I really wish there wasn't school tomorrow. Can't I just sleep in? Just for a few hours...or more. I mean, I get more sleep than the average kid my age, but seven hours is still measly compared to the proper nine that we're supposed to get. Why can't school just start later? I'm not asking it to be shorter, just to start later. Why is that so much to ask? If we all got more sleep, I guarantee we'd be more productive! We can't be expected to go to bed at eight in order to get enough sleep! People have things to do, not to mention homework assigned! Sometimes I'm just soooo tempted to not get up. I do, because logically it would inhibit me to miss class, but seriously! I'd like school a little more if not for how early it begins. I'm not one of those people that gets up around six on my own. I'm one of those who gets up somewhere around nine thirty to noon.

Ah, I'm done now. You can read.

On the way back to the tree, they don't let go of my hands. Haruhi doesn't say a word to condemn them, simply joining us as we pass her, walking behind silently. Their grips hold back no strength, crushing my hands and surely bruising them, but I don't mind. I'm just glad to have them back, sane. If it's their nature to be possessive, I'll just have to indulge them.

A figure stands outside the tree when we arrive, her head hung and face covered with her hair. The colors of the natural night lights illuminate her silhouette forebodingly. Hearing the sound of leaves crunching under our feet, she lifts her head. It's Renge.

The expression she shows is not one I'd expected. It's not one of concern for our safety, or annoyance of our intrusion, or joy of our return. For some reason, her air is one of sadness.

My feet shuffle to a stop, bringing the twins to a halt in response. Haruhi leans around to see why we've stopped. When my voice comes out, there's undeniable fright in it.

"Renge?"

She opens her mouth, but seems to think better of it and turns away, opening the tree's door. The sounds that erupt from within it send chills down my spine. Crying! Children are crying! So many voices, so many despairing sobs! What could have happened?

My own grip tightening around the twins' hands, I drag them with me as I dash into the house. Every face I see is grim, a few holding me in their gaze with pity. No one even mentions Hikaru and Kaoru. The sobs come from past the initial crowd and I shove my way towards the noise, although it's unneeded. People part to let me through.

All of the sudden, someone charges to me. Out of surprise, I release the hands and throw my arms around the child. She clutches onto my dress, burying her head and adding to the tears the cloth has already absorbed. Her tears, however, flow silently, with only an occasional hiccup.

Getting a hold of myself, I choke out, "R...Rin? Hey, what's...what's wrong?" She's one of the oldest at the orphanage. It's been years since she's let anyone see her tears, having developed an inexorable sense of pride.

Then she pulls back, meeting my eyes. My mouth gapes open, unable to think of what else to say. Utter anguish. There is nothing but anguish in her face. She releases me without a word, stepping to the side. I look at where she came from, my heart shattering.

All of my siblings wail around one of the beds, a few of them holding each other, but most of them clinging onto the sheets crying. Umehito and Kyoya stand at the foot of the bed, staring down at the person lying on it. I inch closer, heart seizing at the sight.

I rush to the bedside, unable to tear my eyes away from the peaceful face of the sleeping figure. "Kyo...Kyoya! Your blood! You need to-"

"Mari." His tone shuts me up, ice stalling the blood in my veins. "I can't bring the dead back to life."

My throat constricts, sight bleary with water. His words echo in my brain, reverberating like a single voice in an empty cave.

Dead…..dead…..

I whirl, hiding my face in the chest of one of the twins. Their arms tight around me, I let out a scream that's been caught in my throat all night.

She's dead! How is Mother dead? This can't be! I'm in a nightmare! This is just...just another one of those dreams! It has to be! It's just….

But it's not. This is the real world, and this isn't conveniently just another nightmare. Her chest doesn't rise, nor do her eyes flutter from a dream. She's impossibly still. Despite how I'd like to think, it doesn't look like she's asleep at all! She's like a doll! It's like she was never alive in the first place! But she was so lively just a few hours ago! How…? How could this happen? Why?

"It was her heart," Kyoya interjects between our sobs. "She was well aged, and everything got to her. Her heart gave out. By the time we figured out it was so serious, there wasn't enough time to treat her."

But...She was healthy! She wasn't acting strange, she never said anything….how could she deteriorate so fast? Is it...is it my fault? Because I caused all this trouble? If I had never come to the orphanage, Mr. Eto would have never gotten involved, and I wouldn't have ventured into the forest…. If I wasn't here, she'd still be alive. I caused so much trouble that she couldn't take it! I thought she was fine! How could I not have considered this? I knew she was getting too old to handle us, and yet I went and worried her. Idiot! Idiot! Why did I not take more caution for her? Why did I not listen to her when she said not to go to the forest? If I'd just….just…

A tug at my dress gets me to turn my head away from the twins. "It's wasn't your fault, Mari."

I break away from Hikaru and Kaoru, kneeling down and embracing Haruhi. Her tear stained face buries in my shoulder as I hold her with trembling arms. I'm really an idiot, aren't I? I shouldn't be blaming myself. Mother would scold me if she knew.

Forcing down my sadness, I straighten and meet Kyoya's eyes. "We'd better hold a funeral, then. There are two people to bury."

"Two?"

I don't respond. Of course, he wouldn't know of Tamaki's death, would he? We'll have to go and fetch him from the edge of the forest. We'll probably need a few of the strongest men in the village to lift such a large steed. Maybe we could use less if Kyoya helps, but...he may not be able to carry his own friend to his grave. I imagine Mori won't be very helpful for the same reason, even if he does look as strong as our strongest man.

"Get her….I'll send a few men to get the other. I know just where to bury them. Does everybody hear? You have to follow me to the site of burial, and then I'll need a few of the strongest to retrieve the other body and bring it there." Nobody rebukes my authority. Mother was much loved in the community. She never rejected a child brought to her, no matter the circumstances. Yes, most of us were brought in from surrounding towns, but there are a few of us whose parents either are or were part of the village. They all respected her, because she was never one to judge a person. She accepted everyone without question.

I don't know how I know the way, or know where it is since I've never been there, but I do. It isn't long before we arrive at an opening in the sea of trees. It's neatly scattered with moon blossoms that send off a gentle white glow. It's like a dwelling place meant for angels. I can't imagine a better place to lay Mother to rest, and I know this place was sacred to Tamaki. I barely knew him, only having ever met him once, but he has memories with his precious lover here. I'm sure he'd want it to be here.

Kyoya inquires about how I know about this place, but I ignore him and direct him to lay Mother in the middle of the field. When he goes to do so, I gather a few of the burly farmers and give them directions.

"You'll find a unicorn. I guarantee you won't miss him. Can you do it?"

They look a bit amazed when I mention the unicorn, but accept the order regardless. Then I begin herding my siblings together. Kyoya approaches me as I do so, stopping me by putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Did you forget that I'm an elf? I have better hearing than humans." His expression is stoic, but I know he's containing himself the best he can. I'm doing the same.

"I'm sorry. I'm still not entirely sure what happened to him," I apologize, glancing over to the twins. They stare over at us, shocked. Yeah, they have enhanced hearing, too, don't they? I'm sure they harbored some ill will towards Tamaki for his relationship with Chiyoka, but they're not the types to wish him dead for it. They likely still considered him a friend, even with their jealousy.

Wide eyes are everywhere when the men return with Tamaki's body. A little girl in her father's arms bursts into tears at the sight. I understand the feeling. Such a miraculous creature, pure white with hair of gold, slumped in death...my chest feels like it's trying to suffocate itself.

As the sky begins to show the first signs of morning, shovels from Kyoya's house are passed out. Originally used for the purpose of planting and growing life, they're now in turn used to put it to rest as the diggers begin.

I stand between Hikaru and Kaoru, silent as the graves grow deeper and deeper. Children continue crying, but no one moves to stop them anymore. We all want to shed tears as freely as them, but we mustn't. For those still weak and innocent, we need to be their strength. It's all we can do at a time like this.

Tamaki is lowered into his, first. It takes all the men have not to drop him in. Then, it's Mother's turn. A little girl named Hana breaks from the rest of the orphanage kids, rushing to the grave, but I catch her.

"They can't…!" she cries into my chest. "They….can't bury her! She...can't be dead!" I cradle her head in my hand, lowering my gaze. Yes, I know. She can't be, but she is. This is reality. This is life, and it's terribly beautiful. And terrifically sad.

Eventually, once the corpses have been buried, she hushes in my arms. She's fallen asleep. I hadn't been thinking about it, really, but they've been awake all night, haven't they? I'm sure everyone must be dreadfully tired. Apparently, Kyoya also realizes this and begins ushering people back to his house. I hand Hana over to Renge, asking her to take the children back to sleep. She agrees, gathering them up. They follow her quietly, lined up like ducklings. Their silence and obedience gives off the feeling that they're soulless. They've been through too much in one night.

That leaves just the three of us. The villagers and house residents have returned to the tree, Mori and Honey having disappeared to who knows where. The light given off from the forest fades as the sky gradually brightens, our surroundings flooded with the shadows. Only this field seems exempt from darkness. In the day it receives the light of the sun, and at night its flowers shine like dozens of tiny moons. I knew this was the right place to bury them.

I breathe in the brisk morning air, the coolness relieving the tightness in my chest just slightly. "Come on. We need to get some sleep." I glance between the twins, recalling my time in Chiyoka's body and shivering. Face heating up, I add, "And I don't expect either one of you to let go of me while I'm asleep."

Their smiles are sad, but smiles, nevertheless. Together, they chorus, "Of course."

We're turning to go when the first rays of sunlight peek up over the trees, blinding us momentarily. I shade my eyes, squinting, but my eyes quickly fly wide.

Two ghostly figures stand amidst the shimmering light, no more than a few yards away from each other. The girl, who's farther, spins her head around to see the blonde boy with his back to me. Even with her transparency, I don't miss the tears welling up in her eyes. Her hair, sandy blonde and streaked with red, whips behind her as she dashes into the boy's arms. Her face is alight with a smile far brighter than the light she's shown in. They embrace, grasping onto each other desperately for only a second before vanishing into the first rays of the morning. In their wake, though, disturbed petals float up on the wind and fall back to the earth like snow. I swear, when the wind whispers past my ear I hear the words

Thank you.

Whaddya think? I thought this was a good outro for Chiyoka. She's finally put to rest. Yeah, you might think she doesn't deserve to be with all she's done, but consider how much she's already been through. In life she was beaten and alone, and in death she relived it all over and over again, to the extent that she came back to see her sin played out for a second time. The town burning down. And we don't even know how many years it's been going on for. All we have is knowledge that it's been under 1015 years, taking in account what Hikaru and Kaoru told Mari. That's a long time to be unceasingly tortured. And now she's finally broke free of that. If anything, it's a joyful occurrence. It's finally over! Oh, and about Mother's death...well, I'm not exactly sure when I conceived that idea, but I obviously liked it enough to put it on the page. Well, not liked it, but...it's more that I saw value in the scene. If you guys are mad about the deaths, I'll just go hide in the hiding hole I dug when I wrote Tragedy of the White Rat. I'll update again when I feel it's safe to come up.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!

P.S. I don't like that hole very much, but I'll be there if you guys are mad. So don't be mad?