He was right in
front of the shower stoll
The suds all over her.
Looking at her.
Slowly she turned towards him.
Looking at her body.
Slowly exposing every aspect of her body.
His eye roamed her body.
Washing off the suds, she lifted her arms up high to
let the water drip all over her. She felt a shudder go up her spine, but she
ignored it.
She didn't feel his breath on her skin.
As quickly as it started she turned off the shower
and started to put on her nightshirt. Closing the door behind her Yuzuriha
walked gingerly to her bed, letting the carpet's fabric seep through to her
wrinkled toes. Going to her shelf, she pulled her brush and started to go
through her black, wet strains. Tenderly applying pressure to her hair she
started to sit down on her bed when she felt a silky object under her bottom.
Getting up she noticed a couple of Sakura cherry blossoms on her bed and on the
floor up to her bathroom. Inuki started to sniff the pedals and got a nasty
reaction. Curios caught her. She knew her window was opened, but to let a clear
trail over her floor was unrealistic. Carefully with Inuki at her toe she
followed the trail of blossoms to the bathroom.
Her breaths were rapid
Se gingerly grabbed the metallic surface of the knob
Letting the cold feeling sweep through her.
She slowly opened the door.
What came into her sight horrified her to the core.
There was the sign of the sakurazukamou, clearly
stated in blood. Pedals littered the room, but they weren't normal pedals. They
weren't pink but crimson red. With a jolt she slammed the door and ran back to
her bed and noticed her window opened, with the speed of a wolf and went up to
the window and peered through, but he was gone. Slowly she steadied her
breathing and slowly lowered herself to the floor, letting the carpet tickle
her sensitive skin. Then like a shock, a realization hit her. "He couldn't have
done all this before I came, or after I left the bathro…" Her eyes went in shock
as she realized that he was a master of illusion and then a thought shocked her
to the bone.
"He… sa..Saw me.. i..in the shower…."
*
* *
Kusanagi had finished work and had started
his trek through the woods. Light exploded from the leaves into green light
that gripped the souls of the many plant life on the bottom floor of the
forest. The wind started to pick up and spread a wild fire of green oak leaves
into the air, splashing Kusanagi's gentile face with the scent of nature.
"Kusanagi-kun!" A voice echoed from the distance, being carried by the wind.
Kusanagi didn't need to think twice to
know who it was. "Mis…" he was interrupted by Yuzuriha slamming her whole body
to his and tightening her grip into a hug. Inuki silently sniffed the air for
any signs from the Sakurazukamou.
"Hi…umm, I missed you so I decide to join
you in your daily nature walk! "
"Well, I'm sure that hug wasn't just
because you wanted to see me!" Kusanagi laughed, not seeing the twinkle in Yuzuriha's
eyes.
"…"
"So missy, what's really bothering you…?
He noticed Yuzuriha blush, and carefully put a palm on her cheek.
She could feel his ruff palm on her cream
like skin. It made her feel safe. Like a cyclone, the word safety brought back
all the memories of the night before. Kusanagi, noticing this instantly took
his hand off her face, feeling a twinge of guilt that yet again he had shown
emotions not appropriate to her age. "…Can we sit down Kusanagi-san?"
Slowly he lend her to a huge rock overlooking
the vast forest. She could feel the rough texture of the stone on her bottom,
feeling a shiver up her spine. The same shiver she felt when she was in the
shower. She could imagine his eyes roaming her body, seeing things that she
wished would stay hidden. Kusanagi saw this and put his coat over her.
"Arigatou Kusanagi-kun…"
Kusanagi nodded. Yuzuriha couldn't sit
still. Her eyes roamed the forest bed and up to the trees. He could be up on
those branches and she wouldn't see. He could have been all this time listening
in her conversations. The first conversation she had with Kusanagi about the
Sumeragi man, the walk she shared with Subaru himself, maybe even the
conversation with Sorata. He could have been there in any of those
meetings…maybe he was in all of them… "You seem disturbed Missy? You know you
can talk to me."
***The feeling of soapsuds all over her
body.
She had to talk to Kusanagi, it was eating
her up, even if Seichirou was listening in. " Kusanagi… can I ask you a
question…its about… a FRIEND"
***The soap kissing her entire body.
"What if a friend of mine was…in a situation."
***She didn't bother closing the
curtains
"What if she put her self in a situation…and is…a
little too deep."
***She started to pour shampoo, all over
her hair, making it drip all over her body.
" In a situation that goes way into the past…"
***She massaged her scalp, letting the
suds travel across her bodies' frame.
"A past involving three people"
***Bending down, she caressed her long,
slender legs, rinsing off the suds, and making her legs shine in the sparkling
light of the mirror lights.
"Three people that now involve only two…"
*** Her hair was plastered on her
shining face
"What if my friend accidentally went between those
two…"
***He was right in front of her.
"And might receive the same fate as the third
person.."
***She closed the shower.
"It depends Missy want was the thirds person's
fate?"
"Oh…hahahaha!! Well you know, the
usual…………………………..ummm… Maybe um, rej..Rejection from the first person!"
Yuzuriha covered not wanting to actually state the names and details, and
actual facts of Subaru's past and HER problem. She didn't want Kusanagi to be
in danger if he knew. She could never risk his life, never.
"Well, to me, I think your friend
needs to come clean and talk to people that are causing problems. If you let it
got too far Missy, then you might cause much worse problems in the future…"
"…Ok…" It wasn't her ideal answer, but
knowing that she concealed a lot of the truth, didn't help in getting the
answer she had hoped.
But then again, Kusanagi-kun had a point.
It could be possible to confront the Sakurazukamou and talk about Subaru, sure
he is the master of assassination, the guardian of the sakura cherry tree
burial, Sakurazukamou and one of the Chi no Ryus, but maybe it could be
possible to confront him. What was he going to do, just kill her just like
that? If he wanted to, he could have already, he does know where she live….
That caused a knot to form in the bottom of her stomach. He knew where she
lived and could go after her anytime he wished. But then again, a confrontation
to set things right could do the trick. Yuzuriha was sure that he simply had
acted this way because she was meddling in his business with Subaru. With that
thought in mind, she hugged Kusanagi to part ways, but tighten her grip when
she felt his breath on her neck. Inuki nuzzled affectionately at Yuzuriha to
take part in the group hug. As the sun rose higher to morning to afternoon,
Yuzuriha left the safety of the wood to commence her search. It was time she
got herself out of her hole and take up responsibility for what she got herself
into.
*
* *
"HOW HARD CAN IT BE!!!!!' Yuzuriha stuffed
herself with ice cream. She had walked all over Tokyo trying to find the sakura
man, but still no lead.
Slowly the sakura pedals flew, chanting
their love song in the air. "There so beautiful, there, in the sky. Someone who
represents them…must…….must….must be beautiful. Maybe, deep inside
himself…maybe he…"
"Is. ."
She collected her thoughts and continued
her trek, down the train station to get on the 6 pm train to get back to the
CLAMP campus. As the train flew across the city, so were her thoughts. Where
was he….what was his life….what feelings does he have in his mind, under that
emotionless mask that he carries.
***He could see her entire body under
the spray of water
She shook the thought. Maybe he was as lonely as
Subaru. Weren't they…lovers? She could imagine Subaru in the arms of the sakura
man; in a love embrace…it felt so…right. Then why is she so mystified?
Mystified by the dancing blossoms that chanted in the night. The songs of life.
Why did she feel the tugging pull when she saw the crimson red sakura blossoms on
her bed? They were singing, singing not a life song…but a death song. She
swore..She could hear it…"
***The ground shrilled like a hawk
whistling through the air to catch its prey. She was under the diet building,
mere minutes ago, she was striking a friendly conversation with her newly
founded friends, and know, somehow, an illusion was cast, causing mayhem to the
Ten no Ryus. Her first day in Tokyo was a lot more involving then she had
expected. As they fought to stay alive, she could see red sakura pedals swiftly
dancing in the air around her, and for a split second she could see him. The
guardian, the assassin, Sakurazukamou.
Her first confrontation was very intimidating, and
yet, she yearned to know who the guardian was. Even then, in the very beginning
of her journey to the end of the world, she felt a pull. A pull to the red
blossoms dancing in the air, a pull to the tree, to the man.
The train swiftly sliced through the air,
making a shrill. She took a sip of her orange juice and sat there as buildings
passed her by in a blur. Faster and faster they went, blurring her vision. Then
for a split second she saw it… a building that caught her eye in a mere few
seconds.
A veterinarian building. It was full of
sakura blossoms. All around the area was sakura trees, blooming in delight. It
caught her eye, and swiftly she got off the train at the next stop to see it.
It looked very old, as if it was hardly used. Blossoms were falling everywhere
in a blanket of pink. A shiver went up her spine. The shiver again. The same
one from the shower and in the forest. Slowly she ignored it and entered the
building. The air was musky and there were cages everywhere. Slowly she got on
her knees to inspect one of the cages. Inuki calmly inspected the area. Ever since
the night before, it had increased its awareness of its enemies. It had spent
the whole night on watch especially after Yuzuriha finally fell asleep after
she quietly cleaned off the mess in the bathroom. She never told anyone.
Yuzuriha examined the cage and came to the
deduction that it looked like it was destroyed by a curse, a curse from a
medium. "It must have been Subaru…" Yuzuriha whispered to Inuki. It went up to
the steel bindings of the cage and sniffed to conform her suspicions. He
agreed.
"He must have went into a wild rage
after…her death, poor Subaru.
Yuzuriha gave another thought in her mind.
"Subaru wouldn't have done this damage for no reason… Maybe…it was the past
occupation of Seishirou? Seishirou…was a veterinarian?"
Yuzuriha imagined the many animals that used to
enter here. She loved animals. She was called many times by the Chi no Ryu as
the Beast girl for having Inuki. Agreeable she really was a beast girl or more
precisely, an Inugami master/priestess of Mitsumine. Of course because of that
she was highly connected with nature. Maybe that's why she felt such a deep
bond with Kusanagi, the nature spiritualist and maybe…
She felt the same way for…
She got up from her knees.
"The sakura man, guardian of the Sakura
cherry Blossoms tree."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Yuzuriha
yelled.
She can't. She can't have those feelings
for a killer, a cold murderer killer who killed many people including Subaru's
twin sister, the killer who made Subaru's life miserable, and the killer who
haunted her right now! The only one that she cares for, the only one that she….
"Kusanagi…." Yuzuriha whispered as she held on to Inuki.
* * *
It was nighttime. Evening had came and
passed. All the Ten no Ryus had come for a dinner party. Yuzuriha wore a
flattering one-piece dress that she had bought a week ago. It was dull yellow
and strangely fitted her black hair and cream like skin. She had avoided Subaru
the whole night. Chatting it up i9n the likes of Kamui and the others. At the
dinner, she was seated in front of the Sumeragi. She couldn't look at him, when
she did she blushed. The confusing thoughts that roamed her mind kept her from
seeing the pain of Subaru. Selfishly, she had entangled herself in the web of
Subaru and Seishirou, trying to mend things that could not be fixed, and now,
she was trapped, trapped between to people who would destroy themselves in the
end. Kusanagi was right. She shouldn't have gone too deep. Subaru kept staring
at her and that made her feel uneasy. She felt dirty, and none of the sweet
desserts could help her. But she wouldn't let that ruin her fun time. She
needed the release. The need to be with people and lose herself. She had spent
the whole night talking and laughing. Subconsciously she was trying to get
drunk from the alcohol supplied for the party but it didn't work. She had too
much of a tolerance.
The lights were all out in the mansion,
nothing was moving. Yuzuriha had tried to stay awake, but to no use, she was
human and humans needed sleep. Slowly she drifted to sleep as a single sakura
blossom floated onto her bed.
One sakura
Two
Three
They kept falling until there was enough
to form a figure. Slowly the blanket was dripping to the floor.
Revealing toes.
It kept sliding off of the bed.
Revealing legs.
Slowly it dipped itself onto the carpet
floor
Revealing the slender body of the
priestess.
With a shhhhhh, her blanket was completely
off.
A blossom landed angelically on top of her
rose like lips, tingling as it tumbled off of her chin.
BARK!!!!!!
With a jolt she flipped off of the bed and
realized that she didn't felt the floor when she landed. She felt nothing. A
soon as her eyes focused on her surroundings she noticed she was in an
illusion. Inuki was growling at the intruder who had let his guard down.
Yuzuriha went into a fighting pose. It didn't help that she was in a rather
revealing nightshirt but that didn't effect her actions. IT was all-dark,
except for a light that shown cherry blossoms falling. Slowly they danced,
sparkling in a crimson red shine. They parted to reveal a Sakura tree, full of
blossoms on its branches. It sores high in the air, spreading its arms as far
as it could reach. They were white; the blossoms were white like snow. As she
walked towards it, they started to turn pink then red. Yuzuriha started to back
off, her senses completely block off by the illusion. As she peered towards the
tree, she noticed the songs sung by the floating blossoms. They were of a death
song. She heard screams and moans coming from the looming tree. Upon hearing
this she back flipped upside down in a string of summersaults, blowing a kiss,
Inuki growl and started to shine bright green as he jumped into the air in a
stream of energy. It spiraled around her as she spinned like a top. Sparkled
were everywhere as she extended her arm up to the sky. Energy ribbons started
to form into a long samurai sword. Grafted in gold, and mended in architecture
designs. Feeling the warm metal upon her palm, she grabbed it and held it
towards the tree. "Don't!!!" Was all she could say.
The tree suddenly split in two in a sound
of chipping wood, and tree being cranked into two. As the wood chippings
settled into the air, a form could be seen. Yuzuriha squinted and gasped as she
noticed the eyes behind the dishevel hair. They were of the eyes of a Sumeragi,
but it was female.
"Hokuto…" was all she could say.
Slowly, like the wind deep in the
mountain, a voice echoed like the whistling of the artic wind. 'Did you know
Sakura blossom are naturally white?"
"But their pink!" Came a young voice.
"They say that when a body is under a
sakura tree…the blood of the victim turns the blossoms into pink.." Came the
masculine voice. It was Seishirou.
Yuzuriha tried desperately to recognize
the boys voice but she could not. Suddenly in a blast of sakura pedals the
image disappeared into a street. More clearly the main square of Tokyo. In the
middle of the square was the sakura tree, the same one as the one holding
Hokuto, looming in the middle of the bustling street. Then ever so slowly the
image melted, melted into total black.
*
* *
She had to go. It was a calling. The
morning sun slowly arose from the depths of the east. She ran through the sun
kissed streets. All was quit except of Yuzuriha's clapping school shoes. Inuki
was on her heel. She had to know. To know why he was ding these, why he had
started to hunt her instead of Subaru. Deep down there was another reason. Who
was he? All those strange feelings came back, and this time, she let them
through. She wanted to know who was Sakurazuka Seishirou. Who was the man who
was a veterinarian?
Who was the man who was the friend of the
Sumeragi clan?
Who was the man who was the illusionist?
Who was the man who loved Subaru?
Who was the man who killed Hitoru?
Who was the man who is the target of
Subaru's rage?
Who was the man who had entangled her in his
mystery…his heart?
Who is Sakurazukamou?
"The illusion was a message. It must have
been!" Yuzuriha's mind screeched as she ran through the morning rush hour.
"I have so many questions. So many
questions to ask him, I need his answers, I need answers for my confusion." The
towering industrial buildings loomed over her, passing her as a blur has she
ran.
***Sakura tree
She brushes through a crowd of people, trying to get
through.
***Pink blossoms
So many faces…so many people, one face in the crowd
*** They are soaked in blood
I need to find just one
*** Blood of the victims
To find HIS face!
*** The sakura tree in Tokyo square
* * *
"Subaru!! Where are you going?" Sorata
cried out.
He never answered as he ran out the
mansion door.
* * *
Yuzuriha was running as fast as she could,
walking through people. There protest went to deaf ears as she pushed her way
through. The sakura blossoms were already in full bloom as they scattered
throughout the area. Yuzuriha's shiver returned.
He was running through the streets. He
didn't know where she was, but he kept running. All he could think of was
Hokuto's body.
There was so many faces, so many faces in front of
the tree.
In his mind it wasn't Hokuto's face on the body.
It was Yuzuriha's.
She was so
close.
There was only the faint clapping of his shoes
hitting the pavement.
Just a couple of feet to the Sakura tree.
His faint breathe in the air.
*
* *
The cold bark tickled her sensitive hands as she
made first contact. All the memories, the meeting at the diet building, Both
conversations with Kusanagi, the walk with Subaru, the shower, the journey
across Tokyo and finally the illusion Seishirou gave her. All the events all
laid a path to this place. The place it will all end. At that moment, like a
watercolor picture left in the rain, her surroundings melt into oblivion. The
pink blossoms turned crimson red as everything turned black. There was no
sound, no life. It was like she was in a vacuumed. She was alone with the tree.
"Inuki!" He was gone as well. She was alone with the Sakura Tree, all alone.
THUMP
His hand slammed onto the tree, a mere centimeters
away from her neck. Her back laid rest on the tree as he kept his big hand
right off to her side. Her mind went black. Her breathing went shallow and
rash. All was silent. Realization hit her that he was also a Chi no Ryu and
that his mission was to kill her, kill her as a Ten no Ryu. It never went into
her mind that she might have walked into her own death, just like Subaru's
sister did five years ago.
With his
other hand he made contact with her skin, lifting her chin so that her eyes
could meet his. Her heart stopped.
*
* *
"Sakura trees…." He thought as he ran towards the
direction of the Mitsumine priestess. There are many of them at the square!
Subaru thought as he quickened his pace.
*
* *
Slowly her eyes laid rest to his face. His
features were sharp and dark, but very handsome. The one feature that she took
notice was that he only one eye. The other looked blind. His sharp eyes groped
her body and finally laid rest with her own. They had made eye contact.
*
* *
There were so many people, and so many
trees. Where was she?
*
* *
She could feel his warm hand on her
flushed face.
*
* *
They were all in his way, he couldn't
move. He slammed through them with all he got. Hand and arms were everywhere.
Faces masked his view as he tried to spot the tree that Yuzuriha was going.
*
* *
"So Priestess…you found me."
*
* *
There on his right, was a tree in full
view, slamming to his right, Subaru ran to the tree. Time was leaving his side.
* * *
"…Seishirou…"
* * *
She wasn't there. He slammed his fist to
the tree, cracking the skin between his knuckles. He was going to take another
life….
Another life that's…
*
* *
"pl..Please…I have to talk to you…"
Yuzuriha begged, but losing most of her strength, it only came out as a
whisper.
* * *
Another life's that's….
Important to me!
* * *
"Looks like a priestess had involved herself in a
situation that his past her bounders…" Seishirou whispered in her ear,
caressing her ears.
"I want to know….Who… are you? Why did you do…do those horrible
things! Things to hurt your…" Yuzuriha could muster to say lover, but he was
clearly reading the words from her face.
* * *
Something nibbled his hand and he looked
at the direction. In the middle of the square was a huge sakura tree.
* * *
"Looks like you have been researching…
looks like your friends have given you many answers and advice about me.."
Yuzuriha went into shock. Her suspicions
were right all along. He had been spying on her all this time. But soon she
realized that he must have heard everything from the beginning with the talk
with Kusanagi ' yes…your right. I DO see all….definitely."
Seishirou took a quick gaze on Yuzuriha's body. "
Why…are you doing this…?" She choked.
"Because you have interested me.... and I always
take care of my interests. You have taken an interest in me too…looks like the
animal within you has had a little bit of a curiosity problem or…maybe more."
He snickered his last comment.
Yuzuriha stayed silent. He was telling the truth.
Slowly he started to caress her ears and face. She couldn't help her body to
react positively to his actions. Slowly he faced her.
*
* *
He ran.
* * *
"What do you want to know?" The Sakurazukamou
teased.
*
* *
He was right about to reach the tree.
*
* *
"I…want to know why you are interested in…me."
Yuzuriha whispered as he started to come down on her.
*
* *
He was pushing the people out of his way to get to
the tree.
* * *
Their lips were centimeters apart. "Because…" he
whispered.
*
* *
He was so close.
*
* *
She could feel his breath reach her lips. "Your just
like someone I used to know…"
*
* *
His breath was caught in his throat.
*
* *
Silently as the cherry blossoms fell, their lips met
and it soon became a passionate embrace.
*
* *
All was quite.
*
* *
Kusanagi…
*
* *
shreeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkk
A loud shrill pierced the illusion as Inuki sliced
through the air like a charge bolt. Slowly, as if he had all the time of the
world, he parted from her lips, and slowly left his embrace on her. "I'll be
watching both of you….when I'm done with Subaru….your next." Inuki sliced
through the fury of blossoms and made them into a mist of powdered pedals. When
he pierced the air towards his mate, while Subaru launched a pair of cursed
Zombies towards Seishirou. They shrieked in light before turning into a pair of
flying birds diving towards the Sakurazukamou. Before they hit, he simply
grinned and exploded into a storm of Cherry blossoms, which being carried away
by the wind flew up into oblivion.
Slowly the world returned back to normal and she was
back in the real world, with the usual hustle and bustle. She ran and hugged
Inuki with all her might, feeling his course fur on her face. Slowly she took
her gaze off of Inuki and slowly put it on the man in front of her. His eyes at
the moment were of triumph, not pain. Feeling hope in her heart she ran up and
hugged him tightly, yelling how she was so happy that he came for her. For the
first time since that day five years ago, he hugged her back and slowly had a
smile, well as close of a smile that he could make.
"You CAN smile! I knew it!" Yuzuriha chirped.
*
* *
It was close to school time, but she didn't care.
There were too many things in her mind. "How did you know!" She whispered as
she faced him.
Suddenly the shiver that had been with her since the
beginning came back; she looked up at him to see a majestic bird fly down to
his shoulder. "Nani?"
"I kept this spirit with you to keep you safe. I
knew your meddling would attract him." Yuzuriha dropped her gaze to the ground.
Those shivers that she experienced weren't of Seishirou; they were of Subaru's
spirit! The spirit must of told Subaru about my danger.
"Oh arigatou!!! Little spirit" She yelled grabbing
it gently and caressing it. Because of her experience in holding spirits, it
felt comfortable in her hands.
"Your Inugami told me where you were and so I found
you…"
"THAT'S where you were.. Inuki you scared me, I
thought you had disappeared or something!" She ran and hugged him too, adding a
little pinch to his bottom.
"Arigato.. Subaru-san…I did get into this too
deep…and I made a lot of mistakes but…I don't regret it. I needed to do this,
half because of you and the other half…"
"I understand….You remind me so much of hotaru…"
"Thank you….I'm honored, I know I would have liked
her… Can I visit her grave some time?
"… she doesn't have one…"
"What are you talking about…yes she does, it's under
the Sakura tree at the middle of the square.."
"Nani!"
"Come…I'll show you…" She grabbed his hand and lend
him back to the square.
She did help Subaru…she gave him the one thing that
he has ever yearned for…to get another chance to meet Hotaru…again.
*
* *
When she kissed him… only one thought was in her
mind…it was of Kusanagi. She blushed at the fact that she actually became more
passionate when she thought of him when she was with Seishirou. Her first kiss
was from Seishirou, but deep down she was picturing Kusanagi in her arms.
"Are you cold?" Kusanagi asked when he peered down
on her, and saw a placid face, while watching the fireworks.
"No… sorry, I was just thinking!" With that she held
her grip on his arms.
That moment back at the square is when she realized
that she had fallen for Kusanagi, not Seishirou, and that she was simply
interested in the sakura man because of each other's connection with nature.
Deep down she was relieved. Yes in the future she'll have to deal with
Seishirou again, but as of know she'll live for the present, hopefully when he
does come for her, Kusanagi will be there. With that blushing thought, she snuggled
closer to him and finally started to enjoy the fireworks.
* * *
All was quite at the square. The fireworks
brightened the sky as it crackled and flashed in the celestial sea. Deep down,
under the tree, she lays, but this time…
Having a smile on her face.
FIN
