Disclaimer: Don't own Higurashi/When They Cry

Chapter Six: Epilogue

Satoko wandered throughout the town, ignoring the appreciative looks that the local boys were giving her. Really, it was rather pathetic, thinking that they would ever have a chance with her.

It had been several years since she had been back to her home town. She had eventually gone on to move to the big cities, and, to no one's surprise, began a joke shop that specialized in traps and large basins.

Her little fling with Rika didn't last too long; they had only been experimenting, and they could never take their relationship beyond that of sisters. Plus, it was extremely frowned upon in today's society. She sighed-such a shame, really…

A young boy about five years of age ran past her, laughing like a madman. Several second later, she froze, and turned around to look at the boy. He bore a striking resemblance to one of her old friends, and had a teal-green hair color. It couldn't be…

Seconds later, a little girl ran past her, also giggling madly. She had long, brown hair, and her facial features reminded her of the twins…

"Oi! Ryoga, Nami! Don't run off like that!" A man's voice shouted out.

Satoko turned, and, to her slight surprise, she saw one Keiichi Maebara, followed closely by a very familiar green-haired woman, who could only be…

"Kei! Mion!" She called out, waving to her long-time friends.

Keiichi froze on the spot, looking at Satoko with confusion. Mion rolled her eyes, and continued running past her bewildered husband, smiling at Satoko and winking as she went by, obviously chasing after her children.

Satoko smirked at Keiichi's flabbergasted look as he recognized her, which was also mixed in with some fear. She found it amusing that he still feared her and her love of tricks after all these years.

"Well? Are you going to say something, or are you going to stand there like an idiot all day?" She said, her smirk growing wider as he flushed with embarrassment.

"Satoko…" He growled, and took a threatening step towards her. She snapped her fingers, and a basin dropped…

…Right where he was seconds before. In a few seconds, he had crossed the distance between them, and had hoisted her up over his shoulders, which had grown even more broad as the years had gone by.

Satoko shrieked as he began carting her off to where his wife stood, who had tracked down and snagged her children.

"Look what the dog dragged in," Mion teased.

"Who's the dog?" Keiichi growled back, a smile showing on his face, although Satoko couldn't see that.

"H-Hey, Kei, c'mon, I wasn't really going to hit you with that basin, I promise! Let me down!" Satoko said, struggling to get away.

Keiichi smirked at Mion, who rolled her eyes.

"I dunno, you little brat. I'm thinking of hog-tying you to a hang-glider, than shoving you off of a cliff…" Keiichi trailed off, waiting for the inevitable reaction from the young woman he held, or from the older sister of his wife, whom was no doubt nearby. Sure enough…

"Keiichi Maebara! You put that girl down right now!" Shion's shrill voice rang out.

The twin of his beloved Mion came dashing towards him, somewhat enraged (not being able to be fully mad at the man, seeing as how he was more than likely kidding). This normally would've been a terrifying sight, except the huge bulge on her belly made it a lot less frightening (unless you were smaller than her) and a whole lot more amusing.

"Careful honey! You're going to hurt the baby!" Satoshi's voice came from somewhere behind his wife. The blonde-haired man ran after his wife, carefully cradling a bundle in his arms.

"How's Keitaro doing?" Mion called.

"I just got him to sleep, although I'm sure he's going to wake up from all of this activity…" Satoshi grumbled, trying desperately to get his wife to slow down.

Luckily, Shion was in no shape to chase after Keiichi, and she slowed down to a walk, panting heavily.

"You…just wait…until I…get my hands…on you, Kei…" She gasped. "I…will make…your life…MISERABLE…"

"Hey now," Mion interjected. "I still need him around for a few years. I'll let you know when you can kill him."

Keiichi pouted, causing laughter from the adults (excluding Shion, who was still out of breath).

"So where's Rika and Rena?" Satoshi asked, looking around for the two women.

"And Hanyuu, for that matter." Keiichi added.

"Oh, Rika said that she and Hanyuu weren't going to be able to make it today." Satoko said calmly from her current position on Keiichi's shoulder.

"Why's that?"

"Something about running from someone, then I heard a 'cyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute~!', then the line went dead."

Everyone stood in silence for a moment, Keiichi dropping Satoko to the ground in shock (who landed perfectly). Then, as one, they all turned and booked it to a house they all knew well (after quickly leaving the kids with one of the adults in town).

Keiichi and Satoshi kicked the door down.

"Rika! Hanyuu?" Keiichi yelled, looking around for his two friends.

"Mmmph? MMMPH!"

Mion and Shion quickly went and untied Rika and Hanyuu, who were tied together on the couch.

"You two okay?" Satoko asked.

"Yeah…just got on the wrong end of Rena's cute spasms." Rika replied, appearing as calm as always.

"Hau, hau, hau…it was terrifying…" Hanyuu whimpered, obviously scared.

Everyone shook their heads. Then, an ominous sound came from the dining room.

"Ara? I wonder who's that in my living room, I wonder, I wonder?"

Everyone felt a chill run down their spine.

"EVERY LAST MAN FOR HIMSELF!" Keiichi roared, shoving past Satoko to escape the house, nearly bowling over his wife in his desperation to escape.

Panic ensued, with everybody managing to somehow force their way out the door ("Keiichi! You'll be getting couched for a month for leaving me behind!" Mion bellowed after the retreating figure of her husband), dashing away from the danger that was Rena.

Rena looked out her door, watching as her victims-I mean, friends, ran away.

"Ara ara…you can run, but you can't hide…" Rena giggled, before going into her all out 'cute spasm'.

"CYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!"

Several hours later, Rena had managed to track down and capture all of her friends. Not surprisingly, Keiichi was the only one that had yet to be found. Sure, Hanyuu was still out of her clutches, but she could see exactly where she was.

"You'll have to come down eventually, Hanyuu…" Rena cooed, watching the young girl like a hawk.

Hanyuu gulped; she was trapped on top of the building, and the only way down was being patrolled by her cute-obsessed friend.

She looked around wildly, desperate for an escape. Then, she saw it.

"Look! Keiichi's over there!" She shouted, pointing down the street. Sure enough, there was a leg whipping out of sight as Rena turned to look, let out a shriek, and tore after it.

Hanyuu waiting until Rena was out of sight, then dropped from her safe place, and quickly dashed over to her friends.

Keiichi came up behind her. "Thanks for getting my hint; if you had pointed in my direction, I would've come back to haunt you."

Hanyuu giggled.

"Yes, that's nice and all, but can you please get us out of here?" Shion asked irritably.

Keiichi and Hanyuu began untying their friends.

"Who was Rena really chasing after?" Mion wondered.

Keiichi smirked.

"CYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!" Rena was practically drooling over the young boy she had found. Ryoga's eye was twitching.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"

"You are a terrible father, you know that?" Mion scoffed, smacking her husband on the arm.

Keiichi laughed, putting his arm around her. "Yeah, but you still love me, right?"

Mion smiled. "Of course I do, you lug."

Yes, everything was back to normal…or as normal as things could get.

A/N: And that's a wrap. I'm so mean to children…

Well, there's one story done. Only…however many I keep coming up with left.

Stupid plot bunnies. Oh well.

Meant to have this up last Saturday…but I got invited to go swimming with my former friend (who is now my friend again), and I ended up staying at his house until Tuesday. But it was worth it, I guess. Just about died when I went cliff-diving, though…note to self: learn how to swim…

Otherwise, this is only late due to my laziness. Silly me.

Until next time!

~The Doc