Author note: Ah, what to say… enjoy?

Disclaimer: if Subaru and Kamui aren't canon… I don't own.

Chapter start

Kamui had a temper on him. That much all the seals could agree on. Still, generally he didn't cuss beyond the mild use. Therefore, when Subaru registered his raised voice and the cuss words laced through the speech he perked up.

He bowed politely to the salesmen and grabbed the tray of takoyaki. Kamui was by the spring. He had subsided into simple mutterings but he still looked mutinous. Subaru couldn't really blame him. They had been in the small town for three days since the incident and nothing had amounted to it.

The ghost hadn't reappeared and the townspeople were tightlipped. Even the victims were not speaking to them if they brought up the attack.

"It'll be okay," Subaru murmured softly. He offered the food.

Kamui studied it as if it they were a science experiment. He turned away. Subaru opened his mouth and Kamui shot him a look, grabbing one rather than hear him complain. Again, he studied it before biting a small piece and chewing carefully.

"Too much ginger," he pronounced and Subaru shook his head. "You act as if I'm withering away."

The onmyoji felt a muscle in his cheek twitch. He patiently ate his own portion, hiding the grimace. Kamui was right; there was way too much ginger.

"You have lost weight," he commented softly.

"I'm fine."

Subaru didn't comment further. Kamui was Kamui. Instead, he allowed his mind to wander to his hunt.

This ghost was becoming annoying. Nobody would really mention anything to do with her. That was why, today, they were going to her old mansion. Really, it was just a pile of rubble mostly, an old eyesore.

But whenever they tried to tear it down, apparently there were always accidents. Workers would seem to go mad and even a few unlucky ones had been killed. Subaru was certain this would have been her haunting ground, given that tidbit.

"Do you think we'll see her?"

Subaru sighed. "I don't know."

This was another issue. Since that night, Kamui seemed obsessed with the ghost. Whatever he had felt from her had captivated him. Subaru frowned slightly. It had seemed like such a smart thing, an easy job that would be safe to bring Kamui too. A chance to get the teen out of Tokyo, and out from under that oppressive destiny.

If he could, Subaru knew he would keep the teen away from even going back. If only he could…

The house was a shambled mess, but parts were still livable. Subaru and Kamui both paused upon entering, feeling the swirl of energy. The place reeked of physic ability.

"Subaru…" Kamui grabbed his arm suddenly and the onmyoji cursed.

Right before their eyes it seemed the place manifested before them. Instead of seeming ran down and missing chunks, it looked whole and inviting. The flame of candles lanterns muted the rich wood coloring across the room.

"It's a figment, a memory," Subaru said calmly. "Illusion."

"Subaru! That… it's her."

And indeed, a rather attractive woman seemed to almost float into the room, arms folded neatly before her. Her feet made no sound on the floor as she passed right by them, passed right through Subaru who frowned.

Her hair was unbound, oddly for a woman of that time. Her kimono was perhaps even more damning than anything was. It was wrinkled slightly, the obi tied loosely.

Before their eyes she smiled, a hand touching her lips gently, fingers ghosting. "Soon," she breathed the happiness in her voice palpable.

She soon faded, position changing. She was now over by the window, worry clear on her face. She was dressed differently, more professionally. A man was near her, a male version with lighter hair and stern features.

"Brother…"

The older man reached out. Kamui couldn't halt his cry of alarm when flesh struck flesh, the wide palm cracking across the soft cheek of his younger sister. Subaru clutched Kamui by the arm to stop him from rushing forward.

"This is fake, Kamui, remember," he implored. "Just watch."

For this was great insight onto his mission. Perhaps here, where the memories were so oppressive, made real by the psychic ability lingering, maybe here they would see into the girls reasons for haunting her once home.

"How dare you do this to us," the male was hissing.

"Hiroyuki, please, I-"

"And to shame us even farther by writing it!" A notebook was hurled to the ground, the young girl wincing. "Think you I enjoyed reading thoughts that make my sister into a whore?"

This seemed to jolt the girl into action. "I am not-! Hiroyuki, I love him."

"Love," the man scoffed. "Love is merely an illusion for peasants. Is that what you want to be? Is that the life you want? Living in filth and squalor, with children, you cannot possibly feed about you. See how far your feeling of love will get you then; see if it will keep food in your belly, warmth in your bones. See if it keeps you beautiful or if you will become old before your time, with cut and bruised skin from working. Is that what you want?"

As her brother had spoken the girl had began weeping. The man released his grip on her and the girl seemed to collapse, folding in on herself.

Subaru had stepped forward, motioning for Kamui to stay still. He was curious, how far was this illusion into the corporal world. He knelt near the two arguing illusions, eying the journal. It lay opened on its back, the characters in neat ink.

Xxxxx

I have met a filthy peasant today, one who had the nerve to question my esteemed Father. Lucky for the man my Father is above their ridiculous bleating. I do not know what they have to complain so about. Surely, I do not wish to be in this miserable border town either, nor do my sister and brother. Yet it is land my Father received, and it is his responsibility to be here.

They are like cattle, my brother says. One must use a firm hand.

Xxxxx

My luck is surely cursed. It was merely my intent to take a walk without my guard. Curse my luck to run into that foul little peasant again. The wounds from his last lashing seemed to have healed over well. He was, sadly, just as rude. He even called me a spoiled child who knew nothing of the truth! While I do not deny being spoiled, I know plenty. My Brother and Father tell me what I need to know, I do not need more than that.

Xxxxx

That man found me again. He remarked, this time, it was dangerous for a woman to alone so often. He did not seem impressed when I told him of my desire for occasional solitude. He told me of the bandits that sometimes frequented the area and with nobody to protect me, I would be easy prey. His concern was odd. I had never been anything but dismissive of him, yet he still insisted to walk me closer to my home. Perhaps, even among peasants there are gentlemen.

Xxxxx

He called me his friend, when I questioned his kindness to me. Strange, indeed.

"Hiroyuki… brother, what will you do to him?" her words were weak, fearful.

The man eyed her up and down, seeming partially disgusted, partially angered. "I would like nothing more than to rip him asunder. Imagine, making my sister believe such trifling concepts, taking advantage of her innocence…."

"Please…"

Hiroyuki suddenly bent and grabbed the journal, his fingers so tight it crinkled. "Fear not. That filth will never know of the lucky break he had. You however will and will pay the price. I will not tell Father or Mother. But you will marry."

Her eyes grew wide. He smirked. "Worried your husband will be cross with your loss of virtue? Do not worry. I have a suitor in mind. Yukimura is a good man, and has cared for you. Better still, he will take you from this village."

The images faded and suddenly, it was the dilapidated home again. Subaru rose to his feet as Kamui made his way in cautiously. The eyes asked the question and the onmyoji nodded.

"It's safe. Sometimes, memories leave powerful energy behind. That girl has been a spirit for so long; her energy is seeped into the walls and the surrounding area. It must have reacted with our abilities, letting us view the past. We couldn't participate but we could perceive it.

If a normal person came through, they wouldn't have seen or heard anything, unless she specifically wanted them to."

Kamui hummed thoughtfully. "It seems she had a lover… one unsuited for her station."

Subaru nodded. "Yes."

"I don't see how the villagers fear her so much. She seems- seemed, like a rather weak girl. Her brother bullied her soundly."

Subaru glanced at the teen, ruffling his hair. "Times were different then. The women were raised to be submissive. It's no shock she would bow to her families will. If word got out she had a lover other than a husband, her reputation would be tattered and her family slandered."

"Maybe that's why. She seemed so sad, that night. She said that I was like her, that what I wanted could never be. Maybe she's bitter at the fact she was forced to marry someone else."

Subaru swallowed. What Kamui wanted was Fuma. He pressed a hand to where his heart seemed to dive into his stomach at the thought. This was getting, he thought, to be rather pathetic.

"Consider the story," he said levelly. "The girl vanished, never to be seen again, and her body was never recovered either. A peasant was found on her families' estate, covered in blood."

The younger teen stepped a little forward. "Maybe then, her lover was angry and killed her."

"We'll find out soon enough."

The onmyoji nodded decisively. "I'll stay the night here. Kamui, you can go back to the hotel, if you like."

The teen glared at him sharply. "I'm not going to go wait obediently in the inn like a child."

The onmyoji cocked a brow. "I wasn't asking you to. You can stay, if you like."

Kamui nodded. "Good."

"If…"

"'If'?" Kamui demanded smartly.

"If you eat a proper meal," Subaru bargained. "Kamui, you've lost weight. You're like skin stretched across bone."

"… Fine. But, I'm cooking it."

"You don't trust my cooking?"

"If I'm supposed to be gaining weight, it probably wont help if I get sick eating It." the comment was loaded with snark and Subaru smiled slightly.

In the end, all they did was search the house thoroughly but there were no more little scenes. Kamui had almost fallen through a hole and Subaru had let the young teen cling to him after, ignoring his own unwillingness to let him go.

When they ate, it was mostly just jerky and chips. Subaru finished eating before Kamui but his eye clearly told the teen to keep eating his share. Much eye rolling accompanied it but he did.

He fidgeted briefly until Subaru sighed. "Come here. It might get cold tonight; I'm not familiar with this regions weather."

The onmyoji was sitting against the wall, blankets spread out that he had brought, along with his thermos of tea. He didn't intend to sleep tonight. If he was lucky, the spirit would appear and he would be able to exorcise her while Kamui slept.

He wasn't as interested in her story as Kamui. The past didn't matter in the least to him, all that mattered was she had been enough nuisance to have someone wanting her gone.

Kamui wondered when he had gotten used to close proximity to Subaru. He didn't blush when he settled between his legs, back to chest, arms holding him loosely. The scent of the cigarette drifted up from where he was held, the smoke from Subaru exhaling wrapping him up.

"Subaru… the ghost, she said what I wanted couldn't be. Think she was right?"

"Kamui, I don't know. Fuma-"

"That isn't what she was talking about. I thought so too but… I know more about her story now, and I realize what she meant."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Subaru asked carefully.

"Hmm, it's possible to have more than one wish, right? You're proof of that." Kamui looked up at him. Subaru tried to ignore how damned appealing the position was.

"Yes."

"Then… Subaru, I want you to know, I wish… I wish… for you to be happy."

"Kamui…"

His hand found the curve of Kamui's jaw, tracing it lightly with a feather touch. He studied intently the way the eyes drooped half closed. "Would you like to hear one of my wishes?"

Kamui let out a small sigh, partially a moan, as a thumb brushed his bottom lip. "Kamui, I can't let go of Seishiro. Much like you can't let go of Fuma. But I wish, more and more every day, for you to live. For you to be happy. I want to protect you, Kamui, every way I can."

"Then, Subaru…"

Before they could say, anything more a shriek of anguish went through the air. The home again appeared in its glory, this time with the girl on the floor, crying. She was filthy and with a jolt, Kamui recognized it. She was wearing the same kimono she had worn at the hotel; it was already caked in mud and dirt. The same twigs and leaves were in her hair.

Subaru and Kamui both flew to their feet, Subaru with his eyes narrowed, Kamui with his wide in horror. This… this was the way this girl looked, before she disappeared.

A new man was kneeling in front of her. He was broad of shoulder and obviously not sure what to do. His dark hair had a ruffled look about it, as though he had run his hand through it.

"Mayuki… Mayuki, please, stop these tears." The man had a voice that seemed to hold authority, though he was trying to gentle it.

"I said, leave me alone!"

He reached out, gently wiping some dirt from her cheek. "If I did that, I would be a foolish man. Two and a half years of marriage and you truly think I would abandon you to this?"

"Yukimura…"

"Besides, a woman in your condition… you took a nasty fall, and you are in a state. I will call for the doctor. Please, rest."

"No!" Her hands reached out, desperately clinging. "You must find Sasuke!"

Yukimura frowned, eyes narrowed. He grimaced horribly. "I hardly think-"

"Please, Yukimura. I understand you hate him, but please…"

The man sighed, turning to pull Mayuki to her feet. He cleared his throat as he took her hands. "My dear, you are a mother, and soon you will be so again. Both of them are my own, as are you. Please, think of your responsibility as the wife of Yukimura Harumi."

"I know," she spat. Her hand fluttered to her belly. "I know I am destined never to carry his child. But please, please, do not put his death on my hands, or yours."

Yukimura hesitated briefly. "It is not in my hands. Your brother is the one who is searching."

He left her alone and Mayuki traveled to her window, her hand touching the cool glass. "Sasuke… forgive me. If only we had never returned here, if only I had never met up with you… forgive me…"

Then her eyes hardened. "I will not let you die." Her hand again fluttered to her stomach. Her eyes flickered down between the door and her stomach. "Yukimura… I will protect this life within, but I will not forsake anyone… you taught me that, yes?"

With that, she crept from her window, moving awkwardly from never having done such a thing in her life. Her elegant, tattered kimono tore off as she dropped her small gasp at the impact harsh.

Subaru rushed to the window when the scene did not immediately vanish. He watched the apparition vanish into the trees, catching sight of her kimono as she ran down the path.

"Let's go Kamui!"

"Eh?"

Subaru turned. "This memory is unusually strong. It hasn't faded. If we hurry, we may be able to preserve it until the end. You wanted to know what happened to her, right?"

The two leapt from the window, giving wild chase. Kamui yelled to Subaru as he did so. "She looks the way she appeared in the hotel!"

Subaru nodded. "Then… this must be the memory of her last night alive. Hurry, Kamui!"

In the night, the woods surrounding the mansion seemed to be sinister. Kamui found himself staring into the dark corners where the moon didn't reach, as though something would leap out. He was wise enough to know things truly did go bump in the night.

Subaru was staring around, now they had stopped. The girl was nowhere to be seen and Subaru was losing too much energy, throwing out random bolts to see if he could jog another memory illusion up.

A part of him was eager to wrap this up. Another, was damned pissed off because he was aware, something more had shifted between Kamui and him. Before he could even explore it, this had to happen. His gaze roved over to the teen, which looked nervous and a little lost.

Kamui tilted his head. He could hear her, distantly, as though Mayuki was far away, her voice distorted.

"Subaru, it's this way."

For his part, the onmyoji didn't question. Kamui had formed some sort of link to Mayuki, one he wasn't sure was safe, but he didn't think was dangerous. The more he saw of the memories the more he became aware of the forlorn breath to the air, sorrow blanketing the mansion and the entirety of the woods.

When Kamui burst out into an area, he was momentarily disoriented. Then he saw the steam.

"A hot spring?" Subaru threw out a blast of energy and dropped a hand to Kamui's back.

"So, this is her actual main area," the onmyoji murmured.

Kamui blinked as the spirit of Mayuki stood there beside the hot spring. Her smile was small, tender around the edges and all the more fragile for it. Silver stains of blood trailed down her kimono.

Unlike before, she didn't bother trying to solidify at all, choosing to remain in a phantom state. She was palely colorless, mesmerizing blue light seeming to emit from her body.

"You've been rather docile, for a spirit aware of why I'm here," Subaru commented.

Mayuki chuckled. "Perhaps, because now I finally wish to ask for help."

"Help?"

"Yes. You were in the mansion. So, you witnessed certain things from my past."

Kamui cleared his throat. "Why did you come to me that night? And why were we able to see those things about you?"

The woman turned away, floating a few paces away. Her hand still fluttered to her stomach, except now they caressed a bloody tear. "Those things are the ones I cannot let go of, no matter how long it has been. I cannot forget them. I cannot alter them.

"As for that, I sensed your suffering. It felt like mine… I didn't mean to wake you."

Kamui arched a brow. "Pretty dramatic acting, for someone who didn't want to wake me."

Mayuki waved a dismissive hand. When you both woke, I sensed your companion's abilities. Yours as well, though you are not nearly so trained. I have a request."

Subaru pushed his hands in his pockets. "If I can… I'll help."

"You know, of course, I knew two men in my life." She waited for both to nod. "The first was a peasant by the name of Sasuke. He was… a very different sort than I was used to. He was crude where other men were refined; he was scornful of the nobles… of my family. He had the right to be, I realize now. Yet, he was my first friend. It seemed inevitable I fell in love."

"Then why didn't you stay with him," Kamui asked.

Mayuki shook her head. "I was frightened. My Brother, Hiroyuki, spelled out the life I would live clearly and it terrified me. I would lose everything: my status, my family, everything I used to judge myself. I wanted him, but I wanted to remain me, you see."

"So, you went and married your brothers friend," Subaru said dully. "Why did you return here?"

"My mother died. Yukimura knew I would want to visit, to be here for my Father. We hired a nanny for our firstborn and brought him along, a chance to introduce little Nagamasa around… this one here never got to be introduced to anyone, except hard steel."

Mayuki tilted her head, closing her eyes. "No, my second child moved on. I pray she is with her Father now, and her Brother. I am alone, left to my atonement."

"Atonement?" Kamui and Subaru exchanged looks.

"Yes… you see, I was a girl when I loved Sasuke. First love is always so magical. It is consuming and passionate, something I had never had before. But… by the time I returned, I had fallen completely for my husband, Yukimura. He took me, knowing my virtue was gone, yet he never scorned me for it. He was a steady presence, always making me laugh. My time with him… was joyful. I wanted to see it through.

"I learned something very important, in these centuries. When I was with Sasuke, my reputation and happiness were more important to me. With Yukimura… I did not care. He could have been disgraced, we could have lost everything and I would have loved him. Even if it cost my happiness, I would gladly have paid it to make him happy."

Kamui shook his head. "Then, why did you meet up with Sasuke?"

"I told you he was my first friend. I merely wanted to tell him of my life. We shared a few laughs, he told me of his own wife and their twins. When Hiroyuki and Yukimura found us, my brother was enraged. Sasuke barely escaped. While my brother gave chase Yukimura took me back to the mansion.

I know he did not understand, that he thought I was choosing Sasuke over him. I died before I could correct that. Really though, I merely wanted to insure Sasuke survived. I intended to give him enough gold to take his family out of the town, knowing Hiroyuki would destroy them otherwise, now he believed I had shamed the family again."

"And yet… Sasuke killed you?" Kamui folded his arms in confusion, whereas Mayuki looked startled.

"No, Sasuke had managed to make it home. I hadn't known that or I would never have gone out that night."

Seeing the curiosity eating away at Kamui, Subaru sighed. "It was… your brother, wasn't it?"

Kamui whipped his head around to gawk at him. He shot his gaze back to the woman though when she gave an affirmative.

"You thought it was Sasuke because of the legend saying it was a peasant, yes? Father and Yukimura were responsible for that. Yukimura had come chasing after me, and my Father accompanied him. By then though, it was already far too late, even to retrieve my body. Hiroyuki admitted what he had done. I was surprised. My own brother, gone mad… Father and Yukimura took him to the village and the villagers had him hung. They also went to the trouble to have him removed from the records of our family, letting him die a nameless man's death."

But then, where is your body?"

When it happened again, the two were prepared. They didn't flinch when the clearing bathed itself in the illusions moonlight. The spirit Mayuki had vanished to be replaced by the illusion.

She was taking a break, reclining against a tree. She didn't hear the footsteps but Kamui and Subaru saw the shape of a man coming toward her. Mayuki cried out when she was suddenly grabbed, shoved forward a few steps.

"Even now… even now you disgrace me. Running away to your lover?"

"Brother!"

Hiroyuki had the glint of madness in his eyes. "I saved you once. I even gave you to a friend! Yet, again, and again, you choose that filth… you are… truly… useless trash. Perhaps I should have left you to your fate two years ago."

"No, you don't understand. I merely wanted to make sure-"

Her words were gone. Before she could even grasp what was happening, a dagger imbedded into her stomach. Stun seemed to take over her features but then her eyes widened, tears cascading.

"… My child! What are you doing!" she shoved away, ignoring the pain as the dagger pulled from her flesh. Her hands clutched fearfully at her stomach, fear for her child.

"No… No, oh no… Yukimura…"

"Don't even pretend, you useless whore! That child was never Yukimura's. It belonged to that filth didn't it?"

Mayuki moaned, in pain. "You… fool. How could you do this?"

"Don't worry." Hiroyuki grinned, a truly horrifying sight considering the madness in his face. "Ill reunites you soon. And later, your filthy peasant lover will join you in hell!"

Mayuki screamed as he lunged. His dagger slashed through her, blood spurting outwards, just as Kamui had seen it do. This was now his memory of things. Only instead of falling out the window, she merely fell backwards. Before her body hit the ground, Hiroyuki caught it.

It was a macabre scene, made worse by the startling elegance of it. The moonlight bathed the two siblings, blood splattered on both of them. The way her body hung limply, held aloft only by his hand, was elegant. The dagger flashed in his other hand.

With slow movements, he knelt, cradling Mayuki. She was gasping and spluttering, choking on her own blood. Hiroyuki waited until her body seized up in death, waited for it to go limp. He held her long enough for the eyes to gain the glazed look to them before he lifted her body.

Subaru looked away as her body was dumped into the hot spring. Kamui however watched. He went over next to it even. The water was becoming fowl with blood, the churning motions of it sickening. As he stared, the body sunk. And as he stared the body vanished, as did the blood, but he knew he would never forget the sight.

The spirit had returned and she was soft, her voice blank. "So, now you know the story. I died, and I remain because I failed so much in life. I failed to make my husband realize he was the love of my life. I even failed as a mother. But… I am tired. I want… I looked for Yukimura. For a while, he was here, still. I could not appear before him, but my presence seemed to disrupt him somehow so I ceased going near him. But I cannot find him now. I miss him…"

Subaru swallowed. "Your request?"

Mayuki smiled faintly. "I do not know how to move on. Help me, please?"

Subaru nodded, gesturing Kamui behind him. Mayuki waited calmly while he began his chant, feeling the power circulate. Kamui took it all in with a mixture of sorrow. This woman had such a sad tale to her. Would he too die miserable, lingering on?

Mayuki tilted her head at him. Kamui smiled weakly and she nodded.

Bright light seemed to explode around them, wind gushing. Subaru opened his eyes and stopped the chant. "You only have to go into the light. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Ah… what are your names?"

"Subaru Sumeragi."

"I'm… Kamui Shiro."

Mayuki smiled at them both. "I pray… no, I hope you two will be happy. Do not be foolish as I was, clinging to old flames and memories. You two mean a lot to the other… you look at each other… how Yukimura used to look at me."

"I hope you find him again," Kamui said sincerely.

"Yes, thank you." Mayuki stepped forward. Her eyes widened and a smile broke over her face. "… Yukimura!"

The light coalesced around her, so bright it was hard to focus. But in the middle of that a figure of a man appeared with her, arms already wrapping her into a tight embrace. "You… kept me waiting for a long time."

Mayuki gave a watery chuckle. "I'm sorry. I am here now though… forever."

"Yes."

The two vanished after a moment. On the wind, the two living people heard it though. The call of two voices, one male and the other female, giving them thanks.

Subaru turned to look at Kamui briefly. "Let's go." He smiled slightly to soften the fact his voice was wary with fatigue.

Kamui nodded. "Alright."

End chapter

Author note: Yay! Well, I'm tired now. Therefore, I will sign off haha. Tell me, what did you all think of the story of Mayuki? I wanted to extend it a bit but I also really wanted it out. Well, leave a review, please!