A/N: Updated finally! :x I'm losing readers but that's alright with me. It was just me who wanted to write it anyway :P ~SEi

P.S. You don't have to read the first two paragraphs. They're just some explanations of time on the island. It's quite confusing so you don't got to read them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - Ch6. aSSOCIATION

The dark of the night had been a heavy curtain over Doumeki's eyes but the glow of Satori allowed him to see now, illuminating not just their path but almost everything around them. It was as if Satori was the moon himself. How Satori got his glow, Doumeki didn't know, but he didn't really care as long as the bird was there to guide him through the forest's dark paths at the hour they were in. What hour they were in, Satori could tell since after all, he specialized as a "seeker" - one who could find something, and even if you think time is not something you could find, you're wrong. It's in everything and it shows in a certain way; you just have to find it.

So basically, the two were in the first hour and a half of the 'night' of the island. The beings of the island didn't have a specific thing to tell time like a clock or a sundial. Time was all around, and though you think they don't have brains, they at least do know colors and position. The first hour of 'night' was dark but the moon was still very low in the sky, almost very close to the horizon. The second hour of the 'night' was almost close to black and the moon was right above the island. The third hour (or last hour) of the 'night' (or simply 'midnight') was when it was dark but not black and the moon was on the other side of the island, close to the horizon.

Right now, the moon was halfway from the horizon and from above the island - an hour and a half into 'night'. Doumeki was getting tired from walking now... as well as listening to Satori yap on and on about him being his first customer.

"But it's so great, you know? We haven't had humans on the island for YEARS! Or maybe DECADES! Or even CENTURIES! Just thinking about it gives me the chillies. Hey, are you even listening?" Satori stared at Doumeki.

"Ah."

"That's good." The bird turned around and began flapping on in some direction Doumeki didn't know exactly. "And anyway, my grandpa, he's the current head of the Tetsudai tori's - he'll be so..."

Doumeki didn't tell the talkative bird to shut up. It was just like with Watanuki, after all (- though this bird was more like an excited little kid talking to an older kid as he is being brought to the amusement park or something.) Watanuki always complained and ranted on and on and on with him that he got used to it. Well, not really 'used to it'. More like, his skill of ignoring people leveled up to a point in which he couldn't hear him anymore. That is, if he wanted to hear, then he'll hear. And if he replies, it may be that he knows that you stopped talking and he'll just say something, like...

"...So once we've found this 'Watanuki' guy, I want to introduce you to my family and my grandpa. That's okay with you, right?"

"Ah."

"Great!" Satori flapped his wings harder. "Oh man, I really want to hurry up and find him already! It's kinda hard finding someone at night since the moon's power interferes with our brains. I don't know how but it does. So it's gonna take a little longer, okay?"

"Ah."

"You're really a positive guy, aren't you?"

"Ah."

Satori gave a giggle-tweet, oblivious of Doumeki's normal behavior.

x x x x

"Ouch..." Watanuki rubbed the back of his head. There was another bump growing on top of the other one from the helicopter. I really need to get my first-aid kit... Ah, that's right. Doumeki has it.

"Doumeki!" His voice bounced on and off something solid and made an echo. Watanuki immediately put a hand over his mouth and waited until the echo faded.

...Where am I anyway? He looked around him but all he saw was some shiny stuff around him that looked like plastic and darkness in front and behind him. A cave, maybe?

Changing his volume to a whisper, he called, "Doumeki? Syaoran-kun? Saku-" He stopped. What's the point in calling her if the others didn't reply either? Geez, I think my head got messed up when-

He thought for a second. When what happened? He frowned as he tried to remember. He remembered they were walking when Sakura yelped and Doumeki went to see what was wrong and... Ah. That's right. Something took me away. He nodded at his thoughts... and then shook his head with bewildered eyes. What's wrong with me?! I WAS TAKEN AWAY! KIDNAPPED! He put his hands on his head in shock and panic and shook his head over and over again, tumbling over in the process. "Kidnapped kidnapped kidnapped kidnapped kidnap-!"

Suddenly, Watanuki heard a sound from behind.

"Who's there?" he whispered as he sat up and turned around.

"Hyuu hyuu..." The sound sounded like a whistle; far away and echo-y. Watanuki thought it was the wind but then he heard footsteps.

"Eh?" He looked around but all he saw was black. Then, there was a light glow from his right. It was coming closer...

"Hyuu!"

The owner of the sound and the glow pounced on Watanuki, causing him to fall backwards. "Whoa-!" He fell and made a big impact with the wall and floor of the cave, his glasses falling off in the process.

The creature on top of him was quite heavy. And large. It was looming over him like a dragon. Not like he had ever seen one (or hoped it was one). He thought 'dragon' because from what he could see without his glasses, the creature had wings - and not feathered ones at that, and 'dragon' was the first thing to mind.

Watanuki didn't feel scared at all though; he felt a weird vibe from the creature. It was almost... nostalgic in a way. Maybe.

"U-Uh, do you mind getting off of me?" It was getting hard to breathe, his chest being pressed on heavily. Watanuki wondered if the creature would understand.

It did. It climbed off to the side and sat down. "Hyuu."

Watanuki sat up and rubbed his head for the umpteenth time today. "Geez. My brain is going to be all scrambled eggs or sausages if I hit my head one more time," he mumbled.

"Hyuu?"

The seer patted the ground around him for his glasses. When he found them, he put them on and then stared at the glowing figure next to him. His eyes adjusted and then... "Whoa!" He jumped back.

"Hyuu?"

The creature looked like a Mokona, but not really a Mokona. It didn't have bunny ears or small feet like a Mokona, but it kind of... felt like a Mokona. Like it was related in some way. The creature had a wolf-build, with three colors max, small eyes, wings, and... Is that the compass in it's mouth?

"Hyuu."

Oh, so that's why it's making that noise. It can't open it's mouth so it's blowing and the paper and the wind makes a whistle-kind of noise. Watanuki was impressed by this. But it was no time to be impressed; he needed a way to get back to the others.

"Uh..." He held out his hand in front of the creature. "You are..?"

The creature dropped its heavy head on Watanuki's hand and gave a loud "Hyuu", causing the compass to fall out of his mouth. Watanuki grabbed at it before it fell to the ground.

"You know, I really don't understand what you're trying to-"

"Can you understand me now?"

"Whoa!" Watanuki backed up. "H-How are you doing that?"

"Humans call it telepathy, I suppose."

"Y-Yeah... I guess."

"Now that you understand me... I am Ryuu." The creature 'bowed'.

Watanuki chuckled. "You do look like a dragon."

"Thank you."

That wasn't really a compliment..? Oh well. "Y-you're welcome. And I'm-"

"Clow Reed."

"Huh? N-No!" He shook his head wildly. "I'm Watanuki Kimihiro."

"Really? You look like what my father described..."

"Your... father?"

"Yes. He said his master had dark hair like the night, blue eyes like the moon in the water, and glasses that sparkle in the moonlight."

"Hahaha..." said Watanuki, blushing a little. "Your father sure knows his master... But I'm not Clow Reed."

"That's what I thought when I saw your reactions... but I just wanted to make sure..."

"I-I see..." He was kind of offended, but he didn't mind that much because the creature was being sincere.

Ryuu sighed and then lay down. "I apologize for having taken you away from your companions but it was for an important cause... That is, if you were actually Clow Reed..."

"An important cause? Like what?"

Ryuu paused and looked at Watanuki as if deciding whether it was a good idea to tell him. He decided to tell. After all, the only people who could actually come to the island had to have connections to magic. "The life of this island is starting to diminish. The creatures of this island is slowly become extinct."

"How... How is that happening?"

"The island's life source is the creator himself, Clow Reed."

"But isn't Clow Reed... dead?"

Ryuu stood up abruptly and roared, "Clow Reed is not dead! He cannot be! How are we still living then?"

Watanuki was taken back. "I-I don't know..."

The island creature frowned. "That witch. Did she say anything about Clow Reed to you?"

"N-No, she never did. I assumed he was dead myself because she..."

Ryuu stared at Watanuki for a few seconds before sighing again. "If you say so, then it must be true. I just didn't want to believe it. But seeing how he's been gone for so many years already and that when some humans finally arrive on our island and none of them is Clow Reed… I just have to believe that is so." Ryuu lowered his head in disappointment.

"Ryuu…" Watanuki patted his head, sadly. After some thought, he asked, "When was the last time he came to this island?"

"I...I don't remember. Either way, the time on the island is longer than that in the human world."

"Hmm… Did he say what he was going to do in the human world?"

"No... he did not. Each time he left for the human world, we never asked anything because we knew he would always come back. But he did not come back this time…"

Watanuki looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry, Ryuu…"

"It's not your fault, Watanuki-sama. It's not… anybody's fault. It's simply just Hitsuzen." Ryuu got up and began walking towards what Watanuki thought was the entrance of the cave. "But I have to apologize again to you, Watanuki-sama, for bringing you here. Come, I will bring you back to your companions now."

Watanuki got up and followed. As they walked out of the cave, he said, "Ryuu, if I can help the island in any way, please tell me."

Ryuu looked up at the seer and almost 'smiled'. "Thank you."

Suddenly, overhead, there was a loud screeching noise. In front of them, there was the sound of bushes rustling, leaves crunching and branches snapping. Something was coming right at them.

I started this chapter a really long while ago, and it was kinda confusing to me to try and update it.
So if you guys are confused as well, review and I'll try my best to explain back to you.