Refe-chan : Okay, okay, okay… the story's short. I don't know how to make it longer, but here's what I think is a longer chapter. ^__^;
Disclaimer : I do not own CCS. Hail Clamp. They made it.
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Chapter 4: Perfection
"So the other human has been sent. How nice…" A smooth, cold voice of a man remarked sarcastically in the darkness as a ball of blue fire died down in his palm, bearing the image of a young girl and boy resting in the forest.
"We shall see whether they are fit to survive this world." The voice continued. Moments later, there was a sound of buzzing as if hundreds of thousands of insects were being released. "We shall see…"
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"How did you know that there was a hole at the back of the cave, hmm, Hiiragizawa-kun?" inquired Tomoyo as she walked down a narrow passageway filled with an unusual kind of light. It was dazzling, though for some reason, you could still see clearly.
"Elementary, my dear Tomoyo," Eriol replied with a knowing smile. The latter flushed. She was well aware that Eriol had called her by her first name. As hard as she tried to fight it off, the blush would not go away.
"Very funny, Hiiragizawa-kun. How did you really find out?"
"Observation, Daidouji-san, simply observation," Tomoyo's heart sank, though she did not know why.
They came to an end of the bright passageway and entered a clearing of trees. It was already nighttime as they walked out. The violet-haired girl covered her mouth as she yawned loudly. Eriol looked at her and smiled.
"I think this day has been too much for you. Let's sleep, shall we?" He said and conjured up two sleeping bags and a blazing fire with his staff.
"Yes, I think we should," Tomoyo yawned loudly again and sank into the gray sleeping bag and into dreamland.
The blue-haired mage propped himself against a sturdy tree and began to keep watch. He was not taking any chances with the Sirens. Even though the cave-in blocked the Sirens' way of getting here, there was no proof that the cave was their only passageway to the place he and Tomoyo were staying in now, wherever it was.
He stared at the girl across him sleeping peacefully. Why had she been sent? He could not sense any magical aura or a core of strong magic inside of her, waiting to be released. He would have preferred Sakura-san to be his partner in dealing with these kinds of things but the thought of Syaoran's foot making contact with his jaw made him not think about the subject any longer. He shrugged. Maybe all this had a purpose that would reveal itself in due time.
Tomoyo woke up the next day, feeling pain all over her body. Her limbs and joints when stretched had a bruised feeling that she withdrew them right away. It was uncanny. She was athletic, having participated in a number of sports during the past years. So, why would this happen? Tomoyo groaned.
Eriol, who had been trying to get a few minutes of decent sleep against the tree (to no avail), heard her and turned his head to see what was the matter. "Are you all right, Daidouji-san?"
"No, unfortunately not." Tomoyo told him dryly.
Eriol walked up to her and bent down as he gently inspected her current condition. "We'll have to get you to a doctor. The problem is, I don't know whether there is a city somewhere nearby."
"I see," said Tomoyo, nodding as if she understood but actually, she didn't. This was a simple muscle pain and could be healed by a massage, so why did Eriol have to get her to a doctor? There was something afoot here.
The young mage hurriedly turned around and acted as if everything was fine. He then went to get some food, maybe fish for there was a nearby river. As soon as he got out of Tomoyo's range of sight, he began to slow down.
There was really something wrong. The muscle pain Tomoyo was experiencing had a magical connection. It wasn't normal. At all. She was an athletic person as far as his knowledge of Tomoyo went. This journey of theirs was getting to be very dangerous. Lucifer was just sending out the teaser. Soon, it will be the real thing. And when that time comes, they will be running for their lives, unable to escape His wrath.
Eriol blinked as the sound of splashing water reached his ears. He was at the flowing river where dozens of fishes were swimming away in the sunshine. Now was the time that he realized that he actually didn't know how to fish. Nevertheless, there was always a way.
A big fish happened to catch his gaze and in a blink of an eye, it was in the air, struggling for breath. A minute later it died and Eriol held it in his hands. He surely did not approve of seeing creatures die, but at least, they had breakfast. (Magic is really handy.)
Tomoyo gave a small but satisfied burp, which she quickly covered up, embarrassed. She had to admit that the fish was extremely good. She didn't know how Eriol did these kinds of things but whenever he was around, everything was to be expected to be all right and miraculous.
He stood up and beckoned her to come to him. "We have to go now and get to the nearest city."
Tomoyo stared at him in an odd manner before complying. 'So, he is serious about getting me to a doctor. How peculiar.'
They set off into the forest in silence. Eriol was contemplating with himself whether he should tell Tomoyo or not. If he did, there was a small chance that Tomoyo might believe him but then, there was also a chance that she might not. There was also another, tiny chance that she might think he was a lunatic for thinking of such a thing. I mean, since when has muscle pain have anything magically connected to it?
They entered a small town later that day, after an hour of walking through vines, tripping over large tree roots, getting small scratches from thorns and so on. Tomoyo wouldn't even try to think of it. She was dead tired and her body was still painful. Eriol was too.
It was a happy town, filled with humans now, instead of those creatures they found at the previous city. Tomoyo and Eriol entered an inn, which was recommended by many of the cheerful townsfolk. They said it overlooked the lake that shone beautifully in the moonlight and they were lucky today. It was a full moon.
"I really don't care much for those kind of things," Eriol stated once they got away from a smiling, elderly couple. "All I need is rest."
Tomoyo smiled at him. "Aww… C'mon Hiiragizawa-kun! It can't be that bad and besides, they did say that it was the best one in town."
"It *is* the only inn in this town."
"Then, you have no choice."
"I know," He smiled warmly back at her.
"Let's go then. My body is aching for a nice, warm bath."
Eriol sighed and they went inside the inn. A plump woman greeted them with a gasp as she saw them in their condition, ragged with torn clothes. Yet again.
"This… is the life," The violet-eyed girl announced. She had just emerged from the bathroom, wearing a white night dress and looking sleepy. Eriol, who was staring at the lake turned to smile at her and wish her good night.
"Oyasumi, Hiiragizawa-kun," she stifled a large yawn and settled comfortably into bed.
"Ii yume wo, Daidouji-san," And he went back to staring intently at the lake. Tomorrow, he would probably tell her about the mysterious muscle pain. He crossed his arms and shifted his gaze onto Tomoyo, sleeping peacefully like an angel. Maybe, having Tomoyo as a partner was not so bad at all. She was a nice girl.
Tomoyo smiled as she went to sleep but there was something bugging her about this town. How everyone was so cheerful, how this inn seemed so perfect, how everyone seemed to have no problems at all… It was all so weird. It was not possible.
Everything seemed so, so…
Perfect.
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Refe-chan : Was that long enough for you? Pwease tell me! ::sigh:: Anyway, I'm happy I got rid of my writer's block and actually got around to finishing this chapter. ^_____^
Thank you so much for all those who reviewed! You don't know how much you made me happy!