An X fic
By Nami
* * * * *
So, this was the End. It certainly didn't feel any different. Not to him, at least. Oh, there had been a brightness and a pain that even he, in his prior state, could not deny. But it felt the same as it had always felt.
However, the pain was gone. The old pain from the old wound. Where they had shot him. When she died. It's seemed an eternity ago now, but he knew that it must not have been more than eleven or possibly twelve years since that ghastly day.
And now the pain was gone. He rose to his feet, something he hadn't done in such a long time, and walked around, something he hadn't done since the shot was fired. He seemed to be alone. A moment ago, he had thought that he was in a room. A bare, stark white room. Alone in the silence. But now the air seemed to twitch and ripple around him, fading into a new locale.
"Kakyo~~~u!" His eyes widened and flashed. There was no denying that voice. He spun in time to see her jump on him, hugging him fiercely.
"Ho-Hokuto!" he blinked down at her, stunned, before wrapping his arms around her shoulders. This was what he had longed for. This is what he had dreamed of in his secret, silent dreams that not even the /Kamui/ had been able to pry out of him. She felt so good. Smelt so good.
"Sorry I'm late meeting you. My brother needed a little… counseling."
"Counseling? Hokuto, what happened?" She danced out of his embrace. He saw now that they stood on a beach. She wore a silvery-pink sundress with a large white ribbon tied around the empire-waist. The skirt puffed out, falling to just above her ankles. She wore a white ribbon choker and a pair of white, lace-cuffed gloves. A large pink, silver, and white bonnet hung on her back from the white ribbon tied at her throat.
"The End." She said, smiling. "What did you think, silly? That you all died simultaneously by some freak chance?" Her fathomless emerald eyes seemed to soak up the sunlight and reflect it back in nearly invisible flecks of silver and gold.
"The End. The /Kamui/?"
"Mou… He's dead. They're both dead, actually. Fuuma-kun is wandering around somewhere and Kamui-chan is with his mother." Hokuto smiled again and grabbed his hand. "Did you see where we are?" He nodded, unable to find his voice now. "I promised you, remember? I promised you that we would go to the beach!" She tapped his nose with one gloved finger, as she had so many times in his dreams. In their dreams.
"Aa." Was all he could manage.
"And here we are!" she closed her eyes and sighed. "I love the beach!" she proclaimed, opening her eyes to look at him. Kakyou felt the familiar chill that meant that someone with great power was approaching. Actually, it was two someones.
"Subaru! Sei-chan!" Hokuto turned, still clinging to Kakyou's hand, and waved as her brother and his lover approached. Subaru was clad in a plain white T-shirt that looked one or two sizes too big and a pair of blue jeans and no shoes. The Sakurazukamori also went barefoot, though his ensemble consisted of a black suit with a rose-colored shirt and crimson tie.
"Oneesama." Subaru smiled fondly at his sister. "Kakyou-san."
"Hello, Sumeragi-san."
"Over here, Kamui-chan!" They all turned at Kotori's sweetly lilting voice. An instant later, hey saw the wisp of a girl run over the crest of a sand dune. Kamui was close behind her.
"Subaru!" Kamui called in greeting. Subaru raised a hand, smiling. Kakyou noticed offhandedly that both eyes had been restored to the assassin and the onmyouji. Hokuto huffed in mock-dismay.
"Mou! Everyone in Heaven has to pick today of all days to go to the beach." Kakyou smiled. She was just like he remembered, if a little subdued.
"Kotori?" a new voice joined them that set Kakyou on edge. Kamui also tensed as he turned.
"Oniichan!" Kotori broke into a run, cutting easily through the light breeze to where her older brother stood, bewildered. A moment later, Fuuma had joined the rest at the tide line.
"Kamui," Fuuma looked stricken at the sight of his old friend, "Seishirou-san, Sumeragi-san, Kakyou." He met each of their gazes separately. People he had hurt. People he had used so coldly and dispassionately. People he had stolen from. "I'm sorry." He was the very image of a broken man. None of the congregated could remain angry with him, if they had been angry to start off with. There was a prolonged silence.
"Nonsense!" Hokuto finally broke everyone's train of thought. She stepped forward and took Fuuma's hand, drawing him into the circle. "It's ridiculous to hold a grudge in Heaven! Like I told Sei-chan, 'Even if you try, you won't succeed.' So why try, ne?" She smiled so irresistibly that soon everyone was smiling.
"Kamui! Oi! Kamui~~~~i!!" They turned at Sorata's voice to see the monk walking towards them, fingers laced with Arashi's. The Hidden Maiden wore the white sundress that, from Kotori's apparel, seemed a staple in a female's wardrobe among the denizens of Heaven. Sorata wore an outfit similar to Subaru's, though he wore Hawaiian print shorts instead of jeans. Both were barefoot and Arashi held a straw hat on her head with her free hand.
"Oi!" Sorata grabbed the violet-eyed boy in a headlock as soon as he was within range. "How do ya like this set up? Me an' 'Neechan have our own place up the coast."
"Whew! It's so hard to move around in all this sand!" Karen Kasumi and Kanoe soon joined their ranks, both sporting skimpy variations of the same bikini. Satsuki showed up a moment later, over-sized overalls covering her bathing suit. Yuuto was following her, trying to sweet talk her out of the overalls. Judging by the computer genius' blush and smile, Hokuto guessed that the playboy was getting close to achieving his goal.
"So this is where everyone is!" Yuzuriha and Kusanagi were soon at the beach as well, both carrying ice cream cones and wearing bathing suits. Inuki, no longer a disembodied spirit, walked beside Yuzuriha, wagging his tail maniacally.
It wasn't long before the entire crew on both sides, plus a couple of siblings and siblings, were gathered on the beach. Hokuto's dress had proven to be a silver-pink bathing suit with a skirt tied over it and she soon shed the skirt, gloves, and bonnet to join the others in the water. Kakyou opted to stay on shore, watching with a small smile and engaging in small talk with the soapbox girl reclining to his right.
Kakyou looked around, smile growing broader. The sun was setting over the water, dying it a mellow orange. Hokuto plopped down beside him, spraying droplets of salt water across his lap as she leaned over it, peering up into his face.
"Well?" she said expectantly. "Did you get your Wish?"
"Yes." Kakyou smiled down at her tenderly, brushing a strand of wet hair out of her face. "It's perfect."
"Of course!" Hokuto preened. "I arranged it all myself!! O~~~~hohohohoho!" Kakyou smiled wider. He had a feeling that this was only the beginning of a long series of perfect days.
* * * * *
Notes, etc.
Eek! Okay, all rights belong to CLAMP, blah, blah, blah. Don't sue me, kay?
This is a lovely thing we like to call an "hour fic". And that means that it doesn't have to have much of a plotline, thank god. I decided to take a break from involved, deep plotlines like Unmei no Kodomo and The Twisted Misadventures of Higurashi Kagome. (I think I should find a way to shorten that title.)
**looks around, whistling**
So! Back to work for me! The next chapters of both of those stories should be out soon, btw. I just have to sit down and finish them. ^^;; Okay. I'm done. Ciao.