Endings and Beginnings
Final
Negi Springfield hummed to himself softly as he picked up the mail, spending a Saturday relaxing at home with his wife. The youthful looking brown haired man flipped through the letters as he walking to the dining room table of the suite he shared with Konoka.
"Konoka," Negi called towards the bedroom, "there's a letter from your father, a invitation to Comiket from Haruna, a letter from Asuna and one from Setsuna."
Konoka emerged from the bedroom with a robe wrapped around her, her black hair sticking up in parts as she shuffled sleepily towards the table. "Wonder what dad wants?" she mused as she took the one letter from him, saving the ones from Asuna and Setsuna for last.
"Probably wondering where the grandchildren are," Negi noted wryly.
Konoka snickered, "Can't say we're not trying."
Negi blushed as he read through several advertisements, waiting for Konoka to finish. "I can;'t believe how much Haruna makes doing dojin," he noted as he read her letter, "though I wish she would hire someone to be a booth babe rather than asking friends."
Konoka put her father's letter aside as she chuckled, "I though it was fun."
"Heh," Negi chuckled, remembering the skimpy outfit she had talked Konoka into wearing. He held up the two letters, "Asuna or Setsuna?"
"Asuna," Konoka said after a moment's hesitation.
Negi hid a sigh, knowing that his wife was well aware of the pain her choices had caused Setsuna. Still, it had been more than a year since the wedding, and he hoped that time would begin to heal those wounds. Negi flipped the letter open and pressed play, looking at the mini hologram that appeared of their old friend.
"Negi, Konoka," Asuna smiled warmly, her long orange hair flowing in twin tails down her back, "it's been awhile." She was wearing light armor, a chain mail shirt with leather pants, a stylized tabbard over it bearing her family crest.
"She looks good," Konoka murmured, smiling happily. The two women had been roommates almost as soon as high school started, and had been very close. While they hadn't shared all their secrets they were closer than some sisters, and she was glad to see her happy.
"That she does," Negi agreed. Asuna had been his first partner, and she was very precious to him. He knew that if destiny had taken even a slightly different course he might be with Asuna right now, not his beloved Konoka.
"I've officially taken a position at Ariadne," Asuna revealed, "I'm master of the guard, now." She hesitated, "I was going to try to ease into this, but the truth is I plan to stay here permanently."
"What!" Negi yelped.
"Shhh," Konoka shushed him, listening intently.
"I loved it at Mahora, don't get me wrong," Asuna said quickly, "but the longer I've spent in Mundus Magicus, the more at home I've felt. And that's even stronger here at Ariadne, where they've accepted me as one of their own."
Negi nodded slightly, conceding the point. Asuna was born there, after all, and even he had noticed how well she had fitted in when they were traveling in the magical world.
"Ah," Asuna actually blushed a bit as she added, "and there's someone I want you to meet." She reached 'off camera' and pulled someone over, revealing a familiar figure.
"That's Yue's friend Collet," Konoka blinked.
"This is my lover, Collet," Asuna said, a wicked smile tugging at her lips.
Collet bowed slightly, the brown haired girl blushing shyly as she said, "Nice to meet you!"
"I hope to introduce you when...," Asuna hesitated. "Read Setsuna's letter, you'll see."
"Huh?" Negi looked at Konoka as they paused Asuna's letter. Almost at the same time they grabbed Setsuna's letter, cutting open the envelope. Surprisingly only a stiff card fell out, rather than the expected letter.
Konoka flipped it open then made a odd sound. "You are cordially invited," she read aloud in a stunned tone, "to the wedding of Setsuna Sakurazaka and Naoko Konoe?"
"WHAT?" Negi yelped.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The wedding ceremony was both familiar and slightly alien, evolved from traditions of the far past and changed on a world of magic. There was power in the oaths sworn and ritual acts, and both felt the threads of each of their fates being bound together.
"Setsuna Sakurazaka, do you take this woman to be your wife?" the old priest asked, leaning on his wooden staff for support.
"I do," Setsuna said proudly, gazing into Naoko's eyes. Her hair was a odd mix of black and silver, the young woman finally having stopped dying it and letting the natural albino shades show through. Similarly she had abandoned her contacts, giving her eyes a pale, exotic look. She was dressed in a variation of formal armor, the garb somewhat resembling a samurai's.
He turned a bit creakily, "Do you, Naoko Konoe, take this woman as your wife?"
Naoko smiled as she looked up at Setsuna as the elegant black haired woman in a fine white gown said, "I do."
"I now pronounce you wed," he declared, "You may kiss the brides!"
Setsuna took Naoko's face in her hands and kissed the older woman, the kiss lingering as the crowd cheered happily. They separated only reluctantly, Setsuna wrapping a arm around her shoulders.
"Well done," Asuna grinned from where she stood as the groom's aide, "you didn't faint, too."
"Don't speak too soon," Mana Tatsumiya noted, the dusky skinned woman smirking slightly as she stood nearby. She dropped her voice, "I see Negi and Konoka are here."
Negi made his way through the crowd, silently cursing the fame his family had earned in this world. He was nearly mobbed with admirers, but he just wanted to get away from them so that he could greet his friends. Then a figure calmly bulled through the crowd, easily clearing a area as she reached their side.
"Asuna!" Konoka cried happily as the black haired woman threw her arms around Asuna and hugged her hard.
"Kono, Negi," Asuna nodded warmly to them, the tall orange haired woman in a more formal suit of armor. With the chain mail was added shoulder armor and arm guards, armored boots and a combination of cloak and cape that swirled around her.
"It's good to see you," Negi agreed as he shook her hand. "Is your partner here?" he asked politely.
"She's helping control your fan club," Asuna snickered. "They'd be mobbing you and stealing your clothes otherwise."
Konoka grinned, "I'd almost like to see that."
"Come on," Asuna laughed as she lead them over to the wedding party.
Naoko held Setsuna's hand gently as they neared. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.
Squeezing back gently Setsuna answered, "As long as you're here."
"Congratulations to you both," Negi said sincerely as he shook each one's hand. He nodded to Naoko, "I'm honored to meet you, ma'am. Setsuna had spoken of you fondly in her letters."
Setsuna blushed as Konoka hugged her fiercely then let go. Quietly she asked, "Are you happy, Set-chan?"
"More than you can imagine," Setsuna answered honestly before turning her gaze to Naoko once again.
End
Notes: Setsuna was revealed to be a albino when she fought Evangeline in the Mahora Festival fighting contest. I thought it might be interesting if she became more comfortable with herself and stopped hiding some of the traits of albinism.
This might seem a sudden end (Not to mention disappointing readers with no love scene) but I was pretty much planning something like this from the start. Besides, there's a certain symmetry to beginning and ending the story with weddings.