A/N: I might end everything here, in this chapter, simply because my creativity has run dry and I can't think of anywhere else to take this story. So it'll probably be chock-full of that random, predictable, overly-cliché stuff you've come to expect from me by now. xD

Buuut I maybe (and this is a very slim maybe) adding a little omake (a parody, for all you non-Japanese-speaking folk) later on that may feature some of my more loyal reviewers, along with our beloved cast of MKR. Interesting concept, ne? (Though it wasn't entirely mine... ;) I don't know... yes? No? Indifferent? Give me some feedback, please. D

Okay! Without further ado, here's the final chappie...

Vernal Equinox: Finale

When Fuu awoke the next morning, she found herself staring into the gorgeous face of the man who had held her the night before until she'd fallen asleep. Now, however, he was a mess of arms and legs, sprawled across the bed, a bit of drool dripping from his royal mouth.

Does he sleep like this every morning? Fuu giggled despite herself, leaning over him and planting a soft kiss on his tanned forehead. "Ohayo, sleepyhead."

The prince opened two bleary amber irises to stare up at her. He rubbed his eyes with a backhand, but then gave her a groggy smile in greeting. "Are y'feeling better, Fuu?"

"Much."

Fuu hadn't felt this alive in months. Sawn's death seemed only like a nightmare now, a nightmare from some other lifetime. For a fleeting moment she wondered why her death seemed so meaningless, but it was soon gone.

Just a figment of my imagination. That's all Sawn was. A figment of my imagination. She repeated this in her mind, an endless mantra. She figured if she continued to tell herself that, she'd begin to believe it sooner or later.

"Fuu-chan?" She was jerked from her daydream by Ferio's naively adorable face. "You're sure you're better?"

"Hai, I'm absolutely positive," she gave him a quick kiss on the forehead and swung her legs off the bed, heaving herself to her feet. "Though, you look a bit pale. Are you hungry? I can bring you something to eat."

Ferio shook his head brusquely. "No need." He paused. "But now that you mention it--"

"As I thought! I'll be back in a few minutes, so stay put!" Fuu bustled out into the main corridor, despite his constant protests.

---

Fuu hummed a tune from back home quietly to herself as she started towards the kitchen, emerald eyes brighter than they had been in days. There was an unusual bounce in her step, and she almost had to keep from giggling aloud, as to not disturb whoever was still sleeping. Her suddenly great mood was inexplicable, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Maybe she should still be mourning, but she wasn't going to let that fact get her down. She had to move on.

"WHOA! Watch out!"

Unable to heed to the last minute warning, Fuu collided painfully with someone, her head cracking against his or hers painfully. She fell to the floor clumsily, disoriented. Her glasses skidded a few feet away, having fallen from her face on impact. After a few moments, she sat up, blinking a few times at the disaster scene.

"Ahh, Fuu-chan! I'm so sorry! Don't be mad!" It'd been Hikaru who'd she had smashed against. She was now regaining her balance against a conveniently placed pillar. "Are you okay? Hold on a sec, I'll be there..."

Fuu giggled, standing up. "Don't fret, Hikaru. I'm fine, see?"

"I'm sorry!" Hikaru repeated, as if she hadn't heard Fuu attempt to console her, and bowed in deep regret.

The calmer Magic Knight just sighed a bit, and patted the energetic redhead on the head. She then touched her face, feeling almost naked without the usual spectacles hanging on the bridge of her nose. "Hikaru-chan, have you seen my glasses?"

It didn't take Hikaru long to track them down—they were right at her feet. But when she picked them up for closer inspection... "Oh! Oh no oh no oh no..." ...she saw that one of the lenses had fallen out and cracked in two. "Fuu! I'm so sorry! Omigod, I'm so sorry!" Once more, she fell into a fit of continuous apologizing and bowing.

Fuu tried not to let her annoyance show nor her smile waver, and just picked up the shards that had once been her right lens. "It's no problem. Don't worry yourself over it. I can see decently, even without eyewear—look, you barely seem blurry. My vision's been improving." It took awhile to calm the other Knight, but finally, Hikaru hung her head and bounded off, stating that it was dangerous to be around anyone at the moment. Fuu couldn't help but chuckle at Hikaru's ostentatious persona.

She began towards the kitchen once again—more carefully this time; regardless of what she'd said to soothe her friend, her vision was certainly not 20/20—when a slight pain wracked her body and caused her to come to a stop.

The edge of one of the slices had cut her palm. Sighing, Fuu's irises trailed heavenward, counting to ten slowly.

Slowly, a drop of blood rolled from her hand and fell towards the floor below. Fuu jolted violently in shock when it stopped halfway down, as if suspended by string.

"What in the world..." Upon further inspection, Fuu found herself to be right—her blood hadn't simply gone into a free-fall; no, it had slipped down a slight piece of... something bright ruby and shimmering, and was now dangling from it.

She brought the thread closer to her face, and Fuu smiled in remorse. She knew what it was instantly. How could she possibly forget the color, the luminance? Nightmare nothing. It was all real. Grim expression still present, Fuu finally reached the kitchen, and after wrapping her hand in a bandage, commenced in making a loving breakfast for Ferio.

---

The breeze whipped by her with a vengeance as she leaned against the rail of the balcony branching from the main corridor, rustling her soft tresses. Night had set in hours ago, and bright orbs of light Clef had so graciously created as a beacon for passerby glinted, shattering the feeling of endlessness the crashing ocean hundreds of feet below gave.

She found herself leaning almost dangerously far over the banister, nearly her entire torso out in open air. She held out a clenched fist, fingers slowly unfurling, one after another... and the stray strand of Sawn's hair she had kept with her for the past two days caught an updraft and flew up far, far away.

Staying where she was, she watched it until it was well out of sight. Fuu didn't understand why Sawn had given her that unsettling message from her afterlife, and frankly... she didn't want to know. Maybe she just was saying "hi?" Or maybe... she just was letting her know she was there with her still, watching over her? The very thought was chilling, yet somehow... comforting at the same time.

She was brought back from her reverie when she felt two arms encircle her waist from behind, lift her up, and back away from the rail, and onto the safety of the balcony once more.

"What're you doing, Fuu?" An unshaven cheek rubbed against her own, the ghost of a beard that Ferio would never allow grow tickling her delicate skin.

"Just saying good-bye," she murmured, letting herself lean back against his chest. Neither of them spoke for a long while, and just stood quietly, enjoying each other's presence.

---

It was the end. Two long, long weeks had finally come to a close, and while everyone was relieved... at the same time, a dark shadow was cast upon the group, people of Cephiro and Magic Knights alike. It was time they went back to Earth, and when they would be able to return, it was uncertain. "All I can say is that it'll be roughly a year," Clef shook his head regretfully, an arm tightly around Presea's waist. The young weapons maker had tears accumulating, blinking rapidly to rid herself of them. "Sooner or later... I... do not know."

Tender good-byes were exchanged all about, and even up-tight Lafarga was indiscreetly rubbing his eyes. Lantis was hugging Hikaru so hard everyone was certain that her bones would snap under the pressure; but no, she returned the embrace just as tightly, if not tighter. Umi and Ascot had disappeared off somewhere to be alone, apparently. Gardina and Lafarga made their rounds to each little pair, eventually giving everyone a respectable amount of room to themselves. Eagle stood in a corner, obviously trying to stay stoic as possible.

And what of our hero and heroine? How were they coping with this tragic event?

Well, let's just say... a lip-lock is something that should be kept private. Therefore, we'll skip ahead a few moments, when they finally broke apart.

"Fuu..." was the first thing out of Ferio's mouth when he was finally able to speak once more. And suddenly, she saw that his eyes would refuse to make contact with hers, and would dart the opposite way if she tried to catch his gaze.

"What is it?" She inquired, stumped. "Did I—I do something wrong?"

"No, no!" He quickly reassured her, and held her at arm's length affectionately. "It's just that... I'm about to ask you a question I've never asked someone before, and I... don't know how you're going to react when I'm finished."

"You know you can talk to me about anything. If it's really pestering you, maybe it'd be better not to even say it...?" Fuu cocked her head to the side.

Ferio would have sweatdropped at her naivety if the situation had called for it, but he just smiled reassuringly. "Fuu... you know I love you more than anything, right? This time we're going to be apart is going to slowly destroy me and... I just want us to make a commitment. Just for my piece of mind."

Fuu was no idiot. She knew what was coming before Ferio even took a deep breath, the flaming hue of his cheeks intensifying beyond belief.

"FUUWOULDYOUDOMETHEHONOROFBECOMINGMYWIFE?!"

Fuu, to this day, wasn't sure how she made sense of his muddled exclamation, but she managed to pull it off. "Why'd you worry?" She murmured softly, caressing his lower lip with the pad of her index finger. "Of course. The moment I return."

She meant every word, and Ferio could see that in her expression. Ecstatically, he grabbed her on either hip and lifted her high into the air, twirling her around with ease, laughing heartily.

Some obvious discrepancies would keep the ceremony from going smoothly, like how she was going to explain to her family that she was marrying some prince from another world... (it dawned on her just then that it would technically make her a princess, but that was a bit too much for her to handle at the moment). But hey.

They had all the time in both worlds, didn't they?

Fin

Well, despite an obvious rush in the ending and the long time it took me to get this into writing, I'm pleased with this chapter, somewhat. And that's saying a lot for me.

IT'S OVER. IT'S FINALLY OVER!

For all those of you who've reviewed and helped me through this kindly, I can't thank you enough! I love you guys!

And like I stated above... enough support garners an omake! Not so sure what everyone'll think of it, but... I'm willing to give it a shot. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! 3333

--Momiji-chan