After Setsuna recovered from her nightmare, both girls went to sit outside, away from their suspicious partner. Mana was sitting and cleaning her guns in silence, while the raven smaller girl laid on the ground few meters away from her.

Mana waited for her friend to gather her mind. She knew she needed some times before speaking. As predicted, the hanyou finally opened her mouth after long minutes of silence.

" I feel sick. "

" Is it your stomach again? " Mana asked without looking at her.

" No…not physically. I had a dream about my past. My head is in such mess right now. " the samurai girl sighed as she held her sword closer to her.

" What happened to your mother? " the other half-demon asked with a hint of curiosity.

After all this years, Setsuna kept her past secret, especially about her family. Mana knew about her condition in her clan, but what she heard from her nightmare aroused her curiosity. Mostly after she completely lost her mind. Even though they weren't close friend, the fact that she was a hanyou like her and that she was a job's partner were enough to get her interest.

" W-why do you ask?...Did I talk in my sleep? " Setsuna said with surprise.

" Yes. Although all you said were the word 'mommy'. " Mana giggled to mock her.

And she made friend blushed with embarrassment. To be caught in this state and in weak position by this guns freak, was something Setsuna couldn't really accept. So she kept quiet again for a moment, looking at the starry sky before her eyes.

" Like I told you yesterday, the Cloud kingdom killed my clan, which included my mother. She didn't reject me like I have been told. Actually, I was really loved. "

Mana stopped her cleaning for few seconds.

" Do you mean that the dean lied to you? "

" Yes, and he even erased my memories. "

Then she turned her head to look at her lying friend. Now she understood why she felt sick.

" So…how did the interrogation go? " Setsuna changed the topic as she started to get really pissed of.

" Good. This man is so stupid that I got every answer for every question. " Mana resumed her cleaning.

" One thing is sure, he's not a real bodyguard. " Setsuna closed her eyes.

" Yes. "

" And his aim is to find how to activate the World Tree, right? "

" Good guessing. How did you do? "

" He kept playing the monkey since he arrived in Mahora. He's certainly not a fighter or a mage like he pretended, because he would know to hide himself to do his work discreetly. " the swordwoman sighed.

" He's a magic researcher. " Mana put her guns on the ground.

" Not surprised to hear that. " Setsuna said as she stood up.

" Alright. We'll discuss about it with the Head-master when we get back. " Mana told her as she stood up too.

She saw her friend walked away at the opposite direction of the house.

" I'm taking a walk. See you tomorrow. " Setsuna waved briefly at her before Mana lost her view.

The latter sighed before returning to her room.

" Ahh…I'm full! " Emiko said in a loud sigh.

" After eating so much, I was wondering if you would say that, or moan in pain! " Konoka giggled.

They were at a ramen stand. In order to get better, Emiko asked her relative's girlfriend to eat first.

" Where is Setsuna by the way? She's always by your side. " the demon asked her as she drank a glass of water.

" Grandpa sent her on a mission for two days. She left at dawn this morning, but she'll be back tomorrow at night. " the chocolate-hair princess replied as she watched the cooker in front of her cooking.

" Did she tell you what the mission was about? " Emiko looked at her with serious.

" No, she said it was confidential, but she told me it wasn't dangerous, that it was like an errand. " the princess dropped her eyes to look down at her plate.

' I hope you're safe Secchan...I already miss you so much. '

Emiko noticed her friend's worried look. So she patted her head gently.

" Then it should be fine. "

Konoka turned to look back at her. She saw her friend smiling with a lack of concern.

" Hm... " she smiled weakly in return.

" Okay, I'm all good now, let's go! " Emiko exclaimed after she paid the bill.

They walked together in the center of Mahora. They spent few hours looking in different shops and objects, things that actually Setsuna didn't really need or use.

" What do you think about this? It's a cute alarm don't you think? " Konoka asked with a smile to her friend.

" I'm…not really sure this is of Setsuna's tastes. " Emiko sweat-dropped at the view of a pink bunny with two big white teeth alarm.

" Mou…it's been almost three hours now, and I still can't find a good present! " Konoka put back the alarm in a despair gesture.

" Why don't you just spend the entire day with her? I think she would prefer to stay with you in a special place, than getting a futile object that she doesn't really need. " the dark-hair girl said as she was looking at the awful alarms in the shelves.

" Futile?... " Konoka said lowly as she looked down to her feet.

" Ah! No I mean, you know…for someone like Setsuna, she doesn't need this kind of stuff. She's a warrior, a bodyguard who spends her entire day working. She doesn't have the time to enjoy…um- "

" –futile things. " Konoka repeated, but this time with a hurt tone.

The girl with blue eyes sighed.

' I made her feel bad, great! ' she scolded herself.

" Come on, let's go see somewhere else. " she took her by the wrist and pulled her out of the shop.

Everytime she tried to show her something that could be worthy as a present, Konoka just looked away or simply nodded without a word. After several attempts, Emiko gave up.

" I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm such an idiot sometimes. That's why Megumi always hit me with her small fists. So come on, hit me until your anger is out. " Emiko said as she stood in front of her.

The princess looked back with a weak smile.

" You really are sorry, huh? "

" I am. Truly, sincerely, honestly, deeply, entirely, totally, cutely, lovely, sexy- "

Konoka bursted into laughs.

" –Stop! I get it, you're sorry! " she kept laughing with her right hand covering her mouth.

" I was wondering when you would stop me, I was running out of words. " Emiko smiled.

" Ahh…Me who thought you could help me to find something really good, was wrong because actually you're not a help at all. I should have asked Asuna like usual! " the brown-hair woman said as she started to walk forward.

" Hey that's mean! I'm trying my best you know! But I was wondering, why do you ask my help for this? I don't know her as much as you do. I wasn't there with her during all this time, while you did. And I only knew the little Setsuna, not the woman that she is now. " her second bodyguard followed her.

" I know… " they walked next to the cafe shop where they stopped by once.

" But when I saw Secchan ate the candies that you bought for her last time, I knew that there were things, futile things, that I still don't know about her. Or rather, I still can't make her enjoy life with simple things. It's as if she doesn't allow herself to be happy, and it's really difficult to find something that can make her feel this way. " Konoka said sadly as she slowed her walking pace.

The raven woman stayed quiet at her words. She understood what she meant, but she was trying to think about how to make her understand what she was about to say.

" Last time, she was happy for the candies because I made a promise to her. She was happy about the fact that I kept my word, and not about the sweetness of the candies. And you're wrong…Setsuna is really happy by your side. Even I can tell. She may looks impassive sometimes but that's because she's shy to show her feelings. However with you or when it's about you, she doesn't realize but she's carefree. It's not about life, but you and only you. If you were to buy this bunny alarm. She will be so happy and will treasure it with all her love. If you were to spend the day without any present, she will take this day as a gift and treasure this memory in her heart forever. "

Konoka stopped.

" It's easier with her to make her happy, because when she loves, everything her lover would do or say or give, will be magic for her. It won't be difficult for you to please her. The others, sure, like me. I should be the one who look for the best present. But what's the point? Because whatever you will give her, it will be her best present. " Emiko turned back to her and smiled with her heart.

The princess looked into her eyes.

' You reached my heart. '

She felt so moved by her words. How can this girl who was only here for few weeks, knew so much about her girlfriend, and herself?

She walked towards the beautiful blue-eyes raven girl and stood on her toes.

To drop a quick kiss on her left cheek.

Emiko blushed a little as she drew back her face.

" What was that for? " she smiled at the corner of her lips.

" For being honest with me. Thank you. Since the beginning, you never lie to me. And everything you do, is for Secchan's sake. So I wanted to thank you. I'm also glad I met you and that you came back in her life. " the brown-hair girl smiled warmly.

Emiko blushed shyly for the first time in her life. She lowered her face to hide it, but she couldn't deny the sweet feeling wrapping her heart.

" Don't say that, you're gonna make me cry! " and she laughed loudly to hide her pain.

' How can you say you're glad? '

She resumed her walk to avoid the princess' glare and questions.

' All I do is hurting the ones I love. '

" Ah, wait for me Emiko-san! " Konoka shouted as she ran to her side.

' If you begin to like me… '

But the taller girl didn't wait, she kept walking and let her follow behind.

' I will end up hurting you too. '

" Here we are! "

" I never saw this place before! "

" That's because I had to fly you here with me. As we can fly, Setsuna and I could easily come here. Since you have to ride a boat to come and it's a small land, no one usually comes here. "

After they were done shopping, the princess of Mahora and her second bodyguard landed on the island not far away from the center. It was just behind the mountains, where the five stars hotel palace was.

" Why is that Secchan never bring me here? It's so peaceful and beautiful. " Konoka pouted but at the same time, she was amazed by the view.

It was a big green plain with all the kinds of flowers and trees.

" As you requested, this is the place where we used to train together. Every morning for almost a year, before I left. " Emiko looked around.

' It's so nostalgic. ' she smiled weakly.

" Do you think she remembers about this place? " Konoka asked as she let the wind blew her hair.

" I don't know…maybe- " Emiko stopped talking.

She felt two strong aura coming to their side.

' Shit! ' she thought as she looked on her right.

Two demons with red horns appeared.