A/N: Hey, a new chapter! I'm sorry I haven't updated anything for a long time, but you know school stuff…Thanks to my reviewers:
Tenshiamanda: Oh…what did you expect then? And Fuuma's here!! ^__^
Angel of Tears: Umm…Subaru is going to be happy, I assure you!
SavvySiberian: Ha, Seishirou angsts for a change! Yeah, that's cool…
And thanks to all the people who read but didn't review too!! ^__^
Special thanks to Kal Kally – who helped me to beta this! *sends Kally-chan a million roses* (Urgh…I sound like Muraki of Yami no Matsuei…)
Disclaimer: CLAMP, people.
~*~ Crystal ~*~
Chapter 2: Crystalline Storm.
Without a sound
The brilliant world vanishes in darkness
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sakurazuka Setsuka smiled slightly when she heard chanting words coming from inside the room. She felt the Sumeragi's spiritual power growing stronger and stronger to an unbelievable level for such a young one like him. Yes, she had to admit that she was a bit surprised and amused to know that the current Sumeragi Clan Head was this innocent young teen.
Truthfully, she had known that he was only sixteen, but she had expected him to be more of a solemn duty-bound teen, rather than an innocent and fragile-looking boy like this. But that would be easier for her, wouldn't it? He seemed too polite to ask anything else about his clients.
Setsuka moved down the hallway, still keeping her strange smile. She was pretty satisfied. She knew a call for help from a Sakurazuka would really surprise the Sumeragi. She was in a lack of entertainment, and this would definitely be very amusing to play.
Just how convenient that her son had decided to fall into his own little world again. It would be so easy for Setsuka to wake him up with a simple spell after a few days, but she was bored, and the amusing idea about the Sumeragi Clan Head coming to help the future Sakurazukamori had come suddenly. She knew the young teen had definitely had the biggest shock of his life when he'd received the job this morning.
Setsuka's blood-red lips curled up into a smirk. She gracefully walked into the kitchen to prepare tea. She was supposed to be a polite host who wanted help from the strongest white onmyouji of Japan anyway. In addition, it wouldn't hurt if she wanted to invite the young teen for a small cup of tea and talk to him for a while after he helped her son, would it? Just imagine how the seemingly shy boy would react… Setsuka smirked again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Crash.
Sumeragi Subaru jerked back instinctively. A very tall column of ice, or maybe crystal, had just crashed down right in front of him. He would have been dead already if it hadn't been for his daily training and many years of experience in dealing with angry ghosts or souls. From the moment he stepped into the man's soul, hundreds of crystalline walls and columns had been crashing down on him, sending shattered pieces of crystal rushing around.
Whoosh.
Subaru turned swiftly to dodge a large shard of crystal flying straight towards him, but the sharp edge had managed to cut his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood trailing down his face. He paid no attention to it, just concentrating on how to find a way in safely, without getting too many injuries.
He really hadn't expected the man's barrier to be this strong. Unbelievable strong resistance indeed. He was sure that this man knew something about magic. Then again, he was a Sakurazuka…
Crash.
Subaru pushed away all the thinking. Now was not the time for that. He had to somehow find a way in first. Subaru pulled out a stack of ofuda and started chanting. He began to glow a very strange sort of light. The ofuda were also glowing faintly. Suddenly, they rushed towards the falling crystalline columns. When they impacted, the columns immediately stopped on their tracks.
Subaru gladly rushed through the field of ice. He had to be fast, because his magic could only keep them frozen in a few minutes. They were very strong magic…
He landed softly upon the surface of a dark lake. True, there was water beneath him, but surprisingly enough, he could walk upon them. He looked at the vast dimension around him in amazement. The lake was huge and perfectly tranquil. It was like he was walking upon a vast mirror, he could even see his reflection.
Subaru walked softly, almost glided upon the fragile surface. This place gave him very strange feelings. He felt as if he was walking in some kind of heaven…Emerald eyes looked up to find a thin crystalline wall standing right in front of them. It was made of crystal, he was sure. In this unfathomed darkness, it was like invisible. He didn't even see it, he just felt it.
Subaru hesitantly placed his hands on its surface. The coldness seeped into his body, made him shiver. He could see past this thin, almost invisible wall. He realized this wall was the border between the lake and the land, and also the final barrier to the man's hiding place. Over there, on the lawn, was a very big sakura tree, and under it was someone half crouching, half lying.
He couldn't see the man clearly, but somehow he felt himself drawn to this stranger. Unconsciously, he pushed at the cold wall slightly. It melted slowly under his touch. If he had not been too preoccupied with the sight in front of him, he would have been surprised. However, Subaru just dazedly walked through the melted wall, his eyes never leaving the sight that greeted him.
Subaru walked slowly on the wet grass. When he reached the tree, he unconsciously kneeled down and stared at the man. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully, with his eyes closed and rhythmic breathing. In fact, he looked a lot better than he was in real life. The man seemed truly in peace.
But he still looked so handsome, Subaru mused. Sakura petals gently drifted in the soft breeze, landing delicately upon his dark hair. Without thinking, Subaru reached out to brush it away. His hand stayed hesitantly upon the cool silky locks of dark hair, enjoying the softness…
"It's not very polite to intrude someone's personal place without an actual reason, you know."
Subaru abruptly jerked his hand back. The owner of that cold and empty voice was looking at him accusingly. The young onmyouji shifted uncomfortably, holding his breath under the gaze those gorgeous amber eyes were giving him. So the man was not asleep like he had thought. Subaru blushed, suddenly feeling ashamed with his actions earlier.
The way this handsome man was looking at him did not help the situation. He looked at Subaru with a very strange expression, almost surprised and suspicious. Subaru shifted nervously while the man's eyes scanned him from head to toe, and then looked straight into his eyes.
"Who are you?" The gaze was piercing and the voice was harsh, though it was almost a whisper.
"I am Sumeragi Subaru. Sakurazuka Setsuka-san invited me to…help you." Subaru answered hesitantly. He was really taken back by this man's consciousness. Normally, when someone went Within, they always revealed their true self within them. And since they usually had a very frightening reason to go Within, none of them had the kind of calmness and coldness like this man. That was a bit unnerving, since Subaru was not sure what to say to this unfriendly person.
"Sumeragi…?"
Subaru swore he saw the man's eyes widen in a fraction of second. But then the cold, emotionless mask took over again. The onmyouji shivered, because it reminded him of Setsuka's mask.
"Setsuka…" The man frowned slightly, contemplating the information. "Is this some kind of joke?" He looked at Subaru accusingly again. The young teen swallowed hard. He really didn't know what to say. This was so confusing. An incredibly calm and cold person like this was not supposed to be frightened enough to go Within. The spiritual power he'd sensed from Setsuka was strong enough to pull this man out, so why didn't she do it? He really didn't know how to help these people. There was definitely something not normal about this…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He stood in front of the wall, staring at it. On the other side was the garden that leaded into that person's bedroom. Should he climb in or go in by the front door? If he tried to go in by the front door… of course that woman wouldn't let him in. If he climbed in, he would have a chance to meet that person, but it also meant he would accepted the risk of being caught by that woman, and god knows what would happen this time.
However… he was truly worried for that person. It had been for over one week they hadn't met. And that woman wouldn't let him know anything. She didn't like him, he knew it. She was too possessive to let her precious person go out with anyone beside her.
He sighed. He needed to meet that person to make sure that everything was all right (though he was sure that nothing was all right). Decision made, he jumped up.
Climbing in was not anything difficult to him. He had done it many times before to go in and meet that person. He knew clearly every small detail of this garden to go in without being caught. Though now he needed to be more careful, because that woman had started to suspect.
Last night it had rained. The grass was still wet and water was still dripping from leaves and flowers in the garden. His eyes trailed along the camellia trees. Red camellias were blooming brightly, though it was not the season for them. Then again, this was the garden of her, the only place where camellia and sakura blossomed all year. Speaking of which…Fuuma glanced disgustedly at the old sakura tree. It was at its most gorgeous beauty, which confirmed him that it had had a very good meal last night.
He silently walked past the largest bush. Behind it was the large door into the bedroom. Suddenly, he stopped dead on his track. The door was opened. The person he was looking for was lying on the bed, which confirmed his biggest fear. But, he was not alone. There was a young teen that he had never seen before, lying on top of that person. Just what the hell did that mean?
"Monou Fuuma-san, I believe intruding someone's personal place is not a very suitable action for a polite young man like you."
He swirled around in shock and desperateness. That sweet but cold voice he knew too well.
"Sakurazuka-san."
Sakurazuka Setsuka was standing right behind him, looking at him dangerously. Her beautiful amber eyes were like piercing at him, though she was smiling slightly. She always smiled that disturbing empty and cold smile. Now that smile was predatory, like a hunter's when he finally caught the one who tried to snatch his prey from him.
He cursed himself for his ill luck today. When he went in, he had contemplated the chance of Setsuka Seeing this and not Seeing this. In the end, he'd accepted the risk, and now was the result. Sometimes he hated the Gifted people, especially the precognitive ones like Setsuka.
~*~*~*~*~*~End Chapter 2~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Ooh, a cliff-hanger!! Don't kill me…I know it's short, but I really don't have much time. And about Setsuka being a precognitive…*snickers* I guess I've been reading too many Weiss Kreuz fics…