EDITED on June 29, 2012: Changed the sword into a bracelet. Explanation given in the Author Note of Moment VII.
A/N: I'm really getting into this. =) Thanks for all the support, guys!
Disclaimer: I don't own Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.
Sacrificium Amoris
Written by Fenikkusu
Moment II – The Wizard's Gift
Kurogane wasn't the only one affected by Fai's disappearance. Syaoran found himself trapped in a dream, his memories of the wizard flying by. The first day they met in front of Yuuko's shop, Hanshin country, Otou, Shara, Tokyo… All of a sudden, the images faded away into blackness. The boy blinked and saw a familiar boy with black hair standing in front of him.
"Syaoran-kun…" the black-haired boy began, "This here…"
"Is inside a dream?" Syaoran finished.
"For you too?" Syaoran nodded. A resigned smile sat on Watanuki's face. "Are you meeting me in a dream to tell me goodbye?"
The brunette reached out a hand and gripped Watanuki's. With determination in his eyes, Syaoran shouted, "Don't disappear! I…" Syaoran turned his head away. "Someone very close to me disappeared recently, and now that I really know the feeling of a friend vanishing like that…" Syaoran turned his gaze back to the other boy, "Do you want your own friends to suffer?"
Watanuki was at a loss of words for a few seconds. "You said that to me before. 'Don't disappear.' And Yuuko-san told me that when I was injured, you paid a price for me." Still quite confused, Watanuki lowered his gaze. "Why did you do that?" Syaoran lowered his gaze. "You and I… we only met at Yuuko-san's shop for the first time…" Watanuki stopped for a moment. "What is the connection between us, Syaoran-kun? You know it, right?"
"I heard it from my father and mother. I know it," Syaoran explained. "But I can't tell you yet!" Seeing the confusion only grow, he continued, eyes closing and head bowing. "Changing the future is a hard thing to do. If I speak now, the path to the future will become unstable again."
Realization appeared on Watanuki's countenance. "Sakura-chan said the same thing…"
Syaoran's head snapped up. "You've met Sakura?"
"Inside a dream. She said: I wanted to change the future I saw in a dream. That's why I didn't say anything. It's not as if I wanted to make myself a sacrifice." Syaoran's eyes widened. "Because I wished for everyone to live, I did everything I could."
"Is… Is that so…"
"Sakura-chan said it was for the sake of changing the future. That she hurt Syaoran-kun. I know it must have been really hard on her."
And upon those who she was traveling with, Syaoran mentally added. But now… but now everything makes sense. "Sakura is not someone who can go on hurting others. If we meet next time and she tells me the truth, it's all right."
"I… I said the same thing to Sakura-chan…"
Syaoran smiled. "Because you and I are closer than anyone else."
"Closer…?" Before Watanuki could say another word, a bright light appeared below their feet.
"Until we catch up, please take care of Sakura." As Watanuki nodded, the light consumed Syaoran.
The brunette blinked his eyes open, breathing fast. Where am I?
From next to him, a small voice spoke. "Mokona had a dream… She met the other Mokona inside the dream…" Syaoran sat up in bed, shock still shining in his eyes. "Did Syaoran dream too?" Mokona asked, finished rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah… I met someone important to me…"
The wind was quite powerful today. Kurogane noted that as the sakura trees littering the path up to the largest swayed in the wind. Their many petals danced through the air as if doing small pirouettes on a stage no one could see. He paused for a moment, looking up at the sky. "Che. You'd probably be twirling in circles or doing something else stupid," Kurogane said to no one in particular. He lowered his head and continued forward, talking to himself.
"I have always wanted strength, so that people important to me won't be taken away by anyone anymore. But… Having strength can bring upon catastrophes as well." A vision of a young Fai and his twin—Yuui, was it?—swam before his mind's eye. For some reason, that vision made the disgusting feeling from last night return. The shinobi shook his head. "And there are also things… That strength alone can't protect."
Out of nowhere, Kurogane felt a hand on his shoulder. He would have jumped back if it were not for the comforting aura the hand had. "It seems that you understand…" Kurogane looked to the left to see Princess Tomoyo sporting a soft smile. "The meaning of true strength." He shook his head, choosing not to answer. "Come. Your traveling companion is waiting for us to lead him the rest of the way." Princess Tomoyo gestured in front of herself.
Kurogane followed the sign with his eyes and saw Syaoran standing in front of the building which contained the largest Sakura tree, Mokona perched on his shoulder. Kurogane nodded to the princess, and they began to walk again, side by side. They led Syaoran inside, and Kurogane could tell that his student wasn't quite himself, either.
"It's Sakura!" The manjuu-bun's voice cut through the warrior's thoughts. He looked up and saw the other princess wrapped in ribbons and covered in the blossoms of her namesake. Syaoran immediately jumped up and landed next to her. He began to check the girl all over, relief filling his form once he saw that she was all right.
Typical Kid behavior, Kurogane thought.
"I took the liberty of tending to her bodily wounds," Princess Tomoyo began, taking a few steps forward.
"Thank you, Tomoyo-hime! But why was she on top of a tree?" Mokona asked, hopping to her.
"This is a sacred tree, the oldest in all of Nihon country. This tree should at least be able to infuse this soulless body with a little vitality."
"It's a 'sakura'. The tree has the same name as her," Syaoran said, tenderness seeping through his voice.
And we were supposed to believe that they're just friends, Kurogane thought, shaking his head again. It was too obvious that the Kids were in love with each other, but maybe they were too young to really understand the feeling.
The sound of footsteps caused Kurogane to turn toward the entrance of the room. "So. You have returned, Kurogane."
"Yeah."
Amaterasu took a good look at him. Usually people were scared off by the stare, but Kurogane had been scrutinized enough that he was used to it. "It would appear that you have grown somewhat on your journey."
Kurogane's eye twitched. "Eh…?"
The woman ignored him. "I welcome the guests that you have brought also. I invite you all to rest here a while… though your journey is far from complete." These words caused the Kid to start paying attention. "Yes… We do have one other guest."
"Who's that?" Mokona asked, looking over Princess Tomoyo's shoulder. A man turned to them from the entrance of the room. "FUUMA!" She immediately jumped off of the girl and to the man.
"Long time, no see!" the bounty hunter said. "Well, I say that, but I don't know how long it has been for you, since time flows differently in different worlds."
Mokona looked up at the man. "Are you looking for something here in Nihon?"
"No. I came to deliver something." Fuuma reached into his large bag and fished around in it. In a short amount of time he brought out a shimmering bracelet. It was comprised of five jewels, one in red, blue, green, and yellow. The last jewel was fashioned to look like a Yin-Yang symbol using diamond and onyx.
"What is that?" Kurogane asked, eyes narrowing.
"Yuuko-san told me that this will grant you some magic spells, like how the other Syaoran made flames with his sword strikes. Where is he, anyway?"
Silence pervaded through the room.
"Riiiiiight," Fuuma said. "The price I paid for being able to cross dimensions was to deliver things like this for Yuuko-san. Kind of like paying it off in installments."
"… And the price?" Kurogane asked.
Fuuma just smiled. "I received it. From Yuuko-san, that is."
"I'm not givin' anything to that witch for it, you know." Like hell he was going to pay for something that he didn't even need.
The jewel on Mokona's head glowed pink, revealing the witch herself. She stood in the same outfit she wore on the day they met. "The price was paid by Fai."
Kurogane's breath hitched while Syaoran's became shallow.
"B-but Fai's—" Mokona wailed, waving her arms up and down.
Yuuko continued, "Though it is true that Celes country no longer exists, it does not mean that the caster of the spell blinks out of existence."
"Get to the point, witch," Kurogane growled.
"My, my, impatient, are we. Don't tell me you've developed feelings for Fai?" Yukko teased. Before Kurogane could sputter out a response, she became serious. "Fai is not dead. He merely resides in a dimension beyond time and space. Much like Syaoran, he has given up his time and freedom in order to pay me the price for the sword."
Syaoran spoke up from the branch on the tree. "Does that mean that when enough time has passed, that he'll be able to come back to us?"
Yuuko nodded, "Yes, but not without another price. That price, Kurogane, is that you find out what he last said to you and formulate a response."
"What? That's it?" Kurogane asked, bewildered. It shouldn't be that hard.
The witch dared to smirk at him. "It won't be that easy. Remember, this world cannot speak the language that Fai did. In fact, few can in this time. You must finish your journey with finding Princess Sakura's feathers, first, in order to use Mokona's dimension-travelling abilities. This journey must end before the other can begin."
A small smile appeared on the Dimensional Witch's face. "But the fact remains that Fai is not dead. He is merely… waiting. There's no need to dirty your aura with guilt, Kurogane. Like Syaoran, all you need to do is take Fai's hand before it's too late."
Kurogane and Syaoran glared. They knew just how difficult that was going to be.
