Dancing with the Dead
Chapter Eleven
A/N: I own nothing except for my new ikea bed which came after a series of mental breakdowns over moving apartments
Hime was a simple girl with a simple wish. She only wanted to spend her life with Syaoran, the boy she loved with a fierce passion. He was good and gentle and loved her too, which was miracle in of itself. Their obstacle was her frail body, which was not going to last her past her thirteenth year.
Due to the illness and with Syaoran travelling constantly, she had a lot of time to herself lying down in her room. She would dream while awake of magical girls and warrior boys, and kings and queens ruling together, and once she knew she would not survive past thirteen, she dreamed of the afterlife and where she would go.
The day before she died, a boy came to visit her. No one warned her, and sometimes, she wondered if he was even real. But she woke up from another long sleep and he was in the corner, sitting and reading many of the books Syaoran would sneak in to take away some of the loneliness. The boy reminded her so much of Syaoran that she believed it was him, but his hair was too dark, his eyes too old, and skin so white that she believed him to be a spirit.
"Are you fully awake?" the boy asked once he spotted her. Truthfully, minutes had passed while she stared, and though she never gave an answer, the boy did not wait for one. "I like this one. It is a funny way to think about the gods."
He held up one of the translated Greek stories that Syaoran took from one of the libraries he encountered abroad. She hadn't touched it yet, so the contents the boy mentioned was foreign to her.
"Are you real?" she spoke quietly, as though worried she would somehow offend or break the illusion.
"I am as real as you are," he replied. Getting a better look at her, he frowned. "You really do look like all the other ones. It is unnerving."
"The other ones?" The words slipped out before she could stop them. For such a frail girl, her voice certainly had some weight to it.
"The other versions of your soul. Your past lives. All of them. You and the other boy look the same as the other ones."
If he meant to clarify things for her, Hime believed he was doing a poor job of it. "May I ask who you are? I am Hime, with no family name to call my own."
"I don't know if I am able to tell you who I am. Yuuko is choosy with the rules and when to bend them. But, since you are not here for long, I suppose it does no harm. My name is Watanuki and I am a Fate."
Hime could no longer move as well as she used to, but even confined to the futon on the floor, she still felt like jumping. "I am sorry; I do not know what you mean."
The boy waved her off, seemingly not minding her confusion. "I came here to apologize to you."
Of all the strange things he told her that surprised her most. She felt her green eyes widen immensely. "Whatever for?"
"Well, because you're dying."
The silence that followed was long and awkward, and while Hime knew the boy was old and somehow much more mystical, even he looked uncomfortable.
"That is quite alright. I was born ill. It could not be helped." She meant it as she had come to terms with her imminent death, but the boy looked disturbed by her response and to further confuse her, he began to cry. Hime found him to be a very beautiful, tragic being, and she had the desire to embrace him if she were able to.
"It could have been helped! I could have helped it! But because of our pride, our desire to be immortals playing with the lives of others…we did this to you. I did this to you…I-I am sorry."
The boy fell to the ground and gathered up his knees together to hide his face from her. She was not sure how to feel; she had long ago let go the resentment for being given a short, weak life, and this boy somehow was even more fragile than she.
"Is that why you are here, Watanuki-san? To apologize to me?"
"No…I've been watching you all this time. I always watch Yuuko's creations. She says you are the penultimate one, but I don't know what she means, and I don't know what to do. I don't know how to fix this."
The silence took up their space again, and Hime was unsure of how to comfort him. Though he hid his face well, she could still hear the sniffing of his sobs.
"Which boy did you mean earlier? Is that person like me?"
He rose up his head to reveal bloodshot eyes. He nodded solemnly, taking deep breaths to collect his words.
"The boy who sails on the ship. The one who brings you books and dreams of love. He is like you. You and he are Yuuko's creations. You were born together."
He meant Syaoran. Hime almost laughed. Of course it was Syaoran. It could not have been anyone else. Despite his confusing statements, Hime was starting to piece together Watanuki's words.
"Thank you," she told him sincerely.
Watanuki momentarily froze, taken aback by her response. Hime only smiled warmly at him. "You and that person you call Yuuko, made sure that I would find the person who would love me until I die. You have given me something beautiful. Thank you."
The boy stared gravely at her frail figure and kind smile. "There is no reason to thank me."
Choosing to ignore his statement, Hime questioned, "Can you tell me is he the penultimate one?"
"No, the boy is the last one. But I don't know what that means. I don't know what to do."
"But there is one after me, yes?"
When Watanuki nodded, she took a deep breath, gathering up all her selfish desired and turning them into one request. "Then I know what you can do. Please, no matter what it is you must do, help him find me. The next me. Please, do that for him and me."
The boy paused and bit his lip, and his old eyes looked too weary for his face. "It will not be you. Not completely you. It does not work like that. The next version of you will not have your memories."
"But will she love him as much as I do?"
Hime knew that Watanuki was not normal, not human, and when his ethereal smile confirmed it for her.
"Yes, she will. You always do."
"Then, will you promise to help him?"
He took her hand and squeezed it gently with his. "Hime, I promise to help him find Sakura."
He was gone when she woke up from another sleep.
Hime saw Syaoran the next day, the day she died, and despite the pain of passing, she never felt such joy. It was a miracle, truly, to be loved as much as she.
"Don't go!" he begged her.
Unlike Syaoran, Hime knew her purpose, and she knew that in some way, they would see each other again. She would be different, a whole new person with a new personality and memories, but the soul would be the same. And someday, they would be able to rest.
"Oh, Syaoran, somehow this always happens. So I know we will meet again. If you wait for me, we can be together forever." The only regret she had was that she would leave him alone to suffer, but she had faith in Watanuki and in his promise.
"I will always wait for you! Forever if I have to! But just don't go!"
"Don't you see?" She wanted him to understand, but her body was losing the fight. She could feel her senses dulling and sight failing. Her teeth chattered slightly from the sudden cold. "This is only one world, only one version of me. But you'll find me again in another, for as long as this universe turns. Every me will always love every you. Remember that, my clever wolf."
"I love you." And Syaoran was so young, a few months younger than she, but his words always carried a weight of honesty. His love was a promise, and like she had faith in Watanuki, she believed in Syaoran.
"And I love you, as every me will love every you. Remember."
Hime died peacefully and confident that this long and weary struggle would end soon.
The café behind the school was running smoothly when I entered. Since I was the first to arrive, I chose the table by the window, just in case I needed be seen. Really, it was only to make me feel safer. I believed that avoiding Syaoran for the day would be difficult but Tomoyo made it easier, and since he had left school early, leaving his fake image behind while he, Yue, and Ruby Moon went off to find out how the Furies broke into his home in the Underworld , only made the task that much more manageable.
"I've fortified the place, so it would be much harder for another fury attack under there. But it still bothers me that they managed to get in the first place. The Fates promised a week of cooperation, and those days are dwindling. I don't want any of my people in danger. I need to find Mars and defeat him soon."
I felt a bit guilty for keeping my meeting with Miyazawa-san a secret. However, I made sure it did not show in my disposition. "Will you be alright?"
He threw me an exasperated look, almost mocking me for doubting him. "Anyway, I can stop by tonight once your brother is asleep."
"You know, it would be nice to introduce you to Touya-nii," I said nonchalantly. Syaoran's face scrunched up in disagreement.
"I'd rather not meet him yet. Based on what I've seen, I do not believe we would like each other very much." His mouth formed into a thin line, and since his only real interaction with my brother happened when he and Tomoyo took me from the Underworld the first time, I understood. "In the meantime, I'd rather meet you when he is unaware…although, if you did want me to meet him and your father to ask for your hand…"
I playfully glared at him for the suggestion. "Now is not the time."
Syaoran did not look surprised or bothered. "It was worth the attempt. I shall see you tonight."
He gave me a kiss that I still felt while I waited, the fire of his love coursing in my veins like a drug. I was not sure if it was due to my affections or my innate powers coming to light now that I embraced my role as Proserpina, but I knew I needed to control myself if I did not wish to be drunk with power.
Miyazawa did not have a strong presence, but my necklace warned me anyways. This was how he was able to remain in the shadows for so long, undetected but very calculating behind the scenes. He did not say a word when he sat down, but when a waitress came in and asked for our orders, he spoke for us both: black honey tea for me and green for him.
"I can order for myself," I told him when the waitress was out of ear shot. Miyazawa only looked at me with his icy eyes and smirked.
"I know what you like, Kinomoto-chan. I have known you since you were in middle school after all."
"Did you know about me then? Who I was?" I tried to keep my voice even. When the waitress came with our drinks, it took all my willpower to stop my hand from shaking.
"That you were Proserpina? No, I did not know. But I had my suspicions. You have been wanting to meet with me. The Furies have been beside themselves."
"What are you trying to do?" I asked. "What are you hoping to gain from this?"
"You, Kinomoto-chan." When he saw my reaction, he sighed with annoyance. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I do not care for you in the same way he does. I just want to win this one."
"Win this one? I don't understand…" Miyazawa-san clicked his tongue at me. Though he had yet to say much, I was growing more offended by his attitude.
"Girl, don't be daft! You know who I am, right?" After I nodded, he continued. "When a Fate tells you that you can be a god, and suddenly, you can get revenge on the being that destroyed your life and ruined your livelihood, naturally, you accept."
"Your ancestors killed Syaoran and were slave traders. I am not saying they deserved to die and suffer financially, but they were bad people."
"How is any of that my fault?" Despite the fury I could feel from his presence, he never raised his voice and conducted himself with poise. "Because of Li's insistence that my family suffer for the sins of my ancestors, I grew up in poverty and watched my mother die of starvation because she gathered food and medicine for me and my sibling. My only brother is serving time in prison for larceny. Tell me, did we deserve that life?"
I said nothing. What could I say to that? Despite him being around for so many years of my life, I had no consolation for him. I knew nothing about him, and that realization left me cold. However, that should not justify his actions.
"You had me killed," I countered. "I did nothing to you."
"Your death brought you to Li. I did you both a favor. And unlike you, I knew that your brother and Trivia would bring you home."
"That is still not a justification for killing me and using innocent people as vessels for your Furies."
His grey eyes narrowed at me, unsure of what to make of me. This was the most outspoken I had ever been in life. I knew it had to surprise him.
"I knew you would be fine. I knew you would return. I never killed anyone, which is more than I could say for Li. He killed my ancestors and made it impossible for their descendants to prosper. I will do whatever it is necessary to punish him for it."
"You only want revenge," was all I could say when I finally gathered my thoughts. Miyazawa-san smiled at me. For a brief moment, it looked as though it was a sad one letting slip of who he truly was inside.
"Li took revenge on my family for his death. My ancestors took revenge on him for his interference on the slave trade. And I want revenge for his actions. I did not start the cycle, Kinomoto-chan; I am merely continuing it."
"But you can be the one to break it! You don't have play into this cycle of vengeance!" I pleaded as quietly as I could. Strangely enough, no one in the café seemed perturbed by my sudden movement.
"Do you think I can? No, Kinomoto-chan. You may have embraced your Proserpina powers, but you are still woefully ignorant of everything. All of us, you, me, Li, your school friends, your brother even, we are all pawns in the game the Fates played long ago. The woman and Fei Wong are using us to fight their battles. Even if I did not want it, I have no choice in the matter. I am tired, Kinomoto-chan. I will be the last of the Miyazawa Company, the last of that fake clan, to endure this hardship."
He stood up, wiped his hands and mouth with his handkerchief, and bowed. "I will take my leave now. I came to meet with you out of courtesy. The next time we meet, it will be when you are away from Li and on my side, whether it is by your own choice or by force."
He was near the exit when I finally notice the eerie silence in the café. There was no idle chattering or baristas being busybodies behind the counter. My breath got caught in my threat, and I gripped my still hot mug of tea with every bit of strength I had. Every single person in the café turned to look to at me.
"Until next time, Kinomoto-chan," he said before exiting.
The Fury closest to me attacked first. I threw my tea in his face and watched him recoil from the pain. I had no idea what to do for the second fury until a blur of gold jumped past me and onto its face, scratching it.
"Kero?" I was incredulous, but it was Kero, my tiny protector. I had nearly forgotten Syaoran's words: Kero goes wherever you go. Kero landed on the table, but there were too many Furies for us both. I still had no idea on how to fight them, so I did what I had to do. I grabbed Kero, put him in my bag, and with a chair, I pushed through the bodies that were in between me and the exit. When I made it out of the café, I ran towards the park, but I could still hear them run behind me.
Kero managed to get onto my shoulder and pulled on my locket. I tried to swat him away, but he was insistent. "Hoe? Kero, what do you want me to do?"
A Fury tackled me down, to which I was thankful it was on grass to soften the impact. I felt it claw at my skin, which was surprisingly painful given it possessed a normal human. My locket began to burn and when I wrapped my hand around it, I felt something sharp protrude from it in flashing lights.
The light kept the Furies away, giving me enough time to pull out a long, rose colored staff with my pearl on top, surrounded by crystals shaped like wings.
"What in the world…"I marveled at it, unsure of its purpose, but shaking with the power it possessed.
"You need to use it!" a voice called out to me. When I finally spotted its source, Eriol was shooting gold arrows into the direction of the Furies. The arrows released sparks and smokes which proved distracting for them.
"I don't know how!" I yelled back. After, I felt gentle hands on top of mine on the staff. Tomoyo smiled gently at me.
"It's okay, Sakura-chan. Just breathe in and out, and I will help you." I could have kissed her; her voice was soothing.
"I-I don't know what I am supposed to do!" I rebutted. But Tomoyo only shook her head.
"You've been so good. You weren't even scared and you made it out here. Now, tell me, what do you want to do?"
As I looked at the Furies, held back by whatever barrier Eriol had placed, his bow and arrow still ready in case the barrier did not hold, I bit my lips in resolve.
"I want to free the people possessed by the Furies."
The pearl shone momentarily; I thought it did not do anything until I heard Eriol whistle. Both Tomoyo and I faced the Furies and with wide eyes, we saw black pearls shining in their bodies. The Furies still had not noticed, but their combined efforts at breaking through the barrier were succeeding.
"Eriol-kun! That's their form. Can you attack that without harming the people?" I asked, a smile forming on my face as I spoke. I felt elated. Finally, there was a way to do this, there was a way to help.
Eriol adjusted his glasses and smirked. "I think my aim is good enough for it."
Beside me, Tomoyo blushed and laughed coyly. "I am severely attracted to you right now."
Eriol did not reply, but I noticed his ears had gone pink. Still, he wasted no time since the Furies had broken through the barrier. Even Tomoyo took up arms as her hands became occupied with two smaller staffs with burning fires at their peaks.
"Are…are those torches?" I asked with my jaw dropped.
Tomoyo nodded and started to move. I too joined the battle. Furies had surrounded me, but I willed my staff to pull out their black pearls and burning them with my staff. I could only do them one at a time, but I was quick. This was faster than the first time I killed a Fury, and I was grateful that I did not have to put my hand in their bodies anymore. Little by little, bodies fell to the ground; unconscious, but alive. The task was taxing on my body, and I tried to ignore the exhaustion threatening to take over.
"Stop, you bitch!" one Fury screeched before it was taken down by a large animal. The animal was glorious with its gold fur and dark eyes with jewels and some armor adorning its body. I stared hard before the creature purred at me.
"Kero?"
"Of course it's him! He goes wherever you go!"
I recognized that voice and I nearly fell to the ground in relief. Syaoran looked so dashing and fierce that my exhaustion was almost all forgotten. He quickly embraced me and let go, facing the rest of our enemies. Eriol and Tomoyo were doing great, but I knew they were also growing tired.
"Let's end this now. I am not at full strength, so I need you to pull them all out and I will destroy them with one strike. You can do this, Sakura," he pleaded. My body was feeling heavy, but I knew that I was the only one who was able to make the pearls visible, and I knew that I needed to hold out until this battle was won.
"I'm ready. Are you?" I asked him. He only smiled boyishly and turned to the Furies. I gripped the staff and willed the pearls from all the Furies surrounding us to release the bodies of their victims.
"Eriol, Daidouji, now!" Syaoran commanded.
With all three on the attack, the pearls fell to dust on the ground and silence took over the area. The park was filled with unconscious people, slowly awakening now that the danger was temporarily over.
"Is it over? Am I done?" I asked.
My body did not wait for an answer. I saw Syaoran rush over to me before my lids were too heavy to open again.
When I finally did wake up, I was in a shallow pool filled with warm and lavender scented water. Tomoyo was sitting on top of a large rock beside me, reading one of her favorite fiction novels. She immediately noticed I was awake.
"Hello, Sakura-chan," she greeted me in a jovial voice. "You are looking more refreshed. Li did say the medicinal bath would work wonders."
"We're in the Underworld, aren't we?"
"Yes, we are. How did you know?"
Syaoran had said something before about how my body is simply trying to return home. Even though my conditions on Earth had improved, I felt the most rejuvenated here. "I can feel it."
After inspecting my skin and face, Tomoyo cleared her throat for my attention. "Eriol healed your immediate wounds. You had a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing pressing. Eriol returned to Earth not too long ago."
She handed me a robe which I quickly put on. "How come he left so quickly?"
Tomoyo grimaced. "This place is beautiful. The Underworld, I mean. Li really made this place bright and welcoming, not to mention soothing. But it is not a place for deities like Eriol or me. We do not belong here in the way you do. As beautiful as I think this world is, I feel a pressure on my body. It is not very comfortable."
I bit my lip in concern. "I'm sorry I kept you here." Knowing her, Tomoyo stayed only to make sure I was alright. Had I not been unconscious, she surely would have left earlier as well to avoid the heaviness she felt here.
"There is no need for you to apologize. I chose to be here." She pulled me into a hug which I returned. Tomoyo had always been a source of comfort for me. After releaseing me, she did smile sheepishly. "But I do have to go soon. I am at my limit."
"Of course! Um...do you know how?"
"Li sent Eriol back himself…but I wonder if maybe you have the same ability. After all, you are able to come and go as you please now. I wonder if you can extend that to guests."
It seemed likely. My energy was restored, so I did not think it would be a problem. I took on her hands in mine. "It won't hurt to try. I just have to imagine you home, I think."
"Well, if it works, then I will see you later!" A mischievous smile made its way to her delicate face. "And I will tell your brother that you are staying with me. I have a feeling that you may not make it home tonight."
I blushed, but I didn't necessarily refute her statement. Closing my eyes, I pictured Tomoyo's room: her large queen sized bed with a canopy, the window that overlooked her large rose garden, the pictures of the both of us on her vanity…when I opened them, she was gone.
When Syaoran had come in, I was already back in the large but shallow pool. He was only in his underwear, which was as practical as it was distracting.
"I felt Daidouji leave. Was that you?" he quirked an eyebrow. I nodded and motioned for him to join me. He wasted no time doing so,
"How did you know I needed help?" I asked while adjusting my body so that it rested on his chest.
"You're my queen, of course I would know." He sounded almost offended. "Also, Kero rushed to your side, so I knew there would be trouble. The Furies I encountered on my way out of the Underworld confirmed that."
"They were here?"
"No, I placed borders on our home. It will be impossible for another Fury to sneak in. But they have been trailing me, so when I left, they were waiting for me. I led them to the park with you and the others."
"Did they hurt you?"
I felt him shrug behind me. "It was nothing Eriol could not fix."
We were quiet for a moment, but I knew it would not last long. Syaoran was no fool, and I was sure he had pieced together what happened.
"You were reckless today," he sighed.
"I know. But I had to. And at least we figured out how I can help fight the Furies. That has to mean something."
"Yes, it means we have a victory. I'd just rather not be at the expense of your safety."
I turned around so that I was properly facing him. "I'm stronger now; you don't have to worry so much about me."
"I would still worry even if your body was made of iron. And I am aware that you are strong. I just worry that you are confusing recklessness for strength."
I tried and failed to not be offended. "What would you have me do?"
"I just want you to be honest with me when you are going to face an enemy. I won't stop you, but I would be close in case things go wrong. Which is exactly what happened today."
My pout was almost an automatic reaction. "I don't want to argue about this today. Today was incredibly tiring day, and I rather not end it by arguing with you."
Purposely, my hands slowly rubbed against his thighs as his body tensed for a moment.
"You're getting real sly, Sakura." His eyes gazed into mine with muted heat that was threatening to burst. "Fine, we will not argue about this now. What is it you would rather do?"
My hands moved up his sides and wrapped around his neck, bringing me closer to him. "I have an idea in mind."
"Obviously," his voice dripped with sarcasm, but once he pulled me into a kiss, his anger with me faded and his hands never left my body.
We spent the night not arguing.
When we had finally settled for the night, I remembered a name Miyazawa mentioned that I did not recognize: Fei Wong.
Ultra Special Blah Blah Blah: I am on break, ya'll! A brief one because there is still a master's paper I need to get started on, work is still a thing, and the holidays are coming and waaaah. Anyway, I love the reviews you guys leave for this little story of mine. Thanks for all the support. I am hope that I can continue to write fanfics even if I get busier in the future.
If there are any questions, feel free to message me. Please enjoy and review!
Happy reading!