Author's words: Sorry, this time was a very late update, compared to my original speed skill updating. Well...what can I say...Emiko is so right about one thing. Life is such a mess. I lost all of my motivation to write for a while. But now I'm back! And next chapter will come very soon too!
Enjoy.
Emiko went back to sleep after she calmed down from her nightmare. Or rather the recall of her memories. Actually, she didn't get any sleep after that, she just laid on her couch, trying to rest as much as she can. Two hours after, she woke up and decided it was time to leave her bed and start the new day. It was only four am.
She prepared herself in five minutes, and was about to leave when she stopped in front of the door, glancing back at Setsuna's bed.
She saw her mumbling " Kono..chan " in her sleep, and smiled at the crazy in love girl.
She went back to the table to write a note on a paper and then left the room.
bip bip bip
A dark-hair girl suddenly shot opened her dark eyes wide and raised her hand to turn off the alarm. Like an army soldier, she jumped off of her bed, and began to stretch her back and legs, do some squats, then went to the bathroom to change her clothes into casual ones and came back in the main room.
" Wake up Emiko, it's time for work. " the girl said while buttoning her shirt, her back facing the bed.
As she heard no sound, she turned back to get a vision of her sleeping friend.
But she only saw a empty proper bed.
Setsuna was looking around, hoping to see her demon friend wandering somewhere when her eyes landed on a paper on the table.
' I went to do rounds. And I'll take your shift too, so you can have more time to train with Asuna-san.
Emiko. '
The samurai girl smiled weakly, glad to see Emiko took her words in account, but she quickly lost her smile as she left the room.
She needed to find out what was bothering her childhood friend before something bad happens.
A door opened and a red-hair girl popped out in the dorms' corridor.
" Oh? You're already here Setsuna-san? I thought you would wait for me at the usual place. " Asuna asked her bestfriend who was resting her back on the wall in front of her.
" I...just wanted to feel close to Kono-chan. " the kendo master answered as she tried to get a glimpse of her princess' sweet sleeping face when Asuna opened the door.
" What's wrong? D'you feel down? We can cancel our training session if you want to see her. "
" No...it's good. I don't want to wake her. Come on, let's go. I've been preparing you for this ultimate training. " Setsuna started to walk.
' Ultimate! Oh no...I should have insisted on her staying with Konoka... ' Asuna followed and did not say a word. She was proud enough to not show fear.
The sun was still sleeping but that pleased Setsuna, because the dark was one of the important features of this training session.
The master stopped walking when she reached the usual area. She turned back and raised a sword in her hand.
" This is for you Asuna-san. I think it's time to go on the next level. From now on, I will not only teach you kendo skills because you know enough, but I will also teach you how to combine your ki with a sword. "
The red-hair girl looked at her master with eyes opened like eggs. Suddenly everything was formal.
' She really meant it when she asked me to call her master... ' Asuna smiled awkwardly as she took the sword and her arm fell down with the strong weight of it.
" You'll get used in few days, and it will seem like the sword weights like a feather. " Setsuna smiled at her student.
" But, why do you suddenly want to teach me this? I thought we were just sparring. " Asuna questionned, as she tried to lift her sword with both hands.
" It isn't all of the sudden. I noticed during our first sparring that you hold great amount of ki. I knew if I trained you, you'd reach incredible strength. Also... " Setsuna drew her sword, and stood on guard.
" I want you to be stronger, because during battles, you'll be less likely to get hurt. No matter what, Asuna-san, you're my very dear bestfriend. And I don't want you to die. " the samurai smiled frankly.
Asuna blanked for a second, and then felt tears coming to her eyes. She smiled back as she remembered her master's words when she asked her once, the reason why she wanted to be so strong.
...
" I want to protect...what's precious to me. Because if I can't even do that, how could I ever consider to be Kono-chan's partner? "
" Sooo...this is all for Konoka? " Asuna grinned widely on purpose as she faced Setsuna who was standing in front of her.
Setsuna blushed, and pondered for a minute. She then offered her hand to help Asuna to stand up.
" She is my most precious...but I also want to be able to protect my friends. " Asuna grabbed her hand and lifted herself up.
" Because if I can't even do this too, how could I also ever consider myself suitable to protect the future most powerful mage? Ah! Not that you're weaker or anything Asuna-san- " Setsuna got hit on her shoulder.
" You're so in love with her! When will you confess to her, before your feelings explode in passion! " Asuna laughed as she threw a towel at Setsuna. They were sweating a lot after their blade sparring.
The red-hair girl stared at her blushing bestfriend, and smiled deeply in her heart.
' You really are...
...
...a generous person, Setsuna-san. '
Asuna stood on guard at her turn.
" I will not disappoint you master! " Setsuna's eyes widened at her calling.
" You better not to! " and the swordwoman jumped to her opponent, with a wide smile on her face.
slash
Blood was leaking on the floor with smokes.
A tall dark-hair girl landed five meters away from the stains. She suddenly knelt down on one knee.
" Hng... " she whispered as she put her left hand on her right arm.
' Damn it...I didn't expect to be this hard to bear... ' she thought as she tried to suppress the tremor in her right arm.
Another demon appeared behind her, and she quickly turned back to face it.
' Bring it on you trash, show me some of your blood. ' the girl talked to herself unconsciously.
" Come on! Entertain me with some thrilling cries! " the girl turned insane as she laughed loud.
bang bang
To her disappoined eyes, the demon disappeared in a second.
' ... ' she stood up, lowering her left arm.
" I thought Setsuna was the only one to go crazy. " Mana appeared from nowhere.
Emiko closed her burning eyes and took a deep breathe.
As she walked closer, Mana examined her from head to toe. Emiko opened her eyes and smiled at her.
' They're blue now? I thought I saw they were red... ' the gunlish girl decided to not ask. Emiko seemed to have more self-control than Setsuna, so she decided it should be alright now to not say a thing.
" Thanks Mana-san! You saved me! " Emiko giggled as she put her right hand at the back of her head, acting silly.
" ...Anyway, should I join you in your patrols? " the cool girl thought it would be better to keep an eye on her, given what she just saw.
" Why not? I like patrolling with you! " Emiko nodded to her friend, and started to walk ahead.
" This will be on your tab. " Mana smirked. Whatever happens, she has an attitude to keep.
" Eh? " Emiko looked back at her.
" Ahhhhh! "
boumm
The scarecrows Setsuna made were destroyed by a strong air storm.
" Hmm...it's almost like that, but you need to control better your ki. One more time! " Setsuna shouted at her kendo student. She was sitting on the stairs below the World's tree.
It had been an hour now since they started their training session, and after long minutes of warming up blade sparring, she was now teaching Asuna a new technique.
" Alright... " the red-hair girl closed her eyes to focus on her body's energy.
' Feel the warmth of your body she said... ' Asuna breathed in.
' And lead it in your arms' area...' she focused hard on her body. So much that she didn't notice someone was walking in front of her.
However Setsuna did. She turned her eyes from Asuna to see a girl with a veil on her head, walking right in Asuna's spot in the dark. Fearing the worst, she instantly disappeared from the stairs.
" -and break it out from your body in the sword! " she held her breathe as she suddenly jumped forward and gave a strike at the scarecrows' direction.
brouummm
This time the sound of the attack was louder, which made Asuna smiled happily.
" I did it right! Yay! " she lost her smile at the destruction view.
" Holy crap! I'm so sorry! Setsuna-san! Why did you go over there while you knew I'll be- " she stopped when she saw a girl hiding behind Setsuna's white wings.
The samurai girl helped her stand. The blond-hair girl's eyes were still closed from fear. When she felt a pair of hands holding her arms, she slowly opened her eyes
" Are you alright, Princess Megumi? "
' Eh? Emi-ch- ' she stopped her thoughts when she realized who it was.
However, the way Setsuna held her, the way her worried voice sounded, the soft falling feathers caressing her skin...it brought her back with nostalgia.
With...love.
And she blushed hard, to Setsuna's surprise.
' Why is she blushing? Was she hurt by the attack? ' the girl with white wings thought, and like a faithful bodyguard, she brushed away Megumi's front hair with her fingers as one would say she was caressing her forehead.
But the purpose of this move was to check if the princess was really fine, since she blushed so hard that Setsuna wondered if the red on her face was blood bruises.
" I...I um...I'm alright...thanks. " Megumi stuttered because of her heart racing like a cheetah.
She couldn't look away from her savior's eyes, which made Setsuna to stare back intensely. They were both locked, Setsuna's left hand still holding Megumi's right shoulder, and her right fingers still touching Megumi's forehead.
' Her eyes look so much the same... ' the veiled princess thought with despair. She's been missing those eyes for so long.
She was about to speak when suddenly Setsuna let go of her to look at the bottom of the World's Tree.
' Was that... ' Setsuna sensed an angry aura coming from there.
She flew at the top, leaving an astonished Megumi at the ground. When she pushed away the branches to see if the person was still here, she then lost the sense of the dark aura.
She looked everywhere while Asuna was shouting at her to get back and explain the situation. She remembered in a strike who held this aura. It has been a very long time since she felt it. Setsuna frowned at the thought of her friend.
' Emiko. '
" What the hell happened Setsuna-san? " Asuna rushed to her side when the white winged hanyou landed on the ground.
" Well... " Setsuna glanced at the veiled girl, thinking twice before continue.
" I uh...sensed a demon up there, but it disappeared before I got a chance to kill him. " the bodyguard of the princess of Mahora answered. She decided it was a perfect answer since she disliked to lie.
" Is that so? " Asuna smiled in relieved. Then she quickly turned to look at her new friend.
" But why are you here Megumi-san? At this hour and outside what's more. "
" Well...I couldn't sleep so I decided to take a walk. And then I thought of the World's Tree that I've been wanting to see for all this time... " the girl with green eyes replied.
" Why? Is this Tree that famous in your country? " the red-hair woman asked. She always has been so curious about everything.
" Yes, very much. But for me, this tree means more than that. " the princess smiled shyly.
As Setsuna thought her bestfriend was being rude by asking so many questions, and as she foresaw another question she was about to ask, her master talked first to avoid the foreign princess an interrogation.
" Anyway, it is not safe for you to walk on your own princess Megumi. As I said, there are demons out here. Even though we have a strong magical barrier, some can enter. " Setsuna warned while Asuna made a pouting face for being cut off.
" I know, Emiko-san told me there was an magical barrier issue- "
" -What? " Setsuna interjected.
' How did I not get this information? ' the kendo girl felt left behind for a second when she suddenly remembered the conversation between Emiko and the dean in his office.
Both girls tilted their heads at Setsuna's pondering.
" Alright. If you feel the need to walk, why don't you go with Asuna-san to their room? Kono-ch-ahh I mean, Konoka-ojou-sama must be cooking currently. And her breakfasts are really delicious! " Setsuna changed her blush into a proud smile.
Asuna tilted once more her head when she heard ' Konoka-ojou-sama ' . Why would she call her with the title in front of-
Ahh...right...she's a sick mannered person.
She jumped back when she felt Setsuna's dark frown on her. She swallowed hard.
" Hehe... " she giggled. ' Did she read my mind? '
Wanting to avoid any harm from her master, she quickly agreed with Setsuna's idea.
" Yeah, that sounds fun! Come on let's go! " Asuna couldn't let the princess protest as she roughly took her arms to lead the way back at the dorms.
" I'll go tell your bodyguard where you are princess Megumi! " Setsuna shouted at them, so that Asuna could tell her lover why she wouldn't be there this morning.
After she went to tell Megumi's guards where she was, Setsuna spent her whole day looking for her roomate. She checked every area, even the one where they used to go when they were kids, next to the river where they spent all day sparring with wooden swords.
' I'll have to ask her how she hides her aura, because she's more than good at this. ' the swordwoman thought as she walked roof to roof, in the center.
She stopped to watch the sunset. This view she used to watch everyday had somehow a soothing power to her. It took her in a peaceful mood, only by looking at the nature of life.
She sighed closing her eyes. She needed to take a minute of break from all her worries.
" Ah! " she exclaimed as she turned her glare at the shop below.
She then caught sight of her prey, and jumped down. She followed her in what seemed to be a bar.
" Emiko! Wait! " the prey stopped from entering the bar. She turned back to the voice's direction.
" What are you doing, going in a bar? " Setsuna approached her, finally relieved to find her.
Her blue eyes friend simply smiled at her.
" I need a drink. Would you join at me? " she held the door, waiting for Setsuna to come in.
" I don't drink! And why would you need a drink? Even though you look like the type to drink every now and then. " the smaller dark-hair girl refused her invitation.
" Right...you're just a kid anyway. Fine, go home and drink your milk baby. " the taller dark-hair girl smirked at her. She moved her body to enter again but turned back when her friend yelled.
" I'm not a kid! Nor a baby! Stop treating me like that! " the half-demon felt like a child being looked down her nose at by a sibling.
" Really? Then prove it. I'm sure you don't even know what a Sake tastes like, because your throat is too weak to handle the burn of alcohol- "
Setsuna's eyebrow twiched.
" - and you're too scared shitless to see you can't handle alcohol's effect with just one swallow- "
She frowned darkly.
" -and too damn shy to show around when you're drunk- "
" -I'll show you what I can handle you rosted crow! " Setsuna said loud as she walked inside the bar before her.
Emiko smiled with triumph as she won the fight. It was so easy to play with her.
They both sat at the main table of the bar, where Emiko knew it would be easy to drink fast as the waiter was just in front of them.
" Double Scotch please. " Emiko raised her hand to order.
She turned to look in the eyes of her roomate where she could read she didn't have any clue of how to order, what liquid she just ordered and more importantly, what she could order. She smiled devilishly, waiting for Setsuna to act.
" Hmm...um...ah! Yeah, Sake for me! " she sighed in relieved for finding a way to succeed her first stage of ' to be a grown up ' game.
' Oh you're so stupid Setsuna...you're gonna regret your choice. ' however Emiko smiled innocently at her.
" W-what? You think I can't drink that stuff? Hmph, I'll show you what my throat can handle. "
" Sure...let me see. " Emiko grabbed the glass she just had been handed over, and drank it down in one go.
Setsuna's eyes widened at her daring action. Oh god, she had now to do the same in order to show she's equal to her.
Second stage of ' to be a grown-up ' game...start!
She took the glass the waiter gave her after she thanked him, and, without hesitation she did it.
Bottoms up!...Cleared.
Setsuna put her glass rougly on the table, as she felt the burn going from her tongue to her throat, and what she didn't know is that the burning feeling still had to leak in the chest before resting in the stomach. It was, one of her amazingly disgusting experience, ever.
Nevertheless, she did well in holding her coughs. She repressed it like a real man. She cleared her throat with her mouth closed, sounded somehow sexy to Emiko's view.
" Well...impressive, I admit. Daring choice of alcohol for a fresh beginner, and you took it almost perfectly well. " her onee-sama declared, as she raised her hand for another round.
" Two vodka. "
" What! You said a drink! Why- " she stopped talking when she felt the alcohol messing with her brain.
' Ohh...its effect is quiet fast! ' she thought as she closed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes and turned her head to her right, she could see everything around slowed, or could we say she felt a little bit dizzy?
' It... ' she started to think, but her brain disabled the thinking ability to strenghten the talking one.
" ...is a totally different sensation than the love's potion you made us drink. "
Emiko shot a brow at her words as she took a sip of her drink.
" Yeah, it wasn't alcohol, but magic effect. By the way, did it help? " she winked at her little girl.
The smaller girl blushed at the memory. Normaly, she would hit her friend's head and kill her right away to punish her, but the alcohol restrained her from her desire. Instead, she took her glass and drank it until there was no liquid left.
She cleared her throat like the first time.
" Hey, aren't you a little reckless here? Take your time, and enjoy the taste of the drink. That's the reason why we say 'grab a drink'. We're staying here for a while. " Emiko laughed at her behaviour.
However Setsuna couldn't help herself for acting this way. It was her first time drinking and, the feeling she had right now was...elation.
She could feel all her worries, all her tension, her madness faded away everytime she swallowed alcohol.
Guess...she started to like it.
" What is bothering you Emiko? "
Though she was feeling high, she still got control of her mind.
" Forget about last time, I was just acting stupid. " the blue eyes girl ordered her fourth drink.
" Indeed. But I thought you knew better than me...that love drives us crazy. "
" What's with this sudden deep talk? Aren't you too young to talk like that? " Emiko laughed again. Her girl had really grow up fast.
" We don't have that big age difference, I'm eighteen, and you, twenty-two. "
" Actually, you're twenty, and I, twenty-four. I lied about our ages so the dean could agree to take in both of us. "
" What! " Setsuna dropped her glass on the table.
" Well, I heard him say he was afraid we were old enough to think clearly and harbour hatred to get revenge. So I lied and the fact that you were a shy crying baby helped to confirm the false ages I gave us. "
" You! " Setsuna tried to give a punch at Emiko's face, but it landed on her shoulder as she miscalculated the distant due to alcohol's dizziness.
" How...many things do you hide more? " the hanyou tried her best to look into her eyes, but her sight was a slight blurry. Instead, she was looking at her forehead.
" ... "
" Come clean, now! "
Everyone in the bar look at them, but both girls weren't paying attention to the crowd, too busy to fight. Emiko ordered her seventh drink as she was finishing her sixth. She needed to drink now, a lot.
" ...Do you remember when I said Usagi-chan found his family and went back to them? Actually...you were too innocent and young so I couldn't bring myself to tell you the truth um...I uh...cooked him for this delicious dinner that you loved. " and she quickly swallowed her seventh drink.
Setsuna's eyes shot opened in horror. Then turned to rage for a minute. Then turned to sadness at the memory of her holding her sweet bunny in her lap as she was falling asleep in a tent when she was five.
Then tears shone in her eyes, and Emiko was ready to take what was coming to her face, or rather her shoulder as Setsuna miscalculated once more her distance. But she punched harder this time, and Emiko fell from her chair.
" ouch...Yeah...I deserved that... " the taller girl stood up, rubbing her shoulder.
Setsuna closed her eyes. She clearly remembered that day. They were in the middle of a survival training, and they were both starving to death in the wood. So hungry and weak that she couldn't even move to stand. Then Emiko succeeded in trapping a bunny. However she thought Emiko brought it as a pet, and so she started to play with him, forgetting her starving. Until few days after, she got really sick. That's when Emiko told her Usagi-chan went away with her family...
The swordwoman sighed heavily. No matter what this rosted crow did, no matter how harsh it might have been, she always did it for her sweet angel's sake.
" I'm sorry Setsuna... " Emiko patted her head.
" I know how sensitive you are- "
" -Will you stop treating me like a child? Come on we're in a bar! Let's do this challenge. Who's gonna drink more and faster! "
" Nah don't do that! Mana-san stole all of my money this morning! I don't even know how we're going to pay those drinks we drank! " Emiko whispered at the end.
" Never mind, we're here to drink right? Or do you feel like I can beat you, you weak? Told you my throat can handle- "
" Twelve shots of tequila! "
Emiko smirked at her.
" Okay, bring it on you baby. You never, and ever will win against the sharp pretty with so beautiful clear ocean blue eyes drunken master! "
Setsuna sweat-dropped at the nickname.
" Where did you get that stupid name? "
Emiko drank the first round drink, and took the second one.
" Too slow! "
" Damn! Where is the countdown you cheater! " the half-demon began her contest.
" Ahhh...that was close! " Emiko sighed in relieve.
They were done drinking after Setsuna started to feel a bit sick. But when they tried to leave the bar, they were stopped by 'who's gonna pay for all of this?' issue. That's when Emiko's idea popped up as she asked Setsuna to go to the bathroom and escape. She was planning on doing the same but she felt the barman's eyes on her. She thought of a second plan, and went to flirt with some guys. Thanks to her beautiful eyes, she made him easily pay for all of their drinks. So the guy stayed stuck to her side once outside, waiting for a rewarding gift that implied to kiss his lips. And when she pretended to lean her head close to his, the poor guy's reward was a sleeping spell on the trashes.
" How can you be that fine with using this man? He didn't do anything. " Setsuna scolded her. They were walking their way back to the dorms.
" And I didn't do anything too. Flirting was enough of a reward you know, because...for someone like me... " and the taller girl looked in the eyes of another girl walking the opposite way of her, but walking just next to her.
" She's hot, don't you think so Setsuna? " Emiko turned back to see the girl also turned back and stopped.
" Come on, you're so drunk. Let's go home before you go crazy...Hey! Come back here! " Setsuna ran to her friend's side.
" So you're new in this town? I guess I can help you visit around if you'd like so. " the stranger girl said, staring deeply in the blue eyes before her.
" I would love to! We can even start now, I heard the city holds mysterious things at night..." Emiko said in a seducing voice. She was about to walk with the stranger when she felt pulled back by the arm.
" Gosh Emiko! You really put me through a lot of troubles! Get back here before I knock you down! " Setsuna shouted in her friend's ears.
" Oh...is she your friend? She looks really beautiful too. I can show you arou- "
" -We're fine. We don't need your help. Come on you drunkard, let's go home. "
Emiko was debating herself from Setsuna's grip but she was holding her really tight.
" Oh...you're her girlfriend? " the stranger asked, a bit disappointed.
" Yes. She's mine completely. Now bye. " and the swordwoman dragged by force her drunk friend.
After few meters, Setsuna let go of her childhood friend to scold her, but she suddenly felt a strong arm wrapping her neck, forcing her to land squeezed on Emiko's chest.
" Awww you're still as cute as you were before! Don't worry my sweet angel, you still are the one in my heart, I will never forget you even if I'm having fun with another girl! " Emiko hugged her so hard that she was about to strangle her friend.
" Arg...let...go...of...me! " Setsuna tried to free herself from the deathly hug.
Emiko laughed at what she was feeling right now.
' I feel so carefree...for once in my life. '
She slowly dropped her smile, and looked at the shining sky.
" You know Setsuna, I miss our homeland so much. " Emiko suddenly said in a serious voice which stopped her friend from debating.
" But everytime when I'm with you, I can still feel I have a home to go back to, specially when we're both under the World's Tree. " Setsuna was caught by surprise by her declaration.
She looked down on the ground, her hands still clenching on Emiko's clothes.
The taller girl eased her grip, to let Setsuna raise herself correctly.
" Did you have fun tonight? " Emiko asked her softly, she resumed walking as she kept her arm around Setsuna's neck.
" Y-Yeah...it was...fun. " the smaller girl replied shyly.
" Good. " and she lifted her arm to release her short friend from her weight, but she rested her hand on Setsuna's head.
" Let's do it again, promise? " and she patted her, like she always did.
Setsuna smiled with her heart. She felt so grateful to have someone like her to watch over her. Even though she didn't need to, but this precious feeling of having someone by your side no matter what happened, and not feeling alone anymore...
" I promise. " Setsuna turned her head at her beautiful onee-sama, and grinned for the first time in years.
They kept walking in silence, feeling so high because of the alcohol. Both of them felt so freed from everything, that Setsuna began to understand why adults always relied on alcohol when they were feeling down.
" Emiko...when I asked you to come clean before, I meant the serious stuff. I know you didn't say everything. " Emiko kept quiet at her friend's words.
" But...I'll stick with that for now, at least for tonight. And please, don't do anything stupid. I'm here now, I can help you. " Setsuna turned her head left to look at her friend who didn't want to look back.
" ...Thank you. " Emiko smiled, looking forward.
The half-demon sighed. Somehow, she just resembled her in many ways. The eyes, the wings, the hair color, the attitude. Yes. Too damn withdrawn.
But the alcohol effect still in her head stopped her as she started to worry again. She suddenly felt carefree once more.
" Sigh...I never thought it was possible to grow of two years in one day! "
" Hm? Why do you say that? "
Setsuna's eyes widened.
" Because of you! You told me so! "
" ...Come again, what did I say? " Emiko looked at her with perplexe.
shock...
" You bastard liar! "