Diem Perdidi

This is a weird idea that popped into my head a while ago.  All persons must realize that this story is Subaru/Seishirou centered and there for is shonen-ai.  Possibly could get limey later on, depending on what people tell me.  Of course, Tokyo Babylon and X/1999 spoilers are abundant here.  The story takes place fairly early on in X, after Fuuma awakes as 'Kamui' and Kotori dies.  

Disclaimer: Oh, I really wish that Subaru-chan and Sei-chan were mine... but that's simply not the case.  They are the property of CLAMP and I am simply toying with them for a small piece of time.

Part One: Awakening

	The night was very old.  The moon had remained hidden by clouds for many hours and the late night visitors Ueno Part usually received had long since vacated the place in search of somewhere warmer and more inviting.  It was the middle of January, and a thick blanket of snow covered the ground.  The sakura trees had long since lost their leaves and stood skeletal and quiet above the blanketed soil.  One tree in particular was barren and gnarled, for Seishirou had taken a few liberties with the illusion that covered the constantly blossoming sakura barrow and it now seemed as if the tree might grow clawed hands at any minute and snatch passers by.  This, of course, was nonsense.  Seishirou did the actual snatching; the tree simply consumed the souls.
	
Deep inside its trunk a faint sigh was heard, audible only to the souls within and the tree itself.  Slowly, Sumeragi Hokuto opened her eyes, eyelids fluttering gently.  She was sitting on what appeared to be a root, although it must have been an illusion, for she was inside the tree, away from prying eyes.  From far above her came a whisper of words that she could not quite make out and a hum of power and magic.  She raised her hand to her forehead, tentatively, as if she was not sure that she was really there.  Brushing away hair that seemed to be much longer than she remembered it, her hand settled on warm skin.  Her forehead was as solid as it had ever been, she was pleased to note.  As well as... a pulse?  She paused, shocked.  She was dead... wasn't she?  Her fingers pressed her throat and she felt the paint pulsing of blood under her skin.  Did ghosts have heartbeats?  She didn't think so, but she couldn't remember anything that said they didn't.  

She tried vainly to remember anything that might be useful, but all that came to her were images...Seishirou's arm sticking out of her chest, red blood on the white snow... Subaru's eyes wide with some unnamed expression of horror and shock.  Hokuto was decidedly confused.  She was still in the barrow, she could see the inside of the trunk around the small space, although it was far too large to be the inside of a normal tree, it was to be expected.  She wondered idly how much time had passed since her 'death.'  Hokuto suddenly realized she was hungry.  She was fairly sure that ghosts and spirits never needed to eat.  Taking the growling in her stomach as a sign, she stood up, resolved to figure out what was going on.
	
"Hello?" Hokuto called tentatively.  She wasn't sure what she expected to happen, but anything was worth a try.
	
*a child?* The sakura barrow's voice echoed in her mind hollowly.  Suppressing her shock, Hokuto decided to throw caution to the winds.
	
"Where's Seishirou?" she didn't know what was going on, but she was damned if she wasn't going to get some answers.
	
*gone... watching...*
	
"Watching who?  My brother?" Hokuto was starting to get impatient.  "I need to talk to him."
	
*unhappy... master is... unhappy...*
	
Hokuto eyed the trunk around her.  This was definitely not getting her anywhere.  She sighed, resignedly, and gave up on being polite.  "Look... tree.  I really don't want to stay here any longer than I have to.  I need Seishirou to get me out, not that he'll be happy to see me but... never mind.  So could you please get your master over here?"
	
*there is... another way... but...*
	
Hokuto was surprised.  "Another way?  Let me guess... I have to do something for you before you let me out though..."
	
The tree gave her the distinct feeling that it had nodded.
	
"You're not helping any." Hokuto pointed out.
	
*I want to make master... happy*
	
Hokuto considered this... and grinned.  She was beginning to like the sakura barrow.  It had required quite a few unpleasant circumstances, but somehow she and the tree had reached a consensus.  Something had to be done about Seishirou and Subaru.  Preferably soon.  Hands on her hips, she looked up towards what appeared to be the ceiling.  "It'll take money.  And power.  It'll be awfully hard to get those two together without having some way of keeping them in the same room as well as keeping them from ripping each other's throats out.  I'll do it... but I need your help"
	
*it is already done*
	
The clouds covering the moon shadowed the park well enough that nothing noticed a girl, about 25 years old, slip out from behind a sakura tree at the far end of the park a few minutes later.  She wore a white shikifuku that was far too small for her and moved gracefully across the park, her footprints barely registering in the cold snow.  She padded across the snow, mindful of two things: first, new clothes, and then... a haircut.  The sakura had given her account numbers to fund her little scheme as well as a promise, one she hoped it could keep.  
	
As the robed girl stole down the street away from Ueno Park, a figure watched her dispassionately from the top of the wall, before smirking and disappearing into the night as well.

End Part 1