Scarlet
By L. Hiiragizawa
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or its characters whatsoever. Anything you find copyrighted in the duration of the fic, please forgive my ignorance for being unaware.
AN: Before you read, let me remind you that this is an AU and beware for some OOC-ness. This is my first shot on an AU so please spare my plot.
The poem used in the prologue was my own creation so please if you wish to use this fic or my poem do let me know.
Gomen also for not posting this right after the prologue. As soon as I posted the prologue my Internet card expired. Sheesh and it's 10pm. Bloody hell, I bought one today and posted this. Sorry.
The Crystal of Tears
"Bah! This is so boring."
An ebony-haired girl crumpled the article, slumping herself into the couch. Her face was obviously streaked with boredom, which was concluded as her brows arched and lips pouted. She was stamping her feet and slamming her hand against the desk beside her in rage. She took back into her hands the crumpled article and decided to tear it into pieces instead and threw it right all over the place.
"Hikaru! Hikaru!"
The girl continuously and tirelessly slammed her fists once again, kicking off the scattered paper on the floor. She sure was having a very annoying tantrum. Very unladylike so to say now that she is on her eighteenth year in the world which she regarded as damned.
"HIKARU!"
Now very angry, she shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Yes Mistress Tomoyo."
A girl on a servant clothing came rushing and panting into the room accompanied by a very old and class-looking woman behind. It was sketched in the old lady's eyes the look of displeasure and disbelief on the sight of her granddaughter's room being messy, untidy and of course, her very own granddaughter's grumpy attitude. She cannot exactly figure out where in her clan such an attitude was genetically passed on. She for sure, wasn't like that at all.
"I have been calling you for how many times Hikaru?"
"T-thrice m-mistress."
The maid was trembling to her knees, slightly bowing down before a figure of power in front of her. She knew no one must dare anger her.
And no one…
No one must dare taste the bratty wrath of Tomoyo Daidouji, the only daughter of one of Japan's powerful business tycoons. She had heard enough stories of former maids that once had served the Daidouji mansion. There was approximately more than a fifty who had threatened her not to dare stay in the place they call "a living hell" but because of need, she had to.
"And you perfectly know I hate people letting me wait, right?"
"Y-yes mistress."
Tomoyo advanced towards her, a finger pointing at the poor Hikaru's face.
"And you know too what are the consequences of you disobeying me?"
"Y-yes mistress."
The Daidouji heir didn't care as tears came rolling down the figure she was rudely pointing at. She had no feelings at all.
Numb she was. That's why no one also dared to befriend her.
But it wasn't just the reason why she had no friends. Her status in life deprived her of being social.
No. Wrong.
How can a daughter of a socialite not have friends?
Tomoyo picked up the phone and dialed a certain number in a fast motion: clearly stating she was very much angered.
"Moshi moshi. AC Agency, Koto Kaworu speaking, may I help you?"
"Yes. Yes. This is Tomoyo Daidouji. This is about the maid you assigned to me, Hideyoshi Hikaru. I'll make it straight Mr. Koto. I'm formally removing her service to me and please send me a replacement as soon as possible."
Sobs were filling the background and a very displeased Daidouji Akane shouted in favor of the maid.
"Tomoyo! Stop this instant."
She ignored the maid's pleas and her grandmother's order. Hikaru was her personal maid anyway. She should've only served her and nothing or nobody else.
"Mr. Koto, if not as soon as possible, do make it NOW. Do I make myself clear?"
"Y-yes Ms. Daidouji."
A slam was heard in the room. She then went towards the maid who was sobbing with her head down and being comforted by her grandmother.
"Now Hikaru, pack your things. I don't need you anymore."
"B-but m-mistress---"
"OFF!"
The maid scampered her way out of the room wiping her tears away. Tomoyo was about to slam the door shut when a hand from the outside grabbed her.
Two eyes were set on hers. And discontentment filled its nearly flaming orbs.
"Not so fast young lady."
"But grandmother—"
"To the couch quick. We have lots of talking to do."
If there's one person who could tame the rude Tomoyo, it would be no there than her grandmother who have been with her since she had sensed the world. Her mother wasn't at home and always on business trips, which made her think of her mom as a complete stranger who didn't care for her at all.
In other words, she hated her mother.
Hatred had burned in her.
Hatred, which lead her to loneliness.
And loneliness, which made her, loathe the world.
And since she was little, the figure that always made her hold on to dear life was no other than her grandmother.
But the morals and continuous guidance that her grandmother had showered over her didn't stop her for hating the world and its ironies. She had learned to live life the hard way. She must have everything in the world but her own world wasn't filled with happiness some people are in content with.
She slumped in the couch once more.
"She deserved it in the first place. I have always reminded her not to wander off the mansion but only listen to my orders."
The once flaming eyes of her grandmother swiftly changed into a gentler mode and held out her hand to give her granddaughter's a squeeze.
"But dear, you shouldn't have done than in the first place. It is wrong. Just because she was helping around the house."
"She is so stubborn. Good for her."
"But Tomoyo, you have kicked out so many maids because of your short temper. I think it would be best to change dear. A frown will make you years older than your usual age."
She pinched Tomoyo's nose playfully. And Tomoyo likes her when she does that; she always made her feel like a little child. She smiled at her grandmother, thinking that she wouldn't have survived the cruel world without her.
"I'll try my best grandma. I'll try to change."
Her grandma smiled in content, seeing Tomoyo smile is one rare opportunity. She hardly smiled and was always in a grumpy or maybe silent mood. She wasn't a normal teenager at all. She would lock herself in her room and just sink into dreams rather than having parties or go for a walk. The sunshine had longed to greet her pale face but she always hid from everything; she deprived herself from the world.
And her granddaughter was such a mystery too hard to decode. She may have known her for years but there are things she yearned to see.
The grandmother's gaze turned towards her messy room. She picked up her messy things and put them into place.
"Your room is awful Tomoyo! Remember that---"
"—It is very unladylike for a girl to keep a messy room. I know. I know."
Tomoyo finished her grandmother's statement, smirking, arms crossed and still sinking deeper into the couch she was sitting on.
"And being a couch potato—"
Her grandmother waved her finger jokingly at her, the other hand arranging the books neatly onto the bookshelves.
"—Won't lead you anywhere."
Tomoyo exclaimed cheerfully. How she loved these moments.
Silence crept into the room.
And then fits of laughter followed.
Tomoyo's grandmother sat beside Tomoyo in the couch that was inside her room, which she fondly recalls, she bought for her during her 8th birthday. It was a surprise that it lasted for ten years amidst all the jumping her granddaughter did to it. Why won't it not last? It was very expensive. And she would give everything to her granddaughter---though it may also cost her life.
She picked up the pieces of paper that scattered on the floor just next to Tomoyo.
"What are these Tomoyo?
She examined each paper which she found out had writings on it.
"Oh that? Bah! It was an article on destiny. Our teacher made us read it."
"And why did you crumple it?"
"Because I didn't believe in such a thing. It's a joke grandma. Destiny doesn't rule ones lives."
Her grandmother just gave her a mysterious smile, which for Tomoyo, sent shivers down her spine. She hates it whenever she'd smile like that.
"Is that so dearie? You mean you don't believe some things are meant to be?"
Tomoyo racked her thoughts for something decent to answer her grandma.
'Sure destiny isn't true—'
'But---'
"I don't know. It's just that, I find it a very silly thing to tackle about. But maybe---"
'Maybe—'
"Why grandma? Do you believe in it?"
She smiled once again.
"Mmm…perhaps you have a point. We weave our own destinies but sometimes events are really already planned out and though one may try to avoid it, things are really making it lead your course. Oh yes!"
Tomoyo listened eagerly. She felt something was going to happen…
Curiosity led her thoughts and herself to sink deep inside.
There was something.
Something…
Which is bound to occur but…
"Wait for me here. I have something to give you."
Her eyes followed to the direction her grandmother was going to. She fixed them on the door she had exited.
'Destiny?'
After how many minutes of patiently waiting, she found her grandma enter the room with a wooden box at hand. She suddenly felt an urge to get it and hold it in her hands…
Open it and see what's inside…
She felt an unexplainable longing.
Something weird stirred up in her.
"Ah! I bought this in an antique shop three days ago. I figured out you may like It." Her grandma's eyes twinkled.
She handed the box to Tomoyo. As soon as she had got a hold of it, she felt strange coldness envelope her. She closed her eyes and felt the atmosphere of the room change.
Cold…
So cold…
She tightened her grasp around the box she was holding. As if not wanting to release it.
Strange.
"Tomoyo?"
Weird…
"Tomoyo"
She flapped her eyes open and felt a hand touch her shoulder, which brought her back to her original state.
"Are you alright sweetie?"
"Y-yeah… it's just that…"
Her gaze turned back into the box which had symbols engraved in it. She couldn't make up what it meant as she slowly traced down each of what was carved.
She slowly felt every lump in the box.
It struck her.
The writings were somewhat familiar…
She had seen these somewhere…
But where?
When?
"Grandma… do you happen to know what are the symbols written on this?"
Her grandmother examined the box, which Tomoyo showed her. She took a closer look and attempted to get it but seeing the tight hold her granddaughter gave to it, she changed her mind and wondered why she possessed it so much that she haven't learned yet what it yields inside.
"No my child. I'm sorry."
Tomoyo sighed and looked deeper into the box. She had seen such before. Everything was just too blurry and unclear at the moment. Not that she cared what was written on it but there was something important about it…
'Open the case…'
Something, somewhere just around hissed.
Closer the voice seemed. It was summoning her…
And in each and every whisper, fear slowly rose up.
Fear…
There is something yet to be known…
Just something…
"S-shall I open it?"
Her voice unnoticeably quivered in silent fear.
But what was she fearing?
"Yes. Yes my child please do."
She fiddled with the rusty lock that sealed the opening right after her grandma gave a sign of approval. It had the symbol of the sun and the moon with weird letters surrounding it.
Was it Latin?
She wasn't sure.
She tried and tried to snap it out and finally the lock gave way itself to her surprise. She slowly opened it as she felt sparks of electricity flow up her veins and the feeling of coldness increase.
A feeling so string had overpowered her…
What it was… she didn't know.
Knowing too well was just like poison…
And there she saw the most beautiful thing that her eyes longed to behold.
She froze.
From the small chest that contained it, a necklace of golden chain and a blue crystal pendant with a shape of a teardrop appeared before her seeking eyes. Yet it wasn't the chain nor the chest or even its writings that was interrupting her peaceful thoughts.
The crystal tear…
There was something in the blue odd crystal that made her shiver more…
Something mysterious…
"That necklace is called The Crystal of Tears. What the name means, I'm not sure though but maybe it was called such because of its shape."
"The Crystal of Tears…"
'What mystery do you behold?'
"You like it?"
"Yes Grandma. Thank you very much."
Tomoyo hugged her grandmother tightly and kissed her on the cheek.
"Well, I better be off then. It's getting dark. Get dressed and join me for dinner later will you?"
She nodded as the door closed shut. She looked down back to the present her grandma gave her. She decided to put it away for a force seemed like swallowing her soul up. She tried to fight herself from giving in from the urge to get hold of the crystal…
Stopping every instinct on her.
Her hands slowly neared the pendant to get a good hold of its beauty. She finally gave up. She felt her eyes close and the coldness around at its peak that made her tremble a bit and the every hair that held on to her pale skin suddenly stand up.
Her hand neared as the clock seemed to halt.
Second by second…
Minute by minute…
Finally she felt her finger brush its smooth exterior.
Time stopped.
The wind from the outside came rushing in strong and fierce.
She still closed her eyes and entwined the pendant with her fingers aware of the danger that was slowly coming to view.
Her eyes kept shut tight and her heart pounded erratically, her blood rushing in an abnormal speed.
'This feeling…'
'The crystal...'
'What is this I feel?'
And suddenly out of the dimness that covered her sight…
Two blue cold and piercing eyes stared right back.
Each was bearing an emotion so powerful she could hardly sort out each and what each holds.
They were staring at her, eyes marked with power.
Only the eyes she saw and nothing more.
Then in the night's stillness a strong, commanding masculine voice had echoed dancing with the wind's fierce blow, which made her flap open her eyes in shock and her whole body trickle with cold sweat:
"I want you. And you are mine."
AN: My thanks to fireblaze, Syaoran-kun and Hisoka for inspiring me to do more… ^_^
By the way, this is an ExT and again… sorry folks, Sakura and the rest of the gang may not appear (although they may I just don't quite find that idea rather appropriate…just watch out.) like in my first fic (If curious, then read! Hehe). Just plain sorry.
Anyway… REVIEEEEEEEEEEW and tell me if I shall continue this and if it's awful. Btw, One side of me think it is. *Sigh*