X/1999 segment Contributed by Midnight Sun
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Nature was everywhere in the deep green forest. Wisps of white clouds drifted by, and the sweet sound of distant birds accentuated the perfect representation of natural beauty.
It was a rural and lush forest somewhere in Japan, and within this perfect picture of nature's glory a single teenager kneeled in front of a large oaken tree. A tan jacket lay strewn over his shoulders, and a long wrapped bundle laid in the rich grass at his side. A somber expression was across his delicate face, as he stared longingly at the small flowers laid at the base in rememberance. Remembrance of a girl who had given him so many childhood memories, when times were so much simpler. Now...she was gone, and all he could do was honor her memory, and hope her sacrifice would not be in vain.
"I'm sorry, did I bother you?" Another young man in a yellow jacket and backwards basball cap asked as Kamui finally stood, taking the wrapped Sacred Sword in one hand.
"No." Kamui answered softly.
"You asked the chief director to bury Kotori's body under this tree," Sorata remembered, before a brief smile came to his face. "It's a nice and peaceful place."
He saw that his attempt to lighten the mood had not been effective. Kamui's face was still a mix of sadness and melodiousness.
"I'm sorry," Sorata corrected and his expression sobered. "I promised to protect you with all my soul, and yet there was nothing I could do. I'm sorry."
"No...it was because I didn't believe in anyone," Kamui admitted, and then turned to face his fellow Seal. "But it's going to be different now..."
Sorata felt a slight bit of weight lift from his shoulders. At least he knew Kamui was learning, and growing, from the harrowing experience.
"Would you mind if I prayed to her too?" Sorata asked.
"Would you mind if we all prayed?" A new voice interrupted.
Sorata turned around to find all the other Seals, Aoki, Yuzuriha, Arashi, and Subaru.
"Can I be included?"
They looked up to just in time to see Karen dropping down from the trees, landing as lightly as a feather.
"Yes," Kamui smiled for the first time in a long time. "Kotori would like that."
The birds continued singing their blissful song as the Seven Seals took turns honoring a fallen friend, despite that most of them had never even met her before. They all knew, however, how much of an effect she had on Kamui, and that was all they needed to know.
Karen was the last one to pay her respects, and by that time, the three flowers that Kamui had originally laid had grown into several dozen.
"If you don't mind, could you introduce yourselves to each other?" Karen asked after rising from her kneeling and turning to face everyone else. "My name is Kasumi Karen."
"Yeah, huh," Sorata remembered. "I don't think I've introduced myself to some of you. I'm Arisugawa Sorata."
"Kishu Arashi."
"Sumeragi Subaru."
"Seiichirou Aoki."
"I'm Yuzuriha Neko..."
Yuzuriha suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Everyone turned their attention to her suddenly, and they noticed the flabbergasted expression that had suddenly overcome her face.
"Yuzuriha?" Aoki wondered over her sudden change.
Her reply was naught, as she suddenly fell to her knees with a blank expression on her face. Inuki then
reeled in shock; no longer feeling her through the connection they shared. She collapsed, as if she were a rag doll that lost its balance. Her eyes remained unfocused, and stared into the distance.
"YUZURIHA!" Aoki immediately ran to her as she fell forward, her form totally still, and at that same moment, Inuki vanished into thin air.
"What's wrong with her?" Sorata asked in bewilderment.
"Oh my God," Aoki gasped as she felt for a pulse. "She's dead..."
"What?!" They all said in near unison.
They were all about to rush to her aid, as futile as it was, whenever an exhale of breath from relaxing lungs caught their attention. Subaru was laying on the ground to the ground, with a lifeless stare.
Kamui had joined the fallen, along with by Arashi. Their lives had been cut all too abruptly and suddenly, leaving no trace of ailment.
Sorata, Aoki, and Kasumi could only there in stark horror at what had just occurred. Three of their comrades, their friends, had just died, right before their very eyes.
Little could they comprehend the unnatural, and yet omnipotent, force at work...
______________________
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Nature was everywhere in the deep green forest. Wisps of white clouds drifted by, and the sweet sound of distant birds accentuated the perfect representation of natural beauty.
It was a rural and lush forest somewhere in Japan, and within this perfect picture of nature's glory a single teenager kneeled in front of a large oaken tree. A tan jacket lay strewn over his shoulders, and a long wrapped bundle laid in the rich grass at his side. A somber expression was across his delicate face, as he stared longingly at the small flowers laid at the base in rememberance. Remembrance of a girl who had given him so many childhood memories, when times were so much simpler. Now...she was gone, and all he could do was honor her memory, and hope her sacrifice would not be in vain.
"I'm sorry, did I bother you?" Another young man in a yellow jacket and backwards basball cap asked as Kamui finally stood, taking the wrapped Sacred Sword in one hand.
"No." Kamui answered softly.
"You asked the chief director to bury Kotori's body under this tree," Sorata remembered, before a brief smile came to his face. "It's a nice and peaceful place."
He saw that his attempt to lighten the mood had not been effective. Kamui's face was still a mix of sadness and melodiousness.
"I'm sorry," Sorata corrected and his expression sobered. "I promised to protect you with all my soul, and yet there was nothing I could do. I'm sorry."
"No...it was because I didn't believe in anyone," Kamui admitted, and then turned to face his fellow Seal. "But it's going to be different now..."
Sorata felt a slight bit of weight lift from his shoulders. At least he knew Kamui was learning, and growing, from the harrowing experience.
"Would you mind if I prayed to her too?" Sorata asked.
"Would you mind if we all prayed?" A new voice interrupted.
Sorata turned around to find all the other Seals, Aoki, Yuzuriha, Arashi, and Subaru.
"Can I be included?"
They looked up to just in time to see Karen dropping down from the trees, landing as lightly as a feather.
"Yes," Kamui smiled for the first time in a long time. "Kotori would like that."
The birds continued singing their blissful song as the Seven Seals took turns honoring a fallen friend, despite that most of them had never even met her before. They all knew, however, how much of an effect she had on Kamui, and that was all they needed to know.
Karen was the last one to pay her respects, and by that time, the three flowers that Kamui had originally laid had grown into several dozen.
"If you don't mind, could you introduce yourselves to each other?" Karen asked after rising from her kneeling and turning to face everyone else. "My name is Kasumi Karen."
"Yeah, huh," Sorata remembered. "I don't think I've introduced myself to some of you. I'm Arisugawa Sorata."
"Kishu Arashi."
"Sumeragi Subaru."
"Seiichirou Aoki."
"I'm Yuzuriha Neko..."
Yuzuriha suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Everyone turned their attention to her suddenly, and they noticed the flabbergasted expression that had suddenly overcome her face.
"Yuzuriha?" Aoki wondered over her sudden change.
Her reply was naught, as she suddenly fell to her knees with a blank expression on her face. Inuki then
reeled in shock; no longer feeling her through the connection they shared. She collapsed, as if she were a rag doll that lost its balance. Her eyes remained unfocused, and stared into the distance.
"YUZURIHA!" Aoki immediately ran to her as she fell forward, her form totally still, and at that same moment, Inuki vanished into thin air.
"What's wrong with her?" Sorata asked in bewilderment.
"Oh my God," Aoki gasped as she felt for a pulse. "She's dead..."
"What?!" They all said in near unison.
They were all about to rush to her aid, as futile as it was, whenever an exhale of breath from relaxing lungs caught their attention. Subaru was laying on the ground to the ground, with a lifeless stare.
Kamui had joined the fallen, along with by Arashi. Their lives had been cut all too abruptly and suddenly, leaving no trace of ailment.
Sorata, Aoki, and Kasumi could only there in stark horror at what had just occurred. Three of their comrades, their friends, had just died, right before their very eyes.
Little could they comprehend the unnatural, and yet omnipotent, force at work...