A/N: I'm gonna stick with this further and see where this is going, but I'm not guaranteeing anything. I should have mentioned this earlier but the main characters (for the exception of a few) are 17. This is a very crappy chapter, hope you'll forgive me.
Disclaimers: If I owned anything of this sort, why would I write silly fanfiction about it?
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Part I: Prelude: The Hidden Path
As much as he hated being boastful, he had to admit he was good. Almost from the first moment he entered the classroom that morning, he could clearly sense a definite change in Tomoyo. He could practically smell it in the air. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on but was undeniably there. An air of panic? Fear?
He grinned, what could the fair Tomoyo be afraid of? He racked his mind and all the knowledge he acquired during both his lifetimes to solve this mystery, but this time (just like other countless times) he came up short. Well, he'd just have to find out, he resolved.
He watched in satisfaction as Tomoyo squirmed under his scrutiny, and smirked once again. He enjoyed watching her nearly leap out of her seat when he made his presence know and enjoyed just as much when he was beginning to agitate her. Eriol felt like a kid at Christmas; he couldn't wait to get his present.
Tomoyo was the most complex human he ever met. He knew she hid something behind that mask of hers, and he longed with all his heart to find out just what that something was. He was adamant to unravel the enigma that was Tomoyo, or he would die trying to do so anyway. What was even more unsettling, though, was the fact that Tomoyo could read him like a book. That was more or less the whole reason why they haven't killed each other yet.
He forced his mind to focus on the lesson, but his eyes (despite all logic) strayed to the back of Tomoyo's head. He admired her from behind; the cascade of hair falling down her back, catching the rays of sun and glistening like silk. Eriol suddenly got the urge to touch those silky stands, run his hands through them and feel their softness against his skin. He fought down the urge, he knew quite well that that was something forbidden.
He watched as her shoulders rose up and down with each breath she took, and he could, for a brief moment, imagine what it would be like to have her breath mingle with his own... Did she even know how beautiful she was?
Eriol shook his head at this sentiment; such thoughts were ludicrous and liable to get him in great trouble with Tomoyo. He sighed; turning to his attention back to the teacher (though not hearing anything coherent); he wondered what he would say to her after school. At least he had something to look for.
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Lunchtime went by uneventfully and at an unusually slow pace. Eriol was beginning to count the seconds until the end of the day when he saw Nakuru behind some bushes and decided to investigate.
Sauntering over, he asked with amusement, "Touya Hunting? My, my Nakuru, I thought you had more sense than that."
"No," his guardian replied with a scowl. "Touya's absent today. I'm trying to see what Yuki is up to." Nakuru added, glaring at him with unmistakable spite. The guardian chose that moment to escape and dashed behind the corner of the building, choosing to ignore the grin on Eriol's face.
His fun spoiled, Eriol decided to see what his favourite couple was up to. He spotted them sitting underneath an apple tree, spoon feeding each other's lunch. He waited until a good moment (which was right about when their lips would touch) and jumped from the branch he was sitting on, scaring the wits out of the two.
"Did you ever hear the story about the Prince of Acerbitas (1)?" He asked, the initiations of a grin playing on his lips. At the shakes of their heads, he continued. "Once upon a time, in a land long forgotten, there lived a boy. There was nothing wrong with the boy on the exterior, but on the inside he was suffering. He did not know why he was suffering; he did not know how to stop his agony, all he knew was the empty feeling inside him. The Prince put on a façade on his face, hoping to fool everyone. The boy hated his life, you see, he wanted to die: the pain was so strong. Whenever he would look at happy couples he would feel even worse; HE wanted to be happy, HE wanted to be loved and someone to love in return."
Eriol paused; he looked in Sakura's direction, noting the sadness etched across her features. "Do you want to know what happened to him?" He asked, receiving an affirmative nod from both of them in response.
"The Prince never found happiness. He sat by the window of his room, looking out to the world, hoping to find some answers. He refused to eat and sleep, and in time his body deteriorated into nothingness. His chambermaids found nothing but a pile of silver dust in the morning. The dust scattered on the wind and spread around the world. And sometimes, when the wind is strong and you are beside your one and only, you can hear a soft sigh in the air." He finished.
He noted that Sakura now had tears swelling in her eyes and Syaoran's were bulging out of his head. He smirked. He loved teasing them. Although he was the reincarnation of the strongest sorcerer on the face of the earth, and the wisdom of decades rested on his shoulders, he still loved teasing his little descendant and the Card Mistress.
Just before the bell signalling the end of lunch went off, he checked the library to see if Tomoyo was there or not, like she said she would be. She was, her nose glued to the book. Eriol smiled; that made his day a little brighter. The rest of the day went as slowly as the first part of it, but as all things come to an end, so did the day.
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Eriol waited for Tomoyo by the lockers, anticipation practically oozing out of him. Pretending to be digging in his locker for something, Eriol spied Tomoyo out of the corner of his eye.
Just when Tomoyo thought that she would be let off the hook, Eriol looked up from whatever he was doing and took her hand. A bit startled, Tomoyo was about to make a run for it when he intertwined her elbow with his.
"Shall we?" He asked while steering a stunned Tomoyo out of the school. He had a sudden urge to laugh when he saw her gulp visibly.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" The girl asked hastily, feeling rather daring at the moment.
"Well, you see --" he began.
"I can explain!" Tomoyo interrupted him. "I just wanted to get back at you for that whole perfume thing. Pleasepleaseplease, don't kill me!"
At her outburst Eriol quirked one eyebrow. What was she talking about? Why would he want to kill her? Gods knew, he would gladly die for her!
At his confused look, Tomoyo nervously asked, "Didn't you see today's school newspaper?"
Eriol simply nodded at this; he did see. It surprised him at first that morning when he saw a group of giggling and gossiping girls point to him. Later it began to unnerve him as some brave souls dared to come and out right laugh at him. Once he asked a friend what that was about, his friend handed him the school newspaper. Astounded he read the front cover report (author of which was one Daidouji Tomoyo). It read:
This reporter has never witnessed such a horrendous sight. Yesterday evening, right after the end of classes, Hiiragizawa Eriol was seen walking half-naked in the middle of the King Penguin Park. Upon closer inspection, he was noted to wear black silk boxers with pink hearts and what seemed like a 'Naoko' in katakana. This 'Naoko' appears to be the very same Yanagizawa Naoko, editor en chief of the school paper, The Tomoeda High Gazette. He was later heard serenading said girl in front of the Penguin slide, where she hid from him. The victim of this incident is currently locked away in her room and in need of therapy.
Eriol did not bother to read the rest of the report. Just below the newspaper article there was a picture of himself, wearing the same boxers mentioned in the article. He was baffled, he certainly did not remember owning such a pair of undergarments, and he certainly did not remember serenading Naoko. She was a sweet girl, had a huge crush on him, but aside from friendship, he felt nothing for her. He knew instantly that this was the ploy of his Tomoyo. Eriol didn't harbour any animosity, though. He did think that this was rather funny.
"Aren't you going to kill me?" Tomoyo's soprano voice was slightly high pitched from nervousness.
"Why would I ever want to kill you?" He asked amused.
"So you're not mad at me?" She asked in what seemed to him a very cute, childish manner.
"Of course not! Besides, I would rather get even with you than kill you." He left it at that, deciding to leave the rest up to her. "Shall we? The tea is not going to wait. How did you managed to get that picture by the way?"
"Photo Shop," the girl simply answered and followed his lead.
Relieved, Tomoyo followed him to his manor, their conversation light their tone friendly. They stopped about three feet from Eriol's front door. Tomoyo turned to him and asked, "So what did you want to talk to me about that you risked getting detention?"
Giggling slightly at her own joke, Tomoyo missed the sadness spread over Eriol's face like the plague. "I'm leaving for England," he replied seriously.
That line dampened Tomoyo's good cheer. "B-but...why?"
Eriol was about to reply, however, he was interrupted by Nakuru's high-pitched voice. "TOMOYO-CHANNN!!" This was followed by the boisterous guardian's bear hug as she glomped the girl in question. "Oi! I've missed you soooo much! I haven't seen you in like FOREVER! Do you have a boyfriend yet? Do you? Huh? Huh? I bet Eriol-sama can help you with that!"
At this sentiment both Tomoyo and Eriol flushed somewhat and decided that anything other themselves was the most interesting thing on Earth. While Tomoyo was wondering why the sky was blue, Eriol was contemplating the deviations of the patterns in the soil. Opting to end the conversation at that (for the sake of his and his guest's sanity) he chose that moment to enter the house.
In the living room, while Nakuru and Tomoyo discussed the latest gossip, Eriol was sprawled in his favourite armoire, God-knows-what-devious-schemes running through his head. His thoughts kept on straying to the topic of love, which was not so subtly introduced by his irritating guardian. And it just so happened that the subject of love was 'coincidentally' related to Tomoyo.
He has been friends with the girl for many years now. He always regarded her with respect, occasionally pulling a prank on her. Eriol considered her his friend; some would say his best friend. During all the years he knew her, he never thought of the amethyst eyed deity-like-creature in a romantic way. He had to admit, she was beautiful, and he (like so many before him) could not help but feel his knees turn to sticky goo whenever she would smile at him.
It was the Clow Reed in him that forbids this kind of thinking. Clow Reed did not love anyone; he felt that he was above such a human emotion. Love brought on weakness and misjudgement. And that particular part of Eriol shied away from anything relating to love. He was afraid of it, afraid of what it would do to him (and Hiiragizawa Eriol was not easily scared). Yet, some part of the boy yearned to know that feeling, to understand why many philosophers and poets described it as something divine. He couldn't suppress a shiver of excitement when the thought of Tomoyo showing him the meaning of love unwittingly appeared in his mind.
Deciding that the patio would be an excellent setting for tea, Eriol and his guest moved outside, while Nakuru was chasing Spinel Sun somewhere on the third floor. Sipping on herbal tea and munching on an assortment of sweets, the two of them carried a pleasant conversation on the issue of Sakura's future wedding. They both agreed that sunset wedding would be the prettiest.
Sometime later, Spinel Sun popped his little fury head out of a near by bush, inquiring the whereabouts of his tormentor. Once certain that he would not be found, he settled into a sun filled perch and dozed. Soon, natural urges took over, and Tomoyo excused herself to go to the bathroom, removing Spinel Sun from her lap (whom she saved from Nakuru's clutches).
As Tomoyo slowly walked through Eriol's many hallways, she marvelled at the countless masterpieces displayed. She was once told by Nakuru (she was staying over the summer break) that the master of the house was a brilliant painter, could he possibly have made some of the paintings she was passing? She would have to ask him later, she made a mental note.
Tomoyo also noted what a great cook Eriol was. Most of the sweets she tasted that day were made by him. He was also very magnanimous, and kind, and gentle, and sweet, and handsome.... She lingered on the last a bit, savouring the feel of the phrase on her lips. She released a giggle, which was followed by a sigh. She would miss him.
Somewhere along a dimly lit hallway, something peculiar caught her eye. She retraced her steps back a few paces, yes, something was definitely odd. She stood in front of a door. 'Strange, I never noticed this before,' she told herself. Tomoyo reached for the handle, absent-mindedly noting that it was dusty with miss use. She turned the knob, stopping for a second to ponder the consequences, and pushed the door open.
The room that greeted her was dark and stuffy, as if it hasn't been visited for decades. Draped furniture stood about the room, she observed from the little light of the opened door. Something caught her eye; cautiously she moved closer for inspection. In front of her, swathed in dark velvet was that certain something that drew her eye. Gently, tenderly almost, Tomoyo touched the dusty fabric, unable to stop herself, as if something was drawing her towards it. She pulled the heavy cloth down. She watched, a little breathless, as the object was unveiled in front of her, the velvet pooling around her ankles: a mirror.
A mirror of such grandeur as she had never witnessed. Strange patterns and runes adorned its gilded frame. The light from the open door catching the gold rimming and making it shine with brilliance. She touched the dark surface with trembling fingers, finding it surprisingly warm. Tomoyo looked at her reflection and gasped in awe.
Staring back at her was her own large amethyst eyes, but looking into them, she saw somebody else. She wondered for a brief instance how that could be possible. She looked at the creamy skin and rosy full lips, so very much like her own. The cascade of ebony hair down her back, a tiny smile tugging on the lips. It was definitely her in the reflection.
In wonder, Tomoyo reached out her hand to touch her face in the mirror, as her reflection mimicked her. As her elegant fingers made contact with the surface of the glass, her reflection's smile seemed to brighten and she appeared to be winking at Tomoyo. Shocked, Tomoyo withdrew her hand, just as her image in the mirror turned around and said something to someone Tomoyo did not see.
Poised to flee, Tomoyo was about to dash for it when the very air about her began to dampen. She fell on her knees, the shadows enveloping her completely. Tomoyo felt something creep around her, suffocating her, intoxicating her with the promises of it's enormity. She gave out a blood curling scream before she loss consciousness...
...Here ends the first part of this story: The Prelude. And thus, the
second part: Stranded; begins....
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(1) Acerbitas -- means bitterness/ painfulness in Latin. Ironic, ne?