(A/N: I do not own Full Moon and I am not making any monetary profit. This starts out a several years after the manga ends, so there will be spoilers. I hope you enjoy the story!)

(This is based solely on the manga.)

"Did you hear about the new boss?" a fellow angel asked Meroko nervously. She nodded her head. Judging by the other angel's nervous gestures and pensive expression, word must have gotten around that the new boss wasn't exactly friendly. He also preferred the term "shinigami" over "angels" and they were being called that again. Meroko wasn't sure why, but she did not have the power to stop it. Her colleague looked a bit queasy just speaking about the change of hands higher up. "I'm scared. I heard this new guy was, like, a tyrant or something." She shuddered. "We were having such a good time," she lamented with a sigh. "Sad to see it end."

"Well, maybe it won't be that bad," Meroko tried to comfort her downcast friend, but the girl remained completely convinced that this was the end of an era. Meroko would find herself agreeing with her friend in only a matter of time.

---

"You have another boss?!" Takuto exclaimed. He would like to think nothing surprised him, having spent some time of his life as a shinigami while actually being physically alive, if not mentally active. Then there was the surprise that he and Mitsuki could still see and converse with Meroko and Izumi when the two would drop by. It had been several years and he and Mitsuki were sure that Eichi had left, but all four were miffed that Meroko and Izumi could still be seen by them. Takuto wondered if it didn't have something to do with the fact he'd been with them in the other realm and by keeping in contact with him now, Mitsuki could still see them. Takuto was grateful for it. He valued the two shinigamis' friendship deeply and he knew Mitsuki felt the same.

Right now, Mitsuki was off at a CD signing while Takuto hung out at the house and prepared dinner. They had moved in together shortly after Mitsuki had graduated from high school. Meroko often brought up the subject of marriage, mystified as to why the two just didn't tie the knot. Mitsuki's grandmother had not been thrilled, either, but everyone had eventually come around, knowing the couple was sincere in their feelings towards each other. They alternately took turns cooking and doing chores, trying to simplify their lives as best as they could. Since Mitsuki was out, Takuto was busy in the kitchen, despite not being the better cook of the two. Luckily, Meroko had dropped by and was helping with dinner while expressing her concern over her and Izumi's new boss.

"Who took over after Johna- you know? Our Boss?" he asked, still fuzzy on what their boss's name had actually been. It seemed Izumi and Meroko were always fuzzy on the name of their current boss. He could never recall them specifically naming any person and every time he or Mitsuki had asked they had just shrugged it off and said that no one had really taken up the mantle yet. Takuto and Mitsuki had tried to push the other couple into it multiple times, but both had explained there had to be certain requirements and neither of them could meet those.

Meroko shrugged. "No one did, really. We got assignments handed down to us from a group of people. It wasn't very organized," she admitted, biting her lip and looking down. "We are still way behind because of it."

Takuto couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I'm sure there are some grateful people for that."

She punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Haha, Ta-kun."

"So, where is Izumi?" he asked, curiously.

Meroko crossed her arms. "The new boss likes to keep him busy, always giving him solo assignments," she said with a pout. "And I keep getting paired with new shinigami or ones that aren't meeting their quota properly." She leaned against the counter and sighed sadly.

"Well, you and Izumi are good at what you do. The new boss must really like you."

"Yeah, I guess," she said uncrossing her arms and shrugging. "But it's the new second-in-command who's giving the orders and keeping Izumi away from me."

"Keeping Izumi away from you?" Takuto asked doubtfully. "You're too paranoid. And why are you calling yourselves shinigami again? You're known as angels now."

"No," Meroko shook her head. "The new Boss doesn't agree with the term 'angels.' He prefers things more traditional, I guess."

"Jerk," Takuto said with a scowl, deciding he already didn't like this new guy.

"Yeah, and the second-in-command is a woman," Meroko informed him. "I think she has a crush on Izumi. It irritates me."

"Ah, really?" Takuto asked, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I think you're just jealous. What does Izumi think of this?"

"I don't know. She doesn't make it obvious."

"Well, no one could make anything more obvious than you," Takuto said with a chuckle.

Meroko blushed and laughed. "You're right." The light mood didn't settle as she got serious again fast. "But, really, Takuto, I came to tell you that with this new boss, I hope he doesn't find out we can still keep in touch with you and Mitsuki. I heard he's not big on shinigami having more than minimal contact with the human world and, well, I haven't heard anything good about him," she explained.

Takuto studied her face for a moment, letting that information sink in. "You think we'll be cut off from you and Izumi?"

Meroko nodded worriedly. "Possibly for good. Takuto, you know, we never see anybody but those we lead to death and those who have committed suicide and became shinigami. You know that," she said, shoulders slumping as she tried to think of anything else to say to convey just how fearful she was of never being able to speak with Takuto or Mitsuki again. "I'm scared," she voiced and with a start realized she was trembling.

At hearing her voice shake, Takuto closed the gap between them and drew her into a hug. He figured dinner could wait. "What is it, Meroko? Why are you this upset? Did you and Izumi get into a fight?"

Meroko clung to him and shook her head, finding herself blinking back tears. "No, no," she whispered. "But I just have a very, very bad feeling. Like something awful is going to happen."

Takuto blinked, surprised. "I didn't know you hated change so much. You really are worried about the new boss, huh?"

"Yes, and about us, me and Izumi, you and Mitsuki, and my other friends in the afterworld. I'm really scared," she admitted in a tiny, frightened voice. Meroko frowned, hugging Takuto closer. She hadn't been like this before she got here. She was just nervous about being cut off from Mitsuki and Takuto, but now she was convinced something absolutely terrible was going to take place soon. "I'm hope I'm wrong," she whispered.

"I hope you are, too," Takuto said, feeling the weight of dread settle firmly into the pit of his stomach.

-

"Wow," Mitsuki breathed as she helped Takuto put away the dishes from dinner. "Meroko was really upset." Meroko's state had left her feeling frightful as well. She couldn't imagine a life where she could no longer communicate with either of her guardian angels, as she had taken to calling them. She found comfort that Takuto wouldn't be joining them ever again, but still it worried her. She might possibly never see them again. She would never be able to chat, hug, see, or simply enjoy their company. She wondered if she should make them more new clothes for their animal forms; she might never get the chance to again. She had let Takuto know repeatedly that she was thrilled he wasn't dead, but it would sure be nice if he could still morph into a cute kitten. It always got a rise out of him and she did enjoy seeing him turn an angry shade of red and mutter under his breath. She thought it was cute.

"Yeah, she was. I think she's just worried 'Zumi might fall for that new chick or something," Takuto said with a slight shake of his head. He could tell the visit had upset Mitsuki, too.

"I don't know, you really think so?"

He didn't think that was the whole reason, but he was sure it played a big part. "Yeah, and she's worried about the new boss. But, I guess she just doesn't like change. Probably mad because they're all going to have to work hard to make up for the past several years," he added with an amused snort.

"Maybe," Mitsuki said quietly. "I hope so."

"I hope so, too," Takuto agreed and felt his stomach do a little nervous flip, that dread clawing even further into it. He was doing a lot of hoping this evening, but still had such a sense of foreboding. He didn't think all this hoping was going to pay off anytime soon.

(A/N: Please let me know what you think, thank you!)