The Next Generation 32
Magicman: So. I have no idea what to say. It has been an honour to have such readers as you. The final chapter has come, but there is indeed more to the story. To give you guys a heads up on the future, there will be another story in this series. But that won't be for quite some time though. I'm going to start a Yu-Gi-Oh fic after this one, and I think it'll be fun to write.
Smokegirl: I get to play a duellist!
Magicman: But in the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this final installment in the Next Generation. Thank you all.
Dilandau-with-a-cowboy-hat: I wish I knew some good farewell songs.
***
Priests roamed the wreckage of Palas, using their magic to heal the wounded and to comfort the dying. But the atmosphere was unlike that of a hospital. Wounded men laughed with the battle medics and whistled cheerfully while priests patched them up. Asturia and her Zaibach allies had won the fight when all had seemed lost, so people were quite understandably cheerful.
One priest in particular performed an unexpected but happy duty that lightened his mood considerably.
After healing a young woman, he was requested to marry her and the young man who held her hand so anxiously. Startled but pleased to comply, the priest asked for their names. He joined their hands and performed the sacred rites. They responded in all the appropriate places, gazing into each other's eyes all the time. The priest then blessed them under the eyes of God and finished with the customary "You may kiss the bride."
Setto swept his new wife Sabrina into his arms and kissed her. She returned his kiss eagerly.
Smiling, the priest left them to their privacy.
***
The Generals of the victorious armies gathered together to assess the situation while the medics and priests went about their business. Present were Dilandau, and Folken from the Dragonslayers, Van and Millerna, Jasmine and Sageth (Shoal had been critically wounded and was in the care of the priests) from Asturia's own armies, and Generals Adelphous and Zodia from the allied Zaibach forces. Hitomi, Setto, and Sabrina were nowhere to be found and Mark and Yukari were in the hospital with Shoal.
As usual, Eries presided over the meeting. She spoke in her usual matter- of-fact voice but she could not keep a triumphant note from her voice as she said, "Veers' army has fallen back and is in full retreat. Our scouts tell us that all of his forces that did not achieve their goals will return to Basram and regroup for a while."
"That means that they'll be back," Van said grimly. "We may have knocked him back this time, but he won't give up."
"Especially since we have his daughter" Dilandau grated.
"Now stop it, both of you!" Millerna scolded. "Veers is too smart to start another campaign this soon. He'll probably bide his time until we get tired of maintaining a constant defence before hitting us again. Until then, we have to maintain an image of constant vigilance! Lets face it: we all got lucky today. Unless we think we can count on luck again, we have to be prepared! Besides" she added for Dilandau's benefit, "Who said that he couldn't see his daughter? She's not our prisoner after all, and can technically come and go, as she likes. Who knows? She might even make him give up world domination!"
Dilandau muttered under his breath that he didn't need women sticking up for him while Sageth leaned over to Adelphous. "Politicians" he mumbled, "Go figure."
Adelphous snorted in amusement. "So who's left standing?"
Eries checked her notes. "Asturia, Fanelia, Freid, and Zaibach have lasted long enough for Basram to pull back from them, and Cesarian leaders still have a degree of independence. Veers knows not to push too hard there; you know how Cesarians are. But he definitely has Domaria, Daedalus, and numerous small territories firmly under his thumb."
"Hmm" Folken pondered aloud. "It sounds like he will be consolidating his power for a while."
"Agreed. He's smart enough not to repeat the mistakes of the past. You know, how dictators always bite off more than he can chew and whatnot." Eries shrugged. "Millerna's right. We should be safe for a while."
"Fair enough". Adelphous stood to his feet. "I have to get back to my territory soon, but I think I can stay a while. What do you think Zodia, eh?"
Zodia shrugged his massive shoulders. "Our little alliance seems to have the rest of our colleagues staying out of our business. We might even be able to help peace keep the countryside."
Sageth nodded. "In that case, why don't you two head down to the officers' lounge with Jasmine and I? We were just about to take a break from all this lunacy."
"Sounds delightful. You know how to make a Flaming Axe? Or maybe a Rusty Nail?"
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "You old timers couldn't possible polish off too many of those things!"
Sageth and Adelphous whirled on her. "Is that a challenge?!" they snapped simultaneously. Jasmine rose to her feet.
"Yeah, it is. You gonna do something about it? Huh?"
Zodia stepped in between the feuding Generals. "Relax" he soothed. "Save your rage for the bar."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" The other three nearly ran over Zodia in running from the room. Shaking his head at the lunacy of his companions, he followed.
"This I gotta see!" Dilandau followed them, anxious not to miss the fun.
Millerna hid a smile. "Well, I have to go. There's always one more patient to tend to."
"I'll come with you." Van and Millerna left arm in arm, leaving their respective siblings behind.
Finding himself suddenly alone with Eries, Folken coughed quietly. The princess did not seem to hear him and she continued to gather up her papers and reports.
Reflecting pitifully on his incapability with women, Folken sighed to himself and stood up to walk to the door. On his way, he brushed slightly against Eries. Mumbling an apology, he continued on when her voice came to him.
"Damnation" she muttered, not quite under her breath. "All these reports are going to take all night to go through."
Pausing, Folken looked over his shoulder. "Is there something wrong?"
Eries sighed theatrically. "Oh I'm fine. I'll just be tied up all night dealing with army dispatches and intelligence reports and that sort of thing. Not that I'm not used to it, but it seems that I never get a night off anymore."
A couple sheets of papers slipped through Eries' grip and she swore as they hit the floor. On impulse, Folken stepped over and picked them up for her. "Here you are."
Eries smiled. "Thank you."
"You know" the cyborg continued slowly, looking through the papers he'd picked up, "I'm pretty good with these kinds of spread sheets and stuff like that. If you don't mind, I could give you some help."
Eries' smile slowly grew into a grin that spread across her face, as the rays of the sun will illuminate the darkened hollows of a countryside. "I think that I would like that. Are you sure that you won't mind being shut away from everyone all night?"
Folken snapped out of his fit of poetry. "It's happened to me numerous times. One more won't make a difference."
"Well in that case, come with me."
Still grinning, Eries took Folken's arm and dragged him from the room and through the castle halls. To Folken's eye, the prospect of doing paper work had worked up an unfeasible amount of enthusiasm in the woman. It was slightly suspicious. But then he mentally shrugged. He wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Instead, he banished a mental image of Merle smirking and hastened his pace, so he would not be dragged.
***
The wind ruffled Hitomi's hair as she sat with Yukari and Amano. She held a paper cup filled with coffee, its steam rising into the night. It was so familiar that it made her heart ache. Looking upward, she saw the stars twinkle. The various constellations gleamed in the night sky, so different from the stars of Gaea. She had been born here and she had grown up here.
But it wasn't her home.
With a sigh, Hitomi slowly stood up, her coffee still held in one hand. The three friends were back at the school track. It held some symbolic importance for them.
Yukari stood up with her friend. "You have to go now" she asked, "Don't you?"
Hitomi nodded. "I'm sorry. I wish I could stay, but-"
Yukari shook her head. "You need to go back. You have too much to give up. You've already been pulled away from this life. I won't let you leave your new one."
Hitomi could only nod.
"Do you think that we could come with you?" Amano asked. "Just for a visit."
Hitomi shook her head. "I've thought about that, you know? But it's too soon. Veers might be in charge and all sorts of things could have happened. But I will say this. Once things are all settled down, I'll try and organize something." She smiled. "I guess there's nothing to keep me from coming back and forth now, eh?"
"I don't suppose so." Amano was casual. Then he leaned forward and hugged her tightly. Not about to be let out of a group hug, Yukari threw her arms around both of them.
The three good friends stayed in that position for some seconds. Then, slowly, they broke away. Hitomi lifted her cup to her lips and finished her coffee, savouring the taste. She smiled at Yukari and Amano warmly. "Don't worry guys. I will be back!"
Yukari smiled a little. "You have no idea how comforting that is."
Hitomi laughed cheerfully. Then she closed her eyes and concentrated. For one mystical moment, the air was charged with energy. Then a great blue beam of light descended from.somewhere. It bathed Hitomi in its light. Her feet lifted off the ground and she was borne away to another world. Yukari watched her friend leave with different feelings than she had the first time this had happened.
***
Three days later saw Millerna's victory party in full swing. The occasion was to be marked as an Asturian holiday. Everyone was invited, nobles, soldiers, merchants, and peasants. The massive main hall of Palas was large enough to accommodate them all and more. Long tables laden with food were placed strategically at just the spots where guests might be tempted to snack. Couples filled the dance floor and a musical band was in full swing.
Van and Millerna were waiting at the door, greeting guests as they came in. Van's eyes strayed over to his wife and he smiled. She shone like the moon on the sea. She caught his glance and winked. Caught, he turned from the door to watch the proceedings.
Setto and Sabrina had currently taken over a piano and were belting out a fast-paced romance song, much to the delight of most of the dancers, all the while, gazing into each other's eyes with love in said eyes. Dilandau watched on, a look of sullen disgust in his eyes, as he nursed his third bottle. The Slayers were quite supportive, cheering the couple while Chesta argued with the chefs about the food they served.
Thanks to frantic healing of two priests, Jager was back on his feet and chatting animatedly with Eriya. Naria was with Gatti, Merle, and Guimel doing boyfriend/girlfriend things.
Yukari was snuggled on a big stuffed chair, lying up against Mark. Tired but none the worse for wear from the frenzied burst of healing they had been through, Mark's arms were wrapped almost possessively around his girlfriend's waist. When someone went up to her to ask her to dance, the Cesarian just snarled and pulled her closer and the would-be dancer would suddenly lose interest. This made Yukari grin with pleasure. After several glasses of wine, her grin became rather plastered. It seemed that, like her mother, she had no head for alcohol.
Several toasts were drunk that night. Some were to Palas' priests and medics who had been working nonstop to save lives. Others were drunk to the men of Zaibach who had saved all their asses. Still more were drunk to the soldiers who had fought and finally, toasts were drunk to those who had died.
Van was still watching when Hitomi walked into the hall. "Hello Hitomi" he greeted her when she'd gotten his attention. "I wondered if you'd show up tonight."
Hitomi shrugged. She had shed her uniform for the night and had thrown on a backless, peach-coloured dress with matching silk gloves. "I had something to do first."
"Oh? And what was that?"
"This and that. It's not important."
Van watched her eyes for a second before letting it go. "Alright. Hey, have you talked to Yukari about a visit?"
Hitomi smiled. "She's eager to get here and meet you all. She wants to see the sights of Asturia and walk the forests of Fanelia, to fight pirates on in the sky and shop for exotics in the market, to see my children and meet the man who stole my heart!"
"Wow" Van whistled. "She's energetic, isn't she?"
"Oh yeah! You'd better watch out; she'll make you carry her packages faster than Millerna." With a laugh, Hitomi walked into the party.
Millerna hugged Van from behind. "What was that about?"
"Hitomi might have found your kindred spirit." Van smiled at her laughter.
Hitomi strolled over to Folken, apprehending a glass filled with a Zaibachian liquor from a passing servant. The cyborg watched her approach. "It's nice to see you up and about these days" he commented as Hitomi sipped her drink, savouring the bubbles. "You will try and keep back the alcohol tonight, won't you? You remember what happened that time in Godashim?"
Hitomi shrugged. "It all turned out for the best, didn't it?"
"Twenty years later? Yes, I suppose it did." Folken sighed. He stood out in the crowd, with his black cloak and great height. "Have you heard the news about your son?"
Hitomi beamed proudly. "Yep! He's been so happy recently. I was talking to him yesterday and he seemed to glow. He and Sabrina both have that look in their eyes, like cats that have just caught a really big mouse." She shook her head in bewilderment at young people in general. "Was I like that when Dilandau finally proposed?"
Folken shook his head. "No, you were much, much worse. You were so smug that I heard the twins talk about tossing you off the Vione."
"Ah to be young again."
"You'll outlive me by decades."
"Not if Eries has anything to say about it." To Hitomi's satisfaction, Folken turned red and slunk off, muttering about papers he had to do. Giggling to herself, she continued through the crowd. She finished off her drink at about the time she found her husband, finishing off his fourth bottle. Even sloshed, he was still gorgeous.
Hitomi slid down beside him in time to hear him grumble something about kids.
"Look at them Hitomi" he slurred to his wife. He feebly gestured to Setto and Sabrina. "So smug and pleased with everything in the world. Not a care about what happens next. Bah!" he added as Setto kissed his new wife.
Hitomi smiled. "You were romantic like that once."
Dilandau looked at her, some surprise making its way past the booze. "I was? When?"
"Way back before you developed your own style of expressing love. Remember the flower and the cliff?" She teased.
Dilandau scowled. "Always the cliff. Those flowers are the best and you deserve the best!"
Hitomi smiled gently. "That's what you said then too. See? You can be so sweet."
Dilandau smirked. Then he yawned. "I must be getting old," he grumbled sourly. "I'm getting sleepy after only four bottles!"
"Shush" Hitomu murmured soothingly. Her hand rubbed Dilandau's back gently. "You're just tired from all the fighting recently."
"You're sure it's not age coming after me?"
"I'm sure. Just get some rest now dear."
Dilandau smiled and lay his head down on the table. "Whatever you say babe. Have I told you recently how beautiful you are?"
"No." Hitomi kissed his cheek as his eyes fluttered shut. He was so cute when he slept.
A soft tap on her arm directed her attention to the old men standing behind her. She smiled. "Hello Ruhm, Mr. Mole."
Ruhm smiled. "It is good to see that you survived Hitomi."
"We have it ready Miss." Mr. Mole added.
"Good. Let me see it."
The two beast men led Hitomi from the castle. Together they walked through the dark streets. They did not speak; so intent were they upon their actions. Their footsteps took them from the city itself, to a small carriage with a single horse. Without words, Hitomi and Ruhm stepped into the carriage while Mr. Mole climbed into the driver's seat. With a swift swing of the whip, the horse was off.
Their journey was short. They went to a small but elegant manor within sight of the city. The gate was open but it was clear that no one had lived there for many years. Mr. Mole stopped the carriage and hopped off of his seat as Hitomi opened the door. Still they did not speak. They walked into the yard of the manor. It was there that Hitomi stopped. The area had seen recent work. Tools lay about in no particular order.
Hitomi's eyes rested on a small stone monolith, half her height. Elegantly carved, it was a simple tombstone. With painstaking care, an angel had been chiselled into the face of the stone. This angel wore a sword at its side and seemed to float over a city protectively.
"This is an appropriate place."
Hitomi didn't bother to turn around. "Yukari."
Yukari walked up to her mother and looked down at the tombstone. "Did you find his body?"
"No" Hitomi shook her head. "If it survived the blast, it will be a miracle."
"He would have liked, I think, to be remembered." Yukari leaned down and looked at the inscription on the monolith. "When you commissioned this, you left something out."
She bent down and grasped a chisel and a hammer in one hand. Kneeling by the grave marker, she placed the chisel against the stone and began to tap lightly with her hammer. The stone was soft and she cut two words easily underneath the main message. When she was done, she stood and let the tools fall. As she looked at the stone, tears slowly trickled from her crimson eyes. Her mother stepped up beside her and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Let's go," she whispered.
A crying Yukari let herself be led away by her mother. They climbed into the carriage and were accompanied by the beast men. They rolled away into the fading night.
As morning came, it brought light to the manor. The beams penetrated into the yard and brushed across the tombstone. The angel and the inscription were lit briefly before a cloud passed overhead.
The words read 'Allen Schezar, the Heavenly Knight of Asturia. He found the light after the darkness.'
Beneath was Yukari's message. 'My Friend.'
*** THE END ***
Magicman: Goodnight.
Smokegirl: See yah later!
Magicman: So. I have no idea what to say. It has been an honour to have such readers as you. The final chapter has come, but there is indeed more to the story. To give you guys a heads up on the future, there will be another story in this series. But that won't be for quite some time though. I'm going to start a Yu-Gi-Oh fic after this one, and I think it'll be fun to write.
Smokegirl: I get to play a duellist!
Magicman: But in the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this final installment in the Next Generation. Thank you all.
Dilandau-with-a-cowboy-hat: I wish I knew some good farewell songs.
***
Priests roamed the wreckage of Palas, using their magic to heal the wounded and to comfort the dying. But the atmosphere was unlike that of a hospital. Wounded men laughed with the battle medics and whistled cheerfully while priests patched them up. Asturia and her Zaibach allies had won the fight when all had seemed lost, so people were quite understandably cheerful.
One priest in particular performed an unexpected but happy duty that lightened his mood considerably.
After healing a young woman, he was requested to marry her and the young man who held her hand so anxiously. Startled but pleased to comply, the priest asked for their names. He joined their hands and performed the sacred rites. They responded in all the appropriate places, gazing into each other's eyes all the time. The priest then blessed them under the eyes of God and finished with the customary "You may kiss the bride."
Setto swept his new wife Sabrina into his arms and kissed her. She returned his kiss eagerly.
Smiling, the priest left them to their privacy.
***
The Generals of the victorious armies gathered together to assess the situation while the medics and priests went about their business. Present were Dilandau, and Folken from the Dragonslayers, Van and Millerna, Jasmine and Sageth (Shoal had been critically wounded and was in the care of the priests) from Asturia's own armies, and Generals Adelphous and Zodia from the allied Zaibach forces. Hitomi, Setto, and Sabrina were nowhere to be found and Mark and Yukari were in the hospital with Shoal.
As usual, Eries presided over the meeting. She spoke in her usual matter- of-fact voice but she could not keep a triumphant note from her voice as she said, "Veers' army has fallen back and is in full retreat. Our scouts tell us that all of his forces that did not achieve their goals will return to Basram and regroup for a while."
"That means that they'll be back," Van said grimly. "We may have knocked him back this time, but he won't give up."
"Especially since we have his daughter" Dilandau grated.
"Now stop it, both of you!" Millerna scolded. "Veers is too smart to start another campaign this soon. He'll probably bide his time until we get tired of maintaining a constant defence before hitting us again. Until then, we have to maintain an image of constant vigilance! Lets face it: we all got lucky today. Unless we think we can count on luck again, we have to be prepared! Besides" she added for Dilandau's benefit, "Who said that he couldn't see his daughter? She's not our prisoner after all, and can technically come and go, as she likes. Who knows? She might even make him give up world domination!"
Dilandau muttered under his breath that he didn't need women sticking up for him while Sageth leaned over to Adelphous. "Politicians" he mumbled, "Go figure."
Adelphous snorted in amusement. "So who's left standing?"
Eries checked her notes. "Asturia, Fanelia, Freid, and Zaibach have lasted long enough for Basram to pull back from them, and Cesarian leaders still have a degree of independence. Veers knows not to push too hard there; you know how Cesarians are. But he definitely has Domaria, Daedalus, and numerous small territories firmly under his thumb."
"Hmm" Folken pondered aloud. "It sounds like he will be consolidating his power for a while."
"Agreed. He's smart enough not to repeat the mistakes of the past. You know, how dictators always bite off more than he can chew and whatnot." Eries shrugged. "Millerna's right. We should be safe for a while."
"Fair enough". Adelphous stood to his feet. "I have to get back to my territory soon, but I think I can stay a while. What do you think Zodia, eh?"
Zodia shrugged his massive shoulders. "Our little alliance seems to have the rest of our colleagues staying out of our business. We might even be able to help peace keep the countryside."
Sageth nodded. "In that case, why don't you two head down to the officers' lounge with Jasmine and I? We were just about to take a break from all this lunacy."
"Sounds delightful. You know how to make a Flaming Axe? Or maybe a Rusty Nail?"
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "You old timers couldn't possible polish off too many of those things!"
Sageth and Adelphous whirled on her. "Is that a challenge?!" they snapped simultaneously. Jasmine rose to her feet.
"Yeah, it is. You gonna do something about it? Huh?"
Zodia stepped in between the feuding Generals. "Relax" he soothed. "Save your rage for the bar."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" The other three nearly ran over Zodia in running from the room. Shaking his head at the lunacy of his companions, he followed.
"This I gotta see!" Dilandau followed them, anxious not to miss the fun.
Millerna hid a smile. "Well, I have to go. There's always one more patient to tend to."
"I'll come with you." Van and Millerna left arm in arm, leaving their respective siblings behind.
Finding himself suddenly alone with Eries, Folken coughed quietly. The princess did not seem to hear him and she continued to gather up her papers and reports.
Reflecting pitifully on his incapability with women, Folken sighed to himself and stood up to walk to the door. On his way, he brushed slightly against Eries. Mumbling an apology, he continued on when her voice came to him.
"Damnation" she muttered, not quite under her breath. "All these reports are going to take all night to go through."
Pausing, Folken looked over his shoulder. "Is there something wrong?"
Eries sighed theatrically. "Oh I'm fine. I'll just be tied up all night dealing with army dispatches and intelligence reports and that sort of thing. Not that I'm not used to it, but it seems that I never get a night off anymore."
A couple sheets of papers slipped through Eries' grip and she swore as they hit the floor. On impulse, Folken stepped over and picked them up for her. "Here you are."
Eries smiled. "Thank you."
"You know" the cyborg continued slowly, looking through the papers he'd picked up, "I'm pretty good with these kinds of spread sheets and stuff like that. If you don't mind, I could give you some help."
Eries' smile slowly grew into a grin that spread across her face, as the rays of the sun will illuminate the darkened hollows of a countryside. "I think that I would like that. Are you sure that you won't mind being shut away from everyone all night?"
Folken snapped out of his fit of poetry. "It's happened to me numerous times. One more won't make a difference."
"Well in that case, come with me."
Still grinning, Eries took Folken's arm and dragged him from the room and through the castle halls. To Folken's eye, the prospect of doing paper work had worked up an unfeasible amount of enthusiasm in the woman. It was slightly suspicious. But then he mentally shrugged. He wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Instead, he banished a mental image of Merle smirking and hastened his pace, so he would not be dragged.
***
The wind ruffled Hitomi's hair as she sat with Yukari and Amano. She held a paper cup filled with coffee, its steam rising into the night. It was so familiar that it made her heart ache. Looking upward, she saw the stars twinkle. The various constellations gleamed in the night sky, so different from the stars of Gaea. She had been born here and she had grown up here.
But it wasn't her home.
With a sigh, Hitomi slowly stood up, her coffee still held in one hand. The three friends were back at the school track. It held some symbolic importance for them.
Yukari stood up with her friend. "You have to go now" she asked, "Don't you?"
Hitomi nodded. "I'm sorry. I wish I could stay, but-"
Yukari shook her head. "You need to go back. You have too much to give up. You've already been pulled away from this life. I won't let you leave your new one."
Hitomi could only nod.
"Do you think that we could come with you?" Amano asked. "Just for a visit."
Hitomi shook her head. "I've thought about that, you know? But it's too soon. Veers might be in charge and all sorts of things could have happened. But I will say this. Once things are all settled down, I'll try and organize something." She smiled. "I guess there's nothing to keep me from coming back and forth now, eh?"
"I don't suppose so." Amano was casual. Then he leaned forward and hugged her tightly. Not about to be let out of a group hug, Yukari threw her arms around both of them.
The three good friends stayed in that position for some seconds. Then, slowly, they broke away. Hitomi lifted her cup to her lips and finished her coffee, savouring the taste. She smiled at Yukari and Amano warmly. "Don't worry guys. I will be back!"
Yukari smiled a little. "You have no idea how comforting that is."
Hitomi laughed cheerfully. Then she closed her eyes and concentrated. For one mystical moment, the air was charged with energy. Then a great blue beam of light descended from.somewhere. It bathed Hitomi in its light. Her feet lifted off the ground and she was borne away to another world. Yukari watched her friend leave with different feelings than she had the first time this had happened.
***
Three days later saw Millerna's victory party in full swing. The occasion was to be marked as an Asturian holiday. Everyone was invited, nobles, soldiers, merchants, and peasants. The massive main hall of Palas was large enough to accommodate them all and more. Long tables laden with food were placed strategically at just the spots where guests might be tempted to snack. Couples filled the dance floor and a musical band was in full swing.
Van and Millerna were waiting at the door, greeting guests as they came in. Van's eyes strayed over to his wife and he smiled. She shone like the moon on the sea. She caught his glance and winked. Caught, he turned from the door to watch the proceedings.
Setto and Sabrina had currently taken over a piano and were belting out a fast-paced romance song, much to the delight of most of the dancers, all the while, gazing into each other's eyes with love in said eyes. Dilandau watched on, a look of sullen disgust in his eyes, as he nursed his third bottle. The Slayers were quite supportive, cheering the couple while Chesta argued with the chefs about the food they served.
Thanks to frantic healing of two priests, Jager was back on his feet and chatting animatedly with Eriya. Naria was with Gatti, Merle, and Guimel doing boyfriend/girlfriend things.
Yukari was snuggled on a big stuffed chair, lying up against Mark. Tired but none the worse for wear from the frenzied burst of healing they had been through, Mark's arms were wrapped almost possessively around his girlfriend's waist. When someone went up to her to ask her to dance, the Cesarian just snarled and pulled her closer and the would-be dancer would suddenly lose interest. This made Yukari grin with pleasure. After several glasses of wine, her grin became rather plastered. It seemed that, like her mother, she had no head for alcohol.
Several toasts were drunk that night. Some were to Palas' priests and medics who had been working nonstop to save lives. Others were drunk to the men of Zaibach who had saved all their asses. Still more were drunk to the soldiers who had fought and finally, toasts were drunk to those who had died.
Van was still watching when Hitomi walked into the hall. "Hello Hitomi" he greeted her when she'd gotten his attention. "I wondered if you'd show up tonight."
Hitomi shrugged. She had shed her uniform for the night and had thrown on a backless, peach-coloured dress with matching silk gloves. "I had something to do first."
"Oh? And what was that?"
"This and that. It's not important."
Van watched her eyes for a second before letting it go. "Alright. Hey, have you talked to Yukari about a visit?"
Hitomi smiled. "She's eager to get here and meet you all. She wants to see the sights of Asturia and walk the forests of Fanelia, to fight pirates on in the sky and shop for exotics in the market, to see my children and meet the man who stole my heart!"
"Wow" Van whistled. "She's energetic, isn't she?"
"Oh yeah! You'd better watch out; she'll make you carry her packages faster than Millerna." With a laugh, Hitomi walked into the party.
Millerna hugged Van from behind. "What was that about?"
"Hitomi might have found your kindred spirit." Van smiled at her laughter.
Hitomi strolled over to Folken, apprehending a glass filled with a Zaibachian liquor from a passing servant. The cyborg watched her approach. "It's nice to see you up and about these days" he commented as Hitomi sipped her drink, savouring the bubbles. "You will try and keep back the alcohol tonight, won't you? You remember what happened that time in Godashim?"
Hitomi shrugged. "It all turned out for the best, didn't it?"
"Twenty years later? Yes, I suppose it did." Folken sighed. He stood out in the crowd, with his black cloak and great height. "Have you heard the news about your son?"
Hitomi beamed proudly. "Yep! He's been so happy recently. I was talking to him yesterday and he seemed to glow. He and Sabrina both have that look in their eyes, like cats that have just caught a really big mouse." She shook her head in bewilderment at young people in general. "Was I like that when Dilandau finally proposed?"
Folken shook his head. "No, you were much, much worse. You were so smug that I heard the twins talk about tossing you off the Vione."
"Ah to be young again."
"You'll outlive me by decades."
"Not if Eries has anything to say about it." To Hitomi's satisfaction, Folken turned red and slunk off, muttering about papers he had to do. Giggling to herself, she continued through the crowd. She finished off her drink at about the time she found her husband, finishing off his fourth bottle. Even sloshed, he was still gorgeous.
Hitomi slid down beside him in time to hear him grumble something about kids.
"Look at them Hitomi" he slurred to his wife. He feebly gestured to Setto and Sabrina. "So smug and pleased with everything in the world. Not a care about what happens next. Bah!" he added as Setto kissed his new wife.
Hitomi smiled. "You were romantic like that once."
Dilandau looked at her, some surprise making its way past the booze. "I was? When?"
"Way back before you developed your own style of expressing love. Remember the flower and the cliff?" She teased.
Dilandau scowled. "Always the cliff. Those flowers are the best and you deserve the best!"
Hitomi smiled gently. "That's what you said then too. See? You can be so sweet."
Dilandau smirked. Then he yawned. "I must be getting old," he grumbled sourly. "I'm getting sleepy after only four bottles!"
"Shush" Hitomu murmured soothingly. Her hand rubbed Dilandau's back gently. "You're just tired from all the fighting recently."
"You're sure it's not age coming after me?"
"I'm sure. Just get some rest now dear."
Dilandau smiled and lay his head down on the table. "Whatever you say babe. Have I told you recently how beautiful you are?"
"No." Hitomi kissed his cheek as his eyes fluttered shut. He was so cute when he slept.
A soft tap on her arm directed her attention to the old men standing behind her. She smiled. "Hello Ruhm, Mr. Mole."
Ruhm smiled. "It is good to see that you survived Hitomi."
"We have it ready Miss." Mr. Mole added.
"Good. Let me see it."
The two beast men led Hitomi from the castle. Together they walked through the dark streets. They did not speak; so intent were they upon their actions. Their footsteps took them from the city itself, to a small carriage with a single horse. Without words, Hitomi and Ruhm stepped into the carriage while Mr. Mole climbed into the driver's seat. With a swift swing of the whip, the horse was off.
Their journey was short. They went to a small but elegant manor within sight of the city. The gate was open but it was clear that no one had lived there for many years. Mr. Mole stopped the carriage and hopped off of his seat as Hitomi opened the door. Still they did not speak. They walked into the yard of the manor. It was there that Hitomi stopped. The area had seen recent work. Tools lay about in no particular order.
Hitomi's eyes rested on a small stone monolith, half her height. Elegantly carved, it was a simple tombstone. With painstaking care, an angel had been chiselled into the face of the stone. This angel wore a sword at its side and seemed to float over a city protectively.
"This is an appropriate place."
Hitomi didn't bother to turn around. "Yukari."
Yukari walked up to her mother and looked down at the tombstone. "Did you find his body?"
"No" Hitomi shook her head. "If it survived the blast, it will be a miracle."
"He would have liked, I think, to be remembered." Yukari leaned down and looked at the inscription on the monolith. "When you commissioned this, you left something out."
She bent down and grasped a chisel and a hammer in one hand. Kneeling by the grave marker, she placed the chisel against the stone and began to tap lightly with her hammer. The stone was soft and she cut two words easily underneath the main message. When she was done, she stood and let the tools fall. As she looked at the stone, tears slowly trickled from her crimson eyes. Her mother stepped up beside her and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Let's go," she whispered.
A crying Yukari let herself be led away by her mother. They climbed into the carriage and were accompanied by the beast men. They rolled away into the fading night.
As morning came, it brought light to the manor. The beams penetrated into the yard and brushed across the tombstone. The angel and the inscription were lit briefly before a cloud passed overhead.
The words read 'Allen Schezar, the Heavenly Knight of Asturia. He found the light after the darkness.'
Beneath was Yukari's message. 'My Friend.'
*** THE END ***
Magicman: Goodnight.
Smokegirl: See yah later!