[ Watashi ]

[ Tomodachi ]

[ Saint Seiya ]

[ Clamp ]

[ Fanfiction ]

I shivered, closing the light jacket around me a bit tighter. A strong wind was blowing in the cemetary.

Cold.

Time had passed, months had gone by without my noticing them.

Winter had ended, and Spring had come.

I looked up at the dark grey sky and distantly wondered if it was going to rain soon.

I hadn't brought an umbrella.

I smiled, thinking that for once my carelessness didn't matter.

I put a knee on the ground in front of a small tomb.

It was really small, and unremarkable.

Sadness filled my heart as I read the name on it.

I bowed my head, accepting the sorrow and letting the tears come to my eyes.

Denying them would have been futile.

Denying them would have been a lie.

Sumeragi Sayaka...

I gently laid the few snow-drops I had gathered down on the tombstone.

The teenager girl would have frowned at me had she known why I had come.

I chuckled silently.

I was foolish, but then I was aware of this.

My fingers touched the cold stone.

I still could not understand why she had given away her life.

I had not been, and would never be worthy of such a sacrifice.

The more so because my life hadn't been in danger.

Why had my hatred been worth her death ?

What did the Sumeragi care if Seishirou killed me ?

What did the Sumeragi care if I went to my death ?

What would it change ?

Why had there been hope in Sumeragi Sayaka's eyes as the owl had become a falcon when reaching me ?

What did this all mean ?

I had the feeling of being a pawn in a much bigger game.

And I resented that.

I smiled coldy.

I wouldn't be anybody's pawn, ever.

It was going to end my way.

Because there was now something I was certain of.

I suddenly saw the white sleeve of my jacket falling upon my right hand and absentmindedly rolled it up.

White...

The colour of death and mourning.

The colour of purity and happiness.

The colour of the bride's gown.

A bittersweet feeling rose in my heart, and I looked up at the clouds filling the sky.

It was more than fitting.

I looked once more at the small tomb and whispered :

"I promise Sayaka-san."

I stood up, distantly thinking that the traditional robes of Sayaka were very easy to wear, contrary to their appearance.

It was not my way to be ceremonious, but this time, it had felt right.

I smiled one last time at the small tomb, calling up in my mind the picture of the young girl and hoping she had heard my words, and then I walked away from the cemetary.

A cold wind was blowing in the alleys.

I slowly walked up the stairs.

A deep silence was filling the place.

No cars were passing in the avenue behind me.

It was Sunday, and this part of town was almost deserted.

And the silence was the only thing left.

Something soft brushed my right cheek and I picked it up, smiling.

A sakura petal...

I looked at the beautiful trees all around me and let the sight fill my mind.

They were all full of blossoms.

As they had been last year.

I walked to one of the trees, and gently leaned a hand against its trunk.

Yes, this was the one.

A young tree, full of life.

Even more beautiful than the others.

The one beside which Seishirou had been standing the day I had arrived in Tokyo.

I closed my eyes and focused inward.

I looked around, seeing nothing but a shining mist.

What was this place ?

A shadow suddenly appeared on my right, and I watched it slowly detaching itself from the mist.

A young man.

He stopped in front of me, his beautiful emerald eyes fixed on me.

A pain old and terrible radiating from him.

On impulse, I reached out to him, whisepring :

"Sumeragi-san ? You're Sumeragi Subaru, aren't you ?"

Something flickered in his eyes, and a bitter smile came to his lips.

"It may be..."

He chuckled sadly.

"What does it matter ? Why are you here ?"

My fingers touched his left arm, but he didn't react.

Sorrow...

Grief...

Betrayal...

Love...

Hatred, so bitter...

Hurt...

His emotions filled my heart, and I felt a lump in my throat. Eventually, I managed to control the feelings and said :

"Because I know, because you are in such pain..."

I smiled gently at him.

"Because it must end."

He tensed suddenly.

"You know him..."

I nodded. He looked at me during a long time, then had a sharp intake of breath, stepping back.

"You..."

I had a crooked smile, saying :

"I told you I understood you. I really do, Sumeragi-san..."

I knew what kind of hell he had had to live in. What kind of hell he was still a prisoner of. Even though he had died, his soul had stayed enslaved to hatred. That the sakura had become his resting place had nothing to do with this.

This, Seishirou had not inflicted on him.

He had brought it upon himself, as I had been the cause of Sumeragi Sayaka's death.

Suddenly, I refused this.

I refused to let this to go on any longer.

Distantly, I grew aware of claws gently closing around my left shoulder and saw a beautiful falcon perched on it.

For some reason, its presence was normal. Fitting. It was as it should be. I said softly :

"I have come to put an end to all this. I want you to be free, Sumeragi-san..."

I smiled.

"And believe me, if I want it, you will be."

Hell, I was not stubborn and contrary for nothing.

On impulse, I went to him and hugged him tight, opening my heart and letting my feelings reach him.

Love, compassion, grief, pain, hurt so great, anger, resentment...

Above all, love.

Gently, he disengaged himself from my embrace and stepped back.

Tears brimming in his eyes.

Smiling.

He nodded, saying softly :

"Thank you..."

He looked at me for a few seconds, then said :

"You know, these were my robes..."

He smiled gently.

"Not that I mind, they suit you well..."

He turned his back on me and walked away. As he was about to disappear into the shining mist, he looked at me one last time, saying :

"You have a beautiful Shikigami, Kassandra-san..."

Shikigami ?

The falcon on my shoulder cried, and Sumeragi Subaru disappeared completely. I smiled, thinking I was sure I had seen a hand reaching out for him at the last moment.

Somehow, I was sure his sister had come for him.

A gentle breeze brought a few sakura petals to my hands, and I brought them against my heart, feeling a sweet pain fill my soul.

I took my hand away from the trunk, and looked up at the beautiful sakura's canopy of leaves and blossoms.

The clouds had moved away, letting a few rays of sunlight pass through and touch the tree. I smiled, and then turned my back on it, facing a tall man in a dark raincoat.

The time had come.

"I'm surprised to see you, I hadn't expected you so soon..."

I cocked my head to the side, smiling.

"Ah well, I couldn't miss this anniversary, could I ? After all we met for the first time exactly one year ago in this same place..."

He smiled back at me, and then seriousness claimed his face again. He looked at me during a long time, silent, then eventually said :

"You should still be training with the old lady Sumeragi, you do not master your gift yet..."

I shrugged.

"It doesn't matter..."

I stared at him steadily.

"I have what I need, staying there longer wouldn't have brought me anything. I have never been very patient, as you know. And I don't like stalling..."

He chuckled softly.

"Indeed..."

I looked at his smile and felt a familiar pain rising in my heart.

"You seem whole my lady Kassandra, you seem healed. I am glad to see that... Why have you come to me ?"

I laughed.

"Because I had to..."

As if I had ever had a choice... I said softly :

"It must end Seishirou. It must end now."

He nodded.

"Perhaps..."

I smiled at him.

"Illusions will not trick me anymore, and my memory will be safe from your tempering. This time, the hunt will end..."

I shook my head.

"The last time we saw each other, I tried hating you, to no avail..."

I remembered Sumeragi Subaru's deep emerald eyes and felt tears welling in my eyes.

"It was a foolish thing to do, one that cost a young girl her life. This I shall never forgive myself. For her, I have found the strength to face the truth..."

I looked at him, a smile full of the pain burning inside me coming to my lips.

"I love you Seishirou..."

I breathed deeply.

"I love you for your gentleness, for your tenderness when you made love to me, for the way you know me and understand me like no one ever has or ever will..."

I felt warm tears running down my cheeks.

"I love you for the words you managed to find to soothe my pain..."

My vision blurred.

It hurt...

It hurt... But it was the truth, and I had to carry this to its end.

"I love you because you touched my soul, because you reached beyond all the shields I had raised..."

I hugged myself, fighting the sobs rising in my throat.

"I love you because of the Dress Waltz..."

I shook my head.

"I love you for reasons I am unable to name. Unable to understand. I simply know that I love you. And that it is the truth..."

I looked at him through the tears.

"I have told myself that the object of my love was a lie, but it matters not. I love you, and now I know I will not ever stop loving you..."

I let my arms fall along my sides.

"I know who you are, I know what you are..."

I smiled softly.

"It would be so easy for me to let you take my life..."

I had stopped being afraid of death a long time ago.

"But that would mean you would go on, and kill innocent people..."

I sighed.

"And I cannot accept that..."

He nodded, smiling.

"A very moving speech Kassandra, but what makes you think I will go along with your wishes and put an end to my hunt now ?"

I looked at the sakura around us, and gathered a few stray petals the wind had carried away inside my right hand. I stared at the fragile blossoms and said, smiling sadly :

"Because nothing you can do will change me now. You can hurt my body as much as you want, you can make love to me, you can rape me, but you will not hurt my soul more than it already is..."

I freed the blossoms and watched them being carried away.

"Because I know I love you, and I accept this love, I embrace it. It is over Seishirou, I am not your toy anymore..."

I faced him.

"I may be your prey, but this hunt ends now..."

I freed the weapon from my belt, and slowly unsheathed the small blade.

It was nothing more than a simple knife with a sharp, straight blade. It wouldn't be missed, no one in the Sumeragi household would ever notice it had disappeared. This was why I had chosen it.

My fingers tightened on the hilt.

"And I am going to kill you."

I focused on him.

I didn't need to close my eyes to feel my target this time.

Closing one's eyes was only useful to help the focus.

I needed no such help now.

I could feel him.

He was like the shining light of the sun.

Sumeragi Sayaka had been right.

Strength could only come out of the knowledge and acceptation of self.

And love was the most potent source of power there was.

Killing out of anger or hatred, for revenge was one thing.

Killing out of love was something else altogether.

A deep calm filled my heart, and the pain withdrew.

All my emotions dimmed, all but love.

I smiled.

I was free now.

I was not surprised when I felt claws on my left shoulders and when I saw the falcon beside me.

We belonged together.

In front of me, Seishirou watched this and nodded, smiling back at me.

"It shall be as you wish then Kassandra..."

Power suddenly radiated from him, and I saw another bird of prey materializing on his right shoulder.

A second falcon...

Once again I distantly thought Seishirou and I were reflections in a mirror. I smiled. It really didn't matter.

Both falcons cried as I ran towards the man I loved.

He moved on the side to avoid me, his movements so fast that they would have been nothing more than a blur for anyone else.

But I could feel him, I was one with him.

I saw every movement, I saw his right hand preparing to strike.

As he moved, I followed.

I smiled as amazement shone in his eyes.

As he realised he had made a mistake.

His last mistake.

He had assumed I would try to protect myself...

His eyes widened as my blade ran through his body and I distantly heard my own cry own pain as his blow struck me.

Arms...

Around me.

Gently holding me upright.

Supporting me.

Pain...

Warm, bright red blood flowing from my body.

Life... Leaking away...

My right cheek resting against his.

Tears running down my face.

Love...

Love so strong...

Grief...

Overwhelming sorrow...

Fingers softly stroked my hair as he whispered :

"Why Kassandra ?"

I smiled weakely.

"Did you really expect me to accept to be your heir ?"

He chuckled.

"No..."

Cold was rapidly invading my body.

Darkness...

His lips brushed mine in a gentle kiss.

Time stopped.

During the eternal moment of a dream, tenderness and love filled my heart.

I relished his sweet caress with all my being.

Then, the pendulum resumed its inexorable course.

I slipped from Seishirou's grasp.

And fell.

Unable to stand any longer, I fell on my knees beside her.

Her blood and mine were mixing on the ground.

Among the sakura petals.

My fingers reached out to her face, gently pushing a stray lock of hair away.

I whispered her name.

"Kassandra..."

Her eyes were closed.

Her tears were still visible on her face, but...

She was smiling.

The pain of the wound she had inflicted me was almost unbearable.

I was rapidly weaknening.

A shadow fell on us, and I looked up to see both falcons watching us.

Unmoving.

Perched side by side.

I suppressed a moan of pain and smiled.

Wondering...

Was this was how it was supposed to end ?

I gathered the young woman in my arms, holding her close to me.

I could still feel her heart beating.

Weak, faint...

Stubborn and contrary...

I chuckled.

We would see.

End of Part 10.

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