They ate together in the room, Kamui not wanting to go out and meet the other Owners.

"I'm leaving soon," he said, knowing he wasn't telling the truth, but unable to say he would rather stay locked in a room with Souichi for. well, for as long as they would  enjoy it! Memories of the night filled his head, and he began to turn red. He knew he also wanted more of that, but what about Souichi?

"So you really want to abandon me, don't you Master?" Souichi said painfully and getting no response, not really wanting to make Kamui feel guilty, but unable not to use what he knew was his best "piteous" mood. He felt very "piteous" today. It wasn't just the wish to keep one gentle and not too boring Master just in case he got a worse one if he left. Souichi was frightened by the thought of Kamui leaving. He kept repeating to himself that someone like Master Kamui would never live in the Palace, it was no more a place for him than it had been for Mistress Kotori. Kamui  was hiding it better, but nothing more.

Watching Kamui eat in silence, he wondered if he had made a mistake the previous night. Kamui hadn't been saying anything in the past twenty minutes, hadn't  looked at Souichi. He was merely looking at his plate, absent-mindedly chewing his fish - which Souichi disliked very much, but it was Kamui who had chosen it.

Souichi laid his fork next to his plate, wondering whether it was the good moment to start a conversation. Kamui'eyes were obstinately stuck to his half-eaten fish. Poor Souichi felt something moving deep inside him. He was looking at this delicate boy's face, wanting to take it in his hands, and sensing that he had no right to. This thought was confusing him. It wasn't what
had been taught to him. He should have had a wanting or at least willing Master. The problem was that he had a reluctant Master to whom he was getting far too close for his own good. It couldn't lead him anywhere, since one day, Master Kamui would leave, and he, a mere slave, would stay behind, alone. He wished Master Kamui had never came in his room. Everything  was easier before... before.... he trusted Master Kamui. Well, before he was in love.

It was hard to admit. Few worse things could happen to a slave. It was really bad. How could he satisfy his next Owner in such a condition? How could he endure Master Kamui's departure?

Without Souichi noticing, Kamui had resumed eating his fish with an almost desperate kind of energy. While Souichi had been chewing his thoughts all over for the past minutes in dark despair, Kamui had come to a conclusion. Or rather, he had decided to do  something about 'Souichi's problem'.

He couldn't even think of leaving the boy alone in the Palace in the claws of another Owner. He wouldn't allow it. He didn't know if his solution would efficiently solve the problem, or even if Souichi would like it but damn!, he had always followed his own feelings and instincts. And concerning Souichi, his instincts were pretty strong. He was worried he was making some big, huge mistake, but he didn't care. Well, actually, he did care, and that's why he was slaughtering his innocent fish. It was better than slaughtering Hokuto for what she had done in the first place.

What he had decided would be getting him more trouble than he bargained for, and this fish would be the one to pay for everybody!!

They finished their meal in silence. Souichi felt very depressed, on the verge of crying, or running through the room like a mad man screaming (he didn't know yet). Or maybe, he could just jump on Master Kamui and... Suddenly, a servant knocked on the door:

"A phone call for Shirou-sama," the man said, and he held Kamui a phone. The young man picked it up with a slight grin: it might be Hokuto calling, no, it has to be Hokuto calling. He would scare the hell out of her first, and then, explain his plan. He had already found its name: 'Free and destroy'. He found it was sounding pretty well.

Being the World Saviour doesn't always mean you have very good taste - or perhaps Kamui had seen too many war films.

"Kamui?" a masculine voice said on the phone. "It's me, it's Fuuma."

"WH... What?" Kamui managed to say in an almost normal kind of voice, threatened to the bones that Fuuma had found him HERE.  "HOW did you get this phone number?"

"Kamui," Fuuma insisted, "I know where you are. I know the Palace - what the Palace is about. I know what you're doing-"

I don't think so, Kamui thought. And if you could just stop being this repetitive...

"I know you're suffering, but it isn't a solution."

"But I'm not... I was TRAPPED into this and..."

"We have to talk about it."

Shit. A nice talk with Fuuma about sex slavery. Exactly what he needed. A call from the Sakurazukamori/Sumeragi couple claiming their happiness on the top of that, and it would be per-fect!!

Half an hour later...

Now, Souichi was trying hard not to jump through the window.

Master Kamui had been on the phone since they finished eating. He hadn't seemed too happy to be speaking to that person (whoever it was, but they seemed to be quite  close), but now, he was pissed, and shaking with anger in a way that made his thin body violently  quiver.

Such a reaction was a proof, in Souichi's mind, of the deep involvement of his Master with his speaker (who at least he had identified as being a man). Which left no room for him. Life was so unfair.

Feeling ignored, Souichi would have done anything, absolutely anything to gain one small bit of  his Master's affection. He tried to listen to the 'conversation' again. Master Kamui and his friend had talked about the Palace at first, but quickly changed to other various subjects. If only he could  kill all his forbidden emotions and act coldly the way he did when under a bad mood... It would drive Master Kamui away, so he, poor slave, wouldn't have to deal with such painful situation any more. It
would also break his heart, but...

So, he was frantically trying to regain his I-am-grumpy-and-heartless personality. Which was uneasy, for it never came when he really needed it.

For now, unaware of Souichi's turmoil, Kamui was shouting: "AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU THINK I SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN KOTORI TO THE  MOVIES THAT NIGHT!!!!!! NOTHING HAPPENED, I ALREADY TOLD YOU TWICE!!!... Wh... WHAT?????? WHAT ABOUT THE KITTY NOW???? BUT I... I NEVER POISONNED YOUR STUPID CAT, HE DIED FROM ANEMIA WHILE YOU WERE BLACK FUUMA!!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT YOURSELF!!! I COULDN'T KNOW YOU HAD ADOPTED ANOTHER AFTER YOUR LAST ONE GOT RUN OVER BY A TRUCK!!! AND I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD LOCKED IT IN THE  CELLAR SO I COULDN'T FEED IT!! OKAY???"

Master Kamui paused to rest his lungs but the shouting quickly resumed.

"WHAT???? WHAT HAVE YOU JUST SAID??? 'YOU SHOULD HAVE GUESSED'??? WHAT DO YOU MEAN EXACTLY???? I SHOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT YOU HAD LOCKED YOUR CAT????YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DID IT!!!!! I AM INNOCENT!!!!! I REFUSE TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ITS DEATH AND THAT'S FINAL!!!!"

Kamui threw the phone against a wall, silencing it efficiently. He gasped for breath for a few moments, then turned his gaze to the remains of the phone. He eyed them with a very satisfied smile.

"I feel better now! Who does he think he is? Just because he maimed and tortured me, it doesn't give him every right!!" Finally remembering Souichi, Kamui turned to him to see the boy looking  at him with a strange look in his eyes.

"What's the matter?" Kamui asked in a slightly panicked tone of voice. A crying Souichi was NOT something he needed, especially if he had  to...

Yes!!! The plan!!! Kamui beamed, remembering his former thoughts. Now, it was all over with Fuuma, and it was another good reason to do what he had planned. Before, he had already thought about returning to Fuuma, but now that he had accused him of the horrible murder of his cat, no way!!! But he had to ask for Souichi's opinion.

"Ne, Souichi, I have something I want to talk about..." Kamui paused to look in Souichi's eyes. Oh no. Oh no. Not a mood reversal again. Even a crying Souichi was better.

"Yes, Master?" Souichi whispered in his cold I-don't-need-anyone kind of voice.

"Well, Souichi," Kamui decided to say, feeling suddenly very brave after his 'talk' with Fuuma, "I'd have liked to talk to you nicely, but since I see you're in bad spirits..."

"What do you mean, Master?"

"I can't afford waiting for you to change to normal Souichi, OK?I guess I have to skip the part of my plan about getting your agreement."

"What are you talking about, Master?" A very calm Souichi grabbed him by the arm. "You know I would do anything you want, except you haven't been wanting many things till now..." He took Kamui by the shoulders and began to shake him strongly. "And I don't give a damn about you, you know. You are the most naive and fearful Master I've ever had. No offence meant," he added with a wicked little smile.

Kamui gulped. He was not afraid, but this Souichi was making him feel like dirt. Are the slaves allowed to talk like that? he thought briefly, before telling himself off. The Palace must be getting on his nerves. Souichi was a human being, perhaps sometimes very irritating, infuriating and fitful, but a human!! Keep that in mind, Kamui, he told himself, and everything's gonna be okay.

He took Souichi's hands off his shoulders and smiled. Souichi seemed a little surprised.

"Well, you'll do what I want, then?" Kamui stated more than asked.

"Of course!! What do you want to do? Play cards? Watch TV? Or perhaps read the newspaper??"

"You know, being nasty won't get you anywhere. Not with me." Yeah, not with me, Kamui thought, 'cause I know how to handle a man's  dark side. After all, I am the one with a black twin.

He blinked. Well, he had had a twin. He hadn't one any more (what a relief!). And. Waitaminute. An idea just popped in his mind. How strange. Souichi was the "Gemini"  key, and himself, Kamui Shirou, had had a twin. what that the reason why he was so attracted by Souichi? Oh. It sounded weird. Hell, it was weird.

I'm cursed!!! Kamui thought dryly. Somebody somewhere must really have a twisted sense of humour.

Tired of waiting for further explanations, Souichi had decided to  handle the situation, and began to strip Kamui of all his clothes.

"Heyyyy!" Kamui yelled, "What have I told you already??? Stop it!!!"

Without paying any attention to Kamui's protests, Souichi grabbed him and threw him on the bed in a rather. well... 'unslavelike' manner.

"I'm taking the lead, since you're not able to. Hope you won't mind, but I guess you'll be satisfied," he said while pinning Kamui's wrists to the bed.

Why am I doomed to fall for psycho double-faced sometimes even closet SM freak guys? Kamui thought briefly before freeing one of his hands and punching Souichi.  He didn't want to hurt him, so it was a very light punch, and Souichi was more surprised than anything else.

Kamui sat up and told Souichi very firmly: "Now, we're going out. Any objections?"

"...."

"Well, let's go Souichi!" Kamui insisted.

"You. you. you punched me!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew you didn't love me!!!!!!!!!!!" He fell to the ground, crying his eyes out.

After a moment's disbelief, Kamui felt the urge to comfort his sobbing slave. The sooner they would get outside the Palace, the better it would be for both of them. Kamui was fed up with being there, and he was sure Souichi would get back to normal once out. Well, he hoped so. Not that he minded living with a psychotic guy (he was quite used to it), but he strongly doubted to hold it on with such a quickly changing personality. Even Kamui had to relax sometimes.

"Sorry, Souichi," Kamui tried, "But it was the only way I could. Listen, I want to free you!! Let's leave the Palace together!"

"Wh...What?" Souichi muttered, stunned by the proposal, cut in his crying. He stood up, and faced Kamui very quietly, whipping the last tears out from his eyes. What crazy idea had crossed his Master's mind? Leaving the Palace? It was impossible for him! What would have he done outside, anyway? He was nothing but a slave!

"Yes, Souichi," Kamui explained. "I...I like you quite a bit and I... I can't live here. This place disgusts me! I just wanna get  out and go back home but... not without you. I... I won't leave you behind. You could live with me in the beginning, but only if you want to,  you'll be completly free to do whatever you. and. Well, Souichi, do you want to come with me?"

"M... Master!! I... Does that mean that..." Souichi quickly gathered his thoughts before resuming. "Thanks Master, but there is no way you can do that. I can't get out the Palace. But it is... it was so kind of you to ask. I..." Souichi felt on the verge on crying again, but this time of joy. "I feared you didn't like me at all, and..."

"Why can't you get out of the Palace?" Kamui interrupted, afraid of what Souichi might have said. He didn't feel ready for that kind of discussion. "Is it because you're meant to be a slave?"

"None of us can get out. We're all stuck here," Souichi explained, warm feeling of love bathing him. His Master did like him after all, did like him a lot to ask him to  follow him in the outside world! If only he could have got out!! He would have served Master Kamui his whole life. Soon, his Master would realise that he couldn't take him home, so he would stay... he would stay with him. If he really loved him.

"You don't know who I really am," Kamui said without explaining further. "But I know I can get you out of this. I can free everyone here."

Before his Master's blindness (he was just a teenage boy, after all!!), Souichi laughed. "It would be quite funny," he said, laughing at the improbable image, "To see all the slaves running out the Palace, and their Owners running after them!"

Kamui laughed with him, and Souichi thought his Master had understood he was all wrong till he saw the glimmer in his eyes. Kamui had taken it at face value. And he was finding that Souichi's idea was really worth the extra  effort!

Ten minutes later, Souichi was running behind Kamui, who was laughing like a madman.The Palace was under some weird kind of panic strike. Someone or somebody had been blowing the walls in several parts of the Palace, and flurries of fire and lightning were bursting everywhere. Everybody from slaves to terrified Owners was running for dear life and jumping in any vehicle to get away. His job over, Kamui had found that it had been his funniest one since centuries (at least), which explained why they were the last ones to escape (Souichi had to help Kamui who was choking with his own laughter).

"No more vehicles to flee in, Master! Everyone has run away now, and nothing is left for us!" Souichi announced as they were getting out. His voice was quivering with excitement instead of fear or disappointment. He hadn't been that unhappy with his job in the Palace, but it had been years since he hadn't walked somewhere without huge dark walls, and he felt so light and free, it was wonderful.

"No problem," Kamui stated, still slightly out of breath, and suddenly they were flying in the sky like birds, heading for the East, heading for Japan the both of them.

They flew for hours under the desert's sky and till the nightfall, till Souichi cried when he saw the stars twinkling in the dark sky.
 

Epilogue (1)

The Chatelaine was standing in the remains of the Palace. Well, 'remains' was perhaps too strong a word, for the Palace was still standing, but now it looked more like an archaeological trace than a glorious castle.

"Well. I knew something like that could happen someday," she muttered.

Already, several Keys had returned, missing their life in the Palace. It was a good start. She sighed, and picked up her cellular phone. Where had she hidden her architect's phone number? Oh, here. The Palace has been in need of repairing for years. Now it was all broken up, everything would be easier to fix, in a way. She had always dreamed of having more pools... and perhaps a larger garden, and a zoo. After all, this storm had been more of a blessing than a curse. She knew she would never have had the courage to close the Palace to make those repairs. Too many clients. Now, she could take her time and do what she wanted.

If the Chatelaine had known Kamui had been responsible for all of this, she would certainly have kissed him.
 

Epilogue (2)

"So you two flew to here?" Subaru asked for reassurance.

"Yes," Kamui replied, sipping his tea quietly, "And it was very funny to see Souichi's first steps in the real world!"

"Really?" the Sakurazukamori added, mildly interested. They were at Kamui's, and Subaru felt a bit worried. Of course, he was happy Kamui had found someone he truly loved, but. his friend seemed strangely annoyed  for a honeymooner.

"Well, Kamui," Subaru resumed, "I'm glad you two escaped, and Souichi really seems to be a nice young man. I'm glad you didn't kill Hokuto, too."

"That was close," Kamui growled.

"Y...yes, but thanks anyway Kamui," Subaru said tentatively. "But why did you call us? You seemed to have a problem on the phone." He nudged Seishiro, who was now eyeing Souichi, eyes wide. "Ne, Sei-chan? Kamui had sounded strange."

"Yes! Oh, yeah..." Seishiro replied without having heard the question. "Suba-chan, don't you think there is something with this boy?"

Since they had got in, Souichi had been silent, only muttering strange sentences about humanity, nature and punishment when he thought the two guests were not listening. And he was glaring a lot.

"Actually, Souichi is the problem," Kamui added.

"Is there something with Fuuma or what?" Seishiro asked, having gained some interest in the discussion. "I heard he left for a monastery 'far away from all this', that's what he said."

"No, no, that's not about Fuuma," Kamui said. "You see, Souichi tends to be a bit temperamental sometimes, as you know. I thought that outside the Palace, he would improve but... Oh, God, if only I hadn't told him about the War!!!!"

"What's exactly the matter with him?" Subaru asked, already half fearing what Kamui might have to say.

Kamui sighed heavily and confessed: "Now he plots to destroy the world half of the time, and runs with evil laughs and dark glares in the streets. Then he tries to save everyone and generally ends in the police station!!!! So what I want to ask you is...."

"Yes?" the two former Dragons chorused

"Please. Could one of you possibly fix him? I'm going crazy."

The End!!

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer.
I don't own any of the CLAMP characters in that story, that is,  everyone except Souichi (but I wish I did, especially Kamui-chan!). They all  come, as well as the "Dragons/Holy War" background from "X", a manga by the  studio Clamp. I'm just writing this for fun, please don't sue! I have no money anyway.

Weeeeeeell. this is my first attempt to write a fic in English (not  that I wrote a lot in French, but.). Hope you enjoyed it despite my mistakes.  This is a silly fic anyway. Oh, and by the way, talking about the story. I  like "X" (big surprise!), especially of the last few manga. But what I  wanted to say here is that I like Fuuma. Very much, actually. I just wanted to  make it clear, because I don't think that's that obvious in the fic!! I just couldn't help it! Gomennasai!!