Split Ends

Intro: Hey everyone! I really didn't get everything wrapped up in the last chapter, so here we go: the epilogue! Hope you like!

Epilogue

"I now pronounce thee husband and wife," the priest bowed low, closing his book gracefully. The audience clapped heartily as the bride and groom kissed under the threshold, petals floating from it. Mewt leaned over and smiled, "Good luck."

Marche smiled back, "Same to you."

He continued to applaud the couple as they walked down the aisle, arm linked firmly in arm. His mother looked absolutely gorgeous in her wedding gown, veil trailing gracefully behind the two. Cid walked with her, at least a head taller yet every bit as good looking as she. He'd shaved his beard for the event, his hair a bit less messy, and Miss Radiuju, now Mrs. Cid Randell, held her head high, beaming. Marche couldn't help but chuckle, his mother was still the same wild young woman that his father had married. Doned threw rice from the aisle, grinning as his new father, "Congratulations!"

The reception was heavenly. Marche, now eighteen, would attend a prestigious college in the next town over in order to obtain a law degree. Mewt, his new stepbrother, would attend the same college, but in order to pursue a career in psychology. Doned, now fifteen had managed to bring his body back to normal. His legs, after much physical therapy, healed and the sickness that had ailed him all this time had finally been oblitherated. He now did a lot of sports and was surprisingly very good at them. He hoped to become a soccer star. Ritz lingered in the back of the reception, near the wall. The same age as Mewt and Marche, she wished to attend school in order to become a biologist and currently had a part time job working as a hairdresser.

Around them people swirled to the music, although Marche and Ritz weren't exactly dancing. The focus was all around the bride and groom, happily waltzing and dancing to whatever music the DJ happened to play. All their friends had attended on the lovely spring day, and the caterers had provided an excellent feast. Cid managed to grab a job in the new business his old partner had started, and business was booming. Hence he and Mrs. Randell were able to pay for pretty much all the expenses of the wedding. The new family would move into a larger house come the summer time so they could all live together.

"Oy! Dude, play this!" Lyle swamped the poor DJ with a bunch of CDs.

"But those are illegal you moron!" Colin scrambled for the CDs.

Lyle pouted and Guiness laughed, "Colin it's a burned disk of songs YOU have and gave him, I think it's fine."

"Stay out of this!"

"Play this!"

"No this!"

The poor DJ shrank back behind his desk, obviously fearing for his life.

Lyle, Colin, and Guiness intended to start their own chain of restaurants, although none of them could actually cook. Still, that was what they intended to do, and they were all going to go to a culinary school in the next county over in order to study the culinary arts. During high school they had also started their own band, the Vieras. Marche still did not quite understand why the boys chose such a weird name, but Ritz had rolled her eyes when he asked and told him it was because they were male.

Marche and Mewt still possessed each a copy of the book, which sat somewhere in their rooms. They visited Ivalice frequently, but with graduation and then their families' wedding, they found they had little time to visit their pals.

In the few years that had passed however, Ivalice had prospered. Llednar, the new monarch, had set up a republic with him as president, and allowed Judges to bring in new ideas to fix up Ivalice better. He appointed Ezel his new Judgemaster, who readily took to each task and was not afraid to be blunt with his new boss. Montblanc served as a philosopher and a historian, traveling round the world of Ivalice in order to document its history. Nono was his trusty sidekick, who had placed a new set of airship travel in order for Ivalice to have better transportation. As for Shara… she disappeared…

The week after their battle with Bludshae the group had returned to give Babus a proper funeral, and afterwards the new assignments had begun. Ritz, who was the most torn from the decision to leave Ivalice, borrowed Marche's book occasionally, for what purposes he never pressed to ask…

"Hey," Ritz approached Marche, white hair lingering round her snowy white kimono decked with sakura blossoms. Ritz's family was very traditional when it came to Japanese culture. She smiled at him, "Would you like to dance with me…?"

Marche looked slightly flustered. He didn't answer for a moment. Ritz cocked her head, "No? That's all right, I mean, I only asked if you wanted to so…"

Marche grabbed her wrist, "N-no… that's not it… I mean, of course I want to dance with you! I… um… just…"

Ritz merely looked at him expectantly. He sighed, "I… well… I was just kind of thinking about Shara… and Llednar."

She smiled, "Mewt told Llednar that he has the ability to love, regardless of the fact that he's Mewt's essence of hatred… I mean, you saw Ujuidar right? He really lov…"

She blushed and trailed off. Marche didn't seem to catch where she was going with her sentence, "Oh good… so he's better about everything now?"

"I… y-yes…" Ritz's face was still flushed. "And… Shara…"

"What about her?"

"She's fine…" Ritz shook her head, "Just… worried about me I guess. She was rather upset that I had to leave…"

He took her hand, "She's a great friend Ritz."

She smiled weakly, "Yea… so, shall we dance?"

"Sure."

In Ivalice, Shara walked the lush fields of Aisenfield, smiling at passerby. Nowadays she was a bounty hunter, and her next bounty was up in the Jagd Helje, a very bleak little place. By order of Llednar, all bounties had to be found in order to preserve the prosperity of the New Ivalice, and naturally he sent his best sniper out.

Shara shifted through the fields, sighing. It would be a long journey to Jagd Helje. She wished Ritz were at her side, how Ritz would love to catch one last bounty.

She shook her head absently, "She has Marche…" turning to the pink sky, the sun setting off in the distance, "But… I have no one…"

A small, pierced cry rang through the fields. Shara's left ear twitched, and she looked in the direction of the cry. Turning, she sprinted towards the sound. The sound had the vague ring of a child's cry. "Hang on kiddo!"

She swept the field, nearing the cries, and suddenly there it was. A small child tucked into the tall weeds wailing intensely. It was dirty, whimpering, and a girl. Shara bent low over the child, pulling out one of her shirts to wrap it in. "Must've abandoned…"

The child ceased its tears and looked up at her. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, her hair…

Shara's eyes widened, "Ztir…?"

The human child struggled in her arms, trying to get comfortable. Finally it settled and snuggled against her bosom, sighing. Wisps of white hair flew this way and that, billowing in the wind. Shara's eyes softened, "…you are… you're Ztir."

Yes…I'm always here with you Shara… always…

Marche twirled Ritz with elegance and ease around the dance floor. She moved with grace and a lovely pose; she was an excellent dancer. Her white hair trailed behind her, free from its dye and as white as the purest snow. He couldn't help but smile, "Ritz, you're beautiful…"

Ritz twirled back into his arms and held both of his hands; a slower song had started. They began to waltz to the tune. "No, not really."

Marche touched noses with her, "Yes you are… your hair… it's like a Viera's… Ritz… I…"

She looked up at him, "Thank you Marche… you don't think my hair looks bad?"

"Of course not!" he smiled, "Whatever gave you that idea?"

She sighed, "I don't know…"

She looked so sad, yet it was such a wonderful party. Without thinking he bent in and kissed her, and this time, they weren't embarrassed. The dance floor was darkening as the sun began to fade away, and they were tucked in the shadows, far from being jostled by other dancers. Ritz drew her hands from his and put her arms around his neck.

When they surfaced she smiled up at him, "I love you Marche."

He searched her eyes, as if not believing her at first, and then…

"I love you too Ritz. Always."