Those with the ability to transport easily brought the other ones back to the safe house. They watched from the distance as the remainder of the headquarters was destroyed. Upon arriving back at the safe house, they were surprised to find Black curled up against Asho, asleep.

"She hasn't slept in two days," Asho said cheerily. "The others in side. Looks like Mathis made an important decision? Dunn and Fahd already here I'm sure you know. Oh and Chi and Riku fell asleep. I don't hear anything from Kyo and Arashi." He waved at them.

"See what did I tell you. Ran straight to the person who understood her first," Tsu said cheerfully.

"Well I say we should all head to bed and get started working tomorrow," said Hotaru. "Tired minds make many mistakes."

"Hmmm and I think you should greatly consider a position as council member Tsu," Kai told the fox girl.

That threw her for a loop. Tsu blinked rapidly, her ears flickering trying to make sure she didn't misheard Kai. "Me?"

Kai nodded. "Of course. Obviously, you and Black are the first choices, seeing as you two pretty much cause the entire destruction of the Tarots. Black however, will most likely never accept and even more so, I don't think the people of Numbers would be that forgiving either. However you are not as well known, and you happen to have better people skills. You already have the mind for making a great leader."

Tsu continued to blink, the shock still trying to absorb. "Thanks.... I'm not going to be able to sleep now. I'll be up for the rest of night pondering this."

Kai laughed at this.

(Who's left to mention? Hmm...)

"Unhh..." West felt like she had been run over by a transport shuttle in the dead of winter. Her whole body ached and she was freezing. She opened one eye and then the other and was disoriented as she tried to make out her surroundings. There was immense wealth displayed around the room, tapestries on the wall, gold inlays in the floor, expensive artifacts all over the place, etc. She was sitting in...no, rather she was frozen to a velvet chair. She looked down and saw that the entire lower half of her body was encased in a block of ice, including her hands, which had been arranged in her lap. A wave of dread came over her when she heard a deep voice behind her.

"Hello, Empress."

She turned her head and watched as Solarr strolled across the room, holding a decanter of amber liquid.

"Justice! What's the meaning of this?"

"You're here for judgment, I'm afraid. Do you remember when you brought Tower here for that very purpose?"

"Let me go!" she demanded. "Master will never--"

"You're right," Solarr interrupted as he poured a small amount of a powdery substance into the decanter and swished it around. "Because Master's gone. Defeated. Dead." West fell silent as the implication washed over her. Solarr continued. "And I'm afraid you ended up on the losing side, which means you'll have to face the repercussions."

He leaned toward her and held the decanter up to her lips. She tried to move her head away, but he forced the drink in her mouth. She sputtered and spit, but it was too late. A little of the drug trickled down her throat. Her eyelids began to grow heavy and Solarr's voice, distant, though she heard his words clearly.

"...so it was my duty to truthsee and determine if you truly are guilty of your crime. And unfortunately, you are. The cavern's not so bad...a little dark and the food's nothing to sing about...oh! And I'm afraid you'll be the only woman down there for the time being. But after the first year or ten, you'll get used to it..."

She opened her mouth to protest, to say she had only been following orders, but everything felt so heavy and she was so tired as the drug filled her system. It only took two minutes and she was asleep. Within the hour, she'd awaken in Solarr's dungeon, clothed in prisoner's garb, and never to see the light of day again.

Hotaru had not balked about handing Empress over to him. This may be a new era of peace between Numbers and Chess, but Solarr wasn't about to change his system of judgment, no matter what the new council had to say about it. There were people in this world that needed to be put away and as long as he was living, he'd do so.

If Hotaru was one to believe in fairytales, she would have said this was happily ever after. But she knew that was only the beginning of an illusion. There was much to be done after all.

Over the past few days, the rebuilding of Numbers had gone more or less smoothly. Treaties were signed, peace spread over the land. Tsu, after much convincing, accepted the position as leader of the council. Traces of the Tarot's headquarters were destroyed and for once the light seemed to shine down on Numbers. The people celebrated for days and it came to shock to many when they found out the most powerful Tarot, Black Angel had been on the leading the battle. Stories and rumors lit like wildfire and suddenly it became an honor to have met Black Angel and live to tell the tale. Some thing Black twitched at every time someone shook her hand and started to tell her about the time the two of them had met.

Speaking of Black, Hotaru had offered a place to stay at the Castle with everyone, something Black turned down. While she appreciated the offer, she wasn't ready to just settle down in the safety of Chess. She was content to just wandering around both countries, searching for the answers about herself, and where she was suppose to be. Asho, of course, followed her. (Hotaru did manage to get Black to agree that should she ever get married she would come back and invite everyone. Oh and to return at least once a year.)

In terms of marriages, as soon as the dust settled Seika and Ita went back to planning theirs. The planning was interrupted by the war. Everyone knew it would be a most joyous occasion, though Seika was going a little insane from the stress. Hotaru had to help her through the planning.

White, was still unconscious. Asho, regrettably, said that he couldn't do much. He was able to return White's memories to her, but the fact that she didn't wake up meant one of two things. Either she didn't wish to return or she needed more time to get use to them. There was no way to tell if she would ever wake up either. Black looked almost relieved to heard it though. (Asho confirmed later that she wasn't sure how she was going to deal with her sister, but at the same time greatly relieved that she didn't have to kill her sister either). Hotaru set up a room for White to say in, to slumber until the girl decided to wake up.

Mathis and Fahd had set up base again in Numbers. Both having positions on the council. (People wondered how Tsu and Fahd were getting along, as both were sorta powerhouses that didn't like to submit to anyone). Dunn returned to his post as messenger and was often found with an insane happy look on his face as he chatted with his brother across the countries. Solarr of course, returned to his style of living as well.

Vienna and Russell were seen walking together hand in hand these days. The broken trust slowly rebuilding. (Though in all honesty, many were still a little hesitant to trust him, even with Asho's reassurances).

The three youngest, Arashi, Riku and Chi, have never been happier. The three of them were still found in the gardens playing with Kyo, who watched over like a good aunt would.

Hotaru stretched. She was tired but it felt good. Alot of of work had been done, and she felt accomplish. "How you feeling? Tomorrow is the big day," Kai asked her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm not the one who's nervous. Seika is. I don't think she's going to sleep tonight... which might mean we'll have to get Black to hold her down while we knock her out," Hotaru said with a chuckle. "Can't have the bride to be falling asleep at her wedding tomorrow because she couldn't sleep."

Kai chuckled and kissed Hotaru on the cheek. "Tell me about it. I just finished helping Asho, Russell, Dunn, Arashi -and- Riku knock out Ita. I have no idea why those two are so nervous. It's not like they hate each other."

"Hmmm if I remember correctly. You acted just like Ita on our wedding night," Hotaru mused.

Kai looked away. "Yeah and you were as calm as the ocean."

Hotaru laughed. "Well after blowing up the the entire castle in front of your parents, I didn't think I could do anything worse to further embarrass myself."

"True true. That was a day to remember. I supposed we should go knock out Seika now?"

"You get Black, I'll get sleeping potion." Kai kissed her on the lips and left to find Black. Hotaru smiled. Well... maybe there was such a thing as happily ever after.

((o.O that was certainly a wall of text. I think... I got everyone? If not add them in your post? xD hehe. I dunno if you want to do the wedding too, but other then that I think I'm done?))

I'd say we are! What a great way to wrap everything up!

So, anyone out there, if you've read this story, thank you!

This was tremendously fun!

~The End~