"Himeno?" Ireika called out. She began to walk over slowly.
Immediately, the Leafe Knights, minus Hayate, formed a protective circle around her. Ireika stopped.
"I mean no harm." She said softly, barely above a whisper. So quiet in fact, that even Sasame doubted she'd said anything.
Himeno stood and pushed them aside gently so she could walk through them. When they all cast her confused and doubtful looks, she offered them a confident smile. "It's okay." She told them. "She's not a threat anymore."
Hayate stayed with her though and kept a protective hand on her shoulder. When she gave him a questioning look and opened her mouth to speak, he beat her to it.
"She may not be a threat anymore, but I'm not willing to test that theory. I'm not taking any chances." Hayate told her firmly, but in a caring way. He gave her shoulder a little squeeze. "No chances." He repeated. She nodded in understanding.
Ireika walked forward, keeping herself from making any eye contact. A simple gesture to show she wasn't making any challenges towards anyone. She stopped before Himeno and slowly looked up. Lavender eyes met with pink in a locked gaze. Slowly a gentle, but small, smile grew on Ireika's lips. "Thank you." She murmured. "You have freed me from my curse of hate and revenge."
Himeno shook her head. "There's no need to thank me."
"No," Ireika said calmly, "there is a need to thank you, a great need," she insisted. "Thank you." Hesitantly, she held her hand out as if to shake Himeno's hand. With a happy grin, Himeno took her hand and shook it in a friendly gesture before she tugged the older girl towards her and pulled her into a tight hug.
Practically everyone's eyebrows shot up to their hairlines in surprised stares. The Disaster Knights half expected Ireika to shove Himeno to the ground, but shockingly she stood, dumbfounded, in Himeno's hold.
With an embarrassed giggle, Himeno let go. "Sorry. I suppose I got caught up in the moment. I hope I didn't make you too uncomfortable."
Ireika managed a smile small. "No, you didn't." With a nod to both Himeno and Hayate, she moved past them through the other knights. She'd stop for a couple of seconds to stand before each one, even the Leafe Knights, to murmur an apology and a thank you. She even bent down to the younger ones' level to speak with them eye to eye. She was truly a changed person.
Finally, she stopped before Kao. "M-Mother, I'm sorr–" he was silenced when she placed a finger on his lips and shook her head with a warm smile.
"Don't apologize Kao," she told him gently but firmly while lowering her hand, "I understand why you did what you did. And to be honest, I'm glad that you did it. I'm very proud of you because now, you've discovered where you belong," she took a moment to glance at Himeno and her knights, "with the Pretear and the Leafe Knights."
Kao too looked at them all, but he also looked at the Disaster Knights as well. He'd practically grown up with them and hearing his mother tell him he belonged with the others was a little more than difficult to accept. After all, he didn't want them to feel like he was turning his back on them. Hell, he didn't want to feel like he was turning his back on them.
When he turned back to his mother she said nothing, but the look in her eyes told him she understood the mixed emotions he was feeling. Reaching up, she brushed his bangs from his lilac colored eyes. A motherly gesture that had Kao feeling like he was a six-year-old boy. "It will all be okay," she assured him, "you'll be fine. You'll be happy."
"But," he began doubtfully, "how can you know that?"
She smiled a big smile, "Because I'm your mother. I just do."
"Irieka."
Everyone turned towards the deep voice that echoed throughout the entire building. A black-colored light appeared a few yards off. Even though it was black, it still managed to give off a light, diminishing some of the shadows that lurked in the corners of the destruction. As the light grew, a figure began to take shape. A few minutes later and the shape of a person was distinguishable.
As the light faded away, the features of Kao's father became obvious. His shoulder length silvery white hair fluttered as it settled along with his clothes. The clothes he wore were the mirror image of Kao's. Kaosuke offered them all a half-smile.
"I knew that one day this fight would be finished," he said to them, "my only regret was that I couldn't help finish it and for that I am truly sorry."
To say that everyone, in the room was speechless and dumbstruck would be an understatement.
"Mother..." Kao whispered in disbelief, "that's..."
Irieka grinned at him. "Your father. I know," glancing back over her shoulder, she smiled a loving smile at Kaosuke, "he's come for me, for us."
"Come for you? What do you mean?"
"Don't worry. Everything has turned out just as it should have turned out," Kaosuke assured him. Holding a hand out to Irieka, he spoke one word. One word full of warmth and kindness. "Come."
Irieka turned and looked up at Kao. "My time here is spent. I must go."
Kao's eyes were pained; confused. "But," the only word he managed to say was twisted with dread.
Irieka shushed him with a finger on his lips again. "Don't fret for I won't be completely gone. Just as your father has watched over you, so will I. You won't be alone anymore. I promise." Standing on tiptoe, she wrapped her arms around him in the first hug he'd ever received from her. And it would be the last. Immediately his arms went around her to return the embrace. "I promise," she murmured into his ear.
Slowly, she let go of him, and reluctantly he too, let go of her. Looking away from him, Irieka made eye contact with Himeno. "You'll look after him for me won't you? All of you?" She asked while momentarily meeting the gaze of the seven knights.
Himeno nodded with a smile. "Of course we will. That is, if he'll let us."
"Thank you," Irieka said quietly. "Haraku, Saraku, Garu, Kiru, Miraku, Hajiru, Shanru, let's go."
One by one, the Disaster Knights broke apart from the Leafe Knights and approached Irieka. One by one, they all said their last, individual, farewells with Kao.
Moving away from him, they retreated to stand beside Ireika and make a semi-circle around her. In unison, they all looked back at him. Their silence said more than any heart-felt words ever could.
Ireika turned and walked towards Kaosuke who still held his hand out to her. The Disaster Knights followed behind her. When she reached him, she placed her hand in his and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. The older knights stood on either side of the couple and the younger three stood in front of them.
"We'll be watching over you." Ireika said again.
"All of you." Kaosuke continued. The knights all smiled slightly in agreement.
Once those words were spoken, they were all surrounded in a wave of leafe and began to vanish; their bodies becoming transparent as the seconds went by. As the knights' bodies vanished a small stream of leafe from each flew towards their leafe knight counterparts.
"We are not dead, for we live on in nature." All of their voices were blended together as one.
"You'll feel us in the movement of wind."
"You'll hear us in the melodies of sound."
"You'll see us in the warmth of fire."
"You'll sense us in the brilliance of light."
"You'll know our presence in the reflection of ice."
"You'll find us in the flowing currents of water."
"You'll discover our exsitence in the sweetness of plants."
Now, only Kao's parents were left visible. Together, in each others arms, they gazed upon Kao with affectionate expressions. "We are very proud of Kao and we always will be. Live your new life to it's fullest and remember that your mother and I both love you." And with that, they too vanished in a wave of leafe.
Kao was motionless as he stared at the spot he had seen his companions and his parents vanish. He couldn't believe it. His family had vanished before his very. His mother, his father, his loyal companions who had followed him (reluctantly, but had still followed him) into a battle against his mother. My brothers.
Kao jumped when a small hand slid into his larger one and gave it a gentle squeeze. Glancing down, Shin looked back up him, a smile slowly growing on his face. He didn't say a word, but the look in his eyes said enough. 'They were all there for him...if he wanted their support.'
Seconds passed, but it could have been minutes or even hours. The silence that had settled over them all was almost defeaning, but it didn't last long before it was shattered as the walls and ceiling started to give out. Metal support beams groaned in protest as the floors above began to collapse, adding weight to the beams that they couldn't support. Dust and chunks of cement started to fall like rain around them, bouncing off the ground like hail as they hit.
"The building's caving in!" Mannen shouted.
"Let's get out of here!" Hajime cried.
He didn't have to tell them twice. Everyone broke out into a run and made a mad dash for the way out, Kao and Shin bringing up the rear.
Kao tightened his hold on Shin's hand to keep them from getting separated. All around them, the building was falling apart. Sometimes, they had to slide to abrupt stops, stifle out of the way, jump to the left or right (and even over the debris) to escape being buried alive.
"There's the exit!" Himeno shouted over all the noise.
"The ceiling is about to give out!" Sasasme called.
"Then get a move on it before we're smashed to smithereens!" Go called back.
Kao increased his speed, scooping Shin up into his arms as he did so. His eyes never left the roof, and as he got closer to the exit he realized he wouldn't make it outside before it fell on top of them.
"Hayate!" He practically screamed. "Catch!" Everything seemed to happen in slow-motion from that point on. Hayate spun around just as he reached the outside. Kao repositioned Shin in his hold and threw him into Hayate's waiting arms just as the ceiling came crashing down on top of him.
"Kao!" Shin cried. A cloud of dust and debris erupted from the destroyed building and slowly started to clear. Everyone stared with horrified expressions at the rubble. The scene that had taken place moments before replayed over and over in their minds.
"Kao!" Shin cried again. Fat tears welled up in his blue eyes and he turned and wrapped his arms in a death grip around Hayate's neck. Hayate let him.
"He's not..." Himeno whispered, "...he can't. Not after everything that's happened." Mannen and Hajime wandered over and hugged her around the waist trying to stifle their quiet sobs. She bent down to their level and hugged them back, squeezing her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall.
"I...I can't believe he did that," Kei breathed, "I can't believe..."
"He...he..." Go stumbled over his words as they caught in his throat, "he...saved Shin." He finished stupidly.
Finally, the last traces of the cloud of dirt vanished and the destruction before them was as clear as day.
Hesitantly, Sasame approached the remains of the abandoned building and started to shift through it. He paused in his work. Turning around to face the others, he held up the tattered remains of Kao's black overcoat. "This is all that I could find."
"That's it?" Hayate spoke. Sasame nodded. "Not even his body?" Sasame shook his head.
"Then, it's possible he escaped it, right?" Kei asked the question that everyone was thinking.
Sasame stood, coat in hand. "It's possible. Highly unlikely, but still possible."
"There's a chance that Kao is alive?" Mannen asked. Shin and Hajime looked up at the older knights and Himeno for answers.
Himeno straightened and studied at the place Sasame had found Kao's coat; where Kao's body would have been. Slowly, her lips started to turn upwards in a small, sad, smile. "I don't think he's dead," she said.
"Himeno? Do you really mean that?" Shin asked quietly.
Himeno nodded firmly.
A relieved silence settled upon them all. Although no one could completely forget about their doubts. There was a chance he was alive, yes, but it was very unlikely. Still, they held onto their hopes of his survival.
"Well, if he's alive, he's not here. And there's no point in standing around here all night," Hayate said, "we should head home."
Before everyone turned to follow Hayate's suggestion, there was a flash of multi-colored light and everyone was wearing their normal clothes.
Sasame folded the black overcoat he still held in his hands neatly. Kneeling down on one knee, brushed away the debris to clear a clean spot for the coat. Gently, he set the folded bundle down in the spot he had cleared, straightened, and retreated backwards towards the others.
Hayate handed Shin over to Go and hung back as everyone started walking down the sidewalk towards home. Glancing in the opposite direction everyone was headed he focused in on Kao's jacket. He bowed his head in a single respectful nod.
"Thanks for your help," Hayate smirked, "even if it was you who caused all the trouble in the first place...Dark Boy."
"Hayate!" Himeno called, "what are you doing over there? Aren't you coming!"
Hayate looked back over his shoulder at her and nodded. Turning to leave, he paused and looked back the other way once more as if searching for the Knight of Darkness. After a second of hesitation, he turned and covered the distance between himself and Himeno.
Reaching her, he held his arm out towards the girl and looked the other way, refusing to meet her gaze. Himeno stared at his arm in confusion before she smiled a bitter-sweet smile and wrapped her arms around his, holding him close.
The entire Awayuki family was waiting in the living room for Himeno and everyone else to come home. Kaoru paced in front of the window. Mawata was reading a book, but she hadn't changed the page in nearly an hour. Mayune sat with her head propped up on her hand and was folding and unfolding her feathered fan. Natsue watched Kaoru pace back and forth. Takako sat quietly next to Mawata, fiddling with the fabric of her purple skirt.
"We're back!"
All four perked up at the sound of Himeno's voice as it carried throughout the entire mansion. Himeno led the seven knights into the living room and immediately, she was bombarded with concerned questions.
After she'd finally convincedher familyshe was perfectly fine, they all turned their attention towards the knights who also convinced them that they too, were okay. Takako hugged Sasame tightly, nearly squeezing the breath out of him.
Himeno asked Mawata to help her put Mannen, Hajime, and Shin to bed as they were almost asleep on their feet, reassuring her father, mother, and sisters that she'd explain everything to them whenthey came back downstairs.
"So," Mawata began quietly, "Kao sacrificed himself to save Shin?" She pulled the covers up to Mannen's chin.
"Don't look so sad Mawata," Himeno smiled at her sister encouragingly, "he's not dead. I know he's not."
"He's just missing..." Mawata whispered.
Himeno's smile faltered slightly. She placed a comforting hand on Mawata's shoulder. "He's alive and that's what's important." Mawata nodded, still obviously upset. "He'll come back. He has friends here."
It took awhile to explain everything to the Awayuki family, but somehow, Himeno, Hayate, Sasame, Kei, and Go managed to do a pretty good job about it. It was well past mid-night by the time they finished and only then did everyone realize how tired they really were. Bidding their goodnights, everyone retreated to their bedrooms.
"I'll walk you to your room," Hayate told Himeno.
"That's okay," she replied, "you're just as tired as everyone else."
Hayate didn't answer, but he continued to escort her through the hallway towards her bedroom.
"This is it,"she murmured when they reached her door. There was an awkward silence between them as Himeno stared at the floor and Hayate stuffed his hands in his pocket, studying the ceiling. "Well, good night." Himeno reached for the doorknob, but Hayate caught her wrist before she could grasp it. "Haya—?"
She was silenced when Hayate's lips covered her own in a tender kiss. Himeno froze in surprise, her eyes widening, but he continued to kiss her. His lips felt warm on her own, slightly chapped. But after the battle they fought, whose wouldn't be?
Himeno felt herself relax. Her eyes closed and she leaned into him and returned the kiss, but a second later, he pulled back. His blue eyes bore straight into her pink ones. His breath came in short, quiet gasps and his cheeks blushed faintly. "Good night Himeno."
Turning, he walked briskly down the hallway and vanished around the corner.
Himeno rose a hand to her lips and she traced them lightly. Her cheeks were blushing profusely, glowing a deep red no doubt, but she didn't care. Even his abrupt departure couldn't put a damper on the warm fuzzy feeling she was experiencing. So this is what being on Cloud 9 felt like.
Biting her lower lip and smiling at the same time, Himeno opened her door and closed it quickly behind her. Then, she ran and threw herself onto her bed with a happy sigh. She didn't bother changing into her pajama's as she rolled over to stare at her ceilings. Replaying the kiss in her mind, she couldn't help but giggle.
Today, despite how rough it had started, had turned out to be a very satisfying day.
-Dark Knight False Light-
I know what you're thinking..."Finally an update!" or "It's about time" and "what happened to you promising to be quick?" orsomething along those lines. I'm sorry guys! Writers block struck and wouldn't leave. So tonight I sat myself in front of the computer and got into my creative mood and finished it! My first story to be completed! (besides one-shots that is) I hope you find this final chapter satisfactory. I've done my best and had a blast with this story. I'm very tempted to write an epilogue, (yay, EPILOGUE!) but only if you reviewers ask for it. Thanks you all, my precious reviewers! And thanks to those who read and didn't review. I hope you can review for this chapter seeing as it is (or may be) the last. THANK YOU ALL! I LOVE YOU!
-galaxy guardian