4. Blood.
T: One of my personal favourite chapters for this story, just because Kakyo deserved a chance to be something other than a depressive, suicidal, person! Warnings remain the same and I still claim no ownership to anything here other than the plot and the bizarre logic!
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He rarely dreamed as a rule, his mind desiring, as it did, to use the night time for resting rather than thinking.
When he did dream it was normally always of one of his predecessors and thus it startles him a little to be presented a dream of Hokuto's death.
An explanation for this oddity comes a moment later when he feels a blow swipe his chin and an angry voice remarks,
"You were not worthy of her pity!"
"Kakyo-kun, I believed that we were on the same side…"
"This is not about the war, Seishiro-san."
"You loved her."
"More than anything else in the world, enough so that I chose to forgive you her death because that would have been her wish.
"But that changed when I saw what you are planning to do…she died in a hope of saving you because she pitied you and you are simply throwing that away!"
"She died because she believed it was the only way she could save her brother…because she asked me to kill her."
"Can you honestly say that she would not have died otherwise? What about your beloved anonymity?"
"Hokuto-chan would not have told anyone who I was and yes, honestly, if she has not asked me then I would not have done it.
"She was my friend, after all and Subaru-kun loved her very much."
"You do not fool me, Seishiro! It did not matter that Hokuto was your friend…
"Or have you forgotten that I see into dreams?" Kakyo enquires as he gestures towards the now barren dreamscape.
An image blooms in the shadow and he recognises the situation well enough that when his younger self jumps down from the tree it is not at all a surprise.
"Obaachan, I've been thinking." The younger him remarks as he turns to look into the eyes of the dreamer,
"About what, Seishiro?"
"About what you said last week…that I would have to choose my successor from a selection of people that you picked."
"Seishiro, it is too early to be thinking about your successor.
"You have many years to grow and develop before it becomes necessary to train someone new."
"Not if I am going to do it my way. Obaachan, I want to love the person who is going to kill me, just as Kasan loved me...
"Therefore, I want to choose my own successor, rather than be forced to chose one of your candidates."
"Seishiro…there are rules for a reason; the tree will not accept just anyone…"
"Let us see, shall we, Obaachan."
"All of this, even Hokuto's death, has been because of your obnoxious pride.
"You can not stand to be wrong, even about such a thing and so you pushed and you pushed…
"But Subaru was not as resilient as you believed and suddenly you pushed so hard that he broke…Hokuto…Hokuto was simply a way for you to continue your little 'game.'"
"Leave me alone, Kakyo."
"Whatever you wish, Seishiro."
He must have fallen asleep over the books, for the next he knows the sunlight is streaming through the library and Riji-san is stood over him with pancakes in one hand and a thin blue diary in the other.
"I brought you some breakfast." She remarks as she sets the pancakes down. "I also brought you this for I thought you would wish to read it."
"Is it Seishiro's diary?"
"Yes."
"Then I would ask that you put it back, Riji-san."
"Call me Obaachan, all of my pupils do, Sumeragi-kun and I believe that you should read what Seishiro has written here.
"For in these pages are written his heart and thus they also contain answers that I will be unable to give you."
"Thank you." He remarks as he takes the book from her hands.
He waits until she is gone before he opens it out and begins to read the words written on its surface…
'…9th March 1985: Today I met the boy who I wish to be my successor and he is not, as I had expected, one of Obaachan's chosen.
It will take time to change him…to make him worthy of the tree and dark enough to be able to do as he must.
I have tied him to me with the old brands that Obaachan was telling me of last week and for now it should be enough.'
'…5th March 1992: Today he came upon me when I was not expecting it.
He has grown so beautiful over the years and his soul has become softer.
It seems almost a pity to mar him and yet…he is the only one who can succeed me now.'
'…4th July 1992: He was so upset today and his tears made him so perfect that I could not completely resist.
To taste him, even for a brief moment, was heaven.
I wonder if he shall allow me such a thing while conscious before the Bet comes to an end.'
'…7th March 1992: The Bet draws closer to an end and I do not know if I can go through with it.
I feel so very strongly about him, enough that I fear that I will live as Kasan did; clinging always to a vain hope that things might pass differently and loving an impossible love.
Perhaps we grow too close…perhaps I should distance myself a little from him in order that the 'Game' may continue as I have planned.'
'…7th march 1999: It has been so long since my last entry…since my eye was taken from me and Hokuto…
I had thought it all at an end…had thought that I would have to fall back into the constriction Obaachan wished of me and yet…
Today I saw him again and the hate in his eyes was enough that I know he shall do it.
Know that I have won…
Why does that sting so?'
'…8th February 1999: Today I watched Fuuma take away his eye and …
I had thought I was over this, had thought that I could be impartial and yet…
I have spent the last hour researching the spells necessary for the final part if the transfer and I have realised that I do not want this…
Have realised that I want only to be always at his side…
Want him to love me as I love him.
But it is too late; by killing Hokuto I have caused him to hate me and the only way that I can make amends is to give him my life.'
His hands are shaking uncontrollably as he reads that sentence and the tears welling in his eyes he tears the page free of the diary.
He continues to do as such until his eyes catch the final entry and his anger fizzles away.
'…March 1999: Subaru-kun, If you are reading this then Obaachan has done as I believed she might and you know the complete truth.
Forgive me…both for Hokuto and for this.
If I had known how much you would come to mean to me…
How much I would want to simply hold you in my arms…then I would not have started this.
Ask Obaachan to direct you to the 'family' home…there you shall find the final pieces of the puzzle.
Again, please forgive me.'
He brushes his lips over those final words and closing the diary he crosses back into Riji-san's living room he enquires,
"Where is the Sakurazuka family home?"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
T: I don't know why the diary cropped up or why Sei-chan seems so OOC in it…bah! I blame the plot bunny that started this whole mess! R+R…I need the love!