Series: Tokyo Babylon, before the first tankubon.
Disclaimer: CLAMP owns Tokyo Babylon, I still don't.
Notes: Sorry for the length… this one's quite a bit longer than my standard ~2K words per section… and I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. I meant it to be a seamless whole, but the chapter was just so long, and I really need to take a couple days to work out where it's going. I also want to apologize for the starkness of the dreams in advance… Usually dreams would be much more poetic, symbolic, and metaphoric, but my creative brain took a holiday.



What Dreams May Come – Chapter 6


Hokuto took the shortest possible route home, anxious to begin her project and check on her brother's health. Subaru really hadn't been doing well, and for some reason, she doubted he was feeling any better today. …Maybe she could surprise him with some comforting miso soup and a video they could watch.

Subaru just needed some comforting. It was a fact that he would seldom recover quickly if he didn't feel needed.

The sidewalk was so packed with people, and her bags were piled so high that she almost missed seeing the sign for the animal clinic. It caught her by surprise.

"Oh! That's where they have the free kittens! I wonder if--!" There was a muffled ka-thump and Hokuto tumbled to the ground, packages and all.

It seemed she had run into someone. Someone tall… she looked up from the sidewalk to the figure looming over her. Dark… He was unquestionably dark underneath the lab coat. The clinic's head veterinarian! And handsome… Hokuto smiled mischievously, thinking that her current situation would lend itself perfectly to the beginning of any shoujo romance manga. Cute girl trips and falls into the arms of a young doctor…! Score!

"Ara… sumimasen. I'm just so clumsy," she managed, flashing him one of her most endearing smiles.

Seishirou panicked. He gaped. He was hyperventilating. It was Subaru. Surely this wasn't happening. He hadn't planned for them to meet this way, out in broad daylight. And, kami-sama, so soon… It just wasn't possible…!

He was inwardly cursing, but he'd run out of curses all too quickly, so he began inventing some. They were quite interesting; he'd have to write them down sometime.

"…Aren't you going to help me up?"

No, no, no. Get a grip. Seishirou ordered himself to be rational. He could test the pentagrams. Yes. Testing them would be a good idea.

He sent out a feather-like tap to the markings on his prey, just to see where he was located… Far from here. In the apartment. But that didn't add up, not at all. His eyebrows folded. What the hellis going on?!

Oh, forget it.

He extended his hand. "Forgive me! I'm so sorry. Let me help you with your bags." He plastered his face with a sincere grin and helped her to stand. "Do you need medical assistance? I don't have much practice on people, but I can bandage any wound…" He pushed up his glasses by the bridge.
"Um, I'm alright. Are you okay? You looked…" She struggled for a polite way to phrase 'scared enough to need a change of clothes.'

"Like I'd seen a ghost?" He grinned, tentatively. "It's just that I so rarely meet a beautiful person like yourself that it caught me off guard. …I wonder if you'd be so kind as to tell me your name?" Maybe a compliment would coax her to forget about his stunned reaction… And a quick change of subject would seal it.

The flattery worked. "I'm Sumeragi Hokuto! One of the most beautiful and eligible women in Tokyo." She giggled, delighted that he was playing along with her damsel routine.

A girl… A girl? Her name was Sumeragi, she'd said. She'd have to be a sister.

He found himself laughing, the tension released.

It was the ultimate punch line.

Now that he looked harder, he noticed she was wearing earrings, lip gloss, eyeliner, and a skirt that looked like it was made out of pink and yellow curtains.

He smiled, regaining his composure. "May I call you Hokuto-chan, fair maiden?"

She stood and curtsied. "Whatever you like! But may I ask your name, handsome prince?"

"It's Sakurazuka Seishirou."

She mouthed it, quietly. "Sakura… zuka…" and her eyebrows rose.

He cut her off. "It's a common name. I'd prefer it if you called me by my given name, Seishirou." He smiled, charmingly. "…Is that alright with you?"

She grinned. "Such a formal name, I can't call you by that. We're already so familiar!" She paused. "I'll just have to call you Sei-chan!"

They both laughed; it was an immediate bond.

"Oh dear, forgive my manners. Would you like to come inside?" They were just outside the clinic, and it'd be much more informal if they could talk off the street. "Let me carry one of your bags. They look so heavy!"

"Oh no, they're not at all. It's just fabric!"

The two of them stepped out of the bustle and into the quiet interior of the clinic. Hokuto expressed her admiration of his chosen profession. She rambled about how wonderful it must be, and how well he must be paid, and anything else she could think of to flatter her handsome acquaintance.

"Oh dear, Hokuto-chan. If I didn't know any better – no, come to think of it, I don't! – I'd think you were flirting with me. It'd be wise to lighten up on the praise, you know." He chuckled lightly. They'd been talking now for over half an hour, and had become quite familiar.

"Why Sei-chan, you astonish me!" She cast a sly grin. "It seems like fate that we've met today." He couldn't help but nod; fate indeed. "So what would you do if I were to flirt just a little?" She poked his shoulder

"I'd be forced to reveal then, dear Hokuto, that my preferences lie elsewhere. Not that you aren't the most gorgeous woman I've met in all my time in Tokyo…" He didn't want to offend the twin of his prey, after all.

Her eyes widened a slight margin. "You mean to say that…?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

She exploded. "This is perfect Sei-chan! I have a twin brother; I could introduce you!!" He let Hokuto ramble. "…and then design your wedding! It'd be gorgeous; he'd make the most gorgeous blushing bride! You really should meet him. I have a feeling you two would get along wonderfully! Right from the start! It'd be love at first sight!"

Hokuto was bouncing. She loved playing matchmaker more than she enjoyed matches of her own, so really, she wasn't losing anything by sacrificing this beautiful man to her brother. Subaru could really use someone like this to help him get out of his slump. It'd be perfect. Just what he needed.

Seishirou choked down laughter at Hokuto's energy, and did his best to pretend to be surprised at this revelation of a twin.

"A twin, you say? Surely, he's the most beautiful man in all of Japan, if he looks like you. I should love to meet him, sometime."

"Actually, I'm making an outfit for him out of this material." He peeked inside the bag, and gulped. Black leather. "Perhaps he'll be wearing it when you meet him for the first time. Wouldn't that be excellent! He'll look so beautiful for you, Sei-chan!" Seishirou's brain supplied all sorts of imagery, and he barely kept his calm façade… Black leather.

"I think he should wear it all the time." He winked at her.

She smiled broadly again. "You must have read my mind, Sei-chan!"

But for all of her energy and appeal, Hokuto had the smallest of reservations about the vet. For one, the look in his eyes didn't quite match his smile; it was unnerving, like Frankenstein's monster. His smile was alive, but his eyes were dead. It was creepy, with a capital C.

For another, he just smelled wrong. A little bit like old metal, the kind that had been around for a long time in damp, decaying places. Rusting metal, or perhaps dried blood and decaying flowers… It was sharp and alarming, but barely perceptible… pungent, but diluted in the waiting room's sterility.

She eyed him, appraisingly.

Something in her intuition warned her that this man was much more than he seemed, and was possibly a threat. It occurred to her that she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd suddenly jumped up and announced that he was the evil Sakurazukamori incarnate and wanted to suck out all of her blood and dance a pagan ritual around the sakura trees just outside his quiet urban office. His name alluded to something like that. But his nature seemed different.

His aura, like his smile, tried to cover something up. It was dangerous, she concluded, but nothing worth having wasn't worth a little risk now and then. And he didn't seem directly threatening. Why not introduce him to Subaru, and then see where it went from there?

After all, if he were the boogieman Sakurazukamori, he and Subaru were equals, and Subaru could take care of himself.

So it was settled. And luckily, the handsome man agreed.

"I'd love to meet your brother. Maybe we can formally meet sometime, say, next week? It really depends on my schedule, you see."

Hokuto nodded understandingly. "I'll leave you my phone number, and when you're available, give me a call. Don't wait an extra second, alright?"

"Understood, fair maiden." He continued their earlier joke as Hokuto slipped back out to the street and on her way.

Perhaps I'd better hurry up my schedule, Subaru-kun…

He tapped his fingers impatiently.

---

Subaru's day passed otherwise uneventfully. Hokuto stopped by just in time to prepare dinner for the two of them. Tonight's dish was Italian spaghetti and meatballs in a rich tomato sauce.

The noodles were boiling with just a splash of olive oil to keep them from sticking, and the sauce was spiced to perfection. She tasted and hummed with appreciation. The smell of basil and garlic wafted around the apartment, drawing Subaru out of his room. He hadn't eaten in nearly 24 hours, and what little he had in him he'd thrown up this afternoon. He hadn't really felt well enough to eat lunch.

Hokuto threatened to force feed him if he ever skipped a meal again, arguing that he would never get any better if he didn't eat regularly. He was a growing boy, after all, and needed his calories. Hokuto could hardly eat enough for the two of them, though she might try…

The garlic bread was toasted and buttered, the noodles soft and drained. Subaru plopped down wearily at the table and gave his sister a sincere, if wan, smile of appreciation for the meal.

Subaru informed his sister that Grandmother had called again today, asking if he was available the day after tomorrow to do a small purification of a new shrine.

"So what did you say?" Hokuto was worried, and she knew her little brother was prone to taking on more than he could handle safely.

"I confirmed I would be there. …I am a pro. I'm being paid for this."

"No Subaru, you need to skip this one, it's not such a big deal… I can't have you passing out again. It's not good for you." She bit her lip.

Subaru considered; he knew his sister was ultimately only thinking for his safety. "Maybe you're right… A pro really wouldn't do a poor job. And I can't guarantee that I'll be able to give 100% in so short a time…"

"And you know, your last assignment wasn't flawless either. You really lost it there, you know." Subaru stood.

Hokuto winced; she'd gone too far. "Subaru…!" She was going to apologize, but he cut her off with a gesture with his hand.

"Thanks for the meal, nee-chan." His tone was flat, cut off. He was heading back to his room. "I'm going back to my room now. I guess you can show yourself out."

She was hurt. "A-Are you going to accept the job?" He voice was a little shriller than usual.

He paused, sighed, and looked over his shoulder. "I don't know."

---

What a horrible, awful day. He hadn't even been outside, hadn't gone to school, hadn't had a breath of fresh air. His room was dark and warm now that it was twilight, and the drapes had been let down to block any light that might have otherwise crept in.

The dark somehow suited how he felt, and he appreciated it.

Subaru didn't bother changing into his pajamas; his polka-dot set was in the laundry from this afternoon, and he didn't feel like wearing anything less familiar. His just sat on the edge of his bed and stripped to his underwear and gloves before settling down and pulling the slightly wrinkled sheets up to his chin. Here it was comfortable. Here it was safe.

Distantly, he heard the front door slam; Hokuto was leaving.

And then Subaru felt the tears on his cheeks. Absently, he wiped them away, but they kept coming, and stopping them was futile. He just lay there, staring at the ceiling, wondering why he was so miserable.

That's right, he was rejected and alone.

He decided that it sucked.

Subaru wasn't tired enough to slip into a dreamless sleep; he'd been sleeping for the better part of the entire day already, and it was barely 7:00.

Instead he tumbled into a light sleep peppered with dreams that only touched upon the surface of his consciousness. Many times, he wasn't sure if he was awake or dreaming. Small sounds from outside made their way into his consciousness and were distorted, morphed into something alien.

He was standing in the middle of a busy intersection with cars swarming around him, threatening to run him down. He tried to signal to them that he was there, but they didn't avoid him. Instead they swerved closer.

Headlights flashed and horns blared, and then he was hit. There was darkness.

Subaru was then sitting on the steps of a bank, watching the crowd. Nobody spoke to him. He was waiting for Hokuto, but Hokuto never came. She'd forgotten about him; he was alone.

He asked an older man if he knew Hokuto.

"Why yes, I do. But why would she come for you?" Subaru responded, "Because she's my sister, and we're always together." The man just laughed. "You're not important enough for her to come and get you." Subaru got angry and said that yes, Hokuto was definitely coming for him. She'd be here any time now.

The man shook his head and kept walking on, and on, and on.

He was standing on the edge of a deep, black crevice, and he spotted Hokuto on the other side of the gap. He called out to her, but there was no sound.

He began making signs with his arms, waving them to draw her attention. She kept staring into space, looking towards him, but not at him. Subaru was jumping, anything to get her to see him.

One of his feet landed off of the edge and he fell, tumbling… his pentagrams flaring acidly, straight through to his palms.

---

Seishirou was just preparing to go out for the evening when he felt something caustic and biting on the fringe of his thoughts.

Subaru – it's Subaru?

He's in pain.

Seishirou automatically tensed. No one else was allowed to hurt his plaything, no one. Subaru was his. Seishirou consciously forced himself to loosen his fists.

He left the apartment as quickly as he could, weaving an illusion jitsu around him as he went because invisibility meant he could move more quickly than walking. It was quite fortunate that he excelled at illusion-making... He arrived in Subaru's room only minutes later, standing just inside the curtain covering the large pane of glass overlooking Tokyo's city lights. The closer he got to Subaru, the worse the feeling resonated between them, and the more livid Seishirou grew.

He gathered crackling, stinging magical energy in his fingertips, looking to quickly to kill whoever was harming his precious plaything. Death would come quickly; oh yes. Whoever was causing such pain would be a greasy smear on the bedroom floor a few seconds from now.

He glanced around the darkened room, expecting to see Subaru fighting off an attacker or summoning a shikigami in defense, but there was no one save for the two of them… And Subaru was asleep. Crying out, whimpering, and moving against the sheets, but very much asleep. The scars were shining bright enough to glow through the concealing silk.

Interesting.

The dark onmyouji strode up to the bedside, considering how to make this annoying gnawing feeling go away.

At this point, he would do nearly anything… Anything to stem this painful torrent of emotion and energy leaked from the backside of the gloved palms into his already stressed mind. The scars were an open conduit; Seishirou had enough to deal with without this little issue exploding into his brain. Stupid pentagrams.

One, he could kill Subaru, but that would mean scrapping the bet. And he was so looking forward to it.

Two, he could wake Subaru from the nightmare… Force him out of the dream and back into reality. Yet he would be exposed, and the bet would start much before he'd planned. Not an acceptable solution.

Three, he could go Within him, stopping the nightmare from inside... Since Subaru was unconscious, it might work. He wouldn't reach the dreamscape directly, but he could affect Subaru's dreamscape via the innerscape, and stop the nightmare by soothing the inner child…

He hadn't precisely done it before, but it seemed the most viable option available.

Subaru's mental privacy wasn't an issue; he didn't give a single thought to the intensely personal nature of the innerscape he'd be invading. Well, Subaru was his to do with what he liked -- he was just fixing the inner workings of his broken toy.

He pressed his long, practiced fingers to Subaru's damp temples and began a low and steady chant to enter into the tormented mind.