Tokyo Babylon: Sound
part 13: Laughing / Joy


        Arashi watched the newly-wed couple from behind a fragile facade.  
She shouldn't have come.  She had known she shouldn't have come.  She had 
turned down all wedding invitations she had received since That Day, 
excluding Yuzuriha's to Kamui, and Daisuke's to Kumiko.
        This, like the others, should have been her wedding to Sorata.
        Sora-chan.
        Arashi unobtrusively lost herself in the groves of flowering sakura.

                             *       *       *

        Midori watched silently as Kishuu Arashi lost herself from the rest 
of the group and frowned slightly.
        "Okaasan?" Subaru asked her, interpreting the look on her face 
correctly.
        "I was just watching Kishuu-san, Su-chan," she replied.  "Her pain 
will never end."
        "... It was what had to be done," Kigai Yuuto said as he joined 
them, his brown eyes troubled as he looked after the young woman whose 
lover he had killed.  "It was Destined.  But if I could undo it, I would in 
an instant."
        "I wish there was something we could do to alleviate her pain," 
Subaru murmured, one hand resting on their son's shoulder as the other 
gently touched Midori's hand.
        Midori considered.  "... There are things one can do," she murmured 
finally, "and I'm owed a few favors from upstairs at the moment... this 
will probably call all of them in...."
        "What are you going to do, Midori-san?" Subaru's grandmother asked 
her.
        "Call one of the yuurei," Midori answered, already closing her eyes 
and reaching out to the other plane that she could touch, could sense, 
above the physical.

                             *       *       *

        Sorata materialized up in the branches of a cherry tree, and looked 
down, a little curious.  The last thing he remembered was dying....
        <Oh.>  He wondered how many years had passed as he saw the group 
gathered below him.  Kamui (when did he get the wings?), Yuzuriha (a 
mother?), Sakurazukamori, Subaru (in WEDDING garb?!!?!), Toyuuki Midori 
(wearing a white wedding kimono...), a boy who had a *strong* resemblance 
to Subaru, an old woman in a wheelchair, Kazuki Kakyou, and... Kigai 
Yuuto.  <Wonderful, the guy who killed me.>
        Sorata looked again, and saw energy pouring off of Midori.  She was 
the one who had opened the way for him to get here, and was keeping it open 
even now.  Of course Subaru would marry someone special like that... even 
if she was Sakurazukamori's little sister.
        <... Arashi,> Sorata thought as he moved his head away from the 
wedding party and looked into the groves of flowering cherry trees.  He 
could feel her there, feel her pain.  He had to go to her.  He looked back 
down at Subaru's bride, dressed in a beautiful white silk kimono, and 
smiled a little at her.  <Hey, lady, I don't know if you can hear me, but 
thanks.>
        :It is my pleasure, Arisugawa-san,: a thought came back to him, as 
Midori opened her pale silver eyes and glanced up at him.  :Go to her.  
Kishuu-san needs you.  I have stabilized the gate; it will hold for a few 
hours, at least.:
        Sorata did not hesitate in obeying.

                             *       *       *

        :Hey, now, a beautiful woman like you shouldn't be crying,: a voice 
said inside Arashi's head.  :Weddings are supposed to be happy occasions, 
you know.:
        Arashi looked up from where she had been sitting on the ground, 
crying into her arms.
        Sorata smiled down at her.
        "So...ra...ta...?" she asked unbelievingly.
        :That pretty bride of Subaru's arranged for me to get a little time 
off from the afterlife,: Sorata replied with a grin.  :I couldn't think of 
anyone else I'd rather spend it with than you.:
        Arashi blushed at the compliment.
        :What's this?: he asked as he sat down beside her.  :A blush?  
You've warmed up a bit, my ice queen.:
        "I missed you," Arashi said quietly.  "You died on me."
        :Not 'xactly my fault,: Sorata defended himself.

                             *       *       *

        Midori smiled slightly as she watched Arisugawa take off towards 
his lady-love.  "He's as impetuous and charming in death as he was in 
life," she observed.
        "I couldn't picture him being anything else," Kamui murmured.  
Midori smiled at him, noticing that the concealing spell on his wings had 
been dropped.
        "I hope Sora-chan will help Arashi-san..." Yuzuriha murmured.
        Midori gasped as her vision suddenly went gray, clutching 
instinctively at Subaru as her knees gave way and she fell.

                             *       *       *

        :You are to be congratulated,: the voices whispered to her.  :You 
have joined two clans this day who would never have allied otherwise.  You 
have done well, Balancer.:
        :We have a gift for you.  Look, and see....:

                             *       *       *

        Sakura fell gently, marking another April.  Midori smiled and 
leaned her head against her husband's shoulder, unbound silver hair 
spilling to the floor in a graceful stream, just brushing the ground as she 
stood.  Subaru's fingers laced through the silver strands as his arm closed 
around her waist.  "It is his season," he murmured softly, watching the 
small cloud of gently descending pink blossoms.
        "Our season," Midori corrected.  "It's been a good life, hasn't it, 
Subaru?"
        He laughed softly, his emerald eyes young even to this day.  "I'm 
not ready to quit it just yet, Midori," he said, gesturing to their 
children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren in the sakura grove.  "I 
still want to see more."
        "As do I," Midori murmured.  "But when it's time... he'll be there, 
waiting for us."
        "Yes," Subaru agreed with a small smile, looking at her.  "He will."

                             *       *       *

        Midori stumbled back awake with a gasp, acutely aware of Subaru's 
arms holding her.  "Are you all right?" he asked worridly.
        "Never better," Midori murmured, aware of all the gazes on her.  "I 
just got a wedding gift from the higher-ups... or a reward for a job well 
done, whichever you prefer."  She smiled as she looked into his eyes and 
saw the genuine love and worry there.  "It's going to be a good future, 
Subaru, a long one, with much happiness."

                             *       *       *

        Arashi smiled as she stroked the dark hair of the man she loved.  
It was only a few hours, but how precious it was to her....
        Kamui smiled at Yuzuriha, his arm around her waist as she held 
their daughter.  His wife smiled back, neither of them fearful of their 
futures, whatever they might be, anymore.
        Sakurazukamori smiled as he watched Subaru-kun gently kiss 
Midori-chan.
        Yuuto smiled softly at the scene before them, and gently caught the 
hand of his friend and partner.  He looked into Kakyou's eyes and silently 
renewed his promise to himself to someday see emotion in them again.
        Mirei smiled, looking at the boy who stood by her wheelchair and 
was not surprised to see that he was smiling as well.  A smile curved her 
lips too as she felt the perfect harmony in this moment.
        No matter what the future held, this moment would always be part of 
it.


                                  *Owari*

*****
Linguistics: "Yuurei" are ghosts, recently dead.  (Within, say, 50 years 
        "recent," according to Minako-san.)