Disclaimer:
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles or any part of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the amazing work of CLAMP. The author will only state once and only once that everything except the characters (OCs) and the plot of this story, Tsubasa: Reminiscence, are creations of CLAMP. Any coincidence of storyline or characters to any other story is purely coincidental.

Tale 1 When They First Met…

"Thank you Yoshi-chan, come again." The shopkeeper said as he watched the young women lift up a heavy looking grocery basket. The basket was heavy and bulging with a variety of vegetables and fruits. "Are you sure you don't need help with that?"

"Oh no, I'm fine. Thank you! See you later!" The young women smiled brightly as she darted out of the shop, leaving the shopkeeper dazed. Her charming smile had caused the shopkeeper to blush, though she did not notice. 'That child is so kind and is always happy!' He thought. 'Very strong as well…I hope she doesn't break under the pressure of those groceries! Look at how skinny she is…' He chuckled at the thought.

"Did Yoshi-chan leave already?" His wife asked she pulled open the curtains on the shop and carried a basket full of fresh-made sushi. "I made these especially for her for the free medicine she gave us!"

The shopkeeper sighed and smiled knowingly at his wife. "You know she's always dedicated to help Hamasaki-san in that pharmacy."

"Plus, she always manages to sense that if we're trying to give her something in return, which she is normally too embarrassed to accept." His wife chimed in.

"You know Masayo-san, the fisherman?" A smile formed on his wife's face, knowing what her husband was getting to. "He tried to give her extra fish, free of charge, for the medicine she gave him for his fishing injuries, but she left extra cash behind when he wasn't looking, with a note, saying that she could not accept it because she truly wanted him to recover from his injuries, and by giving her extra fish, means he would have less customers if and less profit."

"They always want nothing in return, Hamasaki-san and Yoshi-chan…I really wish that there was something that we could do to show them our appreciation…" his wife murmured. Her husband's arms were around her shoulders, embracing her.

"Such a kind-hearted child…Yoshi-chan…it's hard to find someone like her who focuses on how to make other people happy than their self these days."

"Vegetables and fruits…check. Fish…check. Meat…" Yoshi mumbled as she ticked off the places she had visited on her lengthy check list. "Now…home time!" she exclaimed as she carried the basket full and headed towards the right direction. She waved happily and greeted passers by through the stream of people in the market place, near Shirasagi Castle.

"Yoshi-chan!" She heard a familiar voice call out her name, loud and clear. 'Uh oh,' she thought as she sped up her pace, trying to avoid meeting the person. Being careless of what was around her, she bumped into someone, knocking the person over. "Yoshi-chan! How are you?" The person exclaimed as they brushed off the dirt on their yukata on the ground. 'Oh no…' Yoshi thought as she smiled awkwardly and offered her hand to help the person on the ground.

"Takuya-kun…"

"For the last time, it's a no."

"Why? Why, Yoshi-chan?"

"I told you already. It's because I don't have time to go to social outings like that. I'm working on that day at Hamasaki-san's."

"Oh come on; just have a break or something once in a while."

"Not a chance."

It wasn't a rare sight of seeing these two young adults two argue their way these days through the market with a group of people following them. Dragging a big basket of fruits, herbs and other groceries was Yoshi. The slender brunette was extremely annoyed at her friend, Takuya, for proposing to take her to the bonfire festival, held in two days time. He had been bugging her starting from two weeks ago with his gang of friends who constantly trail behind him. Everywhere she went; he would follow and ask the same questions over and over again…

"Last time you promised that you'd go with me this time," stated Takuya reasonably, his plump face glistening with hope, his hands waving around to explain. "So you must come with me!"

Yoshi sighed. Not only was the load of groceries heavy, Takuya constantly bothering her was another load that she didn't want. 'Should've took the shortcut,' she thought. "I didn't promise you anything, I said that I was going to think about it and there was no guarantee."

"Please?" She wanted to laugh in at his face but suppressed that act; his expression was just too funny for her. His plump face had a look of anticipation; his hands were clenched together tightly, plus the fact that she had to look down at him since he was a head shorter than she was. Although that they were childhood friends, she still felt a tad uneasy next to her old friend.

He had changed a lot over the past few years, always flirting with women, doing many other things that she wouldn't dare to, and not even working in a proper job and earning like all adults should be…she still felt quite taken aback by how much he had changed by. 'I guess people can't always be the same, no matter how much you want them to be…' Yoshi thought as she continued to make her way down through the streets of the marketplace, with a blabbering Takuya trailing behind.

"Er…nice yukata you all have." She said as she glanced backwards at the string of people following them.

"Do you like it?" they asked in unison. "She likes it, boss!"

"Yeah! Go Scarlet Scorpions!" They yelled in synchronization and turned around to show the symbol of a Scorpion, coloured red, on the back of their black yukata. Yoshi sweat dropped.

"Um…nice." Was all Yoshi could say. After all, what can you say to a group of gangsters?

"Shuuush!" Takuya interrupted. His face was red and dripping with sweat. "Don't change the topic! So will you please come with me? There are a lot of things that we can do!"

Realising that she had slowed down a bit, Yoshi started picking up her pace.

"…fireworks, good food, activities…" were the only things Yoshi could make out of Takuya's conversation since she wasn't really paying attention. "It'll be great fun if you come with me!"

"Uh no, and I've already told you my reasons, Takuya-kun." She said as she quickly sped past her companion and turned into one of the corners on the street, attempting to shrug off Takuya. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to him; it was just that this conversation was getting more and more awkward each day, plus the fact that she was in a hurry to continue with her research task for Hamasaki-san, her guardian and shopkeeper of Hamasaki Pharmacy.

"Taichou…" whispered Takuya's friend, nicknamed 'Tiger', as he caught up with the puffing Takuya, who was attempting to catch up to Yoshi as she sped up her pace."Why don't you ask someone else out to the festival? I mean, Yoshi-chan isn't the only one that you can ask out. She already s-"

"I am going to ask her out and that's that!" Takuya growled, making Tiger shrink back at the harshness of his boss's voice. Takuya was never the kind to raise his voice at his friends. Watching a determined Takuya still struggling to catch up to Yoshi, Tiger whispered in his ear…something that would hopefully help.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" puffed Takuya, feeling the air run out of his lungs. "It does sound promising." His face was glistening with sweat, but his lips were curved up into a self-satisfied smirk.

"Sure boss," Tiger smirked as he watched the figure of the slender brunette, who still walking at an incredible pace. "Course it's gonna work."

"Let's get this plan into action, shall we?"

"Yes sir!" saluting his boss, Tiger sped off into the next intersection, knowing what to do, and what would happen next.

When Yoshi was about to turn to the next corner, one of Takuya's stocky gang mates suddenly appeared, blocking her path. Then she realised she had been cornered. She turned around, her dark brown hair whipped across the blocker, sending a floral aroma. Her brown eyes studied Takuya closely, wondering what he was planning.

"What are you doing?" demanded Yoshi, who was clearly looking impatient. "Let me go."

The gang mates snickered as they crowded around the two individuals, forming a circle, at the same time trapping her. She knew they were attempting to scare her. Yoshi's facial expressions hardened as Takuya took a step forward.

"I didn't know you had tactics like this, Takuya-kun." 'It's not like he'll try anything serious on me…I think…' thought Yoshi as she stared into Takuya's emerald eyes. "Did forming a gang teach you all this?"

Her eyes widened as she watched Takuya kneel down in front of her. "Yoshi-chan, you are the O-hime-sama my dreams. You are the most intelligent, beautiful and compassionate person I have ever met."

'Okay…this is freaking me out…what is he doing?' Yoshi swallowed hard. 'This is not happening…'

"I could write hundreds of poems complimenting your beauty…" In the inside, Yoshi wanted to vomit. 'This is too gross to hear…'

"I could buy you all the books in the world…I could give you all the riches that you could ever dream of..."

"I don't want any of those." Yoshi stated truthfully. Takuya ignored her comment.

"All I want to ask is…" Yoshi swallowed hard again. 'Thank god we're in a quiet alley of the market! This is so embarrassing!'

"Would you be my girlfriend?"

Yoshi's mouth gaped open. 'Phew,' she thought. 'I thought it was something else...far worse than this! Like…a proposal in marriage!' Then she started to laugh at how silly the idea was.

"I'm sorry, Takuya-kun. It's a no. You're not my type."

Takuya looked as though he was doused with water. "What is your type then?"

"Someone that is honest, caring, and kind to the people that he loves."

"I am!" Takuya yelled, echoing throughout the alley. "I am!"

"I'm sorry. I find myself disagreeing in many things you do, Takuya-kun. You are no longer the child that I once enjoyed to play with when I was small." She stated softly, with a hint of sadness. "You are no longer my favorite playmate. And we are no longer children."

"What does that have to do with the choice that you have to make now?"

"It's because of this," Yoshi murmured. "That makes even our friendship impossible. You're parents expected more from you, Takuya-kun. Our mission is to make our parents proud, and show them that we can be responsible for our actions. Can you explain what you have done these days? Your mother was extremely shameful of what you have done. Your father was angry at your actions. What do you feel? Anything?"

Knowing from many of friends what Takuya has been up to after the gang 'Scarlet Scorpion' initiated, she wondered how Takuya felt when he got into trouble and was revealed to his parents.

"Yoshi-chan, you leave me no choice then."

Yoshi suddenly felt a pair of strong hands grab both of her arms. She turned in surprised, spotting that Tiger had held her hands behind her back, and the groceries were still held in her hand. Her eyes narrowed as she returned her gaze at Takuya, feeling irritated all of a sudden. She watched helplessly as Takuya walked closer to her, watching him tiptoe towards her face, at the same time, feeling his breath on her face.

"You wouldn't dare," growled Yoshi as she stared at Takuya furiously.

"Now, Yoshi-chan, I will give you two choices." Takuya said quietly, his smirk widening. "One, you either go with me to the festival, or Two, I kiss you and we get to go to the festival. You're choice. You can't win."

"You wish," she hissed. She could hear the gang jeer behind her.

"Okay then, so it's number two…" Takuya's stubby hand was on the side of her face, stroking the skin and tucking a strand of loose brown hair behind her ear. Her foot silently inched forward as Takuya's face came closer to her own. 'Just a little more…then I can use the rule one to get out of here… Yoshi thought. Just a little bit more…then I can get out of here…'

Her eyes indistinctively flashed upwards as she spotted something black jump down to the ground from the rooftop. Takuya froze instantly.

"Let her go," a deep, but rough voice announced as the blade of a katana appeared in front of her eyes, blocking Takuya's face. Hands behind her loosened and she took a step backwards and pulled her hands away from a terrified looking Tiger. Yoshi's eyes followed the streamlined shape of the katana, upwards a beautifully carved dragon head, and then towards a man, who was dressed in black and had a red mask on his face. The half-crescent moon shaped symbol was too familiar…

The man did not lower his katana, but pointed it towards Takuya. The sword reflected the terrified look Takuya had on his face while facing this stranger.

"Filthy hands should be chopped off, shouldn't it?" The man chuckled silently. Takuya stiffened at the comment.

Yoshi didn't even have time to notice what had happened. Everything just happened too quickly. Blood splattered on the ground. Takuya fell on a heap on the ground right in front of her eyes. Tiger, who was originally behind her, fell to a heap on the ground. All the other members of Scarlet Scorpions staggered, and fell. The stranger pointed his dragon headed katana at the blood covered Takuya…

To be continued…

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Last Updated: 01/11/2009