DISCLAIMER: I own my characters, Nickoli, Liletou, and Nia, not to mention
their house, Clamp owns the other people. I'm too lazy to write an
interesting disclaimer.
Chapter 5: LIletou and a Locked Room
The pair spent the rest of the day outside, talking about everything and nothing, until the topic came to music. Yue and Nickoli wondered which spirit was more musically talented, the Song card or Liletou, Nia's creation. To find out, Nickoli decided he should introduce Yue to this mysterious being.
Nickoli pulled Yue to his feet, saying, "Come on, let's go. You've never heard Liletou's songs, and after you do, you'll understand why I think she's better." Yue let himself be brought upwards, but went more willingly than his lover suspected and ended up falling onto the taller angel. Nickoli didn't let him go, but drew the guardian into another kiss.
"Are we going?" mumbled Yue after they parted. Nickoli smiled and took Yue's hand. Keroberos had already gone inside earlier, having become bored. As the angels walked back into the library, they noticed Clow showing Nia some of his cards. Yue quickly led Nickoli over to the magicians.
"Master, Nickoli and I were caught in the middle of a small disagreement," Clow looked at his moon guardian and was relieved to see the look of happiness on Yue's face. He also noted that the two were still holding hands.
"What can we do to help your little situation?" Clow asked smiling at Nia as she noticed the way the two angels were staying so close.
"We want to know which is more musically talented, Liletou or the Song Card." Nickoli laughed as each magician spoke the name of their own creation and glared jokingly at each other. "Should we go to Liletou's room?" The group, including Kero, set out.
When they finally came to the right room, after walking through the strange corridors that twisted where they should not, went to the next floor without actually changing elevation, seemed to turn in a complete circle but led to a totally different area, Nia had to unlock the door first. When she opened the door, a music room was revealed. Pianos, harps, violins and some other unnamable instruments were placed carefully in their stands in various points throughout the room. At the largest piano, set over in one corner of the room so the light was behind the instrument, was seated an odd looking woman. She appeared neither young nor old, but ageless. Her entire body, other than arms and face, were covered in a shapeless robe. Her eyes appeared to be covered by cataracts, but it was apparent she could see. The thing that really set her apart was the fact that her entire body was colorless. Eyes, the bit of hair that was showing, garments, everything about her had no hue. It's not even that it was all white, but instead somehow devoid of all coloration or tone. This was Liletou. She sat patiently, as if waiting for her Mistress' command. When she spotted Nickoli, her manner became much more animated and she smiled at him serenely.
"Liletou is actually my oldest creation, and she has a special fondness for Nickoli," Nia said this as her guardian walked up to the musical spirit. "She's practically an aunt to him, she helped me raise the lunatic when he was younger. They're very close." Nickoli stood next to Liletou, both silently staring at the other. It suddenly occurred to Clow and his guardians that these two were communicating. Their eye contact was only broken once, when Liletou looked over at Yue and gave the moon angel one of her rare smiles that seemed to bless whomever received it.
Out loud, Nia said to her spirit, "Liletou my friend, this is Clow Reed, Keroberos and Yue," The odd woman nodded her head at them as Nia continued, "We brought them here because the question of your talents versus the ones of a being Clow created came up. First we will let this being, the Song Card, give her best try. Would you like to do so after her?" Liletou nodded, stood and bowed to her Mistress. Clow released the Song Card.
After listening attentively to the lovely melody the card wove, it was Liletou's turn. She sat at her piano, body rigid for a moment, until she swept into a dashing piece. At one point the music became so low and sad it was heartbreaking. The ending picked up a furious pace and abruptly ceased. After a minute of silence, Clow spoke.
"That was excellent. My dear, I think you've won. I'll have to get the Song card to learn that one." Nickoli poked Yue on the shoulder and smiled triumphantly. Yue glared at him, but had a hard time sustaining an angry look when Nickoli was smiling at him so. They were practically in their own world and didn't notice Nia whispering to Clow.
"They're so perfect for each other! And cute together, the way they don't even realize we notice..."
"I've never seen Yue so happy. He seems like a completely different person."
"I think it's making your other Guardian nervous and uncomfortable."
"Oh, Kero doesn't mind that much, if he even notices. He actually cares about Yue, and wouldn't prevent something that would make him happy. I've always told them to regard each other as brothers. I'd be surprised if Keroberos realized their feelings were deeper than friendship though."
"Maybe we should go."
"I agree. Let's drag my lion out with us." And the two magicians unceremoniously grabbed the Guardian Beast, fearsome creature that he was, and dragged him out the door by the scruff of his neck. Yue and Nickoli barely noticed, even as Nia had to muffle the lion's shouts. Nickoli and the moon guardian sat by the piano, where Liletou played a quiet, subdued tune that wove together beautifully under her skilled hands.
The pair was quiet for a while, and Yue began singing in a hushed voice. Nickoli didn't know the words, for the song was in a different language.
Nickoli looked at him in mild shock. "You sing very well. I hadn't expected that. What dialect was that?"
"It was Chinese. Clow wanted me to know how to speak Chinese in case we ever had to visit his family that lived there. The song was about a cursed lover who wanders the woods around a village, unable to get to the one he loves. But then, a young woman travels through the woods and can see the man, and they fall in love and the curse is broken by his new affections."
"That's very beautiful, Yue," Nickoli whispered in a hushed tone, "Almost as beautiful as you."
Yue smiled and pushed himself into Nickoli's arms. For the rest of the day, Nickoli took Yue to various rooms in the house. Some of them held a spirit, others were simply areas to spend time in.
Finally, Clow had to depart. He and Keroberos were looking forward to going home to their familiar halls and spirits, but Yue wanted to stay. This newly discovered love had come so quickly, and he didn't want to be alone again. Clow saw this, and the gears in his mind began turning.
First he invited both Nia and Nickoli to his own manor, but Nia said she was very busy with a big project. "Well, what about sending Nickoli off with us for a week or so? It'll keep him out of your hair."
Nia immediately knew why Clow was doing this, and pretended to think it over. Finally she said, "It sounds like a good idea to me." Both angels were delighted, and Kero looked as though he was going to attack his Master. Nia put in, "Nikki, why don't you go to your rooms and grab some extra clothing."
Nickoli was too happy to even reprimand his Mistress' use of the nickname he found so annoying. He exited the room and flew to his own. Little did he know, Yue had followed him. The moon guardian had become curious as to why Nickoli would show him every room but his own.
As he flew through the winding corridors, the moon guardian stayed a good distance behind. When they came the western most section of the building, Nickoli stopped at a large, heavy locked door. Speaking a few words too softly for Yue to understand, the door swung open without a sound. Nickoli walked quickly in, forgetting in his haste to shut it behind him. After entering, Yue crept inside the dim chamber.
The room was a disaster. It wasn't like Nickoli didn't clean up after himself, but the fact was it looked as though a hurricane had blown through recently. The black and red velvet curtains that hung over the large windows facing the sunset were half ripped off, hanging askew from their rails. The room itself retained dust and the appearance that it was not often used. The more recent moved were marked. A coffee table, made of solid marble, was thrown across the room where the hole its impact on the wall caused was clearly visible. A painting of some strange looking man was ripped down the center. It almost looked like fingernails caused the damage. Yue approached the image on the wall and pushed the torn section of canvas up to reveal the face.
The picture in a gilded frame was of a young man. He looked vaguely familiar, but Yue knew he had never met him. The features were just too unusual to be forgotten. His dirty blonde hair was cut extremely short except for the first two inches near the part in the hair. Those pieces came down past his chin, but nothing else did. The startlingly blue eyes were outlined in coal, like an Egyptian. His skin seemed dry and without real complexion. The man's cruel lips were curved in a maniacal smile. At first glance the expression seemed like the one all great painters gave their subjects, that lopsided grin that portrays intelligence and amusement, that I-Know-Something-You-Don't look. But this one was disturbing, the discomforting glint in the unnatural looking eyes and distressing little smile. Turing away, the moon guardian searched the rest of the room.
Chairs thrown, desks smashed, walls damaged, glass wares shattered, picture frames trashed and photos torn to unrecognizable bits and everything else destroyed. Thoughts hit the moon angel. // Who did this? None of the other creations, because the door's locked and you need that little incantation, Nia wouldn't destroy furniture and if she did would use magic to replace or repair it. No one can break into the house, so that leaves only one other option. But why would Nickoli destroy one of his own rooms and then just leave everything in a mess? It makes no sense.// Before he was discovered, Yue quickly made his exit and used his magic to follow the life energies of the others back to the main hall. About halfway there, Nickoli flew around a corner and stopped to walk with him.
"What are you doing?" the dark angel asked.
Yue found lying easier than he expected, "I was going to follow you, but you went too fast so I lost you at some point. I didn't want to go any farther, so I waited for a minute. After a while I started back." Suddenly, Yue just wanted to hold Nickoli, to have him in his arms. Pulling the other forward, the moon guardian pulled his love into a tight embrace. Nickoli very unexpectedly kissed Yue, surprising the guardian. Not that Yue minded. As he pulled away, Nickoli ran his tongue over Yue's lips and whispered, "Let's go. Wouldn't want someone thinking we got eaten by one of Nia's creations." Yue wrapped his arms around the taller man's waist and gave him another kiss.
Chapter 5: LIletou and a Locked Room
The pair spent the rest of the day outside, talking about everything and nothing, until the topic came to music. Yue and Nickoli wondered which spirit was more musically talented, the Song card or Liletou, Nia's creation. To find out, Nickoli decided he should introduce Yue to this mysterious being.
Nickoli pulled Yue to his feet, saying, "Come on, let's go. You've never heard Liletou's songs, and after you do, you'll understand why I think she's better." Yue let himself be brought upwards, but went more willingly than his lover suspected and ended up falling onto the taller angel. Nickoli didn't let him go, but drew the guardian into another kiss.
"Are we going?" mumbled Yue after they parted. Nickoli smiled and took Yue's hand. Keroberos had already gone inside earlier, having become bored. As the angels walked back into the library, they noticed Clow showing Nia some of his cards. Yue quickly led Nickoli over to the magicians.
"Master, Nickoli and I were caught in the middle of a small disagreement," Clow looked at his moon guardian and was relieved to see the look of happiness on Yue's face. He also noted that the two were still holding hands.
"What can we do to help your little situation?" Clow asked smiling at Nia as she noticed the way the two angels were staying so close.
"We want to know which is more musically talented, Liletou or the Song Card." Nickoli laughed as each magician spoke the name of their own creation and glared jokingly at each other. "Should we go to Liletou's room?" The group, including Kero, set out.
When they finally came to the right room, after walking through the strange corridors that twisted where they should not, went to the next floor without actually changing elevation, seemed to turn in a complete circle but led to a totally different area, Nia had to unlock the door first. When she opened the door, a music room was revealed. Pianos, harps, violins and some other unnamable instruments were placed carefully in their stands in various points throughout the room. At the largest piano, set over in one corner of the room so the light was behind the instrument, was seated an odd looking woman. She appeared neither young nor old, but ageless. Her entire body, other than arms and face, were covered in a shapeless robe. Her eyes appeared to be covered by cataracts, but it was apparent she could see. The thing that really set her apart was the fact that her entire body was colorless. Eyes, the bit of hair that was showing, garments, everything about her had no hue. It's not even that it was all white, but instead somehow devoid of all coloration or tone. This was Liletou. She sat patiently, as if waiting for her Mistress' command. When she spotted Nickoli, her manner became much more animated and she smiled at him serenely.
"Liletou is actually my oldest creation, and she has a special fondness for Nickoli," Nia said this as her guardian walked up to the musical spirit. "She's practically an aunt to him, she helped me raise the lunatic when he was younger. They're very close." Nickoli stood next to Liletou, both silently staring at the other. It suddenly occurred to Clow and his guardians that these two were communicating. Their eye contact was only broken once, when Liletou looked over at Yue and gave the moon angel one of her rare smiles that seemed to bless whomever received it.
Out loud, Nia said to her spirit, "Liletou my friend, this is Clow Reed, Keroberos and Yue," The odd woman nodded her head at them as Nia continued, "We brought them here because the question of your talents versus the ones of a being Clow created came up. First we will let this being, the Song Card, give her best try. Would you like to do so after her?" Liletou nodded, stood and bowed to her Mistress. Clow released the Song Card.
After listening attentively to the lovely melody the card wove, it was Liletou's turn. She sat at her piano, body rigid for a moment, until she swept into a dashing piece. At one point the music became so low and sad it was heartbreaking. The ending picked up a furious pace and abruptly ceased. After a minute of silence, Clow spoke.
"That was excellent. My dear, I think you've won. I'll have to get the Song card to learn that one." Nickoli poked Yue on the shoulder and smiled triumphantly. Yue glared at him, but had a hard time sustaining an angry look when Nickoli was smiling at him so. They were practically in their own world and didn't notice Nia whispering to Clow.
"They're so perfect for each other! And cute together, the way they don't even realize we notice..."
"I've never seen Yue so happy. He seems like a completely different person."
"I think it's making your other Guardian nervous and uncomfortable."
"Oh, Kero doesn't mind that much, if he even notices. He actually cares about Yue, and wouldn't prevent something that would make him happy. I've always told them to regard each other as brothers. I'd be surprised if Keroberos realized their feelings were deeper than friendship though."
"Maybe we should go."
"I agree. Let's drag my lion out with us." And the two magicians unceremoniously grabbed the Guardian Beast, fearsome creature that he was, and dragged him out the door by the scruff of his neck. Yue and Nickoli barely noticed, even as Nia had to muffle the lion's shouts. Nickoli and the moon guardian sat by the piano, where Liletou played a quiet, subdued tune that wove together beautifully under her skilled hands.
The pair was quiet for a while, and Yue began singing in a hushed voice. Nickoli didn't know the words, for the song was in a different language.
Nickoli looked at him in mild shock. "You sing very well. I hadn't expected that. What dialect was that?"
"It was Chinese. Clow wanted me to know how to speak Chinese in case we ever had to visit his family that lived there. The song was about a cursed lover who wanders the woods around a village, unable to get to the one he loves. But then, a young woman travels through the woods and can see the man, and they fall in love and the curse is broken by his new affections."
"That's very beautiful, Yue," Nickoli whispered in a hushed tone, "Almost as beautiful as you."
Yue smiled and pushed himself into Nickoli's arms. For the rest of the day, Nickoli took Yue to various rooms in the house. Some of them held a spirit, others were simply areas to spend time in.
Finally, Clow had to depart. He and Keroberos were looking forward to going home to their familiar halls and spirits, but Yue wanted to stay. This newly discovered love had come so quickly, and he didn't want to be alone again. Clow saw this, and the gears in his mind began turning.
First he invited both Nia and Nickoli to his own manor, but Nia said she was very busy with a big project. "Well, what about sending Nickoli off with us for a week or so? It'll keep him out of your hair."
Nia immediately knew why Clow was doing this, and pretended to think it over. Finally she said, "It sounds like a good idea to me." Both angels were delighted, and Kero looked as though he was going to attack his Master. Nia put in, "Nikki, why don't you go to your rooms and grab some extra clothing."
Nickoli was too happy to even reprimand his Mistress' use of the nickname he found so annoying. He exited the room and flew to his own. Little did he know, Yue had followed him. The moon guardian had become curious as to why Nickoli would show him every room but his own.
As he flew through the winding corridors, the moon guardian stayed a good distance behind. When they came the western most section of the building, Nickoli stopped at a large, heavy locked door. Speaking a few words too softly for Yue to understand, the door swung open without a sound. Nickoli walked quickly in, forgetting in his haste to shut it behind him. After entering, Yue crept inside the dim chamber.
The room was a disaster. It wasn't like Nickoli didn't clean up after himself, but the fact was it looked as though a hurricane had blown through recently. The black and red velvet curtains that hung over the large windows facing the sunset were half ripped off, hanging askew from their rails. The room itself retained dust and the appearance that it was not often used. The more recent moved were marked. A coffee table, made of solid marble, was thrown across the room where the hole its impact on the wall caused was clearly visible. A painting of some strange looking man was ripped down the center. It almost looked like fingernails caused the damage. Yue approached the image on the wall and pushed the torn section of canvas up to reveal the face.
The picture in a gilded frame was of a young man. He looked vaguely familiar, but Yue knew he had never met him. The features were just too unusual to be forgotten. His dirty blonde hair was cut extremely short except for the first two inches near the part in the hair. Those pieces came down past his chin, but nothing else did. The startlingly blue eyes were outlined in coal, like an Egyptian. His skin seemed dry and without real complexion. The man's cruel lips were curved in a maniacal smile. At first glance the expression seemed like the one all great painters gave their subjects, that lopsided grin that portrays intelligence and amusement, that I-Know-Something-You-Don't look. But this one was disturbing, the discomforting glint in the unnatural looking eyes and distressing little smile. Turing away, the moon guardian searched the rest of the room.
Chairs thrown, desks smashed, walls damaged, glass wares shattered, picture frames trashed and photos torn to unrecognizable bits and everything else destroyed. Thoughts hit the moon angel. // Who did this? None of the other creations, because the door's locked and you need that little incantation, Nia wouldn't destroy furniture and if she did would use magic to replace or repair it. No one can break into the house, so that leaves only one other option. But why would Nickoli destroy one of his own rooms and then just leave everything in a mess? It makes no sense.// Before he was discovered, Yue quickly made his exit and used his magic to follow the life energies of the others back to the main hall. About halfway there, Nickoli flew around a corner and stopped to walk with him.
"What are you doing?" the dark angel asked.
Yue found lying easier than he expected, "I was going to follow you, but you went too fast so I lost you at some point. I didn't want to go any farther, so I waited for a minute. After a while I started back." Suddenly, Yue just wanted to hold Nickoli, to have him in his arms. Pulling the other forward, the moon guardian pulled his love into a tight embrace. Nickoli very unexpectedly kissed Yue, surprising the guardian. Not that Yue minded. As he pulled away, Nickoli ran his tongue over Yue's lips and whispered, "Let's go. Wouldn't want someone thinking we got eaten by one of Nia's creations." Yue wrapped his arms around the taller man's waist and gave him another kiss.