8. Illusion.

T: Have finally reached the end of this thing on paper and can now officially say 'two more chapters to go'. Also now that I know where this is going I'm upping the angst one more time just to be safe! Apart from that the warnings are the same and, yep you guessed it, I own nothing apart from the plot!

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Though he knew that he had to tell his other self something…knew that left to his own devises his other self would brood upon his words and twist them until they became as knives to wound him…

He was, however, still uncertain as to what to tell the other.

To be unaware of what was to come, to stand helpless as destiny played out…such a thing had been tragedy enough…

Yet to know such a thing was to occur, to stand upon the Rainbow Bridge and know of what his Wish was to turn into…

He believes that such knowledge held within it the potential to erode at the sanity of his other self.

Eventually he had come up with a solution and thus settled he had come into the shadow of the Clamp Campus.

Crossing the barrier about the school had proved easier than he believed it might, this, he supposed, because he was, at this time, still an ally to Kamui.

His other self is wrapped into the sheets of his bed, his skin pail and gaunt in the light of the moon.

Unlike the previous meeting he cannot feel the emotions of the other; something he assumes is due to the Tree's protective influence.

Once he is granted permission to weave his tale he comes to settle on the foot of the bed.

"I am as yourself, Sumeragi-san…" He pauses and shaking his head he remarks, "Or rather I understand what it is that you are feeling.

"You see I too loved one of the Sakurazukamori…I also held a Wish to die at the hands of the one I loved, a Wish that was turned so terribly against me…

"I met him when I was sixteen and he was so kind…so gentle…that I could not but fall for him.

"Eventually I found the courage to tell him of my heart and he accepted it without cruelty…told me that he felt as I…" He smiles and turning to again face his other self he continues with his tale. "One night I awoke to find him gone from my side and curious as to where he had gone I headed downstairs.

"The house was empty apart from myself and a little concerned now for his welfare I phoned the police.

"They told me that they could do nothing until he had been gone for at least twenty four hours and I resigned myself to a sleepless night by the phone.

"At two o'clock in the morning he came back home, his hands coated in blood and an empty smile upon his face…I was so relieved to see him that neither of those things registered, so relieved that I registered only that he was alive.

"Then his blood soaked fingers were sinking into my right eye and his smiling lips were telling me the truth of what eh was, were speaking to me of murder and betrayal as though they were but trifling amusements…

"I eventually came back to myself a week later, one eye blind and my mind filled with confusion as to why I lived still.

"I could not believe it was because he cared…could not believe he has hurt me even though he loved me. Eventually I came to the conclusion that he was toying with me and, for a little while, my heart hardened against him.

"A month after that I met him again and he was so different to how he had been that night, so much as the one I had loved, that my heart melted.

"He asked me why I believed he had saved me and I told him of the conclusion I had formed…

"I shall never forget the look in his eye as I told him how little I trusted him…will never forget how guilty he seemed for being the one to place such doubts in my mind…"

"What happened?" His other self enquires, the eager edge in his voice all the encouragement he needs.

"He kissed me softly on the lips and told me why he had done as he had…told me that the Sakurazukamori was succeeded always by they that they loved most…told me that he had pushed at me until he believed I hated him enough to kill him and then…"

A flash of Seishiro's dying smile appears, momentarily, in his mind and, a genuine depression taking him, he says,

"While talking to me he had placed a knife into my hands and once concluded his tale he walked onto the blade.

"As he lay dying in my arms he told me that he had loved me always…begged me to take his eye in order to remove the one physical scar he had given me.

"That request I granted without hesitation and in taking the eye I tool also my place as Sakurazukamori.

"I managed the role for a month and then my grief became too much…life became too much…"

"You killed yourself?" There is doubt in the other's voice and standing he calls a little of the trees power to him before replying,

"When a Sakurazukamori dies they pass into the Tree, the power of their soul fading as their successor grows.

"Yet I had no true successor and thus I endured…thus I was forced to remain aware of everything about me. Was forced to 'live' when all I wished was to fade completely from this world.

"In the end, though, that punishment has proved as a positive thing for it has allowed me to meet Seishiro and it has allowed me the chance to stop the tragedy happening again."

"You believe Seishiro loves me?"

"Do you believe otherwise?"

His other self considers the question a moment and then he replies,

"He has shown me no more or no less respect than one would show a cherished object…he has pushed at me with such strength…"

"All for you to hate him enough that you kill him."

"Yet even if I could have pushed him from my heart…even if I had grown to hate him…I could never kill him."

He is aware that he can continue to lie, that by spinning a convincing tale he can make his other self believe him without need to mention Hokuto's final spell and yet…

He wishes his other self to know this small truth, to know that his beloved sister had not died completely in vain.

"There is a spell upon both Seishiro and yourself, a spell cast using the last of your sister's strength."

His other self tenses and then he enquires,

"What was the purpose of this spell?"

"I believe she cast it in order to protect you and yet it may yet be used to cause you the greatest of harm."

"What is the spell?"

"Should Seishiro attempt to kill you in the same manner as he killed yourself the spell will cause his attack to lash back onto himself."

"Are you being truthful?"

"Of what use would it be for me to lie, Sumeragi-san?"

"I do not know and yet there is something of this story that seems…strange…to me."

"How so?"

"Why did you pursue Seishiro? How can a ghost write a novel and how are you able to interact with the world about you?"

"As I said previously I am not an ordinary spirit, for I am imbued still with a little of the sakura's magic, enough that I am able to 'interact' with the world about me as though I am living…

"Think of me as a highly complex illusion if it makes things easier." He graces his other self with a playful wink and then settling back onto the bed he says, "The novels are my own works, written while I was living still and given in trust to a companion of mine who has worked tirelessly to get them published for me.

"As to my pursuit of Seishiro…you will have to forgive me for that, Sumeragi-san, but I was curious as to what he was like.

"The man I loved was his grandfather, you see and I had an idle thought that perhaps I might find a little of my love within Seishiro."

"Did you?"

"He looks a little as his grandfather and his eyes are the same colour…" He brushes his fingers momentarily across his right eye and then smiling a small, empty smile, he remarks, "He is not, however, the same internally. For his grandfather was an intensely passionate man who willingly gave the heart of him over in the briefest of instants.

"Seishiro, however, seems much calmer and I believe his heart is a thing bestowed only after the greatest of thought."

"Do you care for him?"

"No and I would be foolish to do as such. For only you shall ever own his heart, Sumeragi-san."

His other self smiles, ever so slightly and his eyes drifting to his hands he remarks,

"I wish I could be as certain as you, Kimoru-san."

"Then ask, Sumeragi-san."

"Why would he answer me truthfully?"

"Perhaps if you simply enquired he would not and yet if you challenged him…if you told him all of what I have said and then told him of your own wish…

"Perhaps then you might hear the answer you so desire."

His other self looks still uncertain and yet, the faint smile present still on his lips he says,

"Thank you for giving me hope, Kimoru-san."

"I have no need for your thanks, Sumeragi-san. I wish only to avert a repeat of my own tragedy."

He gains his feet then and bowing once he heads out into the night, his heart hopeful that, this time at least, the tragedy on the Rainbow Bridge might be averted.

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T: Nothing to rant about as far as I'm aware so I'll just ask you to R+R. Next chapter Sunday at the latest (Am back to work I fear!)