http://clampfix.fanworks.net/x-fix/betrayal4-au.txt </head><body><pre>All characters are property of CLAMP. Standard disclaimers apply. --- Betrayal (Part 4 - AU) An 'X' fanfic Presented by Alison Koh /"I only want my brother's happiness," she whispered. Hokuto smiled as Seishirou's fist tore through her chest./ * Consciousness drifted back slowly. He fluttered his eyelids gently a few times as he tried to adjust to the brightness of the room. Voices began whispering about him until one spoke more clearly than the rest. "Are you all right, Kamui," asked Sorata. Kamui opened his eyes and nodded. Glancing at the anxious faces of the Seals about him, he could not help but noticed that one was missing. A worried expression crossed his face. Karen understood and told him gently, "Subaru-san is resting in his room." Kamui immediately pulled back the covers and struggled to get out of bed. "You shouldn't get up!" Sorata insisted, but Kamui simply gave him a pleading look and the monk relented. He offered an arm to Kamui for support, which the boy gratefully accepted. They gradually made their way to the Sumeragi's room with the other Seals following apprehensively. Kamui entered the room and almost instantly sensed that something was wrong. Sorata gazed at Kamui woefully and said, "I'm sorry, but..." He stopped in mid-sentence, unable to continue. The boy approached the bed slowly and was presently faced with a sight he had feared most. Subaru was lying on the bed in a semi-comatose state, his eye staring blankly at the ceiling. Kamui knelt down beside the bed and held onto Subaru's hand. "I am so sorry..." he muttered tearfully, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let you go, even if it would have made you hate me." "It's not your fault. Don't ever think that it was your fault," Sorata said. He got down beside the boy and squeezed him gently at the shoulders. "Short of locking him up, there was no way we could have stopped him. It was his wish." However, the words were of little use, as Kamui remained inconsolable. He tightened his grip on the Sumeragi's hand and brought it to his cheeks, staining it with his tears. Just then, there was a sound outside the room. The door opened and a young man with wavy blond hair walked in. "Imonoyama-san?" Arashi spoke. Nokoru looked at them solemnly and said, "We have a guest this morning." Behind him, a nurse was guiding a wheelchair into the room. The occupant of the chair was a rather distinguished-looking elderly lady. She indicated to the nurse to push her towards the bed. When she saw Subaru, her eyes softened into a rueful expression and she uttered a sad sigh. Nokoru continued, "Allow me to introduce the Lady Sumeragi, 12th Head of the Sumeragi Clan." There was an audible gasp in the room. The Lady Sumeragi was still very a well respected figure within the religious and spiritual circles of Japan even though she had retired many years ago. The Seals immediately paid their obeisance. Lady Sumeragi waved her hand to indicate that they could dispense with formality. She returned her attention to her grandson and shook her head dejectedly again. "I had divined this tragedy," she said, "And once again, I had failed to prevent it." She then looked at the teenage boy with the tear-stained face kneeling beside Subaru and who was presently staring at her with wide-eyed innocence. "You must be Kamui," she noted. The boy nodded shyly. She turned to the others and asked, "I would like to speak with Kamui in private. May we be excused please?" Everyone immediately filed out of the room. Lady Sumeragi had a certain aura about her that, although pleasant, did not quite invite dissension. She spoke to Kamui in a gentle tone, "This must be hard on you. I've heard that the two of you were close." "He saved my life at the risk of his own many times," Kamui replied, "And he even lost his right eye on my account." He bowed his head guiltily as he remembered the fight at Ikebukuro. He had given up hope then, until Subaru had appeared in time to save him. The Sumeragi had insisted that the loss of the eye was his wish, but Kamui still had not quite forgiven himself for it. "I'm sorry, Lady Sumeragi. I shouldn't have let him go near the Sakurazukamori. It was my fault. I wanted so much to help him fulfil his wish." "You remind me so much of him. He was always blaming himself for things that were beyond his control, taking on the guilt of others," she remarked. "Perhaps it is partially my fault that he ended up like this. His parents died young, leaving behind a pair of baby twins. Subaru was blessed with such strong potential as rarely seen in our family for generations and I wanted to protect that gift. I made sure that his childhood was constantly spent in training within the four walls of our family home in Kyoto. As such, he grew up more powerful but also less worldly-wise than many children his age. "His sister, Hokuto, on the other hand, being much less gifted, was also given more freedom to mix with other non-Clan members. I trusted her ability to handle any trouble and watch over her brother. Hence I was less apprehensive about allowing them to live in Tokyo by themselves. I didn't want him to grow up too protected nor too naīve. As an onmyouji, those are two very dangerous traits to cultivate. It would leave him vulnerable. "Nonetheless, the first time I left him alone when he was nine, the Sakurazukamori found him and left his infernal marks on Subaru's hands. The second time I allowed him to live alone, he met the Sakurazukamori again and thus began the one-year Bet." She paused to take another sad look at her grandchild. Kamui did not speak but had listened attentively to every word she said. In a way, she was gladdened by Kamui's silence. She had carried this guilt for almost nine years, unable to save Subaru as she watched him sink deeper into his obsession with the Sakurazukamori. Talking about it somehow made the pain more bearable. "Do you know how to save him?" Kamui asked suddenly. Lady Sumeragi shook her head. "Hokuto sacrificed herself eight years ago to bring him out from a similar situation. But now, even if we could find a way to do it, I really do not know if there's anything worth saving inside of him. The divination spoke of irreparable damages and further tragedies if we try to do so." "I do not believe in Fate," Kamui answered fiercely, "We might as well give up this fight now if the Future has already been determined. Isn't that the reason you came to Tokyo, to try to save Subaru?" "And I was too late," she said. Kamui reached out to Subaru's hand again and said, "No. I refuse to give up." Lady Sumeragi did not reply, but only looked at Kamui sadly, an ominous feeling gripping her heart. * Someone was following him. The aura was faint but unmistakable. However, Seishirou did not attempt to shake off his stalker, preferring to keep to his languid early morning stroll in the city streets. The fact that he could sense the person following him meant that this was just another game for his pursuer. There was no immediate danger. He rounded a corner and stopped outside a small coffee shop. Sensing that he was still being trailed, he entered the shop wearing an amused grin on his face. He took a seat in a quiet corner, ordered two sets of breakfast and waited. Very soon, just as breakfast arrived at the table, the other person walked in. "You're a little late today," Seishirou smiled and the other took his seat. Fuuma looked up from his breakfast and replied, "Beast had some information that might be of interest to you. The 12th Head of the Sumeragi Clan is in Tokyo." "I already knew that." "Ah, how could I forget? You could sniff a Sumeragi from miles away. Do you think if she's here to save your dear Prey?" Seishirou did not answer immediately. Instead, he allowed himself to slowly savour the morsel of food in his mouth, tasting for every subtle flavour, before swallowing a little regretfully. Then he spoke, "I doubt if she has the power. Subaru-kun is too far gone. There is nothing left but an empty shell. She would be better off bringing his body back to Kyoto." "You don't seem to have any regrets." "I have given him a second chance. I thought the intimacy might help, but I still do not find him 'Special'." "But something still bothers you," Fuuma grinned as he sank his fork into the scrambled eggs, "The dream." Without betraying any emotion in his voice, Seishirou asked, "What of it?" "Actually, it would be more accurate to call it a memory. Something happened eight years ago and you still could not understand it." "Perhaps it is not important. The Bet is over." Fuuma smiled ominously to himself, "Perhaps." * A strong breeze gusted, ruffling the branches and sending flocks of birds flying away in all directions. Kamui leaned against the trunk and watched the birds return. His feathered friends were chirping furiously about him, as if complaining about the unwelcome windy disturbance a moment ago. The boy looked up to the sky, hoping to see Heaven. With a gentle whisper he said, "Please forgive me, Kotori. I know I promised you that I would bring Fuuma back. But someone else needs my help now. His name is Subaru and it was he who brought me out of the depths of my heart where I had been hiding after you died and Fuuma changed. I failed to protect you and Fuuma, but I want to make sure I do not fail to protect him as well. I do not know what is going to happen. Perhaps I am stupid to attempt something like this, but somehow, I think you'll understand." The breeze blew again to the tittering of the birds. Kamui felt a sudden sense of peace descend upon his heart and pictured her serene face, framed by long pale tresses floating in the wind, smiling wistfully to him. He stood up and touched the tree. "Thank you, Kotori." * Sorata tried very hard to concentrate on his books but could not. At last he gave up and threw the books aside with a loud thump. Arashi looked up, mildly curious. She was already a little surprised that the monk was so quiet today. On any other day, he would practically be distracting her with his silly wisecracks and grandiose declarations of love. Today was the first time he looked like he was actually making an effort to pay attention to his books, though not very successfully. "Something bothering you?" Sorata leaned back against the chair and replied, "Kamui has been acting too peaceful. It's not normal, not with Subaru-san in this state." Arashi nodded and said, "What do you think he's doing then?" "I don't know. Kamui likes to keep things to himself. It's not always easy to pry information out from him. But I do feel that something bad is about to happen, just that I can't explain it." Presently the door opened and Karen walked in. "Anyone saw Kamui?" she asked. "Isn't he with Subaru-san?" Arashi replied. "No. Lady Sumeragi is in there and she said that she hasn't seen the boy since this morning." Sorata muttered a curse under his breath and got up immediately. "I'm going to find him." The shrine maiden put aside her books in a neat pile and said, "I'm joining you." The three Seals then left the study together. * /It has to be here somewhere./ Kamui silently leapt from tree to tree, careful not to reveal himself to the people who were enjoying an afternoon stroll in Ueno Park. Occasionally he would pause and close his eyes to track the faint humming aura - an aura pulsing with sadness, suffering, and death. The signal was getting closer but not near enough. Having exhausted his search over the more popular areas of the park, he turned his attentions towards its many hidden paths. He took a turn and instantly noticed that the signal was much stronger than before. Speeding ahead, he came face to face with the riveting pink clouds of the Sakurazukamori's Sakura Tree. "Sakurazukamori! I'm here!" he called out, "Show yourself!" He waited for a few moments but there was no reply. Gathering a small amount of energy in his palm, he hurled it against the Tree as a warning, hitting against its defensive barrier. The barrier rattled unsteadily for a brief moment before reasserting itself. A tall shadow stepped forward from behind the tree. It was the Sakurazukamori. He folded his arms and looked at Kamui with an amused grin on his face. "Such impatience. You could have waited for a moment longer. I was just finishing up lunch with your good friend, Fuuma. He wasn't too happy that I had to be called away at such short notice. "So what can I do for you today? Certainly you're not thinking that you can avenge Subaru-kun in your injured state?" "I am not here to avenge him," Kamui told the assassin, "I am here to save him." "He is too far gone to be saved." "No. There is a way. His sister's way." Almost immediately, the assassin registered a small but perceptible look of surprise on his face. He wondered if this was a trick to throw him off his guard. However, he saw the strong resolve burning in those bewitching eyes of Kamui and knew that the boy was serious. "I suppose the other Seals know nothing about this?" Kamui shook his head, "They don't. This is my own wish." "To die?" "If that's the only way to bring back Subaru, then yes!" "And what about the Promised Day?" "The Final Battle is to fight for the ones we love. If I can't even protect Subaru, then the whole fight is pointless. I offer my blood to erase any remnants of your Bet with Subaru. Do you accept?"" Seishirou approached the boy to observe him closer and was struck by his similarity to Subaru. Not physically, though both were beauties in their own right, but by the way their eyes revealed the sensitive soul within, a soul which had been seared raw by their individual tragedies and yet had somehow maintained their purity. Seishirou could understand why Subaru was attracted to Kamui. In fact, the assassin had little doubt that if he had not entered the Sumeragi's life through that meaningless Bet, Subaru would be happily bonding with this boy now. Fate obviously dealt the Sumeragi a cruel hand, but Seishirou had gotten a more than fair bargain and he was not about to complain. Kamui tensed slightly as Seishirou wrapped one arm around his back. The assassin raised his other fist in preparation for his killing strike and asked the boy, "Why do you want to do this?" As he watched the fist descend towards his heart, Kamui calmly replied, "Because I want him to be happy." * "KAMUI!" Sorata and Arashi were out in the gardens when they froze at the sound of that heartrending scream and ran back into the mansion. As they reached the top of the stairs, they saw that the other Seals had already gathered outside Subaru's room. Seiichirou had his hands full trying to hold back an awake but distraught Sumeragi. "We have to save him," Subaru pleaded almost incoherently between sobs. "Where is Kamui?" Sorata asked. Subaru tried to speak but tears choked his voice. "Where is he?" Sorata asked again, louder this time. "Ueno Park," came the reply. Sorata turned around and saw Lady Sumeragi wheeling towards them. "Kamui is at Ueno Park where that Sakura Tree stands," she said, her eyes shimmering with sorrow, "History is repeating itself. We're too late." "No, we're not. Kamui won't die that easily. We have to have faith in him," Sorata replied with firm belief in his voice. He turned to the Seals and said, "I want Ne-chan and Yuzuriha to stay behind and watch over Subaru-san. The rest of us will look for Kamui. "He's alive. He must be." ----- Dreams of Sakura Home -- http://www.starhub.net.sg/~alison X Shrine -- http://www.geocities.com/asuka_sg</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>