Epilogue: Change

I never realized how gratifying hard work could be.

I wasn’t a stranger to it, of course—my father often had me helping at the dojo. But it felt different knowing how my efforts would pay off. Right now, I was just carrying wooden boards around, using my strength to increase our productivity. Once we finished the repairs—new ceiling, clean rooms—it would be a beautiful haven for many.

“Mister Toy Man!”

“Sayuri!” I embraced the child. “Oof, you’re getting pretty strong there.”

She beamed at me. “Naoki is helping me get big and tough! Like you!”

Her eyes landed on the hammer I had yet to move. “Can I help?”

I smiled. “Sure.”

Like always, the girl chattered away as I—er, we—worked. I was so proud of her progress. Starting a new school year was hard enough, but to do it without her mother was worse. Little Sayuri wasn’t a quitter, though, and she’d blown everyone away with how sweet she was. Every day, she inspired me as much as I apparently did her, both of us pushing the other to be the best we could be.

She frowned at the broken home. “Is this really the new playhouse?”

“Not yet. It needs to be fixed up first.”

Once it was finished, I knew the kids would love it. I’d spoken to my boss, and he agreed to donate toys to the project. This place didn’t feel like much, but every kid needed a hideaway, and orphans were no different. I couldn’t wait to paint the walls with the kids, and I knew Kitsune was excited, too.

“Riku?” she called. “Where does the neel go?”

Sayuri giggled. “It’s a nail, Kit.”

“I knew that!” she said quickly.

She’d grown quite a bit in the past year, taking initiative in ways I never envisioned. Right now, she was in that ‘I definitely understood that’ phase, and it was a million times more adorable with her. Part of me always saw her in my pocket, just existing with me, but I loved watching her shine.

My timer went off, and I washed off the dirt and grime from my hands. The satisfaction stayed as I recalled how much help we’d given. Thanks to Commander Takeshi’s connections, we were able to start giving new life to the long forgotten. Kyouko now led her own troop, and women everywhere were talking about how inspiring she was for everyone. Shuto had figured out how the teleportation circles worked. If I remembered right, he was working on reverse-Searcher technology, but I didn’t know much about that?

I hadn’t seen him all year.

“Do you have to leave, Riku?” Sayuri pouted as we walked towards the orphanage.

“Yeah.” I said. “Besides, I’m willing to bet you have homework you need to get done.”

“What’s this about homework?” Ms. Mina appeared like a ghost and I’m not even ashamed to admit I leapt.

“Uh-oh,” I teased. “Better get moving, Yuri.”

“Fine.” She waved at me. “Bye, Riku!”

“Goodbye, Sayuri.”

The first place I went when I got home was the shower. I’d been an idiot earlier, so I had a trail of dirt all over my legs. I sighed as the water relieved me of my aches. How I’d survived on the battlefield without such heat was astonishing, because these days?

I loved my showers.

Now presentable, I went over to the mail. Normally, there wasn’t anything for me, but some of the kids were learning how to write letters, so I was their pen pal for the time being. The one thing I did find made me stop. It was decorated in flashy reds and cool blues. I was so busy admiring the flames blending with the water that I forgot to read who it was from.

“Hey, Riku!” Naoki spawned at the front door. “You ready for our game?”

I grinned. “Ready to get your ass kicked?”

“In your dreams.”

It was freeing to let the toys have fun. Ballerina Ben made traversing our playing field complicated, and the bouncy balls added nothing but chaos. On the sidelines sat Kit surrounded by lucky cats, a kaleidoscope in her palms. I didn’t quite understand what she gained from seeing our body heat, but she was happy, and that was all that mattered.

It wouldn’t be until several hours later when I’d read the card:

Kyouko and Shuto extend a personal invitation to you—Riku + Kit—to our wedding.

Dress code: Not nerdy.

RSVP for: you or you plus one (or two if Kit brings someone).

Can’t wait to see you there.

PS: Bring your best toys. We can experiment like old times.

I laughed as I put the card down. I rolled marbles in my hand, reminiscing. Those two had really gone the long route to reach the end. After Shuto had finally asked her out, I figured it would be ages before they moved up, but I was happy to be wrong. It would be nice to see Shuto again, and it hadn’t exactly been yesterday when I last saw Kyouko. I frankly hadn’t expected any of this—the children, Kit, my new friends—but it just reminded me of my grandfather’s favorite line.

Life’s full of surprises, so you better get to making some more of them because those surprises’ll get you through the dull shit. And you know what?

That’s the best feeling there is.