XXIII. Lies
Slowly he opens his dark orbs, and looks around. He is back in Edonis, the world in which he helped destroy. The mysterious woman in front of him is no longer the visage of his dear mother Setsuka, but the woman who was also the A-1 Demon he had sought, hoping that she was the one person who could make all the difference in the world for him, and yet not.
Slowly, he was delving back into reality – whatever reality this was, anyway.
His eyes narrowed. "Now…there is another sort of monster I'm hunting. Do you know of the vampire twins?" His gaze shifted, the light reflecting off of his glasses switching from his left eye to his right.
"Never heard of them."
Again, he showed no sign of disappointment, at least on the outside. "Too bad, I was wrong about that too."
"I'm sorry that I didn't meet your…approval."
The light escaped him. He lowered his head somewhat. "If the vampire twins aren't here, there is no reason for me to stay." He replied to the woman, placating her.
The woman senses this. "Oh. Leaving so soon?"
"Yes."
"Before you go, do you think you could do something about this…mess?" The woman said, in regards to the destruction of both the amusement park and otherwise.
"After I've left, reality should begin to stabilize. However…the demons that have manifested will likely to remain."
This time, there was an edge of a scolding tone to the woman's voice. "Then it is not only the park that is in danger. The whole world of Edonis is threatened too. Demons are products of the imagination. To beat them in the real world would be too difficult. Near impossible."
Once again he is reminded of someone familiar. Seishiro knew this. "Difficult…but I doubt you need to worry. You're not alone - Syaoran can help you fight."
As if on cue, Syaoran calls once more, "Seishiro."
The aforementioned hunter turns, and sees Syaoran standing above him, precariously at the top of the Ferris wheel.
"I need that power source. I'm searching for those feathers – that's the whole reason I'm here." The young man declares with an impossible stubbornness and dedication in his tone.
A gust of wind rolls past the two, a surge of memories passing between them.
Seishiro can see what the boy wants. And he decides to give it to him.
He closes his eyes. "So you plan to fight me, then?"
There is now firmness in the boy's eyes. "All I know about fighting I learned from you, Seishiro. They're your moves." He closed the shutters of his eyes as well, hiding the shine of his amber orbs. "So I'm positive you know them better than I do. I made a promise – to get those feathers no matter what."
Seishiro opens his eyes as Syaoran holds onto his sheathed sword, clutching it in his outstretched hand – there is now a wavering in his stance. A short wavering, but a wavering nonetheless. He looks over to his present master with the same uncertainty and hope for approval as the times when he had been Seishiro's student, the one known as Kurogane, who narrows his eyes in his direction. With that, he continues.
"I'm still not skilled enough to use this sword – I realize that too. But if I don't draw it, then I'll have no chance at all. There's no choice."
Good for his word, Syaoran carefully pulls the thread that has kept the sword in its sheath for this long, and finally takes it out, revealing it, as well as the fiery energy that lines it, the heat of the flame no doubt unveiling the wielder's true spirit.
"If this gives me the slightest chance of beating you… then I'm going to take it!"
Syaoran lunges towards Seishiro, the brightest of flames in his eyes as he aims for his former teacher's head. Sadly, said teacher must disappoint the boy, as he closes his eyes, and without much effort, he flips into the air, dodging Syaoran's attack, and lands on a nearby slab of rock as Syaoran does the same, his eyes wide with a bewildered anger. The boy turns and points the sword back at Seishiro. Deep down, Seishiro knew their battle was moot. Spirited as his attack was, as much vigor as it contained, Syaoran just didn't stand a chance.
At least…not yet.
There were times, in his lessons with Syaoran, that he told him just what he wanted to hear, just to placate the young boy, to give him something to help him sleep at night – he would not be a good student if he didn't at least want to try. There were also times when he told the truth to the little one – there was no point to keeping him away from what was inevitable. That he knew without fail.
If there was any time to tell him the truth, to tell him what he knew was absolutely certain, it was now.
"A sword of flame – that really does fit you. I'm sure that you'll become stronger with time, Syaoran, much stronger considering the obstacles that no doubt lie ahead of you. And even if the treasures you find were not the ones you were looking for when you began this journey, your strength is the thing that will support you…guide you."
It is clear that Syaoran is skeptical with his words – he had every right to be, considering everything Seishiro had done to him. If only he knew just how much he could really take…
"Just give me the feather."
With that, it was now Seishiro's cue to exit. His right eye shined once more, but this time, in the flash of light, another took its place, a symbol that grew within his eye, a circle with the markings of the Dimensional Witch's own insignia, activating his new ability. A blue light with the same emblem shined from underneath him, a portal in which he was making his departure.
"If this is what you're searching for, my pupil – then I'm sure that we'll meet again someday soon. Till then…"
The seal's power starts closing in, commencing to envelop Seishiro in its wake, to transport him to another world as Syaoran defiantly, and desperately, yells,
"Seishiro, wait!"
He jumps forth, to try and stop the foreseeable. He stretches his hand out, but only for the feather he seeks. As he gets closer and closer, the seal Seishiro is encased in grows ever faster, enveloping him in a mix of blue and gold.
For now he has this to say. "You take care…Syaoran."
The seal finally takes him away from one of the only people who truly cared about him, who resorted to any sort of emotional ties with him, and thrusts him into the catacombs of the time continuum, but not before he leaves a small portion of the feather's powers behind, if only for the purpose of letting Syaoran advance in his abilities.
They will meet again someday. It was inevitable, predictable.
It was then that Seishiro realized – he had told many lies to many people, for the sole purpose of advancing his own desires and wants and needs. This time was no different – even in the truths that he told to the boy, there had been semblances of lies, false promises.
This time though…he had told very few lies to Syaoran. They had been few and far between.
But no matter.
For now there was the question of what to do next.
