"Stigmatized"
By: Na-chan
Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura and the song, Stigmatized.
Author's Notes: I'd like to clarify that this is fiction. I'm just adding historical events into it. This one's dedicated to Ri, who's been helping me research on different Japanese festivals. Thanks a bunch! Also to those readers who actually took the time and freedom of speech to write down a review.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
~Song~
Chapter 4: Chronicles
*******************************************************************************************
~Tease me, by holding out your hand...~
The Sumida river is a long stretch of water in Tokyo. Its history dates back further than 1871, even later than the time Tokyo was still called Edo. Every year, this historical waterway holds one of the most visited festivals in Japan, the fireworks festival also known as the Ryogoku.
A lone boy of seventeen waited in the shade of a maple tree beside the famed river. It was still afternoon--the sun had yet to lower its rays and shine on another part of the world. There was still some time to kill until dark.
"It has been five years since I came here..." Eriol whispered to himself as he watched the tranquil waters of the nearby river. He had been a mere child of twelve then. His mother stayed with him for the first few months since the end of the war was still yet to come but he was later left in the care of his aging grandmother.
"Keep her company, dear." His mother's fleeting words were.
And he did. For the past 34 months he was a dutiful grandson, keeping his relative company as instructed. The old woman liked him very much and vice-versa. They would go on walks in her vast Japanese style garden and he would accompany her to formal parties. They were usually business ones and there Eriol managed to develop his social skills. He had made friends with Yamazaki and the young emperor Mutsuhito there.
His grandmother died on his third year in the Orient, leaving him all her fortune in gold and jewels. Rich as he was, his money only gave him lonely nights inside a huge mansion.
So he attended the parties once again. He became more popular in the elite society since and he rose higher in rank from being a grandson of a wealthy woman to an adviser of the emperor himself. He was well-liked by his royal highness because of his charismatic ways but many politicians envied and hated him. It didn't help that he was a half-blood. Their hate for him formed into a plan.
The council had been on the topic of taxes when the treasurer of the state raised a suggestion on raising them. It seemed that the taxes the townspeople paid were deteriorating as if someone was taking them.
If there was one thing Eriol hated, it was corruption. Someone had objected the notion and he had seconded it, saying that all they needed was a cut in their salary. Those who liked Eriol and his righteous and innovative ideals did not mind but other were against the proposal. One of them even went as far as saying that foreigners were not supposed to interfere with Japan's affairs. The comment was clearly directed at Hiiragizawa Eriol.
The same day, one of Eriol's sources gave him names on who were being won over by a lot of yen. Sure enough, some of them belonged to the council. And they knew that Hiiragizawa Eriol had managed to get information on their dastardly deeds because of the knowing smile he always carried around them and the very indistinct hints he dropped. They started to get nervous and decided to rid of him without being suspected of doing so.
A week later, while on his way to the emperor's chamber to inform him on the latest developments of a certain project, Eriol was seized by one of the imperial guards. Apparently, he had just been charged of treason against the emperor. He was being accused as a spy for another country.
It was all a conspiracy. This was all a ploy to get rid of him before he had a chance to do something against certain officers. They knew the emperor would believe Eriol even though the man was technically an alien.
Eriol had escaped easily with the help of his connections, since he did not want to endure a prejudiced trial. The judges would have been already paid beforehand. He left his mansion without notice, abandoning all his expensive possessions. He was a wanderer for the first few days until he had chanced upon Yamazaki who was kind enough to let him stay in his humble abode. The man did not ask questions until Eriol had told him. Even then, Eriol had withheld certain facts.
It was an odd thing, but the search for him wasn't thorough. The police were on a lookout for him but they did their scouting in secret, as if someone ordered them to keep this matter a hush-hush. There were a good number looking for him and dodging them was no piece of cake. Eriol remembered thanking the gods for having friends in high places who believed in his innocence. They probably didn't want him to go to prison as much as he didn't.
Eriol sighed. He hated remembering those bitter memories. But he never wanted to forget them either.
No, they were precious even if they showed him how odious some humans could be. Even if they were painful and maddening to recall.
But they were only memories...
...and this was now.
He sighed once more.
*******************************************************************************************
"We're here, Tomoyo-sama." The carriage door containing the said Daidouji was opened by Arashi. Once again, Sonomi had become strict when it came to her daughter's safety.
"Arigato. I can go on alone from here," Tomoyo said, smiling at the older woman.
"But my orders are to accompany you, Tomoyo-sama. Sonomi-sama would not be pleased if I let you go by yourself," Arashi protested.
"I'll be fine, Arashi-san. Besides, I won't be alone. I have a friend who is going to watch the fireworks display with me," The girl reasoned. She was looking forward to gazing at the night sky and admiring the colorful lights up close since last year. She had been ill the previous year so she was only able to watch the show from her window.
The older woman looked doubtful.
"I'll be okay," Tomoyo reassured her guardian, who nodded, admitting defeat.
"All right, Tomoyo-sama. I'll stay by the carriage. But please don't wander too far. It's dangerous for a lady to be alone at night..."
Tomoyo's face broke into a smile. "Thank you. Don't worry, I'll come back here when I'm done." She left the dirt road where the horse and carriage were and headed to the nearby banks of the Sumida river. She was joined shortly by Eriol, who stopped a good meter away from her.
"Good evening, Daidouji-san." He greeted politely. He held a lantern in his right hand and he wore the traditional Japanese clothes.
"Good evening, Hiiragizawa-kun."
"And such a beautiful evening it is. But nothing compares to your beauty, my fair mademoiselle," Eriol replied.
She blushed, complementing the peach-colored silk kimono she was wearing. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Hiiragizawa-kun."
"But it seems to induce the reaction I want from you."
Tomoyo turned away, a smile tugging at her lips. He was too charming for his own good. "And what might that be?"
He closed the gap and leaned towards her ear and whispered, "You tell me."
She shivered at his closeness. "I-I..."
Eriol moved away, sensing her uneasiness. There he was again, flirting. He hoped the habit would leave him or would even shrink to a minimum. But there was no such thing as a miracle.
"Hiiragizawa!"
His head shot up to look at the boat that was floating steadily along the river towards him and Tomoyo. A confused look formed on his features. "Yamazaki?"
"What are you doing over there? The view's much nicer here!" Takashi Yamazaki yelled. Beside him, Chiharu waved.
"Yamazaki-kun's right Hiiragizawa-san! Come on. And bring your girlfriend with you!" She called enthusiastically.
Eriol looked at the flustered Tomoyo who was slightly pink from the earlier comment. "Is it all right with you?" He asked, hesitant. His friends were both complete strangers to the girl, in fact, even was he. He would completely understand if she decided to remain by the embankment. There was also the issue of secrecy and safety. If he was spotted with the couple and his newfound tomodachi, they would be in trouble as well.
Tomoyo looked at him for a moment before smiling. "Let's go." Her gut instincts told her that he was trustworthy.
He nodded, all his doubts dissolving into thin air.
Eriol waited for the wooden boat to near the shore, until the distance was enough for him to jump into the awaiting vessel. He leapt with practiced ease when it reached that certain point and offered his free hand to his companion who took it. He pulled her into the craft, amazed at how incredibly light she was. His surprise was not masked and Tomoyo sensed it when she looked at him to thank him.
She seemed to get that reaction often and replied, "I'm not malnutritioned, if that's what you're thinking."
He laughed the issue aside, genuinely curious on the reason behind her ability to read expressions extremely well. She was a very keen observer from what he had gathered the past few days.
"Nice of you to accept our invitation," Yamazaki commented as Eriol adjusted his gi.
"Thank you," Tomoyo said as she bowed down in respect.
Yamazaki's eyes widened slightly. "No need for that. I'm Takashi Yamazaki." He smiled, his eyes turning into slits.
She returned his smile. "Daidouji Tomoyo. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu."
"Such manners! Wherever did you meet her Hiiragizawa?" Yamazaki asked, his tone teasing.
Eriol replied coolly, taking no notice of the joking tone. "She's a priestess at the local shrine."
"A priestess? By any chance are you from the Amamiya clan?" Chiharu perked up from behind Yamazaki. Tomoyo had failed to notice the girl up until now. The two braids and printed red kimono were not hard to spot but Chiharu was short and Yamazaki's lanky figure covered her from view.
"Hai," Tomoyo affirmed.
"I knew it. I'm Mihara Chiharu." Chiharu flashed a smile, her pearly white teeth showing. She looked at Eriol and her smile turned into mischievous one. "Hope you aren't hiding anything from us, Hiiragizawa-san."
Eriol smiled innocently. "What? I'm not keeping anything secret. I'm hurt that you thought of me that way, Mihara-san."
Chiharu giggled. "May lightning strike those who lie. Or hanabi for that matter."
"Ouch." Yamazaki joked, earning an elbow in the stomach by Chiharu.
They laughed. Suddenly, they heard a loud bang and their laughs were replaced by gasps of wonder and amazement. The once previously dark sky was lit up by the bright golden fireworks.
"Kirei..." Tomoyo murmured and with the corner of her eye, Eriol nodded.
"Did you know that the Ryogoku we know today was a form of paying respect and warding of evil spirits?" Yamazaki asked, his eyes straying from the sky and landing on Tomoyo. He had this weird look on his face.
"Don't listen to him, Daidouji-san." Chiharu warned Tomoyo and to her soon-to-be-husband, "Yamazaki-kun, your tall tales might drive our guests away."
"But they're not tall tales Chiharu! Tell her, Hiiragizawa-san." Yamazaki protested.
Eriol cleared his throat. "It's true, Mihara-san. A century ago, the shogun Yoshimune, organized this fireworks festival to show respect to the many people who died the year before due to--"
"--a great famine. Some people said that these people's spirits kept coming back in markets, begging for food. The shogun thought of a way to lead them to rest through the hanabi. See Chiharu? I wasn't making it up." Yamazaki continued, his pointer digit in the air.
"Hmph." Chiharu crossed her arms on her chest. "Whatever." She did not trust the story almost as much as she could smell it.
Tomoyo giggled at the antics of the two. The couple were both so comfortable with one another, it was cute. She noticed however, that Eriol too seemed detached to them, if only slightly.
"Daidouji-san?" Eriol's voice brought her back to reality. He wore a look of genuine concern.
"Hm? Nani desu ka, Hiiragizawa-kun?" She smiled faintly, trying to erase the worried expression on his handsome face.
He shook his head, "Nothing. Just wanted to let you know that you're missing out on the fun." He tilted his head towards the brightly-lit sky, dark strands of hair covering his face.
"Oh."
"But if you decide to join us, we'll be delighted to have you," He said, "or would you prefer to be left to your solitude?"
She didn't reply. Her eyes were solidly transfixed on the glowing explosives in the heavens.
"Wouldn't it be better if there were more colors?" He asked, following her lead and looking up.
She looked at him oddly. "Colors? Like red, blue and green?"
"Yes. But the white and gold are still nice the way they are..."
They looked on for the next few minutes, oblivious to the very loud disagreement between Yamazaki and Chiharu. When they finally looked away from the dazzling spectacle, they were both met with a very annoyed couple.
"Kagiya!!!!!!!!!!"
"No, Tamaya!!!!!!!!"
"I said, KAGIYA!" Chiharu said angrily.
Yamazaki wrinkled his nose. "T-A-M-A-Y-A"
"Guys, this is getting a little out of hand...maybe let's just call it a tie?" Tomoyo suggested, "They are both very good when it comes to the art of pyrotechnics." She had met both clans three years before and they were both very dedicated to their work.
Eriol nodded solemnly. "Daidouji-san is right. And besides, it's rude to fight in front of a guest."
Both shut up almost immediately.
"I'm sorry. I got a little carried away," Chiharu apologized.
Yamazaki agreed.
"Let's just watch the fireworks," Eriol recommended.
The group did and as the fireworks continued, Eriol suddenly felt very relieved and happy. He was watching one of the most spectacular displays ever with his friends and acquaintance. He was free from the stress of hiding. He just hoped it would stay that way. Even if it wasn't on a boat sailing along the Sumida river.
*******************************************************************************************
"I had a wonderful time, Hiiragizawa-kun. Thank you." Tomoyo said as her wooden slippers clicked noisily on the pavement. The boat had floated down the river farther than she had expected due to the current and as a result, led to her walking back to the carriage. If she had remained on shore, she would not be making this tiring journey on foot. Eriol had offered to see her off "just to make sure" as he said so pointedly.
"The fireworks get better every year. Maybe in the future, there will be more colors." He looked pensive at that idea. "I'll take you to see them then."
"I'd like that." She flashed one of her heartfelt smiles in his direction.
He turned away in an attempt to stop the weird beating in his heart. "Well..." They continued walking in silence, the crickets and Tomoyo's slippers the only source of noise. The carriage came into view, thus ending the long stroll along the street.
"Thank you once again, Hiiragizawa-kun." Tomoyo said as she stopped a few meters from the awaiting stage coach.
"It was my pleasure."
"I'll see you around."
"Yeah..."
^____TsUzUkU_____^
Author's Notes Japanese History with Na-chan
The information Eriol said about the Ryogoku is true. In 1733, a famine broke out in Japan, killing hundreds of people. The following year, the shogun decided to use fireworks to pay his respects to them. The second half of Yamazaki's statement (The part where spirits begged for food in markets) is merely something from my twisted mind. -.-
Fireworks back then were very limited in color. Red, blue and green only became one of those colors in 1879 (8 years after our story) when new chemicals were brought to Japan. The rival fireworks makers then were the Kagiya and the Tamaya families hence Yamazaki and Chiharu's disagreement on who was better.
Okay, I bored you enough. Review! or I will sic my truckload of encyclopedias at you! Kyahahaha!
Source: www.
Japanese Translations*
Hanabi-fireworks
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu-Nice to meet you
Kimono-Japanese clothing for women.
Gi-Japanese clothing for men. It's the top section. The hakama is the bottom part. ^.^
Nani desu ka-What do you want?
Kirei-Beautiful;Pretty
By: Na-chan
Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura and the song, Stigmatized.
Author's Notes: I'd like to clarify that this is fiction. I'm just adding historical events into it. This one's dedicated to Ri, who's been helping me research on different Japanese festivals. Thanks a bunch! Also to those readers who actually took the time and freedom of speech to write down a review.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
~Song~
Chapter 4: Chronicles
*******************************************************************************************
~Tease me, by holding out your hand...~
The Sumida river is a long stretch of water in Tokyo. Its history dates back further than 1871, even later than the time Tokyo was still called Edo. Every year, this historical waterway holds one of the most visited festivals in Japan, the fireworks festival also known as the Ryogoku.
A lone boy of seventeen waited in the shade of a maple tree beside the famed river. It was still afternoon--the sun had yet to lower its rays and shine on another part of the world. There was still some time to kill until dark.
"It has been five years since I came here..." Eriol whispered to himself as he watched the tranquil waters of the nearby river. He had been a mere child of twelve then. His mother stayed with him for the first few months since the end of the war was still yet to come but he was later left in the care of his aging grandmother.
"Keep her company, dear." His mother's fleeting words were.
And he did. For the past 34 months he was a dutiful grandson, keeping his relative company as instructed. The old woman liked him very much and vice-versa. They would go on walks in her vast Japanese style garden and he would accompany her to formal parties. They were usually business ones and there Eriol managed to develop his social skills. He had made friends with Yamazaki and the young emperor Mutsuhito there.
His grandmother died on his third year in the Orient, leaving him all her fortune in gold and jewels. Rich as he was, his money only gave him lonely nights inside a huge mansion.
So he attended the parties once again. He became more popular in the elite society since and he rose higher in rank from being a grandson of a wealthy woman to an adviser of the emperor himself. He was well-liked by his royal highness because of his charismatic ways but many politicians envied and hated him. It didn't help that he was a half-blood. Their hate for him formed into a plan.
The council had been on the topic of taxes when the treasurer of the state raised a suggestion on raising them. It seemed that the taxes the townspeople paid were deteriorating as if someone was taking them.
If there was one thing Eriol hated, it was corruption. Someone had objected the notion and he had seconded it, saying that all they needed was a cut in their salary. Those who liked Eriol and his righteous and innovative ideals did not mind but other were against the proposal. One of them even went as far as saying that foreigners were not supposed to interfere with Japan's affairs. The comment was clearly directed at Hiiragizawa Eriol.
The same day, one of Eriol's sources gave him names on who were being won over by a lot of yen. Sure enough, some of them belonged to the council. And they knew that Hiiragizawa Eriol had managed to get information on their dastardly deeds because of the knowing smile he always carried around them and the very indistinct hints he dropped. They started to get nervous and decided to rid of him without being suspected of doing so.
A week later, while on his way to the emperor's chamber to inform him on the latest developments of a certain project, Eriol was seized by one of the imperial guards. Apparently, he had just been charged of treason against the emperor. He was being accused as a spy for another country.
It was all a conspiracy. This was all a ploy to get rid of him before he had a chance to do something against certain officers. They knew the emperor would believe Eriol even though the man was technically an alien.
Eriol had escaped easily with the help of his connections, since he did not want to endure a prejudiced trial. The judges would have been already paid beforehand. He left his mansion without notice, abandoning all his expensive possessions. He was a wanderer for the first few days until he had chanced upon Yamazaki who was kind enough to let him stay in his humble abode. The man did not ask questions until Eriol had told him. Even then, Eriol had withheld certain facts.
It was an odd thing, but the search for him wasn't thorough. The police were on a lookout for him but they did their scouting in secret, as if someone ordered them to keep this matter a hush-hush. There were a good number looking for him and dodging them was no piece of cake. Eriol remembered thanking the gods for having friends in high places who believed in his innocence. They probably didn't want him to go to prison as much as he didn't.
Eriol sighed. He hated remembering those bitter memories. But he never wanted to forget them either.
No, they were precious even if they showed him how odious some humans could be. Even if they were painful and maddening to recall.
But they were only memories...
...and this was now.
He sighed once more.
*******************************************************************************************
"We're here, Tomoyo-sama." The carriage door containing the said Daidouji was opened by Arashi. Once again, Sonomi had become strict when it came to her daughter's safety.
"Arigato. I can go on alone from here," Tomoyo said, smiling at the older woman.
"But my orders are to accompany you, Tomoyo-sama. Sonomi-sama would not be pleased if I let you go by yourself," Arashi protested.
"I'll be fine, Arashi-san. Besides, I won't be alone. I have a friend who is going to watch the fireworks display with me," The girl reasoned. She was looking forward to gazing at the night sky and admiring the colorful lights up close since last year. She had been ill the previous year so she was only able to watch the show from her window.
The older woman looked doubtful.
"I'll be okay," Tomoyo reassured her guardian, who nodded, admitting defeat.
"All right, Tomoyo-sama. I'll stay by the carriage. But please don't wander too far. It's dangerous for a lady to be alone at night..."
Tomoyo's face broke into a smile. "Thank you. Don't worry, I'll come back here when I'm done." She left the dirt road where the horse and carriage were and headed to the nearby banks of the Sumida river. She was joined shortly by Eriol, who stopped a good meter away from her.
"Good evening, Daidouji-san." He greeted politely. He held a lantern in his right hand and he wore the traditional Japanese clothes.
"Good evening, Hiiragizawa-kun."
"And such a beautiful evening it is. But nothing compares to your beauty, my fair mademoiselle," Eriol replied.
She blushed, complementing the peach-colored silk kimono she was wearing. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Hiiragizawa-kun."
"But it seems to induce the reaction I want from you."
Tomoyo turned away, a smile tugging at her lips. He was too charming for his own good. "And what might that be?"
He closed the gap and leaned towards her ear and whispered, "You tell me."
She shivered at his closeness. "I-I..."
Eriol moved away, sensing her uneasiness. There he was again, flirting. He hoped the habit would leave him or would even shrink to a minimum. But there was no such thing as a miracle.
"Hiiragizawa!"
His head shot up to look at the boat that was floating steadily along the river towards him and Tomoyo. A confused look formed on his features. "Yamazaki?"
"What are you doing over there? The view's much nicer here!" Takashi Yamazaki yelled. Beside him, Chiharu waved.
"Yamazaki-kun's right Hiiragizawa-san! Come on. And bring your girlfriend with you!" She called enthusiastically.
Eriol looked at the flustered Tomoyo who was slightly pink from the earlier comment. "Is it all right with you?" He asked, hesitant. His friends were both complete strangers to the girl, in fact, even was he. He would completely understand if she decided to remain by the embankment. There was also the issue of secrecy and safety. If he was spotted with the couple and his newfound tomodachi, they would be in trouble as well.
Tomoyo looked at him for a moment before smiling. "Let's go." Her gut instincts told her that he was trustworthy.
He nodded, all his doubts dissolving into thin air.
Eriol waited for the wooden boat to near the shore, until the distance was enough for him to jump into the awaiting vessel. He leapt with practiced ease when it reached that certain point and offered his free hand to his companion who took it. He pulled her into the craft, amazed at how incredibly light she was. His surprise was not masked and Tomoyo sensed it when she looked at him to thank him.
She seemed to get that reaction often and replied, "I'm not malnutritioned, if that's what you're thinking."
He laughed the issue aside, genuinely curious on the reason behind her ability to read expressions extremely well. She was a very keen observer from what he had gathered the past few days.
"Nice of you to accept our invitation," Yamazaki commented as Eriol adjusted his gi.
"Thank you," Tomoyo said as she bowed down in respect.
Yamazaki's eyes widened slightly. "No need for that. I'm Takashi Yamazaki." He smiled, his eyes turning into slits.
She returned his smile. "Daidouji Tomoyo. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu."
"Such manners! Wherever did you meet her Hiiragizawa?" Yamazaki asked, his tone teasing.
Eriol replied coolly, taking no notice of the joking tone. "She's a priestess at the local shrine."
"A priestess? By any chance are you from the Amamiya clan?" Chiharu perked up from behind Yamazaki. Tomoyo had failed to notice the girl up until now. The two braids and printed red kimono were not hard to spot but Chiharu was short and Yamazaki's lanky figure covered her from view.
"Hai," Tomoyo affirmed.
"I knew it. I'm Mihara Chiharu." Chiharu flashed a smile, her pearly white teeth showing. She looked at Eriol and her smile turned into mischievous one. "Hope you aren't hiding anything from us, Hiiragizawa-san."
Eriol smiled innocently. "What? I'm not keeping anything secret. I'm hurt that you thought of me that way, Mihara-san."
Chiharu giggled. "May lightning strike those who lie. Or hanabi for that matter."
"Ouch." Yamazaki joked, earning an elbow in the stomach by Chiharu.
They laughed. Suddenly, they heard a loud bang and their laughs were replaced by gasps of wonder and amazement. The once previously dark sky was lit up by the bright golden fireworks.
"Kirei..." Tomoyo murmured and with the corner of her eye, Eriol nodded.
"Did you know that the Ryogoku we know today was a form of paying respect and warding of evil spirits?" Yamazaki asked, his eyes straying from the sky and landing on Tomoyo. He had this weird look on his face.
"Don't listen to him, Daidouji-san." Chiharu warned Tomoyo and to her soon-to-be-husband, "Yamazaki-kun, your tall tales might drive our guests away."
"But they're not tall tales Chiharu! Tell her, Hiiragizawa-san." Yamazaki protested.
Eriol cleared his throat. "It's true, Mihara-san. A century ago, the shogun Yoshimune, organized this fireworks festival to show respect to the many people who died the year before due to--"
"--a great famine. Some people said that these people's spirits kept coming back in markets, begging for food. The shogun thought of a way to lead them to rest through the hanabi. See Chiharu? I wasn't making it up." Yamazaki continued, his pointer digit in the air.
"Hmph." Chiharu crossed her arms on her chest. "Whatever." She did not trust the story almost as much as she could smell it.
Tomoyo giggled at the antics of the two. The couple were both so comfortable with one another, it was cute. She noticed however, that Eriol too seemed detached to them, if only slightly.
"Daidouji-san?" Eriol's voice brought her back to reality. He wore a look of genuine concern.
"Hm? Nani desu ka, Hiiragizawa-kun?" She smiled faintly, trying to erase the worried expression on his handsome face.
He shook his head, "Nothing. Just wanted to let you know that you're missing out on the fun." He tilted his head towards the brightly-lit sky, dark strands of hair covering his face.
"Oh."
"But if you decide to join us, we'll be delighted to have you," He said, "or would you prefer to be left to your solitude?"
She didn't reply. Her eyes were solidly transfixed on the glowing explosives in the heavens.
"Wouldn't it be better if there were more colors?" He asked, following her lead and looking up.
She looked at him oddly. "Colors? Like red, blue and green?"
"Yes. But the white and gold are still nice the way they are..."
They looked on for the next few minutes, oblivious to the very loud disagreement between Yamazaki and Chiharu. When they finally looked away from the dazzling spectacle, they were both met with a very annoyed couple.
"Kagiya!!!!!!!!!!"
"No, Tamaya!!!!!!!!"
"I said, KAGIYA!" Chiharu said angrily.
Yamazaki wrinkled his nose. "T-A-M-A-Y-A"
"Guys, this is getting a little out of hand...maybe let's just call it a tie?" Tomoyo suggested, "They are both very good when it comes to the art of pyrotechnics." She had met both clans three years before and they were both very dedicated to their work.
Eriol nodded solemnly. "Daidouji-san is right. And besides, it's rude to fight in front of a guest."
Both shut up almost immediately.
"I'm sorry. I got a little carried away," Chiharu apologized.
Yamazaki agreed.
"Let's just watch the fireworks," Eriol recommended.
The group did and as the fireworks continued, Eriol suddenly felt very relieved and happy. He was watching one of the most spectacular displays ever with his friends and acquaintance. He was free from the stress of hiding. He just hoped it would stay that way. Even if it wasn't on a boat sailing along the Sumida river.
*******************************************************************************************
"I had a wonderful time, Hiiragizawa-kun. Thank you." Tomoyo said as her wooden slippers clicked noisily on the pavement. The boat had floated down the river farther than she had expected due to the current and as a result, led to her walking back to the carriage. If she had remained on shore, she would not be making this tiring journey on foot. Eriol had offered to see her off "just to make sure" as he said so pointedly.
"The fireworks get better every year. Maybe in the future, there will be more colors." He looked pensive at that idea. "I'll take you to see them then."
"I'd like that." She flashed one of her heartfelt smiles in his direction.
He turned away in an attempt to stop the weird beating in his heart. "Well..." They continued walking in silence, the crickets and Tomoyo's slippers the only source of noise. The carriage came into view, thus ending the long stroll along the street.
"Thank you once again, Hiiragizawa-kun." Tomoyo said as she stopped a few meters from the awaiting stage coach.
"It was my pleasure."
"I'll see you around."
"Yeah..."
^____TsUzUkU_____^
Author's Notes Japanese History with Na-chan
The information Eriol said about the Ryogoku is true. In 1733, a famine broke out in Japan, killing hundreds of people. The following year, the shogun decided to use fireworks to pay his respects to them. The second half of Yamazaki's statement (The part where spirits begged for food in markets) is merely something from my twisted mind. -.-
Fireworks back then were very limited in color. Red, blue and green only became one of those colors in 1879 (8 years after our story) when new chemicals were brought to Japan. The rival fireworks makers then were the Kagiya and the Tamaya families hence Yamazaki and Chiharu's disagreement on who was better.
Okay, I bored you enough. Review! or I will sic my truckload of encyclopedias at you! Kyahahaha!
Source: www.
Japanese Translations*
Hanabi-fireworks
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu-Nice to meet you
Kimono-Japanese clothing for women.
Gi-Japanese clothing for men. It's the top section. The hakama is the bottom part. ^.^
Nani desu ka-What do you want?
Kirei-Beautiful;Pretty