Disclaimer: The only claimage here is for Taro, Sera, Jennai, and Mina.
So at last we come to the final chapter... You ready for this? Well here it is, the grand finale!
-(Epilogue)-
It was sundown when the group returned to Zelos' house. They'd gone to the ice cream parlor, the park, and the mall, teaching Mina everything that could be taught to a six year old at one time. They would have gone straight on to Mizuho, but the child got to be so exhausted that she was falling asleep standing.
"This'll be your bedroom, sweetheart," Zelos told his daughter as he lay her down on what was once the guest bed.
Mina opened her mouth wide and yawned loudly. "Okay. Night-night, daddy."
"Goodnight." The redhead beamed and backed out of the room, closing the door behind him. He nearly walked right into Sheena, who was waiting for him in the hall. The two of them headed downstairs and sat with the others, who were discussing their course of action for tomorrow.
Taro had sprawled himself out on the couch, taking up the entire thing, while Sera was perched on the arm. Lloyd and Colette sat by the fire, and Genis clung to Presea at the foot of the couch. "I say we give Sera a parachute and toss her into Mizuho from a Rheaird," Genis suggested.
"Nah. We're going to walk her in like normal human beings." Taro shook his head. "Zelos and Sheena are, anyway."
"Us?" Sheena blinked, glancing from Zelos to Taro to Sera. "But we can't go into Mizuho!"
The fallen priest lifted his brows at her. "Oh?"
"Duh! Seven years in jail, hello? Remember?" the summoner pointed out.
Shrugs were given in response. "It doesn't matter. You and Zelos are going to walk Sera to the center of Mizuho, then leave. End of story."
-
As bad luck would have it, it was nightfall when the three Rheairds landed outside the mystical village. Zelos, Sheena, and Sera headed toward the gates after some encouraging words from Taro were given. "Go in, get out, go in, get out..." Sheena chanted under her breath.
"Shh." Zelos clamped a hand over her mouth, passing by the gardens. The Cetra household was the next house to pass. Sera gulped audibly.
After a few minutes of cautious sneaking forward in a single file line, the trio reached the dead-center of Mizuho. "All right, Sera?" Zelos whispered, giving her a finalizing smile.
"Goodbye, Chosen and Sheena! Take care!" Sera said, waving as her friends began backing away.
A jolt ran through Sheena's mind when she heard a door open behind her. "Hey!" someone yelled. More doors opened.
"Run!" Sheena shrieked, taking off like a shot. She and Zelos got outside to find Taro lounging around with a cigarette between his lips.
"Taro, let's get out of here!" Zelos called out, giving the Flanoirian a shove. "These Mizuho people are after us."
Taro gave him a whatever look. "Face them," he said casually. "You're the Chosen and she's the succesor of Mizuho. What's there to run from?"
"But..." Sheena sighed, figuring that the priest was right. Turning to Zelos, she held his hand in both of hers. "Zelos, promise you won't leave me behind if anything goes wrong."
The redhead smiled. "I promise, hunny. You ready?"
"Forget the vows, man! Look who's coming." Taro pointed ahead, where the villagers had gathered.
Sheena took a step forward, holding onto Zelos' hand for dear life. "I brought Sera Cetra back!"
"Liar!" roared the crowd. They moved further, looking like a swarm of angry hornets.
"I did! She's in the center of town!" Sheena insisted.
Zelos nodded in agreement, gesturing toward the village. "See for yourself!"
Those who were easily swayed looked over their shoulders, and when they did, their gasps made everyone else turn and look, as well. A blinding white light was being emitted from Mizuho.
People immediately ran back inside, Sheena and Zelos among them. Taro stayed put, knowing rather well what was going on.
"Sera!" Sheena gasped, eyes large as she stared at the girl in front of her. Sera had begun to radiate a white aura, and a pair of translucent red wings appeared on her back. A chill wind picked up, ruffling her long brown hair. "What's happening...?"
The girl's sea green eyes opened halfway and a smiled showed through on her face. "Thank you for bringing me home, Sheena. It took me twenty years to find a priest to awaken the angelic heritage in me, and seven years to prepare my finality," she explained. "Taro knwe I wanted it to happen here."
"What are you talking about?" the summoner gasped. "What's going to happen to you?"
From the crowd, Jennai rushed out and flew at her younger sister. "No, little sister! Don't go!" she cried, hugging Sera for only a moment before she fell through the transparant girl.
The entire village of Mizuho plus Zelos watched in shock and awe as the twenty-seven year old bowed her head and vanished into thin air, another blinding flash of light announcing her departure.
"She's gone..." Zelos breathed, looking around at everyone before slowly leading Sheena outside.
Taro was already ready to go. "Let's get back to Zelos'," he said, waiting for Sheena and Zelos to board their Rheairds before taking off.
-
"She's so beautiful," Zelos whispered, brushing a few strands of hair from Mina's sleeping face. "Like you." He turned toward Sheena and smiled.
Sheena cracked her knuckles one at a time. "I can't wait to teach her everything... with you."
"And I'll not ditch you," the redhead promised quickly, just to be safe. "That's my fidelity to you."
The summoner stood and nodded. "I'll be in the bedroom if you need me," she said as she crept out.
Zelos looked down at Mina again, brushing hair out of her face absentmindedly.
"Daddy?" Mina woke and blinked up at him with deer-in-the-headlights eyes.
"Hm?"
"Tell me a story," the girl requested.
Tilting his head to one side, Zelos racked his memory for a story to tell. "Oh, I know a good one." He cleared his throat. "One day, after a rainstorm, I was just hanging around Meltokio when this frantic woman showed up..."
-(fin)-
Post script: There you have it, the whole story!
...until the sequel. Shhh, don't tell anyone, but there's going to be more surprises, more information about the mysterious Sera Cetra, more bad-ass Taro, and more Sheelos than you can shake a kendama at in the next one! n-n