dawn_bearer: The Park, Friday Late Afternoon

dawn_bearer (

dawn_bearer) wrote,
@ 2007-08-17 15:09:00

Entry tags:

if wishes were fishes, setsuna

The Park, Friday Late Afternoon

	There was a tree toward the centre of the park and, at its base, sat a girl, her legs tucked up underneath her, hidden by a simple plaid skirt. She had one arm tucked up against her chest, cradling her elbow, fingers drifting over the fraying bandage. She still couldn't believe it; it had happened again. Things started out so well in Japan at the beginning of the week...Her head hurt a little as she tried to remember just when it had all started to go downhill. It started simply enough; they were on the tail of the enemy. The Mini-Setsuna she had created to accompany the others was a minor one, all power and no brains, so she could focus on getting Ojou-sama and Negi-sensei through the labyrinthian halls easily. It was only until...they'd ran into Asuna's party, and that's when the enemies found them. There was chaos...magic and Pactios and swords clashing everywhere, and then they were separated again; this time, from Ojou-sama. That's when she started to panic; that's when she started failing. That's when she started to lose her strength. //"Dammit,"// she muttered, closing her eyes tightly and tilting her head back, against the tree. She was delaying her return to the dormitory; Alphonse would see her injury, lecture her about being more careful. But it wasn't a matter of being more careful; it was a situation that couldn't be avoided. It was about being stronger. If Takahata-sensei and her Mini-Setsuna hadn't come across her when she did...Letting out a small groan, Setsuna fought with the sick feeling rising in her stomach. She was just grateful that Evangeline hadn't been there, she'd never hear the end of it. You disappointment, Setsuna. So much potential, just going to waste. You are too human. It makes you weak... //"I just wish,"// she said, drawing in another, shaky breath, gingerly tugging at the bandage, //"I could be stronger..."// And still be her. Was that really too much to ask? She sniffed, lightly. Suddenly, she felt very angry with herself for getting so...sentimental. She simply had to train more, that was all, and she would. Right now. Forget the arm; it wasn't even hurting her right now, actually. She lifted a finger to her eye, to wipe away what felt like a tear. The moisture on her finger as she drew it away, though, wasn't from a tear. She blinked in surprise as she she looked at a folded brown contact lense. Strange. They almost never.... She wiped at her cheek with her other hand, only to find that the other had been pushed out by her blinking. And, after several attempts, they refused to stay in. She frowned, leaning in to inspect them closer, rolling it lightly in her fingers. No, it wasn't ripped or anything, it should... Setsuna jumped back suddenly as her fingers, rubbing together, produced a sudden flame, incinerating the contact lense in a quick flare before burning steadily. She stared at it, fascinated. She'd never....she didn't even have to think about it, it just...happened! And using her magic like that felt so...she felt suddenly like she could do more, when usually, it took more out of her than anything else. How...strange, really...She sat there, marvelling at how easily she seemed to be able to make the flame bigger, to control it, to increase and decrease its brightness, its heat, its shape...What was happening? It was like nothing at all! She couldn't help letting out a small laugh, feeling rather like she could do so much more than this, too...
	Of course, that wouldn't be best considering where she was. The park certainly didn't need to be redone because a little demon couldn't control herself. Feeling that familiar bit of fire and a wish being done, Lucifer found himself in the park, watching Setsuna critically. Well now, wasn't this an interesting way to grant that wish?
	Far too fascinated by what was happening to notice that she was no longer alone, a thought struck Setsuna. If her fire was coming along so easily, then perhaps...Her tongue ran over her lower lip, dry with some sort of surging excitement, she waved her hand to put the fire out, and then twisted it, blading it, drawing it closer to her. She sharply swept it forward, muttering one of her unarmed techniques. The resulting rush of wind past her, cutting across the grass until nearly demolishing a bush in its path, a flurry of leaves in its wake, made her straighten. A hand covered her mouth, staring forward with wide eyes. She hadn't even bothered focusing hardly any of her chi; she shouldn't...she'd never been able to.... She muttered something about it being a shame that one of the ducks hadn't wandered into the path of the attack. //"Would have been interesting, to see what it would do to the stupid beast..."//
	That caused Lucifer to snort with amusement. "Such viciousness, Setsuna," He remarked, coming around to circle her and see the more physical changes that came with her wish.
	Setsuna, currently unaware that the contacts weren't the only parts of her modified appearance to abandon her, jumped at the sound of a voice, inadvertantly digging her fingers into her leg. It was an action out of a sudden fear, a worry, a paranoia deeper than she'd felt before. A fear of getting caught doing something she wasn't supposed to, and knowing that, if that were the case, she wasn't going to hesitate to eradicate the person threatening her. She winced, realizing that she'd dug into her skin, pierced it, brought out blood despite the fact that she knew she usually wouldn't be strong enough to do that. She spared a moment of confusion before looking up at Lucifer, drawing in a breath through clenched teeth. "Oh," she said, slightly hissing. "It's you."
	"Yes," Lucifer replied, hardly able to keep the condescending smirk off his face. "Me." He circled her again, stepping forward to touch her ponytail, letting the stark white hair run through his fingers. "Interesting choice."
	"What are you...?" Setsuna blinked and, before the action could be completed, her hand flew up past her ear to grab Lucifer's wrist.
	Lucifer went dangerously still, a faint, polite smile on his face as he looked pointedly at Setsuna's hand. He made no move to pull away or force her to release him, but there certainly was a sense of 'and just what do you think you're doing?' in his expression.
	And there was a steady expression from Setsuna, looking back at him, as she held the wrist tightly and tried to move it away from her head. "Don't touch me," she said.
	Oh no, if she was going to be like that, he certainly wasn't going to move away. It was a shame sometimes when creatures such as her didn't know their place. Now he reached for the hand holding onto him, squeezing the fragile looking bones slightly. "Silly child, still not going to be strong enough."
	The wince only touched Setsuna's eyes, still steady on Lucifer. "Let me go," she said, lip curling as she begrudgingly added a "please."
	With a smirk he released her, calmly stepping back to smooth the lines of his suit. "Was that truly so hard? A touch of polite behavior will get you so much farther in life." Looking her up and down, Lucifer snorted. "Especially if you wish to stay this way."
	"Polite," Setsuna bit out the words. "And I suppose invading another's personal space is considered polite?" She patted down her ponytail defensively. "And what do you mean, stay like this?" But, before she even finished saying it, Setsuna felt a pit in her stomach that told her that she already knew the answer. It didn't take much; the spark of magic, the flow of power, Lucifer's sudden arrival...and the fact that she noticed, in the corner of her eye, that her hair was white, and her fingers were turning black, as if from leaking dye.
	"Ah, so now you notice. I had thought you more observant."
	"I was a bit...distracted," Setsuna said softly, turning her head and looking down at her hand. She flicked her wrist, calling up the fire again, and then putting it back out. "I..." She frowned. "I'm not sure I understand. The only reason I should be able to do this is if....but that..." Her mouth went dry. "I shouldn't like this."
	"No," He replied dryly. "You shouldn't. But here we are." Though it did give him a better idea of the wishes.
	Setsuna was quiet for a long moment. So this is what it felt like. This was what she had been denied her entire life; saying that she liked it didn't seem to be strong enough for her sentiments. This felt...amazing. If she'd had this when she was in Japan last week...God, the images flashing behind her eyes right now as she closed them lightly, the carnage, the blood, the fear in everyone's eyes...in Ojou-sama's, the realization that she would never have to worry about being strong enough ever again. Her head tilted back against the tree again. "Here we are," she echoed, with a small tremor of excitement, and she knew this was what she always wanted, and it was finally hers.
	Lucifer rolled his eyes and turned away. "I would not get used to this change, it won't be around for long." He had no doubt that he'd be able to stop whomever was granting these wishes.
	Setsuna's head tilted at that, still looking at her fingers, smearing around the dye from her hair. "Really...." she commented, almost as if bored with Lucifer's words. After all, this was a part of who she was. And now that she knew what it was like, she had difficulty imagining anyone being able to take this away from her again.
	"Yes. Really." Children nowadays, so naive.
	There was another long moment of silence, and then Setsuna placed her hands on the ground underneath her and leapt easily to her feet. She brushed the grass off of her skirt, and her back shifted. The wings are just screaming to be let out, and, before she could even consider it, she was staggering forward under the sheer force of them stretching out. She drew in a sharp breath; if that was any indication and what Lucifer said was true, she wouldn't have time to get used to a power like that. She shook her head, trying to get over the sudden lack of control over her own wings. The feathers shuttered with her. "I...If I were you, I wouldn't expect to see me at work tonight," she admitted, honestly enough, to Lucifer.
	He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I should hope you don't do anything drastic."
	"I should like to think," Setsuna's arms were crossed over her chest, "that I have left a better impression than to leave you thinking I don't comprehend a concept like subtlety. Not only am I well aware of the sorts of people who populate this island, but I've seen something like this happen before. I'm not about to make the same laughable mistakes he did."
	"Are you referring to that boy who played at being a prince?" Lucifer asked, true amusement coloring his voice.
	"Um," Setsuna wasn't sure. She didn't think she was. "Bel. When he embraced his demon side, he became the Source of All Evil, or something like that, and did a piss poor job of it. It seemed. I honestly didn't pay that much attention...."
	Lucifer smirked at her. "Yes he did indeed. And I truly doubt you could succeed where he failed."
	"I'm still me," Setsuna insisted. "I'm just stronger. I have no delusions of grandeur." Except for the fact that she already had been thinking of them, but they were specific, contained. Her goal of protecting Ojou-sama had not changed; it's just she had a different approach to the means now...
	"Of course," He replied smoothly. "Power changes nothing. How obvious." What he needed from her done, Lucifer turned to walk away. "Do refrain from doing anything foolish. I would hate to be forced to bind you."
	"I assure you," Setsuna said sharply, "you have no need to concern yourself." Decidedly, she pushed off the ground. She was finally unbound. She intended to stay this way. She grunted slightly; she was not going to let that happen again, ever, and found herself muttering, "Go to hell."
	Lucifer sighed as he felt the pull of the wish take effect. "Yes, I had been hoping to avoid that..." He replied and then faded out of sight.
	Setsuna's chin lifted slightly as she kept her eyes on where Lucifer had just been. Good riddance; that guy was so much worse than Evangeline. The thought made Setsuna grunt slightly as she flew off. Evangeline; now, wouldn't she be proud. She owed that little vampire a rematch...