Disclaimers: Not mine! They belong to CLAMP and Chistato Nakamura etc
Another crossover in the making… Angst & inevitability… Needless to say, shounen-ai too.
Later came after an afternoon and evening during which Narsus had done little but fret over his upcoming talk with Daryoon. He’d been so inattentive to goings on around him that he’d even managed to trek down one of the many long corridors of the castle with Alfreedo attached to his arm without noticing anything amiss. Elam had pointed out that something was obviously wrong and on seeing him distracted for the umpteenth time that day Arslan had practically ordered his strategist to go lie down.
Finally having slept fitfully, Narsus woke to find Daryoon sitting on the edge of the bed looking worried. He made an effort to sit up then simply gave up and lay there staring up at his lover. “Well? What was it that we have to talk about?”
“It can wait.” Daryoon never lost his concerned expression.
Narsus’ response was to throw an arm up to cover his eyes before he started to laugh, bordering on hysteria.
“Narsus?” the warrior reached out hesitantly.
“It can wait! Honestly Daryoon, I’d at least like know if you’re going to leave me.”
“What? What? Leave you?”
Narsus dropped his arm, staring up at Daryoon again. “What is it that we need to talk about then?” completely serious now.
“I shouldn’t have lied to you.” Daryoon looked down at his hands.
“About what?” Narsus sat up.
“I… I guess it came naturally; I’ve always had to lie about…” the warrior twisted his fingers together.
“About?”
“I… umm…”
“Daryoon…” Narsus voice held a vague warning.
“Daryoon! Lord Narsus!” Elam bust through the doors looking like he had run the length of the fortress already. He skidded to a halt just inside the doors wheezing and trying to catch his breath.
“Yes, Elam.” Narsus was already climbing out of bed, anticipating the worst.
“We found…” Elam stopped to draw in a great gulp of air. “We found…”
“Found what, Elam?”
“Luci… Lucitanian…”
Daryoon was already standing with his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“A sorc-“
“A sorcerer.” Narsus finished for him, leaving the still wheezing boy behind as he strode towards the doors, Daryoon already a step ahead.
The supposed Lucitanian sorcerer was huddled in the corner of what appeared to be a workshop on one of the underground levels of the castle. Several Pulsian guards blocked his escape without getting too close. Arslan waited in the hallway outside the room, having been advised not to enter without Daryoon or Narsus’ say so. The Prince waited patiently only turning his gaze away from the door to gently smile at the small group of Pulsian’s who had been rescued from the dungeons earlier, in a way that suggested that everything would be all right. He couldn’t help but wish someone would move the small crowd away, even though the guards were actually keeping them back. Beside him the serving woman who had discovered the Lucitanian shivered.
“Bad omen.” She whispered.
Arslan turned to her.
“It’s a bad omen, your highness.” She didn’t raise her eyes.
“Oh?”
“Begging your highness’ pardon, but all sorcerers bring bad luck.”
There was some murmuring from the crowd, from some of the other serving women. The woman beside him cringed.
“What is it, lady?” the Prince enquired as gently as before.
For a fraction of a second the woman looked up at him and Arslan found himself staring into a dark, depthless gaze.
“I see the future, highness. I have seen your defeat… at the hands of a sorcerer.”
Arslan blinked in surprise… but the woman hadn’t spoken a word. Before he could question any further the guards were clearing people away and sending them back to their duties. Daryoon had arrived.
“Daryoon, they say they’ve found a-“
“Sorcerer.” Interjected Narsus’ droll tones and then both were heading into the room with the Lucitanian in.
Just inside the door Daryoon paused apparently surveying the room, while he discreetly cast a protective kekkai to shield them from any potential damage. He also noted Narsus’ equally discreet spell casting, which though showing the rough edges of a non-trained onmyouji was equally effective, since it would serve to implode the Lucitanian should any power discharge be detected from him. Daryoon sincerely hoped that the Lucitanian wouldn’t try anything so foolish since the outcome would definitely not be atheistically pleasing.
“Sakurazuka! And Sumeragi!”
Out in the hallway Arslan rubbed his ear, he was certain that he had heard the woman’s voice that time but still she hadn’t spoken. He watched her closely. She had her eyes closed and her hands clasped nervously in front of her. She seemed to be concentrating on something.
“Lady, what is you name?” the Prince enquired softly.
Her eyes came open in surprise. “Kanoe, your highness.”
“It will be alright, Kanoe, you needn’t worry.” He graced her with a kind smile.
They waited in silence, Kanoe’s gaze fixed on the floor again, while the Prince chewed on his lip absently.
It wasn’t long before the door of the room opened and two guards emerged hauling the Lucitanian out with them. Daryoon watched at the rest of the guards filled off down the hallway.
“What happened, Daryoon?”
“Nothing, your highness.”
“I’m afraid that our sorcerer was nothing more than a fortune-teller’s apprentice.” Narsus smiled dryly.
Arslan sighed in relief “You see, Kanoe, there’s nothing to worry about.” He turned to the quiet woman beside him. She looked up, fearfully glancing first at Daryoon who wasn’t even looking in her direction, then at Narsus who fixed her with his shrewd gaze before turning back to Daryoon.
Seeing her dismissal Kanoe curtsied to the Prince and began to move away.
“Beware Sakurazuka and Sumeragi! Between them they will destroy you!”
Again Arslan found himself blinking in surprise but the woman, Kanoe, was already gone.
Later that day Narsus was perched on the window ledge in his chambers, apparently reading reports, though he wasn’t truly focusing on the page in his hands. Something was wrong about today, something about an imbalance, something… In fact everything about the Lucitanian they had discovered had felt wrong. There had been a power there; he had sensed that but that power had nothing to do with the Lucitanian at all. It had felt like something he should recognise, something so familiar that he was most likely overlooking it. Narsus leaned back against the arch of the window, closing his eyes to blot out the afternoon sun. It wasn’t long before he fell asleep.
He was
inside the DreamScape again, hovering above its reflective surface. So he had fallen asleep…
The cherry blossoms were
falling again, sometimes swirling around him in the reflective darkness. The darkness was endless… No, not completely, someone was walking
towards him. A man in a long robe,
embroidered with sun and moon.
The man stopped in front of him and Narsus reached out
and placed his hands on the man’s shoulders, since he was hovering slightly
above. Arms wound around his waist,
drawing him close.
“The future…” the only words whispered into his ear in
such a gentle voice.
Then he felt the form he
embraced change and Narsus opened his eyes to find himself in the arms of a
strange spiky-haired youth.
“You are a DreamGazer, so weave your dream for me.”
Narsus shook his head, smiling ruefully “I am already
dreaming.”
“Then what do you dream?”
“I dream of you.”
And the youth smiled, a contented and quite sinister
smile.
Then quite suddenly, he
vanished and Narsus was thrown backwards, slamming into the trunk of a tree, the
tree, the grand Sakura that was the repository of his clan’s power. He gasped, raising a hand to his mouth to
wipe away blood. Trying to stand he
found that his limbs wouldn’t cooperate, aching and numb as if from many
injuries. A quick glance confirmed that
he was indeed quite badly wounded.
“Sakurazuka.” A familiar voice rang out, disgust evident.
He looked up to see the black armoured figure of Daryoon
standing over him, sword drawn.
“Daryoon…” he gasped, reaching out a bloodied hand.
Narsus’ scream matched the shriek of the white shikigami
that raked its talons across his extended arm.
The bird returned to perch on Daryoon’s shoulder while the warrior
looked on, impassively. Daryoon stepped
closer, raising his sword.
“It has always been our duty to protect the innocent.”
And the world dissolved into the crimson of fresh blood.
“But Daryoon, it has always been our duty to punish the guilty.” Narsus found himself whispering as the chill of death swept over him.
“Narsus!” Alfreedo’s shrill tones penetrated his sleep and the strategist just about managed not to overbalance on the ledge where he was perched in response to his wake up call.
“What… what is it, Alfreedo?”
“I was wondering if you were going to sleep there all night!” The Zot girl had planted her hands on her hips and was doing her best to look like a lecturing wife.
“No, Alfreedo, I wasn’t. I was just… reading some reports.” Narsus glanced down at the floor that was scattered with papers.
Alfreedo made some sort of a ‘humph’ noise and looked like she might have a whole lecture to follow it when Elam entered the room carrying a tray of food which he carefully set down, completely ignoring Alfreedo.
Narsus peered at the tray; there was enough food for a least two people.
“Oh!” Alfreedo clapped her hands together delightedly, apparently noticing the amount of food laid out.
Elam frowned at her “Lord Daryoon said that he’d be joining you tonight, Master… That is right isn’t it?” the boy added at Narsus’ blank look.
“Yes, yes, I suppose it is.” Narsus waved the matter away, standing up and stretching. Alfreedo watched him appreciatively, until Elam grabbed hold of her sleeve to drag her from the room. She pulled her sleeve back and made for the door unassisted.
“You should have more respect for me, I’m going to be Narsus’ wife!”
“No, you’re not.” Elam sighed back.
“Why not?!”
“Because the Master doesn’t like women…uh… like you.” Elam added quickly as the doors closed behind them.
Forgetting the nightmarish visions of only moments ago, Narsus began to laugh.
The term ‘kekkai’ gets translated by Viz as ‘power shield’ but as far as I know it’s actually any sort of energy discharge.
The implode spell turns up in “Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen” which is a much better game than the poorer sequels. It’s always been one of my favourites… maximum damage, minimum mess.
Anyone familiar with X/1999 will know that Kanoe is the DreamGazer of the Seven Angels, sister to Hinoto. She is responsible for gathering them together in Tokyo for the purpose of changing fate. I figured she might have done something similar in a past life too.
Sakurazuka and Sumeragi are opposite clans of onmyouji. To quote Hokoto Sumeragi in Volume 1 of “Tokyo Babylon”:
“The Sumeragi clan… has spiritually protected Japan for thousands of years… the Sakurazuka clan… protects Japan from the shadows using the same onmyoujitsu powers.”
From there it’s not a great leap of the imagination to suggest that if the Sumeragi protect the innocent then the Sakurazuka punish the guilty.
In the DreamScape the man in the long robe is Clow Reed (rhymes with ‘glow’ not ‘cow’) from “CardCaptor Sakura”; and the spiky-haired youth is Fumma, again.
Incidentally, it is Kakyou that Fumma address the “weave your dream for me” line to.
00:04, 06/10/02