Timeless
Chapter 1 : The Prodigal Son
Author : butter-fly
And on with the story…
The flutterer; Butter-fly
* * *
The tips of his chocolate brown hair swayed with the wind and tickled his nose. He brushed them
away with an impatient hand and nudged his black shades with his thumb. Intense amber eyes hidden behind the
shades scanned the area for a particular white mustang which belonged to his oh-so-dead friend
Eriol. Just as he was about to give up and get a cab, a white mustang swerved dangerously right from the other road
and stopped near him with a screech of tires.
"Gomen nasai Li-kun. I had a little problem I had to see to," Eriol said with his usual calm, collected
voice.
The grimness on his face never disappeared, "I suppose that problem had something to do with
Tomoyo-san, " Li said dryly.
Eriol smiled innocently at him while he got out of the car, unperturbed by Li's coldness. "She did
have a hand in it."
"I'd like to drive, Eriol if you don't mind," Li said once his bags were loaded into the back of the mustang.
Eriol lifted his shoulders noncommittally, "Sure, after all it is your car," he said.
Li stepped into the car and strapped on his safety belt. Then he switched gears and press the acceleration
pedal full speed ahead. There were a few tires screeching to a halt and several obscene words yelled at him
for driving so recklessly. Eriol merely smiled for he knew that his friend had a lot on his mind recently, especially the recent death
of his father. Suddenly he had to take over the reins of leadership along with it the responsibility and duty to the Li
clan. Furthermore he had to deal with the seven elders, go through their interrogations and tests while
learning how to handle the countless business companies belonging to the Li Clan. Li certainly have a lot
on his mind right now. And he was only 20.
"How is Mei-chan?" Li asked. He had missed her the most in all his three months in Hong Kong.
"Fine. She's been keeping busy with that help the orphans' campaign," Eriol reported.
Li smiled. Mei Ling was his cousin and his closest confidant. However, things had progressed into
something more than that and it bothered him a lot. She had been showing hints that she had feelings for him, feelings different
from the type he had in mind - of a brother and a sister.
"I'm glad."
"How long are you staying this time?" Eriol asked suddenly.
"Not long. I'm here to settle some business arrangements and then I'm off again," he replied with a sigh.
"Hmm..."
Li shoot a glance his way for a moment before returning his concentration to driving the car. "What?"
Eriol shook his head, "Nothing. Just a sense of dread."
"Oh, will something happen to me while I'm here in Japan?" he asked suspiciously. Eriol Hiirazigawa was no
ordinary man, he was the reincarnation of Clow Reed-the greatest sorcerer of all times. And he, Syaoran Li was the
descendent of Clow. Eriol had powers of the Sun and his powers rivaled his. He also had two guardians, Ruby Moon
and Spinel Sun who had powers of their own. Sometimes Eriol's words of prophecy irked him.
"I'm not sure yet. I can't say. But better be careful, Li-kun," Eriol said softly.
Li shrugged lightly, "I always am."
And promptly after he said those words, a blurred figure came out of nowhere in front of them and Li
slammed his foot on the brakes but the friction was unable to stop the car and it collided with the girl with a
loud bang. Both he and Eriol practically flew out of the car to check out what they had crashed into.
It was a girl, dirty and wearing tattered clothes unconscious on the ground. She was lying flat on her face
and a pool of blood appearing from beneath her.
Li couldn't risk moving her for it might injure her further. He dialed for an ambulance using his
hand phone while Eriol prodded the girl gently with his fingers.
"Eriol!" he shouted at him exasperatedly.
Eriol threw him a look, "I am a doctor, you know," he said sarcastically.
Li muttered an 'oh' and watched as Eriol check the girl's vital sign. A crowd was beginning to form
around them and Li frowned. Then finally Eriol stood up with an expressionless mask.
"She's still alive but barely. We need to get her to the hospital quick," Eriol said hastily.
The ambulance arrived and the paramedics strapped the girl in and sped off towards the hospital. Li and Eriol
got into the car and they both followed the ambulance straight to Tokyo Hospital.
* * *
It stood with it's back facing the stone statue that had kept it imprisoned for a millennia. A mocking smile
played on it's pale lips as it studied the area in front of him. A line of huge green trees stood tall and mighty,
the leaves swaying with the sudden call of the wind. Fallen brown leaves swirled near the ground when the wind
blew and he took another step to the front. It's legs felt wobbly and it felt pins-and-needles over it's foot as it
laid pressure on it.
It felt extremely good to be free once more. It felt too good.
He drew in a big breath through his nostrils and spread his hands horizontally, twitching his fingers.
"This is not my world," he said in a hoarse whisper.
He extended his magik aura outwards and he could not sense the magik of his world, it was alien to him.
Strange, small magik signatures appeared for a moment before disappearing, once too many times. The air
tasted different to him. Sudden panic filled him, everything wasn't like what he felt while being imprisoned in the
statue.
Wait a minute, that magik signature...that aura it belonged to someone he knew. It was the aura of
the dark prince. Excitement sent a burst of adrenaline into his body. His heart thumped harder, he couldn't
wait. He must confront him now.
"No, my brother. Not yet," a sultry female voice entered his world.
"Why not?" he demanded like a petulant child.
A small chuckle escaped her, "You are acting like a child again. That is why you need me to do the
thinking for you. Built up your power first, then face the dark prince."
"I can do it," he said arrogantly.
"Of course you can. But don't you want to explore this world first?" she asked him.
"Hai, Onegai."
* * *
"Where is that cousin of mine?" the Chinese black haired girl said with a pursed lip.
The wavy haired girl who sat demurely on the settee put down her magazine and said, "Oh, be a little patient
Mei-chan."
The Chinese girl stomped her foot impatiently and her brows knitted together, "I've a bad feeling about this," she said.
Then she ran a hand through her pigtails, brushing past the tangles.
"Oh, I certainly hope not. I need him to model my clothes for the Winter Collection," the wavy haired girl said with
wide eyes.
She rolled her eyes at her, "It's not even autumn yet, Tomoyo-chan," she said exasperatedly.
"Eriol-kun is always busy at the hospital. I need to get him started now," Tomoyo explained.
"Ne, Syaoran-kun is back. Why don't you get him to model the autumn collection?" the Chinese girl suggested.
Tomoyo clapped her hands once and stood up, "Sugoi! Brilliant idea, Mei-chan. I just hope he doesn't have
to leave so soon."
The phone rang abruptly and Tomoyo picked it up, "Moshi moshi, Tomoyo here."
"Tomoyo-chan? Li-kun and I are in the hospital, we had a little accident," Eriol's voice came from the speaker.
"Accident? Are you guys hurt?" Tomoyo screeched. Mei Ling look up at her worriedly having catch the accident word.
"We're not hurt but the girl we ran into is. Don't worry about us, we'll be back later," he said and shut off his cell phone.
"Ne! Which hos-?" Tomoyo trailed off as she heard the dull tone of a hang up phone.
"So?"
Tomoyo sighed, "They hit some girl. Poor thing."
"And?" Mei Ling demanded.
Tomoyo shrugged and said, "That's all he said."
* * *
"She has not returned," the small creature whined.
A pair of white snowy wings flapped in the air, like a bird spreading out its feathers. "I'm worried too."
The small creature flew upwards and stared at the trees with its small beady eyes. His mistress had not yet returned and he feared for her safety. She should have let him go with her, to protect her as was his destiny.
"Come back safely to us, mistress," the creature whispered.
* * *
There, hah so what'dya think?