[ Watashi ]

[ Tomodachi ]

[ Saint Seiya ]

[ Clamp ]

[ Fanfiction ]

I put the saber down and sighed. Gods, nothing felt right this morning. I had been sick again, but it didn't explain why I couldn't focus well enough to achieve the basic moves correctly. I looked at my left hand. It hurt a bit, but I couldn't let it stop me. I moved my right wrist cautiously and shook my head. It couldn't explain my very bad performance either.

"Why do you seem so angry ?"

I looked at Kamui, who was coming towards me. Holding the Shinken in his right hand. I said with a self-deprecating smile :

"Because I can't do anything good this morning. You see I have been studying this art during a long time, but today... Well nothing works. I can't focus... What about you ? You're up early..."

He chuckled bitterly.

"Sure..."

He looked at his sword.

"This thing is in my dreams. I can't really sleep. It haunts me. It is alive..."

Exhaustion.

Fear.

Guilt.

Sorrow.

Pain.

Need...

Feeling... Him...

Carefully, I resheated my blade and went to the young man. I rested a hand on his left shoulder, lightly, afraid he would break the contact but he let me. I said gently :

"Kamui-san, I know..."

I smiled softly.

"I understand... The two Holy Swords, they are calling each other. And of course, yours allows you to feel... Fuuma... Doesn't it ?"

He looked at me wonderingly.

"How can you...?"

I sighed.

"Subaru-san told me once I was an empath... I can feel your emotions."

I hesitated during a few seconds, then said :

"I know you hurt inside... I know you need rest. I... I could try to help if you let me..."

He gently took my hand away from his shoulder.

"No. Thank you, but I don't want anyone to protect me. I don't want anyone to feel pain because of me..."

He looked away.

Fuuma.

Kotori.

They had been his friends, Fuuma... Had sworn to protect him...

Unable to help myself, I hugged him very gently, whispering :

"Forgive me, but I can't prevent myself from feeling your pain... I know... I shouldn't, but..."

I held him tight, wishing to shield him from the pain, wanting to build a wall around his soul, to offer him relief...

Voices.

Cries.

Weeping.

Black.

Dark.

Laughing.

Suddenly, my pain for Kamui turned to anger, to rage and I pushed the feelings away, I refused to hear the voices, I raised a barrier between them and me. Breathing heavily, I let go of Kamui, afraid to have hurt him, to have somehow betrayed his trust. But he chuckled.

"Incredible. It's gone... How did you...?"

I smiled.

"A trick. A wall..."

But the feelings still existed, waiting for the moment when the barrier wouldn't be strong enough to hold them at bay. So I said, bowing my head :

"But I must tell you, that it cannot last... I do not know how long it will hold... I hope... I put my heart in it, I gave it everything I could, but..."

He asked me :

"Why ? Because I am the Chosen One ? The one who can save the Earth ? Because I am your best weapon ?"

That hurt me. His words pierced through my heart. I said, feeling a lump in my throat :

"No... I do not know why... I didn't even know I could do something like that, I... Wanted to help, because you needed... Because you gave me not so long ago a reason to live, because... You are my friend, even if I am not yours..."

I made to turn aside, but he stopped me. His fingers gently caught a tear and he smiled sadly.

"Forgive me for causing you pain... If I could dare have a friend, you would be my friend Fiona... But I refuse to hurt you. I refuse to take the risk..."

I shook my head.

"Kamui-san... There will be an end to this. We shall win, and everything will be all right again. Humanity will live, and we will save Fuuma... Please, keep on hoping..."

I hadn't told anyone what I had felt about Fuuma. It was so fragile, I wasn't even sure I hadn't been mistaken... Kamui's hands closed around mine and he said softly :

"Hope for me Fiona, believe for me... I have no place left for hope, but maybe you could be the keeper of those dreams..."

I nodded.

"Yes. If you wish me to, I will guard your dreams..."

Suddenly, he laid a very gentle kiss on my brow.

"Thank you Fiona, for being the gentle and caring person that you are..."

He turned aside and went away. I looked at his retreating back during a long time, hugging myself, feeling a sadness so deep my chest physically hurt. I would have given anything to help him. To bring a smile to his lips, to see a glimmer of hope in his eyes... No one should have had to live through what he had. Even if he was supposed to be the one who'd save or damn humanity. Eventually, I sighed and turned to leave the room too.

"Ah, Watson-san, I am glad I could find you so quickly..."

I looked at the young man in costume, looked at his gentle eyes behind the glasses and suddenly felt a smile rising to my lips. I bowed, saying :

"Good morning to you Seiichirou-san. What can I do for you ?"

Reflexively, he bowed too.

"Ah, of course, good morning..."

He smiled gently.

"I really should be at work now, but... Well, finding you can be considered as part of my work, so I guess it's okay if I'm a bit late at the office... I'm lucky you get up so early to train..."

I looked at him curiously, wiping at the sweat on my neck and my temples with a towel.

"You see, I work for Kadokawa Shoten..."

I almost laughed. Incredible. A Dragon of Heaven, worried he was going to be late at work and... I shook my head.

"Lots of people have been looking for you, you left with your mate without warning anyone, telling what was going on... Of course I understand why you had to, but you really should go to the training center and tell Smith-san that you are resining your post. It would really be better..."

I shrugged. He was right, but I had had other things to think about these last few days. And besides...

"What you say stands to reason Seiichirou-san, but I don't want to take the risk to go all the way there by myself..."

Kujaku, Ashura, Yasha and Steve were busy considering a way to restore Yama-to, trying to understand how it could have been broken in the first place.

"I will gladly accompany you Fiona-san..."

I turned towards the tall young man who had given me my saber back. I smiled inwardly, thinking nature was really favouring this young man. Gods he was gorgeous.

"We can use my car, and so there won't be any risk at all. Besides, I can protect you."

I nodded.

"All right then, we shall go. I guess things must be settled correctly if possible... Thank you for your help Nokoru-san..."

I smiled mischieveously.

"Spending some time with a beautiful young man like you will be a pleasure indeed... Just make sure you have a good life insurance for when Kujaku finds out about our little escapade..."

He blushed and I chuckled, unable to help myself. Seiichirou Aoki nodded.

"So everything is settled then. I can go to the office..."

I looked at his gentle grey eyes.

Love. Fierce.

Denial of Fate.

Clinging to happiness.

Clinging to normality.

Gentleness.

Two names : Shimako-san and Yuka-chan.

The core of his strength.

Desperate wish to protect them.

I nodded and rested briefly a hand on his left wrist.

"Seiichirou-san... No one will destroy this world. No one shall have the Seals I bear. I promise you. Your loved ones... They will be happy. We will fight for them, and for all those like them. And we will prevail..."

He looked at me for a long time, then his right hand brushed my cheek in a gentle caress. He whispered :

"Thank you Fiona-san..."

He smiled sadly.

"We will win, or die trying..."

I sighed inwardly. And yet another traffic jam... Oh gods, well this was the rushing hour after all, but I hated thinking at the time we would need to make the fifty kilometers searating us from the training center. We weren't even out of the city itself yet. The young chairman of the CLAMP Campus board of directors looked towards me, saying :

"Well, sorry about this Fiona-san, but it looks like we're stuck here for a while..."

I leaned back against the headpiece of the very comfortable seat of his luxury car and closed the fingers of my right hand aroung the hilt of my saber, smiling.

"It's okay, I don't mind a little bit of extra-rest Nokoru-san."

I closed my eyes, wondering how much time it would take me to fall asleep.

Heat.

Flames.

Burning.

Fire.

Pain.

Destruction.

Claws. Ripping to shreds.

Dragon.

Dragon's Fire.

My eyes snapped open and I clutched my left wrist, moaning. Oh gods... Gods, the jewels...

"Fiona-san !"

I whispered between clenched teeth :

"The enemy... They are trying to destroy another Seal, they are..."

I bit my lower lip to refrain a cry.

"They must be stopped..."

He turned to wheel violently, taking the car out of the road. Damn it, I had difficutly to breathe, the pain was half-blinding me... I looked at my left wrist and saw blood. Blood staining my sleeve. I choked back a cry, and a hand rested lightly on my shoulder.

"My cellular phone is out. I have to go out to give them a phone call. It won't be long. Then I'll bring you back to the Diet Building and proper settling with Kadokawa be damned. Stay in the car Fiona-san, okay ? Don't move."

I chuckled bitterly.

"Don't think I could run far anyway..."

I dimly heard the door open and close.

Black.

Red.

Fire. Devouring.

Darkness.

Trapped.

Bound.

Pain.

Terror.

I shuddered. Hell, this was unbearable. I couldn't... Couldn't stay in here... trapped... in the darkness... with the flames... couldn't... I opened the door and got out of the car.

I leaned against an electric pole. I looked at the sky and saw only darkness. I looked at the street and saw flames. I looked at the people and saw corpses. Death. My right hand clutched the hilt of the saber and I ran, unheeding of what was around me.

I closed my eyes, trying to catch my breath. Damn. My heart was ready to burst. Slowly, the pain was receding. The horrible vision was relaxing its grip on my soul. I hugged myself. I had no idea why I had reacted so strongly, and it frightened me.

"Well what do we have here ?"

I looked up.

Ten men, street rats. Scum. Damn it to all the hells. Where had I run to ? I didn't even know where I was...

"It's nice of you to come here lady..."

I gritted my teeth.

"You had better leave me alone, fools."

They laughed.

"Hey ! This one is spirited ! We're gonna have fun !"

I tensed, chasing the pain in my wrist and the last remnants of the vision.

"Well miss Fiona, well met..."

I looked on the left. Yuuto Kigai. He looked at my would-be attackers and smiled.

"If you ask me nicely, I might help you..."

I smiled despinsingly.

"Sure, and then you'd take me to tour the government building... Go to hell, why don't you Yuuto-san ?"

He chuckled.

"As you wish. Then I'll wait and pick up what those charming young men will have left of you..."

I unsheated the saber and focused on my enemies.

Blood.

A cry.

Shit ! I stepped side. Curse it ! I... I looked at the blood flowing from a wound, and felt sick. I avoided another attack, fighting the reflex which demanded that I strike. I couldn't... Couldn't kill. I had to get out of here ! I let my blade open a cut in a shoulder, and moved on the right. At the same time another hurled itself at me and I moved... No... I saw the arc of the saber, and closed my eyes. No ! I twisted, trying desperately to avoid dealing the killing blow, and tripped on something. Lost my balance... Fell...

I cried out as a fist struck me in the chest. Hell... Another caught me in the face, and I desperately tried to regain some sort of balance. Unsuccessfully. Another blow hit me in the right flank and I fell heavily on the concrete.

"Fiona-san !"

Nokoru... Nokoru's voice...

"I have no need of another player here..."

I heard a cry as Yuuto Kigai struck at the young man and closed my eyes. Goddess, no...

"So miss Fiona, are you ready to ask for my help now ?..."

I looked at him, at the leering smile on his lips and said nothing. He didn't deserve an anwser. He shrugged.

"So be it... Have fun boys !"

I caught a fist, avoided another, but a booted foot struck me savagely on the flank and I cried out. Pain blinded me and the fingers of my right hand opened, letting the saber fall. Suddenly, I felt arms paralyzing me, and a hand slapped me. I tasted blood in my mouth.

"You... You are going to pay for each drop of blood you spilled..."

Hands clawed at me, and I heard a ripping sound as my shirt was torn. I felt the wind on my bare skin, and shuddered, understanding. I tried to fight them, but they laughed. I... No... The hands pulled my shirt open and I felt tears running on my face, mixing with the blood. Oh Goddess... Goddess, no...

Cherry blossom petal, carried by the wind.

I closed my eyes.

Muffled cries... Silence... I fell on the road. Surrounded by corpses.

Cherry blossoms petals, whirling around me.

"What are you doing here Sakurazukamori ?"

There was anger and uncertainty in Yuuto Kigai's voice. The dark handsmome man in long black raincoat said in a deceptively soft voice :

"It is my prey you are toying with..."

Yuuto Kigai shrugged.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you didn't exactly put an ownership mark on her..."

Sakurazukamori laughed.

"I did, but you would need Sight to see it... Now go. She is mine."

Yuuto Kigai smiled at me.

"Well honey, I think you're going to be sorry you didn't beg me for help..."

He slowly walked away, and I looked wordlessly at Sakurazukamori. If I had been able to, I would have smiled. He had won. And I had won too. He would end his hunt, and the jewels would die with me. He came to me, and knelt beside me. He took off his coat and gently covered me with it. I stared at him unable to understand. His right hand soflty brushed my face, wiping the blood and the tears. He had a deprecating smile.

"Well, they really do lack finesse, don't they ?"

His hands rested lightly on my temples and he chanted softly. I felt my eyes close. The pain... It was disappearing... The fear, the horror... Vanishing... I let myself go, drowning in the relief he was offering me. I felt tears soaking my face as the tension was leaving my body. His lips kissed the tears, and he whispered :

"You are mine lady... And I will not let anyone else hurt you..."

He smiled gently.

"I will destroy your spirit without any outside interference. This is between you and me alone..."

Hunger.

Desire. Burning.

Thirst. That nothing could ever quell. Ever.

I shivered, trapped by the light in his eyes. He chuckled.

"But to do it now wouldn't be fun... Or fair..."

He stroked my hair.

"So I am going to let you go free my sweet lady..."

I shook my head. It made no sense, even if he didn't feel like killing me now, he should have...

"Why ? On whose side are you ?"

He laughed softly.

"My lady, you should know... Mine. Mine and no one else's..."

He was... mad. Completely mad.

"And since these fools hurt you and weakened you, I will give you a gift. A very precious gift my lady..."

His hand cupped my chin.

"I expected you at the training center, I had a surprise for you there..."

I shuddred violently, dreading to understand, and he held me close, very gently, whispering :

"No my lady, do not fear. This stallion of yours is safe... And will stay safe, I give you my word. No harm shall befall your beloved horses. This is my gift to you."

Sobs shook me. Oh Goddess, Cloud... Cloud... I should have known, thought... At last, I got a grip on myself and said :

"Thank you. Thank you, they... Have nothing to do with this..."

He made me look at him.

"The fear and pain in your heart tell me the truth lady. But this weapon against you I shall discard..."

He looked away.

"One of your guardians is coming. I will leave you. Rest well. The End is very near now..."

He got up, and disappeared in a cloud of cherry blossom petals. I closed his coat around me and stared at nothing. The End... I remembered the blood on my wrist as one Seal was being broken. I remembered the Vision. Once the Seals would all be destroyed... No. No it wouldn't happen. Damn it it would not ! I got up, surprised not to feel pain at all. Sakurazukamori... He had healed me. Really. He had protected me... I smiled bitterly. Because he didn't enjoy abused meat, he had told me so himself. Slowly, I went to the motionless form of Nokoru and knelt beside him.

He was going to be all right. I could hear his heart beating strongly in his chest. Thank the Goddess for that at least.

"Fiona !"

I looked back. Steve. He ran towards me and held me close.

"Are you okay ?"

I nodded.

"Yes..."

I smiled bitterly.

"Thanks to Sakurazukamori..."

His hands squeezed my shoulders.

"What ?!"

I laughed.

"He protected his prey. He doesn't want his fun to be spoiled..."

I felt my body shaking, and Steve hugged me soflty. Damn, he was right : the End was very near. Holding on to sanity was more and more difficult. Damn him, he was closer to winning than he knew. I cried :

"Damn him ! Damn him to all the hells !"

Wordlessly, Steve wiped away my tears and I closed my eyes. Suddenly, I felt my emotions pulled away from me, absorbed, and I understood what he was doing. I didn't want that, I didn't want him or anyone doing that... As Kamui had refused it... But I needed his help, I needed it too much to be able to deny him. It went on a long time, and then he relaxed his hold, saying with a tired smile :

"Okay, why don't you see to Nokoru-san ? He should wake up soon. I'm going to get your saber, all right ?"

I bowed my head.

"I couldn't use it. When it came to that, I couldn't... I couldn't kill..."

He stroked my face gently.

"It's okay Fiona... Not everyone can. You defended yourself, you fought as long as you could. You delayed them. And it was enough, wasn't it ? if you hadn't, then even Sakurazukamori wouldn't have come in time... Although it costs me to admit he saved you... Do you understand ?"

I nodded and he smiled.

"It's okay then. Help Nokoru-san up and let's get out of here. You don't want to be here when the police arrives. Believe me you definitely don't want that..."

I looked at the corpses scattered in the street. I looked at the blood and wished I would wake up from this nightmare.

End of Part 10.

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