Kamui struggled to stay asleep, but a whisper kept drawing him away from his unconscious bliss. "Kamui-chan... Kamui-chan! Wake up!" He opened one eye, wincing at the bright sunlight streaming in from the window, and then looked up. "Ko-Kotori?!" Kamui sat upright in shock as he saw the girl who had been-

"Kamui-chan? What's the matter? Did you have a bad dream?" Kamui shook his head, laughing a bit shakily inside. *It must have been a dream... how could I even think that such a thing could happen to Kotori?* He smiled up at the innocent girl, letting such bad dreams go. *What weird dreams- the fate of the earth? Please. I'm just a high school student...*

"Kotori-chan, we don't have school today, right?" Kotori looked at Kamui with curiosity. "Kamui-chan, are you feeling all right? Since when do you forget when we have a holiday? You're the one who's been telling me about it all week." Kamui nodded. "Sorry, Kotori-chan. I just remembered... I must have been more asleep than I thought."

Kamui got up out of his futon and stretched, feeling more relaxed than he had been for what seemed like a long time. *I wonder why I feel so stressed. It's not like there has been anything that's been giving me trouble- that is, besides math class.* Kotori told him, "I'll go make breakfast for you and Oniichan, ok?" Kamui gave her a smile. "Thank you, Kotori-chan."

He went to the bathroom and got dressed, feeling much more clear-headed than before. Looking at the mirror, he saw what he should see- one Shirou Kamui, a high school student living with Kotori and Fuuma at their shrine, after his mother had had her accident... He sighed, a bit of sorrow reflected in his eyes.

*How could a fire have started so quickly? I think she had been trying to tell me something...* Kamui looked out beyond the mirror into the past, but then smiled as he remembered his reunion with Kotori and Fuuma. "Without them, I don't know how I would have-" He was forced out of his thoughts by Fuuma's voice. "Kamui! Don't let the rice get cold!"

As Kamui left his room, he couldn't help feeling that something was wrong... dreadfully wrong. *Something about this whole day seems so strange-* Kamui lost his train of thought as he saw both Kotori and Fuuma waiting for him. "Kamui-chan! Hurry!" Kamui went to his place, leaving all of those strange thoughts behind...

"Kakyou. What is that?"
"It... it seems to be a rather strong dream."
"My other half's?"
"Apparently. I have never seen such-"
"We shall prepare my dream later. This has such... interesting possibilities."
"Are you going to go in?"
"Well, he wants his precious Fuuma with his memories of dear Kotori. Perhaps I shall give it to him..."

Kamui looked up from his breakfast to see Fuuma looking a bit strange. "Fuuma, is there something wrong with you, too? Maybe you had a weird dream, too?" Fuuma shook his head, his forehead creased as he frowned, as if trying to work something out. "A dream... yeah, I feel like I was someone else for a while- how strange."

Fuuma felt a small hand on to of his own, and looked up to his sister's anxious expression. "Oniichan, if you don't feel well, we don't have to go to the game today-" Fuuma looked confused for a moment. "The game- oh! How could I forget? Izumi-sempai's playing today. Of course I'm going!"

Fuuma shook his head once more, clearing out any more of those silly thoughts about fate and... *Gods, how could I even think about Kotori's death like that? What's wrong with me? I should just try to forget...* He forced a smile, and tried to get conversation started again. "Kamui, are you coming with me to the soccer game?"

"I thought that we should go to Subaru-san's place first- he told me yesterday..." Kamui stopped speaking for a moment, feeling a strangeness around this whole day, this whole conversation. *Why does it feel like it was never? How strange...* Kamui continued after the small moment of silence, even more confused than before. "Ah, he told us that Sakurazuka-sensei had said we should pick up Kouji today."

Kotori clapped her hands in delight. "Oh, I'm so glad your puppy is all right, Kamui-chan! We were so worried-" The rest was left unspoken- that it was his last link to his mother... "We had been so worried." Her voice had turned to a whisper, until she brightened again. "Maybe Subaru-san would like to come with us, too- I bet he's lonely because Sakurazuka-sensei isn't in town..."

Kamui and Fuuma smiled at each other as Kotori bustled out of the room in search of Subaru's number. "She's so kind, isn't she?" Kamui nodded, turning away. "Almost as if she's too good to be on the Earth for long..." Fuuma looked at Kamui almost in alarm, and then put his hand on Kamui's shoulder.

"Kamui, don't worry about Kotori. We'll both be here to protect her from anything that could hurt her... and if we're sad about her heart, she won't be happy." Fuuma gave him a strong smile, while inside, his heart was still aching from his dream. *Kotori, why would I dream of such a thing happening to you?*

"Kamui! Wha-"
"It is a dream- a dream that he has started himself."
"You! I know you, Dragon of Earth-"
"Calm yourself, Dragon of Heaven. That is not my doing. I am merely watching."
"It is too dangerous, such a deep dream- it is much to close to the heart-sleep he forced upon himself before..."
"Ah, so you are going in as well?"
"As well? Who else- Kamui! Your Kamui..."
"Why else would I be watching?"

"Subaru-san!" Subaru looked up from his paperwork to see the Monous and Kamui. "Everyone! Thank you for the invitation." He looked at the paperwork in disgust, and then put it away. He stood to face them, smiling. "I'd be delighted to go to the game with all of you- I don't have any appointments today, and Seishirou's out of town."

Subaru smiled at the three in front of him. "I bet you want to see Kouji, yes?" They nodded, and Subaru led them to the kennel part of the veterinarian’s office, and took out a small dog. "There you go, Kamui-kun." Kamui's face broke out in a delighted smile as the little dog started to lick his face furiously.

Looking at the happy trio, Subaru shook his head a bit. *How strange- those three were in my dream, too...* He looked at them for a moment, feeling as if he were forgetting something. *Something... this just feels wrong...* He was about to ask something- anything that would clear up the confusion around his heart's sight, when he saw their happiness.

*No, I shouldn't bother them, not with this sort of nonsense.* He smiled a little ruefully. *I gave up onmyoujitsu when I became Seishirou's partner. I have to remember that these little feelings aren't important...* Looking at the three, he couldn't help but think of Hokuto. *Neesan- I wonder where she is now- she's so busy lately...*

Subaru shook himself out of his thoughts and said, "Just let me close up the office, ok? It'll only take a minute." As he walked to the other room, he asked in an offhanded way, "So, where did you get Kouji anyway?" He came back to the room to face silent- absolute quiet. "I'm sorry- is this a bad-"

Kamui shook his head. "No, it's all right, Subaru-san. You couldn't have known... Kouji- well, he was Shuu when I was with my mother- Shuu had been the last thing mother had given me before she..." Kamui looked down at the dog, and put his hand on the fur. Subaru's distressed voice broke him out of his memories. "I'm so sorry, Kamui-kun. I didn't realize..."

Kamui sat next to the dog, putting his face into the fur. "He's the last thing of my mother's that I have... and when I came to Tokyo, I was glad that Kotori-chan liked him so much- although she did change his name..." Kotori blushed. "Ah- well, his fur matches Nanjo Kouji's hair color exactly- and they are both so cute..."

Fuuma laughed, and said in a teasing tone, "Be careful, little sister. Kamui might get jealous of both of them." Kamui and Subaru both started to laugh as Kotori blushed even brighter, and then stuck her tongue out at all of them. She stage-whispered to Kouji, "Come on, Ko-chan... I'll be happier with you any day!" Fuuma and Subaru laughed even more as Kamui moved quickly to separate the two, giving the dog threatening looks, and even Kotori started to giggle.

"Kakyou."
"Welcome, Sakurazukamori."
"I see a dream has emerged here."
"A strong one- almost too strong. It has taken in many, for a short while."
"I feel both Kamuis in there-"
"Yes. It seems our Kamui has found it easier to be submerged by the dream for a time."
"Ah, and Subaru-kun is there as well! How interesting..."
"Are you going in as well?"
"Dreams are merely illusions in sleep... It is my domain, as well as yours."

"Subaru? Are you in there?" Subaru stopped laughing as Seishirou came in carrying his luggage with him. "Seishirou! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Osaka for-" Seishirou interrupted him with a quick hug. "I got lonely, and the conference was very boring- it wasn't any fun without my Subaru-kun..."

Subaru giggled a little as Seishirou put an arm around him, and gave him a little kiss on his ear. "Seishirou- not in public..." Subaru smiled, and then asked, "Would you mind if Seishirou comes along, too?" Kotori told him, "That's fine! The more people there are going, the more support we can show Izumi-sempai. Right, Oniichan?"

Fuuma nodded and went to make arrangements for more tickets, and Kamui and Kotori stayed to play with Kouji. Meanwhile, Subaru told Seishirou, "I hope you don't mind- I thought that you'd want to go, too." Seishirou looked at him, a little puzzled. "Go where?" Subaru looked at him, a little wondering. "Ah- to the soccer game..."

Seishirou put forehead on Subaru's. "Subaru-kun, are you all right? You don't feel feverish, but you do seem distracted." Subaru blushed a bit. "No, it's all right, Sei-chan." He smiled into his lover's eyes, and then said, "It's just that I had this odd dream- but it's going away already. All I remember is something about you and me, and cherry blossoms?"

Seishirou started, and almost frightened eyes looked at Subaru. "You too? What's going on? I had that dream... I couldn't remember much, but I thought that I should come back a little early because something just felt-" Subaru finished his sentence. "Something just felt wrong..."

Subaru looked at Seishirou with a questioning expression. "What do you think is going on? Do you think that this means something?" Seishirou smiled at him gently. "Why don't we ask your grandmother next time we see her, hmm? This is more her field of expertise than ours..."

Subaru nodded, still a bit uneasy, while Seishirou stared at the empty space above his lover's head. *I feel as if that was important... what can't I remember? Something... this isn't right? But how could it not be? It's wonderful... there can't be anything wrong.* Seishirou smiled down at Subaru. "Subaru, let's go to the game, ok?"

"You?"
"Death is not the end of anything, Kakyou-san."
"Did you come to try to save them? It's impossible, you know."
"I know that- their fates are their own."
"But you are still going in-"
"If only because they may not be happy too long... I think you realize what I mean..."
"Of course."
"It's too bad that you don't realize that your death won't solve anything either..."

"Hello? Subaru? Sei-chan! Oh- How can you be closed now?" Subaru started as he recognized that voice. "Hokuto-chan? Is that really you?" Subaru hurried to open the door for his older twin. "Hokuto-chan! What are you doing here? I thought that you were in Milan, opening the show there..."

Hokuto smiled as she reached over and gave her brother a hug. "Oh, Subaru..." He looked up to see her haunted expression. "Hokuto-chan, what's wrong?" Hokuto smiled and shook her head. "Nothing... what could possibly be wrong?" The she walked over to Seishirou. "Sei-chan! Are you keeping my little brother happy?"

Seishirou smiled as he gave her a hug. "Of course, Hokuto-chan. After all, why wouldn't Subaru be happy with a sister like you?" Subaru came up to Seishirou, and took his arm. "And a guy like this..." Subaru smiled at both of them, and then said, "Hokuto-chan, let me introduce you to a few people."

He gestured at Kotori and Kamui, who had gotten up off the floor when Hokuto had come in. "This is Monou Kotori, and Shirou Kamui. Kotori-chan's brother, Fuuma, will be in shortly. Everyone, this is my big sister, Hokuto. She's a fashion designer who should be in Milan right now..."

Hokuto waved her hand at her little brother. "All right! I'm not in Milan because I wanted to come see you, of course! Something didn't feel right to me here, but now I guess it was just nerves... Besides, the show was pushed back a week, and Milan is really boring without anyone to be with..."

Subaru and Seishirou looked a bit amazed. "Something felt wrong, Neesan? We've been getting strange feelings like that all day." Kamui stood up, a bit shocked. "Subaru-san, you too? Fuuma and I both-" He glanced at Kotori for a moment before looking away. "Anyway... what could be wrong?"

Subaru looked around the office. "What could be wrong..." At that moment, Fuuma's voice came from the other room. "Sakurazuka-san, could you please come here for a moment? My friend wants to know-" Seishirou pulled himself away from Subaru, and said, "I'll be right there, Fuuma-kun." He gave everyone in the room a severe look. "Tell me anything that you figure out."

"It all starts to unravel now... But of course, it could not last, not with so many powers within it. I am surprised... Kamui's dream was supported by all the others, even the Guardian. But there are too much pain in all of them for this to ease for long..."

"Subaru-san, are you all right?" Subaru looked at Kotori for a moment, his forehead creasing in pain. "Should I go get Seishirou-san?" Subaru waved away the young girl, fighting to keep his knowledge. *Ah! What- what am I forgetting? What don't I want to remember-*

His eyes locked on Hokuto, who had a wistful expression on her face. "Little brother, what's wrong? You look as if you've seen a ghost-" Subaru started, his eyes glazing a little. *Ghost... ghost... ghost... Oh gods- Hokuto-chan. Seishirou...*

When he looked up again, Hokuto had somehow become less lifelike in front of him- as if she were only a doll... "Kamui. Wake yourself. This is not reality..." Kamui looked at him with frightened eyes, with eyes that screamed out for Subaru not to say those words. "Kamui. I remember now- I remember. This is a dream. Your dream, that I entered to take you from, and got caught in myself."

"Subaru-san, what are you talking about? I'm just a normal high school student. There's nothing special about me..." Subaru looked at the young man with pain in his eyes, and told him, "Then watch." He went up to Kotori, who looked at him with innocence in her eyes. "Kotori-chan, I wish that this were really you..."

Subaru started to chant softly, and then put one hand on Kotori, and the other on Hokuto. His hands started to glow softly as his chant grew in intensity. Finally, he let out a cry, and Kotori's form disappeared, her self becoming the little kotoris that always clustered around her. Hokuto disappeared also, vanishing in a bright flash. "Kotori! Hokuto-san!" Kamui's shocked voice rang through the office.

"What's wrong?" Fuuma and Seishirou burst into the room to see what Subaru had just done. "Subaru? What-" Seishirou's words were cut off in mid-sentence as he stared at Subaru's hands. There were stars engraved into them, stars that were glowing... "So, you remember also, Seishirou-san. All I did were dispel the illusions here- if you are still in the dream, then you must be real."

"Seishirou-san? Subaru, since when do you still call me..." Seishirou's expression changed as he continued to look at Subaru's hands. Finally, in a detached and amused voice, he said, "Well, Kamui has more power than I thought... I was pulled in much too easily- how careless of me. Subaru-kun, this was an interesting little dream you put together..."

Subaru looked at him, fury barely contained. "I put together?" Seishirou smiled. "Of course- I only came in after your little fantasy had impressed upon your little Kamui's mind." He went up to Subaru, and then put his arm around him. "Are you sure that this wasn't what you wanted?" Subaru pushed him away violently, breathing heavily in rage.

"Fuuma... Kotori..." Kamui's shocked eyes took in the little birds, and the young man whose expression had just turned shockingly cold. In a mocking tone, Fuuma replied, "Not Fuuma, my other half. I am Kamui also... Fuuma does not exist anymore."

"No! Fuuma- listen to me! You don't want to do this! I know you-" Fuuma's cold laughter made Kamui stop. "You don't know me- all you did was make me. I am impressed at your strength when you wish to deceive yourself. This has been an interesting time-"

As Fuuma and Seishirou faded away, little bits of the dreamscape started to fade away as well. Soon, Subaru and Kamui were standing on a floor surrounded by the darkness, and the lights from other, fainter dreams. "Kamui- are you all right?" Subaru's soft voice rang in the darkness. "I had to get you out, or else you would have been like before-"

Kamui got up from the floor. "Subaru... I know. I just wish that even a little of it had been real." Subaru smiled at him, and then went to pet Kouji, who was drifting away as well. "I do too. But our lives could never be that normal, could it? All we can do is go on, and hope- hope for something..."

"Kotori-san. I felt that you were truly there as well."
"Hokuto-san... it wasn't very hard to tell that you were real, either."
"Except to my little brother... he thinks that we were just fragments of memory..."
"Perhaps it is better that he think so for now?"
"Perhaps... we are very similar, you and I."
"We were two who were pulled into something that was more powerful than any of us... sisters of powerful men, we want to protect them."
"And you wish to protect your beloved as well..."
"It may not be too late... fate is not decided, no matter what the dreaming one may say."
"Fate may be altered..."

Kakyou watches as the two spirits go. He is watching, as he always watches- he is the dreamer. "Fate may be altered... Perhaps for the better?" He remembers the look on Kamui and Subaru's faces, the indifference of the Dragons of Earth. "Pain is life... life has it's price, and so will winning..."

---Finis---

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