"Stigmatized"
By:Na-chan
Disclaimer: CLAMP owns Tomoyo. CLAMP owns Eriol. CLAMP owns Yamazaki. CLAMP owns Chiharu. CLAMP
owns the characters!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't!!!!!!!!! The Calling owns Stigmatized.
Chapter 6: Not Goodbye, See You Later
"talking"
'thinking'
~song~
*******************************************************************************************
~And live our lives...~
"To say goodbye?" Tomoyo repeated. The drowsiness suddenly erupted into thin air. "Why?" It was
an almost inaudible question because the girl's voice had softened a few notches.
Eriol looked into her amethyst eyes and smiled in a remorseful way. "It's...complicated." He
didn't want her to know. He didn't want her to be involved. He shoved his left hand into his
pants' pocket and fingered the golden necklace he had bought earlier. It was his farewell present
to Tomoyo for being his friend, despite everything else.
"Complicated?" Tomoyo's voice now rose and Eriol could tell that she was quite angry. "Don't you
think I can handle it?"
He flinched at the tone but was a tad amused. She was always so calm and serene that moments
like these were priceless. "I think, no, I believe you can, but..."
"But what?"
"...it's nothing." He shrugged the matter off. "I don't want you to worry about things like
these."
She raised an eyebrow. "Really? I can't 'not worry', Hiiragizawa-kun. You're my friend. It's my
duty to worry about your welfare!" She turned her head away from him and looked down on the
floor.
The corners of his lips tugged into a knowing smirk. "And it's my duty to care for yours. It's
better this way."
"They're looking for you again, aren't they?" Her eyes went back to him and she scanned his
cerulean ones for any emotions that she hoped would be there. To her disappointment, she was only
able to locate sadness. There was no surprise in them, as if he knew she would find out.
"Yeah. That's why I'm leaving Tokyo. It'll be harder for them to track me down. The world is a
very large place," Eriol said then added, "I'll miss this place though. The food, the scenery and
mostly, the people."
Tomoyo's bit her lip. This whole thing was going so fast. She had just met him a month ago and
now he was leaving. He was her first confidant after so many years. After his departure, life
would be twice as lonely as before.
"Do you really have to go?" She managed to ask. It was a selfish question, but she had been very
generous all her life.
"...don't make this any harder, Daidouji-san. I'm already missing you and I haven't gone yet!" He
joked. It was no lie that he would long for her smile, her voice and her attitude. She was
special to him that way. His ichiban tomodachi.
"I'm sorry. But you're innocent, Eriol-kun! Why can't they understand that?"
He smiled at her, noticing the change in her way of calling him. "Are you sure I am,
Tomoyo-san?" He asked, following suit. "All you know, I could be a spy trying to get close to you
in order to get a hold on some very important information."
She laughed. "You're not. That's absolutely silly."
"Well, that silly notion happens to be the reason why half the police force is after me now."
"But you're not a spy. I can see it in your eyes," She replied philosophically. "They're very
beautiful eyes, Eriol-kun. They're a unique hue of blue with specks of gray. But they're lonely
too." She commented, gazing into the aforementioned things in observation.
"I always knew you were vigilant. There happens to be no one who has ever told me that." Whether
he was referring to the color or the lonely comment, Tomoyo didn't know. She wondered if he took
offense, but the small smile he gave her way made her doubts disperse.
Eriol glanced at the moon. "Lonely eh? I guess I am. But I'm not the only one," He said, "you're
just as lonely as I am, Tomoyo-san."
"Maybe I am," She conceded easily. "But this month has been one of the most happy days of my
life. Arigato gozaimasu." She had to let him go.
He nodded. "It is I who should be thanking you. But since you've already said it, I'll just have
to be original." He pulled out the necklace that was in his pocket. The gold chain glimmered in
the night, its pendant an amethyst-colored jewel.
Tomoyo was speechless. When she finally did recover, she murmured, "Kirei."
"It's for you. A farewell present to remember me by." Eriol proceeded to unclasp the latch of the
chain and walked closer to her. He brushed Tomoyo's braid away from her pale neck and secured the
clasp. When he was done, he backed away from her and admired her.
Undoubtedly, she looked every inch a goddess with her eyes glistening.
They were interrupted by a voice coming from the inside of the house. "Tomoyo-sama? Are you still
awake?"
Tomoyo's eyes widened slightly, and she glanced worriedly at her room. "It's Arashi-san. I'm
sure she'll go away if we keep quiet," She whispered to Eriol.
He grinned. "I didn't know you were the sneaky type," He whispered.
She rolled her eyes. "I didn't know you were such a tease. And you jumping that wall. Now, I'm
not so sure if you're really not a spy."
Eriol grimaced. "Don't say things you don't mean, Tomoyo-san."
Their conversation was cut short, however, when some light came from Tomoyo's room.
"Tomoyo-sama?" Arashi persisted. Tomoyo knew the guard was already in her room and it would be
difficult to dissuade the older woman from going outside.
He seemed to sense the situation they were in and started to take shelter by climbing on the only
tree in that side of the house. The maple leaves barely rustled when he was doing this task.
And not a moment too soon. The sliding door opened to reveal Arashi, "There you are. Sonomi-sama
was asking if you were still awake." She left the room and went into the corridor.
Tomoyo giggled. "Okaasama, really. I'll go tell her myself in a few minutes. I'm still not
through here."
Arashi nodded in understanding. "I'll be patrolling the house. Call if you need me." Then she
took one quick scan of the garden and left through the door she had come from earlier.
When the guard was gone, Tomoyo let out a sigh of relief. "You can come out now, Eriol-kun."
Eriol jumped down from one of the high branches and landed on his feet perfectly. He walked
calmly towards her.
She smiled when he was near her. "That was close."
The lad nodded. "I'd like to thank my grandmother for insisting that I take some martial arts.
Apparently, they come in handy when breaking into another's house."
Her eyes narrowed. "Don't go spouting ideas like that in public. They might just do it." She
laughed. "Besides, they would give some dojos bad names."
"Of course," He agreed. "Well, I best be on my way. You still have to go to Daidouji-sama."
"All right. But promise to be careful. I'll miss you." Tomoyo hugged him tightly, much to the
surprise of both Eriol and she.
He squeezed her back. "I promise. I'll miss you too." He then was promptly released from the
girl's embrace. "Sayonara," He told her.
She shook her head vehemently "No, ja ne."
Ja ne. See you around.
"Ah," He said, "ja ne then."
Her face broke into a bright smile, and Eriol memorized it. She was beautiful when she was
smiling.
The next minute, he was back outside the walls of the mansion, on his way out of her life. The
only weird thing is that Eriol felt he had left a part of him there.
*******************************************************************************************
The dock was silent, the calm waters of the sea crashing rhythmically to a beat no one could
hear. Almost all the ships were tied and their crew resting somewhere below deck. There was only
one that had steam coming from its main pipe. It was ready to set sail. At 3 o'clock in the
morning. It was unusually early, it being the witching hour too, and the first mate grumbled a
sigh of protest to the captain. They were at the deck, watching the water.
"Why do we have to leave this early, cap'n? We're not yet scheduled for another seven hours."
The captain, a tall brown-haired chap with a beard laughed gaily, despite his companion's unhappy
state. "Special orders. We have to take someone important along." He did not mention where--it
was understood that they would be going to the same venue but at an earlier time.
The first mate shook his head, but he understood his senior's words and took them seriously.
They were talking about a VIP that the master had sent. "I'm sorry for complaining, cap'n."
"Well, it's also a favor for an old acquaintance. You remember Hiiragizawa Eriol, Sawada?"
"The boy we brought along with us at the nearing of the end of the Tokugawa? That was a very
dangerous time. His mother was with him, right?" Of course he remembered!? Who wouldn't? It had
been a critical time when Sawada had met that boy. The twelve year old was amazed with the
structure of the ship and he, being the nice second-in-command, was unloaded the task of being a
tour guide to the child. It wasn't an afternoon wasted with an inattentive and annoying brat,
however and Sawada found himself in the presence of a knowledgeable kid.
The older man nodded. "That's him. He's become one of the master's associates. For someone as
young as him, it's been tough having to manage his numerous pieces of land. That's probably why
he's decided to go on this ad hoc vacation back to Europe."
"It makes sense though I would have never thought of a reason like that. Rich people today..."
Sawada pointed out, his jet-black hair flying all over his face. "The wind's picking up," He
commented.
"We should wait for it to die down. There might be a storm...and we don't want that while we're
at sea."
*******************************************************************************************
He stood, cloaked in all black. He held two bags on both of his hands, a grim expression marring
his handsome features. This was the most grave of hours, and he hoped it would end swiftly. The
port was still empty and the ship that was to take him back to Europe was not in sight. Maybe it
had changed in appearance over the years. It had been five years, and mere knowledge of the
exterior would be a very vague path to tread on.
He passed a couple of them, taking notice the fact that all these were docked, and not in all
certainty, ready to leave. There was one with smoke rising from its huge pipe; that had to be the
one he was searching for. He hurried towards it, but before he reached the vessel, a police
officer appeared from one of the warehouses. Eriol did not have to look at the man's face long
enough to realize that this was the older man of the two officers he was running from the day he
had come upon Tomoyo in the shrine. Unluckily, the gray-haired individual noticed this too.
"Hey! You there!" He called, as Eriol made a dash in the opposite direction. The dark-haired boy
could've acted that he was not the accused if this was an ordinary policeman, but he knew this
one knew all the tricks in the book. Eriol had barely managed to escape from him the last time.
Eriol ran across the boardwalk and headed for a side street. The two pieces of luggage he had
been carrying where both very cooperative with the abuse their master was subjecting them to.
After the first ten yards, he glanced back to check if he was still being followed. His pursuer
was nowhere in sight. Probably got tired from all that running. He slowed down his pace and hid
behind a couple of barrels stocked behind an alley to catch his breath.
After a while, he heard the pitter patter of feet. A quick peek revealed several men in uniform.
Their leader, a short balding man in his forties, let out a cough to catch the attention of
his subordinates.
"Keep your eyes peeled. He's sneaky, men. Be on your guard at all times. According to the report
filed earlier, he's a dark-haired individual with glasses. He's pretty tall for his age of
seventeen. He should be around the area. Split into groups of two and search for him."
A resounding reply of, "Yes sir!" came from the officers.
"They want him alive...but if he resists, we are allowed to use force." The man added quickly,
his voice serious. "He's dangerous. Dismissed."
The other men dissipated almost immediately, and Eriol was grateful that none of them had decided
to go his direction. When the captain and the officer designated to accompany him had left, the
boy walked cautiously out of his hiding spot.
The dock would probably be crawling with law enforcement. The only other option was to hide. He
had connections to help him find a safe hideaway for the time being but the nearest of them was
still a good distance away.
He started to walk as fast as he could without being detected, both of his bags still in his
hands.
*******************************************************************************************
She still couldn't sleep. After bidding Eriol farewell, she had gone to Sonomi who had told her
about a business trip to Kyoto. Her mother had asked if she wanted to come but she had declined.
She was dismissed after that and she had returned to the confines of her room.
Now, she was back to tossing and turning in her mat.
'Why can't I sleep? Is there some force keeping me awake?'
Roll to the right.
'No, there's no such thing. Maybe I'm becoming paranoid.'
Roll to the left.
'...or is it because this weird feeling is still here?'
Look up to the ceiling.
'Maybe I am paranoid.'
Stare.
"Aarg!"
She suddenly went still, tired and weary of not being able to rest. Her eyes fluttered to a close
and she dreamt.
*******************************************************************************************
His fingers were on the wound immediately, trying to gauge on its fatality. It wasn't deep; just
a cut from a blade. A laceration. From the steady flow of warm liquid coming from his side, he
could tell that only a vein was damaged. This was nothing, but it would slow down his progress.
The loss of blood would also be a problem.
"Surrender now before we are forced to kill you!" The officer called out from across him. The
man's blade was stained from the blood that had come from Eriol's side.
Eriol managed a smirk, despite his condition. This man before him had caught him off guard and
now was threatening him. It was amusing.
"...I'm sorry but I can't do such a thing." Eriol said nonchalantly. There was a very dangerous
edge to his normally calm voice which sent a shiver down the other man's spine.
The policeman hesitated at first, reminding himself of the mission at hand before he lunged at
the foreigner, his blade drawn. He came in contact with thin air. The next moment he felt
something hit him on the head and he promptly blacked out.
Eriol stood behind his fallen attacker, both suitcases in hand. He spoke in a knowledgeable tone,
"A weapon is anything that can be used against an adversary, my friend."
Satisfied that the man on the ground was not yet dead, Eriol heaved his two pieces of baggage
and headed north.
That was when it started to rain.
"It's just a drizzle," Eriol stated calmly, as he made his way through the street. He actually
liked rain.
As if on cue, the rain poured with all its might and thunder rumbled off in the distance.
He cursed his bad luck and headed for the nearest shelter he knew of.
The shrine.
*******************************************************************************************
There were hazy images but she ignored them except for one. It was the one in where she had said
goodbye to Eriol. Everything had happened like she had remembered but when she reached the part
in where she had embraced him, he said something different.
"Gomen ne, Tomoyo-san...I can't keep that promise." He whispered in her hair.
She looked at him incredulously. "But, why?" A million thoughts raced through her brain.
His eyes twinkled and his mouth formed into a smile.
"Just because."
She released him from hug, then she noticed her hands. They were covered.
Covered with blood.
Eriol's blood.
Then she noticed the pained expression on his handsome face.
"Gomen ne, Tomoyo-san."
Eriol collapsed in her arms then Tomoyo let out a horrified gasp. Tears came from her eyes as she
pleaded.
"Eriol-kun! Wake up! Don't leave me!! Please...please..."
Please...
"Tomoyo-sama! Wake up! It's just a dream! Please get a hold of yourself!"
She awoke in a midst of sweat. Her eyes were wet with tears. Her hands were wet too...
She hurriedly checked them and was relieved to find that they were not covered in blood. They
were probably just wet from her tears. Arashi was beside her, worriedly asking if she was
all right.
"I-I'm fine, Arashi-san." Tomoyo managed after awhile. "It was just a bad dream." More like a
nightmare.
"Are you sure, Tomoyo-sama? I sent Rinoko for your mother just in case..."
She shook her head. "Yes, I'm fine. I just need to think for a while." She stood up and was about
to leave the room to go to the garden when Arashi stopped her.
"It started raining, Tomoyo-sama. The corridor is slippery."
"O-Okay. I'll just stay here. Please tell Okaasama that I'm fine. I don't want to be disturbed."
The guard nodded and left the room, shutting the sliding door as quietly as possible.
Tomoyo let out a sigh as she touched the necklace she was wearing, concealed by her clothes. It
was all a dream.
A dream...
^____TsUzUkU_____^
A/N: Sorry if Eriol doesn't fight much, but from what I know he isn't the type to do things
directly. He doesn't have magic in this story too. I don't do fighting scenes too well so I made
it short. Don't forget to drop moi a review!
*Japanese Terminology
Sayonara-goodbye
tomodachi-friend
dojo-a place to train
By:Na-chan
Disclaimer: CLAMP owns Tomoyo. CLAMP owns Eriol. CLAMP owns Yamazaki. CLAMP owns Chiharu. CLAMP
owns the characters!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't!!!!!!!!! The Calling owns Stigmatized.
Chapter 6: Not Goodbye, See You Later
"talking"
'thinking'
~song~
*******************************************************************************************
~And live our lives...~
"To say goodbye?" Tomoyo repeated. The drowsiness suddenly erupted into thin air. "Why?" It was
an almost inaudible question because the girl's voice had softened a few notches.
Eriol looked into her amethyst eyes and smiled in a remorseful way. "It's...complicated." He
didn't want her to know. He didn't want her to be involved. He shoved his left hand into his
pants' pocket and fingered the golden necklace he had bought earlier. It was his farewell present
to Tomoyo for being his friend, despite everything else.
"Complicated?" Tomoyo's voice now rose and Eriol could tell that she was quite angry. "Don't you
think I can handle it?"
He flinched at the tone but was a tad amused. She was always so calm and serene that moments
like these were priceless. "I think, no, I believe you can, but..."
"But what?"
"...it's nothing." He shrugged the matter off. "I don't want you to worry about things like
these."
She raised an eyebrow. "Really? I can't 'not worry', Hiiragizawa-kun. You're my friend. It's my
duty to worry about your welfare!" She turned her head away from him and looked down on the
floor.
The corners of his lips tugged into a knowing smirk. "And it's my duty to care for yours. It's
better this way."
"They're looking for you again, aren't they?" Her eyes went back to him and she scanned his
cerulean ones for any emotions that she hoped would be there. To her disappointment, she was only
able to locate sadness. There was no surprise in them, as if he knew she would find out.
"Yeah. That's why I'm leaving Tokyo. It'll be harder for them to track me down. The world is a
very large place," Eriol said then added, "I'll miss this place though. The food, the scenery and
mostly, the people."
Tomoyo's bit her lip. This whole thing was going so fast. She had just met him a month ago and
now he was leaving. He was her first confidant after so many years. After his departure, life
would be twice as lonely as before.
"Do you really have to go?" She managed to ask. It was a selfish question, but she had been very
generous all her life.
"...don't make this any harder, Daidouji-san. I'm already missing you and I haven't gone yet!" He
joked. It was no lie that he would long for her smile, her voice and her attitude. She was
special to him that way. His ichiban tomodachi.
"I'm sorry. But you're innocent, Eriol-kun! Why can't they understand that?"
He smiled at her, noticing the change in her way of calling him. "Are you sure I am,
Tomoyo-san?" He asked, following suit. "All you know, I could be a spy trying to get close to you
in order to get a hold on some very important information."
She laughed. "You're not. That's absolutely silly."
"Well, that silly notion happens to be the reason why half the police force is after me now."
"But you're not a spy. I can see it in your eyes," She replied philosophically. "They're very
beautiful eyes, Eriol-kun. They're a unique hue of blue with specks of gray. But they're lonely
too." She commented, gazing into the aforementioned things in observation.
"I always knew you were vigilant. There happens to be no one who has ever told me that." Whether
he was referring to the color or the lonely comment, Tomoyo didn't know. She wondered if he took
offense, but the small smile he gave her way made her doubts disperse.
Eriol glanced at the moon. "Lonely eh? I guess I am. But I'm not the only one," He said, "you're
just as lonely as I am, Tomoyo-san."
"Maybe I am," She conceded easily. "But this month has been one of the most happy days of my
life. Arigato gozaimasu." She had to let him go.
He nodded. "It is I who should be thanking you. But since you've already said it, I'll just have
to be original." He pulled out the necklace that was in his pocket. The gold chain glimmered in
the night, its pendant an amethyst-colored jewel.
Tomoyo was speechless. When she finally did recover, she murmured, "Kirei."
"It's for you. A farewell present to remember me by." Eriol proceeded to unclasp the latch of the
chain and walked closer to her. He brushed Tomoyo's braid away from her pale neck and secured the
clasp. When he was done, he backed away from her and admired her.
Undoubtedly, she looked every inch a goddess with her eyes glistening.
They were interrupted by a voice coming from the inside of the house. "Tomoyo-sama? Are you still
awake?"
Tomoyo's eyes widened slightly, and she glanced worriedly at her room. "It's Arashi-san. I'm
sure she'll go away if we keep quiet," She whispered to Eriol.
He grinned. "I didn't know you were the sneaky type," He whispered.
She rolled her eyes. "I didn't know you were such a tease. And you jumping that wall. Now, I'm
not so sure if you're really not a spy."
Eriol grimaced. "Don't say things you don't mean, Tomoyo-san."
Their conversation was cut short, however, when some light came from Tomoyo's room.
"Tomoyo-sama?" Arashi persisted. Tomoyo knew the guard was already in her room and it would be
difficult to dissuade the older woman from going outside.
He seemed to sense the situation they were in and started to take shelter by climbing on the only
tree in that side of the house. The maple leaves barely rustled when he was doing this task.
And not a moment too soon. The sliding door opened to reveal Arashi, "There you are. Sonomi-sama
was asking if you were still awake." She left the room and went into the corridor.
Tomoyo giggled. "Okaasama, really. I'll go tell her myself in a few minutes. I'm still not
through here."
Arashi nodded in understanding. "I'll be patrolling the house. Call if you need me." Then she
took one quick scan of the garden and left through the door she had come from earlier.
When the guard was gone, Tomoyo let out a sigh of relief. "You can come out now, Eriol-kun."
Eriol jumped down from one of the high branches and landed on his feet perfectly. He walked
calmly towards her.
She smiled when he was near her. "That was close."
The lad nodded. "I'd like to thank my grandmother for insisting that I take some martial arts.
Apparently, they come in handy when breaking into another's house."
Her eyes narrowed. "Don't go spouting ideas like that in public. They might just do it." She
laughed. "Besides, they would give some dojos bad names."
"Of course," He agreed. "Well, I best be on my way. You still have to go to Daidouji-sama."
"All right. But promise to be careful. I'll miss you." Tomoyo hugged him tightly, much to the
surprise of both Eriol and she.
He squeezed her back. "I promise. I'll miss you too." He then was promptly released from the
girl's embrace. "Sayonara," He told her.
She shook her head vehemently "No, ja ne."
Ja ne. See you around.
"Ah," He said, "ja ne then."
Her face broke into a bright smile, and Eriol memorized it. She was beautiful when she was
smiling.
The next minute, he was back outside the walls of the mansion, on his way out of her life. The
only weird thing is that Eriol felt he had left a part of him there.
*******************************************************************************************
The dock was silent, the calm waters of the sea crashing rhythmically to a beat no one could
hear. Almost all the ships were tied and their crew resting somewhere below deck. There was only
one that had steam coming from its main pipe. It was ready to set sail. At 3 o'clock in the
morning. It was unusually early, it being the witching hour too, and the first mate grumbled a
sigh of protest to the captain. They were at the deck, watching the water.
"Why do we have to leave this early, cap'n? We're not yet scheduled for another seven hours."
The captain, a tall brown-haired chap with a beard laughed gaily, despite his companion's unhappy
state. "Special orders. We have to take someone important along." He did not mention where--it
was understood that they would be going to the same venue but at an earlier time.
The first mate shook his head, but he understood his senior's words and took them seriously.
They were talking about a VIP that the master had sent. "I'm sorry for complaining, cap'n."
"Well, it's also a favor for an old acquaintance. You remember Hiiragizawa Eriol, Sawada?"
"The boy we brought along with us at the nearing of the end of the Tokugawa? That was a very
dangerous time. His mother was with him, right?" Of course he remembered!? Who wouldn't? It had
been a critical time when Sawada had met that boy. The twelve year old was amazed with the
structure of the ship and he, being the nice second-in-command, was unloaded the task of being a
tour guide to the child. It wasn't an afternoon wasted with an inattentive and annoying brat,
however and Sawada found himself in the presence of a knowledgeable kid.
The older man nodded. "That's him. He's become one of the master's associates. For someone as
young as him, it's been tough having to manage his numerous pieces of land. That's probably why
he's decided to go on this ad hoc vacation back to Europe."
"It makes sense though I would have never thought of a reason like that. Rich people today..."
Sawada pointed out, his jet-black hair flying all over his face. "The wind's picking up," He
commented.
"We should wait for it to die down. There might be a storm...and we don't want that while we're
at sea."
*******************************************************************************************
He stood, cloaked in all black. He held two bags on both of his hands, a grim expression marring
his handsome features. This was the most grave of hours, and he hoped it would end swiftly. The
port was still empty and the ship that was to take him back to Europe was not in sight. Maybe it
had changed in appearance over the years. It had been five years, and mere knowledge of the
exterior would be a very vague path to tread on.
He passed a couple of them, taking notice the fact that all these were docked, and not in all
certainty, ready to leave. There was one with smoke rising from its huge pipe; that had to be the
one he was searching for. He hurried towards it, but before he reached the vessel, a police
officer appeared from one of the warehouses. Eriol did not have to look at the man's face long
enough to realize that this was the older man of the two officers he was running from the day he
had come upon Tomoyo in the shrine. Unluckily, the gray-haired individual noticed this too.
"Hey! You there!" He called, as Eriol made a dash in the opposite direction. The dark-haired boy
could've acted that he was not the accused if this was an ordinary policeman, but he knew this
one knew all the tricks in the book. Eriol had barely managed to escape from him the last time.
Eriol ran across the boardwalk and headed for a side street. The two pieces of luggage he had
been carrying where both very cooperative with the abuse their master was subjecting them to.
After the first ten yards, he glanced back to check if he was still being followed. His pursuer
was nowhere in sight. Probably got tired from all that running. He slowed down his pace and hid
behind a couple of barrels stocked behind an alley to catch his breath.
After a while, he heard the pitter patter of feet. A quick peek revealed several men in uniform.
Their leader, a short balding man in his forties, let out a cough to catch the attention of
his subordinates.
"Keep your eyes peeled. He's sneaky, men. Be on your guard at all times. According to the report
filed earlier, he's a dark-haired individual with glasses. He's pretty tall for his age of
seventeen. He should be around the area. Split into groups of two and search for him."
A resounding reply of, "Yes sir!" came from the officers.
"They want him alive...but if he resists, we are allowed to use force." The man added quickly,
his voice serious. "He's dangerous. Dismissed."
The other men dissipated almost immediately, and Eriol was grateful that none of them had decided
to go his direction. When the captain and the officer designated to accompany him had left, the
boy walked cautiously out of his hiding spot.
The dock would probably be crawling with law enforcement. The only other option was to hide. He
had connections to help him find a safe hideaway for the time being but the nearest of them was
still a good distance away.
He started to walk as fast as he could without being detected, both of his bags still in his
hands.
*******************************************************************************************
She still couldn't sleep. After bidding Eriol farewell, she had gone to Sonomi who had told her
about a business trip to Kyoto. Her mother had asked if she wanted to come but she had declined.
She was dismissed after that and she had returned to the confines of her room.
Now, she was back to tossing and turning in her mat.
'Why can't I sleep? Is there some force keeping me awake?'
Roll to the right.
'No, there's no such thing. Maybe I'm becoming paranoid.'
Roll to the left.
'...or is it because this weird feeling is still here?'
Look up to the ceiling.
'Maybe I am paranoid.'
Stare.
"Aarg!"
She suddenly went still, tired and weary of not being able to rest. Her eyes fluttered to a close
and she dreamt.
*******************************************************************************************
His fingers were on the wound immediately, trying to gauge on its fatality. It wasn't deep; just
a cut from a blade. A laceration. From the steady flow of warm liquid coming from his side, he
could tell that only a vein was damaged. This was nothing, but it would slow down his progress.
The loss of blood would also be a problem.
"Surrender now before we are forced to kill you!" The officer called out from across him. The
man's blade was stained from the blood that had come from Eriol's side.
Eriol managed a smirk, despite his condition. This man before him had caught him off guard and
now was threatening him. It was amusing.
"...I'm sorry but I can't do such a thing." Eriol said nonchalantly. There was a very dangerous
edge to his normally calm voice which sent a shiver down the other man's spine.
The policeman hesitated at first, reminding himself of the mission at hand before he lunged at
the foreigner, his blade drawn. He came in contact with thin air. The next moment he felt
something hit him on the head and he promptly blacked out.
Eriol stood behind his fallen attacker, both suitcases in hand. He spoke in a knowledgeable tone,
"A weapon is anything that can be used against an adversary, my friend."
Satisfied that the man on the ground was not yet dead, Eriol heaved his two pieces of baggage
and headed north.
That was when it started to rain.
"It's just a drizzle," Eriol stated calmly, as he made his way through the street. He actually
liked rain.
As if on cue, the rain poured with all its might and thunder rumbled off in the distance.
He cursed his bad luck and headed for the nearest shelter he knew of.
The shrine.
*******************************************************************************************
There were hazy images but she ignored them except for one. It was the one in where she had said
goodbye to Eriol. Everything had happened like she had remembered but when she reached the part
in where she had embraced him, he said something different.
"Gomen ne, Tomoyo-san...I can't keep that promise." He whispered in her hair.
She looked at him incredulously. "But, why?" A million thoughts raced through her brain.
His eyes twinkled and his mouth formed into a smile.
"Just because."
She released him from hug, then she noticed her hands. They were covered.
Covered with blood.
Eriol's blood.
Then she noticed the pained expression on his handsome face.
"Gomen ne, Tomoyo-san."
Eriol collapsed in her arms then Tomoyo let out a horrified gasp. Tears came from her eyes as she
pleaded.
"Eriol-kun! Wake up! Don't leave me!! Please...please..."
Please...
"Tomoyo-sama! Wake up! It's just a dream! Please get a hold of yourself!"
She awoke in a midst of sweat. Her eyes were wet with tears. Her hands were wet too...
She hurriedly checked them and was relieved to find that they were not covered in blood. They
were probably just wet from her tears. Arashi was beside her, worriedly asking if she was
all right.
"I-I'm fine, Arashi-san." Tomoyo managed after awhile. "It was just a bad dream." More like a
nightmare.
"Are you sure, Tomoyo-sama? I sent Rinoko for your mother just in case..."
She shook her head. "Yes, I'm fine. I just need to think for a while." She stood up and was about
to leave the room to go to the garden when Arashi stopped her.
"It started raining, Tomoyo-sama. The corridor is slippery."
"O-Okay. I'll just stay here. Please tell Okaasama that I'm fine. I don't want to be disturbed."
The guard nodded and left the room, shutting the sliding door as quietly as possible.
Tomoyo let out a sigh as she touched the necklace she was wearing, concealed by her clothes. It
was all a dream.
A dream...
^____TsUzUkU_____^
A/N: Sorry if Eriol doesn't fight much, but from what I know he isn't the type to do things
directly. He doesn't have magic in this story too. I don't do fighting scenes too well so I made
it short. Don't forget to drop moi a review!
*Japanese Terminology
Sayonara-goodbye
tomodachi-friend
dojo-a place to train