HK's notes: This is the final chapter of this story. I hope I didn't do too bad^^ On a warning note, this chappie might be a little confusing. =P
It was fun writing this story, hope ppl liked it^^



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ Part. Happily ever after? ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



As dawn breaks onto the vast kingdom and awaken the slumbering people, Yuki and Kagura arrives in front of the palace.

"Do I really have to go inside? Is Kyo really inside? I don't want to be surrounded by too much people you know."

"Kagura, calm down. No one is going to hurt you while I'm with you, alright?"

As Kagura settles down from Yuki's reassuring words, the huge gate leading to inside the palace opens and a soldier walks out to greet them.

"Yuki kun, you've come back. What's that you have with you? Is that the boar?"

"Yes, I would like to see the King and explain something to her."

The soldier agreed to let both Yuki and Kagura inside the palace and told someone else to replace his spot beside the palace's gate. He led them through corridors after corridors and finally reached the great hall of the palace where the King usually sees to her subjects.

King Uo and Queen Hana were already sitting in their thrones on top of an elevated stage. Yuki led Kagura up before the half-awaken King and Queen and kneeled down before them.

"King Uo, Queen Hana, I have brought back the boar as you have commanded me to do."

The King lifted her eyes lazily to glance at the boar and says, "Souma Yuki, are you sure that's the boar? It is but a puny little brown boar. How can it hurt anyone let alone strong woodsmen of my kingdom?"

At this point, Kagura walked forward a little and spoke out loud, "I am the boar you wish to capture. I was the one that have hurt those woodsmen. I'm sorry. But I didn't mean to do that on purpose because I thought they were a friend of mine and I was only looking for my friend. Kyo, he left me, I really love him ...and I only wanted to have him back...!"

King Uo turns her head and looks at Queen Hana. The Queen in turn nods her head and King Uo thought for a moment before she announces, "Very well, Souma Yuki, since you have finished the duty I has assigned to you, your brother Souma Ayame will be set free by our agreement. And you, boar, do not hurt anymore men in my kingdom or else next time I will surely punish you severely."

With that said, the King and the Queen prepares to get up and eagerly go back to their royal beds.

"Wait..." begins Yuki.

But before he can continue with what he wanted to say, his words were stopped short when he saw who appeared into the hall.

"Good morning Yuki kun." Comes the words from a beaming face of a very cheerful Princess Tohru.

"Tohru san..."

"KYO!!!" comes the scream of Kagura.

Before anyone can realize what was happening, Kagura raced up to where Tohru is and snatched the already violently shaking ball of orange fur from her embrace. As it turns out, that ball of orange fur is actually Souma Kyo.

"Oh Kyo, how can you ever do such a horrible thing as to leaving me? What's that? You say you didn't mean to? Oh, I know that you didn't do it on purpose because you love me so much, right Kyo? What's wrong Kyo? Why are you shaking? Are you cold? Or are you just too excited to see me? I know you're excited, I'm excited too. I'm very happy you're with me right now..."

As Kagura was rambling away and squeezing the living daylights out of Kyo, Kyo in turn could only squeeze out a single 'Help me' every so often. But who would or could help him. It was all up to him to get himself out of this mess.

As the other people were watching Kagura and Kyo, four more people came into the great hall and interrupted them.

"I'm so sorry Akito san. I'm terribly sorry. It's all my fault that you didn't get a good night sleep. It's my fault. It's all my fault that Yuki got away with the boar. Gomennasai!! Are you having a headache? Oh no, I gave Akito san a headache again, I'm such a fool. I do not deserve to live. I'll apologize. I'll apologize to everyone. I'LL APPOLOGIZE TO THE WHOLE WORLD!!!"

At that outburst, everyone turns their heads to look at the newcomers.

"King Uo, Queen Hana, the other participant Souma Akito has also come back with his party."

The King gave a little wave of her hand and dismissed the soldier that had led Akito's party into the great hall. Before she can tell Akito the current situation of the quest, Akito spoke up before King Uo can say anything.

"Your majesty, I know I have failed the quest but I do not care anymore. I do not want any rewards, I do not want to marry the Princess, I do not want to be the future King. All I ask for, is to just get this person out of all of my senses' range. I do not wish to see him, hear him, or even be near him." After Akito said this, he pushed Ritsu forward a bit, turned around, and simply left with Hatori right behind him.

"Oh no, how can I be such a burden? I have been a burden to Akito san all along. I cannot stay here. I cannot remain alive. I will go kill myself right this minute! NO, I'll go commit suicide after I have appologize to the entire world. I have to appologize. I'LL APPOLOGIZE! I'LL APPOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE HERE!!! I'LL APPOLOGIZE TO THE ENTIRE WORLD!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!"

Just then, when Ritsu has made his biggest outburst yet, Shigure, Haru, and Momiji also appeared in the great hall.

"Hi everyone, what's going on?" said Shigure cheerfully.

Everyone gave a quick glance at Shigure but since they were too shocked by Kagura and Ritsu they couldn't say anything so they just went back to gawking at the frantic Ritsu.

"Let me give you people some advice! Whenever Ritsu starts screaming, do not panic, don't be frantic, just simply poke him in the waist!" After explaining this, Shigure went up to Ritsu and simply poked Ritsu in the side of his waist. As if on cue, Ritsu stopped screaming and collapsed into a heap on the ground.

"There, see, it wasn't so bad," smiled shigure satisfyingly.

At this point, Yuki has finally recollected his senses and turns to face the King and the Queen, "Your majesty, I wish to ask for Princess Tohru's hand in marriage."

After hearing this, King Uo and Queen Hana looked at Yuki dead in the eye and both of them said at the same time, "No."

"I really love Princess Tohru. I haven't just met her today, I've known her ever since we were 10 year olds. I have the confidence that I will make her happy." Declares Yuki.

King Uo and Queen Hana turns to look at Tohru and gives her a questioning look. Tohru could not say anything after hearing Yuki's proposal that all she could do is only blush and nod.

"Very well, Tohru, tell me if you want to marry this Souma Yuki to be your husband."

Tohru gave a quick glance at Yuki, lowers her head and nods again in consent.

"Well, King Uo, if it's our Tohru's wish to marry Souma Yuki I think we should respect her descisions, what do you think?"

King Uo was really hesitant, but even Queen Hana consented the marriage then she couldn't be selfish anymore and not let Tohru marry Yuki. So, she proclaimed, "Alright, I hereby proclaim Souma Yuki to marry Princess Tohru and to become the next future King."



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



So, after the preparations were finished and everything was well and ready. Princess Tohru and Souma Yuki were married happily to each other with all of their early misunderstandings resolved. Everyone came and saw to their happy marriage and attended the ceremonies and parties. All of the Souma's came as well but with the exception of Souma Akito (since he was never welcomed by anyone and he never welcomes himself to any parties of any sort).

As the priest finished his declarations and Yuki and Tohru has exchanged their vows, everyone cheered and happily joined into the celebrations.

"Oh Kyo, look at how happy they are, why don't we get married as well? Wouldn't that be a splendid idea? Ne, Kyo?"

As Kagura was staring at Yuki and Tohru starry-eyed, Kyo managed to slip away without alarming Kagura. He wandered around the place and looked at all the events that took place for the celebration. Eventually, he arrived at where the feast table was. Under it, he found a very familiar cat.

Kyo padded up to the feline and said, "Hi, you seem familiar, have I seen you before?"

As soon as the cat saw who was talking to her, she cried, "Kyo kun, it's really you!!! Oh, I've missed you so!!!"

And before Kyo could realize what was happening to him, the cat was already over him and smoldering him with affection almost like Kagura.

"Miss, do I even know you?" Kyo managed to voice his question.

"Oh, right, my name is Sleeping Tiger, yoroshiku. We have indeed met before. I was with a bunch of my friends... and we kind of ambushed you..." the cat laughed a little embarrassedly.

"Oh, no wonder you look familiar... Anyways, I'm going to get something to eat, want anything?"

"Really? That's great! Ummm... but I'm not really hungry so can I get you to just get me a cookie please?" beamed the cat.

After a quick nod, Kyo jumped on top of the table and grabbed a few things. He jumped back down and handed Sleeping Tiger the cookie that she has requested.

But before Sleeping Tiger could voice her thanks, Kyo was already no where to be found. She wondered 'Where could he have gone to?'



~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~



After Kyo has given the cookie to the cat called Sleeping Tiger he prepared to settle down and eat the things that he had grabbed. But before he could dig into the food, there was a flash of brown before his eyes and suddenly he was dropped onto a patch of grass away from the marriage celebrations.

"Kyo," thunders Kagura with a darkened face, "...how could you? ...How could you betray me again? ...This time ...this time you will pay dearly for your betrayal...!"

Under the gleaming eyes and darkened face of Kagura, Kyo could only manage a little squeak before he gave a huge scream.


Poor Kyo, if only the celebrations weren't that loud, maybe someone would come to his rescue... or maybe not. ;)



The End.