This story was started as a thread on the Unending BE Addventure. This first part you see here was written by Noy Telinú. Further chapters are written by me. This segment is posted with their permission.

"Schools will be joined… Schools will be joined… Schools will be joined." Soun Tendo smiled in sheer joy, his eyes unfocused. "Saotomes are here, dear… They are here…"

"At least you will go out happy, love…" Mrs. Tendo sat by his bedside, patting his hair as tears running down her cheeks. "It's the best I can do, I'm afraid…"

Mrs. Tendo wavered on sending the girls to school. In the end, she decided they needed to. It would be too painful for everyone to have them around. Not to mention that they had already missed a week of classes.

"I'm going to miss you, Soun…" Mrs. Tendo cried. "Nothing… Absolutely nothing that I can do… I feel so helpless. And this time… This time not even Usagi can bail me out."

"Kasumi! Nabiki! Akane! I have wonderful news!" Soun called, blissfully unaware of his surroundings.

"It's amazing that you can still talk, dear," Mrs. Tendo whispered, flashing her beloved a small smile.

Soun closed his mouth, a big smile upon his face, as he finally stopped moving.

"What… What good is being a doctor if you cannot save the one you love? Oh, Soun… I'm sorry…" Ami Tendo, Doctor Mizuno trembled and collapsed onto the bed sobbing as her husband passed away, his veins soaked with morphine.

Ami stood under an umbrella with her three daughters, all dressed in black, as it rained on the funeral of Soun Tendo.

Kasumi tried to appear strong for her sisters, but her face was wet with water that was not from the rain.

Nabiki wore a hat that obscured her face, but it was obvious that she was crying.

Akane was a bit confused about what was going on, and just held onto her mother's hand and watched.

Ami presented a calm, accepting face to the world and to her girls, but inside she was devestated. Not only for the loss of her husband, but because her daughters were now part of a broken family.

'Just like how I grew up…' Ami thought bitterly. 'I never wanted my daughters to go through that same experience…'

All in all, the Tendo family was the calmest of the people there. Except for Mamoru, who was with the one who was emoting the most, Usagi. Of course.

'It's all my fault!' Usagi cried to herself, screaming internally.

Rei stood next to her friend and put and arm around her to try and console her.

Usagi let a pained, shuddering sob escape. After all, in her mind it really WAS her fault. She failed to keep Soun alive, after all. However, nobody blamed her but herself.

All the local government officials were there as well, mourning for two reasons. Soun was their protection, their defender against the weirdness that came into the area, as well as their substitute for a police force. And unlike the police in some other Tokyo neighborhoods, he was liked and respected by the people he protected. It was his full-time job and due to his influence, the Furinkan area remained a calm, peaceful place in which to live.

Tofu Ono was there as well. He had just started at university but was already a part-time intern for Ami, and friends with the Tendo daughters.

Needless to say, it was a packed service.

It was somber at the Tendo home. Ami was seated in a chair, staring at one of the many photos of Soun that were hanging up throughout the house for this day.

"Sorry…" Usagi sniffled, kneeling besides Ami. "Sorry I failed…"

Ami glanced down at her sobbing friend and messed with her hair. "Dont blame yourself. I failed too…"

"But I… I'm…" Usagi covered her face with her hands. "It's not fair… It's not fair to you. I can bring back you, and all our friends… But not… *sniff*"

Nearby, Tofu Ono stood next to the eldest Tendo daughter and tried to comfort her.

Kasumi looked downward. "Father took care of us when Mother was working. And now she will have to work even more… I don't know what to do."

Tofu looked away. "It will be fine. I'm sure of it. You are a brave girl."

Kasumi blushed. "Oh my…"

Akane stood by the refreshment table and was busy eating the food. She was enjoying herself somewhat if a bit confused about what was going on.

"So, you're Akane, right?" Makoto asked as she stood behind the girl.

Akane turned around and nodded, food in her mouth.

Mokoto smiled. "I hear that you're training to be a martial artist…"

Akane swallowed her food. "Yes! Dad was training me! But not in a while…" Her expression fell.

Mokoto but her lip. "Well, perhaps I could help you for the time being."

"You're a martial artist too?!" Akane exclaimed as her face lit up.

Mokoto nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Wow…" Akane gazed up in amazement.

Nabiki sat off on her own in the corner of the room, watching the guests, her face neutral.

Setsuna arrived for a short period of time to do one job and one job only: Making sure that Nabiki Tendo would not end up using her mind for evil.

As the green-haired woman started walking towards the young girl, something happened to ruin her plans.

"Hi there! Your name's Nabiki, right? I'm Minako, one of your mom's friends," the blonde said with a smile as she stood over the middlest Tendo.

Setsuna's eye twitched at that.