Besarki: HANA'S BEEN ADDED TO THE FFNET CHARACTER LIST! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND NOT JUST HIM! MEN AND ANNA III, TOO!!! Many, many thanks to Smart Angel for telling me! This is so exciting! SK LIVES AGAIN!

Today is such a happy day! (Despite a few very unhappy things) The quota was met AND this chapter puts Living For The Moment OVER 100,000 words!!! WOOOOOOOO! Anyway, I'm keeping this story as Anna and Yoh (because it's the Yoh arc and the Anna arc), but the next one will be Hana and Hao (for the Hana arc and the Hao arc) so look for it! BAM!

Actual chapter stuff:
If anyone reads this and thinks of Naruto, I'll smack you. Believe it or not, there are foxes in more than just Naruto. *Evil glare* (If you can't tell, I'm not much a fan of Naruto. I don't bash it constantly like many do, but I don't care much for it)

Ahaha! Well, this is the last chapter of the actual story Living For The Moment. The epilogue is still to come but I may post the first chapter of Living For Tomorrow first (probably not). I don't know. Hehehe. Well, I'm not going to waste time talking about useless stuff. Here's chapter 28, and the end of the Anna arc and LFTM.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes, and leap

It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you won't bring me down

~Defying Gravity, Idina Menzel


The light was blinding, and the feeling--unreal. I'd never felt so strong.

Five tails branched out behind me, swaying with the breeze. My hands, covered in auburn fur, were tipped with sharp claws. My ears, long and lupine while my eyes slanted in a fox-like fashion.

I grinned, my mouth full of fangs. My plan had worked.

(See that, Kaa-san? I did it!)

Hana...

Her voice faded into nothingness then. That was okay. Kaa-san was too dreary, anyway.

I pounded my fists together while my father and uncle looked on, awestruck. I flashed them grins. Tou-san looked like he was about to burst into happy tears.

"What are you smiling about over there, old man? This is what you get for doubting me," I joked, laughing like a lunatic. He grinned like an idiot and went on laughing with me.

"I never doubted you," He said. "Not for a minute."

"Better not," I snorted. He smiled, shaking his head.

"What a joke," Oji-san snickered. I flashed him a quick smirk before turning back to the Spirit of Fire.

My new oversoul meant nothing to him. It was just a bigger meal.

My hands clenched as a volt of power flowed through my arms.

Energy was pouring off me in waves. It was pretty clear that I wouldn't be able to hold this long.

I only had one shot at this. Make or break.

What I was about to do was so power-packed, that there was no way that both of us would pull through. My next action would decide everything. Luckily, I had Kaa-san here for backup. I could hear her voice echoing through my head, giving me instructions.

You can't handle this much spiritual power for long. I'm throwing excesses off as fast as I can, that explains the energy waves, but it's not making a significant enough difference. Your mana will run out soon and you'll die.

(I'll DIE?! I didn't know I was gonna DIE if I did this!)

Relax. I think I can get us all out of this alive. And, if my plan works, your father's ridiculous idea might as well.

(Ridiculous idea? Which one?)

Hahaha. That's a good one.

(Did you just laugh?)

ENOUGH! WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!

I cringed. (S-Sorry...)

Hmph! Just focus!

(O-O-Okay.)

AND STOP STUTTERING!

(STOP YELLING AT ME!)

Hana, do you feel weak at all?

(A little bit. Why?)

THAT MEANS WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME! FOCUS! IF YOU FOCUS, I'LL STOP YELLING!

(FINE! Tell me what to do!)

That's better. Okay, do you remember how I used Mana Beam?

(Yeah.)

You're going to have to use Fox Fire. That's very similar to Mana Beam.

(Yeah, Tou-san told me that.)

He did? Good. Saves us some time. Now, look at your hands.

I did. They were still covered in fur. (Okay. Now what?)

Do you see the crest?

(Yeah.)

That's where the beam comes from. Naka's come from the palms. Mine comes from the backs of the hands. I didn't say anything, but this was the first time she had called her former spirit "Naka." Hee hee. Kaa-san was softening up! What are you gushing about? Listen to me.

(Sorry, Kaa-san. Okay. I'm listening now!)

She sighed, and I laughed.

When you're ready to attack, position your hands together. Intertwine your fingers, but don't let your palms touch. Or the backs of your hands.

I felt like yelling, "WHAT?!" at the top of my lungs. How did she expect me to hook my hands without letting the backs or fronts touch? She was nuts!

Just hold the tips off your fingers parallel to each other then lace them together.

(Oh, I think I can do that.)

Well, if you can't, then we're both dead.

(Thanks for the encouragement, Kaa-san.)

She snickered. That's what I'm here for, Hana-chan.

I had to laugh. So Kaa-san. (Okay, Kaa-san. I'm ready. Tell me what to do!)

She grunted. With all the spiritual power I've been expelling, I've come down to only the reserve. Hana, I can only do this once. Don't screw up.

I smiled one last time. (Okay, Kaa-san.)

I gave up control of my limbs just enough for Kaa-san to help guide my hands together. My fingers laced together, forming a skin sheet.

Focus all your energy into those two crests. Don't think about anything else. Just focus and relax.

Focus and relax...

Focus.

Focus...

The crests on my hands began to glow, illuminating, shining.

Focus...

A single, glistening vulpine eye appeared in the center of each light. The eyes blinked twice and then the two lights connected, overtaking both of my hands and wrists.

Remember what I taught you.

The energy built, increasingly rapidly until I could see the fox's head staring back at me from my hands.

Remember those who are important to you.

The Spirit of Fire lifted its claws and prepared to swing down at me. I braced myself against it as the fox grew further.

Remember Tamao, Ryu, and Hao.

A huge chunk of steel rose up from the ground and struck one side of Spirit of Fire, immobilizing half of its body. However, the other half continued its assault as if nothing had happened.

Remember Matamune. Remember Naka-Oni.

The energy usage was beginning to wear me down, but I couldn't give up. There was too much at stake.

Remember yourself.

The Spirit of Fire kept coming, slowed only the slightest bit from all the extrusive energy flying off my oversoul.

Remember Yoh.


Hao impaled the elemental behemoth with his club, shooting a hole straight through it, though it regenerated immediately. I was running out of time. Couldn't this thing charge any faster?

Remember me.

I grimaced nervously, biting my lip. This was taking too long.

And Hana...

"We don't have time for this," I nervously whispered. I had to keep hoping that it would work out. Things always did, right?

Never forget...

I squeezed my eyes shut and I hoped. Hoped the SOF didn't get us before Fox Fire got it. Hoped that my mother would be restored. Hoped everything would work out. Hoped for today, hoped for tomorrow.

Hoped like I'd never hoped before.

Just how much...

The light suddenly blazed, the tongues of the spiritual energy beam flickering like enchanted fire.

My eyes were wide open now, the fiery reflection dancing in their depths. My smile grew several times its normal size and my attention turned to the ever approaching Spirit of Fire.

I lifted my arms to point directly at it. The SOF never slowed, but, at this point, it didn't matter.

Everything would work out. I believed that now without a shred of doubt.

My smile illuminated with the the light thrown off from the fox's eyes.

...We love you...

And the beam fired across the field.
---0---0---0---0---0---0---
"Hana...Hana, wake up," Came a muffled voice.

I groaned. Already? It had to be like, two in the morning.

"He's not waking up," The voice said, sounding pretty panicked.

Someone beside him sighed. "He's fine, Yoh. He used a lot of mana and wore himself out."

"But isn't that what Anna did? And she died!"

Someone apparently got smacked upside the head from the sounds of it. "Moron. Do you have any idea how much more mana Anna used opposed to Hana? A lot of that attack came from Anna herself. Hana just guided it. He used some of the mana, and while his job was most important, the heavy lifting was done by his mother."

"So he's okay?"

"For the thousandth time, yes. He's fine."

"Oh, thank kami. I was really worried."

"I know."

"Hehehe. Sorry, Hao. Oh, look, he's waking up!"

My eyes slowly flickered open, revealing two sets of twins: Hao and Tou-san and Hao and Tou-san.

"Welcome back, Hana," My father greeted.

I yawned and peered around me. I was in the middle of a grassy field. My father and uncle along with Matamune and Ohachiyo were standing over me.

I noticed something cold around my neck and reached to investigate it. I pulled it over me and found that it was Kaa-san's head band.

I frowned. How long had I been wearing that? And...why was I wearing it? It belonged to...

"Kaa-san!" I sat up quickly. It wasn't the best idea I've had in a while.

"Whoa!" Tou-san kneeled down and steadied me. "Easy there, killer."

"Where's Kaa-san?"

"Beats me," Hao replied. My jaw dropped to the ground.

"How do you not know?! She was just here!"

"Sheesh. Firecracker." He ran his hand through his hair. Wow, that was manly. "You used up all of her mana so she left your body along with the attack."

Tears stung my eyes. "I killed her?"

Tou-san shook his head, frantically. "No, no. This is a good thing. By expelling all of her power, you turned her into a normal ghost which is something we've been trying to do for a while."

"She headed out of here a while ago. Her body is gone too. I don't think she took it with her so it probably just dematerialized momentarily to meet up with its owner."

Flesh could do that?

"Not normally. We put a temporary spell on it so it would," said Oji-san, answering my mental question. Man, I felt bad for Tou-san. Reishi was really annoying when you were left out of the loop.

"So then where did they meet up?"

"I just told you: I. Don't. Know."

Jerk.

Tou-san shuffled his feet nervously for a minute.

"What's up, Yoh?" Hao asked.

Tou-san frowned. "I might know where she went."

"Where?!" I asked eagerly.

He seemed pretty nervous. Probably because if he were wrong, we might lose her trail. "A while ago, Anna told me that if we ever got separated there was one place we should meet."

Hao and I both stared at him.

"And where is that?" I asked.

He looked first at Hao and then at me.

"Osorezan."


Japan


I fell a few times on the way up the slope. Hao never bothered to stop and help me, but Tou-san always did.

We had traveled across the Pacific Ocean in the hands of Tou-san's spirit ally, Spirit of Earth. It had taken a few hours, but that was nothing to Naka's several month trip. Given, there was more distance and we stopped frequently with Naka.

We landed in Shimokita and immediately ran up the side of Osorezan. It was late afternoon, now, but the sun was still out. Not that it would have mattered, either way.

"Are we almost there?" I asked, running while holding my father's hand.

He smiled at me. "Yep, almost, Hana!"

I smiled back at him and concentrated on running faster.

As I ran, Kaa-san's band jingled around my neck. I hardly noticed.

"Are you excited, Hana?" Tou-san asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. She's gonna be here, right?"

He grinned. "I hope so."

"Stop chuckling and run!" Hao scolded us. We didn't listen, though I don't think he really cared. He was excited too. He just sucked at showing it.

I grabbed my uncle's hand, too and the three of us headed all the way to the top of the mountain.
---0---0---0---0---0---
I treded forward carefully, each step more cautious than the last.

There was someone lying in one of the rock piles near the top of the mountain.

It was a woman, and she looked almost identical to Kaa-san, but something was off. Something I couldn't put my finger on.

I turned my head to look at my father.

Both he and Hao had stopped and were watching me, probably so I wouldn't fall off the mountain.

Tou-san gestured for me to go forward. He even whispered a, "Go ahead." for effect.

I swallowed and took a few more steps.

Suddenly, one of the woman's hands lifted and threw a porous grey rock at me. I screamed in fright.

"ZOMBIE!"

To my intense surprise, the woman suddenly laughed. "I'm not a zombie, Hana."

I froze, staring at the woman with humongous eyes.

She was smiling slightly. It was the sweetest smile I'd ever seen on her.

"Kaa-san...?" I asked, my voice shaking.

She sighed and slowly sat up. "Hello again, Hana," She greeted.

I stared for one moment longer, and then, absolutely bawling, ran up and grabbed her. It was like she had never died in the first place.

"Hana..."

"KAA-SAN! YOU'RE ALIVE! FOR REAL THIS TIME!" I said some more stuff after that but it just came out as bumbling nothingness.

"Yes Hana..." A surprised look crossed her face. "You have my band."

"Yeah..." I babbled. I slipped it off my neck and handed it to her. "I don't know how I got it."

"I don't know how it fit around his fat head," Hao snorted. Kaa-san shot him a furious glare. She seemed to suddenly remember something then.

"You!"

His eyebrows rose and I backed away from her in surprise. "What's up now?"

She abruptly stood, looking baleful and furious. Her words came out with such intense conviction that I was sure she would kill him right there. "What...did you do...TO. MY. DRESS?!?!"

I suddenly realized that that was it! That was what was different.

Instead of being solid black with the Asakura crest on the chest, it was now covered in many pink, purple, and white hearts. Jeez, and I thought she looked like a hippie before!

"Why are you automatically assuming it was me? Yoh here worked just as much on you as I did."

"Yoh wouldn't put me through something like this. YOH HAS A HEART!"

Hao gestured to her shirt. "So do you. Quite a lot of them."

That man was dead meat. With Kaa-san, looks could kill.

"BASTARD!" She ripped the 1080 out of the bag that she somehow still had and immediately went on whipping him relentlessly.


Fin-Ende-конец-Sfarsit-Sonunda-Fi-Wakasan-Fim-Final-Fin-Wan liao

Fine-Konec-Selesai-Lopussa-Fin-Koniec-Ha'Sof-Ang katapusan


I glanced up at my father, and smiled. He gave me a big bright smile and burst out laughing. Just like he always did.

We'd come a long way in these few short months. I'd done things that most kids couldn't even dream of doing. I'd been around the world when I was only seven years old.

I'd seen a deadly volcano. I'd walked the streets of Spain. I'd lived through a night of a Russian winter.

I'd done so much. I'd crossed TWO OCEANS. Flown over Europe. Heck, I'd left Asia!


Owari


I'd fought and defeated men many times my age and size. I overcome the difficulties, won against the odds, and I'd learned so, so much.

In our travels, I learned just how wrong it was to wish for the future and how silly it was to regret the past. Because it wasn't wise to live for what for had already happened, nor was it smart to live for what couldn't be predicted.

My journey had taught me to live for what was happening at any and every given time. To be who I was every moment of every day. To smile and be happy that I was alive. To be grateful and to always appreciate what I had. To always love my family because they could be gone at any given moment. To be who I was, and to live for my morals and not someone else's. To dream of what could happen, to try to achieve it, to be all that anyone could ever hope to be.

To love each day for what it was, and not what it wasn't. To just lay back and watch the clouds. To just relax for once.

To smile.
To laugh.
To love.

To go on Living for the Moment.


THE END


Besarki: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! IT'S OVER! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Cries waterfalls* I honest to god, almost cried when I wrote this. It was just...AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Not that it was all that touching (I was pressed for time) but it was just happy. I was happy they were reunited. EEEEEEEEEEE!

Did you get the bolded list at the end there? Those were all different ways to say The End. All in different languages. Yes, Fin was there like, three times because it's the same in damn near every language. BAH! I used a translator for most of it so it very well could be wrong. A few of them I know are right. The Spanish, Portuguese and French ones are correct thanks to me paying attention a little bit in Spanish class, Smart Angel for the Portuguese, and the FIN at the end of almost every animated movie.

Well, time for the sequel. Hooray! Anyway, don't forget about this story yet. There's still the epilogue, which will be coming up within the next few days. Then Living For Tomorrow will be posted in mid July. So, very soon. ^-^

So, what did you think of the last chapter? Were you thinking? "THE CORNINESS! IT BURNS ME!" Cause I was ^-^ Sorry it got that way. I just reaaaaaally needed to get this out so I wrote it kinda quickly. Beggars can't be choosers :D

But, ahh. Really, it's over. That's so sad, and so happy at the same time! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. It made my very boring life worth living TT^TT I love you guys so much. SO MUCH! YOU MAKE MY LIFE! I LOVE YOU!

That's a wrap folks...sort of. Next chapter will be pretty much unrelated to the main plot. It'll just let you know what the Asakuras are up to now that all this fun stuff is over. KAY?! That's it.

I LOVE YOU GUYS! THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOU ARE LAZY SLACKERS BUT I LOVE YOU ANYWAY! XDDDDD

Next chapter will include the reviewer awards as well! Look forward to it!

GOODBYE MY LOVELY MUNCHIES!