SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 16 out, this is the end of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Pairings: Tao Ren/Fem!OC

Disclaimers: I own absolutely nothing, except this plot and pairing.

Epilogue: The Last Words

Two years later...

"They're late." Asakura Hana complained, waiting outside the Funbarigaoka Station with Ryu. "Damnit, when are they going to arrive, Ryu?"

"We did agree on meeting here, but there's still an hour left." Ryu looked at his watch. "That's why no one's here yet."

"I don't care!" Hana kicked Ryu on the knee. "The waiting's killing me!"

"Such a painful kick with just one leg is the proof that you are her son." Ryu winced. "But I do understand how you feel. Because for some reason, today, that bastard Ren has gathered us together."

"Crap." Hana muttered. "Thinking about it makes me even more nervous."

"But what is really important is that today they are both coming back home." Ryu reminded.

"Not really." Hana admitted. "That hardly worries me."

"Wooho, so this is the famous little Hana." Horo Horo grinned, bending down. "What's with that face? Let's see who you look like."

"Who's this weird guy?" Hana reacted, punching Horo Horo on the forehead. "He looks like a pervert."

"That's no good." Lyserg chided. "Anyone would freak out seeing you appear out there."

"Dude, you just don't know what tact is." Chocolove remarked.

"Chocolove, and Lyserg..." Hana gawked. "Then this guy must be... Horo Horo."

"What's with that unkempt look?" Chocolove teased. "Isn't Pirica coming today?"

"Nope, she's going out with a guy and she seldom cares about anything else lately." Horo Horo explained. "I've been quite busy working in the fields and farm, so I don't really know what she's up to. But hey, how come you're not in jail anymore?" he turned to Chocolove. "Is your prison term over already?"

"I'm an exemplary prisoner." Chocolove protested. "Lyserg, give me a hand in this."

"Don't make one of your jokes about it, please." Lyserg sighed. "It wasn't easy to get him the permission to travel aboard, though.

"Still as efficient was always." Horo Horo snorted.

"So cool..." Hana mumbled.

"People are gathering and mumbling." Horo Horo noted, seeing the commotion up front.

"What?" Chocolove blinked. "Has something happened?"

"It's a carriage!" Hana exclaimed, seeing a horse carriage drive up on the road. "Tell me, Ryu. Why is there a carriage in front of the train station?"

"It's just him." Ryu assured.

"How typical of him." Horo Horo tsked. "He's so stubborn he won't use a car."

"Him..." Hana blinked. "Are you talking about that incredibly spiky m..."

"Tokyo, as messy as always." Ren snorted. "Wherever you go, this place is crowded by people and full of traffic jams. What happened, morons?" he chided, exiting the carriage and helping Hui Ling out. "You look shocked."

"When the hell are they coming?" Ren asked, the group had entered in a nearby family restaurant as they waited for Yoh and Anna. "We've been waiting for too long already."

"Sorry, it looks like they've gotten lost at the airport." Ryu supplied. "I'm gonna pick them up."

"What do you mean they're lost?" Ren snapped.

"Ren." Hui Ling forced the enraged man back to his seat with a hand on his arm.

Good memories." Horo Horo reminisced as he led the group to the Funbari onsen. "Lyserg, Chocolove, this your first time here in Funbari, isn't it?"

"A nice and peaceful place indeed." Lyserg agreed.

"But even this peacefulness is thanks to that day." Horo Horo reminded.

"That day?" Hana echoed.

"That was ten years ago." Horo Horo recalled. "When we grew up, we all realized that the world is too big and that we don't have the power to change anything."

"We can't call ourselves 'justice'." Chocolove noted.

"We are at a dead end, after all." Horo Horo added. "Money is what makes the Earth go round."

"But everything will work out in the end." Yoh cut in. "I'm so sorry, Hana." he grinned at his son. "We had things to do all around the world and we couldn't come back earlier."

"Daddy..." Hana sniffled. "Welcome kick!" he landed a flying kick on Yoh's stomach.

"Guess it's quite obvious where Hana gets his temperament from." Hui Ling quipped.

Back in the Asakura household...

Tamao was scolding Hana as Yoh and Anna paid their respects to the late Mikihisa.

Meanwhile, Ryu had cooked up a feast when Manta arrived at the doorstep, bearing gifts.

"Now that everyone's here," Hui Ling started the gathering as the extended group waited for the hotpot soup to boil. "Here." she pulled out the wedding invitations she brought along and passed the envelopes to the others.

"Finally." Chocolove heaved in relief. "So, who won the bet?" he looked around.

"Let's see..." Manta pulled out a faded scrape of paper. "Pirica." he answered.

"What?" Horo Horo exclaimed.

"Wait," Hui Ling blinked. "You people bet on whether we'd get married?"

"Not whether." Tamao corrected bashfully. "But when."

"You guys..." Ren growled, unsheathing his sword. "Whose idea was it?"

Chocolove pointed to Horo Horo, throwing the Ainu Shaman under the bus.

"Horo Horo!" the fuming Chinese Shaman leapt at the ice wielder, sword drawn.

SailorStar9: Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes, people? Don't forget to read and review.