Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to any of the CLAMP works.

No matter how much Kamui prodded Fuuma for an explanation, the other would not budge; as soon as Fuuma confessed about having once made a taboo wish, he'd clammed shut. At last, Kamui decided to let Fuuma off the hook for the moment; he had more pressing matters to attend to, such as finding Subaru and finally getting some answers.

They silently explored the large city that was at once odd and familiar to them. Where there should be ruins were tall buildings which had yet to melt and crumble. Where air should be sharp and biting, but crisp and clean, it was thick with exhaust fumes gone stale. The stars could no longer be seen in the night because of light pollution. Slowly, the first fat drops of rain began to pour from the sky. Kamui held out a hand, but the touch of the water drops falling on his palm did not bite. The water here was not yet contaminated with acid. Nature had not yet fought back and destroyed civilization.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

Kamui blinked, then frowned. "An earthquake," he stated.

He was surprised when he heard Fuuma swear loudly to his left side. The hunter grabbed him by his arm and began to run, pulling him along with him. "We can't stay here," Fuuma said, a grim mask settling on his face.

"What's going on?" Kamui demanded.

Fuuma shook his head. "It's not safe," he said.

They ran across streets that suddenly tore apart. Buildings around them began to crumble apart, some of them shaping into forms that resembled the ones Kamui recognized from their future counterparts. It was like watching a ghost of the future in the past; and, in a way, that is what he was experiencing.

They ran and ran, until they crashed into another person as they rounded a corner. Falling on his butt, Fuuma pulled Kamui, whom he'd still had firmly in his grasp, down along with him, causing the vampire to fall into an ungraceful heap on top of him.

Kamui silently fumed as he pushed himself from the hunter. What was it with them constantly falling on top of each other? They didn't even have the excuse of disorientation from travelling through dimensions!

He shot Fuuma a dirty look, before settling his attention on the person they had bumped into.

The young man had dark hair and was wearing glasses through which piercing blue eyes were glaring at them. He had currently pushing himself up onto his elbows. "Watch where you're going," he bit out.

Neither Kamui nor Fuuma were intimidated by the man; but, while Kamui let the reprimand glide off of him like water from a raincoat, the latter of the two clearly felt offended. "I suppose you're the epitome of calmness when an earthquake strikes," Fuuma shot back sarcastically.

The man with glasses narrowed his eyes dangerously as he looked both hunter and vampire up and down. Finally, he pulled himself back onto his feet, brushing some dirt off of his clothes, and said, "I'm surprised that you aren't the epitome of calmness, Fuuma, considering that you and your dragons are the cause of this earthquake."

Fuuma stiffened. "Who the hell are you," he quietly demanded.

The young man gave a fake smiled, his eyes forming to small crescents in the process. "At this time I'm still known as Eriol Hiiragizawa," he replied.

"But we will come to know you under another name," Kamui guessed.

"Very astute," Eriol said.

"You're a seer," Fuuma surmised, "that's why you know already that we'll come to know you under that other name in the future."

Eriol inclined his head. "Yes. Your observational skills are clearly not to be trifled with."

"I know a few seers," Fuuma said, "They can be counted on one hand."

"No need for that," Eriol held up his hand. "You should figure this out easily with some hints... Once upon a time, a great mage named Clow Reed had the desire to keep someone dear to him alive, even though it was not meant to be. I am the afterimage of that wish; and it is my goal to surpass Clow Reed by fulfilling the wish. Fulfilling it, however, has some consequences; that's why..." Eriol turned to look Kamui straight in his eyes, then gave him one of the answers he had been looking for since the start of this journey: "I am 'the one who is the cause of your true grief'."

Kamui felt a lump form in his throat. "You are..."

Fuuma growled. "Fei Wong Reed!"

TBC...