GetBackers Fan Fiction ❯ Unmei no Kagami ❯ Chapter 1

Unmeino Kagami

By Mizu Onna

Disclaimer: I don't own Get Backers. Don't sue me!

Author's Notes: This fic was inspired by a number of things, but the primary inspiration would be another fic entitled Walking on Broken Glass by Puddle of Goo. You can find her site here: http://puddleofgoo.com. She's really excellent! *pays homage*

This fic features a Kagami/Himiko pairing. I think they'd make an interesting couple. There were so many hints pertaining to Kagami's feelings in the entire series (one that I clearly remember is when he told Ban to save her during the second Mugenjo arc), but I think that the ultimate indication would be that his camera has pictures of her. And he smiled when he looked at them. (And I do believe that to be a genuine smile.) ^_^

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She was standing before a dark and bare corridor. It seemed to stretch on for miles and miles before finally ending in pinpoint of light.

There was an indistinct figure silhouetted in the brightness.

"So, you have come at last," a voice whispered from the gloom.

"Who's there?" she demanded, whipping around, ready to strike down her opponent. She glanced around, heart racing, adrenaline pumping through her veins. "Who are you?" she snapped, patience at an end, fear closing her thorax.

"He waits. He waits for you."

"What are you talking about? Who's waiting for me? Who are you?"

Kudo Himiko's eyes snapped open. She was drenched in sweat, and her pulse roared in her ears. Her body was tense, as if she had just been in combat.

She groaned and pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. A quick glance at her digital alarm clock told her that it was four thirty in the morning. She exhaled tiredly and buried her face in her pillow.

Lately, she'd been having those dreams . . . dreams of a long corridor, ending in a splash of white . . . with a shadow against the light. And the voice . . . it told her the same thing, over and again; the same thing in each and every single dream: He waits. He waits for you. Objectively, it wasn't a particularly scary dream. However, every time she saw that hallway in her sleep, she quaked in her skin.

Who was waiting for her? Why was he waiting? And who was speaking to her?

Himiko sighed wearily. Her day hadn't even begun, and she was already tired.

Amazingly, thankfully, her day actually turned out to be trouble-free. In the morning, she was asked to deliver some important papers to an office about two hours away from Tokyo. She had done as the client requested and was somewhat surprised and relieved that the trip was uneventful. She had spent her time talking to the driver, who was shocked when she had told him that she was only sixteen.

After they dropped the papers off at its destination, he was kind enough to drive her back to the city and to drop her off at Shinjuku after she got her remuneration from the client. All of this occurred before lunchtime, and Himiko was astonished and pleased to see that she actually had time for herself. She ate out, bought some household supplies for her apartment, and even ran across Mido Ban and Amano Ginji, who were trekking to the police station to recover the Volkswagen.

Himiko actually enjoyed herself throughout the day and was genuinely sad when dusk came, because that meant the night would follow, and the dreams as well. She tired herself out as much as she could, cleaning out her apartment (which had accumulated a lot of dust because of her long absences), fixing her pantry, sorting her clothes, and doing other domestic chores that she had neglected while she was away due to business or school.

Sadly, due to her stamina acquired from fighting experience, she found herself unbothered after practically renovating her home. It seemed to her that there was no escaping the dreams.

Eventually, her paranoia wasn't even enough to keep her awake.

Himiko drifted in and out of consciousness.

She was standing before a dark and bare corridor. It seemed to stretch on for miles and miles before finally ending in pinpoint of light.

There was an indistinct figure silhouetted in the brightness.

"So, you have come at last," a voice whispered from the gloom.

"Who's there?" she demanded, whipping around, ready to strike down her opponent. She glanced around, heart racing, adrenaline pumping through her veins. "Who are you?" she snapped, patience at an end, fear closing her thorax.

"He waits. He waits for you."

"What are you talking about? Who's waiting for me? Who are you?"

"Come to Mugenjo. He waits for you."

Himiko fought to shake away the slumber that rested upon her eyelids, but it was of no use, and she succumbed to her sleep again.

Heat.Soft whispers against her ear.

Pleasure.Building and building.

A glimpse of golden hair, of lavender eyes.

A timeless dance, and endless, throbbing ecstasy. Suffusing her. Bringing her to life.

Himiko slowly drifted out of slumber. She opened her eyes. The room spun around her clouded vision. With a frustrated moan, she tried to grasp at her vanishing dreams. She was only able to retain bits and pieces of information.

Mugenjo.

Her patience was always a short fuse, and now, she had totally lost it. She was afraid, yes, but she was never one to run away from an enemy . . . tangible or intangible this enemy may be.

Rising from bed, she hastily donned her work clothes, fastened her belt of perfumes around her waist, and headed off to end those dreams once and for all.

Himiko didn't like going to Mugenjo. There was an ominous aura lingering about the place that sent chills skittering down her spine. Admittedly, Lower Town was no longer as scary as it used to be since they'd freed it from the clutches of the gods of Babylon City; however, hints of death and decay still lingered in the air, and Himiko knew with an eerie certainty that that would never change.

She stared at the towering buildings before her with trepidation, her heart palpitating in her chest; even if she had come to Mugenjo several times before, she was still unused to the place. Himiko wondered how Emishi and Jubei could stand living there.

She was actually half-hoping that she'd come across one of them, but at the same time, she wished to avoid them because if they asked her what her purpose was in Mugenjo, she'd have to make up some cock-and-bull story to cover-up for the truth that she was compelled to come by a ridiculous dream.

Himiko drew in a deep breath and set foot into the Lower Town.

To her surprise, she seemed to know the way as she wove from building to building, finding staircases, exits and entrances, and pathways that led her further and further into the heart of Mugenjo. Himiko would occasionally stop to wonder if she was lost, but something just made her keep her pace, slipping in and out of the shadows as if she was raised in the city itself. She kept on walking on and on, journeying higher into the towers and farther into the core of the city.

Finally, she came to a large hall lined with pillars. Fear spiked in her belly. In the distance lay a door. She knew this place. She hadn't been here before, but she knew with a certainty that this was the entrance to the place that Ban and Ginji had told her of previously: the Belt Line. The entrance to Babylon City.

Himiko took careful steps towards the large threshold, one of her perfumes at the ready. She felt as if spectral eyes were peering at her from the pitch-black darkness.

She reached the doors and pushed them open hesitantly.

There it was. The corridor from her dreams.

Her skin prickled. She took an uncertain step forward. And another.

And before she knew it, she was walking at a steady pace, one hand against the wall, the other clutching her Kaenko. She could already see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak; she shivered with the macabre analogy.

"So, you have come at last," a voice spoke from the gloom.

Himiko felt her stomach plummet. "Who's there?" she snapped, whipping around, ready to strike. She realized with a stab of anxiety that this was exactly the sequence from her dream, and it chilled her.

"He waits. He waits for you."

"What are you talking about?" Himiko chewed her lip in frustration. "Who's waiting for me? Who are you?" she demanded hotly.

A figure emerged from the darkness. Himiko took an involuntary step back. It was a man with a turban wrapped around his head and a face devoid of expression. Himiko realized that her dream had not progressed his far previously, and she was both frightened of and interested in seeing what would happen next.

"I am Kagenuma Sarai," he replied. "One of the residents of Babylon City."

The name rang a bell. Himiko could remember one of Ginji's stories regarding his recent experiences in Mugenjo; he had spoken of this man.

"You are meant to be here, Lady Poison," he now said; "It is time that you have come, and this is your fate. Your destiny.."

"What are you talking about?" Himiko was rapidly losing her patience. "Atashi no unmei . . . ?"

"Are you willing to follow the end of this road?" he prompted, ignoring her questions.

Himiko grit her teeth. "I'm not one to back down from a challenge," she spat. "And I'm here to get to the bottom of these dreams," she muttered as an afterthought.

"While you have the option to return to your home, you may do so," Kagenuma Sarai said somberly. Himiko very briefly contemplated running away, but in the end, she did not budge an inch. He gave a slight nod, indicating that he understood her decision. "Very well. Your fate awaits."

He receded once again into the pervasive gloom, and silence reigned.

Himiko clutched her Kaenko firmly and continued down the corridor. There was darkness pressing against her from all sides now, and the beam of light at the very end of the hallway was tiny; tinier than it had been in her dreams.

She broke into a run. She wanted-no, she needed to get to that light at the end of the tunnel.

And then, everything was twisting around her, writhing; unearthly shrieks of agony echoed and resounded in the empty space. Himiko screamed, her voice lost in the whirling tempest. She took some of her Kaenko into her mouth and blew, sending a stream of fire uncoiling in the abyss. The flames flickered and died, swallowed by the maelstrom.

Unseen hands clawed at her, tearing into her clothes, into her skin, spraying her blood, rending her limb from limb. Her perfume poured into her wounds, and there they burnt her up from the inside, sending ribbons of crimson pain slicing through her body.

Again, a scream erupted from her throat; an invisible noose went around her neck, and the shrill thread of sound died upon her tongue. She had time to wonder if she was going to die, and if this was her fate-to be torn apart, hacked and ripped, lost forever in the depths of Mugenjo and of the Belt Line. She was rapidly losing consciousness, and she almost welcomed impending death. Anything to free her from the pain . . .

She saw a glimmer of white . . . a flash of gold and of violet . . .

And then there was darkness.

Himiko stirred, a groan of remembered pain escaping her lips. Surprisingly, as she flexed her muscles, there was no discomfort whatsoever.

She felt cool, silken sheets against her skin . . . she stretched luxuriously, reveling in the softness, in the opulence. . . .

Memories returned to her, and she bolted upright, moved away from the luxurious surface on which she had been resting. Himiko fought away the vertigo to the best of her ability and made sure to whip out one of her perfumes in case she needed to defend herself.

"Kuso," she cursed, taking a fighting stance as she surveyed the area. She stood in a lavishly decorated room. Silken Persian carpets covered a stone-slab floor. Heavy drapes of a Venetian red were laid against the walls and the windows. Torches hung in brackets on the wall, giving warmth to the chilly air. Himiko glanced back and saw that she had been lying on a low canopy bed with silken sheets and gossamer curtains, all in rich patterns of opal, mauve, russet, and burgundy, lined with gold and silver threads.

"Where am I?" Himiko wondered aloud, breaking the heavy silence in the room. "Is this still Mugenjo?" She was definitely alive, and she wasted none of her brainpower wondering if she had somehow reached tengoku; she now had to find a way out.

She crept to the window and peered out into the velvety nighttime sky. By the scant light of the moon, she saw that she was several stories above the ground. Closer inspection proved that she was indeed still in Mugenjo, and that she was probably atop one of the higher floors.

One of the higher floors . . .

Himiko felt fear seize her throat. She looked around. Could this be a part of Babylon City?

She remembered briefly the stories that Ban and Ginji had told her about Mugenjo. Ito no Kazuki, one of the four kings of VOLTS, barely made it to the Belt Line. And now, here she was, somehow a survivor of the Belt Line (she checked herself for any remaining injuries and found none, much to her puzzlement), and somehow trapped in Babylon City.

"Don't be afraid; no harm will come to you while you're here."

Himiko spun around, Taikako at the ready.

She came face to face with none other than Kagami Kyoji-one of the gods of Babylon City, according to Ban-and her former opponent when she'd first come to Mugenjo. He stood across the room from her, leaning against a revealed doorway behind a painting, hands in his pockets.

"Ya," he said by way of greeting, ubiquitous benign smile upon his lips.

"What are you doing here?" Himiko snarled, already uncorking the vial of her perfume. She had been through enough, and to be saved from one form of death to die by the hand of another was sheer cruelty, one that she had no intention of putting up with.

"I live here," Kagami told her nonchalantly. "And put that away, I won't hurt you," he said, gesturing to her Taikako.

"Why should I believe you, oniisan?" Himiko muttered.

Kagami chuckled. "You are on my turf, Lady Poison. This is a part of Babylon City, my domain. I control everything that you see. If I had wanted to kill you, I would have done so earlier." He strode towards her.

Himiko took a step back and raised the Taikako. "I don't believe that," she said defiantly. "If that's true, then you could have killed me the first time we fought. But you didn't," she added with an air of triumph.

"That was in Lower Town, Lady Poison," Kagami told her, his voice taking on a sharper edge. "What you saw then was only an illusion, a shadow of this place, one that I had not conjured; the playing field was set by MakubeX then, and I could not manipulate that reality as well as I could this one."

Himiko scowled but gave no answer. She merely held out her Taikako, indigo stare gleaming in challenge.

"You are here because I saved you, Lady Poison," Kagami drawled. "You were dying in Belt Line. With my abilities, I rescued you, healed your wounds, and brought you here. So keep your perfume."

Himiko felt her resolve waver. She cursed inwardly. If what he said was true, then she was indebted to him; if not, then she was allowing herself to be caught in another struggle for her life. Finally deciding that she'd use her Kugutsuko if she had to, she tucked the Taikako away and took a neutral stance.

"Why did you save me, oniisan?" Himiko asked, partly because she was curious, and partly because she was stalling for time so that she could formulate a plan of escape.

Something flickered in Kagami's eyes. "I don't know. Perhaps it's fate."

Himiko shivered. There it was again, that mention of fate.

"Tell me, Lady Poison," Kagami said conversationally, still continuing his slow stride towards her, "what were you doing in Belt Line?" His voice was smooth and sharp, like the edge of a blade . . . or a shard of shiny, immaculate glass, poised and ready to kill.

"I . . ." Himiko gulped. She decided-despite her misgivings-to tell the truth, as there was nothing else to say anyway. "I had dreams that told me to go to the Belt Line. I went, and I met Kagenuma Sarai. He told me that I was meant to be there, it was about time that I'd come, and that this was my fate." Himiko frowned, lost in introspection. She failed to notice that Kagami's smile faltered.

She watched his slow saunter towards her until he finally stood before her, towering above her, eyes silhouetted by the fall of his dark blond hair. Himiko felt her breath hitch in her throat at his close proximity. There was something predatory in the way he moved towards her with feline grace, like a panther stalking its prey.

"I don't know if you realize this, Lady Poison." Kagami's voice was a low drawl that made Himiko's nerve endings tingle. "You and I seem to have an en. A Karmic bond that ties our fates together. One proof of that is how your fight with Ujii Kaoru led you back to the Mayan civilization . . . the virtual reality that is my battlefield. And now, you're here . . . once again in my turf."

Himiko took a moment to absorb his words. "An en," she mused. "So that means that we'll always come across each other, whatever we do. Does that mean that . . . that I'm going to die by your hand, or vice versa?" she demanded, bitterness coloring her words. "Fantastic. And I thought that being a Voodoo Child was enough trouble. . . ." she muttered.

"Perhaps I'm meant to kill you, or vice versa," Kagami said, nonplussed. Himiko's battle senses hummed with alarm, and her hand automatically drifted to her weapons. "Perhaps not." He shrugged.

He turned away from her. "Look outside the window, Lady Poison."

Himiko warily turned her attention to the said window. She gasped when she saw that it was gone, and in its place was a very familiar landscape . . .

"Yes," Kagami said with a casual air, "this chamber is atop the one of the pyramids of the Mayan civilization."

Himiko looked out into the moon-limned scenery. From where she stood, she could see the altar on which she was to have been sacrificed. The square, several hundred feet beneath them, was now empty. The small river that had been stained red that fateful afternoon was now a gleaming ebon, tipped with silver slivers of starlight.

"And now . . . you're here again," Kagami repeated softly. "Why?"

Himiko bit her lip with frustration. "I went here to end those ridiculous dreams. I ran into Kagenuma Sarai, and he told me that I was meant to be here . . . that someone was waiting for me . . ." She trailed off, piecing two and two together as fragments of her dreams flashed before her eyes.

"He waits. He waits for you."

"Come to Mugenjo."

Pleasure.Building and building.

A glimpse of golden hair, of lavender eyes.

A timeless dance, and endless, throbbing ecstasy . . .

She gasped. Snuck a glance at Kagami as realization dawned.

Her gaze met his. Delved deeper, saw underneath the glassy surface that . . .

. . . there was a banked heat simmering in those liquid pools of amethyst that she'd failed to notice before, a cleverly masked, silent hunger clawing beneath the surface of those mirror-like eyes . . . stirring to life a hunger of her own, one that she hadn't been aware she harbored, or was even capable of having . . .

"Masaka," Himiko breathed. "Have you been waiting for me, oniisan?"

She took a tentative step towards him . . .

Kagami reached out to her. . . .

Before she knew it, he had gathered her into his arms and had claimed her lips in an arduous kiss. She made to struggle, to wrench herself free as logic dictated, but the first exquisite brush of his lips against hers chased away all rational thought. Himiko moaned softly despite herself, bittersweet warmth unfurling in her chest as Kagami tilted her head back and deepened the kiss, bending her back as their lips parted and met.

After a minor eternity, he pulled back, and Himiko, even as she gasped for breath, still longed to have his mouth on hers. Kagami gave her a shadowed smile and took a moment to gaze at her, lavender eyes capturing and reflecting her own.

"Yes," he said simply, his voice an octave lower with passion.

"What?" Himiko whispered dazedly.

Kagami chuckled. "Yes, I've been waiting for you," he told her in response to her question. "For so long."

Himiko was surprised to feel a pulse of euphoria spike in her gut with his words. It was exhilarating to know that she wielded power over a god of Babylon City, exhilarating and equally off-putting to realize that she was unconsciously waiting for this moment as well . . . just as he had been . . .

However, sweet as it was, her logic wouldn't let her remain silent. "Demo . . . you're an opponent. You've tried to kill me. . . ."

"That's all in the past," Kagami told her quietly.

So many more questions were at the tip her tongue, but his touch banished them to the four winds; his fingertips glided against her face, brushing inquisitively against the star upon her left cheek. Hesitantly, she placed her hand over his own. She could feel the heat of her blush against her palm.

"Why did you get it?" he asked softly. The pad of his thumb stroked the star sensuously, sending a shiver down Himiko's spine.

Himiko hesitated. His touch was slightly distracting, and so very compelling. "I felt that I looked far too ordinary," she finally admitted. To her mild astonishment, she felt no reluctance telling him the truth about herself; she supposed that there was just something so intimate about a kiss that broke barriers between two people. "I thought that perhaps getting a tattoo would make me more noticeable."

"Oh?" Kagami murmured. He tilted his head to one side as he appraised her. "I think it's impossible to miss you in a crowd; you've got lovely hair and striking eyes," he told her, perpetual fey smile upon his lips. Himiko found herself itching to wipe that deceptive smile away with another heated kiss. "And this outfit . . ." he gestured to her Chinese-influenced fighting garb. "I would definitely spot you a mile away, Lady Poison."

"Himiko," she put in.

Kagami's smile grew wider. "If I am to call you Himiko-san, then please stop calling me oniisan; it's disturbing to kiss you and have you call me 'older brother' afterwards." Himiko flushed, and Kagami seemed to enjoy her discomfiture. "Unless, of course, that's what tickles your fancy. . . ."

"I'm not like that," Himiko interposed brusquely, cheeks still stained pink.

"Good," Kagami said with a satisfied nod. "I'm tired of being around strange people."

Himiko gaped at him for a few moments before chuckling. "I suppose you don't get much company here in Babylon City. . . ."

"Try 'no company.' " Kagami's eyes darkened, and Himiko sensed that there was something more to the story of his presence in the city.

"I don't like being one of the gods of Babylon City, Himiko-san. Believe it or not, this was not my choice." He suddenly became cold and distant, eyes staring out through the window, out into the silhouette of the Mayan city. Himiko realized that he was going to open up to her, as she kind of did to him previously, and she listened.

"When I was sixteen-your age-I happened to come by Mugenjo. I was inexplicably drawn to the place. There, in one of the alleyways of Lower Town, I met a man named Kagenuma Sarai. He knew my name, and he told me that it was about time that I'd come, and that this was my fate." He paused, allowing Himiko to comprehend eerie parallelism. "I didn't know what he was talking about, and he said that now that I've set foot into Mugenjo, I can't get out because this is where I'm meant to be.

"Brain Trust needed me; I became incorporated into the data of Mugenjo, and became one of the gods of Babylon City. When Lower Town was still within the influence of Mugenjo no Kami, I was able to control-to an extent-what was happening in Mugenjo. But mostly I observed . . . that was my role in the Brain Trust. It served me well, for I didn't feel like meddling in people's affairs, and also because I began searching for a way out.

"When MakubeX spoke of building an atom bomb, I helped him, because I was tired of living in Mugenjo. I was a puppet myself, bound by the strings of my 'fate,' even as a 'god.'

"Then I met you, Himiko-san." His eyes flickered to life, and he could see her again. He favored her with another of his No mask smiles. "You were so intriguing. So full of life. I became truly interested when I discovered that you were insusceptible to my Diamond Dust." He reached out to her, tipping her chin up. "I no longer wanted to kill you. But I had to, one way or another. So I left you to the high priest, though I could've killed you myself.

"And then, Mido Ban came into the picture." Kagami frowned, and Himiko was surprised to see something else other than a smile on his face. "He saved you, and you left.

"Do you still like him?"

Himiko started, taken aback by the strange question. "No," she said, her lip curling with distaste. "I thought that I might have, but that was just a dream. He and I are friends . . . like siblings."

Kagami nodded, smile back upon his lips. "Ii desu.

"Anyway, after that, I thought that it was strange that I was so interested in you. I found that I no longer wanted to help MakubeX with his plan because his atomic bomb would have killed everyone in Tokyo-and that included you." Himiko flushed, realizing what he spoke of, and Kagami's smile took on an amused shade.

"I watched you. I took photographs of you." Ignoring her bewilderment and shock at this revelation, he ploughed on. "Then, you returned to Mugenjo. You fought with Ujii Kaoru. I knew that I couldn't intervene as a mere observer. You won using the same tactics that caused you to win against me, and as you lay dying, I felt that I had to do something . . . though again, I felt that I couldn't do anything directly, or I'd face the wrath of Brain Trust-they'd forgiven me once, and I didn't know if they'd be lenient a second time. So I told Mido Ban to take care of you, despite my dislike for him, and again, he saved you, and you left.

"But things are different now, and here you are again," Kagami concluded. "Without Mido Ban to interfere. Who will save you now, Himiko-san?" he mused, almost to himself.

"No one," Himiko said boldly. She heard his story; she heard how she had managed to capture his attention; and now, she made her decision. "I don't want to be saved."

Kagami's eyes widened. Himiko smirked at him, linking her arms before her. "I always thought that you were quite good-looking for someone who wanted to kill me, Kagami-kun," she admitted. "And now that I know that I'm meant to be here right now . . . I don't want to leave just yet. Most especially now that I know that this is where I'm meant to be."

"Himiko-san . . ."

Before she knew what was happening, he had drawn her into her arms and was kissing her again, his body pressing against hers, his hands pushing against the small of her back, anchoring her to him. She curled her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with a passion to match his own. It was a bit difficult because of their huge height difference, with her having to tiptoe and Kagami having to lean down, but that was all a part of the thrill, a part of the fire that burned her skin as they touched. Warmth bloomed in her chest as he kissed her gently, softly . . . yet urgently and severally all at once, as if he was drawing her in and breathing his life into her at the same time. Himiko sighed into the kiss, her knees going slack with this intimacy . . . it was so good, and so frightening all at once . . .

Finally, Kagami pulled away, suckling on her bottom lip before relinquishing the kiss entirely. Again, his fingers stroked over her face, memorizing every plane, every texture.

"You're very beautiful," he opined.

Himiko felt more heat rise to her cheeks. "Arigato." She wanted to tell him that he was beautiful too, and that the moonlight gleaming in his gilt-tipped hair, glowing in his amethyst eyes, truly made him of look like he was of heaven's descent . . .

And she did. She nearly tripped over her words in her haste to get them out, and somehow, she managed to tell him, despite her awkwardness. She felt that . . . she knew that she had to tell him, because he had been honest with his feelings and with his past . . . and also because she knew had to seize the moment, because she was aware with strange and melancholic certainty that their time together wasn't going to last, and she fully intended to make the best of it.

Kagami favored her with a smile. Himiko realized-with a dash of heated thrill streaking down her spine-that it was genuine. "Arigato, Himiko-san."

This time, she was bold enough to reach for his collar and to pull him down to receive her kiss.

When Kagami had had his fill of her lips, he began dusting kisses upon her cheeks, pressing one to the star-Himiko thought fuzzily that he might have had a fetish for it-before drifting lower, to her chin, to the underside of her jaw, and to the column of her neck. His tongue flickered against the sensitive flesh, eliciting a low whimper, her fist clenching in the loose mesh of his shirt. He pushed aside the high collar of her blouse and nuzzled another kiss there, sending warmth spilling in waves from the pit of her stomach to the rest of her body.

Somehow, Himiko knew what she had to do; she didn't even stop to question herself when she slipped her hands beneath Kagami's white blazer and made to push it off. It was her fate, after all, and she didn't want to fight it any longer.

He broke contact with her briefly to shake the jacket from his arms, and they got to work on the purple undershirt. Soon he was shrugging that off as well, and Himiko was working on the belt of his trousers. While she fumbled with the buckle, Kagami began unfastening the clasps of her mandarin blouse. Just as she had loosened the strip of leather around his waist and was pushing his pants and underwear off, he had finished sliding her buttons out of their slots and was pealing the thick material off of her. She tossed her shirt to one corner, and Kagami followed suit after he had stepped out of his trousers.

Himiko watched him unglamorously as he stood before her in all his glory, unclothed save for the earring that peeked out from his golden, starwashed tresses. The flames from the torches set around the chamber cast dancing shadows on his lean form, on his pale skin. She realized that he was very fair, pallid even, except for the faint blush of arousal resting upon his cheekbones; placed beside him, she seemed to darken by several shades, tan as she was. She allowed her eyes to drift down his body, drinking in his lithe, delicate beauty. He was, in a word, perfection-truly the image of a heathen god waiting for his human sacrifice. Himiko gulped, feeling all the more flawed and human before him; it seemed fitting for her to prostate herself before him in worship.

Flashing her a sly grin that promised a wealth of things, he knelt before her-Himiko thought that it was sacrilege, as she should have been the one upon her knees-and slowly, tortuously tugged her leggings down to her calves. Himiko watched, hardly daring to breathe, as he slipped the stretchy material down inch by tantalizing inch, baring her skin. Finally, Himiko was left in her underwear; it was only then that she realized the gravity of the situation and colored scarlet, wrapping her arms around her waist.

Kagami shook his head with amusement, and Himiko felt her temper rear its head. "What?" she demanded somewhat sullenly.

"I've seen you more naked than this," he told her with wry amusement.

Himiko recalled, feeling rather silly, that he had stripped her during their last encounter before he bound her and dropped her onto the altar where she thought she'd die. She pushed those thoughts aside-it wouldn't do to think of their previous battle at the moment-and focused on the matter at hand.

She cleared her throat. "That may be true, but I've never seen you," she reasoned.

He favored her with a rich chuckle. "So desu." He hooked his thumbs in the garter of her underwear, asking for her permission, and she gave her tacit approval with a nod.

Kagami pushed the satiny fabric down to her ankles, and when that was done, she kicked her pants and her underwear away. His hands then snaked to the clasp of her bra. With a deft twist of his wrist, he undid the scrap of lace and silk and tossed it to the pile of their clothes.

Giving her a placid smile, Kagami left a kiss just beneath her breasts, causing her breath to hitch in her throat, before rising to his feet and drawing her into the circle of his arms. She tensed with the first contact of her bare flesh against his, and he simply held her for long moments before he sought her mouth with his again.

Amidst their kisses, Kagami wordlessly urged her to the bed. They fell back together, landing upon clouds of pristine, creamy silk. Immediately Himiko curled up to him, unwilling to relinquish his lips. The desire thrummed through her veins in earnest now, streaking hotly in her blood. She was burning up, and Kagami's touch both soothed and stoked the fire, made it blaze to an unbearable inferno.

She had become a willing prisoner of her destiny.

Himiko felt lightheaded when he finally brought the kiss to an end, fazed by the entire surrealism of it all. Kagami's languid smile sent electricity tingling through her body, shooting from her heart to the sacred niche between her legs.

He then began to explore her thoroughly, resuming the trail he had painted to the place where neck met shoulder. He smoothed his hands down to her belly as he continued to nuzzle and kiss a path down, down, down. . . .

Himiko suppressed a squeal of surprise when he cupped her breasts. Kagami skimmed his thumbs against their soft weight before lowering his head and brushing his lips against a tightening nipple. She gasped when his mouth closed upon the aching bud and took careful suction as his fingers coaxed its twin to the same stiffness, his mouth soon following suit when he was satisfied that he had paid the first peak sufficient attention. She whimpered as the feathery touch sent shockwaves streaking through her, squirmed upon the sheets as he wrecked havoc upon her senses with lips, tongue, and teeth.

Much to Himiko's dismay, Kagami finally relinquished her breasts. He glanced up at her, violet eyes smoky with desire, a knowing smile parting sensuous lips. "Open your legs, Himiko-san," he crooned.

She hesitated, of course, but hastened to comply upon remembering the pleasure he had brought just seconds past.

"I'll take very good care of you, Himiko-san," Kagami promised. His hand crept lower, lower, and lower still . . .

Himiko threw her head back fitfully as Kagami parted the folds of her womanhood, long and dexterous fingers stroking and exploring the swollen, pleasure-slicked flesh delicately. She gasped when he found an utterly responsive bundle of nerves, shuddered with white-hot bliss as he worked the spot with his fingers-pinching, rubbing, kneading-before sliding his fingers into the waiting crevice underneath it, and then retreating back out to play with the small bundle of nerves again . . . there was a great winding in her body, heaviest upon her lower abdomen and in between her legs . . .

A keening cry tore from her throat as her body clenched up around Kagami's fingers in her climax. Himiko saw the world splinter into slivers of warm and pulsing light. The searing heat uncurled from the apex between her thighs before rushing to the rest of her body, inundating her in blazing pleasure. She could distantly hear herself crying out in gasps before finding Kagami's lips devouring hers, swallowing her cries of ecstasy as she came.

It lasted forever, and forever was far too short.

"Ii desu ka?" Kagami purred into her ear.

"H-hai," Himiko murmured weakly, her body still flexing with the aftershocks of her release.

"Kimochi ka?"

"Hai . . . totemo ii."

Kagami's low chuckle thrummed against her sensitized flesh, awakening her pleasure once more.

When the world cleared again, Himiko saw that he was watching her with intense, almost pained longing and heated desire smoldering within his hooded violet gaze. She offered herself up for another kiss and he obliged, cupping her cheeks as he brushed his mouth tenderly against hers, his gentleness belying the raging arousal that shone through his eyes. His soft caress took her breath away and added sweetness to the warmth blooming within her breast.

Himiko felt the need to pay him the homage that was due him . . . Pressing a finger to his lips, she flashed him a wan smile and slid down upon the sheets. He followed her directives agreeably as she nudged him into place so that he lay upon his back.

Lady Poison, seductive and dangerous as she seemed, was really just a skittish sixteen-year-old schoolgirl beneath the alias. At present, the hakobiya/dakanya wondered anxiously how she was going to please this deity of Babylon the way he had her. She stared at his arousal, pondering exactly what she was going to do next. She had heard stories, of course-it was hard not to in her line of work-but lacked actual experience.

Deciding that she'd follow some of the more sensible hearsay, she brushed her hand tentatively against the hard length.

Upon hearing Kagami's slight hitch in breathing, Himiko took that as a good sign. She continued her ministrations, soon encircling his hardness in her palms and pulling the flesh taut as he gasped and writhed beneath her.

Himiko glanced up to see Kagami's reaction. The wanton sight of him sent liquid heat pooling in her groin once more; the normally impassive god of Babylon had his head thrown back with pleasure, lips open in a soundless cry as she worked him, his hands fisting in silk as his back subtly curved like a bow beneath the assault upon his senses.

"Himiko-san," he rasped as she continued to stroke and caress, "Ah!"

And it was truly Himiko's intention to bring him to the edge as he had brought her, and so, she sped up her movements, biting her lip as Kagami let out a suppressed moan as her hands worshipped his flesh.

Suddenly she had an inspired idea; slowing down somewhat, she scooted even closer to him. His eyes were still shut, so he couldn't see what she intended for him.

Nodding to herself, Himiko opened her mouth and took him in.

Kagami inhaled sharply as she drew him inside, moaned as she swirled her tongue around his length. Himiko reestablished her rhythm, the slow and steady cycle of push and pull, swiftly bringing him back to the same heights she had previously brought with her hands.

Out of curiosity, Himiko scraped her teeth gently against him.

Kagami let out a choked moan as he came into her mouth, shuddering with the force of his climax; warm, salty liquid flooded her throat, and Himiko, uncertain of what to do and unwilling to swallow, simply let the evidence of his completion run back out of her mouth.

Himiko slid back up beside Kagami and laid herself down beside him. He remained motionless, save for the heaving of his chest as he fought to recover from his release. Himiko gave him a small kiss on his cheek, and he took her into his arms. She nestled against him, ignoring the reawakened tingling between her legs as she allowed him time to regain his strength.

"Ii desu ka?" she asked softly, an echo of his question earlier.

A languorous smile tugged upon his lips. "Hai."

They lay there for a few moments, reveling in the moment and saving their energy for what was to come. Soon, Kagami had his palm cupped against Himiko's hipbone, tracing invisible patterns on her skin and reawakening her ardor. She squirmed slightly against him, pressing her face to his chest. His low hum of interest and amusement sounded into her ear.

"Daijobu desu ka?" he murmured.

Himiko nodded once, and Kagami shifted so that he was once again atop her, spreading her legs open and settling himself between them. Himiko found that she still had the modesty to blush with embarrassment, and Kagami gave her a tender kiss to assuage her uncertainty.

"Are you willing to do this?" Kagami asked her seriously, moving his hand to rest upon her abdomen, hovering just above her womanhood. Himiko could still see the passion burning within the amethyst of his eyes, though she was truly touched to see that it was tempered and subdued by what seemed like genuine concern for her wellbeing.

"Unmei," she whispered. She gave him an uncharacteristically shy smile. "This time, I have no desire to change my fate," she told him. She reached out and smoothed his hair away from his face, and he turned his face to her palm, planting an open-mouthed kiss against her skin. Her fingertips fluttered against his cheek before drifting to his earring and tracing the chain lightly. If he had a fetish for her star, well . . . she had a strong liking for his earring.

Kagami leaned down and claimed her lips in a searing, fervid kiss and shifted his weight atop her. It was then that Himiko realized how small she was, really, in comparison to him. A flicker of fear ignited in her belly when she saw that he was going to take her, but she fought it down, reminding herself of the intense pleasure he had brought simply with his touch.

He unerringly found that spot again that made her flinch and shiver as his questing fingers rubbed and explored. The ache built once more, sending molten quicksilver heat through her veins. His hardness brushed the cradle of her thighs, causing both of them to moan with the sensation.

Himiko's jaw fell open in a hushed whimper as Kagami pushed into her, the friction created between their bodies making stars beam before her eyes. However, the rapture was cut short when his manhood nudged something within her that triggered pain.

"Sumanai, Himiko-san," Kagami apologized between clenched teeth as he thrust into her, taking her maidenhead in one fell swoop. Himiko whimpered as she felt herself tear inside, wondering between the spasms of pain if there was going to be blood afterwards.

When she came to, she noticed that Kagami was trembling above her, his face contorted in both agony and ecstasy as he stilled himself.

Himiko truly wanted to move with him, and to her relief, the pain was abating, leaving only a sensation of fullness, of completion.

"I-I think I'm okay," she uttered. She shifted against him, and he gasped and slid deeper into her.

"Surely?" he managed to rasp.

Instead of answering, Himiko pushed her hips against his, her breaths coming quicker as he touched a sweet spot within that made her insides coil.

Curling his hands into the pillow underneath her head, Kagami began to thrust, quickly establishing the primal tempo as their bodies moved together. Himiko moaned, the pain completely gone, as he moved within her and above her, withdrawing before sliding back in, over and over . . . she found herself sobbing his name as he surged into her over and again . . .

Himiko couldn't think, couldn't speak . . . she could only feel as Kagami ground his hips against hers, igniting her blood, melting her insides, as he urged her to the pinnacle of their pleasure. She reached out for him clung to him as they moved and met. She could feel the scorching fire radiating from her core, threatening to overcome her . . .

And suddenly, there it was: "I . . . oh!" Himiko gasped, her eyes falling shut as the intense pleasure swept through her veins, searing her, knocking the breath from her lungs. The waves drowned her in their magnitude over and again, suffusing her body in liquid heat as she came in throes of pulsing light. The earth tilted beneath her, and she was falling, tumbling into calm, ensconcing darkness. . . .

When her climax finally dwindled into little tremors, Himiko forcefully cleared her head to check on Kagami . . . and saw that he hadn't reached his peak yet. He was shaking above her, cheeks flushed with exertion . . . the sight made Himiko's body reawaken despite its protests.

"One more . . . Himiko-san," Kagami breathed into her ear. "One last, sweet moment . . . " His melodious voice played a low crescendo against her skin, making her quiver with want as she tightened around his length in answer. She fought back a wail as he urged his hips into hers, rekindling the fire that sparked into being as they moved together.

Himiko cried out his name in a broken sob as he swayed above her, pushing into her, his hardness parting her intimately. He pressed his forehead to hers as he continued to thrust and withdraw, sliding against her aching flesh unrelentingly, his harsh breathing mingling with hers. Himiko caught his lips in a kiss, and Kagami made a quiet, almost indiscernible impassioned sound as he quickened his pace, wringing fresh cries from both. She could feel the familiar burn wending its way throughout her insides. This time, wanting Kagami to reach the peak as he had made her, she shifted her hips up to meet him mid-thrust. The motion forced him deeper into her, eliciting a hoarse cry from him and a whimpered gasp from Himiko. She felt him shudder slightly, and she knew that this was it; she pushed her hips up once again to meet his, and with a rasping cry of completion, Kagami came into her, a sudden gush of warm wetness flooding her inside. Her own sob of gratification as she peaked was lost in his mouth as he sank against her, pressing his lips against hers in a kiss, like a benediction.

Kagami slumped against her, drained of all energy, as Himiko felt her own climax dwindle into satiny, luxurious contentment. He dried her tears with whispersoft kisses and light caresses as they lay in one another's arms, basking in the lingering warmth of their afterglow.

Neither of them said a word, as nothing needed to be said . . . actions bespoke volumes, after all, and any questions that needed to be verbalized could wait until morning.

After a while, Kagami made to pull out, but Himiko pressed her hand against the small of his back. "Stay," she implored softly.

"You'll be sore," he whispered in reply. His amethyst eyes were luminescent in the muted, golden light of his chambers.

A small, sated smile curved her kiss-swollen lips. "I don't mind . . . "

And so he remained within her, smoothing her hair comfortingly as the lassitude stole upon them.

The lethargy after such a strenuous night was creeping up on her, and Himiko stifled a yawn. "Oyasumi, Kagami-kun."

"Oyasumi, Himiko-san." The god of Babylon ministered upon her one last, lingering kiss as Himiko felt herself drift off into slumber. When he finally pulled out of and away from her, his soft groan lost in the cloud of her tresses, she had already fallen asleep. He then pulled the covers around them, wrapped his arms about her possessively and cradled her against his chest as he, too, followed her into the realm of dreams.

When Himiko awoke, she saw Kagami propped up on his elbow beside her, gazing at her as she wakened. He had his back turned to the sunlight, and the yellow, buttery glow shone brightly in his hair and lent both a pale and a brazen cast to his skin.

"You look good," Himiko admitted, ever blunt. She stretched, yelping as her womanhood, as well as some other choice muscles, swelled in protest.

"Does it hurt?" Kagami asked softly, slipping a hand underneath the sheets to stroke her thigh. "I can take the pain away . . . "

"Don't," Himiko told him, catching and stilling his wrist. He glanced at her in mild surprise, and Himiko gave him a small smile. "Allow my body to remember last night."

This prompted him to smile as well. "If that is your wish, Himiko­­-san," he said. She let go of his arm, and he allowed his hand to settle upon her hipbone, tracing lazy patterns against her flesh.

They lay together for long moments, both of them lost in their own thoughts and content to just watch one another.

Much to Himiko's shame, her stomach soon growled, eliciting a chuckle from the man beside her.

"Do you want something to eat?" Kagami inquired.

His words struck her, and Himiko felt her bubbling happiness fall flat, because she remembered with a strange pang Wan Paul's ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches, as well as his delicious coffee.

She glanced outside the window and saw the Mayan scenery gleaming beneath the light of the midday sun. It wasn't real, she told herself. She turned back to Kagami and saw that he was gazing at her with a sad understanding.

"You want to leave," he said. He didn't allow it to curl into a question.

Himiko chewed her lip in frustration. She didn't want to sound maudlin, but there was no other way to say it. "I want to be with you," she told him somewhat petulantly. Kagami made her feel beautiful, cherished . . . precious. Yes, he had tried to kill her once . . . but he had also brought her to life, and she'd never forget that.

"But you don't want to remain in Mugenjo."

"Come away with me," Himiko suggested. "You told me that you wanted to leave. Let's go!"

Kagami turned to her in all seriousness, and again, Himiko was unnerved to see Kagami without his knowing, slightly pernicious, and altogether foreboding grin.

"Brain Trust would never let me leave," he informed her, bitterness tinting his words.

"We could try," Himiko put in.

Kagami glanced away. "Perhaps another time."

Himiko realized that her time with him had come to an end. With a rattling sigh, she rose from the magnificent bed, pushed aside the curtains and stepped into the sunshine. Kagami followed suit, and together they redressed one another, taking their time, prolonging their parting.

Some minutes later, when Himiko was fully dressed, and properly armed, she said quietly, "I guess I'll be going now."

Kagami swept her into his arms and gave her a thorough, ardent kiss. Himiko sighed into his mouth, her hand fisting in his blazer as he swept her up to his height.

He finally set her down. He gestured to the painting of fruit hanging upon the opposite wall, and Himiko understood. She strode to the canvas and pushed it aside to reveal a doorway.

Casting one last heated, wanting glance at him, she pushed the towering doors open. "Mata ne, Kagami Kyoji-kun." She bit her lip. "We'll see each other again. We have an en."

The god of Babylon nodded. "Hai . . . Ja, Himiko-san."

Her throat burned. Pushing it aside, Himiko stepped past the threshold and started on her way. She was sorely tempted to run back in and to lose herself in the illusion forever, but she knew that she couldn't.

Someday, she told herself, thinking of him and remembering their evening together.

Steeling herself, Lady Poison continued her path down and out of Belt Line, and out of Mugenjo.

It had been a few weeks since the incident. Himiko had coped well, in her opinion; Ban, perceptive when he needed to be, had picked up on her activities and had demanded to know why she chose Kagami Kyoji of all people. She shrugged and told him that it was unmei. He had scoffed at her, and Himiko shrugged it off.

Business had been good so far, and so, Himiko decided to take a short break for lunch. Stopping by the Honky Tonk Café, she took a seat by the bar and asked Paul for her favorites: a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich, and a mug of coffee.

"What're you doing here?" Ban demanded as he and Ginji slumped in one corner, obviously broke once again.

"Can't I come here to eat?" Himiko demanded pertly.

"Ne, Himiko-chan, Ban-chan, don't fight . . . " Ginji was quick to intercede.

Ban ignored him, and Himiko ignored Ban.

Just then, the chimes of the door sounded, alerting them all to the presence of a customer at the bar. Ban and Ginji perked up, thinking that it might be a new client.

Himiko raised her eyes to the doorway. Her eyes widened, and she almost forgot to breathe.

"Ya," the man said in greeting. "Himiko-san."

Kagami stood by the doorway, hands in his pockets, smiling at her pleasantly. "I thought I'd find you here."

"D-demo . . . I thought . . . " Himiko trailed off, at a loss for words.

"You," Ban snarled, rising to his feet. Tare-Ginji followed suit. Kagami ignored them and sauntered towards Himiko, taking a seat gracefully beside her. She gaped at him, and he gave her an amused smirk and tipped her chin up to close her mouth.

"Brain Trust no longer has control over Lower Town," Kagami said enigmatically.

"We know that," Ban snapped. "We freed Lower Town." Ginji just watched on curiously.

"Thus, Brain Trust wields no power over anything, until or unless they set up a new testing ground," he continued. Himiko listened to him wordlessly, trying to understand what he was saying.

"As of the moment, Brain Trust is a useless entity. A powerful, yes, but useless entity," he stressed. He stroked Himiko's cheek, skating over the star, and Ban started at Kagami's forwardness while Ginji turned red with embarrassment on Himiko's behalf.

Kagami leaned in and pressed his cheek to Himiko's so that he could whisper in her ear, "I'm still a part of Mugenjo no Kami. But I no longer have an obligation to them, as there's nothing left for them; in turn, there's nothing left for me to do as one of the gods."

Himiko'shands fisted in his lap, anticipating what was coming next."So . . . in a way . . . as of the moment . . . I'm free," he whispered to her. "Free from the constraints of Brain Trust . . . although I still wield power over the canvas of Babylon City and Belt Line."

Instead of replying, Himiko circled her arms around him, feeling him return her embrace.

"Yokata," she said, sighing as his lips brushed her neck soothingly.

Ban rolled his eyes and stalked back to his corner, repudiating the display of affection. Ginji stood there, watching them.

"Ne," he said, skittering over to Kagami and poking his leg. "Are you with Himiko-chan now?"

Kagami turned to him, mirth dancing in those lavender eyes. "Yes," he said, laughter evident in his voice. Himiko stared at him, pleased and disbelieving all at once.

"Are you taking good care of her?" Tare-Ginji said suspiciously, pouting.

"I plan to take very good care of her, Raitei," Kagami said smoothly. Lady Poison turned red despite herself, remembering the exact moment he had promised her that he would.

"Good," Ginji said with a firm nod. "You'd better!" And he scampered off towards Ban.

"So, how have you been, Himiko-san?" Kagami asked conversationally, cushioning his cheek on his knuckles as he beheld her appraisingly.

She broke into a grin. "Good." She took his hand in hers and held it fast. "Though I know how I could be much better," she murmured suggestively.

"Oh?" Kagami questioned silkily, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. "Come away with me."

Kagami rose, pulling Himiko to her feet with him. "Gladly," he said with a smile.

OWARI.

-----

Prepare for horrendously long author's notes:

Unmeino Kagami-mirrors of fate-can be interpreted in many ways. One is that the mirrors of fate are Himiko's dreams in this fic-they show/mirror her fate. Another interpretation would be Kagami of fate-a direct allusion to the other main character in this fic. (I look at this interpretation as something of a title, like Morpheus of the Dreaming from the Sandman . . . ) And, if you "mirror" the title, it becomes Kagami no Unmei-Fate of Kagami . . . which is, of course, Himiko, and vice versa. *beams proudly at the multiple meanings* ^_^ I'm sure there are more interpretations, but I haven't thought of them, really. XD

The idea of an en (which I first came across in Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha) between Himiko and Kagami came to me when I saw that Himiko got sent to the Mayan civilization again during her fight with Kaoru. When I saw the end credits . . . well, I just became absolutely fangirly.

Their heights, according to Dakkanya.Net, are 5'9" for Kagami and 4'9" for Himiko. (It said that she was 5' elsewhere, but either way, the height difference is still huge.) I felt that I had to mention that in the fic. I love it when a couple has a huge height difference. ^_^

One of the things that I love most about Get Backers is the interaction between the characters. I love how they have nicknames for one another. (Like, how Ban calls MakubeX "persocom boy," Natsumi calls Emishi "Emi-san," Ginji calls Kazuki "Kazu-chan," Shido calls Ban "hebi yaro," . . . the list goes on and on and on.) I noticed that Himiko addresses Kagami as ___ oniisan. (Sometimes she says something before oniisan. I couldn't quite catch the word before it, so if anyone knows it, I'd be very happy!) Once, she calls him Kagami Kyoji-kun. Kagami addresses Himiko as Lady Poison (like most people do).

I had a difficult time writing this fic because I had to give Kagami a reason for his behavior, so I made up his entire history. Eeep! Plus, I had trouble with their characterizations. . . .

Kagami broke his earring twice in the entire series so far: once because of Himiko's Kugutsuko in the 1st Mugenjo arc, twice when Ban punched him in the 2nd Mugenjo arc. In the end credits, he no longer wore an earring. I assumed that that is because he only has one pair of the said earrings. However, I decided to make him wear another one in my fic. Maybe he was able to find another pair. ^_^

Gah, I had no idea that writing lemons was this difficult . . . However, despite that, there's more to come soon! (I already have 2 fics for Kagami/Himiko on the way. ^_^) Ja! ^_^

C&C would be nice! ^_^