Amaterasu stared at the seat next to her. She could almost still see him. He knew that he wouldn't outlive her. She knew that this would eventually happen.
Then why is it so hard to let go?
She remembered him in every detail. From his golden hair to his pale, blue eyes; his pink shirt with two large pompoms in the front; his purple pants and red stilt shoes… The way he would tug on his helmet when he was upset; the way he'd run his fingers up and down the length of his flute, as if contemplating what tune he would play when the conversation was over. The way his eyes sparkled when he laughed; how he would begin to speak in his native language when he was nervous; the way he twirled his swords around like they were playthings, even when he was about to go into battle. How fearless he looked when he encountered an enemy; how sad he would turn if someone just mentioned Shiranui or the Celestials. How he would spend hours muttering to himself; blaming himself for many deaths; how it took forever to calm him down. How he used to sit under a tree and play his flute; call her Ma chérie; run his fingers through her hair…
She sniffed, remembering when he had protected her, so many years ago.
He was willing to die for me… And I didn't even remember him.
When he disappeared over the edge of the platform, she had lost all hope of ever seeing him again.
And now…
He had lived with her for centuries, here on the Celestial Plain. They had even had a son, Chibi.
He had died not one hour ago, protecting a few mortals.
He always cared for them, even when I wasn't there. He protected them for nearly 200 years.
He had always had a sadness lingering about him. Sadness for the Celestials, but especially for Kurow. He always felt that he could have changed the boy's fate. He would have preformed the task himself, had he been a vessel made for containing Akuro.
She sat up straighter, straining to hear something. Her wolf ears twitched. His voice…
"My darling Amaterasu… I could not have lived with you forever. You are immortal; I am not. I shall miss you… Kurow wants me to tell you he misses Chibi, too. He is not sullen, even though he knows what I have done. He has forgiven me, as have you. Je t'aime ..."
Amaterasu closed her eyes. She tilted her head back and breathed in the scent of the cherry blossoms. She heard footsteps running towards her.
"Mama, why did Papa leave?"
She looked up. There was her son, Chibiterasu. He had the same look in his eyes that he had when Kurow turned on him. She tried to put on a brave smile for him. "Chibi, your father left for the mortal realm because it was his fate."
He stared at her with soft, amber eyes. "You mean, like Kurow being killed by me was his fate?"
She turned away so he couldn't see her eyes, which were filling with tears. "He left because it was his destiny." She sniffed again, then turned to look at her son. "Do you remember how he would keep getting up every single time he was knocked down; even if he was injured. I once asked him why, and he told me, I will never give up a fight, ma chérie, until my last breath."
"Mama?" Chibi looked straight at her. "Papa's not coming back… is he?"
Amaterasu swallowed hard. "Chibi…" She shook her head. "No. He's not coming back."
The child sat down beside her, putting his head on her shoulder.
Waka was gone.
