Chapter 52

Seishirou was sitting in his old childhood home, amber eyes open but not really seeing. He blinked and before he realized it was staring into identical amber eyes.

"What are you thinking about dear?"

"Nothing."

"You were thinking about that boy again weren't you?"

"Yeah…"

"You know this is for the best my dear..."

"Yeah."

"You're better off without him."

"Yeah."

"Only I can love you Seishirou...you know that, right?"

"Yeah."

"You truly are emotionless, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Good, just how I raised you. Just awhile longer and I'll make you a true Sakurazukamori just like me."

~#~

"Papa, when is Daddy coming back?"

"I don't know."

"Auntie Hokuto? What's wrong with Papa? Where's Daddy? I want him back home!"

"I know you do sweetie, and Subaru this is ridiculous, the poor thing loves both of you. This is tearing her apart. You two are soulmates, you belong together."

"Tell him that, this was his idea not mine. I need to get to work, thanks for staying here in the manor today Hokuto; Fuuma's here somewhere." A kiss to his daughter's cheeks. "You be a good girl for Auntie Hokuto."

After Subaru, left Hokuto put Mystic down for a nap before finally locating her old schoolmate.

"'Ello Fuuma. You realize our brothers are idiots?"

"Normally Hokuto, I'd jump at the chance to call my older brother an idiot but this time I think my mother is to blame."

"Your mother?"

"Yeah she's been quiet for a while but still...you'd think by now…he'd learn to deal with his fears."

"Sei-chan's afraid of your mother?"

"Well…he'd mangle me for saying it but he is. He's not afraid of her though really, but he's afraid of what she'll do to Subaru and he's afraid he won't be able to stop her…just like he couldn't with Kotori..."

A small manicured hand rested on his shoulder. "You don't have to talk about it anymore, just help me get them back together, okay?"

"Thanks...sis."

"I feel honored that you call me your sister."

"You should feel more honored that he does."

"Oh?"

"Don't get me wrong; I loved my sister and I love my brother but…the bond the two of them had? I was just the middle child...still the reject when I think about it."

"You're wrong. I won't deny that Sei-chan was definitely torn apart by your sister's death but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about you. You've never seen his reaction when you've been in trouble, have you?"

"No…"

"When you nearly fell off your broom he was frozen in place and that night when Fei Wang had both you and Subaru; he was so angry. I've never seen him so angry. I've known since day one that he was capable of it, with that sinister gaze hidden in those amber eyes, but I had never seen him actively ready for it. Family is everything to Sei-chan, and his family is Subaru, their daughter, and you. Of course I'm in a category all alone ohohohoho."

"Thanks Hokuto. I better go, the twins usually wake up around this time and if I'm not there Kamui will shove a wand so far up my—"

"Ohohohohoho that'd be practice for when you let him top in the bedroom of course!"

"I'm out of here...good luck!"

After Fuuma disapparated, Hokuto flopped on the couch feeling a rush of cold air as she closed her eyes. When her eyes opened she saw another girl sitting on the couch next to her. "It's nice to meet you Hokuto."

She looked over and was met with pearly transparent skin but the girl's eyes shown as if she were alive. "You're Kotori aren't you?"

"That's right and big brother is right, it is Mommy behind it. She's got bigger brother under the umm…Imperius Curse? Yeah that's it. She doesn't have full control though. I warned her the day she killed me that love would save bigger brother from her grasp. You need to convince your brother to go back, it will break the spell I promise. I can hold off Mommy. She made the mistake in agreeing to kill me. See now, instead of bigger brother protecting me, I'm protecting him. Now here's what you have to do."