Because of Small Things
Epilogue

Etsuko LeBlanc-Jaganshi stared herself in the mirror of her glorious room. She had just finished showering and today was the day her training finally finished. Her pale face was glorious to look at, even with the small bruise that lined the left side of her jaw line. Her blond hair had managed to grow out and it fell in damp clumps at her lower back. She quickly took a towel to her hair and sighed, tossing the towel aside and heading to the small vanity chest that was standing beside her full length mirror. She sat and began brushing her hair out, thinking over the past four years.

It has been four years since she made Ilisthrium her permanent residence and pulled herself away from her family, to get her mind stable. That was a success since nowadays, she was normal and there were no more abnormalities. She had full control of everything in her body, mind, and spirit nowadays and had gained the name of her father honorably. Last night the elves, including the leader Caranthir, threw her a huge celebration. Etsuko smiled at that thought, but her mind became distracted as the door to her bedroom creaked open. She looked over to see a beautiful girl smiling over her with a large, pearly white grin. She was wearing a graceful elven made dress that was made with the finest sheer and silk material and it was a beautiful maroon color that flowed over her arms. The girl looked to be only three, almost four and she had a striking face with pudgy cheeks that looked to be already thinning into the beautiful high cheek bones of today's society.

She was very petit in size already so Etsuko knew the child wouldn't be tall at all. The girl had elegant black hair that cut close to her chin in an angular line but her eyes were a very magical color; they were a mixture of red and grey. They were more like a musty crimson red, especially around the pupil. The girl hung on the door knob and giggled, "Come on, mommy! We have to go see daddy!" Etsuko smiled and nodded, standing and quickly dressing into a similar dress to the child's, except Etsuko's was long and elegant there were no sleeves, but instead two sheer fabrics were stitched together and flowed down her arms and to about her calves. The child watched and Etsuko smiled.

"Alright, I'm coming. Settle your horses, Quincy," Etsuko stated, laughing as her daughter hopped with a whine. Etsuko walked out of the room, her hand grasping the small pale hand of Quincy's. They raced down the stairways that lead from Etsuko's bedroom and Etsuko smiled as the child released her hand and quickened her pace, racing down the stairway. Etsuko sighed. "Slow down, Quincy, ok? I don't want you to hurt yourself again," Etsuko stated as Quincy laughed. Etsuko and Quincy finally met the ground level and Etsuko crossed the pathway to the main corridors. They were staying in one of the lone houses that were located up on a tree and Etsuko stared up, smiling. The stairs leading up the tree were made up of the finest glass and Caranthir had explained that only a bomb of unnatural strength would be able to destroy them, or a simple incantation of elven magic.

"Hurry up, mommy! Daddy is going to start his fight soon," Quincy yelled over her shoulder and Etsuko hurried her pace, running beside her daughter. Unfortunately for Etsuko, Quincy had inherited her father's speed and agility and could beat Etsuko in a race any day. However, Quincy had inherited Etsuko's and her father's powers both. She could manipulate flames but her mind was amazingly strong for a child's; Etsuko couldn't wait to see her when she was older and mature with her powers fully developed. Caranthir was always saying he saw great potential in their child.

"There it is, mommy! Hurry!" Quincy yelled and Etsuko laughed, nodding. Ahead of them were the doors to the palace and they had to exit out of those before entering the clearing that Caranthir named the training clearing. Etsuko hurried more so she could push the doors open for Quincy and a smile broke over the child's face as she stared at the scene; Etsuko smiled as well. Her love, her husband was training against one of the elves and doing rather well compared to the first day he came here. Etsuko had to admit, against elves he sucked really badly. Now he had the advantage with his sword of Elira and his newly found techniques he was taught by Caranthir.

Etsuko smiled and bit the corner of his lip; she loved that man with all her heart. She'd always love that fire yokai named Hiei and she knew he'd always love her. He looked over and smirked before finishing off the fight by grabbing the elf's arm and swinging him over his back and pointing his sword against his neck. The elf tapped the ground and Hiei smirked, standing and beginning to walk toward me as the surrounding elves clapped. Quincy giggled and ran toward her father, who bent down slightly to pick her up and sit her on his hip. Those two were so close; they had the truest daughter to father bond. Hiei almost kills elves for even looking at his daughter wrong since she really was beautiful in their eyes.

Etsuko greeted him by kissing him and he kissed her back; Quincy grinned. Etsuko stood by Hiei's side and he laced his hand with her as they headed into the nearby, surrounding thicket of trees. They often walked theses trees whenever Etsuko or Hiei weren't training, which was today. "We leave today," Hiei mumbled and Quincy grinned again, nodding. Etsuko nodded, feeling too overwhelmed to grin. Her family visited often but it was nice to say that she was heading back, for good. Caranthir was sad of course since he'd rather the family live in Ilisthrium permanently. Etsuko promised last night that they'd visit as often as they could.

"I packed our bags this morning," Etsuko stated and Hiei nodded. "I can't believe we're heading back home, Hiei… I can't express how happy I am." Hiei chuckled, nodding. Even though Hiei never voiced it aloud, Etsuko knew he missed the others as well, probably not as much as Etsuko but still missed them. Hiei always looked so happy whenever they visited and he and Kurama would go into the forest as well, to talk. Etsuko would sit in the room with Yusuke and Kuwabara and they'd clue her in on what was happening on the outside.

From their last visit, she learned Yusuke and Keiko were engaged and going to get married as soon as Etsuko and Hiei moved back home. Kuwabara and Yukina were finally a public couple, which Etsuko kept from Hiei since the whole visit would be ruined by the death of Kuwabara. Etsuko didn't want a funeral to go home too as well. Hiei is still clueless about that, or at least he gives that off. Etsuko doesn't doubt Kurama's told him but she still stays quiet.

"We have a wedding to go to," Etsuko stated, chuckling slightly. Hiei looked at her questioningly. "Yusuke's wedding, remember?" Hiei nodded and rolled his eyes. "What?"

"Marriage is such a human thing," Hiei mumbled and Etsuko laughed, but nodded. It was amazing to see how bonded Hiei and Etsuko were just because of the mating bite he gave her years ago and to look at marriages that weren't as bonded or close as the two. Etsuko always told the comparison to Hiei, who really didn't care but still listened nonetheless. They turned around from their walking and headed back again as Quincy rested her head on Hiei's shoulder, dozing off. She was always calmer whenever Hiei was around; it was like she minded Hiei better which Etsuko didn't doubt. Hiei wasn't exactly "lovey dovey" with her like Etsuko was from time to time. Hiei was the strict one but Quincy loved him more, Etsuko guessed.

They crossed to their house and paused; a crowd of elves were standing around the trunk of their tree home and Caranthir was standing at the bottom of the stairs while some helper elves brought down their bags and items they acquired here. Etsuko smiled and released her hand from Hiei's, crossing forward. Caranthir smiled and embraced Etsuko in a tight hug. "You will always be welcome here, daughter of Elladan," he stated, smiling. Etsuko smiled, nodding and hugged Eldàrwen as well, who smiled and wiped the corner of her eye before a tear could fall. Etsuko and Eldàrwen bonded real well over the period of time since she over looked her training more than Caranthir did. Eldàrwen told her it was because she was a woman and needed a woman's guidance instead of a man's, which was true. Eldàrwen knew better about a woman's emotions than Caranthir did, to be believed. Etsuko stood back and smiled at all her friends and newly found family.

"Thank you all for letting us live here," Etsuko stated, smiling genuinely as Hiei handed her Quincy and helped load their bags into a carriage that would lead them to the edge of the Ilisthrium forest and they'd travel by foot from there; it was only a two day travel and they didn't have that much stuff. Quincy had a bag, Etsuko had two and Hiei had one. Etsuko had two only because she wanted to take some of her elven clothes, but they were neatly folded into a shoulder bag so it'd be easier. They climbed into the carriage and Etsuko waved bye to everyone as the elves began waving bye as well. Quincy yelled bye and waved bye to her little elven friends as well, grinning wildly. Etsuko smiled and sighed, looking forward to the travel home.

…::::…

"Come on guys, they'll be home any minute," Keiko hollered, glancing excitedly at the door. Yusuke and Kuwabara were clumsily hanging up a "welcome home" banner while Kurama put the final touches on the cake that was sitting on the separating counter of the kitchen. Koenma was even there, being the look out of the window as Botan bustled around, throwing confetti to "brighten up the place" and Yukina stood beside Keiko, the ghost of a smile on her lips. Yusuke received word a few days ago from Caranthir that the family was heading home and didn't know he was telling them so Yusuke began planning a surprise party, which was taken over by Keiko the moment she found out.

"They're within seeing distance," Koenma explained and Keiko gasped, telling everyone to hurry up. Yusuke and Kuwabara finished and began helping with the small present they've been working on for the past two days for the family. It was a photo album they've been working on since Eldàrwen often sent them pictures of the family, secretly of course. It was amazing what artifacts elves picked up on. When everyone had seen Quincy when she was born, Yusuke claimed himself her body guard from the "perverts". "Okay, they're going to come in within ten minutes," Koenma whispered and everyone began hiding as Koenma flicked the lights off. They were thankful it was nearing night and they could hide in the dark.

Etsuko and Hiei walked the familiar pathway as Quincy nervously stared up at the house. "What if they don't like me?" she asked and Etsuko paused, staring at her daughter as Hiei smirked.

"They'll love you, baby," Etsuko commented, smiling and kissing her daughter's cheek. Quincy smiled and nodded, wrapping her arms around Hiei's neck. Etsuko pushed the door open as Hiei walked in and they both narrowed their eyes. It was pitch dark and they could hardly see anything so Etsuko reached over and flicked the lights on and when she did:

"Welcome home!" everyone shouted and Etsuko jumped slightly as Quincy screamed out excitedly. Etsuko grinned and happy tears welled up into her eyes as she stared around. Instantly she was embraced in a hug from Yusuke and she sucked in her bottom lip, trying not to sob too hard as she hugged her loved ones, one by one.

"This must be Quincy," Yusuke stated winking as Quincy, who grinned nodding. "I'm Yusuke."

"I know! Mommy always showed me pictures of everybody!" Quincy stated. Yusuke smiled. "Daddy, you can let me down now." Hiei nodded and set her down, smirking as she greeted herself to everyone in the room. "And you must be Lord Koenma," Quincy stated to the toddler sized Koenma who nodded with a grin. "Mommy told me how you helped her from that evil place… Thank you because if you didn't, I wouldn't be here right now," Quincy stated and everyone laughed. Etsuko blushed slightly and shook her head as Quincy began to be more comfortable with Yukina, who Etsuko hugged twice. Etsuko glanced at Hiei, who was eyeing Yukina with a regretful look. Etsuko smiled and shook her head, beginning a conversation with Keiko and Botan about the upcoming wedding as she saw Kurama and Hiei talking together.

Etsuko was finally home, where she belonged…

Author Ending Notes: I had so much fun making this series and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as you reviewed and commented. It's been a pleasure, my loves and I'm happy to say my next installment will be up within days. I love you all! Thanks for sticking with me through this long journey of Etsuko LeBlanc. Love, Jenn.