Macchi is effectively in shock.
Wow. Just…wow. I ask for 42, and not even expecting that for a while, I end up with 47? Oh my goodness, thank you all! Thank you thank you thank you thank you to~
XxRed CapxX –Thank you for helping me out for what, a whole entire week after the last chapter? Oh wow, did I need it. Especially with my special announcement…and yes, someone already does want to know! (O_x) mental overload…
JayJay223 –Hey there! Is this your first time reviewing? Sorry if it isn't…but thanks for reviewing! I really enjoyed reading it!
Elizabeth (anon) –Hey there, again! I still adore your reviews, and I look at them every time I need inspiration. I'm sorry for disappointing you with the ending, but…I dunno, it just felt right to me, if you know what I mean. Same for the kinda stinky epilogue.
vocal-maiden –YESH! HAPPILY EVER AFTER! XD Happy days!
varshe05 –It's okay! It just makes me appreciate your review more, knowing that you didn't really have time to read it in the first place…
XxKyeru-TanadaxX –Yes! I understand the Miku conflict completely now…seriously, I do. Ha, I got 47 reviews! (still totally psyched about it…) As for a sequel…I have no clue if that's going to happen. Sorry.
(anon) –I got it done!
stardrop10 –Yes! She was considered a good girl! XD I'm happy now. Yeah, it was kinda bittersweet. This one is too. Oops.
akichanz –Well, I'm glad you like it. I hope that the end doesn't totally crush any dreams of a happy ending…
Ayame Kurosagi –Still. Otaku teacher. That is still epic. XD (Actually, I'm open to either way…but twins are just so cuteeeee~)
67rosary-bead42 –Congrats on finishing your story! I DIDN'T PULL A ROSARY! (heehee I'm learning a lot of derogatory fanfic slang in this story…) You know, I hadn't even finished the chapter when you reviewed…oops.
Toan Daxland -I almost wrote your name as "Toad Naxland." Sorry…It sounded like you were disappointed with the last two chapters. I'm still really sorry! I figured out that I can't do long stories!
Well, thank you to everyone for putting up with me since 23 May, 2011, for seven chapters, 13,525+ words, and 40 pages, as well as my mood changes. Thanks, again.
Miku had gotten married to that high-status white-headed guy and was now ruling her kingdom with him and all of their kids. They invited us over frequently.
Turns out that Luka had known Teto from her own experiences underwater as Neru's boss. She'd given up her position as the witch to come up to the surface, all to be with that creep who told us to get out of Len's room. Funny what love makes you do, isn't it?
As for Len and I, well...
"So that's you and Papa's story?"
"Yup! That's pretty much the whole thing!"
The blonde mother smoothed back the soft brown bangs away from her child's bright eyes and sighed. Life had certainly been good to her. She had three beautiful children, amazing friends, and a husband who loved her more than almost anything else. (Her children made up the almost.)
Her husband walked into the room with the older kids, Sora and Kaii. One son, one daughter, and the youngest daughter at just six, Kira, sat on her lap. Her three treasures, brighter and more precious than any jewel above or over the ocean.
"Come here, guys."
The children, with the exception of Kira, sat on the floor around their mother, who gazed at them all with a worried expression. The father stood next to his wife as her supporting figure.
"Gems, Mommy has to leave now." Kaii swept her blonde hair out of her face and tied it back with a white ribbon while she tried to interrupt her mother. "Mom, wh-" "Kaii, your mother is trying to tell you something important." The ten-year-old glowered at her father and turned away indignantly to look at her brother, older by two years. "Sora, it isn't fair! Why does Mom have to go?"
The blonde studied the hem of his shirt. "Mom has somewhere that she needs to be. Now be quiet, you're making Kira cry."
The toddler's eyes were indeed watering as she played with the stones on the necklace hanging around her mother's neck. "Mommy has to go...love, Mommy." Kira stood up on her mother's lap and hugged her neck.
"I love you, Mommy. See you soon." "Yeah," Sora and Kaii chorused as they stood up and hugged their mom. "Love 'ya, Mom." "Mhm. Come home soon, okay, Mom? Love you." The young mother bit her lip nervously and looked up at her husband, who smiled at her. She picked Kira up off of her lap as she stood up, and then put her daughter in her son's arms.
"Kids, can you go please? I need to talk to your dad..." She gave each of her children one last hug, then turned to her husband as her children exited the room together, crying softly.
"...I'm sorry that I won't be able to help you when your parents..." He smiled and wiped away the blue tears that threatened to roll down her face at any moment, and then kissed her lightly. "Don't worry about it. Sora is very bright, and he'll be a big help. Kaii's doing wonderfully at taking care of Kira, too."
"But-"
"I said not to worry. We'll all be just fine, even you."
"Be kind about it when you tell them, okay? Tell them that I'll be watching over them."
"I know, I know. We've known this day was coming for a long time."
"...the older two were starting to catch on..."
The man smiled and kissed his nervous wife. "Don't think that I'm trying to kick you out. All I'm trying to do is reassure you. We'll all be fine. You're going to be fine, so stop freaking out and worrying about it, okay?"
The mother of his children smiled up at him.
"Yeah, I know."
After one last hug just inside the door to their home, the young woman tied back her short blonde hair and looked at her husband.
"Don't kill the kids, okay?"
"I won't."
"Or tell them that I'm coming back soon."
"I'll let you do that."
"...don't get your hopes up..."
"I haven't."
"..."
"..."
"Hey, Len. I love you."
"I love you too, Rin."
Rin smiled and turned away from her home, making her way to the ocean shore. There, a former maid kneeled next to a corkscrew-haired mermaid with the tentacles of an octopus.
"It's time."
The mermaid broke away from the hug between herself and the maid and turned to Rin.
"Have a good life?"
"...yeah. I did."
"Ready? Neru's waiting for you down there."
"I guess I am. Bye, Luka."
The pink-haired lady smiled and hugged Rin quickly.
"I'll watch over them, okay?"
Rin nodded, tears falling freely and staining Luka's dress. She pulled away and smiled at Teto, who was holding out her hand, beckoning for Rin to come with her.
"Luka?"
"Yes?"
"Tell Len...I'm going to see him sometime, okay? Might not be for a while, but I'm going to try."
"Next Sun's Day sound okay?"
"Yeah."
"Midnight?"
"Yup. If I can get out without Neru..."
The blonde stepped into the shallow blue water and watched as her friend walked away, waving. After she couldn't see her anymore, the blonde turned to the octopus lady.
"I'm ready. But feed me one more piece of seaweed and I'll kill you."
As she was led down into the depths of the ocean, Rin couldn't help but think of the conversation she'd had the night before with Len.
"Hey, Rin?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think that we'll meet again? And actually be able to be together?"
"...yeah. But, that time, it'll be to eternity, right, Len?"
"To Eternity. I like that."
"Yeah, me too."
"For everything you desire, you have to pay an equal price in return. You can't get more nor give more. Can't give more or less. Must be in balance. Or else, there'll be "mishaps." "
~Yuuko Ichihara, xxxHoLic
Well, there's the end. I thought it was fitting to have that quote up there, since it was there in the prologue too. (maybe chapter 1 as well…) I'm sorry about the ending, but like I said to Elizabeth, it just seemed…right to me. Sorry for any disappointments.
As I said to XxRed CapxX, I feel that a story is never over. So, if you want to, tell me in your review about something that didn't seem quite finished to you, I'll mull it over, and possibly write a chapter focusing on that. (The scary thing is that I foresee someone asking about Luka…complex character.)
So. I guess that's the end. But it doesn't feel like the end! I need to write something more…if someone would please send me a story idea? Naw, never mind. Don't. Just send me a song! Preferably Rin and/or Len! Ooh…idea…Chivalry, anyone? Maybe Dreaming Little Bird, Festival of Asylum, Excalibur? *eye glints as ideas run through mind*
Bye, everyone! Thank you all for reading my story!