Negi Springfield smiled slightly as he sorted through his mail, the school hallway busy as he walked to class. He and his wife had returned from their honeymoon a week ago and he was just settling back into his life here, the brown haired mage supervising university students as well as assisting in magical duties. "Ah," Negi smiled as he reached a envelope that had been sent from the magical world, "here's one from Asuna!" "What's it say?" Chamo asked quietly, the white furred ermine perched on his shoulder and looking down at it eagerly. "Let's get to my office first," Negi murmured, hurrying along the hall. Once he reached the office he eased open the white envelope, sitting down behind his desk as he opened up the single sheet of paper. "Oooh, a magical message big bro!" Chamo noted excitedly, "Hit play." "Yes, Chamo," chuckling softly Negi sat back, the barely twenty year old professor watching eagerly as the image flickered to like. A three inch high image of Asuna appeared before them, the orange haired woman looking comfortable dressed in a simple cloth gown. "Hullo, Negi," Asuna said warmly, "since the last letter I wrote you we've settled in at the academy at Ariadne, working as mercenaries both for the city and on our own." "Ariadne," Chamo sounded impressed as he said, "that's the center of magical learning in the whole magical world! Asuna couldn't have picked out a better place to learn more about her magic cancel ability." "I'm doing fairly well," Asuna flashed a smile, "the city has a incredible records section, and Yue's friend Collet has been helping me research my family. They weren't all a nice bunch but it's interesting to see where I came from." Negi smiled as he heard her excitedly talk about the city and the people there, the men and women who studied magic and made it their whole life. She even teased Negi about his fan-club based there, a band of young women who had followed his adventures both there and in the real world. Apparently there was also quite a brisk trade going on in Negi posters, cups, plush dolls and other items too. "Ayaka'd love those folks," Chamo muttered with amusement. "Let Konoka know that Setsuna's all right," Asuna looked serious, "though to be honest I'm a little worried about her." "Eh?" Negi looked concerned. Asuna continued on not hearing their interruption, "Shortly after we arrived we met with Naoko Konoe, Konoka's aunt. They resemble each other a great deal, and I'm concerned she's transferring her feelings for Konoka to Naoko." "That's not good," Chamo mused quietly. "There's been a griffin attack near the school grounds so we're going out to investigate," Asuna said, "I'm hoping a few days away might give Setsuna a chance to get some perspective." Negi nodded thoughtfully as he said, "Good luck..." Asuna turned to look over her shoulder, "We're going soon. I'd suggest not telling too much to Konoka about this, she'd feel guilty. I sent her a letter too." She smiled, "Good luck to you both, Negi-sensei." Meanwhile, Konoka Springfield-Konoe listened to her own letter, watching with some amusement as Setsuna was dragged on camera. "Say hello, Setsuna," Asuna said firmly. "Lady Konoka," Setsuna said a bit stiffly, "hello." Konoka winced, remembering how often she scolded Setsuna to just call her by her first name. "Oh Set-chan," she sighed sadly as she paused the message and looked at her friend, "how badly have I hurt you?" She wasn't stupid, Konoka had known for a long time that Setsuna cared deeply for her, but Konoka just didn't go that way. All the time Konoka had been drawing closer to Negi she had hoped SEtsuna would find someone else to love, but it just didn't happen. "I'm doing well," Setsuna said as the message restarted, "your Aunt has provided us with a place to stay, and work is pouring in." "I'm not letting her take all the jobs she wants to," Asuna cut in cheerfully, "or we'd never get any rest." "Asuna," Setsuna gave her a scolding look. She turned back towards KOnoka, "I'm sorry, my Lady, I have to go." With that she rushed off, disappearing as she left the range of the camera. With a sigh Asuna shook her head as she said, "Anyway, I'll try to keep an eye on her for you, Kono-chan. I'll write again soon!" With that the letter ended, and Konoka sat there for a moment holding the paper in her hands. "Are you all right?" Negi asked, standing in the doorway, his own letter still sitting in his office. Somehow he had known she needed someone, even from across the campus. "No," Konoka got up and rushed to him, feeling his arms surround her as she sighed tearfully. "I hurt her so much, Negi..." she cried, "she'll never forgive me." Negi held her gently, one arm around her as the other caught her tears. "You made the choice that was right for you," he said quietly, "and you know as well as I do that Setsuna wouldn't want to deny your happiness." Konoka looked up at him, "But what about her happiness?" Negi stroked her hair as he murmured, "Hopefully she can find that for herself." 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 "Damn!" Asuna exclaimed as the wind whipped around them, "I can barely believe that Yue helped beat one of these things!" The griffin looked a lot like Asuna would have imagined, only bigger. It had a head similar to a eagle's, a cat-like main body with taloned geet, and a long lizard like tale that whipped around as it's massive wings held it aloft. All of that was impressive enough but it was also gigantic, nearly thirty-five feet long and possibly twenty feet high. Setsuna smiled slightly as they stood together, the beast swooping down at them. "Yue used great tactics against one," she said, "as expected from someone as bright as she." The griffin roared and the air churned in front of it before blasting forward with immense force! Both women leapt clear, watching in awe as the wind blast uprooted trees and gouged deeply into the earth. The griffin made a annoyed sound deep in it's throat and soared in, talons extended for a fight. Asuna summoned her sword with a thought, the massive blade light as a feather in her hands as she leapt aside. "How do we handle this?" she asked the experienced monster hunter. Setsuna bounded the other direction as she called, "One of us has to distract it!" "That'd be me I guess," Asuna grumbled as she slowed to let the beast catch up. She released her blade as magic crackled in her palm. "Ki in one hand, magic in the other," she murmured, "bring them together..." Gently bringing her hands together the combined energies reacted, coursing through her body to enhance all her gifts. The griffin tried to grab her but Asuna ducked, swinging with her sword only to hit a barrier of wind. Both were shaken by the blow as her magic cancel ability tried to shut down the barrier while the griffin threw more power into it's attack. With a heave of her shoulders Asuna broke away, ducking under a blow as she slammed it with the flat of her sword. Setsuna released her wings, soaring up on the white feathers above the griffin, drawing her sword as she summoned up her strength. Then like a striking hawk she dove down, blade flashing in the sun as the griffin's defenses were preoccupied with Asuna. Crying out her attack she struck, her spiritual energy combining with her sword to do much more damage than either Ki or sword blade alone. "Eew!" Asuna yelped as she backpedaled to avoid the burst of blood as the griffin's head was sliced clean off. The head rolled to a stop nearby to stare plaintively at nothing as the massive body collapsed with a loud thump. "Sorry," Setsuna waved her sword with a hard snap to get the blood off the blade. "Did you have to kill it?" Asuna wondered regretfully. "It was killing and eating students," Setsuna said gently, "unlike the last time we hunted down a similar beast." Asuna nodded as she picked up the severed head easily. "Do we need to bring it all back?" she asked seriously. "I asked the Headmistress before we left," Setsuna replied as she grabbed the tail and dragged the beast out of the clearing so that it wouldn't attract as many scavengers, "she said the head is fine." "Good," Asuna said as they each took a tuft of feathers and carried the head off. The sun was shining as they walked down the road through the woods, the city rising up off in the distance. "You two spend a lot of time together," Asuna noted. "Naoko-sensei is curious about our world," Setsuna answered promptly, "and she answers my questions about this one too." There was no shyness or sense of evation in Setsuna's tone, making Asuna blink a few times in surprise. 'Maybe it is all innocent,' she admitted mentally. Setsuna looked over at Asuna curiously, "You might want to ask her about magic cancel, too. I'm sure she could help." 'On the other hand, I think I hear some hero worship,' Asuna thought wryly even as she answered, "Maybe I will once I exhaust normal means." "Asuna, Setsuna!" Collet waved as the dusky skinned girl stood by the wagon she had driven them all out there with. She looked at the head they were hauling wide eyed, "That didn't take long to get..." Setsuna smiled and shrugged as they heaved the griffin's head into the bed of the wagon, "Well, we have had some practice at this." Collet looked at her shyly, "I don't suppose you could teach us students? Or at least give us a few hints? I think we mage knights would like to handle these problems on our own." Asuna noted the blush on Collet's cheeks and hid a smile as she thought, 'Well well, isn't this interesting?'
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