A/N: This is actually a written version of a doujinshi I'm doing (that may never be finished)... But it flows a lot better in manga form than this… Erg. Uhm, anyway, I wrote it out to help me plan the names and stuff. Figured I'd post it. 'M not sure if I'm too keen on the style I wrote it in, because lately I've been preferring heavy naratives rather than dialogues. But I'm still experimenting... Here's my deviantart if anyone's interested in seeing the art I do have up: http :// moro-moro. deviantart. com/
∞ ∞Midnight Serenade∞ ∞
Once upon a time, I had a dream that gave me hope;
Back when I could control my own thoughts.
But now when I think about it, I couldn't always remember it…
Only until…
I saw him could I recall that dream…
That midnight serenade.
…Maybe it's just the returning of the old psychosis…
But, still…
I…
The moon rose over the peaks of Shirasaki castle, clouds and flowers drifting serenely through the sky. To most, it was an ordinary night; to the ninja it was a returning home from a brutal job; to family, it was a night to grieve… For the Princess, it was the night the dreams came to fruition.
Watching the young man sleep was no indication of his skill; his wounds were cleaned, his hand bandaged, his sword was far from his slack hands. There were no guards, aiding to the air of incongruous complacency. Tomoyo kneeled before the young man's bedding, watching him intently.
A soft breeze came through the shrouded room and the small girl lifted her head, listening to the soft chinks of a wind chime that echoed through the room, the time, the dimension.
"It's time."
It was the same; it was always the same. Nothing there ever changed, save for the bodies' positions, the marks on the walls, the snow piling under his feet.
He no longer felt the cold. He no longer felt the hunger; just the raging desire to be free of the place. He paid no mind to the rare moon that peeked behind the curtain of grey clouds and dark stone; he scrambled for purchase in the pitted wall, fingers and toes gripping desperately.
He slid slowly at first, then plummeted, the rough walls tearing his flesh from him. He landed upon a rare patch of ground, sinking into the untouched snow. He pressed his head to the wall, sighed, and then closed his eyes and huddled up.
"No use. No use."
Black melded to grey, snow and blossoms meeting in the middle, dissolving into the abyss. Each walked forward, one confident, the other bewildered.
They stopped two feet from the other, staring softly, wind blowing around them.
The girl smiled, her robes billowing around her, bells tinkling; "I've been waiting for us to meet."
"Where…? What's going on?"
"My name is Tomoyo," the girl whispered, holding her hand out to the boy. "Right now, we're in the land of dreams, but only because your magic allows for you to walk with me."
The boy recoiled, clutching his hands to his chest seemingly in terror; "But, I can't! The valley," he whispered, shaking his head furiously. "My magic…"
"That's a little matter, Yuui," Tomoyo tutted, "What's important now is—"
"How do you know my name? You're not from Valeria, are you? You—"
Tomoyo cut him off with a giggle; she covered her mouth in a very feminine fashion, cackling, "I know all sorts of things!" She sobered, reaching out to take Yuui's hands:
"But what's important now is that…"
Was it real?
Maybe I am crazy, or maybe I've just lied so much
That I need to justify it…
How did I fall in love so easily?
How could I?
Maybe I created it just to lie to myself again,
To tell myself that it was fate and not me forgetting who I am.
That I didn't make a mistake.
That I didn't betray my brother.
…………
So it's real then?
That's what I want to believe.
Snow and cherry blossoms began to meld again, and the frostbitten wasteland faded away to black. Dreaming again; he felt bad for wasting time like this, but…
"I've been waiting," Tomoyo called, rising from a wooden platform that dissolved as soon as she left it. This time, it felt less ominous, but more impatient.
Yuui bowed his head, "Sorry," he whispered.
Tomoyo poked him, "Don't be modest. I spend most of my time in dreams for my country anyway. It's hard, but I don't mind."
"Are you a court member?"
"Heavens no! I'm the youngest princess."
Yuui nodded; her robes were so elaborate that it sort of gave it away.
Tomoyo smiled warmly, taking Yuui's hands. "And time moves differently where I am."
"I know that. You're outside of the valley."
"I'm in a different world completely," the girl informed him. She gently tugged the boy forward, "There's someone I want you to meet. He's asleep right now, too deep for me to cross his dream with this one, but I can at least show him to you."
"A boy…?"
Tomoyo smiled, and a small patch of light appeared through the gloom, brightening until it became a window. She pushed Yuui up to it.
The boy peered through, looking down upon a young man—older than he— laid out on a bed, deeply asleep. His skin was dark, and his face was drawn slightly as he frowned in his sleep; his hand was bandaged, and a sword was lain beside him.
"Who is he?"
"Someone you will come to care for…"
Awful. Awful.
(Nothing more awful than living death.)
No more living.
(Not since the sword had been pierced through his uncle's neck.)
No more dead.
(Death means inexistence. Everyone still existed, they just were.)
No more.
(Oh, god, please, no more.)
No more.
(No more dreams. No more waking. No more breathing. No… no…)
Just are.
(Is it a sin?!)
Just is.
(We were only born together; we don't want this! I don't want this!)
Just…
(One more.)
Barely…
(Just one more.)
Alive…
(I want just one more person to love me.)
The first time I saw him, I was shocked.
The first time I heard her name, I wondered.
I told myself that they had long since died,
And these were mere descendants.
Not who I wanted.
Not who I dreamt of.
No.
Could not be real…
Less I truly would start to believe.
He stared at her despondent.
She gently reached out and stroked a wan cheek. "He's who you'll live for, Yuui."
"…I don't live."
"One day, you'll meet, and—"
"No. No. I can't meet him. He'll die."
"No, no; he's strong, Yuui," Tomoyo promised. "See that wound? He didn't even cry about it. He will be strong; he will be able to protect the ones precious to him one day. He'll protect you."
"Not precious."
"You are!" Tomoyo cried, seizing Yuui's shoulders. "You're a wonderful person! I've seen you grown up! I know you! You're selfless and kind and warm!"
"I'm cursed," the boy spat. He raised his hands, stained with blood, "My own uncle, the Sovereign, became a kin-slayer because of me! Because of me an entire world is dead!"
"No. It's only like that because you believe it to be true."
"It is true."
Tomoyo shook the boy; "You speak of losing people! You speak of death! He will be lost if you are not there! If you are not there, entire futures will be lost! The worlds will be lost! I'm not just saying this to say it!
There are people who will not want you to vanish!"
Yuui shook his head, "No." He turned his back to Tomoyo, and a window into the valley appeared. He walked towards it, the girl reaching out to him.
"But you two are destined—"
A hand laid itself on Tomoyo's shoulder, and a tall woman appeared next to her. "Anymore would be interference, Tomoyo-chan," she whispered. "The price for keeping the boy sane has been paid: you can say no more to him until you meet in corporal form."
Tomoyo hung her head. "Yuuko-san, I really do believe that he is kind. It makes me sad to see him like that…"
A sad look passed over the woman's face; "Yes. I know, but we must entrust the rest to him…"
Fai awoke with a start, feeling something jumping on his back. He turned his head back to see Mokona waving at him; "Fai's the last one to wake up!" it sang.
Fai laughed, swooping down to huggle Mokona, "Thank you for waking me!" he chimed, swinging his legs out of bed. "Where are the others?"
"At the Beach of Lost Souls. Syaoran thinks that Sakura-chan's feather might be there!"
"It's as good as any place to start. Is anyone still here?"
"Kuro-meanie."
Fai smiled blandly, "Of course; go downstairs, I'll be down shortly." Mokona gave a sort of salute, then bounced off.
The blonde stared out the window, watching the waves break on the black beach outside of their little villa.
"The Country of Discovery"
"It seems the city we've landed in is renown for the Beach of Lost Souls," Syaoran recounted, raising a finger.
"Everyone comes here," Sakura chimed in, pointing to a brochure she held. "If you lose something, it'll wash up on this beach—even memories you've forgotten! No one who lives here ever forgets or loses anything."
"Needless to say that there will be a lot of things on the beach," Syaoran commented, "But I'm certain that's where Sakura-hime's feather will be."
"I thought I'd forgotten about that dream. I'm not sure if I was even sane then…"
Fai quickly changed clothes; it was warm here, so he dressed lightly, throwing on a light jacket for the breezes. He hurried downstairs, plastering a smile onto his face. He didn't want to think about the dream—it bothered him greatly.
"Good morning, Kuro-chama!" he greeted brightly. Kurogane looked up at him murderously. Fai frowned slightly, "Where's Mokona?"
"Sent the manju ahead."
Fai nodded absently, "Well then, let's go!"
"Oi, what's the matter?"
Fai winced, Too damn perceptive. He turned, grinning over his shoulder, "Pardon?"
"Stop smiling. It's damn annoying. If something's the matter, just spit it out."
The blonde shrugged, "You're imagining things."
Kurogane rolled his eyes; "I really hate people like you," he grumbled.
"Too bad you're stuck with me!" Fai sang making his fingers into a little heart.
It's really starting to bother me, though.
I'm so confused.
I can't tell whether it's a dream or reality.
Am I grasping in air or on something real?
When did I come to feel this way?
Oh, gods.
This is awful.
I remember it, it's truly real.
But did I dream it back then?
Was it real then?
Did it really happen?
…Though, what is real, however…
Are these feelings I've found in the dream.
It was late afternoon. Once again, Sakura, Syaoran, and Mokona could be found playing on the beach in the guise of looking for the princess's feather. It was too hot for Fai's taste, so he'd returned earlier, soon followed by Kurogane, who had fallen into a hidden tide pool.
Fai turned away from watching the three from the window, wandering downstairs to locate his companion.
He smiled tenderly, finding Kurogane asleep on the small sofa in the living room. It was rare to find the ninja so open, so he walked over silently. He watched for a long moment, the words from his dream echoing in his mind.
"Someone you will come to care for…"
Certainly true.
He reached out, slowly tracing Kurogane's face with his fingers.
Even though he'd tried to forget about that dream once upon a time on the grounds of it being improbable—but it had been improbable that Ashura could come and rescue him, but after all magic was possible in that valley if you were in another world— he'd always accepted it as true. Even he needed that small glimmer of hope.
I've always believed… but what if it's not true?!
What if he truly does hate me?!
What would I do? What can I do?
… … …
He leaned forward, hovering slightly over Kurogane's sleeping face.
I… can't… go on… without knowing…
(Throw away the boundaries that keep you safe.
Take a bet; risk the odds…
All for a midnight serenade
That happened once upon a forever ago.)
He gently pressed his lips to the ninja's kissing him tenderly.
(You just want…
To be loved.)
…if it's true or not…
He pulled away slowly, staring into the Kurogane's crimson eyes as he blinked awake.
Wait… what?
The two stared at each other for a long moment, Kurogane incredulous, Fai surprised.
The blonde stepped back with a loud yelp, covering his mouth with his hand, bright red. Kurogane looked up at him, scowling through a slight blush; "Hey, mage! What's the deal?"
Fai hung his head, clasping his hands together, "I! I'm sorry! I know it seems that I—! But… But! I didn't mean… It was just, you see… It was an accident!"
"Mage," Kurogane warned.
Fai forced a smile onto his face; "I just tripped is all!" he turned quickly, tears burning in his eyes. He ran forward, barreling towards his room. He could hear Kurogane following him. He was just about to open his door when the ninja caught him by the hand.
"Kuro-sama, really, let me go!" Fai protested.
"No."
"I didn't mean it, I swear! Please just forget!"
Kurogane forced Fai to him in a backwards embrace. "Dammit, mage! If you'll shut up you'll hear me saying that I don't mind!"
"What?"
Kurogane spun Fai around, pinning him to the wall. "I don't mind that you kissed me. What I mind is you lying to yourself!"
"I'm n…!"
"You are! I've noticed it since Outo!"
Fai looked away; "So you mind me lying. Why don't you mind that I kissed you? Surely you have a girlfriend back in Nihon or something."
Kurogane scoffed; "Hell no." He sighed, looking slightly embarrassed, "Look, she sent me on this trip because she said it would change me. I've found something to change over."
"What?"
"I don't just want to be strong to be strong… I want to protect you."
Fai shook his head, "This doesn't make sense."
"No. It doesn't. But then again, this stuff never does," Kurogane muttered. Fai nodded in agreement.
"Next time, don't take advantage of me," the ninja warned.
"…then, could we redo it?"
Kurogane leaned down and kissed Fai gently. After a moment, Fai reached out, tangling his fingers in the ninja's shirt as the taller man deepened their kiss.
They were happy.
I'm still not sure whether it truly happened or not.
It seems like something Tomoyo-chan would do…
Even though we will have tough times,
Times where we hate each other,
Times where we want to die,
And times of sacrifice
It's a true dream we've made.
Back then, and now, I chose to believe in it.
But even if it was a dream borne of insanity,
I cherished it.
I still doubt if it was true.
But even so,
I cherish it…
Because it brought me to him.
∞ ∞END∞ ∞