"So, what are you doing here all alone?" Arashi starts, as she sees Sorata behind her. "Leave me alone. I came up her to get away from you, and everyone else..." she mutters, the sighs. " You won't go away, will you?"

He smiles, pointing to himself, and says "I'm your future lover! If I left you alone, who knows what sorts of trouble a young lady such as yourself might get into? I have to be here to protect you!"

Then his smile fades, as he adds, "Besides... no one should be alone, before their destiny comes. It will, to us... tommorow." The unusually serious Sorata sits next to her, near the edge of the roof. Arashi looks at him for a second, and then just shakes her head. "I'm alone here for a reason. I want to concentrate on the battle that will take place tomorrow... I want to be ready."

Sorata nods. "Tonight is when all the masks should come off... my joker's facade, your ice shield..." He smiles, looking at his hands.

Arashi looks at Sorata, concern showing on her face. " What? This melancholy attitude doesn't seem like you... But perhaps you are right. Tonight, at the very least, no one should hide..." They both look at the stars, at the Big Dipper, which seems unnaturally bright. The silence lasts for a few minutes, before a whisper reaches Sorata's ears.

"It's odd... to think that the night before our grand destiny... I'm doubting my readiness, when I've never really doubted before. I've always known I was special... I was the Hidden Priestess, the one who held the God of Ise within her. I knew I had a grand destiny... to be one of those who will save humanity. But now, my doubts seem to reach me, when they shouldn't... not now." She smiles sadly, as she gazes at the night.

Sorata replies, "Perhaps it is normal, to doubt... But I know that there is only one future... for me, anyway...My destiny has been, and always will be, to help Kamui, and to die for the sake of Woman...you. I don't want to die, but if I have to, I will... After all, this has always been what my life has been centered upon...Even when I was joking around, trying to lighten everyone's mood...Behind the joker, I always knew that this was what really matters..."

Arashi contemplates his serious face for a moment, before she looks away. "There is only one future- perhaps... I hope that it is one that we would all wish for... though Kamui doesn't really seem to care, one way or another..."

At this, Sorata starts to chuckle; not in his usual hearty way, but softly and bitterly. He sighs. "It occurs to me, that the ones destined to save humanity ... the Seven Dragons of Heaven, are the ones who are most hurt by life. Kamui... our Kamui, anyway, has been hurt emotionally, in so many ways... he is taken away from his lifelong playmates, after his "aunt" has been killed. He is attacked by shiki constantly, and then his mother is killed. He finds out that he has an aunt, and then she too is killed right before his eyes. His two most loved ones are killed, one physically, one mentally... and he's told that all of this is because of him... No wonder he's so angry, so bitter."

He gestures at himself, and at her. "Look at us...both of us hiding all our feelings behind masks, because we know that we can't let our feelings go... because we are the ones who will save humanity. And Yuzuriha, who was feeling so alone that she develops an emotional attachment to one who is on the other side. Of course, there is also Subaru, who's only purpose in life is to hunt down Sakurazukamori... While Karen and Seiichiro are enigmas..."

Arashi answers. "But we'll do what we have to do, what we've been raised to do... there is only one future, and I hope we're ready... for the sake of humanity..." She shivers, and starts a little, as Sorata wraps his arms around her. She sighs, and leans her head on his shoulder, as they both look at the too-bright stars.

---Finis---