Time passed as it invariantly did; something that not even the gods could change. Everyone went as they planned after the officer's discovery of Touma, and a quick ten years later, everyone received an invitation for tea at Kayura's.

Not knowing what to expect, they arrived at Kayura's temple to see the place had greatly changed. The grounds were now littered with people. Most were Lugans, but there was still a healthy mix of nations. Kayura's core temple, where they had returned after the endgame, was now littered with pews and alters and people.

Touma and Shuten wandered around, not knowing what they were supposed to do. "You don't think they're all here for tea, are you?" the prince asked quietly.

"Doubtful," Shuten answered. "This most likely has something to do with her talk about 'showing her hand.' I wonder sometimes if she plays with a full deck."

"Probably overly full," Touma said, more than used to Shuten's gambling expressions. When they had first started working together, they pair could barely speak to each other without loosing what the other was saying. Shuten constantly used gambling references that Touma did not always know, and Touma had the inevitable habit of drawing comparisons with something, be it science or history or philosophy, which was almost always obscure. "She always likes to do things her way."

"Hey! There they are!" The two Hashibans turned to see Rajura and Shuu. The Lugan mercenary ran over to them, ready to bury them in bear hugs. Rajura was more sedate, merely walking up to them and nodding. "Place sure is crowded isn't it?" he asked.

"We were just talking about that," Shuten said. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Rajura said. He grinned, casting an evil glance to his partner. "Very good indeed."

"Do I want to know?" Touma asked.

"Aw," Shuu said, "he's just looking for a chance to brag. He's beaten me pretty soundly in the last couple of matches. He even won last winters Olympics, without maho naturally. He's looking to look down his nose at whoever won't punch him in the nose."

"So then things have not changed all that much," said a new voice. The quartet turned to see Shin and Naaza walk up.

"Things have been changing a lot from what I hear," Touma said, in between shaking hands and hugging.

"Just a few preliminary test runs," Shin said.

Naaza nodded. "About the only thing we have in common is patience. If we're going to live forever, then we might as well take things slowly."

"Those are very true words," Anubisu said as he and Seiji joined the growing entourage. They all exchanged greetings for a third time.

"Now what?" Seiji asked. "I doubt tea will be amongst this crowd."

"It's not." The eight of them turned to see Kayura. She held a finger to her lips. "Don't say my name," she whispered. "If these fanatics hear it, I'll never get anything done."

"Then why are they here, uh, child?" Rajura asked.

"Because you don't know where we're having tea. Follow me!" She giggled and skipped her way through the crowd, taking no notice of bumping into them or knocking them down. The eight followed at a more polite pace to the back of the hall. They gathered in a tight circle, and Kayura knocked on a specific stone. She waited for a moment, and then smiled. "Okay, let's go." She then calmly stepped through the wall.

After varying responses, they followed hesitantly. The wall was only an illusion, however, and they followed the bouncing Kayura up the hidden stairs. After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at the top.

It clearly was Kayura's personal chambers, much like the panoramic top floor of Kaosu's small tower. The ceiling of the cavern reached several hundred feet. But only spider like tendrils of stone traced their way to the floor, leaving vast, natural windows to show a near-panoramic view of the mountains of Luga. They were obviously very high up, they could see for miles and miles. The cavern itself was heavily carpeted, Anubisu's and Seiji's bare feet sinking into their plush softness. There were colored cushions and chairs at the center of the cavern, with a medium sized oak table that held a tea set and cakes. Elsewhere in the cavern were comfortable couches and ottomans and chairs, but no one bothered to explore because at the tea set were Ryo, Nasutei, and Kaosu.

"Hey!" Shuu called out, leading what could only be called a stampede to the center of the chamber. There was a Fuan family-style tackle hug, and it was not long before even Kaosu was buried.

"I've wanted to do that since the invite!" Shuu said expansively as he sat on an orange cushion. Nasutei poured the tea and handed the cups and the cakes out as everyone took their seats.

"Well," Kaosu said. "I suppose the first question to ask is how everyone is doing."

Everyone looked to everyone else, wondering who would start.

"Oh, come on!" Kayura said explosively. "Someone must have something they are dying to say."

Touma, deciding that he would be the best choice; blurted out his news. "I'm going to be coroneted soon." There were many congratulations before Ryo asked when. "Well, uncle set the date for the spring after next. A little over two years. You all know how over the moon he was when I came home not only in one piece, but also ready and willing to take the throne. I think we finally stopped partying two weeks after the fact."

"Touma's uncle is a very sleazy drunk," Shuten informed all of them. "A very, sleazy, drunk," he repeated.

Touma made a face but said nothing, stuffing the cake into his mouth. "I'm still advisor hunting, even after ten years of looking. You'd think I'd find someone with the right combination of skills, but they're really hard to find. Shuten's already complaining about all the work he has to do."

Shuten scoffed, and then said, "Right now I'm looking into current Hashiba University students. Some of them have potential, and I've been asking the faculty to start nudging them in the right direction." He jabbed his thumb in Touma's direction, "He won't let me to more than that."

Making another face, Touma defended himself. "I want my advisors to want to do what they do, to love their work. Forcing them to do something isn't going to be good for either them or me."

"That's very true," Shin said. "The same thing is happening in Sthiss. It can be frustrating to take such baby, baby steps, but any step is better then none, I suppose."

"What's your current title?" Seiji asked. "It keeps changing."

"Well, the official title right now is 'Head of Reconstruction, Development, and Organization.' Basically, I'm in charge of layout and placement of the new buildings in Suisiss. Before I was in charge of political hierarchy; that's placement of all the new monk-sirs in the new system. Before that it was distribution of supplies, and before that was security."

Naaza laughed. "This honest sir has lying down to a craft," he said, ribbing the monk. "He gets his new title, disappears from their sight, and does all the ground work his way. Once everything's set in motion and can't be reversed, he reappears, gets yelled at, and then reassigned. They keep trying to put him lower in the ranks, but the new sirs won't allow it."

"They won't?" Anubisu asked.

"No," Shin said. "My very first post when I went back to Sthiss was the requests for new monk-sirs, the new army needed to quell the uprising and all that. I deliberately asked and requested monk-sirs I've served with before, who were even more pious and devoted than I was."

"Is that possible?" someone asked.

Shin ignored the remark and Naaza continued. "They hold protests and strikes until he gets put in a position of decent rank, and everything begins again."

"How do you disappear?" Kayura asked, sipping her tea to hide her grin.

"Me," Naaza said simply. When he did not elaborate, Shin picked up the narration. "I hide out in one of Naaza's many, many, back rooms. Naaza 'kidnaps' whoever I need and then drags them to me. I would then apologize profusely and use all the bartering skills I picked up from Shuu to get things done. In return I help out Naaza with the kids."

Many people blinked, not having heard of Naaza's work in Sthiss. "'Kids?'" Shuu repeated.

The Doko turned bright red and only glared in response. Shin laughed good-naturedly and explained. "The monk-sirs can be changed by bringing in the appropriate personnel, and by what I'm doing. The same cannot be said for the Sthissians who have suffered generations of abuse at the hands of the clergy. The current faction heads are so set in their ways that they won't accept any change at all. So Naaza decided to affect the next generation. He runs a biracial orphanage. He takes in runaways and orphans of humans and Sthissians and Dokos and forces them to live together and get used to each other. It's pretty small right now, but he screens everything they eat and drink, so there aren't any 'accidental' poisonings. Between the two of us - that's where I hide out to get all my work done - we heal the kids and teach them to read and write. I bring in some of the nicer Kaosan texts as well as some children's books I've written, and Naaza teaches them self defense and how to survive in a place like Sthiss without getting in anyone's way and without joining a particular faction. I think we're setting a good example, a human and a Doko working together."

"Do they know that you are a monk-sir?" Rajura asked.

"Not yet. A few of the older kids have found out, but I just tell them to think of it as they will and go about my business. What they see is what they get, it's just a question of whether they can see or not, and that's what we're trying to teach them."

"Perhaps it would be a good idea, then," Seiji said, "for Anubisu and I to come down for some instruction once in a while. We are perhaps the perfect example of how people can put aside their differences."

Shin and Naaza looked to each other, their eyes darting back and forth, the only indication that they were having a mental conversation. It proved to be often faster than normal conversation. "Yes," they said simultaneously. Naaza, looking at Anubisu, asked, "How have things been going with you, you have been very quiet the last few years."

"Frankly, we haven't had the time to keep in touch as much as we want," the Yami replied. "The invitation for tea was a great idea and excellent timing. It took almost eight years to prove to those old fools that I was a newer, better, more honorable Anubisu." He scoffed. "If they were deer, their antlers would weigh their heads down and prevent them from seeing the truth. Once they finally accepted me as me, it didn't take them long to actually see that I was better than them, if for no other reason than because I had experience on the astral plane. The fact that I knew the gods personally, or had saved the world, or even had maho, is sadly inconsequential to them. Anyway, I became High Elder in a matter of months, and since then have had everyone at my doorstep seeking guidance. It's almost impossible to get anything done. Although," he added, cracking a grin. "It was nice to see their faces when Seiji and I met."

The Korin laughed. "Yes, that was very good. A Yami and a Korin meeting at the borders, in front of both councils of elders, and bowing to each other in greeting. I still have to remind my grandfather to pick his jaw off the ground once in a while."

"So things are progressing?" Ryo asked, munching on his cakes. Byakuen and Kokueno appeared from somewhere, and it was not long before the Rekka was snuggling into the white tiger's fur.

"Yes," Seiji answered. "My grandfather is still absorbing some of the lessons I had to learn, but he is very proud of me and has named me as his successor. Yayoi was furious." He smiled. "I have brought my lessons to the other Korin. They are slow to acceptance, as the people of Sthiss, but they respect my future position and the fact that I have learned volumes on my journey. After pulling some teeth, Anubisu arranged for us to meet at the borders. I brought my grandfather and the rest of my family, as well as the rest of the elders. Anubisu brought his elders. Once we were both at the border, we walked out to each other, bowed, and embraced each other to symbolize just what our plans were."

"It was a tense moment," Anubisu said. "The elders were staring at each other, ready to draw their swords if needs be, and none of them expected what we did, which was the point. There were curses to pay afterwards; everyone looked at us like we had committed a sin." He laughed. "But it was the first step. Once Seiji takes his grandfather's place as High Elder, we'll step up our plans. With both of us in charge, we will have a better ability to make the changes, so long as they stop bugging me about the astral plane."

Seiji grinned. "You can politely tell them that it is a journey that they must make on their own. That is what I did and it was worked very well. I hardly get questioned about the astral plane, instead I am bothered about light and how I use it." Seiji blushed slightly. "They seem to think I am, well, 'enlightened.'"

Everyone laughed. Seiji only blushed further and searched for a change in topic. "Rajura? Shuu? How are you faring?"

"Pretty good," Shuu said. He picked up his fourth cake and stuffed it into his mouth while still talking. Rajura quickly landed his fist into the mercenary's skull and muttered something about manners.

"We have indeed set up a school for training mercenaries. It is finally starting to gain popularity, and the students are learning well. The 'obstacle courses,' are really my illusions with some added effects from Shuu, and they are actually fast learners. It is the more intellectual matters that they have a problem with."

"Oh some of it is easy," Shuu said. "Army training and conduct goes over pretty well, but you try and teach them strategies or mathematics or the 'philosophy of fighting' that Rajura teaches and they all go a little swirly eyed."

"Idiocy is no tolerated," Rajura said flatly.

"No, but it's encouraged," Shuu said lightly. "Rajura handles all the bureaucratic stuff. He's a natural at it, but he couldn't haggle his way into a bargain if his life depended on it. And, he's continually trying to change the name of the school, the Rurouni Wandering Samurai of Justice."

Rajura cringed at the name. "It was the last time I ever made a decision when I was drunk."

"Oh, is that how you managed it?" Ryo asked.

"Yup!" Shuu answered proudly.

Rajura hit him again and continued. "We have Luna-Leader interested in our little school. She doesn't know what she's going to do with us officially, but she's mentioned privately looking into making us the first mercenary's guild. She's also talking about finally making a peacekeeper force. It's been in debate for years, from what I understand, but our school looks like a promising start."

"Wow, you guys have been pretty busy," Ryo said, pouring himself another cup of tea.

"And you haven't?" Touma asked.

"Well," Ryo said, blushing.

Nasutei tsked him and said, "He's been just as busy as all of you. He may have finished teaching me maho, but he hasn't stopped teaching me how to be a disciple. I'm afraid I'm a rather horrid student, I go to him with questions on everything, some of which pulling meaning and importance from something that is so natural to him that he doesn't know how to answer. I still have a lot to learn, I'm afraid."

"No you don't!" Ryo defended. "You learned everything there is to learn about being a disciple, and you've also learned everything there isn't to learn. You're going to be just fine." The Rekka turned to his friends. "I think she's just latching onto me because I'm around all the time. You guys should stop by more so she can latch on to you."

"Ryo!" Nasutei said blushing. But she did eye a few of the men there. They all backed away in fear.

Ryo continued. "When I haven't been answering every question under the sun, I've been helping my master and Kayura-sama set up her new religion. She's doing a lot of experimenting, that's why all the fanatics are downstairs. They all are doing their own thing and Kayura's figuring out which she likes better."

"It's so hard to choose!"

Everyone ignored her. "She's also been walking around Luga to see if anyone would notice her."

"Then is WAS you that stopped by that one time?" Shuu demanded. "I didn't want to walk up to you and say, 'Hey, aren't you Kayura-sama?' That would have sounded so stupid if you weren't you. You looked different."

Kayura nodded. "Because you all have maho, I can appear to you as I am. That doesn't quite work as well with people without maho. So I have to change myself a little."

"A little?" Rajura asked flatly. Everyone laughed.

"There have been a lot of changes in the last ten years," Ryo said. "I wonder how the spirits are doing?"

"You haven't heard from Go and Retsu or the others?" Seiji asked.

"No. I miss them a lot. But I understand that they need to do their own thing. I just wish it didn't take so long."

Kaosu and Kayura looked at him, but said nothing. They had heard from the spirits, and were asked not to say anything.

"And Badamon?" Shuten asked.

The gods looked to each other. "Oh, he's around."

Badamon struggled, taking one step after another after another. He had been in darkness for as long as he could remember, in darkness since his master had died. It was all Sanada Ryo's fault that his master was dead. His fault. His fault! Badamon laughed; a low, vibrating giggle of the insane. He would find his way out of these caves. He would find his way out of these caves, and then he would find and kill Sanada Ryo.

He would kill Sanada Ryo!