Ekkusu [X] :: Clamp
 VOLUME 16
:: translated by kiseki ::
:: volume 15 :: The Shield (KEKKAI VI) :: Character File - Sakurazuka Seishirou :: volume 17 ::

volume 16

THEIR DESTINY WAS FOREORDAINED, 1999
X The Shield (KEKKAI VI)

Note: All fans of Seishirou x Subaru, prepare your tissues. A heart-breaking episode!

(Shot of Rainbow Bridge, and someone walking over the ground. It is Subaru, who faces the buildings, his white trenchcoat billowing in the breeze. He is standing in the middle of the bridge, which looks rather abandoned. He takes out his lighter and lights a cigarette. Smoking, he recalls what Hinoto has said.)

Evil Hinoto: The next "kekkai" to be broken is known. It is Rainbow Bridge.

(Subaru looks coldly ahead. He then closes his eyes and is about to suck on his cigarette when a hand grips his. Subaru looks over his shoulder in surprise. Seishirou is standing behind him with a faint smile.)

Subaru (looking at Seishirou's hand): The ash…is falling on your hand. (The ash falls, not quite near their hands)
Seishirou (looks amused): Are you worried for me? You're still like your old self, so kind.
Subaru (looking annoyed): I have changed…I…(jerks out of Seishirou's reach) was changed by you…

(From a distance, the two figures stand close, face to face, one in black and the other in white)

Subaru: But to you, these kinds of things doesn't matter at all, does it?!

(Subaru glares at Seishirou while Seishirou continues smirking. Seishirou takes the cigarette from Subaru, who sees that his hand is covered with blood, and his eyes narrow.)

Subaru: ...You were killing someone here?

(Seishirou ignores him and Subaru glares at him with a pained, accusing look. Then Seishirou takes the cigarette out of his mouth and flings his arm in a very nonchalant gesture.)

Seishirou: Because I am the Sakurazukamori!

(Subaru lowers his head. Lightning crackles from the sky and falls beyond the bridge onto the water. Subaru reaches inside his coat and takes out his ofuda. The bridge explodes with activity as Seishirou draws the reversed star to protect himself and Subaru fires the ofuda at him. Seishirou then jumps clear of the mess and lands, smiling confidently. Subaru constructs his starshaped kekkai, which stretches to cover the entire bridge. Within the kekkai at the shrine, Arashi is starting to look impatient, wondering why nothing has happened. Yuzuriha is falling asleep, while Kamui is deep in thought, possibly about Hinoto.)

Sorata: The sun is almost set, but nothing has happened.
Yuzuriha: Yeah.
Sorata: It's long past the time the princess had indicated, what exactly is happening…?

(Kamui senses something and covers his face, while Sorata looks at him in anxiety)

Kamui (sweating): A "kekkai" has been…!

(Immediately, everyone else senses something, and they all look up in a mixture of shock and worry.)

Sorata (trying to calm a Kamui in pain while looking very worried himself): A kekkai has been constructed!

(Kamui closes his eyes and sees the area around the Rainbow Bridge, which is now protected by a kekkai. He then sees Subaru with his eyes closed, still in the middle of constructing the kekkai, and Kamui's eyes snap open.)

Kamui: SUBARU!
Yuzuriha: This is Subaru's kekkai!
Sorata: Has anything happened?

(Kamui closes his eyes again and concentrates. He sees Subaru moving forward to attack, and a dark shadow within the dust. The dark figure is smirking.)

Kamui: That guy…the Sakurazukamori…

(Everyone looks shocked.)

Kamui: The place is…Rainbow Bridge…
Yuzuriha (bewildered): But Princess Hinoto said that the one to be destroyed this time is the Yasukuni Shrine…! (Inuki is barking wildly and Yuzuriha is looking more worried.) What's wrong?! Inuki!

(Kamui is running off)

Sorata: Kamui!
Kamui (looking desperate): I have to go to Subaru!

(He glares stubbornly at Sorata, who nods)

Sorata (sweating): We'll have to split up…

(Back at Hinoto's, a waterdrop disturbs the dreamscape. Hinoto smiles evilly as she watches Kamui and Arashi leave Sorata and Yuzuriha at the shrine.)

Evil Hinoto: It's useless…(Her pupilless eyes watches as Kamui rushes ahead) I will make the "Ten no Ryuu"…die one by one…

(Good Hinoto is crying as she watches her evil self. She is sitting in a room, and she sees a shadow cast on the screen behind her.)

Good Hinoto: Why…are you here…
Kakyou: Because dreams are connected, and the place where you are imprisoned, is also in dreams…
Good Hinoto: Stop…the other me…If it goes on like this the "Ten no Ryuu" will…
Kakyou (sad): I am one of the opposing "Chi no Ryuu", besides…You should know too…The future cannot be changed!

(Subaru looking determinedly ahead and sakura petals instead of feathers float around him. Seishirou takes out his ofuda and fling them out, where they cling onto the structure of the bridge, surrounding Subaru. Part of the bridge shatters, and then there is another huge explosion. Subaru jumps away from the falling debris and the bandages around his injured eye begins unwinding. He flings out his ofuda and they turn in to shikigamis. Seishirou also flings out his own ofuda and the two of them form their infamous star and reverse star symbols. Seishirou takes off his trenchcoat and swipes it through the shikigamis, cutting them all up. He lands on a piece of stone and puts his coat back on, and then holds his fingers up. Sakura petals float all around the two of them, suddenly solidifying into vines that wind around Subaru and pull him up into the air. Subaru's expression doesn't change as he takes out an ofuda and cuts his own thumb, reversing the spell with his blood. The bloodied sakura petals mix with the white sakura petals as they fall away.)

Subaru: Even if you don't use this illusion, I have long been bound by sakuras. (Subaru looks slightly angry? And of course, Seishirou's still smiling) Since that day…
Seishirou (taking off his sunnies): The Kamui of "Chi no Ryuu" had said…

(Subaru claps a hand over his eye to stop his bandages from unwinding completely. Now there are feathers and the wing motifs instead of the sakura petals)

Seishirou: Your wish can only be made true by me…

(The end of Subaru's bandages flutters towards Seishirou across the gap of the broken bridge and Seishirou takes it in his hand.)

Seishirou: However…It seems…that it's different to what I thought.

(Seishirou pulls the bandages from Subaru's face, who stands very still.)

Seishirou (smiling gently): Do you not wish to kill me?

(An interesting two page spread, where Subaru's cold stare is across the top and Seishirou's half-amused stare across the bottom, both of them are missing their right eyes. In the middle, it shows Seishirou and Subaru facing each other, separated by the gap in the broken bridge.)

Subaru: NO!! (Note: Er…he actually says, "Not true")

(Subaru closes his eyes and attacks again, and with a malicious smile, Seishirou mirrors him. Rainbow Bridge explodes brilliantly. All of a sudden, the kekkai begins to melt and Kamui arrives just in time to see that. )

Arashi: The "kekkai"…has been broken…?!
Kamui: SUBARU-!!

(Kamui jumps forward desperately, and Arashi, who appears calmer, looks just as worried. The two of them leap over the traffic as the last of the kekkai dissolves.)

Kamui: Subaru! SUBARU-!!
Arashi: SUBARU!!

(The two of them seem to notice something and fall silent. Kamui sees a crouched figure through the haze and runs forward.)

Kamui: SUBARU--!!

(Subaru is half standing with Seishirou clinging to his shoulders. His hand is stabbed through Seishirou's chest, a stance anyone who has seen death scenes for Hokuto would recognise. Subaru's eyes are wide with shock as he stares at his bloodied hand through Seishirou's chest. Slowly, Seishirou's body slips down to the ground and as the blood splashes, Subaru finally reacts enough to catch Seishirou before he falls.)

Subaru (looking wordless): …W…why…
Seishirou (manages to look up at him and in obvious deep agony): It's your…sister's…last…spell… completed with her life…

(Subaru seems to see Hokuto casting the spell as she died.)

Seishirou: If I…should ever use the same method that I used to kill your sister…to kill you…it will…return to me in full…Now we are…like the mirrored reflection of the past.

(An image of Subaru with his hand through Seishirou, and on the panel beneath it and upside down is Seishirou with his hand through Hokuto.)

Seishirou: That day…the one whose chest was punctured…was Hokuto…
Subaru: You…killed Hokuto…and vanished from before my eyes…I…wanted to kill you…I…from the bottom of my heart…wanted to wipe away the you in my heart…to continue living…but…I couldn't do it…(Subaru grips Seishirou and hugs him tightly) Even if you treat me…as a stone…like stepping on withered twigs…without any feeling…(Seishirou's blood and Subaru's mixes) Even then…I still…wanted to be killed by you. Even if you immediately forgot about killing me…even if I am one of the many sacrifices to the sakura tree…at least…you would have…
Seishirou (reaches up a hand stained by blood to touch Subaru's cheek): …think about it…I have never prepared myself to be killed by you…or by anyone else…because you…are very kind…(he smiles) …Subaru…I…you…

(The VERY famous *yukie: infamous is more like it* teaser scene where Seishirou whispers his last words in Subaru's ear. What did he say? Hmm…another Clamp's evil money-grabbing ploy)

Subaru (fresh tears spill from his eyes and he hugs Seishirou's dead body): …You…never…tell me…what I expect to hear…

(Kamui is watching the two from the distance and he looks dazed. As Subaru weeps, Kamui reaches a hand forward slightly, but puts it down and lowers his head, looking sad. Arashi suddenly notices that the bridge is snapping.)

Arashi: The bridge is falling!

(Subaru has not reacted, still holding onto Seishirou's body and Kamui tries to reach for them.)

Kamui: SUBARU!!

(The bridge falls in big chunks, and a spurt of dragon-shaped light reaches up towards the sky. The rest of the city shakes from the impact.)

Kakyou (weeping): …Hokuto…You didn't…keep your promise,

(Replaying scene from when Seishirou killed Hokuto)

Hokuto: Haven't I said it before? "Don't take Subaru so far away from me".
Seishirou: Subaru's still in his room.
Hokuto: But…you took his heart away, it can't be recovered. So…I will bind you with a curse. Simply because of the fact that you are the Sakurazukamori…any prey that you have spotted must die. However…I will never…let you…kill Subaru!! I will never let you kill him!!
Seishirou (smiles mockingly): By your strength…you can't kill "me"!
Hokuto: I know! But…I have the "spells" that only I can use! So I knew Sakurazukamori's real face, so now…hurry up and kill me!

(Seishirou stabs his hand through Hokuto's chest, and in the present, Kakyou squeezes his eyes shut.)

Seishirou: After you die, Subaru will be very upset.
Hokuto: Yes…but…I…I hope that Subaru can live on…I know doing this is very stubborn…my death will make Subaru rather be dead than alive, even so…I still want him to live, this…count this as my selfishness…even so…I still wish…for you and Subaru to live…
Seishirou (surprised): Why am I included? I hurt Subaru, and killed you!
Hokuto: Yes…that's true…but…I…still don't want…you to die. (She grips his arm and smiles with agony) Even if you are a villain…a murderer…I still…like you a lot… The only one who can kill you is Subaru, and the only one who can kill Subaru…is you…so I used my last strength to set the curse, if you…ever want to use the same method you used to kill me…to kill Subaru…it will reflect in full strength…onto yourself…
Seishirou (cups her head): Why do you tell me what you have sacrificed your life to do?
Hokuto (takes his hand and smiles): If I don't say it…then it would be meaningless…in the end…I must let you believe…so that you won't use your spell…
Seishirou: I'm not a man worth your trust!
Hokuto (smiling tenderly): I know…but…Subaru…he believes that you are special, so I want to have faith in you…don't forget…in this world there are indeed sins that cannot be repented…but there is no one as one who cannot love…Seishirou…

(At first Seishirou looks surprised, and then he smiles too, this time sort of touched. Hokuto falls back and begins to merge with the sakura tree.)

Hokuto: …Su…baru…

(She dissolves into sakura petals and the flash back ends)

Kakyou: Hokuto…(weeping and hugging himself) The future that you believed…did not arrive, the "wish" that you sacrificed your life for…did not come true…I knew it would become this way…but I couldn't do anything for you…
Fuuma: The future cannot be changed. (He looks at the still image of Seishirou and Subaru) But…I think at least those two are very content. Those who wanted to be killed, are killed as they wished to be. Because he had nothing left to live for, maybe this is the last thread of happiness!
Kakyou: That was…the wish of the "Chi no Ryuu"?

(Seishirou's eyes are closed peacefully, and Fuuma has a strange, serene smile on his face.)

Kakyou: Then…what are the thoughts of the "Ten no Ryuu"?
Fuuma (looking at the sakura petal in his hand): If it were me…that special someone whom I recognise in my heart, I will never let him to be killed by others! If he were to die anyway…I'd rather kill him with my own hands!
Kakyou: But…Hokuto she…
Fuuma: Died…Even like this, it isn't as though you cannot continue to think of the dead, neither is it that you have to force yourself to forget the dead!!
Kakyou (in his pain, hugs Fuuma): Then Hokuto's brother will…
Fuuma: You already know…what will happen next…(image of Subaru still hugging Seishirou) The "kekkai" is constructed to protect those needing protection. If there is nothing left to protect, the "kekkai" becomes useless! Thus, one of the "Seven Seals" will disappear! To replace the empty seat on "Chi no Ryuu"!!

(Images of the seven seals and the seven minions, the angels, and Fuuma and Kamui staring coldly ahead. Meanwhile Kamui hesitates outside a door, turning the handle several times before pulling up the courage to enter. Inside the darkened room sits Subaru.)

Kamui: Subaru…

(Kamui walks closer and makes a very bad job of smiling while Subaru looks at him with a rather deadened expression.)

Subaru: There's no need for you to worry. I am not broken.

(Kamui places his hands on the armrests and leans forward slightly.)

Kamui: …You still haven't changed your clothes?
Subaru: I don't want to change…
Kamui: …because it is his blood?

(Subaru remains silent, but he places a hand over his heart.)

Kamui (lowers head): …sorry…
Subaru: There's no need for you to apologise for bringing me away from there.
Kamui: I must! Because…that hadn't been Subaru's wish!!

(Subaru stares stonily ahead while Kamui kneels at his feet and rests his head on Subaru's knee.)

Kamui: Before…when Subaru was tutoring me with schoolwork, you had mentioned…about the cigarettes…Subaru said that smoking can increase your power, and if you don't do so, you cannot win the Sakurazukamori. (Kamui looks up) But…you…why did you want to be killed by the Sakurazukamori?
Subaru: You…don't understand? Before…I was nearly killed by that person, but that person didn't kill me. Later…I thought…that person must know where I was, because I still have this mark (he holds up his hand to show the star).
Kamui: That is…
Subaru: The mark that indicates I am Sakurazukamori's prey, the mark that he brands on those he intends to kill. I really didn't understand, why if he knew where I was, he didn't come to kill me? I thought about this all the time, and finally I realised, the look in those eyes…
Kamui: The look?
Subaru: The look he had when he was going to kill me. It was a very…disdainful look. It's the look you give to something not worth anything at all. Not even worth being killed. So…I wanted to become stronger! At least to make that person feel I was an eyesore, so that I could arouse his "desire to kill". I never thought, I had misunderstood…The words one says before death, are they the truth? I can't…tell any more…Because I cannot ask any more.
Kamui (takes Subaru's hand): Subaru…
Subaru: You should think about how to realise your own wish.
Kamui (closes his eyes as Subaru touches his cheeks): Even if my wish, will cause misfortune to others?
Subaru: There is no such way as to please everyone. (Kamui looks surprised by this cold cynicism) Your eyes are red, you should sleep a bit.

(Kamui takes his advice and rose to leave, but before he closes his door, he gazes back lingeringly. When the door closed, Subaru lifts his hands and kisses the star on it, then leaves through the open window, leaving an empty room with its curtains billowing wildly.)

Evil Hinoto: The thing that "Ten no Ryuu" wanted to protect, does not exist any more. He will never be able to construct another "kekkai"! Now the "Ten no Ryuu" who is the Sumeragi clan leader has "died". There will come a day, when he will truly die! (The background changes to one with Tokyo utterly still and the buildings abandoned.) The future has been decided. Good, it's almost time for what I had dreamt to occur, to let the next "Ten no Ryuu" die. This time it's for real, heh heh…

(Earth surrounded by feathers and gears, but one side of the Earth looks horribly warped as some maniac ran it through the filters on Photoshop too many times. Scene changes to Kamui, Yuzuriha, Sorata, Arashi and the trio from Clamp Campus Detectives assessing the damage to Tokyo.)

Yuzuriha: Terrible…
Nokoru: Apparently the entire Tokyo area has entered emergency state, those people who were in areas affected by the earthquakes have almost entirely left for other places.
Kamui: What about Clamp Campus students?
Nokoru: They're still in school, because this place is safer than most.
Sorata: The "Chi no Ryuu" side seemed to have stopped playing around. They really want to produce an earthquake to destroy Tokyo.
Arashi: If Tokyo disappears, the stabiliser for kekkais will be damaged.
Yuzuriha: If the stabiliser is damaged…Japan will also be destroyed. If Japan is destroyed…
Kamui (looking less worried than the others, but very cold): …Earth will be destroyed!
Sorata: That would be a worry. Things have yet to happen between me and oneechan (?). (He then jumps hastily away from Arashi in case he gets pulverised or events to that effect.) Eh? (Arashi looks sad and Sorata scratches his head.) I thought I was going to get slapped, and I got ready for it too. (Arashi refuses to look at him and Sorata reaches for her forehead.) Oneechan what's wrong with you? Are you feeling sick?
Arashi (pushes his hand away): Nothing's wrong, I am fine.
Sorata (grinning sheepishly): Really? Because oneechan's the type to force herself, so I was very worried for you.

(Arashi folds her hands across her chest, although if you look closely, she is cupping her right hand with her left. Her right hand is the one with her sword in it *hint hint* Meanwhile, Nokoru and Kamui are still researching the statistics on Tokyo.)

Kamui: As expected…there's no way to predict the next locality to be destroyed.
Nokoru: It's more correct to say, there is something to be predicted.
Yuzuriha: What does that mean?
Nokoru (pointing to a place on the map): For example, if we predict that the next place to be affected by an earthquake to be here, then it will most definitely occur at a place completely unrelated to it. It's just like…even if we can get there in time, it's too late.
Sorata: It's because they have a yumemi?
Kamui: Is Hinoto still unwell?
Arashi: Yeah, it seems she's still sick in bed.
Kamui (looking more upset): Subaru's…location…?
Arashi: Right now we still can't be sure…
Yuzuriha: It's been more than a month…where exactly did Subaru go?
Sorata: Now…there's no choice. We have to split up, so that it doesn't matter where the "Chi no Ryuu" appear in Tokyo, we can reach there in time.
Arashi: But, this way we'll be splitting -our battle strength too, isn't that too dangerous?
Sorata: Ah, but, if we keep everyone together in such a huge area like Tokyo, if anything happens it will be too late. I'll contact Seiichirou and Karen, two people per group, let's get started! (He smiles at Nokoru) Can you guys take care of the information?
Nokoru: Of course.
Sorata: Anyway oneechan, can you go with Yuzuriha? (The two girls nod) Then, Kamui's with me.
Kamui (busy worrying about Subaru): Okay.
Sorata (slaps Kamui very hard on the back): Oioi! I know you're very disappointed that you're not split into the same group as the girls, but if you don't cheer up slightly, you'll get paid for it!
Kamui: ?! (*cough* *eh?!* as Sorata slings an arm around his neck. Very cute ^^) I…I'm not…!
Sorata (grinning like an idiot, whilst hauling a confused Kamui away and everyone else staring at them and sweatdropping madly): So, see you later!

(Arashi watches them leave. Sorata is whistling happily as he drags Kamui through the door. Yuzuriha looks at Arashi curiously.)

Yuzuriha: …Arashi…
Sorata: (ruffles Kamui's hair): Subaru's not here, so I know that you can't be happy, but if you keep up the worry-face it's going to attract bad fortune.
Kamui: Sorata…
Sorata (smiles slightly, and then bursts into his characteristic idiotic laughter): HA! But if you're like me and missing a few screws that's a problem too!

(Kamui smiles for the first time in, like, how many volumes? Fuuma appears to Kakyou in his dreamscape.)

Fuuma: Where is the "Ten no Ryuu" heading? (He looks at the scenes displayed around them.) Inogashira and Ginza (Fuuma watches the four Ten no Ryuu's path through the city coldly, then he touches his fingers to his lips.) The game with you will be left aside for now…"Kamui".
Yuzuriha (upon arriving and closing her eyes to sense any "chi"): There is nothing abnormal. Arashi…
Arashi: What's wrong?
Yuzuriha: Well, can I talk with you a bit?
Arashi: Sure.
Yuzuriha (looking embarrassed): Do you like Sorata?
Arashi (reddening spectacularly): Wh…Why are you asking like this?
Yuzuriha (turning into a cat): Because just then when Arashi was watching Sorata leave, it was VERY…very cute!
Arashi (blushing and sweatdropping, with Inuki clinging amiably to her shoulders): …Cu…cute…
Yuzuriha: Besides, I have used the same emotion to look at other people. I should say it like this…I too…have someone I like. (She is blushing slightly and thinking of Kusanagi.) Even now, I still can't suppress that feeling. And…(looking cutely determined) This is the place where the one I like live, so I must protect this place.
Arashi (looks moved by her determination): Yuzuriha…

(Suddenly, lightning crackles behind Arashi onto a close by building and the ground starts shaking.)

Yuzuriha: Earthquake!
Arashi: The "Chi no Ryuu" is here!

end of X 16
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volume 16 character file

SAKURAZUKA SEISHIROU

(A young man stands at the door of a room and sees blood spilt on the floor. The blood trail leads out of the back of the house where to a woman is standing in the gardens.)

Seishirou (without his glasses and looking around 17 or so): Welcome home…mother.

(Setsuka's hands are covered in blood and she hugs Seishirou.)

Setsuka: I am back, Seishirou.
Seishirou (looking tender as she kisses his cheek): You went to work…
Setsuka: Yes…
Seishirou: The blood?
Setsuka: The blood of the one I murdered.
Seishirou: Are you wounded?
Setsuka: You think I would be wounded?
Seishirou: You're the only Sakurazukamori, in terms of assassination spells no one can beat you. But, if you stay in a place like this you will bet a cold.
Setsuka (looking a little dreamy): Even if I get a cold, it's already…not important.
Seishirou: You know…as I thought…
Setsuka (picking up a sakura flower and examining it): So the person I killed today was my last prey. At the same time…it is your first day killing someone, the day you kill me to become the Sakurazukamori. I'm so happy, to be killed by you.
Seishirou: Really?
Setsuka: Yes…there's nothing that comes with more happiness than being killed by the one you love.
Seishirou (taking her bloodied hand): Do you love me?
Setsuka: I love you. I love you the most.
Seishirou: I love you too…mother.
Setsuka: However, the one you love most is not me. Kill me, Seishirou!
Seishirou: As you wish! (He stabs his hand through her chest.)
Setsuka: Now you are the Sakurazukamori. The next Sakurazukamori will be the one who kills you.
Seishirou (wonderingly): So I shall be killed as well?
Setsuak: Yes… by the one you love most.
Seishirou (kisses her hand): I am not capable to love others, mother…you who gave birth to me should know it better than anyone else…
Setsuka: Yes…Before I had thought so too. (Her eyes closes) Until I met you.

(Seishirou looks slightly amused and then kisses her on the lips.)

Seishirou: Goodbye…mother.

end of volume 16
16 THE TOWER
KEKKAI
1) forbidden entrance, blockade
2) the space between inner and outer, the area open to only certain people
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