EPILOGUE

"Friends and Family, um… I mean… Friends…" the pastor started. "We are gathered here today to remember our dearly beloved John C. Harrison, or as many knew him, Ki."

"This is so sad, I don't think I can take it…" whispered Naru into Haruka's ear as they all sat outside in the side yard of the Hinata House, where everyone had first met Ki. Andi had put together a memorial service for their friend with the help of Keitaro and the gang.

"I know how you feel Naru. We all are upset." Haruka replied as she glanced over at Shinobu, her face buried in her hands. She looked terrible. She had been crying for days and wouldn't eat. The girls had tried to get Shinobu to eat but she had refused. She just sat in her room and cried.

As the pastor went on about Ki and his life, Keitaro looked around at the newly renovated Hinata House. 'They really did a great job here.' thought Keitaro. After the tragedy at the house that day with Lee, Keitaro used most of his grandmother's saved money for repairs, to totally reconstruct the look of the Hinata House, inside and out, to help wipe away all the bad memories. 'Too bad I have no more money left…' sighed Keitaro. 'But what good is money anyway when you're missing your best friend in the whole world…' his mind was racing.

"And he was called to this Earth to not only be an excellent warrior, but a good friend. And a good companion to all of you…" the pastor continued on. When it was time for each friend to take the stand and speak about Ki, Sal went first.

"There are so many wonderful things I could say about Ki, but there is one thing in particular I'd like to share with you today. And that would be about the day Ki saved my life when the Yakuza were after me for unintentionally poisoning one of their mob bosses with peanut oil. Like I knew the guy was allergic?!?" Sal got a few uneasy laughs from the crowd.

Motoko and Haitani held hands and Haitani could not help but look back and remember his first date with Motoko at Sal's restaurant. He smiled as he remembered spilling red wine all over the place, because he was so nervous that night. Sal had his waiters bring lemon and club soda over right away. And that wasn't all. Sal had made sure that they were taken care of that night with every dish they could ever want. It had been such a special night. And he even got a kiss from Motoko when the date was over. 'All thanks to Ki…' thought Haitani. 'Always, it was Ki.'

Motoko looked over at Haitani and smiled. She was happy. Finally. Haitani proved to be the best boyfriend ever and she was pleased. Motoko's thoughts drifted back to the time when she thought she might have had a crush on Ki. 'I can't believe I actually liked him!' she thought. 'Now I see, only Haitani has my love.' Motoko also thought about the time when she fought Ki way back when at the Hinata House. 'That was quite a battle!' she thought.

Motoko remembered how Ki had fought her with weights on for the first half of the battle. When he took them off finally, she was doomed. She had put up a good fight, but realized she was no match for Ki and his incredible power. 'I will miss him…' she thought as she turned her attention back to the minister leading them in the ceremony.

"And we will always remember Ki, as the wonderful person that he was…" Sal continued. Across the lawn, Haruka stood on the back steps of the new Hinata House, smoking a cigarette. 'Oh god, get over it.' she thought. Haruka was never good at these things. She just never could show emotion. It wasn't her thing. Some people wore their heart on their sleeves, but not Haruka. She preferred to take a back seat and be an observer. That was, until, she met Ki.

Haruka was a champion in her own right. She toured the world as a Master in martial arts. Haruka could beat anyone and anything, even machine! She had once fought a government-created robot and beat it! She was like a machine herself. It was about 5 years ago when Haruka had first met Ki, well, not really met, but witnessed him.

Haruka was entered into a championship tournament in Tokyo and Ki and his parents arrived in town that exact week. Ki had found out about the tournament and decided to sneak off and see what it was all about. He was 11 years old at the time. When he arrived, Haruka was in the middle of the last championship battle with the title holder, Mitsokumo. Mitsokumo had been unbeatable up until that point. When Haruka had finally beaten the champ, the crowd roared, cheering on their new champion. As the crowd dissipated, Ki walked over by Mitsokumo sulking in the corner of the ring. "Great job!" he offered cheerfully. "You fought so well!"

"Get the hell outta here brat!" Mitsokumo snapped. "What the hell do you know about fighting and martial arts anyway?" he growled.

"Plenty. And certainly enough to know I'd never be beaten by a girl." Ki snapped back, disappointed at the fallen champ, and walked away. All of a sudden, Ki felt someone big and strong grab his shoulders and throw him into the center of the ring. Mitsokumo stood in front of Ki in the ring, red flames in his eyes.

"I will teach you to back talk me, young brat!" Mitsokumo ran towards Ki in a fury. The crowd walking out of the arena stopped and turned back to their seats, unsure of what was unfolding. Haruka had turned from the young kids asking her for autographs and looked over to see Ki being tossed around the ring like a rag doll.

"Oh no!" she ran over to the ring and that's when she saw Ki in action. Ki had somehow gotten out of Mitsokumo's grip and managed give Mitsokumo a swift kick to his temple and send him backwards, out of the ring. It took Mitsokumo a few seconds to gather himself, and then he charged back at Ki, only to be met with another kick, only this one was aimed at the balls. Mitsokumo howled with pain and Ki began punching Mitsokumo all over his fat face and chest.

Whether it exhaustion from the previous fight with Haruka, or from the relentless beating from little Ki, Mitsokumo fell, and he fell hard, not waking this time. The crowd cheered and so began Ki's career…

'Hmmm…' thought Haruka, 'that boy sure could fight, even at an early age.' Haruka

glanced back at Sal who appeared to be finally wrapping up his long, tiresome speech and handing the podium over to Keitaro.

"Thanks. Um, hello everyone. I, I just thought it would be nice if we all now took turns up here, talking about all the good memories we've shared with our good friend Ki, my best friend." Shinobu thought she saw a tear fall from Keitaro's eye. "Where do I begin?" Keitaro began.

'Try beginning at the part where you and Ki just showed up at our doorstep and changed our lives forever.' Naru thought, rolling her eyes. 'Really causing an uproar- especially you Keitaro!' she laughed to herself. Naru remembered back to that fateful day when the boys showed up and Keitaro demanded he stay in the all-girl's dormitory, just because his grandmother had left and made him in charge of the Hinata House. 'Damn manager position.' she thought.

Naru remembered back to the day when Ki had called her on her bitchy attitude and mean behavior she exhibited towards Keitaro. 'He actually flat out told me the reason I was such a bitch was because I was too uptight to realize I actually liked Keitaro, and he was right!' she laughed to herself. 'Thank God I came to my senses right after that!' Naru looked up at Keitaro, standing there, babbling on like an idiot, tears falling from his face… he looked kinda silly… kind… a…. cute. 'Oh God! I still like him! YUCK!' she thought. 'Ki was always right about everything, but at least he had a nice way of telling you. Of giving you advice, without making you feel like you were at fault. I will miss him…' Naru thought.

"And I will always love him, like a best friend, and like a brother." Keitaro finished and Shinobu walked up to the podium next.

"I don't know if I can do this…" she whispered as she began. "But I love Ki, and so, in his honor, I will try…" Shinobu began by telling the story of when she and Ki first met on the train that day. Shinobu had fallen and Ki was right there to help her up. She remembered how handsome he was, his deep blue eyes and his strong arms as he lifted her to her feet. She knew there was something amazing about him.

"Ki is unlike any other. Hi is strong. He is loyal. He is loving. And most importantly, he is our friend." Shinobu said. Andi began to listen to Shinobu and thought it weird how she was referring to Ki as if he was still alive.

'Poor Shinobu…' Andi thought, 'She just won't admit it to herself that Ki is really, truly gone.' Andi had known Ki the longest out of everyone in the group but she wondered if maybe Shinobu knew something that the others didn't. 'Hmmm, I guess they just had such a strong bond between them…' Andi remembered back to when she first ran into Keitaro in the hallway of Tokyo U. It wasn't soon after when she was reunited with her ol' pal Ki from the U.S. Everyone was so shocked they knew each other even though Ki told her to keep their past a secret until he told Shinobu. Andi could just remember that night, when they were all sitting in the hot springs together and Ki led Shinobu over the grotto for more privacy and Andi knew he was telling her.

Andi also knew that they were madly in love. She could see it in the way they looked into each other's eyes. Something had changed between the two of them that night, Andi was sure.

Shinobu stood up in front of her friends and continued talking about how much love she had for Ki. "And I know what a good friend he has been to all of u--- owwwweeee!!!!" Shinobu grabbed her stomach in pain and dropped to the ground.

"Shinobu!" the friends yelled as they ran up to her. Shinobu lay on her side, doubled over in pain. Haruka rushed to her side and saw blood all around Shinobu.

"You're bleeding! Shinobu- what happened?" Haruka looked around for answers. The friends were almost expecting a gunman to be to behind them, raising his weapon to take another shot. But there was no gunman. Haruka shortly discovered where Shinobu was bleeding from.

"Oh honey. Shinobu… are you pregnant?"

A few hours later at the hospital, Shinobu was feeling much better as the gang crowded around her bed. "Yes, I am going to have a baby. Ki's baby." Shinobu answered them when the doctors left the room.

"I can't believe it! Ki lives!" Keitaro shouted in joy. "Granted, you both were a little young, but hey! It could be a boy, just like Ki!" Keitaro smiled.

"But still, you're young Shinobu. What about school. And money, and you're future!?!" asked Naru.

"I spoke with the doctors who told me there is a lot of government assistance out there for girls like me. And I know Ki had money set aside. He told me when we discussed getting married." Shinobu answered.

"Getting married? Wow Shinobu- we had no idea you and Ki were this serious." Naru said.

"I did." said Andi. "Ki told me not so long ago that he and Shinobu were planning to start a life together very soon. I guess he just knew things were heading in that direction."

"He would be so happy to know we were going to have a child together." Shinobu whispered. She ran her hands down around her belly. She had thought she was gaining a lot of weight lately, only she chalked it up to being super-stressed due to the whole mess that had happened over the past few weeks. "The doctor told me the baby will be due in about 6 months. I guess that gives us all something to look forward to." She said.

"It does Shinobu, we are all happy for you." Andi put a hand over Shinobu's hands on her belly.

Over the next 6 months, Shinobu's belly began to grow, and grow, and grow. It was amazing to watch. Keitaro had really been wonderful, reading tons of baby books on how to help change diapers and feed bottles. Motoko had helped decorate a nursery for the baby with Haruka. Andi, Naru, Su and Kitsune were also a big help. They sewed baby clothes and cooked delicious foods to keep Shinobu healthy and strong. Even Haitani and Shirai came over all the time to check on Shinobu and offer her rides to the doctor for her visits. Shinobu was happy and doing great. Only problem was that she missed Ki terribly and would often cry herself to sleep at night thinking of him and how their child would never know its father.

Soon the day finally came and Shinobu gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, whom she named John after his father. The friends were all together that day and witnessed the miracle of birth. When John was wrapped in a blanket and handed to his mother to hold for the first time, Shinobu and the gang were in awe over John's bright red hair. He looked just like Ki. Tears formed in Shinobu's eyes as she kissed her lovely little boy.

A few months later, Shinobu was planting flowers in the back garden at the Hinata House. It was a beautiful sunny day so she decided to bring Baby John out to get some fresh air and sunshine. The doctors advised her to begin bring him out more. He was now 3 months old and had developed an amazing little personality. "Such a happy little boy you are." Shinobu smiled as she tucked a light blanket around John sitting in his carrier. He smiled at her and let out a little baby laugh. Shinobu kissed him on the head.

She looked into his eyes and saw Ki. It was a challenge, day to day, raising his child without him. Shinobu continued planting and thought about Ki. 'Ki, if you can hear me… just know I love you… and I miss you.' Shinobu sat back on her heels and wiped the dirt off her gloves on her apron. 'If only there was a sign showing you know how much I love you…' her thoughts drifted as she turned to baby John, who whimpered in his carrier. "Shhh, don't cry John, I'm here…" Shinobu went to reach for John's bottle next to her. She turned and saw a beautiful butterfly perched on top of the bottle's lid. "Oh!" Shinobu exclaimed. "How beautiful… my sign…" Shinobu turned back to John and gave him his bottle once the butterfly flew away.

"Shinobu." She knew that voice from anywhere. She turned back to the where the butterfly had been. There stood Ki, a duffel bag around him, looking disheveled and a mess. But it was Ki.

THE END