hey hey! welcome to the third and final part of the Kurama and San series! its sad knowing that this is going to end so soon, but i suppose that is the way it goes. some if it will be confusing if you haven't read the first two installments. i recommend you go back and do so before starting this story. for those that have been faithfully reading the key and other various stories i've produced, this won't make sense to you at first, but just bear with me, it will help me conlcude the key the way i envisioned. that being said, let's get this show on the road

Part 3

...

A light breeze blows through the trees on a bright, cloudless, sunny day. The spring air was slightly crisp, but at least the dreadful snows were finally gone. It was a long and bitter winter, causing most of San's adventuring to be cut short. It was simply too cold to be outside, and it frustrated the wolf to no end. San Chiya may not look like a wolf, but she was in fact a wolf demon, who had taken the form of a human in order to blend in Ningenkai. But why was a demon lurking around in the world of the living? Well that was a story already told, a legend that many apparitions knew already. Yes, her story was one that was passed around everywhere, and her accomplishments made others weary of her presence. But that suited San just fine.

San was dozing in her tree, one she had planted years ago. This was not an unusual place for her, she enjoyed the peace and quiet it provided her. She was waiting for Kenji, her adviser to return from Makai. He was gathering information for her, and he was the only one she could trust with it-with the exception of Hiei. But since the final battle two years ago, she hadn't had any luck finding what she was hunting for. She was an excellent hunter, one of the best, but she just couldn't seem to get even a scrap of evidence about her prey. It infuriated her, and no one was really all that helpful with their mentalities. But she wouldn't give up, she knew it was crucial. Not even Takashi answered her calls anymore.

Her tawny eyes opened, alert. Someone was approaching her, but she relaxed when she found it was only Hiei. She frowned slightly, wondering what he could possibly want if he's gone out of his way to seek her out. It was unnatural, usually it was her going to him for something.

"Can I help you?" she asked once he reached her branch high up in the tree.

"Hn. Your messenger has returned," he sniffed.

"Yes, you're here telling me of your return," she smiled, looking at the small fire apparition.

"I'm not your errand boy. I'm just the only one who doesn't think it matters whether you're here or not."

"The only one brave enough to disturb me you mean."

"Hn. If you were on guard you would have known your adviser was here."

"I suppose."

"You're getting too used to this peace idea."

"There is no peace yet. We're still short one member of the pack."

"Hn."

San saw his disapproving look. She glared at him, daring him to have the same tireless argument with her. If only she could get him to understand that she wasn't crazy, that this was real. But he wouldn't, not until she fixed everything so that no longer would her life be as warped as it was. Not even Reikai could find what she was looking for. The key to all of this madness.

He disappeared then, but in reality he just jumped away. She sighed then, trying to regain her patience. It had been two years, and the ones she loved were still adamant about what happened in that final battle. But San knew better, she knew she wasn't crazy, she just couldn't figure out how to fix everything so it could go back to normal. Her patience was leaving her, but she wouldn't give up. She couldn't, or all would be lost, and it was just too painful to let all of that go.

She took a deep breath, and then left her tree, going back to the temple. If Kenji had returned she wanted to know what he found right away. She was desperate to put her life back together, and finish of this silly prophecy once and for all. But the words had no perception of time, and it only infuriated her. She refused to let this stupid thing dictate her life this way, she was going to get exactly what she wanted.

She came to her garden, noting that Kenji was standing the space that the Dragonite used to be. He was patient, looking at her as she entered. She didn't waste any time, she walked towards him expectantly. His face was plain, it was hard for her to know if he had succeeded in finding what she was looking for.

"Your Majesty," he nodded at her, "I trust you have been well."

"Given the current situation I could be much better," she spoke in a neutral tone, wishing he would just get on with it.

"I see. You're still in this delusion then," he almost sounded disappointed.

"It is not a delusion, Kenji. It happened, and up until the last battle all of you were well aware of it. It's the life that we all know."

"I know you are capable of lying being a human, your Majesty."

"We've been over this. I have no reason to lie. You've read the prophecy yourself."

"Forgive me, your Majesty, but I cannot recall. We still haven't found the completed copy that was to be in your possession as you described."

"Never mind that now, that's not my main focus. Please tell me you have good news."

"I was unable to find this, Youko Kurama you are so desperately searching for. As in our previous discussions, no such demon ever existed. There are no traces, not even dating back in any kistune packs, and we were very thorough about all of them. I'm sorry your Majesty but all the evidence is against you."

"And Shina? Did you find her?"

Kenji sighed, "I'm sorry your Majesty, but you giving birth to an heir to the throne would have been very memorable. If Hateshinai Awai was the product of yourself and the fabled Youko Kurama the it is only proper that her existence is purely imagined as well."

San sighed, tired of hearing it. She knew she was right, knew it, "If only you could see, the memories I have are very vivid. I'm sure this is a result of the prophecy, this didn't happen until that final battle."

"Forgive me, your Majesty, but there was no Youko Kurama, there never has been. You have done most of the things that you claim he is to take credit. I'm sorry but we just can't find demons that never existed."

"They do exist," there was an edge in her voice.

Kenji put a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, Moriko," she looked at him sharply. He rarely used her name, "I'll keep trying, I do not believe that you have succumb to madness. But perhaps for the sake of the high council and the royal court you just play along with what myself and everyone else knows. You were a lone wolf, you never took a mate and you never produced an heir, despite our badgering. I would hate to see yet another plot to get you off the throne, the wolf clan does not need that right now."

"I understand, Kenji. Keep looking, and keep it discreet. Never mind the council, they are much too afraid to defy. me."

"As you wish, your Majesty."

"I'll begin my hunt again in Ningenkai. You know that you are able to reach me here."

"Have your powers returned?"

"I'm in full command of all my demon abilities. I still feel the ties and protection of my mate. Even if you say he doesn't exist, I know he does. Focus your efforts on Shina, she's two years old and I've hardly known her."

"And when I turn up again with zero evidence will you finally give up then?"

"Absolutely not. My family is forcefully separated from me, I will not stop until I find them."

"I see," he looked disappointed.

"Do you believe in the prophecy, Kenji?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll understand some day why we're having this conversation. Why I refuse to give up on my family. Something happened in that last battle, something that altered everyone's mind except mine, taking my mate and my daughter away from me. It's torture to know what's going on and to know that there is nothing I can do about it, especially when I can't find any scrap of evidence as to their whereabouts. The only thing that makes me believe it is necessary is the mysterious absence of Takashi."

Kenji didn't say anything. Her words were heartfelt, real. He knew she wasn't lying, he was highly trained to spot those kinds of tells. The sorrow in the Queen's tawny eyes told him the truth, mostly because before today he had never really seen any emotion in her eyes. She was hurting, desperate for this life she spoke of.

"Your Majesty, if there was anything I could do-"

"Just keep looking. It's the only thing you can do until you find something. One of us will find something, that I promise you."

Kenji could only nod, unable to disobey a direct command.

...

San woke up the next morning ready to go out hunting for Shuuichi Minamino. She was having dreams of her past life as a demon, with Youko Kurama, her mate. She yearned for him, wishing that he was here with her. And Shina, her daughter that she gave birth to and three weeks later was taken from their grasp. She only saw her daughter briefly at the final battle and then she was forcefully separated from her family. What was worse, no one seemed to remember either of them.

But she wasn't going to let that deter her. She was going out into civilization. She was going to find him today, she knew it, could feel it. She would have her family back if it was the last thing she did. And she found a surprise for her in her garden, a small fire apparition.

"I found a human matching your description," Hiei was never one for pleasantries.

"Oh?" her human heart skipped a beat.

"Don't get your hopes up. I still believe you're a fool for chasing this for so long."

"You know its true Hiei, you've seen my memories are not false."

"Hn."

Hiei then took off, San hot on his heels. She wasn't sure if her speed had increased or if Hiei had intentionally slowed down just for her. Either was she was hoping that he had really found him, Shuuichi Minamino. She swore she had searched everywhere, despite there being so many people in the city. But the fire apparition was going a little beyond the city, a very remote place that not many people lived. It wasn't isolated like the temple, more like a country setting.

But he stopped dead in his tracks once he reached a very specific house. San would never think to look here. They stuck to the tree cover, not wanting to alarm the humans sitting on the front porch. San gasped. There, sitting on the porch was Shiori and Kazuya. And in between them was the red haired, emerald eyed human she had been searching for the last two years. Shuuichi Minamino.

...

thanks so much i love you all