It was late in the evening. Most people were in bed, Kyonshi had had a long day, and this on top of everything else was just a bit too strange. He stared at them as if they both had two heads.

"Thank you for being so understanding, Kyonshi-san," Subaru said - grateful, apparently, for this extra chance to endanger himself.

"Oh, it's the least I can do," Kyonshi murmured in reply, absently tugging a lock of his auburn hair. "I, er... could offer you a night's stay, free of charge." It was a casual offer, simply the kind of thing responsible management would do; but the moment the words left his lips, his young guest seemed to panic.

"I... ah... I... I don't... um..." Subaru stammered wildly. "No, no, that REALLY isn't necessary - um, Seishirou-san?" he finally said, turning to his older friend for guidance. Kyonshi withheld a sigh. THIS was the head of the Sumeragi clan? Well, at least the kid was smart enough to bring brains along with him in the form of a friend/lover/whateverthehell -

Kyonshi glanced at the older man - and froze, because what he saw in Sakurazuka's eyes was certain death.

Cold. Calculating, somehow tangibly disapproving of this offer to spend the night as well as any attention, perhaps, that Kyonshi had unintentionally wrested from Seishirou himself. The steps needed and action required to kill him had already been calculated, and for an instant - for just one, infinitesimal instant - Seishirou had undeniably been going to try.

"Eep," the onsen owner said very quietly; and suddenly, Seishirou was smiling as brighly as the light of day cresting a waterfall.

"I think we can manage that, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, cheerful to all and sundry.

Kyonshi stared at them; he swallowed. "Uh... this way," he said, trying to keep his voice from cracking, and grabbed an uncounted number of towels from behind the counter. Scurrying, he zipped down the hall on the right.

Naturally, the two weirdos followed.

All is NOT right here, Kyonshi thought to himself, but there really wasn't much opportunity to do anything about it. Pulling a voluminous set of keys from his pocket, he began trying them out one by one to get the door in front of him open.

It took a moment, and that was bad because it gave Kyonshi time to wonder: did this Seishirou, this Sakurazuka, know he'd seen? Secret-killer-types usually didn't LIKE to be seen. It would probably be bad if he knew Kyonshi knew; and, given the way things were going lately, Seishirou-Sakurazuka-man probably DID know.

Kyonshi eeped again.

"Ah - there we go!" he suddenly exclaimed, and flung the door open wide.

"Oooooh," said Subaru, and scuttled in to take a look. The room was furnished in teak wood, western-style furniture and royal, deep reds and blues. It was, in fact, for very highranking visitors, when they came; Kyonshi figured the Sumeragi clan head was certainly high-ranking enough, and more importantly, this hallway was nearly deserted. Safer that way.

"Oh - oh, we can't just... take this, Kyonshi-san," Subaru said, turning to face him with wide, liquid eyes. "And certainly not for free. I want to pay for it."

"No, no, I insist - "

"So do I," Sakurazuka interrupted smoothly. "If anyone pays for it, I will; but perhaps, Subaru-kun, Kyonshi-san will feel better if you let him give us this gift."

Subaru bit his lower lip. "You're right, Seishirou-san, of course. Thank you, Kyonshi-san." He bowed.

Yow. These two were weirder than he'd thought. "Of course, of course. Here's your key," Kyonshi said, holding it out; naturally, Sakurazuka-man was the one to snatch it.

"Enjoy!" Kyonshi squeaked, and with that - desiring no more evil looks from Subaru's strange older friend - he bowed straight down the hall and out of sight before anyone could say another word about it.

"Eeeek," Kyonshi said, rounding the corner to his office and placing his back against the wall, hand over his heart. He frowned at the ceiling. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?" he whispered, slapping it lightly. "Do you hear? If ANYTHING else goes wrong, I swear to you I will declare an epidemic of termites and quarantine you off for a month!"

The wall groaned slightly, perhaps in agreement, perhaps in annoyance. Kyonshi, at least, seemed sure of himself. He nodded. "And don't you forget it."

"Oh my goodness, Seishirou-san " Subaru said, somehow looked guilty and thrilled at the same time. "I can't believe this! I feel horrible using this room for free. This must be for heads of state or something," he opined, sliding his gloved hand over an elegantly carved end table. "We'll have to do something nice for Kyonshi-san before we leave. Eh... I don't suppose anything in the area is in need of an exorcism."

Seishirou chuckled. "Mm, I can think of something that is, Subaru-kun," he answered, flinging himself onto the four-poster bed with a sigh. "His conscience." And he smiled.

Subaru glared at him sternly. "That isn't funny, Seishirou-san. We still don't know what caused it."

"Now, see, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, sitting up and wondering how long it would take Subaru to realize that they'd be sharing a bed. "That's exactly why you cannot say it was NOT his fault. You don't know what it was. And neither do I," he muttered, the latter comment more for himself than for his companion.

Subaru sighed. "Yes, but... he means no harm. I can tell, Seishirou-san."

"Subaru-kun, you assume no one means harm unless they're coming at you with a weapon, and even then you make up excuses for them," Seishirou said casually, lying on his side; and then for some reason, decided to push the issue. "Subaru-kun," he asked companionably. "Which side do you want?"

"Side?"

Seishirou ran his fingertips down the sheet in front of him like an invitation. "Side."

Subaru made a very tiny noise that sounded like a hiccough.

"Maybe I'll just stay right here - would it bother you to sleep on the north side of the bed, Subaru-kun?"

"N-n-no, Seishirou-san, it-it-it wouldn't," Subaru said, eyes growing wider and wider as he took in the gravity of the situation. His gaze flicked from side to side, panicked. Bravely, he offered, "I can sleep on the floor."

"Nonsense, Subaru-kun; a western-style bed is just what the doctor ordered. Now come up here and let me know if this is the side you want, because if it is, then I am going to curl up on my OWN side and take a nap. Fair enough?"

Subaru bit his lower lip, then nodded. "All right, Seishirou-san. I'm coming now." Forcing himself not to hesitate, Subaru walked right over, clambered onto the rather high four-poster bed, and lay on his back, absolutely stiffly, regarding the canopy with gravity. He was silent for a long moment, concentration on his face. His lips were moving - as though he were casting a spell. Finally, quietly, he spoke.

"Seishirou-san, are you happy with your side?"

There was no answer. The spell had worked; Seishirou had fallen asleep.

Subaru sighed in relief. He watched the older man for a few moments, his expression softening as he regarded his friend; some guilt was there, but mostly concern, warmth - a tenderness that he would have trouble admitting to verbally.

"I'm sorry," he whispered gently, slipping out of the bed. "I hope you aren't angry with me once you wake up. I had to go looking on my own. Sleep well, Seishirou-san." Still looking moderately guilty, Subaru tiptoed to the door and left, closing it behind him.

The moment the door was closed, Seishirou opened his eyes. "A sleep spell, Subaru-kun?" he murmured to himself, sitting up slowly. "A fairly strong one, too; what has you so worried, I wonder?" And with that, he slipped out of the bed and followed.

Subaru tiptoed down the hall, glad for the late hour, and hoped no one else would be around. This wasn't like Tokyo; it seemed that anyone who was here had come not to party, but to rest, and it soon became clear that Subaru was the only guest still walking about. The proprieter was probably still up, but that was okay; Subaru had a few questions for him, should they meet.

No one bothered him as he entered the room he and Seishirou had used to change earlier. No one bothered him as he closed it, moved to its center, and began to chant softly; no one woke or even noticed -

But something noticed; and of that something, Subaru grew more aware by the moment. Red, eerie power began to rise from the floor as he chanted, bathing his skin in ichor and turning his clothes to blood. Such power stored here! What an amazing thing - but that was nothing compared to what he found next.

There was a Mind. A real, non-human, powerful Mind - one that did not feel very old to Subaru, somehow, as though for all its broadness he were approaching only a child-god. Curious, he addressed it.

A moment later, he was gone.

Seishirou was not a happy camper, pun not intended. He'd followed Subaru at a short distance, keeping him in "feel" if not in sight, and everything had been just fine until the boy had turned that corner. Seishirou had heard a door shut; clearly, Subaru had gone into a room. But when Seishirou began his own trek down that all, the feel of Subaru simply... disappeared.

This was odd - not to mention impossible. Eyes narrowing slightly, he hurried around the corner himself and began passing doors, hands out to either side as he tried to feel the marks he'd put in Subaru's skin. There was nothing; when a second pass was also ineffective, he sent out his shikigami to help look and began opening doors.

Seishirou's profession at least gave him the ability to be less than intrusive, and no one woke as he probed their rooms. A quick sleep-spell through the door didn't hurt, either, but it was fairly obvious to him that everyone was already in for the night. He came across no wakeful people; he also came across no Subaru.

Just to be sure - because this had to be wrong - he went through all the doors and rooms again; there was no Sumeragi.

Seishirou did not consider himself a particularly patient man, but by the same token, he wasn't impatient; he simply took life as it came, usually with little or no emotional impact, and handled whatever it was he had to handle before moving on. This was, he reflected as he gripped Kyonshi's throat and slammed the man into the wall, one of the few times in his life when he could feel a certain sense of annoyance; genuine irritation, not quite anger, but certainly unpleasant enough to require... steps.

"Subaru-kun is missing," he said casually to the choking man in his hand.

Kyonshi tried to say something and gurgled; but he did not look quite frightened enough yet, so Seishirou decided it was time for a little walk.

There was a flurry of motion - power like Kyonshi had never known, grace, deadly elegance, and suddenly they were both outside and on the roof. Seishirou was holding him out over the drop like a bag of garbage; if Kyonshi hadn't been so annoyed at the whole situation, he would have been very impressed.

He gurgled again.

"Yes, yes, I know, you're going to tell me everything," said Sakurazuka calmly. "How much you tell me and how quickly will determine a lot of things about your immediate future, so if you would be good enough to begin explaining... now?" And he dropped Kyonshi onto the roof with no consideration at all.

There were a few moments in which Kyonshi could make no sound besides gagging. Vampire he was, but a squashed trachea wasn't to be laughed at in any situation; he certainly wasn't laughing.

It might have been nicer if Sakurazuka were laughing, but that obviously wasn't going to happen. There wasn't so much as a maniacal cackle; the man was being utterly cold, as though whatever was happening interested him in a purely professional sense.

...Sumeragi missing? Kyonshi hoped the boy would be all right; he'd seemed so nice.

"I'm waiting," said Sakurazuka casually, unblinking in the dark.

"I..." Kyonshi finally managed, rubbing his sore throat and trying not to pout. "I don't know... what you mean." Ugh; he sounded like a career smoker -

"Wrong answer," Sakurazuka said calmly, and planted his foot squarely on Kyonshi's chest.

"Gack!" Kyonshi managed, hearing and feeling at least one rib break. Flattened roughly against the roof and now with even less air than he'd had in the first place, he squawked, "I mean it! I don't know what you mean! Who's missing? What are you talking about? ...oooow...."

Sakurazuka sighed. There was a scent of petals about him, of Sakura, and Kyonshi wondered distractedly if it were his aftershave. Such a HEAVY foot.... "Subaru-kun left my room a about an hour ago, and has completely disappeared. He is not in any room in this onsen; he is not down any of the halls, or walking around outside, or even lying unconscious in one of the pools of springwater. He is simply gone; and I think you understand why at this point I am beginning to grow anxious."

Kyonshi scowled at him. This was getting absurd, and ruining his sweater. Ashikase had never KILLED anyone, so that certainly wasn't it. Feh; maybe this guy had been mean enough to drive the boy away. "Perhaps he was just trying to get away from YOU," he suggested dryly, trying not to breathe too deeply for the sake of his cracked rib. "You shouldn't have let him go wandering off if he had a tendency for disappearances. I honestly don't have a clue where he is!"

Sakurazuka sighed. "What a pity," he said; and then did something very surprising.

Kyonshi could not gasp; he could not really choke, either, or lift his hand to wipe at the blood suddenly sliding from his mouth. Somehow, Sakurazuka's arm was THROUGH his chest, and it hurt so badly that for a moment Kyonshi thought that he really did not like the man at all, at all.

And then, he passed out.

Taking him for dead, Seishirou dropped the body onto the roof where it landed with a thud, and wondered why he'd done that. Killing because of emotional issues was something he had never done, and did not recognize it now; the man had simply failed to provide information about Subaru, and that... meant... he had to die. Or suffer, but die was a second best option.

A pity, indeed; messy deaths, especially unnecessary, were never wise. He would have to hide the body later, make sure it was not traced to him, check for any witnesses -

AFTER he found Subaru.

Taking off his jacket and wrapping it inside out to conceal the blood, Seishirou hopped back down to the ground and resumed his search for the young Sumeragi.

It was very startling indeed; Subaru had not expected to be transported.

But here he was. Suddenly not in the room he'd been inspecting, nor in the onsen, nor in anywhere he knew at all. Suddenly he was just here - a strange, red place, full of odors best left unconsidered and sounds like oil bubbling. There were shapes in the distance, too - odd shapes, not quite recognizable; Subaru didn't think that they were bodies.

And there was a Mind around him; aall around him, vast... and unfriendly.

"Hello?" he ventured.

Onymouji... came back. The voice was all around him, too.

"Yes?" he hesitated.

Why have you come to haunt me? Came the voice, and Subaru frowned in puzzlement.

"But I haven't come to do anything to you," he said. "I was on vacation."

Your presence here cannot be an accident. This voice was so strange; weird and hoarse like a young man pretending to be an old one, ending "up" on each sentence as though every statement was a question. And then there was the accent -

You will not leave here, it said, and Subaru sighed slowly.

"If you don't want me to haunt - or hunt - you, then please - maybe you shouldn't be making threats," he said as politely as he could. And the entire Mind around him began to shake.

He stumbled, unable to keep to his feet; the weirdly spongy/fleshy material beneath his feet did nothing to help him stand.

WE WILL EAT YOU! was the only warning - and then all of the red came down on top of him.

Subaru had time to shout, once, but it wasn't a very loud one; weight like he'd never known was pressing down on his body, destroying his air, his lungs, his bones -

His face was covered, he couldn't breathe -

All in the feeling of warm, clammy flesh, pitted as if from years of hideous acne, filling his mouth when he opened to breathe and tasting like nothing at all -

And... and... it felt so good.

It was fortunate for Subaru that he lived in such an ascetic manner; the pleasure was almost blinding, yes, but it was not quite enough to put him under its trance. More importantly, the intensity of it was strange enough that it frightened him - and that fear became his lifeline.

NO he thought at it - and suddenly everything around him exploded as if hit by a freight train. There was a tremendous bang, and abruptly the weight was off him - he was flying through the air, along with all of it, and the pieces were pieces but THEY WERE STILL ALIVE -

I need to think about this more he timidly informed himself, and taking advantage of the thing's distraction, he willed himself back to the Onsen. Fortunately for him, this time it worked.

He tried not to think about the mad howling voices left behind

Subaru arrived in his old room up near the ceiling, for whatever reason. He was exhausted; there was pain in his chest, and he had just enough time to register that he was falling before someone caught him. That someone, ironically, was Seishirou Sakurazuka.

- who, for the first time in Subaru's memory, looked genuinely surprised.

"Subaru-kun! Where - " the man exclaimed; and before he had the chance to say more, he saw something that made him even more surprised. If Subaru had felt a little more connected to reality, he would have found it very funny.

"THERE you are, you see?" Kyonshi said snappishly from the doorway, levelling a finger at them both. "I TOLD you I didn't know, and YOU didn't believe me, and here you had him stashed up by the ceiling fan or something the whole time because I think you LIKE being mean - like I said before, he was probably just trying to stay away from YOU - and you've ruined my shirt, and put me in a VERY bad mood, and if you're QUITE through earning the mean award of the year, I would like to say GOODBYE!" And the man posed again, stiff and stern, this time pointing down the hallway in the general direction of the door.

Seishirou did not move; in fact, for a very long moment, he almost looked afraid.

"Um?" tried Subaru weakly, and then Kyonshi blinked and he changed the subject.

"I say, what IS all over you?"

Pink, slimy, fleshy blobs covered Subaru's body. Apparently, it had not been a purely spiritual realm after all.

"Oh, no" said Subaru quietly, and then he passed out.

[ to be continued ]