " Emiko dropped her smile, looking at the sunrise.
She let go of her sweet angel's hand to rub her temple. Setsuna was about to tell her about her earlier unconscious confession, but was too slow to speak first.
" You sure hit me hard...I still have a headache! " Emiko laughed.
" Sorry... " Setsuna lowered her head with remorse.
" Yeah...I should apologize too, I hurt you with the spell. " the taller girl took Setsuna's face into her hands to look into her eyes.
" But...it worked! " she smiled a weak but happy smile.
" Explain me, what are those red eyes and how did I end up develop it? And how did you know to use it? What was this spell? " Emiko took off her hands from Setsuna's face.
" Slow down, one question at a time, would you? " and she giggled. But the smaller girl held her serious look.
" First, those red eyes are typical from our clan. We are called the Demon's eyes clan because we have different eyes. The gold color, as you have already experienced since you're little, helps to have a better glimpse, because it slows down the time, or you can say it helps to see faster. "
A leaf fell from the tree between the girls. Emiko took it from its branch, and spun it between her fingers.
" The red eyes are our best weapon. Plus the ability to see faster, our body's speed and strength increase. However...like you've been feeling lately, our mind and body are crushed by anger and madness. Because the entire demon in the body takes control and...you know what is the main goal for a demon... "
" To kill. " Setsuna said quietly, looking at the now blue sky.
Emiko nodded.
" I learned to control my demon 'feelings' by myself. I was just like you, going into madness and the urge to kill anybody. And one day, I was captured by an old man who knew our clan. He used the spell I used on you, and cleaned my head for ever. " Emiko wiggled the leaf on Setsuna's nose, making the latter to sneeze.
" S-stop that! " the sneezing girl moved away from her.
" The old man told me only the strongest in our clan were able to develop this ability. And then, I thought about you. Even though you are a half-human, you are also a half-demon, and from the memories about some of our trainings when we were kid, I knew one day, you'd be strong. "
Setsuna blushed a little at her praise, which made Emiko laughed.
" I came here as fast as I could, fearing that you would already develop it. But fortunately, I was on time. "
After recording all these informations, Setsuna pondered for a while.
" So...now, what would happen if I use those red eyes? "
" You'll be very stronger than usual! " her friend laughed at her question.
" I mean...will I go crazy again? Should I be careful when I got mad? "
" No. " Emiko replied flatly. " You'll be fine now. Just don't overdo it. "
" Then...Did this madness come from the fact I was developing a new ability or...from...love? " Setsuna asked softly, trying to figure it out by herself.
Emiko frowned, and stayed silent for a while.
" Only you can know. "
In the afternoon, everyone was summoned in the Head-master office.
" As you know from weeks now, we will welcome the Princess of the Cloud Kingdom. " the old Konoemon said, sitting in his chair.
Konoka was standing next to him, looking at her lover in the middle of the crowd.
" We were supposed to greet them in three days but, it seems they were quicker than expected. And for now, I want to see every of you, waiting at the main gate to greet her with your warmest smile. This is a reconciliation visit, and we need to make the princess feels like she is at home here. "
Setsuna winked at her girlfriend, smiling lovely when she felt two pair of eyes looking at her. She suddenly coughed, putting her fist before her head.
" I count on you all, and do not disappoint me. Be at five at the main entrance. You're all dismissed. "
" You sure slack off like I predicted. " Setsuna jumped in surprise while she walked out of the office. She looked behind her.
" I am not! I just found a way to enjoy and be serious at one time. Sorry to disappoint you Mana. " the samurai girl smiled.
" I thought you were having some fantasms about your girlfriend, from what I saw in your eyes. " Setsuna jumped again, but blushed hard this time.
" Tsh...why do you always have to behave this way you rosted crow. "
" Well...you're so easy to tease. " Emiko smiled at her, brushing her little girl's hair.
" Would you mind stop that! " Setsuna stepped away from her childhood friend. Mana smiled at their behavior. She never saw her friend acted this close with someone else beside Konoka.
" Setsuna-san, Konoka-san is asking for you in the dressing room. " her young teacher told her and went back in the office.
" Oh, she must want to satisfy your desires... " Setsuna punched Emiko's shoulder before leaving the two girls.
" So...when you said you were related to her, it was true. " Mana looked at the girl rubbing her hit shoulder.
" She's my family, yes. " Emiko smiled happily.
Setsuna entered the dressing room next to the Head-master office. When she opened the doors, she thought she was about to faint.
" Hey, Secchan, there you are! " the princess rushed towards her love, hugging her as much as she can.
" Y-yeah...wow...you look...beautiful Kono-chan. " Setsuna blushed as she watched the girl before her. She was wearing a pink kimono with sakura flowers.
Konoka kissed her to thank her, then she dragged her along in the room.
" Here, you have to change yourself too! " she took out a black kimono from a big box.
" Me too? Why? I don't need to. " the bodyguard glanced at the black kimono. There were pink sakura on it.
" Oh please Secchan! We would be like a matching couple... " Konoka giggled softly.
Then she approached her lover to put her hands on her shoulder and caught her eyes.
' Pretty please...honey? '
Setsuna sighed. How could she refuse when she used those puppy eyes.
She nodded quietly, before being savagely stripped.
After the meeting, the couple went back to the dorms in order to be prepared for the event. They had told their red-hair friend about it. Therefore they had now to drag with them a beautiful Asuna dressed in a pretty brown kimono with orange leaves.
The couple knew exactly the purpose of her coming, that is to say to seduce their teacher with whom she danced at the party.
At the entrance of the school, everybody was lined up, making a way to the Head-master at the bottom line. The latter required his grand-daughter so the welcome would feel warmer. He wanted everything to be perfect.
Next to the dean stood Konoka, on her right Setsuna and on her right, Asuna, who was searching with her eyes her dear teacher.
" Where is Emiko? " the old Konoemon asked to the three women, but someone else answered.
" She said it would be safer if someone was patrolling around, so that nothing could disturb the event. " Mana stood to the dean's left.
" My...isn't she a reliable and loyal guard, is she? Just like Setsuna-kun. " he smiled at the blushing bodyguard, who nodded silently.
The doors of the school opened, letting a few horsemen to enter. In the middle of them, a woman dressed with a veil was riding a white horse.
Negi was in the crowd. He looked at the princess of Cloud's kingdom coming on a horse, and looked back at the dean direction.
' They all three are together? And next to the Head-master! Shoot...I hope they can hold their surprise... ' he thought nervously.
The three girls were watching the charismatic princess coming to them. When she finally reached the stairs separating them, she got down from her horse, while the other horsemen stayed on their horses.
The foreign princess walked with finesse. Every step she made seemed like she was walking on feathers.
When she finally faced the dean, she pulled down her veil so he could see her better.
' So beautiful... ' the three girls thought. Setsuna was even blushing at her green eyes.
The expected princess bowed at the old man.
" It is an honor to meet you Konoemon-sama. I am Princess Megumi, from the Cloud's Kingdom. "
The three girls' eyes widened.
" I love you princess... "
" Meg...umi... "
Everything was quiet. The dean was opening his mouth to speak when...
" Ahh! " the three girls exclaimed together loudly.