[ Watashi ]

[ Tomodachi ]

[ Saint Seiya ]

[ Clamp ]

[ Fanfiction ]

"It is time for us to return to a world of life..." I shook my head. These had been her words. I didn't need to close my eyes to see Seiya's dead body in her arms, the blood everywhere... So much blood... Her golden aura had envelopped us and... Now this...

I leaned wearily against a tall skyscraper wall, looking at the traffic lights in front of me without really seeing them. I sighed heavily, fighting my tears, fighting the terrible pain in my chest, fighting my fear... I looked at the avenue, I looked at the few cars passing through and my heart raced. It seemed all so... normal... This was Tokyo, everything my eyes could see confirmed it, but dread gripped my soul.

"I'm sorry Sir, but there is no one by this name in Tokyo, it may be you misspelled it..." A bitter smile came to my lips as the light became red. No, I hadn't misspeled the name. I couldn't. Something was terribly wrong. This was Japan... And yet it was not the Japan I knew... I looked at myself, fighting to stifle a nervous laugh. The God Cloth was gone, Andromeda had left me, I couldn't feel my friends' presence anywhere... I couldn't feel Athena... Damn it to all the Hells ! Damn it ! My right hand closed into a fist and savagely hit the concrete.

I pushed away from the wall. There had to be an explanation, maybe I had misspelled the name... Maybe I was too tired, maybe... It would wait until morning, anyway. I didn't have any money, and even though it wasn't really cold, I didn't relish the prospect of spending the night outside. I looked at the avenue's name, but I couldn't place it on my mental map of the city. I shrugged. I guessed it could have been far worse after all. It would become clear with the light of day, with the sunlight... Suddenly, I realised that I yearned for the warmth and the protection of the sun. Hades... I chased him away from my mind and slowly walked away.

I stopped abruptly, annoyed. I looked around, but there was nothing. I pushed back a lock of hair, wondering why I had ceased walking like that. I closed my eyes and wished for a long dreamless night, for rest, for peace... Something... Without thinking, I felt my whole body tensing. Something was tugging at the back of my mind, something I didn't know. Suddenly, a white shape shimmered in the night. A bird... And then not really a bird...As quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared, as if swallowed by the darkness. I took a few steps in its direction, wanting to know if it had been a vision or reality.

It had been going towards a huge park, and... I stopped, fighting to keep my balance. I had slipped on something, the ground was wet. But... It hadn't rained... My vision steadied and I choked back a cry. The ground was wet all right, but not because of water. The ground was slick with blood. A lot of blood.

I took a step back, fear gripping my heart. The blood made a trail between the park and somewhere down the street. Then, only a few steps from me, I saw a dark shape lying on the pavement. During a fraction of a second, I considered turning my back on whatever was there, and going away. I had done more than my part already, no one could have told me otherwise, but... There might still be someone to help. I smiled bitterly. I couldn't abandon someone in need. I shook my head, going towards the motionless shape, thinking that my feelings would one day be the death of me.

I kneeled beside him, walling away the pain and the sadness I felt for him. It was a young man, almost still a boy. Very gently, I slipped a hand under his neck and lifted his head. He had numerous cuts everywhere on him, but the worst was the gaping hole in his chest. Very slowly, he opened his eyes and looked at me. Numbly, I returned his look, unable to understand how he could still be alive. Death was hovering around him, but somehow he was fighting it, although his struggle was hopeless. He smiled soflty, whispering :

"Thank you... Thank you... For coming..."

Suddenly, a fit of coughing took over his body and he spat blood. Those eyes... The pain, the sorrow, the despair in those eyes... I felt tears burning my eyes. It was not fair. Why did he have to die ? Distantly, I knew I wasn't reacting normally, I didn't even know who he was, it shouldn't have mattered so much... But it did. I bit my lower lip and lifted my head, opening myself to the beautiful vision of the starlit sky. Maybe if I let him tap into my cosmo...

"No..."

His gentle whisper shattered my concentration. I looked down at him.

"Too late... and... dangerous..."

I stared at him, astounded. He knew. He knew or at least could feel... Suddenly, a piece of this puzzle fell into place and I asked him :

"You called me, didn't you ?"

His right hand gripped my arm as a shiver of pain ran through his body.

"Yes... But not... For this... My life... I have given... You... There must be Balance... Balance..."

He wasn't making any sense. Delirium was taking him away from reality, Death was getting tired of this game. His eyes closed as he stifled another cry of pain.

"Once I am gone... Someone... Must face him... He cannot... remain alone... Someone... Must replace me... The Balance... There must be Balance... Between the clans who wield... Onmyoujutsu... You..."

I shook my head, telling him gently :

"You shouldn't talk, it only makes your pain worse."

Suddenly, there was fear in his eyes.

"But... This is... Too important, you..."

I lowered my head.

"Forgive me, but... What you say makes no sense to me."

His fingers lost their grip on my right arm.

"What?... But you... heard me..."

Suddenly, pain hit him again, harder than ever and he moaned. I held him close, wishing I could help him fight Death, wishing... Suddenly, he stiffened in my arms.

"No !"

There was a desperate anger in his eyes.

"I told you... Don't do that..."

It was only then that I realised I had begun spreading my cosmo and envelopping him in Andromeda's radiant light.

"You must not... He will... know..."

Without knowing why, I obeyed, and he smiled softly.

"Thank you... I know... my pain... hurts you... I understand... You have Power... Even though... I never encountered its like... There is no one else..."

Something like hatred flashed briefly in his eyes.

"During all those years... I thought only of vengeance... of killing..."

His lips curved in a self-deprecating smile.

"It was madness..."

Suddenly, he looked straight at me.

"My name is... Sumeragi... Subaru... And I choose... you..."

I shivered. It was as if he could see through me, as if my soul was opened to him. I wanted to tell him I didn't understand anything of what he had said. I wanted to tell him to go to Hell with his Balance... But I couldn't. Instead, I found myself asking him :

"Who did this to you ?"

His eyes had taken a distant look.

"Sakurazukamori..."

This didn't make any sense ! It was madness, he was delirious, he was...

"Seishirou-san... I love you... I have always loved you."

As his soft whisper died in the night's silence, the spark of life left him. I looked at him, helplessly, I looked at the peaceful smile on his lips, at the teardrop running along his left cheek and held him while sobs shook me.

I laid him carefully on the ground and got up. A genlte breeze was rustling the leaves of the trees in the park. Suddenly, I saw soft pink petals floating in the air and landing on the young man's body. Cherry blossoms... I turned to look at the park.

It was the beginning of Spring, too early for the cherry trees to have blossoms yet, but strangely, one of the trees, the most beautiful I had ever seen, was full of fresh pink blossoms. Something abruptly stang me, and I raised a hand to my right cheek. My fingers closed on one of the cherry blossoms, mixed with a little of my blood. There was a very small cut on my cheek. I shrugged and wiped the few drops of blood, turning my back on the cherry tree and its blossoms.

I looked at the young man's corpse. Even though I didn't understand or believe a word of what he had told me, I couldn't leave him there. Gently, I picked him up and walked away.

End of part 1.

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