Author's Note: Here's another "rough draft" chapter. There's about twenty-seven in all, but I won't be putting them all up at once, of course.

Disclaimer: X and Tokyo Babylon, as well as all characters, events, and fictional places, belong to Clamp, and whoever else may own rights. I am simply borrowing for a non-profit means of entertainment, which only encourages further reading of actual Clamp materials.

Chapter Nine:

Currently...

Subaru looked at each of the other Chi no Ryu in turn, annoyance flashing across his face. It was bad enough /Kamui/ was making him report in before going off to begin the masquerade, he didn't need all the others there to see him off, too.

'Especially not the Sakurazukamori.' His eyes wandered towards the older man, whose face was completely cold, eyes hidden behind darkly tinted sunglasses even though the sun had just begun to rise. Gone was the passion, and even the possession, they had held the night before. Moving his eyes away from the other onmyouji they skimmed around the figures standing just outside the government building. The computer girl, Yatouji, had even been forced to come, and looked just as happy as the rest of them. Well, except for the pyrokinetic, and /Kamui, and, surprisingly enough, the yumemi. 'She's probably just happy that /Kamui/ and I won't be able to see each other.'

"Have a great time," Karen was babbling. "If any of those cute guys are straight, give me their numbers, 'kay?" 'For someone that works such late hours, she's annoyingly perky in the morning...'

"Get as much information as you can. Try to see if they'll tell you where the Shinken is." The Dark Kamui's voice cut through the women's ramblings.

"Have fun!" Was the wicked smirk on Hinoto's face more than just her usual expression?

"Whatever," he answered coldly, turning away from the six figures and walking towards the cab he had waiting.

"Don't forget to write!" The Chi no Kamui called out playfully, to which the Sumeragi shot a smile over his shoulder, turning back before seeing the dangerous look that filled the Sakurazukamori's features. He also missed the sly, knowing look their yumemi gained when looking at the three males.

"Kamui, c'mon, we're gonna be late!" Sorata's voice boomed up the stairs as he waited for the last of them to come running down. The five Seals, as well as Nokoru, Suoh, and Akira, waited patiently--well, for them--for the boy who represented the power of God. As soon as they saw his darkly-clad figure streak down the hallway they began to file out, walking towards the Clamp Campus main gates.

Sorata waited to move until Kamui was at the bottom of the stairs. He smiled at the boy, then grabbed his arm and ran ahead to where Arashi and Kakyou were having a somber conversation. Kamui walked silently beside the softly speaking Arashi, having been kept from taking a place next to the yumemi by Daisuke quickly coming up to push between the two. The Kansai boy was now in the middle, talking rapidly while waving his hands about his head.

"So, is the Sumeragi everything he's said to be?" Daisuke finally asked.

"Yes! You've got to meet him! He's so calm, and collected, and in control, it's amazing!" Sorata began to sing Subaru's praises as they continued, Arashi blushing every so often when she desperately wished she could agree and Kamui rolling his eyes--no one could be nearly as great as the monk made the seventh Seal out to be.

"I'm glad I made such a stunning impression." They all jumped in surprise, turning to see a white-clad figure lounging against the nearby wall, just inside the gate. By Arashi and Sorata's reaction, it was quite obvious to all the others who that person was.

Sorata watched with a grin on his face as Subaru looked over the other Ten no Ryu. After a few minutes he pushed away from the wall and walked towards them, face set in a calm, unthreatening expression. Nokoru, ever the congenial host, moved to greet him first, introducing the seven people (including the Kaichou himself) who the Sumeragi had not met before. He said his hellos coldly, for the most part, face only lightening at the sight of Yuziriha, a smile breaking across his serene face as the genki girl bounced up to him.

"You remind me of someone I used to know..." the emerald eyed boy murmured as he watched the inugami mistress, face clouding over in memory for an instant before he turned to meet the most important person there.

"Kamui-sama," Kamui blinked as he watched the older boy bow deeply to him, tone one of the most respectful that had ever been directed towards him.

"I-You-Er-." Amethyst eyes were held open until they were huge. Staring at the older boy in front of him, the one who represents the power of God was having a very hard time thinking of anything intelligent to say. "Just call me Kamui," he finally managed to chock out, a blush coming to his cheeks at the slight, amused smile the Sumeragi was wearing.

"If that is what you wish, Kamui." Subaru rises from his position, looking over the group and then eyes finally locking on Nokoru's sapphire ones. "So, where will I be staying?"

Later...

Kanoe watched the future unfold through others' dreams, relaxing in her place within the dreamscape secure in the knowledge that not even the more powerful yumemi would be able to detect her presence. When she dreamed she thought; it was the only time she felt she could without another knowing what she thought about. In her thoughts she could almost imagine being free from her sister and the obligation of helping destroy the human world. Almost. She was smart enough to know that there was very little chance of her ever being free--unless that freedom was death.

She sighed, turning over and staring up at the imaginary starlight, counting the constellations in the 'sky'. She wondered if in the dreamscape the stars worked as they did in the real world, reflecting the fortunes of the people who lived below them. Something to ask the teenage monk if she ever got the chance.

A few rooms down from where Kanoe dozed Satsuki was typing like mad on a small laptop, stopping on occasion to push up her glasses or glance at her watch. The screen was split into two sections, one showing her own work and the other showing the Beasts latest finds. Sitting within the small device was more information about the End of the World than any other single person had ever had access to, and the youngest of the female Angels was the lucky one who has to sort through it all.

Glancing once more at her wrist she let out a groan. She had originally thought of just letting her computer friends deal with the data, but it only took a few days to realize that they couldn't cut it. Satsuki would always be the first to admit that even the most advanced AI still lacked a few very humanoid features that helped in such processes as intuition and creativity. Besides, although her powers mainly focused on an advanced understanding and connection with technology, she was still a Dragon. It was common place for her to stumble over small, insignificant looking details and somehow become fixated on them, revealing things that one would never think of without help.

Fate was guiding her, not her "friends." They, the computer operated systems of Tokyo, were only involved because of their great affection for the human girl, not because it was their destiny.

She went back to work, sending a silent "thank you" to the Beast as it turned up a few more articles with mentions to the end of days. Her eyes were becoming heavy, bruises appearing under them from lack of sleep, her skin becoming sallow. 'And Yuuto wonders why I like hanging out in low lit areas.'