Lilover131: Hey everybody! I decided to do a little one-shot for Shadow Syaoran (or tube Syaoran, real Syaoran, etc.) from Tsubasa! This story is about his time as Fei Wong Reed's prisoner, sort of in Xing Huo's point of view.
DreamsBy Lilover131
A young seven-year-old boy ran through the dark hallways of the place he considered a prison. The walls were lined with enchanted markings, which he passed cautiously, and he did not forget about the soldiers either.
The man who attempted to keep him here was evil and cruel. The boy did not want to help grant his wish in any way. However, this man was not one who took opposition lightly. He would do anything to fulfill his dream.
The boy wore a black outfit, which contained the evil man's mark on his chest. The mark was meant to look like a bat, but the boy felt more like a caged bird would have been more acceptable.
He neared the end of the hallway, which he hoped had a turn. Unfortunately, the hall ended there. He was trapped. The soldiers ran down the hallway armed with their metal-clawed weapons. Even though the boy seemed to be hopelessly trapped, he refused to be captured. He would NOT let himself be used by that man!
The soldiers pointed their weapons at him threateningly, but the boy was not intimidated. Suddenly, he glew of a bright green aura, and bolts of lightning shot at the soldiers. A few of the soldiers fell from the bolts, and those farther back began to run towards him. The robot soldiers who survived the bolts were punched and kicked at by the boy who happened to be a professional martial artist. Any soldier who managed to lay a hand on him instantly lost their arm after contact. The boy remained focused on fighting for his freedom and did not notice the shadows that walked slowly down the hallway.
As the shadows walked farther down the hallway, they were then visible to be seen as a man and woman. The man had spiky hair split in two sides down the middle and also as sideburns, a monocle over his right eye, and a rectangular shaped chin. His shoulders were quite wide as he wore his long dark robes with his crest in the center, and his expression showed annoyance.
The woman had a rather emotionless expression as she always did, and had black puffy hair. Her black dress had a skirt that reached her knees, and it was rather low cut framed with the man's symbol around.
"It seems that he has tried to escape again," the woman stated. The man's eyebrows furrowed.
"The boy is an important asset of my plan. He will not escape," the man said in a deep voice. Slowly, the man raised his hand, and the symbols on the walls began to glow red.
Finally, the boy took notice of the two and glared menaciningly. The soldiers withdrew from the boy before the red bolts that shot from the symbols on the walls shocked him painfully. The boy screamed from the pain, and fell to the ground on his knees. The soldiers cleared the way for the man and woman to reach the boy, whose face was shadowed by his messy chocolate brown hair.
"You cannot escape your destiny…Syaoran," the man said. The boy looked up to him with pained angry amber eyes.
"Why are you doing this to me!" Syaoran yelled angrily and confused. The man smirked.
"Because I must obtain that power," he said quietly before he muttered an incantation, which sent Syaoran into unconsciousness. The woman slowly bent down and picked the boy up in her arms.
"Xing Huo, bring the boy back to the room," the man ordered. Xing Huo nodded.
"Yes, master Fei Wong Reed," Xing Huo said in reply, before carrying the boy back to the room he was held in.
This was the third time this week that Syaoran had attempted to run away. Xing Huo sighed. Even if he managed to make it out of the building, he had nowhere to go. Secretly, she did not like to see the boy suffer, but opposing her creator by helping him was something she could not do. Finally, Xing Huo made it to the room, and placed the boy on the bed inside. 'Why must he make things so difficult?' she thought to herself.
Her pity for the boy and the loyalty for her master were the only emotions she felt; the only emotions she was ALLOWED to feel. Since she is a soulless being, emotions were not something that normally came with the package. The only reason she pitied the boy was because she knew what would become of him. Fei Wong Reed would use him to make a copy… and that copy would be a ruthless killing machine bent on searching for the key to unlocking a strange power. The copy would have no soul or emotions, just like her, and he would be the one to fulfill her masters' wish…no…her masters' DREAM. 'What use will he have for me once the clone fulfills his dream?'.
This dream was so strong that Fei Wong Reed did not care about whose lives and dreams he shattered to do it. The other day he had murdered a priestess protecting her village with a force field, while her son had just came inside the room. The poor boy pledged since that day to kill him. She could remember seeing his crimson red eyes widen in shock at the sight of his mother being stabbed. She could remember his father had also been killed from the strong demons that had attacked. And she could also not forget the tears that had won him over that night. Fei Wong Reed only smiled amusedly amidst watching the boy's pain.
Then Xing Huo turned her gaze to the slumbering Syaoran. His breaths were slow and steady, but his expression held pain for having lost to Fei Wong's power once again.
"Fei Wong Reed's dream is too powerful for you to avoid…so why do you still try to escape when you know you cannot?" Xing Huo whispered. She was slightly surprised to see Syaoran suddenly begin to open his eyes. His amber eyes burned with a light she did not possess. He gazed to her rather blankly, and was able to answer her questions because he knew that she was not like HIM.
"…I'll keep trying to escape…because…I won't let him use my body to hurt more people…and I…have to fulfill my dream too," Syaoran said quietly. Xing Huo widened her eyes ever so slightly.
"Your…dream?" she asked. Syaoran nodded slowly. What could he possibly desire that still kept him going?
"May I ask what it is your dream to do?" she asked. Syaoran gave a small and hardly noticeable smile. He was not able to answer for he fell into unconsciousness once again. With a small sigh, Xing Huo left knowing she would not get an answer yet. These humans all had dreams, and she could never imagine what it was about them that kept them going. Dreams were mysterious things, and humans would go to such extents to fulfill them.
Finally Xing Huo left the room and very shortly ran into Fei Wong Reed in the dark mysterious hallway. He had a strange evil grin on his face upon seeing her.
"You seem happy," she said with apathy in her tone. Fei Wong's grin only widened.
"Tomorrow is the day," he said. Xing Huo's eyes widened slightly, before gazing to the door of Syaoran's room.
"The day?" she said.
"I have finally collected enough souls from earth to create the perfect copy. He will stop at nothing to retrieve the feathers, the pieces of the wings that will guide me to the power I desire. He will eliminate all who interfere. And he will have the same exact strength as the original…" Fei Wong said gazing to Syaoran's room as well.
"Tomorrow is the day my plan goes into motion," said Fei Wong as he gazed outside the window placed in the hallway. Outside was a white barren wasteland. Nothing else seemed to live here. In the distance, a large orb of blue and green could be seen glowing in the beautiful reflection of the sun.
"The earth is a planet that contains thousands of other worlds and times. And I will be able to control all of them," he said. Xing Huo gazed to the earth in wonder. They were currently taking residence on the large satellite called the moon. This was why Syaoran could not leave. He simply could just not survive outside the castle, nor did he have enough magic abilities to transport himself back to earth. Even if he managed to escape, Fei Wong would only recapture him again. He was trapped.
Although, they were staying here was because of one thing. The one thing all the worlds had in common was the moon. So what better a place to watch the plan move forward from than the moon? Being here would keep them somehow connected to each world, thus making it easier to view the plan from Fei Wong's mirror. The evil plotting sorcerer then left Xing Huo alone after a small laugh. Xing Huo sighed. 'So tomorrow is the day…'.
DREAMS
Morning was not something that usually came while staying on the moon. However, if they were on earth, somewhere in Clow to be exact, then it would have just been dawning. Fei Wong always spoke of a country called 'Clow', named after his and Syaoran's ancestor, and of a great power inside brilliant wing shaped ruins. Even though dawn had arrived in Clow, a great big rain cloud hovered over the country ominously. Today the desert country would see the forgotten rain that rarely fell.
Xing Huo gazed outside the castle windows at Earth. She had always been curious as to what the blue orb looked like from the surface. It's beauty seemed unsurpassed, and she wanted to know if it was as beautiful on as it did on the outside. She had stopped to look when she was walking to Syaoran's room to check on his condition. After all, today he would be cloned against his will. Surely he would try to escape again. She stared at the door to his room, which had been reinforced with magic several times. Once she placed her hand on the door, the magic recognized her and allowed her to enter.
Syaoran sat on the bed of his room gazing out the window at Earth. Every day he gazed at the planet so longingly. That was all he did other than trying to escape. He never spoke much. He was a boy of little words. However, the only person he ever talked to was Xing Huo. Though he wasn't sure she could be trusted, he felt that she was at least trustworthy enough to talk to normally.
"Why do you stare at Earth like you do?" she asked him. He simply gazed to her with an apathetic look that turned into distress.
"You have no idea what's it's like…to be so far from home; to be so near that you can see it, but never able to reach it," he answered. Xing Huo was silent. He was right…she couldn't understand. After all, this castle had been her home ever since she was created.
"…Today…is the day…" Xing Huo started. Syaoran's gaze turned to apathetic again, but it was also full of deep thought.
"I know," he said. After saying this, he placed his hand to his heart. Before she could ask how he knew, he looked to her with questioning eyes.
"Tell me…what it is like to live without a heart?" Syaoran asked. Xing Huo was slightly surprised from his question. She wasn't even sure how to answer it. After all, without feelings she couldn't quite tell him what it was like to not have them.
"I don't have emotions…so I don't know if I can quite explain it," she said. Syaoran looked down still deep in thought.
"However…I would give anything to have a heart…to feel happiness…and sadness…just to know what it's like to feel things," she said. Syaoran looked back up to her with an emotion she could not recognize. Perhaps if she had a heart, she could understand what it was. He seemed…relieved.
"When you are cloned…this is what he will be like…without emotions…without a heart," Xing Huo said. Syaoran nodded.
"I know that my copies creation is…inevitable…which is why…I have decided," Syaoran said. Xing Huo listened carefully to hear more.
"What have you decided?" Xing Huo asked. Syaoran looked to her with fiery amber eyes that burned with determination. Then, for the first time, she saw him smile. The smile may have been very small, but a smile nonetheless. Syaoran gave a small yawn. He had woken up several times during the night from nightmares. Small black circles were around his eyes.
"You should go to sleep," Xing Huo said. After all, he had a big night tonight. Syaoran shook his head.
"I won't. Besides…after tonight I'll be asleep for a very long time," he said. Xing Huo's eyes widened slightly. What did he mean by that? Suddenly, one of Fei Wong's female servants appeared at the door. He required her presence. She did not take long to leave Syaoran behind to once again be captured in his thoughts.
While walking in the castle halls, she had thought about what Syaoran had decided. What he said was something that should be reported to Fei Wong Reed, but she found herself wanting to keep it between them. This decision Syaoran made…she needed to see it done for herself.
DREAMS
Night had finally come, and the rain fell in Clow country as predicted. The rain fell as if to warn the people of the desert of the danger that would soon come. Fei Wong had planned everything before hand. Where the clone would be found, who would find him, and the connection to the princess that would unlock the power. Though he seemed to have every part from start to finish planned, Xing Huo wondered if his plan would still carry out after what Syaoran was anticipating on doing.
Syaoran stood in the center of a dark room covered in markings. The black floor was so shiny that his reflection could be seen. A large mirror levitating above the ground was in front of him. He gazed at the mirror with an uneasy feeling. This was the magic device Fei Wong would use to clone him. Xing Huo stood off to the side of the room and Fei Wong on the side of the mirror.
Syaoran tensed when his captor began to chant an ancient Chinese incantation. He slightly gasped when a gust of wind suddenly swept underneath him and pushed him up into the air. The mirror then became somewhat intangible. The part that was normally made of glass looked more like water now. He wriggled to get away, but before he could Fei Wong placed another spell upon him. Several markings circled around and bound his arms to his sides. Syaoran could see his reflection in the water like surface. Suddenly, several gusts of wind began to circle around Syaoran as if they were scanning him up and down. After some circled him around completely, they shot through the other side of the mirror and began to form a solid being…a copy. Syaoran continued to fight for freedom of his arms…if only he could release his arms! He focused his magic thoroughly on the markings to free himself, which was harder than it appeared. The clone in the mirror materialized more and more and the winds continued to circle around them both. The clone's eyes were dull and lifeless as expected, and he hanged limply like a doll in the air.
Xing Huo noticed Syaoran had broken through the spell enough to put his hand up to his face. She watched closely as his right hand went to his left eye. What was he doing? Finally, he broke through the spell and made a desperate lunge at the copy on the other side. His hand rippled through the water like surface and placed itself over the right eye of the clone. Xing Huo noticed Fei Wong's surprised expression. However, the one thing she noticed the most was the eyes of the clone. Before they were dull and lifeless, and now…they had light…a glint of life shone in them now. Syaoran couldn't have possibly…could he? Syaoran's hand lingered on the head of the clone for a moment before withdrawing. Then, he whispered something to it quickly before Fei Wong muttered another incantation. Markings circled all around his limbs and body. Red symbols began to form on Syaoran's arms and legs, and some sort of container was created around him. Once it had fully formed, he was surrounded by glass and water. Symbols circled around the container to keep him in, and he drifted into unconsciousness.
Xing Huo walked up to the sleeping Syaoran in the water.
"What did you do to him?" Xing Huo asked. Fei Wong Reed smirked.
"I put him under a sleep spell. It will take him quite a while to break through that one," he said. Suddenly, Xing Huo remembered what Syaoran had said earlier.
"I won't. Besides...after tonight I'll be asleep for a very long time."
Xing Huo lowered her head once she understood. He knew of what was to come. 'That seal won't hold him forever. He'll break it just like all the others' she thought to herself. She then wondered what he had just done that caused the copy's gaze to be so full of life.
"What did he do?" Xing Huo asked. Fei Wong furrowed his brows in annoyance.
"He gave half of his heart to the clone," he said. Xing Huo's eyes widened. He…gave it a heart?
"Tell me…what is it like to live without a heart?"
"I know that my copies creation is…inevitable…which is why…I have decided,""…He decided to give him a heart," Xing Huo whispered to herself. She had never thought it was possible to give a heart to a soulless being. Suddenly, there was a tingling sensation inside of her that she couldn't quite explain. She felt something deep inside of her that was beyond what she ever believed she could feel. Was it possible…that she, a soulless being, could foster a heart? Perhaps…she could understand what a dream really is…perhaps…she already had one of her own without realizing. Without another word, she looked to the slumbering Syaoran who she eagerly awaited to awaken. Until that day, she would watch the clone live a normal life…and hoped that it would prove to her that she could make one of her own.
DREAMS
Seven years passed since that day. Xing Huo watched the clone's life and journey every day. She watched as he learned to smile, how he learned to laugh, how he learned to cry, and more importantly…how he learned to love. Each day made her dream even more, and it was then that she truly believed she could have a heart. She believed…until one day. The clone one day was starting to lose his heart to the soulless being he was meant to be. He fell into an emotionless state for seconds or even minutes at a time some days. This would continue until the day… when the seal, which kept his heart stabilized, would completely shatter. The seal would not last much longer, and Xing Huo knew that it was very necessary for Syaoran to awaken soon and replace the seal. Finally…that day came.
Syaoran opened his eyes, which held an apathetic look. After all, since he had given half of his heart to the clone, he was not quite as kind as he used to be. Actually, his gaze and expression seemed much like hers. He looked around through the water with his only good eye. A black eye patch had covered the one bad eye, which was blind because of the missing half of his heart. As soon as he had broken Fei Wong's spell, he had grown into what he should be right now, and the first thing he said once he broke out of his container was
"…Syaoran…"
Syaoran was inevitably the name his clone had been given when he was found. Xing Huo walked over to the dripping wet original, and became slightly uneasy from his intense glares.
"Just as I thought…the seal couldn't hold you," she said. Syaoran turned to her with an emotionless expression. However, she knew what it was that he wanted to do.
"Are you going…to the one that possesses that right eye?" she asked. Syaoran did not answer. He did not even need to. Although, he gazed to her in anger that she might somehow interfere with his plans.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to stop you. However, you don't have the power to cross dimensions," she said. Syaoran looked to her with an expression that said 'I already know'.
"You can…with my help," Xing Huo said. Suddenly, a circle formed underneath her; Clow Reed's incantation circle to be exact.
"I can only do this once," she said. The ground underneath Syaoran seemed to melt and pull him in. He recognized this as dimension traveling.
"Why?" Syaoran asked calmly with an emotionless tone. He had not expected her to help him so willingly, let alone without him even asking. Before he completely disappeared into the gateway to dimensions, Xing Huo said only one thing.
"If the dream does not end…" she said, referring to Fei Wong Reed. Just from those words, Syaoran understood what she meant. They must stop Fei Wong's dream if they even dared to fight for theirs. When Syaoran was gone, Xing Huo hoped that she had done the right thing. She had sent him to Yuuko, the dimensional witch, who she knew would help him to try and reach his clone in time…before it was too late.
DREAMS
Xing Huo walked into Fei Wong's chamber where he watched the clone's progress through his mirror. The seal was beginning to break, and she feared that Syaoran might not make it in time. However, finally the seal broke and was beginning to shatter. Fei Wong knew of Syaoran's recent departure and he glared at Xing Huo in spite. She stood against the wall unafraid of his anger.
"Syaoran escaped," he said bitterly. She stood strongly knowing that he would find out about her interference.
"…And someone helped him to do it," he said. Still she stood strong.
"Perhaps it was time he went to fulfill his own dreams," she said. Fei Wong glared. Within seconds, she felt a great pain erupt in her chest. She placed her hand to the painful spot, and found blood on her hands. With an emotionless gaze, she looked down and saw that she had been stabbed through the chest and pinned to the wall by Fei Wong's sword. Her vision began to blur, and she felt her arms go numb and limp. Soon, her vision became nothing but black, but she could still hear her master's voice.
"You were the one who sent 'Syaoran' to that witches care… Xing Huo," she could hear him contuining to drink his tea as if he was talking to a perfectly fine person.
"Considering your orgins, I wonder if it could be helped. After all, you were also a failed creation," he said with anger in his tone. After that, she heard nothing more. 'Syaoran…please end this dream of his…for it may have ended mine…but don't ever let it end yours…' she thought before she could no longer think, hear, move, or speak. Xing Huo…was dead.
Dreams are mysterious things. Sometimes you may not even realize it when you have one, and sometimes you know exactly what is best for you. However, if you do not truly believe and strive to make your dreams come true…then they never will.
THE END