Author: J.J.
Warning: It's an AU BASED ON THE MANGA, unbetaed, some use of Japanese words (the Dictionary is at the bottom), a bit of sappiness...
Notes: This is a random idea or better a random series of ideas that had been haunting me... and that I really like to develop...
Warning over notes: This fic has notes. You will find them at the bottom. Each time you see a number between brackets it means there's a note connected to the word/sentence that preceded it. However I suggest you to read the notes AFTER you finished the fic unless the word/sentence connected to the note is really troublesome for you to understand. Anyway the fic should be still understandable without the notes. Notes are merely extra explanations for who wants to know more.
Disclaimer:
"Tokyo Babylon", "X", "Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE" and "xxx HOLiC" belong to Clamp. I'm merely using their characters because I love them... especially Seishiro and Subaru...
Ehy, Do I own something here? Oh yes, I own the plot and a sensible heart which would surely break if you give me harsh reviews... so please be honest but nice ok?
Summary: AU Version of the Rainbow Bridge incident...
"For some glass cups no price is too high..."
"I wish, my wish
When I wish upon a star
Hoshi ni negai wo kaketa no
I wish, my wish
My dream comes true
Meguriaeru you ni
...
I wish, my wish
Chiisa na goro ni
Hoshi ni negai wo kaketa no
I wish, my wish
Taisetsu na hito ni
Meguriaeru you ni
Watashi wa ano yoru kara
Anata wo sagashite-ita
...
I wish, my wish
Aisuru hito wo
Gyutto dakishimeta ude wo
I wish, my wish
Nobaseba hoshi ni
Todoku kamoshirenai."
("I wish, my wish
When I wish upon a star
I wished upon a star...
I wish, my wish
My dream comes true
... So that fate would bring us together.
I wish, my wish
When I was small
I wished upon a star...
I wish, my wish
... So that fate would bring me together with
Someone precious to me.
I've been looking for you
Ever since that night
...
I wish, my wish
That my arms could hold
My beloved tightly
I wish, my wish
If I reach out to the stars,
It might even reach them.)
(Ali Project - "Wish")(1)
'Subaru-kun, Kazue-san said that because she met you she began to like Tokyo just a little bit. Now she'll surely be able to return for her homeland Obon, Fukuoka, isn't it? It will be dawn soon. It's sad to say it but there are so many people in Tokyo that aim for something and never get it. Even if one can wish hard for something this doesn't mean he'll get it. There is no place in the world where people who work hard are always rewarded.'
'T... then, why do humans have sentiments such as like? Why do we like things if it's not of much use?'
'Because we are lonely. To have the sentiments of liking is to see a dream. Humans cannot be strong without dreams. But I really like Subaru-kun. I'm not such a fool as to force you to have the same sentiment, Subaru-kun.'
'I...'
'Subaru-kun...'
'Seishiro-san...'
'Am I sexy?'(2)
He had no idea why was he remembering 'that'. Why he was remembering a young Subaru-kun, so close to him, gazing up at him in the way only Subaru-kun had, just the two of them, alone on the top of the world... well Tokyo Tower really, but he just didn't care...
However he didn't knew why he was remembering that but he was sure he was quite annoyed when a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"There are indefinite things unexplained in this world. No matter how weird it is, mankind will always be there, mankind will always observe it, it will always be with mankind. But there's the world of the imagination, but there's the world of the past. Person, mankind, people. People are the world's strangest creatures."(3)
Seishiro frowned at the lady that was said this, deciding that, if people were the world's strangest creatures, that woman in front of that quaint, little, weird house amidst a bunch of skyscrapers was undoubtedly the best example of this.
She smiled at him but he merely gazed at her dully. In another moment he might have noticed she was beautiful, in another moment he might have noticed she was powerful, in another moment he might have noticed she had a plan, but right there he plainly didn't care.
All he cared for was in that little, cylindrical-shaped box that the Chi no Ryu's Kamui gave him.
All he cared for were those memories he kept thinking about.
All he wanted right then was to get back to the Sakurazuka house, lie down and try to sort out what little remained of his life.
Surely he wasn't interested in listening the ramblings of a weird lady in black. Then, two doll-like girls appeared next to her, cheerfully welcoming him there. He shrugged them off and moved to continue on his track but they placed themselves in front of him, stopping his path.
"You are Master's guest! You are Master's guest!" the two started chanting happily, each of them gripping one of his arms.
"I'm not," he corrected them, freeing himself roughly from their grip and cradling close to his chest the precious container he was carrying so that it would be out of their reach.
"Sure you are. You were destined to come here," the woman countered. He glared. He had enough with destiny. Destiny had messed his life enough. She smiled at him, amused. "You know what destiny is, don't you?" she asked in an almost teasing manner. "Yes, you do," she continued without giving him the chance to reply. "I can see it in your eyes," she affirmed and Seishiro didn't knew if she was being serious or making fun of him. Not that it mattered right then.
"He knows what destiny is! He knows what destiny is!" the two children repeated in an annoying, sing-songing voice. He had enough. He moved to leave.
"You can't escape from your destiny, you know that?" she said then. He paused.
"I'm not escaping. You're merely annoying," he pointed out stiffly.
"How rude. To think I've been told you were such a gentleman. Aren't you even going to give a look at my shop?" she asked casually.
"I'm not interested," he stated coldly.
"You should be. It's a fulfilling wishes shop," she informed him. He glared. Another one with the obsession of fulfilling wishes. He had already his hands full with what the Chi no Ryu's Kamui did with Subaru-kun's Wish.
"Fulfilling wishes. Fulfilling wishes. As long as master can do it any wish can be fulfilled!" the children said again in that annoying voice of theirs.
"As a trade," the woman added. "I will take anything of equal value. Such as souls."
Great. Now there was also a 'Wish market'.
"You're late then. I don't have a Wish anymore,"(4) he muttered watching his precious case bitterly. She smiled at him enigmatically.
"You sure? He begs to differ." He blinked.
"He?" he asked.
"He. The one who gave you control on his whole life. The one who told you his birthday even when he knew he was forbidden to do so. The one who traded his life for yours."
"He... what?" he asked, hating how his voice sounded... pained. He wasn't sure if he really wanted an answer.
"He traded his life for yours. His Wish was to save your life, no matter what. To dissipate his sister's spell his death was a fundamental requisite, don't you know it?" she replied distractedly and somehow it hurt to hear someone talking so carelessly about Subaru-kun's death.
"How do you know it?" he asked, his voice too raw for his liking. She lowered her gaze and seemed thoughtfull maybe even sad.
"He... was a good friend. Such a kind-hearted person..." she said while longing lingered in her voice.(5)
"Damn it, if it was your friend why didn't you save him?" he spat. Why everyone who knew what Subaru-kun was about to do, didn't stop him? Kamui let him do so, this woman let him do so, but Seishiro hadn't wanted him to do so! The woman gave him a sharp look.
"I told you. It was his Wish. To fulfil that Wish he paid with his life. A contract can't be broken and a trade can't be refused. Without you he won't have lasted long anyway. At least this way he didn't suffer..." Her gaze lowered again as she whispered the last words.
"But I didn't want it!" he exclaimed exasperatedly. Why no one could see that?
"But the world does not revolve around you or your Wishes," the woman pointed out. He frowned at the remark than an idea came to his mind.
"Can you... undo what Subaru-kun did? Can you give him his life back and take mine? That was what was supposed to happen..." The woman shook her head.
"That is what you wanted to happen and now it's too late for this. The past can't be changed."
"Then which sort of Fulfilling Wishes Witch are you!" he exclaimed angrily.
"It's odd you called me like that. I'm a Witch, that's right, but more exactly I'm The Dimensional Witch." Seishiro frowned not really understanding what she was meaning. "I can send people through different dimensions. Dimensions where, for example, a person is still alive and another died in his place," she clarified. Seishiro raised his eyebrow.
"You're suggesting me to go in another dimension and get a different Subaru-kun?" he asked.
"I'm not suggesting anything. This course of action was your idea not mine," the woman countered as if she wanted him to take responsibility for something that, in Seishiro's mind, she suggested. Seishiro ignored her remark. It wasn't worth his time anyway.
"And if, mind you I said if, I accept this the other Subaru-kun will be..."
"Exactly as yours was except for the fact he didn't know about his sister's spell and therefore he didn't die due to it. His opponent did." Seishiro looked at her attentively.
"And I'll have to pay for this with my soul."
"Exactly." She smiled at him again, as if what they were talking about was a common trade.
"Do I get to be killed by Subaru-kun or you'll had to do it?" he asked suspiciously. He didn't like the idea to be murdered by that woman. She rolled her eyes in exhasperation.
"I won't kill you. Murdering people is a dangerous thing, which I don't do. You of all the people should know this. Souls have a different meaning. Souls can represent important things. To fulfil a wish, your soul is representing the important things as trade. I... I will take your important thing. If you want to fulfil your wish."
"My important thing is already dead," he stated. She ignored him or the fact that he had referred to Subaru-kun as a thing.
"As trade I'll take that," she said pointing to the case Subaru-kun left him.
"That's Subaru-kun's eye!" he exclaimed, holding the case protectively against his chest.
"He left it to you so it's yours. I want it. And the eye the Sakurazukamori of the other dimension planned to leave to his... chosen heir. With the agreement between the two of us that you will never try to turn him into a Sakurazukamori."
"Then which would be the point of having another Subaru-kun?" he asked, irritation lingering in his voice.
"Which is the point to hold so dear a case containing a dead man's eye?" she replied sweetly with an innocent smile. Too much. This woman knew too much and she was dangerous. He wouldn't mind killing her but if she could help...
"It's just a trophy," he stated dismissively.
"Fine. As you wish," she replied raising her hands in defeat. "I'm not forcing you to accept. Keep your trophy, I'm sure it'll keep you good company in the cold, lonely nights..." and then she moved to get back inside her shop.
"Wait," he ordered.
"Shouldn't you say 'please'?" she countered but stopped and turned toward him again. She knew one should be patient with children, expecially if they were spoiled.
"What if Subaru-kun won't let me take the eye he inherited? What if he had already used it?" he asked. The woman shrugged.
"Dealing with him will be your problem. However I'll take care to send you in the other dimension before he had used it," she clarified.
"I have to go into the other dimension? Can't Subaru-kun come here?" he complained. The woman suppressed a sigh. How in the world could Subaru-san believe this man was worth his life? Really, mankind could be weird. Very weird.
"No," she said firmly. Seishiro frowned, pretending to think at it. He wasn't really. He wanted Subaru-kun back. He wanted him more than everything else. If he couldn't have the original... well a copy would do or so he hoped.
"Fine. I agreed," he conceded graciously.
"Alright, I'll fulfil your wish then," she agreed. It was time he gave up. "The case," she requested stretching her hand toward him. He hesitated as he looked at the case with longing and affection and with that action he won from her a soft smile. Maybe there was still hope for him. Maybe he wouldn't ruin everything a second time. Maybe. And if worst came to worst at least Subaru-san would get to see him another time.
"Will you... take good care of it?" he asked in an almost childish manner.
"You can be sure of it," she affirmed. He studied her attentively, as if searching for any track that could prove what she said to be a lie then, when he found none, he finally handed her the case. She took it carefully and cradled it to her chest lovingly as she would have done with a newborn.
"Come inside," she told then. "You'll need to know some more things before you can start your travel. By the way, aren't you going to ask my name?"
"Honestly I couldn't care less," he replied. He only wanted this to be done and be back with Subaru-kun.
"Yuko. Hajiwara Yuko," she said anyway leading him inside the shop, acting as she hadn't heard him. He rolled his eyes.
"Pleased to meet you," he muttered automatically.
"It's a fake name of course!" she replied, giggling as if she had just made the joke of the year. Women, he thought. All insane. "These children are... Maru-chan and Moro-chan," she added pointing to the children. As if he cared. "By the way, their real names are... Marudashi and Morodashi. Very cute names," she pointed out before resting the case with Subaru-kun's eye on a shelf carefully. He gazed at it longingly. What was he getting himself into?
"Having second thoughts?" she asked. "But your fate had already been decided. Every occurrence will affect the future. The death of the owner of this eye had a purpose and our meeting has a purpose as well. From now on remember it. Remember that everything that you'll do will affect your future." He suppressed a groan. This sounded suspiciously like a school lesson and he was too old for one.
"I'll remember, I'll remember. Can we proceed now?" She frowned, her eyes almost burning holes inside him.
"Yes. You'll do. You'll learn to do it, no matter if you'll like it or not and yes, we can proceed," she agreed. He stared at her annoyed for a second. Her words had almost sounded like a threat but he didn't care. As long as he would get what he wanted nothing else would matter. As long as he would get to see Subaru-kun again. Subaru-kun...
JJ's Notes:
1. 'Wish' is the song used for the music video based on the 'Wish' manga always made by CLAMP.
2. This dialogue comes from 'Tokyo Babylon' Vol. 1.
3. This dialogue comes from 'xxx HOLiC' and yes, who's talking is Hajiwara Yuko a character from 'xxx HOLiC' & 'Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE' both manga made by CLAMP.
4. According to the Chi no Ryu's Kamui, Seishiro's Wish was to be killed by Subaru and by Subaru only but now that Subaru is dead...
5. In 'xxx HOLiC' vol. 1 Yuko said she knows an Onmyouji who's also had a twin sister from when he was a little kid. I'm assuming she's talking about Subaru.
JJ's Extra Notes:
I really like to know when exactly 'xxx HOLiC' is placed. I assume it's placed before 'X' because Tokyo is still standing...
Yes, the dialogue between Yuko and Seishiro is very similar to the one between Yuko and Watanuki. That dialogue had inspired this.
What is Yuko going to do with Subaru's eye? Why asking for it? Well... she asked to 'Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE' Seishiro his eye and the man still had it attached to his body... I guess Seishiro could consider himself lucky she had asked Subaru's eye and not his...
Dictionary:
-chan: Name ending used to express affection and familiarity or to talk with a child
-kun: Young
-san: "Mr." or "Mrs."
Chi no Ryu: Dragon of Earth
Obon: Festival of the Dead
Onmyoudo: "Way of Yin and Yang". Yin and Yang are the male and female forces underlying the movement and changes of nature. Onmyoudo is based upon the Chinese arts of astrology, divination and Taoist magic and also represents a mystical way of living in harmony with the forces of nature
Onmyoujutsu: "Art of Yin and Yang". The ability to use Onmyoudo spells
Sakurazukamori: "Guardian of the Cherry Blossom Burial Mound". The assassin who uses Onmyoujutsu to kill. Sakurazuka Seishiro's title
Replies to reviews:
To Everyone who reviewed: Thank you! You're a great encouragement for me!
To Soulreciever: It makes me happy to hear you enjoied this twist of the moment! As for Hinoto... not always she sees the future as it is and we don't exactly know when she has her dreams. The dream Kakyou shows her in Vol. 18 might have been unclear in the beginning and taking a better shape later. After all she sent Karen and Seiichiro to die but it's Nataku the one who did it... really... dreams are pretty confuse in 'X'... I still like to understand if it was Fuma the one who killed Kanoe or it was the dark side of Hinoto...
To Kishuu: I'm glad you like this story! Yes, there will be more! Each chap is more or less a potential ending so, should I have no further time to continue, people won't be too disappointed...
To Singe: Yes, I've read another fic too who killed Subaru off (even if, in the one I found, it was a dream) but I'm glad you like my version!
Send me your comments!
