Nadesico Fan Fiction ❯ Chasing the Darkness ❯ Epilogue ( Epilogue )

EPILOGUE

And Other Extras: The Alternate Closing

**EPILOGUE**

Erina really wasn't surprised to find a visitor in her office six months later. He'd taken an extended vacation, of course, in an effort to avoid her lethal anger when the contents of the will had been disclosed, but she knew he'd be back before long. His ambitions were as high as his patience was low.

"Akatsuki," she said coolly, settling in what had been his chair and daring him to comment on it. He didn't.

"It seems to me that we're on somewhat equal footing now," he answered, unfazed. "Call me Nagare."

"We would be on equal footing except that you left the company to Gort Holy, Akatsuki."

"With the condition that the operations of said company be left solely up to you, my dear greedy Ms. Won." He tucked his arms behind his head thoughtfully. "I know very well that you'd have me assassinated in a second if you thought the company was truly yours. It's purely for insurance purposes."

"Do you really think so highly of me?" was her sarcastic reply.

"Well, I have had my doubts," he smiled amiably, handing her a company flyer he'd pilfered from the bulletin board in the hall. "Holding a veteran's celebration, complete with fireworks and a barbecue to be followed by a formal ball-- it seems a little sentimental for you. Especially making the Nadesico's crew the guests of honor. Though you were always a little taken with the fry cook."

Erina had a million retorts to that barb, but chose to keep her mouth shut. Six months of running the solar system's largest company had taught her a lot more than she let on.

"Yurika and Akito have finished their rehabilitation," she commented instead. "A little worse for wear but almost completely healed. Megumi will be married next month. Yurika's told me she and Akito are going to adopt Lapis. Aoi Jun has been promoted. Ruri and Yukina made it into Tokyo University-- no surprise with Ruri; we're all still trying to figure out how Yukina did it-- and until now you had left me in peace. There's a lot to celebrate."

"So there is," Akatsuki grinned. "So there is. Well, enough sentimentality. We have some planning to do, Chairwoman Won."

******

"Akito?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that Lapis? I thought she was with Ruri."

Akito looked up to see white hair cascading over the park bench to the left. "It doesn't look like it."

"I'll go talk to her."

"No," he pulled her back gently. "Let me go."

"Why the long face?"

Lapis looked up in surprise, suddenly very glad she had never been one to cry. "It's nothing."

"Oh, I get it." He sat down next to her. "Afraid of fireworks."

Lapis smiled tentatively. "No."

"You can't be afraid of picnics?"

Another short smile. "No."

There was a pause. "Second thoughts about this adoption?"

"No!" her head snapped up and she searched his face fearfully. "Of course not! It's just..."

"Just what?"

Lapis looked down at her hands. "I was never a part of the Nadesico's crew. I shouldn't be here."

So that was it. "Lapis, that's ridiculous. You're as much a part of the crew as any of the rest of us. Omoikane thinks so, right?"

"But I wasn't around for the Jovian War-- I shouldn't be a guest of honor. That's what they'll all think."

"Lapis," he chuckled, "Do you think Harry is brave?"

"Of course..."

"Do you think he deserves to be a guest of honor?"

"Yes! He was the Nadesico's operator, and he's very brave..." she blushed slightly.

"Well, Harry wasn't around for the Jovian War, either. And you know what? You're just as brave as Harry."

Lapis opened her mouth and closed it again.

"In fact, without you Harry must be very lonely. After all, you're the only one his age around." There was a pause while he let her digest that. "Come on, let's go before we miss Howmei's teriyaki."

Lapis smiled at him, and Akito smiled back. Then they both looked back to see Yurika, standing in a slightly dejected pose some way off. Suddenly, Akito began to laugh.

"When we first met up on the Nadesico, I couldn't have a moment's peace because she was always there talking to me," he explained as he and Lapis started back. "But now she talks less and I yell less, and there's more silence than I ever thought I'd hear."

Lapis looked up at him with a perfectly straight face and said, "Then maybe you should invite Ryoko and Saburota over for dinner."

"Hmm. They are an interesting pair, aren't they?"

"They're idiots." Lapis returned, never blinking an eye.

Akito checked his stride for a moment, glancing down at Lapis in surprise. Then he shook it off and kept walking.

******

Ines glanced at her watch. Half and hour till it would be dark enough to watch the fireworks. She was already late for dinner and strongly suspected that most of the food would be gone when she got there.

"Ines!"

She stopped mid-step and turned around, hands in pockets. Yoshio caught up to her, waving.

"Ai, there's someone I'd like you to see," he smiled, tugging lightly at the small fingers wrapped around his own. "This is my daughter, Ameko. Say hello, Ai-ko"

Ines knelt in front of the little black haired girl, strangely unsurprised. "Hello, Ameko. My name is Ines, but you can call me Ai."

"Ai-okaasan!" Ameko beamed, "My daddy calls me Ai-ko because he loves me. He must love you too!"

Ines looked up to see Yoshio's blushing face. "She's very opinionated." he explained sheepishly, but anyone could tell he was very proud of her.

"I'm not opinated, I'm five!" Ameko frowned up at her father.

"Come on, Ai-ko," Ines laughed, standing. "Have you ever seen fireworks before?"

******

"I think green hair looks good on you, though."

"Stop gloating."

"Maybe you should switch to RPGs if you're so sensitive about losing."

She glared at him. "Maybe you should take the stairs."

Saburota shook his head calmly. "There's worse things than riding in an elevator with me."

"The elevator could be stuck."

He glanced down at her curiously. "Izumi says you're good at Virtua Fighter."

"Better than you."

"Wanna play?"

"The only VFXII ring is in downtown Harajuku and it's always busy."

"So we call ahead and reserve."

"I don't want to," Ryoko snapped.

"That's because you know I'd win."

"I don't have anything to prove to you!" she yelled, losing her temper. "And I would so kick your ass!"

"Then why are you afraid to fight me?"

"Fine! I will!"

"Virtua Fighter XII to the death!" Saburota declared, and he and Ryoko shook on it.

"So when am I going to have to kick your sorry hide back to Jupiter?"

"Whenever you think you're ready."

"That's not good enough-- what day?"

"I said whenever you're ready."

"I could take you any day!"

"You're welcome to."

"Not like that!" Ryoko turned bright red. "So pick a day!"

The door opened, but both of them lingered in the elevator.

"Let's do it now."

"We can't do it now, we have to get a ring first! Tell me a date!"

"Tomorrow?" he suggested.

"Not enough time!"

Saburota frowned. "How much time do we need? What, are we going to pass out invitations?"

"Don't be stupid!" Ryoko retorted. "Next Tuesday! All right?"

"Fine."

She gave him one last glare for good measure as they turned to exit the elevator. Only to find about twenty curious people standing outside snacking on teriyaki, headed up by none other than Akito and Yurika. The admiral was grinning happily, eyes shining with some emotion that Ryoko was positive she didn't like.

"You're getting married?" she cooed. "I've never done a wedding before! This is wonderful! I didn't even know you two were engaged! But will we be able to get everything arranged by next Tuesday?"

Ryoko flushed scarlet and moved as far away from Saburota as she could. "We're not getting married!"

"It seems like awfully short notice, but I guess it must have been a whirlwind romance..."

"We're not getting married!" Ryoko cried in alarm. "Hey, stop laughing, you idiot!" Saburota only laughed harder.

"That's so beautiful! I wonder if we can arrange for a triple wedding with Yukina and Jun and Megumi and Aiden... then five of my best friends will all be getting married together!"

"I didn't know Jun and Yukina were getting married, too," Mayumi commented.

"They're not," Akito sighed.

"Yet!" Yurika interceded cheerily. "But with all this wedding spirit in the air I'm sure it can be arranged..."

"We're not getting married!" Ryoko yelled, but no one seemed to be listening to her.

"When did he propose?"

"He didn't!"

Yurika wasn't listening. "I know a great little jewelry shop over on..."

"No!" Ryoko looked to Akito for help, but Akito was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Saburota, tearing at the corners of his eyes and still chuckling, took her elbow and began to lead her gently through the crowd.

"Come on, 'honey,' or we'll miss the fireworks. Ow."

******

Harry sat down next to the Captain, who flashed him a warm look and offered him part of her blanket. They ended up sitting so closely together that their legs touched under the calico quilt while they balanced their food on their knees. Harry blushed, but didn't move away. Then, on his other side, Lapis sat down. She steadied his plate before it fell in his lap and gave him a tentative smile. The girls regarded each other with their emotionless faces, and then both looked away, pretending they didn't care. Harry sat rigidly in between them, wondering miserably how he got himself into this situation.

Yukina observed the three and then turned back to look at Yurika and Akito, who were trailing the bunch just behind Megumi with her fiancé and Ryoko, who was busy punching Saburota's arm while he laughed at her embarrassed face. Then her gaze returned to Ruri, Harry, and Lapis. "That's just weird." she announced, and dragged Jun away to sit in the back.

******

"When was the first time we watched the fireworks together, Akito?" Yurika asked dreamily, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I don't remember," He admitted sheepishly. Yurika giggled.

"Neither do I."

Akito laughed as well. "It's all right. We've got plenty of other anniversaries to celebrate."

"You owe me three years' worth of birthday presents!" Yurika exclaimed mischievously.

"Happy birthday."

At that moment, the fireworks started, and Akito and Yurika shared a series-ending kiss.

~owari~

~~ alternate closing ~~

*note* This is an impossibly happy, tie-up-the-loose-ends ending that isn't really essential to the story. If you'd like to leave some ominous mystery concerning the future and the Martian Successors, then don't read it.

Ameko watched as the light faded behind Ines and Akito. Then she turned just as silently and opened the door in the back of the room. She looked back once before closing it behind her.

"That was the strangest experience of my life," she said. "I just met the woman who raised me and she's younger than I am!"

"Strange for you?!" an older voice laughed. "I finally remember what I looked like without gray hair!"

"Ne, Akito, you don't have any gray hair!" Age had not compromised Yurika's cheerful spirit. In fact, it hadn't compromised much of her at all. The retrospect particles that had made Ines famous also seemed to have a reverse effect on the aging process on the cells of the people boson jumping, lengthening the average life-span up to 15 years, especially in the cases of the boson jumpers.

"I'll always wonder," another voice remarked, "Whether or not this whole ordeal was absolutely necessary."

"Ines-san, you know as well as I do that it would not be worth the risk to test the necessity of it," Remmy admonished, rubbing a washcloth over the bar-code mark on his neck until the lines began to disappear. "Besides, we've already done it."

"I know," she sighed, "But it seems dangerously ironic to be lying to the past."

Akito laughed. "You're just upset because you believed that "greatest mind of all time" line."

Ines sniffed. "It was pure truth, Mister."

"Hey, Ai-ko here was so terrified that she'd accidentally give too much away that she had to convince herself that the end of the universe was actually happening," Remmy chuckled.

"Is that what you were doing?" Ines asked. She threw up a hand dramatically. "'What if she doesn't come, Remmy?' I thought you were practicing for a B-rate dubbing job, Ai-ko."

"I don't need this grief from you, Okaasan," Ameko sniffed. "I'm a method actor!"

"Don't get so defensive," Ines retorted. "This ordeal is finally over. We can't help but be happy."

"And relieved," Akito rolled his eyes. "Now I can finally retire in peace before I die."

"Akito!" Yurika laughed.

"Idiots," Ruri remarked, dark shades resting on top of her head.

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