Alrighty, alrighty, alrighty! Last chapter, folks! Though I guess it isn't exactly a chapter. It takes places two weeks after Erus' death.
Epilogue
Dai yawned widely and propped her feet up on the desk. "Aren't you don't yet?" she inquired lightly.
She could practically feel the murderous intent of her trainees as they continued through their task of one hundred pushups. The twenty-five Spirit Agents were in organised lines on the ground, working, sweating, panting, and hating their louging mentor with every fibre of their being.
Dai idly stirred her mug of tea, humming lightly.
"Bitch…" one of her students, Yue, muttered.
"Ahahaha! Did I say one hundred pushups? Pardon me, I meant three hundred. Thank you for reminding me, Yue."
And thus the hatred was directed to the young man who had spoken up.
Dai's black eyes slid lazily towards the door as it opened and Mahiru skipped in, her pigtails bouncing as she made her way to Dai's desk and unceremoniously jumped into the woman's lap.
"Oof! Ne, ne, Mahiru-chan, be easy on a poor old lizard." Her mouth tilted as she tapped Mahiru on the chin. "What is it?"
"Someone's here to see you, kaa-san," Mahiru chirped. "In the front room."
Both eyebrows were raised over an otherwize unsurprised expression. "Oh my. Would you mind staying here and watching my victims? They aren't supposed to take breaks until they finish."
Mahiru blinked. "Victims?"
"That's my codename for my students."
"Hai, kaa-san."
Dai let her feet drop off her desk's surface and set Mahiru in her big chair before strolling towards the door. "Don't slack off while I'm gone," she chirped in a sing-song voice to the trainees. The pale woman flashed them a sweet smile before walking out the door.
She rubbed her neck and walked down the empty hallway. The front foyer was a large room with big, open windows letting in bright rays of sunlight. There were a few folding chairs for the few people that did visit.
Hiei was leaning right next to the door, and coincidentally beside one of those windows. As such, the sun lit on his usually shadowed features; pronouncing the pigment of his skin, the white of his bandages, the undertones of his hair. The youkai's foreboding red eyes were closed.
Dai paused in the threshold of the hall, and smiled slightly. As though sensing her presence Hiei opened his eyes.
She studied him for a second, then smiled briefly, walked in, and sat herself in one of those folding chairs. She leant back against it with a small effort and set her hands in her lap.
"Your mother, she was scared for you. She begged me to save you, so I did."
Hiei's arms were folded. "And you got thrown out of your clan."
Dai studied the window across from her contemplatively. "I didn't like them, anyways."
The red-eyed youkai stared at her for a long time. He huffed sharply and looked away. "I don't forgive you," Hiei muttered.
"I'm sorry to hear that," she replied lightly, "But there's nothing you can do to change what happened, thus I suggest you forget about it." Dai pushed herself from the chair, rubbing the side of her head. "I have also decided to take it upon myself to forewarn you that the offer to be part of my clan has an expiry date, and should you refuse, why, I think I might just keel over and die of heartbreak here and now-,"
"Don't blackmail me!" Hiei snapped aggressively.
"Blackmail you? Why, Hiei-san, to think I would do something so – so uncouth-,"
"Whatever," the youkai spat, as though he had not come to gain answers from her and she was lucky to be in his prescence.
"You're so cute when you're ready to maim me-,"
"I'm leaving!"
Dai smiled at his back as he went storming out the door. She watched him glance back briefly, and quickly look away when he found her still watching, before jumping through the portal out of Reikai with a scowl on his face.
The dragon raked her fingers through her black hair and lingered infront of the door for a while. She walked to the window and stared at the formless world outside the training facility.
Thunder broke out. It started to rain. Yawning slightly, her forehead pressed against the glass. She set her elbow against the windowsill.
"You should be hibernating at least another two weeks."
"Don't sneak up on me, Youko-sama," she said, turning around and straightening up to look at the redheaded man. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Kurama's green eyes studied her. "Mahiru wanted sakura blossoms," he explained smoothly.
"You're spoiling her…"
"I do not take that seriously coming from you. You gave her a mountain for her birthday."
Dai tried at an innocent expression. "She said she wanted to try rock-climbing."
Kurama smiled briefly but the expression faded. He studied her for a moment. "How are you feeling?"
"A little tired," she replied simply as he touched ht eback of his hand to her forehead.
"You didn't sleep long enough," he stressed again.
"I don't want to sleep. By the way, Kakei threatened to kill you. I don't think he appreciates looking like you."
"Dai," Kurama warned. "Please."
Dai leant back. She watched him for a while, then shrugged slightly. "What do you expect from me, Youko? This sort of thing doesn't happen everyday for me…"
"I know it doesn't." he said quietly. "They're gone. They're both gone. But time doesn't stop-,"
"-and I don't change," she finished gently. Her mouth tilted upwards. "Not for anything."
A silence passed before Dai tilted her head slightly, her smile growing. Kurama watched her lean up and kiss his cheek briefly. Settling back on the balls of her feet, she studied him.
"Thank you, Youko-sama."
She went around him and began back down the hall, stugging her hands in the pockets of her oversized white jacket. Kurama watched her in blank surprise until she stopped suddenly.
"By the way," Dai began, half-turning her head. "Mahiru's allergic to sakura blossoms. I think you're losing your touch, Youko-sama."
Kurama watched her continue down the hallway and disappear around a corner. He smiled; a curve of his lips that reflected in his bright green gaze.
"Unlikely," he murmured after her.
And we're done! Be sure to look for the SEQUEL, named 'To Ascend', which will most likely be out this week. There will be more...how you say...romance in it. Lots more, I'm thinking.
I AM -EXCITED-! WOOT!
Anyways, thanks for coming along for the ride. Now do me a favour, and click that one button we desperate writers worship:
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...ok, I'm done being weird, please review (laughs nervously)