14. Illusion.

T: In case anyone other than Silver Salamander is curious, yep Sei-chan is still Sakurazukamori which means there are still a few more issues to be worked out between the happy couple before they reach perfection! Oh and this should help clear the confusion you were having Comixoriole about why he was so logical in the last chapter…I'll also be addressing said logic in the next chapter…hope that helps!

To ease confusion I'll be referring to the Dark Kamui as Kazuki throughout…though I'm sure doing as such will actually confuse a few people! Nope not mine and Yep warnings the same. Oh and the POV later on in this chapter is again Kibou.

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He had recognised the bird as an illusion of the Sakurazukamori the moment it had landed at his feet and he's disposed of it without a second thought.

How very foolish.

Not only had that little illusion informed Kazuki that the Sakurazukamori was alive, but it had also informed him that his enemy was unsure of his capabilities now that he had lost the 'Fuuma' edge of his psyche.

Clearly he had again the advantage in this war.

He steps forwards and the world faded into sakura covered darkness.

So the bird had been but the beginning…

"This is futile, Sakurazukamori. I know what you are doing and I shall not participate in your little game."

"What a pity. I had rather hoped I would at least have seen you break the Maraboshi before you confronted me." The Sakurazukamori sighs and steps into Kazuki's line of sight.

Something is…odd…about the other, yet this is something that Kazuki dismisses as another layer to the illusion.

"You look well."

The other smiles lazily and lighting a cigarette remarks,

"For a dead man, you mean?"

"You had come to the end of your usefulness, Sakurazukamori. For you had begun to allow your heart to sway your choices."

"Something you too are guilty of…or perhaps Monou-kun forced you to free him."

"He was weighing me down with the force of his hearts desire and his hidden Wish.

"Had he remained within me and Kamui discovered that Wish then my victory would have been lost.

"Now I am strong enough to do as is my fate and kill the Kamui of the Dragons of Heaven."

"If that is so why do you reside still within this illusion? Why do I live still?"

Kazuki considers this and then smiling sets a hand to the Sakurazukamori's face.

"Because this is a test and you are not who you claim to be."

The Sakurazukamori's features change, then he is suddenly looking into the eyes of one Sumeragi Subaru.

"It seems you have recovered well from your injuries. A shame you did not learn the lesson then."

Power rises to his fingers…it is less than it had been while Fuuma was part of him still and yet it is stronger still than that which this other holds.

The illusion wavers and another appears, Kazuki now facing both the Sakurazukamori's prey and the Sakurazukamori himself.

Alone neither is as a threat to him and yet now they are together…

A harmony existed within their gifts that he had never seen before; an almost symbolic link between them that mean together they were stronger.

Were a very real threat.

"Don't you think this is a little in excess for a 'test' of my skills?" He enquires.

The Sakurazukamori gestures and the illusion fades about them.

He is stood now atop Tokyo Tower and about him the city is in flames.

"This is more than a test." The Sakurazukamori remarks.

"This is the Final Battle and yet if that is the case where is Kamui?"

"Collecting the Shinken."

So these two were the distraction were they?

Something about the situation seemed wrong still and he could not but help wonder if this was also an illusion.

After all he should have known that the Final Day was this close…

Should have faced Kamui with the other Shinken in his hands.

As it was now his Shinken lay beneath the Government building under the watchful eyes of Kanoe.

"This is another test, isn't it?"

The Sakurazukamori smiles and again the world about them shifts.

This time he is faced with the dark of a dreamscape.

"No more games, Monou-kun." The Sakurazukamori states as he steps in front of his lover.

"Is my final test to best you, Sakurazukamori?"

"No. After that little exercise I believe I would be a rather disappointing opponent."

"Therefore I shall be your foe today, Kazuki-san."

Kakyo is sat almost in the perfect centre of the darkness, the hesitant demeanour Kizuki links with the man always, faded away into rage.

"You believe yourself a worthy opponent do you, Kazuki-san? Even when time and time before I have broken through the barriers within both your dreams and your mind?"

"Before I had the welfare of my wife and child to consider…now I know the only hope of their survival is to face you and thus I do as such.

"Thus I walk into the mouth of death himself without a backward glance."

He stands then and the illusion of fatigue and of depression fades from him so that he looks now awake and content.

Kazuki plunges for the other only to be met with a wall of infinite blackness.

"You forget quickly that we are within a dreamscape, Kazuki-san and as such the game follows my terms."

He feels anger rising within him and resists the urge to allow that emotion to swamp him.

Instead he falls to a crouch and placing his hands flat against the 'floor' of the dreamscape, allows a calm to take him.

Once he is tranquil again he focuses his energy through his fingers.

The dreamscape shakes and the wall before him crumbles to reveal the open waters of an ocean.

He steps onto the water with ease and once he has trained his mind to think of this surface as nothing more than a 'floor' he walks across its surface without difficulty.

Kakyo is stood upon a small pinnacle of rock at the centre of the expanse, a smile clear upon his lips.

"You are not what you used to be and yet still none but Kamui can harm you."

"Something I would have thought was clear to you. After all the Final Battle can be fought only between the two Kamui's.

"No other can face either myself or my Twin Star and win. Thus was this test of my strength stupidity incarnate."

"You forget that I wish to see this wars end at my wife's side. If you kill me know you will have denied me a fulfilment to that wish."

"The time for me to be a fulfiller of the wishes of man is at an end, Kakyo, for the Wish of this world will no longer be denied.

"A wish you stand in the way of granting."

He gestures then and the Dreamseer slumps to his knees.

"You shall have to use more magic that that, Kazuki-san, if you wish to breach this dream."

Kazuki smiles at that statement, at the foolish bravado encased within it, before he sends the full strength of his power towards the other.

………………………………………………………………………………….

I am playing happily on the swings when a sharp pain wells in my mind.

Ayaka-sensei is at my side almost the moment I stumble, her hands gripping hard to my skin.

"Kibou-chan, what is the matter?"

"Something is wrong with Papa," I remark as I break free of her grip.

I make it just outside the Kindergarten building before hands are again upon my shoulders.

Glancing upwards I am met with the deep green of my uncle's eyes, magnified now beneath the lenses of his glasses.

"What has happened to papa?" I enquire my voice steady despite the traitorous tears that have begun leaking from my eyes.

"He was attacked, yet you have no need to be alarmed, his injuries are much less than you begin to believe them."

"How can you say that, how can you expect me to believe you when I feel his pain? He is dying!"

"Kibou, fix your eyes upon mine." Uncle Subaru states as he falls to his knees.

Blinking away the tears I set my eyes upon his…feel a calm cease at me.

"Listen closely to me, child. The pain you feel is illusionary, just as most of the injuries upon your father are illusionary also.

"We wish his attacker to believe that he is stronger than he truly is, for in that confidence will be found his downfall."

"Why did you have to make papa a part of this?"

"Because the Final Day is drawing close and your father's usefulness begins to fade due to that fact.

"If his attacker believes him incapacitated enough to no longer prove a threat then he will hopefully lease the thought of killing your father."

"Will you bring him to me, Uncle Subaru?"

"Of course." He offers me his hand but before I can take the offer Ayaka-sensei is between us.

"Who are you?"

"Mira Ayaka, it is a pleasure to at last meet you. I am Subaru Sumeragi, Kibou's uncle."

She is sceptical until he removes his glasses, at which point a manic gleam lit her eyes and she pulled uncle Subaru into a tight hug.

"Hokuto-san has been telling me all about you! Saying how sweat and utterly, utterly kind you are!

"How would you feel about taking me out for dinner sometime?"

Uncle Subaru takes Ayaka-sensei's madness in his stride and balancing his glasses back onto his face he remarks,

"I'm afraid I'm spoken for." Before he grabs my hand and walks calmly towards the Campus exit.

We arrive eventually in a little hospital in Tatsumi and once uncle Subaru gives his name we are escorted to room number 99.

Mama is sat at papa's bedside her delicate hands laced hard with his.

He us awake and for the first time in five years I can look into his waking eyes…

Can see my father's true face.

"You are smaller than you seem in the Dreamscape." He remarks once mama has pulled me into her lap.

"It is good to see you too, papa."

He chuckles at that and places a hand to cup my face a moment before his expression becomes serious again.

"Kazuki-san was serious about ending my life today, Subaru-kun, which means only one thing."

"The Final Day is closer than we thought."

"Indeed. I would say you have a day…maybe two…and then Tokyo Tower shall be the last Kekkai standing."

"Then let us make what is left of today special, shall we?" Mama enquires.

"What are you plotting Hokuto-chan?"

"Don't worry, Subaru, just get Kamui-kun and Sei-chan out to Sei-chan's Kyoto abode and I will do the rest!" she says winking.

Looking at the smile on mama's face I find myself revising my opinion of Ayaka-sensei's sanity…mama is most defiantly much, much worse!

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T: Final Day party in the next chapter and then onto the battle true! Yep it's the last chapter next time so R+R before you lose the opportunity!