A/N:
This is the final chapter. Hope you like reading the story, and thanks for all the feedback. I'll be posting a more light-hearted (pun intended) piece next. Please keep an eye out for it.
All characters are property of CLAMP. Standard disclaimers apply.
Tsuriai
(Part 17)
An "X" Fanfic
Presented by Harem of Doomed Bishies
"Kakyou..." Subaru uttered the dreamgazer's name softly as he held the limp body in his arms. There was no response of any kind, only a frozen smile on the pale lips. A smile that was free from pain, free from the sorrows of the tragic past. Subaru hugged the body tightly, feeling his own tears streaming down his face. Instinctively, he chanted a short prayer for Kakyou's soul to find release in the afterlife. Though they had not known each other for long, they were bound by their respective love for Hokuto. Subaru whispered, "I hope that you're happy with Neesan now."
At the other end of the hall, Karen was holding onto Arashi's body and reciting a prayer of her own. Though they were of different religious backgrounds, they had been comrades. And Karen mourned for Arashi's death as she mourned for the loss of all the other Seals, and even a few Angels as well. Being one of the Dragons of Heaven gave Karen an identity, a sense of belonging that she had never had before. Her childhood was spent in isolation and abuse by her mother who considered her a freak. Then she had moved from foster home to foster home, finally burying her sense of self within the anonymity of the Soaplands. Until she found refuge with the Seals. Now her refuge was being rapidly destroyed.
"This is unforgivable!"
She stood up slowly. Despite the pain in her ribs, her anger gave her the strength to face the boy who was presently kneeling onto the floor, clutching his head as if he was struggling with his inner demons. But Karen did not care anymore. Kamui, or whoever he had become, had crossed the line of redemption with Arashi's death. She now vowed to destroy him, or die trying.
She focused the last of her strength on this one attack. Flames materialised around her, lapping in a spiralling column with her in the centre. Her hair blew wildly in the haunting glow, seemingly becoming one with her fire. Gradually, she raised her arms, and was about to strike the prone figure of Kamui when she sensed another attacking force headed her way. Reflexively, she diverted her flames towards the new threat. There was an explosion as the two forces collided, followed by a shower of charred paper ofudas.
She stared uncomprehendingly at Subaru and asked, "Why?"
Subaru calmly replied, "I cannot let you kill Kamui."
She was about to protest, but the exertion took its toll on her injured body and she collapsed onto the ground conscious but in pain.
Kamui gripped his hair as his two personalities clashed within his slight frame. "No!" he screamed and quickly stood up, gripping onto the Shinken tightly. His silvery eyes had a savage madness to them, a look of wild determination. Tokyo Tower trembled with renewed vigour as Kamui's kekkai had all but dissipated. In a few moments, the Tower would fall, and all of Tokyo with it.
Kamui raised his Shinken high towards Karen and yelled, "I'm going to kill all of you!"
A flock of shikigamis flew towards the boy, knocking him away from the fire-master. Kamui glared angrily at the Sumeragi, who remained calm amidst the fierce tremors. In slow, calculated steps, Subaru approached the boy and said, "Kamui, I know you're in there. Please show yourself. Defeat your dark side. Remember the promise I made to you by Kotori's grave? It still holds true. Let us return to Kyoto together."
Kamui laughed, "Your 'Kamui' is no more. I am Kamui!" He swung the holy sword to his side and charged towards the Sumeragi.
Subaru remained where he was, standing defenceless as he watched the boy rush towards him. In a firm voice, he cried out, "I know that you'll win because I believe in you, Kamui!"
The cold blade stopped barely a hair's breath away from the skin on Subaru's neck. Subaru held his breath and waited for Kamui's next move. The boy's eyes were lowered and hidden by the long bangs of his hair. However, his shoulders were quivering, a sign of the great struggle was going on within him now.
At length, the boy spoke. "Su...ba...ru..." he whispered.
"Kamui?"
The unruly head of hair shifted as Kamui lifted his eyes. Subaru almost gasped in relief at the familiar sight of Kamui's brilliant violet gaze. And yet, he became even more worried as he thought he perceived a hint of sad resignation in those eyes.
Kamui lowered his sword and pulled Subaru closer to kiss him lightly on the cheek. Then he took three steps back, struggling to maintain his balance in the madly quavering structure. He forced a smile and said, "Thank you, Subaru. And farewell."
A column of light, sacred and pure, enveloped Kamui as he raised his arms by his side so that his body took on the form of the cross. The boy closed his eyes, his body gradually lifted itself off the ground, and his Shinken levitated in front of him.
Subaru, Karen and Yuuto watched in awe at the beautiful sight of Kamui's true power, the essence of God's Glory he carried within him. This was the power that was promised with his birth, the power that could destroy or save the Earth.
The Shinken rotated itself till it was parallel with the ground, with the tip of its blade pointing towards Kamui's chest. Subaru's eyes widened in horror as he realised what was happening. "Kamui, no!" he screamed to the boy, who could not or would not hear his cry. In desperation, Subaru lunged towards the light, but the light was also a powerful barrier protecting Kamui and the Shinken, and Subaru felt himself being forcefully repelled away. He reached into his coat pockets for his ofudas but felt a hand stop his.
Yuuto shook his head solemnly, "I know how you feel, but there is no other way. Tokyo is falling apart."
Beside him, Karen was clasping her hands together in prayer. She told Subaru, "This is his choice, and also his Destiny."
Subaru felt his tears brimming anew and could only watched in silent helplessness as Kamui uttered the fateful words above the noise of the collapsing Tower.
"Let my blood heal the wounds upon the Earth, and renew the pact between Humanity and Earth that they shall live in peaceful coexistence forever!"
"No!" Subaru screamed again as the Shinken thrust straight through Kamui's body.
Blinding rays of holy light shot forth from Kamui's body, quelling the tremors instantly. All the three Dragons could sense vast amounts of energy pouring into the earth, repairing all the broken Kekkais and strengthening the bindings that held all the Kekkais, and thus the Earth, together. There was a feeling of great peace upon the Earth, and Subaru could even detect the renewing vigour in the Sakura Tree and a sense of relief as the Tree began to free the souls that had been trapped within it by past Sakurazukamoris in order to sustain its existence.
This great miracle of Kamui's sacrifice seemed to go on forever. But at long last, the radiant glow surrounding the boy began to fade until finally, with a soft moan, Kamui collapsed onto the floor, lying in the pool of his own blood. The Shinken had disappeared.
"Kamui!" Subaru ran towards the boy fearing the worst. He lifted the boy in his arms, shaking him gently. There was no reaction.
Subaru held Kamui tightly. Closing his eyes, he reached out to the Sakura Tree for only the second time and begged for a miracle. The Tree gave its condition and Subaru accepted immediately. Almost instantly, he could feel the power flowing from his body into the boy.
High above the skies of Tokyo, a helicoptor bearing the insignia of the Imonoyama Corporation was heading towards Tokyo Tower.
*
Yuuto waited patiently outside the campus gates. A few minutes later, a young woman in a red dress that matched the colour of her hair stepped out and waved to him.
He approached her and asked, "How did it go?"
Karen smiled, looking very relieved, as she replied, "Shimako-san and her daughter are settling down faster than I've expected. I guess the teaching job does help to partly take her mind off Aoki-san's death. I've already thanked Imonoyama-san for making the kind offer to accept her."
"It must have been really hard on you these past months, shuttling around to make sure that they are being well taken care of," Yuuto said.
"I made a promise to Aoki-san and I have every intention of keeping it."
Yuuto was glad to see that she was growing a little more cheerful each day. There was a time when he was afraid that she might drown in the depression arising from the tragedy of the Promised Day. But she was strong and had rebounded quickly, perhaps spurred on by her sense of duty to the late Aoki Seiichirou.
"How's your scar?" Karen suddenly asked. "Any intentions to do something about it?"
Yuuto traced the light marking on his skin gently with his hand and smiled, "I think it really does add to my charm. At least the ladies in the office seem to fuss over me a lot more since I got it. Don't you like it?"
"Should I?" There was a playful glimmer in Karen's eyes.
Yuuto shrugged nonchalantly and said, "How about dinner?"
Karen pretended to hesitate. "Only if you promise that there are no jealous girlfriends skulking around with equally jealous computers."
"I might have a secret admirer or two from the office's Computer Department," Yuuto laughed with his usual easy manner.
With her arm wrapped around Yuuto's, Karen joined in the mirth as they both headed towards his waiting car.
*
Kamui happily pushed aside the paper screen door leading to the meditation room hoping to see Subaru for their usual training session. Instead, Lady Sumeragi, Subaru's grandmother, was waiting for him inside. Though she did not say a word, Kamui could sense that something was wrong from the sad expression in her eyes.
The boy entered the room, knelt on the tatami floor and bowed respectfully.
"Subaru-san asked me to pass this to you," she said, pushing a white envelope towards Kamui. Written on it in formal script were the words addressing the letter to the "Fourteenth Head of the Sumeragi Clan".
Kamui opened the letter apprehensively, and read the contents:
Kamui,
By the time you receive this letter, I would have already left Kyoto. I apologise for leaving without bidding you farewell, but I have no choice. You must understand that I am now a Sumeragi only in name. As a Sakurazukamori, I am officially barred from the Clan home by strict rules that were laid down by my ancestors. My presence was tolerated for the past few months because everyone felt that I should at least stay till you have recovered.
I have taught you all that I can. From this day on, please do not hesitate to look towards my grandmother for guidance. She knows as much as I do and perhaps more, having been blessed with the wisdom of age. More importantly, she loves you as deeply as if you were her own grandson.
Please take care of her in my absence and do not worry about me. I can look after myself. I know I am being very selfish, but I hope that you will forgive me.
Subaru.
Kamui stared at the letter in his hand, stunned. His fingers began to scrunch the paper on reflex as his mind simmered with a thousand colliding emotions. A familiar ache wrapped around his heart, forcing Kamui to hug his chest tightly, almost unable to breathe.
"Kamui-san!" Lady Sumeragi reached out to him. Two servants rushed into the room upon hearing her cry and quickly attended to Kamui. However, the boy managed to regain some control over his emotions and politely requested them to leave. They hesitated, but complied upon receiving the signal from Lady Sumeragi.
Kamui took a deep breath and then said, "I have to find him."
Lady Sumeragi frowned, "What purpose would it serve. Subaru..."
"I have to find him," Kamui repeated. He raised his eyes to face her, determination burning in them. "Sorata once told me that regrets were there to spur us in our future actions so that we shall not have to regret again. If I don't do this, I'll regret forever."
Lady Sumeragi nodded in understanding. "Subaru-san tries to hide, to run away, even now. Perhaps you will be the one who can bring him back. Please let him know that even though his powers are that of the Sakurazukamori's, he is still my grandson, and the blood that flows within him is the blood of a Sumeragi. He will always be welcome here."
"Thank you," Kamui bowed.
*
The Tree continued to bloom with no regard of the seasons, but Subaru knew that it was no longer at the expense of innocent lives, but through the power of Kamui, which the boy had yielded to the Earth on the Promised Day.
Nevertheless, the Sakurazukamori was not entirely redundant in this new era. The duty of the Sumeragi Clan was to protect Japan from spiritual threats. The Sakurazukamori, on the other hand, was necessary to protect Japan from the more practical threats of the physical realm. Even in this new order, there was a constant stream of shady politicians, greedy businessmen and power-hungry religious zealots who continue to threaten Japan's security and yet managed to remain untouched by the law.
Subaru could not bring himself to kill, but sometimes, a little sorcery and some good illusions were enough to bring about contrition even in the most hardened criminals.
He leaned against the Tree, sensing its gentle hum, and felt the soft caress of the pale-pink petals floating across his face. The Tree was now his only friend and he allowed himself to sink into that warm feeling.
"Subaru..."
He looked up, surprised. "Kamui?"
"I finally found you," the boy said.
"What are you doing in Tokyo?" Subaru asked.
The boy pointed to his uniform. "I've decided to continue my studies at Clamp Campus. But most importantly, I came to search for you."
"You shouldn't have. I've already stated clearly in my letter that I'm no longer welcome in Kyoto."
"You're wrong. Lady Sumeragi still regards you as her grandson. The Sumeragi blood still flows in your vein. But that is not the reason I came to look for you."
Kamui approached Subaru. Wordlessly, he took hold of Subaru's right hand, feeling the faint marking of the Sakurazukamori star on the skin. The boy pondered over it briefly and then brought it to his lips. Without a warning, he sank his teeth deeply into Subaru's skin.
Shocked by the pain, Sumeragi pulled his hand away instinctively and stared at Kamui.
Kamui smiled and calmly declared, "Today I make a Bet with you. For one full year, I shall stay by your side, protecting you, caring for you, and constantly telling you how much I love you. All in the hope that you will grow to feel something special for me. However, if by the end of the Bet, you still do not love me, then I shall willingly leave and you shall neither see nor hear from me ever again."
"Kamui, please do not do this. What I feel for Seishirou-san cannot be easily replaced," Subaru pleaded.
Kamui shook his head. "I must. He gave you a year and you lost the Bet without being aware of its existence. I now give you the same one year, and also a choice. At least in this way, whoever loses will have no regrets.
"And, unlike him, I truly love you, and I'd rather die than hurt you."
Subaru sighed, "But that is why I fear that I'll hurt you instead."
Kamui tenderly caressed Subaru's face, his violet eyes shimmering with gentle but deep affections for the Sumeragi. "This is my choice, and my wish."
There was no arguing with the boy once his mind was set. Subaru understood this. Though his heart was heavy, he was also intrigued by Kamui's Bet. He was being given a second chance at happiness, and perhaps an opportunity to mend his wounded heart. And this time, the outcome of the Bet was going to be decided by him. He might have been used to living on his own, but Yuzuriha's words from long ago returned unbidden to him: "One person is too lonely." Besides, had not Seishirou died to give him a choice to live again?
With a slight nod, Subaru said, "I accept the Bet." He did not protest when Kamui kissed his hand and then led him slowly out of Ueno Park.
The Sakura Tree swayed gently in the breeze and sent a few more flakes of petals to bless the two departing figures.
Owari.