"Wow, Duncan! You really weren't kidding when you said that his apartment was empty..." Duncan put his hand over his eyes for a moment, unable to say anything to combat Richie's incredible rudeness.

Subaru smiled at the red head, and answered, "I don't need anything besides a place to sleep, so why should I have anything else here?"

Richie looked like he was about to argue for a moment- no doubt he had just noticed the lack of a television or hard liquor -- but shut his mouth instead. "I suppose..." he said in a uncertain tone, and then sighed. "So, what are we going to sleep on, anyway? I'd rather not take floor-"

Subaru replied in a embarrassed tone, "Oh, I'm sorry -- I'd forgotten all about that. Let me go to the storage closet and get out the futon. I have to get some other things out of there anyway."

Duncan gave Richie a hard look, making the younger man sigh. "All right, Mac! I get it. Subaru, let us help you. It's the least we can do, after staying at your apartment." The two followed Subaru through a hallway into what looked like a guest bedroom. It looked as if it hadn't been slept in for a long time, but was kept scrupulously clean. Going to the corner where the closet was, Subaru pulled out a folded up futon.

He left to put it into the empty main room, while leaving the other two in the curious bedroom. "Hey Mac, get a load of these clothes!" Duncan walked up next to Richie, who had gone peeping into the open closet, and saw why the younger man had waved him over. The closet was full of bright, unconventional clothing with riotous designs or themes. Strange shapes and shades abounded so that it seemed more like a collection of costumes than of real clothing.

"Hokuto-chan loved to design these clothes for me to where- she had an interesting fashion sense, but it always reflected her happy mood."

Duncan and Richie started as Subaru spoke up. "Suburu, I'm sorry- we're being really rude, going through all of you things-" Duncan couldn't help but feel abashed, if only because he hadn't sensed Subaru's presence at all behind him.

Subaru gave him a bleak smile and shook his head. "Don't worry about it- these clothes aren't mine anymore- they belonged to someone who was lost years ago, killed with Neesan. The only reason I keep them around is because they remind me of her, and of my wish..." He stared at the room for a moment, remember what he had been like when he'd slept there, and then sighed.

Richie gave him a close look, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I wanted to ask you a question. Hokuto... she was your sister?"

Subaru nodded. "We were twins- she was born first." Richie and Duncan shared a thoughtful look, making Subaru feel a bit confused. "What's so strange about having a twin?"

Duncan gave him a serious look, and replied, "It's impossible for you to have had a twin. Immortals... we don't have families, and we can never have true, blood relations. It's what we give up for being immortal."

Subaru shook his head. "That may be true for you, but for me, it's different! Hokuto-chan looked exactly like me. We had to have been-"

Subaru stopped speaking for a moment. Duncan saw Subaru's suddenly stricken expression, and asked, "What is it?"

Subaru sat down on the bed for a moment. "I- I'd never thought of it that way..." At Richie's inquiring look, Subaru continued. "At our birth, there were... strange happenings. That is why I was marked as the thirteenth head, and not my sister. There were signs that a power had entered the world at that time, and my mother claimed to have seen a dragon sweep from the heavens to place me next to my sister." Subaru sighed, and shook his head.

Continuing in a slightly disbelieving tone, he said, "Of course, she had been unconscious the whole time, and the midwife denied any such thing, but the mystery stayed, and made me the prime candidate for the leadership of my clan." Subaru looked at them for a moment, his eyes confused. He closed and re-opened them a moment later. "Not that it matters now, right? I have no family anymore. Even if she wasn't truly mine, Hokuto-chan was my twin in my heart, my soul's other half, no matter what differences we might have had..."

Getting up from the bed, Subaru tried to lighten the mood -- or at least move away from this conversation. "Anyway, Duncan-san, you're welcome to stay here, or on the couch. I'll take the futon."

Duncan shook his head. "Why don't you sleep in here? I'll take the couch again, and Richie can have the futon, since he was so obviously in favor of it before." Duncan gave Richie a grin as Richie started to protest, and then pushed the younger immortal out of the room. "Come on- let's go."

Subaru could hear the two argue like old friends as Richie tried to persuade Duncan out of the couch, but to no avail. As he listened, he heard them calm down, and then lie down in their make-shift sleeping arrangements. *Those two...* Subaru knew that they had just done all of that to try to distract him. *They are true friends...*

He sat down on bed that felt so alien, and yet so familiar, and stared at the hallway just beyond his open door. *Just around the corner... she would be there, cheering me on about this if-* Subaru knew that his old room was rousing too many of his suppressed memories, but couldn't help remember how happy he had been, as he had been so badly teased by the two people he had most loved. *And my thoughts return to Seishirou-san yet again...*

Seishirou-san. What was he going to do about the fight? He had a chance to win now, if only because he wasn't going to die. But... *Admit it. He's strong... much too strong for you to even have a real chance.* It rankled, admitting that. But truth was always the best for looking at situations, even if it hurt...

It would be so easy just to be killed, and then keep on going back until Seishirou-san found a way to truly kill him. After all, he was Sakurazukamori. Then he could rest, see Hokuto again... *Except I promised Duncan-san that I would try.* A bitter smile crossed his face as Subaru stretched himself onto the bed. "I did promise, didn't I? So what could I possibly do..."

Subaru gazed up at the ceiling, and tried to think of some plan that would work, some means... He was surprised to find that he couldn't fit comfortably in his bed anymore. *I suppose I have grown, haven't I?* He could imagine Hokuto-chan fluttering all around him, trying to fit him for all the new clothes that she had just designed... *And I would wear them happily if it meant-*

Deciding that brooding was unlikely to help, he got off the bed and went back to the closet. Opening the door, he knelt and reached for a special wooden box. It was warded, and had an old, powerful feel to it. *I will need this soon...* Reaching into the box, he took out his ceremonial robes, those worn by ones such as he when in the midst of a great casting or challenge. Looking at them made his heart hurt, as the pure white fabric brought back memories of a blood-stained torn costume that had been worn by another...

Putting those aside, he also drew out the other accruements of his art -- the mirror and the blade. *I may not be able to kill Seishirou-san, but I can protect those that should not have gotten involved. It is good that they are in my domain. Warding them fully will be much easier now.* Quickly, he changed into full regalia, until he looked as he would for the final fight.

Suppressing a bit of anxiety at that thought, he quickly put the ornaments of the ritual in front of him, and started to center himself. Subaru knew that if he did this correctly, and devoted enough power to it, even Sakurazukamori could not break these barriers. *Of course, they are only against mental and magical attacks -- but I have a feeling they could defend against physical ones quite well...*

Subaru knelt in front of the mirror, and stabbed the knife's blade into the wood of the floor. He focused his energies, and ignored the little corner of his mind that warned against using so much of his energy before the final day. *They are my responsiblitity, and I will not shirk it... Duty is all I have...*

Softly, so as to not awaken those occupying his living room, he started to chant. Building up the power and forces, he wove multiple shields and wards around both of them. As he felt the power drain from him to the protections, he prayed that it would be enough. Finally, the spell was done, and he lay exhausted on the floor. "Now I remember why I don't like to do that very often..."

Seishirou smiled. The apartment was dark, and looked unoccupied. Of course, he could not just 'peek' occultly into the place as he could have done elsewhere -- after all, this was the dwelling of the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi Clan. Revenge-stricken and obsessed as Subaru may be, he was still very good at wards. *It's almost as if he had an affinity with kekkais...*

Quietly, he landed in the balcony right outside of the large glass door that seperated it from the apartment. He used his mind to probe for a flaw in the shields that layered the place, and found a very slight crack near the lock. Nodding to himself, Seishirou carefully used a slight touch of power to open the lock, and then withdrew.

He shook his head at Subaru's folly. "Subaru-kun. Don't you realize that all the mystical barriers in the world won't stop a physical entry?" He reached to the door and opened it easily. Stepping inside, he stopped as he saw two figures, both sleeping. One was on the couch, and the other on a futon- *Who?* Then, he realized as he felt their signatures, so distinctive in its composition. *That Duncan, and the other?"

Seishirou's grimaced involuntarily, making his annoyance obvious to any who had even an inkling of what he truly was. *So... Subaru-kun has decided to protect his protector. I find this... annoying.* Suppressing the urge to use one of his flashier modes of execution, Seishirou walked over to the sleeping men to do a more subdued, less risky killing -- first making sure that they would stay asleep with a simple suggestion to their already slumbering minds.

*Somehow, I get the feeling the usual killing won't be as satisfying.* Looking at the gaijin below him, the tree and his hands both itched to taste blood. *Perhaps a quiet death... smothering him will be easy like this...* He reached out and started to manipulate the spirits and forces around him to become tendrils of tangible fog that would reach out and strangle his victim when-

Seishirou was forced back a little when the first tendril collided against a shield, making it explode noiselessly and disappate back to its harmless components. The other fog-weapons also disappeared the same way, subjecting Seishirou to the backlash of that aborted spell. *Subaru-kun... you-*

Subaru came running into the room. "Seishirou-san..." His whisper was quiet, forced. "I felt your touch upon my shields. I should have known that you would come."

Seishirou gazed upon his prey, and felt the barest stirrings of shock. "Subaru-kun... are you preparing for our fight? Hokuto-chan looked just as you did..."

Subaru looked down, and remembered what he was wearing. Glaring at his hunter, he snapped back, "Do you want to fight? I'm ready to kill you anytime, Sakurazukamori-"

At that fierce rejoinder, Seishirou took off his sunglasses. Smiling the gentle smile that he knew drove Subaru mad, he said, "So, your protector has given you fire as well... for that alone, I will wait until after your death to kill him. Our final act will be much more interesting now that you sound like you actually think you may win."

Subaru, who had flinched back a little at the sight of Seishirou's sightless eye, now looked squarely upon his face. "I can beat you, Seishirou-san. I must, or else all the sacrifices, all the pain... it would have been for nothing. If only for that, I must stop Sakurazukamori..." The green eyes were radiating true willingness to destroy, giving Subaru a presence he had never had before -- one that made him feel like an actual threat.

Seishirou stepped closer to Subaru, as if daring him to back down. Subaru lifted his chin and stood his ground, flinging the challenge back to his face. "Subaru-kun..." Seishirou put his right hand under Subaru's chin, and pulled it close to his face. Eye to blind eye, he smiled. "You've caught my attention now. Let's finish it. You know where we should meet, and when."

Stepping away, he left in a flurry of cherry blossoms that floated throughout the room. Picking up a few, Subaru flung them away. "Finally..." His voice whispered through the still quiet room, not rousing either of the still-sleeping men. "Seishirou-san... finally." Then, he used his own powers to clear the place of Sakurazukamori's taint, and then went back to his own room, to prepare, to think -- to try to envision his life after... if there was an after...

As Subaru put his robes back into the box, he knew that he couldn't let Duncan or Richie know. *Duncan-san would try to stop me... and Richie-san would probably tag along to see more magic...* He couldn't help but shake his head at the thought of Richie nagging Sakurazukamori to kill him with magic, so he could see what it looked like...

But that thought sobered him- Subaru knew that if he died, and came back to life, Seishirou would also feel it. *We are linked too deeply, he and I. My hunter will come again, and this time, he will have true knowledge of what Richie-san and Duncan-san are trying to hide...*

/FOOD!/

Seishirou shook his head in annoyance. The tree was getting more frustrated with the game, annoyed that he had let his prey go yet again.

/Hush- it was not yet time to end it./

It had not been time... not yet. But soon... Seishirou did not realize that his eyes also held the same relieved gleam that Subaru's had had. If he had, he probably would have wondered why this game had become so important to him... why he was investing so much time to this enterprise.

*Subaru-kun. It will end for you as it should have done long ago.* A dark expression of satisfaction crossed the killer's face as he watched the sun rise. *Treasure this day, for it will be your last...*

Chapter 8

Duncan awoke from his sleep with a fuzzy head and the feeling that he shouldn't have slept so late. "Richie?" The half-muffled moan from the futon below told him that the red-head wouldn't be up for quite a while. Getting up from the couch, he looked around the sun-filled apartment, wondering where Subaru was. After he had given the apartment a cursory look, he felt almost compelled to examine it a little further. Somehow, Duncan could feel that something was not quite right...

*What are cherry blossoms doing in here? We didn't leave the balcony door open...* Walking around on the empty wooden floor, Duncan could almost feel tension... energy. *What the hell happened here? And why didn't I wake up-* His gaze focused on a note that was attached to the door. Walking over, he saw that it was from Subaru.

:Duncan-san, Richie-san. I am sorry, but I have urgent business that I cannot miss. After my business is over... When I come back, I would like to talk to you more about training to become an immortal... Sumeragi Subaru.:

"Hey Richie! Get up!" Duncan's half-hearted comment was greeted my a muffled affirmative, and the resumption of snores from the futon. As he went over to where Richie was sleeping, Duncan's mind kept wandering back to the letter. *Business... what kind of business? I've got a bad feeling...* Giving the young man at his feet a hard look, Duncan took the futon in his hands and yanked it out from under the red-head.

"Ow! Mac, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Richie sat up, his expression one of major irritation. "I was trying to sleep in a little-"

Duncan gave him a hard look. "How much sleep can you possibly need? We have more important things to think about. Subaru's gone to finish up some important business."

Richie looked at him for a moment, and then said in an uncertain voice, "You don't think-"

Duncan shook his head. "I'm not sure- he could just be out on one of his magic things, but... here, read this."

Richie took the note and gave it a quick glance. "Funny, Mac. As if I know Japanese?"

Taking the note back from Richie, Duncan looked at it ruefully. "Oh yeah- sorry, Richie. I'll translate it for you."

After hearing the translation, Richie shook his head. "I dunno, Mac. It could be either way... not that we could do anything about if he did go to duke it out with that nut. We don't know where he is, and he seems like he can take care of himself." Looking around the place, Richie continued, "Maybe we should probably go back to our own place and see how much stuff got damaged-"

Duncan said in a distracted voice, "You go ahead, Richie. I may have something..."

Richie shrugged, and grabbed his coat. "Fine- I'll be at the apartment for a while, and then I think I'll go see if there are any good bike shops around. See ya-" Duncan barely noticed his friend walk out, as he tried to grasp at something that he knew could tell him where Subaru was...

"The Watchers! Of course! Joe told me that he was starting to put up the online version of the files..." Getting to the phone, he dialed the number for the US, and more specifically, to Joe's bar.

:Hello?:
:Hey Joe- it's me, Duncan.:
:MacLeod! So, how's the new protege?:
:I have to ask for some more info-:
:What now?:
:How linked up are the Japanese contacts to the Watcher Net?:
:About as well as everyone else- that is, incomplete, but there-:
:Fine- can you link up to it now?:
:Is it really that important?:
:Yes.:
:All right- wait up a sec, ok? I'll switch phones.:

Duncan waited as he heard muffled voices off of the phone. and the click of another line opening. -John, watch the place for me, huh? I'm gonna be a while- The affirmative whispered through the line, followed by the closing of one line.

:All right, MacLeod. I'm in -- what do you need to know?:
:Who is Subaru's Watcher? And mine?:
:What!? What makes you think that they're going to talk to you-:
:Trust me- I'll make them talk.:
:MacLeod, I can't tell you that -- not if you're going to threaten them.:
:I'm not going to threaten them. I just need quick information on the spot, and the Japanese watchers are the only one who's going to have access to that.:
:And why do you want to know yours?:
:That's just for me... watching my back, ok?:
:Still don't trust us?:
:I trust you, Joe. It's just the others that don't really cut it.:
:MacLeod, what are you looking for?:
:I need to know where Subaru headed this morning.:
:That's odd-:
:What?:
:There are discrepancies in the records... Unusual ones.:
:A traitor?:
:No. Just a few strange half-ommitances...:
:Well?:
:Huh!? Oh, all right. I'll tell you who your Watcher is -- he should be in contact with your protoge's, and know better than I do about where he may be...:
:All right- who is it? How would I find him?:
:His name is Masuda Hajime, and you'll have to find him yourself. That's all the info I can give you.:
:Thanks, Joe.:
:You owe me big, ok?:
:I'll make it up to you-:

Duncan looked at the phone for a moment before hanging it up. "All I have to go on is a name, huh? Masuda Hajime... Okay. Well, I have to go outside anyway..." Closing the door behind him, Duncan left the building. "It's already one o'clock? I really did oversleep." Looking around casually, he noticed several people seeming doing inane, unnecessary things.

*Paranoid... except there actually is someone trying to get me...* Duncan took a deep breath, and decided to take a gamble. He grinned, and then shouted out, "Masuda Hajime!" The head of a man who had been sitting and reading a newspaper at a nearby cafe came up involuntarily. Knowing he had his man, Duncan started to move toward him. *Sometimes the simplest tricks work the best...*

"Masuda Hajime?" The man looked up at him, and then nodded a bit. "Hi, I'm Duncan MacLeod, and I'm apparently your immortal for my stay in Japan." Masuda stared up at him, and didn't say a word. Looking closely, Duncan could see the shock in his eyes. "I want to ask you a question- let's not make a scene, ok? I know who you are, and you know what I am. Let's pretend that we're all intelligent adults here."

Masuda nodded, and the folded up his paper. "MacLeod-san... I am glad that you are taking this so well. Usually, immortals are touchy about who knows-"

Duncan waved that away, saying in a serious tone, "We can talk about that some other time. Right now, I need to ask you if you can get in contact with one of the other Watchers." Duncan's tone was very calm, but there was an implicit menace in it, heightened by the fact that he was playing with the hilt of his sword.

"Ah, of course, I will try to help you in any way that I can. Which-" Masuda knew that if any other watcher were here, he would be branded as a traitor to the tenets of the Watchers. However, he had read up on MacLeod, and knew that Duncan was different... he hoped.

Duncan replied, "The Watcher of Subaru Sumeragi."

At that, Masuda shifted uneasily in his chair. "Sumeragi... he was a special case, you see. No one really felt all that comfortable Watching such a person as he -- he is not just an immortal, after all. He is also the head of one of the most powerful occult families in Japan, and has unheard of power, even for one in his position. And there were whispers that a secret assassin was involved..."

Duncan interrupted in a frustrated manner, wanting to know where Subaru was, not hear his life history again. "So, what did you do?"

Masuda sighed. "For now, we decided to be extra careful -- we definitely did not want to get involved in anything. After all, we heard of what happened in the States and Europe. So, the head of the Japan branch decided to rotate the person Watching him, and also kept that secret from any other Watcher..." Masuda shrugged. "I know it's not me, but I couldn't tell you who it could be."

Duncan stared at him for a moment, and then sighed. "Of course- that's just my luck."

Masuda looked at him for a moment. "What's going on?"

Duncan looked at him with a trace of annoyance. "You're my watcher- don't you know?" Duncan gazed up at the sky and shook his head. "I just wish I knew where he'd gone. He's definitely not ready to face that guy, even if he is an immortal. I've never seen someone so hung up on revenge..."

Duncan looked down to hear the sound of paper tearing. "You- you don't mean that he's gone to-"

Giving the Watcher a curious glance, Duncan replied, "That's where I think he's gone-"

Masuda cursed softly, and then threw the paper onto the ground. "This is not good."

Looking at Duncan, Masuda took a deep breath. "I suppose you're surprised that a supposedly impartial Watcher seems so interested in one immortal." Duncan motioned for him to continue. "Sumeragi-san... he is too important for Japan, and his death would be a tragedy. Also, his rebirth will reveal to Sakurazukamori that there are such beings in this world -- knowledge that some Japanese Watchers have tried to keep from murderers like him for a long time."

Duncan interrupted, exclaiming, "You guys have been altering your own reports! Why? Aren't you supposed to record everything?"

Masuda looked uneasy, and answered in a defensive tone, "We may be Watchers, but some of us also have loyalty to certain facets of our culture. We won't let such secret knowledge fall into the hands of people who don't understand the significance... What could we do? Do you really think that some Watchers will believe true our reports about dueling magicians?"

Masuda sighed. Tapping his fingers on the cheap plastic table in front of him, he looked at Duncan critically. "All right- I can tell you where he probably is." Duncan looked up at him, surprised. "I saw him go in the direction of a small park, which houses a certain cherry tree..." Duncan gave him a surprised glance to which Masuda replied to with a closed expression on his face.

"The Watchers of Japan are not the only holders of secret knowledge. Do not think that is the only allegiance some of us have -- there are a few who obey others." Masuda stood up. "Sumeragi-san... I think he will still be there, if you hurry." Retrieving the paper from the floor, Masuda drew out a quick map, and wrote down the address. Bowing to Duncan, he said, "Please try to keep him alive, MacLeod-san. He is one of Japan's protectors..."

As Duncan watched Masuda leave, he couldn't help but grin. *I don't think that Joe would be pleased to know that there are Watchers like him around... I wonder if Methos knows about them...*

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