Chapter 36: The Rising Sun
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Asuna and Kazuto watched the television in fear, anticipation, worry but must of all confusion. No one on the entire floor knew what the Wolf's reign would bring.
Three checked his green medi watch, "Twelve minutes till coronation."
The dragon pondered this for a moment, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
Just the sheer weight of the responsibility of Emperor is too much, for even anyone to handle. Teizen has a lot of strength, but he can't hold up the world on his shoulders.
Asuna smiled curiously.
I wonder what's going through his head right now.
Derek shook his head, "We can't just sit here and do nothing! He's about to be crowned!"
"We have to." Kazuto said, "The Ceremonial Hall is guarded by thousands of Armored Volunteers, we'll be massacred seconds before we so much as blink. An attack would be suicide."
"So was the attack on Minko." Vicky noted, popping her bubble gum watching the television screen.
"Yeah but those Sentinels weren't armored. My rapiers can't do anything against Tritinium steel. That thing is like Titanium infused with oxidized steel, but like seventy times as impenetrable."
"She's right." Three said nodding, "Plus, Teizen might be our only shot at a peaceful Japan. If he has the Princess on his elbow, she could convince him to end the war. Or maybe even return the country to a democracy."
Asuna smiled, releasing Ayumi's secret, "Actually, she told me herself that she would have a very different Empire if she was sitting on the throne."
Kazuto looked at his girlfriend and asked, "Why doesn't the Empress Mariko or Ayumi ascend the throne then, they have Royal blood right?"
Two shook his head, "They're women, the country'd never follow them. Its too unethical."
"Ten minutes." His younger identical twin brother said, announcing it to the various rebels listening.
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...
Teizen walked into the signing room, it was rather simple. It was painted completely white, with a small rectangular metal table where a minister and Ayumi were sitting at.
He took his spot sitting next to his soon to be wife, who said, "Hey. I like the haircut, but why'd you get rid of the braids Tei-kun?"
"I decided it should be like that." He admitted, before taking her right hand with his left metal one sitting, "You ready?"
"Are you? You're going to be named Regent in front of the whole country in like five minutes!"
The minister cleared his throat, tapping the papers, "I think we should begin. Kouwahaka Teizen, do you promise to bind yourself to Kinzai Ayumi for your entire life? And promise to care for her, as your equal partner until separated at death?"
"Yes. Yes I do." The boy said, confidently, gripping her hand lightly with his crushingly strong metal one.
"Kinzai Ayumi, do you promise to bind yourself to Kouwahaka Teizen for your entire life? And to care for him, as your equal partner until separated at death?"
"Definitely. Yes I do." She said, smiling and turning her head to kiss the teen to her side.
"Sign here your Highnesses." The minister said pointing to their name slots on the papers.
Ayumi signed her name first, followed promptly by her formerly Wolflike lover.
Teizen looked at his name, and then the black pen in his iron hand, "Wow. So thats it, we're married?"
"We'll get married properly later." She said, pecking her brand new husband on the cheek and walking to the ceremony, the buzz of thousands of people speaking amongst each other entering the small room, but when she opened the door, she stopped, "Oh, and welcome to the Kinzai family."
The minister passed the boy sitting there by himself a black folded robe and muttered to him, "Good luck son, I'm sure you'll be a great king."
He left him there alone, before he changed out of his suit into the black Shogun's robe the minister passed him.
Teizen looked at himself in the mirror, straightening his robe before ignoring all the buzzing questions in his head.
I'm seventeen for Pete's sake, and I'm to be Emperor? I'm married? I'm about to be crowned? Why do I have so much crushing pressure on my shoulders?
He shook his head.
I have to stay focused, I will do my duty until the very end. To my lady, and her dead father.
The boy opened the door at the second floor of the ceremony room, lines of Kerberos Panzer Armored soldiers shielding him from the eyes of thousands of his new citizens.
...
The huge wooden doors to the fraudulently enourmous ceremony room swung open, two servants pulling the handles.
The entire ceremony rose onto its feet staring at Teizen walking down the aisle in his long black gown, his new sharp looking short dark brown hair staying completely still as he walked.
The teen was as nervous about his new reign as a cat cornered in an alley by three dogs, but still, he had a look of robotic calm on his masculine face.
Thousands watched as Teizen walked slowly towards the raised platform where the old Shinto Priest awaited him, the entire Wolf Brigade was wearing formal military attire with their Brigade Sergeant Taisuke at their head, right where Teizen used to stand months before.
He reached the platform.
Teizen knelt in front of the Shinto Priest at the throne, walking up to him, sweat beginning to form above his ears.
The Shinto Priest lifted a bowl of purified rice from an old wooden table, and sprinkled some on the boy's handsome face before uttering his prayer.
"May the gods watch over you, and grant you self control, mercy, empathy, and wisdom. May the gods make sure you have a long and prosperous reign. May they watch over your family name. Your country. Your safety. And your soul."
"Through the divine power gifted to me through the gods! I, now proclaim you, Kinzai Teizen, son of Souske, the new Emperor of Japan." The Shinto Priest said proudly, standing tall in his white gown, actually hopeful that this Emperor would not be assassinated like the last one he crowned.
The Shinto Priest lifted the crown, the very same Imperial Crown Yashiro had been crowned with, off a pillow.
The Priest placed the crown on Teizen's head and said, "My lord, please rise."
Teizen rose slowly, his crown atop his head perfectly.
The Shinto Priest called out, "ALL HAIL EMPEROR TEIZEN!"
Taisuke stood up straighter, his soldiers standing to with him before saying in unison with the crowd, "ALL HAIL EMPEROR TEIZEN!"
Instantly, the entire ceremony knelt, Teizen was the only person standing.
Except for his new wife, Ayumi, the new Empress, her mother and brother kneeling, but the girl still stood tall.
"Your Highness!" A kneeling Sentinel hissed, "You have to kneel too."
"No." The girl wearing her Mother's old gold crown said proudly.
The teen wearing his new crown nodded, understanding what she meant.
She'd always stay standing, no matter what. Every choice Teizen would make, every law, every bill, edict or decision. She'd be right there over his shoulder, judging him, holding her leash on the Wolf tightly. Making sure Red Riding Hood stayed nice and snug in his mind.
Seeing her husband nod, she smiled and knelt with her family.
And then her country.
Teizen, with Red Riding Hood brimming inside of him, spoke out, "My citizens! As my first act as Emperor, I wish to usher in a new era..."
"Of Peace, Reconstruction, Understanding, and Equality!"
Teizen watched as the entire ceremony room, thousands, performed the formal kneel, the dogeza.
Peasants, citizens, farmers, businessman. Everyone in the entire country knelt in front of their televisions. The only ones sitting were the rebels in shock at the boy smiling on screen.
He raised his hands, palms facing upwards, before reveling in the glory of the crown. His citizens rising.
In the days of the samurai, there was an old manly gesture made when declaring a Daimyo, where a man would tap his chest with a firm fist, while doing the same to his stomach.
One man, Sergeant Taisuke, began to do it, not uttering a word, until his brigade of Wolves did the same.
All the men followed.
All the women followed.
Proud of their new Emperor's decision, Taisuke began to chant in a deep and loud voice, "TEIZEN! TEIZEN!"
Hundreds, then thousands chanted his name, and the boy smiled deeply, before sitting back on Yashiro's old elegant throne, Red Riding Hood wearing his new crown, sitting upon his new throne.
He smiled, hearing the entire country reverberate with the sound of his name, his Empire, his new choice.
Teizen felt the weight of the world lift off his shoulders, he chose the righteous path, the one of peace. Instead of the bloody one of conquest. The Wolf was slain, his corpse tied and leashed by the new Empress.
The teen, crown on his head, turned to Ayumi, and smiled.
Standing and pounding her chest and her stomach, the girl laughed a little, knowing how easily Teizen could've chosen to betray her, and decided to declare an era of conquest.
That very day, the new Emperor decided to change the course of history with a couple flicks of a pen and a single speech.
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...
Teizen sat at his new desk, looking at his new golden pen laying on a fancy sheet of paper.
He began to write.
~Imperial Edict #456:
I, Emperor Teizen, order the Imperial Treasury to pay a subsidy of Ten Million Yen each to the households of Shinozaki, Asada, and Kirigaya, as payment for the loss of their daughters. I also express my sincerest apologies in causing their deaths, and wish I could change the irreparable past, I understand that no amount of money can change what I did, but some cash and a sincere apology may be at least, a start.
Signed, Kinzai Teizen.
He smiled, slightly satisfied, before pressing the button on his desk to call for a servant.
The light blue suited man looked at the bill, "Ah, starting off with a kind reign are we my lord?"
"Yes, can you send that to...Hariba Shinji, he works in Subsidy Affairs."
"Yes my lord." The servant said bowing and leaving, bill in hand.
He sighed, continuing to write.
~Imperial Edict #457:
I, Emperor Teizen, order the organization of a new Tokyo Reconstruction Project, the funds will be provided from a new tax on tobacco. And also a downsizing of the military. The Project will be headed by the architect...
The boy pondered this, before flipping through a detailed directory of his citizens, pointing a metal left index finger to the Shinozaki family name, at the father of its household.
Shinozaki Ryosuke, if he is willing to work. Who will be payed a yearly sum of Ten Million Yen for his services. He will also be provided with the necessary funds to reconstruct all the homes and buildings destroyed by the two month long Battle For Tokyo.
Signed, Kinzai Teizen.
He again smiled after sending it off to be set in motion, before picking up the phone on his desk, a voice instantly reacting, "My lord?"
"Alert the presses, I need to make a statement."
"Right away my lord." The voice said, the line cutting off.
He sighed, walking to a mirror in his office, fixing his hair and clearing his throat, preparing his speaking voice. Afterwards, he picked up his platinum crown Yashiro had to wear around others, and walked to the podium in front of the Imperial Palace, armored soldiers at his side.
...
The entire country sat in front of their televisions, eager to hear the new kind king's words.
Teizen tapped the microphone, catching the attention of his new Empire, "Uh...Hello?"
Everyone trained their cameras on him, Imperial Guards about, making sure this new young Emperor wasn't assassinated before his speech was made. Teizen began speaking in his clear and manly voice.
"I think these past two months are something we all need to forget about here in Tokyo. Tens of thousands have been killed, and half the city has been mostly abandoned or ruined. Its time to rebuild and clean up the blooded streets of this city. But first, there is one pesky thorn in my side."
"The Prefectural Overseers of the Isle of Kyushu have openly rebelled against me, the only ones to refuse to swear fealty. It is, as of now, recognized by me as an Independent Republic. Conveniently for some citizens, that offers a good solution to the current issue of rebellion here in my Capital. Let's face the facts rebels, even without Kyushu on my side, you don't stand a chance."
Derek and Kazuto looked down at their laps as Teizen spoke the truth, "You are horrifically out numbered. You are facing the world's largest and most modernized army. You will die if I do not show mercy and not hunt you down. However, as my reign is to be a merciful one, as requested by my brand new wife and my conscience, I will show mercy."
"I stood here, months before, on this very podium begging for an end to the fighting. I ask for the same thing now, peace. Tokyo has bled enough. Here's what I offer. You will lay down your arms, every district rebel group mind you, and be escorted to the ten battlecruisers waiting in Tokyo Harbor, to take you to Kyushu."
Everyone in the apartment buildings top floor looked to the two identical Yoshida twins, who just rubbed their scratchy chins in thought.
"Or, I could just murder you all." The new Emperor added nonchalantly, "Your choice. There, you will all enjoy the Republic you all fought for, to be rewarded to you in Kyushu. Its time to look towards the future rebels. Thanks. You have the next forty eight hours to surrender yourselves to my army and be escorted to your carriers to a new life. Or you could stay here, awaiting my wrath."
"Any rebels leaving will never return to my Empire unless invited by me personally. I am ordering all roadblocks to stand down for the next two days, and then forever. Those who think that we don't know you who are, think again, we know the identity of every rebel in every district. Again, I'm giving you a choice."
"That is all." He said, rubbing his nose and walking off.
Dozens of questions flowed from reporters mouths following this, but the new Emperor ignored them all, walking back to his palace, Sentinels shutting the gates close after he walked past them, statue like guards at his side.
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No one in the Bunkyo and Ginza Rebellions spoke.
Eventually, the silence was broken fearfully.
"So. We're just surrendering?" Nomi asked.
"You know this could easily be trap right?" Tsuboi said in an obvious tone.
"Its not." Kazuto said affirmatively, "Teizen is sneaky, but he wouldn't play dishonorably like that. I remember back when we were fighting in Bunkyo, he ambushed us at where the war started, in Tinzai. And then again when I left, at the church. But through it all, he never lied. Killing us when he showed ourselves would not be in his moral code I think."
"Remember," Andrew said, "I hate that smug prick. But he defied Imperial law and averted execution by letting us pass through T-137 into Ginza."
"That was illegal?" Tsuboi asked.
"Super illegal." Kazuto said, "Its what I got caught for. He does play up to his word."
"UGH!" Derek roared, smashing the television angrily, throwing it out a window, "I hate feeling so helpless!"
"There's nothing we can do." Asuna said, "Teizen's right. We can't just sit on this floor doing nothing, waiting for him to find and kill us. I suggest we play along with his plan, leave to Kyushu and perhaps plan ahead there."
"But that's letting him win!" Tsuboi exclaimed.
"Klein, chill." Kazuto said with a hand.
"No!" The man teared up a little, "W-What about Lisbeth man?"
Asuna understood, sad she was gone, but still being wise, "She would've wanted you to stay alive Klein."
The man kept crying, "Everyone at the church! Everyone except for us! They all died! It would've been for nothing if we just surrender."
Everyone turned to the Yoshidas, being the authority on everything due to being possibly the smartest people to ever exist, the two young men kept rubbing their chins in thought.
"Guys? You're like super geniuses right? What do you think we should do?"
Three spoke, looking up from thinking and staring at the floor with his calm yellow eyes, "The logical choice would be to be exiled to Kyushu Island. At least there we can take a damned break."
His older twin nodded, "But, we respect what you all think, just because we're intelligent doesn't mean we're correct on something like this. We should vote. Those who vote we stay flock to me, those who don't flock to Three."
Asuna walked to Three, Nomi followed a sniffling Ryoutarou to Two. The groups were pretty much split.
There was one person left who hadn't decided.
Kazuto.
He looked down at his feet, before taking Tsuboi's side.
"Kirito, get over here." Asuna said authoritatively.
"But. All we fought for..."
"No." She said, walking over to him, turning his cheek to her glaring amber eyes, "Everything we did. Everyone we had to kill. All of it. It was for each other, not for freedom. I fought this war for you, not for some stupid rebellion."
At the mention of stupid, Derek and Shinichi promptly coughed, but no one in the room dared cross the girl who had slain an entire prison full of Imperials armed with nothing more than two rapiers.
"A-All right then." He said, as his chestnut haired girlfriend pulled him to Two's side.
One by one, the flock moved from Three to Two.
Only Tsuboi stayed there, who spoke, "I want to see my mother, she's in Shinjuku. And my little brother. They're both still here in Tokyo. I'm not just leaving them behind. You heard what that bastard said, if we leave, we're never coming back."
Kazuto shook his head, "The Tokyo I knew. The world I knew was alien to the one I woke up in. I lost Sugu, my sister man. But its time to move on, because if we stay still, we're going to be killed. We have forty eight hours, come with us or don't Klein, but please, do." The boy pleaded, always regretting not joining his guild that fateful day.
Tsuboi reluctantly trudged over slowly, wiping a tear, "Goddammit Kirito."
"Three?" His older twin brother asked.
Three crossed his arms, before saying, "There's two things I can't leave behind. My greatest creation, Yui. And my brother."
"One was an asshole to you!" Two said, "Forget him!"
"I still love him. Same as you Aniki." The youngest identical super genius triplet said.
"Wait. What was your greatest creation?" Asuna asked.
"Yui." Two said, agreeing, "She was an AI we brought to life after grinding code for a week. We thought it was virtually impossible to do it so quickly, but the launch was successful. She's alive and breathing in a girl named Akiko's body."
Kazuto gasped, "She's here in Tokyo?"
They nodded.
Kazuto looked down, "All right. We have to come back, if we write a letter to Ayumi...Maybe we'll return right?"
Asuna shrugged, "Either way, we're coming back to get her. One way or another."
Three walked over to his identical twin, "We're going to go to Kyushu. Plus, I've heard they've got some really nice beaches. And bikinis." He added in a degenerative manner, nudging the young brown haired young man in the side and smirking, "Right Ryou? I heard you were a lady killer."
The man said nothing, before Kazuto spoke, "We better start surrendering soon. Who knows how much space is on those battlecruisers. Might as well get a head start right?"
The rebels dispersed sadly, grabbing all their weapons and murmuring amongst themselves.
The black haired White Swordsman looked at Promise, it was fulfilled, but not nearly as much as he wanted it to. Because to him, it felt like he was loosing.
Asuna looked at it, "So you made it, just how it was in game?"
He chucked, "You should've seen my armor. I made it just like yours."
"Just like mine?"
"No." He said smiling a little, "Same color, design I guess. Regardless of anything in their way, I think the twins can do anything. Imagine what all three of them could create together."
"Do you really feel like we're giving up? Or loosing?"
Kazuto stopped packing his bags in their room, and turned to her, "No. We found each other, thats why we fought right? If the Empire still exists, so what? Ayumi and Teizen will do a great job of running this place, and if they screw up, at least we won't be here."
"Yui will."
The boy sighed, "Yes. But she's living in the Imperial Palace, she'll be perfectly safe. I think we'll come back anyway."
"How long will we be gone?" Asuna asked, taking her two rapiers off her waist.
"I really have no idea. But if this is our one chance to stay alive together, we have to take it. No matter what."
She smiled, "The Imperial Army is probably wandering about the street waiting for us."
"Should we be waving a white flag perhaps?" Kazuto wondered.
"Seems a bit much, but how else will they know its us?" She asked, seeing him walk off to go prepare for that.
Asuna walked to her balcony, before staring off it, and seeing the Imperial Palace shimmer. Smiling with a hand near her heart, the girl thought.
Take good care of her for a while Ayumi, you have a kind and gentle soul. You are our true savior, I wonder if I'd be alive without you. Because without you, the Wolf would've torn the entire planet apart.
She let the wind whistle past her ears and into her long chestnut colored hair, making it rise and fall, eyes closed, waiting for Kazuto to return to their room to announce the creation of their white flag.
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...
Midori sighed, sitting back into her cubicle. The grown woman gripped the picture of Kazuto and Suguha coming home from Kendo one day when they were little, growing slightly tearful and let it rest next to her PC. She turned off her computer monitor for a second, only to see her co workers kneel and muttering to the clean suited boy above them in its reflection, "My lord."
The woman turned around, knowing who was walking towards her.
She heard the boys familiar voice speak behind her using the reflective PC monitor as well, "You look beautiful as always Midori-sama. You might have mixed feelings about seeing me."
The new Emperor actually sniffled, "But I want you to know, I am so so sorry. I am so...disgusted with what I did."
Tears began to stream slowly down his face, and he spoke, shaking his head and looking down, "I don't know how I can ever make it up to you, I tried but I'll-"
Midori, ignoring god knows how many laws, and the guards by his side, actually hugged the Emperor and pressed her lips to his forehead, right below his glittering Platinum crown.
She was crying a little too, over Sugu, and how far the poor boy had come since he uttered those disgusting words, and she clutched the taller boy to her.
"How can you forgive me so easily?" Teizen asked, tears resting on his cheeks, "I-I thought you'd be furious with me!"
Midori kindly whispered to him, still hugging him, "I was never angry with you. I was sad because I was afraid you had lost your way." She added, gripping his short dark brown hair, like the mother he had lost.
"I never had a way! I am a monster!" He cried, co workers curious as to how emotional their Tall Emperor was.
She turned to him, her incredibly wise and kind blackish brown eyes meeting his shattered and hopeful orange-ish hazel ones, "No. You are kind. You showed mercy to those you were once ordered to kill. You spared them, and gave them a new home, when you easily could've been that monster I once knew. Behind every man is a boy. Behind every lover is a child. And behind this monster..."
"Is a kind person." She whispered, making the boys heart snap.
The new Emperor, ignoring all of his citizens watching and feeling their hearts warm at such a strange sight, began to sob into her shoulder, "How can I ever make it up to you? I killed your daughter, just because of a stupid order, what can that amount too?"
"Nothing I'm afraid." Midori said sighing.
Teizen wiped aside some tears and said, "There is someone I'd like for you to meet."
"Who?" The woman asked.
"You'll like her. Come along." He said, throwing his head aside a little, egging her on to follow him.
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...
Kazuto and the other rebels stood in the street outside the apartment building, Three waving a white flag in the air.
Hundreds of Panzer Kerberos Wolf Armored soldiers walked over to them, their heavy armor clanking. Brigades of white helmeted and blue striped Military Policemen marched behind them. No rifles were pointed, the gesture was unneeded.
They drew large blue bins on white wheels, wheeling them towards them, and their leader, a twenty something light brown haired conscript showed his face, removing his mask, "My name is Sergeant Takeshi, Fiftieth Armored Corps. Please, put your weapons into the bins."
Asuna looked at her two rapiers, knowing she'd never see them again. She smiled, throwing away those murderous objects into the blue bucket along with all other barbaric parts of her instantly.
Kazuto tossed Promise, the White Elucidator into the blue bin, the actual Promise fulfilled, his duty done. Along with his old M16, knowing it had done its job well.
Every rebel formed a line behind Derek, before tossing a blade and or a rifle into the blue bin and resting their hands atop their heads.
Takeshi spoke, "All right, lets get you all to the harbor."
As they walked, Imperial soldiers walking in dispersed formations behind them, Asuna turned to the young Sergeant they were following, "What will happen to our weapons?"
"The Emperor wished to dedicate a Military and a Civilian monument to the recently ended Battle of Tokyo. He wants to put all combatants objects on one monument, and all the civilians objects on the other."
"Will he honor both Imperial and Rebel losses?" Kazuto asked, wanting Sugu and dozens of his older friends to be remembered.
Takeshi nodded, as they all walked off towards the harbor. Derek noticed his rebels from the bunker surrendering and being escorted to the docks behind him, his blonde head turning before looking back towards the harbor.
The rebels, hundreds of them, were being marched, hands on their heads, weapons surrendered, down the streets they had shed incredible amounts of blood on. Kazuto watched as his beloved city was truly a ruin, with crashed cars and abandoned buildings almost everywhere.
A lowering sun shone on the ten battlecruisers that were to take them all to Kyushu Island.
The rebels of Bunkyo and Ginza gasped, the other districts rebellions becoming visible for the first time.
They sprinted towards each other, before shaking hands, many crying from the months of intense street combat and incredible loss of life.
Most incredibly, many people they considered each other lost dreams or fairy tales after the bloodiest two months in Tokyo's history.
Asuna gasped, "Holy crap, Yolko?"
The brunette teen rebel from Koto giggled, "Actually, its Kachi Yolko."
Nagata's eyes widened from behind his glasses seeing her, and asked, "Whoa...who's tha- Oof!"
Keiko crossed her arms after punching him in the gut, "You should be a lot more respectful than that, Shini-kun."
"Sorry." He groaned, clutching his stomach as he watched his half way recovered commander hug the brunette Koto rebel.
The rebels of Tokyo, thousands of them, stood outside the ships after greeting each other. They smiled, after fighting so hard to meet each other, the districts were no longer so divided. Happiness actually began to flutter in their previously hopeless hearts, knowing that when they stepped off those boats, that damned freedom they fought so hard for would be right there. On the gorgeous sandy beaches of Kyushu.
The captain of the largest ship, the gigantic battleship Akagi hollered out, "Rebels of the districts Koto, Shinjuku, Bunkyo and Ginza! Report here!"
Asuna smiled as she held Kazuto's hand walking onto the ship, stepping onto the huge wooden plank.
Bianca held T.J. in her arms as Andrew boarded the ship with her, the young American couple smiling.
Vicky and Yolko and a few of the other Koto rebels were getting along swimmingly, laughing as they boarded Akagi.
Nomi offered Tsu his hand mockingly, only for Keiko and Shinichi to walk by, hand in hand, joking as well, "Get married. Now."
The young men barked at them, "We're not together!"
Derek was showing off his impressive muscles on the deck of the ship to some female Shinjuku rebels, only for his younger short haired sister Vicky to drag him away by the ear, "Stupid Euler pride." The young woman muttered.
Kazuto went into the quarters of the ship, after seeing Imperial sailors mill about, actually being quite friendly, not shoving the famed Volunteer Killer Kazuto off the deck of the ship, and instead smiling to him as their new Emperor instructed to all of them.
The raven haired boy smiled back.
So, looks like Teizen didn't order these guys to be asses to us. Hm, kind of nice for the guy. I mean I guess he just let us get off scot free for murdering his buddies.
Kazuto laid his black backpack onto his bed, which was a simple mattress with a blanket over it across from Asuna's.
The girl crossed their bunk in the quarters where the soldiers used to sleep, and sat on his bed next to him thinking, "Hey Kirito, there's a new Republic set up in Kyushu right?"
"Yeah." He said nodding, looking at her amber eyes.
"So they'll make us go to school then?"
Kazuto smiled, "Yeah. Yeah they will."
They sat there, waiting for the ship to set sail for their new home in Kyushu, Fukuoka. The capital of the new Republic.
He rested his black locked head on top of her smooth left shoulder, right above the simple yellow shirt she was wearing. She laid her back against the steel of the wall behind her, letting him rest his head.
The teen spoke out, "You know, the guy who tried to kill me. Who hunted me throughout Bunkyo, who was well...a Wolf...was kind enough to do all of this for us."
Asuna closed her eyes with him, "Maybe you broke him after beating him, and then Lady Ayumi pieced him back together."
"Thank god for her right?" Kazuto said, itching to meet this incredibly kind and rumored beauty of a new Empress who replaced her mother.
"Thank god for both of them. Were it not for Teizen, who the hell would sit on the throne?"
Kazuto shook his head, "No one who deserved it. If Teizen really was that kind all along, then I wish he was like that since the beginning."
"So do I Kirito, so do I." She said, remembering that caring Sergeant that walked into her ward, "One day, we have to come back here. And speak to them, and meet Yui here in the real world."
"No disagreement here." Kazuto said sighing, still resting his head on her shoulder.
They both kept waiting for the ship's horn to blow. To set sail. To a new home. A new life. A new freedom.
...
...
Teizen opened the door to her room, one of the Palace's many guest rooms, showing the black haired little girl standing near the window, letting the air lift her long black hair.
"Who's that?" Midori whispered to the Emperor.
"Meet Yui. This is technically your...granddaughter." Teizen said, his shimmering Platinum crown still high atop his head.
Yui turned around, and curtsied, "My lord. Are you here for me to improve your mental health again?"
"Mental Health?" Kazuto's mother asked, raising a black eyebrow, expressing serious confusion.
"She's an amazing psychiatrist. She told me to be human again, I had to use my power for good. And I did."
The woman approached the girl slowly, "Um...hello."
"Hello. What is your name?" The black haired ten year old asked.
"Mi-Midori. Yours?"
"Yui. Psychiatric Health Person?" She asked herself confused.
"You're a person Yui-chan." The Emperor said smiling.
"Did you meet...Do you know my son?" Midori asked, kneeling to speak to her, meeting her height.
"I-I think so. What did he look like?"
The woman laughed to herself, meeting Yui's eyes with her own, "He has the most dazzling black eyes. It matches his hair perfectly...he's...impulsive."
"Oh! You must mean Daddy. Yes, I know him."
Midori laughed a little more, clutching the girl tightly to her, smiling and whispering in her ear, "Even thought I'm not even forty. I still believe like you could somehow be my granddaughter. I feel like I do indeed have a connection to you."
Yui smiled, "That is all right. I feel it too...grandma." She added, smiling under the woman's hug.
Kazuto's adoptive kept hugging her, repeating the same words in her mind.
You're still young Midori don't worry. You're still young Midori don't worry. You're still young Midori don't worry.
Seeing the two hug, Teizen leaned on his taller wife's shoulder and said, "Feels nice doesn't it? To finally do something redeeming?"
Ayumi smiled too, her gold crown still on her head, "It really is. I mean, I've been kind my whole life. You've been a Wolf until I tamed it out of you."
"Oh I'll show you how much of a Wolf I am..." He said smirking, drawing her slender body closer to his with his strong metal arms, "In the bedroom."
She laughed a little, "Not like that you won't."
"Yeah I know. It was a joke." He took her hand and led her towards the balcony of her parents old bedroom.
"Where will your mom be staying?"
"In one of the guest rooms."
"And...us?" Teizen asked.
"Here. This is where the Royal couple sleeps."
"Oh." He said smiling, looking at the huge bed.
They stood on the balcony of the Imperial Palace's highest place, and admired the sun go down slowly. It was built on a hill so high you could see all of the Pacific ocean from it according to legend. But to the new Emperor and Empress, it looked like that tale was possible.
"So our family contains your little brother, me, you, your mother, and two of my old enemies family members?"
Ayumi smiled letting Teizen lean on the balcony next to her.
"Do you think Midori-sama will get along well with your mother?"
"Maybe. They're like the same age, they're both mothers. They'll get along fine." She said with a nonchalant wave of the Imperial hand.
"And if they don't?" The Platinum crowned teen asked, in his jet black suit and sleek new haircut.
"Then you'll make it work. You're the Emperor remember?"
"Right. Silly me." Teizen said shrugging, "I happened to forget I'm the most powerful man in the entire world."
Ayumi giggled, "You may be the Emperor now, but you're still my cute little Tei-kun."
There was a small pause, broken by the new Empress, "The sun is going to go down completely in a couple hours, I want to show you something."
Ayumi led the teen to the streets of Bunkyo, where he ruled as Wolf.
The citizens weren't afraid of him anymore, they were happy, beyond happy.
The rebels were leaving, Red Riding Hood had given them a new home.
The citizens cheered, smiling and laughing, breaking out flutes and drums from their homes, dancing as the sun went down on the newly peaceful and cheerful city.
A few men, sitting on chairs, began to play an incredibly happy flute and drum tune, the citizens smiling after what seemed like ages.
Teizen danced with his beloved Yumi-chan, who in turn, kissed her Tei-kun deeply, as the happy music swayed, the citizens happy and throwing necklaces made of beads onto his neck, over his Platinum crown.
The boy looked at his slightly taller wife, "Wait, why do they love me?"
"You're their new Emperor. You ended the war for them. Tokyo is at peace now, because of you. No more war. Only love."
She swung him and dipped his head out of their dance step, pressing her lips to his, the Royal Couple kissing in full view of their citizens, their kindness so expansive they didn't even bother to bring guards, eager to usher in a new era of loving brotherly Reconstruction upon the destroyed city.
The lack of guards didn't matter, no one wanted to end the only chance at youthful generosity and kindly love Japan would ever have, and did have in years.
As the sun went down, the two lovers, their crowns of Platinum and Gold, shone like two beacons of hope, illuminating the darkened city.
The citizens went into a wild frenzy, as Teizen stood on a small platform, the citizens bead necklaces around his neck, he announced, "From this day forward. I declare that every February 15th, which is today! National Peace Day!"
The citizens cheered loudly, rushing their Emperor, ignoring the laws protecting him lovingly, and hugging him smiling.
Men and women, not bothering to walk across the street to talk to each other in ages due to fear of being shot, danced happily in the streets, children tossing bead necklaces and streamers onto the dried bloody streets.
Teizen smiled, the Royal couple still dancing together, their citizens dancing around them, and he said to her, "Tomorrow, I'll pick up a broom and clean up this city. Everyone in Tokyo will join me, and we're going to clean up your father's mess."
Ayumi smiled, "We're really lucky aren't we?"
"We really are. I feel like I'm the happiest man to ever live." He said, pressing his forehead to hers and smiling. The two teens, felt happiness glow like an incredibly hot candle in their young hearts, so happy that all of Teizen's horrific inner demons slipped away.
As everyone in Bunkyo danced, the happiness spread to all of the other districts, all of Tokyo was happy. Then it spread to the whole Empire, peasants cheered for the end of the thankfully short civil war. The rebels were leaving to their new home, and everyone was celebrating. Fireworks burst into the air, and eventually Teizen returned to his palace, where he danced with Ayumi until the sun began to go down.
In a small courtyard in the Imperial Palace, Teizen was helped by his personal new guards, the Wolf Brigade, to set up a funeral pyre.
On that funeral pyre laid Yashiro's corpse, and on top of it lay Teizen's old Wolf pelts. His Sergeants uniform, his Colonel's uniform, and even the skeleton of his old Wolf armor, nothing more than an empty husk of electricity and wires.
The Emperor lit it with a burning torch, seeing all of his Wolf like pelts burn away, he'd now only wear one pelt, that of the Emperor. With an expensive jet black suit, a Platinum crown, and an actual smile, no Wolf like smugness, just real emotion, on his handsome face.
Yashiro's corpse, along with the Wolf's old uniforms burned, and from them, a single spirit rose from the funeral pyre.
Teizen's face turned into one of brotherly satisfaction, seeing the spirit of The Big Bad Wolf rise out of the funeral pyre, bowing its head in respect to his old master, that now chose to be Red Riding Hood.
The Emperor bowed its head in respect back, the two old spirits smiling. The one that won, Red Riding Hood smiled smugly from inside Teizen's body. Knowing Teizen would never feast again.
The Wolf gave one final howl at the full moon, before bounding away into the night off its enormous paws, leaping off the smoke emitted from the funeral pyre, curious where to run or what to do next.
Ayumi slinked up to her new husband, and asked, "Hey, you don't regret throwing away your old ways?"
"Not in the slightest." Teizen said smiling, "I have a new way, the Kinzai way. You know, my whole life I was a Kouwahaka, a Wolf, I guess now I'm a different kind of person."
"You weren't a Wolf, you were also a scared little boy right, when your parents were taken from you?" Ayumi asked, laying her long jet black locked head on his broad left shoulder.
"I was. And in a way, I still am. I didn't want to cause that same pain to millions of other people if I invaded China or Korea or something."
Ayumi smiled, watching the Wolf's old pelts burn, "Daddy wanted to execute you after hearing you let the Red Swords pass through 137, but I managed to convince him not to."
"How?" The new Emperor asked.
"I told him I'd kill myself."
"And would you have?" He asked, turning to speak to her, concerned.
"What do you think?" Ayumi asked rhetorically.
"Hm." The boy smiled looking down, "Your father told me he chose me to be Emperor because I was loyal to him. But thats a lie, he wanted me to expand the Empire, and kill more."
"Are you ever going to do that?"
"Does Red Riding Hood lie with the White Stallion?"
Ayumi smiled, kissing him deeply on the mouth, Teizen wrapping his synthetic metal arms around her back, his lady cupping his lightly scruffy chin, before pulling away, "Only if he's up to it."
They looked up to admire the fireworks burst into Tokyo's skyline, fired from the tallest rooftops to celebrate the newly declared National Peace day.
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...
As the sun set, the Royal Couple watched the ten ships sail off.
"See that Ayumi? That's all our problems, sailing away."
"All our problems?" The black haired Empress asked, surprised.
"Yup. With them gone I can do whatever I please. Downsize the army, re construct Tokyo. Reform the tax structure to favor the lower classes and not the rich. Whatever."
"Wait, so you're not going to conquer the planet? I thought your dream was to make Japan a World Power?"
"It...was." Teizen said, "But then I had a new dream. To make you and my citizens the happiest people on Earth. I do want to be the greatest Emperor of all time really."
"I'm sure you will." Ayumi said snorting a little to mock him, before holding hands on their balcony.
She pecked him on the lips quickly before staring out over the sunset, watching the battlecruisers sail off.
Inside the Imperial palace, Midori spoke to her new friend, the old Empress Mariko, the two black haired and beautiful women sipping small amounts of wine while conversing fluidly. Yui had fallen asleep smiling on her new grandmothers lap while Kyoichi had fallen asleep on his mothers lap, the two women speaking until midnight came.
On the balcony overlooking the Pacific, the Imperial Palace glowed like a white crystal in the heart of Tokyo, built on a hill so high that Teizen and Ayumi watched the rebels sail off on the ships Teizen had prepared for them, all of Teizen's most fond memories shimmering in his heart and mind.
The kiss in the hotel room with Ayumi.
The death of the Wolf.
And the newest addition, the end of the war.
The two teens, both confident that the future would hold great things for them, watched the sun set, the ten ships still sailing into the horizon, huge plumes of smoke rising from their smokestacks, the sun setting caused the entire expansive horizon to glow a gorgeous shade of orange.
Teizen smiled, taking Ayumi's left hand with his right metal one as they both leaned on their balcony, smiling as happy as they could possibly be.
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...
The rebels cheered as well, for them, it was a victory as well.
Sure the Empire still existed, but no one as oppressive as Yashiro would ever rule the country ever again. So their goal was accomplished, Japan was truly free, and they were leaving to a new home.
Fukouka, Kyushu Isle. Capital of the new Republic.
Fireworks blasted in the air, and new Republican pilots had decided to fly all the way from their bases in Naha to celebrate with their far Democratic brothers, doing tricks in the air with their fighter jets, and streaming by fireworks exploding into colors of green and purple in the air.
Everyone on the decks ships danced, even the Imperial sailors, who were probably to return to their families after Teizen would disband the very expensive navy. After being egged on incessantly, Tsuboi danced drunkenly with his half Indian pal Nomi.
The couples all danced, Shinichi and Keiko, a reluctant half joking mostly drunk Tsuboi and Nomi, Kazuto and Asuna, and of course Andrew and Bianca.
The only four people not dancing were the ones speaking, the two identical light blue haired Yoshida twins were coming up with a birthday gift for their older brother One while drinking until their hearts gave out, and Yolko was holding a cooing T.J. as she spoke to Vicky and a few of the other Ginza rebels.
Derek had to be rescued by a few sailors as he fell off the ship, singing an old Yankee twang in a completely drunken tone, two young women on his arms in the water.
After the party ended, everyone had retired to their bunks. Only two young people remained on the deck of the ship Akagi, the re united couple, who had fought till the very end.
Kazuto and Asuna were technically standing at the front of the whole escorting fleet, as Akagi, the flagship cruiser of Imperial navy sailed into the rising sun.
The teens leaned on the guardrail, the black haired boy still wearing his same clothes from prison, including his tattered white shirt. His chestnut haired girlfriend on his left, still wearing her black Ginza rebel leather jacket proudly.
They watched the sun rise, the early glow of their new lives shining on their faces.
Kazuto cleared his throat, "You know, this could all be a ruse Teizen set up so he'd just re conquer Kyushu and get revenge on us in the process."
Asuna laughed in a shrill manner, "Yeah. It could. I also could be a fire breathing zombie from outer space. Give me a break Kirito, Ayumi's clearly got that boy wrapped around her Princess like finger."
Silence resumed but Kazuto kept speaking, "Hey Asuna, I'm not kidding, what if he changes his mind and comes after us?"
"Then we'll fight him together."
"We'll loose that fight." The raven haired teen said, his weakness from starving in prison waning, he gripped metallic guardrail at the very front of Akagi.
"Well then we'll die together."
"I don't want to die Asuna. I don't ever want to die." He said, cupping her face.
"Neither do I." She admitted, before pressing her lips to his, the two teens kissing deeply, their hearts being baked in that old furnace called love.
"So what do you think Kyushu will be like?" Kazuto wondered, backing out from her sweet kiss, hoping his girlfriend had the answers to everything.
"I have no idea..." The girl said shrugging, the black material of her leather jacket raising her long chestnut colored locks.
"No idea." She repeated, the two young lovers gripping each others hands, completely clueless of what the future had in store for them.
They were both too lazy to walk back to their bunk, so Asuna just slid down the metallic guardrail on the deck of the battleship Akagi, Kazuto laying on her stomach, snoozing.
She smiled, curiously uncertain of the future.
The girl closed her eyes, the rising sun smooching the back of her head, along with the entire escorting fleet.
The ten ships kept sailing into the awakening horizon towards their new freedom, the two re united lovers sleeping entwined under a blurry future.
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~THE END~
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A/N: Wow, that's it. That is the last chapter. I will be releasing an epilogue however, and perhaps an Omake, or mini scene Chapter if requested. I of course, need requests for specific Omake type scenes anyone would like to see if this were to happen. I already have a couple cooked up, but I have no problem writing more. So yes, I am completely open to suggestions anyone has on scenes to include. These could range from scenes you thought were missing, to scenes in an AU of the story, anything you guys want.
I have a policy: You request an Omake from now on, I write it. However, note that the post date will be Friday the 24th, so after Thursday the 23rd, I cannot accept anymore requests.
As for how I feel about the end of my story arriving...I feel all right. Mostly pride and happiness knowing that I got to share all this with you. I'm rather smiley that there's people who've been following this story since the very beginning, back in July (I'm looking at you Harvzy).
And many who've helped me refine ideas and concepts (Neph Champion, eh! Wassup?) But really, I thank you all. You've really all helped me craft this story with reviews, support, and hey, even being just all around awesome people (My boy SammiMeister laying in that category :) Along with everyone who read this )
Regardless of anything else, I'll catch you all on the fly.
-Den3424