Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

Author's Thanks: To DarkAngel ID the relentless, slightly impatient but greatly thanked for here is this chapter, a few weeks ahead of when I thought I might write it. don't worry darling, I aint gonna stop writing this fic, it's my biggest project and my most important so….yeah. yes! You found out the two women I placed there from places that aren't my brain! Cool! I didn't know her name is Beatrix, cool name!

TEKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Ah, Suby shouldn't be left with Kamui? Why? That danger is far far behind them now since the Fuma-maboroshi incident, don't worry darling. Well more people won't actually pop into the fic more like….errr….flashes of his life. And you deserve credit for a lot more darling. Also I received a message through Lani about you wanting me to update Behind Bars. Funny, I got it on the day I was writing a new chapter of it, henh, it's waiting to be beta-ed darling so don't worry.

Also thank you to the following people who apparently have this fic on their favourite list and did not tell me a single thing so that I will know I have more then two readers…: Lonely Tsukasa, Miko-Tenshi, Subaru's Voice (kyaaa! Darling!) and Xazenru.

Yaaaaay! 20 reviews! This fic's beginning to gain on the number of reviews it had back when I was Meirav and people actually read this.

AUTHOR'S CHALLENGE: yes! A challenge! For the 30th chapter celebrations I challenge you all! ('all'…tssk, as if…) to write in scenes for this story! Yes! A scene of your own making! I won't grumble and I won't censure and I won't drop anything out, I'll put everything in as it is unless it'll make the rating soar too high up that is, but your footmark will be in this fic. Yes! You can write what you want into this fic, let your imagination run wild and go for it!

What else? I'll take orders for what you'd like to see and I'll insert it into the fic, no matter how wacky it might be! But, of course, I'd much MUCH, M-U-C-H more like it if you wrote in something. Your grammar and phrasing level don't matter and you'll be credited for it (if you wish, you can remain anon. if you want) so WRITE IN! my email is there's a teeny amount of yaoi but nothing descriptive okay?


Chapter 29 - The Land of Anthrax (1)

"I have seen you coming in my dreams" the Oracle said "you came here carrying my Kamui with you"

she did not miss Seishiro's look of mild surprise. When she saw Alex slightly squinting at her trying to fish the memory carrying her name from the back of his mind she glared at the one eyed onmyouji.

"I remember you very well sir" her tone was dark and blaming "from the time you snatched me and Kamui into your maboroshi trying to hurt the both of us"

Seishiro bowed at this, smiling happily to annoy her.

"Kotori, you're Kotori aren't you?" Alex finally remembered the name.

The Oracle turned her eyes to him again "You bring your band of murderers here trying to wreck havoc upon us, monster! You hurt my Kamui and snatched him away!"

Alex pondered if the loving tone in which she spoke of Kamui meant that she did not fully know whom it was the boy was snatched from.

"Oracle" the queen suddenly interfered the duel of glaring. Her eyes were suspicious and amazed "You knew this will come upon us and yet you warned us not!"

Kotori was dumbstruck. She hung desperate eyes at the royalty and wrung her hands nervously.

Her servant, the shy and slightly stuttering young girl who spied upon Death's men for her mistress, now stepped forward nervously. "Umm….your majesty" she bowed quickly "it's not that Kotori-chan didn't tell you, it's just that…." She blushed and became silent.

The two girls exchanged desperate panicking looks with each other before Tohru turned to the queen again.

"It's just that Kamui was….well….is…very special to Kotori-chan and when she first dreamt that he will come to her she was so excited that she didn't want to say anything that might stop these men from coming and bringing Kamui with them….you see?" by the end of this her nerves were so unruly and her panic so deep that she was crying and blushing so bad her face was dark red.

The queen leaned back into her chair and stayed silent for a while, tapping her bejewelled forefinger on her slim lips. She nodded finally and smiled a little to hint the two girls that there is no more need to panic.

With this Kotori turned her fiery eyes back to Alex "Let me meet him!" she demanded, her voice cold and mature again.

Alex sniggered.

Seishiro chuckled.

Kotori glared.

Alex calmed his breathing and hung amused patronizing eyes at the teen. After a long while of exchanging his cancelling mockery with Kotori's demanding glares he shrugged "Maybe"

"Maybe!"

Alex nodded at the queen and turned around to leave. He turned back to the ruler once again before he exited through the great door "I will meet the treasurer tomorrow morning and we'll begin making a list and get the food over to our City as quickly as possible"

The queen nodded and sighed deeply, leaning her forehead on her long fingers once the men were out of the room.


Kamui stared up at the ceiling in his new room. The walls were lilac which, for some reason, he found a bit disturbing (it's a pretty colour but too much of it can prove tacky).

The chamber was fairly large and roomy, with great big French windows, it's doors decorated with intricate silver vines and leafs. The ceiling contained three awe filling pointy high domes from which lamps hung, fashioned as branches carrying candles and blue glass leafs.

His room contained a large comfortable sofa, a large white marble bath hidden in a niche draped with slightly see-through bright blue satin, a big richly scented wooden table and a large canopied double bed covered in velvet and round comfortable cushions.

Will dragged himself to the bed and crushed there, immediately appreciating the softness of its mattress and crawling under its covers to snuggle up there for the night.

Kamui, on the other hand, walked up to the windows, opened the large glass doors, and stepped out to the charming small balcony overlooking the palace's court, it's rich buzzing market and the fields beyond it.

Night time spread darkness all around and one by one the lights in the small farmer's huts were lit like tiny blinking fireflies. He walked to the other balcony from which he could look at a beautiful garden, lush with tropical wild plants creating a brilliant, well organized jungle.

Elegant little garden torches were being lit by women servants draped in Arabian and Asian style who, from time to time, looked up and noticed him looking down at them.

They ignored him and carried out their mission of lighting up the garden to better allow the youth to see its glory.

Kamui inhaled the sweet scent of blooming flowers and rich cooking from the market. He exhaled it slowly, unwilling to let the brilliance out of him so quickly.

It seems everything here was perfect, nothing was wrong, nothing was twisted or painful or difficult. Like the women moving in the marketplace, like the servants who lit the garden torches; everything ran smoothly here, calm, silent and effortless.

He felt a pang of guilt for being here in this richness and wonder while his friends back in the City faced starvation and depression everyday.

A knock on the door of his room took his mind off of it. He invited whomever it was in.

Alex stepped into the room, his strides long and awkward, and his eyes darting back and forth from Kamui's. Something was up and Alex knew it was going to cause a fuss. From his stance Kamui knew Death is going to lose the fight. When did he ever win it with Kamui?

"There's someone here who wants to see you Kamui"

Kamui shot his eyebrows up. Someone here who wants to see him? Who could it be!

A sudden rush of happiness and hope sprang up in him; he had noticed that, since Alex and Dvora both came from the same dimension but landed at it's two different parts, maybe there's someone here he lost and was looking for him?

A sudden flame of hope sparked up inside him and he took an involuntary step forward.

Alex took half a step backwards and a deep breath, prepared to defend against whatever it may be.

Kamui hung huge hopeful eyes at him, eyes quivering with excitement and hope. "Is….is it mother? Is it mother looking for me? Did she land here when I came here too the first time?" he drew nearer to Alex who stopped backing away.

Death was taken by surprise. He was sure Kamui had guessed who it was, he didn't expect Kamui to suddenly think it's his mother looking for him.

Poor child, he still carried the scar from his mother's burning, stinging his soul, refusing to heal.

"No Kamui, I'm sorry, it's not your mother"

The light turned off in the youth's eyes and his stance slackened.

"It's Kotori, she's the Oracle here like Kakyou is and…."

"Kotori!" the light was back "you mean Kotori! Kotori? Here? Alive! She's alive? Kotori!"

Will shook himself from the comfortable sleep which folded him so lovingly in the soft bed. He reared his head and stared at his master bouncing on the balls of his feet before a slightly awkward and annoyed Alex.

"I'm going to see her! Where is she?" Kamui was about to storm out of the room when Alex grabbed him by the wrist.

Mauve fires glared at Alex, then at the captured wrist, then back at Alex.

"….You can go see her tomorrow"

"No! I want to see her right now!"

"Kamui!"

"ALEX! I haven't seen her in such a long time! When I met up with her again I didn't get to see her for very long either! I thought she was dead! Alex, please, I thought she was dead!"

Alex let go of the wrist but shut the door instead with his powers.

"Be back for dinner"

"I'll have it in her room"

"Be back for dinner Kamui!"

Kamui huffed in complaint and stomped his foot.

Alex glared, this annoying spoiled child behaviour was starting to get to his nerves "Kamui, may I remind you that you are a captive here and that this is a war, not a joyride! You're lucky you can come and go as you please instead of being chained and locked down!"

Kamui hung his head and sighed "I'll be back for dinner okay?"

Alex nodded "Be here for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the other days we'll stay here, may they be short and swift to pass"

Kamui chirped and stormed out of the room, his werewolf zooming past the threatening Alex to follow his master.

Alex remained in the room and sighed. After a few moments of rubbing his temples he turned around and left the room to meet Dvora and David over a bottle of vodka or two.


Kamui walked into an immense room of pure white; white walls, white draperies across the wall with white silk embroideries, white chairs and sofas and a white great bed at the far corner with a canopy much like his room's bed.

Everywhere he looked he saw large white bird cages filled with colourful birds in various sizes, the doors open and the birds flittering around all across the huge hall.

Amongst these batting wings and squeaking chirps Kamui saw her, standing by a cage with a few tiny orange parrots on her small open palms containing a small nound of bird seed on each hand.

She turned her head slowly to him and her eyes grew almost twice thier size.

"KAMUI!"

"KOTORI!"

The tiny orange parrots shot to the air as their mistress dashed towards the boy. He returned her dash and soon they were in each other's arms, sobbing with joy and clutching at each other like there's no tomorrow.

They dropped to their knees on the white marble floor, crying vigorously for a long, long while. Rocking sideways gently, they cried the pain of their last encounter away until their hearts were left with nothing but the joy of their reunion after so long.

Tohru stood aside and wept silently, dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her indigo shirt and whimpering at how wonderful it all is.

She had noticed Will walk into the room a few minutes after Kamui walked in and signalled for him to join her.

Shyly, he did so, and was immediately caught and hugged by Tohru who looked for someone to share her mistress' joy with.

This sudden burst of affection from a person he's never met before stuck such a deep chord in Will's heart that if he had any emotion beyond friendship toward Kamui or Alex (an emotion beyond deep terror in the latter's case) it was wiped out completely now.

Still crying and shaking a bit, Kotori guided Kamui to a large comfortable sofa in her room and sat him down to talk to her.

Tohru brought tea for them all and the four teens began a fluent happy conversation lasting until the very mid of the night.

Kamui spoke of what had happened to him since he parted ways with Kotori, of his kidnapping to this world and back to his home, of his re-kidnapping and what happened since then.

Kotori clapped her hands to her chest and gasped "My brother! Fuma! He's not the Dragon anymore? He's free?"

Kamui nodded, the tears of joy wallowing in his eyes again.

"Oh how wonderful! I'm so happy" she burst into tears again "I was so worried….so worried I'll lose the two men I love" she covered her face with her hands, letting herself go a little to cry out the gaping pain of the past.

Kamui skipped a lot in his story when it came to Alex, referring to him only when he came to what Death has done and how it helped, but also how it hurt him.

"And who is this?" Kotori asked, turning her big teary eyes to Will who stared down sheepishly into his tea cup trying to make himself not blush too deeply at Tohru sitting a little too near him.

Kamui introduced Will and explained what he is and how he's helped him (again, skipping a lot about the werewolf).

"Kyaaa! So you're a werewolf! Wow! I've never seen one before!" Tohru chirped and grabbed Will into another hug. She tickled him behind his ears and snuggled him up closely as if he was a puppy and not a boy of Kamui's age and physic.

Will blushed even more but did not fight against the loving arms.

Kamui exchanged a few looks with him and chuckled, happy to see someone found place in his heart for the abandoned ostracized pup.

Even Kotori clapped her hands and chirped merrily at the sight of Will's ears and tail, yelping that it's the cutest thing she's ever seen and that Kamui should have himself a pair of these.

They were all chirping in Japanese around Will and most of it went flying high above his head but from what he heard of Kamui and Subaru's conversations he could understand the main themes of the discussion around him.

When Kamui explained him what 'kawai'(2) was he frowned and growled a little to prove his roughness, only making the girls giggle some more.

Kotori, in her turn to speak, told about her arrival straight from the ocean dreamscape which she shared with Kakyou into the marvellous fields around the palace.

At first she was hired as a servant in the palace's guards' quarters, which she did not object to and found quite delightful.

Soon she began having dreams of the date of the next rain season, of the successes or relative failure of this crop or the other.

Her foreseeing dreams about the location of spy patrols from a city of men a distance from the palace gave her the duty of an Oracle to the queen and a high value in the eyes of the land's women.

Tohru had joined her two months ago and immediately they became great friends.

Kotori's life had been a joyride, painless, free and happy. Her world became complete and perfect when one night her Lady of Light (which is how she referred to her world's half' destiny deity due to her kindness and her dreamscape of blossoming bright flower field) showed her the sight of Kamui bound and brought before her by a black winged demon.

The Lady of Light had told her that Kamui would be snatched from her just as quickly as he had been given to her and warned her little Oracle that she should watch her tongue, but these prophesies were far too grim for Kotori to share right now.

Kamui spent most of his time in the women's castle almost locked up in Kotori's room, spending his days in joy and laughter to live them as fully as he could.

The four teens would take walks across the palaces' beautiful gardens and halls, tour the libraries and galleries and enjoying every moment of it. If it weren't for Alex's command that Kamui would attend at the meals held in the dining hall the visitor's rooms circled and the he would sleep in his room, he'd spend all his days in the castle with Kotori.

He obscured only one thing from her: his relationship with Fuma. He only spoke of Fuma when he mentioned how delightful her brother will be when he'll know she is still alive.

He felt a little bit guilty about it whenever Kotori and he would fall into an awkward silence and his senses told him the girl was hoping he'd use that break to kiss her.


The meetings with the royal treasurer and her helper had started on the wrong foot. The treasurer tired sweet-talking to Alex using her brimming sex appeal and soon discovered, quite bluntly (Alex had said "Quit leaning forward like that miss, I'm gay"), that Alex was not at all interested.

Then came the arguments over how much should be given to the city, arguments which burst again and again whenever Alex discovered the woman in yellow ordered her helper to lie about the crop numbers and various production speeds and efficiencies.

This lead to such deep mistrust between the negotiating companies that Alex had forced the two ladies to go out to the shops and fields in the land to see the facts with his own eyes.

Wherever they went Alex had demanded half of the products, whether it was half a field's crops or one of the two rolls of fabrics in a fabric boutique (there were no 'shops' in the palace market, only 'boutiques').

Having heard enough of Alex grumbling about the greedy miserliness of the treasurer and how horrible he is in bargaining, Subaru had taken on himself to attend these meetings to soften his Death's roughness and appeal to the ladies with his calmness.

It helped, greatly, and soon the negotiations were running smoothly without a single argument to complain about.

Subaru took great pride in it and had been praised greatly for it by both his lover and the much grateful Alex who promised he'll never forget how Subaru helped him translating "Those damn cackling chicken's blabber into sane English"

The theory that whenever someone is taken from their world into the Lost Dimension half (or a few) of them are taken to the other dimension's side as well was proved once again; the yellow clad treasurer was a fellow bounty hunter on the space ship from which Spike had come and her helper, a lady named Kochanski, was from the same world as Ace was.

When they were not negotiating, Alex and Subaru split each to their own occupations around the palace.

In fact, the Death riders were hardly ever together as before while in the palace; the place was far too vast and wonder-filled to make them remember any commitment they had within the group besides the romantic ones.

Their meals they had together, and always in their rooms' dining hall but these were finished quickly so the diners could be free again to roam the magnificent new land.

Victoria had spent her nights roaming the land with David who soon shook the last fragments of icy shell around him and showed her to the fields dragging back whatever farming knowledge he still had from his days as a youth.

She was a wonderful listener, nodding and humming and asking questions whenever she didn't understand anything or when she felt David liked the subject he spoke of. Though she didn't understand many of the things he said and her mind often became dizzy with knowledge overload, she could not object to her heart's wild beatings at David's figure under the moonlight talking to her so freely while looking her in the eye and paying such great attention to her.

In the women's land, in the palace, in the beautiful gardens, in a tiny charming little niche perfectly made for such things, they had their first kiss. Chaste and quick, followed by many awkward mumbles and blushes from both parties, it was nonetheless a kiss of love un-regretted for by the two.

Lestate had spent his nights in a part of the palace where the women kept their fancy furnishing, clothing and various pampering utilities where he admired and enjoyed the styles and fashions of the place.

He gained a pair of good friends; the royal designer and his assistant.

They were the only two males allowed in the land. They jested that it is only due to the fact that they are lovers.

It is due to Lestate that the Dark Side's City had won a delivery of the palace's almost complete collection of furnishing the queen and other resident's cast away. These items were not broken but simply tired of and could be used better by the City's needy ones.

The rest of his time Lestate spent with Alex, with whose friend Dvora he enjoyed joking about his Death.

Subaru and Seishiro spent their time exploring the palace together whenever the light onmyouji did not help with negotiating.

The sights of beauty shared together served to straightened their bond and create memories to cherish and treasure forever.

Ignorant of Death and Love's plans for their future, the couple saw this as a sort of a honeymoon holiday.


It was time for five o'clock tea in Kotori's room, where the four teens ended up after a long day of roaming the castle, yelping and giggling.

A tall dark servant walked into the Oracle room, pushing the pristine silver tea trolley before her whilst humming a powerful tune.

Will thought he heard something familiar in that tune. It was like someone was whistling at him from the bottom of a deep dark abyss on which's edge he stood looking downward.

The three other teens were just discussing the palace's 'makeover' quarters and how Kamui and Will should go there tomorrow to have some better clothes fitted for them.

Tohru had insisted that Will will find something better to wear then the rags he was wearing at the moment. When she turned her head to the werewolf she saw that he was not listening.

He was staring straight into the eyes of the servant girl, his orbs huge and amazed, slightly frightened, but mostly shocked.

The woman was very tall and slender, slim and agile. Her hair was long, straight and black as the night. Her face was pale the way that half-breed vampires of her type was, with only a few freckles across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. Her eyes were bespectacled and quite big, black as her hair with the dark red tint of her kind.

Will stared at her and she stared at him, both frozen the way they were when their gazes crossed; Will was reaching eagerly for his tea and cookies while the woman was just bending down to bring each teen their cups.

"R….Rip" Will mumbled slowly.

"Schrödinger" she said and frowned a little at the fact that, though she heard the other three speak of him she did not hear his name but the reference to him as 'Will'.

"Will? Who is this? Do you know her" Kamui suspicious was nagging at him.

The suspicion was affirmed as, since she was still bent down horizontally, a necklace the woman was wearing came slipping out of her suit's collar and a large golden swastika shaped pendulum swayed back and force on it with the necklace's swing.

"No, I don't know her" Will spat and finished fetching his tea and cookie plate. He shot his eyes sideways, frowning.

The servant straightened her back and turned to bring tea to the others.

Glaring at her, Kamui refused his venomously and kindly but firmly told Kotori to ask for new tea brought by another servant.

The servant girl shrugged and rolled her tea trolley away, muttering profanities in her mother tongue, to the sound of which Will cringed.

That evening Dvora brought a large silver tray loaded by freshly picked fruits.

While she and David feasted over the round simple wooden table Alex had in his room, Alex did not eat a single one.

"Oh come on Alex, have a cherry, they're delicious and juicy"

Alex glared at the fruits "Nah, don't feel like it"

"Why, they are delicious" David added, munching on a cherry stalk. He was eyeing the sunset through the window to see if it was time yet when Victoria was up.

Their first kiss had happened yesterday and though he was not yet eager to take this new development onwards he was more then willing to repeat the act again, if he would be allowed to do so.

"Ah, why should I eat these riches while my friends are starving back in our city" Alex grumbled, even drawing his elbow from the table as if to force his hands away from the temptation.

The other two glared at him.

"Eat and drink for tomorrow you will die (3)" they said in unison, unintentionally.

Alex stared at them and sniggered. He would have said something but his senses told him that an intruder was at the door to his room, an intruder who surely has a death wish if he comes into this room without his master when the three of them are together.

"Do you want die mutt?" he barked at the shy werewolf cringing at his doorstep.

Dvora, who had heard of Will from David, turned sharply on her seat, and so did David.

"I….came here because….uh…." Will was dizzy and nauseated and so sweaty his new satin shirt clung to his chest and back, great dark circles spread on the fabric under his arms.

He shook his head a little and bettered his voice "There's someone I know here" he said finally when his voice was restored.

Alex shot to his feet, his fellows' eyes hung on him "Come my friends, we have some hunting to do".

It had been the worst timing in the world for the servant girl to do the work she was doing, at the time she was doing it. She was making bread buns for the other servants, a task she insisted upon doing alone as a token of trying to socialize with them.

Though her long rifle was with her, leaning on the table where she worked (she carried it everywhere with her, even to her kitchen duties), it would not serve to protect her from those out for her blood now.

The great oven was gurgling with fire to her left as she rolled and squashed and fashioned the dough into neat little balls and placed them on a long hard wooden tray she'll slide into the oven's raging mouth.

As she worked she hummed her favourite opera, which only served to worsen her situation.

As they stepped silently into the great kitchen room the hunters kept complete quiet, sneaking up on her from the shadows dancing on the walls like the fire in the oven.

She first noticed them when her rifle was snatched from its place on the table. She looked to her left and saw a pale strong hand with a number on its skin grab her rifle near the nuzzle and, with the aid of another powerful arm at the hilt, snapping it in half like a twig.

She opened her mouth to say something but her breath was knocked out of her by a powerful bunch to her face and the wooden tray, now without the little balls she made, pushed into her stomach.

She folded in half and gasped for air.

She was pushed backwards and, to her horror, she realised that her back was now turned towards the great gaping oven. The heat was scorching her back, lashing out to devour the fabric of her black jacket.

She sent her long slim arms to the sides of the great source of fire and clung to it with all her might.

As she fought to save her life she saw before her, holding the big wooden tray and pushing her backwards into the fire, two people; one was a guard captain she saw running around the palace and another she recognised from the other kitchen ladies' gossip about the group of men who came to the palace. They didn't say a word, didn't even have any expression on their face, the fire danced in their intense eyes and that was all.

Finally overcome by their sheer force, the servant was hurled into the fire, the great black iron door of the oven shut tightly on her with the tray's long slim handle used to lock the door.

The kitchen became dark as the fire no longer cast its great roaring orange light around it. The only lights were those of a dozen little candles burning on the shelves around the room, casting giddy golden rings around them.

The three remaining in the kitchen stood silent in the dim light.

"Now that" the woman said "is what we should have done"

"I'll drink to that" said the man who sacrificed his date with a vampire for the hunting spree.

The other man walked out of the kitchen to leave the two for their little celebration.

As he exited the room he walked past a werewolf who stood at the doorway all along. The man stood still for a while and shot a glance at the sombre werewolf.

"Good job boy" he said and walked on.

Will gasped, feeling his heart race again and not out of fear.


"Oh look! How beautiful" Subaru had tried to stop himself from saying that but it was too late.

He and Seishiro were exploring the inner circle of gardens in the palace. These gardens were surrounded by rooms in the palace and acted as a small breath of greenery and fruits for those who lived in the palace and were too occupied to walk all the way to the official gardens.

The patio they've walked into was a stylish traditional Japanese garden. At it's centre, circled by well balanced black rocks and well combed bright grey gravel, stood an immense ancient cherry tree.

Its trunk was knotty, its many limbs were thick and far stretching and it was absolutely booming with powerful cheery pink blossoms.

Subaru had shut his mouth tight and awaited his lover's reaction to these words who had twice been almost deadly to him.

It seemed that his limbs were frozen at the sight of a tree almost completely replicating that which he knew far too well ages ago. He could not remove his eyes from it though he wished to tear them away and turn his back to the tree.

Seishiro walked up to the gigantic plant and placed a hand on it's trunk, the other hand involuntarily reaching for his cigarette back while moving so that the blood (like he had on his hand in days in which he did this every night) won't stain the fabric of his suit too much. He caught himself doing this and stopped, looking up into the tree limbs sinking back into far away childhood days when the only tree he could climb was a one very similar to this.

He looked at Subaru and smiled kindly, walking back to his lover's side. He wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist and drew their lips together passionately, softly.

When Subaru opened his eyes again after the kiss they were trusting again, calm and assured of his safety. The nightmare was over a long time ago, there was no reason to fear anymore.

"Ah look Subaru-kun! A bush of red camellias! How lovely. They're my favourite flower you know"

Subaru would have been surprised to see his lover admire something like flowers and in such a happy tone but his voice was snatched away as he noticed a familiar tingling to the back of his palms.

He looked down and saw the old scars of worse days glow on his pale skin.

"Seishiro-san! What are you doing!" he demanded.

He was not answered. Seishiro moved before him, his arms slightly stretched sideways as if shielding Subaru from something.

The light onmyouji turned to where his lover gazed and saw a short petit woman standing at the entrance, staring at them.

Her face was round and sweet, her skin creamy white, her eyes big and deep the same shade of Seishiro's remaining eye.

Her hair was so long it almost reached the floor and she wore it with several small braids combined with satin ribbons and pearls. She wore a magnificent long black silk kimono with an embroidery of delicate sakura petals so brilliantly made they seemed to be drifting downwards as the fabric moved slightly to the delicate fresh wind through the garden.

She stared at the two, her slim eyebrows soaring high in her porcelain little forehead. "Seishiro?" she asked. Her voice was clear as smooth running water.

"M-mother" he answered under his breath.

Subaru gasped.

She took a few tiny steps forward, gliding on the floor like an elegant geisha. She stopped a little away from them. The pink petals rode on the wind and caught in her hair, running down the immaculate hairs like bubbles in a waterfall.

"But you were a mere child when I last saw you Seishiro" she said with her eyes scanning the grown man before her "oh how you've grown!"

Both onmyoujis gave a deep sigh of relief; this was not this Seishiro's mother, she was the mother of another world's Seishiro. Nevertheless she was a Sakurazukamori, as Subaru's marks showed.

The woman now gazed at Subaru and a tiny sweet smile appeared on the dark red slim lips.

"Oh my Seishiro, you've your prey with you! And a Sumeragi at that, how brilliant!"

Seishiro was still as a rock and calm, but inside a roaring fire raged within him.

All the times in this world he got to think back at his life and what his mother has done to him. He never thought he'd have the chance to say something to her.

But what can he say to her! This is not the mother who educated him! If she was taken from him when he was a child, this other world him, then surely she did not yet burn her madness into him.

In the meantime he quaked slightly as his mother's replica took a few more tiny steppes towards her overgrown son.

Seishiro leaned backwards a little "H-he's….he's not yours" he mumbled, a drop of sweat dripping into his eye spreading pain into the only seeing orb.

The tiny pale hand reaching out to caress the side of his face cringed and drew back. The big eyes twitched in pain and surprise.

Suddenly Seishiro understood something: this mother of his is just as lost as he is, just as suddenly bombarded by emotions, just as apart from the tree as he is!

Suddenly there were only the two of them in the world; brimful of emotions they did not want and could not control bursting out through the mask suddenly cracked and flaking.

They were both lonely and frightened and miserable and lost like little children in a huge hostile forest, flailing monsters amongst elves and pixies long accustomed to the great woods.

His heart reached out to the tiny woman before him. He was engulfed by the need to gather her into his arm and cry with her for all the sorrow and anger and hate and remorse they were both showered with as this world tore them from the numbness of the sakura and into a world where they can no long hide in the shadows and be content, where they have to socialize and….and feel.

But he did not.

She hissed at him, hissed, and backed away from him, madness in her eyes. Turning her back to him she flung an ofuda at him before disappearing down the corridor.

The spell grazed his cheek and opened a searing gash which immediately began to bleed. It had been a much worse spell she cast on him but Subaru's countering ofuda had disarmed most of its sting.

Seishiro was blind and deaf to the fussing of his lover over his wound; he was too engulfed by thoughts.

Did she react that way because she thought the same thing he did in those few seconds and shunned it out hatefully thinking it a pathetic weakness?

Did she back away due to an animalistic fear that, having exposed herself as a weakened predator, he will try to kill her!

Or maybe….maybe she was as maddened as his mother?

Seishiro was silent and musing for the rest of the day. He sat in the large chair in their room, a cigarette slowly burning away between his fingers and stared forward powerfully, his brow frowning slightly.

Subaru had snapped him out of it finally with tears of panic in his eyes. He was terrified that the encountered had somehow made Seishiro withdraw into his heart, so much he resembled someone Subaru knew once.

Alex had been there as well when he awoke from his musing, he was the one who ordered Seishiro out of his daze. He stayed to keep an eye on Seishiro. He forced Seishiro to eat a big meal instead of the lunch and dinner he missed and interrogated both men of what had happened today.

Eventually he had spent the night in the onmyoujis' room sleeping in the same bed as them.

When he noticed the two men on both his sides (this time Seishiro was in the middle with Subaru and Alex sleeping by him) he lay and stared up at the ceiling, still pondering things. He was like a mindless, speechless idiot, flipping through a book in a strange tongue, staring at the pages shocked.

Finally he let fatigue have the better of him and sank into a bothersome sleep.

His dreams were filled with little boys falling from tree limbs and, with broken arms, bruises, and twisted ankles, crawling to their mother sipping tea, her hand covered with blood and a corpse of a boy his age at her side.

The next morning he woke with the two men neatly snuggled up to him, deep in peaceful sleep.

He looked down at Subaru's innocent sleeping face and smiled. He did not end up a crazed frightened beast like his mother because he had Subaru-kun here to help him out of it and teach him how to be human again. He tightened the hold he had on the younger man and squeezed the sleeping body a little.

Then he looked down at Alex and found a clear, innocent expression on the man's face. He did not seem his age this way, he seemed like a small frail boy, weak and begging to be loved. His palm was clutching at the blanket drawn up to Seishiro's chest as if it would help to keep him there in the warmth and comfort.

Seishiro felt a bitter sting to his heart.


Kamui had spent another happy day with Kotori, only this one had ended in a somewhat sombre, gloomy mood.

The Oracle looked down into the green tea in her cup (her servant had changed, she had noticed and made Kamui look at Will who answered him with a steady powerful gaze) and sighed.

"What is it Kotori-chan? What's wrong?" Kamui asked, sitting a little closer to her on the sofa.

Kotori looked away, a single tear dripped silently down her cheek.

"There's a rumour around the palace" Tohru answered for her mistress, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders "that the negotiations are drawing to a close and that soon you'll be away from here again"

With this Kotori burst into painful tears, throwing her arms around Kamui who returned the hug.

"The dream said it! the Lady of Light told me, she told me you'll be snatched away as quickly as you were given to me….but for it to happen so quickly" she whimpered miserably "I thought that surely you'll stay here for a little bit longer" she sank into sobs again.

Kamui rubbed her back trying to cheer her up a bit; his heart too had sunk when he heard the news. He heard them from Subaru this morning.

"I don't want to lose you a third time Kamui" Kotori whimpered on into Kamui's shoulder "I don't want to lose you again! That man, he's so evil for taking you away like that" she gasped and burst into another fit.

"I wish I could join you, I'm sure her majesty won't object! And then when you'll finally return to your city I'll be able to see Fuma again!"

"Yes if only" Kamui sighed in return.

"Oh Kamui" Kotori drew herself off of Kamui's shoulder and hung big watery eyes at her old childhood friend "can't you speak to him and ask him to stay here for a little while long? I'm not talking about taking me with you, that might be too much, but….but can't you talk to him a little?"

Now three pairs of eyes hung at him miserably, hopefully, demanding him to act as their saviour.

Kamui thought for a while. His mind buzzed with a million suggestions and ideas but all of them were sure to fail. Alex had an iron will and nerves of steel when it came to insisting upon something happening the right way in this 'war'.

Then again when did Kamui ask Alex to do something and did not receive it after enough reasoning and nagging?

But surely Alex won't agree to this, no matter how nicely he'll ask him…..

And yet……just how nicely had he been acting towards him? If at all?...surely……

Surely…..if he gave Alex something…..then the man would be content…..won't he?

Kamui gulped, slowly forming a plan. It'd be a great sacrifice and he'll have to do something he might not want to but….for Kotori….and for Fuma when they'll come back home both him and Kotori, Fuma would be so happy…..

Fuma won't have to know, would he?

"I….I think I have a plan…."

The eyes stared at him in awe and wonder.


That evening Alex's room had been filled with cheerful voices and ringing laughter as a past mischief was told of by Dvora. Lestate had had a ball with it, getting into specific details and how Alex had messed up there.

Of course they didn't really laugh at him and that often Alex would get his revenge while teasing the other two. For now he let them have a good time at his expence.

Generally he was most pleased with the way his two good friends were getting along so very smoothly.

Usually Dvora would probably cringe away from a fancy, witty creature such as Lestate but her spirits were good and her mood lenient. She seemed to have finally calmed down here and came to be at peace with herself. Alex was very happy to see that.

Lestate had found Dvora a brilliant source of information about his favourite subject and never missed an opportunity to ask another question about his Death.

That evening, as they lazed out on the large comfortable sofas in Alex's room a knock was heard on the door.

Dvora answered it merrily, giggling at how she became so comfortable here that she behaves as if it's her room.

The giggles ended as the door opened and Kamui stepped into the room, silent and humble. He was blushing and averting his eyes from Alex as he hung his head a bit.

He was wearing something very smooth and very flattering Kotori had found him a few days ago; a shining black with violet fragment, satin-like fabric. The suit had made him quite a sight eyes and the fresh blush in his cheeks only added to his beauty.

The silence in the room weighted down on the people.

"May I speak with you alone Alex?" Kamui asked clearly, his voice calm and confident, yet very humble.

Alex darted looks at his comrades and they began leaving the room.

Dvora threw a happy face at him with her tongue sticking out before disappearing into the corridor.

Lestate walked out calmly, slowly walking past Kamui. Before he walked out he turned to Alex and threw a single thought thread towards him.

'Watch your step'

Alex tore his gaze from Kamui, trying to not to become blinded with the sheer beauty, and turned to his maps again.

"May I speak to you Alex?"


David, and Victoria who were about to join to the meeting in Alex's room had just arrived to see the two guests leaving.

The undertaker had noticed Kamui entering the room before. The door closing behind him and the look in Lestate's eyes turn an alarm in his mind.

"What's the brat planning?" he turned to Lestate who walked up to a large window in the hall "You can read his mind vampire, what's he up to?"

Lestate took his time to answer. He gazed up at the beautiful moon above, its rays making his skin glow unnaturally and his eyes turn into bright blue opals.

"If Alex steps into it then it is entirely his fault. No don't walk in; he should learn his lesson….both of them should"

David clutched his fists and ground his teeth.

Victoria threw a worried gaze at the closed door.


"May I speak to you Alex?"

"What is it now!" Death spat back angrily "Probably want to spend your nights with that little dreamy idiot. Did you tell her about you and her brother? Eh?"

Kamui remained calm "Please don't attack me Alex, I didn't come here armed with demands and accusations" his voice was so calm and cool, yet pinched with misery.

Alex turned his doubtful eyes to the boy.

Kamui returned a mature solemn look, his cheeks still flushed, as if wishing to reveal something terribly secret to Alex.

Death wished to remove his eyes from the bewitching beauty but found that he couldn't, it was far too great for him to overcome.

"What is it Kamui?" he asked softly.

Kamui cast his eyes to the floor, turning his head sideways again with just the tiniest pained expression.

"I've….." he flushed even more "I've been thinking about….well….no…I've….." he sighed and looked to the other side, fighting not to meet Alex's soul searching gaze.

"I've recovered my memories from the first time I've been here" he said, finally gathering the courage to look at Alex for a single glimpse "and I've remembered how good you were to me, and how kind and loving…" a single tear escaped and rolled down his burning cheek.

Alex slowly climbed to his feet. This….wasn't…happening, right?

"And….it's hard for me to try and think….I mean….to try and decide which…."

Alex took a step towards him.

Kamui lowered his gaze even more, wishing to hide his burgundy face "Which to be with…." He finally whispered.

Alex was at his side, yet still weary and aloof.

"It's just that I can't remember everything" Kamui went on, his voice a mere whisper, too shy to speak "I can't remember how we were…..alone….I mean….intimate……

"I only remember little things about myself….monstrous things because I was a vampire but I can't remember the gentle things….if there were any….I mean…..it's just important for me to decide…..if…..if it was human and okay….."

He suddenly gazed up at Alex, directly into the bewildered foggy green deeps who stared down at him as if he was the greatest treasure about to be revealed to him.

"I thought that if you could remind me….just once….of how it was"

The strong arms grabbed his shoulders. Caught. A soft thumb caressed his chin to tilt it backwards a little.

Alex scanned his face hungrily, impatiently "Kamui" he said hoarsely "do you mean it?"

"Yes, please Alex" the bait whimpered.

The arms circled him, his chin was tilted backwards a little more and here, in a second, their lips would meet!

"No…." Kamui turned his head sideways, away from the kiss "I mean….if I'll kiss you that spell will work and….well…I want my head to be clear of any influence, I want to think for myself"

Alex, who was very much on the verge of loosing himself to this wonderful experience and his needs, which he repressed in the long bitter nights and days, took a deep breath and scanned the beautiful tiny face in his hand as he planned his next move.

He kissed Kamui's eyes closed, then his cheeks, then his delicate neck where he rained a hundred tiny soft kisses each hardly revealing the storm of want in their giver.

Kamui kept his eyes closed tight and let his mind drift far away. Drifting as his mind was, he did not let it drift too far for he knew that Alex's ears were acute to his thoughts and if the name of a certain youth might arise there then the plan will be doomed.

He found himself on the bed, his shirt open and his pant almost the same, the soft lips playing wonderfully across his skin while the marble white fingers explored him hungrily.

He noted that Alex was not the attacking, hungry, lustful beast he thought he might be; he did not hurry to expose anything, nor did he rush to please himself as well. Instead Alex kissed his skin on every inch of exposed skin as if charting the boy.

He thought, with much surprise and slight joy, that Alex was appreciating his body, worshiping it in this behaviour. He was thanking him for letting him have this chance.

His heart stung at this notion, he was doing something wrong. But before he'll even bring it into coherent thinking Kamui wiped the notion away to keep it hidden.

And damn it! It felt so good!

Why did he feel like this! Why did he whimper and sigh and moan and arch into the lapping tongue and warm hands over his body? Why was he, in small fragmented words, asking for more or giving the man above him directions?

He yelped as he sensed what Alex was doing now and the warm waters of pleasure washed over him like a tidal wave. His breath quickened and his own mouth had lost contact with what his mind allowed it to do. His fingers ran through Death's smooth long black hairs encouraging the man to do more.

He really was enjoying this, treasuring this because……because…..

Because Fuma never did this to him. He never made him feel like this.

Fuma was a young man of much passion and very little experience. His opportunities with Kamui he spent quickly, rashly, inconsiderately, leaving the boy not unsatisfied but definitely wishing there was more of it.

Compared to Fuma Alex was a master in this arts; ages of experience combined with his unending love for Kamui made him know the boy's good spots by heart, his need to not blow this rare chance up heightening his behaviour to it's best. He took these spots in Kamui and played the boy like a piano's keyboards, making the boy dance and sing to his tune.

Kamui knew this and for a moment thought that this is far, far better then what he has at home, that in a sense he was accepting the fact that Alex is better then Fuma.

That's impossible….impossible… he won't fall for it, not like this, not for such a silly selfish reason such as good sex, would he!

He loves Fuma! He must think of Fuma, must keep his eyes on the prise and remember what he came here for; for Fuma and Kotori, and fight the pleasure back.

Only there wasn't anymore pleasure. The touches stopped and the lips no long caressed him.

Kamui opened his eyes and saw the man bent over him was glaring menace at him with glowing turquoise eyes. His face was almost completely red with anger, his orbs horrifying.

Kamui cringed and kicked himself to sit on the bed, drawing his garments back on; the plan had backfired on him! Shit!

"Kamui" Alex growled, his voice deep, hoarse, demonic "what have you done?"

Kamui squirmed back into his pants, leaped off the bed and began buttoning up his shirt.

His heart raced with the deepest, keenest terror he ever felt. The terror was worse then when he had noticed that Seishiro's execution will not go through, that Death's powers were getting stronger and soon, soon his punishment will come. The terror was worse then when the Dragon possessed Fuma and hissed hateful words into his ears after pinning him like a butterfly to the concrete slab behind him.

"What have you done Kamui!" Death got off of the bed, starting to march towards the youth.

Kamui whimpered, backed up against the door he fumbled for the handle and escaped into the large round hall outside their rooms.

"How dare you play such a dirty trick on me Kamui! How dare you!" Death boomed at him, wrath in the form of a man.

The other Death riders were there, all staring amazed at the sight. They've never seen Alex so mad at the boy he loved so much before, nor did they see Kamui so very frightened.

Kamui walked into the dining table and, seeing he has nowhere to run, decided to speak up a little. "I wanted to ask you to allow Kotori with us so that when we'll return she'll be able to meet Fuma…"

"You know we won't return so quickly Kamui! Not until you'll let this man off the hook!" Death shot his arm to point at Seishiro.

"What on earth makes you think I'll let that idiotic bitch along with us! What made you think of such a conniving, dirty trick!"

The powerful slap hit Kamui so hard it tipped him over the table, sent him rolling across it and down to the floor on the other end where he laid whimpering and crying with sheer panic.

Death sent the table flying against the wall where it crushed into a million fragments with the might of the blow. He marched on towards the boy who managed to gather himself to his feet again.

Will shot himself before his master, defending the boy with his body. His eyes were powerful and resolved though inside he was preparing to die for this act of rebellion against the one man who could kill him with a snap of his fingers.

"You dare stand before me mutt!" Death roared and grabbed the werewolf by the side of his head, flinging him to where the table lay scattered in a pile of chips and broken limbs. He knocked the youth unconscious against the wall.

The strong white hand that caressed him so lovingly a few minutes ago now lashed at Kamui's neck and squeezed tightly as Death carried the boy away into his room.

"No, no please….Alex I'm sorry, I'm so sorry….please…." Kamui choked on his tears and the powerful steel hand on his windpipe.

"I don't think you've learnt just how imprisoned you are here Kamui. I think you have too many liberties and it has gone to your head, brat!"

"No please….Alex PLEASE!"

A cage of cast iron, two meters on in width and length, appeared in the boy's room with its door open.

Kamui looked across his shoulder as much as he could and began to futilely beg even more.

"No….please…..please….no….."

He was flung into the cell, cuffs and chains immediately clamping on his wrists to bind him tightly to the wall behind him. The heavy door slammed shut limiting the light to a single stripe coming from the little slit of a window.

Kamui crumbled to the floor as much as he could and sunk into his misery, his anger at his own stupidity and the pure fear of what might come next.

He had spent the day there, laying cast away on the cold floor with nothing but his tears and the echoing of his whimpers to keep him company.


"……"

"……"

"Won't you speak to him?"

Will raised his suddenly age-old eyes to his veterinarian and kept them there for a while. He looked away and shrugged.

Seishiro began tending to his wounds as soon as he noticed Alex turning his back to the boy yesturday. He picked the frail body from the pile of woodchips and brought him to his room where, on the table on which he spread a spare sheet, he tended to the injured werewolf.

The meeting with the wall had rendered Will with a heavy concussion which lead to him nauseated, incoherent and dizzy for the rest of the day. Only now was he finally beginning to shake the last veils of the searing headache. Gladly he had not suffered from cracks in his skull or internal bleeding in his cranium, something that could have ended his life quite quickly now that he was on hostile territory with only a limited veterinarian to his aid.

His shoulder had been dislocated, which was easily fixed but not without great pain. His arm was broken, his elbow was slightly cracked.

Seishiro sent Subaru down to the palace's hospital to fetch him a proper arm sling and medical plaster.

Subaru had been a bit reluctant to help the werewolf cub at first but the screams of pain and miserable canine whimpers had finally overcome him.

The hand Alex sent to claw at the boy and yank him away from Kamui had pulled the hairs from around Will's right ear, leaving a partially bald patch on the side of his head.

The black ear's tip had been torn away leaving an ugly wound behind. Seishiro had managed to fashion the skin to leave a relatively aesthetic scar.

Now he sat crouched by the werewolf checking on his shoulder and the stitches in his ear.

Will sat on the floor leaning on the heavy door of Kamui's cell. From time to time a tiny whimper managed to make an escape from the iron room and out into the air.

"Vhy should I speak to him" Will sighed finally.

"….Because….I thought you were good friends…"

"He has done somesing bad and ist now being punished for it…I haf nothing to say to him…"

Seishiro gave Will a doggy biscuit he found around the palace and ruffled his hair fondly as much as he could between the bald patch and the large painful bump on the boy's head.

He did not expect such an answer but found it pleasant and good nevertheless.

It was the afternoon of the day after Kamui's wicked trick and the sun was already setting. Tohru had come to Kamui's room three times already, asking about the two boy's absence which worried her mistress to no end.

Will had told her shortly of what had happened.

He did not give into the soft caresses and chirps of worry at his bandages and wounds, he bore them with muted pride and refused to be praised for his bravery.

Tohru had just been there, trying to open a conversation with the silent and suspicious Seishiro by Will's side when Alex stepped into the room heavily.

The three stared at him and immediately hurried to their various hiding places, each knowing they've done something wrong by being there.

Alex walked up to the iron cell, unlocked it, and flung the door open.

Slowly, weakly, Kamui raised his stinging swollen bloodshot eyes to the menacing man at the doorway.

"The negotiation is over. I'll be down securing the caravan with all the food and products and then we'll be riding out of here. Go spend whatever time you still have with that little bird-brained Oracle of yours"

His voice had been cold and commanding, powerful as it echoed from the iron walls.

He turned around and left the room to go and gather zombies which will escort the undead horses for the huge caravan acting as the rescuers of the Dark Side's City.

Will walked into the room and helped his master get to his feet.

Kamui gasped as he saw the werewolf's wounds "You shouldn't have done that Will, you shouldn't have protected me….it was my sin, my idiotic acts, I should have paid for them alone"

Will looked at his master for a while and finally smiled, embracing the twin youth as much he could.

They hurried to walk over to Kotori's room to make use of their now limited time.


"Oh my god Kamui! What had they done with you!" Kotori leaped to her feet and shot over to the two boys as soon as they entered her chamber.

Kamui had half his face covered in a nasty black and blue bruise, his eyes swollen and red. He was sickly and pale.

"Calm down Kotori, I got what I deserved, please, sit down, and don't cry"

"Oh! And he hurt Will too, that monster"

"Kotori please, I told you….I've done a very, very bad thing and I got punished for it. Please, don't worry about it"

Kotori threw herself into Kamui's arms and burst into tears.

"I've been told that you'll be heading out tonight…" Tohru said while rubbing an herbal medicinal ointment onto Will's injured ear.

The two youths held each other tightly, crying and sobbing powerfully.

They've spent their last three hours together like that.

Tohru had given Will a rosary necklace of white and black beads as a farewell token from her.

The werewolf blushed and mumbled a choked 'zank you'. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and a long hug which he returned ever so gratefully.

The chamber's large door swung slowly open, Alex stood at the entrance in his armours "Come Kamui, we ride"

Kamui got up, pulling Kotori after him sobbing and hysterical.

She cleared her head and turned her mature and calm eyes to Alex.

Sobbing and hiccupping slightly, she spoke to Death "I bid you now, formally and properly, to let me and my servant ride with you for the rest of your journey.

"I will not be a hindrance and won't act against you. I only wish to ride with you until you'll reach your city where my brother is, I haven't seen him since the Dragon slew me"

"No"

Kotori whimpered angrily.

"I'm afraid your company only serves to stir the wrong ideas in Kamui, and besides, you are a luxury he is not entitled to have in his status" Alex's voice had been cruel, powerful and dark.

He turned to Kamui, who hung his head and avoided eye contact with him "Come on, we haven't got much time"

Kotori held tightly to Kamui's hand and refused to let go.

"Please Kotori, I have to leave" Kamui begged of her, his eyes so sad.

Kotori burst into sobs and refused to let go. Tohru came to her side and tried to sooth her to no avail.

"If you wish" Alex suddenly spoken in a soft and mannered tone, surprising the four youths in the room "I will inform you when Kamui will be back in the city. Then I will send my riders to escort you safely to our city where you'll reunite with your brother. How does that sound to you?"

Kotori blinked, astounded "That sounds…fairly nice I think"

"I thought so too" Alex smiled, turning to leave "Fuma should be happy once the both of you are there, to have both his sister and his lover there by his side"

"His lover!" Kotori cried out "Are you suggesting that me and my brother…." Then it hit her.

Kamui turned his eyes away form her, another mischief backfiring on him.

Kotori hung huge shocked eyes at him.

Her hand let go of Kamui's.

"Kamui…..you….." she huffed, refusing to believe "you…..and Fu…..Fuma…." tears choked her "you and Fuma….all this time….behind my back…..

"but…..but you love me, don't you Kamui!...you said you'll marry me when we'll grow up! You promised!

"Oh and….and all this time….and when you came back to Tokyo….I was nothing but a background noise to you wasn't I!"

her voice grew angry now, bitter and broken.

"Kotori, I…." Kamui was silenced by a slap from his former friend, landing on the bruise making it sear and ache all over again. He cringed and ground his teeth to stifle a yelp of pain.

"How dare you! I hate you! You lied to me! You fooled me! You bastard! Get out of here! I don't ever want to see you again! GET OUT!"

Kamui did so, his head hung and sad, tears wallowing in his eyes. He did not want this to end like this, to have such a bitter parting with Kotori.

As he walked the palace corridors behind Alex he had noticed the man's face reflecting off a shield hung on one of the walls; Death was smiling victoriously.

Alex told Kotori about Kamui and Fuma on purpose! Was it revenge for last night? A dirty trick for a dirty trick?

If that's the case then Kamui deserved it, he knew it, and walked on with another burden of pain to carry.


As they left towards the far off land stretching beyond the palace and it's surrounding crop fields the Death riders, when they turned their heads and looked backwards, could make out a huge convoy stretching out from the palace towards the huge mountains where they came from almost a week ago, trailing on like a long thick snake.

The numerous carriages were run by undead, relentless, tireless horses that were ordered to run beyond the animal's physical capability in the times they were alive.

On each side of the carriages a thick line of zombies ran to secure the convoy, running at the same inhuman pace as the beasts.

In their current speed and their straight line course the convoy would reach the Dark Side's city within a matter of a few days and the starving City would be saved.

Alex had kept his promise to Yuzuriha.

(tbc)


(1) not the disease but the castle full of lustful women 'nuns' from Monty Python's brilliant The Holy Grail. Go watch the movie if you don't believe me, it's good for your sanity!

(2) cute in Japanese, mostly referred to small pink things with big eyes a chirpy voices, Mokona like, chibi forms etc. also said when referring to a good looking girl who behaves herself like a stupid and, mannered giggling idiot to attract the boys.

(3) this is something I came up with, it is no where in the protocols or the testimonies of the group Dvora and David are supposed to have been imprisoned in. apologies if this offends anyone.

A.N: wow! A lot of slapping going on in this chapter ne? oh well. Hope you liked this, don't forget to R&R and remember the challenge!

Wow, 28 pages….da-amn! 't's been a long time since I last wrote such a long chapter.

Anywways rest assured that Kamui won't run anymore bitchy tricks on Alex. Rather the other way around, but I digress….