Wow. Who would have guessed we would have made it this far, eh? It's been one harrowing journey, I'll tell you. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed --- mucho thanks. Everyone's been so kind to me, I hate to be posting the Epilogue. And I hate to be saying goodbye to all you wonderful people too! Milk and cookies for everyone!

And so an ending comes to Engel's Zimmer. And maybe the beginning of something new . . . besides, Haru and Baron have their whole life together. What could go wrong?

Enjoy!


Engel's Zimmer
Epilogue

Death scratched the back of his neck, watching from a mirror the happens of the world above. He sloshed red wine into a glass, toasted the humans of today, and downed the concoction in one quick gulp. It eased the pain a little, but not enough to make him forget. He'd need a good bottle of Vodka for that, and his throat had always been too fair for such a hard drink.

He sighed and poured himself another glass of wine. "Oh, brother, you never lose souls!" he mocked sourly. "Never lose souls my ass. What about that one time in 1870 B.C.? Or 1739? I lost souls then. A stupid puppet and a hand-me-down nutcracker! Pah! Life forgets too easily."

This time, he left his wine in its glass and watched it irately. He slouched lower in his chair and watched small bubbles in the red liquid float to the surface.

"Not to mention all of those other times," he mumbled quietly. "Which I do not care to recount . . . oh Haru! --- Haru why did you have to leave me like such?" Moaning, he buried his head in his hands dramatically, his pale skin glowing in the night's radiance, his hair as dark as tar. "Oh why --- why?!"

"Death?" came a shrill voice from the dance below.

Death barely acknowledged the voice until it called again. And still he sobbed and moaned to himself sorrowfully.

"Death!" the woman's voice called out. "Death! Stop sobbing like a poor baby and release me from this dance!"

With a sigh, Death lifted his head out of his hands, casting a bored don't-bother-me look to whoever decided to interrupt his pity party. Surprisingly, it was Ms. Ex-Baron, come to reek havoc in his personal hell. Death sighed and sniffed indignantly, not a tear yet shed. "Excuse me?"

"Death, I will speak with you!"

"Says who?" He sat up slowly in his chair upon the tallest hill overlooking the dance, and searched for the soul who called his name. He found her, a slightly less-white soul in a perfect sea of pearls gracefully floating from one song to the next. This less-white one floundered about, pushing and shoving to get his attention. He pointed to her and motioned to draw her from the dance.

With a gasp, the soul came, less-white melting into perfect feline fur, a silken dress, and a floral hat. She was pulled by the coattails of her skirt up the embankment to kneel before him.

"What do you want?" Death asked morosely.

"I --- I want what you want, Sire," as she spoke, she picked the grass from her skirt and made sure her shoes were not scuffed up.

Death sighed through boredom. "And what do I want?"

"Haru Yoshioka."

The eons old entity regarded the figurine comically. "I didn't know you preferred women, Louise."

She blushed. "I don't! Baron is mine, Death! He's mine!"

"He has a choice now," the entity replied monotonously, resting his chin on his hand as he leaned against the arm rest. "You nor I can decide for him anymore."

"You mean he . . . he chose to be human?"

"Indefinitely."

"But . . . But humans are so --- so --- filthy!"

Death gave an abrupt laugh and decidedly picked up his wine glass anyway. "Some are, yes."

"I don't understand!" Louise whined. "Why would --- would he . . . he's mine!"

"Evidently," he drained the glass in one gulp, "not anymore. Now if you would be a good kitty, go join the dance again. Forget all of this bothersome nonsense. Baron will return to us in time. Everything living does in the end."

Louise gave a tantrum and stomped her foot like a child. "No! You don't understand! Baron's mine! He's been mine ever since our creator created us! We were meant for each other! He's not meant for some --- some human!"

Death sneered, "And how would you know?"

She gave a start. "Because he's mine, of course --- and don't you go rolling your eyes at me! He's mine!" She paused for a moment. "And if you let me get him back, I promise you Haru will be yours."

That, despite her shrill words and childish behavior, that got his attention instantly. He leaned forward, black hair falling halfway across his shoulder, and eyed her intently. "If you can get him back."

"I will," Louise said confidently. "I promise. Just give me a second chance. I will show him how horrid it is to be human! And then he'll want nothing more than to come back with me. Please, Death, please. And then you may have Haru! Isn't that what we both want? You want to retrieve your lost souls, and I want what's mine."

For a long moment, the age-old Death regarded her thoroughly. A million questions fleeted through his head, most he ignored, some he considered, and one he voiced. "And what shall happen if you should fail?"

Louise drew herself up to her full height, narrowing her ivy eyes, and said without hesitation, "I will not fail."