Epilogue
Linzi pressed the final sentence into the typewriter, from here on I use my personal diary to tell what happened next. Tatsumi had finished his story after a few days of work by our industrious skills when it comes to writing, albeit with Linzi taking some liberty and using personal records kept by former members of Night Raid for the best story. At the end of our writing I approached Tatsumi personally, I had more then my share of questions and he was quite receptive to answering. I asked him this first. "Tatsumi since you're Emperor why do you live inside this smaller Estate rather then the Royal Palace" I asked him.
"The reason I live here is to keep track of my family and spend time with them, the Palace is huge and with so many rooms it would be easy for one of my kids to go wandering off and have my guards spend hours looking for them; that and well I don't like sleeping there; too many bad memories of old nightmares that I had whenever I stayed there; Volgoth spent more time tormenting me with them there then anywhere else, also it doesn't feel like home even though I was born inside it" Tatsumi explained.
"Why did you decide to keep the Empire around and stay Emperor given all that happened under it" I asked him.
"Because the Empire itself was never the problem it was people that were the problem, secondly as to why stay Emperor because no one else in my family wanted the the job and I couldn't rely on a different government I saw what happened with the Revolutionary Army, the Imperial system wasn't the best form of government but compared to their desire for mob rule it's a better alternative, also I've made many reforms since then: people select their own local leaders all positions are merit based, I've decentralized the Empire as much as possible, as to giving regions independence well they have a good deal of autonamy; the only places where people don't get a say are in my personal cabinet and use military force; I make those calls because in the case of the former I know who will provide me the best support in a role and the later I don't trust people who've never had any military experience to make calls for war, they aren't able to do what it can take to win, a good reason for the Revolutionary Army's failure was that they let their civilian leadership influence their military commanders which led to many defeats on their part; I'm sorry but on those matters I get final say as head of state, as for my succession well I'm going to let the people vote to elect their next Emperor when I die, that way everyone gets a shot in my family. Other then that Erasiel the most I do in terms of non military or court matters as Emperor apart from running the Empire is that I get full say on the tax laws, the assembly can vote on taxes but they need about 75% of the vote to raise them whereas 50% to lower them and I get to approve or veto any economic policies that they make also I get control over their salary because if they had control of that they'd vote to increase it everytime they got the chance" Tatsumi explained. "Really though my reason for staying Emperor is that I'm the only person I can depend on do the job is myself other then my cousins but Makoto doesn't want to be Emperor again and Lin and Koko don't want the position because its too much work and they want the freedom to do what they desire and those two deserve it considering the fact they are the sweetest girls in the Empire" Tatsumi replied, then looked at me and I agreed. "What do you think of me personally though Erasiel?" Tatsumi asked.
"In you Tatsumi I see a lot of myself, I have enduring respect for you and owe you and everyone that fought with you a great deal for facing an enemy that circumstances at the time kept me from dealing with between fighting crazed Lighthaven Religious Fanatics and the forces of the Ancestral Witch Shades I've had no shortage of problems, that and keeping relative stability as a whole and clapping whatever crazy god decides to get uppity leaves me a rather busy Phoenix but fortunately time passes differently in your universe and mine; when I return about 30 minutes will pass regardless of how long I spend here" I explained. "Now speaking of my Queen and Broodmate sent me here for another reason and now that I've taken full measure of you Tatsumi and heard your whole life story so far I'm here to make you an offer if you'll accept it: for the rest of your life my wife Linzi and I pledge our services to you, we will assist you come what may and if need be I'll sacrifice my life for you, death is a irrelevant to my kind we always rise from the ashes we don't stay dead" I explained.
"I accept your offer Erasiel, I'll grant you whatever you desire as I reward those in my service, I'll provide you accomedations and reward your accomplishments as fit for their work and I grant you the position of Royal Advisor I will value your council as I am guessing you are wiser and smarter then I could ever be" Tatsumi replied, I noted his choice of attire and his crown; I nodded my agreement on everything, then a door opened and in came about two dozen children along with their parents, Tatsumi picked up one particular blonde girl with green eyes.
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Can I sit on your lap" A boy with brown hair and blue eyes asked; Tatsumi sat down.
"Of course you can Constantine, come have a seat" Tatsumi replied, Aria walked in behind the children and stood next to him.
"Our wonderful angels; you know it came as a surprise to find out I was carrying two angels in me rather then one: Sheele though shocked Tatsumi with four though, anyway we both love our children" Aria explained.
"Yes we do isn't that right Angelica?" Tatsumi asked.
"Yes Daddy, daddy will I look like mommy when I grow up?" Angelica replied.
"I'm looking forward to watching all these wonderful children of your's grow up" I told him.
"That you will, but don't make any moves on my daughters without my or their permission much less not until they are old enough" Tatsumi explained
"Agreed" I replied, I wasn't remotely like Champ or any of the monsters Tatsumi dealt with, I was much like Tatsumi though only difference being I was a 3 and half billion year old Phoenix with the the powers of a god.
"Well I'd say this is the end of the first story, I'm fairly certain the rest of your life will be interesting to chronicle Emperor Tatsumi, so I'd like to ask if Erasiel and I can be your personal historians" Linzi commented.
"I'd be glad to have it; just one stipulation, I don't want any of the records you make published until after my death; my life isn't over yet and I have plenty more stories to tell since this is my personal history I'd not have you write more of it until after I'm out of life because then I won't make more of it" Tatsumi replied, we chuckled and agreed to keep his records, the only stipulation was that we were allowed to publish it in both his world and my own; a long story was finished and I write this as an abridgement. Suffice to say while Tatsumi would have many other adventures and things happen to him in his life I will note that in the end he lived a long life and when he did die it was after a life well spent and a very old age.
