http://clampfix.fanworks.net/x-fix/bet01.txt </head><body><pre>So, well... here's the first part ^__^ kinda boring; *really* boring <.<;; Too many flashbacks. But I'm too lazy to rewrite this anyway =P Thanks to Silver Wind for the critic and help earlier; and Leareth for her wonderful TB scanlation =D Without it, this chapter might've never been done ^^ If you found Tree-san's personality looks like Kouri's in her fics, then it's my fault. Can't stop myself from doing it -.-;; Just a little note, before you find it confusing... " " for spoken language ' ' for thought, or queries in conversation // // for flashback :: :: for Tree-san's words Well... enjoy. Disclaimer: They're CLAMP's... the idea is mine. Don't archive without notifying me; CFFML archive is an exception for this. Warning: Spoiler to all X (inc. December ASUKA) and TB. The Bet 'til the End of the World Part 01 Sumeragi Subaru was standing on top of one of the skyscrapers in Tokyo, admiring the view of Tokyo, embraced by the darkness as the sun began to set. Slowly and gracefully, he lifted his blood-tainted hand, a cigarette between his fingers, inhaling it deeply. With a pair of mismatched-dreamy eyes, he watched the sight of light that began to awaken the nightlife of Tokyo. His mind had drifted away somewhere, not to the dead body of a young woman behind him, but to a time that used to exist but left in the past. 'Do you see this, Seishirou-san...?' he asked inwardly, no needing to speak loud, not even needing to hear the reply. 'Of course you are,' he replied himself as he lifted his clean hand to his right eye, where the eye of his dead lover rested. 'It's beautiful, don't you think, Seishirou-san...?' There was no reply, but the wind that suddenly rose around him, bringing pink Sakura petals dancing around him. 'I've killed her...' he talked to it. Vaguely, Subaru thought that he saw the Tree smiling, but he did not care. 'What's my next job?' ::Being high-spirited, aren't you?:: said the Tree amusedly. 'Maybe,' he chuckled lightly before he closed his eyes thoughtfully. His expression suddenly turned dark. ::Tell me...:: Subaru opened his eyes slowly, raising an eyebrow slightly as if telling the Tree to spit whatever it had to say out. ::Do you love Tokyo?:: 'Huh...?' ::Well...? Can you answer it?:: Silence fell between them. Minutes passed as it began to drizzle. "Tokyo..." he muttered, gazing at the sight beneath him. //but still, i love tokyo very much...// "I loved it," he replied. ::'Loved', is that it?:: said the Tree, sounding surprised. ::Why...?:: "Why is that...?" he asked himself loudly, though it was barely audible to him. //because this is the only city on this earth... that can enjoy itself as it walks the path to destruction// "It was just the past..." he replied finally. "Does it really matter?" ::No,:: replied the Tree, sounding hurt this time. ::Just curious.:: 'Is that so...?' he said, sounding bitter. ::Thinking about your... lover?:: asked the Tree, either trying to distract its master, or just to amuse itself. But Subaru knew, it was trying to change the subject. '... I'm not sure...' replied him after a moment of silence. Slowly, he opened his eyes again, drifting his gaze to the city below him. He did not care if there was someone was there, watching him, nor did he care if he was going to get caught. He was working for the government after all... There was no way the government would want to have their important employee get caught like that. Even if they would, the Tree will always protect him. Thus he cared less about a small matter like that. He took another drag, but stopped before dropping his hand; eyes fixed on the back of his hand. He could practically see the inverted pentagram there, burning in a dim light, despite the reality that it was gone now. 'First, it was just fading,' thought him, still gazing on it. 'But a few days ago, it completely disappeared from my sight...' Closing his eyes, he dropped his hand abruptly, almost burning his long coat. 'What do you want?' he asked it, sounding cynical. 'I'm sure you're not here just to disturb me. Is it another job?' ::Actually...:: called the Tree again, jerking Subaru off from his thoughts. ::I want you to know, you've done enough today. You can have some break actually... You look like needing one now.:: 'Thanks...' replied Subaru coldly. 'I don't really need one right now... But thanks...' ::For what?:: asked the Tree, as if trying to make sure what the Sumeragi wanted to tell it. 'For... the break,' he replied, then silenced for a thought, 'and for... worrying about me,' ::Don't worry about that,:: said the Tree. ::You should take care of yourself. I won't be your mother hen all the time, you should know that!:: 'Yeah... sure,' replied the Sumeragi, inwardly laughing at those words. 'Now, if you don't mind... may I have some private time by myself?' ::Sure... sure...:: said the Tree, retreating back to the darkness. ::Make sure you have some rest, all right?:: 'Mother hen...' The Tree laughed before Subaru could feel it disappeared. He sighed and took another drag of his cigarette before dropping it to the ground and stubbed it with his shoe. 'I wonder... what will Hokuto-chan do if she knows that I become so addicted to cigarettes now...' another unanswered thought. He on clenched his coat tightly, trying to suppress the emotion that began to rise inside him. The lights were mesmerizing, but there he was, standing all by himself, lost in his thought, not by the beautiful lights below him, but in the past that had lost long time ago. //i really do love you, subaru-kun...// 'Did you...?' he asked himself. 'Of course you did not...' //for me... breaking your arm... is like breaking glass... there is no difference...// 'Isn't it, Seishirou-san...?' his lips formed a weak smile. 'For you... I am not different with an object... 'I am not more than a toy, for you to play with... 'Is that it...?' he laughed bitterly. 'But then...' //subaru-kun... //boku wa... //kimi o...// "Why..." he whispered sadly, clenching his coat beyond frustration, tears trickling down his face. But he knew, no one would come and comfort him. Even if there was someone, he was sure that that person would never be able to comfort him. Except one person... "Seishirou-san..." he breathed out that name. He missed him; he really missed him. But he was helpless and frustrated. No matter how hard he tried, the previous Sakurazukamori would never come back and comfort him. Then his eyes caught it; the scene of Tokyo's nightlife. It was so beautiful and full of memories. Memories of his past, the happiest moment he ever had with his twin sister and that kind veterinarian who he loved, and loved him with all his heart. He did not really care if it was just a lie. Even though it was just a lie, he still found it comforting, especially at time like this, when he was frustrated and sad but had no one to comfort him. But now, he had no one left. His sister died so that he could live. But still... 'Nee-san... do you know, that I was dead when you were killed...?' he wondered. This was just another one of thousands of unanswered questions in his mind. But he realized it. His heart was dead, since *he* killed Hokuto nine years ago. However, despite that Subaru still continued to live. Not for his sister's sake... but for his own obsession, and his wish. But after *his* death, everything had gone with it. He had no longer any reason to continue living. Everything had gone, after that day when he killed Seishirou. 'Nee-san...' he called inwardly, knowing that even though he cried as loud as he could, she would never answer. 'Nee-san... why did you do that?' //it was the final spell... your sister gave her life to cast... //so when that the time came when i tried to kill you in the same manner as i killed her... the spell i cast would be reflected back to me...// 'Don't you know, that it was my wish?' he asked, dropping his face and crying. //is it your wish to kill me?// 'No... I...' //is it your wish...// 'I...' //...to kill me?// "My wish..." he breathed out the words, sounding frustrated. "My wish... is... no longer exist... it would never come true..." Tears running down from his eyes, but washed away by the rain droplets that falling down from the dark sky. "Ever since your death..." //you are really cute, subaru-kun// "Shut up!" he cried. 'I don't want to hear that... 'I don't want to remember that...' "Seishirou-san..." //anata wa tokyo ga kirai desu ka?// 'I used to love this city,' he thought as he watched the city below him, still full of energy although it was near midnight. //since tokyo is my home.// 'This is the city that he and I used to love...' //this may sounds really unreasonable, but there's so much i love about tokyo.// 'But...' //I don't care about the future of the earth or anyone else. // 'True...' he said as he remembered his conversation with the Dark Kamui a few weeks before. 'But then... why? 'Why am I still here? Why should I care of living as the Sakurazukamori; becoming just like him?' //your wish to be killed by the sakurazukamori couldn't be fulfilled. but perhaps the sakurazukamori's wish can be fulfilled.// 'For his sake...' he answered his own question, 'I lived...' //subaru-kun...// 'Or...' //subaru...// He lifted his face towards the sky, letting the raindrops washed his tear-stained face. An image of an amethyst-eyed boy floated in his mind. Slowly he closed his eyes and letting a smirk formed on his handsome face. "It's just a matter of time," he whispered. "It's just a matter of time... before I could take my revenge..." He glanced at the city below him for another brief moment before he turned his back towards it. 'It's been a while,' he thought absently. After a moment he jumped off the building towards one direction. 'Maybe it's time for me to pay a little visit to my prey...' -- tbc... Part 2... someday *sweatdrops* C/Cs? --- Kenchan http://www.sugarie.net/~kenchan/ "When I was with many different people I was always alone" -- Ernest Hemingway</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>