~Chapter 10~
~What Now?~

A/N: There has been some confusion over the name Byakko as my villain. He is not the same Byakko as in the Maze Castle arc. I had forgotten that guy's name was Byakko, and picked a name from the Japanese Dictionary that meant "Albino or White Fox". Just a little fyi.

Hikina felt a stabbing pain in her shoulder blades. She turned to face one of the guards who had waited for her to drop her guard upon killing Byakko and stabbed her. He jerked the knife out of her back. Ametsuchi, watching the whole incident in a kind of frozen horror, sprang into action. Picking up one of the dead guards' discarded swords, he sprang at the guard who'd attacked Hikina.

"Suchi!!!" Hikina gasped as he saw the guard's knife slide into his rib cage and into his heart. Suchi's face was frozen in shock, but he took one final stab at the guard and sank his sword into the heart of his opponent before falling. Hikina caught the falling Suchi and cradled his small body in her arms. His eyes were already going dim. Black stones clattered to the floor. "Suchi..." Darktydes, now released from her bonds made her way over and attempted to revive the fallen boy, but her skills were too weak. Corvor added his strength, as did Yukina, but to no avail. Suchi slipped into death. The gathered demons bowed their heads in sorrow. Those who had known him knew his worth lay in his heart, not his strength. Hikina could not help but feel it was all her fault he was dead. More black hiruseki stones fell to the floor as she sobbed freely. Hiei moved to his daughter and she clung to him, sobs wracking her body. Darktydes, unnoticed, healed her freely bleeding wound, a mist of tears forming in her eyes for the loss of her student.

Slowly, those gathered, rose and left the dungeon. Hiei carried the still unconscious Corana out while Hikina carried her friend's body, to be burned outside the castle. Yukina healed Corana once they were outside and her eyelids fluttered open. She looked from the stricken face of her daughter to the limp body of Suchi and her own tears started to form. Hiei quietly informed her on what had happened inside. Suchi's body was slowly enveloped in flames as those from the school bid their farewells.

They stood a long while after the body had been consumed. Yukina walked timidly up to Hikina. "You must be my niece." She smiled softly.

Hikina looked at her slightly puzzled then she remembered someone mentioning she was named for her father and her aunt. She smiled a little sadly. "Yes. I suppose I am." The woman embraced her.

"My family keeps getting bigger and bigger." Yukina smiled.

"I can relate." Hikina chuckled a little.

*******

Thunderhead regarded his son awkwardly. How would his son receive a man who hadn't been in his life for fourteen years?

"Father?" Corvor started hesitantly.

"I'm so sorry my boy." Thunderhead replied. Before he knew it, Corvor had enveloped him in a hug. Thunderhead returned it, smiling in joy. Darktydes watched the scene with tears in her eyes, until her son drew her into the hug.

The fox family had already started on their way back. Youko immensely proud of his son's role in the invasion. After all, it had been Kuron's wisdom that had stopped the young ones from bursting into the castle and most likely all getting killed. He would take after his father yet.

Kage and Lair were standing to the side together, comforting each other from the loss of Suchi. Corvor, after reuniting with his family, took Hikina aside. "Are you ok?" he asked.

She teared up again and shook her head. "It's all my fault." She sobbed and he pulled her into his arms and she wept into his shirt while he whispered comforting words into her ear.

***********

Hiei and Corana watched the couples from a distance. "Why couldn't we be like that?" Hiei wondered aloud.

Corana smiled a little at him. "I guess it's just not in our nature." She shrugged.

"It's in your nature and you know it." Hiei smirked at her. Corana stuck her tongue out at him.

"It takes two to tango Hiei." She sighed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind. It's a ningen saying." Corana shook her head.

Hiei moved closer to her. "Maybe it's in my nature." He started. "Maybe I've just suppressed it so long...I don't know it."

Corana looked at him in obvious surprise and then smiled. "It may be." She conceded.

They sat in silent. "So...what do you think?" Hiei prompted.

"How about a trial period?" Corana replied.

"Fair enough."

*********

Lair, Corvor, Kage, and Kina walked slightly behind the adults.

"So what do we do now?" Lair asked.

"Yeah. It's pointless to go back to school." Kage nodded. "We learned everything we were going to learn at least six months ago. Although in Kina's case.." he grinned at the shortest one of the group. "We'll say three."

"Don't make me hurt you." She mock growled. Corvor still had an arm loosely around her and she didn't seem to be protesting. Lair and Kage were walking, fingers loosely entwined.

Hiei had caught wind of this conversation and dropped back. "Last I heard, there was an empty castle lying around back there. Maybe you four could figure out something to do with it." He smirked.

The four teenagers stopped a moment and then ran up to their respective parents. With a quick "Bye mom. Bye dad. We'll be at the castle if you need us." They had taken off and were headed back towards the castle.

"What should we call it?" Kina asked.

"Ametsuchi." Corvor replied quietly.

The other three nodded, satisfied with the tribute and entered their new home.

~The End~

A/N: So that's it! Hope you liked it! I have another fic in my head. It'll be ridiculous. It was inspired by a dream I had where I was flying on a giant red chicken that shrank once I got off it...you'll have to read the fic to figure out exactly what I'm talking about. Anyways, thanks so much for all your support! Hope I haven't disappointed!