Forever Morning

Hey, welcome back! That’s what you’re saying to me, right? Welcoming me back with open arms, never doubting where I went for the last several months? *ducks thrown shoe, only to stand up and get hit by the next THOUSAND ones that are thrown* Yeah, yeah, I’m sure I pissed off a lot of people, disappearing like that. I apologize (and don’t worry, I do it a lot more at the end, too!).

And of course, keep in mind as you read this that I DO NOT own Negima. That’s Ken Akamatsu, and as you certainly must know, he’s doing a bang up job with it. Keep running Kenny, we’ve got your back.
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Forever Morning
By Sticky the Dog

She was gone.

In one flash, one moment, one instant, Sakurazaki Setsuna had disappeared.

Gasping, panting hard, her eyes wide open in shock and horror, Konoka frantically threw every piece of bedding off of the mattress, scrambling around it searching for her disappeared lover, as if she would be revealed underneath the next piece of cast away cloth.

Of course, she was not.

At last, Konoka came to terms with the truth. Setsuna was gone. After only a few blissful hours of being honest with the world about their love, and being accepted by that world, Setsuna had been taken from that world. From Konoka.

As the light from the newly arrived morning continued to stream in to the scattered bedroom, Konoka sat on top of the bed, curled into herself, and sobbed as every one of her thoughts turned to Setsuna.

Part I: Kimi Ga Sora Datta

Konoka held on to Asuna tightly, as if she was begging her not to abandon her. Of course, Asuna would never dream of doing that, especially not in this situation. She simply held Konoka gently in her arms, letting her alternate between bawling loudly and sobbing quietly as she grieved for Setsuna. Not that Asuna herself did not feel any personal sadness. Setsuna had been a very close friend, who had saved her life on several occasions. The recent days that Asuna had spent with her, Konoka, and Negi had been some of the best of her life. Indeed, she was very saddened by this development. However, she knew that if she broke down, then Konoka could completely lose all hope. So for the sake of her best friend, Asuna fought back her tears, and allowed Konoka to pour herself out to her.

Konoka’s mind was a whirlwind of emotion, piercing grief punctuated by a rapid slideshow of Setsuna: her soft smile, her stoic, dutiful expression, the rare sight of her laughing. Konoka thought back to that day with the love potion, when she had realized that her feelings for Setsuna were mutual, and they had ignited each others’ passions in the kitchen. She thought of all the times after that, from the secrecy they used at first, and how difficult it had been for her, to the joy she had felt when she was finally able to show her love for Setsuna to the world.

And now Setsuna was gone. Taken away from her by some mysterious force. Her disappearance had taken only seconds; a black void had enveloped her and whisked her away as Konoka had looked on, helpless. No trace had been left, save for Setsuna’s proclamation of never-ending love for Konoka, which she had let out at the last second. Konoka’s heart sank as she realized that she had not said anything as Setsuna was taken. She had only gaped in terrified silence. Now she thought of how Setsuna must feel. Wherever she was now, Setsuna must feel more terrified there than Konoka could ever have felt in that instant.

Konoka pulled her face from Asuna’s body and looked up at her face, tears beginning to recede, but still clearly apparent in her eyes. “What do I do?” she pleaded with her friend, “What do I do now, Asuna?”

Asuna cringed slightly to see Konoka’s face the way it was, it was the most unlike-her expression she had ever seen on the girl. She wanted very badly to make her feel better, but was sure that, at this point, there was nothing that could do that for her. She could only tell Konoka what she really knew. “I don’t know,” she said softly, “I don’t know who could take Setsuna like this, and I don’t know where she would end up going. But,” she continued, trying to bring a more uplifting tone to her speech as she looked down deeply into Konoka’s eyes, “I know that you two have an amazing love for each other. The feelings you have for one another are more powerful than any darkness, or any magic. I know that if you follow your heart’s feeling for Setsuna, and if Setsuna’s heart calls out to you with all of its passion, then you two will find each other.”

Konoka’s gaze at Asuna continued, nearly unblinking, as she listened to her friend’s reassuring words. As Asuna finished, Konoka’s tears were finally fought back completely. She wrapped her arms tightly around Asuna, thanking her with her nearly peaceful silence.

“I’ll do it,” Konoka said, surprising Asuna with the confidence her words exuded, “I’ll find Set-Chan. She saved me so many times before, and now I can finally return those favors. I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I know I can save her.”
* * *
This was one of the most difficult challenges Negi had faced as a teacher. Konoka sat before him, looking solemn, but he knew that beneath that calm façade, there had to be torrential feelings of grief for her lost lover. She sat a few feet across from him in the teachers’ lounge. She had only said a few words since requesting to come in, and Negi wondered exactly what her reason for coming to see him was. However, he did not press her, allowing her to take her time with whatever it was she wanted to say, and keeping a soft smile on his face as a sign of encouragement.

Finally, after much thought, she spoke. “Negi, Negi-Sensei…” she started nervously, “I’ve decided that I want to save Setsuna,” she said pointedly as she looked him in the eye. Negi took this in a moment, then sighed slightly, and stood up.

“Sakurazaki-San…she has probably been taken to the realm of demons,” he said as he came to a large window in the building. He looked out into the light as he continued, “I would guess that being in a relationship with a human girl, especially a light magic user, would be considered a serious crime in that world, even if Sakurazaki-San is only half-demon.”

Konoka spoke up, “Then if that’s true, then she must be being held there, for punishment! We can’t let that happen. Can’t we go to that world and do something?”

Negi sighed solemnly as he turned back around to face Konoka. “I know that I can’t,” he said, sorrow hanging heavily in his voice, “I’ve never made contact with the demonic realm, so I’ve no idea how to open a way there, or what to do once we got there. It isn’t really my area of expertise. I’m sorry, Konoka.”

Konoka managed a slight smile at this. “It’s all right,” she replied, “I shouldn’t ask this sort of thing of you.”

“Not at all,” Negi said back to her quickly, “Sakurazaki-San is my student. To have something like this happen to her, and to have it affect you like this, I have a responsibility to help. I just wish that I knew how I could help.”

“Please don’t worry,” Konoka said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible, “Just by telling me these few things, I know you’ve helped,” she offered a smile in gratitude, then had a thought, “What did you tell the class, about Setsuna?” she asked, now sounding concerned for Negi.

He nodded in confidence. “I told them that she went to Kyoto to do some training. They won’t worry about her,” he explained.

Konoka sighed with relief, “Good,” she said, “I don’t want them too concerned about her. Or me, for that matter. Thank you, Negi-Sensei.” She stood up, bowed in thanks and walked slowly out the door. Negi watched her, silently praying for her to find what she was looking for.

Konoka exited the building, squinting as she looked up into the sunlight. If Negi couldn’t help her in this situation, then who could? Her grandfather, the Headmaster, had explained the situation to her previously, comforting her over her loss. He had said that he would leave it up to her to decide what to do in the situation. She had wandered around all day, thinking about it heavily, but still coming up at a complete loss for ideas. Setsuna was in the Demon Realm, and Konoka was in the Human Realm, and Negi was apparently unable to bridge that gap.

Konoka sighed heavily, staring straight at the ground as she slowly walked into the dormitory. As she paused at the stairs, she heard a voice behind her.

“You know, if you don’t look where you’re going, then you’re bound to run into something.” Konoka cast a cursory glance behind her to see Asakura standing there, with Sayo floating to her right. Asakura grinned widely in greeting, but Konoka could only manage a quick look in response. She quickly turned her view away from Asakura, and started up the stairs. Asakura called after her, “Hey, Konoka! Can’t you just say hi?” She hurried to the base of the stairs as Konoka slowly climbed, “What’s wrong?” she thought for a moment, “Oh, I know! Are you lonely because Setsuna’s off right now?”

Konoka stopped, having climbed only a handful of the stairs. Her head hung lower, and even from that view Asakura could tell that she was crying.
* * *
It seemed like she was being comforted so much today. First by Asuna, then by her grandfather, then by Negi. Now, Konoka found herself sitting on Asakura’s bed, drinking juice and recovering from tears she had spilled only a few minutes earlier. Asakura sat across from her in a swivel chair, also drinking a can of juice, while Sayo hovered a few inches above the floor. Asakura stared with pity at Konoka’s wracked form, feeling a great amount of sorrow for her insensitivity minutes earlier.

“I’m…sorry for saying that,” she apologized, “I mean, it was just-”

Konoka cut her off, “There’s no way you could have known. You were just trying to be friendly. I,” she stammered, trying to communicate the way her feelings were at this time, “I appreciate that. I know I need to try and feel better during this, but…I’m not sure what to do here.”

“Well,” Asakura began, taking a quick sip, “You want to save Setsuna, right?”

“Of course,” Konoka said, the weight of her pledge still fresh in her heart.

“Then do it,” Asakura said simply.

“But…how?” Konoka gasped in desperation, that being the question she had frantically been asking herself all day, “She’s in the Demon Realm, I don’t know how to get there.”

“Well, it can’t be that hard,” Asakura deduced, “I mean, we’ve had to fight Demons here, so it’s obviously not that hard for them to go from their own world to ours, so how difficult can it be to go the other way.”

Konoka was still in disbelief. “Is there really a way to go there? Can I actually do that?”

Asakura shrugged nonchalantly, “I’m not entirely sure, but it only makes sense, right?”

Konoka looked back to the floor. “I don’t know what makes sense anymore. But thanks for talking to me anyway.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to help,” Asakura reassured her. “Not only are both you and Setsuna my classmates, you’re my friends too.”

Sayo spoke for the first time since Konoka had come in. “I want to help too.” Asakura and Konoka both turned to look at her. “I know you’ve all only been able to see and talk to me for a little while now, but I’ve watched you and Setsuna for all the years that you’ve been in my class, and I can tell that the love you have for each other is special. I want to help that love,” she was becoming more stirred up by her words as she offered her assistance. Konoka stared at her in awe. “I can’t imagine how I would feel if the person I loved was suddenly taken,” Sayo continued, “I want to stop you from feeling like that.”

Konoka managed a small smile in recognition of Sayo’s will to help. Asakura smirked at the riled up ghost. “So,” she said, insinuation hanging heavily in her voice, “Does that mean that there is someone you like?” She leaned in close to Sayo, smirking as her more upbeat personality returned.

“Uh, no, it’s not like that.” Sayo quickly tried to backtrack her words, her face growing redder as she did. “I mean, it’s not like there’s any way something like that would work, right? I mean, in my condition…”

Konoka watched Asakura toy with Sayo, who just kept becoming more embarrassed. She let out a soft chuckle. This one low sound attracted the attention of both Sayo and Asakura, who stopped to look at the lightening face of Konoka. “I’m sorry,” she quickly apologized, trying to hold in the sudden laughter.

“Don’t be,” Asakura said quickly, “If it makes you feel even a bit better, I don’t care what we have to do.”

Konoka nodded, then laughed a bit more. “Thank you Asakura, Sayo,” she said, looking at each of her friends.

“You know,” Asakura regained her composure, her voice adopting a slightly more serious tone, “There’s actually one person I can think of who might be able to help you with this whole Demon Realm thing…”

Konoka too, was brought back to reality by the sudden realization, “You’re right,” she exclaimed, her mind catching up to Asakura’s, “That’s who I should have gone to see in the first place!”

Sayo looked from Konoka, to Asakura, then back to Konoka. She didn’t know what either one of them was talking about.
* * *
Konoka stood on the front porch of the cabin, her body shaking as she contemplated the best way to approach the situation. She was not aware of how much Evangeline knew about her current situation, or if she would even be interested in helping. Konoka wondered how she should appeal to Eva, since the witch was her best hope of getting into the Demon Realm.

Finally, she took a deep breath, and tapped on the door. They weren’t very loud taps, but Konoka’s nervousness hardly allowed her to be aware of their volume; she simply knocked as best she could muster, and hoped that there would be an answer. There was none. Again, she tapped on the door. Again, there was no answer. Finally, she gripped the handle in her sweating palm, and turned it slowly, giving the door a firm push inwards.

It swung open easily, without any of the creaking Konoka expected from an old, wooden door like this one. She gently made her way into the cabin, taking light, quiet steps. “He-hello?” she let out a soft squeak of greeting, announcing her presence as much as she could. “E-Evangeline?” She was nearly overcome with nervousness now; she could feel sweat profusely pouring from her body as she crept through the hallways. Finally, she came to the door of what she assumed to be a bedroom, and heard what sounded like Eva’s voice coming from inside. Against her better judgment, and indeed, against her usual character, she inched open the door, peering through the miniscule opening, into the room beyond.

Evangeline lay on her bed in her nightgown, propped up against the back as she held a book in front of herself with her right hand. Konoka surveyed the scene, her eyes working their way down the length of the bed. Eva’s left hand rested between her legs, on top of Chachamaru’s head, which moved slightly with a steady rhythm. Eva’s mouth drooped open slightly, and droplets of sweat appeared over her body as Chachamaru continued. Soon, she began letting out soft sounds of heavy breathing in time with Chachamaru’s motions. She took her eyes off the book and grasped it to her chest as she became visibly more affected by the activity, squeezing her eyes shut as her breath became continuously heavier.

Konoka gasped lowly and stumbled back against the opposite side of the hallway. Evangeline did not take notice, and the door slid open slightly more, giving Konoka a full view, even from as far back as she was. She quivered, mesmerized by the scene before her, by the way it reminded her of the things she had done with Setsuna.

Eva continued to moan softly, writhing in Chachamaru’s oral grip. Suddenly, Chachamaru broke her rhythm, lifting her head up to face Eva.

“Master,” she said simply, “Would you prefer for me to use more of the lubricant?”

Eva sighed, and flopped the book over her face in exasperation, “Dammit Chachamaru,” she chastised, “Must you always find the perfect way to ruin the moment?”

“I simply wish to serve you as preferably as possible, Master,” Chachamaru continued, unfazed by Eva’s harsh words.

“Ugh,” Eva groaned with irritation from under the book, “Fine then. Use the bloody lubricant.”

“Acknowledged,” Chachamaru moved her head back down to its former position, and extended her tongue into Evangeline, secreting a large amount of what looked, to Konoka, like thick saliva along with it. Chachamaru’s tongue slid in easily, and the substance slid with it, excess dripping down and flowing out with Eva’s own juices.

Konoka panted as she watched this, her mind flashing back to her many encounters with Setsuna. Every thrust of Chachamaru’s tongue into Eva was another stab at Konoka’s now-lonely heart. Her eyes cast up, her tongue lolling out, Konoka absent-mindedly thrust her hand down into herself, her own slit already soaking wet from watching Eva and Chachamaru. She thrust in and out of herself in time with Chachamaru’s motions, with each successive thought of Setsuna.

Chachamaru wrapped her hands around Evangeline’s rear and lifted up as she plunged even deeper into her master. She brought her lips to wrap around Eva’s soft entrance, practically inhaling her release as her tongue worked its way deeper. Eva’s breath had become audible hyperventilation, her back arching higher and higher with each extra inch Chachamaru gave her. Finally, tears streamed from her tightly clamped eyes and she cried out. “Ah! Chachamaru!” She could hold herself in no longer. “I…It’s coming! I’m coming!”

Chachamaru offered no reply, her face buried inside of Eva, slurping as she brought Eva to climax. “Aaaaaahhhh!” Eva finally let it out, and Chachamaru pulled away, proof of Evangeline’s satisfaction dripping from her mouth. She climbed up the body of her Master, slipping one of her knees in between Eva’s legs, and sharing a warm kiss with her, Eva’s secretion running down around her own lips as her eyes closed and she embraced Chachamaru in silent gratitude.

Konoka lay sprawled in the hallway across from the door. Panting as her own juices flowed out around her finished hand. No longer much concerned with Evangeline and Chachamaru, she drifted off, entering dreams of Setsuna.
* * *
Konoka’s eyes fluttered open, squinting as she looked out the window that lay before her, the setting sun casting bright orange glare through it. A momentary wave of panic shuddered through her as she realized that this was not her room. Looking around, she recalled the most recent events. Knowing now that she was in Evangeline’s cabin, she looked around to get a more detailed understanding of her location.

She was no longer in the hallway in which she had passed out. Now, she lay on top of a bed in what she presumed to be a guest bedroom of some sort. Suddenly, she heard a voice to her left.

“You know, entering someone’s house without their permission is generally frowned upon.” Konoka let out a light squeak of a gasp and looked over to see Eva sitting in a chair at the bedside, sipping a cup of hot tea. “Of course, so is spying on people when they’re in the middle of…personal business.” Eva chuckled softly, “I never figured you for a voyeur, Konoe Konoka, but I won’t judge if that’s your thing-”

“No, that’s not it!“ Konoka cut her off as fast as she could, her face blushing hotly at the reminder of her indecent behavior. “I didn’t mean to see…what I saw. It’s just, I knocked, and no one answered, so I came in, and I couldn’t find anyone, so when I saw you two, I didn’t know what to…that is, I didn’t mean to…” She continued to ramble on, Eva only smiling with amusement as she drank.

Finally, Konoka calmed down, and Eva spoke again. “Such indiscretions aside, may I ask what brings you to my home on a day such as this?”

Konoka’s embarrassment wore off, replaced by a gut feeling of hesitance as she prepared to detail the situation once again. Eva was silent during her entire explanation, listening with earnest concern to what Konoka had to say. Finally, Konoka, once again in tears from reliving the ordeal, finished. Eva too, was silent now, as she mulled over the words she had just heard.

“The Demon Realm…,” Eva said at last, “Yes, I’ve spent some time in that place.” Her face darkened as she spoke, “It is not a place humans were ever intended to go. Especially someone like you, Konoe Konoka, with your much-coveted magical powers. You would be hunted relentlessly from the second you set foot in there.”

Konoka began to breath heavily, he chest heaving as she clutched the blankets of the bed close to her chest. “I’ve already thought of that,” she said in a near-whisper, “And I’ve still made up my mind. I have to go. I’ll never be able to forgive myself if I don’t try. Setsuna would do the same for me.”

Eva smiled at Konoka’s determination. She stood up, turning towards the door. “Fine then,” she said simply, “I will take you there. To the Demon Realm.”

Konoka snapped out of her single-minded thought process and looked to Evangeline. “You will?” she said, disbelief tainting her voice, “For me?”

“Do not mistake this for something done purely out of compassion,” Eva did not turn to look at Konoka as she spoke. “You have contracted me, Konoe Konoka. Know that there will be a price to pay for this service. I give nothing away.” Konoka shuddered at Eva’s words, a palpable malice hanging in them. Eva continued, either not noticing Konoka’s tension, or simply disregarding it, “Go home and sleep tonight. Meet me here tomorrow morning at eight ‘o’ clock, no later. Bring whatever it is you think you may need.” She walked out the door, leaving Konoka to shiver in the bed with newly realized worry.

After some time, Konoka regained what she could of her composure and left, escaping the silent grip of the cabin, into the cooling evening air. Eva watched through the window as she walked off to the dormitory. Chachamaru approached her from behind, placing her hands on Eva’s stiffening shoulders.

“Master,” she began in her usual plain, monotone fashion, “Your tension is rising. Shall I accompany you for relaxation tonight?”

Eva sighed at the request, and turned from the window, walking around Chachamaru and towards the back of the cabin. “No, Chachamaru,” she replied, “I do not think I shall be doing any relaxing tonight. I have much work to do…”
* * *
Asuna had not asked any questions when Konoka walked into the room. Nor when Konoka simply crawled into her bed, still in her clothes, without saying a word. Asuna could feel the concern and conflict emanating from the girl. After staring at her study materials for a few more artificial minutes, she too climbed into bed, turning out the lights without so much as a “Good night” to her friend.

In the darkness, Konoka tossed and turned in the mess of sheets, blankets and clothes she had twisted herself into, stumbling between relaxation and worry. The Demon Realm had seemed ominous enough before, but after Evangeline’s tainted explanation of the danger, Konoka now felt that she was truly doomed. Would anyone, even Dark Evangeline herself, be enough to protect Konoka from and entire world of animosity aimed at herself? Would she simply die trying to save the girl she loved, thus only worsening Setsuna’s existence? This black pit of despair formed from Konoka’s thoughts continued to envelop her, until she finally dove down it, into sleep.

She fell through the blackness, her eyes closed to its shadows, hailing tears upwards as she screamed through the endless shaft. Suddenly, she saw light beyond her eyelids, and opened them to a burning glare. White, shining light streamed out all around her now, and right in front of her, at the center of it all, was Setsuna. Konoka smiled to see her face, a gentle expression of recognition spread across it as she saw Konoka.

“Set-Chan!” Konoka exclaimed, lunging forward, hugging her loved one’s body in her arms. In this dream existence, neither of them was clothed, and their naked bodies caressed and clung to each other as they hugged, a sensation of prolonged awakening coming over both of them.

“Kono-Chan,” Setsuna breathed into Konoka’s ear, running her hand through the girl’s hair, “This is no simple dream, you know?”

Konoka pulled her head back to look in Setsuna’s eyes, unsure of what she was saying. Setsuna explained, “Yes, I am in the Demon Realm. But that world and the one you are in can be bridged. This is one way, through the dreams of two people, connected by their feelings. It is truly me here.”

At last, tears of joy emanated from Konoka’s eyes, floating off into the bright abyss. “Oh, Set-Chan!” she exclaimed again, “So you’re okay. You’re alive?”

“Yes,” Setsuna nodded reluctantly, “For now, anyway. I am currently in a Demon Realm prison, awaiting my punishment, whatever it may be. I’m not sure…how long it will be.” Her eyes darkened, and she tried to look away from Konoka.

“No,” Konoka quickly placed her hand lightly under Setsuna’s chin, guiding her head back around to look her in the eyes. “Don’t you worry about that at all!” she urged, “I’m coming there to get you. I’ll save you, Set-Chan!” Konoka smiled as she reaffirmed her promise, finally to the girl she had made it to.

Setsuna returned the smile, “Thank you, Kono-Chan. I believe in you. But…do not push yourself too hard, for my sake-”

Konoka cut her off, “No! Don’t talk like that, Set-Chan. I will save you, but don’t just believe in me.” Her hand still guiding Setsuna’s head, Konoka brought her face closer to her own, “Believe in us,” she said, as she brought her lips up to Setsuna’s, feeling her breath pass onto her face, and moving in to kiss…

…Nothing. Konoka snapped awake, staring into the true darkness of the unlit dorm room. It was totally silent, without the shining ambience of that in-between world. She wrapped the blankets more tightly around herself as she clutched her abandoned body. She was already soaking wet from simply touching Setsuna within the dream world, and her whole body was covered in a cold sweat of suddenly-denied anticipation. Her eyes peered blankly through the shadows and silence for a moment.

“Asuna…” she whispered into the darkness, “Are you awake?”

“Can you hear me?”

Part I End
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*Bows. Over and over and over…*
Man, I am SO SORRY it took so long to hear from me. Seriously, none of you are more disappointed in me than I am. Long excuse short: I started right away on writing the second part of my KonoSetsu story, got lazy, and didn’t do ANYTHING on it until several months later. And now all I have to present you with is one lousy chapter! Does anyone even care about Sticky’s KonoSetsu lemons anymore? Probably not, since, while this IS technically a lemon so far, there hasn’t really been any KonoSetsu lovin’ scenes yet! Pissed? Disappointed? I’m sure you are (I know I would be). But just work with me here. You’re at least still reading a fanfic with Konoka and Setsuna in love, right? Isn’t that enough?

Okay, enough emo/self-pity rambling. I’ll just say it’s good to be back. And to be continuing something I really want to finish one day (emphasis on ONE DAY, since who KNOWS how long it’ll get me to just put out chapter 2!). I hope you’re enjoying it so far. I know I am. That Eva/Chachamaru scene? I’ve been wanting to write that one for a looooong time. *sigh* I’ve been longing to write a scene where a robot gives oral to a loli vampire? There must be SOMETHING wrong with me! Thank Cod I didn’t try to write Chachazero into it, at least…

Oh, and I apologize for the plot-heavyness of it all. I’ve become addicted to plot lately, *laughs*. But don’t worry, there should be more, erm….content in the next chapter, and I’ve got something else in the works that should make up for any and ALL missed opportunities. Just work with me for a while, ‘kay?