Epilogue.
...
February 15th, 2026. One year after the first Imperial Peace Day in Japan's history.
...
The sun shone brightly on the reconstructed city, Rika's father had been hard at work cleaning up Tokyo with the year old king: Teizen.
The citizens filed off to work, men and women alike earning the exact same wages their kind Emperor had tried so hard to equalize, learning what his parents taught him. The inequality between classes was severely minimized, Equality For All had become almost a new slogan for the young Teizen.
A huge poster hung on a tall Enterprises building, of the Emperor Teizen smiling and giving a thumbs up, the caption was: Work Hard. Equalize. For each other, sisters and brothers alike.
A new sense of brotherly socialism sprouted from the happy reign, the entire country taking a rather liberal turn since the fall of Yashiro.
An eighteen year old Teizen played one of his wife's favorite tunes on an old boom box, Man I feel like A Woman by Shania Twain, before dancing in his kitchen wearing nothing more than his underwear and his crown.
The boy swung his hips about, dancing to the song smiling, making breakfast for his household. He didn't care how unmanly the song was, he just made french toast for everyone.
Teizen danced smiling widely, muttering a couple words to the song under his breath thinking.
I'm actually dancing. I'm so happy I'm getting married properly today I'm dancing.
He sighed happily.
I love cooking.
He took ingredients out and placed them on his counter, turning the stove on before frying some toast in a pan, whistling happily, his Platinum crown laying perfectly atop his head.
There were two new additions to the household. Asami, Ayumi's Nanna, and Yoshida One, the scientist who had helped advise the Emperor himself on matters of state.
The Emperor had personally requested to make breakfast that day, Red Riding Hood was swinging his toned body about as he cooked happily, just like his father Souske used to.
Ayumi, the Empress, snuck up behind him from their room, and grasped his rear tightly, purring as she whispered in his ear, "Mm...I looove my little kitchen bitch." She teased, nipping his left ear and gripping his bum even tighter.
He pushed away her hand with a french toast filled pan free metal hand and said, "You know we're married right? You can stop treating me like a piece of meat." He warned, turning from her light blue eyes to the breakfast he was making.
She smacked his ass laughing, causing the boy to gasp and turn slightly red, "You're my piece of meat, now and always. Same as you've been for a year."
"No need to remind me." He grumbled under his breath, knowing that the energetic and bubbly Ayumi was a little much for anyone to handle, even himself, the tolerant and patiently kind Teizen.
Yui rubbed her eyes, yawning as she came out of her room, seeing Ayumi wear little more than her yellow nightgown and Teizen wear nothing more than a white pair of boxers and his crown. The Empresses hand was still firmly gripping the taller boys rear.
The Emperor's personal black haired Psychiatrist turned her face away from seeing such a sight, the two teens glowing red as Ayumi slowly retreated her right hand from her husbands rear slowly. The boy turned off the music awkwardly.
"Hey! Yui..." Ayumi said, her words trailing.
One, wearing a new pair of glasses from all the alcohol consumption chewing at his eyesight, emerged from his room in his yellow lab coat, stirring the coffee he made himself in his guest room and grunting, said, "Hmm. Your Highnesses, I think you should restrict your love making to the Royal couple's bedroom."
"We weren't doing anything!" The gold crowned slender girl exclaimed, glowing red.
"Yeah..." Teizen said, sliding all of his french toast he made onto a plate turning to his mother in law Mariko, her son Kyoichi, her sons friend Yui, and her grandmother Midori, his wife's grandmother Asami, and the out of place One, slightly red as well, "Yumi-chan just snuck up on me and...grabbed my a- Why don't we all have breakfast?"
"That'd be lovely." Asami said smiling, an expression of relief creeping up on her wrinkled face.
They all sat down, and Asami kept speaking to her granddaughter, "I once caught your father doing the same thing to your mother. Only there was a ping pong paddle invol-"
Mariko coughed up a piece of french toast, and Ayumi snapped, putting down her fork neatly with a piece of Teizen's cooking on the end of it, "Nanna! There are children here!" The girl said, her eye moving from her grandmother to her little brother and his friend Yui.
The old lady, still smiling, ate her breakfast in silence, and One fixed his glasses on his face and cleared his throat to the Platinum crowned boy to his right, "My lord, I believe you have an announcement to make to your mental health counselor."
Teizen downed some orange juice and nodded, "Oh yes. Yui-chan."
"Yes?" The girl asked, her attention snapping to the boy whose mental health she'd improved heavily.
"For your wonderful service, in making me happy, and in turn my citizens happy, I will reward you with a much needed visit."
"V-Visit?" The black haired counselor asked.
"Your father and mother, along with a few of their friends are coming to our wedding today." The dark brown haired boy said smiling, his hair as short as it was a year before. Neat and tidy.
"You two are getting married again?" Mariko asked, curious of what her daughter planned to do.
"Mama and Papa are coming?" Yui said happily, smiling wonderfully.
"Two and Three are coming?" One asked, choking on his french toast.
"To answer all of your questions." The Emperor said smiling, "We are reuniting many families. The Tsuboi's, Itsumi and Taisuke have been separated from their brother and son Ryoutarou. I owe Taisuke a favor as he ran my old roadblock for me so well. One is going to meet with his brothers again, and you Yui, will meet your parents. They're arriving in a few hours. I apologize for notifying you all so late, I-"
"I have to go to my room!" Yui and One cried, rising out from their chairs to sprint off.
Teizen chuckled to himself, "I'm going to be speaking to Kirigaya face to face after over a year of not seeing him. I wonder if he's changed."
"He'll probably hate you for killing his sister." Ayumi said, crossing her arms.
"Probably. But we'll see." Teizen checked his gold watch, fixing his crown before walking to his room mumbling, "They'll be here in about two hours, we should get ready."
Kyoichi, Mariko and Asami were all left there awkwardly with Midori. Who promptly excused herself to go speak to Yui in her room.
"Yui...what's wrong hun?" The woman asked, worried.
The small girl turned to her grandmother, "Wh-What if Papa and Mama don't like me?"
"Don't be ridiculous Yui, of course they'll like you."
"I'm...not exactly in the best...body."
Midori smiled and drew the girl to her stomach, before laying a kiss on the top of her head, "Oh Yui. Just because you're in a dead girls body doesn't mean they won't love you. Parents love their children unconditionally."
"R-Really?"
The woman nodded, "If there's anything I've learned this past year, love is a very powerful thing. You have nothing to be worried about Yui."
"Th-Thanks grandma."
"Please stop calling me that." Midori whispered to herself, seriously concerned over her age after hearing herself be called grandma for a year almost.
...
One had emerged from his room wearing a banana yellow suit, matching his eyes perfectly. His messy light blue hair was slicked back perfectly, and he looked ready for his Emperors wedding.
He held in his pockets the gifts he planned to give to his younger brothers, two classic Gameboys with the ability to communicate with each other at all times, and his favorite flask of booze in his pocket as well.
In the Royal Couple's bedroom, Teizen was worried, his right leg bouncing nervously as he sat on the edge of their bed.
"What suit should I wear to meet them? My classic black one?" He said, actually nervous.
"You'll be fine honey." Ayumi said, turning from her mirror to her husband, applying an earring to herself.
A servant knocked on the door, speaking on the other side of the door, "My lord, the best man is here."
"Tell him to wait!" The Empress hollered, "Honey look." She said, elegant diamond earrings hanging from her ear lobes, wrapping her arms around his back, "I know, you feel really bad about what you did, but if Kirigaya doesn't forgive you, its his fault."
"Why?" Teizen sadly, looking down.
"Because you spent the last year trying to make up for it. You've turned the Empire from a totalitarian dictatorship into an absolute monarchy with the people's welfare as its number one priority. The people love you, the overseers love you. I love you."
"But I need him to forgive me, he's...the one I hurt the most."
"Hey, if one person won't forgive you remember this. There are millions who do."
Teizen smiled, kissing her deeply, before muttering, "Oh Ayumi, you always know what to say."
"Of course I do dum-dum."
He placed his metal hands on her sides and said, "Did I ever mention you're the best wife in the world?"
"You could...mention it more often." She said, smiling in his synthetic arms.
She pecked him on the lips and said, "Now go get that nice ass of yours dressed, Kirigaya will definitely never forgive you if you turn up almost completely naked."
Teizen chuckled to himself as he walked off to go find some clothes.
...
In his office, the Emperor found a nicely dressed Tsuboi Taisuke who had been working full time now as a Policeman, now that the Military Police were disbanded and absorbed into the new Tokyo Police Force.
"Hey, how's the groom doing?" Taisuke asked in his jet black suit.
"How're you doing? Isn't it going to be kind of awkward talking to your brother, a known Bunkyo rebel?" Teizen asked in his sparkling black suit.
"Yeah a little, but he knows I was conscripted."
"Thanks for telling your uncle to let us use his beach resort in Yaizu for my marriage."
"Yeah he had no issue with it, after all you are paying that old turd a lot of money."
Teizen nodded and asked, "Are you nervous about seeing your brother?"
"A little."
The Emperor sighed, "Damn Taisuke, I think everyone in this household's nervous."
"What makes you say that?"
"That." Teizen said, pointing to his kitchen.
There, Yui was pacing back and forth, Midori trying to calm her, One was constantly fixing his hair and fiddling with his watch, sipping coffee.
"Uh...Are you nervous?"
"Me? What? No." He said, hiding a twitchy and shaking metal right hand behind his back, "Nervous about seeing my old mortal enemy and his bloodthirsty girlfriend? Nah."
Taisuke smiled, "You'll be fine. We'll all be fine."
A servant spoke on the other side of the door, "Guests are arriving in twenty minutes. They're about fifteen minutes late."
Teizen chuckled and sighed, "Kirigaya Kazuto...The least punctual person to ever live."
The Emperor then nodded, "Let's wait for them in Kyoichi's piano room."
"Lets." Taisuke said, walking with his old friend and the boy he being best man for.
...
Kazuto smiled, as the sunny February morning shone on him and Asuna's and all his friends faces. For the first time in almost an entire year, Andrew, Bianca, T.J., The Yoshida twins, Shinichi, Keiko, Nomi and Tsuboi, Yolko, Vicky and Derek had come back home.
All of the old rebels were wearing suits and dresses for the incredibly elegant wedding they were all invited to: The Proper Wedding of Ayumi and Teizen.
All young people were smiling on the deck of the steamer bringing them back home to Imperial soil.
After a year on the sunny beaches of Kyushu, they all had grown slightly taller and vastly tanner, a year of relaxation had supplemented the toughest two months of their young lives.
"We're home guys. We're home." Keiko said, her long and clean light brown hair being caressed by Shinichi.
"How I missed you Tokyo, you great old bitch." Kazuto said smirking, wiping a small tear aside at seeing how beautiful she'd grown.
He took Asuna's hand, the two young lovers stepping off the ship's walking plank for the first time in a year, back in their old city.
The young people saw the very long limousine with two white helmet servants holding the doors for them, right at the docks near the walking plank.
They kept smiling, waiting for the limo to take them to the Imperial Palace where Yui, Taisuke and One awaited them.
...
No one said a word, Tsuboi nervous out of his mind before meeting his brother, Kazuto and Asuna hopeful to re unite with Yui, while the two Yoshida twins chugged as much booze as possible to prepare to meet One.
The limo pulled up to the Imperial Palace, a glittering white diamond that overlooked Tokyo Harbor.
Asuna sighed, helping a fully recovered Kazuto out of the limo with a hand.
Everyone stayed waiting for them, except for the Yoshida twins, and Ryoutarou, who all left with Kazuto and Asuna to the Palace. Yolko decided to tag along to meet the Emperor before her older friend Vicky Euler did.
The gold gates opened, and the four of them all walked towards their family.
...
Yui was playing Remembering Emilie with baby blue suited Kyoichi, their favorite song from their favorite movie, on the piano.
Everyone was at their places, Ayumi and Teizen were hiding behind a white curtain to not ruin anything, Midori and One were standing in front of the piano.
A familiar pair of voices spoke, "Yui?"
The girl gasped, turning around slowly.
She said nothing, sprinting before hugging her parents that had entered the piano room. The Prince kept playing the song.
"We..." Kazuto started, crying, "For the whole year we were gone Yui, we only thought about you."
Asuna nodded as Yui cried into her stomach, before speaking, "I...missed you two more than anything..."
"So did we." Her chestnut haired Mama said, as the girl slowly looked up, as her parents clutched the mental counselor to their stomachs.
One turned saw his two younger twin brothers, before Three teared up a little, and said, "N-nice glasses, f-freak."
"Come here you walking sacs of carbon bonds." One said, extending his arms to hug them.
The three identical super genius triplet sobbed into each others arms, and One muttered, "Hot damn I missed you guys."
They nodded, still crying into their older brothers shoulders.
One smiled at Three, "Hey, I'm sorry for being an ass to you all those years man."
"I-Its cool, as long as you ingest some 900 Kg of sodium chloride."
"Thats a beyond lethal dose of salt little brother."
"I know." He said, shedding a few tears from his glowing yellow eyes.
Ryoutarou looked at Taisuke, the young men speaking utter gibberish before loosing it and crying their eyes out in their embrace.
They finally formed coherent words, and Taisuke said, "Wh-When I saw you passing through my roadblock, I wanted to say something, but it could've shown I had rebel affiliation. I'm sorry I had to be on the other side of the war Aniki."
"Its okay little brother." Ryoutarou said smiling, and ruffling his shorter and calmer counterparts reddish brown hair, "Where's Ma?"
"She's waiting for us at Yaizu."
"Yaizu?" The older Tsuboi asked, "Oh right, the wedding."
As Asuna, Kazuto and Yui smiled and hugged together a single voice crept out, "My-My son?"
The White Swordsman looked up, opening his eyes, "M-ma?"
Midori sprinted to her son, the boy smiling as she hugged him.
The woman frowned at Kazuto, "Don't ever, ever run away from home like that again, you hear me?"
"Of course Ma." He said smiling, as Asuna and Yui hugged the two of them.
Kazuto smiled wider, before speaking to the Prince leaning on his piano watching this comfortably, "How can we ever thank you enough?"
"Don't thank me, thank him." An eleven year old Kyoichi said, in his perfect baby blue suit.
Teizen and Ayumi emerged side by side, hand in metal hand from the white curtain.
Kazuto took a step back from the group hug, still deathly afraid of the boy, as he should be.
Eighteen year old Teizen had grown even taller than Ayumi, his face was still scruffy with light facial hair, making him still look frightening with those enormous muscles he carried about with him, and especially those enormous bazooka like metal black arms on the sides of his ripped torso.
The air tensed immediately, and Teizen said, "I know you must be furious with me. And thats okay, I-"
Asuna smiled, before pulling the Emperor into a hug, she pulled away making the boy gasp.
"Of course I forgive you. You see all this?" She asked, raising a palm to reference the three reunited families about her, "This is a huge step for you. The Teizen I knew would've murdered Kirito and I the second he'd have the chance before conquering the world. But you still have to get my boyfriend to forgive you." Asuna added whispering.
Teizen nodded, "I'll start working on that."
Kazuto and Teizen made eye contact, it was only for a second, but the two of them looked away grunting the second this happened.
Asuna took her lovers elbow, and Ayumi did the same to her. The two couples, Rebel and Imperial turned to face each other.
Teizen eyed Kazuto and his chestnut haired girlfriend.
Damn, Yuuki-san's a lot tanner and taller than I remember. Kirigaya hasn't changed much, the guys still angry at me. Don't blame him, but I know how to get him to forgive me.
Kazuto shifted uncomfortably in his spot, knowing he was the only teen there who was not eighteen. He then saw Ayumi.
She's even more beautiful than I imagined...
Yolko's eyesight turned from the Emperor, to his straw blonde friend in the doorway.
He was perhaps eighteen, incredibly tall, strong and handsome.
As he walked past, Yolko fanned herself glowing red and nudged Asuna, "Who's that? He's hot..."
"Teizen!" The boy cried, walking towards him, "You son of a bitch!"
The boys smiled and their right arms met, with an air shaking clap.
The ground appeared to quake under the two boys grip, Eugeo's strong right arm meeting Teizen's metal one, the two teens smiling.
Eugeo made a joke, smirking, "What's the matter?" He taunted, gripping his hand tighter, "Your own Empire got you pushing too many pencils?"
One's jaw dropped.
I designed his arms to be strong, but not this strong! The damned ground is quaking!
Yolko, seeing the two old friends meet in the manliest greeting of all time, passed out on the floor, "So...manly..."
They kept gripping each others arms, their strength pulsing through them.
The slightly shorter boy snorted, "Had enough?"
"Take it easy on yourself Eugeo."
The hair on their two young faces seemed to grow more prominent, everyone shocked at the incredible strength the two friends had.
As it seemed the blonde teen was winning, Teizen pulled away and laughed, "Damn! You've been working out?"
"Hell yeah man!" Eugeo said smiling, "Ever since you saved my neck in that alleyway, I spent the whole past year pumping iron and stuff!"
"I'm sorry, who's this?" Asuna asked, confused.
"This is my friend," Teizen said, resting a metal hand on his friends right shoulder, "Tabani Eugeo. He's my only friend from Akiba, and he's-"
"Hot." Yolko said, standing up and offering her hand, "Kachi Yolko."
"Tabani Eugeo." The tall and handsome boy said, letting the pretty brunette girl feel his strong grip.
One cleared his throat and tapped his light blue watch on his wrist, "My lord. The time."
"Oh yes!" Teizen cried out, "The wedding! We have to get to Yaizu! The boys and I got to get to the beach resort. Meanwhile, Ayumi will go with her bridesmaids. Shall we?"
Eugeo nodded, "Lets."
Kazuto cleared his throat, "Do I have to come along?"
"Only if you want to." Taisuke said, his older brother at his side.
"Ok then, but I'm taking Nagata with us." He said, walking towards the limo.
"Who's that?" He whispered to One. As all the males in the room walked towards the limo.
They all left the piano room, Kyoichi walking after them.
Ayumi looked at Asuna, "How've you been?"
"Really good. Have you ever been to a beach in Fukuoka?"
"No. But I can see you have." The black haired Empress noted from the skin color of the girl.
Yolko looked at the door, "That blonde guy will be there right? At your wedding?"
"Yeah." Ayumi turned to the two girls, one brown haired the other chestnut haired, "You two mind filling in for a couple of my bridesmaids? My maid of honor is a no show."
Yolko and Asuna turned and smiled at each other, "I think we have just the perfect person for you."
...
Keiko gasped, seeing the Empress approach her, two of her new bridesmaids behind her, "Hey Ayano-chan, Asuna told me you wouldn't mind being my maid of honor. Are you cool with that?"
"Cool with that? Cool with that? It was always my dream to by one!" She said happily, running to Ayumi and hugging her, the long light brown haired girl being so short the top of her head reached the Empresses chin.
The girl smiled, "Thanks. We should get to the wedding." She said, worried about the time.
"Definitely." All the girls said, as Bianca and Vicky joined them, walking towards the other limo to take them to Yaizu.
...
Just as Teizen wanted, all the females drove in one limousine, the males in the other.
Andrew sat coldly next to Kazuto on the drive over to Teizen's wedding, the limo driving off towards Yaizu.
The raven haired teen mumbled, seeing the Emperor laugh and talk with his friend Eugeo. He also watched Taisuke and Ryoutarou speak, the Imperial and Rebel brothers speaking on the events that occured during the three years they were apart.
Shinichi cleared his throat, before speaking to Teizen, "Uh, my lord?"
"Yes?" The boy asked, turning from a joke his blonde friend made to him.
"Would you mind reading this?" He asked, passing the Emperor his notebook.
"The Believers Club notebook?" Teizen asked, reading the cover, "What is this?"
"Its filled with ideas on how to build a Japan by the people for the people. I mean, you've started out well by making all those socialist reforms, and really made equality and public opinion a priority, but this helps."
The young Emperor began to flip through the book, nodding and smiling, "This is incredible. Who wrote this?"
"I did," Nagata said, fixing his glasses and placing a hand on the notebook, "My girlfriend Keiko and I started this club before the war started, it was to create and refine ideas that would make an...Equalist Utopia...you know, the upper class has no power, the public is the number one priority of the government. Stuff like that."
Teizen chuckled, "What's your name?"
"Nagata Shinichi. Defender of Freedom."
"Well, Defender of Freedom," Teizen said sarcastically, "It seems like I'll be keeping this."
The boy gasped and smiled, "Are you serious?"
The young Emperor nodded, "Yup, I'm going to be using this as a template from now on for all of my edicts."
The bespectacled black haired teen rushed Teizen squealing happily, "Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome." The dark brown haired boy said, taking his hug unexpectedly, happy he made one of his returned citizens happy.
"Sh-Shinichi?" Andrew asked, incredibly curious, "Are you crying?"
"Mhm." He said wiping aside some tears from under his glasses, smiling widely, "After so many people died, they all died for something didn't they? For the Japan they fought for to finally be a reality!" He said sobbing happily into the Emperor's black suit covered chest.
As Teizen shifted awkwardly under the boys happy sobs, and Andrew turned to Kazuto, the boy next to him, and asked, "Hey, are you still angry at him?"
There was a pause, the seventeen year old raven haired teen kept staring out the limo's window silently, his creamy white suit still pressed up tightly to his body.
"Kazuto?"
The teen still said nothing, his hand reaching for that silver hearted pendant that used to lie around his neck, before grabbing nothing and curling into a fist.
The White Swordsman turned to Teizen, holding the happily tearful Nagata in his arms, right fist still clenched.
He's done so much. But why am I still angry at him? Why do I still...want him to be my mortal enemy? Why do I still...want to kill him? Why am I still...
The boy looked at him.
Still afraid?
Kazuto shook his head.
I don't get why everyone's so forgiving of him. Especially Asuna! Even now I want to punch the hell out of him. I don't care if its his wedding day, I still hate him!
The limo stopped, they had all arrived at Yaizu. The wedding was about to begin.
...
...
Teizen sat in front of the altar, the Shinto Priest before him.
The benches were filled with aristocrats, Shouzou and Kyoukou were released from prison by Teizen himself, and the backs of their heads were being glared upon by Asuna.
Half the benches were Imperial military officials and former rebels, also a small number of villagers from Akiba, including Eugeo.
The other half included the invited rebels from Kyushu, the most notable of which included Kazuto and Andrew, sitting at the very front of the aisles.
Yui held a basket of flowers for the young woman who had cared for her so kindly the past year, Ayumi, who was walking behind her in her flowing and long white wedding dress, tossing them about.
The bridesmaids, Yolko and Asuna, and the happy beyond hell Keiko were all at the altar, waiting for the arrival of the Empress.
Ayumi, in her heels, walked past all the purple flowers Yui had tossed about, and the hundreds of people staring at her.
The Imperial couple had refused to wear their crowns for the union, they were equals, but had left them side by side on a purple pillow close to the altar.
The sun shone beautifully on that kind February afternoon, the waves crashed harmoniously on the sandy beach where the wedding was taking place. It was a gorgeous day, for a gorgeous occasion.
The entire wedding rose and watched as Kinzai Ayumi, the happiest woman in the world that day, was being sent off by her mother, as her father was poisoned by none other than the small child walking in front of his daughter, throwing flowers.
Everyone stood in awe of the beauty of her Royal Highness Empress Ayumi, who had no nervousness. Every cell in her young body knew what she wanted, she wanted that old Shinto Priest that had crowned her husband and her father, to marry her to that boy in his black suit.
Ayumi reached the altar, her maid of honor Ayano Keiko behind her.
Teizen was already there, his best man Tsuboi Taisuke behind him.
The Shinto Priest cleared his throat, "We are all are here to witness the holy union of these two young lovers, Ayumi and Teizen. The gods give me the power to bind them, love gives them the power to bind them, and most importantly of all, they both give each other the power to bind each other."
As he spoke, Teizen and Ayumi were staring into each others eyes, orange-ish hazel becoming lost in her light blue ocean for the thousandth time.
"Kinzai Teizen, do you promise to be Kinzai Ayumi's husband for all time, to hers to love and to hold, until death splits you apart?"
"Yes, I do." He said, still staring into his Yumi-chan's eyes.
"Kinzai Ayumi, do you promise to be Kinzai Teizen's wife for all time, to be his to love and to hold, until death splits you apart?"
"Yes." The Empress said, smiling and crying a little.
He smiled, raising a hand, "The divine power gifted by the gods to me, allows me to bless this union, and whatever it may carry. Thank you."
"My Prince, please give me the rings."
Kyoichi presented his older sister and her husband two perfect platinum rings, one engraved in a circular symbol of a wolf, the other of a stallion, both laying on the same red pillow.
Teizen picked up her ring and said his vow, having it memorized perfectly, "Ayumi. You are my savior, my lover. My redeemer, and my world. You are the kindest- oh crap." He said, tearing up a little, wiping a bead of happiness from under his eye, making the wedding laugh some, "kindest, sweetest, smartest and funniest person I have ever met. You are also the most beautiful, but that goes without saying."
The wedding laughed a little more, but the tall boy kept speaking, "My life would be nothing without you. Millions owe you their lives, and to me, you are the greatest hero of history. I love you Kinzai Ayumi, I have loved you, and I will always love you. And with this ring, I promise to be yours until the end of time, or until I die first probably."
He held her hand lightly with his own metal one and slipped her ring onto it, the stallion was now part of her hand.
The black haired Empress refused to cry, swiping off a tear from her rosy well tanned cheek and picking up the other platinum ring, "Teizen. You aren't my protector, you are my lover. You never were my protector, you were always meant to be with me, not below me. You are the wisest, strongest and most intelligent person I've met, and also the best looking." She said smirking.
"You are my soul mate, my everything. You are not the wolf...You are something I never would've expected, what you detested: Kind. I love you, more than anything else in the whole wide world. Except for your cooking perhaps." She admitted, shrugging in her perfect white wedding dress, "With this ring, I promise that you'll be mine, and I'll be yours until we die."
She slipped the shiny platinum ring onto his metal finger, the new small wolf now part of his synthetic hand One designed for him.
The Shinto Priest called out, hands raised, "Let it be known far and wide! That these two, Kinzai Ayumi and Teizen, are one heart, one soul, and one body! They are married, and bound together, in every meaning of the word!"
"Your Highnesses, you may kiss if you please." He said bowing to them.
Before her newly properly wed husband could react, Ayumi tripped Teizen and swung him below her, holding up the boy with her arms.
She pressed her lips to the surprised boys as tightly as she could, their hearts glowing, eyes closing, before lifting him back on to his feet.
The wedding broke into cheers and applause, one side, the Akiban and Military side bursting into ravenous applause, setting off poppers and champagne and pistols, howling loudly, while the Rebel and Aristocratic side just clapped respectfully, still sitting.
The only person not applauding was the young Kazuto, who just crossed his arms angrily and looked off to the side.
...
...
The dinner was served as the sun went down, servants placing expensive and tasty food in front of the guests of their Highnesses.
Kazuto just played with his food, watching Asuna giggle and speak to her friend Ayumi as Teizen finished his crab.
The Emperor hit his fork onto his cup, making a loud ringing sound to grab everyone's attention.
Shinichi and Eugeo looked up from their conversation, to the high table where the bride and groom sat.
The dark brown haired eighteen year old stood up, and cleared his throat, "This past year has really helped my Empire and I craft a new integrated society. As you know, I have allowed Opinion Groups to be formed across the country, so the publics needs and wants are at my disposal, so they can become my priority. In doing so, I have set my authoritarian rule towards democracy."
"I'd like to make an announcement, I am ordering the drawing of a new constitution, to be created by myself, and politicians and citizens from around the country, to make my rule a Constitutional Monarchy. But I will ask for a new thing: I am offering the Republic of Kyushu to attend the Assembly of Kyoto, where this new constitution will be created, so Japan may be whole again."
"Why?" Kazuto barked, standing up, making a few people gasp, "Who would want to join you?"
"Kirito-kun!" Asuna barked.
The boy kept speaking, "No, how're you going to make up for everything that you did? That your Empire did? Almost one hundred thousand people died in the riots and massacres Yashiro caused! How? How're you going to win back Kyushu's trust?"
"I am glad you asked my friend." Teizen said kindly, nodding, "By ensuring that Japan's future remains bright, not bleak. I will do my very best to repay the people who had to deal with an almost two year regime."
He turned away from Kazuto's gaze and spoke, "I am asking Kyushu Island to send twenty, no fourty delegates in its place to serve at the Assembly of Kyoto, if it wishes to participate. In doing so, it will be admitted back to my country. It is completely and utterly, Kyushu's choice to join."
A few of the politicians from Kyushu currently attending the wedding shifted uncomfortably in their seats and began to mutter amongst themselves.
Teizen smiled, "That is not all. I realize that I have an apology to make, to the rich."
Shouzou and a few of the other wealthy folk attending raised eyebrows in confusion.
Ayumi smirked and turned to her husband, whispering in his ear.
He nodded, and the girl walked off to a small stage where a band had prepared to play. Her friends from Gunma, her old band, were ready, instruments on standby.
The Emperor nodded to his upper class, "I have to apologize for taxing you harder than you ever have in centuries. And for generally eliminating you from the Imperial Agenda. To make up for this, I will show you something you will never forget: tonights entertainment."
He snapped twice in the air, and the dozens of tables holding hundreds of guests were cleared of the massive dance floor by servants. The guests jumping out of their chairs in surprise as their dinners were swept away from them.
Now, there was a massive rectangle of hundreds of wedding guests around the huge dance floor the size of a decent tennis court.
Teizen took off the platinum crown still on his head, letting it rest next to his plate of food.
The boy smiled, clapping twice.
Servants threw two swords into the air towards the high table, the wedding gasping as their Emperor jumped onto his high table, did a front flip in the air to catch them, before landing on his own two expensive shoe covered feet.
"Kirigaya Kazuto! We have a score to settle!" He shouted.
Andrew and Ryoutarou pushed the boy onto the rectangular wooden dance floor.
Kazuto cleared his throat, "Yes?"
"The last time we dueled we came close to slaying each other, but this time. We don't fight to kill or prove anything. This is just entertainment, so don't go overboard okay? Do you accept my challenge?"
"Depends." The white suited boy said, undoing the buttons on his creamy white blazer. He tossed it off his body, showing his incredibly defined muscles, pressed up against the white material of his button up shirt, "You should know that I've been practicing every day after school since our last duel, you almost beat me, and I wasn't going to let that happen again."
The crowd gasped, and turned to their chuckling Emperor.
"Aw Kazuto..." Teizen said sighing, before throwing off his black blazer, his own farther defined muscles pressed up to his black button up shirt, "I've been practicing blocking and sparring with Eugeo from time to time. I assure you, I've been ready."
He held the two blades in his hands, "I made a certain adjustment to my sword, Longing. I made the Tritinium blade black instead of silver. It adds a certain...edge. Here."
The Emperor tossed the boy his sword.
Kazuto gasped, looking at it.
Promise, the White Elucidator was back in his hands.
Teizen smirked, "I'm ready when you are."
"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" The younger teen asked.
The young Emperor nodded confidently.
"All right." Kazuto said, getting into his stance, "Just remember, I gave you an out."
He planted the tip of his double edged jian into the ground, closing his eyes.
Kazuto gripped Promise, before sprinting towards the boy laying his hands atop the hilt of the blade.
The were both wearing black and white dress wear, instead of heavier armor, meaning one thing: This battle was going to be fast.
Before anyone at the wedding could react, the groom's tiger eyes flashed open, glowing. The beast unleashed instantly.
Hearing the blade swinging at him, his lightning fast reflexes clicked, picking up Longing and catching the blade mid-swipe.
The impact of the two swords was so strong that a huge gust of wind erupted from their meeting, making the crowd gasp.
Teizen laughed, Kazuto amazed he was able to block such an incredibly fast attack.
The Emperor pointed to his stage where his wife and her band were ready, "Honey! Play that one with the three B's, I forget."
The band began to play and Teizen nodded, "That's the one! Let's do this." He added darkly, getting into his stance, spinning Longing around his metal finger quickly, showing off.
The ghosts of Shino and Rika, both appearing to be singing next to Ayumi on stage, wearing lime green and pink dresses respectively, kept egging on the fight by singing louder and louder as the fight unfolded.
Asuna crossed her arms, and Keiko looked at her, "Aren't you worried?"
"For Kirito? Hah, no, I'm worried for the Emperor."
Eugeo snickered right next to her, earning a raised eyebrow from the eighteen year old girl.
"What?" The chestnut haired beauty asked.
"Nothing," The Akiban blonde said, "Just watch, Teizen is superhuman. You'll see what I mean."
The two boys sprinted towards each other so quickly, they turned into black and white blurs instantly, starting off the battle the way it always began: With Kazuto attacking.
Teizen began to show off his ridiculous defensive skill, dodging a swipe at his head smirking, the white blade passing just over his face, slicing an exposed dark brown lock in half, before doing a back flip to avoid a thrust.
He laughed, "Land a hit!"
Kazuto went insane, grunting as he flew into a flurry of swipes, Promise turning into a white shooting star, flying towards the agile Emperor.
A thrust was sent to his chest, only to be side stepped, in a split second, the taller teen moved aside to avoid the attack, before sending a rapid succession of attacks his guests way.
Longing became a black line in the air, flying towards Kazuto's throat, the shorter boy catching it on the edge of Promise to push it off, only for Teizen to start hacking away at his opponent, the crowd gasping as the white wearing boy managed to do a side flip in the air to avoid the black blade.
The shorter raven haired warrior smirked, interrupting the next swipe with a counter thrust of his own, catching Teizen slightly off guard, only for the older teen to side step him again, making the impulsive boy grow even angrier, yelling loudly as he turned into a white tornado of attacks, swiping and thrusting so quickly that the crowd's jaws dropped.
Andrew, jaw almost on the floor stuttered, "I-i-is it me, or can I not even see them move?"
"No, its not just you." Shinichi said in awe, shaking his head slowly.
They began to fly around the enormous rectangular wooden dance floor, exchanging slashes and thrusts only for every attack to be blocked skillfully.
Asuna had the skill to actually be able to follow the battle, seeing how Teizen transitioned almost inhumanly well from a parry to counter swipe in seconds.
I can't believe it! He's actually better than me! Than-Than Kirito too!
Teizen kept smirking, laughing as he leaped into the air, doing flip after flip, not loosing any energy to avoid every blindingly fast swipe at his body.
Out of nowhere, a thrust landed on his arm, the crowd gasping as the black material of his shirt was ripped, but the metal synthetic material remained unharmed.
The Emperor ignored this, smirking before he came back with an attack, sending a sudden swipe at Kazuto's head, the flat side of his blade making impact and sending Kazuto staggering, earning a huge groan of surprise from the crowd.
The boy gripped Promise, growing angrier, a huge aura of blue mist of anger erupting from his white material covered body.
He pointed the white blade upwards, panting, his body rising and shaking in exhaustion and anger.
Kazuto wiped some sweat off his forehead, "I'm just getting started!"
I won't let it happen! I won't let him win! I have to show I'm not afraid of him anymore! I'm not holding anything back!
"HAAAAAA!"
The onyx haired and eyed boy went berserk, his mother gasping as she witnessed him hold nothing back, swinging at the boy so quickly that when the blades, Promise and Longing met again, a huge ringing sound erupted, making the entire wedding clasp their hands over their ears.
The air became filled with the sounds of impacting metal, loud whisking noises became clear in the air, the boys attacking each other, Teizen would send an attack Kazuto's way, only for it to be blocked and parried aside.
The younger teen, bursting with energy, grunted and yelled loudly as he swung into a hail of attacks again, a swipe, another swipe, his arm never becoming tired as what appeared to be hundreds of white lines were sent the other boys way.
Every single one was parried, Teizen thinking as he kept moving his blade like a firm shield, left and right to absorb the incredible impact of Promise.
This is incredible! His strikes are stronger that the last time we fought!
Kazuto began to loose his footing, trying to stand his ground against the Emperor's ground shaking attacks, thinking desperately in his mind as he parried weakly.
Impossible! He's actually beating me!? This is not the same person I faced at Maedcen last year, this...beast of a person has evolved! He's gotten stronger, faster, better! Almost like...he's fighting with a new purpose?
Kazuto wasn't tired, seeing Asuna bite her fingernails nervously in the corner of his eye and grunting.
No. Asuna's a better warrior than I am, hands down, I won't embarrass myself in front of her! I won't lose!
The boy grunted angrily, yelling as he jumped onto a table, Teizen slicing through a line of wine glasses by striking through them in a single swipe, everyone shocked as they were cut instantly and perfectly, showing that the Emperor had the strength and skill to slay his younger opponent in a single strike.
The shorter teen did a front flip in the air to avoid another slash sent his way, landing behind Teizen and starting to play defensively.
Ayumi and her band reached the height of their song, and suddenly, Teizen's hazel eyes gleamed, the boy calculating the best plan of attacks before ending the battle in one movement, he waited for Kazuto to attack with a thrust, the fastest attack he'd ever seen, before meeting him with the fastest block he'd ever done.
Teizen pushed aside the blade with an iron fist, before slapping his shorter opponents knuckles with the flat black part of his blade.
And just like that, Kazuto was forced to drop his sword.
Disarmed, the black eyed boy watched as the Emperor pointed the tip of his black Tritinium double edged jian at his nose, and, with a calm look of brotherhood on his face, he then said simply, "I win."
The crowd stood shocked, their mouths agape at the fastest battle they'd ever witnessed.
The rich actually forgot their kind manners, flying into ravenous cheers for the entertainment the Emperor put on for them along with the whole wedding.
Asuna cheered and applauded along with everyone as Teizen helped up Kazuto from the ground with a metal hand.
The black haired boy smiled, humbled, "Congratulations."
They both bowed, the entire wedding, smiling, applauded their performance.
Eugeo threw a fist into the air, "Let's party!"
...
...
Ayumi and her band played music the whole night, many guests surprised to see their Empress rock out on stage still wearing her wedding dress, not tired in the slightest, gold crown still atop her long clean black locked head.
Teizen leaned on a wooden pillar holding up a small roof canopy above where some aristocrats were dancing, looking out over the ocean illuminated weakly by the full moon on that cold Sunday night.
Kazuto walked up to the pillar across from him, the two boys saying nothing.
The younger teen cleared his throat, "Sorry for er...yelling at you and trying to kill you."
"I'm sorry...for everything." Teizen said frowning, turning to Kazuto, meeting his onyx eyes with his orange-ish hazel ones.
"Its...cool." Kazuto said shrugging.
They still said nothing, secretly unforgiving each other.
It was not the moment, but Kazuto still said, "So uh...you're married now."
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm married, I guess I can raise kids eventually, whenever Ayumi's up to it."
"Do you think they'll turn out like...you?"
Teizen turned away from making eye contact with him.
"Oh! My lord, I-"
"Don't worry about it." The Emperor said, an expression of nothing on his face again, "Enjoy the wedding." He said walking off to speak and warm up to the upper class members he'd been taxing the hell out of.
As he passed Yui sitting on Asuna's lap, he heard a tiny snippet of their conversation.
"Mommy?"
"Yes Yui?"
"Is Daddy still angry at the Wolf?"
"I think so." She admitted, seeing him lay on the wooden pillar, staring out over the ocean.
"Mommy?" She asked again, still sitting on her mothers lap, the chestnut haired girl still wearing her yellow bridesmaid dress.
"Yes?"
"If Yashiro's regime ruled for over two years, didn't that mean he controlled Japan while we were in Sword Art Online?"
"Yes, yes it does." Asuna admitted.
"Well then who kept us alive?"
The vibrant eighteen year old passed her hand through her daughter's black hair, "Ayumi did."
"Th-The Empress?" She asked.
"Yes Yui-chan. After you fell asleep on the drive over here, I asked her the very same question. She told me that she managed to convince her father to support the thousands still locked in game, therefore, we all owe her our lives."
"Wow, she did that for us?" Yui asked curiously.
"Of course she did," Asuna said, turning her head from her daughters eyes to the girl rocking out on stage, energetic enough to still play on her wedding night.
The chestnut haired girl giggled to herself, before gazing upon the bride strumming her guitar smiling, "I think she might be the kindest person to ever live."
The energy filled rock song Ayumi was playing ended, and she turned to her band mates, "Guys, play the 80's-est, happiest, sappiest, and most classic love song you can imagine!"
They all nodded the lead singer Aito, breaking into a smooth song with his favorite one, Against all Odds.
Ayumi jumped off stage into Teizen's arms, the two beginning to move slowly across the dance floor, their wedding following them.
Asuna took Kazuto's hand, Keiko took Shinichi's, and Andrew took Bianca's.
As this happened, the two Tsuboi brothers, Taisuke and Ryoutarou, jumped out of their seats and ran to a short reddish brown haired woman, "Mom!"
"Oh...My babies..." Itsumi said smiling widely, her taller sons hugging her.
Itsumi was about fifty, with the same colored hair as her sons, and the same stature. She wagged a finger at her eldest child, "Ryoutarou, how many jezebels have you slept with?"
Andrew smiled, walking over with Shinichi at his side with a two year old T.J, who was walking somewhat...sluggishly behind his toweringly tall father.
The American smiled, "Don't worry Tsuboi-sama, Ryou has slept with plenty of women."
Shinichi snickered and fixed his glasses, "Yeah, loads."
As the three young men, Shinichi, Andrew, and Taisuke all laughed at Itsumi slapping the back of her eldest sons neck, they all became a lot more comfortable with the conscript that suddenly was Ryou's younger brother.
Itsumi reprimanded her son viciously, "Ryoutarou! You should be more like your younger brother! Taisuke is an exemplary citizen, a police officer, and a sober young man. You on the other hand must be a job-less degenerate after all this time!"
Nagata nodded, smiling devilishly, "Oh yes Itsumi-sama, he has gotten drunk loads of times."
"And he has, no job, and no girlfriend." Andrew nodded, holding his two year old sons hand smugly.
Ryoutarou turned around slowly, speaking through gritted teeth, "Guys. Shut. The hell. Up!"
Itsumi was beside herself, "No job? Getting drunk? No girlfriend? This is not the son I raised."
As everyone laughed at him, the oldest Tsuboi brother rubbed his temple, "Mom, for the love of God, please don't do this to me at Uncle's resort. And especially in front of my friends."
"Good luck with your Mom bro." Andrew said laughing a little, picking up a giggling T.J. into the air and walking off, "Somebody needs their diaper changed. Honey!"
A few paces off from Andrew hollering for his wife Bianca, the Empress noticed all the happy couples dancing about them, and asked her husband, "Hey Tei-kun, do you...notice everyone around us?"
"Yeah, I do." He said.
"Are you happy that you've made the world a better place?"
"There's still one person who won't forgive me. Someone even more honorable than me, someone I respect." He said, looking down.
Ayumi smiled, moving her hand from his right shoulder to his defined chin, lifting it, before kissing him and mumbling, "That's his problem, I still love you. Everyone here is grateful that you brought them all together. The identical Yoshida triplets, the Mills, the Tsubois, everyone. Without you, who knows what would've happened to them, they're all together...because of you."
He smiled, "I'm happy we're to stay together for all time, Yumi-chan."
"So am I." She said, moving around the dance floor slowly with him.
They passed Asuna and Kazuto, strung together in their slow dance.
"Hey Asuna, I'm sorry I lost to Teizen earlier today, it was...embarrassing." He admitted, placing his hands on her sides, hers on his shoulders.
The sightly taller girl laughed a little, causing the boy to turn red in surprise, "You think I care? You're still an amazing swordsman...and boyfriend."
"I-I am?"
"Duh! Dummy!" She said, rolling her amber eyes, "Who the hell cares if he beat you? All that matters is that I love you, isn't that right?"
"I guess so, but I-"
She cut him off with a tender kiss, his eyes closing quickly, before opening slowly, after which she said, "Kirito, for the love of god, stop worrying."
"A-All right then." He said, continuing to dance with her.
The whole time, Teizen thought of that image Yui showed him, of him dancing on a beach with his beloved Princess, and he couldn't believe it was actually happening.
"Ay-Ayumi?"
"Yeah?"
"Is...this a dream?"
"Perhaps." She said, smiling, before getting lost in his eyes again, "But it really isn't."
"If...if it is...I never want it to end." He muttered, pressing his forehead to hers, whispering.
"Me...neither." She whispered back, still dancing with him.
As everyone danced, Yui smiled, her feet flying forwards and backwards as she sat on a bench with Kyoichi overlooking the wedding, seeing dozens of people dance.
Yui kept smiling, and said, "I think your older sister is awesome, do you?"
"I think the same thing."
"Uh...Asuna's my mother."
"Really?" He asked laughing a little, "You know she's only eighteen right?"
"Maybe, but at least she can still tie her shoes." Yui taunted, smirking and walking away.
"Dang it!" The little boy cursed, tying his expensive shoe laces before sprinting after her, the two playing tag around the wedding.
...
...
Teizen noticed that the music the band began to play was the same cheerful victory tune that had been played when he visited Bunkyo.
Everyone danced, smiling, remembering the same feeling of needing to dance until the sun came up again in their cheerful hearts.
Kazuto leaned on that wooden pillar again, a hand over his head, resting on the brown wood of the beam.
He smiled, seeing five ghosts materialize out from the ocean. Not knowing if he was hallucinating and just seeing things, he shrugged and kept smiling.
Shino, Rika, Sugu, Kai, and Nishida all gripped each others hands and smiled with the rising sun on that very early Monday morning.
They turned from smiling to Kazuto, and frowned to the Emperor who ended their lives, still dancing happily with his wife.
"I hate that guy." They all snarled.
The White Swordsman smiled back, as they all bowed and began to walk into the awakening horizon.
Kai, the goofy redheaded ghost asked Nishida, "Hey, do you think when we reach heaven I'll get to be gatekeeper?"
"Maybe, if you don't come up with any stupid passwords again." The ghost of Rika joked, still walking.
The ghost of Nishida closed his eyes again.
Thank You. Thank You so much for granting my wish.
All five ghosts, still smiling and holding each others hands, dissipated into the sunrise.
Kazuto, not knowing if he was still probably hallucinating, turned around to see Yui sprint towards him.
They hugged, and the girl said, "Papa...why did you leave Tokyo?"
"I had to, I'm so sorry Yui-chan." He said, kneeling to speak to her.
"Don't ever leave again Pa."
"I won't, don't worry, Teizen invited me back to live with you."
"Really?" She asked gasping.
"That is, if he's ready to stop meeting with you so he can stop being...crazy."
The girl nodded, eyes shining with happy tears, "Yes. He's definitely ready."
As she hugged him, crying happily into his shoulder, Kazuto looked at Teizen twirl Ayumi happily, the sun rising on their faces.
It's gonna be tough. But I have to forgive him, somehow...
He picked her up and carried her to a chair, where she fell asleep on his lap.
Asuna walked over and pecked him on the cheek, "Kirito-kun, do you maybe...want to try out that virtual reality thingy the Yoshida's have been making?"
"Nope." Kazuto said simply, remembering the second most traumatic experience of his life, the virtual and unforgiving death trap Sword Art Online.
"Why not?" She asked, shocked.
"Because I have everything I could possibly want...right here." The raven haired boy said, pulling Asuna into a kiss, before ruffling Yui's hair.
He smiled, because finally, after everything, he could be completely at peace.
...
...
After all the guests had left, and gone back to their lives, there were only two people still there, the ones that had been vicious rivals since the moment they met each other, Kazuto and Teizen.
The Emperor walked up to him, and said, "Hey Kirigaya, come with me, I have to show you something."
"Er...sure." He said, following him.
They walked up to this tiny cliff above where the wedding took place, it had a two way road where everyone had come from when driving in from Tokyo.
Leaning on the guardrail were two gleaming and perfect motorcycles, black and white like always, and they had two black and white helmets on top of them.
"What are these?" Kazuto asked, scratching the jet black locks on his head.
"Two Yamaha R1's. They cost me a pretty penny, I'm pretty sure I taxed the Yuuki's for these. So hey." He said shrugging, "The white one's yours. But first, I want to talk to you before I give it."
He leaned on his black motorcycle, and took out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter, and smiled, "Ah...I've been waiting a whole year to get a crack at these babies."
"Whoa, you smoke?" The black haired teen asked, leaning on his white motorcycle, eyebrows furrowed curiously.
"I drink too. Ayumi removed all the booze she could find and banned alcohol from ever being allowed in the Imperial Palace ever again."
Kazuto was still confused, "Wait...aren't you the Emperor? Can't you do whatever you want?"
"Compromise Kirigaya..." Teizen said sighing, and lighting his cigarette, "Its the greatest and sometimes worst part of marriage. But if you really are your lovers equal, treat her so."
"I guess you're right."
Silence fell upon them like an awkward blanket as they both stared out over the guardrail, the teens watching the sun gleam over the Pacific Ocean, saying nothing.
The one to break the silence was the eighteen year old Emperor, offering the boy who looked and acted almost exactly the same from the year before...a cigarette.
Kazuto shrugged.
Screw it, if I'm to forgive him, I should share this with him right?
The younger teen took it into his mouth, before coughing horribly, choking a little from the smoke, as the veteran Teizen chuckled at him.
"Congratulations Kouwahaka, you've officially made me want to never smoke again." He said, throwing the disgusting thing over the guardrail and into the ocean.
"It's Kinzai now man." The older and taller boy said pocketing his cigarettes into his expensive black slacks, "Look, the reason I brought you up here was to ask you why? Why can't you forgive me?"
"You want to know why?" Kazuto asked bitterly, jaw tightening, "Why? Its because you're a despicable person. Everyone else might see this perfect amazing person strut about, but thats not the Teizen I know. The Teizen I know was the Wolf. Sniffing about Bunkyo, waiting for the next "sheep" to dig his teeth into, a monster ordered about by Yashiro to tear people apart. Asuna told me what you did to her, that's unforgivable. You made her watch as you killed my friends!"
"What will it take man? I bought you this motorcycle, I rebuilt Tokyo, I ended the war, I brought families back together. Your family! What more do you want?"
"I want my sister back dammit!" The boy snapped, "I want Suguha back in my life! Oh what? Don't act like you never knew who she was, while you burnt her alive! Same with Rika! Or what, did you feed them alive to wolves like you did to Shino?"
"Listen Kaz, I-"
"NO!" He barked, "You tore them away from me! Its completely and utterly your fault! You murdered them in cold blood Teizen!"
He met his angry black eyes with his sorry hazel ones, "Don't you think I don't feel bad about that?"
"Oh so you can feel now? Robot Teizen didn't feel anything, except for smug arrogance!"
"I'm not that person anymore Kazuto."
"And why not? Because you're married? If it wasn't for Ayumi, you'd have killed millions of people! The entire planet would be under your boot!"
"If it wasn't for Ayumi, I wouldn't be alive. And neither would thousands. She convinced Yashiro to pay for the medical bills of thousands who needed financial support from the government, she saved them!"
"So? You're still a terrible person! You killed hundreds of people, and you justify that with an order you were given?"
"How do you think I feel about what I did?"
"Who cares how you feel?"
"Who cares how I feel?" Teizen asked, "Listen to yourself, plenty of people care, because they know I've changed. For instance, your daughter, Yui, she told me I'm not the same person."
"She lies."
Teizen tensed, clenched fists rising...but let the air escape his nose, calming down, "See? I just controlled myself."
"But the Wolf is still inside you isn't it? It was about to come out wasn't it?"
"No. When we fought, I was holding back. I didn't go ballistic like you did. I didn't want to kill my opponent like you did. You're still angry at me, if anything, you're the worse person for not letting go of the past."
"Can you blame me?"
"No, I really can't. But at least admit it. Acknowledge it! Admit the fact that I'm willing to learn from my mistakes and move on, and better myself. Why? Why won't you do it?"
Kazuto closed his eyes, as Teizen kept speaking, "Do it! You have no idea how much I need you to say the words: I forgive you! I need it! Why? Tell me why!"
"ITS BECAUSE I'M STILL AFRAID OF YOU!" He roared, actually making the mighty Emperor step back onto his motorcycle.
The raven haired boy looked down, "It's because I'm still angry at you. Its because the image of seeing Shino's mangled corpse is still engraved into my mind, same with everything else you've done. Did you ever wonder how it felt like picking up my sisters necklace with her ashes still on it? Do you even care?"
"Of course I care. Its all I've been thinking about."
"Y-You have?" The boy asked, taking a step back.
"Yes. After you left Tokyo, I asked myself, how do I get him to forgive me? How do I get the very same boy who I had dragged through the metaphorical dirt to forgive me? I...killed his friends, including his sister...I hunted down him and his buddies before burning them all alive...killed puppies, people...how do I forgive myself? And the truth is...I don't know how. But I tried my best, I did a lot of things that I have trouble reflecting on. And I'm getting the feeling I'm running into a brick wall here, you have your feelings, I have mine. Nothing I can say can get you what you want, only what I can do."
"That's why I'm going to do this." He said, drawing a box from a small pack on the side of his black Yamaha R1.
He placed the cardboard box on Kazuto's back right behind him.
"What's in the box?" The black haired boy asked slowly.
"Could be anything. Its for you to find out and think about. Its really up to you if you want to even open it."
"What's in the box Teizen?"
"Again, it's for you to discover. Listen, I'm sorry, truly, in every meaning of the word. I could...get a battleship to blast another one to pieces. I could really do a lot of things. But if that isn't enough to convince you, so be it. The world's changing Kirigaya, you should change with it. Just last week, the United States banned electoral college, France is undergoing the biggest economic crisis of its history, which is saying a lot, and Africa is entering a musical renaissance."
"How's China?" Kazuto said sarcastically, obviously not caring.
"Fine, but that's beside the point. The point is, I want you to be my friend. I want to reach an understanding with you, that no one could else ever share. And why? Because you know, that I know, that we always could've been friends. You said it yourself."
Kazuto crossed his arms, "That was a stupid statement. So we're going to be friends?"
Teizen sighed, "Yeah. All right then...as uh...flawed, awful, totally uncomfortable and poorly matched friends."
The black haired boy laughed, full of snark as usual, "That's perfect, so then we can get back to the awful uncomfortable life styles we're used to. Back in the good old days of the civil war."
"Yeah, some crappy lives we live huh? Full of murder, blood, and terrible life changing and trauma inducing decisions." The older teen said, full of sarcasm as well.
"Wow." Kazuto said, "Your therapist has a lot to answer for."
"Well my therapist is your daughter, so you might want to take back that remark buddy."
"So..." The raven haired boy leaning on his white motorcycle asked, "What the hell do we do now? I mean, we've achieved everything. I found my wife, you and I are going to be "friends" and you got your Empire all buttered up and happy, economies running fine I hear..."
"Well, I have some strange news for you."
"Oh, and what would that be?" The boy asked.
"I'm going to start making plans to return Japan to a total democracy."
"Total democracy?"
"Its a term your friend Nagata taught me. Essentially the governments main concern is not to improve the standings of the country itself, but the welfare and success of its citizens. We're also planning to change that population growth issue we've been dealing with since the 60's. You'll enjoy it properly in a couple years, if, and only if Kyushu returns."
"Damn, still cunning as always huh Teizen?"
"That's not all, after making this total democracy, I'll ensure Ayumi and I can live as well...King and Queen, but we'll only be figurative symbols, I won't have any political power of course, but I'll still do charity work and all that. But considering all the time I will have on my hands...maybe I can do something good with my life. Perhaps I'll become a Police Officer like Taisuke."
"You? A Cop?" Kazuto asked in disbelief.
"Hey, like it or not, I was great at finding and catching criminals, being on the hunt was...tedious but still fun I guess. The new Tokyo Police Force I made always needs new members."
The black haired boy shrugged, "I guess I could see you catching criminals, but why join law enforcement?"
"Ever since my parents were raped and murdered, I've sort of had this personal vendetta against scum. Plus, the Triplets could always design a new suit of special armor made to find and catch those kinds of people."
"No machine guns this time right?"
"No." Teizen said laughing a little, shaking his head while remembering his old Wolf Suit, "No machine guns. What about you? What're you going to do?"
"Might run for Prime Minister in a few years."
"You? In politics?"
"I thought about getting into game design. But after meeting Asuna and Yui in the real world, I think my desire for that's finished. Plus, SAO traumatized me. Who the hell would want to touch VR games after that mess?"
"But why politics?" Teizen asked, nodding in an understanding manner after Kazuto's comment.
"Meh. I read a lot on philosophy and political theory over the year I was in school. The stuff's actually pretty interesting, but uh...it'd mean nothing if you didn't make an Imperial Parliament..."
"I'll think about it." He said, letting a pause occur between their conversation as they both turned from each others eyes to gaze upon the glimmering sun above the expansive blue horizon that was the ocean.
The silence was snipped a little by the crashing of waves against the cliff below, but then Teizen broke it completely.
"As fun as this little chat has been, I'd like to get back to Tokyo." The boy muttered, looking aside from the other teens gaze. He took the platinum crown off his head, black blazer still on him, and placed it in a small pack on the side of his motor bike.
Insert Music: Favored Nations - The Setup
"Hey Kazuto, even though I feel like I could fight with you until the end of time..." He said, mounting his black Yamaha R1, "I'm getting too old for that nonsense."
Teizen placed his black helmet onto his short dark brown haired head, before revving up his bike and rumbling off towards Tokyo.
The White Swordsman opened the cardboard box, curious as to what was inside.
He gasped, inhaling quickly, shocked, not knowing what to be more blown away over.
First, there was the silver necklace Suguha used to wear, promptly clutched next to his heart, the boy smiling, glad the Emperor had returned it back to him.
Then there was the other object...
The blue kabuki mask. The very same one Kazuto had looked up upon when he had been summarily sprung from Minko Prison.
Kazuto picked it up gingerly, his breath becoming shaky as he lifted it.
I...I can't believe it...Teizen was the blue spirit?
He began to breath shakily, placing a hand over his white blazer covered chest, becoming confused while feeling his heart pound out of his chest.
The raven haired teen placed the mask into the box and tossed it into the ocean, Teizen could get in serious trouble if word got out about that.
Kazuto slid down the metal guardrail, absolutely mesmerized.
Why? Why did he do it?
The boy laughed a little, knowing why the Emperor had chosen to do...everything from his literal disarming onwards.
"I forgive you Teizen." The jet black haired warrior said smirking, bowing his head in respect of the trail he had just blazed off down.
As fast as he could, Kazuto mounted his white Yamaha R1, after which, he placed his white helmet atop his head, before trailing off after him, the necklace laying happily around his neck, the silver heart pendant still gleaming.
...
Teizen checked his mirror, seeing the white R1 appear behind them.
Kazuto blazed past him, lights flashing past him, openly challenging him to a race to Tokyo.
The Emperor chuckled, his platinum crown embedded in his pack, wolfish ring on his metal finger, and wolfish grin under his helmet.
"All right Kirigaya...You want to dance again?..."
He accelerated heavily a black blur chasing off after a white one.
They both began to have fun, chasing each other, before both muttering...
"Let's dance."
...
The End
...