Fox Rain

by Tsubame Ongaku

They say that when it rains on a clear, the Kitsune is crying. Youou's village and mother needed rain. The villagers told him nine-tailed foxes don't exist. Even if they did, they eat men's livers. But, it does exist.

Title: Fox Rain

Fandom: Tsubasa Chronicles/Cardcaptor Sakura

Characters: Tomoyo Daidouji, Kurogane and Touya Kinomoto

Type: Alternate Universe

Summary: They say that when it rains on a clear, the Kitsune is crying. Youou's village and mother needed rain. The villagers told him nine-tailed foxes don't exist. Even if they did, they eat men's livers. But, it does exist. It didn't take his liver. It took something else.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the mangaka group, CLAMP.

Notes: My laptop that has been with me for three years has finally died. Mind you, it is over ten years old. All my fics are stuck there for a while. So, I decided to work on this little project until it get fics or in the worst case scenario, taken apart and get my files. My belief is that this may have four chapters, but I am never sure because I am so bad at estimating since I add things once in a while that was not in the original plan. Like Touya- in my original notes he wasn't even there. I decided to add him here after reading 'Wish' by CLAMP. Those who read it will understand where I am going.

I hope you enjoy reading this! This took a bit more research than most of my fics for this. The Edo Period is pretty interesting! But reading the history was a bit more complicated than I thought. This is an almost completely fictional story. The bit of how Suwa got its name is made up. My writing is going to a historical direction.~ lol

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Fox Rain

By Tsubame Ongaku

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Part 1: Black Steel

Prologue

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Suwa Province, Japan

Edo Period, Year 1801

The local people of Suwa know of the many legends that surround their province from their the elders who still believed these myths, though no one has ever seen these creatures and beings. Majority of the adults believe that believing in these stories was a waste of time. There were fields to tend and mouths to feed. There was no time to listen to bed time stories.

It didn't stop the old men and women of the village from telling these stories to the younger generation, hoping to still pass down stories that had always been part of their history and them. They excite these children with tales of mysterious demons, elusive monsters and beautiful deities.

The children loved these stories.

But it was the story of a beautiful nine-tailed fox that allegedly decided to make her home in the forests that surrounded their small town was the most popular among the children.

And yet, no one loved that story more than a young boy, Yuou, the young son of the Lord of the village and their lovely, beloved priestess. Yuou was definitely his father's son. He inherited his father's dark hair and fierce red eyes, and much like his father his eyes did often soften when his mother is near. As his father's heir, his dream was to become as strong as his father and protect the village. As soon as he was able to carry a sword, his training to become head began.

When he's not having his grueling training with his father and his warriors or helping his mother around the house, he goes to the old Grandfather Tama, the best storyteller in the village. No one really knew how old he was. They say he was more than a hundred years old, but others said that he was even older. Tama's face was so wrinkly, he usually scares the kids. It never lasts long though because his stories never fail to draw kids in.

But for a young boy about to be the next lord, there was little time for fun and stories. Alone in a dense forest except with a man with an intent to kill, the only thing he can afford to keep in mind is to say alive.

Yuou closed his eyes, trying to keep all his senses open. One mistake and he was going to die. He breathed deeply to calm his pounding hear and concentrated. Listening carefully, he could hear the rustling of leaves coming from his right. He gripped the end of his sword and readied himself for the strike.

"It's coming."

Yuou's concentration broke and turned when he heard that feminine voice. Unfortunately, it was right on time for the assailant to attack. With his sword in the air, the man posed to strike. Yuou had no time to defend himself. His eyes widened and swung his sword up despite knowing that it was too late to defend himself.

Fortunately, the man was skilled enough to redirect the direction of the blade.

The strength in the strike was evident by the size of the slash left behind on a tree behind Yuou.

"Yuou-sama, your concentration is off," commented Kyoutaro, the boy's trainer and one of his father's best warriors. It wasn't like his young master to not dodge an easy strike like that. If the warrior wasn't such a skilled man, he would have easy cut off a part of the boy's head.

"I'm sorry, Kyoutaro-san," the boy sighed, knowing that he just barely escaped death. "I heard a woman out there."

The older man frowned as he sheathed his sword. "I did not hear anything. Are you sure you did not simply imagine it, young master."

"I don't think so." But even to Yuou, his voice didn't sound sure.

Kyoutaro paused, wondering if he was working the boy so hard that he was beginning to hear things. He had been a warrior since he was about the young master's age, and he prided himself to have sharp senses. If there was someone else in the woods, he was certain he would know. "Maybe it is time that we dismiss for the day. We shall continue the lesson tomorrow."

Yuou sighed, disappointed in himself but nodded, then followed his teacher back to the village. The first thing he did when they returned was run to his house to see his mother. Not finding her in his father and mother's room, he waited outside the only room he knew she'd be. After a few minutes, his waiting paid off. His mother came out of the shrine and smiled when she saw him.

"Yuou, I did not expect you home so early. Is practice finished?"

Some of the boys in the village often tease Yuou about being a mother's boy. It wasn't completely untrue. He and his father adored his mother. She is a lovely woman- inside and out. His father proudly called her the most beautiful woman in the world. Yuou seconded it without doubt. It was unimaginable that another person could be as graceful and beautiful as his mother.

Yuou nodded, but looked a bit miserable. He didn't like disappointing or failing his parents. "It is. I didn't do too good."

Still smiling, she shook her head and chuckled. It was a unbelievable miracle for her to see such a strong resemblance between her son and husband. Her son grew to be more like him everyday. "I am sure you will do better tomorrow. Would you like some tea?"

Yuou shook his head, "I want to go to Old Man Tama for a bit."

"For more stories I bet."

Her son blushed at that but said nothing. "I won't be long," he told her, giving her a kiss on the cheek before running off. His mother nodded with a very knowing smile on her lips. "Have fun, my son."

"I wouldn't mind having some tea with you, my dear."

The priestess didn't need to turn to know that the voice belonged to her husband. "Then, I shall go into the kitchen and fetch us some." When her son finally disappeared at the distance, she continued. "We used to enjoy old Tama's stories as well, didn't we?"

"Is it me or that old guy feels like he's always been old?" The lord of Suwa muttered, scratching his chin. "I can't remember ever seeing him young."

The wife didn't say anything because she understood perfectly what her husband meant. As children, they too listened to the old man's stories. The old man never really changed all that much. When he had first came to the village a score ago, he always looked as he did.

They too found his stories magical as children, and still do at times. They too used to believe the creature existed, but now they were old enough to doubt that it did. All their lives, there had only been a handful of claims but none had ever returned with evidence that it did exist.

"You are earlier today than usual."

"Not happy to see me?"

She smiled and shook her head. "You know there is not a moment that I do not miss you," she whispered, reaching out to him and touched his cheek gently. All her love evident in her eyes. The lord didn't believe that there was anyone in the world that loved him more than his wife did.

Lord Kurogane was not good in words as his wife was, but he knew how to return her love through his actions. He leaned down and touched her lips with his in a kiss.

When Yuou reached the old man's cabin, most of the other kids in the village were already there. They had finished their chores early to be here in time for the old man's stories. When he entered, the other kids erupted in cheers and greetings to see their future lord in their midst. The noise quickly died down though when the old man in the heart of the crowd raised his hand for silence. It was old man Tama and it was time to start.

A little girl by his feet smiled. "Grandpa Tama, are you going to tell us the story of Spirit Parade."

"Wait! He told us that just yesterday," a boy argued.

The girl pouted and crossed her arms. "Miki wants to hear it again."

"Well, I don't!"

Before a fight erupted, Tama raised his hand again and spoke, "Then, we let our future leader decide this." All eyes turned Yuou, who just chuckled nervously. He didn't really know what to say. But he did know he had to break the fight somehow. "I don't know-" he started wracking his brain for a story they hadn't heard for a while. "How about the one about the nine-tailed fox? We haven't heard that in a while."

The children cheered and nodded in agreement.

Old man Tama smiled and nodded his satisfaction with the choice. It was one of his favorites as well. "Well then, now that is settled. Everyone, take your seats and make yourselves comfortable. I'll get started."

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Many many years ago, Suwa was just a small nameless area surrounded by thick forests and tall mountains. It was small but fresh creek supplied the villagers with enough water for their families and crops. The people thought they could live peacefully, but a year after settling a terrible drought struck. The drought lasted for a very long time. One by one, many of the people- young or old began dying. The survivors knew that there was no way they could continue to stay in their new home anymore. They needed to move somewhere with water, or else they all died.

Their young lord understood the heavy hearts of the people about leaving the small peaceful land that they were beginning to call their home. But he was a mere mortal, he had no control over the sky- but one legend said that one creature did. Unfortunately, no one knew for sure if such a creature really existed.

One legend spoke of a creature that could make the sky rain with its tears. It could be found in a forest on a mountain miles beyond their village.

Knowing that it was the only chance his village had, the lord took a handful of his men and went on a journey to look for this legendary. Most of the villages had little belief in their success and expected them to return in disappointment.

One month. The lord told himself that he would find the creature in thirty days, and he was willing to lay down his honor for it. The first few weeks, they were met with little success. They didn't have an idea what they were looking for. No one had ever seen the creature before. By the way few days of their search, they were all so disheartened that they had no energy to go on. None of them wanting to return in shame. On the last day of their journey, their lord went off by himself to take a break by a river.

While taking a drink from a small fresh water creek that flowed through the forest, he was taken by surprise that he found someone else there enjoying the water with him. Not far from where he rest was a lovely young girl watching him with a curious smile on her lips and a twinkle of laughter in her eyes.

"Hello," she said. "I'm sorry. Did I bother you?"

For a moment, the lord froze spellbound. Not because he did not even sense her presence when he first came to the creek, but because of her incredible beauty. It was almost like she wasn't human. "No, I was just leaving." But what was this lady doing in a dense forest all by herself? "Are you lost? It is dangerous here. You should return to your home."

"But I am home," she insisted, leaning almost with familiarity against a tree trunk.

"I'm sorry for intruding in your home, then," he muttered, looking away and wondering if he should leave. And there was something about the woman that just made him feel uncomfortably aware that he was human. "I should get going. My companions will worry."

"You are here for a purpose."

The man paused and turned towards her. She sounded so sure, but why? "It is nothing. I am being foolish. I am a foolish man after a foolish cause." He didn't mean to sound pathetic, but he knew he must have sounded just that. "I will leave you to your home now. I must return to mine and deliver to my people the bad news. That I, their leader had failed them."

"You only fail when you stop trying," she told him softly. "What is it you are looking for?"

"That is the problem," he admitted. "I do not know. I am looking for a creature that could I believe could save my people."

"A creature? What creature is this?"

Before the man knew it, he was telling this girl he never met before that hour his quest. Later, it puzzled him why he trusted her so easily. "Rumors say that it has magical power to call the rain. My- my people are dying one by one because of the drought. As their leader, I could simply sit back and watch this happen."

The young woman was quiet for a while and appeared very troubled at first. She was obviously a very soft women to care for a dying village she did not know. Then she spoke, "If you find this creature, what shall you do with it?"

"Beg for its tears and save my people."

Her expression became uncertain now, but at the same time sounded very serious and grave. "How is it supposed to trust your word? How does it... not know you shall sell it or kill it when it has served its purpose?"

He smiled and shook his head. "I would never let that happen. I am just a man that loves his people."

Strange as it was, the lady believed him. The man blinked, but his surprise when he opened his eyes she was behind him. "Look into the water. Do not be afraid. Look at my true self."

Her eyes glowed a mysterious glow, but he wasn't afraid. Slowly, he walked towards the water to peer into the reflection. He received the most incredible surprise. The reflection he saw was that of his- and the girl's. But that was not all she reflected. In the water, you could see her dark hair was completely white her eyes were a blood red color. Behind her nine tails as snow white as her long hair.

He became paralyzed to his spot, but understood that it was the creature he sought.

"Please, don't be afraid of me," she told him, understanding his fear. "I won't hurt you. Please, I will be happy to help your people."

It is said that the nine-tailed fox returned with the young lord back to his village. Unless looking into her reflection in water, his men only believed she was a mere girl that wished to cure the sick people in their village. He swore to her that he would keep her real identity a secret and protect her always, even making the promise with a blood compact.

When they reached the village, it wasn't difficult for the fox to cry. She looked around and saw the grave situation in the village. She saw parents burying their children and animals dropping from exhaustion...

...and as she cried, it rained.

The whole village celebrated at the first drops of water touched the earth. After so much suffering, the rain has returned. It wasn't long that the village began to prosper again. The fox simply smiled to see the people so happy, never leaving the lord's side except to heal a sick person.

Unfortunately, when the village finally began to settle again- a different kind of problem surfaced. Having such a beautiful woman in the village was causing problems. All around her, men were becoming more and more enchanted by her beauty. Her beauty was simply not human and it was not untrue.

But the true problem revealed itself a year later. For a year, the lovely fox remained by young lord's side. It was more than enough time for him to fall hopelessly in love with her. But she was not human, and he already had a human fiancee. She was a pretty girl from the village and a daughter of a rich family. They had been engaged since they were children, and after his and her father died he promised to still honor the engagement. After falling in love, he began having doubts about honoring his promise.

It tore him inside, because nothing meant to him more than his honor.

His fiancee saw it too and was blinded by jealousy of the mysterious beautiful lady. She was very spiteful and said horrible things about her to the other women of the village.

But, the fox wasn't blind to his affections for her nor was she oblivious of his engagement. She knew that his marriage to the girl was important to the village. As much as she cared for him and enjoyed staying by his side, when she looked into her reflection in the water- she will always be reminded that she was not human. They could never really be together.

She believed that his happiness would be in marrying his fiancee.

One day, she finally decided to leave his side. But, before she did- she approached one of his most loyal of followers and asked a favor of him. He was the only other person she revealed her true self to. She gave him a small bell, but made him promise that he will only show it again when she is needed again.

"You promise to return?" the servant asked. Seeing what she really was had not frightened him. He had watched her for a year and had seen how kind her heart was. She was not a monster even though she was not human.

"I give my word."

That night, she disappeared and was never seen again. Not long after, the young lord married the young girl from the village, but even after so many years he never forgot the beautiful nine-tailed fox. Some believe he had done it because of heartbreak.

Some believe that she was still here in these mountains, unable to return to hers because the journey back would be too much by herself. She also wished to remain near to the people of the village and protect them as she wished.

Years later, the servant disappeared as well. No one knew why because he left no explanation. It is said that the small bell had magical properties too. It allowed the servant to live for many, many years. Some think he decided to settle in a neighboring village and died there. Others believed that he. But there are still a few that still believed that he still lived on now. No one is sure where.

They say that he will return when the village is again in great danger.

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"Is it really a true story, Grandpa Tama?" The same little girl whispered wistfully. The thought of a beautiful nine-tailed fox still living in their area enchanted her. Would she be more beautiful than their beloved priestess? Did she grow old at all? Does she still protect them?

One mischievous little boy smirked at the girl and told her, " My mom said that if nine-tailed foxes are real, her secret to staying young and beautiful is by eating a man's liver."

Tama frowned, looking quite insulted. "Don't listen to that rumor. That was started by some jealous women I bet. I don't know who started it, but I know that is just rubbish. Nothing that kind would do something that cruel."

"Then she does exist?"

The old man smiled and shrugged his aging shoulders. "We will know in time. After all, she did promise that she would come back." Tama looked up to see Yuou silent and deep at thought. It was a look that he had seen before but on their lord when he was a much younger man. "Yuou, your thoughts seem to be wandering somewhere."

Yuou blinked and grinned. "I was wondering where that servant is now. It would be a really sad story if he really just died." He didn't notice the old man becoming very quiet. "Old man Tama, I have been wanting to ask- the lord in the story, do you think he could have been my ancestor?"

"I believe it is very possible, young Yuou. After all, the story did originate from this province and your family had been our lords for many generations."

Yuou wasn't sure if he believed it though. But the thought of one of his ancestors being one of the first to see the nine-tailed fox was really cool. He thought about asking his dad, but he didn't want his dad to think he was a kid that still believed in stories. The problem was that- a part of him still wanted to continue believing.

The old man told two more stories after that. Later, when it was becoming the children slowly began returning to their homes for dinner. Yuou stayed behind as always to help the old man make a fire for his dinner, but he also stayed behind for one other purpose.

When he finished chopping the wood, he went back inside to find the old man was over by the fire with an old kettle in his hands, slowly walking to a small fireplace in the middle of the room. Now that the others were gone, it felt like the right time to tell him. "Tama-san, I heard something in the woods today. It was a woman."

Tama was in the middle of slowly putting the the pot over the fire. When he heard that, he became very interested in the story. "In the woods you say? Tell me about it, son."

"There is nothing to tell," he admitted, putting the wood he just finished chopping aside. "I just heard a voice. The weird thing is that- I heard it but Kyoutaro didn't. He has ears almost as good as dad's. Was I just imagining it, Tama?"

"What did the voice say?"

"Something about- something coming."

Yuou was distracted trying to stack the firewood properly. It took him a while to notice that the old man became very quiet. After a while, he finished and joined the old man in front of the fire. "Do you know what it might have been, Tama-san?" Because Yuou knew the other option was that he might be crazy.

"It might be her," he answered, absentmindedly. "It-maybe finally time."

"Time for what?"

The old man simply smiled and shook his head. "It is nothing, dear boy. Why don't you scurry off home now. Your parents will get worried if you're going to be late for dinner."

"Yeah, I guess I really should go," he agreed, not wanting to worry his mother but he did feel odd that Tama wasn't telling him anything about what he heard. Usually, Tama was helpful and shared a theories but this time he was just sitting there in front of the fire like he was waiting for it to tell him the answer. "You don't think- I've gone crazy, do you?"

"No, you man," he replied, shaking his head gently. "There is a reason for everything.. now, go home for now."

After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "I'll be back again tomorrow, old man."

In reply, the old man smiled and said, "Goodbye." Much to Yuou's surprise. Not 'See you tomorrow' or 'See you soon.' Just a goodbye. Yuou then shook his head, telling himself that he was probably just over-thinking and left.

Outside, it was dark and he saw the moon was beginning to peak from behind the clouds. It was a full moon. The first time they had in a while. For a while, he stared at it as he walked home. He never really knew what it was about it but he was always drawn to how beautiful a full moon was. Yet- the moon was different tonight.

It looked like it was bleeding.

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The moon had not come unnoticed by the old man. The red moon was something he had not seen in a very long time. But he knew what it was going to mean. He'd been waiting for this moon- for a very long time. Tonight, he knew that he was finally going to be at peace.

He closed his eyes and heard a faint tinkling of small bells approach. A sound he had not heard in what felt like a thousand years. It wasn't really that long, but it might as well had been with the many years he had lived already.

"Tama-san..."

It was a voice that sounded like a beautiful whisper. It came from a dark figure outside his door. It was a voice that should frighten him, but strangely it didn't. "Well, my dear-You're here... Yuou said you would be."

The figure came out of the shadows revealing a young girl. She was dressed like royalty and poised like a lady. It made Tama smile, because in the almost 300 years he had not seen her she had not changed at all. "Yuou?" she asked, she was smiling softly- yet sadly at the same time, knowing what was going to happen to her old friend.

"The boy in the woods, he heard you."

There was a look of surprise in the young girl's face. "That cannot be. Not even- no one has been able to hear me since-"

"The first Master?"

She nodded slowly. The current master couldn't hear her either, even though he had descended from the first lord of Suwa. "She looks a lot like him too. I can imagine that someday he will grow to be a great man like he was."

"Do you still miss the master?"

"There isn't a day I couldn't," she admitted.

Tama stood up, walking slowly to one corner of his home and bent down to pull out a loose floorboard. "Why didn't you marry him, Tomoyo-sama? He would've made you very happy." He stuck his hand in the hole and pulled out a small ornate bell.

"But could I make him happy?" Tomoyo answered, walking to the window to watch the moon. It still bled a crimson color. Her hand reached out to touch the moon beams, only to have the beams pass through her hand. "I am not like him. I am not human. We couldn't stay together even if we had wanted to."

"And did you want to?"

"You know I did," answering in another whisper.

"And he did too." That was why he never understood her decision to leave- even after three hundred years. "You are very kind, my lady. But at the same time... too very cruel. Didn't you love the master? At all? As he had loved you?"

At the question, for a brief moment she almost looked frightened and uncertain how to answer him. "It isn't that I didn't love him, but I simply don't know if it is love," she admitted. The lord of Suwa showed his love for her in his eyes, but she was not sure if what she felt was love or the joy of helping a friend. Even back then, she could see that he knew it too, which was why when she left he hadn't set out to look for her. "I cannot bring myself to lie to him."

Nodding, the old man took her hand and placed something inside her palm. Happy tears fell from his eyes and had a smile that showed a man who was content with his life and had no more regrets. "With this, my purpose is complete."

The next day, when Yuou came to see the old man... he only found an empty house.

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Tsubame: Remember that they didn't have television back then. Telling stories and such is probably one of the very few ways to entertain themselves. How is the first chapter? Please let me know. I especially want to know if I get little details wrong so I can correct them.

I am thinking of making my next EriolxTomoyo. My problem is that I find it harder now than making a plot for TouyaxTomoyo. There is an idea that I am toying with that I am hesitant of because I am not sure if I can pull it off without wanting to hit my head on the wall. I tend to challenge myself too much to write something complicated just to see if I can pull it off. lol

I do not know why I am listening to rock songs for this chapter. It seemed to fit. I love these two bands and are two of my favorite bands before and now.

Listening to: 1/3 no Junjou na Kanjou by Siam Shade and Hoshi ni Negai by Flumpool