X character file: Arashi Kishuu. translated by Rika Takahashi * Monologue. ARASHI To Ms. Kaede Saiguu, Ise Shrine. I am writing you from Tokyo. The kekkais in Tokyo are getting very weak, as you had worried. I can only think that there is some special structure buried underground concerning the distortions around the Ikebukuro Sunshine area. It is not limited to Ikebukuro. A new building has been erected in Shinjuku. A new building has been constructed on top of the demon's gate of the structures that work as sealstones. I do not know if that was the reason, but there was another large earthquake. There was not much damage done to structures, but the situation requires the utmost caution. Princess Hinoto of the Diet Building was of the same opinion. Princess Hinoto was, as you had previously described, a beautiful woman who appeared to resemble a young girl. Blind. Deaf. Unable to walk. The Dreamgazer who dreams of the nation's future sacrificing every bit of her body. I hear that you had met Princess Hinoto over thirty years ago. However, there was no changes in the person that I had met. The "Dreamgazer" who spins dreams for politicians deep below the Diet Building. The ancient fortune-teller who has been said to have controlled the politics of Japan from the shadows. Kaede-sama. I have met "Kamui". He was a boy, the same age as myself. He seems to weat an invisible armor, as if something had terribly hurt his heart..... A boy with sad eyes, yet sharp as a knife..... However, those powers were indeed very strong. Saiki-dono, who protects Princess Hinoto, fought with Kamui and suffered wounds that were the least bit shallow. Still. I cannot bear ill feelings toward Kamui for some reason. * Drama. Underground of the Diet Building. Hinoto sits on the other side of the curtain. Saiki sits next to her. Arashi sits across from Hinoto, slightly further away. HINOTO Arashi-dono.... Hinoto's mouth is not moving. Hinoto is directly speaking into Arashi's mind. Arashi is not moved by this. Arashi opens her mouth to respong to Hinoto's query. HINOTO Have you met "Kamui"? ARASHI Yes. HINOTO How was he? ARASHI That power.... no doubt that he is "Kamui". However..... HINOTO I understand. Hinoto, slightly sad. HINOTO "Kamui" is not yet awake. OF his power...... nor his destiny. SAIKI That is not Kamui. HINOTO .... Saiki-dono. Saiki, as if he could no longer resist. SAIKI Yes, he does have tremendous power. But! "Kamui" cannot be someone who does not care about involving harmless civilians, or about destroying people's houses! HINOTO No. Hinoto, gentle, but firm. HINOTO That.... is "Kamui". SAIKI Princess Hinoto..... Saiki does not look convinced. Hinoto, gently. HINOTO You are injured. SAIKI N, no....... HINOTO Fighting with Kamui..... SAIKI ............ Hinoto, knowing even though blind. HINOTO Please take care of your wounds now. Thank you for your troubles, Saiki-dono. SAIKI ....... Thank you very much. Saiki pulls back for the moment. ARASHI Princess Hinoto..... HINOTO Please, call me "Hinoto". I am only a fortune-teller. I am not a princess. ARASHI Then.... Hinoto. Arashi, looking straight at the blind Hinoto. ARASHI Why are you positive that the boy is "Kamui"? Does it have something to do with your "Dream"......? HINOTO Yes. Hinoto nods to Arashi. HINOTO My "Dreamgazing" told me so. That Kamui would be returning to Tokyo. ARASHI The "Dream" that you saw...... HINOTO It was about the "End of ths World". Hinoto, remembering her dream. HINOTO The end of the world has been predicted by various people in various forms from long ago. I have been granted the power to see the future as a Dreamgazer, and I sometimes see the future inside my dreams. But, that dream was not one I saw because of someone's request. It was my dream. A dream about Earth....... The boy who was in the dream was definitely "Kamui". Hinoto, bowing deeply. HINOTO Arashi-dono. Please, protect Kamui. "Kamui" is the one that holds the key to the future of the world. Arashi nods. ARASHI ...... I understand. Hinoto looks startled. HINOTO Saiki-dono. Please help Arashi-dono. Saiki, still dissatisfied, but he can't do anything now that Hinoto has said the final word. SAIKI ..... yes. Saiki and Arashi give their regards and leave Hinoto's room. The two walking next to each other. The footsteps of the couple echo in the hallway of the basement of the Diet Building. ARASHI How are your wounds? SAIKI I'm fine. Arashi stops. ARASHI There is no way that you are fine. A tug on Saiki's arm. SAIKI ! An involuntary scream comes out as she takes the hand that was injured during his battle with Kamui. ARASHI Doesn't that hurt? SAIKI Of course it hurts if you pull on it! ARASHI "Kamui" has enough power to give a wind master of your caliber a wound this deep. Saiki stays quiet. Arashi senses Saiki wanting to say somthing, and waits for his next comment. SAIKI I won't accept it...... Saiki, as if wringing the words out of his body. SAIKI I will not accept it. Saiki, as if he is convincing himself instead of telling Arashi. SAIKI I will never accept the fact that he is "Kamui"! ARASHI Why....? Because he hurt you? SAIKI No! You saw! That catastrophe! ARASHI There is no battle where everyone goes away unhurt. SAIKI ...........! Arashi, looking intently at Saiki. ARASHI And we do now know if "Kamui" is beneficial to us yet. ..... Saiki. Saiki, in response, returns Arashi's gaze. ARASHI What did you think "Kamui" was? A messaiah who has a good heart and does good deeds? Whose "good deeds" are as such? SAIKI .............. Saiki stays silent. ARASHI I did not think that Kamui was "human". I was thinking that it was more ambiguous... more of a "power". Saiki, finally regaining calmness. SAIKI ..... me too. I did not think it was such a child. Saiki now asks Arashi. SAIKI What about you? Arashi silently awaits Saiki's next comment. SAIKI What did you think when you met Kamui? Were you satisfied? Do you have doubts? ARASHI I......... Arashi, looking around into empty space. ARASHI Saw Kamui..... and thought that he was human. * Monologue. ARASHI Kaede-sama. Kamui was human. He has a heart, and he has his confusion. However, is the person having powers equalling that of God happy to be a human? At least for me. It did not seem that Kamui was full of happiness, nor did he seem satisfied. Kaede-sama. Tokyo is in a commotion. It is falling into chaos like never before. What is going to happen in the future. And, what will happen to Tokyo, no, the Earth, now. I plan to see what happens with my own eyes, like how I promised you. And, in those events, what I will choose and how I will act. I intend on studying myself. I will write again. Please, take care of yourself. Sincerely. Arashi. [fuu notes that the whole letter is in "archaic" format, as the "Sincerely" is actually the good old Japanese term "kashiko" which I can't think of an adequate translation for. and she does sign it "Arashi mairu" which would be "Arashi was here" type-deal, but I'm not going to worry about it, as such a format doesn't exist in English letters.....] that's it, eagerly await for Kusanagi and Kakyou, where you find out that Yuzu-chan is a lush! one word of warning: the Kakyou CF has the MAJOR end-of-X8 spoiler (part of the drama is basically the beginning of X9), so don't read it if you don't want to be spoiled! now would y'all stop using my account? hey! I posted your CF today! be a good girl like Kazuki! *grumble* okay. At least it's not boring with y'all around. =) rika, tomoyo, and satsuki. =)