Once

by: Furu Kei

A/N: I know I should be uploading Half of a Soul right now, and Furu is very sorry for being so behind in the updating. No, I haven't forgotten my other stories. I'll update them as soon as I can.

It seems, Furu has lost the ability to write, and what I've written hasn't been that good lately. This is one of my attempts to continue writing KonoSetsu again (it's quite horribly cliché though). This chapter is part of a series of short stories of various genres (this first one is actually the near end of the story, and the other chapters are short story snapshots of KonoSetsu moments throughout their entire lives, all of which are connected with a common theme. If there is a second chapter...it would be the beginning, with each proceeding chapter forming a latter part of the timeline, etc.).

I don't know though…ah…should I write the short stories? (if I do, I'll write them after updating Half of a Soul, of course) Please give Furu your opinion on it, ne? (On whether what I'm writing has become so horrible that I shouldn't continue…or that maybe I should try writing again.)

Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer: Negima is not owned by Furu.

Notes: Setsuna's thoughts are in italics.

Chapter One: Once

In this world, there are…what…6.7?...6.8? billion people- hustling and busting about each day. More than 106 billion people having been born to this earth- all having thought the same thoughts, done the same things, walked the same paths- over and over again.

How many people will we meet in a lifetime? How many of them will become our friends, or become someone special to us? And out of all that, at which place in your heart do I exist? In which chapter of your life will my role be important? I cannot quell within my depths these doubts that it would amount to nothingness.

--

I adore…

… the tease in your gentle voice

Cannot resist…

…the way your every word moves my heart so

And am captivated by…

… the smile on your face that brings out my own.

Oh but it's much, much more than that.

--Flashback--

Evening.

The time of rest after a day of hard work. When the kitchens would smell of warm soup, the tables would be filled with steaming dishes of mouthwatering food, and the fireplaces would be lit as the family gathers in preparation for dinner.

The hallways would be rattling with sounds of children arriving home from school, while in the yard outside the dogs would bark in welcome to anyone entering.

The hours when the clouds would turn a scattered pink, and the sky would become a spread out canvas, painted on lazily brush by brush by the sleepy sun.

Every day after school she would amble towards that place with her sword sheathed and slung behind her back…so naturally a part of her that she walked hardly noticing the weight, as though it was an article worn with her clothes, or even an extension to her folded wings.

Approaching the shores of the lake, she would stare out to the distance towards library island, watching Nodoka and Yue prepare their flashlights and ropes as they head out in their search for books. In the direction of the school, she would hear the chatter of students participating in their after school activities, Asuna and Ayaka's constant bickering slightly more noticeable than the rest- with Negi's occasional cries in attempt to stop the two from fighting.

After a while her demon senses would take over, and she would scan the area, making sure that nothing suspicious was amiss. Then she would find a suitable place to lie down, hands under her head as she closes her eyes, allowing the sounds of the lake waters splashing ashore to overtake her thoughts. Wave after wave in a soothing lullaby, carrying her to the beginnings of a light sleep.

A chime suddenly resounds from a church bell far away , and Setsuna would sit up, straining her ears in search for the sound of skipping footsteps, and a voice humming a familiar tune. Her heart would awaken to rapid flutters, as she waits.

"Secchan!"

Whether from the speedy beating of her heart, or the holding of her breath as she hears those words, blood would begin to rush to her face.

It's just a name, isn't it? But I love hearing you say my name. Ne, Kono-chan, Say it again…say-

"Secchan?"

Kono-chan.

She would bow her head as she stands, not daring to move as Konoka steps closer, peering at her curiously. The princess would sigh, then shake her head, as she sits. They remain silent for a while, until Konoka pats the seat beside her, indicating for Setsuna to come sit beside her. Soon, the chocolate haired girl begins speaking once more, a carefree converse about the day's events.

Setsuna would listen attentively, as if trying memorize each and everything the other girl says. Yet ultimately, she would find herself lost within the other girl's words…so mesmerizing in their light- heartedness.

Above them, last rays of the sun peeks through the leaves, embracing the princess with a golden, angelic aura. Then a cool breeze would blow, and Konoka would close her eyes, enjoying the feel of nature's breath against her skin.

Setsuna would lean closer, secretly wishing to wrap her arms around the other girl as though Konoka was hers... To keep the angel locked away in the half demon's embrace so she would never return to heaven. Yet she refrains from doing so, and the moment passes.

After a few minutes, Konoka would open her eyes- and- giggling at Setsuna's dazed expression, she would start to tease the raven haired girl. She would not notice how, despite turning away to hide the blush, Setsuna's hands remained a few inches away, as if about to clasp onto her own any moment. Konoka would not notice herself reflected in the young samurai's eyes as Setsuna turns away

…not notice her smile forever etched into the Shinmei student's soul.

--End Flashback--

A loud bang suddenly echoed into the air, and Setsuna rolled to the side as the dark flash of a magic spell barely missed her left arm. One hand on her sword, the half demon narrowed her eyes as she stood up, scanning the area for the source of the rude awakening. At the sight of her short, blond-haired mentor and classmate, Setsuna sighed.

Why didn't I sense her approaching?

Putting her sword back in its sheath, the Shinmei student turned around, back now facing the vampire.

"What do you want, Evangeline-san?"

The woman behind her laughs, uttering yet another incantation. The wind around the half demon began to twirl around her arms and legs, binding them into the air while bits of twigs and leaves cut against her skin like thousands of tiny sharp knives.

"I want a battle."

Setsuna groaned, struggling to free herself against the puppet master's powers. The resistance was futile, however, as she found herself unable to escape while Evangeline calmly approached. With a wave of her left hand, the vampire ended the binding spell, folding her right hand into a fist to meet the demon halfway in her fall from the wind's release.

"I want my student back."

Before the Evangeline could land her punch, however, Setsuna had unfolded her wings, flipping in the air with a powerful beat of the feathers. Quickly the half demon dove, throwing Yuunagi's sheath into the sky and subsequently holding to the sword's handle with both hands, bracing herself as she prepared to slash towards the vampire standing below.

Yet as soon as the sword move was performed, Evangeline was nowhere to be seen.

An illusion!?

Setsuna landed onto the ground, head turning to and fro as she searched for the vampire. At the sound of rustling leaves from behind, the Shinmeiryuu student whispered a some well chosen words, transforming her sword into twelve small daggers. Grabbing hold of one in each hand, she aimed the rest towards the source of the sounds.

Like arrows they flew, translucent strings appearing just as they pass by- only to be cut by their sharp blades. Seeing the onslaught of her daggers upon Evangeline's threads, Setsuna smiled, expecting the puppet master to appear from behind them. The daggers passed through the area unhindered, however, and as the half demon tried to turn and collect her weapons, she found herself unable to move. The daggers continued to fly onwards, while the two in her hands dropped to the ground.

"Did I not teach you to pay attention?"

A sharp pull on her legs caused Setsuna to fall onto her knees. Thin strings began to appear around her arms and legs, binding themselves ever tighter around her. Only now did Evangeline materialize, pulling up from a shadow in the ground. The vampire began to circle around the startled half demon, jerking a finger occasionally to tighten the threads until they drew blood upon the samurai's skin.

"Look at you now. The once proud, proud warrior…"

She paused, hitting the raven haired girl on the cheek with the backside of her right hand.

"Noble samurai of the Shinmeiryuu."

The wound began to swell, but Setsuna's expression was indifferent as she stared blankly at the vampire standing before her.

"Pathetic. Sitting all day, moping for the girl you-"

Abruptly, Evangeline stopped, distracted by a sharp noise echoing from the sky above. As she twisted her head upwards to watch, the sheath which Setsuna had thrown into the air moments before had landed a few feet away from them. At the instant of contact upon the ground, the ten daggers that Setsuna had yet to gather began to fly towards the sheath, headed straight towards the two people standing between the sheath and the blades.

With a small cry, the vampire twisted to the side, dodging the blades one by one as they began to collect themselves back into one sword. Meanwhile, Setsuna stood still, allowing the daggers to cut away the strings that bound her before they flew back towards the sheath. Bending down, she picked up the two fallen daggers on the ground and returned them along with the others to their true form.

While Evangeline had yet to respond, Setsuna had grabbed the now fully-restored (and sheathed) Yuunagi. Drawing the sword halfway with a quick thrust, the half demon placed the sword upon the vampire's shoulder, so that part of the uncovered blade pressed against her neck.

"I'm not that far gone just yet."

As the raven haired girl spoke, Evangeline turned to face her, staring deep into her eyes before pushing the blade gently away.

"Good. Very good then. But do you know what to do now? The day will come when you will have to face your demon heritage. You will have to choose between leaving her now, or leaving her then- when it might be potentially harder."

Setsuna shrugged, swinging the long sword behind her back. Without another word, she gave the vampire a polite bow, then walked away.

Evangeline smiled sadly, watching Setsuna go.

"Baka. If you've made your decision, then don't turn back. Don't let anyone change your mind on it. Life is short. Stop wasting it."

--

We don't have many chances to repeat our lives again. Can you risk to spare spending time with me? How can I be forgiven for the lost smiles over the years? The period in your life before we'd met…the times that will come once we are separated…

How can I repay this debt of time? But in essence then, is all I am really asking for- a memory, a recognition of what is me, and I'd existed, that we'd actually shared something that was worth remembering?

Or is it I want you to notice that I'm here- I'm here, and alive right now...by your side?

--

The doors to Konoka's shared dorm room was open when Setsuna arrived. Asuna and a few other students' voices could be heard from within, talking to Konoka animatedly. Not wanting to interrupt, Setsuna stood outside, closing her eyes and leaning against a wall far enough away so as to not distinguish what they were talking about.

For a few hours she stayed that way, body unmoving as her mind wandered back to the memory of the lake; until a gentle tap on the shoulders awoke her from the reverie.

Immediately recognizing the source of the touch, the half demon opened her eyes.

"Secchan."

The chocolate haired girl had a curious gleam to her eyes, but did not speak further as she motioned for Setsuna to come into the room. Only when they've both entered the now empty dorm room did Konoka attempt to converse.

"I'm sorry you had to wait so long, Secchan. You could have come in to join us, ne? We weren't aware that you were outside until Asuna and the others left."

The samurai shook her head, clutching the sword case tighter in the hand that held Yuunagi against her back as she forced herself to look at the princess in the eyes.

"No, it's alright. I just wanted to talk to you."

"Eh?"

Setsuna noted that Konoka's expression was anxious, but not surprised, as the Shinmei student continued.

"I just…with the excuses I've given throughout the years…I just…I just wanted to be with you, Ojou-sama. I make rash assumptions, doing things I believe would be good to you, proper for me. But the truth is...I don't know anything. All this time, blindly stumbling ahead and behind- the pain reminds me I'm alive. That I must go on, even if the way I've lived my entire life might be wrong."

Her eyes stung, yet Setsuna kept them defiantly open, now desperate to look at anything besides the Konoe heiress's chocolate orbs. Her voice shook a little as she spoke.

"I don't want to hurt anymore though. When does it all end? Your words always make so much sense, it's always so kind that I can't help but believe in it, believe in the future that you say still exists. But it's far past the time that I should learn to let go, Ojou-sama. Don't take that away from me too. I have to go. I-"

There was a sharp scratch of a chair's legs against the wooden floor as Konoka abruptly stepped back, her expression unreadable.

"Ne, Secchan. Wait for me, 'kay?"

Before Setsuna could say anything else, the little mistress had hurried off towards the kitchen area of the room. The half demon sighed as she watched the other girl walk out of sight. Without moving from her current position, Setsuna bowed her head, letting go of all her senses but one as she listened to the echo of pots and pans.

Ne…are you angry at me? I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

A particularly loud rattle caused the half demon to look towards the source of the noise alarmingly. She was about to walk towards it when the pleasant aroma of soup noodles filled the air, followed by the sight of Konoka walking out, carefully carrying a tray with two steaming bowls from the kitchen.

Setsuna frowned, clutching her sword tighter in her right hand and keeping her head slightly bowed as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Konoka Ojou-sama, I-"

"Shhh."

Placing the tray upon a nearby table, Konoka raised her hand, stopping the other girl from continuing.

"I know what you're going to say, Secchan. That you're just you…while I'm me, and that we have such different lives, different roles and loved ones that we cannot forsake- that we've lost so much time together, and may lose yet more in the future when our paths diverge. Why not let everything go now? But it's different from that, Secchan."

The Konoe heiress smiled, pulling out two chairs and beckoning the half demon to sit down with her.

"Call me Kono-chan. Don't speak as though we are so unfamiliar with each other. Don't pretend to forget the happiness we'd shared in the past. Don't deny me of my future with you…. even if it should be a short one. Ne, you're afraid that we've lost so much time together that we we'll grow to not recognize either other, right?"

Konoka leant forward, pulling the bowls closer to them and grabbing two spoons and some chopsticks.

"Then talk to me. Then share with me the person that is you. Much can be said over noodles during dinner. So you're just one person. I'm just one person. We'll meet many more people over the course of our lifetime. But what's important are the people who actually know you, who celebrates your birthday, who'd smiled and cried with you…the person who knows what you like to eat, who says your name in that special way, isn't it?"

With a nod from the princess, the samurai hesitantly accepted a spoon and a pair of chopsticks.

"After a hundred bowls noodles…a hundred occasions together…we would have shared unforgettable memories. Can you honestly say then, that there is nothing to be treasured between us?"

They began to eat, talking slowly at first, yet gradually becoming more natural as they related the stories upon stories of the times they'd spent together and apart. They talked long into the evening and until late in the night. They talked the next day, and the next- little by little learning more of each other through time and noodle dinners.

--

When the day she had long anticipated arrived, Setsuna did not return to the dorm. She did not say goodbye, did not seek to meet the princess once more.

Konoka would understand.

With a lightness to her steps, Setsuna strolled to the place beside the lake, alone. A breeze blew across the area, tickling her skin and playing with her hair almost teasingly. The half demon took a deep breath, taking in the fresh scent of the trees around the lake, before drawing her sword- face suddenly serious.

"I'm ready."

A large group of demons materialized then, eying her as they began to speak.

"It is time. Show to us your potential, as it is your destiny by demon blood to join us."

Clutching her sword with both hands, Setsuna pointed the weapon at them, unfolding her wings at the same time.

"I'll show you my potential. But who said I was going to join you?"

Angrily they roared, surrounding her.

"Then you must return your demon blood to us."

With a unanimous cry, they attacked her from all sides. Setsuna struck back with equal ferocity, dodging one moment, slicing her sword at her enemy the next. One by one the demons fell and they began to retreat- until Setsuna stood alone, blood pouring from her numerous wounds.

Her face was calm, however, and she smiled as she looked upon her reflection in the lake. Her features seemed to change as she watched, and within the lake a younger Setsuna waved, brandishing a wooden sword.

/Ne, Secchan!/

Another figure soon appeared beside the younger Setsuna, long chocolate hair flying behind her as she pulled the now blushing girl away.

/Ne…Secchan./

Placing Yuunagi on the ground beside her, Setsuna laughed. Then, turning away from the lake, the shinmei student lay exhausted, her back against a tree as she closed her eyes.

In the end, Kono-chan….The 'you' in my heart has always been the Kono-chan at that time, at that place. The Kono-chan that had Setsuna by her side. The Kono-chan who's world to which I belonged.

/Secchan./

Ne, Kono-chan. If only in these dreams…let's write a story to be etched within the stars. To be told again and again by the pitter-patter of bittersweet rain kissing the window whenever the earth cries.

You and me…let's live forever.

--

End.

Don't take me out of my past. Don't deny me of those painful memories…when it is all I have left. Alone in this endless darkness, I shall wait for the something I will never find.

A/N: Sorry for not putting more details on the battle scenes. Furu's intent, though, was to emphasize on the KonoSetsu struggles and thoughts. So to have too much detail on the battle scenes would cause distractions. The battles were not important- rather- I wanted to show the inner battle Setsuna went through as she thought of her Kono-chan. Furu is sorry if I wasn't quite able to carry out that process.