This is it. Almost time to say goodbye. Forgive me for being melodramatic, but I had a lot of fun writing this. And I enjoyed abusing my powers in the release of the chapters. Hey, it’s the only time I have any powers at all, so you’ll forgive me, ne? Anyway, I have other fics in mind. Though I’m thinking of laying off on the drama for a while.

Well, enough preamble.

Standard disclaimers apply. "Rurouni Kenshin" (c) Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shuiesha, Shounen Jump, and Sony. I do not own RK, pray as I might, every night, it just wouldn't happen that way. No matter how many candles I light, no matter how many chickens I decapitate…

It took a lot of explaining in the part of Nania to get Kaoru’s family to understand her situation, but Nania did it with a patience that drove Hiko to name calling.

Ignoring Hiko’s whining, Nania started from Kaoru’s mother, to Yasanari’s plans, to the Mage Government meddling, to Hiko being a Fire Mage himself and finally to the present. She left nothing out, especially Yasanari’s attempt to draw out Kenshin’s dragon to set her husband free from the Mirror prison.

It was all so awesome, but as Sano had so piquantly said, "After seeing what I did, I’m ready to believe anything." The rest were inclined to agree with him.

When everything about the past was explained and after they rejoiced over the False Memory fiasco, Nania began to discuss the future.

"I take it you and Kaoru will be marrying in a fortnight," Nania told Kenshin.

Kenshin smiled and nodded. "Yes, Nania-dono. You’re invited to come to the wedding, of course. It would be an honor to have a government official as a guest."

Nania bowed her thanks. "I shall be delighted. However, there are important things to discuss about marriage, your children being the most significant. Children you will most certainly have, and I dare say you will have many, but it is by nature that one Mage family produces only two Mages in maximum, the first child being certain to have it. You’ll probably have Fire Mages, like Kaoru. Fire Mages are proud and tend to stick to their own, so prepare for havoc, Himuras."

This disturbed the future parents considerably and Yahiko groaned, knowing he’d be the baby sitter on many occasions. Sano smiled, looking forward to the prospect.

"Then of course, there’s the aging," Nania pointed out. "Kaoru-san will age like any ordinary Walker. She isn’t a Higher Mage who tend to live for hundreds of years. She will age regularly, but Himura-san, you are to be blessed with a wife who will forever look no more than a day over twenty. How do you like that?"

"Oro?" Kenshin reacted in surprised, then a stupid grin crossed his face. A wife who will look twenty forever? Oh, rapture and delight! He was the luckiest rascal alive! Of course, he realized that he’d have to fend off suitors for the rest of their married life, but a little exercise never hurt anyone. "Will everything else about her be twenty as well?" He asked impishly.

Kaoru blushed furiously. "Kenshin!"

Nania and Hiko laughed. Nania nodded. "To an extent, yes."

"So, my former idiot-pupil is a man-guy after all," Hiko remarked, sipping his sake.

"Furthermore," Nania warned. "Mages have a tendency to be…extraordinarily attractive to Walkers once their powers are in full bloom. It could get quite annoying."

Kenshin sighed and Kaoru chuckled. "Don’t worry, Kenshin. You know I’ll be good."

"No, dearest, it’s not that," Kenshin said. "It’s just that it seems inevitable that I’ll be fighting off fools who think they can get you for the rest of my life."

It had been six months since Kaoru and Kenshin got married, and after a particularly grueling training session, Kaoru confronted her shishou in the presence of Kenshin.

"Eeeeeeee-nough!" Kaoru cried after Treigan had healed her for the thousandth time.

Hiko blinked in surprise and Kenshin was thinking that it was about time Kaoru threw in the towel.

Hiko had been every bit as relentless in training Kaoru as he used to be training Kenshin. Sometimes, Kaoru even got it worse because Hiko had the luxury of a magical healer handy all times of the day. In fact, Treigan has become a close friend of the Himuras.

Although Kaoru never took the beating silently, she never wanted out, and Kenshin would not interfere for the sake of his wife’s honor. Of late, watching Kaoru being burned and battered by the rigorous exercises, Kenshin had seriously considered speaking to Kaoru about taking a break and letting him deal with Hiko’s objections, but apparently, she had beaten him to the punch.

"What did you just say?" Hiko asked, a displeased frown on his face. "Did you just say ‘enough’, idiot pupil?"

Kaoru glared at him. "You heard me! I have tried to reason with you, but you wouldn’t listen. For the next seven months, I’m taking a break from you!"

Hiko scoffed. "Pregnant mages have been training since the dawn of time, idiot pupil. Who are you to oppose that?"

Kenshin let Hiko’s words sink in before his eyes turned a dangerous amber. "K-Kaoru’s pregnant?"

Kaoru smiled at him. "Yes, Kenshin. I found out from Megumi this morning. I’ve been along two months."

Kenshin turned to Hiko in wrath. "YOU! You knew it all this time and you kept--?"

"Simmer down!" Hiko said, a little unsettled. "The training wouldn’t have hurt her or the baby. I knew what I was about."

"Kaoru stops training with you today," Kenshin growled, taking his wife deliberately by the arm. "Come back after the child is born. YOU HEAR ME, HIKO?"

"Maa..maa.." Hiko said, disgusted. "Cool it! I get it, okay? I’ll give you the seven-month reprieve. Shees! What does a shishou have to do to get some respect around here?"

Hiko left, resolving to get himself a bottle of sake.

Kenshin turned to Kaoru and smiled at her. "My love, you’re so clever! Pregnant?" He crooned, embracing her.

Kaoru laughed. "Idiot! You had as much to do with this as I did."

"I love you, Kaoru," he whispered, nuzzling his nose with hers.

She nuzzled back with a wicked smile. "I love you too, Kenshin."

Kenshin picked her up in his arms. "It’s about time I had a hand in your training today, Kaoru," he said, grinning mischievously.

"Oh? In what aspect, husband?" She asked, smiling and raising an eyebrow.

"My favorite one," Kenshin replied, carrying her to their room.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Genzai!" Said a voice from the entrance of the clinic.

Megumi and Dr. Genzai looked up from their respective patients and saw a short and fat gaijin with a kindly smile.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Schniederu!" They said in unison, flashing their own smiles.

"Back from Kyoto, I see," Dr. Genzai said.

Dr. Schniedel looked confused but kept the grin on his face. "Actually, I came from Yokohama. I just finished mixing that medicine you asked me to make, Dr. Genzai. I just got your letter last week. I’ve been out of town, you see, and I just got back in. I hope it’s not too late."

"B-but, you came by here seven months ago to give me the medicine!" Megumi said.

Dr. Schniedel gave her an uncertain stare. "Begging pardon, madam, but I’ve never seen you in my entire life. You must have been mistaken."

Megumi’s heart beat fast in her chest. "Y-You gave me that anti-depressant, remember?"

Dr. Genzai started. "Megumi, there is no such thing. I asked Dr. Schnideru to mix a bone-healing medicine, and you gave it to Kaoru!"

"B-But…"

"Here it is, Dr. Genzai. Even if it’s too late, I’m sure this is essential to your practice." Said Dr. Schniedel.

Megumi stared blankly. If everything wasn’t going so well with Kaoru, she would be frantic by now. Dr. Genzai seemed to look the same.

Goodness, strange things will happen indeed!

Only in the Kamiya Dojo!

END 

Author’s Final Note: There, it’s done. Thought this particular ending would be the wind-down from the drama. Well, this is over. I’m thinking of putting up a sequel, with the Himura family twenty years from this, but for the life of me, I still couldn’t quite grasp a plot. We’ll see.

Well, this is goodbye to this fic.

It was fun while it lasted. Ja, mata ato de!