Well, hello! And Welcome to My Little World of Weirdness!
I state for the record that, despite the fact I really, really wish I did, I don't own any of the official characters that will grace this story; it's all CLAMP's! Always has been, always will be! I *DO*, however, own Marcibay Hilligans and Hei-ying Reed!! I also own Lord Maduokai Kuei and the Two of the dragons, T'listia isn't mine but on loan from one of my favourite reviewers and writers, Tam Chronin! And Mushu is Bluegoo's, he's quite a snapper, but heck, he's good for us! And what the heck . . . I own both of the mansions (The Reed/Hiirawagizawa and the Tsukimine) as well! [Laughs] Also I don't pretend to have any Mastery over the language of Japanese or any clue as to correct grammatical structure. I put it in and hope it gets across the point I'm trying to make! And I don't pretend to be able to write any sort of accents so please don't hate me!
"Speaking"
*Stress/emphasis*
//Thinking//
Extended~ [basically odd letters that the characters extend the sound of or in Ruby's case, sings]
In This Tainted Soul . . . Find Redemption . . .
By Dr Megalomania.
Chapter Three: Rushing Toward The Present
**Four Years Later . . . In The Now . . .**
He landed heavily.
The flight had been long, and arduous upon his torn wings.
He steadied himself as best he could, his breath coming hard and shallow. He felt pain in wounds old and new, his weak body screaming fury against the exhaustion. Just a little further . . .
"WHY YOU LITTLE --!!"
Keroberos threw his head back and yelled, as Yue opened the window again. "IF YOU WEREN'T MY FAVOURITE LITTLE BROTHER, I'D . . . I'D . . . ARRRGGGH!! YUE REED KINOMOTO, YOU WILL CLOSE THAT WINDOW THIS INSTANT!!"
Yue looked over his shoulder at his raging older brother and sighed, "Keroberos . . . just because you are older than me, doesn't mean I have to obey you . . . besides . . . it's too warm!!"
"Too warm for *you* perhaps, but for other people who DON'T have ice for blood . . ." Keroberos shivered violently, and dived under Sakura's blankets. He sighed and wrapped himself warmly in her pyjamas. Even though their mistress was now twenty years old, she still lived at her family home with her brother. Syaoran had made the move to the mansion in the hills over looking Tomoeda already, living now with Tomoyo and Eriol; however Sakura and Touya were reluctant to leave the house they had grown up in just yet, and declined Eriol and Tomoyo's offers. They had bought the house next to theirs though, using the money left to them by their father, and their great-grandfather to expand their gardens further and knocking down the house beside them. It left them with a little more space to move about in with their garden, and gave Yue and Keroberos space enough to spread their wings.
It was winter now, cold and bitter, with freezing winds blowing in from the seas.
Keroberos rolled his small form's eyes and rolled off the bed, careful not to dislodge the bundle of warmth he'd wrapped around himself. He hopped somewhat ungraciously out of the room with a trail of soft thuds. He paused in the doorway to glance back at his youngest brother, and shook his head, there was only one thing that could mesmerise the moon guardian aside from his lover and that was snow.
There was plenty of snow, and Yue enjoyed it intensely.
He sighed and continued to lean out, ignoring Keroberos' repeated grumbles that he would catch a cold. Tonight they would be having a Christmas party, and their extended family would be joining them. Eriol and Tomoyo Hiirawagizawa, and their guardians would be joining them, as would be Mistress Sakura's fiancé. Yue rolled his eyes; the Li elders were still being so stubborn, refusing permission for the pair to wed just yet. The two were old enough, but Sakura was reluctant to make enemies of the Li clan, even though she had proven herself ten times over. Their latest reason for forbidding the marriage was that she'd failed to locate Clow Reed's stolen skull. He opened his eyes at this and sighed. The search continued, albeit with much less fervour than before simply because it seemed that the skulls had disappeared from the face of the earth. If it had been taken for trophy purposes, whoever had taken it wasn't even attempting to take any credit at all for it. The feeling that his former creator and his brother were being paraded as someone's trophy made Yue feel faintly ill at ease.
He rested his chin on his forearms and closed his eyes; feeling the cold, clean air run over him. The snow was falling softly; he could feel a few flakes brush against the sharp tip of his nose.
The land was covered in the wonderful snow . . . the grey skies above were packed with swollen, snow-laden clouds. It reminded him always of the first time he'd seen this thing, this snow thing. As a mere child . . . Yue frowned as he tried to recall the memory . . . he was roughly the size of a seven year old human child when he first saw . . . but the memory, the true memory that presented itself to him was of a . . . baby, cuddled warm against . . .
. . . His creator's, Papa's warm chest. Deep within the folds of his dark robes, papa's heart beat strongly. Beside him, jade green eyes peered at him, staring down inquisitively yet with some distance in them. The tall, fully-grown angel with the large white wings and black clothes was Eldest Brother, a cool, distant person who rarely held him. Papa held him the most, Papa was a kindly, handsome man . . . his magic flowed from him, warming everything around him. The little angel stared up into the smiling face, his tiny nose tickled by stray strands of inky black hair. He scrunched up his nose and wiggled, trying to make the hair stop tickling him so ruthlessly.
It was then he saw his very first white snow flake.
He knew it was special because Papa opened his eyes and glanced up at the sky. Papa never opened his eyes unless it was really important; the little angel had learnt this fact. There was a dark grumble, as Older Brother, the strange four-legged creature with wings like Eldest Brother, shuddered, and lifted himself off the ground, coming into the little angel's line of sight.
"Moouuu!" He complained in Japanese, one of the many languages that papa was teaching all of them. "It's so cold, Clow! We'll freeze!!"
"Be quiet, Keroberos . . . and speak with more respect . . ." Eldest Brother murmured automatically in German, he looked at Papa, and continued in English, "It is snowing . . . is this your doing?"
"No . . ." Papa murmured with wonder in his wonderfully deep voice, "No, this is perfectly natural . . ." He closed his eyes again, and smiled down at the little angel, "My little moonbeam . . . see this?"
The little angel blinked, staring as more small white flakes drifted around them. Papa's magic keeping him warm, the deep voice filling his ears and mind, as papa spoke with his wonderful voice.
"This is snow . . ."
Even though this was the coldest day, so cold it snowed . . . the tiny angel, surrounded by his older brothers and his wonderful creator, feeling nothing but loved and cherished, it was the warmest he could ever remember being . . .
"Yue-kun!"
His eyes snapped open as Sakura's voice pierced his memories. He blinked as he came back to the present, and his mistress threw a blanket over his shoulders. He didn't need it, but he turned and saw that Sakura was shivering. Yue shook his head and pulled the blanket off him, and wrapped it around his mistress instead. "I'm sorry, I forgot . . ." he sighed and pulled the window closed, before turning to wrap the blanket tighter, "I forgot not everyone has the same tolerance for the cold as I do . . ."
"Oh! Oh!!" Kero's squeaky indignant voice cried out with pain, "You'll do it for her, but me? Your only brother in this world?! IIE!!" Keroberos fluttered into the room and transformed into his larger form, bowling Yue over and rolling with him on the floor. "I'll teach you!!" He roared warmly, as he mock-bite into Yue's shoulder. Sakura giggled happily, as the two brothers tussled on the floor. She ran as their mock-fight came rolling toward her, and large white feathers from both fluttered around her. "Ayyiiiiee!!" Sakura squealed as she jumped onto the bed, "Hoeeee!! Kero-chan!! Yue-kun!!"
The two didn't pay her the slight bit of attention as they tussled, nor did they stop as the doorbell rang.
Sakura chuckled once again as she climbed off her bed and ran down the stairs, "Matte!!" She called out to her guests, "Chotto matte ne!!"
Keroberos chuckled warmly, as he finally pinned down his brother down on the floor face down. His deep chuckle rumbled as he felt Yue's own body shudder with silent giggles. "Aah!! Keroberos!!" Yue wiggled as his brother's warm, wet tongue licked at his cheek. "That's just not nice!! Keroberos!!"
"I'll teach you for making me cold!!" The older lion grumbled good-naturally as he snuggled down, and lay heavily on Yue's slim frame, "Aaah . . ." he sighed loudly, "A Yue-pillow!! I've always wanted one!"
"Keroberos!!" Yue protested weakly, enjoying the warmth his brother's magic and weight expelled. "You're heavy!"
Kero's muzzle snuggled into the dip between Yue's neck and his shoulder, his breath – warm and smelling of the cookies they'd been baking for tonight – was affectionate against Yue's cheek. Yue groused sleepily, "Ne, Oniichan . . . you've eaten all our cookies!"
"Iie! I only ate the ones on the plate . . . the rest are still in the box!"
"Oniichan!" Yue groaned, "You ate the ones in the box . . ." he yawned, and closed his feline eyes, "You ate the ones in the box yesterday, greedy pig!"
"Ah . . ." Keroberos yawned, his huge jaws spreading widely, as he too allowed the warmth and the closeness of his youngest brother lull him to sleep, "Well, you can always make more . . ."
"Greedy pig, I say, pig . . ." Yue murmured once more, "you could out-eat . . . Yukito . . ."
Keroberos smiled, and said nothing more, his soft snores floating upward.
Blindly, he groped as the harsh wind blew unrelenting snow into his face. Where are you . . .? He ground out, old habits now resurfacing. Looking through some familiar windows, he saw warmth and security, but not the kind he searched for. He was weak and tired, begging for release from consciousness. In the window of one, he saw a small blonde boy; now at least twice as old as the last time he'd stood on the rooftop. His vision faded, shaken, unfocused. It threatened to topple him, //no!// he screamed mentally. Unfocused jade eyes closed briefly as he gathered his resolve. //I want to sleep, I want rest. . .//
Syaoran shook the snow out of his hair, and sighed as he glanced up. Deep rumbling snores floated down the stairs.
"Keroberos is sleeping?"
"Hoe?" Sakura blinked as she took Tomoyo's cloak from her and hung it up. "Iie, I left him with Yue-kun, they were playing a moment ago!" She shrugged, and opened her arms to hug her best friend, "Tomoyo-chan!! So good to see you!!"
The slim woman, with her long purple hair smiled, and hugged the honey blonde haired Card Mistress back. "Sakura-chan, genki as always!" She pulled back, and stroked the side of Sakura's cheek, "You haven't changed a bit, Sakura-chan!! You will always be that youthful ten-year-old magic girl!"
"NE!!" Sakura cried back, blushing, "I'm at least a little taller!!"
"Of course, you are taller, but inside . . ." Tomoyo smiled happily, and pulled out a video camera out of her purse, "You will always be my Cardcaptor Sakura!"
"Hoe!!"
Eriol smiled at his wife's antics, and glanced over at his former life's descendant, Syaoran smiled fondly as he watched the scene. Neither woman had changed much; Tomoyo had retained her grace and elegance, and matured in her twentieth year, while Sakura had grown up to resemble her mother a lot, although had decided to keep the short style of her hair. Syaoran too had changed very little, growing only a little taller since their last major adventure. Eriol was slightly shorter than Syaoran, growing to be as tall as Clow had been in his own twenty-first year of age. The Little Wolf had now grown to be just a fraction of an inch taller that the powerful English magician. Eriol shrugged out of his magic robes' top layer, hanging his cloak next to his wife's and took off his shoes.
"Eriol-kun?"
He blinked and looked up; Sakura's voice was filled with confusion, "Hai?"
"Where are your guardians?"
Eriol frowned slightly, and glanced at Tomoyo. She looked out the open door behind them, and indeed . . . Ruby Moon, who'd been carrying her twin brother, had disappeared. Tomoyo stepped out as she was still wearing her boots, and called out quietly, "Ruby-chan, Spinel-kun?"
"HAI!!"
Tomoyo gasped as Ruby quickly hung down from the roof, Spinel hanging onto her hood for dear life, as the moon guardian grinned from her upside down position. The midnight blue false form of Spinel flapped his wings quickly, and flipped himself back into the hood, wrapping it tightly around his small frame. "Ruby!!" He chastised angrily, "It's too cold!! Will you just go through the door like any other normal creation!"
Eriol chuckled, as Ruby looked up at her brother and sighed, "Mou!! But that's boring!!"
"Ruby Moon Hiirawagizawa!" Spinal complained, "It's too cold!!"
"Datte~!!"
Tomoyo shook her head, "Why do you want to go that way?" Ruby blinked and grinned down at them.
"Yue-san, and Kero-kun are up in Sakura-sama's room!! Can we go surprise them?!" Ruby put on her cutest, wide eyed expression and started to wheedle, "Can we? Can we?! Tomoyo-sama!!"
"Don't you think you are asking the wrong person?" The pale woman smiled and turned slightly, glancing at her husband. "Eriol-kun?"
Eriol leant out the door, his bare feet getting a little chilled as he stared at his moon guardian. "Well?"
"Datte~!!" Ruby pouted and lifted one hand from her precarious position and pointed accusingly at Eriol, "He'll just make us wait forever!!" Tomoyo smiled, but said nothing. Ruby huffed and relented, "Eriol-sama!! Eriol-sama!! Can we?! Onegai? Eriol-sama~!!"
"I'll think about it." Eriol grinned, turned and walked away into the house.
"MOU!! Tomoyo-sama!! Cruel!! He's being so very cruel!!"
Tomoyo chuckled, "Eriol." She admonished quietly, "So cruel of you!" Eriol turned back, and smiled at her. He winked and nodded. Sakura blinked, as Syaoran slipped his arm around her waist, and stole a brief kiss against her temple. Tomoyo smiled and turned to Ruby, "Go ahead, but take care of your brother, keep him warm, Ruby-chan!"
"Hai~!!" Ruby smiled happily, and flipped herself neatly back up to the roof, ignoring her brother's protests. Tomoyo shook her head, and stepped back into the house. "Sakura-chan . . . where is your brother?"
"Oniichan will be back soon; he's just collecting more food for tonight." Sakura smiled brightly, she clapped her hands, "I'll make some tea!! Ne, Syaoran-kun? Won't you help me?"
Syaoran nodded and glanced at Eriol who was helping his wife out of her boots, before grabbing his fiancée's outstretched hand and walking with her to the kitchen. Sakura's hand was warm, and squeezing his larger hand as she dragged him through to the kitchen. "Sakura-chan . . ." he murmured affectionately, her enthusiasm just as bright as the day he met her. Like her magic, Sakura shone brightly, and Syaoran . . . he started to laugh as she tried to pull him along faster . . . Syaoran loved her even more for it.
Panting, and dropping to a badly bruised knee, he gathered his strength again. He clutched his bleeding shoulder, trying to focus on the small house that was his safe goal. He could see the light from it spill out like a warm blanket. So close was he, and yet his body wanted nothing more than to lie in the freezing snow and die.
He whimpered, spreading dirty white feathers once more. He struggled to fly to the next roof, pain trying to drag him down into the snow. So close, he was almost there, so close, he was almost there, so close, he was almost there . . . it became his life sustaining mantra, so close, almost there, close, almost, so, there. . .
Keroberos tightened his wings around his body, and his brother below him.
They lay side-by-side now, face-to-face. Yue buried his face in the soft, warm fur that covered Keroberos' throat, as his older brother pressed his chin into the smooth, silken hair that covered Yue's head. Their soft snores floated and mingled in the room, the cards awoke and floated out of their book, gathering around their sleeping guardians to stand watch. The magical falloff from them caused warm gold and soft blue ripples to float away from them. The cards danced around them happily, glad so much magic was in the house and absorbed as much as they could.
Ruby moon tapped at the window, drawing the cards' attention.
The Power card and the Move floated over, and charmed the window latch, allowing Ruby to slide her fingers under the frame, and open it. Spinel flew through first, and shuddered, "Thank you!" He muttered to the cards, he glanced down at Keroberos as the large lion shivered, and opened his eyes groggily. Spinel smiled slightly, and shook himself as he transformed. He spread his wings, then faded them from reality and looked up at his sister, as she clambered through the window. Her dark red cloak – made of course, by their new mistress, Tomoyo – fell warmly around her thin frame, as she closed the window quickly. Ruby sighed, as she knelt by her brother and pulled her cloak around him. They looked down on their elder family, and smiled as Keroberos smiled somewhat sleepily, "Aah . . ." he murmured quietly so not to wake Yue, "You're here!" He smiled happily, "Welcome!"
"Arigato, 'niichan!" Ruby whispered excitedly, "Merry Christmas!!"
"Indeed, merry Christmas!" Spinel murmured, he leaned over and peered at Yue, "Cousin?" He glanced at Keroberos, "are the preparations almost ready?"
"Hmm. . ." Kero nodded, "Younger brother's been helping a lot. . . I think he just needs to sleep for a little while longer. . ."
Ruby yawned widely and leant against her brother, dipping her head to rest on his shoulder blade, "Ne, Suppi-kun. . . we have a few hours yet. . ."
Spinel nodded, "Alright . . ." he looked at Keroberos as the lion gently extended one of his sharp claws, and gingerly pulled a long lock of white hair away from his brother's temple. The lion smiled happily, before lying down again. Spinel jerked his shoulder blade slightly, waking Ruby up enough to move them around Kero's back so Spinel could rest his head on the soft fleshy hind legs of Keroberos. Ruby yawned again, pulling her long red robe over her body, and her brothers as she curled around his back and began to sleep.
"Oyasumi. . ." the pink eyed being murmured quietly, "nasai. . ."
Touya looked up as he heard the window of his sister's room close.
A couple of the cards danced in the air like Christmas lights, showing off as they drank in the magical falloff the four guardians created as they snoozed. Shaking his head, he moved the large bag of groceries to balance on his hip, and raised his keys to the door. It swung open, and the serious features of the Chinese Gaki stared at him for a moment, before he step back. Syaoran took the grocery bag off him, as the Chinese boy nodded formally, "Welcome back . . . Kinomoto-san."
Touya pulled off the long, dark blue scarf that Sakura had knitted for him last Christmas, and nodded, "it's good to see you, Gaki . . . where is my monster of a sister?"
Syaoran shook his head, as Sakura cried out indignantly, "Sakura isn't a monster!!"
Touya shrugged and called back teasingly, "Only a monster could have such good hearing, with such big ears. . . the monster---"
Thunderous footsteps shook the floor, as Sakura stormed out his fist raised, "Sakura isn't a monster!!" She cried out irritably, "Cruel, Oniichan!! It's Christmas!!"
Touya smiled as his twenty-year-old sister dragged her husband-to-be back to the kitchen, asking quietly if she really was a monster. He popped his head around the living room, and caught Eriol and Tomoyo kissing under the mistletoe. Tomoyo held Eriol's glasses in her hand as he held her close to him, her face turned up toward him, she was standing on her tiptoes to reach his lips. Touya smiled with a touch of melancholy; their lives now were so almost complete, almost so comfortable. They'd come so far and at the cost of so much. He wished his father could be here . . . to see how much Sakura had grown, how they had been doing since his death some five years ago.
Eriol opened his eyes slightly, and blinked as he caught sight of Touya in the door. Reluctantly, Eriol pulled away and waved at Sakura's older brother. Tomoyo slipped his glasses on to his nose, and turned to smile at the new entrant. Touya was struck once again at the similarities between her and his mother. Tomoyo's mother had taken so much time engineering Tomoyo's looks when she was younger, that it was hard not to see it. Tomoyo's long, dark violet tresses were tied loosely, and tumbled over her shoulder. Her clothes were all handmade, like the costumes she periodically sent Sakura, and looked very handsome on her. Her marriage to Eriol complimented her; her elegance and grace naturally shone through and Eriol looked incredibly happy to have a wife with whom he connected with not only in deportment, but also on a level of intelligence. Eriol too had matured physically a little, his similarities to Clow Reed starting to reveal themselves. Eriol's natural paleness combined with his unusual blue hair gave him very much Clow's distinctive look. Touya too developed some of characteristics of Clow beginning to come out in his physical appearance, Clow's final height, a towering six feet and an inch, was definitely in sight for the twenty-eight year old.
He sighed and stretched out a hand toward Eriol, "Welcome, merry Christmas. . ."
"Merry Christmas," Eriol smiled warmly as Tomoyo stepped forward to let Touya hug her. "It's good to see you again, how is the practice?"
Touya smiled at this; he'd recently become a student doctor at a local practice, and he was entering his final year. Touya had agreed with Yukito, given their magical prowess and their reserves of money, that he really didn't have to work at all. Sakura held a few part time jobs and yet she, too, rarely had to work. They went to work to keep them grounded in reality, but the general idea was – as was traditional for any magicians of their level of power – to quietly disappear and live out their magically extended lives in the mansion Eriol, Tomoyo, their guardians and Syaoran lived in. Wei, Syaoran's butler, had returned to china to take care of Syaoran's immediate family at his request. The idea was that they would withdraw from society at large, and appear every few years as Clow did once. It would save explaining how they seemed to remain so youthful for so long.
Sakura and Touya weren't ready just yet to say goodbye to their lives, so Touya trained as a doctor, ensuring they'd not need to call on one unless it was for minor ailments, while Sakura concentrated on her magic. The card mistress was powerful, one of the most powerful magicians on the planet . . . and she lived with another. Touya's magic was only half of what Clow once had, and yet he was as powerful as his sister.
Sakura brought in the tea tray, while Syaoran followed her with a plate of snacks. They sat side by side, a respectful distance between them. Syaoran's formal training prevented him from showing too much public affection, and Sakura was still a little shy about their relationship. While Eriol and Tomoyo's relationship was maturing beyond what was normal for their ages, Sakura and Syaoran's relationship was still cautiously courted and formal to the public.
The group gathered around the small coffee table once more, and looked around. So many changes and yet . . .
"Kaijuu, where are your guardians?"
"My cute little descendant, could you pass the cookies?"
"Sakura is not a monster!! Am I? Am I, Tomoyo-chan?"
"Hiirawagizawa!! I am not your cute little descendant!!"
"If a monster was half as cute as Sakura-chan, I'm sure I wouldn't be afraid!"
"To-To-Tomoyo-chan . . . you still like to film. . ."
"Well perhaps not my descendant anymore, but you are still a cute little wolf!"
"Are these cookies poisoned? I don't see the kaijuu eating any . . ."
"Hiirawagizawa!!"
"Still so formal, little wolf?"
"Sakura's angry face is still so very cute!!"
"SAKURA IS NOT A MONSTER!!"
. . . they were all still the same people.
Yue yawned as downstairs erupted into laughter and talking. He blinked dozily in the darkness, and glanced at Sakura's clock. It was coming up to midnight; Christmas Eve was about to turn to Christmas Day. He smiled as he looked out the window and saw that the snow continued to fall lightly, there was much of it suggesting a small storm had been and gone. His older brother's snores stopped, as the lion opened his eyes, "Is it Christmas yet?" Asked the sleepy lion. Yue petted him, and shook his head. "No, not yet . . . a few more minutes . . ."
Ruby yawned as she stretched, and sat up, rubbing at her eye. "Shall we put in an appearance downstairs . . .?"
"We should . . . we haven't even said hello to Sakura-sama . . ." Spinel paused to yawn before continuing, "Come on . . . or there'll be no food left for us . . ."
"NANI?! CHOTTO MATTE!!" The other three held their ears as Keroberos suddenly disturbed the peace and barrelled down the stairs, "MATTE!! DON'T FORGET ME!! SAKURA~~!!"
Yue rolled his eyes as Spinel jogged out after him, he glanced at his younger cousin and smiled. She was a little crumpled, like he, after their impromptu nap. Ruby shrugged, "While we straighten our clothes, why not let Nakuru and the Snow Rabbit handle the welcome ceremony . . . "
Yue nodded, and grabbed her hand as they transformed together.
Nakuru fluffed back her fringe and giggled happily, as Yukito straightened his glasses, "Nakuru-chan!"
"Yuki-kun~!!" Nakuru cried out happily, before leaping into the air and jumping onto Yukito. "Ne!! Did you miss me?! ne, ne?! Did you miss me?!"
Yukito chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her to support some of her weigh, "Hai! Hai! I missed you a lot even though I only saw you a couple of weeks ago!!"
"Datte~~~!!!" Nakuru pouted and locked her legs around him so he had to carry her, "To me it's been ages, simply ages since I last saw you!! Did you miss me?!"
"Hai! I missed you, Imoto-chan!!"
"Ne~?" Nakuru blinked and pressed a finger against her bottom lip, "Why is it that you call me 'little sister' and Yue-chan-chan calls me 'younger cousin'?"
"Yue-chan-chan?" Yuki snorted and began to chuckle, "Better not let Yue-kun hear you say tha—" Yue's voice cut in, and Yuki's amber eyes darkened slightly, "Yue-chan-chan? Better never say it again."
"Yue-kun-kun is harsh. . ." Nakuru rolled her eyes, Yuki's eyes returned to the normal warm amber, as he carried her out of the room. "Ne, Yuki-kun-kun, down the stairs, before Kero-chan-chan eats all the food and gets Suppi-chan-chan drunk!!"
The snow crunched under him as he made the distance to the next roof. His safe haven was one more jumped roof, a few more steps away, he could make it . . . he could—
Pain ripped through him as he felt dark magic strain to pull him back. It whispered of soothing remedy to his anguish, but also of unspeakable fatality if he should continue. He shuddered, and ground out a weak prayer.
". . . Yue . . ."
He panted, whimpered, the name of his brother slipping out as a whisper. A warm heady rush of magic, a different kind of magic drew him like a beacon of light. It was so warm, and he was so close . . . almost there . . . so close, almost there . . .
The safe haven was protected by a powerful magic, and he was almost there. Almost drunken with the potent enchantment, he swayed and fell from the roof, landing hard on his bleeding shoulder. The snow that looked so soft, failed to catch him. He lay there for a moment, alone, crying out as hot tears prickled at his bloodshot eyes.
He couldn't give up . . . not when he was so close to harbour.
Eriol sighed as he and Sakura sat together, just talking of meaningless things, catching up.
He'd put the mansion under a powerful spell, as Clow had done with the Reed mansion. For every week that passed with the Tsukimine Mansion, a day passed here for Sakura and Tomoeda. He petted Spinel's smaller form as the midnight blue cat dozed in his lap again. The two sun guardians were very sleepy, Keroberos didn't even have the energy to try and get Spinel drunk on the sweet they had had. Yukito and Touya had had to carry the large cat up the stairs, before they too retired to bed.
Tomoyo, Nakuru and Syaoran were in the kitchen cleaning up, while Eriol sat with his fellow magician. Since the . . . he frowned slightly. . . unpleasantness four years before, a mystery they had yet to solve, the magic group had bonded a lot, getting used to Clow's absence completely.
Sakura yawned widely, the hour now pushing past two in the morning. "Gomen, ne?" She blushed slightly, "It's getting a bit late, Eriol-kun . . ."
"Iie . . ." he reached over and patted her hand, "I suggest we retire now . . . they are done . . ."
"Hoe?"
"Sakura-chan, you have a lot to learn about prying into other people's thoughts . . ." Eriol chuckled as Tomoyo walked out of the kitchen, and clapped her hands, "We're finished!"
Nakuru pulled off her apron, and stretched. "Time to go to bed!! Come on Suppi-chan!!" Spinel rolled his eyes groggily, wishing a quiet goodnight to everyone before floating out the room. Ruby grinned wickedly as she spun, transformed into her full form and ran to the doorway, "Oh . . . Touya-kun~!! I need somewhere to sleep!!!"
A white robed arm shot out, and blocked the doorway. Yue appeared and glared at his younger cousin, "You'd think after *ten* years, Ruby Moon Hiirawagizawa, you'd learnt—"
"Hai, hai!" Ruby grinned and planted a loud kiss on her older cousin's cheek, before running off, "Suppi-chan~~!! Matte~!!"
Yue looked up at the ceiling, before sighing. "Sakura-sa—" he paused at her look, before correcting himself, "Sakura-chan . . . your brother wishes for you to retire for the night, and for me to wish our guests a good night, and to guide them to their room."
Syaoran walked out of the kitchen, drying his hands. He paused, before walking over to Sakura's side, and murmuring quietly his intension to sleep on the downstairs sofa.
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura protested instantly, "You can't sleep there . . . my bed is perfectly capable of supporting the both of us. . . if not, we'll just have the Create Card make us a bed large enough!"
"With an offer like that, my cute, little wolf. . ." Eriol teased, "You'd be hard put to refuse!" He smirked at Syaoran's glare, and offered his arm to Tomoyo, "Miss Tomoyo. Please?"
Tomoyo smiled warmly, and nodded to her husband, before walking over to embrace her best friend, "Sakura-chan, oyasumi nasai."
"Hai!" Sakura enthused, "You too! I hope the bed is comfortable enough!"
"I'm sure it will be!" She smiled at Syaoran as she wished him good night, and Eriol nodded to them. They followed Yue out, while Sakura dragged at Syaoran's arm. "Sakura!" He protested, "It's not—" he was cut off as she looked at him with a withering look. Syaoran sighed, "There is no way I'll win this, will I?"
"Iie!!" Sakura grinned, "Let's go!!"
He rolled from his side to his front and shuffled until he was on his hands and knees. Taking a few deep breaths, he crawled as best he could. Slowly, painfully, he tried to lift his head for long enough. The gate to his haven was just before him. He paused, summoning his strength again. Damned he would be, if he crawled on hand and knee though that gate. His dignity demanded it, as a creation of Clow Reed. Clow Reed, the Master Magician. The creator of the Clow Cards. He swore quietly, as he dragged his weary body up, trying his hardest to stand tall and walk.
He could barely lift his feet, his spine screamed, and he whimpered with every breath he took.
He wished, and almost prayed that someone would come out of the house and take the burden of movement away from him. So close now . . . he wrapped a hand around the cold metal bars of the gate to swing it open. The Christmas laurel that hung there merrily pricked his skin, almost forbidding him to enter. He pushed again, and the gate swung open.
"Please. . ."
As Sakura pulled Syaoran to her room, Eriol placed his glasses on the stand beside his bed, and looked over as his wife brushed out her long hair. He climbed back out of bed, and went to stand behind her. "I love you. . ."
Tomoyo blinked at Eriol's voice as he whispered in her ear, "Hiirawagizawa . . ." Tomoyo blushed, and touched his hand, "I love you too." Eriol straightened and slowly took the brush from her hands and brushed her hair for her. Tomoyo closed her eyes, and sucked in her bottom lip as the gentle ministrations of Eriol's hands worked warm magic on her. She felt his magic filter in to her shoulders loosening the muscles there; it warmed her clothing slightly, and made her feel very drowsy.
He smiled as he felt his wife's shoulders droop under his hands.
"Tomoyo . . ." he whispered, and was responded to with a soft groan. "Are you sleeping, my dear?"
He glanced in the mirror and saw his wife smile sleepily. Eriol nodded, and quietly reached down to pick her up. He placed her in their bed, tucking the blankets around her tightly. He spent a few more moments; just stroking the long purple locks of hair before he rose again, and picked up his glasses.
Eriol walked to the door, and glanced back on his sleeping wife. She smiled happily as her breathing evened out, and she fell into a deeper sleep.
He walked down the stairs quietly, and entered the living room where his guardians were. Ruby and Spinel were sat on the sofa, talking quietly in their full forms. "Maa, maa . . ." Eriol sighed as he entered, "Why are you two still up? It's late!"
Ruby blinked, and smiled at her master, "Gomen ne? We were just saying how nice it was to be back in Japan . . ." she winked at Eriol, "Tomoyo-sama looks very happy, doesn't she?"
Smiling ruefully, Eriol nodded, "I noticed . . . we're staying here for the rest of our lives . . ." he stared at them both, "You are sure you won't miss England too much?"
"Will you?" Spinel sat up, and tilted his head, "Keroberos and Yue; our family is here . . . but your roots are in England. Are you going to miss it very much?"
"With Tomoyo and you two?" Eriol knelt by the sofa and looked up at his guardians, "No, no I won't . . ."
"Good."
The three looked up at the soft voice and found Tomoyo standing in the doorway, she smiled, and walked forward. Sinking to kneel on the floor near Eriol, Tomoyo raised her hand and brushed Eriol's long bangs back from his eyes. She leant forward to claim a small kiss from him. Spinel rolled his eyes again as his sister clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle her squeal. "You never have gotten over the fact they married, did you?"
Ruby's eyes shone with delight as Eriol shuffled forward to deepen the kiss. A muffled, "Kawaii!!" Issued from the rose coloured haired guardian.
He couldn't call out any louder, his weak body failed him, his dirty, soiled wings began to constrict about his body, trying to protect him from the freezing cold, trying to usher him gently back to death's waiting arms. Stumbling, he fell forward again, the snow raw and unforgiving as it bit into his palms.
"I can eat that . . . it looks tasty . . ."
Yukito yawned as he rolled over and leant his head on Touya's bare chest. Touya smiled in his sleep, and raised a hand to thread his fingers into the dapple-grey locks. He sighed and turned his face toward the window, the moon was disappearing behind the clouds, making Yue shift uneasily in his sleep. This translated to Yukito becoming very hungry, and dreaming of food. Touya smiled a little in his sleep, knowing that in a moment Yukito would get up and think about making something to eat.
He opened an eye and glanced at the bedside table; glad he'd had the foresight to bring up a few snacks just in case.
During the few years that Yukito, and his other half Yue, had been in their home, Touya had come to know the being very well. After the attack of Mystrasa, Yukito had moved from his room, into Touya's claiming that he and Yue had come to a decision that even though it would bother Touya every once in a while – whenever Yue was called to stand by Sakura's side – the two wanted to sleep with him on a more permanent basis. For this Touya was happy; it meant that he could be close to the being he loved, whether he was in his guardian form as the handsome, graceful and elegant Yue or if he was in his human form as the adorable, kind hearted and endearing Yukito.
Yukito chuckled in his sleep, and Yue's voice filtered through, "If I were to eat this much, I wouldn't fit into my robes any more . . ."
Touya could never really tell if they were one person with two sides that were aware of each other, or two people, trapped in one form. To be honest, he didn't really want to try and figure it out. Touya was happy with both; one could be soft, the other sensual. Yuki was at his most attractive during the day; he was an attentive lover, and just like as they had been during their time at school, Touya and Yuki were the best of friends. Their relationship was built on that, built on the trust they shared, and Touya was glad to know that the foundations were still strong. Even though Yue had nearly suppressed Yukito when the psychosis of Ying Yang Syndrome had taken over the normally rational guardian. Yue was reluctant to talk about it, but Touya had a suspicion that Yue and Hei-ying had been more to each other. Eriol had come to him, some time after the attack, and had told him that when he had been sealing the rooms on the fourth floor of the Reed Mansion, Eriol had found evidence of sexual activity in Mystrasa's bed. Both auras of the angels had been there, with Mystrasa, with each other, Eriol didn't know. Touya knew . . .
"We'll share it then . . . ne? Yue-kun?" Yukito replied sleepily, he scrunched up his nose. "You eat that . . . and I'll have this piece!"
. . . Touya smiled as he listened to the exchange between the two. He didn't want to think about what could have happened between Hei-ying and Yue, and Yue wasn't about to tell him much more. Yue was trying to forget what had happened then, choosing to believe that his brother was someone to be pitied rather than despised. Touya didn't know why Yue didn't want to accept that his older brother was fatally flawed, but Keroberos often hinted that Yue wore rose tinted glasses when it came to his past.
The parts of his past that were too hard to handle, like the fact that Hei-ying tried to kill him, seduced him into betraying his friends and family, even that Clow was as human as the rest of them, that he wasn't always the wonderful man that everyone had to remember him as . . .
"What right do I have . . ." Yue yawned, and snuggled down tighter to Touya, "To call Oniichan a greedy pig, when you can eat more than him?"
Touya stared as shadows chased across the ceiling, imaginary worlds racing over each other, crashing, fading, and being born all in several instances. He had to agree; the same cheerful outlook that Yuki had to like, the refusal to see any bad in anyone, seemed to extend to Yue as well when it came to Clow Reed. Touya sighed and lifted a hand to stroke the back of Yuki's head, he felt his eyelids growing heavy. The search for the missing remains, Clow Reed's skull and the skulls of the two others, had all but been given up, their lives were beginning to settle, the relationships that had suffered, the relationships that had almost died, and the relationships that had been born since Mystrasa's attack had stabilised, they weren't perfect, no . . . everyone had problems, but their lives were settling down well enough.
"Eat! Yue, it's healthy to eat so much!"
"You two . . ." Touya closed his eyes again, even though their lives had settled down now, there really wasn't any normalcy to make the days boring.
Somebody . . .
The very last of his strength finally gave out, as he reached forward to touch the porch's step. "Somebody please . . . save me. . ."
Bloodshot jade eyes fluttered shut . . .
"Sakura-chan . . ." Syaoran leant over his love and kissed her nose, "Oyasumi nasai. . ."
"Oya—" Sakura broke off to yawn, "Oyasumi Nasai, Syaoran-kun . . ." She turned over in the circle of his arms to press her back against his chest, and smiled as he leant his chin on her shoulder. Sakura peeked an eye open and smiled as Keroberos fluttered into his drawer, "Oyasumi nasai Kero-chan!"
"Hai! Oyasumi nasai, Sakura . . . Gaki, you too!"
"Eh!" Syaoran sleepily growled, "I'm twenty-one and you still call me a brat . . . stuffed animal!"
"Nani Gaki?!"
"Ne, ne. . ." Sakura chuckled quietly, "do I have to ask the sleep card to quiet you both down?"
"Iie, iie, ne Sakura, sweet dreams!" Kero's drawer shut as the small golden bear guardian went to sleep. Syaoran huffed one more time, before shifting slightly. It wasn't long until Sakura heard his soft snores compete with Kero's. Sakura giggled once more, before she too succumbed to sleep.
She didn't notice though, that the Sakura book had opened, and the cards were shifting uneasily. They could sense something . . . the four element, ruling cards of the pack floated up, and went to the window. The snow was still falling, covering everything so thickly it was almost as if the snow card had been allowed to be set loose upon the small town of Tomoeda. The four cards floated by the window, worry emanating from them. Silently, the four considered waking their mistress . . . to see if she could feel the strange, weak aura that was lying nearby.
It was getting weaker, and would disappear soon.
The four waited a moment longer to see if the aura would move again before deciding it was probably a ghost . . .
The Sakura cards floated back into place, and quietened down. The glow from the book ceased, and the cards went back to sleep again.
Outside, as the snow fell softly . . .
No one within the warm Kinomoto Household could possibly know of the dying messenger, who brought with him news of deeds darker than death . . . and tales beyond belief . . .
As he struggled to reach the front door, his body weakening with every painful step, little did this dark angel know that from a distance the pale, old yellow eyes of T'alas watched with some interest. The Third Dragon, T'alas of the four Winds, had succeeded where his brother, T'alusia had failed. He'd managed to track the escaped creation, following him to Japan, as their master waited in China for news. He hissed to himself, his old eyes watching as the dark angel staggered to the doorway and collapsed. T'alas rolled, and sighed, allowing his body to drift with the breezes. The dark angel was dying, he didn't even have magic enough to support his existence for the next hour, let alone survive the night.
The old dragon ascended above the clouds, and rested on the clouds. There was no need for him to bring the angel back, and waste his strength. The other creation would be dead before the night was out. He rested upon the clouds for a moment more, before getting up, and preparing his old body for the journey back to China. He sighed, and allowed the winds to carry him.
He would have news for his master, not good news, as the Lord Maduokai had wanted the newly re-created guardian of Clow to serve under him, but not bad news either . . .
-----------------
And Now It's Time To LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!
Yue: [looks around DrM's bedroom] Holy mother of . . . DrM!!
DrM: [muffled somewhat] What?
Yue: [clambers over all the stuff DrM has in her room] What in the hell is all of this crap?!
DrM: Hey! Don't call my junk crap!! Sure, I just stockpile stuff, but what can I say? I've just moved back to my parents' house for the summer . . . [grins happily] I'm back on msn messenger . . . I have 24 hour internet access . . . I have three months to finish my fanfics . . .
Yue: hence this?
DrM: [damnwell about to float with happiness] hence this . . .
Yue: [shakes head] please, just R&R. . .