Her leg ached every time her foot touched the floor. Despite being given a cane, Toko Fukawa could not take a step without experiencing pain. Of course, she had to expect that. The doctors told her that she needed a few weeks of recovery after her alternate personality got shot. Toko rejected that idea immediately, she wanted to leave the country as soon as humanly possible. Despite their objections, eventually the Naegis and the doctors gave up and Byakuya arranged a return flight to Japan.

She saw Makoto looking at one of the television screens hanging in the boarding area. Some news program was on; Toko would not have cared for it if not for Makoto's interest. To her surprise, there were Japanese subtitles. Turning fully to the screen herself, Toko noted that the king was reading out a press statement. His voice rang with the fire of a statesman and the wisdom of a sovereign. The flag of the country hanging to the left of him, old royal regalia propped up to the right of him. Toko wondered whether she would be impressed by the pomp and circumstance were she a citizen of his godforsaken country.

"Because of this unprecedented act of treason against the Kingdom of Novoselic by members of the intelligence agencies, the Intelligence Service Reformation Law will come into effect at the end of this month, making the Royal Intelligence Service accountable to the National Police. Furthermore, it has turned out that the traitors were planning on using understandable opposition to the Future Foundation to create a false flag scenario and to deflect suspicion away from themselves. To prevent the abuse of legitimate grievances against Future Foundation to justify crimes against the people of Novoselic, the new Future Foundation Entry and Operation Law will decriminalize Future Foundation membership by nationals and permit selected foreign Future Foundation members entry and very strictly controlled activity within the country. This act will come into effect on January 1 to prepare the offices charged with overseeing Future Foundation operations. Despite a number of offenses by the Future Foundation against the people of Novoselic, our country must open itself to the world they influence. The Kingdom of Novoselic will steadfastly maintain its independence from the whims of those who selfishly would use our people as an end to their means, but enabling Future Foundation to act in our country will allow us to monitor their actions, prevent them from causing harm to the nation in the shadows and halt their use as scapegoat for crimes against the nation not committed by them."

Makoto shook his head in disappointment and sighed before noticing Toko next to him. Toko failed to understand how he could not have noticed her. The boarding area was pretty much empty, to the point Toko was creeped out by it. Toko shot him a questioning look.

"We had a chance to start anew, yet politics are like they were beforehand. Why still claim the lies about Future Foundation were true? Why not just tell the people the truth?" he asked rhetorically, forcing a smile. His eyes told how he really felt.

Toko's heart ached, it was very depressing to see someone as hopeful as him be hurt by this cruel world. At least she herself had no more expectations of other people, so Ladislav using this whole mess to grab some more power did not surprise her.

"Still," Makoto said, his eyes finally smiling with him, "we can soon legally enter the country and try to help the people that suffered from the wars. That's at least a positive outcome."

Toko rolled his eyes at him, but it was clear to both of them that Toko's mockery of his positive outlook was not really meant to dismiss it.

The two were joined by Emiko Naegi, who was carrying Toko's bag. She had insisted on carrying it, as much as Toko tried to discourage her. Given the situation, Toko had no choice but to eventually accept the aid. Carrying her baggage while walking a cane was too much for her right now.

"The plane is ready to depart, the pilot asked me to get you two," Emiko explained, "How is your leg, dearie?"

"I-i-it's going to be okay," Toko assured her, mostly to get her to stop asking. Makoto's mother clearly understood her intent, but did not push the matter further, throwing her only a concerned look. Toko and Makoto followed her to the gate. Future Foundation's security checks, still as annoying and invasive as ever, had already taken place, so there was nothing stopping the five from leaving the country.

Toko was more than happy to turn her back on Novoselic and never come back.

Making her way onto the plane, she decided to take a seat far away from the Naegis and took some pain medication to make the flight more bearable. She wanted to the leave the four to themselves, as she felt she was no longer needed.

Toko told herself that she had served her purpose: she had managed to unify this happy family against all odds. Honestly, this was the way it should be. Now that they were one again, they had no need for an attachment ugly both on the inside and the outside. As long as Komaru and Makoto were happy, she would be fine supporting them from far away. At least they had a family worthy of the name and not the mess Toko was subjected to in her childhood. She wondered whether they were even still alive, before telling herself that it was unimportant.

Looking at the Naegis, who were in deep conversation, Toko afforded herself a small smile and closed her eyes. She started to nod off, but was shook awake only a minute later. Opening her eyes wide, she noticed that the four Naegis had come over to make sure she stayed awake.

"What are you doing there all by yourself?" Komaru asked, "The doctors told us to make sure you stay awake until we are back in Japan."

"I d-don't need a reminder," Toko said sharply. She was not looking forward to having to deal with another doctor at home and wanted to forget that issue.

"What about you? Don't you want to s-spend more time w-with each other? You d-don't need to bother with me anymore," Toko said, dismissively waving her hand.

Komaru's and Makoto's faces soured, but they did not say a word in response. Instead, Emiko and Toshiro Naegi prostrated themselves before her; Toko was hopelessly confused.

"Since we did not get the opportunity to do so yet," Toshiro began, his voice a bit muffled by the floor, "we want to properly thank you for all you have done for our family. Thanks to you, both of our children have survived the last years and we have reunited. My wife and I as well as our children owe you everything and as far as we are concerned, you will always have support from us if you wish."

Komaru and Makoto remained standing, but emphasized the words of their father by bowing forward. Toko started blushing, unable to deal with the praise and affection thrown her way. Touching her pointing fingers, she looked to the side, not wanting to directly face the genuflecting couple.

"I-it's nothing," she began, her voice barely audible. Still, Komaru understood that she was about to reject the praise and was not going to let that happen. Sitting down, she forced Toko into a hug. Toko tried weakly to push her away, but as the hug was short-lived, she did not put any major effort into it.

"Why don't we take a picture to celebrate the occasion," Emiko suggested. Toko decided to suppress her initial reaction of terror. She did not want to spoil the mood and upset the family that had apparently just welcomed her into it despite not needing to.

"Great idea, mom," Makoto said with a smile. Before Toko could ask where they would get a camera when neither she nor Makoto had taken one with them as far as she knew, Komaru took out her phone.

"Of course she had that accursed thing on her," Toko thought.

As soon as they found one in their excursions around Towa City, Komaru had taken pictures of everything with it. So far, Toko was very successful in either preventing her ugly mug being photographed or making the few pictures that she did manage to take disappear quickly. Right now, however, she did not feel the need or the desire to prevent a picture with the Naegis.

To make sure everyone was going to fit on the picture, the Naegis and Toko needed to get really close. Toko wondered whether the painkillers were starting to affect her, because she did not even feel the usual sense of danger and disgust whenever other people enter her immediate personal space.

Pushing the thought aside, she forced a smile as Komaru shouted "cheese!". A bright flash nearly blinded Toko, but at least it was over with. Komaru and her mother immediately studied the picture.

"Oh man, I am barely in the picture," Komaru complained, emphasizing her feeling with a mock pout.

"Don't worry about it," her mother responded, "it's looking fine. What do you think, honey?"

Komaru showed the picture to her father, who sagely nodded. This nod conveyed his approval; Komaru decided to not press the issue further, apparently convinced by her parents' opinion.

"The five Naegis," Makoto said after he looked at the picture as well, following it up with a small laugh. Toko was curious about how horrible she looked, but was not curious enough to actually want to see the picture. She just decided to let them have their fun.

"On that note," Toshiro said, a surprisingly mischievous smile on his lips, "I assume you will make that legally true as well. I saw how you and the … other Toko looked at each other."

Makoto's cheek turned slightly redder before he denied any such interest in Genocide Jack. Toko could not help but think about it. It was clear that she had started to like him in some way, she could tell that much by the feelings that radiated through her. Whether it was like-like was not something she had any interest in sorting out. Toko was, after all, not gonna let her determine even the smallest bit in that or any other regard. Furthermore, Master was waiting for her at home.

For now, Toko was just content to watch the scene unfold. As younger sisters are wont to do, once Komaru's father had opened that box, Komaru herself saw fit to barge in and both tease Makoto as well as ask questions about what happened between the two of them on the journey. Toshiro just laughed, adding fuel to the fire by adding some select questions. His wife's eyes and Toko's eyes met, Emiko flashed a quick smile that Toko interpreted to be both an apology for her husband and daughter's rambunctiousness and a final "Welcome to the family" message.

Taking in the atmosphere, the clouds in Toko's mind were gone for a few moments. Her memories, her anxieties, the pain of the bullet wound and the exhaustion and trauma of this journey. Certainly, they would return very soon, but she was not in any hurry to accelerate that process.

For the first time in her life, Toko Fukawa was filled with joy.

Thank you very much for reading The Novoselic Conspiracy. I cannot overstate how much I appreciate you taking the time to enjoy this story. Further thanks go to everyone who was so kind to give me feedback on my writing.

It took nearly three years, but I did manage to complete the story, as I said I would (yes, there are fanfiction authors who do keep that promise, and I am now one of them).

I have no clue about my next project, it could possibly be something re: DR anniversary, but if I am on your author alerts, you will find out when it drops.

With those three years, my viewpoint on the story as a whole has changed quite a bit. Since there are some readers who don't like authors to go into too much detail on that, if you are one of them, you are now officially finished. Thank you, once more, for your interest.

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To summarise my feelings in one sentence: I would not say that The Novoselic Conspiracy is the best work I am capable of delivering.

My "pantser" style proved quite challenging in some parts. Especially some of the earlier chapters just proved unnecessary once I decided to not have a Naekawa romance as part of the story (as someone who rags on Hollywood for adding pointless romance, I felt hypocritical having an unnecessary romance between Toko and Makoto and thus limited it to a continuation of the shiptease between the Ultimate Hope and the Ultimate Murderous Fiend).

Furthermore, I also felt that Makoto's parts of the story after the two get split up were somewhat uninspired and token; with more planning, I could perhaps have had him play a much more important role and gotten a bit more out of the endgame of the story. Particularly chapter 10 was the most tedious one to write as it was both dialogue-heavy yet at parts felt devoid of actual content.

Still, there is enough to like that I can still say I am proud of the accomplishment of completing this story and am happy for people to read it, especially since it is the first that's not a one-shot.