Title: Accidentally Yours
Series/Sequel: Nope
Based on: X by Clamp, Sandman by Neil Gaiman
Disclaimer: Please don't sue me. Please?
WARNINGS: SPOILERS! For the entire SANDMAN series and recent issues of X!
Rating: R for violence, some shonen-ai
Thanks to:
Accidentally Yours
A crossover X and Sandman fic by
Epee
Pages of a book flip forward, racing towards the end...Only a few left to
go and on the very last page is written but one word. He knows what the
word is, yet he won't know until he reaches that very last page.
A new statue rises from his garden, half-complete, the figure obscured by
stone not yet sharpened to precision.
The name at the base reads: Kamui
***
Seishirou Sakurazuka watched as the Rainbow Bridge collapsed, sending the
three seals and single corpse falling into the river below.
"Don't worry, they all make it." A perky high-pitched voice called from
behind him.
He whirled, surprised by that voice, although seeing his own dead body had
not elicited any such shock. "Hokuto?" he murmured.
However, the girl balanced behind him was /not/ Hokuto. Hokuto would never
wear so much black. The girl grinned at him, her face young, and
incredibly familiar. She wore skintight clothes the color of night and
around her neck swung a silver amulet, a symbol he'd never seen before.
"No, though I do recall her." the girl laughed, "A most interesting
conversation /that/ was."
"Who are you?" Seishirou asked, curious and not without a slight feeling
of apprehension.
"You know who I am, Sei-chan." Death teased, her twinkling violet eyes gazing
through him. "You've dwelt in my embrace long enough...Gah, I'm starting
to sound like my brother now. Yuck!" She shook her head. "You'd think with
all the bodies you've sent into that tree by now, you'd recognize me,
maybe say, /hello, nice to finally meet you in person/ or something."
"You are Death." He whispered, now understanding why her countenance
seemed so familiar.
She grinned and pulled a long black umbrella from nowhere, slinging it over her
shoulder. "Yes. And now it's time to go."
"Where are we going?" he asked warily, stepping away from her. He knew
where Death took the Sakurazukamori -- straight into the heart of the
Sakura.
"You'll find out when we get there." she held out her hand, he knew if he
grasped it, it would all be over.
He stepped back again, then stumbled and found himself falling. He tumbled
backwards, his undead body accelerating at an impossible rate. Darkness
swirled around him and he hit something hard, losing all consciousness.
***
Kamui frowned at nothing, squinting into the brightness of the sunset. He
decided that he would go up to Subaru's room, he would face him about the
death of the Sakurazukamori. He was the only one who could. Just as he
began to stand, he heard a booming voice from behind him.
"That's the spirit lad, take some action."
He whirled, wondering at the presence of the red-haired man who towered
over his short frame. "Who are you?" He gasped.
"I'm the Imonoyama's gardener." The man chuckled, "Sorry if I startled
you. I've seen your and your friends about, you just looked a bit down."
"I am, a bit." Kamui frowning, biting his lip. The man looked friendly
enough, with his red flannel shirt and dirt smudged jeans. Kamui felt
like he could trust the gardener, almost as an older man would trust his
bartender. "I have a friend I care about very much, but he . . . The
one person he loved most in the world..." here Kamui paused, wrapping his
arms around his body, "was just killed."
The big man nodded, "I see. You know," he came to Kamui's side, resting a
comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sometimes despair takes over a
person, makes it hard for them to do anything. But you have to remember,
there's always hope, Kamui. Always."
Kamui nodded and thanked the stranger before running away, back towards the
huge
mansion that towered overhead.
The big man grinned as he watched him.
"I'm surprised to see you here." a sultry alto voice murmured huskily.
"What are /you/ doing here, Desire?" the red headed man turned and
regarded his androgynous sibling.
Desire stretched his/her body like a cat, this time the creature appeared
almost female in form, dressed in a short black dress, with stiletto
leather boots. She laughed, "Can't you feel my presence here? Especially
in that little boy? Everyone here wants something, desperately."
"I know you and your twin have your clutches in that young man up
here." Here he gestured towards the window along the north edge of the
mansion, where the profile of a young man could be seen to the right eyes.
"We've had him for nine years," she shrugged. "He was entertaining at
first, but trickled down to boring soon enough. But what I'm doing is
nothing unusual. You've given up your power and place, Destruction."
He grinned wryly back at her, "Do you think I could sit back and watch the
world end?"
"What are you talking about?" Was that fear he heard in her voice?
"My dear Desire, have you been so caught up in your little game that you
haven't even noticed?"
She laughed at him, a bitter, capricious laugh. "I know about the little
squabbles these idiots think mean the end of everything. I've seen worse
battles on New Genesis."
"Well, unlike you, sibling dear, I am fond of this world." Destruction
strode away from her, leaning comfortably against a nearby tree. "I won't
let your games get in the way."
"You can't interfere."
"I can do as I like," he snapped and began to walk away from her.
"We'll see." she murmured, her gaze falling upon the open window her
brother had pointed out a few moments before. "Yes, we'll see indeed."
***
"I like ice cream." The girl with the odd colored hair confided to
Fuuma, licking at the multicolored cone he had bought her. "Except when
it's Eyes Cream. That stuff sticks between your toes, don't you think?"
He laughed with her, giggling as the cone sprouted legs and leapt out of
her hand. "You can never keep a cone down." he murmured sorrowfully at
its loss.
"It's ok." she comforted. "It's like." She paused, her multicolored eyes
widened.
Fuuma liked her eyes, they reminded him of the Sakurazukamori's for some
reason, although his had been amber and white, hers were blue and
green. Since Seishirou's death, he had had no one to eat ice cream
with. The girl however, had volunteered to go, seeing how sad he was at
his friend's death. Which wasn't really that sad at all, but Seishirou
did know the /best/ ice cream places.
"I have to go." she told him, suddenly serious. "It's my big brother! He's
here!"
He nodded absently as she disappeared, the orange and purple Sailor Fuku
she had worn pooled on the ground, as if she had melted. Melted like a
cone of ice cream, Fuuma reflected, deciding he needed to set off another
earthquake soon. Things were getting boring.
***
Kakyou heard rather than felt the intruder into his dreamscape. He
willed his consciousness towards the disturbance, only to be halted by yet
another presence.
"You!" he gasped at the invader, a tall man, with hair whiter than snow,
eyes that held galaxies within them and a frame cloaked in long cream robes. An
emerald hung from his neck on a thin golden chain.
"So informal, Kakyou." he admonished.
"I am sorry, my lord." Kakyou bowed to greet this man, the King of
Dreams. "But I did not expect you."
To his surprise the pale man smiled. "I hope not. You have an invader,
rather, he is a guest I have sent here. I need a weaving done and while I
can do it myself, it would go better for those involved if they thought it
was you who controlled the dream."
Kakyou nodded. "The end, is it soon?"
The king frowned. "You were always the most pessimistic of the
Dreamgazers."
"I thought that's why you valued me, my lord."
Perhaps the old me, the Dream Lord thought, but did not speak. "The end is
sooner than all involved think. However, I must deal with some
interference from my wayward siblings before things can proceed. Weave the
dream, Kakyou, I will come before it's over."
As the Dream King faded from the 'Scape, Kakyou once again sent his will
toward the "guest" and gasped. "Sakurazukamori! You're supposed to be
dead!"
Seishirou looked up into Kakyou's tiger eyes, seeing himself
reflected. "Never let it be said that I disappoint expectations." he said
wryly, "I /am/ dead, but I escaped Death."
/I wouldn't be so sure of that/ Kakyou thought, but only smiled down at
the hapless man. "Well, that's good, because you have someone to meet."
"What?" Seishirou questioned, standing slowly, patting his body to make
sure it was physical. "Who, I should say?"
"An old friend, Sakurazukamori, some loose ends to tie up," Kakyou waved
his hand, not that he needed to, but so Seishirou could understand the
gesture and allow himself to be pulled into the illusion.
Seishirou closed his eyes to orient himself, and when he opened them
again, found himself in Ueno Park, under a blooming Sakura. /His/ Sakura.
And standing next to the trunk was a familiar young man, the wind blowing
the tails of his blood stained trench coat.
"Subaru-kun." Seishirou greeted.
***
"So, Kanoe, I see you still like to steal your way into dreams."
The raven-haired woman gasped, startled at the voice behind her. She
whirled. "Yume." She murmured.
He nodded, "Sneaking into your sister's dream."
"I have been repelled several times. There is something blocking me." she
admitted, still in shock at the Dream Lord's presence.
He held out his hand, "Come, I'm going to end this now."
"What do you mean?" she asked, but as she placed her own hand into his
grasp, she felt herself being sucked away, into the deepest levels of the
Dreaming. Hinoto could not hide from them for long.
They flew with the speed of dreams, chasing the tendrils that Hinoto had
left, following the flow until finally, they reached her.
As always, in dreams, Hinoto was different, she was mobile, could see and
speak, and now she glared at her sister with hatred in her scarlet
eyes. "Must you bring the wrath of the King of All Night's Dreaming
on me as well?" she accused.
"Kanoe has done nothing to bring me here." the Lord intoned, his voice
deep with anger. "You've done that yourself."
The tiny dreamgazer drew back, a bit startled, then her face changed and
she begged, "Kill me now, don't let her win!"
Kanoe gasped, reaching forward to touch her sister, but Dream held her
back. "Hush. I sense the Twin's taint in you, my gazer." He lifted one
hand to the emerald around his neck, the gem glowed at his
touch. "Separate now," he commanded, and suddenly Hinoto screamed.
"You're hurting her!" Kanoe cried, struggling to break the dream bonds
that held her back.
A whirlwind appeared around her sister, engulfing her, rising up from the ground
with intense speed, sparkling with intense light.
Just as quickly as it came, the storm faded and there stood two Hinoto's,
one dressed normally, the other draped in robes of black and crimson. "You!"
Hinoto cried to her other self, "You've caused so much pain! I never wanted any of
the things you did!"
"Then destroy me." the evil one laughed, her eyes glowing.
"It is not her place to destroy you, nightmare." Dream intoned. "Though
she might have accidentally created you, I am your master."
"No!" the nightmare Hinoto screamed as she began to fade to smoke, then
fizzled away to nothing.
"Thank you, Lord Yume." Hinoto murmured, ashamed. Her own arrogance and
conceit created that demon and she wasn't proud of it.
"Easy child," he comforted, brushing back her soft white hair. "It is not
easy to bear the burdens you bear. Especially when the end has come."
Kanoe looked up at that. "It has come?"
"Tomorrow will be the last day the sun shall rise. The day after that will
be Final, unless Kamui breaks through the fog of despair and defeats his
twin."
"And how shall that be accomplished?" Kanoe asked eagerly, leaning forward
as her dress dipped impossibly lower.
Dream sighed, "Enough. I've told you too much already. I must go and undo
more of my siblings interference. Return!" As soon as he had commanded it,
they both found themselves back in their respective homes.
Hinoto gasped and called to her servants, //Call them back! Call the seals
back!// She prayed it was not too late to undo what she had wrought.
***
Seishirou wondered if Subaru knew he was dreaming. The boy gazed at him
with no emotion in his mismatched eyes. "You've cursed me, used me and
damned me." The Sumeragi accused.
Seishirou shrugged, if Subaru doubted his last words, it wasn't his
concern. He had already proven his love. "Didn't I give you your wish? To
kill the murderer of your sister?"
"Did you even listen to me as you died, or was that even an
illusion?" Subaru demanded, striding forward, the marks on the back of his
hands glowing with impossible vigor.
"I always listened, Subaru-kun, even when you did not speak." Seishirou
murmured, wondering if anyone knew the purity of Subaru's heart better
than he. Subaru had never stopped loving him, even when he revealed
himself as the monster he was.
And even though Seishirou was clearly in the 'past tense' now he reflected
that the feeling of Subaru's lips upon his was no less real. The younger
man had threw himself at the former Sakurazukamori, kissing his enemy-love for
all it was worth.
And Seishirou took advantage of this, he knew, his last chance to hold
Subaru, as his hands knotted in the fabric of the coat along Subaru's
back. He had never been kissed like this, with all of Subaru's heart and
soul focussed on this one intense act.
Eventually Subaru pulled away, tears pooling in his eyes. "You're
dead. How do I live?"
"Oh for crying out loud, cheer up, it's not like you're never going to see
him again!" A perky voice startled them both and Seishirou smiled to see
Death within the circle of the Sakura.
"Who...?" Subaru wondered.
The young woman smiled as she strode to their side, laying a gentle hand
on Subaru's arm. "He was right you know, you are too sensitive to ever
hurt anyone."
"Then how can I be..." Subaru closed his eyes, the tears spilling forth
and rolling down his cheeks.
Death sighed and pulled out a black hanky from the pocket of her
jeans. "Here." she held it out to Subaru, who took it and wiped at his
face. "Listen to me now, cause there are a few things you have to get
straight, ok?"
Subaru nodded, sniffling.
"Everything dies, Subaru-kun. Sei-chan got what everybody gets, a
lifetime, where it's long for short, bitter or sweet. The same went for
your sister and you too. But while theirs is over, yours is still going
strong, and it's amazing!"
"Hmm?" Subaru questioned.
"Just being alive." she told him. "Listen, feel that? Isn't the wind
just delightful against your skin!"
"You are entirely too happy," Seishirou murmured under his breath.
She jabbed his arm playfully, "I think we're going to have some fun,
Sei-chan. I know someone who's got a few things to say to you."
"You mean, I'm not going to be imprisoned within the Sakura for
eternity?" he questioned.
"Not unless you /want/ to." she winked as he shook his head, very
vehemently.
"You're going to see my sister." Subaru asked, suddenly figuring a few
things out. "You! You're...."
"I'm just me." she smiled, "And you've got a few more things to figure
out. The end of the world's the day after tomorrow. What are you going to
do about it?"
Subaru swallowed, deep in thought.
"Now, say good-bye to Sei-chan. You're lucky, few people ever get this
chance." she told them, adverting her eyes /slightly/ as they kissed
passionately once more.
Subaru watched them as they walked away, fading away before they even
walked far enough to leave his view. He heard her teasing Seishirou-san
gently about the kiss, and Subaru could have sworn he heard Hokuto's
giggle.
He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, he found himself
lying under the Sakura, covered in petals.
***
Seishirou blinked as someone suddenly lunged in front of him, and then blinked as
that person slapped him soundly. "Hokuto?" He gasped incredulous.
"The one and the same." The girl declared, and she was still a girl, forever sixteen.
As usual, she wore one of her outrageous outfits, a black and white jester ensemble,
which ended in a poofy skirt on one leg, and extended as a pant leg on her other. A
set of fake wings fluttered in outrageous indignation on her back. "You killed me!"
"You killed me too." He protested, referring to the spell she had cast that had caused
Subaru to inadvertently kill him.
She slugged his again, and he barely put his arm up in time to deflect it. "You're the
one who activated the spell. Don't even try to pretend otherwise. Oh, it was so
romantic, dying so that my brother could live knowing you loved him!"
Seishirou blinked, Hokuto's mood swings had followed her into the afterlife.
"If you two are finished getting acquainted," Death interrupted, "We really must get
going."
***
It had been too late, Arashi sobbed over Sorata's broken body. Hinoto's
warning, dream blasted directly into their minds, had not come soon enough
to stop Sorata from rushing to her aid. It had not stopped the creature
known as Beast from attacking the four Seals who could not hope to defeat
the long tendrils of coils that came from within the earth.
Sorata had managed to overload it, using the last of his strength to cast
the lightning into the earth, back through the copper wires, hopefully all
the way back to Beast's controller herself.
Arashi and Yuzuriha had run from their cover, knowing the threat wasn't
over, that he needed some help.
It all happened so fast, Arashi reflected. Something had come from behind
and before she could even turn to fight it, Sorata was in front of her,
taking the blow from the magically charged cloth that had been meant for
her.
Then, everything slowed down, as she swung her sword around, first cutting
the hand that held the talisman, then impaling the pale young boy. She
twisted the sword before she pulled it out again. The body fell to the
ground and she would have hacked at it again if she hadn't heard Yuzuriha
call her name.
Now it was too late, and she sobbed over the lifeless body of someone she
barely knew she loved, until he was gone.
"Kamui," Yuzuriha turned at his sudden appearance.
The boy dropped a body to the ground, a blond haired man, dressed
stylishly in a long trench coat that served as his burial shroud. "I
wasn't fast enough." Kamui whispered, his lips quivering as he fought not
to cry at the sight of Sorata dead and Arashi grief stricken.
Yuzuriha held on to her puppy-spirit, letting her tears fall into Inuki's
soft, invisible fur.
***
Seishirou and Hokuto found themselves wandering in a maze of statues, all
familiar in some way. Neither were quite certain how they came to be in
the garden.
"You know, being dead was a lot more interesting before you got
here," Hokuto huffed, "I used to watch over my brother all the time!"
"I'm sorry," Seishirou said drily, "certainly Subaru hasn't done anything
interesting in 9 years."
She jabbed his upper arm, hard enough to leave a mark. "Stop being a
jerk. You've already pissed me off enough by activating my spell."
"You should have known better than to cast it in the first
place." Seishirou grumbled.
Hokuto stuck her tongue at him as they stepped into a clearing, nearly
running over a man dressed in robes the color of shadows. He clutched a
book to his chest, and, Hokuto realized, the book was chained to one of
his wrists. /Interesting fashion statement/ she thought, /next thing you
know, all the girls in Tokyo will be wearing books chained to their
wrists...I can just see the marketing strategy, "Never lose your purse
again!"/
"You are here, good," The man read from his book, much to the bewilderment
of the two invaders.
"Um, where is here?" Hokuto questioned, trying to peek over the odd man's
arms to see what was written in the book.
"You have come to Destiny's garden. Fear not, you won't be staying here long."
"That's nice to know." Seishirou grumbled, fishing around in his pockets
for a pack of cigarettes. He /knew/ he had just bought one before he died.
"Follow me," the tall man turned and walked away, leaving Hokuto to run
and catch up with him.
Seishirou followed at a more sedate pace, admiring the statues, frowning
as he caught a glimpse of a Sakura Tree, forever blooming in stone instead
of spring. Underneath stood two figures, a child draped in the folds of a shikifuku,
a young man in a high school uniform. "Destiny," he grumbled again. "Was that all
it was?" He shook his head, decided he was getting cranky after death, and really he
needed to watch that.
"Sei-chan, hurry up!" Hokuto's shrill voice flowed through the garden. He
grimaced and moved to catch up.
They stood in a circular room, with seven life-size portraits along the
walls. Seishirou recognized Death immediately, and it was to this painting
that the tall man stood before.
"Sister, I stand in my gallery and call you. Will you come?" the man
intoned, his voice as supple as cracked leather.
A shimmer and a moment later, Death appeared. "There you are!" she said to
Hokuto and Seishirou. "That's twice I lost you!" she frowned at her
brother. "How did you find them, Destiny?"
"How do all things find their way into my garden, my sister? They are
meant to." Destiny told her. "And now, you will offer them both
employment."
Death sighed, "I don't really have to do anything, you know."
"I know." Destiny seemed almost amused, "But you will do this."
"Stop it!" Death cried, "Stop doing that! Sometimes I don't really want to
know!" She turned to the two bewildered souls. "The things I do for my
family. Come on, we have to get back to the mortal plane. Don't want to
miss the end of the world! Again."
"What exactly do you mean by again?" Seishirou dared to ask as the three
faded from Destiny's Garden.
Destiny turned back to the unfinished statue, noting that now, only the
face was obscured.
The figure stood tall, with long, beautiful angel wings.
***
"So, Satsuki and Yuuto have kicked the bucket?" Fuuma muttered. He and
Kakyou stood in the Dreamscape watching the battle unfold. "That
sucks. Isn't there anyone left for me to have ice cream with?"
"I think Kusanagi might join you." Kakyou muttered, rolling his eyes. "The
final day is tomorrow and we still have 4 more Seals to get rid of by
then."
"Four more to break," Fuuma cracked his knuckles loudly. "I need you to
weave a dream for me Kakyou-kun. I think I have a few more wishes to
grant."
Kakyou shuddered, every time his Kamui said those words it drew chills
down his spine. "What kind of dream?"
"The best kind." Fuuma murmured. "where desires are granted."
Neither heard the cackle of a tawny-eyed figure, just beyond their grasp.
***
Hinoto read the danger in the night, could feel the tingling in the
Dreaming. She knew most of the Seals would not survive to see the Final
Day.
"You will not interfere." the voice of the Angel Dreamgazer entered her
mind. "You cannot enter the nightmare anyway, lest you risk the
reemergence of your dark self."
She let the tears pour from her sightless eyes.
***
"Aoki! You promised you would protect us!"
"Daddy! Help us!"
Seiichiro Aoki ran through the thick forest, leaping onto tree branches
when able, trying to reach those two desperate voices. "I'm coming!" he
tried to call, but somehow knew they couldn't hear him.
Karen appeared at his side, "They're trapped on the other side of these
vines."
He didn't question her appearance, just accepted it, as he accepted that
somehow the Dragons of Earth had taken his wife and child. "Can you burn
through it?" He begged.
"I don't want to hit them." she hedged, perched on a branch, her usual
revealing outfit covered by a long red coat.
"If you start the fire, I can keep it away from them," he determined,
calling his power to him, feeling the currents of the wind obey him.
She nodded, then pressed her hands together and aimed at the dense growth
of plant life, setting it alight with her fire. Aoki caught the wind,
controlled the direction of the fire so it blew outward, away from his
family.
"I've always wanted to work with you like this," Karen admitted, still
concentrating on her flame.
He leapt down from the branches, "I think I can see them." Pushing aside
fallen branches, he ignored the soot and ash, pressing forward to find his
wife and daughter huddled in the middle of the circle.
"Daddy!"
Just as he moved forward to embrace them, the earth gave out beneath them
and they tumbled down into the deep pit.
"Noo!" he cried, trying to run to them, but blocked by new growth that
grew with alarming speed before him.
That's when he heard Karen scream.
He turned and ran out of the burned vine prison, and gasped in
shock. Karen's limbs were encircled by limber branches, which held her
suspended between them. "Do you like to hear the trees scream?" a voice
seemed to come from the forest around them. "Well, now the trees get to
hear you scream!"
"Noo!" Aoki ran forward, but was to late to stop the branch that impaled
his fellow Seal. He reached her side just as the branches let her
down. "Karen?" he gasped, startled to find her staring up at him.
"Always wanted to help you," she coughed, raising a hand to touch his
cheek. "prove I never wanted to come between you and your family. Love..."
The hand fell to the earth.
Aoki never heard the branches that slithered through the underbrush like
snakes, that took hold of his limbs and encircles his neck. He fell,
desperate for air, clutching Karen's lifeless hand in his own.
***
"I don't like this."
"Come on, Kusa-san, you just broke two Seals with one tree." Fuuma grinned
at the tall man who edged away from him slowly, tears streaming down his
face. "Only two more to go until the Earth is free from these humans who
burn her and abuse her, the ones who make the plants scream to you."
"Enough!" Kusanagi growled, for once expression matching his appearance.
"Ah, but Kusa-san, I've your wish to grant. She'll never know you're a
Dragon of Earth." Fuuma gestured and the corner of the Dreamscape became a
peaceful glade, with a brook, babbling quiet secrets to the young girl
who knelt by its bank, hugging a tiny puppy. "Go to her, Kusa-san, your
debt is fulfilled."
Kusanagi brushed the tears from his eyes and straightened us before
walking down to the glade. Yuzuriha jumped up excitedly when she saw him
and was surprised when he clasped her in a gentle embrace.
Fuuma turned to Kakyou. "They won't wake up." Kakyou assured him.
"Just one more to go." Fumma grinned, "And I can take care of that
myself."
***
Arashi opened her eyes, aware she was dreaming. What else could explain
the vision of Sorata who stood before her, looking almost regal in his
monk robes?
"Arashi-chan," the Sorata vision smiled down at her, "Why don't you come
with me? We can be together forever..."
Arashi leapt out of the bed, nearly slipping over the red satin
sheets. She wore her own priestess regalia and it hampered her movements
slightly. "You are not Sorata," she declared, summoning her sword from her
palm.
"Aw, Arashi, you surprise me," The Sorata figure shimmered, revealing the
form of the other Kamui, "What did you see in that loser anyway?"
Arashi slowly stepped away from the tall teenager, holding her sword in a
defensive position. She knew she could not defeat the Kamui of the Dragons
of Earth on her own, but power was not all she could rely upon. "Why are
you here?" she snapped.
He laughed, "I'm here to grant your desire, to die to be with your
precious monk."
She grinned at him, and he frowned, uncertain at the sudden fierce
expression on her face, "If you think that is my wish then you must be
losing your touch." Inspired, she began to slash at the mockery of a
bedroom, magic blade cutting through the thickness of the dream like
fog. "The best way I can honor Sorata is to live," She hacked at the
walls, her stroke allowing a shimmer of light to appear in the cut. "To
live and fight with the same unbreakable spirit he showed!" Her work
widened the fissure in the wall, until the outside light embraced her
fully.
"You won't escape me forever," the other Kamui's voice chased her all the
way into wakefulness. She sat up, breathing heavily with the exertion of
her battle. Screams echoed down the hallway, and she rolled out of bed to
face the challenge waking brought.
Kamui knelt outside her door, his hands bloody. He looked up, eyes filled
with tears. "They're gone Arashi," he murmured. "And today is the
last..." he choked, and bent over double, sobbing into the floor.
Arashi turned from him and ran, gazing into the open bedroom where
Karen had spent the night. Gasping, she put her hand over her mouth. It
looked like the young woman had fought a battle and lost, the blood had
poured from the hole in her midsection, and stained the massive bed and
even the wood of the floor. Arashi pulled the door closed and turned away
determinedly.
She continued down the hallway until she reached Yuzuriha's room. Relieved
to find no blood, she stepped forward into the room, intending to wake the
girl from her slumber. That's when she noticed the teenager was not
breathing. Arashi turned away once more, pausing to look out the window,
pulling aside the heavy curtain.
Instead of morning sunlight streaming across her fingers, the world was
lit by a deep crimson color, as if the sun had been soaked with blood. So,
it had finally come, the Final Day. She turned once more, knowing she
needed to do her duty, rouse Kamui and win the day.
***
"You shouldn't have left him," The red headed man told his sister at her
sudden appearance by his side. The being formerly called Destruction sat
atop the only remaining high-rise that overlooked Tokyo Tower, his legs
hanging over the drop.
The girl shrugged, "I sensed you."
He did not turn to face her, afraid that when he did, he would find her
eyes the same shade, and the glint of madness gone. He didn't need that
knowledge, in fact feared it, feared that his presence had somehow caused
this. "I should have left this plane, long ago."
"Dream seeks to undo the damage Desire caused," Delirium's voice was soft.
Destruction whirled around, his face shocked, "He has truly changed then."
"Maybe," the girl sat by his side, curling into a ball and rocking
slightly. "I don't like change."
***
Arashi supposed it was inevitable that this day would come. She stood at
the right hand of Kamui, her sword unsheathed and clenched tightly in her
right hand. The last two remaining seals guarded Tokyo's last kekkai.
Tokyo Tower.
The other Kamui was coming, Arashi could feel it, just as she felt the
psychic buzz of a kekkai. But there was something else, something
happening just beyond her senses, the nagging sensation only enough to
irritate her.
"Here he comes," Kamui whispered, holding the Shinken before him, the holy
sword finally freed from its bindings.
Fuuma alighted on a nearby spire, his own sword held languidly at his
side. He removed his sunglasses from a pocket and placed them across his nose
with a careful motion. "Ready to die, Kamui?"
Arashi held out her hands to call her kekkai, but Kamui stopped her. "No,
this is my battle, the last battle." He held his free hand out, palm up,
where a sword or cross shape began to form, enlarge, then overtake the
tower.
"Now," Kamui breathed, lunging forward with the sword, his limbs sparkling
from his power, lighting breaking across his body.
Fuuma attacked as well, his body a match for Kamui's.
Arashi wasn't sure whether she should interfere, this was their fight, but
she was the last seal, it was her duty to die for Kamui if needed. Just as
she hefted her sword and decided to enter the fray, she stepped into a
dreamscape.
A blond figure appeared in the shadows, he held out his arms, and called
armor to his body, armor of a kind that hadn't been seen in centuries. He
pulled a sword from the air with each hand, and he twisted into a fighting
stance. "I am Kakyou, the last angel. We fight to the death. If you kill
my dream self, I will die in reality. The same goes for you."
"So be it," Arashi murmured, and raised her sword into position.
***
"You know, I'm /not/ supposed to do this." Death frowned at the crowd that
had gathered behind her, each intent on getting a glimpse of the last
battle.
Hokuto grinned, "But nobody can stop you! C'mon, you have to give them the
chance to see how it all ends up! I mean, they need this."
The dead Seals and Angels, for once united in a single purpose, stood with
Death across the city, on one of the remaining office buildings. The
vantage point gave them a perfect view to the Final battle.
Sorata held little cheerleading flags and kept shouting "Go Arashi!" He
was the most energetic of the group, who mostly sat or stood at the ledge,
watching with bated breath.
Aoki stood, Karen at one side, at the other… "So, Daisuke, did you ever
think it would end up like this?"
"I never thought I would watch the final day from the other side," the
young man shrugged, only now certain that the short young man named Kamui
Shirou, was indeed /the/ Kamui. "I hope he knows what to do."
"Don't worry," Death winked at him, "I'm sending him a clue."
What could that mean? Aoki thought, focusing back on the battle. Not for
the first time he wondered where Subaru was.
***
"No, Desire, that is enough. You will not interfere here."
Desire, now wearing a slightly more male form, turned to greet it's older
brother. "Dream, how nice to see you."
"Enough, you know that none of us can interfere in this encounter." Dream
had challenged his sibling at the base of the tower, where Desire stood,
waiting, a slim cigarette in it's hands.
"Do you actually want the world to end?" Desire snapped, smashing the
dying cigarette into a support pillar.
"And I suppose your methods are meant to preserve this plane?" Dream
challenged casually. He had not come for battle, his cloak and helmet were
safely secreted in the Dreaming, although he wore his pouch of Dream Sand,
and as always, around his neck hung the emerald that made him who he
was. "Or weren't you doing what you always do, play games?"
"It's always a game, Dream," Desire laughed, tawny eyes narrowing. "This
time the stakes were too high."
"So you snatched that boy from our sister's clutches, only to make him
yours?" Dream struggled to understand his younger sibling's actions.
"Makes a perfect set, don't you agree? One Kamui belonging to my twin, the
other to me."
Dream shook his head, "As always, you do not understand the situation."
***
Kamui hefted the sword that matched him in size, blocking Fuuma's blow. He
turned it back, hitting the blade with enough force to loosen his twin star's grip, and
one hand slipped from the hilt. Kamui pressed his advantage, swinging fast and
hard, so Fuuma could not bring up his second hand. Thus, his blocks lacked
strength.
Fuuma stepped back, frantically trying to gain some respite from the onslaught, but
he was running out of tower. The edge creeped nearer, and he twisted, trying to
remain standing.
Kamui swallowed, trying to stem down the battle rage that had over taken him. A
charge of energy appeared in his right hand, and that would be all he needed to end
this battle. But he hesitated, could he kill his best friend?
He had too, for the sake of the world.
Kamui's fingers flexed, ready to let forth the charge.
"Kamui," A soft voice murmured from behind him.
He froze, the ki charge winked out a moment later. "Subaru!" he turned and ran
towards the older man, ignoring Fuuma who was able to catch himself.
Kamui stopped just short of throwing himself into Subaru's arms. "Why are you
here? Are you a Dragon of Earth now?"
Subaru shook his head. "No. That doesn't mean that I don't have my own part to
play in the End."
"What do you mean?" Kamui asked.
Subaru reached out to gently caress Kamui's cheek. "I have to tell you a secret.
Think, Kamui, what must be offered at the temple? What is needed for the gods to
listen to their servant?"
Kamui whirled around to face Fuuma, whose eyes glittered with deadly intent. He
raised the Shinken, perhaps for the last time. "A sacrifice." Kamui murmured.
***
"There's something I must tell you," The dreamgazer taunted Arashi as the two
sparred in the dojo of his dreamscape.
"And that is?" Arashi parried his stroke, disarming him with one quick motion.
With the next, she thrust, impaling him on the end of her sword.
He laughed, "I lied. If you kill me, you will be trapped in this dreamscape forever."
She pulled the sword out dispassionately as he fell lifeless to the floor and cursed
silently under her breath.
***
"I had thought, Desire," Dream murmured, watching the battles unfolding before
them. "That you held in the business of /wanting/, not /having/."
Desire declined to answer, once again lighting a cigarette.
"But you've erred greatly here, giving too many exactly what they want. What will
you do when no one wants anything anymore?" he continued, one hand carefully
taking hold of the gold chain around his neck, the other cupping the emerald in a
protective embrace.
"What are you doing?" Desire whirled and gasped, as Dream pulled the necklace off
with one smooth motion.
"Reminding you of a valuable lesson. We serve them, not the other way around."
He told her, hovering the green gem above his right hand. With no more than a
thought, the emerald began to glow and simply shattered…
***
"C'mon Arashi, we have to go."
Arashi whirled around, still in a defensive position after Kakyou's death. "This is
another trick."
Sorata shook his head, "No, it's really me this time. Kamui's done it; everyone's
safe. We can finally rest."
"Rest?" Arashi wondered if she could remember dying in the past few minutes.
He smiled at her. "Yes, in the Dreaming. Trust me." Sorata held out his hand, and
with a bit of hesitation, Arashi banished her sword and accepted.
***
Kamui lifted his shinken to block Fuuma's last blow, and before the two blades
could collide, he simply let his hand fall. The other sword pierced his heart,
showering blood over the stunned Fuuma. Kamui's arms reached out, as if to
embrace Fuuma, but he fell backwards instead, already dead by the time he reached
the ground.
The sword in his chest shimmered out of existence, as did its twin at Kamui's feet.
Fuuma fell to his knees, suddenly aware as if the past year had been nothing but a
nightmare. "Kamui." He cried.
"He's only dead." A quiet voice said behind him. "There are worse fates, you
know."
Fuuma whirled on the figure, a young man he did not recognize, a cigarette at his
lips. "Like what?" he demanded as the man focused his full gaze on him, one eye
remarkably green, the other opaque. He shuddered, and a ghost of memory
whispered the name "sakurazukamori."
"Oh, like being left alive when everyone you've ever cared about is dead." He
shrugged.
"Then I've the worst fate of all." Fuuma whispered. He looked up startled at the
other's laugh.
"As if you're the only one."
***
"So it's over." Delirium watched as two powers collided, swelled and then
shimmered over the entire earth. She turned to her brother, who was busy
assembling a knapsack, which he tied to a branch and slung over his shoulder.
"Yep." Was all he said.
"And you're leaving again."
He sighed, "Del, this only proved what I've been saying all along. They can destroy
just fine without me."
She did not reply, only gazed mournfully over the city as he silently slipped away.
"I'll still miss you, every day, of my, um, socks." Delirium decided, jumping down
from the building, calling a blue and gold spotted umbrella to slow her fall, although
by the time she hit the ground the umbrella had become a wicker basket, but she
didn't mind.
***
Epilogue
Subaru closed his eyes and activated the spell that split the soul from the body he
had just brought to the altar of the Sakura barrow. The simple spell had become
almost routine, although even now, killing never failed to rise the bile in his throat,
set his heart to panic, and his gut rebelling.
There was one thing that made this all worthwhile though. He turned, and waited for
the Shinigami to come for the soul. The Sakura only required the energy of the life
essence, and the fear of having one's soul bound for eternity was just one more
mystery the Sakurazukamori had cultivated along the years.
"Subaru-kun."
Subaru whirled at the sound of the voice. "You." Sometimes, like now, it was
Seishirou-san who came to collect the soul, performing the duty he had abandoned
in life, being a servant of Death. Other times, Hokuto-chan came, cheering him with
some silly story or antics. Once, to his surprise, it was Sorata, who just wanted to let
him know that all the Seals were fine, offered employment in the Dreaming.
"Yes, come here, we have but a moment." The eternally older man held out his arms
and captured Subaru in a brief embrace. "Have you been eating?"
Subaru sniffled and nodded. "Fuuma keeps taking me out for ice cream."
Seishirou smiled, "That is good then." He leaned and brushed a kiss along the latest
Sakurazukamori's forehead. "You think he might take your place soon?"
"S—Seishirou-san!" Subaru protested, for that to happen he had to fall in love with
the teenager. He began to blush, surely no one could take the place in his heart
Seishirou-san had left?
***
"Well, it's all turned out for the best!" Death declared, watching Seishirou leave
Subaru and call the soul from the prone body. After explaining that the soul was
indeed dead, he began leading the aghast businessman to her realm. "Although you
took quite a chance, little bro."
Dream shrugged. "It needed to be done, and it was as good a time as any."
Death laughed, "I think Desire still hasn't gotten over the shock! It was certain you
were going to destroy it!"
Dream smiled, slightly. "It is fortunate I was able to combine my powers with
Kamui, to restore the balance between the Earth and Humanity."
"I'm sure that was your intent." Death made a face at him. "Why are you hanging
out here, anyway? Don't you have important Dreaming business to get to?"
Dream looked away from her, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorata let the nightmares
loose in the palace again."
"What?" Death held her mouth to keep from guffawing, "but that's easy to fix, isn't
it?"
"Sorata doesn't know that."
"I never should have lent you Hokuto, I swear, that girl could get Destiny to laugh!"
***
Destiny, who was not laughing, continued to walk through his garden. He passed by
his latest statue, a monument almost, of a young man, holding his hands out as if
beseeching the heavens. His head was thrown back, as if in pain, and amethysts
glittered from his eyes. One wing remained the snow white of an angel's, the other
had become twisted into the shape of a batwing.
The completed inscription now read: Kamui. Who has finally gone home.
Series/Sequel: Nope
Based on: X by Clamp, Sandman by Neil Gaiman
Disclaimer: Please don't sue me. Please?
WARNINGS: SPOILERS! For the entire SANDMAN series and recent issues of X!
Rating: R for violence, some shonen-ai
Thanks to:
Accidentally Yours
A crossover X and Sandman fic by
Epee
Pages of a book flip forward, racing towards the end...Only a few left to
go and on the very last page is written but one word. He knows what the
word is, yet he won't know until he reaches that very last page.
A new statue rises from his garden, half-complete, the figure obscured by
stone not yet sharpened to precision.
The name at the base reads: Kamui
***
Seishirou Sakurazuka watched as the Rainbow Bridge collapsed, sending the
three seals and single corpse falling into the river below.
"Don't worry, they all make it." A perky high-pitched voice called from
behind him.
He whirled, surprised by that voice, although seeing his own dead body had
not elicited any such shock. "Hokuto?" he murmured.
However, the girl balanced behind him was /not/ Hokuto. Hokuto would never
wear so much black. The girl grinned at him, her face young, and
incredibly familiar. She wore skintight clothes the color of night and
around her neck swung a silver amulet, a symbol he'd never seen before.
"No, though I do recall her." the girl laughed, "A most interesting
conversation /that/ was."
"Who are you?" Seishirou asked, curious and not without a slight feeling
of apprehension.
"You know who I am, Sei-chan." Death teased, her twinkling violet eyes gazing
through him. "You've dwelt in my embrace long enough...Gah, I'm starting
to sound like my brother now. Yuck!" She shook her head. "You'd think with
all the bodies you've sent into that tree by now, you'd recognize me,
maybe say, /hello, nice to finally meet you in person/ or something."
"You are Death." He whispered, now understanding why her countenance
seemed so familiar.
She grinned and pulled a long black umbrella from nowhere, slinging it over her
shoulder. "Yes. And now it's time to go."
"Where are we going?" he asked warily, stepping away from her. He knew
where Death took the Sakurazukamori -- straight into the heart of the
Sakura.
"You'll find out when we get there." she held out her hand, he knew if he
grasped it, it would all be over.
He stepped back again, then stumbled and found himself falling. He tumbled
backwards, his undead body accelerating at an impossible rate. Darkness
swirled around him and he hit something hard, losing all consciousness.
***
Kamui frowned at nothing, squinting into the brightness of the sunset. He
decided that he would go up to Subaru's room, he would face him about the
death of the Sakurazukamori. He was the only one who could. Just as he
began to stand, he heard a booming voice from behind him.
"That's the spirit lad, take some action."
He whirled, wondering at the presence of the red-haired man who towered
over his short frame. "Who are you?" He gasped.
"I'm the Imonoyama's gardener." The man chuckled, "Sorry if I startled
you. I've seen your and your friends about, you just looked a bit down."
"I am, a bit." Kamui frowning, biting his lip. The man looked friendly
enough, with his red flannel shirt and dirt smudged jeans. Kamui felt
like he could trust the gardener, almost as an older man would trust his
bartender. "I have a friend I care about very much, but he . . . The
one person he loved most in the world..." here Kamui paused, wrapping his
arms around his body, "was just killed."
The big man nodded, "I see. You know," he came to Kamui's side, resting a
comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sometimes despair takes over a
person, makes it hard for them to do anything. But you have to remember,
there's always hope, Kamui. Always."
Kamui nodded and thanked the stranger before running away, back towards the
huge
mansion that towered overhead.
The big man grinned as he watched him.
"I'm surprised to see you here." a sultry alto voice murmured huskily.
"What are /you/ doing here, Desire?" the red headed man turned and
regarded his androgynous sibling.
Desire stretched his/her body like a cat, this time the creature appeared
almost female in form, dressed in a short black dress, with stiletto
leather boots. She laughed, "Can't you feel my presence here? Especially
in that little boy? Everyone here wants something, desperately."
"I know you and your twin have your clutches in that young man up
here." Here he gestured towards the window along the north edge of the
mansion, where the profile of a young man could be seen to the right eyes.
"We've had him for nine years," she shrugged. "He was entertaining at
first, but trickled down to boring soon enough. But what I'm doing is
nothing unusual. You've given up your power and place, Destruction."
He grinned wryly back at her, "Do you think I could sit back and watch the
world end?"
"What are you talking about?" Was that fear he heard in her voice?
"My dear Desire, have you been so caught up in your little game that you
haven't even noticed?"
She laughed at him, a bitter, capricious laugh. "I know about the little
squabbles these idiots think mean the end of everything. I've seen worse
battles on New Genesis."
"Well, unlike you, sibling dear, I am fond of this world." Destruction
strode away from her, leaning comfortably against a nearby tree. "I won't
let your games get in the way."
"You can't interfere."
"I can do as I like," he snapped and began to walk away from her.
"We'll see." she murmured, her gaze falling upon the open window her
brother had pointed out a few moments before. "Yes, we'll see indeed."
***
"I like ice cream." The girl with the odd colored hair confided to
Fuuma, licking at the multicolored cone he had bought her. "Except when
it's Eyes Cream. That stuff sticks between your toes, don't you think?"
He laughed with her, giggling as the cone sprouted legs and leapt out of
her hand. "You can never keep a cone down." he murmured sorrowfully at
its loss.
"It's ok." she comforted. "It's like." She paused, her multicolored eyes
widened.
Fuuma liked her eyes, they reminded him of the Sakurazukamori's for some
reason, although his had been amber and white, hers were blue and
green. Since Seishirou's death, he had had no one to eat ice cream
with. The girl however, had volunteered to go, seeing how sad he was at
his friend's death. Which wasn't really that sad at all, but Seishirou
did know the /best/ ice cream places.
"I have to go." she told him, suddenly serious. "It's my big brother! He's
here!"
He nodded absently as she disappeared, the orange and purple Sailor Fuku
she had worn pooled on the ground, as if she had melted. Melted like a
cone of ice cream, Fuuma reflected, deciding he needed to set off another
earthquake soon. Things were getting boring.
***
Kakyou heard rather than felt the intruder into his dreamscape. He
willed his consciousness towards the disturbance, only to be halted by yet
another presence.
"You!" he gasped at the invader, a tall man, with hair whiter than snow,
eyes that held galaxies within them and a frame cloaked in long cream robes. An
emerald hung from his neck on a thin golden chain.
"So informal, Kakyou." he admonished.
"I am sorry, my lord." Kakyou bowed to greet this man, the King of
Dreams. "But I did not expect you."
To his surprise the pale man smiled. "I hope not. You have an invader,
rather, he is a guest I have sent here. I need a weaving done and while I
can do it myself, it would go better for those involved if they thought it
was you who controlled the dream."
Kakyou nodded. "The end, is it soon?"
The king frowned. "You were always the most pessimistic of the
Dreamgazers."
"I thought that's why you valued me, my lord."
Perhaps the old me, the Dream Lord thought, but did not speak. "The end is
sooner than all involved think. However, I must deal with some
interference from my wayward siblings before things can proceed. Weave the
dream, Kakyou, I will come before it's over."
As the Dream King faded from the 'Scape, Kakyou once again sent his will
toward the "guest" and gasped. "Sakurazukamori! You're supposed to be
dead!"
Seishirou looked up into Kakyou's tiger eyes, seeing himself
reflected. "Never let it be said that I disappoint expectations." he said
wryly, "I /am/ dead, but I escaped Death."
/I wouldn't be so sure of that/ Kakyou thought, but only smiled down at
the hapless man. "Well, that's good, because you have someone to meet."
"What?" Seishirou questioned, standing slowly, patting his body to make
sure it was physical. "Who, I should say?"
"An old friend, Sakurazukamori, some loose ends to tie up," Kakyou waved
his hand, not that he needed to, but so Seishirou could understand the
gesture and allow himself to be pulled into the illusion.
Seishirou closed his eyes to orient himself, and when he opened them
again, found himself in Ueno Park, under a blooming Sakura. /His/ Sakura.
And standing next to the trunk was a familiar young man, the wind blowing
the tails of his blood stained trench coat.
"Subaru-kun." Seishirou greeted.
***
"So, Kanoe, I see you still like to steal your way into dreams."
The raven-haired woman gasped, startled at the voice behind her. She
whirled. "Yume." She murmured.
He nodded, "Sneaking into your sister's dream."
"I have been repelled several times. There is something blocking me." she
admitted, still in shock at the Dream Lord's presence.
He held out his hand, "Come, I'm going to end this now."
"What do you mean?" she asked, but as she placed her own hand into his
grasp, she felt herself being sucked away, into the deepest levels of the
Dreaming. Hinoto could not hide from them for long.
They flew with the speed of dreams, chasing the tendrils that Hinoto had
left, following the flow until finally, they reached her.
As always, in dreams, Hinoto was different, she was mobile, could see and
speak, and now she glared at her sister with hatred in her scarlet
eyes. "Must you bring the wrath of the King of All Night's Dreaming
on me as well?" she accused.
"Kanoe has done nothing to bring me here." the Lord intoned, his voice
deep with anger. "You've done that yourself."
The tiny dreamgazer drew back, a bit startled, then her face changed and
she begged, "Kill me now, don't let her win!"
Kanoe gasped, reaching forward to touch her sister, but Dream held her
back. "Hush. I sense the Twin's taint in you, my gazer." He lifted one
hand to the emerald around his neck, the gem glowed at his
touch. "Separate now," he commanded, and suddenly Hinoto screamed.
"You're hurting her!" Kanoe cried, struggling to break the dream bonds
that held her back.
A whirlwind appeared around her sister, engulfing her, rising up from the ground
with intense speed, sparkling with intense light.
Just as quickly as it came, the storm faded and there stood two Hinoto's,
one dressed normally, the other draped in robes of black and crimson. "You!"
Hinoto cried to her other self, "You've caused so much pain! I never wanted any of
the things you did!"
"Then destroy me." the evil one laughed, her eyes glowing.
"It is not her place to destroy you, nightmare." Dream intoned. "Though
she might have accidentally created you, I am your master."
"No!" the nightmare Hinoto screamed as she began to fade to smoke, then
fizzled away to nothing.
"Thank you, Lord Yume." Hinoto murmured, ashamed. Her own arrogance and
conceit created that demon and she wasn't proud of it.
"Easy child," he comforted, brushing back her soft white hair. "It is not
easy to bear the burdens you bear. Especially when the end has come."
Kanoe looked up at that. "It has come?"
"Tomorrow will be the last day the sun shall rise. The day after that will
be Final, unless Kamui breaks through the fog of despair and defeats his
twin."
"And how shall that be accomplished?" Kanoe asked eagerly, leaning forward
as her dress dipped impossibly lower.
Dream sighed, "Enough. I've told you too much already. I must go and undo
more of my siblings interference. Return!" As soon as he had commanded it,
they both found themselves back in their respective homes.
Hinoto gasped and called to her servants, //Call them back! Call the seals
back!// She prayed it was not too late to undo what she had wrought.
***
Seishirou wondered if Subaru knew he was dreaming. The boy gazed at him
with no emotion in his mismatched eyes. "You've cursed me, used me and
damned me." The Sumeragi accused.
Seishirou shrugged, if Subaru doubted his last words, it wasn't his
concern. He had already proven his love. "Didn't I give you your wish? To
kill the murderer of your sister?"
"Did you even listen to me as you died, or was that even an
illusion?" Subaru demanded, striding forward, the marks on the back of his
hands glowing with impossible vigor.
"I always listened, Subaru-kun, even when you did not speak." Seishirou
murmured, wondering if anyone knew the purity of Subaru's heart better
than he. Subaru had never stopped loving him, even when he revealed
himself as the monster he was.
And even though Seishirou was clearly in the 'past tense' now he reflected
that the feeling of Subaru's lips upon his was no less real. The younger
man had threw himself at the former Sakurazukamori, kissing his enemy-love for
all it was worth.
And Seishirou took advantage of this, he knew, his last chance to hold
Subaru, as his hands knotted in the fabric of the coat along Subaru's
back. He had never been kissed like this, with all of Subaru's heart and
soul focussed on this one intense act.
Eventually Subaru pulled away, tears pooling in his eyes. "You're
dead. How do I live?"
"Oh for crying out loud, cheer up, it's not like you're never going to see
him again!" A perky voice startled them both and Seishirou smiled to see
Death within the circle of the Sakura.
"Who...?" Subaru wondered.
The young woman smiled as she strode to their side, laying a gentle hand
on Subaru's arm. "He was right you know, you are too sensitive to ever
hurt anyone."
"Then how can I be..." Subaru closed his eyes, the tears spilling forth
and rolling down his cheeks.
Death sighed and pulled out a black hanky from the pocket of her
jeans. "Here." she held it out to Subaru, who took it and wiped at his
face. "Listen to me now, cause there are a few things you have to get
straight, ok?"
Subaru nodded, sniffling.
"Everything dies, Subaru-kun. Sei-chan got what everybody gets, a
lifetime, where it's long for short, bitter or sweet. The same went for
your sister and you too. But while theirs is over, yours is still going
strong, and it's amazing!"
"Hmm?" Subaru questioned.
"Just being alive." she told him. "Listen, feel that? Isn't the wind
just delightful against your skin!"
"You are entirely too happy," Seishirou murmured under his breath.
She jabbed his arm playfully, "I think we're going to have some fun,
Sei-chan. I know someone who's got a few things to say to you."
"You mean, I'm not going to be imprisoned within the Sakura for
eternity?" he questioned.
"Not unless you /want/ to." she winked as he shook his head, very
vehemently.
"You're going to see my sister." Subaru asked, suddenly figuring a few
things out. "You! You're...."
"I'm just me." she smiled, "And you've got a few more things to figure
out. The end of the world's the day after tomorrow. What are you going to
do about it?"
Subaru swallowed, deep in thought.
"Now, say good-bye to Sei-chan. You're lucky, few people ever get this
chance." she told them, adverting her eyes /slightly/ as they kissed
passionately once more.
Subaru watched them as they walked away, fading away before they even
walked far enough to leave his view. He heard her teasing Seishirou-san
gently about the kiss, and Subaru could have sworn he heard Hokuto's
giggle.
He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, he found himself
lying under the Sakura, covered in petals.
***
Seishirou blinked as someone suddenly lunged in front of him, and then blinked as
that person slapped him soundly. "Hokuto?" He gasped incredulous.
"The one and the same." The girl declared, and she was still a girl, forever sixteen.
As usual, she wore one of her outrageous outfits, a black and white jester ensemble,
which ended in a poofy skirt on one leg, and extended as a pant leg on her other. A
set of fake wings fluttered in outrageous indignation on her back. "You killed me!"
"You killed me too." He protested, referring to the spell she had cast that had caused
Subaru to inadvertently kill him.
She slugged his again, and he barely put his arm up in time to deflect it. "You're the
one who activated the spell. Don't even try to pretend otherwise. Oh, it was so
romantic, dying so that my brother could live knowing you loved him!"
Seishirou blinked, Hokuto's mood swings had followed her into the afterlife.
"If you two are finished getting acquainted," Death interrupted, "We really must get
going."
***
It had been too late, Arashi sobbed over Sorata's broken body. Hinoto's
warning, dream blasted directly into their minds, had not come soon enough
to stop Sorata from rushing to her aid. It had not stopped the creature
known as Beast from attacking the four Seals who could not hope to defeat
the long tendrils of coils that came from within the earth.
Sorata had managed to overload it, using the last of his strength to cast
the lightning into the earth, back through the copper wires, hopefully all
the way back to Beast's controller herself.
Arashi and Yuzuriha had run from their cover, knowing the threat wasn't
over, that he needed some help.
It all happened so fast, Arashi reflected. Something had come from behind
and before she could even turn to fight it, Sorata was in front of her,
taking the blow from the magically charged cloth that had been meant for
her.
Then, everything slowed down, as she swung her sword around, first cutting
the hand that held the talisman, then impaling the pale young boy. She
twisted the sword before she pulled it out again. The body fell to the
ground and she would have hacked at it again if she hadn't heard Yuzuriha
call her name.
Now it was too late, and she sobbed over the lifeless body of someone she
barely knew she loved, until he was gone.
"Kamui," Yuzuriha turned at his sudden appearance.
The boy dropped a body to the ground, a blond haired man, dressed
stylishly in a long trench coat that served as his burial shroud. "I
wasn't fast enough." Kamui whispered, his lips quivering as he fought not
to cry at the sight of Sorata dead and Arashi grief stricken.
Yuzuriha held on to her puppy-spirit, letting her tears fall into Inuki's
soft, invisible fur.
***
Seishirou and Hokuto found themselves wandering in a maze of statues, all
familiar in some way. Neither were quite certain how they came to be in
the garden.
"You know, being dead was a lot more interesting before you got
here," Hokuto huffed, "I used to watch over my brother all the time!"
"I'm sorry," Seishirou said drily, "certainly Subaru hasn't done anything
interesting in 9 years."
She jabbed his upper arm, hard enough to leave a mark. "Stop being a
jerk. You've already pissed me off enough by activating my spell."
"You should have known better than to cast it in the first
place." Seishirou grumbled.
Hokuto stuck her tongue at him as they stepped into a clearing, nearly
running over a man dressed in robes the color of shadows. He clutched a
book to his chest, and, Hokuto realized, the book was chained to one of
his wrists. /Interesting fashion statement/ she thought, /next thing you
know, all the girls in Tokyo will be wearing books chained to their
wrists...I can just see the marketing strategy, "Never lose your purse
again!"/
"You are here, good," The man read from his book, much to the bewilderment
of the two invaders.
"Um, where is here?" Hokuto questioned, trying to peek over the odd man's
arms to see what was written in the book.
"You have come to Destiny's garden. Fear not, you won't be staying here long."
"That's nice to know." Seishirou grumbled, fishing around in his pockets
for a pack of cigarettes. He /knew/ he had just bought one before he died.
"Follow me," the tall man turned and walked away, leaving Hokuto to run
and catch up with him.
Seishirou followed at a more sedate pace, admiring the statues, frowning
as he caught a glimpse of a Sakura Tree, forever blooming in stone instead
of spring. Underneath stood two figures, a child draped in the folds of a shikifuku,
a young man in a high school uniform. "Destiny," he grumbled again. "Was that all
it was?" He shook his head, decided he was getting cranky after death, and really he
needed to watch that.
"Sei-chan, hurry up!" Hokuto's shrill voice flowed through the garden. He
grimaced and moved to catch up.
They stood in a circular room, with seven life-size portraits along the
walls. Seishirou recognized Death immediately, and it was to this painting
that the tall man stood before.
"Sister, I stand in my gallery and call you. Will you come?" the man
intoned, his voice as supple as cracked leather.
A shimmer and a moment later, Death appeared. "There you are!" she said to
Hokuto and Seishirou. "That's twice I lost you!" she frowned at her
brother. "How did you find them, Destiny?"
"How do all things find their way into my garden, my sister? They are
meant to." Destiny told her. "And now, you will offer them both
employment."
Death sighed, "I don't really have to do anything, you know."
"I know." Destiny seemed almost amused, "But you will do this."
"Stop it!" Death cried, "Stop doing that! Sometimes I don't really want to
know!" She turned to the two bewildered souls. "The things I do for my
family. Come on, we have to get back to the mortal plane. Don't want to
miss the end of the world! Again."
"What exactly do you mean by again?" Seishirou dared to ask as the three
faded from Destiny's Garden.
Destiny turned back to the unfinished statue, noting that now, only the
face was obscured.
The figure stood tall, with long, beautiful angel wings.
***
"So, Satsuki and Yuuto have kicked the bucket?" Fuuma muttered. He and
Kakyou stood in the Dreamscape watching the battle unfold. "That
sucks. Isn't there anyone left for me to have ice cream with?"
"I think Kusanagi might join you." Kakyou muttered, rolling his eyes. "The
final day is tomorrow and we still have 4 more Seals to get rid of by
then."
"Four more to break," Fuuma cracked his knuckles loudly. "I need you to
weave a dream for me Kakyou-kun. I think I have a few more wishes to
grant."
Kakyou shuddered, every time his Kamui said those words it drew chills
down his spine. "What kind of dream?"
"The best kind." Fuuma murmured. "where desires are granted."
Neither heard the cackle of a tawny-eyed figure, just beyond their grasp.
***
Hinoto read the danger in the night, could feel the tingling in the
Dreaming. She knew most of the Seals would not survive to see the Final
Day.
"You will not interfere." the voice of the Angel Dreamgazer entered her
mind. "You cannot enter the nightmare anyway, lest you risk the
reemergence of your dark self."
She let the tears pour from her sightless eyes.
***
"Aoki! You promised you would protect us!"
"Daddy! Help us!"
Seiichiro Aoki ran through the thick forest, leaping onto tree branches
when able, trying to reach those two desperate voices. "I'm coming!" he
tried to call, but somehow knew they couldn't hear him.
Karen appeared at his side, "They're trapped on the other side of these
vines."
He didn't question her appearance, just accepted it, as he accepted that
somehow the Dragons of Earth had taken his wife and child. "Can you burn
through it?" He begged.
"I don't want to hit them." she hedged, perched on a branch, her usual
revealing outfit covered by a long red coat.
"If you start the fire, I can keep it away from them," he determined,
calling his power to him, feeling the currents of the wind obey him.
She nodded, then pressed her hands together and aimed at the dense growth
of plant life, setting it alight with her fire. Aoki caught the wind,
controlled the direction of the fire so it blew outward, away from his
family.
"I've always wanted to work with you like this," Karen admitted, still
concentrating on her flame.
He leapt down from the branches, "I think I can see them." Pushing aside
fallen branches, he ignored the soot and ash, pressing forward to find his
wife and daughter huddled in the middle of the circle.
"Daddy!"
Just as he moved forward to embrace them, the earth gave out beneath them
and they tumbled down into the deep pit.
"Noo!" he cried, trying to run to them, but blocked by new growth that
grew with alarming speed before him.
That's when he heard Karen scream.
He turned and ran out of the burned vine prison, and gasped in
shock. Karen's limbs were encircled by limber branches, which held her
suspended between them. "Do you like to hear the trees scream?" a voice
seemed to come from the forest around them. "Well, now the trees get to
hear you scream!"
"Noo!" Aoki ran forward, but was to late to stop the branch that impaled
his fellow Seal. He reached her side just as the branches let her
down. "Karen?" he gasped, startled to find her staring up at him.
"Always wanted to help you," she coughed, raising a hand to touch his
cheek. "prove I never wanted to come between you and your family. Love..."
The hand fell to the earth.
Aoki never heard the branches that slithered through the underbrush like
snakes, that took hold of his limbs and encircles his neck. He fell,
desperate for air, clutching Karen's lifeless hand in his own.
***
"I don't like this."
"Come on, Kusa-san, you just broke two Seals with one tree." Fuuma grinned
at the tall man who edged away from him slowly, tears streaming down his
face. "Only two more to go until the Earth is free from these humans who
burn her and abuse her, the ones who make the plants scream to you."
"Enough!" Kusanagi growled, for once expression matching his appearance.
"Ah, but Kusa-san, I've your wish to grant. She'll never know you're a
Dragon of Earth." Fuuma gestured and the corner of the Dreamscape became a
peaceful glade, with a brook, babbling quiet secrets to the young girl
who knelt by its bank, hugging a tiny puppy. "Go to her, Kusa-san, your
debt is fulfilled."
Kusanagi brushed the tears from his eyes and straightened us before
walking down to the glade. Yuzuriha jumped up excitedly when she saw him
and was surprised when he clasped her in a gentle embrace.
Fuuma turned to Kakyou. "They won't wake up." Kakyou assured him.
"Just one more to go." Fumma grinned, "And I can take care of that
myself."
***
Arashi opened her eyes, aware she was dreaming. What else could explain
the vision of Sorata who stood before her, looking almost regal in his
monk robes?
"Arashi-chan," the Sorata vision smiled down at her, "Why don't you come
with me? We can be together forever..."
Arashi leapt out of the bed, nearly slipping over the red satin
sheets. She wore her own priestess regalia and it hampered her movements
slightly. "You are not Sorata," she declared, summoning her sword from her
palm.
"Aw, Arashi, you surprise me," The Sorata figure shimmered, revealing the
form of the other Kamui, "What did you see in that loser anyway?"
Arashi slowly stepped away from the tall teenager, holding her sword in a
defensive position. She knew she could not defeat the Kamui of the Dragons
of Earth on her own, but power was not all she could rely upon. "Why are
you here?" she snapped.
He laughed, "I'm here to grant your desire, to die to be with your
precious monk."
She grinned at him, and he frowned, uncertain at the sudden fierce
expression on her face, "If you think that is my wish then you must be
losing your touch." Inspired, she began to slash at the mockery of a
bedroom, magic blade cutting through the thickness of the dream like
fog. "The best way I can honor Sorata is to live," She hacked at the
walls, her stroke allowing a shimmer of light to appear in the cut. "To
live and fight with the same unbreakable spirit he showed!" Her work
widened the fissure in the wall, until the outside light embraced her
fully.
"You won't escape me forever," the other Kamui's voice chased her all the
way into wakefulness. She sat up, breathing heavily with the exertion of
her battle. Screams echoed down the hallway, and she rolled out of bed to
face the challenge waking brought.
Kamui knelt outside her door, his hands bloody. He looked up, eyes filled
with tears. "They're gone Arashi," he murmured. "And today is the
last..." he choked, and bent over double, sobbing into the floor.
Arashi turned from him and ran, gazing into the open bedroom where
Karen had spent the night. Gasping, she put her hand over her mouth. It
looked like the young woman had fought a battle and lost, the blood had
poured from the hole in her midsection, and stained the massive bed and
even the wood of the floor. Arashi pulled the door closed and turned away
determinedly.
She continued down the hallway until she reached Yuzuriha's room. Relieved
to find no blood, she stepped forward into the room, intending to wake the
girl from her slumber. That's when she noticed the teenager was not
breathing. Arashi turned away once more, pausing to look out the window,
pulling aside the heavy curtain.
Instead of morning sunlight streaming across her fingers, the world was
lit by a deep crimson color, as if the sun had been soaked with blood. So,
it had finally come, the Final Day. She turned once more, knowing she
needed to do her duty, rouse Kamui and win the day.
***
"You shouldn't have left him," The red headed man told his sister at her
sudden appearance by his side. The being formerly called Destruction sat
atop the only remaining high-rise that overlooked Tokyo Tower, his legs
hanging over the drop.
The girl shrugged, "I sensed you."
He did not turn to face her, afraid that when he did, he would find her
eyes the same shade, and the glint of madness gone. He didn't need that
knowledge, in fact feared it, feared that his presence had somehow caused
this. "I should have left this plane, long ago."
"Dream seeks to undo the damage Desire caused," Delirium's voice was soft.
Destruction whirled around, his face shocked, "He has truly changed then."
"Maybe," the girl sat by his side, curling into a ball and rocking
slightly. "I don't like change."
***
Arashi supposed it was inevitable that this day would come. She stood at
the right hand of Kamui, her sword unsheathed and clenched tightly in her
right hand. The last two remaining seals guarded Tokyo's last kekkai.
Tokyo Tower.
The other Kamui was coming, Arashi could feel it, just as she felt the
psychic buzz of a kekkai. But there was something else, something
happening just beyond her senses, the nagging sensation only enough to
irritate her.
"Here he comes," Kamui whispered, holding the Shinken before him, the holy
sword finally freed from its bindings.
Fuuma alighted on a nearby spire, his own sword held languidly at his
side. He removed his sunglasses from a pocket and placed them across his nose
with a careful motion. "Ready to die, Kamui?"
Arashi held out her hands to call her kekkai, but Kamui stopped her. "No,
this is my battle, the last battle." He held his free hand out, palm up,
where a sword or cross shape began to form, enlarge, then overtake the
tower.
"Now," Kamui breathed, lunging forward with the sword, his limbs sparkling
from his power, lighting breaking across his body.
Fuuma attacked as well, his body a match for Kamui's.
Arashi wasn't sure whether she should interfere, this was their fight, but
she was the last seal, it was her duty to die for Kamui if needed. Just as
she hefted her sword and decided to enter the fray, she stepped into a
dreamscape.
A blond figure appeared in the shadows, he held out his arms, and called
armor to his body, armor of a kind that hadn't been seen in centuries. He
pulled a sword from the air with each hand, and he twisted into a fighting
stance. "I am Kakyou, the last angel. We fight to the death. If you kill
my dream self, I will die in reality. The same goes for you."
"So be it," Arashi murmured, and raised her sword into position.
***
"You know, I'm /not/ supposed to do this." Death frowned at the crowd that
had gathered behind her, each intent on getting a glimpse of the last
battle.
Hokuto grinned, "But nobody can stop you! C'mon, you have to give them the
chance to see how it all ends up! I mean, they need this."
The dead Seals and Angels, for once united in a single purpose, stood with
Death across the city, on one of the remaining office buildings. The
vantage point gave them a perfect view to the Final battle.
Sorata held little cheerleading flags and kept shouting "Go Arashi!" He
was the most energetic of the group, who mostly sat or stood at the ledge,
watching with bated breath.
Aoki stood, Karen at one side, at the other… "So, Daisuke, did you ever
think it would end up like this?"
"I never thought I would watch the final day from the other side," the
young man shrugged, only now certain that the short young man named Kamui
Shirou, was indeed /the/ Kamui. "I hope he knows what to do."
"Don't worry," Death winked at him, "I'm sending him a clue."
What could that mean? Aoki thought, focusing back on the battle. Not for
the first time he wondered where Subaru was.
***
"No, Desire, that is enough. You will not interfere here."
Desire, now wearing a slightly more male form, turned to greet it's older
brother. "Dream, how nice to see you."
"Enough, you know that none of us can interfere in this encounter." Dream
had challenged his sibling at the base of the tower, where Desire stood,
waiting, a slim cigarette in it's hands.
"Do you actually want the world to end?" Desire snapped, smashing the
dying cigarette into a support pillar.
"And I suppose your methods are meant to preserve this plane?" Dream
challenged casually. He had not come for battle, his cloak and helmet were
safely secreted in the Dreaming, although he wore his pouch of Dream Sand,
and as always, around his neck hung the emerald that made him who he
was. "Or weren't you doing what you always do, play games?"
"It's always a game, Dream," Desire laughed, tawny eyes narrowing. "This
time the stakes were too high."
"So you snatched that boy from our sister's clutches, only to make him
yours?" Dream struggled to understand his younger sibling's actions.
"Makes a perfect set, don't you agree? One Kamui belonging to my twin, the
other to me."
Dream shook his head, "As always, you do not understand the situation."
***
Kamui hefted the sword that matched him in size, blocking Fuuma's blow. He
turned it back, hitting the blade with enough force to loosen his twin star's grip, and
one hand slipped from the hilt. Kamui pressed his advantage, swinging fast and
hard, so Fuuma could not bring up his second hand. Thus, his blocks lacked
strength.
Fuuma stepped back, frantically trying to gain some respite from the onslaught, but
he was running out of tower. The edge creeped nearer, and he twisted, trying to
remain standing.
Kamui swallowed, trying to stem down the battle rage that had over taken him. A
charge of energy appeared in his right hand, and that would be all he needed to end
this battle. But he hesitated, could he kill his best friend?
He had too, for the sake of the world.
Kamui's fingers flexed, ready to let forth the charge.
"Kamui," A soft voice murmured from behind him.
He froze, the ki charge winked out a moment later. "Subaru!" he turned and ran
towards the older man, ignoring Fuuma who was able to catch himself.
Kamui stopped just short of throwing himself into Subaru's arms. "Why are you
here? Are you a Dragon of Earth now?"
Subaru shook his head. "No. That doesn't mean that I don't have my own part to
play in the End."
"What do you mean?" Kamui asked.
Subaru reached out to gently caress Kamui's cheek. "I have to tell you a secret.
Think, Kamui, what must be offered at the temple? What is needed for the gods to
listen to their servant?"
Kamui whirled around to face Fuuma, whose eyes glittered with deadly intent. He
raised the Shinken, perhaps for the last time. "A sacrifice." Kamui murmured.
***
"There's something I must tell you," The dreamgazer taunted Arashi as the two
sparred in the dojo of his dreamscape.
"And that is?" Arashi parried his stroke, disarming him with one quick motion.
With the next, she thrust, impaling him on the end of her sword.
He laughed, "I lied. If you kill me, you will be trapped in this dreamscape forever."
She pulled the sword out dispassionately as he fell lifeless to the floor and cursed
silently under her breath.
***
"I had thought, Desire," Dream murmured, watching the battles unfolding before
them. "That you held in the business of /wanting/, not /having/."
Desire declined to answer, once again lighting a cigarette.
"But you've erred greatly here, giving too many exactly what they want. What will
you do when no one wants anything anymore?" he continued, one hand carefully
taking hold of the gold chain around his neck, the other cupping the emerald in a
protective embrace.
"What are you doing?" Desire whirled and gasped, as Dream pulled the necklace off
with one smooth motion.
"Reminding you of a valuable lesson. We serve them, not the other way around."
He told her, hovering the green gem above his right hand. With no more than a
thought, the emerald began to glow and simply shattered…
***
"C'mon Arashi, we have to go."
Arashi whirled around, still in a defensive position after Kakyou's death. "This is
another trick."
Sorata shook his head, "No, it's really me this time. Kamui's done it; everyone's
safe. We can finally rest."
"Rest?" Arashi wondered if she could remember dying in the past few minutes.
He smiled at her. "Yes, in the Dreaming. Trust me." Sorata held out his hand, and
with a bit of hesitation, Arashi banished her sword and accepted.
***
Kamui lifted his shinken to block Fuuma's last blow, and before the two blades
could collide, he simply let his hand fall. The other sword pierced his heart,
showering blood over the stunned Fuuma. Kamui's arms reached out, as if to
embrace Fuuma, but he fell backwards instead, already dead by the time he reached
the ground.
The sword in his chest shimmered out of existence, as did its twin at Kamui's feet.
Fuuma fell to his knees, suddenly aware as if the past year had been nothing but a
nightmare. "Kamui." He cried.
"He's only dead." A quiet voice said behind him. "There are worse fates, you
know."
Fuuma whirled on the figure, a young man he did not recognize, a cigarette at his
lips. "Like what?" he demanded as the man focused his full gaze on him, one eye
remarkably green, the other opaque. He shuddered, and a ghost of memory
whispered the name "sakurazukamori."
"Oh, like being left alive when everyone you've ever cared about is dead." He
shrugged.
"Then I've the worst fate of all." Fuuma whispered. He looked up startled at the
other's laugh.
"As if you're the only one."
***
"So it's over." Delirium watched as two powers collided, swelled and then
shimmered over the entire earth. She turned to her brother, who was busy
assembling a knapsack, which he tied to a branch and slung over his shoulder.
"Yep." Was all he said.
"And you're leaving again."
He sighed, "Del, this only proved what I've been saying all along. They can destroy
just fine without me."
She did not reply, only gazed mournfully over the city as he silently slipped away.
"I'll still miss you, every day, of my, um, socks." Delirium decided, jumping down
from the building, calling a blue and gold spotted umbrella to slow her fall, although
by the time she hit the ground the umbrella had become a wicker basket, but she
didn't mind.
***
Epilogue
Subaru closed his eyes and activated the spell that split the soul from the body he
had just brought to the altar of the Sakura barrow. The simple spell had become
almost routine, although even now, killing never failed to rise the bile in his throat,
set his heart to panic, and his gut rebelling.
There was one thing that made this all worthwhile though. He turned, and waited for
the Shinigami to come for the soul. The Sakura only required the energy of the life
essence, and the fear of having one's soul bound for eternity was just one more
mystery the Sakurazukamori had cultivated along the years.
"Subaru-kun."
Subaru whirled at the sound of the voice. "You." Sometimes, like now, it was
Seishirou-san who came to collect the soul, performing the duty he had abandoned
in life, being a servant of Death. Other times, Hokuto-chan came, cheering him with
some silly story or antics. Once, to his surprise, it was Sorata, who just wanted to let
him know that all the Seals were fine, offered employment in the Dreaming.
"Yes, come here, we have but a moment." The eternally older man held out his arms
and captured Subaru in a brief embrace. "Have you been eating?"
Subaru sniffled and nodded. "Fuuma keeps taking me out for ice cream."
Seishirou smiled, "That is good then." He leaned and brushed a kiss along the latest
Sakurazukamori's forehead. "You think he might take your place soon?"
"S—Seishirou-san!" Subaru protested, for that to happen he had to fall in love with
the teenager. He began to blush, surely no one could take the place in his heart
Seishirou-san had left?
***
"Well, it's all turned out for the best!" Death declared, watching Seishirou leave
Subaru and call the soul from the prone body. After explaining that the soul was
indeed dead, he began leading the aghast businessman to her realm. "Although you
took quite a chance, little bro."
Dream shrugged. "It needed to be done, and it was as good a time as any."
Death laughed, "I think Desire still hasn't gotten over the shock! It was certain you
were going to destroy it!"
Dream smiled, slightly. "It is fortunate I was able to combine my powers with
Kamui, to restore the balance between the Earth and Humanity."
"I'm sure that was your intent." Death made a face at him. "Why are you hanging
out here, anyway? Don't you have important Dreaming business to get to?"
Dream looked away from her, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorata let the nightmares
loose in the palace again."
"What?" Death held her mouth to keep from guffawing, "but that's easy to fix, isn't
it?"
"Sorata doesn't know that."
"I never should have lent you Hokuto, I swear, that girl could get Destiny to laugh!"
***
Destiny, who was not laughing, continued to walk through his garden. He passed by
his latest statue, a monument almost, of a young man, holding his hands out as if
beseeching the heavens. His head was thrown back, as if in pain, and amethysts
glittered from his eyes. One wing remained the snow white of an angel's, the other
had become twisted into the shape of a batwing.
The completed inscription now read: Kamui. Who has finally gone home.