Oh my. You seriously have no idea how long it has taken me to find this story again. I first got into X/19 in my first year of University back in 2004 and read every fic I could get my hands on. At that point I did not have an account here and was merely a visitor. Point being that I read this one night and it really stuck with me but I was completely unable to find it again. I searched all over the place for like 3 months but eventually gave up the search as hopeless and moved on. Every couple of months or so at first, with increasing intervals as the years went on, I have gone through a bit of an X/19 relapse and tried in vain to find this *one* little story but it just never seemed to happen. And then, while suffering insomnia and looking up Kingdom Hearts fluff to try and put me in a relaxed mood for sleep something tweaks at the back of my mind that I really do miss Subaru and Kamui and everything that is X/19. So I go to the main page and it strikes me that mabey I should give the search one more final shot before putting it to sleep for another couple years. First thing I search is tribute, comes up empty. Then I start to think about how the whole premise is a candle for each soul - so "candles" it is. And of the two entries that come up this one is right there sitting in plain view for me. I was so absolutely happy and frustrated at the same time that after all this time it was so easy in the end! In any case it's almost 2 am and I am rambling but I just thought you should know what a profound effect this little story had on me throughout these last five years! I think people really do not realize the full effect the smallest of actions can have if they are not directly allerted to it. It's wierd to think that I have been searching for your account for so long with so much effort, but you never would have had any clue about it!

I liked the symbolism at the end (I assume that the last two candles were for Karen and Subaru).

How Subaru lit his candle from Seishirou's flame. How Subaru watched her as she lit hers with a match. Does that mean anything in particular? Prehaps that she isn't truly 'alive' since her fire was her life and all the other Ten no Ryu and Chi no Ryu are dead.

Or, I may just be overanaylizing it. Either way good story.

I love this story. I also enjoyed your Tanabata story and I'm not the one who is obsessed with X in my family. Very Good.

It's beautiful and a little bit sad. Who were the last two candles for? Hinoto and Konoe? Eventhough you said Rei was a "Mary Sue", her character was reminded me of Hokuto. But sill it was a good story. I'm glad that Emerald recommended this story for me (since I'm new in X's section at FFNet). I also love your story "Home And Heart". It's just that I couldn't visit .net to often. When will you update it? Do you mind to inform me everytime you update or post a new story?