This is my own version of the events that followed after the final fight in the ruins of Clow. I'm not really sure how long the travelers spent in Clow after the fight, so I am going to guess at about three days at the most. The last chapter (232, not the epilogue) said something about a sunrise, so I used that to start the story off a little before sunrise.
This story takes place after chapter 232 and before the epilogue.
No pairings
I own nothing, it all goes to CLAMP…except for this story idea! Mine! :D
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The day after
The doors to the palace were thrown open as five figures entered. The first to enter was a man holding a sleeping girl. Quietly, the man called to those behind him,
"Kurogane?"
The ninja a few steps behind him grunted. He was also carrying someone, a boy. A small white creature sat on his shoulder, mumbling small words of comfort. Kurogane was having some trouble with carrying his sleeping burden due to the fact that his prosthetic arm had been lost in the final battle against Fei- Wong Reed. Fai, the man carrying the girl, had offered to carry the ninja's sword for him, which he refused. The mage took it anyway, knowing that Kurogane would have trouble carrying it and Syaoran at the same time.
Their trek across the sand, from the ruins to their current location, had taken some time, enough to leave the bloody men exhausted. They were a little disappointed when the doors were flung open, courtesy of Fai's foot, to find Sakura's home seemingly empty. Given the time of day though, it could have been expected. Everyone was probably fast asleep in their beds.
"We need to find someone, perhaps Sakura-chan's brother," Fai said, even though he really had no idea what her brother looked like. Kurogane nodded and prepared to gently shake Syaoran awake to ask him where to go. Neither of them had the heart to awaken Sakura. Fai shook his head at Kurogane; waking Syaoran would be just as painful. They decided to instead just walk until they found someone who could help.
They were silent as they walked down the long hallway, their shoes making the only noise. Mokona pointed to a large door ahead. The small creature remembered Sakura mentioning that it was important while in the memory Clow from the book of memories. Fai nodded, opening the door. Inside, much to everyone's relief was a slumbering person, clad in dark clothes to match his dark hair. Fai immediately frowned.
"He has been placed under a forced sleep." The blond stated, sensing the spell with his magic. Kurogane set Syaoran in a plush chair before walking to Fai and taking his sword back as a set of quiet footsteps met their ears. The new person stopped abruptly, as if they were simply observing the invading group. A lantern was lit, revealing the unknown person to have fair hair and glasses. In his other hand was a staff. Kurogane immediately demanded that he explain the sleeping figure in the bed. The figure sighed,
"I was forced to put him to sleep, because he kept trying to come after your group. I did it for his safety. Since all of you are here now, it should be safe to awaken him. My name is Yukito, by the way."
Kurogane ignored the introduction, and didn't bother to tell him his own name. Fai introduced them instead. Yukito nodded at them, and quickly set the spell to awaken the king.
Touya groaned as his eyes opened. He was still a little out of it, and Yukito waved Fai over to stand by him. As the kings tired eyes slid over to focus on his sister, he immediately woke and shot up into a sitting position.
"Sakura!" he cried, lunging out and gripping Fai's arm roughly, shaking it. "Is she hurt? What is wrong with her?" he demanded. Fai looked startled for a moment before taking a step closer.
"She's only sleeping." He said softly. His blue eyes held concern anyway as he brushed a stray hair from her face. Touya nodded, slumping back against his pillows for a moment before getting out of bed and taking his sister from the mage's arms. He looked into her tear- streaked face sadly, before embracing her tightly.
"I missed you so much, Sakura. I'm so glad you're home." He whispered into her ear. Looking up to Fai, he whispered, "Thank you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I knew that she hadn't been able to come home."
Fai smiled softly as his vision began to swim. He turned to see that Yukito and Kurogane had vanished. Yukito was no doubt taking the man to get his wounds treated. Fai tried to see if they had Syaoran with them, but his vision was quickly going black. He vaguely heard the dark haired man next to him say something, and by then he was already falling to the ground, his exhaustion of strength and magic finally catching up to him.
Yukito had gathered a few sleepy healers to attend to Kurogane and Syaoran before hearing Touya cry out suddenly,
"Yukito! The other man!"
Kurogane immediately moved to go and help, causing the healers around him to swarm and keep him sitting. His tattered cloak and shirt had been set aside as a healer began to clean and patch up his bloody back.
The High Priest rushed back to find that Fai had fallen to the ground and was out cold. Touya laid his sister in his bed before dragging the inert body of the man into his arms and carrying the man out to the healers who had set up a small area in the throne room. Their surprised glances at the action of the king carrying a complete stranger left them foolish enough for the weakened ninja to force his way through them roughly. His major injuries had already been taken care, so the healers let it slide as the moved in on Fai.
The ninja spared a glance at the mage to see if he was still alive before throwing his shirt back on awkwardly and walking back to the room where Sakura was. As he sat next to her, her jade eyes opened slightly. She sluggishly asked where they were.
"You're home. We found some guys here to help us. The kid and the mage are sleeping."
"…Who did you find?" she yawned. Kurogane shook his head.
"Go back to sleep. They're not going anywhere."
Sakura didn't argue as her eyes slid shut once more, asleep. Touya walked in a moment later.
"How is she?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"She's been through a lot, same as the kid."
Mokona hopped through the doorway, quietly interrupting the short conversation by asking if Sakura was okay.
"She's fine," Kurogane replied. Mokona smiled and went back to sit by Syaoran. The room was silent as the two men became lost in their own thoughts.
"How long has she been gone?" Kurogane asked. The flow of time was different between worlds; it could have been a day or an entire year.
"Three month's."
The healers exchanged frowns as the man in black walked away before turning their attention back to the blond man. One of them quickly cleaned up a gash above his eye as two more removed his blue coat. Another healer grimaced as he saw the man's back. Blood was slowly staining the white shirt.
"This man has similar injuries to the other man," he stated "It's almost as though they were thrown."
"What about the boy?" someone asked, drawing attention to Syaoran. He had a few injuries, so a younger healer left to attend to him.
Within a half of an hour, the boy had been checked over, and the man received more bandages to his back and fingers. A large bandage hid under his hair above one eye. The elder healer turned to Yukito.
"He'll be able to remove the bandages from his fingers in the morning, but I'd advise him to keep the others on for a few days at least. The same goes for the other man. That one needs to keep his shoulder protected. I don't care how strong he thinks he is; he needs to make sure he takes care of it."
Yukito nodded, smiling and thanking them. The healers gathered their supplies and prepared to leave to try and get an hour or two of sleep back, until the king called to them and asked a few to check on Sakura. All of the healers rushed to the bedroom. It had been so long since any of them had seen the princess; she had been missed. Touya rolled his eyes at the gesture. Kurogane quickly left the room as the healers piled in.
Yukito was out by Syaoran and Fai when Kurogane walked out. The priest was talking with Mokona; no doubt getting information about the journey. They turned to face the ninja when they heard his feet. Yukito nodded to him,
"I can arrange for you and your friends to have a place to stay, if you'd like."
"Mokona would really like that!" the small creature chirped. Kurogane nodded.
"Lead the way."
The palace had dozens of guest rooms, enough for everyone to have a room to themselves, as Kurogane was informed by the priest. He decided that taking up three rooms could be foolish, seeing that two of the "guests" were out cold. He requested that three beds were put into the same room. The others would probably panic if they woke up and were all alone.
The healers appeared once more, and Yukito asked them if they would be able to carry Syaoran and Fai to the guest quarters. The healers exchanged a look; they weren't exactly fit as warriors. The elder finally nodded to Yukito.
"Between the five of us, sir, I think we'll be able to do just that."
Two went to carry Syaoran, and the rest carried Fai. Following Yukito, they traveled down a small flight of stairs and down a long hallway before turning off to another smaller hallway. Yukito opened the first door on the left. Three beds were already inside, much to Kurogane and Mokona's surprise. The white creature had hitched a ride on the ninja's head, and had seen the room a second before him.
Syaoran and Fai were placed in their beds, and the healers quickly bowed before leaving. Yukito and Kurogane were silent until the retreating footsteps could no longer be heard. Mokona had curled up against Syaoran, and was already asleep.
"The healers request that you do not push yourself too hard over the next few days," Yukito said, walking to the door. He paused for a moment.
"I hope all of you receive rest." He said quietly, before exiting, closing the door softly behind him.
Kurogane crossed the room to the last bed, collapsing on to it and laying on his side to look out the window across from him. His body was exhausted, but his eyes refused to close. The feeling of finally avenging his mother's death was still fresh in his mind. He looked out to the sun, steadily climbing in the sky. As he watched it, he felt something inside of him give away, and he allowed himself a small tear.
A new day had finally come.
More tears followed the first; he was glad the others were out cold. Even if they were awake, they'd only be able to see his back.
He was completely unaware of the pair of weary blue eyes watching him as his shoulders shook ever so softly. Fai turned his attention to the window, showcasing a brilliant sight.
"Kurogane," he whispered, "The sun is finally out." Fai smiled before falling back into darkness.