Author's Note:

Well we have reached the last chapter of Suyuan. Very sad, I know, but the story had to end eventually. I tried my darnedest to write this story to the best of my ability and I hope all y'all enjoyed it. Thank you to all my loyal readers and to any future readers. I don't know if there will be any future Hellfire fanfics, but it might be possible.

Disclaimers:

I don't own Peacemaker Kurogane or any of its characters. I do, however, own Amaterasu, her father and mother, and any other characters I may come up with. Comments of the positive and negative variety are like sprinkles on a doughnut. Also a cumulative story review would be interesting like a shooting star.

A Message from Sakura 02:

"Once again (I mean, because I honestly haven't done this enough already) I would like to thank Hellfire13 for taking an interest in my story Last Time of My Life, and actually liking it enough to write it a prequel of sorts. She has been one of my more loyal readers to date, with which I am very flattered. She has helped me get through all my cases of writer's block and has always inspired me when I most need it. Her story Suyuan is a great read for anyone who likes historical fiction, Peacemaker Kurogane, or just enjoys reading something with a good plot. Although I am sad that this story is reaching its end, I'm glad that I was able to experience every bit of it. With dreams of sugarplum fairies, Sakura02."

o o o

When she woke up, Soji was gone. She realized that he couldn't spend all his time with her. Despite the fact that she couldn't entirely remember what had happened the previous night, she did recall Soji telling her that her father would never be able to hurt her again. She was free of him at last. She stood up and went outside where she was mobbed by her cats. She sat down and let the cats pile onto her lap and she began to stroke each cat as she stared out into the snow.

"You can come out, Tetsu" she said knowingly as Tetsu poked his head around the corner.

"Soji asked me to check on you" he said sheepishly, wondering how she could tell someone was secretly watching her.

"You can tell Soji I'm fine" she said as he ran off to deliver the message. She waited a few minutes before getting up and following him. She was just about to round the corner of the building when she heard the hushed voices of Yamazaki and Soji.

"Why won't you tell her the truth?" Yamazaki demanded.

"What would I say to her? The weather's nice…oh and by the way I killed your father. You don't think there's the slightest possibility she freak and overreact or something" Soji responded.



Amaterasu slowly backed away, her heart pounding in her chest, and retreated to the safety of her room. A part of her was grateful to Soji for caring about her enough to kill her father, but another part of her was mad at herself for being too weak to do it herself. Despite the intense hatred she felt for her father, she still loved him. And she grew to hate herself for feeling the love at all. She both loved and hated her father, which in turn bred self-hatred.

She opened the trunk with her crystals and searched through the pouch until she pulled out a pale blue bag and extracted a small stone of the same color from the bag. With the stone's help, she buried her feelings deep inside herself which left a cold feeling in her soul. Like she had frozen a piece of herself. She went back outside and sat down and stared out at the snow.

For hours she sat and stared at the snow. Thoughts ran through her head in no rational order or pattern. She was startled from her reverie by Soji laying a blanket over her shoulders.

"Come inside. You'll catch your death out here" he said as he led Amaterasu back inside and slid the door shut behind him. She sat down on the floor by the fire pit and watched as Soji put more logs on the dying fire.

Amaterasu stared into the flames and didn't even hear Soji leave. She held her hands out to warm them and winces as a dull ache emanates from the scar on her hand. Looking at the scar, she now realized what this feeling inside of her was. It was like a part of her had died and a cold, empty void was left in its place.

o o o

Time passed, the snow melted, and the spring brought new life to the land. It also brought the smile back to Amaterasu's face. To Soji she had returned to being the same Amaterasu that he remembered before her mother died. She was much happier and spent a lot more time outdoors playing with her cats. She seemed to be slowly forgetting all of the terrible memories of her father, but sometimes Soji noticed this unusual look on her face which he could never exactly put a specific emotion to.

"You've been staring at me for the past ten minutes" Amaterasu said as Soji bent down and picked up one of the cats and sat down beside Amaterasu, who was also holding a cat in her lap "what could you possibly be thinking about."

"Just thinking about how happy you've been lately" he responded, stroking the cat's head as it purred its content.

"I dreamt about my mother last night" she said staring at the cherry blossoms on the trees. "I can't remember much except that it was raining and we were both very happy. I just got this feeling that everything is going to be alright now." She nudged the cat off of her lap before standing up "I'm going for a walk by the river, you're welcome to join me."

"No thanks, I'm going to enjoy the scenery" he said as she walked around the corner of the building, the two remaining cats trailing close behind her. As her footsteps faded into the distance, Soji coughed a 

couple times. Thinking it was the start of a harmless cold, he didn't see the faint traces of blood dotting the cat's fur.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Dun Dun Dun. Cliffhanger ending, at least until you read Last Time of My Life. Well that is the end of Suyuan. I hope to the celestial heavens that you enjoy the story in its entirety. I do suck at writing endings so it is fine by me if this isn't up to par with the other chapters. Just don't be too mean in the reviews, I might cry. You may or may not see any future projects as college and life are very time consuming. As always, I crave your lovely reviews. Hot chocolate and oatmeal raisin cookies for everyone, I also have chocolate soymilk if anyone would like that. Thanks to all my loyal readers/reviews as well as everyone who every read any part of this story.

Sayonara,

Hellfire!!