A/N: Well, after last chapter's cliffy, I'm sure you are ready for the final chapter of "Surviving Through Changes." Oh, I totally want to cry, but I won't. I will keep myself together. I dedicated this last chapter to all of my reviewers. Thanks for making this story a success. All of you are fantastic!
Final Disclaimer: Yugioh, Sailor Moon, and Code Geass are not mine. None of the songs I used in this story are mine either. I only own my original characters. Enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 100
Endtapes
Mina P.O.V.
Joey frantically stepped inside. "Back up…hurry."
I stepped back as Joey glanced down the hall. Then, he rushed inside and slammed the door shut, bolting the locks as fast as he could.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my eyes now locked on the cut across the back of Joey's shirt. It was stained in blood. "Joey, are you okay?"
"Don't talk," Joey replied, kneeling down and pressing his ear to the door. I quickly put my hands over my mouth to stop myself from asking more questions. Artemis stared up at me worriedly before glancing back at Joey.
Minutes of tense silence passed. Every second felt like an eternity. Ugh, if there's one thing I hate more than having my life turned upside down over and over again, it's being kept waiting when I've got important questions that need to be answered.
A few more tense moments pass and then, thankfully, Joey's body finally relaxes. "Everything's okay now…"
"OKAY! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!"
Joey flinched, inching closer to the door. There was evident fear in his eyes and that made my temper fizzle out almost immediately. Back at Duelist Kingdom, there had been one moment that Joey had looked like this. That was the moment those assassins attacked us and nearly killed him.
Slowly I walked toward him, kneeling carefully so I wouldn't scare him. "Joey, what happened to you?"
His gaze narrowed to the carpeted floor. "My dad happened."
"Your dad?" I asked.
"What did he do?" Artemis questioned.
Joey let out a sigh. "He came home earlier than I expected and…tonight he tried to kill me. I almost didn't make it out in time. He was going to make me suffer. He was going to draw out my pain for as long as possible until…until…"
"It's okay," I cut in, "you don't have to say it. I understand." Gently I took a hold of his hand. "Let me help you up. I need to check that cut on your back."
Joey simply nodded. I turned to Artemis and silently told him that I needed to talk to Joey alone. He was reluctant to leave, but one pout sent him packing. Again, it works every time.
I sat Joey down at the kitchen table. From the corner of my eye I caught sight of the ice cream tub I'd left out. "Want ice cream or something?"
"No, I'm not hungry."
This was definitely serious. A day that Joey Wheeler wasn't hungry was definitely not a good one.
The next few minutes became of blur of putting things away and looking for the peroxide to use on the cuts Joey had on his back, cheek, and head. As I searched, Joey would let out soft groans of pain. Every time he did that my chest would tighten. Joey was always cheerful, even in the most dire situation, but right now it was clear that he was in real pain and anguish. It worried me more than I care to admit.
Eventually I found the peroxide, and along the way I managed to find some bandages too.
"Okay," I muttered, grabbing a washcloth from out of the drawer by the sink. "This'll sting a bit, but just hold still." I reached for the chair by him and scooted it closer so I could see the cuts better. At least I had learned something from Ami.
"This has never happened before," Joey whispered. "He's beaten me before…but he never tried to kill me."
I stayed silent, focusing on pouring bits of peroxide onto the washcloth.
"I…I think I understand why mom left me with him now," he continued, his voice quieter than before. "She hates me just like he hates me."
Pausing I stared up at Joey. His gaze was far from me, off in some other world I wasn't sure I could pull him out of, but I had to try.
"Joey, I'm sure that your mother doesn't hate you," I told him, gently pressing the washcloth to the cut on his cheek. "She must've had some reason for doing what she did. I honestly don't see any reason why anyone would hate you Joey. You're a good person."
Joey let out a small bitter laugh. "You're just saying that…"
"I am not," I interrupted, wiping away the blood before putting a band-aid on his cheek. "There's no reason why anyone, especially your parents, should hate you. You're funny and kind, and you're a great duelist. Sure, you act like an idiot sometimes, but you're extremely intelligent and you always keep your promises. Plus…you stood by me when no one else did, so…no I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I mean it."
Joey's chocolate gaze lifted slightly. "Really?"
"Really," I answered, pressing the cloth to his head next. He grimaced a bit, but otherwise didn't show any reaction to the stinging pain. I smiled a bit. "It's a good thing that these cuts are thin and short. They aren't deep either, so I don't think you'll need any stitches."
"You might be speaking too soon," Joey replied. "The one on my back is a long cut. It may not be deep but…that's where I'm losing the most blood."
My gaze drifted behind the chair Joey was sitting in. I could see what he meant from the small puddle on the floor. His blood was definitely dripping out from his back. I better hurry.
Quickly I laced my fingers underneath the sides of Joey's shirt.
He tensed. "What are you doing?"
"I'm taking off your shirt for you," I replied simply, keeping the tone of my voice neutral. "Moving too much might cause you to bleed more, so I'll take care of it."
"No, that's okay," Joey protested, eyeing me pleadingly. "I don't mind the pain. Really, if I bleed out more…"
"Do you not want me to see something?"
Joey stammered and turned his head from me. Apparently his blood on the floor was much more interesting.
With a sigh I raised my hand to the side of his chin, gently turning his head to make him look at me.
"Joey, even with all of your flaws, I can't think of anyone whose beauty rivals yours."
The boy in front of me blinked for a few seconds, but it wasn't long before he busted out laughing. "That's got to be the cheesiest thing I've ever heard in my life…"
"I'm glad you feel that way, cause you're the one that said it first," I cut in, smirking at him before placing my hand back under the hem of his shirt. "The point is that you don't have to worry about your flaws with me Joey. I won't judge you because you didn't judge me."
Joey stared at me for a long moment. His expression reflected uncertainty, but his body relaxed as the minutes passed.
One deep breath later and I was ready. "May I?"
He gave a simple nod.
By slow degrees I lifted the bottom of his shirt up, revealing his abdomen. I kept my eyes away, focusing on my work as I continued moving the shirt upward. With a swift glance at his chest I motioned for him to lift his arms a bit. He complied and the back of the shirt rose over his wound. Gently I pulled the back of his shirt over his head before pulling the rest of the shirt away from his arms.
"There," I murmured, walking around so that I was behind him. "Okay, I can't see the wound because of the back of the chair. Do you think you can stand?"
"Yeah, but…prepare yourself."
"Prepare myself…" my voice trailed off as Joey stood, revealing his whole back to me. I could clearly see the cut now, but I could clearly see the bruises on his back as well. On one of his shoulder blades I could easily see a scar, also a cut from a knife. There were some other scars along his back, but they were lighter, so it was harder to see what had made them.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It is a longer cut," was my only verbal reaction as I quickly turned the chair he'd been sitting in around. "I need you to sit down again, but I want your chest against the back of the chair.
He nodded and sat down, bad boy style, crossing his arms on top of the back of the chair. Basically, the boy was sitting backwards.
My eyes quickly scanned the long cut before I rushed to get the peroxide. The other two cuts had stopped bleeding pretty fast, but this one might take a bit longer.
"I noticed that ya don't have a lot of food in your fridge," Joey said suddenly. "You might want to go shopping soon."
"Actually," I paused, unsure of how to tell him, "um…I'm leaving soon."
"Leaving?"
"Yeah," I replied, pressing the cloth a little harder. "I bought a plane ticket to Japan. I'm going there…to rescue my mom."
"Your mom?" Joey questioned. "I thought she was…"
"I thought so too," I cut in. "You see, I got a phone call from her yesterday, telling me that I had to come to Japan as soon as possible because my friends are in trouble; however, I found out that E.E. can manipulate my mom's will. That's why she tried to kill me before Duelist Kingdom. She was an experiment for a human weapon."
"So, you're going to Japan to find her?"
"I am."
There were a few more minutes of silence between us. In that time, I managed to stop the bleeding on Joey's back. Now I just had to bandage it and his head wound.
"When are you leaving?" he asked once I'd finished wrapping his head in bandages.
"Tomorrow at noon."
"Tomorrow?"
I nodded and motioned for him to stand. He quickly rose. "Alright Joey, lift up your arms again. I'm going to see if I can manage this…wait why didn't you go to the hospital?"
"Too far, and I didn't want cops investigating my home."
"No offense, but it doesn't sound like much of home," I told him, unraveling more bandages as I began to wrap them around Joey's back and chest. He didn't need all of these bandages, but I had to make sure that he wouldn't bleed out again.
Joey glanced back at me as I worked. "It's not much of a home, but it's the only home I have Mina. I'll just have to deal with it until I'm eighteen."
My hands tightened on the bandages. I was supposed to be tying them, but I had stopped in my tracks. It was as if my hands had become frozen statues. It wasn't long before I felt my body shake.
"Are you alright?" Joey asked. I tried to answer him, but found that I couldn't for reasons I can't express. The words were completely locked in my throat.
"No…" I finally managed to choke out. "That man tried to kill you and I…you just can't get hurt like this again okay." I stepped back from him as I finished tying the last bandage around him. "You can sit down now."
Joey turned the chair back around and sat, leaning back at bit. "Mina, you worry too much."
"I do not," I argued, throwing the washcloth into the sink. "I worry just enough. You're the one that worries too much. At Duelist Kingdom, I couldn't do anything without you harping down my back."
"Now I know the feeling," Joey replied, rolling his eyes.
I walked back to the table and sat down in my chair. "One thing is for sure. I don't want you going back to that apartment. I don't want to come back and find out that you got killed by your father. Sorry, I can't…I won't go through that."
"Well where am I supposed to stay?"
"That's easy," I told him, "you can stay here while I'm…" the sentence hung in the air as a different thought came to mind.
"And," Joey pressed, his questioning expression watching my every move.
A sudden and ridiculous question struck me. "Joey, what are you doing for Christmas?"
Joey sighed. "Well, with my family life the way it is…I don't really get to celebrate Christmas. I usually hang out with Yugi and the gang Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day I usually just wander the streets of Domino. You know, window shopping and all that crap."
"Why would you just wander around Domino?" I asked, the wheels in my mind turning.
"Well…I don't want to burden anyone, especially on Christmas."
I studied Joey's expression as a completely crazy idea started to work its way into my head. Parts of the idea were horrible. Even thinking up such a scheme was risky, maybe even more dangerous than the wrath of Joey's father.
But I had to ask him. I had to ask him because there were two plane tickets to Japan laying on the nightstand of my room and Joey needed an escape from his father. We were already out of school for holiday break, so there was no reason why either of us had to stay here. We could escape this place and its troubles together.
Besides that, I owed Joey after everything he had done for me. It was my turn to go out of my way to help him out.
I would give him the perfect Christmas.
Reaching across the table, I took his hand in mine and stared directly into his puzzled chocolate eyes.
"Joey, what would you say if I asked you to come with me?"
A/N: THE END. And I left you guys yet another cliffy to deal with. Not to mention that its at the end of the story too. Muhahahahaha! Don't give me that look, you guys love cliffhangers. You just don't want to admit it.
Now to personally thank all of my reviewers. Those in bold are good friends, those who helped in the creative development of this story, and/or inspired my writing.
In the order that people reviewed…
angelic aquarian, Kurai-98, nequam-tenshi, Black Cat Angel, Sakura Lisel, Azelf 1717, Dusty Hallway, TATIANA, yugilover, xx-darkvampireangel-xx, marc, kanna-chan94, Dr-fanmai-lover, WolvesKey, Unknown reviewer, Mariklover 222, Princesa De La Luna, Aki no Tsuki, Heaven'sKnight 15, Realms of Destiny, Tangerine Cherry Blossoms, Fire Ice and Snowcones, Nightblaze the female deputy, Phil the Persona Guy, Mirria 1, Dustfinger's cheering section, Mayonaka Yoreki, the2016TC, Mukila, Cosmic Kiss, and SuperNova 23
Next I'd like to thank those who added this story to their favorites list. The bold thing applies here as well. These are in alphabetical order.
Aki no Tsuki, andrewjeeves, animefan1029, Black Cat Angel, bonbon 2007, boo56, catlover 123456789, CyberChick 135, Cosmic Kiss, Cristallodighiaccionero, Dustfinger's cheering section, Dusty Hallway, Gallantmon of the Hazard, Heaven's Knight 15, HollyKalinaStabler, i can't be trusted, JediSpiritMonk, Kanna-chan94, Kevin lowe, LadySongbird 16, lonewolfgirl-sademo 588, Macky316, Mariklover 222, Mewtwo master, Mirria 1, Moon Rune, Moreno X25, ms. kittybits, mylight 85, Pokemon Knight, Princess Aaliyah, Raven Yuki-Slifer Queen, Realms of Destiny, Romantic Haberdashery, Sakura Lisel, sakurademonalchemist, SeiraMizu, ShiMaiQi, Sparkle Rabbit Brownies, SuperNova 23, Tangerine Cherry Blossoms, TerrisH, Wal Otter, xx-darkvampireangel-xx, xx-sarah93-xx, Yasushi, and Yin Shi.
Special Thanks to…
nequam-tenshi: You were one of my constant reviewers. I thank you for all the comments you made. They were really nice.
Black Cat Angel: My honorary soul sista and one of my best friends on this site. Thanks for always encouraging me and giving me great ideas. I've had loads of fun working and talking with you. You have fabulous ideas and I hope that all of your dreams come true.
Azelf 1717: Your reviews really made me think, and they really helped in the development of this story, especially where Mina's heritage is concerned. For a while I struggled with the idea of if I should make Pegasus actually be her biological father or not, but I was encouraged by your reviews and decided that it would work, so thanks. You rock!
Dusty Hallway: You were very nice to me when I emailed you those few times and I read some of your stories. You also helped me begin to start using commas right. (Though it is still one of my weaknesses.) Thanks for your compliments and support.
WolvesKey: Thanks for reading my earlier chapters with a critical eye. I know that Sailor Venus wasn't in this story as much as she should have been and I'm glad you pointed it out to me. You're constructive criticism really helped me out. It's appreciated, so thanks.
Princesa De La Luna: You're always so nice to me and you always give me info on great stories that are out on this site. You have great taste and I thank you for all of your reviews and your help. It's greatly appreciated.
Realms of Destiny: Okay, first off. You totally rock. Your compliments always make my day! Plus, you always give fantabulous ideas and introduced me to a character in the series I didn't know existed, Ace, Mina's actual first love from the Sailor V manga. That's definitely going to tie into this story later and I thank you for making it known to me. This story definitely wouldn't be what it is without your help and support. Thanks for sticking with it for so long and for all of your encouragement. You are totally an honorary soul sista!
Dustfinger's cheering section: I simply loved your reviews. You always asked such great questions that prompted ideas for this story and its coming sequels.
Fire Ice Snowcones: I've read some of the Sailor Moon/Yugioh crossover that you've been writing, and I really like it so far. It actually helped in the Seto/Mina moments towards the end of this story and I'm really grateful for it. You are really talented, so keep it up.
Mayonaka Yoreki: The last two chapters of this story were totally inspired by your story, "A Fresh Start," which is a Inuyasha and Durarara crossover that really has nothing to do with my story whatsoever, but it was expertly written and it gave me the extra kick I needed to finish up the final two chapters of this story. Also, thanks for your review too. I'm glad that you enjoyed my story. Keep up the awesome work.
the2016TC: Thanks for your awesome compliment in your review. I was so honored and thanks for extending out your hand of friendship too. It was a really sweet gesture and I hope you will have a bright future.
Mukila: Thank you for your idea about Mina going to school with Mokuba. I totally loved writing about it, and though I didn't go into depth, Mina may go back to Mokuba's school again, who knows. I might just write up a side story that tells of Mina's adventures within Kaiba Corp. as the months passed since I kind of rushed the ending a bit. We'll just have to see. In any case, thanks so much!
Cosmic Kiss: Thanks so much for your reviews and for the nice things you've said to me. Also, thanks for the opportunity to help on a story that's sure to be fantastic. I wish you the best. Good luck!
SuperNova 23: Okay, we only just started talking about a month ago, and I thought I'd let you know that I think you are really talented and intelligent. Just remember to never sell yourself short and always put your best foot forward. I'm very glad that I got to know you. Thanks for reading this story. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Alright, now that the thank you notes are out of the way, let us get to the special portion of this chapter. Below, you will find the following.
1.) Q & A: Where I answer all of the questions the readers sent me through PM's or reviews.
2.) The Soundtrack: Where I list all of the songs, in the order they appeared, in this story.
3.) Advertisements: For my other stories and for stories I've read on this site that I think all of you might enjoy.
4.) Special Advertisement: This is for a story my new friend Cosmic Kiss is writing. In this section, I'll tell you more about it. Believe me, this is going to be an awesome story!
5.) Sister Story Preview: This is only for those who haven't already read "A Date With Destiny." A lot of people may not know of the epic fandom that is Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. This anime/manga, ties into this story a lot and "The Golden Strands," will be set in the Code Geass world. So, if you just want to get a preview of what Code Geass is about and/or read the first chapter of "A Date With Destiny" to see what the madness is about, this section of my special author's note is for you.
Alright, let's get it going!
Q & A
In this section I will answer all the questions the readers sent to me. (Also, if you the reader asked more than one question, I have spread them out throughout the Q & A.)
Italics = Questions
Regular = Answers
Okay, the first question of the day will be from SuperNova 23.
Will Tides of Love have Mina returning to Japan, or will it feature Battle City?
Well, that is a great question indeed and it has a pretty lengthy explanation.
"Tides of Love" is the official sequel of this story; however, there is a prequel to the sequel, which I have named "The Golden Strands." This story will be written and posted before Tides of Love. I call it a prequel simply because it's going to be semi-short with only twenty or so chapters. Now, back to the initial question, Tides of Love will cover Battle City in its entirety, though I may end up writing another story along with Tides of Love since the Battle City arc is two seasons long. We'll see. The Golden Strands, will take place in Japan. I hope that answers your question.
Now, the next question comes from Cosmic Kiss.
My question is when will we see Mina's dad again? Will Pegasus return?
Well, to answer your question about Mina's father…as of now, he will not appear in "The Golden Strands." However, you will learn more about him in the story and about the history behind the Ashford family. As for Pegasus…he probably won't be back for a while either, but he'll be mentioned.
Next question is from Dustfinger's cheering section.
It's been a while since Fernando has any screen time. Did he die? I can't help but think of him as a villain.
I can assure you that Fernando is alive and well. He has simply left Domino City. He was there to deliver a message to Mina and now that its delivered, he has reported back to E.E. Because of this, I guess you could say that Fernando is quote on quote, a villain, but he has a soft side. He likes Mina and wishes her the best, but he's more concerned with protecting what he loves, and that would be Kaguya, who is a character all of you are going to meet at some point during The Golden Strands. There's a lot more to his story that hasn't been delved into yet, but will in the coming sequel, so stay tuned.
Hope that answers your question.
Our next question of the day is from Mukila.
What are the pairings?
Now that is a semi-spoilerific question. I'm sure everyone can tell that there are hints of Joey/Mina and Kaiba/Mina in this story. Truth be told, I'm thinking of a love triangle between the three of them, and once you throw Mai into the equation, you've got a love square going on and a whole lot of problems. There's no telling who's going to be with who when it comes to them. I will however tell you some of the other pairings I have in mind.
Yugi or Yami/Tea
Tristan/Serenity
Fernando/ Kaguya (You'll find out who Kaguya is in the Golden Strands)
As the story progresses, there'll be more pairings, but for now this is all I can reveal.
Alright, so far so great. Let's keep moving!
Our next question of the day comes from Phil the Persona Guy.
What exactly is Geass?
Many of you do not know the epic fandom that is Code Geass, but I will explain what Geass is here for you now.
Geass is basically a supernatural power that a select few posses. When it comes to Mina, her Geass had lived within her for all of her life, but had been dormant until her trip to the Shadow Realm when old memories resurfaced. Geass manifests differently for each person, so the people who have this power all have different abilities. Mina's ability is to see into the past and travel through dimensions. The latter hasn't been delved into much yet, but in the future it will. Fernando's power is to manipulate emotions. He can make an angry person feel at ease with just a few words. Sometimes his power takes direct eye contact, but only if the person he's using it on is particularly strong willed like Kaiba.
Fernando obtained his Geass from E.E, who you will learn more about in the future, but she is an immortal being that's lived for thousands of years. Her goal is to destroy the Sailor Scouts and obtain the power of chaos, which the Sailor Scouts had a first hand at battling when they fought Galaxia.
Geass is usually given through an immortal such as E.E. The reason for this is because they once had a Geass, but upon gaining immortality, gave that power away in exchange for a Code, which is what makes them immortal. It's actually a cycle, but not one I can completely disclose as of yet. For those who have seen Code Geass, you all know what I'm talking about. I highly recommend that all of you look up Code Geass on YouTube. It is the best anime ever! You guys will love it!
This next fabulous question is from SuperNova 23. This guy really asked some good questions.
In the ending of A Date With Destiny, [Spoiler], gained the Geass to [Spoiler], but it takes five years for it to recharge. Couldn't Setsuna manipulate time to make it recharge faster just in case?
Sorry I had to put big bold Spoiler indicators in your question, but it had to be done for the sake of those who haven't read A Date With Destiny. As for your question, that's something I didn't think about to be honest, but I do have an explanation for why Setsuna cannot manipulate time in this case.
See, Setsuna actually isn't supposed to manipulate time. Doing so causes an imbalance to the space time continuum, which…gah, there's a spoiler thing in there too. Well, basically the space time continuum is already imbalanced due to something that the main antagonists of both of these stories, *cough* E.E. *cough*, has done. But you won't find out about that until later, so unfortunately, I kind of have to leave you hanging on that, but the other reason why Setsuna wouldn't be able to use her powers is because [Spoiler Character] didn't tell them. Plus, Setsuna fast forwarding through time would make it impossible for the [spoiler character] to use her power on the person [spoiler action]. This is because Setsuna and the [spoiler character] would have to travel five years into the future. Time may be the same for the two of them, but for everyone else it would be like they disappeared for five years and the person that [spoiler character] tried to save…well it would already be way too late. Also, the time frame for the main events of Code Geass is only 2 to 3 years, so skipping five years wouldn't do much good story wise. Still, this was a really great question.
You may not have read it yet or maybe you have, but A Date With Destiny has an incomplete sequel called Here We Go Again. So far it has fifteen chapters, but I believe I will be posting new chapters very soon. Thanks again for your question.
Next question is from Dustfinger's cheering section.
While I love Joey, I'm a Kaiba fan-girl at heart. Do you think you can work his eventual happiness into things or will that throw off your plot? Will there be conflict between him and Joey for Mina?
Awesome question! Okay, Kaiba is a very complex character. He's actually the hardest character to write for. I've been debating whether or not he should fall for Mina, but clearly he is, so that's going to cause problems for Joey and Mina's relationship if the two of them get romantically involved. I believe in happy endings so Kaiba will be happy by the time I'm through with all this madness, but all of the characters in this story and the following stories are going to go through trials and tribulations, but end up better people in the end. And since Kaiba and Joey both kind of have a thing for Mina…lets just say there'll probably some conflict at some point. It's coming!
Hope that answers your question.
Our next question comes from Realms of Destiny.
Will Ace be making an appearance in the sequel?
For those of you who have not read the Sailor V manga, (me included here), Ace is actually Mina's first love before Alan. In the manga, Sailor Venus goes to China after discovering that Ace was actually working for the Negaverse. It is there that she kills Ace.
Or so she thinks…
Ace may not make an appearance in the Golden Strands, but he will be mentioned. However, in Tides of Love…expect him to show up at some point.
Thanks for the awesome question. And thanks for introducing me to Ace's character. There's actually more to be said about this character that needs to be mentioned, but there's actually a story on fan fiction that can pretty much tell you everything you want to know about Ace. It's a story called Ace of Hearts by Bill K. It's a great piece of work, so check it out if you want info on who Ace is.
By the way, Mina doesn't mention Ace in this story only because she has pushed the memory of him far out of her mind. However, circumstances will bring those thoughts back to the surface.
Here's the next question. This one is from SuperNova 23.
Why do you use English names for the inner senshi and the Japanese names for the outers? And where is Mamoru/Darien/Tuxedo Mask? I didn't see him in A Date With Destiny.
Well…it's actually semi-complicated.
For Serena/Usagi: I grew up with the English version, so I got used to calling Sailor Moon Serena. Anything else just didn't fit for me. Even when I saw the Japanese version for Sailor Stars and what not…it just wasn't right to me, so I kept her English name.
For Ami/Amy: Ami's name in this story is actually the Japanese spelling, but both names are pretty much the same so…not much to change really. In the English version her last name is Anderson, but commonly I use her Japanese last name, which is Mizuno.
For Rei/Raye: Same as Ami. I actually use the Japanese spelling for Rei and her last name was already Hino so…case closed.
For Lita/Makoto: Like Serena, anything other than Lita just sounded wrong. I couldn't bear to use her Japanese name. I just don't like it.
For Mina/Minako: As you all know, I use both the English and Japanese name for Sailor Venus in this story, but mainly Mina because I grew up with the English version.
Now, the outer scouts have their Japanese names simply because I wanted them to be authentic Japanese. Harkua/Amara, is very prideful of her culture, so unless she's going undercover, Haruka will be her name. Michiru and Setsunna follow the same pattern, and I like their Japanese names better. Hotaru was already Hotaru so…go figure.
Darien/Mamoru: Enlgish, English, English! That's all I'm gonna say.
And last but not least, Rini/Chibiusa will be called Rini in my stories. English version is stuck in my brain.
Regarding Darien and what's going on with him. He is also in America/Area 1. He resides in Dallas at a university and had been exchanging letters with Serena up until the events of A Date With Destiny occurred. However, like Mina in this story, Serena has sent someone to give letters to Darien in order to keep everyone safe. That'll be revealed in the Golden Strands as well as A Date With Destiny's sequel Here We Go Again.
Hope that answers your question.
Man, everyone asked such mind wrenching questions. I can barely keep up. Let's keep it moving!
This fabulous question is from Dustfinger's cheering section.
Does Megan have a secret plan to infiltrate the group and destroy it from within?
I could probably work that angle, but no. Megan's change is due to the fact that Mina really talked her down. She'll probably never admit it, but everything Mina said about Megan was true. Megan is starting to realize this and the truth of the matter is that she never really wanted to hurt anyone, but popularity got the best of her and the more popular she got, the more big-headed she got. I believe people can change for the better, so Megan isn't going to try anything as of now. We'll have to see.
This next question is once again from SuperNova 23.
Are Rei and Mina the only Senshi with these new back stories or is there stuff about the others?
Regarding that, Rei and Mina are my favorite characters of the Sailor Moon series, so I absolutely had to write stories about them first. I do have an idea for Ami, but I have incorporated her point of view in A Date With Destiny and Here We Go Again at certain points. I might have a story centered around her that spin-offs from the others, but right now I'm not sure. As for Lita…right now I've got nothing idea wise for her story or what fandom she could crossover into. I feel that I just need to see more anime shows to get one for her though. You'll have to wait and see.
This next question is from Mukila.
Will the others find out that Mina is Sailor Venus?
Excellent question. As of now, Joey is the only person that knows her secret. Kaiba would too if not for Fernando's interference. In any case, Yugi and the other characters will eventually find out about Mina's true identity and Yugi somewhat suspects she's hiding something anyway. Also regarding Sailor Venus, I realize that Mina didn't use her powers much in this story, but that might change in the next one. I'm not sure as of now.
Hope that answers you question Mukila. Thanks again for sending it.
This next fabulous question is from Cosmic Kiss.
What/who inspired E.E.'s character?
E.E. is like an anti-version of Code Geass character C.C.
See, C.C. has long lime green hair and golden eyes whereas E.E. has short golden blonde hair and lime green eyes. Their appearances are shifted for this story and so are their personalities in some ways. C.C. is aloof and mysterious. E.E. is mysterious, but evil and emotional when situations call for it. E.E. is extremely manipulative, which stems from evil characters I've seen in past anime's. In contrast to C.C., E.E. is hardworking and determined, while C.C. has no ambition whatsoever. Both characters are immortal, but E.E. has lived longer than C.C. E.E.'s back-story will most likely be delved into in the Golden Strands.
Now here's another question from SuperNova 23.
In your continuity, are Haruka and Michiru cousins or lovers?
Cousins. I'm not a fan of yuri or yaoi, so you'll never see that in my stories. Personally, I just don't agree with that because the concept to me is disgusting. I'll never bash stories or people that like yuri or yaoi, but don't expect it in my work. Also, while on this note, when it comes to couples or love scenes you will never see lemons or limes or whatever it is its called in my work. Once I had a very rude awakening of what that was when I read a story…*shudders*. When I read stories rated M now, I'm usually wary of the content and if a love scene like that comes up I completely skip over it or stop reading the story altogether. I'm getting off topic, but I wanted to make sure I got my point across to everyone.
Thank you for your question.
Last question is from Dustfinger's cheering section.
Do you think you'll make this into a four way crossover.?
Eventually, yes, but probably not with Mina as the main character. For what I'm planning, that fourth crossover will branch off from Rei's story. Then again, this may end up becoming a five-way crossover or maybe six if I feel like it. We'll have to wait and see.
Soundtrack
1.) Fukai Mori~ by Do As Infinity: In this story, this song is a lullaby Mina's mom used to sing. This is a song that's going to appear again and again in the future too, because this song has personal meaning for Mina. This song is officially known as the second ending theme for Inuyasha.
2.) Outside Looking In~ by Jordan Pruitt: This song is just a song Mina knows, but the words have meaning for her as well. She sang this to herself at Duelist Kingdom as she was remembering the Sailor Scouts and the fun times they had shared in the past.
3.) Live Your Life~ by T.I. featuring Rihanna: I had to put this song in. There's really no rational reasoning behind why I put it in, but it was something I simply had to do. It's pretty much Mina's hip-hop song.
4.) Jump to the Rhythm~ by Jordan Pruitt: This was the song Mina was singing at the supermarket when Joey finally asked her out on a date. That was a fun chapter to write. Truth be told, in this story, the song reflects just how much Joey has impacted her life thus far, and it's possible that this song will appear again in the future.
5.) Sakura Sakura~ by Rin': The instrumental version of this song is Mina's anthem, period. The music for it describes her struggle as well as her hope. This was also the first song that was performed in the cultural festival in chapter 96.
6.) Brothers~ From the Full Metal Alchemist Official Soundtrack: I found this song randomly and had to incorporate it. I don't know who it's by, but I'm sure it can be found on you tube. It's very solemn and sad, yet hopeful at the same time. This was also a song in the festival.
7.) Ano Hino Gogo~ by Masami Okui: I love this song! Officially, it is known as the second ending for the Japanese version of the original Yugioh series. In this story though, I pretended that Mina wrote the song. In the whole story, I believe this song is my favorite because of how cheerful it is. The song is about friendship, love, changes, and how we get through rough times by believing in ourselves and in others. It was important to me to get that point across.
8.) Greatest Time of Year~ by Aly & AJ: This is a rockin' Christmas song. Incorporating it was a given for me. And in this story, I made it to where Mina and Katherine pretty much made it up on the fly. Both of them love to rock out whenever possible.
9.) Pray~ by Justin Bieber: Prayer is a powerful action. There are things in life we can't control. In my life, there were times when I had nothing to hold onto except God. That's why I put this song in, mainly just the chorus and a section of one of the verses. I love this song because it advocates prayer and positive change. For Mina, these lyrics are like a pep talk so she can envision a better future for herself. Right now, she's having a hard time and she's uncertain if she'll ever truly be happy again.
10.) Endtapes~ by The Joy Formidable: This is the title track for the last chapter. (It's also the first track on the Breaking Dawn Part 1 soundtrack. Did I tell you guys that I'm a fan of the Twilight Saga? Well, you know now.)
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Below are summaries for a few of my stories you might like and some stories by fellow fan fiction authors who have inspired me.
1.) A Date With Destiny
After a friend leaves the Juban District, Rei Hino is without a purpose. She soon receives a message from a mysterious voice in her vision and travels to Area 11 to find an old friend and to discover the truth about her - Sailor Moon & Code Geass - Fiction Rated: T - English - Drama/General - Chapters: 94 - Words: 333989 - Reviews: 109 - Updated: 12-5-10 - Published: 10-9-09
2.) Here We Go Again
After the Black Rebellion, Rei decides to stay in Area 11 in order to keep an eye on Lelouch and his 'younger brother'. But can she push past mixed emotions? Can she prevent an enemy from killing her friends and brother? Will she find love along the way? There's only one way to find out. Sequel to A Date With Moon & Code Geass - Fiction Rated: T - English - Drama/Romance - Chapters: 14 - Words: 55607 - Reviews: 44 - Updated: 8-5-11 - Published: 12-16-10
3.) The Final Decision
After a confession of feelings between a half demon and a young girl a certain someone comes to stand in their way once again. What will happen and what will the final decisions be? (On hiatus for now)Inuyasha - Fiction Rated: T - English - Romance/Drama - Chapters: 10 - Words: 18461 - Reviews: 13 - Updated: 1-29-11 - Published: 1-31-10
4.) Whoop Anime Spies
What kind of craziness ensues when two authors, me and Black Cat Angel , collaborate in a story? Well I'll tell you...our favorite characters from Code Geass, Inuyasha, and Black Cat as well as an OC become spies in the world of Totally X-overs & Totally Spies - Fiction Rated: T - English - Action/Adventure/Humor - Chapters: 11 - Words: 28312 - Reviews: 5 - Updated: 11-14-11 - Published: 6-10-10
Now, for other people's stories.
1.) This Lonely Road by xXBrightsideBumblebeeXx
Might not be so lonely after all...
Yu-Gi-Oh - Fiction Rated: K+ - English - Hurt/Comfort/Romance - Chapters: 1 -Words: 3,774 - Reviews: 9 - Updated: 10-26-11 - Published: 10-26-11 - - Mai K./K. Jounouchi - Complete
2.) The Nightmare Virus » by Violet Wings
Seto is injected with a virus during the group's trip to Noa's virtual world. He and Anzu team up in order to find a cure, which leads them to a forgotten testing facility. More than a cure awaits them, and he discovers what his stepfather left -Gi-Oh - Fiction Rated: M - English - Horror/Romance - Chapters: 29 - Words: 104,865 - Reviews: 362 - Updated: 3-12-11 - Published: 11-26-10 - - Seto K./Anzu M. - Complete
Note the above story is rated M. Be warned that there is some crude language and since it's a horror based story…it's a little graphic. It's a riveting read though if you can get past all of that. There is romance, but no explicit love scenes.
3.) The Twelve Days of Christmas » by Chibi's Sister
Joey goes about getting Mai's attention in a very unconventional way. Polarshipping. Yu-Gi-Oh - Fiction Rated: K+ - English - Humor/Romance - Chapters: 13 - Words: 14,130 - Reviews: 46 - Updated: 12-24-10 - Published: 12-11-09 - - K. Jounouchi/Mai K.
4.) CARD GAMES ON MOTORCYCLES! by Psychid
Where DID the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's series' main feature of the duel runner and turbo duels originate? Here's ONE possibility! Yu-Gi-Oh - Fiction Rated: K+ - English - Humor/General - Chapters: 1 - Words: 5,454 - Reviews: 32 - Updated: 6-11-10 - Published: 6-11-10 - - Seto K. - Complete
The above story is hilarious…just sayin'.
5.) Coming Home Part One » by Ghost Wulf
Yori is fleeing a harsh past and when fate brings her to Yugi Moto, her first reaction is to run. But the energetic boy and his mysterious spirit companion turn her life inside out. Her dark past is haunting enough; will her future be infinitely worse?Yu-Gi-Oh - Fiction Rated: T - English - Action/Adventure/Romance - Chapters: 71 - Words: 163,392 - Reviews: 537 - Updated: 3-7-09 - Published: 9-12-07 - - Yami Yūgi - Complete
6.) Coming Home Part Two » by Ghost Wulf
Torn from the Battle City tournament and thrust into a virtual world, Yori and the gang quickly find that all's fair in revenge and family feuds. The ticket to escape is winning against an elusive enemy—but how do you win a game that has no rules? Yu-Gi-Oh - Fiction Rated: T - English - Action/Adventure/Romance - Chapters: 37 - Words: 120,905 - Reviews: 350 - Updated: 9-12-11 - Published: 3-21-09 - - Seto K.
The above stories are just plain awesome. Some events within this story were inspired by both of these stories, but especially Coming Home Part 1. Yori is an OC character, but she rocks and I'm telling you, this story is amazing!
And that's it for the advertisments. If you want to look up these stories, you can find them all on my profile. If you want a broader selection there are even more stories by other authors in my favorites list. So check it out!
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Alright, my newest friend Cosmic Kiss is writing a story called "The New Sailor Scouts." In this story, the Sailor Soldiers having fulfilled their obligated duties, are now ready to live normal lives. It's not like they can stay Sailor Scouts until the 30th century and not be extremely old ladies. They have been informed that they can pick suitable replacements to fight evildoers in their place.
Each Sailor Scout has to find a suitable replacement, however there is going to be a new Sailor Scout as well, Sailor Earth, soldier and guardian of the planet, who will appear with the other new Sailor Soldiers. As you can probably see, this story is going to be filled with OC's, but not just any OC's my friends.
Cosmic Kiss came up with a brilliant idea. She decided that she would incorporate OC's that we (fan fiction authors/readers) submitted, but that's not all. Only the best OC's that are submitted will be used. Now, being the semi-competitive person I can be…I decided that I would submit some random OC's that I made up from the top of my head. They both made the cut and are now going to be used in Cosmic Kiss's story.
Now, you guys know I love using original characters. You've seen plenty of them in this story. (Fernando, Ms. Cathy, Katherine, E.E., etc.) So if you guys like OC filled stories and want to see what Cosmic Blush does with mine, then this is a story you all should totally check out.
The plot itself will center around the original Sailor Moon plot, but I believe Cosmic Blush will be making some HUGE changes to it since she's creating a new Sailor, Sailor Earth.
My two OC's that will be used in this story are for Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus, my two favorite soldiers respectively.
1.) Raven Stone/Subaki = Sailor Mars
2.) Gogo Ryugamine = Sailor Venus
Another original character of mine that will be used in this story is a villian named Princess Stella from Planet X (Made up the planet to.)
To find out more about them, you'll have to read Cosmic Kiss's story. What's great about this is that Cosmic Kiss is also giving credit to the author's/readers that create the OC's and we can still use them whenever we want. So basically, we're sharing OC's. I really like the idea of this story, so if you guys like my stories and OC's, then this story will definitely appeal to you.
Sister Story Preview
Before I go into the preview of "A Date With Destiny." Let me explain the basics of the epic fandom that is Code Geass.
The following information is curtesy of Wikipedia. It does not belong to me.
The series is set in an alternative present, where the world is split by three superpowers, Britannia, The Chinese Federation, and the European Universe (EU). The story takes place after the Holy Britannian Empire's conquest of Japan in August 10, 2010 a.t.b., by means of Britannia's newest weapon, the "Armored Autonomous Knight", or Knightmare Frame. In turn, Britannia effectively strips Japan and its citizens of all rights and freedoms, and renames the country Area 11 with its citizens referred to as elevens.
Lelouch, the protagonist of the series, was born on December 5th 2000 a.t.b. as Lelouch vi Britannia, the son of the Emperor of Britannia, Charles Zi Britannia, and the late Imperial Consort Marianne, making Lelouch the Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire. He was seventeenth in line to the Imperial throne prior to his mother's assassination, an event which also left his sister blind and crippled. A ten year old Lelouch confronted the Emperor afterward and accused him of leaving his mother defenseless, even going as far as renouncing his entitlement to the throne. In response, his father banished him to Japan, where he was used as a political hostage in the Sakuradite conflict. (Note that Sakuradite is a fictional element used in the Code Geass universe.)
It was during his stay at the Kururugi household that he first met Suzaku Kururugi, with whom the young Lelouch did not interact initially in a friendly manner, before later becoming friends. However, when Britannia finally developed its Knightmare Frames, they decided to invade Japan to seize control of the Sakuradite mines, consequently discarding Lelouch's use as a diplomatic tool. Lelouch, fearing for his and his sister's safety, hid their true identities and sought the help of the Ashford family, who were his mother's allies.
His mother's death and his father's apparent apathy were huge blows to Lelouch. He always felt that it was unfair for both his mother and sister, and therefore made it his goal to pursue a better world for Nunnally. He also seeks to discover the true reason for his mother's death, as she was murdered in the Aries Imperial Palace, a place terrorists would be unlikely to penetrate successfully without being noticed, if at all.
The above was curtesy of Wikipedia and does not belong to me.
So, now you know the back story of Lelouch, the main character of Code Geass, and the world he has come to know. It is also the world that Rei, for reasons I will not reveal here, stumbles into in a twist of fate. As the events of Code Geass unfold, Rei must discover the truth about her past and solve a riddle that will impact the fate of the entire planet. From reading Surviving Through Changes, you know some of what will happen already, but the full story on Rei's adventures in Area 11 are told within "A Date With Destiny."
Below is the first chapter of that story. It is a completed story, so you won't have to wait for updates. Also, it already has a sequel called "Here We Go Again." But for now, check out the first chapter of the very first story I wrote on this site.
Chapter 1
Preface
It was August 2010 when the war between Britannia and Japan started to come to a close. Most of Japan was falling to Britannia, but in a small city to the south, the war had no effect. The Juban District of Tokyo Japan, known as Juban City to those who live here, was a place of peace; however, it was also a place of mystery and magic unknown to its citizens. The titanium wall that had been built around the perimeter of their area of Tokyo protected it from outsiders. This area consisted of Juban City, a mountain retreat up to the far north, and a beach two hours away to the east that extended up to the open ocean. The Britannians could not get through the solid titanium wall though many had tried, nor could the knightmares break through the wall. Most of the people of Juban City believed that the wall was impenetrable, but in reality an invisible barrier is what had really been protecting them. This barrier surrounded the city and the titanium wall and it was the true reason why Britannian invaders had not been able to get through.
So as the months rolled by without any kind of trouble to the residents the people referred to Britannia as a nuisance and therefore not a threat. Juban City was a happy place that was filled with love and peace. Nevertheless, today was different. It started out like any other normal day in Juban city. Peaceful, harmonious, and joyful or at least it was until they came. They didn't seem like a threat to the people and at the time they weren't, but in the years to come they would soon see that the children who now walked the streets would one day destroy their world.
At that time there were two young boys walking through the streets of Juban City. How they even got in the city is a mystery, but it didn't seem to matter. One boy was carrying a little girl on his back. He had dark brown hair and green eyes that seemed to sparkle, but with a sadness that isn't usually seen in a child. The other boy who was leading the way had jet black hair and amethyst eyes that glowed with determination as well as stubbornness. The little girl that the first boy was carrying was blind and unable to walk for reasons unknown to the people of Juban City, but the boy carrying her as well as the boy leading the way knew the story of what happened only months ago.
Likewise, this young boy who seemed to have the stubbornness and pride like a man was a Britannian prince named Lelouch Vi Britannia. He seemed to be in control of the situation even though he had no idea where he was going. The second boy carrying Lelouch's sister was the son of the prime minister of Japan, Genbu Kururugi. His name was Suzaku Kururugi. The little girl that Suzaku was holding was Lelouch's pride and joy as well as a princess of Britannia. Her name was Nunnally Vi Britannia.
In the years to come, they would bring destruction and war to this peaceful place.
It was almost five o'clock in the evening and Lelouch was beginning to feel weak in the knees. It didn't help that Suzaku was doubting his ability to navigate through their surroundings since he believed that Lelouch was a bit on the dumb side.
"Lelouch do you even know where you're going?" he asked.
Without thinking Lelouch snapped at him, "Give it a rest Suzaku!" Suzaku laughed to himself silently. He loved making Lelouch squirm and second guess himself. He had nothing better to do at that moment so he took pleasure in teasing Lelouch.
"How's Nunnally?" Lelouch asked, his eyes still searching around.
"She's sleeping." Suzaku stated as he listened to Nunnally's heavy breathing.
Meanwhile, Lelouch wished that he was the one sleeping and not trying to find somewhere to go. He didn't know where he was and he would be lucky if they could find a place to stay for the night when it grew dark. Lelouch tried not to think about it since the sun was still high in the sky. Lelouch however, started to grow weaker every second he walked. They had been out in the sun all day and without any water or shade. Suzaku could handle it because he was an exercise nut, but Lelouch wasn't used to this kind of exposure to the sun and its heat. After all, it was the middle of summer and ninety degrees outside even though the sun would begin to set within an hour and a half.
Lelouch suddenly stopped in his tracks, felling nauseated and dizzy. "Suzaku," he called, almost out of breath.
"What is it now?" Suzaku asked. Lelouch looked around and tried to find some kind of excuse for why he stopped, something other than the truth. He saw a few people staring at them and used that to disguise the real reason for the pause.
"Why are those people staring at us?" he asked weakly.
"Probably because you're Britannian," Suzaku told him bluntly.
"I don't get it," Lelouch complained, although he wasn't talking about the people staring at him; he was much more preoccupied with how sick he felt.
On the other hand Suzaku had no clue that Lelouch was practically dying and went on irritating him. "Everyone is this city is Japanese," he said while urging Lelouch to keep walking. Lelouch began walking again but much more slowly than before.
"Yeah, so?" he asked, not feeling any better.
"They aren't used to outsiders," Suzaku explained. At that point Lelouch had had enough of all that racism crap and felt a burst of energy along with a surge of anger.
"Just because I'm Britannian doesn't mean that I'm an outsider!" Lelouch shouted as he turned to face Suzaku.
"Shut up someone will hear you!" Suzaku ordered, screaming just as loudly as Lelouch had.
"Do I look like I care about that?" Lelouch questioned angrily. "There are worse things that can happen to us than a bunch of people eavesdropping on our conversation!"
"Just shut up you stupid Brit!" Suzaku snarled, getting all up in Lelouch's face.
"You're the one that's stupid," Lelouch replied. Clearly he was ready to punch him in the mouth.
Suddenly it was Nunnally who was shouting.
"Stop fighting you two!" she shouted with authority, even though she was three years younger than Suzaku and her brother.
"Sorry Nunnally did we wake you?" Lelouch asked, looking at Nunnally's angry face.
"I was awake the whole time," she said with a giggle; all traces of her anger were gone. Since Nunnally couldn't open her eyes it was easy to pretend like she was sleeping so she could eavesdrop on her brother's conversations with Suzaku.
"Nunnally what have I told you about using your blindness to eavesdrop on people?" Lelouch chastised.
"I know Lelouch, but I couldn't resist."
"What am I going to do with you?" Lelouch asked as he gently took a hold of Nunnally's hand. Nunnally could feel his love for her and returned it with a kiss on his cheek.
Afterwards Lelouch felt a lot better. His sister always seemed to cheer him up or make him feel stronger when he was ready to give in.
"We should keep going," he said, turning back around and leading the way again.
"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Suzaku asked, a bit skeptical of his friend.
"Of course I do," Lelouch lied, feeling less confident than he had a few moments ago.
"Have some faith Suzaku, my brother can do anything," Nunnally stated. Lelouch wished that he could believe that, but his body said otherwise.
Around six thirty it was safe to say that he was lost. "Lelouch it will be dark soon," Suzaku muttered.
"I know," Lelouch replied, stumbling a little.
"Hey look up there," Suzaku said, pointing towards the stone steps that lead to Hikawa Shrine, "we should go up there Lelouch."
Lelouch started to get real worried real fast. He knew that there had to be a thousand steps up to that shrine. He wouldn't be able to make it with the sun beating down on him even though it was beginning to set.
"Are you sure?" he asked, hoping desperately that he could get out of climbing all those stairs.
"Yeah, let's go," Suzaku answered, already beginning to climb up. Nunnally slipped in his grip a bit as he started up.
"Hey, be careful with Nunnally," Lelouch ordered.
"Do you want to hold her now Lelouch?" he asked.
"Sure," Lelouch replied a bit sarcastically. He knew that an extra sixty five pounds was going to kill him.
So, after getting Nunnally onto his back he started up the steps as Suzaku lead the way. Lelouch started to feel weak again as the now setting sun burned his skin. It made him wish that he had sunscreen.
"Are you alright Lelouch?" Nunnally asked. "You're breathing very heavily."
"Don't worry I'm fine," he lied.
"Just a few more steps!" Suzaku shouted. He was almost at the top of the steps, obviously signifying how much of stamina Suzaku really had. Lelouch on the other hand felt terrible, similar to the time when he got the flu and his mother had to take care of him.
As a result of those thoughts Lelouch felt a pang at his heart which made him feel even weaker than he already was.
"I just have to make it to the top," he thought with determination. He was almost there, he just had to force himself to climb until he finally reached the top of those dreaded stone steps.
"Suzaku," Lelouch called out, panting heavily as his face dripped with sweat. Dark circles were clouding the edges of his vision.
"Lelouch you look awful," Suzaku replied.
"Take Nunnally, hurry," he pleaded. Suzaku did what he was told, and as soon as Nunnally was safe in Suzaku's arms, Lelouch collapsed to the stone ground beneath them.
Final Author's note: Alright, that's the end of the story everybody. -Tears up- I can't believe this one is done, but be sure to check out the preqeul to the sequel, "The Golden Strands." It's coming really soon and it will be epic!