"Hearts Aflame" by Ai Yuukan

Epilogue

"Honey! I'm home!" Tasuki called out, stepping inside.

"Hey, Kyo-sama!" Tasuki's friends swarmed into the headquarters.

"Let's go split the loot right now!" Several bandits said excitedly.

"HOLD IT!"

All the bandits froze. Vivien entered the room, one hand on her hip, and the other waving a wooden spoon. "I want all of you wimps ta wipe your feet outside, now! I just cleaned the carpet!"

The bandits groaned. "But, Kyo-sama.. We're tired and hungry!!" Several complained.

Vivien glared. "There will be no loot-counting until all of your shoes are scrubbed clean outside this house! And before dinner, I want you all to take a bath!"

"Awww.." The bandits groaned.

"And no whining! You call yourselves men?!"

"Yeah, men?" A cute little face poked out from behind Vivien's skirt. She had the cutest little brown eyes and hair the color of baby carrots. She smiled at the bandits, revealing the cutest little tooth.

"Genro! Do we have to follow her all the time?"

Tasuki smirked. "You heard the wife! Scrub your shoes up and wash away that stink!"

The bandits grumbled as they shuffled outside. "This sucks.." One of them muttered.

Vivien glared. "No bad language inside the house! Do you want a hotseat?!"

The bandits hurried out of the house. Vivien smiled as Tasuki picked her up and kissed her right on the mouth. Giggling, the little carrot- haired imp pulled on her father's trousers. "Daddy! I'm here too! What am I? Invincible?"

Tasuki grinned. "That's invisible." He picked her up. "And what have you been up to, today, munchkin?"

His daughter tried to answer him. But then she caught a whiff of him and made a face. "You stink, daddy."

Vivien chuckled. "Now, Fiona, what did I tell you about your manners?"

"DAD!! You're home!" A young boy hurried to his father. His eyes were blue while his hair was brown. He in no way resembled Tasuki or Vivien, but he was the best son anyone could have, Vivien thought fondly.

"Anzai! How are the fish biting today?"

The adorable little boy made a face. "They suck today, daddy."

"Anzai! What did I tell you about your manners?" Vivien scolded her son.

Anzai shrugged. "You told me to mind them, but dad said they could go to hell."

Vivien gasped. "Tasuki! You didn't!"

Tasuki shrugged sheepishly. "Er.. Anzai.. why don't you go play with Fifi outside?"

Vivien nodded, scowling at her husband. "Yes, Fifi, go play outside. Your father and I are going to have a little talk."

"My name's not Fifi! It's Fi-ONA! Get that? Fi-ONA! Ona! Ona, Ona, Ona!"

Tasuki made a face. "Now she sounds like a Nyan-nyan."

"Tasuki, I can't believe you said that to Anzai! What are you..?"

Tasuki handed her two pieces of paper. "You have two letters from Tei and Shoshi. They wrote in English so I couldn't read.. You have some mean sisters, you know."

Vivien chuckled. "They're just smart, and you're just jealous." She took the letter from Kathryn first. "How are they?"

Tasuki looked away. Samantha was fine.. but Kathryn.. was still sad over the loss of Hotohori.. even if she didn't show it. "Uh, they're fine."

Vivien smiled as she finished the letter. "Boushin just learned to say 'Mama'! Isn't that cute?"

"I wish our kids' vocabulary was that limited." Tasuki muttered, chagrined.

"Oh, shut up, fangs." She picked up the letter from Samantha and began to read aloud: "'Hi, Vivi! How are things with Fangs? How are the kids? I can't believe you're already settled into being a mother! How do you do it? I'm fine.. Everything's the norm around here.. Nothing special has happened much lately.. Oh, unless you count me having my baby yesterday! Yup, nothing special.. Tee hee! I'm just kidding ya! The strange thing is.. little Lilith also has a power! Of water! Just like Lilian!" The light in Vivien's eyes dimmed somewhat. Lily.. "'Well, she doesn't look exactly like Lily of course, but..'" Vivien stopped reading. She looked apologetically at Tasuki. "I'm sorry.. but I can't read anymore.."

Tasuki's eyes became sad. She still missed her sister. He couldn't blame her.. "Aren't we enough for ya, Vi?" He asked, only half joking.

Vivien whirled around. "Oh, of course!" Tasuki and the kids made her happier than she had ever been.. And though she still ached for her sister.. more or less, she had gotten over it and had moved on.. But.. She had a husband, two kids, and a wonderful, though overly crowded, home. She really was home.. and happy.. but she wished Lilian could be here to see it.

"Mommy, mommy!" Fiona ran into the room.

Vivien knelt. "What's wrong, Fiona?"

"Mommy! There's this mean old lady with a mushed-up face at the door! And she's floating twenty feet off the ground! And she has this weird short group of kids with her. Oh, and she's ugly, too!"

Anzai ran into the room. "Daddy! Fifi's right!"

"It's Fi-ONA!"

"Whatever! And her face is really saggy and mushy and boy, is she UGLY!"

"Shut up, you impertinent brat!" Taittsukun said, appearing into the room. She knocked both Fiona and Anzai with her staff.

"Taittsukun!" Vivien and Tasuki exclaimed.

"Hey, sand-witch! What're ya doin' here?"

"Is that how you speak to your betters?!" Taittsukun demanded grouchily. "I tried to use your door, but that brat with the puke-colored hair slammed it right in my face!"

"Mommy, is puke pretty?"

Vivien frowned at Taittsukun. "Her hair's carrot, thank you very much! Is that how you speak to innocent little children?"

Taittsukun snorted. "She's about as innocent as you were the night that little brat was conceived!"

Vivien turned beet red. "Now you just shut up, you miserable old bag!"

Fiona and Anzai boggled. "Mommy just said a bad word!" They started skipping around in circles, singing gleefully, "Mommy said a bad word! Mommy said a bad word!"

Tasuki sniggered. Vivien jabbed him in the ribs. "You shut u—I mean.. You keep quiet, carrot-top!"

Seething, Vivien faced Taittsukun. "Now say what you came here to say, you old bag, or I'll boot you out the door myself!"

Taittsukun glared at Vivien. "Fine! I just came here to tell you your sisters have returned to Japan!"

Vivien blinked. "Sammy and Amiboshi were on vacation?"

"No, you idiot! Your other sisters! Anne and Erin!"

Vivien gaped. "No way!"

"Yes, and will you finish reading Tei's letter?"

Vivien picked up the letter. "What's it to you?"

"Just read it, you snippy little dodo!"

Vivien started snarling. She was still very sensitive about her third power. "Fine!" She picked up the letter and started to read. Tasuki read over her shoulder.

"Fine! Don't share it with your children!" Taittsukun grouched.

Vivien picked up where she had left off and read it to herself. ' .. but her hair's a really light brown and her eyes are green, like mine. Oh, I can't take it anymore! I'll just tell you! I think Lily was reborn, Vivi.. as MY child! I know it sounds insane, but everything points to it! Lily was reborn, Vivi! I didn't realize that at first.. so I called her Lilith. But it really is her! She even has her glowing symbol of Taishi! Lily's back, Vivi! And this time, you're her aunt!'

Vivien couldn't help but stare at the letter. Lily.. was back..?

Tasuki stared, too. "Sugoi.. that's really something.. You're sister's back.."

Vivien read the remaining sentences, her fingers shaking as she held the letter in her hands. 'And there's something really freaky, too. Some of my co-workers visited me today, to see her. Two couples brought in their own kids. The youngest, a girl, two-years, old, had red hair, and the elder kid.. Vivi.. he had blond hair and blue eyes. I know you're going to freak, but I think it's Nakago.. and the little girl.. Soi. I know it sounds crazy but I asked their parents about them, and they said Nakago, now called Nicholas.. Nicholas Hearth.. loves to collect army figures. How freaky is that?! And Sara.. the girl who I think is Soi.. is Sara Lee. Red hair? Loves blue hearts?! How freaky is that?! Oh well, I hope you write back soon! Oh, and Taittsukun can read English.. so be careful. Bye! Love, Sammy.'

Vivien's smile came slowly. Then she was hugging Tasuki tightly. Lily was back! Lily was back! And if things went the way they were supposed to, Lily was going to be with her lover and friend again! She wiped her tears with her sleeve, smiling tearfully. But.. how?

Suddenly, she could hear her father's voice. It was only three words, but then she understood completely.

They heard you.

Vivien broke out laughing. Overjoyed, she hugged her husband again before kissing him fully on the mouth.

"Get a room." Taittsukun said grouchily.

Anzai just stared. "Does this mean I'm getting another sister?"

Tasuki softly stroked Vivien's hair as she rested her head against his chest. She smiled softly as he gave her hair a little tug. "Hm?"

Tasuki smiled slightly. "Should we give Anzai another sister, Vi?"

Vivien chuckled. "Oh, you. Aren't two kids enough?"

Tasuki sighed. "I don't know.. maybe two or three more in a couple of years will do the trick. I want to keep on trying until we get a kid with your eyes. They're beautiful, you know.. even if they are a weird color."

Vivien laughed softly. "Hm, I was rather thinking of keeping my eyes for myself." She teased, snuggling close.

After a few moments, she looked up at Tasuki, her eyes soft with happiness. "I love you."

Tasuki kissed the top of Vivien's red-gold hair. "Same here, kid." He said softly.

Vivien held Tasuki and smiled softly. She was happy.. with her husband and children.. With Tasuki, her happiness was complete. She was finally home.. Vivien smiled softly.

She could almost hear her sister laughing.. as she struggled to maintain her balance on her first two-wheeler. The wind was chuckling along with the river's chortles as Vivien raced along the riverbank. She smiled softly and finally allowed her mind to rest..

In her dream, little Vivien laughed with glee as she pedaled down the dirt path. The sun shone brightly as she gasped with happiness at the sensation of wind blowing across her face.

Look, Lily! No hands!

THE END