Disclaimer: I don't own Clamp, or any of it's characters
To Posses
Conversation
"You have to remember that you aren't alone anymore. We're family now, you have to watch out for yourself as well as those around you." Tomoyo spoke gently as she walked around giving Sakura a tour of the their little society. They were currently perched on the fountain that filtered the towns water.
Sakura still felt like she was in a dream, she vaguely heard someone playing the flute merrily. Syaoran who was in wolf form was laying down easily resting his snout on her lap, the rest of his monstrous form slightly curved around the edge of the fountain. "You are the only family I'll ever need." was all Sakura heard from the echo in her mind, she looked down and smiled to Syaoran who was currently watching over her with one eye, then seeing her smile he resumed his slow easy breathing, closing both eyes. His ears flicking slightly in the direction of any random noise.
"So.." Tomoyo started etching further next to Sakura. "What's it like?" She asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity. Sakura looked confused, her perfectly shaped eyebrows rose in question, Tomoyo rolled her eyes, "You know, finding your soul mate." She rephrased. "Don't you all ready know?" Sakura managed to say in her own little voice, she was still not used to the feeling of being apart of a friendship. She had been alone for so long she felt if she'd say something wrong she'd get kicked out.
She felt the wolf on her lap shake slightly in a chuckle. "You know better." His voice came again, reassuringly in her head. She couldn't help but smile, she faced Tomoyo and then felt her eyes drift side-ways searching for the right word to place the feeling. "Complete, Satisfied.." Syaoran started listing the various synonyms that seemed to exactly describe how she felt, or probably what he felt as well.
"I know.." Tomoyo started as she reached over a hand to gently rest on Sakura's. Li's eyes opened, as if that little contact bothered him, but Tomoyo ignored his glare. Sakura was oblivious to this as she watched Tomoyo's expressions as she talked. "I hear that the process is different, and the only people who've found their soul mates so far in the society is about 9 of us, including you." She said, Sakura felt her jaw drop as she looked around. But there's so many humans here, and wolves.. "Most of them are relatives, cousins. It's not an intertwined partnership like yours and mine are Ying-Fa." His voice echoed in her head, she closed her eyes and leaned her head down against his snout.
Why do you feel so comfortable? It's like I can't even find the right words to even word how I feel when we're together, it just feels... it feels.. "Like you're at peace?" He added, she opened her eyes, meeting his dark brown ones as they continued their silent conversation. Tomoyo watched passively leaning on her arms as she noticed Syaoran absently wag his tail.
Yeah.. like..I don't feel so far away from myself anymore. She thought as he lifted his head slightly to lick her cheek. She giggled and pushed his snout away from her face, soul mate or not, wolf drool was gross. "I'm glad Li-kun found his soul mate, he was unbearable without you." Tomoyo said suddenly, breaking them out of their little place. Sakura turned to Tomoyo curious, "Syaoran-kun?" Sakura said in a barely audible voice, Tomoyo nodded flashing her a bright smile. "Yeah." She agreed.
Someone in front of them appeared to clear his throat. And suddenly, Tomoyo squealed, running into the arms of a man with cerulean hair, "What took you so long?" Tomoyo said, and Sakura figured that she was the loving type. Immediately draping herself over him, Eriol didn't seem to mind at all, putting an arm around the narrowness of her waist he pulled her against him snugly and planted a firm, warm lingering kiss on her lips.
Sakura felt her cheeks heat from the obvious display of love. She found Li staring at them in an almost confused sort of way. He turned to her with the same look, "Why is affection so important?" She felt him ask, she blushed and shrugged. I figure its just a reaction two people have when they care about each other in such a way. Like a reflex or something. Sakura attempted. Li seemed satisfied with that result, "You mean like a sneeze or a twitch?" He echoed.
Sakura felt a bubble of laughter resonate out of her throat. Li couldn't help but lick at her cheek, "What was that?" He asked licking at her cheek making her laugh even more, "Are you laughing at me?" She felt mock joy in his echoed voice, as if he himself was enjoying the playfulness around resonating from both of them. I think I'm happy... She thought smiling to him, and he somehow understood. "I think I'm going to like your world." he added, "Happiness is good, right?"
It had occurred to Sakura from Tomoyo's last inquiry, that the wolves had traveled here from another universe. And once she met these ancients, they'd explain it thoroughly, but where they came from, there was no such thing as emotion. Just existence, there was no state of mind or emotions, just being.
The notion of it confused Sakura, and even though she grasped a slight amount of what that meant, if there were no emotions in his world, then there wasn't any such thing as friendship, pity, or even love. Just empathy and existing, which to Sakura, seemed very sad. A world without love... without joy?
"You can't miss what you didn't have." Syaoran corrected her thoughts. She turned to him curiously, "It was much simpler in my world, there is no such thing as war, or hate or even death. Its actually quite liberating, because you're perfectly content." He added in a sure voice, Hmn, well that does sound amazing. She thought. The wolf beside her nodded excitedly, "Indeed it is."
Eriol cleared his throat for the second time. "The ancients have the strength to meet you right now, we mustn't keep them waiting for long." He said easily, "They've been traveling for a long time." He said easily and began to walk away in a solid direction, Li stood up and beckoned Sakura to follow, Sakura stood up with sore legs, Li then immediately went to her side before she fell over. Eriol rolled his eyes, I was wondering where all of Syaoran's weakness went to. Eriol mentioned, Tomoyo smacked Eriol on his shoulder, "Be nice!" Tomoyo scolded him, he blinked and noticed her genuinely angry with him. Whats this? You favor his other half? He looked at back at Sakura, feeling slightly jealous. "Sakura is Sakura, things are different in this world, plus doesn't this mean that in some way you enjoy Syaorans company as well? Admit it, you and I are the same being in another universe, you and him must enjoy each other in your own way."
That shut him up. Because in that respect, her logic was perfect. He felt himself smile as he leaned down to kiss her again. "You are made for me after all." He said in a dreadfully sweet voice, she giggled and kissed him again. "No.." She said in a soft voice, "We were made for each other, there are no favorites here." She added making him give out a laugh. "Of course.." He agreed, and he honestly did.
Before he could kiss her he tipped over slightly noticing that Tomoyo had slipped out of his grasp and over to Sakura, pulling her toward, getting passed Eriol and Syaoran. Both Eriol and Li sighed at the same time. But still, Eriol thought as he watched Tomoyo merrily chatting with Sakura as they walked toward the ancients headquarters further beneath the town. He met Syaoran's annoyed stare, "Why do they get along so well?" Eriol murmured annoyed, "Probably because we don't get along at all." Syaoran growled out.
And there it was, it had made perfect sense. Both sighed, smiled, and then turned away annoyed with each other.
Sakura could feel the earth underneath her feet. She still felt something not quite so right though, the instances when her skin brushed the sides of the walls showed proof of that, as if it was transferring the sickness form the surface. It had been three weeks since that time that Li had brought her from that life to her new one down on lower earth. They came to a tunnel that was pitch black in darkness, but even then she felt no fear as she walked toward it hand in hand with Tomoyo. "Have you been down here before?" Sakura asked facing Tomoyo. She nodded excitedly, "Yes, right now we're taking you to get ready for the ceremony!" She said with a small jump, Sakura looked at Tomoyo in curiosity. "Ceremony?" Sakura asked as she felt a familiar hand intertwine its fingers against her smaller palm.
"In your world I guess the best term I could come up with is... Baptism?" Came a strong voice, Sakura turned and found Li there, she felt herself blush slightly. "Baptism?" Tomoyo said wrinkling her nose, "I guess that could be a term, but I much prefer marriage!" She said in a joyous tone. Sakura turned scarlet, "Marriage!?"
"Yes! Its when the ancients recognize you as the soul mate of your other half, which is Syaoran. It makes you two official, you get rings and everything!" Tomoyo said happily, Syaoran slowed down, halting Sakura to a stop as well. "Unless..." Sakura turned to Syaoran.
Unless you don't want to officially be bound to me. Our connection would be wide open after this ceremony, you'd feel what I feel, whatever power you'd posses or I'd posses, we'd both share.What do you mean? It means that you could also turn into a wolf, I'd be able to teach you how to control that ability.
Excitement ran through Sakura as she tightened her grip on him, they resumed their pace, You mean I'd be able to move around just like you!? Li grinned handsomely, Yes. Not only that but we'd be able to speak clearer with one another, I don't know about you but this echo nonsense is starting to bug me. That and we'd be able to communicate with each other on a deeper level.Deeper level? She thought to him confused, he couldn't help but touch her face. These expressions you make, sometimes I don't understand them because I can't completely understand the feeling behind them. Like I've tried to explain before, in my universe, we don't.. feel much. There is not much dimension for that sort of thing where I'm from. This way I'd understand you much better.. and this.. love you always always seem to display. Sakura turned possible, a darker shade of red. I could also understand that more if this connection were to be opened. Opened? Does that mean some sort of process is behind this? I wont have to cut myself or do anything with you will I? Li looked at her confused, Do anything? What do you mean? Sakura looked down, avoiding his gaze, You know... like.. consummate?
Silence. Complete and total Silence..
...You mean...Sex? Sakura shuddered slightly, she felt Syaoran shake and pull away slightly. She looked to him and read the curious expression on his face. "What is sex?" He asked her, making both Eriol and Tomoyo stiffen. The air around all of them turned tense and then Li figured that it must be something very delicate, By the looks of it, it seems pretty dangerous. Sakura couldn't help but laugh. But no, the only thing that we'd have to do is let our souls mingle, which I've heard is a pleasant process, but rather painful when the separation occurs.Separation? Yes. Our souls leave our bodies under a protective circle so that they become aware of each other, officially meet and come into union, and then once that is done, we're put back into our bodies again, so that I have a piece of you and you in turn have a piece of me. You'll know where I am, and I'll in turn know exactly where you are.
Before she realized what was happening, they had stopped in front of two enormous doors. They looked old and wooden, too heavy to move with just masculine power. Syaoran tugged her gently toward the doors and as she walked to them, they began to give off a certain glow, but she more felt the glow than anything else. It resonated inside of her like a bubble at the base of her belly that tickled, jumped and buzzed when she got closer to it. This feels.. odd. Sakura thought as she walked closer to the doors.
Both Tomoyo and Eriol noticed the look that Syaoran shot at her as she walked closer to it. What do you mean? He said as he followed closer behind her, Tomoyo and Eriol stood behind to watch. These doors were always closed, as long as they'd been in the society they've never seen them open. Why was Sakura acting this way? Why was Li smiling widely?
It's like...it's alive..What do you feel? He asked her as she touched the doors, tracing the old markings there, they looked intricate and beautiful. She traced her eyes all over it and noticed they were some type of pictures, hieroglyphs maybe? Some sort of language that she didn't know.
Like it's buzzing..like a voice but...Like a murmur? Sakura opened her eyes wide and beamed at him for the first time. "Exactly!" She announced. "Like a language or words, but they're all-" "Muffled somehow." Syaoran finished her sentence. She nodded excitedly.
Both Tomoyo and Eriol raised their eye brows at the same time, Amazing. Eriol thought as he watched them, What are you talking about my dear? Eriol faced his beloved, They haven't even intertwined and they're already in perfect sync with each other. Tomoyo giggled, as the doors began to creak and moan. "When Yin and Yang meet. " Eriol started, "The door of the ancients will open wide to greet them, and share with them the instructions to save the world."
For years I thought that they were just nonsense riddles. Eriol thought hearing a giggle from Tomoyo. Who knew that it was just stating the obvious! Eriol looked to his mate and couldn't help but be thankful, sensing what Eriol felt, Tomoyo turned to him and smiled. She too shared the same feeling.
Together the 4 of them entered the realm of the ancients.
To Be Continued.
