Kyandi: Hey everyone!
Takina: Until she gets to where she can post the sequel, this is the last chapter, the epilogue.
Kyandi: It's not as long as other chapters, but then again, epilogues can be short.
Takina: But you'll get a good look at the end result of our future.
Kyandi: I don't really have much to say, except to thank all of you for sticking with me until the end.
Takina: Your reviews and support have been getting her through this tough time in isolation.
Kyandi: And I thank you all for all the laughs and kind words. Ending a story is always sad, but I'm so glad all of you enjoyed it.
Takina: We hope you look forward to the sequel.
Kyandi: Until then, though, enjoy this little farewell to Korosensei and review.
Takina: Kyandi-sama does not own Assassination Classroom.
Chapter 56 Final Farewells
Many things happened after Korosensei's death and the graduation of Class E.
Yanagisawa's research was deemed impractical and was shot down by the government. Which was a good thing, if anyone was to ask the former members of Class E It also seemed that Yanagisawa, contrary to Class E's beliefs, survived his collision with the anti-sensei barrier, but his body no longer could function on it's own, leaving the man connected to machines for the rest of whatever pitiful life he had.
Perhaps he might be able to learn from the experience and put his brain, the only thing he had left, to good use.
Also, Kunugigaoka Academy received heavy backlash after the fact for endangering students and for the over all Class E system which was quickly abolished. As for Chairman Asano, the man was left with no choice but to relinquish his position. Even then, many of those from Class E couldn't shake the feeling that the man would bounce back and resume his academic career.
He didn't seem like the time to roll over and die just like that.
The thirty billion yen was handed over easily to Class E. According to Karasuma, it was more hush money than reward money for killing Korosensei. After talking it out amongst themselves, the whole of Class E, with a little protest from some members, decided to keep just enough to sustain their education and help pay for minimal living expenses. A portion of what was left, was donated to a few causes close to their hearts, while another portion of it went towards buying one big ticket item that the whole class just couldn't let go of.
The remainder of the money was returned to the government as a thank you for supporting them throughout the year. It was done more with the hopes of helping Karasuma make a better name for himself after all he had done for them.
As for what remain of their moon, it slowly started to crumble. Scientists believed that it would eventually cluster together to form a new, smaller moon, but since the moon had been pushed closer to the earth by the explosion that had broken it in the first place, it would look about the same size and would continue to have the same effects on their planet.
Soon that crescent-shape moon, which all of Class E had come to represent their whole crazy year together with Korosensei, would fade away from reality.
Seven Years Later
Seven years.
It had been seven long years since that crazy roller coaster of year they had all spent with Korosensei.
A lot had changed, and a lot had happened. Many members of Class E had gone on to do a lot to pave their way to their dreams. Okuda and Takebayashi had taken the recipe to Korosensei's revitalizing slime, which he had left in their guidebooks, and had used it as a foundation for developing artificial blood that could be transfused into any person of any blood type.
Sugino had continued to perfect his own style of pitching, like Korosensei had told him. He was now thriving as the ace of his college baseball team with several scouts already sizing him up for future teams.
Terasaka, on the other hand, had been personally recruited by a political big wig who had seen a lot of potential in him. He would probably go on to be a personal secretary, at first, after he graduated. For now, he was merely a political pack mule.
Much to Takina's amusement.
Both Yoshida and Muramatsu took over their family businesses after studying management in college. The last time Takina checked in, they were both doing great. Itona, though, went straight to work at his family's factory after high school, claiming that he would have Muramatsu and Yoshida dig him out of the hole should the factory start to fail again.
A response that was one hundred percent Itona.
Ritsu had gone on to live her life to the fullest on the internet, constantly upgrading herself in any way she saw fit. She would check in with the others of Class E, from now and then, always more than willing to help them out.
Hazama had found a job in a library, surrounded by the books she loves, Nakamura was over seas studying to be a diplomat, Sugaya was still perfecting his art, Kurahashi was giving nature tours to children, and everyone had been doing whatever it took to better themselves and taking step after step towards their individual career goals.
Then there was the world's weirdest, and scariest, couple ever.
Karma and Takina, their classmates were amused to see, had made it all through high school and university, their relationship only growing stronger, and in some of their opinions, stranger.
Much to the horror of Takina's father, who still referred to Karma as "that".
After high school, both worked diligently towards their goals while supporting each other. Karma, with a lot of hard work, and constant badgering from Takina not to let his guard down, made it through college and breezed through his governmental official examinations. He was well on his way to being the bureaucrat he was aiming for.
Takina, on the other hand, went on to win several dancing competitions throughout high school and college, before opening her own dance studio and starting her own dance troupe. Now she was a happy instructor, teaching young kids the love of dance that she held in her own heart.
The two had worked together for the last seven years, building their lives up, both separately and together. While still amazed by the weirdness of their relationship, because the two's way of showing "affection" looked more like them trying to kill each other even to this day, their former classmates weren't surprised to see how much the two had managed together.
In fact, there was one more thing Karma and Takina had made together.
"Hm...So this is going to be my new personal piggy bank, eh?"
Akabane Karma, now twenty-three, stood before the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, looking up at his new work place with a grin on his face. In the years since middle school, he had grown to stand over six feet tall, his face maturing as his body and mind did. Standing there in his suit, he heard a sigh from behind him.
"Please don't say that in front of anyone in there. At least attempt to keep your sadistic tendencies in control."
Hearing a voice more familiar to him at that point than his own parents' voices, Karma turned, his eyes landing on the stunning woman behind him. In the seven years since he had first met Takina, her snowy white hair had grown to fall to the back of her thighs, her body had matured, growing a few inches while her face had only become more regal in appearance. The one thing that had never changed, was those beautiful blue-green eyes of her that changed with the intensity of her emotions.
There was one more thing that had changed in those seven years, and it was currently looking back at him with eye as blue-green as Takina's, from the protective fold of Takina's arms.
"Especially don't say such things in front of our son. He doesn't need to grow up talking like you." Takina added.
Takina watched as the grin she had so long ago fallen in love with, curled Karma's mouth as he turned and bent to peer at their son. The two year old, who resembled his father save for having her eyes and hair that was more pink than red, let out a happy squeal, before wiggling around, trying to get to his father.
"Korose, stop wiggling." Takina told the child, shifting her grip on him before holding him out to Karma. "Take your son for a minute so he'll calm down."
Karma, chuckling, took the child from Takina, the boy instantly calming down. Takina deflated, heaving a sigh when she saw that.
"Something wrong?" Karma asked, grinning.
He knew all too well what was wrong.
"I swear, the two of you live to make my life difficult." Takina said with a huff.
At this point, Karma knew her well enough to know that she wasn't anywhere near as annoyed as she sounded. When it came to Karma and their son, he knew Takina was always a lot more lenient than she was with her dance students.
Hell, she was more lenient with everyone when compared to her dance students.
But that was just a part of why they loved her so much.
A beeping noise had the young woman digging a cellphone out of her pocket. Checking the screen, she let out a little "ah!".
"What is it?" Karma asked.
"Everyone else had already met up." Takina replied, putting her cellphone away before turning back to Karma and their son. "Come on, Korose. Time to tell Daddy goodbye. We have your aunts and uncles to go see."
The child, who his parents had named Korose after their beloved teacher, gave a happy cheer, leaning towards his mother. Takina took him from Karma, settling him on her hip. Karma caught her by the waist before she could move back, and pulled her and their son, closer.
"Don't over do it." he told her.
"Oh, please. You do realize who you're talking to, right? I made it all through my pregnancy with Korose while still dancing through most of it. I think I can handle a little, light cleaning duty during this pregnancy." Takina retorted. "Besides...Isogai is going to be there. He's not going to let me do anything to endanger his honorary niece or nephew."
Karma grinned, leaning down to capture her mouth in a short kiss. A kiss interrupted by the overly happy wiggling of their son. Both looked down at the little boy, Karma grinning at his son.
"Well, I guess that's my cue to get going." Takina said. Reaching up, she grabbed Karma by his tie, tugging to make him look down at her. "Knock them dead."
"You bet."
Takina waved as Karma headed for the front doors. Smiling as she lightly bounced her son, Takina turned on her heels. She had to hurry if she didn't want her friends to finish all of the work without her.
A town over, at the old building that use to be the location of Class E, a hand full of the former members of Class E, were hard at work cleaning up the grounds and the building they had bought with part of the reward money they had gotten for the assassination of Korosensei.
"Oh yeah, did you hear? Karma apparently breezed through his governmental official examinations." Maehara said as they worked.
"Man, that dude does not know the meaning of failure." Chiba replied.
"But, I hear that things only get tougher once you pass the examinations. I mean, this is politics. Stress and anxiety come with the territory. Apparently they put you through some intense, rigorous training. It begins with a gauntlet of interviews to see how diligent you are and how you handle pressure." Fuwa remarked.
"Good thing he has a wife that will keep him in line." Kimura added.
"I still can't believe the two of them got married like that." Kayano remarked.
"It's Karma and Takina. Should we really be surprised?" Maehara asked. "But its a good thing. Karma needed someone to keep him in line."
"If it's Takina, she'll make sure he doesn't slack off." Isogai agreed.
"You better bet I will."
Hearing the voice that entered the conversation, everyone turned. Walking towards them, a two year old in her arms, was Takina. Stopping to give them a smile, Takina waved.
"Hey guys. Been a while." she greeted.
"Takina! And you brought Korose!"
Yada, Fuwa, Hara, and Kataoka hurried over to Takina, Yada relieving Takina of her son. The child babbled off cheerfully as the women fawned over him, his mother smiling as she watched.
"You didn't have to make the trip all the way out here, Takina." Isogai told her as the others joined them.
"And miss a chance to get to see you guys? Yeah, no. I'm pregnant, not sick." Takina told him, Isogai smiling back at her.
"Have you found out the gender yet?" Kataoka asked.
"I'm not far enough along yet." Takina replied.
"What do you want it to be?" Hara asked.
"Well, quite frankly, I don't care either way. As long as it's healthy. As for Karma...part of him wants another boy, because it amuses him that I'm out numbered in our house. The other part of him wants a daughter so he can, quote-on-quote, "Train her to be a bitch just like her mother.". He thinks he's funny." Takina told them. "Unfortunately for him, he made the joke at two in the morning after I had just dealt with a sick baby for the week leading up to that. He went out the next morning with a black eye."
Laughter rang out from her former classmates. They could perfectly picture the whole scene. Despite moments like that, when Karma really tested the limits of Takina's patience, they all knew she still loved him.
They couldn't fathom why, but she truly did.
Didn't hurt that, on a good day...Takina agreed with the bitch part.
Okajima choose that moment to act like a two year old himself, and start a water fight. Takina, her son in hand once again, stood back with Kayano, watching as their friends splashed water at each other. It reminded Takina of the time when Yanagisawa had tricked Terasaka into blowing out the dam of the Class E pool and they had all ended up splashing water on Itona to distract him while Korosensei saved Hara from a nasty fall.
It was nice to see that not everything had changed.
"Nice to see that we can still be the same around each other." Takina remarked to Kayano.
"I know, right?" Kayano replied.
It was then that Hara, dripping water, slipped up next to Kayano.
"So, Kayano...how's it goin' with Nagisa? Have you been keeping in touch?" Hara asked, making Kayano blush.
"Hrmmm...I'm pretty sure I'm just an after-thought for Nagisa. Assassins of his ilk will always be focused solely on their targets." Kayano replied.
"I wouldn't take it personally," Takina told her, smile on her face. "After all, Nagisa has always been the one to be most like Korosensei. That's just how he is."
"Says the dancing teacher who's teaching her students with all the intensity as Korosensei did." Fuwa remarked.
Takina wouldn't argue it. Korosensei, in that one year, had given her far more than any teacher, instructor, or tutor had in her entire life. He had given her a new out look on life, had given her a second chance when she had thought she would be doomed to walk a path of darkness her whole life.
He had given her the chance to live as happily as she currently did.
Things might not have ended the way she wanted them to, but she couldn't begrudge the ending that Korosensei had been happy with. It was why she had insisted on naming her son in honor of Korosensei, Karma agreeing.
After all, if it hadn't been Korosensei, the creature that had drawn her to Class E, their son wouldn't exist.
So, yes, Takina had a lot to be grateful to Korosensei for, and every time she looked at her son's smiling face, even when it was laughing at his father completely humiliating someone else, it reminded her of everything she owed to Korosensei. Whatever waited after death, Takina only hoped that Korosensei had found the peace he had so deserved.
As for them, life would go on.
It was up to them to make the most of it.
THE END
Kyandi: I won't cry, I won't cry, I swear I won't cry!
Takina: Uh...you're already crying.
Kyandi: I know! I always cry when I finish a story. After all the work I put into it, it's so sad that it ends.
Takina: At least you have the sequel to look forward to.
Kyandi: Very true. Until I get the sequel ready to post, I do hope you all will enjoy some of my other works.
Takina: There's quite a few.
Kyandi: Yeah...I need to get to finishing some of those too.
Takina: That you do.
Kyandi: Alright, as much as I hate to say it, it's time to say goodbye. Everyone, thank you once again. I hope you enjoyed it and will review.
Takina: We'll return with the sequel after she's managed to finish off some of her other stories.
Kyandi: Goodbye for the time being!