http://clampfix.fanworks.net/x-fix/accident.txt </head><body><pre>Hi, Haven't been ficcing (or reading fics either)for a while, here's something new... I always appreciate feedback! Epee http://www.geocities.com/epeeblade/fanfics anime digi-lib http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/digilib Title: Accidentally Yours Author: Epeeblade Series/Sequel: Nope Based on: X by Clamp, Sandman by Neil Gaiman Disclaimer: Please don't sue me. Please? WARNINGS: SPOILERS! For the entire SANDMAN series and recent issues of X! Rating: R for violence, some shonen-ai Thanks to: Soryuu and Shinri for their wonderful Beta-ing:) Summary: The events of the End of the World are precipitated by the Endless. Accidentally Yours A crossover X and Sandman fic by Epee Pages of a book flip forward, racing towards the end...Only a few left to go and on the very last page is written but one word. He knows what the word is, yet he won't know until he reaches that very last page. A new statue rises from his garden, half-complete, the figure obscured by stone not yet sharpened to precision. The name at the base reads: Kamui *** Seishirou Sakurazuka watched as the Rainbow Bridge collapsed, sending the three seals and single corpse falling into the river below. "Don't worry, they all make it." A perky high-pitched voice called from behind him. He whirled, surprised by that voice, although seeing his own dead body had not elicited any such shock. "Hokuto?" he murmured. However, the girl balanced behind him was /not/ Hokuto. Hokuto would never wear so much black. The girl grinned at him, her face young, and incredibly familiar. She wore skintight clothes the color of night and around her neck swung a silver amulet, a symbol he'd never seen before. "No, though I do recall her." the girl laughed, "A most interesting conversation /that/ was." "Who are you?" Seishirou asked, curious and not without a slight feeling of apprehension. "You know who I am, Sei-chan." Death teased, her twinkling violet eyes gazing through him. "You've dwelt in my embrace long enough...Gah, I'm starting to sound like my brother now. Yuck!" She shook her head. "You'd think with all the bodies you've sent into that tree by now, you'd recognize me, maybe say, /hello, nice to finally meet you in person/ or something." "You are Death." He whispered, now understanding why her countenance seemed so familiar. She grinned and pulled a long black umbrella from nowhere, slinging it over her shoulder. "Yes. And now it's time to go." "Where are we going?" he asked warily, stepping away from her. He knew where Death took the Sakurazukamori -- straight into the heart of the Sakura. "You'll find out when we get there." she held out her hand, he knew if he grasped it, it would all be over. He stepped back again, then stumbled and found himself falling. He tumbled backwards, his undead body accelerating at an impossible rate. Darkness swirled around him and he hit something hard, losing all consciousness. *** Kamui frowned at nothing, squinting into the brightness of the sunset. He decided that he would go up to Subaru's room, he would face him about the death of the Sakurazukamori. He was the only one who could. Just as he began to stand, he heard a booming voice from behind him. "That's the spirit lad, take some action." He whirled, wondering at the presence of the red-haired man who towered over his short frame. "Who are you?" He gasped. "I'm the Imonoyama's gardener." The man chuckled, "Sorry if I startled you. I've seen your and your friends about, you just looked a bit down." "I am, a bit." Kamui frowning, biting his lip. The man looked friendly enough, with his red flannel shirt and dirt smudged jeans. Kamui felt like he could trust the gardener, almost as an older man would trust his bartender. "I have a friend I care about very much, but he . . . The one person he loved most in the world..." here Kamui paused, wrapping his arms around his body, "was just killed." The big man nodded, "I see. You know," he came to Kamui's side, resting a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sometimes despair takes over a person, makes it hard for them to do anything. But you have to remember, there's always hope, Kamui. Always." Kamui nodded and thanked the stranger before running away, back towards the huge mansion that towered overhead. The big man grinned as he watched him. "I'm surprised to see you here." a sultry alto voice murmured huskily. "What are /you/ doing here, Desire?" the red headed man turned and regarded his androgynous sibling. Desire stretched its body like a cat, this time the creature appeared almost female in form, dressed in a short black dress, with stiletto leather boots. It laughed, "Can't you feel my presence here? Especially in that little boy? Everyone here wants something, desperately." "I know you and your twin have your clutches in that young man up here." Here he gestured towards the window along the north edge of the mansion, where the profile of a young man could be seen. "We've had him for nine years," Desire shrugged. "He was entertaining at first, but trickled down to boring soon enough. But what I'm doing is nothing unusual. You've given up your power and place, Destruction." He grinned wryly back at it, "Do you think I could sit back and watch the world end?" "What are you talking about?" Was that fear he heard in its voice? "My dear Desire, have you been so caught up in your little game that you haven't even noticed?" It laughed at him, a bitter, capricious laugh. "I know about the little squabbles these idiots think mean the end of everything. I've seen worse battles over sales in the Tokyo shopping center." "Well, unlike you, sibling dear, I am fond of this world." Destruction strode away from her, leaning comfortably against a nearby tree. "I won't let your games get in the way." "You can't interfere." "I can do as I like," he snapped and began to walk away from her. "We'll see." she murmured, her gaze falling upon the open window her brother had pointed out a few moments before. "Yes, we'll see indeed." *** "I like ice cream." The girl with the odd colored hair confided to Fuuma, licking at the multicolored cone he had bought her. "Except when it's Eyes Cream. That stuff sticks between your toes, don't you think?" He laughed with her, giggling as the cone sprouted legs and leapt out of her hand. "You can never keep a cone down." he murmured sorrowfully at its loss. "It's ok." she comforted. "It's like --" She paused, her multicolored eyes widened. Fuuma liked her eyes, they reminded him of the Sakurazukamori's for some reason, although his had been amber and white, and hers were blue and green. Since Seishirou's death, he had had no one to eat ice cream with. The girl however, had volunteered to go, seeing how sad he was at his friend's death. Which wasn't really that sad at all, but Seishirou did know the /best/ ice cream places. "I have to go." she told him, suddenly serious. "It's my big brother! He's here!" He nodded absently as she disappeared, the orange and purple clothes she had worn pooled on the ground, as if she had melted. Melted like a cone of ice cream, Fuuma reflected, deciding he needed to set off another earthquake soon. Things were getting boring. *** Kakyou heard rather than felt the intruder into his dreamscape. He willed his consciousness towards the disturbance, only to be halted by yet another presence. "You!" he gasped at the invader, a tall man, with hair whiter than snow, eyes that held galaxies within them and a frame cloaked in long cream robes. An emerald hung from his neck on a thin golden chain. "So informal, Kakyou." he admonished. "I am sorry, my lord." Kakyou bowed to greet this man, the King of Dreams. "But I did not expect you." To his surprise the pale man smiled. "I hope not. You have an invader, rather, he is a guest I have sent here. I need a weaving done and while I can do it myself, it would go better for those involved if they thought it was you who controlled the dream." Kakyou nodded. "The end, is it soon?" The king frowned. "You were always the most pessimistic of the Dreamgazers." "I thought that's why you valued me, my lord." Perhaps the old me, the Dream Lord thought, but did not speak. "The end is sooner than all involved think. However, I must deal with some interference from my wayward siblings before things can proceed. Weave the dream, Kakyou, I will come before it's over." As the Dream King faded from the 'Scape, Kakyou once again sent his will toward the "guest" and gasped. "Sakurazukamori! You're supposed to be dead!" Seishirou looked up into Kakyou's tiger eyes, seeing himself reflected. "Never let it be said that I disappoint expectations." he said wryly, "I /am/ dead, but I escaped Death." /I wouldn't be so sure of that/ Kakyou thought, but only smiled down at the hapless man. "Well, that's good, because you have someone to meet." "What?" Seishirou questioned, standing slowly, patting his body to make sure it was physical. "Who, I should say?" "An old friend, Sakurazukamori, some loose ends to tie up," Kakyou waved his hand, not that he needed to, but so Seishirou could understand the gesture and allow himself to be pulled into the illusion. Seishirou closed his eyes to orient himself, and when he opened them again, found himself in Ueno Park, under a blooming Sakura. /His/ Sakura. And standing next to the trunk was a familiar young man, the wind blowing the tails of his blood stained trench coat. "Subaru-kun." Seishirou greeted. *** "So, Kanoe, I see you still like to steal your way into dreams." The raven-haired woman gasped, startled at the voice behind her. She whirled. "Yume." She murmured. He nodded, "Sneaking into your sister's dream." "I have been repelled several times. There is something blocking me." she admitted, still in shock at the Dream Lord's presence. He held out his hand, "Come, I'm going to end this now." "What do you mean?" she asked, but as she placed her own hand into his grasp, she felt herself being sucked away, into the deepest levels of the Dreaming. Hinoto could not hide from them for long. They flew with the speed of dreams, chasing the tendrils that Hinoto had left, following the flow until finally, they reached her. As always, in dreams, Hinoto was different, she was mobile, could see and speak, and now she glared at her sister with hatred in her scarlet eyes. "Must you bring the wrath of the King of All Night's Dreaming on me as well?" she accused. "Kanoe has done nothing to bring me here." the Lord intoned, his voice deep with anger. "You've done that yourself." The tiny dreamgazer drew back, a bit startled, then her face changed and she begged, "Kill me now, don't let her win!" Kanoe gasped, reaching forward to touch her sister, but Dream held her back. "Hush. I sense the Twin's taint in you, my gazer." He lifted one hand to the emerald around his neck, the gem glowed at his touch. "Separate now," he commanded, and suddenly Hinoto screamed. "You're hurting her!" Kanoe cried, struggling to break the dream bonds that held her back. A whirlwind appeared around her sister, engulfing her, rising up from the ground with intense speed, sparkling with intense light. Just as quickly as it came, the storm faded and there stood two Hinoto's, one dressed normally, the other draped in robes of black and crimson. "You!" Hinoto cried to her other self, "You've caused so much pain! I never wanted any of the things you did!" "Then destroy me." the evil one laughed, her eyes glowing. "It is not her place to destroy you, nightmare." Dream intoned. "Though she might have accidentally created you, I am your master." "No!" the nightmare Hinoto screamed as she began to fade to smoke, then fizzled away to nothing. "Thank you, Lord Yume." Hinoto murmured, ashamed. Her own arrogance and conceit created that demon and she wasn't proud of it. "Easy child," he comforted, brushing back her soft white hair. "It is not easy to bear the burdens you have. Especially when the end has come." Kanoe looked up at that. "It has come?" "Tomorrow will be the last day the sun shall rise. The day after that will be Final, unless Kamui breaks through the fog of despair and defeats his twin." "And how shall that be accomplished?" Kanoe asked eagerly, leaning forward as her dress dipped impossibly lower. Dream sighed, "Enough. I've told you too much already. I must go and undo more of my siblings interference. Return!" As soon as he had commanded it, they both found themselves back in their respective homes. Hinoto gasped and called to her servants, //Call them back! Call the seals back!// She prayed it was not too late to undo what she had wrought. *** Seishirou wondered if Subaru knew he was dreaming. The boy gazed at him with no emotion in his mismatched eyes. "You've cursed me, used me and damned me." The Sumeragi accused. Seishirou shrugged, if Subaru doubted his last words, it wasn't his concern. He had already proven his love. "Didn't I give you your wish? To kill the murderer of your sister?" "Did you even listen to me as you died, or was that even an illusion?" Subaru demanded, striding forward, the marks on the back of his hands glowing with impossible vigor. "I always listened, Subaru-kun, even when you did not speak." Seishirou murmured, wondering if anyone knew the purity of Subaru's heart better than he. Subaru had never stopped loving him, even when Seishirou had revealed himself as the monster he was. And even though Seishirou was clearly in the 'past tense' now he reflected that the feeling of Subaru's lips upon his was no less real. The younger man had threw himself at the former Sakurazukamori, kissing his enemy- love for all it was worth. And Seishirou took advantage of this, he knew, his last chance to hold Subaru, as his hands knotted in the fabric of the coat along Subaru's back. He had never been kissed like this, with all of Subaru's heart and soul focussed on this one intense act. Eventually Subaru pulled away, tears pooling in his eyes. "You're dead. How do I live?" "Oh for crying out loud, cheer up, it's not like you're never going to see him again!" A perky voice startled them both and Seishirou smiled to see Death within the circle of the Sakura. "Who...?" Subaru wondered. The young woman smiled as she strode to their side, laying a gentle hand on Subaru's arm. "He was right you know, you are too sensitive to ever hurt anyone." "Then how can I be..." Subaru closed his eyes, the tears spilling forth and rolling down his cheeks. Death sighed and pulled out a black hanky from the pocket of her jeans. "Here." she held it out to Subaru, who took it and wiped at his face. "Listen to me now, cause there are a few things you have to get straight, ok?" Subaru nodded, sniffling. "Everything dies, Subaru-kun. Sei-chan got what everybody gets, a lifetime, where it's long or short, bitter or sweet. The same went for your sister and you too. But while theirs is over, yours is still going strong, and it's amazing!" "Hmm?" Subaru questioned. "Just being alive." she told him. "Listen, feel that? Isn't the wind just delightful against your skin!" "You are entirely too happy," Seishirou murmured under his breath. She jabbed his arm playfully, "I think we're going to have some fun, Sei-chan. I know someone who's got a few things to say to you." "You mean, I'm not going to be imprisoned within the Sakura for eternity?" he questioned. "Not unless you /want/ to." she winked as he shook his head, very vehemently. "You're going to see my sister." Subaru asked, suddenly figuring a few things out. "You! You're...." "I'm just me." she smiled, "And you've got a few more things to figure out. The end of the world's the day after tomorrow. What are you going to do about it?" Subaru swallowed, deep in thought. "Now, say good-bye to Sei-chan. You're lucky, few people ever get this chance." she told them, adverting her eyes /slightly/ as they kissed passionately once more. Subaru watched them as they walked away, fading away before they even walked far enough to leave his view. He heard her teasing Seishirou- san gently about the kiss, and Subaru could have sworn he heard Hokuto's giggle. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, he found himself lying under the Sakura, covered in petals. *** Seishirou blinked as someone suddenly lunged in front of him, and then blinked as that person slapped him soundly. "Hokuto?" He gasped incredulous. "The one and the same." The girl declared, and she was still a girl, forever sixteen. As usual, she wore one of her outrageous outfits, a black and white jester ensemble, which ended in a poofy skirt on one leg, and extended as a pant leg on her other. A set of fake wings fluttered in outrageous indignation on her back. "You killed me!" "You killed me too." He protested, referring to the spell she had cast that had caused Subaru to inadvertently kill him. She slugged his again, and he barely put his arm up in time to deflect it. "You're the one who activated the spell. Don't even try to pretend otherwise. Oh, it was so romantic, dying so that my brother could live knowing you loved him!" Seishirou blinked, Hokuto's mood swings had followed her into the afterlife. "If you two are finished getting acquainted," Death interrupted, "We really must get going." *** It had been too late, Arashi sobbed over Sorata's broken body. Hinoto's warning, dream blasted directly into their minds, had not come soon enough to stop Sorata from rushing to her aid. It had not stopped the creature known as Beast from attacking the four Seals who could not hope to defeat the long tendrils of coils that came from within the earth. Sorata had managed to overload it, using the last of his strength to cast the lightning into the earth, back through the copper wires, hopefully all the way back to Beast's controller herself. Arashi and Yuzuriha had run from their cover, knowing the threat wasn't over, that he needed some help. It all happened so fast, Arashi reflected. Something had come from behind and before she could even turn to fight it, Sorata was in front of her, taking the blow from the magically charged cloth that had been meant for her. Then, everything slowed down, as she swung her sword around, first cutting the hand that held the talisman, then impaling the pale young boy. She twisted the sword before she pulled it out again. The body fell to the ground and she would have hacked at it again if she hadn't heard Yuzuriha call her name. Now it was too late, and she sobbed over the lifeless body of someone she barely knew she loved, until he was gone. "Kamui," Yuzuriha turned at his sudden appearance. The boy dropped a body to the ground, a blond haired man, dressed stylishly in a long trench coat that served as his burial shroud. "I wasn't fast enough." Kamui whispered, his lips quivering as he fought not to cry at the sight of Sorata dead and Arashi grief stricken. Yuzuriha held on to her puppy-spirit, letting her tears fall into Inuki's soft, invisible fur. *** Seishirou and Hokuto found themselves wandering in a maze of statues, all familiar in some way. Neither were quite certain how they came to be in the garden. "You know, being dead was a lot more interesting before you got here," Hokuto huffed, "I used to watch over my brother all the time!" "I'm sorry," Seishirou said drily, "certainly Subaru hasn't done anything interesting in 9 years." She jabbed his upper arm, hard enough to leave a mark. "Stop being a jerk. You've already pissed me off enough by activating my spell." "You should have known better than to cast it in the first place." Seishirou grumbled. Hokuto stuck her tongue at him as they stepped into a clearing, nearly running over a man dressed in robes the color of shadows. He clutched a book to his chest, and, Hokuto realized, the book was chained to one of his wrists. /Interesting fashion statement/ she thought, /next thing you know, all the girls in Tokyo will be wearing books chained to their wrists...I can just see the marketing strategy, "Never lose your purse again!"/ "You are here, good," The man read from his book, much to the bewilderment of the two invaders. "Um, where is here?" Hokuto questioned, trying to peek over the odd man's arms to see what was written in the book. "You have come to Destiny's garden. Fear not, you won't be staying here long." "That's nice to know." Seishirou grumbled, fishing around in his pockets for a pack of cigarettes. He /knew/ he had just bought one before he died. "Follow me," the tall man turned and walked away, leaving Hokuto to run and catch up with him. Seishirou followed at a more sedate pace, admiring the statues, frowning as he caught a glimpse of a Sakura Tree, forever blooming in stone instead of spring. Underneath stood two figures, a child draped in the folds of a shikifuku, a young man in a high school uniform. "Destiny," he grumbled again. "Was that all it was?" He shook his head, decided he was getting cranky after death, and he really needed to watch that. "Sei-chan, hurry up!" Hokuto's shrill voice flowed through the garden. He grimaced and moved to catch up. They stood in a circular room, with seven life-size portraits along the walls. Seishirou recognized Death immediately, and it was to this painting that the tall man stood before. "Sister, I stand in my gallery and call you. Will you come?" the man intoned, his voice as supple as cracked leather. A shimmer and a moment later, Death appeared. "There you are!" she said to Hokuto and Seishirou. "That's twice I lost you!" she frowned at her brother. "How did you find them, Destiny?" "How do all things find their way into my garden, my sister? They are meant to." Destiny told her. "And now, you will offer them both employment." Death sighed, "I don't really have to do anything, you know." "I know." Destiny seemed almost amused, "But you will do this." "Stop it!" Death cried, "Stop doing that! Sometimes I don't really want to know!" She turned to the two bewildered souls. "The things I do for my family. Come on, we have to get back to the mortal plane. Don't want to miss the end of the world! Again." "What exactly do you mean by again?" Seishirou dared to ask as the three faded from Destiny's Garden. Destiny turned back to the unfinished statue, noting that now, only the face was obscured. The figure stood tall, with long, beautiful angel wings. *** "So, Satsuki and Yuuto have kicked the bucket?" Fuuma muttered. He and Kakyou stood in the Dreamscape watching the battle unfold. "That sucks. Isn't there anyone left for me to have ice cream with?" "I think Kusanagi might join you." Kakyou muttered, rolling his eyes. "The final day is tomorrow and we still have 4 more Seals to get rid of by then." "Four more to break," Fuuma cracked his knuckles loudly. "I need you to weave a dream for me Kakyou-kun. I think I have a few more wishes to grant." Kakyou shuddered, every time his Kamui said those words it drew chills down his spine. "What kind of dream?" "The best kind." Fuuma murmured. "where desires are granted." Neither heard the cackle of a tawny-eyed figure, just beyond their grasp. *** Hinoto read the danger in the night, could feel the tingling in the Dreaming. She knew most of the Seals would not survive to see the Final Day. "You will not interfere." the voice of the Angel Dreamgazer entered her mind. "You cannot enter the nightmare anyway, lest you risk the reemergence of your dark self." She let the tears pour from her sightless eyes. *** "Aoki! You promised you would protect us!" "Daddy! Help us!" Seiichiro Aoki ran through the thick forest, leaping onto tree branches when able, trying to reach those two desperate voices. "I'm coming!" he tried to call, but somehow knew they couldn't hear him. Karen appeared at his side, "They're trapped on the other side of these vines." He didn't question her appearance, just accepted it, as he accepted that somehow the Dragons of Earth had taken his wife and child. "Can you burn through it?" He begged. "I don't want to hit them." she hedged, perched on a branch, her usual revealing outfit covered by a long red coat. "If you start the fire, I can keep it away from them," he determined, calling his power to him, feeling the currents of the wind obey him. She nodded, then pressed her hands together and aimed at the dense growth of plant life, setting it alight with her fire. Aoki caught the wind, controlled the direction of the fire so it blew outward, away from his family. "I've always wanted to work with you like this," Karen admitted, still concentrating on her flame. He leapt down from the branches, "I think I can see them." Pushing aside fallen branches, he ignored the soot and ash, pressing forward to find his wife and daughter huddled in the middle of the circle. "Daddy!" Just as he moved forward to embrace them, the earth gave out beneath them and they tumbled down into the deep pit. "Noo!" he cried, trying to run to them, but blocked by new growth that grew with alarming speed before him. That's when he heard Karen scream. He turned and ran out of the burned vine prison, and gasped in shock. Karen's limbs were encircled by limber branches, which held her suspended between them. "Do you like to hear the trees scream?" a voice seemed to come from the forest around them. "Well, now the trees get to hear you scream!" "Noo!" Aoki ran forward, but was to late to stop the branch that impaled his fellow Seal. He reached her side just as the branches let her down. "Karen?" he gasped, startled to find her staring up at him. "Always wanted to help you," she coughed, raising a hand to touch his cheek. "prove I never wanted to come between you and your family. Love..." The hand fell to the earth. Aoki never heard the branches that slithered through the underbrush like snakes, that took hold of his limbs and encircles his neck. He fell, desperate for air, clutching Karen's lifeless hand in his own. *** "I don't like this." "Come on, Kusa-san, you just broke two Seals with one tree." Fuuma grinned at the tall man who edged away from him slowly, tears streaming down his face. "Only two more to go until the Earth is free from these humans who burn her and abuse her, the ones who make the plants scream to you." "Enough!" Kusanagi growled, for once expression matching his appearance. "Ah, but Kusa-san, I've your wish to grant. She'll never know you're a Dragon of Earth." Fuuma gestured and the corner of the Dreamscape became a peaceful glade, with a brook, babbling quiet secrets to the young girl who knelt by its bank, hugging a tiny puppy. "Go to her, Kusa-san, your debt is fulfilled." Kusanagi brushed the tears from his eyes and straightened us before walking down to the glade. Yuzuriha jumped up excitedly when she saw him and was surprised when he clasped her in a gentle embrace. Fuuma turned to Kakyou. "They won't wake up." Kakyou assured him. "Just one more to go." Fumma grinned, "And I can take care of that myself." *** Arashi opened her eyes, aware she was dreaming. What else could explain the vision of Sorata who stood before her, looking almost regal in his monk robes? "Arashi-chan," the Sorata vision smiled down at her, "Why don't you come with me? We can be together forever..." Arashi leapt out of the bed, nearly slipping over the red satin sheets. She wore her own priestess regalia and it hampered her movements slightly. "You are not Sorata," she declared, summoning her sword from her palm. "Aw, Arashi, you surprise me," The Sorata figure shimmered, revealing the form of the other Kamui, "What did you see in that loser anyway?" Arashi slowly stepped away from the tall teenager, holding her sword in a defensive position. She knew she could not defeat the Kamui of the Dragons of Earth on her own, but power was not all she could rely upon. "Why are you here?" she snapped. He laughed, "I'm here to grant your desire, to die to be with your precious monk." She grinned at him, and he frowned, uncertain at the sudden fierce expression on her face, "If you think that is my wish then you must be losing your touch." Inspired, she began to slash at the mockery of a bedroom, magic blade cutting through the thickness of the dream like fog. "The best way I can honor Sorata is to live," She hacked at the walls, her stroke allowing a shimmer of light to appear in the cut. "To live and fight with the same unbreakable spirit he showed!" Her work widened the fissure in the wall, until the outside light embraced her fully. "You won't escape me forever," the other Kamui's voice chased her all the way into wakefulness. She sat up, breathing heavily with the exertion of her battle. Screams echoed down the hallway, and she rolled out of bed to face the challenge waking brought. Kamui knelt outside her door, his hands bloody. He looked up, eyes filled with tears. "They're gone Arashi," he murmured. "And today is the last..." he choked, and bent over double, sobbing into the floor. Arashi turned from him and ran, gazing into the open bedroom where Karen had spent the night. Gasping, she put her hand over her mouth. It looked like the young woman had fought a battle and lost, the blood had poured from the hole in her midsection, and stained the massive bed and even the wood of the floor. Arashi pulled the door closed and turned away determinedly. She continued down the hallway until she reached Yuzuriha's room. Relieved to find no blood, she stepped forward into the room, intending to wake the girl from her slumber. That's when she noticed the teenager was not breathing. Arashi turned away once more, pausing to look out the window, pulling aside the heavy curtain. Instead of morning sunlight streaming across her fingers, the world was lit by a deep crimson color, as if the sun had been soaked with blood. So, it had finally come, the Final Day. She turned once more, knowing she needed to do her duty, rouse Kamui and win the day. *** "You shouldn't have left him," The red headed man told his sister at her sudden appearance by his side. The being formerly called Destruction sat atop the only remaining high-rise that overlooked Tokyo Tower, his legs hanging over the drop. The girl shrugged, "I sensed you." He did not turn to face her, afraid that when he did, he would find her eyes the same shade, and the glint of madness gone. He didn't need that knowledge, in fact feared it, feared that his presence had somehow caused this. "I should have left this plane, long ago." "Dream seeks to undo the damage Desire caused," Delirium's voice was soft. Destruction whirled around, his face shocked, "He has truly changed then." "Maybe," the girl sat by his side, curling into a ball and rocking slightly. "I don't like change." *** Arashi supposed it was inevitable that this day would come. She stood at the right hand of Kamui, her sword unsheathed and clenched tightly in her right hand. The last two remaining seals guarded Tokyo's last kekkai. Tokyo Tower. The other Kamui was coming, Arashi could feel it, just as she felt the psychic buzz of a kekkai. But there was something else, something happening just beyond her senses, the nagging sensation only enough to irritate her. "Here he comes," Kamui whispered, holding the Shinken before him, the holy sword finally freed from its bindings. Fuuma alighted on a nearby spire, his own sword held languidly at his side. He removed his sunglasses from a pocket and placed them across his nose with a careful motion. "Ready to die, Kamui?" Arashi held out her hands to call her kekkai, but Kamui stopped her. "No, this is my battle, the last battle." He held his free hand out, palm up, where a sword or cross shape began to form, enlarge, then overtake the tower. "Now," Kamui breathed, lunging forward with the sword, his limbs sparkling from his power, lighting breaking across his body. Fuuma attacked as well, his body a match for Kamui's. Arashi wasn't sure whether she should interfere, this was their fight, but she was the last seal, it was her duty to die for Kamui if needed. Just as she hefted her sword and decided to enter the fray, she stepped into a dreamscape. A blond figure appeared in the shadows, he held out his arms, and called armor to his body, armor of a kind that hadn't been seen in centuries. He pulled a sword from the air with each hand, and he twisted into a fighting stance. "I am Kakyou, the last angel. We fight to the death. If you kill my dream self, I will die in reality. The same goes for you." "So be it," Arashi murmured, and raised her sword into position. *** "You know, I'm /not/ supposed to do this." Death frowned at the crowd that had gathered behind her, each intent on getting a glimpse of the last battle. Hokuto grinned, "But nobody can stop you! C'mon, you have to give them the chance to see how it all ends up! I mean, they need this." The dead Seals and Angels, for once united in a single purpose, stood with Death across the city, on one of the remaining office buildings. The vantage point gave them a perfect view to the Final battle. Sorata held little cheerleading flags and kept shouting "Go Arashi!" He was the most energetic of the group, who mostly sat or stood at the ledge, watching with bated breath. Aoki stood, Karen at one side, at the other� "So, Daisuke, did you ever think it would end up like this?" "I never thought I would watch the final day from the other side," the young man shrugged, only now certain that the short young man named Kamui Shirou, was indeed /the/ Kamui. "I hope he knows what to do." "Don't worry," Death winked at him, "I'm sending him a clue." What could that mean? Aoki thought, focusing back on the battle. Not for the first time he wondered where Subaru was. *** "No, Desire, that is enough. You will not interfere here." Desire, now wearing a slightly more male form, turned to greet its older brother. "Dream, how nice to see you." "Enough, you know that none of us can interfere in this encounter." Dream had challenged his sibling at the base of the tower, where Desire stood, waiting, a slim cigarette in it's hands. "Do you actually want the world to end?" Desire snapped, smashing the dying cigarette into a support pillar. "And I suppose your methods are meant to preserve this plane?" Dream challenged casually. He had not come for battle, his cloak and helmet were safely secreted in the Dreaming, although he wore his pouch of Dream Sand, and as always, around his neck hung the emerald that made him who he was. "Or weren't you doing what you always do, play games?" "It's always a game, Dream," Desire laughed, tawny eyes narrowing. "This time the stakes were too high." "So you snatched that boy from our sister's clutches, only to make him yours?" Dream struggled to understand his younger sibling's actions. "Makes a perfect set, don't you agree? One Kamui belonging to my twin, the other to me." Dream shook his head, "As always, you do not understand the situation." *** Kamui hefted the sword that matched him in size, blocking Fuuma's blow. He turned it back, hitting the blade with enough force to loosen his twin star's grip, and one hand slipped from the hilt. Kamui pressed his advantage, swinging fast and hard, so Fuuma could not bring up his second hand. Thus, his blocks lacked strength. Fuuma stepped back, frantically trying to gain some respite from the onslaught, but he was running out of tower. The edge creeped nearer, and he twisted, trying to remain standing. Kamui swallowed, trying to stem down the battle rage that had over taken him. A charge of energy appeared in his right hand, and that would be all he needed to end this battle. But he hesitated, could he kill his best friend? He had too, for the sake of the world. Kamui's fingers flexed, ready to let forth the charge. "Kamui," A soft voice murmured from behind him. He froze, the ki charge winked out a moment later. "Subaru!" he turned and ran towards the older man, ignoring Fuuma who was able to catch himself. Kamui stopped just short of throwing himself into Subaru's arms. "Why are you here? Are you a Dragon of Earth now?" Subaru shook his head. "No. That doesn't mean that I don't have my own part to play in the End." "What do you mean?" Kamui asked. Subaru reached out to gently caress Kamui's cheek. "I have to tell you a secret. Think, Kamui, what must be offered at the temple? What is needed for the gods to listen to their servant?" Kamui whirled around to face Fuuma, whose eyes glittered with deadly intent. He raised the Shinken, perhaps for the last time. "A sacrifice." Kamui murmured. *** "There's something I must tell you," The dreamgazer taunted Arashi as the two sparred in the dojo of his dreamscape. "And that is?" Arashi parried his stroke, disarming him with one quick motion. With the next, she thrust, impaling him on the end of her sword. He laughed, "I lied. If you kill me, you will be trapped in this dreamscape forever." She pulled the sword out dispassionately as he fell lifeless to the floor and cursed silently under her breath. *** "I had thought, Desire," Dream murmured, watching the battles unfolding before them. "That you held in the business of /wanting/, not /having/." Desire declined to answer, once again lighting a cigarette. "But you've erred greatly here, giving too many exactly what they want. What will you do when no one wants anything anymore?" he continued, one hand carefully taking hold of the gold chain around his neck, the other cupping the emerald in a protective embrace. "What are you doing?" Desire whirled and gasped, as Dream pulled the necklace off with one smooth motion. "Reminding you of a valuable lesson. We serve them, not the other way around." He told her, hovering the green gem above his right hand. With no more than a thought, the emerald began to glow and simply shattered� *** "C'mon Arashi, we have to go." Arashi whirled around, still in a defensive position after Kakyou's death. "This is another trick." Sorata shook his head, "No, it's really me this time. Kamui's done it; everyone's safe. We can finally rest." "Rest?" Arashi wondered if she could remember dying in the past few minutes. He smiled at her. "Yes, in the Dreaming. Trust me." Sorata held out his hand, and with a bit of hesitation, Arashi banished her sword and accepted. *** Kamui lifted his shinken to block Fuuma's last blow, and before the two blades could collide, he simply let his hand fall. The other sword pierced his heart, showering blood over the stunned Fuuma. Kamui's arms reached out, as if to embrace Fuuma, but he fell backwards instead, already dead by the time he reached the ground. The sword in his chest shimmered out of existence, as did its twin at Kamui's feet. Fuuma fell to his knees, suddenly aware as if the past year had been nothing but a nightmare. "Kamui." He cried. "He's only dead." A quiet voice said behind him. "There are worse fates, you know." Fuuma whirled on the figure, a young man he did not recognize, a cigarette at his lips. "Like what?" he demanded as the man focused his full gaze on him, one eye remarkably green, the other opaque. He shuddered, and a ghost of memory whispered the name "Sakurazukamori." "Oh, like being left alive when everyone you've ever cared about is dead." He shrugged. "Then I've the worst fate of all." Fuuma whispered. He looked up startled at the other's laugh. "As if you're the only one." *** "So it's over." Delirium watched as two powers collided, swelled and then shimmered over the entire earth. She turned to her brother, who was busy assembling a knapsack, which he tied to a branch and slung over his shoulder. "Yep." Was all he said. "And you're leaving again." He sighed, "Del, this only proved what I've been saying all along. They can destroy just fine without me." She did not reply, only gazed mournfully over the city as he silently slipped away. "I'll still miss you, every day, of my, um, socks." Delirium decided, jumping down from the building, calling a blue and gold spotted umbrella to slow her fall, although by the time she hit the ground the umbrella had become a wicker basket, but she didn't mind. *** Epilogue Subaru closed his eyes and activated the spell that split the soul from the body he had just brought to the altar of the Sakura barrow. The simple spell had become almost routine, although even now, killing never failed to rise the bile in his throat, set his heart to panic, and his gut rebelling. There was one thing that made this all worthwhile though. He turned, and waited for the Shinigami to come for the soul. The Sakura only required the energy of the life essence, and the fear of having one's soul bound for eternity was just one more mystery the Sakurazukamori had cultivated along the years. "Subaru-kun." Subaru whirled at the sound of the voice. "You." Sometimes, like now, it was Seishirou-san who came to collect the soul, performing the duty he had abandoned in life, being a servant of Death. Other times, Hokuto-chan came, cheering him with some silly story or antics. Once, to his surprise, it was Sorata, who just wanted to let him know that all the Seals were fine, offered employment in the Dreaming. "Yes, come here, we have but a moment." The eternally older man held out his arms and captured Subaru in a brief embrace. "Have you been eating?" Subaru sniffled and nodded. "Fuuma keeps taking me out for ice cream." Seishirou smiled, "That is good then." He leaned and brushed a kiss along the latest Sakurazukamori's forehead. "You think he might take your place soon?" "S�Seishirou-san!" Subaru protested, for that to happen he had to fall in love with the teenager. He began to blush, surely no one could take the place in his heart Seishirou-san had left? *** "Well, it's all turned out for the best!" Death declared, watching Seishirou leave Subaru and call the soul from the prone body. After explaining that the soul was indeed dead, he began leading the aghast businessman to her realm. "Although you took quite a chance, little bro." Dream shrugged. "It needed to be done, and it was as good a time as any." Death laughed, "I think Desire still hasn't gotten over the shock! It was certain you were going to destroy it!" Dream smiled, slightly. "It is fortunate I was able to combine my powers with Kamui, to restore the balance between the Earth and Humanity." "I'm sure that was your intent." Death made a face at him. "Why are you hanging out here, anyway? Don't you have important Dreaming business to get to?" Dream looked away from her, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorata let the nightmares loose in the palace again." "What?" Death held her mouth to keep from guffawing, "but that's easy to fix, isn't it?" "Sorata doesn't know that." "I never should have lent you Hokuto, I swear, that girl could get Destiny to laugh!" *** Destiny, who was not laughing, continued to walk through his garden. He passed by his latest statue, a monument almost, of a young man, holding his hands out as if beseeching the heavens. His head was thrown back, as if in pain, and amethysts glittered from his eyes. One wing remained the snow white of an angel's, the other had become twisted into the shape of a batwing. The completed inscription now read: Kamui. Who has finally come home. *End*</pre><p><a href="./">Back</a></p><p><a href=http://www.dreamhost.com/donate.cgi?id=216><img border=0 alt="Donate towards our web hosting bill!" src=https://secure.newdream.net/donate1.gif></a></p></body></html>