AUTHOR'S NOTE: So this is what it has come to, has it? The final, final chapter after so long…I can honestly say this is the second fic I have finished. You guys have stuck with me through thick and thin and been patient for updates even when I was late. I thank you for reading it and giving me glorious reviews that motivated me to finish. Now, for Kuro.

"He's old, isn't he?" Yusuke said glancing at the dojo. Kurama didn't meet his friend's eyes as he gazed at the bat demon talking with Jin.

He had been surprised when Jin and the others had nearly trampled Hiei to come in and check on Kuronue thinking he meant to kill the bat. There shock had even been greater when he had introduced Kuronue as his adopted father. Kurama chuckled to himself at the glowering look Hiei had given him as he stated this fact still disbelieving him.

After consulting with Koenma the young ruler had immediately pardoned the bat demon for all past transgressions. There had been no word of an ice maiden named Hina. Supposedly she had disappeared during the scuffle and there was no record of her existence in either the Makai or Spirit World. Kurama suspected the elusive woman had already been dead to begin with, but may have come back for unfinished business.

"Yes, he is in a sense. Though technically speaking he has never aged since the day he died. But it's best if he lives out the rest of his years here. I promised to care for him, and it's peaceful here. Genkai seems to like him even though she complains he's s nuisance," Kurama said fondly as he continued to watch Kuronue. His father had his hat on to block out the summer son as he said something to Jin which made him laugh. The two had become best friends ever since after the tournament. The wind master had come very close to making it to the finals and now visited Kuronue constantly for training. After a moment Jin seemed to say good-bye to the former thief waving as he rose into the air and flew off.

"I gotta go with Hiei and say I can't imagine him being your father," Yusuke muttered shaking his head. Kurama raised a brow turning to look at his comrade in arms.

"Truly? Kuronue rather reminds me a bit of yourself, Yusuke. Perhaps that's the reason you and I get along so well," Kurama mused much the chagrin of the former detective. Just then Kuronue spotted them coming over to greet them.

"Youko, you wanted to speak to me?" Kuronue said to him. His clothes were dark with sweat from training in the heat. Kurama offered him a bright smile stepping forward to embrace the bat despite his stink. His father chuckled wrapping his arms around his much smaller frame planting a kiss on the top of his head as if he were still a child.

"I'm glad to see you're doing well, father," Kurama said stepping back to look up at the man who had raised him. Yusuke coughed scuffing his shoes in embarrassment. He wasn't used to the casual way Kuronue tended to embrace his fox friend, but they had always been like that since he was little. Though Kurama knew it was foolish he would let Kuronue indulge. The bat tended to act like mother hen at times if he didn't.

"Yes, I have a gift for you. Or rather, Hiei does. He was quite adamant in wanting to give to you himself," Kurama explained.

"Hiei?" Kuronue and Yusuke both said dubiously at the same time. Kurama laughed gently taking his father's hand in his own. Up close he could see the pale scars of where they had cut off the bat's fingers and reattached them multiple times. Kuronue had spoken little of his time in Spirit World and Kurama selfishly did not wish to know. He doubted he would be able to control himself if his father told him the whole story. If he did, Kurama wasn't sure if he wouldn't go and dispose the entire S.D.F.

"I said the same thing when he told me. But considering you are his biggest fan, I must say he wished to give you something in return for making sure I 'didn't die on the spot' as he so much liked to put it. Shall we?" Kurama asked. Kuronue nodded obediently following him into the dojo.

"You ever know a guy named Toguro?" Kuronue asked Yusuke as he followed his son inside. Yusuke's brow furrowed at the name but he nodded his head warily. Kurama kept an eye on the two of them wondering what they were getting at.

"Yeah," Yusuke said cautiously. Kuronue grinned reaching into his pocket. A moment later he took Yusuke's hand and slapped a pair of sunglasses into it. The glasses had scratches on them and were clearly old, one lenses having a growing hairline crack in it. Yusuke blinked staring down at the shades confused.

"I met him once, you know. When he was coming through Spirit World. Those dead types have a certain glow around them, you know? I remember I was moping in the Great Hall and he happened to wait in there. I told him he reminded me of the Terminator standing there looking so grim," Kuronue said casually. Yusuke snorted in amusement as they came up to the dojo.

Kurama opened the sliding door stepping back to allow his father and friend to enter first. Hiei stood in the middle of the room a large sack at his feet. Once both were inside Kurama stepped in behind them closing the door behind them. Kuronue smiled when he saw the fire apparition, he still possessed the autographed blades and fought with them.

"Kuronue," Hiei said nodding to the bat demon. Yusuke blinked probably wondering what this was all about.

Hiei bent down and picked up the sack. He hadn't even told Kurama what it contained only that it was for his father. Kuronue leaned forward curiously as if he wanted to peer into the sack but didn't want to ruin the surprise. Hiei shot him a warning glance reaching into pull the gift out.

"You look just like your mother. She was a stubborn as mule too," Kuronue said. Hiei paused as Yusuke glanced at the bat demon slightly confused. Hiei locked gazes with Kuronue and for a moment Kurama wondered if Hiei was going to attack the bat. Instead, Hiei simply nodded as he pulled the gift out all the way.

"The stupid fox has your smile," Hiei replied bluntly as he showed the gift to the bat. The room fell silent as they gaped at the silver object.

It was a pair of wings.

Bat wings to be precise. Hiei grasped an edge of one of the folded wings pulling it out for Kuronue to get a better look at it. With a shaking hand his father touched it gasping as he felt the warmth radiating from the metal. To Kuronue it felt as if the wings were pulsing responding to his touch. Tears sprang to his eyes as he accepted the gifts running his hands over the wings. Even Kurama found himself swallowing back a small sob.

"T-th-th-thank you, Hiei," Kuronue said trying to form the words. Hiei nodded solemnly his eyes softening for an instant as he gazed at the bat. Only for a moment before they flickered back to his normal penetrating gaze.

"They're only prototypes. When the final models are being drawn up fake skin will be grafted to cover them so they appear real. No one will be able to tell…you need assistance flying," Hiei said carefully. Yusuke gave Hiei a quizzical look catching the pause.

"Well, shall we test them out, father?" Kurama asked him. Kuronue nodded solemnly turning around to follow his son back outside.

…..

I was shaking as Kurama helped Hiei attach the wings to my clipped ones. I felt a light burning sensation as needles entered my nerves connection to my system. After a moment they both stepped back. I took a deep breath and slowly began to extend one of my wings.

One of the silver wings shimmered into view glittering in the afternoon sun. I choked back a sob not wanting to appear like a weakling in front of them. I stretched the other wing and it responded easily to my commands. I flapped them, for the first time in several hundred years I felt the familiar pull of the wind. My muscles began to burn from being unused for so long but they were still there. I could still fly.

"Okay, the doctor said to do flapping exercises for the next couple of weeks to build up our strength. After that you can start gliding short distances to become accustomed to the sensation of flying again," Hiei instructed me peering down at a paper that held instruction.

I snorted we were standing near some open cliffs. Hiei said I might be able to glide if I felt strong enough since Kurama could easily catch me if I began to fall. I stared down at the five hundred foot drop into the canyon. A small ribbon of a river was down there weaving its way to the ocean.

I tried to remember what Jin had taught thus far. I was no wind master, but I had begun to pick up the powers of the shinobi with continuous training. Being a former flyer it was easy for me to pick up on the wind, to know her wily ways.

With the next passing breeze I gathered its power close to me. Weaving it around me in a light tornado strong enough to cause my son's hair to lift in the breeze. Kurama gave me a veiled look warning me not to try anything foolish. He felt me working my demon energy and probably had a good idea of what I meant to do. I smirked at him folding my wings close to my body.

"Kuronue, don't you-" I didn't wait for him to finish.

I flung myself off the top of the cliff. Above me I heard Kurama let out a sharp cry as I began to plummet towards the ground.

I still had my small bubble of wind around me. With a loud roar I forced my wings to open splitting my wind in half so it swirled beneath each of my wings. I pushed it up and leveled out gliding along the canyon. I caught my breath my stomach having fallen to my toes with the old familiar sensation.

A second later I laughed relieved, thankful, and just everything. With a powerful flap I soared up to the top again zipping past Kurama and the others. Above them I circled still laughing wondering if I were dreaming. Below me had begun to laugh as well while shouting for me to take it easy and to land. I shook my head in the negative angling my wings so I could fly higher. Above me there were a few clouds lingering in the open blue sky.

I had already broken out into a sweat and was beginning to pant from the effort. I wasn't going to be able to fly for much longer. I let out a defeated sigh promising myself one day I would be able to fly so far and fast I could travel forever in that big blue sky.

As I angled my wings to go back to my son and his friends, I caught a glimpse of a woman with crimson eyes smiling down at me.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, this is the end. I think I may start crying very soon or possibly later. I had this ending planned and pictured it very clearly right from the start. It has been an honor flying with all of you through this fic. I hope to see some of you again in my other fics.

Happy flying,

Kuro the Badass Bat