Kirika: Thanks for the attention, I hope you like this chapter.
Suppi: That's it! After a week without the computer, another week sick, and four days traveling, the first thing this crazy girl did was finish the pendent chapter to put it up a.s.a.p, and she just says "hope you like it!"...
Kirika: should I say something else? #Deep thought# Oh yes, I only own the plot, Yumiko, Nicholas and Kurd, the rest belongs to clamp!
Suppi: Forget what I said. You have no cure.
Kirika: nani? O_o??
Chapter 7 Review
Once alone, they simply stared at each other in silence, when finally Nicholas broke the silence.
"You want to know, don't you? How could an old man become so young."
Chapter 8
Stray Child
"That would be a good starting point. As I remember, you were around 23 when killed our parents, and now you look like a teenager... rather weird..."
"It shouldn't be... you might know what happened to him after a _certain_ girl used a _certain_ sword against him..."
"Him? If you are not Kurd, who are you?"
"As I said, Nicholas Kane. The son of Kurd and Marilyn Kane."
'So the devil had a son! That's why the aura didn't fade after we killed him... I thought we didn't hurt him to death, that's why he should still be behind us...' "And may I ask why you are here for?"
"Revenge! And to retrieve the sword."
"Revenge for what? Your father received what he deserved. It was not my fault; his soul couldn't be saved in this life. He passed away so he could correct his mistakes someday."
"Mistakes? Your family caused his ruin, all he wanted was justice, but no! You had to throw him down, and down! There shall be no mercy for you!!" his cold blue eyes shot daggers of ice; his beautifully sculpt lips (I'm in love with my character!!!) constricted in a thin line. Eriol knew almost nothing about whatever caused the hatred Kurd felt for them, but he could feel it was something really big. Where should this thread lead? Which dark secrets would they find? Time would tell.
"I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry. Even if I know it must have looked like the right thing to be done at the time, I am sorry for what our parents did." He was sincerely apologizing; he saw so much pain in those eyes... the same kind of pain Yumiko hid behind her dreamy face. The same kind of pain one must carry silently. The kind of pain time doesn't heal.
"SHUT UP!" Nicholas hissed, stepping closer to Eriol, using his whole height (and muscles) to intimidate him (1,94m, Eriol is just 1,86, Syaoran 1,90, Sakura and Tomoyo are 1,70, Yumiko is 1,74. Sorry for the interruption, but it's important to the story. Now you can keep on reading ^^). "You know what I'm here for, don't try to fool me with false apologies. Give me the sword!" his voice was filled with anger, and he said that in a way that could have frozen a volcano.
'Why does he want it?' "I don't even know where it is!" #kind of sarcastically#
"Don't lie to me... Tell me where is the sword, and maybe I shall let you live... or else..." a malicious grin took form, in a way that almost worried Eriol. He knew how far Nicholas's will of revenge could go, and there had been enough innocents involved in their fights to keep his mind full of guilt for more than a hundred reincarnations.
"I have no idea, and even if I knew, you would not be in my list for knowing it first."
"Worst for you. You have two weeks to give it to me. Or else I'll have to kill that stupid little girl who seemed so enchanted by my person. In fact, enchanted would be the perfect word to describe it..." his malicious grin assumed an almost perverted form, the thought of killing someone seemed to give him a strange kind of pleasure, which made Eriol feel sick just by looking at him.
"You are as low as your father." anger ruled Eriol's words, his mind disgusted by the thought of how cruel could someone be.
"Well, we'll see it. Two weeks!" and with that, he vanished, as if he had never been there at all. Eriol stood there for a while wondering how much of that information he could really consider, and how could he brake the spell in Chiharu; then decided to take a look at Yumiko.
-------In the nursery-------
"I did everything I could, but it's like she doesn't want to wake up. I've never seen such a fainting before, are you really sure she didn't have any traumatic experience that could have caused it?" the nurse actually seemed a little worried for the girl.
"I don't think so." He answered, flatly and emotionless. 'What could have happened inside her? What did he do?'
He sat by her side, holding her hand. Her soft dark hair spread in the soft pillow made her look even paler. The black aura around her now was almost tangible. 'Nicholas, if you really did what I believe you've done to her, there will be no mercy. And why would you like to have both swords? If your father really got the other, why does he want the two of them? What do they have to make them so special?' there were more questions than answers, and the clock was ticking.
"Eriol? Daijoubu?" a soft hand landed on his shoulder
"Yes Tomoyo. Thanks for asking." #trying to smile#
"What's the problem? I've never seen you so worried before... you know you can trust us. And Sakura will be happy to help, I'm sure." For the first time that day, she was putting their differences aside, finding their old friendship after years of distance.
"What did Syaoran tell you?" #suspicious look#
"Nothing, but I could say something was wrong about that guy by the way the two of you seemed to stiffen, and Syaoran was so anxious to take us out of there... definitively, there was something wrong. Also, I wanted to see how she was. I think it was something I said..." #little sad#
"Don't feel guilty, it wasn't. I think I'll take her home, I'll feel easier to wake her there."
"You mean it was... magic?"
"And the worst sort of. Do you know where she lives? I'd like you, Syaoran, Sakura and the guardians to go there tonight, so I can explain everything to you, and ten heads think better then five."
"No.. She arrived just yesterday, no time to get intimate. For how long have you known her?" jealousy was again driving her thoughts
"Nearly thirteen years." He said matter of factly, while writing something in a piece of paper. He handed it to her "Here's the address, please be there with them after class. I'll take her now" he picked Yumiko again; she looked like an angel in his arms. Tomoyo helped him with her hair, tying it up with one of the ribbons that held her tress in a bun.
'Yumiko, how much I envy you.' "Eriol, don't be that worried about it, as Sakura says, it's going to be all right!" she tried to enlighten his mood, smiling cheerfully, but all she got was a faint smile.
"I hope so Tomoyo. I really hope so. Would you please take care of Chiharu, and if you could bring her tonight too... it's important." Besides the oddness of the request, Tomoyo nodded in agreement, while the only boy she ever loved went home with other girl in his arms.
=====//=====//=====//=====//Yumiko's apartment//=====//=====//=====//=====
For the hundredth time after he teleported from the school hallways, Eriol chanted a waking incantation, but it failed to reach her mind. The dark aura around her head was so thick he couldn't see her face with his mental eyes. Spinel and Nakuru arrived after a few minutes, and the three of them were now searching for a counter-spell to wake her up.
"Nothing again, master?" Spinel asked, worried about both his master and his cousin.
"No... It's harder than I thought... maybe if I had all my powers now..." he paced around the living room, one hand behind his back, the other massaging his forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think about it before?" he stopped pacing and went to the music room, which was way more spacious. Many instruments were carefully placed in wooden shelves; a piano next to the windows in the left, the balcony across the door opening to beautiful view of the park and its lake.
"What is it, master?" Suppi followed him to the neat room.
"My other half can help me! He may not know very well yet to control his powers, but it will be easier to bring her back with his help, or else it will be too late."
"You mean the card mistress's father?"
"Why not? I need her back before they arrive. Have you left the note to Kaho?"
"Of course!"
"Fine." He summoned his staff and opened a mirror, which showed Fujitaka at the university. When he entered the restroom, Eriol teleported him to the apartment.
"Huh? Where am I?" the auburn haired man stood in the middle of the music room, surprised by the sudden change of decoration.
"Gomen ne for the abrupt and indelicate interruption, but I need your help." The blue haired teenager in dark robes went straight to the point.
"?"
Eriol asked him to follow him to the sitting room "See the girl in the couch? What do you feel?"
"Kami-sama! Who did this to her?" a shiver went down his spine both by the feel of whatever held the stranger in another dimension and the thought of his daughter being exposed to this kind of danger.
"I will explain it later. We need to wake her, will you help me?"
"Sure! What do you want me to do?"
"Follow me." Eriol took her inert body upstairs. He knew it was dangerous, but he had to take the risk. It was still daylight, and with Fujitaka by his side he would be able to keep the evil away. He placed her body in the middle of the Japanese garden, indicated the place where Fujitaka should stay and took position in the circle, just like the guardians had already done.
"What shall I do now?" his other half asked. Some of Clow's memories had already returned to him, but it would take him a lot of time until he remembered it all and learned how to control his parcel of power.
"Just relax and let your power act according to the circle's will" Eriol, Nakuru and Spinel chanted the spell on and on, until the glowing symbol below them glowed in a navy blue and golden pattern. The power grew and grew, until it came back down and concentrated in the body, now floating mid-way to the floor. The powerful light now showed the darkness that covered her body even to not magical eyes. It was a hard fight between them, and for a moment, the visions of misery and despair that were shown to the girl over and over could be seen and felt by Clow reincarnations. It was finally dissolved, and after a final spark, the light faded to reveal the waking girl, now gently laid in the grass.
"Thanks kami! Are you fine? What did he do to you?"
"I-I'm fine Eriol." Tears crossed her face and her voice was a little shaky, all the memories awakened and distorted by Kurd (better say, his handsome, hot and demoniac son) terrified her more than she would like to admit. She buried her face in Eriol's robes, crying silently.
"It's all right now... he won't hurt you any more..."
"Why me Eriol, why?"
"Shh... there'll be time to know that... calm down..."
"Shouldn't it be better if we went downstairs to make her some tea? It will help her to calm down." Fujitaka interrupted.
"Who are you?" her self-protective instinct awaken, she clung for dear life in Eriol's clothes. The power that man held was so raw and wild she couldn't determine whether he was good or not.
"Fujitaka Kinomoto. I was invited to help you." He had never seen so much fear in his life, but Eriol's expression was normal. He treated her just like a small child who needed lots of care, and at the same time, some sense of self and independence. Once he said that, she came back to normal, and stood up, yet a little unsteady.
"Arigatou gozaimasu! Sorry for the inconvenient" she bowed and went downstairs with the men. Nakuru was already in the kitchen preparing a snack, for she knew about the visitors to come.
They had some tea and Eriol sent his other half back to the university. It was already 3pm when Kaho rang the doorbell.
"I have found something really interesting today!"
To be continued...
Kirika: not much of a cliffy, but it does the job...
Suppi: readable...
Kirika: I'll DEFINETELY ask Kero to help me on my next fic...
Suppi: if you can't stand the truth about your writing, then don't write!
Kirika: you could at least help it a little... I have no need to take more antidepressants...
Suppi: do you really take this much? Well, never mind. When do you intend to finish it?
Kirika: I simply have no idea... the plot is starting to develop now... there is a lot to be explained...
Suppi: yeah, for example: what happened between their families? Why is the sword important?
Kirika: All right, all right, that's enough! See you next chapter ^^!
Suppi: That's it! After a week without the computer, another week sick, and four days traveling, the first thing this crazy girl did was finish the pendent chapter to put it up a.s.a.p, and she just says "hope you like it!"...
Kirika: should I say something else? #Deep thought# Oh yes, I only own the plot, Yumiko, Nicholas and Kurd, the rest belongs to clamp!
Suppi: Forget what I said. You have no cure.
Kirika: nani? O_o??
Chapter 7 Review
Once alone, they simply stared at each other in silence, when finally Nicholas broke the silence.
"You want to know, don't you? How could an old man become so young."
Chapter 8
Stray Child
"That would be a good starting point. As I remember, you were around 23 when killed our parents, and now you look like a teenager... rather weird..."
"It shouldn't be... you might know what happened to him after a _certain_ girl used a _certain_ sword against him..."
"Him? If you are not Kurd, who are you?"
"As I said, Nicholas Kane. The son of Kurd and Marilyn Kane."
'So the devil had a son! That's why the aura didn't fade after we killed him... I thought we didn't hurt him to death, that's why he should still be behind us...' "And may I ask why you are here for?"
"Revenge! And to retrieve the sword."
"Revenge for what? Your father received what he deserved. It was not my fault; his soul couldn't be saved in this life. He passed away so he could correct his mistakes someday."
"Mistakes? Your family caused his ruin, all he wanted was justice, but no! You had to throw him down, and down! There shall be no mercy for you!!" his cold blue eyes shot daggers of ice; his beautifully sculpt lips (I'm in love with my character!!!) constricted in a thin line. Eriol knew almost nothing about whatever caused the hatred Kurd felt for them, but he could feel it was something really big. Where should this thread lead? Which dark secrets would they find? Time would tell.
"I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry. Even if I know it must have looked like the right thing to be done at the time, I am sorry for what our parents did." He was sincerely apologizing; he saw so much pain in those eyes... the same kind of pain Yumiko hid behind her dreamy face. The same kind of pain one must carry silently. The kind of pain time doesn't heal.
"SHUT UP!" Nicholas hissed, stepping closer to Eriol, using his whole height (and muscles) to intimidate him (1,94m, Eriol is just 1,86, Syaoran 1,90, Sakura and Tomoyo are 1,70, Yumiko is 1,74. Sorry for the interruption, but it's important to the story. Now you can keep on reading ^^). "You know what I'm here for, don't try to fool me with false apologies. Give me the sword!" his voice was filled with anger, and he said that in a way that could have frozen a volcano.
'Why does he want it?' "I don't even know where it is!" #kind of sarcastically#
"Don't lie to me... Tell me where is the sword, and maybe I shall let you live... or else..." a malicious grin took form, in a way that almost worried Eriol. He knew how far Nicholas's will of revenge could go, and there had been enough innocents involved in their fights to keep his mind full of guilt for more than a hundred reincarnations.
"I have no idea, and even if I knew, you would not be in my list for knowing it first."
"Worst for you. You have two weeks to give it to me. Or else I'll have to kill that stupid little girl who seemed so enchanted by my person. In fact, enchanted would be the perfect word to describe it..." his malicious grin assumed an almost perverted form, the thought of killing someone seemed to give him a strange kind of pleasure, which made Eriol feel sick just by looking at him.
"You are as low as your father." anger ruled Eriol's words, his mind disgusted by the thought of how cruel could someone be.
"Well, we'll see it. Two weeks!" and with that, he vanished, as if he had never been there at all. Eriol stood there for a while wondering how much of that information he could really consider, and how could he brake the spell in Chiharu; then decided to take a look at Yumiko.
-------In the nursery-------
"I did everything I could, but it's like she doesn't want to wake up. I've never seen such a fainting before, are you really sure she didn't have any traumatic experience that could have caused it?" the nurse actually seemed a little worried for the girl.
"I don't think so." He answered, flatly and emotionless. 'What could have happened inside her? What did he do?'
He sat by her side, holding her hand. Her soft dark hair spread in the soft pillow made her look even paler. The black aura around her now was almost tangible. 'Nicholas, if you really did what I believe you've done to her, there will be no mercy. And why would you like to have both swords? If your father really got the other, why does he want the two of them? What do they have to make them so special?' there were more questions than answers, and the clock was ticking.
"Eriol? Daijoubu?" a soft hand landed on his shoulder
"Yes Tomoyo. Thanks for asking." #trying to smile#
"What's the problem? I've never seen you so worried before... you know you can trust us. And Sakura will be happy to help, I'm sure." For the first time that day, she was putting their differences aside, finding their old friendship after years of distance.
"What did Syaoran tell you?" #suspicious look#
"Nothing, but I could say something was wrong about that guy by the way the two of you seemed to stiffen, and Syaoran was so anxious to take us out of there... definitively, there was something wrong. Also, I wanted to see how she was. I think it was something I said..." #little sad#
"Don't feel guilty, it wasn't. I think I'll take her home, I'll feel easier to wake her there."
"You mean it was... magic?"
"And the worst sort of. Do you know where she lives? I'd like you, Syaoran, Sakura and the guardians to go there tonight, so I can explain everything to you, and ten heads think better then five."
"No.. She arrived just yesterday, no time to get intimate. For how long have you known her?" jealousy was again driving her thoughts
"Nearly thirteen years." He said matter of factly, while writing something in a piece of paper. He handed it to her "Here's the address, please be there with them after class. I'll take her now" he picked Yumiko again; she looked like an angel in his arms. Tomoyo helped him with her hair, tying it up with one of the ribbons that held her tress in a bun.
'Yumiko, how much I envy you.' "Eriol, don't be that worried about it, as Sakura says, it's going to be all right!" she tried to enlighten his mood, smiling cheerfully, but all she got was a faint smile.
"I hope so Tomoyo. I really hope so. Would you please take care of Chiharu, and if you could bring her tonight too... it's important." Besides the oddness of the request, Tomoyo nodded in agreement, while the only boy she ever loved went home with other girl in his arms.
=====//=====//=====//=====//Yumiko's apartment//=====//=====//=====//=====
For the hundredth time after he teleported from the school hallways, Eriol chanted a waking incantation, but it failed to reach her mind. The dark aura around her head was so thick he couldn't see her face with his mental eyes. Spinel and Nakuru arrived after a few minutes, and the three of them were now searching for a counter-spell to wake her up.
"Nothing again, master?" Spinel asked, worried about both his master and his cousin.
"No... It's harder than I thought... maybe if I had all my powers now..." he paced around the living room, one hand behind his back, the other massaging his forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think about it before?" he stopped pacing and went to the music room, which was way more spacious. Many instruments were carefully placed in wooden shelves; a piano next to the windows in the left, the balcony across the door opening to beautiful view of the park and its lake.
"What is it, master?" Suppi followed him to the neat room.
"My other half can help me! He may not know very well yet to control his powers, but it will be easier to bring her back with his help, or else it will be too late."
"You mean the card mistress's father?"
"Why not? I need her back before they arrive. Have you left the note to Kaho?"
"Of course!"
"Fine." He summoned his staff and opened a mirror, which showed Fujitaka at the university. When he entered the restroom, Eriol teleported him to the apartment.
"Huh? Where am I?" the auburn haired man stood in the middle of the music room, surprised by the sudden change of decoration.
"Gomen ne for the abrupt and indelicate interruption, but I need your help." The blue haired teenager in dark robes went straight to the point.
"?"
Eriol asked him to follow him to the sitting room "See the girl in the couch? What do you feel?"
"Kami-sama! Who did this to her?" a shiver went down his spine both by the feel of whatever held the stranger in another dimension and the thought of his daughter being exposed to this kind of danger.
"I will explain it later. We need to wake her, will you help me?"
"Sure! What do you want me to do?"
"Follow me." Eriol took her inert body upstairs. He knew it was dangerous, but he had to take the risk. It was still daylight, and with Fujitaka by his side he would be able to keep the evil away. He placed her body in the middle of the Japanese garden, indicated the place where Fujitaka should stay and took position in the circle, just like the guardians had already done.
"What shall I do now?" his other half asked. Some of Clow's memories had already returned to him, but it would take him a lot of time until he remembered it all and learned how to control his parcel of power.
"Just relax and let your power act according to the circle's will" Eriol, Nakuru and Spinel chanted the spell on and on, until the glowing symbol below them glowed in a navy blue and golden pattern. The power grew and grew, until it came back down and concentrated in the body, now floating mid-way to the floor. The powerful light now showed the darkness that covered her body even to not magical eyes. It was a hard fight between them, and for a moment, the visions of misery and despair that were shown to the girl over and over could be seen and felt by Clow reincarnations. It was finally dissolved, and after a final spark, the light faded to reveal the waking girl, now gently laid in the grass.
"Thanks kami! Are you fine? What did he do to you?"
"I-I'm fine Eriol." Tears crossed her face and her voice was a little shaky, all the memories awakened and distorted by Kurd (better say, his handsome, hot and demoniac son) terrified her more than she would like to admit. She buried her face in Eriol's robes, crying silently.
"It's all right now... he won't hurt you any more..."
"Why me Eriol, why?"
"Shh... there'll be time to know that... calm down..."
"Shouldn't it be better if we went downstairs to make her some tea? It will help her to calm down." Fujitaka interrupted.
"Who are you?" her self-protective instinct awaken, she clung for dear life in Eriol's clothes. The power that man held was so raw and wild she couldn't determine whether he was good or not.
"Fujitaka Kinomoto. I was invited to help you." He had never seen so much fear in his life, but Eriol's expression was normal. He treated her just like a small child who needed lots of care, and at the same time, some sense of self and independence. Once he said that, she came back to normal, and stood up, yet a little unsteady.
"Arigatou gozaimasu! Sorry for the inconvenient" she bowed and went downstairs with the men. Nakuru was already in the kitchen preparing a snack, for she knew about the visitors to come.
They had some tea and Eriol sent his other half back to the university. It was already 3pm when Kaho rang the doorbell.
"I have found something really interesting today!"
To be continued...
Kirika: not much of a cliffy, but it does the job...
Suppi: readable...
Kirika: I'll DEFINETELY ask Kero to help me on my next fic...
Suppi: if you can't stand the truth about your writing, then don't write!
Kirika: you could at least help it a little... I have no need to take more antidepressants...
Suppi: do you really take this much? Well, never mind. When do you intend to finish it?
Kirika: I simply have no idea... the plot is starting to develop now... there is a lot to be explained...
Suppi: yeah, for example: what happened between their families? Why is the sword important?
Kirika: All right, all right, that's enough! See you next chapter ^^!