X: 2099
A fanfic by Epeeblade aka C. Pontoriero
Part 3
“We’ve encountered the enemy and he is us.” Sorata murmured under his breath,
watching as Seishirou stood at the head of the conference table, describing their meeting
with the two girls from another dimension.
“What?” Karen nudged his arm.
He shook his head, not wanting to explain, and fixed his eyes directly upon Satsuki, who
sat at the center of the long rectangular table, still connected to Beast through the wires
and nodules that pierced her skin.
“Thank you, Sakurazuka-san. Your report will be logged and analyzed for our next
encounter with these invaders. Subaru-san, you had a report?” she asked, settling her
piercing gaze upon Subaru, who stood in the doorway, bearing a long, covered object.
“Yes. I’ve analyzed the sacred sword Kamui brought with him.” His eyepiece flashed
briefly, as it changed modes, going from visual to analytical in a nano-second.
“If you had a sword, why did Sorata and I have to go looking for it?” Seishirou asked,
leaning back in his chair to carefully cross his long, slender legs.
“There are two swords, Seishirou,” Satsuki interrupted. “We need the other.”
“Well, um,” Subaru continued, “I cross referenced the sword with images of artifacts all
over the world.”
“And I suspect you found something interesting?” Karen asked, leaning forward, hoping
to get a glimpse of the still covered sword.
“Yes.” Subaru threw the covering off with a quick flick of his hand. “These markings,
they appear to be Hebrew, but they’re actually Aramaic. I’m in the process of translating
them.”
The others gasped slightly, noting the significance of his words.
“So it’s old,” Satsuki snapped, “that’s all you’ve told us.”
Subaru looked down, abashed. “I need time to do more research. This meeting was earlier
than expected.”
“You have Kamui to help you do research. I expect a timely report at our next meeting.”
She chastised, “Speaking of which, tomorrow we all have an audience with Hinoto-hime.
She wants to meet Kamui, and I suspect has decided to reveal a bit more of what she
knows.”
Subaru bowed, and moved to the back of the room, away from the center of attention. He
covered up the sword once again, glad for some reason that the horrible thing was hidden
away.
“Karen, Nataku, what is your report?”
Karen stood to speak, “We haven’t encountered the enemy, but if what Seishirou says is
true and they are holed up in the Poor Quarter, our work is that much harder. We’ll have
to go undercover, somehow get inside.”
“And the two of you have the subtlety of bricks.” Satsuki muttered. “I’m going to change
the teams, Sorata, you go with Karen and Nataku to infiltrate the old quarter. Seishirou,
you join Subaru and Kamui in researching the sword. We’ll convene again this time
tomorrow. And Subaru-san, you’d better have more information!”
“Yes, Satsuki-sama.” Subaru bowed once again.
***
Kamui stomped angrily into Subaru’s office later that evening. “Is she always this mean
to you?”
“Do you expect to be treated special, Kamui?” Subaru snapped, “After all, it’s because of
your lack of eye-wear that you failed to help me.”
“Don’t even try to give me a guilt trip, Subaru.” Kamui sat on the older boy’s desk and
grinned charmingly up at him. “I want to avoid directly connecting to BEAST for as long
as possible.”
“Gods, where did you come from?” Subaru sighed, dropped himself into his chair and
adjusted the setting on his screen so Kamui could see its content with his naked eye.
“I’ve been living in the country-side for the last 6 years.” Kamui answered honestly, only
half glancing at the screen.
“Running from your destiny?”
“Oh, you think you know everything about me, but you don’t.” Kamui chided. “Just
because we shared a moment on the swings.”
“A moment? Excuse me?” Subaru stammered out, confused.
Kamui reached down, covering Subaru’s eyepiece with one hand. “Cover.” He mouthed.
Subaru understood instantly. Discussing Satsuki behind her back was never wise, but if
the two could pass their foray into Ueno Park as some sort of romantic tryst, then the
better. And he knew this would get out into office gossip as quickly as possible, as did his
crush on Seishirou. How that had happened, he would never know.
As if his thoughts had conjured the older man, the door slid open and Seishirou stepped
in. He surveyed the two, noting Subaru’s blush, and Kamui’s hand caressing his cheek.
Raising an eyebrow he asked, “Is this a private party, or may I join in?”
***
Later that evening, Sorata found himself wandering the streets of Old Town alone, hands
tucked into his worn jeans, feet in tired sneakers avoiding the refuse on the sidewalk. He
had ditched Karen and Nataku some blocks back, and started heading towards the place
where he and Seishirou had battled the two girls. That’s when he saw her, standing alone
under the lamppost, her black hair lit up beautifully under its glow.
“Well, hello babe, looks like we meet again.” He called.
She whirled around, her eyes widening in shock at seeing him. “You!” she said softly.
“Yeah, me. You don’t have to say it like it’s a dirty word,” he said conversationally,
stepping closer towards her. She moved back, putting the lamppost between them. “I’m
not going to hurt you.”
“Then what do you want?” Arashi snapped angrily. How could he be here? Had he
discerned the location of their hiding place already? As he moved away from the Mission
she realized he hadn’t. /Get him away from here, that’s the best thing to do/ she decided.
“How about a date?” he asked grinning.
“You’ve got to be joking!” she spoke before she realized it.
“Do you like okonomiyaki? I know this great place and it’s not to far from here.” He
lifted his hands in an attempt to be non-threatening.
“You give your word. You’re not here to fight?” she asked again.
“I’m honored that you would trust my word!” He declared happily.
She frowned, “Well?”
He sighed exasperated, “I PROMISE I will not try to kill you for the remainder of the
evening and our date!”
“Then let’s go.” She began to follow him, resisting the urge to look back and see if Yuuto
had finally arrived, or if any of her friends were watching. Keeping the princess safe from
this boy was the imperative thing. “There aren’t any of your friends around, are there?”
He shrugged, “I ditched them on the other side of town. Imagine, Karen and Nataku
trying to fit in!” He began to laugh so hard he was rolling on the sidewalk.
“Please get up, people are starting to stare.” Arashi said softly.
“You know,” he realized, sitting up and staring at her. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Arashi.”
“Lovely name,” he grinned at her for a full minute before standing and once again
leading the way to the restaurant.
***
“So, you’re from another dimension,” he began conversationally, after they had found
seats and ordered their meal.
She raised her eyebrows slightly.
“Another world,” he amended slightly.
She turned her face away and would not answer.
“I see. You’re afraid of giving me any information that might compromise your fellows. I
admire your strategy. But this won’t be a very productive date unless you speak, or at
least answer my questions.”
“Then ask me about things that don’t involve my purpose in being here.” She answered.
“Ah, touché,” he grinned happily. “You know I was raised in a Buddhist monastery.”
“How very interesting.” She answered in a tone that said she was not at all interested.
He smirked. “If it makes you feel any better, you can pretend that you are getting
valuable information about this world and the enemy by speaking with me.”
“And is your life story supposed to help accomplish that?” she snapped back.
“It just might at that,” he decided. “Anywhere, where I come from, they still believe in
spiritualism and magic.”
“What do you mean, where you come from? How can anyone not believe in magic?” She
replied despite herself.
“Ah, maybe where you’re from, but not here. Everything is technology now. Science so
advanced, to you and many others, it does seem like magic. But even though Satsuki
Yatohji tried to eradicate all belief in magic from her New World, she’s failed. It takes
longer to change people’s beliefs, you see. Where are you from, may I ask?”
“Ise. I don’t know if that exists here.” She answered without thinking, her mind on the
very idea of the world without magic.
“Oh, it does.” He answered thoughtfully, almost puzzled. Then the food arrived and they
were silent for several moments as they ate. “Ah, there is nothing like Southern style
okonomiyaki.” He gushed, patting his stomach. “You know, you are very lovely.”
She looked down at her plate and did not reply.
“Where I was raised, the man who really raised me, Old Stargazer, he gave me a
prophecy before I left. Now I don’t know if you can call it magic or prescience, as
Satsuki does, but that man was never ever wrong when he gave a prophecy. He said,
Sorata,” Sorata began to imitate the old man, his forehead wrinkling and his voice
dropping several notes. “don’t fear death, for you will only die for a woman. Now, I can
only hope he didn’t mean Satsuki, for I sure as heck don’t wanna die for /her./”
Arashi smiled despite herself. “Is she so horrible looking that so many fear her?”
Sorata laughed, “That’s cute, a joke. It’s not her looks, babe.” He suddenly became
serious. “You’ve got good reason to fear Satsuki, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
You might be safe here, but not for long. What she wants, she gets and she wants you and
your friends.”
“And to cause the destruction of the world.” Arashi snapped annoyed.
“I thought that’s why you guys were here.” He asked, “To change our world order.”
She frowned at him. “I think your world could stand for a change. Nobody I’ve met
seems to like what that woman has done.”
Sorata grinned, “Aw, look at us, on opposite sides! Isn’t it so romantic! Like one of those
dramatic Western tales! What was it, Juliet and Romeo?”
“You are so strange!” she declared, standing. “How can you speak of romance!”
He reached up and grasped her hand in his own, and her skin was just as soft as it had
been in Seishirou’s illusion. “C’mon, don’t you feel a spark between us?”
She pulled her hand away, “Not unless it’s your lightening.”
He grinned. “You want me, don’t you!”
She gaped at him, unsure how to respond. “You’re impossible. Now if you excuse me…”
“You have to get back to your lamppost.” Sorata grinned. “Would you like me to walk
you back?”
“No!”
He walked her to the front of the restaurant, grinning, “Well, I will pay the bill then, since
I invited you, but next time, you will treat me!” he declared, then leaned forward.
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting for a kiss. Proper payment for a date, don’t you think?” He closed his eyes and
puckered up. To his surprise he felt the briefest whisper of lips against his, then he was
floored by an enthusiastic punch to the stomach.
“I owe you nothing now!” she called, allowing the restaurant door to swing shut behind
her.
“What a woman.” Sorata grinned to himself, staring at the empty space from where he
sat, sprawled on the floor.
***
Satsuki knew he was there, in her chambers, hidden in the shadows. He knew he couldn’t
hide from her, here in her element, deep within the bowels of BEAST. But then again, he
was the only one who knew exactly how to get to her private rooms, how to bypass the
security systems. He was the only one she let in these rooms, once long ago. But she
hasn’t seen him in such a long time.
She stepped out of the synchronization chambers, the wires and green bio liquid
retracting with a loud suction noise. Though she was no longer physically connected to
her BEAST, she had only to say the word and it would answer her command. She
reached for her robe and slid her naked body within its folds. Only then did she turn to
the stranger in her rooms.
“Well, what brings you here, Kigai Yuuto?” she asked softly, turning to face him fully
and shining the lights directly upon his blond form.
He grinned up at her. “Why, you do, my dear Satsuki.”
To be continued.
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