Author's Note: I have decided to reformat this story. Maybe read it over and correct a bit of the grammar, add a couple more scenes or a few more descriptions. This will probably happen regularly, and I will put up the newly edited chapters as I finish them. Please note that I am a college student with a very busy schedule, and I have a lot of other work to do, and a life to contend with. If only my life was writing fanfiction…

This story was written because I didn't see enough satisfactory portrayals of Suboshi. I don't like it when people see him as psychotic, and his brother as an angel. Both are neither. The personality of the characters are my own interpretation, and if anyone finds them off-putting, please review and tell me. I appreciate any criticism and comments, so long as they are constructive.

As for the disclaimer, I hope all of you realize that I'm not about to be stupid enough to claim this as mine do you? Except Suboshi. He's mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine! Forever. -Eyes glaze over in mania- Okay, you get the idea. Please read and review!

Chapter One: The Vision

"Suboshi."

The young boy seishi turned to face the ever-cold eyes of his shogun, and trembled deeply with anticipation and excitement. Wind gathered in the air, sending the rank of the dead below floating before him. He absently lifted his hands to grip at the small ribbon which never left his sight. It didn't matter. Before long, he would be transcending the bounds of time and space, arriving in another world…Yui's world.

"Yes, Nakago-sama?" Suboshi asked, amazed at his ability to keep his calm.

"Yui-sama has called for help," the blond man replied. Suboshi nodded. "I am, however, due to some unfinished business, unable to go to her at the moment. Would you be willing to go for me?"

Suboshi felt hope burst from his chest in an unbounded energy of joy. "Yes!" he wanted to shout. "What are you waiting for? Send me there! You can't imagine how long I've waited for this…for me to prove my loyalty to her…for her to love me back! Please, let me go now!"

"Hai," Suboshi said instead, somehow managing to keep a look of indifference and authority.

"Good. I've always known that your loyalty for your miko is unquestionable," Nakago said approvingly.

"When do I go?" he asked, brushing the hair away from his eyes.

"Close your eyes."

"Wha…?"

"Do as I say, and concentrate on Yui. Never let go of the ribbon she gave you, do you understand that? Never."

The young seishi closed his eyes, and willed his mind to focus on Yui, his miko, his love. It wasn't hard to do. In fact, it was hard to not think of her. Suboshi took a deep breath and pictured the woman he loved in his mind. He recalled her lovely eyes, her gorgeous short blonde hair, and then remembered fondly of her gentle body when he had held her before the calling ceremony. Then he swallowed as he thought of her soft, smooth, silky skin…

Blue light surrounded him without warning, but the boy didn't notice, so hard was he concentrating on his beloved. Surrounding them, soldiers gasped in fear and awe as the seishi began to fade away into the blue light. Then a second later, the light disappeared, and nothing was left in its place. Murmurs of terror and the rumor of witchcraft floated amongst the ranks. Seiryuu or not, the ranks of Kutou were still highly superstitious and wary of the supernatural.

Nakago stared at the empty spot where the boy seishi had recently stood. The man closed his eyes in satisfaction, his lips curving into a smirk.

"Fool."

---

"You can't escape my ryuuseisui! Suzaku no Miko!" Suboshi shouted triumphantly as he searched the street cluttered with ignorant, noisy people. She wasn't hard to find from his vantage point on one of the strange, loud, roaring objects that the people of this world used to move themselves with. The snow-laden wind sent him shivering, but Suboshi ignored the cold. He had a duty to do.

Finally, he spotted a girl dressed in a pink overcoat winding her way between the rushing people. Her hairstyle was unmistakable. The two buns on her head gave it all away. What's more, she wasn't even looking in the right direction! He was behind her!

"Go to her, ryuuseisui," Suboshi whispered. The deadly weapons spiraled silently on his fingertips. "Go to her and send her falling." He smiled with anticipation as his weapon flew above the crowd, whizzing obediently toward its target.

"KYAAAA!!!"

Suzaku no Miko screamed as the ryuuseisui twisted tightly around her thin body and forced her painfully onto the ground. Suboshi's already eager smile grew wider. He jumped down from where he stood, and walked slowly but surely toward the writhing, struggling girl.

"Why hello Suzaku no Miko," Suboshi said casually, stepping into the miko's view. Suzaku no Miko's eyes widened fearfully when she saw him. Suboshi stoppled the urge to laugh. It was right that she should be. She had every right to be afraid of what was going to happen to her. And more than likely she knew that she deserved it, for causing Yui-sama her pain…for causing his aniki pain.

"Suboshi…please!" she begged weakly, straining against the coiled ropes of his ryuuseisui.

"I'm going to kill you," Suboshi replied. He stepped over toward her, grinning as he put his hands around her neck. The agony of suffocation appeared on the miko's face. He loosened for a moment, but tightened them again, enjoying her pain. "Even death is too good for you," he hissed, his eyes narrowing. "You deserve to suffer much, much more…"

"…What's going on?"

"…A movie?"

"…Poor actors, having to wear short sleeves on a cold winter's night."

"…So near Christmas eve too!"

He ignored the circle of onlookers that was already forming around them. Their chatter was meaningless, and only served to distract him. So they thought that this was all a show. Good. That would give him time to hurt Suzaku no Miko all he wanted before they called the annoying men dressed in blue uniforms that had followed him earlier. Then he'll kill her, quickly yet painfully.

The noise of loud beeps and squealing suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Suboshi turned around warily, and then he froze. A man stood there, his coat flapping in the chilling wind. He was dressed in the guise of one of the people here in this world, but Suboshi recognized him. His ryuuseisui uncoiled around Suzaku no Miko and floated around him cautiously.

"Tamahome!" The hatred in his voice was so strong that it made several of the people around him flinch.

Tamahome returned the Seiryuu Seishi with a look of his own.

"Let go of Miaka!" he ordered. A long time ago, a glowing red aura would have accompanied that command, but that had now disappeared. The power, which could have easily killed him, was gone. But nevertheless, Suboshi got up, releasing Suzaku no Miko. The girl will pay later, but Tamahome came first.

"Keisuke, take care of Miaka," Tamahome said. "I'll take care of him."

Suboshi's eyes narrowed, but a smile appeared on his face. Suzaku was no longer. Tamahome couldn't hurt him.

"No! Tamahome! You'll get killed!"

"How touching," Suboshi mocked. His ryuuseisui whirled faster than before. "You dedicate your life to your miko. Why don't I help you with that? I'm sure she'll be pleased, when you give your life for her!"

With that, the Seiryuu Seishi leapt into the sky, ryuuseisui spinning ominously around him, where down below, the people looked up at him with faces of horror.

He felt powerful. Absolutely powerful. The wind ruffled his hair, and the snow swirled white around him. He wanted to shout with the bliss it provided. There was only one answer to the outcome of this battle; triumph. What's more, it was his triumph. He would destroy them both, and avenge both his miko and his brother.

No!

A strange voice suddenly pierced through his head, and Suboshi hesitated. That was strange, hearing voices in his head. It had never happened before, except when he was with his aniki, who couldn't possibly remember him now. When nothing else happened, he continued again. The ryuuseisui flew rapidly toward its target, it's brightly colored tassels now nothing but a multicolored blur. The Suzaku Seishi managed to avoid it just in time. A crater appeared on the road instead. The loud noise fills the curious onlookers with terror. Screams could be heard. Suboshi cursed silently and lands softly on the ground.

"…Someone!"

"…Get the police! Hurry!"

In the blink of an eye, the spinning weapon was once more in the air. Seeing that he had no chance, Tamahome immediately turned around, and fled into the crowd.

"You won't escape me!" Suboshi cried, his voice nearly trembling with adrenaline. His ryuuseisui unattached itself from its coils and floated in the air. "Follow him. Follow him and put a hole through him."

Stop!

It was that voice again! Once more, Suboshi hesitated, but he ignored it, believing it to simply be a side effect from the high tension of the fight. His ryuuseisui spun its way through the screaming, panicking, fleeing crowd. The sound of broken glass cut through the cold air. More screams added to the chaos, already heavy with tension.

Child, listen to me!

This time Suboshi stopped, now unsure of what to do. In another part of his mind, he could sense his ryuuseisui spinning closer and closer toward Tamahome. The seishi was cut and bleeding from the broken glass, and he was tired. It won't be long now before the weapon caught up to him, and then it will be too late.

This is the wrong path my son!

"Who-who are you?" Suboshi whispered. Tamahome was now turning back and heading toward him again.

Do you not recognize the one who blessed you with power?

"Seiryuu Seikun?" Suboshi gasped.

Listen to me, my son, my warrior, my chosen one. If you continue, you will die!

Suboshi's heart nearly stopped as he heard the words of his god. "D-die? But that's impossible! I won't die!"

Watch child. Watch and know that this will be your fate if you do not heed my words!

The scene around him suddenly changes. Suboshi sees Tamahome running towards him, ryuuseisui close behind. He feels a spurt of excitement. The seishi will die now! But then suddenly, an unexpected turn of fate occurs. Tamahome disappears from view, vaulting over him and onto the other side. The ryuuseisui, choosing the shortest path, continues to fly…straight towards him.

The agony and pain as his own weapon pierces through him is incredible. With one hand, Suboshi clutches at the hole in his chest that had not been there before, and stares in dazed horror at the blood that drips onto the ground. And then, with one hand gripping tightly on Yui's ribbon, he falls, collapsing onto the ground.

The vision ended there, but it was enough. Suboshi felt tears fill his eyes, too shocked by what he saw. He trembled and shook, this time not from excitement, but from horror. He gripped at his chest, thankful that there was no hole in it, thankful that he was not dead…yet. He gazed at the street in front of him. There were still people on it. They were still fleeing.

Then he felt it. His ryuuseisui was coming closer towards him. Tamahome, who had at first appeared as a dot in the distance, suddenly appeared large in view. Suboshi trembled. This is where it is going to end. He saw his ryuuseisui, close behind the seishi, and with his will, began to slow it down.

Once again, Tamahome vaulted over him. Once more did Suboshi sense the man's thudding heart, his exhausted composure. And the ryuuseisui came closer…closer…closer. And then it stopped, bouncing harmlessly onto the snow below. Behind him, Suboshi could hear the gasps of the Suzaku Seishi.

"I beat it!" Suboshi cried. "I won't die!"

He turned around to face Tamahome, but before he could do that, once more a vision blinded him. With an audible cry of despair, Suboshi sank into the ground clutching at his head.

The season changes from winter to spring. Suboshi watches silently for a moment, welcoming its warmth. The snow had disappeared, and in its place, pink petals floats prettily in the sky, bathing the world in its sweet scent.

"What am I doing here?" he asks.

Watch.

Suboshi obeys, and not long after, two figures appear on the road. Both he recognizes. He gasps as he saw what he had thought was impossible.

"Suzaku no Miko! Yui-sama!" But they do not hear him.

"Ne, Yui-chan, aren't the petals so pretty this spring?"

"Mm, especially after all that has happened."

"When we were once in a book, fighting against each other…"

"It all seems so silly now doesn't it?"

"Sou ne."

"Yui, you know, onii-chan was telling me the other day that you are now going out with Tetsuya? Is that true?"

"Hai! I've grown to like him, and he's very kind and understanding."

Suboshi listens to the conversation in confusion. He didn't understand a word of what they were saying. Based on the beginning, of their dialogue, it was after Yui had called Seiryuu, but the next part…

"Miaka!"

"Yui!"

"Onii-chan!"

"Tetsuya!"

The seishi watches silently as the two girls runs toward two distant figures on the street. Suzaku no Miko runs toward a blonde man, and then he saw Yui running toward another man…a man with dark shades covering his eyes, and leap into him with joy. And then in the background, he sees another figure, a third figure. It is him. And he stands there, all alone, watching as Yui embraces the stranger and kiss him with adoration.

You see? Yui will never love you. She will never care for you. The love you feel for her will never be returned. Seiryuu no Miko is not destined for you.

"No!" Suboshi screamed.

He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't believe it. All his love, for what? All his loyalty, for what? The pain of betrayal burst into him, cutting him, burning him like no wound could. And his aniki…what of his aniki? He'll never remember him. He'll never remember that he had a younger brother. He was happy, happy without him. After all, he had his own family. So did Yui. Both the people he loved had…or will find happiness, but that happiness was not for him.

At the back of him, Miaka, Keisuke, and Tetsuya eyed the boy with confusion. Suboshi was unmoving, trembling, shaking. After the initial scream, he had remained silent. Lost somewhere in the corner of his mind.

"What's wrong with him?" Keisuke whispered cautiously.

Miaka simply watched Tamahome, ignoring all that was around them. She was hardly aware of what was happening.

"Seiryuu, you mentioned that I was taking the wrong path. Where is the right one?"

Tetsuya jumped, as did Keisuke. Miaka broke away her gaze from Tamahome and looked up, startled.

The Gods have made a deal. The Suzaku Seishi Tamahome will soon be living in this world. For that one breaking of the rules, we have made a deal to keep the balance. The deal is this: For every Suzaku Seishi in this world, a Seiryuu Seishi will be allowed to remain, changed as a person of this world. You, my child, my son, will be the first. If you agree to the path I have picked for you, you will find happiness, success, and the person who is destined to be your soul mate.

"My soul mate?" Suboshi whispered. "Yui is not the one?" Then he crushed the pain and sorrow that rose from his heart. Yui had betrayed him. So had his brother. Neither of them needed him. Neither of them wanted him. He should not have to break his heart and slave away for them anymore.

Suboshi stood up. And as if he was lead by invisible strings, he began to run, leaving his ryuuseisui behind. He ran, ran towards the snow, ran towards the crowd, ran towards the city lights, always running, running, never stopping. Suboshi was no more. Shunkaku was no more. He continued to run, a speeding blur on the street, blurring away his past, blurring away his pain, his loneliness, his sorrow.

Miaka, Keisuke, and Tetsuya, watched the running boy weave his way into the crowd. And then he disappeared.

Seiryuu Shichi Seishi Suboshi, Bu Shunkaku, no longer existed.