I do not own BlazBlue.

"Now here's what ya do, kid," Jubei began. "Ya gotta cook yer steak medium rare so it's nice 'n moist with a little extra flavor. Then, to enhance the juiciness 'n bring out the savory 'n sweet flavors, ya add sweet things. Get yerself ingredients like brown sugar, tomatoes, onions, some real mild spices 'n maybe a few touches of fruit—think somethin' like caramelized pineapple. That, right there, is how ya have the best steak of yer life!"

"Hmm… Not gonna lie, Jubei, I'm not big on sweetness." Ragna replied.

"Eh? What're you thinkin' then?"

"Well, I think I would go for making it well done so it's still firm but has just enough moisture so I can still taste the sauce I baste it in, right? Honestly I'd probably go for using a mix of vinegar, peppers, only a little sugar and a lot of kinda spicy stuff. I figure this way you can complement the taste of the meat without taking away from the flavor." Ragna explained.

"Ahh, ya don't know yer ass from a hole in the ground." Jubei waved the idea off, which made Ragna laugh.

"Alright, if you say so. I'll take your word on it."

Not that Jubei would know, but the two have had this conversation a number of times. Despite Ragna being the cat's student in cooking as much he was in fighting, they didn't always have the same taste in food. Ragna remembers butting heads with his master regarding meat dishes in particular considering they were his favorite. Still, Ragna savored having this discussion one more time.

It was the last time he was going to have it, after all.

The pair got to talking about food when they were on the train, and after ditching it to travel on foot, they got to talking about cooking seeing as they shared the hobby. Their walk through the forest was filled with conversation centered around preparing different dishes and swapping recipes and such—which Ragna could not be more grateful for. Even if it wasn't for long, it did wonders for his mood to get his mind off his current situation. Being able to clear out his more negative thoughts allowed him to calm himself down and regain his control in full. Not like it was going to matter for much longer, but Ragna was certainly pleased he wouldn't have to put up with that damn beast pestering him. He certainly did not want to have that thing plaguing him around Jubei, all things considered.

Ragna especially didn't want it around after realizing where they were heading. He hadn't thought much about where Jubei's goal was, but it didn't take long for the woods they were walking through to look familiar.

There was no way he wasn't going to recognize the forest he spent his teenage years in, right?

The haunting trauma that preceded those days aside, Ragna did manage to enjoy himself back then. Learning to fight gave him such a rush, and his lessons in cooking were legitimately fun. He certainly never expected to bond with Jubei the way he did. After what Terumi did to him, he didn't think there would ever be anyone he could call family again. Ragna had never been so happy to be wrong.

And, of course, there was Rachel.

Things had a rocky start between them—from Ragna's point of view, anyway.

He could remember being really short with her at the start. He was such an angry kid, with good reason no doubt, but that meant a playful attitude like Rachel's rubbed him the wrong way at first. In his head, it was like she was making light of his situation. If he could go back, he would probably smack kid him in the back of the head and tell him he had better be thankful. Rachel was the only levity Ragna's young life had, and it was her personality that kept him from getting lost in his rage. The little breaks she would make him take, the silly games she would challenge him to do, and her gentle encouragement masked as teasing made all the difference.

Ragna really wished he could have acknowledged Rachel's efforts so much sooner. When he was a kid, before he even realized it, he had grown to cherish her company. He even had trouble sleeping when she wasn't around for crying out loud. He was sure Rachel could tell how much he relied on her, but that didn't mean she didn't deserve to hear him say it.

Ragna palmed his face in frustration. He really couldn't take his mind off her anymore, could he? Even now when he was supposed to be resigned to disappearing.

"Hey, kid? Mind if I ask ya a somethin'?" Jubei questioned out of the blue.

"Hm? Oh, sure. What's up?"

"So, I thought I'd let ya get yer mind off what was botherin' ya 'n calm down a bit, but if ya wanna talk about whatever that was I'm all ears." Jubei offered.

Were it anyone else, Ragna would've just told them to mind their own damn business, but this was Jubei. He was always the one other person besides Rachel that Ragna had no problem talking to.

So he did.

"Well, if you're sure…" Ragna said with a sigh. "I've been trying to find this friend of mine for the last few days now. It's been a while since I saw her—more time than I thought, if that makes any sense. I've been doing everything I can to make my way back to her, but it…it's not looking like I can anymore."

"How do ya mean?"

"I tracked down some…mutual friends of ours and asked them for help, but…I keep hearing that no one has heard from her for months. Like, I'm talking almost a year here. I don't even know if she is still…"

The implication hung in the air, and Jubei didn't need to hear any more to get the picture.

"She important to ya, kid?" Jubei asked after chewing Ragna's words over.

"Yes… God, yes." Ragna nodded. "Hell, I wouldn't even know where to begin. We first met when I was a kid and she saved my life. Every day since then I knew that she was the one person I could count on no matter what. I put up with a lot of shit in my life, and screwed up twice as much on my own, but she always stuck around anyway. I don't have the slightest clue what I ever did to deserve her, and part of me really doesn't think I do. She's…she's my best friend. She means the world to me."

"Heh, sounds to me like she's more than just a friend to ya, Ragna." Jubei chuckled.

The image of Rachel's smiling face popped up in Ragna's mind. He could hear her laugh.

Thoughts on their last moments together, and the feeling it gave him in his chest lingered especially.

"Yeah… I think you're on to something, old man." Ragna smiled softly.

"Mmhmm, I had a feelin'." Jubei nodded before coming to a stop. "We're here, by the way."

He didn't need the reminder, but seeing what was left of his old home always gave him pause.

The remains of that church held a very ominous look to him for obvious reasons.

Yet Ragna knew he was going to have to play dumb. Not like this would be a significant location to more than a couple of people.

"So, what is this place supposed to be?" Ragna asked.

"Well… It's the home of some of my family. What's left of it, anyway. And… Sorry if this ends up bringin' the mood down." Jubei spoke softly as he made his way forward.

Ragna knew this place was important to his master, but what he did not know was what he had specifically come back for. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to be, though, so Ragna didn't bother pressing Jubei on the issue and followed wordlessly. The two made their way up the slight incline of the hill that stood behind the remains of the church. Once near the top of the hill, Ragna stopped dead in his tracks despite Jubei continuing his advance.

He wasn't expecting to see a pair of crosses waiting for them at the top.

"This is…" Ragna muttered to himself.

"These here belong to my wife 'n sister-in-law." Jubei spoke up after catching Ragna's words. "They both passed some time ago. I try 'n make my way over here every once in a while to pay my respects."

"I got ya… Sorry to hear it." Ragna offered his condolences.

"Thanks, kid. I appreciate that." Jubei said as he stopped in front of the crosses and pressed his paws together.

"Would you mind if I join you? I'd like to pay my respects too if it's okay with you."

"Heh, not at all, Ragna." Jubei gave a smile over his shoulder.

With a nod, Ragna strode forward and stopped next to the old cat—mimicking his actions by pressing his hands together. Jubei gave Ragna another small grin before closing his eye and bowing his head. Ragna followed suit even though he wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to do. He may have been raised in a church, be he hardly knew the first thing about this kind of stuff.

He figured best not to force it and just think about what Nine and Celica meant to him.

Things were pretty muddied up at the end there, but Ragna still couldn't help but respect Nine in a way. She may have made a lot of mistakes, but with everything said and done, no one would have survived without her help back in the Dark War. That, and they were so similar, Ragna would feel pretty hypocritical if he were to hate her completely. As for Celica, well, it was actually kind of funny to him, Ragna would have to admit. The young version he got to meet was a good kid. Too naive and a bit overbearing, but she meant well. The grown woman who raised him, though, he had nothing but warm feelings for. If Jubei was like a father to him, then that Celica was without a doubt his mother.

No matter how things went, no matter where they were, Ragna just knew he wished them both the best.

Jubei releasing a breath, jostling Ragna from his thoughts. Popping an eye open, Ragna watched as Jubei relaxed his arms and took a step back—taking that as his cue to do the same.

"Thanks for doin' that, Ragna. It's real kind of ya to take the time like that for a couple of strangers." Jubei said.

"You know I could say the same to you, Jubei. You're welcome though." Ragna replied.

"Hm, right." Jubei hummed as he made his way down the hill with Ragna. "I gotta say, I know ya came along all on yer own, but I am sorry if I kept ya from anything."

"Nah, I had nothing else going on. Really." Ragna said knowing full well his little visit home was nearing its end.

"That's good then… Oh hey, would ya look at that." Jubei pointed at the horizon just as the first hint of the sunrise could be seen. "How about you 'n me sit down and I can teach ya a thing or two about breakfast as well?"

"Yeah, whatever you say, old man." Ragna chuckled. He might just let Jubei take care of things this time for real. He could think of plenty of things that would make a worse last meal than his master's cooking for sure.

"Sounds good, ya brat. Sit down 'n help me make a fire, would ya?"

"You're the boss."

Between the two experts, it really didn't take all that long for Ragna and Jubei to have things set up and going. Jubei explained to Ragna that part of the reason he stopped off in Yabiko was to restock on supplies. After they got the fire going, Jubei unpacked some bread, eggs and even bacon. With breakfast underway, both Ragna and Jubei sat back to relax and watch the fire. Ragna couldn't help but think back to all the times he and his master camped out like this and smile. He really couldn't thank Jubei enough for everything he had done for him…

He only wished he could tell him as much one last time.

"So, kid, about that situation of yours…" Jubei spoke up. "Far be it for me to tell ya what to do, but I don't think you should give up so easy."

"Think so?" Ragna asked, but couldn't really take it to heart. The person with the best chance to reach Rachel said it wasn't happening, so what chance would he have?

"You bet I do. So long as ya don't have the evidence to know for sure one way or the other, there is always hope. Heck, I'd even be willin' to help ya however I can." Jubei offered.

"That's…nice of you, but you don't have to worry about it." Ragna said.

"C'mon, kid, I mean what I said. Sure, I'm only one man, but never hurts to have another set of eyes—uh, eye out lookin', right? I travel 'round a whole lot, too. Who knows, I might get lucky."

"Well…" Ragna had been avoiding this conversation in all honesty. He went out with Jubei to try and clear his mind before returning to his sleep. If he had to hear one last time that no one has seen a trace of Rachel for whatever amount of time he would just feel miserable.

"Ya know I ain't wrong, kid. So, let's go, spill it. Tell me a bit about yer girl." Jubei insisted.

"Alright, fine already… Jeez." Ragna sighed. He might have been pretty annoyed if he didn't know Jubei only meant well. Though it looked as though there would be no avoiding it now, Ragna told himself. It was time to bite the bullet. "So, she's short—only a bit taller than you, actually. She's got long, blonde hair that she keeps tied up with ribbons. The ribbons are easy to spot because they, um, they make her look like a rabbit. Her eyes are red, her skin is pale, and she basically only wears big dresses that look super poofy." Ragna quietly explained.

The more Ragna talked, the more Jubei visibly reacted as a result. By the end of the description, it was clear that Jubei knew who Ragna was talking about. However, the cat kept the information to himself for a moment, clearly processing the situation.

"Hey, uh, kid? Do ya think I could, um…do ya think I could get a name?" Jubei questioned.

Ragna hesitated as his voice caught in his throat. There was no getting around it once he said her name. He took a deep breath as he braced himself.

"It's Rachel… Rachel Alucard."

"Huh…" Jubei hummed. Ragna closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. Just another person who completely lost track of Rachel. "Well… I have to say I don't rightly know how ya know Rachel, all things considered, but she ain't dead. I actually saw her the other day."

Ragna remained silent, not exactly trusting what he heard.

He slowly opened his eyes and blinked, letting it all sink in.

He turned his head to face Jubei.

"…What?"

"Yeah, I can agree she ain't been around for a while, but I just ran into her while on my way here."

Now, Jubei was a seasoned warrior—once hailed as the most powerful being in the world, so one could not exactly catch him by surprise. Yet before he could even process what was happening, Ragna had practically tackled him and latched on to his shoulders.

"Are you serious!? She's okay!? She didn't look hurt or sick or anything!? Really!? Like, really, really!?" Ragna screamed frantically as he shook the poor cat back and forth.

"K-Kid! Ya gotta calm down! Relax!" Jubei's words weren't exactly doing the trick, which is why he followed them up with a swift smack to the side of Ragna's head.

"GAH!" Ragna toppled to the ground, but almost immediately rolled back to his feet. "S-Sorry! I-It's just that I thought she was dead and you say she's alive—that you SAW her and it's just a lot for me to hear, you know? You're the first person who saw her and I'm just excited and—"

"Ragna!" Jubei snapped, cutting off the former criminal. "Breathe."

"R-Right…" Ragna stuttered. He dropped back down to a sitting position and did as his master instructed. He really did need to calm himself down, he realized. It had been a long time since he freaked out like that. His heart was beating a mile a minute, but this time it was in a good way. He just felt so happy he could cry, because this was finally it. He could see Rachel! "Okay… Okay, I'm good now. Seriously though, what happened?" Ragna questioned as he eagerly leaned forward.

"So, like I was saying, I actually hadn't seen her for some time myself. Been about, oh, eight months or so? It seemed like she up 'n disappeared, which I guess is what gave ya the idea she was gone. Well, I ran into her basically by accident. I'll admit she was actin' a little weirder than usual, and she seemed pretty tired, but otherwise doin' fine. Said as much, too." Jubei explained.

A big smile broke out on Ragna's face before he even noticed. Rachel was okay, and she was the same weirdo he remembered her to be. It, of course, begged the question of why the hell she was ignoring him, but he simply couldn't get angry over it now.

"Jubei, do you think you can call her? Like, right now?" Ragna asked.

"About that…" Jubei's ears drooped. "I'm sorry, kid, but that ain't how it works between me 'n her. See, whenever Rachel 'n I met up over the years, it has always been on her terms. I got no idea if she'll hear me if I call."

"I…I understand, but please try. Everyone else who even had a chance to reach her already tried and it didn't work. You're the only one who has seen her, accident or not. You're my last chance, Jubei, so please…just try." Ragna pleaded.

Jubei eyed Ragna from his seat by the fire. He still had to wrap his mind around some stranger knowing Rachel so well. He has known the vampire ever since she was a child, but she had always been a recluse to say the least. She was good at dealing with people when she wanted to, but that was about it. It just didn't add up and yet at the same time, when he looked at Ragna, his gut told him it was okay to trust. Even so, he really didn't want to disappoint the guy…

"Alright, kid, but I ain't about to promise anything." And though Jubei wasn't the most confident, Ragna still jumped back to his feet nodding enthusiastically.

"It's fine, don't worry about it! And thanks, Jubei!"

"Well, don't go thankin' me just yet…" The old cat said as he too rose to his feet. He had never summoned Rachel before, so he had no idea how to go about doing it. If she were listening, and that was a big if, he supposed all he had to do was call out. "Hey, uh, Rachel! It's Jubei! Um…think ya got a second? I got a friend of yers here who's real eager to see ya! So, uh, ya mind droppin' by? Please?"

Jubei's voice echoed across the valley and Ragna didn't dare take a breath. This was the part where a little gust of wind would kick up, the smell of roses would fill the area, and that haughty little vampire would be standing there demanding to know what she was called for. He would have to remind himself not to tackle her and yell his head off about making him worry so much.

However, after the seconds evolved into a full minute, it was clear she wasn't going to show.

Jubei's ears dropped once again as the only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fire. Ragna responded in a similar way as his arms went limp and he starred at the sky with an empty expression. Jubei opened his mouth to apologize to Ragna and maybe brainstorm an alternative…

But Ragna had other ideas.

"Goddamn it, Rachel!" Ragna screamed at the top of his lungs. Jubei spun around to face Ragna after having to recover from a borderline heart attack to see pure anger on the man's face. His eyes were wild, he was grinding his teeth, and Jubei thought he could even see a vein popping out in his forehead. It was clear Ragna's patience was at an end. "So, this is how it works, huh!? You stick to me like a leech for years and just because I go away for a little bit and you stop talking to me all together!? Is that what this is!? The cold shoulder!? Ain't that a little immature sense you're, like, a billion!?" Ragna snarled, stomping around and waving his arms like a madman. "Well listen up, woman, because this is your last chance to drag your frilly, gothic ass out here before I punch my way into your damn castle! You hearing me, Rachel!? RACHEL!"

Ragna's yell reverberated all over the valley and back—causing a flock of birds to fly off and surely scare a great deal of wildlife off for miles. If he wasn't totally out of breath he would probably keep yelling, but instead he was stuck gasping for air. Yet as far as he could see, it was still wasted effort. There was no gust of wind, no scent of roses, and certainly no vampire he cared about more than anything else in the whole world staring down her nose at him.

He dropped down to his knees and lowered his head. He had to ask himself, now what? Was he just stuck waiting for someone to accidentally run into her again and just hope word would travel back to him? Could he possibly find a way to infiltrate her castle? The thought of only being able to see Rachel by chance made his stomach turn.

"Hey, kid?" Jubei's voice called out softly.

Ragna looked up at the cat to see what he wanted, but only saw Jubei smiling and pointing forward. Ragna glanced back over his shoulder and felt his heart stop when he saw the familiar little silhouette standing atop a hill against the sunrise.

"Rachel…"

He was off and running without another word. He tripped once, but practically flew up the hill otherwise. Skidding to a stop mere feet away from Rachel, Ragna lurched forward and had no choice but to catch his breath. Still, it only took him a couple seconds and he straightened up to look at Rachel. Seeing her again instantly put a smile on his face. However, when he looked at her, she only gazed back at him with wide eyes and her mouth slightly agape.

The clear look of confusion.

Rachel's only response was to blink, as she took in Ragna's full appearance. Her eyes were drawn to the sword attached at his hip. So it really was with him all along, Rachel noted. She couldn't help but notice everything else was a perfect match as well. He had the white hair, the large stature, the two-colored eyes… He was undoubtedly the man from her dreams.

"…Rachel?" Ragna spoke as he leaned forward slightly.

She flinched when she heard the man speak her name again. The voice was even the same too. Her sensitive ears first picked up on it when she was drifting away from Yabiko down the rails. Kagura had mentioned that the man was close to a train station, so she considered the chances her quarry left the city were quite high. She was right, as it would turn out. At first she believed her mind was playing another trick on her, but when the familiar voice continued screaming, she flew toward it without a second thought.

Now she stood before the owner of the sword, the man of her dreams, and yet…

"Do you…know me?" Was all she could ask.

That one question, those four words, hit him harder than Azrael or Terumi or whoever could have ever hoped to.

Ragna had pushed the possibility from his mind almost immediately once the reality of his situation hit him back in Ibukido. He told himself that things would be different with Rachel. He reasoned that her powers as an Observer would make her an exception. She would remember him for sure, he had repeatedly told himself. Now he just told himself he should've known. It was this way with everyone else, and it was the same with her.

Rachel did not remember him.

"Y-Yeah…I do." Ragna's voice cracked as rubbed his face with his right hand.

Rachel could hear the sadness in his voice. She felt as though she could read this man like a book despite not having a single recollection of him. The gesture he was doing right now even seemed familiar—pressing his hand to his face and turning away. Something told her that he always did that whenever he was having trouble controlling his emotions and wanted to calm himself.

His looks, the voice, the sword, the wild throbbing in her heart… It was all there.

She had to know.

"Tell me your name." Rachel's own voice felt shaky as she spoke. Ragna looked at her between his fingers, but said nothing. "Please… Your name?"

It was her tone that gave him pause. It was so different than she ever sounded to him before. So unsure, hesitant, and not a trace of the confidence she had since the very first day he met her. It made his chest tight and want to ask what was wrong… But she asked her question first.

He took his hand away from his face and looked Rachel directly in the eye.

"I'm Ragna... Ragna the Bloodedge."

She was in front of the remains of the church, but it wasn't during sunrise. It was raining and there was a boy on the ground before her. He was unmoving and his right arm was missing. He looked up at her and she could see hatred in his eyes, but also a will to live just as strong. She would grant his request.

Time passed in front of the remains of that church. She watched the boy grow. She watched as he learned the art of battle, how he gained control over a dreadful power, and learned what it meant to survive no matter how harsh the world around him was. She watched the boy become a man and set out into the world.

She watched that man face countless struggles head on. She watched him die countless times, and felt as though she herself perished with him each and every time. Yet he never gave up. He continued to rise and in time whether it was an army or monster or god, he would be victorious. She felt her heart swell as he fought on, undeterred, and found the strength inside her to fight on as well.

Day in and day out, they spent so much time together, and she had never been happier.

And then they said goodbye.

What she believed would be his final words rang in her head.

"Sorry, I'll be going on ahead. Thank you for everything. This is goodbye…"

And in that moment, feeling so warm in his arms, she lost consciousness and everything unraveled.

"Ragna… You're Ragna…"

Ragna didn't respond as he stood there, utterly unsure what to do with himself. If Rachel didn't know him, he had no idea where he could possibly go now.

"Ragna… Do, do you have any idea how long you've kept me waiting? Y-You miserable...dog!"

Ragna blinked and slowly looked back up at Rachel after hearing her say something so familiar. Despite her words she had tears streaming down her face, and possibly the biggest smile he had ever seen her make.

"Rachel? You…you really remember me?" Ragna questioned.

"As if I could ever forget." Rachel laughed for what had to be the first time in months.

She moved first, her feet leaving the ground as she threw herself at Ragna, and his open arms were there to catch her. Her momentum made Ragna spin in place and he had to steady himself before coming to a stop. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck as he held her up with his left arm and used his right to cradle her head. Both now freely had tears streaming down their faces, but smiles to match as well.

"Dammit, rabbit… You got any idea how fucking worried you had me?"

"Please, Ragna, tell me this is no dream. That this is really you—that you came back to me." Rachel's voice was muffled, as she refused to loosen her grip on Ragna.

"It's me, Rachel, so stop crying already… I mean, you're making me cry here!" Ragna removed his hand from Rachel's head to wipe his eyes.

"I-I can't… I'm just happy!" Rachel giggled as she leaned back to look at Ragna, still beaming.

"Well, what did you think? That I was really going to leave you out?" Ragna asked, looking Rachel in the eye. Before Rachel could question what he meant, Ragna grinned. "I ran around seeing everyone's dreams to make sure I could do my best to make them happy… I said I saw yours too, remember? And you and me? We were the only ones left."

The implication was not lost on Rachel.

"Oh, Ragna!" Rachel's voice cracked as she nuzzled her head into Ragna and squeezed him with all of her might. To be with Ragna once again in the world she loved was what she dreamed of for so long, and Ragna made it reality. Just as she always knew he would. "This… This is all I could ever want. Thank you so much, Ragna. Thank you for everything."

Ragna copied Rachel's actions, and knew he was going to have a hard time making himself ever let go of her again as he held her tight. Finally, it felt like it was truly over, and everything he went through was paid off in full.

At the start of his journey, Ragna was promised nothing but pain and hardship. All of those years ago, on the same hill he stood now, Rachel had sadly promised him hell. It surely was, he could not say it was anything but, and yet through it all Ragna kept his word. No matter how bad things got, he never quit fighting. He had stumbled and made mistakes along the way, but Rachel was always there to pick him back up with her unwavering faith. She knew he would never give up, nor would he lose sight of his humanity. He kept his promise to her. He fought to the very end, and he won. With Rachel by his side, Ragna had truly done it.

He made it to hell and back.

And there it is. I hope everyone enjoyed my first fic. As always, review if you have anything on your mind.

But out of curiosity, do you wish this fic was longer? Well, good news, it is! I had actually planned a little epilogue for this epilogue. Even better, my editor and friend Murder Media is generous enough to do the writing on this one. I provided the storyboard, but they will be the one to really make it shine. If you wanna see this story through to completion, then absolutely check it out. As BlazBlue fans we all know how important true endings are, right?

I will be making a post about it on my profile once it is up, or if you frequent the section, just keep an eye out for it. I would also be happy to let anyone know if they would like to PM me.

While I'm here, I would also like to give one final thanks to Murder Meida as well. I would have never started writing without them.

Anyway, one more time, thank you for taking the time to read.