Syaoran

Chapter 19-Akira

When I first saw Yue I felt more then just the coldness emitting from him. As an angel he was fair, a mystical being of great power. Yue was a picture of confidence that I never had, with an aura that demands respect but discourages closeness. At the sight of him I had a strange desire to please him and win his approval, and a sensitive apprehension of being ignored or rebuked.

He was a symbol of power and independence. At the sight of him you would not feel that he needs protection, and even Syaoran, now that he had changed to who he was in the past, seemed the same way. And as I understood the boy very well, I knew that the child also experienced the desire to win the angel's approval, and at the ignorance was deeply wounded at heart. I would be too, truthfully. But for the child it was worse because he was younger than I am, and children have this feeling by nature. The wish to please.

When Yami broke down I felt a feeling of scorn. To weep is a sign of weakness. It is actually strange, because to weep is, indeed, to show weakness, and yet on children and women, it is their greatest weapon. I did not scorn Syaoran for crying, but I did for Yami. I understood his pain though. We all did things that we regret in the past.

I remember the guardian's look of doubt. His gray eyes suddenly sparked and his face looked troubled. Although Yami was very vague and did not explain much in his laments we all got the message. Yue, though cold and indifferent, was not evil and did not wish to kill. We all knew of Yami's meaning. If this goes on, chances are, Yue might be responsible for Syaoran's death, just as Enmut is partly responsible for Tarkot's.

It was brief. We couldn't understand why Yue rejected Syaoran so, if Yukito seemed to accept him. Yue did not appear again for a long time, only wandering about us as Yukito, the kind person we liked best.

To me, Yukito was a great example of a type of human that harms more people than most believe. He is almost like a symbol of a person who is gentle and polite, with an overshow of kindness that cannot possibly exist in those who lost their innocence and childhood. But underneath is a cold, unfeeling being, a spirit in a guise of an angel. He may not be evil, but he is the one who harms the best. The kind act lowers the guard completely, so the human is at the mercy of the angel's wrath. Syaoran did not intend on making the same mistake. He would not talk with Yukito. Yukito seemed hurt by it, and probably is, but none of us trusted Yue so we did not help him. We did not know how to settle this problem. Syaoran did not touch the card book and rejected Yukito just as Yue had rejected him. It seemed wrong, almost, because it was not Yukito's fault. But sometimes anger can work this way. You harm the wrong person.



When Yue did appear, it was with me, for some reason. I was at the park late at night. Ryou was sleeping; he had a hard day. I was throwing rocks into the lake in the park when Yue appeared, and I was so startled I nearly fell in myself. For a minute I stared at him, and then I turned back to throwing things into the pond.

" You seem quite thoughtful." I said to him. " What are you thinking about?"
" What should I think about?" Yue asked.

At that point I realized that I really had nothing to fear from him. For one thing, I might be even older than he is.

" Perhaps you should think about the future." I answered. " You cannot get anything out of the past anymore."

He was silent. I realized he was not the talkative type.

" You know," I began quietly. " That day when we first met you, I had an impression that you were a great person." I wasn't looking at him, but I felt his eyes bearing into me. " And truth to be told, there was a slight fear coming from every one of us. You were immortal, you were cold and indifferent. We were all shocked at the way Touya had talked to you.

But you know something?" I turned to him, facing him without fear. " I think you're as troubled as the child. I know you are not fluent in accepting change. Syaoran isn't either. Yami and I aren't either. We are all the same. But living in the past will not get you anywhere, because the world goes on and you have to follow it."

Yue was silent.

" What are you doing here?" I finally asked. " What are you doing here?"

Yue shifted slightly. " I don't know."
" I doubt it." I answered. " Before, I was like you. Wandering about, with no purpose. But then I realized there are no coincidences. It isn't a coincidence that Ryou and Syaoran fell into a coma at the same time and met. It isn't a coincidence that Syaoran had wandered into this town out of all towns, and Ryou had found him, choking to death in the rain, with no clothes except for what he was wearing and absolutely no money. No buffoon would do that; leaving home without money. The world depends on money now. Money has become, even as we deny it, more important than life itself, because money has become life. It isn't a coincidence that Seto took a liking to him. Seto is a multi-billionaire. So it certainly isn't a coincidence, that Syaoran had simply touched the book and transformed it just like that, and that the twelve immortals have been following him all the way here. And, it certainly isn't a coincidence that the lame brained Jounouchi had remembered that Touya was still alive and asked Ryou ad Yugi to find him, while two guardians who were once dead were suddenly alive and well. Have you ever thought of that, Yue? Why is it that Touya had come and found the game shop? Why is it that Ruby Moon and Spinel did not come with you? Are they alive Yue?"

" Iie." Yue answered, after some hesitation.

I sighed. " We all love the boy."
" I can tell."
" Why can't you?"
" I do not freely love."
" I can tell that. We do not either."
" Then why do you love him?"
" Because unlike you, and all the rest of us, Syaoran managed to remember who he is, even though his identity is lost and everything he loved was gone. It's just like Tarkot, Yue. Tarkot ran and became a slave to Yami. But he will never be a true slave. He has his own thoughts, his own mind, his own soul. Do you know who you are Yue?" I asked.

Yue stared at me. " I am the Guardian of the Clow Cards."
" Wrong."

The guardian started, and then stared at me. I looked at him steadily. I have nothing to fear.
" You're wrong. You're not the guardian of the Clow Cards. If you think that way, Yue, then slowly you will lose yourself. Ask me who I am."

Yue hesitated. " Who are you?"
" I am Ryou." I said, in a definete tone. " I am Akira, and I am Ryou." I tossed another stone into the water. " Do you know who made me realize that Yue?"

" ...who?" Yue asked hesitantly.

I smiled sadly. " Syaoran."

Yue started, and the majestic aura was replaced with a troubled, doubtful aura, but his lost none of his dignity.

" So who are you, Yue?" I asked. " Are you willing to accept your real name now? Because time has gone by. The child is wounded and dying. The child is waiting."

For a moment Yue was silent. And then, in the softest whisper I've ever heard, he spoke his name.

I am the guardian of the Xiaolang Cards.







It was a raining evening when we all sensed them, and all of us, including those who do not possess magical powers. Syaoran became uneasy and Touya became nervous.

A crack of thunder signaled their arrival and one lightning bolt hit the ground in front of Yami, who jumped back, crying out in surprise.
" Yinhu!" Syaoran yelled. " Yami! Are you alright?"
" Hai." Yami was slightly shakened. " What was that?"
" A lightning bolt. What do you think?" Seto looked up. " We have to get out of here! We're like a rat in a cage."

And so we followed him out. Into the rain. But it was not any better. Pouring waters clung onto our clothes and our hair. Thunder and lightning threatened to burn us all.

Yue came out for the second time and grabbed Syaoran, jumping out of the way as another bolt hit the ground. Up ahead eight shadows outlined the ever dark sky.

The child of the Great One must be brought back to the immortal realm... There came a voice, and I suddenly saw Pegasus, sitting away in some unknown room, start and grow pale. The vision vanished as a bright glow lighted up behind the spirit beings, and we all saw the black outlines of the cloaked figures, black as the light was white. Squinting, I saw one of the figures lift one hand, up and up, and in my mind saw it stretch out, ready to take Syaoran despite our best efforts.

" Iie!" Seto shouted, and we saw a bright blue light blasting off straight towards the gods. But the gods weren't there. Instead there was a a lady, holding Seto's wrist firm in her grasp.
" Wuma!" Syaoran cried. " Let go of him!"
" Healer," was all she said, before Seto released another blue light, forcing her to let go. Zodiac Horse collapsed, holding her bleeding head.
" Why now?" I heard someone wail. " Why now of all times?" But a burning flame shot towards us and I pushed Ryou out of the way.

" Celtic Guardian!" I heard Yami call. " I summon you!"
" Curse of Dragon!" Yugi's voice rang out. I looked around. Where is Syaoran? Where is Ryou?

" Oni-chan, iie!"

I turned to the source of the voice. Mokuba...

The child must be brought back at all costs...

" Why are you doing this?" I called out, as attacks came from the unseen. " Why do you kill for him?"

Fool, I heard, a deadly chorus of voices, voices of the night. We do not care for mortals. Humans are but creatures that carry on the force of life. We do not care...

" Blue Eyes White Dragon! Attack with White Lightning!"

There came a terrible screech, the screech of a creature in pain, and we saw a magnificent golden dragon, with all its glimmering scales, eyes of purest blue, filled with grace and beauty. The white lightning glanced off it as if a shield was protecting it. The Blue Eyes did not recognize any master except Seto Kaiba. None of the monsters do. Only the elves and the magicians.

" Akira!"

I turned around, and found Ryou, trying to reach me. Holding out my hand I caught his and pulled him over.

" We need to find Pegasus."
" Why Pegasus?" I heard someone yell. " Yah!" And I saw Jou, falling on his back, barely dodging the purple ray.
" He has the power to control minds." I heard Yue's dark voice answer.

" Oni-chan!"
" Mokuba!"

Something hot hit my leg and it gave out. I collapsed, still holding on to Ryou.
" Yami! Are you alright?" He asked.
" Hai, I'm fine. Urgh!" I tried to get up. Ryou helped me, but I couldn't stand.
" Try to connect to him through your millenium ring-urgh" It hurted. The pain was almost unbearable. I clung on to Ryou's arms, trying to tell him. " Use your millenium ring. We need Pegasus and Kaho!"



There are no such things as coincidences. It was not a coincidence that Jou, for the second time, remembered Pegasus and Mizuki Kaho. But by then it was too late. One of the figures grabbed me around the waist. Kicking him with my good leg, I fell to the ground. Hissing in pain, I whipped my head around to see who had grabbed me.

" Oni-chan!"

Rain poured harder than ever. It battered down upon us like a waterfall, pouring with all its might. Briefly I saw Ryou, in all his heavenly beauty and terror, his white hair damp and gray with water, clinging onto his face and neck. Something bright lighted up his eyes so that they glowed. I gave a cry, trying to tell him to get out. Then there was red, redness all over, and a scream, my own voice screaming, as the snow child's form wavered in all its blood and fell splattering into a puddle of red.