The Serpent King
The Closet
It started snowing in Tomoeda, a light fluffy snow that did not stick or even wet the ground. Syaoran spent most of the coming cold wrapped up in warm blankets once he got out of the hospital, listening to Nakuru talk about nothing. He had so many fractures that all the energy was spent to heal them, and Hiirigizawa told him it was not a good idea to go to class until he had healed a little more, otherwise he might faint in front of the other students. He was incredibly bored, and wanted to go back to school already since he actually had friends there. Several times his friends from school came over to visit him, but only when they had time, which was not often or long enough.
" You should come to England." Nakuru babbled. " It's sooo pretty. I mean, Tomoeda is pretty too, but it's different in England. Different atmosphere. I think we have the Gulf of Mexico to thank for that—did you know that the reason England is warm during the summers is because of the warm current from Mexico? It blows its way to us. Makes it possible for Great Britain to have its four seasons like it does. It's got good food. Well, alright, you're Chinese—you come from like the Food Court of the World, but you people don't seem to understand the miracle that is cheese. Cheese makes anything good. Cheese is good. Though if you're lactose intolerant it's probably not a good idea to eat too much dairy. And if you're Jewish, it's not a good idea to have a cheeseburger, unless of course you're not the kosher sort…"
Scratch that. Syaoran wanted to go back to school to get away from Nakuru. Honestly, he knew that there were people who loved listening to themselves talk, but nothing like this—he found her constant chatter irritating, but could not bring himself to shut her up. How should he go about it? " Nakuru, shut up" seemed much too rude, even for the temper he was in, but he could think of no other alternative.
" …And we drive on the left side. Well I guess that's not really a perk, more of a quirk. Not sure why people in England insisted on driving on the left side. I always thought it was some American who decided that, since it's usually the Americans who come up with these things. You know they have a different measuring system? In America they use Farenheit, for example, while everyone else uses Celsius. Boy must that have been confusing. And…"
Syaoran wondered if this guardian had unlimited vocal capacity in addition to immortality.
" Has anyone seen my book? It's the one with the red cover, leather-bound." Spinel fluttered into the room.
" Iie, I didn't see your book." Nakuru replied absently. " So anyway—"
" What are you two talking about?" Spinel asked, fluttering to the bedstand next to Syaoran's bed.
" Just telling him about England." Nakuru replied, sitting down. " Telling him he should visit us."
" Do you want to?" Spinel asked. " It would be fun."
Syaoran did not want to think about that right now. Thinking about it meant thinking about whether or not he would even have to go home in the first place, and what he would face there.
" It would certainly make Eriol-sama happy." Nakuru bobbed her head up and down. " He's all but lamented about that the past few days."
Syaoran turned his head at that. Huh?
" I…don't think Eriol-sama would appreciate you telling him that." Spinel said wryly.
" What? I don't see the harm. He likes having you around. Did you know," Nakuru went on to say, " He's actually been thinking of a gazillion ways to get you to come with him but couldn't come up with a good enough excuse. Ever since he went to see you in Hong Kong. Forgot why he went. Think it involved some kind of murder attempt on one of the clan members? But since then he's been trying to get you to leave Hong Kong and move in with him. Li clan's been rejecting his proposals."
" Why?" Syaoran asked. Then, to clarify, he added, " Why did he want me to leave Hong Kong and move in with him?"
" He said he needed to get you out of there. I don't know why he was so worried." Nakuru shrugged. " You seem fine."
You're right. Syaoran thought, not sure if he was feeling troubled or just angry. I am fine. He certainly did not need some stupid reincarnation of Clow Reed to go around saving him. What did Hiirigizawa want, anyway?
But that's not fair. He instantly thought. Hiirigizawa had been nothing but kind to him during his entire stay here. The same went for Yue, and even the Card Mistress. In fact, it seemed like everyone was pitching in to give him what he needed and taking his ingratitude in a stride. He thought about how Kerberus forgave him so easily back at the hospital. They all gave him room when he needed it but stayed around because he needed that too. It was…baffling.
" Do you know how to play chess, Li-san?" Spinel asked.
" I know how to play go." Syaoran replied absently.
" Then let's play go. I'm tired of reading."
" Gasp!" Nakuru exclaimed. " Spinel Sun, tired of reading? Are pigs flying right now?" She even looked out the window. " They must be flying somewhere!"
" Oh come off it." Spinel huffed. " The kid's bored to death and all your chatter will serve to put him to sleep. I'm just entertaining him for peat's sake."
" I'm not boring!"
" Iie, you aren't." Spinel carried the board over to Syaoran's bed. " Can you sit up?"
After Nakuru helped Syaoran prop up on the pillows and carried the stones for the game from the closet, Syaoran and Spinel played a few matches. Syaoran was not very good compared to Spinel, who offered many helpful advice so that by the third game, Syaoran was losing a lot less than he had when he started.
" Tadaima!" They presently heard from the master of the house, followed by the front door shutting.
" I'm off," Nakuru hopped off the chair she had been sitting on while watching the two play, " Eriol-sama!"
" Good timing." Spinel laughed. " Well you've got a nice patch there that I can never hope to get rid of." He pointed his paw at the game. " Good job, Li-san."
" Arigatou." Syaoran felt incredibly tired now. Hiirigizawa had been right; he would never have survived school in this state.
Hiirigizawa poked his head into Syaoran's room, rippling the wards Syaoran had set.
" How are you feeling?" He asked Syaoran.
" I'm alright."
" We were playing go." Spinel informed Hiirigizawa. " I'll make a player out of him yet."
" I'm sure you will." Hiirigizawa smiled fondly at the guardian. He looked at the board. " You're black, right?" He asked Syaoran.
" Hai." Syaoran replied.
" You do not play nice." The other noted to Spinel. " I see many possible results of tiger-eyes."
" Kid's got to learn."
" I don't mind losing." Syaoran said.
" Iie." Hiirigizawa lifted the board. " I can see that you don't."
What is that supposed to mean? Syaoran wondered.
" It's a shame you don't know healing spells." Said Hiirigizawa. " In my current state, I cannot afford to demonstrate them for you. Do you think you can sit up? I'd like you to move about as much as possible, to avoid your muscle atrophying."
Syaoran lifted the covers with the arm that had not been dislocated. With a deep breath, he focused his magical energies and hovered himself above the bed. Orienting his body took a few tries, but he was vertical in the end.
" Now that is impressive." Nakuru murmured.
Everywhere was sore, and though Syaoran could move his arms and legs, he could only move them a little, and very slowly.
" Good enough." Said Hiirigizawa. " Why don't you lie back down?"
Still floating, Syaoran replied, " I think I'd rather not."
" Just don't hurt yourself." Said Hiirigizawa. " That spell tends to wear one down without anyone noticing, before giving out on the last second."
Syaoran could see how that was the case, but he did not sense his magic diminish too considerably, even if he could feel a steady drain that was different from the standard puff of magic that goes missing after a spell. His physical strength, however, protested soon enough, and as soon as he arrived at the living room he was forced to rest on the couch.
" Have to crawl first before you can run." Hiirigizawa told him good-naturedly. " But that's alright. That flying could come in handy later."
Syaoran was feeling too nauseous to reply. " Why am I sick due to broken bones?"
" You have quite a few of them. How did you think you would feel?"
" Sore, in pain, itchy, maybe."
" Ah. Well, healing requires energy. When you deplete it, you feel sick." Hiirigizawa smiled. " Be patient, Li-san."
Syaoran did not have much to complain about, because he soon fell asleep on the couch. He dreamed that he was once again in Hong Kong, feeding the ducks in the lake. He could tell from the reflection that there was a man behind him, but in the dream he was not worried, despite not recognizing the man. The male ducks, with their gleaming, colorful feathers, quacked at each other as they fought over the pieces of bread Syaoran tossed into the water.
" If you'd be any other animal," Said the man, " What would you be?"
" A duck." Syaoran replied without hesitation.
" Why a duck?"
" Their lives are so simple."
" Ah, yes."
One of the female ducks suddenly rose out of the water with a flutter of wingbeats. She waddled her way to where Syaoran stood and pecked at his shoe with her bill. When Syaoran stooped down to feed her from his hand, however, she waddled away.
" Syaoran, correct?"
Syaoran did not respond.
" My name is Hiirigizawa Eriol. I come from England."
Syaoran looked up at the man, curious now. Some part of him thought he looked like Kinomoto Fujitaka, except with darker hair, but the thought quickly vanished as the dream proceeded. In the dream, he was wondering what a man from England wanted with someone like Syaoran.
" How are you feeling?" Hiirigizawa asked.
" I'm fine." Syaoran replied.
" I heard that there was an…incident, several days ago." Said Hiirigizawa. When Syaoran did not reply, the man continued, " I am actually here to talk to you about that."
The child turned to him expectantly.
" Do you remember anything?" Hiirigizawa asked.
Syaoran could not find his voice, so he just nodded.
" I need you to do something for me, alright?" The man crouched down next to him. " I need you to tell me if there was anyone you saw."
Naively, Syaoran replied, " I saw Great-Uncle."
Hiirigizawa did not seem surprised. " What was Great-Uncle doing?"
" Casting a spell."
" What kind of spell?"
" I don't know."
" Alright. That's very good, Syaoran." Hiirigizawa looked at Syaoran in the eyes. " Was there anyone with Great-Uncle?"
" A few others."
" Who?"
" Adults."
" Do you know them?"
Syaoran shook his head.
" Very good Syaoran." Hiirigizawa praised, though Syaoran was not sure what he was being praised for. " I know this is scary for you, Syaoran, but I need you to tell me about the snake."
The fear that spiked through him at those words woke Syaoran up. He jerked and uttered a strangled cry as he aggravated his injuries.
" Li-san?" Hiirigizawa exclaimed, and Syaoran heard the other put down the book and hurrying towards him. " Are you alright? Whoa! You were sleeping fine a few seconds ago."
Syaoran stared at him. He knew that Hiirigizawa was a lot older than he appeared, but it was a bit creepy to realize this eleven-year-old boy had been a full grown man about six years ago, and in fact, still kind of is a full-grown man.
" I remember." He said, his voice coming out accusing, despite the fact that he was not actually angry. " You were there."
Hiirigizawa looked honestly puzzled. " What were you dreaming about?" He asked. " You were quiet earlier."
" It was my Great-Uncle." Syaoran pressed, mostly to formulate his own thoughts. " He was the one that set the snakes. You knew, didn't you?"
Hiirigizawa paused at this. Syaoran could tell the other was considering what he should reveal.
" How did I forget?" Syaoran wondered out loud. " I forgot both the snakes and the fact that you came. What were you in Hong Kong for? And how did you know?"
" That's enough." Hiirigizawa said. " You…" He sighed heavily. " I'd do it again but you're too well-shielded."
Syaoran instantly realized what happened. " You erased my memory?"
Now he was angry. " All this time, I had a strange feeling about my Great-Uncle. This was why? And I didn't even know there was a good reason!"
" Syaoran, you were traumatized." Hiirigizawa whirled around, his eyes intense. " And back then, you didn't understand anything. You were five. I had to protect you."
" By keeping me ignorant?"
" Hai!" Hiirigizawa snapped. " Believe it or not, you were in more danger while you knew then when you thought nothing had happened!"
Syaoran was speechless for a moment. " What exactly happened then?" He asked. " Why did you come in the first place?"
" You called." Said Hiirigizawa, vaguely.
" I was five. I didn't know how to call, let alone who."
" You learned when you were five. That was why the elders of your clan tried to kill you in the first place." Hiirigizawa replied. " Somehow you got hold of an ancient scroll that dealt with Blood Magic."
Syaoran remembered now, once Hiirigizawa spoke of it, but he could not remember the details of the scroll, or what the scroll was even for.
" It had to do with cutting off blood ties." Hiirigizawa continued. " The Li clan prospers under Clow Reed's name and inherits his magic and fortune and prestige. The scroll you found could nullify that under the grounds that the Li clan was undeserving. If the castor of the spell is worthy and the case as deemed legitimate by the ancient forces of magic, the castor will immediately cut ties from the immediate family and be linked directly with the ancestor who founded the lineage. The elders of the Li clan tried to kill you before you could perform that spell because not only did they know you were worthy, they knew the case was legitimate. If you had pulled it off, the Li clan would have lost all of their magical abilities, and you would have inherited all of them."
" …"
" You knew enough to call for help." Hiirigizawa replied.
" I called for Clow Reed." Syaoran realized.
Hiirigizawa nodded, but his eyes shifted to the side, as if unable to look at Syaoran straight in the eye.
" Why didn't you tell me this before?" Syaoran demanded.
" You weren't supposed to remember."
" Serpens? Snakes? Are you serious?"
" You had no memory of being attacked. I didn't think it would be a problem."
" Well it sure is a problem now!" For a good measure, Syaoran flung his hand out, and with his magic, the table n the dining room was flung to the side, into the wall.
" Eriol-sama?" They heard Nakuru call, alarmed at the crash.
Hiirigizawa ignored the mess. " Syao—" He caught himself, but did not bother correcting himself. " I did the best I could."
Syaoran was not entirely certain what Hiirigizawa meant, nor was he in the mood to really care.
Spinel's cat form appeared at the top of the couch. " Hey kid," He greeted. " Why the long face?"
" I don't know." Syaoran rubbed his eyes. No, I do. He thought. Because he had known his family had been made up of scheming scoundrels, but while he was hardly surprised that the elders had tried to murder him, the knowledge that it actually happened made him feel cold and sick. In fact, " I-I-I need a b-bowl…"
No crying, He told himself, when the bowl was brought, even as the sharp pain in his ribs threatened to tear at his lungs as he heaved, and his eyes stung with unshed tears.
