Ever After (A Family's Happiness) Epilouge

Sighs

//Note: this takes place in the finale after the guys showed Noka her brother's grave and before they all went back to their villages.

Extra Note: I decided to call the MC "Ume" for Japanese Apricot. Because really, Sakura is too much of a common name...

Noka couldn't sleep last night, again, since she kept thinking about her brother. After so long, he's finally gone but is he finally at rest when Hirosawa and the others are gone?

Sighing, she decides to leave her room to visit the grave once more. It was late at night and the moon was still out. She listened to the sound of the mansion and could hear that everyone was sleeping as she stepped out. Well except for someone.

"Little Noka," Pochi barks at her when she was out at the courtyard.

"Ah! Hi Pochi..." she smiles tiredly at him.

"Are you visiting your Brother again?" he asks.

"Yeah," she responds. Noka met Pochi when the guys planned to celebrate her coming home by bringing all the animals for her. Well, all except Goyo's.

"I'll come with you," he says and goes to her side. Since she was now the 'Master's Daughter', Pochi took his job seriously and accompany her when she's outside if one of the ninjas didn't come along.

"Thanks again," feeling a bit better with the company, Noka traveled with him by her side to the grave site.

At the place where there was a clearing, a tombstone was there surrounded by white flowers. There were many paper cranes in front of the tombstone as well the pouch where she kept the shards of the Black Magatama and a plate of mochi as an offering.

Noka got in front and took out the White Magatama necklace to pray with. Putting her hands together while holding the pendant in between, she thinks of silent prayer in her heart.

"I'm sure he is finally at peace," Pochi assures her once she was done praying.

"....Sorry..... but I can't help it... it's... weird..." she mumbles. "I had been traveling for so long..... So to suddenly have a home..."

"...I knew from the very beginning that you were a Spirit and I was really worried what you could do to my Master," he says. "But you grew to appreciate him and he accepted you as you are,"

"Things like these take time. But I wish you could discuss this with the Masters if you are worried Little Miss," he adds.

"Alright..." Noka stared back at the offerings of her Brother's tombstone and sighs. Once she was ready, she heads back home with Pochi.

When morning came, Noka wondered what to do so she wandered around the house. She first saw Enya and Hyuga getting dressed and they left after talking to Yoshitsune about returning to their village or something. Then it was Kazemasa and Sohma who had to leave. And then it was Mizuki and Hyosuke.

"Where are you going!!" she suddenly tackles his leg as he got out of the room.

"Ah!" she surprised him a bit but Mizuki just petted her head.

"I'm heading to my home village for today. Sorry, I can't play with you today," he says apologetically and all Noka do was pout.

She watched as they left the mansion and sat on the porch. She was left alone again. Then again they were adults so they have to be busy. A depressed look was starting to appear on her face when she thought about her brother again and hugged her knees.

"Right, Pochi said I should tell someone..." she sighs before she stood up and turned around but saw Benkei right behind her.

"Oh uh... are you okay Kid?" he asks sounding awkward. It looks he saw her sitting alone and wanted to make sure she was okay.