[A Perfect Circle]

manga † X (X/1999) ; Tokyo Babylon by CLAMP

genre † Psychological, horror, satire, black humor, alternate ending, angst, romance, drama, supernatural, fantasy, action, suspense

warnings † Graphic violence / gore, implied-unless-otherwise-marked sex, frank discussion of the aforementioned, sadomasochism, language, psychological dissection, disturbing subject matter (like rape and child torture, and for the former I don't mean as in happy-go-kinky PWP dark-flufftime), yaoi / shounen-ai content (male X male), yuri / shoujo-ai content (female X female), incest, suicide, various other topics people may find disturbing.

I warn you now that I do not skirt topics or euphemize. This is all frankly discussed, not romanticized and glossed over for the kink factor. Though the manga do not go into much detail, X and Tokyo Babylon deal with dark, mature themes, and as is within the scope and tone of APC, these themes are brought to the surface and handled realistically. If you are not old enough or mature enough to handle this, do not read. Consider yourself warned.

spoilers † Conceptual for X TV series, up to volume 14 manga, Tokyo Babylon -- all

pairings † Various; many canon. The following pairings are explored, though which ones are determined as solid at the end of the story are spoilers: Kamui X Subaru, Fuuma (in both forms) X Seishirou, Kamui X Fuuma, Seishirou X Subaru, Satsuki X Yuuto, Yuzuriha X Keiichi, Yuzuriha X Kusanagi, Arashi X Sorata, Seiichirou X Karen, Saya X Tohru, Kotori X Kamui, Hokuto X Kakyou.

started † May 26, 2004

updated † March 12, 2007

In granting a wish that fulfills his own objectives, Fuuma halts the gears of destiny. Four men pursuing their own objectives can make or break Fuuma's goal. By coming to terms with themselves and each other, they obliviously impact the future. But the calm can only last so long, and time is forever running out...

This story is an alternate ending for the X (X/1999) manga from volume 14, assuming the hypotheoretical situation that Seishirou is forbidden to communicate with Subaru under circumstances to which he is forced to adhere. This hindrance ties into a focus on the chain of events following and leading up to the return of "good" Fuuma and Seishirou’s sudden absence from Subaru’s life. Becomes a heavy focus on the intervention of Seishirou and Subaru into Fuuma’s and Kamui’s lives, respectively, and a focus on the lives of the individual characters when they are at leisure to live without constantly worrying about a war.

* Indicates a chapter with relatively explicit sexual content (lemon / lime / yaoi / yuri / whatever the hell), which is either a keynote for those offended by such to stay away (and not to come complaining to me; you have been WARNED), or is a way for the people who are only reading this for the sexuality to find that for which they are looking without wading through all of the other nonsense.

† Indicates a chapter with brutal violence and / or gore beyond standard, 'lookit blood's flyin' levels.

[author's notes]
[regarding the canon]
[disclaimers]

[Prologue - The Undecided Future]
[I. The World Turned Upside-Down]
[II. Shifting Locus]
[III. Things Beyond Survival]
[IV. Entering a Stalemate]
[V. Self-Induced Autism]
[VI. Proper Study of Mankind]
[VII. Curse]
[VIII. Shadows]
[IX. Over the Top]
[X. Playing the Angel] *
[XI. Martyr]
[XII. The Hawk's Sermon]
[XIII. Brand New Hope]
[XIV. The Package]
[XV. Crossing a Schism]
[XVI. Furnace Sky]
[XVII. Butterfly]
[XVIII. Creating a Sociopath] †
[XIX. Ember Burning Bright]*