Well, we have finally come to the end. I will do more fics in the future though, and already have one in the works. Hopefully you guys will check it out! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this ending, it's slightly appropriately named so expect a few cliches! Now enough of my rambling, please read and enjoy the final chapter of PTTFR!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and I make no money off of this. It's just for fun :)
"And that, dear children is the end of our tale. One of the most beautiful of all time." the man said dramatically.
The three children at his feet glared up at him with frowns and narrowed eyes.
"That's it?" the youngest, a girl of about five, asked blandly.
"What do you mean, that's it? That was a masterpiece!" the man defended.
"But there wasn't even a kiss!" the oldest, another girl of about seven, shouted.
The man spluttered for a bit before regaining his voice.
"Do you remember my battle? That line, 'I only draw from personal experience'? That was art!" he shouted at the three children currently booing him.
"What personal experience? Whenever a fight crops up you usually run away." a woman with shoulder length blonde hair and freckles sneered.
"You promised to never speak of that Hiyori!" the taller man whipped around to face her so quickly he was slapped by his own hair.
She laughed lightly at him, before continuing on her way. The man growled before stomping after her.
"That's it Hiyori, I am no longer speaking to you!" he shouted at her small form.
"And how will you do that, dumbass? We're married after all." Hiyori retorted.
Shinji continued on, ignoring Hiyori and stopping only to speak to his "employer."
"They have no sense of art. I am a master storyteller, a muse for crying out loud! By Yamamoto's beard, I'm the best there is!" the blonde haired man growled to a shorter woman with raven colored hair and violet eyes, hidden away by spectacles.
Knowing this routine by heart, she simply laughed quietly at his misery.
"I give up, your on your own, time to watch those- those unappreciative critics! Good luck Nanao." he grumbled before continuing towards the food laden table.
"Thanks anyways!" Nanao called after him and he waved nonchalantly in response. Nanao knew he secretly loved kids and their arguments, he was in many ways a kid himself. Just like someone else she knew. A lot of someone elses she knew. Almost all the someone elses she knew.
Nanao wandered back to where the children sat and watched them play from a distance.
"I wanna be Orihime!" the youngest girl wailed, stamping her foot at her elder sister.
"Well too bad, you're Lilynette!" the elder retorted, turning her nose up at her sister.
Their brother, a quiet boy who usually liked to avoid confrontation sighed and rolled his eyes at his two sisters.
Before the fight could progress any further, Nanao intervened.
"Now, now. There's no need for fighting." she said, kneeling in front of the two girls.
"But, Mamma, I wanna be Orihime!" the younger wailed with big eyes and a cute pout.
"Well, in my opinion being Lilynette is much more fun. Know why?" she asked her daughter with a small smile.
"Why Mamma?" the little girl asked after a moment of intense thought.
"Because she was and is so strong that she was able to break her own curse. All by herself." Nanao explained.
The young girl frowned and thought for a moment.
"I thought Orihime helped her mom." the elder girl said, clearly confused.
"Orihime did help her, but after all, only Lilynette herself could break her curse. And it's the same for all of us, only we have the strength to rid ourselves of the bad. That's how the others were able to rid themselves of their curses after Orihime was gone." Nanao explained.
She hadn't meant to teach her three children a life lesson, but now was as good as ever.
The three nodded their understanding enthusiastically before returning to their game.
As Nanao watched she smiled. The eldest suddenly stopped in her grand moment of defeating Ulquiorra, who she had cast as her unwilling brother (currently lying underneath her triumphant foot which rested on his defeated chest), and turned to her mother.
"Mamma, did Orihime ever see Ichigo again?" she asked.
"Well, do you want to hear that part of the story?" Nanao asked.
"Yes, please!" all three chimed in unison.
Nanao laughed and settled herself on the floor with them, the youngest girl in her lap.
"Well, a few years passed…."
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
Orihime looked out her window and sighed. Her already long auburn hair had grown longer, to the point where her mother ha tried to force her to get a haircut, and she twirled one long stand absently around her finger.
Today was another one of those days.
In all honesty, Orihime liked Mr. Uryu Ishida. She really did, but he was beginning to tire her with his relentless pursuit. She had thought she had made herself very clear when she refused the first time. But apparently, now at the seventeenth time, she had not.
"Your mind is elsewhere today…again." he intoned politely.
And Orihime sighed, "My mind does seem intent on wandering. Maybe it's best we just said goodbye Mr. Ishida."
He said nothing in return, but he studied her face intensely, but she didn't notice.
"Miss Inoue, you really don't see a future with me?" he asked suddenly.
She sighed once more and decided she was tired of the polite refusal that had gotten her no where.
"No Mr. Ishida, I honestly don't. I'm not…I can't be that kind of woman. I won't be good for you, and I think you wouldn't be good for me, either. We are destined for other people, and I'm sure you'll find her one day." Orihime said, sending him a slight smile before exiting the room.
The serving girl, Nemu entered as she left, missing the fact that the room was still occupied. Orihime heard her begin to mumble apologies shyly to the young man and smiled, continuing on and leaving the two.
Tatsuki sat in the parlor with her mother, a much more comfortable set up present than in the formal sitting room.
They both studied her, and they knew.
Tatsuki rose first and wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend.
"I love you Orihime, you're my sister. So do me a favor and have a great life. I know it's what you want." Tatsuki said quickly, barely holding back tears.
After a brief embrace she released Orihime and headed outside, Orihime knew she was going for a ride. It was how she handled things.
Hana claimed her daughter next, and wrapped her in a warm embrace. Corin entered, having seen Tatsuki ride away so briskly he had been worried. No words were needed, and he gently folded his wife and daughter into his arms.
"We love you, precious Hime. Never forget that." Hana said thickly.
"I love you both, too. So much." Orihime answered, her voice just as thick.
They stood together, as a family a long time. The last time.
Then Orihime was out of the house, her few mandatory possessions kept neatly in a bag and a determined expression on her face.
She just knew it was the right time.
The stable hand, Mr. Sado, or Chad, was outside, readying a huge Clydesdale and he nodded to her before taking off in the direction of a distancing Tatsuki.
Instead of following she marched through the open field and straight into the dark forest. She was not afraid of the huge trees or looming shadows. She was too excited to care. She began to walk even faster, and that morphed into a jog. Soon she was running, but when she reached a little line of mushrooms, slightly curving in an ark, she stopped. Her breathing was ragged, a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and the effects from her run, as she studied the exact spot she knew gave entrance to an entirely different world.
She stared for about twenty seconds until the pendants around her neck became warm and the familiar adrenaline-like feeling assaulted her. She laughed, and it echoed through the ancient forest.
"Alright, alright." she said between her laughter, "I'm coming."
And then she took a step forward and repeated the phrase that she had committed to memory, practiced, and dreamed of saying for the first time in five years.
"Koeru sono shinseina feariringu." she stated and the air before her rippled as she stepped through the barrier.
And there they were. Every single one of them. Except the one she wanted to see most.
Unable to dwell on her feelings of disappointment, thanks to the loud cheer and many hugs she soon received, Orihime ignored her sadness and let herself be joyous and cherry like the rest of them.
She was passed around from person to person like a new toy, but she didn't mind. When they let her rest, she was again in front of the crowd, all of them smiling and gazing at her with "welcome home" shining in their eyes.
And then they parted, right down the middle.
There stood Ichigo and Isshin, Ichigo still garbed in black and Isshin still in his ridiculous robes. They approached her and stopped directly before her. Isshin then nudged his son lightly.
Ichigo stepped closer to her, and his cheeks curiously turned a light pink. He brought his hands from behind his back and held out a single perfect rose.
"For you." he said simply, not needing to explain the implications of his gift.
Orihime smiled and accepted the rose. Ichigo returned her smile before stepping back.
Isshin stepped forward, holding a curiously glowing vial between his index finger and thumb.
"The King himself sent this for you." he said quietly, flourishing the vial.
"What is it?" she almost whispered.
"It will make you like us. It's been done a few times before. I'll tell you that story some time. Just know that this is a huge responsibility." Isshin explained very seriously.
She removed the stopper and drank the liquid with purpose, not letting any of them try to talk her out of her decision. She didn't feel that different afterwards, just a bit warm.
Ichigo sighed, "You're so impatient."
He was smiling and she smiled back at him.
She sniffed the rose an smiled once more and released a content sigh. She was home.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
"Mooom!" the youngest child whined.
Nanao smiled, already knowing her complaint.
"There still wasn't a kiss!" she wailed.
Nanao laughed and stood, setting the little one on her feet and leading them towards the big bonfire and food laden table. There sitting next to each other were two red haired beings, one woman and one man.
The three children gasped in amazement.
"It's them!" the youngest squeaked.
"Mamma! The Kurosakis are Ichigo and Orihime?" the oldest gasped.
Nanao laughed, "Of course."
The three children stared star struck at the two.
"Seems we have a few admirers." Ichigo whispered to the woman sitting next to him.
"Oh?" she replied, glancing over her shoulder.
She saw Nanao's three dears gaping at her and her companion and she giggled. Shinji must have recited her story for them tonight.
Nanao wandered over, her three still staring at Ichigo and Orihime.
"Why are they staring so intently?" Ichigo questioned as Nanao took her seat next to her husband.
"Shinji left out the kiss scene. So did I." she replied.
"That so?" Ichigo questioned with a laugh.
"My children are heartless romantics." Shunsui rumbled with a grin.
Ichigo, still smirking, turned to an unsuspecting Orihime and turned her face to his.
"Ichi-?" she began, but was quickly cut off by his lips on hers.
It was chaste and quick, purely for show, but the two squeals and the quiet "Ew." that followed were worth it.
When they parted, Orihime turned a bright pink and gently slapped his shoulder in reprimand. But she was smiling, which let him know that he wasn't in any real trouble.
"And they all lived happily ever after. It's about time!" the oldest shouted at the adults.
They all laughed at the children's antics and resumed their various conversations.
The night continued on and so it did for many, many years.
It is said, that a forest will thicken unexplainably, or sounds and lights will leak through the thick trunks occasionally, but never in the same place twice.
This may be the Meadow, appearing and providing a home for those that require it, or for a chance to those that need it. As time passes, the old truths fade into legend, legend into myth, and myth into a distant memory. Orihime an Ichigo continued on in the ever changing world, their bond growing stronger with each passing year. Their story is still circulated from time to time, each in a different form and with a different ending, but all ultimately the same. It always ends with the words once spoken by an impatient child, "They all lived happily ever after."
Well, I certainly enjoyed the ride and I hope you all did too. Thanks for the never ending support, especially from nypsy, sorakun9, and Zakmarl of Rexxar. You guys have been with me from the start and stuck with it till the end, y'all are the best! Again, I hoped you liked it and will come see what else I'm cooking up! Until next time!
~Trapped in Wonderland