Author: Tuliharja
Title: Helper
Disclaimer: Even I wanted, I couldn't own Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle -it belongs to CLAMP.
Author's note: Watching too many times Tsubasa Shunraiki OVAs gave me inspiration to write this. Beside, I finally got change to write something about Tomoyo!
Helper
The princess of Nihon country sighed deeply as she stared out of the large window. It was already raining heavily and it seemed as if the sky had finally opened up to cry furiously. Tomoyo watched quietly, unsure of what to think or do. She had foreseen a terrible event, so terrible that she was unsure if time could heal the wounds that would appear. She shook her head as pain slashed at her innocent heart. She had foreseen that Kurogane would still kill; even though she had placed a spell to stop it. But somehow, the young princess knew there was more to it. She had watched her favourite servant's, or better yet, her good childhood friend's journey and seen how he had changed. She had seen how the brunette ninja had grown during the journey and learned new things, things she had tried to teach him but had only failed. It was also easily seen that the ninja had finally found a 'family'. A family that he had so desperately wanted all this time and hadn't got.
A small smile crossed her lips as she thought this, then it quickly turned into a frown. Her dear friend had learned so much, but he had suffered as well and would more in the future.
The princess let out a sigh, touching the wooden side of the paper partition. The visions that she had seen were ripping her apart. She could see the future, but why did it matter when she couldn't do anything? Painfully, she had watched how Kurogane had quietly suffered when a man named Fai turned a cold shoulder to him, confused and angry that he had rescued his life from death. She had watched how their little group had been ripped apart, everybody dying on the inside with their conflicting emotions. But mostly, it had hurt to see Kurogane's pain, pain which he had hidden. Tomoyo had watched as Kurogane slowly died, becoming numb to the feelings that he had newly learned and it hurt. But even then, Tomoyo knew it would change. Soon, those feelings would wake up and become even more powerful than before. But for what price?
Tomoyo squeezed her hand into a fist, knowing that Kurogane would see his most valuable person kill another who was also very close to his heart. Not only that, but he would lash out against this person and kill another who had played an important role in the other's life. Tomoyo had seen how this would crush Fai emotionally. So badly that he wouldn't care about anything anymore. She had seen it; the light in the man's eyes ending and disappearing like the world around them. It would crush Kurogane, even though he wouldn't say anything. Tomoyo knew Fai wouldn't forgive him, no matter what. It would be an unforgivable action for Kurogane kill to the person who had practically raised Fai, and to cause the end of his beloved twin.
The princess let out another sigh, gazing at the rainy landscape. She had to do something to save Kurogane from crashing badly, from failing this person again. She knew the magician would forgive Kurogane for what he had done in Ancient Tokyo, but not this. No matter what angle they looked at it, he wouldn't.
The princess lifted her eyes up to the rainy sky, wondering when life had gotten so complicated or if it always had been. She knew it was her time to act, but how? She couldn't travel from world to world and she couldn't change time's flow just because she wanted to save Kurogane. No, that would be selfish. She rubbed her forehead, thinking hard, but only got a major headache. Quietly, she turned away, wondering if she should call her sister to talk about this little problem, but soon decided not to. It was something that she alone could do, if she figured something out.
Tomoyo walked back to her divan where she had been lying earlier, thinking about this problem. She still had time, but not that much. Panic and frustration were rising inside her usually calm chest, making her heart beat faster. She sat, wondering now what part Ashura-o had played in this huge puzzle. It was a fact that he had raised Fai and loved him deeply, like Tomoyo did Kurogane. They both had wanted their happiness, yet, it seemed from Tomoyo's angle that Ashura-o didn't actually care about Fai. This conclusion had come from two facts; first, his somewhat selfish wish to die by Fai's hand and second, the fact that he had sort of made Fai promise to protect Celes, whatever it would take.
The first thing was ridiculous! Tomoyo shook her head, thinking. She understood the fact Ashura-o had only made a wish like that to help Fai, but at what price? Fai would break inside for killing a person who had brought him even a little bit of hope in that hell-hole where he had been with his twin. The second would cause the same thing. For some strange reason, which Tomoyo couldn't see in her visions, Ashura-o had killed people. Madly. And that was how he had become the monster to Celes' people, causing Fai to want to kill him which would end up completing the first fact. It wouldn't happen, though. Kurogane would be the one who would cause the death of Ashura-o, which would cause the emotional crashing of Fai.
Tomoyo rubbed her face with both of her hands. It seemed mad…just mad. Even if Ashura-o didn't care for Fai deeply, it would be wrong to help Fai. Even she wouldn't do such a thing with Kurogane, just because she didn't want to help him. It would be the wrong way, even in darkly thinking it made pure sense. It only depended on how Fai would take it all, which, in the end, he would view it as all wrong. In fact, Tomoyo thought, if Ashura-o would know that Fai had already broke his first curse by the time they would appear in Celes, would there be a change so that he wouldn't get killed? Tomoyo shook her head. It was clear that Ashura-o had only lived these years to get killed by Fai's hand, turning somewhat blind to everything else. It was sad, in fact. Tomoyo couldn't help but feel sympathy, knowing that nothing could change the man's decision. It was as if destiny had made it happen. Hitzusen; something that would happen, no matter what.
Tomoyo shook her head again. She was back to the beginning. Nothing could help Kurogane from crashing and becoming emotionally injured. Unless…a small, crazy idea had crawled into Tomoyo's head as she thought. She understood that everything needed to have balance that everything would happen for the sake of hitsuzen. So, if Ashura-o would make that sort of sacrifice to help Fai, why couldn't Tomoyo balance this horrible future and make it better?
The princess stood up, gazing outside at the rain without really seeing it. She and Ashura-o were opposites, yet they were so similar. They both had persons who they had rescued and who they loved deeply, yet Ashura-o had failed from the beginning, but only because Fei Wong Reed had met Fai first, not him. Tomoyo had won the timed race and got to Kurogane before Fei Wong Reed had got him into his slimy net. She had foreseen it happening, in fact, and had rescued what was left of the young boy. A small chuckle shook her shoulders. If Ashura-o were to fail, she could fix it. She had already sort of fixed Kurogane and Fai's life by sending Kurogane to The Dimension Witch, even though she would have never guessed that it would impact this many things. This gave her another idea. The Dimension Witch granted wishes, and like Kurogane and Fai, Celes and Nihon were opposites.
Nodding her head, Tomoyo decided that she would make a wish. A wish to get some visitors here before it would be too late. But still, the sacrifice should be made. Kurogane should set Fai free from Ashura-o's shadow and his twin's.
Tomoyo lifted her eyes back up to the sky, the rain already stopping. The sun was showing its face behind the heavy clouds. The princess touched the wooden partition, knowing kindness was the key to opening the lock of trust and love. Showing it and acting it out showed real love. You could also be a little selfish. Selfish to do something that would hurt the other, only to get this other person's eyes to open to the kindness and love shown to them. Tomoyo knew Kurogane was being a bit selfish in pushing Fai towards certain paths and not giving up. But truly, the princess didn't mind it. In fact, she was already impatient to see this person who had changed Kurogane so much.
Tomoyo closed her eyes when a fresh wind brushed her face. She knew Kurogane should be selfish. He should hurt Fai, but only to get his eyes open. Tomoyo opened her eyes slowly, now knowing if Fai would forgive him, knowing that both of them would crash only to rise up again and grow stronger for each other. This realization made her laugh a warm laugh as she pictured Fai's true smile and Kurogane going back to himself. The price they would pay for this would be huge, she admired, but in the end, it would be worth it if they got each others and their own emotions fixed up.
"Tomoyo-hime, the tea is ready," Souma called to her and the princess turned, grinning madly. "Hime, does the rain's ending make you happy?"
"No Souma-san. In fact, I think I actually like the rain," Tomoyo answered before she floated outside of the room. She was happy that she could finally do something to help her dearest person.