"Rest in peace, you deserve it."
-To A Person You Wouldn't Know.

[Cordial]

"Haa!"

Akeno's mother, Shuri Himejima, woke up with a gasp. It took her a moment to recover from her vision. It was a one-in-a-million chance for her to have the power of future sight. However, that power, it wasn't that useful. For one thing, the chance to change the foreseen future was zero. Thus, always true. And most of the vision was a detailed death.

However, this time it was hers, it was her death that she saw and it was... morbid, to say the least. She was protecting her daughter with her body. It was as detailed as usual. It even detailed her calendar; it was her deceased mother's birthday. It seemed to focus, with such fine detail, on her daughter's face.

Akeno was horrified, bloodstained and screaming her name. 'M-MAMAAAA!' At least it wasn't her daughter... That would've broke her.

However, after that, she even saw further into the future, where a person who looked just like her smiled along with a boy. It was her daughter who had grown to look just like her, that she knew. But, she was with a boy of a simply happy expression together surrounded by various people. Who exactly was that boy?

However, in the vision, Akeno was... contented if anything. Unlike the real world, Akeno had a pair of unmatching wings, but notably seemed unafraid to show off her pair of wings. It made her proud that she wasn't afraid to show who she really was. To show that she was her daughter and would stand with her head held high.

If her death brought such happiness to her daughter, to the distant future, she would happily die, though not without regrets.

After all, what decent parent would want to leave their child alone in the cruel world? She wanted to guide her and watch her mature. However, she wasn't allowed by her vision, her fate. Nevertheless, she would at least die knowing that her daughter would live on, happily, ne?

Shuri's vision started to blur with tears. She didn't want to die, there were many things she still hasn't experienced.

She really wanted to stay and watch the world change, her daughter change, and maybe even her change the world. After all, the various but joyous people were fallen angels, angels, devils, and many other creatures of supernatural origin. She wanted to see the meaningless war come to an end and watch the great harmony. She wanted to see her daughter mature into one of the many people who could change the world. She wanted to meet that man. She wanted to teach her daughter her torturous ways.

"Ha..." She let out a little but pained smile. She would miss her husband, her beloved Fallen Angel. She miss whipping him into total submission. SHe would miss everything... The small garden she recently started to the rabbits and birds that often visited. Everything, she would miss like the games she would play with her small family, the little shrine she built with her husband where they now lived, the food her daughter learned to make, the times Akeno would cry and hug her, the smiles that would often adored her family's faces... Her smile flipped as her tears started their descent.

There wasn't nothing she wouldn't miss, not even her family who try and will succeed in kill her. She couldn't blame them. She fell in love with a Fallen Angel, someone who fallen from the holy ways and was mostly likely "evil." It would've probably been better if she fell in love with him when he was an Angel. They probably would've accepted that... But there's no use in thinking ways to change the past. She probably would have not met her beloved Baraqiel, anyway.

Shuri pulled up her knees and sat her chin upon her arms. She only hoped her death, the undeniable, was not so early, at least. However, it just wasn't met to be as her mother's birthday was the next day.

"W-Why...?" She questioned her life. Why was it her who had to die to change the world? Even though she knew it was selfish of her, she wished it wasn't her who had to die. "Wha...?" Something had wrapped around her.

"Honey?" Baraqiel wrapped his arms to sooth his dearly wife. "What's bothering you?"

"N-Nothing..." He didn't need to know nor did she want him to know what she saw. "It's nothing."

He retorted, somewhat stubbornly,which was unlike his usual nature, "You wouldn't be crying over nothing." After all, Baraqiel has only seen his wife cry only but a few times.

She didn't replied and pushed him down lightly, allowing her to lay atop his nude chest. "It's nothing, jus some bad memories..."

'I only got till tomorrow.'

\.. Next Day ../

Shuri opened the door to her daughter's room in a tight and white t-shirt and a simple blue skirt.

"Wake up, Akeno-chan, I made your favorite." Shuri smiled as her daughter shot straight up and jumped towards the door.

"You made the cakes?!" Akeno smiled brightly at the absolutely delicious smell. Even though, the sight warmed Shuri's heart, Shuri frowned, unnoticeably.

"Yup! I got up extra early." Shuri woke up to the sight of her husband getting out of bed some time after 3:00am.

"Where you going?" She groggily asked.

"Mission, I'm sorry but it's really important..." She then realized he was leaving! Is that why he wasn't there in her vision?

"Baraqiel..." I'm sorry...

However, it was unknown as to why he was really leaving...

"Yatta! Are we going to eat it now?!" Akeno asked as her mother combed her messy bedhead.

"Yeah, just get dressed okay?" She cheerfully smiled at her daughter who jumped out from her lap and went to get clothes. "I'll see you at the kitchen, ne?"

...

"Mommy! Is this good?" Akeno twirled and showed off her miko attire similar to the ones she seen her mother wear. The robe was a brilliant red and was tied up by a contrasting yellow obi. Her hair that reached her lower back was flowing freely. Cute as ever, she was ready for a great day!

Shuri began to move towards the front door with a plate and sat by the entrance's steps. "Oh come here, let me fix your hair." She patted her lap, lightly.

"Coming!" She skipped her way to her mother.

Slowly and gently, Shuri fixed Akeno's hair all over again. At the same time, Akeno ate her strawberry cake. "Is it good?"

"Un! It's really good!" Akeno took another munch before speaking again

Akeno then asked, "Can we play with the ball today?"

"That's a great idea!" Shuri then put a hand to her chin. "Do you want to try playing with your wings?"

"Un! Papa says I should use my wings more!" Even though the wings should've tore through her garb, it didn't. Thankfully, Baraqiel had also taught her how along with some other magical spells.

Unlike the vision, Akeno only had a pair of crow wings as of that moment.

"I can only wish I had more time to spend with you."

\.. After Playing ../

"Geez, Akeno-chan, your hair is all messy again." Shuri frowned internally as she heard the clouds beginning to rumbling like an omen. The time was coming Shuri knew, but she didn't want to leave, without giving Akeno one last thing if anything.

Shuri spoke, softly, as her voice cracked slightly, "A-Akeno-chan, let me put this ribbon in your hair." It was also the ribbon from the future. It was a yellowy-orange but really long for her child body. "Take care of this ribbon, ne? My mother gave it to me, now I'm giving it to you."

"I'll cherish it forever, Mama!" Akeno smiled intensely, in her mother's lap for the third time.

...Probably the last time too...

Shuri then moved Akeno from her lap and to where she was sitting. "Remember, Mama will always love you, Papa too." Her tears started to fall as the rain shower began.

"...M-Mama?" Akeno couldn't understand why her mother was crying.

"Please don't forget that. I love you so much, Akeno." She pulled her daughter into a tight hug. She started to sob, lightly. Akeno, feeling distressing at her mother's state, joined in the crying.

"M-Mama, wha...?" She couldn't finish and tighten her hold on her mother.

As her mother, Shuri just had to remind Akeno even near Death's door. "Akeno-chan, don't forget to clean up after yourself, brush your teeth and fix your hair, it's important, ne?

Vigorously, Akeno shook her head, and trying her best to talk correctly. "Un! I won't forget, hup! I won't, Mama!"

-!" Even with tears and the rain blurring her vision, Shuri still could see the attack coming their way. In turn, she rushed to move in the way for she didn't have enough time to erect a shield.

*SHHHSK!*

"Ma... MAMAAAA!"

"Akeno..." Shuri, an above human at best, knew there was absolutely she could do. She could feel the poison eat away at her body. A poison her family made in order to hunt the supernatural.

It's so ironic... I thought I would die from a Fallen until that dream... But, it's from the poison, I made..

Akeno feared what would happen if her mother fell asleep like the animals that never woke up in the forest. "Mama! Please! Stay awake! Please!" Wouldn't Mama be same as them? "You can't leave me! You can't!"

Shuri coughed lightly, and tried her best not to let her blood fall on her daughter. I can't change what I saw, now. Not even in the end. She smiled solemnly before mouthing, 'I'm sorry.'

"HAHAHAHA!"

Amidst the rain, a figure laughed, mockingly at the sight of the dying woman and the sobbing child.

At the sound, Akeno looked angry like never before, and created the strongest light spear with lightning she has ever made. "Gooooo AWAY!" With that, she chucked the rather large light spear.

The figure in the rain just let it hit him and watched it carelessly bounce off. "It's useless! Everything is useless!-Hah, like your Mama!"

A massive gale blew right past her face. She knew he was right behind him. "Your "Mama" died because you're a filthy half-breed. Hate yourself! Hate the Fallen! It's what killed your beloved "Mama," after all! HATE YOURSELF! You killed your Mama! Oh and that filthy thing you call a father too!"

"...Mama..." Akeno hunched over her mother's chest and shook with innocent tears. "D... Don't go... Mama, where are you going...?" Akeno looked towards the angry storm. "P-Papa, where are you? You said you would protect Kaa-san! Papa!"

"Mama, open your eyes... Please!"

"You want to see your Mama, right? Okay! You'll see her..." A flash of light blinded her, "IN HELL!" She didn't have enough time to even move her arms.

*CCCCRRRKKKKAAAALLL!*

A sudden bolt of lightning deflected the attack and burned her attacker. "H-HAAAAAAAA!"

Another gale blew at Akeno and she knew it had to be Papa! "Akeno-chan? Are you alright?" Baraqiel, who cautiously looked over her, had a horrified look.

That man... he said it was because of me, b-because of the Fallen... Because of P-Papa? Akeno glared at her father with hate. It was his fault that Kaa-san died! His! "Get away from me! It's all your fault! All yours!"

"I-I-Akeno?" Baraqiel knew she felt all sorts of pain and hurt. But, did she really believe that man... No, what that man said was true. It was only so long that I could hide the truth. He moved his arms around her in a way to sooth her, but she smacked his arms away. In that instant, Baraqiel's face twisted into one of sadness, shock and so many emotions that Akeno couldn't describe.

Seeing the pained expression on her father's face made Akeno pause before running off, her expression matched her father's. Even though she hated him, that expression made her... weak. She didn't like because it made the tears come out faster. And also made her run faster. She didn't even want to run in the first place. But, she felt compelled to, though she couldn't understand why. Why am I still running when my feet hurt? Akeno didn't realize she had lost her shoes.

"I HATE YOU!"

"A-Akeno, S-Shuri... I-" Baraqiel couldn't take it. He fell to his knees and cried into his palms. From his jacket fell a present, he brought before hand to surprise his family. Two different objects fell from the decorated silver box.

A pair of ribbons and a strawberry mini-cake laid on the ground in ruin. As the rain powered on, the cake slowly faded away and the ribbons became unanimous debris in the flowing mess.

...

Akeno stumbled and fell every once and awhile as she ran. Why was I still running? "Uuuuu! ...Mama!" Where am I going?

"Urrrrgggh!" She fell again but this time didn't get up. What was the point? "Mama... P-Papa... Someone..." She reached her hand out towards the sky, and uncurled it. Why didn't Papa protect Mama like he said he would?

"...I-" Want to go with Kaa-san.

"Umma, are you okay?" A girl, who looked to be about her age, bent over and filled her vision with her red hair and a red umbrella.

"I'm, fine." She said that yet, she pleaded that she didn't leave.

"Are you sure?" The red-haired girl got on her knees, next to her and poked her feet. "You're missing your shoes, and your ribbon fell over there-"

Akeno eyes widened. Mama's ribbon! She moved to the direction of the red-haired girl's finger and searched for the ribbon. "Yatta... I found it... Mama's." She hugged the ribbon to her chest and let her warm tears fall again.

The rain stopped from over her and Akeno saw it was the girl again. "Do want to come with me? I can give you..." The girl stopped for a moment with a hand on her chin. "Ah, I can be your friend! Yes, a friend."

"What?" Akeno was confused what exactly was she saying?

"Hey, come on!" She took her into a nearby bookstore.

...

"Ne, Rias..." Akeno stood with her vision at the ground. "Thank you. Thank you so much..." Hugging her best friend, she shed her tears.

Rias only stood almost like an adult to a child, petting her hair softly. "I'm glad you like the ribbon." They stood for a few more moments before Rias spoke again. "Let's get some cake, ne? It's strawberry." They smiled at each other.

"Let's." Continue this new yet happy life, forever, ne?

"I want the strawberry though!" Rias yelled as she raced off.

"H-Hey! W-Wait up! You had it last time!" However, she had a smile as she said those words.

'Kaa-san, I'm happy, but I miss you.

See ya Kaa-san.

I'll live on for you, like you wanted, ne?

[†]

Vorpal: Just a simple heart-felt one-shot, nothing amazing...
I wasn't going to end the one-shot there at first but everyone here should already know the story. Also, I'm lazy, there's that.

How did this make you feel? Just wondering...

So, uh...
Till next time (?), ne?

More Importantly, Please,
"Have a Nice Day."
-Vorpal

[Words: 2,704]

"It's usually hard to deny and/or accept change."
"I, personally, despise change."

Fin~