Epilogue:
Riza and Reiri's Story:
Riza continued to live happily with Sawawa and Reiri in Hime's mansion though she unfortunately found no end of trouble especially with her people who were still pretty pissed she had worked alongside a Vampire, never mind if it was to help a Royal Princess or not… it didn't make things any easier when, even after the War had ended, Riza refused to abandon Reiri's side (this now gave rise to many scandalous rumors regarding the exact nature of their relationship though such rumors would ultimately remain unconfirmed)… Hime of course vouched for Riza and so too did Rudy and Aida which spared the half-breed the exile or imprisonment some of the Generals on the Senate were looking to dole out… it still didn't stop the political backlash and in the end, a sort of compromising "punishment" was reached…
Riza was assigned to the frontlines to aid in the battle against the Vampires and other monsters that threatened Werewolf land and supremacy… It didn't bother her much even if her assignments were often suicidal, the like that even the most foolhardy Werewolves would think twice before attempting. Of course, Riza's response to it all was to meet these challenges face to face while coming back alive, better yet successful after each and every campaign. It irritated the Generals to no end but there wasn't much more they could do without being out rightly cruel to a Knight of the Kingdom. They just kept their mouths shut as they grudgingly accepted their victories and watched helplessly as Riza's renown soared among her comrades—it got to a point that during battles, some Werewolves would even say her name in comradeship after saying their father's or mother's… an honor previously reserved to only a few legendary warrior's in Werewolf history, such was the magnitude of her exploits throughout the years…
Riza Wildman, the Invincible Half-Breed…
Apart from being legendary now, Riza also found time to help Hime with miscellaneous royal work like going to certain war-torn parts of the Kingdom to help allies and act as reinforcements… sometimes she'd even act as a diplomat though Hime tried to minimize those instances after the half-breed fell asleep at more than a few negotiation tables… Reiri would tag-along almost always and became a regular if not integral part of Riza's squad… of course this put them both under even more pressure, but Reiri never directly attacked any Vampires whenever she and Riza were working side-by-side so she avoid being banished from the Vampire society a second time. Of course, in hindsight, that wasn't quite as big a concern for her as it was for Riza… Surprisingly or perhaps rather ironically, the Vampire Society was less stringent than the Werewolf's… most likely because they were… you know… Vampires and as such they were all fiercely independent. In other words, they didn't give two shits what one of their own was doing so long as there was no significant infighting in the process. So yeah, it was a nice loophole Riza and Reiri found and it worked quite well and Riza noted her Vampiric friend's lack of involvement in the instances of their contact which assured—at least on paper—that the pure-blood was not involved in any Werewolf affairs…
All in all, Riza and Reiri found a fair equilibrium remaining friends even despite the harsh political climate of their people and Riza was sincerely happy with her 'punishment,' happy just to fight and seeing Rudy and Aida as part of her squad was also simply perfect… they also had plenty of time to relax in between missions and both she and Reiri enjoyed Sawawa's great hospitality as the busty maid was more than happy to accommodate them whenever they stopped by…
Riza eventually met her end several years later in a fated scouting mission. Her job was to find out more about some sort of… disease that was ravaging Werewolf troops deep in the Rocky Mountains of Origin which, after the destruction of the Summit of the World by Emile, Fuhito, and Gilliam, was the tallest mountain left in the Kingdom… just three hundred miles north of the Palace… It was supposed to be a week-long routine evaluation and actually it was one of the half-breed's less suicidal assignments. By this time, the Senate had long since given up on trying to punish her and instead decided to make due subtly insulting her by playing on her age (though she really wasn't that old). They promoted her, gave her a pat on the back, and assigned her the Werewolf equivalent of a desk job doing busy work under the pretext that she had served her people well and was no longer obligated to fight… yeah… Riza could smell the bullshit a mile away but at least now they didn't give her shit about the people she brought along on her missions… she just wished there was more action on her details…
Perhaps she should've been more careful with her wish for on that day, that particular mission was far from a desk job and it quickly turned into one of the most devastating if not dangerous missions of Riza's entire military career… She along with her squad of three rookies, two vets, a medic, Aida and Rudy made their way up that God forsaken hill and no sooner did they step foot into the first camp on their roster that they were completely overwhelmed by zombies… Yes that's right… zombies… the ancient and terrible plague of the Monster Realm that breaks out every so often despite the best efforts of the Phoenixes… that affects all manner of creatures no matter what species, human or monster… that not even the King is allowed to use or trifle with… and not even the best scientists in all the land—not the least of which including the Professor—could cure… Riza and her squad walked right into the middle of that kind of Hell…
Needless to say, Riza ordered a full retreat and while Werewolves don't believe in retreating, they also don't believe in suicide. Fighting zombies? Well… fighting zombies was a form of suicide in anybody's book… and Riza and her underprepared squad of 8 other Werewolves were up against most if not all of the brigade stationed on Origin… a brigade spread throughout 107 other encampments along the mountain and that numbered some 5,000 troops, all Werewolves now turned dead… or more specifically undead. Things only went from bad to shit when, by the time Riza and her squad turned to leave doing their best to minimize hand to hand combat—which was impossible since Werewolves hate weapons—their entire flank was gone… just… gone… and they were an island among a sea of undead cannibals… they fought for two days… no food or water or sleep… no contact… no reinforcements… two days… and they still couldn't break back through to the path they came by… the only path back down that steep, rocky Hell of a mountain…
Eventually and… luckily they fought their way to a cave where they hoped to find some rest… to recover and fortify… and rethink a strategy to escape while somehow warning the rest of the World about the danger lurking on this ancient mountain… what they found instead was the broken remnants of the brigade of Werewolves stationed on Origin… a makeshift company composed of some three hundred soldiers. It was a godsend for Riza and her squad and after taking the time to rest, talk and learn more about the situation, Riza assumed full command of the company. There together with this new boast in numbers, the seasoned half-breed led her comrades on a grand assault to secure the twelfth, sixteenth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-sixth encampments all of which, according to the company's intel, had less zombie resistance than just walking out the front door (or front path)… That would have undoubtedly been a death sentence… even so, these camps still had heavy zombie activity and it was hard for the company to kill their old brethren but under Riza's leadership, hell under her very presence, her men kept themselves together without so much as a single casualty… indeed, Riza and her men masterfully took the camps in what would later be known as The Battle of Origin where they were able to repair the downed communication lines (which had gone offline two weeks before which is why Riza was sent in) and send a distress beacon out to the Senate detailing the actual situation behind their so-called disease…
Word of Riza's great and ill-fated campaign soon reached Hime and she sent immediate aid to the Werewolves in the form of her specialists… a unique division of Androids and Royal Guards kept active for the sole purpose of dealing with zombie outbreaks. Hime herself stayed behind to coordinate with her Generals and make contingency plans while Hiro and Reiri prepared to mobilize but even so, the onslaught they were walking in on was brutal… Hiro was the first to arrive, of course, being Phoenix-like and all. The minute he and Hime found out about Riza's calamity (an hour after the distress beacon was received by the Senate), Hime ordered him to all but teleport to the half-breed's side while the rest of the reinforcements and Reiri were en route ETA 30 minutes… Once there though… well… it was… it was difficult to describe… Hiro realized what a true nightmare was… Riza and her men had indeed taken the camps but after an hour of waiting, they must have been facing down all of the zombies on Origin, and they were losing men fast… Hiro fought admirably clearing a path with his holy flames to get to Riza but it was difficult work… even for one such as himself… and the mountain had many cracks and crevasses where more and more of the zombified brigade seemed to spew endlessly.
It was Hell if ever Hell had a time and a place… The Second Battle of Origin… yet in the end… after killing what must have been 1000 zombies… Hiro finally managed to get to Riza clearing a path for her and her men. It was a joyous reunion as Hiro and Riza hugged… and the great man was just happy to see his werewolf friend alive. Sadly, not all things were joyful as Hiro himself soon realized as he looked upon what was left of the brave 300 that Riza had led. 157 were still alive—a steep price to pay but no one blamed her… no one could… it was an amazing success considering the conditions… too bad Riza didn't see it that way. Alas, they had worse problems to contend with and just as Riza and her men made to mobilize; their escape was once again put in jeopardy as another wave of zombies came from their flank…
Now, by that time, Riza and her men were completely exhausted… there would be no way for them to evacuate without being overtaken or even fight in the state that they were in… down below, the reinforcements from the Senate, a few local allies, Reiri even, and the Kingdom were consolidating power but it seemed the zombies that weren't attacking Riza and the gang were trying to escape which turned the situation into a volatile powder keg. Advancing for a rescue might end up turning the whole battle into a war if even one more man was bitten not to mention the zombies climbing down the mountain in crazed hordes disallowed the Androids to move in as they were forced to monitor the surrounding areas of the oddly shaped and rather large mountain. Hime's Division was spreading out all its 15,000 units to surround this great obstacle of Nature and they even set up a forward operations base to contact the King and her Generals about the situation. It other words, they were as helpless as children and this was one problem that couldn't be fixed by sending for more reinforcements… zombies were always a problem like that… and so the World's eyes fell on Origin in what would later be known as the Werewolf-Zombie Crisis as Hime gave the local governments the word for their citizens in nearby villages up to one hundred miles away to evacuate or risk being… quarantined… (Quarantine of course referring to Hime's obligation as King to destroy the entire area if the situation progressed any further).
Hime wasn't keen on doing that and neither was Hiro so he did his best—earning his title of the second strongest—as he spear-headed the flank. Unfortunately, he soon realized his very presence coupled with his overuse of the royal flames had actually rendered the entire mountain… that's right the mountain itself… unstable… not unlike Fuhito and Emile…
You've got to be kidding me…
He was simply too powerful to be of any help…
It was then that Riza, having come that far, displayed the most noble of virtues… stepping forth in front of her men, she patted Hiro on the back just like she had so many times before giving him that same stupid, wild but happy smile she always gave… there was, however, one difference this time… there was a peace in it as she gave a heavy sigh.
"Take care of Hime Hiro…" That was the last thing Riza said before she left Hiro and her men screaming after her, she went smiling off into battle… Little is known about what happened next but Hiro understood Riza's intent and chauffeured her men as quickly as he could down the mountainside… there must have been about 400 Werewolf zombies at their flank… Hiro didn't see a single one and no sooner did he and the company reach the bottom, right as he turned around to head back to find Riza, the entire mountain started to collapse…
Riza… had torn down the mountain… to save them all…
It was too much for Reiri to watch… she took off with a speed Hiro had never seen before and despite his calls she didn't turn back, not even once, as she went flying off racing into the smoking cloud of the collapsing mountain… Hiro remembered her reaction all those years ago when they with Hime were trapped by Prince Severin in a city filled with zombies… for her to go rushing in knowing the situation now… it was a great bond between those two…a very great bond indeed… and it made it all the more heartbreaking to watch when Reiri came back with the bloody broken remains of her werewolf friend… and yet, as if a testament to Riza's greatness, the half-breed didn't have a single bite mark on her… she was wounded… yes… mortally so… but she was no zombie… she died before Hiro in Reiri's arms smiling and laughing with her werewolf squad, with Aida and Rudy and the company she had saved as they all rejoiced, with tears in their eyes, at how honorable her death was… and indeed it was honorable if not more so, her actions had single-handedly crippled most of the remaining zombies on Origin. Any remaining stranglers were easy picking considering the Mountain was just a pile of rubble now—which was still unbelievable that a single werewolf, a half-breed even, could do something like that even if technically Hiro weakened the bedrock and what not, it was still something amazing to think about—and the rest of the zombies were easily hunted down till the Royal Androids unanimously reported there were no signs of the undead on any of their scanners.
Upon hearing of Riza's passing now, Hime ordered a royal funeral and instigated a Holiday in which tens of thousands of Werewolves attended including every single one of the Werewolf Generals and those present on the days of Origin—as they became known—and with that… Riza had solidified her position as a legendary Hero… not just to Werewolves, but for the entire Kingdom… Her remains were later transported back—respectfully—to the human world where she was buried alongside her brother in Sasanaki Cemetery… Hime made sure that no one would ever disturb the dead there again. She posted a few guards to silently watch over the restful and Sherwood also kept a wary eye on the place.
The aftermath of Riza's death and the Battles for Origin shook the Monster Realm to its core. There began much scrutiny of the Werewolf government specifically the Generals who did their best to try and explain that it was their Intel that had dropped the ball and that they honestly had no idea what Riza and her men were walking into. Further questions, however, pressed them as people wondered what the Werewolves were even doing on that Mountain in the first place to which the Generals obviously refused to comment… Other questions also arouse such as how the zombie plague broke out. Of course, with the mountain completely gone and the last of the brigade zombies all but destroyed, evidence was hard to come by though speculation favored the outbreak was due to a fungus that grew near the top of the Mountain… Origin historically never had many people living on it and, furthermore, hardly anyone lived near the top… not to mention, the military operations of the Werewolves were fairly recent developments. Add to that the nature of the zombie plague, having numerous sources ranging from fungus to bacteria to viruses to just plain unknown—all of which surprisingly having similar effects—and again the fungus theory, though one of many and still criticized, seemed plausible…
On that note, even Hime received her fair share of criticism for letting this entire ordeal happen in the first place… well… maybe criticism was the wrong word, but people wondered how their so-called all-powerful King couldn't see something like this happening so close to the Palace's borders… ("I'm only human" wasn't exactly a valid excuse you follow?) Of course Hime's quick actions, the minimal causalities excluding the entire Werewolf brigade, and the unfortunate death of her close friend silenced most if not all the critics… Hiro wondered too though how Hime hadn't seen this coming and she once again reminded him how all powerful was not the same as having power over everything… there was more to it than that but he accepted her answer as it was… the time for mourning was now… the time for answers would come later… Indeed for now, they two along with the Werewolf world and a large chunk of the Kingdom grieved for Riza along with all those lost on Origin, taking comfort from the fact that they all died heroes… Riza especially who died in battle—happily and honorably like all Werewolves should…
Reiri took Riza's death very hard but she did her best to remain strong in memory of her werewolf friend. She continued living with Sawawa and visited Sherwood regularly for tea but after about a year or so her visits became less and less frequent, and she had become far more reserved leading it to trouble Sawawa… One day, she simply sighed as Sawawa poured her her usual glass of tomato juice just before dinner…
"It's such a lovely night." She said with a tired smile… "I think I'll go for a stroll…"
"This late Reiri-chan? Are you sure?"
"Yes Sawawa… and I think I'll be gone for a while…" She said as she giggled and made her way down to the lobby. Sawawa walked her out but just as Reiri was about to take off she gave a soft "hmm" to herself, as she looked out across the star-studded sky… "It really is beautiful… the night…" She chuckled glancing back toward the busty maid and the famous house she had lived in. "Take care…"
Reiri never came back… Sawawa waited and waited but after two days and Reiri still hadn't returned, the busty maid called her brother and went to the police. Hime sent royal guards to look for her and Sherwood conducted the search on sight. But after a week of searching, no one had seen Reiri… it was assumed that she passed away… of what it was uncertain for she was still fairly young, especially by Vampiric standards, but she had seen battle being dragged along with Riza and the two had grown inseparable… perhaps she simply died not of loneliness or depression or anything tragic like that but rather kinship… to go and meet the only werewolf she had ever cared for… and to go find her somehow…somewhere… beyond the veil of this world… to go bother her once again… (I almost cried when writing this…)
Sawawa's Story:
Sawawa was alone for a time but Hiro, under the influence of Hime's flame of life, came to visit her and Sherwood as often as he could… Hime was usually busy so Hiro came alone though he himself was very busy, his power under the royal flame making him the second strongest being in the Kingdom at the time… it became pretty obvious then the true depth of the prophecy that he was the strongest blood warrior… that he was more than just a match for the royal blood and he was resonating with the power of the Phoenixes… Perhaps due to his character, he'd say… his love for Hime made him that way. Whatever the case, Hiro did his best to keep up with his visits to Sawawa while juggling his responsibilities…
At first, his busty sister was a little sad when she found out he wouldn't be staying with her but she quickly figured out—for even she wasn't that clueless—that he was staying with Hime and in that realization, she was happy… she was happy because Hiro was happy… she could see it in his face… for the first time in a long while… genuinely so… she'd often tease him or perhaps ask legitimately to let her know when the wedding was going to be… She wasn't the least bit surprised when the invitation actually came in the mail and she with Sherwood, Riza and Reiri (this was before the Origin incident) once again went to the Monster Realm where the old gang was reunited a final time—all together—as the world watched Hiro and Hime become husband and wife…
And so the years stretched on as they often do… Sawawa aged gracefully though she would constantly ask how it was that Hiro did not age to which the fine man would just comically laugh off the question… unfortunately, that comedy slowly turned to melancholy as Hiro watched wrinkles and tired old marks gather on his sister's face while he remained perpetually young… it was difficult for him to see but all was as it should be… he was at Hime's side (bound to her now by two solemn oaths) and Sawawa was living out the rest of her life peacefully in the human world and you know what? That's all Hiro really wanted for his older sister… that's what his parent's would have wanted as well…
Sawawa eventually passed away at a very ripe old age. Hiro came by during one of his usual visits and found his sister sleeping in the dining room. It was a really odd thing to see, her napping there of all places, at that time of day. She always seemed so full of energy, so full of life. Hiro woke her up gently and the two of them talked a while… Sawawa told him all about how she had enjoyed their time together, their parents, Hime… my god did she go on and on about Hime—to think just two years of her life could leave such a grand impression though Hiro would be lying if he said it wasn't the same for him—his current existence evidence to the fact as well as Sawawa living in this very mansion… It was a very honest conversation, very heavy and Hiro felt it tugging deep at his heart as he felt the tired undertone of a satisfied life as he stared into his sister's eyes and she stared back at his… He decided to go make them some tea…
"Goodbye baby brother…" he heard her whisper with a beautiful smile to which he blushed a bit and chuckled, "What's with that nee-san?" He said as he gave her a hug. "I won't be gone long…" Indeed he wasn't, but when he came back… he realized what she meant. Sawawa had drifted off peacefully… just sitting with that same happy smile on her face as her head titled off to one side… in her hand Hiro noticed that she had been holding a photo… one of the few in fact that they'd actually taken with everyone in it, Hime, Riza, Reiri, Sherwood, Francesca, Flandre, Ryu-Ryu, even Nakua was in the background…
"Goodbye… big sis…" Hiro mumbled resting the picture next to her. He gently pulled back a few of her gray stray bangs and kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams…"
That was a very difficult time for Hiro—the same as when Riza and Reiri died—and Hime, even despite her extremely busy schedule, took time off to comfort her lover and their bond if at all possible grew stronger during this time… she attended Sawawa's funeral as did Sherwood who herself was old. Upon the request of Hiro and of course the desires of Sawawa, the funeral took place in the Human World. She was laid down to rest by her parent's graves in the town she and Hiro and their happy family had once lived in… she never married… Nakua honored her as well by making some White Lilies bloom beside her evergreen grave. Those flowers were her favorite…
And so the house once again became empty but Nakua, under great respect for Sawawa, vowed that she would watch over the mansion and its occupants even after Sawawa died and the house passed on to Hiro and as such back to Hime who kept it empty as a show of respect to her former maid… and sister-in-law…
She and Hiro would sometimes "vacation" there on her free days where she would drink her tea (brewed by Hiro) and read her books the same as always… though now she would tease Hiro and say his tea was not as good as Sawawa's to which the young man would just warmly smile… "There's always the next cup…"
Sherwood's Story:
Sherwood, Francesca and Ryu-Ryu continued to live in Sasanaki and went on countless safaris in the deep and dark places of the world uncovering hundreds of previously unknown or presumed extinct species of monsters. Her exploits would become legendary especially among the scholars of the Kingdom with many wishing to accompany her on her adventures. Sherwood politely declined all offers of help. She preferred to keep her team small and whenever Francesca and Ryu-Ryu weren't enough, she would occasionally bring Bucchi along and Hiro as well… She ran into trouble a few times and once, she along with Francesca and Ryu-Ryu were stranded for ten days in a wildness awaiting rescue from the Kingdom. She still loved her fieldwork and Hime was happy that someone other than her was carrying on the royal family's traditions… exploring wasn't exactly her cup of tea (pun intended)…
Sherwood now lived to be quite old and had taken to her age with great grace such that it was obvious she was indeed a princess… She passed away quietly one day while getting ready for her next safari… Francesca having realized her master was dead, called the Kingdom and explained the situation before leaving to some remote location and presumably self-detonating…
Ryu-Ryu stayed by Sherwood's side and refused to leave her grave even after she was buried in the Royal Catacombs… Hime ordered a royal funeral and millions of people came to wish the Royal Family the best and grieve with Hime as she said goodbye to her little sister… Ryu-Ryu eventually died the day after Sherwood was buried having fallen asleep at her grave and not waking up the next morning… he was buried in the crypt of the blood warriors as per the request of Sherwood where he was honored as their equal… he required a huge coffin though… Sherwood never had any children…
It was a very difficult time for Hime and Hiro like each time before when they had to bury one of their own. Of course, at that point chronologically, with Sherwood's death… they were out of loved ones to bury, and though she would never admit it, Hime was in pieces within herself. She remained strong though and stoic as she continued ruling over the Kingdom in the aftermath of her sister's demise. Hiro was of great consolation to her during this time and again, if at all possible, their bond deepened as the last of their group finally parted from this world and the two immortal lovers were alone… they were at least together…
Hiro and Hime's Story:
With Sherwood laid to rest, the line of the Phoenixes was all but broken and for many years many of the monster denizens wondered what would become of their Kingdom. There wasn't exactly panic though there was much debate. I mean it wasn't like Hiro and Hime weren't married… now the question was if they'd actually conceive… Many knew of the horrible suffering Hiro and Hime endured during the Royal War and that the two were very benevolent… even by Phoenix standards and that's saying a lot… they didn't want to see another War especially one involving their own children… hell almost every time Hime sent reinforcements to her allies or ordered her troops into battle, she would offer to negotiate to end hostilities first earning her the nickname "Lillianne the Peacemaker."
The problem still remained though… there simply had to be a prospective future for the Kingdom… having the same King indefinitely would make the system more of a dictatorship than a monarchy which would undoubtedly cause discontent among the populous. Not to mention no Phoenix would ever want to rule forever… even if their reign was three thousand years or something like that (the longest recorded was ten thousand and fifteen actually), they would most likely surrender the throne eventually. Being the King of all the Monsters wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and there were other obligations the Phoenixes had to attend to… maintaining the world in a more spiritual and natural sense was a key obligation and it required a lot more Phoenixes to achieve especially as time went on and the world aged and grew…
That said Hiro and Hime's reaction to all the speculation and the problem of the War and lineage was this…. They would have one child… that's it… that simple… only one many, many years later… it was perhaps the most beautiful and thoughtful idea they'd ever had… simple yet brilliant… It meant Hime's race was as delicate as a feather—in terms of juvenile descendents—but it also meant that the Royal War was over before it even began, and that Hiro and Hime wouldn't have to bury their children…
This was something that both Hime and Hiro needed. It was a great emotional time that reminded them all was not lost even if all their friends were buried… and Hiro had never seen Hime smile the way she did the day she told him she was pregnant. The only other time she had smiled in a similar way was when they were getting married. It was perfect. It was wonderful, and Hiro despite his youthful appearance had lived many years yet he couldn't help but feel like his 14 year old self as he stared at Hime the day she said those wonderful words and he embraced her right afterward… it was especially heart-warming since Hime had finally learnt through the many years to express herself… and the two were as a fine noble couple as they spent the rest of the day together professing their love for the other in a hundred different ways…
The entire week after, all of Hime's obligations and work were put on hold as she and Hiro announced to the Monster World that they had conceived an Heir… Barely an hour later, factories were closing for the day, cities were celebrating, parties were raging, and millions of millions of monsters were congratulating Hiro and Hime as the broadcast of their announcement kept on playing around the world. Of course during the time the Monster Realm didn't realize that this would be the only child Hiro and Hime would conceive. The parties may have lasted the entire month instead of three weeks, but some political analyst speculated as much… it was just like the Royal couple… an elegant solution to yet another impossible problem…
Indeed, Hime and Hiro decided that they would love their child and instill in him or her a sense of duty and dignity toward the world and toward themselves… they promised to be an actual Royal family, not an orderly file-cabinet, ready for the next ceremony but an actual family… like the one they'd once had during those blessed albeit troublesome two years… They also decided that if their child was a girl, they'd name her Sawawa (middle name Sherwood), and if it was a boy, Gilliam (middle name Emile). (Sawawa Sherwood von Phoenix-Hiyorimi… Gilliam (II) Emile von Phoenix-Hiyorimi… not bad…)
If their child grew up now and decided to have more than one offspring then that was fine. Hiro and Hime were trying to set a precedent but it felt wrong chartering a law against the procreation of their descendents. In other words, there was no real guarantee that their actions would mean the end of the Royal War forever if somewhere down the line one of their own decided against their solution. Some in the Kingdom were actually thinking about this as well once they realized Hime and Hiro's intent stating that now there would be no selection process for the King… of course, that was the point and many in the Kingdom realized what Hime and Hiro were really trying to do and they honestly felt things better this way… Whatever the case, Hiro and Hime resolved that whatever happened in their line, they hoped that their descendents would find a fairer way to pass along power… that no Phoenix could ever again be seduced by the illustrious all-powerful throne… and bet everything on a War to kill their brothers and their sisters… if at that point Hiro and Hime had any regrets… it was that their friends couldn't be there to see their soon-to-be child… Sawawa would have loved to and so would Sherwood… they took comfort from the fact that their friends at least saw them when they married…
On that note, Hiro and Hime married many years before. Hiro actually worked up the gall to propose to Hime… yes, he actually proposed to Hime… and my what a fine thing it was… he—though a Knight of the Kingdom—a human and a blood warrior, not even a noble proposing to his Phoenix master? The King of all the world? And then for her to accept? Such a story would eventually become a children's tale and Hiro and Hime the unlikely heroes of yet another adventure. There was still some criticism, however, of Hime marrying someone like Hiro even despite all they'd been through together. He was indeed a human and her blood warrior, but those critics were far and few between and the wedding took place a few years after Hime had ascended to the throne. By this time, Hiro had proven himself in countless different ways as a worthy man with an unquenchable appetite for good and the second strongest "monster" in all the land—people just called him a monster for short for he proved much like Riza was doing during the same time for half-breeds, that humans had a place among the rest of the monsters, and not just as food or some lesser race, but as equals…
The wedding now, upon the obvious expectations of the Monster Realm, was a lavish affair hosted in the Royal Palace, the scoop and scale of which rivaled that of Hime's coronation especially since this time… there was actually time to plan it…
And she looked beautiful then… yes… that was what was in Hiro's heart on that day… Hime looked beautiful then, soft, elegant, glowing, no longer the stoic pillar of reservation she was known to be though the authority was still there. It was in her eyes, in her stride, but she was in that moment, just a simple beautiful woman on her wedding day as she walked toward the man she loved, to the man she was about to vow herself to for all eternity, to her trembling Hiro and she couldn't help but smile. Hiro could see it clearly despite her veil. He could also see that unlike himself she was not blushing at all though she did keep blinking and that's how he knew, that's how he realized, she was trembling too… That as she, the King of all the lands and the master of all his heart walked for what could have easily been a million miles down that white aisle surrounded by the world that cried joyously for her—no for them—and the weight of appreciation of all her ancestors as they made their appearance on that day, cutting through the air behind her cawing madly in some grander version of her comes the bride, as she approached the alter where Riza, Reiri, Sawawa, Sherwood, Ryu-Ryu, Flandre, and Francesca waited sobbing joyously by Hiro's side, Hiro could see that she was indeed trembling too…
And with that, the ceremony commenced. It was much shorter than the coronation and it was a happy occasion as Hiro looked deep into Hime's eyes reconfirming everything he knew in his heart. They both wore the finest tailored bride and groom attire the Kingdom had ever known and they smiled at each other as the priest concluded with a good old "you may now kiss the bride." It made Hiro feel a little self-conscious, but before he could think too much about it, Hime's lips pressed themselves against his own and from there his body figured out the rest (this gave rise to the joke you may now kiss the groom). Hiro wrapped his hands around the woman he loved and with that the crowd cheered as the Phoenixes and the entire universe clapped championing the one event it had waited so long to see… it was a fine party afterward as well… (And best of all no one attacked them!) It also brought everyone back together—Sawawa, Riza, Reiri, Sherwood, Francesca, Ryu-Ryu, Flandre, and so many more. Ladd was there too though he couldn't help but grimace with a comical amount of tears watching Hiro get away with the finest maiden in all the lands…
"Hey Hiro! Now that you're married do you think you could send me one of Hime-sama's… you know… panties…?"
"WHAT?"
"Oh come on Hiro!" Ladd begged. "I know you'll be seeing more than that later on!"
"LADD! DON'T SAY SUCH EMBARASSING THINGS!"
"You're married now! Help a moleman out!"
Anyway (sweat bubble)… Hiro and Hime enjoyed immense popularity among the Monster World and they ruled the Kingdom, or rather Hime ruled while Hiro became her right hand, for many, many years to come, eventually raising their child together. They would, many more years later, hand off the throne to their heir before merging into one being and flying off into the sunrise of the next generation... not unlike Hime's own parents actually or their ancestors before, taking their lovers with them into eternity… what Hiro and Hime's life was like afterward as true phoenixes is unknown but they would always be together… that much was certain… that much was clear… that much was all that mattered… here… at the very end of their journey…
Flandre's Story:
After Hiro and Hime left the throne in their child's care, Flandre was no longer obligated to serve. Her master was alive, hell her master was immortal and so she had no reason to self-detonate. She had been with Hime since the very beginning—since the War started way back when Hime was just 12 years old—and if at all possible for an android, she was happy. She felt happy and satisfied with how things had turned out, kind of like watching ones child grow up and become successful.
Flandre now could have stayed on to help the new King having been by their side since they were born and to which she felt a strong bond as well but the Professor kept cranking out newer and newer models of Androids and despite the maintenance done on her she was weathered and out-of-date… That coupled with Hime's last order and she had made the decision to end it there… Android's have limited AI capabilities… they can problem solve and think independently but most of their actions are dictated by the commands their master gives them—that's why Flandre sometimes withheld information from Hime. It wasn't that she wanted to lie but rather Hime hadn't asked… newer models fixed this problem to some degree. But no, Hime's last command to Flandre was this. She ordered her little robomaid to be free. Yes… that's right… Hime looked into her loving maid's eyes with an equally loving look and after an adorable hug between the two, she told her to make her own choices thereby releasing the lock that bound the Android to her Master… Flandre then, after saying goodbye to the new King, eventually returned to the Professor's Lab where she was to be deactivated indefinitely. And though that may have sounded like it was a sad, pitiful, and tragic end, it was to be Flandre's final resting call… and she was free and this was her own choice…
The last thing Flandre did as she stepped into the power bay of her 'Father's' lab was reach into her pocket and pull out the sea shell she had received all those years ago. She put the shell to her ears and listened to the ocean… and while it would be impossible to search an Android's brain for their last internal processes moments before permanent deactivation… I think her last thoughts were of Hime… and all the others for she too was part of their family and as such… she loved them… even as an android programmed to only protect Hime… she loved her friends…
"Fuga…"
That was her last Fuga before she was powered down and respectfully stored in a vault—the android's equivalent of a tomb. The Professor made sure to seal her with her sea shell as well…
Ladd's Story:
Ladd now never did get those panties but he and Hiro remained great friends regardless and for many years. They hardly ever saw each other though so he and Hiro kept up by writing letters to one another. Ladd moved around a lot, both within the Monster World and around the Human Realm but he eventually settled in the Kingdom in a small molemen settlement two thousand miles South of the Palace. Even though moles tend to be solitary creatures only coming together to mate, molemen are not moles and so Ladd fell into his community quite well… In fact, it was there that, despite his perverted nature, Ladd met a rather… ah… beautiful molewoman and the two were married in a rather modest ceremony.
Of course, Hiro and Hime were invited, though to make sure Ladd's wedding wouldn't be hounded by the paparazzi, they with Milano's help quietly made plans to attend… it'd make for a great surprise too and indeed it did… Ladd was more than honored and happy to see Hiro and Hime at his wedding and the two Royals congratulated their moleman friend on his newfound love. He was still a bit of a pervert, however, the years and his marriage hadn't changed that and he still couldn't resist the urge to ask Hime for her… panties… though this time the reason was so that he could give the brand to his wife so she could wear the same…
Yeah… his wife slapped him pretty hard for that but all in all, he was a good man and the two were indeed deeply in love… Hiro and Hime wished them much happiness and they in turn wished the Royal couple continued success ruling over the World…
Hiro and Hime's visit now earned Ladd a place in the spotlight for a time and he along with his wife became rather renown among their people being such good friends with her Majesty and her husband—to the point where they'd actually shown up to their wedding…
Ladd eventually died many years later having fathered some 16 children. Hime sent droves of gifts to his widow and offspring's and Hiro visited his grave a few times to pay his respects. He died one year before Sawawa…
Bucchi's Story:
Bucchi now grew into a fine man over the years but he never quite got over Reiri and Hiro's departure (Reiri had finished high school by the time of Hime's coronation). He would, however, visit Sherwood sometimes and became one of the few people she voluntarily brought along on her adventures.
Eventually, Bucchi went off to college and studied to be a journalist. He made numerous documentaries, wrote many excerpts in local newspapers and became fairly renowned in the city of Sasanaki which he never left. He did conversely; gain a reputation for being an occultist. Of course, after all he'd seen and all he knew, he didn't care much about the criticism. In fact, he was proud of what he knew and eventually he began to once again openly express his beliefs in the occult nature of things to which he was immensely grateful to Hiro for telling him the truth about all their expeditions all those years ago. He actually wrote a fairly popular children's book series in Japan which used his experiences with Hiro as inspiration…
He and Hiro never met again, not face to face, but Hiro received information from Sherwood whenever the two of them had time to meet with the latter reassuring him that Bucchi was doing just fine. Hiro actually heard through Sherwood of Bucchi's wedding to another journalist and fellow occultist who ironically was the girl he and his bespectacled friend saved from the ghost train incident… and then again from the burning building…
"Well what do you know…" Hiro chuckled when he found out.
He was extremely pleased and he even went as far as to sneak into his best friend's wedding. Unfortunately, this was during a very busy time in the Kingdom and Hiro was supposed to be halfway across the Monster World on a peace conference… he decided though being a little late wasn't all that bad as he popped into the human world, found the place where the wedding was being held, and stuck around long enough to say hi to Sherwood who was also attending and to see his best friend dance with his new bride. It was a very westernized wedding but it was still extremely beautiful. Everyone there looked so happy including Bucchi and Hiro couldn't help but smile at that point.
He may have stuck around a little too long for just as his friend finished dancing with his wife, their eyes met, his and Hiro's, even through the crowded room, even after all those years, Hiro realized Bucchi realized it was him as the light in his eyes changed. The young man moved quickly then as he dodged his way through the crowd. Bucchi rushed over in his direction which confirmed that he had indeed seen him. Hiro eventually made his way to a balcony where he teleported away but not before he left a present behind… it was actually Hime's idea… the gift… a very expensive home camera—water-proof, night-vision, you name it, built in the Monster Realm meaning it was nearly indestructible… Inside was the stored video of most if not all of Hiro and Bucchi's adventures together (which were previously confiscated by Sherwood seeing as though the camera Bucchi usually used was hers and also it wasn't exactly wise to give away video proof of the Monster Realm to a human—letting him tag along was a different story since no matter what he saw or how much he knew, no one would ever believe him without evidence). It was Hime's way of saying she'd forgiven Bucchi for all those years ago when he kidnapped and attempted to kill her. Letting him get away with this sort of confirmation to his beliefs… it was a kind gift and a fine reward to him and Sherwood too found the idea amicable…
"Hiyorimi-kun… you bastard…" Bucchi laughed quietly as he held the unwrapped present in his hand looking up at the night sky just as his wife and a few guest came over looking for him. He knew somewhere his friend was out there… and just as he hadn't forgotten their time together… Hiro hadn't forgotten either…
That was truly the last time Hiro and Bucchi ever met, at least in the conventional sense. Years later, Hiro would hear that Bucchi died at a fairly old age survived by both his wife and two children. The immortal warrior personally went to his grave passing by his family who had come to pay their respects as well. He offered his condolences before he went over to Bucchi's tombstone and rested his hand on it.
"Goodbye my friend…" He said before he turned around and walked away leaving Bucchi's wife calling after him wondering why he looked so familiar…
Rudy and Aida's Story:
After Riza and Reiri died, Rudy and Aida stayed together but became increasingly distant from their Werewolf government. They just couldn't take the political bullshit and lack of consensus and it surprised them how these so-called "Generals" could talk so much and be so bureaucratic—they were Werewolves for God's sake! Granted not every situation was as clear cut as kill this or kill that, but if they weren't so stuck-up about the rules then maybe they could pay attention to other things… maybe Riza would still be alive…
Regardless, there was no point in thinking like that now. It wouldn't bring Riza back. She died honorably anyway and so Rudy and Aida did their best to carry on and serve their comrades. It was a little rough for them since obviously they themselves weren't exactly that popular with the Senate for backing Riza up all those years ago. It was especially difficult since, with Riza gone, their squad was all but defunct so they were reassigned. They were still treated with respect though and as such they were frequently in charge of leading a squad or heading an operation. Many Werewolves admired them especially for their association with Riza and her Majesty. It didn't make things any easier for them, but Rudy and Aida did appreciate the recognition.
Eventually, the two of them were ordered to inspect troops at a Werewolf base 500 miles away from the Palace. It was supposed to be a routine mission—yeah we've all heard that before—but honestly, this time it really was. The only problem? Rudy and Aida never made it to the base. After a week of waiting for word of their arrival, the Senate sent out a few search parties and urged the Werewolf community not to panic—Rudy and Aida were heroes like Riza… heroes don't just vanish… The Senate's response to that was to ask the Werewolves stationed at the base to send a small detachment of their men to search the surrounding areas further adding to the efforts.
These searches would ultimately prove in vain and to this day no one knows what really happened to Rudy and Aida, if perhaps they were attacked or if they got into some kind of accident. Yet to does who heard and knew the duo well… to Hiro and Hime… they believed the two Werewolves didn't disappear at all… no… they believed that they were able to find what few people, what few monsters, Werewolf or otherwise are able to find. They were able to find happiness… far from war and politics… they finally put down their claws—a monumental act for any Werewolf—when they realize they've fought for all they'd wanted and fighting more would be meaningless… Hiro and Hime wished that, wherever they were, they were at peace and they were indeed happy. (They are to this day listed as MIA by the Werewolf Senate...)
Nakua's Story:
Nakua now was very lonely without Sawawa around her main shrine though she'd never admit that. She did, however, enjoy her fair share of praise and many residents in Sasanaki offered her tribute at the numerous shrines she oversaw. In return she blessed the city with good fortune… that was something she'd begun to do more and more as her fondness of Sasanaki grew and she softened finally fitting perfectly into her new role of accepting sweets, toys, and whatever people had to offer really instead of living sacrifices… due in no small part to Sawawa of course…
On a more personal note, Nakua worked long and hard on her project, her Evil God to Human World Bridge. Hime graciously donated supplies and funding which definitely sped things along. Her official reasoning for helping was this: The Kingdom and Evil Gods are indeed neutral toward one another; however, it is the duty of the King to pursue any projects that seek to improve the Kingdom. A Project such as this would directly affect the Monster Realm as the domain of the Evil Gods is closely linked to the lands of the Kingdom, that though we do not have any jurisdiction on these lands, donating supplies and helping with the Bridge's completion would entitle the Kingdom access to this new means of transportation. Extending this bridge then to connect to the Monster Realm would be simple and this would alleviate tension on the train ways making it more than worthy of investing in.
The crafty King would eventually work her arguments to include that while the Kingdom and the Evil Gods were neutral, they should remain on good terms and convene on things where their interest were mutual… This sort of proclamation was scrutinized by political analyst but at that point, Hime's popularity was well passed the moons of Saturn and her help allowed Nakua to finally finish her Bridge earning her more than just the respect of the little spider goddess… truly… they were friends but now more than just in words…
Apart from finishing her Bridge some thirty years after Hime's coronation… Nakua lived long and well… She eventually recovered what strength she lost in her first few battles with Hime, Riza, and Reiri but even so… even as a Goddess… she was no Phoenix and so she was not immortal… the last known sighting of her was during a city-wide fire that the fire department couldn't get under control. Nakua used her power to call forth the rain and helped stunt the spread. That was some eighty years later, well after Sawawa and Sherwood had passed away… Hiro and Hime didn't come in contact with her after that… and the royal guards stationed inconspicuously around the town noted her lack of appearance. Good things would still happen around Sasanaki though… miracles every now and then and so people continued to offer things at Nakua's shrines… the offerings would… to this day disappear…
(A/N: Though this includes events from Ch. 72, the story still takes place after Ch. 70 ignoring Keziah's revival and Riza's decision to depart from Hime's mansion (which really doesn't matter since she ends up coming back anyway). The altered timelines presented in the Deserted House arcs are considered to have been resolved so Ch. 71 for the most part also occurred in the continuity I'm writing for. Sorry about the confusion in the story description.)
Mikasa, Madeline, Hatsuse, and the Flyman's Story:
Mikasa, her sister, the mermaid, and the Flyman lived together to the end of their days with the Flyman producing Trioxin to keep the two former blood warriors alive. They ended up settling down in the town one over from Sasanaki. Mikasa still felt it odd or rather disrespectful to be around one of the Princesses she had once sworn to kill… it's also the reason why she refused to live in the Monster Realm… the shame was just too much for her to bear even if both Sherwood and Hime had long since forgiven her… she just couldn't shake the feeling.
Whatever, the case, the four members of this unlikely family lived out their lives peacefully with Mikasa finding a job at a local convenience store while Madeline kept her sister company and the Flyman worked on his experiments. Mikasa refused all the offers of the Flyman to modify her sister in any way… though the Fly would repeatedly assure her that everything was safe and that never again would he create one such as herself… she still didn't like the idea of genetically modifying her sister. Hatsuse herself repeatedly refused any treatment besides some painkillers. She was happy as she was even if her body was weakening and deteriorating… That didn't sit well with the Flyman… it didn't sit well with him at all, but perhaps because it didn't sit well with him, Mikasa actually tolerated his constant asking. He wasn't doing this out some egotistical need to prove himself and make more monsters but rather he was so persistent because he genuinely cared for Hatsuse as he had grown to care for the other two members of his little group… (I guess Monster's have heart's as well no?) It also was perhaps his way of trying to make amends for modifying Mikasa for Prince Severin—this was before he and she ended up falling in with Sylvia… he never knew how quite to say it… the two little words "I'm Sorry…" But as time went on, even he must have realized that Mikasa had forgiven him. After all, it was his invention of the Trioxin that made their current predicament possible… it gave her more time with her sister and that… that was worth an apology or two…
And so things stayed like this for awhile within the odd little family who took to living high up in the mountains on the outskirts of their town. They figured the quieter they were the simpler their life would be and they were right. Mikasa truly did her best to provide for her sister though she had spent so much time as a "biochemical weapon," she was earnestly trying to figure back out how it was to act normally. Her efforts were admirable especially as she carried on in the absence of both Princess Sylvia and Prince Severin, the latter of which she understandably had a very complex and interesting relationship with, the kind that she never fully explained or elaborated to anyone, not even her sister. She would, however, cry on occasion when she was alone as she held the ripped up remnants of his coat in her hands… despite this things were indeed going very well… there was only one other incident in which the Flyman unfortunately died due to an experiment gone wrong… of course… with their stock of Trioxin, it wasn't exactly a problem and so the good doctor too became a patient to his own medicine… so yeah things were indeed going well… so naturally… they had to come to an end…
Hatsuse sadly died at a fairly young age—about 15 or so years after Hime's coronation… Mikasa toke it very hard but she was comforted by the encouraging words of the Flyman and Madeline—well maybe not the "words" of Madeline—that her sister was at the very least happy at the end of her life, and that she knew how much Mikasa loved her… how much she sacrificed and suffered for her. Even so, Mikasa decided to follow her sister into the afterlife as she refused to take her daily dose of Trioxin. She passed away at her sister's bedside, holding her hand.
Word of their passing somehow reached Hime and Princess Sherwood—most likely because the Kingdom keeps an eye on its veterans as well as all the Monster activity in the Human Realm. They once again re-extended their offer to take Madeline in as Sherwood's blood warrior … The Flyman also offered to keep making Trioxin but the happy little Mermaid just smiled at all these offers and that's when everyone knew… she was done… she was ready to rest now too… in fact it was her decision that ultimately influenced interestingly enough, the Flyman as well as he, after destroying his lab and his notes for he, over the years, realized his work was misguided—misconstrued to find clever ways to kill, he too decided to end things once and for all.
And so Madeline along with the Flyman chased after Mikasa and Hatsuse as they all died around the same time, finally ending their eternity… and though their story may seem particularly sad… they had all resigned themselves to fates much worse… they lived well… and when news of their decisions and thus their deaths finally reached the busy Hime, she along with Hiro as her escort went to their graves and paid their respects wishing them happiness wherever they were now… Hime was especially hurt upon seeing the Mermaid's grave as was Riza who came at a separate time with Reiri and Sherwood… she was like another little sister to Hime though… or perhaps… maybe a little more accurately… a daughter… Hiro put his hand on Hime's shoulder as she put her hand on Madeline's tombstone…
"You can finally be with your lover now…" She whispered gently as she took her hand off the Mermaid's tombstone and placed it on Hiro's hand holding it there in place…
Professor Frankenstein's Story:
The Professor's secrecy and bias preferences during the Royal War were subject to much scrutiny from the general public as well as many followers of Andreas Dalton. Many wished to see him killed for such treason which very well bordered on betraying the entire state that commissioned him to work in the first place. Hime took all this into consideration and so of course it blew everyone's mind—in the usual Hime-way—when she pardoned the Professor of all charges. This caused quite an uproar but Hime masterfully reminded the people of the Professor's significant contributions to the Kingdom's Android production and thus the resource mining industry which incidentally was the source of the Kingdom's current vast wealth (and the reason why they could throw such extravagant parties every so often). She also reminded them that the Professor had held a personal conference during the War with the remaining participants, herself included, giving them valuable information about Fuhito… She argued a person who "betrayed" the Kingdom wouldn't go so far to aid it and rectify the situation to the best of his abilities. (This was kind of a dodge on her part but in the end it really didn't matter since this trial took place within the year of her coronation where she was riding on the popularity of the World she now ruled to get her way… interestingly enough, her popularity only increased in the years afterward, never once really dipping, a boast few rulers are ever able to make, especially since Hime ruled the Kingdom for many more years to come…)
The Professor now was quite grateful and dedicated his research to Android production to produce even better versions of his fairly recent creations. It was his intention to further aid the Kingdom. He also kept up his fair share of zaney experiments in which, not lacking his usual… not necessarily rude attitude but rather straight-forward, he would ask for Hime and Hiro's help… Hiro would sometimes go along and so he had a few extra crazy adventures… All in all though, the Professor truly remained loyal to the Kingdom using the life Hime had spared for the benefit of the World…
The Professor eventually passed away many, many, many years later which inspired much debate as to the actual cause… he had proven time and time again that he was the foremost genius of the Kingdom constantly outpacing all other scientist during his time (even the Flyman knew when he was beat)… it was shocking then that someone so technologically savvy could allow himself to die… just randomly like that… why then? That was the million dollar question but no one knew the answer… many believed the Professor simply decided on a whim to die for he was quite old already during the time of Hime's War having been a servant to Fuhito… perhaps he had finally done what few scientist could ever do… he found what he was looking for… and in that… he was at peace… so he died leaving behind droves of concepts and Android schematics that scholars from all throughout the Kingdom would come to study, reproduce, and improve for many more years to come. And so the torch passed to the next generation…
Poll Question: What gender would Hime and Hiro's child be?
This poll is so I can tell how many unique people are reading… it's a fun little nonsense question and it'll also give me a little more practice with the site abilities allowing me to better communicate with you guys especially if I have good support for my next few big projects… I know I'm slow but I like to think my stories are more on the longer side so that's the reason why. Anyway, choose which ever one you want. Of course, I have my own answer but I won't tell until I see the results haha! I imagine it's not hard to figure out if your perceptive, that or lucky since you have a fifty-fifty chance of figuring out my answer… I'll draw the winner after I end the poll say around… Halloween by announcing it on my author feed on my profile bio. I'll try to set a date for the drawing's release as well. Oh and you guys can check out my profile at Photobucket:
Raza_Stanza.
Not all the drawings are up yet. I hope to get them up before the end of the month. Check regularly! Both the photobucket account and my profile bio since that's where I'll post the links! Thanks guys! I really, really hope you enjoyed the story!