Epilogue: One Final Meeting

I walk through the graveyard, cradling the bouquet of hortensias in my arms as headstones pass by. I soon found myself standing before my father's resided alongside his father's. Father had chosen for Risei to be buried here in the foreigner's cemetery, and I in turn requested he be buried here as well. When I die, I think I would like to be buried alongside them if possible, though I somehow doubt that will happen.

I kneel and read the headstone, engraved to my specifications with one of the many things he drove home throughout the years.

Kirei Kotomine

Dec. 28, 1967- Feb. 5, 2004

Never let anyone dictate your future. You are the only one who can decide your fate.

I smile as I place the bouquet at the base of the stone, their meaning no longer eluding me.

However, this wasn't the only reason I came here today. In recognition of my father's service to the Church, they offered to pay for my schooling and expenses under one condition. I would be responsible for housing their representative for the foreseeable future. I had decided my father's resting place would be very appropriate for meeting the new overseer of the church.

They were set to arrive about midday, so I decided to come early to… well, I'm not sure why. I already paid my respects when he was buried. I suppose I'm just saying goodbye again, or maybe I'm saying hello. He's a part of me now in a way I doubt most people mean when they say "Our loved ones are always with us". Needless to say, I don't see myself coming here after today, so I'll stick with the first option.

Footsteps begin drawing nearer and I turn my head to find a woman… no, a girl with long silver hair and what I recognized as the robes of a priestess of the Church. I swear that I knew her from somewhere, but I was certain we had never met. I search through my memories as she draws closer, and I realize I truly had never seen her before. It was Father who knew someone bearing a striking resemblance to the girl. Considering she is dead, and her daughter is still alive as far as he knew, it was obvious who this was.

I expected to feel something as she stopped in front of me from my father's memories, but all I feel is the small pleasure from when she despaired over her mother's condition. Instead, I feel something that only could come from myself. I feel nervous.

I take the few seconds afforded me from rising to face her to try and smooth out that nervousness. I know that it was stemming from the fact her arriving as the replacement was unexpected, but I find it hard to believe the Church would send her specifically by coincidence. Perhaps they thought sending someone with a connection to Father, and hence me, would make things easier. Rather presumptuous of them, but I can't fault their thinking.

"I assume you are the Church's representative?" I ask after I'd risen to my full height.

"I am," she responds simply, golden eyes glancing from me to the headstone and the flowers laying there. "Have I interrupted something?"

"Perhaps, but it would be my fault for choosing this location. May I ask your name?"

She frowns slightly at my question.

"How annoying. It had been my belief you would be informed of my identity before I arrived."

"Yes. That would have been a welcome curtesy."

Her eyes fix on mine, silently probing me.

"And why would that be? No matter who the Church sent, their name would be meaningless unless you had some relation to them."

"You're twisting my words," I reply, meeting her gaze steadily. "It would simply be more polite to know your name to save the trouble of asking for it."

We stand there, each deciding what the next challenge would be. Father's memories showed he had not taught her in weaving words, but it she used them as naturally as he did. I believe that thought was the one that made me discard such further banter.

"As you likely already know, I am Shirou Kotomine. My late father is whom you will be replacing."

Though her face remains unmoved by my words, I notice the slight tightening of her left hand.

"I am Caren Hortensia, and I will be in you care for the time being."

I nod thoughtfully at that.

"Then, I'm sure you're eager to see where you'll be staying."

I step past her, the priestess moving to walk beside me.

"Will we need to go shopping, considering I don't see any luggage with you?"

"I had my luggage placed at the entrance. I saw no reason to carry it with me."

"Then I suppose I will be the one carrying it to the mansion?"

"Of course," she says with what appeared to be the barest hint of a smile. "You are my host, after all."

I raise an eyebrow at that, but actually find myself also wearing a tiny smile at her words.

I think Rin will like her.

Good End: Without ######

Bad End: Without ######

As this is the end, I think it's only proper that you hear from me. I'm Morganus, writer of this story and co-writer of the saga of RWBY stories that I'm making with Destrox.

I actually came up with this story when we were talking about a chapter of Ascension. I knew it wasn't a novel idea, but it interested me, nonetheless. I kept myself from investigating other people's interpretations of such a character to not allow them to influence my story and began writing. I actually wrote his UBW before anything else, which gave me a good idea of what his character arc would be. I then presented my story to Destrox and our editor.

Destrox was immediately supportive, which is what I expected from her. We tend to think alike. However, our editor was a bit more wary. As I laid out the idea, they told me that they wouldn't feel comfortable editing this character, so I would need to find another editor. Destrox volunteered, but, if you've read Ascension's first chapters before Zarthoris started editing, you'll understand I was skeptical.

The trouble started after I wrote the first three parts. The prologue, first chapter, and interlude. I tried for over a month, with some help from our editor, to find a new editor to look over the story. We had absolutely no luck. This was worrisome to me, as I really wanted this story to be amazing, and I wanted all the help I could find to make it so. By the time I accepted that I wouldn't find one after a month of searching, I had almost finished chapter 2.

So, I edited them myself. Ran them over with a fine-tooth comb and prayed that they would come out well. Looking back, I was concerned over nothing (which is a trend with me), and the chapters turned out well.

I remember I had three goals in mind when making this story. Keep everyone in character, don't try to force things that shouldn't/wouldn't logically happen, and keep the ending in mind. I was very nervous, as the only other story I've done was working with Destrox, and she was the main writer of that one. However, the almost immediate support I got from readers served to push some of that away.

I never knew it would turn out like this. I fully expected backlash and negativity for many of the choices I made in this story. Whether it was too emotional or not what people wanted from something like Shirou Kotomine, I was full of doubt. Destrox, the ball of positivity she is, had none. When the first reviews came out, she told me, "See! They love you!" which was somehow the one thing I didn't expect, to the point I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. It never did.

I know a lot of people are going to miss or avoid this story, and even those who've read it till the end probably won't read this long Author's Note, but I just wanted to thank everyone who took the time to read it. This was a labor of love, and one I thoroughly enjoyed writing. If it's not too much trouble, I want to hear your thoughts on how it ended and the story as a whole. The Good Route is coming down the line, so keep that knowledge tucked away for now.

Till then,

Morganus