5 years later

The morning sun shone down from the blue skies, making white shimmers ripple across the water as the woman in the traditional robe that healers wore wash her hands in the river. Beside her, the staff Al had given to her was lying on the ground, wrapped in white wrappings that signified how powerful it-and her had become over the past five years. Behind her spread out across the grounds the rest of the people in the mage village bustled around, preparing for the morning by getting food ready, hanging out clothes to dry. Konoka's reflection gazed back at her, older and wiser. She still liked to think she had warmth in them. She heard someone call her name, one of the twins it sounded like and turned around slightly. There were ten of them, five for each twin. They'd successfully learnt how to clone themselves. Konoka smiled at them brightly, clapping her hands.

"Well done!" She called. Looking pleased, they squatted down and Fumika began to draw something in the dirt with a twig.

When Konoka turned back around the smile slipped off her face and she felt that tiny burst of elation she'd felt when she saw the twins' progress wither into emptiness. She always felt like that now. Smiling when she didn't feel happy, laughing when she didn't find the situation or joke funny but just laughing anyway because that was the kneejerk response. It'd been five years. Five years since she'd left the normal world behind forever. Five years since that afternoon…Konoka felt her heart clench. She'd had dreams about her frequently. In them she felt her, she saw her and in them…Setsuna was alive. In them Setsuna was just Setsuna, happy without the need to drink human blood or any blood. In them Setsuna was just a half-demon.

Sub-consciously Konoka put her hand to her neck where Setsuna had bitten her. The wound had healed by itself long ago but she would never forget how Setsuna had broken her fall at the last moment. Her face softened. Evangeline had let her go back to the village with Kaede to hone her powers without a care in the world after a week but somehow she thought that the vampire just wanted some time to reflect by herself. She'd never admit to them that she'd wanted some time of her own to grieve. And Asuna…Konoka still felt guilty sometimes about what she'd asked her to do and what her grand-dad and father was going through. Asuna had agreed to keep quiet about Konoka and say that she'd disappeared without a trace. It'd been hard saying goodbye to her but Konoka couldn't go back to the normal world after finding out about her powers.

Laughter sounded from nearby. Hiroko was sitting at a fire, telling the twins a ghost story. Konoka splashed water on her face, leaving her hands over her nose for a moment as she thought about the nightmares she'd been having these last few months.

It'd happened when she'd saved a child soaked in blood that could've been Setsuna in miniature last autumn. She'd been running away from a demon and she was even a half-demon just like her. After that she'd started to feel her mask break. That cheerful, optimistic mask she always wore whenever she felt miserable or sad. Except when she first came to the village she'd added a new layer, one that she hadn't thought existed until then. It was a shield so no one would see her break. Konoka liked to pretend that everything was ok, distract herself with menial tasks and chores even when it wasn't because she couldn't bear to see other people upset because then that'd remind her why she wasn't thinking about it in the first place. That's all she'd been doing ever since she'd come here, keeping herself busy, distracted, numb from every feeling and emotion she had. During the first year she didn't eat properly, didn't sleep properly and her magic malfunctioned because she hadn't been concentrating. She'd been over-exhausting herself too. It was only thanks to Kaede, Hiroko and the twins that she hadn't killed herself from it all.

Lowering her hands Konoka stared at her reflection again. She looked more mature with her hair tied up with a white ribbon at the base with a ponytail and bangs. Konoka swallowed back tears, remembering that night at the mage city. She'd done her hair just like this. Maybe a little wilder but still the same. Setsuna had thought she'd looked beautiful. Her vision blurred. Her throat felt tight, closed as she remembered that night. She wiped her eyes furiously, swiping the staff up and started to stand. Then she froze, her heart leaping her throat. She fell down on her knees, staring at the water. When she opened her mouth nothing came out. In the water's reflection sitting beside her was Setsuna one leg drawn up to her chest, an arm over her knee unscarred and whole. She had a white cloak on, clasped together at the front with the hood over her head and her wings were spanned out to their fullest, pure white. She was smiling at her softly, her dark brown eyes warm and loving underneath the shadow of the hood. Konoka whirled to her side. No one was there. She felt something touch her hand, slender fingers intertwining with hers, her thumb caressing hers affectionately. Konoka felt goose-bumps and she almost didn't ask, terrified of what the answer would be but she had to know.

"Secchan…are you alive?" Konoka whispered, turning back to the reflection. Maybe she'd finally snapped. Maybe she was hallucinating.

In the water's reflection Setsuna let go of her hand and placed an arm around her shoulder, bringing her close to her. Konoka felt her strength, her assuredness and in that moment Setsuna was real, as real as she could ever be even if her body wasn't there. She heard Setsuna's voice as if she was physically there, right beside her.

"No," Her voice was just as Konoka remembered, soft and unyielding but carrying that hint of an underlying strength. "No…I just had to see you. I can't go without making sure you're ok."

Konoka felt like she'd been slapped. In the reflection Setsuna enveloped her wing around Konoka. She felt the tips of the uppermost feathers, luxurious, downy, touch her neck the only exposed spot they could reach. Konoka placed her hand on them, wanting to feel them. She'd missed this. But she understood that not even she could bring back the dead. Not when the dead wanted to stay dead. She didn't know how she knew this but she felt it from Setsuna. She could feel it in her heart.

"Kono-chan," Setsuna had bowed her head. Her voice sounded funny. "Promise me ok? Promise me you'll move on, find someone who'll take care of you and keep you safe. I can't stand it, knowing you're this miserable. I'll feel it even when I disappear. I know I will."

"Don't be stupid," Konoka whirled around to face her angrily. "I…I…"

But of course there was nothing there. But she could still feel Setsuna's feathers touching her skin, the tingles that shot across her as an invisible hand cupped her cheek with the gentlest of touches.

"Sorry," Setsuna sounded like she was smiling. Her voice was a little thick.

Konoka didn't want to look at the reflection, terrified that it was going to disappear just like her. Something wet dropped down onto her skin. She heard Setsuna sniff. Konoka felt the fabric of her robes dampen, wet tears seeping through. She realized that Setsuna was starting to cry. With a shaking hand Konoka reached up, running her hand across her smooth jaw, across her cheeks, over her head committing the curve and shape to memory. She brushed tears from Setsuna's eyes. Threading her fingers through silky smooth black hair Konoka touched her lips with her other hand, putting the staff down.

"Were you really in my dreams?" Konoka asked her softly.

Setsuna didn't say anything for a long while. For a fleeting second Konoka was scared that Setsuna was going to disappear then she brought her close to her, hugging her and whispered in her ear, "Always."

Konoka closed her eyes, feeling tears slip down her cheeks. She felt numb, her heart squeezing inside. As she settled into Setsuna she whispered hoarsely, "Do you have to go?"

"I'm already dead Kono-chan. You can't bring back the dead," Setsuna said quietly.

"Who says?" Konoka pulled back, glaring at her reflection. "Who says that huh? You're here aren't you?"

"I'm here because you want me to be," Setsuna's voice was calm, accepting. She'd always been like that. "You were in so much pain during these years. So much that you weren't feeling anything real. I could feel it you know, everything. You're acting like you're ok but you're not."

It annoyed Konoka right now, making her even more upset than she already was. "So you can see me from where you are?"

"I can feel you," Setsuna said, taking her jaw gently so they were facing each other. Konoka felt strong, lean arms envelop her and hug her fiercely, stroking her hair. "I love you Kono-chan. I love you so much and I'm so sorry I never said that."

"Then how come you can't come back?" Konoka said, dashing away her tears. It was like there was something stuck in her throat. "If you love me then come back."

When Setsuna spoke she heard the sadness in her voice, "No one can defeat death."

Konoka clutched the back of Setsuna's robe with her hands, starting to cry. Setsuna stroked her slowly, tenderly.

"Konoka, what's wrong?" Kaede called.

"I'll always be with you. I promise," Setsuna kissed her. Konoka wanted to grab her and never let go but as soon as her fingers touched her, she dissolved into empty air.

Konoka slumped, her hands on her knees. She was gone. Kaede knelt down in front of her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Gazing at her softly the ninja asked, "Did you see her?"

For the very first time in her life Konoka heard Kaede's voice break just a little. Her eyes were open, sad. She didn't ask what Konoka had seen, didn't need to. Konoka just nodded. Squeezing her shoulder Kaede stood up, walking back to the camp-fire where the twins were. Konoka picked up her staff, staring at the river which was as clear as a mirror, no trace of Setsuna. Maybe she had been hallucinating. But somehow, she felt like everything would be alright. Setsuna's strength would always be with her and she'd always carry her spirit in her heart.

A.N: I'm...hmm. I don't know. I hope this clears things up.

world: Kurt Godel was the one controlling Tsukuyomi and I can't remember ever saying Setsuna had a sister.